With so much good music coming through thick and fast, it’s easy for albums to drop online and go overlooked. Each week we select five releases, from across the musical soundscape, that require your attention. Check out our weekly mini-guide to the best records you may have missed – stream music from Bremer/McCoy, Memotone, Lemon Quartet, Liquid Canoe and Maât. If you like what you hear, hit the links and support the artists.
Bremer/McCoy – Utopia
We’re a bit late on posting this one, to be honest, I thought I’d featured this album months ago. Danish duo Bremer/McCoy shared their beautiful fourth album aptly titled Utopia back in October last year. As you’d expect from the talented pair, each track is musically rich and intricately detailed as ever. From the bright, twinkling keys that are balanced by a warm, sauntering bassline on ‘Højder’ to the enchanting violins and dubbed out keys of ‘Tusmørke’ the duo’s mix of jazz, dub, and neo-classical is masterly. All in all, it makes for their most accomplished record to date.
Memetone – Invisible Cities
After releases on noted labels such as Black Acre, Bedouin, Project Mooncircle, and Brownswood, Bristol artist Memotone lands on Diskotopia. On his latest album titled Invisible Cities, the multi-instrumentalist and producer marries neo-classical-leaning ambient, fourth-world new-age exotica, and post-krautrock OSTs. The record opens with Eusapia a majestic meeting of warm cello melodies, delicate Rhodes and piano, soft clarinet phrases. Next up is the sparkling, minimal ambience of Shadowed Grass. The sonorous sounds of Where Memory is Traded is something rather special. A jazz-flecked beauty that reveals something new on every listen. My fave track Niigghht recalls the 90s work of Hooper, Marshall et al. Highly recommended!
Lemon Quartet – Crestless
Debut album by Ohio-bassed group Lemon Quartet. Their intricately arranged instrumentals have flashes of other airy artists. In essence, they trade in compositional ruffles that may feel familiar to followers of Gigi Masin or any number of releases on Valley of the Sun. On this brilliant six-track recording, the quartet nicely blends light ambient textures with atmospheric jazz tones. Highlights include the dreamy ‘Limping Through The Garden’, the slow-moving and spacious ‘The Slanted Blue’, the stripped back ‘Broadwalkers’ and the beautiful title cut – the standout track on the album. Essential listening.
Liquid Canoe – Liquid Canoe
Wolfgang Matthes and the crew drop their eponymous LP, and they do not disappoint. Inspired by the commune electronics and space rock of 70s Germany and inhabited by the spirit of the boogie, Over eight tracks, Liquid Canoe builds a spacious world in which to lose yourself. It’s a stunning album from a unique collective who confidently explore acidic bass, slow funk, cosmic dub, electronics and space rock—sweet and serene sounds for your listening pleasure.
Maât – Solar Mantra
Parisian outfit Maât recently shared their new album Solar Mantra via Growing Bin. The German label is known for releasing music that fuses multiple genres fusions, and this album does precisely that. Across the eight tracks, Maât takes a stroll along a path that wanders down jazz, Balearic, dub, house and Afro to create a forward-thinking LP dedicated to the Don Cherry-led fusion trio Codona. An incredibly crafted and finely balanced collection with tunes for the dancefloor (hopefully soon), headphone commutes (key workers) and Sundays lounging around at home.
