Different shades of shimmer and euphoria. Maybe it’s the light, but it’s an up week at Drift.
Hello, Friends.
The Nation's Most Central Location is the fourth album from Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan, a new set of concrete-inspired electronic meditations. The album explores the North-South divide and reflects on 40 years of broken 'levelling up' promises. His ability to convey emotions that are mournful, angry and even quietly-optimistic is hugely impressive and the flow across the eight tracks keeps you pretty locked in. Getting played a lot here.
+ Available on limited Orange colour vinyl.
Described as making 'post-pub couldn't get in the club music', Edinburgh based John Bryden can undersell with a smile, because his self-titled debut as Eyes of Others is a beguiling treasure; twilight hour music that trades in anything-goes tapestries of texture and tone. The pacing is lush, upbeat without ever feeling like it’s pushing through the gears. If the sun keeps peeping at us, this one is going to be one of everyone’s most played. Record of the Week.
Joan Of All is the bold and arresting new double album from Sarabeth Tucek under her SBT moniker, her first new LP in a decade. Musically it falls between spiky indie rock nuggets and a more sedate post-Americana. Her voice sounds great, toneful and often delivered as wry and verbose conversationals. There is a lot to get stuck into.
Erin Birgy is one one of the most consistently fascinating pop outsiders around and her new album as Mega Bog is a treat. As with any album created during the lockdown period, there is a palpable sense of anxiety in tone, but End of Everything is relentlessly poppy, a swaggering new-wave album of weird production and dance beats.
+ Available on exclusive Neon Orange colour vinyl.
Live at Stubb's is the first in a series of live recordings from Khruangbin and their Friends. On this occasion, the psychedelic trio are joined by guitar virtuoso Kelly Doyle, accordion player Ruben Moreno, The Suffers and Robert Ellis. Such great motion, there is a hard-earned musical spontaneity. Forthcoming sets (up for pre order now) will include Toro y Moi, Nubya Garcia and Men I Trust.
Bay Area producer Salami Rose Joe Louis returns on Brainfeeder with the warped out Akousmatikous LP. Bedroom RnB and Jazz vibes that create sweet and looping lullabies, she’s a deft producer and this one has a gorgeously hazy energy.
Amatssou is the new album from Tuareg rock band Tinariwen. There is such a lightness to it, snaking guitar lines and hypnotic rhythms bring washes of euphoria. It’s an album of hopeful defiance and sonic calm in the face of hard fought victories.
+ Available on limited White colour vinyl.
Are you ready for a forty-strong international music collective fronted by a cartoon alligator? Well, good! Party Gator Purgatory is the debut LP from Temps, a project produced, curated and devised by UK stand-up comedian James Acaster. Trippy, experimental and really quite enthralling.
+ Available on limited double Neon Pink & Neon Green colour vinyl.
Aperture is the debut LP on Sub Pop from NYC-by-way-of-Texas artist Hannah Jadagu. She really does have a gorgeous voice, especially in subtle harmonious layers. Pop sensitive, but with some really off-kilter production. It’s really good stuff.
+ Available as a limited ‘Loser Edition’ on Red colour vinyl.
Also this week; Take Me Back To Eden is the heavy - but surprisingly accessible - new LP from British rock band Sleep Token. End of the World is the new high-pop opus from Austin songwriting duo, Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins as Wild Child. The Murlocs return with garage-punk and country-rock energy on Calm Ya Farm, which we have on a limited "Bible Basher Edition" colour vinyl pressing.
Lastly this week, Pianists Timo Andres and Conor Hanick perform Sufjan Stevens' Reflections score and it is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful meditations in the fragile and delicate Debussy/Grieg tone, but lots of contemporary melodies too, it’s a fairly sublime listen.
+ Available on VERY limited Turquoise colour vinyl.
- Drift
