New music round-up (for w/e 26 July 2024)

Our selection of the best new music across a range of genres from the week ending 26 July 2024.

Things Are Getting Better is a bold statement to make in a time when the world seems to be on the verge of world war 3 and the cost of living is rising beyond most of our reach. Five years ago when Jimetta Rose started the Voices of Creation, she knew the world would need new songs, new mantras and prayers for a new day. We would need more faith, we would need love, we would need vision, and we would need each other.

On Resuscitate! Bill Callahan comes alive in Chicago, with Jim White, Matt Kinsey and special guests Nick Mazzarella, Pascal Kerong’A, Nathaniel Ballinger and Natural Information Society’s Joshua Abrams & Lisa Alvarado. Why? Bill explains: “Songs tend to mutate after they’ve been recorded. These songs were mutating faster than usual. Like whatever happened to Bruce Banner in the lab – I knew these songs were about to get superpowers… this change needed to be documented.”

Cults, the multi-platinum New York duo comprised of multi-instrumentalists Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion have released their fifth studio album, To the Ghosts, out now on Imperial. The band temper shadowy cinematic soundscapes with flickering melodic singalongs, perfecting their signature vision with this expansive and anticipated new record – their first new full length studio LP in four years.

From one of Australia’s most in-demand saxophonists, Matthew Ottignon comes a new ensemble and self-titled album Volant. The music effortlessly blends his spiritual jazz influences with the minimalist, introspective acoustic jazz that Australia is renowned for. Crafted amidst a period of solitude, Volant represents an ambitious step in Ottignon’s artistic musical journey, drawing inspiration from birds in flight—a motif that ultimately defines the album’s ethereal quality.

Diamante Blackmon, known globally as Gordo, has released his groundbreaking debut album, Diamante, via Ultra Records. This album represents a pivotal moment in Gordo’s career, blending his Nicaraguan-American heritage with a diverse array of musical styles, including Dance, Hip Hop, Pop, Reggaeton, Indie, and Jazz. After more than four years of dedicated production work, Diamante showcases Gordo’s evolution from a prolific DJ, producer, and collaborator to a visionary artist pushing musical boundaries.

As part of the Royal Academy of Music Bicentenary Series, Hadewych van Gent explores innovative voices of the cello repertoire in a bold first album, titled Voice. The warm, intimate opening piece is Hadewych’s own take on Colla parte by Dutch cellist and composer Ernst Reijseger who continues to inspire Hadewych to this day. Pianist Yupeng He joins Hadewych for Rebecca Clarke’s passionate Sonata, which was originally composed for the viola; Hadewych is one of the first cellists to record the work. The album ends with Pianissimo, the second movement of Grāmata čellam by Pēteris Vasks which combines, as in Colla parte, singing with cello playing, thus creating an authentic form of expression and adding Hadewych’s own voice to the composer’s.

Walking The Dog is the latest album by Andreas Mader and Joseph Moog. This collection of tracks showcases the duo’s unique blend of electronic and acoustic elements, creating a mesmerising listening experience for fans of experimental music. With its innovative soundscapes and intricate rhythms, Walking The Dog takes listeners on a musical journey that is both dynamic and thought-provoking. From ethereal melodies to pulsating beats, each track on the album offers a new perspective on contemporary electronic music.

Other reviews you might enjoy:

• New music round-up (for w/e 12 August 2022)
• New music round-up (for w/e 14 July 2023)
• New music round-up (for w/e 16 August 2024)