This issue’s titular phrase is uttered by Professor Galen to Captain Jean-Luc Picard in ‘The Chase’ (S6E20 of Star Trek: The Next Generation). The saying originates from the Yash-El, a peaceful species believed to have gone extinct as a result of sweeping volcanic eruptions on their planet in the early 24th century. ‘Dream Not Of Today’ was the central tenet of their Night Blessing, a nightly ritual involving communal singing and dancing intended to infuse the dreamscape with futurity; to encourage folks to dream beyond the limits of the day.
As we inch further into the drudgery / stress / isolation / uncertainty of a year-long pandemic, it feels important to remember futures, to believe in futures, to imagine futures: to dream of something other than today.
click on the covers to listen ~~~
Asha Puthli - The Devil Is Loose (1976)
An absolute titan of culture and taste, Asha Puthli is an actress, singer, model and dancer from Mumbai. Her decades-long career includes connections to Ornette Coleman, Andy Warhol, Studio 54, Merchant Ivory and so much more. The Devil Is Loose, her third album, pours over with her unique sense of decadence. Nearly half a century after its release, Puthli’s personality still jumps vividly from the speakers.
Meara O’Reilly - Hockets (2019)
An astonishingly succinct release c/o contemporary classical imprint Cantaloupe. A hocket is an approach to melody wherein the elements are distributed between two or more alternating voices, creating a strange, counter-punctual effect. It has roots in European choral music of the 13th century and can be heard more recently in the music of Dirty Projectors and Skrillex. On Hockets, each breath feels essential. Through strict discipline, O’Reilly elevates the a cappella performances into uncanny terrain. The short, curious pieces are defined as much by the composer’s imagination as by her physical abilities/limits.
Byard Lancaster - It’s Not Up To Us (1968)
While It’s Not Up To Us covers a fair amount of ground, and it’s unquestionably ~free jazz~, there’s a clear intention to carry the listener along graciously. Throughout the set (that includes both originals and standards), each player is totally zoned in, allowing the sound to unfold with a freshness. The result is a collection that feels brimming with life and very much of a whole. If the intro flute lines don't move you, best to check yr pulse.
Blue Gas - Shadows From Nowhere (1983)
A dreamy one-off, two-track project from an expert set of Italian disco producers that sounds (depending on your purview) maybe too much or not enough like Phil Collins? Either way, ‘Shadows From Nowhere’ is a delicious euphoria, elevated by glorious collective vocals, and completely devoid of any bullshit Genesis ego trippin’.
Duval Timothy - Sen Am (2017)
If I were to put together a Next Big Thing list of forward-thinking composers, Duval Timothy would be up there. His music is gorgeous and daring. The South London pianist has a special way of turning deeply personal, emotive work into rugged political statements. Last year’s Help got a fair amount of press, but it’s this older work I find myself returning to over and over. Wonderfully restrained and captivating.
Larry Heard - Sceneries Not Songs Vol.1 (1994)
The Godfather of Chicago House taking inspiration from New Age music for an hour-long collection of left-field jammmzzz. Youtube comments on this one include mention of ‘mystical’, ‘perfection’ and ‘early Playstation’.
Virginia Astley - Hope In A Darkened Heart (1986)
The title of this album is perfectly evocative of its vibe: airy, sophisticated dream pop that feels hopeful, if a little bit bruised. Astley’s voice is deceptively clear, allowing her to play nimbly with a sense of strength/fragility throughout. While the writing is good enough, it’s the production/instrumentation choices that really shine. The whole thing is produced and arranged by Mr. Midas himself, Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Bessie Jones - Get In Union (2020)
In addition to being a powerful singer and performer, Bessie Jones was important as a conveyor of African-American history and culture. She drew heavily on her grandfather’s experience as an enslaved person who taught others to sing in the fields. She toured folk circuits extensively throughout the 60s and 70s with her Georgia Island Singers, eventually reaching notoriety enough to earn funding from the National Endowment For The Arts and a fellowship from Yale University. The recordings on Get In Union were done by Alan Lomax in Jones’ home community, preserving both rich renditions and a wonderful sense of atmosphere.
Chronophage - Prolog For Tomorrow (2018)
Mugs knocked over. Buttons taped down. A brick-anchored bass drum. This young Texan quartet is bringing the musty magic back to American guitar rawk. Their songs are wonderfully odd, each captured faithfully with mud and buzz and spit intact, somehow adding up to much more than that. Just listen to ‘Wedding’: absolutely nothing about the song should work as well as it does. From the crusty opening chords, to the forced falsetto of the narrator, to the maniacal laughter in the closing chapter. Chef’s kiss.
Sonny Chillingworth - Wameia Cowboy (1964)
Wameia Cowboy was the first full-length release from Hawaiian slack-key legend Sonny Chillingworth (yes, that’s his real, perfectly descriptive last name). While ukulele and steel string have become synonymous with the region, the roots of slack-key guitar trace back much further than those, to the late 19th century, when Spanish guitars were introduced to the islands (purportedly by Mexican cowboys). From then on, the guitars were taken up and detuned (or ‘slacked’) by players in the aboriginal Polynesian communities. Chillingworth, a descendent of those communities, became a major star of the style with this release. Wameia Cowboy is a breezy and tender document from the genre’s first big commercial wave just as it was breaking.
Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks And Blues (1973)
This is the high water mark of Bobbi Humphrey’s incredible career. Having put in time with Lee Morgan, Stevie Wonder and Duke Ellington, among others, she moved to New York and signed to Blue Note in 1971. Blacks And Blues was her third effort for the label. To help shape the sessions, she sought out legendary production duo The Mizell Brothers, who were effectively setting the blueprint for jazz-funk at the time. The whole set is wonderful: a haven of hip-hop samples, scorched flute solos and mellow groove.
Ichiko Aoba - Maharoboshiya (2016)
A collection of comforting, crystalline folk from this Japanese guitarist/vocalist for whom English language press is somewhat limited. Aoba has a unique ability to create sustained melodic movements that allow her to tease out the foundations of a given composition. The delicate mood of the music belies the rigour with which each piece is so passionately imagined, as if from thin air.
I’m super interested in feedback / dialogue / suggestions. If you have ideas about the newsletter, want to share music with me, have specific questions / requests, don’t hesitate to get in touch. And please: share this newsletter with a pal if you feel so inspired!