Jaga Jazzist

Jaga Jazzist & Britten Sinfonia

Watch a spectacular rendition of Jaga Jazzist’s “One-Armed Bandit” with a chamber ensemble

Jaga Jazzist: Live with Britten SinfoniaJaga Jazzist: Live with Britten Sinfonia (Ninja Tune, 5/14/13)

In September of 2012, Norwegian jazz-rock crossover outfit Jaga Jazzist recorded a special performance with the UK chamber ensemble Britten Sinfonia. Now the band is releasing a live recording of the event, titled Live with Britten Sinfonia, on May 14 in the US via Ninja Tune.

Watch a spectacular rendition of “One-Armed Bandit” below, with its multi-layered repetitions leading into cascading melodies and beautiful chase sequences. Pre-order the album here, and prepare to get out of your seat.

50 Unheralded Albums from 2011

50 Unheralded Albums from 2011

In just one more trip around the sun, another swarm of immensely talented but under-recognized musicians has harnessed its collective talents and discharged its creations into the void. This list is but one fraction of those dedicated individuals who caught our ears with some serious jams.

100 Unheralded Albums from 2010

Among the thousands of under-appreciated or under-publicized albums that were released in 2010, hundreds became our favorites and were presented in ALARM and on AlarmPress.com. Of those, we pared down to 100 outstanding releases, leaving no genre unexplored in our list of this year’s overlooked gems.

BPM Counter: First Five of 2009

ALARM columnist Sean-Michael Yoder shares his first five electronic picks in 2009. The list includes Aether’s “melodic” Artifacts, London’s John Tejada with Fabric 44, the pop/dance beats of Hercules and Love Affair’s self-titled album, a Lollapalooza mix, and Jaga Jazzist leader Lars Horntveth’s 37-minute song, “Kaleidoscopic.”

Shining: Post-Prog Madmen Expand on Jazz Roots

Transitioning from jazz to a more eclectic style incorporating bop, funk, and metal, Norwegian post-prog group Shining showcases unconventional instruments such as the EWI, wooden church organs, and toy pianos. The fun doesn’t stop there — even their song titles are riddled with secret codes and references.