A Closer Listen
Our 2024 Fall Music Preview comes to an end on the first big release date of fall. Soon everyone will be able to hear these albums in full! But remember, this is only the beginning. By the time the autumn leaves start to fall, an exponential number of albums will have been announced. We’ll continue updating our Upcoming Releases page daily, while covering the very best releases in reviews and podcasts. Thank you for reading and listening, and as always, we hope that you’ll find your next favorite album right here!
Our cover image may look familiar, as it is taken from Glacier’s A Distant, Violent Shudder, which is released today and was reviewed last week. The album is also listed below.
Only Godspeed You! Black Emperor could knock itself out of the top position in our Fall Music Preview. Their surprise announcement last week elevates them to the peak. “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” is a reaction to wartime atrocities, which is one of their topical specialties; although they would prefer that such things would stop happening. “Every day a new war crime,” they write. “Don’t give up. Hang on” (Constellation, October 4). While it does include vocals, WE ARE WINTER’S BLUE AND RADIANT CHILDREN‘s NO MORE APOCALYPSE FATHER, is just as loud as the capital letters suggest. The quartet includes members of Big Brave, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Ada, and is billed as “an album about witnessing bleakness from a place of safety.” Come for the bombast, largesse, and density, and enjoy long instrumental passages as well (Constellation, September 13). The same holds true for A Swarm of the Sun, another juggernaut who incorporates lyrics, but whose power is impossible to resist. An Empire is the Swedish band’s fourth album, preceded by the immersive anthem “The Burning Wall” (Pelagic, September 6).
But what if you want something loud and immersive without lyrics? We recommend A Distant, Violent Shudder from Glacier, which also contains incredible post-rock titles, including “The old timers said they’d never seen nothin’ like that,” recently featured on the ninth volume of the Open Language series from A Thousand Arms (Post.Recordings/Wolves & Vibrancy, September 6). And when Glacier releases an LP, Ghost of Glaciers can’t be too far behind. The powerful Eternal is slated for release October 25 on Translation Loss. God Is An Astronaut expands their sound on Embers, featuring Jo Quail on every track and guest starring Dara O’Brien on bowed psaltery, tanpura, chimes and more (Napalm, September 6).
High on energy and packed with riffs, Solars‘ A Fading Future offers a perfect blend of post-rock and post-metal. As it’s out on both red and green vinyl, why not buy both for Christmas? (Ripcord, September 6). “Mini-supergroup” Black Aleph is dark and doomy, yet retains a sensitive side. The band includes Lachlan Dale, Peter Hollo and Timothy Johannessen, who influences coalesce into a blackened whole. Cello and occasional violin lift Apsides out of the sludge and bring it to higher ground (Dunk/Art As Catharsis, October 25).
Now we slow it down a bit with some glorious ambient post-rock shoegaze. Yes, Hammock is back, and we couldn’t be more excited! From the Void includes four tracks that were left off Love in the Void and four more tracks inspired by Love in the Void. Fans of that album ~ truly, any Hammock fans ~ should purchase on sight (Hammock Music, October 25).
Post-rock stalwart Stafrænn Hákon is preparing to release two related albums at the same time. Ventill/Poki (valves:resurrected) is the remastered twentieth anniversary edition of perhaps the band’s finest moment, while Gler/Hanski is a collection of tracks from the same era, most never heard before, polished off and given a modern glow. Both are out September 13. Italy’s Platonick Dive has already released three singles from Take a Deep Breath, with the full album to follow on September 13. The Italian post-rock trio is upbeat and engaging, graced with hints of electronics, enough to brighten one’s day (Moment of Collapse).
Dextro‘s Respire splits the difference between ambience and post-rock, offering pieces that lend themselves well to long, vista-filled drives. The tone is widened by guest stars on saxophone, trumpet and harmonium, ensuring that the emotional impact is deep (September 12). Jet Le Pardi‘s Surface to Air begins in ambience before turning to other genres, including shoegaze and post-rock. Just to be safe, the artist lists six of our seven categories on Bandcamp (September 11).
The influence of film noir can be heard on Loysing í dós, the first single from GØ‘s Ævir, amen. The album is a cry for Faroese independence, but the brass is downright euphoric (Tutl, November 8). Modern Silent Cinema‘s Aphoria is the fifth installment of a generous six-album series of stray tracks, demos and alternate takes. The tracks share a rocking vibe that references classic films and their composers. “Nosferatu Boogie” is a highlight, but the best turn of phrase is “Fig Newton of the Imagination” (September 1). Chafoun‘s Trucs is a rocking affair from start to finish, with a bit of mystery injected: the act is “sometimes solo, sometimes a duo, sometimes a trio and sometimes a quartet” (October 1).
Alan Licht‘s Havens is a double album with only six tracks, two that fill entire sides. This patient guitarist makes the time pass quickly with an electric approach (VDSQ, September 20). On the same label but the other end of the spectrum is Barry Archie Johnson, whose acoustic explorations are tender and filled with wonder. When the composer adds flute to the steel strings, the effect is sublime. Patrick Shiroishi guest stars on one piece. Fortune’s Wheel is out October 18. Alejandro Cohen fleshes out his guitar pieces with piano and percussion, allowing the breeziness of his Buenos Aires upbringing to shine through. The artist clearly has a thing for penguins, mentioning Penguin Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra in the liner notes, naming one track “Penguin” and offering Chamber of Tears on “Limited Edition Penguin Vinyl.” We wonder what he thinks of the TV show (Geographic North, September 6).
We’ve always considered saxophonist Colin Stetson to be wild and carefree, so the melancholic sound of The love it took to leave you caught us by surprise. This change in tone deepens our appreciation of the artist, who continues to push his instrument into new and exciting territories. While the album is brand new, Stetson considers it a prequel to New History of Warfare Vol. 1, an extension of a life-long story (Envision/Invada, September 13). “Avant classical art rock song cycle” is the tag for Bryan Perri‘s Few Words, on which the Broadway conductor stretches his wings and explores his multi-genre leanings. Exploration for Guitars and Strings is the dramatic – some might say theatrical – first single (October 18). Classic rock and prog are equally represented on Automata Flame, the new album from Will Pike, preceded by this teaser video (September 13). Sarine makes jazz psych with a trippy bent and a universal, trance-like vibe. Asas Terrenas is released September 30 on Futura Resistenza.
Electronic jazz ensemble Kinkajous presents the life-affirming Nothing Will Disappear, led by sax and piano, with a bevy of optimistic guests (Running Circle, October 18). Melos Kalpa‘s self-titled album features an array of distinctive instruments, from marimba, mandolin and Mellotron to violin and viola. The quintet casts a sonic spell, as if weaving a web of notes (Hands in the Dark, October 11). We love when an artist returns to making instrumental music; it’s like crossing over to the light side! After releasing a pair of albums with vocals, Folke Nikanor returns to the instrumental fold on Melodianien, writing about a fictional, folkish, fairy-tale-like country. The title track contains Medieval and spy film vibes (Sing a Song Fighter, fall).
Upupuyāma is one person in the studio, playing everything, and six people live. Mount Elephant is a joyous potpourri of international influences and instruments, psych-tinged and trance inducing. Lead single “Moon Needs the Owl (Part One)” starts off like The Fixx’s “Saved by Zero” before developing into a raga dream (Fuzz Club, September 13). Delving even deeper into raga is the Man from Atlantis, whose Hindustani tutelage pays off on Spirits Align. The album is already streaming in full, and has the feel of a meditation session crossed with a lively concert (Ramble, September 27). Echoes of the Unseen showcases the sound of Afghanistan’s national instrument, the rabab. Qais Essar provides a lively introduction for those unfamiliar to its timbre, and an energetic presentation for those who are. Dilruba, daf, tabla, bansuri and santoor play supporting roles (Worlds Within Worlds, October 11). Veteran Sun Araw remains as psychedelic as ever on Lifetime, creating extensive trance-like pieces that shimmer and flow (Drag City, September 27). Setting‘s at Eulogy shifts like an amorphous cloud, moving between ritual drone and progressive rock. We love the phrase “limbic dynamism,” used by the label to describe the release (DOSed, September 6).
It’s safe to say that a duo called Unicorn Ship Explosion is going to be fun, especially when their LP is called There’s a Rhinoceros in the Mega Church. We appreciate the title “This Yamaha Is Too Complicated,” having tried unsuccessfully to decipher the workings of a DX-7 a number of years ago. A punk attitude joins live and electronic influences to form a happy, convoluted whole (Sound Records, October 4). Another fun entry comes from Socks and Ballerinas (we love these names!), who are feeling A Bit Jumpy! and sharing their energy with fans through two new videos leading up to the September 27 release. The duo folds in math rock, prog rock, electronics and we suspect a whole lot of caffeine. “Money & the Drugs” is the first single from Party Dozen‘s Crime in Australia, a raucous explosion of saxophone and drums that screams Dance! The track was inspired by the sound of an airplane landing, which gives listeners some idea of what to expect from the live show (Temporary Residence Ltd., September 6).
The Necks “explore a sublime language of stillness” on Bleed, a single, 42-minute track that takes its time dancing on the edge of rock before slowly, slowly edging in (Northern Spy, October 11). The jazzy, piano-led Entity is the first album from Neal Cowley Trio in seven years, preceded by the playful single “Adam Alphabet.” Eagle-eyed readers may ask, “but wasn’t there a Neal Cowley album earlier this year?” Right you are; but that was a solo endeavor. The new album is released September 20 on Hide Inside Records. Danish folk meets Scandanavian jazz on Superkilen, from the duo Svaneborg Kardyb. We detect a bit of a rock groove as well (Gondwana, October 18). By performing live in front of 500 people, Hayden Pedigo captured American Primitive magic in his hometown setting. Live in Amarillo, Texas is out September 6 on Mexican Summer.
Forgetting You Is Like Breathing Water is a great name, and the duo’s self-titled debut is set for release on October 11. The timbres dances across jazz, shoegaze and post-rock, with trumpet and guitar the standout instruments (Unheard of Hope). Dean Drouillard‘s “not quite jazz” Mirrors and Ghosts is a showcase for the artist’s languid guitar style, demonstrated by single “Portland,” inspired by a long, peaceful drive (November 1). And in one of the season’s sweetest sonic tributes, Andrew Tuttle reinterprets the unfinished music of the late Michael Chapman on Another Tide, Another Fish, extending Chapman’s enduring legacy (Basin Rock, September 13).
Richard Allen
Fri Sep 06 00:01:46 GMT 2024