Here’s some glorious news. Bat For Lashes are back after a five year hiatus with this beautiful synth lullabye, a meditation on motherhood dedicated to Natasha Khan’s daughter Delphi. Drawing upon her more minimalist work from the first two albums, Khan proves she can still surprise with her more pared- back dream pop direction. She’sContinue reading “New Release: Bat For Lashes- The Dream Of Delphi”
Tag Archives: Dream pop
Overlooked Classics: Ultra Vivid Scene’s eponymous debut
Le swoon! This album is still incredible, all these years later. The debut album, Ultra Vivid Scene, by the band with the same name, is often forgotten about in the usual indie legends slots. Not here,though. Forgive my little foray into self- indulgence, it’s my birthday tomorrow. It was 1988, and I was experiencing myContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Ultra Vivid Scene’s eponymous debut”
Album Review: Small Pond- Emerging Vol 3
The small but mighty indie label Small Pond, based in Brighton, shows that alternative !music is very much thriving. This new compilation has a wide diversity of genres. There’s bright, anthemic indie pop from MaxwellTheBand with piledriving opener, ‘Bic Lighter’, Currls provide soulful /emo inspired indie with ‘April Fool’. Peach Season are another musical uContinue reading “Album Review: Small Pond- Emerging Vol 3”
Album Review: Mint Field-Aprender a Ser
The new album from Mexican duo Mint Field , is evocative of 4AD big hitters like Cocteau Twins and His Name Is Alive, but with their own unique spin on the template. It’s gauzy, dreamlike and a little disconcerting, as the best Dream pop always is. Estrella del Sol’s vocals caress, while remaining unsettling. SheContinue reading “Album Review: Mint Field-Aprender a Ser”
Favourite Cover Versions: Lianne La Havas- Weird Fishes
A cover version is always going to divide people, but I’ve got a feeling that Lianne La Havas, the glorious London soul singer, met with approval from Thom Yorke here. Weird Fishes from the Radiohead album In Rainbows is transformed . Her powerful vibrato is beautiful, and you know straight off the bat that it’sContinue reading “Favourite Cover Versions: Lianne La Havas- Weird Fishes”
Album Review: Candy Claws- Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time
Shoegazing as a primary influence is having a late blooming revival of late- witness Chemical Brothers and their comeback single with Halo Maude, ‘Live Again’, which feels woozy and spiky. So it makes sense that this gorgeous, elusive record is being reissued again as it turns a decade old. The Colorado trio Candy Claws –Continue reading “Album Review: Candy Claws- Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time”
Overlooked Classics: Cranes- Wings Of Joy
The London band Cranes are often overlooked when people talk about early nineties indie bands. They’re something else altogether, often labelled Goth, industrial, neo – classical, shoegazing or dream-pop. The truth is, they are all of these things, and their own unique thing. Formed by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, the band could grind, orContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Cranes- Wings Of Joy”
Just Step Sideways: My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything
Isn’t Anything is a game changer. My Bloody Valentine had started out as a kind of pale Cramps type, floundering in attempts at slinky garage. It was when vocalist Dave Conway left, replaced by Bilinda Butcher, that things really started to happen. There had always been a swooning, dreamy quality to tracks like Strawberry Wine,Continue reading “Just Step Sideways: My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything”
Overlooked Classics: Opal – Early Recordings
Emerging from the Paisley Underground, a neo- psychedelic scene from the 1980s, Opal predate Mazzy Star by a few years. Singer songwriter and musician Kendra Smith, also a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, made some EPs, left the band and was replaced by Hope Sandoval, but Opal’s beautiful collection Early Recordings should definitely beContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Opal – Early Recordings”
Hit The North 