instrumental
Album Review: José Medeles – Railroad Cadences & Melancholic Anthems : a stunning ‘tribute’ to John Fahey’s musical spirit.
So what do you make of tribute albums? Are they places to be seen, a rag bag of cover versions by a bunch of people who have nothing in common except convenient admiration? Well ‘Railroad Cadences & Melancholic Anthems’ by José Medeles may pay homage to John Fahey but there’s a gulf between this album …
Premiere: John Lemke’s single ‘Halo’ is a haunting and atmospheric instrumental that exquisitely captures a sense of geography and isolation.
There is something haunting and chilling about the new release ‘Halo’ from esteemed composer and solo artist John Lemke that captures an Arctic chill and yet is antithetically warm and organic. It is an achingly beautiful piece filled with layers of moving, ambulant sound. It is utterly moving and affecting: the strings weeping and crying …
EP: Grids/Units/Planes unveil the heady and mesmerising electronica of ‘Diverge And Coalesce’
The sounds of Brisbane project Grids/Units/Planes (GUP) are that of a cloudy, diffuse space that glitches and hums in a languorous rich texture: awe-inspiring and transfixing. I have always thought that the magic in effective instrumental music is the ability to tell stories and create images without words, and in ‘Diverge and Coalesce’, GUP have …
Album Review: Tapani Rinne & Juha Maki-Patola – Open: exquisite jazz electronica that restores and inspires.
Some records arrive that make you wonder if there is much value to writing about music. ‘Open’ by the Finnish ambient jazz partnership of reedist Tapani Rinne and composer/producer Juha Maki-Patola is one of those albums. Elusive, shivering with atmosphere, the immersive soundscape that the pair have crafted elevates listening beyond the incidental and reduces …
PREMIERE: Piers Thibault stuns with the brief and brilliant ‘Dusk’, announces debut EP ‘Ire’
If you’re reading this, we bet there have been times when you’ve wanted to completely lose yourself in a piece of music. French artist Piers – last name Thibault – is great at producing pieces that evoke that all-consuming longing. His debut EP, Ire, isn’t even 13 minutes long, but it’s an ideal refuge. If …
Album Review: D.C. Cross releases ‘Hot-wire the Lay-low’ – an album of evocative instrumentals that provides escape and fresh air.
Last year, Darren Cross released the visceral album, ‘Distorder’, which I described as: …a brilliant expression of our times: discordant, unsettling and at times bleak, but delivered with a swagger and a panache. Cross puts on display his musicianship and creativity, creating something dark and elusive yet touched with a certain element of wry amusement. …
Premiere: Genre-defying Melbourne instrumental trio The CB3 release the tempting morsel ‘Teacups & Candy ft XANI’ and announce new EP ‘Bunny Hop’.
While described as R&B/Funk/Hip Hop, the sound of Melbourne trio The CB3 is eclectic and difficult to pin down, but their new single ‘Teacups & Candy’ is a pure ray of sunshine. The challenge for instrumental groups as always is being able to convey thoughts and feelings without words, and in ‘Teacups & Candy’, The …
Album Review: L’Eclair- ‘Confusions’
It’s not surprising to hear that eclectic jazz funk instrumentalists L’Eclair and their record label go back a long way. Drifting home to Geneva from a London expedition in 2015 the band’s founders Sebastian Bui (keys) and Stefan Lilov (guitars) discovered a like- minded creative community revolving around the Bongo Joe record shop. Beyond the …
News: Acoustic Virtuoso Jon Gomm Announces The Reissue Of Album ‘Secrets Nobody Keeps’
Jon Gomm, the UK based acoustic guitar virtuoso, follows the recent release of his latest album ‘The Faintest Idea’ with news on the reissue of his 2013 record ‘Secrets Nobody Keeps’. The ‘Passionflower 10 year anniversary edition’ marks a decade since the release of his single ‘Passionflower’ that went on to change everything for Jon. A …
Premiere: Instrumentalist JP Coimbra gives us an exclusive listen to his shimmering new single ‘Invincible Summer’ off his forthcoming debut album ‘VIBRA’.
Backseat Mafia is pleased to premiere the new instrumental single ‘Invincible Summer’ from Portuguese instrumental artist, producer and composer JP Coimbra. The single comes off Coimbra’s debut album ‘VIBRA’, out through Manners McDade’s neo-classical label Cognitive Shift on 9 September 2021. The album was recorded in various public spaces around Porto, including a Metro station …