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21st Century Pop Music

Reviews

Album, track, gig and club reviews

Kanye West and Jay Z - Watch the Throne

The Throne (Kanye West & Jay Z) Watch The Throne [Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam] In their brazenly opulent collaborative debut, Jay Z and Kanye West are re-writing the rules, from one outrageous lyric to the next.

Joe Dolling

Underage Festival [Victoria Park] East London’s Victoria Park plays host to a balmy look through the eyes of modern youth culture and its all-encompassing hunger for the music of today.

James Blake [Field Day, London] At the Laneway Festival at Field Day, the year’s golden boy returns to his home.

The Horrors [Field Day, London] The Horrors rise to heroes as they headline Field Day’s second stage.

Kieran Hebden B2B James Holden [Field Day, London] Kieran Hebden and James Holden played an uplifting B2B set at Field Day.

Oneohtrix Point Never [Field Day, London] The Brooklyn-based artist provided an altered and varied live show at this year’s Field Day.

Aimee Clif

SBTRKT [Field Day, London] The wild urge to see SBTRKT’s headline set goes to the head at Field Day

Aimee Cliff

Jamie xx [Field Day, London] Jamie’s concentration lets us peak at Field Day.

Aimee Cliff

Villagers [Field Day, London] The tender fragility of Conor O’Brien’s music, seen this weekend in the park.

Zola Jesus [Field Day, London] Zola Jesus thrills the crowd with her big lungs, dreams at Field Day

Actress [Field Day, London] A live lesson in tension and release by the Werk boss on peerless form at Field Day.

Pearson Sound [Field Day, London] Ramadanman’s early afternoon set was healthy, if a little out of place at Field Day.

Darkstar [Field Day, London] Manchester/Stockport trio bring their ‘North’ to taut, towering life at Field Day.

Villalobos

Ricardo Villalobos [Fabric, London] Villalobos takes a mixed Sunday morning Fabric crowd to cross-fader heaven.

Grimes Geidi Primes

Grimes Geidi Primes [No Pain In Pop] With the re-release of the rapidly approaching pop-star Grimes’s debut LP, it’s worth taking another listen to what is the meticulously constructed foundation of an exciting career.

Little Dragon Ritual Union

Little Dragon Ritual Union [Peacefrog] In an album that rushes over you in a blackout of sameness, pinpricks of true inspiration urge you to keep on listening.

Shabazz Palaces

Shabazz Palaces Black Up [Sub Pop] Underground rap’s album of the summer by veteran MC Ishmael Butler is a well-crafted, tar-thick work.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Unknown Mortal Orchestra Trip to boogie rock wonderland with Portland trio.

Beth Ditto [Main Stage, Lovebox London] Beth Ditto proved herself to be a diva at the east London festival.

Seth Troxler [Relentless Stage, Lovebox London] A chilled out techno set played by the 25-year-old Detroit DJ/producer non-plusses Karen.

Motor City Drum Ensemble [NYC Downlow, Lovebox London] Danilo Plessow overwhelmed Lovebox with an incredibly smooth and dark set.

Appleblim [NYC Downlow, Lovebox London] The Bristol DJ/producer played an elevating dubstep/techno set.

The Horrors – 'Skying'

The Horrors Skying [XL] The Horrors’ mining of past Brit psyche continues with their kaleidoscopic, loosely epic third album.

Dr Dee [Palace Theatre, Manchester] Damon Albarn’s “folk opera” plots a life even more interesting than his, that of 16th century astrologer, courtier, alchemist, and spy John Dee.

Zomby Dedication

Zomby Dedication [4AD] How personal tragedy and loads of grime combined to make Zomby’s black album a work of fractured genius.

Within And Without - Washed Out

Washed Out Within and Without [Weird World] Glazed of eye and pure of heart, there are moments of magic within the blur on Within and Without.

Lil B I'm Gay

Lil B I'm Gay Internet rapper’s attack on mental slavery gets a bit same-y.

Blondes [Space, Ibiza] Brooklyn duo stun at Space in Ibiza.

Aphex Twin [Sonar Club, Barcelona] Aphex Twin’s set surprises in its straightness at Sonar.

Shangaan Electro [SonarVillage] South African dancers ramp up the BPM and rush us into a world of colour for the best show of the festival so far.

David Rodigan [Red Bull Music Academy stage, Sonar Barcelona] Bass culture through the ages, delivered with verse and form form by a middle-aged man who everyone wished was their uncle.

Holy Other [SonarVillage, Sonar Barecelona] Holy Other’s vast soul gets a system to match in Barcelona.

Girl Unit

Girl Unit Razzamtazz, Barcelona Girl Unit mixes with swagger at Hessle Audio’s party.

The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble [Red Bull Music Academy stage, Sonar Barcelona] German orchestra go beyond d’you-get-it techno at Sonar Barcelona.

Battles – Gloss Drop

Battles Gloss Drop [Warp] Battles’ new album is a loose, bright rush.

Plannigntorock – W

Planningtorock Planningtorock – 'W' [Review] In which Planningtorock sings herself to the opposite of sleep.

Tyler-The-Creator

Tyler, The Creator Goblin [XL] Or, ‘The Not-So Secret Diary Of Tyler, The Creator, Aged 19¾’.

Odd Future [The Village Underground, London] Here’s a bunch of stuff that happened at the Odd Future show a couple of hours ago.

Jamie Woon's 'Mirrorwriting'

Jamie Woon Mirrorwriting [Polydor] Jamie Woon’s pop sheen and dub imagination makes for an enjoyable listen.

Panda Bear's 'Tomboy' album cover

Panda Bear Tomboy [Paw Tracks] Panda Bear’s fourth solo album falls short of thrilling.