Every month, I seek out ten albums to recommend to our Subscribers. These are intentionally eclectic in scope and choice, and this month’s selections are, not surprisingly, no exception, ranging from an orchestral meditation on the American women’s suffrage movement to a dizzying joyride through the golden age of Thai popular music.
Enjoy
Sarah Kirkland Snider & Metropolis Ensemble – Forward Into Light
The new album is a co-release between Nonesuch Records and New Amsterdam Records, featuring four of Snider’s orchestral works: “Forward Into Light, a commission for the New York Philharmonic inspired by the American women’s suffrage movement; the string orchestra and harp (Noël Wan) version of Drink the Wild Ayre, a reimagining of the string quartet Snider wrote for the Emerson String Quartet as the ensemble’s final commission; Eye of Mnemosyne, a multimedia orchestral work on memory, innovation, and culture as refracted through the lens of photography, commissioned by the Rochester Philharmonic; and Something for the Dark, a meditation on resilience, commissioned by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra after Snider won its Lebenbom Competition in 2014. Two singles from the album are out today – the title track, Forward Into Light, and “Of Rise and Renewal” from Something for the Dark.”
Various Artists – Thai Pop Spectacular (1960s-1980s)
Unearthing the vibrant and often overlooked soundscape of Southeast Asia, Thai Pop Spectacular (1960s-1980s) is a dizzying joyride through the golden age of Thai popular music. Released by the exploratory label Sublime Frequencies, this compilation captures a fascinating cultural collision where traditional styles like Luk Thung and Molam crash headlong into Western surf, funk, and disco.
The tracks teem with infectious energy, featuring hypnotic electric organ riffs, fuzz-drenched “Shadow music” guitars, and driving percussion that feels both alien and strangely familiar. From the soulful crooning of the “Queen of Luk Thung,” Pumpuang Duangjan, to a mind-bending, outrageous cover of “The Night Chicago Died,” the collection showcases a scene defined by resourceful production and uninhibited creativity. It is a psychedelic snapshot of Bangkok’s nightlife and rural radio waves—a genre-bending treasure trove whose magic only seems to become more alluring over time.
Trouble or Fortune – Song of a Wandering Tip (Film Soundtrack)
Unfolding as a sonic map of a forgotten 19th-century odyssey, Song of a Wandering Tip (Film Soundtrack) is the evocative musical companion to the documentary The Trackless Wild. Released by Trouble or Fortune Records—the creative vehicle for filmmaker and musician Charles O’Brien—this collection traces the footsteps of an Irish songwriter known as “A Wandering Tip” as he traversed the vast, untamed landscapes of Argentina.
About the film: “Through interviews with farmers, writers, and musicians in the Irish-Argentine community, together with performance, landscape, and animation, the film follows the ghost and traces of this troubadour of old. Besides my own interpretations of A Wandering Tip’s songs, the film also includes music by Patricio Sullivan, Facundo Flores, Carina Carriqueo and Manuel Momo, whose bandoneon playing features in this trailer.”
Liis Ring, Penny Boxall and Maarja Pärtna – Siin oli soo (Once Was Mire)
Evocative and deeply atmospheric, Siin oli soo (Once Was Mire) is a sonic topography by Estonian artist Liis Ring, originally commissioned as a sound installation. Born from a collaboration with writers Penny Boxall (UK) and Maarja Pärtna (EE), the work serves as a meditation on the memory of landscapes, tracing the ghostly contours of wetlands that have been drained or altered by human intervention.
According to the release notes, Penny and Maarja started developing the initial idea of “Siin oli soo. Once was mire” in 2023. They were tasked with creating something on the topic of “Bring Your Own Utopia” for the Prima Vista Literature Festival 2024. Brainstorming on utopias naturally brought environmental issues to the table, with wetlands among the perhaps most obvious landscapes shaped, destroyed, and now restored by humans in both writers’ homelands (as well as globally). Through walks and discussions, they immersed themselves in the aura of the Estonian mires (drawing parallels to the Norfolk broads from a distance, a strong representation of wetland utopias in the UK). Out came the writings that you can hear and read as part of this release.
Liis Ring was later asked to contribute, resulting in a newly composed soundscape based on the texts of Boxall and Pärtna, as well as a pile of handmade paper containing Ring’s old letters and school books, and reeds from Norfolk. Images of this paper have been used for the artwork of this release.
Will Guthrie – Lampo
Recorded for the renowned Chicago experimental music organisation Lampo, this album captures Australian percussionist Will Guthrie in a state of rigorous, rhythmic invention. Moving away from the dense electro-acoustic textures of his previous work, Lampo focuses on the raw, unadorned power of acoustic percussion, constructing a mesmerising architecture of sound built from short, looped cells and shifting polyrhythms.
The work highlights Guthrie’s virtuosic control and his deep engagement with global percussive traditions, particularly the metallic resonance of Gamelan and the complex meters of Carnatic music. Listeners are pulled into a spiral of intricate patterns where time seems to dilate and contract, balancing the physical intensity of free jazz drumming with the meditative repetition of minimalism. It is a masterclass in tension and release, showcasing a singular artist capable of conjuring entire worlds from a drum kit and a collection of resonant metals.
Sun Cru – This Winter
This Winter is a radiant solstice compilation from the California-based label Sun Cru, gathering a close-knit family of artists to celebrate the season of long nights and returning light. Far from a standard holiday collection, the album curates a cosy, communal atmosphere—described as a gathering at “Mistletoe Mansion”—where indie folk, ambient textures, and lo-fi warmth converge.
Featuring contributions from label stalwarts like Little Wings, Dave Heumann, and Wes Tirey, the tracklist weaves together re-imagined classics and original winter hymns. Balancing solemnity with cheer, it serves as a sonic hearth, an invitation to huddle close and find solace in the shared vibration of music.
Docteur Nico & African Fiesta Sukisa – Docteur Nico Presents African Fiesta Sukisa (1966-1974)
Celebrating the legacy of the “God of the Guitar,” Docteur Nico Presents African Fiesta Sukisa (1966-1974) is a monumental archival release from the Belgian label Planet Ilunga. Produced in close collaboration with the estate of Nicolas Kasanda (Docteur Nico), this anthology meticulously restores the output of the legendary African Fiesta Sukisa era—a period defined by the label’s name, which translates to “the ultimate” or “the final accomplishment.”
The collection showcases Nico’s unparalleled virtuosity, blending the lilting rhythms of Congolese rumba with the shimmering, psychedelic tones of his signature adapted Hawaiian lap steel guitar. From the intricate finger-picking of the “Kiri-Kiri” style to his innovative mimicry of the likembé (thumb piano), the music is both technically dazzling and deeply soulful. This release not only revives rare gems from the Sukisa catalogue but serves as a definitive testament to the man whose fluid, singing melodies helped shape the sound of modern African music.
Lucy Kitt – Telling Me
Blending the sun-drenched warmth of 70s Laurel Canyon folk with the gritty honesty of 90s indie rock, Lucy Kitt’s second album, Telling Me, is a masterclass in empathetic storytelling. Moving beyond pure introspection, Kitt turns her gaze outward, weaving a tapestry of narratives that capture the quiet struggles and resilience of those closest to her—from the isolation of lockdown to the grief of losing a friend.
Musically, the album expands on her acoustic “three chords and the truth” foundation with lush, full-band arrangements. Pedal steel (courtesy of Spencer Cullum) and chiming guitars underscore Kitt’s distinctive, unadorned vocals, which remain fiercely authentic to her Essex roots. Tracks like the hope-and-healing sentiments of “Waiting Game” and the stripped-back elegy “Resting Blues” showcase an artist who honours the messy, complicated beauty of the human experience, delivering a record that feels both deeply personal and universally understood.
Muluken Mellesse with the Dahlak Band – Muluken Mellesse with the Dahlak Band
Originally released in 1976, Muluken Mellesse with the Dahlak Band stands as a monumental “swan song” for the golden age of Ethiopian music. Often cited as one of the last great vinyl records produced before the Derg regime silenced the vibrant nightlife of Addis Ababa, this album captures the era’s sophisticated sound at its absolute peak.
Muluken Mellesse’s voice—renowned for its angelic, almost androgynous purity and emotional depth—floats effortlessly over the Dahlak Band’s intricate arrangements. The music is a hypnotic fusion of Ethio-jazz, simmering funk, and traditional secular melodies, driven by complex horn lines and swirling organ grooves. From the propulsive opener “Djèmèrègn” to the haunting “Tezeta,” the album offers a poignant snapshot of a musical culture in full bloom just moments before it was forced underground, preserving a legacy of elegance and groove that continues to mesmerise listeners today.
Allen Ginsberg – More Rags, Ballads, and Blues 1971-1985
Released by the dedicated archival label Death Is Not The End, More Rags, Ballads And Blues 1971-1985 offers a fascinating, fly-on-the-wall glimpse into the musical odyssey of Beat Generation icon Allen Ginsberg. Serving as a loose, spirited companion to his 1983 classic First Blues, this collection gathers rare outtakes, rehearsals, and live recordings that capture the poet’s raw and improvisational approach to songcraft.
The album features Ginsberg accompanying himself on his signature harmonium, blending the spiritual intensity of mantras with the earthy structures of American folk and blues. It is a deeply collaborative affair, featuring contributions from avant-garde legend Arthur Russell and fleeting moments with Bob Dylan, as well as a cameo from Don Cherry on kazoo. From political protest songs to tender, Blake-inspired ballads, the collection showcases Ginsberg not just as a writer, but as a singular vocalist—chanting, singing, and breathing life into his poetry with a charm that is as disarming as it is profound.