SOPHIE, visionary innovator who sculpted thrillingly uncompromising sound worlds

by Matt Beattie

Grammy nominee, experimental pop musician, DJ, producer and collaborator dies aged 34

Spotlight: Fine Young Cannibals – The Raw & The Cooked / Fine Young Cannibals

by Graeme Marsh

With remastered double CD editions out just in time for Christmas, Graeme Marsh revisits the two albums which formed the entirety of this unique band’s career

Spotlight: The Kinks – Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One

by Graeme Marsh

This 50th anniversary edition underlines that, for consistency across an eclectic range, it’s difficult to match: here surely is one of the greatest true concept albums of all time

Spotlight: Amy Winehouse – The Collection

by Ross Horton

Two collections pay homage to a singular talent which stands alone in the grand pantheon of British icons: our greatest soul star, and our most relatable broken heart

Dire Straits: brothers in AOR

by Graeme Marsh

Graeme Marsh makes the forgotten case for gazillion-selling AOR as Mark Knopfler and co’s back catalogue gets the deluxe reissue treatment

Mort Garson: unearthing electronica’s unexplained pioneer

by Matt Cotsell

The late Canadian auteur’s work melding baroque exotica with watery synth squeaks and galactic drones is reassessed with three reissues and a previously unreleased compilation

Motörhead – Ace Of Spades (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

by Ross Horton

This reissue’s kitchen sink approach to an album which laid the foundations for a whole decade of heavy metal is only fitting

Michael Rother – Solo II

by Ross Horton

The German experimentalist shines a light on his solo work with a new box set, and unveils a standalone new album, Dreaming

Do It Any Way You Wanna: An Introduction to Patrick Cowley

by Matt Cotsell

The sonic equivalent of opening a bottle of amyl nitrate, Cowley’s work shone a light on the multifaceted aspects of queer self-hood

Spotlight: Spoon – Slay On Cue

by Ross Horton

The chance to relive the journey, or experience it for the first time – and discover if they’re one of the most underrated bands in the world

Spotlight: Ultravox – Vienna

by Graeme Marsh

A 40th anniversary box set charts a band’s shift from cult status to stardom. Graeme Marsh examines what exactly changed

Spotlight: New Order – Power, Corruption and Lies

by Graeme Marsh

With a Definitive Edition of their 1983 opus released, Graeme Marsh examines one of the best albums of the ’80s in a new light

Spotlight: Kylie Minogue – Light Years

by Nick Smith

Nick Smith casts a fond eye back to a super-successful career reinvention and some out-and-out pop classics, 20 years on

Spotlight: Pixies’ Bossanova, 30 years on

by Sam Shepherd

Black Francis and co’s space-themed third, released just a year after their second, became their only Top 3 album. Is it their best?

The Beloved – Happiness (Special Edition) – Spotlight

by Graeme Marsh

On its 30th anniversary, Graeme Marsh looks back on how Happiness became the band’s defining moment

Spotlight: Closer – Joy Division’s pure and final masterpiece at 40

by Ross Horton

Marking an anniversary reissue, Ross Horton examines the enduring influence and impact of the band’s second and final album

Imperial legacy: Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider remembered

by Ross Horton

Examining the Germans’ classic phase, without which entire genres of music would not have existed

Bandcamp in the time of Corona: a beginner’s guide

by Ben Hogwood

The user-friendly resource, waiving its fees again, is used by small-scale music makers and larger record labels alike. Where to begin?

Andrew Weatherall: A Tribute

by Ben Hogwood

The outpouring of shock, love and reverence at the passing of Andrew Weatherall speaks volumes. The conclusion reached by musicians and listeners alike was unanimous: electronic music has lost not only one of its pioneering...

Spotlight: Tiger Bay – Saint Etienne’s masterpiece at 25

by Rob Mesure

“There are some nice parts of London / You can see them from here” – Archway People “Rainy cafe, Kentish Town, Tuesday / Barry’s looking through the Racing Post / Orders coffee, another round of...