Friday Threeway 23/2/24

 I had no idea what order to put these three tracks in - genre-wise they're all pretty diverse. Maybe just put the whole playlist on shuffle afterwards to get an idea of what it's like inside my musical head,

• Little Simz - Mood Swings. I love the whole of this EP / mini album - the production by Jakwob is so crisp and really adds to Simz' style.
• A. Savage - Black Holes, the Stars and You. Made for a smoky late night cabaret bar, and reminiscent of Jonathan Richman, this is a killer track from the recent album by the Parquet Courts frontman
• Maruja - The Invisible Man. First new track of the 2024 from the incomparable Maruja, this is a raw and uncompromising song about mental health which still manages to contain some killer sax and a vocal live audiences can join in with. The most exciting live band you'll see this year, get tickets while you can.

Friday Threeway 16/2/24

 This week brings the return of three great acts:

• Mount Kimbie - Fishbrain. Mount Kimbie are back with a 'proper' album i.e. one that they've made together. This track reminds me of some of the songs on Mura Masa's 'Raw Youth Collage' record.
• Brittany Howard - Power To Undo. A great track from her forthcoming solo album - great guitar and an initially sparse backing that soon comes over all Prince.
• Beth Gibbons - Floating On A Moment. Everything you want from a Gibbons track - eerie, ethereal vocals and an overall feels that swings between Serge Gainsbourg, Mark Lanegan and Portishead.

Friday Threeway 9/2/24

 It's Friday again, and this week there's a complete mix of styles for you to enjoy. Plus, because it's so short, I've snuck an extra track onto the playlist this week. Have a great weekend!

• Rainy Miller & Space Afrika - Maybe It's Time to Lay Down the Arms (feat. Mica Levi). An atmospheric, trippy collaboration from these UK artists/producers, best listened to in a melancholoy mood on a wet afternoon when you can sink into its depths and ponder the increasing relevance of its message
• Yard Act - When The Laughter Stops (feat. Katy J Pearson). Each track from the soon to be released second album from Yard Act has brought its own delicious surprises. This one has two - a brilliant vocal from the wonderful Ms. Pearson, and a cameo from David Thewlis reading from Macbeth. A pair of treats!
• Yot Club - Pixel. I'm pretty sure I saw him perform this live at his solo show at End of the Road festival last year - it's a really bouncy song with processed vocals and guitars that has a kind of early 80s, Split Enz kind of vibe. There may well be a new album on the horizon too...
• Kiran Leonard - Treat Me A Stranger. A bonus 45 second track from the barefooted and brilliant balladeer

Friday Threeway 2/2/24

 There's a distinct change of pace from last week's disco bangers, so take a moment to relax a bit and listen to these three mellow moments:

• Tapir! - Gymnopedie. Taken from their excellent debut album on Heavenly Records, which is full of warm and comforting alt-folk tracks that become instantly familiar
• Skydaddy - Everything. A gorgeously haunting and at times Beatles-esque track from Skydaddy's new EP 'Pilot', which also features his muse, partner and member of Black Country, New Road, Tyler Cryde
• English Teacher - Albert Road. One of my two favourite new bands at the moment (the other will be revealed later this month), I pretty much love everything about English Teacher - the lyrics, the attitude, the tunes and brilliant front-person Lily Fontaine

Friday Threeway 26/1/24

 Better put your dancing shoes on this week as there are some solid grooves here:

• Sinkane - How Sweet Is Your Love. The announcement of a new Sinkane album was accompanied by this full on disco bop of a track - it's sweet, it's soulful, and it's like 1975 all over again.
• Justice - One Night / All Night (feat. Tame Impala). Justice are back with this dark slice of disco, featuring vocals from Kevin Parker and their trademark atmospheric synths
• Nia Archives - Crowded Roomz. Co-written and produced by the very talented Ethan P. Flynn, the new track from the undisputed queen of jungle see her bringing summer hit vibes to our cold winter shores

Friday Threeway 19/01/24

 As 2024 takes hold there seems to be a significant rise in the number of new releases. There were loads to choose from this week but here are the three that I've added to the playlist:

• Yard Act - We Make Hits. Happily, it appears that Yard Act are continuing to evolve and a far from the one-trick pony many people feared, although James still retains an acerbic wit and a wry outlook on life. Their new album drops next month and is shaping up to be even better than the debut.
• Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee - Los Angeles (feat. James Murphy) - Working Men's Club Remix. Talking of making hits, this lot have got a fair few under their belt from their long and varied careers. Already a 'supergroup', the addition of James Murphy, topped off by a remix from Syd WMC turns this into a dancefloor ready smorgasbord of talent,
• Master Peace - Start You Up. One of my favourite acts from last year's End of the Road Festival, the effervescent Mr. Peace mixes up a unique blend of U.K. rap and 00s indie to create songs to make you dance and smile.

Friday Threeway

Here it is - a new regular feature (I hope)!

Each week I'll add 3 new(ish) tracks to this playlist, with a bit of blah about each one. As I missed out on posting this last week, the first one is a bumper double edition, featuring the following tracks:

• Liam Gallagher & John Squire - Just Another Rainbow. Anything that gives us a chance to hear the majestic Squire letting rip on a guitar again is alright by me, especially if it ends up sounding like The Beatles meeting The Stone Roses, and then accidentally bumping into Led Zeppelin
• The Smile - Friend of a Friend. A track that sounds more like Radiohead than a lot of Radiohead's later output, it makes you wonder how the other three must feel about it
• Fat Dog - All The Same. Newly signed to Heavenly Records, who rarely put a foot wrong. From reviews of the band live this wasn't what I was expecting, but it's a riot
• Biig Piig - Watch Me. Breathy vocals over hard-edged beats? Sign me up.
• Antony Szmierek - Dance Better (Ell Murphy Remix) - remixed from his 2023, this track from the former teacher turned Streets-esque poet/rapper is a really upbeat tune you can't help but sing along with
• Sprints - Heavy. If you're looking for a track to rock your socks off, this song does exactly what it says on the tin

Albums of the Year - 2022

 So then, 2022 - how was it for you? Musically it was great for me - new bands, American superstars, more live acts than I've ever seen in one year before. Here's my pick of the best of the year, I hope you find something new to listen to.

1. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

BC,NR take the top spot on my list for the second year running. Full of gut-wrenching, heart-breaking lyrics and musical surprises, this was (almost) the sound of a band hitting their peak. The departure of Isaac before the album was even released may have knocked them back for a while, but it makes a lot of these songs seem even more poignant now. And having seen a recent show at Bush Hall I can confidently say that the band are forging ahead with a new direction, and might even make it to the top of next year's list!

2. caroline - caroline

A record that almost defies description from an 8-piece band who are astonishing to watch live, where they usually play in the round. It's almost like a folk version of Mogwai - there are quiet bits, loud bits, bits that sound like instruments are falling over, and a man shouting in the background, but it all combines to produce an incredibly emotive and moving album. Lyrics are repeated so that they become mantras, while unusual instruments help you drift to another dimension. I can't wait to hear more from them in 2023.

3. Beyonce - Renaissance

At this point in her career Bey could probably put out any old shit and people would buy it. So we should be grateful that instead of that she's given us 'Renaissance', a glorious album that manages to celebrate black culture and the history of black dance music with some incredible production and some properly banging tunes. This is undoubtedly the album I've played the most this year, although I've so far baulked at paying the exorbitant price for the vinyl.

4. Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B

They may have possibly the worst band name in existence, but Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye have made what may be the most intriguing album of the year. Every time I listen to this record I hear something new and it sounds like the songs are going in a different direction, they seem to inhabit multiple genres at once, and everything seems to be slightly on the edge of a precipice. When you consider that Georgia is also a member of Black Country, New Road then you have to conclude that she's one of the most talented musicians in the UK at the moment. 

5. deathcrash - Return

This London-based fourpiece display influences of Mogwai and Slint, albeit in a slightly gentler fashion (singer Tiernan Banks apparently wanted to call this album 'Rejected Slint Demos' but was overruled). They're music is intense but not in your face, and brings an occasional lightness of touch to the quiet/loud/quiet genre. They're a force to reckon with live too, and have already recorded their second full-length album, which will be released early next year. Guitarist Matthew Weinberger also released his own, very different, solo album this year under the name Satan Club, which is worth checking out if you're a fan of instrumental acoustic folk.

6. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

They don't call him King Kenny for nothing. This is a pretty faultless album (remove 'We Cry Together' and it would be perfect) from the rap artist of his generation, one on which Kendrick continues to confront the issues of the day, taking on cancel culture and white privilege through his own personal lens. He marked the album with one of the most talked-about Glastonbury performances of all time and an outstanding tour which cemented his position at the top of the tree.

7. Working Men's Club - Fear Fear

An album that solidifies Syd's vision for the band and shows how he's developing as a songwriter. The lyrics, written through the Covid pandemic, are extremely dark and sometimes painfully honest, but are counterbalanced by uplifting and pounding electronic melodies. It still sounds a lot like some of the bands I loved in the 80s, but Syd's view of the world is beginning to make WMC stand out as an act to watch out for in their own right.

8. Kae Tempest - The Line Is A Curve

On first listen this album didn't grab me as much as I thought it would. But as the year went on, and over the course of the 4 times I saw them live this year, Kae's album began to hit hard and deep. The lyrics are as good as ever, and although the inclusion of featured guests was initially a surprise, in most cases they enhance the songs, especially Grian from Fontaines DC (I'd love for him and Kae to make a whole joint album together).  'Salt Coast' is probably me favourite track off the album, a brilliantly poetic description of Britain and the people who inhabit it.

9. Yard Act - The Overload

The first album I bought this year, way back at the start of January when it was engaged in a chart battle with Years & Years. Since then both the album and the band have become bigger and more widely know, but have remained refreshingly down to earth. From re-recording '100% Endurance' with Elton John to being nominated for the Mercury Prize, James and the gang have continued to work their arses off for our entertainment. I'm not sure how/if they'll be able to develop their sound further, but they've certainly made the most of their time in the spotlight this year.

10. Bob Vylan - Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life

On the back of this album are printed the words 'If you can't afford this product, feel free to steal it'. It's a great indicator  of the ethos of this band who are, for me, the most properly 'punk' act in the UK today. On this, their second album, they've developed their musical style to me more diverse, but kept the hard-hitting lyrics about wealth-based inequality, racism and privilege. They self-financed and released this album, getting it into the top 20, and then went on to perform on the BBC's Glastonbury coverage and win both a MOBO award and a Kerrang! award, surely the first act to ever achieve that double whammy.

Fifteen more worth listening to:

• Jack White - Fear of the Dawn
• Wu-Lu - Loggerhead
• Loyle Carner - Hugo
• Black Midi - Hellfire
• Cassels - A Gut Feeling
• Hot Chip - Freakout/Release
• Pusha T - It's Almost Dry
• Gabe Gurnsey - Diablo
• Oliver Sim - Hideous Bastard
• Bodega - Broken Equipment
• Daniel Avery - Ultra Truth
• Scalping - Void
• The Lounge Society - Tired of Liberty
• Bambara - Love On My Mind
• Courting - Guitar Music

Albums of the Year - 2021

 It's been another year of mostly sitting indoors, although I did make it to a couple of festivals and quite a few gigs which was a relief after 2020. I also seem to have bought more vinyl this year than ever before, which made selecting a Top Ten a very difficult process. I made it to the end though, so here are my favourite albums of the year, along with another chunk that are worth investigating and might have made the top on a different day.

1. Black Country, New Road - For The First Time

Pretty much nailed on to be near the top of my list since the day it was announced, this short but brilliant album served as a document of the formative part of BC,NR's career. Despite the niggling omission of fan favourites 'Snow Globes' and 'Basketball Shoes', which will be remedied on album 2 next year, the 6 tracks here showcase a band which is really unlike any other (although they've already inspired a few imitators). It's not just the tunes either, the lyrics are great too and cover subjects as broad as love, science, depression and Kanye West. Having already started to evolve musically I hope this is a band that stays together for the next few decades.

2. Black Midi - Cavalcade

Although BC,NR just crept to the top of my arbitrary selection, this album by Black Midi is really equally as good. It's consistently inventive, not just over the course of the album but often during the course of individual songs. The musicianship is phenomenal and live they have become a unstoppable tour de force. I never expected to love a jazz-prog-psych-genre-busting album so much.

3. For Those I Love - For Those I Love

It's hard to believe that an album about by death and grief can be as uplifting as this record is. But David Balfe's homage to his friend Paul Curran manages to touch you deeply and make you smile in equal measure as he talks is way through the stories of their wayward youth together. A judicious use of samples helps to provide a warm familiarity to the songs so that after a few listens you feel like you new Paul yourself in some small way. 

4. Fred Again - Actual Life (April 14 - December 17 2020)

The sound of lockdown 2020. With songs constructed from conversations with friends, producer Fred Gibson's debut album touches on the emotion and isolation each of us has probably suffered from at some point since Covid first took hold. It's an open and honest look at how we feel today and finishes with a touch of optimism via a snatch of Bon Iver.

5. Hannah Peel - Fir Wave

Nominated, perhaps surprisingly, for this year's Mercury Prize, Peel's excellent album uses music by Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop as a starting point to create some sublime electronica. The record somehow manages to evoke atmospheric landscapes and the wonders of nature while at the same time having one foot on the dancefloor. Electronic album of the year for sure.

6. Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Produced by Inflo (the genius behind Sault) this record is the sound of Little Simz exploring her public persona and contrasting it with her private perception of herself. The big, orchestral arrangements on a number of tracks help to give the album real gravitas, although this is in part counterbalanced by the annoying interludes (which 9 times out of 10 spoil rap records). That niggle aside, this is an assured and powerful album which will no doubt gain her even more recognition.

7. Dave - We're All Alone In This Together

Could Dave match the impact of his first album? After just one listen to this record the answer was a resounding yes. It's ambitious and powerful in its subject matter, covering both Dave's life in the UK and his heritage. There's a host of interesting collaborators, including James Blake, who help give the album a broader feel than his debut, but despite the input of others you sense that this is exactly what Dave wanted to say and how he wanted to say it.

8. Squid - Bright Green Field

An unpredictable and innovative album that moves in a number of different directions, sometimes all at the same time. The songs evolve, ebb and flow and any track is likely to feature trumpet, screaming, guitars, jazz riffs, often when you least expect it. There's a real skill in making something that sounds like it's teetering on the brink of falling apart, and Squid have already mastered it. 

9. Ross From Friends - Tread

For his second album Essex born Felix Weatherall a.k.a Ross From Friends created his own recording program that allowed tracks to automatically record and catalogue themselves and he was creating them, leaving him free to plough on with the actual artistic process. The result is a warm and evocative electronic / dance album which almost has the feel of house music performed by a live band. I can't wait to hear this one at a festival.

10. IDLES - Crawler

After the disappointment of last year's 'Ultra Mono' album i was worried that IDLES' time might have passed. Those worries melted away as soon as the opening track 'MTT 420 RR' started up. There are songs on this record that take the band in directions I never thought they'd go, and even the more IDLES-y tracks have more breadth and depth than on previous albums.

16 more to check out:

• Damon Albarn - The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
• Daniel Avery - Together In Static
• Blank Mass - In Ferneaux
• MG Boulter - Clifftown
• Geese - Projector
• Lande Hekt - Going to Hell
• Iceage - Seek Shelter
• Joy Orbison - Still Slipping Vol. 1
• Koreless - Agor
• Lice - Wasteland: What Ails Our People Is Clear
• Modern Nature - Island of Noise
• Public Service Broadcasting - Bright Magic
• Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure
• Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
• UNKLE - Ronin 1
• W.H. Lung - Vanities

Recommended music: 'Lost Themes III: Alive After Death' by John Carpenter

 

Arriving 5 years after volume 2, the third in John Carpenter’s ‘Lost Themes’ series finds him treading familiar territory. Subtitled ‘Alive After Death’, these may be original tracks rather than music composed for his films but it’s easy to imagine them soundtracking one of his signature style of movies. One look at the titles – ‘Dripping Blood’, ‘The Dead Walk’, ‘Cemetery’, Weeping Ghost’ – is enough to bring to mind plenty of gruesome images to fit nicely with the vibe he’s created here.

As with all of his recent work, the album is a collaboration with his son Cody Carpenter and his godson Daniel Davies. It’s clear that they have developed as a trio, in part by playing together on the road (I saw them live at The Troxy in East London on Halloween a few years ago), and John says that they can now “… communicate without words, and the process is easier now than it was in the beginning.” It’s nice to hear Davies let rip on the guitar every now and then as it brings a new dimension to the synth-led tunes. ‘Vampire’s Touch’ is probably my favourite track on here, for the way it starts off as a brooding synth piece and then turns into a pounding guitar driven monster.

I sometimes feel that Carpenter doesn’t receive his fair dues for his music and the influence he’s had on other composers and artists, from Cliff Martinez and Clint Mansell through to Hans Zimmer. If you’re new to his work and find yourself listening to this album and thinking ‘this sounds like X or Y’, then probably the reality is that X or Y actually sound like JC. And whilst his film-making career may be on hiatus, he can continue to make albums like this to inspire a new generation of synthwave artists.

 ‘Lost Themes III: Alive After Death’ by John Carpenter will be released on 5^th February 2021 on the Sacred Bones label.

2020 Review - Best Compilation albums

 In a bad year music is one of the few things that's kept me going. Here are my pick of this year's best compilation albums.

1. GU43 Joris Voorn: Rotterdam

Less a compilation album and more a work of art, this astonishing album brings together over 100 tracks in 2 continuous mixes. Voorn has taken all of the tracks, mixed and edited them so seamlessly, sometimes with 2 or 3 playing at once, that the whole thing feels like an album that he's written and played himself. If you get the download version with the separate tracks as well as the mixes there's over 11 hours of music, which is surely the best value for money album you'll buy all year.

2. Cafe Exil - New Adventures In European Music 1972-1980

Complied by the musical encyclopaedia that is Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne, this excellent compilation  provides the imaginary soundtrack for David Bowie and Iggy Pop hanging out in Kreuzberg's Cafe Exil in West Berlin in the 1970s. It's brilliantly evocative of the period and provides lots of unknown gems as well as one or two more well known tracks.

3. Late Night Tales: Khruangbin

The second Late Night Tales album to be released in 2020, this is expertly executed compilation that takes you around the world via 14 tracks that I can pretty much guarantee you'll have never heard before. It's hugely atmospheric and also works as a great companion to Khruangbin's own album from this year, 'Mordechai'.

4. Back to Mine - Fatboy Slim

As eclectically brilliant as only Norman Cook can be, this album mixes the Pink Panther Theme and the Go! Team, Dave & Ansel Collins and Manu Dibango and lots more besides, It's the perfect antidote to 2020's woes.

5. Late Night Tales: Hot Chip

With three new Hot Chip tracks, as well as their cover of The Velvet Undergound's 'Candy Says', this is a must for Hot Chip fans, or anyone else who appreciates quality music from the vast lake of Hot Chip's vinyl collection.

2020 Review - Top Ten Electronic Albums

 2020 has been a great year for electronica - maybe it's because it's often made by individuals alone and in isolation, something a lot of people experienced this year. Here is my pick of the best releases.

1. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song

A brilliant mix of throbbing instrumentals and gentler vocal tracks, plus you won't find a better combination of Welsh legends than Michael Sheen being in the video for 'Corner Of My Sky', the track which features John Cale.

2. Caribou - Suddenly

The fifth album from Dan Snaith's Caribou is the best yet.

3. Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans

Totally uplifting and warm dance vibes.

4. Rival Consoles - Articulation

6 tracks of pure quality from Ryan West

5. Romare - Home

Another artist who just keeps getting better and better.

6. Darkstar - Civic Jams

A very personal and warm album from the duo.

7. Daniel Avery - Love + Light

An album recorded and released quickly during lockdown, with 2 distinct personalities - throbbing techno and ambient headscapes.

8. Against All Logic - 2017-2019

Another great collection from Nicolas Jaar.

9. Nathan Fake - Blizzards

A great slice of chunky electronica.

10. Luke Abbott - Translate

Modular synth loveliness from the depths of Norfolk.

Albums of the Year - 2020

 Let's not dwell on how crap this year has been. The dark times have at least provided me with more time to listen to (recorded) music, even if the buzz of live performances has been curtailed. Here are the records that stood out for me:

1. Sault - Untitled (Black Is)

The first of two albums released by the mysterious Sault this year initially draws you in through its brilliant production. It's hard to tell whether the music is mostly sample based, freshly recorded, or a mixture of the two, but it somehow has a timeless and non-geographic quality that means you could believe it was recorded in Bristol in the early 90s, or New York this year, or at any point in between. The lyrical themes are bang on the 2020 agenda, but they're more like a whisper in your ear than a punch in the face, subtly getting their message across. Their second album of 2020 'Untitled (Rise)' was a more upbeat affair but is equally worth checking out, but this one edges it for me. Powerful stuff.

2. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song

There have been some great electronic albums this year, but this is the clear winner for me. A great mix of throbbing instrumentals and more gentle vocal tracks, topped off with a guest appearance from John Cale and a belting cover of Radiohead's 'Weird Fishes'. I can't wait to experience this album live once we can all be together in dark sweaty rooms again.

3. Caribou - Suddenly

Caribou's fifth album is their most diverse and best yet. There's a warmth to the recordings that elevate them from bedroom electronica and the whole record has a surprisingly analogue feel. There are snippets and samples of other people's songs as well as what seems like Snaith sampling his own unreleased tracks to build into layers of different songs. Give it a few plays and it will become a familiar friend.

4. Mura Masa - Raw Youth Collage

I love the warmth and nostalgia of this record, and how it talks about a longing for times that perhaps seem look better looking back than they did as you were living them. With guest appearances from Wolf Alice, slowthai, Georgia and Clairo, it still manages to feel like a complete piece of work and was clearly a labour of love for him, especially the accompanying book. I'm surprised that this didn't really get highlighted in any of the big media end of year reviews, but it's one of my favourites even if no-one else recognises its quality.

5. The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You

Although the full album only appeared in December, a number of tracks had been released in the preceding months and already felt this was going to be a great record. And I wasn't disappointed - despite the plethora of guest performers this is a wonderfully cohesive record, full of warmth, with lots of soft moments as well as a few dancefloor boogies. The whole experience of it is like a having a duvet for your soul.

6. Working Men's Club - Working Men's Club

Syd Minsky, the driving force behind this band, is possibly the most driven and focussed 18 year old in the country at the moment, and certainly in the music business. Making music that sounds like New Order and The Fall chucked in a blender and whizzed back and forward in time for a while, he's somehow created a sound that feels fresh and new for people around his age, but warmly familiar for those of use with a few more miles on the clock. The last band I went to see before Covid struck, and the first I saw at a socially distanced gig afterwards, this is the debut album of the year.

7. Modern Nature - Annual

I'm not entirely sure if this is an album or an EP, but either way it's gorgeous. Like a modern day pastoral it evokes nature, countryside, the warm sun and just a general good feeling of being outdoors and experiencing life. Beautiful artwork too.

8. Moses Boyd - Dark Matter

The 'new jazz' scene in England shows no signs of getting old, and this year's breakthrough came for brilliant drummer Moses Boyd. The Mercury Prize-nominated 'Dark Matter' sounds current and classic all at once, with intricate rhythms and skilful arrangements. With a recent presenting slot on BBC's Jazz 625 programme, the future looks the opposite of dark for Mr Boyd.

9. The Wytches - Three Mile Ditch

Possibly the most surprising inclusion on here, I wasn't expecting this album to be anywhere near as good as it is. It's a real step forward for the band in terms of both melody and production - at times it sounds like Radiohead or The Longpigs, and yet it still has some full pelt psychedelic freak-outs on it. It's enough to make you fall back in love with guitar music again.

10. Disq - Collector

Talking of guitar music, here's an album full of fuzzed guitars, melodies and even a bona fide pop song or two, he 5 piece from Wisconsin conjure up vibes from Fountains of Wayne and Weezer as well as more recent acts like Bodega, and wrap everything up in a bundle of joy and energy.

15 more that nearly made the cut:

• Everything Is Recorded - Friday Forever
• Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans
• Pottery - Welcome To Bobby's Motel
• Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas
• Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics
• Rival Consoles - Articulation
• Car Seat Headrest -  Making A Door Less Open
• Romare - Home
• Khruangbin - Mordechai
• Bob Vylan - We Live Here
• Run The Jewels - RTJ4
• LA Priest - Gene
• Westerman - Your Hero Is Not Dead
• Against All Logic (A.A.L.) - 2017-2019
• Bananagun - The Tue Story of Bananagun

Video of the Day: 'Block 9: Temporary Alternative Realities'

Continuing with the Glastonbury theme from earlier, here's a fantastic 30 minute film about the Block 9 late night area in the South East / Naughty Corner are of the site.

If you've never been to Glastonbury but think you know it from what's shown on TV then think again - imagine stumbling into this area at 1 in the morning and just seeing what you can find. If you ave been then you'll know how impressively constructed the area is, and what a great vibe you can find here.

Track of the Day: 'Love' (Kendrick Lamar cover) by Gengahr

Today is the hardest day of Coronavirus lockdown so far for me. By now I should already have my Glastonbury wristband on and be in Pylon Field setting up camp. The first two days would then be spent exploring the site, seeing what was new, and catching the smaller bands before the big stuff kicks off on Friday. Kendrick Lamar was due to headline Friday night and was definitely going to be in the pit for that one *sad face*.

By way of some slight compensation Gengahr have given us this great cover of Lamar's 'Love', which is great for listening too in the sunshine while trying to to cry too much.

Here's to Glastonbury 2021 - only 365 days to go!

Video of the Day: 'State Of The Union (STFU)' by Public Enemy feat. DJ Premier

Looks like Chuck D has made up with Flavor Flav. They're back together with some help from DJ Premier to deliver this coruscating attack on Trump and his Presidency.

"All we know is, Trump has gotta go..."

Let's hop this helps to achieve that aim, as well as signalling more new material from PE.

New mixtape - DJ Cull presents The Lockdown Getdown

So we've all been stuck indoors now for far too long, but one of the upsides is some extra time to do stuff we might usually be too busy for. As well as reading tons of books and watching the whole of the Star Wars saga (including The Mandalorian, which I thought was great) I've got the mixing gear out again and made the mixtape above. It's mostly tracks from 2020 with a few new versions of older songs thrown into the mix - I just wanted to make something positive and upbeat to put a smile on your face and a beat for your feet. Here's the tracklisting:

1. Valentine - Violet Sky [Joe Goddard Remix]
2. Holy Fuck - Deleters (feat. Angus Andrew)[APRE Remix]
3. Basement Jaxx - Red Alert [The Cube Guys Remix]
4. Sonny Federa & King Henry - Before U (feat. AlunaGeorge)[Illyus & Barrientos Remix]
5. New Order - Fine Time [Nollan Remix]
6. Love Regenerator - Peace Love Happiness
7. Robbie Doherty & Keees - Pour The Milk [ExtendedMix]
8. Jacques Greene - Night Service (feat. Cadence Weapon)[Fort Romeau Remix]
9. Caribou - Never Come Back [Morgan Geist Remix]
10. Four Tet - Baby
11. Bicep - Atlas
12. Darkstar - Wolf [John Talabot's Euphoric Remix]

Track of the Day: 'Pure Luxury' by NZCA Lines

This rather full on slice of synth-pop heralds the return of NZCA Lines, with a song about luxury, status and pursuing material wealth in the face of environmental catastrophe. Could it be any more relevant?

Over the course of 4 minutes it manages to cram in about three decades of pop references, somehow sounding like Prince, The Beach Boys and LCD Soundsystem all at once.

The track is out now on Memphis Industries and the band have announced a headline show at Heaven in London on October 28th.

Recommended music: 'Thug Ambient' by Dale Cornish

It's a weird kind of situation to be releasing new records into. Some acts have pushed theirs back (including Jarvis Cocker, which surprised me) while other have soldiered on, giving us some welcome distractions from the world around us. This new one from Londoner Dale Cornish came out a couple of weeks ago and I picked it up on Friday from Bandcamp when they were having their special day to support artists.

Over the course of its 11 tracks this is a pretty intense and occasionally brutal record, with few moments of calm. But I've found that to be a relief to be honest, there's only so long you can try and think happy thoughts and be gentle before you want to listen to something that's going to put up a fight, which is what this record does for me.

So then, how best to describe this album? I asked Dale and he said that 'this album...isn't worried about fitting into certain categories / tribal affiliations', which is just as well as it would be pretty hard to pigeonhole. I mean, you could say it sounds like New Order on a messy night out with Venetian Snares, or you could say it sounds like the 8-bit soundtrack to the most violent game of Mario Kart ever invented. But why bother? The best thing to do with this album is to just stick your head inside it and play it really LOUD, let it pound through your bones and drive the virus out of your system. I'm particularly keen on the last 4 tracks on the album but you can pretty much dive in anwhere and see what you think of it.

Cornish might have been called a 'thug' when he went to a gig aged 16 wearing trackies, but if this is the sound of him embracing that label then I'm all for it.

You can listen to the full album below, and if you feel inclined then buy a copy too.

Track of the Day: 'Atlas' by Bicep

Back with their first single since 2018, Bicep have released this powerful, brooding track which positively throbs with dark vibes. Calling to mind Four Tet, Aphex Twin and Underworld, it's sure to set dancefloors and gigs alight once we're all allowed to go back outside. Until then you'll just have to turn it up LOUD at home and dance on your own, isolation style.

'Atlas' will be released physically on Ninja Tune on April 2nd.