This review was difficult to write for one main reason, and that is because ‘Animal Joy’ is such an amazing record. How could I fill out a review with words like ‘WOW’ and ‘Record of the Year’, which was all I could utter on my first few listens throug …

Last year Jack Cooper from the band Mazes created ‘Art Is Cheap’, a songwriting project where individuals requested an exclusive song in return for a minimum payment of £10 (it was effectively a ‘pay what you want’ deal). Now that he has released 15 of …

I’ve played a lot of air guitar these last couple of weeks. And a lot of air drums. In fact I went through one set of air strings and two pairs of air drum sticks listening to the latest album from Alcest. It’s times like these I wish I had kept my lon …

There’s an electronic rumbling emanating from the hills of North Wales. Accompanying this is a voice which is almost angelic in its delivery. Who is this sound? Where has it come from? There are certain pockets around the country who have fallen in lov …

Music and I have a sort of love-hate relationship. Well, of course I realize that I am giving human traits to music and that is just silly, but I want to illustrate that my never-ending quest for new music can be painful and costly at times, but can al …

In a word, the new Cursive album is magnificent; I’m going to save my full verdict for my review next week, but first things first: a couple of weeks ago, I was offered the chance to interview one of my favourite songwriters, the (in my opinion) legend …

So, Ronin eh? Not the cracking movie with the awesome chase sequence, starring Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, and some other types, but a post rock band from Italy. It’s obvious that they’re post rock, on account of the lack of vocals, excess of noodling, a …

I recently spoke with Neige; songwriter, singer and guitarist in French band Alcest. I was keen to find out more about the purpose behind the band and its music, and the reactions he gets from sections of the metal community. What follows is a small in …

Four years. That’s how long we’ve waited for a proper new album from Nada Surf. Since then, the band have released one covers album, the palindromically-titled (and rather marvellous) ‘If I Had A Hi-Fi’, but the one thing everyone’s wanted the most is …

The Minutes are a rock ‘n’ roll band, plain and simple; unrepentant and unrelenting. Live, they are a force of nature and are being hotly tipped to explode all over 2012. We got them to sit still for 5 minutes and tell us a bit about themselves. 1. How …

I thought this would be an easy review. Trouble is, garage psych of this quality just makes you want to listen to more of it and in no time you’re getting distracted. I just find it hard to listen to this record all at once, and that’s a good thing, be …

There is a saying that goes “The road to success is always under construction”. You would imagine then, that once that success is achieved then anything that comes after should be a moot point. It is perhaps reasonable for the casual observer to think …

One of the wonders of the internet these days is that every once in a while you stumble on some music which once again affirms why you love it so much. Like finding a diamond in all the rough that is floating out there in cyberspace, it can be a wonder …

I was no Oliver Twist when I found an instant appeal to Rumour Cubes’ music on first hearing them last year. Happily it’s been only a few short months to wait to hear their first full length album and, in late February, everyone gets their turn. What s …

What’s in a name? Well, if the title of Casiokids’s second album is anything to go by, not all that much. The group are Swedish, and ‘Aabenbaringen over aaskammen’ roughly translates to “the revelation over the mountain;” as such, it’s a moniker more s …

You know those moments at about 4 in the morning after a long night partying. Everyone is sat around chilling out, half-asleep? Conversation is generally stilted with the odd giggle thrown in. ‘Weekends’ is the perfect soundtrack for that time of morni …

I discovered Hawk Eyes, formerly known as Chickenhawk, last year around the time they changed their name, or maybe a couple of months before. You see, I was sleuthing about, trying to find more and newer and better and louder music, following the untim …

One of the most pleasurable things about hunting down new music to write about is when the planets align and a band comes into focus who literally take your breath away and remind you of the reason why you put yourself through it. It was one of those r …

In the early 1990’s there was a wave of bands whose notion was playing droning music whilst gazing at shoes. Feedback drenched music which would envelop your ears and make you feel like you were on drugs in the middle of a wind tunnel. That’s what All …

Sydney band Meniscus have been producing instrumental post rock sound scapes live since 2005 and previously released an EP, but amazingly this is their first full length album. It doesn’t use your typical crescendo structure of a lot of post rock, yet …

This would be the first time I’ve ever done anything like this before, writing an article. So essentially dearest reader, I am letting you be my first. Congratulations, you’ve taken my writing cherry. I’m in a band (Trojan Horse) and, as you’ll probabl …