Philip Montoro, Reader music editor
Vukari at Ultra Lounge on Sat 11/2 In June, when local atmospheric black-metal band Vukari self-released its debut full-length, Matriarch, it was a studio-only project led by guitarist, vocalist, and composer Marek Cimochowicz. I was lucky enough to see the band’s first live set, which I’m sure fans will still be talking about years from now—the furiously melodic, flawlessly paced, hair-raisingly beautiful songs made the leap to the stage with barely a hiccup. Cimochowicz’s bemused, befuddled demeanor and utterly unmetal appearance were just gravy.
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Muthoni the Drummer Queen, “Nai Ni Ya Who?” I discovered Kenyan rapper and drummer Muthoni Ndonga a couple years ago via the sultry, simmering “Mikono Kwenye Hewa.” Lately this certifiable badass has devoted much of her energy to organizing a popular east African outdoor concert series called Blankets & Wine, but since October she’s been releasing a new album, MDQ, by posting a song per week online. The infectious “Nai Ni Ya Who?” rides on a seesawing megaton electro-rap beat crowded with bubbling, chattering percussion, and the words to its defiant playground-chant hook mean “Whose Nairobi is this?” The right answer is pretty obvious.
Carmelo Española, photographer, drummer in Sämber
Vassafor, The Obsidian Codex At Chaos in Tejas, I met a gentleman from New Zealand and mentioned that I like the blackened death metal coming out of his country: Diocletian, Witchrist, Heresiarch. He tipped me off to Vassafor, the black-metal project of VK (formerly of Diocletian and currently a live member of Blasphemy). The Obsidian Codex floored me with its density, but its layers stayed distinct due to VK’s meticulous engineering. Largely ignored by the metal press, this album proves that New Zealand is a force to be reckoned with.
Rob’s soundtrack to the 2012 Maniac remake Though Elijah Wood’s performance is horrendous in this remake of the 1980 cult slasher film Maniac (which didn’t really need to be remade), I can’t write the movie off completely due to the fact that its soundtrack is brilliant. An artist who calls himself simply “Rob” provides total John Carpenter worship that should appeal to fans of the Death Waltz catalog, Steve Moore, recent Not Not Fun releases, and all-around wonderful synth music.
