Crucial Listening #95: Victoria Shen (evicshen)
Totality in music, lyrical homicide, destroyed Barbie dolls. The experimental music performer and instrument-maker discusses three important albums.
Jack Chuter
Review: Xena Glas – Body
BANDCAMP.
Derived from Xena Glas’ lived experience with autism, the five tracks of Body are named after specific sites where the effects of autism announce themselves, each at the juncture between the internal and external: “Eye” references the plethora of ideas and emotions conveyed through eye contact; “Feet” and “Hand”
Review: Nyokabi Kariũki – peace places: kenyan memories
SA RECORDINGS.
The push and pull of disparate distances. These tracks are gathered from elements of emotional significance to Nyokabi Kariũki, all within her home of Kenya – the ocean at dawn, a stroll through a farm, voices of family, contributions from close friends, the interwoven languages of home and heritage
Hard Return: African Ghost Valley – SEASONS
13 January 2022
Incredible new EP from this Canadian/European duo, all stemming from the synth melody that pervades the entire release. In fact its ubiquity is primarily in spirit, with the levitating drone of “SEASONS NEEDLE” and the radio interference of “SEASONS EENT” infused with its beautiful searchlight swirl.
Review: Uraño – BARRAGE
BANDCAMP.
What an opening riff. Like a degraded film loop of someone falling down a right-angled staircase, drums and bass stumble and slam into the wall on repeat, occasionally dragged into chaotic celluloid divergences, somehow returning to the main refrain each time. Where some groups affiliated with the “noise rock”
Crucial Listening #94: Martin J Thompson
VHS basslines, definitive ambient, record shopping in Woolworths. The London-based musician and anarchist discusses three important albums.
Feature: Records Of 2021
Like all end-of-year lists, there’s nothing definitive about this one. Neither is it in any particular order. Essentially, here’s a selection of records that pop into my head when I think about the music I’ve enjoyed throughout 2021. I’ll probably end up adding a whole bunch