Middle Name John’s new album, Obviously Confidential, out in April

09 March 2024

Musician, lyricist, activist and producer Middle Name John is set to release his new album, Obviously Confidential, on April 9th through Slowfoot Records and Juicy Records. With insightful lyrics and experimental electronic sounds, the album came to life amidst the exhaustion of late-stage capitalism and the dread of an impending doomsday. Serving as a mirror to society, on the new album Middle Name John “distils disillusioned poetry that oscillates between a purge of incisive social observations and a collection of elaborate indagations of subconsciousness, holding a two-way mirror into the personal and the collective”, as the press release describes.

Obviously Confidential comprises eight groovy and sharp tunes, and for a taster of what’s to come, Middle Name John has unveiled one of the tracks, ‘Different’, alongside an accompanying video. Watch it below.

Julius Gabriel announces fifth album, Tales from the Subterranean, and unveils lead single ‘Footworks’

09 March 2024

Photo: Karl-F. Degenhardt

Saxophonist, composer and improviser Julius Gabriel is gearing up to release his fifth album, Tales from the Subterranean. Due out on March 28th through Lovers & Lollypops and Ana Ott, the upcoming record took root in 2020 during Gabriel’s confinement in Hamburg. Amidst the uncertainty and isolation of that period, he channeled those feelings into musical exploration. Meticulous finger exercises and experimentation with contact microphones led to the creation of an intricate eight-channel preamplifier which he could mount on the sax. Drawing inspiration from diverse influences, including long-time collaborator – percussionist João Pais Filipe, and the rhythms of Raggas and Indian music, Tales from the Subterranean was crafted entirely on electroacoustic tenor and twin soprano saxophones.

Gabriel is giving a glimpse of the album with its lead single ‘Footworks’, an infectious and entrancing track exploring the interplay between rhythm and melody. The track comes with a video accompaniment and you can watch it below.

Oberland, Dargent, Elieh, Halal form new quartet and announce debut album, Sihr

08 March 2024

Following duo improvised performances and screenings in Cairo and Beirut, and other showcases for Rencontres d’Arles, the Lille photography center, and Halogénure magazine, Frédéric D. Oberland (Oiseaux-Tempête) and Grégory Dargent (H) joined forces with Tony Elieh (Karkhana) and Wassim Halal (Polyphème). As a quartet, Oberland, Dargent, Elieh, Halal set out on a sonic quest, “that of a neo-folklore for troubled times”, as the press release describes, “a music seeping with many kinds of atavism and experimenting in all directions”. The result is Sihr, an album birthed in a bunker studio between Paris and Berlin, weaving through “trance and contemplation, jazz and electronica, acoustics and electricity”. Slated for a May 24th release through Sub Rosa, Sihr is a ” hallucinated and generous testimony”, resonating with the echoes of our contemporary chaos.

“Oui​-​Ja’aa” is their inaugural and tantalizing single, offering an exhilarating glimpse into the forthcoming Sihr. Listen to it below.

Jharis Yokley’s debut album, Sometimes, Late At Night, out in May; listen to lead single ‘Move On’

08 March 2024

Photo: Janette Beckman

Renowned and highly sought-after drummer Jharis Yokley has collaborated and played in innumerable projects and bands over his career, from Solange and Chance the Rapper to Ani DiFranco and DJ Premier. As a solo artist, he is gearing up to release the first recording under his own name. Entitled Sometimes, Late At Night, the record captures Yokley’s playful, versatile and energetic approach to music. Inspired by personal experiences, particularly a breakup, Yokley explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery throughout the album’s 10 tracks. “So, the album’s mainly about this relationship,” he explains. “It’s not like that I regret ending it, but I knew it had to happen. But reminiscing back on those times, I was wondering if I made a mistake.”

BIGYUKI, José James and Taali have all been enlisted as collaborators by Yokley who started writing Sometimes, Late At Night alone in 2020. He elaborates:

“So, obviously in March of 2020, everybody had a lot of free time.” Yokley says. “I was just in my bedroom, on my laptop making a lot of beats at the time. I was using Logic and a lot of my beats were sample-based. I would make beats with the samples and then take away the samples and try to come up with my own lyrics and melodies to these beats. Sometimes it would just be me on the keyboard picking a sound I like, or making a sound that I feel sounds cool. And then just playing around until I find a cool melody.”

A boundary-pushing album that defies categorization, Sometimes, Late At Night is a testament to Yokley’s boundless creativity and diverse musical influences, as he explains:

“I don’t really consider genre, because I love so many different genres. And I’ve played with a bunch of different artists from jazz to hip hop, to folk music, and R&B. So, all that stuff is already ingrained in my mind when I’m creating things. The music I make pulls from all the genres that I listen to and love, automatically. It wasn’t a conscious decision.”

Ahead of the album’s release on May 3rd through Rainbow Blonde Records, Yokley had previously let loose the thrilling and astounding lead single ‘Move On’. Take a listen below.

Amy Aileen Wood teases debut album, The Heartening, with lead single ‘Rolling Stops’ ft Fiona Apple

07 March 2024

Photo: Amy Aileen Wood

LA-based Grammy Award-winning drummer and producer Amy Aileen Wood is stepping into the spotlight with her upcoming LP, The Heartening. Known for her multifaceted talents as a composer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist, Wood has spent years honing her craft behind the scenes, collaborating with an impressive roster of artists including Fiona Apple, St. Vincent, David Garza, The Donnies The Amys and Shirley Manson, among others.

Despite her reluctance when first approached by producer Pete Min of Colorfield Records, Wood embraced the challenge of creating her own album, guided by Min’s vision. “My motivation was entirely fear based,” she explains, “I think my first question for Pete was, ‘are you sure?’ But it’s always good to get out of your comfort zone. And ultimately it was equal parts uncomfortable and rewarding.”

Drawing inspiration from diverse musical influences, from 90s hip-hop and punk rock to artists like Floating Points and Brian Eno, The Heartening is a captivating debut paradoxically blending tranquility and frenzy. The album features guest contributions from Daphne Chen, Nicole McCabe, Wayne Whittaker, and Kelsey Wood, as well as cameo appearances from Fiona Apple, Sebastian Steinberg, and John Would.

The Heartening arrives on April 29th through Colorfield Records and we can already hear the lead single ‘Rolling Stops’. Of the track, Wood says:

“”Rolling Stops” captures raw, playful performances in a stream of consciousness. It began with a drum take, shaped and slowed down by producer Pete Min, setting the tone. I then added layers of percussion and Kalimba. Inviting friends Fiona Apple, Sebastian Steinberg, Wayne Whittaker, and Nicole McCabe to contribute unfiltered, spontaneous takes propelled this musical exploration to new heights.”

Sublime, unfettered and pulsating, ‘Rolling Stops’ is after your ears.

Kamasi Washington set to release new album, Fearless Movement, in May; shares lead single ‘Prologue’

06 March 2024

Photo: B+

There’s a new album on the way from virtuoso saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Kamasi Washington. Entitled Fearless Movement, Kamasi calls it his dance album. “It’s not literal,” he says. “Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it’s the same thing as music—expressing your spirit through your body. That’s what this album is pushing.” Fearless Movement marks a shift in Washington’s musical journey, with fatherhod also prompting a deeper exploration of the everyday aspects of life. He comments:

“Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up. My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality—realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.”

The upcoming Fearless Movement features Washington’s daughter as well as a stellar lineup of collaborators including André 3000, Thundercat, George Clinton, Terrace Martin, Patrice Quinn, Brandon Coleman, BJ The Chicago Kid, D-Smoke and twins Taj and Ras Austin of Coast Contra, among others.

We’ll have to wait until May 3rd for the album to be out through Young but we can already hear the exhilarating and electrifying lead single ‘Prologue’. The track comes with an accompanying video directed by AG Rojas and choreographed by Samantha Blake Goodman, and you can watch it below.