• Bell X1 – Chop Chop

    July 24, 2013 - By 

    As any fule kno, “doing a Radiohead” has become journalistic shorthand for when a given band releases a record which sounds different – sometimes radically and sometimes just a little – to the ones which preceded it, or at the very least features synthesisers or sampled drums. Derived from the moment when said band dropped Kid A on an unsuspecting public, it can either be used a positive or a pejorative, and suggests an artistic act of bravery or petulance. Of course, none of these things are in any way accurate or insightful, and are instead employed to squeeze a given artist…

  • David Lynch – The Big Dream

    July 25, 2013 - By 

    American auteur David Lynch‘s reputation as the foremost curator of surreal, gothic Americana alive today precedes him in such a huge way that “Lynchian” is surely the most frequently used journalistic crutch after “on acid.”  The soundtracks to Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart and Blue Velvet have defined these movies as edgy, dreamlike and often uncomfortable viewing.  Most directors resist the temptation to indulge their musical passions outside of the home studio; even fewer choose to pick up the microphone. When David Lynch – a soft-spoken, nasally-toned Montanan – sings on opener “The Big Dream”, at first it seems no…

  • Swim Deep – Where The Heaven Are We

    July 23, 2013 - By 

      Back in the early nineties, when grunge was king and the Britpop cloud had yet to cast its boorish shadow over the nation, indie was a much more interesting minority concern. The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays’ pilled-up baggy; the fey jangling of Suede and early Blur; shoegaze swaying between the plangent ache of Slowdive and the speaker-threatening cacophony of My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain – few could have predicted that by the middle of the decade, Ocean Colour Scene would be shifting units by the truckload. Many an ageing hipster will still get misty-eyed…

  • Young Echo – Nexus

    July 22, 2013 - By 

    Musical collectives are an odd thing. Operating as a halfway house between supergroup and a solo act, they give the artist the freedom to flex their guns whilst also allowing them to drop in and out of the equation whenever they please. Hip-hop and electronic musicians seem to favour this format moreso than others with the excellent Wu Tang Clan and Doomtree being prime examples. So how do the bright upstarts of Brixton’s Young Echo fare with their debut release, Nexus? Not terribly well. Before we begin, I need to stress something: I really love ambient music. Brian Eno’s Music…

  • Blondes – Swisher

    July 19, 2013 - By 

    Blondes are Sam Haar and Zach Steinman, a Brooklyn-based electronic duo that met while studying composition at Oberlin Music College. Blondes have quite a following, and this reviewer’s reason for delving into their back catalogue followed a conversation with a rather prolific Irish electronic producer who claims he “only listens to Blondes” – sold. Prior releases include the seriously awe – inspiring Touched EP and a series of 12” singles, as well as their 2012 self-titled debut. The duo have been classed as “hipster-house”; perhaps a little debasing considering the brilliance behind their discography to date. Swisher is their latest…

  • O Emperor – Vitreous

    July 16, 2013 - By 

    Beginning a career with a great debut album is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you’ve come out the gate running, kicking and shooting wildly into the air. People will take notice and, at least for that moment, everything will seem to fall into place. On the other hand, if you come out too well, then there will be no bullets left and, when it comes time to make your next record, you’ll appear more like John Cleese’s bureaucratic silly walker. Acknowledgement of one’s past and real, internally motivated growth is key to avoiding a Python-esque fate. So when…

  • Remember Me (Capcom, PC/PS3/Xbox 360)

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    Industry giant Capcom thrives on not only developing hugely successful and innovative franchises such as Street Fighter, Mega Man and Devil May Cry but also publishing a wide range of oddball titles which may or may not recoup the money invested. It’s a brave move to take risks on edgy projects, particularly in an increasingly cutthroat business. Creatively, it sometimes pays off, such as in the case of the gorgeous Okami or the totally bugnuts Asura’s Wrath. However, there is also the possibility of being landed with a dead duck such as Dark Void, whose potential was far outweighed by its humdrum delivery. Remember Me, to be fair, falls…

  • oOoOO – Without Your Love

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    When Chris Dexter first emerged into the mainstream consciousness back in 2010, he was surrounded by much talk in the music press about the so-called ‘Witch House’ genre and was joined by a slew of seemingly like-minded contemporaries, most notably the likes of Salem and Purity Ring. While it was a tag that Dexter attempted to eschew, the similarities were unavoidable — their releases all utilisisng a now-familiar mix of hip-hop, pop and shoegaze to form a hazy blend that had hacks squirreling away at their keyboards. Some three years later and we are now belatedly presented with the first…

  • Floor Staff – The Good Luck EP

    July 12, 2013 - By 

    It’s really difficult to write good pop music; unlike most other genres, great pop requires a level of clarity of vision and perfection that can be cripplingly hard. So it’s always a real treat when exciting pop music lands straight on your lap. With their debut release, The Good Luck EP, Dublin duo Floor Staff have given the world a proper Summer treat. Working with a kitchen sink mentality, the EP mixes emotionally volatile vocals, tight and powerful rhythms and a cracking brass section with effortless effect. The production and mixing is one of the most laudable aspects of the…

  • Hotline Miami (Dennaton Games, PS3/PS Vita)

    July 11, 2013 - By 

    Most videogames, whether or not they choose to profess it, are rooted in violence. And we’re not just talking about bête noires such as Manhunt, Call Of Duty or Carmageddon. Something as innocuous as Super Mario Bros. involves jumping on enemies’ heads to make them disappear, and at the end of each final stage the big boss plummets into a fiery pit. Space Invaders is all about the shooting. Street Fighter requires beating your opponent into submission. Even Tetris involves making harmless blocks disappear. Call it “deleting” or “subtracting” if these euphemisms make the killing and destroying more palatable. There is no doubt that to progress in any videogame you must be…