Kid Millions and Jan St. Werner "Imperium Droop (Thrill Jockey)"
From Thrill Jockey Records:
The duo of John Colpitts aka Kid Millions and Jan St. Werner brings together the minds of two mavericks committed to exploring new avenues of musical expression. Kid Millions is one of the most sought after drummers and improvisors in NYC, known for his expansive solo work as Man Forever, as well as collaborations and performances with the likes of Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Boredoms, and So Percussion. Millions’ acclaim is equally rooted in his work with rock bands such as his own Oneida, as well as working with bands like Royal Trux and Spiritualized. Jan St. Werner has consistently remained at the vanguard of electronic music with his work as one half of Mouse On Mars as well as with his solo work and collaborations with The Fall’s Mark E Smith, Oval’s Markus Popp, Stereolab and The National. On their debut collaboration Imperium Droop, Millions and Werner, along with special guests Mats Gustafsson, Andrew Barker, and Richard Hoffman, created a collection of beautiful pieces built on surprising sound combinations. Together, the works on Imperium Droop are a joyful listen and an exhilarating foray into the unknown.
Ellis "Nothing is Sacred Anymore (Fat Possum)"
From Fat Possum Records:
“I grew up Christian and was quite devoted to faith up through my late teens, but I started challenging that once I got to university,” says Hamilton, Ontario-based singer/songwriter Linnea Siggelkow, who began making music under the name Ellis in 2017. “Since then I’ve been trying to redefine who I am and where I stand and what I think about these things on my own, and that journey very much played into the songwriting on this record.”
Daniel Avery "Together in Static (Phantasy Sound / Mute Records)"
From Phantasy Sound Records:
“As with many things this past year, the project took on a power and a life of its own right in front of me. The original idea was to simply play a couple of small gigs at Hackney Church during the last lockdown. I started to make music specifically for the shows yet, as plans continued to shift, I fell deeper into the waves. I considered a 12” or maybe an EP but by the time I came up for air, I realised I had a complete record I wanted to share. I feel it’s some of my best work and I’m gassed for you all to hear it.
As the music evolved, I also felt it was only fair to shine a brighter light on the live gigs themselves especially during a time when travel continues to feel like a distant dream. So, on Wednesday 23rd June we will be presenting a Together in Static global live stream from Hackney Church. It’s been a tough year for everyone so we’ve kept tickets at five pounds. These tickets are up today along with pre-orders for the album plus some very limited prints and t-shirts designed by Brad Mead. There is even a bundle for the most ardent heads out there. I see you and I salute you. Tickets for the global stream are on sale now via Dice: link.dice.fm/together-in-static”
-Daniel Avery
Alessandro Cortini "Scuro Chiaro (Mute)"
From Mute Records:
SCURO CHIARO comes from a place that delights in the affirmation of life’s constant variations, simultaneously presenting both bewilderment and vulnerability with its sombre hues and pulsing, synthetic surfaces.
The album’s title plays on the term for heavily contrasting light and shadow in painting and other visual arts. Cortini explains, “SCURO CHIARO is the opposite of chiaroscuro [the use of light and shadow to give strong contrast], and in a way it shows that no matter how you order things there’s always going to be two elements that tend to be the opposite of each other that make up the truth—or make up everything.”