This month…

P27 DANNY BROWN

P28 PHILIP GLASS

P30 KEYON HARROLD

P31 KATY KIRBY

P33 ARTO LINDSAY

P34 DOLLY PARTON

P36 SLEATER-KINNEY

P38 NEIL YOUNG

ANDRÉ 3000

New Blue Sun

EPIC

6/10 Outkast oddball’s surprise stab at New Age spiritualism

After a decade of flute lessons, the self-consciously wacky one out of Out kast helms an unlikely 90-minute album that’s pitched somewhere between Alice Coltraneish spiritual jazz and New Age sonic psychobabble. These eight, lengthy, drumless instrumentals, all with absurdly long titles, feature some stellar talents (including percussionist Carlos Niño and keyboard player Surya Botofasina) and nod towards the (fascinating) electroacoustic music currently being made in Los Angeles by the likes of Sam Gendel and Miguel Atwood Ferguson. But, despite afew interesting textures, New Blue Sun never really takes flight: André 3000’s digital flute ramblings feature no transcendent moments of virtuosity, no freakouts and no money shots.

JOHN LEWIS

STEVEN ADAMS Drops

FIKA

7/10

Characteristically compelling solo album from Broken Family Band mainstay

It hasn’t always been easy to keep track of Adams’ discography.

His droll, lowkey writing has appeared under the names of The Broken Family Band, Singing Adams and –lately –Steven Adams &The French Drops. His latest album retains both the name of his recent backing band, at least some of it, and the sensibility which has underpinned Adams’ underrated catalogue. Drops is perhaps somewhat more scuffed and grungey than is usual for Adams; it often recalls, deliberately or otherwise, The Bats, The Verlaines and other mordant lo-fi psychedelic indiepop of the Flying Nun label, best demonstrated on “Cheap Wine Sad Face” and “Heads Keep Rolling”.

ANDREW MUELLER

AFFECTION PLACE

Smouldering Fire

AFFECTION PLACE

7/10

Veteran Lyon-based foursome in spirited comeback

Initially members of the French newwave scene of the late ’70s, Affection Place looked consigned to history until just years ago, when a Caméléon Records compilation and subsequent documentary caused them to reform in 2019. Original singer-guitarist Peter Petersen is still out front, though producer Dave Formula is just as crucial to Smouldering Fire, adding keyboards throughout. A fine return it is too, their post-punk roots evident on “Give Me More” (with shades of Killing Joke and Formula era Magazine) and “Harry Fabien”, which sounds like goth-pop overlap of Sisters Of Mercy and The Damned.