pathologizing the present
1. Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka (Polydor) London singer Michael Kiwanuka's third album, with panoramic production by Danger Mouse and Inflo, sees him elevate to another stratosphere. It is a defiant, personal and political mix of soul, blues, gospel, funk and rock, shimmering with shades of 70s soul/R&B (think Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott-Heron, The Temptations, Curtis… Continue reading Top Albums of the Month: November
1. Yelfris Valdés - For The Ones (Musica Macondo Records) Cuban trumpeter Yelfris Valdés (featured on Yussef Kamaal’s Black Focus) releases his debut album, which combines his Cuban roots and Yoruba traditions mixed with the jazz and electronic music influences he’s been exposed to while living in the UK. It brilliantly fuses live instrumentation, spacey electronics, hypnotic… Continue reading Top 10 Albums of the Month: October
1. Kefaya and Elaha Soroor - Songs Of Our Mothers (Bella Union) Afghan singer Elaha Soroor and award-winning music/producer duo Kefaya join forces for a fresh, vibrant take on Afghan folk music filtered through myriad forms - from spiritual jazz and dub to Indian classical music and electronica. The album is a collection of folk… Continue reading Top 10 Albums of the Month: September
1. Tool - Fear Inoculum (RCA) THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER. After a 13-year-long hiatus, our prog-metal overlords Tool drop their fifth studio LP, a baroque odyssey of primordial riffage and languid bliss. Epic tracks include the album-titled opener, 'Pneuma', 'Invincible', 'Culling Voices', and '7empest' - each one a spell-binding journey lasting over 10 mins.… Continue reading Top 10 Albums of the Month: August
1. Sarathy Korwar - More Coming! (Leaf Label) Sarathy Korwar's second LP is many things: a democratic exercise, a political missive, a critique. It’s an honest reflection of Korwar’s experience of being an Indian in a divided Britain, and maintains a confrontational tone that is expressed through an array of sonic mediums: jazz, Hindustani classical… Continue reading Top 10 Albums of the Month: July
1. Vanishing Twin - Age of Immunology (Fire) A magical, idiosyncratic fusion of retro pop and electronica for the trio's second album, which is packed with dreamy improvisations and sultry flute interventions. Much like Death & Vanilla's offering last month, the album oozes Broadcast and Stereolab vibes. 2. Anatolian Weapons - To The Mother of… Continue reading Top 10 Albums of the Month: June
1. Death & Vanilla - Are You A Dreamer? (Fire) The Malmo-based trio return with their first album since 2015, and its been worth the wait! On this offering, the group peddle a delightful retro synth and dream pop with influences ranging from library music, Krautrock to 60s psych. Lush, brooding and melodic, and ripe… Continue reading Top 10 albums of the Month: May
