More highlights before it all descends into twinkling lights…
Hello, Friends.
What’s that? Oh, just King Gizzard delivering a highly conceptual album, their third of the year and what is probably their 21st studio set in the last ten years. Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava follows the Made in Timeland and Omnium Gatherum albums from earlier in the year, and chronologically arrives in between the Laminated Denim and Changes albums, illustrating their ferocious work ethic and a frankly dazzling new mode of work. The album was mostly recorded in the space of a week, with all six band members improvising in a different musical key and tempo each day, with all seven modes of the major scale represented. This is no idle cleverness for cleverness’ sake, like a jazz session of old, they made parameters and they went on a trip. This year alone they’ve touched on ‘70’s prog, rock, jazz, Turkish folk, Ghanaian highlife, Tropicalia and psychedelia, but it’s their constant inventiveness and unbridled passion that always makes them such an engaging listen.
Record of the Week and a real treat.
+ It’s pressed on recycled vinyl so they all look different and unique.
Oscar Jerome returns - a couple of years after his impressive debut LP - with a glimmering new set of experimental jazz sounds on The Spoon. There is a real pop sensibility to the album, with broken beats and textures that all have a really lush flow. Aside from a few really driving cuts (especially early highlight ‘Berline 1’), there is a great laconic energy and it feels really considered in that way. A laid back end of year treat that really warrants attention. Highly recommended.
+ Available on exclusive Translucent Blue colour vinyl.
📷 Sneaky Stone Club rack browsing photo.
Where the Viaduct Looms comprises nine Nick Cave cover versions with vocals and music by 14-year-old Nell Smith and instrumentation and production by The Flaming Lips. Her voice is delicate and really quite enthralling. The whole project is accomplished well beyond her years and she really holds her own with the iconic Oklahoma rock band providing subtle and often quite melancholic backing.
+ Pressed on limited Blue colour vinyl.
Adelaide-based band Los Palms release their surf-rocking debut Skeleton Ranch via Fuzz Club. Loads of sunny jangle and plenty of darker flashes in the psychedelia. The production sounds deliciously old without playing revivalist dress-up, it’s great fun.
+ Pressed on limited ‘Bone’ colour vinyl.
A couple of books to flag up today too; with Richard Evans’ fascinating Listening to the Music the Machines Make, looking at the Electronic Pop Revolution between 1978 and 1983. He has so clearly lived and absorbed it all, it’s such a deep dive, pretty much essential for anyone with a passing interest in electronic music. Also with us is The Weakness in Me: Selected Lyrics from Joan Armatrading. Selected and arranged by the author, it also features a foreword by revered record producer Glyn Johns. Joan also signed our copies!
Reissues this week include; Pharoah Sanders, Thelonious Monk, Jay Jay Johnson and Duster, we’ll write more about them and any other late additions early next week.
Hope you’re all doing well out there.
- Drift