Where Are You Coming From (Jane Weaver rework) (4:05)
Out From Under (Emperor Machine extended rework) (8:49)
We All Need (Jezebell Ghost Train mix) (5:47)
Review: Perhaps one of the most important bands to come out of Manchester ever. Up there with Joy Division, their funky post-punk is the very essence of that genre and possibly why a lot of bands like to call themselves post-punk. They're just wishing they sound as good as A Certain Ratio. For this latest release, the follow-up to their album It All Comes Down To This, they've reworked songs from said album - sensationally - and released a Christmas single. 'Now And Laughter' is described as an ode to "the unsung heroes that are on hand when the pressures of the festivities can become too much to bear." It's awash with sumptuous echoing guitar, a somber lead vocal which makes you want to raise your lighter and gently sway. There's a hint of David Bowie in there and the lyrics appear genuinely emotional and appreciative. This is a song of blissful poignance that can help remind us of what really matters in life as it captures a sense of vulnerability and awe in the magic of the moment.
Review: Heavy Jazz returns with Ellis Island, their latest instrumental offering following the success of 'Indian Rope Man'. This new release highlights Brian Auger's signature jazz prowess, delivering another intricate and powerful workout. The flip side honours the late Zoot Money with the first-ever 7" release of 'George Bruno Money'. This limited edition comes in a carefully designed sleeve featuring foldout flaps and a cutaway rear. It's an essential piece for jazz lovers and collectors alike, brimming with soulful rhythms and nostalgic nods to jazz legends.
Review: Acclaimed Japanese artist Cornelius is back with a new three-song EP, Bad Advice/Mind Train, featuring a collaboration with Arto Lindsay. The EP's first single, 'Mind Train,' is an epic nine-minute track inspired by Yoko Ono which blends ethereal space-pop with minimalist structures and bursts of exhilarating chaos. Cornelius describes 'Mind Train' as a symbol of spiritual and inner exploration that is designed to prompt self-reflection. The accompanying video, created by renowned visual stylist Keita Onishi, enhances this journey with stunning retro-futuristic graphics that allow you to explore your own interpretations.
Review: A Certain Ratio's core trio of drummer Donald Johnson, bassist/vocalist Jez Kerr, and multi-instrumentalist Martin Moscrop make ACR Loco a perfectly fluid and funk album. In fact, on this, their first album in more than ten years, the Manchester post-punk outfit are as funky as they have ever been. Their tried and tested sound gets nicely updated with modern beat driven sounds and plenty of redefines to today's political strife in the lyrics. There are plenty of smooth and cool synth led grooves like 'Get A Grip' and messages of unity on 'Family' that we can all relate to.
Review: Ryan Adams' Wednesday album was released in 2020 and is introspective with songwriting up there with the best Americana. It's a world away from the classic rock swagger of his previous album, Prisoner, but no less powerful. This new album takes the exact same tracklist and reinvents the sound and spirit. It's a novel approach and a refreshing way of thinking about new studio releases for a label. 'Dreaming You Backwards and 'I'm Sorry and I Love You' has more of a more baroque pop with lush string sounds embellishing the fraught emotional tension; 'Dreaming Of You Backwards' is similarly majestic with classical music references guiding it. Compare these takes with the previous record's soulful rock feel - close in some ways to the sound of Hiss Golden Messenger - and it becomes clear Adams has shed that sound completely and achieved a true reinvention.
Review: The discovery and subsequent release of The Adverts' Rehearsal Tape is a punk rock revelation. Dating back to 1977, this cassette recording, initially overlooked by Chiswick Records, finally sees the light of day thanks to Henry Rollins' keen ears and determination. As pioneers of the UK punk scene, The Adverts' influence looms large, with their singles and debut album cementing their status as classics of the genre. Rehearsal Tape offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the band's early days, capturing their energy and spirit in its purest form. Transferred and mastered with care, the tracks on this release sound incredible, retaining their original rawness while benefiting from modern production techniques. For fans of punk history, this vinyl release is a treasure trove, featuring The Adverts at their raw, unbridled best.
Review: Brooklyn-based Pakistani vocalist Aroof Aftab presents her third studio album, and a record that has the power to transport listeners pretty much anywhere. While steeped in traditions stereotypically associated with her homeland, ears more attuned will quickly pick up on just how divergent this is. Whether you'd consider it a classical album is down to how you gauge that genre term, we'd say it has grown broad enough over the past century to definitely include this, but ultimately even that seems reductive.
Elements of poetry, ambient trance, jazz, minimalism, and new age, it's a spiritual and musical experience based around themes of discovery, loss, memory, and intimate connections with the Earth. Sonically, that translates as something that's at once sublime and yet also surprising, combining a multitude of influences from aeons of songwriting to create something that could not have existed in any previous era.
Zameen (feat Marc Anthony Thompson C/O Chocolate Genuis Encorporated) (4:09)
Raat Ki Rani (6:11)
Saaqi (feat Vjay Iyer) (6:11)
Bolo Na (feat Moor Mother & Joel Ross) (6:05)
Last Night (feat Cautious Clay, Kaki King & Maeve Gilchrist - reprise) (4:50)
Review: Arooj Aftab's Night Reign is a stunning trip into the depths of the night, where inspiration thrives. Departing from themes of loss in her previous work, Aftab crafts an album rich with renewal and romance. Collaborations with artists like Cautious Clay and Moor Mother add layers to the lush soundscape, creating a cinematic experience. Each track, from the haunting 'Autumn Leaves' to the soulful 'Bolo Na,' weaves together to form a narrative of surrender and transformation. Aftab's voice, accompanied by intricate instrumentation, guides listeners through the darkness, offering moments of introspection and possibility. Night Train is a chance to throw yourself into the beauty and mystery of deep music, emerging renewed and transformed.
J'ai Dormi Sous L'eau (BBC live Session - bonus track)
Sexy Boy (BBC live Session - bonus track)
Kelly Watch The Stars (BBC live Session - bonus track)
Kelly Watch The Stars (extended - bonus track)
Remember (Davis Whitaker version - bonus track)
Review: When Air's Moon Safari first landed on terra firma in 1997, it was a revelation that flipped the French touch boom on its head. Swapping discoid thrust for sensual lounge, Nicolas Jean Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel kept a certain sophisticated nostalgia in their sound which tracked with their compatriots, but they absolutely weaved their own spell with it. The hits caught on for good reason, from the dirty grind of 'Sexy Boy' to the swooning romanticism of 'All I Need' featuring Beth Hirsch on vocals, but the moments in between merely added to the spectacle, lodging Air in the hearts and minds of a whole generation. This special anniversary edition adds a second disc of B-sides, remixes and session tracks, plus a Blu-ray disc featuring the iconic videos and a documentary from the Moon Safari era.
Review: American rock band Alabama Shakes - fronted by lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard - acclaimed debut long player Boys & Girls is 10 years old this year. To mark the occasion, Rough Trade Records commemorate it with a bumper two-disc deluxe edition. Rolling Stone called the original one of the best albums of 2012, and after it entered the charts at number one it went on to get Platinum certification and several GRAMMY nominations. This version features all the original tracks along with new, unreleased photos and an additional 11 live tracks from a performance on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic."
Review: For people of a certain age, their teenage years were defined by the edgy grunge, alt and punk rock sounds of bands like Alice in Chains. Three decades later their seminal sophomore effort, Dirt sounds as good as it ever did and gets an anniversary reissue to mark the occasion. It comes with plenty of powerful drums and big-ass basslines as well as yelping vocals and fuzzy textures that take in a range of emotions and even bigger riffs. This issue features a special insert and comes across four sides of vinyl so it's nice and loud, just as intended.
Review: Arguably one of the most integral tentpoles of the grunge movement, Alice In Chains' seminal sophomore effort, Dirt, changed the game upon its release in 1992. Featuring some of the band's most classic cuts such as, 'Them Bones', 'Down In A Hole', 'Rooster', and, 'Junkhead', to name but a few; the incomparable dynamic of Wayne Staley's iconic vocals and cryptic, yet brutally honest lyricism combined with guitarist Jerry Cantrell's mammoth riffs and delicate nuance, still resides high in the echelons of alternative rock three decades on. For lifers and newcomers alike, this 30-year anniversary edition serves as an ideal opportunity to revisit a genuine classic, far murkier and riddled with antagonistic depths than any of its would-be peers.
Review: Alice In Chains' 2009 release, Black Gives Way to Blue, marks a significant moment for the bandia poignant farewell to the late Layne Staley and the beginning of a new chapter with vocalist William Duvall. The album opens with 'All Secrets Known,' a track that signals a fresh start, with lyrics like 'Hope. A new beginning,' underscoring the band's evolution. Jerry Cantrell's guitar work remains as powerful as ever, driving the album with emotional intensity, particularly in tracks like 'Your Decision,' where the raw honesty in the lyrics is striking. Duvall's contributions shine, especially on 'Last of My Kind,' where he brings a new energy to the group without attempting to replicate Staley's iconic voice. The title track, 'Black Gives Way to Blue,' is a heart-wrenching tribute to Staley, featuring a sparse yet haunting arrangement with piano by Elton John. The song's quiet fade-out leaves a lasting impact, a fitting close to an album that balances grief with renewal. Black Gives Way to Blue not only honours Alice In Chains' legacy but also sets a strong foundation for their future, proving that the band's creative spirit remains unbroken.
Review: Alice in Chains' Jar of Flies from 1994 is a masterful album that showcases the band's versatility and songwriting prowess across an acoustic-driven collection of tracks. They deliver plenty of haunting melodies and introspective lyrics that make for a deeply immersive listen. There is a real melancholic beauty to 'Nutshell' while a gritty intensity pervades 'No Excuses.' Each song offers a glimpse into the band's emotional depth and musical complexity, always with raw emotion and captivating performances that make this one a standout release in Alice in Chains' discography.
Review: Pulsar saw Gianluca Salvadori and Leonardo Ceccanti return to Claremont 56 with a second LP of sanguine and psychedelic dub disco under the Almunia name. Arriving roughly two years after Salvadori and Ceccanti served up the sublime Almunia debut long player New Moon, this new album sees the pair of tracks released as singles (the excellent title track and 'The Magician') complemented by six all new productions. From the heavenly acoustic strumming of opening track 'The Awakening' Almunia remain locked in a mood where refined instrumentation is balanced perfectly with a chugging soft edged disco sensibility with the buoyant 'Views From A Blue Train' a particular highlight.
Review: Is it really 10 years since Alt-J burst into the open with the barnstorming success of their debut album An Awesome Wave? The band set out their stall as something a little different from the get-go, but the vital essence of the band is in their ability to bridge the gap between widely appealing indie songwriting hooks and unusual touches which make everything sound new, even a decade later. It's fair to say they inspired a fair few artists in their wake, especially with the likes of 'Something Good', but none of these imitators match up to the sheer inventiveness spilling out of this incredible debut album. In the wake of their latest album The Dream, it's a treat to be able to go back to the beginning of their remarkable journey.
Review: Altin Gun has a famously recognisable sound and it is once again laid bare heart for all to enjoy. This new album is a triumphant return for the much-loved sextet from Amsterdam and one that is high on energy levels throughout. Though familiar in that way, this Ask album finds the band ditching some of their synth-drenched former sounds and 80s and 90s pop leanings to return to their 70s Anatolian funk of their roots. It almost sounds like a live album such is the hustle and bustle of the music with the results sounding all the more warm and welcoming.
Review: Despite producing one of the most influential rock records of the 20th century, American Football's legacy has not been a traditional one. Originally, 'American Football' was meant to be a one-and-done situation, with only a couple of shows played; The band members were all college students and summer was fast approaching. The album was released and the members parted ways shortly thereafter - little would they have guessed that it would go on to define an entire genre for years to come, finding its audience over time. It's not hard to see why, especially with the viral opening track 'Never Meant', which has found fame online repeatedly throughout the years. 'American Football' is melancholic, somewhat tender at points, and undoubtedly contains a certain mystique to it that completely swept the emo crowd by storm. After 14 years, when the band reunited, they had a legion of adoring fans all of a sudden - it's stories like these that prove that true talent will always triumph. Whether it's today, tomorrow or in a decade, good music will always rise to the top. Boasting as a definitive version, Polyvinyl resurfaced the original audio tapes and recruited the OG engineer - Jonathan Pines - for a top-notch remaster. The anniversary package also includes a 24-page booklet with liner notes from frontman Mike Kinsella, an embossed outer jacket and high-quality cardstock inner sleeves.
Review: Yemenite music in Israel is a uniquely Middle-Eastern style born from the immigration of Yemenite Jews to Israel. Initially religious and ceremonial, the music featured separate male and female songs accompanied by drumming on olive oil tin cans. Aharon Amram, born in Sana'a, Yemen, immigrated to Israel as a child and became a central figure in this genre. From the 1960s onward, he released numerous records on Sounds of Yemen in which he blended traditional religious songs with his own secular compositions, Western electric instruments and modern arrangements. This double LP showcases Amram's diverse catalogue and undying influence on contemporary Mizrahi.
Review: In a time where the gruff-throated anti-Tory messaging of Idles, the reflective post-drugged out swagger of Viagra Boys and the pub-feed championing of The Chats remind us that punk can still be a vital voice of the people, both big and small, Amyl & The Sniffers have all but quietly been amassing the type of hype and buzz to go toe-to-toe with the lot. Capitalising on the momentum of 2021's exceptional Comfort To Me with last year's 7" "fuck you" to old, gatekeeping curmudgeons on 'U Should Not Be Doing That', the band return to producer Nick Launay (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) for their severely anticipated third LP Cartton Darkness. Recorded at the Foo Fighters' 606 Studios in Los Angeles, the one and only real-life Amyl (Ms. Amy Taylor) succinctly describes the message as - "driving headfirst into the unknown, into this looming sketch of the future that feels terrible but doesn't even exist yet. A childlike darkness. I don't want to meet the devil half-way and mourn what we have right now. The future is cartoon, the prescription is dark, but it's novelty. It's just a joke. It's fun."
Review: Ana Frango Eletrico's first ever reissue, Little Electric Chicken Heart, follows up 2023's most recent record Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua. Surfacing after Mr. Bongo were met with a string of requests to reissue the album not long after its original release in 2019, we're once more compelled to consider the album's merits and what makes the enjoyment of it tick. More of an establishment of style and talent than an exploration of a concept, the album is noted for its fusion of chamber pop, rock and samba, across a vintage palette that defies any overarching categorisation.
Review: You have a genuine piece of musical history here. The Anchors may not be remembered by many, but made a significant impact on everyone who does. Black Soul is the third and - to all musicologist knowledge - last record put out by this pioneering South African funk-soul outfit. Straight out of the Johannesburg township of Alexandria at the height of Apartheid, they became known for exceptional musicianship and reinterpreting the classic Memphis, USA sound for their own oppressed community. Part three of that legacy takes things much, much further, though. So, we can definitely still hear those Mid South sounds that represent the very essence of soul, but here the aesthetic becomes something altogether different, Afro and specific to time and place. Homage paid to the genre founders, but drawing on personal circumstances to own things for themselves.
Review: Mayra Andrade's live album, recorded at Union Chapel, features the warmth and eclecticism of her music in an intimate setting. Known for blending Cape Verdean Creole, English, and Portuguese in her songs, she pulls from a variety of cultural influences to craft a sound that's truly global. Her live collaboration with guitarist Djodje Almeida, 'reEncanto,' takes listeners on a journey through her discographyifrom Navega (2006) to Manga (2019).Andrade's music dances between traditional Cape Verdean rhythms and contemporary beats, with touches of reggae, African soul and pop influences, making every performance feel both rooted and adventurous. Her voice, full of depth and color, effortlessly shifts between romantic ballads and playful, rhythmic tunes. A nomadic spirit is evident in her music as she reflects her life's experiences and travels. On stage, Andrade is stunning, and the energy she brings in this live recording transports listeners straight to Cape Verde's sun-drenched shores. For those unfamiliar with her work, this album is an ideal introduction to the vibrant, evolving world she's built through her music, full of passion and heartfelt storytelling.
Review: Given his passion for the melodramatic, it's little surprise to find Antony Hegarty pairing up with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra for his latest full-length - a live recording of what was no doubt an unforgettable concert. Interspersed with Antony's musings to the audience on sexuality and feminism (amongst other things), Cut The World sees some of his best songs given a dramatic new lease of life. With his distinctive, haunting vocals (yes, it's impossible to review one of his releases without mentioning them) to the fore, the songs veer from achingly intimate to deliciously grandiose. If you're a fan, it should be an essential purchase.
Review: Stones Throw has tapped up the brilliant psychedelic jazz group Apifera for a second album to follow on from the greatness of their debut. That once came back in 2021 in the form of Overstand, which was a widescreen and cultural mix of all manner of weird and wonderful sounds. Now, Keep Teh Outside Open builds on that and finds keyboardist Yuval Havkin and Nitai Hershkovits, drummer Amir Bresler and bassist Yonatan Albalak all colliding Israeli folk, Afrobeat, post-rock and jazz into richly colourful and absorbing sound worlds full of lush broken beat grooves.
Review: Omar Apollo's latest promises a deeply personal journey through the aftermath of a tumultuous love affair - the album's title, inspired by the Spanish phrase "lo que sera, sera," reflects Apollo's tongue-in-cheek acceptance of life's twists and turns. With executive production by Teo Halm, God Said No features collaborations with musician Mustafa and actor Pedro Pascal. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London and fine-tuned across studios in Los Angeles, New York and Miami, the album showcases Apollo's soulful vocals and introspective lyrics. The prelude single, 'Spite,' and the newly released 'Dispose of Me,' accompanied by a live performance video featuring a 14-piece ensemble, offer a glimpse into Apollo's emotionally charged storytelling. This album is shaping up to be a poignant and intimate exploration of heartbreak and resilience in the face of life's uncertainties.
Review: 'I'm Totally Fine With It Don't Give A Fuck Anymore' reads the WhatsApp message on the front cover of the upcoming album of the same name by Scottish duo Arab Strap. Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton have been on a blazing nonstop run ever since they reunited the group in 2019. Confronting conspiracy theories, online addiction, and societal decay, the lead single 'Bliss' is a steady reminder of Arab Strap's multi-generational appeal - "It's about women being terrorized online; it's about cowardice and bigotry. It's about how we expose ourselves on social platforms while hiding alone at home. But you can dance to it too!" Moffat said on the press release. As the haunting melodies intertwine with Moffat's gritty regional vocals on the 15-track album, dimly lit dive bars and sketchy alleyways come to mind and not the cyberspace dystopia that many other musicians would go to. It's a unique take on a subject that needs unique takes, an explicit piece of sang prose in an age of censorship. Just the cover alone lets you know that Arab Strap is not going to be added to your easy-listening playlist. The icing on the cake? The cheeky decision to make the disc a bright emoji yellow.
Review: One of Britain's best-loved and most accomplished pop-rock bands are back with another highly anticipated album. The Car is epic on every level with its adventurously designed tunes, lots of grand orchestration and plenty of easy-to-enjoy and enigmatic songs of love but also doubt. The Sheffield outfit's seventh long player was written by frontman Turner at his home in LA and mixes indie and psychedelic rock, baroque, glam and orchestral rock with production largely taken care of by frequent collaborator James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco fame. The title is a nod to the fact that - guess what - there are many references to cars throughout the lyrics.
Review: One of Britain's best-loved and most accomplished pop-rock bands are back with another highly anticipated album. The Car is epic on every level with its adventurously designed tunes, lots of grand orchestration and plenty of easy-to-enjoy and enigmatic songs of love but also doubt. The Sheffield outfit's seventh long player was written by frontman Turner at his home in LA and mixes indie and psychedelic rock, baroque, glam and orchestral rock with production largely taken care of by frequent collaborator James Ford. The title is a nod to the fact that there are many references to cars throughout the lyrics.
Review: A lot can change in two years or so. Not least if 2021 saw you release one of the most celebrated records of the current decade, tackling the mental health crisis head on in the midst of a global pandemic. An album that despaired and threw its hands up, declaring that we, collectively, are not alright and something needs to change, all via staggeringly poetic prose, at times bordering on spoken word. Returning from that triumphant episode, Arlo Parks follows up with The Soft Machine, an LP that lands after most of the dust from that global emergency has settled, and she's relocated to sunny Los Angeles to live with partner and alternative rapper, Ashnikko. To say the result is something that sounds warmer, more appreciative of what you've got rather than focussed on what isn't would be an understatement, but the exquisite songwriting and willingness to speak honestly about major issues remains.
Review: Arte Moderno was a short-lived outfit from the Canary Islands who scored an underground dancefloor hit in 1982 with the spaced-out punk-funk/new wave/dub disco grooves of "Ninette En New York" before all but disappearing. Here, we finally get a chance to hear what else they were up to, as Musica Cabeza - the debut album they recorded but then shelved in 1982, finally gets a release. It's a quietly impressive set, all told, offering up tracks that doff a cap to the likes of Talking Heads, Woo, Konk and Bauhaus, while also offering a fresh take on electric/electronic post-punk fusion. Had it been released when it was recorded there's no doubt it would have become an underground classic; now that it's finally seen the light of day, we can confirm it's every bit as good as we'd hoped for.
Review: 7 Up is three things; a ubiquitous energy drink brand, an infamous TV show charting the upbringing and development of various children from the ages of seven upwards, and the third studio album by Ash Ra Tempel - their only collaborative piece with notorious psychologist and psychedelic drug advocate Timothy Leary. Supposedly, the sprawling psych-Moog album was named after a bottle of 7 Up that had been spiked with LSD was given to the band's lyricist Brian Barritt. This new version contains the original manuscript of the album's concept by Leary, as well as photos from the recording session in Bern.
C'mon People (We're Making It Now) (feat Liam Gallagher) (4:55)
Weeping Willow (4:05)
Lucky Man (4:38)
This Thing Called Life (5:23)
Space & Time (5:01)
Velvet Morning (5:03)
Break The Night With Colour (4:31)
One Day (4:33)
The Drugs Don't Work (5:37)
Review: It's been three whole years since we last encountered a new album from the man like Richard Ashcroft. The guy who once told us how the drugs no longer worked, only to then explain how lucky he was. In many ways, Acoustic Hymns Vol.1 is an extension of all that, a record that has come along at a time when he's clearly ready to reflect on the heady days of the Britpop and UK indie explosion detonated in the 1990s.
Whether you'd call this album a covers collection or original, new work is definitely down to opinion. Ashcroft has opted to turn his hand back to tracks released with his seminal band The Verve, and a few of his own solo bits, only reimagined and reappropriated. The latter word is the most accurate, though. Here genuinely new life is breathed back into the likes of 'Bittersweet Symphony', which, considering the scale of that particular hit, is no mean feat.
Review: The music of David Axelrod is a rite of passage for many record collectors. The great composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalists crafted several seminal albums that all take you deep into gorgeous worlds of jazz, funk and library music with narratives you'd expect in film scores and emotion in high supply. Heavy Axe might be one of his best and so this welcome reissue is a timely reminder of that. Its sweeping strings, grand horns and orchestral arrangements ebb and flow with great drama and absorbing artistry so stick it on loud and give yourself over to its rare pleasures.
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