Hidemi (2021)
Jazz saxophonist, Patrick Shiroishi, has created a career exploring the history of Asian-American oppression. On his latest album, Hidemi, Shiroishi delivers one of his most personal albums to date, with a focus on his grandparents and their time spent in a Japanese internment camp circa World War II. Hidemi incorporates the healing power of spiritual jazz as Shiroishi travels through his family’s resilient history.
a softer focus (2021)
On her new album, a softer focus, experimentalist Claire Rousay hones in on the importance of subtle noise. Across six obscure compositions, the San Antonio-based artist weaves together ambient synth melodies with a diverse collection of field recordings. With her unique use of these niche elements of noise, Rousay has created a record that labels music as a connecting point between humanity and the underappreciated beauty in nature.