Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Ultraista put out a highly acclaimed album in March and now it gets remixed by some superb underground electronic artists. Floating Points ditches his intricate prog and synth work of recent times to turn in a nice glitchy garage mix. American FaltyDL then soars up to the heavens on nice soulful vocal and shimmering drums and Zero 7 goes for a slower, more downtempo vibe for chilled home sessions. After a flurry of jungle percussion and drums from Crate Classics, Leifur James closes things down with intricate electronics and pensive synths. No two tunes here are alike, and all are essential.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this Record Store Day, 'Original Soundtracks 1' is a bold, imaginative collaboration between British ambient pioneer Brian Eno and Irish band U2 under the moniker Passengers. Blurring the line between ambient experimentation and cinematic storytelling, the album features 15 tracks that were all conceived as soundtracks for fictional films. Highlights include the haunting 'Miss Sarajevo' with Luciano Pavarotti and contributions from Howie B and Holi and this remastered anniversary edition comes on recycled black vinyl. An adventurous 1995 release that stands up now as an atmospheric, genre-blurring work and a rare and inspired detour in U2's discography.

Review: The sixth studio album by British synth pop legends Ultravox landed in 1982, and peaked at an impressive number six in an albums chart that was still highly competitive. By December that year, the record had clocked up more than 100,000 copies, earning a Gold certificate from the BPI, while also ranking in US and German hit lists around the same time. Notable as it saw George Martin (affectionally known to some as The Fifth Beatle) stepping up to the helm, this veteran apparently claimed the band were "the most musical" he'd worked with in years. Agree or not, the record is bold and theatrical, at times taking us out on the town in bleep-happy Sheffield (or some such synth domain), in other moments inviting us to partake in a strange electronic cabaret.

Review: This Ultravox classic gets a special release for Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 on double vinyl complete with a stunning stereo mix by Steven Wilson. This version offers a refreshed take on the iconic album and is a fine homage to one of the band's most defining works. It reminds just how groundbreaking their sound was at the time and it still has a modern twist that makes it feel relevant now. Instrumentals are all included next to the originals for added depth.

Review: This refreshed edition of the standout album from Ultravox comes as part of Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 and has been mixed in majestic stereo by Steven Wilson. It arrives on a double CD and pays tribute to one of the band's most influential works and in the process highlights the groundbreaking sound that defined their era. The album retains its timeless appeal all these years on and mixes up the innovative essence of the original with a modern touch. Alongside the original tracks, this edition includes instrumental versions that serve up a deeper exploration of the music and make it a must-own piece for fans old or new.

Review: Four piece outfit The Umbrellas call themselves "renegade romantics" and they are adept at making irresistible indie pop hymns. 2021 marked the year they dropped their successful breakout debut album and in the wake of that they went on national tours and got plenty of critical acclaim. Fairweather Friend is the difficult second album that didn't prove so and brought yet more lush and candied melodies with confident guitar, great vocals and plenty of studio finesse. Not bad for a group that met at San Francisco record emporium Amoeba Music.

Review: Logic runs through the Unknown Mortal Orchestra back catalogue, even if that's just in terms of what the records are actually called. V, then, is album number five, a double-sized and long-awaited package that represents the first long form outing from Ruban Nielson and Co since 2018. In modern music, that's a hell of a long time. Rest assured, though, it seems like time was well spent honing crafts, polishing ideas, and coming out with 14 incredibly interesting and compelling songs.

In many ways V isn't a huge departure from IV, but - maybe because of that extended gap - you still can't shake the feeling this is you meeting the Orchestra for the first time. Packed full of surprises, running the gamut between blissed out, stargazing stuff, lo-fi funk steppers, and a kind of stoner pop-blues, it's love at first play. Again.

Review: New Zealand-born, Portland-based Ruban Nielson is well known for mixing up lo-fi, indie rock, psychedelic sounds and plenty of trippiness into unique and beguiling sound worlds. V is said to be the band's most definitive album yet and it was written between the dry freeways of Palm Springs in California and the much more lush coastlines of Hawai'i. As such it is drawn from a world of West Coast AOR, classic hits, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music. This is the first double album in the artist's discography and it is well worth the extra playtime.

Review: BBC's hit action drama Killing Eve not only introduced the exceptional screen talent of Jodie Comer to a global audience, it also had some damned good tunes each and every season. Unloved were responsible for much of the soundtrack to the relationship between deadly assassin Villanelle and super-determined government agent Eve, which progresses from obsessive woman-hunt to weirdly playful cat and mouse games and finally, something much more personal. Ode to the Lovers collates much of the music delivered by Unloved for this gripping journey played out over four series, resulting in a staggeringly mesmerising collection of sounds that seem to lull, swoon, sway, romance, mystify and, finally, win hearts over. Blissful and beautiful instrumental classical-pop-electronic business, it's certainly worthy of the eye candy these limited run pressings come packaged in.

Review: Departing Roadrunner Records for the more fitting label home of Century Media, Portland, Oregon's Unto Others (FKA Idle Hands) have consistently been referred to in the music press as the likely torch bearers of the goth-metal revival, with many even heralding them as the 21st century successors to The Sisters Of Mercy or Type O Negative. While their macabre 2019 debut Mana and the more abrasive sophomore effort Strength both provided glimpses of this perceived greatness, it's with their highly anticipated third full-length Never, Neverland the band truly seize the mantle and rise to the weighted pressure. Tapping producer Tom Dalgety (The Cult, Ghost) has proved a stroke of genius, as his experience and melodious sonic penchants allow for glossy synthwave to pulse beneath gloomy, gothic, lovelorn death-rock bangers as accessible and instantaneous as they are menacing. Dust off your black shades and leather jacket, it's cool to be a sad, verbose goth with a deep voice again.

Review: Meghan Remy is one of North America's musical secret weapons. Unless, of course, you already know about her, then she's just a bonafide gem in the crown jewels. Raised in Illinois, but based in Toronto for much of her career, her work as U.S. Girls is born of the post-millennium alt-pop sound, and by that we mean also cast in the shadows of the mainstream that defined much of her childhood. Bless This Mess presents that in all its glory. Some tracks can best be described as yacht pop (see: yacht rock, then work it out), homages to Immaculate Collection-era Madonna are audible, striking beautiful minimalistic balladry is present, and a voice sweeter than a sugar binge just before sitting down to watch, err, something sweet is omnipresent. It's stylised, stylish stuff, and it's difficult not to feel intoxicated by.

Review: The output from cult label Emotional Response is always varied and always vital. This time out the focus turns to Useless Users, who offer up a standout nine-track debut here. The band features former Sarah Records alumni including members of Action Painting! and Secret Shine as well as featuring Even As We Speak. The music they make is pop but with bold adventure at its heart. There are dreamy elements, big bold chords and stunning vocal deliveries as well as a few twists and turns along the way. It's a real gem with nods to sixties psyche amongst others.