John Zorn’s ‘Masada’ in Cardiff
John Zorn’s Masada songbooks were reimagined for a big‑band setting by Sam Eastmond and performed by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) in Cardiff. The concert featured ten selections distilled from over 600 Masada pieces, showcasing a blend of Jewish motifs, punk energy, and modern jazz orchestration. Notable solo moments included Nona Lawrence’s tuba, Manuel Humaran’s guitar, and vibrant contributions from saxophonist Jamie Harms and clarinetist Maya Mitra. Critics praised the performance as a high‑water mark for NYJO’s adventurous programming.
Tommy Douglas Keenan – Rockinghorse
Tommy Douglas Keenan has unveiled his latest folk‑rock single, “Rockinghorse,” in 2026. The track is described as a warm, levitating experience that taps into listeners’ psyche while experimenting at the genre’s edges. Critics note its tempered propulsion and unique character,...
Godless Youths and Midwest Aspiration
The blog highlights several Gen Z‑focused trends shaping the U.S. economy and culture. Bank of America data shows Gen Z and millennial spending outpacing older cohorts, but a $4‑a‑gallon gas price threatens retail and leisure consumption. Meanwhile, the Midwest emerges as an...
CMU Selects - the Last Week’s Standout Releases
CMU Selects highlighted five standout releases: Raye’s ambitious 73‑minute concept album "THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE," Fcukers’ genre‑bending debut Ö, Venbee’s narrative single "Not My Day," Ray Laurél’s eclectic album Music For Lovers, and Model/Actriz’s surprise EP Swan Songs. Raye...
Uni Boys
West Coast power‑pop outfit Uni Boys has released their self‑titled album, a polished collection that pushes the band into the same conversation as The Lemon Twigs, Foxygen and other revivalists. Drawing heavily on Brian Wilson’s sunshine‑pop legacy and the 1970s...
Raffaele Scoccia Captures the Sound of Stillness in New Release “Silent Mountains”
Raffaele Scoccia released the solo‑piano single “Silent Mountains” on March 27, 2026, drawing inspiration from a winter day in Italy’s Dolomite range. The composition returns to his piano roots after electronic projects under the Moon Rocket alias, emphasizing minimalism and melodic clarity....
Melissa Geurts – ‘Maintenance Mode’
Melissa Geurts, a New York‑based Canadian artist, has released her sophomore album *Maintenance Mode*, a dark synth‑pop collection that examines the often‑overlooked “maintenance” phase after a crisis. The record blends dreamy electronic textures with introspective lyrics about emotional stagnation, featuring...
“Paradise” Season Two Soundtrack Released
Hollywood Records has dropped the full Season 2 soundtrack for the drama series “Paradise” across major digital services ahead of the finale. The album features 22 original pieces composed by Emmy‑winning Siddhartha Khosla, known for his work on Disney hits like...
Hollywood Kenny :: Destroyer
Veteran Angeleno producer Kenny Woods releases "Destroyer" under the Hollywood Kenny moniker. The album is a tongue‑in‑cheek, post‑pandemic ode to Los Angeles, blending pop songwriting with a modern Zevon lyrical style. Its steady prose surveys the city’s shifting shadows, positioning...
Jazz at Wigmore Hall in the 2026/7 Season
London’s Wigmore Hall unveiled its 2026/27 season on March 25, spotlighting an expanded jazz roster. The venue appointed trumpeter Harold López‑Nussa and saxophonist Ambrose Akinmusire as associate artists. The schedule features headliners such as bassist Linda May Han Oh with pianist...
GAB SAFA Channels Light and Shadow on New Single “BEAUTY TEARS”
GAB SAFA’s latest single “BEAUTY TEARS” fuses shimmering synths with a dance‑floor pulse, delivering a track that feels both emotionally vulnerable and physically compelling. The song explores love, loss, and the paradox of beauty and heaviness, using a dynamic build‑and‑release...
Forget Tosca, I’m Having a Baby
British‑Ukrainian soprano Natalya Romaniw announced she will withdraw from the Glyndebourne Festival’s production of Tosca after learning she is expecting a baby in June 2026. The decision, made on medical advice, means she will miss the summer run and be...
Five Things We Liked This Week – 27/03/26
This week’s indie‑music roundup spotlights five new projects: Sophia Yau‑Weeks will release her anxiety‑laden folk album Misty Mountain on April 3 via Lavasocks Records; former Hollerado frontman Nixon Boyd debuts a solo record, Every Time We Turn A Corner, slated for...
Two Covent Garden Chiefs Head for Champs-Elysées
The Théâtre des Champs‑Elysées announced that half of its upcoming season will be directed by senior staff from London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Four new productions are slated, including a fresh staging of Manon Lescaut by Oliver Mears and musical direction...
Editorial: Boston, Salzburg and the New Brutality
The editorial condemns the abrupt dismissals of Andris Nelsons from the Boston Symphony and Markus Hinterhäuser from the Salzburg Festival, arguing neither deserved such treatment. Both leaders had delivered artistic excellence—Nelsons over a twelve‑year tenure and Hinterhäuser revitalizing Salzburg amid...
Anna Wolf Stirs Up Emotions On ‘Tornado Season’
Anna Wolf’s latest single “Tornado Season” was recorded at Johnny Cash’s legendary Cash Cabin Studio in Tennessee and emerged from a solitary, spiritually charged writing session. The track, built on sparse instrumentation, showcases her commanding vocals and a lyrical focus...
A Baroque Opera for Children. Try It.
Paris Opéra‑Comique’s youth ensemble premiered *La Grande Affabulation*, a baroque‑inspired opera for children composed by Geoffroy Jourdain and Benjamin Lazar. The work blends early‑opera fable style with modern musical elements and features performers aged 12‑23. It was streamed live on...
Julian Argüelles – ‘Echo Fields’
Jazz veteran Julian Argüelles, the last original Loose Tubes member to turn 60, releases his new trio album "Echo Fields" on March 27, 2026. The record pairs his tenor and soprano saxophone with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy,...
Kaytranada
Kaytranada, a Haitian‑Canadian producer raised in Montreal, began crafting beats in FL Studio in 2006, drawing on Madlib, J Dilla and A Tribe Called Quest. He coined the term “boogie music” to describe his hybrid of hip‑hop, electronic and R‑B sounds, earning...
LDL (Urs Leimgruber / Jacques Demierre / Thomas Lehn) - the Eerie Glow of Jellyfish (Relative Pitch, 2026)
Swiss‑German trio LDL released the live album *the eerie glow of jellyfish*, recorded at Austria’s Kaleidophon Festival in April 2024. The five‑movement suite features soprano sax, an amplified spinet and Thomas Lehn’s vintage EMS analogue synth, all processed in real...
Sanford: – ‘Big Tent Revival’
Brooklyn‑based indie artist Jay Sanford has released the self‑produced album *Big Tent Revival*, a direct sequel to his 2024 record *Extinguished Dreams*. The record blends rock, alt‑country, jazz, bluegrass and prog‑rock while delivering sharp commentary on the music industry’s shift...
Hunki Dori – ‘Ciclo’
Hunki Dori released the atmospheric EP *Ciclo* on March 26, 2026, showcasing a blend of space‑jazz and bedroom‑pop textures. The project features contributions from Takuya Nakamura, Jay Rodriguez, and drummer Rob Heath, and incorporates field recordings from New York City and...
Royal Blush – “Ur Cure”
Royal Blush, a Jersey City indie rock outfit, has dropped the single “Ur Cure,” the first taste of their forthcoming EP *From Where We’re From*. The track marries jangly, nostalgic alt‑rock guitar work with a punchy modern grunge edge, while...
Cigarettes for Breakfast – ‘Colour Wheel’ EP
Cigarettes for Breakfast’s new EP “colour wheel” drops as a seven‑track, psychedelic shoegaze collection that follows their 2025 LP “Slow Motion.” Founder Matt Whiteford spent three years layering tape‑speed tricks, reverse effects and fuzz to craft a blend of hazy...
Chris Aschman – “Triangles”
Chris Aschman’s new single “Triangles,” released March 26, 2026, is the third track from his debut album Volcanic. The song blends modern jazz fusion with a calypso‑inspired 3/4 groove, featuring a trumpet‑driven lead that explores a more introspective side of...
SMIC – ‘Loge’
Falmouth, MA‑based solo artist SMIC releases *loge*, a self‑recorded album marking four decades of musical creation. The record fuses the artist’s DIY punk‑rock origins with a wide palette ranging from post‑punk energy to classic rock melodies. Tracks such as “Hold”...
Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds - Mutiny After Midnight
Sturgill Simpson, under his Johnny Blue Skies alter ego, released the second album Mutiny After Midnight with The Dark Clouds, opting for a strictly physical distribution model. The record sold roughly 60,000 copies in its first week and debuted at...
PICK OF THE WEEK: "Sister Dreamer"
The "Sister Dreamer" site‑specific sculpture park, curated by Ione, opens at 76th Street and Western Avenue in South Central Los Angeles on March 14, 2026 and will remain through September 2027. The project, more than a decade in the making,...
Bróna McVittie Drops New Single ‘The Stolen Child’
Ulster singer‑songwriter Bróna McVittie has released the lead single “The Stolen Child”, a harp‑driven reinterpretation of Yeats’s poem, ahead of her upcoming album “Supernatural”. The track complements her newly published folklore anthology “A Way with the Fairies” and showcases production by...
Lucy Liyou – Crisis (Identity)
San Francisco‑based Lucy Liyou is set to release her new album MR COBRA on April 17 through Orange Milk Records. The record is billed as a semi‑autobiographical theater‑music piece that revisits a high‑school romance with a predator, exploring shame, performance,...
Switch On The Light
Grace Ives’ new track “Neither You Nor I” fuses early‑2000s trip‑hop aesthetics with her signature indie‑pop vocal style. The song’s central loop feels like a retro, cosmopolitan sample, yet no source is credited, hinting at original composition or a cautious...
NY Cello Star Calls Time on Career
The New York Philharmonic announced that principal cellist Carter Brey will retire this summer, ending a three‑decade tenure with the orchestra. Brey, 71, has been a defining musical presence and an active participant in New York’s chamber music scene. Incoming...
🎧 Approved: X & Ivy
Chicago‑born duo X & Ivy have dropped their new EP “Broken Jam” on Bradley Zero’s Rhythm Section imprint. The four‑track release fuses early Chicago house, Detroit techno, breakbeat and 90s UK rave acid textures, showcasing the pair’s seasoned production chops....
Ivory Layne Shares Anthemic Single ‘Skim’
Indie singer‑songwriter Ivory Layne has dropped her latest single, “Skim,” an anthemic track built around emotionally charged vocals and a fresh production style. The artist describes the song as her most vulnerable work to date, marking a departure from her...
Concertgebouw Names American Composer in Residence
American composer Carlos Simon has been appointed composer‑in‑residence at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw for the upcoming season. His residency will launch with a performance of Four Black American Dances by the Pittsburgh Symphony on September 7. Simon describes the role as his...
Harvie S – ‘Bright Dawn’
Harvie S, a veteran New York double bassist, releases “Bright Dawn,” his first album as a bandleader in over a decade. The record features a quartet with guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Miki Hayama, and drummer Matt Wilson, delivering a cohesive blend of mainstream jazz and...
J Mau and the Kiss Off Share Poison Vido
Justin Maurer, known for his punk‑rock pedigree, is releasing a new project called “J Mau and the Kiss Off.” The record draws heavily on classic country songwriting, letting him explore his recent divorce, heartbreak, and personal reflection. Musically, desert‑spanning guitar lines...
WAV. Is a Creator-First Platform Launching as Artists Question Distributor Support
WAV. Distro, launched by TEN88, is a creator‑first music platform that combines digital distribution, publishing support, and hands‑on marketing while letting artists keep 100% ownership of their masters. The service emphasizes real‑human assistance, long‑term partnerships, and even advances for select...
Julia Cumming Shares New Song “Please Let Me Remember This”
Julia Cumming released her new single “Please Let Me Remember This,” the second track from her forthcoming solo debut album *Julia*, slated for April 24 on Partisan Records. The dream‑pop song, inspired by the Beach Boys’ 1968 track “Busy Doing...
Be Quiet and Drive (Three Winters Away): A Review of Këkht Aräkh’s “Morning Star”
Këkht Aräkh’s third album, Morning Star, abandons the intimate black‑metal formula of Night & Love and Pale Swordsman in favor of a hybrid that leans heavily into SoundCloud rap aesthetics. The 17‑track, 50‑minute release blends pillowy production, unusually prominent bass,...
No Expectations 139: Pearls
No Expectations issue 139, a Thursday‑morning newsletter, blends a personal essay on physical magazines with a $5‑a‑month reader‑supported subscription pitch. It spotlights four indie‑rock albums—including Ellie O’Neill, i26connector, kitship, and Red PK—and provides a 15‑track playlist. The edition also reviews...
Premiere: Afloat Shares New Single “Knuckles”
New Jersey‑based emo‑punk trio Afloat has signed with Mint 400 Records and will release their lead single “Knuckles” on March 27, 2026. The track showcases the band’s tight guitar work, stop‑start momentum, and anthemic chorus, reflecting their evolution from DIY EPs since 2018. “Knuckles”...
New Title for Herbert Blomstedt
Renowned Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt, now 98, was appointed honorary conductor of the Norrköping Symphony on March 26, 2026. The orchestra marks the occasion as a homecoming, since Blomstedt launched his professional career there in 1954 and led as principal...
Girl, 9, Gets to Play Mozart’s Half-Size Violin
Freya Chen, a 9‑year‑old student in Juilliard’s Pre‑College program, was granted the rare opportunity to perform on Mozart’s half‑size violin, a historic instrument from the International Mozarteum Foundation currently exhibited at New York’s Morgan Library and Museum. The violin, once...
Explaining the Wide Gap Between Country Stars and Everyone Else
Luminate’s 2025 Year‑End Music Report applied the Gini coefficient to streaming data, showing country music as the most top‑heavy genre with a 0.79 score, followed by pop at 0.75. Electronic/Dance recorded the lowest Gini at 0.54, indicating a more even...
Transmissions at Big Ears :: Thurston Moore and Kramer
Transmissions returns with a special episode featuring underground icons Thurston Moore and Kramer, hosted by Tyler Wilcox. The pair will release their collaborative album *They Came Like Swallows – Seven Requiems for the Children of Gaza* on May 1 via Ethan...
Xylitol – Blumenfantasie
Catherine Backhouse, performing as Xylitol, released her second Planet Mu album *Blumenfantasie*, a jungle‑driven record that fuses 1990s‑era breakbeats with synth‑pop, Krautrock and ambient textures. The album revisits classic tracks like “Chromophoria” and “Lights” while branching into trip‑hop (“Mirjana”), ambient...
Sicilian Opera Sacks Conductor over Jeffrey Epstein Links
Teatro Massimo in Palermo dismissed French conductor Frédéric Chaslin after email correspondence linking him to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced. Chaslin, who was slated to lead a May performance of Aida, denied any wrongdoing and cited a law‑office investigation that found no complaints or charges....
Alex Koo Trio at Pizza Express Dean Street
Belgian pianist Alex Koo made his UK debut with his trio at Pizza Express Dean Street, delivering a program that blended Flemish and Japanese jazz sensibilities. The set highlighted the mournful composition “Jonass,” featuring sudden silences to evoke grief, and...
Penelope Trappes Recruits Julia Holter, Midwife, Gazelle Twin, and More for 'OPVS NOVUM: A Requiem Reworked'
Penelope Trappes announced OPVS NOVUM: A Requiem Reworked, slated for release on May 29 via One Little Independent. The album revisits every track from her 2025 record A Requiem, reinterpreted by ten guest artists including Julia Holter, Midwife, Gazelle Twin,...