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New albums: Yves Tumor, Thundercat, Pigs x 7, Everything Is Recorded, Yaeji, Minor Science, Anna Burch, Ren Harvieu, Tops, M Ward

April 8, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Yves Tumor: mysterious, inventive androgyny

Yves Tumor: mysterious, inventive androgyny

An opulent selection of funk and electronica innovation comes from Yves Tumor and Thundercat, along with Korean artist Yaeji and Berlin’s Minor Science, plus massive metal of Pigs x 7 and beautiful indie and pop by Anna Burch and Ren Harvieu

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, hip-hop, indie, jazz, metal, pop, prog-rock, psychedelia, rock, soul, trip-hop Tags Yves Tumor, new releases, albums, Thundercat, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Everything Is Recorded, Richard Russell, Yaeji, Minor Science, Anna Burch, Ren Harvieu, Tops, M Ward, Warp Records, Brainfeeder, Rocket Recordings, XL Recordings, Whities, Heavenly Recordings, Bella Union, Musique Tops, ANTI Records
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New albums: Dana Gavanski, Waxahatchee, Sorry, Dua Lipa, Sufjan Stevens, Pearl Jam, Stephen Malkmus, Wu Fei, Abigail Washburn, The Chats, Shabaka Hutchings, Daniel Avery, Brian Fallon

March 31, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Dana Gavanski, from the video for Yesterday is Gone

Dana Gavanski, from the video for Yesterday is Gone

This week’s huge roundup includes a wide range of the soft and loud, the traditional and the experimental, from beautiful songwriting by Dana Gavanski and Waxahatchee, Aussie punks The Chats, and ambient music from Sufjan Stevens

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In albums, ambient, country, classical, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul, traditional, grunge Tags albums, new releases, Dana Gavanski, Waxahatchee, Sorry, Dua Lipa, Sufjan Stevens, Lowell Brams, Pearl Jam, Stephen Malkmus, Wu Fei, Abigail Washburn, The Chats, Shabaka Hutchings, Shabaka and the Ancestors, The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet, Daniel Avery, Alessandro Cortini, Brian Fallon, Mike Lindsay, Nine Inch Nails, Full Time Hobby, Merge Records, Domino Records, Warner Bros, Asthmatic Kitty, Smithsonian Folkways, Bargain Bin, Republic, Impulse Records, Phantasy Sound, PIAS, Lesser Known Records
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New albums: Childish Gambino, Låpsley, Roger and Brian Eno, Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela, Morrissey, Baxter Dury, Jessie Reyez, J Balvin, Matthew Tavares and Leland Whitty, Xoros

March 25, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover

Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover

Among this week’s selection is new experimental hip hop by the artist also known as Donald Glover, singer-songwriter Lapsley, Brian Eno collaborating with brother Roger and another duo of two African jazz greats

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In African, albums, ambient, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip-hop, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Childish Gambino, Donald Glover, Låpsley, Brian Eno, Roger Eno, Tony Allen, Hugh Masekela, Baxter Dury, Morrissey, Jessie Reyez, J Balvin, Matthew Tavares, Leland Whitty, Badbadnotgood, XOROS, XL Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, World Circuit, Heavenly Recordings, BMG, Island Records, FMLY, Universal Music Latino, Mr Bongo, Truant Recordings
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New albums: Porridge Radio, CocoRosie, Ultraísta, Nadia Reid, JFDR, Maria McKee, Yumi Zouma, Honey Cutt, The Wants, The Boomtown Rats

March 18, 2020 Peter Kimpton
CocoRosie aka sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady

CocoRosie aka sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady

A big, broad week of releases includes a mix of new and old artists, from the passionate female artists Porridge Radio, Nadia Reid and JFDR, the return of Nigel Godrich’s electronica project, to veterans Maria McKee and the Boomtown Rats

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, dub, experimental, folk, funk, garage, indie, hip hop, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul Tags albums, new releases, Porridge Radio, CocoRosie, Ultraísta, Nigel Godrich, JFDR, Maria McKee, Yumi Zouma, Honey Cutt, The Wants, The Boomtown Rats, Secretly Canadian, Marathon Artists, Partisan Records, Spacebomb Records, Krunk, AFAR, Polyvinyl, Nonesuch Records, Council Records, Kanine, BMG
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New albums: Cornershop, Riz Ahmed, Caroline Rose, U.S. Girls, Honey Harper, Disq, Paul Heaton, Jackie Abbott, Georgia Ruth, Brielle Ansems

March 10, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Cornershop’s new album, England Is A Garden

Cornershop’s new album, England Is A Garden

The latest roundup includes A sian perspectives on Britain in different forms by Cornershop and Riz Ahmed, plus clever collage pop from U.S. Girls, Caroline Rose and punchy indie from Disq

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In albums, ambient, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, rock, reggae, soul, traditional, trip-hop Tags new releases, albums, Cornershop, Tjinder Singh, Riz Ahmed, Caroline Rose, U.S. Girls, Honey Harper, Disq, Paul Heaton, Jackie Abbott, The Beautiful South, Georgia Ruth, Brielle Ansems, Ample Play, Mongrel, New West Records, 4AD, ATO Records, Saddle Creek Records, EMI, Bubblewrap Collective, Mosaic Music
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New albums: Moses Sumney, Caribou, The Orielles, Soccer Mommy, The Lost Brothers, Myrkur, Vladislav Delay, The Heliocentrics, Alabaster DePlume, Cold Beat, Kevin Krauter

March 3, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Moses Sumney

Moses Sumney

The latest roundup includes a multi-genre double by Moses Sumney, melancholy electronica from Caribou, funk-indie-pop from the Orielles as well as Scandinavian selections from Denmark’s black metal queen doing folk

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In albums, ambient, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul, traditional, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Moses Sumney, Caribou, Dan Snaith, The Orielles, Soccer Mommy, Sophie Allison, The Lost Brothers, Oisin Leech, Mark McCausland, Myrkur, Amalie Bruun, Vladislav Delay, Sasu Ripatti, The Heliocentrics, Cold Beat, Kevin Krauter, Jagjaguwar, City Slang, Heavenly Recordings, Concord Records, Bird Dog, Relapse, Cosmo Rhythmatic, Madlib Invazion, DFA, Bayonet, Alabaster DePlume, Lost Map Records, Total Refreshment Centre
Comment

New albums: Grimes, Agnes Obel, King Krule, Pictish Trail, Lanterns on the Lake, Douglas Dare, Peggy Sue, Best Coast

February 24, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Grimes

Grimes

A truly eclectic lineup characterises this week’s roundup with a concept album from Grimes, a work of ethereal beauty from Agnes Obel, space electronic-folk from The Pictish Trail, and much more …

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, rock, soul Tags albums, new releases, Grimes, Agnes Obel, King Krule, The Pictish Trail, Lanterns of the Lake, Douglas Dare, Peggy Sue, Best Coast, Deutsche Grammophon, 4AD, Fire Records, XL Recordings, Matador Records, Bella Union, PIAS, Erased Tapes, Concord Records
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New albums: Tame Impala, Moses Boyd, Katie Gatley, Seth Lakeman, Nathaniel Rateliff, Mush, Eyelids, Boniface, Beach Bunny

February 18, 2020 Peter Kimpton
From the cover artwork for Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush

From the cover artwork for Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush

This week’s selection includes some smooth funk pop from Slow Impala, pioneering jazz from Moses Boyd, extraordinary electronica from Katie Gatley, and refreshing indie from Mush and Beach Bunny

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In albums, ambient, blues, dance music, country, electronica, experimental, folk, indie, jazz, pop, psychedelia, prog-rock, rock, soul Tags Songs, albums, new releases, Tame Impala, Moses Boyd, Katie Gatley, Seth Lakeman, Nathaniel Rateliff, Mush, Eyelids, Boniface, Beach Bunny, Fiction Records, Exodus, Houndstooth, BMG, Stax Records, Memphis Industries, Decor Records, Transgressive, Mom + Pop Records
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New albums: Destroyer, Squarepusher, Drive-By Truckers, Sam Lee, Ben Watt, Smoke Fairies, J Hus, Frances Quinian

February 5, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Old folk made new: Sam Lee

Old folk made new: Sam Lee

Emotional intensity mostly in solo form, is the overriding theme of this week’s album roundup across a range of styles – folk, indie, alt-country and hip hop as well frenetic drum-n’bass and jazz

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In albums, ambient, country, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, rock, soul, psychedelia Tags Destroyer, Dan Bejar, Squarepusher, Drive-By Truckers, Sam Lee, Elizabeth Fraser, Bernard Butler, Ben Watt, Everything But The Girl, Smoke Fairies, J Hus, Frances Quinian, Dead Oceans, Warp Records, ATO Records, Cooking Vinyl, Unmade Road, Year Seven, Black Butter, Saddle Creek Records
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New albums: Pet Shop Boys, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Okay Kaya, Jim Noir, Nicolas Godin, Twin Atlantic, Poliça, Basic Plumbing

January 29, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Pet Shop Boys

Pet Shop Boys

The second of this week’s roundups includes the return of the Pet Shop Boys, raw emotion from Sarah Mary Chadwick, eccentric pop from OKay Kaya and laid back electronica from Jim Noir

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In albums, ambient, blues, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, rock, soul, trip-hop Tags new releases, albums, Pet Shop Boys, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Okay Kaya, Jim Noir, Nicolas Godin, Air, Twin Atlantic, Poliça, Basic Plumbing, Kobalt, X2, Sinderlyn, Jagjaguwar, Dook Recordings, Because Records, EMI, Memphis Industries
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New albums: Wire, Holy Fuck, Gabrielle Alpin, G Love and the Special Sauce, Andy Shauf, Chromatics, Mr Elevator

January 29, 2020 Peter Kimpton
A bit of everything: from the cover of Gabrielle Aplin’s Dear Happy

A bit of everything: from the cover of Gabrielle Aplin’s Dear Happy

The first of two roundups this week, this includes a return for the postpunk pioneers Wire, pop singer-songwriter Gabrielle Alpin, and electronica indie quartet Holy Fuck teeming up with Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor

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In albums, ambient, blues, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, hip hop, indie, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, Wire, Holy Fuck, Gabrielle Alpin, G Love and the Special Sauce, Andy Shauf, Chromatics, Mr Elevator, Pink Flag, Holy F, Never Fade Records, AWAL, Philadelphonic Records, ANTI Records, Italians Do It Better, Castle Face
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New albums: Algiers, Halsey, Courteeners, Eminem, Mura Masa, Mac Miller, Keeley Forsyth, Alice Boman, Bill Fay, Bombay Bicycle Club, Pinegrove, Whyte Horses (with John Grant), Ivor Cutler tribute

January 21, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Halsey

Halsey

A mixture of dark and light, hope and hopelessness decorate this week’s huge roundup of releases across many genres, including oddities and eccentricities, passions and playfulness from Emimen to Ivor Cutler, Halsey to Keeley Forsyth

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In albums, ambient, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, hip-hop, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul, traditional Tags albums, new releases, Algiers, Halsey, Courteeners, Eminem, Mura Masa, Mac Miller, Keeley Forsyth, Alice Boman, Bill Fay, Bombay Bicycle Club, Pinegrove, Whyte Horses, John Grant, Gruff Rhys, La Roux, Ivor Cutler, Citizen Bravo, Raymond MacDonald, Matador Records, Ignition, Interscope, Aftermath Entertainment, Polydor, Warner Bros, Capitol Records, The Leaf Label, PIAS, Dead Oceans, Mmm…Records, Rough Trade, CRC Music, Chemikal Underground
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New albums: Georgia, Field Music, The Big Moon, David Keenan, Aoife Nessa Frances, David Devant & His Spirit Wife, The Chap, Poppy

January 15, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Conjuring up new magic: David Devant & His Spirit Wife

Conjuring up new magic: David Devant & His Spirit Wife

The opening roundup of new LPs for 2020 is a heady mixture of electronica, indie, pop and even a concept album about the aftermath of the First World War. From clean living to death and destruction, anything is possible

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In albums, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, psychedelia, rock, soul Tags new releases, albums, Georgia, Field Music, The Big Moon, David Keenan, Aoife Nessa Frances, David Devant & His Spirit Wife, The Chap, Poppy, Domino Records, Memphis Industries, Fiction Records, Rubyworks, Basin Rock, Lo Recordings, Sumerian
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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: Beck, Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Allison Moorer, Avalanche Party, WaqWaq Kingdom, Slagheap, Davido, Various

November 27, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Beck to the future?

Beck to the future?

This week’s roundup includes a cosmic return for Beck, a wonderfully droll posthumous release from Leonard Cohen, deeply powerful tragedy from Allison Moorer, and some quirkily catchy work from Japan’s WaqWaq Kingdom

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In African, albums, ambient, blues, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, dub, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, prog-rock, punk, reggae, rock, soul Tags albums, new releases, Beck, Pharrell Williams, Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Allison Moorer, Avalanche Party, WaqWaq Kingdom, Slagheap, Davido, Various, Capitol Records, Columbia Records, Autotelic, Thirty Tigers, Polydor, So Knee Records, Phantom Limb, Spurge Recordings, RCA, Soul Jazz Records
Comment

New albums: Tindersticks, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, DJ Shadow, Arthur Russell, Dog In The Snow, Shanti Celeste, Pumarosa, Willie J Healey

November 21, 2019 Peter Kimpton
From the cover of Tindersticks’ new album No Treasure But Hope

From the cover of Tindersticks’ new album No Treasure But Hope

Kings of beautiful misery Tindersticks and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy return with some startlingly uplifting numbers, and some great debuts by Dog In the Snow and Shanti Celeste are among this week’s roundup picks

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In albums, ambient, blues, country, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, jazz, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, punk, rock, soul Tags albums, new releases, Tindersticks, Stuart Staples, Bonnie Prince Billy, Will Oldham, DJ Shadow, Run The Jewels, De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, Arthur Russell, Dog In The Snow, Shanti Celeste, Pumarosa, Willie J Healey, City Slang, Domino Records, Mass Appeal Records, Audika Records, Bella Union, Peach Discs, Fiction Records, Yala! Records
Comment

New albums: FKA twigs, Moor Mother, Kele, Girl Ray, Omni, Land of Kush, Mount Eerie, Son Of Town Hall, Bjork remixes

November 14, 2019 Peter Kimpton
FKA twigs

FKA twigs

This week’s roundup is highlighted by extraordinarily alternative female artists - FKA twigs and Moor Mother, as well as a new solo album by Block Party frontman Kele, bringing another political edge

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In African, albums, ambient, country, blues, dance music, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, garage, grime, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, punk, reggae, traditional, soundtracks, soul, trip-hop Tags albums, new releases, FKA Twigs, Moor Mother, Kele, Bloc Party, Girl Ray, Land of Kush, Mount Eerie, Phil Everum, Julie Doiron, Son of Town Hall, Björk, Fever Ray, The Knife, Young Turks, Giovanni Records, KOLA Records, !K7, Moshi Moshi, Sub Pop, Omni, Constellation Records, PW Elverum, Sun Records, One Little Indian
Comment

New albums: Mark Lanegan, Foals, Lankum, Vagabon, Caroline Polachek, Alice Hubble, Floating Points, Jacques Greene, The Yummy Fur

October 23, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Vagabon, aka Laetitia Tamko

Vagabon, aka Laetitia Tamko

This week’s selection includes Foals Part 2 to their acclaimed Part 1, Mark Lanegan going slightly goth, clever pop from Vagabon, extraordinary folk from Lankum, and entrancing electronica from Floating Points and Alice Hubble

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In albums, ambient, African, dance music, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, hip hop, indie, jazz, pop, post-punk, prog-rock, psychedelia, punk, rock, soul Tags new releases, albums, Mark Lanegan, Foals, Lankum, Vagabon, Caroline Polachek, Alice Hubble, Floating Points, Jacques Greene, The Yummy Fur, Heavenly Recordings, Transgressive, Warner Bros, Rough Trade, Nonesuch Records, Columbia Records, Happy Robots Records, Ninja Tune, Lucky Me Records, Rock Action Records
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New Albums …

Featured
Favourite Albums of 2025 - Part 3.jpeg
Dec 18, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Three
Dec 18, 2025

Welcome to the third and final part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There is also Part One, and Part Two. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 18, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Two.jpeg
Dec 17, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Two
Dec 17, 2025

Welcome to the second part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There is also a first part and a third part this week. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 17, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part 1 updated.jpg
Dec 16, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part One
Dec 16, 2025

Welcome to the first part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There will also be a second and third part this week. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 16, 2025
Juliana Hatfield.jpeg
Dec 16, 2025
Juliana Hatfield: Lightning Might Strike
Dec 16, 2025

New album: Personal upheaval, grief, powerlessness, trauma, sudden change inform the title and colour the lyrics of this latest LP by the seasoned Boston indie artist but her songs are packed with brutally honest, candid, concise reflections and warm, catchy, stirring riffs and melodies

Dec 16, 2025
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

new songs …

Featured
Greentea Peng - Prisoners Round.jpeg
Dec 18, 2025
Song of the Day: Greentea Peng - Prisoners Round
Dec 18, 2025

Song of the Day: Following March 2025’s acclaimed album, Tell Dem It’s Sunny, the south-east London artist (aka Aria Wells) returns with another smoky, dark, track with hues of blues, dub and soul and Portishead-esque trip-hop, focusing on the trappings and challenges of modern life

Dec 18, 2025
Kaitlyn Aurela Smith - I Miss The Way You Swim.jpg
Dec 17, 2025
Song of the Day: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - I Miss the Way You Swim
Dec 17, 2025

Song of the Day: Beautiful modular synths and intermingling orchestral sounds ripple in this work by the American composer, performer and producer in a piece shaped by loss of someone loved, taken from an upcoming instrumental album Thoughts On The Future, out on Nettwerk Music

Dec 17, 2025
The Paper Kites - If You Go There.jpeg
Dec 16, 2025
Song of the Day: The Paper Kites - Change Of The Wind
Dec 16, 2025

Song of the Day: A beautiful, reflective number by the alternative folk-rock band from Melbourne fronted by Sam Bentley, heralding their seventh studio album If You Go There, I Hope You Find It, out on 23 January via Nettwerk Music Group

Dec 16, 2025
Courtney Marie Andrews - Valentine.jpeg
Dec 15, 2025
Song of the Day: Courtney Marie Andrews - Little Picture Of A Butterfly
Dec 15, 2025

Song of the Day: Beautiful, delicate, fluttering, eclectic, heartbreak folk and Americana by the singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona, heralding her forthcoming new album, Valentine, out on 16 January via Loose Future

Dec 15, 2025
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
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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
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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
Puma Blue - Croak Dream.jpeg
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
ELIZA - Anyone Else.jpeg
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
SILK SCARF by Tiga & Fcukers.jpg
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

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
Narrowboat.jpeg
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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