Reviews

Opinionated and informative criticism of all the music that counts

Darragh Morgan
For Violin and Electronics II

The Irish performer’s follow-up to 2017’s For Violin and Electronics showcases the breadth of possibilities for combining strings and wires, via works by Mira Calix, Donnacha Dennehy, Shiva Feshareki and others

Reviews

Primitive Percussion Youth Orchestra
Places We Have Never Been

An album of experimental music made by Todmorden school children evokes The Necks, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and a series of exotic locale. The kids are all right, says JR Moores

Reviews

Plume Girl
Unnameable Glory

On her second full-length album, Texas-based composer Sowmya Somanath let the music speak

Reviews

The Lijadu Sisters
Danger

Sunshine cynicism from mid-70s Nigeria, The Lijadu Sisters deliver sharp political commentary in a soulful voice

Reviews

Me Lost Me
This Material Moment

Backed by clarinets, bass and drums (the latter courtesy of Ewan Mackenzie or Pigsx7), Jayne Dent's latest channels random processes into her most personal material to date

Reviews

Richard Skelton
The Second Chamber

Marking twenty years of his Sustain-Release label, Richard Skelton's new album feels like a summation of two decades of work in atmospheric experimental music

Reviews

Ensemble Nist-Nah
Spilla

Australian musician Will Guthrie's gamelan-inspired ensemble pushes improvised percussion music to rich and experimental new heights, finds Levi Dayan

Reviews

Osmium
Osmium

Members of Senyawa and Emptyset join forces with Sam Slater and Oscar-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir for an exploration of machine learning that sounds thrillingly alien

Reviews

Mark Van Hoen
The Eternal Present

Whether covering Slowdive or summoning Squarepusher, Croydon's Mark Van Hoen inhabits a timeline all of his own

Reviews

Stephen O’Malley
But Remember What You Have Had

The SUNN O))) member’s minimalism leaves JR Moores wanting more

Reviews

Phil Langero
Practical Dancing (For The Modern Man)

Moundabout man gets lost in the rural murk, clanging away in a darkened basement, covering Beyoncé…

Reviews

Caspar Brötzmann Massaker
It’s a Love Song

Recorded live earlier earlier this year in Dresden and Vienna, the first album from Brötzmann's power trio in decades is heavy in more ways than one

Reviews

Hampus Lindwall
Brace for Impact

An album of contemporary composition for the organ, drawing influence from everything from Xenakis to metal to rave

Reviews

Gelli Haha
Switcheroo

Enter the Gelliverse for an album of such effervescence it is practically a geyser. The debut from Angel Abaya's spirited new persona is freewheeling and bags of fun, finds Claire Biddles

Reviews

Haress
Skylarks

On their third album, the Shropshire band do folk horror shorn of the Wicker Man clichés, finds Alex Deller

Reviews

Jane Paknia
Millions Of Years Of Longing

New York composer glides through jazz, electroacoustic composition and more dancefloor-friendly sounds to push pop music into fresh and thrilling new directions

Reviews

Cyrus Pireh
Thank You, Guitar

Released on Bill Orcutt's Palilalia Records label, the Oak Park, Michigan, guitarist takes his country chops on a wild and fuzzy ride

Reviews

Lyra Pramuk
Hymnal

Inspired by dancefloors and slime moulds, the latest album from the multidisciplinary American artist is as opulent and heady as the music mushrooms themselves might make, finds Antonio Poscic

Reviews

Mary Sue and the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club
Porcelain Shield, Paper Sword

Singaporean iconoclasts prove that hip-hop is (the) world('s) music

Reviews

Mary Halvorson
About Ghosts

The New England guitarist beefs up her ensemble for a stunning suite of modern jazz instrumentals

Reviews

Holy Scum
All We Have is Never

Members of GNOD, Ghold and Dâlek assemble for a brutal broadside against 'fancy music'

Reviews

John Surman and Karin Krog
Electric Element

Jazz vocalist Karin Krog and saxophonist John Surman branch out into glitchy, experimental electronics on this newly unearthed cut from 2013

Reviews

Alan Sparhawk
With Trampled By Turtles

The best songs on Alan Sparhawk’s second post-Low ‘solo’ album are unforgettable, triggering gut punches, says Bernie Brooks

Reviews

Quinton Barnes
Black Noise

The Montreal producer fuses ambience and elegance in a highly charged exploration of Afropessimism

Reviews

Briana Marela
My Inner Rest

Straight out of Mills College, this eerie song cycle nods to the bubbling electronics of Laurie Spiegel

Reviews

Cosey Fanni Tutti
2t2

Composed, performed and produced fully by the artist herself, the new album by Cosey Fanni Tutti is equal parts abstract electronic experimentation and rhythmic propulsion, finds Jon Buckland

Reviews

Holden & Zimpel
The Universe Will Take Care Of You

Collaborators James and Waclaw create vast oceanc feelings using walnuts and teacups

Reviews

Ben LaMar Gay
Yowzers

The Chicago cornet player and composer smashes open contemporary jazz, pouring in a host of different styles, from samba to the blues

Reviews

Monasunne
Fields Become Sky

The past erupts into the present as composers Lara Agar and Louis d’Heudières go truffling through the teeming undergrowth of East Anglia

Reviews

Matthew Young
Undercurrents

Following re-issues of his 1980s album Recurring Dreams and Traveler's Advisory, Drag City release new material by the New Jersey dulcimer player and electroacoustic composer

Reviews

Emptyset
Dissever

Commissioned for Tate Modern's Electric Dreams exhibition, Paul Purgas and James Ginzburg turn the building's giant Turbine Hall into a buzzing, pulsating, resonant instrument

Reviews

Death in Vegas
Death Mask

1990s indie-dance survivor Richard Fearless returns with a record that offers a glimpse of something more personal beneath the clattering drum machines and psychedelic organ sounds

Reviews

Abul Mogard
Quiet Pieces

The latest from Guido Zen's ambient alterego evokes the colourfields of abstract art, finds Aydin Khalili

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Reviews

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Darragh Morgan For Violin and Electronics II

Primitive Percussion Youth Orchestra Places We Have Never Been

Plume Girl Unnameable Glory

The Lijadu Sisters Danger

Me Lost Me This Material Moment

Richard Skelton The Second Chamber

Ensemble Nist-Nah Spilla

Osmium Osmium

Mark Van Hoen The Eternal Present

Stephen O’Malley But Remember What You Have Had

Phil Langero Practical Dancing (For The Modern Man)

Caspar Brötzmann Massaker It’s a Love Song

Hampus Lindwall Brace for Impact

Gelli Haha Switcheroo

Haress Skylarks

Jane Paknia Millions Of Years Of Longing

Cyrus Pireh Thank You, Guitar

Lyra Pramuk Hymnal

Mary Sue and the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club Porcelain Shield, Paper Sword

Mary Halvorson About Ghosts

Holy Scum All We Have is Never

John Surman and Karin Krog Electric Element

Alan Sparhawk With Trampled By Turtles

Quinton Barnes Black Noise

Briana Marela My Inner Rest

Cosey Fanni Tutti 2t2

Holden & Zimpel The Universe Will Take Care Of You

Ben LaMar Gay Yowzers

Monasunne Fields Become Sky

Matthew Young Undercurrents

Emptyset Dissever

Death in Vegas Death Mask

Abul Mogard Quiet Pieces

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Darragh Morgan
For Violin and Electronics II

Primitive Percussion Youth Orchestra
Places We Have Never Been

Plume Girl
Unnameable Glory

The Lijadu Sisters
Danger

Me Lost Me
This Material Moment

Richard Skelton
The Second Chamber

Ensemble Nist-Nah
Spilla

Osmium
Osmium

Mark Van Hoen
The Eternal Present

Stephen O’Malley
But Remember What You Have Had

Phil Langero
Practical Dancing (For The Modern Man)

Caspar Brötzmann Massaker
It’s a Love Song

Hampus Lindwall
Brace for Impact

Gelli Haha
Switcheroo

Haress
Skylarks

Jane Paknia
Millions Of Years Of Longing

Cyrus Pireh
Thank You, Guitar

Lyra Pramuk
Hymnal

Mary Sue and the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club
Porcelain Shield, Paper Sword

Mary Halvorson
About Ghosts

Holy Scum
All We Have is Never

John Surman and Karin Krog
Electric Element

Alan Sparhawk
With Trampled By Turtles

Quinton Barnes
Black Noise

Briana Marela
My Inner Rest

Cosey Fanni Tutti
2t2

Holden & Zimpel
The Universe Will Take Care Of You

Ben LaMar Gay
Yowzers

Monasunne
Fields Become Sky

Matthew Young
Undercurrents

Emptyset
Dissever

Death in Vegas
Death Mask

Abul Mogard
Quiet Pieces

Drenge
Undertow