Fifth album from the New Zealand-born singer-songwriter. Harding moved to Wales in 2020 and collaborates with her live-in partner, H. Hawkline (Huw Evans), as well as other local musicians. Her somewhat low-key alt folk is “warm and inviting,” while being strange, playful and out-of-the-box at times. The melodies are carried by guitar, bass, piano, drums and synths — with pedal steel and even a harp thrown in. But it’s Harding’s curious, intriguing poetry set to music that define the 10-song set. The result has earned “Train On The Island” exceptional praise, including an almost unheard of 90 from Pitchfork. RIYL: Cate LeBon, Jessica Pratt, Julia Jacklin, Fiona Apple, Bedouine.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 5, 1, 3, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (4:07) I Ate The Most — Spare, pensive opener. Sputtering, shuffling percussion. Organ and brief guitar licks. Extremely present, low-register vocals — like Harding ‘ate the mic.’ Some backing harmonies. ****
2. (3:30) One Stop — Urgent, repeated piano arpeggios. A very radio-friendly song, but with unexpected twists and turns. The song transitions to strummed guitar at around 2:25. ****
3. (5:35) Train On The Island — Very laid-back storytelling feel. Composed of just two piano chords, three bass notes and two guitar notes over a simple rhythm. Yet, it’s all mesmerizing and draws one into Harding’s dreamy, slightly sultry vocals. ****
4. (3:54) Worms — A slow and sensuous piano ballad. Snare drum rhythm and a hint of pedal steel guitar.
5. (3:17) Venus In The Zinnia (ft. H. Hawkline) — A highlight! Lovely duet with H. Hawkline. Strummed guitar with an interesting bassline and the vocalists playing off one another. Some player piano in the lead break. ****
6. (4:12) If Lady Does It — An experimental feel. Keyboards, bass and guitar once again. Frequent changes to tempo and musical structure. Playful, quavering vocals.
7. (4:42) San Francisco — Slow, soulful and free-form jazzy. Organ and pedal steel guitar. Unexpectedly breaks into up-tempo strumming with a very Joni Mitchell throwback feel at 3:30.
8. (3:45) What Am I Gonna Do — A funky groovy vibe. Deep drums, bass and shimmering keys. Throaty vocals. Again, unpredictable shifts in musical signatures.
9. (2:58) Riding That Symbol — Sweet and beautiful folk ballad over picked and strummed guitar.
10. (3:29) Coats — Hip and fun, with a nice swagger. Fuzzy guitars along with a simple bassline and rhythm. Quizzical lyrics about “Big thick coats on the dogs of people just trying to help.” ***

Fifth solo album from the 33-year-old L.A.-based singer-songwriter, who’s a frequent collaborator with Sufjan Stevens. This album is a small miracle — De Augustine was at home on Halloween 2021 when he lost feeling in his entire body and collapsed. He couldn’t move, hear or see well. The medical crisis was never fully diagnosed, and De Augustine has had to relearn how to walk, talk, play and sing. “Angel in Plainclothes” emerged from the artist’s lengthy journey back. The album moves away from his early DIY days to a set of indie folk tracks that have more layers while remaining spare, fragile and intimate. RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Denison Witmer, Elliott Smith, Andy Shauf or early Paul Simon.
— Francis

Recommended: 5, 4, 1, 9, 2, 7, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:00) Empty Shell — Wistful waltz featuring De Augustine’s close-mic’d ethereal vocals, strummed guitar and harp. Almost a Beatles white album vibe with its throwback strings. ****
2. (3:46) Pet Cemetery — Exotic rhythms created with unusual instruments, setting up an island vibe. Guitar, tinkling piano and shimmering idiophone, with haunting harmonies. Lyrics about the pet cemeteries for the stars in L.A. ***
3. (2:49) Spirit Of The Unknown — Sensitive and achy love ballad with a deliberate tempo. Quavering, falsetto vocals. Rich orchestration.
4. (4:22) The Cure — One of several standout singles. Soft and Donovan-like, but with more energy in the choruses. Guitar and chime-y keys. Lyrics compare managing a chronic illness with the cycles of addiction. ****
5. (4:07) Mirror Mirror — Lilting vocals over a droning soundscape created using the varispeed function on a tape machine. Nice mid-tempo rhythm, strings and backing harmonies. An early Paul Simon feeling. ****
6. (2:28) Cosmic Ride — Aptly named, otherworldly lullaby with guitar, piano and breathy vocals.
7. (2:44) The Universe Was Our Mother — Slow fade in. Gorgeous halting, crystalline love ballad featuring harp and piano. ***
8. (3:41) With A Love So Kind — Another gentle, heartfelt arrangement with doubled vocals, swelling strings and xylophone.
9. (4:09) Pictures On My Wall — Strummy and bouncy folk song. This one could easily be a Simon & Garfunkel tune from their early years. ***
10. (3:06) Goodbye Baby Blue — A brief, hopeful and uplifting closer. More traditional folk with a solid bassline. Beautifully harmonized vocals. A hint of Americana. ***

This is a fun, gritty record with angsty, incisive lyrics that belong on college radio. One-man show Matt Koenig explores the space between punk rock, breakbeats, funky indie, and catchy pop. Be advised: some tracks start or end with considerable silence / quiet. RIYL Fratellis, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, !!!, or something in between.

Two songs with FCC issues.

1. A little funky, gritty, angsty. Ends with ~30s crickets chirping.
2. ** Upbeat, 2000’s punk rock nostalgia.
3. *** Great for summertime airplay! Upbeat, danceable. 2010’s indie feel.
4. Fast, but lower-energy lackadaisical beat.
5. Plodding, Fratellis sound.
6. ** Medium-speed and catchy. Closer to singer-songwriter. Orchestral walk-off.
7. * FCC “God damn”. Punk rock with a driving beat.
8. * Indie rock. Upbeat angst with strained vocals. Another quiet outro w/ sound effects.
9. *** Upbeat, poppy anthem with vocal commentary apropos of generational angst. Belongs on college radio!
10. * Fast punk rock breakbeats.
11. *** FCC “the fuck was I to do”. Blastable indie rock.
12. Percussion-focused, clean rock.
13. More sterile dance beat.
14. A quick, upbeat outro.

The Late Night Tales mix series turns 25, with a mix by Barry Can’t Swim, the scottish DJ specializing in lush downtempo works; the mix includes various obscurities, and some new works by BCS himself, outtakes and unreleased cuts from earlier in his career, and a new single

FCC on 3, rest is clean; quite varied in what we got here, take your pick


1. [Jackson Mico Milas] (1:48) *** Soft piano, woozy beachy; sax, some faint voices -- vague and romantic
2. [Majid Bekkas & Magic Spirit Quartet] (5:39) ***** Echoes of soft smooth jazz over beachy jazz bass and percussion: vocals in Moroccan, emphatic, aching energy with a midtempo groove
3. FCC -- "fuckin'" [Jesse Bru] (2:11) *** Mumbly hallway chatter in bg, beach waves, soft and inviting exotica atmosphere; casual chatter (including FCCs)
4. [Loket] (6:22) ******* Spacey rapid synths-- some triumphant brass, chill xylophone, nice and cool, plummy rich instrumental atmosphere, resolves in bittersweet strings
5. [Superpitcher] (4:07) ******* Spacey sweet harp glissandos, fading into aggressive midtempo dance beat, then everything warbly/warp-o, start and stop, repetitive hypnotic strangeness
6. [Scott Orr] (1:39) ****** Some chatter about "the banjo setting" on a synth, then some crooning over some plunky little lush atmosphere; sweet, nice
7. [Marigold Sun] (1:49) ** Some atmosphere over simple plinky piano melody
8. [Barry Can't Swim] (2:43) **** The single--soured synth riffs; a plaintive distorted vocal floating over it, then the beat drops... insistent beat, some nightmarish distortion, lush full sound, an overall mysterious atmosphere
9. [Freddy da Stupid] (6:47) ****** Nice caribbean beat, with weird hush-ing beat over; mysterious 1980s vibe with whoop-ing cyber-caribbean atmosphere, odd, interesting instrumental... repetitive and haunting... last 20 seconds are a very quiet and fluttering fade-out
10. [Factory Floor] (8:27) ***** Straightforward beat with some echoey sighs over it... more of a straightforward (but loose, handclap) house beat; repeated, monotone "how did you do it" vocals; atmosphere becomes buzzier, richer, then chaotically echoey
11. [Ronald Langestraat] (4:16) ***** Casio keyboards, weird distorted scatty vocals; cyber jazz club, odd atmosphere, bittersweet musical evocation
12. [Lance Desardi] (6:50) **** Heavy, housey straightforward beat with some warp-o distortion... two minutes in, spoken-word woman monologue, simple but rich mood
13. [O'Flynn] (3:31) ***** Fragmented, odd, haunted atmosphere, distorted vocals sounding in pain with heavy liquidy sounds, strong straightforward beat, but dreamlike impression
14. [Accelera Deck] (3:11) ****** Buzzy, polytempo percussion; hypnotic and chaotic and also chill effect - instrumental
15. [Pepe] (5:15) ****** Odd minimalist woodwind cuckooish sound; chaotic atmosphere of different timbres. Simple instrumental but hypnotic weird effect; cool experimental vibe
16. [This Mortal Coil] (4:07) ****** Vibey bladerunnercore atmosphere, foggy minimalist synths, whale sound-esque sighs... female vocals, jazzy lynchian jazz club atmosphere ... fades into dignified string quartet
17. [St Francis Hotel] (1:47) ***** Epic and dignified strings into chill slow beat; cool weird atmosphere but short
18. [Barry Can't Swim] (2:16) *** Minimalist fuzzy atmosphere with simple piano melody
19. [Seamus] (4:25) Spoken word monologue (no bg), heavy scottish accent ... very droll
20. [Barry Can't Swim] (1:52) **** [vinyl-exclusive bonus track] Foggy misty atmosphere with dramatic piano, ethereal chorus, glitch-out, it's over

3rd album from NYC-based band that serves up folk rock, pop, Americana and a bit of alt country. Fantastic Cat brings together four singer-songwriters led by Brian Dunne (2025’s “Clams Casino”). Three have their own solo careers and the fourth fronts another group as well. The tracks on this album shift seamlessly among the genres, with arrangements blending guitar, piano, organ, strings and drums. High energy on most of the cuts, with only a couple of ballads. The goal was to create a live feeling, even though the album was recorded in the studio. RIYL: Dr. Dog, Bruce Springsteen, Avett Brothers, Delta Spirit.
— Francis

Recommended: 4, 2, 1, 8, 10, 11, 3. FCCs on unedited Tracks 13, 14 and 15.

1. (4:02) Donnie Takes The Bus — Simulated live opener. Begins with cheering crowd effects. A rollickingly exuberant Americana stomp with guitar, honky-tonk piano and pounding drums. Crowd sounds out. ****
2. (3:23) The Waiting Room (Clean Edit) — A Brian Dunne composition with a strong hook. Yearning vocals over guitar and plinking piano, with choruses that encourage you to sing along. ****
3. (4:01) Elevator — Alt country, with some pedal steel guitar licks and a kickin’ dance hall backbeat. **
4. (4:14) Don’t Let Go — Up-tempo pop rock song that’s super catchy. Heartbeat rhythm. Arresting lyrics powered by emotive vocals. Urgent pace set to tumbling drums. Second single, but it might be the best. ****
5. (2:56) How’s That Working Out — Brash, spirited rocker. Harkens back to raw rock ‘n’ roll from an earlier era. A goer!
6. (4:38) Back To The Beginning — Slower, with a sad and wistful vibe. Big and anthemic. Showcases a mournful pedal steel guitar.
7. (4:13) I Spoke To God A Lot Last Year — Heartland rock, with earnest vocals over a full arrangement featuring guitar, piano and cracking drums.
8. (4:47) Mona Be Still — Beautiful ballad, again composed by Dunne. Timeless lyrics, beautifully supported by guitars, organ, strings, piano and an intricate rhythm. Extended lead break featuring a guitar solo. ****
9. (4:09) No Goddamn Way — A bold, in-your-face anthem that rails against disappointments and attests to the strength of resilient relationships. Rocker with a bounce to it.
10. (3:17) L U C Y (Clean Edit) — An energetic, up-tempo Americana tune with strummy acoustic and electric guitars, tambourine and more. ***
11. (4:28) Turn Off The Lights (Clean Edit) — Sprawling, cinematic ballad with soaring vocals, ringing guitars, full orchestration and even harmonica. ***
12. (3:49) Nobody Better — Simple acoustic closer. Honest and unvarnished. “There ain’t nobody better than nobody else.”
13. (3:23) The Waiting Room (Explicit) — FCC: Fuck it — Unedited version of Track 2.
14. (3:17) L U C Y (Explicit) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of Track 10.
15. (4:30) Turn Off The Lights (Explicit) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of Track 11.

Sophomore album from an all-female, alt rock quartet from Brighton, England. Reportedly inspired by the band members all going through breakups at roughly the same time, the album loosely conjures up what a night on the town might then be like. The band refers to their sound as wonk pop, combining alt rock with electropop and even disco. Lime Garden captures the vibe of early-twenty-somethings trying to make their way in the world — dealing with self-discovery as well as self-deprecation. The lyrics have an edge throughout — a balance between playful and put out — with irreverent, ‘slacker’ vocals. Lots of fun! RIYL: Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes.
— Francis

Recommended: 4, 1, 9, 2, 5, 10. FCCs on unedited Tracks 11 and 12.

1. (2:49) 23 (Radio Edit) — Swaggering strut. Garage rock with a techno growl. Shouted vocals. ****
2. (2:41) Cross My Heart — Energetic, disco-funk with a liquid bassline. Glitchy percussion and electronic effects. Doubled vocals. ***
3. (2:37) Downtown Lover — Strident, guitar-driven garage rock with a solid backbeat. Title repeated frequently in the vocals.
4. (2:59) All Bad Parts — A fabulous danceable electropop single in the style of bands such as Wet Leg. Cool, mischievous vocals about ending up stuck with a partner who may not be their favorite option. Catchy! ****
5. (2:45) Maybe Not Tonight — Propulsive, off-kilter, punky garage rock reminiscent of the 00s sound. Distorted vocals. Softer lead break. ***
6. (3:13) Body — Another rocker with vocals that vary from edgy to sweet. Distorted guitars and shimmering synths. Lyrics about body-image and self-worth, driven by seeing another woman on the dance floor.
7. (2:22) Lifestyle — Roaring guitars, overmodulated vocals and feedback.
8. (3:20) Undressed — Electropop with a pulsing bassline, playful keys and Strokes-like guitars. Chime-y keys and lengthy guitar solo in the lead break.
9. (3:32) Always Talking About You (Clean Edit) — Flowing, softer alt rock where Chloe Howard admits to the band’s secret dream. “I wanna be famous/I wanna be rich.” Mesmerizing bass line and gruff vocals. ****
10. (2:42) Do You Know What I’m Thinking — Anthemic closer. Starts like a ballad with sweeter vocals from Howard, but spotlights Leila Deeley’s exceptional work on lead guitar and Annabel Whittle’s drumming. ***
11. (2:49) 23 (Explicit) — FCC: Fuckin’ — Unedited version of Track 1.
12. (3:33) Always Talking About You (Explicit) — FCC: fuck (twice), asshole — Unedited version of Track 9.

A series of emotional pieces focused on female-driven vocals carried by a range of instrumentation from middle-eastern electronic beats to anthemic orchestration. Eccentric lyrics discussing themes of spirituality, sexuality, and desire.

No FCC issues.

1. Medium-speed funky eastern groove.
2. Begins with 20s spoken word. Chanting about sex, though neither profane nor obscene.
3. * Upbeat with middle-eastern flair and a beat evocative of 90s nostalgia.
4. Slower. A dynamic, ethereal, emotional mix following piano-vocal lead.
5. * Medium speed, more danceable, with peppy orchestral backing.
6. Slower, awash with ethereal reverb and lyrics of frustration.
7. ** Arabic cover of the famed “Hallelujah”.

Chilean activist and hip hop icon Ana “Anita” Tijoux delivers pensive lyricism, a brief taste of DJ Dacel’s jazz-infused lofi beats. For a more laid-back listen, spin 1 or 4. I’d argue track 3 boasts the most impressive rap on Ana’s part and is most reminiscent of her beloved earlier work.

All tracks en Español.
No FCC issues.

1. Leisurely ode to wine and vinyl.
2. * “Smooth sailing”: jazzy, upbeat, borderline danceable.
3. ** Faster, bass-driven Gorillaz-like beat; ends with an odd key change.
4. A heady, heavyhearted duet discusses putting a hot romance on ice.

Nearly 25 years after their debut, The New Pornographers return with their 10th studio album. The band’s line-up continues to feature their core players led by AC Newman and Neko Case — but minus Dan Bejar who left 10 years ago to focus on his solo project (Destroyer). This album is full of fascinating stories. A woman trapped on a cruise ship. A final drink with a dying friend. A preacher who watches his town float away in a flood. The music blends bright synth with guitar-driven rock — topped by distinctive, often harmonized vocals shared by Newman, Case and others. RIYL: Destroyer (Dan Bejar), The Decemberists, The Hold Steady, The Shins.
— Francis

Recommended: 6, 4, 9, 1, 2, 10. FCC on Track 11

1. (4:11) Great Princess Story — Floats over juddering, arpeggiated synths. Layers of guitar and chime-y notes as well. Pounding drums. Features a stunning duet between Newman and Case. ****
2. (4:10) Pure Sticker Shock — Pure synthpop. A jaunty stroll with a confident beat. Lyrics explore the “sticker shock” we might feel should we discover that we value ourselves higher than the ‘market’ might. ****
3. (3:50) Ballad Of The Last Payphone — An ode to how technology marches on, as the new replaces the old with minimal fanfare. Straight-ahead simple rock with female backing vocals playing off Newman’s lead.
4. (4:54) Spooky Action — Guitar-driven tune with a nice shuffle to it. Almost island-like in its rhythm. Synth in the breaks. Once again, Newman on the lead with warm harmonies from Case and Kathryn Calder. ****
5. (3:40) Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It — Heartbeat rhythm. Sparse arrangement with guitar, lonesome synth and plaintive vocals.
6. (3:46) Votive — Starts gently with twinkling synths and breathy vocals. Then, it kicks into gear with edgy guitar licks and a driving beat. ****
7. (1:49) Wine Remembers The Water — Insistent, pulsing synth rhythm with swirling tones surrounding stop-and-go vocals in this short track.
8. (3:48) Calligraphy — Guitar-based, with almost an R&B groove. Funky vocals and nice guitar licks in the breaks.
9. (4:35) Bonus Mai Tais (Clean Edit) — Tells the story of visiting a friend with cancer. The somber subject is counterbalanced by the bright synthpop arrangement highlighted by Newman’s and Case’s harmonized vocals. ****
10. (6:38) The Former Site Of — A gorgeous, sprawling cinematic closer. Builds to feature tumbling drums. Roaring guitars and synths. Powerful lead vocals with harmonized backing. ***
11. (4:35) Bonus Mai Tais (Explicit) — FCC, mild: “Knowing dick all about such things” — Unedited version of track 9.

DESERT BLUES. Veteran Saharan Tuareg band (1979-) with an interesting story as nomadic performers and political refugees. Focus is on traditional hand-drumming, vocals, and Tuareg-influenced electric guitar. All songs in Tuareg language, with additional Spanish on Track 2. No full instrumentals. Note that rhythm typically develops gradually.

No FCC issues.

1. * Folksy, with call-and-response vox and a driving baseline. Clap along, medium speed.
2. ** Featuring Tuareg + Spanish vox. Hopeful, folksy, faster speed.
3. *** Cool rhythm, more electric guitar. Feels like Neil Young tripping in the Sahara. Medium speed.
4. Slower, moody. Choral vox with a complex harmony. Simple instrumental arrangement.
5. * Upbeat, faster speed. “Asstaghfero Allah” (“Let God forgive me”).
6. *** More upbeat. Featuring choral and female vox.
7. More somber, pensive. Features American roots guitar style.
8. * Upbeat, dancey, less lyrical.
9. ** Sweet melody with light percussion, male lead vox. Hum along.
10. Chant-like vox with a focus on more dynamic drumming.
11. Slow, solemn, ethereal. Exploring reverb and effects.

Chill synths and sparse melodic ideas -- simple music that does feel like it's made for plants. Ambient but in a minimal way, with a sense of rhythm and hummable melodies. Frequently mirrors meditative Asian music (the parallel-fourths thing). Great for setting a minimal, relaxed mood.

Faves: 5,3,6

1- (4:26) Placid morning dewdrops, moves slowly
2- (3:27) Sugary, like baby nursery music
3- (6:20) Percussive. Builds layers until there's quite a bit going on
4- (4:26) A chanting rhythm
5- (3:37) Spacey synth melody slowly winds its way. Upbeat ritualistic rhythm
6- (4:30) Upward melody like a tomato plant climbing
7- (2:53) Slow and halting

SF’s coolest natural wine haunt, Bar Part Time, is now a record label! This is the 3rd release they’ve put out, and they’ve selected Detroit's very own Ben Christensen to serve up a handsome 4-track EP. Marrying contemporary sounds with 80s Detroit and balearic nods, this EP is a fun blend of old and new that sets a lighthearted, groovy tone for a night out.

All tracks FCC Clean
RIYL: Space Ghost, Ryan Spencer, Juan Atkins, Cal-C, Dream Chimney Records, MM Discos

1. Funky, retro drum machine workout clocking in at eight minutes. A real throwback to 80’s Detroit electro. Tasteful vocal samples and a skippy marinade add some flavor but mostly it’s head-down jamming on some Rolands
2. Electro house with some pitch-shifted vocals, a seriously floaty synth line, and liberal handclap samples. Retains the same old school hoppy feel as track 1.
3. Beautifully aquatic balearic /downtempo track. Serene and peaceful with some glittery effects and a bouncy bassline. My favorite of the lot.
4. True to its title, “New Sun” this track offers a sun-kissed escape—slowly blossoming tropical melodies paired with bright tropical percussion(and a few chirping birds). Infectiously groovy and sparkly.

Blissful and immersive electronic compositions, (“”IDM”” if you will), the debut album from San Francisco producer Cahl Sel. Pitchfork notes that it “sounds like a lost ambient-techno classic from the ’90s” which is pretty spot on. Snappy drums, skittery melodies, unpredictable twists and turns…I could listen to this all day.

Try: 1, 3, 11, 4
FCC Clean (all tracks instrumental)
RIYL: µ-Ziq, Aphex Twin, Warp Records, Autechre, r/TheOverload

1. Muffled bass, snappy claps, a nice bounce, gorgeous rosy melodies
2. Slow-building abstract synth. A sparse beat kicks in at the halfway point
3. Cold, industrial buzzy intro leads into a bubbly effervescent drift-along
4. Snappy beat, pleasant stretchy synth melodies
5. Kaleidoscopic spiraling track with tendrils of synth and cascading chimes
6. Dubby liminal, haunting
7. Sparse funky beat with some lovely glitchy effects
8. Short wobbly ambient track
9. Squirmy and skittery
10. Deep, bottom-dwelling ambient piece peppered with blips and bloops
11. Open, loose, jazzy. Wandering synth and bright sunny xylophone
12. Smooth, serene, cinematic ambient. Really pretty outro

Soundscapes built from nature -- a patient take on "noise" calling attention to the Arctic region's fragile eocsystem. Tracks hover and drift, with sounds becoming tranquil or ominous depending on your thinking. Useful for setting a abstractly meditative or spooky mood.

Cheryl Leonard makes music on natural objects: bones, driftwood, sand. Here she combines that work with field recordings from the Arctic, conjuring images that both celebrate the region and mourn the environmental damage being done there. The instrument lineup includes some human-made objects found in that region.

See the CD booklet for specific instrumentation and descriptions of accompanying films.

Recommended: 1,3,5

1 - Starts with clackety driftwood and shells, then low flute-like sounds. This is a tribute to walruses, with guest Phillip Greenlief imitating walrus calls on Leonard's kelp-built flute.
2 - Water and quiet rushes of sound over the faint rumble of a ship's engine. Ends with chimes and kelp flutes. The least 'icy' track.
3 - Ringing wine-glass sounds (actually Pyrex beakers). Builds into an eerie gathering of tones, surging and pulsing.
4 - A suite of stillness, inspired by an abandoned Soviet settlement. Starts quietly: Buzzing, scraping, like sound out of focus. After 6:00, crisp sounds of rocks, metallic scrapes, and water. After 10:00, a coda of muffled chimes (played on a metal handrail) and bowed resonant sounds.
5 - Raspy, breath-y sounds ranging from airy to metallic. A slow meditation on sila, the Inuit concept that 'links the individual.

3rd solo album from Athens, Georgia-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Spencer Thomas. Formerly with Futurebirds, Thomas is an accomplished keyboard player, as well as being proficient on the guitar, bass and drums — and even cello and tuba. He blends folk, rock and a touch of Americana into arresting melodies reminiscent of the 1970s. His arrangements feature “retro synthesizers, vintage drum machines and fuzzed-out electric guitars in an intoxicating blend of analog and electronic sounds.” In the lyrics, Thomas wryly tries to make sense of the obstacles and existential uncertainty we face in the world today — to find the meaning to move forward. RIYL: Runnner, Tom Petty, Warren Zevon, The Wallflowers, and even Randy Newman.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3, 7, 10. FCCs on Tracks 11-13

1. (2:34) This Is Your Life Now — Confident, deliberate and strummy, with accepting, introspective lyrics. Strings or synth orchestration added as the song progresses. Sounds like Jacob Dylan of the Wallflowers. ****
2. (4:04) Hoeny Burne — A lovely, melodic sway featuring piano, organ and harmonized vocals. Wry, humorous ballad with storytelling lyrics about a struggling novelist/English teacher. ****
3. (3:49) Grab Enlightenment By The Horns — A relaxed alt country shuffle. Nice laid-back bassline under sustained synths, the latter of which at times sound like a mournful pedal steel guitar. ***
4. (4:14) The World Is F---ed And I Love You (Clean Edit) — Super catchy, splashy, up-tempo New Wave-influenced pop rock with a serious message about environmental concerns, science sceptics, our divided electorate and more. Blaring synths, guitars and programmed drums. ****
5. (6:18) Video Farm (Clean Edit) — Leisurely stroll built on a prominent bassline with ‘spoken-sung’ vocals. Lyrics focus on the desire of so many to be constantly on their phones and visible through social media. This one sounds like Runnner (Noah Weinman). ****
6. (3:22) Honeymoon Suite — Light and jazzy slow dance with a plink-y piano and simple syncopated rhythm consisting of reverbed claves.
7. (3:36) Jim (Clean Edit) — Pensive storytelling tune about a factory worker who watches everyone else get ahead at work except for him. Tom Petty-like vocals with organ and shimmering guitar. ***
8. (5:05) Reborn — Slow-tempo, almost funereal in its pacing. Sorrowful vocals over sad, church-like keys. Dramatic, repeating echoed drum signature. Woodwinds and swirling effects in the lead break.
9. (3:04) Cynical Vision — Upbeat rocker with edgy guitar, a bit of piano and a solid backbeat. Very Tom Petty-ish.
10. (3:59) So Lucky When The Music Plays — Surprisingly hopeful closer. A rich, warm synth and organ-heavy ballad with flowing strings and lilting vocals. ***
11. (4:14) The World Is Fucked And I Love You (Explicit) — FCCs: fucked (5 times) — Unedited version of track 4.
12. (6:18) Video Farm (Explicit) — FCCs: assholes, shit — Unedited version of track 5.
13. (3:36) Jim (Explicit) — FCCs: shit (twice) — Unedited version of track 7.

Torrey Self-Titled
Review by Soup of the Day (my first review, please let me know how I can improve)

RIYL: Lunar Vacation, Alvvays, (Psychopomp era) Japanese Breakfast, Slowdive, Softcult, Florist, The Beths, Cocteau Twins

Local Bay Area band! Soft, chill indie pop with shoegaze vibes. Fun ambient and reverby effects, layers upon layers of droning, dreamy synths and guitars. Music fits well with foggy day weather and sunny, crisp mornings.

No FCC
Favorite Tracks: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

1. Rain: light and echoey vocals, scratchy upbeat guitar
2. No Matter How: upbeat start with drums, classic shoegazy pop, chill but exciting fuzzy energy, fun synth bits and sustained chords, reminds me of Alvvays
3. Moving: Shoegaze pop, cool panned funky fuzz guitar chords and echoey vocals, vaguely Cocteau Twins or Cranberries vibes
4. Bounce: nostalgic indie pop, high energy and fun guitar riff, flying and light vibes, chimey synths
5. Hawaii: gritty fast-paced guitar and busy drums, punk-infused, fuzz vocals, distortion
6. Garage Intermission: elevator music if it was slowed + reverb indie with slide guitar, echoey vocals
7. Slow Blues: chimey mesmerizing synths, flowy shoegaze, squeaky guitar line
8. Pop song: high energy upbeat, synth melody, fast paced bass, echo distorted guitar, busy drums with lots of crash
9. July (and I’m): bit-crushed drums, slow strummy acoustic chords and whoosing, very echoey ambient calm
10. Happy You Exist: whimsical echo guitar chord strums, similar to tracks 2-5, fun layers of distorted guitars
11. Really AM: shoegaze indie, melancholy, bassline carries chords with droning and screechy guitars that wrap around the vocals
12. We’re Dancing (End): ambient atmospheric, distorted droning ending to the album, no vocals, reminds me of if Sigur Rós was shoegaze

Mitski - Nothing’s About to Happen to Me
Review by Soup of the Day / Aliza (first time reviewing, feedback appreciated)
Similar to: Lana Del Rey, Japanese Breakfast, Phoebe Bridgers

Storytelling through her interesting and thought-provoking lyrics, Mitski incorporates slide guitar, strings, and other bluegrass and country influences into her eighth album. She invokes feelings of mystery, angst, longing, and more through this release. She takes inspiration from sounds of the 70s and captures the same ominousness as an episode of Twin Peaks.

Favorite tracks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
FCC: 5

1. In A Lake: slow ballad with vocals, banjo plucks, accordion, and acoustic guitar chords, bluegrass instruments, loud ending
2. Where’s My Phone?: distorted scratchy guitar, fuzzed vocals, loud, ominous, screeching, ripping guitar solo and warping out ending
3. Cats: gentle, country-inspired ballad, quiet and soft vocals with slide guitar
4. If I Leave: dark, plucking distorted guitar tones, loud, desperate vocals in chorus
5. (FCC WARNING) Dead Women: slow, sweeping strings, dark chord progression
6. Instead of Here: soft and gentle, ballad with guitar and piano, sad organ
7. I’ll Change For You: slow ballad, folksy, with samples intertwined, sweeping strings, flute
8. Rules: upbeat and twangy, louder vocals with slide guitar and organ, fun instrumental section with clarinet solo and brass
9. That White Cat: twangy electric guitar riff, tense buildup, cowboy showdown vibe
10. Charon’s Obol: acoustic and slide guitar, gentle vocal with background humming vocals, with fiddle solo
11. Lightning: starts with twangy acoustic slow and transitions to scratchy heavy distorted sound, similar to track 2

Long-awaited return of one of the best indie and sunshine pop bands in the nation, based right here within the greater Stanford community. This is the 6th album from the full foursome that’s been together for 20+ years. Singer-songwriter and ukulele virtuoso, Karla Kane, fronts the band — along with Khoi Huynh (bass, vocals, keys and more), KC Bowman (guitar, vocals and more), and Charlie Crabtree (drums). Many friends contribute as well — including former bandmate Angela Silletto (now Rhoades), Helen Luker of the UK band Fun Of The Pier, and Bradley Skaught of The Bye Bye Blackbirds. As always with the Corner Laughers, the lyrics go far beyond the simplistic to consider topics and issues impacting us all. RIYL: Belle And Sebastian, Neko Case, Allo Darlin’, Camera Obscura.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 9, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (5:02) Terra Mia — An opener full of contradictions. Musically, it’s built on strummed ukulele, a busy bass line, synths, guitar riffs and uplifting, lilting vocals. But the dark lyrics contemplate the mess we’re making of the environment and the worrisome consequences for the world. ****
2. (2:54) Dusking — Upbeat, catchy indie pop. The arrangement harkens back to the best Brit pop hits from the 60s, with a classic melodic construction and rich instrumentation. ****
3. (3:04) Rainbow Cardigan — A hyper-catchy single. Acoustic guitar and lightly jangling ukulele. Huynh’s ‘spaghetti western’ bass and Crabtree’s cracking drumming help carry the tune. Marvelous lead break by Bowman. Wonderfully inventive wordplay, which muses about merging colors and shades and matters of time. ****
4. (3:03) Crumb Clean — Bouncy and fun. An optimistic counterpoint to the harsher environmental message of the opener. The melody draws from a musical piano riff played by Karla’s talented young daughter (who also performs on this cut on the album).
5. (4:16) The Harvestman — Soothing and dreamy lullaby. Measured tempo. A gentle swing. Lush lead vocals. Crystalline Beach Boys-like harmonized backing vocals, especially nice in the leisurely trail-out. ****
6. (3:35) Dark Matter — Syncopated, stop-and-go grabber. Slow fade in. Originally released as part of a ‘bewitching’ collection for Halloween by the Big Stir label. Lots of accolades to members of the clever crow family. ***
7. (3:16) Red Yarrow, Yellow Yarrow — Jazzy, piano-forward folk tune that pays homage to a native California flowering plant, which is as at home in suburban backyards as it is in the wilderness. Sweet vocals.
8. (2:57) Universe Point — Composed by lead guitarist Bowman, this tune has a hooky, march-like vibe with a brief, throaty guitar-driven lead break.
9. (3:58) Victoria Sponge — Tells the story of the rise and fall of the Crystal Palace in South London — a cast-iron building that was 1,851-feet wide and 128-feet tall — with brilliant, plate-glass walls. The warm melody was composed by Helen Luker of UK-based band, Fun Of The Pier. ***
10. (2:54) Larkspur Landing — A slightly unsettling, yet somehow reassuring, chamber pop closer with an important nod once again to caring for our environment. Larkspur Landing is where the San Francisco Bay ferries come and go in Marin County. ***

Very DIY indie pop rock from a local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Rich Ajlouney (pronounced AHJ loan ee) is a long-time high school teacher in San Jose. This is the 11th studio album or EP he’s recorded since the early 90s. It’s got an intentionally self-produced, recorded-at-home feeling. The tracks recall music from the 60s and early 70s, with styles ranging from Brit-influenced pop and folk rock to a hint of psychedelic rock. Arrangements feature piano and guitar with some synth orchestration. Unvarnished, down-to-earth vocals throughout. RIYL: the Pixies, David Bowie, the Beatles, Kinks and Bob Dylan.
— Francis

Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 7. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:49) Run Away With Me — Mid-tempo. Energetic pop with a repetitive plinking piano, synth strings and reverbed, harmonized lead vocals. Some nice call-and-response elements. Reinforces the DIY vibe of the entire set. ****
2. (3:41) Flying On That Plane — Very David Bowie-like. Guitar-driven but wrapped with rich sampled horns. Tumbling drums at times. ****
3. (3:25) Help Me Go To Sleep — Bright, strummy acoustic folk. No rhythm track. Smooth, gentle harmonized vocals. Reminiscent of the Beatles’ white album period. ****
4. (3:15) Fairytale — Pays homage to 60s folk rock coming out of the canyons in L.A. Chime-y piano and acoustic guitar. Recalls Dylan’s “All I Really Want To Do,” as performed by the Byrds and/or Cher. ****
5. (3:04) Under The Sun — Meandering psych rock with spacey effects and slightly drone-y vocals.
6. (3:14) And I Love You — Measured, melodic rock ballad with filtered vocals over throaty guitars in the choruses. ***
7. (6:58) Dislodger — Intriguing anthem. Starts with lovely, picked guitar, but then layers in synth, organ and guitar effects. Disarming vocals harking back to the Kinks of the late 60s. ***
8. (2:55) No Plans — Down-tempo rock swagger — with tasty, reverbed guitars and piano.
9. (3:32) She’s A Lady — Piano-based love song. Sad, emotive vocals about a chance meeting with a woman after a breakup. Some uplifting synth orchestration in the choruses.
10. (2:23) Now What — Throwback to simple 60s pop rock, with a piano-led melody and trombones or tuba in counterpoint.
11. (3:01) Forever Blue — Spare and melodic. Vulnerable vocals backed by simple acoustic guitar.

Ambient/experimental/ethereal: a collaboration of Julianna Barwick (a fave of many with her hypnotic, lush, pretty pieces featuring a good deal of wailing), and Mary Lattimore, specialist on the harp. They collaborated at the Philharmonie de Paris with extensive access to the Musée de la Musique’s instrument collection, in partnership with the French label InFiné. The harps date from 1728 to 1873. No FCCs!

1 (5:33) ******* Minimalist, slow, persistent harp.... soft ethereal vox, sound gradually becomes richer and more fleshed out with synthy, ambient backing ... then halfway through more of rich, haunting full choir; beautiful stuff
2 (7:05) ***** Harps form a hypnotic dirge, joined by an uncanny buzzing of overlapping voices, grows into a fairly haunting but pretty atmosphere
3 (2:37) **** A Roger Eno composition; melancholy plinking strings and solemn, soft wailing
4 (7:12) ***** Somewhat hopeful harp movement, soft and distant vocals, eventually joined by lush, fuzzy chorus of voices; repetitive and hypnotic, nice vibe; fades out with fuzzy fat synth
5 (4:15) ******** A cover of a piece by Vangelis for "Blade Runner" (1982) - somewhat spacey synth with futuristic glissandos, then somewhat curious vocals and an array of other spacey and far-out instrumentation, some whistling, just a great atmosphere
6 (7:11) ****** Bluzzy diagonal synth; plinky high spacey sounds joining it; eventually gets a pretty cool and driving beat, closest to being dancey, very very spacy atmosphere; eventually soft and gauzy bg vox
7 (8:37) **** Hypnotic repetitive pattern, plinky synth and elegant harp sounds together; vocals join halfway, eventually with more of a melodic hook than the rest of the songs

Matmos, the experimental noise duo (originally SF, now in Baltimore), have a release composed entirely of sounds made from metal, combining traditional instruments with actual junk; the album is stitched and formed together from various studio recordings, some live shows, some short tracks and one long track (20 min) to end it. The sound itself is ever-changing and largely indescribable, sometimes beat-driven and even occasionally melodic, and other times out in spacey atmospheres, listening is believing. No FCCs (no words are spoken/sung)

1. (4:14) ***** Creaking doors, sudden striking piano thuds, spare and spooky and ominous, eventually turning into antic, chattering, paranoiac beat
2. (5:06) ***** Crinkly crumbly sounds, then bang-on-trash-can sounds create a sort of groove; more hallways of soft airhorns, various percussion; somewhat catchy, somewhat nightmarish
3. (4:14) ****** Soft sweet organ sounds, with antic schizo percussion, then maybe super-sweet xylophone... hypnotic and cryptic, strange and childlike and spacey, almost poppy
4. (3:58) ***** Gulpy percussion leading into almost a music-box sort of atmosphere; strange and cacophonic, but also sunshiney and hopeful? At least, until the sort of claustrophobic xylophone nightmarish sounds that close it out
5. (2:57) ***** Plinky atmosphere, with big fat spaghetti western guitar; shimmery sounds enter; spacey but somewhat coherent
6. (20:42) ******* The long piece, the sounds are very of a piece with the tracks above, with more time to flow, evolve, change, grow; beats: sometimes

Music from the new Jim Jarmusch film, featuring music done jointly by the legendary director, joined by the relatively young British/German singer-songwriter Anika, who crossed paths at a Sacred Bones label event in 2022. Anyway, the film is a funny, sweet, and somewhat cryptic series of three stories of parents, their children, home, memories, and loss; the music (hazy electronic sounds, and a few vocal songs in opening/closing credits) was released as a soundtrack, many tracks are quite short, but you can even probably allow them to flow continuously; NO FCCS, all of it is quite nice

1. (2:12) *** A cool, jazzy take on the 1960s pop/r&b song "Spooky", with minimalist bass accompaniment for the first half, then keyboard in back half (short overall, just two minutes)
2. (1:01) **** Woozy, dreamy, blissy, bittersweet
3. (0:46) **** Hazy and tape-warpy, daydreamy and indistinct; in the film, a sort of epiphany in the presence of skateboarders (see track 10 for longer take on same theme)
4. (0:55) *** Soft, sweet, hazy
5. (0:33) *** Sweet and hazy, but a bit of longing and confusion
6. (1:08) *** Take-warpo sound, liminal and hazy
7. (1:08) **** nostalgic and hazy, plinky guitar and electric haze
8. (1:10) **** Soft and warm enveloping sounds
9. (1:15) **** Hypnotic and european guitar haze and reverb swamp
10. (3:38) ***** Sour and metallic reverb haze, that spirals out into even more hazy and dreamy circles of sound, reaching an epiphany, finally fading into soft, few echoes
11. (1:35) ***** Soft and sweet synthy bubbles of sound, floating about in a soft cloud
12. (0:47) ** Very short hazy bit
13. (3:36) ***** Take on Jackson Browne's "These Days", done with very similar arrangement to Nico's famous take on it, but a bit more minimalistic at first, and then evolving into a rich synth soup of warm electric sounds and echoes, eventually with air of electric guitar fuzz
14. (3:43) ******* Plinky, dreamy, hazy, really pretty, and unlike earlier tracks in this vein, long enough to hold onto
15. (4:21) ***** Ethereal, somewhat sharp and razory, sounds in a minimalist suspension of soft sounds, echoes and daydreams, even some white noise hiss -- sound congeals towards end
16. (3:32) ******* See #13, but additional mix featuring the Kaleidoskop string quartet, makes it a bit more interesting, but the other more minimalist mix is nice too

Solo debut for UK singer-songwriter, Jenny Hollingworth, who’s also half of the art pop band, Let’s Eat Grandma. While it is Hollingworth’s solo LP, her L.E.G. bandmate, Rosa Walton, contributes on three of the ten tracks. The overall vibe leans toward 80s-inspired New Wave, updated for 2026. The melodies are strong with lots of catchy hooks, particularly in the front half of the set. The arrangements range from bright sophistipop to power pop anthems, with a hint of noisy dissonance. RIYL: Let’s Eat Grandma, Bethany Cosentino (former Best Coast frontwoman), CHVRCHES or 80s pop.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 1, 3, 9, 6, 4. FCC on Track 11.

1. (4:18) Good Intentions — Cinematic and orchestrated. Guitars and synths carry this power pop tune, with Hollingworth’s vocals soaring above. Let’s Eat Grandma bandmate Walton adds to the stirring harmonies. ****
2. (3:42) Quicksand Heart (Clean Edit) — Shimmering and rapturous. Synth-driven tune. Verses build to driving choruses with guitars layered in. Lyrics deliver on the “quicksand heart” analogy. ****
3. (3:43) Every Ounce Of Me — Lead single. Catchy pop with a soundtrack quality and lyrics like one would hear at the apex of a romantic movie. ****
4. (4:23) These Streets I Know — New Wave ballad with swelling synths and emotive lead vocals. About getting away from London’s hectic pace and pressure to the countryside surrounding her family home in Norwich. **
5. (3:00) Pacemaker — Formulaic pop standard that blends in with the rest of the album’s tunes. Nice, harmonized lead vocals.
6. (4:47) Dolphins — Wistful, playful and childlike. Repetitive keys in a liquid soundscape, like swimming in the ocean. High-pitched synths in the distance suggest dolphins communicating with one another. ***
7. (3:19) Groundskeeping — Warm, acoustic ballad. Piano and synth-led, with plaintive lead vocals.
8. (3:22) Push — Another sophistipop track with a persistent beat that gets a little lost in the set.
9. (4:18) Do You Still Believe In Me? — Syncopated beat. Throaty guitars and glittering synths. Hollingworth’s crystalline vocals carry the New Wave power pop tune. Noisy trail-out. ***
10. (4:49) Appetite — Powerful, uplifting closer. Guitar-driven with a solid drum track carrying the cross between an anthem and a ballad. Another track with Walton lending her voice to the harmonies.
11. (3:41) Quicksand Heart (Explicit) — FCCs: fucked-up (three times) — Unedited version of track 2.

Post-punk from Gdańsk, Poland. Ominous, dark, catchy, texturally complex. Guitarist and co-vocalist Gregorz Kwiatkowski, who is also an excellent poet and a human rights activist, focuses in his lyrics about the legacies of fascism and totalitarianism. The band's been playing for over 15 years, and I think this is their best work yet. RIYL Idles, Fontaines D.C., Protomartyr, Facs, Unwound. Favorites: 1, 3, 4. No FCCs detected.

1. *(2:40)—Mid-tempo, patient, with a lockstep beat and a darkwave feel. Not a cover of the Velvet Underground song.
2. (2:49)—Mid-tempo, head-nodding beat. Glassy guitars, heavy thudding sounds.
3. *(3:00)—Mid-tempo, blown-out beat. Sinewy guitar melodies. Spoken word. Sounds like late Unwound in places.
4. *(2:07)—Medium-fast, partly in 7/4. Chugging rhythm.
5. (3:18)—Mid-tempo, with psych rock verses and post-hardcore choruses.

Country-rock six piece from Durham, North Carolina. A refresh of 2000s radio-country with beautiful storytelling lyrics. (The singer, Aaron Dowdy, grew up in Appalachia and is a PhD candidate in literature at Duke.) Wonderfully catchy songwriting and a big open-hearted sound featuring crunchy guitars as well as great pedal steel and fiddle melodies. RIYL Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, Magnolia Electric Co., Friendship, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band. Favorites: 1, 4, 6, 9. No FCCs.

1. *(4:43)—Mid-tempo, great open-road driving song. Catchy, triumphant wordless melody.
2. (4:54)—Medium-slow, heavy-footed rhythm. Lyrics that allude to "Maggie's Farm."
3. (3:41)—Medium-slow, sweet and pensive, with emphasis on the strings and piano.
4. *(4:16)–Medium-slow, with big crunchy riffs. "If we make it up the mountain again, we’ll be back with country friends."
5. (4:37)—Very slow, mournful, with ghostly pedal steel textures.
6. *(3:29)—Medium-slow, just gorgeous and gentle and wistful, with a dramatic bridge. "I’m bound to be a boring angel, though I try not to be."
7. (4:01)—Mid-tempo, with a steady, easy groove.
8. (3:03)—Slow and soft, with pretty duet harmonies. "You’ve got a gift, a raw talent for being put up with."
9. *(5:19)—Mid-tempo and easygoing. A gently heartbreaking character study of a couple. "As southern kids we learned how to drink enough, it’s all we’ve got and it’s easy, but sometimes it still hurts to see you love me."
10. (2:13)—Medium-slow, mainly strummed acoustic guitar and voice. Lyrics about loving your hometown.
11. (3:43)—Slow, with the sweet sadness of a Magnolia Electric Co. song. Very pretty pedal steel solo.

First album in 13 years from a New York emo band with a longtime cult following. Full of slow-burning intensity, lots of passion but no screaming. Beautifully recorded, sounds visceral and immediate and richly atmospheric. Fans of late-90s or early-10s emo or post-rock will love this. RIYL Thrice, Pianos Become the Teeth, The Appleseed Cast, American Football, La Dispute. Favorites: 1, 4, 6, 9. No FCCs.

1. *(5:30)—Medium-slow, patient, with gentle piano and a long, gradually cresting climax.
2. (4:44)—Fast. Heavy, muscular, with a pop-punk feel.
3. (4:38)—Medium-fast, driving. Pretty string textures.
4. *(5:40)—Mid-tempo, tom-heavy beat. Carefully paced and heavy. Lovely long outro with group vocals.
5. (3:36)—Mid-tempo, big start, more complex and meandering chord progression.
6. *(4:35)—Mid-tempo, long intro, heavy. Big, triumphant second half.
7. (4:58)—Mid-tempo, 3/4 time for the first half. Pretty electric guitar interplay at the end. Doesn't get big and grand until the final minute.
8. (3:20)–Fast, with a hardcore beat for the first half. Very 2000s-emo–sounding ending.
9. *(3:46)—Mid-tempo. The softest song, with pretty acoustic strumming.
10. (5:39)—Mid-tempo. Starts with more acoustic strumming, quickly becomes a catchy rocker with gentle duet singing. Lovely ending with piano and strings.

Ambient dub trio from Brooklyn by way of Chicago. Perfect late-night reverie music, spacious and patient and subtle. Harkens back to '90s ambient music, evokes pre-Y2K liminal spaces in large buildings. You can sink into this like it's a warm bath. Guest vocals on 2 (Loraine James) and 5 (Angelina Nonaj), otherwise instrumental. RIYL Gas, Topdown Dialectic, King Tubby, Andy Stott, Pan•American, ambient Aphex Twin, Loscil. (Also see their excellent previous album, Signs, in the library.) Favorites: 2, 3, 6. No FCCs.

1. (6:37)—Very slow, gentle, shifting rhythm. Drone textures gradually come forward.
2. *(6:40)—Slow, subtle, stuttering beat. Gentle, conversational singing from Loraine James.
3. *(6:06)—Starts with a slow and slightly ominous beat. Gently rustling synths. Rhythm picks up speed and shifts a lightly bouncing 3/4-time.
4. (5:44)—Slow, with a swooshing beat. Stays in a gentle groove.
5. (5:42)—Very slow, featuring spoken word from Angelina Nonaj ("not everything beautiful has to be real").
6. *(7:32)—Mid-tempo, the most danceable but still with an understated rhythm. Sliding rhythmic textures, whisper-like sounds.

Dream pop from Bristol, England. Slow and gentle and grand, mostly beatless. Mixes fragile lo-fi textures with dense layers of synth and guitar drone. Soft singing, vulnerable lyrics. Gorgeous, melancholy, sweet, cozy. RIYL Sea Oleena, Sparklehorse, Florist, Hana Stretton, Fog Lake, German Error Message, early Beach House. Favorites: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7. No FCCs detected.

1. *(6:31)—Very slow, massive-sounding, with lots of synth layers. Heart-rending, almost overwhelming. "I'm inventing life again at seventeen, dancing in a drawing room like in a dream."
2. (6:04)—Slow, with soft acoustic guitar strumming. Floaty, with a roundabout chord progression. Soft brushed drums.
3. *(3:40)—Mid-tempo. Chunky lo-fi guitar strumming, distant drumbeat and tambourine.
4. *(3:32)—Slow. Lo-fi drums, shoegazey distorted guitar textures. Long droning outro.
5. (4:06)—Mid-tempo. Sweet and peaceful. Fingerpicked guitar, sing-song cadence.
6. *(4:19)—Medium-slow. Head-nodding guitar strumming, electronic piano, melancholy harmonies.
7. *(4:08)—Mid-tempo, with tense guitar strumming and slightly glitchy textures. Eerie. Long ambient finish.
8. (2:58)—Instrumental. A reversed recording of synth textures and voice.
9. (5:57)—Very slow. Drone textures, singing that sounds like it's coming from a cave.

Anxious, hyperactive rock from New York City. Gloriously messy but also locked in, full of sudden shifts and disorienting sounds. Everyone in this band clearly loves playing music together—the energy of their dynamic is irrepressible. Singer Cameron Winter, who is also rocketing to fame on his solo music, has a surreal and insouciant style that sometimes reminds me of Bob Dylan on "Highway 61 Revisited." Like few other rock lyricists, he puts listeners on the edges of their seats, asking, "What's his next line going to be?" This album is thrilling, worthy of the hype it's gotten. RIYL: Sly and the Family Stone's "There's a Riot Goin' On," Wednesday, Black Midi, The Strokes, Pixies. Favorites: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11. FCC WARNING: 4, 7.

1. (3:44)—Slow, swampy menace like something from "There's a Riot Goin' On" in the verses. Noisy choruses with shouting ("There's a bomb in my car!"). Jpegmafia guests.
2. (3:05)—Mid-tempo, sweetly melodic and unsettling. "You can make the cobras dance but not me!"
3. *(4:08)—Mid-tempo, with a dense and halting multilayered beat. Builds on a tense repetitive groove, like a Califone song.
4. (4:44)—FCC (f***). Fast, switches between '70s hard rock and clean guitar interplay. Samples of a Ukrainian choir.
5. *(5:54)—Slow, patient, taut funk with perfect pacing and slow-burn tension. Sudden stop in the middle, jammy second half.
6. *(3:46)—Medium-fast. Chaotic, driving funk-rock with satirical lyrics: "All people must smile in times of war.... All people must go dancing out on the dancing floors."
7. (3:22)—FCC (ass***e). Medium-slow, with a drunken, maudlin feel and a lovely chord progression.
8. (3:30)—Slow, sweet but deeply sad, pleading and heartbroken. Dramatic build.
9. (3:28)—Medium-fast with a choppy rhythm and handclaps.
10. *(3:17)—Mid-tempo, the main single. Minimal, drumming-focused first half; big, triumphant second half with group singing.
11. *(6:37)—Fast, frantic, dramatic, piano-forward, like a musical theater number on a runaway train. References to Joan of Arc, John Henry ("behind a desk that was a million feet wide"), and Charlemagne ("on the midnight bus").

Ambient Americana. Slow, sad, dreamy, and beautiful. Evocative of desert landscapes, long journeys alone on foot, peaceful desolation. Gentle guitar melodies, rich pedal steel and lap steel textures, soft synthsizers. Michael Grigoni (based in Durham, NC) and Pan•American (Mark K. Nelson, based in Chicago) have made lovely solo records, and they complement each other perfectly. RIYL 12k, SUSS, Chuck Johnson, ambient Brian Eno, postapocalyptic westerns. Favorites: 1, 3, 4, 7. No words (except very briefly at the end of 4), no FCCs.

1. *(3:34)—Lilting mid-tempo chord progression. Fingerpicking and lonely slide guitar.
2. (3:49)—Bubbling, gently glitchy textures.
3. *(4:32)—Echoing acoustic guitar, soft 80s guitar textures.
4. *(4:06)—Deep, slow electric guitar. Woozy, wafting pedal steel melodies.
5. (3:24)—Gleaming synthesizer drone, sounds of leaves.
6. (3:53)—Mid-tempo fingerpicked guitar with a catchy, hummable guitar melody on top.
7. *(3:26)—Underwater-sounding textures, ripples of low guitar melody.
8. (3:35)—High, shimmering textures. Clicking and waterlike sounds.
9. (3:25)—Pillowlike drone, soft backward guitar, high pinging strings.
10. (5:53)—Sunny-sounding, with lazily playful melodies over a major-key drone.

Chicago Blues Ambassador, Legendary Blues Harmonica Player, Vocalist, Songwriter & Band Leader. 50 Year Career, Presenting A Truly Contemporary Rhythm & Blues Record, From Low Down to Uptown and More

1) 3:47 Horn-Powered R&B Romp, Duet with Bobby Rush
2) 4:13 Laid Back Low Down Love Lament
3 3:47 Mulit voiced Social Justice Funky Stroll
4) 4:47 Updated Version of Lou Rawls Funky Classic
5) 4:23 Bedrock Horn-drenched Blues Ballad
6) 5:48 Laid Back Autobiographical Lament
7) 3:43 Good Time Chi-Town Shuffle
8) 5:33 Funky Struttin' Part Spoken Word Stroll
9) 4:28 Bluesy Caribbean Island March
10) 4:52 Heartfelt Ballad
11) 4:07 Uptempo "Billy Branch" Instrumental Blues Harp Showcase

West Coast Blues Guitarist, Singer & Songwriter. 30 Years In, Dues Paid in Full. Returning to His Roots, Small Band Blues

1) 4:45 Laid Back Blues Guitar Walk with Vocals
2) 4:12 Classic Blues Finger-Pickin' on a Tuff Shuffle
3) 3:39 Hard Driving Boogaloo
4) 3:43 Phat Phunky New Orleans Bounce
5) 6:37 B.B. King Guitar on a Lowdown Drag
6) 2:56 Driving Blues Guitar Instrumental Showcase
7) 3:40 Mid-Tempo Blues Drive
8) 5:13 Low Down & Laid Back Golden Rule
9) 5:29 Dark Blue Slow Walk
10) 4:29 Serious Tribute to Blues Slide Guitar King

Fresh Rhythm & Blues From Georgia Via Greaseland California. The Latest Edition to the Little Village Roster of Artists. Powerful Vocals, Guitar & Songwriting with Some Deep Covers

1) 3:20 West Coast Doo Wop-ish R&B Classic
2) 3:56 Good Time Soulful Boogaloo
3) 5:06 Serious Low Down Blues Drag
4) 4:51 Laid Back Horn-Drenched Soulful Lament
5) 4:05 Uptempo Swingin' Guitar Instrumental Showcase
6) 3:00 Lil' Richard Influenced Boogaloo
7) 5:14 Laid Back Dark Blue Gospel Walk
8) 3:10 Good Time Doo-Wop-ish Bounce
9) 3:58 Soulful Bluesy Ballad

Authentic Blues, Featuring A Legendary Band, True Blues Giants in Their Own Right Individually, Together They Were Kim Wilson's Blues All-Stars, Pound for Pound One of the Greatest Blues Bands of All Time

1) 2:50 Easy Walkin' Horn Powered March
2) 5:05 Strong Vocals With Stripped Down Harp, Guitar & Drums
3) 5:43 Classic B.B. King Slow Blues
4) 4:20 Uptempo Blues Harmonica Showcase
5) 3:21 Serious Howlin'Wolf Classic
6) 3:47 Deep Sonny boy Williamson Bounce
7) 4:14 Powerful Chicago Alley Blues
8) 3:56 Fat-Toned Original March
9) 4:35 Solid West-Side Chicago Anthem
10) 4:08 Uptempo Blues Harmonica Instrumental Showcase
11) 3:09 Swingin' Robert Nighthawk Stroll
12) 9:02 Extra Long Chromatic Harmonica Blues Drag

3rd album from Brooklyn-based indie pop singer-songwriter S. Holden Jaffe. The project name was inspired by the Delaware Water Gap, where the Delaware River flows through a gap in the Appalachian Mountains on the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Catchy melodies carry the folk and pop tunes — blending a mix of keyboards, guitar, bass and drums. Jaffe’s smart song lyrics can be simultaneously anxious and hopeful, messy and clean, simple and complex. Overall, there’s plenty of variety in the 12-song set, with some memorable standouts. RIYL: Bleachers, Lizzy McAlpine or Maggie Rogers (who was originally in the band!).
— Francis

Recommended: 3, 1, 11, 2, 6, 9. FCC on unedited Track 13.

1. (2:50) Marigolds — Breathtaking opener dealing with a heavy theme of not expressing one’s love. Starts with a sustained ethereal fade-in, and then kicks in with a solid mid-tempo hook at 1:10. ****
2. (3:52) Small Town Joan Of Arc — Syncopated pop bounce with a hint of Americana amidst the intricate layers of sound. ****
3. (3:58) How To Live (Clean Edit) — Fragile, strummy anthem. Airy in the verses, building up to more energetic choruses with a stop-and-go rhythm. Jaffe’s soaring, reverbed vocals are a highlight. ****
4. (5:14) Please Follow — A funky, jazzy groove with drifting synths and a compelling bass line. Incorporates ample brass under the pleading vocals in the back half of the track.
5. (3:20) Eastside Girls — A melancholic and sad stroll. Sweet vocals, with a romantic feeling over twinkly piano and throwback brass trappings.
6. (3:25) New Personality — Up-tempo, radio-friendly toe tapper, with rapid-fire almost spoken vocals. Throwback sax solo in the lead break. ***
7. (2:43) We Don’t Have To Take It Slow — Sentimental piano ballad with pedal steel guitar.
8. (2:41) Never Speak Again — Flowing, synthesizer-heavy track with lyrics about love lost and saying goodbye.
9. (3:27) Ghost In The Uniform — Breezy, light guitar-based 70s-era pop with warn vocals. Adopts a bossa nova flavor partway through. ***
10. (2:34) Waiting On The Day — Measured, halting tempo with a solid backbeat and nice guitar work. Leans a bit more Americana.
11. (2:54) Damn — A cheery folk pop standard in the streams-happy style of the day, with piano flourishes and some clever lyrics. ****
12. (4:03) Eagle In My Nest — Slow and introspective orchestrated closer, with thoughtful lyrics and smooth vocals expertly handled by Jaffe.
13. (4:00) How To Live (Explicit) — FCC: fuckin’ (twice) — Unedited version of Track 3.

This is the tenth studio album from Suzanne Vega. It was produced by guitarist and longtime collaborator Garry Leonard, who co-wrote many of the tracks. It lacks the consistency of her earlier albums, but the recommended songs are very smart and catchy. The others are decent and listenable.

No FCC
Recommended: 2,3,4,8

1. (3:20) Speakers’ Corner – bouncy number describing that special place in London. This was the second single released.
2. (4:29) Flying with Angels – What Vega does best is to create a mood, not just a song. She’s doing this with the rhythmic electric guitar and then layers a spooky riff on top. The song feels like we’re really flying with Angels.
3. (4:36) Witch – another great song with an intro build-up before the beat kicks in and takes on a sonic journey with layered guitars as she describes our state of emergency brought on by “what witch that sent this glitch”.
4. (3:23) Chambermaid – a catchy and light tale from the perspective of a chambermaid. "Chambermaid" is an adaptation of "I Want You", written by Bob Dylan, with additional lyrics by Vega and additional music by Vega and Leonard. This was the third single released.
5. (3:35) Love Thief – this kitschy yet haunting song sounds like something out of the early 60’s and nothing like other Vega songs.
6. (3:36) Lucinda – a stripped down raw electric guitar provides a background to Suzanne’s vocals.
7. (2:53) Last Train from Mariupol – sad song featuring acoustic guitar and voice.
8. (3:31) Alley – very catchy tune that builds up to a satisfying super melodic vocal and euphoric lyric about flying free, perhaps with angels? This was the fourth and last single released.
9. (4:09) Rats – heavy guitar with a frenetic voice that conveys the situation of rats everywhere in an apocalyptic world. This was the first single released.
10. (3:57) Galway – has the tempo and sound of an Irish folk tune.

5th LP from Toronto-based singer-songwriter, Katie Stelmanis, through her synth-pop project, Austra (pronounced OW – straw). A classically trained musician, Stelmanis studied piano, viola and voice growing up. “Chin Up Buttercup” resulted from a devastating breakup with a long-term partner a few years ago. Stelmanis — who has stated that she’s “so chaotic in love” — dealt with the various stages of heartache over the years, leading to this 10-song set with tracks that range from melodic Europop to hypnotic club dance floor anthems. Her lyrics explore contrasting emotions — sad and vulnerable, angry and over it, hopeful and forward-looking. RIYL: Fever Ray, CHVRCHES, Polica or Madonna (late 90s period).
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 5, 1, 7, 3, 9. FCC on Track 11.

1. (4:14) Amnesia — Cinematic and ethereal. Opens with a shimmering soundscape with an isolated piano and confident vocals. Then, transitions to a measured, danceable Europop groove. ****
2. (4:09) Math Equation (Clean Edit) — Outstanding clubby dance track. Pulsing bass, skipping beats and claps. Austra’s vocals levitate above the synth atmospherics. ****
3. (3:38) Siren Song — Emotive vocals soar skyward. Urgent, intricate percussion creates an intriguing foundation for the flowing, chime-y synths. Lyrics incorporate Greek mythology. ***
4. (1:49) Chin Up Buttercup — Brief interlude that starts with random, indistinguishable processed chatter. Halting pace. Synth pulses and flute-like notes are intermixed with spoken and sung vocals.
5. (4:37) Fallen Cloud — Another disco-influenced club standout. Jittery rhythm over a steady beat. Melodic and hopeful in the face of her heartbreak, with shimmery, reverbed vocals. ****
6. (3:35) Blindsided — Slower and hymn-like amidst spare electronics and effects. Wistful and introspective lyrics look back at the disintegration of a long-term relationship.
7. (3:31) Think Twice — Bouncy, fun and video game-flavored tune — with catchy synth arpeggios. The exclamations of “Oh whoops! Whoopsie!” capture Austra’s improving frame of mind as she healed. ***
8. (2:22) Look Me In The Eye — Another crystalline, sad ballad, with Austra’s hymn-like vocals swelling over simple piano notes, space-y synths and spare rhythm.
9. (6:07) The Hopefulness Of Dawn — Opens with an otherworldly soundscape, with Austra’s cavern-like vocals echoing throughout. At two minutes, backing vocals are layered in. Then, the song accelerates into a Madonna-era dance number. Long atmospheric trail-out. ***
10. (3:57) Good Riddance — A bloopy closer with choir-like vocals. Meant to be a final farewell to her former partner and acceptance of the breakup. Harmonies are added in the second verse.
11. (4:12) Math Equation (Explicit) — FCCs: fucked (twice) — Unedited version of track 2.

Formerly Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Orlando Higginbottom is back with a new acronym name (TEED) for his 3rd album. The UK-born, now L.A.-based artist and producer has delivered a stripped-back electronic pop collection inspired by “the bittersweet blur of childhood summer holidays in France.” The tracks are lighter with fewer elements and breezy vocals, hinting at a New Wave vibe that features soft, subtle synths and a gentle electronic pulse. For most of the tracks, Higginbottom relied on a single polyphonic synthesizer. The goal was to largely move away from the club sound with tracks that have more emotional depth. RIYL: Bonobo, Caribou Four Tet or LCD Soundsystem.
— Francis

Recommended: 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 4. No FCCs noted.

1. (4:50) Desire — Lush, French pop-infused track over a breezy, flowing soundscape with some spacey effects. ****
2. (3:38) In Darkness — Darker and more circular with a solid beat and swirling synths. ****
3. (4:38) My Melody — Shimmering, dreamy disco-infused pop. Reminiscent of Blood Orange.
4. (2:35) Ascent — Mesmerizing instrumental interlude. Shuffling drum track. Hypnotic, repetitive synths. A bit of indistinct, ghost-like backing harmonies. ***
5. (3:37) Piece Of Me — Bouncy and catchy, effortless New Wave-style synth pop. ****
6. (5:06) The Echo — Only club-style ‘banger,’ with an inviting danceable vibe — while maintaining the album’s atmospheric feel. ***
7. (3:42) Always With Me — Captivating instrumental, with a repetitive synth signature over an intricate rhythm. Morphs into a snug, cocoon-like soundscape a little more than halfway through.
8. (4:55) Come Tonight — Somewhat similar to the previous track, with a rich low end and energetic beat.
9. (3:26) Endless — Another airy, disco-influenced track with chirpy synths.
10. (4:46) Rekt — A skipping, syncopated song with pleasant vocals. Nice bass line in the trail-out.
11. (8:23) Start Again — A surrounding, cinematic soundscape that could serve as the instrumental backdrop for a film or TV production. Quietly meditative and sustaining over its 8+ minutes.

The 23rd album from John Darnielle and band may be their best yet. The album showcases the Mountain Goats’ distinctive storytelling paired with sprawling, cinematic compositions more typical of a Broadway rock opera. In this case, the story was inspired by a dream Darnielle had in 2023. When he awoke, he wrote “Through this fire across from Peter Balkan #dream” on his phone. From there, he simply had to devise a tale worthy of the title, which ultimately involves a shipwreck that leaves three survivors on a deserted island. The arrangements feature the usual rock instrumentation, plus synths, strings, woodwinds, harp and more. And even Lin-Manuel Miranda on backing vocals! The Mountain Goats have been based in North Carolina for more than two decades, but they started right down the road at Pitzer College in SoCal. RIYL: Bright Eyes, M. Ward or older Death Cab for Cutie.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 9, 3, 2, 8, 12, 7. No FCCs noted.

1. (4:26) Overture — Orchestral intro, setting the stage for the dramatic theatrical performances to follow. Synths, strings, piano, crashing drums, woodwinds — the works.
2. (5:06) Fishing Boat — This introduces the core narrative of three shipwrecked survivors and hints at the drama to come. Bouncy, catchy tune with tinkly piano and other keys, an intricate rhythm, flowing strings and horns in the lead break. ****
3. (3:31) Cold At Night — Bold rocker. Intricate musical layers, with a pulsing muted guitar, cracking snare drum and busy orchestra swirls underneath Darnielle’s vocals. ****
4. (3:31) Dawn Of Revelation — An anthemic rocker that features powerful guitars, tumbling drums and a searing guitar solo in the lead break.
5. (4:37) Your Bandage — A gentle, soothing folk song with piano, strings and woodwinds set to a measured beat — all in a lush soundscape.
6. (3:54) Peru — Uplifting piano ballad. Piano, strings and again, an intricate drum line.
7. (3:19) Through This Fire — Swing-y, swelling throwback of a track. Interplay between strings, horns and woodwinds. Lovely. ***
8. (4:04) Rocks In My Pockets — Strummed guitar with chime-y piano and harp. Poignant moment when one of the characters decides to surrender. ****
9. (5:10) Armies Of The Lord — Opens with driving synth notes. Layers in piano, lush strings and effects. Darnielle’s vocals soar above. A highlight! ****
10. (4:29) Your Glow — Chirping synth arpeggios, piano and woodwinds contribute to a stirring, emotional tune that takes us to the apex of the story.
11. (5:22) The Lady From Shanghai 2 — Soft, laid-back and jazzy, with a syncopated rhythm and pedal steel guitar. Strings and woodwinds mixed in.
12. (3:03) Broken To Begin With — Boisterous rock closer, where the last remaining survivor accepts his fate and ponders whether “Men of old who sailed the seas” will ever know the story of what took place. ***

First album in 8 years from the Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter who performed for years as White Hinterland. Embraces cinematic, highly orchestrated pop structures while their lyrics deal with life’s often-messy contradictions. Extraordinary keyboards throughout, with lush arrangements that include brass on many of the cuts. Many quite catchy tracks, interspersed with a few more experimental offerings. RIYL: The Weather Station, Weyes Blood, Hurray For The Riff Raff or Joni Mitchell.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 8, 6, 1, 3, 4. FCCs on Tracks 12-15.

1. (4:09) People Can Change (Clean Edit) — Jazzy sway. Piano forward with a crisp beat and brassy orchestral swells, with backing vocals and effects. ****
2. (7:59) Seventeen — Anthemic single. Disco-flavored, with swirling atmospherics over twinkling keys. Plaintive vocals reflect on the ups and downs of adolescence. Totally worth the 8 minutes! ****
3. (2:30) Your Girl’s Upstairs — Well-done bluesy and smokey rock. Languid stroll with distorted guitar, plus raw and honest lyrics about handling relationships and the misplaced desire for control. ***
4. (4:36) I’m So Glad You Came — Another somewhat jazzy tune. Their vocals and vibe here hint at times of a slightly sweeter Allison Russell. Chime-y lead break with violin flourishes. Very 1970s sound. ***
5. (3:00) 3 Of Cups — Dizzy waltz with muted guitars, a prominent bass line and distant piano.
6. (3:43) The Butcher Is My Friend (Clean Edit) — Energetic rocker. Shimmering synths. Thumping beat. Powerful lead vocals, with nice backing harmonies. Ends suddenly. ****
7. (5:36) Turncoats — Airy, crystalline vocals over hesitant drumbeats. Piano is layered in. A little like a jazzy Joni Mitchell composition.
8. (4:44) Outlaws (Clean Edit) — Bold, expansive rock. Slapping drums, tinkling piano and confident vocals soar over the soundscape. Reverbed saxophone in the trail-out. ****
9. (2:21) Junkyard Dog (Clean Edit) — Short, light and fun pop with a pulsing beat and playful vocals.
10. (5:27) Sucker — Another tune reminiscent of The Weather Station. Jazzy and complex piano-based pop, with Dienel’s vocals wafting over the melody. False ending at 4:30 and then adds a freeform jazzy trail-out.
11. (8:47) Tough Thing — Picks up where Track #10 leaves off, veering into an emotionally sprawling closer. Jittery and atmospheric layers, with lots of brass, effects and a persistent drum line throughout.
12. (4:09) People Can Change (Explicit) — FCCs: fuck, bullshit — Unedited version of track 1.
13. (3:42) The Butcher Is My Friend (Explicit) — FCC: shitty — Unedited version of track 6.
14. (4:44) Outlaws (Explicit) — FCC: fuck (3 times) — Unedited version of track 8.
15. (2:20) Junkyard Dog (Explicit) — FCCs: fuck — Unedited version of track 9.

The Bay Area’s very own Sorcerer whips up an imaginary soundtrack for an imaginary daydream-based video game. Nautical synthwave that’s undeniably Californian. A very nice mix of lofi keyboard and groovy guitar + some 8-bit video game effects and a lemonade to sip. Will appeal equally to the balearic beat / lofi house crowd and the chillwave indie rock DJs. Released on local SF label Dream Chimney.

FCC Clean RIYL: Dam Funk, Ebi Soda, Mndsgn

Try: 3, 5, 6, 8, 9

1. Lo-fi bleary chill wave with nice stutter step drums and strummy guitar.
2. Reverb-soaked guitar and jivey keyboard
3. Chipper hand drums and bouncy, groovy Casio keyboard melodies. Peppered with some fun 8 bit effects
4. Mellow head-bobber. Strummy guitar, retro palette, true to its title: Sunlight Hits
5. Tropical sunshine reggae. Upbeat keyboard with softly cooed vocals and a bit of vaporwave/glitch haze
6. Slick 70’s studio feel, heavy on the funk. The last 30 seconds are gorgeous wind chimes
7. Laidback downtempo with nice keyboard and guitar interplay
8. Percussion-forward with a crisp drum loop and jazzy instrumentation
9. Smoky reggae, nice guitar loops, dubby bass, lazy clouds, a few bird chirps. Really nice
10. Loose, dreamy, blossoming outro. Great stuff

The third album from São Paulo musician Sergio Sayeg, aka Sessa. Through a “crooked funky” rhythm section, lush string & flute arrangements, nylon & eclectic guitar, and acoustic & electric piano, Sessa and the band meld classic sounds from samba jazz, MPB, and stoned funk (à la Shuggie Otis or Sly Stone) in novel ways, and reorient them towards the cosmos. Most songs feature lead vocals from Sessa, supported by a backing chorus.

Released 11/7/2025

FCC Clean (title translations in parentheses, taken from liner notes)

1. *Cosmic MPB ballad. Steady, dead-kit drum groove with soft strings, strummed nylon guitar, and light electric piano & synth (“Lil’ Vertigo”).
2. *Upbeat, percussion-driven funk. Thick bassline, syncopated piano stabs, and a heavy drum section break around halfway (“God’s Name”).
3. *Tom-driven march into space. Nylon guitar, cosmic strings, and piano (“Boo-Boo”).
4. Light, jazzy instrumental track. Nylon guitar, flutes, shakers & misc. percussion (“Clothes Of The Dead”).
5. *Dreamy MPB floater. Slow-grooving percussion, pulsing wah guitar, warm flutes, and light nylon guitar (“Slow Creature”).
6. Ballad evoking “blissful exhaustion.” Strained falsetto lead vocals, strings, sax, keys, and nylon guitar (“It’s Worth It”).
7. *Swirling psychedelic MPB. Funky bass, soft flutes & electric piano, phased nylon guitar (“Holy Plant”).
8. *Slow, hazy funk. 70s-drum-machine-style groove, keys, sax, wah guitar, chorus vocals only (“Natural Gestures”).
9. String-centered ballad. Swelling strings over sparse drums, bass, and strummed nylon guitar (“Inner Revolution”).

Boulder CO band: Self-described “Death Sludge” (bandcamp) if I have to use labels I like to think of this as Bleak Doom Black Noise Metal. The black comes from the HUGE hollow near atmospherics (not wary of reverb) and long form epic symphonic opuses typified by soaring guitar work, the Sludge is obvious, crawling on ones knees to a terrible deflowering a la Salo 120 days of Sodom, Noise because theres nuclear grade primo dark noise drone involved in this, and metal just cuz, cuz metal is heavy, not hair sprayed. This band scratches the itch that altogether may have driven one to Wolves in the Throne room, Scratch Acid, while swearing an oath hand on the Bible that is the SWANS COP 12”. I consider this a new revival of sorts, bands mixing up all things mentioned above with a healthy dose of drone and heavy noise (see also Dispirit, Dragged into Sunlight, Panzerfaust, The Body). As a lover of heavy music since age 9 (Zep, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Jimi) I havent been this excited about the genre since Black Flag warped my reality live in ‘82. Speaking of Noise every song on this has some form of intro/outro or bed. These are the creations of the guitarist, who goes by Many Blessings and offers his noise only project on bandcamp. Primo stuff. FCCs track 6.

1) (7:18) skull crushing head nodding intro to 2/4 old school hardcore punk beat (1980 think China White) but slathered in the aforementioned bleak dark distillate, downshifting to the crawling.
2) (11:46) begins with Many Blessing dark drone noise, then a slow plodding bass led bleak blackness, enters, the slow Raping a Slave (Swans) plod, and a soaring symphonic feel toward end, oh jesus, you are my only….god.
3) (13:53) this gives Michael Gira a bare bottomed spanking teaching swans how to doom sludge crawl. The scene where the girls are in a big cauldron of you know what comes to mind (please dont see that movie)
4) (1:52) The Noise You Need. Need. You Need. The Noise
5) (14:01) begins with a bare bottomed pounding of Michael Gira’s backside, falls into a deep septic tank, crawls out into daylight, leaves us confused
6) FCC obscene if I heard the words “cunt” right. No safe harbor
7) (9:04) a final crushing of any remaining intact skeletal structure one might have, a shallow grave, if kicking dirt upon us counts as such, maybe even a golden shower upon our pitiful final resting place

Cassette release. Experimental “day of noise” material, live-to-2 track feel low-fi quality, not polished in the box on the DAW. Audio sources are or sound organic, driven through nice filters at most. Though on a Japanese label this is from a local guy who if your imaginary friend had a working cerebrum would probably remember gave them this tape last DoN: “eloine is bryan day on invented instruments, homemade synths, found tapes and objects, organ. recorded in august and september 2024 at clamorworks in san pablo, california.” (Bandcamp). Instrumental/indecipherable,

1) (9:36) dark and ominous if minimal.
2) (8:52) same as prior if a tad more droney.
3)* (9:31) low drones, minimal and even creepier.
4) (9:03) garbled muffled hand held cassette recordings, mangled (or sounding like, if you dont know what that sounds like here’s your chance)
5) (9:14) more creepy minimalism. This final track is a reminder we should all be very grateful that people like Bryan exist and do this in their own privacy yet share it with the world.

New Music. Collaboration between two New Music heavy’s, Hirono and the brother duo Brueder Selke. Piano based but with plethora of tones, tasteful use of electronic ambient washes, strings. Never falls into the trap of pandering pap that sadly defined what became known as New Age Music in the 80’s, but was actually birthed from quality experimentalists like Hans Otte, Harold Budd, Eno, Elaine Radigue before them. Beautiful instrumental stuff. Highly recommended. See also Otte’s Book of Sounds, Budd-Eno’s The Pearl, Budd’s Avalon Sutra. Instrumental. Pick any.


1) (6:36) contemplative piano with subtle atmospheric strings and near subliminal electronic washes.
2)* (6:04) pensive with nice ambient drone, birdlike tones, Eno-Budd come to mind.
3) (4:32) cinematic, dreamlike finely woven, less acoustic driven
4) (6:57) emotive, oboe-like tones, atmospheres laced with bursts of piano
5) (3:32) dreamlike, distant ambient drone with hypnotic piano minimalism and swirling synth melodies
6) (5:44) exalting, uplifting piano and atmospheres
7) (4:29) sombre, with minor tones strings heart pulling
8) (5:42) conclusive, looping P. Glass’ish undertones to slow phrased washes and piano

International, Pacific Rim, collection of noise. Despite name its a noise mishmash from spoken word to brutal harsh noise. Artists range far and wide as Indonesia, Mexico, and close to home as KZSUs very own illustrious Diego Manuel (Noriegas). Only one track could be considered death metal but even that defies the label. Lots of Eviction Notice Noise, a couple Hypnotoad Noise tracks (which Your Imaginary Friend is partial to due to its many head injuries thank you).

1) Indonesia: spoken word about Gaza laced with disturbing gunfire sounds
2)** (0:55) Mexico: kick ass 1 minute blast of dirty thrash speed core with old school indecipherable growl vocs
3) (7:42) Indonesia: harsh noise, live feel, think Merzbow full on brutality
4)* (4:54) California: beautiful grinding noise with drone aspect but still harsh, subgenre Hypnotoad Noise.
5) (5:37) Malaysia: i think this one broke my bandcamp. See also Hannatarash, Merzbow, the Gerogerigogo (sp?), super harsh early 90’s Japanoise.
6)** (8:08) some former kzsu dj guy who still lives here… Beautiful swallowed Hypnotoad Drone, a meditative reflection on the state of the inside of one’s head after time on this planet, yes, emptiness, atmospheric, noisey, ugly at times. I like this one best and not just cuz i want to be Diego Manuel when i grow up
7) (4:34) Indonesia: insanity returns, circuit breaking apocalyptic cacophony, dont answer the door the landlord came armed this time

“Experimental Minimal Wave”, remastered collection of 80’s gems with local/west coast connections. Noise rock with experimentalism, all drum machine and layered loops with guitar overlays (direct in?), vocals through effects. These are the definitive sounds of the birth of DIY recording, early 4 track cassette, reels, with basic drum machines and analog synths available to the lucky. Creative use of auxiliary effects loops and stomp boxes. One or more tracks recorded in the SF Vats, 1978 (!). Fresh to the ear in the shadow of all things opposite in indie music today. See also the very early Cabaret Voltaire, Culturcide, noisier Swell Maps.

“The tracks on this compilation are a retrospective of projects and people’s that i have the privilege and t gratitude to work with…” (liner notes, David Javelosa). The projects associated with this include Los Microwaves, Baby Buddha, Karena Domenico, Ship Yard Choir, Mega Drive Rex, Take it EZ Sleazy, Chip Kidman, Orange Kandy, and producer Geza X. Obscure stuff even my old carcass hasn’t heard of. File this in same bin with the epic comps The Mighty Feeble, Keats Rides a Harley, Darker Skratcher (listen up, we have these in the library, dig them).

1. (A1 4:41) dark industrial techno 80’s feel, heavy analog delay/echo and driving feel with heavy reverb tripped out vocals.
2)* (A2 4:48) driving beat, electro but with real drums and cool guitar, sound bed for understated fem vocals, cool minimalism.
3) (A3 2:26) cool samples (Buffalo Girls go round the outside… John Bonham wondering where a confounded bridge is) basic jungle electro beat and swirling cool sounds.
4)* (10:19) improv guitar, distant vocalizations, dark subtle electro beat.
5) (1:25) Phillip glass feel, looping orchestral instruments
6) (3:15) slow plod with fem melodic vocals lyrics delivered near spoken word though, sci fi themes
7) (B1) driving epic electro rock girl vocs
8) (B2) (2:37) silly French accented girl vocs over sillier walking jazz sampled fun
9)* (B3) (3:03) driving electro again, minimal, play this one with Popcorn (the song), not that they sound alike but it has some bouncy analog synths
10)* (B4 3:12) trippy analog tones with simple electro beat til 0:40 real sounding drums appear and this gets more beat driven and textured
11) (B5 3:43) simple beat, French girl vocs reappear, fun
12) (B6 11:15) chill simple beat, heavily treated vocs, and direct in guitar work

This is the thirteenth studio album from the Akron, Ohio duo. As on their previous album Ohio Players, they continued their collaboration with other artists for writing and performing.

FCC on track 6
Recommended: 1,2,3,5,7

1. (3:17) No Rain, No Flowers – catchy pop tune to start the album, including opening and repeating guitar riff and sing-a-long chorus.
2. (2:35) The Night Before – another catchy song, with a driving beat that carries you on a fun but short ride.
3. (2:54) Babygirl – opens and continues with a rhythmic “back and forth” piano as Dan’s words celebrate his special “baby girl”.
4. (3:37) Down to Nothing – a slower bluesy number with a matching lyric that describes a lost love that he longs for and hopes to meet again.
5. (3:18) On Repeat – with a quick rhythm section, vocals are front and center. This is another listenable single.
6. (3:42) Make You Mine – starting with a piano and bass, this is a pleasant listenable track that includes strong female backing vocals. FCC fucking (once)
7. (3:32) Man On A Mission – this song kicks off with a cool solo electric guitar before catchy vocals that give way to the group chorus with a simultaneous hard guitar that is typical of Black Keys.
8. (3:06) Kiss It – with a driving rhythm, some nice harmonizing/
9. (2:53) All My Life – prominent bass and a touch of funkiness.
10. (3:37) A Little Too High – lead and rhythm driven guitar matched with strong vocals.
11. (4:24) Neon Moon – starting with some acoustic guitar, this last track starts slow and picks up with a country flavor and folk tune.

Imaginative organic electronic music based on C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, and focalized through the perspective of the lion, Aslan. (We love a literary crossover around here.) Nicely narrative, with the song titles serving as helpful descriptors. Ten tracks, mostly flavors of atmospheric techno with interesting polyrhythmic percussion and plunging moments of suspense and emotion. #atmospherictechno #hardgroove #tribaltechno

RIYL: Hypnus Records, Nkisi, Chanchia Via Circuito, Al Wootton, Polygonia
FCC Clean
Try: 4, 9, 3

1. (5:16) Minute-long droney intro with bird calls gives way to a thundering deeply-resonating beat. Flutes and chimes enter the mix before it ends in a cacophonous crash
2. (6:21) Thudding woody techno beat with a nice churning groove
3. (6:49) Deep, pulsating techno with shimmery bright cinematic twists
4. (9:32)Gyrating hardgroove techno that grows slowly as new elements (hi hats, flutes, hand drums, rumbling synth) are added
5. (5:59) Fast rumbly beat with layers maracas/shakers and panpipes. Transitions to a nice, sunny synth medley at the halfway point
6. (6:35) Heavy beat with multilayered percussion and a nice stutter step
7. (3:16) Powerful thudding beat with surreal warm washes
8. (3:52) Chugging cumbia-style beat with didgeridoo effects and gentle strings
9. (6:33) Fast heavy tribal techno with beautiful plucked guitar and string melodies weaving throughout
10. (2:29) Lightning-quick, layered hand drums with ringing horns. An epic outro

Berlin’s Subtil Records has blessed us with one of their recent (typically vinyl only) releases. A trio of stripped-back and vaguely psychedelic tracks, all strung tight and crackling with electricity. This is the real deal. The raw #minimal sound, nothing watered down. Straight from the underground clubs of Europe.

FCC Clean
RIYL: Traumer, Mihai Pol, IULY.B, Cosmjn
Play any

1. Bass-heavy and glitchy. Snazzy synth line and repeated vocal snippet of a woman stuttering “no drugs”
2. Humming buzzy beat with guttural snippets and an infectious groove
3. Straightforward repetitive beat with blurred-out vocal snippets, metallic thumping, and a suspenseful vibe