Make Me An Island – Détails, épisodes et analyse

This is the first in a short series of Make Me An Island episodes chronicling the best new music released worldwide in 2022. In this opening chapter there's an ode to fresh electronic sounds in the shape of debut releases from Naty Seres from Berlin, Surusinghe from London and Deekapz out of São Paolo. There's proof of why Shygirl has been one of the year's stand-out artists and more essential sounds from her American peers, 070 Shake and Ela Minus. We discover why Pusha T is a contender for best US rap album of 2022  and how Digga D is a shoo-in for the UK crown. There's room for some experimental noise from the new frontier courtesy of Dutch duo Ambassade and a very modern and brilliant take on the Fra Fra sound of Northern Ghana from Linda Ayupuka.

 

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On this third Fresh Éire installment, Dónal goes digging for fire among a plethora of new Irish releases.

There's a written response to Anna Mieke's magnificent sophomore album Theatre and a tribute to the independent Dublin label Where The Time Goes with a couple of examples of dynamic recent releases from them in the shape of Jennifer Moore and Seán Being. 

There's also the return of Meltybrains? to celebrate, a glorious Captain Beefheart cover from Niamh Regan to marvel over and fresh sounds to enjoy from young producers Kobina, Gaptoof and Brién.

The last word goes to Ian Lynch whose debut solo album as One Leg, One Eye is one for the ages.

 

Support the Artists on Bandcamp: 

 

Kobina - https://gaptoof.bandcamp.com/track/kobina-bb7   Brién - https://gaptoof.bandcamp.com/track/bri-n-island-boys-sample   Seán Being - https://wherethetimegoes.bandcamp.com/track/everything   Meltybrains? - https://meltybrains.bandcamp.com/album/you -    narolane - https://narolane.bandcamp.com/track/chikondi-feat-ailbhe-reddy   Jennifer Moore - https://wherethetimegoes.bandcamp.com/album/channels-of-time   Diamond Dagger - https://remotetown.bandcamp.com/album/being-jolene   Niamh Regan - https://niamhregan.bandcamp.com/track/her-eyes-are-a-blue-million-miles   Anna Mieke - https://annamieke.bandcamp.com/album/theatre   One Leg One Eye - https://nyahhrecords.bandcamp.com/album/and-take-the-black-worm-with-me   ///

Some more examples of electronic experimentation from the wild frontier open this 8th instalment of our guide to new music. Firstly ELLES from Lisbon then Lyra Pramuk from Berlin and Okou & Casey MQ from Paris set the twilight reeling. 

The intriguing rapping style of South London Vietnamese artist Triad God is just one of the things that set him apart. He also invents sound worlds all of his own as do the South African band John Wizards, London producer Apiento and New York sonic adventurer Ana Roxanne.

Following on from our last episode we tune into Nicolas Jaar’s 2021 release from his collaborative project DARKSIDE and marvel at the skilful way Mala blended field recordings from his Peruvian travels into his electronic compositions.

To mark the welcome reopening of our dance floors the episode closes with four examples of tunes that have wrecked the gaff in recent weeks from KH, Overmono, Two Shell and Pangaea.

 

Support the music-makers on Bandcamp: 

 

ELLES

https://naivetytrax.bandcamp.com/track/elles-zero-hour-contrac

 

Triad God

https://prestorecords.bandcamp.com/album/triad

 

lyra Pramuk

https://lyrapramuk.bandcamp.com/track/tendril

 

Okou and Casey MQ

https://permalnk.bandcamp.com/album/for-the-beasts

 

DARKSIDE

https://darkside.bandcamp.com/album/spiral

 

John Wizards

https://johnwizards.bandcamp.com/album/john-wizards

 

Mala

https://mala-music.bandcamp.com/album/mirrors

 

Apiento

https://apiento.bandcamp.com/

 

Ana Roxanne

https://anaroxanne.bandcamp.com/album/-

 

Two Shell

https://twoshell.bandcamp.com/album/home-3

 

Overmono

https://overmono.bandcamp.com/

 

Pangaea

https://pangaeauk.bandcamp.com/album/like-this

 

The DIY bedroom-producer stars of this episode are Joseph Kamaru from Nairobi recording in Berlin under the name KMRU, Tristan Arp from Mexico City and CARM out of New York.

We celebrate the release of the wonderful new record from Inni-K which fashions a new sonic cloak for the ancient sean-nós form and re-visit the music of Nicolas Jaar and his deepest work yet, Cenizas.

In between, there’s time to marvel at the powerful sounds of resistance coming from the alto-saxophone of Matana Roberts and at the fruits of a unique collaboration between two uncrowned kings of the wild frontier, Pavel Milyakov and Bendik Giske.

 

Shabazz Palaces https://shabazzpalaces.bandcamp.com/album/quazarz-born-on-a-gangster-star John Glacier https://plzmakeitruins.bandcamp.com/album/shiloh-lost-for-words Tristan Arp https://tristanarp.bandcamp.com/album/sculpturegardening KMRU https://kmru.bandcamp.com/album/there-was-nothing-in-between Pavel Milyakov and Bendik Giske https://pavelmilyakovbendikgiske.bandcamp.com/ Nicolas Jaar https://nicolasjaar.bandcamp.com/album/cenizas CARM https://carmband.bandcamp.com/album/carm Matana Roberts https://matana-roberts.bandcamp.com/album/coin-coin-chapter-four-memphis Inni-K https://inni-k.bandcamp.com/album/in-on   ///

Episode Six starts off with some DIY magic from Budapest courtesy of Goshaven before relocating to the Parisian suburb of Montreuil to hear the freshest of Moroccan-Egyptian hybrid rap from TripleGo.

Homage is paid to the all-powerful street-fired Kinshasa collective Kasai Allstars and to the electronic pioneer and unique musical spirit Beverly Glenn Copeland.

Hats are tipped to perennial kings of the wild frontier The Bonk and introductions made to new sounds from Welsh electronic adventurer Kellie Lee Owens and Californian harpist extraordinaire Mary Lattimore.

 

Support the music-makers on Bandcamp:

 

Gosheven https://opaltapes.com/album/leaper  

The Bonk 

https://thebonk.bandcamp.com/track/weird-tears-a-simple-exorcism   USNA https://usna.bandcamp.com/   Mose Sumney https://mosessumney.bandcamp.com/track/cut-me-2   Kasai Allstars https://kasaiallstars.bandcamp.com/album/black-ants-always-fly-together-one-bangle-makes-no-sound   Kelly Lee Owens https://kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com/album/inner-song   Stephen Mallinder https://stephenmallinder.bandcamp.com/track/um-dada   Beverly Glenn Copeland https://beverlyglenn-copeland.bandcamp.com/track/la-vita   Bitchin Bajas and Bonnie "Prince" Billy https://bitchinbajasandbonnieprincebilly.bandcamp.com/album/epic-jammers-and-fortunate-little-ditties   Mary Lattimore https://marylattimoreharpist.bandcamp.com/album/silver-ladders     ///

Dónal presents a fifth instalment to the rough guide to the year in new music 2021.   This leg of the journey starts with some instrumental wonders from Kuwait via Senegal before checking out some more DIY masterpieces from bedrooms in Brooklyn and Moscow. There's underground magic from the evergreen musical hotspots of Berlin and the East End of London as well as another slice of Canadian dance-floor heat from Eris Drew. There's also sublime lockdown music for strings made remotely by Kate Ellis and Laura Cannell across the Irish sea and sparkling new sounds to set the twilight reeling from Ghana and Florence Adooni.     ///    

Dónal presents a fourth instalment of the rough guide to the year in new music 2021.   This leg of the journey takes in more sounds of resistance from the streets of Philadelphia and Cleveland before celebrating some UK DIY masterpieces from Bristol, London and Glasgow. There's also another example of that particularly unique kind of magic coming from the Equiknoxx crew in Jamaica as well as a journey deep into Arabic soul courtesy of MSYLMA from Cairo and a reminder of the enduring power of Fish Go Deep productions out of Cork city.   Support the music makers on Bandcamp:    MSYLMA https://editionsappaerent.bandcamp.com/album/the-tenets-of-forgetting Time Cow/RTKal https://timecow.bandcamp.com/album/elephant-man Fish Go Deep https://fishgodeep.bandcamp.com/album/this-bit-of-earth Moor Mother and Billy Woods https://moormother.bandcamp.com/album/brass Mourning A[BLK}star https://mourningablkstar.bandcamp.com/album/the-cycle Ishmael Ensemble https://ishmaelensemble.bandcamp.com/track/visions-of-light R Aggs https://r4ggs.bandcamp.com/album/tape-1 SAULT https://saultglobal.bandcamp.com/track/i-just-want-to-dance LNS https://lnslaurasparrow.bandcamp.com/album/lns-id Beatrice Dillon https://beatricedillon.bandcamp.com/album/workaround Bendik Giske https://bendikgiske.bandcamp.com/album/cracks

Dónal presents a third instalment of the rough guide to the year in new music, 2021.   This leg of the journey includes some very modern takes on classical music from India and Guatemala via Mexico as well fresh rap sounds from Paris and Jamaica and an African percussion supergroup based in London. There's innovative electronic compositions from Peru, Belgium, Canada and South Africa as well as a whole bunch of more reasons why Chicago was on the edge of the new frontier once again in 2021.   Support the music-makers on Bandcamp:   Bitchin Bajas https://bitchinbajas.bandcamp.com/album/switched-on-ra   Gilb'R https://gilbr.bandcamp.com/   Ben LaMar Gay  https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/open-arms-to-open-us   JAMIRE WILLIAMS  https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/but-only-after-you-have-suffered   Mabe Fratti https://tinangelrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ser-que-ahora-podremos-entendernos   Arushi Jain https://arushijain.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-lilac-sky   Purelink, Millia Rage https://purelink.bandcamp.com/track/maintain-the-bliss   Equiknoxx https://equiknoxx.bandcamp.com/album/basic-tools-mixtape   serpentwithfeet https://serpentwithfeet.bandcamp.com/album/deacon   Native Soul https://nativesoulsa.bandcamp.com/album/teenage-dreams   Sofia Kourtesis https://sofiakourtesis.bandcamp.com/album/fresia-magdalena   ØlstrØm https://olstrom.bandcamp.com/album/udrydde-takeover-ep   LNS https://jaydag.bandcamp.com/track/bitumen   Balimaya project https://balimayaproject.bandcamp.com/album/wolo-so     ///    

Dónal presents a sound map of the year of 2021 in new music.   This second instalment delves into the work of future guest islanders, Karl Jonas Winqvist and Mario Batkovic. It also marks the glorious return of Colleen in 2021 before celebrating the latest wave of fresh magic from the musical hotspot of Chicago in the shape of Noname, Angel Bat Dawid and Kahil El'Zabar. Support the music-makers on Bandcamp:   Helado Negro https://heladonegro.bandcamp.com/album/sound-and-vision Ralph Heidel https://kryptox-music.bandcamp.com/album/relief Colleen https://colleencolleen.bandcamp.com/album/the-tunnel-and-the-clearing Mountain Man https://mountainman.bandcamp.com/ no name https://nonameraps.bandcamp.com/album/room-25 Sons of Kemet https://sonsofkemetmusic.bandcamp.com/album/black-to-the-future Wau Wau Collectif https://wauwaucollectif.bandcamp.com/album/yaral-sa-doom Etran De L'Air https://etrandelair.bandcamp.com/ David Walters https://davidwaltersplay.bandcamp.com/album/nocturne Mario Batkovic https://invada.bandcamp.com/track/quis-est-quis Angel Bat Dawid https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/transition-east Kahil el'Zabar https://kahilelzabar-is.bandcamp.com/album/kahil-el-zabar-s-america-the-beautiful Blood Music https://singasongfighter.bandcamp.com/track/today-and-tomorrow-dancing-dancing-dancing-feat-noi-and-friends-2          

In another singular twelve months for new sounds Dónal charts the year in tunes.

The stated criterion is that it's new names only but some diversions are taken to include essential releases from familiar artists like Shirley Collins, Dean Blunt and Oneohtrix Point Never.

Otherwise it's a voyage of discovery all the way from the frozen north in Norway to the beating heart of Niger. 

 

Support the music-makers on Bandcamp:   Lighight - https://lighghtmusic.bandcamp.com/album/holy-endings Dylan Henner - https://dylanhenner.bandcamp.com/album/the-invention-of-the-human Shirley Collins - https://www.dominomusic.com/releases/shirley-collins/crowlink/download Onehotrix Point Never - https://oneohtrixpointnever.bandcamp.com/ The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid - https://sethgraham.bandcamp.com/album/the-heart-pumps-kool-aid Sam Gendel - https://samgendel.bandcamp.com/album/fresh-bread Gabriels - https://gabriels.bandcamp.com/album/love-and-hate-in-a-different-time Georgia Anne Muldrow - https://georgiaannemuldrow.bandcamp.com/album/vweto-iii Gotts Street Park - https://gottsstreetpark.ochre.store/ Utheo Goerer - https://www.lyskestrekk.com/product/utheo-choerer-forste-gir-stiv-kuling-7/ Black Country, New Road - https://blackcountrynewroad.bandcamp.com/album/for-the-first-time Falle Nioke & Ghost Culture - https://fallenioke.bandcamp.com/album/badiare-ep Mdou Moctar - https://mdoumoctar.bandcamp.com/album/afrique-victime Space Afrika - https://space-afrika.bandcamp.com/album/honest-labour Aya - https://aya-yco.bandcamp.com/ Loraine James - https://lorainejames.bandcamp.com/album/reflection Joy Orbison - https://tossportal.bandcamp.com/album/still-slipping-vol-1 Marco Shuttle - https://marcoshuttle.bandcamp.com/album/cobalt-desert-oasis Tomaga - https://tomaga.bandcamp.com/album/intimate-immensity Yu Su - https://yusu.bandcamp.com/album/yellow-river-blue Audiobooks - https://audiobookshq.bandcamp.com/album/astro-tough-2 Ross From Friends - https://rossfromfriends.bandcamp.com/album/tread Overmono - https://overmono.bandcamp.com/album/bmw-track-so-u-kno Jehnova - https://jehnova.bandcamp.com/ Dean Blunt - https://roughtraderecords.bandcamp.com/album/black-metal-2 Leo Bhanji - https://www.amazon.com/Birth-Videos-Explicit-Leo-Bhanji/dp/B08NZFFJBT Celestial - https://celestialecstatic.bandcamp.com/album/i-had-too-much-to-dream-last-night     ///