With just his fourth full solo album, hip-hop producer Anthony “Blockhead” Simon documents his keen ear for melody, dynamics, and stylistic convergence.
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis get together for another beautiful, melancholic, and tense film score centered on violin and piano, and the Rempis/Rosaly Duo drops a dose of alternately blistering and subdued free jazz that pays off with synchronizations that follows minutes of tension. (more…)
MURS and Slug release their third installment of Felt, a side project now produced by Aesop Rock that contends with many of their other releases and stands on its own as an A-list attraction.
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow has has own side project — Beak>, an atmospheric, minimalist live-band effort that takes the multi-instrumentalist producer out of his over-dubbing element. (more…)
Though best known as Brother Ali’s DJ, BK-One further establishes a name for himself on Rádio do Canibal with the help of beat-making buddy Benzilla and an all-star cast of guest MCs. A playful commingling of samba and bossa nova with a funky foundation help make one of the most unique hip-hop albums of the year.
Additionally, synthetic/organic electronica duo Air issues its most realized album to date, A Place to Bury Strangers releases a hard-hitting post-punk/new-wave sophomore effort, and a half-dozen other noteworthy artists make our list of honorable mentions. (more…)
