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It’s been a terrible year, in many ways, but either the absolute bullshit of our political discourse actually feeds the beautiful triffids that are flourishing across the musical landscape of New Weird Britain, or else they simply cannot be destroyed. Either way, time to enjoy the finest foulest releases of 2018, from Aman!!!’s Greek rebetiko to Night Thoughts’ coldwave goth to an unnerving Whigfield rethink/remix by Rian Treanor
Following two sublime singles, the debut album from Glasgow-based dance music collective Amor captures timeless dancefloor melancholy and Paradise Garage-referencing rhythm, amid twenty-four channels of anaogue bliss. Founding member and acclaimed experimental musician Richard Youngs catches up with John Thorp, and tries not to overthink the groove
Not afraid to challenge their audience, Ulver are currently indulging in a different kind of pop music. Dan Franklin speaks to founding member Kristoffer Rygg about danceable gothic songs, papal conclaves, potent imagery down the centuries, and “sucking on the tit of the wolf mother”. Main Ulver portraits by Ingrid Aas
The Buzzcocks' Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle plus manager Richard Boon speak to Patrick Clarke about the unintentional genius of their landmark debut (this feature was republished on 7th December 2018 to mark the sad passing of Pete Shelley)
Everybody's looking for something - but what does Taylor Parkes find when he spends the evening with Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks? (this feature was republished on 7th December 2018 to mark the sad passing of Pete Shelley)
Sean Kitching argues that 1978s two most idiosyncratic releases, the Residents’ Duck Stab/Buster & Glen and Pere Ubu’s Dub Housing, both released on November 30 of that year, represent a pinnacle of individualism at the outer periphery of American art rock
In conjunction with his solo show of new work, just opened at the Kerlin Gallery in Dublin, Allan Gardner interviews Liam Gillick touching on his work and practice, the progression of contemporary art in the 21st century and the need for rethinking Modernism