Foxy Digitalis
Jimmy Billingham’s HOLOVR project has been a favorite for years, so I was quite happy for this unexpected return. Nothing is Whole comes through like a chance encounter; a serendipitous moment where, in hindsight, everything changed. Soft melodies swim in static on the beautiful “Nascent Dawn.” The chorus of sunlight peeking over the horizon, shining […]
I don’t know that I have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to adequately express my admiration for Angel Bat Dawid. A defining musical moment in 2020 was from her live recording with The Brothahood on International Anthem on “Black Family” when you can practically feel her entire being transcending, bellowing out, “Affirm my family! Affirm […]
This live recording made me far more emotional than I expected it to, but it has a real understated power. Akira Sakata and Jim O’Rourke have played together many times, but as far as I know this is the first duo recording that’s been released. Both are masters of their craft, but something special unfolds […]
Late in Life is my first exposure to Iu Takahashi and since first listening to it a few weeks ago, I find myself continually drawn back to its warm presence. Slow moving compositions unfold in ways that are relaxed yet covered in an air of mystery. Takahashi’s touch is gentle, never pushing too far and […]
When I was in my late teens, I used to spend a lot of time sitting in my apartment with my friend Jeremy, listening to whatever jazz CDs we’d picked up in the previous week. Jeremy is the first person who played me Coltrane and opened my ears in ways that I’m still trying to […]
When I think about how much claire rousay has already done, it seems a little silly to say she’s just getting started. But considering the trajectory and impact of her work over the past year or two, that’s what it feels like. With a softer focus, that statement resonates even deeper. Beyond her unparalleled ability […]
I’m not sure I can name two people who are on better runs than Patrick Shiroishi and Luke Stewart, so seeing the two team up for a split makes sense. Each presents a side long piece that seamlessly complement one another, making the case for the two to collaborate as a duo some day. I […]
On this trio recording, creative fires burn bright as bandleader and saxophonist Hassan Abdur-Razzaq runs ragged with his alto and tenor steaming through six killer tracks. Bassist Mario Bosca and drummer Gerard Cox do a fantastic job of giving Abdur-Razzaq a massive foundation to bowl over and blow apart. On “Aftermath and Renewal,” Bosca’s bowed […]
Vlad Dobrovolski has made some of my favorite electronic music in the last couple years. His work is always strange and unexpected, exploring new ideas and never settling into a singular vein of sound. S A D, a collaboration with Vasiliy Stepanov, continues with that trend. Children of the Sun is a crystal clear pool […]