Songs Vol. 4/1 - 4/5 — Steph Richards, NAIMA, John Escreet, O ZORN!, Oh Hiroshima, UFOMAMMUT, SUMAC
A contrast of moods, two pieces from avant trumpet player Steph Richards’ upcoming new album, Power Vibe, offer both an energized and percussive rush (title track) and a slow and meditative tenor (“October To July”). Throughout both instrumentals, Richards offers some measure of control and calm with her trumpet. Even at her most loose, Richards is easy on the ear, her tone resonant.
Power Vibe releases May 3rd via Northern Spy Records.
Links:
Steph Richards — Official website / Bandcamp
Northern Spy Records — Official Website / Bandcamp
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Clandestine Label Services:
Steph Richards has already made quite a name for herself in the worlds of avant garde music and creative jazz. She has recorded for Relative Pitch, Pi Recordings, Tzadik Records, Cantaloupe Records, Northern Spy Records, and more and worked with Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Ravi Coltrane and Henry Threadgill. Richards worked for years as co-producer of the FONT Music Festival, alongside fellow trumpeter Dave Douglas. Her records have been praised for displaying her evident virtuosity and inventiveness, the New York Times calling Richards “boldly inventive.” NPR’s Nate Chinen says Richards is “ingenious” and Downbeat insists that she is “the latest figure of note” in jazz and “a virtuoso of nonlinear trumpet playing.” All About Jazz cuts to the chase, saying simply, that Richards “kicks ass.”
It’s an impressive history and litany of praise for a young trumpeter, but with her latest full-length for Northern Spy, Power Vibe, Richards pushes even further, marrying avant garde and cinematic moods with a kind of infectious and patently pleasing tunefulness. The addition of “sensory electronics” — subtle but compelling textures and tactile rhythms which are physically triggered by drum-mounted sensors — compels fascination here, interweaving a kind of aural hyper-lucidity throughout the record. Though boldly original, this music strides surefootedly alongside the work of contemporaries like Nicole Mitchell and the late jaimie branch.
And Power Vibe is just as fascinating conceptually as it is aesthetically. The record — as well as the eponymously named quartet — is built around a series of musical cues that, when played, redirect all the players to move into a new structure. The trick is that any of the players can play one of these cues at any time, ensuring that the music unfolds in an even more radically democratic way than in totally open-ended improvised music performance. One might think of this as the “power vibe”: the power to redirect the entire band lies in the hands of each player, equally. It’s a cogent redistribution of power, one that Richards and the band clearly revel in, and it gives the music a sense of open structural possibility.
But one might think of the power vibe as stemming from something else, something much more personal. About a year ahead of recording Power Vibe, Richards began to experience serious complications with her physical ability to play. Richards explains that she met threatening signs of muscular collapse, even terrifying hints of potential focal dystonia, a neurological condition that causes muscular freezing. As Richards puts it, “I had exhausted my setup and I had to hit the shed and fully remake my face.” Months of rigorous retraining, researching new techniques and studying with different teachers across the country led Richards to develop even stronger technical abilities than before the fatigue and collapse. “This record’s really important to me,” Richards says, “because it was my first time understanding this new face, this new technical ability and technique. It was a scary journey to get to that point, and it was a joy to overcome it. I can hear that joy in this music.” This, clearly, is another way in which Power Vibe lives up to its name: that joy in the power to play, at all, let alone with the level of skill that Richards wields, is evident in the sound.
While Richards’ virtuosity and boundless creativity is clearly on display here, pianist Joshua White, whose playing sometimes veers into McCoy Tyner rapture, and drummers Gerald Cleaver and Max Jaffe do more than simply support. Again, there is a sense of commitment and soulfulness that is bolstered by the redistribution of power. And Stomu Takeishi’s acoustic and electric bass guitar playing helps to push these tunes headlong into realms of groove and infectious kinesis that make it what it is: remarkable. Certainly fans of Ron Miles’ or Wadada Leo Smith’s or Don Cherry’s adventurous and joyful playing and collaborating will find much to love in this work. But the vibe here belongs to Steph Richards.
Awash in ethereal reverb, raw bass tone, and stabs of airy synth, NAIMA’s “WannaGO (Single Version)” is evocative of the funk and R&B that was ubiquitous in the 1980s. Featured in NAIMA’s upcoming EP, City Lights, “WannaGO” interestingly contrasts with production choices of the modern era, exhibiting a rawness that sounds almost underground. Some elements are buried in the mix: listen really hard and you can hear guitar.
NAIMA’s City Lights EP is a self-produced release that’s out May 3rd.
Links:
NAIMA — Instagram / Bandcamp
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Terrorbird Media:
In the labyrinth of New York's sonic tapestry, where concrete meets culture, emerges NAIMA, a captivating musical force raised between the bustling borough of Brooklyn and the culturally rich suburb of New Rochelle. Her artistic journey is a seamless blend of analog roots and digital dreams, shaped by the diverse influences of her life.
Growing up in an environment where music was a constant companion, NAIMA was introduced to a kaleidoscope of sounds that became the foundation of her musical psyche. From the early days of her youth, her mother exposed her to a wide range of artists and educated her about the lineage of Black music. Ella Fitzgerald, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, Lenny Kravitz, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Farris, are just some of the many artists that were in heavy rotation at home. Additionally, the infectious sounds of 70s & 80s Funk, Disco, and Pop were a major cornerstone to NAIMA’s musical upbringing. With the likes of Chaka Khan, Earth Wind and Fire, Sister Sledge, Janet Jackson, and The Brothers Johnson, being some of the major contributors to the soundtrack of NAIMA’s childhood.
Meanwhile, her Panamanian father, a DJ and producer, further broadened her musical horizons with the global sounds of artists such as Ruben Bladés, Djavan, Fela Kuti Santana, and The Police.
NAIMA further pursued her musical education at Berklee College of Music, where she delved into the intricacies of her craft. However it did not take long before the magnetic pull of New York City called her back home. Returning to her mother's home borough, Queens, NAIMA found her artistic sanctuary. She immersed herself in a thriving community of like-minded artists. The legendary DIY underground stages of C'mon Everybody, H0L0, Trans-Pecos, and Palisades became her creative playground-allowing her to further hone her craft as a performer, producer, songwriter, and singer. This period marked the genesis of her distinctive voice, culminating in her upcoming debut EP, CITY LIGHTS.
Describing her music as "Dream R&B" NAIMA builds a sonic landscape rooted in the traditions of the genre synthesized with a diverse range of influences. The result is a cinematic and lush soundscape that mirrors the analog and digital dichotomy of her upbringing.
NAIMA's rise in the music scene is marked by notable collaborations with artists like Nick Hakim, Isaiah Barr of Onyx Collective, and Starchild and the New Romantic. Notable acts she has opened up for include Bilal, Madison Mcferrin, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, and Mister Twin Sister, further cementing her status as an artist to watch.
More on the side of classic bop-era jazz, pianist John Escreet’s “departure no. 1” is like uptempo Monk, some rapid keys firing overtop a busy rhythm section and gorgeous tenor sax. The album containing this track is the epicenter of your dreams, which is being released by Blue Room Music on June 7th.
Links:
John Escreet — Official website
Blue Room Music — Official Website
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Fully Altered Media:
On John Escreet’s 2022 album Seismic Shift, his first-ever release in the trio format, the pianist and composer introduced a group of the rarest strength and intelligence. Joining the U.K.-born musician were two extraordinary improvisers he’d reconnected with in Los Angeles, where he’d moved from Brooklyn just prior to the pandemic in 2020: bassist Eric Revis, a veteran of the furiously swinging Branford Marsalis Quartet who also excels in avant-garde settings; and the drummer Damion Reid, whose unparalleled ability to chop up a rhythm with finesse has made him a go-to collaborator for Robert Glasper, Steve Lehman and many others.
Unsurprisingly, their dynamic music — which ranged from the tightly composed to the freely improvised, the elegant to the fierce, hitting all emotional points in between — astonished critics and audiences alike. In his review, DownBeat editor Frank Alkyer highlighted the “agility and interplay between the three,” which “makes the entirety of Seismic Shift a joyful, ‘hell, yeah’ listen. The album’s intensity pulls you in even when Escreet turns the burner down a notch.”
Such praise might lead some artists to get complacent, to hit Repeat. But Escreet has continually broadened his ideas and sonic palette throughout his career — from his many leader recordings, featuring New York jazz’s cutting-edge, to his vital role in Antonio Sanchez’s culture-melding Migration, to performing at a sold-out Hollywood Bowl with the electronic luminary Floating Points.
For Seismic Shift’s follow-up, the epicenter of your dreams, out June 7 from Blue Room Music, Escreet has expanded his very special group to include Mark Turner, among the most important and influential tenor saxophonists in jazz history. Save for Escreet, the quartet comprises Los Angeles natives who raised their profiles in New York and then returned to L.A., where a vibrant progressive jazz scene has flourished in recent years. the epicenter of your dreams stands as a document of this fertile musical environment, which Escreet calls “really broad and diverse. And not only the New York cats that have moved here, but there’s a very healthy young, local scene as well. It’s all exciting.”
Escreet has designed a program worthy of his new quartet’s sweeping versatility. Among the highlights is the opener, “call it what it is,” a fascinating harmonic and rhythmic catalyst for improvisation. “the epicenter of your dreams” reflects its title — an enigmatic through-composed voyage.
Got caught up in the sturdy, fuzz-weighted tone of O ZORN!’s “Slow Mood”, hearing hints of Failure and the psych-aided doom-gaze of Shrinebuilder. A magnetic hook, darkly melodic and memorable, “Slow Mood” is the latest single from the band’s newest LP, Vermillion Haze, which currently available from Seeing Red Records.
“Slow Mood” premiered via Everything Is Noise.
Links:
O ZORN! — Official website / Facebook / Instagram
Seeing Red Records — Official website / Facebook / Instagram
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Earsplit PR:
California post-metal alchemists O ZORN! is pleased to unveil their video for “Slow Mood.” Now playing at Everything Is Noise, the track comes by way of the band’s acclaimed Vermillion Haze full-length, released last month via Hard Drugs/Seeing Red Records.
Based in Long Beach, O ZORN! is led by enigmatic frontman Bill Kielty, a charismatic and confident performer that sits somewhere between Rob Zombie and James Hetfield in his delivery and is completed by the exceptional guitar talents of Justin Suitor, the rolling thunder of bassist Justin Morales, and powerhouse drummer Derek Eglit. Together, the O ZORN! collective creates the unmistakable, thumping groove that has begun to capture the hearts and minds of metal fans throughout the scene since the band formed in 2013.
Writes Everything Is Noise, “‘Slow Mood’ is carried by a doomy riff that King Buzzo would be proud of as the drums summon fault line tremors. ‘I wanted a social life/I wanted the long goodbyes,’ Kielty laments, his voice carrying a tinge of Layne Staley’s croon and Troy Sanders’ gravel. The video features the band playing in a Vermillion Haze-d alien world, aglow with mysterious neon blue shapes and columns. The imagery inspires a feeling of alienation and mystery. The bridge takes on more melancholy guitar leads before the chorus ramps up the down-tuned energy. The cerulean mood of the guitar solo leads to a multi-layered vocal climax that steals the show…”
The eight-track Vermillion Haze was overseen by producer Ryan Boesch (Whores, Andrew WK, Tomahawk, The Eels), and showcases a more melodic vocal approach from Kielty, with an extra emphasis on memorable choruses that compliment some of the record’s heavy themes.
Oh Hiroshima’s “Wild Iris” is spacious post-iteration metal/rock that’s garnered multiple listens over the last few days. Thinking of Pinkish Black and Zombi, “Wild Iris” contains an almost-anthemic grandness and density similar to both aforementioned acts, not to mention the synthesized textures that barely breach its sonic wall. This track is featured in Oh Hiroshima’s upcoming new album, All Things Shining, which will be released on June 28th via Pelagic Records.
Links:
Oh Hiroshima — Official website / Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram / X
Pelagic Records — Official website / Facebook / Instagram
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Earsplit PR:
Sweden’s stalwart, slow burning post-rock outfit OH HIROSHIMA returns to champion wonder and awe in an age of faded youth and jaded disenchantment. All Things Shining, the band’s fifth studio album, now confirmed for release on June 28th through Pelagic Records, sees the project pared back to its brotherly core as they expand ever further into new sonic territories.
Founded over fifteen years ago as a DIY recording project by brothers Jakob and Oskar Hemström, OH HIROSHIMA has outgrown their Swedish hometown of Kristinehamn to become a highly regarded studio and live project within the international post-rock scene. With four diverse full-length albums to their name encompassing elements of shoegaze, electronica, post-punk, and danceable indie-rock, OH HIROSHIMA’s All Things Shining represents a significant evolution in the band’s songwriting and soundcrafting.
It was the band’s sophomore album, 2015’s In Silence We Yearn, that brought OH HIROSHIMA to the fore, attracting significant attention on YouTube and leading to the physical re-releases of In Silence We Yearn, as well as their 2011 debut album Resistance Is Futile, through Napalm Records. Buoyed by the support of a label and their ever-growing fanbase, 2019’s Oscillation album marked a significant leap forward in terms of both songwriting and production as the band became so much more than a bedroom project between brothers…
Having released their fourth album, Myriad – a brooding kaleidoscope of thunderous drums, reverberating guitar feedback, and ethereal synth sounds courtesy of fellow countryman Kristian Karlsson (Cult Of Luna, pg.lost, Soars) – to critical acclaim in 2022, All Things Shining is OH HIROSHIMA refining this complex sound further still. Already renowned for their command of panoramic compositional atmospherics, this new collection of songs consciously leaves space for singer and guitarist Jakob’s lyrics and vocal delivery and brings a striking yet delicate tenderness to the band’s formidable sonic palette.
Collaborating once again with Karlsson as well as producer Magnus Lindberg, the brothers Hemström embraced the challenge of their lineup change to push themselves into uncharted creative space, to make the very best of their tight knit bond. As such, All Things Shining wrestles with questions surrounding purpose, meaning and a generational ambivalence spreading across Western society.
Wasting no time, opening track and lead single “Wild Iris” gets straight to the point as the band’s most urgent and insistent work to date. A driving, half-time groove introduces Jakob’s seemingly innocuous opening line of, “My friends are ordinary,” before it’s turned into a cautionary tale against mediocrity by the refrain of, “It’s been way too long since lightning struck right through you,” that brings with it a reinvigorated wave of OH HIROSHIMA’s thunderous post-rock prowess. The accompanying video captures this latent crisis with a collision of dynamic live footage of the brothers in action against anonymous characters wasting away on a steady diet of nothing.
Simultaneously personal and universal, “Wild Iris” begins a sonic exploration of the duplicitous nature of ageing; the double-edged sword of amassing life-affirming experiences that inevitably dim our perception of the world around us. However, as the album’s title suggests, OH HIROSHIMA is adamant that all is not lost; with songs inspired by timeless works of literature pivotal for Jakob and Oskar throughout their lives, All Things Shining is a reminder that, against all odds, the world will always find a way to reclaim its spark and mystique.
Jakob Hemström comments on “Wild Iris,” "This track goes straight to the point more than anything we’ve ever done before while still retaining our love for atmosphere. The lyrics are in the same vein, and the accompanying music video aims to capture and expand both the lyrical and sonic aspects of the song."
“Wild Iris,” was filmed by Oskar Nilsson, Jakob Hemström, and Jan Nilsson, directed by Nilsson and Hemström, and edited by Nilsson, and features actors John Persson, Carina Persson, Hannes Pozo-Maxstad, and Viola Fahlén.
Having followed Ufomammut for a number of years now, it’s remarkable that the band’s enveloping brand of immersion metal hasn’t lost its appeal or grown dull. “Kismet” is the latest single from the band’s upcoming album, Hidden, and sees Ufomammut somehow managing to plot new courses within the space they generate, tearing through the vastness like arterial bolts of buzzed lighting. And it sounds beautiful.
Hidden, which is Ufomammut’s 10th album, releases May 17th via Neurot Recordings / Supernatural Cat. “Kismet” and its accompanying video premiered at CVLT Nation.
Links:
UFOMAMMUT — Official website / Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram
Supernatural Cat Records — Official website / Facebook / Instagram
Neurot Recordings — Official website / Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Earsplit PR:
“Kismet” is the sprawling new single from Italian psychedelic doom/sludge metal trio UFOMAMMUT, celebrating their 25th Anniversary in 2024. Now playing through an animated video exclusively at Cvlt Nation, the song is the latest preview of the band’s tenth LP, Hidden, nearing May release on Neurot Recordings/Supernatural Cat Records.
Hidden marks a shift in UFOMAMMUT's musical composition, aiming for a more intense and heavy sound, as they have displayed over the prior two releases. The title, Hidden, reflects the concept of the presence of everything in our existence and the ability to bring to light what lies within us. With Hidden, the band delves into a sonic journey that traverses vast expanses of space and time. From the crushing heaviness to the hauntingly melodies, from the textured compositions to the otherworldly atmospheres, Hidden testifies to the never-ending evolution of UFOMAMMUT and their mastery of creating immersive sonic experiences: a fitting celebration of their 25 years of sonic exploration and experimentation.
Like any good psychedelic trip, the music of UFOMAMMUT has always been inextricably intertwined with visual art, and as always, the artwork, videos, and all visuals/graphics for Hiddenwere created by Malleus Rock Art Lab, the rock/music graphic design collective of which Poia and Urlo are part of with Lu.
Hidden was recorded at Flat Scenario Studio in Piemonte, Italy, with Lorenzo Stecconi handling the mixing and mastering, and Luca Grossi overseeing vocal tracking.
The band reveals, “‘Kismet’ represents the divine destiny predetermined by God for us, it embodies the concept of fate and what lies ahead for us. ‘Kismet’ is one of the most profound tracks on the album, delving into the journey of life itself. Like cascading waterfalls reaching for the sky, or droplets ascending towards the sun only to dissipate into the vast universe, our existence moves steadily through time, emanating light and energy that permeates our surroundings. This song encapsulates the essence of the album, distinct from Fenice, which is characterized by monumental riffs yet infused with ethereal atmospheres that redefine our yearning for psychedelia.”
Cvlt Nation writes, "Their riffs are so trippy that listening to this song feels like a sonic shroom trip taking root inside of my brain. UFOMAMMUT are so much more than a doom band, they are a creative unit focused on manifesting mind-altering soundscapes that transcend sound itself."
Hidden will be released on CD, LP, and digital on May 17th, in North America through Neurosis’ Neurot Recordings, the vinyl pressed on a Silver Nugget variant in a gatefold jacket. In Europe, the band’s Supernatural Cat Records will release it, a standard version on 180-gram Marbled Purple And Black variant, and a limited version of 500 copies on 180-gram Crystal Clear variant crafted by hand using photosensitive colors that are activated by sunlight, bringing the concept of the album to life, with multiple bundles and options.
UFOMAMMUT will be touring regularly in support of Hidden, with a long list of tour dates already announced across Europe and the UK through all of May and into June, with much more being plotted. See the current 25 Years Anniversary Tour listings at the band’s website HERE and stand by for updates.
Rising from the ashes of their prior band Judy Corda, UFOMAMMUT formed in the late 1990s by Poia (guitars, effects) and Urlo (bass, vocals, effects, synths), together with Vita (drums). With Levre taking over on drums in 2021, the band has undergone a rebirth, culminating in the release of the 2022-released Fenice LP, and on Halloween 2023, the Crookhead EP.
Over the course of two-and-a-half decades, UFOMAMMUT has developed a unique sound that combines heavy, dynamic riff worship with a deep understanding of psychedelic tradition in music, which has resulted in a cosmic, futuristic, and technicolor sound that fully immerses listeners. They’ve produced a wide spectrum of albums, EPs, live albums, a box set, compilation tracks, and covers – including a track on the Superunknown Redux Soundgarden tribute album.
“Yellow Dawn” announced in the best way possible the upcoming new album from SUMAC, The Healer. Kind of a 12+ minute, metallic multi-act, “Yellow Dawn” begins with an Earth-similar desert-caked meditation that launches into a molten-charged crawl. Aaron Turner’s shrapnel-laden throat loud against the chug of riff-n-bottom end, SUMAC switch up tempos and apply some progressive-leaning changes before falling into a violent rut that intensifies steadily throughout its runtime.
The Healer is out 6/21 via Thrill Jockey Records.
Links:
SUMAC — Bandcamp / YouTube / Tidal / Spotify / Apple Music
Thrill Jockey — Pre-order link
Links, knowledge, and sounds were handed over courtesy of Thrill Jockey Records:
SUMAC, the Northwest-based trio SUMAC consisting of guitarist/vocalist Aaron Turner, bassist Brian Cook, and drummer Nick Yacyshyn have announced their new album The Healer, out on June 21st on 2xLP. Alongside the album's announcement, the trio have shared the single "Yellow Dawn," an epic that churns meditative organ by Faith Coloccia into a glacial stomp that the band obliterates into swirls of airtight riffing and untethered, intoxicating improvisations.
On The Healer, recorded and mixed by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Thrice, Great Falls, Autopsy), SUMAC deepens its multi-faceted exploration into the parallel experiences of creation and destruction. Over the course of 4 tracks in 76 minutes, SUMAC presents a sequence of shifting movements which undergo a constant process of expansion, contraction, corruption and regrowth.
This musical methodology reflects the thematic nature of the record - narratives of experiential wounding as gateways to empowerment and evolution, both individual and collective. The group's interpolation of melody, drone, improvisation, and complex riffing becomes a transmogrifying act embodying the depth of human experience. In its highest aspiration it mirrors our ability to endure mortal and spiritual challenges, through which we may emerge with an increased capacity for understanding, empathy, love of self and others. Dismal though the subterranean pits of The Healer may at first appear, from them can be felt the unwavering determination to embrace life, acknowledge interdependence, and honor the gift of existence.
Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead
