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Opinionated and informative criticism of all the music that counts
Smote's fourth LP is almost hallucinatory in its psychedelic repetition, practically drawing tracers across the stereo field, says Bernie Brooks
Bubblegum is a great rock record that said important things about pop, says Toby Manning
Industrial innovators Throbbing Gristle’s reissue program wraps up by shining light on a relatively obscure title which inadvertently became the group's final official release, says Will Salmon
Kampire is universally regarded as one of East Africa's best contemporary DJs, so this compilation of pan-African pop from the 80s – featuring music that often irritated her as a child – is something of a handbrake turn. However, as Martin Guttridge-Hewitt points out, it's a glorious affair that only goes to further cement her reputation as a selector, musicologist and sonic historian
Reissue of the Week
Kampire is universally regarded as one of East Africa's best contemporary DJs, so this compilation of pan-African pop from the 80s – featuring music that often irritated her as a child – is something of a handbrake turn. However, as Martin Guttridge-Hewitt points out, it's a glorious affair that only goes to further cement her reputation as a selector, musicologist and sonic historian
Our journalism is funded by our readers. Become a subscriber today to help champion our writing, plus enjoy bonus essays, podcasts, playlists and music downloads.
Support & Subscribe TodayIn his latest column, Kez Whelan salutes the brilliance that occurs at the intersection of black metal and hardcore punk, the ongoing boom in death metal, and reviews new releases from Scarcity, Harvestman, Krallice and many more
Kez Whelan salutes a particularly fertile year in the world of metal, and delivers your regular guide to all things heavy with reviews of new releases from Darkthrone, Full Of Hell, Pallbearer and many more
Kez Whelan turns his Sauronic eye on the lazy use of AI in metal design this month and praises bands – Judas Priest, High On Fire, Coffins, Inter Arma & more – still using their organic intelligence. Coffin Storm portrait by Christian Kickan Holm
Metal
In his latest column, Kez Whelan salutes the brilliance that occurs at the intersection of black metal and hardcore punk, the ongoing boom in death metal, and reviews new releases from Scarcity, Harvestman, Krallice and many more
Metal
Kez Whelan turns his Sauronic eye on the lazy use of AI in metal design this month and praises bands – Judas Priest, High On Fire, Coffins, Inter Arma & more – still using their organic intelligence. Coffin Storm portrait by Christian Kickan Holm
JR Moores surveys the latest psych and noise-rock releases, pines for the CD-R format and wonders what comes after perfection
Noel Gardner delivers ten more frowning bales of intemperate earslaughter, including the perfectly executed anarcho punk of Subdued, the oppressively fucked sound of rising Leeds teenagers Narkotyk, and the feral, bare-brick recordings of Vancouver's Bootlicker
Your regular guide to the best in brand new punk and HC returns, with Noel Gardner reviewing releases from Kriegshög, Cock Sparrer, Klonns and more
Punk
Noel Gardner delivers ten more frowning bales of intemperate earslaughter, including the perfectly executed anarcho punk of Subdued, the oppressively fucked sound of rising Leeds teenagers Narkotyk, and the feral, bare-brick recordings of Vancouver's Bootlicker
Multiple lo-fi drum machine projects and mumbling punks in this month's trip around the Rum Music universe, plus orchestras warming up, a soundtrack to a Japanese staging of Jean Genet's Prisoner of Love, and more
In September’s report from the cassette fringes, Daryl Worthington explores Beirut-founded label Ruptured, and reviews tapes of blistering noise, slinky punk-funk, library music and the self-proclaimed best producer in the Middle East
Extreme metal choirs and imagined protest songs, electro-medieval kosmiche and footwork experiments plus the return of Moth Cock in this bi-month’s dive into the world of cassettes
Cassettes
In September’s report from the cassette fringes, Daryl Worthington explores Beirut-founded label Ruptured, and reviews tapes of blistering noise, slinky punk-funk, library music and the self-proclaimed best producer in the Middle East
Noel Gardner brings us artificial birdsong, real birdsong, a metal nail hammered up a nostril, and a big set of technoise gloomsteppers in his latest report from the British fringes
This month, Bužinel salutes the anonymous YouTubers uploading the rarities from their personal vinyl collections, and presents his top ten picks from July and August, including new releases from Pavel Milyakov, Hassan Abou Alam, and CCL & Ciel
Your latest electronic music roundup brings an eclectic list of top-shelf singles, albums and EPs, from innovative UK techno and eco-charged electronica to deep crate reissues, maximalist new age vibes, and club acrobatics from Miami.
Electronic
This month, Bužinel salutes the anonymous YouTubers uploading the rarities from their personal vinyl collections, and presents his top ten picks from July and August, including new releases from Pavel Milyakov, Hassan Abou Alam, and CCL & Ciel
Electronic
Your latest electronic music roundup brings an eclectic list of top-shelf singles, albums and EPs, from innovative UK techno and eco-charged electronica to deep crate reissues, maximalist new age vibes, and club acrobatics from Miami.
In the second instalment of our journey through the global underground, Pedro João Santos delivers a guide to the bold musicians, daring festivals and crucial grassroots collectives that are defining DIY music in Portugal in an era of increasing gentrification, and picks out five key releases
In the first of a new monthly series delving into DIY music scenes across the globe, Patrick St. Michel offers a guide to the experimental pranksters, sonic mish-mashes and technical innovations shaping the Japanese underground, and picks out five key releases
The Quietus International
In the second instalment of our journey through the global underground, Pedro João Santos delivers a guide to the bold musicians, daring festivals and crucial grassroots collectives that are defining DIY music in Portugal in an era of increasing gentrification, and picks out five key releases
The Quietus International
In the first of a new monthly series delving into DIY music scenes across the globe, Patrick St. Michel offers a guide to the experimental pranksters, sonic mish-mashes and technical innovations shaping the Japanese underground, and picks out five key releases
Dan Dylan Wray watches Factory Floor, Marie Davidson and Colin Stetson at MUTEK, and considers the importance of fallibility in electronic music under the monolithic shadow of AI. Amnesia Scanner & Freeka Tet photograph by Vivien Gaumand
Big Thief, Lonnie Holley, Lynks, Nadine Shah, Omar Souleyman and others triumph in another excellent instalment of Green Man. Alastair Shuttleworth reports on a weekend that again strengthens its claim to be one of the UK’s best music festivals. All photos by Jan Rijk / dutchpix.com
Pet Shop Boys’ very own never-ending Dreamworld tour is back in the Capital for a five-night run at the Royal Opera House. But on a day when central London is host to multiple demonstrations about the kind of country the UK wants to be, are Tennant and Lowe losing their common touch?
Live Reviews
Dan Dylan Wray watches Factory Floor, Marie Davidson and Colin Stetson at MUTEK, and considers the importance of fallibility in electronic music under the monolithic shadow of AI. Amnesia Scanner & Freeka Tet photograph by Vivien Gaumand
Live Reviews
Big Thief, Lonnie Holley, Lynks, Nadine Shah, Omar Souleyman and others triumph in another excellent instalment of Green Man. Alastair Shuttleworth reports on a weekend that again strengthens its claim to be one of the UK’s best music festivals. All photos by Jan Rijk / dutchpix.com
Live Reviews
Pet Shop Boys’ very own never-ending Dreamworld tour is back in the Capital for a five-night run at the Royal Opera House. But on a day when central London is host to multiple demonstrations about the kind of country the UK wants to be, are Tennant and Lowe losing their common touch?
Anna Wood delves into Arcade Fire's fifth long player in order to bring us a track by track breakdown. But is Everything Now something or nothing
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