INDISPENSABLE NEW MUSIC PICKS
October 2022
Kristine England
Oct 31, 2022
Brian Eno
Foreverandevernomore
Eno inhabits a unique place in the world of music. A hugely creative force since his days with Roxy Music and subsequent solo efforts and collaborations, he introduced ambient music to the masses and has produced countless albums for U2, Talking Heads, and Laurie Anderson, and more. With his latest recording, he explores feelings (unusual for the perpetually cerebral musician) about the climate crisis.
FEATURED TRACK: “Garden of Stars”
Can
Can Live in Cuxhaven 1976
Can may have been part of the Kraut Rock scene in the 70s, but the group pushed the boundaries of that genre to create experimental psychedelic soundscapes, infused with other genres like Afrobeat and funk. Releasing a series of live performances from its heyday, Live in Cuhaven 1976 is the third installment.
FEATURED TRACK: “Eins”
Black Lips
Apocalypse Love
The members of Georgia garage rock band Black Lips have been causing trouble for over a decade. Kicked out of high school, guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley, formed Black Lips, a group known for its outrageous stage antics. They’ve endured tragedy too, losing one member to a drunk driver while another succumbed to brain cancer. Such a history may informs their 10th release, “a madcap collection of misfit anthems tinged in sardonic absurdity.” (Clash Magazine)
FEATURED TRACK: “Lost Angel”
Bibio
BIB10
Stephen James Wilkinson, a.k.a. Bibio, hails from West Midlands, UK. A purveyor of lo-fi analog production whose repertoire includes ambient, foktronica, funk, soul and more. For his tenth recording, he marries a heavy synth groove with guitars to create a retro-disco vibe. Using guitars as “ building blocks of a larger structure,” he explains his goal to create, “ subtle variations and differences with each guitar’s tone and colour make the album more nuanced.” (Beats Per Minute).
FEATURED TRACK: “S.O.L.” (feat. Olivier St Louis)
Witch Fever
Congregation
Witch Fever’s sound straddles punk and metal on its debut recording. This all-female quartet from Manchester has worked in the UK’s punk underground for years, honing its defiant approach and created “an electrifying roar of defiance and rage...[a] gloriously angry debut album takes aim at religion, inequality and patriarchal oppression” (NME)
FEATURED TRACK: "Congregation"
Lomond Campbell
Under This Hunger Moon We Fell
Scottish composer Lomond Campbell works in his Highland studio, The Lengths, where he experiments with tape loop techniques. He’s also designed his own instruments and devices for creating music, even winning a BAFTA for creating what his record has called, “a moody, narcissistic music machine called Cybraphon which now resides in the National Museum of Scotland.”
FEATURED TRACK: "Sister Rena"
Bonnie Trash
Malocchio
Bonnie Trash is a family affair, led by twin sisters Emmalia and Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor from Ontario. Malocchio ("evil eye") is inspired by ghost stories told to the girls by their Italian grandmother. The latest single released from the record is a haunting and dramatic tune from the post-punk group.
FEATURED TRACK: "Silence Is a Killer"
Lindsey Stirling
Snow Waltz
A fascinating and eclectic artist, Stirling is a dancer, violinist, and composer. She creates theatrical violin performances and works in a variety of genres, from classical to pop to electronica. Snow Waltz is her second Christmas album, featuring eight classics and five originals.
FEATURED TRACK: "Snow Waltz"