Built in the eighties by the Kyiv-based Antonov Design Bureau, and named after the Ukrainian word for ‘dream’ or ‘inspiration’, the Antonov An-22 Mriya was the heaviest aircraft of all time and boasted the largest wingspan of any operational freighter until it was destroyed last week in the Battle of Hostomel. Composed before the onset of war, now the producer and ШЩЦ founder Bodya Konakov releases the song ‘Мрія’ under his Alien Body alias, leading the call to shelter our skies as labels from Mondoj to Mappa and artists like Skee Mask and Perila join forces to condemn the invasion of Ukraine while pledging their support to humanitarian causes.
On his first release for Conjunto Vacío, the prolific saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi turns from searing declamations of war to pay tribute to the decorated heroes of the 442nd Infantry Regiment. For Blue Note Records the acclaimed vibraphonist Joel Ross leads a dynamic eight-piece ensemble including Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Maria Grand on tenor, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Kalia Vandever on trombone, Sean Mason on piano, Rick Rosato on bass, and Craig Weinrib on percussion. Wanton Witch blends wicked trance and staggered breaks on an extended play for TV Showw, and Tonstartssbandht reissue three early standouts on Fire Talk.
The Portico Quartet bassist Milo Fitzpatrick launches a new collaborative project with Jordan Smart as Vega Trails, while Keiko Higuchi delivers a haunting rendition of a Japanese folk song from the island of Hokkaidō. Mary Lattimore strives to save Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, and HAIM share slices of Bundt cake in a video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer snack on blueberries and lingonberries while continuing to explore the granite and moss of the Åland Islands, with tracks by Kurt Vile, Eli Keszler, Bishop Nehru, Aircode, and Maria Chiara Argirò completing the roundup of best new music.
Playlists: Spotify · Apple Music · YouTube
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Tonstartssbandht – ‘Hymn Eola Acapella’
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Bishop Nehru – ‘Will You Remember Me?’
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Wanton Witch – ‘You’ll Never Be Enough’
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HAIM – ‘Lost Track’
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Mary Lattimore – ‘Moon Over Deetjen’s’
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Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer – ‘Snåcko’
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Eli Keszler – ‘The Vaulting Sky’
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Patrick Shiroishi – ‘442 (Acoustic)’
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Keiko Higuchi – ‘the still 05 esashi oiwake / 江差追分’
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Maria Chiara Argirò – ‘Bonsai’
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Kurt Vile – ‘Hey Like A Child’
