Island Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Ben Howard was already an instant hit when he released The Burgh Island EP in 2012 in the wake of his debut album. The British singer-songwriter signed to Island and landed himself in the hearts and minds of fans the world over. This particular EP was limited to 1000 copies at the time of release, but it's since gone on to attain some sizable cult status thanks to the use of 'Oats In The Water', which appeared in The Walking Dead and The Innocents, and helped launch video game The Witcher 3. That's a whole lot of outreach, and the rest of the EP matches up to that track's spellbinding qualities, not least the epic eight-minute title piece featuring Monica Heldal.

Review: 'Mr. Brown' is among the most coveted songs by Bob Marley and the Wailers, as it cemented the bond between Marley and Upsetter Lee 'Scratch' Perry, with the latter producing the track in his famed home studio Black Ark. Based on a popular ghost story about a spectral clown allegedly seen riding around Jamaican countryside in a three-wheeled coffin (three vultures were said to have been perched on top of the coffin, one looking for a 'Mr. Brown'), the song takes thorough advantage of popular folk consciousness in its spooky production and stick-in-your-mind charm. This 12" version also comes with the melodic plodders 'Natural Mystic' and 'The Heathen'.

Review: Over the summer Skepta was teasing hints of a forthcoming track which looks set to take his superstar status even further. Amy Winehouse's influence is still felt massively across the music world - the tragedy of her story collides with her natural talent to carry a huge amount of power and that's what Skepta's drawn on sampling 'Tears Dry On Their Own' from Winehouse's classic 2006 LP Back To Black. Strapping a vocal lick from the track to an anthemic deep house production, it's a focused club workout for the UK rapper, pressed up on yellow vinyl and billed as 'A Tribute To Amy'.

Review: Who doesn't love The Streets? From cheeky chappy to a revered part of the British music establishment, Mike Skinner as The Streets was there at the start of the UKG scene and still invigorates it to this day. His first new music in a while is an understated ballad that features the by now trademark internal monologue, but here paired with what is a beautiful vocal from Jazz Morley and a skittish drum pattern. Mike Skinner has also self-directed his own music video to go with the title track and it is well worth seeing if you can.

Review: Has it really been 40 years since we saw Bono clad in a black sleeveless tee and brown waistcoat, mullet-topped and leading his band of equally early-80s looking musos to the rooftop of a Dublin building to perform one of their finest songs? Well, based on this limited edition release, the answer is clearly 'yes'.

Originally unveiled in 1971, 'Gloria' is a powerhouse single if ever there was one, and a track that marries melody, message, and the atmosphere U2 are best known for. It's a track that soars over those rooftops, The Edge's riffs acting as wings while Bono cries heartfelt rallying calls atop the lot. Unashamed, unabashed, and unapologetic (check the verse in Latin), now you get four different versions, three from the band in their natural habitat (i.e. live on stage), and the original.

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.