
The influence of African music on pop culture is obvious, but it really feels like it has been roundly overlooked in full discourse. Either way, the influence is evident on the new track from Ghanaian/American singer, Amaarae’s new single. Melding R&B, dance, afrobeats, pop and more, Amaarae has been turning heads with forward thinking music,…

The Kokoroko collective have shared a fine new track by the name of ‘Just Can’t Wait’, which is taken from the imminent ‘Tuff Times Never Last’ LP, which is due out on July 11th. Not long to wait! “It’s a song with a congregational feeling for the steppers,” says Sheila Maurice-Grey, which is exactly the…

We’ve wandered into the summer, and that of course, means it is festival season. Alongside the usual hedonism, middle class kids doing some working class tourism, yurts, balloons, and flags, there’s also going to be Palestine. A lot of media outlets are focusing on Kneecap, who have been vocal in their support for Palestine and…

Aside from the countless, despicable things being undertaken by the US government in recent years, one of the things that really sticks in the craw is just how they claim to be tough and uncancellable, while being the biggest, pearl clutching soft-arses on the planet. Sure, the terminally online left may seem like they’re out…

Mavis Staples is great and we should sing her praises every chance we get. There’s nothing she can’t sing or add something to, and from spearheading Southern Soul and gospel, to pallying up with The Band, it’s great she’s still got some surprises left in her. With that, she’s released a cover of Frank Ocean’s…

Phoenix are great and we especially love their debut album ‘United’, as it basically preempted rock music falling in love with 70s soft rock and 80s production again. Between them and their pals Daft Punk, their love of AOR and wonky Beach Boys LPs paved the way for Yacht Rock’s revival, disco’s renaissance and the…

Hey! Do you like new music and, not just new music, but slightly difficult music that’s fun? Well, you should check outy Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra newbie, ‘Future Shaman’. Apply here if you like wonky jazz and post-rock. It’s discordant, good stuff. Mazurek is a composer/trumpeter and the Exploding Star Orchestra features Damon Locks…

We like a popstar making bold choices, and Sam Smith has been doing exactly that lately. It doesn’t matter whether you like the tunes or not, we should absolutely support a commercial artist when they lean into the experimental and off-kilter. Did you see them on SNL, with Sharon Stone draping themselves all over the…

It feels kinda shitty referring to a new artist as ‘Bjork’s daughter’, but needs must. Isadora Bjarkardottir Barney is her name, and she’s released her debut solo work as part of a comp showcasing Icelandic music. The comp is called ‘DRULLUMALL 4’ and Isadora’s track – ‘bergmál’ – is really good, you’ll be glad to…

The mighty Pet Shop Boys are all set to share some previously unreleased songs in April. It’s all part of a new thing they’re doing and that new thing is a book called ‘Annually’. The 2023 edition of the yearly release (hence the name) will be a 64-page hardback affair, containing journals, photos from their…
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