NAO - And Then Life Was Beautiful
4 Stars
A radiant, joyous record.
Reviews
Public Service Broadcasting - Bright Magic
4 Stars
It flourishes at its most calm and erupts at its most fervent.
Angels & Airwaves - Lifeforms
3 Stars
There’s enough for fans to enjoy across ‘Lifeforms’, but it is not as lofty as it perhaps thinks itself to be.
Porij - Baby Face
4-5 Stars
‘Baby Face’ it might be, but Porij aren’t playing around.
Lil Nas X - MONTERO
4 Stars
A triumphant debut that sees the once-considered one-hit-wonder proving he’s got what it takes.
Employed To Serve - Conquering
4 Stars
This is a band at the top of their game.
Ray BLK - Access Denied
4 Stars
It has proven itself every bit worth the wait.
Alexis Taylor - Silence
3 Stars
A reflective release.
Liz Lawrence - The Avalanche
3 Stars
In short, second solo time around it’s still a mixed bag.
Sleigh Bells - TEXIS
4 Stars
The best of both worlds.
End of the Road 2021 is an exemplary slice of true festival magic
More than just about the music, the Dorset weekender is a bastion of good vibes and escapist spirit.
September 8, 2021 5:00pm
Slam Dunk cements punk’s community spirit
The throngs of merch-clad fans pouring through the gates is immediate testament to its impact on the scene.
September 7, 2021 11:13am
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed
4 Stars
Far from spinning distant, third-person tales, each track feels incredibly personal.
Deb Never - Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
4 Stars
Propelled by Deb’s magnetically cool smooth vocals throughout, it finds the LA artist in full bloom.
Colleen Green - Cool
4 Stars
Colleen Green has always been cool. It’s just that she seems content now, too.
Spencer. - Are U Down
4 Stars
Spencer.’s skills as a producer and songwriter have never been more evident. Period.
The Vaccines - Back In Love City
4 Stars
It feels like the purest Vaccines album yet.
Common - A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2
4 Stars
A sweet paean to music’s mood-boosting properties, as well as it capacity to effect meaningful change.
Tommy Genesis - goldilocks x
4 Stars
A little weird, a little dark, and it’s just right.
Amyl and the Sniffers - Comfort To Me
4 Stars
On the whole, this feels like Amyl and the Sniffers finding their purpose.
Art School Girlfriend - Is It Light Where You Are
4 Stars
A wholly atmospheric synth-driven debut doused in heartbreak.
Manic Street Preachers - The Ultra Vivid Lament
3-5 Stars
A requiem, but one that looks for sonic positivity in the thematic darkness.
IDLES, Dry Cleaning and local boys Shame stand out at the inaugural Wide Awake
A sense of joy is palpable as the sun beats down on South London.
September 7, 2021 10:37am
Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club bring a triumphant close to All Points East 2021
Victoria Park’s big Bank-Holiday-indie-day-out does not disappoint.
September 6, 2021 5:00pm
Flossing - Queen of the Mall
3-5 Stars
There’s an icy new wave heart to much of Flossing that feels out of step with 2021.
Lazarus Kane - Psychobabble
3-5 Stars
‘Psychobabble’ proves that Lazarus Kane never needed to don any costumes to be at their best.
박혜진 Park Hye Jin - Before I Die
3 Stars
Slightly too forbidding to ever fully feel at home.
We Were Promised Jetpacks - Enjoy The View
3 Stars
We’re left after just a little more.
Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
5 Stars
If ‘GREY Area’ saw Simz come-of-age as a rapper, ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ is Simz making her first long-lasting artistic stamp on the zeitgeist.