Interview
Meet: Peter Hook on Get Ready, touring and reclaiming the music
For Peter Hook, every album carries memories—some good, some bad. As he works through his incredible back catalogue, playing the albums in full with his band Peter Hook & The Light, he reaches Get Ready, the 2001 album that marked New Order’s return after an eight-year hiatus. With news of a handful of dates where …
Meet: Sunderland’s Alt-Rock Blues Quartet Black Fern
Give us a potted history of the band We are a Sunderland-based alt/Blues rock band. We started rehearsing and writing last summer after a couple of years of wanting to start a band but never finding time to actually do anything. We are currently in the midst of writing our debut album, which we will …
Meet: Zach Condon / Beirut ahead of his new album A Study of Losses and European dates
After a prolific yet challenging few years, Zach Condon returns with A Study of Losses, the most expansive Beirut album to date. Commissioned as a soundtrack for a Swedish acrobatic stage show, the 18-track odyssey explores themes of disappearance, preservation, and impermanence—taking inspiration from lost civilizations, extinct species, and fading memories. Blending indie pop, chamber …
Meet: Resurrecting ‘Dropout’: We chat with White Hills as they and GNOD Reignite a Classic
Fifteen years ago, psych-rock explorers White Hills and GNOD put out Dropout, a collaboration that, at the time, was just another experiment in their ever-expanding catalog. Yet, unbeknownst to them, it would develop a cult following, resonating deeply with fans long after its release. Now, in 2024, the album is being reborn—not just as a …
Meet: Sam Grant and Ewan Mackenzie of Pigs x 7 ahead of new album Death Hilarious
Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have never been a band to do things by halves. Their latest album, Death Hilarious, is a calculated onslaught—raw, aggressive, and laced with a biting wit that refuses to sugarcoat reality. Sitting down with guitarist and producer Sam Grant and drummer Ewan Mackenzie, it’s clear that this …
Meet: From Coffins to Cosmic Fire: Hendriek Bleik’s Electrifying Afrikaans Rebellion
Lichtenburg’s Loudest: How Hendriek Bleik is Dragging Afrikaans Music into the Future
Meet: Merseyside’s New Guitar Band DBA!
Formed in Merseyside in 2024, and consisting of Sam Warren (vox & guitar), Jamie Lindberg (bass & backing vocals) and Josh Grant (lead guitar), DBA! have emerged as an urgent guitar band noted for their unique chemistry and influences such as Eels, Beck, and Elastica. After sharing their debut single ‘sink or swim’ late last …
Meet: Skloss ahead of their debut album The Pattern Speaks
Austin/Glasgow duo SKLOSS are making waves with their debut album The Pattern Speaks, an immersive blend of heavy psychedelia, post-metal drones, and ethereal atmospherics. Formed during the COVID lockdown by drummer/vocalist Karen Skloss and guitarist/vocalist Sandy Carson, the band quickly found their sound in a haze of distortion, meditative rhythms, and raw, unfiltered energy. Following …
Meet: Katherine Priddy on Daybreaker, Collaborating with Simon Armitage and future plans
Katherine Priddy has long been celebrated for her poetic songwriting, but her latest collaboration takes that connection to a whole new level. Working with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Priddy has transformed his words into two stunning winter-themed songs, the latest of which, Daybreaker, was released on January 30. This follows Close Season, which earned widespread …
Meet: Andy Bell talks to us about his new album Pinball Wanderer
Andy Bell has always been an artist in motion, whether pushing sonic boundaries with Ride, crafting intricate solo work, or lending his talents to various collaborations. His latest album, Pinball Wanderer, marks a bold new chapter—one defined by groove-heavy rhythms and spontaneous creativity. Unlike his previous solo records, which drew from decades of accumulated material, …