This week’s guide is by CF Smith and contributors Arifur Rahman, Words By Shoaib, and Irfan Ayaan.
Each Friday at Twistedsoul, we showcase a small selection of new releases that have caught our collective ears. We search Between The Cracks to bring you new music that might may have flown under your radar. This week, we’re highlighting albums from Vega Trails, Ambre Ciel, Muito Kaballa, Ron Trent and more. Lend an ear to the music, and if it strikes a chord, show some love to the artists and labels by supporting them.
Albums
Vega Trails – Sierra Tracks
With Sierra Tracks, Vega Trails, led by bassist Milo Fitzpatrick and saxophonist Jordan Smart, deliver a stunning evolution from their debut as a duo, expanding into rich, chamber-jazz terrain. Released via Gondwana Records, the album is a cinematic, emotionally textured work inspired by Fitzpatrick’s relocation to the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in Spain. Augmented by piano, vibraphone, and a ten-piece string ensemble, it’s a project of atmosphere and resonance. ‘Largo’ opens the record with brooding elegance, its sweeping bass and swelling strings immediately setting a contemplative tone. It’s grand but never overwhelming, anchoring the album’s expansive mountain theme. ‘Murmurations’, by contrast, is agile and rhythmic, full of interplay between plucked strings, crisp drums, and lyrical saxophone, painting a vivid portrait of movement in nature. While some critics note a lack of dramatic tension, the album’s strength lies in its cohesion and sonic subtlety. It’s a record to live inside, ambient yet deeply melodic. Sierra Tracks doesn’t aim to dazzle; it invites stillness, echoing the calm and complexity of the landscapes that gave birth to it. A graceful, grounded listen. – WBS
Ambre Ciel – still, there is the sea
The name of the album, still, there is the sea, is certainly a strong clue! Hinting at the ocean’s perpetual presence and influence, suggesting that no matter what else is happening, the sea remains a constant. Ambre Ciel’s, still, there is the sea, out now on Gondwana Records, is an immersive journey that blends ambient, experimental pop, contemporary classical influences, impressionistic textures, and minimalist aesthetics. The album shines with Ciel’s distinct talent for crafting atmospheres that envelop the listener completely. Lyrically, “still, there is the sea” is both introspective and evocative. Ciel’s bilingual approach—singing in both English and French—adds an additional layer of richness to her storytelling. Her lyrics delve into themes of longing, nature, and the fleeting beauty of existence. From the cinematic opener, ‘the sun/the sky,’ to the dreamy, string-laden sounds of ‘eau miroir’, Ciel invites listeners into her first and imperfect attempt to create this other world that was living in her mind. The track, ‘dream/mirage’, is gorgeous and really sums up her style in a nutshell. One thing’s for sure: as the title suggests, the music sails smoothly on the waves of intrigue and piques just the right amount of curiosity. – CFS
Muito Kaballa – Tomorrow A Flower
Muito Kaballa’s “Tomorrow A Flower” is a vibrant, soul-stirring evolution that blends indie pop, jazz, hip-hop, Brazilian rhythms, and West African grooves into a cohesive, emotionally rich tapestry. Released on May 2, 2025, under Batov Records, this 11-track project sees the ensemble leaning into a more polished, modern pop aesthetic without losing its experimental roots. Highlights include “In My Delir”, featuring Petite Noir, a shimmering track that dances between Afro-futurism and haunting melancholy, and “Flowers Only Grow After The Rain Falls,” which gracefully explores resilience through layered rhythms and meditative vocals. The ensemble’s tight musicianship, particularly the contributions from Niklas Mündemann and collaborators like Jermaine Peterson, shine throughout. With thoughtful lyricism and global influences, Tomorrow A Flower feels intimate yet expansive, nostalgic yet forward-looking. Backed by strong early support from platforms like BBC 6 Music and KEXP and a May 2025 European tour, this album is a sonic journey and a testament to musical growth. Muito Kaballa has delivered its most refined work to date. – WBS
Nazar – Demilitarize
Nazar’s sophomore album ‘Demilitarize‘ is remarkable in many aspects. One of which is how the album inherits the spirit of kuduro while introducing a more refined, introspective and dreamlike quality. Kuduro, which roughly translates to “hard ass” or “stiff bottom” in Portuguese, is a high-energy music and dance genre that originated in Angola in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Nazar took the traditional kuduro and used it in a more experimental and politically charged way. His version of kuduro deals with themes like war, trauma, and personal identity. Despite being thematically heavy and dark, Nazar intended the album to have a dreamlike quality. He wanted to create a metaphysical world of sci-fi-esque ambience. ‘Matra’ and ‘War Game’- these songs feel like an aural replay of the civil war in Europe. – AR
Siri Karlsson – Stockholm – Ouagadougou
Siri Karlsson’s ‘Stockholm–Ouagadougou’ is a vibrant fusion of Swedish folk and West African griot traditions. The Swedish duo Maria Arnqvist and Cecilia Österholm are back with their genre-blending approach, incorporating elements of psychedelia, progressive rock, and avant-garde music into their sound. On this album, their collaborator is Solo Dja Kabaco, a blind singer and songwriter who is a prominent figure in Burkina Faso, West Africa. His talent took him from begging on the streets as a child to becoming a treasured artist in his country. The album explores themes like friendship and the freedom of music. The seamless integration of African rhythms with Scandinavian melodies creates a unique sonic landscape, as showcased in tracks like ‘Hey Solo’ and ‘San Fina’. ‘Oh Ma’ is an emotive song, both in terms of its vocals and intricate instrumentation, highlighting the cultural synergy between the artists. – AR
Ron Trent – Lift Off
Ron Trent’s decade-spanning sonic odyssey Lift Off signals a triumphant return to form for the Chicago house pioneer. After 35 years since his groundbreaking Afterlife EP, Trent delivers his most adventurous statement yet, weaving together influences from new wave to jazz-funk across ten meticulously crafted tracks. This isn’t your typical house album; it’s a genre-blurring meditation that honours dance music’s past while pushing toward its future. The album’s sonic palette is breathtaking, from the samba-kissed electronics of Woman of Color to the Balearic romanticism of And Fly Away. Standout collaborations elevate the material further: legendary disco-boogie maestro Leroy Burgess transforms Let Me See You Shining into a transcendent meeting of minds, while Harry Dennis delivers haunting spoken word over the Latin-tinged epic Her. Trent’s production remains impeccable throughout, with warm chords, intricate percussion, and starry synthesisers, creating an immersive listening experience that works equally well in headphones or on dance floors. Lift Off confirms Trent as dance music’s most sophisticated alchemist. – IA
