Kinds of Kings, a six-member composer collective dedicated to producing inclusive work and advocating for…
Mary Halvorson and John Dieterich’s first collaborative album, ‘A Tangle of Stars,’ released on artistically diverse label New Amsterdam Records, unfolds across a wide range of musical styles.
“Alone Again” is violinist and composer Sarah Goldfeather’s immersive ode to rejection. It’s a dramatic, indie-pop response to the open wounds of lost love. A heartbreaking relatability seeps through every synth-laden lyric, following influence from artists like Sufjan Stevens and Mitski. Its accompanying video amplifies the sonic intensity, using visual layering to mimic the echoing loneliness of the music itself.
Lost In, modern jazz ensemble SWART.’s 2018 debut album, is a collection of stories, both musical and personal. It showcases a wide sonic range, moving through big band-style jazz jams, introspective explorations, and wild, nearly pure-sound improvisations.
“Oil Islands” is intoxicating. Voice, saxophone, and electronics mesh art song with synth pop, blurring the lines of genre or perhaps shrugging off those confines entirely. Andrew Rodriguez isn’t interested in defining his music by one style – his influences range from DIY to hip hop to classical and jazz. And “Oil Islands” is his sonic playground.
A brightly colored, circular labyrinth, designed by Diana Carulli and located in New York City’s East River Park, was home to composer D. Edward Davis’s participatory sound installation, ‘instill,’ on September 21. The piece, a sounding meditation, welcomed onlookers to pace the painted pavement, soaking in the multitude of sounds around them.
Brooklyn-based percussionist and sound artist Adam Holmes is embarking on his first album as both the composer and performer, pivoting towards writing music as well as playing it. Embodying both of these roles has been liberating for him – it’s given him the ability to make music on his own terms.
‘in a (once-)blossomed place’ is a stark investigation of displacement through different sonic textures, timbres, and processes.
Newness – and noise – were fully embraced at Muchmore’s. It was a night made up of the kind of creativity that is open and unafraid, encouraging sonic exploration and welcoming new musical territories.
Wadada Leo Smith walked out onto the fluorescent-lit stage with a stack of papers. He…