Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: Let's face facts, the trilogy of releases that ACR:EPR completes have helped win over a new generation of fans for the band while reassuring established followers that A Certain Ratio can still do the business. They've been heartfelt and honest, truly innovative and - when all is said and done, at some point in the near future - destined to be considered collector's items.

The final chapter is certainly winding things up triumphantly. '$ouls In The City' seems to go straight for the mind's eye, an enrapturing track that chugs its way through layers of funk groove, with acid details just about audible on top. 'Night People' is a far more sticky, treacly affair, while 'Big Boy Pants' ushers in a kind of nocturnal seduction, brass and rolling breakbeats setting the scene perfectly for the ska-infused melodies of 'Downtime Vibes' that follow.

Review: Hull and Leeds-based band bdrmm finally follow up their acclaimed debut album Bedroom - which was instantly passed as a modern day shoegaze classic - with a new EP. It features the recent single 'Port' as well as fresh remixes by the ever more essential Daniel Avery, plus Working Men's Club, A Place To Bury Strangers and others. That single, 'Port,' took the band in a new direction with a darker sound fun of distorted drones and beats, with howls of anguish and manic guitar frenzies. That is carried over into the rest of the EP next to some radical reworks.

Review: The second part of a series of essential early records by Texas's Butthole Surfers features three of their most unhinged releases: 1985's Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis, 1987's Locust Abortion Technician, and 1988's Hairway to Steven. These records capture the Butthole Surfers' evolution from Texan misfits to renowned provocateurs of the American underground scene. In 1985, they were the darlings of hallucinogen-fueled punk enthusiasts. By 1988, they had toured Europe, gained international recognition, and established a base in Driftwood, Texas. Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Butthole Surfers' chaotic genius. Featuring two tracks from Rembrandt and two new recordings from their home studio in Winterville, Georgia, the EP showcases the band's unique blend of precision and madness. 'Moving to Florida' stands out as a surreal, Beefheart-esque trip, while the other tracks are equally mind-blowing. This EP serves as a perfect, bite-sized introduction to the delirious brilliance that the band would continue to unleash in their subsequent releases. These albums are remastered by Golden himself adding to the importance of these.

Review: In all honesty, moving straight from the rousing, slightly grinding wall of sound with which 'We Are The Beautiful' signs off, into the lunging bass of a stomping Spooky dub edit of the same track, is both unexpected and a bit jarring. The noisy end of shoegaze-leaning indie into pared back prog-hued tech house from one of the all-time masters, anyone? But then that's kind of the point we want to celebrate.

Chapterhouse may only just be getting the reappraisal they deserve now, over a decade after their last and rather brief reunion tour (with She's A Vision also hitting our shelves early-2023), but their influence on heads and artists alike was significant. Debut album Whirlpool, for example, remains for many a high point of the entire shoegaze movement. Here are three more tracks to prove that point, and one belting - if sonically isolated - remix.

Review: "Everything is being transformed and yet nothing changes" sings Andrew Burnett on the aptly-titled 'Everything Is Moving.' It's been a fair while since we last heard from Paisley-Glasgow's jangly-indie-poppers Close Lobsters, and by all accounts their triumphant and unarguably catchy return pretty much sums up where we're at in February 2025. So much seems to be changing. And yet, when all is said and done, most of us are still going to be left in the same vulnerable position we started out in. But let's not get too bogged down in geopolitics. Better to focus on the four tracks that make up this resurgent EP. Opening on the title song, Stepping Across sets its stall out somewhere close to The Lighting Seeds, and double down on that position throughout. It's uptempo, summer-sounding stuff that doesn't shy away from exploring reflective themes. Oh, and probably worth noting the excellent, tougher and drummier 'Stepping Across (Temporal Transgression Mix)' that closes the package - arguably superior to the original.

Review: Bristol-based band DAMEFRISOR is composed of vocalist Kazhi Jahfar, guitarists Garin Curtis and Jamie Brown, plus synths and keys from Sam Nobbs and Megan Jenkins on bass. They formed back in 2019 and craft wide open soundscapes imbued with industrial post-rock and electronic twists. Nyle Dowd's drums power each tune and there is always drama to be found in the pulsating beats. Passionate and empowered vocals touch on notions of loneliness and "the reality of feeling invisible in the modern world" while always offering moments of real dancefloor clout.

Review: The fifth edition of Depeche Mode's Memento Mori white label remixes series hears four new remixes added to the post-hoc vinyl selection, offered to the world after the release of the synthpop pioneers' most recent eponymous album. Beginning with the demure atmospherics of Chris Avantgarde's 'Before We Drown', then into two propulsive, audio-brut experimental downtempo versions by AC, but not before a brilliant pystrance B1 by Indira Paganotto, which makes for a squarely sagacious sendoff.

Review: Make A Dance brings their official remix of Django Django's 'Don't Touch That Dial' to vinyl and in the process create a dancefloor bomb. Already a club-ready original, the remix transforms the original into an electrifying body-shaking anthem with Yuuko's vocals taking centre stage but nicely complemented by glitchy synths and acid elements. This version is a full-throttle, infectious banger and on the B-side you will find a vinyl-only dub mix that amplifies the electro grooves allowing Yuuko's vocals to subtly loop in the background. This is one of those records that Das of all genres will be reaching for to get things going to the next level.

Review: Fcukers' six-track EP is nothing short of a triumph, cementing its place as single of the year with a masterful blend of rave nostalgia and cutting-edge club energy. From the opening moments of 'Bon Bon', with its playful vocal hooks and an irresistible bassline that's pure dancefloor dynamite, the trio set a high bar. 'Homie Don't Shake' dives into darker house grooves, its gritty texture packing a punch, while 'Heart Dub' slows the pace with expansive, dub-inflected atmospheres that showcase their versatility. The closing track, 'Tommy', explodes with frenetic, punk-tinged energy, leaving an indelible mark. Every cut feels purposeful, offering something distinct yet contributing to the EP's cohesive, kaleidoscopic vision. This is a bold and confident statement from a trio who are dominating underground club culture.

Review: Applying what we're all thinking in February 2021 to a kind of Netflix & Chill parody, Fickle Friends are definitely the most thematically fitting band of the month. The Brighton outfit join a long and esteemed list of British pop groups that manage to marry scathing, sarcasm, and bare-boned honesty with sweetness, beauty and universality. Providing you like those keyboards with a No.1-style glitter coating, of course.

Opening on biggest of the lot, 'What A Time', the troupe opt to get the most inescapably positive out of the way first before rolling out real variety. '92' is an icy cool, emotionally scarred (or scarring?) ballad, 'Million' is a stepping, rave-rock workout, with 'IRL' apparently made for sunnier times than the current UK winter, and finale 'Finish Line' closing out on a calming and uplifting tone that's not a million miles away from what some would describe as Balearic chill.

Review: Impossibly powerful and soul fuelled sounds from Gabriels,who have headlined a fine list of all the major musi events, not least Glastonbury with a stirring performance that took them to all new levels. 'Love & Hate In a Different Time' is their most hard hitting tune but still comes with plenty of sweetness and sits at the centre of this 12" of the same name with an alternate version also included next to dusty and lo-fi soul gut wrenchers like 'The Blind' and the intimate vocals, swooning strings and finger clicks of 'In Loving Memory.'

Review: A new four-track EP reflecting ever-expanded horizons for the band, 'Bloodline' is the latest output from loose-limbed, soul-stirring funk band Gabriels. Quickly finding fans in the likes of Elton John, Celeste, Paul Weller, Benji B, and Gilles Peterson, Gabriels should soon find plenty more on a record that could soundtrack a David Lynch epic; such is its drama, its suspenseful, late-night orchestral ruminations. Capped by frontman Lusk's voice - a weapon that swoops through the octaves breathlessly - Gabriels have that rare ability to make you re-evaluate music, and what it can do, in a heartbeat. Whilst Lusk provides the wow factor with that ridiculous larynx, Gabriels are very much a close-knit trio. Producer, keyboardist (and full-time video director) Ryan Hope hails from Sunderland but calls LA home. Fellow producer-composer and violinist Ari Balouzian, a man with endless musical projects on the go at any one time, gives Gabriels' songs a real 'feel' to them. Sultry, soulful mood music certainly isn't the band's modus operandi, but this new experimental EP should paint an altogether more rounded idea of where Gabriels are at today.

Review: 'Loose Fit' isn't always the first song name that springs to mind when thinking about the Happy Mondays, but the immediately identifiable opiate guitar riff is up there with the band's most memorable and infectious. A highlight of the group's third album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, the track was already dancefloor ready before this pack of re-dos arrived on the scene. We're glad it did, though. Greg Wilson and Che Wilson open the scoring, keeping things thoroughly Manchester and acid-tinged, it's a trip through the blue lights and sweat of a warehouse at 2AM. The Grid's EOE Edit and subsequent Remix take the tempo down and the atmosphere deeper, almost druggier if that could humanly be possible given the wider context here. Topped off with a post-club overture in the form of the epic downbeat Perfecto version, and you might want to stick it in the shopping cart now.

Review: Heartworms are brand new outfit releasing under Speedy Wunderground - one of the few contemporary imprints giving fresh faces a fighting chance. Their debut EP 'A Comforting Notion' embeds the dystopian vision of one Jojo Orme into our minds - the frontwoman is a grandiose performer, giving tired tropes of delicate female bandleaders a run for its money through means like gritty post-punk and dark synth instrumentation, and a macabre sense of humour. The band's name references a heart-defecting parasite that is commonly found in dogs and is spread through mosquito bites - but don't worry, this EP will make your heart feel nothing but joy (permitting, at least, that you're a fan of bleak music!)

Review: Yeah X 3, the latest single from David Holmes and Raven Violet's album Blind On A Galloping Horse, diverges from the overtly political themes of the record, instead offering a personal revelation. Featuring remixes by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, as well as The Vendetta Suite's Gary Irwin, the single showcases diverse experimental approaches. For the A-side, the remixes are atmospheric and heady, creating a euphoric feeling with your head in the clouds. The second remix being the more beat forward version. For the B-side, massive amounts of sound heavily affected the remixes processing. The first being more of an ambient version while the last version is more straightforward and radio friendly. If you like the original song, then these versions will sit alongside them very well.

Review: In the early 1980s, Britain had a vibrant cassette culture that now gets spotlighted through a limited edition 12" featuring multi-instrumentalist Kez Stone's project, Imago. He was a notable name in Cornwall and the West Country's music scenes with previous projects, Artistic Control and Aaah! which have come back via reissues many times in the last ten years. Imago was a new one-ff project that first emerged with one track on the Perfect Motion compilation curated by NTS Radio's Bruno and Flo Dill and now the full LP, originally released in 1985 on the local label A Real Kavoom, has been remastered and added to with three additional gems. Stone's teenage punk influences sit next to Imago's eclectic approach to sound that blends new wave and psychedelic elements into something irresistible.

Review: It's hard to untangle this hopelessly sad anthem from the equally tragic death of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, but if we had to put a bet on it we'd say it would still be hailed as the masterpiece it is now without those unfortunate events. Coming, as it did, after the two albums from the band, it's the perfect half way house between their powerful, guitar-powered sound and the futuristic synthesiser waves that informed New Order not long after. Plus, it's a heartbreakingly brilliant song with lyrics that have spoken to subsequent generations without fail.

Review: It's the debut EP from Speedy Wunderground's visceral funk-punk-rock-garage experimenter Joyeria. First unveiled digitally in October 2022, with such depth on the studio work it's safe to say picking up a vinyl copy is more than recommended, end product having benefited from the deft hands of Dan Carey. For those less familiar, he's also assisted Fontaines DC, Kae Tempest, and Wet Leg on production.
Musically, 'FIM' is like entering a parallel universe of sorts. '9 To 5' is a dance floor filling electro-indie stomper that bores holes to (through?) the mind, 'Colour Film' summons the spirit of Lou Reed and introduces him to Ringo Deathstarr, maybe, 'Performance Review' takes us to a place of grit and societal frustrations, guitars to back that up, 'Decisions' is a stunning piano piece with abstract samples.

Review: A momentous move from neon-soaked electro outfit Justice hears them team up with the like-minded thrower-backers Tame Impala for a "why didn't anyone think of this before?" EP, 'Neverender'. Released hot off the plate of a recent Alexandra Palace show, the just duo are heard to tip the lady's scales towards miscarriage, following their last LP Hyperdrama with a single tort of regret. Kevin Parker's unmistakable countertenor floats above the track's nightridden house mix like a beamer trailing its driver's emotions in its exhaust fumes: "Because I remember / The hardest of times I / don't forget / Neverender." An ode to "can't unsee", it also comes backed by remixes by Kaytranada and Rampa.

Review: First released in 1983, Khartomb's 'Swahili Lullaby' first surfaced on the underground punk and reggae label Whaam! before fading back again into obscurity. In fact their only release, originally a 7", it came backed by the 12/8 wonderwork 'Teekon Warriors' on the B; both tracks established their sound as straddling both a restlessness and a laconism, channelling influences from the Slits to the Raincoats. Legend speaks of an original Peel Session and support from Melody Maker - the holy one-track difecta for breaking artists back then - yet this initial support sadly, madly waned. Now, however, the release comes miraculously back to the fore, rendered concscious again by way of a new-to-vinyl track - 'Daisy High' - as well as two versions of the A1 by Synkro and Talking Drums. 'Daisy High' is a lissome one, its layered contraltos overdubbed to perfection against endless Balearic guitar-swirls amid an overarching 'bossa feel' (in Peel's words). Synkro's dub could just as easily have come from '83 as it did from '24, swelling away into a sweet kickless reverie that happily, barely resembles the original; Talking Drums' version is more loyal to the genesis, yet amps up the dub pressure.

Review: If indie-rock did fantasy football then this is a championship-winning supergroup that hipsters would have wet dreams about. Minnesota slowcore sorts Low joined forces with Aussie meditative atypical post-rock group Dirty Three for a one-off EP. That's Dirty Three of Warren Ellis fame (the beardy Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds band member). There were tight parameters to encourage experimentation: The EP, originally released in 2001, was part of the Fishtank sessions where artists handpicked by the Konkurrent label make a record in Amsterdam in only two days.
The gamble seemingly paid off. It's remarkable that they sound as if they've been living out of each other's pockets for years, with seamless musical understanding, despite the short amount of time they were given. There's tear-jerking tenderness in hearing Mimi Parker's voice on the opening track, 'I Hear Goodnight'. Parker founded Low along with her husband Alan Spearhawk, but sadly passed away in 2022. Meanwhile, other highlights include a superb slow-motion cover of Neil Young's 'Down By The River', which doesn't feel too constrained by the original and showcases the group's experimental tendencies. The vocal take here makes you wish for an entire album of them performing Neil Young covers. Elsewhere, 'When I Called Upon Your Seed' is an Americana masterpiece with gorgeous droning instrumentals freckled with guitar plucking and long-held vocal notes.
Something that appears to have made this session a success is the uncomplicatedness of the recording, which stays away from adding too many lines of instrumentation, and gives the spotlight to the individual talent of people who can truly play. The rewards are countless, but it would be amiss to not note Warren Ellis' violin performance throughout the record. That alone is enough to make you wish you persevered and kept up with those violin lessons as a kid. Enough listens to this, though, and perhaps you'll think it's not too late to go back. Truly inspiring stuff.

Review: The original 12" of 'I Follow Rivers' remixes was served up back in 2012 and was an instant hit. It now gets a reissue that proves it has aged perfectly well in the last decade. The original is a swelling and deep soul-drenched groove with broken beats and scattered percussion. The soaring vocals are designed for maximum impact. The Lost Sessions mix then pairs hits back to the tender piano chords and allows the aching vocal room to shine and The Magician remix brings a hands in the air festival vibe.

Review: Canadian singer-songwriter June McDoom makes something rather unclassifiable; poppy-noisy smatterings of sound and melody with influences from jazz, blues and soul, but combined in such a way as to not be as easily categorisable as that combination might normally make out. Her latest self-titled project here collects a slew of personal intimations and ballads reflecting a wealth of young life experiences, relationships and emotions. The extent of its sensitivity can only be sought in between the grit, as there's a deep well of texture embedded in every track, but listen between the lines (and take a peek at its collaborations with artists like Sufjan Stevens, Neko Case, Iron & Wine and Andrew Bird), and you'll soon glean a solid idea for its stated, romantic intent.

Review: New Order's 'Touched By The Hand Of God', originally released in 1987, returns as a remastered 12" single, retaining its original tracklisting. The main version embodies the quintessential New Order sound of that era, featuring a powerful and uplifting chorus that sticks in your mind. The infectious rhythm and expertly crafted drum programming create a danceable beat that showcases the band's signature blend of post-punk and electronic elements. The track is equally know on the dancefloor as it is for the iconic music video, which humorously depicts the band performing in heavy metal attire, exemplifying their characteristic tongue-in-cheek style. On Side-2 features a dub version that extends the instrumental sections while preserving the vital chorus, maintaining the track's strength and appeal. A reminder of New Order's ability to craft memorable, infectious dance tracks.

Review: New Order's 'State of the Nation' returns as a remastered reissue of the original 12" single, originally released in 1986. During this period, the band's confidence was soaring, and this track exemplifies their knack for crafting catchy dance music that resonated with audiences. The remastered version maintains the original tracklisting, including the second side 'Shame of the Nation', which serves as a dub rendition of the title track. This version extends the rhythmic elements, offering a fresh perspective on the song while preserving its infectious energy. State of the Nation not only secured its place as a Top 40 hit in the UK but also featured on the iconic compilation Substance, released the following year. New Order's enduring legacy and ability to blend catchy melodies with danceable beats is captured perfectly with these recent 12" single reissues.

Review: If you're never been to Galway, Ireland, we implore you to head for Skyscanner airport immediately after ordering this latest EP from one of the city's most promising new(ish) outfits. Once you arrive it will quickly become apparent that, in so far as guitars go, the place is brimming with great artists and outfits, not to mention incredible ideas, with an abundance of incredible places to see those creatives at their best.

Suffice to say, labelling NewDad among the finest in G-Town, to use the colloquial, could never be a spurious statement given their peers. Combining, at various points, elements of Goat Girl, The Cure, and Slowdive, while comparing easily to none of the above, they paint vivid pieces with gradually emerging powerhouse tracks disguised as intimate meditations on highly emotional formative experiences.

Review: NewDad continue to offer the kind of jangly, low-slung, affected alternative rock & roll people don't seem to make (and we don't seem to hear) enough of anymore. At once laidback, raw, melancholic but euphoric, wry and yet heartfelt, on Waves the Irish West Coasters seem to invoke the gusty breeze of their homeland, powerful energy of a basement gig, and the reflective, expansive reality of the wilds.
Already having made friends in the right places, it seems unthinkable that the Galway hopefuls will not continue their ascension through the ranks of what might be coined nu-shoegaze with this. Even if we want to cut our fingers off for even considering using that term. Regardless, it's reverb soaked, highly emotive and achingly cool stuff that is bound to hit home.

Review: Some lucky folk managed to bag a copy of this when it was released as part of the Screamadelica 30th Anniversary 12" Singles Box. Suffice to say, many didn't. It's also probably a given to point out the British and global music scenes are still reeling from the untimely and sudden passing of Andrew Weatherall, a studio mastermind and club DJ icon who managed to influence everyone from ambient and techno heads to indie kids, classical fans and heads in just about any other sonic avenue you care to mention. Arguably, though, his most beloved work was around the Screamadelica era, carving out a landmark crossover album from Primal Scream's original material, making stars out of everyone involved and timeless, decade-spanning tracks from singles like 'Come Together' and 'Loaded'. 'Shine Like the Stars' brought that album to a close in spectacular, trippy, emotive style, and has never left our hearts since.

Review: The super French crew Hard Fist have got a brilliantly twisted new Balearic record on their hands here thanks to the work of Shkema in both original and remix mode. He goes first with the deep, dubby and post-punk moodiness of 'Tas Malonumas' then 'Room Of Men Eaters' is a chugging deep disco cut with a fine vocoder vocal that brings some trippiness. 'Sarka Syrkaza' on the flip is another dark one with twisted metal guitar lines and rooted drum drums, then he remixes Afrodelic's 'Je N'Aime Pas Les Fetes' into a loose-limbed and percussive dub disco delight with filtered and freaky vocals.

Review: The Smile's latest remix compendium is a striking one, with two eminent producers reimagining tracks from the British rock band/Radiohead offshoot's latest and third album, CUTOUTS. This remix-set takes the core of the band's genre-blend sound, from art rock to experimental electronica, and contorts it into yet another division of volatile allotropes, this time welcoming light show IDM extravaganzist James Holden and East Kent musician Robert Stillman. Both versions are full displays of productive talent, humanisti, but still cognitively vector-mapped out in digi-space ahead of time, mirroring the abstracted, rather listless and amoral lyrics heard in the title track ("And your force means nothing...")

Review: Two years on from her much-loved album Valentine in 2012, Snail Mai makes a welcome return with this lovely new EP, Valentine Demons. All four of these tracks are intimate affairs with closely mixed, often whispered vocals. Every single finger movement on the strings can be heard which brings each one to life. Aside from one never before heard tick 'Easy Thing' these are demo recordings made in the lead-up to that last album using just a minilogue synth, interface, mic, and guitar in her parents' house in Maryland. Their rawness and immediacy makes them at least as good as the final products on the album, if not better.

Review: Ian Weatherall and Duncan Gray's Sons Of Slough project has done plenty of tinkering in the intersection between club and dub music, and somewhere between all that Scottish rock perennials Primal Scream often find their own comfortable nook to stretch out. As such, this 12" seems like a natural course of events, even if it came about through the pure whimsy of a day-dreaming muso (Weatherall) wondering what would happen if an obscure bonus track got stripped down and sent through the echo chamber. Bobby Gillespie was into the idea, and this record was the end result. One for all Balearic head nodders and soundsystem meditators alike.

Review: Relatively recently reformed 'Camden lurch' icons Swervedriver release their first new music in more than five years. Two tracks were recorded with Ride's Mark Gardner, at his OX4 Sound studio in Oxfordshire. The other two were recorded - quite surprisingly - by Rick Beato, who we all know is usually interviewing great guitar players. Well, he clearly has ability himself and is a massive fan of the band so is well suited. The format of this release is what's quite surprising and refreshing. We often see bands releasing EPs when they first start out and Swervedriver haven't put out one since the early 90s when they were on Alan McGee's Creation Records and riding the shoegaze boom that had begun with the likes of My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr. It's a thoroughly welcome return to the shelves from one of Britain's most treasured bands.

Review: Tetine duo Bruno Verner & Eliete Mejorado met at the underground art punk scene of Sao Paulo. Turning their head to electronic music, their DIY roots shine through with transgressive lyrics and their leftfield take on electro pop. They're like a precursor to Confidence Man. This 12" EP features four dance punk numbers taken from their 2010 album From A Forest Near You. 'Yr Daugther Lies' is cosmic, experimental new wave with an irresistible bassline running through it. Still on the A-side, 'Tropical Punk' blends funk and Sonic Youth-esque guitar textures with spoken word that's full of galvanising ire. Lastly, 'O Espaco' is a Portuguese language number equally full of party vibes. Tetine are built for those moments when you need an injection of pace, so if you notice the mood slipping at a party then slip this on and it will turn things around for the better.

Review: This is a special and unique coming together that sees Turnstile join forces with the brilliant Toronto jazz ensemble and production team BADBADNOTGOOD. They have worked on reimagining songs from the former's well-received 2021 album Glow On and the results bring all new perspectives and dynamics to tunes like 'Mystery', 'Alien love Call' featuring Blood Orange and 'Underwater Boi.' Both Turnstile and BADBADNOTGOOD are untouchable in their fields right now with rave reviews for their records as well as their live shows. This is another standout project.

Review: Wasia Project are a South Croydon-raised sibling duo - Olivia Hardy (vocals, guitar) and William Gao (keyboards, piano, vocals) - who strike a nice balance in sharing the limelight. This is only their second EP but you can tell they're going to be massive. They've already toured in support of Tom Odell and Laufey and they clearly have the quality to go the distance. 'Somebody Come Through' is as good as anything Sharon Van Etten has released. 'Track 6' brings back memories of listening to Beach House and 'To Get Better' is reminiscent of Matt Maltese. Underneath all the indie references there's a really strong classical training and we hear that on the closing track, with a masterful piano crescendo dimming the lights, but leaving us wanting for more.

Review: Tamara Lindeman was at a real transition point in life when What Am I Going to do With Everything I Know was first unveiled. A six track strong EP, here the moodiness and tangible sense of isolation, loneliness, and hopelessness that had once emanated from her voice dissipates into equally tender and gentile thoughts on an impending marriage and all that may come with it. For some, an equally troubling time in their lives, for others something to truly work towards and - when it finally arrives - celebrate, either way it's a subject ripe for emotional songwriting.

But in actual fact, Lindeman, her fiance and troupe treat the concept of matrimony with something close to apathy, or at least lackadaisical 'might as well'-ness. The culmination of this record, 'Almost Careless', sees her ask the question 'what if', but in a way that's neither excited nor nervous, but simply filled with inquisitiveness and a matter of fact consideration.

Review: It was always a pretty weird idea for Weezer to turn their attention on Vivaldi's violin concertos, The Four Seasons, and release a four-part EP series inspired by those classical landmarks. An out of the blue concept given this Rivers Cuomo-led outfit aren't exactly famed for waxing lyrical about the legendary work.

Nevertheless, fans should not be put off, nor should they expect to find a collection of tracks that look to rework Vivaldi via geek surf rock. Well, OK, maybe two of the songs here do exactly that - 'Opening Night' and 'Lawn Chair'. Or at least they both have string and guitar movements that look to pay homage to the master composer. But, for the most part, this is Weezer doing what Weezer do: sounding very much like Weezer.

Review: Setting the stage for their as-of-yet untitled sophomore full-length, Leeds based indie darlings Yard Act have unveiled their eight-minute opus-like standalone single The Trenchcoat Museum. Channeling a new wave promiscuity and frenetic synth-laden playfulness into their pre-established sound, while tip-toeing a fine line between scathing self-analysis and reliably humourous absurdity, the piece serves as an indicator of their current sonic trajectory, while showcasing an introspective look at their sudden meteoric rise over the past few years. Complete with an accompanying Black Mirror-esque music video directed by James Slater, and a B-side flip remix by the incomparable Arthur Baker, anticipation is rife for where the band are leading their myriad of avid followers. Serving as both an extension of the narrative set in place by last year's exceptional debut LP The Overload, and a bridging point to their next aesthetic era, this new single offers newcomers a welcome chance to play catch up before the mayhem commences all over again.