New Releases Only

[interbellum]

French band Perilymph has a gorgeous new album out, full of spacey and melodic analog keyboards.

Here's the Bandcamp-page of Progressions Imaginaires as their new album is called:

[markwoll]

Guitarist Steve Gunn; bassist and synthesizer player Shahzad Ismaily; saxophonist, guitarist, and vocalist Zoh Amba; and drummer Jim White have come together to form the new band Beings. On June 7, the New York quartet will release its debut album, There Is a Garden, via No Quarter. Below, listen to Beings’ first two songs, “Flowers That Talk” and “Happy to Be.”

Beings first started coming together in summer 2022 when Shahzad Ismaily asked Zoh Amba to perform with him at Germany’s Monheim Triennale. “It really changed my life and my career,” Amba told Arielle Gordon in an interview for Stereogum. Eventually, Steve Gunn and Jim White joined the fray in Brooklyn, culminating in the band’s debut show last summer.

In a press release, Ismaily added, “The four of us really fell into something amalgamated that was really spiritually sound and really evocative, really environmental. And that doesn’t always take place, even if the players individually have those qualities. Everyone was able to find their space that was quite distinct from one another… and it really is part of why the group works so well.”

There Is a Garden will follow a 2022 album from Zoh Amba (Bhakti), 2023 full-lengths from Gunn and Ismaily (Let the Moon Be a Planet and Love in Exile, respectively), and White’s 2024 debut solo studio album (All Hits: Memories). Coming up, White will release a new album with Marisa Anderson on May 10 (Swallowtail) and a new Dirty Three album on June 28 (Love Changes Everything).
https://beingsnyc.bandcamp.com/album/there-is-a-garden

[Glass Island]

The new Glass Island album - "Lost Media" - is now available at Bandcamp and streaming services. Do check it out

[walt]

More archival music from the "British Progressive Jazz" label.

[clivey]

This may float boats round here.

[Mascodagama]

A new album Potential Deltas from Methexis (aka Nikitas Kissonas):



I thought the last album Topos was magnificent. This one, whilst very different, is equally interesting. Kissonas has a unique sensibility, there is nobody else making records that sound like this.

[clivey]

A new album Potential Deltas from Methexis (aka Nikitas Kissonas):



I thought the last album Topos was magnificent. This one, whilst very different, is equally interesting. Kissonas has a unique sensibility, there is nobody else making records that sound like this.

Indeed. Looks like my commute listening is sorted tomorrow Thanks for posting this.

[Dunamis]

The first track of Celeste's new album Echi di un Futuro Passato is made available on BC:

https://celeste4.bandcamp.com/track/pigmenti

[Sputnik]

A new album Potential Deltas from Methexis (aka Nikitas Kissonas):


I thought the last album Topos was magnificent. This one, whilst very different, is equally interesting. Kissonas has a unique sensibility, there is nobody else making records that sound like this.

I agree about Topos, but I wasn't so taken with the earlier albums that featured vocals. This one returns to that format, so I'm wary. If it comes out on CD, I'll give it a listen. Maybe it will be better.

Bill

[Mascodagama]

I agree about Topos, but I wasn't so taken with the earlier albums that featured vocals. This one returns to that format, so I'm wary. If it comes out on CD, I'll give it a listen. Maybe it will be better.

Bill

I felt the same way about the earlier ones, but I like this one.

[Sputnik]

I felt the same way about the earlier ones, but I like this one.

Cool, I'll keep that in mind.

Bill

[boilk]

^^The music is interesting, but I can't get through one song with vocals. Enjoy all.

Neil

[Mascodagama]

^^The music is interesting, but I can't get through one song with vocals. Enjoy all.

Neil

There's even more than one with vocals if you stick with it! I actually like them, a rarity for me with vocals on prog, but I can completely see why they are a turn off for some. They are quite...distinctive.

[zombywoof]

Out today is my latest co-production with composer Derek Ferguson and Refestramus !

Step into a realm where the echoes of 70's prog rock giants are reborn; "Intouríst" weaves a tapestry of soul-stirring epics, from the rush of a comet's trail to the eternal dance of zombie love, each track a prog rock prayer made manifest. Get lost in a narrative odyssey of otherworldly desires and heartfelt homecomings, all set to a soundtrack of fiery riffs that are destined to resonate with the rebels of yesterday and today. This is not just music—it's a portal to a time when rock was a revolution, and every note promised a journey into the extraordinary.




released May 3, 2024

Refestramus
Derek Ferguson – Drums,
Jerry King – Bass,
Derek Pavlic – Guitars, Mellotron and Viola,
Rogelio Souza - Keys

Associated Artists
Ian Beabout – Vocals on track 9, Flute on track 6
Nathan James - Vocals on track 6
Mitch Lawrence – Saxes on tracks 3, 6 and 9
NIDA – Vocals on tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Craig Cairns – Vocals on tracks 1, 2, 3, 11
Dave Newhouse – Accordion on track 8

All words and music by Derek Ferguson, except CD track 9 ("Mr. Skin") by Jay Ferguson

All arrangements by Refestramus
Produced by Ian Beabout and Derek Ferguson
Mixed and Mastered by Ian Beabout

[Nijinsky Hind]

I don’t know who Nathan James is but as a vocalist he sounds fantastic on side hustle. Wondering why track 9 is not here. This is a good album. NIDA is also excellent on Red Apple. I understand the want of clean vocals but she would sound better on smiling with some heavier reverb. 2 cents. Very professional.

[Nijinsky Hind]

^^The music is interesting, but I can't get through one song with vocals. Enjoy all.
Neil

You miss out on a lot of music. I’ve never been able to understand the disdain for vocals. The original musical instrument does so much for a “song”. Not a criticism, just small talk… we like what we like.

[Nijinsky Hind]

This may float boats round here.

Nice… I am buying today. Thanks for pointing this out. Her song “my desire is pure” is excellent.

[Sputnik]

You miss out on a lot of music. I’ve never been able to understand the disdain for vocals. The original musical instrument does so much for a “song”. Not a criticism, just small talk… we like what we like.

It's not a disdain for vocals, it's a disdain for shitty vocals. I love vocal music, but some releases feature vocalists who should never have been allowed to get within shouting distance of a microphone. I had no idea Methexis even had earlier albums, and I was jazzed to check them out, as they were also on CD! Imagine my disappointment when the vocals sound amateurish and out of tune. I'm not going to pay money for that, though I just bought Amoeba Split's recent reissue of their first album (and earlier demo) and to my surprise, they feature a female singer who can't hold pitch. WFT? I though they were an instrumental band.

Vocals are great, if you have a competent singer. Otherwise, it can ruin the proceedings, just like poor compositions or playing can.

Bill

[zombywoof]

I don’t know who Nathan James is but as a vocalist he sounds fantastic on side hustle. Wondering why track 9 is not here. This is a good album. NIDA is also excellent on Red Apple. I understand the want of clean vocals but she would sound better on smiling with some heavier reverb. 2 cents. Very professional.

Hi ! Thank you for taking the time to listen and respond, I really appreciate it.

Nathan James is a songwriter I've collaborated with since 2017-2018, and we have a number of albums out together under the name Colouratura. In this case, "Side Hustle" was written by Derek Ferguson of Refestramus for our latest album, which is about to be reissued on LP in a month. I got pretty far away from Derek's intent on our version, so I offered to do a version for his album that was more in keeping with his original vision for the track. Nathan James sings lead and plays bass on both versions.

Track 9 is a cover of Spirit's "Mr Skin" which is included on the CD only due to licensing issues. DF paid for a license that allows for a limited pressing on physical media but does not include streaming rights. I do wish it was online because I sing lead on it, with NIDA backing, and Derek Pavlic plays my favorite guitar solo of his on the entire disc.

btw I agree re- the comment on "Smiling" - at least in spots. While I generally prefer a drier sound, at one point I had intended to smooth out a few of her notes with some reverb trails but we had a hard deadline on this album and I actually turned it in on the day - Thanksgiving 2023. I pretty much got to do everything I wanted to but that was one idea that slipped thru the cracks and still bugs me a little. Good ear !

[Nijinsky Hind]

It's not a disdain for vocals, it's a disdain for shitty vocals. I love vocal music, but some releases feature vocalists who should never have been allowed to get within shouting distance of a microphone. I had no idea Methexis even had earlier albums, and I was jazzed to check them out, as they were also on CD! Imagine my disappointment when the vocals sound amateurish and out of tune. I'm not going to pay money for that, though I just bought Amoeba Split's recent reissue of their first album (and earlier demo) and to my surprise, they feature a female singer who can't hold pitch. WFT? I though they were an instrumental band.

Vocals are great, if you have a competent singer. Otherwise, it can ruin the proceedings, just like poor compositions or playing can.

Bill

Understood… I get it. I thought you meant all vocals in general.

[Splicer]

I like that Glass Island. Listened to the first song and enjoyed it quite a bit. One man band but well done and good production.

[Splicer]

Magician's Red - Endless Yearning

I don't see it anywhere except on streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music). Has a sort of feel like The Tangent. What makes it unique is that it's autobiographical about the songwriter being gay.

[boilk]

You miss out on a lot of music. I’ve never been able to understand the disdain for vocals. The original musical instrument does so much for a “song”. Not a criticism, just small talk… we like what we like.

As stated by Bill, I only meant the songs on this album with vocals, too! I listen to music with vocals, when it sounds good, to me. Recent years, I'd say that the new releases that I buy are about 75% all instrumental. Not a conscious choice to avoid music with vocals, there just seems to be a lot more stuff coming out that I like that is instrumental, and more instrumental stuff coming out in general.

Speaking of vocal music, I can't wait for the new Echolyn to drop. Hopefully this year, as it was initially said to be coming out last fall. There will be plenty of great vocals on that disc.

Neil

[Glass Island]

I like that Glass Island. Listened to the first song and enjoyed it quite a bit. One man band but well done and good production.

Thank you so much!

[arturs]

I just bought Amoeba Split's recent reissue of their first album (and earlier demo) and to my surprise, they feature a female singer who can't hold pitch. WFT? I though they were an instrumental band.

Bill

Yeah I had forgotten how bad the vocals were on that. The 2nd and new albums are very good, so when I saw the reissue I got all excited about it. I'm glad I gave the first album a virtual spin over on Bandcamp... It brought back a long lost memory of listening to samples back in 2010 and deciding "no thank you". As you say, WTF? The band are excellent musicians. Surely they could hear the problems? No?