ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 27 MARCH 2026

Wild Billy Childish & CTMF      House on Fire  The album features remixed versions of their covers of The Saints’ ‘Untitled’ and The Yardbirds’ ‘Shapes of Things’ (both previously only available on limited edition 7” singles) along with twelve original new recordings. AySay   Mal        Hypnotic Anatolian rock journey about returning home. Sung in Turkish, Kurdish, and […]
When reviewing new music from Ajay Saggar, it has become obligatory to remark upon the impossibility of guessing what he will do next. Since last he featured on this website, he has released ‘Summer In St Mary’s’ under the guise of Bhajan Bhoy, a double album of organ music recorded in a 15th Century church. […]

ALBUM REVIEW – BHAJAN BHOY: MEDITATIONS

BOOK REVIEW: MARTIN ASTON – FACING THE OTHER WAY: THE STORY OF 4AD

This might seem blasphemous appearing on a Manchester-based website but I would argue that 4AD was the most important record label to emerge in the post-punk era, eclipsing even Factory Records. Although it would be impossible to deny the impact of a select few acts that Tony Wilson’s label is associated with (Joy Division / […]
Soweto ensemble BCUC (which stands for Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) make politically conscious, rhythm-heavy, life-affirming music which exudes positivity. Their fifth album, ‘The Road Is Never Easy’, is set to be released on 3 April 2026 via Outhere Records and will be followed by extensive touring. Within 24 hours of emailing some questions to the […]

INTERVIEW – BCUC

ALBUM REVIEW – BCUC: THE ROAD IS NEVER EASY

On ‘Sibitsa sa mmino’, BCUC sing words that translate as “we want progress and to succeed / the purpose of music.” These lyrics sum up their rare ability to produce music with such a clearly defined sense of its own power and what it aims to achieve, mixing a punk attitude with gospel spirituality. Hailing […]
Killerstar are a band fronted by Rob Fleming (vocals, guitar, synths), paired with James Sedge (drums) and a plethora of David Bowie’s longtime collaborators: Mike Garson (piano), Earl Slick and Mark Plati (guitars), Gail Ann Dorsey and Tim Lefebvre (Bass) and Emm Gryner (backing vocals). They released their self-titled debut album back in 2024 and […]

ALBUM REVIEW – KILLERSTAR: THE AFTERGLOW

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 20 MARCH 2026

The Leaf Library             After The Rain, Strange Seeds              A luminous collection of pastoral indiepop, drawing inspiration from suburban isolation, unreliable memories and the surreality of the weather. Damaged Bug                 ZUZAX It was recorded over a period of seven years, from 2018 to 2025, by John Dwyer himself. The record is an 11-track rollercoaster ride […]
“The biggest undercurrent on this album is letting go of societal pressure.” With that statement, singer/guitarist Nicole ‘Lux’ Fermie provides a handy hook line for describing the debut album she has recorded as LuxJury with drummer, Howey Gill. It charts her experiences of love, sexuality and gender after coming out as queer. Over the course […]

ALBUM REVIEW – LUXJURY: GIVING UP

LIVE REVIEW – KEO: MANCHESTER RITZ – 07/03/2026

A little under a year ago, embarking from the quaint city of Chester to the contrastingly eccentric Manchester, I went to see Michael Kiwanuka at the Apollo. It was not only a fantastic gig, but it was the first time I got to write for Silent Radio, the very publication which you find yourself reading […]
As AI becomes an increasing threat to humans trying to make a living from creative activities, Nubiyan Twist’s latest album is a defiant riposte. It is a celebration of the joyful energy and chaos that comes from musicians getting together in a room to play. While that could imply a scrappy sound, it would be […]

ALBUM REVIEW – NUBIYAN TWIST: CHASING SHADOWS