The Wolfgang Press: Back To The Future

A spectrogram-powered Russian synth, Tibetan drums made of human skulls, and the world’s largest cowbell are just some of the weird instruments that feature on the new album from Helsinki’s Pepe Deluxé. We lift the lid on their box of delights 

Fancy a few snappy Q&As with some of the big movers and shakers at Bluedot 2023? Of course you do. Step up Creep Show’s John Grant, Stephen Mallinder and Benge, Radiophonic Workshop’s Peter Howell, Johnny Lynch aka The Pictish Trail, David Maclean of Django Django, Ian Parton of The Go! Team, former Lush singer Miki Berenyi and Bluedot festival director Ben Robinson

In a world taking some distinctly dark turns, George Orwell’s ‘1984’ is starting to feel alarmingly prescient. Enter d’Voxx – Nino Auricchio and Paul Borg – whose officially sanctioned musical homage to the celebrated dystopian novel succeeds where David Bowie once failed

A self-proclaimed “uber-group/circus troupe”, London quartet The Umlauts dabble in wonky minimal synths, art-punk and industrial vibes. Thrillingly visceral it all is too, as their ‘Another Fact’ EP vividly attests

Club-fuelled hedonism, arty vibes and their own self-styled “techno opera” – get ready for the playful euphoria of Awkward Moments

After years of band tensions and failed reunions, Propaganda’s Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag have resurfaced as xPropaganda with a shimmering new album, ‘The Heart Is Strange’. Here, they talk ZTT, camaraderie and the fear of following up 1985’s defining ‘A Secret Wish’