Ian William Craig "Red Sun Through Smoke (Fat Cat)"
From Fat Cat:
Musically, ‘Red Sun Through Smoke’ moves from the sparse vocal take of opener ‘Random’; to the shifting, semi-occluded piano/ choral layering of ‘The Smokefallen’ or ‘Comma’; and the beauty of simple piano songs like ‘Supper’ or ‘Stories’. It’s not until ‘Condx QRN’ that the noise enters fully fledged and excoriating, but a patina of dust and decay is prevalent throughout. The use of smudged drones, occasional incursions of static, distortion and other noises eating away at the material’s edges offers a neat audio corollary to the smoke-filled environment or the progression of mental/physical deterioration. The drifting, untethered sections of overlaid piano/choral parts suggest some spectral unravelling or spiritual departure, whilst the naked simplicity of the piano and voice songs attest to a purity and directness of feeling. Indeed, despite the gathering detritus, ‘Red Sun…’ is perhaps the most stripped down, concise and direct that we’ve heard Ian. The LP ends as it starts, unadorned, “with a different reflection on coming to grips with the random nature of life and distilling everything down into only that which is necessary, without any of the raiment we usually cloak ourselves in.” Welling with emotion, ‘Stories’ is a stunning song and a heartbreaking final note.
Check out “Weight.”
Yumi Zouma "Truth Or Consequences (Polyvinyl)"
Oh man, if you like your pop records nearly perfect, covered in an ‘80s-esque early-digital sheen but also complete with modern turns, and filled to the brim with jangly, bouncy, art-pop then you are gonna LOVE the new LP from Yumi Zouma. Truth Or Consequences may be their third release, but its the first one for Polyvinyl which makes it number one in our hearts! (Can you tell I’m writing this blurb the week of Valentine’s Day?) Whether it’s the bouncy (uh oh, a second use of bouncy) “Cool For A Second” or the jangly (AAGH! SECOND JANGLY) balladeering of “Truer Than Ever” there isn’t a bad place to start here. So start already!
Fotocrime "South Of Heaven"
Look, if the man wants to talk about his music, then who am I to stop him, right? If the enigmatic R (sources tell us R is actually Ryan of Coliseum) of Fotocrime says ” “This is a record for late night drives, a soundtrack for headlights illuminating the horizon. I’ll make music until the end of my days, with or without a listener, but I’m happy to have a passenger for the ride into the dark.” of the new album South Of Heaven then why wouldn’t I just repeat that helpful bit here for all of you? Get ready for a new wave/dark wave synth-y power cruise with this moody record. Check out the eerie “Love Is A Devil.”
