5 Tewns Vol.16

Read Time: 3 mins

I didn’t write anything about music during January or most of February. Instead, it’s been near-biblical rainfall, and bouts of illness and depression have also reared their head — as usual. If I’m honest, I didn’t really listen to much either, apart from the odd philosophy or witchcraft podcast here and there.

However, the clouds have finally dispersed, the ground is drying out, and I’ve had enough mental space to dig in and find a few gems. From transcendental medieval drones to turbo-speed percussive techno, here’s my top five for the week:

Laura Cannell – Duet With a Ghost

Absolutely stunning transcendental drone music from Laura Cannell’s The Medieval Drone Society II. Like the fog which covers our valley every morning, I’ve been getting lost in it. Inspired by the composer Guillaume de Machaut, whose work I’m woefully ignorant of, it is an album of unrelenting yearning.

Fleete – In Deed

I don’t know much about this one, but Fish City’s Fleete describe themselves simply as “improvisations for electric guitar and laptop”, and that’s alright by me. The whole EP is great, but something in the sub bass sound on In Deed reminds me of fellow citizens of Kingston Upon Hull, Fila Brazillia. Smatterings of dreampop and krautrock combine to create washed-out, drifting soundscapes.

Shabaka – Marwa The Mountain

Complex rhythms, flutes and signature tenor sax flourishes, latticed and layered to deft effect by one of the best avant-jazz musicians working today, Shabaka (The Ancestors, The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet). Taken from the upcoming album Of the Earth, which, judging by the handful of tracks currently on Bandcamp, will be magnificent. I can’t wait!

Hey Bony – Cargo Bravo

This high-octane percussive workout from Hey Bony has caused such ferocious toe-tapping in the studio this week that I might have twisted my ankle. If I had a lawyer, I’d be contacting them. This is deadly.

Hen Ogledd – End of the Rythym

Taken from Hen Ogledd’s latest offering, Discombobulation, this song has it all: Can-like snaking bass, offbeat rhythms, and a huge, anthemic chorus that recalls the theatrical voicing of Grace Jones’ Slave to the Rhythm. Not to mention lines like “They want us to fail, but workers can win.” I’ll post the video because I love it, but you can buy the full album here.