Tigran Hamasyan Seeks Meaning on Rapturous ‘Manifeste’
Tigran Hamasyan’s Manifeste is a journey, profoundly personal and rooted in the world, seeking purpose within it. It’s moving and aurally rapturous.
jazz fusion
Guitarist Steve Tibbetts Creates Beautiful Chaos
The remarkably original Steve Tibbetts discusses his process and inspirations, and where he will take this guitar to conjure even more truly singular statements.
Drummer Billy Hart Celebrates his 85th Birthday
Billy Hart’s Multidirectional is distinctive and exemplary modern jazz from a master bandleader who rarely makes a false move. This album is on the money.
Laura Ann Singh Creates a Unique, Unclassifiable Gem
Laura Ann Singh steers her reckless way through traditional jazz, torch song elegance, avant-garde experiments, and an anarchic sense of punk rebellion.
Gen X’s Nostalgia for 1980s Music Is a Memory Problem
Gen X nostalgia for 1980s music like Starship’s “We Built This City” and Toto’s “Africa” is built on old forgotten words and ancient melodies – and faulty memory.
Remembering D’Angelo: Revolutionary Funk-Soul Luminary
D’Angelo’s presence loomed large over the neo-soul in the 1990s and 2000s, but his music stood out for its lightness, its subtlety, sparseness, and deftness of touch.
Los Cinco Cardones’ Debut Shows Their Versatility
Los Cinco Cardones’ El Quinto Cardón is an impressive show of the jazz quartet’s range, and the musicianship throughout is unquestionable.
Pulse Emitter Dive Deeply Into Synth Landscapes
Pulse Emitter excels at creating synth soundscapes that sound mind-bendingly wild, are massively melodic, and demand repeated listens.
GoGo Penguin Move Forward with a Fresh Vibe
How GoGo Penguin build their sonic layers reveals genuine tone scientists, taking their time to distill a specific tonal alchemy rather than just cutting loose.
DJ Nontoya Presents Tokyo Bliss, Japanese Funk and More
Tokyo’s DJ Nontoya takes you on a guided tour through the fascinating worlds of city pop and Japanese funk on his third mix for WeWantSounds.
Opa’s ‘Goldenwings’ Is a South American Jazz Fusion Classic
Opa’s Goldenwings is an influential Uruguayan jazz album that somehow got lost in the shuffle but is gloriously brought back to life with love and care.
São Paulo’s Nomade Orquestra Sounds a Brassy Revolution
São Paulo band Nomade Orquestra’s ‘Terceiro Mundo’ is a shining example of a group capable of being original, inventive, and nonetheless broadly appealing.