Review: Ed Black, aka "edbl," is an increasingly prominent hip-hop and R&B artist and composer who has emerged from South London's indie music scene alongside luminaries like Jorja Smith and Jamie Isaac. His sound, a blend of lo-fi soul and hip-hop akin to Jordan Rakei and Tom Misch, garnered attention when Spotify UK featured him on their New Music Friday cover. Additionally, Music Business Worldwide Magazine nominated him as one of The Hottest Independent Artists In The World and now he backs up that potential with 'The Way Things Were,' featuring the mellifluous vocals of Isaac Waddington.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Tomorrow Never Knows (9:30)
Hot Sun (4:29)
All Come Together (4:10)
Always In You (5:07)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
In the early 1980s, Britain had a vibrant cassette culture that now gets spotlighted through a limited edition 12" featuring multi-instrumentalist Kez Stone's project, Imago. He was a notable name in Cornwall and the West Country's music scenes with previous projects, Artistic Control and Aaah! which have come back via reissues many times in the last ten years. Imago was a new one-ff project that first emerged with one track on the Perfect Motion compilation curated by NTS Radio's Bruno and Flo Dill and now the full LP, originally released in 1985 on the local label A Real Kavoom, has been remastered and added to with three additional gems. Stone's teenage punk influences sit next to Imago's eclectic approach to sound that blends new wave and psychedelic elements into something irresistible.
Review: In the early 1980s, Britain had a vibrant cassette culture that now gets spotlighted through a limited edition 12" featuring multi-instrumentalist Kez Stone's project, Imago. He was a notable name in Cornwall and the West Country's music scenes with previous projects, Artistic Control and Aaah! which have come back via reissues many times in the last ten years. Imago was a new one-ff project that first emerged with one track on the Perfect Motion compilation curated by NTS Radio's Bruno and Flo Dill and now the full LP, originally released in 1985 on the local label A Real Kavoom, has been remastered and added to with three additional gems. Stone's teenage punk influences sit next to Imago's eclectic approach to sound that blends new wave and psychedelic elements into something irresistible.
Review: IAMX is Chris Corner's solo project, which can be traced back to 2004, around the time his former band, Sneaker Pimps, went on hiatus. Spanning multiple genres, from burlesque-hued dark cabaret to electronic rock and unbridled dance music, there have now been eight studio albums, two remix records, two live albums and two experimental albums released under the moniker. Fault Lines² is among the finest in that oeuvre, and the most recent. Fresh for 2024, this collection of work paints a vivid picture of the artist - at times unsettling and slightly eerie, in other moments melancholic-yet-euphoric, it's dramatic, theatrical, innovative and strangely teetering on the brink of traditional and more explorative schools of sound. Probably not something you'll hear much like again this month.
Review: Following on from 2021's exceptional, introspective fourth full-length Crawler, everyone's favourite pissed off Bristolians make their much hyped return on their fifth LP Tangks. Billed as their "love album", the project re-enlists the skills of hip-hop producer Kenny Beats (who's maintained a creative foothold within the band since 2020's raw and seething Ultra Mono), yet expands the production credits to share the desk with Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, REM) as well as guitarist Mark Bowen, marking the first time the crossdressing/well suited/three quarters-naked axeman has taken a behind the boards role. Distilling their most aggressive and accessible indulgences into one sonic wave of gratitude, IDLES appear re-focused and honed in to a task they've undertaken with sincere, shit-eating grins, and if you don't believe us, give the disco-punk banger 'Dancer' a seemingly harmless spin. Boasting nostalgic backing vocals from James Murphy and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem, who tiptoe around the throated swagger of frontman extraordinaire Joe Talbot, the collective mantra of "Love is the fing" becomes ever so clear. Get on board, give Tangks, get hype.
Review: Despite being at the centre of one of rock's tensest social media dramas in recent history - having been called out by Fat White Family for being too middle-class for their own image - Idles are back on top, thanks to their new album 'Crawler'. Taking a chance on their own criticisms, this album is more introspective than 'Ultra Mono', revealing the band's various wrestlings with addiction and desperation. In true post-punk fashion, it's an emotive sophomore development from lead brain Joe Talbot, spanning plod-rap grungers ('Car Crash') and dark disco-rock ('When The Lights Go On'), all giving off his signature brand of hopeful nihilism, with the ultimate message that 'the show must go on'.
Review: Despite being at the centre of one of rock's tensest social media dramas in recent history - having been called out by Fat White Family for being too middle-class for their own image - Idles are back on top, thanks to their new album 'Crawler'. Taking a chance on their own criticisms, this album is more introspective than 'Ultra Mono', revealing the band's various wrestlings with addiction and desperation. In true post-punk fashion, it's an emotive sophomore development from lead brain Joe Talbot, spanning plod-rap grungers ('Car Crash') and dark disco-rock ('When The Lights Go On'), all giving off his signature brand of hopeful nihilism, with the ultimate message that 'the show must go on'.
Review: Billed as a "love album", the fifth full-length from IDLES offers an entirely fresh batch of soulful buzzsaw anthems, aiming to take a further look inward following on from the apolitical, primarily introspective musings that permeated 2021's criminally underrated Crawler. Working with renowned hip-hop producer Kenny Beats yet again, who shares co-production credits with Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Travis, REM) and the band's very own guitar wizard Mark Bowen, the collective have distilled the vital aspects of their sonic makeup, whilst eschewing any rethreads of topical malaise they've previously exorcised to its maximum potential. One spin of the grooving dance-punk lead single 'Dancer', complete with backing vocals from James Murphy and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem, should be enough to illustrate the power of positivity brimming from these sessions, with frontman Joe Talbot's simple succinct summary of the record going as such - "Love is the fing".
Review: It's barely been 12 months since the release of Bristol five piece Idles' debut full length, and the band's swift follow up effort is a righteous affair, doing away with any stigma attached to difficult second albums. The heavy post-punkers take another step forward in having the world realise their full potential straight off the bat with album opener "Colossos" that epicly, post apocalypticly, rattles and hums in swathes of drone and rock menace. Cue a quick change up in direction and we're met with what sounds like a lairy Kasabian smashing up the pub. Beer, sweat and tears. Let's 'ave it.
Review: Onsen Music isn't just the title of Shoko Igarashi's second album, but rather a manifesto of sorts. The name refers to a "genre" of music the saxophonist, flautist, and vocalist has created. A strange, bouncy-yet-angular corner of the electronic music universe that feels like it's inviting you to a party thrown by Mr Soft and a flying unicorn. Sounds extend themselves, curve, wobble, warp, float, glitter, and do everything else in their power to make sure you know this is a safe listening space that's equally danceable. Ever bubbly and colourful, 'Rainy' represents the full blown nu disco end of the record's vast spectrum, while the likes of 'Ukigusa' come over far closer to Ryuichi Sakamoto's clean, crisp and cuddly pop excursions - staunchly leftfield and out there, but strangely familiar and universally likeable.
Review: Iggy Pop, the avant-garde icon and punk pioneer, in his element, delivering a blistering performance at the 2023 Montreux Jazz Festival. Backed by a seven-piece band, he breathes new fire into Stooges classics like 'TV Eye' and 'I Wanna Be Your Dog', igniting the crowd with his raw energy and undeniable stage presence. The setlist spans his illustrious career, from the visceral punk anthems 'Raw Power' and 'Search and Destroy' to the infectious grooves of 'The Passenger' and 'Lust For Life'. Pop also showcases material from his recent album, 'Every Loser', with tracks like 'Modern Day Ripoff' and 'Frenzy' seamlessly integrated into the set. This recording is a testament to Pop's enduring legacy and his ability to captivate audiences with his unique blend of punk rock and avant-garde theatricality.
Review: Recorded in 1975 after the disintegration of The Stooges and eventually released, albeit in altered form, in 1977, the album saw Iggy recording his vocal contributions at weekends, on leave from the mental institution at which he was recovering from heroin addiction. With the addition of pianos, acoustic guitars and saxophones to the musical palate it's a different beast from the raw power - and Raw Power - of the Stooges, a bridge between his garage rock roots and the classier pop offerings he'd soon become known for. A fascinating document, regardless, it's well worth a listen.
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