Best Albums of July 2024 Playlist
clicking cover art opens Spotify
Acts Of Faith
SAULT
Released 6 July 2024
Forever Living Originals
*****
Our Album of the Month is once again by the enigmatic collective SAULT - an album that delights us with its musical vision and confounds in almost equal measure, due to the manner of its release.
Acts of Faith is the eleventh studio album from the British R&B musical group and was originally previewed in December 2023 at a one-night only concert in London (which was the group's first public performance).
The album was released for free as a continuous single track, via digital distribution - a temporary WeTransfer link - on 6 July 2024 and it has not been released in a physical form or via the streaming platforms.
Hence, we have used a YouTube link, rather than Spotify, in this instance.
The live debut of Acts of Faith was met with positive reviews from critics and featured the musicians in masks, accompanied by ballet and fashion show performances, with this music accompanied by songs from across their career and a seven-song African Section that led into it.
The Daily Telegraph rated the show 5 out of 5 stars, stating that it was "part fashion show, part otherworldly escape, the first chunk of Sault’s near-three hour concert began with a handful of the collective’s more ethereal numbers as figures marched up and down the main runway".
The Evening Standard also gave this show 5 out of 5 stars, calling it the live event of the year, stating that "calling what unfolded next a plain old ‘gig’ feels disingenuous; like referring to an all you can eat buffet as a 'light snack', or calling the Sistine Chapel a decent bit of interior design".
The Guardian gave the show five out of five stars and wrote that "their eclecticism is dazzling but grounded in substance, their anthems aiming at the feet and the heart with equal accuracy" making for an "immersive, eclectic, astonishing three hours".
BrooklynVegan called this "yet another stunner" from the group that is "a joyous rumination on faith".
Radio New Zealand noted the religious themes and uplifting lyrics in the music and responded to the band's mystique by summing up, "everything on record is so substantive, and enriching, that the gimmicks feel justified".
Read more ... Wikipedia
Sonido Cosmico
HERMANOS GUTIERREZ
Released 14 June 2024
Hermanos Gutierrez / Easy Eye Sound / Concord
*****
While mostly pensive throughout, each moment on ‘Sonido Cosmico’ feels different from the other; each picture evoking something different from the imagination. It’s hard to find a track not to like here
Instrumental music always invites the listener to engage in acts of imagination. With guitar-slinging duo Hermanos Gutiérrez, the canvas teems with possibilities. Their last album ‘El Bueno Y El Malo’ rumbles and shimmers like the music of its titular inspiration Ennio Morricone. Appearances on guitar and production duties from The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, to which the brothers are signed to his Easy Eye imprint, heighten the record’s sumptuously melodic feel. Now with their third album, ‘Sonido Cosmico’ (translated in English as cosmic sounds), the brothers put their supernatural bond to the forefront and transcend to hypnotic new heights.
Coming by way of Switzerland and Ecuador, Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez may only be armed with six strings each. Yet their musical chemistry is ineffable. A tender moment between the pair during a live concert in a desert city in New Mexico last year inspired the otherworldly theme of their new album. Three songs into their set, with the attentive crowd hushed under their mesmeric playing, they looked at each other in tears. The emotional charge on that night and a connection to a place that exists beyond words made them feel like mediums, they mention in a press release. And with all of the emotion that pours out of ‘Sonido Cosmico’, they’ve certainly captured the essence of this moment to the full.
It’s also no surprise that the duo are touring with Khruangbin this year – their album flows with the same ease that their counterparts have mastered. But most impressive of all, the fact that two brothers create music of such depth playing nothing but their own guitars is astonishing.
If you fancy an exploration of the cosmos in desert guitar form, look no further.
Read more ... Clash
Perak
THEE MARLOES
Released 22 July 2024
Big Crown Records
*****
Thee Marloes, hailing from Surabaya, Indonesia, blend their unique background with a soulful sound that's both familiar and distinct. Led by Natassya Sianturi's excellent vocals, with Sinatrya 'Raka' Dharaka on guitar and Tommy Satwick on drums, the trio combines soul, jazz, and pop with an Indonesian twist.
From port city of Surabaya on the island of Java, Indonesia comes Thee Marloes, comprising Natassya Sianturi on vocals, Sinatrya ("Raka") Dharaka on guitar, and Tommy Satwick on drums. Their unique sound mixes elements of their local culture and music with influences of Soul, Jazz, and Pop.
So fresh are they that only eight of the twelve tracks from their first album have been released at the time of writing. We will update links as more are released.
With early influences from American hip-hop and alternative rock, Raka found himself driven to write his own songs. Night after night, after getting off work Raka would play and pen his songs with no real idea what he’d do with them. While raw, these early drafts had potential—that much he knew. After crossing paths with Tommy, Raka now had a partner to start fleshing things out with. With similar musical influences and passion, the duo began getting gigs both sitting in with other bands and DJing parties around Indonesia and Southeast Asia. While they didn’t know it then, this time spent cutting their teeth, playing shows, and seeing what was out there, would serve as a crucial foundation for their sound to come.
A significant step was taken in 2019. Raka and Tommy saw a woman perform at a local show that truly captivated them. Her name was Natassya, and her voice had such feeling and range that they knew they had to work with her. Natassya, surrounded by a musical family, grew up in church honing her vocals in the choir. Those chops coupled with the fact that she was inspired by a spectrum of absolute global legends, ranging from The Jackson 5 family to Erykah Badu made her a perfect fit. Raka and Tommy invited her to join a recording session, and it was clear right away that she added a meaningful and talented depth to the music. So now, almost suddenly, with the addition of Natassya, they were a trio that found an authentic voice blending an Indonesian vibe with the universal appeal of soul, jazz, and pop.
Read more ... Big Crown Records
The Infinity of Nothingness
JJ WHITEFIELD, FORCED MEDITATION
Released 21 June 2024
Jazzman
****-
A set of mature, delicate and meditative orchestrations, like much of Whitefield’s best work the album is studiously true to its key influences - and in this instance the twin figureheads of Sun Ra and Pharoah Sanders are particularly preeminent - but also completely avoids falling into a trap of mere tribute or facsimile.
Having plied his trade around the world for more than three decades, German guitarist, bandleader and musical explorer JJ Whitefield has always instilled in his craft a natural aesthetic of authenticity, a key component which has seen him amass a sizeable and varied catalogue of material which has remained timeless where some of his contemporaries have faded away.
In the early 90s, as various UK bands were signed up by sizeable labels and enjoyed even mainstream chart success in the Acid Jazz and rare groove boom, Whitefield was a founding member of the Poets Of Rhythm, self-releasing their own uncompromisingly hard-edged take on 70s street funk on the then completely unfashionable 7” single format, forerunning the Deep Funk scene by almost a decade. 30 years on, in spite of a legion of retro-focused bands having followed in their wake, few have yet to come close to matching the energy and spirit of those early Poets 45s.
More recently, Whitefield has begun to venture into the astral planes of what’s now commonly referred to as ‘spiritual jazz’, and this is very much where we find him manifesting on ‘The Infinity Of Nothingness’
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Sello (EP)
TSHEPANG RAMOBA
Released 28 June 2024
POST POST Entertainment / Ditto Music
****-
Ramoba shared, "'Sello' is a journey through emotion, memory, and innovation. It's a tribute to the great Sello Montwedi and a reflection of my own experiences. I wanted to create something that resonates deeply on a personal level but also speaks to the universal themes of pain, joy, and resilience".
Tshepang Ramoba, is the dynamic musician renowned for his role in the band BLK JKS. His highly anticipated solo EP, "Sello," which translates to "a cry" in Sepedi (one of the official languages in South Africa, generally spoken in the Gauteng, Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga areas and in neighboring Botswana). The EP is a deeply personal and emotive project that reflects Ramoba's roots and innovative musical style.
The title of the EP carries a dual significance, denoting both an emotional outpouring and paying homage to the late Sello Montwedi, the esteemed drummer of the legendary band Sankomota. This tribute encapsulates the spirit of the EP, intertwining themes of personal and collective history with Ramoba's contemporary musical explorations.
"Sello" blends traditional Sepedi sounds with urban musical elements, creating a unique and compelling listening experience. The EP features a fusion of Kiba and Dinaka music, traditional styles from Limpopo, with modern instrumentation and electronic elements. This synthesis honors Ramoba’s heritage while pushing the boundaries of contemporary music.
Read more ... Culture Review
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Songs The Night Bird Taught Me (EP)
THE MOON MOUNTAINEER
Released 22 March 2024
Heide Hackworth
****-
"My new EP: Songs The Night Bird Taught Me was inspired by the bittersweet, solitary sound-world of the nocturnal. I hope to take the listener on a journey through starlit waking dreams, inside the liminal world that hums between moonset and sunrise".
The Moon Mountaineer is South Australian musician Heide Hackworth who produces neoclassical piano, ambient and electronic music inspired by nature. Odes to the love and loss of wild places; playful, bittersweet melodies sparkle, float and take on transformational properties as they journey through landscapes of memory and metaphor.
"Somewhere between the world of dreams and our wakefulness is a place that The Moon Mountaineer has explored in this four-song neoclassical EP.
Songs The Night Bird Taught Me has etude-like qualities - sort of musical study but instead of exploring musical themes, The Moon Mountaineer provides an intimate audio reflection of the feelings and experiences leading up to the dream - like passing through a narrow, moonlit grove, before leading off to vast vistas of the imagination.
The motifs are simple yet alluring - pensive and introspective with the sensation of loosening one's grip on the construct we've built in our wakeful state." ~ Stolace Global Relay Station
Read more ... Spotify
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II
KIASMOS, OLAFUR ARNALDS,
JANUS RASMUSSEN
Released 5 July 2024
Erased Tapes Recods
****-
Kiasmos, the duo of Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroese musician Janus Rasmussen, return with their long-awaited second album II.
When Kiasmos started out in the late 2000s, little did they know that their part-time supergroup would go stratospheric. It was the sound of two old friends from neighbouring islands striking out against the stark piano and electropop music that they were individually celebrated for and effusively sharing their love of Berlin-inspired beats. But their pairing blew up into a world-dominating live act whose music went on to define the decade.
Kiasmos are returning, renewed and restored, with ‘II’. It’s the triumphant follow-up to their universally acclaimed self-titled debut in 2014, which re-envisioned minimal techno with orchestral flourishes and weightless production. They’d made most of that album in just two weeks; this time it’s been 10 years. The making of ‘II’ was a test of their friendship, but also testament to how great musical chemistry can always go the distance and be just the same as it ever was. “In the beginning, we hadn’t established any sound, so it was easy to write,” says Janus.
“The record sounds fuller,” agrees Ólafur. “The sound design gives you a sense of place and space.”
“II is livelier,” says Janus, “but it still retains the signature Kiasmos style of transitioning from a whisper-quiet ambience to an explosive dance beat that can blow your socks off.” Their phoenix is rising from the ashes, and ready to take flight.
Read more ... Bandcamp
New Moon | Silver Moon
THE ORBWEAVERS
Released 28 June 2024
Mistletone
****-
...an illuminating album. As always, Dyson and Stuart invite us to listen ever more closely to the land and hear its unfolding history.
New Moon, Silver Moon is the fourth album (first in seven years) from The Orbweavers - Marita Dyson and Stuart Flanagan, with Paddy Mann (bass), Jen Sholakis (drums), Biddy Connor (viola), and Laura Hertaeg (trumpet).
It's a response to the many-layered histories of two places: Naarm / Melbourne, and Broken Hill on Wilyakali Country, and surrounding Barkindji Country. Songs explore waterways, ecosystems and the impact of industry, all infused with personal notes from the present. 'Silver Saltbush' is one of many examples, blending scenes of daily life in Broken Hill with reflections on the region's flora and mining past.
The Orbweavers are careful observers, finding connections between seemingly separate elements. They write about geological links between north and west Melbourne, and the shared birdlife of local creeks and the Menindee Lakes. Field recordings are added to their lush folk arrangements, evoking specific locations in the music.
The Orbweavers are patient too. Speaking with Kate Kingsmill on The Distant Sky, Dyson said: "Sometimes there can be a long distance between coming up with an idea and wanting to make something out of it, and then ending up with something you can share, like a recording or a gig or even a story."
Read more ... 3RRR
Eight Pointed Star
MARINA ALLEN
Released 7 June 2024
Fire Records
****-
With nods to country and folk, spinning inspiration from The Roches to Liz Phair, Allen uses songwriting to her own ends, eschewing nostalgia in favor of something entirely original.
At first blush, the image of an arrowless compass might invoke terror. But approached with courage and peace, this same symbol-myriad directions radiating out from a steady center-can spell hope: the abundance of new beginnings. It is no coincidence that the title of LA based Marina Allen's new album 'Eight Pointed Star', describes the shape of a compass rose.
Across its nine songs, Allen sets out on new paths of exploration and discovery. "I was finally listening to the songs that were in the corner of my eye. It felt as though they were waiting for me to make them." Sometimes, as with a broken instrument or an outdated map, self-knowledge eludes us. In these moments, rather than forcing answers out of the past, we must trust its integration into our present, as Allen does here, charting fearless routes through new musical, emotional, and spiritual territory.
Allen cites the image of a quilt as inspiration for the album's title, in reference to the eight-pointed stars common in patchwork. This commitment to weaving the old into something altogether new extends to the album's sonic fabric.
Her voice guides us from luminous depths to soaring heights, at turns crystalline and cloaked, urgent and calm. Allen coaxes us from the other side of a threshold, guiding us to look up as we step forward.
Read more ... Bandcamp
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Love On Acid (EP)
FATIMA
Released 16 February 2024
Eglo Recods
****-
Fatima's velvet smooth tones, and creative flair bridge the two worlds of traditional Soul/RnB with the contemporary sounds of today, never one to be pigeon-holed or put in a box, her music is as ever heartfelt, honest and original, its great to have her back
A Swedish born and London based soul singer with Hip Hop in her blueprint, Fatima is a vocal powerhouse with a beautiful tone.
Dubbed “A bonafide star” by Pitchfork and “Best New Artist” by Spin Magazine, Fatima has been touring around the world with her band, providing live vocals for Larry Heard and producing Fatima’s Maple Syrup Waffle Show, monthly on NTS.
Her 4 track EP 'Love On Acid', her first official solo release since 2018's 'And Yet It's All Love' LP. It is four tracks of straight up RnB produced in its entirety by East London rapper/pianist Harvey Whyte.
The London-by-way-of-Stockholm, Sweden export made her mark through game changing collaborations with the likes of Floating Points, Knxwledge, MNDSGN, Dåm Funk, Shafiq Husayn and more recently Joe Armon-Jones (Ezra Collective).
Read more ... Bandcamp
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draw something beautiful (EP)
GANAVYA
Released 12 July 2024
LEITER
****-
I wrote it as a child to say, ‘If I die, could you take the life force in me and redistribute it among the remaining humans to make them happier?’ I genuinely believed this was possible because of the stories and mythology I grew up with.”
Described by Wall Street Journal as “among modern music’s most compelling vocalists,” the charismatic New York-born, Tamil Nadu-raised singer and trans-disciplinarian has won hearts and minds with solo and collaborative projects showcasing her remarkable vocals and a singular style as likely to draw on spiritual jazz as the South Asian influences of her youth.
She’s worked with Quincy Jones, opera/theatre director Peter Sellars, Esperanza Spalding, and Shabaka Hutchings, and was seen last December beguiling crowds at SAULT’S debut in London, where, The Guardian wrote, her “voice had a delicate emotive heft that could turn stoics into sobbing wrecks”. ‘draw something beautiful’, shared on July 12, 2024 via all digital platforms, is accompanied by ‘ami pana so’dras’.
‘draw something beautiful’ isn’t a new song. Instead, the template for these strikingly tranquil four minutes, in which her voice floats delicately amid Frahm’s gratifyingly minimalist, spacious arrangement, was one of the first ganavya composed. “
‘draw something beautiful’ was the first music Frahm and ganavya ever recorded, and her vocals were captured so quickly that she, Frahm, and Felix Grimm – Frahm’s long-time manager and LEITER’s co-founder – decided to keep going. She recalls being unsure what to sing next, but Frahm “set up his glass harmonica, using a kalimba to apply sustained pressure to one singular note,” she continues of the resulting, otherworldy combination of unforgettable melody and quiet drone, “and I sang an old Kashmiri song I hum to myself all the time when alone. ’ami pana so’dras’ came out of me almost as if I was alone, humming to myself as I always do. Nils has a matter-of-factness to his presence that feels like the opposite of… excessiveness. It was easy to just be.”
Read more ... LEITER-VERLAG
open this wall
BERLIOZ
Released 12 July 2024
berlioz
****-
berlioz brand of jazz-house fusion built of interwoven flows of keyboard and saxophone riffs, intermittently textured by spoken-word samples - a musical cut-and paste to the artist's whimsical catch-phrase "if matisse made house music".
Here is an album by UK musician Jasper Astlee, who has styled himself professionally as (lowercase) "berlioz" (which The Guardian clarified, is named after a character in 70s Disney animation The Aristocats, not the French composer, noting too that the line captures important things about the English producer currently having a moment, with a streaming audience so huge he’s by some metrics the UK’s most-listened to jazz act). Atlee has previously released music under the alias of Ted Jasper. In a recent Rolling Stone UK interview Atlee described how this new guise has allowed him to step away from the "Ted Jasper" identity and produce his current brand of jazz-house, generated in part from disparate samples that include a rare radio interview with Matisse and a woman declaring her love for Picasso and other ephemera.
Early singles in 2022 included "nyc in 1940", "La danse" and "miro". These were followed by the 2023 EP "jazz is for ordinary people".
Two tracks stand out: title track "open this wall" and "Ode to rashan". Both feature iconic voice samples - the former attributed to Nancy Wilson ("it's about saying open the door ... I'm wonderful and I know that it is a supreme power that gives me the ability to do anything if I just allow it to happen ...") and the second "some people call it jazz but that name doesn't hold anymore I want it to be called black classical music"
Atlee's wife was central to the berlioz project: "she's my co-producer, she’s credited on my music – she’s a serious force to be reckoned with, her taste is unmatched and it’s an open secret at this point how pivotal she’s been to some of the arrangement and mixing decisions on my records" he says.
Read more ... The Guardian
Sing Your Own Song
ANDREW GURRUWIWI BAND
Released 5 July 2024
Gaga Music
****-
“It’s about making our own sound, our own music,” Gurruwiwi says “Every time when we play music, we listen for the big sound – then we change it. Do it a different way. Different style. Whether it’s the bass, or the keyboard, or the guitar or the bongo, we change it ‘round, until we can get the right beat, the right rhythm. Our sound.”
Visionary, joyful, eclectic and impossible to stop dancing to. Welcome to Sing Your Own Song, the debut album release from multi-talented Northern Territory musicians, the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band.
The band hails from northeast Arnhem Land, one of the remotest corners of Australia, but that hasn’t stopped them from assembling a world-class ensemble to pull together the most exciting release from the north since Yolŋu surf rock combo King Stingray’s self-titled debut album in 2022.Fronted by Andrew Gurruwiwi (who’s also a popular broadcaster on Yolŋu Radio in Arnhem Land), Sing Your Own Song is laden with infectious grooves and impressive musicianship, destined to take Australia’s festival circuit by storm in 2024 and 2025. Gurruwiwi’s influences are wider than the Arafura Sea – among his inspirations are the rhythms of Africa, Jamaica, India, Mexico, blues, rock and flamenco.
Read more ... AIRLA Australian Independent Record Labels Association
Tambo Jamz Vol 1
MITCH TAMBO
Released 3 July 2024
Walanbaa Music / Believe
****-
"This project reflects a key aspect of who I am as an artist and a proud Aboriginal man. This collection speaks to the universal language of music and celebrates the beauty of diversity. Plus, I also wanted to have some fun."
Australian musician Mitch Tambo's Tambo Jazz Vol 1 is a collection of instrumental soundscapes that defies genre boundaries.
During the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the mounting pressure to maintain a presence on social media, Mitch took a creative leap by launching a content series called "Tambo Jamz", which showcased his musicianship by performing various soundscapes in different settings. The response was overwhelming, with some videos receiving millions of views and garnering widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.
"Over the past couple of years, my followers have consistently asked me to release the music from the Tambo Jamz content series," Mitch shared. "When I parted ways with Sony Music earlier this year, I knew it was time to fulfil that request. My fans have been incredibly loyal and supportive since my journey on Australia's Got Talent, and I wanted to give them something they've been asking for. The industry centres so heavily on streams, likes, and followers that it’s creating a heavy burden on artists. So, I decided to celebrate and enjoy the love of creating music by offering a different listening experience and to connect with followers.”
Read more ... AMRAP Australian Music Radio Airplay Project
Where Are They Now
THE PAD BOYS
Released 15 September 2023
The 5Five Presents
****-
Fusing roots-based reggae and indie rock with Djabugay language, within a broader soul groove, The Pad Boys songs have become mini ‘anthems’, and are now part of a longer Djabugay music tradition.
One of North Queensland’s most enduring and successful First Nations acts celebrated 30 years in the music industry in 2023 with the release of their debut album, “Where Are They Now”.
The Pad Boys formed in 1992 in Kuranda, and spent the best part of the 90’s touring, playing festivals, and developing a dedicated fan base.
For many years a three piece, William ‘Biri’ Duffin (Guitar and Lead vocals), Roderick ‘Rocky’ Newbury (guitar/vocals), Dennis ‘Bugsy’ Hunter (Drums) and Timmy ‘Wiggy’ Wason (Bass), in 2022 original band member Rocky Newbury returned (Ryhthm Guitar/Vocals), and the band is now joined by synth pop recording artist Tegan Koster (Keyboards/Vocals).
The album was recorded at CQU in Cairns, after a dedicated creative development process at The 5Five studio’s and was produced by elusive producer Hairbrain, and mixed by local legend Patty Preece.
Read more ... The 5Five
Warrangu; River Story
DOBBY
Released 14 June 2024
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
****-
The album is filled with powerful orchestral sounds and energetic beats, while his voice – together with those of fellow knowledge holders – shares the plight of important NSW rivers.
DOBBY - drummer, rapper, composer, producer - proudly identifies as a Filipino and Aboriginal musician, whose family is from Murrawarri and Ngemba lands (Weilmoringle, Brewarrina NSW).
This moving and immersive story-telling album is an urgent call to take action and care for country. The stories follow three rivers that form cultural boundaries in Brewarrina NSW: the Bogan River to the South, the Culgoa River to the North, and the Barwon River to the East. Water theft on a grand scale has been occurring in the region for years. In particular, over-irrigation and redirection of the waterways known as the Murray Darling Basin for the profit of almonds and cotton have caused horrific and irreversible damage to our ecosystem. In addition, last year up to a million fish died in Menindee NSW, rendering it the biggest fish kill in history, due to the high levels of Blue Green algae in the rivers.
It is evident that the waters in our rivers have been mismanaged on a catastrophic level, and DOBBY's explorations provide the soundtrack for community grown demonstration against the commodification and privatisation of a water source that is depended upon by over three million people.
Songs like Water and Language Is In The Land speak directly to the devastating impact on the Murray Darling Basin as a result of illegal mass irrigation, while events like this create a platform and opportunity to educate and protest corporate greed.
“My grandmother Mary Clapham Nee Shearer was born and raised in Brewarrina. Her father, George Shearer, was born under the birthing tree on Murrawarri land on the Culgoa at Corella Station. WARRANGU; River Story is a journey back home to my family’s history, a connection to Culture” – DOBBY.
Read more ... DOBBY
Koi Kingdom
KOI KINGDOM
Released 17 May 2024
Earshift Music
****-
Koi Kingdom's latest album is not just a collection of songs but a narrative that unfolds over six chapters, each marked by its own mood and atmosphere.
Koi Kingdom is the project of Melbourne musicians Cheryl Durongpisitkul (alto saxophone and voice), Stephen Hornby (double bass and voice), and Marcos Villalta (guitar, voice)
Renowned for their boundary-defying compositions and instrumental virtuosity, Koi Kingdom’s third and most ambitious, (self-titled) album is a tale of transformation and resilience that delves into themes of friendship, loss, grief, rebirth, and joy, showcasing the special musical connection and shared creative vision that the trio have nurtured over years of collaboration.
Founded in 2016, the trio has evolved into a powerful force in the Melbourne scene, celebrated for their original compositions and mutual respect for each other's craft. Over the past two years, the band has dedicated themselves to weekly composition and rehearsal sessions, culminating in a narrative-driven album that transcends their previous work. The project was conceived and composed collectively, a process that tested and strengthened their communication and friendship, resulting in a work that interweaves a conceptual story into a cohesive musical journey.
Accompanying the record is a short graphic novel illustrated by Marcos Villalta, which visually narrates the album's story, adding another layer to their multifaceted project.
Read more ... Earshift Music
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Okere (EP)
SAI GALAXY
Released 22 March 2024
Soundway Records
****-
Big Yawn's ability to blend complex rhythm sections with infectious basslines, deep synth work, and tongue-in-cheek sampling remains ever-present, and perhaps is the most advanced we've heard yet.
Hailing originally from Australia, Sai has spent a lifetime developing his skills as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, culminating in a style of rhythmic & melodic funky music. His dynamic combinations of vocals, synth, and instrumentals transition seamlessly from Disco to House to Afrobeat with meticulous flow.
Sai tours internationally as a musician, performing in countries like Japan, Brazil, Ibiza, Italy, additionally a member of Politcal Activist Band Sorong Samarai from Papua New Guinea. He co-produces Sorong Samarai with Papua New Guinea Drum Master Airileke & tours in Papua New Guinea regularly. If you’re a fan of Disco Dance and Funk with African Sounds & squelchy synths, be sure to check out Sai Galaxy’s upcoming releases on Soundway Records, and follow him on his journey to becoming one of the best producers in the world.
This EP chronicles the journey of Sai Galaxy as he traverses through the annals of history, riding the ancient, infinite sound known as Anahat—the unstruck sound of the universe. The result is a mesmerizing fusion of jazzy house, dubbed-out saxophone, smooth vocals and intricate percussion.
Read more ... Sai Galaxy
Things Are Getting Better
JINETTA ROSE &
THE VOICES OF CREATION
Released 3 July 2024
Day Dreamer
*****
A prolific collaborator with artists like Anderson .Paak and Angel Bat Dawid, Jimetta leads the choir, delivering new mantras for our times. Things Are Getting Better is an example of the power of music, faith, and community.
Jimetta Rose and The Voices of Creation's new album, Things Are Getting Better, via Day Dreamer Recordings, is a soul-stirring devotional that blends house, funk, soul, r&b and hip-hop influences. The album opens with the lead single 'Portals,' an invitation to a new way of thinking. With a shuffling groove and soaring vocals, it breaks traditional gospel molds, introducing soulful r&b runs and syncopated verses. Things Are Getting Better is fantastically crafted studio sound, evolving from their raw debut, How Good It Is. The album is composed of non-professional singers and embodies Jimetta's mission to demystify the ministry and spread faith in music's power for positive change. Featuring instrumentalists Isaiah Collier, Ryan Porter, and V.C.R., and recorded at Sunset Sound studios, it encapsulates Jimetta's vision of "Black spiritual classical music".
Read more ... Juno
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My Black Country,
The Songs of Alice Randall
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Released 12 April 2024
Oh Boy Records
****-
Alice Randall's songs have been performed by Glen Campbell, Moe Bandy, Marie Osmond, Jo-El Sonier, Judy Rodman, Radney Foster, Holly Dunn, and Trisha Yearwood. She is the first Black woman to have a number-one hit on the country charts. Her influence in country music and as a voice in the Black community is immense.
Oh Boy Records is an independent American record label located in Nashville, Tennessee and founded in 1981 by Grammy Award- winning songwriter John Prine and his longtime manager Al Bunetta. The label has released more than 40 audio and video recordings by singer-songwriters Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Dan Reeder and Todd Snider, along with a dozen reissues of classic country music artists.
Alice Randall is a New York Times bestselling novelist, award-winning songwriter, and educator. She is widely recognized as one of the most significant voices in modern Black fiction. She lives in Nashville where she writes country songs.
Oh Boy Records partnered with Randall and a community of Black, female musicians for this remarkable album.
She said "I had songs recorded in the 80s, in the 90s, in the 2000s, and 2010s, but I never once had the joy of hearing one of the songs that I wrote from the perspective of a Black woman recorded by a Black woman. With this project...I hope to change that."
Her songs have been re-imagined and re-recorded by Black female artists from around America by Leyla McCalla, Sistastrings, Adia Victoria. Rhiannon Giddens, Sunny War, Allison Russell, Saaneah Jamison, Rissi Palmer, Valerie June and her own daughter, Caroline Randall Williams.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Saint Sinner
ELSY WAMEYO
Released 26 July 2024
Elsy Wameyo
****-
As she stands at the precipice of her most important creative chapter yet, Elsy Wameyo is at peace knowing that with this album is the delivery of Elsy in her truest form. With this sense of peace comes added fulfilment – for both the current Elsy, and the little Elsy, who continuously guides within.
Elsy Wameyo, also known as ELSY, is a Kenyan Australian singer-songwriter and rapper, whose style ranges from hip hop to the fusion of traditional African music with contemporary rap and R&B. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Wameyo was awarded Young Kenyan of the Year in 2018, and won People's Choice Best Hip Hop Award at the annual South Australian Music Awards in 2019. Her first studio album, Saints Sinner, was released in July 2024.
With her debut album Wameyo has arrived at her new creative touchstone, a place of reclamation and self-empowerment, with a powerful collection of music that journeys through themes of identity and spirituality. Brought to life against a bed of meticulously produced beats and rhythms, her empowered sense of delivery across this album is undeniable. Elsy’s voice has always carried weight, her sound is urgent, poignant and never wavers in strength. This record is an impassioned portrait of Elsy Wameyo documenting a fierce and potent chapter of her personal and unapologetic artistic evolution.
To create this piece of work, Elsy returned home to Kenya. In an intense period of inner reflections, reconstruction and creatively building, Elsy surrounded herself with personalities and energy that encouraged growth and rejuvenation of one’s spirit. In her collaborators Wuod Omollo, Polycarp Otieno and songwriter Ywaya Tajiri, she discovered a sense of artistic understanding and family that had been missing.
Read more ... Bandcamp
A place between us
OKVSHO
Released 7 March 2024
Current Moves / Hip Dozer
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The unique style Okvsho has become known for in recent years has once again evolved, combining organic and electronic elements with beautiful harmonies and expressive rhythms.
"A place between the two of us, the people who are listening, the people who contributed, and the people who inspired us...”
Finally, almost three years after the well-received 2021 album Orange Wine and three international tours, Okvsho is back with their fourth project “A place between us”.
Georg and Christoph Kiss, the two brothers behind Okvsho, are showcasing a project that is more intimate and bolder than ever, offering an insight into their thoughts, feelings, and experiences during the last two years.
Okvsho's second LP will also be the first full-length project to be released on the newly founded Zurich-based label Current Moves, with which the Okvsho-brothers aim to shape the young European jazz scene they are inspired by and also an established part of.
“A place between us is the first step into a new era for us – We’re very grateful for the love and support we received during the past six years and we’ll continue to strive for the better. Thanks for becoming part of our journey.
Read more ... Bandcamp
The Glass Frog
GREG FOAT
Released 26 July 2024
Blue Crystal Records
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The Glass Frog is a fantastic album for both casual and hardcore jazz fans, offering a perfect blend of smooth, funky, and atmospheric jazz elements. Greg continues to impress.
Greg Foat is one of the UK’s leading jazz pianists and composers.
He has recorded prolifically in recent years for Jazzman Records, Athens Of The North and, most recently, for Strut, switching effortlessly from soul-jazz fusions to cinematic, haunting compositions, pastoral acid folk and electronic soundscape.
The Glass Frog is a sublime blend of smooth jazz and spacey, euphoric atmospheres.
Foat shines as the lead at times, while the band complements him perfectly, setting a relaxing mood throughout the album. Highlights include 'Sea Of Tranquility,' a moody horn lullaby that embodies space jazz at its finest. 'Foals Of Epona' features a soothing jazz band with a funky drummer, creating a delightful groove. 'Clusters' brings a nostalgic 60s jazz ambiance, enveloping listeners in its rich soundscape. The standout track, 'My Love Has Green Eyes,' showcases magnificent sax work with beautiful keys, enhancing the band's intricate mixture.
Coral
HIDEYUKI HASHIMOTO, MARTYN MARTIN
Released 26 July 2024
h239
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Hashimoto's music has a delicate spacial beauty with a feel of vivid imagery and has been appreciated as a work of superiority in an array of reviews published both in Japan and abroad.
Hideyuki Hashimoto is a pianist/composer, based in Kagawa Japan.
The album themes are from the natural (and often maritime) environment and the mood is serene. This is reflected in song titles -
Hibari (Japanese word for eurasian skylark}, Apricot, Solphine (Dolphin?), Akatombo (a famous Japanese children's song (dōyō) composed by Kosaku Yamada in 1927, with lyrics from a 1921 poem by Rofū Miki. In a nationwide survey in 1989, the song was ranked as by far the most-loved song in Japan.), Coral, Peche (fish or fishing) and Undercurrent
Read more ... Hideyuki Hashimoto
La Comitiva
ERLEND ØYE & LA COMITIVA
Released 17 May 2024
Bubbles Records
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The songs are characterized by their catchy melodies, intricate arrangements, and thoughtful storytelling. Each composition offers something unique for listeners to discover.
This unique musical project brings together the talents of Norwegian singer-songwriter Erlend Oye and the Italian band La Comitiva, resulting in a captivating and eclectic collection of songs.
Since the late '90s, Norwegian indie pop singer/songwriter Erlend Øye has been a prolific force of nature, releasing numerous albums, EPs, and singles with his two primary bands, the acoustic duo and the more electronic-based The Whitest Boy Alive.
La ComitivaWith its distinct blend of indie pop, folk, and electronic elements, "La Comitiva (Black LP)" offers a refreshing and innovative sound. The album showcases Erlend Oye's soulful vocals and introspective lyrics, accompanied by the rich instrumentation provided by La Comitiva. Each track on the album takes listeners on a journey through various musical landscapes, creating an immersive and engaging listening experience.
Throughout the album, Erlend Oye's emotive vocals are complemented by the lush harmonies and dynamic instrumentation provided by La Comitiva. The band's skilled musicianship shines through in every song, adding depth and texture to the overall sound.
"La Comitiva" is a must-have for fans of Erlend Oye's previous work as well as those who appreciate genre-defying music that pushes boundaries. With its captivating melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and expertly crafted arrangements, this album is sure to leave a lasting impression on listeners.
Read more ... Rough Trade
Light Verse
IRON & WINE
Released 26 April 2024
Sub Pop Records
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Where (his) recent records like Beast Epic or Weed Garden gave air to the disquiet of middle-aged frailty and brokenness, these songs trade that for the focus acceptance can bring. Moment by moment, they delight in being pointed or silly (or both) and attempt beauty over prettiness.
When the pandemic began, and the world shut down, so did the process of creating for Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam. In its place was a domesticity that the singer hadn’t felt in a long time, and although it was filled with many rewards, making music was not one of them.
The journey back began with a recording session in Memphis to record a handful of Lori McKenna tracks for the EP Lori with friend and producer Matt Ross-Spang.
Soon a series of short tours were booked entitled “Back to Basics,” which, out of necessity, were solo acoustic shows in smaller venues. A larger tour with Andrew Bird followed in the summer of ’22, and Beam was inspired even more by the excitement of collaborating with Andrew and his band and the warmth of musical friends.
Beam lyrically once again takes focus on a series of both fictional and personal insights, filled with desperate characters and wide-eyed optimists, offering promise and a dose of heartache, tears and laughter, life and love. Taking stock in the album’s title, he jokes, “Light verse is a form of poetry about playful themes that often uses nonsense and wordplay, and it’s my first official Iron & Wine comedy album!…. Just kidding….”
While true this may be Iron & Wine’s most playful record, Beam says the title mostly reflects the way the songs were born with joy after the heaviness and anxiety of the pandemic.
Read more ... Bandcamp
The Wild Ones
KAIMAN JIMENEZ & KOBRA 3000
Released 19 July 2024
Vibrating Planet
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Based in Melbourne, Australia, The Wild One's are an interplanetary duo of misbehaving sonic manipulators. They are front man MC Kaiman Jimenez and DJ producer Kobra 3000.
Following their collaborative release of the single 'Caribe Yo Soy' KAiMáN JiMéNeZ & KOBRA 3000 return with the debut EP 'The Wild Ones.'
These two mischievous picoteros have paid their dues on the sound system circuit and are ready to serve pounds of simmering Caribbean flavour unto hungry ear holes. The Wild Ones instinct to merge prominent new wave sounds and cult carnival rhythms have made the duo synonymous for anthemic dance floor sounds, utilising iconic drum machines, synthesisers and folkloric Colombian instrumentation.
Imagining a post Champeta world in homage to the Picó sound system pioneers from the Caribbean Coast of Colombia, Kaiman and Kobra envisage a culture more carnivalesque and more of our authentic selves.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Love. Be in It
SUGAR FED LEOPARDS
Released 19 April 2024
Sugar Fed Leopards
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Breaking hearts and starting dance-floor fires since 2013, Melbourne's Sugar Fed Leopards play sweet original music emanating from somewhere in the sequinned space between disco, soul, doo-wop and rock n roll.
Described as "…Saturday Night Fever meets Kath & Kim on acid", the band has emerged in 2024 with new moves, new fashions, new wigs and a new full length LP.
Sugar Fed Leopards is celebrating ten years of making music together, which is why they dedicate their latest album, ‘Love. Be In It.’, to all the audiences and venues that have joined them on their love quest over the past decade or so.
The album is an ode to the spirit of friendship, to music and to nightlife, as well as 'love' as a verb and a way of living shared energy. Could there be any better reason to make an album?
Ultimately, ‘Love. Be In It’ is an invitation, urging everyone to find the mood, get into it, get off the couch, come to the show and be in the music. It is also a command, a direct reference to the ‘Life. Be in it’ government fitness campaign from the 80s, inspiring people to get love-fit through real connection and being moved by music.
The reference also makes its way into the music, with a healthy dose of 80s sounds and feels throughout.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Between Two Worlds
Entre Dos Mundos
AMARU TRIBE
Released 18 March 2022
Amaru Tribe
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If you’re a fan of ’60s Motown and ’70s funk, then Ghost Funk Orchestra is a band you should start listening to if you haven’t already. The horns exude vibrant tones while the drums, bass, guitars and other instruments craft structures that are guaranteed to excite the senses.
Coming off the heels of 2022's A New Kind of Love, A Trip To The Moon sees GFO diving even deeper in the worlds of film music, exotica, and psychedelic surf rock. The aim is to create a layered and collaged listening experience with more elements than you could possibly pick out in a single listen. The guitars are fuzzy and flooded with spring reverb, and the horns are arranged in a studio big band fashion. It's full of big compositions with garage rock attitude. Influences range everywhere from Eddie Palmieri and Esquivel to The Lively Ones, Dusty Springfield, and War. The tracks are tied together by real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions.
The concept for the album is a story about a woman stranded on earth by her cosmonaut partner, left to ponder his whereabouts and whether or not he'll make it back from the cosmos alive.
The vocals are the icing on the musical cake with the sonic cohesiveness being consistent and fluid. There’s a psychedelic edge encompassing all of this, which makes complete sense for taking on a space-age concept. The interludes of astronaut transmissions in between the songs give sustenance to this particular vision as well.
Read more ... Bandcamp, Medium
Dubs From The Neighbourhood
CHRISTOPH EL TRUENTO
Released 3 June 2024
Christoph El Truento
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From Aotearoa (New Zealand), Christopher Martin James alias Christoph El' Truento has now blossomed into one of the best producers in Aotearoa. No matter what genre – his extraordinary style encompasses many – El' Truento proves again and again that it is second nature to him, as he wanders unerringly through the genres and makes them his own as if he were sleepwalking.
With his new album “Christoph El'Truento: Dubs From The Neighbourhood“ (Haymaker Records) he continues where he left off in 2019 with the Aotearoa Dub-Classic “Peace Maker Dub“ and pays tribute to the inventors of the Dub through his unique South Pacific lens. The highly anticipated new album takes us on a musical journey inspired by road trips through small towns, sunshine, deserted beaches and deep green primeval landscapes. Listeners can expect a sound that has matured in complexity. What you hear is the sonic reflection of an artist who has become a little older, more mature and wiser. While the idyllic landscape on the cover is typically associated with carefree joy, the album adds details and textures that point to the inevitable downside of grief and loss that befall us on the journeys and impasses of life.
Read more ... Dubblog
Broken Melancholy
DJ CAM
Released 29 March 2024
Laurent Daumail
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Parisian maestro DJ Cam is well known for his radical reinventions, a life-long musician who’s groundbreaking work established him as a pioneer in the worlds of hip-hop, trip-hop, and the dance scenes stretching from New York to Paris to Tokyo and beyond.
Laurent Daumail (born 1973), better known by his stage name DJ Cam, is a French record producer whose music is largely rooted in hip hop, combined with elements of jazz, dub, and ambient and composed using samples.
Daumail first rose to prominence in the 1990s with records such as Underground Vibes and Underground Live, which have been credited as early examples of trip hop, and he emerged as a leading figure in the decade's "ambient hip-hop" scene. He founded the record label Inflamable. In addition to his own musical output, Daumail has produced several compilations and albums for other artists.
Fact named his 1996 release Abstract Manifesto the ninth best trip hop album of all time.
Read more ... Musicboard, Bandcamp
NQR&B
SARAH CARROLL
Released 12 July 2024
Cheersquad Records & Tapes
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Opening track, Done To, written during Victoria's third lockdown, declares that "we are flowers reaching up higher", and sets the tone perfectly for the honest reflection and compassion sewn into the songs.
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From Clifton Springs, a small community outside Geelong, Victoria, Sarah Carroll has performed at most of Australia's high-profile festivals and a good many of its pubs over a 30 year career, and is noted for her work with GIT, The Pirates Of Beer, Soft Gold, The Left Wing, The Junes and The Cartridge Family. Her songs chime with sincerity and deal largely with her experiences as a teacher, mother, wife, political animal and touring musician.
She is known locally as The Ukulele Queen Of The Bellarine, a name given her by dear friend Susan Russell, who leads Tin Stars, a new alt-country outfit featuring Sarah on drums!
Sarah spent the winter of 2022 living, playing and working in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and was tremendously inspired and energised by the country she saw, as well as the many musicians she befriended. The school she worked at has 80% indigenous students and she was absorbed quickly into its wonderful family atmosphere.
Read more ... Bandcamp
NGBE
BIG YAWN
Released 19 July 2024
Research Records
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Melbourne / Naarm quartet Big Yawn's fourth full-length offering showcases the group's ability to blend complex rhythm sections with infectious basslines, deep synth work, and tongue-in-cheek sampling remains ever-present, and perhaps is the most advanced we've heard yet.
Sitting in a world of its own, the album, named after the group's beloved and lost warehouse space, National Gallery of Brunswick East (where most of the material was recorded) features a wide array of soundscapes spanning mutated drum 'n' bass, low-key grime, rap, and dub-wise antics, all laced with a heavy dose of FX.
Equal parts deep and menacing, the nine tracks encapsulate Big Yawn's evolution in the studio and on stage, most notably through their collaboration '2Stroke' with Melbourne-based future rap prodigy Teether and brought to life visually with album artwork by Julian Hocking.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Ancient Relics
LUCIEN JOHNSON
Released 29 March 2024
Laurent Daumail
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it is a rare pleasure to come across an album as singular and substantial as New Zealand-based tenor saxophonist Lucien Johnson's Ancient Relics. The album is the follow-up to Wax///Wane (Deluge, 2020), another sextet affair with a similar lineup and the same bassist and drummer. It was a promising disc and Ancient Relics delivers on that promise resoundingly.
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Lucien Johnson lived in Paris throughout his 20s, forming a free jazz trio with Alan Silva and Makoto Sato ("Stinging Nettles", Improvised Beings CD). Returning to New Zealand in 2009, he has led several bands including Shogun Orchestra and performed around the world with acts such as Lord Echo and the Black Seeds.
The singularity starts with Johnson's saxophone. Mainly heard on tenor, but using soprano on the raga-meets-deep-funk "Space Junk," Johnson, unlike the mimicking herd, mostly avoids sounding like Sanders. The opening title track echoes Sanders/Coltrane with its bass ostinato, harp and tambura, until the bluesy piano takes us somewhere else (check the YouTube below). Sanders is referenced again on the closing "Satellites," which is in effect a tribute to the great man. Elsewhere Johnson goes his own way and from time to time even puts one in mind of Ben Webster, a player not readily associated with astral jazz. While it is clear where Johnson is coming from, he goes on to wrap the Sanders/Coltrane paradigm with new clothes. Hooray!
Read more ... All About Jazz, Bandcamp
A Trip To The Moon
GHOST FUNK ORCHESTRA
Released 23 February 2024
Karma Chief, Colemine Records
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Opening track, Done To, written during Victoria's third lockdown, declares that "we are flowers reaching up higher", and sets the tone perfectly for the honest reflection and compassion sewn into the songs.
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From Clifton Springs, a small community outside Geelong, Victoria, Sarah Carroll has performed at most of Australia's high-profile festivals and a good many of its pubs over a 30 year career, and is noted for her work with GIT, The Pirates Of Beer, Soft Gold, The Left Wing, The Junes and The Cartridge Family. Her songs chime with sincerity and deal largely with her experiences as a teacher, mother, wife, political animal and touring musician.
She is known locally as The Ukulele Queen Of The Bellarine, a name given her by dear friend Susan Russell, who leads Tin Stars, a new alt-country outfit featuring Sarah on drums!
Sarah spent the winter of 2022 living, playing and working in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and was tremendously inspired and energised by the country she saw, as well as the many musicians she befriended. The school she worked at has 80% indigenous students and she was absorbed quickly into its wonderful family atmosphere.
Read more ... Bandcamp
Is This Jazz?
ESE & THE VOODUU PEOPLE
Released 31 July 2024
Quadrafon Music
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Ese Okorodudu is founder and leader of the extended musical family that is Ese & The Vooduu People.
Singer-songwriter Ese (vocals, guitar) is backed by a pool of some of the UK's best musicians.
She's inspired by an eclectic selection of legends from Jimi Hendrix, Sly & The Family Stone and Led Zep to Dr. John, Prince and Skunk Anansie
Read more ... Bandcamp
SunNeverSetsOnMusic | Sun Never Sets On Music | www.sunneversetsonmusic.com
A monthly digest of innovative new music from around the world
especially Jazz, Contemporary, International, Folk, Avant-garde, Soul, R&B and Soundtracks
including album artwork, album reviews
and YouTube playlists, Spotify playlists.