Back catalogue: Post Rock/Experimental

Review: Mercy is a collaborative work between the late great Lee "Scratch" Perry (during his post-Black Ark Studios era), Peter Harris and Fritz Catlin, the drummer from the industrial funk dub act 23 Skidoo. What they cook up is unashamedly experimental outsider works that collide mad mixing desk trickery, Perry's trademark vocal mutterings and plenty of occult sound designs. Melodies are smeared and smudged, rhythms are drunk and off balance and moods range from balmy to bonkers, often within the same damn track. A maverick collage, for sure.

Review: For nearly a decade, this unique band has been carving out a unique underground sound, and Tracing The Sand By The Pool finds them at their most focused yet. Recorded entirely by the band, this twelve-track album is a collection of sharp, direct hits with no room for filler. Kicking off with 'Within', a track that balances Kiwi brightness with moments of near-chaos, the album showcases Chris Gunn's intricate guitar work, both melodic and brash. The band’s cover of The Hangmen’s ‘I'm Gonna Love You’ turns menace into a hopeful ballad, while guest appearances from Miranda Soileau-Pratt (The Spatulas) and Shelby Jacobson (The Tube Alloys) add depth. 'Snail On The Map' brings a touch of flower power with its dreamy pop, and 'Speak To Us In Feathers' layers cascading guitars and ethereal breaks. Throughout, the album blends 60s psych and distorted noise, offering a thrilling, unpredictable journey with every track. Boundless and full of surprises, this is The Lavender Flu's most exciting release to date.

Review: Long serving Anglo-Dutch masters of psychedelic and experimental soundscapes - formed in London in 1980 but who relocated, we couldn't possibly think why, to Amsterdam four years - Legendary Pink Dots return with an album that explores the anxieties and complexities of our increasingly digital world. Tracks like 'So Lonely In Heaven' and 'The Sound of the Bell' set the tone with their haunting melodies and atmospheric textures, while 'Dr. Bliss '25' and 'Sleight of Hand' delve into darker, more experimental territories. The album's lyrical themes explore the seductive nature of technology and the potential for isolation and alienation in a hyper-connected world. 'Choose Premium : First Prize' and 'Darkest Knight' offer a glimpse into the seductive promises of the digital realm, while 'Cold Comfort' and 'Wired High : Too Far To Fall' explore the darker side of technological dependence. Psychedelic soundscapes, introspective lyrics and experimental arrangements - that'll be acid-tinged business very much as usual, then.

Review: Les Rallizes Denudes' live recording from Yaneura, September 1980, brings their raw, avant-garde sound into sharp focus. The CD format captures every detail of the distorted guitars, hypnotic basslines, and feedback-soaked atmospheres that defined their performances. Tracks such as 'Enter the Mirror' stretch into lengthy, chaotic soundscapes, blending haunting vocals with relentless, repetitive rhythms. The balance of noise and melody is uncompromising, creating a listening experience that feels as challenging as it is immersive. A rare opportunity to delve into the intensity of the band's live presence.

Review: Coinciding with the "post-psych, pre-shoegaze" ingenues Loop's retrospective album, Twelves, on triple LP, this new CD version from Reactor offers a digital alternative for those proto-gaze indie heads seeking a clearer and cleaner sonic experience. Spanning the band's output in chronological order, this comprehensive set captures the evolution of Loop's hypnotic, fuzz-drenched sound, from the early '16 Dreams' demo and debut single, through 'Spinning', 'Collision', 'Black Sun' and 'Arclite', to rare contributions to Nick Drake and Neil Young tribute albums, and even a Godflesh cover from their Clawfist split. As it is with the vinyl version, The World In Your Eyes is a completist deep dive into Loop's essential non-album material.

Review: Travels In Constants was a wonderful thing. A subscription-only CD series from New York based record label Temporary Residence Ltd, as the new century dawned Low made their contribution to this audio saga with The Exit Papers. A quarter century or so later, and it remains one of the most stunning and powerful outings in the series. Originally just 1,000 copies were made of a collection best described as a "sparse suite of six mostly instrumental pieces composed for a film that never existed." Suffice to say, we have all read lines like that before, but rarely do they feel quite so apt. It's haunting, beautiful, tender, deep, floaty, and occupies some strange place that we've never been to before, but knew the moment we arrived. Electronic ambient, desolate dystopian Western score and lush serenity all at once.

Review: Icelandic experiment Low Roar heard Ryan Karazija, Leifur Bjornsson and Logi Gudmundsson indulge a transoceanic collaboration, extending many a riotous yet sensual sludgeoff between indie pop and post-rock until Karazija's death in 2022. Since this sad event, subsequent records have heard the band reuse loose elements recorded by Karazija in a posthumous fashion, and House In The Woods is a brilliant new example. Pressed to vinyl quickly after an initial digital release, the album blends typical Icelandic ambient-string work with sensuous background vocals and harmonium layers, and deals in a range of subjects from decrepitude to endless love, marked by a sense of sublimity throughout.

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


Icelandic experiment Low Roar heard Ryan Karazija, Leifur Bjornsson and Logi Gudmundsson indulge a transoceanic collaboration, extending many a riotous yet sensual sludgeoff between indie pop and post-rock until Karazija's death in 2022. Since this sad event, subsequent records have heard the band reuse loose elements recorded by Karazija in a posthumous fashion, and House In The Woods is a brilliant new example. Pressed to vinyl quickly after an initial digital release, the album blends typical Icelandic ambient-string work with sensuous background vocals and harmonium layers, and deals in a range of subjects from decrepitude to endless love, marked by a sense of sublimity throughout.

Review: Originally released in 2005, Feral Hymns would serve as the 11th (and true final) full-length from Washington D.C. devout Dischord Records alumni Lungfish. Having released every album apart from their debut with Minor Threat/Fugazi visionary Ian MacKaye's label, they were easily one of the longest lasting on the roster when considering the longevity of their peers and labelmates in say Jawbox or Shudder To Think. Continuing their consistent aura of experimental first wave emo stripped down to caustic, murky minimalist compositions, the material sticks to their established formula but embittered by the passage of time, while the commitment to their signature style is also more illuminating in hindsight, as the group would semi-disband, or at least cease writing/recording following this release, with members branching off into other projects. While 2012's A.C.R. 1999 is often perceived as their 12th LP, that release was comprised of older recording sessions, making it technically a compilation and Feral Hymns their definitive swansong.