The Fat Angel Sings

“Manafon” by David Sylvian of Japan fame is an underrated gem. The electroacoustic improvisation, complete lack of drums, coupled with Sylvian’s voice right at the front of the mix, makes for an ambient, freeform and highly experimental sound. The art-pop sonics that saw him gain success in the 70s and 80s is left firmly in the past and he’s doing exactly the music he wants hear – not what’s expected of him commercially. Now, on vinyl for the first time, comes remixes by classical contemporary genius Dai Fujikura – he wrote the string parts – of six songs from said album.

There’s also new songs, heavily influenced by Fujikura and an 18-minute piece (‘When We Return You Won’t Recognise Us’) culled from a much longer sound installation that Fukikura and Sylvain created together for the 2008-09 Biennial of Canaries in Gran Canaria.

How music this sublime hasn’t been on vinyl from the start is beyond us. Thankfully, that’s now rectified.

This 12 song remix companion to David’s 2009 album, ‘Manafon’, plus the non-album track “When We Return You Won’t Recognise Us” Features remixes by David Sylvian, Dai Fujikura, Jan Bang & Erik Honoré.

You know what to expect from The Cramps – punk, rockabilly and garage rock colliding in a gloriously sleazy pile up of distorted twang and deviant attitude. The A-side is a trademark take on those late 50s/early 60s tunes dedicated to the twist dance craze, enough said. It comes backed with the garage-powered ‘Confessions of a Psycho Cat’ and the more pscyhobilly-slanted, thoroughly howling ‘No Club Lone Wolf’.

Capturing a raw energy that channels the rebellious spirit of classic rock & roll with gritty guitar riffs, infectious rhythms and an undeniable sense of fun, this is a standout late-career highlight.

“The Vices blend Britpop, indie, psychedelic blues and surf rock, evoking The Strokes and Cage the Elephant with the live energy of early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Known for their childlike playfulness and serious riffs, they deliver explosive performances and danceable tunes. After sold-out Dutch tours, major festivals like Pinkpop and Sziget, and a European tour with Nothing But Thieves, The Vices shine through their unique friendship and diverse influences, showcased in the genre-spanning “Before It Might Be Gone”. Their different backgrounds inspire and motivate each other.

You can hear that in the sound of “Before It Might Be Gone“. Nothing is too crazy for them.”

“Before It Might Be Gone” is the title single from The Vices’ upcoming album

Squid’s new album “Cowards” is about evil. Nine stories whose protagonists reckon with cults, charisma and apathy. Real and imagined characters wading into the dark ocean between right and wrong.
“Cowards” is Squid’s most courageous album: simultaneously growing in scope and returning to basics.
The band recorded “Cowards” at Church Studios in Crouch End with Mercury prize winning producers Marta Salogni and Grace Banks.
On additional production is longtime shifu and collaborator Dan Carey, who recorded the band’s first two albums. The Nine stories whose protagonists reckon with cults, charisma and apathy. Real and imagined characters wading into the dark ocean between right and wrong. 

The record was mixed in Seattle by John McEntire, before being compressed by the rich analogue chain of Heba Kadry’s mastering in Brooklyn, New York.
Squid have come a long way since forming in 2016 as an instrumental jazz band for a monthly night in Brighton.
Their debut album “Bright Green Field” (2021) arrived as the world was starting to open up after the pandemic and they broke into the top 5 in the UK chart. In 2023 they released their sophomore album, the brooding “O Monolith“, which took the band all over the world and broke new ground that hardly seemed possible years prior.

“In October 1987, four months after the release of their critically acclaimed “Sister” LP, Sonic Youth showcased their latest work in a blistering set at Cabaret Metro in Chicago. The concert was introduced by Big Black’s Steve Albini (who at the time was banned from the venue) and subsequently released as a semi-official bootleg under the title “Hold That Tiger” on writer/provocateur Byron Coley’s impishly Geffen-baiting label Goofin’ (years later the band would use this nom de guerre for their own imprint). “Hold That Tiger’s” sterling reputation among the Sonic Youth faithful is well deserved. In fact, it isn’t a stretch to suggest that the album is to the first handful of SY releases what “It’s Alive” is to the first three Ramones LPs — a feral and liberatory public snapshot of a band’s blossoming imperial phase. Indeed, “Hold That Tiger” is the sound of a group at the peak of their powers, presenting new songs alongside a handful of older ones with the kind of wild, cathartic enthusiasm common to rock ’n’ roll’s most revered live albums.”

“Hold That Tiger’s” encore – four songs by the band’s beloved Ramones, which Thurston would later astutely compare to “the perfect pudding after a hearty meal” – serves as a reminder that, like any true punks, Sonic Youth never could resist a good, rousing anthem to send the kids home with their ears ringing, their hearts hot-wired.

This first-time reissue comes with gatefold jacket. Mastered by Bob Weston from the orginal tapes. Recorded by Aadam Jacobs. Audio repair/editing by Aaron Mullan. 

releases February 7th, 2025

“Open Wide” marks a giant leap forward for Irish four piece Inhaler. The album, recorded with producer Kid Harpoon is the sound of a band stepping out of their comfort zone. Including the lead single “Your House”, “Open Wide” is 13 songs that feels unique—a guitar-driven pop album unlike any other, solidifying their status as one of the most exciting young bands today.

Recorded at RAK Studios in London and produced by Grammy and Brit Award-winning Kid Harpoon, Inhaler’s new album “Open Wide” reinforces their status as the ultimate modern guitar band, a group for whom jubilant pop melodies, intricate grooves and rock ’n’ roll dynamism are kindred spirits rather than strangers.

Featuring 13 songs, it hones the sweeping, euphoric singalongs of their first two albums “It Won’t Always Be Like This” and “Cuts & Bruises”, into something more fully formed, a record you can lose yourself in and one where every track feels like it could be a big single. Sonically, it’s an album where the band’s love of T. Rex, early MGMT, Prince, Depeche Mode and more nestles alongside the indie and garage-rock influences of their teens, and is a majestic celebration of who Inhaler are and everything they’ve done to get to this point.

The upcoming Heartworms debut album looks like gloomy gothy fun and here’s a second single from it that underlines that. “Extraordinary Wings” is five minutes of sinister fun, has a hypnotic build-up and leaves you craving for more.

“Glutton For Punishment” is the highly anticipated debut album from formidable South London auteur Heartworms. Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Carey, “Glutton For Punishment” combines the propulsive, motorik tendencies of gothic stalwarts Depeche Mode, with the lyrical dexterity of PJ Harvey, and the off-kilter rhythms of LCD Soundsystem into a powerful sonic onslaught that is entirely Heartworms.

“With my EP, people kind of pigeonholed me into post-punk,” she says. “I was like, ‘Cool, I can do that, but I can also do way more’ – I can do post-punk, but I can also be poppy and catchy, and this album represents that. I think people might be surprised when they hear it… I’ve been chastised my whole life; made to feel as if I didn’t belong, punished for not fitting into a perfect image of how a growing woman should be.

When you’re told something enough times you start to believe it. I often find myself locked into an unhealthy cycle of craving harsh discipline, greedy for the familiarity it brings but terrified of the consequences — better the devil you know. But this album doesn’t just reflect my own experiences; it reflects those of the people in my life and the stories of others that I think need to be heard.”

the forthcoming album “Glutton for Punishment”,

“Universe Room” is the 18th Guided By Voices album in 10 years and packs a vast mix of energy levels and sounds into seventeen diverse tracks in less than forty minutes. The new record ventures into truly surprising territory, where barely any song segments and choruses are revisited and fidelity daringly shifts between lo-fi and hi-fi. “I wanted to create, hopefully, an experience, kind of a wild ride, where the listener would want to hear it multiple times in order to grasp all the sections and fields of sound to discover something new with each listen,” says Robert Pollard.

“I trimmed down the songs so that there wasn’t a lot of repetition, so you get a lot of sections that happen only once or twice. “Universe Room” embodies a realm of new horizons for Guided By Voices, who continue to redefine and expand as they blast off to unpredictable worlds.”

The 18th Guided By Voices album in 10 years is aptly titled “Universe Room”, packing a vast mix of energy levels and previously undiscovered constellations of sounds into 17 diverse tracks over a compact space of less than 40 minutes.

February 7TH Release Date

Italian Punk/Stoner/Psych/Fuzz Rockers FVZZ POPVLI are back with their fourth album “Melting Pop” and it’s even weirder than their previous albums combined. Taking a Garage Rock approach with nods to The Stooges, MC5, Black Sabbath, KYUSS and even The Melvins for this record alone. “Melting Pop” has a schizophrenic delivery with the rebellious vocals and raucous lyrics that contains a freakish 1970’s Punk Rock attitude with a killer modern day Noise Rock attitude.

There actually is a “POP” style melody appearing within the music though it’s being given a twisted and surreal makeover with layers of SONIC and PSYCHEDELIC distortion within the first few tracks of the album Temple Of Doom, Telephone and Salty Biscvits that allows the band to superbly deliver messages of FUCK YOU to the whole MAINSTREAM area of RAWK & ROLL. There is a sense of misguided Punk Rock fun throughout which allows FUZZ POPVLI to deliver a stripped back sound which has been part of their music since their excellent debut album. 

Sometimes the lyrics don’t make sense especially on “Salty Biscvits” but you can’t deny how addictive and engaging the whole song actually is especially with the upstart Garage Rock/Noise Rock delivery of the track that gets straight to the point of playing pissed off and highly energetic fast paced sludgy guitars. There’s a deep reliance of some AMPLIFIER REVERB on certain parts of the track.

“Melting Pop” has a twisted sense of humour throughout which comes mostly ito focus on the following tracks of “Erotik Evil Pimp”, “Kommando” and “Ovija“. The music is fast and loose with it’s kinetic Stoner Rock swagger becoming quite dominant without diluting the Garage Rock energy that makes this album so dementedly brilliant and outrageous at times. There’s a classic sound-byte added to “Kommando” which is just the icing on the cake for that track and makes it easily the standout track on the album.

The final two tracks of “Cop Sacher” and “The Knight” allows “Fuzz Popvli” the perfect opportunity to draw this album to a great finish with more sludgy and noise rock based grooves which leaves no stone unturned by delivering a first rate and off-beat record that is thrilling entertainment from start to finish.

As always, we decided to do our own thing. We’re just so over the same old tired riffs and worn-out stoner vibes, like a pair of Birkenstocks at an indie concert, and let’s not even start on those “super interesting” lyrics about how to smoke weed (seriously, tell us more!). So here we are at a crossroad: should we just follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing, or should we put in the hard work to create something that actually makes us happy while we play it? Well, here’s “Melting Pop!” It’s not stoner, it’s not garage, it’s not punk, it’s not psych, it’s not even a traditional album. It’s melting, a blend of Fvzz Popvli saying “screw the labels” and just going with the flow, all natural, like grownups with no preservatives.”