London-based, Florence-born artist Drum & Lace (Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist) sent this gorgeous tune over a few weeks ago. It’s from her upcoming EP, Terra, which explores notions of belonging and her sense of connection to the ancient lands on which she was raised. Like its namesake, the song is slow-growing and insistent, forming from a simple percussive pattern and acute arpeggiating melody–blooming into a web of fructicose polyrhythms and branching strands of countermelodies. Truly lovely stuff, this. Terra is out on March 13th on London-based Mesh–preorder on bandcamp, or stream all over.

Drum & Lace – “Lichen” (bc)

Next up is an exquisite song from Fugue State, a new collaborative project led by electroacoustic composer Dan Langa, based in Northhampton, MA. The song was the result of impromptu improvisations between Langa and pianist Erika Dohl while taking a break during a full day in the studio recording together–after which Maia Friedman (of Dirty Projectors and Coco), added meditative repetitions of the phrase we are lasting / your ever-shifting presence changes the landscape–and a host of other collaborators embellished the song with harps, strings, and brass. While a fugue state would imply dissociation and escape, I find this song to be deeply grounding, both sonically and in premise. It reminds me less of taking flight across a great distance, more as if I were seated still as a gentle wind eddy formed around me, softly kicking up the leaves. This is out now on Switch Hit Records, grab it on bandcamp, or stream it all over.

Fugue State – “We Are Lasting” (sc)

Finally, in what has shaped up to be one of my favorite editions of this feature thus far, is a propulsive bit of electronica from Bern-based drummer and producer numeral (Philpipe Adam). Hypnotic and evolving, Adam has crafted something deceptively simple–relying less on overt melodic shifts or the introduction of new elements than the gradual adaptation of the song’s core elements around its constant: a rolling kick drum pattern that doesn’t cease. Excellent stuff. This is the first single on the upcoming Palimpest EP, out in April on Swiss label Irascible; you can grab it now on bandcamp, or stream it anywhere you do that sort of thing.

numeral – “Fluke” (sc)