It mines familiar-enough influences. ... There's a sonic freshness, though, abetted by wizardy analogue production tricks of Daptone head engineer Wayne Gordon. [Jul 2018, p.34]

Musically, it is business as usual--out-on-the-floor, stack-heeled indie stompers all the way--but if 2010's stark Losing Sleep was a little on the abrupt side, this is more concise still. [Apr 2013, p.75]

Glasvegas still strike the heart-strings, even without noisy guitars. [Jan 2008, p.94]

Even in cliched moments the airy swooning music lends her breathy confessionals a vulnerable, charming intimacy. [Jul 2009, p.99]

He chucks deep vocal house and astral UK bass, with the title track crucially offsetting a tendency to overly tasteful restraint. [Feb 2015, p.73]

While there's a little less shouting than usual going on, a more laconic American influence serves the well when Charlie Steen's drawl lends the title track's electro-pop textures a Dandy Warhols feel, and "Lampiao" channels an LCD-style tale of gangster mythology. [Nov 2025, p.36]

As much as Volumes: One demonstrates the power of the collective, Vernon's own extraordinary voice remains the star of the show, whether delivered straight or stunningly refracted through his custom Messina effects unit. [Jun 2026, p.42]

Reflective of our era of political polarisation, the likes of “Contempt For You” can make for bruising listening experiences. Yet there’s still plenty of solace to be found in performances by Iceland’s Elin Ey and the ever-remarkable Anohni. [Jul 2022, p.26]

The added zip only serves to spotlight her stark, moody delivery. [Mar 2007, p.98]

Shabason again blurs genre boundaries with impeccable judgement and such understatedly emotional approach that the tag "ambient jazz" sounds like a slight. [Jan 2019, p.25]

If there's a criticism, it's that this rarely expands on the ideas of their debut: shouty kiddy-rapping, Motown samples, crashing drum loops. But when a band boasts such a unique sonic palette, "more of the same" surely ranks as a compliment.

The songs are simple but seductive; the melodies blissed-out, hypnotic. [Jul 2014, p.78]

As Polica, they go some way to forging their own--snare rim snaps and menacing funk bass constantly chasing with Casselle's Auto-Tuned--but endearingly vulnerable. [May 2012, p.79]

Inspired concept, superlative execution. [Apr 2014, p.76]

Dreamy found-sound interludes weave the whole thing together, demanding headphones and space. [Jan 2021, p.23]

Warm Heart Of Africa works best when Radioclit subtly build on the rhythms of Mwamwaya's native kwassa kwassa. [Oct 2009, p.119]

Busta stampedes through a survey of current rap styles with boundless wit, energy and quality rhymes. [Mar 2002, p.96]

From the edge of the sea, back to the fringes of sleep, Summer Sun is uncommonly lovely. [May 2003, p.104]

Arguably, not since early Costello has a British solo artist combined such bare-arsed soulfulness with such corrosively perceptive humour. Quite something. [Album of the Month, Nov 2002, p.112]

While Chain Gang Of Love only lasts 33 minutes, it still outstays its welcome. [Sep 2003, p.100]

An understated, often truly lovely debut. [Apr 2006, p.106]

Just when you think you've got the measure of Pierce's winsome tropicalia, he pitches another delightful curveball: a curiously faithful cover of The Lemonheads' "Mallo Cup." [Dec 2010, p.98]

Half of this curious but at times compelling collaboration set lyrics from old songs to new tracks--though not always to their benefit. [Oct 2013, p.62]

The naked, more soul-leaning titke track works nicely, as do the almost cosmic jazz explorations of "Didn't Come To argue" featuring Monica Martin), but for all the heavy sentiment and weight here, the results sometimes feel hollow. [May 2026, p.26]

Harvey's intimate understanding of Serge's rich catalogue allows him to smother markedly different compositions such as "Ce Mortel Enniu" (1958) and perverted mid-70s gear "SS Si Bon" and "L'Homme a Tete De Chou" with a menacing Bad Seeds swagger that unifies Delirium Tremens. [Aug 2016, p.76]

Dying is at once a queasy and exhilarating listen, made more unnerving still by the lyrical fragments about addiction, insomnia and depression that emerge from their clamour. [Mar 2015, p.

While they lack a reedy falsetto, guest vocalists such as Blaine Harrison, Euros Child and Holly Miranda bring discrete personalities to bear on songs which trippily track the lightly fantastic. [Aug 2016, p.72]

Savage Times inevitably captures the tenor of its times as the Left Coast watched America turn rightward. [Mar 2017, p.26]