Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Balear-y-eyed city pop from contemporary singer and pop musician Xiaolin, continuing her cover version releases on Bless You with another knife-edge crossing into dream pop. Having already covered 'Plastic Love' by Mariya Takeuchi and Prudence Liew's 'Afterwards', Xiaolin's is now revered as a deft rerubber of golden classics. Now comes 'Half A Dream', a version of Tina Liu's 1897 lead single, hailing from the urbane City Girl album. South Korean producer Mogwaa may back up the B-side with a remix, but for us, it's the doozy pads and laggard sample-pack hits on the A1 that make this one; the whole track sounds like one long hypnopompic awakening, as we blearily embrace the day, breathing in the downtown air.

Review: Say the words 'pre-teen pop' to most people and they'll make for the hills faster than you can say "be afraid, be very afraid". In the case of X-Cetera, though, the presumption of garbage is inaccurate, albeit the underlying feeling of something being off i perhaps even unsettling i remains. Self-recorded in a very different time and a very different world, on the cusp of a new millennium and all its promises (lol), Jessica Hall, Ayden Mayeri, and sisters Janet and Mary Washburn give a wonderful example of how talented kids can be on Summer 2000. It's also a strange and weirdly i accidentally i trippy ride from beginning to end. Marrying elements of trip hop, r&b, indie, sugarcane pop and acoustic, the sickly sweet and naturally childish lyrics and delivery leave a macabre air lingering. Like the nursery rhyme in a horror movie, sort of. Once filed under chart hopeful, now avant garde.

Review: X.Y.R.'s latest offering delves into the depths of human experience, exploring themes of escapism, introspection and the search for meaning in a world that often feels chaotic and unfair. The album opens with the expansive 'Lost Horizon', setting the tone for a journey into introspective soundscapes and contemplative melodies. 'Melting Shapes' continues the exploration of inner worlds, with its shifting textures and ethereal sounds evoking a sense of fluidity and transformation. 'Despair' confronts the darker side of the human psyche, its melancholic melodies and haunting sounds reflecting the struggles of those who feel lost and disconnected. The B-side features the epic 'Invisible Lifeforms', a twenty-minute odyssey that delves into the hidden realms of consciousness. With its blend of ambient textures, tribal rhythms and meditative sounds, it creates a truly immersive experience that invites deep listening and introspection. X.Y.R.'s music is both calming and unsettling, offering a sonic reflection on the complexities of human existence.