Soundscape is a weekly look at local and international releases making an impression on our musical radar. The list offers a cross section of EPs and albums arriving at the station.

We have been busily scouring the Soundscape! Check out some of our favourite finds for this week 15 July 2019

Various Artists - Sunny Side Up (Brownswood Recordings)**Album of the Week

Brownswood Recordings have compiled a collection of boundary pushing jazz, soul and R&B from Melbourne artists with a brash DIY spirit. Recorded over a week in Coburg, the compilation celebrates the level of invention and interplay happening in the city, and exhibits the collaborative spirit of a movement that’s ready to boil over, exhibited in the fact that various musicians feature multiple times across each other’s tracks on the album.

Thelma Plum - Better In Blak (Warner Music Australia)

The Gamilaraay songwriter seeks to create something positive out of trauma on her debut full length. Over a series of infectious and lush pop songs, Plum explores growing up Aboriginal in rural Australia, addresses the hypocrisy of social media activism, and the awkwardness of teen romance. The album is deeply collaborative, with features from the likes of Paul Kelly, Gang of Youth’s frontman Dave Leaupepe, and even a guest guitar contribution by none other than Paul McCartney

Khruangbin - Hasta El Cielon (Con Todo El Mundo in Dub) [Night Time Stories]

The Houston psych-funk band return with a dub version of 2018s Con Todo El Mundo. Joining a long lineage of bands issuing dub versions of their albums - Massive Attack, Bill Callahan, Franz Ferdinand - Hasta El Cielon is a laid-back version of an already laid back album.

Jesca Hoop - Stonechild (Memphis Industries)

Stonechild, the fifth release from the Manchester based songwriter, is a self-described “compassion project.” Hoop explores technology, patriarchy, slavery and the concept of time, over streamlined and paired back folk arrangements engineered by PJ Harvey and Aldous Harding collaborator John Parish.

Blood Orange - Angel's Pulse (Domino/EMI)

Posited as a mix-tape addendum to 2018s brilliant Negro Swan, Angel’s Pulse demonstrates Dev Hyne’s capacity to dramatically switch styles and manically propel through musical ideas, all while demonstrating his subtle skills as a producer.

Dispossessed - Warpath Never Ended (Independent)

Warpath Never Ended is a collection of unsettling post-colonial black metal by the uncompromising Australian four-piece. Tackling capitalism, patriarchy, white supremacy and “all forms of domination”, the core theme of the album is the unceded sovereignty of Australian lands, expressed through ferocious war-chants, colossal riffs and startling moments of melody and atmosphere.

Godtet - II (La Sape)

Godtet is the project of Sydney-based instrumentalist and producer Godriguez. Largely laid down over a single day while touring in Melbourne, II is a contemporary jazz release deeply rooted in improvisation featuring band members Simon Mavin (Hiatus Kaiyote) & Ziggy Zeitgeist (30/70).

Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains (Drag City/Spunk/Caroline Australia)

David Berman, the front-man of establishment indie-rock band Silver Jews, joins forces with folk band Woods to make Purple Mountains. Following a decade in the wilderness, Bernam returns with a collection of robust folk songs about heartbreak, grief and bitterness, with a remaining hint of trademark wit.

Kit Sebastian - Mantra Moderne (Mr Bongo)

Kit Sebastian is a duo formed of london based instrumentalist Kit Martin and Turkish multi-disciplinary artist and vocalist Merve Erdem. On Mantra Moderne, they traverse sounds of Anatolian psycholedia, Brazilian Tropicalia, 60s European pop and American jazz.

Gladio - Means to Freedom (L.I.E.S.)

One of the many alias’ of Danny Wolfers aka Legowalt, the Gladio project is resurrected after over a decade of dormancy. Over seven house and electro cuts, Means to Freedom runs through the roots of old school Chicago and Detroit, processed through the singular Gladio machine-world vision.