Welcome to my blog, use the menu to explore album reviews or find artists you like by using the search box. I write about the music I like, which can be electronic, indie, alternative, 90s, whatever.
Album reviews
It’s impossible to mention Snapped Ankles to anyone who’s familiar with them without being told how excellent they are live. For any band that builds their initial reputation as a formidable live act, transferring that energy and intensity to a recorded album is always going to be a challenge. A challenge which can result in … Continue reading Snapped Ankles – Forest of Your Problems (2021) – Album Review
Daniel Avery is one of a handful of noteworthy electronic producers who, over the years, has transition from a relatively slick and shiny sound to something much rougher around the edges. Andy Stott being another one, who a decade ago transformed his clean-lined techno into a lumbering reverb and distortion-caked take on dance music. Over … Continue reading Daniel Avery – Together in Static (2021) – Album Review
Rather than club music or urban music, Loraine James says that first and foremost, she produces ‘experimental music’. And though Reflection kicks off in relatively straightforward fashion with the bouncy lo-fi garage of ‘Built to Last’, which sounds archetypal of James’ North London roots, things soon meander off in varied unexpected directions. Reflection is the … Continue reading Loraine James – Reflection (2021) – Album Review
Much of Scurlage was written while Mike Paradinas spent a family holiday on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, during lockdown in 2020. Rather than an idyllic get-away in one of the most scenic parts of the country, from the opening bars of first track, Blakers Loop, you might think Mike had a somewhat nightmarish time … Continue reading µ-Ziq – Scurlage (2021) – Album Review
With the release of his third full-length album, Bryan Müller a.k.a. Skee Mask has surely established himself as one of the leading figures at the vanguard of electronic music. His 2018 album, Compro, rightfully found itself near the top of several year-end lists, and now with a bumper selection of brand new tracks drawn from … Continue reading Skee Mask – Pool (2021) – Album Review
Despite hailing from Lansing Michigan, rather than techno’s heartland in nearby Detroit, John Beltran could nevertheless be considered a member of US techno royalty. His CV boasts early releases on legendary imprints such as Derrick May’s Transmat label, Peacefrog Records and R&S, both under his own name as well as various aliases and collaborations. His … Continue reading John Beltran – The Season Series (2020)
Sofia Kourtesis’ new EP, Fresia Magdalena, is a timely and much needed ray of sunshine - as the warmer months approach and with them, the promise of evenings outdoors, picnics in the park and open-air music festivals. The anticipation of spring is always something to be savoured, but is heightened tenfold this year, given how … Continue reading Sofia Kourtesis – Fresia Magdalena (2021) – Review
Leon Vynehall is not afraid of exploring weighty topics with his music and in contrast to many electronic artists, revealing much about his own identity in the process. On his latest album ‘Rare, Forever, this includes his own doubts, anxieties and fears, both as an artist and a human being. The British producer and DJ … Continue reading Leon Vynehall – Rare, Forever (2021)
Spirit of the Beehive’s ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is not psychedelic music in the normal sense of the term, although like most psychedelic music it does make for a disorientating listening experience. Unlike traditional psyche-rock, which tends to draw its ‘weirdness’ from otherworldly realms, and an appeal to humankind’s connection with nature and the deeper rhythms of … Continue reading Spirit of the Beehive – ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH (2021)
I recently came across an old interview with Andy Stott, given upon the release of his 2014 album, Faith in Strangers, for which he switched from using software to an almost exclusively all hardware set-up. He described the process of gathering various pieces of equipment, testing them out by pushing them to their limits, “using … Continue reading Andy Stott – Never the Right Time (2021)
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