A short week, a long weekend and a vital offering for your stereos.
El Magnifico is the eleventh studio album from Ed Harcourt and it really is a swooner. We were utterly delighted to work with Ed on a custom Dinked Edition (copies in stock now!) so it’s one we’ve been playing and getting to know since late last year. The production is really immersive and full of offbeat little ideas, but the main event is his voice, which really is as full and rich as he’s ever sounded. A completely excellent set of songs and his delivery is… well, El Magnifico!
+ Available as Dinked Edition 273 on Gold colour vinyl with a signed 12” x 24” folded poster and a bonus 7”.
Live Laugh Love is the densely layered return of Seattle’s Chastity Belt. The album retains the richly-dark humour they always have, but also sees them moving into some of their most serried production with melancholic drive and wistful choruses. It’s not necessarily subdued, but it’s all painted in hazy shades of light and that really creates a vibe.
+ Available on limited Cloudy colour vinyl.
+ We have signed post cards.
Not one, but TWO new records in the racks this week from hip-hop experimentalist Shabazz Palaces with Robed in Rareness and Exotic Birds of Prey. Rareness takes a trip through thirty plus years of rap (of which Ishmael Butler is no small part through the iconic Digable Planets) and swirls those tones into a psychedelic haze. Exotic Birds has the funk flag flying, with twisted beats and squelching bass. Both vocally and in terms of production, Shabazz Palaces are always essential, but this discombobulating double set are both just so inventive. Dig deep!
+ Both are available on limited ‘Loser Edition’ colour vinyl pressings.
Moves in the Field is the second Warp release for New York-based artist Kelly Moran and it is just amazing. Created in a partnership (of sorts) with the Yamaha Disklavier, a technologically advanced version of a player piano that Moran uses to augment her own playing and literally go beyond what is possible with human hands. There are so many times across this absolute wonder that you will just float off somewhere, enraptured by its beauty. Very special stuff and our Record of the Week.
Shoegaze icons Ride return on Wichita Recordings this week with the all-new Interplay. It is their seventh album overall and third since reforming in 2014. The electronic tones of the last couple of albums are gently tuned down and there is an innately “bigger” quality to the wall of sound guitars. Although, there is also a lot of clarity in the mix and you can hear what is leading the euphoria when they set sail. Good stuff for old and new fans alike.
+ Available on limited double Blue colour vinyl.
Baltimore born singer and producer serpentwithfeet returns this week with his new GRIP LP, a club-based album of high production. It’s not all beat beat beat, there is actually a lot of shifting in the sonics and tempo. Serpent’s voice (whether straight or through vocoders) is really great, otherworldly but still human. Dazzling stuff.
+ Available on Exclusive Clear colour vinyl.
The Garden Dream is the debut LP from London-born songwriter Ella Smoker as gglum. The songs are great, but the delivery is fantastic. A funny mix between hi-fi and homespun with her right in your ear. I’ve had a few tracks from this excellent set stuck in my head all week.
+ Available on limited Clear Orange colour vinyl.
Coat of Arms is the jangling and joyous fifth LP from Holiday Ghosts. Three minute (at a push!) pop songs of great drive and exuberant invention. Riffs and bangers, such a great band this lot.
High Llamas return on Drag City with Hey Panda, a surprisingly pop-y new set. It really is joyous and the beeps and bubbles are pretty celestial.
Los Angeles-based songwriter and pop auteur Dent May returns on Carpark Records with the glorious What's For Breakfast. Light-hearted and high on cheer, it is not of this time.
+ Available on limited Pink colour vinyl.
Penrose Records / Daptone have released The Instrumentals this week from San Diego-based sweet soul group Thee Sacred Souls. You’ll remember that we loved their self-titled debut (we did a Dinked, we raved about it!), so it’s cool to really focus-in on the musicianship here.
So lastly this week we have the debut solo LP from Dirty Three co-founder and all-round drum-god Jim White, and my word does he ever flex that drum-god crown! All Hits: Memories is a drum record with White at the kit, taking percussives from the frenetic to the mystical. Without just listing the other noises that appear, it’s a hard one to articulate, but this really is a hugely enthralling listen as he goes through the gears and really takes you somewhere.
Reissues are ample this week too with; Pete Jolly, Nico, Mr Scruff, Johnny Lytle, Lonnie Smith, Majesty Crush and plenty more to tell you about soon.
- Drift
