Indie/Alternative charts

Review: New Zealand collective Leisure collides many different musical worlds on their genre-blurring sophomore album, genre-blurring. Soul, r&b, rock and pop all get taken in and worked into a lush sound defined by its experimental energy. There are several standout tracks like 'Money' and 'Feeling Free' that showcase their signature sun-soaked vocals and smooth grooves. Elsewhere, Twister brings a bold, modern take on funk, which has won over both fans and critics with 'On My Mind' a prime example of their boundless creativity and knack for warm textures and adventurous spirit. As such, it's a record that cements the group's place as contemporary innovators.

Review: L'Imperatrice's upcoming album Pulsar promises to be a vibrant fusion of funk, disco, pop, and house music, enriched with influences from French house and Italo-disco. The Parisian group show their versatility by incorporating elements of hip-hop, kosmische, and pop into their sonic palette, featuring guest vocalists such as Maggie Rogers, Erick the Architect, and Fabiana Martone, Pulsar promises to deliver a dynamic listening experience. With their infectious energy and innovative sound, L'Imperatrice continues to fascinate audiences, making Pulsar an eagerly anticipated addition to their discography.

Review: L'Imperatrice's upcoming album Pulsar promises to be a vibrant fusion of funk, disco, pop, and house music, enriched with influences from French house and Italo-disco. The Parisian group show their versatility by incorporating elements of hip-hop, kosmische, and pop into their sonic palette, featuring guest vocalists such as Maggie Rogers, Erick the Architect, and Fabiana Martone, Pulsar promises to deliver a dynamic listening experience. With their infectious energy and innovative sound, L'Imperatrice continues to fascinate audiences, making Pulsar an eagerly anticipated addition to their discography.

Review: A number of the many great full lengths penned by alternative pop star Roisin Murphy are currently being reissued and here we have Take Her Up To Monto!, a bold and adventurous exploration of electronic pop from 2016. It is another one that showcases Murphy's fearless creativity and boundary-pushing approach to music where distinct vocals, coupled with innovative production, create a dynamic and immersive listen. There is an infectious energy to 'Mastermind' and dreamy allure to 'Ten Miles High,' amongst a wide mix of influences from other genres and experimental soundscapes that confirmed once more than Murphy' is a true visionary.

Review: While he's still associated with the club-ready 'French Touch' sound he helped develop in the late 1990s, Etienne De Crecy has always had a much wider musical palette - as the legendary Super Discount series of albums proved. On Warm Up, his first new album for six years, the French veteran has leaned into this, delivering an album of songs designed to be listened to at home during the day. Of course, there are still nods to his dancefloor roots, but more pop hooks, nods to hip-hop, electro-pop and the lower tempo end of the nu-disco spectrum. More significantly, there are vocals throughout, delivered by an impressive cast list that includes Damon Albarn, Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, Sports, Frank Leone and Kero Kero Bonito.

Review: It's been a minute since we had a record from Donny Benet, the Australian singer, songwriter, bass guitar ace, disco evangelist and entertainer. Turns out it's always worth the wait, with Infinite Desire not only classic Benet - albeit on a smooth, sultry, easygoing tip - but also a record that marks the beginning of a new chapter for this beloved character. His first on a freshly minted indie label he set up. A fun odyssey with added glitter and swirl, like almost everything the man touches, Infinite Desires is inspired by a simpler time, when blazers with shoulder pads were nightclub attire, hair was big, and overbites ruled the dancefloor. But what really stands out is how right these sounds still feel today. This is no pastiche, let alone parody, but DIY innovation that serves to remind us of what groove really means.

Review: NOW Music presents the sixth volume in the NOW That's What I Call 80s Dancefloor series, a two disc compilation pressed on blue and clear vinyl, featuring 30 essential synth-driven dance-pop tracks from the 80s. The collection kicks off with the iconic 'Blue Monday' by New Order, setting the tone for an era defined by the prevalence of synths in pop music. It continues with hits like Eurythmics' 'Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty Four)', Propaganda's 'Duel' and Animotion's 'Obsession'. Notable tracks from Yello, Paul Hardcastle and Jan Hammer's 'Miami Vice Theme' also make an appearance, encapsulating the energy of early 80s dancefloors. Side two brings synth-pop royalty with Pet Shop Boys' 'Domino Dancing' and the unforgettable 'Together in Electric Dreams' by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder. Other highlights include Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Two Tribes', Dead Or Alive's 'My Heart Goes Bang' and tracks by Soft Cell, Spandau Ballet and The Human League. The collection closes with timeless gems like Harold Faltermeyer's 'Axel F', Colonel Abrams' 'Trapped' and Joe Jackson's synth-pop classic 'Steppin' Out', making this compilation ideal for fans of 80s dance music.