I’m sick for what feels like the third time this year already. Even typing is taking it out of me, so here’s a quick one for you that’s soothing my weary brain.
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Holodec – paint job (jade mix)
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System Olympia – Mystified
System Olympia has a new greatest hits album out, and even though everything on it has been previously released, I still think it’s worth highlighting as it’s really brilliant. Also: that album cover. Now I’m no prude, but I was genuinely startled. New Erotica Collection very much by both name and nature it seems.
https://systemolympia.bandcamp.com/album/new-erotica-collection
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The Antlers – I Was Not There
The Antlers first release of the year is perhaps their gentlest, dreamiest song to date. Unveiled this week alongside the announcement of an NYC show, there are no hints about a forthcoming album – and as this sounds like it could have easily been recorded for 2021’s Green To Gold that seems unlikely – but it’s still very nice to have new music from arguably my favourite band of the last decade.
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Fever Ray – Kandy
The Glastonbury line-up poster was revealed last week, so obviously I am spending quite a lot of my time fanatically listening to everyone I’m not already familiar with. Fever Ray was vaguely on my radar before, but I just didn’t really connect with them. Their latest single is amazing though, and I also only just realised that they were one half of The Knife! Which considering I loved them, and also consider myself vaguely musically attuned is a fairly major oversight. Also: that video.
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Grant Chapman – This Comfort
For an album created entirely from random samples sourced on YouTube, there’s an incredibly consistent atmosphere on Grant Chapman’s Indentations, so much so that posting one track here doesn’t really do it justice. Like most of the album, This Comfort is delicate, emotional and evocative, and lands in a very sweet spot between ‘traditional’ ambient music and spine-tingling ASMR.
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St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Sea Star
St. Paul & The Broken Bones pick up where they left off last year with the lead single from their recently announced second album, Angels in Science Fiction, due for release 21 April. Inspired by a story about a starfish that’s far too maddeningly twee for me to waste your time with, the song itself is, thankfully, a banger.
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Liv.e – Snowing!
I’m a bit late to the party on this one as it feels like everyone’s been singing the praises of Liv.e’s new album Girl In the Half Pearl for some time now, but I just couldn’t risk the ire of the music blogging community so am jumping on the appreciation bandwagon. Also: it’s really great, and about as varied an album as you’re likely to find anytime soon, from the full on soul balladry of Wild Animals to the arpeggiated chaos of Snowing!.
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Nappy Nina – Weeping Waltz
Recorded in Crown Heights, Brooklyn over a three-year period from 2019 to 2022, Nappy Nina’s new LP Mourning Due is billed as “a record that considers grief a currency and questions who is owed what”. Her voice throughout is hushed and contemplative, backed up by nicely varied production characterised by dreamily looped samples and raw, complex drum patterns. Weeping Waltz featuring a guest spot from Cavalier is a stand out, but the entire album is definitely worth a listen.
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Bianca Scout – Empty space
Following collaborations with artist like Space Afrika, Ben Vince, and Elena Isolini, Bianca Scout’s new album The Heart of the Anchoress started life as a three day recording session at St Giles Church in Camberwell. Dark, dreamy and hypnotic, it sits somewhere between TPW favourites Grouper and Andy Stott, with opening track Empty space nicely setting the tone for the gloomy euphoria to come.
https://firstterracerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-heart-of-the-anchoress
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µ-Ziq – 4am
Mike Paradinas just really loves making music. Not content with putting out two brilliant albums last year on his own Planet Mu label, he recently announced a new LP, 1977, that will land on the excellent Blamat in April. 4am is the lead single, and it’s a softly billowing delight.
The Predatory Wasp 