Album Reviews

Ibibio Sound Machine are a pulsating eight piece band that is made up of Eno Williams (vocals), Alfred Kari Bannerman (guitar), Anselmo Netto (percussion), Jose Joyette (drums), John McKenzie (bass), Tony Hayden (trombone, synth), Scott Baylis (trumpet, synth), and Max Grunhard (saxophone, synth). Since their 2014 self-titled debut the…

Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize three times already, and winner of the BRITS award for Best British Female in 2011 (she has been nominated four times) and yet Ms Marling is still under-reported, under-recognised and under-appreciated. How can this be? Still in her 20s, Semper Femina is her…

Formed in just 2014, newcomers VANT have already managed to build themselves a sizeable following across their newly blossoming career. These Londoners’ modernistic take on hardcore rock is something that hasn't quite been heard before and, with their new debut album DUMB BLOOD, as will become evidently clear,…

Who is the super cool bassist with 18 toes and plays the funkiest basslines – you know it, it’s Thundercat. Now releasing his third solo album, Stephen Bruner (aka Thundercat) has risen to the top as one of the most forward thinking jazz fusion bassists to date. Having had…

Keep music live was a well known sticker of yore. In this post-digital age there seems to be little danger of that not happening. Not only are live music ticket sales still buoyant but many of today's recording artists are going back to the old school in setting down…

To some, Xiu Xiu are the epitome of what a cult band should be. Since their inception in 2002 they have released 12 albums, if you include last year’s Record Store Day release Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, that runs the gambit between alt/ambient/art/experimental rock, noise pop and…

Over a decade has passed since their debut LP and Los Campesinos! have managed to remain relevant in a time where the vast majority of their original peers are no longer making music. The seven-piece have carved a niche out for themselves of melancholy-drenched indie under the backdrop of…

Naming their album in such an audacious fashion, the Italian six-piece Julie’s Haircut certainly bring an aura of your somewhat psychedelic cliché. Their satanic sounding album-title gives them a sentiment of something that perhaps tries a little too hard; a name which is then confused further with their…

When you think of dub or reggae it’s not likely that many British acts will spring to mind. Despite that, Dreadzone have been doing the roots music thing since the early 90s and shot into the public limelight with their second album Second Light. With a reputation for amazing live…