Crucial Listening

Sitting in a room, Hip Hop Connections, looking for a breadfruit tree. The Blackburn-based artist, radio DJ, podcast producer and lecturer discusses three important albums.Paul's picks:De La Soul – 3 Feet High And RisingThe Congos – Heart Of The CongosAlvin Lucier – I Am Sitting In A RoomPaul's latest solo record, Cobblestones & Kitchari, is out now on Fractal Meat Cuts. His personal Bandcamp page is here, while Gripe is over here. Check out his radio show Out To Lunch over at Back2BackFM, and be sure to check out the podcasts Hooked On Hope and Kick Down The Barriers too. Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Releasing your giant, rural music in the city, stealing the cat from the temple. The Bangkok-based artist discusses three important albums.Pisitakun's picks:Pornsak Songsaeng – สาวจันทร์กั้งโกบJing.com – มันส์ ม่วน คักBuddhist chants – Malai chant / Giant chantCheck out Absolute C.O.U.P. on the Chinabot Bandcamp. Hear more Pisitakun over at Soundcloud and follow him on Facebook.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

Invocations for judgement and destruction, sons of nature, reimagining the music of Indonesia. Wukir Suryadi and Rully Shabara discuss three important albums.Senyawa's picks:Gugus Gema – S/TSawung Jabo/Iwan Fals – DalboChurch Universal And Triumphant, Inc. Featuring Elizabeth Clare Prophet ‎– The Sounds Of American Doomsday Cults Alkisah is out next month from 39 record labels around the world. Find a full list of participating labels right here. Special thanks to Phantom Limb for co-ordinating this conversation. Rully also mentions this incredible video of Lab'art Ferrum during our conversation, which is well worth checking out.Donate to Crucial Listening on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/cruciallistening

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