#10: Best of July '24
Some standout releases and mixes from the month of July 🌀
Keeping this intro real short and sweet for my 10th post, hope everyone is having a great summer and I hope some selection here brings you joy <3.
I’ve been finally feeling creatively motivated and excited for life. I played last week at Jupiter Disco b2b with egavas for a restorative ambient night. In Evan’s words we were “slanging absolute relaxers, cutie peepers, soft sleepers, and a handful of blissful bangers all night, ambient finger guns only type beats.” I’d never DJ’ed for 3 hours straight before and it was a really beautiful time finally getting into the chilled out recesses of my USB. Still waiting on the recording but something related will be floating your way soon.
I also recorded a wild ambient DnB, 3XL adjacent mix that I would love to find a mix series for. Happy to share a private link for anyone interested (hmu).
Sorry these newsletters are so long, I’m working to write less but there is just so much exciting music out there. If you just want to listen to the picks hop on over to the buy music club list or open this NL in your browser to play the embedded music throughout.
As always I’ve included a list of interesting shows over the next 6 weeks in NYC at the bottom of this NL (or this list that goes through the end of the year) - don’t sleep on live music!!
Support Natural Music 🙏
Pledge your support for the price of a coffee
Forward this on to a friend who’s into good music
Missed an issue? Check out the archive here
Albums
Not many albums caught my attention in July, but there are tons of EPs to make up for that.
Later that day, the day before, or the day before that | Casey MQ [Ghostly]
Shifting from his electronic roots to piano-led baroque pop, Casey crafts a haunting, introspective album that questions the nature of remembrance blending minimalist arrangements with ambient textures as his tender falsetto guides listeners through it all. I can’t wait to catch him live at LPR on August 23rd alongside 7038634357 who’s wonderful album Neo Seven was featured in the best of 2023 list.
I want to be good so bad | J. Albert
Bandcamp user stoneinfocus describes this better than I could ever dream to:
“A dash of Basic Channel, a sprinkle of Shinichi Atobe, a little bit of Huerco and a healthy serving of whatever magic sauce J always seems to be cooking with to bind it all together, and we've got something truly special.”
British Murder Boys - Active Agents and House Boys
Mabe Fratti - Sentir que no sabes
"Sentir Que No Sabes" is a captivating blend of avant-garde and pop sensibilities that offers a surprisingly accessibly entry point into her catalogue. The album showcases Fratti's striking voice and experimental cello work, balancing melodic accessibility with brooding, melancholic instrumentation.
Other Noteworthy Albums
De Schuurman & DJ Chuckie - Bubbling Forever [Nyege Nyege Tapes]
Total Blue - Total Blue [Music From Memory]
Jan Loup - Ardifaon [Jupiter4]
EPs
Ebbb - All At Once [Ninja Tune]
Elusive London trio Ebbb showcase their genre-defying sound, blending ethereal vocals with industrial beats and electronic production. Self-described as "Brian Wilson meets Death Grips," the EP captures their live energy and unpredictable musical style, solidifying their reputation as an emerging underground sensation.
Precocious Neophyte - Stony
Korean shoegaze veteran Jeehye Ham evolves her Precocious Neophyte project and builds on her debut's dreamy soundscapes. Recorded in her Chicago appt, the EP blends intimate lo-fi aesthetics with wall-of-sound ambitions.
Similar to another favorite discovery of the year, Mei Semones, Jeehye transcends language barriers, offering a poignant journey through nostalgia, longing, and hope, wrapped in layers of fuzz that would surely please any fan of Parannoul.
DONIS - Metamorphosis02
The second edition of Donis’ Metamorphosis series, continuing to explore “Deep, Dub and Ambient sonic aesthetics between House and Techno”
Oma Totem - The Trick [Kalahari Oyster Cult]
Polyrhythmic, Progressive and Psychedelic.
Carré - Air Sign [SPE:C]
Slinky, wonky, slightly proggy dubstep from the Fast at Work boss.
Leenie - Night Baby
Freaky techno and bass from Denver artist and party organizer Leenie with mastering by the prolific Evelyn.
O.M. Theorem - Corollary 1
O.M. Theorem delivers mesmerizing, unpredictable bass heavy music across a span of tempos, rhythms and time signatures.
X-Altera - Groundswell [BOPSIDE]
Tadd Mullinix (aka James T. Cotton) is back on his X-Altera alias with an EP of deadly neo-retro jungle tracks pulling equally from Detroit techno, UK hardcore, and DnB.
INVT x Introspekt - TECTONICA [Ec2a / Original Pirate Material]
INVT & Introspekt team up for an EP of dark, genre-bending UKG wobblers and sexy dubby grooves.
Night Cycle - Demo ‘24
I’m upset I can’t remember who recommended this (it was a newsletter writer) but this 3 song demo from Night Cycle shows incredible promise and I can’t wait to hear more from of their hypnotic meld of textured post-pop-rock, soaring, fuzzy sheets of guitar and misty, lush vocals.
Other Standout EPs
Water From Your Eyes - MP3 Player 1 EP [Matador]
The band’s cover of ‘Someone Like You’ is incredible
Compilations
Explorative bass music meets hypermodern techno and hypnotic dubstep explorations on the latest V.A. from Of Paradise. The comp brings together a cluster of artists hell-bent on shaking up the underground with music that bubbles through the aether and then demands you sit up, listen, and take notice.
Ambient, downtempo, techno out of SE London that lives at least in the same neighborhood as 3XL, West Mineral Ltd, Kwia, and co.
"Natura 2009-2012" compiles 76 minutes of hushed, ASMRbient dream pop by Russian duo Vladimir Karpov and Dmitriy Borodin, spanning their early "northern environmental folktronica" to later ambient voyages that blend Soviet synths, windswept guitar, and field recordings into a poetic, remote soundscape of isolation and myth.
Mixes
An ongoing lists of my favorite mixes and sets from the year can be found here but these are a few that particularly caught my attention this month.
Nono Gigsta's latest offering live from Freerotation 2024, “The House of Crocodiles Part 2," is a masterclass in tension and release that defies categorization. From the moment the needle drops, Gigsta propels us into a sonic whitewater adventure. Like a skilled river guide, she navigates us through genre-defying rapids, each track a new bend in the stream. By mid-set, the energy pouring from Room 2 is palpable – a crescendo of collective ecstasy. This isn't just a mix; it's a journey through sound, where Björk, Miles Davis, AC/DC, and gut-twisting dubstep coexist in perfect harmony. Gigsta doesn't just play tracks; she weaves a tapestry that must be experienced to be believed. Clear your schedule and buckle up – this mix demands your full attention and I’m sure it’s one many DJs will be thinking about and aspiring to for years to come.
Read more in her own words in this excellent Substack write up (
)See also Pariah’s excellent mix from Free Rotation.
Succubass rocked my world at the last Recess party and she offered up that same energy at the Lot before her recent Studio appearance in July.
A daydream of tripped out music across every genre kicking off with washy, liquidy ambience. Shorlax glides from jungle to trip hop to art pop and back to trippy heady techno all in a tight hour.
MI-EL weaves a audio narrative around a traumatic experience at glastonbury and the festival itself as an entity punctuated by moments of protest music, r&b, funk, and haunting sound design.
Two hours of leftfield dance and beyond from AD 93 boss Tasker. Pure NTS core drawing heavily from dreamy, ambient, jazzy releases of that last few years.
Tower head DJ Deadname tearing in the first hour before Kindergarten resident Despina takes over.
Mesmerizing dnb and uk bass mutations live from Bristol.
Singles
If you’re looking for a beautiful track to send you to sleep or find peace in the daytime this is the one.
If you enjoyed this newsletter I’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend or two.
Playlists
NYC Concert List (see full list through the end of 2024 here)
Fri, Aug 16 - MomaPS1 Warm Up: Kode9 | Cashu | SoFTT
Fri, Aug 16 - Helado Negro @ Knockdown Center Ruins
Sat, Aug 17 - King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sat, Aug 17 - Music at MoMA: Jlin and Suzi Analogue [free w admission]
Sun, Aug 18 - Big Brave @ TV Eye
Sun, Aug 18 - Washed Out @ Brooklyn Paramount
Thu, Aug 22 - Ojerime @ Cafe Erzulie
Aug 21-27 - Jeff Rosenstock @ Warsaw
Fri, Aug 23 - Pure Bathing Culture @ Union Pool
Fri, Aug 23 - Casey MQ w/ 7038634357 @ LPR
Sat, Aug 24 - DAZEGXD, QUINN @ Elsewhere
Mon, Aug 26 & Tue, Aug 27 - Childish Gambino, WILLOW @ Barclays Center
Fri, Aug 30 - Yara Bey @ The Sultan Rooftop [Free]
Wed, Sep 4 - Crumb @ Brooklyn Paramount
Thu, Sep 5 - Okay Kaya @ Xanadu
Sun, Sep 8 - Manchester Orchestra / Militarie Gun @ Starland Ballroom
Mon, Sep 9 - MARIKA HACKMAN, ART SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND @ Elsewhere
Mon, Sep 9 - Charly Bliss @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Tue, Sep 10 - St. Vincent / Yves Tumor @ Brooklyn Paramount
Tue, Sep 10 - The Beths @ Sony Hall
Thu, Sep 12 - MAVI / Pink Siifu @ Webster Hall
Thu, Sep 12 - Hans Zimmer @ MSG
Sat, Sep 14 - JPEGMAFIA / Jane Remover @ Terminal 5
Sept 14-19 - Claire Residency @ Webster Hall
Sun, Sep 15 - Weird Science: Container / Nose Drip @ TV EYE
Sun, Sep 15 - The Killers @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sun, Sep 15 - PJ Harvey @ Terminal 5
Tue, Sep 17 - Perfume Genius Too Bright 10th Anniversary & Julianna Barwick @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Fri, Sep 20 - Magdalena Bay @ Brooklyn Steel
Fri, Sep 20 - Sarah Davachi @ LPR
Sat, Sep 21 - Special Interest @ Le Poisson Rouge
Sun, Sep 22 - Rapsody @ Bowery Ballroom
Mon, Sep 23 - Astrid Sonne + Christelle Bofale @ Public Records
Mon, Sep 23 - Luna Li @ Bowery Ballroom
Mon, Sep 23 - Mabe Fratti @ Public Records
Wed, Sep 25 - The Armed / H09909 @ Pioneer Works
Wed, Sep 25 - Mk.gee @ Terminal 5
Wed, Sep 25 - JOHN GLACIER, IFE RADIO, ANYSIA KYM @ Elsewhere
Wed, Sep 25 - NABIHAH IQBAL, SUGAR MILK @ Elsewhere
Fri, Sep 27 - IDLES, The Walkmen @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sat, Sep 28 - Objekt, See Mask, ADAB @ Knockdown Center Ruins
Sun, Sep 29 - Mica Levi, Still House Plants, claire rousay @ Knockdown Center Ruins
Thx for reading, cheers til next time 🫂