This week’s guide is by CF Smith and contributors Arifur Rahman, Neil G and Words By Shoaib.
We are excited to share the latest edition of Between The Cracks. This week, we have six new releases to add to your collection, featuring everything from soulful choir music, to dreamy shoegaze, experimental jazz and beyond. We hope you’ll find some music you love and feel excited to hit the buy button. Check out our latest picks below.
Albums
Mocky – Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1)
‘Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1)’, an album released by California-based producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Mocky, aims to defy the disconnect brought about by technological advancements in the world by exploring and uncovering the essence of humanity in music. Seeking to discover the “sound of humans,” Mocky’s latest album release showcases an excellent blend of raw musical elements, including live instruments, enchanting vocal harmonies, and analog recordings, united by Mocky’s passionate musicality. Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1) conveys a powerful message about the timeless creativity of humanity that remains unshakeable at its core. Music will indeed explain the beauty of human expression captured by Mocky in his newest album release. – NG
Mary Halvorson – About Ghost
Mary Halvorson’s About Ghosts is a vibrant and spectral evolution of her sextet Amaryllis. With added depth from saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Brian Settles, the album blends intricate ensemble work, unexpected harmonies, and Halvorson’s signature angular guitar tones. It’s music that constantly shifts, melodically challenging yet strangely inviting. The opener, ‘Full of Neon’, sets the tone with bristling interplay and strident rhythm, its structure both solid and ready to unravel. The layering of brass and vibraphone gives it an almost kaleidoscopic energy. Later, ‘Carved From’ introduces a slinky, distorted slide guitar beneath a swirling mix of horns, gritty, disorienting, and utterly captivating. The subtle use of a Pocket Piano synth throughout the album adds a ghostlike shimmer, tying into the album’s title without ever overpowering the acoustic textures. With its blend of post-bop, avant-garde, and modern chamber jazz, About Ghosts feels like Halvorson refining her language into something simultaneously spectral and direct. It’s a dense, rewarding listen, her most expansive and lyrical work to date. – WBS
Maria Somerville – Luster
‘Luster’ is the second studio album by Irish musician Maria Somerville, following her highly praised debut album in 2019. Luster incorporates elements from multiple styles and genres, such as shoegaze, post-punk, and ambient music. While her first album was “a subconscious expression of a deep longing for home,” in this album, the theme centres around “homecoming.” During the writing and recording stages, she uncannily felt the pull of Connemara, the place where she was born and raised. Collaborations with Irish musicians, including harpist Róisín Berkeley and guitarist Olan Monk, add colour, meaning and depth to the overarching sound of the album. Tracks like ‘Violet’ and ‘Up’ address heartbreak and transformation. It is a demonstration of how much Somerville has grown as an artist. – AR
Joy Guidry – Five Prayers
Joy Guidry’s Five Prayers is a vulnerable and meditative exploration of sound, silence, and the human experience of survival. Trading the ecstatic bursts of her previous records for a more ambient, inward gaze, this five-track suite offers both emotional clarity and sonic subtlety. Guidry’s bassoon becomes the core voice, not classical, but spiritual, raw, and often aching. ‘Hold and Be Held’, inspired by Nikki Giovanni’s poetry, is a luminous centrepiece. Harp, synths, and long bassoon lines intertwine in a soft, hovering balance. The result feels less like a song and more like a sanctuary, an emotional refuge held together by trust and breath. Equally poignant is ‘Myles’, a tribute to Guidry’s brother. It introduces a flicker of joy through playful bass and airy percussion. It’s a needed exhale, a gentle pause that honours resilience without abandoning sorrow. Five Prayers is both intimate and expansive. It doesn’t just speak; it listens, meditates, and offers space for healing. Through minimalist layers and deep emotional presence, Guidry charts a deeply personal landscape that resonates far beyond her own journey. – WBS
Ruben Drenth – Bonsaika Suite
‘Bonsaika Suite’, the new album from trumpeter Ruben Drenth, is a collection of 10 tracks written and performed for the bonsaïst. Take a serene stroll through Drenth’s zen garden, where he, alongside collaborator Daniël Muskitta on double bass, plays each note carefully as if they were pruning a branch. Equal parts playful and contemplative, Drenth trumpet sings with a clarity that mirrors the precision of the juniperus bonsai created and nurtured by his father that adorns the cover art. – CFS
Ville Valavuo – Commemoration Songs
On ‘Commemoration Songs’, Finnish multi-instrumentalist Ville Valavuo showcases his talent on instruments ranging from tenor and alto sax to clarinet and the shakuhachi flute. Across eight tracks, the album unfolds like a diary, navigating the complex, greedy and often violent landscape of modern life. With song titles like ‘Welfare Debris’, ‘Failures of the West’ and ‘The Cost of Comfort,’ under the warmth of the music, there’s a shadowy subtext lurking beneath the melodies. This album is a treasure trove and rewards repeated listens, unveiling new depths of complexity and beauty with each replay—a perfect escape from a world obsessed with profit. If you enjoy jazz flavours that blend spirituality, warmth, and spaciousness, then this is for you. – CFS
