Jazzmatazz is the smooth jazz of jazz rap; it’s the genre at its most listenably pure

Nick Cave’s brooding adventures into artsy ambient pop reap more rewards on CARNAGE. Even in his 6th decade of releasing music, the legendary songwriter proves that he’s still an expert lyrical craftsman, albeit via much more matured and aged means

Bread and butter post-rock, the kind which fails to reward your attention during active listens, and meekly sinks into an uninspiring, shaggy cloud of noise when you tune out. You’re neither taken on a journey nor ordered to ‘rock out’ to the music, hence incarcerating the album in a faux-art limbo. I must admit, despite this, that “Ceiling Granny” is a partially-redeemable track, and the best example of the instrumental noise rock that the band were attempting ... read more

One of the most fun hip hop records of all time, no debate

Slowthai takes his instantly recognisable voice in a new direction on his sophomore effort, one which leans closes to introspective trap rather than his previous politically fuelled works. Tyron is a tale of two albums, with the first half seeming to seek out a chart topper, before descending into something far more psychotic, whilst the second half turns the rapper’s attention inwards.

The record starts off with “45 SMOKE”, a grime track which smoothly extends the sound of ... read more

I really like Sonic Youth, but the enjoyability of their debut is totally beyond me. Sure, the sound of ‘Confusion is Sex’ is as filthy and grimy as I’m sure they intended, but they lack any kind of killer touch to set them aside from standard no-wave. I’d be lying if I said that I get any kind of continuous pleasure from this

I’ve never understood why Rubber Soul isn’t held up near the same levels as Revolver. Both are galleries of prodigious songwriting abilities and fetching charm, and both contain some of the band’s most iconic songs (“In My Life” from Rubber Soul, “Eleanor Rigby” from Revolver). But both records have depth to them too, with deeper-cuts which are absolutely delightful to discover (“Drive My Car” and “Wait” amongst others from RS). ... read more

Pet Sounds has only a few good songs out of its 13 offerings, whilst the rest is an insipid exercise in trying not to switch over to ‘Sgt Peppers’. Thus, allow Pet Sounds to serve as a reminder to all of us, that just because an album is influential doesn’t mean that it’s inherently interesting.

‘Isles’ is a pleasant-enough post-dubstep/future-garage album from Bicep, but it lacks a certain inventiveness and ingenuity to give it the oomph to differentiate itself from records gone by. No doubt the music does a very good job at creating the desired atmosphere and ambience across large spells, but the ‘largeness’ is one of the main drawbacks I have with this album - it’s a much better listen in smaller, more digestible nibbles, otherwise it does get rather ... read more

On ‘Cooler Returns’, Kiwi Jr. come across as a band who can’t quite decide whether they want to be Car Seat Headrest, Pavement or REM, and the ultimate product is a jangly distillation of their influences. Starting on a strong note, the record’s first half is joyous indie rock, perfect for dominating summer festival fields, but these habitual tricks lose much of their effect as the track-list grows. Still, a very pleasant little album for the most part.

Fave Tracks: ... read more

This is either a 0 or a 10, no matter how you cut it. No one can possibly think that ‘Philosophy of the World’ is an ‘okay’ album. It’s not one of those albums which is ‘inoffensive’ or ‘just-about-listenable’. It’s not a record which ‘shows great promise’ or ‘lays the groundwork to build on’. The Shagg’s debut, and only, studio album is, in every essence of the word, terrible. The songwriting is ... read more

Perhaps the novelty of Sleaford Mods is wearing off, or perhaps they’re struggling to find ways to expand their linear sound, but it seems as though the duo have ate all the meat off their bones on Spare Ribs.

Despite never being one of my favourite artists, I’ve always been intrigued by the way in which Sleaford Mods present their music. At their best, their instrumentals are nothing more than engines to maintain the song’s momentum so Jason Williamson can spit harsh, yet ... read more

Here we go: the first album of the year to capture my attention.

It’s fair to say that I’ve slacked off quite a bit during the first few weeks of this new year when it comes to listening to new releases, and there’s been a fair reason for that: most of the stuff released has been poor. Well, I say that, but there’s not really been any releases which I’ve been looking forward to, nor any that really caught my attention... until this one.

Straight off the mark, ... read more

Certified hood classic

Dan Deacon lowers us down a breezy rabbit hole into the cloudy, cushioned world of psychedelic indietronica. Vast soundscapes of exquisitely produced electro-shoegaze create an airtight atmosphere where Deacon can express whatever musical oddities he wishes. Tracks such as “Hypnagogic” and “Weeping Birch” entice with sleepy synths, hence helping to build a dreamworld so the more immediate songs, like the incredible “Sat By A Tree”, have a founded and ... read more

Despite sounding at times somewhat clunky, Suddenly is an enjoyable indietronic effort from the Canadian.

This was the album I was looking forward to the most this month, and I’m so glad it’s finally here. On their new record, The Avalanches dip their toes into the waters of neo-psychedelia, trip-hop, disco and hip-hop, all whilst sticking to their plunderphonic roots. With themes of death, the afterlife, and, well, just general existential matters, We Will Always Love You’s sentiment and thoughtfulness never gets in the way of a damn good time. And that’s what’s given ... read more

Wow... this is one of the hardest rock records I’ve heard all year

Straight from the off, PJ Harvey told us that she wasn’t just making forgettable, top-of-the-pops, singer-songwriter crap; she was here to make noise... quite literally.

I definitely have a soft spot for this mixtape, and it’s well deserved too. Illuminati Hotties channel indie pop, art rock and noise music into a project which beef uses to be held down by any restraints. They know how to write catchy hooks, and the distinct, cartoonish vocals add an edge which (positively) treads the border between the unique and the annoying, without ever truly grating.

Just set aside half an hour, give it a shot, front-to-back, and you’ll definitely* find some ... read more