We conclude our six-part Winter Music Preview with a slew of genres: not only those mentioned above, but doom, dub, raga, Afrobeat and more. During this trip around the world, we’ll meet performers who operate as sonic chefs, spicing their music with international flavors and inventing new hybrids along the way.
150 previews in the course of a week is only the tip of the iceberg. We invite you to check out our Upcoming Releases page, which is updated daily, and our More Music Sites page, which includes links to more retail and review sites. There’s always something new on the horizon. A happy 2024 to all of our readers!
Our cover image is a classic Earth from Above shot, as shared by Artnet!
A-Sun Amissa returns in a big way with Ruins Era, preceded by a 22-minute single that defies the classic definition of the word. “A New Precipice” is a cry into the void, a distillation of modern anxiety and a warning of things to come. But wait, there’s more! The full album tops out at 70 minutes and greets the new year with thick, immersive doom. The massive sound is slightly softened by Claire Knox on clarinet, but there’s no muting these dangerous timbres (Gizeh, February 9). The Southern gothic vibe of Dead Bandit recalls smoke-filled rooms, femme fatales and film noir. Memory Thirteen is dense, measured, and immersive, sounding more like the work of a small band than a determined duo (Quindi, February 9).
We love the phrase “brass-fueled euphoria,” which is used to describe the upcoming album from A Burial at Sea. On Close to Home, the Irish post-rockers have composed a love letter to the people and towns that shaped them. While this is only their second album, A Burial at Sea already sounds like a veteran band (Pelagic, February 23). On the other end of the sonic spectrum, “minimalist post-rock” is a rare tag, but one rightfully applied to Antistatic on its debut disc. The Copenhagen band incorporates jazz, world and freeform influences on Relics, out January 26 on Cuneiform, a label now celebrating its 40th birthday.
Psych trio mega cat meows with a funky accent and revels in sci-fi themes. “Worm Rider” and the two-part “Ballad of Sarah Connor” reference famous productions with playfulness and verve (Share It Music, February 16). Funk, dub and improv mingle across Rainbow, conceived by The Comet Is Coming drummer Maxwell Hallett as Champagne Dub. Not content with a new band name alone, Hallett is now calling himself mr. noodles (On the Corner, February 8). SabaSaba shares similar influences, but exudes a completely different vibe. The dub of Unknown City is dark and foreboding, like a slow walk through post-apocalyptic streets. Inspired by China Miéville’s novel The City And The City, the album reflects the mood of an oppressed society, offering scarce glimmers of hope (Maple Death, February 9). Stoner psych trio Tropic Santos has no shortage of energy, infusing Jaguar Mamas with funk and verve. The single is the first taste of Caccia Grossa, out January 19 on Argonauta Records.
Folk, psych and raga become friends on Adshusheer, the new album from post-folk trio The River Otters. The release is preceded by Lyra’s Mad Dance, a live version of an album track. The album cover is so elaborate that even at full size, it begs to be expanded fuller; hints of the track titles are embedded in the artwork (January 12). Raoul Eden‘s Anima is awash in warm, fingerstyle guitar. The addition of occasional chimes lends the release a ritualistic, even spiritual vibe (Scissor Tail, February 15). Tyler McDermott‘s Light the Way is an EP of short pieces centered on acoustic guitar, purple and positive, closing on a vocal track (January 15).
All About That Jazz
Peter Jonatan and Metropole Orkest present the expansive, cinematic Psalms Symphony, which shares elements of both modern composition and jazz, especially in its final movement, as it sways from church choir to big band concert hall to intimate jazz club, opening itself to multiple concert settings (January 29). Trombonist Marshall Gilkes teams with The WDR Big Band on LifeSongs, which includes a piece that address gun violence, balanced by a lullaby: an example of dynamic diversity (Alternate Side Records, January 26).
Does it really take 10,000 Hours of practice to become a master of the craft? Saxophonist Hiruy Tirfe explores Malcolm Gladwell’s statement on an album that blends vocal, instrumental and spoken word, and operates as a paean to Philadelphia, replete with a post-Super Bowl speech. Patriots fans might not like this album (January 26). DB & the Soho Nine-Six break out the jazz-funk jams on their self-titled album, which includes a reflective tribute to San Francisco. Eagles fans might not like this one (January 26).
Here’s a fun offering: the French-Polish quartet Lumpeks fuse Polish folk songs and jazz on Polonez, playing instruments as diverse as bębenek obręczowy and drone box. Bird calls and vocals are mixed in as well, making the experience a party on a disc (Umlaut, January 26). Danish quartet Kalaha returns with the jazz/world vibes of Nord Ham, borrowing from samba, Afrobeat and other disparate genres. All are welcome (April Records, January 26).
Abdullah Ibrahim‘s two-volume 3 provides a showcase for the 89-year-old South African pianist, representing two live sets, one solo and one as part of a trio. In cases like this, age really is just a number (Gearbox, January 26). Have you ever imagined what your favorite video game scores might sound like if rearranged for jazz orchestra? Wonder no more! Flipping the script, Myles Wright‘s Gamer tackles themes from Castlevania, Prince of Persia, Super Mario World and more, with a few additional tracks streaming on YouTube (January 26).
Richard Allen
a closer listen 