By Bandcamp Daily Staff May 20, 2022
Welcome to Essential Releases, our weekly round-up of albums we can’t stop playing and that we think you need to hear.
enchant
Heart in Camden 3
Halfway through the second part of his series mind of camden, Jolly Discs head Guy Gormley makes a sharp left turn.So far – seven tracks from the original mind of camden As well as the first three of the sequel – Gormley had sold heavy rhythm pieces, which he adorned with atmospheric keys, resulting in what can best be described as “surreal club music”.But when “FD” starts Heart in Camden 2, the bottom exit; here Gormley abandons rhythm altogether in favour of exploring moody, atmospheric, near-ambient tracks, where tones occur with the eerie coherence of traffic lights hanging above empty roads at 3am changed.he pushes the absorption further Heart in Camden 3, the most experimental music to date bears the name Enchante. On tracks like “Soul of the Weed Garden,” the notes spill almost randomly, stumbling across a soft, atmospheric blanket. “Infrared” has almost horror-movie tension, with Gormley extending a high, crisp synth note on top of what sounds like a digital crow. There’s a chill all around you – aptly named “Cold Sun,” filled with choir-like pads pulling the same note for minutes on end. Heart in Camden 3 A timely reminder that Gormley has quietly become one of the most fascinating composers in electronic music, and why Jolly Discs is a mark worth following.
–J. Edward Case
mage
hate the master…
Described as a “Black Metal/Chiptune fusion set in pixelated dreams”, mage The 8 brainchild of Garry Brents, a prolific metal artist from Dallas known by most as half of the grind-core villain Caranel. You could say their interests are a bit eccentric, not to mention very geeky.they’ve written songs to deal with social media death metal and 8 pocket size, mothman and”Gastrointestinal betrayal. With that in mind, I introduce you to Brents’ latest Gonemage release, a noir, chip-tuned war metal album dedicated entirely to Mario’s evil, violent, deadly flatulent cousin, Wario. If this sounds like a cheap gimmick to you, I dare you to listen to the title song and tell me not to beat those riffs, or like “Shake it! Like Purple Wind/In the ring again/This time you’re on TV/Body Slam is forgotten” is not the most flattering lyric on any metal album, video game inspired or not. That’s pure, grotesque, my friend The sight, I fucking love it. WOW!!!
–Camp Zoe
Nugenea
Mediterranean Bar
Mediterranean Bar, the latest album from Italo-Funk duo Nu Genea, is a replica of everything we love about this subgenre: gentle guitar arpeggios, frothy synths, carefree melodies—and most importantly, Stunning, sparkling beats make you feel like you’re on the beach wherever you listen. The two Napoli natives, Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina, were to be expected.as we pointed out before Italo-Funk Guide, They are one of the most important and forward-thinking groups of the moment, mixing their hometown traditions with elements of dub, chanson pop, and more. Possibly their best album to date, this album is less of a songbook than a compendium of dialogue; modern funk and political ballad collide on a propulsive “Vesuvius” that will feature working-class values The well-known band E’ Zezi’s decades-old songs have been adapted into powerful dance tunes, while “Marechia” combines Neapolitan and French dialects into a unified, upbeat language.Creating a shared experience is Mediterranean Bar is all about. “When travelers walk through its ‘gates’ with their rich language and emotions, they are no longer strangers,” the pair wrote in their descriptions. “They’re part of a shared experience that enriches themselves and others by taking an unexpected musical journey.” It was a big, funky happy hour, and we were all invited.
–Camp Zoe
Tess Park
with those who are seen dancing
Every line Tess Parks sings on her catchy new record feels like a mystery. On “Suzy & Sally’s Eternal Return,” she sings “a good friend of mine once said, ‘You must be dead'” with the conviction that if you think about it, the meaning of it will be Untangled on its own. (Ibid. oblique letter near the end: “Heaven is deep / I’ll see you there.”) Thanks to her collaboration with Anton Newcomb of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Parks will be Known to some, but don’t hold her against it.As those lyrics suggest, Music Park delivers with those who are seen dancing Shrouded in mystery, her voice has a ghostly squeak reminiscent of Kristen Hersh’s early solo work. Much of the arrangement focuses on the breathy organ chords of Francesco Perini, only enhancing the séance-like atmosphere. On the vicious opening track “WOW,” Parkes’ chalky voice seems to disappear into a sea of keyboards. “I See Angels” could have been a REM ballad with its loud, reverb guitar and chintzy ice rink organ monster. At the center of all of this is the ghost of Parks, whose voice is at times soothing and ominous, delivering a message that will disrupt your ability to decode.
–J. Edward Case
Perel
jesus is an alien
Signing out of a Perel theme can be very, very easy jesus is an alien. According to the album notes: “Jesus is an Alien is a discourse about whether Jesus was a real alien,” [Perel] explained, “But also a social debate about what religion is and what it means today.” Oh, no: a whole From stoning conversations at college parties to racist YouTube slurs, a series of bad philosophical debates keep popping up. Fear not, though; this is actually a sharp, pleasure Club records use the cliché of the dance floor as a spiritual space.forever wonderful Mary Davidson Adds her arches and deep blunt humor to the title track, asking what people are real Look for in faith-based practice. (Hint: a lot of it is about power.) Perel’s work here isn’t exactly edgy. It’s a mix of breezy synth-pop, bouncy electronica, and strict techno-house (including piano stabs, like in “Matrix,” where she repeats in all sorts of silly overwrought ways” Welcome to the Matrix, Welcome to your home”) but that’s sometimes exactly what you want to hear.Maybe it’s because I was an adult in the ’90s and at the turn of the millennium to punk shows and raves in equal measure, but the seriousness of rave culture at the time felt like what she’s calling for here, both vocally and thematically . exist jesus is an alienI felt a love for that era, and a desire to play with some of its worst tendencies; Were we so young, Were we so thoroughly convinced?
–Jess Skolnick
they hate change
Finally, the new
Finally, the new Full of unbridled talent. Tampa Bay production and rap duo composed of Vonne and Andre, whose debut was an eclectic mix of East Coast rap, Miami bass, drum ‘n’ bass, post-punk, prog, grime, Chicago footwork, and more Influence. The duo rightly made the spectacular opener “Stuntro,” in which Vonne references A Tribe Called Quest’s “I left my wallet in El Segundo” It reads “I ordered enchiladas and I ate it/Now we’re out of the country/Need a translation.” The album’s longest track is the spatial and electronic “Reversible Keys,” and the lead single “From The Floor” is a fusion of Miami bass and British drum “n” bass. On the classic Southern rap song “Some Days I Hate My Voice,” Vonne mentions Jackie Shane and talks about androgyny and gender.all in all Finally, the new An exciting musical journey and a great introduction to this undeniably talented duo.
