“The Seraphim are all eyes — they can perceive true beauty.” I believe this is a quote from Kathleen Norris; however, don’t quote me on that. In any event, it is a curious and fascinating statement. The seraphim are the highest order of angels in the pseudo-Dionysian hierarchic scheme, and…

An exploration of aesthetics in all its forms. — Beauty, as ritual and symbol, are as necessary to human beings as air and water. The recognition of beauty marks us as human, and gives us identity. And that is why the inquiry into the makeup of beauty, and its constituents, becomes influential. Is beauty an illusion; is it a…

Stellar live Jazz from pianist Isaiah J. Thompson — Jazz pianist Isaiah J. Thompson introduces his live album, The Power of the Spirit, via Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records. Hailed by NPR as “a young musician and composer with a mature touch and rare combination of talent, creativity, humility and honesty,” Thompson will mark the album’s release…

Composer, lyricist, producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Mychael Gabriel recently unveiled his single/music video, “Sunday Afternoon,” a track lifted from his latest album, Genesis. At times once heartbreaking and tender, “Sunday Afternoon” narrates the highs and lows of a relationship through a melody of evocatvie lyrics that are as seamless as…

Sonarpilot recently released his new single/music video, “Gorgon,” a mesmerizing journey into the increasingly psychedelic structure of a massive bio-mechanical machine. Sonarpilot explains: “‘Gorgon’ is a meditation about the explosive pervasion of our society with AI, about the fascination and fear, about the uncontrollable complexity of these systems and the…

Dope new track from Bigg Z, featuring Blu and Lauren Mateo — Hip-hop artist Bigg Z, or Z for short, releases his new single, “Out of Reach,” a track written by Bigg Z, hip-hop star Blu, and Lauren Mateo, produced by Luke White, and mixed/mastered by Diego Ayala and Alex Delgado. Originally from Stockton, California, now based in Los Angeles, the genesis…

Jazz-flavored compositions informed by Arab and Turkish modal systems. — Progressive ensemble Atlas Maior releases their new, instrumental EP, Hadal, a collection of compositions informed by the Arab and Turkish magamat/makamlar modal systems. Co-led by Josh Peters (Middle Eastern fretless lute, oud) and Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone), the duo composed Hadal with rhythms reminiscent of West Africa, Morocco, and the…

Music to navigate life’s anxieties. — Ambient psychedelic rock outfit Spadei recently released their debut album, Left Right Here, via Six Degrees Records. A supergroup, Spadei is made up of Wally Ingram, Tom Freund, and Stevie Blacke. Talking about the album, Ingram shares, “This recording project was born out of the collaborative improvisational sessions at Stevie…

San Francisco Bay Area-based indie-rock outfit Greg Hoy & The Boys recently unveiled the video for “Everybody Wants To Be Somebody,” a track from their latest EP, Demons at Night. Taking inspiration from Sly and the Family Stone and the groove of “Dance To The Music,” rock and roll in…