Keith Jarrett - A Multitude of Angels (ECM)

How many archived Keith Jarret recordings do we need? I'm glad to have this one. There's a wide range of content here, much of it preceded by exploratory meandering that seems to discover a flow and destination, or stumble on some moment of magic, whether it's somber, pensive, minimal, or a blues extrapolation. Repeated listens --> new discoveries.

Meredith Monk - On Behalf of Nature (ECM)

Voices, pulses, and maybe a little safer than usual but also more enjoyable.

Okkyung Lee, Christian Marclay - Amalgam (Northern Spy)

Dynamic improv session.

I wonder if there's any way to stop this from happening.
The lack of imagination on the part of centrist democrats led to the failure of the Sanders campaign.
Although this goal would take even greater imagination and initiative, is it not possible?

OK, here are two more. With words. Have been in strong rotation.

Metasota - #RUMDMT

favorite song: ain't no love. rapping.

Solange - A Seat at the Table (Saint Records)

it's all there

that some people don't read books

I think I can get it all in order today.

white white blah blah blah white this blah blah white

Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch (Sacred Bones Records)

This was the one I didn't include earlier.

OK so we have a duo of duos.
Very different.
Listened to each about six times so far with the intention of choosing a preference,
but it just doesn't happen.

So they both make it.

Bobby Kapp & Matthew Shipp - Cactus (Northern Spy Records)

Another awesome duet for Shipp. Love the blues buried in the knots.

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau - Nearness (Nonesuch)

A very different kind of sound, more accessible, more floral, and more obvious solo showcasing. In some ways not as full of interest and discoveries as the session above, but also opens itself to an easier emotional connection. Looks like they're playing here... tonight. oh, well

Then there's that Wollny and Peirani, but I've just started listening to the album.

I'm glad to be relaxing today.

There's something I'd add but it's so far ahead of its release date that I feel weird about it. So moving on...

clipping. - Splendor & Misery (Sub Pop)

Excellent alternative production, some amazing rapping, strong narrative theme, and interesting lyrics. "what more could you ask for?"
There was another recent "rappers in space" album (Logic's Incredible Story album, which I enjoyed), but here things are more adventurous and interesting in almost all dimensions.

Pearson Sound Live at Rural Festival

It's rare that I include non-release DJ mixes here, but I've really enjoyed and repeated this recent mix.

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani - Sunergy (RVNG Intl.)

The FRKWYS series continues to impress. There are of course so many of these modular kosmichey releases, but this one stands out as a soft-edged trip.

best thing ever
we really should make them a goal

If I have to be here, it's good to be busy.

Bethan Kellough - Aven (Touch)

This is a stunning performance of field recordings and strings, filled with drama and intrigue, grand gestures and detailed sounds. Diana and I were at the Touch showcase where this was recorded, and we both left agreeing that this performance (which was not headlining) was the best, so it's great to get to hear that confirmation in this touching release, which manages to be sonically intriguing and very human. This approach can sometimes sound like a space station 200 years in the future, whereas here it's more like humanity crawling from the caves, which accesses deeper.

There can be universal truth even if we have no access to it.
This doesn't place essence over existence. It can exist without being perceived.
But is our intuitive sense of a it a form of perception and interface anyway?
Or is this just delusion?
The presence of universal truth(s?) does not preclude necessary relativism on most issues within language and ethics.

Dan Cray - Outside In (Origin)

Really nice, mellow, mostly straight-ahead jazz. I have decided it will be present among snow and a fire. It will happen.

Convextion - 2845 (Mojuba)

There's that one label doing the electro thing and every release sounds the same. Not this! Great to hear from Convextion again.

Ka - Honor Killed the Samurai (Iron Works Records)

Not exactly bangers, but this has a distinct tone carried through in the instrumentals, the delivery, and the content, vivid imagery, poetic constructions.

So aside from my regular reading I'm in this reading group... maybe per reading I'll take a few highlighted elements and comment.
This is sure to be uninteresting.

Ian William Craig - Centres (FatCat Records)

Beautiful album in the vein of Fennesz, Sakamoto, Sylvian, but ultimately its own.

1-800 DINOSAUR Presents Trim

Maybe the best grime-or-not full-length I've heard. Balanced toward letting the beats / unique instrumentals shine, but since they're not particularly dense or saturated this fits well with the vocals.

WWWINGS - PHOENIXXX (Planet Mu)

From noise to rhythms, it's a particularly well-executed collision of the old "splintered beats" IDM thing and the current "post-club" thing with some moments that are undeniably [non-post] club. Lots of concrete samples.

I happened to take a look at my most recent posts and noticed the item below about "lo-fi" techno and was confused.
I was confused because just a couple of days ago I had made similar complaints (to myself) and here thought, "How could that have been before the trip?"
Then I realized that it was a different release.
So anyway a couple of days ago I was listening to a well-regarded producer's new album and really struggled to finish it due to ear fatigue.
Should I name names? I'm really not into audio that's pointlessly blown out, and it can't be saved with interesting backstory and imagery.
There are a few producers I'm repeatedly duped into checking out or reluctantly trying again by reviews and retailers. I think I've finally thrown a few into the DNR zone.

It's been a really rough week.
It's Thursday morning now.
Next week will be better.

I don't want to deal with people.

There's the exceptional that's demonstrated, performed, and proven, and then there's exceptionalism that's assumed and abused.

Former: getting more done, having strong ideas, rising to occasions, assuming burdens, not taking a path simply because it's easy or popular, etc.
Latter: expecting to not have to do things, assuming illegitimate authority, not following rules only because they are a burden to you, taking an opposite path simply because the other is popular

and then there's a value judgement

bleh

upcoming topics:
exceptionalism

have a lot right now

This vacation is going to be like a new year transition thing.

I don't get the point.