Albums

Like Eric Satie in his day, Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer realise that intelligent, modern music doesn’t have to be brow-furrowingly serious, even when serious themes are being explored. Different Rooms is the perfect example of how quick and luminous this kind of music can be.  

Matmos evidently revel in the spark that comes from intense collaboration. It’s a spark that has remained alight for nearly thirty years and shows no sign of dimming. Metallic Life Review is, above all else, a masterly repositioning of music into the realm of physical substance, where the inanimate becomes animate, and metal’s perceived harshness and coldness is alchemised into warmth and humanity. There’s something magical about that.

For Old Time Fantasias, Joseph Allred enlisted the help of pianist Hans Chew. Before long, the project had burgeoned into what Allred calls ‘probably the most involved and densely orchestrated album I’ve made to date.’ Featuring banjo, strings, pump organ and trombones, Allred’s visionary music will carry you into an ever-changing world of dreamy American pastoralia.

David Ivar, aka Herman Dune, offers his fifteenth album, Odysseús, a testament to his open and humanistic musical philosophy. Born from a period of isolation during the pandemic, the songs blend classic Herman Dune with a profound sense of yearning. A consummate artist and a songwriter adept at hiding emotional depths in plain sight, Odysseús is another outstanding example of his work.

On Land’s End Eternal, Cole Pulice, an Oakland-based electroacoustic saxophonist, charts a course through meditative ambient jazz that resembles a topographical map of liminal spaces. Now infused with the surprising addition of the electric guitar, the results are otherworldly, a shimmering testament to their singular vision.

Ma Gitala sees Madalitso Band expanding their sound in the studio with layered vocals, new textures, and guest musicians, showcasing a new direction. Despite musical developments, the core sound remains Yobu’s babatone, Yosefe’s guitar and foot drum, and their interwoven vocals, blending African folk, gospel, and kwela into an innovative, traditional sound rooted in their inspiring journey and retaining their joyous, vibrant signature energy.

Some albums just come straight in like a warm sonic hug, and you know you’ll spend a long time enjoying their vibe; Sheffield-based guitarist Bobby Lee and London pedal steel player Joe Harvey-Whyte’s Last Ride is one of these…an ace full-length set dropped by California’s Curation Records. It feels like this album was a lot of fun to make; it’s a total pleasure to listen to.

Solo at Cafe OTO finds Shane Parish reimagining ballads on his Squier Telecaster. Unlike his acoustic Repertoire album, these six tracks are longer, showcasing Parish’s technique and artistic nous. From the leisurely unfolding of John Jacob Niles’ “I’m Goin’ Away” to the jagged edges of David Lynch’s “Sycamore Trees,” Parish imbues each piece with his unique character while the album’s abstract approach provides a freeing, immersive experience.

Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn’s “Songs For The Trees” is an enchanting album that originated from a simple request to sing about a different tree each month. Inspired by ancient arboreal folklore, Grant’s lyrics are captivating, enhanced by Pynn’s arrangements that give the album a spellbinding quality. It’s one of the year’s finest albums and an evergreen for the future.

Lunatraktors, the innovative “broken-folk” duo, unveil Quilting Points: a captivating album of reworked archival fragments, salvaged songs, and field recordings. Born from collaborations with artists and institutions, it weaves together diverse soundscapes. From the brooding melancholia of “Diffraction Pattern” to the pagan pastoral sounds of “The Hoard” and the defiant “Now The Time,” you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more marvellously inventive or mesmerisingly idiosyncratic folk album this year.

Ben LaMar Gay’s Yowzers is a soulful journey where tradition meets boundless creativity. Gay blends bluesy gospel, improvisational jazz, and cosmic folklore into something fresh and deeply moving. This eclectic and graceful album, built with immense detail and an even greater heart, unfolds like passing clouds, revealing new wonders with each listen.

Toby Hay’s New Music for the 6 String Guitar is a beautifully restrained work—just player and instrument—inspired by nature and the outdoors. It stands as a perfect sibling to his earlier 12-string album; while the instruments differ dramatically in timbre and character, both albums offer a deeply immersive, rewarding experience. The contrast between them highlights Hay’s versatility, yet a shared sense of purity, warmth, and meditative focus unites them.