The Squid's Ear
Recently @ Squidco:

John Butcher / John Edwards:
This Is Not Speculation (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

A remarkable live recording from Einstein Kultur in Munich, reuniting British free improvisation masters John Butcher on saxophones and John Edwards on double bass in four expansive, detailed, and often breathtaking duets, exploring abstract soundscapes with razor-sharp interplay, extended techniques, and an uncompromising sense of sonic exploration. ... Click to View


Jerome Deupree / Sylvie Courvoisier / Lester St. Louis / Joe Morris:
Canyon [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Recorded at Firehouse 12 Studios, Canyon brings together four exceptional improvisers — drummer Jerome Deupree, pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, bassist Joe Morris, and cellist Lester St. Louis — for a double album of fluid, high-stakes interaction, balancing volatility and restraint as they carve out richly detailed sonic terrain with spontaneous precision. ... Click to View


Izumi Kimura / Lina Andonovska / Dominique Pifarely:
Seven Dreams (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

Recorded live at Dublin's National Concert Hall, the trio of Izumi Kimura (piano), Lina Andonovska (flutes), and Dominique Pifarély (violin) weave a poetic and deeply intuitive improvisational performance, blending extended techniques and refined sensitivity into a dreamlike suite of tactile, intimate, and emotionally resonant sound worlds. ... Click to View


Lava Quartet feat. Almut Kuhne / Jordina Milla / Goncalo Almeida / Wieland Moller:
Ethereal Chant (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

The debut from the international Lava Quartet — Almut Kühne (voice), Jordina Milla (piano), Gonçalo Almeida (bass), and Wieland Möller (percussion) — capturing the ensemble's dynamic interplay and fearless improvisation across two European venues, blending extended techniques, expressive freedom, and unconventional sonic textures in a deeply creative and spontaneous journey. ... Click to View


Joe McPhee / Susanna Gartmayer / John Edwards / Maria Portugal:
Monster (Klanggalerie)

Recorded live at the 2023 Music Unlimited Festival in Wels, Austria, this powerhouse quartet of Joe McPhee, Susanna Gartmayer, John Edwards, and Maria Portugal delivers an electrifying set of spontaneous composition, blending fierce improvisation, commanding technique, and bold interplay in a dynamic performance brimming with vitality and creative approaches to improv. ... Click to View


Kim Jae Jung:
Shamanism (Relative Pitch)

A powerful and ritualistic session from South Korea's free improvisation scene, with tenor and soprano saxophones (Jung-Jae Kim & Sunjae Lee) and dual drum kits (Junyoung Song & Sunki Kim) channeling ancestral Korean shamanic ceremony through raw, primal energy, breath-driven phrasing, and a spiritual aesthetic that bridges indigenous tradition and contemporary free jazz expression. ... Click to View


Signe Emmeluth / Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten / Axel Filip:
Hyperboreal Trio (Relative Pitch)

Drawing on deep collaborative history and shared risk-taking instincts, the trio of alto saxophonist Signe Emmeluth, bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, and drummer Axel Filip deliver a debut of fierce, textural improvisation, recorded in Trondheim and shaped by dynamic interplay, shifting atmospheres, and a fearless drive to chart new sonic terrain. ... Click to View


Amy Cimini:
See You When I Get There (Relative Pitch)

The first solo album from West Coast violist Amy Cimini, blending amplified distortion, percussive textures, and spacious effects into a deeply personal and genre-blurring performance that channels experimental noise, tuneful abstraction, and the spirit of feminist rock and protest music into a resonant and evocative sonic journey. ... Click to View


Makoto Kawashima :
arteria (Relative Pitch)

A wild solo performance recorded at GOKsound in Tokyo by Japanese alto saxophonist Makoto Kawashima, whose intense and introspective improvisations balance fierce tonal expression with fragile silences, drawing from the lineage of Abe and Shiraishi while establishing his own haunting and highly individual voice in the realm of free improvisation. ... Click to View


Marco Eneidi Quintet (w / Johnston / Finkbelner / Smith / Anderson):
Wheat Fields of Kleylehof (Balance Point Acoustics)

A fiery and tightly woven 2004 quintet session led by alto saxophonist and composer Marco Eneidi, recorded before his move to Europe, with trumpeter Darren Johnston, guitarist John Finkbeiner, bassist Damon Smith, and drummer Vijay Anderson performing dynamic, sharply articulated compositions that balance exuberant improvisation with finely honed structure. ... Click to View


Eric Shorter:
Shorter Bendian Shields (577 Records)

A dynamic debut from multi-talented saxophonist Eric Shorter, joined by pianist David Shields and percussionist Gregg Bendian in a spirited trio session that replaces the traditional bass role with open, aleatoric freedom, creating an engaging interplay of spontaneous composition, expressive lyricism, and inventive harmonic exploration. ... Click to View


Ernesto Rodrigues / Ana Albino / Hernani Faustino / Carlos Santos:
A Glimpse To An End Of A Cycle (Creative Sources)

Recorded live in Lisbon in 2025, this quietly immersive quartet session from Ernesto Rodrigues, Ana Albino, Hernani Faustino, and Carlos Santos unfolds as a single extended movement of enigmatic timbral interplay, blending modular synth, electric guitar, viola and bass in a sparse, introspective soundscape shaped by mystery, fluidity, and subtle dynamic shifts. ... Click to View


Paula Sanchez:
Pressure Sensitive (Relative Pitch)

Recorded in Switzerland in 2021, Argentinian cellist and interdisciplinary artist Paula Sanchez pushes the cello to its sonic limits through six radical performances that merge acoustic and processed sound, combining cello, cellophane, and ring modulation to evoke a visceral, poetic, and at times merciless exploration of embodied sound and ephemeral transformation. ... Click to View


Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle:
Exhaust (Relative Pitch)

Recorded live in Berlin, the debut from Camila Nebbia's working trio with Kit Downes and Andrew Lisle captures six dynamic, unrestrained pieces that navigate shifting textures and rhythms, fractured lyricism, and tightly woven interplay, avoiding individual soloing as the group explores contrast and transformation through raw energy, deep listening, and collective momentum. ... Click to View


Le Vice Anglais (Pires / Parrinha):
vas-y (4DaRecord)

A fiercely expressive debut from Portuguese duo Ricardo Guerra Pires and Bruno Parrinha, blending electric guitar, alto saxophone, subtle electronics, and noise-infused improvisation into a raw yet controlled exploration of sonic extremes, channeling the spirit of free jazz, punk energy, and avant-garde texture into six powerful and provocative pieces. ... Click to View


Marc Baron / Eric La Casa:
Contrefacons (Swarming)

Exploring the fragility of recorded memory and the processes of cinematic restoration, Marc Baron and Eric La Casa capture, manipulate, and recontextualize sounds from the Hiventy film laboratories, transforming them through analogue treatments and dynamic re-recording into a compelling meditation on representation, decay, and the shifting nature of perception. ... Click to View


Francisco Lopez :
Untitled (2021-2022) [2 CDs] (Bu Lang Tribute Cake)

A double CD of composed environmental sound works from Francisco López, assembling raw field recordings from locations including Tenerife, Eswatini, Israel, Georgia, Chile, and the southwestern USA, along with a film soundtrack and a collaboration with Felipe Otondo, creating immersive, abstract electroacoustic pieces with intentional silences and textural extremes. ... Click to View


Eventless Plot | Haarvol:
The Subliminal Paths [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Innovo Editions)

An intimate, restrained electroacoustic collaboration between Eventless Plot and Haarvöl, unfolding in two extended, meditative movements that explore a nuanced dialogue between piano, field recordings, tapes, and electronic expression, gradually revealing layered sonic detail and immersive depth through spacious, dramatic momentum. ... Click to View


Eternities:
Rides Again [CASSETTE] (Sacred Realism)

The duo of Katie Porter on bass clarinet and Bob Bellerue on electronics, zither, and feedback create rich, multidimensional drones through live performance, blending harmonic wind tones with resonant feedback and overtone manipulation in two expansive recordings from Berlin and NYC that explore the porous boundary between intention and indeterminacy. ... Click to View


Elka Bong (Margolis / Wright / Bouchard):
Without Walls (Love Earth Music)

Integrating live coding, field recordings, IFM synthesis, and an array of electroacoustic instrumentation, the trio of Al Margolis, Walter Wright, and Sara Bouchard craft an unbounded and exploratory work that embraces technological transformation and sensory disruption, channeling Marshall McLuhan's insights into a richly layered and prophetic sonic landscape. ... Click to View


Karl Evangelista Quintet feat. Bobby Bradford and William Roper:
Solace Angles (Asian Improv)

A heartfelt tribute to Los Angeles and its resilient creative community, guitarist Karl Evangelista leads a stellar quintet with Bobby Bradford on cornet and William Roper on tuba, blending both lyrical and eclectic improvisation, deep-rooted West Coast traditions, and a spirit of resistance into an evocative and deeply personal album that honors place, legacy, and the power of collective expression. ... Click to View


Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters, The (Rasmussen / Mitelli / Rezaei / Koenig):
The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters (Corbett vs. Dempsey)

An electrifying session of genre-defying free improvisation from the international quartet of Gabriele Mitelli (trumpet & electronics), Mette Rasmussen (sax), Mariam Rezaei (turntables), and Lukas Koenig (drums & bass synth), delivering an explosive, high-energy album that blurs the lines between noise, jazz, and avant-electronic intensity with visceral spontaneity and tightly channeled chaos. ... Click to View


Akmee:
Sacrum Profanum (Nakama Records)

Recorded in Oslo's Toyen Kirke, this spiritually resonant second album from the Norwegian quartet Akmee explores acoustic possibilities with lyrical counterpoint, trance-like repetition, and intuitive improvisation, as trumpeter Erik Kimestad Pedersen, pianist Kjetil Jerve, bassist Erlend Olderskog Albertsen, and drummer Andreas Wildhagen stretch melody and rhythm into expressive, otherworldly forms. ... Click to View


Ernesto Rodrigues / Guilherme Rodrigues / Maximilian Glass:
Beyond The Mist And The Unforeseen Encounters (Creative Sources)

An intimate, texturally rich trio session recorded in Berlin between Ernesto Rodrigues on viola & crackle box, Guilherme Rodrigues on cello, and Maximilian Glass on percussion, navigating misty lowercase atmospheres, glitch-box coloration, and finely balanced interactions that unveil subtle surprise and collective improvisation within a tight, exploratory sound world. ... Click to View


Sveio:
Latent Imprints (577 Records)

A fascinating exploration of human-machine collaboration from UK trio Sveio — James Mainwaring on saxophone, Federico Reuben on laptop improvisation and live coding, and Emil Karlsen on drums — using AI in real-time to generate uncanny textures and forms, resulting in a spontaneously composed and constantly evolving electroacoustic sound world. ... Click to View


Kommun:
Kalpa (thanatosis produktion)

Expanding to a sextet, Swedish guitarist Finn Loxbo's Kommun deepens its exploration of cyclical time and collective improvisation, weaving acoustic steel-string guitar, piano, strings, and percussion into evolving, harmonically rich phrases that merge individual lines into fluid, slow-burning forms — meditative, intricate, and poised between structure and dissolution. ... Click to View


Various Artists:
Archipelago (Bathysphere Records)

A benefit compilation in support of marine restoration through ORAI, this diverse collection features 13 experimental and ambient works — including evocative soundscapes by Scott Solter, Cristina Cano, and others — each track a donation from artists celebrating the sea’s mystery, fragility, and power through deeply personal sonic reflections. ... Click to View


Mat Watson:
Reflective Hits (Eternal Music Projects)

Extracted from archival sessions at Imaginary Sound Fields in Melbourne, Australian synthesist Mat Watson assembles a limited-edition set of vivid modular compositions — ranging from library-inspired cues to exploratory electronic abstractions — capturing the tactile nuance of a Eurorack modular as he sculpts asymmetrical, colorful soundscapes that blur nostalgia, experimentation, and inner space. ... Click to View


Unredeemable (Tracy Lisk / Andrea Pensado):
Preverbal (Love Earth Music)

A dynamic, spontaneous duo collaboration by percussionist Tracy-Lisk and multi-disciplinary performer Andrea-Pensado, this LEM-347 release unfolds through drumming, cymbal washes, voice and live electronics into a fluid, improvisatory dialogue that balances rhythmic sensitivity and textural exploration within an intimate, acutely reactive sound world. ... Click to View


+DOG+:
Our Beloved..... (Love Earth Music)

A fierce and immersive set of three extended noise pieces from the six-member experimental collective of Steve Davis, Bobby Almon, Chuck Foster, Edward Giles, LOB, and Mackenzie Kourie, recorded in multiple locations, blending dense textures, static-laced improvisation, and electroacoustic intensity into a raw and unapologetically visceral listening experience. ... Click to View



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The Squid's Ear
Facebook: Squidco Sales

Op-Ed (Opinions and Editorials)


  Shaking The Squid Blog Entries 2024  
philz Squidco Blog
  • December 26, 2024:

    SquidBoy GiftingAnother busy week of new music pouring in, perfect for the cooler (and somewhat unseasonable) weather here in the US mid-East Coast. Anyone watching our "Just In" section has seen the proliferation of GRRR albums from the long-running French label. We're still coming to terms with the music arriving, a bold mix of improv, experimental, and composed forms; so far, everything I've heard from the label has been extremely intriguing. Thanks to Ayler Records for connecting us with GRRR.

    You'll also note a number of new Relative Pitch albums, arriving not long after receiving another large batch. The label is truly focused at the moment, offering some of the finest group, ensemble, and solo improvisation albums. These works draw not only from the New York scene but also feature artists from Europe, the UK, Japan, the US West Coast, and South America.

    Elliott Sharp's Mandorle arrived this week, a complement to his Mandocello album from earlier in the year. We've been advised that Mandocello is now out of print, so if you're considering picking up that exceptional record, we may have some of the last copies available. Additionally, two FMR albums featuring American ex-pat saxophonist Rick Countryman, now living in the Philippines, are highlighted in this week's mailing list — both are highly recommended. I also finished cataloging the recent Listen Now! albums we picked up this fall, including a delightful surprise in Dominik Dolega's album Everything Is True, a captivating collection of duets using unique percussive instruments.

    The highlight of the week, however, is the arrival of two new releases from ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd. The first is a sophisticated and technically superb duo album featuring Hans Koch and Florian Stoffner on guitar and reeds. The second is the 2nd night of Cecil Taylor's legendary concerts at Fat Tuesday's in New York City on February 10, 1980, following the first album from February 9th. Both albums come with two postcards — one to send and one to keep — and showcase Taylor's commanding sextet, featuring Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Alan Silva, Jerome Cooper, and Sunny Murray.



    Sharp, Elliott: Mandorle (zOaR Records)

    The companion album to Sharp's Mandocello, a tour-de-force exposition of the mandocello, acoustic and electronic, an instrument evolving out of the 18th century mandalone into a louder instrument intended to take the bass role in mandolin ensembles, here with tributes to Srinivas, Yank Rachell, Alvin Lucier, Frank Wakefeld, Tiny Moore, Ira Louvin, and Benoit Mandelbrot.



    Dolega, Dominik: Everything Is True (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))

    Blending contemporary, orchestral, and electronic music with global cultural influences, Dominik Dolega presents 11 untitled "Memories" recorded as duets, featuring unconventional instruments like lithophones, stones, aluphone and the bassdesmophon, inviting listeners on a sonic journey that evokes personal emotions and memories through a rich global perspective.



    Bucher / Tan / Countryman: Unaminity (FMR)

    Reflecting their evolution as a trio, Swiss drummer Christian Bucher, Filipino bassist Simon Tan, and American alto saxophonist Rick Countryman present a powerful statement of collective freedom, with the album title capturing their progression as a cohesive and expressive unit, highlighted by Bucher's rhythmic mastery, Tan's solid foundation, and Countryman's soulful, dynamic lead.



    Bucher / Countryman: Continuum (FMR)

    Continuing their long-standing collaboration, American alto saxophonist Ricky Countryman, based in the Philippines, and Swiss drummer Christian Bucher explore space and time through fourteen succinct improvisations recorded at Strawberry Jams studio in Quezon City, blending pensive moments with dynamic interplay in a compelling journey of evolving musical dialogue.



    Taylor, Cecil Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray): Live At Fat Tuesday's February 10, 1980 First Visit [CD + POSTCARDS] (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

    The 2nd night of the superb, extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.



    Koch, Hans / Florian Stoffner: Net (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

    A limited release capturing the duo of two generations of improvisers — Hans Koch on clarinet and soprano saxophone, and Florian Stoffner on guitar — recorded in Koch's private Swiss studio, presenting six playful dialogs of remarkable mastery and pacing, where space becomes a third element, allowing their conversation to evolve with organic sophistication.








    Squidco's Top 20 Lists:

    I'm just starting — a bit late — to pull together the top lists for 2024. It's been an excellent year for new music, and my own list is still in the making, as is Carl's. However, compiling the lists based on customer sales is a simpler task using our database statistics. This year, I've split the list into two sections. The first represents albums we sell to our retail customer base, including albums we distribute, but not those we sell through fulfillment or as exclusive distribution in the US. The second list is drawn from those aforementioned labels, particularly 577 Records and related labels, ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd, and New Braxton House.

    I present the short lists here, with the proper publishing of those lists — along with my own and Carl's — scheduled before the 31st of December.



    Squidco's Top 20 by Retail Sales:



    McIntyre / Thompson / Suggs / Fielder: Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 1 (NoBusiness)
    view

    Oxley, Tony Quintet: Angular Apron (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
    view

    Schwerdt, Oliver / Barry Guy / Baby Sommer: Fucking Ballads (Euphorium)
    view

    Smith, Wadada Leo / Joe Morris: Earth's Frequencies (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    view

    AMM (Prevost / Tilbury): Aura (Matchless)
    view

    Butcher, John + 13: Fluid Fixations (Weight of Wax)
    view

    Blythe, Arthur Quartet (Blythe / Booth / Abdullah / Reid): Rivbea Live! Series, Volume 2 (NoBusiness)
    view

    Tabbal, Tani Quartet (w/ McPhee / Bisio / Siegel): Intentional (Mahakala Music)
    view

    Brotzmann / Kondo / Toyozumi: Complete Link (NoBusiness)
    view

    Parker's, Evan Transatlantic Trance Map: Marconi's Drift (False Walls)
    view

    Bailey / Toyozumi: Breath Awareness (NoBusiness)
    view

    New Old Luten Trio (Petrowsky / Pauer / Lillinger): Trident Juncture (Euphorium)
    view

    Borca / R. Brown / W. Parker / Workman / Nicholson / Murphy / Ibarra / Taylor / Baker: Good News Blues (NoBusiness)
    view

    Bridge, The (Amado / von Schlippenbach / Haker (Flaten / Hemingway): Beyond the Margins (Trost Records_
    view

    Butcher, John / Thomas Lehn / John Tilbury: Lights (Fataka)
    view

    Quatuor Bozzini: Jurg Frey: String Quartet No. 4 (Collection QB)
    view

    Williams, Mars / Hamid Drake: I Know You Are But What Am I? (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
    view

    Schmid, Silvan / Tom Wheatley / Eddie Prevost: The Wandering One - High Laver Levitation Volume 2 (Matchless)
    view

    Sea Trio, The (Satoh / Yoshihide / Turner): Live in Munich & Bonn [2 CDs] (Confront)
    view

    Crispell, Marilyn / Jason Stein / Damon Smith / Adam Shead: Spi-Raling Horn (Balance Point Acoustics) view



    Squidco's Top 20 by Distribution/Fulfillment Sales:

    Carter, Daniel / Matthew Shipp / William Parker / Gerald Cleaver : Welcome Adventure! Vol. 1 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Amba, Zoh / William Parker / Francisco Mela: O Life, O Light Vol. 2 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Taylor, Cecil Unit (w/ Lyons / Silva / Cooper / Murray): Live At Fat Tuesday's February 9 (First Visit Archive [CD + POSTCARDS]) ezz (thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
    view

    [ism] (Pat Thomas / Joel Grip / Aontonin Gerbal): Maua (577 Records)
    view

    Mela, Francisco / Zoh Amba: Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Cleaver, Gerald: The Process [VINYL] (Positive Elevation / 577 Records)
    view

    Braxton, Anthony: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (New Braxton House)
    view

    Carter, Daniel / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi: New York United [VINYL + DOWNLOAD] (577 Records)
    view

    Carter, Daniel / Matthew Shipp / William Parker / Gerald Cleaver: Welcome Adventure! Vol. 2 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Carter, Daniel / Tobias Wilner / Djibril Toure / Federico Ughi: New York United Volume 2 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Braxton, Anthony : Quintet (Tristano) 2014 [7 CDs] (New Braxton House)
    view

    Nagano, Sana (w/ Apflebaum / Matsuno / Filiano / Herternstein): Smashing Humans [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Nichunimu (Vergara / Carrasco / Mardones): Un Cacho de Metal, Un Resto de Vaiven [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Heroes Are Gang Leaders: LeAutoRoiOgraphy [BLACK VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Ackerley, Jessica / Patrick Shiroishi / Chris Williams / Luke Stewart / Jason Nazary: SSWAN: Invisibility is an Unnatural Disaster [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Mela, Francisco / Zoh Amba: Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2 (577 Records)
    view

    Coultrain: Phantasmagoria [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Carter, Daniel / Evan Strauss / 5 (Track / Sheridan Riley: The Uproar In Bursts Of Sound And Silence [VINYL] (577 Records) -
    view

    Ughi, Federico (w / Leo Genovese / Brandon Lopez): Infinite Cosmos Calling You You You, Vol. 1 [VINYL] (577 Records)
    view

    Braxton, Anthony: Solo Bern 1984 First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
    view




    Squidco Publishing Roundup:

    These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can see our latest fully cataloged albums in our Recently Section.

    You can see new albums as they enter our Just In Stock Section, meaning that we physically have an album and are able to ship it with an order, but that we're not satisfied that we've added all the information we can about that release.

    You can also see recent restocks of previously listed items at our Recently Restocked page.

    You can ask us to inform you via email of any upcoming release that you're interested in, with no obligation.

    December 19, 2024: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Felix Profos / Peter Conradin Zumthor - grund (Edition Wandelweiser) by Brian Olewnick.

    December 19, 2024: New @ Squidco:
    Bucher/Tan/Countryman -Unaminity [CD] (FMR)
    Bucher/Countryman -Continuum [CD] (FMR)
    Dominik Dolega -Everything Is True [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    Dan Banks/Trevor Taylor/Jose Canha -Sonifications 2: Humanity in Conflict [CD] (FMR)
    Udo Schindler/Paul Rogers feat. Eric Zwang -Ephemeral Locations [2 CDs] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    Elliott Sharp -Mandorle [CD] (zOaR Records)
    Doortri (Pellizzari/Mattiello/Copplestone) -EEEEELS [CD] (zOaR Records)
    Luc Houtkamp/Alex Maguire -At Khoens [CD] (FMR)
    Ryoko Ono -The Days [CD] (Relative Pitch)
    Moth Bucket (Sims/Searfoss/Dorsey) -Vagary Suite [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Notice Recordings)
    Turbulence -Squalls [CDR] (Evil Clown)

    December 17, 2024: New @ Squidco:
    Cecil Taylor Unit (w/ Lyons/Silva/Cooper/Murray) -Live At Fat Tuesday's February 10, 1980 First Visit [CD + POSTCARDS] (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
    Hans Koch/Florian Stoffner -Net [CD] (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)
    Max Johnson/Neta Raanan/Eliza Salem -I'll See You Again [CD] (Adhyropa Records)
    Bucher/Countryman -Continuum [CD] (FMR)
    Delta Saxophone Qt -France's Gregory Songs Of Ice And Snow [CD EP] (FMR)
    Karen Borca/Paul Murphy -Entwined [CD] (Relative Pitch)
    Abdou/Gouband/Warelis -Hammer, Roll and Leaf [CD] (Relative Pitch)
    Michael Attias (Attias/Leibson/Pavolka/Ferber/Hoffman) -Quartet Music Vol. I: LuMiSong/Kardamon Fall [2 CDs] (Out Of Your Head Records)
    Anna Gadt/Marta Grzywacz/Natalia Kordiak/Gosia Zagajewska -VoiceAct [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    Weirs and Magic Tuber Stringband -The Crozet Tunnel [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD] (Notice Recordings)

    December 17, 2024: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Joelle Leandre / Elisabeth Harnik / Zlatko Kaucic - Live in St. Johann (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!)) by John Eyles.

    December 12, 2024: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: John Edwards / Emil Karlsen / Dominic Lash - Action Theory (Spoonhunt) by John Eyles.

    December 12, 2024: New @ Squidco:
    Michael Attias/Simon Nabatov -Dream Walks [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    Marilyn Crispell/Harvey Sorgen -Forest [CD] (Listen! Foundation (Fundacja Sluchaj!))
    Gray/Alessi/Augustin -Melt the Guns II [CD] (Rataplan Records)
    Elliott Sharp (w/ Coleman/Dulberger/Green II/Insell/Jiang/McKenzie/Salomon/Wooley) -Hudson River Compositions 1973-74 [CD] (zOaR Records)
    Reut Regev's R*Time -It's Now: R*Time Plays Doug Hammond [CD] (ESP)
    Innovative Landscapes Laboratory -Spontaneous Dimensions [CD] (Sublime Retreat)
    Abcess Grenk -Erguss Von Licht [CASSETTE w/ DOWNLOAD] (Copy This!)
    Svobodni III (Bennington/Hunger/Seyler/Thatcher/Jennings) -The Return To Catalhoyiik [CD] (ThatSwan!)
    Various Ensembles -Evil Clown Shorties Volume 1 [CDR] (Evil Clown)
    Leap of Faith -Solving the Constrained Dynamics [CDR] (Evil Clown)

    December 11, 2024: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii - Aloft (Libra) by Andrey Henkin.




  • December 9, 2024:

    SquidBoy Busy Busy It's been a busy couple of weeks as we kicked off our purchase plan for the coming year and received some of our final collections for 2024. Amid the holiday activity, I was out for a couple of days last week for my decennial endoscopy, which, I'm happy to report, went well — this squid got a clean bill of health! While that threw off my schedule briefly, I've been surrounded by excellent auditory distractions from the many outstanding albums recently added to our catalog.

    Highlights include the latest Listen! Now (Fundacja Sluchaj!) releases, a few gems we had missed earlier in the year, and the newest set of FMR titles. Our last mailing list introduced the remarkable Gush 30 box set, featuring Mats Gustafsson, Sten Sandell, and Raymond Strid in performance with an impressive roster of guests. On Listen! Now, a fascinating and unexpected addition is Oils, a live concert recording of Serbian violist Szilárd Mezei with the late New York saxophonist Charles Gayle. Meanwhile, FMR offers a double CD from Mezei's Tul A Tiszan Innen Ensemble, reinterpreting Hungarian folk songs from Vojvodina through chamber-oriented jazz. Devin Gray's Rataplan imprint brings Melt the Guns II, a standout modern jazz release featuring Ralph Alessi on trumpet.

    Corbett vs. Dempsey unearths the earliest known recording of Joe McPhee on Nineteen Sixty-Six, capturing McPhee primarily on (non-pocket) trumpet and recorder. A personal favorite for decades, Steve Coleman & Five Elements return with PolyTropos / Of Many Turns, a double CD of sophisticated, biology-inspired compositions performed live in France. We've also added two Paul Dunmall albums: Here Today Gone Tomorrow on RogueArt — a quartet with John Edwards, Liam Noble, and Mark Sanders — and Disappearing Worlds.

    Additionally, we've picked up some excellent experimental albums from the Polish label Sublime Retreat, alongside notable releases like the final chapter of Carsten Nicolai/Alva Noto's Xerrox series, the richly immersive new Fennesz album, and a double CD compiling the late turntablist Philip Jeck's works with a spectacular set of guests.



    continued...




  • The Squid's Ear presents
    reviews about releases
    sold at Squidco.com
    written by
    independent writers.

    Squidco

    Recent Selections @ Squidco:


    Kim Jae Jung:
    Shamanism
    (Relative Pitch)



    Joe McPhee/
    Susanna Gartmayer/
    John Edwards/
    Maria Portugal:
    Monster
    (Klanggalerie)



    Signe Emmeluth/
    Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten/
    Axel Filip:
    Hyperboreal Trio
    (Relative Pitch)



    John Butcher/
    John Edwards:
    This Is
    Not Speculation
    (Listen! Foundation (
    Fundacja Sluchaj!))



    Izumi Kimura/
    Lina Andonovska/
    Dominique Pifarely:
    Seven Dreams
    (Listen! Foundation (
    Fundacja Sluchaj!))



    Jerome Deupree/
    Sylvie Courvoisier/
    Lester St. Louis/
    Joe Morris:
    Canyon
    [2 CDs]
    (Listen! Foundation (
    Fundacja Sluchaj!))



    Marc Baron/
    Eric La Casa:
    Contrefacons
    (Swarming)



    Francisco Lopez:
    Untitled (
    2021-2022)
    [2 CDs]
    (Bu Lang Tribute Cake)



    Eventless Plot |
    Haarvol:
    The Subliminal Paths
    [CASSETTE + DOWNLOAD]
    (Innovo Editions)



    Akmee:
    Sacrum Profanum
    (Nakama Records)



    Karl Evangelista Quintet
    feat. Bobby Bradford and
    William Roper:
    Solace Angles
    (Asian Improv)



    Sveio:
    Latent Imprints
    (577 Records)



    The Sleep Of Reason
    Produces Monsters (
    Rasmussen/
    Mitelli/
    Rezaei/
    Koenig):
    The Sleep Of Reason
    Produces Monsters
    (Corbett vs. Dempsey)



    Dan Brown/
    Dan Reynolds:
    Live At
    The Grange Hall
    [unauthorized][CASSETTE]
    (Sacred Realism)



    Matt Mitchell:
    Sacrosanctity
    (Obliquity)



    Das B (
    Mazen Kerbaj/
    Mike Majkowski/
    Magda Mayas/
    Tony Buck):
    Love
    (thanatosis produktion/
    Corbett Vs Dempsey)



    Das B (
    Mazen Kerbaj/
    Mike Majkowski/
    Magda Mayas/
    Tony Buck):
    Love
    [VINYL]
    (thanatosis produktion/
    Corbett Vs Dempsey)



    Mary Halvorson Septet:
    Illusionary Sea
    [2 LPS]
    (Firehouse 12 Records)



    Darius Jones:
    Legend of e'Boi (
    The Hypervigilant Eye)
    [VINYL + DOWNLOAD]
    (Aum Fidelity)



    Irene Schweizer/
    Rudiger Carl/
    Johnny Dyani/
    Han Bennink:
    Irenes Hot Four
    (Intakt)







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