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| Photo by Aysegul Alp |
sparring – In The Fish Tank
experimental
There’s a supernatural quality to “In The Fish Tank”, the debut single from obscure Mexican artist sparring. It seems to float in the air and bend a finger towards some stellular realm, though often veers towards somewhere closer to the netherworld. Don’t bet on catching any discernible hook or chorus beyond the odd intelligible musical and verbal phrasings. Everything here is about aesthetics and mood, and sparring achieves music akin to an abstract painting. The pulverising distortion that plays the song out is the cherry on top and a sign that sparring is an explorative and unafraid, and certainly one artist to add to your radar.
Simon Herberholz – Forest
jazz
From the recently released EP All Possible Futures, “Forest” is a profoundly expansive piece of chilled jazz from Glasgow-based saxophonist and composer Simon Herberholz. While the underlying vibrations perenially land on the relaxing, there are shades and layers of darker meaning in the patiently intense solos, the shifts in intensity and, the frenetic drumming. One could interpret the apex, Herberholz’s chaotically nuanced solo at the ten-minute mark, as sometimes struggling with overthinking. Ideas seem to mount in increasingly flustering pulses, communicating a state of true anxiety bookended by the smoothest jazz you’ll hear anywhere.
Ally Nicholas – Bored
grunge pop
“Bored”, a blistering and explosive single from Los Angeleno rock artist Ally Nicholas, might have crystalline polished – some might even say ‘overproduced’- production, but that doesn’t stop the true grit and mettle that Nicholas has from shining through in this poppily accessible slice of grunge mastery. It’s cool that in the year 2024, songwriters can still make a memorable song based on one word that isn’t entirely derivative. Nicholas takes the disempowering affliction of ennui and turns it on its head with highly effective and medicinal rock songwriting. Originally from Chicago, Nicholas has released eight singles since 2020’s “Feels Like Dying”. This most recent single should generously add to her burgeoning fanbase.
Leftover Luck – A State of Sincerity
ambient
Keeping things simple is often the hardest thing to do. The urge to over-embellish our work often leaves it subpar and unnecessarily cluttered. However, this is not something that phases Melbournite ambient artist Buster Bond, who goes by the whimsical nom de plume Leftover Luck. Creating deeply enriching ambient music via far-reaching and meandering synths, haunted samples, and shadowy texturing, Bond recently released the EP “Carved Beneath Love”, and its opening track “A State of Sincerity”, is a lush representation of an EP that sets about to lull the listener into a comforting world and succeeds in doing so.
Lumari – Slow Kill
pop rock
The Minneaoplis-based band Lumari inspire rich imagery of difficult nights on “Slow Kill”, a fetching and salvific song with genuine lyrics that explore mental health issues with sensitivity. Vocalist Margo Pearson performs this one well, neither under nor over-extending, and delivering her lines with thoughtful heart. Twin brothers Dave and Dan West helm drums and guitars while Robert Caple on guitar and bass completes this endearing group.