Crucial Listening

Battling the beast of boredom, choosing the bloodstream over the live stream, being cooler than Santa Claus. The Portland-based abstract sound musician discusses three important albums.Daniel's picks:Alvin Lucier – Music On A Long Thin WireDie Kreuzen – S/TDiamanda Galás – Litanies Of SatanDaniel's wonderful new record The Soaring is available now over on SIGE. Find more of his releases on his own Bandcamp.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Ethereal spatiality, appropriated memories of home, millennial mythos. The multimedia artist from Mexico discusses three important albums.Laura's picks:Golden Living Room – Welcome HomeCore Of The Coalman – Mystery OdesBath Consolidated –  Narryer Gneiss TerraneLaura's latest record, Tuberose, is out now on Whited Sepulchre. Listen/buy on Bandcamp. Check out the Remembrance Species 2020 compilation here.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Lockdown dance parties, loosening the Nutcracker's limbs, finding space to breathe. The songwriter and saxophonist discusses three important albums.Ashley's picks:Jonathan Richman – I, JonathanDuke Ellington – The Nutcracker SuiteJoshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Mandatory RealityAshley's excellent new record, Ray, is out now on Slip. Check it out on Bandcamp. A few tracks are previewing on The Wire too.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Consolidations of love, breaking fourth walls, strength with machines. Camila de Laborde and Daniel Hermann-Collini discuss their important albums.Camila Fuchs' picks:Jenny Berger Myhre – LintLeila – Like WeatherFlying Lizards – Fourth WallThe KLF – The White RoomSpacemen 3 – RecurringThe duo's new record, Kids Talk Sun, is out now via Felte. Check it out on Bandcamp here, and you can follow the band on Twitter or Facebook.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Resonances in empty libraries, unseen Mingus vibing, high school post-rock discoveries. John Daniel discusses three important albums.John's picks: Charles Mingus – Ken Burns JazzDo Make Say Think – Goodbye Enemy Airship The Landlord Is DeadStars Of The Lid – Avec LaudenumCheck out the Forest Management website here, and head over to the Reserve Matinee Bandcamp to hear that phenomenal Kevin Drumm split. John is on Twitter as @cascadecrash.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Beautiful choreography, explorations of cinematic spaces, cassette collections in the back of the photograph. Sarah Badr discusses three important albums.Sarah's picks:Fairuz – Maarifti FeekRoly Porter – AftertimeToumani Diabaté + Ballaké Sissoko – New Ancient StringsThe latest FRKTL album, Excision After Love Collapses, is available over at Bandcamp. You can also check out FRKTL over at Soundcloud and on her website.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Banning all cymbals, post-hardcore road trips, low frequency earworms. The New Orleans musician discusses three important albums.Melissa's picks:Peter Gabriel – 3 (Melt)Unwound – Fake TrainBjörk – PostThe new MJ Guider record, Sour Cherry Bell, is out now via Kranky. Check it out on Bandcamp, and be sure to watch the two beautiful videos for FM Secure and Simulus. Melissa's website is here. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

The omnipresence of data, Bandcamp soul/sound-searching, goofy classical. The scientist, artist and community organiser discusses three important albums.Sarmistha's picks:Moor Mother – Analog Fluids Of Sonic Black HolesR. D. Burman – Padosan OSTMaria Chavez – PlaysPan Daijing – LackCheck out Tavishi's music on their Bandcamp or over on the CHINABOT label. Their film H O M E is on YouTube right here.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Dub reggae masterclasses, cacophonous veganism, ambient treasure troves. The musician and producer discusses three important albums (and an honourable mention).Kush's picks:Skinny Puppy – Too Dark ParkVarious – Jah Warrior ShowcaseVolahn – Aq'Ab'AlHonourable mention:Pete Namlook + Jonah Sharp – Alien Community Part 1 + 2Find Only Now on Bandcamp, including the brand new EP Black Wind / Merciless Destiny. Kush is on Twitter and Facebook.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Waves of timelessness, electromagnetic chandelier recordings, Minilogue improvisations. The Nairobi-based sound artist discusses three (well, four) important albums. Joseph's picks:Ana Roxanne – ~​~​~Chris Watson – El Tren FantasmaRival Consoles – PersonaHonourable mention: Idrissa Soumaoro – DjitoumouThe new KMRU record Peel is out now on Editions Mego. KMRU is on Bandcamp and has a website over at kmru.info. Also be sure check out Black Bandcamp – a crowd-sourced database of black artists and producers on Bandcamp.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening