A bonanza of a week, high in both quality and quantity of new releases. Here is the Silent Radio guide.
Samba Toure Baarakelaw
A vivid mix of traditional northern Malian Songhoy music, blues-rock tracks with psychedelic overtones, ballads and love songs. In addition to the music, it is noteworthy for its theme – all bar one of the songs are dedicated to the trials and tribulations of those who work street jobs in a dusty, bustling West African city like Bamako
Various In the Bath
A triple vinyl album that serves as a musical time capsule of the 90s with reinterpreted classics from that era and it has some great moments. Marry Waterson’s cover of ‘Say You’ll Be There’ discovers unexpected depths to the Spice Girls song via her exquisite voice and stripped back instrumentation. Massive Attack’s already wonderful ‘Teardrop’ is given its own impressive stamp by Craig Fortnam featuring Chantelle Pike. Field Music’s take on Beck’s ‘Devil’s Haircut’ would fit easily onto their excellent, synth-driven ‘Limits of Language’ album. While it is a heavily folk leaning compilation featuring the likes of Teddy Thompson, Eliza Carthy and Martha Tilston, there is a healthy indie contingent including The Lovely Eggs and Stealing Sheep.
Young Knives Landfill
There is some traditionally Young Knives post-punk in here but also the influence of 60’s pop, electro and hip-hop. In their hands, it makes for a potent and original combination.
Laura Cahen De l’autre côté
French singer-songwriter. Inspired by the likes of Laurie Anderson, Laura Marling or Adrianne Lenker, her music fuses acoustic and electronic to create emotionally rich, self-reflective sonic landscapes.
Die Wilde Jagd & Metropole Orkest Lux Tenera – A Rite To Joy
A collaboration that sees the poetic lyrics of Sebastian Lee Philipp matched with a 50-piece orchestral ensemble, the primal resonance of two large-scale Taiko drums, and the ancient, raw timbre of the Carnyx, performed by Patrick Kenny.
Ditz Never Exhale
Band whose influences take in classic noise rock such as The Jesus Lizard or Shellac, or the obtuse post punk of the Fall.
C Duncan It’s Only A Love Song
Glaswegian classical trained musician’s fifth album is flushed with swooning strings, enraptured images, classicist melodies and dreamy harmonies, it’s a record of orchestral pop romanticism at its most sublime:
Anna B Savage You and i are Earth
Her third album folds in some of Ireland’s brightest contemporary musicians, with Kate Ellis and Caimin Gilmore from Crash Ensemble, Cormac MacDiarmada from Lankum and Anna Mieke contributing vocals, strings, harmonium, bouzouki, taishōgoto and clarinets to the album, all tied together by producer John ‘Spud’ Murphy (Lankum, Black Midi).
Sam Abidon Salt River
The album sees Abidon collaborating with saxophonist and producer Sam Gendel. The music on Salt River ranges from traditional Appalachian ballad “Golden Willow Tree” to a radical reimagining of Lou Reed’s ‘Big Sky.’
Wardruna Birna
Composer Einar Selvik states “Himinndotter (Sky-daughter) is part of a six-song exploration of the bear on Wardruna’s upcoming album Birna (She-bear). The title plays on the globally common notion of the bears mythical origin as a celestial being. Himinndotter features a guest appearance of the Norwegian choir Koret Artemis.”
Tuung Love You All Over Again
A return to their folktronica roots displaying an amalgam of texture and melody, disconcerting imagery and shapeshifting production.
Mogwai The Bad Fire
A Scottish colloquialism for Hell, The Bad Fire draws inspiration from a series of tough personal moments that the band found themselves in following on from their chart-topping tenth album, 2021’s As The Love Continues.
Dilettante Life of the Party
The album continues Dilettante’s signature art-pop sound while embracing a more synth-heavy direction and exploring a gentler, more traditional songwriting style.
Kawala Kawala Collection
Nine song collection from a band who have been connected with the summer in sound and spirit.
High. Come Back Down
Marking the band’s development with a greater expression of sonic range, the EP offers more noise, more hooks, more heaviness and more emotion.
Rose City Band Sol Y Sombra
Their music is sun-kissed timeless country rock whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our consciousness.
Charles Costa Charles Costa
Artist formerly known as King Charles produces a tapestry of sounds, touching upon everything from ’80s electro-pop to hymnal devotion via pastoral folk, with echoes of the likes of Bon Iver and RY X.
Benjamin Booker Lower
A record that finds the New Orleans-based artist mixing experimental and lo-fi hip hop, dream and noise pop, ambient and indie rock into something that is entirely his own.
Larkin Poe Bloom
The Lovell sisters place an even greater spotlight on their gift for storytelling, delving deep into personal narratives with universal themes of self-acceptance and individuality through their own blend of Southern rock, blues, and Americana.
State of You On A Knife’s Edge EP
A new collection of visceral songs but with Steve Sitkowski relishing in a more melodic vocal
Various Artists The Magic Forest (More Pastoral Psychedelia And Funky Folk)
Triple CD set assembling rare cuts and cult favourites from the worlds of psychedelic, pastoral and funky folk from 1968-1975.
Kathryn Mohr Waiting Room
Her ruminative work, the result of many hours of walking, intricate song writing and field recording, confronts the dissonant impulses of humanity towards violence and tenderness.
Ghais Guevara Goyard Ibn Said
Philadelphia based rapper who was raised amidst both guns and gang avoidance tactics, nurtured and educated using generational radical Black leftist thought.
Jeshi Airbag Woke Me Up
A collection of moment-capturing songs built to ignite reactions and start conversations.
Jeannie Piersol The Nest
Anthology of San Franciso singer-songwriter who blended rock, soul and Indian flavours.
Rhona Macfarlane As The Chaos Unfolds
Scottish singer-songwriter whose album delves into themes of love, identity, mental health, and the often chaotic journey of navigating early adulthood.
Luna Morgenstern Heartbreak Hotel EP
A juxtaposition of club music with Luna’s raw, biographical lyrics documenting an unraveling of a long-term relationship.
Minor Conflict Parallels EP
Bristol group that fuse poetic, forward-thinking post-punk and leftfield folk music, recording songs about urban living, poetry, human connection, the complexion of the everyday.
Ale Hop & Titi Bakorta Mapambazuko
An album looping Bakorta’s wiry guitar solos around Cárdenas’ psychedelic Afro-Latin rhythms and fractured synths.
Edvard Graham Lewis Alreet?
Wire bassist/vocalist with an album of experimental pop.
Beneath a Steel Sky Cleave
An exploration of post-rock and post-metal full of thunderous riffs and haunting soundscapes.
Charm School Debt Forever
This finds them moving toward a much darker and more aggressive sound. Think 70s Post-Punk & No Wave mixed with 90s Post-Rock.
Pet Needs Kind of Acoustic
Essex punks return with a special acoustic release. Comprising 12 tracks in total, with 4 songs taken from each of their 3 albums to date, the record see the band cherry picking some of their favourite tracks to date and transforming them into an earthy, unplugged new guise
Brueder Selke & Midori Hirano Split Scale
Composers exploring the western scale from beginning to end, Split Scale sees the group craft a suite of synaesthetic soundscapes and cinematic movements.
Magana Bad News EP
A solo release from Mitski and Lady Lamb bassist returning to the singer-songwriter focus to emphasize words, meaning, honesty, and change.
Watch My Dying Egyenes Kerőlő
Their music fuses tech/groove metal with philosophical and socio-critical Hungarian lyrics, offering a depth rarely found in the genre.
The Veils Asphodels
Named after the Ancient Greek flower of the Underworld, the seventh full-length LP from English/New Zealand singer songwriter Finn Andrews is an album of self-reflection and private reckoning. It is written in collaboration with string arranger Victoria Kelly.
Taffy Lull
Japanese indie-pop / shoegaze band with a strong sense of melody
