Review: Emerging from the ether in July 2024, Surfacing is the third collaborative long player from ASC and Sam KDC. Producers known for their ability to create and set moods with comparatively abstract ambient soundscapes, their latest is no exception. A collection of work which opts for an un-rushed approach to creating big feelings and moments from relatively consistent sounds and noises. Not much seems to happen, until you realise how much has been happening. In many ways, it's a maximalist thing - attempting to pick apart tracks like 'Mirage' and 'Shimmer' reveals the density of these sonics. Walls of sound that are acoustically and melodically light enough to float on air, yet actually so thick they swallow the listener hole, with little hope of escape until the final refrains fade.
Review: Reimer Eising, aka Kettel, and Lennard van der Last, aka Secede, had already been lifelong friends by the time they began working on When Can. The Dutch producers wanted to create a seamless listening experience that would unfold and develop as a film does, using cinematic-leaning sounds to achieve their big idea. The whole thing feels like a narrative, a beginning-middle-end, which is doubly impressive when you learn there was no grand plan to begin with. Just two pals exploring what might come next. Originally released in 2012 - hark!, those heady, innocent days - what's perhaps even more astounding than the picturesque, immersive soundscapes here, is the fact this is the first time When Can has made it onto vinyl. Having said that, 12 years ago was another time and place, not least in terms of music sales, so let's not dwell on what everyone was thinking by not bringing this out on wax sooner. Instead, savour every moment of the rich, dreamy electronica.
A Cruel Angel's Thesis (Director's edit version) (4:04)
Angel Attack (2:31)
Rei I (2:58)
Hedgehog's Dilemma (2:46)
Barefoot In The Park (2:32)
Ritsuko (3:01)
Misato (1:31)
Asuka Strikes! (2:23)
Nerv (1:58)
Tokyo-3 (2:24)
I Shinji (2:01)
EVA-01 (2:48)
A Step Forward Into Terror (1:54)
EVA-02 (1:59)
Decisive Battle (2:24)
EVA-00 (1:49)
The Beast (1:39)
Marking Time, Waiting For Death (2:43)
Rei II (2:54)
Fly Me To The Moon (instrumental version) (2:58)
Next Episode (0:32)
Fly Me To The Moon (Yoko Takahashi Acid Bossa version) (3:51)
Review: It's the anime that changed the format forever, from storytelling to character design - Neon Genesis Evangelion is still, to this day, one of the most beloved, divisive and iconic animated series of all time. From influencing 'Madoka Magicka', 'Serial Experiments Lain' or 'Kill La Kill' to its resurgence in popularity thanks to social media and the infinite memes that the show continues to spawn off almost 30 years later. Many will know 'Cruel Angels Thesis' and the bossa nova cover of 'Fly Me to the Moon' performed by J-Pop singer Yoko Takahashi, which are used as the intro and credit sequence songs, but don't neglect the electrifying orchestral composition from Shiro SAGISU that backsets the action sequences. This is the first time the full OST is pressed on vinyl. It comes in a beautiful gatefold featuring frames from the show inside, housed on black and blue vinyl to reflect the colour palette of this hugely influential show.
Review: While most celebrated in electronic music circles for his work as part of Yellow Magic Orchestra - not to mention a string of experimental solo works - Ryuichi Sakamoto has long been an acclaimed composer of music for the big screen. As the title suggests, this fine compilation gathers together some of his best soundtrack works. There are plenty of familiar favourites present - check the chiming, suitably cheery theme to "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" and the swelling closing theme from "The Last Emperor" - alongside lesser-known gems such as the lilting strings of "The Sheltering Sky (Main Theme)", the simmering beauty of "Little Buddha: Acceptance" and the jazz-influenced bliss of "Femme Fatale: Bolerisch".
Review: Ryuichi Sakamoto is making a very welcome return here with his first solo album since 2017's async. Milan Records are releasing 12 in January to coincide with the venerated Japanese composer's 71st birthday, and the timing is poignant given the album draws from musical sketches created while Sakamoto battled for two and a half years with cancer. Sakamoto himself describes reaching for his synths as a kind of therapeutic response to a big operation, and so the music carries an added depth of personal experience from one of the most profound ordeals a person can go through.
Review: Silva Screen Records continues their vast compilation project here with another tribute to the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, the legendary former member of Yellow Magic Orchestra who passed not so long ago. They have pressed this one up to various formats and this is a gatefold transparent lime green and black splattered vinyl from the acclaimed film scorer. He wrote for epics such as Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky and The Last Emperor. This album takes in plenty of the most standout tracks from those movies, all performed by the Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Dirk Brosse.
Review: Seoul-based duo Salamanda clearly struck upon a persuasive formula when they first cropped up on Good Morning Tapes in 2020. Somewhere between delicate ambient and a modern kind of deep house, their music carries a tenderness which feels absolutely at home on Facta and K-Lone's eminently soothing stable, Wisdom Teeth. In Parallel builds on the sound laid out on previous records for Human Pitch and Metron by presenting a more focused duo seemingly conscious of their rapidly grown audience and considering how to best build upon their tender sound without losing the charm. Threading subtle pop elements into their gossamer-light constructions, this is a rich, satisfying listen from a duo it's so easy to love.
Review: Luke Sanger returns to Balmat for brand new album Dew Point Harmonics, which directly follows on from the producer's acclaimed Languid Gongue in 2021. A thirteen-tracker of dense but fibreglassy electronic mood pieces, the Norfolk native nudges us into a series but emotive but individually unique set of corners, vectorising a multiplicitous, abstract sound-space. After the opening arp-sequences of 'Solid Steps' and 'Flutter Env', we move into the more roughshod concrete of 'Poppers' then swerve through the dawny plucks and boughs of 'Morning Person' and 'Open Sauce', before finally settling to rest on a patently vibraphonic note, with 'Universal Vibrational Frequences' and. 'Vibraphone Home' not occurring in sequence without coincidence, in our view.
Review: The mysterious London-based music collective Sault are in the process of reissuing their first five albums on vinyl, in full, after they were released as a free digital download in late 2022. AIIR is among the lesser-cited of the quintuplet bunch, being a five track EP and sequel to their sixth album AIR. Providing a rapturous counterpoint to that album while building on its choral themes, this LP could consist of anything from outtakes from the making of AIR to true reprises; it's hard to tell. What we do know is that the music here would have been as equally suited to the high-flung parabolae of grandiose mid-century American filmmaking as it now is for the modern music lover. Pieces like 'Still Waters' and 'God's Will' - with their divine harp flourishes, choirs of angels, and complex string and timpani movements - are evocative enough to recall sublime pastoral classics like Watership Down or A Matter Of Life And Death - not just UK music royalty.
Review: You might not have a fixed image of who or what Sault are, given their skill in maintaining a degree of anonymity, but as they notch up their sixth album it's hard to ignore the imposing presence they cut on the experimental fringe of modern UK soul. They started out in 2019 with raw funk and Afrobeat inspired excursions, reflecting on varying perspectives of the Black experience. On Air, the group shake off their previous groove orientation to offer something more orchestrally-inclined, and to their credit they pull it off in remarkable fashion. Lyrically they're focusing on self care and individuality within the Black community, injecting a sense of uplift into their message where they previously reflected on inherited pain and tribulations. Their rapid output doesn't come at the expense of the quality and depth of their expression, making this another essential step forward for one of the most intriguing crews out there right now.
Radio Source Rhythm (alternative take - bonus track) (1:00)
Juke Box Source (alternative take - bonus track) (0:27)
Review: Not your everyday crime thriller, Man On A Swing (1976) doesn't just follow a detective solving a murder with his very own machismic wits. It rather sees the main character consult a local mystic for help, in what can only be described as a far more holistic and spiritually in-touch mystery than most out there. Lalo Schifrin's OST is as entertaining and stark as this premise suggests, blending every influence from disco to funk to bossa nova into a rather exciting affair.
Review: Introducing Cowboy Bebop: The Real Folk Blues Legends, a vinyl masterpiece with captivating designs by Toshiaki Uesugi, celebrated for his work for the Cowboy Bebop franchise. Thw LP, carefully supervised by the legendary Yoko Kanno, compiles tracks from the whole Cowboy Bebop discography including 'Blue', 'No Disc' and 'Knocking on Heaven's Door', and not least the iconic 'The Real Folk Blues'. This release brings to vinyl for the first time many such classics, delivering to fans a unique sonic experience not only highlighting the sonic world of Cowboy Bebop, but the opportunity to share in the legacy of one of the most successful anime series of all time. This vinyl set features two deluxe LP discs on 140g dark blue marbled 12" vinyl. It also includes an insert print with tracklists, credits, liner notes and interviews with Yoko Kanno.
Review: Orb offshoot project Sedibus has proved popular with fans for two reasons: it reunites Alex Paterson with Andy Falconer, who worked extensively with the Orb between 1990 and 1994, and the music they make recalls some of the pair's best moments of that period - albeit with a quite different instrumentation. Seti, the pair's sophomore album, has been described by their label, Cooking Vinyl, as "ambient unplugged". That only tells half the story. While it does boast all manner of acoustic instruments - sitar, guitar, piano, tabla and other percussion - it also features Paterson's trademark spoken word snippets and the dreamiest of electronic chords and aural textures. With beautiful, immersive and typically lengthy compositions, it feels and sounds like a grown-up version of the Orb's mightiest early 90s work.
Review: A saxophonist at the pinnacle of his game, Shabaka Hutchings presents 'Afrikan Culture, on which he explores the rich musical traditions of the African continent and combines them with contemporary, self-affirming themes. Remarkably for how well-touted his name is, this is Hutchings' first ever solo LP, bringing it to the masses under the name Shabaka (following on the smash success of Sons Of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming). It's a stunning, existential album which not only pays tribute to the Afrofuturist greats who precede him, but which, of course, looks squarely into the eyes of Afroftuture that will come after him.
Review: Shabaka Hutchings' Perceive Its Beauty is a profound and meditative musical journey that celebrates the richness and grace of African culture. Through a diverse ensemble of renowned musicians, Hutchings invites us to immerse ourselves in a sonic landscape that evokes the beauty and bounty of the Motherland. The album's meditative quality stems from the restraint and collective nature of its creation. The instruments seem to float effortlessly, creating a sonic cloud that carries echoes of Afro-Asian music and the tranquil sounds of nature. Yet, within this understated atmosphere, individual brilliance shines through. The artistry of Jason Moran on the piano and the ethereal voices of Moses Sumney and Eska add layers of nuance and emotional depth. In an era often marked by division and disharmony, Perceive Its Beauty offers a refuge of unity and peace. It invites us to transcend superficial boundaries and embrace the beauty and grace that resides within and around us.
Review: Composer and multi-instrumentalist Shabaka Hutchings releases his sophomore LP Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace', building on his increasingly impressive career working with Andre 3000, Sun Ra Arkestra and heading multiple bands - not least the, now dissolved, The Comet is Coming. The album marks the king's return to music, following his abandonment of the saxophone in 2023. Here he returns to his original instrumental calling, the clarinet, but a wide array of wind is on offer. The first single, the opening track 'End of Innocence', is a succinct clarinet and piano marriage. The reverberation of the keys softly emanates behind the masterfully controlled clarinet lead, with perfectly placed percussion sprinkled throughout. It's introspective, serene and understated - a supremely narrative feel that only instrumental jazz can give off.
Review: Joseph Shabason, Matthew Sage, and Nicholas Krgovich form a harmonious triangle, both musically and geographically. Hailing from Toronto, Colorado, and Vancouver respectively, they converged at Sage's barn studio nestled at the foot of the Rockies to explore their shared talent for finding beauty in life's mundane moments. Shabason, known for blending late 80s adult-contemporary and smooth jazz aesthetics into ethereal soundscapes, joins forces with Sage, who combines instrumental prowess with synthesis and field recordings to evoke the natural world's whimsy and profundity. Completing the trio is Krgovich, whose observational poetics add a relatable touch to their calm expressionism. Their collaborative album, warmly Shabason, Krgovich, Sage extends the wry and melancholic micro-miracles established in their previous works.
Review: Shackleton and Waclaw Zimpel's first album Primal Forms was a masterful collaboration which arrived on Cosmo Rhythmatic in 2020. The pair clearly found fruit in their crossover as they return for a second instalment, this time on 7K! and with an expanded approach thanks to the addition of Siddhartha Belmannu, a strikingly talented young singer in the field of Indian classical music. The over-arching intention of the artists was to make a joyous album about the wonder of life and living, but of course this isn't a one-dimensional happy-clappy record. Rather, it's a meditative exercise dealing in fascinating microtonality and mesmerising harmonic interplay with the power to have a profound, uncanny effect on the listener.
Review: How far can a single artist take a time-honoured musical trope: the piano solo? Josiah Steinbrick attempts to answer the question not in words, but in ivories, with his newest album For Anyone That Knows You, a bewitching hybrid compositional project that puts the chordophonal instrument centre-stage. Allegedly, the album was recorded not for smoothness or posterity but to emphasise the piano as an object, as well as the person playing it and the moment in which it resounds. On top of that, its ten original compositions - cathartic and ecstatic - are backed up by covers of songs from Peruvian, Creole, and Malian traditions, as well as the much-sought saxophone backings of one Sam Gendel.
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