With so much good music coming through thick and fast, it’s easy for albums to drop online and go overlooked. Check out our weekly mini-guide to the best new records you may have missed. Happy listening – and don’t forget to hit the links and support the artists.
Vieo Abiungo – At Once, There Was No Horizon
Composer William Ryan Fritch returns to his Vieo Abiungo alias for a new album with Lost Tribe Sound. Coming nearly ten years after, ‘Blood Memory’ which served as both the first release for the label and Fritch under the alias this six-song release of brooding, darkly atmospheric numbers are the perfect soundtrack for the cold winter nights ahead. If delicate woodwind pads, menacingly tribal rhythms, and haunting sax notes float your boat, then this is for you.
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes – Heritage of the Invisible II
Longtime musical collaborators Aquiles Navarro (trumpet) and Tcheser Holmes (percussion) have gifted us their new album, Heritage of the Invisible II. Having worked together as members of Irreversible Entanglements, the pair showcase their seemingly telepathic musical interplay bouncing off each other with music that connects their Latin and Afro-Caribbean roots and bubbles with improvised free jazz. Heritage of the Invisible II also offers a heady mix of samples, vocal contributions, electronic elements from Juno 106 and Moog Grandmother synths and field recordings that will catch the ears of adventurous listeners.
Planet Battagon – Trans-Neptunia
Yet another great release from On The Corner Records! After releasing an EP, single and a collaborative effort with The Diabolical Liberties for the label, Planet Battagon unleashes their first full-length. Led by Nathan ‘Tugg’ Curran who along with his associates produce a unique and invigorating sound, mixing free-jazz improvisation, psychedelic textures, cosmic electronics and ancient drum machines. It’s an entertaining mix of sounds, and it all works excellent here especially on tracks like IxION (those drums!), Wezlee’s Disco Inferno (wonky sonics) and Escape From Sedna (cool spacey jazz rhythms). No more words from us, listen. Essential.
Denise Sherwood – This Road
It probably won’t come as a surprise to eagle-eyed music fans that Denise Sherwood is the daughter of Adrian Sherwood. While he lends his considerable talents to her debut album, it’s Denise that shines the brightest throughout with her soothing tones. The eleven tracks delve into her personal history, having spent her teenage years at her father, Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Studio. There’s an array of musical pals like Lee “Scratch” Perry, Mala, Mark Stewart, to lend a helping hand. Finding inspiration in some darker topics, ‘This Road’ pairs these dark themes with dubby beats, roots music, trip-hop, Dnb and pop-tinged melodies. All in all, a superb debut offering from Denise Sherwood; clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
MADMADMAD – More, More, More
Following their self-released album ‘Proper Music’ early last year, MADMADMAD returns with ‘More More More’, via S.T.A.C Records. The trio recorded the 8-track LP in their experimental warehouse lab, and much like their debut, finds them cooking up a heady stew of 70’s no-wave, post-punk and disco. The tracks are aggressive and noisy but accessible, and the energy MADMADMAD create is infectious! One for the open-minded music lover.
Oliver Coates – skins n slime *
Oliver Coates’ skins n slime is a caliginous anatomy concealed by a drone-metal membrane, feeding upon mechanised strand distortions and thriving amidst its harmonic waste. In his follow-up album to 2018’s Shelley’s on Zenn-La, the cellist and producer leads an impassioned performance of string through viscous, synthetic modulation, triggering a darker side of his compositional sensibilities.
EP’s
Parris – Terrapin
Parris swiftly returns following his Polychrome Swim EP with a debut release on Wisdom Teeth. Four unique house mutations, including a collaboration with AD93 star Minor Science. The downtempo grooves of opener’ Soft Rocks With Socks’ is the one for us but it’s all good! An exciting release for open-minded house fans.
Daoui — Message from the Daoui
The debut release from Daoui offers yet another outstanding example of the groundbreaking music coming out of the Chicago jazz scene. Message from the Daoui is a fascinating collaboration between Angel Bat Dawid (clarinet and vocals), and Oui Ennui (production and synths). The pair create five intensely eclectic tracks that bring together spoken word poetry, eerie synths, spellbinding jazz clarinet passages, samples and cosmic beats. Listen to the powerful opener, Your Machine (Criola-Starh 265d), and you’ll be hooked in no time. Play as loud as possible.
Church Andrews & Matt Davies – NEIGHBOURS
Church Andrews teams up with percussionist Matt Davies for a 7-track project of stripped-back drum and digital synthesis experiments recorded (mostly) live in London between 2019 – 2020. Utilising Davies drum performances to trigger Andrews synthesis setups, the duo explores the conversation between their instruments taking a minimalist approach to sound while spanning a myriad of genres from jazz, dub techno, and hip-hop. A kaleidoscope of styles come together to create something new and exciting.
Compilations
Blue Note Re:imagined – Various Artists
Take an array of talent from the UK’s jazz, soul, and R&B scenes and get them to rework classic Blue Note tracks. What sounds like a great idea on paper is even better on wax. The jaw-dropping lineup includes Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective, Nubya Garcia, Poppy Ajudha, Jordan Rakei Jorja Smith, Steam Down, Yazmin Lacey, Emma-Jean Thackray, and more. There’s not a weak track in sight, highly recommended!
New & Notable:
*Press Release
