The best music is revealed to itself as it is being played, like a hybrid of colloquial and evangelical speech, occupying the eternal present with the brisk omniscience of defected gods and their emissaries. It’s the music of the deities who decided to become miracles instead of performing them. Unperformable music, that can only be enacted and lived, that was not staged or concertized into spectacle at its inception and might have disappeared forever were it not for recording equipment. The ensembles that play this music risk alienating the kind of audiences that expect gratuitous entertainment. This risk is the sight of the sound’s beauty. Darius Jones has made an operatic album in four movements that uses the layering of strings and drums to invent a lane for his playing that feels carved by destiny and premonition. His alto glides through these original compositions with elusive charm and heroism, and a level of alertness that is almost alarming, because it feels so earned and just. It’s not until almost 7 minutes into the first movement that we hear the horn growl and gnarl just enough to stir the cradle of strings into more intense chatter before they shuttle into some nuance of ballad for the second movement, which takes us from the cheerful to the triumphant. The playing here is gorgeous, but what stands out most is the rigor of the compositions, which feel like tributes to Sun Ra’s call that ‘only the impossible happens.’ Their mood is expansive, gleeful, wistful, sometimes frantic, but so coherent and poised at every turn that all you can do while listening is marvel at this fluency in the language of will and won’t that lives here alone.
Release date:
September 29, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Brogeal Tuesday Paper Club
Play It Again Sam
October 17, 2025 -
William Basinski The Disintegration Loops (Arcadia Archive Edition) [8xLP]
Temporary Residence
November 7, 2025 -
Sabaton Legends (Amazon Exclusive Edition)
Better Noise Music
October 17, 2025 -
Acumen Nation Transmissions From Eville (30th Anniversary)
Distortion Productions
October 10, 2025 -
Paul McCartney and Wings WINGS (Limited Edition, Deluxe) [3xLP]
Capitol
November 7, 2025 -
Cardi B AM I THE DRAMA? (Apple)
Atlantic
September 19, 2025 -
HARDY COUNTRY! COUNTRY! [2xLP]
Big Loud Records
September 26, 2025 -
Lany Soft (Maroon)
Hills Artists - Lany
October 10, 2025 -
Astarte Blackdemonium
Sleaszy Rider
November 7, 2025 -
Scorpions From The First Sting (Gold; Amazon Exclusive) [2xLP]
Bmg
October 17, 2025 -
The Acacia Strain You Are Safe From God Here Hot Dog
Rise Records
October 24, 2025 -
Brandi Carlile Returning To Myself (White)
Brandi Carlile Band/Interscope/Lost Highway
October 24, 2025 -
Preservation & Gabe 'Nandez Sortilege
Rhymesayers
October 10, 2025 -
Earl Sweatshirt Live Laugh Love
Warner Records
October 24, 2025