^Fantastic album. Before he left our other resident experimental guy introduced me to Exuma and I've loved it ever since.
Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee
Haven't heard too many yet, but this is definitely the best album of the year so far. Matana Roberts moves away from her free jazz and operatic roots that she explored in Chapters One and Two (out of twelve), introducing field recordings and electronics into the mix. As with the other two, this is an overwhelmingly powerful album. I believe that the title is a reference to the opening lines of Finnegan's Wake (riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs), and if so, it certainly fits because of the complexity and depth that this album offers (without becoming convoluted or too confusing, can't say the same about FW). You can dive back in after two or two hundred listens and find new things about it, much like Trout Mask Replica. While Matana's (fantastic) saxophonisms are present on this album, it is largely focused around the vocals and crosses into ambient and post-rock areas (no surprise, since Matana's done work with GY!BE). I've heard other artists touch on this style, but Matana really came into her own on this one. Fecking brilliant, can't wait to hear the other 9 albums.