If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, “SÁLA”. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.
Collection includes: The End of the Ring Wars (1998); Mare Vitalis (2000); Low Level Owl, Vol. 1 (2001); Low Level Owl, Vol. 2 (2001); Lost Songs (2002); Two Conversations (2003); Peregrine (2006); Sagarmatha (2009); Middle States EP (2011); Illumination Ritual (2013).
Jon Hopkins supplemented Immunity and Singularity, his two massively ambitious and acclaimed experimental techno albums released during the 2010s, with EPs containing ambient versions and pieces designed for relaxation. His 2021 album Music for Psychedelic Therapy is a full immersion into beatless compositions, moving far away from the grand, intricately crafted progressive dance epics of his two most well-known albums. The release is a three-dimensional sound bath meant to be played continuously while the listener is lying down in the dark, and it incorporates natural sounds within its layers of shifting textures, chimes, and subtle bass modulations. It isn't as jarring or heart-racing as Hopkins' more rhythmic works, but it does feel like it's channeling spiritual energy in a similar, chemically enhanced way. The album might appear new age on the surface, but it's more than just a set of blissful, mind-cleansing meditations…
Jethro Tull's first album, THIS WAS, recorded and released in 1968, shows a band that is a far cry from their better-known incarnation as a prog rock outfit in the late 1970s. Instead, Tull come across here as a solid and talented blues band with elements of jazz, folk, and psychedelia thrown in. The band's sound was heavily influenced by guitarist, singer, and songwriter Mick Abrahams, whose bluesy singing and leads distinguish this disc in Tull's discography. Frontman Ian Anderson also shines with tunes like "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You" and the excellent cover of Rashaan Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo."