McKenna has matured in the eyes of critics and fans alike. He’s left the voice cracks of ‘Brazil’ behind and now oozes with confidence on Zeros, both lyrically and sonically. His activist streak runs through the album but is … Continue reading Zeros by Declan McKenna // Review A dazzling sophomore album that will lift your spirits up to the stars
Resounding cyclical emotions and overwhelming feelings can sometimes be indescribable. This is where ambient electronic music can express what cannot be put into words. Gadget and the Cloud’s latest EP Things I’ll Never Say explores the periods of aimlessness and … Continue reading Things I’ll Never Say – Gadget and the Cloud // Review Late night feelings and striving for hopeful mornings, Things I’ll Never Say Out Loud ventures into mindful experimental electronic
In typical 2020 fashion, the music world was left in shock after Taylor Swift announced the arrival of her eighth studio album, Folklore, with only twelve hours notice. This surprise release is a unique move for Swift, who typically spends … Continue reading Folklore // REVIEW Taylor Swift’s surprise folklore delivers an ethereal dreamscape
●●●○○ Chassol’s fourth studio album lumbers into existence with a robotic recital from Herman Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game; laying its cards on the table, that it intends to study ‘play’, in all of its complexity. Of course, Chassol’s previous … Continue reading Ludi by Chassol // REVIEW
●●●○○ Coming onto the rock and grunge scene can be intimidating. You’re following in the footsteps of grunge gods like Nirvana and Alice in Chains whilst competing with bands like Royal Blood who come at you all guitars blazing. Bloodhound’s … Continue reading Bloodhound – Fragile Skeleton // REVIEW The Hull band take a different direction to their rock and grunge predecessors
●●●○○ Part 1 of Foals’ ambitious dual album project was always going to be hard to follow. But with Part 2 Everything Not Saved Will be Lost, the propulsive Oxford band delivers a solid –but all too familiar – release … Continue reading Foals: Part 2 Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost //REVIEW Foals’ 6th studio album boasts fervent delivery of weighty themes, but ultimately doesn’t stray far from familiar territory.
●●○○○ Religion has always had a place in Kanye West’s music. He’s drawn on the talents of gospel choirs in songs as early as 2004’s “Jesus Walks”, and his faith periodically reveals itself through his lyrics as a drive for … Continue reading Jesus is King // Review
●●○○○ In the age of the soft boy, the music of Alexander O’Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, is fodder for the angst-ridden masses. The twenty-one year old has been documenting his process of growing up and learning about … Continue reading Pony: Rex Orange County // REVIEW
Most of the reviews of Maggie Rogers’ debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, say that her journey with music began with Pharrell Williams after he was blown away by her song ‘Alaska’. This was a turning point for … Continue reading Maggie Rogers: Heard It In A Past Life // REVIEW ●●●○○
●●●●○ Lavish looks can tempt the best of us in. Modernist day dreams seem like they can be fulfilled in the shining beacon of LA. This is all well and good until the makeup is rubbed off and the masks … Continue reading Caught in the dying sunset Allie X’s Super Sunset rips the mask from LA’s face
●●●○○ As a person who, when asked by others what kind of music that she likes, often answers with ‘anything but heavy metal’, writing an album review on a band such as Black Peaks did pose somewhat of a challenge, … Continue reading All That Divides – An album to solidify the longevity of Black Peaks? How exactly do the quartet react musically to their initial success?
●●●○○ When I was growing up, James were cool. James were so cool. Their lyrics eulogised the female orgasm, while necessitating a break from “the beat of the concrete” and the burning of the capitalist detritus of modern life. It … Continue reading Living in Extraordinary Times by James // Review If you asked someone on the street what James song was their favourite, they’d probably say “who’s James?”