Natural Music #3: March 2024 Standouts
Some favorite Albums, Compilations, EPs, and Mixes from March
The rain seems to be never-ending in NYC but luckily so does the barrage of killer new music (and hopefully a lot of nice flowers soon).
I’m feeling grateful for my first 50 subscribers here, it’s been a rough couple of months of job hunting but seeing the growth and engagement has really given me a burst of inspiration so thank you. If you like the picks here I was putting together Buy Music Club lists all throughout 2023 so check those out too.
For the mid-April edition I’m working on a roundup of mixes highlighting the murky, swampy, mutated bass happenings around Brooklyn and beyond. If you have any mixes or releases that match that bill I’d love to include them, DM me on instagram.
If you missed the last mid month mix roundup you can find it below.
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For a more comprehensive list or if you don’t care about reading words find all the picks below + more on this Buy Music Club List.
Albums
Masaka Masaka - Barely Making Much [HAKUNA KULALA]
'Barely Making Much' is a sprawling, ambitious album that's as sculptural as it is explorative, reaching through genre membranes and refusing to stay still for a second. Masaka Masaka drew inspiration listening to the sounds of Dean Blunt, Slauson Malone, Arca, Jpegmafia and Vegyn and you can really hear it (in the best way).
Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future
On ‘Bright Future’ Adrianne Lenker continues to enchant with her evocative storytelling and intricate guitar work, solidifying her status as one of the most compelling songwriters of our time. The album, recorded entirely on an analog tape deck, is a collection of twelve devastatingly beautiful folk ballads displaying her raw emotional and lyrical prowess front and center.
XENIA REAPER - Luvaphy [INDEX:Records]
Peak ambient bangers awash with floaty ambience. ASMR-like brain massage ensues with a proper pair of headphones.
Dis Fig & The Body - Orchards of a Futile Heaven
The Body and Dis Fig find kinship in reimagining what it means to make “heavy music”. Their debut is the perfect synthesis of two forces, twisting melodicism and intoxicating rhythms, layering a dense miasma of distortion with intense beats and a soaring voice clawing its way towards absolution.
MIKE & Tony Selzer - Pinball [10k]
Pure class from MIKE as usual.
Other Notable Albums
Slowfoam - Transcorporeal Portal
Kelly Moran - Moves in the Field
Florian T M Zeisig - Planet Inc
Acrelid - Illegal Rave Tapes Selektion (1999 - 2012) [Dance Data]
Compilations
Lost Paradise: Blissed Out Breakbeat Hardcore 1991-94 [Blank Mind]
With an intrigue for a particular niche of old UK hardcore which takes cues from Sheffield bleep ambience, heady rave futurism and soft, almost new age synth pads, Blank Mind presents ‘Lost Paradise: Blissed Out Hardcore 91-94’
Wisdom Teeth V/A - Club Moss
A stellar project that draws on the label’s existing roster and beyond to build out a uniquely lush and psychedelic take on uptempo electronic music. The results fit somewhere between the club and a more contemplative, home-listening headspace.
Other Comps
Kindergarten V/A | Fluo IV - For Palestine
Superclásico Vol. 1 | Clasico Records
FF Club Edits 2 | Fractal Fantasy [pay what you want comp]
Jungle Fatigue Vol. 4 | Jungle Fatigue Kru [pay what you want]
EPs
Flower Storm - Do
Flower Storm returns with a second chapter of mythical club mutations delivering five aural incantations forged and fortified in the flames of fabled rites of past times and nu-club sorcery. The brainchild of Sepehr and Kasra V, Flower Storm, was born as a multi-disciplinary project stemming from the desire for club culture to coexist with the deep roots of their motherland and nationalities.
Nourished By Time - Catching Chickens EP
Nourished By Time’s album last year never clicked for me but this EP is very nice. I could try and write about it but this interview with him is far more enlightening than anything I could muster.
Lia Pikus - Ritual
Six gorgeous, meditative tracks in the vein of 2017 Julien Baker or Adrianne Lenker with a bent towards Lia’s powerful cello orchestration.
Tymotica - Temporal Bias [Of Paradise]
A 4-track collection of crystal-tipped techno and bass music traversing ice-cold soundscapes, each expertly crafted both technically and sonically.
HEADSET VA02 [Headset]
Stripped back styles across the spectrum, from unsung Scottish artists.
Hijinx - Macabre
Four massive sub bass weapons, low & slow & sure to cause hijinx on any dancefloor.
Octoptic - Movimiento [WVWV]
Intricate sound design, rolling percussion & heavy bass mutations that can stand with the best of them. Big tip for the tracks ‘Destiempo’ and ‘MRV Dub’.
Other EPs
EL BLANCO NINO - ECHOES IN THE STU
IT061 - Multiplex | Atrice | ILIAN TAPE
Sets & 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.
Neffa-T with Manga St Hilare & Micofcourse - 29 January 2024
Filthy grime and dubstep mixed by the maestro Neffa - T with MCs Manga St Hilare & Micofcourse spitting on top like mad men. I’ve truly never heard MC’s spitting like this with the two gliding in and out with unparalleled precision, velocity, wit, and plenty of laughter.
The set is available on soundcloud but it’s worth watching the video to catch Neffa’s wizardry on the decks and comprehend the shear pace of the bars.
Doc Scott at Keep Hush London
A legend that needs no introduction as a godfather involved in pushing drum n bass and jungle in the Midlands in the early 90’s and graduating to residency at the legendary ‘Speed' party with fabio & ltj bukem in 1995 in London before blowing up internationally.
Purelink @ The Lot Radio 03-19-2024
The Purelink boys simply know what they are doing with another wonderful 2 hour serving of aqueous dub and wub.
Edwin N°124 - Darwin
Sustained bass-bin shattering sub and what feels like her Nowadays’ set folded into a tight 46 minute mix.
radio.syg.ma expired 02 – Conna Haraway
Glasgow-based producer Conna Haraway blends diverse influences into fluid soundscapes spanning experimental, ambient, and UK-styled bass/breaks, featuring lots of forthcoming material. 2/2 on monthly roundups with dog covers, how long will I be able to keep this streak.
Outsiders: Minor AM w/ Razrbark @ Kiosk Radio 28.02.2024
Razrbark weaves across sludgy slowcore, freaky neo folk, detuned shoegaze, spoken word, dream pop and more in the first half before veering into electronic territory in the back half. Her deft touch and precision when jumping across such sonic variety is nothing short of masterful and she’s quickly becoming a favorite selector of mine.
Links
Adrianne Lenker has turned tenderness into an artform - A great interview with Adrianne Lenker on the new album and her life before fame.
Parannoul and the New Generation of Korean Indie | Pitchfork - The story of artists like Parannoul and Asian Glow are turning a uniquely Korean sound into a global phenomenon.
The State of the Culture, 2024 - by Ted Gioia - Or a glimpse into post-entertainment society (it's not pretty). See also How to Break Free from Dopamine Culture - by Ted Gioia
Exploring Bauhaus: Revolutionary Design School That Shaped Modern World — History of Art #5 - Bauhaus Origins and it’s everlasting impact
The Art of DJing: CCL · Feature ⟋ RA - See also Crack Magazine’s profile of CCL here
We Outside: The 2024 US Festival Market is the Canary in the Coal Mine for Music Curiosity | Passion of the Weiss - The dismal state of Music Festivals in America
Breaking through: Bwana · Feature ⟋ RA - Nathan Micay’s 1st chapter, an article that captures electronic music one decade ago (written in 2015)
An employer is always an employer. - A public statement on Kristin Malossi [aka DJ Voices] current relationship to Nowadays.]
State of Bass Book - An incredible journey into the history of jungle, drum n bass, and related breakbeat movements. I’m working on a companion playlist and will probably write more about this in a future edition.
NYC Concerts in the Next Six Weeks
Fri, Apr 05 Caroline Rose with Metropolis Ensemble & La Force @ BK Steel
Fri, Apr 05 Destroyer (solo) / Lightning Dust @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sat, Apr 6 glass beach @ Gramercy Theatre
Wed, Apr 10 L’Imperatrice @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Fri, Apr 12 TYGAPAW: RAGE ALCHEMY CURATED BY KIANA MICKLES @ National Sawdust
Fri, Apr 12 BODEGA @ Baby’s All Right
Fri, Apr 12 Klein @ The End
Fri, Apr 12 - Rosali @ Knitting Factory at Baker Falls
Sat, Apr 13 - Woods / Avey Tare @ Knockdown Center
Sat, Apr 13 - Friko @ Brooklyn Made
Sun, Apr 14 - A Beacon School @ TV Eye
Mon, Apr 15 - Mei Semones @ Baby’s All Right
Thurs, Apr 18 Dear Nora & Pleasure Systems @ Baby’s all right
Tues, Apr 23 Pleasure Factory @ Purgatory
Tues, Apr 23 - Mandy Indiana @ Elsewhere Hall
Wed, Apr 24 - Helado Negro @ Webster Hall
Wed, Apr 24 Black Country, New Road @ Brooklyn Paramount
Fri, Apr 26 - Oneohtrix Point Never @ Paramount Theatre Brooklyn
Wed, May 1 - Chanel Beads Album Release Show w/ Fernette & More Ease @ TV Eye
Wed, May 1 - Porridge Radio @ Baby’s All Right
Fri, May 3 - Panchiko / Weatherday @ Brooklyn Steel
Sat, May 4 - R.A.P. Ferreira @ Elsewhere Zone One
Wed, May 8 Folly Group @ Union Pool
Thurs, May 9 Cloud Nothings @ LPR
May 9/15/22/29 - Julia Jacklin @ National Sawdust
Fri, May 10 - Colin Stetson @ Greenwood Cemetery
Tues, May 14 - Cindy Lee @ TV Eye
If you enjoyed this newsletter I’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend or two. It’s a lot of work, and I love it, but the point is helping people discover new music or make it to a concert they may have missed otherwise and sharing is the key to that.