Much of this week was spent studying the news and speaking with our international partners about the future. The economic events of the past week have been deeply concerning to us, as our mission is to exchange music with labels and musicians around the globe. The rise in independent labels and self-released albums — fueled by technological innovations that make self-publishing and promotion more accessible-has led to some of the most fascinating releases in the history of recorded music. This exchange of ideas has sparked collaborations, birthed new concepts, and merged styles in remarkable ways-something we at Squidco consider essential to our work.

We also work hard to keep our prices reasonable, which has been a challenge over the past 21 years as the costs of selling and shipping albums have increasingly surpassed the cost of the albums themselves. But we're not going to stop doing what we do. We remain committed to helping you build libraries of music from around the world-libraries that expand your ears and deepen your appreciation for sonic creativity.

Before we get to this week's music, I want to mention that for next week's Record Store Day, we'll be hosting a number of sales throughout the weekend. While we don't have any new RSD titles this year, we will be offering discounts on many labels and albums across our catalog, and all vinyl will be on sale. We'll also be digging into the archives for special offers, and including some free items with your orders. Let's celebrate together the importance of recorded music in our lives!

As for this week's new releases, it was a strong showing. We continued listening to and cataloging the latest batch from the UK's FMR label, especially Hemispheres II, which brings together British and Australian musicians using a range of exotic instruments-including didgeridoo. This one particularly struck a chord with me, as it brought to mind Not Drowning, Waving, a longtime personal favorite.

Hemispheres: II (FMR)

A cross-cultural instrumental suite uniting British and Australian musicians, featuring the resonant didgeridoo and rhythmic sticks of Paul Rider-Boon, the rich woodwinds of Susie Hodder-Williams and Chris Caldwell, atmospheric electronics and guitar from Sam Hodder, and the expressive voice of Clifton Bieundurry, spiritually merging indigenous sound with contemporary improv and electronica.

Cimnari, Matteo: Mental Core Drilling (FMR)

Italian composer and multi-instrumentalist Matteo Ciminari leads an adventurous sextet through a labyrinth of polyrhythms, dissonant harmonies, and unexpected textures, with virtuosic contributions from Maurizio Moscatelli, Simone Maggio, Mattia Borraccetti, Michele Sperandio, and Luca Orselli, creating an unpredictable yet lyrical fusion of progressive structure, free jazz, and playful experimentation.

We also added several albums from Alex Zethson's Swedish label Thanatosis, three of which appear in this week's mailing list, notably Zethson's duo with Fire! Orchestra cellist Nikos Veliotis, and the latest from the microtonal tuba trio Microtub. We also brought in a reissue from France's Souffle Continu Records: a remastered 1984 United Dairies (Nurse With Wound) compilation that features artists from the GRRR label, along with two great new GRRR albums.

Zethson, Alex / Nikos Veliotis : Cryo (thanatosis produktion)

Pianist Alexander Zethson (Vathres, Fire! Orchestra, Angles) and cellist Nikos Veliotis (MMMD, In Trance 95) present two expansive, darkly immersive improvisations that drift through glacial landscapes of resonant, slowly shifting textures and austere tonal drones, sculpting elemental sound environments of profound stillness and contemplation through deep-listening and hypnotic intensity.

Microtub (Hayward / Simonsen / Taxt): Thin Peaks (Thanatosis Produktion)

The sixth album from the microtonal tuba trio of Robin Hayward, Peder Simonsen, and Martin Taxt, exploring the acoustic phenomena of half-valve combinations in two richly harmonic compositions developed during an artist residency in Andersabo, Sweden and recorded in Oslo, creating uniquely resonant and surprisingly consonant spectra shaped by each instrument's signature tuning.

Various Artists: In Fractured Silence (SOUFFLE CONTINU RECORDS)

Originally compiled for Steven Stapleton's United Dairies label and now remastered, this snapshot of late 20th-century experimental/industrial music brings together the surreal collage of Nurse With Wound's Stapleton, the brooding piano of Robert Haigh (Sema), the chamber-styled acoustics of Hélène Sage, and the sonic provocations of Un Drame Musical Instantané.

Birge, Jean-Jacques + 16 musiciens: Pique-nique Au Labo 4 (GRRR)

In a vibrant fusion of spontaneous themes and collective improvisation, Jean-Jacques Birgé leads a 17-member ensemble through dynamic performances recorded at Studio GRRR and live during APÉRO LABO sessions, blending diverse instrumentation and real-time composition to create an album of unpredictable auditory journeys.

From the U.S., we added a compelling release from the Louisiana improvising group Sonic Chambers Quartet on the 577 label, led by composers and improvisers Byron Asher and Tomas Majcherski-an album that reminded me of both The Muffins and Henry Cow on first listen. We also nearly caught up with Boston's Evil Clown collective, added two fascinating cassette releases from New York's Notice Recordings

Sonic Chambers Quartet: Kiss Of The Earth (577 Records)

The debut album from the Sonic Chambers Quartet — co-led by multi-reedists Byron Asher and Tomas Majcherski with bassist Matt Booth and drummer Doug Garrison — presents a deeply expressive and texturally rich orchestration merging American avant jazz tradition with European chamber influences, shaped through collaborative composition, adventurous improv, and a strikingly unified ensemble sound.

del Pino, Francisco / Charlotte Mundy: The Sea [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)

Composer Francisco del Pino and vocalist Charlotte Mundy create a deeply nuanced and emotionally rich exchange, as Mundy's radiant voice navigates del Pino's intricate, polyphony-tinged compositions, layering syllabic repetition, resonant phrasing, and textural detail into a multitrack performance that evokes mantra, lament, and ecstatic meditation in equal measure.

111 (Michelle / Villamil): Live at Opus 40 [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)

The duo of Chantal Michelle and Grace Villamil transform the monumental land sculpture of Opus 40 into a resonant instrument, layering voice and electronics with field recordings and audience interactions to create an immersive, spatially dynamic performance of ambient tension and sonic obliteration, masterfully teetering between composed sound, environmental resonance, and blooming noise.

Leap Of Faith: Correlations (Evil Clown)

An expansive octet of seasoned improvisers from the Evil Clown collective — including PEK (David Peck), Glynis Lomon, Michael Caglianone, and Albey onBass — navigate pure improvisation through a sprawling live session of rich, shifting textures, contrasts, and unexpected sonic juxtapositions, ranging from subtle ea-improv to full-out ensemble peaks across a transforming soundscape.

Perturbations: Unhinged (Evil Clown)

The Perturbations ensemble — featuring PEK, Michael Caglianone, John Fugarino, and Joel Simches — delivers a dense, sometimes unhinged and exploratory session of free improv, where layered reeds, brass, electroacoustic textures, and a vast arsenal of unconventional instruments evolve through continuous transformation, shaped in real time by Simches' dynamic electronic processing.

Finally, and particularly resonant to my ears, is an extraordinary sonic composition from Éric La Casa, capturing the atmosphere of maritime ports through field recordings-an especially fitting release for the current political climate. La Casa's talent for capturing and repurposing sound is remarkable, and his compositional pacing is profound-an inspiration to my own work.

La Casa, Eric: Zones Portuaires 2 (Swarming)

Working from recordings made at maritime ports between 2017 and 2023, sound artist Éric La Casa constructs a compelling suite of documentary compositions shaped by the industrial rhythms, constraints, and spatial tensions of global harbours, blending field recording and sonic observation into a tactile, immersive portrait of male-dominated coastal labor environments.

Squidco Publishing Roundup:

These are the updates to Squidco and The Squid's Ear over the last week. You can view our latest fully cataloged albums in the Recently Section.

You can also browse new titles as they enter our Just In Stock Section — meaning we physically have the album and can ship it, though we may still be updating additional information about the release.

To see restocks of previously listed titles, visit our Recently Restocked page.

And if you're interested in a future release, you can ask us to notify you by email via our Upcoming Releases page — no obligation necessary.

April 10, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Microtub (Hayward/Simonsen/Taxt) -Thin Peaks [CD] (Thanatosis Produktion)
Alex Zethson/Johan Jutterstrom -It Could/If I [CD] (Thanatosis Produktion/Astral Spirits)
Eric La Casa -Zones Portuaires 2 [CD] (Swarming)
Francisco del Pino/Charlotte Mundy -The Sea [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)
111 (Michelle/Villamil) -Live at Opus 40 [CASSETTE] (Notice Recordings)
Various Artists -In Fractured Silence [CD] (SOUFFLE CONTINU RECORDS)
Perturbations -Unhinged [CDR] (Evil Clown)
Leap Of Faith -Correlations [CDR] (Evil Clown)

April 10, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Arthur Blythe Quartet - Live from Studio Rivbea (NoBusiness Records) by Paul Serralheiro.

April 8, 2025: New @ Squidco:
Sabu Toyozumi/Richard Allan Bates/Rick Countryman -The Separation of Sound and Space [CD] (FMR)
Hemispheres -II [CD] (FMR)
Matteo Cimnari -Mental Core Drilling [CD] (FMR)
Sonic Chambers Quartet -Kiss Of The Earth [CDR] (577 Records)
Bruno Parrinha/Andrew Levine/Ernesto Rodrigues -Sensor Out Of Service [CD] (Creative Sources)
Jean-Jacques Birge + 16 musiciens -Pique-nique Au Labo 4 [CD] (GRRR)
Un Drame Musical Instantane -Urgent Meeting 2: Operation Blow Up [CD] (GRRR)
Alex Zethson/Nikos Veliotis -Cryo [CD] (thanatosis produktion)
TJ Borden/Steve Flato -In the Garden of Eating [CD] (Full Spectrum)
Caleb Chase -Looking At Bugs Under A Log [CDR] (Love Earth Music)

April 7, 2025: New Review @ The Squid's Ear: Hubbub (Blondy / Denzler / Guionnet / Mariage / Perraud) - abb abb abb (Relative Pitch) by Ken Waxman.

This past week brought a lot of excitement — we produced our own Hooked on Sonics show here in Wilmington, and received a wealth of great new releases: three exceptional albums on the ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd label; the two most recent Ototoroku releases; a stunning new Aerophonic album; three albums on Out of Your Head; the latest from Queen Bee Records; and two fascinating titles on KARL Records.

We also watched the world recoil as the US launched a trade war through tariffs that will likely impact all of us. Please be assured that Squidco and I are firm advocates of free trade, freedom in all forms, and peaceful cooperation. The music we're so passionate about is literally defined by freedom — by crossing national borders, building collaborations, and exploring new artistic paths. I'm deeply troubled by the direction my country is heading, shutting doors and advancing through intimidation. It feels counterintuitive in our interconnected, communicative age. Rest assured, we're in close contact with our international partners to ensure music continues to flow without prejudice. The pendulum will swing again — I'm certain of it — but this nostalgic swing toward a fictional "golden age" is both tiresome and misdirected.

But onto the music...

I'll lead with the Aerophonic album, a fantastic new working quartet from Chicago saxophonist and Aerophonic label head Dave Rempis, joined by European improvisers Terrie Ex, Jon Rune Strom, and Tollef Ostvang. The album documents two live performances in Chicago and Milwaukee, capturing the energy and dynamics of a group thrilled to be performing together. There's a nice synchronicity here, as I'll be in Durham, NC this weekend to catch Ballister at the Duke Coffee House Brickside Festival.

Archer (Dave Rempis / Terrie Ex / Jon Rune Strom / Tollef Ostvang): Sudden Dusk (Aerophonic)

A fierce and unpredictable quartet of international improvisers-saxophonist Dave Rempis, guitarist Terrie Ex, bassist Jon Rune Strøm, and drummer Tollef Østvang-recorded live in Chicago and Milwaukee, delivering a balance of explosive energy and nuanced restraint in a tightly coiled interplay of sonic provocation, rhythmic drive, and free-form invention.

Ballister (Rempis / Lonberg-Holm / Nilssen-Love): Smash And Grab (Aerophonic)

"Smash", "Even More Smashing" and "Grab" sums up the intense energy that the Ballister trio brought to their 2022 performance at Elastic Arts in Chicago as part of the Catalytic Sound Festival, impelled by Paul Nilssen-Love's powerful drumming and Fred Lonberg-Holm's demanding cello work, with Dave Rempis roaring on alto, tenor and baritone saxophones; wow!

Ballister: Znachki Stilyag (Aerophonic)

The tenth year of the working and touring international Ballister trio of Dave Rempis on alto & tenor saxophones, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello & electronics, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums & percussion, here in an outrageously powerful yet explorative concert at Dom Cultural Center, in Moscow, Russia in 2019, a fierce example of what this band is capable of.

Ballister (Rempis / Lonberg-Holm / Nilssen-Love): Worse For The Wear (Aerophonic)

The fifth release from the international power trio of Dave Rempis (sax), Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello & electronics) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) in a rewarding release of heavy grooves, offset by introspective soundscapes and moments of quiet beauty.

Ballister (Lonberg-Holm / Nilssen-Love / Rempis): Mi Casa Es En Fuego (Ballister Music)

A live show from Montreal's Casa Del Popolo in 2012 from the amazing transnational free jazz trio of saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist/guitarist/electronic artist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and drummer/percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love.

Among the latest ezz-thetics by Hat Hut, Ltd releases, all three cater to different corners of improvised music. First is a remastered reissue of Joe Henderson's early 60s Blue Note albums-brilliant examples of hard bop featuring Kenny Dorham, McCoy Tyner, and Andrew Hill. Henderson's compositions here stand out for their clever, lyrical structures and a clear leaning toward freedom. I've long admired how he bridges hard bop, post-bop, and early free jazz without losing melodic integrity. I spent much of the 80s listening to players like Henderson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, and Horace Silver-who helped launch Henderson's career. Revisiting these albums is always a joy.

At the other end of the timeline, we have the latest duo release from German saxophonist Christopher Kunz and drummer Florian Fischer, who formed their group Die Unwucht ("The Imbalance") in 2017. Their debut on ezz-thetics, Die Unwucht, appeared in 2021 and showed their knack for balancing jazz tradition with intentional unpredictability. On this new album, the duo literally perform in the German forest-a nod to Brötzmann and Bennink's Schwarzwaldfahrt-creating vivid, dynamic improvisation infused with environmental textures. Each listen reveals new levels of technical mastery and spontaneous interplay.

The third ezz-thetics release features the late saxophonist Joe Maneri, joined by pianist Tyson Rogers and drummer Jacob Braverman. I've admired Maneri's work for years, and this trio session is a unique studio event that brings out the players' sensitivity and precision in free improvisation, particularly in the microtonal and atonal realms. Over the years, we've only stocked nine Maneri albums, making this addition to our catalog especially meaningful. His son, violist Mat Maneri, continues the family's musical journey. I last saw him perform in NYC with bassist Brandon Lopez-a stellar concert. The two Maneris often played together

Henderson, Joe / Kenny Dorham / Andrew Hill / McCoy Tyner: Our Thing to In 'N Out Revisited (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

Joe Henderson, alongside Kenny Dorham and Andrew Hill, revisits the essence of the 'New Thing' in jazz with the remasters and reissues of Our Thing to In 'N Out, showcasing mastery of both conservative and adventurous impulses through a sly blend of inside and outside tactics, marked by intricate solos and dynamic group interplay that highlight the evolving soundscape of early 60s Blue Note recordings.

Kunz, Christopher / Florian Fischer: Die Unwucht, Disperation And Focus First Visit (ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd)

German saxophonist Christopher Kunz and drummer Florian Fischer capture the essence of German forests in their outdoor recording, titled to translate as 'The Unbalance, Desperation and Focus,' where sauntering saxophone and dynamic drums blend with environmental sounds to evoke a profound intimacy, growing with each listen and inviting deep engagement with nature's wild and humane aspects.