Back catalogue: Post Rock/Experimental

Review: The Moon and the Melodies, a remarkable collaboration between Cocteau Twins and ambient pioneer Harold Budd, remains a standout achievement in both artists' repertoires. First released in 1986, this enchanting album is now receiving a well-deserved vinyl reissue, meticulously remastered by Robin Guthrie from the original tapes. This album is a stunning fusion of the Cocteau Twins' signature dreamlike atmospheres with Budd's elegant, improvisational piano, resulting in a listening experience that is both expansive and deeply personal. The blending of Elizabeth Fraser's ethereal vocals, seamlessly intertwined with Guthrie's luminous guitar work and Raymonde's resonant bass, creates a sound that is both distinct and evocative. The album effortlessly balances vocal tracks with instrumentals, each adding to its rich and diverse sonic palette. This reissue offers a chance to rediscover a defining moment in the evolution of dream pop and ambient music. The Moon and the Melodies continues to stun audiences. This CD edition is the perfect vehicle to an ethereal beauty of the highest order.

Review: Second time around for Cosmic Assault, Californian guitar god and sometime Chrome member Barry Johnson's ninth album as Helios Creed. Something of a hard-to-pigeonhole classic, the album combines his ravaged and acid-fried hard rock and psychedelic metal sound with elements of industrial music, horror soundtrack style synths, and all manner of decidedly cosmic and intergalactic sounds. As a result, the set attractively veers from intense, mind-man gling workouts rich in heavy riffs and elongated guitar solos ('Cosmic Assault', 'Rise'), exotic excursions ('The Master'), and more immersive explorations of the outer reaches of the aural universe.