2019 Longlist Part 1

It's that time of year again. I just finished whittling an extremely long longlist down to my Top 20 albums - which I'll be revealing on December 31st on UMFM as part of the 15th annual countdown show that Station Manager Jared McKetiak and I host.

But before that, I'll be posting the rest of the albums I considered before arriving at that Top 20. Pivoting from how I've done it in prior years, where the longlist has been somewhat randomized, or alphabetized, the first post this year carries a touch more weight than the rest. THESE are the final 10 records I removed from consideration. And while they are not presented in a rank order below, if I was doing a Top 30 these are the titles that would occupy the 21-30 spots. I was particularly hard-pressed to cut these ones and it came down to the wire.

Consider these my most honourable mentions.

**Where possible I have linked to the Bandcamp for these artists so you can support them directly if you dig the preview tune. Not every artist has a page though, so you'll get the occasional Soundcloud and Youtube link.

Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls [Milk! Records]



The Cactus Blossoms - Easy Way [Walkie Talkie]



Haviah Mighty - 13th Floor [Self-Released]



Sudan Archives - Athena [Stones Throw]



Emma Elisabeth - Melancholic Milkshake [Ferryhouse]



Black Pumas - Black Pumas [ATO Records]



Joel Ross - KingMaker [Blue Note]



Durand Jones & The Indications - American Love Call [Dead Oceans]



SPAZA - SPAZA [Mushroom Hour Half Hour]



Sarah Tandy - Infection in the Sentence [Jazz re:freshed]

ephemerals - "Electricity"

This second taste of forthcoming LP The Third Eye from European duo ephemerals has a beautiful feeling of yearning as singer Wolfgang Valbrun intones "if you want it to be" repeatedly as the music fades out.

Looking forward to hearing the rest of this when it drops on Jalapeno Records on January 10th, 2020.

Will Samson - "Ochre Alps"

English ambient/folk musician Will Samson is set to release his album Paralanguage on Wichita Recordings December 6th and the whole album is quite lovely, but "Ochre Alps" with its slow build, delicate vocals and string flourishes is the standout track.

If you're having a stressful day, put this on and feel your muscles loosen and your thoughts lighten.

Basia Bulat - "Your Girl"

YESSSSSS!

Basia Bulat has a new album due out next year - produced by Jim James (!) - and she'll be hitting the road in support of it with a lengthy list of tour dates that includes my very own Winnipeg (the West End Cultural Centre on May 5th). I've posted the full dates below the first single / video. Are You In Love? comes out on Secret City March 27th.

Dec. 13-14                  Ottawa, ON                 National Arts Centre

Dec. 28 - Jan. 1          Woodford, Qld             Woodford Festival

Jan. 2-3, 2020             Sydney, NSW             LOW 302

Jan. 4, 2020                Melbourne, Vic            Welsley Anne

Jan. 5, 2020                Melbourne, Vic            Esplanade Hotel

March 18-22                Austin, TX                   SXSW

April 1, 2020                Madison, WI                High Noon Salon

April 2, 2020                Minneapolis, MN         Cedar Cultural Center

April 3, 2020                Milwaukee, WI            The Back Room at Collectivo

April 4, 2020                Chicago, IL                  Lincoln Hall

April 6, 2020                Louisville, KY              Zanzabar

April 7, 2020                Nashville, TN              The High Watt  

April 9, 2020                Washington, DC        Union Stage

April 10, 2020              Brooklyn, NY                Music Hall of Williamsburg

April 11, 2020              Philadelphia, PA        Johnny Brenda's

April 13, 2020              Cambridge, MA           The Sinclair

April 16, 2020              Moncton, NB               Central United Church

April 17, 2020              Charlottetown, NS     Confederation Centre of the Arts

April 18, 2020              Halifax, NS                  St Matthews Church

April 19, 2020              Fredericton, NB         Wilmot United Church
April 23, 2020              Quebec City, QC        Palais Montcalm

April 24, 2020              Montreal, QC              Theatre Fairmount

April 26, 2020              Burnstown, ON          Neat Coffee Shop         

April 28, 2020              Peterborough, ON     Market Hall Performing Arts Centre

April 29, 2020              London, ON                Aeolian Hall

April 30, 2020              Toronto, ON                Danforth Music Hall

May 1, 2020                Guelph, ON                 Royal City Mission

May 2, 2020                Waterford, ON           Waterford Old Town Hall

May 5, 2020                Winnipeg, MB             West End Cultural Centre

May 6, 2020                Saskatoon, SK            Broadway Theatre

May 7, 2020                Edmonton, AB           Station on Jasper

May 8, 2020                Calgary, AB                 Knox United Church     

May 10, 2020              Kamloops, BC             Sagebrush Theatre

May 11, 2020              Vancouver, BC          Commodore Ballroom

May 12, 2020              Victoria, BC                 Capital Ballroom           

May 14, 2020              Seattle                         Sunset Tavern

May 15, 2020              Portland                      Doug Fir Lounge

May 17, 2020              San Francisco             The Chapel

May 18, 2020              LA                                Largo at the Coronet

Bill Fay - "Filled With Wonder Once Again"

By the time of its release on January 17, 2020, it will have been five years since Dead Oceans last released a record from English folk artist Bill Fay (that was Who Is The Sender?). Known for being a bit enigmatic and letting his music speak for itself, I can't say for certain what Fay's been up to, but after five decades of releasing music (his self-titled album came out in 1970) it's promising to hear a hopeful track such as this first taste of Countless Branches. A beautiful way to ease into the new year and new decade and such a simple sentiment expressed directly.

Teebs - "Mirror Memory"

So apparently this was initially an Adult Swim single last year? Either I missed it or forgot, but it's one of the standout tracks on Teebs new full-length, Anicca, which came out on Brainfeeder October 25th. I was just wrapping up UMFM's Pledge-O-Rama so am still playing catch-up on a glut of music I backburnered but I am a little stuck on this particular album. Special shout-out to Sudan Archives who makes an appearance on a track and whose Athena is another fantastic release.

Jazzanova - "Little Bird (Feiertag Remix)"

While my favourite track on 2008's Of All The Things is "Let Me Show Ya" featuring wonderful vocals by guest Paul Randolph, but with the 10th Anniversary reissue of the album on vinyl, Jazzanova let pal Feiertag remix one of the cuts from the album and he made "Little Bird" a really dark version of the original, with haunting, echoed vocals from the great Jose James.

Joe Henry - "Bloom"

So apparently the video for the track is called 3'40" to reference the duration rather than the song title, "Bloom," but regardless of what it's called, the new song from Joe Henry's forthcoming The Gospel According to Water just dropped today. As I've come to expect from him, it's another literate heartbreaker with great turns-of-phrase and Henry's evocative delivery.

The very first lines are "there's very little / we can leave behind / will truly mark this Earth / but treachery and love / are ours to keep / for all they're worth." - if you're not digging it by 0'40" then chances are you won't go the full 3'40"

For more info and to pre-order Henry's album - out November 15 on earMUSIC - head over here.

LOONY - "Dare You"

Just got word this morning that Scarborough R&B act LOONY will be opening for Rhye this Sunday at the Garrick here in Winnipeg.

LOONY just dropped a new video for the track "Dare You" (below) and listening to the loping beat and delicate vocals, it's no surprise they'll be serving as the opener on all the Western Canadian dates.

My interview with Mike Milosh - aka Rhye - will air tomorrow night just after 6:30pm CT on my show TGIFR, and I'm pretty sure I'll be kicking things off with this cut.

Tawiah - "Recreate"

October 18th is an auspicious date. In my life, it's the day that Pledge-O-Rama, UMFM's annual funding drive starts (though you can support great campus/community radio ANY TIME). In the world at large, it's the album release date for Starts Again, the new record by London, UK neo-soul singer Tawiah.

"Recreate" is the first single from the album and it's a promising note to begin on. REALLY dig the arpeggiated harp on this one and not surprised to discover string arrangements are by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.

While this is Tawiah's debut full-length, she has previously worked with a murderers row of RR faves: Cinematic Orchestra, Blood Orange, Mark Ronson, Kindness, Cee-Lo, Wiley, Zed Bias and Eric Lau

And the record comes out on the always-on-point First Word Records who continue to amass a brilliant roster of artists.

Bridal Party - "Attention"

Didn't realize I'd taken quite so extended a break from RR - August turned out to be a busy month IRL and while there was a slew of music crossing my desk, I just didn't ever get my head above water to share stuff.

That said, I'm catching up on last week's releases as I was completely off the grid and found Too Much in my inbox from Victoria BC's Bridal Party waiting for me. It's a front-to-back solid slice of indie pop, but it was album closer "Attention" that really got mine.

It pairs a really bouncy track with a pretty scathing take on social media behaviour and great vocals from Suzannah Raudaschl that showcase her range - particularly on the chorus.

The band are about to hit the road - including a stop here in Winnipeg - and fingers-crossed I'll be talking to them for my radio show and possibly coaxing them in to UMFM for a live session.

Audrey Powne - "Flowers"

I've only made brief mention of Melbourne, Australia act Leisure Centre here on RR, but the contemporary soul group and Hopestreet Recordings roster member have found their way into my playlists and heart.

Despite the group being on my radar, I missed the fact that band-member Audrey Powne released a solo single earlier this year, but thanks to a Bandcamp article about the Brownswood comp Sunny Side Up, I discovered this gem.

It begins with a glissando harp run and then a swelling horn line and by 0:05, I'm completely won over because these things check some psychological boxes for me. All this before the drums kick in and Powne intones "When you bought me roses / I should've questioned your motives." That first five seconds might not be enough for some people, but if you're not all in by the 30 second mark, by all means close the tab on your browser and walk away because I don't know what to say.

I've always looked forward to more from Leisure Centre and the Hopestreet label, but I've added Powne to the list of Melbourne music I'll always press 'play' on.

Common Holly - "Central Booking"

Two weeks ago I spoke with Brigitte Naggar - aka Common Holly - for my show in advance of her playing Real Love Summer Fest (this weekend!!) and at the time, "Central Booking" was still on the horizon and we had to feature something from her 2018 record, Playing House. In the interview, Naggar hinted at some of the sonic changes in the offing with her new material and "Central Booking" certainly demonstrates that difference.

Hopefully we'll be hearing more new Common Holly material this Saturday at 5pm as part of RLSF, in advance of the 11 October release of When I say to you Black Lightning.

Dylan Perkons - "Desert Island"

Every now and then I hear a song that just GUTS me. The first track off Dylan Perkons upcoming LP, The Healing Day, which he recorded at Port William Sound with Reductive Reviews fave Jonas Bonnetta (aka Evening Hymns) landed in my inbox yesterday and the text accompanying the link to the track gives the following background:

“Desert Island” comes from my own tendency to go inward and seek isolation in times of emotional distress, partnered with the need to be seen and heard and share this life with people I love. It touches on the struggle between these two things – both the immense capacity of vulnerability, and the shame that’s often felt when we isolate ourselves.

I'm gutted because it 100% speaks to my own experience and something I wrestle with and puts it to music. The way the lyrics more from "oh you know / oh you know / I'm better off alone" to "oh you know / oh you know / I'm grateful for love" gets me every time and even typing it up my throat constricts and my tear ducts fill.

Mick Flannery - "Come Find Me"

Last year I spoke to Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery for UMFM's Festival Express series prior to his performance at the 2018 edition of the fest. (The Winnipeg Folk Festival kicks off at Birds Hill Park this evening and you can check out the 2019 edition of Festival Express here).

This past Friday, Flannery released his new self-titled record and while I think the whole thing is uniformly solid, the track I keep going back to is "Come Find Me," slotted at number 3 in the batting order, meaning it's a heavy-hitter. Last night, I'm pretty sure I gave this cut about 5 spins in a row before having to take a break.

The pizzicato string accompaniment lends an urgency and forward momentum to the song that pulls against Flannery's at-times languid delivery on the verses before he plunges ahead on the chorus - which makes sense as he pulls away from the listener and notes "I'm running / come find me / come find me."

My Polaris Prize Ballot - 2019 Round Two

Round two of the Polaris Prize voting (i.e. whittling down from the Long List to the Short List) closed last night at midnight CT and now I wait until the announcement event on July 16th to see if I did any better with this round than the 2/5 I went on Round One.

Honestly the best I've ever done was 3/5 and it wasn't until last year with Jeremy Dutcher claiming the prize that my unequivocal #1 actually took home the prize so I'm disappointed but not surprised to go 2/5 and see no Winnipeg / Manitoba entries make the Long List.

As I have always done, I move up the votes that make the cut to the top spots, and then fill in the rest of my ballot from among the overlap between my personal Long List and the official Polaris one.

I'd like to shout out Alexandra Streliski and TOBi as I did agonize over including both their records in my 5-spot.

Here's what I ended up submitting last night:

Brookes Brothers - "In the Moment ft. Amahla"

I'll admit it - I haven't been a consistent drum'n'bass listener in recent years. Once upon a time it was definitely a corner I stood on, but looking at the tracklist on Drum & Bass Arena 2019, so many of the artist names are unknown to me. But I know a good track when I hear it and "In the Moment" is a GREAT track.

That said, I think the strength of this song is guest vocalist Amahla, who brings a soulful swoon to this cut that isn't quite as evident on the other Brookes Brothers original, "Good Thing," which is a much more straightforward d'n'b cut. In fact, for much of its run-time, "In the Moment" feels much more like a broken-beat number that would come out on Tru Thoughts - which may be why I'm so taken with this track (seriously, just look at how often TT gets labeled/mentioned here on RR).

I'm certainly going to keep an ear out for more from Brookes Brothers, but I've already added Amahla on socials, and snagged a copy of her Consider This EP and eagerly await more from this talent.

Myele Manzanza - "Family Dynamics" / "Itaru's Phone Booth"

I don't think I've ever done this before, but I'm going to include two tracks from the same record on this post instead of singling one out.

While I enjoyed 2016's OnePointOne release from Kiwi drummer/composer Myele Manzanza, I never posted about it. But because he's on the ever-reliable (and award-winning) First Word Records, I've kept an ear open for what he's up to. A Love Requited drops today and was one of the first things I listened to this morning. The album starts strong, but it's in the beginning of the second-quarter that things REALLY start to cook. "Family Dynamics" is the cleanup hitter and deserving of that spot in the batting order because it swings for the fences. Pianist Matthew Sheens - who has worked with First Word's Ross McHenry, has some lovely, deft runs on this track and Jake Baxendale's alto-sax just comes alive after minute two.



That's immediately followed up by "Itaru's Phone Booth," which is a lovely, restrained number that pulls the pace back a touch without losing any of the album's momentum.



Do yourself a favor and give A Love Requited a full listen over this long weekend.

The Lewis Express - "Stomp Your Feet"

So "Clap Your Hands b/w Stomp Your Feet" is the new 7-in from UK soul jazz outfit The Lewis Express, out July 5th on ATA Records. But Clap Your Hands is also the album title for the follow-up to the quartet's eponymous record (which I posted about here).

Only the b-side, "Stomp Your Feet" is currently streaming on Bandcamp, but honestly it's got a beat and a groove you could clap your hands to as well. Sitting, standing, dancing, whatever you can do, this'll make you move in some way.

Molly Burch - "Only One"

I've featured Austin, TX artist Molly Burch here on RR before and her most recent record was my #11 of 2018. One of two tracks from her forthcoming Ballads 7in just dropped online, but the actual release isn't until August 2nd.

Unsurprisingly, it's another great slice of emotionally resonant songwriting from Burch. She perfectly pairs a song of love lost / ended with a languorous guitar line and shuffling percussion that underpin her devastatingly beautiful vocals. If I describe this as a torch song, it's not as bright a light as you might picture - it's not flame, but rather the hot coals of a fire not yet fully extinguished.

Burch will be playing Real Love Summer Fest at the end of July. Fingers-crossed she'll have copies of Ballads with her when she does.

Kratos Himself - "Take U With Me"

Dutch producer Kratos Himself  - who previously got a mention here on RR for his 2016 album Stay True - is set to release Solstice / Part II on June 21st.

Just the one song streaming on Bandcamp so far in advance of the album drop but it's hella promising as what sounds like a kalimba line starts things off with a subtle percussive accompaniment before the melody line comes in and the beat truly drops around 0:42. This is a slow burner and a trance-like tune.

Bliss out summer folks.

My Polaris Prize Ballot - 2019 Round One

So last night at midnight CT, my ballot for the first round of the 2019 Polaris Music Prize was due. And after the usual down-to-the-wire sweating it out, I whittled my own longlist down to my five album ballot.

As I've done in the past, I'm sharing my longlist and ballot and I have to say this was another tough year. There were several albums I agonized over up to the deadline and did some soul-searching and flip-flopping before I pressed 'submit.'

Some of these titles will come as no surprise to people who've followed the blog or listened to my show on UMFM - the reason I've played them or shared them is because I've enjoyed them.

Kudos to all who are listed below - I'm a big fan of what you're doing. I strongly encourage people to check these albums out.

Here's my alphabetical longlist:

AKUA - Them Spirits
Allison Au Quartet - Wander Wonder
Black Legary - sirulian memorii
Tanika Charles - The Gumption
Isla Craig - The Becoming
Simon Daniel - Nightcrawler
Sarah Davachi - Gave In Rest
Elaquent - Blessing In Disguise
FET.NAT - Le Mal
Flying Horses - Reverie
Greys - Age Hasn't Spoiled You
Jayda G - Significant Changes
Korea Town Acid - Mahogany Forest
nehiyawak - Starlight EP
Safia Nolin - dans le noir
Rhye - Spirit EP
Joseph Shabason - Anne
Shay Lia - Dangerous
Slow Spirit - Idle
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Trapline
Alexandra Streliski - Inscape
Teen Daze - Bioluminescence
TOBi - Still
Tony Wilson & Burn Down the Cornfield - This Way Thru the Forest
Justin Wright - Music For Staying Warm
Yes We Mystic - Ten Seated Figures

And here's my ballot:

It just so happens the Longlist reveal is taking place in Winnipeg this year. Fingers-crossed some of these albums will be among those announced on June 20th at The Forks.

Joe Armon-Jones "Icy Roads (Stacked)"

I've been touting UK jazz for a while now and singing the praise of key player Joe Armon-Jones for some time as well. So it should be no surprise that the A-side to his new 10" ends up on here.

Particularly when he enlists the talents of bassist Mutali Chashi of KOKOROKO, who provides such a wide-tire firm-grip bassline for Armon-Jones to drive these icy roads on.

As the info on the Bandcamp page notes, the release has " killer artwork nodding to Thrust-era Herbie Hancock" so you have a good sense of what this sounds like before you ever press play. This is some funky soulful jazz right here. Very curious to hear the B-side "Aquarius" when the physical drops at the end of June.

Sufjan Stevens - "Love Yourself"

The physical (limited edition) 7" of this new Sufjan Stevens track isn't out til the end of June, but Stevens has released an newly finished version of a song he wrote over twenty years ago (the demo version is included on the Bandcamp).

Stevens has released this now - along with "With My Whole Heart" - to mark Pride Month and a portion of the proceeds from sales will to two organizations assisting homeless LGBTQ+ youth in New York and Detroit.

It can be a hard thing for anyone to love themselves, but particularly for queer folx who exist in a world that inflicts violence on them for simply being.

Chris Orrick - "Spent A Lot Of Time"

Detroit MC Chris Orrick just dropped his latest album, Out To Sea, on the always reliable Mello Music Group today (May 24th) and I've had one full pass through the record. Unsurprisingly solid, with a throwback vibe to the production - by Man@Work -  and a thoroughly now tone to the lyrics which is no surprise when reading that:

This album is dedicated to the damage done by the 2016 United States Presidential Election, Social Media and the 24 Hour News Cycle. 

My favourite cut on the album is "Spent A Lot Of Time" built atop a great jazzy loop with piano and sax dancing on a boom-bap percussive note, all in service of a deeply philosophical and questioning set of verses.

Meernaa - "Thinking Of You"

OHGODYESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Oakland's Meernaa, who were responsible for, "Good Luck," my #5 song of 2018, are back and have a new record called Heart Hunger due imminently on Native Cat Recordings and they JUST dropped a track from it today.

No surprise it is GOLD. RR readers know how much I love Rhye and "Thinking Of You" could fit pretty snuggly on a playlist alongside Mike Milosh's future-soul-love-songs.

Just click play on the Youtube link and let it take you away.

Matthew 'Doc' Dunn - "Mind Of My Lover"

Despite being huge into the group The Cosmic Range (their album The Gratitude Principle is in the running for my Polaris ballot), I totally missed the boat on the fact that they have an imprint under the band's name and have released material from Matthew 'Doc' Dunn, including Lightbourn from last summer.

Speaking of summer, my favourite track off the album is "Mind Of My Lover," a surprising slice of yacht rock that luxuriates in a warm bath of a groove for nearly six minutes and features Dunn's yearning (but still pleasant) vocals.

Teotima - "Cracks"

Due out next Friday (May 24th) the new album from UK soul-jazz collective Teotima, Weightless, has some serious heft. Which makes sense considering the group is 14 members strong and "Cracks" clocks in at over 7 minutes.

The great thing about a lengthy track like this is it provides room for all the players to contribute and have their moment. The crisp horn section gets particular shine around the 5 minute mark after subtle contributions up to that point.

If you're a fan of the likes of Nostalgia 77 (whose Ben Lamdin engineered this "as-live to tape" recording") and big soul-jazz ensembles, then mark your iCal to check out the full-length when the always-on-point First Word Records releases it on the 24th.

Ona - "Summer Candy"

It's always a bit of a litmus test to put word "summer" in your song title. Can you capture the feel of that sweet season? Is your song a pleasant 25c with a cloudless sky? Can the word "dappled" be used to describe the music?

Well, the quintet of musicians in West Virginia band Ona pass the test with "Summer Candy," the lead-off track to their new album Full Moon, Heavy Light.

Bouncing bass line and propulsive snare / hi-hat? Check. Ringing lead guitar line? Check. Swirling rhythm guitar? Check. Smooth vocal delivery? Check.

"So soft / so sweet" go the vocals describing the Summer Candy in the song, but it's a fitting description of the song itself.

Thanks to the fine folks at Planetary who sent this record my way last week.

Lydia Persaud - "More Of Me"

Lydia Persaud, a Toronto artist who blends folk, jazz and soul, is set to release her album Let Me Show You via Outside Music's new imprint, Next Door Records.

She's one of only two acts on the roster right now, but it's easy to figure out why she is one of their lead-off hitters. An advance copy of the album landed at UMFM this morning and I was digging it on first pass. But then I got to the third track on the record and I went from digging it to digging my own grave because "More of Me" killed me.

I have listened to this track on repeat 5 times over already and the impact never lessens. The insistent groove of that guitar line (courtesy of Dean Drouillard) draws you right in and then Persaud's devastating vocals knock you right out. This is some rope-a-dope music right here. Plus there's a FLUTE LINE accenting the climb her vocals make as she sings "I can't let you take more of me."

Is this a break-up song? Persaud concludes "all I ever do is leave" so she could be singing about all her past relationships, but if there's one particular person this song is about I have some sympathy for them because this is a devastating send-off.

Damon Locks - Black Monument Ensemble - "The Colors That You Bring"

I'll be playing another selection on my show tomorrow night, but right now "The Colors That You Bring" is the only track from Where Future Unfolds available for streaming.

BUT OH WHAT A SONG.

It's a great entry-point to the expansive music that Damon Locks - Black Monument Ensemble craft. And I do mean 'craft' - there's an attention to detail, but also a hand-hewn quality to this spiritual-jazz record that is infused with the spirit of its creators. Sometimes - as on "The Future?" - it can feel a little sloppy, but at other points it simply hums with the collective energy and talent that sound & visual artist Damon Locks and collaborators including Angel Bat Dawid (who is a force on her own record) among others.

 The full-length drops May 31st on the always reliable International Anthem.

White Denim - "NY Money"

I love it when a rock track has the room to stretch out and breathe. "NY Money" from the new White Denim album Side Effects does just that. Clocking in at nearly seven minutes, this one creates an atmosphere and while drummer Joshua Block's work is insistent and pushes forward, there's space for Austin Jenkins to just dance all over past the 4-minute mark.

The Mandatory Eight - "Turn It Out"

No shade against the A-side, "Soul Fanfare #3" but this is one of those instances where the flip-side is even hotter than the ostensible single. Leeds UK's The Mandatory Eight may draw inspiration from classic backing-bands like the Bar-Kays, but they deserve a spot at centre-stage. This 7" comes out on ATA Records, a label that should be familiar to RR readers.

Alex Lahey - "Am I Doing It Right?"

Yes. Yes, Alex, you are doing it right. Best of Luck Club comes out May 17th on Dead Oceans

Rose Hotel - "10K"

This one came across my radar thanks to V.V. Lightbody, the artist responsible for my #7 album of 2018. I follow Lightbody on Instagram and they happened to post a screenshot of Rose Hotel's Spotify account.

I'm not sure I was prepared for what Rose Hotel would sound like when I bookmarked their IG account, but maybe if I had read the tags on the Atlanta artist's Bandcamp page before hitting play on "10K" I would have expected Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval singing atop Swervedriver. "Dream bedroom rock" indeed.

The lead-off track is the only thing available off of I'll Only Come When It's A Yes right now, and the full-length is out May 31st.

Seba Kaapstad - "Africa"

Seba Kaapstad is the latest signing to the always reliable (and frequent RR subject) Mello Music Group, and is made up of vocalists Ndumiso Manana and Zoe Modiga as well as multi-instrumentalist Sebastian Schuster and percussionist Philip Scheibel. While rooted in South Africa - I mean, the track is called "Africa" -  you definitely get a sense of Schuster and Scheibel's Germanic influences with a crispness to the swing that recalls Jazzanova when the track cuts loose at 0:56.

There's only this cut and "Breathe" currently streaming, but based on the MMG pedigree and what's on offer here, Thina is a must-listen when it drops May 17th.

Reginald Omas Mamode IV - "In Search of Balance"

I think the first place I heard UK act Reginald Omas Mamode IV was on Volume 7 of the Label Love series. Looking back at playlists from my show, I played "JumpWorkShakeMove" at the tail-end of November from that comp **important side-note take a look at the murderer's row of talent on that 2015 comp: Moonchild, Jane Weaver, Quantic, Nicola Cruz, Dexter Story - so many names that have popped up on RR and my shows**

When I saw his name on the latest Bandcamp Weekly I was excited to hear the newness and when "In Search of Balance" came on, that excitement amplified.

It's the only track currently available from the forthcoming Where We Going? which Mamode IV notes was:
partly recorded on a journey to the Mascarene Islands in search of family roots. 'he album is reflective of the search for this lineage, which branches from ancient Mauritian Maroons - whose rich heritage, music and culture includes an unrecognised, undocumented resistance to colonialism - though Swahili and Malagasy to sugarcane plantation Creole slave descendants. 

You can hear the nod to this heritage in the choir of voices humming - mixed in such a way that some of them are mere echoes and whispers, the sound of ancestors joining in song. And the jangle of percussion certainly evokes chains, with the rhythmic pattern suggesting their being shaken off.

Where We Going? is out May 10th. Set your iCal accordingly.



"Our world, with a grace, and pride / search for that balance inside"

KOKOROKO - "Ti-de"

Not to be confused with KOKOKO!,- though both acts share a connection to Afrobeat -  KOKOROKO is a London UK septet that just dropped their self-titled album on March 8th and while it is likewise fire, it's more of a smouldering fire. "Ti-de" the track I've linked to is a languid affair that builds from a solo bass line and starts layering elements including Oscar Jerome's guitar line (that totally has me thinking Tuareg tunes) and a trio of horns.

Witch Prophet - "Elsabet"

It got its debut on the Strombo Show this weekend, but if you missed it there, don't miss out on the first single from Witch Prophet's forthcoming LP, D.N.A. Activation.

"Elsabet" is "about saying 'yes' to the magic of life," and features a SCORCHING sax line from Karen Ng that scurries about atop a simple piano chord pattern.

I was a big fan of The Golden Octave, Leilani's last record and can't wait for the follow-up.

Shadow J. Brown - "What's Wrong With Me"

Haven't posted about Shadow J. Brown in a while but James Lepinsky Contreras has remained as prolific and inventive as ever in the interim. My inbox gets frequent notifications via Bandcamp that he's posted a new single, collection or EP and the genre-shifting and sonic-muscle-flexing is a constant.

Yesterday, he posted "What's Wrong With Me" and while there's no question mark in the title, this bluesy shuffle is something I've asked myself on occasion.

Skye Wallace - "Because The Night"

Skye Wallace - with help from cellist Michelle Faehrmann - covers Patti Smith's "Because the Night" to mark International Women's Day 2019.

IMANI - "Just Another Love Song"

Not surprised to find this on Bandcamp's Album of the Day page. The lead-off track to Out Of The Blue, a holy grail record from early 80s San Fran, the song belies the title. Portugal's Mad About Records are responsible for the re-issue and making this available for significantly less than the original 500 copies are going for.

Faye Webster - "Kingston"

As if Webster's voice wasn't enough to win me over, this track has ringing slide guitar, warm organ tones and friggin' dual saxophone lines.

Damn this is a smooth track.

Atlanta Millionaires Club is out May 24.

Jordan Rakei - "Mind's Eye"

There are certain names I see in my inbox that are immediate click-to-listens. Jordan Rakei has been featured on RR three separate times before and I have a feeling there's more to come. He just dropped a brand new single via Ninja Tune and unsurprisingly it is GREAT.

There's a nice ebb and flow to this track but my enjoyment doesn't wane.

narou & James Chatburn - "Oblivious"

Vienna / Berlin producer narou wasn't on my radar before this morning, but I'm about to follow him like a hawk because his collaborator James Chatburn just shared this impeccable slice of neo-soul. The piano line leading into the finger-snap percussion, the bass kick beneath the smooth vocals. THIS IS MY TYPE OF JAM.

Cannot wait to hear more of what these two come up with.

AKUA - "Heaven"

It's been a HALF DECADE since AKUA first came on my radar, but she hasn't dropped off the map, simply moved to the edge of it, relocating to Los Angeles to work on her songcraft.

"Heaven" is the second track to come out from a forthcoming LP, Them Spirits, that's already getting some Polaris buzz from folks who've had the opportunity to hear the whole thing. I have yet to, but eagerly await the chance.

Wovoka Gentle - "Sin Is Crouching At Your Door"

Kinda feel like if the Incredible String Band and Nick Cave were expecting and Mercury Rev was the doula, Wovoka Gentle would be the baby born from this trio of participants.

"Sin Is Crouching At Your Door" is from the forthcoming album Start Clanging Cymbals which is available for pre-order here.

RIP Darryl Weeks

Just found out that Darryl Weeks passed away on Sunday. He ran StageFright Publicity and handled a ton of great clients including the Paper Bag Records roster. A litany of StageFright artists have found their way to this blog, to my radio show and a place on my year-end lists thanks to Darryl over the years.

I never got the chance to meet him in person but we were "Facebook friends" and emailed regularly to set up interviews, stay up-to-date on records he was working and discuss our  shared affinity for music by the likes of Louise Burns and Helena Deland.

We were in touch as recently as last week discussing a pair of Luminelle Recordings releases that are already on my 2019 longlist: MUNYA and Anemone. In a strange coincidence, the physical copy of the Anemone just showed up at UMFM in today's mail.

My sincerest condolences to all affected by his loss, most particularly to his young family. 

Dead Obies - "Doo Wop"

This Friday, February 15th, marks the release of Quebec quartet Dead Obies' third album, DEAD. The follow-up to 2016's Polaris longlisted Montreal $ud, is due out on longtime label (and frequent RR subject) Bonsound.

I was a little lukewarm on the two previous singles dropped in advance of DEAD, but "Doo Wop" - despite not being that thing - is a jam. The bilingual hook, sung by MC Ogee Rodman takes me back to 1990s MC Solaar cuts with their Franglish blend and the beat on this cut is subtle but propulsive.

Hania Rani - "Glass"

Heads-up Jean-Michel Blais fans. If you dug dans ma main, put Polish artist Hania Rani on your listen list. There's only one song from Esja posted in advance of the album's April 5 release on Gondwana Records, but "Glass" certainly suggests what the tags at the bottom of the Bandcamp denote - this is for fans of "ambient," "classical," "electronic," and "modern classical" music.

It is meditative, beautiful music and on a particularly cold Winnipeg afternoon, I can think of nothing better to warm my soul.

Kassa Overall - "La Casa Azul ft. Roy Hargrove"

It's been a minute since I listened to a Roy Hargrove record, but with his The RH Factor project, the jazz trumpeter has been bridging genres for ages and ages. Hard Groove is nearly a decade-and-a-half old at this point. So I'm not surprised - but I was excited - to see his name pop up on this project from New York rapper / drummer / producer Kassa Overall. The intersection of jazz / neo-soul / hip-hop is something Hargrove has already explored and quite likely inspired Overall's Go Get Ice Cream and Listen To Jazz record.

I'm in on the whole record and have already bookmarked it for my year-end longlist, but I was particularly taken with "La Casa Azul," the track featuring Hargrove's muted horn alternating between smooth and staccato, providing as much bounce as the bass line and as crisp a snap as the snare drum.

Dexter Story - "Shuruba Song ft. Hamelmal Abate"

Here's the guest list (beyond Hamelmal Abate featured on this first single):

Kibrom Birhane
Sudan Archives
Haile Supreme
Jimetta Rose
Marie Daulne
Endeguena Mulu
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
Josef Leimberg

Here are Dexter Story's credits:
multi-instrumentalist for Sa-Ra Creative Parners
manager for Snoop Dogg
producer for Dayme Arocena's Cubafonia
worked with Kamasi Washington on his most recent single, "Wejene Aola"

Here's the label Story's album Bahir is coming out on:
SOUNDWAY

If all of this doesn't get you exited for the May 15th release of the sophomore release from this LA. musician, take a liten to "Shuruba Song" below and put the date in your calendar.

Partner - "Long and McQuade"

True story. I got the email with this new single from Partner in my inbox about an hour before I drove over to Long and McQuade to pick up a fuse for an amp that blew when I was recording a live session with.....

PARTNER.



This track is from Saturday the 14th, the follow-up to their Polaris Shortlisted album In Search of Lost Time. The new record is out April 5th at which point the duo will be on the road with Wintersleep.

The Elwins - "Grind You Down [Live at The Sharon Temple]"

In Canada this is Bell Let's Talk day so there is a lot of internet traffic around mental health.

The Elwins released a video for a live performance of "Grind You Down" to mark the occasion and add to the discussion.

I've had the pleasure of recording live performances from the band on two occasions, but they haven't been touring with a string section and choir which makes this performance particularly special.

The statement that accompanied the video is as follows:
"The lyrics to ‘Grind You Down’ have significant meaning to myself and the members of The Elwins,” says singer Matthew Sweeney. “Mental illness health and the stigma surrounding it are very serious subject matters that can affect anyone. We are doing our best to address the topic, and trying to encourage dialogue, support or anything else we can to encourage people to seek assistance if they require it. We’re very fortunate that there are many incredible organizations that offer services in Canada and while it’s sometimes a difficult bridge to cross we want people to feel as comfortable as they can.” For more information about the work CAMH is doing to help those affected by mental illness, please visit http://camh.ca/MentalHealthIsHealth or email Foundation@CAMH.ca

Paper Tiger - "The Cycle ft. Steve Spacek"

Has it really been 14 years since Steve Spacek released Space Shift? When I saw his name featured as guest vocalist on this track from Paper Tiger's forthcoming Rogue Planet LP, I did a quick Google search to see just how long ago that broken-beat soul masterwork came out. It's been almost a decade and a half since "Dollar"'s slippery spacey vibe first entranced me (not to be confused with Aloe Blacc's "I Need A Dollar" from 2010).

While he's had some singles and 12" it wasn't until last year's Natural Sci-Fi on Eglo that he was well and truly back and it appears that's continuing on into 2019. Leeds UK sextet Paper Tiger create a wonderful, funky cut for Spacek's vocals to float atop and make me wish for a record where they feature as his backing band the whole way through. It's a great pairing. Rogue Planet comes out April 5 and while it doesn't feature any other collabs, the other tracks streaming on Bandcamp suggest they don't need the talents of a vocalist like Spacek to make a record that sings.

 

Max Jury - "Sweet Lie"

Mike Milosh needs to watch out because Max Jury is stepping on his breathy falsetto "is this a dude singing this" vocals corner. No surprise I'm all over this track considering I (a) love Rhye, and (b) can't get enough of "bah bahs" in songs.

Harriet Brown - "Driver's Seat"

Last time I mentioned Harriet Brown on here was when I included Contact on my 2017 longlist. Based on the strength of the "Driver's Seat" single, there's a chance Mall of Fortune will be on the 2019 list.

The full-length comes out next month on Innovative Leisure, but there are already four track streaming on the Bandcamp page and the video for "Driver's Seat" came out last Thursday.

The track is a percussive, insistent JAM that is just pristinely produced. The mix, with echoed vocals, bubbling synth lines and a litany of snaps, claps and taps just pushes the listener forward for a full five minutes. SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD.

 

American Football - "Uncomfortably Numb ft. Hayley Williams"

While "American football" is about to wind down after yet another Patriots Super Bowl game, AMERICAN FOOTBALL are just gearing up. The Illinois rock band are set to release their third record on March 22nd. The self-titled album is due out on Polyvinyl Records, with a pretty sweet limited edition red & blue splatter vinyl and a deluxe 2LP mastered for 45rpm. But regardless of the bells-and-whistles of the physical materials, what makes this a record worth owning is the actual music and boy-howdy is "Uncomfortably Numb" quite the appetizer.

Manatee Commune - "My Dearest Friend"

Winnipeg is in the midst of a pretty stellar cold snap. Waiting for the bus is a soul-chilling experience so this summery slice of sunshine from Manatee Commune is deeply appreciated. "My Dearest Friend" drops today on the always reliable Bastard Jazz. There are only 13 plays on Youtube as of this post, and 46 on Soundcloud, so get on board the train early and take a trip to Manatee Commune.

Time Grove - "Sir Blunt"

So last summer, I mentioned in a post about Nitai Hershkovits that Wah Wah 45s were teasing a forthcoming album from jazz act Time Grove.

Well, that forthcoming album is much more imminent. Mark your calendar for January 25 because that's the day More Than One Thing is set to drop.

There are only two tracks streaming on the Bandcamp in advance of the release including "Sir Blunt" below but if this and "Roy the King" aren't enough to whet your appetite and get you excited then I'm not sure how you landed on this post. Folks who follow RR know I'm big into the UK jazz scene and potent combos and this makes a circle of the venn diagram.

There's a nice fat synthy bass-line supporting "Sir Blunt" that undergirds some great keyboard work from Hershkovits here.

ll nøthing ll - higeki

Man, I needed a discovery like this. My life has been anything but chill as of late, so to stumble across this brief slice of vaporwave from Houston, TX act ||nothing|| I got a quarter-hour's respite as it bathed me in beats and ambient instrumentation.

I know it's the New Year and some people are coming out the gate full force, but if you need to press pause, put on higeki.

My Top 20 Albums of 2018

So now that the countdown show on New Year's Eve has come and gone and the loyal UMFM listeners got to hear it spoiler-free, I can finally post my Top 20 Albums of 2018.

20 Zhen Chen and Lin Ma - On & Between [Navona]



19 Leila Abdul-Rauf - Dimunition [Malignant]



18 Ben Pirani - How Do I Talk To My Brother [Colemine]



17 Witch Prophet - The Golden Octave [Independent]



16 Safia Nolin - Dans le noir [Bonsound]



15 Khalab - Black Noise 2084 [On the Corner]



14 Dirty Projectors - Lamp Lit Prose [Domino]



13 Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen [Fat Possum]



12 Zaki Ibrahim - The Secret Life of Planets [Independent]



11 Molly Burch - First Flower [Captured Tracks]



10 Kamasi Washington - Heaven & Earth [Young Turks]



09 Bear Grass - LEFT [Five Kill]



08 GoGo Penguin - A Humdrum Star [Blue Note]



07 V.V. Lightbody - Bathing Peach [Independent]



06 Maribou State - Kingdoms in Colour [Counter]



05 Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo [Fat Possum]



04 Renata Zeiguer - Old Ghost [Northern Spy]



03 Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings [International Anthem]



02 Rhye - Blood [Last Gang]



01 Jeremy Dutcher - Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa [Independent]