#5147, New Releases, May 2026

On this edition of New Sounds, explore some new music inspired by ancient instruments and modern technology alike, as we wrap up the month of May.

Netherlands-based American composer and pianist Heather Pinkham duets with Dutch pianist Ralph van Raat in “Mechanical Transcendence: Pt. 1, Awakening”, to tell the musical story “of an android who wishes to become human”, with each piano part representing machine and human mannerisms. Then, Marisa Anderson gives a history lesson in The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music, first with “Quodlibet” and later with “Pair of Duduk”, as she reinterprets tunes from lands the United States has been in conflict with for several decades, with her guitar, accordion, and keyboard.

Violinist Ariana Kim, also inspired by world folk music, breathes new life into a traditional Macedonian song, “Lesnoto Cveta Moma Ubava”, with percussionist Shane Shanahan, while inventive Congolese group Konono Nᵒ1 break their silence with their first single in almost ten years, “Volta”.

Greek composer Konstantinos Karathanasis will take you all the way back to Ancient Greece with his mythological “Gorgons' Cry”, featuring a special Greek wind instrument, aulos performance from Callum Armstrong. Before the end of the show, you’ll also get to hear flutist Claire Chase and JACK Quartet ‘s layered takes on Terry Riley’s “Pulsing Liftors” and “Pastorale”; works they initially premiered at last year’s Ojai Music Festival with a new spin for their upcoming collaborative album, The Holy Liftoff. - Sırma Munyar

ARTIST: Konstantinos Karathanasis, Callum Armstrong
WORK: Gorgons' Cry [1:27]
RECORDING: Resonant Mythologies
SOURCE: Ravello Records
INFO: https://www.ravellorecords.com/catalog/rr8123/

ARTIST: Heather Pinkham & Ralph van Raat
WORK: Mechanical Transcendence: Pt. 1, Awakening [10:47]
RECORDING: Onward
SOURCE: Zefir Records 
INFO: https://zefirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/onward

ARTIST: Marisa Anderson 
WORK: Quodlibet [2:16]
RECORDING: The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music
SOURCE: Thrill Jockey
INFO: https://marisaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/the-anthology-of-unamerican-folk-music

ARTIST: Ariana Kim, Shane Shanahan
WORK: Lesnoto: Cveta Moma Ubava for Violin and Percussion [4:51]
RECORDING: (un)common thread: exploring improvisation from mozart to macedonia
SOURCE: Ariana Kim
INFO: https://arianakimviolin.bandcamp.com/album/un-common-thread-exploring-improvisation-from-mozart-to-macedonia

ARTIST: Marisa Anderson
WORK: Pair of Duduk [5:00]
RECORDING: The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music
SOURCE: Thrill Jockey
INFO: https://marisaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/the-anthology-of-unamerican-folk-music

ARTIST: Konono Nº1
WORK: Volta [3:16]
RECORDING: Volta
SOURCE: Real World Records
INFO: https://lnk.to/XRW77

ARTIST: Konstantinos Karathanasis, Callum Armstrong
WORK: Gorgons' Cry [9:12]
RECORDING: Resonant Mythologies
SOURCE: Ravello Records
INFO: https://www.ravellorecords.com/catalog/rr8123/

ARTIST: Claire Chase, Jack Quartet, Terry Riley
WORK: Pulsing Liftors [4:13]
RECORDING: The Holy Liftoff
SOURCE: Sono Limunus
INFO: Available for preorder at: https://clairechase.bandcamp.com/album/the-holy-liftoff

ARTIST: Claire Chase, Jack Quartet, Terry Riley
WORK: Pastorale [0:50]
RECORDING: The Holy Liftoff
SOURCE: Sono Limunus
INFO: Available for preorder at: https://clairechase.bandcamp.com/album/the-holy-liftoff