Sumptuous vintage-flavoured loveliness; no sophomore slump from the queen of experimental pop.
pop
New Music 10/2019 – Sleater-Kinney, Billie Eilish, Gillian Welch
The best kind of surprise from my long-time faves; I finally jump on the Billie Eilish hype train (and enjoy the ride); more of the warm and lovely folk-country.
New Music 07/2019 – Christine and the Queens, Jenny Lewis, Neko Case
Excellent follow-up from the gender-bending French singer; my two favourite musical redheads release solo albums after a five-year break.
New Music 04/2019 – Rosalía, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kacey Musgraves
Spanish flamenco meets R&B; cinematic French pop; sunlit American country.
New Music 03/2019 – Kali Uchis, Heilung, Molly Burch
Intoxicating genre-hopping pop by a Colombian-American singer; live album from an experimental folk band that delves deep into the Nordic past; vintage sound and a genuinely great voice.
New Music 01/2019 – Gwenno, Tracey Thorn, Kelly Lee Owens
The world’s only electronic psychedelic album sung entirely in Cornish; classy mature pop from the Everything But the Girl singer; warm and soothing techno-pop.
New Music 09/2018 – Mitski, Laura Veirs
Idiosyncratic pop from a Japanese-American songwriter; catching up with an old folky favourite.
New Music 08/2018 – Janelle Monáe
It’s always great to discover a new musical love, especially one that comes with a quality back catalogue.
New Music 11/2017 – Pixx, Agnes Obel
A poptastic debut and a perfect soundtrack to a wintry night.
New music 08/2016 – Radiohead, Olympia, Ladyhawke, The Unthanks
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Radiohead have always been a band I found easier to admire than to love. I’m very fond of The Bends and there’s a good dozen songs of theirs that move me deeply, but I never felt an urge to own a whole Radiohead album since their second one. So I’m rather surprised to find that I dig their latest so much. It’s probably their prettiest album; while they haven’t abandoned their weird eerie electronica thing the emphasis here seems to be more on the orchestral arrangements, with gorgeous strings and sad pianos. Thom Yorke’s vocals, which in the past I often found too nasally and strident for my liking, has also never sounded more gorgeous.
