New releases last eight weeks: Psych/Garage Rock

Review: The "guitar loop" is not just a staple of modern indie and psychedelic music. It is also an access point to a timeless human necessity: the combo of dexterity and repetition. Without repeatedly using our hands to press notes and catenate chains, we would be nothing but fumbly savages. Loop knew this remarkably well, manually twisting a tight coil around the South London music scene in the late 1970s. This was at the height of the motorik rock scene, which was otherwise largely going on thousands of miles away in Germany: as critics enthused at the time, Loop were the sound of Suicide jamming with the Stooges aboard a spaceship built by Hawkwind and piloted by Can. Described by Reactor as "post-psych, pre-shoegaze" figureheads, 'Twelves' is a priceless rediscovery for electronic rock heads across the (fret, mother)board: compiling across a span of five years, '16 Dreams' and 'Spinning' originate from 1986, while 'Collision' marks their Chapter 22 phase from 1988, and 'Primsma Uber Europa 12' closes the loop in 1991. An early case of sonic cybernetic feedback; viscerally loud, intensive circulations of sound.

Review: A stunning fusion of rock, Latin rhythms and jazz, this 1977 album blended live performances with studio recordings to create a dynamic, immersive experience. Now reissued on vinyl, the double album - which features live and studio recordings - captures the raw energy of Santana's stage presence while showcasing Carlos and co's refined musicianship. The album's biggest hit, 'She's Not There', reinterprets The Zombies' classic with soaring guitar work and Latin percussion, turning it into a mesmerising jam. 'Flor d'Luna (Moonflower)' is a beautiful instrumental piece, filled with Carlos Santana's signature, expressive guitar melodies. 'Dawn / Go Within' opens the album with a mystical, jazz-tinged atmosphere that blends the spiritual with a musical exploration throughout the album. Live recordings such as 'Soul Sacrifice / Head, Hands & Feet (Drum Solo)' bring the band's electrifying energy to the forefront, while 'Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen' revisits their earlier hit with even more intensity. 'Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile)' is another gem, a slow-burning instrumental that highlights Santana's unmatched ability to blend emotion and technical prowess. Moonflower was a commercial and critical success, reinforcing Santana's status as innovators in rock and Latin music, and even now, it's pretty obvious why.

Review: Small Faces' 'Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake' album is a 1968 psychedelic pop classic that blends East End charm with studio innovation. Side one delivers punchy soul-rock gems like 'Afterglow' and the whimsical 'Lazy Sunday' while side two embarks on a more surreal journey with 'Happiness Stan,' which is narrated in Stanley Unwin's playful 'Unwinese.' The album topped the UK charts for six weeks and marked the band's creative peak and final studio album before Steve Marriott's departure. It remains a bold, genre-defying record and something of a cornerstone of British psychedelia.