If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Bianca Garza Trombonist and composer Kalia Vandever has one last single out before her album is released on Friday. "In My Dream House" is an eight and a half minute long composition that comes so close to being mainstream jazz perfect for the brunch crowd, but Vandever goes in just a slightly different direction to keep things interesting. The song focuses mostly on her playing, with minimal instrumentation accompanying her. At least to start. As "In My Dream House" progresses, more instruments come in and the song picks up and gets more chaotic while still maintaining it's mostly chill vibe. At times the song gets that futuristic 60's space age sound, in the coolest way possible. We don't bring you a lot of jazz, so you know when we do, it's going to be something special. You can listen to "In My Dream House" below. Another View is due out November 14 on Northern Spy, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Kalia Vandev...

Photo by Bianca Garza When we brought you Kalia Vandever's "Staring at the Cracked Window" last month, I said it would appeal to fans of classic jazz and more experimental/noise rock. That sentiment also applies to her latest single, "Cycle in Mourning." The roots of classic and more traditional jazz are in the song, but Vandever takes that base and then meanders off in her own direction. Plus, while most people consider jazz to be soothing, this new single is anything but. At times the song sounds downright eerie, and could even spike a listener's anxiety. Much like some of our favorite noise rock artists, and "Cycle in the Mourning" does that without having to resort to loud volume. Kalia Vandever says of her latest single: "Cycle In Mourning is a cyclical and slowly evolving piece that represents the different phases of grief and the way you find yourself caught in a pattern. The piece gradually transforms, leaving you in a state of wonder ...

Photo by Bianca Garza I always feel highly self-conscious writing about jazz, like I'm extremely unqualified (which I am). But every so often I find a song I feel the need to bring to you all, and one of those is the latest from Kalia Vandever. The trombonist and composer recently released "Staring at the Cracked Window," a fantastic musical exploration that is eight and a half minutes of some of the most intriguing music released this year. What's so great about this new single is how much broad appeal it could have, which is rare with both jazz and experimental music. If you love classic artists like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, there's a lot here for you. If you prefer more rock based experimental artists like Sonic Youth or Frank Zappa, you're also going to love "Staring at the Cracked Window." It sounds both composed and improvised, and while it's certainly not the style of jazz you'd find in a dentist's office, there is somethin...

Photo by Malu Franca Last month we brought you "Ocean," which was a captivating piano based avant pop single. This month, Melissa Weikart has released "Testing" which continues that vibe but gets even more pop and avant at the same time. At times "Testing" sounds like it's going to be a mainstream and straightforward piano ballad, but then the piano starts wandering off in its very own direction. Weikart's vocals sound like she's trying to keep the song along a pre-determined path, but she seems to wander off unexpectedly, too. This isn't a simple song to just put on in the background while you go about your day. "Testing" calmly insists you focus your attention on the song. Melissa Weikart says of her new song: "'Testing’ is the oldest song on the album, a song that remained unfinished for a very long time. When I first sat down to write it, I was contending with a lot of dominant narratives about what it meant to be an ...

Photo by Rachel Cabitt We last brought you new music from Psymon Spine over the summer, but the band is set to release a new album, which means new music! The latest is "Jumprope." It's a ridiculously dance friendly song without being even remotely mainstream. "Jumprope" is post punk and psychedelia joining forces to make a straight up dance track. It's like if Le Tigre and Bodega decided to get serious about their love of 80's Madonna and Deelite. And this is all while fully dedicating themselves to some serious 60's psychedelia. You can listen to "Jumprope" below. Charismatic Megafauna , the upcoming album from Psymon Spine, will be out February 19 on Northern Spy. You can pre-order a copy here . For more on Psymon Spine, check out the band on Facebook and Twitter . Charismatic Megafauna by PSYMON SPINE