You're the one: This week at South Records
A great, and varied, week of new releases, moving from modern soul and Bristol experimentalism through psychedelic rock, Brazilian classics and cult rediscoveries. Tara Clerkin Trio return with Somewhere Good, their first full-length album and most expansive work yet, blending folk, jazz, electronics and understated pop into something intimate, mysterious and entirely their own. Jalen Ngonda follows the success of Come Around and Love Me with Doctrine of Love, expanding his rich modern soul sound with horns, gospel harmonies and deeper grooves, while Birmingham four-piece overpass arrive with Elsewhere, Always, a confident debut packed with widescreen melodies and youthful ambition.
Elsewhere, French heavy psych trio SLIFT sharpen their cosmic explorations into the focused and urgent Fantasia, while Bedouine’s Neon Summer Skin turns inward, exploring family history, displacement and childhood memory through warm, beautifully crafted folk songs. Darlington's Pollyfromthedirt blends lo-fi indie rock, folk storytelling and sharp Northern wit on a striking debut.
For reissues and rediscoveries, there’s Skip Spence’s legendary outsider masterpiece Oar, Dorothy Ashby’s superb jazz harp showcase Plays For Beautiful People, Bobby Hutcherson’s Blue Note classic Components and Joe Acosta’s sought-after salsa gem The Power of Love. Jorge Ben’s glorious 1969 self-titled album returns to print, while Split Decision Band finally emerge from collector folklore with a long-overdue collection of lost disco and boogie recordings. Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago returns, the intimate winter-recorded album that first introduced Justin Vernon to the world. We’ve also got fresh pressings of Dinosaur Jr and the definitive Run The Jewels 2, back on vinyl once again.
→ Recommended
Often considered Scott Walker's masterpiece, Scott 4 was the first album to feature entirely original material and marked a decisive step away from the pop world he emerged from with The Walker Brothers. Richly orchestrated and deeply atmospheric, it blends folk, chanson and baroque pop with songs exploring loneliness, politics, spirituality and the human condition. Initially overlooked on release, it is now widely regarded as one of the most ambitious and rewarding singer-songwriter albums of the late 1960s.. First pressing right here.



