The Cosmic Tones Research Trio – The Cosmic Tones Research Trio (Mississippi Records)
Portland-based The Cosmic Tones Research Trio constructs vibrating pathways of sound on their self-titled sophomore album, lifting listeners clear of contemporary chaos. Following their debut All Is Sound, the trio—Kennedy Verrett, Roman Norfleet, and Harlan Silverman—explores an expansive brand of spiritual jazz that echoes the meditative structures of Alice Coltrane and Don Cherry.
Unusually for the genre, the tracks are concise, with none exceeding five minutes. Yet, within these brief windows, they conjure vast, timeless soundscapes. From the pillowy woodwind of Awakenings to the modular synth workout Photosynthesis, the music blends blues, gospel, and Japanese ambient influences. Grounded in tradition but improvisational in execution, this album paints a texture-rich picture of what peace might sound like—mystical, human, and entirely present.
Daniel Bachman – Moving through Light (Self Released)
Virginia-based sound artist Daniel Bachman returns to the acoustic guitar on Moving through Light, but not as you know it. His first independent release is a 75-minute soundscape where guitar lines are fed through a phone app and layered hundreds of times. The result is a startlingly beautiful, challenging work that effectively turns the guitar soli genre inside out.
Veering from digital drones to delicate picking, tracks like The sun (bending through glass) offer moments of Eastern-flavoured beauty amidst the experimental density. It is a painstaking piece of sound collage that demands to be experienced as a whole. Pushing boundaries with organic structure and poetic continuity, Bachman proves once again he is an artist committed to creating work that means the most to him.
Jim White – Inner Day (Drag City)
Legendary drummer Jim White (Dirty Three, Xylouris White) expands his solo palette on Inner Day. Moving beyond the percussive miniatures of his debut, White introduces keyboards, vocals, and guitar into a soundscape defined by a “clever, controlled use of tension.”
The album balances the sedate with the sinister; when drums skitter intensely, keyboards soothe, as seen on the playful, art-house duet I Don’t Do/Grand Central with Zoh Amba. White navigates wonder and trepidation throughout, particularly on the ten-minute centrepiece 11.12.24, a journey from uncertainty to transcendence. Whether delivering a whispered monologue on the title track or crafting the impressionistic miniature The Blinded Bird, White proves that even after forty years, his capacity for refreshing, collaborative discovery remains undiminished.
Erlend Apneseth – Song over støv (Hubro)
Norwegian Hardanger fiddle innovator Erlend Apneseth expands his sonic palette on Song over støv (‘Song over Dust’), leading a maximalist 11-piece ensemble that includes accordionist Frode Haltli. Continuing the eclectic approach of Nattsongar, Apneseth blends traditional folk with the wilder edges of improvised jazz and contemporary music.
The album navigates vast emotional terrain, from the meditative, Far Eastern textures of Straumen Forbi to the industrial lurch of the epic title track, which dissolves into ritualistic, hushed vocals. Composing for “musical personalities rather than instruments,” Apneseth creates a narrative-rich soundscape where every voice—from fluttering flutes to warbling saxophones—serves the collaborative whole. It is a masterfully crafted work that proves experimental fiddle music need not be austere, but rather vibrant, narrative, and brilliantly alive.
Chris Brain – New Light (Big Sun Records)
Chris Brain’s third album, New Light, captures the essence of spring with a freshness that contrasts the autumnal tones of his previous release, Steady Away. Recorded between the solitude of his allotment shed and The Nave Studios in Leeds, the record balances intimacy with subtle collaboration.
Tracks like Sun Did Glide radiate “quiet, wide-eyed wonder,” melding Brain’s warm fingerpicking with Noiak Bedirian’s glistening pedal steel. He navigates darker territory on New Dying Day, aided by Owen Spafford’s scratchy violin, before settling into the pacy instrumental Rolling On. Closing with the pensive, nature-steeped Sit and Wonder Why, this is an assured, optimistic collection that feels comfortable in its own skin—a deeply satisfying listen and Brain’s best work to date.
Steve Gunn – Daylight Daylight (No Quarter)
Steve Gunn’s move to No Quarter signals a new creative freedom on Daylight Daylight. Escaping the chamber-folk mould, Gunn crafts songs that feel “light as air” yet carry immense weight, skirting the edges of low-key art-rock and jazz. The album evokes the languid, string-laden era of Joe Boyd productions, with tracks like Hadrian’s Wall and Morning on K Road recalling the quiet intensity of Nick Drake and John Martyn.
Gunn eschews gimmicks for atmosphere, letting songs stretch into hypnotic, shifting soundscapes. From the impressionistic guitar of Another Fade to the spacy, discordant touches on the title track, the music shifts like the weather—decorated with “glints of amber” and “swathes of grey.” Daylight Daylight is an engrossing album of dignified beauty that cements Gunn as a master of mood.
Richard Dawson – End of the Middle (Domino Records)
Richard Dawson shifts focus from the sprawling themes of his recent trilogy to the intimate fractures of the “average family” on End of the Middle. Inspired by the films of Yasujirō Ozu, Dawson finds profound emotional depth in domestic settings, validating the legitimacy of small-scale human interactions.
From the surprisingly poppy Boxing Day Sales to the darker, autobiographical opener Bolt, his signature specificity remains unmatched. Whether detailing the “standoff between Noel’s House Party and Gladiators” on Removals Van or navigating social anxiety on Knot, Dawson chronicles modern life with unmatched empathy. Closing with the synth-heavy, sentimental duet More Than Real, this album proves he is still our most gifted and generous songwriter.
The Weather Station – Humanhood (Fat Possum)
Tamara Lindeman’s evolution as The Weather Station continues on Humanhood, a sharp-edged bulletin from the 2025 frontline. Moving far beyond her folk origins, Lindeman confronts 21st-century malaise—climate anxiety, mental health, and existential uncertainty—with a sound that is both unsettling and deeply comforting.
The music teases its way into existence, often starting with hesitancy before blooming into complex, rhythmic layers reminiscent of Peter Gabriel. Tracks like Window capture the urgency of a panic attack, while the swirling title track seeks reconnection with the natural world. Yet, amidst the trauma, there is hope; as she sings on the closing Sewing, life is a tapestry where pain and joy are stitched together. Humanhood is a challenging, spontaneous, and vital embrace of our shared condition.
Mason Lindahl – Joshua / Same Day Walking (Mt. Brings Death)
New York-based guitarist Mason Lindahl returns with Joshua / Same Day Walking, a double album that uses geography as a compositional tool. Recorded in California (Joshua) and Iceland (Same Day Walking), the project juxtaposes the climates of its locations through Lindahl’s signature electrified nylon-string guitar.
Joshua offers a “woolier and warmer” sound, where intimate details like creaking chairs blend with soft, ethereal organs on tracks like Joshua Underwater. In contrast, Same Day Walking is stark and windswept, with colder synths cutting through the flamenco flourishes of Violence in Repetition. Produced by Robby Moncrieff and Sam Slater, this diptych masterfully explores the nuance of Lindahl’s loose yet complex picking, proving that simple conceptual shifts can yield outstanding, highly distinct guitar music.
Toby Hay – New Music for the 6 String Guitar (The state51 Conspiracy)
Rhayader-based instrumentalist Toby Hay returns with New Music for the 6 String Guitar, a successor to his acclaimed 2019 twelve-string project. This time, the focus shifts to intimacy and economy, showcasing his new Fylde Ariel parlour guitar—inlaid with a curlew to match the red kite of its predecessor. Recorded live at Real World Studios by his brother Tim, the album captures the instrument’s distinct timbre with bell-like clarity.
The playing is a study in versatility, from the complex, super-quick flexing of Celyn to the laconic cool of Bwrw Glaw Blues. Hay balances technical prowess with unassuming beauty, particularly on the bittersweet miniature This Parting Glass. Where the twelve-string offered cathedral-like resonance, this six-string collection thrives on space and warmth, cementing Hay as a master of pure, nature-inspired acoustic music.