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On her debut LP 'Memoria', songwriter/producer Lilian Mikorey aka PILLBERT contemplates themes of identity and belonging, hardships and heartbreak in her signature blend of bendy folk guitars, field recordings and intimate vocals.
Moving to London from Munich, not yet 20 years old, Mikorey realized she was leaving her home behind for good. The subsequent state of being lost and alone in a place too temporary to start building the foundation for a new one led her to question the concept of home itself.
Is it friends? Family? A house?
"I started collecting objects, bones, sticks, stones and kept them close", she says, as to create a cosmos traveling with her.
"I was tracing the actual feeling of being home to the point where I built a dreamhouse in my head, as an idea, just to evoke that feeling." Soon enough she would learn that yielding to the yearning of actually going to that house, must be an inevitably sad experience.
A photo she took on a family visit to East-Munich became a reference and starting point for Memoria. It was a small house in her neighbourhood, the windows lit as dusk sets in. To Mikorey, it looked haunting, radiating warmth but somehow looking abandoned at the some time.
"I wanted to make music that sounds like this photo"
She started recording the sounds of the objects she had gathered and of her surroundings, building an archive and sonic material to work with.
From her mid-teens she had learned to produce with Ableton and now she picked up the guitar, too, learning it autodidactically by playing around, creating sounds.
At some point in the process, she realized it's okay to be lost for a while and by enduring the feeling, there's room for something new to grow, far off from any general idea of what home should mean.

The album, over the course of 10 tracks, traces these three phases of building a home in your head, realizing it's not a remedy, nor forever and coming to terms with it. You've grown in the process and the album is a guiding light for everyone who strives to do so, too.

This album is about growth... Living and learning, having fun, wordplay, heartbreak, and moving on. Flashes in the dark is pretty much a testament to what can be done with two turntables and a mic to create something different yet brilliant in the hip hop space. The album also shows maturity and a certain vulnerability not being expressed by a lot of other artists at this time.
There is so much going on in the world and this album is J Scienide's expression of what was going on in his world during the time of recording. "As soon as I got beats from Giallo if I was up in the wee hours of the night, I was writing and recording. To me this album shows that even in the darkest hours there's always flashes of brilliance that shine through".

This album is about growth... Living and learning, having fun, wordplay, heartbreak, and moving on. Flashes in the dark is pretty much a testament to what can be done with two turntables and a mic to create something different yet brilliant in the hip hop space. The album also shows maturity and a certain vulnerability not being expressed by a lot of other artists at this time.
There is so much going on in the world and this album is J Scienide's expression of what was going on in his world during the time of recording. "As soon as I got beats from Giallo if I was up in the wee hours of the night, I was writing and recording. To me this album shows that even in the darkest hours there's always flashes of brilliance that shine through".

Back in 2002 British producers Fingaz and Skillz teamed up to create a project showcasing the current state of London’s R&B and hip-hop artists. In collaboration with different artists, they produced the compilation Big Brovaz Watching You, which led to the eventual formation of the group Big Brovaz. The group was referred to as a softer version of the So Solid Crew. The group enjoyed huge success, particularly with their debut album, which made big waves in the UK charts, with four singles reaching the Top 10. “Nu Flow”, the debut single, even reached the top 3 in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, Netherlands, Sweden and Turkey. Similar successes were also achieved by the “Favourite Things” and “Baby Boy”. Big Brovaz became one of the most notable UK R&B / Hip-Hop acts of the early 2000s and are still loved by fans of the genres to this day. Their debut album is now available on vinyl for the first time and features the bonus track "OK (Rock Remix)" and the hidden track "My Favourite Things (Original Version)".Nu Flow is available as a limited edition on translucent green coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray and
holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the
discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of
existence into hymns we can share, Low present ‘HEY
WHAT’.
These ten pieces - each built around their own
instantaneous, undeniable hook - are turbocharged by
the vivid textures that surround them. The ineffable,
familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker
break through the chaos like a life raft.
Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse
- building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn
vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and
attribute meaning to the music and art of these times
but the creative moment looks forward, with teeth.
‘HEY WHAT’ is Low's thirteenth full-length release in
twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ
Burton.
Low’s 2018 album ‘Double Negative’ was a critical and
commercial success (including 8.7 / Best New Music
at Pitchfork), introducing new noise / experimentalbased textures and pop elements to their sound and
revitalizing their fanbase.
Founded in 1993, Low are influential pioneers of
minimalist, artful indie-rock.
Low’s track ‘Congregation’ was recently featured in an
episode of FX’s Devs.

Ghetto Pop Life was Danger Mouse’s first full length album on Lex and a hip hop classic, harking back to the sound of the early 90s East Coast and resurrecting Brooklyn’s most soulful thug MC, Jemini The Gifted One. Incorporating a full church choir on the title track, Danger Mouse also brings in heavy hitting guest rappers J-Zone, Tha Alkaholiks, The Pharcyde and Prince Po. In the words of the NME "Ghetto Pop Life is a funk-fuelled hip hop record that virtually orders you to get down’. LEX010LPRT was originally an exclusive variant but now available to all.

Ghetto Pop Life was Danger Mouse’s first full length album on Lex and a hip hop classic, harking back to the sound of the early 90s East Coast and resurrecting Brooklyn’s most soulful thug MC, Jemini The Gifted One. Incorporating a full church choir on the title track, Danger Mouse also brings in heavy hitting guest rappers J-Zone, Tha Alkaholiks, The Pharcyde and Prince Po. In the words of the NME "Ghetto Pop Life is a funk-fuelled hip hop record that virtually orders you to get down’. LEX010LPRT was originally an exclusive variant but now available to all.

Ace’s small but ever-evolving “Black America Sings…” series has been quiet of late, but it springs back into action this month with the 2-LP and CD releases of “Highway Of Diamonds” – a second dip onto the catalogue of Bob Dylan, as reimagined by some of the foremost African-American artists of the 20th century.

From almost the start of his songwriting career, Dylan’s words and music have impacted on black American music, with ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, speaking to an America that was still mostly segregated and becoming an anthem for all colours and creeds. As Dylan’s own career progressed, so did the number of covers he received, with a significant amount coming from what might be termed ‘non-traditional’ sources such as those heard here.

The 20 songs on “Highway Of Diamonds” continue the story that was told in part on the earlier “How Many Roads” compilation, with an almost entirely different selection of artists lending their voices to some of the best songwriting of the 20th century, and an almost entirely different selection of songs (with the exception of ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ itself, which provides a common thread linking the story told across the two sets).
Big names from the worlds of soul, gospel and jazz, timeless songs and, for many, new ways of appreciating ever-durable material make “Highway Of Diamonds” as essential a purchase as its predecessor.

As ever, the great audio is complemented by a handsomely illustrated package on both CD and double vinyl, with a plethora of illustrations and in depth song-by-song-and-track-by-track annotation by Ace legend Tony Rounce.

In 1991, Chris Whitley made his debut with the beautiful album Living with the Law, which immediately showcased his brilliant songwriting and unique guitar playing. Blending blues, roots and folk, the debut was positively received by critics and aficionados of these more traditional genres. Growing up, Whitley listened to Southern radio, which played artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. His career started by playing with artists like Arto Lindsay and Michael Beinhorn. Interestingly, Whitley lived in Belgium for a short time in the 1980s, where he started his career playing guitar for 2 Belgen and Nacht und Nebel. In the 1990s, he started his solo career at Kingsway Studio in New Orleans, owned by none other than Daniel Lanois. The result was an album characterized by the use of traditional instruments such as the slide guitar and banjo. All of this is accompanied by his splendidly timbred voice and honest lyrics exploring themes such as freedom, desire and human struggle. Sadly Chris Whitley passed away in 2005, but his influence on contemporary songwriters and blues artists remains strong. a_Living with the Law is available as a 35th anniversary edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Berlin-based Swiss vocalist Lucia Cadotsch returns with her celebrated Speak Low trio for their second album, released by We Jazz Records on 27 Nov. "Speak Low II" features Cadotsch on voice, Otis Sandsjö on tenor saxophone and Petter Eldh on double bass, and introduces guest artists Kit Downes on hammond organ and Lucy Railton on cello. "Speak Low II" picks up where their genre-bending and forward-looking debut album left off, introducing new shades into the band's sound and also diving even deeper into the songs they tackle. What makes Speak Low special is their approach to really get to the heart of each composition with seemingly minimal means, yet generating a sound which is both instantly recognisable and remarkably impactful.

"Speak Low II" comes almost five years after the band's lauded debut, and proves the depth of the band's approach right from the start. At the core of the trio's operation is an openness to their love of the music and to their surrounding scene(s). The album comes across as a unified collection of songs made truly theirs and found through listening to records and spending time with their musician friends, often on the road. The highly evolved band sound and the equality of the musicians shines through on the Speak Low sound, as the group uses their 100+ performances together as a vehicle for the development of their music.

"The first album was filled with pretty famous songs, but that was actually not at all intentional" explains Cadotsch. "Those were just my favourite songs of the previous 10 years and we started working on making them ours, musically. We were playing around with concepts for the second album, but soon realised that we just needed to find the right songs and adapt them organically, which comes through in how we interact with the songs and each other. This time around, we wanted to dig deeper and made finished arrangements of around 20 tracks, half of which we ditched in the process. The ones that made the cut have been through a lot and they just felt right for us."

In a way, the Speak Low approach could be described as archaeological. Three music lovers connecting with songs found at various sources, readily throwing away any ideas that don't seem natural to them, and hanging on tight to the ones that do.

Turns out there is a concept to "Speak Low II". It's the band itself, their shared musical development and their love of music.

"Speak Low II" will be available on We Jazz Records on vinyl (PURPLE and BLACK editions), CD and digitally. The vinyl versions come with a heavy duty tip-on sleeve and a printed inner sleeve. CD in digisleeve with no breaking plastic parts.

Joyce Manor are California pop-punk legends and I Used To Go To This Bar is this epochal band operating at the top of their game. They continue to deliver relentlessly satisfying rock music in a manner that makes it look simply effortless. The Torrance, California-hailing trio of Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert are at a point in their career where their position as one of the most beloved rock bands is a foregone conclusion. Their seventh album finds the group continuing to find rich new veins to tap in their short-and sweet songcraft without losing an ounce of bite that gained them such repute in the first place. I Used To Go To This Bar further situates Joyce Manor in the rich lineage of their influences and inspirations. Think AFI"s rapid-fire burn, Weezer"s indelible power-pop acumen, and the dusky emotionalism of The Smiths while further establishing them as leading lights in the current rock landscape. The fresh burst of inspiration that fuels I Used To Go To This Bar proves that Joyce Manor are far from content to rest on such laurels, moving forward with their sound and style in a way that reminds you of how they got to this point in the first place. Catch them live at Coachella 2026.

“My auntie asked me what’s my path?” spits Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon on his debut from the celebrated Lex Records. The lyric relatably references the cross roads he’s at in his current life, especially as someone right on the cusp of rap stardom. “Recently I’ve been thinking more and more about what comes next in my life,” the artist reveals.


It’s fair to say Ogbon’s Lex LP features less of the sh*t-talking court jester of old. Instead, there’s more of an imperfect man re-examining past mistakes so he can avoid any future forks in the road. There’s a particular focus on overcoming heartbreak, inspiring Ogbon to admit he’s haunted by an ex so badly he now needs to call up the Ghostbusters for assistance.

Since emerging in the late 2010s, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon has consistently lit up America’s underground rap scene and this is thanks to a refreshingly honest writing style. Amid the exquisitely wavy strings of 2021’s The Missing Link / The Sneaky Link, for example, he rapped: “Everyone thinks they’re player, until their bitch doesn’t come home.” Biting and snappy, the nasally vocals carry the playful verve of comedian Richard Pryor bravely excavating personal Demons to solicit giggles.

All this brash, wry Redman-inspired storytelling continues on the new project. Its first single is titled I’m Signed to Lex, Now I’m Up – a name that mirrors what a big moment releasing a project on the label that once housed MF DOOM represents for Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon’s legacy. “I’m really driven by being able to level up and give my family more financial freedom,” he hopes.
And, if auntie asked what his path was right now, what exactly would the rapper say? Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon concludes: “Auntie: this rapping thing feels like it’s finally about to pay off!”

Delve into the quirky and psych-tinged world of Brazilian pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mauricio Fleury.

With more than a hint to Brazilian jazz greats like Azymuth, Deodato and CTI Records in their prime, Revoada is a groove based jazz-framed record, primed with other transitory musical vignettes which touches on Turkish psych and soul-jazz born out of the 70's film soundtrack genre.

Revoada is a 6 track album and storyboard of Mauricio's migration and travels through Brazil's geographical oddities , its rural and urban enclaves. Recorded in Brazil, it's the result of numerous treks through funky flea markets, soaking up old vinyls and vintage cultural artefacts combined with a new life led in Berlin since 2022.

Mauricio, as well as a founding member of Bixiga 70 (google Brazilian Afrobeat pioneers), a band he fronted for over 12 years, is also an in-demand collaborator and musician who as a pianist, guitarist and even percussionist has shared stages and studios with the likes of Brazilian greats including Gal Costa, Emicida, Lucas Santtana, João Donato and Liniker.

In 2007 he had a life-changing experience meeting Tony Allen, at the Red Bull Music Academy. After hanging out, chatting music and life, Tony insisted to Mauricio to participate with Tony in a jam with blacktronica and soulful house music pioneers Ron Trent, Theo Parrish and Steve Spacek. Mauricio sums it up, "From that moment on, I was never afraid to collaborate musically with anyone, no matter who's playing. It also brought me to researching the connection between Brazilian music and Afrobeat which is something that still means the world to me".

Another unforgettable session Mauricio undertook happened alongside João Donato and Marcos Valle, playing Donato's classic album Quem É Quem, live, a record seen as a blueprint for second generation bossa nova. Mauricio has worked with Gal Costa on two albums, Estratosférica Ao Vivo and her last studio album A Pele do Futuro. Fabio Sá and Vitor Cabral (bassist and drummer on Revoada) were playing with Gal at her last concerts, including in Berlin in 2022 before she passed.

In contemporary music, Mauricio was part of Toy Selectah and Mexican Institute of Sound's Compass project. He's worked with Colombia's Los Pirañas and has even recorded a mysterious and unreleased album with Quantic.

Revoada shows signature traces of Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis' swinging soul sound, Deodato's drama, and styles from further afield, spreading into Turkish psych and Ethiopian jazz, when the time is right. Each track, led always by Mauricio playing multiple instruments with a choice selection of guests and core members on bass and drums, highlights Fleury's meticulous approach to finding the right timbre, utilising his arsenal of organs and effects pedals to set the mood, taking the listener to a specific place or memory that has shaped him.

A vinyl DJ for over 25 years and someone who is immersed in digger and collector's culture, Mauricio places a lot of emphasis on the importance of the complimentary relationship between two artforms (DJ and composer/producer) in the sense of having a broad repertoire of musical knowledge, references and perhaps predictably, being a Brazilian, understanding the connection between rhythms. This is an impressive debut album that struts itself right into the runout groove.

2026 repress !

Nous'klaer Audio presents Martinou - Chiral, the follow full-length up to his 2021 album Rift. This time nine tracks across two vinyls. An album flowing 'in a way' like Rift, but it's different: More outspoken, heavier sound design and it peaks on a blissful note. ''Open up the blinds and take me there. We'll break the surface tension. We'll dive in. I'm locked in your devotion. You give an inclination to our demise. It will be our exit. To bliss, we'll be its guardian. Once there was love. Clear as glassy water. No ripples, no waves. I followed while you led. Our arrival was warm. Hot, even. Stunning to a startling degree. Hands intwined, frolicking towards the blue. Hours passed, and white heat cede to an orange hue. We cooled down. Red. We rallied. Black. It began. Into the deep darkness we ran. White sand, it has a tendency to get everywhere. Salt water will only dehydrate you more. Shriveled and dry. Scratchy and coarse. More. And then we were lost. Fingers once locked grew distant. Morning, dear. Where have you gone? We looked. A glimpse from afar. Red. We rallied. Shall we share a bottle of wine? Black, lost again. Afternoon, friend. Where were you? Red. Alone. Black. We rallied. Shall we try somewhere new? Sand and salt. Evening, sir. Reservation for one? Reservations a plenty, I say. Evening, miss. Dining alone? Aren't we all? Dining, miss, not dying. Oh, yes, alone. Black. Sand and salt. I found you. No. No. Wait, do I know you? You feel like a dream. Don't touch me. Move along, sir. Who are you? Leave. Who are you? Where did you go? Keep moving. I am, I will. Time to move on. I'm moving! Leave. Don't touch me. Leave. Why are you? Exit. Purple. Orange. Yellow. White. Blue. Morning, dear. Shall we have breakfast? I think I'll sleep some more. But it's our last day. I know. See you downstairs when you're ready. OK. I open up the blinds. A bird breaks the surface tension. Locked in. To Devotion? No. Demise. An inclination. Reverie. Take me there. Where? Exit (To Bliss) '' Text by Gregory Markus

TO COMMEMORATE THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING

DEFECTED HONOURS FRANKIE KNUCKLES WITH SPECIAL EDITION ‘HOUSE MASTERS’ VINYL

Defected celebrates the life and legacy of house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles with a limited-edition vinyl offering of his notable ‘House Masters’ release.

Marking ten years since his passing, join Defected in honouring the enduring legacy of house music pioneer. All proceeds of ‘House Masters: Frankie Knuckles’ will be donated to Frankie Knuckles Foundation as it was when the compilation was originally released back in April 2015.

“Frankie Knuckles, whom many consider to be one of the architects of house music is still highly influential to a new generation. Since his untimely passing ten years ago it has been incredible to see the continued outpouring of love and respect that he has received. His legacy is why the Frankie Knuckles Foundation exists. Through our work we honour him by supporting initiatives that he was passionate about: music education, AIDS and diabetes research, prevention and LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. This commemorative vinyl release of ‘House Masters’ in association with Defected will allow us to do just that!”

Frederick Dunson, Founder, President & Executive Director, Frankie Knuckles Foundation

The forthcoming vinyl releases will feature a selection of his finest productions and remixes including the seminal ‘Your Love’, ‘The Whistle Song’ and remixes for Chaka Khan and Sounds Of Blackness.

Find out more about Frankie Knuckles Foundation and its commitment to educating and supporting initiatives across LGBTQIA+ communities and AIDs prevention

CAY unveils his personal side on Another Life, a debut album rich in melancholic euphoria

The expressive, multi-faceted 10 tracker comes on Mind Against's HABITAT label in January 2026

Cologne-born producer CAY explores beyond the dancefloor with Another Life, a debut album that trades peak-time pressure for an ambitious and artful exploration of self. Far from being rooted in one genre, the record weaves his own honest vocals with a wide range of powerful rhythms that pull from progressive, broken beat, techno and trance.

For CAY, making music has always offered refuge and a place to calm his mind, process life’s chaos and channel personal experiences into sound. His journey started in the clubs of Cologne, in illegal forest raves and with trips to Berlin to soak up big room techno. His search for more purpose, away from mental demons and the darker side of the party lifestyle, led him to production. DJing followed after a push from his brother turned Manager, and while those experiences around Europe shaped his understanding of dance floor dynamics, he was never in a rush to release his early experiments.

Instead, CAY took private time to evolve into an accomplished artist with his own musical voice. Label heads Mind Against were so impressed when they heard what he sent to their demo inbox, they both reached out to collaborate, and he has since released on their label HABITAT.

With Another Life, he is making music that is multilayered and rich in narrative, rather than defined purely by big moments. It is drawn from years of writing, with more than 60 tracks whittled down to one concise, impactful statement. "There wasn't one big concept,” says CAY “but there was direction. It's a big risk for me, but I wanted to introduce people who like club music to something deeper. I want the music to say something real.”

Because of that, Another Life introduces CAY the vocalist. For the first time, he sings on several tracks. The subjects are real, whether that's an important friend, a moment with his girlfriend or, on 'Runaway', the thought of giving up and escaping everything. The lyrics are honest but often slightly oblique, so they invite your own readings rather than spelling everything out.

Sonically, the album moves between optimistic grandeur and introspective reality. It's cinematic but personal and bridges the gap between dancefloor drive and vulnerable storytelling. There is a grand scale to many of the tracks, with arching synths reaching and heavyhearted drums anchoring a groove: you'll dance, you'll cry, maybe both at the same time.

Another Life is the sound of a producer granting himself permission to sing, turn inwards and risk audience expectations. It’s intimate without being insular, club-capable without being confined, and a compelling first chapter for an artist who has spent years building toward this moment of truth.

Yvonne started her carreer as a singer at the age of 18 years. She performed the hit GARDEN OF EVE in 1981 (ATLANTIC), produced by the great Donald Burnside. This outstanding classic tune stayed for several weeks on top of the hitlists, while LOVER OF MY DREAMS was a track initially meant for the 1983 album, but the track wasn't finished in time for the release of the album, it was only released in Europe during 1984. SLOW DOWN was recorded during 1981 and was never release before

Multidisciplinary Brussels-based artist Sagat steps up with a new mini album on the Basic Moves side label, Gems Under The Horizon, featuring a remix by Slovenian ambient bird e/tape. A few years ago, Wiet Lengeler, aka Sagat was invited by Basic Moves to create a live visual show using an analogue video synth setup to accompany a 5-hour dj set by e/tape at Face B in Brussels. From that moment on, the synchronicity between the two artists was clear - and this EP is the result.
Besides his visual work, Wiet Lengeler is also known for his contemporary techno music, primarily released on Brussels’ cult label Vlek Recordings. For this mini-album, Gems Under The Horizon 003, he presents four grainy ambient and textured electro-acoustic explorations. The tracks unfold organically — like ivy — gradually revealing layers of sound and hidden textures beneath babbling streams of electronics. e/tape’s remix feels like a natural continuation of Sagat’s sonic universe, together forming a mesmerising whole that explores the fringes of ambient music. In addition to the release, a limited run of the release + 30 x 3 riso printed posters from the visual show at Face B, made by Sagat and hand numbered are made available.
Mastering and lacquer cut was done by Frederic Alstadt at Angstrom Mastering. Artwork & inserts are designed by renowned Ghent-based visual artist Dieter Durinck.

Sit back and enjoy the wonderful aural world of Sagat and e/tape.

Sincerely,

The Basic Moves team.

Another excellent find here, an unreleased dub/instrumental album compiled by Lloydie Slim at the end of the 70s, featuring exclusive dubwise & instrumental cuts to many of his rhythms from earlier in the decade. As a bonus we've added 2 more tracks to the original 10 track album tape - the vocal & dub cuts to Johnny Clarke's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", one of Slim's personal favorites of his productions. This single was originally released in 1975 in JA on his Don One label, and again in New York a few years later on his namesake Ivanhoe the Conqueror label. This album is a great listen which reminds us of the classic Channel 1 Revolutionaries instrumentals of the mid/late 70s.

Announcing Perseverance Flow, the latest album from acclaimed Chicago-based ensemble Natural Information Society (NIS), release date 2024-10-24. After a trilogy of double LPs by expanded manifestations of the band that began in 2018 with Mandatory Reality & continued through Since Time Is Gravity (a Pitchfork Best Jazz & Experimental Album of the Year selection & Mojo’s #1 Underground Album of 2023), NIS returns to its core formation of Lisa Alvarado on harmonium, Mikel Patrick Avery on drums, Jason Stein on bass clarinet, & composer/multi-instrumentalist Joshua Abrams on guimbri for one continuous 37 minute composition across a single LP. As the rocket boosters on spaceship earth sputter closer to burnout, lower your stylus into a soundfield that grows stronger the deeper you travel into it; a dose of the medicine many of us look to music to deliver awaits you inside.

One of the deep contemplations of this natural information (thanks Bill Callahan) is the wide range of source materials Abrams draws from over the band’s more than 15 year history: Ideas from minimalism, modal jazz & traditional musics are regularly reimagined in these compositions. The 2021 double LP descension (Out of Our Constrictions), with guest soloist Evan Parker, reflected aspects of Abrams’ love of party music, Chicago house, & John Coltrane. *But even veteran travelers with the NIS best brace themselves for the Perseverance Flow.

Speaking to the history & the inspirations behind the album, Abrams offers: “We played the piece for a year in concert before the recording. At Electrical (Audio Studios, Chicago) we went in at 11 & were done in time to pick our kids up from school.” Abrams continues: "In a reference world, I imagine Perseverance Flow like a live extended realization of a Jaylib lost instrumental as remixed by Kevin Shields. Or vice versa. I also think it has sympathies to some of the more rhythmically intricate dance musics out of Chicago & Lisbon.”

The core NIS ensemble heard on Perseverance Flow always address Abrams’ writing with the discipline of orchestra musicians & the creativity of improvisers. But this time around, instead of inviting living legend status musicians Evan or William Parker or Ari Brown as honored guests to solo freely over the composed materials, Abrams’ invited guest collaborator was the medium of the recording studio itself. Situated at the board with engineer Greg Norman, Abrams pushed post production techniques found only sporadically on earlier NIS records deep into the heart of the music, distorting & reshaping instruments to subtly &, at times, aggressively mutate timbre & texture, color & time.

Refracting the band’s signature mesmerizing chains of overlapping rhythmic patterns through the sonic funhouse of dub makes Perseverance Flow the most formally experimental NIS album to date. Now a soundworld fully unique to itself is listening to itself, consoling & humoring itself, & consoling & humoring you. A destruction myth & a creation myth of a soundworld together at once —”energetically nutritious” (October 2025 Issue 500 The Wire) supernatural information society.

“Perseverance Flow is skipping rope in slo-mo. A dance of co-operation to rally guts & humors & keep marching through pouring tears” (Abrams).