Albums

Coronet Juniper - Gridlink

Grindcore is not supposed to be beautiful. Just the name comes across as corroded and nasty. But New Jersey’s finest (apologies to Bon Jovi) have come through with consistently brutally gorgeous albums. Gridlink are the only Grind band that use the inherent blistering speed and intensity to amplify emotional wallops and catharsis beyond punching the dude next to you in the pit. Their previous album Longhena is my favorite Grind album ever and Coronet Juniper is not far behind. The production is sleek, the drums thunderous, guitars dexterous but that’s what’s expected. The sum of its parts becomes triumphant, soaring. It’s a rarity. It’s a gift.

Errands in the Mirror - Feeling Small

Austin’s on going “pillowcore” wave (the languid pace of slowcore abetted by a softer, cozier mentality) has created some dazzling cuties over the years. But what about pillowcore that makes you throw yourself into pillows so the sheets can absorb your tears? Central Texas standout (and buddy of the blog) Chase Weinchat’s debut as Feeling Small certainly is feeling small. Weinchat’s plainspoken coo flutters over spare country arrangements landing emotional blows despite the music’s wondrous, weightless quality. Pro tip, don’t listen to closer “Arizona Driveway” unless you’re ready to full body weep.

shams - شمس - nabeel (نبيل)

Sometimes it takes just a tweak. Three decades of grungy, shoegazy rock have made the entwining genres hard to push forward into something less rote. But Virginia’s nabeel (نبيل) has a pitch perfect mini album of Arabic rock jams, welcoming but muscular in their compositions. Just listen to Beatles worthy harmonies on “msulukh” erupting like sunlight through the clouds of the stormy “beitna.”

Scene No. 6 - John Roberts

My initial question is WHERE ARE THE OTHER 5 SCENES. Considering “Scene No.6” is a beautifully uncanny slice of synth-ambient, Imma need the rest in my inbox–yesterday.

Congo Guitar - Vumbi Dekula

Swedish by way of Congo guitar maestro Vumbi Dekula is not your typical shredder. Congo Guitar is a mesmeric display of six string mastery, but not face melting. Instead, Dekula crafts tone pieces, infinitely looping guitar riffs colliding, combining coallessing into new hooks over long run times. The core is pop sleekness, with his bouncy sound is always ear-wormy.

Automation - Me oh myriorama

Deeply stressed out, bugged out rap. Me oh myriorama’s background as a sound collage and glitch artist is clear from the opening seconds of Pollock-like sound splatter shotgunning behind his stream of consciousness anxiety rhymes.

Bewitched Thrall - Toothpuller

Spooky season doth approacheth.

Cape Verdean Blues - Kavita Shah

An Indian-American singer working in remote islands off Africa, singing songs inspired by Brazil. Try to work through that twisting frame work, or just enough some of the smoothest latin-jazz of the year.