Matana Roberts share two new tracks from forthcoming Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden… LP

06 September 2023

Photo: Geoff Albores

Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden… is the fifth instalment in Matana Roberts‘ project Coin Coin, a remarkable and visionary twelve-part work exploring African-American history, which stretches back to 2011. When the album news emerged last June, the extraordinary alto saxophonist, composer, improviser and sound experimentalist gave us a phenomenal taster of it with the opening 10 minutes of the album featuring the three-song suite “we said” / “different rings” / “unbenkownst”.  With just over three weeks to go until Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden… is released, Roberts are sharing two new tracks, ‘shake my bones’ and ‘a(way) is not an option’. Give them a listen now.


Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden… is out on September 29th through Constellation Records

Louis Carnell launches curated & collaborative series 111, listen to first piece featuring Keeley Forsyth

05 September 2023

Experimental composer and producer Louis Carnell launches today 111, his new curated series of collaborative works with artists from across the globe. Comprising 15 collaborations, and conceived to try to “trace the shape of hope, in an epoch of disintegration”, 111 “aim[s] to question how and with whom we collaborate, and where we can find commonality and community.” Carnell will unveil a new work on every third Tuesday through Mute, starting today with ‘one’, a collaborative piece with English actress, composer and musician Keeley Forsyth. At once unsettling and beautiful, ‘one’ comes with a visual accompaniment, directed by Carnell & Arcin Sagdic. Here it is.

Gazelle Twin signs to Invada Records and announces new studio album, Black Dog

05 September 2023

Photo: Teri Varhol

Gazelle Twin has announced her new LP, Black Dog, out October 27th, along with her signing to Invada Records. Elizabeth Bernholz, the composer, producer, singer, and visual artist behind the project, reveals her face for the first time, dropping the masked characters used in previous releases. Black Dog, as the press release describes, “is an album about confronting fear, and the expectation that the things that lurked in the darkness when you were a child will disappear as you become an adult.”

The album news is accompanied by the sinister and seductive title track, whose lyrical rhythms are inspired by the children’s books Bernholz reads to her children. The title comes from a childhood figure, she explains, “a small black dog’s shadow, blacker than black, moving by my bedside – not terrifying but lingering. Looping. Tailing. Restless. Keeping me awake”.

‘Black Dog’ is offered with an accompanying video directed by John Minton, and you can watch it below.

KAU preview new track ‘Amulet’ from upcoming album The Cycle Repeats

03 September 2023

Photo: Monday Jr

‘Amulet’ is the latest fiery single previewing KAU‘s forthcoming The Cycle Repeats album, following the utterly brilliant and intoxicating, ‘Little Steps’. A heady brew of propulsive breakbeats and hypnotic melodic ideas with an undeniable groove throughout, ‘Amulet’ showcases an adventurous band at full tilt. Take a listen below and be sure to grab the album when it drops on September 22nd through Sdban Records.

Joe Policastro Trio set to release sixth album, Ceremony, in October

02 September 2023

There’s a new album on the way from Joe Policastro Trio, the outfit of Chicago based bassist Joe Policastro, also comprising Dave Miller on guitar and Mikel Avery on drums. Entitled Ceremony, the album will see the light of day on October 13th through JeruJazz Records. Described as “a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention”, Ceremony features original compositions as well as some surprising cover songs. “We make interesting choices in the music that we play, whether it’s the originals or adapting music way outside of jazz,” Policastro explained. “There’s a purity of expression that I think is unique to this group, this project. It’s so cool to hear things in a totally different way, to study them through new lenses.”

Recorded in triple-true stereo by sound engineer Ken Christensen, the album faithfully captures their live sound.  “We have always been a live band”, Policastro added. “All of our albums have essentially been ‘live’ captures of the group, but Ceremony has added depth aurally and musically.”

Ahead of the album’s release, Joe Policastro Trio have shared its title track, which is a cover of the New Order song of the same name interpolated with Erik Satie’s ‘Gymnopédie’. The single is offered with a live video, filmed by Chris Strong and edited by David Sampson. Watch it below.

Azmari tease new album, Maelström, with first single ‘Sheep Party’

02 September 2023

Photot: Monday Jr

Belgian outfit Azmari conquered our ears with their mesmerising blend of ethiogroove, dub, psychfunk and eastern sounds. Following their outstanding debut album, Samā’ī, they are gearing up to release a new record. Entitled Maelström, it arrives on October 20th through Sdban Ultra and saw the band enlist the help of sound engineer and producer Frederik Segers. As the press release describes,  Maelström is “an elevated soundscape that seamlessly integrates traditional instruments with a symphony of balanced pedal effects and enchanting amplification.”

Azmari have let loose the first single from the record, the effervescent and exuberant ‘Sheep Party’, a track loaded with groove. ‘Sheep Party’ will set us off with intoxicating headiness. Take a listen below.