Back in stock: Indie/Alternative

Review: The recent, untimely death of David Lynch from emphysema possibly inspired this new Cherry Red compilation, mapping the career of the equally late musician Julee Cruise, who died in 2022. This new 2xCD set compiles the first phase of the unique and enigmatic chanteuse's recording career, which really begun not long after the infamous Twin Peaks songster penned the theme tune 'Falling', which finally put dream pop on the map after many years of general incubation. Of course, said Angelo Badalamenti benchmark production features centrally, but many more rapid-eyed reveries - such as 'This Is Our Night', 'Floating', 'Into The Night' and 'Summer Kisses, Winter Tears' - also document the washout pop passions of Cruise outside of the Lynchian paradigm, with Wim Wenders soundtrack cuts to original lounge-classical dirges all following in tow. Stylishly presented, and complete with an insightful sleevenote essay, 'Fall_Float_Love' demands a long overdue rediscovery

Review: Former Mercury Music Prize nominees Jungle (AKA Tom McFarland and Joshua Llloyd-Watson) are in a pleasingly positive mood on their latest full-length, Loving in Stereo. Beginning with a wide-eyed slab of string-laden, beat-free pop, the album sees the pair confidently strut through groovy, often lusciously orchestrated numbers that giddily join the dots between blue-eyed soul, celebratory disco, hip-hop, laidback 1970s funk rock, 1960s beat music, cheery synth-pop, fuzzy indie-pop and much more besides. It's an undeniably sunny and accessible sound that somehow manages to sound utterly dancefloor-friendly despite largely not being aimed at clubs. It's the kind of album we'll no doubt see place highly in the end of year lists of broadsheet journalists and young NME scribes.
Loving in Stereo