New Music: May
Matthew Herbert - One One (Accidental)
Matthew Herbert; producer, musician, remixer and big-band leader presents his latest release on his own Accidental label, and what a revelation it is. 'One One' is a deeply personal record, and the first part of a trilogy that promises to be every bit as exciting as his previous work. Intimate rather than self-indulgent, this is the first record where Herbert has written and played every part himself, and the first to feature his vocals.
PE Hewitt Jazz Ensemble - Winter Winds (Now Again)
Nobody unearths lost gems quite ike Stones Throw offshoot label Now Again. In this case they've dug up an album recorded by a 16-year old San Fransican between 1968 and 1970, of which there was only ever 50 copies pressed... Deep jazz with across the board appeal, this is going to be loved by afficionados as much as it is by the casual listener, and we're going to be playing it a lot.
The Golden Filter - Voluspa (Brille)
Glitzy, sexy disco from this Australian/American duo. Penelope Trappes has a voice like honey, and it perfectly compliments Moroder-obsessive Stephen Hindman's expert knob twiddling. With a nod to Goldfrapp and Ladytron, The Golden Filter are shaping up to be one of the sounds of the summer in 2010, and you can expect to be hearing a lot of current single 'Hide Me' pretty soon.
John Grant - Queen of Denmark (Bella Union)
Former frontman of the country-tinged, introspective soft rockers Czars, John Grant returns to the studio, this time to record an album with Open Ear favourites Midlake. From growing up gay in a tiny Michigan village to where he is now, this is a beautiful record, riddled with heartbreak and revenge. Delicate soft-rock, in the true sense. Mid-70s Supertramp would be proud of this record.
5 Years of Hyperdub - (Hyperdub)
Not strictly a new release (it came out in October of last year), but we're so delighted to have Kode 9's Hyperdub label join the Open Ear roster that we can't stop listen to this just now. Pioneering dubstep from the people that brought us Burial and Ikonika, Hyperdub truely re-defined electronic music.
Ancient Astronauts - Put Em Up EP (Switchstance)
Some hip-hop from Switchstance, for a change, and what an EP it is. With vocals from Raashan Ahmad on the title track, and the rest being the Ancient Astronauts' usual forward-thinking blend of funk, dub and reggae this is something you can listen to again and again while still discovering something new each time. Tru Thoughts' TM Juke features on remix duties.
The Bamboos - 4 (Tru Thoughts)
We love the Bamboos (and Ninja Tune off-shoot label Tru Thoughts, for that matter) here, and their appropriately-named fourth album confirms just how good we always knew they were. This is one of the most exciting, vibrant, addictive and original albums of the year, and one of the finest things to have been released on Tru Thoughts.
Madlib - In Search of Stoney Jackson (Now Again)
Modern-day musical mastermind Madlib returns to prolificness after a short time in the shadows. As with most of his records, this (despite featuring numerous guest artists) is not a collaboration project, and (despite being a new release) is not entirely made up of new material. As any Madlib die-hard will know, his records are littered with references to his previous production work, and samples thereof. True to form, this record continues that tradition. And it's excellent. Obviously. It's a Madlib record! It doesn't need an explanation.
Back