What we listened to in June

The best albums of the month according to "Medusa"

Medusa monthly chooses the best Russian -speaking and foreign albums and briefly talks about the most interesting of them.

Swans - The Glowing Man

What is this. The last (possibly) album of the great project Michael Jira

Why listen. She from the most interesting groups of New York Nou-Weiva was reborn in 2010 and completes the next life cycle by The Glowing Man album. The revival of Swans is the best that happened with rock music in a long time, and the team’s concerts led by Michael Jira became the most important emotional shock for anyone who was on them. Swans monotonous music has something primitive; Jira 20-minute songs are more like a shamanistic ritual and have a hypnotizing effect. The Glowing Man is not the strongest album of those that came out after the group’s reformation, but only because it is difficult to come up with something better than the previous ones.

Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger

What is this. New Album of Simona Paul, half of the Simon & Garfunkel duo

Why listen. New albums from the heroes of the long -gone days rarely happen interesting; Simon's record is just that case. Stranger to Stranger - a frivolous and inventive album; For recording, Simon used homemade tools (they provide an unforgettable and unlike sound); One of the songs is devoted to festival bracelets, without which they are not allowed anywhere. Simon 74, and he was tired of concerts and show business. According to the musician, he does not plan to record something else; If so, the best finals of the great musical career cannot be wishing.

Playlist. The main songs of Paul Simon and the best songs from the album Stranger to Stranger

Mourn - ha, ha, he

What is this. The second album of the young and incredibly charming Barcelona punk group

Why listen. At the time of the recording of the first disk, not everyone in Mourn graduated from school, now the group has matured a little and decided to move into the strip from a straightforward punk, which tells about teenage problems. The branded naivety of Mourn has not disappeared anywhere, but now they sound like a noticeable indie group-one of those that are inspired by the underground of the 1990s and adhere to the musical philosophy of Steve Albini. Not all these groups, however, are able to write a song with the refrain “Gertrudis, Get Through this”.

Blood Orange - Freetown Sound

What is this. Perhaps the best pop album of summer, or even a year

Why listen. Majins constructs a melancholy Soul-Pop in the spirit of the 1980s, and he does it almost alone, only sometimes inviting familiar vocalists. The third album of Blood Orange sometimes resembles Michael Jackson, although it is more often not like anything. It is amazing how with the help of a minimum set of tools (drama-machine, a little keyboards, a fink guitar) and a penetrating voice you can create such a rich atmosphere.

Bat for Lashes - The Bride

What is this. The new album is one of the best singers of Great Britain

Why listen. Natasha Khan on The Bride tells the story of a failed wedding: no betrayal, just a groom, Joe, died in a car accident. The Bride completes the full and final departure of the khan from the Indi-Pop, which brought her fame on the Two Suns album. On the new Bat For Lashes record, there is actually nothing but the voice of Natasha Khan, slow keys and monotonous drums, more similar to a flat knock of a metronome at a low pace. The only familiar composition (and very strong) is Sunday Love single.

Playlist. The main songs of Natasha Khan with The Bride and other albums

Weval - Weval

What is this. Dutch electronic duet's debut album

Why listen. The Weval album resembles Burial, Caribou, John Hopkins and Jamie XX - electronic records that people who are not interested in this scene listen with pleasure. Weval-authors of compositions, which in structure resemble ordinary pop songs, only without words and the usual melody; And yes, Hopkins and Caribou are visible clearly.

Margaret Glaspy - Emotions and Math

What is this. A Talented Songraiter's debut album

Why listen. Margaret Glaspi is from that endless series of talented women-honeycombs, continuing the case of Elliott Smith and Jason Molina. It sympathizes with the folk less, more - Grandge; It is not shy about frankly talking about his feelings (approximately like Courtney Barnett, only less sarcasm). And Glaspi also has an outstanding voice.

Pavel Borisov

Riga