The Student Playlist

Showcasing the Best New Music, Curating the Classics

Tag Ollie Rankine

REVIEW: Explosions In The Sky – ‘The Wilderness’ (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

by Ollie Rankine The Wilderness is perhaps an appropriate album title when considering the content of Texan post-rockers Explosions In The Sky’s newest artistic venture. Although retaining the gentle, dream-like guitar riffs that have featured in previous works all the way back to their 2003 masterpiece The Earth Is Not A Cold, Dead Place, EITS have stepped into the bottomless unknown to explore much deeper territories of music.

REVIEW: Mogwai – ‘Atomic’ (Rock Action)

by Ollie Rankine The thought of living in an age where the mere, simple push of a single button could begin the cataclysmic implosion of humanity as we know it is certainly not reassuring to say the least. The desire to harness the colossal capabilities of nuclear power has become subject to primary interest of superpowers around the world. The idea of developing something with such formidable potential is mind-bogglingly fascinating

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REVIEW: Liima – ‘ii’ (4AD)

by Ollie Rankine It’s nearly four years since the release of Efterklang’s Piramida, and after recently recruiting Finnish percussionist, Tatu Rönkkö the Scandinavian trio have eventually returned under their new name Liima with debut album, ii. Following four week-long bouts of writing in Finland, Berlin, Istanbul and Madeira, Liima have matured from Efterklang’s previous four albums by establishing a far more complex sound.

REVIEW: HÆLOS – ‘Full Circle’ (Matador)

by Ollie Rankine We all know that feeling of walking through the front door during the early hours of the morning after a particularly strenuous night out. Varying emotions cloud the familiar lethargic reflections of the previous hours spent laughing with friends and embarrassing yourself on the dance floor of the chosen club of the evening. Most of us combat the comedown by finding solace in the left over takeaway that

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REVIEW: Poliça – ‘United Crushers’ (Memphis Industries)

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.

REVIEW: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – ‘This Unruly Mess I’ve Made’ (Macklemore LLC)

by Ollie Rankine Few artists have experienced the spectacularly unique fall from grace demonstrated by Seattle hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. It’s not unfair to say that most of us were left a little bemused following The Heist’s controversial victory at the 2014 Grammys when it claimed the title of Best Rap Album while in the same category as both Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d City and Kanye’s Yeezus, two

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