Music Reviews

Arcade Fire Reflektor

The Canadian stalwarts veer into more danceable territory with their fourth release, a markedly flawed double album that aims to reach high in both scope and ambition.

Juan Edgardo Rodríguez' soul got stolen by the camera...

On her latest release for Hyperdub, Laurel Halo ditches the vocals and confines her experimental synth weirdness into more traditional techno structures. But does abandoning the more divisive elements of her sound pay off?

Peter Quinton reviews another dense, cosmic release by Laurel Halo

Tim Hecker Virgins

After the success of 2011's Ravedeath, 1972 and last year's Oneohtrix Point Never collaboration, Tim Hecker's latest comes with more expectation than would greet the average ambient drone record. Can it live up to it?

Mark Davison isn't sure if Hecker's insulting his fanbase with that title...

Katy Perry Prism

Supposedly ''darker'' but really just ditzier than ever, Katy Perry's fourth release is too much cheesiness and not enough charm for a pop album this anticipated. Watch it top the charts anyway.

Luiza Lodder doesn't find Katy's roar very inspiring...

Dismemberment Plan Uncanney Valley

The Dismemberment Plan's reunion album is a perplexingly tedious listen from a band who were once brilliant, strewn with some of the worst lyrics you'll ever hear.

Stephen Wragg still loves Emergency & I though...

Melt-Banana "fetch"

Programmed, progressive and still punk rock, even the Fukushima disaster couldn't stop Melt-Banana from releasing their tenth full-length album, the very solid and excellently conceived "fetch."

Sean Caldwell reviews...

Juana Molina Wed 21

The Argentinian singer-songwriter returns after a five year absence, continuing to explore the meeting point of acoustic and electronic instrumentation with her expectedly singular sound.

Juan Edgardo Rodríguez reviews...

Miley Cyrus Bangerz

Now that, my friends, is how you name an album.

Joe Rivers gets t'werk...

Danny Brown Old

On this remarkable album, cartoonish experimental rapper Danny Brown delivers a record of two halves - the first compassionate and thoughtful, the second unhinged and utterly ludicrous.

CHECK! Stephen Wragg reviews...