Album Reviews
Album Review: Highasakite – Camp Echo
The inexorable march of Norwegian five piece Highasakite continues with the release of their second (at least internationally, pendants will no doubt note its their third) album, Camp Echo. Those that fell in love with their frankly astonishing last long player Silent Treatment, which some two years later is still skirting around the charts in …
Album Review: Mogwai – Atomic
I have to admit, it took me a while to find my way to Mogwai. Even after seeing them in 2004 during an ear-shattering assault that left a good friend of mine and I stunned and shell shocked at the Curiosa Festival I still just could never bring myself to dig deeper into these Scottish …
Album Review: Terminal Gods – Wave / Form
Wave / Form – Terminal Gods debut album – kicks in with the fuzz fed guitar feedback, drum machine heavy intro to Shockwave and right from the off makes clear it’s intent. Their guitars are switched to power play, their synths set to stun, all combine to compliment their lead singers undeniable baritone vocals and …
Say Psych: Album Review, Celestial Bums – Ascend
Celestial Bums are a dreamy psych rock band hailing from the Catalan capital, Barcelona. The band who’s members are fluid, with three having recorded the album, but the live offering never consisting of less than five, released their self-titled, self-released debut EP back in 2012. This was followed with a 10” split with now label mates …
Album Review: Bat for Lashes – The Bride
It’s been 10 years since Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes released her first album Fur and Gold (2006) and introduced her whimisical storytelling on the world. She honed her craft on Two Suns (2009), she dealt with dicotomies and alter egos, in the shape of ‘Pearl’ whose personality is strong and full of herself, …
Album Review: Various Artists: C87
Its been 3o years since the release of the original C86 compilation a mail order cassette from the NME, which at the time was a must have and introduced the world of indie bands to many and created a new scene in British music. The long awaited follow up C87 is packed with a corking …
Album Review: Cool Sounds – Dance Moves
Melbourne’s Cool Sounds live up to their namesake. Imagine an alternate universe where Mac Demarco, My Morning Jacket, and a less Beach Boys-centric Dent May formed an indie rock Voltron and put out an album that while never truly rocked it floated along nicely on a cloud of jangly melancholy. That’s what Cool Sounds does …
Album Review: Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate review
I was immediately intrigued when I first heard Michael Kiwanuka. That feeling of intrigue later changed to one of being deeply impressed when I saw him live for the first time at Splendour in the Grass in the winter of 2012. There’s a lot to like about the guy – he writes his own sad …
Compilation – On-U Sound presents: Sherwood At The Controls Volume 2: 1985 – 1990
Okey dokey, Adrian Sherwood is back with the follow up to the first Sherwood at the controls this time hitting from ’85 to ’90. Electro, Industrial, Noise, Hip-Hop, Afrobeat and Dub. This time up we get five unreleased tracks plus four tracks previously only available on vinyl, sleeve notes and the usual goodies, so lets have a stroll …
Album Review: Swans – The Glowing Man
SWANS have one of the most intriguing discographies in music and with front man Michael Gira recently announcing that The Glowing Man would be the last for this incarnation of the band, it makes it a pivotal part of the history. So after the seminal To Be Kind, does The Glowing Man act as a …