By Maxazine South Africa 
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are too many to listen to, let alone review. This ensures that too many albums are left behind, and that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors today, with short reviews.
Photo (c) Jorge Fakhouri Filho
The Vampires – Skydancer
Jazz, folk, world music and ambient. The Australian quartet The Vampires cannot easily be captured within a single genre. Trumpeter Jeremy Rose, saxophonist Nick Garbett, bassist Noel Mason and drummer Alex Masso have been creating a successful crossover ever since their debut in which the emphasis always lies on the atmosphere the music is meant to evoke. This is once again the case on “Skydancer”, already their eighth album. That atmosphere is mainly determined by the warm sound of the horns, supported by sober rhythm sections. No complex, unexpected twists in time signatures and rhythms, but simplicity and therefore tranquillity. A perfect bed for the conversations that Rose and Garbett have with each other, without wanting to outshout one another or outdo each other in virtuosity. It is the power of simplicity, in the compositions, the arrangements and the production. Precisely because the compositions on “Skydancer” are sober, you want to hear every nuance. In that respect too, this record succeeds, mainly thanks to the excellent mix and mastering. Every detail in the subtle interplay between the four musicians can be heard. The Vampires demonstrate that restrained music can be at least as exciting as exuberant virtuosity. For lovers of melodic modern jazz. (Jeroen Mulder) (7/10) (Earshift Music)
Mary In The Junkyard – Role Model Hermit
The London trio Mary In The Junkyard have no interest in slick, predictable indie rock, and that is immediately apparent on their debut album “Role Model Hermit”. Singer Clari Freeman-Taylor, bassist Saya Barbaglia and drummer David Addison built their reputation in the pubs of Brixton, and that raw, unpolished energy still runs through their veins. The concept of the album, inspired by Freeman-Taylor’s fantasy about a previous life as a fisherman, may sound rather whimsical on paper, but in practice it results in a series of songs that grate, shift and surprise. On “New Muscles” the band even leaves the guitars behind completely in favour of a blunt, funky drum groove, while “Mouse” instead comes with almost cinematic strings. Comparisons with Wet Leg and Big Thief are obvious, but in the end Mary In The Junkyard sound above all idiosyncratic, with whispered vocals that can break just as easily as they can explode. Not an album for the lazy listener, but certainly one that rewards those willing to immerse themselves in it. (Anton Dupont) (8/10) (All My Friends Records)
Rylo Rodriguez – S.K.A.T.E.
Three years after “Been One”, the rapper from Alabama is back with “S.K.A.T.E.”, a title that stands for Silence Keeps All Targets Exposed. With twenty-three tracks it is not a modest return, and Rylo Rodriguez, signed to Lil Baby’s label Glass Window Entertainment, sounds more personal than before. Opener “Stir” immediately sets the tone with a bluesy guitar line and a confrontational story about an encounter with the authorities. On “Promises”, featuring Lil Baby, and “Neighborhood Starz”, featuring Kevin Gates, he demonstrates his talent for combining vulnerability with street stories, carried by a melodic, somewhat husky flow that has by now become his trademark. The production, with contributions from among others Zaytoven, alternates between soulful samples and sparse, melancholic beats, and that provides enough variety. Although the record is somewhat on the long side with twenty-three tracks, meaning not every song lingers equally long, the strongest moments prove that Rylo remains one of the most melodic storytellers in contemporary hip-hop. (William Brown) (6/10) (Glass Window Entertainment/Motown Records)
Frost Children – Tweaker Poem
The American brother and sister duo Frost Children, known for their erratic mix of hyperpop and emo, release a remarkably intimate EP with “Tweaker Poem”. The six-part project came about after Angel and Lulu Prost fled New York following a terrifying stalking experience, and during a twenty-four-hour period of sleep deprivation in Tokyo, they wrote the entire work in one uninterrupted session. The songs are presented in the order in which they were created, from one morning to the next, and that progression is palpable in the atmosphere of the record. Opener “Satellites” introduces that combination of euphoric production and restless emotion that characterises the duo, while songs such as “Creep” and “Gutted” explore the darker side of obsession and loneliness. The concept, an ode to the obsessed, otherworldly lover who prefers to live in a fantasy rather than in reality, sounds original and is presented with genuine empathy. For a project that literally came into being in a single night, “Tweaker Poem” has turned out to be surprisingly coherent and personal. (Daniel Harris) (7/10) (RCA Records)
Michael Varekamp – Portraits of Miles
Miles Davis would have turned one hundred this year. And since virtually every jazz musician is indebted to this icon, various records appeared around his birthday on 26 May as a tribute. “Portraits of Miles” by Michael Varekamp was also released in May, but certainly still deserves our attention because it is one of the better albums celebrating Davis’s legacy. The pitfall is considerable: either you lapse into imitation, or you create so much distance that the link with Davis disappears. Finding the balance is a delicate game, but Varekamp has succeeded in this excellently. Somehow he succeeds in conducting a sort of dialogue with his great example. The portraits of Davis portray the different periods from the trumpeter’s rich career. We therefore travel from the early cool jazz in “The Alchemist” to the more modern work in “The Prince”, which moves more towards fusion and even jazz rock. And as befits a tribute to Davis, Varekamp does not exhaust himself in virtuosity, but in finding the right tone, with the colour that suits Davis and does justice to his musical legacy. The album is also accompanied by a tour. Until December, Varekamp, together with, among others, keyboard player Wiboud Burkens, will appear on various stages throughout our country. (Jeroen Mulder) (8/10) (Michael Varekamp Eclectic Band)
