electronic albums
Album Review: CMON – Confusing mix of Nations
“When I moved to New York, a lot of people were making really interesting electronic music and manipulating sounds, and I was really kind of bummed—there were no songs. And I really wanted to hear songs,” says Josh Da Costa of CMON. With former Regal Degal band mate Jamen Whitelock, the two formed CMON, swapping …
Album Review: Roger Eno and Brian Eno – Mixing Colours
Brian is unarguably the better known of the Eno brothers, mainly for his metamorphosis from priapic glam-peacock synth boffin to visionary producer and ambient music pioneer. Roger though has discreetly carved out a career as a creator of instrumental music with an impressive back-catalogue of over thirty albums. This album isn’t the first time the …
Album Review: The Orb – Abolition of the Royal Familia
When George Harrison wrote ‘It’s All Too Much’ after encounters with LSD, he was voicing that feeling of overwhelming-ness the drug induced in him. That same feeling would later be experienced by late 80s/early 90s ravers, and led to Alex Paterson inadvertently inventing the “chill-out room” to sooth their melting heads. One album that greatly …
Album Review: Grimes – Miss Anthropocene
On Friday 21st February, Grimes released her highly anticipated 5th album and 3rd on 4AD Records MISS ANTHROPOCENE The album title stems from the words Misanthrope, “a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society” and Anthropocene, “the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and …
TRACK – 4’33 – THE NORMAL
Despite creating Mute Records, launching Fad Gadget and Depeche Mode, and then blazing a trail with Yazoo, The Birthday Party and a zillion more to become the indie label of all time, founder Daniel Miller’s moniker, The Normal has been strangely quiet since 1978. His one release, ‘TVOD/Warm Leatherette’ that initially launched the label was …
Album Review: Mndsgn – Snaxx
Of the thinking behind Mndsgn, aka Ringgo Ancheta‘s fifth album, he explains, “I think of all the posthumous Dilla leaks, and how I’ve always been just as, if not more inspired by the stuff that was never supposed to come out. Albums should be proper meals, but every now and then a snack can really …
Album Review: Tenderlonious – Hard Rain
Tenderlonious is essentially the project of London producer, jazz flautist/saxophone head and 22a label owner Ed Cawthorne. Under this moniker though he makes jazz infused house music aiming, by his own admission for the likes of Omar S, Theo Parrish, Glen Astro taking inspiration from J Dilla, Blaze and Carl Craig. His new album Hard …
Album Review: Stuart A Staples – Music for Claire Danis’ High Life
Out on its physical formats on May 3rd via City Slang is Tindersticks’ Stuart A Staples soundtrack for Claire Denis’ first English language film, High Life. In the gaps between Tindersticks records / haitus’, Staples has worked extensively with Davis, and this feature, focusing on a group of criminals who are tricked into believing they will …
Album Review: Gang Of Four – Happy Now
Although more of a solo project for Andy Gill who, following the departure of Jon King is now the only original member, there’s still enough of Gang of Four in this gang of one (yeah, I couldn’t pass it up…) to make it a worthwhile listen. Anyone expecting a record bathed in the searing angular …
Album Review: Battery Operated Orchestra – Snare
Battery Operated Orchestra might hail from Brighton but, in a previous incarnation as Katsen, they emerged on Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation. Which seemed very appropriate even then given the quality of their Kraftwerk-inspired synthpop, which would never have been out of place in the Steel City at any time over the last 30-odd years. Now …