I’m in two minds about cancel culture. For one I think it’s a handy movement to check long running ills in society - racism, sexism, homophobia etc and abuse of power, whether that power was built on money or celebrity. People complain about snowflakes but they are a force for positive change in the long run when a healthy balance is found and more people start questioning their actions.
Going over the top for a throwaway ill thought out comment if there is no history of that sort of behaviour is not helpful. I’ve been no saint in my life but I’d like to think I have a moral compass.
I think what bothered me the most about Woo was the fact the way he did it looked like such a pro-move. Walking into a record store with a backback on your back and then slipping a record between your back and the backpack. I’ve never met the dude so it’s hard to judge. But that’s what niggled me the most, it looked so slick and practised.
If you need a relaxing Sunday sound bath then check out the reassuringly familiar sounds expertly arranged by Erik Wøllo for Portland’s Projekt Records, into a series of softly percussive and gently undulating ambient soundscapes. And breathe…
Steam punk rhythmic constructs underpin a new age of New Age meets magical fairyland sonic aesthetic in this kooky, cute and captivating new release on 12th Isle by Loris S Sarid & Innis Chonnel.
One of Spain’s best ambient producers, David Cordero has just dropped an LP on the country’s best ambient label Archives & unsuprisingly it’s the perfect supine Sunday soundtrack. Hit play and have a lazy day.
Nu-soul is still largely stuck in an early Erykah Badu temporal loop which makes the LNDFK LP for Bastard Jazz even more refreshing as she throws in a bit of rap for company & sets a synth powered cosmic course to uncharted territory for others to follow when they’re ready.
If you fancy a sunny upbeat soundtrack for your weekend maneuvers then look no further than the new Pink Shabab LP on Karaoke Kalk. Dreamy good natured pop topped with undemanding vocals to either ignore or explore, bolstered by classic house nods & a sparkly spaced out vibe make for a lovely listen.
Do you remember that small illegal party in a dark, dank warehouse backroom with broken toilets & €1 cans of Tenants, full of wide eyed lunatics when you had the time of your life? Well Invisible, Inc. have just compiled the deeply dug, flashback inducing tunes that you lost your mind to.
South Africa & the UK have done more than any country to transform house music whilst retaining its black music roots. Here Teno Afrika lays down deep, unhurried, minimal & funktified amapiano vibes for Awesome Tapes From Africa to keep the original spirit of house alive & positively evolving.
Clear your mind of worldly troubles. Imagine an ancient vine clad temple on a hill overlooking a becalmed Indian ocean, as the sun rises warming your face. It’s a new day. A New Age. A new you. Welcome to the new Jason Kolar LP for Dauw.
Improvisation jazz inspired by life in New York is never going to a smooth ride, but Daniel Carter, Tobias Wilner, Federico Ughi & Djibril Toure for 577 RECS articulated rather than screamed & the recording was given a post session electronic crack filling, that has turned this LP into one of the most compelling (genuinely) nu-jazz records of recent times.
If you ever wondered what sort of soundtrack Brian Eno would imagine if he was dreaming of being a cowboy, then I’m happy to inform you The Howard Hughes Suite’s new LP is here for you. If not then hit play anyway, it’s a great ambient Americana listen, made by one man, his pedal steel guitar and some electronic tinkering.
It did actually strike me the other day that not everyone knows what a pedal steel is so here’s what one looks like:
