Seeing out May ’24 with some genuinely beautiful new releases for your considerations.
Pakistani-American singer and composer Arooj Aftab returns with the absolutely stunning Night Reign, an evolving and experimental set rooted in the nocturnal. It is mostly a departure from her more traditional inspired work, with her voice both calming and more progressive as the songs build and break down. Our Record of the Week and one to really get lost in.
+ Available on limited and exclusive Silver colour vinyl.
Beautiful album of the week number two is guitarist, composer and psychoanalyst Ezra Feinberg’s Soft Power on Total Union. The sonic spaces he creates (along with guests Mary Lattimore, David Moore (Bing & Ruth), Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and Robbie Lee) are quite sublime and so full of meandering joy. This one really is a delight.
+ Available on limited Transparent Clear colour vinyl.
Beautiful album of the week number three is the return of improviser and composer Eric Chenaux with the wonderful new Delights Of My Life LP on Constellation. Playing for the first time as a trio - with Toronto-based musicians Ryan Driver on Wurlitzer organ and Phillipe Melanson on electronic percussion - this one is an absolute world. Timeless jazz-inflected balladry focused on his distinctive voice, but all given such time and space to morph and evolve. So woozy, so dreamy. A hallucinogenic treasure trove.
Liverpudlian duo King Hannah return this week with Big Swimmer on City Slang. As you’ll well know, we worked with them (again!) on a very-sold-out Dinked Edition so we know this one quite well already. The way it moves between bold pop and murky soundscapes is hugely inventive.
+ Available on Ocean Blue colour vinyl.
Also this week. Absolute institution Richard Hawley returns and returns to his succulent best with In This City They Call You Love. His voice is so full of swoon, great stuff. Louisiana metal band Thou release the heavy but nuanced Umbilical on Sacred Bones. Gnarly loud, but so much going on and highly recommended. We have the self titled Hometown Heroes release from Brad Baloo, Edo G and DJ Yoda. Good Grief is the first new solo album in 25 years from songwriter and producer Bernard Butler. Expect more stock to land early next week.
Almost all of these releases have special, limited and custom variants so do come and have a browse.
Turning to admin briefly, we now have Dan Rincon’s (of OSEES amongst other projects) Spotlight City on Castle Face. We also have a little pinch of the superb Glass Beams record back in stock. That is one of those records that sells the second we put it on so don’t miss it again, Again! Last week we told you that Rowena Wise would shortly be in the building, well, she is in the building and that is another really fantastic LP that you can’t let slip under your radars. Great voice, great songs.
Lastly for this set of recommendations is Anastasia Coope‘s Darning Woman on Jagjaguwar, An experimental collection of choir pieces based around multiple tracks of her voice. It is another of the week’s mesmeric releases, but all together more chilling and pretty freaky at times too. Highly recommended though, she really has found something special here and it is both fascinating and darkly enthralling.
Reissues are splendid too with; Can, El Michels Affair, Witch, ESG and Raul Gomez amongst others.
