This is the third Menomena album, although we’re fairly certain we won’t be delving into their back catalogue to find their origins, not after this introductory experience. The point is, you see, that this album is as close to faultless as an experimental – or probably more to the point giddy, adventurous, unrestrained – US indie-pop album can be. We don’t want them going and ruining it all with any early wobbles, not when we can avoid it. On one Continue Reading
The man suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and yet he still comes bouncing back with the goods. Not even a 15 year hiatus stuck in the chart wilderness stopped former Orange Juice leader, Collins following up his ’82 hit, ‘Rip It Up’ with ‘A Girl Like You’ in ’94 and now in 2007 – he’s back back back – and what’s more he gets better every time he returns. Collins precluded the album with ‘You’ll Never Know (My Love)’ a gorgeous Continue Reading
Can’t say I was aware of the film before, but Hallam Foe is a Scottish drama film directed by David Mackenzie based on the novel written by Peter Jinks and premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February 16, 2007 where the movie competed for the Golden Bear for Best Motion Picture. The film won the Silver Bear for Best Music. And so it bloody well should have bearing in mind that the film’s soundtrack is comprised entirely of music Continue Reading
Graduated in Illustration and English Literature at the University of Westminster, Crowborough, Sussex rapper, Jehst was a member of short-lived UK hip-hop supergroup Champions of Nature, along with the likes of Lewis Parker, Supa T, Profound and Apollo prior to founding YNR Records. It’s said that after moving to Huddersfield Jehst experienced the bleak realities of the post-industrial north, which was to influence his incisive lyrical style and put him alongside UK rappers like Klashnekoff, Yungun and Braintax, as well Continue Reading
Not in fact the 13th king of independent Judah as you might have thought, but smoothy soul Phily based Beat Society member, Hezekiah back with his sophomore album, ‘I Predict A Riot’ – a silky smooth peace offering of luxurious, horizontal rap, smoky hip-hop beats and a generous dose of funk. Raised in a musical family just outside of Philadelphia and fostering a not unworthy predilection for the likes of Otis Redding, Bo Diddley and God (in that order), the Continue Reading
What other kinds of things are smooth, eh? Well there’s peanut butter for one, then there’s the frothy, foaming head of a pint of Irish Stout, no end of girly moisturizers, porcelain plates, sweet, blended fresh fruit beverages and, of course, babies bottoms. And then this, a moist, non-stick and occasionally uplifting blend of savvy Latin beats, slithery time-signatures and wibbly, wobbly jazz noodles. On the one hand there’s Domu (Dominic Stanton) scratching a living on tight production skills and Continue Reading
I know what you’re going to say. I know it because virtually the same thing has been said over and over again since the band’s conception in Boston, Massachusetts in 1996. And I’ll say it now as I said it then: the proof is very much in the pudding. So if the only thing that puts you off the thorny, shouty hardcore of this wonderfully irrepressible Celtic band is the fact they’re not from Ireland, then one gruelling earful of Continue Reading
Since 2001, secretsundaze has been at the forefront of the UK underground scene and set the standard for Sunday daytime parties. They were one of the first UK promoters to book international acts including Steve Bug, Luciano, Guido Schneider, Matthias Tanzmann and Dan Ghenacia, as well as hosting more established artists including Carl Craig and Ricardo Villalobos – booking them into (sometimes illegal) venues, not usually the norm for such events. Six years since its inception and after hosting summer Continue Reading
There was some quasi-official vote recently, so we read, to find the modern day 7 wonders of the world. Incredibly, The Reason As To Why The Delgados Did Not Become Bigger Than ABBA (Or At Least Teenage Fanclub) In The 1990s did not make the list. They missed out, yet again. Their dissolution was a sobbing shame for UK indie, especially considering that they made such irresistibly powerful cotton-padded pop music up to their last ringing note. Though a band Continue Reading
It would take something fairly forceful, and a whole bucket of belief in whatever that may be, to promote a new band who have shared history with the Arctic Monkeys to not use that fact as said band’s launch pad into the wide public consciousness. But the Reverend (aka John McClure) is nothing if not forceful. Self belief has rarely seemed so boggle-eyed – if the band bombs (though don’t think for a moment that he’s actually prepared for that Continue Reading