Essential weekend listening.
This week’s rundown is by VF contributors Annabelle Van Dort, Emily Hill and James Hammond.
Peverelist
Pulse Phase E.P.
(Livity Sound Recordings)
Peverelist is a seasoned player. The man behind the legendary Livity Sounds imprint and Punch Drunk Records has delivered seminal tunes that will stand the test of time. His latest offering, Pulse Phrase, brings a natural conclusion to the Pulse series on the Bristol label– four tracks in his signature melodic futurist meets club-structured music. Harking to the origins of the UK club music scene, the EP explores fundamentals of early bleep and bass whilst veering at points into the 2-step demain as highlighted on “Pulse XII”. A deep EP that draws on dance music history.–EH
La Monte Young/ Marian Zazeela
Dream House 78’17”
(Superior Viaduct)
Following up on last year’s reissue of La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela’s Black Record, Superior Viaduct’s second foray into the duo’s vaults brings back another staple of the minimalist canon in Dream House 78’17”. Featuring Jon Hassell’s trumpet, Garret List’s trombone, and a sine wave alongside Young and Zazeela’s voices on the A-side, the sine waves take over on the flipside revelling in acoustic phenomena that’s down to the listener and the playback space. Ground-breaking works that play with space and perception.–JH
Tidiane Thiam
Africa Yontii
(Sahel Sounds)
On his second solo album for Sahel Sounds, Senegalese guitarist Tidiane Thiam collaborates with beatmaker Ndiaye Moctar, transporting Thiam’s lilting, lyrical interpretations of Pulaar folk songs to new realms. Full of tranquil streams of honey-toned guitar and nostalgic, hypnagogic melodies that convey a deep yearning, Moctar’s addition of field recordings and drum pads sees Thiam forging his own unique sound.–AVD
Jawnino
40
(Worldwide Unlimited / True Panther)
Jawnino has been delivering zingers since his debut back in 2019, followed by a string of appearances on work by Klein and the mysterious PK Brako 9. The South London native has been crafting a cult following whilst developing 40. 40 is a seismic mixtape featuring beatmaker and poet James Massiah, Kibo and MIKE. Jawino’s music sits on the soulful grime spectrum, embracing a variety of rhythms from the up to downtempo. This record speaks to life in the big city capturing the imagination of his listeners and taking them to new places through his lyrical creativity.–EH
Various Artists
Soft Summer Breezes
(Numero)
Arriving in time for the first glimpses of sunshine and the early anticipation of summer, the latest compilation from Chicago’s Numero Group is a technicolour collection of psychedelic pop and 60’s garage rock. Giddy with teenage romanticism and twee harmonies, Soft Summer Breezes is the perfect 16-track soundtrack for those lazy midsummer days.–AVD
Christina Kubisch & Trondheim Voices
Stromsänger
(imprec)
Wearing custom-made induction headphones that detect and record electromagnetic sounds, Christina Kubisch’s exposition of hidden sound worlds finds a captivating balance with the human voice on Stormsänger. Merging the seemingly disparate elements of voice and electromagnetism, Kubisch’s recording of the electromagnetic sounds of a tram in Trondheim, Norway, served as the impetus for a collaboration with the Trondheim Voices vocal ensemble. Recording and re-recording playback of voice and electromagnetic sound in a church, the oscillations and undulations of the two parts intertwine and stretch out further with the ensemble moving to improvisation around the tram’s distinct sounds. A vivid realization of concept that puts Kubisch’s compositional and imaginative rigour to good use.–JH
