Confinement whets the appetite for wide open spaces, for propulsive movement and the vicarious thrill of collaboration. On the album On Our Own Clock, musicians from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Senegal find kindred spirits despite having their meetup plans skewered by the pandemic. Portico Quartet find their groove on the hang drum and saxophone, in an uptempo twist on their latest suite of ambient minimalism. And Laurel Halo and Heinrich Köbberling sit in on the latest record by the dub icon Moritz von Oswald, as drum hits, organ licks, and chattering insects add radiant heat to the lilting jazz synthesis.
From Istanbul by way of Berlin and Copenhagen, the classically trained pianist turned club breakout Nene H blends pummeling beats and whirling recitations in a stirring tribute to her late father. Amid rooftop reflections, the New York rapper Wiki announces the upcoming album Half God with production by Navy Blue. And from Manchester the electronic artist Anz mines genres from garage to grime, placing us slap-bang in the middle of an all-day-long dance adventure.
This week María Isabel picks herself up off the floor, Patrick Watson stares into the sun, and Madi Diaz wipes away tears on the M train to Brooklyn. Nala Sinephro shifts frequencies on the pedal harp in her debut for Warp, while Arturo O’Farrill leads the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble on his first record for Blue Note. Little Simz stages a stick ’em up, Deb Never and Jim-E Stack swirl sweetness and spice, and Smoko Ono, Yxng Bane, Chance the Rapper, and Joey Purp prove a winning foursome. Rico Nasty, Isaiah Rashad, Scratchclart, Martina Lussi, Charli XCX, and Laila Sakini also feature in the latest roundup of music.
Playlists: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
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Charli XCX – ‘Good Ones’
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Anz – ‘You Could Be’ (feat. George Riley)
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Portico Quartet – ‘Impressions’
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María Isabel – ‘Baby…’
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Moritz von Oswald Trio – ‘Chapter 7’
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Madi Diaz – ‘Crying In Public’
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Deb Never & Jim-E Stack – ‘Sweet & Spice’
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Smoko Ono, Yxng Bane, and Chance the Rapper – ‘Winners’ (feat. Joey Purp)
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Arturo O’Farrill – ‘How I Love’ (feat. The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble)
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Patrick Watson – ‘Can’t Stop Staring at the Sun’
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Little Simz – ‘Point And Kill’ (feat. Obongjayar)
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On Our Own Clock – ‘Be The Light’
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Rico Nasty – ‘Buss’
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Isaiah Rashad – ‘Chad’ (feat. YGTUT)
