Back catalogue: All genres

Review: This limited edition neon-yellow LP captures the power of U2's historic performance at the RDS Arena, Dublin in August 1993, a highlight of their groundbreaking ZOO TV Tour. Pressed on vinyl for the first time, this release should be a coveted collectible for both fans and collectors. Opening with the dramatic 'Zoo Station,' the track sets a powerful tone, showcasing U2's innovative approach to live performance at the time. The energetic 'Mysterious Ways' follows, a standout hit from the Achtung Baby album, its infectious rhythm exemplifying the band's dynamic range. 'Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World' adds depth to the EP with its reflective and expansive feel, highlighting the band's ability to blend introspection with grandeur. 'Stay (Faraway, So Close!)' offers a poignant and often underrated ballad from the era, providing a softer contrast to the more intense tracks. Finally, 'Love Is Blindness,' a cult favorite also from Achtung Baby, brings a haunting and intense conclusion to the set. The 12" heavyweight vinyl is adorned with a gloss UV varnish on the outer sleeve, enhancing its visual appeal and making this release a striking addition to any collection.

Review: Ultraista put out a highly acclaimed album in March and now it gets remixed by some superb underground electronic artists. Floating Points ditches his intricate prog and synth work of recent times to turn in a nice glitchy garage mix. American FaltyDL then soars up to the heavens on nice soulful vocal and shimmering drums and Zero 7 goes for a slower, more downtempo vibe for chilled home sessions. After a flurry of jungle percussion and drums from Crate Classics, Leifur James closes things down with intricate electronics and pensive synths. No two tunes here are alike, and all are essential.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this Record Store Day, 'Original Soundtracks 1' is a bold, imaginative collaboration between British ambient pioneer Brian Eno and Irish band U2 under the moniker Passengers. Blurring the line between ambient experimentation and cinematic storytelling, the album features 15 tracks that were all conceived as soundtracks for fictional films. Highlights include the haunting 'Miss Sarajevo' with Luciano Pavarotti and contributions from Howie B and Holi and this remastered anniversary edition comes on recycled black vinyl. An adventurous 1995 release that stands up now as an atmospheric, genre-blurring work and a rare and inspired detour in U2's discography.

Review: U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb gets a lavish 20th-anniversary treatment with this limited edition 8xLP super deluxe boxset. The collection revisits the Grammy-winning album and is newly remastered. The original album, featuring massive hits like Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights, is now paired with a fascinating companion piece titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb. This piece was a second album that was recorded at the same time as the main album with exclusive remixes by collaborators such as Hot Chip and Trent Reznor adding fresh perspectives on familiar tracks, while live enthusiasts can rejoice with the inclusion of the full Vertigo 2005: Live From Chicago performanceinow available on vinyl for the first time. The package's extras elevate this release into collector's territory. A stunning photography book by Anton Corbijn, complete with handwritten notes, captures the visual essence of the band, while special edition prints provide a tactile, artistic flourish.

Review: This Ultravox classic gets a special release for Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 on double vinyl complete with a stunning stereo mix by Steven Wilson. This version offers a refreshed take on the iconic album and is a fine homage to one of the band's most defining works. It reminds just how groundbreaking their sound was at the time and it still has a modern twist that makes it feel relevant now. Instrumentals are all included next to the originals for added depth.

Review: First released in 1981, and garnering the 100,000-plus sales needed to hit Gold certification pretty quickly after arrival - a feat which, back in the glory days of charts, was still only enough for you to peak at #4 in the albums league - at the time this was a case of Ultravox, here in the height of the Midge Ure years, taking the electronic explorations that defined the previous two full-length records, Systems of Romance and Vienna, even further, returning to the same Cologne studio to achieve that quality and feeling.

Of course, there are still shades of the band as they were in formative, mid-1970s years, which many still forget was a far (far) rockier beast. Nevertheless, the synths make the most lasting impression here, with the LP somehow sounding kind of stark, a little cold and distant, perhaps even enigmatic, yet full and in many ways fun.

Review: This refreshed edition of the standout album from Ultravox comes as part of Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 and has been mixed in majestic stereo by Steven Wilson. It arrives on a double CD and pays tribute to one of the band's most influential works and in the process highlights the groundbreaking sound that defined their era. The album retains its timeless appeal all these years on and mixes up the innovative essence of the original with a modern touch. Alongside the original tracks, this edition includes instrumental versions that serve up a deeper exploration of the music and make it a must-own piece for fans old or new.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


The 40th Anniversary Edition of Ultravox's Lament offers a fresh perspective on a seminal album from 1984. The album, produced by Ultravox ithe preceding year, is a defining moment in their career, marked by the UK Top 10 hit 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes' and notable singles like 'One Small Day' and the title track 'Lament.' Musically, Lament stands as a sophisticated blend of new wave and synth-pop with a darker, introspective edge, the tracks exhibiting a polished yet emotionally charged sound, driven by Midge Ure's poignant vocals and the band's intricate arrangements and the album's themes of emotional turmoil and societal commentary are given new life through this comprehensive reissue.

Review: The sixth studio album by British synth pop legends Ultravox landed in 1982, and peaked at an impressive number six in an albums chart that was still highly competitive. By December that year, the record had clocked up more than 100,000 copies, earning a Gold certificate from the BPI, while also ranking in US and German hit lists around the same time. Notable as it saw George Martin (affectionally known to some as The Fifth Beatle) stepping up to the helm, this veteran apparently claimed the band were "the most musical" he'd worked with in years. Agree or not, the record is bold and theatrical, at times taking us out on the town in bleep-happy Sheffield (or some such synth domain), in other moments inviting us to partake in a strange electronic cabaret.

Review: Four piece outfit The Umbrellas call themselves "renegade romantics" and they are adept at making irresistible indie pop hymns. 2021 marked the year they dropped their successful breakout debut album and in the wake of that they went on national tours and got plenty of critical acclaim. Fairweather Friend is the difficult second album that didn't prove so and brought yet more lush and candied melodies with confident guitar, great vocals and plenty of studio finesse. Not bad for a group that met at San Francisco record emporium Amoeba Music.

Review: The New Zealand-born, Portland-based Ruban Nielson initially made a name for himself by marrying psych rock and lo-fi styles in a messy, Beefheartian manner, with jam-band wig-outs vying for attention with expressive songcraft. On 'Multi Love', however, he's both reined in the excesses of yore and sharpened up his songwriting, and the result is a veritable tour de force. Pop-tinged melody and emotional candour make for impressive bedfellows on these nine expansive and inventive ditties, which take as much inspiration from Prince or Janelle Monae as they do The Grateful Dead or Zappa. 'Multi Love' marks the place where Nielson genuinely makes his presence felt as a modern-day psychedelic visionary.

Review: Logic runs through the Unknown Mortal Orchestra back catalogue, even if that's just in terms of what the records are actually called. V, then, is album number five, a double-sized and long-awaited package that represents the first long form outing from Ruban Nielson and Co since 2018. In modern music, that's a hell of a long time. Rest assured, though, it seems like time was well spent honing crafts, polishing ideas, and coming out with 14 incredibly interesting and compelling songs.

In many ways V isn't a huge departure from IV, but - maybe because of that extended gap - you still can't shake the feeling this is you meeting the Orchestra for the first time. Packed full of surprises, running the gamut between blissed out, stargazing stuff, lo-fi funk steppers, and a kind of stoner pop-blues, it's love at first play. Again.

Review: New Zealand-born, Portland-based Ruban Nielson is well known for mixing up lo-fi, indie rock, psychedelic sounds and plenty of trippiness into unique and beguiling sound worlds. V is said to be the band's most definitive album yet and it was written between the dry freeways of Palm Springs in California and the much more lush coastlines of Hawai'i. As such it is drawn from a world of West Coast AOR, classic hits, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music. This is the first double album in the artist's discography and it is well worth the extra playtime.

Review: New Zealand-turned-Portland neo psych sorts Unknown Mortal Orchestra have made a name for themselves with vocal-based records. But they occasionally turn their hand to purely instrumental music and come up trumps. IC-02 Bogota follows their only previous instrumental album, 2018's IC-01 Hanoi. The rhythm of the album brings you to the chaotic hustle and bustle of the Colombian capital, which is where the album was recorded. It's music that appears born out of collaboration; the single 'Earth 1' is an 11-minute jam that has a lot in common with jazz in terms of knowing the moment when to make way for an extended solo. This is a superb detour and a series that we can only hope UMO keep going.

Review: The Unloved crew is back with a new album Polychrome, and it is made up of eight tunes that were all recorded during the same period as The Pink Album from September last year. The band is known for having cooked up a cinematic sound that joins the dots between moody 60s girl group records to sonic experimenters like the great Delia Derbyshire and Silver Apples via the mystic and shadowy atmospheres of David Lynch and monochromatic charm of the French New Wave. All that and more features here on another beautifully alluring collection.

Review: BBC's hit action drama Killing Eve not only introduced the exceptional screen talent of Jodie Comer to a global audience, it also had some damned good tunes each and every season. Unloved were responsible for much of the soundtrack to the relationship between deadly assassin Villanelle and super-determined government agent Eve, which progresses from obsessive woman-hunt to weirdly playful cat and mouse games and finally, something much more personal. Ode to the Lovers collates much of the music delivered by Unloved for this gripping journey played out over four series, resulting in a staggeringly mesmerising collection of sounds that seem to lull, swoon, sway, romance, mystify and, finally, win hearts over. Blissful and beautiful instrumental classical-pop-electronic business, it's certainly worthy of the eye candy these limited run pressings come packaged in.

Review: Experience the shimmering, manic pop thrills from Washington D.C. indie rock greats Unrest at their creative peak. Originally released in 1993 on 4AD, this 30th anniversary remaster is a celebration of their final studio album and sounds edgy to this day. 'Angel I'll Walk You Home' has a Nico vibe and excels in placing beautiful melodies alongside twangy clean guitar to craft a thought-provoking sound world that envelops you. Things get scuzzier on 'Cath Carroll' as the distortion pedal gets dialed up and the rhythm section go for a frenetic light post-punk. It's clear that they went out with a bang with this curtain closer of an album. How they were left to split when firing off indie pop gold at this level is a total mystery. At least we're seeing sustained appreciation.

Review: Departing Roadrunner Records for the more fitting label home of Century Media, Portland, Oregon's Unto Others (FKA Idle Hands) have consistently been referred to in the music press as the likely torch bearers of the goth-metal revival, with many even heralding them as the 21st century successors to The Sisters Of Mercy or Type O Negative. While their macabre 2019 debut Mana and the more abrasive sophomore effort Strength both provided glimpses of this perceived greatness, it's with their highly anticipated third full-length Never, Neverland the band truly seize the mantle and rise to the weighted pressure. Tapping producer Tom Dalgety (The Cult, Ghost) has proved a stroke of genius, as his experience and melodious sonic penchants allow for glossy synthwave to pulse beneath gloomy, gothic, lovelorn death-rock bangers as accessible and instantaneous as they are menacing. Dust off your black shades and leather jacket, it's cool to be a sad, verbose goth with a deep voice again.

Review: Founded in Tumwater and Olympia, the latter, amazingly, is the Washington state capital, Unwound enjoyed 14 years of unfettered creativity between 1988 and 2002, and yet you'd probably struggle to find many outside the US, even in rock clubs, that would cite them in a list of favourites. Thankfully, A Single History presents the case for reappraisal this group deserve. Not that they ever wanted to court attention and reverence. Often categorised as post-hardcore, Unwound make the kind of angular, gritty, dissonant rock that celebrates unusual guitar tones, walls of sound, and garage-y rhythms. There are elements here that betray just how much they helped paint the scene into which grunge emerged, there's plenty owed to punk in the truest sense, while the pared back minimalism contrasting louder moments speaks to post punk and art rock. Analysis aside, it's all just so good.

Review: To celebrate Midge Ure's 70th birthday and his remarkable seven decades in music, he delivered a spectacular sold-out concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, showcasing a rich tapestry of his career. This 3CD set captures the full concert, divided into four sets: an acoustic set, an electric set, the complete performance of the Ultravox classic album Vienna and an encore filled with greatest hits. With the support of his long-time band Electronica and special guests Caroline Dale and Ty Unwin, Ure's performance was both nostalgic and electrifying. Newly mixed by Richard Whittaker, the setlist features a host of unforgettable tracks, including Ultravox staples like 'Reap the Wild Wind', 'Hymn' and the iconic 'Vienna'. The inclusion of his #1 hit 'If I Was' and Visage's timeless 'Fade to Grey' adds to the nu-romantic essence that Ure helped define. This collection is a testament to Ure's enduring legacy, celebrating his evolution as an artist while thrilling fans with a blend of emotional ballads and energetic anthems. It's a fitting tribute to a career that has profoundly influenced the music landscape.

Review: Celebrating his 70th birthday and seven decades in music, Midge Ure concluded a year of touring with a sold-out show at London's Royal Albert Hall. The concert spanned his impressive career, featuring songs from Ultravox, Visage, his collaborations with Phil Lynott and his extensive solo work. Ure performed alongside Band Electronica, special guest cellist Caroline Dale and Ty Unwin, his collaborator on 2017's Orchestrated. The highlight of the evening was a full performance of Ultravox's classic album Vienna. This triple vinyl captures the concert in all its glory.

Review: Meghan Remy is one of North America's musical secret weapons. Unless, of course, you already know about her, then she's just a bonafide gem in the crown jewels. Raised in Illinois, but based in Toronto for much of her career, her work as U.S. Girls is born of the post-millennium alt-pop sound, and by that we mean also cast in the shadows of the mainstream that defined much of her childhood. Bless This Mess presents that in all its glory. Some tracks can best be described as yacht pop (see: yacht rock, then work it out), homages to Immaculate Collection-era Madonna are audible, striking beautiful minimalistic balladry is present, and a voice sweeter than a sugar binge just before sitting down to watch, err, something sweet is omnipresent. It's stylised, stylish stuff, and it's difficult not to feel intoxicated by.

Review: The output from cult label Emotional Response is always varied and always vital. This time out the focus turns to Useless Users, who offer up a standout nine-track debut here. The band features former Sarah Records alumni including members of Action Painting! and Secret Shine as well as featuring Even As We Speak. The music they make is pop but with bold adventure at its heart. There are dreamy elements, big bold chords and stunning vocal deliveries as well as a few twists and turns along the way. It's a real gem with nods to sixties psyche amongst others.