Politics are an inherent part of punk and hardcore culture, but not even the most ardent fans like feeling preached to, especially by artists who seem more focused on their messaging than on their music. On their new full-length, Baby, British-Austrian postpunk band Petrol Girls step away from all that (and even poke fun at […]
Tag: United Kingdom
Posted inMusic
Sleaford Mods stir up dark energy on the focused new Spare Ribs
When I first heard Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods, Jason Williamson’s unhinged vocal delivery immediately captured my attention. Their minimalist music—which is simply Williamson ranting about working-class struggles over Andrew Fern’s sparse, chintzy electronic beats—could appeal to anarcho-punks, hip-hop heads, and Mark E. Smith devotees alike. Williamson is a force: wide-eyed and frothing at the mouth, […]
Posted inMusic
Shame do some soul searching and take an eclectic turn on Drunk Tank Pink
In the face of uncertainty and fear, some people would rather climb back into the proverbial womb. For Shame vocalist Charlie Steen, “the womb” was a nickname for a tiny laundry space that had been converted into a bedroom in the apartment he shared with guitarist Sean Coyle-Smith. It proved itself the perfect place for […]
Posted inMusic
Electronic innovators Cabaret Voltaire make a mind-bending return on Shadow of Fear
In this hellish age, true celebrations feel few and far between, but the first new Cabaret Voltaire album in 26 years is definitely cause for rejoicing. Its title, Shadow of Fear, sticks to this UK group’s usual dystopian vibe; they kicked off the 1980 album The Voice of America by addressing the messed-up state of […]
Posted inMusic
Jesu seduces you with melodic bleakness
UK guitarist and composer Justin Broadrick is best known as a founding member of the industrial metal assault that is Godflesh. But capturing purely annihilatory noise in that pounding maelstrom is not his only musical interest. He formed Jesu in 2003 to focus on postpunk, goth, and the bleaker, lonelier shores of shoegaze, and characteristically, […]
Posted inMusic
Sam Smith sings through the pain on Love Goes
It seems crazy to me that the new Love Goes is only Sam Smith’s third album. The UK singer-songwriter made their debut in 2014 with the international breakout In the Lonely Hour, but it feels like they’ve been a go-to modern torch singer for much longer. Perhaps that’s partly due to the strange passage of […]
Posted inMusic
Beabadoobee travels through alt-pop time on Fake It Flowers
British singer-songwriter Beabadoobee is only 20 years old, but on her debut album, Fake It Flowers, she’s written songs that sound like alt-pop favorites from the decade before she was born—mostly the Sundays with a hint of Tanya Donelly. To my ears, her music’s combo of sugary sweetness with a hint of bile defines the […]
Posted inMusic
Crippled Black Phoenix make an urgent plea for humanity on Ellengæst
Listening to a new Crippled Black Phoenix record is a bit like unwrapping a present. Even if you have an idea what’s under the intricate ribbons and shiny paper, you can still get surprised. That’s partially by design. Though the the songs of British multi-instrumentalist Justin Greaves provide the group with a common thread, Crippled […]
Posted inMusic
Loraine James expands her kaleidoscopic IDM on Nothing
Loraine James makes kaleidoscopic music defined by frenetic, glitched-out beats. Despite its restless sense of perpetual movement, the London producer’s music is transparently emotive; every turbulent arrangement allows for a narrative that conveys anxiety, anger, and giddiness, even as the sound and aesthetic of a track is often icy and austere. After breaking through with […]
Posted inMusic
Sault’s Untitled (Black Is) is the soundtrack for the 2020 revolution
Sault are an anonymous UK trio who create music grounded in the tenets of Black rights and Black freedom, and there’s never been a better time than now to hear their message. Last year they put out their debut album, 5, and an almost immediate follow-up, 7, and this summer they released their third record, […]
Posted inMusic
UK rapper Little Simz works from home to summon power, dreaminess, and dread on Drop 6
British rapper Simbi Ajikawo, who records as Little Simz, jumps right into your ears with her distinctive beats and fluid style on “Might Bang, Might Not,” the first song on the new Drop 6. “You ain’t seen no one like me since / Lauryn Hill in the 90s, bitch,” she raps, laying down the law […]
Posted inMusic
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs conjure the kind of wild shows we miss while the world’s on lockdown on Viscerals
It may be a while before the sort of all-out raging rock show that’s so hot and packed you leave smelling like other people’s sweat is once again part of human existence, but Newcastle Upon Tyne five-piece Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (or, more concisely, Pigs x 7) won’t let that feeling fade […]
Posted inBlogs
12 O’Clock Track: Melt Yourself Down, “We Are Enough”
Today’s 12 O’Clock Track is “We Are Enough” by Melt Yourself Down