New releases last four weeks: Post Rock/Experimental

Review: Pioneering Japanese psychedelic rock Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. (AMT) were formed in 1995. Their relentless output has spawned various offshoots over the years, such as Acid Mothers Temple & the Cosmic Inferno and Acid Mothers Temple SWR, synthesising and alien cosmo-grammar in sound, one that perhaps only the most acid-casualtied tongues can interpret or speak. Now present through Rolling Heads comes their latest album for 2025: Holy Black Mountain Side comprises three psychedelic pieces, reticulating a series of recording sessions held down between 2021 and 2023, at one point reinterpreting a traditional folk song, and throughout enlisting guest bass from Taigen Kawabe of Bo Ningen. Each record comes wrapped in unique artwork by lead improvisor Kashiwagi Ten, adding an extra layer of veiled mystery to each: no two records are visually alike.

Review: Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe join forces on a dual release infusing two distinct musical visions rooted in shared environmental concern. Their new joint release unfolds across two sides, with Luminal offering a vocal-led collection leaning into alt-pop ambiances and timbres, before Lateral rears itself in counterpart as a seamless ambient composition, making up a study in contrast and connection. Recorded in London, the project reflects Eno's lifelong exploration of mood and atmosphere, alongside Wolfe's ongoing push to blur the lines of digital innovation and tactile experience. The project builds the activist art works of Wolfe, a British-American concept artist based in Los Angeles, named by WIRED as one of "22 people changing the world," and tracks the expression of music beyond language or form.

Review: Brian Eno's career has always been about explorationiof sound, technology and the emotional power of music. After pioneering ambient music, Eno has consistently sought out new ways to blend different genres and voices and his latest collaboration with Beatie Wolfe continues this tradition. Wolfe, a British-American artist with an innovative approach to music and activism, complements Eno's atmospheric world with her emotive, alternative vocals. Their work, recorded in London, moves seamlessly from the meditative to the experimental, with tracks like 'Big Empty Country' offering stark contrasts between the brightness of the day and the shadows of the night. This release is not only a nod to Eno's sonic experimentation but also a testament to his lasting influence as an artist who always seeks to connect art with broader societal issues, especially the environment.

Review: Coinciding with the "post-psych, pre-shoegaze" ingenues Loop's retrospective album, Twelves, on triple LP, this new CD version from Reactor offers a digital alternative for those proto-gaze indie heads seeking a clearer and cleaner sonic experience. Spanning the band's output in chronological order, this comprehensive set captures the evolution of Loop's hypnotic, fuzz-drenched sound, from the early '16 Dreams' demo and debut single, through 'Spinning', 'Collision', 'Black Sun' and 'Arclite', to rare contributions to Nick Drake and Neil Young tribute albums, and even a Godflesh cover from their Clawfist split. As it is with the vinyl version, The World In Your Eyes is a completist deep dive into Loop's essential non-album material.

Review: Epic alert! New York industrial gods Swans' latest single is a 19-minute behemoth that unfurls like an overwhelming emotional landscape. Gira's gravelly voice takes centre stage, enveloped by the steady churn of droning guitars and atmospheric textures that build to a blistering intensity. 'The Healers' and 'I Am A Tower' highlight the band's mastery of long-form tension, each section holding, stretching, and twisting in a way that feels like a momentary release, only to be swallowed by the next wave. It's a slow, deliberate unfolding of sound that's both hypnotic and punishing. This isn't music for the passive listener; it's exhausting yet utterly immersive, teasing out tension and reflection in equal measure. If you didn't know already, consider yoursefl warned.

Review: Southend's These New Puritans have a rare ability to create goosebump-inducing music. A big part of is is Jack Barnett's voice, which is truly up there with the likes of Thom Yorke and Hayden Thorpe's in terms of being able to tug at the heartstrings and create grandiose spellbinding atmospheres. Plus, the arrangements that accompany it are of elite level and taste. This new album is their fifth studio album since forming in 2006 and offers plenty in the way of diversity. 'A Season In Hell' is a wild mix of industrial, organ music, trip-hop and choir sounds. Elsewhere, 'Bells' is less intense and let's the atmosphere form gradually and luxuriously. If you want a record to properly blow your socks off, let it be this.