The HIVES

20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – APRIL 2025

Posted on by JL

– 1 –


Press photo by Damien Sayell

Band: MCLUSKY
Who: Notorious Welsh noiseniks fronted by angry man
Andrew Falkous (also the mastermind of Future Of The Left).

Track: CHEKOV’S GUNS
Piece from their upcoming album #4, titled The World Is Still
Here And So Are We . It will shock our stereos from May 9th on.

TUTV: Post-punk aggression at its Mclusky‘s sharp-biting best,
gas-powered by a cast iron bass/drum tandem, schizo guitars
and Falkous‘s intimidating sneering.

Chop, chop, chop.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 2 –


Art design by Jason Zucco

Band: REAL BEAUT
Who: Rackety rockers
from Boston.

Track: POLITICS ON THE INTERNET
Piece from their new 4-track EP, named
Politics. Stream/buy here.

“‘Politics on the Internet’ is about caring for yourself enough not to engage in the beast battle
all the time. You can talk to your brothers, parents, and friends. Prioritize your family and fight locally. Flinging verbal excrement at a screen isn’t the way. Love yourself, love others. Love, sex, being strong through kindness, the weight of political turmoil and technology on what is human in humanity.”

TUTV: Blimey. This pyrotechnics juggernaut has a knockout vehemence
that floors you in 150 seconds. To hell with shitty politics on the Internet,
these motherrockers are the real riff-raging deal.

Helter-skelter.


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Instagram – Facebook
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Artist: MARK STEWART
Who: One of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever. He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group The Pop Group and released lots of solo and collaborative records. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years ago,
only 62.

Track: MEMORY OF YOU
First shared taster from Stewart‘s solo album The Fateful Symmetry,
that was completed early 2023, not long before his passing.

TUTV: Haunting, synth-symphonic and boom-tastic
with Mark‘s characteristically energetic voice on top.

Mark Stewart Facebook – Mute Records
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– 4 –


Photo Credit Katie Silvester

Band: THE NEW EVES
Who: Must hear/see indies from Brighton (where everybody is in a band).
They cruise from folk to punk, using, besides traditional instruments (guitar,
bass and drums) also cello, flute, violin, and other classical gear.


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

New single: HIGWAY MAN
First new music in 2 years, out
now via Transgressive Records.

It’s a darkly-energised, female-first retelling of
writer/poet Alfred Noyes classic 1906 romantic
poem.

TUTV: These four musical mavericks don’t care about rock ‘n’ roll rules. Only 4 singles in, and it’s clear they do what they want, the way they want, annex unseen visual presence on stage and in video clips. On Highwayman they rattle and brattle full speed ahead motorized by restless drum/bass teamwork.

Here and there the tune, goes, eh, out of tune, and it sounds totally perfect for this emotional belter. No arty farty production for TNE. Winder-Lind‘s awesomely agitated vocals put a spell on you. Pure present-day punk. I want more.

The accompanying, eye-catching video is quite special too.

Instagram – Linktree – All Singles – Tour Dates
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– 5 –


Photo by Laurens Wille

Band: WHOLES
Who: A fresh, rowdy hit team led by Belgian, musical chameleon Wolf Vanwymeersch,
who played with several bands (pop, rock, sludge metal) and released a pure singer-songwriter pearl with solo debut album The Early Years back in 2022. Wholes are what remains after a soul has been detonated, what struck those around it, what could no longer be contained.

Track: TILL WE DON’T MEET AGAIN
Their debut single.

TUTV: Stoner rock dynamics and spiky garage blues disturbance work together to inject your eager ears with doom and gloom disturbance. Like dark clouds predicting a storm, like demons challenging each other, eye to eye, face to face. Wolf’s near-whispering, Josh Homme-esque vocals complete the ominous sonic picture.

Roasting ripper.

Instagram – Bandcamp
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– 6 –


Photo Credit: Meg Moon

Band: THE BEACHES
Who: 4 Canadian pop-rock indies.

Track: LAST GIRLS AT THE PARTY
Third single from their 3rd LP, called
No Hard Feelings, out August 29th.

TUTV: An instantly sticking, surf-pop shaker.
Two words: irresistibly catchy. Let’s toast to
Beaches and join their showy party..

Instagram – Website
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– 7 –


Press photo by Danny Clinch

Band: ARCADE FIRE
Who: The famous pop-rock
collective from Canada.

Track: YEAR OF THE SNAKE
First single from their forthcoming 7th album, named
Pink Elephant ready for release on May 9th. 2025 is
the ‘year of the snake‘ in the Chinese Zodiac.

TUTV: It’s a sublime, crystalline pop pearl, with its hypnotizing guitar riff, the non-stop
banging drum beat and the intertwined, spellbinding vocals of Win Butler and his spouse Régine Chassagne.

Sterling stroke.

Instagram – Shop
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– 8 –


New album artwork

Band: PULP
Who: Sheffield‘s guitar-pop heroes
fronted by the charismatic songsmith
Jarvis Cocker.

Track: SPIKE ISLAND
First single from their first LP in 24 years. It’s named
More and will be shared with the world on June 6th.

TUTV: A vintage, mid-tempo, pop thrill with a grandiose
chorus. Wake up common people, here’s some more pulp.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 9 –

Artist: ANDY BELL
Who: Best known as vocalist of British synth-pop duo Erasure with
former Depeche Mode/Yazoo keyboardist/songwriter Vince Clarke.

Track: HEART’S A LIAR
Newest single from his upcoming 3rd solo album Ten Crows,
which lands this Friday, on May 2nd. It features Blondie icon
Debbie Harry.

TUTV: Two glamourous voices, one glamourous disco
tune. It’s a fervid break-up pop gem to fill dance floors
with.

Catchy as fuck.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 10 –

Artist: LIFE COACH
Who: The musical project of singer-songwriter-poet Jamie Cameron. Hailing from
the Scottish Borders, the music blends lo-fi beats, synths and guitars with spoken word lyrics in which he discusses subjects ranging from politics and premonitions to self help culture, and a modern society obsessed with economic thinking.

Track: SQUADDIES IN HAIR NETS
Piece taken from the upcoming 2nd album, named
‘A Love Letter To Your Yearning Heart’, which is due for
release on May 30th.

TUTV: Life Coach are on fire, again. This new rattling rap ‘n’ punk roll crackerjack
swings you forth and back, left and right and Jamie Cameron’s adrenalizing word-flow
energizes all of your insatiable limbs before he relaxes towards the synthy end. Another kinetic kick. Hands up for the coach.

Let the siren blare.


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Instagram – Facebook
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– 11 –


Image Credit: Euripides Altintzoglou

Band: LIONS OF DISSIDENT
Who: Electrifying outfit from the Midlands (UK).
They released their debut album Ghost Behind You
in 2022.

Track: SIRENS AT THE SEA

Tim Baker (founder and creative director): “The best of what we do in one song,
it’s a tune that really carries the soul of everything good we have stood for over the
last ten years”.

TUTV: Expect electrifying energy from the kick-off. Delirious guitars set the haywire tone and hyperventilating vocals augment the buzzing fuzz. A modern-day post-punk roller coaster.

Rapturous ride.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 12 –


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Artist: SALVIA
Who: The moniker of Belgian, Ghent-born,
singer-songwriter Nicole Selivan.

Track: YOU AND ME

TUTV: Only two singles in, and it’s already clear that Salvia‘s songwriting skills,
and her impressive vocal performance will bring her musical journey pretty far.

You And Me is an entrancing jam with a rotating guitar riff that gets under your skin
from start to finish. Salvia‘s seductive vocals match the trancy vibe perfectly well.

Today Ghent, next week Belgium, next month the world.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 13 –

Artists: peach I melba
Who: Queer femme indie duo,
half Brighton and half Los Angeles.

Track: WORST TRIMESTER
With blistering lyrics delivered at a rapped pace, the riot grrrl duo
explore the gender politics of pregnancy, in their style of both members
singing every word together over minimalist bass guitar and driving drums.

TUTV: There’s good news and bad news. Bad news first? World peace is an illusion.
From the moment Adam & Eve fucked up, shit started to happen and dirty wars are
still fought, its part of human nature.

The good news? These two DIY Amazons swear to release a new song every six weeks until world peace has been fully achieved. So, we’re ready for a looooong wild and rough ride, starting with this fun, outspoken and catchy 100% indie thrill. Don’t miss their bus, all you music junkies out there.

Instagram – Follow PM
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– 14 –

Band: SUGARBUNNY
Who: Seasoned, high-powered
pop outfit from Belgium.

Track: SHADOW
Their newest single.


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

TUTV: Frontwoman Hannah Vandenbussche‘s voice is the heartbeat of this fresh
act, composed of experienced musicians. With Shadow they released their 4th single.
A spellbinding and haunting piece of captivating music, moving around a bewitching
guitar riff. Tension in the air throughout. Compelling tune. Sugarbunny is going places.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 15 –

Band: LEDHER BLUE
Who: The product of two distinctively different individuals, Zé and Pedro,
that the waves of life comically decided to beach in a northern town of
Portugal – Guimarães.

Track: CRAIC
Piece from their brand new, excellent debut
album, titled Fait Divers. Stream it here

TUTV: What starts as a both moody and amplified reflection, explodes
on the let’s all sing together chorus, like if this cracking anthem was recorded
at a Premier League football game. It sticks after one spin. Score!

Raise your glass and
join the party.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 16 –

Band: TV SUNDAZE
Who: Wired indies
from France.

Track: DON’T MIND ME
Single from their brand-new 2nd LP, named
Plastic Bags / Packing Tape. Stream it here.

TUTV: When I just say that my excited ears hear jangly Parquet Courts echoes, you already should get excited too. The sharp-edged riffage, explosive eruptions now and then, and fidgety vocals will drive your mind and stereo mad.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 17 –


Photo credit: Ebony Alexander Media

Band: VIRGINS
Who: Belfast-based shoegaze band who transcend that reductive tag to deliver a noise which is thrillingly loud and weightily light. Last year they released their notable debut album nothing hurt and everything was beautiful.

Track: BLOOMS

TUTV: Heavenly melodiousness, edged layers of shoegazing guitars, forceful
drumming, crystalline vocals, and a non-stop bass riff pushing the pace
throughout combine for a breathtaking score.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 18 –

Artist: FIR CONE CHILDREN
Who: The musical moniker of
Berlin-based indie Alexander Donat.

Track:YOUR VOICE
Single from FCC’s brand new CD
Gearshifting. Stream it here

TUTV: From the first chord on Donat takes you on a head-twisting and power-driven
trip. No brakes, no breaks. Always pedal to the metal. Raise your voice and absorb
this flat-out ripper. Bingo.


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Instagram – Facebook
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Band: THE HIVES
Who: The notorious Swedisch
punk ‘n’ roll dropouts.

Track: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Lead single from their 7th LP, baptized The Hives Forever,
Forever The Hives. It’ll land on 29th August.

“Everyone’s a lil fuckin’ bitch!
And I’m gettin’ sick and tired of it!”

TUTV: Beware folks, and watch boxer
star Howlin’ Pelle hit left and right.

Instagram – All Albums
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– 20 –

Band: GREAT HARE
Who: Swedish pop indies, making noise since 2010.
They released their debut album In Another Shape
in 2013.

Track: CALM BACKWATERS

TUTV: Never a dull guitar-pop moment with this seasoned Swedish combo. This lazy tune, for lazy days is one that Scottish melancholic heroes Teenage Fanclub would be proud of. It feels as if Spring invites you to have a feel-good Summer.


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Instagram – Bandcamp

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BlueSky

THE HIVES – Swedish Punk Madcaps Back With New Juggernaut ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’ From Upcoming Album

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine

2 April 2025

Swedish rock ‘n’ punk roll madcaps THE HIVES are back to be your new favourite band. They canned their 7th full length, baptized THE HIVES FOREVER, FOREVER THE HIVES.
It’ll land on your speakers on 29th August. More info here.

Press info: “Lauded on all continents for their masterful skill and reckless abandon in the rock music field, have once again, sooner than you expected, created a new body of work the likes of which have never been heard or indeed probably will again.. A new record so full of energy, joy, anger and life that you will be questioning reality as you have known it. They finally did it. Every single song a single, every single a hit, every hit a direct hit in the face of the man.”

Beastie Boy Mike D and Queens Of The Stone Age frontman
Josh Homme both contributed in unspecified ways.

Loudmouth/frontman Howlin’ Pelle talked to NME
about the first single, named ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

“It got picked as a single really early when there were demos because our manager thought it would sell concert tickets,” the frontman told us. “They wanted to release that first because it’s got a big riff and it’s a perfect tempo for a crowd to jump up and down. It got picked so early when the other songs weren’t done, but I really like how it starts: ‘Everyone’s a little fucking bitch…’ That’s as close to political commentary as you’re gonna get! Basically, ‘Fuck both sides’.”

“Everyone’s a lil fuckin’ bitch!
And I’m gettin’ sick and tired of it!”

Wake up people, and watch boxer
star Howlin’ Pelle hit left and right.

WORLD TOUR

Instagram – All Albums

THE HIVES – Swedish Madcap Punks Hooked On A Cover

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine

25 May 2024

Swedish madcap punks THE HIVES launched their 6th LP The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons last August and then went on a wild tour, still steamrollin’ right now.

Recently, they found a bit of time to record a cover of a comical 1973 pop song,
titled Hooked On A Feeling from a Swedish combo called Blue Swede (1973-1979).

Big tune, big fun.

Press statement: “We were recently asked to record it for Spotify Singles. We found ourselves with an hour or two to spare so basically we went in and counted 1,2,3,4 without really ever learning the song first but having excellent musical memory, marksmanship and fast thinking we got through a version in the Spotify Studio (which is like a Alice In Wonderland style hole in the middle of an office landscape), that we are really very proud of.”

1-2-3-4


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Original


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The Hives: Instagram

10 BEST VIDEOS OF 2023

Posted on by JL

For your eyes

1. ‘Like A God’ by ASH (UK)

2. ‘The Bomb’ by THE HIVES (Sweden)

3. ‘Dicks In Tanks’ by MORLOCKS (Sweden)

4. ‘Six-Pack’ by SHAME (UK)

5. ‘Wireless’ by WITHIN TEMPTATION (The Netherlands)

6. ‘Fossora’ by BJÖRK (Iceland)

7. ‘Dumbest Girl Alive’ by 100 GECS (St.Louis, US)

8. ‘Now And Then’ by THE BEATLES (UK)

9. ‘Eureka!’ by THE VANITY PROJECT (Manchester, UK)

10. ‘White Van’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (Brighton, UK)

Turn Up The Volume’s 20 BEST ALBUMS OF 2023

Posted on by JL

1. ‘Heavy Heavy’ by YOUNG FATHERS

This sizzling Scottish trio nailed it big time with their 3rd LP. Heavy Heavy is one of those rare remarkable records that arouses from start to finish, with the cliché no fillers, all killers all over it. You hear its sonic brilliance, you feel its dauntless vocality, you realise quickly that this album is special, very special.


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Antwerp 2023)

An undisputable first-class work where vitalizing soul, ecstatic pop melodiousness
and self-willed hip-hop come together in an organic way. A spiritual happening.

Funk-punk drunk virtuosity with astonishing vocal teamwork.

STREAM


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2. ‘Sea Of Mirrors’ by THE CORAL (Liverpool, UK)

The seasoned psych-folk-pop-rock ramblers launched their 11th album, named
Sea Of Mirrors last September. Unquestionably one of their best in their succesful
career.


(Press photo via Maintain Perspective PR)

Expect a non-stop sequence of reflective pop fantasies, of tantalizing tunes
with a laid-back resonance and meditative musings that cause a welcome,
lazy state of mind.

Blissfully feelgood vocality, with a melancholic timbre, everywhere.

Gently weeping strings. A seamless sonic marriage of acoustic and electric guitars.
It’s vintage The Coral as we know them, but even more yearning for romanticism than before. So they left their island and travelled to their fictional Western reality where all
sorts of misfits try to survive. Americana, the Liverpool way.

STREAM


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3. ‘Fronzoli’ by PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS

The turbulent psych-rock team from Perth, Australia hit bullseye with
their 6th full lenght Fronzoli (meaning ‘something unnecessary added
as decoration’).


Press photo

Uppercut after uppercut, corker after corker, jackhammer after jackhammer and two breathers with Cpt. Gravity Mouse Welcome and the short acoustic beauty ‘Illusions of Grandeur’). Your ears need to be in great shape to absorb
this whirlwind record.

If PPC were animals they would be hungry wolves wandering in the deserts of Australia looking for prey. Their melting pot of glam metal, pithy punk, high-voltage pop and other noisy shout-outs results in an ecstatic body of infectious. Btw, am I the only one who thinks McEwan‘s voice resembles Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner one (now and then) and vice versa, of course.

STREAM


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4. ‘War Is Obsolete’ by THE BARBITURATES (Northern Island)

These Northern Irish political punk guerilla’s launched
a fully topical record titled War Is Obsolete
this year.

Here’s a message from their HQ in Londonderry.

“Some of The 1% are investors in the great big industrial war machine – the clearing / repairing of war torn cities / countries and rebuilding them along with there big pharma – food n supplies companies ect they make massive profits on all levels of war from the bullets n bombs fired to the food n medicine and everything you can imagine in between – this collection of sound scapes and anti war songs on this guerrilla ontological discordant meditation Ep are our SMALL way of trying to help raise money for the innocent human beings being punished and hurt because of other people’s ignorance – hate – fear – oppression!! ALL THE PROCEEDS OUR DIGITAL SALES NOW AND UNTIL THINGS INPROVE WILL GO TO THESE PEOPLE!!”

The Barbiturates care about our messed-up society, about humanity, about the weak, the poor and the outsiders, about tolerance, about inclusivity, about the desperate need for global peace. Couldn’t agree more.

Unfortunately, all the caring in the world can’t avoid (another) dirty war. After Russia invaded Ukraine early last year, Israel and Palestine started a filthy, deadly war in Gaza two weeks ago. Horrible, just horrible, again. One day a devastating world catastrophe will end it all.

War Is Obsolete is an intruiging, versatile and bone-chilling journey. Sonically with its experimental electronica psych jams and ambient, spacey orchestrations. The evil terror caused by war-and-power greedy scumbags needs to be stopped. The late great pacifist John Lennon never understood these murderous maniacs either, as we know it.

Purchase this record, digitally, 5£ or more.
All proceeds got to PCRF – Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

BUY/SUPPORT


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5. ‘Ignore Grief’ by XIU XIU (California)

This Californian experimental act, founded in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart surprise every time they come up with new music. Also with Ignore Grief, already their
13th full length, XX impress mightily.


(Press photo)

Ignore Grief is not happy music, it’s grim reality music, it’s mind-boggling music.
Inventive, capricious and ideal as the soundtrack for one of David Lynch‘s hallucinatory films. Although after a couple of spins, you’ll find out that Xiu Xiu‘s spellbinding sonic exorcism is more accessible than you thought at first. Their orchestral manoeuvres in
the dark are flabbergasting.

STREAM


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6. ‘One Man Band’ by MILES KANE (UK)

British retro-mod rocker Miles Kane, half of The Last Shadow Puppets
(the other half being his great friend and Arctic Monkeys’ maestro Alex Turner)
released his 5th LP, titled One Man Band’ last summer.

As he said himself multiple times Kane loves the swinging 60s/70s pop, rock
and soul splendor. So again, you hear here those flamboyant influences from the past. And he always comes up with upbeat tunes that stick and put a big smile on your face. Guitar pop at its cacthing best.

STREAM


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7. ‘Songs Of Silence’ by VINCE CLARKE (UK)

The synth-pop musician/songwriter who started his career with Depeche Mode,
who he left after their 1981 debut album to form Yazoo (1981–1983, 2008-2011)
with grand voice Alison Moyet and later on he started Erasure with singer/songwriter
Andy Bell launched his solo debut LP with Songs Of Silence.

TUTV: If you don’t pay attention to the author of this record when you’re listening
to it, there’s a great chance that you think that it’s another ambient Brian Eno album.

The relaxing ambient atmospheres Clarke creates (Cathedral / Passage / Imminent / Last Transmission) are similar to the ones Eno composes/composed (29 solo LPs, so far).

Clarke paints synth-scapes with an overall symphonic sonority, with both classical
and futuristic sounscapes. This is the sort of cosmic music that calms me down after a busy day. Its relaxing effect soothes my buzzing mind. Tranquillizing, instrumental (except for Blackleg which is infused with eerie chants) uncomplicatedness for dark winter nights.

Silent majesty.
Sonic ear-massage.

STREAM

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8. ‘God Games’ by THE KILLS (US/UK)

Seasoned blues-rock duo THE KILLS – Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince – are finally back with a new longplayer, their first in 7 years, following the swirling Ash & Ice album in 2016.


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Amsterdam, 2016)

God Games features fewer fireworks than on previous LPs, but the pair still move and groove with sonic fervour and melodramatic tunes, as we know them. Sultry, delirious and passional.

When Mosshart sings the blues, her heart-and-soul vocality draws all attention. Her tantalizing timbre and her midnight hour tone combined with Hince‘s edgy riffs and roasting hooks are what made me a Kills fan from day 1.

This 12-track record is a slow grower. Take your time, it’s all worth it.

STREAM


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9. ‘Praise Of The Iconoclast’ by MORLOCKS (Sweden)

Swedish post-punk-Goth turbo MORLOCKS were formed last century by mastermind J.Strauss, and had several line-ups over the years. The trio operate around the borderlines between the collective subconscious, paradoxical multiverses and the bad conscience of the world, as we know it.

They travel either like sinister prowlers through the shadows, or like a raging
bulldozer, sneaking and bolting through and between the Cold War, radioactive wastelands, the catacombs of Rome and unspeakable dimensions beyond
the Unknown Kadath.

They care about humanity, they haunt everybody who doesn’t care, and they
embed their anger, frustration and hope in titanic, intimidating and cast iron
industrial bombast with loud and clear messages. Think Rammstein and NIN
having a sonic fight with riot guns. Doomsday is just around the corner and is
orchestrated by Morlocks.

STREAM/BUY


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10. ‘Islands In The Sky’ by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS (California)

The L.A. garage rock fury led by vocalist/guitarist/organist and natural-born
charismatic front-Amazon Bonnie Bloomgarden triumphed with their 5th LP
this year.


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Brussels, 2023)

Islands In The Sky is, without a shadow of a doubt, according to my trained ears, their
best achievement (so far). When you combine pop/rock songwriting quality, richly layered orchestrations, Bloomgarden‘s full-hearted vocal dynamism and tons of tunes (if anything else tunes are key) wrapped up in party-igniting vibes, you have a winner.

STREAM/BUY


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11. ‘Good Busy’ by THE IRRATIONAL LIBRARY (The Netherlands)

Dutch humanistic rock unit The Irrational Library is a pretty special affair.

A band with its roots firmly planted in both the regional and international
counterculture. They produce a raw, dirty groove influenced by punk,
provo, punk icons and spiced with sultry saxophone here and there.

Their poetry is packed with social criticism. They drew my ears’ attention with their 2021 album We Are… Doomed. An open-minded-plainspoken-asskicking-anti-establishement-and-other-scumbags opus.

The same biting spirit is present on their brand new full-length GOOD BUSY. Moody reveries and blasting belters alternate creating an overall stirring/roaring record in the end with, once again, a main role for highly dedicated and caring America-born frontman-punk-rapper-poet-storyteller Joshua Baumgarten.

STREAM/BUY

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12. ‘The Crack And The Light’ by CMON CMON (Belgium)

Belgian guitar pop/rock band CMON CMON started their second coming
about two years ago, driven by sheer love for music. Writing it, recording it,
sharing it, playing it live, and enjoying it along with their fans.

No masterplan whatsoever to conquer the world, no commercial pressure.
They restarted with one and only one goal. Making the best album their
experience and their hearts and souls could come up with.

A balanced mix of amplified guitar-infused dream pop tunes with a melancholic
and soothing touch. References? R.E.M, Dinosaur Jr., Teenage Fanclub, Sparklehorse
and The Chills, to name a few. I’m sure you get the sonic picture.

STREAM/BUY


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13. ‘A Headlong Fall Into The Vast Ocean Of Anxiety’ by EYEMOUTH (Sweden)

Expect atmospheric synth-scapes for soundtracks of sci-fi movies, mellow Pink Floyd echoes, dark-electro-wave surrealism, and an overall synth-symphonic sonority.

All mesmerizingly orchestrated with both classical and venturesome music structures. Now and then composer Marcus Lilja‘s ghostly voice adds an extra mysterious touch to
the instrumental grandeur at play. The power of nature in selectronic motion. Cinematic music that triggers your imagination.

STREAM/BUY


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14. ‘Back In The Room’ by THE DHARMA VIOLETS (Wales)

THDV embed 60s psychedelia in a blistering mix of flaming garage rock mania,
swaggering mid-tempo grooves, an impressive, amplified slo-mo jam right in the middle and a stunning opener with horns snippets of Primal Scream‘s e-tastic classic Loaded.

Overall I hear Beatles-like harmonies, multi-layered guitar extravaganza à la Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, steady drums/bass horsepower, sizzling six-string solos, psyched-out space steamrollers, 24 Karat riff-rushing rockers, some slow ones, and echoing vocals
from the eight miles high past. Final result: a hell of a must-hear record that I added to
my best-albums-of-2023 list. The Dharma Violets should be huge. FACT! Don’t miss them.

STREAM/BUY


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15. ‘Secret Life’ by FRED AGAIN… and BRIAN ENO

Weird collaboration? No, certainly not. The very popular EBM/house/hip-hop/DJ Fred and the legendary ambient wizard Brian Eno complete each other here perfectly. They create a sonic labyrinth where Eno‘s hallucinatory ambient waves progress in slow motion, causing a trance trip in a foggy environment while Fred‘s phantasmal vocals seem to come from an unknown universe.

Secret Life is a hushed, soothing companion for late-night mind entertainment after
another busy day and too much noisy music. Soothing, calming and triggering lazy dreaming.

STREAM/BUY


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16. ‘Shook’ by ALGIERS (US/UK)

With Shook this American/English outfit drew tons of critical praise. Rightly so.
It’s a tremendously varied work. They jump from zestful hip-rap-hop to forceful
post-punk-rock, to soulful lullabies, to arresting spoken-word protest, to sparkling
gospel. 54 minutes long, but you get sucked in every second. Wowzers!


(Press – FB Algiers)

STREAM


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17. ‘Venom’ by WARGASM (UK)

London‘s nu-rap-metal sensation WARGASM – Milkie Way and Sam Matlock – shocked the indie punk world with their debut album, titled Venom.


Press photo

A vicious motherrocker of an album. A monstrous collection of left/right uppercuts.
A schizophrenic series pf brain-breaking slegdhammers you can win sonic wars with. Holy smoke!

STREAM/BUY


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18. ‘The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons’ by THE HIVES (Sweden)

The Swedish amazeballs punk clowns The Hives are back in town. They unleashed
their new LP, called The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons (I have no clue who that guy is?)
last summer.


📸 Bisse Bengtsson

Be ready for a tsunami of Molotov cocktails, punk-o-rama riffage, and yell-along
refrains spit out by primal screamer Pele. No rest for the wicked. Beware, this explosive record can damage your speakers. On the other hand, it’s the ideal soundtrack for banging your poor head against the kitchen wall and/or jumping up and down like a kangaroo on ecstasy.

Alert your neighbours before you start the deafening razzmatazz
and watch out for the anti-decibels police. Lots of LOUD fun.


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19. ‘This Stupid World’ by YO LA TENGO (US)

Yo la Tengo is all things indie. They follow their own capricious path, for almost
40 years now. They create uncomplicated melodies and then give them an edgy touch
that guides them in different directions. From acoustic to electric and back.

Different moods, different sonic tones. It’s old news that we live in a stupid world where political me, myself, and I leaders use the 2000-year-old trick of divide and conquer. YLT know too, of course, but reality as it is, obviously inspired them to make another rad record.

STREAM


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20. ‘Clear Pound Road’ by KRISTIN HERSH (US)

The stirring Throwing Muses legend Kristin Hersh released
her new solo LP, titled Clear Pound Road last September.


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Belgium, 2022)

Expect Krautrock dynamics with an acoustic guitar and a mellow cello. Song by song,
the repetitive/rotating rhythms have a magnetic power. 10 intro/outro-spective sparks glowing, like the lights on the LP’s cover. Hersh‘s voice is singular, a bit hoarser than before, think Marianne Faithfull. I love both voices

STREAM


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