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
Under the mononym L’Rain, Brooklyn native Taja Cheek has become a celebrated figure in New York experimental music, and her new album I Killed Your Dog looks set to further cement her reputation. Existing in a similarly genre-less, albeit considerably more wavy space as someone like Yves Tumor, I Killed Your Dog considers what it means to hurt the people you love the most, and has been described by Cheek as an “anti-break-up” record. Does this mean it’s a record that soundtracks people getting together? Or one that’s suited to couples who really should split up, but battle through regardless. Probably the latter, maybe something else entirely. But it’s very good and you should listen to it.
The Predatory Wasp 