• Squarepusher / Z-Machines – Music for Robots

    April 11, 2014 - By 

    As one of Warp Records’ longest serving artists, Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) has rarely shied away from changing his direction or pushing the boundaries of music production; tropes of the label’s general output. One only need listen through his impressive back catalogue to understand that Jenkinson is an artist who thrives on the new and that stagnation, seemingly, is a very dirty word. Take his experiments with live instrumentation and sequenced beats for example; there is plenty of evidence to suggest that not only is Jenkinson an extremely talented live musician, but an enviably capable savant when it comes to processing…

  • VA – Kompakt Pop Ambient 2014

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Kompakt, surely Germany’s most pragmatic electronic label, have it pretty damn good. Not only do they operate from one of the most historically rich techno hubs in Europe, but as an independent and well-respected label they have become part of that same cultural relevance. The label has been lovingly grown from its record shop roots in the early 90’s and their propensity for sparse, subtly textured electronica has dominated their output up to the present day. Their latest compilation is the fourteenth installment of their Pop Ambient series and from the beginning seems to efficiently comply with the label’s sonic modus…

  • Lee Bannon – Alternate/Endings

    January 16, 2014 - By 

    Remember that excited, lose-yourself-in-something-primal feeling you had when music shook you so hard that you laughed but also cried at the same time? Well, let that explosive catharsis elude you no more, for 2014 has kicked off with Lee Bannon’s debut LP, a record fastened upon a foundation of shock, awe and a solid history of open-minded, experimental production. Having secured his reputation and cut his teeth producing hip hop that’s more avant-garde than balls-to-the-wall, Bannon continues to explore the junglist sensibilities he began to display in 2013 with his latest LP, Alternate/Endings. Bearing in mind that hip hop and…

  • Various Artists – 30 Years of R&S Records

    December 11, 2013 - By 

    The compilation album has historically been a source of contention, usually compounded by the good and the bad and resulting in a scattershot collection of material that never quite satisfies. These glorified mix-tapes exemplify how little some labels actually care about providing good music to the consumer and it’s about time somebody gave the format a bloody good kick up the arse.  It’s with this in mind that we say thank you R&S records for dishing out said arse-kicking and delivering us from mind-numbing banality in the form of the celebratory collection, 30 Years of R&S which marks, funnily enough,…

  • Darkside – Psychic

    November 14, 2013 - By 

    With a sound residing somewhere between Tangerine Dream circa Thief and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, the debut full length from Darkside (Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington) makes for a compelling mission statement that should have the hippest of Brooklynites dribbling with pleasure. The New York natives have created something special in Psychic; unique even by contemporary standards and perhaps best measured by the spirit of independence that Jaar brings to the mixing desk and, just as importantly, by the melodic, bluesy sensibilities that Harrington offers.  This isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. The sheer beauty of the soundscapes on this…

  • Four Tet – Beautiful Rewind

    November 5, 2013 - By 

    Having remixed and collaborated with some of the most influential artists of his generation (Aphex Twin, Thom Yorke and the xx to name a few), it’s a relatively safe assumption to say that Four Tet, aka Kieran Hebden, is a man who gets around.  That’s not to say he’s some sort of musical village bicycle, but he’s certainly not short of admirers or musicians willing to take the proverbial ride (ahem).  It’s with good reason though. Should you find yourself flicking through Hebden’s back catalogue, there is more than enough evidence to suggest that the man has both a swell…

  • Primal Scream – Limelight 1, Belfast

    October 28, 2013 - By 

    Tonight, Belfast’s Limelight 1 plays host to the first of two intimate Primal Scream shows in our fair city, and by 8.15pm the fact that it’s a Wednesday evening hasn’t seemed to deter too many fans. Entering the venue, a decent sized crowd are pocketed along the bar and the sides of the room as the equipment is tinkered with for tonight’s supporting act, a DJ set from David Holmes; an appropriate opening act for the band, having both the coveted title of Bel-Funks first son and producer of Primal Screams latest ear bender More Light. As he begins to…

  • Grey Reverend – A Hero’s Lie

    October 17, 2013 - By 

    Getting tied up in a cycle of habitual listening is all too easy. Weeks can go by where Hip Hop turns to House, House turns to Techno, and Techno to IDM and so on until the breadth of music discovered becomes a cross to bear, outweighing the pleasure sought from the outset. Trapped, for lack of a better word, in one’s own rituals. With that in mind, breaking the habit with a chance discovery of an old favourite can be a useful exercise in re-calibrating one’s approach to musical tastes, if not a relief from the norm. As much as…

  • Moon Duo, Deptford Goth, Kelpe – The MAC, Belfast

    October 2, 2013 - By 

    For the final instalment of ‘In the Court of Tom Ravenscroft’, the eclectically curated mini-festival at The MAC,  we are being treated to a somewhat canonical foray into the tastes of a man who, like his father before him, has ample time for exploring the realms of music that’s slightly further away from left of the field. Approaching the venue from the courtyard at around 8.30, a surprising mix of young, fresh faces and Cathedral Quarter veterans mingle around the box office and bar area, debating and discussing topics that will ultimately become fond memories of the evening; the mightiest…

  • Harrison – When It Rains

    September 25, 2013 - By 

    Hip-hop, for me, is music to be enjoyed and considered. It’s unfortunate though that what most would currently call hip-hop is dominated by the kind of backslapping lyricists that appear to only pander to audiences willing to accept alienating stereotypes, or utter musical tripe. Either that or it’s about swag, whatever the hell that is.  On a brighter note, all is not lost. J Dilla is still being released and re-released posthumously; Madlib is still going strong and Peanut Butter Wolf and his Stones Throw label are the gifts that keep on giving. These guys are the true music makers. They are the architects of the…