Category: Reviews

Reviews

Equipment Pointed Ankh “Without Human Permission”

Louisville has got to be, still, one of the most underappreciated hotspots for experimental music in the country. Equipment Pointed Ankh has been concocting a whole planet of sonic weirdness for a while now, but none of that prepared me for the kaleidoscopic acid carnival of Without Human Permission. This record is such an amazing trip. With Astral Spirits’ sister label, Astral Editions, there’s no real … Continue reading Equipment Pointed Ankh “Without Human Permission”

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Reviews

Midori Hirano “Soniscope”

Midori Hirano’s music creates vast sonic expanses from small emotions. Her work distills entire narratives through careful sound design and gentle nudges into bite-size ambiance. With Soniscope, Hirano weaves twisting paths out of thin air, turning beautiful atmospheres laden with piano, harp, electronics, and other devices into piles of silver dust. From the opening notes of “Missing Night” to the last breath of “White Sand,” Soniscope is magical. … Continue reading Midori Hirano “Soniscope”

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Reviews

Starbirthed “Reflections of the Samith”

Whenever there’s a new Starbirthed album, the world should rejoice. The duo of Ash Brooks and Matt LaJoie tap into some seriously ethereal waves on Reflections of the Samith, drifting in and out of space like beings of light. Across 41 minutes, Brooks and LaJoie levitate sonic ephemera, bending these extraterrestrial missives into the sound of a new dawn. Brooks billowing synths are like a soft … Continue reading Starbirthed “Reflections of the Samith”

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Reviews

Luke Stewart “Works For Electric Bass Guitar”

There’s not much out there like Luke Stewart’s solo works for electric bass. This new joint for Tripticks Tapes (who are having an unbelievalbe run right now) is a one-take, surprisingly meditative excursion where the technique develops a range of alien sonics that, at times, barely sound like bass at all.  Not everything on Works For Electic Bass Guitar is pensive, sometimes it downright cryptic. … Continue reading Luke Stewart “Works For Electric Bass Guitar”

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Reviews

Will Guthrie “People Pleaser Pt. II”

Will Guthrie’s first People Pleaser album has been a staple the last few years. I am always interested in hearing artists in unexpected contexts and Guthrie, in exploring new paths, showed incredibly versatility and opened new possibilities at the same time. So, a new entry in this still unfolding, strange and interesting series is welcome news. Happily, People Pleaser Pt. II doesn’t disappoint. It’s even … Continue reading Will Guthrie “People Pleaser Pt. II”

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Reviews

Jeffrey Alexander & The Heavy Lidders s/t

One listen of Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders self-titled new joint on Arrowhawk and I am swimming in a sea of psychedelic gold. Across seven expansive sonic explorations, Alexander and his bandmates – Drew Gardner, Jesse Sheppard, and Scott Verrastro this go-round – journey across windswept landscapes before taking flight and heading straight for the astral plane. With a cache of excellent guests like … Continue reading Jeffrey Alexander & The Heavy Lidders s/t

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Reviews

Molly Germer “Remedy”

I love when albums like this show up in my inbox. Molly Germer is a composer and violinist from Philadelphia who has played with a wide range of artists from Japanese Breakfast and Tomberlin to The Who and Rhiannon Giddens. She’s got incredible range and it’s on display throughout her first solo release, Remedy. While it’s Germer’s incredible violin skill that immediately stands out, the way … Continue reading Molly Germer “Remedy”

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Reviews

Nasturtium “Please Us”

Nasturtium is an edible flower, but my first time seeing the word (which was when I got an email about this album) made me think it was a black metal band. That dichotomy is an excellent metaphor for the compositional qualities of Please Us. In this case, Nasturtium is the duo of Erin Dawson and Geneva Skeen, two artists with disparate approaches that combine to create … Continue reading Nasturtium “Please Us”

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Reviews

William Selman “Saccades”

There’s different air about William Selman’s latest album, Saccades. Mystery unfolds within each self-contained sonic universe, the crevices teeming with life, the empty space an instrument of its own. While Selman’s work often challenges listeners, there’s always an engaging undercurrent to it. Saccades continues this exploratory practice but shifts the viewpoint causing adding a cinematic scope to these pieces that are a fantastic surprise. Opening with the title … Continue reading William Selman “Saccades”

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Reviews

Corben “Whose Echoes Live In Memory”

In the opening moments of Whose Echoes Live In Memory, swirling drones emerge from a blanket of fog as the dawn breaks on “Shadows Wake.” Corben’s music is slow and considered, never changing directions on a whim or venturing too far from the morning light. Intricate washes breathe in the cool air on “Isolation Kites,” sanguine tones swimming under a blanket of delicate hiss inviting … Continue reading Corben “Whose Echoes Live In Memory”

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