7th Level Music

Red Fang to celebrate their 20th anniversary with an album chock-full of “Deep Cuts.”

Red Fang kicks off their 20th-anniversary celebrations with the March 14 release of Deep Cuts, an extensive 26-song collection of non-album tracks, covers, and previously unreleased singles.

A preview of the album arrives today with the release of “It’s Always There” (https://orcd.co/redfang-deepcuts), a track from the deluxe version of Whales and Leeches. “I remember really liking the melancholic vibe of ‘It’s Always There,’ but Aaron and I had no vocal ideas coming to mind,” recalls Bryan Giles. “When I lived in San Diego, I became friendly with Pall Jenkins, and was always a fan of Three mile Pilot and The Black Heart Procession, so it was exciting for me to enlist his help bringing the song to life. I think he did a really beautiful job on it!”

Deep Cuts also includes several covers, such as the Wipers’ “Over The Edge,” and Tubeway Army’s “Listen To Sirens,” along with rare Red Fang originals like “Antidote” (from the mobile game, “Red Fang: Headbang!”) and “Wires (demo),” which makes its vinyl debut.

“Perhaps unremarkable to anyone else, it’s fucking amazing to me that we have made it TWENTY YEARS,” Aaron Beam shares. “Before we started jamming in John Sherman’s basement, I’d already been in 40 (maybe more!) bands, none of which lasted more than a year or two. Yet somehow in 2005, for the first time since probably 1987 I found myself without any band to play in. It turned out this was also true of John, David, and Bryan! So it was only natural that we’d start playing together.

All we ever wanted to do was make music that we knew our friends would be stoked to hear at a basement party. Our first show was in David’s basement, and no matter how big the stages were that we ended up playing, we always tried to bring as much of that basement party feeling as we could.

In that regard, this double album feels very much at home. It’s got a sampling of the weird variety of covers that reflect the different shit that inspire us. The computer drum-laden home demo for ‘Wires’ gives a little peek into the process that we pretty rarely but sometimes used for writing (more often than not, all the writing happened in the jam space). There’s of course a generous helping of rare B-sides and bonus tracks that might be hard to find even in today’s digital world. And there’s even a smattering of pretty atypical GarageBand demos that are some of my favorite things to listen to on this record. They could probably never make a regular Red Fang release, but really let you see what is going on in our heads when we’re not banging them!

Please enjoy this record that we are happy to have made for you.”

Deep Cuts is available as a 2xLP set, as well as on CD and digital formats. Pre-orders are available now: https://www.relapse.com/pages/red-fang-deep-cuts.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Free Range announces new album, “Lost & Found,” and new single, “Hardly.”

Free Range, the project of Chicago-based musician Sofia Jensen (they/them), announces their second album Lost & Found, out March 28th via Mick Music, and unveils its lead single “Hardly.” Lost & Found follows their sharp 2023 debut, Practice, which “confront[ed] and reflect[ed] on youthful confusion and alienation, and the feelings that inspired them” (Chicago Reader). Lost & Found is about the logical next step of trying to feel like an adult. Much of the album stems from the experiences of 21-year-old Jensen, who formed Free Range when they were 15, moving out from their parents’ house and expanding their world in the Chicago music scene. Amid these changes, Jensen experienced feelings common in one’s early twenties but pervasive throughout adulthood: striving for connection even when you’re surrounded by people, and struggling to be emotionally open.

“I have a pretty easy time being honest lyrically and in music, and it feels like such an avenue for me to just express,” Jensen says. “But in my daily life, I’m a pretty private person and have a hard time telling people exactly how I feel…Being truly vulnerable with other people is a lot harder than you think.” Lost & Found is filled with nuanced, mature reflections on how tough forthrightness can be.

Lead single “Hardly” is a full-on overdriven electric guitar barn-burner about what it feels like to really lean on someone, and how that can lead to an uneven and slightly dysfunctional relationship. Jensen sings “I hardly notice when I measure you / against me / but I could tell when you were pulling me through / the darkness in this room / cause all I wanted was just someone to look to / you hardly notice when I glance at you.” It also navigates the role that broken communication plays in a relationship where two people do care about each other, but can’t seem to find themselves on the same page.

Watch the video for “Hardly”

Jensen demoed most of Lost & Found in October 2023 in Silsbee, Texas, where producer Tommy Read, his sister Hannah Read (Lomelda), and Eric Adams (Acre Memos) helped Jensen whittle down 50 songs to a batch of 15. Jensen returned to Texas in January 2024 to record with the full Free Range band: bassist Bailey Minzenberger, drummer Jack Henry, and new member Andy Krull on pedal steel.

Next month, Free Range will support Horsegirl on a North American tour. A full list of dates can be found below and all tickets are on sale now.

Pre-order Lost & Found

Free Range Tour Dates
Fri. Mar. 21 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church %
Sat. Mar. 22 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat %
Sun. Mar. 23 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings %
Mon. Mar. 24 – Richmond, VA @ The Warehouse %
Wed. Mar. 26 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom %
Thu. Mar. 27 – Somerville, MA @ Arts at The Armory %
Fri. Mar. 28 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater %
Sat. Mar. 29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw %

% w/ Horsegirl

Keep your mind open.

[You’re free to subscribe at any time.]

[Thanks to Jaycee at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Rewind Review: Flat Worms – Live in Los Angeles (2022)

I have yet to see Flat Worms live. This seems like a crime to me. They’re a great power trio with darkly humorous lyrics and power you cannot deny. So, Live in Los Angeles (recorded in 2019) will have to do until I can catch them at a somewhat dingy venue that feels like a sweatbox and smells like beer mixed with incense.

“Pearl” starts off the raucous set with Will Ivy‘s guitars sounding like a sped-up hotel fire alarm and his vocals bringing angry post-punk lyrics about keeping up with the Joneses to the crowd. “Motorbike” roars like its namesake and Justin Sullivan‘s chops on the drums turn on a dime at any given moment. The live version of “Into the Iris” slows it down a bit but doesn’t lack in power. It’s almost a sludge rock tune in the first half and then kicks into near-punk fury for the second half. It’s songs like this in which Tim Hellman excels on bass. He can lock down any track at any speed and in seemingly any genre, and he plays like a time bomb is about to off on “Plaster Casts.”

“Condo Colony,” a great takedown of gated communities and HOA madness, absolutely slays on this. It’s impossible to choose which of the three is killing it more. The short-instrumental “Scattered Palms” explodes into the snarky “11816.” The album ends with “Red Hot Sand,” and yes, it’s blistering. Hellman’s bass is frantic, Ivy’s guitar is a race car tearing up a dirt track, and Sullivan’s drums threaten to crack the floor under you.

It’s a great capture of a trio clicking on all fronts and crushing everything around them. If you can’t see them live, this is a worthy alternative.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

Roi Turbo present their new single – “Super Hands.”

Roi Turbo — the new project of South African-born, London-based electronic duo of brothers Benjamin & Conor McCarthy — present their new single, “Super Hands,” out today via Maison Records. In contrast to the ‘80s South African Bubblegum disco-inspired “Bazooka,” released late last year and named a “Song You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone, “Super Hands” is an immersive ‘90s progressive house-inspired track with hypnotic synth riffs and a thick underlying groove. In the band’s words, “‘Super Hands’ is the warehouse industrial side of Roi Turbo with its modular sequencing and hard hitting drum machines. We were keen to experiment and mix warehouse dance with guitars and live percussion. We’ve always loved that progressive ‘90’s sound and had fun trying to make it fit into the Turbo world.”

Listen to “Super Hands”
Roi Turbo was formed in their home city of Cape Town in 2020. Ben came from an electronic background as a producer and DJ, and became a mainstay in the club circuit in and around their hometown. Conor, meanwhile, came from a band background, playing in alt-rock and alt-pop outfits. The two had always wanted to start a dance project together, dating back to when they were in high school. During COVID lockdown, the chance presented itself. The brothers moved back in together and wrote music with no real agenda, just the two of them with time on their hands, having fun writing music that felt the most natural to them. “We were listening to ‘70s and ‘80s African disco and funk records at the time, and the contrast between the synths and raw live elements of these records really inspired us,” say Ben & Conor, who are also quick to note the likes of Larry Levan, William Onyeabor, Air and Pino D’Angiò as musical inspiration. “Over the years we bought as many synths, drums, guitars and microphones as we could get our hands on and would experiment for weeks on end until we got the sound we were going for. This combination of analog gear has now become a staple in the Roi Turbo sound.”

Roi Turbo will perform at Retreat Yourself, a Cape Town festival on February 22nd, and Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan next June, with more live dates to come.

Listen to “Bazooka”

Listen to “Dystopia”

Keep your mind open.

[It would be super if you used your hands to subscribe.]

[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Goat (self-titled)

It’s always good news when Goat decides to release a new album, and their self-titled album from October 2024 is full of their characteristic voodoo-psych sound with complex guitars, hand percussion, dual female vocals, and themes of death, rebirth, and how our spirits are never-ending.

The opening track is even called “One More Death.” It’s a song about reincarnation and how death isn’t anything we haven’t already experienced. The drums and percussion on it grab you straight away and you’re encouraged to cast away fear and step forward on the new journey…and, good heavens, when the guitar solo kicks in it almost shoves you into the astral plane.

It wouldn’t be a Goat album without a song with “goat” in the title, and this time it’s “Goatbrain” – a song about, among other things, “vibrations made by love, moments on Earth.” It has this cool rhythm to it that only Goat see able to create. The flute of the instrumental “Fool’s Journey” seems to come to you from the other side of a valley you’ve only seen in meditations.

“Dollar Bill” is a gritty, great takedown of upper crust rich and the illusion of wealth (“Everyone is going mad. Dollar bills inside your head.”). “Zombie” brings in hip hop beats and loops and is an absolute jaw-dropper. You’ll want this booming out of your car windows. If this doesn’t get you dancing, then “Frisco Beaver” certainly will with its themes of giving up worry (“Do what you like.”) and fear (“Don’t be afraid.”). The guitar riffs sizzle across the whole track. “Look and you will find light of the fire,” they say, and you believe them.

“The All Is One” is another guitar-rich meditative track that weaves back and forth from psychedelia to desert rock. The addition of birdsong in it gives you a contented smile when you hear it. The album ends (Or does it?) with “Ouroboros” – a song named after the symbolic snake eating its tail. Dance beats mix with echoing vocals that remind you that “God lives in every part of you.” The bass kicks in and you’re dancing all over the place, happy to know that all is endless and death and rebirth is not to be feared (and don’t miss the epic saxophone solo!).

It’s one of Goat’s best albums, and that’s saying something since they’ve yet to make a bad record. They’re somehow still one of the best kept secrets out there.

Keep your mind open.

[You’ll be the GOAT in my brain if you subscribe.]

Review: Federico Albanese – Blackbirds and the Sun of October

As producer, pianist, and composer Federico Albanese put it, his new album, Blackbirds and the Sun of October, is “about coming home, and reconnection.” It was recorded in his home region of Monferrato in Italy.

The album is beautiful and combines classical stylings with contemporary music and even electro dance beats at one point. “Into the Sun” is perfect for your morning meditation. It blends so well into “Ulysses” that you might not notice the space between the songs. “A Story Yet to Be Told” is like a gentle breeze bringing you intriguing scents you want to find, and it’s an interesting warm-up to “Bloom,” which could fit into a giallo thriller.

“The Prince and the Emperor” brings in almost sorrowful strings to portray perhaps a tragic tale of the two main characters. “Blackbirds” drops those electro-beats, making you sit up and take extra notice of the track. It’s a neat artistic decision by Albanese. I meditated through “Your Spell” and “Adelasia,” and the tracks produced different reactions. The first was great for slowing down my breathing, and the second lit a fire in me.

“The Libertine” isn’t a party track, and it doesn’t exude lust or sex. It’s a bit heartbreaking, as if the title character is trying to figure out why all the pleasure still doesn’t make them happy. “Song for the Village” is a lovely tribute to Albanese’s hometown.

“Sway” is so subtle that you almost miss it. “Re-Sphere” reorganizes your brain a bit with its haunting strings and chilled, almost ghostly piano. The album ends with “Wallpaper of Dreams” and sends you out like a paper toy boat cast across a fountain.

It’s a fine ambient record, a fine classical record, a fine contemporary record, and a fine tribute to his home.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

[Thanks to George at Terrorbird Media.]

Hieroglyphic Being releases new single, “I’m in a Strange Loop,” ahead of new album due April 18, 2025.

Hieroglyphic Being — one of the many monikers of legendary Chicago musician Jamal Moss — announces his new album Dance Music 4 Bad People, out April 18th via Smalltown Supersound and shares its lead single “I’m in a Strange Loop.” Tapping back into the same cosmic frequencies responsible for the prolific house virtuoso’s most vital work, Dance Music 4 Bad People sees Moss coaxing anthems for those up to no good from out of the ether. With driving drum machine workouts and low-slung synth sexuality, Hieroglyphic Being pays homage to human fallibility, drawing focus on the revolutionary potential of house music and club culture that is so often lost to the chaos of the present.

Moss’s ability to capture fleeting moments of transience provide us insight into the esoteric knowledge hinted at within his music. The lysergic tempo change of today’s single, “I’m in a Strange Loop,” for instance, stretches out its rippling organ to revel in its celestial detail. The track puts on display what Moss calls “synth expressionism” or “rhythmic cubism,” combining layered loops and tempo shifts into an atmospheric, kaleidoscopic, and danceable composition.

Listen to “I’m In A Strange Loop”

As the tongue-in-cheek title suggests, Dance Music 4 Bad People looks to the eternal quality of Moss’ art to throw moral compasses into disarray, speaking truth to the evil energies that have permeated the club industrial complex of today while challenging black and white notions of good and bad that are instrumentalized for the persecution of those at the fringes. For Moss, this is a tension he has observed since he first heard the sound pioneered by Ron Hardy at the legendary Muzic Box, when Chicago house music was born. “Back then, especially during the Reagan era and the police brutality of the so-called crime and crack epidemic, the one thing I noticed in my community was that house music actually helped us escape from all that negative stuff and make everybody in the environment support each other more.”

It’s this loose vitality that Moss understands to be in short supply in the dance music scene today. “Festivals and clubs profess to propagate safe spaces, but you’ve probably seen it firsthand: you look around and a good percent of people in the club are not happy.” Taking aim at the entire ecosystem, from the malaise and malcontentedness of modern audiences to the false solidarity and commodification of minority positions within the commercial entity of dance music, Moss offers up the raw, unrefined power of the tracks collected on Dance Music 4 Bad People as an antidote.

As the American empire crumbles, the Hieroglyphic Being strides forward with a clear vision to broadcast a sage warning. “If you let other people dictate to you how you are supposed to feel about someone else, it goes into a dark space, especially when there’s nothing good you can say about them,” he says. “Get out of your comfort zone and reach out to people so you can learn more about them.” Though the temptation to judge can be irresistible, Moss believes in the primordial power of the Chicago house sound. Rather than condemn some as bad and others as good, Dance Music 4 Bad People helps us all to recognise each other through the smoke and strobe light. The Hieroglyphic Being speaks through the sound with a message of optimism and hope. “Everybody should be loved, adored, respected, no matter the path you take.”

Pre-order Dance Music 4 Bad People

Keep your mind open.

[I’m in a strange loop when you don’t subscribe.]

[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Desire brings you to the dance floor with her new single – “The Judge.”

Desire announces new album Games People Play, an eclectic labyrinth of love, power, & deception where every move counts, out March 21st via Italians Do It Better and today is sharing new single “The Judge” alongside a video directed by Kirill Nong.

Games People Play unfolds like a game of chess—Desire as the queen, fate as the dealer, & love as the ultimate wager. Set against Johnny Jewel’s signature cinematic curtain, the record guides players through a shadowy dance floor where strategy & surrender blur. In this world of passion, the line between predator & prey is razor-thin, & every lover is a contender on heartbreak’s edge. Checkmate is inevitable—but who will make the final move?

“In the age of omnipresent surveillance…Machines track our every move while friends stalk our every groove. Take matters into your own hands…be the judge & jury of your own timeline. Life is too short, so forget the lurkers & love the jerkers. Time is running out & court is now adjourned.” – Desire on “The Judge”

“The Judge” on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8n0rBUEejE

Keep your mind open.

[I might judge you if you don’t subscribe.]

[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]

“We Like” Pierre Kwenders’ new single.

Pierre Kwenders, the Congolese-born, Montreal-based musician, songwriter, and DJ whose “every song summons an international midnight” (The New Yorker), returns today with the announcement of Tears On The Dancefloor (out 2/26 on Moonshine), his new EP and first new project since the release of his widely-praised Polaris Music Prize-winning album, the “fluid, immersive” (Rolling Stone) José Louis And The Paradox Of Love. In conjunction, Kwenders presents the EP’s lead single, “We Like” (feat. Poté).

Tears On The Dancefloor is Kwenders’ heartfelt ode to the club, a testament to the power of music as both a sanctuary and a space for self-expression. A shift from the big-picture ambition of José Louis And The Paradox Of Love, the new project is an intimate exploration of human connection, exploring intricate themes of love, vulnerability, and self-discovery. The tracks across Tears On The Dancefloor are a reflection of the personal and collective experiences we all share as we navigate love, joy, fear, and growth, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the emotions that arise when we connect with others and with ourselves, creating a space where emotional depth and freedom collide.

With mixing and mastering by Pascal Shefteshy (Moonshine, Kroy, Vanyfox, Sébastien Tellier), Tears On The Dancefloor features collaborations with heavyweights of the Afro-electronic music scene, including, Gacci, Poté, Vanyfox, NegoO, and Dogzout. “I’m honored to have collaborated with some of my favorite DJs and producers who have graced countless dance floors,” Kwenders says. “Additionally, the incredible vocals of Pierre Lapointe, Lady Donli, Mopao Mumu, and Pony bring life and depth to this project. Together, we embark on a journey through the dance floor, exploring our innermost selves and emotions until we ultimately reach a place of freedom.”

Lead single “We Like,” which features the St. Lucia-born, Paris-based electronic artist Poté, is a rallying cry for unity— a song for connection and celebration. In Kwenders’ words, the track is “an anthem that resonates with the call for love, comfort, passion, and togetherness—this is a song for freedom! It captures the essence of our shared humanity, inviting us to unite and celebrate our connections. We’re excited to embrace this message and let it inspire us as we navigate life together!”

Listen to “We Like” (feat. Poté)

Born José Louis Modabi in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kwenders borrows his stage name from his late grandfather, a widely respected businessman and community figure. Following his mother’s footsteps, Kwenders immigrated from Congo to Montreal in 2001. His debut album, Le Dernier Empereur Bantou, was released in 2014, followed by MAKANDA at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time in 2017. Both albums garnered acclaim and earned Kwenders nominations for the coveted Polaris Music Prize. In 2022, Kwenders returned with José Louis and the Paradox of Love, a culmination of the personal growth and musical dexterity he’d honed over the years, converging his strong songwriting capabilities with the bravado he possesses as a DJ. The album was met with widespread praise from the likes of The New York Times, New Yorker, NPR’s All Things Considered, Rolling Stone, The FADER, MOJO, The Guardian, Bandcamp, and beyond, ultimately taking home the Polaris Music Prize for Canada’s Best Album. In 2023, José Louis and the Paradox of Love was shortlisted for the Juno Award for Global Music Album of the Year.

“This journey through sound encourages us to embrace our feelings, celebrate our joys, and confront our fears, reminding us that the dance floor is not just a physical space but a sanctuary for our souls. In every beat and melody, we find an opportunity to reflect, heal, and connect on a deeper level.” — Pierre Kwenders

Keep your mind open.

[I like it when you subscribe.]

[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Rontronik – Zero Nine

Ron Croudy, otherwise known as Rontronik, has been crafting soundscapes and experimental electronic music for a few years now, and his latest album, Zero Nine blends lush atmospherics with field recordings and even dance beats.

“Zero Nine One” layers birdsongs over day spa synths. “Zero Nine Two” is like being a long tunnel while riding in a neon-accented car driven by a robot. “Zero Nine Three” is like following a falcon in flight over a desert and around a giant red rock formation before it lands to face the rising sun. The rattlesnake beats at the end of it become industrial crunch doubled with throbbing bass on “Zero Nine Four.” It’s jarring at first, but it becomes somewhat hypnotic.

The first half of “Zero Nine Five” continues the industrial feel, but it switches to trip hop in the second half. “Zero Nine Six” is a calm track perfect for meditations with floating, lava lamp synths that take their time to massage you. If that doesn’t work, then the final track, “Zero Nine Seven,” will because it’s over nine minutes of birds singing and a river flowing across smooth rocks that lead into synths that sound like they were recorded in a mountain temple somewhere.

It’s a lush record, and one you’ll probably pull more from with each listen.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

[Thanks to George at Terrorbird Media.]