DaddyMother – Out Of The Deep End

You’ll immediately get why I included this cut from the Matriz LP by DaddyMother – it’s cool, quirky and you’ll want to hear it again. Pierre PapaMere out of Detroit and Lehkie from Asheville, NC have offered up a fascinating collection with distorted vocals, off-kilter instrumentation and at times disturbing lyrics as catchy pop songs from another world. On each repeated play I discover yet another unexpected sleight of hand. This is an album packed with textures. It could easily be from a decade ago, maybe two or from the future. DaddyMother is what, they ask with what has to be pure sincerity, then answer, “BoomBOP POP! Experimental! Queer!” Which we think is perfectly fitting. Lovely doodlesque sleeve artwork.

Sabrina De Mitri – Lo Sono

According to her promo material, Sabrina is an Italian saxophone player, song writer, singer, speaker, radio presenter, writer and educator. She is now following her first love: experimenting and challenging herself in playing her own concept show, looping and sampling, singing and playing her spaceshuttle. Ms. De Mitri goes on to tell us, “This LP, La Rosa Dei Venti contains some of my very personal mantras, a mix of Soul, Reggae, Funk, Jazz, Pop and Trip Hop.” With Lo Sono Sabrina delves into much of her influences, it’s almost operatic in concept, yet, thankfully, miles away from the horror of Queen’s ludicrous Bohemian Rhapsody. All in all, Sabrina De Mitri’s work is enticing and expertly crafted. Another lovely sleeve.

Nyxy Nyx – Andy

Midwife – It’s OK 2 Lie 2 Me

A must-have double-sided single. I’m not kidding. Two great efforts here. Nyxy Nyx are out of Philadelphia and have garnered a plethora of descriptive names, lo-fi, sludge, slow-core, foggy-eyed, psychedelic and on and on. Monikers that mean little when you realize Nyxy Nyx have been progressing stylistically with each release, and they have quite a few. After the first few bars of Andy you’ll find Nyxy Nyx know how to make a catchy albeit slightly meandering song. Of course a large thumbs up for this one. The other side feature an impressive cut from an LEM favorite, Midwife. This is the work of multi-instrumentalist Madeline Johnston who lives and works in San Miguel, New Mexico. That old trick of running the tape backwards is here on It’s OK 2 Lie 2 Me, and used to full evocative effect. There is something about Madeline’s work that suggests I listen to her music alone, late at night with just the fragile glow of withering candle. But, at the same time, I want to tell everyone to gather around and listen carefully to all the intricacies of her songs. Lovely, poignant music. 

Antonia XM – Everything Is A Blur Now

She is a producer, vocalist, DJ and co-founder of Viennese label, Ashida Park, her debut EP, Demons was released in may 2022, now Antonia XM gives us the excellent Blurry EP with Everything Is A Blur Now being our favorite standout track. Her almost breathless, quasi-nonchalont vocals on top of a galloping techno track does the job very nicely. There is a familiarity to Antonia’s work, yet decidedly her own with the spot-on production techniques. This is the music a certain absurdly popular diva would make if she had the ability.

Bella Blaq – All That Love

“I Do What I Love, And What I Do Loves” Says, Bella Blaq on her website. She goes on to tell she is “Fashion Icon, Top Rap Artist, Female Rap Artist” All perfectly qualifiable identifiers, of course. Yet, on listening to Bella’s new album, Dirt Roads, there really isn’t a never-ending rant of bragging, self-obsession. Bella tells it like is – as she knows it. These are honest lyrics, the beats and samples are so well-considered. What’s more, unlike so many of the brothers, these days, Bella Blaq knows how to ride a rhythm to full effect. Each track here is tantalizingly-crafted. Yes, she drops names, yes she is critical and yes she is not shy about expressing her feelings about love, not sex, not hooking up, Bella has soul and you can’t avoid that. If that is Bella on the cover, then bravo to her. But please don’t be distracted or mislead by the perfectly-formed female Nubian form. This is a serious album.  

The Jesus And Mary Chain – The Eagles And The Beatles

“I’ve been rolling with the Stones, Mick & Keith & Brian Jones, Bill & Charlie have gone home. Andrew Oldham is on the phone” The Reid brothers want you to know about their influences. It should go without saying that The Jesus And Mary Chain’s roots are firmly planted in rock ’n’ roll, classic rock no less. While the lyrics to The Eagles And The Beatles may well be the most adroit I’ve heard in a long time, you should also know, this is the band’s most important album in a long time. JAMC have always delivered excellent music, Glasgow Eyes is a standout. Once again, I want to wag my finger at college and so-called alternative radio for not embracing this long-player with the reverence it deserves. There too many up-and-coming bands who, despite their good intentions need to take time out for a good listen to Glasgow Eyes while locking away their Velvet Underground reissues.

The Jojo Man Band – Oh My

Meanwhile over in the corner of my loft dedicated to fanboy palaver, I have cleared a space for NIck Woodgate and The Jojo Man Band project. Here is a fellow and cohorts who understand the essence of rock ’n’ roll in its truest form. I can only imagine that Nick has spent hours on end pawing through his parent’s record collection. Yet, there is nothing derivative in his work, he achieves a knowing look back over his musical shoulder while at the same time, manages to present a perfectly new 21st century sound. I’m in awe of Mr. Woodgate’s creativity, after all the latest LP is titled, Ethel Whimsy’s Meat Raffle, complete with a curiously disturbing photo on the sleeve.

Whoissed – Last Valentine

Alas, so few details for this one. A note with the release says, “A mass for the death of love” which leaves me with more questions than answers. Last Valentine is from the Requiem EP and Whoissed give their location as Dubai. I believe this has to be the first release we have play on LEM from the United Arab Emirates. The samples laced throughout the songs here only add to the mystery. Love it!

Yea-Ming And the Rumors – I Can’t Have It All

Oh, yes, here is a beauty. Yea-Ming Chen says, “The album was written during a difficult period where I struggled to identify and painfully shed a “false-self” imposed by the outside world…I realized one day that I have spent most of my life pretending to be someone that other people wanted me to be, and that was probably the source of my anxiety and depression…I made changes that were really hard and I experienced a lot of grief in letting go of situations that held a lot of power over me emotionally…even if it wasn’t intentional – and I became someone that is closer to who I want to be. In that transition, I discovered that it is completely possible to experience total sadness and extreme happiness simultaneously within the same body.” I will admit those words along with the music makes me want to learn so much more about Yea-Ming Chen. The invitation is open for a Zoom conversation. I Can’t Have It All is on the LP of the same name via Dandy Boy Records out of Oakland. I’m very impressed. Top marks.

Static King – Waiting For Something

Waiting For Something is from the debut album, Morning Ghosts from this Paris-based band. I took the time to check out a couple of their earlier EP releases and was pleasantly surprised. These lads manage to produce a rambunctious yet controlled sound. Everything is in it’s right place and the the results are not groundbreaking but definitely admirable. There is a cool video featuring actor Harry Goaz to accompany this song. 

Josef Scott – Nine To Five

As soon as a new release arrives via Sydney’s Mammal Sounds we turn on the magic download machine, set the volume to 11 and prepare for a nice gyrate around the studio. Josef Scott’s Nine To Five didn’t let us down. The pleasant syncopation, catchy chorus and Josef’s soulful croon had us singing along immediately. Auckland-bred, Boston-based musician has produced a slightly subdued pop banger – and it’s right up our street, so to speak. Mr. Scott tells us, “My aim was to capture that feeling of trying to play it cool but also being addicted to the chase.” Totally understand. Josef is also credited with the excellent artwork. A good ‘un.

A Deeper Heaven – Fire

Excuse me while I go off on a tangent for a moment…the video for Fire from A Deeper Heaven sent my nerdy brainbox back in time to recall Zabriskie Point the 1970 movie directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. The esteemed Italian’s only movie made in America was panned by the critics at the time and is reputed to have never made enough to cover the cost of production. It’s Antonioni’s vivid use of color and dramatic editing that caused me to think of comparing the video for A Deeper Heaven. But, that maybe a gigantic stretch on my part, although I do recommend you search out the movie and then treat yourself to the uncut edition of Blowup, followed by the sublime, L’Avventura from 1960 with the coldly devastatingly gorgeous Monica Vitti, followed by the 1962  L’Eclisse starring handsome Alain Delon and again, exotically stunning Monica Vitti.  You should note that exceptional soundtracks were a intergral part Antonioni’s movies, with contributions from Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, David Lindley, Herbie Hancock, The Yardbirds and more. OK, where was I? A Deeper Heaven comes to us via the always reliable Shoredive Records. These folk are making undeniable good music and they are passionate about helping others, they say that any profit from their project will be donated to for the cause of mental health and suicide awareness, support and recovery. They say, “Destroy stigmas, push education, embrace openness, show acceptance and love”. Yes, agreed!

Ef Kia – Mystique

When possible, I do like to include some perfectly-realized Dubstep. Italian DJ Ef Kia gave us Mystique, a cut from her splendid debut 2 Minds EP. She moved to Bristol and became comfortably at home with the local Too Much Collective. Ef Kia proves she is definitely a name to watch out for with this mediative and mysterious 3 track release. 

Dub Troubles – Inferno (Lo-end Dub)

We segue into Dub Troubles’s Inferno (Lo-end Dub) to take us up to the closing credits. This one is on Riddim Affair Vol 2 on the Wider Vision imprint also out of the UK. Play this one loud! And do check out Wider Vision’s catalogue. A tip of the hat to KaDub for the cool artwork. 

The artwork is by Georgette Blanche “Full moon over downtown condos” 2024 12” x 12” iPhone digital print. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection