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: Cititrax proudly presents the debut LP from Another Body Found here, which is the latest moniker of A// who is well known for his pioneering work as Le Syndicat Electronique. Emerging from the French underground with a dark electro, industrial, minimal synth and wave style, he has a stark and visceral take on raw energy and haunting atmospheres. There are plenty of mechanical, hypnotic beats here with heft bass and hints of dystopian fears. The title track reimagines Bronski Beat's 'Smalltown Boy' and strips it to its emotional core, 'Lost In The Northern Lights' has a cold, urgent sound and 'Murderous Earth' is brilliantly unsettling and melancholic.
Falling Feels Like Flying (feat Kabusa Oriental Choir) (5:19)
Don't Understand Ya (feat Tyler Daley) (3:38)
Bad Trip (2:17)
24 (Turn It Up) (feat Kurtis Wells) (5:51)
Can't Let It Go (feat Tyler Daley & 3DDY) (2:54)
Simple Rules (feat Kurtis Wells) (4:22)
Here For You (feat Leven Kali) (2:19)
Livin In A Dream (2:33)
Set It On Fire (4:37)
6 Am (6:21)
Review: ANOTR turn the page on a bold new chapter with their second album, now out via their No Art imprint. Stepping out from their club-rooted origins, the duo now embrace a genre-spanning sound, weaving through shimmering disco, hypnotic alt-soul, raw post-punk, kosmische, and uplifter indie dance. Ahead of a global tour, the duo took refuge in psychedelic retreats in Ibiza, LA and the Netherlands, channelling the freedom unlocked in the act of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms. The revelations hereinafter steered them to using live instrumentation, as well as their first ever recorded vocals on key tracks like 'Set It On Fire', 'Care For You', 'Bad Trip' and 'Living In A Dream.'
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Signals
Shadowspace
No Closer Than The Moon
Landfall
Zonal Prospect
Air Foundry
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
The Frequency Domain label has been quietly issuing some of the most compelling electronica of recent times, with a staggering cast of characters including Anthony Child, Bass Clef, Luke Sanger and more delivering more introspective, experimental material over the past couple of years. Now it's the turn of Apologist, a lesser-known project from Brendan Nelson which manifested in one 7" back in 2006. If you appreciate dreamy, slightly dubby electronics which move through different moods and scenes without getting you up off the sofa, this is the perfect trip. Many layered, richly rendered and full of grit and personality, it's the kind of record you'll discover new secrets in every time you visit.
Review: "Danama" is a Bambara word meaning "trustworthy" that reflects the essence of Arat Kilo's fifth album, which was recorded in Spring 2024. The album embodies optimism, collective strength and cultural blending, while advocating confidence during these times which are so marred by wars, nationalism and environmental crises. Arat Kilo is France's leading Ethio-jazz ensemble and they take a fresh approach by experimenting with sound production by adding new instruments like synths, bass clarinet and Malian n'goni, alongside their signature grooves. These tunes are influenced by genres like Jersey club and 2-step and merge with Ethiopian jazz and global rhythms. Mamani Keita's poignant lyrics and social critique from Mike Ladd make this a resounding call for hope and unity.
Review: Blue Foundation returns with another lush and immersive album that deepens their signature blend of dream pop, shoegaze and ambient electronics. Crafted over three years by the much loved Danish duo Bo Rande and Tobias Wilner, Close to the Knife explores themes of melancholy and introspection through layered textures and haunting vocals from Wilner and Nina Larsen. Guest appearances from Scarlet Rae, Helena Gao, and Sonya Kitchell enrich its emotional depth, while contributions from Chinese experimental noise band Wang's Xie Yugang and drummer Federico Ughi add complexity to this shapeshifting soundtrack.
Review: Pink Elephant is Arcade Fire's first album since 2022's We, and it serves as a compact and cathartic return that is defined by its sense of reflection and emotional recalibration. It has been co-produced by Daniel Lanois and leans into intimate textures and moving drums with standout tracks like 'Year of the Snake' and 'Ride or Die', evoking both earnest self-examination and communal uplift. Elsewhere, there is the hypnotic 'Circle of Trust' and haunting title track, which showcase the band's ability to mix grandeur with vulnerability and means that this is a work that again cements Arcade Fire's reputation as one of indie's finest.
Review: Born in Kent and central to the UK's 70s jazz modernism, Neil Ardley composed with the precision of a scientist and the vision of a cosmic philosopher. This long-overdue reissue from Analogue October captures a project that translates planetary orbits into a nine-note harmonic systemitoo vast for acoustic instruments, brought to life instead through early synthesisers. 'Arcturus' and 'Spiral Nebula' interlace fluid sax work from Barbara Thompson with John Martyn's signature reverb-drenched guitar, while Geoff Castle's synths evoke deep-space drift. 'Rainbow Four' channels modal funk, and 'Neptune' floats into ambient abstraction. Produced at Morgan Studios with a full ensemble of jazz heavyweightsiTony Coe, Ian Carr, Billy Kristian, Richard Burgess, and Trevor Tomkinsithis is a record that swings between science fiction and symphonic elegance. For all its high concept, it remains rooted in groove and human touch. A meticulous AAA cut from the Decca master tapes seals the experience: a bold and beautiful reminder of how far British jazz once dared to travel.
Review: Swedish composer Ellen Arkbro's Nightclouds is a deeply introspective and romantic turn that collects five solo organ improvisations recorded across Europe in 2023-24. Departing from installation-based compositions, Nightclouds explores slow, chordal improvisations rich in texture and atmosphere while drawing on sacred music, ECM jazz and minimalism. Along the way, Arkbro creates immersive soundscapes that balance austerity and emotional depth while shifting between meditative stillness and modernist tension with standout recordings like 'Morningclouds' and two variations on the title track. Through meticulous mic placement and tonal clarity, Arkbro draws you in with the intimacy and vastness of her sonic world.
Review: Stockholm-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Art Longo impresses here with Echowah Island, a new album sure to wind its way into your affections. It was crafted over years in his home studio and is "psychotropical pop" drawing deep inspiration from late 80s music and dub. The album's lush soundscape evokes orange sunsets and ocean breezes and is layered with spring reverb, space echo and wah-wah effects that smooth out the edges as the steady pulse of vintage drum machines moves things on down low. A standout feature is Claudio Jonas, whose ethereal vocals recall classic French femme fatale singers of the 60s. Her poetic, kaleidoscopic lyrics add to a nostalgic dream world that gently bends reality and makes his both escapist and thought-provoking.
Review: On their second release, Atelier Kamikazi continues to deliver raw, collaborative lyrics drawn from their experiences as street kids in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like their debut on Seismographic Records, the group reflects on the harsh realities and surreal beauty of life in the city as they resist corrupt politics, challenge religious hypocrisy embodied by a figure they call "Priest Cat's Heart", and confront the dangers of "Bomb," a potent street drug. With vivid metaphors and unflinching honesty, they warn against its use while affirming their true tools for survival: words, wisdom and Loketo-the liberating hip-swing of Congolese dance.
Review: Part of the wider Megami Tensei video game franchise, Persona 4 is a 2008 role playing title that hit Japan, and made a huge impact, in 2008. Set in a fictional version of the Land of the Rising Sun's countryside, players adopt the character of a high school student who moves to the small town of Inaba from the city to experience rural living for 12 months. Mysterious murders ensue, and it's up to you - or whoever's got the PS2 controller - to work out what's happening. It's typically deep dive stuff for a country that has always had a very unique relationship with video games. Atlus, the developer, already had a reputation for making beloved scores for its titles, and this one is no exception, although broke the mould compared with preceding instalments in the saga. Way more upbeat, it's a mixture of bubblegum dance pop, chip music, high intensity synth rock, urban-hued J-pop, and 'toon jazz.
Review: The Persona 5 Megamix Vinyl Soundtrack distils the essence of the game's legendary audio into one electrifying album. It's a curated selection that pulls from hours of jazzy, stylish and emotionally charged music that defines the whole mood and aesthetic of the game. From iconic bangers like 'Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There' and 'Last Surprise' to atmospheric gems like 'Beneath the Mask' and 'Rivers in the Desert,' these tracks brim with hooky musical character and also plenty of narrative weight. With remixed album art by Drew Wise, this is a sleek, essential tribute to one of gaming's most unforgettable soundtracks.
They Took Control Of You (CD 1: Atomic Rooster - Released In 1980)
She's My Woman
He Did It Again
Where's The Show?
In The Shadows
Do You Know Who's Looking For You
Don't Lose Your Mind
Watch Out!
I Can't Stand It
Lost In Space
Throw Your Life Away (bonus tracks - B Side Of single 1980)
Browken Windows (Recorded In 1980)
Do You Know Who's Looking For You (demo 1980)
Don't Lose Your Mind (demo 1980)
He Did It Again (demo 1980)
Lost In Soace (demo 1980)
End Of The Day (demo 1981)
Hold It Through The Night (demo 1981)
No Change By Me (demo 1981)
Play It Again (demo 1981)
Moonrise (Last Recording 1981)
They Took Control Of You (CD 2: live At The Marquee club 1980)
Death Walks Behind You
Watch Out!
Tomorrow Night
Seven Streets
Gershatser
I Can't Take No More
In The Shadows
Devil's Answer
Do You Know Who's Looking For You?
Review: After a five-year split, Atomic Rooster returned with renewed force on their sixth studio album, Atomic Rooster, pushing into heavier territory sligning au naturel with the emerging new wave of British heavy metal. Released in 1980, the album marked a sharp turn from their earlier, more progressive leanings, favouring a nude, aggressor rock sound. Guitarist and vocalist John Du Cann reworked two tracks, 'She's My Woman' and 'Where's the Show?', from his unreleased 1977 solo work The World's Not Big Enough, breathing into them second life within the Rooster framework. Though the 2005 CD reissue stirred interest with rare demos and extensive sleevenotes, it remains an "unofficial" release due to copyright issues with EMI. 'Do You Know Who's Looking for You?' later found new life via a Finnish-language cover by rock band YUP.
Review: Sensory Blending hears Finnish artist Jimi Tenor and Italian group Aura Safari team up for an impromptu studio shebang in Perugia, Italy, after Tenor's storied but clandestine performance at a Hell Yeah party. Despite no prior connection, the musicians quickly found common ground, forging a vivant fusion of jazz-funk, tropicalia and soul. Tenor's psychedelic style gelled Aura Safari's faster, intuited approach, resulting in such tracks as 'Bodily Synesthesia,' 'Bewitched By The Sea' and 'Lunar Wind', each of which connect seductive grooves and ghost noted keys. Possibly performed live at select events later in the year, the record is a perfect storm of recorded "live feel" Balearica.
Review: Willow Avalon fashions after her Georgia upbringing a sharp, incisive debut LP. The splash debut artist’s lyrical lexicon is a fierce one, and that’s not to mention her rich backing instrumental palette of classic country and Americana. From whip-smart lines in ‘Homewrecker’ and ‘Yodelayheewho’ to moments of regret in ‘The Actor’ and ‘Baby Blue’, her storytelling never slips into cliché; “she gets at least as much of her musical talent from her mom's side,” says her father Jim White, as her Southern roots and filial retrospections permeate each song.
May I/Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Dolores (9:36)
Lunatics Lament/Pisser Dans Un Violon (12:57)
The Oyster & The Flying Fish/Underwater/Clarence In Wonderland (12:25)
Red Green & You Blue/Shooting At The Moon
(5:47)
Review: Hailing from Herne Bay in the south east of England, Kevin Ayers emerged as a pioneering figure in the nearby Canterbury scene. His second solo release with the Whole World is a testament to the experimental spirit of early 70s UK music, mixing progressive rock with psychedelia and avant-garde influences, blending whimsical ballads and intricate soundscapes. Tracks like 'May I?' and 'Rheinhardt & Geraldine' show off his knack for fusing carefree melodies with more experimental structures, while 'Underwater' and 'Clarence in Wonderland' explore the era's boundary-pushing approach to sound. Featuring contributions from Mike Oldfield and Robert Wyatt, the record's genre-defying nature helped cement Ayers as a key figure in progressive rock. Though originally released in 1970, this album remains an influential work, still resonating with contemporary artists drawn to its mix of playfulness and musical innovation.
The Next Time You See Me, Things Won't Be The Same
The Take Off
Birks' Works (alternate take)
Lady Be Good (alternate take)
Love Walked In
36-23-36/The Theme
Review: By the time Kenny Burrell took the stage at the Five Spot Cafe in August 1959, he had already 90-degree head-turned his best jazz fellow travellers with a glissando of Blue Note LPs. But this gig, his first live date as a leader, brought a new kind of magic. Contracting Art Blakey, Tina Brooks, Roland Hanna, Bobby Timmons, and Ben Tucker on band duties, Burrell confidently executed a suite of hard bop soaked in sweat, swing, and soul. This 3xLP brings that steamy summer evening back to life in full analogue detail; housed in a tip-on trifold jacket with an accompanying booklet of rare Francis Wolff photos, an essay by Syd Schwartz, and new reflections from Burrell himself, it's a vivid snapshot of a moment when everything clicked.
Review: Polish producer Latarnik and American vocalist Anthony Mills collide on this new album for Polish label Astigmatic to explore lo-fi hip-hop, soul, dub and experimental electronics. Mills's falsetto vocal brings great Neo-soul warmth to Crack Rock with emotionally charged tones soaring over the production which ranges from sugary and 80s-tinged disco and boogie on 'Crack' to deep, seductive and gooey on 'Passive Lover' which is a more romantic sound. Latarnik's work is often minimal yet immersive which creates space for Mills' voice to shine and is delivered in equal parts spoken word, chant and soulful croon. The hypnotic, slow-burning soundscapes that result are both intimate and confrontational, ready to make you dance but also often just to feel. Unapologetically raw and deeply human, this one lingers long after the final track ends.
Review: Some 37 haiku poems are given an avant-garde, 64-minute musical backing with translations from poet Harry Gilonis, on this unique project by composer and multi-instrumentalist Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow) and vocalist Atsuko Kamura. We hear a vignetting lingual interplay, with lines in English by Hodgkinson sung in Japanese by Kamura, as a wide instrumental span covers percussions, violin, viola, harp, clarinets, guitars and electronics result. Recorded between Tokyo and London, the album offers a startlingly satisfying sonic renga (a Japanese poetic form encompassing a succession of haikus), lending the brevity of classic haiku an expansive, stretched-out prosthesis. From the 17th through to the 20th-century, this is a subduing but still irregular experience, as it formally demonstrates the laconic and aphoristic essence of the haiku.
Review: Celebrating 25 years of two of the most influential house labels around, this joint double-pack from London's R2 and Osunlade's Yoruba Records is a heavyweight offering that bridges soulful roots and dancefloor depth. Karizma's long-awaited 'Spirit' appears in multiple formsihis original gospel-powered burner, a Josh Milan remix (as Honeycomb), and a dub version featuring Nicholas Ryan Gant, all radiating righteous, late-night warmth. The second R2 cut, 'W!thout !t' is stripped and punchy, full of Karizma's trademark percussive invention. Yoruba's side sees Osunlade light up the system with 'Electricity' and 'Sumpin' Like Dis', both steeped in rhythm and spiritual uplift. Afefe Iku's '823' dives deep into his signature twilight textures, while Karizma's Baltimore remix of Mr. Flip's 'Drippin'' closes the set on a loose and funky high. It's a snapshot of two defining voices in house musicirich in groove, spirit and intention.
Review: Ma?h is based in Berlin but makes occult techno inspired by Tikal, which is the ruin of an ancient Mayan city in Guatemala. He creates a sense of ancient ritual, tribalism, primaeval drums and otherworldly atmosphere across five fantastically evocative and escapist cuts here. They all go deep, with rubbery rhythms marbled with wordless vocals, chanting, eerie FX and absorbing mysticism that is all expertly done and hugely authentic. 'Acat' is a standout with its lolloping bass and tom-peppered beats, while 'Exorcismo' is more intense and heady. 'Caiman Ritual' is a humid and intense dub techno bumper, and it rounds out one of the most original EPs we've heard in ages.
Review: Brooklyn-based Model/Actriz, a four-piece rock band formed in 2016, return with an electrifying new chapter in their career. Frontman Cole Haden, guitarist Jack Wetmore, bassist Aaron Shapiro, and drummer Ruben Radlauer have forged a sound that merges post-punk aggression with noise rock's raw energy. Their latest release is a visceral, direct exploration of both the visceral chaos of their live shows and the darker, more introspective side of their sound. After their debut album Dogsbody earned critical acclaim in 2023, they've recalibrated their approach, opting for a more stripped-down and immediate experience. Tracks like 'Cinderella' and 'Acid Rain' charge forward with the kind of club-ready energy that makes their performances unforgettable, while 'Doves' and 'Audience' offer hauntingly introspective moments. Model/Actriz's commitment to blending queer themes with explosive music continues, pushing boundaries in both their lyrics and sound.
Review: A cross-hemispheric exchange gave rise to Nocturna, the first collaboration between New Zealand composer Andrew Thomas and German sound artist Joachim Spieth - the former's first for Affin after long-held stints Kompakt. Beginning with Thomas's piano sketches, composed during a Southern Hemisphere summer, the material was passed to Spieth just as light returned to the North. A subtle transformation ensued; Spieth preserved the piano's fragile warmth as its edges came sculpted across ambient textures and restrained sound design. A peek-a-boo of presence and absence is scripted, where each decision to withhold a note feels as resonant as those included. Clipped reverb gargantuans contrast to crystal clear piano scales on our favourites, 'Lumina' and 'Amethyst'.
Review: Vegyn flips Moon Safari inside out, running Air's 1998 debut through his distinct anoxia of gauzy electronics and fleet rhythm. After tide blurring work with Frank Ocean and Travis Scott, Joe Thornalley approaches the source material not as a sacred object, but as raw clay to reshape, stretching melodies, reframing grooves, twisting moods. It's a full-album rework, track by track, with the French duo's ambient-pop blueprint softened and warped into something ghostlier and unstabler. Visuals get a similar rethink: original Mike Mills artwork is reinterpreted by Vegyn with Noah Baker. This version lands as a limited blue vinyl for Record Store Day - not a nostalgia trip, but a sideways step into a parallel listening experience.
Review: British producer Joe Thornalley aka Vegyn brings forward-facing, abrupt and clippy stylishness to Air's 1998 debut album Moon Safari, in a daring reimagining crossing both audio and English Channels. Vegyn's desultory dynamics prove a toothy match for Air's comparatively amniotic French downtempo pop sound, though we *can* hear the ways in which Vegyn might've always somewhat taken after Air's production, his dream-rap sound lent well John Glacier's album released not long ago. Of course, 'Sexy Boy', 'All I Need', and 'La Femme d'Argent' are synonymous with the vibe of an era, and Vegyn's LP-remix (an increasingly popular format in 2015) honours Air's e-steamed essence, reconditioning their turn-of-the-digital vibe in jerkier retrospective tones.
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