OCS – Memories of a Cut Off Head

There is no slowing down John Dwyer. Another record, another name change… which makes it four records under three names in 15 months. When the hits are flowing this fast though, why not just go for it, right? 14 years on from the first OCS project, Dwyer’s been on an absolute tear of quality song-writing. MOACOH also leans on “former core member” Brigid Dawson and the result is very different to the previous fuzz-heavy of records. This one’s largely acoustic, quite folksy and intrepid. Wonderfully weird yet sweet and soothing in its own way. Long live Thee Oh Sees/The Oh Sees/Oh Sees/OCS!

L.A. Witch – L.A. Witch

This is what it sounds like when reverb is out to get you. This is garage rock of the snarling variety, with thumpingly strong beats and heaps of dronage. There’s definite lineage to X and The Cramps at work here, and probably a few Hammer Horror films as well. After a few years of touring on these tracks they’re as tight as it gets, making for a very confident debut record that casts more than a few spells along the way.

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – The Emancipation Procrastination

The culmination of Scottie’s 2017 trilogy of modern jazz is arguably the finest set of the lot of them. The Centennial Trilogy, he called it. Christian Scott’s got a unique vision that’s worth spending some time with. His work is equally shaped by the paths forged in the past, the roads we’re travelling as a society in the present and the boundless future we’re entering into. Bebop scales on top of hip-hop beats. It’s been 100 years since the first jazz recordings. His trumpet is a weapon of protest.

Da$H - Double A-Side Volume 4

New Jersey rapper Da$h re-ups with his Double A-Side series, re-upping with two new songs. Yeah, that's right Da$h drops two songs at a time via this Double A-Side series which is a pretty cool angle in the modern musical landscape and that different way of delivering songs is exactly what you'd expect from someone who goes about their musical business differently. Vol 4 features 'Decisions' and 'Copacetic' which both ooze Da$h's dark vibe, both are tunes that you won't be partying to but you'll be vibin' out to and with RoseGold Wallie 'composing' both tracks there's an obvious chemistry between the two. Don't sleep on the fact that although there's only two songs, the depth of those songs and the changes in flow and tempo offer intriguing pockets within seven minutes.

Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts – Milano

Producer Daniele Luppi wanted to make a concept album in tribute to the artsy 80s Milan that he grew up in? Sweet as, great idea. Hey why not get chompy punk-poets Parquet Courts in as the house band? Yo, and Karen O can sing on a few songs, how’s that for an album? Many repeated listens later and it can be confirmed that it’s every bit as wicked as it sounds. Talisa, Memphis Blues Again and, especially, Pretty Prizes in particular are golden tunes.

The She’s - "all female rock and roll quartet"

If the title of the album, quotation marks and all, isn’t too on the button then there’s also a track on here called ‘Local Favorite All Female Garage Rock Quartet’. It’s an instrumental, by the way. In defiance against the lazy folk who’d reduce their musicianship to their gender, this record’s self-produced and full of little sonic risks that came good. There’s a strong hint of that summery San Fran glimmer with the guitars and the shuffling beats. Be Alright and Anywhere But Here are ripper tracks. Gotta sip a few good ones in the sun to these jams.

Madlib, MED & Blue - The Turn Up

Anything Madlib touches is golden and when he enlists his regular comrades MED and Blu, you know you're ears are going to be graced wtih glorious music. MED and Blu offer the bars, while Madlib drops his standard sample-heavy production for five songs, with instrumentals and acapella versions of the first two songs 'The Turn Up' and 'Jungles' making up the nine-track EP. These three artists are mandatory follows for any hip hop head and this is an example of how busy Madlib is; he dropped a few instrumentals earlier this year, as well as a collabo song with DOOM and has another collabo album with Freddie Gibbs in the works.

Circuit des Yeux – Reaching for Indigo

This is modern folk of the haunting, captivating variety. It’s a set of songs that swell and breathe, which reach towards their own mythology. Haley Fohr’s voice goes to places that you wouldn’t expect. There is poetry within. Reaching For Indigo has that dreamlike quality to it which separates it from so many other folk records all trying to capture a kind of cinematic atmosphere. A deep listen but a rewarding listen.