Yard Act: Utopian Values
A contemplation of success and the power of hope, Yard Act’s much-anticipated second album finds the innovative Leeds outfit in superlative form
Drew Mulholland: Tales From The Loop
Sound obsessive, tape loop guru, godfather of hauntology and – least likely of all – teen pin-up. For five decades, Drew Mulholland has been walking a very individual path
Karl Bartos: Nothing Is Real
Karl Bartos discusses his soundtrack for the expressionist shocker ‘The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari’, a film set in the 19th century, first released in 1920, and now reissued more than 100 years later
Maya Shenfeld: Shine On
Embracing modular synths, acoustic instrumentation and superb depth of expression, composer Maya Shenfeld’s sumptuous arrangements make for a hugely compelling listening experience
Office For Personal Development: Funny Business
Office For Personal Development are both a great synthpop band and a mischievous spoof of the more sinister side of motivational corporate culture. Where the line falls is anybody’s guess…
Tangerine Dream: Paradigm Drift
Epic and mesmeric, sensual and influential, ‘Phaedra’ is Tangerine Dream’s definitive masterpiece. It was recorded under trying circumstances, but the album’s sequenced, otherworldly sounds – built on Mellotron and Moog synths – arguably resonate even more today than they did in 1974. To mark its 50th anniversary this month, we tell the story of an enduring cornerstone of progressive electronic music
Brian Griffin: Trip The Light Fantastic
You will know the iconic work of photographer Brian Griffin from a raft of classic 1980s album sleeves, including the cover of Ultravox’s ‘Vienna’, the inspiration for which lay in the pages of business magazines
Montañera: Flowered Up
Colombian producer Montañera makes deeply hypnotic and emotive music that fully draws you into her sonic world – all rich, expansive electronic textures and warming ambient hues
Alex H Duncan: Rub Of The Green
Using data gathered from plants and fungi, Alex H Duncan creates unique, “non-human” sounds and melodies. It’s intoxicating stuff
Bas Jan: Swamp Things
The new album by London synthpop quartet Bas Jan deftly combines the everyday and the esoteric. Examples? Fonts on British road signs and the tragic history of Irish witchcraft...