The Predatory Wasp
I’ve been revisiting the discography of the hugely underrated and now sadly defunct band Paper Dollhouse recently, and there are parallels to be drawn between their work and the Save The Cat’s debut LP; stripped-back guitars, mournful vocals and a lot of reverb that occasionally descends into blinding static. The whole album is incredibly sad and depressing and I really love it.
Laryssa Kim’s new album Contezza is described in the press materials as “a crossroad where Brian Eno, Enya, and Erykah Badu all meet”, and somewhat surprisingly that’s not all bullshit hyperbole. Singing in French, English and Italian over lush electronic backdrops, Kim creates a deeply engaging atmosphere that moves from romantic to alienating and back again, often in the space of a single track.
John Glacier’s new Like A Ribbon EP is incredible. Produced by Flume, Vegyn, Kwes Darko and others, it showcases Glacier’s deep connection to her origins, set against a backdrop of fantasy and personal reflection: unfiltered, poetic, and full of energy. Just five tracks long and clocking in at less that 15 minutes it’s still one of the most impactful and strikingly original releases of the year so far.
https://shop.y-o-u-n-g.com/release/438710-john-glacier-like-a-ribbon
More electronic alt-pop whimsy from Discovery Zone’s forthcoming album Quantum Web, with the hypnotically lo-fi music video directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford.
Ever wondered what a cross between Joji, Omar Apollo and Paul Simon would sound like? If yes; you, my friend, are in luck!
I’m not entirely sure how many Helado Negro albums there have been – maybe 10? – but I do know they just keep getting better. His latest PHASOR is “an homage to going outside again” and a “returning to life record” concerned with beautifully evocative, hopeful imagery like remembering what the sun feels like and letting it warm your skin. I saw some early spring flowers out the other day, and putting aside what this ultimately means regarding the rapid warming of the planet and ultimate death of everyone on it… it was nice; just like this album!
My dude 36 is back with yet another album, hopefully the first of many this year. Reality Engine is the third and final LP in 36’s synth trilogy, concluding the melodic, melancholy machine sound started with Wave Variations and continuing with Symmetry Systems. See how it glimmers! Feel better!
In August 2022, Ariel Kalma, a renowned fourth-world (nope, me neither – but apparently it’s a thing) music artist, joined BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction for a special collaborative project, pairing with artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer. This partnership, led to the creation of twenty minutes of music through a back-and-forth exchange of ideas and contributions. After fulfilling their initial commitment, the trio felt compelled to continue their collaboration, expanding upon their initial creations, which ultimately culminated in an album The Closest Thing to Silence. The album’s title, inspired by a Kalma quote and echoing an ECM Records motto, emphasizes music’s profound connection to silence – so expect plenty of ambient, experimental meanderings, and quite a lot of space.
https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/the-closest-thing-to-silence
In a first, and hopefully last for this blog, I’m posting something that I absolutely cannot stand and wish didn’t exist. Orbital’s Belfast is a really special record; not only one of the best electronic tracks ever produced, but one that remains utterly timeless and never fails to elicit an emotional response in me. This new version is none of these things. It’s trite, cliched nonsense, and I have no time for it at all. Rather than rehashing classic records, perhaps everyone involved should focus on doing something genuinely creative.
The Predatory Wasp 