Steve Reich - Reich/Richter
Modern classical. Steve Reich’s work based on Gerhard Richter’s abstract film, as performed by the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris in 2020. This is rather wonderful. The short video here with Steve Reich talking about the composition process and how it relates to the film is really interesting too.
Various Artists (Sahel Sounds) - Music from Saharan WhatsApp
This is a compilation from a nice 2020 project Sahel Sounds did called Music From Saharan Whatsapp where artists from the region responded to an open call and recorded tracks on their phone and sent them via Whatsapp. Sessions from different artists (including Nigerién techno, wedding rock, Woodabe guitar, Mandingue music, and more) were hosted for a month each on Bandcamp and then removed. This release collects some of the label’s favourite tracks from the series.
Yeah I’ll listen to the new shearwater
Pierre Bastien - Sonic Folkways
Pierre Bastien does sort of Heath Robinson orchestra stuff with weird mechanical instruments and sonic experiments like playing a trumpet underwater. So not everybody’s cup of tea. I think it’s one of those things where a lot of the delight and enjoyment comes from seeing the weird contraptions playing, so you lose a lot of that if you’re only able to listen to the records, though I do find some of his stuff really compelling even without the visual (e.g. Tinkle Twang 'n Tootle). Anyway, he’s got a new one. I don’t think this one has so much of the mechanical experimentation going on, but seems to employ a mass of different, mainly traditional percussion, instruments from all round the world, hence the Sonic Folkways title, I guess.
And just because my brief description above probably doesn’t suffice, here’s a video of Bastien’s Meccano-based piece from a few years back
Not been popped on YouTube yet but there’s a debut full length from Sunrise Patriot Motion, a side project of the Skarstad brothers of US black metal band Yellow Eyes. They’ve gone for a black metal-y Killing Joke which tbh is exactly what it sounds like.
Fortunately looking like a really quiet week as I’ve got loads of listening to catch up with from the past two months.
Key one for me will be the deluxe edition of Black Country New Road’s Ants…. with nine live tracks.
Will also give the new edition of Elton John’s Madman Across the River a go to see if there are any gems on it. It’s my favourite EJ album.
Sorry - can’t post links currently,
this is my mate’s band, fast as fuck synth punk with Japanese/English vocals
Deep Throat Choir - 3am EP
All female vocal ensemble on Bella Union. For fans of Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business.
Yann Tiersen - 11 5 18 2 5 18
Minimalist ambient electronica. Reprogrammed, resampled and reimagined tracks from Kerber and elsewhere in his back catalogue.
Maurice Lecoeur - Musiques pour l’image (1969-1985)
Compilation of pieces by French composer for TV and film.
Grace Ives - Janky Star
Mentioned upthread, third album of New York DIY alt-pop from Grace Ives.
rRoxymore - I Wanted More EP
French downtempo house
Various Artists - In The Deep Drift You Will Find The Most Serene Of Lullabies
Think this was out last month but has only just been released on streaming. Compilation of dreamy ambient sounds on the American Dreams label. Great title.
Was expecting new ones from LIFE (Hull punky indie rock) and the Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler collaboration but they may have both been pushed back.
Jamie Leeming - Resynthesis
Just catching up with an old GP show from a few weeks ago and heard this…
This is his debut album and it’s out on Alfa Mist’s record label Sekito Records. This track does sound similar to something that AM would produce so it should be right at home on the label.
To quote the Bandcamp page for the record…
Although the album largely features the classic format of the jazz guitar trio (guitar, bass and drums), he explores a vast array of ethereal, spacious and contemporary sounds. The songs featured on the album are led as much by tone and feeling as they are by traditional compositional structure or instrumental prowess, yet are expertly balanced with many moments that allow his lyrical style and razor-sharp chops as a guitarist to shine through.
Moodring - Stargazer (FFO Deftones)
Kardashev - Liminal Rite (FFO Deafheaven)
Billy Howerdel (FFO Aperfectcircle)
Bobby Oroza, Finnish soul
The Inflorescence - Remember What I Look Like
Debut from Kill Rock Stars band from San Diego. Like a punkier Chastity Belt
Bloomsday - Place to Land
Indie-pop duo from Brooklyn
Aaron Turner of ISIS/Old Man Gloom/SUMAC has a new album out of abstract solo guitar compositions - lots of feedback, drone and scraping/scratching noise:
It’s Blur vs Oasis all over again 
Taras Bulba - Venier le Temps
I love this. Spotify suggests it came out in mid-May but Boomkat have it as today, so whatevs.
Taras Bulba was a German electronic duo formed by Tom Redecker (formerly of The Perc Meets The Hidden Gentleman) and Volker Kahrs (ex- Grobschnitt), responsible for forging a weird, undefinable compound of ambient, folk and techno. ‘Venier Le Temps’ is an excellent compilation of work spanning their career, from 1993 to 2004.
Going to give this one a listen. Love pretty much everything she’s done.
Levon Vincent - Silent Cities
Levon Vincent (remember him?) goes ambient for his 4th album.
New Panda Riot for me fans of poppy shoegaze. Their debut was a classic but the follow up sort of average so hopefully this is a return to form:
Shearwater is the big one for me this week. I’ll definitely give Neneh Cherry a listen too.
Also on the list: Patty Griffin - Tape - Home Recordings & Rarities
New one from my offshoot band thing Marta Mist. It’s me and my girlfriend Sophie, and it’s more for the drones/ ambient/ strings/ piano crew: