Review: London-raised, Berlin-based singer Anika got her start in the industry releasing her debut album on Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame's Invada Records. And she's gone from strength-to-strength since, collaborating with Dave Clarke, Tricky and I Like Trains, to name a few. Now onto her third studio album - and second on the esteemed Sacred Bones label - she's crafted a sound that's steeped in reverb and acts like a voyage through alternate states. Despite having plenty of retro psychedelic appeal, she's ill afraid to bring us more into the present by evoking the neo-psychedelia scene. The tracks 'Walk Away' and 'One Way Ticket' remind us of the greatness of bands like Amber Arcades, Temples and Pinkunoizu. And vocally she's up there with Aldous Harding and Cate Le Bon, but a lot darker, brooding and ominous in her delivery.
Review: Been there, done that, got remnants of a t-shirt. Anna of the North has obviously lived. Or at least that's the impression from "Dream Girl", an album that kicks, grooves, lolls and soothes in equal measure. Clearly the product of some very real experiences, and that's just the instrumentals. It's a record that wears everything on sleeve, calling on influences and styles that don't always find themselves centre stage when it comes to matters of the heart. There's more than a hint of hip hop on "Used To Be", the jazz inflections are crystal clear on "Lonely Life", R&B nuances spread across "When R U Coming Home". Themes range from challenges faced after finding real freedom - lack of direction and deep questioning of purpose - to problems that come with co-dependence and communication. Or lack thereof. Whatever relationship inspired this wasn't the simplest, but the things we learn from rarely are.
Review: On her fifth album, and first new set since 2012, Fiona Apple has not so much torn up the rule book but cremated it and scattered the ashes over a wide distance. Where once she concentrated on delivering melodic songs inspired by the greats of 60s and 70s rock and pop, "Fetch The Bolt Cutters" sees her craft instinctive rhythms and bluesy musical backdrops out of all manner of found sounds and home recordings (including, somewhat bizarrely, the barks and woofs of five different dogs). Throw in sharp lyrics delivered in a mixture of screams, sweet singing, freestyle improvisation and rapping, and you have a wildly original and hugely enjoyable set that defiantly showcases the artist's new-found experimental credentials.
Review: Byron Bay 60s-psych revivalists Babe Rainbow are the first band to be signed to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's newly created p(doom) Records. When they announced this album at the end of 2024, with the release of single 'Like Cleopatra', it was the label's inauguration. The mystery in all of this, though, is how one earth does King Gizzard find the time to run a label when they release album as quickly as Mo Salah scores goals? Anyways, they clearly have a great ear as they've done the right thing in putting out this album of psychedelic acid pop, with its lysergic jams 80s synth-funk workouts. For all its nostalgia, there are parallels to more modern neo-psych bands that are really appealing, too. 'Aquarium Cowgirl' could have been a great release for the now disbanded London-based band Childhood, thanks to the reverb-y transcendental falsetto and floaty layers of dreamy guitar. Ultimately, this is a great, uplifting mood antidote to all the post-punk and shoegaze that's cornering the market at the moment.
Review: Lewis' gentle and bewitching L'Amour, which came complete with a bizarre backstory involving the disappearance of the blonde-haired would-be-matinee-idol on its sleeve, was one of the surprise delights of the year. Yet the release of the hitherto unsuspected follow-up Romantic Times, which was originally recorded in 1985, only adds to the mystique surrounding this off-kilter auteur. The abstract croon and expressionistic mood may remain, yet the pastel shades and beachside calm of his earlier effort are gone, replaced by brooding atmosphere and vocals that betray a troubled soul beneath the luxurious veneer. Residing somewhere between lounge lizard thrills and outsider art chills, Romantic Times is a portrait of a true one-off.
Review: "A document created in the shadow of incredible darkness. One from which the creator hadn't planned on escaping and still doesn't. Hence the title of the album. It is the result of an illness that I've battled my whole life. It isn't something that the world has done to me. It's the world I live in, and it's no one's fault."
So says Brian Christinzio, AKA BC Camplight, of his sixth album. As ever, it's a musical masterpiece packing dense layers of instrumental experimentation and theses-worthy lyrical poignance. An artist who has never played by the musical rules, fans of strong juxtapositions will again be in there element, with a tracklist that spans grunge-y garage rock, twisted barroom journeyman stuff, theatrical guitar pop, and plenty more. But the sounds themselves are only one half the genius. When it comes to arrangements, things are as playful as they are innovative, keeping listeners guessing as to how structures will pan out.
Review: B-sides and rarities spanning Beirut's entire recording career are compiled on this elegant-looking and musically exceptional double outing. Artifacts was initially conceived as a vehicle for pushing out some early work in a formal release, but quickly grew to what you see before you know - 26 songs, 17 of which have never seen been available before now. When you consider what all that means a purchase becomes essential. Zach Cordon began trying to realise his sonic dreams at the tender age of 14, under the Beirut moniker, and has slowly developed from solo project to full blown band. What's here helps tell that tale, and the impact is profound - a spectacular journey from indie to world to folk to electronica and baroque pop by the heads who pioneered that beguiling combination.
Review: Bonny Light Horseman's upcoming double album, Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free, heralds a significant milestone in their musical journey. The album is a poignant ode to the complexities of human experience, exploring themes of love, loss, hope, and community. Recorded at Levis Corner House, an iconic Irish pub suggested by Anais Mitchell, the album captures the essence of imperfection as a badge of honor. The trio's immediate connection to the pub's sense of community and family infused the recording process with a profound sense of authenticity. Accompanying the album announcement is the release of 'I Know You Know' and the band's first-ever music video, directed by Kimberly Stuckwisch. Bonny Light Horseman's core trio - Anais Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman - bring a wealth of experience and talent to the project. Individually celebrated in their own right, their collective synergy elevates the album to new heights of emotional depth and vulnerability. Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free promises to be a raw and unvarnished offering, showcasing the band's ability to navigate the complexities of the human condition with grace and authenticity.
Review: A collaborative effort between composer and multi-instrumentalist Louis Fontaine, DJ and music supervisor Alix Brown and lyricist and writer Margo Fortuny. The tune draws on French and Italian Chanson (the likes of Fabrizio De Andre and Serge Gainsbourg), the cinematic soundscapes of Francois de Roubaix and late-70s disco. It's built up using vintage synthsizers and despite the patchwork blanket approach with influences, it's woven into something quite cohesive and magical. Singer Alix Brown has the voice to have made her a number one star in the 70s - she appears to have taken a Bill and Ted-esque adventure from another decade and does nostalgia superbly. It's an intoxicating listen and one to rinse on repeat.
Review: Music legend John Cale, best known as the Welsh multi-instrumentalist who co-founded The Velvet Underground, which went on to become one of the most influential groups of all time, is best known for his collaborative work in bands and his work as a producer. But he has a storied solo catalogue. With releases stretching from 1970 to 2024, there's an impressive array to delve into. His fourth album, Fear, is considered by fans to be one of his best. Fear was recorded when Cale returned to living in London after spending years in America. A slew of musicians also signed to Island at the time appear on the record, including Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music and Brian Eno. It's a truly compelling mix of avant garde freakouts and melancholic art rock that's a reminder that music can be incredibly freeing and transcendental when played with this level of imagination and spirit.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Talkin' Bout A Revolution (2:30)
Fast Car (4:52)
Across The Lines (3:10)
Behind The Wall (1:51)
Baby Can I Hold You (3:10)
Mountains O' Things (4:42)
She's Got Her Ticket (3:49)
Why? (2:07)
For My Lover (3:11)
If Not Now... (2:58)
For You (3:10)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Chapman's magnetic voice and stark storytelling create an atmosphere both intimate and politically charged on this, her 1988 self-titled debut, made famous by hit single 'Fast Car', but ultimately a far deeper affair. Songs like 'Talkin' Bout a Revolution' channel the protest spirit of folk legends like Woody Guthrie, delivering an anthem for those marginalised by economic inequality. Her blend of folk, blues and rock feels timeless, with lyrics that still moves listeners today. The haunting 'Behind the Wall', can move one to tears for its raw portrayal of domestic violence and the systemic failure of the police to intervene. Chapman's trembling contralto gives life to the repeated line 'Last night I heard the screaming', transforming it into a powerful condemnation of indifference. In contrast, 'If Not Now...' is a personal perspective, urging listeners to live and love in the present with its delicate acoustic arrangement. Chapman's storytelling is a triumph of nuance, balancing bleakness with hope. Decades later, Tracy Chapman remains a powerhouse in songwriting, deserving renewed attention. It is not just an album of its time but a work of enduring relevance, offering a poignant reminder that music can still be a catalyst for change.
Review: LA-based coldwave solo act Cold Cave present their very latest EP 'Passion Depression', a deathly gothic new EP portending the grisly end, and yet also a fortuitous beginning. Where depression is a pathology of unritualised mourning, and yet also is the stigmatised volte-face of new, better beginnings, so too do does this fulsome synthpop EP teem with both shady omens and gleeful ecstasy. 'She Reigns Down' lays the formula bare, with avariciously sanguine vocals contrasting meanly to 8-bit beats. 'Shadow Dance' plays up the vocal reverb, in breaking contrast to the air-raid sirens and arpy progressions abounding the background. 'Blackberries' and 'Hourglass' continue to bulge with synth-popped gloom, yet also reveal a bitter revelation of vampiric desire on the part of the artist - "I want it all" - despite the closing note of bittersweet triumph.
Review: Berlin-based artist Curses is committed to the dark side of the dancefloor as an artist, and as this series on Eskimo proves he's also an authority on the seedier side of selecting, too. The first volume of Next Wave Acid Punx was a knockout success and so he's back for another round from the seemingly unending pools of EBM, industrial, synth-pop and minimal wave spanning the 80s through to the modern day. Given the sheer size of the compilation (covering no less than 49 tracks) it has to be split across separate chapters, with this double vinyl serving as Chapter 2 and featuring creepy masterpieces from the likes of Boytronic, Matrixxman and Dina Summer.
Review: Cuckoo was their second full length from Curve - Toni Halliday on vocals and guitar with Dean Garcia - and saw its release in 1993. This album was heavier, focused and featured stronger, more aggressive rhythms that evolved from their first album. Heavily influenced by bombastic urban and electronic beats but favouring shoegaze effects on the guitars, making for a unique combination that made Cuckoo stand out from the rest, ultimately predating similar sounds from bands like Garbage. This album holds key tracks like the amazing 'Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus' as well as the singles 'Missing Link' and 'Super Blaster'. The effects of Curve are still being felt today by those who discover them and fans of the producer Flood should definitely be aware of this album if they are not already. This reissue comes on limited numbered 180- Gram pink & purple vinyl LP complete with an insert.
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