Five Right Now: AZITA

There’s an eclecticism to AZITA’s latest record, Glen Echo, that shouldn’t work. But the palettes that the Chicago based artist pulls from, along with a voice that could only be her, means that the blur of  influences cross eras as well as genres at ease. Singles, Online Life and If U Die, both hinted at this – jumping between 90’s lo-fi and 70’s glam – and its the continuation across her long player that makes the Drag City artist one of the most interesting returnees this year.

These are AZITA’s Five Right Now picks:

After the Rain – Jeff Parker

Listen to this album and its predecessor The New Breed. There’s a lot of variety across both albums, so it’s hard to give the whole picture with any one track. Jeff is pretty much making the best music anyone can make lately. This particular track is a John Coltrane composition I picked only because I was feeling the mood. I met this drummer in 2016 when they played at the Hideout in Chicago. He said, ‘Jamire, rhymes with fire,’ and that was 100% true.

Theme Nothing – Jamie Branch

Both Fly or Dies are fantastic; it’s hard to pick one of the albums or a track. Jamie is killing it and everyone else on here is also a superstar in their own right— check out their various projects too!

I Need to be Told – The Father Costume

The Father Costume is great musicians writing great songs– everything about them rules! Michael Hartman is one of my favorite drummers in Chicago. This is a somewhat melancholy tune with a snappy groove and an exciting guitar build at the end.

Saturday Night – Health and Beauty

Health and Beauty was one of the last few shows I saw at the end of 2019, a few months before lockdown and the band was tight and rocking. I really like this whole record. This track has a nice flow over ten minutes, tense and relaxed at the same time like, you know, blues.

The Juan – Cave

I love this band and I especially love this drummer who has the most perfect sense of time and unreal consistency. I feel like it’s hard to contain my excitement when I watch a drummer like this, everything about it is so viscerally affecting.

 

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