by John Tindale Two years ago Låpsley, aka Holly Låpsley Fletcher, released the Monday EP – a four song introduction to what was clearly a very promising career. After a major label scramble and bidding war, Låpsley eventually signed for indie record label XL. Though it operates to all intents and purposes as a major, XL is notably home to Adele, the biggest sensation the music industry has known in a
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by Matthew Langham Following a three-year hiatus, Miike Snow return with their third album, imaginatively titled iii. Their 2009 self-titled debut featured hit record ‘Animal’ and it’s perhaps no surprise that the single became such a big success, with its bouncy hybrid of electro and indie. The trio is made up of Swedish production duo, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Wyatt. Karlsson and Winberg’s credits read as a
by Ollie Rankine Having been recorded whilst vocalist, Channy Leaneagh has been expecting the birth of her second child, Poliça have returned after nearly a three year break with their third studio album, United Crushers. Although the Minnesota quintet have retained the infectious synthpop tones demonstrated during their previous two records, United Crushers introduces a newfound rawness that suitably accompanies the album’s murky composition.
by Ed Biggs Once upon a time, The Coral were one of the most inspired and promising new bands of the British indie scene, standing out even among a glut of bright young things that emerged in 2002 with their bold, psychedelic slant on Britpop. That year’s self-titled debut album remains one of the best debuts of the decade, with the jaunty ‘Dreaming Of You’ becoming an indie disco staple. Maintaining
by Ed Biggs To describe Robert Pollard’s output rate as ‘prodigious’ would be the greatest understatement in music. As the lead singer of the obscurantist indie heroes Guided By Voices since the mid ‘80s and latterly as a solo artist, Pollard has more than 1,700 songs registered under his name with various performing rights organisations. Of Course You Are is his 22nd solo album since 1996, indicating a man who truly
by John Tindale Kendrick Lamar may already have registered himself as one of the greats before the age of 30; having released the classic good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012, he went on to better himself with what will certainly be regarded as one of the very best records of the decade, To Pimp A Butterfly, last year, so the surprising news that we are now getting some extracts from the
by Ed Biggs As the former lead singer of The Beta Band, Steve Mason has forged a strange path that has kept him running parallel to, yet separated from, the evolution of British indie over the last two decades. The band he founded with Gordon Anderson in the mid ‘90s produced one of the most criminally overlooked back catalogues of the latter-day Britpop era. Imagine if Pink Floyd had disbanded upon
by John Tindale It’s been four years since Santi White, aka Santigold, provided us with the soundtrack to the summer of 2012 in ‘Disparate Youth’ from sophomore effort Master Of My Make Believe. Since then White has had a baby, taken on some acting jobs and, more importantly on the music front, ditched cynicism in favour of a more pastiche pop sound. What becomes clear over the course of 99¢’s 45
by Matthew Langham Following on from the minor success of their debut record Everything Else Matters, St. Petersburg’s five-piece Pinkshinyultrablast return with their self-described blend of ‘thunder pop kung-fu gaze’, which saw them play to sell-out crowds in tiny venues throughout 2015. Grandfeathered is an expansive eight-track album, which capitalises on the soundscapes that were explored throughout their debut.
by Ed Biggs Having made one of the most distinctive British indie albums of the ‘10s with their self-titled debut, Yuck suffered a devastating blow three years ago when lead singer and chief creative force Daniel Blumberg quit to release his own music. Many feared for the group’s future direction, but guitarist Max Bloom stepped into the spotlight and made their second record, 2013’s Glow & Behold, a minor success that
