The Mars Volta returns, Martin Roth turns sophomore, and CLIP debuts
This week, The Mars Volta drop their self-titled, Martin Roth drops Mono No Aware, and CLIP drops Perception.
This week’s top picks:
- The Mars Volta – The Mars Volta
- Martin Roth – Mono No Aware
- CLIP – Perception
Read all the latest music news here.
The Mars Volta – The Mars Volta
After a decade-long hiatus, progressive rock duo The Mars Volta return with their seventh (self-titled) record.
The Texan troupe called it quits in 2012, with both vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez deciding to focus on solo projects, but a short-lived reunion of former band At the Drive In kickstarted a wave of speculation.
The pair began quietly working on The Mars Volta’s self-titled record in 2019, and it’s finally here. It opens with the singles ‘Blacklight Shine’ and ‘Graveyard Love’, which were very well received, and heralded the pair’s return.
The record features smooth instrumentation and soul, with percussive elements and Caribbean rhythms, while also featuring plenty of psychedelia and wailing guitar licks that fans are accustomed to.
Martin Roth – Mono No Aware
Frankfurt-born, Berlin-based producer Martin Roth returns with his second full length album, Mono No Aware. The electronic music heavyweight glides between genres, creating an immersive listening experience throughout the 13-track project.
Roth describes the piano-led album as minimalistic, with each track stripped back to allow space for one leading sound or melody. Instead of being pulled in multiple directions, Roth leads us where he wants us to go.
CLIP – Perception
New York rapper CLIP has dropped her debut project Perception, following the success of bold single ‘Fall Back’ in August. Self-described as “pretty girl music”, there’s a real euphoric feeling to CLIP’s sound, and a real sense of style to the way she approaches her songs.
The constant change ups keep it fresh, from trap to breakbeat-backed tunes, there’s something for all hip-hop fans here.
CLIP told The Fader, “The songs on Perception are kind of like an introduction to my world. I want to take listeners to a special place in my mind- as they listen to beautiful beats.”
