Back catalogue: Pop

Review: Returning after a veritable splash in the chart-topping world of pop nearly ten years ago - and having laid down three full studio albums already - Zara Larsson fleshes out her brand evermore with the upcoming fourth LP, Venus. In keeping with a full Larsson coming-of-age, the Swedish it-girl fulfils her promise of an album chock-full of "uptempo, fun dance songs", albeit with an glitzier edge, and the sound of an artist assuming more ownership over her output, centring on the theme of feminine autonomy in the form of tracks like 'Can't Tame Her' and 'On My Love' with David Guetta. She's come a long, long way from 'Lush Life', exploring a multi-temporal brand of electronic pop and reclaiming her place in the limelight.

Review: The original Bridgit Mendler soundtrack to the citrine teen drama movie of the same name sees a full version on vinyl LP this spring. Notable not only for its inclusion in the contemporary musical film, but also for its chart-topping success, the ten songs that make up the many acts of this high-school drama were destined to charm the pubescent masses, coinciding with the film's overarching theme of the school's students transcending use of after-school detention to musical effect, in order to overcome their personal struggles. Imagine Glee meets The Breakfast Club; a cabal of songwriters including Ali Dee, Maria Christensen, Bryan Todd and Jeannie Lurie lay down an array of sure-to-be hits for Mendler to perform on behalf of the cast here.

Review: The all-female African supergroup Les Amazones d'Afrique, who've included some of the biggest stars in African music, here make a triumphant return, channelling a fresh sound on their third album Musow Danse. Forming in Bamako, Mali, in 2014 between three renowned Malian musicians and activists - Mamani Keita, Oumou Sangare and Mariam Doumbia - Les Amazones d'Afrique has since expanded to involve many female artists from across Africa and the diaspora. Combining a just cause - campaigning for gender equality and eradicating ancestral violence - with a slick, enticingly trap-influenced sound; we've got a potent cocktail on our hands. Richly melodic and far-ranging, Musow Danse blends pan-African styles and collaborative harmonies with gritty, contemporary pop, riffing off the idiosyncratic Congotronics producer Doctor L, and embracing a powerful pop sound led by 808s and glitchy synths.

Review: Late American rapper Lil Peep dropped his fourth mixtape on June 10, 2016, independently, but it was later added to streaming platforms in 2020 posthumously. Now it arrives on white vinyl for the first time thanks to Death Note Music and reminds us what a talent he was. Peep's raw lyricism and distinctive emo-rap style set him apart with haunting melodies and melancholic production. The record delves into themes of loneliness and despair, resonating deeply with listeners navigating the complexities of modern relationships and Peep's poignant delivery and introspective verses capture the essence of youthful anguish with bars that reverberate long after the music fades.

Review: Bay Area DIY pop duo Loveshadow join up with Dark Entries to release II, their sophomore LP. Anya Prisk and Izaak Schlossman met in Oakland in 2016, bonded over their love of '80s sounds and immediately began building their musical world with lush synths, funky basslines, and irresistible hooks. The past is always in their palette, but Loveshadow's nostalgia doesn't trace to any single locus; it's more like a cloud, and it's through this haze that they breathe new life into the music they love. Their debut album was released in 2021 on Music from Memory to acclaim. II presents a more subtle and refined statement from the band - laser-focused on the vaporous expanse. Album opener 'Last Room' saunters with the confidence of Sade, while 'Earthen Track' feels like Kate Bush covering a forgotten city pop anthem. The album is largely focused on club-friendly material, but mellower pieces like 'Winter's Door' and 'Mirage' are sophisticated standouts that would make Ryuchi Sakamoto proud. Italo-funk groover 'Power Melts Away' closes out the album by upping the energy into fist-pumping territory. Anya's lyrics on II use the unreality of dreams as a lens to examine the realities of change and personal growth; illusions made material. Loveshadow elegantly smear the lines between past and present, pop and avant, immanent and transcendent.