ANONYMOUS ICONOCLASTS ****
A.I. (Bywyd)
You can almost smell the pubs these songs were honed in. At first a seeming tribute to the era of dad-rock, there’s a definite late 70s experimental flavour that creeps into some of the tracks on this surprisingly fun and bright guitar record, like Status Quo had to share a studio space with XTC or a coked-out Bowie. It’s rough, sometimes even corny, but as a surprisingly tight and joyful bit of musicality it would go down great with a pint. JM
BONG ****
Thought And Existence (Ritual Productions)
With two tracks clocking in at just under 40 minutes, the new album from Newcastle’s doom/noise outfit Bong was never going to be an easy listen. First track The Golden Fields is a crescendo of pure sonic escapism, while Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius with its mystical drone and off-kilter tribal drum patterns is positively upbeat in comparison and takes us to realms only the likes of Neurosis and the like have previously taken us. CA
CATRIN FINCH & SECKOU KEITA *****
Soar (Bendigedig)
Does what it says on the tin subtly and gracefully: Welsh harpist Finch and Senegalese kora player Keita co-exist and intertwine so perfectly on their magical and ethereal second album. This mostly instrumental work includes celebrating the first Dyfi osprey born in Wales in modern times (Clarach), her journey and that of migrant Keita. Soar tells of warm welcomes, a joyous thank you, a heavenly arrangement of a Bach aria and a remembering of the flooded Tryweryn valley that’s tinged with sadness. RLR
DEAN WEEN *
Rock2 (Schnitzel)
If you see a reference to Ween, the descriptor ‘cult band’ is never far away. But cults aren’t always renowned for being that much fun – remember Waco? Nominally an alternative rock outfit (yes – alternative to good), Ween also dabbled in lounge and country, as does Dean Ween’s second solo LP. I just don’t get the appeal or the joke, not that the humour is exactly high-brow – the second track’s called Fingerbangin’, for fuck’s sake. The self-satisfied chuckle at the end of Pussy On My Pillow, after yet more pointless rambling and noodling, says it all. BW
DEL + AMP LIVE ****
Gate 13 (IOT)
With boom-bap slowly losing its prevalence in modern hip-hop, there’s a still a few MCs and producers holding true to the classics. Del + Amp Live deliver slick humorous lyricism alongside East Coast head-bopping production. Tracks like Chilli Sauce and Help are a true testament to the pair’s creativity, whilst others like Gravy Train and Sit Ya Ass Down show why they’re considered devotees of the game. Intermittently bringing in elements of funk and jazzy samples rounds off a cleanly put together piece of work. CP
DINOSAUR ****
Wonder Trail (Edition)
Wonder Trail feels like a fantastic journey through Dinosaur’s far-from-prehistoric sound world. It’s, almost, bookended by Renewal Pts. 1&2. The point of departure and return is groove-based drums, glacial Rhodes and riffy bass underneath Laura Jurd’s bright and inventive trumpet lines. What comes in between is a range of material that at times could be late Radiohead; at others early Mingus. With only one track over four minutes these excellent, postcard-size pieces invite a return visit. JPD
GAZ COOMBES ****
World’s Strongest Man (Hot Fruit)
Embracing his falsetto to great effect on his third solo album, Gaz Coombes has taken inspiration for World’s Strongest Man from the same places as many a musician in his early 40s: Frank Ocean, weed and the countryside. The variety of the songs here is akin to Supergrass’ excellent Life on Other Planets and mixes up blues, r’n’r and soul, which have been laid out across the record in such a way that it’s difficult to tire of. BG
IDRIS ACKAMOOR & THE PYRAMIDS ***
An Angel Fell (Strut)
Hailed as one of the pioneers of the more cosmic, otherworldly realms of jazz, The Pyramids return with a familiar offering, blending elements of dub, rock, folk, jazz and funk in typical 70s style. Melodies and rhythms are strong and plentiful, but they do little to justify the wayward improvisation that gratingly overwhelms this record. Whilst a fervent fanatic of this genre might find a lot to appreciate, many would argue it falls short of being a seminal contribution to modern jazz. CPI
IVAN MOULT *****
Longest Shadow (Bubblewrap)
Ivan Moult is back with his second album and his voice sounds as fragile as ever. The opening haunting vocals on Keep Cautious set the tone of the album immediately, with vocals reminiscent of Nick Drake but always with an individual element. Folk can be tiresome in album form, but this is no monotone trudge, eclectic in its subject matter and delivery – on both Speaking In Tongues and Oh No, for example, the bar is still being raised. JE
JOHN MAUS *****
Addendum (Ribbon Music)
Bookending last year’s long-awaited studio comeback, Addendum revisits a familiar sonically gloom-ridden nethersphere, with the lo-fi maestro continuing to design avant-garde synth pop for a distant dimension. As clandestine Tangerine Dream-esque electronica lurks on Privacy, Maus conjures the oppressive dystopian mystique and miasmic soundscapes that have come to define the core tenor of his work. As an extension to Screen Memories, this serves as a solid reminder of the Minnesotan’s idiosyncratic, often nihilistic art of baroque songcraft. CHP
JON HOPKINS ***
Singularity (Domino)
Album number five from Jon Hopkins splits neatly in two. The first half is buzzy, building banging techno; the second then glides up to the clouds, all pretty electronics, treated piano, and wordless choral singers. And, stretching the clouds metaphor somewhat, certain listeners will see and hear beautiful shapes and wonder in Singularity. Others will simply experience a weightless, ignorable haze. While there’s clearly thought and technique behind this album, nothing lingers or lodges in my mind. SE
JOSHUA HEDLEY *****
Mr Jukebox (Third Man)
Before Joshua Hedley became a teenager he was playing the fiddle in bars in Florida; a visit to Nashville set him on his way to making music. Whilst his contemporaries have added a modern sheen to their country soul, what makes Mr Jukebox stand out is a classic country sound that has not been tampered with. Without any exaggeration, listening to Hedley sing is like listening to prime Johnny Cash or Roy Orbison. Mr Jukebox is faultless. DN
THE MAGIC CITY TRIO ***
Amerikana Arkana (Kailua)
Some gothic country/folk from London, following the recent UK trend for the sounds of the American prairies. The Magic City Trio are a solid bunch, with a good ear for a murder ballad. There’s an excellent version of Down In The Willow Garden, but otherwise these are all originals, and opener Black Dog Following Me is a prime slice of swampy goth country, with consistent songwriting on display throughout, with the occasional slip; one is reminded of The Handsome Family, but not quite as literary or vivid. FT
NAS ***
Illmatic: Live from the Kennedy Center (Mass Appeal)
An RSD release, with the twist being that the iconic NYC rapper is performing the entirety of his debut with an orchestra in tow. Twenty-plus years down the line, Nas’ MCing is still near-flawless, and writing this good doesn’t age a day. But the orchestra is underused – what could have expanded a limited production on the original into a widescreen scope is mostly used to just add occasional hints of texture, so what you’re left with is just a slightly muddier version of Illmatic. But hey, it’s still Illmatic. FT
PEACE ****
Kindness Is The New Rock And Roll (Ignition)
The latest offering from Worcester-born quintet Peace is rocky, poppy and a bit funky, the title track even carrying a scarf-swaying 1970s vibe. Harry Koisser’s vocals are smooth and full of feeling, and the lyrics have a definite message – be nice to each other and be concerned about mental health issues. Choose Love would make a great anthem as would Power; there’s something familiar about this album that makes it easy listening and radio-friendly. LN
THE PEOPLE THE POET ****
A Short Obsession With Time (AntiFragile)
The themes of remembrance and the passing of time stretch throughout this very likeable second album from The People The Poet. The Springsteen obsession may be too much for some – sax fills are shoehorned in at odd places and hook lines are close rewrites (We Were Born Running, anyone?). But that doesn’t spoil the genuine feel in the songwriting or the strength of the performances. There’s no E Street in Cardiff, but that doesn’t stop these guys bringing the New Jersey sound to south Wales. JPD
SAMBA TOURÉ ****
Wande (Glitterbeat)
Quite the magic trick for Touré here, as Wande is simultaneously easy-going, spooky, bland and moving over the course of 43 minutes. It’s the seventh album from the longstanding Malian guitarist and Ali Farka Touré band member, and, bar one disturbingly jaunty number, rolls along nicely on lackadaisical, parched guitar with occasional scrapes of second string instruments. A little dinner party music for sure, but also one where you look up now and again to discover you actually love these people around you. WS
SEÁN MCGOWAN *****
Son Of The Smith (Xtra Mile)
Seán McGowan, Southampton’s answer to Billy Bragg, sings about cups of tea, tube rides, and his nan. His new album is poetic and raw – McGowan tells it warts and all, and it’s his lyrics that stand out, often pushing the music into the background. There are some nice melodies here though, and a few softer moments such as Oh My Days and the emotional Springhill. Son Of The Smith is a showcase of working class life. LN
STONE BROKEN ***
Ain’t Always Easy (Spinefarm)
Following a triumphant set at last summer’s Steelhouse Festival, West Midlands quartet Stone Broken will be returning to the mountain again this year, with a new album under their belt. First single Heartbeat Away deals with the pain of domestic abuse, with vocalist Rich Moss clearly exorcising some demons, while Home sees the band expanding into rock ballad territory. Eleven tracks of unashamed hard rock in the vein of Nickelback and Stone Sour. CA
TT **
LoveLaws (Caroline/LoveLeaks)
LoveLaws is the debut album from TT, aka Warpaint guitarist/vocalist Theresa Wayman. It features (among others) Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint. Needless to say, it sounds like Warpaint – albeit with programmed beats and a murkier, something-of-the-night-about-it vibe. Dram bears eloquent testimony to Wayman’s claim to have been influenced by trip-hop, and I’ve Been Fine unfurls in darkly dramatic fashion, but for the most part the record is dreary in its listlessness, artful or otherwise. BW
VARIOUS *****
African Scream Contest Volume 2 (Analog Africa)
A full decade on from volume 1, this compilation of African funkiness is well worth the tardiness and comes with covert Russian involvement, after compiler Samy Ben Redjeb despatched the headhunter Lokonen Andre to apply his 70s KGB training to locate the Benin musicians to licence their music. The result is a compilation with more outlandish variety than Russian counter propaganda, from Batman riffs to antique synths and JBs drumbeats, with numbers from Tohon Stan, Antoine Dougbé, Super Bourgou and Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo being the deadliest. CS