Album Review: Lophae –‘Imagine More’: Another instalment of lyrical, melodic, shape-shifting jazz from the London quartet.
Now here’s something to hunker down with, ‘Imagine More’, a second instalment from new(ish) London jazz quartet Lophae. That’s a logical title for a follow up to the combo’s acclaimed debut ‘Perfect Strangers’, a set of subtly intense, melodic tunes which had listeners wondering about what might come next in the band’s catalogue. Well this …
Album Review: Absolute Losers – ‘In The Crowd’ : Power pop gets a real refresh from this tightly sprung Canadian trio.
There’s the coolest Ian Dickson photo of The Jam live at the 100 Club circa 1977, Foxton caught jumping mid-air, Weller leaning into a power chord and Butler sticks raised mid-beats. The cover of rising Canadian power pop trio Absolute Losers’ second album ‘In The Crowd’ whether by accident or design captures the same visceral …
Album Review: Dun-Dun Band -‘Pita Parka, Pt. II: Nim Egduf’: Minimal riff magic and warmly woven improv melodies from this exceptional ten-piece.
Dun-Dun Band are a ten-piece ensemble from Toronto assembled by eclectic sound-maker and guitarist Craig Dunsmuir. An associate of the long song maestro Sandro Perri, check the Off World and Glissandro 70 projects from a while back, Dunsmuir has been diligently probing the possibilities of repetitive and juxtaposed rhythms in his work for well over …
Album Review: SANAM –‘Sametou Sawtan’: Absorbing, ambitious free rock fusion from the peerless Lebanese six-piece.
It takes a singular vision to bring something new to the post rock table these days, loud/quiet trajectories and obtuse time signatures have long been overplayed, but Lebanese sextet SANAM definitely are a band that deliver that much needed fresh perspective. The group’s members (Sandy Chamoun /vocals, Antonio Hajj /bass, Farah Kaddour/buzuq, Anthony Sahyoun/ guitar …
Album Review: Blue Earth Sound – ‘Cicero Nights’: Beaming out of Chicago, a fresh and funky take on the smoother side of jazz.
Now here’s a refreshing take on Cinematic Jazz, an album which thrives on the musicians’ interaction rather than the overall widescreen vibe, on the chemistry fizzing between instruments rather than layering sounds for atmospheric effect. ‘Cicero Nights’ the debut from new Chicago based group Blue Earth Sound, released via the ever-reliable Deep Matter/Root Records, has …
Album Review: Whitney K –’Bubble’ : Hard-won songs ringing with indie pop sharpness and country rock twang.
Canadian singer-songwriter Konner Whitney aka Whitney K is keeping that hardcore troubadour tradition alive and still kicking up the rubble. After releasing three mighty slices of his raw, country rock poeticism for Bologna’s Maple Death Records (the indispensable ‘Two Years’, the hypnotic ‘Hard To Be A God’ and the raucous ‘Viva!’) he’s now jumped into …
Track/Video : Rising São Paulo songsmith Sessa previews upcoming album with the blissed out bossa-funk of Vale a Pena.
It’s been a long wait for São Paulo songsmith Sessa’s follow up to 2022’s sultry and succulent ‘Estrela Acesa’ album. That record, all cosmic haziness wrapped in the soft power of relaxed bossa-funk, marked a highpoint amongst the rising new wave of MPB with its illusive moodiness and uncanny magic. After the introspective delicacy of …
Album Review: Blank For.ms – ‘After The Town Was Swept Away’ : Subtle but significant experimental downtempo from the New York based electronic musician.
It’s been a decade since Brooklyn-based Tyler Gilmore, aka Blank For.ms followed his musical intuition and shifted from the world of big band jazz composition and ensemble arrangements to focus on the soundscape expanses of electronic music. Since then he’s taken his spiralling interest in DIY cassette loops and synths to become known for his …
Album Review : Gwenifer Raymond-‘Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark’ : Primitive guitar thrillingly taken widescreen and cosmic.
It’s difficult to make a personal imprint on solo instrumental music but Brighton-based, Welsh acoustic guitarist Gwenifer Raymond continues to make an impression with every step she takes. Opening up in 2018 with her ’You Never Were Much Of A Dancer’ debut, she introduced her steely, blues-pining tones to the world. Come 2020 she’d broadened …
Album Review: Rún’s exhilarating self-titled debut – an alchemic forging of psychedelic doom and dark folk.
The darker hues of metal, folk and other musics enticingly converge on the self-titled album from new Irish trio Rún, released by those perennial psych-rock discoverers at Rocket Recordings. A threesome of significant like-minds, all pivotal to the island’s leftfield scene, Rún brings together vocal artist Tara Baoth Mooney, Dublin composer/performer Diarmuid MacDiarmada and drummer, …