Benjamin Herman shares new single, ‘Kazegafuku’, from upcoming new album The Tokyo Sessions

01 February 2026

Back in November, we were bowled over with excitement when Benjamin Herman shared the wildly euphoric and groovy ‘Sugii’, in anticipation of his new album, The Tokyo Sessions. The upcoming album captures the Dutch alto-sax legend exploring the city with open ears and an open mind, immersed in Tokyo’s underground scenes and creative corners, letting its pace, colour, and atmosphere steer the music.

Recorded in Tokyo’s legendary Studio Dede last year, The Tokyo Sessions came to life with the help of double-bassist Thomas Pol and drummer Jimmi Jo Hueting, who make up his Benjamin Herman Trio. The album also features an inspiring cast of incredible and celebrated names in Japanese music, including renowned composer, producer, guitarist, and turntablist Otomo Yoshihide, tenor sax maverick Tomoaki Baba, trompetist, composer, and band leader Shinpei Ruike, and two masters of traditional Japanese woodwinds, Akihito Obama on shakuhachi (Bamboo flute) and Ko Ishikawa on sho (mouthorgan).

Ahead of the album’s release date on March 27th through P-Vine Records (Japan) and Roach Records / Dox Records, Herman has shared a spellbinding new single, ‘Kazegafuku’ (“the wind blows”). Take a listen below.

Black Flower share first single, ‘Diagonal Walk’, from upcoming new EP Motions

28 January 2026

A year on from the release of Kinetic, which was one of our Album Picks of 2025, there’s no stopping Black Flower. The Belgian quintet are gearing up to release Motions, a new 3-track EP. Shaped by a long run of shows across Europe, the new EP sees Black Flower return with fresh ideas and renewed focus, pushing further into trance-like rhythms and a more cinematic and adventurous sound.

The hypnotic and groovy ‘Diagonal Walk’ serves as the first glimpse of what’s coming. Part of their live shows for a long time, ‘Diagonal Walk’ was finally brought to life in a repurposed barn turned makeshift studio, a creative hideout where ideas could roam freely. Take a listen now.

Motions EP lands on March 6th through Sdban Ultra

Shake Stew preview upcoming album with new single ‘Cherry Pie’

24 January 2026

Photo: Victoria Nazarova

In celebration of Shake Stew‘s 10th anniversary, the Austrian seven-piece have a special double album, TEN ONE TWO, on the way. Arriving on February 13th through Traumton Records, TEN ONE TWO is split into two parts, TEN ONE, which focuses on bandleader and bassist Lukas Kranzelbinder’s composed material, and TEN TWO, reflecting their live instincts.

Back in November, the band had already shared the fearless and fiery ‘Ascendance‘, and as we get closer to the album’s release date, they are teasing it again with electrifying new single ‘Cherry Pie’. Alluding to Don Cherry and David Lynch, the track links up the two parts of the album. Listen to it now.

Gregory Uhlmann announces new album Extra Stars and shares lead single ‘Lucia’ feat. Alabaster DePlume

23 January 2026

Photo: Joyce Kim

Chicago-raised, Los Angeles-based guitarist, composer, and producer Gregory Uhlmann is a very talented and busy musician, known for his membership and collaborations with bands and artists like SML, Typical Sisters, Perfume Genius, Hand Habits, Fell Runner, Tasha, Josh Johnson, Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes, and many more. He has announced the release of his new album Extra Stars, marking his solo debut on International Anthem. A beautifully immersive and quietly absorbing collection of fourteen short pieces, Extra Stars draws on everything Uhlmann has absorbed over years of collaboration.

Alongside the album announcement, Uhlman has shared the whimsical and balmy lead single ‘Lucia’, featuring label-mate Alabaster DePlume. Of the track, he says:

“This song began with a field recording of the waves in Big Sur. Named after the Lucia Lodge, my partner and I stayed there for a couple nights and found the sound of the waves both calming and a little unnerving. There’s an intensity to being on a point with waves crashing down around you. I wrote the piece years ago and always had Gus (Alabaster DePlume) in mind to play, but finally worked up the courage to ask him recently. What he added was perfect and beyond what I could’ve hoped for.”

Listen to ‘Lucia’ below and grab Extra Stars when it drops on March 6th.

Listen to St. Barbe’s new single ‘Dorothy’

21 January 2026

Since forming in 2021, St. Barbe have been carving their own lane in the UK’s jazz scene. Drawing from jazz, punk, math rock, hip-hop, electronica, and a wide range of other influences, the London trio have built a reputation on technical sharpness and genre flexibility. Back in November, they announced the release of a new EP, Shoal, and introduced it then with the raucous, effervescent and infectious single ‘Pinch’ featuring corto.alto.
Ahead of the EP’s release on February 18th through Bridge the Gap, St. Barbe have today unveiled a new track called ‘Dorothy’. More nuanced and more introspective, ‘Dorothy’ is a graceful ballad that leans into melody and space, offering a compelling glimpse into the breadth of their upcoming EP. Guitarist James Maltby comments:

“The challenge of this band has always been reconciling the elements of jazz we love with our influences from the math/post-rock and metal worlds that feels organic and cohesive. Shoal feels like the closest we’ve come to this. It’s been a long time coming so we’re excited for it to be released into the wild.”

Listen to ‘Dorothy’ below.

Los Sara Fontán tease new album, Consuelo, with third single ‘Megalodón 2’

20 January 2026

We love Barcelona duo Los Sara Fontán, who are gearing up to release their second album Consuelo on February 20th through Aloud Music and Gandula. Violinist Sara Fontán and drummer/electronic shapeshifter Edi Pou (ZA!), who make up the project, operate outside industry norms, with their practice built around DIY ethics, long-term collaboration, and community infrastructure.

The pair had already unveiled two singles from the record, first ‘Creer Fuerte’, a tense and physical opening statement, followed by ‘Elektra’, a spiralling and off-kilter drum’n’bass track. With a month to go until Consuelo is out, they have today shared a third single from the album, the striking and stirring ‘Megalodón 2’. The piece is inspired by a 17/8 rhythm (Ika’ Khosh Rang) from Arabic classical music developed in medieval southern Spain, which Los Sara Fontán shaped their own way. They explain:

“We have transformed it into a cinematic trip with big digital sound waves and rhythm changes that erase each part of the song, as fast as we humans erase our memory to never learn.”

Listen to ‘Megalodón 2’ now.