When Brian Eno says a band has changed the way he thinks about music, dancing, and an entire country, you pay attention. “Leenalchi has changed the way I think about music, dancing and Korea. I have never heard anything quite like this,” he says, a glowing endorsement from a musician who’s spent a lifetime reshaping sound itself. Leenalchi really do hit with that kind of new energy, a group bending tradition, rhythm, and pop instincts into something that feels completely future‑bound. They’re one of those rare groups whose sound resists comparison; almost no one else occupies their space. The seven-piece outfit led by bassist and composer Jang Young Gyu has just released a new EP, Here Comes That Crow. Their sound draws on pansori, the centuries‑old Korean art of musical storytelling, which they transform into a bold, rhythm‑driven form all their own. The EP leans into short, snappy tracks with dazzling instrumentation and varied vocal tones, offering a mix of originality, sharp musicianship, and a playful edge. What’s not to like?

Music From Memory is at it again, dusting off a gem from the early ’90s. This time with inrain, the quietly magical collaboration between Rudy Tambala (A.R. Kane) and Alison Shaw (Cranes). The project began almost by accident: Geoff Travis introduced the two, and they wandered into H.Ark! Studios in Stratford, and started building songs in their own time. Armed with early samplers, drum machines, an acoustic guitar and Shaw’s unmistakable voice, they carved out a world where space mattered as much as sound. Vocals were often improvised, first takes kept, silences left untouched. The warm, soaring ‘Grow‘ is a blissful entry point as you can hope for, ‘..and Julie Rose‘ carries a lighter, playful glow, the dub-infused ‘Sleep‘ is soft with a tough edge, while the experimental ‘Biology‘ rides on colourful guitar licks and skittery electronics which combine to create the perfect soundbed for Shaw’s blissfully elevating tones to float atop. Don’t sleep, you have been warned!

Over the past five years, Jan Van Angelopoulos has been digging deeper into the world of Eurorack Modular synths, letting that curiosity sit alongside his lifelong pull toward the drums. His solo album Monomania in Stereo Field folds the kit directly into the modular system he built, blurring the lines between percussion and circuitry. The result is a space where the possibilities for sound feel endless, a small new world opening up in real time. Hit that play button; this musical adventure is a joy to behold. Oh, and it’s name-your-price on Bandcamp, by the way.

Pianist Micah Thomas has dropped his fifth album, Lucid, an intriguing departure from his melodic roots. Moving into avant-garde territory, Thomas has assembled an elite quintet to construct a living, breathing sonic ecosystem. The ensemble behind Lucid is a tantalising one, bringing together alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, trombonist Kalia Vandever, bassist Thomas Morgan, and drummer Lesley Mok, a deeply stimulating avant‑jazz lineup that, alongside Thomas, delivers something special.

Whilst doing the usual, slightly soul‑numbing Instagram scroll, I stumbled on a track I had to jot down, one of those rare moments where the algorithm actually does you a favour. The track in question was Sun Is Rising by Ships Of The Pharaohs. Brought together by producer Last Nubian, the London‑based collective rolls in with a heady blend of Acid Jazz, the class of Nuyorican Soul, flashes of drum and bass, and the pristine vocals of Red Bird, tying it all together. Looking forward to hearing it blasted across the summer festival circuit, drifting out of tents and stages, with sun‑dazed crowds lapping it up!