On the cover: claire rousay: The Texas raised composer finds an uneasy balance between melancholy and wonder with her interweavings of soundscapes and spoken word confessions. By Lucy Thraves; Rafael Toral: The Portuguese experimentalist injects the harmonic innovations of swing-era jazz into guitar drone. By Peter Margasak; Once Upon a Time in New York: The late John Giorno’s Giorno Poetry Systems operation hotwired the Beat generation’s literary crossover with New York no wave, Los Angeles punk, sound art and beyond. By Alan Licht; Yusuf Mumin: Black Unity Trio’s founding member revisits his archive of spiritual and philosophical jazz. By Phil Freeman; Susu Laroche: The Egyptian/French musician and film maker conjures otherworlds from a fog of electronics. By Misha Farrant; Invisible Jukebox: Lord Spikeheart: Can Kenya’s premier metal producer and vocalist crack The Wire’s mystery record selection? Tested by Claire Biddles; Kinlaw & Franco Franco: Cybernetic industrial rap from Bristol. By Alastair Shuttleworth; Alister Spence: Sydney keyboardist probes the guts of his instrument. By Derek Walmsley; Chupame El Dedo: Colombia’s tongue in cheek Satanic metal cult. By Juan San Cristóbal Lizama; Global Ear: Warsaw venue Chmury offers a haven for the marginalised. By Aleksandra Bieniewska; Unlimited Editions: steel tipped dove’s hiphop label Fused Arrow. By Tim Fish; The Inner Sleeve: Chino Amobi on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s async; Against The Grain: Hauntology doesn’t account for Black creative practices, argues Robin James; Epiphanies: Two chance encounters revolutionise UK-Iranian composer Pouya Ehsaei’s music; Black Eyes: Look and learn. By Louis Pattison; Sophie Agnel: Tone generator. By Stewart Smith; The Dream Syndicate + Rain Parade: Back for seconds. By Claire Biddles; Better Do It Now Before You Die Later: Saxophonist Sonny Simmons’s tough but triumphant life in jazz. By Jo Hutton; TOPOS: Voices of resistance to Trump’s US regime. By Xenia Benivolski; The IMPROVESISTANCE Ensemble: UK-Palestinian improvisors in support of Gaza. By Gabriel Bristow; and much, much more.