Crucial Listening

Fishing the sound, math rock imposter syndrome, maximalist gratitude. The Athens-based sound and visual artist discusses three important albums.Babak's picks:Black Midi – SchlagenheimRyuichi Sakamoto – asyncMachine Girl – U-Void SynthesizerBabak's latest album, Mind Flaying Flavored Flails, is out now on Jollies. Check it out here. Go explore the accompanying virtual exhibition over on New Art City. Babak has a website and is on Instagram.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Nostalgia rushes, unhurried solo guitar, Pharoah jumps in. The American trombonist and composer discusses three important albums.Kalia's picks:Grouper – Dragging A Dead DeerFloating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Contemporary Orchestra – PromisesJeff Parker – ForfolksKalia Vandever's new album, We Fell In Turn, is out 31st March on AKP Recordings. Kalia has a website here and is on Instagram.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Uncomfortable DJ sets, sacred ratio songs, the "best band in the UK right now". The primary member of The Brian Jonestown Massacre discusses three important albums.Anton's picks:The 13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor ElevatorsAlice Coltrane – Turiya SingsThe Soundcarriers – EntropicaliaThe latest (and 20th!) BJM album, The Future Is Your Past, is out now. Their website is here. Follow Anton on Instagram and Twitter.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Communal grief, tapes from the Halal Meat Shop, time-space departures. The Hyderabadi Muslim American poet, musician, interdisciplinary artist discusses three important albums.Sham-e-Ali's picks:Alice Coltrane – A Monastic TrioNusrat Fateh Ali Khan – Live At The Royal Albert Hallvhvl – myrrhSham-e-Ali's new album, Moti Ka Sheher, is out now. Check it out here. She's got a website and is on Instagram.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Ruinous beauty, hauling a bass sax up the stairs, Hendrix's face, worlds of breath. The saxophonist and composer discusses his important albums.Colin's picks:Hendrix – Band Of GypsysPeter Brötzmann / Bill Laswell – Low LifeEnya – Shepherd MoonsSam Cooke – Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963Colin's new album Chimæra I is out now via ROOM40. You can also grab it on Colin's Bandcamp. Colin's website is here.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Intuitive resonance, cataclysmic dualities, bandleader grace. The UK-based saxophonist discusses three important albums.Xhosa's picks:Sonny Rollins – With The Modern Jazz QuartetShirley Horn Trio – SoftlyBalimaya Project – Wolo SoXhosa's latest album, Ibeji, is out now on Stoney Lane Records. Listen here. His website is here.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Heart wrung like a towel, Skullcandy bass, the magic of music boxes. The Beirut-based multi-instrumentalist, video artist and puppeteer discusses three important albums.Yara's picks:Aphex Twin – DrukqsColleen – Et Les Boîtes À MusiqueDaniel Johnston – Hi, How Are YouYara's debut album, Home Recordings 2018 - 2021, is out now via Hive Mind Records – check it out here. She's on Instagram – @microwave.blues.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Visions of hell/paradise, two G's in eggs, bizarre lemonade. The composer/multi-instrumentalist from Austin, Texas discusses three important albums.Mari's picks:Jim O'Rourke – EurekaRobert Ashley – Private PartsSOPHIE – ProductThe fabulous Strawberry Season by More Eaze is out now via Leaving Records. Check it out on Bandcamp or Boomkat. Mari is on Instagram and Twitter.

Vocal imitation games, aural cocktails, jazz-adjacent ingenuity. The New York-based composer and pianist discusses three important albums.Phillip's picks:Ensemble Organum & Marcel Peres – Guillaume de Machaut: Messe de Notre-DameRan Blake – Painted Rhythms: The Compleat Ran Blake Volume 1The Claudia Quintet – I, ClaudiaPhillip's debut solo album, Filters, is out now via Greyfade. His website is here and he's on Instagram @phillipgolub.

Too-short tracks, dying melodies, birds mimicking electronics, the highest organ note. The musicians and collaborators discuss their important albums.Julian's picks:J Dilla – DonutsJean C. Roché – Birds Of VenezuelaFeldermelder's picks: Autechre – LP5Pedro Santos – KrishnandaBonn Route is out now via -OUS. Check it out here. Also worth checking are Feldermelder's new solo album, Euphoric Attempts, and Julian Sartorius' recent record Mux.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening