by Andrew Burgess
When Vampire Weekend released their debut album in 2008, they were selling a particularly American brand of upper-crust New England Ivy League study-abroad-influenced indie rock…
by Laurence Green
Every year, an act will come along that feels like they were exercising the fine art of balance between a precise sense of cool and...
by Elliah Heifetz
In the Greek myth of Hero and Leander, a young man (Leander) swims each night across the Hellespont to meet his lover (Hero). One night,...
by David Meller
“I never thought that I’d ever sing again. But hearing the first three songs, I just couldn’t say no!” With that, Agnetha Fältskog ends nine...
by Max Raymond
If you were to judge an album by its cover, the handmade coat of arms that adorns the sleeve of Istiklaliya doesn’t give away much....
by Max Raymond
Future Islands and Double Dagger, the former a synthpop outfit and the latter a bunch of rowdy rockers who recently called it a day, are...
by Helen Clarke
There was a great moment in the kooky indie rom-com, (500) Days of Summer – the film that cemented Zooey Deschanel’s reputation as the leader...
by Elliah Heifetz
Within the very first moments of Small Black’s latest release Limits Of Desire, even before the vocals of opening track Free At Dawn had pattered...
by Martyn Young
San Francisco’s Mikal Cronin is an artist who revels in defying expectations. Through his work playing in long time ally Ty Segall’s band, as well...
by Michael Hubbard
Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer have never been keen on playing live at gigs. They played no gigs at all for their first two...
by Steven Johnson
Over recent years Sam Amidon has discreetly established himself as a distinctive voice in modern folk music, releasing albums that infuse newness and freshness into...
by Philip Matusavage
As she reminds us during this evening’s concert, it’s been seven years since Leona Lewis won The X-Factor and released a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s...
by Sam Shepherd
When blackened metal meets hardcore a strange reaction occurs. A swirling, chaotic vortex opens and pulsing way down in the nothingness is a dense heavy...
by Steven Johnson
Over the last few years Stephen Wilkinson has, under the Bibio guise, established himself as an artist capable of releasing albums that confidently cross musical...
by Aaron Payne
When Random Access Memories finally arrives, it will do so in the wake of a sustained and coordinated promotion campaign of Hollywood proportions. A gallery...
by David Meller
On entering Salford arts hub and festival HQ Islington Mill, you’re greeted by a corridor of coned hats, akin to dunces’ caps, draped from the...
by John Murphy
It would be easy to be a bit cynical about Gabrielle Aplin. She’s a noted “YouTube sensation” – which is guaranteed to make anyone over...
