The best new albums this week

The writers’ favourites

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

African Head Charge – A Trip To Bolgatanga (On-U Sound)

“A bad attitude is like a flat tyre. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.” Sage advice from one half of African Head Charge, Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, gracing the opening track on the highly anticipated long-form return of the duo.

An era-spanning, cross-cultural collaborative project involving Jamaican master percussionist Bonjo and legendary dub-ready UK producer Adrian Sherwood, it’s been three years since we last got to dive into a full length musical odyssey from the pair, meaning expectations were incredibly high before this one actually dropped. All of which leaves the eternal question: was it worth the wait?

The fact we’ve made it Album of the Week is probably as strong a clue to the quality as anyone could ask for, but to clarify the answer is a resounding yes. A Trip To Bolgatanga is certainly that, and in many ways marks something of a new move, or refocusing, for the duo. In the past, records have called on a diverse range of influences to create richly textured sonic experiences best enjoyed in one committed listening session. Here, things hone in on the northern Ghanian town Bonjo now calls home, which lends its name and — we can assume but never having been, not confirm — atmosphere to the LP. 

Perhaps the most chilled out visceral journey you’ll make this year, then, while Bolga, as it’s affectionally known, is only home to around 70,000 people, it’s clearly also a place where creative energy is allowed to thrive. Sat within the majestic Red Volta River Valley, a major elephant migration route, and with the White Volta River as a backdrop, it seems almost impossible that you could find a setting more representative of stereotypical West African vistas. In contrast, the sounds here serve to emphasise the point that even in relatively small settlements such as this, diversity, difference, and a broad range of colours are omnipresent. 

So, although the aforementioned first track track shines a light on said kologo, with complex finger work producing a sound that then finds its way through filters that grow from subtle to pronounced as chorus and verse sing out almost ceremoniously, it’s not long before what we hear begins to transform. ‘I Chant Too’, for example, could slip into a set of balmy Miami yacht pop with its introductory synth refrains weaving and spiralling atop echoed snares, before more dubwise elements take hold. ‘Push Me Pull You’ diverts our listening onto a route that conjures memories of other landmarks in alternative, downbeat electronica. For example, Sabres of Paradise or the seminal 1999 debut album from Layo & Bushwacka!, Low Life. 

Title tune, ‘A Trip To Bolgatanga’, introduces brass and jazzist elements to the offering, luring us in with gentle piano notes and warm background harmonies, while numbers like ‘I’m A Winner’, ‘Accra Electronica’  and, to a greater extent, ‘Asalatua’, bring into sharp relief just what a rhythmic doyen Bonjo is. The latter quickly developing from a bouncing int a bounding, driving groove, reaching a point where you start to wonder if it would even be possible to pack any more elaborate drum ear candy into the arrangement. Like everything else on here, it’s highly specialised stuff and yet immediately, universally infectious and immersive, which is a very hard balance to strike. 

MH

Little Dragon – Slugs Of Love (Ninja Tune)

We can only wonder if 14-year-old Yukimi Nagano ever thought, back in 1996 when she formed Little Dragon with contemporaries Fredrik Wallin and Erik Bodin, that the group would have such a consistent musical catalogue throughout their 27 year career. Remarkable really, to think we’ve been blessed with Little Dragon for this long, and yet they feel as modern as they did back when they first shot onto the scene.

 So new LP ‘Slugs Of Love’ is their seventh to date, and their second for Ninja Tune. Recorded in their Gothenburg studio that they’ve been working in for almost 20 years, ‘Slugs Of Love’ continues their streak of stonkers, 11 tracks that draw on their vast pool of influences and genres, with innovations that propel them to new heights. “We’ve been exploring different ways to collaborate and communicate,” they explain. “Dissolving patterns and making new ones.”

Cool-as-ice opener ‘Amöban’ is soulful poppy R&B that gets the ball rolling, Nagano’s effortlessly soft vocals set against grooving electronics. Little Dragon have always been cool, but I’m not sure they’ve been this cool. And if you still weren’t convinced, clock the funky bass and bright synthlines of the title track, an upbeat riot with some jazzy trumpet thrown in for good measure. A personal highlight is ‘Lily’s Call’ – a moody, oscillating track with synthwave stylings that wouldn’t be out of place in Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Drive’.

And we can’t ignore the collaborative efforts on ‘Slugs Of Love’. Funky electronics join forces with East Atlanta rapper JID on ‘Stay’, both his and Nagano’s vocals underselling the word “harmonious”, while on ‘Glow’ it’s Damon Albarn’s turn, his echoing voice underpinned by dreamy electronic textures that dissipate into ambience.

Seven albums in and the fire shows no sign of dimming in Little Dragon. One of the albums of the year? It’ll certainly be up there for sure.

FM

Penguin Cafe – Rain Before Seven… (Erased Tapes)

The arrival of a new Penguin Cafe record on Erased Tapes conjured feelings of joy well before sprawling opener ‘Welcome To London’ began to play. The spawn of legendary freewheeling ensemble Penguin Cafe Orchestra, conceived by Simon Jeffes in the 1970s as a “place where your unconscious can just be”, there has always been something soul nurturing about the work and output of his son, Arthur, and Penguin Cafe sans orchestra, but Rain Before Seven… is the outfit’s most playful for years, and may well be just the tonic amid consistently turbulent times. 

Close the curtains from the horrors beyond, then, or perhaps — given the time of year — fling the windows wide open and let the sunlight and laughter in. Either way, Jeffes Jr et al have created ten truly smile-inducing tracks. From dizzying heights of ‘Galahad’, a 15/8 time tribute to the main man’s dog now sadly passed, to the exotic moonlit dance of ‘In Re Budd’, soothing, epic soundscapes of ‘Lamborghini 754’, and stop-you-dead then lift-you-up pianos and strings on ‘No One Really Leaves…’ A piece of music so utterly stunning it will render you breathless and tearful for all the right reasons, to use phrases such as “life-affirming” feels reductive simply because they are used so much in arts writing. 

In contrast, almost everything Penguin Cafe do and have done, much like the label proudly carrying this release, stands out because it’s not what we’re used to. Of course, many try to explore similar sounds and ideas, but few seem capable of rendering them so vividly. The result, like you and everyone you know, is vital, irreplaceable, and incredibly precious. Sometimes it may be cold outside, and focusing on positives can be difficult. Here’s a reminder of how lucky we are. 

MH

Local Natives – Time Will Wait For No One (Loma Vista Recordings)

If you caught the most recent single from Local Natives’ fifth album, Time Will Wait For No One, then the power of this record probably won’t catch you unawares. ‘Paradise’, said track, closes the full LP on an atmosphere that feels strong yet fragile, perhaps even helpless, lyrics centred on a very personal tragedy in the life of vocalist, guitarist and keyman Kelcey Ayer and his wife. 

Specifically, the song deals with pregnancy loss, and captures a sense of intense heartbreak and heartache, perhaps most poignantly as it reaches a soft climax before suddenly vanishing into the ether. We’re never more acutely aware of our pain and suffering as when noise fade and all that remains is the inner monologue. Widening the focus, a dual subject matter is also evident in the California wildfires, now an annual reality that recently led several major insurers to red flag homeowner policies in parts of the state. 

While the two may seem disparate, both represent things people hold dear to their hearts being ripped away from them, a horrific invasion of sanctity and sanctuary that can can never be undone. Clearly an incredibly sensitive piece of music that was always destined to stand out, in many ways it defines TWWFNO — a record that’s as rousing and inspiring as it is sombre, moody and melancholic. Juxtaposing slow yet light instrumentation, tracks sound like they might be floating on air while addressing serious subjects Like the challenges of maintaining momentum and unity as a band in the face of life’s changes and challenges. You can’t help but feel this was likely an incredibly difficult thing to make, taking every ounce of soul with it. But there’s no chance the process wasn’t as cathartic as the experience of listening and bathing in the glorious results. 

MH

The Side Eyes – What’s Your Problem? (In The Red)

In a world of industry plants, nepo-babies (children of celebrities achieving easier access to exposure) and constant corner-cutting, it’s refreshing when an artist takes lessons from their way-paving parentals without simply expecting doors to be held aloft.

One such example is Southern California hardcore new-schoolers The Side Eyes; fronted by Astrid McDonald, who just so happens to be the daughter of Go-Go’s guitarist/songwriter Charlotte Caffey and Redd Kross singer/guitarist Jeff Mcdonald, and a single spin of their frenetic sophomore effort, What’s Your Problem? is ample confirmation that the apple evidently hasn’t fallen too far from the punk tree.

Delivering jagged, breakneck-paced Californian hardcore that owes as much to the likes of Circle Jerks as it does to the more modern feral stylings of the scene, the material on display here doubles down on the bite and tenacity of their self-titled 2017 debut full-length, whilst coming across as more refined, playful and dexterous. While few acts go harder and more succinct on their follow up project, the twelve tracks amounting to little more than a 20-minute runtime, scoff at this procedural.

Calling out phonies, sexists and posers one snarling banger at a time, from the melodious yet seething title-track to the blistering declaration of fuck off-edness that radiates from standout cut ‘You’ll Never Touch Me’, The Side Eyes have delivered a severely impressive project of classic punk vitriol wrapped in hardcore machinations whilst sonically separating itself from either side of the fence.

Produced by uncle and Red Kross alumni Steven McDonald, as well as supporting the band at recent shows, the support from proud parents is far from a Lily-Rose Depp level of extended help, and more an empowering case of nature/nurture. Were The Side Eyes destined to be the punk powerhouse they are because of McDonald’s heritage, or was she always destined to shriek, howl and swagger with unhinged abandon regardless of who brought her into the world? What’s Your Problem? serves as the ideal soundtrack to this chicken and egg conundrum.

ZB

Necrophagist – Epitaph (reissue) (Relapse)

Now that almost two decades have passed, and indefinite hiatus hangs above their current status, many have learned to accept that a third full-length from German technical death metal legends Necrophagist is no longer set to become the Chinese Democracy of the extreme underground, but rather a pipe dream that shall never materialise.

Softening the blow somewhat is the much anticipated and long overdue reissue of their seminal 2004 masterwork Epitaph, which comes courtesy of loyal label home Relapse. The brainchild of one Muhammed Suiçmez, their unique balance of audibly violent brutality with auteur levels of compositional complexity initially shook the scene to its core. Lyrically trading between hyperviolent imagery and more opaque poetics, with musical theory nods such as ‘Diminished To B’, or the incorporation of the ‘Montagues & Capulets’ segment of the ballet Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev featured in standout cut ‘Only Ash Remains’, added a level of panache to a genre not traditionally credited for its classical motifs.

From the opening frenzy of fan favourite ‘Stabwound’ which careens into existence with morse code rapidfire blast beats from drumming octopus Hannes Grossmann before the now iconic lead line sweeps the fretboards beneath the nauseating guttural bellow of Suiçmez, the mission statement of the project to marry the most mature of craft to the harshest and oppressive corners of metallic soundscapes became abundantly clear.

While their 1999 debut LP Onset Of Putrefaction was recorded solely by Suiçmez with the help of some questionable drum programming, the extended input of a full band helped to elevate Necrophagist echelons above their perceived promise, making their apparent absence ever since an even deeper blow to the metal community. At eight tracks clocking in at just over a half-hour, Epitaph is an immensely impressive, succinct and poignant artistic redefining of technical death metal, andoften appears alongside the likes of greats such as Cryptopsy and Gorguts in discussions regarding the most integral contributors to the genre. 

ZB

Mystic 100s – On A Micro Diet (Listening House)

Is there anything else to say within the realm of psychedelic rock? For a sound which was roundly defined nearly 60 years ago, it’s endured impressively and ridden wave upon wave of popularity. There are intrepid explorers who try taking the genre in new directions, sometimes successfully, but really the principles of the sound were minted back in the days of Grateful Dead, 13th Floor Elevators et al. What’s left for successive generations of bands following in their wake is to draw on their songwriting and performance to offer something meaningful into the dream-pool.

Mystic 100s present an ostensible debut album with On A Micro Diet, but really they’re prior Washington state outfit Milk Music given a new name (which was the name of their last album, natch). Putting frequent LSD use down as one of the influences feeding into the record, the band are waving their freak flag high. “Jerry Garcia is a dear, dear friend of mine,” sings Alex Coxen on ‘Message From Lonnie’, a sweet, meandering ballad. At the next turn, they’re channelling Zappa-jazz on ‘Drug Man’ and absolutely nailing it.

‘Windowpane’ has a sharper attack – the band can lay down a focused tune when they wish, and there’s even a whiff of indie rock in the air. But they seem more naturally inclined towards Syd Barrett swinging signatures or nebulous, strung-out epics like ‘Have You Ever Chased A Lightbeam?’. Clocking in at 19 minutes nestled stubbornly in the middle of the album, it’s a towering statement of musical values which will have any seasoned psychonaut spiralling out with cosmic approval. 

OW

Hawksmoor – Telepathic Heights (Soul Jazz)

While Bristol-based James McKeown might have made the switch from releasing on DIY electronic labels such as Spun Out Of Control, Castles In Space and Library Of The Occult, this debut on the eclectic Soul Jazz label sees him lose none of conceptual nouse.

The Hawksmoor project was originally inspired by the six striking London churches created by one-time Wren apprentice, Nicolas Hawksmoor, and McKeown’s debut album offered a soundtrack to each of those buildings, while last year’s ‘Head Coach’ worked off the idea that Milton Keynes town planners lined the place up with sunrise on the summer solstice. You can perhaps imagine how that sounds.

On ‘Telepathic Heights’ McKeown is in similarly thematic frame of mind. Limiting himself to electronic drums, guitars and a Moog Sub37, he follows the 1970s “electronic skyways” created by the likes of Cluster, Ash Ra Tempel, Roedelius and Michael Rother while also nodding in the direction of British hauntology trailblazers radiating out from the brilliant Ghost Box label.

The double-barrel influence of dialing into actual 1970s Germany and tuning into the haunty world of half-remembered 1970s childhoods lends an air of familiarity while also carving out niche all of his own. Mckeown is a guitarist by trade and his six-string really gets to work on the drifty loveliness of the Rother-esque ‘Athanasia’, while the title track with its echo-y guitar chords and mewling synth could as easily be Cluster as Cate Brooks’ The Advisory Circle.

It’s always a good day when there’s a new Hawksmoor album, no matter which label it’s on.

NM

maya ongaku – Approach To Anima (Guruguru Brain)

It doesn’t take long for maya ongaku to fold you into their secluded but expansive world. The three-strong collective operate from a curious bubble on the island of Enoshima, Southwest of Tokyo, orbiting a secondhand shop known as the Ace General Store where their small studio hides nestled out the back. Taking the form of a psychedelic jam band, their sound draws on folk, jazz, Fourth World, indie rock and kosmiche, and it unspools with a laconic drift which is incredibly easy to sink into.

The fundamental palette of the band is not too complicated to comprehend, with Tsutomu Sonoda on guitar and vocals, Ryota Takano on bass and Shoei Ikeda on woodwind. Around their traditional band dynamic there’s delicate percussive ornamentation, but this is a project where the transportive magic comes from the composition first and foremost. These are long and winding songs built to communicate a very tangible mood, perhaps best illustrated in the gentle meander of ‘Something In Morning Rain’, which precisely conjures the melancholic atmosphere of a slow, soggy start to the day.

There are more acute psych influences which creep through on the likes of ‘Nuska’, capturing a little of Ash Ra Tempel at their dreamiest, while ‘Description Of A Certain Sound’ leans further towards smoky jazz, but in each track an ecosystem of different influences and intentions exist. At their barest, as on album closer ‘Pillow Song’, maya ongaku dig down to a pastoral core – a serene lilt which informs the way in which the rest of their music explores different times and places, tones and timbres.
OW

This week’s reviewers: Oli Warwick, Jude Iago James, Neil Mason, Finlay Milligan, Zach Buggy, Martin Hewitt.