Album Review: Pickle Darling- Bots

Bedroom pop seems to finally be having it’s moment, so New Zealand artist Lukas Mayo, who records as Pickle Darling, can confidently sit among the likes of Jasmine 4.T and Clairo in capturing the charm of lo-fi, beautifully executed indie pop. Their fourth album may be, for the most part, hushed and delicate, but it’sContinue reading “Album Review: Pickle Darling- Bots”

Album Review: Debby Friday- The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life

All the best pop bangers have a yearning undercurrent: think Madonna’s ‘What It Feels Like For A Girl ‘, Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’, St Etienne and ‘He’s On The Phone’. This is also true with R & B- any number of artists, from The Supremes to Solange, mine dark corners of the dancefloor toContinue reading “Album Review: Debby Friday- The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life”

Album Review: Allo Darlin’ -Bright Nights

Photo: Jorgen Nordby There’s something sweetly disarming about the new Allo Darlin’ album. It’s the way the organ comes in halfway through the bittersweet country grunge of ‘Tricky Questions’ like a warm embrace. These songs aren’t large or all-consuming, nothing elbows its way in: they take up little space. But they’re slices of life, vignettesContinue reading “Album Review: Allo Darlin’ -Bright Nights”

Album Review: All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop

Philip King’s compilation of late-seventies – mid-eighties synth pop has a similar, if less political, approach as Adam Curtis: find leftfield, obscure tracks and highlight them, creating a sideways look at pop culture. As the title suggests, there is a DIY, deliberately un-glossy attitude to much of the music on offer. Frankie Goes To HollywoodContinue reading “Album Review: All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop”

Album Review: Frankie Cosmos- Different Talking

For over a decade, Greta Kline with her band Frankie Cosmos has been making her own brand of sweetly introspective indie pop, full of wry observations and a melancholic undertow. There’s more of this on her sixth studio album, but with some nice experimentation thrown in. Call it ‘Sad Girl Summer’ if you like. IContinue reading “Album Review: Frankie Cosmos- Different Talking”

The Future’s Here Today: Stratford Rise

And they look like such sweet boys! Belfast noise punks Stratford Rise played a blistering session for Deb and Tom’s New Music Fix last night on BBC 6. The band have a plethora of influences, such as Deerhoof, Captain Beefheart and XTC, all chopped up and stuck in a blender, and have garnered a greatContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Stratford Rise”

Album Review: LA Witch- DOGGOD

Los Angeles trio LA Witch have been casting sonic spells since their debut album, which came out eight years ago.. Since then, their reputation as a formidable live act has endured. Their doomy, punkish music is as tender as a bruise. This “don’t mess” badass swagger sees them frequently getting a comparison to fellow SuicideContinue reading “Album Review: LA Witch- DOGGOD”

Album Review: Anna B Savage -You & I Are Earth

A new Anna B Savage album is always something worth investing time in. Her voice is so disarmingly beautiful that everything else melts away. This is not background music. It’s intimate and raw, and you lean in to listen, as though she’s sharing precious secrets with you alone. This time, Savage is, as with BjorkContinue reading “Album Review: Anna B Savage -You & I Are Earth”

Album Review: Jasmine.4.t- You Are The Morning

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”

Pop Perfection: Miso Extra- Good Kisses

The best pop is always out of leftfield, eccentric and seems to burst out of the speakers. So it’s no surprise that pop maverick Miso Extra has teamed up with the equally glorious Joe Mount of Metronomy, no stranger himself to creating genius indie pop. Of the track, she says it’s all about “this crushinglyContinue reading “Pop Perfection: Miso Extra- Good Kisses”