New album: Silky, soulful new work by the falsetto-smooth London-based New Zealand-Australian musician, singer-songwriter and producer with a sophisticated cocktail or perky pop, jazz, and R&B
Read moreJordan Rakei: The Loop
Jordan Rakei: The Loop
Luca D’Alberto: In Our Hearts
Luca D'Alberto - In Our Hearts
New album: A serenely beautiful third album by the Italian composer and instrumentalist with a cinematic, symphonic work of 17 tracks over three sections, largely with piano and strings, but with sprinklings of electronica and guest vocalists
Read moreFavourite albums of 2023 Part 2: Anohni to Blur to Mitski, Ren to Sufjan Stevens
Favourite LPs of 2023, Part 2.
Welcome once again to the annual tradition of Song Bar’s favourite album releases of 2023. This is Part 2, and Part 1 was yesterday. There’s no such thing as a chart rundown or ‘best of’ here, and these come in no particular order …
Read moreFIZZ: The Secret To Life
FIZZ: The Secret To Life
New album: Joyously playful, colourful, flamboyant, humorous, dynamic, grandiose but also tender pop-rock by the supergroup of solo artists, Orla Gartland, dodie, Greta Isaac and Martin Luke Brown, whose vocal harmonies exude emotion, but also unsinkable joie-de-vivre
Read moreMelt Yourself Down: Pray For Me I Don't Fit In
Melt Yourself Down: Pray For Me I Don't Fit In
New album: This fourth LP by saxophonist Pete Wareham, Mauritian vocalist Kushal Gaya and co is perhaps their best yet mix of fabulously stompy, staccato, dance-punk, Afrobeat, jazz, with Egyptian and another influences, buzzing with frenetic fervour
Read moreAURORA: The Gods We Can Touch
The multiplicity of Aurora
New album: An impressive range of pop stylings and vocals that cascade like a fresh, breathy mountain stream mark this third LP by the dynamic Norwegian pop artist and TikTok star, who follows up previous more political material with songs more more focused on relationships
Read moreTori Amos: Ocean to Ocean
New album: Rich in textures orchestral and piano with that distinctive, articulate voice, the American artist’s new album is suffused with nature’s inspiration via a long Covid lockdown on the Cornish Coast, and by stages of grief for her mother
Read moreCerys Matthews, Hidden Orchestra and 10 Poets: We Are from the Sun – album review
A landscape of words and sounds: We Come From The Sun
Album review: A refreshing and inspirational release of 10 contemporary poets performing their work set to music and field recordings, including MA.Moyo, Lemn Sissay, and Adam Horovitz in collaboration put together by the singer and radio presenter
Read moreNew albums: Fontaines D.C., Beyoncé, Alanis Morissette, The Psychedelic Furs, Max Richter, Song Sung, Dominic Fike, Creeper, Romare
Comebacks and newcomers …
This week includes a strong second album by Fontaines D.C., comebacks by The Psychedelic Furs and Alanis Morissette, a Lion King-inspired film-album by Beyoncé, eclectic work by newcomber Dominic Fike and experiment by Max Richter
Read moreNew albums: BC Camplight, Ezra Furman, Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes, Hazel English, Lucinda Williams, Santrofi, Lennon Stella, Kirsty Merryn, Sneakbo, Joe Hisaishi, Pole
BC Camplight
This week’s roundup includes the finest yet from humorously dark BC Camplight, the Sex Education soudntrack by Ezra Furman, transcendant pop from Hazel English and a gorgeous compilation by the Studio Ghibili composer Joe Hisaishi
Read moreNew albums: Ty Segall, Francis Lung, Mabel, Clairo, Föllakzoid, Cross Record, Nérija, Native Harrow, Haiku Salut, Tyler Childers, Teskey Brothers, Mick Trouble
New art … Ty Segall
A bumper selection includes a lauded 13th album by the Californian rocker, Mancunian musician Francis Lung, Mabel the daughter of Neneh Cherry, and a project for a new electronica soundtrack to a Buster Keaton film
Read moreNew albums: Peter Perrett, The Divine Comedy, Vanishing Twin, Wovoka Gentle, Mattiel, Aurora, Pixx, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Plaid, Younghusband
The one and only Peter Perrett
A second great solo album by the former The Only Ones frontman, bright, witty work by The Divine Comedy, and outstanding innovation from Wovoka Gentle, Pixx, Mattiel and more make up this week’s roundup of releases
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