Improvisation

Air – Air Time

Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, Steve McCall

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Creative Music

Vibes: Spontaneous, Responsive, Knotty, Passionate, Exploratory, Intertwined, Open, Airy, Playful, Elegant, Abstract, Complex, Eclectic, Mysterious, Suspenseful

Air – Air Time Read More »

National Health – National Health

National Health was a continuation of Canterbury supergroup Hatfield & the North, bringing over essentially everyone from that project, except Hatfield’s bassist Richard Sinclair (Caravan), including Pip Pyle (Gong), Dave Stewart (Egg), Amanda Parsons, and Phil Miller (Matching Mole). Unsurprisingly, the LP is packed with warm, playful virtuosity. Overdriven bass takes the helm for most of the themes, locked in with propulsive grooves and shifting time signatures of Pyle’s drums. The space fills out quite colorfully with harmonious waves of electric piano, woodwinds and Moog synthesizer. When things need to be taken up a notch, Miller comes in with some triumphantly energizing guitar solos. What really makes this album special though are Amanda Parson’s vocals, which work both as a wordless instrument within the polyphonic arrangements, and as a unifying, lyrical force during the album’s most epic moments.

National Health – National Health Read More »

James Fella / Steve Jansen / Steve Zimmerman – Full Names, Alphabetical Order (Title)

12″, 45rpm, single-sided, Alien Summer / That’s Cool, 2020 Recorded live at Revolver Records (Phoenix, AZ) on 5/15/2011 Paste on Cover, Limited to 100 copies Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz Vibes: Chaotic, Abstract, Raw, Exploratory, Primal, Energetic, Kinetic Musical Qualities: Atonal, Electro-Acoustic, Noisy, Lo-Fi, Collective Improvisation, Live Recording Instrumentation: Saxophone, Homemade Instruments, Amplified Objects, Percussion

James Fella / Steve Jansen / Steve Zimmerman – Full Names, Alphabetical Order (Title) Read More »

Tongue Depressor & Austin Larkin – Landau Bar

LP, Redscroll, 2024 Recorded by A.F. Jones, Mastered by Rashad Becker Style: Country-Drone, Electroacoustic, Ritual Ambient, Post-Spectralism Vibes: Witchy, Disorienting, Haunting, Ritualistic, Spectral, Dark, Nocturnal, Gothic, Gloomy, Alchemical, Desolate, Drifting, Eerie, Shadowy, Rural, Occult, Ominous, Murky, Mysterious, Intense, Elemental, Hypnotic Musical Qualities: Droney, Microtonal, Dense, Instrumental, Slow, Dissonant, Dynamic, Electro-Acoustic, Extended Technique Instrumentation: Viola, Lap

Tongue Depressor & Austin Larkin – Landau Bar Read More »

Rafael Torral – Spectral Evolution

LP, Moikai / Drag City, 2024 Recorded 2020-2022 Style: Progressive Ambient, Experimental Electronic Vibes: Ethereal, Luminous, Patient, Nature, Birds, Blissful, Meditative, Abstract, Airy, Bright, Hypnotic, Mysterious, Soothing Musical Qualities: Loops, Lush, Textural, 432 hz, Harmonious, Droney, Suite, Extened Technique, Instrumental, Slow, Improvisation, Layered Instrumentation: Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Homemade Electronic Instruments

Rafael Torral – Spectral Evolution Read More »

Gayle / Graves / Parker – WEBO

Recorded live on Jun 6 & 7, 1991

Style: Fire Music, Free Jazz

Vibes: RItualistic, Kinetic, Fiery, Entropic, Raw, Searching, Cathartic, Ecstatic, Spiritual, Healing, Energetic, Exploratory, Mysterious, Multi-Directional

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Dense, Dynamic, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Dissonant, Instrumental, Live, Heavy

Gayle / Graves / Parker – WEBO Read More »

Merope – Vejula

Behind a luminous, translucent veil, we find ourselve immersed in ethereal, electro-acoustic sound worlds emerging from fragments of Lithuanian folk songs. With blissful instrumental contributions from Laraaji, Shahzad Ismaily, Bill Frisell, and Craig Taborn, the duo delicately weave celestial zithers, otherwordly vocals, warm guitar melodies, glitchy electronics and softly blooming synth pads into a colorful, healing cocoon full of harmonious secrets.

Merope – Vejula Read More »

FYEAR

Style: Liberation Music, Industrial Jazz, Slam Poetry, Avant-Prog

Vibe: Dystopian, Rebellious, Anxious, Communal, Poetic, Bleak, Apocalyptic, Determined, Powerful, Conscious, Dark, Industrial, Intense, Winter, Climactic

FYEAR Read More »

SML – Small Medium large

Anna Butterss, Jeremiah Chiu, Joshua Johnson, Gregory Uhlmann, Booker Stardrum

Style: Abstract Groove, Cyber-Jazz, Post-Minimalism, Organic Beat Music

Vibes: Hypnotic, Warm, Colorful, Squiggly, Intertwined, Exploratory, Playful, Groovy, Soothing, Uplifting, Surreal, Aquatic, Futuristic

SML – Small Medium large Read More »

Exploding Star Orchestra – Live at the Adler Planetarium

featuring Rob Mazurek, Jeff Parker, Nicole Mitchell, Damon Locks, Gerard Cleaver, Craig Taborn, Angelica Sanchez & Mauricio Takara

Style: Cyber-Jazz, Cosmic Big-Band, Jazz Fission

Vibes: Futuristic, Communal, Triumphant, Cosmic, Surreal, Exploratory, Anthemic, Colorful

Musical Qualities: Dense, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Percussive, Progressive, Rhythmic, Spoken Word, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Suite

Exploding Star Orchestra – Live at the Adler Planetarium Read More »

Can – Live in Paris 1973

Style: Krautrock, Abstract Groove, Free Psych, Jam Band

Vibes: Spacey, Exploratory, Groovy, Communal, Primal, Hypnotic, Serpentine, Hallucinogenic, Adventure, Determined, Driving, Surreal, Mysterious, Cosmic, Introspective, Journeying, Kinetic, Psychedelic, Responsive, Spontaneous, Suspenseful

Can – Live in Paris 1973 Read More »

Elkhorn – Red Valley

Style: Acid Western, Psych Folk

Vibe: Journeying, Desert, Western, Hazy, Intertwined, Road Trip, Nature, Summer, Adventure, Earthy, Exploratory, Flowing, Focused, Impressionistic, Luminous, Pastoral, Patient, Psychedelic, Reflective, Rural, Spiritual, Warm

Elkhorn – Red Valley Read More »

Oren Ambarchi – Shebang

eaturing Joe Talia, Jim O’Rourke, Chris Abrahams, B. J. Cole, Julia Reidy, Johan Berthling, Sam Dunscombe

Style: Post-Minimalism, Post-Rock, Electro-acoustic

Vibes: Iridescent, Blooming, Hypnotic, Focused, Psychedelic, Shimmering, Propulsive, Flowing, Soothing, Intertwined, Warm, Intricate

Oren Ambarchi – Shebang Read More »

Pentangle – Basket of Light

Style: British Folk Rock, Folk Baroque, Blues-Influenced

Vibes: Uplifting, Intertwined, Romantic, Flowing, Sentimental, Rootsy, Intricate, Responsive, Spring, Warm, Energetic,, Groovy, Traditional

Musical Qualities: Melodic, Polyphonic, Lush, Uncommon Time Signatures, Improvisation, Acoustic

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocal Harmonies, Upright Bass, Drums, Glockenspiel, Sitar, Banjo

Pentangle – Basket of Light Read More »

Batsumi – Batsumi

Style: Cape Jazz, Afro-Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Vibes: Warm, Communal, Groovy, Spiritual, Sunny, Warm, Uplifting

Instrumentation: Group Vocals, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion, Flute, Multiple Drummers, Jaw Harp, Upright Bass, Organ, Bongos, Guitar

Batsumi – Batsumi Read More »

Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi – With Pats on the Head, Just One Too Few Is Evil One Too Many Is Good That’s All It Is

On their twelfth live recording, the electrifying power trio continues to expand the vocabulary of their improvised sonic sorcery. One LP of mysterious duo invocations, followed by two LPs of primordial free rock. Through concentrated force and harnessed chaos, the trio patiently pushes primordial riffs to their noisiest, most visceral limits, striving to become the sound itself.

Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi – With Pats on the Head, Just One Too Few Is Evil One Too Many Is Good That’s All It Is Read More »

Water Shrews – Widening Spaces

Style: Drone, Free Improvisation, Psychedelic Ambient

Vibes: Journeying, Amorphous, Introspective, Woozy, Exploratory, Earthy, Washy, Hypnotic, Psychedelic, Murky, Rhizomatic

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Improvisation, Lo-Fi, Loops, Slow, Pulse, Analogue, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Keyboards, Electric Guitar, Electronics, Synthesizers, Field Recordings

Water Shrews – Widening Spaces Read More »

Water Shrew Trio

Style: Drone, Free Folk

Vibes: Meditative, Forest, Peaceful, Contemplative, Nature, Soothing, Hypnotic, Psychedelic

Instrumentation: Harmonium, Hammered Dulcimer, Electronics, Acoustic Guitar

Water Shrew Trio Read More »

Cassia Streb – Marginal Habitats

Style: EAI, Reductionism

Vibes: Meditative, Desert, Ecological, Desolate, Meandering, Lonely, Contemplative, Morning, Intimate, Lethargic, Primordial, Raw, Restrained

Musical Qualities: Graphic Score, Sparse, Slow, Soft, Instrumental, Improvisation, Dissonant, Electro-Acoustic

Instrumentation: Field Recording, Viola, Small Objects

Cassia Streb – Marginal Habitats Read More »

Off World – 2

featuring Sandro Perri, Eric Chenaux, Drew Brown, etc

Style: Alien Electronics, Tribal Ambient, Kosmische

Vibes: Spacey, Surreal, Imaginative, Exploratory, Impressionistic, Abstract, Cinematic, Meandering, Messy, Mysterious, Warm

Off World – 2 Read More »