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Formed in Bristol, 4-piece LICE have become one of UK experimental rock"s most inventive and ambitious outliers. Their second album Third Time At The Beach - a three-part epic exploring our struggle to better understand the world around us - arrives via AD 93. Darting between minimalism, rock, techno and more, it sends us hurtling us through time and space: featuring a cast of astronauts, cavemen and dinosaurs.

Simple Reality cements the short lived legacy of Coventry DIY group Skeet.

Emerging from a scene of first-generation punks and 2 Tone kids, Skeet was instigated by Gary and Nigel Meffen in 1981, fusing tightrope instrumentals with a Roland CR-8000 under the glow of projected visuals. After a cassette of their debut performance found its way to Kay Booth who worked at Inferno Records, the unsuspecting frontwoman took the liberty of adding her own vocals. Instantly embraced as a permanent member, Booth’s shy delivery and open-diary expressions of social alienation and romantic rejection hovered over the brothers’ scratchy guitar and agitated bass.

Playing as few as 10 shows, their unnerving minimalism was recorded in a suburban home studio, borrowing a reel-to-reel from Toby Lyons (The Colourfield) and a mixer from Jerry Dammers (The Specials). Record labels gestured interest until one day they were no more - no arguments, no official split, just a silent parting of the ways and three people taking journeys in different directions. Unheard and unloved in the vaults for nearly four decades, 'Brief Call' finally resurfaced via the Coventry Music Museum compendium Alternative Sounds Volume 1, followed by a micro pressing of the full suite on Chris Long’s Almost Unknown imprint in 2023.

Simple Reality now offers a definitive snapshot of these must-hear neurotic post-punks. Mastered by Skeet fanatic Mikey Young, newly discovered instrumental multitracks are restored alongside a live recording of their final stand. Performed atop of a trailer in a pub beer garden, the release-worthy desk tape adds three new tracks and a more energised swing at ‘Left On the Shelf’s apathetic techno-pop.

RIYL: Fire Engines, 23 Skidoo, A Certain Ratio, Young Marble Giants, pel mel

Presenting 3+5, the long-awaited eighth album from Tokyo-based noise-rockers Melt-Banana on their own A-Zap label!

The album showcases the duo’s visionary musical approach and extraordinary abilities as performers: Yasuko Onuki’s giddy, hyperactive vocalizing and Ichiro Agata’s glitchy, cyberpunk guitar, delivered at dizzying speed, bathed in aggressive electronic sounds. Their aesthetic approach is exultantly experimental, fusing diverse genres imbued with chaotic energy. As on their previous works, the music on 3+5 is unpredictable, always filled with surprises and excitement.

3+5 synthesizes elements of a variety of extreme musics, hyper-pop, classic punk, vintage metal, and noise. It partakes of Japanese culture overall, especially the subcultures of gaming, anime and underground music.

Melt-Banana seek to offer possibilities to musicians who won’t start a band if they can’t find a drummer, young women afraid to express themselves in their own unfiltered and unique voices, bedroom musicians and egg punks seeking to blend electronic noise with live instrumentation. 3+5 provides a fresh experience and perhaps inspiration for all.

While Melt-Banana hasn’t explicitly explained the meaning behind the album’s title, 3+5, prime numbers symbolize mathematical integrity and independence, which could represent the band’s uniqueness and freedom. Why “3+5” and not “1 + 7”? One is left to ponder.

An all-encompassing aural assault, a force as unstoppable and fiercely alive as the tide. The post-rock powerhouse known as And So I Watch You From Afar have returned with their 7th studio album, ‘Megafauna’. A tribute to the two places the collective call home, their beloved Portrush on the Irish North Coast and the beating heart that is Belfast; ‘ Megafauna’ is headstrong exploration and heartfelt appreciation with all the intuition, intimacy and humour of four firm friends approaching their 20th year as a band and a nod to the Irish roots that simultaneously ground & propel them forward. Like so many other bands and creatives throughout the pandemic, ASIWYFA found themselves suddenly stationary, with any plans outside of their immediate vicinity put on indefinite hold. However, where this might have seen other acts falter, ASIWYFA took comfort in their communal bond and, as soon as they were able, began writing a record that quickly became a love letter to the communities they call home. “‘Megafauna’ is essentially a distilled moniker for our peers,” says guitarist Rory Friers, “all of the friends and characters that we’ve grown up with who’ve made us and our homes what they are today. Lockdown was an intensely introspective and reflective process, which put the comfort of community at the forefront of our minds. ”The intent behind ‘Megafauna’ is clear from the outset. Two guitars, bass and drums all recorded in a week erupt into effervescent life in an endorphin rush of collaboration and togetherness after the physical and psychological wilderness of isolation. Lead single ‘Do Mór’ is a preposterously playful collision of light-hearted guitar hooks, effortless jazz syncopation and the triumphant return of ASIWYFA’s inimitable wall-of-sound distortion, whilst opening track ‘North Coast Megafauna’ serves as an anthem for the whole album and perhaps for a band reinvigorated too; proudly wearing the joyously jarring confrontation of their sound on their sleeves. ‘Megafauna’ is the band’s first new music since 2022’s critically-acclaimed ‘Jettison’, an ambitious multi-media ensemble piece packed full of experimentation and collaboration. Jokingly referring to ‘Jettison’ as the band’s “mature record”, guitarist Niall Kennedy frames the writing of ‘Megafauna’ around the band’s long-running mantra of ‘DO THE SCARY THING’ which sees them constantly hurtling towards newness, towards progress, evolution and the unknown. Whilst the new record is ASIWYFA taking on a more familiar, traditional form; in this post-’Jettison’, post-pandemic world ‘Megafauna’ is a deafening and defiant statement of intent from the band’s propulsive core - a clarion call for the communities that shape them, a resplendent celebration of togetherness over separation. 1. North Coast Megafauna2. Do Mór3. Gallery of Honour4. Mother Belfast (Part 1)5. Mother Belfast (Part 2)6. Years Ago7. Any Joy8. Button Days9. Me and Dunbar

Dutch septet Personal Trainer churn out songs that sound like all your favorite indie rock luminaries jam-packed into big-beaming pop psalms. Off the back of their self-released debut LP Big Love Blanket (2022), the band return this year with Still Willing, released this August via Bella Union.

The band's formative years were marked by a revolving door of plucky scenesters, with Willem Smit – the band’s conductor and cheerleader – as its affable pivot figure. But now with shows at festivals such as Sxsw (us), Best Kept Secret (nl), End of the Road Festival (uk), Great Escape (uk) and Wilderness (uk) under their belt, the band nascent state-of-flux has cemented into a steady seven-piece renowned for their rousing and unpredictable live shows.

Loving You Backwards, the debut album from Blood, flourishes in the subtle, the ambiguous, the shades of gray. In winter of 2021, longtime Austin residents Blood made a fresh start, using a move into a house together in Philadelphia as a chance to reorient and spend time writing music around the clock. As they wrote, the sound of the band began to shift. Blood, in the past, made huge, angry, grandiose, operatic songs. Loving You Backwards, was not that. Instead, this debut record is quieter, less reactive, but no less powerful. As an organism, Blood circa Loving You Backwards, was a six piece. Tim O'Brien is the lyric writer, but the song writing and arrangement is a painstakingly collaborative process in which the band aims for democracy over swiftness. The record also features the band’s first major work with the producer Daniel Enrique Howard, whom the band recorded with at his studio in Brooklyn. Howard helped guide Blood into this new sonic territory. It is not a bedroom project, but instead fully realized, somehow sounding both intimate like Liz Harris’ Grouper feels intimate and totally vast in the way that a Talk Talk record feels vast. It’s in the same universe as Ought in its earlier iterations. The songs on Loving You Backwards exist in the realm of ballads, heart-wrenching and weird pop with a post rock sensibility. It explores, as the title implies, approaching a relationship in the reverse, dealing with your past while you try to stay in the present. Loving You Backwards is a record of ideas and big honesty, but it’s also a record of genuinely pristine pop. A definitive statement from a band that is more than on the rise as truly excellent songwriters and performers.

Embark on a Journey with Thermality’s Latest Album! In the heart of Sweden, a stone's throw from the melodic death metal capital of Gothenburg, Thermality was born in 2020. With their roots deeply embedded in the rich soil of 90s and early 2000s melodic death metal, Thermality has quickly established themselves as torchbearers of the genre. Their unique sound blends the nostalgia of melodic death metal’s golden era with a fresh and innovative approach, creating music that resonates with fans across the globe. Following the acclaimed release of their debut album, "Before I Get to Rest," in February 2023, Thermality wasted no time basking in the glow of success. Instead, they channeled the positive worldwide feedback into the creation of their first EP, "Tales from the North," which saw the light of day on June 30, 2023. The reception was nothing short of spectacular, further fueling the band's creative fire. Now, Thermality invites you to dive into their latest masterpiece. Recorded at the legendary Studio Fredman and masterfully mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström, this album is a testament to the band's dedication to their craft. It embodies the essence of traditional melodic death metal while paying tribute to pioneers like In Flames, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, and Arch Enemy. Yet, Thermality’s latest work transcends homage, weaving together diverse styles and sounds to forge something truly unique and refreshing. Heavier than its predecessor yet melodically rich, the album boasts the iconic old-school death metal drums, prominent in the mix, and captivating melodies that are sure to enthrall. Each track is a labor of love, meticulously crafted to engage listeners in a sonic journey that is both familiar and exhilaratingly new. Thermality's latest album is not just a collection of songs; it's an invitation to experience the evolution of melodic death metal through the lens of artists who respect its origins while daring to explore uncharted territories. Join Thermality as they continue to push the boundaries of the genre, offering a sound that is as timeless as it is groundbreaking. Prepare to be captivated by the sheer dedication and passion poured into every note. This album is a beacon for fans old and new, signaling the vibrant future of melodic death metal. Welcome to Thermality’s latest offering - a heavy, melodic masterpiece poised to make its mark on the world. 1. MMXXIV2. Weeping Angels3. Thorns of Salem4. Fire Will Reign5. Stranger6. Windigo7. Clones8. Forsaken9. Nightfall10. The Hunter & The Nightmare11. The Guardian12. Divinity Pt.113. Divinity Pt.2

Embark on a Journey with Thermality’s Latest Album! In the heart of Sweden, a stone's throw from the melodic death metal capital of Gothenburg, Thermality was born in 2020. With their roots deeply embedded in the rich soil of 90s and early 2000s melodic death metal, Thermality has quickly established themselves as torchbearers of the genre. Their unique sound blends the nostalgia of melodic death metal’s golden era with a fresh and innovative approach, creating music that resonates with fans across the globe. Following the acclaimed release of their debut album, "Before I Get to Rest," in February 2023, Thermality wasted no time basking in the glow of success. Instead, they channeled the positive worldwide feedback into the creation of their first EP, "Tales from the North," which saw the light of day on June 30, 2023. The reception was nothing short of spectacular, further fueling the band's creative fire. Now, Thermality invites you to dive into their latest masterpiece. Recorded at the legendary Studio Fredman and masterfully mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström, this album is a testament to the band's dedication to their craft. It embodies the essence of traditional melodic death metal while paying tribute to pioneers like In Flames, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, and Arch Enemy. Yet, Thermality’s latest work transcends homage, weaving together diverse styles and sounds to forge something truly unique and refreshing. Heavier than its predecessor yet melodically rich, the album boasts the iconic old-school death metal drums, prominent in the mix, and captivating melodies that are sure to enthrall. Each track is a labor of love, meticulously crafted to engage listeners in a sonic journey that is both familiar and exhilaratingly new. Thermality's latest album is not just a collection of songs; it's an invitation to experience the evolution of melodic death metal through the lens of artists who respect its origins while daring to explore uncharted territories. Join Thermality as they continue to push the boundaries of the genre, offering a sound that is as timeless as it is groundbreaking. Prepare to be captivated by the sheer dedication and passion poured into every note. This album is a beacon for fans old and new, signaling the vibrant future of melodic death metal. Welcome to Thermality’s latest offering - a heavy, melodic masterpiece poised to make its mark on the world. 1. MMXXIV2. Weeping Angels3. Thorns of Salem4. Fire Will Reign5. Stranger6. Windigo7. Clones8. Forsaken9. Nightfall10. The Hunter & The Nightmare11. The Guardian12. Divinity Pt.113. Divinity Pt.2

Horse Jumper of Love thrive on patient and pummeling songs.Since 2013, the Boston trio of singer-guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos,bassist John Margaris, and drummer James Doran haveslowly stretched the fringes of indie rock across five full-lengthLPs. Their music unwinds with gutting emotional intensity thanksto Giannopoulos' impressionistic lyrics and how the arrangementsviolently lurch from delicate to bludgeoning. Disaster Trick, theband's new album out August 16 via Run For Cover, is their mostdirect and uncompromising LP yet. Its 11 songs tackle self-destructivenessand healing with jolting lucidity.Where the band's last LP 2023's Heartbreak Rules excelled withquiet, bare-bones songwriting, Disaster Trick cranks up the volumeand boasts some of the most expansive arrangements of theband's catalog. Recorded at Asheville, North Carolina's Drop ofSun Studios with producer Alex Farrar, the recordings soar withsearing guitars and a thunderous rhythm section. "I tried the quietthing on the last album and I realized there's definitely two parts ofme: I like really heavy music, and I like really gentle music," saysGiannopoulos. "The two albums I was listening to the most, whilewe were in the studio were the Leonard Cohen's Songs From aRoom and Hum's Downward is Heavenward."Disaster Trick is a dark record but it's never dour. There's a glimmerof hope and humor throughout these 11 songs, written with thegrace that only time and growing up can bring. As he sings on"Death Spiral," "I know it sounds dramatic / But I must describe /The way that it felt." There's catharsis when it's needed most. "Thisalbum is a reflection on destructive behavior from a lens of moreclarity," says Giannopoulos. "A lot of the songs came out of thispoint where things in my life were going well but I couldn't accept it.I was being a brat. Disaster Trick is me cleaning up my act a bit andreflecting on it."

Horse Jumper of Love thrive on patient and pummeling songs.Since 2013, the Boston trio of singer-guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos,bassist John Margaris, and drummer James Doran haveslowly stretched the fringes of indie rock across five full-lengthLPs. Their music unwinds with gutting emotional intensity thanksto Giannopoulos' impressionistic lyrics and how the arrangementsviolently lurch from delicate to bludgeoning. Disaster Trick, theband's new album out August 16 via Run For Cover, is their mostdirect and uncompromising LP yet. Its 11 songs tackle self-destructivenessand healing with jolting lucidity.Where the band's last LP 2023's Heartbreak Rules excelled withquiet, bare-bones songwriting, Disaster Trick cranks up the volumeand boasts some of the most expansive arrangements of theband's catalog. Recorded at Asheville, North Carolina's Drop ofSun Studios with producer Alex Farrar, the recordings soar withsearing guitars and a thunderous rhythm section. "I tried the quietthing on the last album and I realized there's definitely two parts ofme: I like really heavy music, and I like really gentle music," saysGiannopoulos. "The two albums I was listening to the most, whilewe were in the studio were the Leonard Cohen's Songs From aRoom and Hum's Downward is Heavenward."Disaster Trick is a dark record but it's never dour. There's a glimmerof hope and humor throughout these 11 songs, written with thegrace that only time and growing up can bring. As he sings on"Death Spiral," "I know it sounds dramatic / But I must describe /The way that it felt." There's catharsis when it's needed most. "Thisalbum is a reflection on destructive behavior from a lens of moreclarity," says Giannopoulos. "A lot of the songs came out of thispoint where things in my life were going well but I couldn't accept it.I was being a brat. Disaster Trick is me cleaning up my act a bit andreflecting on it."

“I want it to feel like you’re right there in the room with us.” And in 10 songs and 40 minutes, Wunderhorse capture the raw power and energy that has set them apart as one of the most formidable live acts of recent years. With rugged hooks, unfiltered noise, and fierce melodic sensitivity, Midas rips up the script of traditional second albums and establishes the band as an endlessly addictive and rousing generational talent. In late 2022, the release of their debut album Cub saw singles ‘Purple’ and ‘Leader of the Pack’ dominate radio airwaves. Landmark performances filling Glastonbury’s Woodsies Tent (fka John Peel Stage) and selling out London’s Kentish Town Forum months in advance followed tours with Pixies and Fontaines D.C. and stadium appearances with Sam Fender, signalling the band’s arrival as one of the most prominent and exciting new guitar acts in the UK. With Grammy Award-winning producer Craig Silvey (The Rolling Stones, The National, Florence + The Machine) on board for their sophomore record, the band looked to do something different. Their goal – in the very same studio that Nirvana put In Utero to tape and PJ Harvey recorded the Mercury Prize-nominated Rid of Me – was to push themselves outside of their comfort zones. “There’s absolutely no faking on this record,” ends Slater, “it's not supposed to be perfect; it’s supposed to be a snapshot, even if it is a bit of an ugly portrait. That's how it was then, and that's how you're gonna see it.” And it sounds like you’re right there in the room with them.

Acclaimed folk-blues singer/songwriter Luke Winslow-King has recently inked a significant deal with the iconic Bloodshot records, coinciding with the label’s 30th anniversary, and marking a revival in the institution’s trailblazer history of outlaw country, folk roots, and rock n roll. To celebrate this exciting collaboration, Luke Winslow-King is set to embark on a midwest tour with guitar maestro Roberto Luti of Tuscany May 17 - June 1 of 2024.

Tuscan Slide Guitar Maestro Roberto Luti is a founding member of the Playing For Change band and has collaborated with legends such as Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Dr. John and numerous others, accumulating over 100 million plays on YouTube. His unorthodox, angular and evocative slide guitar style is based on Mississippi and Chicago blues and is infused by soul and African roots traditions.

Fans can expect the sincere and heartfelt roots blues stylings King has become known for, showcased alongside his continual artistic reinvention.

The latest full-length from Kishi Bashi, Kantos is a work of exquisite duality: aparty album about the possible end of humanity as we know it, at turns deeplyunsettling and sublimely joyful. In a sonic departure from the symphonic folkof his critically lauded 2019 LP Omoiyari_a career-defining body of work bornfrom his intensive meditation on the mass incarceration of Japanese-Americansduring World War II_the Seattle-born singer/songwriter/producer's fifthstudio album encompasses everything from Brazilian jazz and '70s funk toorchestral rock and city pop (a Japanese genre that peaked in the mid-'80s).Informed by an equally kaleidoscopic mix of inspirations_the cult-classic sci-finovel series Hyperion Cantos, the writings of 18th century enlightenmentphilosopher Immanuel Kant, a revelatory trip to ancient ruins on the island ofCrete_Kantos ultimately serves as an unbridled exaltation of the human spiritand all its wild complexities.During the earliest stages of creating songs for the album, Ishibashi's mainintent was to return to his highly eclectic musical roots, in part by tapping intohis jazz background and by delving into the dance-rock-leaning sensibilities hepreviously embraced as co-founder of Brooklyn-bred indie band Jupiter One.But not too long into the songwriting process, he stumbled upon anAI-equipped website capable of composing catchy song hooks based on aprompt_a turn of events that quickly catalyzed the existential inquiry at theheart of Kantos.Although his ruminations on AI, transhumanism, and humanity's troubled fateindelibly guided the making of Kantos, Ishibashi nonetheless views the albumas "less of a warning about this kind of hubris but more a celebration of thevery characteristics that make us human: desire, passion, empathy, and love.""If there's anything I want people to come away with when they hear thisrecord, it's a feeling of excitement about the possibilities of human-createdart," he says. "Even as we're learning more about al...

Moon Mirror, Nada Surf’s new record, has everything fans love and expect from them. Bittersweet anthems that begin quiet but explode into soaring harmonies? Check. Songs that are play-on-repeat heart punches? Check. Songs that are poetic and thought-provoking while also being absolute belt-at-the-top-of-your-voice-with-the-windows-down masterpieces? Check. It’s all here. For the past 30 years, Nada Surf has had the same core lineup: Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca, and Ira Elliot. Moon Mirror, their first for New West Records, was produced by the band and Ian Laughton at Rockfield Studios in Wales. For the recording, Matthew, Daniel, and Ira were joined by their friend and longtime keyboard player Louie Lino. Moon Mirror is a thrilling and moving leap forward for Nada Surf. The songs on the album are true to the human experience—as meaningful and mysterious and sometimes absurd as it is. There’s love, yes, but also grief, deep loneliness, doubt, wonder, and hope. These are not the songs of a band in their 20s. There is hard-won wisdom here, and hard-won belief in possibility—the kind that comes from falling down and getting back up

Moon Mirror, Nada Surf’s new record, has everything fans love and expect from them. Bittersweet anthems that begin quiet but explode into soaring harmonies? Check. Songs that are play-on-repeat heart punches? Check. Songs that are poetic and thought-provoking while also being absolute belt-at-the-top-of-your-voice-with-the-windows-down masterpieces? Check. It’s all here. For the past 30 years, Nada Surf has had the same core lineup: Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca, and Ira Elliot. Moon Mirror, their first for New West Records, was produced by the band and Ian Laughton at Rockfield Studios in Wales. For the recording, Matthew, Daniel, and Ira were joined by their friend and longtime keyboard player Louie Lino. Moon Mirror is a thrilling and moving leap forward for Nada Surf. The songs on the album are true to the human experience—as meaningful and mysterious and sometimes absurd as it is. There’s love, yes, but also grief, deep loneliness, doubt, wonder, and hope. These are not the songs of a band in their 20s. There is hard-won wisdom here, and hard-won belief in possibility—the kind that comes from falling down and getting back up

There are ghosts all across AVANTI, the debut album fromMalice K. At points it's howling and unhinged, a grungy layeratop a lush foundation of melodic capital-s Songwriting, but inother moments it dissolves into a gentle, wistful haunting.Malice K's songs are blunt, uncomplicated and unflinching as heprobes the interiority of memories, of mistakes - saturated withan innate intensity that sucks you into his gnarled and visceralworld, so barbed it could draw blood.Malice K is helmed by visual artist and songwriter AlexKonschuh, New York-based but born and raised in Olympia,Washington. Following a stint living in Los Angeles, where hebecame a member of the artist collective Death Proof Inc., a tripto New York resulted in him simply never leaving the city. Aperiod of chaos ensued, Malice K exhausted and unmoored andultimately, unwell.The record is unpredictable across its 11 songs. The album openswith a jarring scream on "Halloween," Malice K's breathlessvocals buried beneath a grungy, roving Nineties riff. The trackemanates a manic energy, enveloping. It's a fitting entrypointfor the record, and for the vividness of Malice K. The snarling andobsessive "You're My Girl" has a swaggering paranoia: "I got sohigh I thought my hand touching my hand was your hand." ButAVANTI exists in quieter moments too; "Radio," with itsfluttering morose cello, moves at an almost glacial pacecomparatively. The aching wistfulness of "The Old House" is analbum stand-out, anchored in an acoustic guitar, an uneasylullaby that never quite settles into itself: "I think to myself I gotthe things that I wanted, but I can't help think there'ssomething else that I forgot to do."A recent press interview called Malice K a shapeshifter, but he'snot amorphous in that way. He's decisive and intense, moreconcerned with carving his own path, and building his ownworld. Every part of Malice K is distinctly himself: from hissweaty high-octane shows to the high-flash high-contrastphotos;...

There are ghosts all across AVANTI, the debut album fromMalice K. At points it's howling and unhinged, a grungy layeratop a lush foundation of melodic capital-s Songwriting, but inother moments it dissolves into a gentle, wistful haunting.Malice K's songs are blunt, uncomplicated and unflinching as heprobes the interiority of memories, of mistakes - saturated withan innate intensity that sucks you into his gnarled and visceralworld, so barbed it could draw blood.Malice K is helmed by visual artist and songwriter AlexKonschuh, New York-based but born and raised in Olympia,Washington. Following a stint living in Los Angeles, where hebecame a member of the artist collective Death Proof Inc., a tripto New York resulted in him simply never leaving the city. Aperiod of chaos ensued, Malice K exhausted and unmoored andultimately, unwell.The record is unpredictable across its 11 songs. The album openswith a jarring scream on "Halloween," Malice K's breathlessvocals buried beneath a grungy, roving Nineties riff. The trackemanates a manic energy, enveloping. It's a fitting entrypointfor the record, and for the vividness of Malice K. The snarling andobsessive "You're My Girl" has a swaggering paranoia: "I got sohigh I thought my hand touching my hand was your hand." ButAVANTI exists in quieter moments too; "Radio," with itsfluttering morose cello, moves at an almost glacial pacecomparatively. The aching wistfulness of "The Old House" is analbum stand-out, anchored in an acoustic guitar, an uneasylullaby that never quite settles into itself: "I think to myself I gotthe things that I wanted, but I can't help think there'ssomething else that I forgot to do."A recent press interview called Malice K a shapeshifter, but he'snot amorphous in that way. He's decisive and intense, moreconcerned with carving his own path, and building his ownworld. Every part of Malice K is distinctly himself: from hissweaty high-octane shows to the high-flash high-contrastphotos;...

To experience Justin R. Cruz Gallego's pulverizing Sub Pop debut is to get burned down to ashes and burst forth, born anew. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), the Tacoma-based artist's second album, is driven by opposing forces: noisy abstractions and tightly structured beats, anguish and dissolution at the outside world and empowerment within, apathy and catharsis. Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) weds scouring electronics to hooky songs and Gallego's powerful drumming in a way that feels visceral and new. It's his most personal statement to date, at once playful and intent, driven and combustible, total fucking chaos mixed into glints of broken-glass beauty. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Gallego experienced culture shock as a child after relocating to the frigid climes of the Pacific Northwest. He found solace in the Seattle punk scene centered around Iron Lung Records and has since remained a fixture in the underground community. "I see this record as first and foremost a musical statement," Gallego says. "I grew up in punk and DIY subcultures, but before that I had Latin music playing in the background through my childhood and every phase of adolescence. It was surprisingly natural to incorporate. I realized I wanted to go deeper into these rhythms. I wanted to make a record that felt as experimental as much as it felt from the perspective of a Latino. When I got a glimmer of that possibility, it felt exciting." Lead single "Dogear" is a face-melting party starter that sounds like someone forced Talking Heads and Rudimentary Peni to share a practice space. "I wanted a song that felt playful in the way it attempted to be dissonant without taking itself too seriously," Gallego says. "Cholla Beat" is even more ambitious, an anthemic mix of WAR and Wire led by unruly synthesizers spiraling down a labyrinth of production. Gallego's influences for the album are vast, ranging from British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis to electric Miles Davis to audio miscreants like Demdike Stare and Oneohtrix Point Never. But it's Gallego's assured sonic vision that resounds the loudest. And, while J.R.C.G. is a solo project, conceived and executed primarily in Gallego's home studio, he found strength in opening the project to others, starting with Seth Manchester as co-producer. Manchester's penchant for bone-rattling frequencies, as seen in his production work with The Body, Battles, and Mdou Moctar, made him a natural fit for Gallego. Together, they retained the intimacy of Gallego's home recordings while taking advantage of the hi-fi stylings of his Machines With Magnets Studio in Rhode Island. The closing song, "World i," offers a glimpse into the live experience of Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra), with upwards of seven band members blasting off. The album features a fascinating mix of supporting players, many of whom cycle through J.R.C.G.'s live lineup: Morgan Henderson (The Blood Brothers, Fleet Foxes), Jason Clackley (Dreamdecay, The Exquisites), Jon Scheid (Dreamdecay, U Sco), Erica Miller (Casual Hex, Big Bite), Veronica Dye (Terminator) Phil Cleary (U Sco), and Alex Gaziano (Dreamdecay, Kidcrash, Science Amplification). Taken as a whole, G.I.S.M. is a whirlwind of sound, pummeling, and cleansing. It's a sweaty, thrilling aural adventure and, like a great basement show, it'll leave you breathless, exhausted, and wanting to repeat it all over again. As any good mantra should.