Published on
January 17, 2025
Category
Features
Essential weekend listening.
This week’s rundown is by VF contributors Annabelle Van Dort, Emily Hill and James Hammond.
Blue Lake
Weft
(Tonal Union)
The Texas-born, Copenhagen-based instrumentalist and composer Jason Dungan returns with the ethereal Weft, the second release from his Blue Lake project that once again reimagines his vision of Americana within expansive, Scandinavian plains. Inspired by the work of his partner, Danish visual artist and skilled weaver Maria Zahle—whose vibrant yet delicate creations are pictured on the cover—Dungan’s sinuous guitar layers merge into enigmatic new forms, like a thread on a loom.
Focusing on first takes, live recordings, and integrating new instruments such as melodica and 12-string guitar, Weft carries an air of gentle unpredictability—like a shifting breeze or an improvised sketch—changeable without the burden of permanence. – AVD
Rehab333
DR0000
(WeMe)
Elusive Brussels label WeMe release their 88th record, kicking 2025 off with a bang through a tasty braindance six-tracker from the anonymous Rehab333. A selection of the tracks on this record had previously been released digitally by the Parisian label Postal Code Records back in 2024 and are now reformatted for wax lovers. Classy and addictive rhythms reverberate from the off, offering both a sense of nostalgia and freshness with an electro core. One for Alek Stark, CPU core. – EH
Konrad Sprenger
Set
(Black Truffle)
Black Truffle open their 2025 account with this solo outing for renowned composer and instrument builder Jörg Hiller under his Konrad Sprenger moniker. Working with the Ensemble Risonanze Moderne, Hiller puts the acoustic/synthetic blur of his work to good use with instrumentation that strikes a curious balance between what’s physically played and what’s automated. Sustained organs, guitar, flutes and steel drums playfully shift around in this transfixing and ambitious work. – JH
Al Wooton
Calvinist Hospitality
(TRULE Recordings)
Al Wooton proves once again that he is an alchemist of low-end frequencies with the release of Calvinist Hospitality on his TRULE Records label. A hypnagogic feast of looping, ritualistic percussion, disorienting delay, and ominous, feedback-laden soundscapes, Wooton reimagines the post-industrial grittiness of late 20th-century European dancefloors within the decaying neoliberalism of today. – AVD
Nourished By Time
Erotic Probiotic 2
(XL Recordings)
Nourished by Time aka Marcus Brown has been consistently doing bits, releasing his first physical record via London mainstay Scenic Route back in 2022 and taking things to the next level with his sensational debut album Erotic Probiotic 2. Originally released back in 2023, it gets a much-needed reissue via the iconic XL imprint. Balancing a bountiful selection of genres, this album keeps on surprising the listener as it pivots between smooth jazz and punkish rap whilst respectfully honouring the classics. – EH
Blacksea Nao Myah
Despertar
(Principe)
Lisbon-based Principe Records’ long-running hot streak of LPs continues here with this belter from Blacksea Não Mya. The work of DJs Kolt, Noronha and Perigoso, their collective flair for adventurous, non-conformist dance music takes another step forward with Despertar. From lurching reverb drips, to inventive synth workouts with attention to the subs, this one’s all about the unpredictable twists and turns. – JH
Sign up to our weekly newsletter
Never miss a thing
