Review: U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb gets a lavish 20th-anniversary treatment with this limited edition 8xLP super deluxe boxset. The collection revisits the Grammy-winning album and is newly remastered. The original album, featuring massive hits like Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights, is now paired with a fascinating companion piece titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb. This piece was a second album that was recorded at the same time as the main album with exclusive remixes by collaborators such as Hot Chip and Trent Reznor adding fresh perspectives on familiar tracks, while live enthusiasts can rejoice with the inclusion of the full Vertigo 2005: Live From Chicago performanceinow available on vinyl for the first time. The package's extras elevate this release into collector's territory. A stunning photography book by Anton Corbijn, complete with handwritten notes, captures the visual essence of the band, while special edition prints provide a tactile, artistic flourish.
Review: Uboa's Impossible Light marks a significant shift from the ambitious darkness of previous work. Xandra Metcalfe's latest release merges otherworldly sounds with raw human emotion, creating a captivating blend of intense darkness and poignant beauty. Throughout Impossible Light, Uboa explores a heightened sense of urgency and directness, particularly in addressing themes of trans experiences and societal marginalisation. Tracks like 'Endocrine Disruptor' contrast serene melodies with explosive beats, while 'The Puzzle' immerses listeners in heavy synths and impactful percussion. 'Gordian Worm' transitions from harsh noise to a more structured electro-industrial sound and 'Pattern Screamers' delivers a powerful vocal performance amid distorted, mechanical noise. The seamless flow between 'Jawline' and 'Weaponised Dysphoria', alongside the emotional depth of 'Sleep Hygiene', underscores Uboa's skillful talent at balancing it all.
Review: Uboa's Impossible Light represents a profound evolution from the dark, ambitious sound of The Origin of My Depression. Xandra Metcalfe's latest work melds inhuman textures with visceral human emotions, creating a unique blend of dark intensity and raw beauty. The album opens with 'Phthalates', a track that combines haunting vocal samples with jittery percussion, setting a controlled yet expansive tone. 'Endocrine Disruptor' features a striking contrast of serene arpeggios and explosive beats, highlighting Uboa's ability to juxtapose beauty with darkness. Lyrically, the album reflects a heightened urgency, addressing themes of trans experiences and societal othering with a stark, direct approach. 'The Puzzle' delves into oppressive, heavy synths and percussive blasts, while 'Gordian Worm' evolves from harsh noise to a more structured electro-industrial sound. Tracks like 'Pattern Screamers' are dynamic with a strong vocal performance amid corrupted, mechanical noise. 'Jawline' and 'Weaponised Dysphoria' flow seamlessly, with 'Jawline' transitioning from choral elements to harsh electronics, and 'Weaponised Dysphoria' reversing this progression. 'Sleep Hygiene' contrasts intense noise with reflective breaks, portraying the struggle with illness and recovery. Overall, Uboa's capacity for blending darkness with hope, making it a poignant and essential listen. This version comes on coloured vinyl.
Review: In the 1970s, UK reggae band The Cimarons were an in-demand backing act who worked with then-iconic Jamaican artists like the Wailers and Jimmy Cliff. During a 1975 tour of Japan with the Pioneers, they found time to hook up with guitarist and vocalist Toshikatsu Uchiumi of the rock band The Carol. This is the result - a fusion of different reggae perspectives that also folds in mid-70s Japanese rock and blues, with Uchiumi singing in Japanese and contributing lead guitar. Produced by Sidney Crooks, this one-off release showed how adaptable and brilliant the The Cimarons' were and has a broad appeal to fans of both reggae and rock.
Review: Chikara Ueda's Flying Easy from 1980 is an essential exploration of jazz fusion, combining intricate melodies with infectious grooves. The opening track, 'Flying Easy,' sets the tone with a laid-back, yet dynamic rhythm, led by Ueda's electric piano and synthesiser work. The ensemble, featuring renowned musicians like Harvey Mason on drums, delivers precise and energetic performances throughout. Tracks like 'Cloudy' and 'Jojo' showcase the group's ability to weave complex rhythms with soulful melodies, while 'Do Like You Do In New York' adds an engaging funk groove. This release captures a vibrant era of jazz fusion and remains a standout for its smooth and innovative approach to genre-blending.
Review: The 2024 Obsession (Deluxe Edition) by UFO revitalizes the band's 1978 hard rock classic with a remastered sound and a beavy of bonus material. Released by Chrysalis UK, this edition features the original album remastered from the production tapes and includes a previously unreleased live mix of their 1978 Agora Ballroom performance. This live set, newly mixed by Brian Kehew, captures UFO's peak, showcasing Phil Mogg's powerful vocals and Michael Schenker's electrifying guitar work. The album, noted for its darker and atmospheric tone, features signature tracks like 'Only You Can Rock Me' and 'Cherry'. Schenker's playing shines, especially on tracks like 'Ain't No Baby' and 'Lookin' Out for No. 1', while Mogg's vocals are in top form. The chemistry within the band is palpable, and the songwriting is solid, flowing seamlessly throughout the album. Four bonus tracks, including an alternate version of 'Cherry' and two studio recordings from Strangers In The Night sessions, enrich this edition.
Review: Veteran French hip-hop producer Ugly Mac Beer ventures into synth-punk with this new album. A passion project conceived in his teens, this record embodies three decades of musical ambition and collides post-punk, electro-punk, darkwave and new wave with US hip-hop and rap rock. Influences like Beastie Boys, The Cure, Kraftwerk and Sleaford Mods resonate throughout and collaborations with Princess Superstar-whose hit 'Perfect' recently resurged on TikTok-French rapper Mynameisleonidas, Frustration's vocalist and longtime ally The Real Fake MC, Broken Ill is a bold trip. Ugly Mac Beer reinvents himself here by delivering a daring UK-inspired rap rock gem that defies convention.
Review: Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann, Josh Johnson and Sam Wilkes, a collective of three versatile improvisers, arrangers and producers whose work spans jazz, rock and experimental. Across 11 instrumental tracks, they explore a jazz-informed take on progressive electro-acoustic chamber music that brings beauty, melody and rhythm to the fore. The record was conceived during live shows and a home session in Los Angeles and features Uhlmann's mournful fingerpicked guitar, Wilkes' bass chording and Johnson's effect-laden saxophone. Their arrangement-minded improvisation results in some nicely otherworldly textures as they push their instruments to create a spacious, lyrical sound.
Review: Though much of the devout U.K. Subs fanbase will insist that the band's debut full-length Another Kind Of Blues is the begin and end-all of the pub-rockers turned punk icons seminal offerings to the punkosphere, both their legendary frontman Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt have previously stated that they believe their fifth LP Endangered Species is their crowning achievement. With lyrical cynicism showcasing Harper's razor sharp wit and riffage that simultaneously reflects the burgeoning hardcore scene forming across the Atlantic in 1982 (an era that saw the first batch of albums from future legends such as Black Flag, Negative Approach and Circle Jerks) whilst furthering their own brand of homegrown rock-centric punk into frenetic new directions, the work was severely ahead of its time with regards to where punk was at and where it was heading, with bangers such as the title-track or sarcastic 'Down On The Farm' still going as hard today as they did over four decades years ago.
Review: Having recently been refused entry into the US due to their staunch anti-Trump stance, London's own pub rock turned homegrown punk icons UK Subs shall reissue their criminally underrated Japan Today for Record Store Day 2025. Originally released in 1987 and ranked letter J in the Subs' A-Z album list, this LP has been out of print for the past decade and finally returns home to wax for both longtime fans who've worn their original pressing down to PVC scraps and late to the party newcomers doing their most studious punk homework. Remastered with updated artwork, featuring both Knox and Daryl Barth wielding a double-guitar assault, the record boasts some of the band's most overlooked gems such as 'Another Cuba' and 'Thunderbird Wine'.
Review: Although the common consensus amongst the fateful UK Subs fanbase regards London's own pub-rockers turned punk heroes' classic debut LP Another Kind Of Blues as the high watermark of their output, many devout listener as well as both founding vocalist Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt will counter-argue that the band's explosive fifth album Endangered Species (1982) is their strongest work. Complete with razor sharp cynical, lyrical insights and chunky riffage not dissimilar to the burgeoning hardcore scene formulating in tandem in early 80s USA, the material saw the Subs pushing their own form of classic rock-oriented punk into aggressive, surprising new directions, being both sonically emblematic of where the punk scene was at this time and where the future was beckoning towards, while bangers such as the title-track and the humorously sardonic 'Down On The Farm' still go as hard today as they did over four decades prior.
Review: While many a devout U.K. Subs fanatic will lay claim that the pub-rockers turned punk legends' seminal debut full-length Another Kind Of Blues is and shall always be the band's most vital contribution to the punk maelstrom, both legendary founding vocalist Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt consider their fifth album Endangered Species to be their finest work. Boasting razor sharp lyrical cynicism and riffs simultaneously reflective of the burgeoning hardcore scene taking shape across the pond in 1982 (which saw the first slew of albums from future icons such as Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Descendents) while also pushing their own form of homegrown rock-oriented punk into aggressive new directions, the material was majorly ahead of its time in regards to where the punk scene was and where it was headed, with gems such as the title-track and sardonic 'Down On The Farm' still going as hard as they did 40 years ago. A true testament to the underrated staying power of one of the homegrown greats of first wave punk..
Review: Check classic dance music books of the 1990s - and even some later music texts, such as Richard King's The Lark Ascending - and you'll find plenty of praise for Ultramarine's work of the early 1990s, which added pastoral and folk-rock inspired sounds to the sample-heavy pulse of dance music. What you won't find is any reference to their final album of the decade, A User's Guide. Yet it may well be their best album. A conscious exploration of techno and IDM shot through with references to Detroit, Berlin and Sheffield (well, Warp Records at least), it reportedly took the duo almost two years to record. A largely unheralded British techno classic, it has been painstakingly remastered for this first ever vinyl reissue and boasts extensive contextualising liner notes from UK techno historian (and sometime Juno writer) Matt Anniss.
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.
B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition
White China (3:49)
One Small Day (4:23)
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (4:37)
Lament (4:35)
Man Of The Two Worlds (4:25)
Heart Of The Country (5:07)
When The Time Comes (4:57)
A Friend I Call Desire (5:11)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
The 40th Anniversary Edition of Ultravox's Lament offers a fresh perspective on a seminal album from 1984. The album, produced by Ultravox ithe preceding year, is a defining moment in their career, marked by the UK Top 10 hit 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes' and notable singles like 'One Small Day' and the title track 'Lament.' Musically, Lament stands as a sophisticated blend of new wave and synth-pop with a darker, introspective edge, the tracks exhibiting a polished yet emotionally charged sound, driven by Midge Ure's poignant vocals and the band's intricate arrangements and the album's themes of emotional turmoil and societal commentary are given new life through this comprehensive reissue.
808 State - "Pacific State" (Massey Conga mix) (4:04)
Magma - "Eliphas Levi" (10:53)
Homelife - "Stranger" (6:05)
Michael Gregory Jackson - "Unspoken Magic" (5:25)
Dora Morelenboum - "Avermelhar" (4:27)
Simone - "Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser" (2:17)
Experience Unlimited - "People" (6:09)
Otis G Johnson - "I Got It" (4:26)
Mel & Tim - "Keep The Faith" (3:56)
Review: There's so much to admire about the borderless musical inclinations of the one and only Luke Una. A longstanding standard-bearer for nocturnal eclecticism, he's made an art out of pigeon-hole dodging, via event series like Electric Chair/Elephant and Homoelectric, his Worldwide FM residency, and E Soul Cultura compilations. His latest comp sees him explore sonic transcendence, selecting a body of musical curios based on their ability to transport the listener to higher realms. As expected, the album bursts with delightful, lesser-known morsels that make it more than worthy of attention. Opening with the psychedelic guitar swells of John Martyn's masterful 'Small Hours' before meandering into the blissful meditations of Stephen Whynott's 'A Better Way', drifting into the staccato whimsy of Sylvain Kassap's 'Plancoe' and arresting with the aching soul of Michael Gregory Jackson's 'Unspoken Magic', there are too many standouts to mention. This is an album to savour from start to finish, a means of cultivating inner peace and astral escapism. When it comes to digging chops, there aren't too many who measure up to Luke, and this selection serves as a case in point.
Review: Underworld's latest album, Strawberry Hotel maps a distinct sonic landscape where minimalistic techno pulses meet textured and scratchy guitar tones, creating an uncanny blend of precision and spontaneity. Each track occupies its own atmosphere-from tracks built around tight, rhythmic kicks and monotone voices, to others steeped in lush melodic swells. Highlight tracks 'and the colour red' and 'denver luna' showcase their talent for boundary-pushing compositions, while 'black poppies' stands as a tribute to dancefloor euphoria and pure vitality, all without a single beat.
Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) (10:49)
Smiling Faces Sometimes (3:11)
We've Got A Way Out Love (2:59)
Since I've Lost You (2:57)
Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone (2:31)
I Heard It Through The Grapevine (2:42)
Like A Rolling Stone (6:37)
Review: Fresh on the heels of a first-time-on-CD edition of The Undisputed Truth's first three albums compiled into a single record, the American Motown signees and psychedelic soulsters now hear a revisiting of their first album - the emergent basis of the now renewed interest in the band - onto a limited edition LP by Kent Soul. Known for its prescient mixture of the classic Tamla Motown soul sound with psychedelic rock, fan favourites such as 'You Got The Love I Need' and 'Since I've Lost You' come amix with many covers, including 'I Got Heaven Right Here On Earth' and 'Like A Rolling Stone'. The sound is nocturnal and rife with tender, candlelit, story-time moods, with a slinky dark slickness contrasting a otherwise normally bright psychedelic sound.
Review: Unionen is a new quartet of top-tier Norwegian and Swedish jazz musicians, namely Stale Storlokken, Per "Texas" Johansson, Petter Eldh and Gard Nilssen. Their name references the 1814-1905 union between Sweden and Norway and their sound is truly unique in the way it combines misty introspection and energetic rock-infused jazz. This album then is a deeply original musical experience with tracks like 'Stahlbad' and '6983' dull of emotional nuance. Eight originals overall blend classic and rare instruments, creating a unified, emotive sound. Early live shows have been praised, confirming their status as a standout jazz ensemble.
Review: New Zealand-turned-Portland neo psych sorts Unknown Mortal Orchestra have made a name for themselves with vocal-based records. But they occasionally turn their hand to purely instrumental music and come up trumps. IC-02 Bogota follows their only previous instrumental album, 2018's IC-01 Hanoi. The rhythm of the album brings you to the chaotic hustle and bustle of the Colombian capital, which is where the album was recorded. It's music that appears born out of collaboration; the single 'Earth 1' is an 11-minute jam that has a lot in common with jazz in terms of knowing the moment when to make way for an extended solo. This is a superb detour and a series that we can only hope UMO keep going.
Review: Experience the shimmering, manic pop thrills from Washington D.C. indie rock greats Unrest at their creative peak. Originally released in 1993 on 4AD, this 30th anniversary remaster is a celebration of their final studio album and sounds edgy to this day. 'Angel I'll Walk You Home' has a Nico vibe and excels in placing beautiful melodies alongside twangy clean guitar to craft a thought-provoking sound world that envelops you. Things get scuzzier on 'Cath Carroll' as the distortion pedal gets dialed up and the rhythm section go for a frenetic light post-punk. It's clear that they went out with a bang with this curtain closer of an album. How they were left to split when firing off indie pop gold at this level is a total mystery. At least we're seeing sustained appreciation.
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