London’s cold, wet and a little miserable this evening as I enter the Scala and have all of my fruit confiscated from me by a bigger boy in an armband. Tonight Boris will perform alongside Joe Volk for the next-day release of their new split 12″ record …

I love writing about music. I love opening a list of new releases to see if there’s anything in it which tickles my fancy. Basically, I just love discovering new artists. One of such new artists is Swedish two-piece Galvano. This band hails from Gothen …

‘The Chronicles of Khiliasmos’ is Gorath’s 6th full-length album and unfortunately it is also their last release. But what a release this album is! Gorath is a black metal band originating from Belgium. But not your average kind of black metal outfit t …

There are some records that are easy to review, they trigger something in my head and the words just roll out. Sweet. Then there are other records that don’t express themselves quite as easily, no matter how many times I listen to them and no matter ho …

Lone Wolf, aka Paul Marshall, is a man well versed in adversity. Following his debut ‘The Devil and I’ in 2010, he split with his label, Bella Union; and financial constraints cast considerable doubt as to whether the album which became ‘The Lovers’ wo …

Before we dear reader, go any further, I feel you should let me get this statement out of the way because it’s the crux of my whole review really, “I think this new release by Ninetails is incredibly brave”. I’m certain I’ll say various permutations of …

Boat to Row should have a bright future ahead of them. They have the scarce ability to create uplifting, catchy folk melodies with cross genre appeal. Their sound makes me think of a warm summer’s day, enjoying the outdoors at a festival gig. They exud …

Instrumental music, or post-rock if you really want to use labels, always creates a problem for the bands that produce it. By sheer virtue of the nature of the music they make, these bands will most likely be instantly compared to Explosions in the Sky …

Good Weather for an Airstrike began as a way to help Tom Honey cope with the effects of tinnitus, which impeded his ability to sleep. He decided to create soothing music that he felt might be able to assist in getting to sleep. There are samples of voi …

I’d be lying if I denied losing faith in Boris for a while… something happened that found me a little disillusioned with recent releases and left me unexcited when their names cropped. For this, I am ashamed. It is with absolute strength that the Japas …

It’s been a hell of a long time since I’ve heard any new metal that has genuinely excited me, so even before the play button is hit, preconceptions of any brand-spanking disc will inevitably arise. Normally pessimism, and assumption that there will be …

If like me, you are a little bit rusty on your French electro pop, I urge you to ease yourself in by getting familiar with the sounds of Electric Electric. Having recently released their second studio album ‘Discipline’ via Herzfeld records, Eric Bentz …

Everyone knows that ‘best of’ compilations are the perfect gift for any and all nationally recognized special occasions, so as Christmas approaches might I suggest you consider adding ‘Learn How: The Essential Mission Of Burma’ to your Christmas wish l …

‘The World Without Us’ slowly creeps up to you without ever trying to make you aware of it. The opening track ‘Still (I)’ becomes more of an eventuality as it occurs in a most unassuming manner. Before you know it the album has started. The very nature …

Soft Bullets are a two-man band, transatlantic in nature. Combining the efforts of the UK’s Christopher Wall and Dan Capaldi from the US, they’re apparently inspired by the live performances of groups such as Justice and Daft Punk, although it’s fair t …

Through one of my fellow Echoes & Dust reviewers, who is based in the land Down Under, I got asked to review this new release by The Reverend Jesse Custer. Not heard of these guys before I quickly found out that this band is based in Australia’s capita …

Yes, that’s a strange band name. But then again, Laundry for the Apocalypse are a strange band. That is in no way meant to be a disparaging remark. There is a variety of sounds and influences here, with songs changing shape and structure from melodic i …

I can’t remember a time when I was not a fan of Ian MacKaye. First, Minor Threat made thinking-person’s Hardcore, as well as being a huge contributor to the movement that became known as Straight Edge. Then, later in the 1980’s, Fugazi appeared and mad …

Chris Brokaw says his new album ‘Gambler’s Ecstasy’ is “a complex, somewhat messy record. It’s all me; it’s all things I wanted to put across”. So what does Chris put across? Easy : guitar, guitar and more guitar. There is raspy rocking guitar, soft ac …

There has been quite a lot of talking lately on Echoes & Dust about how wonderful our family of reviewers is and how we recommend and talk about lots of new music with each other. Through one of those chats I discovered the band MAKE, a heavy doom/slud …

I’m sure I’ve said this before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but one of the things I love most about this job is occasionally a record will come out of (apparently) nowhere and completely sideswipe me. ‘Small Years’ by Ana Never is just such an albu …