Music has always been a solitary affair for me. I rarely talk to other people about what I enjoy because it tends to be ephemeral, shifting and morphing constantly. At least, that was was true until I started covering the Pagan music beat for The Wild Hunt. Spurred by requests from several people at the Mystic South 2017 conference to share music other than that which falls under the purely Pagan moniker, I decided to write up this little post to share what music I’m really digging right now that exceeds the bounds of my column.
Xiu Xiu has released a collection of songs from 2005-2012 when Jamie Stewart and his rotating cast teamed up with experimental Italian music team Larsen to form XXL.
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Zola Jesus is coming out with a new album on September 8 (happy birthday, Sarah). Two tracks are available for those who pre-order. “The music was written in pure catharsis, and as a result, the sonics are heavy, dark, and exploratory.” It’s a wonderful return to earlier styling of her work and fitting as she returned to her native Wisconsin to compose it, while battling and suffering loss.
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New music abounds this fall, Chelsea Wolfe’s new EP, Hiss Spun will also be released in September, on the 22nd. Check out this advanced track, featuring Wolfe’s trademark digging through the mud guitar and breathy, just on the other side of the veil vocals.
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Twin Peaks fans who’ve been watching the new series may recognize the next track from the show. I’m still waiting to actually see the continuation of one of my TV favs, but until then, I’m enjoying a two-track single from Lynch’s son, Riley on guitar, his longtime musical supervisor Dean Hurley on drums and Alex Zhang Hungtai on sax to form the one time only group, Trouble.
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Smooth as silk, with a mellow funk influence, The Dopplegangaz is a hip hop duo out of New York City who just released their fifth album.
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Alpine Respire is a field recording/drone album created by ProtoU & Hilyard, collaborating from the Ukraine and Maine. Blood Grass Sojourn takes you on a riverside walk.
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This is one of those yearning-for-love on a Saturday night tunes, it’s a collab between Robin Braun and Mike Milosh performing as Rhye. Soulful and sweet.
To round out this month’s selections, this is a song off the new solo album by Kellie Lloyd, her first since 2012. Lloyd plays bass for the Australian band Screamfeeder.
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