New album: The very best ‘til last for 2022? Quite possibly, with this absolute belter from Robert Lloyd, Fliss Kitson and co, this October release packed with superbly Beefheart-esque, stompy, infinite wit, riff and rhythm change
Read moreALASKALASKA: Still Life
New album: Released in October, some tastily original, intelligent, minimalist, atmospheric experimental electro-pop by the south London duo of Lucinda Duarte-Holman and Fraser Rieley in this sophomore LP to follow up 2019’s The Dots
Read moreSantigold: Spirituals
New album: Inspired by African-American folk and gospel, this powerful, feverishly intense, emotional fourth LP released in September by the singer-songwriter brings an electric mix of punk, hip-hop, funk, afrobeat, electro-pop, and reggae wrapped in rage, anxiety and reflection
Read moreMakaya McCraven: In These Times
New album: An intricately beautiful and mesmeric fusion of polyrhythm and melody by the Paris-born, Chicago-based percussionist and composer, bringing together cosmic jazz, hip-hop breakbeats, funk, classical and African influences on this sublime fourth album, released back in September
Read moreLeftfield: This Is What We Do
New album: A clever banger of a mesmeric LP, just the fourth in three decades return from the highly influential dance electronica maestro Neil Barnes including guest appearances by Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC and poet Lemn Sissay
Read moreGaye Su Akyol: Anadolu Ejderi
New album: The Istanbul singer’s fourth album is an alluring fusion of Turkish folk and pop rhythms and instruments with psych-rock riffing with a spicier flavour, her seductive voice delivering heartbreak love stories and dark anthems of dissidence
Read moreLous and the Yakuza: Iota
New album: After her hard-hitting 2020 trap, pop and Congolese beats debut, Gore, the Belgian-Congolese rapper, singer, model and artist Marie-Pierra Kakoma returns with a dreamy, smooth eclectic mix of rap, pop, and electronica
Read moreRichard Dawson: The Ruby Cord
New album: Poetic, vivid, and original, the third in an great trilogy after the medieval-themed Peasant (2017), and 2019’s state-of-nation first-person narrative 2020, the remarkable Newcastle experimental folk artist’s newest LP is set in the post-human future
Read moreDJ Yoda: Prom Nite
New album: A clever, inventive fusion of modern and retro , London DJ and producer Duncan Beiny’s new project captures heartbreak 50s American doo-wop song samples with live performers through soul, hip hop, harp, strings, and guest vocals from House Gospel Choir, Lily James, Homeboy Sandman, Jamie Cullum and Beardyman
Read moreSault: Aiir, Earth, Today & Tomorrow, Untitled (God), 11
New albums: An unprecedented five albums landing simultaneously without warning, and with a temporary free download period on the mysterious London collective’s website, producer Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover) and co have again brought untold riches in soul, funk, gospel, jazz, RnB, hip-hop, experimental and contemporary classical
Read moreGold Panda: The Work
New album: A first album for six years by the London electronic artist Derwin Dicker, and it’s a welcome return with a distinctively lovely palette of twinkling sounds, loops and textures, with Japanese and other influences
Read moreFenella / Jane Weaver: The Metallic Index
New album: The acclaimed Liverpool-born experimental electronic artist joins forces again with Peter Philipson and Raz Ullah with an enthralling range of shimmering vintage equipment sounds and spectral vocalisations telling the story of Stella Cranshaw, the so-called paranormal ‘electric girl’ in 1920s London
Read morePlaid - Feorm Falorx
New album: A joyously nostalgic, beautiful and uplifting 11th album by the London cult electronica and dance duo of Andy Turner and Ed Handley based on a theme of a fictitious festival, Feorm, “an intergalactic shindig held on the planet Falorx”
Read moreThe Cool Greenhouse: Sod's Toastie
New album: An excellent second LP by the wittily droll wordsmith Tom Greenhouse and band, bringing oodles of hilarious, oddball short stories and killer lines about the absurdity of life, backed by strangely wonderful post-punk and electronica
Read moreChristine and the Queens: Redcar Les Adorables Étoiles (prologue)
New album: Grand and theatrical, with oodles of 80s synth sounds and a big dash of Grace Jones and David Bowie-sytyle glamour, Héloïse Letissier returns with his (recently confirmed as a trans man) flamboyant, poetic third LP
Read moreEzra Collective: Where I'm Meant To Be
New album: Energetic, infectiously positive new album by the outstanding five London jazz musicians, infusing also funk and African influences, and including guests rappers Kojey Radical and Sampa the Great, and singers Emeli Sandé and Nao
Read moreDaniel Avery: Ultra Truth
New album: The Bournemouth electronic musician and producer’s latest LP is an intense journey of tender piano to drone, rave, hardcore, ambient and many interweaving textures, drawing in from influences such as Aphex Twin, David Lynch, to My Bloody Valentine
Read moreHorse Lords: Comradely Objects
New album: Mesmeric fifth album by the Baltimore-formed quartet of polyrhythmic avant-garde rock, jazz, prog, also drawing on Appalachian, bluegrass, krautrock, African, post-punk and alternative tuning systems that pull you into their brilliant and beguiling world
Read moreCakes da Killa: Svengali
New album: Slick, skilful, inventive second full LP, after a slew of EPs and past releases, by the New Jersey LGTBQ+ rapper Rashard Bradshaw, whose album captures a story arc of flirting, sex, relationship and breakup through superbly agile verbal delivery mixed with house and electronica
Read moreBenjamin Clementine: And I Have Been
New album: Sublime third album by the British singer-songwriter, actor and 2015 Mercury winner, whose powerful, expressive, soul and gospel voice brims with elegance and stark emotion in stripped back, tender songs that capture many forms of pain, but also defiantly soar
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