ALBUM: LAURA GIBSON – EMPIRE BUILDER

Laura Gibson’s ”Empire Builder” serves as a memento of an individual in transformation. Showcasing themes around loss, loneliness and womanhood, this singer-songwriter’s second album relays the story of Gibson’s rebuilding of her own life after an explosion which destroyed her home and work. Blending traditional genres such as folk and country with indie influences creates […]
If trends are thunderbolts, burning out in a flash in a desperate bid to be noticed, Nada Surf is a cloud drifting to its destination, confident of its place and immune from the fluctuating scenes around it. The general consensus among music critics is that playing on proven strengths and retaining your existing fanbase signifies […]

ALBUM REVIEW: NADA SURF – YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE

Album Review: Tindersticks – The Waiting Room

Tindersticks has been a reassuring presence on the British music scene for over two decades, exploring the landscape of human emotions in their own unique classically restrained chamber-pop style. The band led by the sophisticated rich baritone of Stuart Staples, now has a settled line-up after a number of personnel changes following the dissolution of the […]
Edge of the Sun is Calexico’s ninth studio album. For those who don’t know them, Calexico is formed by core founding members Joey Burns and John Convertino plus a varying line-up of musicians for recordings and tours. Burns and Convertino met in Los Angeles in the 1990s and started playing together in Giant Sand with […]

Album Review: Calexico – Edge of the Sun

ALBUM REVIEW: DAN MANGAN + BLACKSMITH – CLUB MEDS

With the 2014 albums of the year lists still fresh in the memory, early releases for the new year have the responsibility of filling us with optimism for the next 12 months. Step up – Dan Mangan + Blacksmith. The multi-instrumentalist Canadian folk popster, Dan, grew up on a diet of Nick Drake and The […]
Our Love, the new album from Caribou, is the sound of Dan Snaith and is due out on 6 October via City Slang and features collaborations with Jessy Lanza and Owen Pallett. It was mixed by David Wrench and features artwork by Jason Evans/ Matthew Cooper. Our Love is formed around a mixture of digital […]

NEWS: CARIBOU ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM + HEAR NEW TRACK ‘CAN’T DO WITHOUT YOU’

Album Review: EMA – The Future’s Void

Nearly a year ago now I reviewed Little Boot’s most recent album: a spirited but ultimately doomed effort to try and provide music that has a pop sensibility with a dark, brooding electronic edge. The results were… mixed, to say the least, resulting in something far more latter-day Kylie than Kid A. However, flawed though […]
With their new album ‘Close To The Glass’ released on Feb 24th by City Slang, The Notwist have shared, accidentally very topical, new video for their ludicrously catchy new single ‘Kong’. The animated visual, directed by Japanese film-maker Yu Sato and featuring illustrations from Tim Divall, tells the true story of a young boy and […]

NEWS: THE NOTWIST REVEAL NEW VIDEO FOR ‘KONG’ AND UK LIVE DATES

NEWS: JUNIP – NEW ‘WALKING LIGHTLY’ EP & TOUR

After a busy summer playing an array of European festivals Junip are pleased to share their beautifully hazy new single, ‘Walking Lightly’, which will be released on September 16th via City Slang. ‘Walking Lightly’ sees the recognisable vocals of lead-singer José González guide you through a venture of dream-like vocals, mellow drum beats and tingling […]
In a musical environment where ‘new bands re-doing something already established, but really well’ is the norm (think recent big-names Peace, Palma Violets and the fantastic Savages), Junip are something of an anomaly. Their debut album Fields exhibited an unusual blend of mellow classical guitar, accompanied by well-timed drums and sweeping synths, combining to create […]

Album Review: Junip – Junip