A new playlist featuring lots of Charles Mingus, Damon Albarn, These New Puritans, Daniel Avery, Beck, The War on Drugs, Kronos Quartet, Baths, Mogwai and Tim Vanhamel.
Charles Mingus: 'Myself when I am real' / 'Body and Soul' / 'This subdues my passion'. I have no idea why it took me so long to discover the genius of Mingus. I'm currently reading his autobiography 'Beneath the underdog' which doesn't follow the usual path of 'I started when I was a kid and then I met this guy and then I started selling and then I got on drugs and then I got better': it's a fast-rambling ride through the mind of Mingus with lots of filth, spirituality and frustration stuck to the pages.
Here's Mingus live in Belgium in 1964.
Damon Albarn: 'Everyday Robots'. Looking forward to the album (produced by Richard from XL and featuring Brian Eno).
Here's Damon playing another track 'Lonely, Press Play' which has the great line: "You're not resolved/in your heart/you're waiting/for me to improve"
These New Puritans: 'Organ Eternal': They're doing a one-night-only performance of 'The Field of Reeds' album in London in April with an expanded brass, strings, voices and percussion. Go if you can.
Daniel Avery: one of the best albums of last year. Hope he's coming over for a live set soon. Stream or download to his recent set for Rinse FM below.
Beck 'Blue Moon': the new album 'Morning Phase' will be out soon. Listen to another track 'Waking Light' below.
The War on Drugs 'Red Eyes': pure joy, heavily tipped as 'name to watch' for 2014. He's touring the new 'Lost in the Dream' album the coming months. Go if you can.
Kronos Quartet 'Peace Piece': Originally by Bill Evans, this one came up on my list because: a) Philip Seymour Hoffman died b) I was looking for his film 'Late Quartet', which c) reminded me of Kronos Quartet. A perfect elegy to Mr. Hoffman. Here he is in one of his last photographs at the Sundance festival.
Baths 'Ironworks': I listen to 'Obisidian' off and on, not too much, because it tends to form a dark chrystal structure at the pit of your stomach. Here he is in Christian play wearing a Fila shirt.
Mogwai 'The Huts' from the 'Les Revenants' soundtrack. Is it me or is this one leanig heavily on Portishead? I play this one a lot as a 'last track' before I close up the KNOTORYUS office.
Tim Vanhamel 'Garden of Weeds': incredible track from the seminal 'Welcome to the Blue House' album. Tim seems to have disappeared for a while. Let's hope he's doing a Bowie and working on a surprise album.
