Review: Skeleta marks the sixth full-length from Swedish theatrical goth rock entity Ghost, following on from 2022's retro stadium-goth swing for the fences Impera. Known for their high-concept aesthetic solely credited to mastermind Tobias Forge, who undertakes differing mantles and characters pertaining to each era and project, Papa Emeritus IV who fronted their preceding work has now been replaced by Papa V Perpetua, and while his predecessor was said to have been driven by ruminations on empirical reigns, the latest leader of the band of "Nameless Ghouls" is more concerned with "demonic possessions" and succumbing to "dark forces", with the album promised to be their "most unflinchingly introspective work to date" while showcasing "distinct individual emotional vistas". With big riffs, soaring hooks and a lead single as brazenly titled as 'Satanized', it's time for yet another era of overtly gothic and purposefully cheesy occult-rock.
Review: Serving as the follow up to 2022's critically acclaimed and super cheesy by design stadium-goth opus Impera, Swedish rock occultists Ghost make their grand return with sixth full-length Skeleta. The vision of Tobias Forge, renowned for his charismatic vocal cadence and immense range, but more so for his undertaking of different characters and monikers for each album cycle, the Papa Emeritus IV delving into empirical fallacies on their previous outing has been usurped by Papa V Perpetua, who promises to deliver his band of Nameless Ghouls' "most unflinchingly introspective work to date" while showcasing "distinct individual emotional vistas", touching on "demonic possessions" and the allure of succumbing to "dark forces". In other words, expect mammoth riffs, epic refrains, large doses of overt theatricality verging on camp, and on-the-nose song titles such as 'Satanized'.
Review: Building on the success of their A New Kind of Love album back in 2022, Ghost Funk Orchestra ventures further into the realms of film music, exotica, and psychedelic surf rock with new record A Trip To The Moon.' It was written with the aim of creating a richly layered and collaged listening experience with myriad elements waiting to be discovered with each new spin, and they have certainly achieved that. Featuring fuzzy guitars drenched in spring reverb and horns arranged in a studio big band style, it offers a blend of garage rock attitude and big compositions with influences like Eddie Palmieri and Dusty Springfield to be found within. It also features real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions weaved throughout the tracks as a tale is told of a woman left stranded on Earth by her cosmonaut partner.
Review: French-Canadians Margaux Sauve and Louis-Etienne Santais are Ghostly Kisses the internationally acclaimed pop pairing that has got a hardcore following of fans all over the globe. They impressed with their debut album Heaven not that long ago and now return with Darkroom, which focuses on the feelings we all had during the pandemic of loneliness. Both artists set up in separate rooms during the writing process and sent snippets to each other to only finalise when they eventually met up which they think ensured they brought "more depth" to their process.
Review: Dark Entries are reusing two albums from Philadelphia-based experimental duo The Ghostwriters. their debut as well as this follow-up, Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear from 1981. Formed by the late Buchla innovator Charles Cohen and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Cain in 1971, the duo initially performed as Anomali before evolving into The Ghostwriters. Their work is a mix of improvisation and composition and it always stood out for its unique electroacoustic sound shaped through collaborations with visual artists and choreographers. Objects in Mirrors delivers eight minimalist tracks to get stuck into from the chaotic groove of 'Fix It in the Mix' to the ethereal "Moon Chant.' This remastered edition includes photos, and liner notes, and will donate proceeds to SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse).
Review: Dark Entries returns with Remote Dreaming, the ambient masterpiece by The Ghostwriters aka Philadelphia duo Buchla master Charles Cohen and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Cain, with proceeds benefitting SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse). Formed in 1971 as Anomali, the duo adopted their Ghostwriters moniker and blended improvisation with structured composition. Following their debut Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear, they crafted Remote Dreaming over nine months across various studios. Cain played electric and acoustic pianos, the Juno 106, and the Mirage sampler, while Cohen used his Buchla 200 Series. This double LP has been freshly remastered and includes five additional tracks, four of which are previously unreleased.
Review: Texan producer Gi Gi has been quietly doing his thing for some time, serving up limited and self-released albums that blend chopped, screwed and heavily manipulated samples with dusty instrumentation and nods to vintage trip-hop, Balearic soundscapes and ambient experimentalism. Dreamliner, officially his fourth studio album, dials down the samples - at least in comparison to the dense collages of found sounds and familiar snippets of old - in favour of a warming, heady and intoxicating palette of sounds, rhythms and sonics rooted in kosmiche, stoned trip-hop, the sparkling sound worlds of Global Communication, folktronica and densely layered ambient. If you're a little anxious about the state of the world and seeking calming, meditative music in which to lose yourself, look no further.
Theme (From "Spider-Man" original Television Series) (0:48)
The World Is Changing (2:16)
Academic Decommitment (5:18)
High Tech Heist (2:17)
On A Ned-To-Know Basis (3:13)
Drag Racing/An Old Van Rundown (3:25)
Webbed Surveillance (2:17)
No Vault Of His Own (1:49)
Monumental Meltdown (2:24)
The Baby Monitor Protocol (2:41)
A Boatload Of Trouble (part 1) (2:02)
A Boatload Of Trouble (part 2) (2:13)
Ferry Dust Up (3:54)
Stark Raving Mad (2:06)
Pop Vulture (4:21)
Bussed A Move (2:24)
Lift Off (1:00)
Fly-By-Night Operation (7:15)
Vulture Clash (2:31)
A Stark Contrast (4:54)
No Frills Proto Cool! (5:11)
Spider-Man: Homecoming Suite (3:57)
Review: It's pretty hard these days to keep up with all the different new Spider-Man movies, but you should try because somehow they all seem to be pretty good despite it being such a well-worn character. The music, too, always manages to reach new levels as did this, the original soundtrack for the 2017 version, Spider-Man: Homecoming, by Michael Giacchino. It is full of dramatic and wide-screen orchestration, sweeping strings and rousing musical adventure but also the more quiet moments of reflection and tenderness. This version comes with a poster in a deluxe sleeve on blue vinyl.
Review: Star Trek has been on a tumultuous ride over the years. To paraphrase Wayne Campbell, of Wayne's World fame, in many ways The Next Generation was superior to the original series, but will always struggle to match the recognition of its source material. More recent shows in the franchise looked to expand the viewer base, following in the wake of the saga's modern films, but in doing so kind of lost the friendly, campish mild peril we love this universe for. Star Trek: Into Darkness was a case in point - it's not fun, it's not light, it's not particularly thoughtful. As a movie, it lives up to the promise of darkness. In terms of how this translates onto the score, expect seriously moody and atmospheric big screen compositions, rather than the jaunty soundtracks that once defined this institution.
Review: Michael Giacchino, a decorated Academy Award-r winning composer, delivers a commanding yet tender score for J.A. Bayona's moving film The Society of the Snow. It recounts the harrowing true tale of the 1972 Uruguayan flight that crashed in the remote Andes, and the ensuing battle for survival. Amid despair, the film champions hope which is a sentiment echoed in Giacchino's emotionally charged score. Balancing poignancy with optimism, the music navigates a delicate path that amplifies the film's power. Bayona and Giacchino's collaboration yields a cinematic masterpiece that will surely resonate as one of the year's most compelling narratives.
Review: The Jakarta label out of Germany serves up constantly high quality beats from across the hip hop and downtempo spectrum. Gianni Brezzo is a jazz affiliated bandana studio project helmed by Cologne-based producer & creative maestro Marvin Horsch and their new long player 'Tutto Passa' was made in homage to and respect of Italian culture. Horsch spent time researching Italian composers of the 60s and 70s before staring work on the record and it show sin the lush melodies, sweeping synth sounds and Library music vibes of this most exquisite record of instrumental chill.
Review: Jakarta Records is mostly known for its superb hip hop but this one is a dazzling album well worth checking. It's a perfect mix of instrumental jazz, soul and gentle grooves that will get you nodding along and lost in the gorgeous melodies from the master of this sort of stuff that is Gianni Brezzo. The Italian has put put several fine albums before now and this collection is another doozy with certain harmonic and rhythmic concepts recurring throughout that drawn on European and folklorist style.
Review: Joe Gibbs is a legendary dub producer and African Dub Chapter 1 is one of his most all-time classic albums alongside fellow production heavyweight Errol Thompson. The pair is better known together as The Mighty Two and while this first chapter of their dub collection is vital, it is no better than the ensuing two which you should also hunt down and purchase. This fully licensed issue sounds superb when cranked up loud, as it should be, and has suitable fat low ends and plenty of irresistible Jah vibes that will sink you in deep to the sofa or get you nodding along in no time.
Review: Legendary dub producer Joe Gibbs - who famously worked with fellow roots and reggae heavyweight Errol Thompson as The Mighty Two - joined forces with The Professionals for this, a fourth volume in his African Dub chapter series. It has now been remastered by VP after many years of arguing over who owns the rights and gets pressed up to this lush green slab of vinyl. All 1- dubs are as deadly as you can imagine with lefty low ends, absorbing rhythms and the spirit of Jah very much present and correct. A vital album for any self-respecting dub head.
Review: Reconnecting through their shared musical heritages, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson present What Did the Blackbird Say To The Crow, a mesmerising collection of fiddle and banjo tunes tied to North Carolina's many oral and digital traditions. After their late mentor Joe Thompson bequeathed them a trove of recordings to work with, the already esteemed, torch-bearing duo breathe new life into 18 handpicked rethinks and honorific originals, some sung, others purely instrumental. Recorded outdoors at sites meaningful to Thompson and Baker, their sessions were joined by the rare, overlapping calls of two cicada broods, unheard together since 1803. Giddens calls it "music made for your community's enjoyment and for dancing."
Review: Gidge's acclaimed album Autumn Bells is now a full decade old and to mark that, the Dutch label Atomnation is releasing a deluxe box set edition with a 60-page photo book by band member Ludvig Stolterman, a poster, the original double album, and a bonus nine-track vinyl featuring alternative edits and demos on transparent vinyl. Gidge is the Swedish duo of Stolterman and Jonatan Nilsson and they are known for ethereal, ambient music deeply influenced by the Nordic forests of their youth. The reissue highlights the duo's emotionally immersive sound and features unreleased tracks like 'Untitled Piano' and reworked versions of fan favourites that blend natural soundscapes with subtle rhythms and haunting melodies.
Review: Formed in the peak pandemic year of 2020, GIFT emerged during a challenging time but quickly found their sound as they blended early shoegaze, 90s alternative rock and modern pop. Their 2022 debut Momentary Presence showcased their potential and now their new album Illuminator on Captured Tracks further highlights the band's ever-evolving sound and unique chemistry. With nods to label mates like Beach Fossils and DIIV, GIFT creates sleek, danceable, and mesmerising tracks led by TJ Freda. The quintet deftly explores themes of time, love, and change through standout songs like 'Wish Me Away' and 'Going In Circles' to make Illuminator a soundtrack to life's fleeting moments.
Review: Stone's Throw has never really made any wrong moves in our opinion, and here the label puts its full force behind a deceptively powerful album. Taking us to places that are deeper than perhaps what the imprint is best known for, this is immersive, hypnotic, otherworldly stuff made from a variety of plugged in machines, analogue and otherwise, including a semi-modular synth. The result is a journey-style collection packed with atmosphere but one that's also painstakingly detailed and textured. Sound waves are rendered almost visible by the movements, drones, tracks and other pieces here, drum and effects machines producing the kind of noises that mesmerise and suck you in further as time passes. Tunes to get lost in, the only remaining question is whether anyone will ever want to return.
El Preciso Aprender A Ser So (Learn To Live Alone) (3:23)
She's A Carioca (2:19)
Review: There remains great interest in the work of Astrud Gilberto, and much of it is being freshly remastered and pressed up on a constant basis. Her Look To The Rainbow is a captivating journey into the realms of what she did in the bossa nova and jazz. Released in 1966, it showcases Gilberto's ethereal vocals floating effortlessly over lush arrangements as tracks transport listeners to sun-kissed beaches with their infectious rhythms and melodic charm. Gilberto's voice often exudes a tender elegance, while the title track 'Look To The Rainbow' radiates with hope and optimism. With its seamless blend of Brazilian flair and jazz sensibility, this album remains a timeless classic.
Review: Scott Gilmore's tracks are deceptively pared back. Putting an Arp Odyssey, Yamaha CS-01, Korg DW-8000, Hohner Pianet T, Roland TR 606, Roland SH 101, bamboo alto saxophone, clarinet, electric guitar and electric bass to very good use on this nine track Balearic-downtempo stunner, the tunes are easy to groove with yet subtly complex. They feel simple, but are incredibly detailed. Veering between a kind of synth-y smooth jazz, lounge, lofi electronica and sunset instrumental, Volume 01 is the proof after the promise of Gilmore's 2019 debut, Two Roomed Motel. Second album in and it's quite clear how talented the guy is. We just wish there was more information available for us to get to know him better with.
Review: Gilroy Mere aka Oliver Cherer shows off two different sides of his sound on this new Gilden Gate album for Clay Pipe. It is the latest in a long line of superb sounds over the course of two decades which have distilled folktronic, singer-songwriter, jazz, ghost-pop and guitar tinged disco rock. Here he soundtracks sun-kissed beaches and rural Suffolk on side one and then goes underwater to explore through music the lost city of Dunwich,
Review: Gilroy Mere is one of many alter egos of Oliver Cherer, and when working under this moniker there's a predisposition for transport-themed things to happen. The last album, beautiful and beguiling The Green Line, had a rich, dark green vintage British train on the cover just in case the title wasn't enough. In the past, he's done things themed on bus routes. This time, the locomotive on the sleeve is red.
More so, Adlestrop is a reference to one of many UK railway stations axed in the brutal Beeching Act of the 1960s - a cull of small stations deemed unviable, cutting off many communities. The opener, a strange, almost medieval slice of birdsong, chant, and twinkling chimes, even reels off a list of others that were closed. From there, we go deeper into sounds and words that are as inspired by the idea of rural England and travel as they are the country's eccentricity, which is so commonly founding its leftfield electronic output.
Review: The Gin Tonic Orchestra hail from Saint Etienne in the lower regions of France. They are a collective of music lovers with various different backgrounds that all feed into creating fresh new sounds. For proof look no fritters than this album, Shyance, which is their debut and is a perfect primer for anyone not familiar with the sounds. Elements of spiritual jazz, London broken beats, classic jazz-funk and new school fusions all feature here with some high-energy dance floor bangers like 'Rage Jaune' next to much more mellow offerings.
Review: Greatest Fits is a deep dive into the superb sounds of German avant-garde new wave pioneer Gina X on the cult Dark Entries label. This double LP compilation spans the whole of the bold, boundary-blurring career of Gina X Performance, which came together first in 1978 when singer Gina Kikoine and producer Zeus B set out to create "the absolute union of music, poetry and travesty". With selections take from four of thieves albums, you'll find their signature blend of icy electro, camp theatrics and subversive pop throughout, and it all ranges from the pulsing 'Nice Mover' to the decadent 'No G.D.M.' Greatest Fits is both a musical time capsule and a vital reminder of how far ahead Gina X always was while also serving as a celebration of queer culture and synth-driven hedonism.
Review: Norwegian indie talent Girl In Red kicked off her musical journey by sharing her home-recorded tunes as a teenager back in 2017. She has since become renowned for her raw lyrics and for delving into the everyday struggles and intricacies of relationships and has won a legion of fans, not least among them Taylor Swift,who invited her out on tour. Her breakout moment came with the viral sensation 'I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend,' followed by the enchanting 'We Fell in Love in October' in 2018. Fast forward to 2021, she unveiled her debut full-length album and soared up the charts. Now she is back with I'm Doing It Again Baby which comes on limited gatefold red vinyl and is full of more of her guitar-driven melodic indie-pop sounds and singalong hooks.
Review: Originally released in 1981 via Bronze Records, Hit & Run would serve as the sophomore full-length from London's Girlschool. Reaching No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart with the title-track charting at No. 32 in the UK singles, the album was the band's biggest success, even landing them an obligatory mime performance on Top Of the Pops. Returning to London's Jackson's Studios to work with producer Vic Maile, who handled desk duties on their 1980 debut Demolition, the project saw the group ramp up their speed and melody, ultimately cementing their place as somewhat retrospectively overlooked pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWBHM). Reissued or rather "revisited" for Record Store Day 2025, this lush, limited red wax pressing features cuts such as the iconic opening banger 'C'mon Let's Go', which appeared in the Gemini Award winning 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, as well as their much adored rendition of ZZ Top's 'Tush'.
Black Superhero (feat Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid & Big KRIT) (5:51)
Shine (feat D Smoke & Tiffany Gouche) (6:26)
Why We Speak (feat Q Tip & Esperanza Spalding) (6:16)
Over (feat Yebba) (4:50)
Better Than I Imagined (feat HER & Meshell Ndegeocello) (4:55)
Everybody Wants To Rule The World (feat Lalah Hathaway & Common) (5:54)
Everybody Love (feat Musiq Soulchild & Posdnuos) (4:45)
It Don't Matter (feat Gregory Porter & Ledisi) (5:24)
Heaven's Here (feat Ant Clemons) (3:56)
Out Of My Hands (feat Jennifer Hudson) (5:33)
Forever (feat PJ Morton & India.Arie) (4:37)
Bright Lights (5:13)
Review: Robert Grasper very much announced his arrival on the world stage with Black Radio 1. And Black Radio 2 only took him into the stratosphere. Both records proved him to be a master of hip hop, broken beat and jazz and able to call upon some of the biggest names in those scene from Jill Scott to Erykah Badu. Both of those timeless records, as the title suggest, are steeped in Black music traditions and so is this third one. Here the award winning Glasper (nine Grammy nominations and four wins) works with modern greats such as Gregory Porter, Q Tip, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ty Dolla Sign and many more to cook up another powerful statement for these troubled times.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Carol Of The Bells (feat Cynthia Erivo) (4:57)
Make It Home (feat PJ Morton & Sevyn Streeter) (3:47)
Memories With Mama (feat Tarriona 'Tank' Ball) (3:30)
Joy To The World (feat Alex Isley) (5:21)
December (feat Andra Day) (4:54)
Little Drummer Boy (feat The Baylor Project) (6:42)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (feat Doobie Powell) (6:33)
Review: Whether you like it or not, the festive season is fast approaching which means we are starting to get a number of seasonal classic land, new and old. This one is a rather non-traditional holiday release that brings a weight and musical funkiness to a genre and time of year that is often seeped in campy or classic holiday motifs. It is the work of modern jazz heavyweight Robert Glasper and finds him working with a top list of frequent collaborators including PJ Morton, Sevyn Streeter, Cynthia Ervo, Tarriona Tank Ball, Alex Isley, Andra Day and The Baylor Project. It is a real joy to listen to and brings great warmth to the cosy months.
Review: I Love You So F***ing Much is the fourth studio album from English indie rock band Glass Animals. It comes almost four years after their epic 'Heat Waves' single rose to the top of the charts and was partly inspired by frontman Dave Bayley's experience of becoming a global sensation. Because that success came in the pandemic, the band were forced to miss the 2022 Grammys at which they had been nominated for Best New Artist cause they tested positive for COVID-19. The record is another surefire success that addresses the pitfalls of fame and will likely take the band to all new levels.
Review: The 2002 film The Hours starred hefty Hollywood talents Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore, and the original score was composed by no lesser titan of his industry than Philip Glass. It is a masterful work from the legendary minimal composer and is here presented across four sides of vinyl by the Nonesuch label. It has plenty of thick, lush strings and lots of tonal suspension with cool piano parts, plenty of heavily pregnant silences and cascading scales that all add plenty to the film itself as well as being a great standalone listen.
Review: American Philip Glass's Music with Changing Parts from 1970 marked a turning point in minimalist composition. Built on eight staves of repeating melodic patterns, the piece allows musicians to freely choose and switch parts at specific cues, which results in striking shifts in instrumentation. Though composed entirely of eighth notes, early rehearsals revealed unexpected sustained tones and psychoacoustic resonances created by layered repetition. Glass embraced this effect, later incorporating optional long notes into the score. This recording explores that idea further by overdubbing short and sustained notes to make for a utopian version of the piece. It is hypnotic and ever-changing yet constant.
Review: The best kept secret in shoegaze? Probably depends on how many other secrets you know about and what they are. Either way, Gleemer are the almost-stadium sized band half the crowd are blown away by because they've never heard of before, and the other half are absolutely obsessed with and have been since they first encountered the group. End of the Nail is quintessential Gleemer business, and wholly indicative of why people love them so much. Combining elements of grunge and garage, skate and 'adult emo' into this gnarly, taught and rhythmic guitar soup, it's as much about looking upwards into the great beyond with contemplative chords and choruses as it is staring down at the pavement and wondering where from there. Dreamy and muscular at the same time.
Review: RECOMMENDED
The re-discovery and re-appraisal of Beverly Glenn-Copeland's work is one of the more surprising outcomes of the pandemic's great pause, which for some people at least meant having more time to dive into the archives of cultural history, from music to literature to movies. Not that the spotlight isn't wholly deserving. As this 1986 album shows, the artist was well ahead of their time, with this strange, heady brew of electronic exoticism, experimental ambient and percussive poetry easy to mistake for a contemporary record.
Glenn-Copeland's own story is also a pretty interesting one. Now 76 years old, the maestro spent years identifying as a lesbian woman, before investigations in gender discourse led to the revelation that a transgender man was a more comfortable identity for the music maker, who also lays claim to a catalogue of kids' TV scores, including Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station.
Review: Rather confusingly, Beverly Glenn Copeland released a self titled album called Beverly Glenn Copeland in the 1970s, which is not the same album as this one, called simply Beverly Copeland. Both, along with several other of their works, are being reissued at the moment on vinyl and CD as a result of a great reappraisal of their work during the pandemic. The experimental musician identifies as a transgender man and is known for having written soundtracks for Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station next to her jazz, ambient, exotic and electronic fusion records.
Review: Beverly Glenn Copeland's work has been getting revisited, reappraised and reissued plenty in the last couple of years and several of her seminal albums are all arriving in July across various different formats. Copeland was always ahead of their time with her mix of experimental, ambient, exotic electronic sounds and poetry and famously scored kids' TV shows cut as including Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station. Now 78 and identifying as a transgender man after a time identifying as a lesbian, their second 70's recording - this self-titled album - is a real jazz classic widely admired amongst fans.
Review: Alabama post-rock trio Glories share An Expanse Of Colour, a medially lowercase and lo-fi cruncher that nonetheless still delivers effectively sublime washes of wordless extremophile rock feeling. Recorded between 2020 and 2023, we find it no wonder that these compositions took years, as they resound like hefty undertakings for a collection of tracks allegedly born of the threesome's respective basements. Dedicated to the memory of their friend, a mood of loss and finality is also, as is often the case with Glories, present throughout, with 'Sad As The Fog standing out especially as the glacial dirge descendent upon said wake.
Rain Down On Me (feat Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, Kierra Sheard & Maverick City music) (3:48)
Glo's Prayer (3:10)
How I Look (feat Megan Thee Stallion) (2:01)
I Ain't Going (2:54)
Step (feat Bossman Dlow) (2:45)
Let Her Cook (2:37)
I Luv Her (feat T-pain) (2:57)
Queen Of Memphis (feat Fridayy) (2:49)
Review: Grammy-nominated artist GloRilla finally unveils her highly anticipated debut album after plenty of hype in recent months. And it is a truly star-studded project that features collaborations with contemporary titans like Megan Thee Stallion as well as Latto, Sexyy Red and Kirk Franklin. This studio debut follows a meteoric rise which was sparked by her infectious hit singles and some dynamic creative partnerships. With standout tracks like 'Yeah Glo!,' 'TGIF' and 'Wanna Be' featuring the aforementioned Stallion already making waves on the Hot 100, Glorious surely cements this artist's place as a hip hop star of 2025.
Review: Acclaimed UK singer-songwriter Jess Glynne is a GRAMMY award winner and chart-topping regular who has now unveiled her highly anticipated third studio album, JESS, slated for release via EMI Records. This latest offering is said to be her most personal yet. It is an album that enriches Jess' extensive catalog which already boasts over ten billion global streams and builds on her already remarkable achievements including being the sole British female solo artist to achieve seven number-one hits on the UK Singles Chart. Musically the record shows lots of growth to her artistry as well as plenty of the hooks she is known for.
Review: Gnac is a project composer Mark Tranmer started in 1990 and The Echoes on Departure is his seventh album with this alias. He says he started this one soon after he finished his last one, Afternoon Frost, in 2021. It is a more electronic record than that one with some of his favourite chord progressions "and a few new ones." There is also the addition of a human voice on two tracks with Kathleen Stosch of Constant Follower on both Bittersweetness' and 'Until The Heart Stops.' Both are evocative centerpieces for this most lovely piano-led baroque waltz.
Review: 30th Century Records reissues Gnarls Barkley's 2008 sophomore LP, The Odd Couple, for the first time on wax since its original release, when it didn't quite make the mark many might have expected, though ah since become one of those under-the-radar gems. While the duo of Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse rose to fame with the massive hit 'Crazy,' this album revealed a more nuanced, experimental side. Staying true to their cinematic r&b roots, The Odd Couple refines their sound with sharper songwriting and polished production. Highlights include the gospel-synth swirl of 'Going On' and the frantic funk energy of 'Run (I'm A Natural Disaster).' It's an underrated follow-up that showed Gnarls Barkley was more than just a one-hit wonder.
Review: Russia's Gnoomes (aka Sasha Painkov and his wife Masha Piankova) have really overcome some hefty odds to get out their new album Ax Ox - the pandemic, illness, depression and of course turmoil back home. But it was worth the graft as they offer up a potent and moving mix of melancholia and strident optimism. The mix up the hope of dream pop with the drive of Krautrock, the vidid melodies of transcendent music with plenty of great narratives about the troubled relationship the band has with their home country. This is an eye-opening and thought-provoking record that is very much reflective of the troubled global times in which we love.
When The Food Runs Out (We Still Have Each Other) (3:24)
I'm Going Down To Hell (5:25)
Keep Your Eyes Wide Open (4:33)
In Flames (4:32)
Al-Sayyida (4:56)
Dance For You (4:27)
Creeping Vine (4:11)
Regeneration (3:20)
Review: Reading-based Garage/Punk/Psychobilly band The Go Go Cult signed to the iconic rockabilly-led Western Star label in 2012. This electrifying new album is their sixth studio record since then and it's an electrifying addition to their back catalogue. Led by a frontman who rivals The Cramps' Lux Interior when it comes to a darkly-theatrical approach, the tracklist is bursting with highlights. 'Black Is The Colour Of My Love' is hypnotic and menacing, 'When The Food Runs Out' nods to Joy Division, whilst 'Regeneration' has an air of Fat White Family about it. The label only pressed a limited number of copies, making it potentially a future collectible, not to mention its stunning, niche work of art thanks to retro illustrator Vince Ray's cover.
Right Of Me (feat Derane Obika - On My dance Side version) (3:06)
Back In The Underwater (feat Reiwa Pia) (3:15)
Walkin' A Dream (feat Derane Obika) (3:26)
Hold The Line (feat Derane Obika) (4:10)
Cat With Camera (3:39)
Fall Into The Flame (feat Derane Obika) (3:29)
I Am Believe (feat Derane Obika) (3:36)
Don't You Worry (feat Derane Obika) (3:19)
Are U Ready? (feat Derane Obika) (3:22)
Watergate (feat Manuela Amalfitano) (3:56)
I Am Believe (Dreamy Vibe) (2:45)
Review: If you're a fan of the golden age of soul then you will well know that this album Taking All The Love I Can from The Chosen few is one of the canon's most revered. Since its original release on Maple Records in 1971 it has not been reissued on vinyl until now. It features their uniquely moody take on Northern Soul and plenty of swaggering arrangements and heart-melting vocals, not least the gorgeous falsetto of 'Something's Bad'. Oringals of this will cost you over $500 on second hand markets so make sure you cop this newly remastered version on all-new audiophile and virgin vinyl.
Review: Japanese percussive and rhythmic experts Goat have finally graced us with a new album. It's taken around eight years to materialise, and band leader Koshiro Hino apparently described the process as "90% pain", which sounds like there's quite the tale to tell. No doubt all will be revealed to fans in due course, but for now let's just say one of the world's most enigmatic, talented (read: unfathomably tight) and complex groups are back on incredibly fine form. As ever with this crew, attempting to come up with reference points to guide would-be-buyers as to wether this is for them feels redundant simply because it should be impossible not to find Joy In Goat captivating. Fans of Miles Davis and Autechre alike should be bowled over, with highly technical, drum-led arrangements that sound like they could only possibly be machine made coming out of what is essentially a piece of expressive performance art on record.
You Are The Judge, The Jury, & The Executioner (7:28)
Review: Purge is the much anticipated new album from rock behemoths Godflesh. The band is led by frontman Justin Broadwick - formerly half of Techno Animal with The Bug's Kevin Martin - who has expressed his discomfort at being quizzed about his music on social media. He battles with autism and PTSD and uses music as therapy and a release from the stress and isolationism that comes with those conditions. This record finds the band look back to their 1992 album Pure which is what first marked them out as special and it's raw, dense, unrelenting heavy rock with snarled vocals that offer comfort for the despairing.
Review: Godflesh are back with a new single taken from their new and upcoming album Purge which finds frontman Justin Broadwick - formerly half of Techno Animal with The Bug's Kevin Martin - using music as a way of processing his autism and PTSD. It is full throttle, dense post-rock music with his guttural vocals front and centre amidst walls of scuzzy guitar and industrial drum sounds. The original of 'Nero' comes remixed, and also as a dub and alternative version which is even more head-twisting. Not for the faint of heart, this one.
Review: The Canadian post-rock instrumentalists return with a demand for revolution, soundtracked by just shy of 45 minutes of orchestral aggression. As with all of their work, GY!BE convey their ideas articulately through evocative wordless music. The opener, 'Undoing a Luciferian Towers' sets a tone for the album with a monolithic and militaristic march. Passages of feedback open out into anthemic expanse on the three parts of 'Bosses Hang'. 'Fam/Famine' balances between harmonic assonance and dissonance, ramping up the tension before the final triptych 'Anthem Of The State' takes a more optimistic tone, with the movement away from noise providing some glimmers of light in the abyss. 'Luciferian Towers' is an impeccable and polished record, and possibly Godspeed You! Black Emperor's finest to date.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.