São Paulo Underground: "Jagoda's Dream"

"The sound you do not hear but see, and the visual you cannot see but hear, is the work,” says Rob Mazurek. “The rest is up to the imagination." That sentiment shouldn’t be surprising to fans of the prolific cornet player, composer, and Chicago-based avant-garde luminary. His entire two-decade career has been an adventure in experimentation, and he serves as a gravitational hub around which dozens of bright talents orbit as members of his various ensembles. At present, Mazurek is the leader of the compact duo and trio versions of Chicago Underground; its antipodal counterpart, São Paulo Underground; the expansive, sprawling Exploding Star Orchestra; and the nascent Sound Is Quintet. Though his various projects all offer unique perspectives on sound and structure, they’re all propelled at some level by Mazurek’s fascination with the visual and often seek out new sounds through the expressive manipulation of color.

Imagination is an important part of Mazurek’s methods. His compositions exist in a dreamy world that incorporates elements of jazz, post-rock, electronic music, and noise, drifting, floating weightlessly in a limbo that practically demands the listener to dive deeply into the piece and create form in the spaces and gaps left open. Mazurek isn’t content to let the listener have all the fun, however, and facilitates imagination not just in the consumption of his work but also in its conception. On many of his albums, he uses unorthodox methods of composition and conducting to imbue his sounds with new passion and flavor, and color plays a significant role in that mission.

“Recently, I used a sequence of square paintings with a very specific layering of color ― graphite, white, red, and green,” Mazurek says. These paintings were to serve as visual prompts for his ensemble, in lieu of a traditionally written score or set of instructions. “Written music is very much what it is,” Mazurek says, with an air of exasperation. “These experiments push the player to imagine what could be there, what's behind the obvious. It's exciting. The top color, green, was pushing out from the painting, while the other colors were barely seen — as if inaudible. The suggestion of the reds, graphites, and whites could only be read as interpretive projections of imagined colors and textures and shades.”

Such exercises conjure sound using color and visual treatments as an input, but Mazurek’s belief in the malleability and interchangeability of the aural and the visual has led him to work from the other end, with sound as input and color as the output. "I did a work called Music for Shattered Light Box and 7 Posters where the sound from a CD player played very specific shards of my compositions,” he says. “The sound goes into a light box and affects the light source. You do not hear the sound; you only see the effect that the sound has on the light and the shards of that light being projected through the shattered glass.” For him, the lights and colors emitted by the box is the performance. Whether or not one actually hears the music is an afterthought for him; it’s practically irrelevant. “You can take the CD and play it and hear what the sound is,” he says, “but only afterward, if you're interested enough [by the lights]."

Given his interest in manipulating sound and color, it’s no wonder that Mazurek considers himself a visual artist as well as a musician. "I paint,” he says. “It flows quite naturally. I see my work as a visual artist and a musician as the same at times, and at other times, completely different.” His paintings deal with bold color and shape, in their rawest forms. Highly evocative of the chromatic abstracts of Mark Rothko, these works appear simple at first glance, but closer inspection reveals layers of details and subtle inflections. Some of his work has served as album art on his Chicago Underground records, such as Axis and Alignment (2002) and Synesthesia (2000).

“The paintings I made for these records are special,” he reveals, “in the sense that they are not quite what they seem. They seem like large-format paintings, when actually they are very small and done with small brushes over a long period of time.” Mazurek named the latter album for a neurological condition that can affect a person’s perception. Senses become crossed and combined in strange ways. Numbers and words can have a taste to a synesthete; months can acquire personalities, and sound can suggest color. It’s a peculiar syndrome that often results in creative, artistic types. Mazurek doesn’t claim to be a synesthete, but his belief in the intimate connection between color and sound certainly make him sympathetic to one’s worldview.

“I especially enjoy the painting on Synesthesia, where I used linseed oil under the whites to make it crack a bit and reveal underneath,” he says. “This was probably my first discovery of this idea of not revealing too much of what is underneath and to let that power shake the foundation of the painting.” These vibrant, nuanced covers are indicative of Mazurek’s artistic philosophy. All his work, regardless of medium, is geared toward discovery, and for him, music and visual art are two sides of the same coin, two ways of achieving the same goal, inexorably intertwined with one another. "Color, form, texture, power,” he says. “These ideas all seem to be applicable, in sound and in plastic."

This mindset was not exactly shared by Mazurek’s idol and collaborator, free-jazz legend Bill Dixon. Like Mazurek, the trumpet legend also moonlighted as a visual artist and painter, and he created the cover art for Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra, the pairing’s 2008 collaboration. Though the art is abstract, the approach is markedly different than the one that Mazurek took on his Chicago Underground covers. Whereas Mazurek’s art uses fuzzy borders and bleeding edges seeping out from large blocks of bold color, Dixon’s cover is far more structured and precise, with heavy stripes and lines of dark hues falling on top of one another but never fraternizing, always observing clear definition and distinction. This difference in artistic manner between the two horn players carried over into their views on the relationship between their visual art and their music.

Dixon, who passed away in June of 2010 at the age of 84, considered his two domains to be separate. Mazurek sees things differently, however. "I could always make my own parallels to his music and paintings,” he says. “His golden tone and striking lines, the colored nuances in his dynamic flow, the intense brightness in his upper register of the horn and cavernous blackness of the lower end. His ingenious turn of a melodic fragment and bursts of sun-flare excitement — that's a painting right there! Anyone interested in the ideas of sound, color, and form should study his works deeply. He will be greatly missed."

Despite this ideological impasse, Dixon was game enough to engage in one of Mazurek’s imaginative scoring methods on the aforementioned album. The first six minutes of “Constellations for Inner Light Projections,” the album’s centerpiece, was composed using a video score that presented The Exploding Star Orchestra, which includes such notable Chicago musicians as Nicole Mitchell, Jason Adasiewicz, and Jeff Parker, with an array of colors to be interpreted by the players individually and transformed into music. The result is a curious olio of reactions that reflects the disparate emotional and sensory reactions of the musicians. "In the beginning, there was some general confusion,” Mazurek says, “but after their eyes and brains got used to the idea, wonderful things started to happen ― quite indescribable things. It has a kind of cloudy haziness, and when it breaks out of [the visual score], the piece has more of a hard sound."

On deck for Mazurek is a particularly ambitious project, even for a seasoned veteran like him: a 10-volume set of music for his partner’s new label, Sun Core Records, that further elaborates upon his theories on the link between light, color, and sound. "I have been working with the folks at La Grande Fabrique [recording studio] in Dieppe, France on this goal,” he says. “This is their area of expertise, and with their technology, I am creating video pieces and sound pieces built entirely on this premise, juxtaposing each on the other and creating a whole different universe. It's quite exhilarating.”

Mazurek calls the potential for such juxtapositions “endless,” and indeed, his inspirational compositions are drawn from a colorful palette that appears to be inexhaustible. As he delves deeper and deeper into the visible spectrum, pulling out shards of sound from little-investigated regions, we can only imagine what will follow — and that might be Mazurek’s true goal after all.

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi: Rome (Capitol)

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi: "Two Against One" f. Jack White

After meeting in the mid-2000s, eclectic producer Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi began work on a new project — part pop collaboration and part homage to the classic Italian film scores of the 1960s and '70s.

The two met in Rome to begin recording nearly five years ago, laying down tracks with studio musicians who recorded on some of Ennio Morricone's most famous scores (by American standards).  Now, after a number of trips back to Italy and the addition of guest vocalists Jack White and Norah Jones, the project has finally been released to anxious ears.

Though at least 50% instrumental, Rome falls closer to elaborate pop than Morricone mimicry, with basic foundations allowing for romantic tinges and sweeping strings to flavor the surroundings.  (Think of a less-digitized and more-heavily layered sister album to Air's Virgin Suicides soundtrack.)

There are only minimal doses of reverberating Western guitar leads; tracks such as "The Gambling Priest," with six-string twang and wandering keyboard melodies, are less common than the verse-chorus-verse arrangements, instrumental or otherwise.  Each track is short and sweet, with none clocking in over three-and-a-half minutes, resulting in a beautiful old-school pop album that doesn't overstay its welcome.

Nader Sadek: In the Flesh (Season of Mist)

Nader Sadek: "Petrophilia"

Born in Egypt and residing in New York, visual artist Nader Sadek has become a leading purveyor of extreme-metal imagery, creating backdrops, videos, installations, masks, and more, often for music-related purposes.  Now he has called on many of his metal brethren to help create a collaborative concept album of pummeling death metal with black-metal undertones and brooding interludes.

Credited as a writer and producer, Sadek is the key creative component, but he doesn't play the music.  Instead, that's left to a super-group trio of vocalist Steve Tucker (ex-Morbid Angel), guitarist Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem), and drummer Florent Mounier (Cryptopsy) as well as a small army of high-profile guests, including Attila Csihar (Mayhem, Sunn O)))), Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation), Nick McMaster (Krallice), Mike Lerner (Behold…The Arctopus), and others.

Musically, In the Flesh is a bombardment of speed picking, dive-bombing guitar leads, blazing double-bass beats, and deathly growls, but it always demonstrates a sense of balance, avoiding the listening fatigue that's common to the genre.  In addition to the varying riffs and tempo shifts, the album benefits from percussive outros, interjections of dark ambience, and finishing touches such as choir vocals on "Of This Flesh."

The concept is based on the life/death cycle of petroleum (and the animals that turned into it over the course of millions of years).  Sadek draws parallels between this cycle and petroleum's present effect on countless lives around the world.  The music fits the dark theme — one that will be further explored as Sadek rolls out videos for each song on In the Flesh.

13 & God: Own Your Ghost (Anticon)

13 & God: "Old Age"

In 2005, the members of American indie-rap group Themselves and German experimental post-rockers The Notwist combined for a side project called 13 & God. The self-titled release meshed the nasally delivery, super-fast rhymes, and synthesized production of the former with the gentle singing, acoustic guitar, and piano melodies of the latter — while retaining both groups’ affinity for uncommon sounds.

On Own Your Ghost, the successor that’s been six years in waiting, the group is joined by Themselves collaborator Jordan Dalrymple (also known as Antonionian). This addition, on top of further musical maturity, helps 13 & God to become more than the sum of its parts — and more than a collection of beats and melodies with alternating vocalists.

If you missed 13 & God the first time around, now’s a great time to check it out.

The Fierce & The Dead: If It Carries on Like This, We Are Moving to Morecambe

The Fierce & The Dead: "10×10"

A proponent of building listener-ship via social networking and "name your price" sales models, British guitarist Matt Stevens has used 21st Century conventions to build a buzz about his melodic, instrumental works.

The Fierce & The Dead, Stevens' latest endeavor, was spawned out of collaborative improvisations during the writing of his second solo album. With the aid of bassist Kev Feazey and drummer Stuart Marshall, Stevens' song sketches morphed into structured yet improvised post-rock jams, 10 of which comprise the trio's full-length debut, If It Carries on Like This, We Are Moving to Morecambe.

Like much of Stevens' solo work, the guitars here are looped and layered to create a much denser and harmonized sound. His guitar is the most likely instrument to explore spur-of-the-moment directions, thanks to the steady rhythm section, but it never goes on meandering free-time tangents.

Many songs, in fact, might sound entirely composed if not otherwise known. But no matter the method of creation, The Fierce & The Dead's debut engages while keeping things simple. From the slowly building circles of "10×10" to the glitch-y effects and sax cameo on "Daddies Little Helper" to the buzz-saw rock of "Landcrab," this is a promising addition to the post-rock landscape.

Starlicker: Double Demon (Delmark)

Starlicker: "Double Demon"

The members of jazz trio Starlicker are each a mainstay in Chicago's dynamic, intermingled improv scene.  Cornetist Rob Mazurek, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, and percussionist John Herndon all have a long history with each other — including in Mazurek's otherworldly hard-bop extravaganza Exploding Star Orchestra — and each is involved in a good half-dozen projects at any given time.

Double Demon is the latest creation by Mazurek as a bandleader.  In the past, the veteran composer and soloist has utilized Adasiewicz in a variety of capacities, but none has found the two balancing duties quite as much as in Starlicker.

Adasiewicz alternates between rapid single-note runs and pounding chords, walking the line that a bassist normally does between melody and rhythm.  Mazurek takes the traditional lead more often than not, but he often syncs up with either the vibes or the drums before the three split for polyrhythmic improvisation.

More often than not, jazz fans will need to appreciate the genre's "free" variety to dig Starlicker, but even if they don't, there's plenty of superb musicianship on display to warrant interest.

Honorable Mentions

Altar of Plagues: Mammal (Profound Lore)

Animal Farm: Culture Shock (Focused Noise)

Austra: Feel it Break (Domino)

Bachelorette: s/t (Drag City)

Bonnie "Prince" Billy / Phantom Family Halo: The Mindeater EP (Sophomore Lounge)

J Rawls: The Hip-Hop Affect [sic] (Nature Sounds)

A Storm of Light: As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade (Profound Lore)

Tokimonsta: Creature Dreams EP (Brainfeeder)

Chad VanGaalen: Diaper Island (Sub Pop)

Weekend Nachos: Worthless (Relapse)

Hank Williams III: Hillbilly Joker (Curb)

The Eternals: "War's Blazing Disciples"

Damon Locks — frontman for experimental dub-punk band The Eternals, former member of Trenchmouth, and part-time member of Exploding Star Orchestra – is an accomplished visual artist in addition to being an accomplished musician. For ALARM's newest book, Chromatic, Locks curated a section of handmade mix-tape art. In addition, his sociopolitical mixed-media art is featured alongside a story that details his upbringing, influences, and guiding principles. Here, Locks compiles a playlist of tunes that he repeatedly turns to for inspiration.

The Uncompromising Art
by Damon Locks

I side with the ones that follow their hearts,
Not the ones making due rather than making art

These 10 tracks are tunes that inspire me to make work both visual and musical and to trust in the creative process. Upon every listen, these pieces always feel so kinetic and vital. The music business is now so savvy and marketing is so embedded into the processes of music-making that the impetus to make most music generally feels (and sounds) suspect. I wanted to put a list of tunes together whose intentions felt truthful and without an eye for its profitability.

1. Eddie Gale: "Song of Will"

A spiritual and uplifting female vocal chorus crescendos to reveal a cacophonous horn melody that punctuates and empowers.

2. Elis Regina & Zimbo Trio: "Zambi"

The amazing Elis Regina doing the Edu Lobo tune sends shivers with its intensity and beauty.

3. Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou: " Ballad of the Spirits"

A piano piece by an Ethiopian nun whose music is forlorn and magical, feeling at once familiar and fantastic.

4. Missing Brazilians: "Missing Brazilians"

A mystery. A constant question. A connection and a revelation.

5. Archie Shepp: "Attica Blues"

I just discovered this song last year. It seems so unbelievable that this tune has eluded me for all of these years. Inspirational and charged.

6. Sun Ra: "Love In Outer Space"

My favorite version is the instrumental from Out There a Minute. It is haunting and lovely…so lyrical and melancholy.

7. Voices of East Harlem: "Run Shaker Life"

An incredible, amped-up version of the tune originally by Richie Havens.

8. The Specials: "Ghost Town"

The Specials' finest hour. Dark and hopeless.

9. Mix Master Mike: "Cummm Get Summm"

Mix Master Mike's Anti-Theft Device and Return of the Cyklops are criminally overlooked masterpieces. This tune is a great example of his brilliance.

10. Philip Cohran And The Artistic Heritage Ensemble: "The Spanish Suite"

Listen to snippet here

With a run time of around 40 minutes, this is a major piece of work by Phil Cohran. The recording quality lacks initially, but the work as a whole is an incredible experience.

Blueprint: Adventures in Counter-Culture (Rhymesayers)

Blueprint: "So Alive"

Known for his lyrical virtuosity, Columbus MC Blueprint won fame as half of Soul Position with legendary indie-rap producer RJD2. After that group dissolved, he produced and released an admittedly retro solo album in 2005 (called 1988) and went six years without releasing a new solo LP.

But while RJD2 has spent his time moving away from hip hop, Blueprint’s new record, Adventures in Counter-Culture, makes it clear that he has spent his time going deeper.  The album’s first song, “Go Hard or Go Home,” serves as the album’s manifesto. Over a beat with droning, echoing synthesizers, Blueprint outlines his intentions: “I’ma tear rap down, then rebuild the shit, with total disregard of if the pieces even fit.”

Distant, sterile, inorganic synthesizers dominate the beats, serving as an aural complement to Blueprint’s lyrical themes of disconnection and alienation.  Certain sounds draw more comparisons to Brian Eno than a rap song, whereas other tracks (“So Alive,” for example) are agreeably soulful synth-rockers.  There are a few unfortunate moments of seeming machismo, but there also are moments that praise intellect over ignorance ("My Culture") and that defiantly slam mass-appeal pandering ("Radio-Inactive").

- Text by Tom Harrison. Read the full review here.

3:33: 333EP1 (Parallel Thought LTD / Alpha Pup)

3:33: "333N4"

With an identity currently under wraps, 3:33 makes its mysterious debut with 333EP1, a seven-track introduction that falls somewhere between sample-based experimentalism and dark, instrumental hip hop.

Eerie, atonal backgrounds either establish a brooding atmosphere or introduce massive, head-nodding, and often-distorted hip-hop beats. Melancholy piano loops offer some of the EP’s only real melodies, while the rest is built from rustling, jangling, shrieks, whispers, and whirring electronics. Apt comparisons can be made to industrial hip-hoppers Dälek, particularly after hearing the bonus digital cut of “333N4,” a vocal version that features guest rappers Del the Funky Homosapien and Tame One.

The Kills: Blood Pressures (Domino)

The Kills: "Satellite"

Comprised of American vocalist Allison Mossheart and British guitarist Jamie Hince, international duo The Kills has spent three albums drawing interest for its lo-fi but bottom-heavy blend of bluesy rock riffs, electronic beats, and harmonized boy/girl vocals.

Blood Pressures displays the same diversity of sounds as on previous albums, moving from up-tempo fuzz rockers to string-backed piano ballads.  Then there's the electro-dub feel of "Satellite," an infectious single that reflects the best of Blood Pressures — gritty bass and synth distortions beneath Hince's resonant guitar licks and Mossheart's haunting whoa-ohs.

Though each track maintains the duo's minimalism, Blood Pressures feels as complete as any Kills album, and it might be the strongest from start to finish.

Chancha via Circuito: Río Arriba (ZZK)

Chancha via Circuito: "Cumbion de las Aves"

Assembled by Argentine producer Pedro Canale, the sounds of Chancha via Circuito channel the native drum traditions of Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, and other music-rich South American nations while mixing in modern electronic and percussive elements.

Whereas Rodante, Canale's first album, explored cumbia — a cross-continental dance style with roots in the slave trade, incorporating both native South American and African influences — Río Arriba is a jump to folkloric sounds, now subtly recalling the "folklorica" of label-mates Tremor.

Though still minimal, the music of Río Arriba includes new layers, with samples taken from many sources (such as the sporting sounds of "Deportes").  Interestingly, two of the first three tracks are remixes, including one of sociopolitical folk singer/songwriter José Larralde's "Quimey Neuquén."  But ultimately, Río Arriba is an album that helps Chancha via Circuito establish a sound of its own — one that should continue to grow and flourish.

Colorlist: The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean EP (Serein)

Colorlist: "Light Conditions"

Colorlist, now on its third studio recording, is a dynamic Chicago duo (plus guests) that concocts ambient, polyrhythmic jazz that leans on loops and sequencers.  Though only 26 minutes long, The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean is just as adept at building and releasing as the previous releases by saxophonist Charles Gorczynski and percussionist Charles Rumback.

This is thanks, in part, to each member's multi-instrumental prowess: Gorczynski also mans the harmonium (an accordion-like keyboard instrument), synthesizers, and looping equipment, making him a sort of one-man harmony machine on top of Rumback's bells and melodica.

But the duo's penchant for building slowly and creating multi-layered sound collages is just as prominent, albeit with a key cameo on an impressive track: the scaling guitar of jazz virtuoso Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Exploding Star Orchestra), which echoes Gorczynski's sax midway through "Nine Lives" before taking its own path and disappearing into the distance.

Honorable Mentions

Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya: Sotho Blue (Sunnyside)

Débruit: Sis Sürpriz EP (Civil Music)

Henry Mancini: The Complete Peter Gunn (Chrome Dreams)

Mono/Poly: Manifestations EP (Brainfeeder)

Negura Bunget: Focul Viu live CD/DVD (Prophecy)

Rasputina: Great American Gingerbread (Rasputina Rarities & Neglected Items) (Filthy Bonnet)

Timber Timbre: Creep On Creepin’ On (Arts & Crafts)

V/A: Tron: Legacy Reconfigured (Disney)

As usual, ALARM leaves no genre unexplored in our list of this year's overlooked gems.

Sigh: Scenes from Hell (The End, 1/19/10)

Sigh: "The Summer Funeral"

With a history of fusing other revered genres to a doomy combination of black metal and thrash, Japan's Sigh used its eighth studio album to deliver symphonic, epic metal that calls upon classical instrumentation to top its rock foundation.

Brass, woodwind, and string instruments — as well as organ and piano — accent as well as lead sinister melodies that take surprising turns through fanciful themes. Raspy, menacing vocals coat each track, resulting in a dramatic presentation that isn't much at odds with its complex backdrop.

RJD2: The Colossus (RJ’s Electrical Connections, 1/19/10)

RJD2: "Games You Can Win"

Following a divisive album that saw the introduction of poppy, soulful vocals, producer RJD2 returned with something of a split release — an album that leaves no shortage of accessible, vocal-driven tunes but that emphasizes some inventive instrumentals.  Whether or not you dig the soulful RJ, there's no doubt that the music on The Colossus is some of his best to date.

Chicago Underground Duo: Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey, 1/26/10)

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"

For 15 years, the Chicago Underground Duo (and Trio, Quartet, and Orchestra) has been an avant-garde jazz outlet for prolific Chicago musicians Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217) and Chad Taylor.  Boca Negra is an interesting dichotomy, as spiraling vociferation leads to upbeat grooves, shifting piano chords, harmonic electronics, and ambient samples.

Algernon: Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform, 1/26/10)

Algernon: "Broken Lady"

The brainchild of guitarist Dave Miller, Algernon walks a thin line between melodically driven post-rock and instrumental unconventionality.  Ghost Surveillance places greater emphasis on synthesizers and sprawling song structures, but at its core is the combination of accessibility and technicality that has defined Miller's style. Noisy, circular rock riffs transform to tranquil, wandering passages. "Timekiller," the album's fourth track, is a beautiful, buoyant number — and one of the band's best creations to date.

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: Into the Wind (Ubiquity, 1/26/10)

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East"

In the hands of a marvel, the guzheng — a gorgeous Chinese zither — resonates with tactile beauty as its many strings are plucked with precision.

Bei Bei, a native of Chengdu, China, is one such musical technician. And this collaboration with Shawn Lee, a prolific producer who can man as many genres as he sees fit, is undoubtedly one of the year's finest albums.  Together, the two use Into the Wind to navigate through funky down-tempo jams, Kung-Fu flavor, hip hop, soul, and driving grooves.

Daníel Bjarnason: Processions (Bedroom Community, 2/1/10)

Daníel Bjarnason: "Bow to String I: Sorrow Conquers Happiness"

Best known as a conductor and arranger for indie groups such as Sigur Rós, composer Daníel Bjarnason also holds a lofty classical résumé. Processions, his proper debut, is, at many points, a challenging classical work.  Powerful cellos scale and race with crackling percussions before settling into gently bowed and pizzicato string accompaniments; easily half a dozen strings battle for dominance in a sorrowful, harmonic piece that resonates long after hearing it.  Undoubtedly, Processions is a daring and original debut.

Shining: Blackjazz (Indie Recordings / Distribution, 2/2/10)

Shining: "Fisheye"

Beginning as an experimental acoustic jazz ensemble, Norway's Shining — the brainchild of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby — transformed to a progressive jazz-fusion outfit before delving into its darker side for a collaboration with black-metallists Enslaved.

Blackjazz pushes deeper into the band's dark recesses, forging a progressive industrial sound for the young century.  Big, complex rock riffs, twisted through gnarly distortion, form the foundation and support a mass of frantic, whirring synth lines and gut-wrenching black-metal screams.  In all, Blackjazz is a new epic — and perhaps the best metal album of 2010.

Pillars and Tongues: Lay of Pilgrim Park, LP + download (Endless Nest, 2/9/10)

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"

With just three members, Pillars and Tongues manages to craft powerful folk abstractions and interwoven, trance-inducing vocal dynamics. Both composed and improvisational, these shifting forms evoke spiritual vibes in their soulful essence, heavenly harmonies, and repeated patterns.

Dessa: A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree, 2/9/10)

Dessa: "Dixon's Girl"

The only female member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, Dessa is a spoken-word vocalist, singer, and MC whose awaited full-length was finally released earlier this year.

On A Badly Broken Code, her true solo debut, Dessa's vocal diversity is matched by its underlying music, ranging from hard-hitting beats and rhymes to lilting harmonic overdubs.

The Bastard Noise / The Endless Blockade: The Red List (20 Buck Spin, 2/16/10)

The Bastard Noise: "Mutant World of Shame / Underworld"

A spinoff of treasured "power-violence" hardcore group Man is the Bastard, The Bastard Noise is approaching its 20th anniversary of creating noisy electro-doom brutality.  For this split release with hardcore/punk experimentalists The Endless Blockade, the group utilizes the trademark drum-and-bass style of Man is the Bastard in combination with its far-out sounds.  The Endless Blockade contributes three tracks to the release — one 14-minute epic and two avant-garde remixes.

Freeway & Jake One: The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers, 2/16/10)

Freeway & Jake One: "Know What I Mean"

Continuing his life after Roc-A-Fella Records, former freestyle star Freeway now makes his debut on Rhymesayers, a fitting new home — if only temporary before a move to Cash Money.  Fellow Rhymesayers standout Jake One provides a funky, malleable backdrop for Freeway's fiery delivery and lyrics that are alternately personal and light in content. And though Freeway deserves his accolades, Jake One's production is the MVP of this collaboration.

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch, 2/16/10)

Carolina Chocolate Drops: "Hit 'Em Up Style" (Blu Cantrell)

Beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk, the string trio Carolina Chocolate Drops continues blurring the lines of old and new. On Genuine Negro Jig, the group's fifth album, a few original numbers and a trove of traditionals take root in banjo, fiddle, and percussion. Three-part harmonies shimmer on the famous folk tune "Trouble in Your Mind," and simplicity shines on gripping renditions of "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Kansas Joe McCoy and "Trampled Rose" by Tom Waits.  Most surprisingly, Genuine Negro Jig includes an enjoyable rendition of "Hit 'Em Up Style," an unintentionally farcical pop hit by Blu Cantrell.

Mako Sica: Dual Horizon LP (La Société Expéditionnaire, 2/16/10)

Mako Sica: "I'Itoi"

A translation of the phrase "land bad," Mako Sica has more than a nominal Native American influence; the trio's distant vocal reverberations and dirge-inspired tunes recall the spirituality of America's original inhabitants.

Between the vocalizations of Brent Fuscaldo, the melodies of guitarist Przemyslaw Krys Drazek, and the rhythms of drummer Michael J. Kendrick, Mako Sica maintains a strong balance of abilities — with a brooding combination of jangly guitars, reverberated vociferation, and instrumental dynamics.

High on Fire: Snakes for the Divine (E1 Music, 2/23/10)

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"

Stoner-metal trio High on Fire has built a devoted following over the past dozen years as fans fell in love with Matt Pike's gruff vocals and thunderous guitar riffs. On Snakes for the Divine, Pike uses his throat to channel Lemmy Kilmister; meanwhile, the band has picked up its pace and crafted an album that isn’t as outstretched. Hard-hitting riffery leads an effort that, though diverse at times, may be the band’s most driving release.

Jaga Jazzist: One-Armed Bandit (Ninja Tune, 2/23/10)

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit"

Five years have passed since we've heard the powerhouse melodies of Norway's Jaga Jazzist, the post-rock/"nü-jazz" conception of brothers Lars and Martin Horntveth.

One-Armed Bandit, immediately the group's best album, resembles symphonic prog rock, arguably a few steps removed from parts of Frank Zappa's expansive catalog and closer to countryman Jono El Grande's diverse and theatrical style.  This album, however, is much more cohesive than either of those comparisons suggest, and at times it is nearly overwhelming with grooves and harmonious refrains.

Rob Swift: The Architect (Ipecac, 2/23/10)

Rob Swift: "The Architect"

Turntablist/DJ Robert Aguilar, formerly of the X-ecutioners, has long utilized his love of jazz, R&B, and other musical movements to create compelling hip-hop instrumentals while displaying his tight beat-juggling skills.

The Architect is Swift’s foray into the classical world. In addition to a multitude of sampled styles and sounds, classical cuts comprise a substantial chunk of this Ipecac debut. Rearranged strings, organ, and horns often make the foundation of a given track, occasionally evoking high-tension Italian Westerns, as Swift’s scratches dance atop banging beats.

Rotting Christ: Aealo (Season of Mist, 2/23/10)

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"

For more than 20 years, Athens' Rotting Christ has traversed different directions on the metal path.  With its previous release, Theogonia, the group released a striking, original album that fused its dark sound to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors.

Like its predecessor, Aealo features female Benedictine chants, lingual pipes, and a medieval feel. Combined with dueling high-pitched harmonies and powerful guitar work, these new elements highlight an album that should be among the most original metal releases of the year.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch, 2/23/10)

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby"

As two of Africa's most internationally renowned musicians, guitar legend Ali Farka Touré and kora phenom Toumani Diabaté have displayed impeccable abilities while integrating the styles of other cultures into their ethnic sounds.

Each Malian, the two collaborated for the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon in 2005, shortly before Farka Touré's passing in 2006. Fortunately, the two set aside time to record new material before touring for In the Heart of the Moon, and the result is another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release.

Throughout Ali and Toumani, Farka Touré roots each creation in melodious African-blues pieces. Diabaté's virtuosity accents each track in the form of fanciful scales, which at times evoke classical harpsichord passages, perhaps most notably on "Sabu Yerkoy."

Fang Island: s/t (Sargent House, 2/23/10)

Fang Island: "Sideswiper"

Mostly comprised of ex-Daughters, the good-time rock quintet Fang Island was one of the most quickly ascending bands of 2010, jumping onto tours with The Flaming Lips and Stone Temple Pilots following the release of its first full-length album.

The self-titled release is chock full of palm-muted and speed-infused indie-prog anthems, with über-layered vocal harmonies to go with a triple-thick guitar assault and distorted-bass bludgeoning.  It's one of those rare releases that feels absolutely radiant and thrashing at the same time.

B. Dolan: Fallen House, Sunken City (Strange Famous, 3/2/10)

B. Dolan: "The Reptilian Agenda"

Going way back with Sage Francis, rapper B. Dolan is a like-minded MC and slam poet whose style isn't terribly dissimilar to that of his long-time friend. Fallen House, Sunken City is Dolan's second full-length for Strange Famous, and it's full of the sociopolitical themes (if often in quick blasts or asides) and contentious delivery for which he's known.

In addition to some seemingly personal lyrics, Dolan takes passing shots at big business, taxation, the pharmaceutical industry, the concept of ownership of natural resources, the Israeli razing of Palestinian developments, and, among many other things, the so-called New World Order — dropping clips of Dick Cheney and George H.W. Bush in "The Reptilian Agenda."  On top of Dolan's socially conscious rhymes, A-list production by Alias makes this one of the year's top hip-hop releases.

Archie Bronson Outfit: Coconut (Domino, 3/2/10)

Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"
Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"

With its warbled vocals and driving percussion, British psych-rock trio Archie Bronson Outfit is like a more adventurous Wolf Parade — as comfortable burning up the dance floor with clean, bouncy riffs as it is turning up the reverb and rocking in a garage.

Coconut is the band's first LP in nearly four years, and it kicks off with a crunchy, swirling guitar line and a hypnotic bongo-laden beat. Produced by DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, Coconut gets spaced-out and drone-like at times, but it always offers a hint of pop accessibility amidst the static and haze.

Chicago Odense Ensemble "Soup"

Chicago Odense Ensemble is the latest foray of Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Chicago Underground, Isotope 217) into large-group jazz fusion. The Ensemble — Jeff Parker and Dan Bitney of Tortoise and Isotope 217, Matt Lux (also of Isotope 217), Jonas Munk and Jakob Skøtt of European psych band Causa Sui, and percussionist Brian Keigher — recently released its self-titled album on Adluna Records.

Starting today, Chicago Odense Ensemble is offering a special discount on its record to ALARM readers, good through Friday, December 3. Both CD and vinyl versions will be printed in limited numbers (250 vinyl, 500 CD), so be sure to act quickly to secure your own copy. Pricing is as follows:

- Vinyl is 30€ instead of 45€

- CD is 12€ instead of 15€

- Vinyl + CD pack is only 40€ instead of 55€.

- Each offer includes free shipping worldwide.

To take advantage of this special ALARM discount, go here: http://www.chicagoodenseensemble.com/alarm/

Chicago Odense Ensemble: s/t (Adluna)

Chicago Odense Ensemble: "Soup"

Hajduch: Chicago Odense Ensemble is the latest foray of Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Chicago Underground, Isotope 217) into large-group jazz fusion.  He's brought along some of his previous collaborators (Jeff Parker and Dan Bitney of Tortoise and Isotope 217; Matt Lux, also of Isotope 217) as well as some fresh faces (Jonas Munk and Jakob Skøtt of European psych band Causa Sui and percussionist Brian Keigher).

Fans of the previously mentioned bands have a pretty good idea of what to expect here: Mazurek's compositions tend to mine pretty similar territory, electric-era Miles Davis that sprawls out gradually.  Mazurek has an ear for catchy melody that shines through even when the playing is wide open.  Over the course of the (mostly lengthy) tracks, one melody line will give way to an echoed-out drone, from which a new idea will usually emerge and take over.

The guitar interplay — Parker's filtered, muted scales in one channel, Jonas Munk's wocka-chicka psych octaves in the other — turns Mazurek's usual In a Silent Way meandering into something more like On the Corner.  The drums are saturated with dub echo, and at times it is left to Mazurek's insistent cornet lines and the steady bass of Matt Lux to hold a groove down.

Morrow: We've both heard the Chicago guys play in a number of permutations, and though they're by no means allergic to grooves, it's nice to hear them on another improv album that centers on riff patterns.  Each player is very capable of wild, "free" performances, but each is just as adept at captivating melodies and adapted accompaniments.

Despite the overlapping complexities on this album, it never loses its focus as an accessible collection.  The contributions from Munk and Skøtt (each from Odense, Denmark) cannot be understated; it seems that they often draw in the right accents, whether it's a soft cornet part from Mazurek, a restrained bass line from Lux, or a warm guitar harmony from Parker.

Hajduch: I don't know if it's the psych influence of the new players, or the nature of the compositions, but this album feels more locked-in in terms of riffs than previous Mazurek projects.  Exploding Star Orchestra, in particular, prefers huge, multi-section pieces, with lots of space for solos.  Chicago Odense Ensemble pieces tend to have a lot of playing in the margins, but there usually is a bass line and one other member holding down the groove.  Without a lot of far-flung experimentation, it feels a bit the same at times, but none of that takes away from Mazurek's ear for melody.  You might get lost for a few minutes as you zone out to a groove, but you won't catch yourself thinking that it's monotonous or un-listenable.

One thing that is slightly disappointing is the lack of a second horn.  Mazurek frequently works as the lone horn player in his bands, but his gift for writing ensemble lines is inspired (pretty much every track on his album with Chicago Underground Orchestra has a great example of this; also see "Looking After Life on Mars" from Isotope 217's Utonian Automatic, where he plays a duo lead against Jeff Parker's guitar).  In light of this, it's unfortunate that he doesn't take the time to harmonize any truly memorable lead lines here.  With the range of talent on display, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Morrow: I don't know.  I love a lot of stuff with big brass front lines, but I'm glad that we're not horned to death here.  Also, I assume that this is a true collaboration between the parties, not just another of Mazurek's projects, and his penchant for great leads and solos already puts him in the spotlight.

Ultimately, Chicago Odense Ensemble feels like some of its players' other projects, but I think that we agree that it's a really well-done disc with great grooves.  Also, we should point out that Adluna Records planned a special subscription offer for this release, which is limited to 500 CDs and 250 vinyl records, so pre-order it here if you want to secure a copy.

From 1982 to 1997, New York's Swans built a cult legacy for a solitary blend of industrial, folk, noise, and avant-garde music.  It was less music than an experience, helmed by songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocal oddity Michael Gira.

Along the way, the group's sound evolved from raw to delicate and anywhere between, channeling ambient sounds, acoustic tenderness, post-rock, field recordings, cinematic drama, and much more. But Gira wanted to turn his attention elsewhere, and Jarboe, Gira's partner and one of the group's only other constants, went her own way.

Gira focused on acoustic works in a solo career and with a group called The Angels of Light, and he released other people's material on his label, Young God Records.  Though a new Swans album never seemed likely or possible, Gira now has delivered one that far exceeds expectations thanks to an all-star cast.

In a new, balanced mix of noise rock, strange ballads, and stratified power, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky calls on Thor Harris, Bill Rieflin, Devendra Banhart, and a number of other multi-talented collaborators.  Whether droning, marching, building to a crescendo, setting a creepy tone, or simply delivering melodies, this marks a new and important chapter in the Swans story.

Swans: "Eden Prison"

Torche: Songs for Singles EP (Hydra Head)

Over the course of two albums and a few EPs, Florida’s Torche has developed an appeal across genre lines, attracting stoner-metal fans as well as the sing-along crowd.

The band (now a trio) earned some serious buzz from its 2008 full-length album, Meanderthal, which coupled a strong melodic emphasis with thick distortion, catchy riffs, and wailing vocals.   Songs for Singles, essentially, is more of the same two-minute tracks, each powerful yet approachable enough to be played on the radio.

The EP, however, also holds a pair of the band’s longest jams, including penultimate track “Face the Wall,” which slows the tempo to establish an epic, My Bloody Valentine-esque vibe over five-and-a-half minutes.  The closer, “Out Again,” is a six-minute mid-tempo rocker that rides a trance-like outro for four minutes.

These slow jams close Songs for Singles in a similar fashion to Meanderthal, which back-loaded the longer tracks.  They create a nice contrast to the first six tracks, even though they do little to change Torche’s direction.

Listeners who loved all of Meanderthal, however, should have no problem with more of the same.  Regardless, if you’re not familiar with the band’s signature combination of punk melodies and beats, guitar harmonics, and overdubbed vocals, you should get acquainted.

Torche: "Arrowhead"

Exploding Star Orchestra: Stars Have Shapes (Delmark)

Composer/cornetist and multimedia artist Rob Mazurek has been at the leading edge of experimental jazz for more than 15 years, searching out new expressions of a classic genre in outfits such as Chicago Underground Duo (Trio, Quartet, etc.), Isotope 217, Mandarin Movie, Sao Paulo Underground, and more.

In 2007, Thrill Jockey released the full-length debut of Exploding Star Orchestra, one of Mazurek’s newest creations that fused hard bop with untamed improvisation, electronics, and far-out samples (including an electric eel).  The large, member-shifting ensemble followed in 2008 to present a collaboration with the since-departed Bill Dixon — a three-suite album that directed the players to musically interpret one of Mazurek’s video works.

Stars Have Shapes finds Mazurek further exploring the interplay between aural and visual stimuli, most notably on “Three Blocks of Light,” an interpretation of his similarly titled three-part photo piece, “Three Projections of Light.”  Each track (with the exception of the five-minute “ChromoRocker”) is a slowly building sphere of sound, a layered cacophony that swirls with fervor.

There isn’t the same type of powerful, circular jazz grooves as on the debut, We Are All From Somewhere Else, but there are moments of refinement between the chaos.  As a whole, it’s a much less accessible album than the debut, but it operates on a much more subconscious level.

Exploding Star Orchestra: "ChromoRocker"

Flying Lotus: Pattern+Grid World EP (Warp)

In May, laptop guru Flying Lotus released Cosmogramma, the electronic producer’s grand opus and third full-length album.  Showcasing an expanded palette and a stronger compositional skill set, the album received glowing reviews and catapulted Flying Lotus (named Steven Ellison) to the forefront of an evolving sound.

Pattern+Grid World, the latest in Ellison’s line of EPs, goes back to basics.  The seven songs focus on pure electronics and synthesizers, as opposed to the diverse timbres and elaborate samples heard on Cosmogramma.  It’s still a complex, beat-driven tangle, but the material isn’t nearly as layered or expansive, and the melodies aren’t as wild.

The EP excels as a synth-driven IDM release, and its style makes it more likely than its full-length predecessor to be heard in a club.  If you like Flying Lotus but Cosmogramma was too intense for you, check this out.

Flying Lotus: "Camera Day"

Maximum Balloon: s/t (Interscope)

Producer/multi-instrumentalist Dave Sitek is best known as a co-founder and driving force behind TV on the Radio.  His dense style has led to production credits for Liars, Foals, Scarlett Johansson, Thee Oh Sees, and others.

Maximum Balloon is Sitek's solo debut — 10 synth-pop tracks featuring 10 different guest vocalists.  Sitek has always worked in the realm of pop, but Maximum Balloon is substantially sunnier and more upbeat than TV on the Radio or his other efforts.

Over the duration of the debut, the music's feel seldom wavers.  Digital beats, light-rock instruments, synthesizers, and even some funk guitar and fake horns create a layered, danceable album.  The biggest difference from track to track, as might be expected, is the guest spots by vocalists such as David Byrne, Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Holly Miranda.

"The Lesson" finally shifts gears to a down-tempo, minor-key ballad — one of the album's better tracks — and the closer takes a similar route.  At that point, however, Maximum Balloon has already established its foundation, and pop fans will appreciate it.

Maximum Balloon: "Absence of Light" (feat. Tunde Adebimpe)

Honorable Mentions

Chloe Charles: Little Green Bud

The Hundred in the Hands: s/t (Warp)

John Legend & The Roots: Wake Up! (Columbia)

Margot & The Nuclear So-and-Sos: Buzzard (+1)

La Otracina: Reality Has Got to Die (Holy Mountain)

Qemists: Spirit in the System (Ninja Tune)

Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet: Natural Selection (Sunnyside)

Thievery Corporation: It Takes a Thief (ESL)

US Christmas: Run Thick in the Night (Neurot)

Brought together by Brian Keigher, the group of all-stars combined their unique blend of styles in total improvisation, the result of which recalls Miles Davis' ventures in electronic music in the early '70s. Loose ideas and grooves come together into well-developed electro-jazz soundscapes frequently punctuated by brilliant virtuosic solos.

After the initial recording session, Munk took the material back to his studio in Odense, Denmark to begin the process of cutting, rearranging and manipulating. Using the production process as an instrument instead of merely a tool led to some interesting results. Elements of dub, Eastern and African sounds, and even psychedelic rock run throughout the new record.

The Chicago Odense Ensemble is releasing its record in a (fittingly) unconventional way: subscriptions. By accepting pre-orders before pressing the record, the group's label, Adluna Records, ensures that it has enough interest and funding to make the project work.

On the same day that the record is sent to the manufacturing plant, a free download is sent to all who pre-ordered the album. Both vinyl and CD versions of the record will be available and limited to 500 copies each.

Pre-order Chicago Odense Ensemble here.

The guzheng is a gorgeous Chinese zither whose existence dates back two thousand years. In the hands of a marvel, it resonates with tactile beauty as its many strings are plucked with precision.

Bei Bei, a native of Chengdu, China, is one such musical technician. And this collaboration with Shawn Lee, a prolific producer who can man as many genres as he sees fit, undoubtedly will be one of the year's finest albums.

Lee is no slouch, but his work really shines when he's coupled with a virtuoso. Together, the two use Into the Wind to navigate through funky down-tempo jams, Kung-Fu flavor, hip hop, soul, and driving grooves.

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East" (excerpt)
Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: \"East\" (excerpt)

Algernon: Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform)

The brainchild of guitarist Dave Miller, Algernon walks a thin line between melodically driven post-rock and instrumental unconventionality.

The quintet, based in Chicago, has drawn comparisons to hometown compatriots Tortoise — thanks to a vibraphone and a few jazz-inflected melodies — but it very much has established its own voice, particularly on Ghost Surveillance, its third album.

This album places greater emphasis on synthesizers and sprawling song structures, but at its core is the combination of accessibility and technicality that has defined Miller's style. Noisy, circular rock riffs transform to tranquil, wandering passages. "Timekiller," the album's fourth track, is a beautiful, buoyant number — and one of the band's best creations to date.

As always, the vibraphone work of percussionist Katie Wiegman offers a warm, harmonic accompaniment, but the group's best-supporting player may be drummer Cory Healey, whose wild fills and drum-and-bass moments imbue Ghost Surveillance with explosive bursts of energy.

Algernon: "Broken Lady"
Algernon: \"Broken Lady\"

Chicago Underground Duo: Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey)

For 15 years, the Chicago Underground Duo (and Trio, Quartet, and Orchestra) has been an avant-garde jazz outlet for prolific Chicago musicians Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217) and Chad Taylor.

Its size and scope has shifted, but Mazurek and Taylor have been the staples of the Chicago Underground name, melding improvisation with composition through a shifting balance of impulse and atmosphere.

Boca Negra is an interesting dichotomy, as spiraling vociferation leads to upbeat grooves, shifting piano chords, harmonic electronics, and ambient samples.

"Hermeto," for example, is built around a delicate keyboard melody, harmonizing surroundings, and a windy backdrop. "Spy on the Floor" follows with one of CUD's most straightforward grooves, coupling with Taylor's snare-rolling beat to craft a danceable tune.

Taylor handles the programming this time around, which helps to explain some of the duo's new sound. Long-time fans will recognize Boca Negra as being in the CUD ouvre, but they might be surprised at its scope.

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"
Chicago Underground Duo: \"Spy on the Floor\"

Noah Creshevsky: The Twilight of the Gods (Tzadik)

Electronic composer Noah Creshevsky is a master of contrast, crafting musical patchworks from samples of orchestras, vocalists, pop music, and much more.

The Twilight of the Gods, his second album for Tzadik, is another wild series of rearrangements. Otherworldly performances rub against spliced sonic quilts. Scurrying bits of avant-classical weave in and out, bobbing between vocal undulations and interpretations of freeform rock and jazz.

This very much is for daring audiences, but regardless of preference, most listeners should agree that there is nothing quite like it.

Honorable mentions

Greg Burk: Many Worlds (482 Music)
Four Tet: There is Love in You (Domino)
Fredrik: Trilogi (The Kora)
Harvey Milk: s/t reissue (Hydra Head)
Yuka Honda: Heart Chamber Phantoms (Tzadik)
Joan of Arc presents: Don’t Mind Control compilation (Polyvinyl)
Sam Sadigursky: Words Project III: Miniatures (New Amsterdam)
Slow Six: Tomorrow Becomes You (Western Vinyl)
Univers Zero: Clivages (Cuneiform)