Intense

Chick Corea – The Song of Singing

with Dave Holland & Barry Altschul

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Bop

Vibes: Adventure, Searching, Knotty, Intense, Mysterious, Abstract, Complex, Energetic, Impressionistic

Musical Qualities: Virtuosic, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Acoustic, Instrumental, Dissonant, Thematic, Technical

Milford Graves with Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover – Children of the Forest

Styles: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Vibes: Kinetic, Ritualistic, Free, Ecstatic, Earthy, Passionate, Forest, Tribal, Spiritual, Adventure, Intense, Intertwined, Responsive

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Improvisation, Acoustic, Atonal, Complex, Dissonant, Extended Technique, Home Recording, Instrumental, Polyphonic

Agriculture – Agriculture

featuring Pauline Lay, Patrick Shiroishi, Nick Levine

Style: Ecstatic Black Metal, Blackgaze

Vibe: Triumphant, Cathartic, Passionate, Uplifting, Intense, Spiritual, Oceanic, Epic, Ecstatic, Nature, Raw, Uplifting

Lankum – False Lankum

Style: Irish Folk, Dark Folk, Avant-Folk, Acoustic Drone

Vibe: Haunting, Sombre, Rootsy, Storytelling, Ominous, Melancholy, Dark, Death, Intense, Ritualistic, Spiritual

Patrick Shiroishi – Descension

Style: Free Jazz, EAI, Noise

Vibe: Cathartic, Visceral, Meditative, Powerful, Intense, Mournful, History, Personal, Political

Musical Qualities: Solo, Noisy, Loops, Distorted, Electro-Acoustic, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Tenor Saxophone, Effects, Voice

Mastodon – Blood Mountain

Style: Progressive Sludge Metal

Moods: Aggressive, Epic, Fantasy, Intense, Heavy, Complex, Forest, Energetic, Psychedelic, Driving, Knotty

Musical Qualities: Riffs, Dense, Progressive, Uncommon Time Signatures, Technical, Conceptual

Anguish – Anguish

Anguish is a collaboration between German improvisers Mats Gustafsson & Andres Werliin of the Fire! Orchestra, Hans Joachim Irmler of FaUst, and Will Brooks & Mike Mare of industrial hip-hop legends Dälek.

Style: Industrial Hip-Hop, Dark Jazz, Post-Industrial, Experimental

Moods: Dystopian, Aggressive, Urban, Poetic, Political, Revolutionary, Cerebral, Existential, Sombre, Dark, Depressive, Cold, Mechanical, Heavy, Apocalyptic, Moody, Brooding, Conscious, Abstract, Cryptic, Industrial, Nocturnal, Ominous, Raw, Philosophical

Musical Qualities: Beats, Dissonant, Noisy, Improvisation, Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Instrumentation: Rapping, Sampler, Tenor Saxophone, Synthesizers, Electric Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Electronics, Effect Processing, Vocal Processing

Cecil Taylor – Indent

Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Moods: Passionate, Kinetic, Complex, Ecstatic, Dramatic, Energetic, Angular, Exploratory, Meditative, Focused

Musical Qualities: Solo Improvisation, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Dynamic, Percussive, Atonal, Active Listening, Instrumental, Technical, Rhythmic, Live

Tim Berne – Fulton Street Maul

featuring Bill Frisell, Alex Cline, Hank Roberts

Style: Jazz Fission, Avant-Garde Jazz

Moods: Gritty, Angular, Apocalyptic, Aggressive, Bombastic, Chaotic, Dark, Disorienting, Driving, Dystopian, Futuristic, Heavy, Intense, Urban

Musical Qualities: Dissonant, Improvisation, Uncommon Time Signatures, Progressive, Rhythmic

Jack Rose – Raag Manifestos

Style: Free Folk, Appalachian Raga, Piedmont Blues

Feelings: Searching, Tangled, Spiritual, Sombre, Intense, Thorny, Introspective, Cathartic, Meditative, Nature, Ominous, Mysterious, Focused, Complex, Hallucinogenic, Forest, Epic, Visceral, Jagged

Musical Qualities: Raga, Acoustic, Polyphonic, Modal, Droney, Technical, Dissonance

Medicine Singers

Featured Musicians: Joe Rainey, jaimie branch, Laraaji, Thor Harris, Ryan Olsen, Ikue Mori

Style: Algonquian & Pocasset Powwow Music, Neo-Psychedelia

Moods: Ceremonial, Communal, Cathartic, Colorful, Spiritual, Intense, Tribal, Ritualistic

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Chants, Collage, Electro-Acoustic, Rhythmic

Joe Rainey – Niineta

Style: Post-Industrial Powwow Music, Experimental Electronic

Mood: Communal, Ritualistic, Cathartic, Spiritual, Passionate, Mournful, Epic

Musical Qualities: Chants, Manipulated Vocals, Distorted, Electroacoustic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Percussive, Noisy

Björk – Fossora

Styles: Progressive Pop, Post-Industrial Chamber Music, IDM, Gabber, Deconstructed Club

Moods: Earthy, Knotty, Sensual, Futuristic, Surreal, Romantic, Mystical, Passionate, Messy, Hallucinogenic, Intense, Forest, Eccentric, Epic, Tribal

Musical Qualities: Polyphonic, Dense, Dynamic, Complex, Glitchy, Progressive, Uncommon Time Signatures, Electro-Acoustic

Instrumentation: Digital Programming, Woodwinds (Bass Clarinet, Oboe, Clarinet), Strings, Choral Vocals

Sun Ra – Nothing Is…

Style: Cosmic Jazz, Free Space Music

Feelings: Exploratory, Cosmic, Forest, Mysterious, Abstract, Intense, Energetic, Spacey, Surreal, Warm

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Polyphonic, Dense, Live Performance, Dissonant, Complex, Dynamic

John Coltrane & Pharoah Sanders – Live in Seattle

Style: Free Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Apocalyptic, Intense, Transcendent, Epic, Cosmic, Bombastic, Chaotic, Complex, Exploratory, Energetic, Serpentine, Powerful, Passionate, Triumphant, Spiritual, Heavy

Musical Qualities: Dense, Dissonant, Polyphonic, Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Live Recording, Extended Technique, Progressive, Technical

Evangelista – Hello, Voyager

LP, Constellation (2008) Style: Experimental Songwriter, Punk Blues, Chamber Punk, Noise Rock, Vibe: Visceral, Brooding, Angsty, Cathartic, Ominous, Sleazy, Dark, Dystopian, Apocalyptic, Intense, Deconstructed, Disturbing, Rebellious, Raw Musical Qualities: Noisy, Dynamic, Heavy, Dissonant, Spoken Word, Distorted Vocals

Flower / Corsano / Bejnowski – The Count Visits

Style: Free Improvisation, Noise Rock

Vibe: Cathartic, Hypnotic, Visceral, Ferocious, Aggressive, Spiritual, Intense

Other Qualities: Noisy, Collective Improvisation, Dense, Driving, Loose, Heavy

Instrumentation: Japan Banjo, Drums, Electric Bass

John Coltrane – Concert in Japan

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Vibe: Transcendent, Intense, Passionate, Cosmic, Visceral, Powerful, Complex, Bombastic, Energetic, Chaotic

Musical Qualities: Dense, Instrumental, Acoustic, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Free, Technical, Virtuosic

Moor Mother – Circuit City

Style: Future Jazz, Free Jazz Theater, Jazz Poetry

Vibe: cathartic, cerebral, dystopian, energetic, futuristic, bombastic, intense, noisy, passionate, poetic, political, powerful, rebellious, urban, heavy, AfroFuturist

Musical Attributes: Complex, Conceptual, Dense, Dissonant, Spoken Word, Theatric, Progressive, Polyphonic, Improvisation

John Coltrane – Sun Ship

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibe: Cathartic, Transcendent, Triumphant, Passionate, Intense, Chaotic, Powerful, Adventure, Searching, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Dynamic, Complex, Acoustic, Thematic, Dissonant, Technical

The Great Concert of Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor – Piano; Jimmy Lyons – Alto Sax; Sam Rivers – Tenor & Soprano Sax; Andrew Cyrille – Drums

Style: Free Jazz

Vibe: Transcendent, Dramatic, Kinetic, Intense, Passionate, Driving, Knotty, Complex, Forceful, Cathartic

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Atonal, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Free Swing, Dynamic, Acoustic, Live, Fast

Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes – Ame debout

Style: Progressive Folk, Avant-Folk

Vibe: Brooding, Visceral, Witchy, Sombre, Forest, Intense, Driving, Passionate, Rebellious

Musical Qualities: Dynamic, Progressive, Experimental Vocals

Instrumentation: Organ, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Vocals

Senyawa – Alkisah

Style: Avant-Folk, Tribal Drone-Doom, Southeast Asian Folk Music

Vibe: Ceremonial, Apocalyptic, Aggressive, Hypnotic, Murky, Shadowy, Dark, Tribal

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Acoustic, Fuzzy, Heavy, Loops, Noisy, Repetitive, Droney, Extended Technique, Electroacoustic

Instrumentation: Homemade Bamboo Instruments, Electroacoustic Treatments, Percussion, Throat Singing, Chants

Circuit Des Yeux – -io

Style: Neoclassical Darkwave, Symphonic Rock, Singer-Songwriter

Moods/Vibe: Cathartic, Brooding, Sombre, Mystical, Epic, Ominous, Motorik, Spiritual, Cinematic, Powerful, Mourning, Funereal

Musical Qualities: Orchestral, Driving, Lush, Dense

Sons of Kemet – Your Queen Is a Reptile

Style: Afro-Caribbean Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Protest, Political, Intense, Propulsive, Conscious, Energetic, Groovy, Hypnotic, Passionate, Rebellious, Spiritual, Powerful, Tropical, Conceptual

Musical Qualities: Dense, Polyphonic, Rhythmic, Improvisation, Spoken Word, Percussive

Swans – The Glowing Man

Style: Experimental Rock, Post Rock

Vibe: Cathartic, Visceral, Spiritual, Brooding, Shadowy, Apocalyptic, Ritualistic, Suspenseful, Climactic, Dark, Powerful, Heavy, Cryptic, Philosophical, Surreal, Epic, Hypnotic, Sombre, Meditative, Mysterious, Monolithic, Longing, Existential, Disorienting

Musical Qualities: Dynamic, Repetitive, Dense, Crescendo, Rhythmic, Droney

The Kni?e – Shaking the Habitual

Style: Experimental Electronic, Post-Industrial

Vibe/Mood: Ominous, Disorienting, Mechanical, Brooding, Chaotic, Colorful, Anti-Capitalist, Feminist, Complex, Cryptic, Dance, Futuristic, Surreal, Messy

Musical Qualities: Manipulated Vocals, Dissonant, Polyrhythmic, Dense, Percussive, Polyphonic, Noisy, Repetitive

Land of Kush – Sand Enigma

Style: Avant-Garde Big Band, Arabic/Egyptian Folk, Psychedelic Jazz

Vibe: Intense, Sombre, Cathartic, Psychedelic, Complex, Ritualistic, Communal

Musical Qualities: Dense, Progressive, Dissonant, Acoustic, Percussive

Instrumentation: Santur, Upright Bass, Piano, Saxophones, Vocals, Percussion, Drums, Clarinet, Flute, Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello), Keyboards, Synthesizer, lap Steel Guitar, Electronics, Harp

Circa Survive – On Letting Go

Style: Progressive Post-Hardcore??

Vibe: Angsty, Existential, Cryptic, Anxious, Surreal, Epic, Intense, Intricate

??Musical Attributes: Odd Time Signatures, Progressive, Technical, Polished

Pharoah Sanders – Live at the East

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Vibe: Ritualistic, Spiritual, Triumphant, Uplifting, Warm, Cathartic, Communal, Cosmic, Energetic, Intense, Passionate

Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Live, Polyphonic, Percussive, Multiple Drummers

Cecil Taylor – Silent Tongues

Style: Free Jazz, Solo Piano, Free Improvisation

Vibe: Abstract, Complex, Energetic, Intense, Expressive, Exploratory

Musical Attributes: Piano, Solo, Live, Improvisation, Acoustic, Suite, Percussive, Dynamic

The Mars Volta – The Bedlam in Goliath

Style: Progressive Rock, Psych, Experimental Rock
Vibe: Bombastic, Mystical, Cerebral, Chaotic, Cryptic, Desert, Energetic, Epic, Hallucinogenic, intense, manic, Psychedelic, Complex
Musical Attributes: Dense, Odd Time Signatures, Progressive Structures, Polyrhythmic, Riffs, Technical

The Mars Volta – Amputechture

Style: Progressive Rock, Experimental Rock

Vibe: Epic, Psychedelic, Chaotic, Bombastic, Cerebral, Complex, Cryptic, Energetic, Ominous, Intense

Musical Attributes: Dense, Polyphonic, Technical, Odd Time Signatures, Headphone Album, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Progressive

Pharoah Sanders – Village of the Pharoahs

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz
Vibe: Communal, Earthy, Energetic, Hypnotic, Intense, Loose, Mystical, Passionate, Spiritual, Tribal, Uplifting, Warm, Dance
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Complex, Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Dense, Thematic, Suite

Irreversible Entanglements – Who Sent You?

Irreversible Entanglements follows up the scathing fire music of their debut with regenerative and ritualistic earth music. “Who Sent You?”, is a record that looks not only to the violent “rhythms of oppression”, past and present, that need to be burnt to the ground, but to a future built from the ashes of these unjust systems. Irreversible Entanglements are simply one of the most powerful bands in existence, building their symbiotic improvisations with fervent passion, hypnotic rhythm, and urgent truths.

Black Spirituals – Of Deconstruction

Style: Free Improvisation
Influences: Spiritual Jazz, Noise, Free Jazz
Vibe: Spiritual, Ritualistic, Cathartic, Abstract

Recommended for fans of Albert Ayler, Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O’Malley

Anthony Davis – Epist?m?

Style: Poly-Free Improvisation, Modern Classical, Avant-Garde Big Band

Vibe: Complex, Hypnotic, Intense, Suspenseful, Cerebral

Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Polyphonic, Odd Time Signatures, Acoustic, Poly-Free Improvisation, Repetitive

Instrumentation: Orchestral, Mallet Percussion (Marimba, Vibraphone, etc) Violin, Cello, Piano, Trombone, Drums, Flute, Bass Clarinet

Mastodon – Leviathan

Originally released in 2004 on Relapse Records 2014 pressing on Oxblood vinyl Format: LP

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead

A psychedelic, transcendent fusion of hip-hop, jazz, prog, and IDM meant to simulate the cosmic experience of death. Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Herbie Hancock, Kamasi Washington, Snoop Dogg, and others..,

John Coltrane – Interstellar Space [Review]

A couple of months before his death in 1967, John Coltrane went into the studio with drummer Rashied Ali to record some of the most free recordings he’s ever made, the freest of free jazz. Perhaps this freeness is due to the absence of other tonal instruments, leaving Coltrane untethered to harmony and 100% free to play whatever raw, unhindered creativity flows through him.