Soulsavers: The Light the Dead See (Mute, 5/22/12)
In May, Depeche Mode front-man Dave Gahan delivered powerful vocals on Soulsavers’ The Light the Dead See, a collaboration that bred soulful melodies with feel-it-in-your-bones lyrics. On its latest production, the British duo — comprised of Rich Machin and Ian Glover — painted a moving portrait achieved with a variety instruments, from strings to organs and choir-like backing vocals. Even Gahan’s harmonica can be heard on several occasions.
Ihsahn: Eremita (Candlelight, 6/19/12)
“The Paranoid”
Though the hazy noise of 1992’s Wrath of the Tyrant may seem a far cry from the sleekly produced Eremita, the songwriting of former Emperor guitarist and vocalist Ihsahn always has been based upon a very specific melodic voice. There is a clear thread from the tremolo-picked intro to “I Am the Black Wizards” (from 1993’s Emperor) to the arpeggiated “Introspection” (from Eremita), even if one composition tends much more towards Celtic Frost and the other much more towards Gentle Giant. Eremita, or “The Hermit,” is Ihsahn’s fourth solo album, and it continues a hybrid of progressive rock and black metal that was heard on Emperor’s later albums such as IX Equilibrium and Prometheus.
Aesop Rock: Skelethon (Rhymesayers, 7/10/12)
“Zero Dark Thirty”
Aesop Rock: “Zero Dark Thirty”
Rap, understandably, always has placed an emphasis on lyrics, and rapper Aesop Rock is known for his motley blend of allusions, metaphors, and symbols. This is rap on hard mode, and it’s nearly unmatched.
Calibro 35: Any Resemblance to Real Persons or Actual Facts is Purely Coincidental (Nublu, 7/10/12)
“Uh Ah Brr”
Film scores have seeped into the collective consciousness of musicians since they were first introduced to cinema. Their influence is widespread and unmistakable, but few artists have derived so much of their aesthetic from this sub-genre as Calibro 35, an Italian instrumental five-piece that works to pay homage to the Golden Age of Italian cinema.
Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan (Domino, 7/10/12)
“Gun Has No Trigger”
Dirty Projectors: “Gun Has No Trigger”
Earlier this year, when Dirty Projectors offered a stream of the new song “Gun Has No Trigger,” it felt like the band was fending off fans, critics, and music blogs with a stick — keeping them at bay, buying more time to wrap up more songs. Ever since the release of its schizo-indie breakthrough, Bitte Orca, in 2009, the band has become a bearer of the “most anticipated album” tag, as the expectations for follow-up Swing Lo Magellan have swelled to ridiculous proportions.