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Mercury Rev: ‘Snowflake Midnight’
Released with companion album ‘Strange Attractor’ (available for free on the Rev’s website), ‘Snowflake Midnight’ is a cohesive and atmospheric evocation of what it must be like to live inside a crystal. In fact, its inception must have involved the rim of a glass and a finger.
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The Chemical Brothers: 'Brotherhood'
It has to be said, there really isn’t much difference between this new “best of” and 2004's 'Singles 93-03' compilation.
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Manda Rin: ‘My DNA’
Formerly of Scottish act Bis - not such a well known act in these hemispheres but one that, bafflingly, achieved a great deal of success abroad in Japan - Amanda MacKinnon, under the moniker of Manda Rin, makes her solo album debut with ‘My DNA’.
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Mogwai: ‘The Hawk Is Howling’
When it comes to releasing your sixth studio album, following years of critical acclaim and with a fan base full of some of the most dedicated musos around, the problem for some bands can often be knowing when you’ve run out of things to say.
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The Coral: ‘Mysteries And Rarities’
What a treat for fans of The Coral. The second disc of 'The Singles Collection', ‘Mysteries And Rarities’ is a selection of outtakes, live versions, covers, demos and previously unreleased tracks that every artist ought to be contractually obliged to release once a career.
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The Spinto Band: ‘Moonwink’
Bereft of a record label, this group of Delaware individuals took it upon themselves to deliver their circus of a seventh album to producer Dave Trumfio and mixing engineer Tchad Blake.
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Emiliana Torrini: ‘Me And Armini’
Over the course of her eight year recording career, Emiliana Torrini has won considerable acclaim for her summery folk pop as well as the more ravenous trip hop of her 2000 debut 'Love In The Time Of Science'.
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The Walkmen: ’You And Me’
Following the recent Leonard Cohen session for the website Daytrotter.com and the covers album 'Pussy Cats Starring The Walkmen’, you may be excused in mistaking the band for an obscure tribute act. However, now back to their most original on their fourth album, ‘You And Me’, the quintet are set to raise their profile.
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Shaggy: ‘Best Of: The Boombastic Collection’
Irony. Nostalgia. Bad taste. Insanity. Just four reasons to buy Mr Lover Lover’s greatest hits.
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Friendly Fires: ‘Friendly Fires’
Released on none-more-cool imprint Moshi Moshi last year, Friendly Fires’ 'Paris' 7-inch was a genius mix of cowbell-whacking dance, wide-eyed romanticism and blissful washes of My Bloody Valentine-style noise. Thankfully, cracking open the St Albans’ trio’s debut reveals it to be just one of many treats on offer.
