Jeff Swanson & Case-fitter set to release new album, Fathoms, in February

13 January 2020

Chicago is home to a vibrant jazz scene and Jeff Swanson has been playing a central role in it over the past few years. Following the release of his first full-length, Case-fitter, the guitarist/composer continues the project with a new album entitled Fathoms. The album blends an array of genres, including jazz, rock, electronic music and chamber music, and features Paul Bedal on keyboards, Matt Ulery on electric bass, Greg Artry on drums and percussion, Dustin Laurenzi on tenor saxophone and Greg Ward on alto saxophone.

Fathoms is set for release on February 28th through BACE Records and we can already hear the astounding first single ‘Gaussian’. The track “takes influence from Peruvian Festejo rhythms while maintaining Swanson’s compositional storytelling and heavily electric sound”, explains the press release. “The listener is taken on a journey as the odd phrasing and sway of the beginning melodies transition into an open section where the composer enters into a fiery dialog of back and forth with the rhythm section.” Here it is.

Listen to Dijf Sanders’ new single, ‘Ravana’, off upcoming album, Puja

09 January 2020

We love ‘Ravana’, the new single taken from Dijf Sanders‘ upcoming album. Entitled Puja, it follows his 2018 album Java and is set for release on February 14th through Unday Records. The new album blends genres like exotica, psychedelia, jazz and electronica and saw the Ghent based multi-instrumentalist and composer travel to Nepal to record it. To bring Puja to life, in addition to field recordings, Sanders enlisted the help of drummer Simon Segers, saxophone player Mattias De Craene and sitar player Nicolas Mortelmans.

‘Ravana’, like other tracks on the album, and as the press release explains, “suggest a world infused by Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese and Indian culture as broken beats and organic exotica combine to create a trance-like rhythmic flow”. Take a listen below.

Bram De Looze shares single ‘Tu Vois’ from upcoming new album Colour Talk

05 January 2020

Photo: Sophie Nuytten

There’s a new album on the way from young Belgian pianist and composer Bram De Looze. Entitled Colour Talk, the album is described as “an ode to (re)invention in the grey zone were the classical idiom and improvisatory urges meet”. Ahead of its release on February 21st through Sdban Ultra, Bram De Looze has let loose the new single ‘Tu Vois’, a magnificient track that “exquisitely link[s] baroque, avant garde and highly-refined jazz improvisation”, as the press release explains, “set[ting] up an intimate mood by starting with a slow two voice invention, developing slowly through subtle use of harmony and space.” Take a listen below.

Watch Efterklang’s video for ‘Hænder der åbner sig ft. South Denmark Girls Choir’

01 January 2020

Just as 2019 came to a close, Efterklang gifted the world with a new EP, following the release of their stunning new album, Altid Sammen. Entitled Lyset, the EP was recorded in Copenhagen last September and it features reworked tracks from Altid Sammen as well as its title track, ‘Lyset’, a new song co-written with Swedish artist sir Was. The Danish trio have shared a video by Jakub Jezný for ‘Hænder der åbner sig’, featuring the 70-strong choir South Denmark Girls Choir. Here it is.


Lyset EP is out now digitally, on tape and as a pair of socks through 4AD/Rumraket.

LEYA set to release second album, Flood Dream, in March; share lead single ‘Weight’ feat. GABI

12 December 2019

Photo: Serge Serum

Experimental violin and harp duo LEYA have announced the release of their second album, Flood Dream. A recent discovery turned into favourites, the outfit of Marilu Donovan and Adam Markiewicz were new to us up until last month, when we caught them performing at the musical odyssey that is Le Guess Who? festival. Both classically trained, Donovan and Markiewicz bring an unorthodox presence to contemporary classical music, dissecting the conventional norms and notion of playing their instruments. “The duo reject the tenets of the new music establishment and thrive within a scene of noise transgressors and electronic auteurs”, describes the press release. “In all of its indulgence and emotional upheaval, their music adapts as easily to the context of arthouse pornography as to a late-night bill populated with no wave acts and performance artists, without ever coming off as a harsh juxtaposition.”

Flood Dream includes a few tracks from their 2018 feature-length score to porn film I Love You by Brooke Candy, and it features guest contributions from vocalist/producer GABI, flautist/synthesist John Also Bennett of Forma, and bassist Tristan Kasten-Krause.

Ahead of the album’s release on March 6th via NNA Tapes, LEYA have shared the opening track ‘Weight’ feat. GABI. It’s both dark and beautiful, haunting and intriguing. Immerse yourself in it below.