Artist Spotlight
Shoketta gives jazz a new voice on latest release “Summer time”
Shoketta kicks off “Summertime” by reimagining it with a deep, jazz-filled bass line built on Richie Goods’ acoustic bass. The arrangement announces its character right away, with Clarence Penn’s drums opening up the musical space and Andy Ezrin’s Rhodes adding bright, scattered color. And then percussion from Daniel Sadownick adds another layer of rhythm in the lower registers, before Shoketta’s vocals finally come in.
Shoketta makes the standard her own, taking a familiar composition and treating it like a modern jazz vocalist, with her own phrasing and expression. The performance doesn’t rely on the song’s pre-existing identity; instead, the singer’s interpretation becomes an integral part of the experience. But the musicians around her leave enough space for the track to breathe, keeping it jazz-centered.
The biggest surprise comes when Nozomi Yamaguchi’s electric guitar takes the arrangement in a more unexpected, adventurous direction. That change adds a discovery element to “Summertime,” pulling the performance out of its original jazz context. Shoketta’s voice remains at the heart of the piece, and the musicians continue exploring possibilities around it. The result is a thoughtful interpretation that stays true to tradition while still pushing the music in a new direction.
Artist Spotlight
The Night and The Dirty explore personal growth and memory on “Reflections”
Looking back can bring up old feelings, but it can also show how much someone has changed. The Night and The Dirty operate in this space with “Reflections,” an alt-rock/folk-rock song built around introspection, memory, and the personal growth that comes from coming to terms with the past.
“Reflections” draws its emotional power from the link between pain and self-discovery. The song explores how we can look back and learn who we are today, rather than leaving memories behind. The themes feel personal but not out of touch, and you can relate the song’s ideas to your own life.
The Night and The Dirty fuse alternative-rock atmosphere with folk-rock introspection. That mix works well for a song about emotional depth and personal transformation. “Reflections” is the simple act of looking inward and returning to moments that left an indelible impression.
The single also hints at the band’s broader artistic arc. The Night and The Dirty are independent artists who love music with character, atmosphere, and emotional substance. “Reflections“ takes that approach, exploring memories, inner questions, and the slow work of self-understanding. With “Reflections,” The Night and The Dirty gives you a chance to look back and see how you’ve changed. This release is a thoughtful addition to their atmospheric alt-rock and folk-rock direction.
Album Review
Tangent return with “Disclosure,” a dark electronic journey through truth and uncertainty [album]
Dutch electronic duo Tangent returns after a 3-year hiatus with “Disclosure,” their 7th album, released today via n5MD. The album draws on ambient, electronic, and IDM sounds, revisiting the shadowy, dystopian atmosphere that has long defined the duo’s musical identity.
“Disclosure” references these themes: things long hidden, inner conflict, doubt, and facing what’s been kept out of sight for a long time, after a hard time and a long hiatus. Tangent creates a world where darkness and hope can live together across seven tracks.
The opening title track, “Disclosure,” sets the tone, tracing the slow arrival of uncomfortable truths. At its heart, the idea moves from creepy tension to a darker, heavier reality, with a growing sense of discomfort. “Absence of Force” explores the resistance of silence and the search for your voice through control and emotional control.
The next track, “Unfound Existence,” is introspective and concerns the search for identity and self-understanding. Its theme of entering uncharted personal or creative territory adds a further dimension to the album’s rumination on change and uncertainty.
“Denial” explores internal conflict in the face of difficult realities. The track explores the gap between what people know and what they are prepared to accept. “Vector of Acceleration” suggests a more primitive existential horror, the sense that things are slipping out of our control. Another way to look at this tension is “Sonoluminescence,” a track about hope, survival, and seeing the light after the dark. It’s an emotional breath of fresh air in the album’s dark world.
“Opposing Forces“ is the album’s closing track, and it leaves you with a feeling of tension and unresolvedness. It captures the eternal struggle between hope, darkness, and change, without a clear answer. Tangent is back in the sound with “Disclosure,” and each song approaches that territory from a different angle, creating a connected journey through hard truths, personal discovery, fear, and the possibility of moving forward. The album invites you to sit with the questions.
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