September keeps giving with another formidablé set of new releases…
After a decade away, Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala return with the highly-anticipated, eponymous new The Mars Volta album. Whilst retaining the complexity and density of their arrangements, this is arguably the most accessible and approachable record they have ever made. It swoons with a South American lilt and still finds time to jolt ferociously. Sonically it is quite the surprise, with loads to discover on repeat plays.
Record of the Week and we’re delighted to have them back!
Chicago duo (of sorts) Whitney return this week with the shimmering new SPARK LP. The third album is a fantastic progression from the Blue-eyed soul of their gripping debut album, a high-gloss take on that same DIY spirit.
+ Available on limited Milky White coloured vinyl.
Wilderness of Mirrors is the scorched sixth studio LP from Austin’s The Black Angels. Some fantastically hypnotic sections of driving rock, but the finest moments are all in the genuinely weirder psychedelic rock influences and hues. Way more Syd Barret than Desert Rawk!
+ Available on Indie Exclusive Opaque Blue & Red colour vinyl.
Between us… is a genuinely riveting live album from world-famous sitarist Anoushka Shankar. She was joined by hand pan master Manu Delago and Holland’s Metropole Orkest. Such amazing emotion in this. Released on Nils Frahm and Felix Grimm’s ever impressive LEITER label.
Suede’s new ninth LP - Autofiction - was billed very much as a back-to-basics album, a punk-routes affair. Thankfully, it genuinely is that rather than a sort of noir cosplay. They really swoon, a great set of songs and everyone is really playing a part in this driving beast. Great stuff.
+ Available on Indie Exclusive Grey colour vinyl.
Auckland quartet The Beths release their new LP - Expert In A Dying Field - this week on Carpark Records and it really is a joyous one. It is positively drenched in that beautifully Antipodean trope of being both melancholic and totally euphoric. It’s all the shades of the sun in one!
+ Available on Canary Yellow colour vinyl.
Tough Baby is the glorious return of Vancouver art-punk collective Crack Cloud. Much like their hugely impressive debut Pain Olympics, this one doesn’t stay still for a moment! Different tones, different voices, different energy; it’s just a total trip through the collective’s boundless energy and ideas.
+ Available on Indie Exclusive Pink colour vinyl.
We’ve talked quite a lot about Marina Allen over the last few years, and if you listen to her voice for more than a few seconds, it’s easy to see why. Such magic, a beautifully winding and earthy voice. Centrifics is her full debut and it is very, very good indeed.
Well, it’s been a very busy Dinked week already.
On Tuesday we announced that Rozi Plain will be the 220th edition with the lush forthcoming Prize, and earlier today we announced that Edition 221 is Living Human Treasure from the ferocious Italia 90. Both are flying, so do investigate.
Talking about the present day, on the shelves this week we have two excellent new releases under the Dinked badge. Firstly, Jesca Hoop returns via Memphis Industries with Order of Romance and lordy, does she sound magnificent. Her voice is so rich and the delivery is brilliantly inventive. A real joy, this one!
The second part of this week’s drop is the En Bloc EP collection from the much-hyped Laundromat. A really great set of songs that highlights his progression as a writer and swimming production that oozes around his voice.
Gentle Sinners is a project by James Graham of The Twilight Sad and Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap. The debut - These Actions Cannot Be Undone - has been available on CD for a while now, but the LP drops tomorrow and is as deliciously dark as you’d hope.
+ Available on Translucent Red colour vinyl with a bonus 7" single.
Horace Andy releases Midnight Scorchers, the sequel and companion record to his widely celebrated Midnight Rocker via the esteemed On-U Sound.
+ Available on Indie Exclusive Transparent Orange colour vinyl.
+ “Midnight Rocker” is available on a Limited Gold colour vinyl repress.
People Helping People is the new LP from LA based noise-rock specialists No Age. They get into such lush grooves here, the fluidity of pace is quite the trip. We’ve got a feeling we’ll be going back again on this one quite a bit.
Bits n Bobs is the debut solo album from Welsh psych scene stalwart Pixy Jones and it is really lush. Woozy and smart, the cover of The Beatles 'And Your Bird Can Sing' is pretty magical.
Also this week; Super high octane pop from Rina Sawayama with Hold The Girl (which includes an Indie Exclusive Red Splatter colour vinyl pressing). Asphalt Meadows is the new album from Washington indie veterans Death Cab For Cutie (and this one includes a limited Indie Exclusive Pink colour vinyl pressing). Au Suisse is the self-titled debut from the New York-based duo. An opalescent trip through various eighties production cues (includes an Indie Exclusive White colour vinyl pressing). Look Up! Is a modern take on 50s and 60s Gospel-Soul from The Harlem Gospel Travelers, really impressive stuff. Red Sunset Dreams is the new solo LP from Mark Peters, featuring guest appearances from songwriter Dot Allison and pedal steel legend BJ Cole (includes a limited Red colour vinyl pressing). Beautiful Blue is the new Paul Weller-produced album from Liverpool troubadour Steve Pilgrim. We have the vinyl format of Reb Fountain’s superb Iris album, pressed on Translucent Turquoise colour vinyl, no less. We must admit to not being the biggest Mumford & Sons fans going, but Marcus Mumford’s self-titled solo LP (that is released this week, including a limited Red colour vinyl pressing) definitely has something going on. Cathartic but melodic.
Lastly this week, we have some very limited editions of Michael Price’s gorgeous Whitsun album. The Emmy-award winning composer explores themes of remembrance, using the suitably mournful single-stringed una corda piano, with flashes of his voice and childhood trumpet. Evocative and beautifully constructed.
+ Limited CD’s with an A2 newsprint poster.
- Drift
