Category Archives: News

New music – Katharine Dain & Sam Armstrong: Forget This Night (7 Mountain Records)

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by Ben Hogwood

Released on Friday 17 November, the second album from soprano Katharine Dain and pianist Sam Armstrong for 7 Mountain Records looks set to be every bit as captivating as the first.

You will be reading a lot more about this album soon on Arcana, as Forget This Night delves into seldom visited areas of the song repertoire. The featured composers are Lili Boulanger, Karol Szymanowski and Grażyna Bacewicz – with special emphasis on Lili’s song cycle Clairières dans le cieland, completed in 1914.

Over the course of our interview you will discover how the composers are connected not just in the deeply passionate source material but in their lives too.

For now, here is a preview of the album – and a link to listen on Spotify below:

Published post no.2,015 – Monday 20 November 2023

In appreciation – Maurice Bourgue

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Recently we learned of the passing of a maestro of the oboe, the French instrumentalist and conductor Maurice Bourgue.

Bourgue was not just a cultured oboist – he led a wind octet in his own name and was a respected conductor, too. This playlist celebrates his primary art, with works by Albinoni, Schumann, Elliott Carter, Saint-Saëns and Poulenc:

Published post no.2,010 – Wednesday 15 November 2023

New music – GU45: Danny Tenaglia (Global Underground)

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by Ben Hogwood

For the third time, Brooklyn DJ Danny Tenaglia has delivered a contribution to the Global Underground series – a series that has been a cornerstone of house music over the last 27 years.

Previous instalments in Athens (1999) and London (late 2000) were big hits and have lasted the course – but in completing the trilogy Tenaglia heads back to his home borough. The mix includes his single Move That Body, with Cevin Fisher, along with what his publicity describes as ‘a multifarious selection’ including Moderat, Monika Kruse with Pig & Dan, Dino Lenny, Radio Slave and Basement Jaxx.

You can listen to the mix below – and check back on Arcana soon for a thorough review!

Published post no.2,007 – Sunday 12 November 2023

New music – DJ​-​Kicks: HAAi (!K7)

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by Ben Hogwood

In the age of streaming it is quite a feat that !K7’s DJ Kicks series continues to serve such an essential purpose – and they have now added an 80th instalment to their ongoing odyssey. In their own words:

London-based, Australian-born Teneil Throssell, aka HAAi, is known for a strain of sonic psychedelia that metabolises precise sound design, melodic techno, electronic pop and thundering beats. Following the release of her acclaimed 2022 album, Baby, We’re Ascending, HAAi has reached what she calls “another career milestone” – an invitation to steer the next edition of !K7 Records’ acclaimed DJ-Kicks series.

HAAi approached this mix with two concurrent goals: to continue to iterate on her artistic theme – which she named ‘always ascending’ – and to highlight her flair for hyperkinesis and drama behind the decks, which she achieves with BPM left-turns, endless upwards tilts and sharp accelerations, liminal transitions and moments of pure euphoria. Within the sweeping journey she moves through an expansive selection of heritage classics, future-facing artists, friends, heroes, and voices from close-knit communities, alongside a number of her own exclusive productions.

You can listen to the mix below:

Published post no.2,005 – Friday 10 November 2023

New music – David Allred – Hey Stranger (Take 2) (Erased Tapes)

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by Ben Hogwood

The latest post from the Erased Tapes label on Bandcamp is a deeply personal one. Portland based recording artist David Allred chose the mark the birthday of a close friend on 5 November with a new song. Nothing too unusual about that, you might think – only the stranger has been missing for 12 years. In his own words, Allred says:

“‘Hey Stranger’ is about a close and deeply troubled lifelong friend who disappeared without any trace or explanation, and the experience of navigating an undying paranoia that he might appear back into my life when I least expect it. I find myself scanning crowded public places to assure that he’s not in my presence as often as I wonder where he is and how he is doing. It’s his birthday on November 5 and here is Hey Stranger (Take 2), written in dedication to him. Happy Birthday, J. You are deeply loved and missed, and you always have a friend when you need one.”

A deeply moving utterance, Hey Stranger is both troubling and strangely comforting – in the fact that, although missing, Allred’s friend still has people out there thinking of him and rooting for him.

Let’s hope this desperately sad story has a peaceful and somehow uplifting ending.

Published post no.2,001 – Monday 6 November 2023