Inside

The Wire 479 + 480 January + February 2024

Reviews

Features

2023 Rewind

76 Reviews Index 77 Soundcheck New vinyl, CDs, downloads

and streams, plus reissues and specialist columns, including: 79 Myra Melford’s Fire

& Water Quintet Elements of style. By Kurt Gottschalk 87 Valentina Magaletti Drum major. By Abi Bliss 101 Archie Shepp Spirit of 64. By Peter Margasak 104 Print Run New music books,

including: 105 Deep Blues 1960–1988 Revealing portraits of blues

culture by Val Wilmer. By Stewart Smith 108 On Screen New films and DVDs 110 On Location Recent live events,

including: 111 Black Industrial/Noise

Event 4: Ain Bailey The composer’s work

bridges contemplation and community. By Esi Eshun 116 On Site Recent gallery shows and

exhibitions

10 Unlimited Editions Bead Records 10 Unofficial Channels Lanner Chronicle

12 Phil Geraldi Road head music.

By Emily Bick 14 HUUUM Viennese whirl. By Ilia Rogatchevski 16 Lisa Ullén Piano magic. By Peter Margasak 18 Thomas Ignatius Medieval synthpop. By Leah Kardos 20 Global Ear: Chicago Democracy and improv in

the Midwest. By Levi Dayan 22 The Inner Sleeve Vince Clarke on The Human

League’s Travelogue 138 Epiphanies Mariam Rezaei on Persian

pitch-shifting

6 Masthead 8 Letters 129 Out There Festivals and gig listings 136 Subscribe Print, digital, downloads,

CDs, and the online library

24 Invisible Jukebox Linton Kwesi Johnson The veteran reggae poet faces down The Wire’s mystery record selection. Tested by Gabriel Bristow

32 Laetitia Sadier The Stereolab founder promotes community and healing with her new solo work. By Claire Biddles

38 Fred Frith The Henry Cow co-founder returns to his groundbreaking 1974 album Guitar Solos with a reissue and a new album. By Clive Bell

48 Releases of the Year We asked our contributors

to vote for their top ten records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes 54 Critics’ Reflections Our writers discuss their

memorable cultural experiences of the year 55 Engineered Phantoms AI for the masses. By Abi Bliss 57 Back to the Land Strange as folk. By Louis Pattison 62 Rival Camps Crossing the streams.

By Britt Brown 63 Columnists’ Charts Our specialist critics delve

deep into their musical niches from noise to modern composition 66 Weapons of

Mass Distraction Artists and Gaza. By GAIKA 69 Archive Releases

of the Year We asked our contributors

to vote for their top ten archive records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes