Björk - Fossora [2022]

                                

Björk is an idiosyncratic generational talent whose legacy in avant-pop music solidified over a decade ago. Despite this, excluding the poignant Vulnicura, the albums that have followed Medúlla have been underwhelming. Utopia was disappointing after her return to form in Vulnicura. The album is not horrible, but it tends to meander far too often and does little to justify its run time. Björk's latest album, Fossora, is darker, heavier, and, most importantly, significantly better. Fossora is not a straight-up slam dunk like Vulnicura, but it is a clear level above the rest of Björk's post-Medúlla discography, and like most of what she does, it only could have been made by her.

ShrapKnel - Metal Lung [2022]

Curly Castro and PremRock's self-titled debut as ShrapKnel made it clear that the duo is a novel strand of a particular rap lineage. ShrapKnel's sophomore album, Metal Lung, makes this all the more apparent by starting and ending with one of the pillars of this lineage: Vordul Mega and Vast Aire, who rap together as Cannibal Ox. The album begins with Curly Castro ripping through the quick shuffle of Child Actor beat in "Running Rebel Swordplay," working "in the words of the great Vordul Megallah" into relentless wordplay. Twelve tracks later, amidst the imposing crashes of "Gravity Falls," Metal Lung ends with a full-circle moment - Vordul has the last line by way of an "Ox Out the Cage" sample. 

Perfume Genius - Ugly Season [2022]

In 2020, Michael Hadreas, who records under the moniker Perfume Genius, released Set My Heart On Fire Immediately, one of the best albums of that year. Even though his previous album, No Shape, was also critically acclaimed, Set My Heart On Fire Immediately endeared him even more to fans and critics alike. Although the strength of his discography leaves this open to debate, the captivating mix of pop accessibility, vulnerability, and sensuality of Set My Heart On Fire Immediately could reasonably be called an artistic peak for Hadreas. However, given the rapturous reception of that album and how it could be a comfortable place for Hadreas to plateau, it's only natural that he may want to avoid that. To keep the listener on their toes - to explore a bit. Ugly Season is the fascinating result of that exploration - within the first 5 seconds imposing synths, strings, and fragile piano in "Just a Room" make it clear that Hadreas is walking a very different path. "Just a Room" begins ominously - Hadreas' voice is cold, buried - and then ethereal as the light peaks through the clouds. It's an effective opener that is abrasive in the context of expectations - it feels like a statement of intent. Hadreas is telling the listener to re-calibrate their expectations because he is offering a different type of brilliance this time.

Alaíde Costa - O Que Meus Calos Dizem Sobre Mim [2022]

Published on Sounds and Colours

Alaíde Costa has been singing bossa nova and samba tunes for a long time and is extremely good at it. The Brazilian's recording career dates back to the late 50s, and the slight rasp that age has given her voice works in its favor throughout O Que Meus Calos Dizem Sobre Mim. The majority of the album, which has production courtesy of Marcus Preto and Emcidia with the musical direction of Pupillo, is composed of songs written specifically for Costa. The fantastic horn and woodwind arrangements stand out in particular. Thanks to Costa's gorgeous singing, this album would still be successful in a more sparse format, and the elegance of the arrangements greatly enhances the material.

Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You [2022]

Since most albums are not even an hour these days, it's easy to look at the relatively long 81 minutes of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, and ask, "why?". Big Thief answers that question with their best and most diverse collection of songs. There is no clear connecting thread among these songs. The album plays like a suspiciously incredible jukebox full of folk, americana, and country-tinged music. The twang of "Spud Infinity," wherein Andrianne Lenker sings as if she always operates in country-adjacent music, shows an endearingly playful side of the band. The country of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You reaches its apex in the sweeping melodies and fiddling of "Red Moon," a very vibrant song with a notable moment of unbridled joy ("That's my grandma!").

Tomas Fujiwara - March [2022]

 Published on PostGenre

The debut recording of Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double was extraordinary. The two-drum (Fujiwara and Gerald Cleaver), two-guitar (Mary Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook), and two-horn (Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet and Ralph Alessi on trumpet) structure of the band is something rarely seen. Even in the bold avant-garde scene that Fujiwara frequents. After the release of Triple Double (Firehouse 12, 2017), Fujiwara continued to impress as a bandleader in 7 Poets Trio (Rouge Art, 2019) and alongside some of his Triple Double bandmates in other contexts: Ho Bynum's The Ambiguity Manifesto and Halvorson's Code Girl. Even with the addition of these stellar recordings, the sprawling sway between fierce competition and ingenious interplay still made Triple Double arguably the finest moment of his career. Albums of the caliber of Triple Double can be hard to follow, but March (Firehouse 12, 2022) is the opposite of a sophomore slump.