Mayaka McCraven showcases the breadth of his creative approach on four new EPs

Makaya McCraven is famous for his ambition—he made his name with a sophisticated musical approach that involved crafting compositions in the studio by rearranging live recordings of his band and overdubbing new performances onto them. But even by his standards, his latest project says “go big or go home.” The jazz drummer, producer, and self-described “sonic collagist” is dropping four simultaneous EPs through International Anthem, available individually on October 31 and as a double-LP collection called Off the Record on October 10. Each EP is built from live improvisations with a different complement of musicians, and the constituent recordings were made between 2015 and 2025. Each can stand on its own, but listening to them in succession lets you discover where they align and where t