Cherry Red Vinyl & CDs

Review: A three-disc celebration of Hawkwind's thrilling live energy, capturing their September 2023 performance at London's legendary venue. The set blends tracks from their recent 2023 album, The Future Never Waits, with space rock classics spanning decades, proving the band's timeless appeal. Fans can expect explosive renditions of favorites like 'Levitation', 'Spirit of the Age', 'Master of the Universe' and 'Assault and Battery'. Disc three features exclusive rehearsal recordings of tracks like 'Mask of Morning' and 'Frozen In Time', that is a unique glimpse into the band's creative process. Founding member Dave Brock is joined on stage by longtime members Richard Chadwick, Magnus Martin, Doug MacKinnon and Thighpaulsandra. Arthur Brown's surprise guest appearance adds a cosmic flair, delivering spoken-word poetry between songs. This release is a testament to Hawkwind's enduring ability to push the boundaries of space rock. With There Is No Space For Us, their next studio album, slated for 2025, the band shows no signs of slowing down.

Review: In the latter half of the 1990s, the lines between indie-rock, Britpop and dance music became increasingly blurred, indie club DJs being blessed with all manner of heady, high-octane treats to enjoy - including notable big beat, trip-hop and techno reworks. This four-disc set from Cherry Red does an excellent job in celebrating this fertile musical period via a mix of chart-bothering faves (Norman Cook remixing Pierre Henry and Cornershop), heavy club revisions (the Chemical Brothers taking on Bomb The Bass and the Charlatans), bona-fide dance classics (Leftfield, Orbital, Basement Jaxx), quirky rock-rave (Black Grape, the Prodigy), big beat workouts (Indian Ropeman, Death In Vegas, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Lo Fidelity Allstars), and eccentricities (the All Seeing I, Jimi Tenor, Future Sound of London).