Pretty big release day for so late in the year. What’s on your radar?
Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes
Fourth album of UK soul, again with Danger Mouse and Inflo on production.
upsammy - Strange Meridians
Dutch producer trading her usual IDM sound for a more ambient feel.
Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More
Debut solo album from Pixies and Breeders bassist and vocalist.
Another fantastic record by Father John Misty is out. Named after the Sanskrit for ancient burial ground. Carries on from ‘Chloe…’ if you liked his last one.
Mondaze - Linger
Second album from Italian heavy shoegazers
Soap&Skin - TORSO
I’m generally not keen on cover albums, but I’ll always make an exception for S&S and her intriguing sounds and voice. Covers include songs by Sufjan, Bowie, Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Lana Del Ray.
Red Hot Org - TRANSA
An absolutely huge (46 tracks, 3 hours and 49 minutes) release from the activist, non-profit spiritual music group “spotlighting the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today”.
Too many artists involved to list them all, but there is Sade, Mary Lattimore, Andre 3000, Kara Jackson, SPARKLE DIVISION, Lyra Pramuk, Devendra Banhart, Jeff Tweedy, claire rousay, Clairo, Moor Mother, Jlin, Cassandra Jenkins, Pharaoh Sanders, ANOHNI, Julie Byrne…and that’s not close to half of them.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Joe Goddard - Neptunes EP
Collaboration between modular synth experimentalist & Joe out of Hot Chip.
DARRE - Summer Hills & Champagne
Dutch musician, piano trip hop kind of sound? Reminds me of the singer from a band I loved in the 00s, Day One, and a bit like Pigbaby too.
Boldy James and Harry Fraud
Didacte - look around, we’re falling
Swedish chap, sounds like The Radio Dept.
Tarwater - Nuts of Ay
@static faves, on Morr Music and linked with To Rococo Rot. Fuzzy indie electronica.
Kate Stephenson - King Of The Hill
US singer songwriter. Occasionally a bit like Big Thief, occasionally a bit more pop rocky. Nice voice.
Warhaus - Karaoke Moon
Chap from Balthazar. Chatgpt says the ‘album blends a variety of styles, including indie rock, soft rock, jazz, and electronic influences, with lush instrumentation and a moody, introspective atmosphere.’ Chatgpt also says this album was released in 2020, so what does Chatgpt know.
Panzerfaust - To Shadow Zion
Atmos black metal from Canada.
Damu the Fudgemunk - Peace of Action
3 years after the it launched, the Def Pressé / KPM archive crate-digging series returns to the first artist to release work on it for more sample-driven beats.
Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet - The Way Out of Easy
Recorded in a single evening, expect laid back jazz vibes over extended jams. Features Jay Bellerose, Anna Butterss, and Josh Johnson. As with all International Anthem releases, expect a few weeks’ delay before it appears on streaming.
First two tracks are up for a taster (which is over 40 minutes long).
Can’t wait to give the new Michael Kiwanuka album a spin shortly.
Also on my list:
Bibio - PHANTOM BRICKWORKS (II)
Sequel to his similarly titled first record in the series showcasing his more ambient/drone side. Beautiful warm organic sound from a quick initial scan.
BZDB - Jump Ship, Sit Lean, Be Still, Stand Tall
A collaboration between Duncan Bellamy (Portico Quartet) and sound artist Belinda Zhawi (MA.MOYO), putting Zhawi’s poetry to modern classical and experimental electronic sounds by Bellamy.
Vista House - They’ll See Light
Alt-country rock from Portland by Tim Howe and bandmates. I nodded along enthusiastically to the pre-release tracks earlier this week.
Luna Honey – Bound
Experimental dark rock trio from Philadelphia. Not into the whole brevity thing, clocking in at almost 59 minutes for their 10 tracks.
Unlettered – Five Mile Point
“dark, low-end heavy, noisy post-punk” by husband and wife duo Mike Knowlton (formerly of Gapeseed and Poem Rocket) and Kelly Grimm.
Warm Currency - Petals
Third album of dark, experimental kind-of-but-not-really-folk music by MP Hopkins and Mary MacDougall
Horsemeat - Embrace the Abyss
Post metal? Noise rock? Sludgy punk? Altrincham band’s debut album.
Various Artists - Nigeria Special Volume 3: Electronic Innovation Meets Culture And Tradition 1978-93
“Soundway Records presents a collection of Nigerian music chronicling a time when drum machines, synthesisers, imported pop, reggae, disco and soul collided with highlife, juju and cultural music”.
DJ-Kicks - Steven Julien
Not a DJ I have prior knowledge of, and his sole mention on DiS before is in this year’s Worst Album Artwork thread, but I usually enjoy this mix series. Seems pretty funky, with Bandcamp sighting his typical range as “from rough-edged house and techno to laid-back soul and boogie”.
Bill Callahan/Smog - The Holy Grail (Peel Sessions)
EP of Peel Session broadcast in 2001
Scarborough’s black metal band Ante-Inferno release their third album today.
Quiet Husband - Religious Equipment
On Jordanian label Drowned by Locals. Techno, noise, voidcore album from Richie Culver. FFO being happy healthy and family, what else? Substitutes for hard drugs.
Djrum - Meanings Edge
Billed as an EP - but passing 32 minutes - from one of the most reliable producers in the business, expecting as always some impressive and creative techno touching on breakbeats, UK Bass, dubstep, and more.