Review: Toronto's Alvvays return for a much anticipated third album five years after their breakthrough record, Antisocialite. As the story goes for so many bands, the last few years have thrown a number of curveballs their way, but they stepped into the studio with Shawn Everett in October 2021 and laid down their new tracks in immediate, urgent fashion. You can hear Everett's touch all over the production, bringing vibrant textures and subtle details into their sound, but at the heart this remains a vehicle for shimmering, electrically-charged songwriting. On Blue Rev Alvvays stake their claim in the premier league of modern day indie rock, and on the strength of these fourteen songs, who are we to argue?
Review: In February 2024, just shy of the tenth anniversary of Alvvays' self-titled debut, Archie, Marry Me hit one hundred million streams on a single platform. This milestone is significant for an indie band that began writing in a remote Canadian farmhouse, reflecting the song's relatable themes of societal expectations and financial struggles. To celebrate a decade of their distinct jangle-pop sound, Alvvays is remastering and reissuing their debut album with the addition of the deep cut 'Underneath Us.' From the infectious 'Adult Diversion' to the dreamy closer 'Red Planet,' the album offers a concise yet impactful collection of tracks. Alvvays delivers timeless melodies and introspective lyrics that explore themes of love, secrecy, and societal pressure. 'Next of Kin' addresses loving someone to death, while 'The Agency Group' delves into the destructive nature of hidden truths. The remastered tracks retain their original charm, with the sparkling 'Dives' and noise-laden 'The Agency Group' standing out.
Review: A lot can change in two years or so. Not least if 2021 saw you release one of the most celebrated records of the current decade, tackling the mental health crisis head on in the midst of a global pandemic. An album that despaired and threw its hands up, declaring that we, collectively, are not alright and something needs to change, all via staggeringly poetic prose, at times bordering on spoken word. Returning from that triumphant episode, Arlo Parks follows up with The Soft Machine, an LP that lands after most of the dust from that global emergency has settled, and she's relocated to sunny Los Angeles to live with partner and alternative rapper, Ashnikko. To say the result is something that sounds warmer, more appreciative of what you've got rather than focussed on what isn't would be an understatement, but the exquisite songwriting and willingness to speak honestly about major issues remains.
Review: Since her debut EP and LP arrived in 2019, Arlo Parks has grown into one of the most vital voices in modern British soul. Following on from 2021's Collapsed In Sunbeams album, My Soft Machine comes on mellow and magnificent, backed up by a strong cast of collaborators but very much steered by Parks at the helm. There's space for crossover pop hooks on the likes of the Paul Hepworth-produced 'Weightless' while Phoebe Bridgers lends her skills to 'Pegasus', and everything feeds into a universal dose of ear-catching neo-soul and artful pop fit for every home. This special edition of My Soft Machine comes pressed in translucent pink wax, housed in a black cloth tote bag and with a friendship bracelet to cement the bond between Parks and her audience.
Review: We've been waiting for this one for what feels like an eternity. Since his self-titled debut in 2012 Flume has gone from beat-digger's delight to global sensation who has influenced producers in all walks of sounds from hip-hop to D&B. Mercifully Skin delivers and exceeds expectations: from the gritty wonks of "Wall Fuck" and "16.3" to the airwave-ready songwriting of "Never Be Like You" and "Say It" by way of the introspective, fathomless electronic textures of tracks such as "When Everything Was New" and "Like Water", Harley has taken care to explore his widest influences and references points while treading the balance between retaining his signature but not repeating himself.
Review: RECOMMENDED
The re-discovery and re-appraisal of Beverly Glenn-Copeland's work is one of the more surprising outcomes of the pandemic's great pause, which for some people at least meant having more time to dive into the archives of cultural history, from music to literature to movies. Not that the spotlight isn't wholly deserving. As this 1986 album shows, the artist was well ahead of their time, with this strange, heady brew of electronic exoticism, experimental ambient and percussive poetry easy to mistake for a contemporary record.
Glenn-Copeland's own story is also a pretty interesting one. Now 76 years old, the maestro spent years identifying as a lesbian woman, before investigations in gender discourse led to the revelation that a transgender man was a more comfortable identity for the music maker, who also lays claim to a catalogue of kids' TV scores, including Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station.
Review: A career retrospective release featuring music over the last 50 years by American born musician Beverly-Glenn Copeland. He started his career as a folk singer, incorporating jazz, classical and blues elements, and performed on albums by Ken Friesen, Bruce Cockburn, Gene Murtynec, Bob Disalle and Kathryn Moses. Features 'In The Image' first released in 2004 under the moniker Phynix , 'Sunset Village' first released on the Keyboard Fantasies album in 1986, 'Colour Of Anyhow' (CBC q live version) recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Commission 2011, 'Deep River' recorded live at Le Guess Who? in Utrecht 2018, 'The Netherlands and Montreal Main' (The Buddha In The Palm) first released on At Last! EP in 1983. All tracks remastered by Guy Davie at Electric Mastering.
Review: Rather confusingly, Beverly Glenn Copeland released a self titled album called Beverly Glenn Copeland in the 1970s, which is not the same album as this one, called simply Beverly Copeland. Both, along with several other of their works, are being reissued at the moment on vinyl and CD as a result of a great reappraisal of their work during the pandemic. The experimental musician identifies as a transgender man and is known for having written soundtracks for Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station next to her jazz, ambient, exotic and electronic fusion records.
Review: Beverly Glenn Copeland's work has been getting revisited, reappraised and reissued plenty in the last couple of years and several of her seminal albums are all arriving in July across various different formats. Copeland was always ahead of their time with her mix of experimental, ambient, exotic electronic sounds and poetry and famously scored kids' TV shows cut as including Sesame Street and Shiny Time Station. Now 78 and identifying as a transgender man after a time identifying as a lesbian, their second 70's recording - this self-titled album - is a real jazz classic widely admired amongst fans.
Review: The Joy, a vibrant a cappella group from the South African township of Hammarsdale, captured the hearts of global audiences with their soul-stirring harmonies and profound musical heritage. Growing up in a region where Zulu isicathamiya music thrives, made famous by legends like Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Joy tap into a rich tradition and their music, characterised by powerful, lion-like mbube vocalisations, reaching beyond mere performance to touch something deeply ancestral, especially evident when lead vocalist Duzie unleashes his extraordinary voice. This group's journey from local choir practices to international acclaim is nothing short of miraculous, marked by a significant win in a regional singing contest and recognition from stars like Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson. Their music, produced by Two Inch Punch, blends traditional influences with contemporary appeal, achieving millions of streams and resonating uniquely in today's diverse musical landscape.
Review: Since 2017, KOKOKO! has been trailblazing Kinshasa's sonic revolution while earning global acclaim for their unique sound and vibrant performances. Recognised as the best live band by AIF, they've been featured on NPR Tiny Desk, Boiler Room, and major festivals like SXSW and Pitchfork. Their debut album, Fongola, received rave reviews, and now they are back with another album that is unlike much else you will have heard. BUTU, which is inspired by Kinshasa's vibrant nightlife, has been proceeded by the lead single 'Mokili.' The album has further cues taken from Kinshasa, Kwaito, and '90s dance music and channels the band's hometown's frenetic energy with a sense of social activism into a powerful statement.
Review: Michelle's first project, 2018's Heatwave, celebrated the vibrant energy of New York City where all six band members grew up. Following its success and their 2022 album, After Dinner We Talk Dreams, the band expanded their horizons and headed out on tour across the US and Europe with artists like Gus Dapperton, Arlo Parks and Mitski. For their new album, Songs About You Specifically, Michelle retreated to a house in Ojai, California. Immersed in the serene desert surroundings, they found a new sense of solitude and intimacy and this shift is reflected in their music, which now embraces starry shoegaze, funk and 80s synth pop.
Review: South African musician Moonchild Sanelly is a creative powerhouse who finally unveils this much anticipated new album. It's an ambitious 12-track album bursting with her signature vibrant energy, distinctive vocals and plenty of genre-defying sound fusions. She is a singer and songwriter known for her affirming lyricism and joyous spirit, and this long player more than showcases that unique sonic identity. Full Moon was recorded across multiple locations while touring and that has resulted in a dynamic, introspective yet electrifying collection of tracks. "I can make any genre; I have fun creating music because I'm not limited," Sanelly explains of her club-ready beats which fuse elements of electronic, Afro-punk, edgy pop, kwaito and hip-hop to deliver an eclectic and boundary-pushing auditory experience.
Your Feminism Is Not My Feminism (feat Ah-Mer-Ah-Su) (4:22)
Lucky (2:21)
Interlude (0:21)
Trust A Little Bit (3:29)
You Will Find It (feat Devendra Banhart) (4:20)
Carry On (feat Jonsi) (5:16)
Review: Transgressive artist Mykki Blanco's new record is heavy on superb contributions from Kelsey Lu, ANOHNI, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, FaltyDL, Sigur Ros' Jonsi, and many more. The album was made with notorious beatmaker FaltyDL at jamming sessions that were held all over the world from Lisbon, Paris and New York to Chicago and Los Angeles. The live instrumentation, says Mykki, "just transported me. It enabled me to dream in a way that I had never dreamed with my own songwriting. All of a sudden, I felt like I had this template where I could make that sound my own."
Review: In most cases, a World Of Hassle is certainly not something you want, but we're sure you'll make an exception for this debut solo album by Alan Palomo, best known as the leader of the synth-pop band Neon Indian. Thoroughly on-brand for Palomo, this surprise LP flaunts just ten swanky, funky vocal disco cuts, tinged with the legacy of glam and jazz, and glimmering with the overzealous egoism of history's most volcaninc rockstars. Alan's versatile voice and neon-strobed production skills remaining present as ever, though despite the throughlines, the album marks a departure from his previous work with Neon Indian, which was more experimental and lo-fi.
Review: With their fourth album, the celebrated rock group from northern Mali, take a bold step forward, evolving their signature "desert blues" style into a more acoustic, introspective sound. Recorded in Bamako with producer Paul Chandler, the album blends the band's gritty, electrifying energy with traditional Malian influences, incorporating instruments and melodies from various ethnic traditions. The result is a vibrant, collaborative work that features contributions from renowned artists like Afel Bocoum, Rokia Kone and Neba Solo. Tracks like 'Issa', which translates to 'river', demonstrate the group's deeper exploration of acoustic textures and storytelling, drawing on the power of nature and migration. The song's early delta blues-inspired guitar riffs complement the band's passionate vocals. The band's ability to honour their cultural roots while embracing new musical horizons really shows well here. The album is both a celebration of their heritage and a bold look towards the future, marking another remarkable chapter in Songhoy Blues' already impressive catalogue.
Do You Wanna Be Alive (feat feat Big Sister) (2:03)
Elegance (feat Popstar) (2:57)
Berlin Nightmare (feat Evita Manji) (4:52)
Gallop (feat Evita Manji) (4:17)
One More Time (feat Popstar) (3:23)
Exhilarate (feat Bibi Bourelly) (4:16)
Always & Forever (feat Hannah Diamond) (4:46)
My Forever (feat Cecile Believe) (4:05)
Love Me Off Earth (feat Doss) (3:41)
Review: The late SOPHIE Xeon shaped modern pop and experimental music with her Grammy-nominated 'Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides' and 'PRODUCT' series in the mid-to-late 2010s, working alongside A.G. Cook and PC Music to create some of the most futuristic and bubbly music. Xeon produced for Vince Staples, Madonna and Charli XCX before her sudden passing in January 2021, she is known for her unique, textural production style that has even been featured in McDonald's adverts (of all places). Her first posthumous project has been lovingly brought to fruition by her family estate run by her brother, handpicking songs he says she would've wanted to be released that were nearly finished. The first track 'Reason Why', featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom, has long been a fan favourite since live performances and leaked demos hit SoundCloud over four years ago. It's a spacious and squeaky clean dance track, one of many examples SOPHIE produced, showcasing what pop's future could look like.
Do You Wanna Be Alive (feat feat Big Sister) (2:03)
Elegance (feat Popstar) (2:57)
Berlin Nightmare (feat Evita Manji) (4:52)
Gallop (feat Evita Manji) (4:17)
One More Time (feat Popstar) (3:23)
Exhilarate (feat Bibi Bourelly) (4:16)
Always & Forever (feat Hannah Diamond) (4:46)
My Forever (feat Cecile Believe) (4:05)
Love Me Off Earth (feat Doss) (3:41)
Review: 3 years after SOPHIE Xeon's tragic, untimely death in Greece, her estate - managed by her brother - has finally fulfilled their promise of putting the finishing touches on, and releasing, "nearly finished" tracks from a vault of "hundreds of songs". In the family's official statement, they said "It feels only right to share with the world the music she hoped to release, in the belief that we can all connect with her in this, the form she loved most," and, so, to the shock of fans worldwide 'Reason Why' released on the 25th June in its final form after five years of leaked demos and live performance videos to go by. It's SOPHIE at some of her best, rich textural and multilayered production backing one of the popstars of a generation - where it usually tended to be Charli XCX, whom SOPHIE created the 'Vroom Vroom' EP with, here Kim Petras takes the mic, another of SOPHIE's close circle of collaborators.
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