This morning, we are delighted to feature Afromerm in our selection. An artist without boundaries or limitations, she draws inspiration from contemporary jazz and spoken word, with electronic touches fueled by the burgeoning English scene in this genre, while also venturing into more experimental territory. A richly textured project that makes you want to explore her world.
Afromerm’s selection
Sofie Birch and Antonina Nowacka - Comes with sunrise
Afromerm: ” The way this whole album draws together field recordings, voice and acoustic instrumentation is hypnotic; I have listened to it so much this year. It is so gentle and beautiful and it was recorded outside ! I would love to record a project outside one day.”
June McDoom - Emerald River Dance
Afromerm: “I started listening to June McDoom this year and I’m so in love with the worlds she evokes sonically. Her pieces are so simultaneously dreamlike and grounded. This piece feels like a lullaby, with a hint of darkness – which is my favourite flavour.”
Limerence by Saoirse Miller
Afromerm: “Amidst all my loaded, mixed feelings about streaming platforms as an independent artist, tracks like this one make me feel so thankful for algorithmic music discovery. In line with the sparkling gloom of my selections so far, this piece, with it’s mantra-like soft piano/synth line, unites solemnity with yearning through it’s sinister lyrics.”
Curator’s selection
Afromerm - Swimming in my <3
Théo: “Afromerm’s latest track is a skillful mix of influences that produces a rather unique result. With vocals borrowed from New Age, production that rivals the English electronic scene, and shades reminiscent of contemporary R&B, Afromerm makes a meticulously crafted sound, full of depth and nuance. It makes us eager to discover the rest of her projects.”
Calcuta - Mountain Valley
Théo: “The Portuguese artist, who since 2015 has been navigating between folk, ambient, and slightly more experimental sounds, has just released a new album full of softness, roundness, and acoustic adventures. She uses layers of her voice as an instrument in its own right, accompanied by instruments with a remodeled sound. The whole thing forms a rich harmony embraced by her soft vocals.”
FTBN - forgotten gods
Théo: ” With a strong focus on field recording and working with materials, FTBN strives to create recordings from collected sounds and layers. The vocal archives are dressed in grainy sound layers that also seem to come from a distant past. The result is a feeling of lost archives rediscovered thanks to their union. FTBN works between poetry and music, ultimately making them inseparable from one another.”
Praya by Sam Slater, Bendik Giske, Maria W Horn
Théo: “Accustomed to productions halfway between acoustic approaches and analog twists, the three sound sculptors come together to blend the continuous breath of Bendik Giske’s saxophone with the voice of Maria W Horn. Here too, the instruments become layers, each responding to and complementing the other. Some collaborative projects between several artists are revelations, and the album Lunng, although sometimes darker than the title Praya, is one of them.”
Thank you for listening to this morning’s post, and thank you Julie Wojtczack for illustrating this episode with your fine, precise lines and warm colors. Many thanks to Afromerm for his captivating and inspiring selection, which brings a little auditory warmth to these damp winter days.
