Over the course of the past decade, Bitchin’ Bajas have built their analog synth drone sound upon a foundation of archetypal experimental music. On their glowing sixth LP, Switched on Ra, the trio covers eight Sun Ra essentials, and reconfigures the jazz giant’s limitless free jazz into psychedelic ambient compositions.
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.
Over the past five years, the Cowboy have gradually tightened their musicianship as they refine their formula for fast-paced post-punk. On Riddles from the Universe, the band’s consistency is their strongest trait, with their most compelling songs to date.
Parlour Tapes co-owner, Zach Moore, has a background as a trained double bassist, and has frequented Chicago’s performance art circuit as a member of Mocrep. On his solo debut as ZM, Moore masterfully performs a wide variety of genres over the span of a spectacular 64 minute composition. Galloping Through a Wormhole unfolds gracefully while fluctuating between large instrumental arrangements and layers of tranquil minimalism.
Hip-hop pioneers Madlib & Declaime have frequently collaborated throughout each of their impactful careers. On In the Beginning Vol. 1, the childhood friends compile thirteen previously unreleased recordings from their early years together in Oxnard. The album provides a strong foundation to two irreplaceable legacies that have continuously shifted hip-hop for three decades.
Doom metal trio Sign of the Sorcerer have released two lo-fi EP’s. On their third release, Obsessions of the Vile, the band finds their comfort zone and deliver a horror-themed psychedelic doom project with heavy influences from late ‘70s southern Rock ‘n Roll.
As fentanyl-based opiate use tears through middle America, overdoses and death have become everyday occurrences for certain cities and towns. On The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid, experimental composers More Eaze & Seth Graham join forces as —-___—___, and use elements of harsh noise and understated ambient soundscapes to work through the tragedy that accompanies the current drug epidemic.
Chicago producer, Composuresquad, has been a leader in the local DIY nightlife scene for years. He is one of the top sought-after DJ’s in city limits, and has hosted many of the most memorable events that have occurred in the past decade. On the latest edition of “The Junkyard,” Composure sets out to interview Leah and Blake Saint David, two members of a versatile rising collective of DIY artists that are on the verge of re-defining experimental music in the 312.
After years of one-off collaborations, vocalist Trenttruce & multi-instrumentalist Coto Loco team up for their darkwave debut as Black Magick Chocolate Tears. Black Magick Chocolate Tears showcases the intense vocal range of Truce & subtly complex production skills of Coto Loco. Across twelve tracks, the two artists balance out each other’s strengths to a forge a sound that crosses pop music with an ominous after hours disposition.
The seven year process between announcing and releasing Deakin’s only solo record, Sleep Cycle, created an uncertainty as to whether or not it would ever be completed. Although Deakin’s physical presence appears on about half of Animal Collective recordings, his six track self-released solo endeavor sheds light on the overwhelming impact of his sound and perspective.
