Category Archives: Blog

Julia Kent shares video for unreleased song ‘Salt Point’, Green and Grey album incoming

14 November 2019

Green and Grey, the second album from New York based Canadian cellist and composer Julia Kent, originally released in 2011, is being reissued on vinyl for the first time later this month. With nature and its power as a central reference, Green and Grey “explores the intersections between the human world and the natural world, the melding of the technological and the organic”, as the press release explains. “It references the patterns and repetitions that exist in nature often mirrored in human creations and also the complexity and fragility of our relationships, with one another and with the world that surrounds us.”

Due out on November 29th though The Leaf Label as an expanded edition on double vinyl, Green and Grey also features her 2010’s Last Day in July EP and two previously unreleased tracks. The beautiful and lush ‘Salt Point’ is one of the two tracks and is being offered with a befitting video by Jola Kudela. Speaking about the track, Julia said “it was inspired by the landscape of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York, which has a very particular, golden, glancing light, and a way of almost looking painted by the changing seasons”. Watch the video below.

Carlos Niño announces sixth collaborative album off his Carlos Niño & Friends series

13 November 2019

Carlos Niño has announced a new collaborative album off his Carlos Niño & Friends series, entitled Bliss On Dear Oneness and slated for a November 22nd release through Leaving Records. On the same series, he had previously released Going Home in 2017, featuring a stellar cast of guest contributors. On the upcoming Bliss On Dear Oneness, the revered LA based producer, composer, ensemble orchestrator, percussionist, DJ and mentor assembled again an array of terrific collaborators, including Laraaji, Ish of Shabazz Palaces, Kamasi Washington, Atwood-Ferguson, Sam Gendel, Iasos, Jamire Williams, Deantoni Parks and Dexter Story, amongst others.

Ahead of the album’s release, we can already listen to ‘Forest Pulse’, featuring Laraaji & Photay. Check out the accompanying video below.

Keeley Forsyth joins The Leaf Label, debut album out in January

06 November 2019

The Leaf Label has been on a path of growing, dazzling us with each of its new releases.  English actress and musician Keeley Forsyth is the latest artist to join the label and Debris, her debut album, will follow in the new year. With a powerful an otherworldly baritone voice, Forsyth’s vocal delivery is absolutely striking. On the upcoming Debris, slated for a January 17th release, there’s minimal piano and string arrangements by label mate Matthew Bourne. Release day is a while away but we can already hear the arresting title track, offered with a video directed by Maxine Peak. Speaking about the video, Peake explained “it’s about a rebirth, new light and clearer light. A beautiful sun, flares, falling on the surrounding flora and fauna.” Watch it below.

In other related news, Keeley Forsyth will perform at a Bourne-curated Daylight Music event at London’s  Union Chapel on Saturday 30th November.

Rebecca Foon releases brand new track ‘Ocean Song’

05 November 2019

Photo: Brigitte Henry

We love Rebecca Foon, the enchanting and brilliant Montreal based cellist and composer who has been shining in a variety of projects over the years. In addition to her solo project, Saltland, Foon is a founding member of Esmerine and a former member of Thee Silver Mt. Zion and Set Fire To Flames, amongst many other projects and collaborations. There’s new music on the way from her, this time under her own name. And to top the good news off, Foon has unveiled a new track, ‘Ocean Song’, where the piano and vocals take centre stage. She comments:

“Over the last year I have been sitting at the piano writing songs and accessing a part of myself I have never known…composing on an unfamiliar instrument and plunging deeper into singing. As I observe our beautiful world and the overwhelmingly heartbreaking state we collectively find ourselves in, while also going through my own personal roller coaster of life these past couple of years, the precious moments I’ve been so privileged to carve out for music have been more meaningful than ever. I just finished a new album, there’s still cello on it too, but these new songs feel like a new chapter. So I’m setting Saltland aside for now, and I’ll be releasing this new record under my own name. More news about that coming soon. In the meantime I’m excited to share one of these new tracks. It’s called Ocean Song. Hear the whole song via link in bio. So much love to Richard Reed Parry and Mishka Stein for their magic on this song.”

‘Ocean Song’ is a gorgeous and compelling track. Listen to it below.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2019: HHY & The Macumbas

04 November 2019

There’s only three days to go before Le Guess Who? takes over Utrecht. With over 150 artists set to perform, how do we make sense of such a monumental line-up? We made a list of the artists we’re most excited to see and asked them for their recommendations.

HHY & The Macumbas

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Performing Saturday 9th November at EKKO

Photo: Mariana Vasconcelos

Spearheaded by multidisciplinary artist Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, Porto based ensemble HHY & The Macumbas have been forging a distinctive and transcendent sound over the last decade. Featuring a shifting cast of musicians on percussions, brass and horns, they operate as a rhythm lab, exploring and developing syncretic languages and bridging cultures and genres as diverse as dub, free jazz, Indian classical music and fanfare. Famed for the tribal and exhilarating energy of their shows, impressively live dubbed by Saldanha, we can’t wait to see them perform at Le Guess Who?. And today Saldanha tells us which other artists he is looking forward to seeing.

“Choosing only 3 names to listen in a festival like Le Guess Who? is a hard task, there are allot of amazing artists… But because limit is a tool to organize time I would say that I would try to see:”

Ustad Saami

Performing Saturday 9th November at Jacobikerk

“Ustad Saami because I’m a massive fan of the music forms coming from India and Pakistan, I was even a tabla player during my teenage years, so having the opportunity to see an Ustad like Saami perform is overwhelming. ”

 

Jah Shaka Sound System

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Performing Saturday 9th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by The Bug

“Jah Shaka is one of my first obsessions in dub sound systems so its a dream to be able to listen to the original pressure from a master. “



Amnesia Scanner

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Performing Saturday 9th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed

“Amnesia Scanner are producing very curious sounds and visual ideas, definitely something to keep following.”

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 7-10 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And take a look at other artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Mike Patton and Jean-Claude Vannier premiere video for ‘A Schoolgirl’s Day’

01 November 2019

Mike Patton‘s latest endeavour saw him join forces with French composer Jean-Claude Vannier, and the pair released an album, Corpse Flower, last September though Ipecac Recordings. On the back it, Patton and Vannier have premiered a brilliant and chilling video for ‘A Schoolgirl’s Day’ directed by Nino Del Padre and featuring footage from the 1962 cult horror film, Carnival of Souls. Watch it below.