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Spotify|August2023

2023-08 August Playlist SunNeverSetsOnMusic

2023-08 August Playlist SunNeverSetsOnMusic

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Blue Lake - Sun Arcs

Sun Arcs

by Blue Lake

Released 23 June 2023

Tonal Union Records

*****

Weaving between self-built zithers, drones, clarinets, slide guitars and drum machines, ‘Sun Arcs’ presents a unique sound space formed by an inventive approach to acoustic folk and jazz.

The starting point of ‘Sun Arcs’ saw Jason travel for a week alone to Andersabo, a cabin set in the Swedish woods just outside of Unnaryd, known also as the music project, festival and residency space which has been run by Dungan since 2016, hosting artists like Sofie Birch, Johan Carøe and Ellen Arkbro. Whilst writing 1-2 pieces per day, a conscious decision was made to leave behind everyday distractions and shut out the outside world to instead focus on the natural passage of time.
‘Sun Arcs’ depicts the intricate balance of nature’s cycles and the paths outlined by the seasons, from a winter dormancy to a warm sun drenched scene. The album scales new heights and further defines Dungan’s musical narrative, inhabiting a unique space in left-field, improvised and experimental music, bearing his most accomplished compositions to date. A singular and visionary expression, drawing on an array of instruments and sound worlds with a renewed sense of joy and discovery.

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Read more... Bandcamp

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Johnathan Blake - Passage

Passage

by Jonathan Blake

Released 11 August  2023

Blue Note Records

*****

Band-leading drummers have a tendency to be over-present, to get in the way of the actual music. Not so Johnathan Blake. The 47-year-old Philadelphian, who has backed everyone from Lonnie Smith to Q-Tip, remains a team player even with his own group. Passage reconvenes Pentad, the quintet behind Blake’s much-praised 2021 Blue Note debut, Homeward Bound: bassist Dezron Douglas, vibes player Joel Ross, Cuban pianist David Virelles and alto sax tyro Immanuel Wilkins. A tribute to his late father, violinist John Blake Jr, it’s a vibrant, varied set in which all five players get to shine.

Its centrepiece is the title track, composed by John Blake Jr but never recorded, which moves from a ruminative intro to a rumbustious jam in which Wilkins evokes the bebop melodicism of Charlie Parker and later atonal developments. Although never sombre, there’s a wistful theme to much of the album – there on Muna & Johna’s Playtime, a nod to Blake’s children; on Tears I Cannot Hide, a composition by the late Ralph Peterson Jr (another drummer) and a showcase for Ross’s lush vibes; and on the funky West Berkely St, named after Blake’s childhood home. For contrast comes the Latinate Tiempos and the jaunty, itchy Groundhog Day. A warm, uplifting celebration.

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Read more... The Guardian

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Shida Shahabi - Living Circle

Living Circle

by Shida Shahabi

Released 23 June 2023

130701 / FatCat Records

*****

 

Stockholm-based composer Shida Shahabi returns with her sophomore album, ‘Living Circle’ - a wonderfully rich and accomplished new work that resonates with a powerful depth and viscerality. Where the warm, homespun piano of her 2018 debut, ‘Homes’, drew widespread praise and announced her arrival as a bold new voice, ‘Living Circle’ sees the artist pushing forwards into deeper, more expansive sonic realms. With tracks stretching longer and slower, and her piano lines less ornate and dominant, ‘Living Circle’ is a heavyweight album and a must-hear for fans of Stars Of The Lid, Sarah Davachi, Max Richter, Labradford, etc. 

 Glacially paced and powerfully resonant, ‘Living Circle’ is an important reminder of the joys in taking a measured, patient approach to the art of creation. There is, let’s not forget, nothing like being in the right place at the right time, especially if ultimately the goal is to achieve something timeless. 

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Read more... Bandcamp

Kareem Ali - The Color of Sound

The Color of Sound

by Kareem Ali

Released 28 July 2023

CosmoPlus Records

*****

The Color of Sound is a 7 track opus that blends, in Kareem’s trademark sound, deep house, jazz and a variety of elements that are not just sound elements. As always there’s a visual and cinematic side to his work that keeps to impress, cementing his status as one of the most talented and hard-working producers in the game.
The textures on this one are beyond mesmerizing. Intended to be played with over-the-ear headphones, The Color of Sound progresses naturally, travelling all the way from Kareem’s imagination to the minds, bodies and soul of the ones willing to dive deep into the record.

The bad-ass instrumentation is softly complemented by the touch of his trumpet, echoing through the warm night outside. And there’s nothing better than this - a trumpet playing in the night, conveying a nostalgic emotion that is finally there to be appreciated and felt. Kareem Ali is releasing some of his best works on vinyl which is great news for collectors. This record is no exception and is available on vinyl and digital - playing on repeat over here.

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Read more... osotao

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Sarah Webster Fabio - Jujus, Alchemy of the Blues: Poems by Sarah Webster Fabio

Jujus / Alchemy of the Blues: Poems by Sarah Webster Fabio

by Sarah Webster Fabio

Released 1 January 1976

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

*****

Jujus/Alchemy of the Blues is Sarah Webster Fabio’s third album for Folkways (originally issued as FL 9714 in 1976). Funky riffs and jazz arrangements written and performed by her children and their band Don’t Fight the Feeling underpin Fabio’s poetry, giving her words gravity. "I feel that these [poems] represent the epitome of my experimenting with the integration of music and poetry in a Black idiom taken from the rich source of inspiration welling from the Black experience here in America,” explains Fabio in the album’s liner notes.

Often referred to as the “mother of Black studies,” Fabio is recognized for her contributions to founding the West Coast Black Arts Movement and for helping to establish Black Studies as an academic discipline. As a poet, performer, scholar, educator, and cultural critic, she published countless poetry collections, wrote for local and national publications, including Black World and Black Scholar, and recorded four albums with Folkways.

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Read more... Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Kayhan Kalhor, Toumani Diabate - The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere

The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere

by Kayhan Kalhor and Toumani Diabate

Released 5 May 2023

Real World Records

*****

The Sky Is the Same Colour Everywhere is a spiritual meditation - best listened to in one sitting - by two master musicians and culture bearers of centuries-old musical traditions sharing modes based on Persian and Malian repertoires on kamancheh (spike fiddle) and kora (harp/lute).

Kayhan Kalhor and Toumani Diabaté are both well-known soloists in their own right, but this duo recording is something special taking us on an improvisational musical journey into new landscapes.

The idea for the duo came from Michael Dreyer, director of the Morgenland Festival in Osnabrück, Germany where Kayhan had frequently played in several other collaborations. The preparation was minimal, not even a discussion about scales or structure, but just a sound check in which they “checked certain things” and then simply played about 90 minutes of music.
 

Read more... Bandcamp

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Cautious Clay - Karpeh

Karpeh

by Cautious Clay

Released 18 August 2023

Blue Note

*****

It’s not unreasonable to consider Cautious Clay’s new record ‘Karpeh’ as a radical reintroduction. Two years following the release of his debut single ‘Cold War’ in 2017, he achieved mainstream success when Taylor Swift interpolated the song on ‘Lover’‘s goofy hit ‘London Boy’. Previously, he’d won a fan in Billie Eilish following his remix of her breakout hit ‘Ocean Eyes’. Clay’s debut album, 2021’s R&B and pop-heavy ‘Deadpan Love’ would prove a satisfying, if reserved, first step for the performer. Speaking to NME at the time, he said he had “no idea yet” how comfortable he would be sharing personal moments in his music, his path as a songwriter somewhat uncertain.

This follow-up, which takes on Clay’s – born Joshua Karpeh – family name as its title, has offered a resounding answer to that proposition. The success of ‘Karpeh’ comes from Clay delving into roots and the backstory of his family’s lineage: the album’s three parts, ‘The Past Explained’, ‘The Honeymoon of Exploration’ and ‘A Bitter & Sweet Solitude’, unfurl like a multi-generational novel. These stories, however, are resolutely real and don’t duck a punch, unlike his namesake’s rope-a-dope in the ring.
The signing to Blue Note for ‘Karpeh’ feels significant, too. The iconic jazz label is the type that needs no introduction, its impact on the genre immediately recognisable having released seminal records by Miles Davis and John Coltrane among many, many others. The connection encouraged Clay to further embrace his skills as a multi-instrumentalist on vocals, flute, saxophone and more. Here, he’s joined by shining lights of the jazz world like acclaimed guitarist and labelmate Julian Lage and Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab.

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Read more... NME

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Laura Groves - Radio Red

Radio Red

by Laura Groves

Released 11 August 2023

Bella Union

*****

If Laura Groves is a name you don’t initially recognize, then maybe you are familiar with her former moniker, Blue Roses. When Groves was barely in her 20s, she put out her then-self-titled album Blue Roses through XL Recordings in 2009 and it was a great portrait of romanticized youth—a project that enacted a proper balance between the adventurous bends of life and its coiling, sometimes insurmountable, downswings. She put forth great singer/songwriter harmonies back then, conjuring flickers of Joanna Newsom and Judee Sill atop a bed of lush, plucked and subdued soundscapes. Now, 14 years later, Groves has returned—this time, under her own name. Her latest offering, Radio Red, is a triumphant display of how wide a creative palette can stretch.

The London songwriter has a unique approach to her own world-building and characterization. Radio Red is a folk album in spirit, yes, but an electronic record sonically. There are touches of soul and synth-pop adrift with Groves’ acoustic-driven foundation, something she worked through on Blue Roses, too, but nowhere near as deftly. Radio Red wants to be many things, and it succeeds at adopting each outfit—which is not a feat so easily met these days, especially in the still-going conversations around genre. As soon as Radio Red’s opening track, “Sky At Night,” rings in, it’s clear that Groves has taken to a different musical plane this time around. Merging dream-pop piano with the bravado of a chart-topping vocal set, she muses on the cosmos while trying to understand a lover. “I can’t pin you down, for the love of trying,” she sings. “I’m getting you on that wavelength, maybe?”

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Read more... Paste

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Anna B Savage - In|Flux

in|Flux

by Anna B Savage

Released 17 February 2023

City Slang

*****

Anna B Savage has always asked questions in her music, but on new album in|FLUX answers are no longer her quest. Vulnerability and curiosity have consistently been operative words to describe her work and on her second album she ruminates on the complexities and variables of humanity, the pain or pleasure of love, loss and earthly connection, capturing it all in devastating, elating and powerful ways. The key difference between this and previous releases: she’s not anxious about what’s on the other side. She’s come to appreciate staying afloat - basking even - in the open ended, uncertainty of the grey area.

It’s been hard work to get to this point, both in the studio and in the sometimes gruelling work it takes to get there using therapy. Like anyone that has been knows the unfurling of one's innermost thoughts and feelings - some that you may not even know are there - reveals they are in constant flux. In fact, the aforementioned and operative ‘vulnerability’ attributed to her music before now has a partner, the notion of said ‘flux’.

Because in contrast to her debut, A Common Turn, in|FLUX takes Savage on a diametric journey. When faced with the inconsistencies of the world, in your relationships, and within yourself (they often make themselves present in the damning quiet of a therapy room) you want clear cut and irrefutable answers, especially when paired with the pristine superficiality of a life without conflict or nuance portrayed on social media.

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Read more... City Slang Records

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You're The One

by Rhiannon Giddens

Released 18 August 2023

Nonesuch Records

****-

You’re the One is Giddens’ third solo studio album and her first of all original songs. This collection of twelve tunes written over the course of her career bursts with life-affirming energy, drawing from the folk music she knows so deeply and its pop descendants. The album was produced by Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Solange, Alicia Keys, Valerie June) and recorded with an ensemble including Giddens' closest musical collaborators from the past decade, a string section, and Miami Horns. The lone featured guest on the album is Jason Isbell on “Yet to Be.”

"This album has been created in love and camaraderie, crossing boundaries musically," she says in the video. "We've got a lot of different types of music going on, a lot of different musicians from different worlds coming together. Part of my mission this whole time is to talk about how these barriers are not barriers ... When people are all in it for the same reason—i.e. we're gonna make an amazing piece of art, we're gonna make this great piece of music, and we're gonna do it in a way that enriches us and the listener, so we have gained by making it, and the listener has gained by listening to it—the barriers don't matter."

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Read more... Nonesuch Records

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Theo Croker, Ego Ella May, D'LEAU - By The Way (EP)

By The Way (EP)

by Theo Croker, Ego Ella May, D'LEAU

Released 17 February 2023

Star People Nation / Sony

****-

Theo Croker is a storyteller who speaks through his trumpet. A creative who refuses boundaries, the GRAMMY Award-nominated artist, composer, producer, thought leader, and influencer projects his voice through the music.

After seven years of sojourn in Shanghai, Croker crash-landed with a simmering original sound on the 2014 Dee Dee Bridgewater-assisted album Afro Physicist. Following the success of Escape Velocity in 2016, he ascended to a new stratosphere with Star People Nation in 2019. The record garnered a nomination in the category of "Best Contemporary Instrumental Album'' at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards. It attracted widespread critical acclaim including Stereogum, Paste, and The New York Times who called it "an album that gallivants from swirling, left-field hip-hop beats to propellant swing to entrancing passages of African percussion. Through it all, Croker's understated trumpet playing holds his small band together with swagger and poise." Along the way, he also lent his sound to platinum-selling albums by everyone from J. Cole to Ari Lennox while touring his band across the globe many times over. In 2020, he hunkered down at his childhood home in the midst of the global pandemic and wrote his sixth full-length album, BLK2LIFE A FUTURE PAST.

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Read more... High Res Audio

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High Pulp - Days In The Desert

Days In The Desert

by High Pulp

Released 28 July 2023

Anti

****-

Days in the Desert is a vision come true, finding High Pulp fully emerging into their own sound. Rooted in the jazz tradition while also smitten by indie-rock and electronic music, High Pulp's third full-length album reveals the band realizing their strengths, deepening their own bonds, and pushing their skills into a thrilling new sonic vista unimaginable just a few years before.

THe album was written, recorded, and produced by High Pulp, comprising Bobby Granfelt (Drums, Rob Homan (Keyboards), Antoine Martel (keyboards), Andrew Morrill (Alto Sax), Victory Nguyen (Tenor Sax), Scott Rixon (Bass).

The core members were joined by an impressive array of feature artists for the project including James Brandon Lewis - Tenor Saxophone (2), Brandee Younger - Harp (3), MonoNeon - Bass (4), Jeff Parker - Guitar (6), Daedelus - Electronics & Synthesizers (8), Kurt Rosenwinkel - Guitar (9), Telemakus - Keyboards & Synthesizers (9).

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Read more... Bandcamp

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Superflat - Meant To Be Superfluous

Meant To Be Superfluous

by Superflat

Released 14 July 2023

Superflat / Neon City Records HK

****-

Released by Hong Kong label Neon City Records, Meant To Be Superfluous is the work of Mexican Producer, Remixer and DJ Superflat.

Announcing the album on his Facebook page the artist said "Honestly I don't have word for this one... been 2 years in the making has been exhausting but very happy to finally share with you people. 
Hope you enjoy it."

e do!!

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Read more... Superflat / Neon City Records

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Hannah Acfield - No Light Without Shade

No Light Without Shade

by Hannah Acfield

Released 27 August 2021

Independent

****-

here’s a sense of defiance to Hannah Acfield’s new record, her debut solo long-player, No Light Without Shade.  There’s a sense of power, of fluidity, of almost endless space.

Above all though, there’s a sense of freedom, like Acfield, who grew up in the Queensland regional city of Rockhampton but is now based in Melbourne, has found what it is she needs to properly feel alive.

This isn’t, as many records are at this point in time, a Covid record.  Sure, it was honed during the long and cold Melbourne lockdown months of 2020, ironed out and refreshed and put under the magnifying glass.  But these songs were already here, close to fifty of them, well before things spiralled out of control during that year the clock stopped.

 “I wanted to make a record I really loved, something I would listen to, and something I was really proud of,” she says on the album’s MO. “Having that extra time [during lockdown] to refine it, I wanted to make sure there was nothing I regretted or would have done differently.

“It was the best that I could do, and that’s all you can do, right?”

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Read more... Hannah Acfield

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Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer

Dreamer

by Nabihah Iqbal -

Released 28 April 2023

Ninja Tune

****-

Five years on since the London-born artist, curator, broadcaster and lecturer's debut ‘Weighing Of The Heart’ was released and two years in the making, ‘DREAMER’ is Nabihah’s rawest and most reflective work to date.

It arrives at a pivotal time for Nabihah who has made her prolific work rate look effortless with a resume as varied as her music having recently collaborated with artist Zhang Ding, been commissioned to compose music for the Turner Prize, collaborated with Wolfgang Tillmans as part of his Tate Modern exhibition and was recently involved in a group performance at the Barbican as part of its major Basquiat retrospective. She has also contributed to Serpentine's recent book '140 Artists' ideas for Planet Earth' and has given guest lectures at the Royal College of Art.

In 2022 Nabihah was announced as a guest director for England’s largest multi-arts festival, Brighton Festival, in 2023, her “biggest, most challenging and exciting curatorial position” to date.

‘DREAMER’ see’s Nabihah reflect on her experiences since 2020, many of them traumatic. It is a wrenchingly intimate and sweetly playful project. There is a pronounced melancholy underpinning the album, but cracks of sunlight make their way out. Ultimately, ‘DREAMER’ signals a shift, elevating Nabihah’s work to new heights as she adds new colours to her palette

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Read more... Bandcamp

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Fatoumata Diawara - London Ko

London Ko

by Fatoumata Diawara

Released 12 May 2023

Montuno Productions, 3eme BUreau /  Wagram Music

****-

Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara has always been about the future. The image of her toting an electric guitar – which she has said is a first for a female Malian singer – tells you as much, as does her new video, Nsera, a dazzling parade of Afro-futurist images with “Fatou” in assorted stunning costumes. Her two previous albums have remained broadly in Mali’s wassoulou traditions while introducing western elements, a process taken further on London Ko, which is co-produced with Damon Albarn – the two have remained friends since she appeared on his 2012 Africa Express tour.

It’s a sprawling, chequered affair, with six of its 14 tracks co-written with Albarn (she on guitar, he on synths), while the rest co-opt a stellar cast of collaborators. There’s much to admire: Diawara’s agile, forceful vocals; her championship of the feminist cause (Sete is her second song on the subject of FGM); a gallop with the brilliant Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca on Blues; a slinky tribute to brotherhood with Ghanaian rapper M.anifest; and the funky party piece Tolon, with Nigerian star Yemi Alade. These are largely African-style songs preaching morality, consideration and responsibility, though in Diawara’s hands, exuberance rules.

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Read more... The Guardian

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Jah Prayzah - Chiremerera

Chiremerera

by Jah Prayzah

Released 13 May 2023

Military Touch Movement

****-
Jah Prayzah‘s talent and influence in the Zimbabwean music industry is undeniable, and his latest album, Chiremerera, is a testament to his artistry. 

The first of two albums released on consecutive days, Chiremerera's songs are more traditionally inclined, while those contained in the second album, Maita Baba are contemporary.
With 13 tracks, Chiremera was launched in Harare, and features only one collaboration - (with Feli Nandi on the track Saurungano). Despite this, Jah Prayzah‘s powerful vocals and traditional sound carry the album with ease.
The album boasts several fan-favorite tracks that showcase Jah Prayzah‘s versatility. "Hurungundo" is a love song that showcases his smooth vocals, while "Chiregere Chiyambuke" merges traditional sounds
with modern beats to create a unique sound that few artists can replicate.
The standout track, "Chiremerera", tells Jah Prayzah‘s story of success, highlighting his resilience and ability to rise above adversity. The production on the album is clean and on point, showcasing Jah Prayzah‘s unique sound that remains true to his roots while still delivering fresh and unique music.
Overall, Chiremerera is a fantastic album worth listening to. Jah Prayzah’s ability to deliver powerful messages through his music is what has endeared him to many fans, and the album’s popularity is a testament to his talent

Read more... The Zimtainment

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Jah Prayzah - Maita Baba

Maita Baba

by Jah Prayzah

Released 14 May 2023

Military Touch Movement

****-

Zimbabwean musician Jah Prayzah has just released his latest album titled “Maita Baba,” which means “Thank You Father.” This is the second album he has launched in two days, following the release of “Chiremera” in Harare. The album was launched in Bulawayo and features a modern sound, different from Jah Prayzah‘s usual traditional style.
“Maita Baba” is a 50-minute album with 13 songs featuring other artists like Takura, ShaSha, DJ Tira, Nomfundo, and Heavy-K. The album’s songs have been produced by Dakari, RodneyBeats, Oskid, and DJ Tamuka. 
Jah Prayzah is known for producing traditional music that reflects Zimbabwean culture, but with “Maita Baba,” he has shown his versatility and ability to cater to different tastes and genres. He successfully blends traditional and modern sounds to create a unique and enjoyable album that showcases his potential to make a mark outside Zimbabwean borders and penetrate different regions.
The album’s well-crafted afro-beats sound is a perfect addition to any music collection. Jah Prayzah‘s ability to create a unique sound that appeals to fans of different genres is a testament to his talent as a musician. “Maita Baba” is a must-listen for fans of Jah Prayzah and those who appreciate great
and entertaining music.

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Read more... The Zimtainment

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Bob Marley and The Wailers, Various Artists - Africa Unite

Africa Unite

by Bob Marley and The Wailers, Various Artists

Released 4 August 2023

Island Records

****-

Africa Unite is a compilation of ten catalog tracks from Bob Marley & the Wailers in collaboration with a bracing assortment of 21st century Afrobeats. The delineation between the Afrobeat genre created by Fela Kuti in the 1970s and the 2020s variety is an evolution in music making, framed by a media construct coined by British DJ Abrantee. Afrobeat wed Nigerian and Ghanaian folk and pop, highlife, jazz, funk, chanted call-and-response vocals, organic percussion, organ, and horns.

"Afrobeats" is contemporary African music combining rap, contemporary West African pop, funky electronic and dance music, and complex polyrhythms. This technology-assisted uptempo approach employs beats, atmospheres, and influences popular on the international scene combined with the sounds of African music -- these songs have been reimagined not as covers, but as collaborations.

While most tribute comps are mixed bags, Africa Unite is the opposite. Almost flawless in its presentation, these artists complement one another well, and approach the material with ambition and reverence.

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Read more... AlMusic

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Andrew Bird - Outside Problems

Outside Problems

by Andrew Bird

Released 21 July 2023

Wegawam Music

****-

Violinist (noted whistler) and singer-songwriter Andrew Bird delved into his interior psyche with uncharacteristic candor on 2022’s Inside Problems, balancing introspection with a subdued yet lively combo of collaborators.

Though it arrives a year later, his new album Outside Problems is essentially the rough draft of its predecessor: exploratory recordings where he’s improvising textures and imagining melodies.

A close listen reveals refrains and motifs—or as one track has it, “Mo Teef”—that were built out on various songs on Inside Problems.

Detecting the echoes requires concentration, though, not to mention intimate familiarity with the previous record. There are no lyrics, no singing apart from some incidental vocalizing, just Bird’s violin and guitar supported by Alan Hampton’s bass.

Despite its spare instrumentation, Outside Problems never feels skeletal or small. As he telegraphs in the title, Bird is looking beyond himself, literally stepping outside to record the bulk of the music in the mountains and orange groves of Ojai, a small California town located east of Santa Barbara, not too far from his home in Los Angeles. The open vistas are like an uncredited third musician, sanding off rough edges and lending warmth to the string instruments as they pluck and strum. Inviting nature into the recording sends the unmistakable message that Bird is ready to re-emerge into the world.

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Read more... Pitchfork

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Blur - The Ballad of Darren

The Ballad of Darren

by Blur

Released 24 July 2023

Parlophone

****-

Is there any band more reflective of modern Britain than Blur? Earlier this month, they united the nation at Wembley (our “agnostic temple”, they called it). Workaholic, melancholic Damon Albarn stood out front in his ironic, Essex boy tracksuit, while complex, nerdy Graham Coxon scrawled angry edges on Albarn’s pretty tunes with his guitar. At the back, a load of giddy bounce courtesy of Labour councillor Dave Rowntree on drums and the Tory hobnobber Alex James on bass. Apathy energised. Ambition eyerolled. Despair romanced. Brainless rock-outs and sentimental overthinking. Our isolating bubbles briefly burst by a stadium-sized bawl-along to “Parklife”.

Seeing the gigs trending on social media, my kids asked me to explain Britpop. “Tesco disco,” I told them, quoting a line from Blur’s triumphant ninth album, The Ballad of Darren. Nostalgic, almost painfully self-aware and chocca with choons, it’s a little mid-tempo in mood, but still the band’s best record since 1999’s 13.

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Read more... The Independent

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Didirri - Caught In The Act

Caught In The Act

by Didirri

Released 4 August 2023

Liberation Records

****-

From Warrnambool, Victoria, Didirri Peter’s highly anticipated debut album, Caught In The Act is finally here, and it’s his most breathtakingly honest and artistically mature work yet.
The eleven-track record is dripping with unfiltered songwriting, emotive vocal tone and soothing melodies. Trademarks that established the young artist as an important Australian voice to watch after his first two Eps, Sold for Sale (2020) and Measurements (2018).

Now, his debut album, flourishing with introspection and nuance, proves the 28-year-old’s profound commitment to truthful storytelling, peeling back another layer of the already-authentic artist with reflections on anxiety, romance, grief, uncertainty, passion, and dread. 

“The record title, Caught In The Act, came about when I was thinking about Imposter Syndrome. If someone were to see that I am not necessarily what they think I am, would they be okay with it?” Peters says.

Written during the global pandemic, the eleven new tracks weave together this tapestry of life lessons and sonic influences, visiting subjects and questions society steers clear of. 

“The theme of death and finality is really woven through the record too. I lost two family members during Covid, and it just really put things into perspective.
Recorded at Sauna Studios in Melbourne and co-produced with Rob Muinos (Julia Jacklin, Nat Vazer), the record blends what we’ve always loved about Peters’ sound while bringing it into a new era.
In the album, we hear a tapestry of influences, with tape delay reminiscent of Emmylou Harris, songwriting inspired by Bob Dylan and Big Thief, and the live band sound inspired by Tom Waits’ 1999 record, Mule Variations.

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Read more... Forte

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Terrace Martin - Fine Tune

Fine Tune

by Terrace Martin

Released 28 July 2023

Sounds Of Crenshaw

****-

Grammy-nominated artist and producer Terrace Martin's new album Fine Tune is focused on developing new talent and incorporating the legacy of jazz. This is Martin’s first project via the Sounds of Crenshaw and BMG multi-album partnership of a series of six jazz albums set to be released throughout 2023, all curated and executive produced by Martin. 

Alongside him on the record is an all-star lineup of musicians and trusted collaborators, including Cory Henry, James Fauntleroy, Keyon Harrold, and Dinner Party contemporaries Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington. A masterclass in curation from the genius of Martin.

Martin has been a guiding force in contemporary music for more than a decade. Beginning at a young age, Martin was an exceptional instrumentalist; from the drums, to piano, to the saxophone, Martin’s talents have known no bounds. Renowned as being one of the top jazz musicians in the world and a creative engine at the epicenter of Los Angeles’ progressive hip-hop scene, Martin’s productions have included major collaborations with Kendrick Lamar (good kid, M.A.A.D. city and the Grammy award-winning To Pimp a Butterfly), Travis Scott, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, and many other influential artists. 

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Read more... BMG

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Terrace Martin - Curly

Curly

by Terrace Martin

Released 28 July 2023

Sounds Of Crenshaw

****-

Curly, the second of the of Terrace Martin's six album series for BMG is a nine-track ode to his late father, drummer Ernest “Curly” Martin, who passed away in March.

Curly not only pays homage to Terrace’s jazz roots, but it clearly holds a more sacred and personal significance.

Via BMG he explains, “This is a body of work that represents the spirit of my father. Curly represents courage, heart and adventure.”

In a recent Instagram post, he also shared his intention to illustrate some of the lessons his father taught him.

“He would always talk about groove and soul,” Terrace wrote in the caption that accompanied a carousel of photographs with his dad. “He would always tell me that the notes don’t mean s**t if they don’t have soul and groove behind them.”

With an all-star cast of fellow master musicians including Kamasi Washington, Cory Henry and Robert “Sput” Searight, that spirit is felt deeply in each track. Martin also seizes the opportunity to revisit highlights from his illustrious career and show reverence to those who are no longer with us, at least in the physical realm.

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Read more... Soul Bpunce

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Susanna - Baudelaire & Orchestra

Baudelaire & Orchestra

by Susanna

Released 28 July 2023

SusannaSonata

****-

On her trilogy of albums dedicated to Charles Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil, Susanna offered a unique glimpse into her powers of transformation. Each volume uncovered different perspectives on her own music as well as the French poet's writing: She reincarnated his poems into hauntingly lonely songs on Baudelaire & Piano, then added flesh to their bones with Elevation's tape loops and field recordings. She completes the project with Baudelaire & Orchestra, a self-explanatory title that only hints at the album's layers.

Susanna always commits herself to her interpretations of other artists' work completely, but she's accomplished something remarkable with the Baudelaire trilogy. Baudelaire & Piano honed in on her voice and songwriting, Elevation focused on her gift for mood, and Baudelaire & Orchestra put the spotlight on her artistic ambition. As a whole, they're an inspiring testament to her music and to the different shapes creativity takes.

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Read more... AllMusic

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Susanna - Elevation

Elevation

by Susanna

Released 29 April 2022

SusannaSonata

****-

A special album in Susanna's body of work, Baudelaire & Piano pared her music down to its essence. Performing its ghostly songs live inspired her to dig deeper into Baudelaire's work, and on Elevation, she sets more of Anthony Mortimer's translations of the poet's classic volume Flowers of Evil to music.

Understandably, the album has quite a bit in common with Baudelaire & Piano, down to the sinuous black-and-white artwork by occultist artist Cameron that conveys the sensual minimalism of the music perfectly.  The varied yet unified perspectives Susanna, Stjern, and Dora lend to their source material make Elevation more than an echo of Baudelaire & Piano -- instead, it's a celebration of creative interplay, translation, and transformation that does justice to all the artists involved.

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Read more... AllMusic

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Susanna - Baudelaire and Piano

Baudelaire and Piano

by Susanna

Released 11 September 2020

SusannaSonata

****-

One of Susanna's enduring strengths is bringing the work of great artists to life in new and personal ways. On 2019's Hieronymous Bosch-inspired Garden of Earthly Delights, she broke new ground, interpreting the painter's triptych with vivid songs that honor its mystery. With Baudelaire & Piano, she returns to more familiar territory, but the results are no less stunning. Like Bob Dylan and Scott Walker (both of whom she's also interpreted), the French poet has been a major influence on her outlook and music; the title of her 2008 album Flower of Evil alludes to his masterwork Flowers of Evil.

On this album, she sets ten poems from that volume (as translated by Anthony Mortimer) to artfully stark piano pieces. Baudelaire's reputation for debauchery could suggest intricate, overwrought instrumentation and singing.  Thoughtfully conceived and crafted, Baudelaire & Piano is another bewitching example of what a sensitive and creative interpreter Susanna is -- she lets all the nuances of the poet's words shine through while remaining true to her own muse.

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Read more... AllMusic

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Roisin Murphy, DJ Koze, Moodyman - What Not To Do (Moodyman Remix)

What Not To Do (Moodyman Remix)

by Roisin Murphy, DK Koze, Moodyman

Released 9 August 2023

Ninja Tune

****-

The inimitable Róisín Murphy has joined forces with Detroit techno legend Moodymann, who has deftly formed his own interpretation of a currently unreleased track “What Not To Do”, the original of which is taken from Murphy’s forthcoming ‘Hit Parade’. A 13-track epitome of genre-melding gems, the new album is set for release on the 8th September via esteemed record label Ninja Tune.

Moodymann is a long-respected figurehead of the Detroit techno scene, of which Murphy has a passionate love for. The enigmatic producer has artfully intertwined his own vocal contributions to the track, initiating a call and response with Murphy’s hypnagogic lyrics, creating a truly special remix.

“It was great working with Róisín and her team. Her voice is amazing. Love the LP!" - Moodymann

“I’m mad about Moodymann, he’s one of my favourite artists making music now. It’s such a thrill and treat for me to have a remix by him and it’s a brilliant mix, time to get those Jazz Dance moves out!” -
Róisín Murphy
The latest remix is the third in a series of alternate productions from electronic music auteurs, previously PAYFONE and Eli Escobar lent their expertise to re-imagine “You Knew”, providing inherently different interpretations at their core, but equally primed and ready for extensive club-usage. Expect more remixes on the horizon.

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Read more... Bandcamp

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Dal - The Dartmoor National Park Tapes

The Dartmoor National Park Tapes

by Dal

Released 28 July 2023

Dal Recodings

****-

Dal are a Jazz/Hip-Hop trio based in the UK.

They describe their first long-form release ‘The Dartmoor National Park Tapes' as "represent(ing) a moment in time, and an exploration into the bands formative sound". Presented as more of a beat tape, the 9 tracks form a story of their time spent living and recording music over the pandemic, deep within Dartmoor National Park.
 

Read more... Bandcamp

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LBT - Abstrakt

Abstrakt

by LBT

Released 11 September 2020

SusannaSonata

****-

From Munich, LBT describe their music as "Live Techno. Achieved purely acoustically on piano, bass and drums without computers or synthesizers. From lyrical to minimal, deep to industrial".


LBT is:
Leo Betzl – Klavier (piano)
Maximilian Hirning - Kontrabass (d.bass)
Sebastian Wolfgruber – Schlagzeug (drums)

Mats Leichtle – Mix und Master

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Read more... Bandcamp

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O'Higgins & Rob Luft - Pluto

Pluto

by O'Higgins & Luft

Released 4 November 2022

Ubunto

****-

Saxophonist Dave O’Higgins & guitarist Rob Luft now present their 2nd co-led recording three years after “O’Higgins & Luft Play Monk & Trane”. Where the first album clearly did what it says on the tin, “Pluto”, as the title suggests, comes from another place. Seven of the nine songs are originals, and the remaining two are Monk & Trane hits from the 40-plus date tour in 2019 that evolved on the road.

Ross Stanley began playing with the band on organ when the logistics of Scott Flanigan travelling from Northern Ireland were unsustainable. Equally adept on piano, this instrument was chosen for “Pluto”. This opened up a place for the exciting sound of Misha Mullov-Abbado on bass. American drummer, Rod Youngs, so integral to the vibe of the band on the 2019 tour, completes the lineup.

”Pluto” was recorded live in the studio, in one room with no overdubs. The playing began in earnest around noon, and by 5:15pm the album was finished and lunch had been taken. The material came together very easily and most tracks were 1st takes. 

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Read more... Bandcamp

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Modern Jazz Quartet - The Montreux Years

The Montreux Years

by Modern Jazz Quartet

Released 23 June 2023

Montreux Sounds

*****

Shortly after the name changed from the Milt Jackson Quartet to the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), critics started honing their knives. Most hostile comments came from those who preferred less formality and polish: “effete”, “too restrained”, “over-subtle”, “too Baroque” and “neutered”.
However, if people closed their ears to four distinguished masters working together seamlessly, it was their loss. If they pretended deafness to a stimulating interplay of talents, hard cheese. They ignored the ability of Milt Jackson to take wing and soar and the artistry of John Lewis’s economical precision. They disregarded the inherent swing, mastery of tension/release and passion for the blues that constituted the MJQ’s musical core (after all, it wasn’t called the Modern Jazz Quartet for nothing). With hindsight, the hostility was a by-product of intolerance (not helped by the group’s popularity) towards a different kind of chamber jazz.

 

Fortunately, as this new album proves, time has obliterated most of the disagreements and embarrassed any surviving detractors. Recorded live in concert halls rather than the sterility of the studio, it’s a collection of eleven performances captured over a dozen years in front of enthusiastic audiences (occasionally over-enthusiastic, inevitably clapping their hands on beats one and three when the Quartet finds a groove) at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

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Read more... London Jazz News

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Harold Lopez-Nussa - Timba a la Americana

Timba a la Americana

by Harold Lopez-Nussa 

Released 25 August 2023

Blue Note Records

****-

The release of Timba a la Americana marks several important firsts for Cuban-born pianist/composer Harold López-Nussa. For starters, it's his Blue Note leader debut. Second, it is his first album since emigrating from his homeland to southern France. It marks his freshman collaboration with producer -- and Snarky Puppy bassist/founder -- Michael League and his first to include electric instruments and keyboards. The latter cannot be overstated; League provided López-Nussa with the freedom to experiment with forms, instruments, rhythms, and genres. The pianist strongly desired to abandon conventional wisdom and unofficial "rules" about Latin jazz that have existed since the 1950s. Their methodology for doing so started at the beginning: They sought new settings and patterns for claves, the rhythm sticks that offer Cuban music's heartbeat. The band on the session includes harmonicist Gregoire Maret, brother Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums, bassist Luques Curtis, and percussionist Bárbaro "Machito" Crespo.

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Read more... AllMusic

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Mammal Hands - Gift from the Trees

Gift from the Trees

by Mammal Hands

Released 31 March 2023

Gondwana Records

****-

At first glance, Mammal Hands may seem a traditional jazz trio, but their perspectives on the jazz landscape offer enticing and engrossing new directions. Gift from the Trees is their fifth album and shows a new maturity in sound and feel. It draws on influences from folk, electronica, modern classical and ambient to produce a fresh and enveloping sound. The trio—saxophonist Jordan Smart, pianist Nick Smart (yes, they're brothers) and drummer/percussionist Jesse Barrett—all jointly contribute to the compositions. Jordan Smart uses soprano, alto and tenor saxophones together with bass clarinet. This opens up options for the trio's sound patterns so they can find musical micro-climates within their songs, outside what would normally be expected from a trio with this instrumental line-up.

For the first time they used a residential studio in Wales, recording over two stays and two seasons. Away from the usual studio time pressures, they were able to jam out ideas and focus on details. The results are intricate and intense and with a subconscious awareness of each other's playing. They take in influences including Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef and Steve Reich and there's often a Nordic feel to the album.

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Read more... All About Jazz

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Chris McCarthy, Chris Tordini, Steven Crammer - Priorities

Priorities

by Chris McCarthy, Chris Tordini, Steven Crammer

Released 12 May 2023

Fresh Sound New Talent

****-

For Fresh Sounds Records, Pianist Chris McCarthy writes:
This is an album about procrastination and growth. When everyone’s priorities were up ended in March 2020, I found myself uninspired to compose until March 2021. Without  performing to keep me motivated, I fell into doing trivial work that did not align with my goals and tastes. With the world shut down, it wasn’t clear when I would ever record another album. My last project Still Time To Quit (Ropeadope) was released in April 2020, and the anti-climax that came with a string of canceled album release shows certainly contributed to my creative stagnation thereafter.

After a year of hardly playing with others, I returned to writing after a casual reading session with Steven Crammer and Chris Tordini. I tried to write repertoire that showcased the extremely open ended yet grounded approach they take to everything they play. Having played lots of music with too many chord changes, I preferred to create interesting counterpoint between the outer lines in the composition and let the improvisation grow from there. The clarity and drive that they deliver in every note make my songs come to life.
 

Read more... Fresh Sounds Records

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Sonar - Three Movements

Three Movements

by Sonar

Released 23 June 2023

Sonar

****-

Three Movements takes (the form of) three extended pieces that lean toward the group’s influence from minimalist classical music as never before. The six musicians create a thick tapestry of rock, jazz, and genre-free sounds and rhythms. Kuntner, Pasquinelli, and Thelen nail down the foundations, while Wagner adds fills and accents. Torn veers between menacing ambient textures and swooping electric scythes, using his distinctive power riffing and live looping in cutting through the structures like a windstorm through a field. Schwalm fills in whatever space is left, with both soothing synth pads and unexpected noises and filigrees.

There’s a lot going on, but the players keep the focus tight and uncluttered, allowing musical density to support a single purpose: to create spellbinding waves of musical beguilement, the kind that’s melodic and appealing enough for casual heads, but complex and finely honed enough for musos to lose themselves inside it. A tricky balance for anyone, but Sonar and their pals pull it off with taste, skill, and good old-fashioned musicality. Sensually gratifying and absolutely riveting, Three Movements may well be Sonar’s masterpiece.

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Read more... The Big Takeover

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