Welcome to another entry of my ⟪ REW | FF ⟫ column, where I take a quick look back and then glance forward to some music that has appeared on my rotations. I’ve got a very diverse selection of genres for you today. First up is the incredible Soothsayers on the unstoppable A Strangely Isolated Place label. Olga Wojciechowska‘s unexpected transformation as part of Monoparts reveals yet another facet of this multi-instrumentalist’s boundless creative mind. After captivating us with modern classical masterpieces like Infinite Distances (ASIP, 2019) and her work as Strië, Wojciechowska now unveils her haunting vocals on Soothsayers, a collaboration with Tomasz Walkiewicz. The album traverses a primal landscape where Olga’s delicate, spellbinding voice becomes the emotional nucleus, evoking comparisons to trip-hop pioneers while maintaining the atmospheric depth. And you know I’m not really that into vocals. However, I do like Portishead. I like them a lot! Unlike the cinematic tendencies that pervaded her previous works, Soothsayers plunges into primordial territories. “This album is like becoming one with the earth itself,” says Olga, “feeling the rawness of the wood, tasting the earth in your mouth, and sensing the presence of ancient spirits. The music carries a deep, primal energy, like being part of the forest, with creatures watching you from the shadows.” Walkiewicz’s intricate beats and electronics create the perfect foundation for this journey. ASC also shows up with his d’n’b remix, amplifying the nostalgic essence that permeates throughout. This gorgeous record feels like rediscovering a forgotten pathway through Wojciechowska’s labyrinth of sonic expression – one where the rustic and the ethereal intertwine to create something familiar and refreshingly unexpected. A modern electronic meets trip-hop marvel, deserving its inevitable selection on Headphone Commute’s best of the year lists. I’m very much impressed. Olga, you didn’t tell me you can sing! For fans of Tricky, Massive Attack, and Martina Topley-Bird. Grab a gorgeous transparent maroon smoke 12″ vinyl on Bandcamp.
Songs Of Beginning And Belonging
Will Samson has always existed in the in-between spaces. On Songs Of Beginning And Belonging, the British-born, Portugal-based artist finally seems at peace with this liminality. Recorded in his secluded Almada studio on the River Tejo (shared with Efterklang’s Casper Clausen), this six-track collection reveals an artist shedding old wounds. Throughout the album, Samson’s beloved 1970s Uher 4200 tape machine imparts a warmth and physicality that digital processing cannot reproduce. “I wanted to make an ambient album that has melody and doesn’t become self-indulgent or lost in effects,” says Samson. “Everything was very intuitive but also very intentional.” The compositions embody this freedom—both minimal and expansive, creating immersive environments that invite repeated listens. Where previous works explored displacement and searching, this Dauw-suggested work speaks to arrival. After pandemic disruptions derailed a major label deal, Samson has found renewal through introspection rather than industry validation. In a saturated ambient landscape, he has created something personal once again. A quiet triumph. Mastered by Taylor Deupree and available on a limited edition black vinyl. Fans of everything 12k, Home Normal, and, of course, Dauw will delight.
La Morte del Granchio
The inaugural collaboration between Berlin-based sound artist Lorenzo Setti (ATŌMI) and Rimini-based (IT) Demetrio Cecchitelli emerges as a striking document of place and presence. Part of ATME Records’ The Eighth Climate series, this release aims to become an archaeological excavation of the environment. Recorded during a four-day summer solstice residency in Rimini, the duo captures the city’s contradictions – the suffocating concrete heat against the illuminating full moon and monuments juxtaposed with subways. These field recordings serve not as mere backdrops but as active participants in the composition, allowing the location itself to become the protagonist. The duo position themselves as researchers, focusing their attention on overlooked details – those deserted alleys and empty windows that casual observers miss. The resulting soundscape resonates with what they describe as “ghosts” – the compressed emotions and atmospheric tensions of locations captured in specific moments. This approach aligns perfectly with Corbin’s “eighth climate” philosophy – creating that “place outside of place” where imagination connects past and present, enabling endless creative possibilities.
