Back catalogue: Rock (All)

Review: Ahead of their European tour, Turkish electronic group Islandman share their EP 'Popsicle Obstacle', the new material on which tracks a heady musical pathway from archaic folk traditions and regional acoustics right through to the modern-day tonic-sonics of the electronic sequencer. Having made headway from the spiritualist dream of primitive past to the glossy utopia of a digital future, Islandman's core members are multi-instrumentalist & producer Tolga Boyuk, Eralp Guven (percussion) and Erdem Baser (guitars). The title is a misnomer, if not for the fact that the six tracks here are hardly obstacles at all; rather, they're hugely well-produced, flavoursome treats, chief among which has to be the incredible track 'Simple Man', which - take it from us - just gets cooler and cooler, timbrally and tastefully.

Review: Incomparable post-punk Bristolians IDLES return with their highly anticipated fifth "love album" Tangks, following on from the internal viciousness and midlife malaise of 2021's Crawler, with a collection of rough-throated, anthemic bursts of earnest gratitude. Re-uniting with exceptional hip-hop desk-man Kenny Beats, this time sharing production credits with Nigel Godrich (who's worked with the likes of Radiohead and REM) as well as the group's own eccentric former dentist-turned-crossdressing or perpetually half-naked guitarist Mark Bowen, the work exudes a creative camaraderie and sonic confidence only achieved over time through hard graft. Take one earful of disco-punk lead single 'Dancer', which features both James Murphy and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem on backing vocals, and the post-punk-positivity balance the band are striving towards on LP5 should begin to take shape. As gravel-voiced vocalist Joe Talbot summarises their latest endeavour - "Love is the fing".

Review: Dark Entries takes it back to New York City in around 1982 for this previously unreleased record from Ike Yard. This cult crew was made up of Stuart Argabright, Michael Diekmann, Kenneth Compton, and Fred Szymanski and they worked in their own realm somewhere between proto-body music and No Wave peers in New York. They disbanded just a year after forming having dropped an EP on Les Disques du Crepuscule in 1981 and then a self-titled album for Factory in 1982. Using the Korg MS-20 and the Roland TR-808 they cook up plenty of hybrid electro-acoustic sounds and ramshackle rhythms that are underpinned by moody baselines and perfect to get bodies moving in the club. Whether you're a post-punk fan or lover of weird electronics, this is well worth checking out.

Review: Uganda: Dawn Of Rock is a great collision of creative talents from Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes who combine to deliver a captivating exploration of rock music's emergence in Uganda. A classic since it was first issued, the album showcases Ishikawa's masterful drumming and Count Buffaloes' dynamic instrumentation. It overflows with infectious rhythms and soulful melodies and each track immerses listeners in the vibrant music scene of Uganda where rock and local African sounds are fused into something new. As such this is a record that offers a perfect glimpse into a pivotal moment in Uganda's musical history.