Lucky Number レコード& CD

Review: The self-titled debut from Reykjavik/London/Brighton trio Dream Wife follows a pair of incendiary EPs that demanded the attention of critics in 2016 and '17. Having set their bar high, this first full-length does not disappoint. It's a simultaneously infectious, angry and loveable album that's overflowing with pure energy. Dream Wife hit the mark perfectly by balancing insatiable grunge and catchy pop-punk, thanks to their strong influences and riff-heavy writing. It's a jagged and fierce album, an unignorable and fresh opening statement from a band worth paying attention to, and a necessary soundtrack to an age of counter-cultural aggression.

Review: A cast of 47 musicians including a gospel choir and 16-piece orchestra came together to work on this wildly ambitious second album from HMLTD. It took over two years to put together and is not so much a concept album as a fully realised musical universe that crosses all genre and medium boundaries. It is set in a version of Medieval England steeped in sci-fi fantasy and is part a political polemic and part a moving and psychological journey. Frontman Henry Spychalski draws on his own struggles to tell a modern tale about the impotence of people feel stuck inside system of power.

Review: Walt Disco are evolving. Lead vocalist Jocelyn Si, drummer Jack Martin, synth player Finlay McCarthy, bassist Charlie Lock, and guitarist Lewis Carmichael challenged norms with their debut album, Unlearning. Their new record, The Warping, reflects shifting identities, blending memory and future, and exploring younger selves and imagined personas. Written across the Atlantic, from Los Angeles to Glasgow, the album builds enhances their cinematic glam with orchestral musicians, creating a sound both organic and sophisticated. The album addresses personal themes with radical honesty, especially exploring gender dysphoria and envy. Despite a hostile world, especially for queer and trans people, Walt Disco remains resilient.