New Music, New Ideas
We enter into the top ten! See the full list in the blog here, and follow the playlist of every track in the list here. 10. Dragonball Durag - Thundercat It's become clearer and clearer that Thundercat's most addictive tracks come when his dynamic bass is the headline act. While some moments of his acclaimed…
While we helplessly look out of our windows and watch the world falling to pieces from our homes, one form of relief shared by many has been the music of this year. Some has been topical, some emotional and some transcendental. Below are the first of my 50 favourite songs released this year (with a…
Preceding the release of RTJ4, lead vocalist Killer Mike had given his now-lauded speech on the state of existence for black Americans and how they must "plot, plan, strategise, organise and mobilise" to overcome their oppression. Though even to the most apathetic of observers it's clear that he had wanted to say this for a…
Continue reading ➞ Albums Of The Year | RTJ4 – Run The Jewels
Something powerfully carefree yet undeniably immediate exists within Nadine Shah's fourth album Kitchen Sink. Her previous LP Holiday Destination was a more combative detour through the ugly face of European politics during the refugee crisis - a more pronounced problem that required an overt anger and forcefulness in approach. However, Kitchen Sink sees a redirection…
Continue reading ➞ Albums Of The Year | Kitchen Sink – Nadine Shah
Many speak of a desire to detach themselves from the world, to get away from technocratic society and experience some form of romantic metaphysical freedom that appears the single greatest need within human and emotional permanence. Of course, for reasons usually material, this prospect is mostly never realised. However, after a prolific four years with…
Continue reading ➞ Albums Of The Year | songs – Adrianne Lenker
Whatever stylistic descriptions can be broadly thrown at Future Nostalgia, of which there are many, it is perhaps simpler to state that this album, in its deep dive into the underbelly of 1980s aesthetic and culture, is a modern pop masterpiece. This isn't to suggest for a moment that we have an album that merely…
Continue reading ➞ Albums Of The Year | Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa
In a condensed market, it has become almost an inevitability for artists to delve into new, sometimes alien, sounds to evolve and maintain a sense of separation from their contemporaries. However, in only five tracks, The Worst Guys' debut EP Not So Bad displays a versatility and maturity that is usually observable over years of…
There's a certain magnetism to the spoken drawls of Baxter Dury. Where his previous solo efforts explored minimum-effort singing, The Night Chancers sees him wholly embrace the conversational elements of communication. This reserve is the essence of the album - in addition to his vocal delivery, the blurred artwork with Dury looking blankly away from…
Continue reading ➞ Albums Of The Year | The Night Chancers – Baxter Dury
The Colour of Spring 