Bella Union Schallplatten & CDs

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


2022's stunning album Once Twice Melody was a fine example of Beach House doing what they do best - living bang up to that name, with intimate-but epic instrumentation falling somewhere between surf-y jangle and grand shoegaze. 'Become' is definitely on a similar tip, and as such feels much like an extension of the long form.
Dig a little deeper, though, and scratches begin to show. While the full-length record represented Beach House reaching for the stars, or at least the moon, and stepping into the role of festival headliners, here the sense of pure confidence and occasion is less pronounced. That may not be a bad thing, mind, because while Once came across like a finished article, refined and prepared, things here seem somehow rawer, as though we're sitting in on a session as oppose to getting the signed off product.

Review: It has been 14 long years in the making, but Laura Groves has finally made the triumphant return we all hoped she might, one day. Unfamiliar? No worries - a quick step back in time might bring the memories flooding back... albeit from her old moniker, Blue Roses. Barely into her 20s, the sole, self-titled album released under that name via XL Recordings was a captivating example of young singer-songwriter romanticism, simultaneously capable of making us feel elated and utterly distraught. Groves' voice is what really stood out, not that the beautiful, often dream-like arrangements weren't also incredible. Thankfully, those vocals are back again here, and arguably in even finer form. Radio Red, the artist's first outing under her own name, is a lush, deep dive into crystalline pop, rarely breaking sweat in tempo terms, and instead inviting us into a fantasy world with shades of folk, soul, and synth audible in the intoxicating mix.

Review: It's hard not to feel that the first time you heard Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space it was a lightbulb moment - one of those life, or at least music-affirming experiences that's hard to come back from. Not the first Spiritualized album, but certainly the most critically acclaimed at the time, and arguably still to this day, it confirmed the Warwickshire band had arrived at the highest level of chart-friendly artistry. That point when a band realise they can do what they want, and it resonates with both niche and mainstream ears. Everything Was Beautiful arrived 25 years later, and emphasised that point. Yes, we're talking about a group that reached full maturity some time ago, rather than a troupe of rising enigmas pushing rock 'n' roll in new directions. Nevertheless, the way in which we are invited back into their world is captivating. Tracks that rouse, inspire, and feel utterly timeless. As a record, this is an exhilarating ride from start to finish, almost seeming to distill all that has come before into one intoxicating brew. Here in a limited Spanish pressing, grab it while you can.