ALBUM REVIEW – HOLLY HUMBERSTONE: CRUEL WORLD

‘So it starts’, Holly Humberstone’s second album titled Cruel World begins with a short musical instrumentation which encapsulates the dreamy feel of the album which is like waking up in a dark forest fading in and out of consciousness as a jumpy violin eases you back into real-life. To accompany these twinkling instruments in the […]
At 10 pm on 8 April 2024, there was a knock on my front door. Opening it, I was astonished to see two paramedics on my doorstep and an ambulance at the end of the driveway. I was even more horrified to discover that it was not some clerical error and they were genuinely there […]

LIVE REVIEW – KRIS DREVER + ANNIE DRESSNER: LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOMS – 08/04/2026

ALBUM REVIEW – ULTRABOMB: THE BRIDGES THAT WE BURN

With their new album “The Bridges That We Burn” Ultrabomb have delivered a masterclass in how punk rock can call out political and social issues but still put a smile on the listeners face.  Formed in 2021 and now comprising Greg Norton (Hüsker Dü), Derek O’Brien (Social Distortion / Agent Orange / Adolescents) and Ryan Smith (Soul […]
Sunn O))) have once again provided an album to lose oneself in. A place to forget. A multifaceted white noise machine to slow the world down around you, adding a space for clarity of mind and a chance for breath. That sentiment is undeniable for me when listening to Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley paint these […]

ALBUM REVIEW – SUNN 0))): SUNN O)))

ALBUM REVIEW – FAUNA: TAIGA TRANS

Fauna’s debut album is a vivid and vibrant brew. An outernational combination based in Gothenburg in Sweden, they also have backgrounds from France, Finland, Syria, Poland and Turkey which feed into their sound. They utilise traditional instruments such as the darbuka (an ancient hand drum played across North Africa and the Middle East) and the […]
It’s hard to believe that it was only five years ago that Arlo Parks released her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams. An ensemble of observation masked through melody; it was the perfect introduction to who Parks was as an artist. Fast forward, these qualities only greaten in Ambiguous Desire, her third studio album. By extracting […]

ALBUM REVIEW – ARLO PARKS: AMBIGUOUS DESIRE

ALBUM REVIEW – JARBOE: SIGHTINGS

Jarboe’s ‘Sightings’ is a reminder of the beauty in the “strange”, the atmospheric and seemingly alien sounds of an artist devoted to a specific vision. One of self-reflection, psychedelic calmness and spirituality. That’s what I got anyway delving into this 7-track release. Frequent collaborator with seminal noise/no wave and experimental “rock” group Swans of New […]
Angine De Poitrine       Vol. II    Microtonal cardboard duo that has to be seen to be believed. Check out their recent KEXP performance. Vol. II stretches the boundaries of Angine de Poitrine’s sound with even bolder, more dynamic structures. Once again, three essential forces fuel the duo’s music: acid techno, disco, and rock. deary   Birding Their […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 3 APRIL 2026

LIVE REVIEW – TOM A SMITH: DEAF INSTITUTE – 02/04/2026

Tom A Smith’s show this evening in Manchester’s best small venue felt like the end of something. Sunderland’s worst kept secret has been steadily honing his craft for over a decade, and those fortunate enough to have seen him play over the years will attest to the growing maturity in both his songwriting and stage […]
On my first day at sixth form college, I was asked by a fellow student what was the most recent record I had bought. My answer, ‘Songs to Remember’ by Scritti Politti, brought laughter. His dismal was based on nothing more than not having heard of the record, therefore it must be rubbish. It proved […]

ALBUM REVIEW – SCRITTI POLITTI: SONGS TO REMEMBER