Jherek Bischoff

Review: Jherek Bischoff’s Composed

Jherek Bischoff: Composed (Brassland, 6/5/12)

“Young and Lovely” f. Zac Pennington & Soko

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Jherek Bischoff has more than a few tricks up his very well-tailored sleeves. You know it just by looking at him, at his satin-collared tuxedo and manicured hairdo circa 1939, at his high cheek bones and golden-brown eyes, the color of failing light refracted off coated steel. Bischoff is maybe a renaissance man, maybe one of many. He’s not the only musician whose pedigree includes both experimental ensembles like Xiu Xiu and more classically oriented groups like Wordless Music.

Sweet Lights

Video Premiere: Sweet Lights’ “Are We Gonna Work It Out”

Sweet LightsSweet Lights: Sweet Lights, Sweet Lights (Highline Records / Red Eye, 9/18/12)

Following a handful of solo records and a wealth of material as leader of The Capitol Years, singer-songwriter Shai Halperin took up a brand-new identity as Sweet Lights in 2010. (Some may also recognize his name as part of the original line-up of The War on Drugs alongside underground icon Kurt Vile.) Halperin’s most recent solo effort, born out of an amassed collection of material and not enough musicians around to play it, retains the atmosphere of previous acts with foggy vocals and sugary melodies.

Doseone

Review: Doseone’s G is for Deep

Doseone: G is for Deep

Doseone: G is for Deep (Anticon, 5/29/12)

“End&Egg”

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If you’re looking for a crash course in left-of-the-dial avant-garde hip hop, there are few better places to start than the incredibly varied discography of Adam Drucker — better known as Doseone. As co-founder of the indie-hip-hop Anticon label and a member of Themselves, 13 & God, and Subtle, Drucker holds an indisputable prominence.

On G is for Deep — his first true solo release in five years — Doseone returns with a record that reaches in new directions while retaining all the unique characteristics that make his music unmistakable.

Active Child

Photos: Active Child @ Lincoln Hall (Chicago, IL)

Harpist, singer, and electronic musician Pat Grossi released his first full-length album as Active Child in 2011 to critical acclaim. On May 16 at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, Active Child played with Superhumanoids and Balam Acab as part of a US tour. In advance of a European tour that kicks off in Norway in late June, here are shots of Grossi in Chicago with his band, his trusty harp, and the right amount of mood lighting. Photos courtesy of Drew Reynolds.