Video of the Day: 'Silurian Blue' by Floating Points

Floating Points have a new video / album project on the way entitled 'Reflections - Mojave Desert'. Filmed by Anna Diaz Ortuno, it was recorded last August while the band were rehearsing for the US tour, when the desert became a unique recording environment for them.

The album is due for release on 30th June, and from it comes 'Silurian Blue', a fantastic journey through instrumental jazz and prog-rock themes. I'm imagining the whole project might turn out to be a like a modern day version of Pink Floyd's 'Live at Pompeii' film - which is no bad thing.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-23 Days: Floating Points

When Sam Shepherd's debut album 'Elaenia' was released towards the end of last year it received massive critical acclaim. Its mix of electronica, jazz and ambient styles took on the kind of atmospheres created by the likes of Caribou and Four Tet and weaved new magic with them.

Having created this expansive world on record, he's since developed it into a live act which is likely to go down a treat on the West Holts stage. With a live band and great visuals he's definitely one to chill out with as the sun sets.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-30 Days: Kamasi Washington

Over the next 30 days, as we count down to the start of this year's Glastonbury Festival, I'll be highlighting one act a day that's on my 'to do' list. I doubt if I'll get to see them all (plans at Glastonbury have a habit of being changed at a moment's notice) but it's good to have something to aim for.




First up is jazz sensation Kamasi Washington, Playing on the West Holts stage, his powerfully modern take on jazz has seen him collaborate with both Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar (is it too much to hope for a K Dot special appearance?). Never one to take the easy path, his mammoth 3 hour, triple cd from last year truly lives up to its title 'The Epic'. If you've got a couple of hours to spare then immerse yourself in the full concert above, or if not try the shorter 'Re Run Home' below, which will only take up 14 minutes of your busy day.



Come back tomorrow for another recommendation.

Recommended music: 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' by Khruangbin

There's a gentle warmth and familiarity about this record that disguises it's originality. It sounds a little bit trip-hop, a little bit Acid Jazz, a little bit world music, a little bit psychedelic, but the intriguing fact is that it takes all of those influences and melds them into a new creature. In fact it turns out that their main influence is Thai funk and pop from the 60s and 70s, which is not something you can say about many bands.

There's an analogue feel to the recordings, and also a live atmosphere that makes me believe they did these recordings as near to live as they could in the barn in Texas they used as a studio.

Khruangbin (the name translates as Engine Fly from the Thai) were originally conceived as an instrumental act, and you have to get five tracks into the record before the first vocals appear on 'White Gloves'. This was the first thing I heard from them and it drew me in with its laid-back, Californian groove, congas and gentle, slightly mystified vocal.



More instrumentals follow, including the disco funk of 'People Everywhere (Still Alive)', which in an alternate universe is taken from the soundtrack to the Asian remake of Saturday Night Fever.


My one criticism of the record is that I really wish there'd been a few moments where they'd opened up and just let rip, allowing the guitars to soar and the tracks to take flight a bit more. There are a few bars towards the middle of 'August Twelve' where you think this is going to happen but then everything calms down again, which is a shame.


All in all though this is a record that invites you in and encourages you to sink into its welcoming arms, a benign smile upon its face, much like the universe itself.

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Track of the Day: 'Winter Sun' by Sarah Williams White

A beautiful tribute to the awesome eternity of the sun, and in some ways a direct descendant of 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' by Roy Ayers, this trippy, soulful little number is a taster for the forthcoming mini-album 'Of The New World'. Sit back and let its rays wash over you.

Track of the Day: 'Medication Meditation (feat. Krayzie Bone)' by Flying Lotus

Taken from the updated version of Grand Theft Auto 5, which features a massive new soundtrack, this is a bit less jazzy than the stuff on FlyLo's recent 'You're Dead', although it follows a similar format to the Kendrick Lamar-featuring 'Never Catch Me', ending with an instrumental portion.



PS I saw a cryptic comment on the internet the other day that implied that the imaginary FlyLo FM from GTA V might actually become a real thing - let's hope so!

Recommended music: 'You're Dead' by Flying Lotus

First things first - this is by no means an easy listen. Don't think you can just put it on in the background and do other stuff because if you do it might just sound abrasive. But turn and face the music, give it your full attention, and you'll be rewarded with a fully immersive journey into death and the afterlife. Also, don't be put off if you don't like the start, the first few tracks (side 1 of the double vinyl) are by far my least favourite of what Steven Ellison has served up here. But stick with it, because from the moment you put side 2 on and Kendrick Lamar joins in on 'Never Catch Me' it turns into a magical, wonderful record, full of twists and turns, light and shade, explosive moments and quiet corners.

There's been a lot of talk about this being a 'jazz' album, and if you had to pigeon-hole it then that's probably where it would end up. It's so much more than that though. If it is jazz then it's certainly jazz for the 21st or even 22nd century. There's other styles as well though; 'Coronus, the Terminator' is a hip-hop / soul hybrid, while 'Ready Err Not' recalls his earlier electronic influences. Throughout the album the amazing bass stylings of Thundercat take flight, as he runs up and down the frets and lightning speed. He also adds vocals to some of the tracks, along with the Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg. Elsewhere FlyLo's alter-ego makes a couple of appearances, as does Herbie Hancock on keyboards.

I think it's great that in this day and age people like Flying Lotus are still making committed, unflinching, uncommercial albums like this - sure the Lamar track will draw a few people in, but really this is the sound of Ellison taking all of his culture and heritage and wrapping it up exactly how he wants it to sound.

A word on the packaging - the vinyl boxset is lavishly put together, with a fully-printed gatefold holding the original album, with printed inner sleeves, plus another two slabs of vinyl with instrumental versions of all the track. You also get a full download of both the standard and instrumental tracks.

Inside the Flying Lotus 'You're Dead' gatefold

Track of the Day: 'I'm The Man, That Will Find You' by Connan Mockasin

The lead track from his new album 'Caramel' finds Mockasin in a sexy, seductive mood. Sounding slinkier than Prince singing in satin sheets, this is an astonishingly good track that puts the jazz-funk back into, well,whatever you want really. I love the breakdown after 3 minutes - it's like he's finished the foreplay, has a quick breather and then goes into the full-on loving. Click here to listen to the track in full.

The album is out on November 4th on Phantasy and by all accounts it's a corker.