Karen Ng’s “Day 3 i”
It’s difficult to know what analogy works to describe Karen Ng’s stunning solo saxophone recordings: a thought process, a dialogue with the self, a creator reacting to her moment-by-moment...
experimental
Punk Kong’s “Pull Ninja”
Unusual soundscapish jazz takes noisy turns, distorted climbs, and opens to beautiful spaces. Pull Ninja by Punk Kong
Geir Sundstøl’s “Warszawa-Alabama”
Very unexpected coupling of Coltrane and Bowie. Brødløs by Geir Sundstøl
Luke Stewart / Patrick Shiroishi, “Staying Human”
Long tones, voluminous room sound (parking garage!), spare and grand, maybe scary, maybe consoling. Luke Stewart / Patrick Shiroishi by Luke Stewart / Patrick Shiroishi
Kim Myhr’s “You|Me”
Ambient becomes prominent, background to the fore, patterns and unexpected disruptions, in Kim Myhr’s You | Me. You | me by Kim Myhr
Alcorn, Bordreuil, and Laubrock: “Indigo Blue (Wayfarin Stranger)”
Susan Alcorn, Leila Bordreuil, and Ingrid Laubrock – pedal steel, cello, and saxophone – create an otherworldly sense of summer. Bird Meets Wire by Susan Alcorn, Leila Bordreuil, Ingrid Laubrock
Scott Clark’s “Quiet Friend”
From a solo album by percussionist/composer Scott Clark: “Quiet Friend” begins and continues with long, warm waves of harmonica. Companion drums then quietly enter – a strange combination that...
Number Seven by Dos
Mike Watt and Kira Roessler’s project Dos scratches an itch I didn’t know I had. Two bass guitars with weird riffs and arrangements. Justamente Tres by Dos
Bloop’s “Enchantments”
Lina Allemano plays trumpet and Mike Smith does live processing of the sound. The effects are magical: multiplication, sound shadows, parallel instruments. Proof by BLOOP (Lina Allemano / Mike...
Jonas Cambien Trio “Creationism”
Jonas Cambien Trio’s “Creationism” is like residue from “Pump up the Jam” discovered on a log or beside a pond. Sounds like prepared piano and what an unusual effect...
Colin Clark’s “Grasslands”
Clark’s strangely tuned synthetic harmony might make you giddy. Colin Clark · Grasslands View this post on Instagram A post shared by UME (@unusualmusicexchange)
An hour of Unusual on Clyde Built Radio
An eclectic radio show on Glasgow’s Clyde Built Radio. We listen to a song of mine, Sonic Youth, composer Allison Cameron, strange roots pop by The silt, Amps for...
Blue Divers
An Australian experimental ambient group, with soft static, tape hiss, and sweet melodic murmurs. Blue Divers call to mind Jon Hassel in moments. On Bedroom Suck Records. Blue Divers...
Hotel Dilettante
Lol Coxhill & the George Burt & Raymond MacDonald Quintet with some lovely strange noises and dirty improvisation here. Also some tunes that sound like instrumental folk with very...
Gavin Bryars’ “1, 2, 1-2-3-4”
Gavin Bryars “1, 2, 1-2-3-4,” part of Brian Eno’s Obscure Records project. Lounge music was never more unusual. Hear Bryars interview on this piece on BBC.
Thurston Moore’s By the Fire
The new album by Thurston Moore: long songs with unusual sounds, deep beats, and a bright, loving vibe. Band is Deb Googe (My Bloody Valentine), Jon Leidecker aka ‘Wobbly’...
49 Americans “Involved in Local Chaos”
A bunch of experimental musicians do songs. Unusual songs.
“You” by Matmos
Matmos’s “You” on Marriage of True Minds. That doubled voice… The Marriage of True Minds by Matmos
Pipes fried for Christ
Amps for Christ “Reversed Pipes” on Electrosphere 1999. That sound and tuning is so good.