Andreas Kapsalis Trio: Original Scores (3/31/09)
Andreas Kapsalis Trio: "Playful Little Demons"
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Makers of boundless pseudo-soundtrack work and one of last year’s best albums, this trio pairs a shifting percussion duo with the exemplary finger-tapping guitar work of Andreas Kapsalis.
Mike Patton: Crank 2: High Voltage soundtrack (Lakeshore Entertainment, 4/7/09)
Mike Patton: "Chickenscratch"
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The second soundtrack in as many years from tireless musical adventurer Mike Patton, who here delivers high-powered, instrumentally diverse variations on a theme.
Staff Benda Bilili: Trés Trés Fort (Crammed Discs, 4/7/09)
Staff Benda Bilili: "Je T'aime"
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Channeling the voices of the disenfranchised into playful rumba melodies, this tenacious band of paraplegic Congolese musicians captures beautiful music and colorful vocals on its debut album.
Karl Sanders: Saurian Exorcisms (The End, 4/14/09)
Karl Sanders: "Rapture of the Empty Spaces"
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Nile linchpin Karl Sanders issued another beautiful acoustic release of Arabic flavors mixed with Western structures. The music contains some of Sanders’ blistering fretwork, but it never strays from its overlying melody and accessibility. Covering Turkish, Egyptian, Indian, and Arabic styles, Saurian Exorcisms is a must-own album.
Agoraphobic Nosebleed: Agorapocalypse (Relapse, 4/14/09)
Agoraphobic Nosebleed: "Moral Distortion"
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Specializing in über-fast thrash/grind, ANB uses its newest full-length to employ breakdowns, breakneck solos, and sludge bass to make this the band’s most realized release to date.
Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics: Inspiration Information 3 (Strut, 4/14/09)
Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics: "Cha Cha"
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The father of Ethio-jazz combines with a band of UK hip-hop/funk/psychedelic all-stars to create an outstanding disc of worldly jazz-hop fusion.
Mr. Lif: I Heard it Today (Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises, 4/21/09)
Mr. Lif: "Folklore" (feat. Dumbtron & Vinnie Paz)
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The latest from hip-hop hero Jeffrey Haynes seeks to inspire others and take a greater reflection on the political landscape. With banging beats and grooves as a backdrop, Lif keeps it real, noting of America's 44th president, "You think they’re gonna let Obama stop the flow of dough? I think no — or we’ll be witnessing an overthrow."
Robert Burger: City of Strangers (Tzadik, 4/21/09)
Robert Burger: "Bazaar"
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Founding member of Tin Hat Trio and multi-instrumentalist Rob Burger tackles a plethoric load of film cues on City of Strangers, deftly weaving through chamber music, neoclassical, piano scores, twangy bluegrass and slide guitar, melodic pieces of percussion, waltzy accordion numbers, and much more.
Thee Oh Sees: Help (In the Red, 4/28/09)
Thee Oh Sees: "Enemy Destruct"
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Help finds singer/guitarist John Dwyer doing what he does best — releasing another album of catchy experimental garage-rock tunes.
Jon Hopkins: Insides (Domino, 5/4/09)
Jon Hopkins: "Insides"
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On Insides, the creations of London pianist / electronic producer Jon Hopkins are alternately distant and engaging, resulting in a beautiful work with broad appeal.
