Howard Jones ‘New Song’
Synthpop legend Howard Jones talks us through events that led to his 1983 breakthrough single, ‘New Song’
New Wave Of New Age
Call it ambient, call it deep listening – whatever you call it, the gentle noise and healing power of The New Wave Of New Age is taking over. We talk to some of the artists and labels and hear why this once maligned genre is experiencing such a healthy second wind
Leafcutter John: Making Waves
For his latest outing, Leafcutter John walked the Norfolk coast and recorded the sounds he heard along the way, mixing them with modular synth melodies for his latest album. Released on James Holden’s revered Border Community label, it’s his most direct and delightful work yet
Erland Cooper: An Orkney Prime Cut
Stepping into the solo world after a raft of collaborations, the delicate work of Erland Cooper
Ela Orleans: Wall Of Sound
With the release of a retrospective of her melancholy collage-pop, Glasgow-based, Polish-born Ela Orleans tells us about the connections between concussion, creativity and catharsis
4,000,000 Telephones ‘4,000,000 Telephones’ (Bunker, 1985)
“You have to play this album,” says Vincent, a fellow record dealer in Lincoln where my secondhand vinyl store lives.
ACID CASUALS ‘Omni’ (Placid Casual, 2006)
Side-projects can be a complicated affair, particularly if you’re a fan of the precursory band. Acolytes find themselves talking up a lesser-known record they might not actually like very much, but a perceived obligation of support results in them writing cheques their misplaced loyalty can’t cash.
Die Doraus Und Die Marinas ’Blumen Und Narzissen’ (ATA-TAK, 1981)
Die Doraus was Andreas Dorau, who was only 16 when he recorded 1981’s ‘Blumen Und Narzissen’ (‘Flowers And Daffodils’) with Der Plan’s Kurt Dahlke and Frank Fenstermacher for their fabled Neue Deutsche Welle label Ata-Tak.
Rose Elinor Dougall
Rose Elinor Dougall picks a path through her very own musical journey from cradle to, well, right now…
Del Shannon
We set the dial to 1961 where the unmistakable sound of Del Shannon’s Number One smash hit ‘Runaway’ rules the airwaves… but what is that flute-like sound that drives it along? Prepare yourself for a lesson in electronic music instrument history.