turn – The Predatory Wasp

This came out back in March so may well be on your radar already, but I only just came across it after delving into the goldmine that is the Quietus’s best albums of the year so far list, which is highly recommended. Kiss for The Valley is one of 36(!) tracks on Kizis’s absolutely extraordinary album Tidibàbide / Turn, which seems to have flown under the radar a little, despite a fairly positive Pitchfork review. Honestly though, this sounds like nothing else I’ve heard this year, and deserves far greater acclaim than it looks likely to get. I’ve singled out Kiss For The Valley for special mention, not just because it takes a turn for the Sufjan-esque (choral choirs, falsetto, plaintive trumpets, etc.) about halfway through, but that it also sums up the raw energy and unpredictability of the entire LP. At three and a half hours, it’s not to be taken lightly, but it’s worth it.