So, 2024… an entire year gone by with no aJN reviews posted (Daily Tunes series still going strong, though). There was no shortage of great sounds – as you’ll see in the list below – but I’ve felt less able to put words to paper. In part, that’s because it’s been a crappy year on a personal level and we all know the wider world continues to go to hell in the proverbial handcart, but perhaps the aJazzNoise ego trip has run its course after 10 years? Hmmm… we’ll see.
Anyway, in the meantime, here are fifteen albums of sonic subtlety and brutality that – whether I could find the words or not – absolutely wowed me. Without further blather or ado…
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Farida Amadou
“When It Rains It Pours”
(Week-End Records)
Farida Amadou’s solo bass is utterly unique; here recreating/soundtracking thunderstorms and earthquakes – just four strings generating a sculptural, idiosyncratic audio experience.
ZD Grafters
“Three Little Birds”
(Crackedankles)
The Grafters really should have been on one of these lists before (shocking omission, really). Here, Dave K switches to dirty gutter-bass, Zac K’s drums are heavy as ever, with some lovely subtle fills to be heard, and Riddell Thomas expands the duo to a trio with some nicely twisted skronk-sax wailing. Filthy stuff.
Jacken Elswyth
At Fargrounds
(Wrong Speed Records)
Shovel Collective member, banjo-maker, trad-folk interpreter and explorer of the drone… this is Jacken Elswyth on banjo and shruti box, joined by Kate Gathercole (fiddle, harmonium) and Mark Waters (double bass) for eight traditional tunes interspersed with four live, experimental improvisations. Uplifting – both joyous and cosmic.
The Cellar
“Free Nelson Mandoomjazz”
(Slow Tape Records)
Recorded a few years back, six more doses of atmospheric doom-skronk from Sneddon, Stewart & Archibald. This time, each track is augmented by a guest (waterphone, vocals, double bass, cello, etc.) broadening the palette. A welcome addition to the FNMDJ discography; still hopeful for some new recordings soon… (sighs wistfully).
Li Jianhong
“Soul Solitary”
(WV Sorcerer Productions, Ramble Records, Echodelick Records)
Two side-long, glorious slabs of experimental guitar frenzy – noise, distortion, fret abuse, guttural roars, feedback – an absolute catharsis of freedom and personal expression for guitar freaks everywhere.
Teen Prime
“no. 10”
(self-published)
Herky-jerky clatter-crash-shimmer-twang-snarl drums and guitar that’ll slice the top of your head off and play Twister with the contents therein. Add to that the introduction of some bizarre (at times, Beefheartian) vocal touches and it’s my favourite Teen Prime so far.
Zoe Efstathiou
“Edge of Chaos – Solo Piano”
(Alkekung Records)
An unhurried yet tense and atmospheric exploration of the piano’s sonic possibilities. Single notes reverberate alongside string scrapes and thuds, coming together in an unexpectedly moving whole.
Frédéric D. Oberland, Grégory Dargent, Tony Elieh, Wassim Halal
“SIHR”
(Sub Rosa)
A beautiful mélange of instrumentation, styles and cultures – seducing and entrancing before deconstructing and breaking down. Hypnotic as hell.
Maria Bertel & Nina Garcia
“KNÆKKET SMIL“
(KRAAK)
Raw and monolithic, Bertel’s trombone sounds like a black hole breathing and Garcia’s distorted guitar skitters across the event horizon. There’s something relentlessly monumental about the results.
Patrick Shiroishi, Àlex Reviriego, Vasco Trilla
“The Devil, Probably II”
(Fort Evil Fruit)
Three of my favourite musicians? In a trio? Again? A darker sequel to last year’s release, heading into more subterranean, dronier, creakier territories while retaining the precise, interlocking clarity.
Catherine Sikora, Colin Fisher, Brad E. Rose
“Recherché”
(Ramble Records)
Three improvisations – synthesizer, drums and saxophone – each recorded in isolation and then combined, layered and merged into a beautiful buzzing, droning, wild and yearning result that argues in favour of telepathy; or at least a spooky, three-way intuition.
Patrick Shiroishi
“Glass House”
(Otherly Love)
Four tracks, one complete, sweeping sonic experience. Patrick Shiroishi brings his multi-instrumentalist side, with piano in the (more or less) lead. A slow and immensely satisfying build and an intensely and evocatively ‘visual’ piece of music.
Han-earl Park, Yorgos Dimitriadis, Camila Nebbia
“Gonggong 225088”
(Waveform Alphabet)
From quiet, introspective conversation to spiky arrhythmia, Han-earl Park’s restless chime, crackle and pop combines sublimely with Yorgos Dimitriadis’ push-pull rhythms and Camila Nebbia’s abstract, smearing reedwork.
ZA! + Perrate
“Jolifanto”
(Lovemonk)
Through some odd dimensional slippage leaks eccentric flamenco, Dada noise-rock, improvised brilliance and rhythmic irresistibility. Pure experimental, radical energy in a category all its own.
Rian Treanor with Rotherham Sight & Sound
“Action Potential”
(Electronic Music Club)
Fruits of a project between Rian Treanor and Rotherham Sight & Sound – a service for blind and visually impaired people – using bespoke electronic music systems to produce mutated electronic soundscapes. Bizarre and often brutally alluring. (Check out the short documentary about the project and recording below.)
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