Published on
May 28, 2025
Category
Features
Essential weekend listening.
This week’s rundown is by VF contributors Emily Hill, David Murray and James Hammond.
Gastr Del Sol
Upgrade and Afterlife
(Drag City)
Perhaps the high-water mark of David Grubbs and Jim O’Rourke’s compositional left turns that left a remarkable discography in its wake, 1996’s Upgrade and Afterlife gets the reissue treatment this week. With a freewheeling expanse of sound and ideas across its four sides, loose foundations of guitar and organ are met with electronics and other off-kilter forces that tilt the balance of experimentation and song form. Joined on certain tracks by the likes of Tony Conrad and Gunter Muller, this one’s essential listening for adventurous ears. – JH
DJ Trystero
Cantor’s Paradise
(Felt)
DJ Trystero, the Japanese producer known for his dusty, drifting rhythms, presents his sophomore album, Cantor’s Paradise, on Fergus Jones (formerly known as Perko)’s FELT imprint. He has previously released acclaimed ambient work through Air Texture on Incensio and London powerhouse Trilogy Tapes. Spanning nine untitled tracks, Cantor’s Paradise drifts away from the dancefloor, offering faded memories through motorik rhythms and murmurs. It’s a beautiful addition to the FELT catalogue, perfectly aligned with the label’s gentle, offbeat sonic explorations. – EH
M(h)aol
Something Soft
(Merge)
Following some lineup changes, the feminist post-punkers return with their second full-length release. Known as much for their sense of humour lyrically as their often-searing instrumentation, the Irish trio’s new tracks soar by showcasing the full range of their strengths. Effortlessly blending wistful, punchy, and tongue-in-cheek moments, M(h)aol also bring us some of the most impressive guitar (often wonderfully distorted) and rhythm sections of their career to date. More than just something soft, this versatile and incredibly enjoyable record is a reminder that they’re still one of the most exciting and important Irish bands on the scene right now. – DM
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
The Church of Kidane Mehret
(Mississippi Records)
Following on from Emahoy Tesege Mariam Gebru’s Jerusalem and Souvenirs LPs, The Church of Kidane Mehret adds another sublime work to the ongoing reissue of the Ethiopian pianist’s work. Where Souvenirs unveiled her vocals in greater depth, this collection, which offers a wider release of a 1972 private press edition of the same name, adds harmonium and pipe organ to the piano instrumentals that Gebru is often associated with. With these new instruments and soothing tempos adding to the transfixing nature of the work, these recordings from churches across Jerusalem give profound exposition to Gerbu’s idea of “Ethiopian Church Music”. – JH
Alex Kassian X Spooky
Orange Coloured Liquid
(Test Pressing Records)
Berlin-based producer and DJ Alex Kassian returns to Test Pressing Records, this time as part of their dynamic rework series, alongside a remix by John Beltran under his Placid Angels alias. Kassian takes on the iconic Spooky single “Orange Coloured Liquid” from the duo’s early ’90s album Gargantuan, going head-to-head with a classic of the UK rave era. He captures the essence of that unique moment in time, preserving its floaty atmosphere and layering it with sweet, intricate drum breaks. The release is rounded out with a dreamy shoegaze remix from Beltran, adding a lush final touch. – EH
Home is Where
Hunting Season
(Many Hats Distribution)
Florida’s fifth-wave emo outfit Home is Where follow up 2023’s The Whaler with a record that not only tightens their sound but demonstrates just how far they can push what we might expect its limits to be. Occasionally swerving harder in either direction, Hunting Season confidently walks the line between emo and country, but it’s when the four-piece achieves the perfect fusion of the two that their sound reaches new heights. It’s an excitingly fresh take on the emo record that’s sure to make waves and put the band on the map outside their circles. Second single “milk & diesel” is a solid introduction, but be sure to stick around for stand-out album tracks, “everyone won the lotto”, “mechanical bull” and “roll tide” to see what Home is Where are all about.– DM
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