Experimental jazz: Carla Kihlstedt & Mattias Bossi new album Still You Lay Dreaming: Tales for the Stage II

Jazz By Association is an excellent programme on French Radio London, playing a mix of leftfield and experimental jazz, with an emphasis on French artists. Presenter and contemporary jazz boffin Jason Phipps recommends this album by Carla Kihlstedt and Matthias Bossi and we couldn't agree more. Carla's voice is huge and soulful and the music she makes with Matthias is at once filmic, dark, spacious, weird and above all - original and captivating.

6 Music Introducing: Tanya Auclair & Nat Johnson and the Figureheads

Every week TOW plays two songs for the brilliant Tom Robinson on his BBC 6 Music Introducing show... here are our picks from this week's show: 


Tanya Auclair - Illiterate

How utterly compelling is Tanya Auclair? If you, like we here at TOW, are feeling a bit stupid for not having found her before - don't despair, we're blaming it on the fact that NOTHING this interesting ever breaks into the mainstream. NOTHING this interesting will get picked up by a major label, especially as Tanya Auclair is doing it all herself - her EP Thrum is up for grabs for gratis at her Bandcamp. Why isn't Jools Holland's production team all over this artist? She needs some late night BBC 1 exposure. Maybe one day... Tanya's already embedded in the London soul circuit having sung as part of the Goldsmiths Ensemble, in the choir for the brilliant Alice Russell and currently supporting producer Yult. More please!

Nat Johnson and the Figureheads - Margot

   Margot by NatJohnsonband


This has been a staple on the TOW stereo since Nat, former singer, songwriter and guitarist from folk-pop favourites Monkey Swallows The Universe, sent us the tracks. Sheer, indie-pop loveliness from the Sheffield five-piece. Their EP What the Heart Pours Into is out now on Damaged Goods. What are you waiting for?! Get buying!