NToM #48
Neo-Prog, Blues-Rap, New Wave,
Only one new album that really grabbed me this week, so I’ve included few from the past to make an eclectic week: modern prog elegance from Esthesis, grimy soul-rock swagger from Blakroc, sleek sophisti-pop from Private World, and kaleidoscopic psych-pop from Jane Weaver. A four-corner set of vibe-driven albums that all reward full-album listens.
Click on the album titles and tracks below to add them to your collection:
New Album
Esthesis – Out of Step
Top Tracks – The Frame, Out of Step, The Storm
Genre – Modern Prog, Art Rock
My take – If The Pineapple Thief, Tool, Riverside, and Leprous had a quiet-night collaboration, it might sound like this. A confident, cohesive slow-burn listen. I liked their first album, missed their second and caught this last one, and I’m so glad I did. I listened to their second album, Watching Worlds Collie, for the first time and that one is an absolute gem too, adding some jazz feel, which I love.
Fave Album
Blakroc – Blakroc
Top Tracks – On the Vista, Ain’t Nothing Like You, What You Do To Me
Genre – Hip-Hop, Rap, Blues Rock
My take – One of the coolest crossover albums ever made. The Black Keys’ crunchy blues riffs meet verses from Mos Def, RZA, Q-Tip, and more. It’s gritty, loose, analog, and full of swagger. It reminds me a bit of Cypress Hill’s Skull & Bones double album, one rap, one rock.
Fave Album
Private World – Aleph
Top Tracks – Hypnagogia, Magic Lens, Spine
Genre – Sophisti-Pop, New Wave
My take – Impossibly smooth. Aleph lives in that late-80s world where lush pads, soft bass lines, and airy vocals form a kind of elegant, minimalist pop architecture. This isn’t just inspired by 80’s synth-pop, it is 100% 80’s through and through and will take you right back. Think Roxy Music (Avalon, particularly), Talk Talk and a touch of Spandeau Ballet. This is prom music, especially the slow dances.
Fave Album
Jane Weaver – Love In Constant Spectacle
Top Tracks – Love in Constant Spectacle, Is Metal,
Genre – Psych Pop, Dream Pop
My take – Jane Weaver has quietly become a master of swirling, hypnotic pop, and this is one of her most approachable records. Guitars shimmer, synths pulse, and her vocals float just above the haze. It’s cosmic without being distant, dreamy without losing its groove. Fans of Cate Le Bon, Broadcast, or Jane Weaver’s own Modern Kosmology era will feel right at home.
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