There’s a lot of really interesting & strange pop, r’n’b, grime or even folk music tonight, proving perhaps that this is an era where flouting norms is the standard, and the paradox within that is celebrated.

LISTEN AGAIN and flout some norms. Stream on demand via fbi.radio’s state-of-the-art technology, podcast here.

helen island – stalker guardian angel (2nd mix) [Knekelhuis/Bandcamp]

This is the second single off the silence extended EP from Parisian enigma helen island. The original of “Stalker Guardian Angle” (a kind of paradox in itself) was on their album silence is priceless released earlier this year by eclectic Amsterdam label Knekelhuis. This is some kind of vapor-pop with trip-hop influences, although a slowed-down amen break isn’t your usual back-beat. I don’t think this is a person called helen, but I also don’t know if it’s a woman singing or much else! Cool doe.

EYDN – Gold (feat. Rainy Miller) [Fixed Abode/SUPERNATURE/Bandcamp]

The now-Belgium-based duo EYDN, made up of Emma van Os (Bobbie Orkid) and Thomas Parigi (Tumy), have their debut EP As Can Be coming out from Rainy Miller‘s Fixed Abode & SUPERNATURE in September. First single “Gold” has extra vocals from Miller, with a breakbeat and fizzly hi-hats dropping in and out around an acoustic guitar loop. It’s a swirly piece showing that contemporary trip-hop is finding its own sound.

Tony Njoku – SPIRIT WAR DUB (feat. Gaika) [Studio Njoku Bandcamp]

Tony Njoku – WEAPON [Studio Njoku Bandcamp]

Tony Njoku – CATATONIA (feat. James Massiah) [Studio Njoku Bandcamp]

British Nigerian musician Tony Njoku also draws from trip-hop in his post-everything r’n’b melange. Njokou’s productions favour crystalline piano and hazy synths, with unexpected explosions of bass heralded by creepily-distorted metal vox at the edge of hearing. The trip-hop cred is signalled by the presence of Tricky on one track, the nebulous dub atmospherics connected via Space Afrika, while experimental r’n’b & dancehall would be suggested by the presence of Warp & Big Dada’s Gaika. London poet, rapper & musician James Massiah (also known as noisenik and Dean Blunt collaborator DJ Escrow) lends his voice to one track too, as do Coby Sey and Ghostpoet, making this a substantial meeting of black British auteurs – albeit overwhelmingly male. In any case, this is a highly creative album and one that rewards multiple listens.

anrimeal – 4. Chapter I – Small things [Lost Wisdom/demo records/anrimeal Bandcamp]

London-based Portuguese musician Ana Rita de Melo Alves has appeared on this show under her anrimeal alias a lot since I discovered her music via The Leaf Library‘s Objects Forever label. On January 1st she released the intriguing 56-second track “1. Title – Half Fool Half Empty” as a teaser for an album / book / soundtrack which she is announcing today, on her 30th birthday! The album is also titled Half Fool Half Empty, and is arranged in two halves – one more playful, one more serious – although all of Alves’ work can be seen as a combination of those two creative impulses. Beautiful acoustic songwriting is digitally interrupted or corrupted, gorgeous layered vocals hang in frozen stasis, musical elements appear in the midst of a field recording. This album will accompany a book, and the track titles are a guide to the sections of the text they mirror. It’s a wondrous album and I’m glad to bring you one of the initial pair of singles tonight.

Herbalistek – Ego [YUKU/Bandcamp]

The first of two new releases on YUKU this week is from Japanese bass music duo Herbalistek. Experimental tracks rooted in sub-bass, with glitched beats and vocal samples, for deep home listening or adventurous sound systems.

Distance – Shut Them Down [Chestplate]

One of the original heavy-hitters of dubstep, (DJ) Distance is still slipping out new tunes influenced by metal riffage and cyberpunk atmospherics. Melodic basslines and rhythms you can’t deny.

Rarelyalways – Paid (feat. Nia J) [Innovative Leasure/Bandcamp]

London’s Rarelyalways aka Ricco Komolafe is a jazz musician as well as grime producer and rapper. His Paid Annual Leave EP focuses on work – the drudgery and effort behind wage-slavery. Jazz trumpet and flittery footwork percussion accompany his sing-song rapping and various guests, including Charlotte rapper Nia J.

Labake Sabbath – Life And Struggle [The Gate/courtesy of The Wire]

London’s Labake Sabbath is a member of The Gate, based in Shepherd’s Bush, providing arts and other resources for people with learning disabilities. This track, which appeared in this month’s Below The Radar Vol. 48 from The Wire, was originally released on her METAL MADNESS album, which uses various styles (mostly hip-hop built from funk loops and the like) to evoke the constant… well, struggle of living with a disability.

A.Fruit – Hours in Between [A.Fruit Bandcamp]

Anna A.Fruit reached 10,000 followers on SoundCloud, so she’s uploaded a free (or pay-what-you-want) track on her Bandcamp. It’s as usual a melding of bass genres, mostly I guess dubstep? She has lots of great tutorials on her YouTube and also an active Patreon, if you’re looking to learn or improve your skills in bass music.

Jasper Byrne – UK Gqom [YUKU/Space Recordings Bandcamp]

For more than 2 decades, Jasper Byrne has made drum’n’bass under the Sonic alias, much of which can be found on his Space Recordings Bandcamp. Now shifting to a broader genre remit under his own name, his full album Escape is t