Reviews
Album, track, gig and club reviews
Panda Bear Tomboy [Paw Tracks] Panda Bear’s fourth solo album falls short of thrilling.
Grimes Halfaxa [Lo Recordings] Grimes’s second album, now re-issued on Lo, is an awesome, dissociative underground pop record.
Jacques Greene, Skull Juice, Lower [The Queen Of Hoxton, London] A quick report back from our night on Saturday alongside Apocalypso.
Wiz Khalifa Rolling Papers [Atlantic / Rostrum ] Wiz Khalifa gets used to the high life on his hugely enjoyable new album.
Mount Kimbie at SXSW [Pure Volume House, Austin, Texas] London/Brighton duo take Texas on a trip deep inside their sound.
Tamaryn at SXSW [Klub Krucial, Texas, Austin] San Fran singer steals hearts at last night’s Mexican Summer + Gorilla Vs Bear party on 6th East Street.
Odd Future at SXSW [Fader Fort, Austin, Texas] Hip hop’s punk band take SXSW in their stride.
Ford & Lopatin at SXSW [Klub Krucial, Austin, Texas] The new Games thrill with a serene ride through electronic music’s purest pop moment.
Grimes at SXSW [Klub Krucial, Austin, Texas] First artist of Dummy’s first day impresses.
Ramadanman Pearson Sound/Ramadanman FabricLive 56 [Fabric] A ballsy mix that manages to sum up the after-dubstep scene with impressive sensitivity.
Hype Williams One Nation [Hippos In Tanks] Hype Williams herald a new romanticism on their latest album, ‘One Nation’.
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx We're New Here [XL] Jamie xx takes Gil Scott-Heron’s fractured soul to south London.
Radiohead The King Of Limbs [Self-released] Radiohead’s eighth album sees them relax, thank God.
The Streets Computers And Blues [679] Mike Skinner’s final bow sees our boy turn man.
James Blake James Blake [Atlas] ‘James Blake’ is worth all the time and space in the world, Charlie argues.
How To Dress Well Love Remains [Tri Angle] Tamara revels in an album from R&B’s emotional underbelly.
BANGS & WORKS VOL. 1 Various artists [Planet Mu] Brilliantly curated compilation of Chicago juke from Planet Mu.
Teengirl Fantasy 7AM [Merok/True Panther Sounds] Debut album of hazy, occasionally sublime, house from Merok/True Panther Sounds signings.
Vieilles Charrues [Vieilles Charrues, Brittany, France] Phoenix, Chapelier Fou and dÉbruit ruled the Breton countryside at the French festival’s 19th year back in July.
Tamaryn The Waves [Mexican Summer] West-coast singer with a beautiful voice backed by expansive, churning – if not entirely revolutionary – noise.
Spoek Mathambo Mshini Wam [BBE] The urgent debut of South African rap’s expressive star is a bracing, brilliant listen.
Chilly Gonzales Ivory Tower Electroclash’s merry prankster makes a chess movie, and its soundtrack – but does he come out as the King?
Flying Lotus [ICA, London] Free jazz’s errant prince regent claims his crown at the ICA, with a subtle – and at times over-subtle – re-interpretation of his electronic masterwork ‘Cosmogramma.’
Zola Jesus Stridulum II [Souterrain Transmissions] Nika Danilova of Former Ghosts gets out nu-EBM album of black tones to terrific effect.
Janelle Monáe The ArchAndroid [Atlantic] David takes a look at one of the weirder records of recent months, from one of the weirder singers of recent years.
Wavves King Of The Beach [Bella Union] Muscular third album sees Nathan Williams coming to terms with the fact hip people are now into Lo-fi music, his project and, by extension, him.
Robyn Body Talk Part I David explains what Swedish Popstar Robyn’s second album has to tell us about the “oddity of spectacle” in 2010.
FatCat Records 6-Release Round up A re-cap of the last six releases from the legendary ex-Techno specialist, now all-round explorative, Brighton-based imprint.
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Before Today The clue is in the title. Ariel Pink’s first album on 4AD as a band is an era-nodding journey through Pop music. It is undeniably special and came out last week.
Konono No. 1 Assume Crash Position Radical and completely unique “Bazombo Trance” will make you dance even if most of the band don’t. Came out last month.
The Drums The Drums Very sugary Indie Pop LP debut from those mega-hyped teenies from Brooklyn who dress a lot like 1950s college boys and make very simple, emotive music, came out this week.
Javelin [Stag and Dagger, The CAMP, 21 May] Energetic live show from sunny Rhode Island duo who recently released their LP ‘No Mas’. But where are the Boombaatas?
James Blake CMYK EP Rich and textured Post-Dubstep from much-hyped R&S upstart, will make you sway serenely, came out recently.
Actress Splazsh One of the best albums of the year so far landed on Honest Jon’s last month. It’s Detroit-influenced, at times sexy and so dark it is captivating. Undisputed essential listening.
Crystal Castles Crystal Castles II Violent and danceable follow up to ‘Crystal Castles’ is actually very difficult to hate, surprisingly.
LCD Soundsystem This is Happening DFA flagbearers mark end of an era to avoid descent into inevitable linger.
