From Glasgow, Scotland, the trio Taupe offers a lawless mix of "not jazz", sludgy rock and homemade electronics that hits like a shock of cold water to the face. Known for their formidable live performances, the band is thunderously loud, crushingly tight, and quick to surrender all control, trust-falling their way through wild improvisations. Their third album, Waxing | Waning, out now on Prague's Minority Records, finally captures that power, as well as the band's oddball humour and free-flowing imagination.
The single Lemonade Tycoon (a nod to the early-2000s lemonade stall video game) opens with stilted, comedic flurries of squawking sax and tip-toeing percussion before finding its groove. Ragged electric guitar with the heft of an industrial power tool joins in, creating a sound that is sharp, smart, and often brutal. Taupe make light work of heavy noise, as well as the complex musicianship that underpins their sound.
Band Background and Collaborations
Guitarist Mike Parr-Burman and saxophonist Jamie Stockbridge met studying music at Newcastle University. Along with drummer Alex Palmer, they are tied to a clutch of other experiments and projects, including the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. As Taupe, the trio share a brinkmanship—a mutual understanding that risk of disaster is part of the fun.
Track Highlights
Allcapsallbold melts a repeated melody into purring electronic chaos and then into stomping doom metal. Pet Boss evolves from a freaky sound collage into a bludgeoning monster. Fun, freeing, and as good for your nervous system as a cold plunge, Taupe demand earplugs and a sense of adventure.
This Week's Best New Tracks
- Sofie Royer – Cowboy Mouth: A droll reimagining of Patti Smith and Sam Shepard's play, with the Austrian musician pondering her role in life over fuzzy, funky pop.
- Goat (JP) – Orin (Ricardo Villalobos Variation): The Japanese band's minimalist shuffle is built into a throbbing, lightly crunching groove, a restrained 13-minute addition to Villalobos's remix hall of fame.
- Emily A Sprague – Double Moon: Intimate ambient music with lyricism, synths flickering like fireflies as Sprague contemplates communication.
- Dorian Electra – Hips Don't Lie: An upbeat, fast-paced hyperpop rendition of Shakira's single, part of a new covers album tackling New Order, Gorillaz, and Enya.
- DC – Misunderstood (ft Bawo): Over a soulful, drill-adjacent beat, two UK MCs get contemplative, pondering their paths and the strange headspace of half-success.
- Rustie – Arora: The Scottish maximalist whips samples of previous hits into absolutely bonked, blown-out, pile-driving chaos.
- OOIOO – The Horizon: Japanese space rock veterans amble up on a loping bass groove, then launch skyward with a trumpet fanfare.
