Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: The past two years have been tumultuous for every band on the planet - the old you-know-what rendering all except the biggest streaming stars and those still holding up on the sales front commercially unviable. Kasabian likely faired better in those stakes than many, but nevertheless the past 24 months or so have been northing short of challenging, with leading figure Tom Meighan's 2020 departure swiftly followed by a conviction for assaulting his partner.

Enter the new and improved incarnation of an outfit that has always straddled a line many falter on - one foot in lad rock for the Stella crew, another dipping its toes into higher concept, more daring and experimental waters. Main man Serge Pizzorno, largely responsible for the more out there moments in the back catalogue, no longer has to compromise with Meighan and it shows. The Alchemist's Euphoria is packed with plenty of ideas, from Latin-ish opener to the grand overdue of 'Scriptvure'.

Review: It's safe to say Happenings is the least Kasabian sounding record we've ever had, although realising that makes you start to wonder what Kasabian ever really sounded like. Experts at hybridity, they've built an enviable reputation - and huge following - from mixing a kind of lager indie rock with more experimental elements, nodding to synth, post punk, electronica, even nu rave at times. But we can't think of many times they've come as close to sugar-coated MGMT territory as on 'Darkest Lullaby', the second track on this latest outing. Things don't stay there, though. 'GOAT' is a strange mash up of grit and candy floss with guitars and keys blazing, 'Passengers' threatens to take flight with its soaring (and decidedly sing-along) pop chorus, 'The Hell Of It' introduces growing bass music tones, 'How Far Will You Go' approaches a kind of jump up nu-metal.