This week’s guide is by CF Smith and contributors Arifur Rahman, and Words By Shoaib.
Each week at Twistedsoul, we showcase the finest new releases from across the globe. We scour Between The Cracks to bring you new albums that might may have flown under your radar. This week, we’re highlighting new albums from Wolfgang Pérez, Cole Pulice, Orbital Ensemble, Gabriel da Rosa 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
Wolfgang Pérez – Só Ouço
Wolfgang Pérez’s Só Ouço is a radiant tribute to Brazil, its rhythms, contradictions, and emotional textures. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro during an 18-month residency, the album feels like the sound of observation turned inward. Across nine tracks, Pérez blends MPB, samba, and experimental pop with a traveller’s ear and a native’s heart. The title track ‘Só Ouço’ captures this spirit with clarity. It moves through a subtle groove, where layered samples and organic instrumentation create a sound both dreamy and grounded. It’s intimate yet exploratory, reflecting the gentle complexity of Brazilian traditions. ‘Rádio’ stands out through its collaboration with Carol Maia. Her vocals and acoustic guitar add emotional warmth, while BELLACOMSOM’s electronic textures provide understated movement in the background. The track becomes a delicate balance between acoustic sincerity and digital nuance. This is not imitation but transformation. Pérez listens closely, responds honestly, and crafts music that resonates with care and curiosity. Só Ouço feels personal and universal at once, offering a thoughtful experience that’s rich in both detail and feeling. – WBS
The Natural Yogurt Band – Parasol
It feels like it was only yesterday (it was February) that we recommended The Natural Yogurt Band’s Nebulous album. Jump forward five months, Miles Newbold is back with yet another equally brilliant new NYB project. Parasol is yet another display of his impressive range of talents. From drums to synths, bass, and beyond, every element was written, produced, and performed by the one and only Newblod. This album exudes quality from the first note to the last, and the longer you listen, the more it sinks in. Kicking off with the complex rhythmic patterns of ‘On The Other Side’ and wrapping up with the cosmic grooves of ‘Let Me Fly’, Parasol rolls out a deeply esoteric soundworld. It invites listeners to lose themselves in its ebb and flow, serving up a deeply leftfield trip that’s as otherworldly as it is wild. – CFS
Błoto – Grzyby
With Grzyby, Polish quartet Błoto delivers another heady swirl of experimental jazz, hip-hop, and club-warped electronics. Picking up where Grzybnia left off, this five-track set dives into the fungal world, not just as nature’s oddity but as a metaphor for connection, resistance, and quiet resilience. Released via Astigmatic Records, the album’s theme is rooted in the healing and harmful properties of mushrooms, mirrored in its dynamic shifts between groove and abstraction. ‘Wrośniak’ opens with a hypnotic pulse, layering bubbling synths over broken rhythms that mimic the organic unpredictability of its namesake fungus. It feels medicinal, like a sonic detox. ‘Pleśniak’, the longest track at nearly 10 minutes, unspools slowly; its rhythm section mutates beneath glistening keys and hushed textures, echoing the tension between decay and discovery. Błoto thrives on blurred lines, and Grzyby proves they’ve mastered the art of controlled chaos. While no online reviews have been released yet, this release is ripe for in-depth listening. It’s cerebral and physical at once, a mossy, beat-heavy walk through a world just beneath our feet. – WBS
Cole Pulice – Land’s End Eternal
Cole Pulice’s ‘Land’s End Eternal’ is undoubtedly a significant evolution in their musical journey, where ambient textures blend with more structured elements. Pulice is known for a unique sound on saxophone, synths, and live digital signal processing. The 2023 release, ‘If I Don’t See You in the Future, I’ll See You in the Pasture’, showcased a meditative and expansive approach to sound. This album features electric guitar in the mix, notably on the central piece. Apart from the three-part piece, ‘Fragments of a Slipstream Dream’ bears the hallmark of an amorphous style, whereas ‘In a Hidden Nook Between Worlds’ exhibits surprising and commendable clarity and deliberation in terms of composition. The album’s final piece, ‘After the Rain’, highlights Pulice’s ethereal style in collaboration with vocalist Maria BC. Have a listen for yourself, and you’ll see exactly what we’re talking about! – AR
Orbital Ensemble – Orbital
Orbital, the debut from Toronto’s Orbital Ensemble, is a radiant swirl of vintage Brazilian textures and modern psychedelic jazz, helmed by multi-instrumentalist Felipe Sena. With lush arrangements and wide-open grooves, the record feels like a sun-drenched sonic journey through dream states and tropical landscapes. ‘Transe’ stretches nearly 10 minutes, serving as a hypnotic anchor for the album. The track moves patiently, layering hand percussion, flute, and Rhodes over a simmering rhythm that feels both meditative and cinematic. It’s a gorgeous example of the ensemble’s ability to build immersive spaces without losing direction. ‘Espelho do Sol’ offers a more concise, breezy take. Here, the melodies shimmer with nostalgic warmth, echoing classic MPB while sneaking in subtle psychedelic flourishes. It’s easy to imagine this one playing on a coastal drive, windows down, horizon wide open. Released via We Are Busy Bodies and Balaclava Records, Orbital is vibrant, thoughtful, and deeply textured. Whether you’re chasing rhythms or letting go into the atmosphere, this is a record that rewards both heady listening and deep feeling. – WBS
Gabriel da Rosa – Cacofonia
On Cacofonia, Gabriel da Rosa deepens his artistic roots with a rich, heartfelt tribute to Brazil’s people, land, and rhythm. Released June 6, 2025, via Stones Throw Records, the album merges samba and bossa nova with contemporary textures, balancing nostalgia and modernity with emotional nuance.’Pê Patu Pá‘ is a standout; its breezy, AOR-tinged arrangement channels ’70s Brazilian radio warmth while championing environmental consciousness. Da Rosa’s smooth vocals and swirling electric piano evoke a gentle urgency, making this one of the album’s most replayable tracks. ‘Sabor Humanidade‘, offers a poignant contrast. Here, Gabriel reflects on global unrest, particularly the war in Gaza, layering personal vulnerability with a broader humanitarian plea. The track incorporates a poem by his mother, adding depth and intimacy to its socially conscious message. Throughout Cacofonia, da Rosa crafts music that feels lived-in and purposeful. Whether addressing indigenous identity on ‘Menino Índio‘ or personal renewal on ‘No Fundo’, he brings clarity and care to each composition. The result is a collection that resonates beyond borders, Brazilian at heart, but universally human. – WBS
