Experimental
Shamir Unveils His “Gay Agenda” on New Industrial Single: Stream
Leave it to Shamir to flip a fear-mongering term into a positive slice of art-pop. On his new single, “Gay Agenda” the Philadelphia-based musician leans into distortion for an anthem about taking pride in who you are and the way you live your life. Stream it below. Recorded with producer Hollow Comet of Strange Ranger, “Gay Agenda” sees Shamir embracing a new-to-him sound that’s more expansive and brooding than anything else he’s released prior. He leans into industrial synths, clanging drum machines, and sobering guitar for the track while letting his unmistakable voice scale to new heights. Truth be told, it feels more like an Arca deep cut than anything off his self-titled record, which was one of the best albums of 2020 — yet it still sounds totally like Shamir. In a press release, Sha...
Arca Shares New Single “Incendio”: Stream
Arca has dropped the new single, “Incendio,” as part of the promotion for a benefit concert film. “Vistiendo de cuero/ Quemando ese cuerpo/ Bruja/ Chupándome los huesos/ Bien espeso eso es hueso/ Eso, eso, hey, hey,” the electronic artist also known as Alejandra Ghersi sings over industrial production. The release follows her January EP Madre and 2020 album KiCk i. Meanwhile, Arca’s Dice.fm concert film is set to begin streaming today, September 27th, at 3:00 p.m. ET. She’s raising money to open Casa Rifugio Marcella, a temporary shelter dedicated to providing a safe space for trans and nonbinary victims of violence and discrimination in Italy. Directed by Weirdcore, the concert will feature a set by Arca at a socially distanced, in-the-round venue in Ibiza with guest appearances...
Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels Receiving Box Set Reissue for 50th Anniversary
Frank Zappa’s documentary 200 Motels is celebrating its 50th anniversary next month. To mark the occasion, its accompanying soundtrack is receiving a massive re-release, out November 19th via Zappa Records, UMe, and MGM. The 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set features the remastered original soundtrack in collaboration with The Mothers of Invention and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as demo session outtakes, dialog protection reels, alternate recordings, and more rare material unearthed from the depths of the late artist’s vault. The 6xCD collection will also come with a 64-page hardcover book full of artwork and imagery from the film, plus new liner notes written by the likes of Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood, and Joe Travers. Also included will be Patr...
Kim Gordon’s Body/Head Announce New Album with Wolf Eyes’ Aaron Dilloway, Share “Goin’ Down”: Stream
After the dissolution of her band Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon teamed up with experimental guitarist Bill Nace to form the duo Body/Head. Now, that project is expanding with the addition of former Wolf Eyes member Aaron Dilloway for the aptly titled Body/Dilloway/Head. Today, the newly-formed trio have announced their self-titled debut, out November 19th via Three Lobed Recordings. As a preview, they’ve shared the song “Goin’ Down.” Body/Dilloway/Head combines Gordon’s pioneering alt-rock spirit with Nace and Dilloway’s knack for boundary-breaking experimentation. The album is three tracks long, with its opener clocking in at 17 minutes and the last track being over 13 minutes. A press release deems Body/Dilloway/Head as being “as disorienting a listening experience as you’re likely to enc...
100 gecs Announce 2021 North American Tour Dates
100 gecs are riding their stupid horse to a city near you. Two years after their debut album, 1000 gecs, took over the internet, the experimental duo of Dylan Brady and Laura Les is finally embarking on a long-awaited North American tour in 2021. The aptly-titled “10,000 gecs Tour” commences in Oakland this October, with its finale going down at New York City’s Terminal 5 in December. 100 gecs made fans out of seemingly everyone in 2019 with their crunchy hyperpop instrumentals and irreverent lyrics. They performed a handful of sold-out shows and announced a lengthy run of dates just before the world shut down in 2020, meaning this tour has been a very long time in the making. Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 16th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. See their schedule below. Adv...
The Residents Announce 50th Anniversary Tour
Legendary art-rockers The Residents are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first performance in 1971 with the new North American “Dog Stab!” tour. The avant-garde ensemble will play tracks from The Third Reich ‘n’ Roll (1976), Duck Stab (1978), and their latest double-disc release, METAL, MEAT & BONE (2020). The tour kicks off in August along the west coast before snaking its way through the Midwest and arriving in New England by the end of the month. The Residents will head south along the east coast and cut through the southwest, closing the square they’ve made around the continent with a pair of shows in their old stomping grounds of San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Check out the full list of dates below. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or on the second...
Lingua Ignota Announces New Album Sinner Get Ready, Unveils “Pennsylvania Furnace” Video: Stream
Lingua Ignota, aka Kristen Hayter, has announced her new album Sinner Get Ready, arriving August 6th on new label home Sargent House. She’s also shared the self-shot video for lead single “Pennsylvania Furnace”. In a change-up from her epic 2019 album Caligula, Hayter drops her industrial leanings for a haunting take on Appalachian folk and gospel music on Sinner Get Ready. The new direction was inspired by the God-fearing Christianity inherent to the rural area of Pennsylvania where Hayter was located when she conceptualized the record. “Pennsylvania Furnace” evokes the legend of an 18th-century ironmaster whose “dogs return to drag him down to hell after he throws them all into his furnace in a rage.” The song sounds vastly different than her previous output, but Hayter’s individualistic...
Lido Pimienta Covers Björk’s Classic Single “Declare Independence”: Stream
With pride month underway, art-pop musician Lido Pimienta is celebrating occasion by recording a cover of Bjork’s “Declare Independence” for the LGBTQ community. Stream her take on the classic 2007 single below. The Grammy-nominated artist laid down the track as part of Spotify’s Pride 2021: Claim Your Space campaign, which encourages the queer community to “make noise, make their presence known, and make their own rules.” Of course, “Declare Independence” is a boisterous rallying cry about seeking justice, and Pimienta felt compelled to cover the song in a way that nodded to queer people around the world in particular who are asking for equality. In a press release, Pimienta explained why she decided to cover “Declare Independence” in particular, writing, “I chose this song mainly be...
Omar Rodríguez-López Unloads Massive 62 Album Back Catalogue Including 36 LPs New to Streaming
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-21T18:06:43+00:00“>May 21, 2021 | 2:06pm ET Cancel your weekend plans and bid farewell to your loved ones, because Omar Rodríguez-López just dropped his entire back catalogue on streaming services. That’s a whopping 62 albums, including 36 that have never before been available on DSPs, plus fan-favorite Cryptomnesia, a collaboration with John Frusciante, and oh so much more. This comes as part of his expansive deal with Clouds Hill Music, which in March acquired the full catalogues of Rodríguez-López Productions and The Mars Volta. It’s been a productive two months. So far, Clouds Hill has treated fans to a budget-busting 18-LP box set from The Mars Volta, the...
Mize Returns to Wakaan With Wobbly Single “Refraction”
Wakaan has quickly become home to some of the most innovative producers in bass music, like Mize. Since late 2020, the Alabama-born producer has written tunes for both the label and its sister imprint, SSKWAN. Today he returns for his latest single, “Refraction.” “Refraction” encapsulates Mize’s experimental sound while simultaneously introducing listeners to areas of refinement. Wobbly, resonating low ends collide with dynamic percussion to create a mind-melting soundscape that fans will certainly hope to experience live. Overall, the single is expertly crafted to stand out both in Mize’s live sets and in his growing discography. “‘Refraction’ was one of those rare fleeting moments when I sit down in the studio and everything just...
Oneohtrix Point Never and Rosalía Join Forces on “Nothing’s Special”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-19T17:09:29+00:00“>May 19, 2021 | 1:09pm ET Back in late 2018, Rosalía tantalized fans with a photo of her in the studio with Oneohtrix Point Never. Today, the duo have finally shared the product of their collaboration, “Nothing’s Special”, a new reworking of OPN’s 2020 track of the same name. Singing in Spanish, Rosalía puts her own spin on the lyrics after staying true to the first several lines of Oneohtrix Point Never’s original. Over OPN’s familiar atmospheric synths, she describes the pain of losing her best friend. “Estoy triste, perdí a mi mejor amigo/ Y la vida que vivimos ya no está,” she painfully sings. “Dicho eso aún me impresiona que no sea tan especial/ Si miras co...
Squid Release Debut Album Bright Green Field: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-07T16:39:22+00:00“>May 7, 2021 | 12:39pm ET Brighton post-punk group Squid have just released their debut album, Bright Green Field. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. Bright Green Field spans 11 tracks in total, including the previously released singles “Paddling” and “Narrator”. Squid went all in when creating the record, which can be heard in the 30-person choir, the horn and string ensemble, and their strange use of field recordings of bees. Props to producer Dan Carey (black midi, Bat For Lashes, Hot Chip) for making it all work together in a way that’s not too far off from LCD Soundsystem’s weirder moments. Back in March, we caught up with the five-piece band abou...
