New stuff and 101 new sounds. We've had loads of fun listening this week.
Hello, Friends.
Our Record of the Week is Navarasa: Nine Emotions, the third collaborative album from Yorkston/Thorne/Khan, the combined efforts of James Yorkston (guitar/nyckelharpa/vocals), Jon Thorne (double-bass/vocals) and Suhail Yusuf Khan (sarangi/vocals). The music is again pastoral and beautifully swooning, deep routed with Yorkston's celtic folk and Khan's Sufi and Indian classical roots. It feels ancient whilst also finding beautiful new space. Jon Thorne's ability to lock the trio together is quite majestic. They have found a perfect partnership and Navarasa has some very special moments.
+ Indies exclusive deluxe double Dark Green vinyl includes three exclusive tracks.
Chromatics return after a seven-year absence with Closer To Grey, an immaculately stylish collection of glassy pop songs. Heartbroken lovers, ghostly synths, it's a pretty lush ride this one.
+ Double LP is pressed on 180g Blood Red Vinyl
Nicolas Godin - also one half of the dreamy electronic duo Air - releases his second solo LP this week, Concrete and Glass. Brilliant production, full of superbly controlled soft ambience via vocoders and synths. It's precise and clean but still has plenty of warmth.
We always go nuts for Trouble in Mind, and the return of Parisian quintet En Attendant Ana is good reason to. Juillet is full of shimmering pop songs, hazy organs and reverbs masking how sophisticated the hooks are. Margaux Bouchaudon's vocals are also quite majestic, as clear as a bell, she weaves black magic.
+ Limited indie LP is pressed on opaque metallic gold vinyl.
OG post-punks Wire release Mind Hive. The changes of pace are excellent, all types of drive.
+ The Limited Indies only Edition LP has an orange embossed sleeve.
Atlanta veterans Black Lips release an album of gloriously deranged Country with Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart on Fire Records. Plenty of humour with the garage rock swagger.
+ Indie shop LP is pressed on red vinyl with a die cut spot gloss sleeve and poster. Looks dope.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Terry Allen releases his first new work in seven years with his Panhandle Mystery Band and the Just Like Moby Dick double LP. He sounds incredible vocally, imaginative free-wheeling music that feels like an epic journey in just 45 minutes. Going to spend more time with this one, feels like an LP that might become a most played at Drift.
+ The deluxe tip-on gatefold 2LP package features lyrics, colour labels, high-res Bandcamp download code, 3 sides of music, and a 4th side vinyl Moby Dick etching artwork by Allen.
Wolf Parade release their fifth LP with Thin Mind on Sub Pop. The limited edition Loser LP is pressed on neon yellow vinyl.
Norwegian-raised New Yorker Okay Kaya releases Watch This Liquid Pour Itself on Jagjaguwar. Funny, smart and weird, it's high-bedroom-pop.
+ Limited Indie version LP is pressed on 'Coke bottle clear' transparent, light-green coloured vinyl.
Bonny Light Horseman is the new supergroup made up of Hadestown creator Anaïs Mitchell, Fruit Bats leader Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman. Weird modern country with some pretty life-affirming bigness. Justin 'Bon Iver' Vernon pops up near the end too.
+ Indies only edition LP on Turquoise vinyl
Citizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald and a host of friends from the crème de la crème of Scotland’s music scene present Return To Y'Hup: The World of Ivor Cutler, a celebration of the life and work of an artist of unrivalled musical and poetic vision.
Two of our biggest crushes - Jon Hopkins & Kelly Lee Owens - collaborate on Luminous Spaces / Luminous Beings. Spacious and dreamy, then the big beat!! it's pretty magic stuff. Last few copies online now, it's mega limited.
Also mega limited is Giant Swan's 55 Year old Daughter 12". Loads of you asked, so... 3-2-1... online now!!
A really loving Supergrass best of drops this week; The Strange Ones: 1994-2008. Man what a band they (are) were. The box set is currently sold out, but we have the double LP that is RAMMED full of hits.
Last one this week is one we love a lot. Basic Plumbing Keeping Up Appearances is the final album from Patrick Doyle of Boys Forever and Veronica Falls. A glorious collection of melancholic pop songs, smart and lo-fi, drawing from a world of influences with hook after hook.
Tragically, Patrick passed away shortly after the release of his debut as Boys Forever. Keeping Up Appearances has been released in conjunction with Patrick's family and all profits from sales are going to the charities CALM and LA's LGBT Centre.
Make sure to check out everything he recorded, it's all solid gold.
- Drift