News

New Orleans-based artist Thomas Dollbaum returns with his latest EP, Drive All Night, a six-song collection, out on September 26th via Dear Life Records. Inspired by a personal journey, Dollbaum excavates and reconstructs a sense of place from his past. The EP marks a poignant reintroduction to a stirring and singular voice on the southern landscape; watch the music video for his lead single “Angus Valley”.

Ustad Noor Bakhsh plays End of the Road this month; his debut album, ‘Jingul,’ was a breathtaking journey through sound and history. This Benju maestro’s music, from Pakistan’s Makran Coast, masterfully blends influences from Africa, Persia, and Arabia. Joined by Jamadar Goharam and Rahmdil on the traditional Damburag, watch them performing ‘Sanj’, a tune composed by the legendary Bilawal Belgium.

Weirs’ new album, Diamond Grove, captures a moment in time by embracing the unique sonic imperfections of its recording site. The lead single, “I Want to Die Easy,” features vocals recorded with the natural two-second reverb of a farm silo, creating a hauntingly timeless sound that merges traditional hymns with contemporary experimentalism.

Merlyn Driver’s new single ‘Cururu’ is a captivating sonic journey, built around the unedited soundscape of South American frogs. Taken from his debut solo album, It Was Also Sometimes Daylight, due October 10th, 2025, Driver continues to blend acoustic folk with the rhythms of the natural world. This raw, intimate meditation on life and nature is a must-listen for fans of ambient and folk music.

Master percussionist Jim White is set to release his second solo album, Inner Day, on October 24th. This time, he’s exploring new territory as a lyricist and vocalist for the very first time. The album finds White creating a hypnotic relationship between keyboards and drums, a process he began on his 2024 solo debut, All Hits: Memories. The title track, featuring the first lyrics he’s ever written, is out now.

Experimental composer Claire Rousay announces her new album, a little death, set for an October 31st release. The record marks a return to her solo work and completes a trilogy. The new single, “just (feat. m. sage),” provides a first glimpse into the album’s intimate and expansive sound, which masterfully blends field recordings with live instrumentation.

Following closely on the heels of his acclaimed second solo record, Around Sound, Mike Polizze shares an instrumental outtake from the album recording sessions, titled “Improvs 1.” – Described as “…a beautifully tense, peacefully unrelaxed, low-key sizzler of an instrumental track…Think of it not as an addendum but as a spirited intermission for repeated relistening!”

To mark their 300th release, Carbon Records are releasing The Sun Is Not True, a compilation album featuring new and exclusive tracks by Liam Grant / Grayson McGuire / Trevor McKenzie, Rob Noyes, Spatulas, Will Veeder, Greymouth, Thurston Moore, murusonus, David Nance, Holt Bodish (of Mordecai), Escalation (Bruce Russell and Peter Wright), Takeda (of Bardo Pond), Rock Candy (Emily Robb and Kryssi Battalene) and Ethan WL.

The Chad Taylor Quintet’s “Smoke Shifter,” out November 14, 2025, is a testament to jazz as a living language. As the album notes highlight, the music is a “continually developing social reflection on language.” Featuring a quintet with deep Philadelphia roots, the album showcases a collaborative spirit, with compositions from all members, resulting in a cohesive and dynamic sound that defies easy classification.

Carson McHone’s new single, “Idiom,” is a stunning preview of her forthcoming album, Pentimento. The accompanying video, filmed by Daniel Romano, showcases a powerful dance performance by Allie Blumas. The project, which premieres at the In the Soil Arts Festival, blends folk music with elements of chamber pop, creating a sweeping and intimate soundscape.

Constant Smiles’ Felte debut, Moonflowers, drops on November 7th, featuring contributions from Fred Thomas, Katie Von Schleicher, Shahzad Ismaily, Steven R. Smith, P.G. Six and more. Much like the night-blooming flora it’s named after, the album is the product of slow, largely unseen growth. Watch the video for their lead single “Time Measured in Moonflowers”, featuring Cassandra Jenkins.

Okkyung Lee is set to release her new album, Just Like Any Other Day (어느날), on September 5. The second preview track, “let’s walk down to the swamp together,” reveals a significant shift in the celebrated cellist’s approach. Inspired by a mistranslated memory from her childhood in Korea, the track is a mesmerizing, ambient journey into the unknown and a powerful exploration of memory.