On Fridays, I've made a habit out of threading the albums that I'm most stoked to hear (or have already heard) on Bluesky. Not everyone's there, so I figured: Why not just make this a regular newsletter feature? Sticky note-length reviews and a link to listen. 

DoYeon Kim, Wellspring: Masterful debut by a pioneer of the gayageum in the jazz/improv scene. The ancient Korean zither proves to be a malleable instrument in these sinewy and soulful grooves with drummer Tyshawn Sorey, violist Mat Maneri and bassist Henry Fraser. 

American Football, LP4: The cycle is complete: Everyone's favorite Midwest emo mixtape staple has gone fully soft-rock minimalism. But more than that, a stunning example that maturity can be and is messy. 

Six Organs of Admittance, Featuring The Six Organs Olive Choir: A benefit for Jennifer Kelly, a relentless listener and lover of music at Dusted and Aquarium Drunkard. Opening track is a deep and dank Faust cover featuring the title's choir. Guitar murk and psych shred ensues. 

Julia Sabra, Artifacts from the Natural History Museum: A live album from the gifted Lebanese songwriter, who is also a member of the dream-pop band Postcards and the art-pop duo Snakeskin. Just guitar and a voice that somehow feels like a heavy feather. "Skyscape" still messes me up.   

FRIEND LESS, Energy Rippers: There's an amazing story about the inspiration behind Jon Mueller's energetic drone-n-drum album, which involves a mysterious radio frequency and conspiracy theories. But you can also just zen out, volume up.

Ana Roxanne, Poem 1: A friend of mine compared Ana's voice to the dearly missed Mimi Parker. There is a roundness, a softness, a stillness in these droning ballads. Gonna take my time with this one.

Damien Jurado and Lilly Miller, Did Something in Me Break?: Jurado's been championing this Seattle songwriter for a minute. Love how these songs are all just tangled together, round-robin style. "Cathedral" is just so pretty; it makes me all dreamy-eyed.

Stream the latest Viking's Choice mixtape. Follow me on Bandcamp and check out previous mixes via Buy Music Club.