New Release: Lana Del Rabies- Annihilate

More gorgeous menace from Lana Del Rabies. ‘Annihilate’ comes from the depths of hell to bring messages to the living. Business as usual in short. This pinch of darkness is taken from the forthcoming album which will be released next year. The video is beautiful too, in keeping with Del Rabies’ industrial goth aesthetic. http://www.feralcronerecordings.bandcamp.com

New Release: Ibeyi- Moshpit

Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz are back with a brilliant new single and as ever, their music is at once ethereal and earthy, made for hearts and dancefloor alike. ‘Moshpit’ comes from the most recent album, ‘Offering’. They go from strength to strength, giving us steely beats, but so heavenly in harmonies. http://www.ibeyimusic.com

Album Review: Death Valley Girls-Welcome To Earth

Picture credit: Sheva Kafai Portents of red moons,flowers and cosmic symbols? Must be the new album from Death Valley Girls. The gals who once convinced Iggy Pop to do an Andy Warhol and eat a burger in their ‘Disaster’ video, are back, with a few changes to their winning formula, but it’s still recognisably them.Continue reading “Album Review: Death Valley Girls-Welcome To Earth”

Bloc Party- Then and Now

Bloc Party’s debut ‘Silent Alarm’ is -bizarrely -twenty five years old this year. For me, it still holds up, because it has that sense of urgency. ‘Helicopter’ is a banger among bangers. And now, their new album, ‘Anatomy Of A Brief Romance’ is out, and they are still worth listening to. They’ve weathered the storms,Continue reading “Bloc Party- Then and Now”

Album Review: Arab Strap- Half-Told Tales

This new album, the ninth from the inimitable Falkirk duo, sees Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton on fire. It’s not often that a band gets a new lease of life later into their career, but then, they’ve always been one to buck trends. Few speak to the creeping malaise as accurately as The Strap. FromContinue reading “Album Review: Arab Strap- Half-Told Tales”

Arab Strap Are Fighting…The Seven Signs of Ageing

Rejoice! For arch Falkirk indie satirists Arab Strap are back, and on fighting form. The new single, ‘Glamour Magick’, is excellent, taking a pop at quick -fix solutions for the truly vain and vacuous. It’s a nice antidote to the uptake in cosmetic surgery, weight loss jags and skin remedies across the world. Trust AidanContinue reading “Arab Strap Are Fighting…The Seven Signs of Ageing”

Album Review: Josh da Costa- New Wave Graveyard

“Welcome to the US, 80s, 90s”, Mark E Smith once chanted. We’re firmly entrenched in both decades in Los Angeles singer-songwriter and musician Josh da Costa’s rather charming debut solo album. Easy breezy jangle like ‘Proving Me Right’ and ‘Cordelia’ shimmer like cinematic Cadillacs on hazy highways, and ‘Skygirl’ and ‘Hospital Clown’ bounce like 90sContinue reading “Album Review: Josh da Costa- New Wave Graveyard”

Album Review : Horse Lords- Demand To Be Taken To Heaven Alive!

Originally from Baltimore and now based in Germany, Horse Lords cut an experimental swathe through the indie music scene. This new album sees them expand their sound even further. The title track is as though Battles got together with Steve Reich, and created alien funk. Blips and beeps build into looping percussion and vocals. It’sContinue reading “Album Review : Horse Lords- Demand To Be Taken To Heaven Alive!”

Laibach: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

Time was when Slovenian scamps Laibach made music with a stomping boot and a raised eyebrow. Now, they’re leaning so much into irony that they could go full Eurovision. I get it, the worlds going to shit. The problem is, this campy ridiculousness has ceased to be funny. Back in the day, they were perceivedContinue reading “Laibach: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”