Bonobo – The North Borders (Ninja Tune/ April 1 2013)
By Christopher Oliver
Bonobo is an artist that has been around for some time, a name bandied around the subculture of not only dance culture but the beat generation of the noughties. His most recent work, The North Borders, released without perhaps the same fanfare that Black Sands was privy to; had in fact came late to the game in discovering its release. But no stranger to Simon Green’s work, being a latecomer has never really mattered.
Lukid – Lonely At The Top (Werkdiscs/ Ninja Tune - October 22 2012)
By Christopher Oliver
Luke Blair, more commonly known by his production moniker Lukid, has always come across as the dour sort. One look at his twitter feed or his own label Glum; its peculiar double-face vinyl stickers, would confirm this. Even reading through previous interviews with Blair, you can ascertain that he’s somewhat of a malcontent. A man coursing with a propensity to deride his peers; to provide often subtle jabs of irony or just pure fun at the industry and the media in general that he, and indeed we all, are exposed to.
Bosnian Rainbows (Feat. Omar Rodríguez-López) at The Garage, Highbury, London, October 3 2012
By Christopher Oliver
I should be clear right here and now that, though advertised as such, this was not an Omar Rodríguez-López Group show. No, this was a tour booked instead to showcase the man’s latest project, something he identifies as his new band and something he’ll “be focusing on a lot more”.
of Montreal – Daughter Of Cloud (Polyvinyl Records/ October 23 2012)
By Christopher Oliver
of Montreal follow February’s release Paralytic Stalks with a new rarities compilation, Daughter of Cloud. The 17-track effort comprises unreleased tracks and rarities recorded between 2007 and 2012. The entire compilation will be released digitally, on CD, cyan-colored double LP and as a limited edition purple cassette.
The Sun Ra Arkestra are to play the Barbican under the direction of Free Jazz pioneer Marshall Allen on September 29 2012. The legendary cosmic jazz orchestra will play in a 20-piece line-up, featuring a special light show from psychedelic lighting innovators Mystic Lights.
Sun Ra, one of the greatest jazz artists of the last four decades, died in 1993, and the Arkestra now performs under the direction of alto saxophonist Marshall Allen (who is featured on over 200 Sun Ra recordings). Their recent series of residencies at Cafe OTO in Dalston have thrilled and inspired a new generation of listeners. For this special Transcender performance, Allen will direct an expanded Arkestra line-up, accompanied by the specially-commissioned light show from Mystic Lights.
The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet (Warner / March 26, 2012)
By Christopher Oliver
The sixth album to be released by messers Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala as The Mars Volta, Noctourniquet has proven to be a substantial wait for this normally prolific outfit. Lopez divulged in interviews for his new film, Los Chidos, that this new record was in fact completed directly after the release 2009′s Octahedron. Arguments with Zavala about the dynamic in the group led to Lopez giving the front man time to breathe, in order to produce the lyrics and vocals at his own pace. When referring to the status of the group during an interview with LA Weekly, Lopez said ‘[...]something has to change drastically in it. I have to step down as a dictator’. And this change seems apparent on the new record. Early descriptions from a Zavala press release advised that there would be no bilingual lyrics, super long tracks, or mosquito buzzing-like drums in your ears – just pure future-punk. He wasn’t wrong. Well, not entirely.
