Category: ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: James McKain / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter’s “…Seeing The Way The Mole Tunnels….”

If awards were given for album titles, this one would be in the running. Without saying anything about how the

January 7, 2026 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: Bilders’ “Neverlasting”

Like so many things you can say about Bill Direen, mentioning that he is a New Zealander is both true

December 22, 2025 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: Steve Gunn’s “Daylight Daylight”

Daylight Daylight is organized around some questions that can be categorized as either journalistic or clinical. What time is it?

December 8, 2025 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: Pat Thomas’ “Hikmah”

William Parker puts it too plainly to misunderstand, so let’s first give him the floor: “If you haven’t heard the

December 1, 2025 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: Ryan Packard’s “Garden Variety”

While the title Garden Variety augurs ordinariness, these sounds are anything but. Ryan Packard is a percussionist who resides in

November 17, 2025 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

Essential New Music: I Like To Sleep’s “Spectral Vibes”

When I Like To Sleep first emerged, the Norwegian instrumental trio’s sound combined polar opposites. Vibraphonist Amund Storløkken Åse, six-string-bass/guitar

November 10, 2025 / ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC

R.I.P. MAGNET Senior Writer Jonathan Valania