On May 4, Joyful Noise will release Universalists, the sophomore album from NYC-based guitarist/producer Yonatan Gat. The 10-track LP follows 2015’s Director and two EPs, continuing the former Monotonix founder’s exploration of melding improvisation, world music, punk and avant-garde into a vital new music form. The centerpiece of Universalists is “Medicine,” a collaboration with Rhode Island drum ensemble the Eastern Medicine Singers and Swans’ Thor Harris.
“The first time I saw the Eastern Medicine Singers, they were playing outside the venue just before we went on,” says Gat. “I loved their music and asked if they wanted to improvise with us during our concert. We had never met before, and they immediately replied, ‘No.’ But by the second song, they were hauling their gigantic drum inside, and we started playing together in the middle of the room—two bands forming two circles, with the crowd around us, dancing, trancing, many in tears.”
The recording session for “Medicine” featured 20 musicians playing live in the studio. We’re proud to premiere the five-minute track today on magnetmagazine.com. Check it now, and also check out legendary live performer Gat and band on tour in May (dates below).
May 6 Winooski, VT (Waking Windows Festival)
May 9 Montreal, QC (Distorsion Psych Fest at La Sala Rossa)
May 10 Toronto, ON (CMW Festival)
May 11 Cleveland, OH (Happy Dog West)
May 13 Indianapolis, IN (State Street Pub)
May 14 Chicago, IL (The Hideout)
May 15 Milwaukee, WI (Cactus Club)
May 16 Los Angeles, CA (Resident)
May 18 San Francisco, CA (The Chapel)
May 19 Portland, OR (Bunk Bar)
May 22 Vancouver, B.C. (Astoria)