Hey folks, welcome to your new Between The Cracks featuring ten must-hear releases. As always no lengthy write-ups as who reads those anyway? We keep it short and to the point because you’re here to listen to the music! It’s Bandcamp Friday so put your ££££ directly into the pockets of artists and labels.
Albums
Debit – The Long Count
Mexican-American producer Delia Beatriz – aka Debit – delivers her second album. ‘The Long Count’ draws inspiration from ancient Mayan wind instruments such as the ocarina, whistle, and flute, which she skillfully blends with electronic soundscapes to eerie and mesmerising results.
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Labelle – Éclat
Réunion Island experimental composer Labelle recently released his latest album Éclat (InFiné Music). The new album is the second part of a series of classical music and composition explorations, which started in 2019 with ‘Orchestre univers’. Across the album, he presents a series of string quartet works reframed through Maloya rhythms and modern electronics.
Culross Close – Pressure
Another sure-shot from Kieron Ifill, this time under his Culross Cross guise. The new album spans electronic, jazz, and hip-hop genres, released under his Esencia imprint. This album makes waves from the beat-driven jazz of ‘To Belong’ to the delicate piano chords of ‘The Will To Change’. All the high standards we’ve come to expect from Ifill, but of course, we expect nothing less.
Bugge Wesseltoft – Be Am
Mostly soft and dreamy piano pieces from Bugge Wesseltoft on his new album Be Am. Minimal textures, melodies that speak to the heart, and surprises around every corner. The serenity and elegance are perfect for transporting you to another world. This is yet another must-have release from Bugge.
Ana Carla Maza – Bahía
Ana Carla Maza releases her latest album Bahía via Persona Editorial; it’s a stunning combination of classical, afro-Cuban jazz, Latin jazz, bossa and chanson that pays homage to the music of her home city of Havana. Don’t sleep on this beautiful album!
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer
Bolis Pupul and Charlotte Adigéry’s debut studio album Topical Dancer explores cultural appropriation, misogyny and racism, social media vanity, post-colonialism and political correctness. Tropical Dancer is not your typical dance record, but Adigéry and Pupal are rewriting the rules to bring a collection for the mind, body, and soul.
K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) – Zone 6, Agege
On his debut solo album, Zone 6, Ghanaian rapper KOG combines English with Pidgin and Ga lyrics over Afrobeat grooves, hip hop beats and reggae riddims to create a highly energetic combination. The ONIPA frontman paints sonic pictures as vibrant and colourful as the cover art. Another winner from Heavenly Sweetness.
Kwesi Yvorra – I’m Still About
Drummer and producer Kwesi Yvorra is one of the hottest artists in the British music scene, mixing the raw elements of funk, jazz, hip hop, prog-rock, and drum & bass into a unique sound.
Compilations
Various Artist – Lèspri Ka : New Directions in Gwoka Music from Guadeloupe 1981-2010
This magnificent comp exploring Guadeloupean music is at the top of my Bandcamp Friday wishlist. Time Capsule and Séance Centre take a deep dive into gwoka music on this stunning collection that demands your attention from the get-go. Gwoka is more than a style of music, says Guadeloupean vocalist and composer Marie-Line Dahomay in the compilation’s liner notes, “It is a way of life and thinking”. Music for both mind and spirit.
Soundtracks
Eiko Ishibashi – Drive My Car
This month, Space Shower Music will release Eiko Ishibashi’s soundtrack to Drive My Car on vinyl. Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, the award-winning film was written and directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Eiko’s soundtrack mixes post-rock, jazz, and orchestral pop with guest musicians, including frequent collaborator Jim O’Rourke.
