Loma Vista 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: A shining light of Florida's contemporary RnB and rap scene, Denzel Curry has left a strong impression in the past few years with albums and mixtapes which shift through styles while holding true to the tradition of Southern hip-hop. Melt My Eyez See Your Future is billed as Curry's most introspective and personal album to date, and that sentiment comes through as clear as day on lead single 'Melt Session #1' backed up by Robert Glasper. Other guest spots come from Buzzy Lee, Saul Williams, Bridget Perez, T-Pain, slowthai and more besides, all feeding into a fresh end result which comes on like an instant classic fronted by a dexterous, confessional voice.

Review: Denzel Curry and GRAMMY nominated contemporary jazz great Robert Glasper performed a special live show in the Leimert Park neighbourhood of Los Angeles back in autumn of 2020. This special 7" picture disc features live audio of that set as part of this year's Record Store Day celebrations. 'So Incredible Pkg' is has swirling synth lines drifting up into the air , with wooden percussion and gentle beats accompanying Curry's confrontational vocal work. He is just as amped up while performing over the more laid back and deep cut 'This Changes Everything.'

Review: Phantomimea arrives through Loma Vista Recordings and is a brilliant new five-track cover EP from Ghost. Each and every tune is epic in its own way with material by Television, Genesis, The Stranglers, Iron Maiden and Tina Turner all chewed up and sat out in their own inimitable way. Though some of these sources are rather unlikely given Ghost's style they are all reworked with great respect. Ghost is in a great run of form having just won Best Rock Album of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, which itself came off last year's international chart-topping success Impera.

Review: Taking its name from the 2022 record, Requiem, Korn return one year on from their last LP, finished during the pandemic then held on to until people stopped banging on about viruses and vaccines as much, Requiem Mass is a recording of the band's livestream event from Hollywood's United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. A focal point of which was 'Worst Is On Its Way', arguably the fan favourite track from the most recent studio effort.

Those who were watching, or have seen subsequently, will remember the performance well. That moody, candlelit stage, orchestra set in the backdrop with metal titans front and centre. You might not necessarily see that here, because this is an EP not a visual product. But the sense of atmosphere and listening to one of dark rock's most impressive outfits in full flow is unmistakable.

Review: The Valley Of Vision is the latest project by Manchester Orchestra and one that proves they are focused on making music that has a lasting impact. It comes backed with a virtual reality film that immerses you further into their music and deals in broody ambient, indie and cinematic atmospheres. This is a brave project but one this band has pulled off with real aplomb as they put aside their tried and tested instruments and guitar-driven signature sounds to cook up music that goes way beyond what came before and is laden in textural synth craft.

Review: Following on from last year's excellent statement of intent, 'Nowhere Generation', Chicago natives and melodic hardcore heroes Rise Against return with the companion, sister EP, 'Nowhere Generation II'. Composed of 5 new cuts originally written/recorded during the album process, the band opted to split the 16 full songs into separate volumes, in order to give listeners an opportunity to fully digest the overarching themes of alienation and everlasting political corruption that have become ceaselessly commonplace. Anthemic, ferocious, emotive and cathartic in equal measure, this follow-up continues the momentous energy of its predecessor while putting a definitive full stop on the 'Nowhere Generation' era. Lead single, 'Last Man Standing', is also one of the most vital contributions to their own expansive canon the group have dropped in well over a decade.

Review: Zambian-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper Sampa The Great has come a long way in a short space of time. Fans will note her empowering sounds have become common fodder for TV and film soundtracks and now comes her second album As Above So Below. It finds her again exploring identity with shamrock, hip-hop, jazz, r&b and neo-soul sounds all chucked into a fascinating melting pot. Lovely harmonies, highly rhythmic percussion and rap confidence define these tunes which were recorded over two weeks in Zambia with local musicians.

Review: This is the limited edition white vinyl version on translucent wax of the latest studio album from Zambian-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper Sampa The Great. It is fair to say she has come a long way in a short space of time. Fans will note her empowering sounds have become common fodder for TV and film soundtracks and now comes her second album As Above So Below. It finds her again exploring identity with shamrock, hip-hop, jazz, r&b and neo-soul sounds all chucked into a fascinating melting pot. Lovely harmonies, highly rhythmic percussion and rap confidence define these tunes which were recorded over two weeks in Zambia with local musicians.

Review: Sleater Kinney continue to show us why they rank among America's finest modern rock bands. Little Rope certainly does its best to occupy a space in your mind, long after the hooks, distorted harmonies and heartfelt, almost desperate vocals of 'Say It Like You Mean It' have faded - perhaps the catchiest and most memorable, certainly the most radio-friendly, mainstream-sounding track on this record. To say it's the standout moment would be misleading, though. The torment and sorrow on 'Hell', which flits between crumpled on the floor hopelessness and blind, loud, synth-guitar rage, is just one example of how much impact the whole thing has, while the demands of 'Dress Yourself' - "Get up, girl, and dress yourself in clothes you love for a world you hate," prove incredible depth. Then you discover singer-guitarist Carrie Brownstein's parents tragically died in a car crash in 2022, and realise just how much has gone into this.

Review: The last time we heard from Sophie Regina Allison was two years ago, when Color Theory arrived as a follow up to the well-received debut, Clean. Born into a very different world to the one we're living in today, pre-pandemic (the WHO had yet to describe Covid-19 in those terms), before the outbreak of all-out war on the border of NATO's defensive territory, when things were affordable, and while the idea of a national strike in Britain was unthinkable.

Of course, that halcyon moment was short-lived. Within weeks of the record landing we were tapped in the personal prisons of our own homes. The rest is history. So, emerging out the other end it's only fitting that the artist in question - AKA Soccer Mommy - returns to bookend things. Sometimes Forever is certainly a fitting reward for all that's happened. A distorted hybrid of garage rock and pop sensibilities, it's the ideal soundtrack to an era when subcultures have all-but-vanished, and the mainstream can be underground.