Another holiday weekend Week in Music. That means three whole days to bask in the weeks amazing releases...
SINGLES
INNER SPACE QUARTET - Gold Horse (Dime Records)
by Lee Paul
Trippy. Dubby. Atmospheric. Gold Horse is Inner Space Quartet's fifth single in under a year. These guys actually don't have anything better to do than make records, and I am sincerely happy about that. Gold Horse has a blissed out interlopers by the souk at 4am feel. Everything is coming to life and no one got any sleep. The approaching dawn is daunting. Wear ravaged rainbows they say. With added esotericism from guest vocalists Isabelle Monier and Leila Khaloub, this is how you make a perfect record.
ERLAND COOPER - Movement 7 (MercuryKX)
by Ancient Champion
From the LP Folded Landscapes, Erland Cooper's composition describe the vulnerability and robustness of nature. It's terrifying (my cat, Daphne). Truly magnificent.
KID BRUNSWICK - Heaven Without Yooooo (Believe Music)
ZERO s
by Tim London
The lyrics go…’ you… me…. you… me… meant to be… meant to me… hurts like hell… you… I I I I, me…’ and the people at Believe go… ‘he’s a good looking boy’ and the girls go… ‘they’re not wrong’ and their mums go ‘yeh, i was the same with Robby’ and their grans go…’oh, David (or Donny)’ and it is not my place to criticise this as being vacuously exploitative because it is not, it never is, about the music. Now, everybody, put your fingertips in your lower lip and… SCREAM!
THE HOLY FAMILY - Bad Travelling (Rocket Recordings)
by Alan Rider
This is simply wonderful. A psychedelic anaconda of a track, with time shifted vocals and undulating synth lines, its sinuous and langid sound belies the power that sits close to the surface. Played loud it is a time shifting blast that shakes you in its grip and won't let go. Yes, its good, and is taken off what promises to be an epic album, 'Go Zero', due out in July. That'll be worth the wait.
FOO FIGHTERS - Show me How (Some Major)
ZERO s
by Tim London
This lot puzzle me. They. Are. So. Ordinary. As if, one by one, they are digitising each and every exhibit in the Art Brut collection in Lausanne, flattening the images, smoothing the edges, tidying the physiognomy, removing the individuality. A testament to audio engineer courses around the world. Sensible. Boring. Pointless.
3L3D3P - idon'tlisten (Bandcamp)
by Tim London
Pronounced unfortunately as El-Dee Pee. Three Ell Three Dee Three Pee, or as her aunty’s know them, 3L3D3P, is the legalisation of marijuana made manifest. Skippy electro, touches D&B and then floats into a psychedelic fade. In London, this would all be so aggressive and frantic but somehow, El manages to keep the feel sunny day, roller-skating rather than running for the night bus with hound dogs at her heels. It’s a plot, obviously, by the authorities, to keep the youth masses soporifically apolitical but it has this interesting knock-on effect so I don’t care. Toke that, Karl Marx.
SQUID - The Blades (Warp Records)
by Alan Rider
Squid, in common with increasing numbers of bands are producing mini 6 minute films to accompany their music. Squid's previous single Undergrowth had more of a collage-y video, but (Spoiler Alert!) this is a proper little story about a girl waiting to be seen in some sort of public office (doctors, DWP, etc) and having to wait for ages until her ticket number comes up, despite there being apparently no one else waiting. Neat idea. The track fits perfectly with that. 6 minutes well spent.
CREEP SHOW - Moneyback (Bella Union)
by Alan Rider
Creep Show are one of those bands that have members with such a strong pedigree that you just know that you are in for a treat. In this case, Creep Show comprise Cabaret Voltaire founder member Stephen Mallinder's act Wrangler + John Grant. And that's a great pairing. 'Moneyback' follows the trial and tribulations of a naive young woman from the suburbs who runs foul of a grifter named Rusty Boygans in the big city. The track is driven along by a stabbing and blurbly beat with a rap style vocal and for those familiar with Sensoria period Cabaret Voltaire is instantly recognisable and remind us of what made the Cabs great in the first place. The upcoming album 'Yawning Abyss' is a corker too. Watch out also for an exclusive chat between OL and Creep Show coming soon.
TANLINES - New Reality (Merge Records)
by Alan Rider
Brooklyn/Conneticut two piece Tanlines make pleasant, but slightly gloomy, songs about the sad reality of life, such as the drudge of being a stay at home dad. Singer Emm (who doesn't have a surname apparently, or perhaps Emm IS his surname?) says "I wrote this song about trying to maintain my edge as a mostly-stay-at-home-dad. The video is my take on every video made in a mall, an increasingly frequent destination in my parenting routines and current fixture in my new reality”. Like I said, all a bit of a downer really. Cool video though, as was their paint splattery one for the previous single 'The Big Mess' (also the title of their current album). Tanlines are basically a Dad Band, but without the dreadful rock cover versions.
LITTLE DRAGON - Gold (Ninja Tune)
by Tim London
Yukimi has her own tune, one that can be applied to a thousand songs, for better or worse. In this case for better. Almost singing to herself. As if she just had a successful job interview and, as she descends in the lift, the world is a fair place and the sun is waiting for her outside. Which is absolutely not what the song’s about, of course, but that’s the beauty of pop projection. This song is mine now.
SEERR - Blue Eyes (Bandcamp)
by Jay Lewis
The second release from Birmingham based writer, performer and producer Seerr is a delightful surprise! After the anxious noise and Latin quips of his debut single ('Sic Ego'), his second release is an unexpected dip into jangling guitar pop. It evokes the spirit of life after the C-86 revolution, when dance music was no longer sneered at and no one wanted to hang the blessed DJ anymone. That moment just before your favourite indie band departed for Ibiza. I'll assume that with lines like "I can't conceive how scary this world is now that we have you to protect" that this is a song about the fears (and also the many life changes joys), of new parenthood. And there really is something genuinely sweet in that sincerity. Alongside the aforementioned 'Sic Ego', 'Blue Eyes' will appear on Seerr's forthcoming EP 'Arcadian Ecological'. There may be more surprises in store, the anticipation at not knowing what to expect is just part of the fun.
EPs
NØIR - Fallen (Metropolis)
by Alan Rider
'Fallen' is one of the many releases that fell by the wayside during Covid and are now beginning to re-surface after a three year delay, and a damn good job it did too. New York's NØIR are formed from the remnants of Spahn Ranch and Black Tape For A Blue Girl and like those acts have a penchant for the grand and orchestral. This EP is built on the pulsating dancy-y track 'Fallen', which has elements of Yello, Depeche Mode and Heaven 17 doing battle over a driving beat. With the original and three remixes included, the best of which is that by Greek duo Paradox Obscur, coupled with another new song and a cello-ised cover of ‘Love My Way’ by The Psychedelic Furs. No one could accuse NØIR of being especially prolific, but quantity has never equated to quality where music is concerned, and 'Fallen' is a perfect case in point.
Get it on Bandcamp here
LPs
HANNAH PEEL - The Midwich Cuckoos (Invada Records)
by Alan Rider
I love a good soundtrack. Honestly I do, especially when its as well done as this one. Good soundtracks are a refuge for original and experimental music, freed from the conventions of single and album format and length and dedicated to creating emotion and mood, which all music should aim to do, but lamentably few actually succeed in doing. This soundtrack by Hannah Peel to the Sky adaptation of the John Wyndham novel 'The Midwich Cuckoos' manages it effortlessly. It takes work to be this effortless though. From the tingling and throbbing opener 'Hive Mind', through the closest thing to a conventional song here, 'Cuckoo', its reverb drenched vocals ethereally lifting you to another world, I always measure soundtracks against two benchmarks; John Carpenter, and the soundtrack to the game Assassins Creed (it is truly amazing - you should seek it out!). This is not quite in that league, but comes close. The main drawback is the length of each track. Most are little over a minute. That's fine for a scene in a film, but feels a little unsubstantial exposed on its own. I'm just saying. So four hearts for Hannah (which sounds like the title of a Broadway musical!) then as I'd happily have this on in the background any day.
JOE PERRY - Sweetzerland Manifesto MkII (Roman Records)
ZERO s
by Alan Rider
There is just something so damn arrogant, smug, and entitled about Joe Perry. From his rubbish album title ("Sweetzerland Manifesto" - c'mon!), to his caterwauling rock star chums guesting on every track, his pretentious waffle about "this music kept riding along for me", and the pompous cover photo of him strutting around sucking his cheeks in and brandishing his 'axe' in a long leather coat that probably cost more than most of us earn in three months, Joe Perry is a supremely annoying turd. The over produced sub-Stones 'Rawk and Rawl' bilge this album contains is an affront to common decency. Its old school cosy rock star excess all over. Serving suggestion: sprinkle this album liberally with lighter fluid, toss a match, and walk away.
EDUARD ARTEMIEV, OLEG BULOSHKIN, EDISON DENISOV, SOFIA GUBAIDULINA, ALFRED SCHNITTKE - Musical Offering (Cold Spring)
by Alan Rider
‘Musical Offering’ is a rare gem, comprising performances recorded in the 1960s and early 70s by five Soviet era Russian composers on the legendary ANS synthesizer. Originally released as a 1990 LP issued by the Soviet state-run Melodiya label, UK label Cold Spring has re-mastered and re-released them for a new audience. To understand what this album is about, you really need to appreciate just what a unique and incredible piece of early synthesiser technology the ANS was (and is). Invented in 1937 and used extensively on early Soviet film soundtracks, the AMS is a huge, immobile beast that creates sounds by passing light through images printed on five rotating glass discs containing 144 individual tones each and converting these into delicate, other worldly, sonorous, and deeply evocative sounds. Fully polyphonic, it can play all 720 tones at once. Used by UK experimental/electronic acts such as Coil and Clock DVA previously, who had to travel to Russia to record it (there is only one AMS in existence and it cannot be moved), the six tracks on 'Musical Offering' sound like whale song from another galaxy, with incredibly deep tones doing battle with wispy gasps and sighs, clanking metallic sounds, bird song, scrapes, pulsating space rock bursts and throbbing heartbeats. Its actually quite unsettling and sounds unlike anything I've ever heard.
https://coldspring.bandcamp.com/track/mosaic
HENGE - Alpha Test 4 (Cosmic Dross)
by Alan Rider
Do you remember those old school console video games like Sonic The Hedgehog and Super Mario? Great. Can you recall the blippedy blop music that accompanied Sonic jumping for rings and defeating Dr Robotnic, or Mario chasing after power up mushrooms and princesses? Yes? Well imagine that mixed with Prog Rock wibbling, marching band drum beats, and OTT production and you are halfway there. From the video you can see that Henge are clearly a bunch of mad hippies who have been eating too many of those mushrooms they found in the forest. I was determined not to like this as (lets face it) everyone hates hippes, and it is a bit patchy, especially the first few tracks, but I just couldn't help but warm to it. After all, hippies are harmless really. File under Acid Casualty
SUICIDE - A Way Of Life (Mute/BMG)
by Alan Rider
Alan Rider says Suicide are possibly the bravest band ever. Read his full review to discover why right here⇒
ABC - The Lexicon of Love -Live (LivedHereNow)
by Jay Lewis
Jay journeys to Sheffield for Fry's anniversary gig. Full review here⇒
JOSIENNE CLARKE - Onliness (Corduroy Punk)
by Jay Lewis
Jay Lewis marvels at Josienne Clarke's remarkable reappraisal of her own songbook. Read Jay Lewis' review here⇒
Essential Information
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