The first time I slipped this album on Masahiro Takahashi’s new album it was background noise; now I find myself returning to it again and again. It’s only in hindsight that I can see how deeply that first listen got under my skin. Following 2023’s Humid Sun, In Another marks a bold new musical direction built on rich melodic and harmonic foundations. Co-produced with Joseph Shabason, the album shifts from viscous jazz-funk to wistful ambient textures, with contributions from ten guest artists from Toronto’s vibrant music scene – Thom Gill, Bram Gielen, Philippe Melanson, Orange Milk Records alum Nick Storring and guest vocals from Dorothea Paas, and Chris A. Cummings alongside Takahashi’s own. In Another is an album that could soften the hardest heart.

upsammy and Valentina Magaletti have a collaborative album on the way. Shaped from an unexpected starting point, a Rijksmuseum commission to score an exhibition of works from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. What began as a one‑off project evolved through a series of live shows, eventually crystallising into the forthcoming eight‑track album Seismo. Dive into two phenomenal tracks from the album, ‘Superimposed’ and ‘Collide’. Press play and enjoy.

Kronstad 23 returns with ‘Dødehavet’, their third album and first on Batov Records. The upcoming album blends cinematic jazz and psychedelic rock with Scandinavian folk and global influences, all captured live to tape. ‘Dødehavet’ focuses on feel and interaction over polish, showcasing the band’s instinctive, analogue-led approach. The opening track, ‘Menigheten’, starts slowly, awakening like dawn. Its gospel-influenced soul recalls Isaac Hayes’ Hot Buttered Soul era before shifting into a loose jam similar to the Grateful Dead. Check it out below.

Having marked his return with the entrancing ‘Mooning’ in late January, Dijf Sanders keeps the ball rolling with ‘Mountain On The Hill’, which is taken from his forthcoming album Tangkoa II, due out on May 8th via Unday Records. Sanders describes the track as “a soothing electro acoustic jazz track that meanders through its own existence”. The album was created in close collaboration with drummer Simon Segers and features contributions from Vitja Pauwels (guitar), Viktor Perdieus (saxophone) and Louise van den Heuvel (bass). We can’t wait to hear the full album. If this is any indication, we’re in for something special.

Milton Gulli’s ‘Ainda’ is an instant repeat. With Tayob J. shaping the production and Gulli’s quietly self-empowering lyric and soothing vocals floating over the top, it’s a flawless return from the Portuguese/Mozambican multi-instrumentalist. As refreshingly bright and warm as anything on his ‘Quotidiano’ album, this is Gulli at his best work – a must listen!