CHRIS SEAL
PANDA BEAR & SONIC BOOM blast into the future on ambitious concept album
Panda Bear & Sonic Boom's Reset is machine music capturing the essence of nostalgia, and blasting it into a heavenly future.
Hyperactive synths and acid 808s: the return of US electro duo SYLVAN ESSO
No Rules Sandy, the fourth long-player from US electronic nova-pop duo Sylvan Esso, is well worth staying out for, like a night out with Robyn and Rozi Plain.
DOMi & JD BECK invite hip-hop heavyweights onto jazzy – and surprising – debut
Apeshit is Anderson .Paak’s new label, and with DOMi Louna on MIDI keys and JD Beck on percussion, they whip up a host of jazzy joints for their rap star boss.
REAL ESTATE’s MARTIN COURTNEY gives summery BEATLES-vibes on second solo album
The frontman of Real Estate has downsized to a bungalow with another solo album as Martin Courtney, with tunes bathing in the ‘here comes the sun’ golden glow.
NICK MULVEY seeps under the skin with sweet summer mantras on NEW MYTHOLOGY
On this third album, Nick Mulvey gets further under the skin, coming across as the thinking person’s George Ezra (no bad thing) or a more energetic Mac DeMarco.
First BELLE AND SEBASTIAN album in 7 years is winsome polished pop
This is Belle and Sebastian's’ first album to be recorded in Glasgow in more than two decades, and they’ve evolved into a slicker outfit over time.
METRONOMY bring bank holiday Cardiff crowds to sugary pop high
Metronomy do a cracking job of highlighting their full range, spanning seaside-inspired new wave to nu-rave, across their seven albums to date.
Rapper/food fiend ACTION BRONSON excels in COCODRILLO TURBO’s quieter moments
Following the first rap album dedicated to dolphins, the newie from Action Bronson, Cocodrillo Turbo, aims to snap pretenders in half with its hefty jaws.
Alt-rap heavyweights DÄLEK hammer out extreme beats on PRECIPICE
Alternative rap troupe Dälek - who have been shouting into the volcano since 1998 and are currently down to a duo - erupt back to life with new album Precipice.
After 10-year break, MIDLAKE return with an instant classic
Reconvening after a 10-year hiatus, Texan quintet Midlake return, rejuvenated on a perfectly paced fifth album, For The Sake of Bethel Woods.