Back catalogue: Pop

Review: Chappell Roan burst onto the scene in 2020 with this viral hit which did a great job of introducing a vibrant and unapologetically queer pop sound. Co-written with Daniel Nigro, her debut album followed in the form of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and it captured the Missouri native's journey toward achieving her pop star dreams. This limited-edition 7" single features 'Pink Pony Club' and 'Naked in Manhattan', both pressed on stunning baby pink vinyl that reflects Roan's bold and heartfelt artistry. As a celebration of self-expression and musical passion, this is a must-have.

Review: Fleur is a firm favourite with fans and now teases the new upcoming album with a new 7" single that is going to resonate well with fans of acts like The Kinks, Holly Golightly and The Remains. The A-side, 'Nous Continuerons a Marcher Ensemble' kicks off with a sharp guitar riff and builds into a catchy, powerful chorus. The B-side, an exclusive to this 7", is 'Tu M'as Mise a Genoux' a fast-paced punk track driven by fuzz bass. Both of them are superb retro indie-pop bangers and have been penned by Mark ten Hoor of The Kryng, and he also recorded the backing tracks for this release.

Review: 'Departures' is one of the most renowned singles by the Japanese band Globe, originally released in 1996. The track achieved significant success and became the group's second number-one hit on Oricon's weekly chart and went on to sell a total of a rather astonishing, especially in comparison to these digital times, 2.2 million copies, making it one of Japan's best-selling singles. Now the tune gets reissued on 7" and is a raw, dense pop-rock tune that comes with a bonus cut on the flip.

Review: Celebrate a decade of holiday magic this festive season with Ariana Grande's beloved Christmas hit 'Santa Tell Me' which now makes its debut on 7" green vinyl. Originally released in 2014, this festive pop classic has become a firm and warm favourite for the way it blends Ariana's soulful vocals with a catchy, heartfelt melody. It is perfect for any holiday playlist or for some's stocking, especially given the seasonal colour of it. A great collector's item for Ariana enthusiasts and holiday music lovers alike.

Review: Lawson Jr'Music is based in Montreal in Canada and is a drummer, singer and music composer who has played all over the world since a young age. He brings a distinctive Afro vibe to his take on hip hop as demonstrated by this masterful new cut on BSide/Lawson Entertainment. 'Let It Go' is defined by its screwy bass down low and the echoing hits up top. Aside from that I'd an empty but atmospheric cut with yearning vocals and melancholic chords. The flispide instrumental allows the slick production to shine.

Review: Kiss Klassics is keeping all you party DJs supplied with the best tackle once more here as this time they spotlight a trio of standout tracks from Montero Lamar Hill aka Lil Nas X's debut LP. Montero came back in 2021 and these cuts haven't been available on wax before now. There is the celebratory pomp and hefty distorted low end of 'Industry Baby' as well as the more deep sounds of 'Montero' with its strings, finger clicks and Afro-tinged beats, then the high-speed party pomp of 'That's What I Want' with its epic chorus and summer festival feel.

Review: Singer and actress SSW Mayu is mostly known for her roles in musicals and TV dramas, and delivers a fresh take on classic songs from the past. Her latest release is a 7" single on Jet Set Japan and comes from a compilation album by Cafe Music. It does a fine job of showcasing her versatile talent and her soulful voice and refined interpretation really shine as Mayu brings new life to timeless tracks while blending a hint of nostalgia with her unique signature style. This release highlights her ability to cross genres and create a soothing yet captivating musical experience, making it a standout addition to the Cafe Music compilation.

Review: This superb remix of Yuji Ohno's soulful gem 'Fairy Night' feat. Sonia Rosa, which is the ending theme for the anime Lupin the Third Part III from 1984, is now released as a 7" single to mark the 40th anniversary of its original release. The 45 rpm features two tracks: Side A showcases DJ Taro's fresh city funk remix, while Side B presents the classic 1984 version by Yuji Ohno. This limited release offers a rare opportunity to enjoy Sonia Rosa's sweet, evocative vocals through both the original and contemporary renditions which are subtly different but both equally excellent.

Review: Emotional Rescue returns to early 1980s Manchester with the previously unreleased music of Michael James Pollard and his beautiful distillation of indie pop in Too Confusing and bedsit cover version of Ashford and Simpson's Surrender.

While studying photography at Manchester Polytechnic, (MJ) Pollard lived and played in a band in a ramshackle house in Walley Range. In the cellar studio he would write and record his own songs using their guitars, fretless bass and keys, as well as his own Casio VL-Tone VL-1 and Simmons Clap Trap to augment his drums onto a 4 track TEAC.

By 1983, and now solo, he was recording out of Dislocation Dance's studio (ERC111), had secured a Peel Session and via Factory Records' Lindsay Reade, was discussing with Fundacao Atlantica about releasing an album.

Working with singer Sioux Goddard as a duo, they put down 8 songs in 2 weeks in summer '84. However, Fundacao Atlantica's financial difficulties and soon closure meant the songs were lost until now.

Recovered off the original tapes and lovingly restored, Too Confusing captures the optimism of the sessions, a summer love melody of forlorn youth. Surrender accompanies, recorded back in that cellar in '81, with friend Stephanie Danziger on vocals, its lo-fi simplicity is a perfect take on an all-time classic, making this a newly prized gem of British indie pop history.

Review: Happenstance can be a fortuitous element. A union-funded single discovered in a dusty store, a long disbanded band found, leads to unreleased post punk dubs in a box of unreleased demos.

Formed during the mid-80s in the downbeat town of Walsall, their music is a blend of disparate influences from 50's crooners, blues and reggae to Killing Joke and The Bunnymen; Ron's Neighbours were out of step with the perfect pop of the C86 indie generation.

Their only single - "To The Fight" - a split 7" was supported by the Trade Union Resource Centre, while many gigs were benefits for striking miners, leading to a loyal local following.

Engineered by Ozzy Osbourne's brother Tony, tracks were recorded at an 8 track bedroom / home studio, while a terraced house served as rehearsal space. Here Ron Next Door was born. When a tape recorder was left running it captured the long-suffering neighbour for posterity. His outburst gave the band and song, its name.

Experimenting with drum machines, the resultant jam track, here in its "Alternative Mix", languished unheard until now. Ron's 'Black Country' tones lead to driving bass / percussion against crashing Stratocasters and repeating, refrained vox - a post punk dub turned symphony.

The B side, Sitting On Top of the World, is an indie anthem, becoming their theme, a blend of grandiose and banal that characterised their songs.

Review: The Specials are real UK national treasures, aren't they? And rightly so. Alexis Petridis has even gone so far as to say their standout single 'Ghost Town' is the second greatest UK single to have ever been released. Again, it's hard to really argue with that one. It was a UK chart topper at time of release and speaks eloquently of the urban decay, unemployment and ongoing racial tensions of the period. Sound familiar? Sadly, you once again have to agree. This 40th Anniversary Edition has been mastered and cut at half-speed for extra oomph.

Review: Way back in 1982, Japanese musicians and producers Yuji Toriyama and Ken Morimura joined forces to deliver Aerobics, a soundtrack for exercise classes (really) that joined the dots between boogie, disco and city pop. 'Night Together', a superb electrofunk instrumental rich in picturesque synthesizer melodies, jazz-funk guitar solos (Toriyama was a guitarist by trade), squelchy bass and drum machine beats. It's certainly well worthy of being reissued - as this tidy "45" from Pony Canyon amply demonstrates. Curiously, it's not backed by another gem from that set, but rather another slept-on Japanese classic - 'Sea Gull' from Chie Sawa's 1974 hybrid folk-rock/psychedelic rock album 23 - Twenty Three Years Old. It's decent, but the A-side is the real winner.

Review: American superstar The Weeknd really went big with the guests on 'Popular', his dynamic r&b and pop hit from 2011, by enlisting none other than Madonna and Playboy Carti. As a breakout hit from his mixtape era, it showcases his seductive charm and magnetic presence, drawing listeners into his world of late-night escapades and hedonistic pleasures with infectious beats and smooth vocals that exude confidence and swagger and set the stage for his meteoric rise to fame and influence in the years to come. Flip it over and on the back of this Kiss Classics 7" you will find the equally effective 'Starboy' featuring Daft Punk.

Review: London's singer and songwriter Lola Young (who you may know covered 'Together in Electric Dreams' for the 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert) is back with a limited edition 7" featuring two tracks from her last album This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway back in 2024. First up is 'Conceited' which has a slow motion groove and dumpy kicks with Lola's acrobatic vocals shapeshifting throughout next to bleeping synth sounds. 'Crush' is another stylish vocal delivery with languid indie guitars that bring some sleaze over live drums that build to a raw crescendo before falling away again to reveal Lola's vulnerability lyrics.

Review: YUNGBLUD's hook-up with Lil Yachty is renowned amongst fans for its trippy production and tight, evocative, mind-melting bars. It has never before been on vinyl but this year's Record Store Day rights that wrong while serving it up with a superb, exclusive, introspective in-studio acoustic performance of the track. 'When We Die (Can We Still Get High?)' was first released on January 26, 2024 by Locomotion Recordings and Geffen Records and is a new school mix of alternative rock, psychedelia and hip-hop that explores themes of mortality and escapism with production by YUNGBLUD plus Matt Schwartz and Paul Meany. It's an introspective gem.