The Predatory Wasp
Taken from the debut EP from Lotame. Three understated cuts drift through breaks, acid and slow techno — worn, emotional, quietly unresolved. Somewhere between DJ Healer and Tren: soft-edged, half-lit, and heavy with feeling.
From The Private Collection Of Saba and No ID is a collaborative album between Chicago artists Saba and producer No ID. The project blends hip-hop, soul, and experimental production across a series of tracks and features various guest appearances while leaning in to No ID’s sample-driven, textured production and Saba’s lyrical focus and vocal versatility. There’s a lot to enjoy here, but the 90 second Reciprocity with vocals from Ibeyi is a definite highlight.
Swedish producer Martinou is the latest addition to my very short list of electronic artists making properly emotional stuff; melancholy, reflective, heartbreaking. Basically the kind of stuff I want to be able to make myself. This is taken from his excellent new EP The Glow That Lingers for Fauxpax Musik, and if you like what you hear I’d recommend going back to his 2021 album Rift for more of the same.
https://fauxpasmusik.bandcamp.com/album/the-glow-that-lingers
Not new, but good. Taken from her 2024 album Someday, Now and on my radar as she’s on the Glastonbury line-up. Strong Fleetwood Mac vibes in the melodies.
Astrid Sonne’s remix of Mount Kimbie’s The Trail sounds absolutely nothing like the original, and is all the better for it: chopped, stuttering and deeply atmospheric, her own ghostly vocals providing significant chills.
Penned at his hometown of Wheaton, Maryland, soul boy Jalen Ngonda returns with Just As Long As We’re Together – a smooth, soulful nod to classic Motown, with effortless falsetto, warmth, and lush instrumentation. Channeling the spirit of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Ngonda delivers a heartfelt ode to love, wrapped in rich melodies and timeless charm.
https://jalenngonda.bandcamp.com/track/just-as-long-as-were-together
I saw Walt McClements support Mary Lattimore in a tiny venue in a town most of you have never heard of last year, and it was pretty amazing hearing him create an overwhelming wall of sound from an accordion, a loop pedal and not much else. One woman fainted! But it was quite hot and she was quite old, so take from that what you will. You get a sense of the power and grandiosity of his music from Sirens, the latest single to be released from his upcoming album On a Painted Ocean, due out in April on Western Vinyl.
https://waltmcclements.bandcamp.com/album/on-a-painted-ocean
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t is the brilliant debut LP from Marina Zispin, the project of Bianca Scout and Martyn Reid. Scout, a composer and vocalist, has built a reputation for blending ambient, spoken word, and contemporary classical elements, with past work including The Heart of the Anchoress and last year’s incredible Pattern Damage. This new collaboration continues her exploration of fragmented memory and shifting perceptions, but with a (mostly) more upbeat tone that much of her previous work.
https://scenicroute.bandcamp.com/album/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont
To celebrate the best Glastonbury lineup in years, here’s a recent track from one of the many acts I’m extremely excited to see. Mega Circuit presents a darker, guitar-driven sound, reflecting on contemporary masculinity and the search for identity in challenging times. The track features renowned drummer Jim Keltner, known for his work with artists like Jackson Browne and Dolly Parton. The accompanying music video, co-directed by Zauner and collaborator Adam Kolodny, complements the song’s introspective themes. Which, yes, isn’t exactly three pingers deep in a field vibes, but is still excellent.
https://michellezauner.bandcamp.com/album/for-melancholy-brunettes-sad-women
serpentwithfeet spends a lot of time in bed, and would like to tell you about it. His new GRIP SEQUEL release features six new compositions alongside alternative versions of three tracks from last year’s GRIP: a new version of ‘Lucky Me’ with strings, and remixes of ‘Spades’, featuring Ogi and Destin Conrad, and a ‘Damn Gloves’ remix by Baile Funk featuring Ty Dolla $ign, TH41 & Azzy. “I created GRIP SEQUEL because I had more to say [about sex]*” says serpent “I had more [sexy]* questions about intimacy [and sex]* and this was a fun [and sexy]* way to explore.
*my [sexy] additions
The Predatory Wasp 