
End of year round-ups can be a pretty predictable affair, with publications counting on fandoms of massive stars boosting their signal, be it an inflated spot on the chart, or a provocatively low spot designed to agitate. Of course, some massive releases are worthy of lofty positions, but we prefer to give spots to the…

On Monday, we’ll be announcing our LPs of 2023. We figured that this will leave it late enough that no-one will surprise us with a complete masterpiece and ruin everything. We’ve tried to go for albums that are away from the grain, but honestly, it’s what we were listening to the most, so we’re not…

We are prepping ourselves to do our End Of Year lists, but it’s more of an emotional readying because they take ages to do. What doesn’t help is that everyone has started releasing Christmas songs to really give us a deadline. Thankfully, the one we’re sharing from Anastasia Coope is a little freaky gem. While…

Just the other day, everyone was sharing their Spotify Wrapped graphics and having a giggle and all that, but things were about to get tremendously serious at Spotify HQ. This week, the streaming behemoth announced that they’d be sacking 17% of their staff. That’s around 1,500 people losing their pay just before Christmas. Pretty brutal.…

Kiss are no longer real people, and will be forever young as some imaginary thing. See, they’ve announced the ‘end of its physical existence’ because now, they’ll be digital avatars. They’ve copied ABBA obviously, because pop walks so rock can run. Anyway, it all feels a bit weird and this whole scenario is like when…

Kenya Grace apparently had a viral smash, but virality is something that passes us by so we’ll just have to accept what’s been said regarding all that. What we do know, however, is that Kenya’s new single ‘Paris’ is a slice of future pop that we like a whole bunch. Writing, producing and performing her…

Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band are bringing back the jangle, with Ciao Ciao Bambino! Recorded in West Kirby with Bill Ryder-Jones (him again!), Head says: “’Ciao Ciao Bambino’ came to me one night when I was thinking about the first words I ever heard. It was a song called ‘Ciao Ciao Bambino’ that my…

If you’re not following Dream Chimney on the various socials, you really need to. They’re fine curators of balearic gems, jazz and funk, easy house and anything vibey to tap your Birkenstocks along to. Here’s their website and we suspect you can work out the rest. They’ve shared a mix from Dom Williams which we’ve…

If you’ve been missing some future Prince-esque funk, then you’re in for a treat with the new one from Genesis Owusu! The new track is from the new and imminent LP ‘Struggler’ and if this is anything to go by, it’s going to be a total winner. It’s called ‘Tied Up’ and there’s not much…

Hauntology is such a grimly hip phrase at the minute, but sometimes, it just fits so nicely when you’re listening to something that gives you the good willies. With Honey Gentry, it’s the sound of lilting country balladry, delivered via a ouija board. Not to say it’s menacing music, but rather, spectral and otherworldly and…

If you’ve been looking for that melodramatic, overwrought joy that you’d get from, say, Talk Talk and even Tears For Fears, then you won’t go far wrong here. There’s a track we’re particularly fond of called ‘Miss Yesterday’ (and ‘The Edge‘ is definitely worth your time as well) which is the dreamiest of pop, and…
THERE’S NO MONEY IN THIS GAME ANYMORE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO WRITE SOMETHING FOR THE POP CORPS, YOU ARE WELCOME TO GET IN TOUCH. HAPPY HUNTING.
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