It’s not the first Prudent Primate album I find myself enjoying, although it’s my first time writing about them here. Aphelion is Bristol’s nu jazz quartet’s latest offering, and it’s also their finest! From their debut 2018 album through their 2019 EP, the band has honed its sound and sharpened their own grasp of what exactly works right for them, giving way to a considerable album with zero filler content; only good vibes and amazing musicianship.
Grex is a project of guitarist and composer Karl Evangelista, who recently released another outstanding record on Astral Spirits. I want to talk about this one, though, out via Geomancy Records. Everything You Said Was Wrong walks the line between hip-hop and experimental rock in a truly unique fashion, often straying into jazz territory as well. Filled with noise and effect pedals, odd rhythms alongside more traditional ones, and with a general sense for unsettling themes and harmonies, the album overflows with creativity and its character is unlike anything else. A remarkable … Read more
(Om an) i bitar, ändå hel—translated to (Although) in Pieces, Yet One—is Swedish composer and singer Francesca Vincentie‘s latest masterpiece. The album, available in Swedish and English, is at the same time a musical album and a storytelling experience more akin to an audiobook. From what I can gather, the story is of a spirit’s search expedition. In-between the spoken parts is sparse but that much more beautiful musical passages rooted in jazz and R&B, sung in Swedish on both versions of the album. In a way, the … Read more
Errata is the experimental jazz trio of guitarist Ishmael Ali, bassist Eli Namay, and percussionist Bill Harris. Many People Are Unenthusiastic about Your Work is the group’s debut album, out on Gilded Records, and it shows the incredible proficiency of each musician, composer, and improviser of the band. Indeed, the songs range from composition to improvisation, and it’s not always easy to tell which is which, which is always a great sign of success in my opinion. The album is a bewildering and fascinating listen of noisy, heavy, chaotic jazz.… Read more
Taylor Batory is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from Michigan who has already released the amazing album The Salty Sardine under the moniker of The Majestic Sailors. Now under the more down-to-Earth name TB Project, Taylor just released a progressive rock concept EP detailing, in a sort of metaphorical manner, his time at Wayne State University. As such, the album goes through the colourful lens of prog and the result is a very palatable new prog release!
Michael Hersch is … Read more