Eiko Ishibashi "The Dreams My Bones Dream (Drag City)"
Eiko Ishibashi’s new LP The Dreams My Bones Dream (Drag City) is a wonderfully ramshackled, travelogue of an album. Written in the time after the passing of her father, she decided to dig into her family history and this is the lovely result. It’s a little bit like Stereolab is covering Miles Davis and Radiohead at the same time, with a little bit of her mixer’s Jim O’Rourke influence thrown in. Some train sound effects here, some detuned tuner there. The occasional soundscape-esque instrumental… Really, until you listen to this one you’re gonna have a hard time picturing it with your mind’s eye…er… mind’s ears. So check out the bouncy Stereolab syncopation of “Iron Veil.”
Sloucher "Be True (Swoon Records)"
If, like me, you devoured the heyday of ‘90s indie rock like it was popcorn at a superhero movie, then Sloucher’s debut record Be True (Swoon Records) is making some late-in-the-year moves towards being on your list of favorite 2018 records. If you remember standing in church basements waiting to see Grandaddy while listening to Pavement on your Walkman wearing a Built To Spill t-shirt the whole time… But also had an ear out for the better mainstream grunge stuffs… Well, get ready to fall in love, starting with “Perfect For You.”
Beast "Ens (Thrill Jockey)"
Koen Holtkamp. You know him from his main gig as a member of Mountains, and also his many solo recordings. This time out he is going by Beast, and Ens (Thrill Jockey), ads another layer to the man’s mysterious productivity. Recorded mostly at night while anticipating the birth of his first child-and then after the long days of new fatherhood-the whole thing is giddy and meticulous. Borrowing something from krautrock, modern ambient music, ‘80s film scores, and his own wandering mind, this is a deeply fun album. Melodic and bouncy, hopeful. Check out the first single “Paprika Shorts.”
Masta Ace & Marco Polo "A Breukelen Story"
How good is the new album from Masta Acce & Marco Polo? Well, Vibe Magazine calls it “55 minutes of pure Brooklyn joints.” What “To The 5 Boroughs” did to all of NY, A Breukelen Story (Fat Beats) does to Brooklyn. Touching on love, being black in America, gentrification, fear, and everything in-between all the while paying homage to all of the rap greats that hail from BK. Guests galore, beats a-plenty, and masterful rhymes from Masta Ace and a slew of talented guests like Pharoahe Monch and… well… that’s not fair to other guests to list them AFTER Pharoahe Monch, that dude is so great. So is “American Me,” so check it out!