Welcome to the Guide to the Week of Music, a round-up of music news, media and releases from the wider musical world. This week, we take a look at longlist for the 2018 SAY awards, highlight an unlikely Lankum collaboration and dive into some wonderful new music from across the globe.
SAY 2018 longlist announced
The longlist for the 2018 Scottish Album of the Year was announced earlier this week, with works by Golden Teacher, Young Fathers and Karine Polwart among the twenty nominated LPs. Those twenty are to be whittled down to ten later this month, with one of the ten selected by public vote. Find out more here and listen to a track from the beautiful Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy collaboration, below.
Lankum accompany Boy George on Who Do You Think You Are?
Folk quartet Lankum, who perform live at The Royal Exchange Theatre in September, accompanied Boy George in a rendition of an Irish rebel song on Who Do You Think You Are? last week. Their performance occurs at the end of the program, which you can catch up with here.
On the airwaves
Gilles Peterson was joined by Kamasi Washington during his recent 6Music show, but was also bumping a fair amount of Mancunian music. Nat Birchall & Al Breadwinner’s Wisdom Dub, lifted from their exceptional Sounds Almighty LP, was on the playlist, as was Children of Zeus’ exceptional Hoodman2Manhood. But it wasn’t just the Manchester music impressing us. A jaw-dropping collaboration by Dengue Dengue Dengue and Penya, entitled Pua, had us jumping for joy too. The tune is forthcoming on On the Corner records and you can catch it 53 mins into the broadcast.
21-year-old rapper Bishop Nehru appeared on Lauren Laverne’s 6Music show yesterday, discussing his latest record and performing a few tracks, live in the studio. He explained his desire to put out an entirely self-produced project, having previously worked with MF Doom and KAYTRANADA, and also discussed his route into hip-hop music as a listener. Check out the session below and catch the young MC at Band on the Wall next week.
New sounds
Saxophonist Donny McCaslin, who contributed to David Bowie’s momentous final album, ★ (Blackstar), premiered his new song Club Kidd via Consequence of Sound yesterday. McCaslin excels with this arrangement, demonstrating a clear desire to push his music forward. He breaks down the origins of the track in this fascinating article, which we recommend you check out!
Moses Sumney released a daring and dramatic new track entitled Rank & File earlier this week. Pitchfork recognised its ‘overtly political urgency’ and explained how the piece was inspired by Sumney’s experience at a demonstration in his native Los Angeles, following a grand jury’s decision not to indict the Police officer who shot dead Michael Brown, in 2014. A strong production and vocal performance are what we’ve come to expect from Sumney, but this is something truly next level!
New Visuals
The new Homeboy Sandman & Edan track Grim Seasons was published alongside a beautiful animated video by Kagan McLeod this week. It’s lifted from the forthcoming record Humble Pi and is the first time the mind behind Fumbling over words that rhyme has produced a track for Sandman since his 2016 project Kindness for Weakness.
Vocalist Neneh Cherry released the Jenn Nkiru-directed video for Kong this week. Co-produced by Four Tet and 3D of Massive Attack fame, the track caught the attention of British electronic music fans immediately. Its beat calls to mind On-U sound production, while its light keys and synth strings add softer elements to the arrangement.
Manchester-based singer-songwriter Caoilfhionn Rose releases the first single from her forthcoming debut album today. The Line of Best Fit premiered its video yesterday – a Rich Williams and People Staring film packed with stunning scenery and graded to reflect the soft psychedelic elements of the beautiful song production.
Photos: Karine Polwart by Sandy Butler, other courtesy of artist.
