Tag: experimental

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FKA Twigs – Papi Pacify

Yesterday marked the 10 year anniversary (!!!) of the release of FKA Twigs’ staggeringly brilliant EP2. Produced by Arca, it went on to ‘inspire’ an entire wave of artists attempting to replicate its stripped-back yet immensely rich and impactful sound. Very few matched its creativity and sheer take-your-breath-away originality, and none surpassed it, arguably even Twigs herself (although many would disagree with me on that last point). A decade later it still represent a high point, both musically and culturally, and perhaps most importantly, open my own eyes and ears to a world to which I was previously completely ignorant.

https://www.instagram.com/fkatwigs

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Apex Twin – zin2 test5

Lots and lots of fun music out today, but this is probably the biggest and funnest of the lot. The first new music from The Big RDJ in 5 years – the predictably functionally named Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 – includes this tight, sinewy little roller which dissolves into those trademark melt-your-heart pads in its final third.

https://aphextwin.bandcamp.com/album/blackbox-life-recorder-21f-in-a-room7-f760

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Cucina Povera – Naapurista kuuluu lattian natinaa

I came across this during a frantic Spotify cull of albums I’ve saved but rarely (if ever) listened to. Cucina Povera is the alias of the Glasgow-based artist Maria Rossi, originally from Finland, and this is taken from her 2021 LP Dalmarnock Tapes, throughout which she layers her own vocals to create a choir of one, with invariably intensely haunting results.

https://cucinapovera.bandcamp.com/album/dalmarnock-tapes

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Rrose – Spore

Rrose’s compositional process centres on “seed” sounds being fed through elaborate webs of interrelated audio processing: essentially a chain of sequences where changes in any one element have resulting implications further down the line. If that all sounds a bit technical its because its largely copied from the press notes, but I thought it was quite interesting. The new album from which Spore is taken splits its time between radical techno iterations and pieces which pare back the percussion, letting the synth textures uncurl in their own time and space. Spore lands firmly in the former category, and is among the most straightforwardly enjoyable tracks on Please Touch.

https://eaux.ro/album/please-touch

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Loraine James – 2003

Loraine James released two of the best albums of last year, so news of a new LP is real welcome on this blog. Landing in September on Hyperdub – her third for the label – Gentle Confrontations will feature collabs with George Riley and keiyaA and others, and has been touted as “a teenage Loraine would like to have made” and described as “positively languid”, which is excellent news. Lead single 2003 certainly fits with this description, and has echoes of Tirzah in both the haunting, loopy simplicity of its production and low-key vocal delivery.

https://lorainejames.bandcamp.com/album/gentle-confrontation

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Mandy, Indiana – 2 Stripe

Everywhere I look, Mandy, Indiana’s new album i’ve seen a way is getting glowing reviews. A four-piece experimental noise band formed in Manchester, the group was initially comprised of vocalist Valentine Caulfield and Scott Fair after they sharing a bill with their former projects, and were subsequently joined by Simon Catling (synth) and Alex MacDougall (drums). Their debut LP is noisy, chaotic and at times overwhelming, with a raw urgency throughout, even in its less full-on moments. 2 Stipe is arguably one of the most conventional tracks, even though they’d surely rail against the use of that word.

https://mandyindiana.bandcamp.com/album/ive-seen-a-way

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Natural Wonder Beauty Concept – Sword

Natural Beauty Wonder Concept is the new project from DJ Python and Ana Roxanne, both of whom I love. There’s an album due out in July, primarily recorded during covid days, and this is the first single. It’s great, and not even the press release describing the LP as “two artists learning to be alone, together” (🤮) can dull my enthusiasm.

https://naturalwonderbeautyconcept.bandcamp.com/album/natural-wonder-beauty-concept

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Yves Tumor – Parody

Yves Tumor continues their evolution from experimental electronic noodler to stadium rock icon with their new album, the insanely (and brilliantly) titled Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). I haven’t had a proper chance to delve into its metallic depths yet, but on the first listen Parody stood out as particularly fun.

https://yves-tumor.bandcamp.com/album/praise-a-lord-who-chews-but-which-does-not-consume-or-simply-hot-between-worlds

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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!.

https://o-liv.bandcamp.com/album/girl-in-the-half-pearl

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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