Anne Paceo, Black to Comm, Sándor Valy & Júlia Heéger, Ludwig, Mòs Ensemble, and Monolithes

by Dæv Tremblay

Anne Paceo – Bright Shadows (Laborie Jazz)

French drummer and composer Anne Paceo releaser her latest collection of compositions in late January. Bright Shadows is a marvellous work blending modern jazz, R&B, and pop music into a delectable product. With Ann Shirley and Florent Mateo on vocal duties, the songs are in good care, and indeed the melodies presented are poignant and memorable. Similarly, the saxophone and clarinet, guitar, and keyboards are all just right, in their own way. Finally, the drums evidently serve well the compositions, and often shine through by originality and precision. However, they are not the … Read more

Weekly Release Dump

by Dæv Tremblay

Saturday, 2 February

Caldera – Tephra (post-metal, sludge)

Athens, Greece

Fountainhead – I Do and I Will [Compilation] (progressive metal, jazz fusion)

Berlin, Germany
On Vmbrella

Sunday, 3

Beyond Quartet – Beyond Quartet (avant-garde jazz, free jazz)

New York, New York
On 11th Street Music

Mayberian Sanskülotts – Neverending Sorry (indie pop)

Kápmegyer, Hungary

The New York Review of Cocksucking – Total Cruise Worship (free jazz, noise)

New York

… Read more

Alister Spence and Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe, Agamemnon Moustakas, and João MacDowell

by Dæv Tremblay

Alister Spence and Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe – Imagine Meeting You Here

Australian jazz pianist and composer Alister Spence joined forces with Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe, a big band jazz ensemble, to give life to his newest vision: Imagine Meeting You Here. The album comprises five tracks, anywhere between compositions and improvisations. Jazz improvisation by an orchestra is something quite unusual. The greater the number of heads, the harder it is to guide them. So, it’s quite a feat that has been pulled off here! The improvisations don’t feel aimless, quite the contrary, and the musicians hop back … Read more

Nonlocal Forecast – Bubble Universe!

by Matt Matheson

The Music

The Words

Angel Marcloid does not quit. From the experimental vaporwave of Fire-Toolz to the longform atmospherics of Mindspring Memories, along with myriad other boundary-pushing projects, the Chicago artist has uploaded enough complex and challenging auditory and visual material to crash the kind of ancient computer on which it seems appropriate to engage it. Under the new moniker Nonlocal Forecast, Angel quite literally synthesizes some of her biggest influences from the eighties’ and nineties’ prog rock, smooth jazz, and new age scenes using almost entirely digital instrumentation and programming. The result, Bubble Universe!, is an … Read more

Eric Thorfinnson, Navi, and Starpilot

by Toys Etcetera

Eric Thorfinnson – Qwag (avant-pop, folk)

Eric Thorfinnson is best known as main-brain and frontman of Toronto progressive metal band Autocatalytica. With a distinctly art pop sensibility, this one’s a significant departure from what we’ve come to expect. Electro-based gems to acoustic folk, this collection of Eric’s music is mighty diverse. Even tho it’s considered a compilation of one-offs, there is a fluidity here that makes for a unified listening experience. In addition to Eric’s stellar guitar work, haunting vocal arrangements and audio production, three tracks from Qwag also finds an additional dimension brought to the fore by collaborator … Read more