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Favourite albums of 2024 - Part 1

December 30, 2024 Peter Kimpton

This year’s selections include some returning veterans at the top of their game as well as some fabulous newcomers

Favourite albums of 2024: Welcome to The Song Bar’s favourite albums of 2024 Part 1. There’s no such thing as ‘best of’ and everything is subjective, but rich seams of originality and quality are certainly here to be enjoyed. Peruse away …

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In albums, alternative, dance, country, blues, avant garde, dance music, disco, drum n bass, experimental, electronica, folk, fusion, garage, funk, grunge, hip hop, indie, jazz, krautrock, new wave, poetry, pop, post-punk, post-rock, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, R&B, rock, rockabilly, rocksteady, shoegaze, soul Tags albums, new albums, new releases, favourites of the year, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, Julia Holter, Bill Ryder-Jones, Gruff Rhys, Grace Cummings, Future Islands, Jack White, The Smile, Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead, Tom Skinner, Conchúr White, Clairo, Waxahatchee, Clarissa Connelly, Father John Misty, Haley Heynderickx, Tyler The Creator, The Cure, Michael Kiwanuka, Kim Deal, Black Grape, Amyl and the Sniffers, Nilüfer Yanya, English Teacher, Sprints, Lucy Rose, Charli XCX
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Favourite albums of 2023 Part 2: Anohni to Blur to Mitski, Ren to Sufjan Stevens

December 29, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Favourite LPs of 2023, Part 2.

Welcome once again to the annual tradition of Song Bar’s favourite album releases of 2023. This is Part 2, and Part 1 was yesterday. There’s no such thing as a chart rundown or ‘best of’ here, and these come in no particular order …

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In African, albums, alternative, ambient, Americana, avant garde, bluegrass, blues, classical, country, dance, dance music, disco, drum n bass, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, fusion, garage, gospel, grunge, gypsy, hip hop, hip-hop, indie, jazz, krautrock, musical theatre, new wave, poetry, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, R&B, reggae, rock, rocksteady, shoegaze, ska, soul, spoken word, theatrical, traditional, trip-hop Tags Mokoomba, OutHere Records, Blur, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Parlophone, Palehound, Polyvinyl, El Kempner, Anohni, Rough Trade, PJ Harvey, Partisan Records, Do Nothing, Exact Truth Records, Bonnie Prince Billy, Domino Records, Dot Allison, Any Bell, Corinne Bailey Rae, Black Rainbows Music, Thirty Tigers, CLT DRP, Venn Records, Roisin Murphy, Ninja Tune, DJ Koze, Yussef Dayes, Slowdive, Dead Oceans, Emma Grankvist, Future Classic Records, Danger Mouse, Brian Burton, Jemini The Gifted One, The Pretenders, Mitski, Nitin Sawhney, Warner Bros, Hak Baker, Natacha Atlas, Jazzi Sirius, I Am Roze, The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Polydor, Ren, Ren Gill, The Other Songs, CMAT, Ciara Mary Alice Thompson, AWAL, Goat, Rocket Recordings, Creation Rebel, On-U Sound Records, Adrian Sherwood, Prince Far I, Hania Rani, Gondwana Records, Sufjan Stevens, Asthmatic Kitty, Anjimile, 4AD, Beirut, Zach Condon, Pompeii Records, David Holmes, Raven Violet, Heavenly Recordings, King Creosote, Kenny Anderson, Lol Tolhurst, Budgie, Jacknife Lee, James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem, The Edge, U2, Play It Again Sam, PIAS, FIZZ, Orla Gartland, Dodie, Greta Isaac, Martin Luke Brown, Decca, Black Pumas, ATO Records, Adrian Quesada, Eric Burton, Sofia Kourtesis, Bas Jan, Serafina Steer, Fire Records, Soema Montenegro, Leo Martinelli, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Real World, Soweto Gospel Choir, albums, new albums, new releases
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Favourite albums of 2023 Part 1: Anna B Savage to Young Fathers

December 28, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Part 1 selection of 2023 favourite albums

Welcome once again to the annual tradition of Song Bar’s favourite album releases of 2023. This is Part 1, and Part 2 is also out here. There’s no such thing as a chart rundown or ‘best of’ here, and these come in no particular order. This is all about quality and innovation …

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In African, albums, alternative, ambient, Americana, avant garde, blues, classical, country, dance, dance music, disco, electronica, dub, experimental, folk, funk, fusion, garage, gospel, grime, grunge, gypsy, hip hop, hip-hop, indie, jazz, krautrock, metal, new wave, poetry, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, R&B, reggae, rock, rocksteady, shoegaze, ska, soul Tags albums, new albums, new releases, Anna B Savage, Rozi Plain, Caroline Polachek, Young Fathers, Fever Ray, favourites of the year, Technology + Teamwork, Lana Del Rey, Depeche Mode, Lucinda Chua, Boygenius, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, A Certain Ratio, Jen Cloher, Desire Marea, Billie Marten, Feist, Dave Okumu, The Bloodstreams, Jessie Ware, The National, Susanne Sundfør, BC Camplight, Tinariwen, Brix Smith, Sparks, Water From Your Eyes, WITCH, The Extranauts, This Is The Kit, Kate Stables, Hak Baker, Queens of the Stone Age, Sigur Rós, Killer Mike, Ursa Major Moving Group, Geese, LYR, Simon Armitage, Grian Chatten, Dan Carey, Memphis Industries, Perpetual Novice, City Slang, Ninja Tune, Rabid Records, PIAS, Milk! Records, Mute Records, 4AD, Columbia Records, Polydor, Good Way Records, Transgressive Records, Universal Island, Fiction Records, Bella Union, EMI, Desert Daze Sound, Matador Records, Island Records, Asthmatic Kitty, Grit Over Glamour, Wedge Records, Partisan Records, Clue Records, Play It Again Sam, Faith And Industry Records, Loma Vista, Von Dur, BMG, Because Music, Hak Attack Records, AWAL, Rough Trade
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Favourite albums of 2021 - Part 2

December 29, 2021 Peter Kimpton

Favourite selection part 2.

Favourite albums of 2021 – Part 2: Welcome the second instalment, following Part 1, which can be found here. A huge number of excellent releases, of which again this is just a selection many of which were written during, and about lockdown, but also saw many outstanding voices emerge as well as innovative sounds developed

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In African, albums, ambient, Americana, avant garde, blues, country, dance, dance music, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, fusion, garage, gospel, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, poetry, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, R&B, reggae, rock, shoegaze, rocksteady, ska, soul, spoken word, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Self Esteem, Joy Crookes, She Drew The Gun, Kit Sebastian, audiobooks, David Wrench, Evangeline Ling, Hamish Hawk, Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection, Spencer Cullum, Liz Lawrence, KUNZITE, Ballaké Sissoko, Low, Amyl and the Sniffers, Little Simz, Lingua Ignota, Desire Marea, Yola, Billie Eilish, Joel Culpepper, L'Rain, Kojaque, Lucy Dacus, Hiatus Kaiyote, LoneLady, Japanese Breakfast, Lord Huron, black midi, Dave, LUMP, Laura Marling, Mike Lindsay, Nick Cave, Warren Elllis, Lana Del Rey, Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars, Anderson Paak, IDLES, Penelope Isles, Marta Del Grandi, Eris Drew, Gustaf
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Favourite albums of 2021 - Part 1

December 27, 2021 Peter Kimpton

Take your pick. Are your favourites here? Also check out Part 2 coming soon.

Favourite albums of 2021, part 1: Another difficult year for everyone, but from soul and jazz, electro-pop the experimental and avant-garde, an outstanding one for music releases, perhaps in part because out of diversity comes great art. Also feel free to explore Part 2, which is now available to view here.

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In African, albums, Americana, avant garde, blues, country, dance, dance music, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, fusion, garage, gospel, grime, grunge, gypsy, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, poetry, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, R&B, reggae, rock, rocksteady, shoegaze, ska, soul, spoken word, soundtracks, theatrical, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, favourites of the year, Mdou Moctar, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Marten, Sons of Kemet, Kojey Radical, St Vincent, Squid, Tony Allen, Paul Weller, The Coral, Art D'Ecco, Rhiannon Giddens, Field Music, Floating Points, For Those I Love, David Balfe, tUnE-yArDs, Gazelle Twin, NYX, Ghana, Valerie June, Jane Weaver, Arab Strap, Aidan Moffat, Malcolm Middleton, The Weather Station, Anna B Savage, Albertine Sarges, Celeste, Arlo Parks, Pearl Charles, Madlib, Sleaford Mods, James Yorkston, Cassandra Jenkins, Lael Neale, Bell Orchestre, Altin Gün, Du Blonde, Pharaoh Sanders, Dry Cleaning
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U-Roy: Solid Gold U-Roy

July 20, 2021 Peter Kimpton
U-Roy - the king of Jamaican toasting

U-Roy - the king of Jamaican toasting

New album: This final album by Ewart Beckford, the veteran pioneer of reggae toasting who died in February this year is fitting collection of classic tracks joined by a variety of guests including Ziggy Marley, Santigold, Shaggy and Mick Jones

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In reggae, rocksteady, dub Tags albums, new releases, U-Roy, Trojan Jamaica, BMG
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Agnes Obel to Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers to Sault: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 2

December 29, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Great albums of 2020: clockwise from top: Agnes Obel, Phoebe Bridgers, Bob Dylan and Sault’s Untitled (Rise)

Great albums of 2020: clockwise from top: Agnes Obel, Phoebe Bridgers, Bob Dylan and Sault’s Untitled (Rise)

Albums of 2020 roundup: Out of crisis comes great art. A year of lockdowns, no gigs, alternative sounds, experimentation and surprises. This is the second half of our roundup of favourite albums of 2020. Part 1 was here

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In African, albums, ambient, blues, classical, country, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, gospel, grime, grunge, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, musical theatre, poetry, post-punk, pop, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, soul, traditional, soundtracks, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Marlowe, Khruangbin, Agnes Obel, This Is The Kit, Nadia Reid, Phoebe Bridgers, Tony Allen, Hugh Masekela, Roisin Murphy, Bob Dylan, Run The Jewels, Rina Sawayama, Perfume Genius, Fleet Foxes, BC Camplight, Laura Marling, Lanterns on the Lake, The Cool Greenhouse, Sufjan Stevens, Doves, Låpsley, The Pictish Trail, Saint Saviour, IDLES, Rufus Wainwright, Sault, Michael Kiwanuka, Nick Hakim, Witch 'n' Monk, Wu Fei, Abigail Washburn, Dana Gavanski, Shabaka Hutchings, Daniel Avery, Alessandro Cortini, Pottery, Thurston Moore, Tiña, Working Men's Club, Sun Ra Arkestra, Planet Battagon, Caribou, Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes, The Orielles, A Certain Ratio, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Mr Ben & The Bens, Oneohtrix Point Never, Sorry, Pokey LaFarge, Adrianne Lenker, Jackie Lynn, The Beths, Peter Broderick, Open Mike Eagle, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Hen Oggled, Gorillaz, Black Thought, Bright Eyes, Marie Davidson, International Teachers of Pop, Jarvis Cocker, JARV IS…, NZCA Lines, Margaret Glaspy, Mark Lanegan, Deerhoof, Michael J Sheehy, Caleb Landry Jones, Brigid Dawson and the Mothers Network, Brigid Mae Power, Jehnny Beth, White Denim, The Irrepressibles, Keleketla!, Jockstrap, Hania Rani, bdrmm, Oh Sees
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Fiona Apple to Lianne La Havas to Yves Tumor: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 1

December 28, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Lianne La Havas, Fiona Apple and Yves Tumor are among three artists who have released outstanding LPs

Lianne La Havas, Fiona Apple and Yves Tumor are among three artists who have released outstanding LPs

Albums of 2020 roundup: A year of lockdowns, alternative sounds, experimentation and surprises. This is the first half two roundups of a total over 50 favourite albums of the year that musicians stayed at home. And here’s Part 2.

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In African, albums, ambient, blues, classical, country, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grunge, hip hop, indie, jazz, poetry, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, soul, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Fontaines D.C., Wesley Gonzalez, Sparks, Wilma Archer, Sudan Archives, Billy Nomates, LYR, Simon Armitage, Moses Boyd, Tunng, Sports Team, Holy Fuck, Cornershop, Porridge Radio, Fiona Apple, Warm Digits, Taylor Swift, The Nightingales, Moses Sumney, Bill Callahan, Julianna Barwick, Yves Tumor, U.S. Girls, Elvis Costello, Wire, Thundercat, Lavinia Blackwall, Nadine Shah, Lianne La Havas
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Album reviews roundup: Elvis Costello, Dizzee Rascal, Sun Ra Arkestra, Eels, Oneohtrix Point Never, Action Bronson, Jim White, Adrianne Lenker, Keaton Henson

November 2, 2020 Peter Kimpton
This week’s very colourful square of album covers is matched by the quality of the music

This week’s very colourful square of album covers is matched by the quality of the music

Album reviews roundup: This week’s selection again reflects the times - divided political America to grief and isolation, but also presents an abundance of creativity, wit and musical invention crossing everything from jazz to hip hop

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In country, blues, albums, African, ambient, classical, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, poetry, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, reggae, soul, rocksteady, soundtracks, traditional Tags Songs, albums, new releases, Elvis Costello, Dizzee Rascal, Sun Ra Arkestra, EELS, Oneohtrix Point Never, Action Bronson, Jim White, Adrianne Lenker, Big Thief, Keaton Henson, Concord Records, Island Records, Dirtee Stank, Strut Records, E Works Records, Warp Records, Loma Vista, Loose Music, 4AD, Play It Again Sam
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Billie Eilish to FKA twigs to Weyes Blood: favourite albums of 2019 – part 2

December 31, 2019 Peter Kimpton
FKA twigs

FKA twigs

The second part of this year’s LP favourites again includes several superb female artists. Also check out the first part published yesterday

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In African, albums, ambient, blues, classical, country, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, musical theatre, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, soul, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, favourites of the year, FKA Twigs, Nilüfer Yanya, Shana Cleveland, Kim Gordon, Lana Del Rey, Slowthai, Tindersticks, Divine Comedy, Gruff Rhys, Ebony Street Band, The Futureheads, Holly Herndon, Dave, Purple Mountains, David Berman, Cate Le Bon, black midi, Fat White Family, Bill Callahan, Snapped Ankles, Warmduscher, Leonard Cohen, Vanishing Twin, Kate Tempest, Weyes Blood, The Comet Is Coming, Clinic, Solange, Billie Eilish, Deerhunter, 4AD, Darkroom, Interscope, Columbia Records, Domino Records, Impulse Records, Sub Pop, Fiction Records, Fire Records, The Leaf Label, Drag City, Rough Trade, Mexican Summer, Neighbourhood Records, Nul Records, OM Swagger Music, City Slang, Method Records, Polydor, Matador Records, Hardly Art, ATO Records, PIAS, Young Turks
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Aldous Harding to Richard Dawson to Michael Kiwanuka: favourite albums of 2019 – part 1

December 30, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Aldous Harding wins the prize for most unusual moves for her song, The Barrel

Aldous Harding wins the prize for most unusual moves for her song, The Barrel

The first part of our selection of the pick of albums from 2019 by Song Bar readers and the Landlord editor, in alphabetical order by title, not a ‘best of’ or countdown. The second part is here.

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In African, albums, ambient, blues, classical, country, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, musical theatre, metal, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, favourites of the year, Richard Dawson, Chali 2na, Krafty Kuts, Angel Olsen, Amyl and the Sniffers, Marika Hackman, Sudan Archives, Edwyn Collins, Pom Poko, Self Esteem, Rebecca Taylor, Lizzo, Julia Jacklin, Beck, Aldous Harding, Fontaines D.C., Minyo Crusaders, WaqWaq Kingdom, Sleaford Mods, Vampire Weekend, Anna Meredith, Shura, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Peter Perrett, Little Simz, Bonnie Prince Billy, Nilüfer Yanya, International Teachers of Pop, Brittany Howard, Alabama Shakes, Michael Kiwanuka, Polydor, Columbia Records, Desolate Spools Records, ATO Records, PIAS, Domino Records, AGE 101, Secretly Canadian, Moshi Moshi, Black Prince Fury, Extreme Eating Records, Phantom Limb, Mais Um, Partisan Records, 4AD, Capitol Records, Transgressive, Nice Life, Atlantic Records, Fiction Records, Bella Union, AED, Stones Throw, EMI, Rough Trade, Jagjaguwar, Manphibian Music
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New albums: The Comet Is Coming, The Who, Carla dal Forno, Ms Banks, Tune-Yards, Nolan Potter's Nightmare Band, Doon Kanda, Stick In The Wheel, Jeremy Walmsley, Various

December 10, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Dan Leavers, Shabaka Hutchings and Max Hallett of The Comet Is Coming

Dan Leavers, Shabaka Hutchings and Max Hallett of The Comet Is Coming

This week’s roundup includes The Comet Is Coming’s second album of 2019, the first by the Who for half a generation, beautiful stark work by Carla Dal Forno as well as Doon Kanda and psyche by Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band

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In albums, ambient, dance music, dub, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, soul, soundtracks, rocksteady, trip-hop, electronica Tags albums, new releases, The Comet Is Coming, The Who, Carla Dal Forno, Ms Banks, tUnE-yArDs, Nolan Potter's Nightmare Band, Doon Kanda, Stick In The Wheel, Jeremy Walmsley, Various, Joe Meek, Impulse Records, Polydor, Kallista Records, Castle Face, From Here, Hyperdub, Cherry Red Records
Comment

New albums: Sleater-Kinney, The Murder Capital, Shura, The Hold Steady, Ride, Blanck Mass, Oh Sees, Friendly Fires, Kurt Vile, King Gizzard and TLW, The Rails

August 30, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Shura

Shura

Cracking returns from Sleater-Kinney, The Murder Capital, Ride, Oh Sees, The Hold Steady, and some Prince-style funk pop from Manchester’s Shura are among this week’s latest roundup of album releases

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, folk, funk, experimental, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, punk, rock, rocksteady, soul, traditional Tags albums, new releases, Sleater-Kinney, The Murder Capital, Shura, The Hold Steady, Ride, Blanck Mass, Thee Oh Sees, Friendly Fires, Kurt Vile, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Rails, St Vincent, Richard and Linda Thompson, Fuck Buttons, Mom + Pop Records, Human Season Records, Secretly Canadian, Sacred Bones Records, Psychonaut Sounds, Casablanca Records, Polydor, Castle Face, Wichita, Mexican Summer, Frenchkiss Records, Flightless Records
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New albums: The National, Erland Cooper, BCUC, Lewis Capaldi, Slowthai, Josephine Wiggs, Steel Pulse, Hey Colossus, Tyler The Creator, Carly Rae Jepson

May 22, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Stock image? From the cover of Slowthai’s Nothing Great About Britain

Stock image? From the cover of Slowthai’s Nothing Great About Britain

This week’s new album roundup has something for everyone – soft, soothing, moving gentle experimental and lo-fi, fierce and soulful hip-hop, African dance music, political reggae and cheesy pop

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, reggae, punk, rock, rocksteady, soul Tags albums, new releases, The National, Erland Cooper, BCUC, Lewis Capaldi, Slowthai, Josephine Wiggs, The Breeders, Steel Pulse, Hey Colossus, Tyler The Creator, Carly Rae Jepson, Phases Records, 4AD, Buda Musique, The Sound of Sinners, Method Records, Virgin EMI, Rootfire Cooperative, Alter Records, Schoolboy/Interscope, Columbia Records
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New albums: LP, Van Morrison, Earl Sweatshirt, AMOR, Planningtorock, and compilations

December 18, 2018 Peter Kimpton
LP aka Laura Pergolizzi

LP aka Laura Pergolizzi

This week’s selection brings a mixture of mainstream pop and dance in the LGBTQ setting, hip-hop poetry, Van Morrison paying homage to old masters, some innovative electronica, and two intriguing compilations

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In albums, ambient, blues, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, hip hop, indie, pop, reggae, rock, soul, rocksteady Tags albums, new releases, LP, Laura Pergolizzi, Van Morrison, Earl Sweatshirt, AMOR, Richard Youngs, Luke Fowler, Michael Francis Duch, Franz Ferdinand, Paul Thomson, Planningtorock, Jam Rostrum, Rough Trade, Smalltown Supersound, Prins Thomas, Lindstrøm, Jon Savage, Spooky Tooth, Vagrant Records, Columbia Records, Caroline International, Bandcamp, Ace Records
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New Albums …

Featured
Dove Ellis - Blizzard.jpeg
Dec 9, 2025
Dove Ellis: Blizzard
Dec 9, 2025

New album: An extraordinarily mature, passionate, poetic, and outstandingly powerful debut by the Manchester-based Galway-born singer-songwriter, whose soaring delivery has instant echoes of Jeff Buckley and lyrics that go above and beyond

Dec 9, 2025
Spíra by Ólöf Arnalds.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Ólöf Arnalds: Spíra
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A gorgeous, delicate, ethereal first release in a decade by the Icelandic singer-songwriter, acoustic instruments and her gentle, high, pure voice, all in her native language, caressing this listening experience like pure waters of some slowly trickling glacial stream

Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber - Unclouded.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber: Unclouded
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A fourth album, here full of delicious uplifting, dreamily chic, psychedelic soul pop by the French musician Melody Prochet, with bright, upbeat, optimistic numbers and a title lifted from a quote by the acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, about achieving equilibrium

Dec 5, 2025
Devotion & The Black Divine by anaiis.jpeg
Dec 2, 2025
anaiis: Devotion & The Black Divine
Dec 2, 2025

New album: Following a summer Song of the Day - Deus Deus, a review of the autumn release and third LP by the London-based French-Senegalese singer-songwriter of resonantly beautiful, dynamic, sensual soul, gospel, R&B and experimental and chamber pop, with themes of new motherhood, uncertainty, religion, self-love and acceptance

Dec 2, 2025
De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
De La Soul: Cabin In The Sky
Nov 26, 2025

New album: The hip-hop veterans return with their first without, yet including the voice of, and a tribute to, founding member Trugoy the Dove, AKA Dave Jolicoeur who passed away in 2023, alongside many hip-hop luminary guests, with trademark playful skits, and all themed around the afterlife

Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats- Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats: Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan
Nov 26, 2025

New album: An evocative musical journey of a concept album by the indie-folk band from Claremont, California, fronted by singer-songwriter John Darnielle, based on a dream of his in 2023 about a voyage to a fictional island by the titular captain, charting adventure, wonder and tragedy

Nov 26, 2025
Allie X - Happiness Is Going To Get You.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
Allie X: Happiness Is Going To Get You
Nov 26, 2025

New album: A hugely entertaining, witty, droll, inventive, chamber and synth-pop fourth LP with a goth twist by the charismatic and theatrical Canadian artist Alexandra Hughes, who brings paradox and dark themes through sounds that include string quartet, harpsichord, classical and pure pop piano with killer lyrics

Nov 26, 2025
Tortoise - Touch.jpeg
Nov 25, 2025
Tortoise: Touch
Nov 25, 2025

New album: A welcome return with a cinematic and mesmeric groove-filled first studio LP in nine years, and the eighth over all by the eclectic Chicago post-rock/jazz/krautrock multi-instrumentalists Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker

Nov 25, 2025
What of Our Nature by Haley Heynderickx, Max García Conover.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover: What of Our Nature
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Beautiful, precise, poignant and poetic new folk numbers inspired by the life and music style of Woody Guthrie as the Portland, Oregon and New Yorker, now Portland, Maine-based singer-songwriters bring a delicious duet album, alternating and sharing songs covering a variety of forever topical social issues

Nov 24, 2025
Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Ambient, otherworldly, cinematic, mesmeric, and at times very odd, the Brooklyn-based electronic artist and producer Daniel Lopatin returns with a new nostalgia-based concept – constructing tracks from lost-then-refound Y2K CDs of 1990s and early 2000s royalty-free sample electronic sounds

Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac - Bang.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac: Bang
Nov 24, 2025

New album: A powerful, stirring, passionate and mature debut LP by the 29-year-old Glasgow-based Scottish singer with Polish and Ukrainian heritage who has toured as the new Pogues singer, and whose alternative folk songs capture raw emotions and the experience of modern womanhood, with echoes of PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Aldous Harding and Lankum

Nov 24, 2025
Austra - Chin Up Buttercup.jpeg
Nov 19, 2025
Austra: Chin Up Buttercup
Nov 19, 2025

New album: This fifth studio LP as Austra by the Canadian classically trained vocalist and composer Katie Stelmanis brings beautiful electronica-pop and dance music, and has a bittersweet ironic title – a caustically witty reference to societal pressure to keep smiling despite a devastating breakup

Nov 19, 2025
Mavis Staples - Sad and Beautiful World.jpeg
Nov 18, 2025
Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World
Nov 18, 2025

New album: A timelessly classy release by the veteran soul, blues and gospel singer and social activist from the Staples Singers, in a release of wonderfully moving and poignant cover versions, beautifully interpreting works by artists including Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, and Gillian Welch

Nov 18, 2025
Stella Donnelly - Love and Fortune 2.jpeg
Nov 18, 2025
Stella Donnelly: Love and Fortune
Nov 18, 2025

New album: Finely crafted, stripped back musical simplicity combined with complex melancholic emotions mark out this beautiful, poetic, and deeply personal third folk-pop LP by the Australian singer-songwriter reflecting on the past and present

Nov 18, 2025

new songs …

Featured
Peter Perrett - Proud To Be Self-Hating.jpeg
Dec 12, 2025
Song of the Day: Peter Perrett - PROUD TO BE SELF-HATING (irony and provocation)
Dec 12, 2025

Song of the Day: The veteran British artist, originally frontman of The Only Ones, and now with three solo albums, who actually has Jewish heritage, releases a gently powerful, nuanced, pro-Palestine acoustic number as a response to ongoing genocide by the Israeli government, out on Domino Records

Dec 12, 2025
Maddie Ashman - Jaded.jpeg
Dec 11, 2025
Song of the Day: Maddie Ashman - Jaded
Dec 11, 2025

Song of the Day: Magical, delicate, eclectic, intricate, experimental microtonal music by the London musician and singer, released alongside a longer track, In Autumn My Heart Breaks

Dec 11, 2025
Ye Vagabonds.jpeg
Dec 10, 2025
Song of the Day: Ye Vagabonds - The Flood
Dec 10, 2025

Song of the Day: Wonderfully warm, rich, lively fiddle-driven Irish folk by the award-winning band fronted by Carlow brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn with a heartbreaking number about the housing crisis, heralding their upcoming new album, All Tied Together, out on Rough Trade’s River Lea Recordings on 30 January

Dec 10, 2025
DBA! band.jpeg
Dec 9, 2025
Song of the Day: DBA! A Poet And A Clown
Dec 9, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy fuzz-guitar indie rock with a swagger by the Liverpool-formed trio of Sam Warren, James Lindberg and Joshua Grant in a song described as “a confessional story of desire tangled with religious guilt”

Dec 9, 2025
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Dec 8, 2025
Song of the Day: Puma Blue - Croak Dream
Dec 8, 2025

Song of the Day: A dark, esoteric, mysterious and stylish title track with a hint of Radiohead and playing with the idea of knowing your future death, from the experimental indie/goth/ambient London artist Jacob Allen’s forthcoming album out on 6 February via Play It Again Sam

Dec 8, 2025
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Dec 7, 2025
Song of the Day: ELIZA - Anyone Else
Dec 7, 2025

Song of the Day: Stripped-back, bluesy, fuzzy funk with slight echoes of Prince and alt-R&B are conjured up in this love song by the London-based singer-songwriter Eliza Caird, her first single for two years, now off the mainstream and out on Log Off Records

Dec 7, 2025
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Dec 6, 2025
Song of the Day: Tiga (featuring Fcukers) - Silk Scarf
Dec 6, 2025

Song of the Day: A fun, sensual, quirkily oddball electronica dance single with a slick, fetish-flirtatious ode to a favourite smooth material by the Montreal musician (Tiga James Sontag) joined here with vocals by the New York band (Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis), and heralding Tiga’s upcoming album Hotlife, out in April on Secret City Records

Dec 6, 2025
Flea - A Plea.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Song of the Day: Flea - A Plea
Dec 5, 2025

Song of the Day: A striking, powerful new single by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers bassist (aka Michael Balzary), who brings a fusion of jazz and spoken word with a fabulous band on an impassioned number about the state of the US in a culture of hatred, social and political tensions, out now on Nonesuch Records

Dec 5, 2025
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Dec 4, 2025
Song of the Day: The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart
Dec 4, 2025

Song of the Day: Despite the title, this new double-A single (with Friday I’m Gonna Love You) has a wonderfully uplifting guitar-jangling beauty, with echoes of The Byrds and Stone Roses, but is of course the brilliant 60s and 70s retro sound of the Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, out on Captured Tracks

Dec 4, 2025
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Dec 3, 2025
Song of the Day: Alewya - Night Drive (featuring Dagmawit Ameha)
Dec 3, 2025

Song of the Day: A sensual, stylish, dreamy electro-pop single by the striking British singer-songwriter, producer, multidisciplinary artist and model Alewya Demmisse, musically influenced by her rich Ethiopian-Egyptian heritage and early childhood upbringings in Saudi Arabia and Sudan

Dec 3, 2025
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Dec 2, 2025
Song of the Day: Radio Free Alice - Rule 31
Dec 2, 2025

Song of the Day: Stirring, passionate indie postpunk by the band based in Melbourne, Australia, with echoes of The Cure’s core sound, new wave, and 90s indie-rock influences, and out on Double Drummer

Dec 2, 2025
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Dec 1, 2025
Song of the Day: Sailor Honeymoon - Armchair
Dec 1, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy, punchy, fuzz-guitar indie rock with a droll lyrical delivery and some echoes of Wet Leg come in this new single by the trio from Seoul, South Korea, out on Good Good Records

Dec 1, 2025

Word of the week

Featured
Hangover.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Word of the week: crapulence
Dec 4, 2025

Word of the week: A term that may apply regularly during Xmas party season, from the from the Latin crapula, in turn from the Greek kraipálē meaning "drunkenness" or "headache" pertains to sickness symptoms caused by excess in eating or drinking, or general intemperance and overindulgence

Dec 4, 2025
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Nov 20, 2025
Word of the week: discalceate
Nov 20, 2025

Word of the week: A rarely used, but often practised verb, especially when arriving home, it means to take off your shoes, but is also a slightly more common adjective meaning barefoot or unshod, particularly for certain religious orders that wear sandals instead of shoes. But in what context does this come up in song?

Nov 20, 2025
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Nov 6, 2025
Word of the week: erythrophyll
Nov 6, 2025

Word of the week: A seasonally topical word relating to the the red pigment of tree leaves, fruits and flowers, that appears particularly when changing in autumn, as opposed to the green effect of chlorophyll, from the Greek erythros for red, and phyll for leaves. But what of songs about this?

Nov 6, 2025
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Oct 22, 2025
Word of the week: fennec
Oct 22, 2025

Word of the week: It’s a small pale-fawn nocturnal fox with unusually large, highly sensitive ears, that inhabits from African and Arab deserts areas from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. But has it ever been seen in a song?

Oct 22, 2025
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Oct 9, 2025
Word of the week: gongoozler
Oct 9, 2025

Word of the week: A fabulous old English slang term for someone who tends to stand or sit for long periods staring at the passing of boats on canals, sometimes with a derogatory or at least ironic use for someone who is useless or lazy. But what of songs about this activity and culture?

Oct 9, 2025
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