It’s not even out until January, but I’m calling it already: this thing of beauty will be one of 2025’s finest. Based in Manchester, Jasmine Cruickshank, who writes and records as Jasmine.4.t , makes music that disarms through its intimacy and hopeful, wistful intensity. Produced by Boygenius, it shares sonic DNA with early Perfume Genius,Continue reading “Album Review: Jasmine.4.t- You Are The Morning”
Tag Archives: Album review
Album Review: Soap & Skin- TORSO
Anya Plaschg, the Austrian artist who records as Soap & Skin, has been doing her own thing since the mid-noughties, but this new album pays tribute to her diverse influences over the years. There’s a pretty faithful cover of Bowie’s dark, dense ‘Girl Loves Me’, and a sweet cover of Sufjan Steven’ ‘Mystery of Love’,Continue reading “Album Review: Soap & Skin- TORSO”
Album Review: Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness
“I don’t wanna be stuck inside that negatIvity, cunt, you’ll never get with me”, hollers the blushing wallflower Amy Taylor through a wall of noise on ‘Jerkin”. Of course, this is typical of the Melbourne punk scamps, and their irrepressible frontwoman. So too is ‘Tiny Bikini’ and ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’, a flipContinue reading “Album Review: Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness”
Album Review: Zombina and the Skeletones- The Call of Zombina
Liverpool garage horror fiends Zombina and The Skeletones have been doing their own creepy, kooky-ooky -ooky thing since 1998, and this new album, just out in time for The Witching Season, is a nice mix of ghoulish Hammer Horror and itchy riffage. It should sate fans of Death Valley Girls, The Cramps and Pebbles compilationsContinue reading “Album Review: Zombina and the Skeletones- The Call of Zombina”
Album Review: Yoo Doo Right -From The Heights Of Our Pastureland
The third album from the enigmatic Montreal trio is, in their own words, a rumination about “the storm of colonialism, the collapse of capitalism and the massive undertaking it is to rebuild with past mistakes taken into deep consideration”. The enormity of such thematic concerns is encapsulated by the band’s glorious instrumentation. The title track,Continue reading “Album Review: Yoo Doo Right -From The Heights Of Our Pastureland”
Album Review: Geordie Greep- The New Sound
Trust Geordie Greep , former lead singer of the endlessly inventive Black Midi, to blend a huge cocktail of genres for this, his debut solo album. Much of his work is all about pulling together genres to create something unique and wilfully bonkers. Take the first single to be lifted from the album, ‘Holy Holy’.Continue reading “Album Review: Geordie Greep- The New Sound”
Album Review: Nubya Garcia – Odyssey
It’s hard to believe that this is only the second studio album from tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia, such is her effortless sounding, voluptuous playing and compositional skill. The range of moods here, too, often takes others a lifetime to perfect. ‘Clarity’ for example, is a slow-burning dreamscape with a hypnotic melody line. The shimmering ‘Solstice’Continue reading “Album Review: Nubya Garcia – Odyssey”
Album Review: Masayoshi Fujita- Migratory
Inspired by the endless wonders of nature, and in particular the flight paths of birds, Japanese vibraphonist and marimba player Masayoshi Fujita has created a beautiful, meditative album here, with enough left turns to stop it fading into the background. In that sense, it’s a post-ambient work. ‘Tower Of Cloud’ is hypnotic and dreamy, butContinue reading “Album Review: Masayoshi Fujita- Migratory”
Album Review: Lili Holland-Fricke and Sean Rogan- Dear Alien
This debut is a glorious thing indeed, bringing some much needed sunshine as days get colder. The duo, both based in Manchester, recorded the album in Greenwich, and it’s both melodic and full of improvised energy. Sleepy, feline cellos mesh with tape loops and it’s Holland -Fricke’s unique approach to cello playing that feels soContinue reading “Album Review: Lili Holland-Fricke and Sean Rogan- Dear Alien”
Album Review: Molchat Doma- Balaya Palosa
The Belarus trio, who recently relocated to Los Angeles, have crafted a subtle and complex piece of darkwave here. It’s music which is perfect for travelling home on trains as dusk gathers in crowded cities. Take your pick which city. This album is concrete and neon, dark and ominous. It’s rather beautiful too. The plethoraContinue reading “Album Review: Molchat Doma- Balaya Palosa”
Hit The North 