Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Michael Grigoni and Pan•American's latest collaboration is a series of contemplative reflections on the isolation, fractures and uncertainties that define today's world. The album delves into the emotional landscape shaped by political divisions, personal solitude, and the lingering aftereffects of the pandemic. Through its fusion of folk, country, bluegrass, and blues elements, paired with a modern, ambient atmosphere, the sound is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Tracks like 'Sun Morning Sun' and 'Silver Streams' carry a sense of quiet introspection, while 'Black River Song' and 'Mirage/Afternoon' showcase the duo's ability to merge organic instrumentation with spacious, textured soundscapes. The album's exploration of personal and collective experience creates a reflective space, asking listeners to pause and engage with the complexities of modern life. A musical journey that speaks to the heart of the American experience, offering an emotional response to an uncertain future.

Review: Estonia's capital, Tallinn, is close enough to Finland to have received FM radio waves, even when the city and state were trapped behind the Iron Curtain, meaning kids of the 1970s and 1980s grew up exposed to Western decadence, and more significantly in this context, pop music, while also being immersed in Communist culture. This might explain why Estonia is such a hotbed for unique talent - it's a place and people very much unto themselves. Misha Panfilov fits into that description nicely. Across Frutaria Electronica she deftly weaves these beautiful post rock melodic tapestries, at once lo-fi and yet subtly complex. Warm, inviting, life affirming and utterly absorbing. Chances are you won't hear much like this for the rest of the week, month, year.... Point made, grab a copy while you can.

Review: French jazz quartet Parasite Jazz plays improvised music with a heavily effected, crazed bent, justifying their addition to the catalogue of Lyon's ultra-cool ephemera label Groovedge for their self-titled debut. Following up an initial cassette release, this oppressive, impressive masterwork now comes to obi-stripped vinyl via Disques De La Spirale. Said to have been fashioned out of many-a-trinket (drums, violin, springs, samples, reiterations, overdubs, trumpets, synths, distortions...) the likes of 'Damn Spring', 'Glissement De Terrain' and 'Alarm Twist' pay nods from every facet from dub to spiritual to impressionism, confounding and fascinating in equal measure.

Review: Ultra-vintage reissued psych-pop from Parsley Sound, whose self-titled debut for Mo Wax was one of the label's most prized releases, and yet ended up massively inflated in price due to early sellouts and low pressing numbers. The duo / band made up of Danny Sargassa and Preston Mead are deft emulators of full-band sonics, producing the illusion of a wider ensemble; Parsley Sounds followed the early EPs 'Ease Yourself And Glide' and 'Twilight Mushrooms', but was comparatively much softer on the ears, charming the listener with its herbal pan flutes, downtempo era string segments, and not-too-heavy 70s throwback haunto-pysch cult propulsions. Clearly an early influence of now colossal cognates of the sound like Caribou and Four Tet, Parsley Sounds is essential heads' listening for those who wish to lead a certain uncanny, chintzy still life, yet who also know something of the restless beauty of said life. A5er 'Ocean House' is the expansive ballad that proves this, finding a lo-fi yet cavernous vocal opportunity in an otherwise claustrophobic cranny of sound.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this Record Store Day, 'Original Soundtracks 1' is a bold, imaginative collaboration between British ambient pioneer Brian Eno and Irish band U2 under the moniker Passengers. Blurring the line between ambient experimentation and cinematic storytelling, the album features 15 tracks that were all conceived as soundtracks for fictional films. Highlights include the haunting 'Miss Sarajevo' with Luciano Pavarotti and contributions from Howie B and Holi and this remastered anniversary edition comes on recycled black vinyl. An adventurous 1995 release that stands up now as an atmospheric, genre-blurring work and a rare and inspired detour in U2's discography.

Review: Hayden Pedigo has always defied expectations and conventions. In a world of instant gratification, his music is both immediately enthralling but only truly rewarding for the more patient and deep listener. He's fused to the very core of the instrumental acoustic guitar canon, and yet seems hellbent on putting out record after record of, frankly, incomparable music. In his own words, I'll Be Waving As You Walk Away is "a micro-dose psychedelic album. I wanted it to be this tangible feeling, as if somebody had cut up a tab of LSD and put on a Fahey record." The trip itself is largely thanks to the technical genius at work here, with six strings manipulated in such ways as you often feel entire chasms of melody are opening up for you to fall into, Alice style.

Review: By late 2023, Hayden Pedigo's music had reached new heights since The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored. 'Live in Amarillo' captures this growth, presenting a set filled with intricate guitar work and emotive depth that speaks directly to the listener. Each track feels lived-in that reveals layers of nuance and technique, gained from months of relentless touring. Recorded in Amarillo's Globe-News Center, the album, expertly mixed and mastered, brings Pedigo's evolving style to lifeia meditative, rich soundscape that draws comparisons to the best in modern instrumental music.

Review: Pelican's Flickering Resonance lands six years after their last LP and marks the long-awaited return of founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, back in full shred for the first time since 2009. Written and recorded by the classic four-piec (Schroeder-Lebec, Trevor Shelley de Brauw, brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg) the album rewinds to their formative years orbiting Chicago's Fireside Bowl, a venue where metal, indie, emo and post-hardcore acts shared bills and blurred lines. That cross-genre friction underpins this eight-track set: pulverising riffs blunted by blurry, macular moments of uplift. Take 'Cascading Crescent' which spirals from weight to euphoria, or 'Pining For Ever' which smirrs away like a widescreen take on 90s emo filtered through post-metal murk; both sounds have been ingeniously landed once more by the hand of longtime production ally Sanford Parker.

Review: Perila returns with a reflective spiritual successor to her 2022 album that comes on Vaagner's sister label A Sunken Mall. The album takes in eight tracks produced between 2021 and 2023 and they all do a fine job of conveying a serene vulnerability with its drifting, ethereal soundscapes smeared with echoing voices, droning guitars and resonant textures. It's like a whispered conversation during quiet moments and once again makes for a world that doesn't need to be understood, only felt. The Air Outside Feels Crazy Right Now reminds us that finding inner peace through music can counter the chaos of the external world and help turn fragility into strength.

Review: This Swedish post-rock troupe have surpassed themselves with 'Versus' in terms of creating a strident and richly atmospheric panorama of sound that marries crushing intensity with emotional resonance. This overwhelming, orchestral sweep of sound wraps a soundtrack-like sense of awe around richly arranged guitar textures, while dynamic interplay locks horns with electronic experimentation. Fans of Cult Of Luna, Explosions In The Sky and Caspian will find much to lose themselves in via this meld of drama and melancholia. Epic in the truest sense of the word.

Review: Brighton outfit Phoria have rightfully received plenty of critical acclaim over the course of their previous two albums - and it isn't likely to abate now they drop their third. River Oblivion builds on previous works in that it blends all the electronic intricacies of their debut with the newly added orchestral manoeuvres of their second. This fresh, supersonic journey takes us through the mind of writer Trewin Howard as it was during the many different highs and lows of those dark pandemic days. A real rollercoaster that will keep you coming back for more.

Review: Plankton Wat was the home studio project of Portland musician Dewey Mahood and it began in the early 2000s. Inspired by Popol Vuh and combining the names of Krautrock producer Conny Plank and bassist Mike Watt, the project initially produced low-key albums for obscure labels and featured Mahood's solo guitar gigs on the West Coast. After gaining recognition through his band Eternal Tapestry, Mahood signed with Thrill Jockey in 2011 which lead to the release of Spirits in 2012. This collaboration with fellow Portlander Dustin Dybvig (aka Brass Clouds) expanded to include projects like Edibles, Spectrum Control, and Ripley Johnson's Rose City Band. Influenced by early 80s post-punk, their new album Corridors reflects on climate change through concise musical statements.

Review: Pom Poko have matured significantly with their new album Champion, which is a rather profound and uplifting post-punk effort. Vocalist Ragnhild Fangel Jamtveit, bassist Jonas Krovel, guitarist Martin Miguel Almagro Tonne, and drummer Ola Djupvik are more connected than ever here both personally and musically. Unlike many bands that use the term "family" all too loosely, Pom Poko has truly become a tightly-knit unit through extensive touring and what they say is a rigorously democratic songwriting process. Their focus remains on staying true to their artistic values here while also pushing the boundaries of their dynamic and often chaotic sound.

Review: Port Almond, the alter ego of Norwegian singer-songwriter Rune Simonsen, faced various challenges creating his second album Little Ships. After the success of their 2018 debut, the recording session for this one was delayed due to the pandemic and a devastating fire that destroyed LowSwing Studio. Despite setbacks, Simonsen and producer Guy Sternberg persevered, recording the album in September 2021 at Emil Berlin Studios and mixing at Hansa Studios. Featuring British trumpeter Tom Arthurs, Norwegian bassist Dan Peter Sundland, and Tom Krimi, Little Ships presents ten surrealist songs. The album, cut directly to vinyl without digital processing, includes exclusive art prints by Israeli artist Nir Evron in a luxurious gatefold cover.

Review: Posuposu Otani is a mysterious throat singer and songwriter from Japan who dropped his debut physical album in March. By merging open-tuned guitar, Kohkin (aka the Jew's harp) and traditional throat singing, Otani creates a sound filled with rich harmonics and fluid rhythms that all evoke the mood of Impressionist art and explore themes of freedom, nature and self-discovery. Influenced by his punk roots, worldly travels and immersion in mountain life, Otani's storytelling music reflects his deep connection to the natural world and makes for a far-journeying listen.

Review: A one-of-a-kind record from a one-in-a-million "state-of-mind jam band", Upstate by Prison hears five guys, four vocals and three guitars melded together in a craft that runs on its own rock & roll synergy. A self-perpetual psychosonic release, the LP consists only of five 15 to 20-minute long jam pieces, all of which seem to endlessly revel in caterwauling, hooting, Wahhing, and droning, ultimately beating the horse of contemplative psychedelia to death until both a heightened state of consciousness and a renewed music-making praxis is achieved. Sure, it goes too far! How the hell else you gonna get Upstate?

Review: The listener is met with a 70s odyssey of Moog-infused cosmic krautrock and psychedelic baroque on this debut record from The Psychic Circle. A proggy sonic journey - Labyrinth meets Wizards meets Belladonna Of Sadness - this debut record from the band comprised of Tom McDowell, Jack Harris and J.D. is centred on the concept of a lone alchemist living at the top of an everlasting mountain, whose affliction by the curse of the Psychic Circle - a glowing orb that presages whatever his mind desires - ultimately leads to his downfall by way of an unleashing of dark magick across the land. To this tune, our ears are treated to noir, slack swords-and-sorcery prog rock buildups replete with occult chants and apogees, evoking warding spells, oubliettes to cobbled cells, pretties flying off into the night, and skulls doubling up as candelabrums.

Review: No-one could accuse the London-based duo Public Service Broadcasting of lacking ambition-after the runaway success of their debut 'Inform - Educate - Entertain', this second album, whilst still utilising their trademark mixture of archive audio recordings, krautrock and post-rock. focuses conceptually on the '60s space race, and summons up a suitably widescreen and emotionally resonant backdrop for these stirring tales of voyages into the unknown. Both playful and respectful, it's a heartfelt record whose experimental elan matches the ground-breaking nature and sense of wonder of the subject matter, with these soundscapes and grooves sounding forceful and engaging even whilst they're figuratively staring at the stars.

Review: Public Service Broadcasting's The Last Flight continues their signature blend of historical storytelling with electronic and post-rock soundscapes. The album explores the final chapter of humanity's quest for aviation and space exploration, layering archival audio with atmospheric instrumentals while leaning on the real-life events of the last ever flight by Amelia Earhart in 1937. She had already navigated over 20,000 miles and 5 continents on her round-the-world trip but then vanished without a trace and her whereabouts remain a mystery. Tracks are emotionally charged and cinematic in a record that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. The band's use of vintage recordings and synth-driven melodies beautifully captures the spirit of human achievement.

Review: Some 15 years on from the release of their debut recordings, Public Service Broadcasting hit album number five, The Last Flight, a lightly conceptual affair inspired by the story of pioneering female navigator Amelia Earhart's ill-fated 1937 attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by plane. It cannily follows the narrative of Earhart's final flight, moving from the heart-aching orchestral swell of 'I Was Always Dreaming' to the poignant, sample-splattered ambient heartbreak of 'Howland' (a reference to the spot in the Pacific where her plane reportedly went down), via jangly indie-rock ('Towards The Dawn'), jaunty mid-60s beat-pop joy ('The Fun Of It'), folksy laments ('The South Atlantic') and grandiose indie-pop ('Electra').

Review: Public Service Broadcasting's fifth studio album, The Last Flight, four years on from their 2021 concept album, Bright Magic, taking inspiration from the life and final voyage of pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart. Frontman J. Willgoose Esq. explained the choice of Earhart's story, noting a desire to highlight a female-focused narrative amid an archive dominated by male figures. He was initially drawn to Earhart's final flight but became increasingly fascinated by her extraordinary achievements and dignified philosophy. The album's first single, 'Electra,' shows what to expect - a pulsating, funk-inspired track capturing the vibrancy and excitement of Earhart's Lockheed Model 10-E Electra aircraft. With interlocking percussive melodies and driving electronics, 'Electra' embodies the same determination and force as Earhart's daring spirit. The Last Flight promises a rich, life-affirming exploration of adventure, speed, and freedom, featuring guest appearances by Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket) on pedal steel and Berlin voices Andreya Casablanca and EERA, both of whom contributed to Bright Magic.

Review: Following their BBC Proms 2019 orchestral re-arrangement of the 2015 studio album The Race For Space with The Multi-Story Orchestra to mark the 50th anniversary of the first manned mission to the Moon, London art/post-rock trio Public Service Broadcasting reunite with the BBC yet again to deliver This New Noise; a newly remixed and remastered live recording of their acclaimed 2022 Proms show at the Royal Albert Hall. Celebrating the communal power of radio in recognition of the centenary of the BBC, the group collaborated with the 88 piece BBC Symphony Orchestra in order to elevate the material to a level of palpable serenity and swelling atmospherics, eclipsing their previous collaboration in the process.

Review: No-one could accuse the London-based duo Public Service Broadcasting of lacking ambition-after the runaway success of their debut 'Inform - Educate - Entertain', this second album, whilst still utilising their trademark mixture of archive audio recordings, krautrock and post-rock. focuses conceptually on the '60s space race, and summons up a suitably widescreen and emotionally resonant backdrop for these stirring tales of voyages into the unknown. Both playful and respectful, it's a heartfelt record whose experimental elan matches the ground-breaking nature and sense of wonder of the subject matter, with these soundscapes and grooves sounding forceful and engaging even whilst they're figuratively staring at the stars.

Review: Maynard James Keenan's Puscifer project has been giving the fans the good stuff since those heady days of lockdown by upping the ante on live stream performance. Even now they're back to real-world touring, they're continuing to explore the medium of reaching millions of fans globally by revisiting specific eras of the band's history. Parole Violator is the soundtrack to their filmed performance from the Wiltern Theatre in LA, and it finds them revisiting tracks from 2011's Conditions Of My Parole and giving them a fresh perspective. From acoustic renditions to heavenly new arrangements, there's a lot to savour for the devoted fans of Puscifer.