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Review: There was naturally much excitement when A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead's surprise ninth studio set, popped up on streaming and download services back in May. Here it gets a CD release, offering those who prefer physical products a chance to bathe in its' woozy eccentricities. Seen by some as a return to their arty rock roots following an extended period spend exploring electronics, the album's 11 tracks draw on a variety of influences (krautrock, ambient, Pavement, James Blake, Stockhausen, intense melancholia etc.), with predictably impressive results. Occasionally elegant, string-laden and grandiose, always beautiful, and sometimes intensely moving, A Moon Shaped Pool is undeniably up there with the band's best work.

Review: Word of a sixth album from Big Thief comes with their latest track 'Vampire Empire'. First debuting live on Stephen Colbert's Late Show in March 2023, its lyrics express an inner conflict at "vampire empires", of the tendency for relationships to err towards toxic, parasitical and contingent mindsets and a rallying cry for infinite and unbroken loves. A fixture of their many live shows for at least a good few years now, we're pleased to finally be seeing the official release of this gem.

Review: On his new single 'Pacifico Waves', Joel Sarakula takes the scenic route down a pacific coastline, searching for peace, enlightenment and the perfect sunset. Travelling and searching is nothing new to Sarakula: it's almost his default way of being. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia before swapping oceans to live in the UK and more recently onwards to Gran Canaria: "I've been busy making my islands smaller" he jokes. But the music on 'Pacifico Waves' sounds like none of these places: with its easy drum shuffle, soulful guitar hooks and smooth vocal harmonies it distinctly evokes Southern California. It's such a potent portrait of the West Coast that if not for the contemporary lyrics and some modern production techniques, it could be a long lost hit from an early 80s LA studio band.

Review: Based out of Brooklyn, New York, The Still Brothers is a group made up of two childhood friends, Andrew LeCoche of Ula Ruth and Evan Heinze from The Shacks. They started their musical adventure way back in the 6th grade. In the decade since they have managed to record and tour with their own respective groups, as well as work on their own distinctive brand of indie together. Here they tap up Sloshy for a feature on a new 7" that comes via Lewis. 'It's Not Over' is a dreamy cut lush vocal harmonies and lo-fi drums making for a beautifully melancholic sound. 'Crazy' has slightly more primate drum breaks and the Shoshy is just as smooth.

Review: Some lucky folk managed to bag a copy of this when it was released as part of the Screamadelica 30th Anniversary 12" Singles Box. Suffice to say, many didn't. It's also probably a given to point out the British and global music scenes are still reeling from the untimely and sudden passing of Andrew Weatherall, a studio mastermind and club DJ icon who managed to influence everyone from ambient and techno heads to indie kids, classical fans and heads in just about any other sonic avenue you care to mention. Arguably, though, his most beloved work was around the Screamadelica era, carving out a landmark crossover album from Primal Scream's original material, making stars out of everyone involved and timeless, decade-spanning tracks from singles like 'Come Together' and 'Loaded'. 'Shine Like the Stars' brought that album to a close in spectacular, trippy, emotive style, and has never left our hearts since.

Review: Andy Partridge, of legendary Swindon post-punk players XTC, here delivers a brand new solo outing for his own simian shelter (and by extension, label), Ape House. By way of four noisy, grinding, discordant yet emotive sonic 'trading cards', Partridge sings of love and its winding ups and downs, nailing the janky and rocky emotions felt therein. Lo-fi yet sprawling in its proggy indie jazzy ambition, we're forced to agree that Love Is, indeed, The Future.