Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: Marking the start of an exciting new collaborative project, Wolf + Lamb proudly share the debut release of The Waves & Us. Formed out of
a creative meeting of minds between Maayan Nidam, Markus Nikolaus and Louis McGuire, theirs is a sound that strengthens the storied
approach of a live band with the experimental thrust of analogue electronics. Pop and rock fundamentals lend an earthly hook to the
tracks, but these are anything but straight-forward songs.
Maayan has already forged a formidable career in electronic music, both under her own name and as part of Mara Trax, scoring releases
on such celebrated labels as Perlon. Markus performs his own solo project Cunt Cunt Chanel, while Louis is part of Ballet School, a band
releasing on noted indie label Bella Union. The whirlwind of creativity that has whipped up around the trio has yielded an album which will
follow this single, made up of one-take recordings that capture the energy and adventure that powers The Waves & Us.
Maayan's electronics provide the atmospheric backdrop to the songs, running modular synthesisers and drum machines through detailed
chains of processing and effects with an emphasis on a warm, charmingly rough finish. Markus' guitar undergoes a similar fuzzy treatment
while his voice calls out introspective, abstract lyrics to set the mind racing. Louis' bass underpins the music with a dubby sensibility,
bringing a necessary balance to the frequency range.
Making the most of their in-the-room recording approach, the singles will feature alternative takes of the songs that will appear on the
album, providing a little insight into the flutters and fluctuations that shape the development of this project. With their eyes fixed on live
performances and an arresting sound already formed, this is a vital time for all three artists and the people that listen to them.

Review: Tamara Lindeman was at a real transition point in life when What Am I Going to do With Everything I Know was first unveiled. A six track strong EP, here the moodiness and tangible sense of isolation, loneliness, and hopelessness that had once emanated from her voice dissipates into equally tender and gentile thoughts on an impending marriage and all that may come with it. For some, an equally troubling time in their lives, for others something to truly work towards and - when it finally arrives - celebrate, either way it's a subject ripe for emotional songwriting.

But in actual fact, Lindeman, her fiance and troupe treat the concept of matrimony with something close to apathy, or at least lackadaisical 'might as well'-ness. The culmination of this record, 'Almost Careless', sees her ask the question 'what if', but in a way that's neither excited nor nervous, but simply filled with inquisitiveness and a matter of fact consideration.

Review: Six new tracks from one of the finest talents in the north of England, or indeed the entire UK, will always sound like a pretty appealing offer. And the Widnes-born vocalist, songwriter, composer and musician certainly delivers on the deal, and drafts some incredible names from her home region to work on stellar remixes. A great argument for the current strength of the 'M62 scene', then.

Presenting a kaleidoscope of pop sounds, all leaning into a summertime electronica vibe, we have the incredible 'Sunset Dreams', a woozy slice of laidback downtempo psyche-tinged stuff that lulls you from the off. Andy Votel, who co-founded Twisted Nerve Records with Badly Drawn Boy, a welcome addition to the tracklist. Elsewhere, 'Solarised' received a healthy extended mix from Henry Broadhead, although the real winners in terms of re-rubs must come from incredible WH Lung (also, 'Solarised'), and another Manchester live name to remember, See Thru Hands.

Review: British label Fire return with more retro antics. Virginias Wings perform a cover version of Suzanne Menzel's lost pop classic "It Starts Again" with Jane Weaver on vocals. Noveller Aka Brooklyn based Sarah Lipstate performs a rendition of John Carpenter's "The Thing" and Malmo based dream pop trio Death and Vanilla re-imagine Bert Janschs "Moonshine" on this first edition of the new Lost Library series: conceived by the label boss James Nicholls and designer Luke Drozd. Featuring new tracks from their acclaimed female fronted roster.

Review: It was always a pretty weird idea for Weezer to turn their attention on Vivaldi's violin concertos, The Four Seasons, and release a four-part EP series inspired by those classical landmarks. An out of the blue concept given this Rivers Cuomo-led outfit aren't exactly famed for waxing lyrical about the legendary work.

Nevertheless, fans should not be put off, nor should they expect to find a collection of tracks that look to rework Vivaldi via geek surf rock. Well, OK, maybe two of the songs here do exactly that - 'Opening Night' and 'Lawn Chair'. Or at least they both have string and guitar movements that look to pay homage to the master composer. But, for the most part, this is Weezer doing what Weezer do: sounding very much like Weezer.

Review: Todmorden quartet Working Men's Club have long held a soft spot for Sheffield, with much of their music being recorded in the city under the watchful eye of producer Ross Orton. It makes perfect sense, then, that they'd commission an EP full of reworks from Steel City producers. Toddla T kicks things off in fine fashion via a rave-igniting, dancehall-tinged SoYo bass rendition of 'Money Is Mine' tailor-made for the city's Kabal parties, while bleep & bass godfathers Forgemasters deliver a drowsy, atmospheric, post-industrial deep house tweak of 'The Last One'. Elsewhere, Diseasa opts for an angular, industrial electro flex on a fuzzy re-wire of 'Rapture', Orton squelches his way through a tough-as-steel acid house remake of 'Plays', and Charla Green gives 'Fear Fear' a dystopian post-jungle makeover.

Review: Are Working Men's Club the best band to have emerged from northern England in the past decade? We'd say there's a very, very good chance. Catch them live on stage and Sydney Minsky-Sargeant, Liam Ogburn, Hannah Cobb and Mairead O'Connor are utterly captivating, and their combination of post punk, rock, electronica, and acid house transfers very well onto record too. Their DJ sets, for which 'Syd' leads the charge, are also nothing short of quality. Informed by genre-less masters such as Andrew Weatherall, Ivan Smagghe and Erol Alkan, as this latest Megamix goes to show, the idea is to create these deeply immersive cosmic soundscapes that aim directly for the dance floor, taking phrases and sounds from their songs, reworking, rethinking and rearranging them into something fresh and high energy. Impossible not to make an impact.