Album of the Month - February 2025

Oklou - Choke Enough Because Music Heavenly hyperpop for both dance floors, bedrooms and the intimate spaces in-between. Oklou - Choke Enough Rough Trade Exclusive transparent…

On The Rise: Sinead O'Brien

A bona fide creative wunderkind whose ingenuity and artistry surpasses any hint of circumscribed creativity. Recorded at the back end of 2021 in producer-extraordinaire Dan Carey&…

I Don’t Know Much About Love, But This Is The Cure

For all the doom and gloom of their appearance, The Cure are a deeply sentimental band. The silver lining amidst the band’s morbid fascinations is…

Shoplifting with Nation Of Language

"For me, this is kind of the quintessential synth record. There is so much ambition and exploration on this record and listening to it always…

Album Of The Month - February 2022

Mitski - Laurel Hell Dead Oceans Produced throughout the isolation of the global pandemic, Laurel Hell provides a soundtrack for transformation, by acknowledging vulnerability and resilience.…

Recounting: Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road

"When we go through this transition of becoming a slightly different band, you take it one of two ways. You can be scared that people…

Preview: Ten Thousand Apologies

Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure A music book that barely features any music, a biography as literary as any novel, and a confessional…

On The Rise: Loose Fit

Expel pent-up angst with unashamedly scuzzy beats and a decent dose of boogie. Attitude included. "Our band was officially formed on 3rd November 2017 in…

The Misreading of Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die’ Ten Years Later

Words by Gio Musso, Rough Trade NYC "Over the past decade, we have seen the paradigm of pop culture shift towards the embrace of realism.…

Recounting: Live From Studio S2 by Hania Rani

"In Studio S2 you can feel the leftovers of the great history of Polish radio recordings. There is a magic that always makes me feel…

Label Focus: Gondwana

Originally founded in Manchester in 2008, Gondwana Records draws on global inspirations to operate a truly international independent label. With a distinct ear and eye for…

On The Rise: Walt Disco

A thriving musical mutation of razzle-dazzle and self-affirmation. Glaswegian six-piece Walt Disco have not only snagged the best band name in recent memory, but have the…

In Profile: Bill Fay

"The context around a song can poison it to sensitive ears. We each have different biases that we bring with us when engaging with music.…

Album of the Month - January 2022

Yard Act - The Overload [https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/yard-act/the-overload/lp-plus] Zen FC/Island [https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/s/label/island?_=1642170453764] A…

On The Rise: Honeyglaze

Protean musical nectar to savour. It's hard to believe Dan Carey's new Wunder-kids on the block only got together before the first…