The quintessential post-rock band, Tortoise set the standard for how forward-thinking, genre-bending and far-reaching rock could sound in the ’90s, with landmark albums like Millions Now Living Will Never Die (’96) and TNT (’98). They defined a loosely connected scene stretching across Chicago, Montreal and Glasgow, yet never stopped evolving on their own terms. Now, nearly a decade after their last record, The Catastrophist, Tortoise return with new music. “Layered Presence” is the lead single from their new album Touch.
Now that Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker are scattered between Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago, the band approached this record with more deliberate, disciplined sessions – without sacrificing the intuition and collaborative spark that has always fueled their music. “Layered Presence” may only run a little over three minutes, but it’s a vivid reminder that Tortoise’s singular blend of jazz, electronica, krautrock and prog remains as vital as ever, and that their sonic horizons are still expanding.
Sudan Archives – DEAD
Three years after her victorious sophomore album Natural Brown Prom Queen, and following tours with the likes of Caroline Polachek and André 3000, singer and violinist Brittney Parks – aka Sudan Archives – issues the first single from her upcoming album. “DEAD” marks a musical rebirth from an artist who’s impossible to pigeonhole. The track’s “orchestral Black dance music” sound cleverly builds from artsy synth-pop to a full-blown dance floor banger, leaving us breathless at the end, just begging for more.
Africa Express – Soledad / Otim Hop
Non-profit organization, cross-cultural collaborators and global music collective Africa Express is teasing their highly anticipated July 11 album Bahidorá (World Circuit) with two new singles this week. “Soledad” is a gorgeous take on Mexican bolero with co-founder Damon Albarn in duet with Mexican singer-songwriter Luisa Almaguer, backed by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Seye Adelekan (Gorillaz), Joan as Police Woman and Mexican Institute of Sound. “Otim Hop” takes another musical direction but is equally as stunning. Featuring Bootie Brown (formerly of the Pharcyde), Ugandan electronic pioneer Otim Alpha, K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) and producer Tom Excell (Chief Rockas Collective), it’s more proof of music being our strongest common language and a unified force of power.
Kieran Hebden & William Tyler – If I Had a Boat
Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) and Nashville guitar vanguardist William Tyler have just announced their collaborative debut album, 41 Longfield Street Late ’80s, with this exquisite and free-spirited take on Lyle Lovett’s classic tune “If I Had a Boat.” Hebden and Tyler use the original song like a framework for discovery, based on an equal understanding of American primitive-style acoustic guitar, experimental electronics, field recordings and post-rock, thus constructing their very own vessel to explore brand new waterways.
A surprisingly raging new single from the Nigerian-born, London-based singer Obongjayar. He’s been lending his distinctive voice to many different musical projects, including collaborations with Little Simz, Fred again.. and Everything Is Recorded, not to mention his incredible debut album, Some Nights I Dream of Doors (2022). His new material is, as always, pleasantly difficult to pigeonhole – “Jellyfish” has an art-rock/punk attitude, aimed towards spineless British politicians. Written with Fontaines D.C. guitarist Carlos O’Connell and slowthai producer Kwes Darko.
U.S. Girls, fronted by Meg Remy, announces their forthcoming album Scratch It (June 20) with this brand-new single. “Bookends” is a 12-minute sprawling masterpiece, aided by a cast of established Nashville musicians including bassist Jack Lawrence of the Raconteurs and harmonica player Charlie McCoy, from Roy Orbison’s “Candy Man” and Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline. “Bookends” is also a tribute to Remy’s late friend and Power Trip singer Riley Gale, “through the lens of Remy’s reading of John Carey’s Eyewitness to History.”
With their 1995 debut album, the highly influential Fixation on a Co-Worker, New Jersey’s DEADGUY proved that metalcore was akin to the hardcore punk and noise rock released on Amphetamine Reptile or Touch and Go. Following a 2021 reunion at Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest, the legends now return with their first new album in 30 years. “Kill Fee” totally rips, proving that age is just a number. Expectations are high for the full LP dropping in June.
The new collaborative project from Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), M. Ward and McKowski (The Lost Brothers) takes us right to a sun-drenched Southwestern backyard barbeque. “Dance of the Gecko” captures the magic when three brilliant gentlemen happen to be in the same room together. The song was recorded by accident in Tucson by Gabe Sullivan (XIXA, Giant Sand), and later mixed by John Parish in Bristol. Geckøs will tour Spain this May while we eagerly await more music from these desert lizards.
Little Barrie & Malcolm Catto – Count of Four
The London-based, genre-bending trio Little Barrie has been around for a quarter of a century, always exploring new musical directions based on psychedelic rock, soul, deep funk, 1960s blues and more. If you haven’t heard any of their previous records, you might have caught a glimpse of their music when watching Better Call Saul – they did the theme song. Following the tragic passing of their original drummer, they teamed up with the Heliocentrics’ Malcom Catto and just released their first album on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label. “Count of Four” is one of several standout tracks from Electric War, where they seamlessly connect the dots between the Zombies and Can in a rather thrilling way.
Curtis Harding – There She Goes
“There She Goes” marks the first new music in four years from acclaimed Atlanta retro-soul singer Curtis Harding, following collaborations with artists like RÜFÜS DU SOL and Jazmine Sullivan. Standing on the shoulders of giants like Stevie and Curtis gives his music both a solid foundation and wide-open musical horizons, and “There She Goes,” a “poetic description capturing the beauty and duality of the ideal woman,” proves that Harding is still mastering the fine art of honoring musical traditions while creating songs that are equally modern and timeless.
Flint, Michigan’s Greet Death is back with a killer new track from their highly anticipated album Die In Love (June 27). Still draped in doomy shoegaze, “Country Girl” shimmers with a more organic sound than before, and floats like a daydream (or nightmare) on a rambling story referencing movies like Halloween, The Fog and A Nightmare on Elm Street. The accompanying music video looks like a homage to 1980s VHS horror movies, and singer Harper Boyhtari has described the song as “trying to solve a murder mystery and finding out you were the killer the whole time.”
Earlier this April, North West English emo/screamo punks UNIVERSITY released the complex but catchy single “Curwen,” from their upcoming debut album McCartney, It’ll Be OK. In four minutes and 30 seconds, they take us on a dizzying roller coaster ride of explosive energy and emotional tension. Recorded by producer Kwes Darko (slowthai, Sampa the Great) at Damon Albarn’s Studio 13 in London.
It would be easy to turn to hopelessness and despair in times like these, when one horrific headline follows the next. “Watching the news almost every night / telling the stories of all that ain’t right / but what could be done from a house and a home?” Cosmic folk/soul singer Valerie June asks the question on “Endless Tree,” a plea for hope, freedom and change. Her gorgeous, joyous new album explores the possibilities of a more harmonious world, and is just the medicine we all need right now. Owls, Omens, and Oracles is beautifully produced by M. Ward, and features contributions from Norah Jones and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
Florry – First it was a movie, then it was a book
Irresistible slacker anthem from Philly’s Florry. “First it was a movie, then it was a book” explores a landscape similar to Kurt Vile and MJ Lenderman, with a hint of free-spirited Southern groove and endless late-night, country-rock jam spirit.
Short write-ups about selected song favorites originally published weekly in tidal.com/magazine.
The Big Beast 