Back catalogue: Pop

Review: The third studio album by the Nigerian artist Asake comes to vinyl through Empire, homing back in for a second time on the artist's pioneering flurry of several modish, "now" genre fusions for 2024. Asake has already garnered a name for himself as a neo-fuji artist, building on the classic Nigerian Yoruba dance genre in electronica fusion form, as well as incorporating elements of amapiano and funk. Lungu Boy was met with critical acclaim on its digital release, and now you can hear it in its fullest physical quality on marbled vinyl; the record's best moments have to be 'Worldwide' and 'Suru' featuring none other than British rap whiz Stormzy.

Review: Cicciolina. Now there's a character. Disco-pop singer, porn star, politician, and ex-wife/muse of legendary shiny balloon artist Jeff Koons i it's fair to say the Italo-Hungarian icon has worn a few hats over the years. Perversion features a selection of reissued tracks from her 80s heyday, including the magnificently titled 'Sexy Porno Shop', which in itself renders the record worthy of consideration. If you hadn't already guessed from the preamble, the music is kitsch, to say the least, with bubblegum vocals, earworm synth lines and generally pulsing tempos. But there are hidden gems: the (ahem) innocent vocals and twinkling melodies of 'Goccioline', the rousing congas and inspired 'no drugs, I love sex, much more sex' vocal of 'No Drugs', and the brilliant cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction'. Echoing far, far simpler times, it's either politically incorrect nostalgia or pioneering, sexually liberated abandon. Either way, it's bags of fun.

Review: Marking its 40th anniversary with a special new remaster, The Colour Field's seminal Virgins and Philistines by returns and shows a whole new generation why the band's sophisticated blend of new wave, pop, and introspective songwriting made such a mark, Originally released in 1985 and fronted by former Specials and Fun Boy Three vocalist Terry Hall, the album features standout tracks like the UK Top 20 hit 'Thinking of You', which alongside the rest of the originals have been taken from the original tape. However this edition also includes a bonus disc with early singles and B-sides appearing on vinyl for the first time making it a must-cop for '80s alternative pop fans.

Review: To mark its 15th anniversary, Hurts' debut album Happiness receives a long-awaited vinyl release as a rather special limited-edition picture disc. The synth-pop duo's breakthrough was originally released in 2010 and is revisited in full here with all the hits, featuring such as 'Better Than Love,' 'Wonderful Life' and 'Stay.' This debut vinyl pressing adds further value with a side of deluxe edition highlights including the festive fan favourite 'All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day' and Arthur Baker's remix of 'Wonderful Life.' It's a sleek and nostalgic listen that reminds of the moody glamour and melodic punch of Hurts' defining debut.

Review: A new compilation which looks to celebrate the unheralded period of hugely successful Isle of Wight pop/funk band Level 42, named that after their cult funk days in the early 80s and their chart-topping victories in the middle and end of the decade. Music on Vinyl helps celebrate their 90s years with this compilation that spans the albums Guaranteed (1991) and Forever Now (1994). Originally released in 2007, this limited edition 2xLP set, pressed on vibrant 180-gram yellow vinyl, highlights the band's unique blend of funk, pop and jazz influences, with a mix of infectious grooves and introspective lyrics. The first side opens with the title track, 'Past Lives', a slick funk-driven number that sets the tone for the compilation, followed by the energetic 'Guaranteed' and the introspective 'Overtime'. Tracks like 'My Father's Shoes' explore deeper emotional landscapes, while 'Forever Now' explores the band's ability to craft smooth, soulful anthems. Side three is a ideal, featuring the infectious 'Model Friend' and the jazzy 'Romance'. Meanwhile, 'One in a Million' is a perfect example of the band's ability to blend pop hooks with sophisticated arrangements. Side four closes the compilation on a high note with 'If You Were Mine', a catchy, uplifting finale. The four-page booklet provides context for this fruitful period in Level 42's career, and the limited yellow vinyl adds an extra layer of collectible charm.

Review: Here, celebrating its 40th anniversary, Level 42's World Machine returns with a special reissue of the 1985 album that launched them to global fame. Departing from their jam-based roots, the band embraced a more structured songwriting process and also set to work producing the album themselves with engineer Julian Mendelsohn. The result was a polished, pop-funk breakthrough led by the hit single 'Something About You' which of course became a Top 10 hit worldwide, including in the U.S. Follow-up singles like the emotive 'Leaving Me Now' and the infectious "'World Machine' cemented the album's success and helped mark a major turning point in the band's career and 80s pop history.

Review: Few synth-pop acts have captured the elegance, wit and sheer dancefloor appeal of this UK dance pop duo, and this compilation remains the definitive snapshot of their first five years. Originally released in 1992, this double album compiles 18 of their biggest hits, now reissued on striking blue vinyl is a remarkable album that's full of excellent songs that flow like a no other. The track list reads like a masterclass in electronic pop. From the moody, detached cool of 'West End Girls' to the euphoric satire of 'Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)', the duo's signature mix of sharp social commentary and irresistible melodies is on full display. 'It's a Sin' and 'Always on My Mind' showcase their ability to turn theatrical drama into anthemic dancefloor epics, while 'Domino Dancing' and 'Left to My Own Devices' reveal a Latin-infused, orchestral ambition. The collection also includes 'Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)', a bold, unexpected U2/Frankie Valli mashup and 'Was It Worth It?', a then-new single that closes the album with reflective melancholy. Sonically, the reissue retains the crisp production that made these tracks timeless, while the blue vinyl adds a collector's appeal. More than just a greatest hits album, Discography is an album that gathered their impact in a perfect compilation.

Review: Kali Uchis has always had a gift for building dreamy, insular worlds, but her fifth studio album feels like a quiet reckoning. She channels existential uncertainty into lush, open-hearted pop i a mix of glittery r&b, woozy soul, and downcast slow jams that seem to float between time zones. Written in the aftermath of what she's described as a "life-altering" experience, there's a newfound stillness here. 'Sunshine & Rain...' is all candlelight and quiet yearning, its soft-focus production the perfect backdrop for a voice that's more hushed and inward than ever. 'ILYSMIH' (short for "I love you so much it hurts") doubles down on vulnerability, with lyrics that feel read straight from a diary, tangled up in delay-drenched strings and pillowy keys. There's punchier stuff too i 'Territorial' and 'Daggers!' lean towards funk and psychedelia, but the tempo never really rises. Instead, the energy folds inwards. 'Silk Lingerie,' 'Lose My Cool,' and 'It's Just Us' feel like whispered confessions, suspended between dream and memory. Across all 14 tracks, there's a strong sense of intimacy and solitude: of letters written and maybe never sent, of a person quietly finding the strength to stay soft in a world that rarely offers the same back.

Review: In 2019, a conversation between Norman Gervais and Mario Gharios (Pocket Of Light) sparked the idea of using compilations to impress a feeling, rather than focusing on a specific decade, genre, or style. And ho, on a warm July day on the Riviera, so began a for-the-ages discussion as to how music could paint vivid pictures, from kitschy seaside resorts to tranquil sailboats in Caribbean coves. Gervais' taste guided the process; he would decalre tracks "100% Blue Wave," referring to Balearic and new wave fusions, perfect for blasting from the baleinaire. Despite personal setbacks, such as the Beirut Port Explosion and COVID, they continued the collab together with Charles Bals, and a few years later, the result is Transcoastal, a trusty, storm-weathering voyager of a comp, replete with invincible sails. These are Balearic favourites for the bluest of skies, our favourites on which have to be Richard Bowen's 'Sorcery', Neil Davis' 'Jealous Sea' and Ricardo Bomba's 'So Sentindo O Momento'. We hear a predilection for guitar, varied plucks suggesting multi-pelagic moods.

Review: The Weeknd's latest project continues to push boundaries, but it's the quieter moments that really leave a mark. Take 'Dancing in the Flames'iit starts with muted synths, almost tentative, like something trying to find its footing, before blossoming into a dense, emotionally charged soundscape. Tesfaye's falsetto feels particularly vulnerable here, a perfect match for lyrics that seem to teeter between hope and resignation. On 'Timeless (feat Playboi Carti),' the mood shifts entirely. Carti's jagged verses cut through the lush production, creating a tension that makes the track feel alive and unpredictable. And then there's 'Sao Paulo (feat Anitta),' which bursts out with a vibrancy that feels like a releaseia rare moment of pure celebration. Overall, the album's impact lies in its restraint, in the contrasts and the spaces between moods where it truly resonates.