Drew McDowell is back on Dais Records for another album of unmatched, modular explorations. The veteran Scotsman is widely respected in experimental and industrial circles, in no small part due to his work with Coil and Psychic TV. Now, he pushes his sound into abstract, choral terrain, balancing doom-laden soundscapes with emotive instrumentation. He has assembled a stellar cast of collaborators to contribute to Agalma, including Caterina Barbieri, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe and Kali Malone. Symbiotic chemistry with each distinctive artist elevates this record to lofty new heights that McDowell couldn’t have reached alone.

Drew McDowall (Coil, Psychic TV) is back on the Dais imprint with new LP The Third Helix. This is a set of murky, droning industrialism that occasionally allows rays of sunshine to break through the clouds. See, for instance, how harmonious chords peek out from behind the grinding textures of ‘Tendrils’, or the beatific ‘Immanent Condition’ which closes the record out. However, by and large this is a moody and dissonant album full of abrasive drones and broiling deconstructions. Think Ziur, Arca and Holly Herndon.