Hello good people; we’re back with a new Between The Cracks selection. 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! Check out our weekly mini-guide below and if you like what you hear, click the links and support the artists.
Albums
Son of Chi & Arthur Flink – The Fifth World Recordings
Let yourself sink into this lovely two-track homage to the late Jon Hassell. The music of Son of Chi & Arthur Flink could easily be filed in the Fourth World genre drawer. However, the album subverts all typical classifications and creatively uses them by seductively referencing Hassall. This is truly an adventurous listen; hopefully, it will quietly weave its way into many ears. Enjoy two creative minds at play.
Dane Law – blue forty-six
There aren’t many acoustic guitar albums that can keep me captivated for weeks on end; however, blue forty-six by Dane Law has done just that. Composed by sampling individual notes from his acoustic guitars and then arranging them into dazzling structures in a computer, Law creates an array of original and exciting sounds. As you can hear on this record, the creativity behind the release is nearly impossible to capture. Dreamy ambient minimalism for horizontal listening.
Dai Fujikura and Jan Bang – The Bow Maker
The first release from the freshly minted label Punkt Editions is described as possessing the “Punkt Sound”. If you like ambient music that takes frequent left turns and comes layered with delicate guitar lines, fluid trumpet notes, subtle drumming, soft piano chords and rich cello, then Dai Fujikura and Jan Bang’s The Bow Maker is an album you need to hear. Throw your favourite headphones on, and float away.
funcionário – Cavalcante
On ‘Cavalcante’, the new album by funcionário, analog and digital technologies work together seamlessly. With a loving nod to the late legend Jon Hassell and his fourth-world design, the young Portuguese producer crafts an exquisite melding of organic instrumentation, hypnotic rhythms and ambient tranquillity. Flute, violin, saxophone, and many other instruments extend the musicianship and scope of his latest works, defining a bridge between electronic, ambient, and jazz in a very personalised and technical form. Highly recommended.
Alabê KetuJazz – Kan
DJ Tahira launches his new Poeira Music label with a deep Afro-Brazilian Condemblé jazz LP. Brazilian saxophonist/composer Glaucus Linx and French percussionist/composer Antoine Olivier are a long-standing duo. My introduction to this album over the past few days has been both joyous and enlightening. The Brazilian sounds, the jazz touch, and the Latin sprinkles on this release will captivate you. It’s a must-listen; don’t miss it.
Wau Wau Collectif – Mariage
We reviewed the Wau Wau Collectif’s debut LP and urge you to listen to their sophomore release. Once again, Senegalese singer Arouna Kane, Swedish musician Karl Jonas Winqvist and a wide range of musicians from the two continents come together for a melting pot of children’s songs, hip-hop beats, funky guitars, hypnotic percussive balafon, and kora stylings. Catchy yet challenging, this album will enrich your mind and move your feet equally. This album ranks exceptionally high on our list of this year’s best.
Angélica Salvi – Habitat
Regular readers will know of our fondness for gentle harp textures, and the new album from Angélica Salvi is rich in them. Beautifully understated, mostly unaccompanied harp music that is ideally suited for headphones and late-night listening. Well played and simply fantastic by keeping it minimal. Listen for yourself right now and enjoy!
Charlotte Dos Santos – Morfo
Norwegian neo-soul singer Charlotte Dos Santos has a magical voice that enchants from the first note to the last on Morfo. Dos Santos’ impeccable musings and vivid songwriting are a sensual and uplifting combination throughout this new album. An array of R&B and soulful gems interspersed with subtle flourishes of funk, MBP/Samba and classical makes for an engaging listening experience. Enjoy Morfo in all its glory below!
Svaneborg Kardyb – Over Tage
Svaneborg Kardyb are Nikolaj Svaneborg (Wurlitzer, Juno) and Jonas Kardyb (drums, percussion). Their debut album, Knob, was one of our favourite albums of 2019, and this new release offers more melodic dub-jazz and atmospheric building. For fans of Bremer/McCoy and Hvalfugl, with touches of Matthew Halsall and Mammal Hands.
Carl Stone – We Jazz Reworks Vol. 2
As far as we’re concerned, We Jazz Records can do no wrong. Every release is a breathtaking and refreshing take on jazz music worldwide. Keeping things fresh and innovative is what the label is all about, and with that in mind comes their reworks series – throwing open their catalogue to musical creatives who are free to tackle ten albums worth of source material. Vol 2 in the series sees Carl Stone rework tracks by Terkel Nørgaard, OK:KO, Jonah Parzen-Johnson and more. The six remixed tracks are as powerful as the originals, but Stone gives them a new dimension. Listen to this! You won’t be disappointed!
