The big guns are absent from post-rock this fall, leaving plenty of space for the next generation to move in. The last article in our Fall Music Preview includes American Primitive, chamber rock, post-metal and prog, with a little bit of folk and jazz thrown in for good measure.
Already we’ve covered hundreds of releases, far too many to fit in our daily review section. As fall is the biggest release season for music, we expect the rapid pace of announcements to continue over the next few months. Be sure to visit our Upcoming Releases page as more titles are added daily!
Our cover image comes from Kukangendai‘s Baquet Wheel, covered below.
Philadelphia’s Hour continues to be the spiritual successor to Rachel’s. Blending chamber arrangements with a post-rock sensibility, the ever-morphing ensemble straddles genres and exudes a sense of elegance. Ghost Bridge is Hour’s first studio album since 2024’s Ease the Work, and contains moments both intimate and immense (Dear Life, October 9). Stepping out from his Blue Lake moniker, Jason Dungen teams up with Johan Carøe for Routine, which operates as a tribute to domestic life. The album feels like family and home, refuge and safety (Tonal Union, September 25).
We might call HUG a supergroup, as it is comprised of Devendra Banhart, Gyan Riley and Noah Georgeson. The guitar work is intricate and instinctive, and in lead single “Cow With Half Moon Passed,” one can even hear the evening frogs singing along (Luaka Bop, September 11). Twenty years into their career, Kyoto’s Kukangendai is still going strong. Recorded live, Baquet Wheel is an acoustic adventure rife with experimentation and a sense of fun (Marionette, October 4). Bass flute and Moog is a rare combination, owned by Big Bend + a&h on their new album Cloudshaped. The title is fitting, as these amorphous pieces twist and turn, dissolve and reform. Piano, strings, sax, bowed psaltery and more play supporting roles (Dead Currencies, September 25).
While Light Conductor‘s music is often described as “cosmic drone,” we feel it fits more in the categories of rock and folk. This is not to say that the former tag is a misnomer, as both elements are present. Sequence Three is the concluding chapter of a triptych, and is one of three records being released by Constellation on September 25. Oren Ambarchi‘s Cooked isn’t just about the guitar; shō, gamelan and a host of other instruments come into play, thanks to a host of guest stars. With one track per side, the compositions have a copious amount of room (Drag City, September 25). Bhajan Bhoy returns with Electrisol, a shimmering guitar set preceded by the single Palidena, which was originally included on a benefit compilation (Feeding Tube/Cardinal Fuzz). RYMDEN looks an awful lot like Kraftwerk on the Bandcamp page for Today May Be Tomorrow. Their sound incorporates jazz, groove, prog and krautrock, lively and loose (Jazzland recordings Norway, September 25). Midway between Acoustic Ladyland and Melt Yourself Down is Pete Wareham’s lost album with Silver Birch, a blast of punk energy, rhythmic improv and fresh saxophone air. After 15 years, High on the Western Hill still sounds new (Kit, November 13).
Lummernikt is an intricate acoustic guitar album, named after the spores of plants once used for theatrical pyrotechnics. The title might also be applied to the music, which flows like a summer river until it reaches the rapids. Finn Loxbo‘s track titles also have intriguing explanations, with references to poetry, prose, nature and children’s toys (Fönstret, September 18). Half of Mountains returns with Nightlife, demonstrating a surprising jazz bent rather than the expected drone. Koen Holtkamp introduces the set with the hypnotic video for “Slow Fox Run.”(Western Vinyl, October 9). We normally find Hausu Mountain in our Electronic section, but Crying Laughing‘s Talking is a different animal: a jazz and funk-laden excursion with healthy doses of percussion (including cowbell!), alto sax and “Ricemeat” (September 10).
Eiderdown Records started the season early, releasing two new albums yesterday. Nick Jonah Davis‘ Rose Delta Rising lies on the border of post-rock, gentle and kind, but with upbeat numbers like “Poa Kichizi” to get the crowds dancing. Steven R. Smith‘s Half Light Unfolding operates in a similar tonal range, with guitar, piano and organ, an intimate set that calms the heart and warms the spirit. For a discount, purchase as a pair!
Allison De Groot‘s clawhammer banjo meets Rich Ruth‘s diverse instrumentation on their self-titled LP, whose tones range from lullaby to campfire stomp, with electronic surprises in-between. “10-14” is our favorite (Western Vinyl, October 2). Davide Cedolin follows his Ligurian Pastoral series with Cjera Aʃìn, which is informed by the artist’s “origin land” of Val d’Arzino in Northern Italy. Graced by field recordings from the region, the album is a mix of American primitive, folk and drone, and has a homespun, deep woods tone, perfect for its release on the precipice of the autumnal equinox (September 21). Debacle Records is the new home for Verdin Brothers, who combine field recordings, bluegrass and hauntology on The Crooked Serpent, a collection of late night tales told by a crackling fire (October 16).
What’s on your Dance Card? Adam Hill‘s album includes modern composition and pedal steel!). With seven different composers and a decet, the surprises keep coming, while the fascination level remains high (September 18). The Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela makes a joyful noise with pieces inspired by “rogue monsters, celestial birds and other fantastical creatures.” On one track they become a trio, but OurHome sounds like the work of a quartet (ATO, September 18).
Hannes Kretzer‘s music lurks before it pounces, catching listeners off guard like helpless prey. The intensely cinematic Amor Fati sounds like the work of a full band, especially at the rocking end of tracks such as “Devotion & Decay.” Recorded in a 16th century castle church, the album includes guest vocals from Vargkvint and may inspire listeners to develop their own narratives (September 25). Shipwreck Orchestra is not actually an orchestra, but it may as well be, since frontman Aaron Miller plays over a dozen instruments, enhanced by the contributions of a small number of friends. On Papers Relating to an Unattributed Journal, participants use 19th century instruments to weave a conceptual tale (September 11).
From the title and artist name, we knew that Glorious 70mm‘s Death Is for Mortals No Longer an Evil, But a Blessing was a pure post-rock album. What we couldn’t tell was that it was a solo effort: immense in sound, difficult to bring on tour. The sound seems tailor-made for silent film scoring, reflecting the wise moniker (September 4). On the same day, Northampton post-rock quartet AV Sunset releases Vs Reality, whose sequences of sweetness are balanced by cathartic explosions, demonstrated in the center of “The Cheerleading Elite” (September 4).
The sound of Edmonton’s Pigeon Breeders lies somewhere between post-rock and noise rock; Springtime as Violence, justifies its title with subtle distortion and thick surges of sound (Honey Farm, September 4). Collapse Under the Empire’s Chris Burda steps out on his own as Age of Life, unveiling the ambitious, cinematic Emergence – Part I. Each track corresponds to a unique era of evolutionary time (CB, October 30). Swiss post-prog rockers hubris. are already on their fifth album, preceded by the Tolkien-inspired single “Death.” White Shores is out September 10.
Want even heavier stuff? Try Ølyp, whose energetic progressive metal is enhanced by viola, violin and cello, the sugar to their salt. I(m)MORAL is available on sunshine splatter vinyl and preceded by the head-banging The Human Error (Klonosphere, September 25). Ovoo (not to be confused with OvO) unleashes Obsidian on October 2, with blasts of guitar fury so powerful they blow the top off the mountain, as seen on the cover. Spoken word passages only add to the drama.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed our Fall Music Preview and that we’ve given you plenty to look forward to!
Richard Allen
a closer listen 