Patrick Shiroishi Possesses a Gift for Improvisation
Patrick Shiroishi’s new LP showcases his talent for improvisation in diverse settings and the effective use of his instrument to make assertive, bold social statements.
american dreams
Fuubutsushi Bring Exquisite Ambient Elegance to a Live Setting
Fuubutsushi are an accomplished instrumental quartet that appeal to all audiences with an ambient experience and a noisy adventure that’s transcendent.
Jordan Reyes Faces His Fears with the Phenomenal ‘Everything Is Always’
Chicago experimentalist Jordan Reyes confronts mortality, anxiety, depression, and a pandemic with a cathartic new album, Everything Is Always.
Daniel Wyche’s ‘Earthwork’ Is a Deep, Ethereal Meditation on Childhood and Family
Experimental guitarist Daniel Wyche creates soundscapes on Earthwork that feel eerie, comforting, deeply meditative, and full of noisy swaths of inspiration.
Patrick Shiroishi’s ‘Hidemi’ Is a Stunning Tribute to Victims of Racism and Oppression
Experimental jazz saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi continues his ambitious homage to incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II with Hidemi.
Claire Rousay Leans Into a Gentler Ambient Sound
Combining field recordings with quiet, droning musical touches, A Softer Focus from experimentalist Claire Rousay may be her strongest work yet.
Eli Winter Comes Into His Own With ‘Unbecoming’
Experimental folk guitarist Eli Winter finds new directions to explore on Unbecoming, including expanding into ensemble work.
ONO Confronts American Racial Oppression with the Incendiary ‘Red Summer’
Decades after their initial formation, legendary experimentalists ONO have made an album that's topical, vital, uncomfortable, and cathartic. Red Summer is an essential documentation of the ugliness and oppression of the United States.
Mute Duo Dazzle with the Ambient, Country-Tinged ‘Lapse in Passage’
Mute Duo's second full-length album, Lapse in Passage, is dark, multilayered, and uncommonly beautiful. It's like David Lynch baked in the Texas heat. It's the soundtrack to a Cormac McCarthy-inspired fever dream.
Dreams, Diaries, and Getting Down: Individualizing the Past Through Youth and Nostalgia
Despite its limitations, television can help viewers make sense of and shape both the world and the struggle for social change.