Back catalogue: All genres

Review: To say Philippe Doray and his Asociaux Associes finished the 1970s with creative fervour would be an understatement. First we had 1976's Ramasse-Miettes Nucleaires, then two years after that there was the equally potent Nouveaux Modes Industriels. Both were heralded as ahead of their time, at the time, bringing together strange, otherworldly pop, spacey prog, prototypes of Krautrock and impassioned poetry. Le Composant Compositeur followed, and in their own words marked the beginning of a new era in the 'Antisocial Associates' project (to use the English translation). It's a marvellous addition to the collection, too, a series of sharp, edgy, mutant pop tracks, weirdo brass experimentation, compressed electro, dubby ideas, and twisted, acid-spiked fairground themes.

Review: Mercy is a collaborative work between the late great Lee "Scratch" Perry (during his post-Black Ark Studios era), Peter Harris and Fritz Catlin, the drummer from the industrial funk dub act 23 Skidoo. What they cook up is unashamedly experimental outsider works that collide mad mixing desk trickery, Perry's trademark vocal mutterings and plenty of occult sound designs. Melodies are smeared and smudged, rhythms are drunk and off balance and moods range from balmy to bonkers, often within the same damn track. A maverick collage, for sure.

Review: One of the most compelling avant garde groups to emerge from the UK in years, Lice's second album shows them thrillingly darting between minimalism, rock, techno and more. It's tense, paranoiac, dramatic affair throughout and sounds thoroughly artful without a hint of pastiche. Curiously, this is a concept album expressed through three movements. The first traces a child's socialisation and their later awareness of the process and its limitations. The second is about them reevaluating fundamental concepts including money, time, nationhood and language. The third is about them embracing these new ideas and the increased sense of agency they receive. It's advanced creativity for a band merely on their second album and shows immense promise for them to follow in the footsteps of experimental greats such as Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart whilst maintaining a sense of British rock.

Review: There are few nu-metal bands from the formative late 90s/early 00s scene who achieved the monumental crossover appeal of Linkin Park. From their turntable spinning, frenetic rap-metal beginnings on 2000's global breakout Hybrid Theory, to the refined maturation of their formula on 2003's career-height Meteora, to their Jay-Z collaborative album Collision Course to the shedding of skin and rebranding as a genre-less alternative rock entity on 2007's Minutes To Midnight; as popular and accessible as they were, the band clearly constantly strived for sonic progression. Papercuts collects the highest charting singles from the group over two decades, with the most recent contribution being the previously unreleased 'Friendly Fire' recorded during the sessions for 2017's One More Light, which ultimately serves as the final new piece of recording from the band and vocalist Chester Bennington who would tragically take his own life later that same year. Ignoring the standard sequencing of a greatest hits which often lists the tracks in chronologically released order, here the cuts are compiled to sonically complement each other and reflect the band's ethos rather than a single line commercial pattern. Here is why the anthemic double platinum 'In The End' is juxtaposed with the minimalist rap-rock of MTM banger 'Bleed It Out', or why the previously unreleased fan favourite demo 'QWERTY' lands right between the U2 indebted 'What I've Done' and the original breakout single that started it all 'One Step Closer'.

Review: With the tragic, untimely passing of lead vocalist Chester Bennington in 2017, it naturally appeared to be the end for nu-metal/alt rock juggernauts Linkin Park, until recently shocking their fans with the confirmed news that Dead Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong would be taking Bennington's place, while new drummer Colin Brittain would step in to replace Rob Bourdain who decided not to join the reformation. Serving as the follow up to 2017's pop focused One More Light, the band's upcoming eight full-length LP From Zero takes its title from their original early day name Xero whilst highlighting this newly defined creative origin the members have found themselves cornered into, bearing clear signs of a desire to celebrate their nu-metal beginnings without undoing the decades worth of progression they have accomplished since. With 11 tracks and just over a half-hour runtime, it's evident the project appears to be prioritising brevity and a succinct introduction to this new era without losing site of what sonically drew their legions of fans to them in the first place. It's a brave, delicate time for Linkin Park with From Zero championed as the heralding of this new chapter, aiming to hopefully bridge and appease listeners from all spectrums of their back catalogue.

Review: With the untimely and tragic passing of Chester Bennington in 2017, it was the natural presumption that Californian nu-metal turned alt rock megastars Linkin Park would cease to exist. Surprising their avid fanbase by announcing news of their reformation with Dead Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong, as well as new drummer Colin Brittain (Rob Bourdain opted not to join the reunion), From Zero offers a nod to their original band name Xero whilst simultaneously ushering in their new era. Sonically, the band are doing their utmost to both pay credence to their heavier origins while naturally rerouting towards their newfound vision. Serving as follow up to 2017's pop-oriented and critically panned One More Light, the understandable decision to re-embrace aspects of their nu-metal motifs is commendable, whilst modifying and building upon their past sonics to craft comfortable musical bedrock for the new voice of their band. Comparing to prior albums may be inescapable for diehard fans with the material owing humble countenance to the Linkin Park of yesteryear, while this deluxe edition expands upon the original version's somewhat succinct (or rushed) 11 tracks over 30 minutes with an additional three bonus cuts as well as five live versions.

Review: Certified 8xPlatinum and ranked at number eight in the highest selling albums of the 21st century, 2003's Meteora saw nu-metal legends Linkin Park attempt (and very much succeed) to make lightning strike in the same place twice with their now iconic follow up to their 2000 12xPlatinum selling debut Hybrid Theory. Launching the "Because Sound Matters One-Step" series with new high-fidelity remasters of their first three albums, these audiophile reissues arrive in newly designed slipcases, complete with elaborate details of the audio processing stages. Pressed to 180-gram standard black vinyl with all 3000 copies numbered, rediscover a genre-staple with some of the band's biggest hits remastered to their fullest sonic potential yet, including 'Numb', 'Faint', 'Breaking The Habit', and, 'Somewhere I Belong'. Never has the veteran production of Terry Date and his seamless ability to fuse the band's warring metallic and hip-hop centric identities, felt so prominent and clear, while the passing of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017 shrouds his lyrical honesty and vulnerable cadence in harrowing retrospectivity.

Review: .It seems like half a lifetime ago that Linkin Park exploded from the underground nu-metal scene into the mainstream conscious with their debut album, Hybrid Theory. In actual fact, that was only the year 2000, a time when the sub genre itself was dominating charts and day time radio. As with many bands, though, it would be the difficult second with which they cemented their status as key proponents of the scene. Unleashing angsty lyrics, disarmingly addictive hooks and arrangements born out of hip-hop as much as rock, Meteora, LP number two, produced hits like 'Faint', 'Numb', and 'Somewhere I Belong'. Tracks that defined an era, in these circles at least, Lost Demos sees the group collate a wealth of material from that time - much of it previously unreleased - for an essential retrospective.

Review: The Certified 12xPlatinum Grammy Award winning seminal debut album from nu-metal heavyweights Linkin Park is set to receive a brand-new limited reissue (along with 2003's Meteora and 2007's Minutes to Midnight) on what has been dubbed the "One Step" remasters. These high-quality audiophile pressings launch the new "Because Sound Matters One-Step" series, with each release providing details of the audio sourcing process; all housed in newly designed slipcases. Pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, numbered and limited to 3,000 copies, mark our words when we say you've never heard the genre-defining hits such as 'One Step Closer', 'Papercut', 'Crawling', or, 'In The End', with this level of clarity and fidelity, while the band's effortless fusion of metal, hip-hop, alternative rock and turntable wizardry, emboldened by the legendary production guru Terry Date, has rarely radiated such towering sonic warmth. Above all, the vulnerable lyricism and cathartic cadence of late, great lead vocalist Chester Bennington looms large and poignant.

Review: London based rising star and guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd has covered an immense amount of ground since graduating with a first-class honours in Popular Music Performance from BIMM Music Institute London. Combining her ludicrous ability with a stringent work ethic and adept understanding of social media marketing, her platform has increased majorly thanks to her epic "shredley" videos as well as covers, originals, tutorials and appearing alongside hip-hop/pop megastar Machine Gun Kelly during his recent UK/EU tour. Finally arriving at her long-gestating debut full-length, the cleverly titled Imposter Syndrome offers up a dream come to sonic life with the help of a rolodex worth of guest vocalists spanning from the incomparable Lzzy Hale of Halestrom to Matt Heafy of metal giants Trivium to Michael Starr of glam absurdists Steel Panther; all doing their utmost to match Lloyd's frenetic mastery, while like any shredder worth their salt knows, the earworm riffs and face-melting solos always shine brightest when in service to well-crafted songs, which the album pumps out with retro-fitted swagger and well-earned confidence.

Review: Travels In Constants was a wonderful thing. A subscription-only CD series from New York based record label Temporary Residence Ltd, as the new century dawned Low made their contribution to this audio saga with The Exit Papers. A quarter century or so later, and it remains one of the most stunning and powerful outings in the series. Originally just 1,000 copies were made of a collection best described as a "sparse suite of six mostly instrumental pieces composed for a film that never existed." Suffice to say, we have all read lines like that before, but rarely do they feel quite so apt. It's haunting, beautiful, tender, deep, floaty, and occupies some strange place that we've never been to before, but knew the moment we arrived. Electronic ambient, desolate dystopian Western score and lush serenity all at once.

Review: Originally released in 2005, Feral Hymns would serve as the 11th (and true final) full-length from Washington D.C. devout Dischord Records alumni Lungfish. Having released every album apart from their debut with Minor Threat/Fugazi visionary Ian MacKaye's label, they were easily one of the longest lasting on the roster when considering the longevity of their peers and labelmates in say Jawbox or Shudder To Think. Continuing their consistent aura of experimental first wave emo stripped down to caustic, murky minimalist compositions, the material sticks to their established formula but embittered by the passage of time, while the commitment to their signature style is also more illuminating in hindsight, as the group would semi-disband, or at least cease writing/recording following this release, with members branching off into other projects. While 2012's A.C.R. 1999 is often perceived as their 12th LP, that release was comprised of older recording sessions, making it technically a compilation and Feral Hymns their definitive swansong.