New releases last two weeks: All genres

Review: True to the name, FFF's releases do tend to make us teeter on the edge of profanity, inciting us to utter a hearty "FFF...!" whenever one of his pre-drop seatbelt warnings is sounded. With what sounds like a copyright lapsed, twilight zoney TV sample musing on the terror of true freedom kicking off the opener 'No Holds Barred', we're inducted into a true blue jungle asepsis here, with an unstoppable, untainted 808s extending over both tracks, full time and halftime alike. Only the breakbeats on the A singe the mix to the point of well done break steak, where the track's atmospheres are otherwise clean and twinkly; FX's remix, on the other hand, hovers dirtily and indubitably between jungle techstep and trip-hop, delivering a consciousness expanding mind mutator.

Review: Are NewDad your favourite contemporary Irish rock band? If the answer is no, w want to understand why. 12 months or so ago they blessed us with the woozy, late-afternoon-in-the-park-cum-6AM-walk-home jangle of Waves, a stunning EP that cemented their status as one of the few truly authentic sounding indie outfits we have right now. So good it's still on the office playlist, Safe follows that up with another spellbinder. This time there's definitely more gnash and snarl, discordance and strained noises that should sound harsh but have been so beautifully used they only make the whole thing sound more joyful to weirdos. Or at least that's opener 'Entertainer'. The title track lets no side down, keeping that whirlwind of cacophony vibe, while 'Puzzle' and 'Be Kind' double down on melodies without lightening the mood. It's perfect.

Review: Kohei Matsunaga has spent over three decades dismantling and reconstructing the boundaries of experimental music. Born in Osaka and originally trained in architecture, his approach to sound is methodical yet unpredictable, reflecting a fascination with structure and abstraction. Across releases for labels like Raster Noton, PAN, and Skam, his work oscillates between dense rhythmic frameworks and fleeting bursts of sonic chaos, shaped through collaborations with the likes of Mika Vainio, Sean Booth, and Merzbow. His latest release continues this restless exploration. 'Filled With Vacuum' sets the tone with jagged percussive sequences and warped atmospherics, while 'Ancient Behave' layers hypnotic pulses with eerie tonal shifts. On the flip, 'Same Point Different Coordinate' pushes further into spatial disorientation, before 'Formulated Rhythm 4s' closes with a fractured yet intricate groove. It's another entry in Matsunaga's ever-expanding sonic architectureiprecise, disorienting and entirely his own.