Montréal based sax virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Colin Stetson has set the release date for the third and last of a triptych of solo albums entitled New History Warfare. The upcoming New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light follows Stetson’s previously released albums from the same series, the widely acclaimed New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges released in 2011 and his 2008 New History Warfare Vol. 1.
The composer and performer’s new effort, due out on April 30th via Constellation, was co-produced and mixed by Ben Frost and recorded live in single takes.
New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light features guest vocal contributions from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon on four songs. There’s no overdubbing on the whole album except for on these songs with Vernon’s voice. Stetson “doesn’t rely on looping/layering or multi-track/overdubs technologies”, as the label said. Instead, Stetson mastered the technique of circular breathing, which allows him to play continuously by breathing through his nose at the same time he plays with his mouth.
“Anyone who has seen Stetson in solo performance can attest to the stunning physicality of his circular-breathing technique and capacity to produce a seemingly impossible palate of multiple voicings simultaneously in real time – making his already beautiful and evocative compositions all the more enrapturing and viscerally human.”
Ahead of the release, Stetson has unveiled the first breathtaking single, ‘High Above A Grey Green Sea’. Listen to it now.
The Flaming Lips tease forthcoming album with bonus track
The Flaming Lips announced a few days ago the release of their thirteenth studio album, entitled The Terror, and slated for a April 1st release in Europe and April 2nd in North America. To enthuse us all, they dropped ‘Sun Blows Up Today’, a catchy and bonkers new track, which will actually not be part of their forthcoming album, but comes as a bonus for anyone who orders the album now.
‘Sun Blows Up Today’ gets crazier with the kaleidoscopic video that accompanies it, with animation by George Salisbury. Check it out below.
Akron/Family announce new album and stream opening track
Akron/Family have announced the release of a new album, called Sub Verses. The record arrives on April 29th in the UK and a day later in the US via Dead Oceans.
“The album started with visions of large monumental sounds inspired by Heizer and Turrell; American works on a grand scale, monuments, dirty hands and an epic American masculinity. Dust, Stone, Sky, Earth.”, said guitarist Seth Olinsky in a statement about the forthcoming Sub Verses.
Bassist Miles Seaton also made a statement, and said that “as with other Akron/Family records the Idiomatic perspective shifts restlessly. From Shamanic hypno-mantras to Noise-damaged Soul anthems to North african street frenzy, from Droning Microtonal Balladry to modular synthesizer destruction to Lynchian Doo-Wop and back again.” Read their whole statements here.
Akron/Family have unveiled the album’s excellent opening track, ‘No-Room’. Here it is.
Helado Negro unveils video for ‘Dance Ghost’
We have been highly anticipating Helado Negro‘s upcoming full length album Invisible Life, since the first taste ‘Dance Ghost’ emerged back in November. The cut has now been complimented with a video, directed by David W. Merten. Check it out below and watch out for the album release on March 5th via Asthmatic Kitty.
Super Best Friends Club drop self-titled debut album
Super Best Friends Club is a six-piece outfit based out of London, comprising Jonah Brody, Max Hallett, Jordan Copeland, Jean De Talhouet, Josh Green and James Marsh.
The sextet first started when drummer Max Hallett was invited to perform at the Royal Festival Hall and “roped in some like-minded friends”, as the press release explains. Over the course of 48 hours, they created a half hour live performance based on “optimism, nudity, body paint, frantic dance routines and blissed-out pop.”
Super Best Friends Club will release their eponymous debut on vinyl and CD early in February via Hakisak Records. Lucky us, the effort is already available to stream and download on their bandcamp.
Here’s a couple of cuts from Super Best Friends Club to get you enticed, ‘Yes You Are’ and ‘Sunshine! Super Megatron!’.
Javelin offer lead single from forthcoming second album
Brooklyn based cousins Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford, who make up Javelin, have announced the release of their somophore album entitled Hi Beams. The follow up to 2010’s No Más is due out on March 5th via Luaka Bop.
The pair are giving away the first intoxicating single, ‘Nnormal’, as a free download in exchange for an email. Listen to it now.
