EMI Vinyl & CDs

Review: Chase & Status ride a new wave with their sixth album, honouring their long-held time in the limelight as two of the UK's most powerful bangercrafting hitmakers. While still managing to nod to times past, this limited new LP also works in brand new UK sounds - drill MCs Unknown T and Backroad Gee, for example, make standout appearance on the tracks 'Run Up' and 'When It Rains', while still retaining elements of creativity that are endemic to Chase & Status only. Meanwhile, UK dancehall maintains its strong standing, with Popcaan and IRAH featuring regularly throughout.

Review: Acclaimed UK singer-songwriter Jess Glynne is a GRAMMY award winner and chart-topping regular who has now unveiled her highly anticipated third studio album, JESS, slated for release via EMI Records. This latest offering is said to be her most personal yet. It is an album that enriches Jess' extensive catalog which already boasts over ten billion global streams and builds on her already remarkable achievements including being the sole British female solo artist to achieve seven number-one hits on the UK Singles Chart. Musically the record shows lots of growth to her artistry as well as plenty of the hooks she is known for.

Review: Brittany Howard's highly anticipated second studio album What Now is a bold exploration of identity, resilience and the human experience. The Alabama Shakes front-woman's sophomore effort delves deep into themes of self-discovery and social commentary to deliver a raw and visceral sounds that pairs her famously powerful vocals with instrumentation that draws on several different genre references such a soul, funk, rock and gospel. From the anthemic energy of 'Stay High' to the introspection of 'Tomorrow,' each track offers a glimpse into Howard's multifaceted artistry and they all show that Howard's evolution as an artist continues to make her one of today's most compelling voices.

Review: Kali Uchis is a globally renowned Columbian r&b and pop songstress who first rose to fame due to her frequent collaborations with alternative hip-hop wunderkind Tyler, the Creator. She has dropped a few great records ever since that bring her unique cultural heritage to r&b and result in hooky tunes, feel good grooves and plenty of great songwriting moments. Her critically acclaimed Red Moon In Venus LP from last year now gets followed up by the lush crooner here. Her Latino-heritage imbued compositions make for a second Spanish-language album, following 2020's Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), which is well worth hearing.

Review: The Killers have long-since divided opinion. Yes, tracks like 'Mr Brightside' will still fill dancefloors slick with WKD each and every Saturday night, beer boys and party girls and lost freaks and first-timers all joining together in one of the most memorable choruses of the century so far. But then their penchant for OTT pomp and pageantry has always been something of a stumbling block for many 'proper rock fans'. With that in mind, Pressure Machine could do wonders for breaking down barriers.

We're not in Kansas anymore, that's for sure, but instead Utah, and the small town of Nephi, where lead singer Bradley Flowers grew up. The album effectively takes us on a tour of what was and what probably still is, by way of a more salt of the Earth, somewhat intimate and narratively-driven collection of rock 'n' roll tracks that invoke a timeless sense of American guitar storytelling, albeit with some theatrics still intact.

Review: McCartney III was the18th solo album by legendary musician and former Beatle Paul McCartney. Imagined is the remix version that came digitally back in April and now lands on vinyl. The artists chosen to remix were all selected by McCartney himself and are said to feature "friends, fans, and brand new acquaintances." The record has picked up plenty of positive reviews already and that should be no surprise given the heavyweights included. The likes of Beck, Khruangbin, Dev Hynes, Ed O'Brien, Damon Albarn, Josh Homme, Anderson .Paak, Robert Del Naja, and Idris Elba all make for a contemporary mix with diverse results.

Review: London-based singer-songwriter, producer and DJ SG Lewis is back with his sophomore long player. AudioLust & HigherLove finds the talented creator building on his auspicious debut with a record that is served up in two distinctive halves. His debut was all about colourful and cosmic disco and here he offers driving late-night club bangers as well as ecstatic pop sounds. Both are effortlessly and expertly realised so as to make maximum impact in a range of settings from sweaty back rooms to festival main stages via glistening pool-side parties in Miami. Big hooks, organic instrumentation and vocal eloquence are all in plentiful supply on a record that cements his status as a modern great.

Review: After a run which has seen her re-recording her early albums in defiance of a restrictive record deal, Taylor Swift dropped a bomb at the MTV VMAs this year by announcing her 10th studio album. Since then, the information has been trickling out with the steady precision we expect from one of pop's biggest stars, and finally we can clutch Midnights. An album steeped in concept and supposedly drawing from 13 different sleepless nights from throughout Swift's life, it's a reflection on those strange places we go in ourselves when we choose to burn the midnight oil, crafted alongside her steadfast producer Jack Antonoff. There are a variety of editions of this highly anticipated record, and this Mahogany pressing is sure to be one of the most coveted.

Review: After a run which has seen her re-recording her early albums in defiance of a restrictive record deal, Taylor Swift dropped a bomb at the MTV VMAs this year by announcing her 10th studio album. Since then, the information has been trickling out with the steady precision we expect from one of pop's biggest stars, and finally we can clutch Midnights. An album steeped in concept and supposedly drawing from 13 different sleepless nights from throughout Swift's life, it's a reflection on those strange places we go in ourselves when we choose to burn the midnight oil, crafted alongside her steadfast producer Jack Antonoff. There are a variety of editions of this highly anticipated record, and this Lavender pressing is sure to be one of the most coveted.

Review: The ever divisive Kanye West dropped this 10th album Donda on streaming platforms back in August 2021. He has already served up an expanded 'deluxe' version on CD and now it comes on limited edition vinyl. Less over the top than its predecessor, this record continues the iconic artist's infatuation with blending cutting-edge contemporary hip-hop (and nods to his musical roots in the '90s rap scene), R&B and his beloved gospel, resulting in a grandiose and entertaining set that makes use of a huge roll call of guests and collaborators *Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Yachty, Roddy Ricch, Young Thug, Jay Electronica, Travis Scott, The LOX, Kid Cudi, Fivio Foreign and many more.