Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: Setting the stage for their as-of-yet untitled sophomore full-length, Leeds based indie darlings Yard Act have unveiled their eight-minute opus-like standalone single The Trenchcoat Museum. Channeling a new wave promiscuity and frenetic synth-laden playfulness into their pre-established sound, while tip-toeing a fine line between scathing self-analysis and reliably humourous absurdity, the piece serves as an indicator of their current sonic trajectory, while showcasing an introspective look at their sudden meteoric rise over the past few years. Complete with an accompanying Black Mirror-esque music video directed by James Slater, and a B-side flip remix by the incomparable Arthur Baker, anticipation is rife for where the band are leading their myriad of avid followers. Serving as both an extension of the narrative set in place by last year's exceptional debut LP The Overload, and a bridging point to their next aesthetic era, this new single offers newcomers a welcome chance to play catch up before the mayhem commences all over again.

Review: This new compilation by the (literally) grassroots Spanish label Soil pays tribute to the late incipient goth band Bauhaus - known for their volatile performances, blackened and deathly sound, and later controversial antics. Aiming to highlight the band's admixture of glam with goth, irreverent demeanour, and strange fusions of dub, regional music and post-punk, artists and groups such as Years Of Denial, Selfishadows and Radikal Kuss deliver six curveball takes on Bauhaus' great songs, from 'All We Ever Wanted' to the unmatchable 'Dark Entries'.

Review: Sean Bowie is back with another ode to the tortured, damned, and damned good. The Florida-born enfant terrible of US alt-rock can barely put a foot wrong in our eyes, whether that's the post-chillwave of Teams, the moniker he was recording under in the early-2010s, or the Tumor releases. This is the place where Death In Vegas fans come to be reassured it's not quite over yet.

The Asymptotical World, not to be confused with The Asymptomatic World, is a case in point. This is punk, if punk decided to dive into bed with electroclash and they had a baby that wasn't really what anyone expected. It's sludgy, scummy, guitar-driven chaotic noise that occasionally dissipates into white mayhem, all the while maintaining not just its sense of self, but an underlying feeling you're two seconds from a rave while in the moshpit.

Review: We are still being treated to superb albums that were written during the Coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and this is one of them. It took shape across a two-year period in New York, Seoul, and London and finds the highly rated Yaeji looking closely at her relationship with anger. In something of a shift away from the sound of previous work, she brings in rock and hip-hop elements as well as her signature house style. The lyrics in English and Korean are dark and self-reflective, while the artist also employs live instrumentation for the first time. Guests include K Wata and Enayet, plus vocals from London's Loraine James and Baltimore's Nourished by Time.

Review: Known as one of house music's contemporary darlings, Yaeji returns to XL Recordings with a concept album certain to prove her worth as an artist well beyond hip, 4x4 vocal bangers. With A Hammer is an album with full cross-continental appeal, hearing Yaeji channel her regional affinities with Seoul, London and New York into a righteously angry comeback. Across it, Yaeji is accompanied by her metaphorical hammer friend - Hammer Lee - whom she uses proudly to smash the many heterodox expectations foisted on her and her community, and which have conspired to keep her down in the past. With signature bilingual vocals and an updated slick sound, the album also brings together tunes made with K Wata, Enayet, Nourished by Time, and Loraine James.

Review: Two years on from the release of her acclaimed mixtape-style full length debut, What We Draw, Kathy Yaeji Lee returns to XL Recordings with her debut studio album With a Hammer. Conceived (lyrically at least) as an examination of the singer-songwriter-producer's relationship with anger, the album sees Lee expand on her house/hyper-pop-influenced trademark sound via nods to trip-hop, rock, drum & bass and more, with the addition of - for the first time in her career - live instrumentation. Of course, amongst the musical tweaks and collaborations (Lorraine James, Nourished By Time, K Wata and Enganet all feature), there are still plenty of nods to her pop-leaning productions of old, not least bi-lingual vocals (she often sings in Korean as well as English) and a sense of sonic style that has always been one of the aural hallmarks of Lee's work.

Review: Those who still pay attention to the music press may have noticed a fair bit of chatter about post-punk outfit Yard Act's debut album, The Overload, which one esteemed organ described as being "wonderfully wacky". That arguably does the album a disservice - "wacky" has negative connotations to some - but it is certainly a fun, freewheeling affair, whose tongue-in-cheek lyrics are frequently rip-roaringly funny. Sitting somewhere between vintage post-punk, Idles, Sleaford Mods and the Arctic Monkeys (the Leeds' band's vocals are often heavily accented), it's a riotous mix of gnarled guitar riffs, bombastic bass, shout-along choruses, drum machine beats and surprise nods to disparate musical styles (EG West African rhythms on 'Payday', Juju guitars on 'Land of the Blind') .

Review: RECOMMENDED
The thing everyone needs to understand about the UK is the disparity between projected image and real life is almost as overwhelming as the rich-poor divide. On the one hand, there's posturing of pomp, pageantry, grandeur and decorum. Then you actually get here and realise there are really only two types of inhabitants of this island nation, and few of either have manners - those who only give a shit about themselves, and the often eccentric others who do want to help those they pass on the street.

Yard Act, arguably the best thing we've heard to come out of Leeds since the emergence of super-talented techno producer Happa, directly address the first category of British resident in this, their startlingly raw and delightfully off-centre debut album. From middle class trendies to Brexiteering belligerents, think Sleaford Mods providing a backing track to IDLES' observational poetry, with an added dose of Jarvis Cocker-esque theatrics, only less camp, much rawer.

Review: Where's My Utopia? is the highly anticipated follow up to Leeds post-punk darlings Yard Act's Mercury Prize-nominated debut LP The Overload, and continues their eccentric, whimsical and sobering assessment of life in modern day Britain with a cheeky smile plastered over decades of embittered rage. Following on from last year's bizarre Black Mirror-inspired eight-minute single 'The Trench Coat Museum', this sophomore effort succeeds at every turn a second album should. Linking up with Gorillaz' Remi Kabaka Jr to handle production, the move has led to a curious wading into influences that might have seemed obvious to outside ears, with a newfound embracing of new wave synth pop whilst tapping into the psychedelic sonic world and political ethos of Fela Kuti. Lyrically, taking the UK to further task for its endless shopping list of fuck ups, whilst also touching on their seemingly overnight ascension, and the irony that comes with being signed to a subsidiary of another monolithic, faceless corporation endorsing the myriad of issues completely at odds with the morals embedded into the Yard Act DNA, Where's My Utopia? sees the band beating everyone to the punch, both musically and topically.

Review: The return of Yard Act. Where's My Utopia? is the follow up to the Leeds band's critically-acclaimed debut record The Overload, which arrived in January 2022. Written in snapshots of time between a relentless touring schedule and produced jointly by the band and Gorillaz' Remi Kabaka Jr, the quartet's second act is a giant leap forward into broad and playful new sonic waters. Across the record, influences ranging from Fela Kuti to Ennio Moricone via Spiller's 00s pop smash 'Groovejet' make themselves known, signifying a significant shift onwards and outwards from the raw new wave/indie sound of its predecessor.

Review: Where's My Utopia? is the follow up to the Leeds band's critically-acclaimed debut record The Overload, which arrived in January 2022. A co-production between Yard Act and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr., this latest album comes across as a meditation on the contemporary post-Fordist condition of the creative worker. Speaking about 'Dream Job', the band's James Smith said: "'Dream Job' feels like an apt introduction to the themes explored on Where's My Utopia? - though not all encompassing. In part I was scrutinising and mocking myself for being a moaning ungrateful little brat, whilst also trying to address how the music industry is this rather uncontrollable beast that hurtles forward unthinkingly, and every single person involved in it plays their part." Echoing the conflicted inner turmoil of reluctant bandleaders such as Mark E Smith of the Fall - "it's a constant battle" - and the sonic affect of Talking Heads, the album addresses a question central to our times: what do you do when everything you've ever wanted suddenly lands in your lap, but the questions still keep on coming? How do you handle fame and success, when your fans secretly resent the structures that elevated you to that status? Despite these contradictions, all this doesn't stop James Smith, Ryan Needham and Sam Shipstone from delivering a rip-roaring album as expected. If they can find the motivation to make such effective music despite their doubts (meditating on present conditions of poverty while keeping up a smile), then so, perhaps, can you.

Review: Following on from 2022's critically acclaimed, Mercury Prize nominated debut LP The Overload, crossing over the bridge provided by last year's absurdist, Black Mirror-indebted eight-minute stand alone single 'The Trench Coat Museum', everyone's new favourite Leeds based post-punks Yard Act are set to capitalise on their momentous winning streak with the highly anticipated sophomore effort Where's My Utopia? Recorded in collaboration with Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr handling production duties, sonically the band have opted to open their playful dynamic to as many sprawling influences as possible, simultaneously leaning into synth-laden new wave territory whilst citing Fela Kuti's political messaging and worldly psychedelia as an integral aspect. As lyrically snide and sharp as ever, the reliable brand of tongue-firmly-in-cheek socio-political commentary reaches ludicrous new heights when unpacking the band's success to date, their self-awareness of being signed to a subsidiary of a subsidiary of another soulless corporation aggressively at odds with the members' personal ethos, and even the increasing admiration/begrudgery that stems from the ascension within the eyes of their supporters. It's all clever, dense, humorous and delivered via an onslaught of razor-focused bangers. In essence, it's Yard Act.

Review: A long awaited comeback from one of New York's greatly missed rock bands, Karen O returns after over 9 years with a full length LP after single 'Spitting off the Edge of the World' released in June, featuring the one and only Perfume Genius. In what can only be a reference to O's beer-spitting stunt circa 2002 (yes, it's been 20 years), the single preceded what's to come from 'Cool it Down' as O wavered between sorrowful rumination on the fate of the climate to valiant calls to action. Let's be honest, Karen O is just as cool now as she was back then, she makes it look so effortless. Expect a blast from the past from this release, don't think for even a second that they have lost their touch, but also expect something more mature than releases of the past. 'Cool It Down' is set to be one of the biggest releases of the year.

Review: Slowcore and dream pop collide on this latest LP from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Cool It Down' is their fifth studio album and a surprise return almost 10 years on from 2013's 'Mosquito'. Uniquely teased by the whispery lead single 'Spitting Off The Edge Of The World' - a hopeless anthem for those left behind, laying somewhere between the slowcore of Deathcrash and the indie dream dreamt by Band Of Horses - this one is a focused eight-tracker of enormously mournful proportions. It also contains a guest appearance by Perfume Genius.

Review: On their third LP, British-Singaporean singer-songwriter Nat Cmiel is moving in a new direction - not only with a move from Bayonet Records to Ninja Tune, but also favouring a guitar-led indie rock sound, a departure from the critically acclaimed 'Serotonin II' and Danny L Harle produced 'Glitch Princess'. Lead single 'sulky baby' is a bright affair, distorted guitars circling Yeule's brand of gloomy lyrics sang with a smile. 'dazies' gets off the mark with a killer electric guitar lead, giving way to a plucked ambience with a computerised Nat ringing off a word association of a person kicked to the curb. When Kin Leonn isn't working their production magic, Yeule's self-production breaks the space. 'fish in the pool' is an ambient piano interlude with light-as-a-feather vocal adlibs, something that wouldn't be out of place in a Studio Ghibli production.

Review: The third full-length studio album from Singaporean singer-songwriter-producer Nat Cmiel (aka yeule) released to rave reviews earlier this September, following an ethereal rollout with singles 'dazies', 'ghosts' and 'inferno' showcasing exactly what yeule excels at: worldbuilding. 'softscars' is now the 3rd instalment in one of the most exciting album runs in modern alt-pop, shifting away from the glitchy, electronic ambience of predecessor 'Glitch Princess', moving in a more rock-centric, brighter direction. This isn't to say the album doesn't have its soul-crushing moments, opening track 'x w x' closes with a defiant scream of frustration, whilst the drums, guitar and synths fight each other for dominance - bottoming out into a gentle outro sequence. The calm after the storm. We could go on about this album for hours, as a yeule fan it feels so fresh but so perfect with it's oscillating directness in delivery. Whereas 'Glitch Princess' felt like travelling through a clastrophobia-inducing tunnel at time, 'softscars' is that moment you burst out of the tunnel and are hit with a huge green vista. It's my album of the year but, hey, what do I know?

Review: The tide of (hyper)pop has ebbed into increasingly emo and indie directions and the frothiest edge of this fluid movement is perhaps best represented by the latest album from Yeule (Nat Cmiel). Softscars follows up Yeule's 2022 album Glitch Princess and continues the trend of ultra-glossy, CD-reflective, knife-edge sounds packed into the blueprint of downtempo dream pop, in which said gloss reflects Cmiel's own personal experience of healing from trauma. The likes of 'ghost', 'dazies' and 'sulky baby' are giving glitchy alternate-reality Green Day in their Boulevard Of Broken Dreams era, with a dash of ejector-jewel-cased lyrics and a sprinkling of George Clinton-esque production flavour.

Review: 'There's A Riot Going On', the fifteenth album from New Jerseyan indie rockers Yo La Tengo, started life in 2015 as a mesh of home recordings, new material and previously unused material from other projects such as their film score work. The effect of this long gestation is audible, it's a sort of kaleidoscopic patchwork of psychedelic soundscapes and calm, warm alt-indie songs that meld together seamlessly (think a slightly more out-there version of fellow Garden State natives Real Estate). The second half of the album is punctuated by more unusual moments, the percussive pseudo-jazz jam of 'Above The Sound', bossa-nova instrumental interlude 'Esportes Casual', and the horizontal ambient doo-wop of 'Forever', amongst others. Nevertheless, the strength of 'There's A Riot Going On' lies in how well it all fits together, whilst quietly showcasing how deft YLT's songwriting hand is.

Review: This Stupid World is an album from Yo La Tenga that sounds more live than anything the band has done for a decade. It's their first new record in five years and was created top to bottom by the band itself, building on their strong foundations yet bringing plenty of fresh new ideas. All three band members are going for it throughout almost every moment of every track, so it has an urgent, of-the-moment feel that is immediately impactful. It comes on limited transparent blue vinyl - a great record for indie fans whether or not they are familiar with this band.

Review: As Radiohead tour the world and then regroup to record their new album, Thom Yorke releases his own record, 'The Eraser' on XL Recordings. A collection of nine new songs, the record was written and played by Thom and was produced by Nigel Godrich. Variously hailed as "The Best Band In The World" (Q Magazine), "Rock's Best Live Band" (Rolling Stone) and the band were placed at number 1 of Spin Magazine's 40 most influential artists, Radiohead has arguably become the most acclaimed and adventurous force in modern music. Over six studio albums the group have proved that it is possible to make massive creative leaps whilst continuing to grow in worldwide stature. Their records set new benchmarks for others to aim towards, whilst their live shows reach levels of intensity and exploration that few can match.

Review: It's taken a while, but finally Thom Yorke's impressive third solo album, "ANIMA", is available on wax (and in a fetching shade of orange, too). A future classic that continues the legacy he started with XL Recordings back in 2006 (with his solo debut The Eraser), ANIMA is well worth picking up, as Yorke and co-producer Nigel Godrich offer up evocative, off-kilter songs built around the twin attractions of the Radiohead man's distinctive vocals and skewed backing tracks rich in layered electronic noise, body-bending sub-bass, discordant synthesizer parts and intriguingly jaunty drum loops. Highlights are plentiful throughout, from the creepy, lo-fi ambient swirl of "Last I Heard (...He Was Circling the Drain)" and "Dawn Chorus" (a blissfully dewy-eyed early morning soundscape), to the low-slung, post-trip-hop hum of "I Am A Very Rude Person" and the fizzing, jazz-fired thrust of "Impossible Knots". Melancholic, yes. Deep and self-effacing, of course. Nihilistic, not really. Percussive futurist sub-pop is back.

Review: Given his innate ability to craft intensely atmospheric and often fundamentally unsettling music, it seems apt that Thom Yorke has finally got around to producing a film soundtrack. It's fitting, too, that said soundtrack is for Luca Guadagnino's weirdo remake of 1977 Italian horror flick "Suspiria". Yorke nails the brief, delivering a string of chilling, otherworldly instrumentals that not only draw on his well-established love of dark ambient and gruesome electronica, but also foreboding neo-classical movements and sparse, wide-eyed arrangements. There are a smattering of superb vocal moments, too, with recent single "Suspirio" - described by one broadsheet reviewer as "the saddest waltz you'll ever here" - standing out.

Review: Five years on since their last, Young Fathers are finally back with their fourth album (if you don't include their introductory mixtapes Tape One and Tape Two). Heavy Heavy finds the trio of Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings embracing a back to basics approach formed around working in their own basement studio, keeping the equipment turned on and allowing the ideas to flow freely. Cherry picking the most fruitful moments from these extended sessions has resulted in a striking, invigorating album which bursts forth with the opening salvo of 'Rice' and 'I Saw', clutching you tight and not letting go for the duration of the album. It's been worth the wait.

Review: With their Mercury-winning 2014 debut 'Dead', Edinburgh trio Young Fathers set the bar high for themselves, which they met with 2015's follow-up 'White Men Are Black Men Too', and continue to do so with new album 'Cocoa Sugar'. Their third record isn't as brash and in-your-face as their previous two, but that's not to say that this any less impactful, instead 'Cocoa Sugar' is a stripped back, concentrated The group have a unique ability in that they can draw elements from a range of genres, with an outcome sounding in a class of its own and tantalisingly hard to define. Also, in their use off-kilter loops, gospel-esque vocals, haunting samples and breakneck speed verses, Young Fathers create dualities and contrasts that playfully subvert. Tracks like 'See How', 'In My View' and 'Lord' appear to tread into joyous and cathartic pop territory, before being pinned down by unnerving scraping samples and dissonant synthesis. It's these intelligently executed sonics and structures that make 'Cocoa Sugar' an addictive, thrilling and beguiling listen.

Review: Art-rock auteur Yves Tumor occupies a headspace like no other, putting experimental noise, r&b and glam rock together in a bold, ever-escalating fusion, showing off a flair for simply making powerful Frankensteins out of their favourite styles. Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) adds yet once more this pot: it's a glistening, richly detailed, arguably ultimate expression of their vision, mixing such far-flung influences as My Bloody Valentine, Prince and The Smashing Pumpkins into a deep affector for the Gen Z-eitgeist.

Review: Is it rock? Is it metal? Is it synth pop? How about art noise? Someone, somewhere, is trying to pen a thesis on how you define the mighty and mysterious Yves Tumor. Best leave it to them, then. Wonder aside, the Knoxville, Tennessee outsider has finally delivered the follow up to Heaven To A Tortured Mind and it's every bit another masterpiece that grabs listeners by the jugular and challenges them, while delivering exactly what they didn't realise they wanted to hear.
While it's difficult to find much genuinely surprising in music today, the sheer breadth of Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply Hot Between Worlds) is in itself a shock. Over the course of 12 tracks, we hit grinding electroclash ('God Is A Circle'), seductive operatic pop ('Lovely Sewer'), main stage heavy rock ('Parody'), distorted and pained metal ('Meteora Blues'), and high-paced, rousing indie ('In Spite of War'), among other styles, all realised via a unique musical identity some would kill to possess.

Review: Yves Tumor's capacity to constantly stylistically evolve between each album once more makes itself evident on Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume. Everything from goth-pop to experimental noise rock (usual styles for Yves Tumor) crop up here, hammering home ther increasingly crazed world after a directional shift following the EP 'Heaven To A Tortured Mind'.

Review: Sean Bowie's fifth full-length as Yves Tumor arrives with an epic title (the academically minded will be debating its meaning for years to come), a grandiose electro-rock/post-punk goes-electroclash sound, and a bagful of valedictory reviews. It's basically an extension of Bowie's previous work with a few twists, but that's no bad thing; after all, the artist's distinctive sound and strong songs have always been an impressive calling card. Highlights are plentiful, from the fizzing, 21st century punk-funk of 'Lovely Sewer', and the Prince-does-Nine Inch Nails-flex of 'Parody', to the alternately jangling and sleazy 'Operator', and the post-ESG dancefloor heaviness of 'Fear Evil Like Fire'.