Review: Belgian jazz singer Melanie Di Biasio first came to light around 2007 on Igloo, but she's since fostered a steady relationship with indie giants [PIAS] which has resulted in two subsequent albums, No Deal and Lilies. After a six-year gap, she returns with a new set which finds her edging into intriguing new territory. Il Viaggio is framed as 'a quest for musical, physical, and spiritual renewal, born from an emotional memory awakened'. Make of that what you will, but the music contained within finds her voice framed by a broad spectrum of sonics as she leads us through two distinct halves across two discs - Lay Your Ear To The Rail and The Chaos Azure.
Love Again (with Hugo Cantarra & Richard Judge) (4:28)
Missing You (3:58)
Cold Confetti (3:29)
Monsters (3:03)
I'll Find You (3:16)
My Reflection (4:18)
Hello Echo (4:56)
Insomnia (3:44)
Mom’s Violin (with Lila) (4:32)
Do You Ever Dream Of Me (3:32)
Oceanside (4:47)
Review: London-born, LA-based duo Eli & Fur present their second ever album, Dreamscapes, finding inspiration in the transformations that occur in the mid-to-after-rave hours of dusk and dawn. Fleshing out the sonic interpretation of the veil between self and surroundings, which grows thin in those early hours, Dreamscapes is a 15-track homage to the cathartic musings of our most solitary wanderings of all corners of the night and the flashes in between. From the slowly risen breakbeat transcendents of 'Missing You' to the moody progressive burbles of 'My Reflection', this is a subtly impressive album, one that holds fast to the deep house and tech in which Eli & Fur have always worked, yet unfolds its dreamiest and bleariest ends.
Review: Kerala Dust are an indietronica trio hailing from Berlin, and their upcoming album 'Violet Drive' is rightly described by them as a 'pan-European dream'. Recorded between Berlin and a remote Swiss Alpine studio, this is a funky, dark and sumptuous vocal dance project, replete with an overarching nighttime swing and glossy shimmer. Rather than one for twangy, sunburnt all-American road trips, we imagine this one is far better suited for drives across milder Scandi landscapes at night.
Review: Sheffielder Matthew Relton - initially known as Kidnap Kid, but now releasing as Kidnap - has been on quite a musical journey since first emerging as a boisterous garage and UK bass producer early last decade. His first full-length, 2020's Grow, showcased his maturation as an artist by focusing on songs and instrumentals that tended towards the tactile and picturesque. On this follow-up, he's leaned further into the "artist maturing" theme via a blend of picturesque songs (voiced by regular collaborator Ian Stannard, Gabrielle Apin and others') and ambient instrumentals shot through with yearning, oblique nostalgia, delicate instrumental arrangements and plenty of sweeping, cinematic chord sequences. It's not pop, per se, but it is hugely accessible with tons of crossover potential. Expect to see him on festival stages in the months and years ahead.
Review: Meat Beat Manifesto have released more than a few classic albums in their time, but their fourth album Satyricon is surely one of the finest. Originally released on Mute in 1992, it saw Jack Dangers push his voice even further to the forefront as he tackled a wide spectrum of social issues, while the production continued to find them keyed into the developments in rave and hip-hop as they were unfolding. The breakbeat structures are absolutely in keeping with the pace of the emergent hardcore sound, but of course Meat Beat Manifesto reached beyond purist dance music to take in industrial elements which made a hugely influential brew of its own.
Review: Meat Beat Manifesto's sprawling 1996 opus 'Subliminal Sandwich' is finally reissued by the good people at PIAS. Compared to much of their oeuvre, this one is a touch rougher round the edges, with serrated guitar licks layered over achingly resonant bell loops and typically crunchy percussion. Though most of the tracks on the LP are characterised by lax tempo and an ominously warped soundworld, the unique cocktail of styles and influences which MBM draw on shine forth one by one: dub, new jack swing, jazz, noise, punk, breakbeat. Percies include the smoked out dub nausea of 'Assasinator', and the bleary chug of 'Addiction', which sounds somewhat like if Christophe Goze ate one too many tabs and decided to compose a Buddha Bar single for the tweakers. While it isn't MBM's most accessible work by any means, it is an essential entry in the Jack Dangers catalogue and a must for anyone seeking a more charred, freaky body of work which doubtless went on to inspire some of breakbeat and trip hop's key players.
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.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.