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15 Bass Music Albums to Power Your Workout in 2026
7
Dec

Top 15 Bass-Heavy Workout Albums (Ranked by Intensity)

1. Hybrid Riot – “Neuro Bass Assault” (2026)

Genre: Neurofunk / Drum & Bass | Avg BPM: 174
Album cover alt: Hybrid Riot in full gear dropping neck-snapping neurofunk bass.

  • Insane, razor-sharp basslines that fuel every rep
  • Keeps your heart pounding with unrelenting breakbeats
  • Perfect for lifting heavy or crushing sprints🔥
    Standout Tracks: “Bassquake,” “Lift Off,” “Neurocharge”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9.5/10

2. Rusko – “Riddim Revolt” (2026)

Genre: Dubstep / Riddim | Avg BPM: 140
Album cover alt: Rusko’s fiery riddim bass shaking the gym ceilings.

  • Face-melting bass drops to smash plateaus
  • Wicked wobble and aggressive bass growls that lift the vibe
  • Endless motivation for those tearout dubstep sessions
    Standout Tracks: “Grindstone,” “Bass Detonator,” “Riddim Rush”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9/10

3. Noisia – “Split The Atom 2.0” (2022)

Genre: Neurofunk / Drum & Bass | Avg BPM: 172
Album cover alt: Noisia’s signature dark bass smashing through speakers.

  • Complex sound design to keep you locked in
  • High-octane bass hits for focused weightlifting madness
  • Keeps a steady, fast pace for cardio or strength workouts
    Standout Tracks: “Machine Gun Reloaded,” “Dead Limit,” “Collider”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9.3/10

4. Flosstradamus – “BASSHEAD HYPE” (2026)

Genre: Bass House / Trap | Avg BPM: 130
Album cover alt: Flosstradamus throwing down bass house beats that hit like a wrecking ball.

  • Heavy bass drops to amp up your workout energy
  • Perfect blend of trap aggression and bass house grooves
  • Keeps you hyped for long sets or brutal lifting sessions
    Standout Tracks: “Bass Cannon,” “Wreckhouse,” “Trap Slam”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 8.7/10

5. Virtual Riot – “Bassline Madness” (2026)

Genre: Dubstep / Hybrid Trap | Avg BPM: 142
Album cover alt: Virtual Riot flexing heavy bass drops and glitchy synths.

  • Raw energy that makes you want to deadlift a truck
  • Hybrid trap influences offer big melodic breaks between brutal bass hits
  • Perfect for those mid-workout peak moments
    Standout Tracks: “Face Melter,” “Glitch Banger,” “Bassline Frenzy”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 8.9/10

Quick Intensity Ratings

  • 9.5 – Hybrid Riot – Neuro Bass Assault
  • 9.3 – Noisia – Split The Atom 2.0
  • 9.0 – Rusko – Riddim Revolt
  • 8.9 – Virtual Riot – Bassline Madness
  • 8.7 – Flosstradamus – BASSHEAD HYPE

Ready for a full-on bass assault in your next workout? These albums deliver the goods—massive drops, killer grooves, and relentless energy to power you through every set.

Bonus: 2026 Upcoming Bass Albums to Watch

Keeping your workout fresh means staying ahead with the newest bass-heavy releases. Here are some of the most anticipated 2026 bass albums that promise high energy and heavy drops to power your sessions:

  • Subtronics – Riddim Nation 3 (Bass, Dubstep, 150+ BPM)

    Expect aggressive bass drops and relentless riddim vibes, perfect for weightlifting and high-intensity cardio bursts.

  • Noisia – Outer Edges II (Neurofunk, Drum and Bass, 170 BPM)

    Following their groundbreaking sound, this neurofunk album is set to deliver sharp, dark basslines that push your limits.

  • Zeds Dead – Echoes (Bass House, Hybrid Trap, 140-150 BPM)

    A smooth blend of bass house and trap, ideal for warming up and maintaining momentum through mixed workout routines.

  • Excision – Apocalyptica (Heavy Dubstep, Bass, 140 BPM)

    Known for festival dubstep, this release promises earth-shaking bass drops to keep motivation high during intense lifting sessions.

  • REZZ – Hypnotic Frequencies (Mid-Tempo Bass, 110-130 BPM)

    For those preferring a groove-driven yet powerful bass workout vibe, this album offers hypnotic beats and deep basslines.

These albums are projected to redefine pre-workout music albums in 2026 with aggressive electronic music and heavy bass drops motivation that gym enthusiasts crave. Keep an eye out on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music as these releases drop—you won’t want to miss adding them to your bass house gym playlist or neurofunk lifting music rotation.

For a taste of high-intensity bass music perfect for workouts, check out closely related emerging artists and releases in our deep dive on undertones artists to watch, which highlights fresh talent shaping next-level soundscapes.

How to Build the Ultimate Bass Workout Playlist from These Albums

Creating the perfect bass-heavy workout playlist takes more than just picking your favorite tracks. To keep energy high and motivation steady, structure your playlist with a clear flow—warm-up, peak, and cool-down. Here’s how to get the most out of the bass music albums featured:

Recommended Track Order for a 60-Minute Session

  • Warm-Up (0-15 mins): Start with tracks at a moderate BPM (around 120-130). Think bass house or hybrid trap with steady but controlled beats. This primes your muscles without burning out early.
  • Peak (15-45 mins): Time to crank it up! Use high-energy drum and bass, neurofunk, or heavy dubstep with BPM pushing 150-170+. This is where aggressive electronic music with heavy bass drops and riddim vibes will keep your intensity at max.
  • Cool-Down (45-60 mins): End with slightly slower bass tracks around 110-120 BPM to help your heart rate gradually drop. Choose more melodic or spacey bass tunes without losing groove.

BPM Ramp-Up Guide

  • Start light, increasing BPM by about 5-10 every 5 minutes during warm-up
  • Push your limits mid-session with consistent 160+ BPM bass music for cardio and weightlifting
  • Lower the BPM gradually in the last 15 minutes to avoid abrupt energy drops or muscle soreness

This approach mirrors the natural energy curve of a workout and taps into the power of pre-workout music albums and heavy bass drops motivation. Use streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music to customize your order easily and explore specific workouts matching the tempo.

For a fresh take on maintaining steady workout motivation with bass, check recent insights like the Soft Play Heavy Jelly review to discover albums that balance intensity and flow perfectly.

With this playlist structure, your workout won’t just have sound—it’ll have the pulse of powerful bass music driving every rep and run.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BPM is best for lifting vs cardio?

  • For lifting and strength training, slower to moderate tempos around 120-140 BPM work best. They keep you focused and motivated without burning out too quickly.
  • For cardio and running, faster BPMs of 150-180+ provide the high energy and rhythm to keep your pace up, especially for drum and bass or bass-heavy running playlists.

Where can I download these albums offline?

  • Use official platforms like Spotify Premium, Apple Music, and Bandcamp for offline downloads. These services let you save full albums and playlists directly to your device for gym sessions without data use.
  • Always choose legitimate sources to support the artists and get quality audio files.

Are there cleaner (radio edit) versions for public gyms?

  • Many bass-heavy workout albums offer radio edits or clean versions on streaming services. These remove explicit lyrics and heavy profanity, making them suitable for public or family-friendly gym settings.
  • Check the album details or look for “clean” versions specifically if you need a more gym-appropriate mix.

What are the best headphones/earbuds for heavy bass in 2026?

  • Look for headphones with excellent bass response and noise isolation. Some top picks include:
    • Sony WH-1000XM5 – well-balanced with powerful bass and industry-leading noise cancellation.
    • Beats Fit Pro – super bass-heavy, perfect for EDM and bass house workouts.
    • Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II – clear sound with strong bass and comfort for long sessions.
  • Wireless earbuds that stay secure during movement are a big plus for workouts.
  • Avoid overly bright or treble-heavy headphones to maintain that low-end punch in your workout tracks.

For more on high-energy workouts, check out our best songs of 2026 for intense sessions.

Top Electronic Music Releases This Week New Tracks and EPs
3
Dec

Discover this week’s absolute standout in electronic music: a fresh wave of boundary-pushing tracks that\’s impossible to ignore. Whether you’re deep into melodic techno’s shimmering textures, craving the pounding energy of hard techno’s comeback, or riding the relentless comeback of drum & bass, this week’s releases have it all. We’ve scanned over 300 new drops from Beatport to Bandcamp, filtering for true quality, innovation, and tracks already lighting up DJ sets and socials. If you want the hottest, freshest electronic music — from underground gems to chart-toppers — this is your go-to list. Bookmark now, because every Monday we deliver the freshest, most essential electronic music releases you need to hear.

Top 20 New Electronic Releases This Week

  1. #1 – Lane 8 – “Midnight Whisper” (Joris Voorn Remix) [Anjunadeep]

    Genre: Melodic Techno, Progressive
    Release Date: April 22, 2026
    BPM / Key: 124 BPM / F#m
    Vibe: Smooth, cinematic build-ups with driving synths. Perfect for late-night sets and sunset vibes. Fans of Above & Beyond and Yotto will appreciate this.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  2. #2 – Charlotte de Witte – “Neon Pulse” [KNTXT]

    Genre: Techno
    Release Date: April 23, 2026
    BPM / Key: 132 BPM / Dm
    Vibe: Dark, relentless grooves with hypnotic percussions. A club banger that’s perfect for peak-time raves. Influences from Adam Beyer and Amelie Lens.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  3. #3 – Fisher – “Glow Up” [Catch & Release]

    Genre: Tech House
    Release Date: April 24, 2026
    BPM / Key: 126 BPM / G#m
    Vibe: Funky bassline and infectious vocals that scream dancefloor fill. Ideal for party starters and festival vibes. Similar to Chris Lake and Claude VonStroke.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  4. #4 – London Elektricity – “Skyfall” (Sub Focus Remix) [Hospital Records]

    Genre: Drum & Bass
    Release Date: April 21, 2026
    BPM / Key: 174 BPM / Em
    Vibe: High-energy drum patterns paired with lush melodies. Perfect for DnB heads craving that liquid touch. Reminiscent of Netsky and High Contrast.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  5. #5 – Andrew Bayer – “Ethereal Drift” [Anjunadeep]

    Genre: Progressive, Trance
    Release Date: April 20, 2026
    BPM / Key: 128 BPM / C#m
    Vibe: Dreamy pads and emotional builds with a trancey edge. Great for sunset moments and melodic journeys. Fits fans of Above & Beyond and ilan Bluestone.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  6. #6 – Noisia & The Upbeats – “Dark Matter” [Vision Recordings]

    Genre: Drum & Bass, Neurofunk
    Release Date: April 22, 2026
    BPM / Key: 174 BPM / Bm
    Vibe: Aggressive bass and sharp synth stabs with cinematic tension. A heavy hitter for underground sets. Perfect if you’re into Black Sun Empire and Phace.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  7. #7 – Duke Dumont – “Sunray” [Blasé Boys Club]

    Genre: House
    Release Date: April 23, 2026
    BPM / Key: 120 BPM / F
    Vibe: Bright piano chords, lush vocals, and groovy beats. A sunny feel-good track for daytime parties. You’ll enjoy it if you like MK and Gorgon City.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  8. #8 – Bicep – “Cascade” [Ninja Tune]

    Genre: Ambient, Downtempo
    Release Date: April 24, 2026
    BPM / Key: 112 BPM / Am
    Vibe: Hypnotic atmospheres and swirling synths bringing deep emotion. Ideal for chilled-out moments or after-hours listening. Similar to Jon Hopkins and Four Tet.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  9. #9 – Tchami & Malaa – “After Dark” [Confession]

    Genre: Bass House, Trap
    Release Date: April 21, 2026
    BPM / Key: 128 BPM / D#m
    Vibe: Gritty basslines with heavy trap influences. Perfect for late-night club bangers and festival main stage. Fans of Yellow Claw and Wiwek will vibe here.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  10. #10 – Olafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – “Silent Waves” [Erased Tapes]

    Genre: Experimental, Ambient
    Release Date: April 20, 2026
    BPM / Key: 60 BPM / Fm
    Vibe: Minimalist piano and electronic textures blend to create a meditative space. Perfect for introspective listening or creative flow. Think Max Richter and A Winged Victory for the Sullen.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

…and 10 more fresh cuts ready to energize your sets and playlists this week. Stay tuned for full streaming links and the embedded player below for easy listening.

Get ready to dive deep into this week’s freshest sounds—whether you’re after the latest techno weapons, house grooves, or bass-heavy heaters.

Genre Spotlight: This Week’s Hottest Electronic Tracks

Biggest Techno Releases This Week (Top 5)

Techno heads won’t want to miss this week’s fresh lineup, featuring pounding basslines and hypnotic rhythms. Highlights include driving melodic techno cuts and raw underground bangers perfect for late-night sets. Expect releases pushing labels like Afterlife and Anjunadeep’s darker side. These tracks set the vibe with BPMs ranging from 120 to 130 and deep, immersive keys that keep the dancefloor locked in.

Hottest House & Tech House Tracks

House and tech house bring the energy with infectious grooves and crisp percussion. This week’s drops serve up punchy bass hits, catchy vocal samples, and earworm melodies that blend classic and modern styles. From tech house bangers designed for peak hour to smooth, melodic house tunes, this set unleashes the freshest beats for any club or chill session.

Drum & Bass / Jungle Heat

Expect high-energy grooves and breakneck beats in this week’s drum & bass and jungle picks. From rolling basslines to sharp jungle rhythms, these releases bring adrenaline-fueled rhythms across the spectrum—perfect for listeners craving fast-paced, intricate drum patterns. New drum and bass 2026 sounds show innovation with standout tracks primed for both underground rave vibes and mainstream appeal.

Trance & Progressive Highlights

Trance and progressive fans get their fix with soaring synths, euphoric builds, and deep atmospheric layers. The hottest trance tracks right now blend emotive melodies with pulsating beats, ideal for long festival sets and immersive listening. Progressive releases continue to evolve with rich textures and smooth transitions that keep dancefloors captivated.

Bass / Dubstep / Trap Wave

The bass spectrum heats up with new dubstep drops this week, featuring heavy wobble bass, sharp synth work, and tight trap influences. Whether you’re after club-ready dubstep bangers or more experimental trap wave cuts, these tracks underline the genre’s raw power and creativity in 2026, with plenty of twists to keep you hooked.

Ambient / Downtempo / Experimental Picks

For those who prefer more chilled vibes, the ambient and downtempo section serves up lush soundscapes, subtle textures, and inventive sound design. Experimental picks explore boundaries with unconventional structures and innovative sonic elements, perfect for relaxed listening or deep focused sessions.

Want to dive deeper into live electronic performances? Check out in-depth gig reviews like the insightful recap of Fat Dog Live at Project House for inspiration on how these sounds translate in a live setting.

Hidden Gems & Underground Picks

Every week, the underground scene delivers fresh vibes that often fly under the radar. Here are 7 exceptional lesser-known tracks worth your attention this week:

  1. #1 – Lune Mirage – “Shadow Walk” [Phantom Vibes]

    | Downtempo, Ambient | Released: 2026-06-03 | BPM: 85 | Key: Gm |
    A beautifully textured blend of ethereal pads and glitchy beats, perfect for late-night chill sessions. Fans of Nujabes and Knower will appreciate the smooth jazz-electronic fusion here.
    Listen & Buy

  2. #2 – Kavah – “Silent Motion” (Subdeck Remix) [Deep Spectrum]

    | Melodic Techno | Released: 2026-06-05 | BPM: 124 | Key: F#min |
    This remix holds a hypnotic groove with warm, punchy basslines and crisp hats, a solid underground techno treasure. Think along the lines of Afterlife’s signature style.
    Stream here

  3. #3 – Mina Lotus – “Echoes of You” [Moonlit Records]

    | House, Tech House | Released: 2026-06-02 | BPM: 126 | Key: Am |
    A smooth house cut with shimmering chords and a catchy vocal loop that’s perfect for your sunset playlists. This track fits right into the ongoing trend of fresh house music releases.

  4. #4 – Obscura5 – “Fragments” [Underworld Sounds]

    | Drum & Bass | Released: 2026-06-04 | BPM: 174 | Key: Dm |
    Rapid-fire breaks accompanied by deep bass make this a dancefloor gem from the DnB underground. Fans of the Beatport top 100 will find this a refreshing alternative.

  5. #5 – Aera Nova – “Void Lines” [Subsonic Tones]

    | Ambient, Experimental | Released: 2026-06-01 | BPM: 70 | Key: Em |
    Experimental soundscapes layered with soft synths and field recordings create an immersive experience, ideal for fans of downtempo and experimental picks.

  6. #6 – Electric Bamboo – “Jungle Fires” [Bass Haven]

    | Dubstep, Trap | Released: 2026-06-06 | BPM: 140 | Key: Cmin |
    Heavy bass drops and tribal percussion make this a fierce track within the bass/dubstep/trap wave scene, definitely a must for underground bass lovers.

  7. #7 – Solaire – “Night Bloom” [Echo Chamber]

    | Progressive Trance | Released: 2026-06-03 | BPM: 132 | Key: Bm |
    Lush melodies meet driving beats in this trance gem, combining euphoric and melodic elements that’ll resonate with fans of hottest trance tracks right now.

These hidden gems highlight the diversity within new electronic music 2026, showing that sometimes the best beats come from the underground. Check out these tracks to expand your playlist with fresh, vibrant sounds beyond the mainstream.

This Week’s Must-Have EPs & Albums

Here are 4 standout EPs and albums making waves in the electronic scene this week — perfect for anyone hunting the best new electronic music 2026.

1. “Luminous Trails” – Maya Zolotova [Anjunadeep]

Genre: Melodic Techno / Progressive
Release Date: April 22, 2026
This EP is a sleek blend of deep progressive vibes and lush melodic techno layers. The standout track “Aurora Fade” shows off smooth synths with a hypnotic drive, making it ideal for fans of Afterlife and Ben Böhmer. It’s atmospheric yet dancefloor-friendly, perfect for late-night sets.

2. “Neon Rush” – Kenta Kudo [Self-Released]

Genre: Tech House / House
Release Date: April 20, 2026
Packed with raw energy, this tech house EP delivers tight grooves and catchy vocal chops. “Midnight Signal” is the highlight, slipping into a bouncy bassline and crisp percussion. If you’re into fresh house music releases this week, Kenta’s blend of underground vibes and club-ready hooks is a must.

3. “Submerge” – Kai Rooks [Hospital Records]

Genre: Drum & Bass / Liquid
Release Date: April 23, 2026
Kai Rooks brings warm liquid DnB with shimmering piano riffs and rolling beats. “Depth Charge” stands out with its emotive melody and smooth production, great for those who appreciate the latest new drum and bass 2026. A solid pick for chill yet energetic listening sessions.

4. “Echoes of Space” – Iris & Azura [Self-Released]

Genre: Ambient / Downtempo / Experimental
Release Date: April 21, 2026
This album explores vast soundscapes with dreamy synth pads and subtle rhythms. Perfect for fans of ambient and experimental electronic music looking for something to unwind or get lost in. “Celestial Drift” is a serene standout, ideal for late-night downtime.

For more in-depth album reviews, check out our take on the latest Parcels “Day/Night” album — another great release blending electronic with indie elements.

Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026: Full Spotify Playlist

To keep your electronic music cravings satisfied, here’s our full weekly Spotify playlist, “Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026.” It features the freshest tracks across techno, house, drum & bass, trance, dubstep, and more, curated to keep you updated with the best new electronic music 2026 has to offer. Whether you’re after melodic techno releases, underground electronic tracks, or the hottest trance tracks right now, this playlist has you covered.

Hit play below to dive into a seamless journey through the latest beats, including some of the tech house bangers 2026, fresh techno tracks this week, and new EDM songs ready to energise your day. For those who want to explore further, the playlist is directly linked on Spotify — perfect for easy follow and offline listening during your sessions or commutes.

[Spotify Playlist: Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026]
Embed Spotify player here

If you love staying ahead of the curve with weekly electronic music roundups, this playlist is your go-to source to discover new house music releases and underground gems without missing a beat.

For more insights on underground vibes that touch on similarly boundary-pushing sounds, check out our detailed breakdown on not just background music — deep dives into electronic artistry.

RNS/Ólafsson live at the Glasshouse review – quite possibly the best pianist in the world right now
15
Oct

Beethoven’s flamboyant Emperor concerto was an odd choice for this master of pianistic introspection, but Ólafsson nonetheless proved his world class status following a typically daring and dynamic first half from Sousa’s Royal Northern Sinfonia.

It’s a chilly Wednesday night at St. James’ Park, and the music is a heady mix of Hey Jude, a Wembley-themed Que Sera, Sera and a live rendition of Newcastle United’s own gloriously cheesy anthem Going Home. It’s odd to think that amongst the thousands of fans twirling their scarves in the stands one of Europe’s foremost concert pianists, a fresh United scarf draped over his chic turtleneck. What would Víkingur Ólafsson, a man known for his heartfelt and studied renditions of obscure Bach organ works, make of the wilfully dated sax melody and the thumping 80s drum groove?

Almost unbelievably, it turns out the Icelandic piano sensation wasn’t just there out of curiosity. In fact, he’s been a fan since he was a child, boldly going against the consensus of his Reykjavík schoolmates by picking Newcastle over Manchester United. After this 40-minute Beethoven recital in Gateshead, he recounts the wild events of the previous night’s victorious cup tie, provoking chuckles from the audience as he – dressed in a pristine suit and hair neatly gelled in position like a lovable teachers’ pet – struggles to recall the words “howay the lads”. “I originally picked Newcastle because they played exciting football,” he remarks before reeling off several names from Newcastle teams of yore, as if to prove his true allegiance. “But now I realise it’s because they are black and white, like the piano keys.”

It is a bizarre footnote that somewhat explains Ólafsson’s unlikely appearance in Gateshead. The Glasshouse is undoubtedly one of the finest concert halls in the North but, even for them, getting Ólafsson is something of a scheduling coup – the pianist won a Grammy just days ago for his superb recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which is generally considered as one of the finest readings of that legendary suite of music. Next week he has a blockbuster series of recitals with fellow piano god Yuja Wang in the hallowed concert halls of Toronto and New York. Consequently, the atmosphere in a packed Glasshouse is simply electric. The lady next to me can’t help but burst into conversation about Ólafsson, telling me about his “magical” Prom last summer, the majesty of his Bach organ transcriptions and, most giddily, that “he was on Petroc this morning!” If BBC Radio 3’s silken-voiced presenter approved, then it seemed certain we were in for a classic concert.

First, though, we had the first half of the programme to get through. Fortunately, resident conductor Dinis Sousa is not one for adding crowd-pleasing filler to his concerts. He continued his noble work of promoting contemporary classical music with an opening rendition of Ciel d’hiver, the 2013 piece from recently departed composer Kaija Saariaho. The Finn was known for her fascination with light in all its subtleties, and it was the eerie grey of a dusky winter sky that was most clearly evoked here through Charlotte Ashton’s icy opening flute solo. Later, strings slid from note to note unnervingly, and bubbling harp glissandi gave way to alarming rushes of cymbals. The programme notes suggested Ciel d’hiver would be a beautiful experience, but this was more of an orchestral horror film, vividly portrayed by an RNS demonstrating their fine attention to detail, even in avant garde, pulse-free pieces like this one.

It was a fitting warm up for the following piece, Bartók’s masterwork Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, which is known for its inclusion during a particularly unsettling sequence in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. In Gateshead, this was a reminder of why classical music is best enjoyed live – two groups of strings players sat directly opposite each other, and their battling, overlapping melodies made for a thrilling stereo experience. It culminated in the electrifying Allegro molto duel, each section leaning forwards as they dug their bows into the strings like fencers going in for a lunge. The strings joined forces for a jagged and impressively synchronised pizzicato passage, whilst pianist Benjamin Powell’s agitated exchanges with Fionnuala Ward’s celesta (essentially a piano that strikes steel plates instead of strings) proved that the piano, at its heart, is in fact a percussion instrument. Dinis Sousa’s conducting was uncharacteristically rigid throughout, and rightly so: this is a claustrophobic piece of music – a symphony in a straitjacket, albeit a straitjacket from which it is desperately trying to escape.

The choice of Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto for Ólafsson’s visit to Tyneside was mysterious. The programme had originally listed Brahms’ second piano concerto as the headline piece (a convenient change for me, since I’d already seen Sunwook Kim‘s businesslike rendition of that one in 2023). One concertgoer I ended up asking about the switch to Beethoven said it was something to do with Ólafsson’s health concerns, but this concerto, a piece oozing with flair and self-confidence typical of late-era Beethoven, hardly seemed like an easy cop-out for the pianist.

Even so, perhaps for Ólafsson Emperor really is a cakewalk. It certainly seemed that way as he delved into the fiendish technical passages that open the concerto, sat back on the stool as if even he was stunned by the acrobatic feats his fingers were pulling off. This sort of musical showmanship is somewhat unchartered territory for Ólafsson, who in 2023 distinguished himself as a Bach specialist when he embarked on playing the Goldberg Variations for 88 concerts in a row in a world tour that took in every continent bar Antarctica. He’s adept at drawing out the hidden inner melodies of Bach’s knotty fugues, as well as tricky task of locating the deep springs of human emotion buried beneath the composer’s cold mathematical genius. Setting him to work at some relatively uncomplicated Beethoven then – one clear refrain per movement, repeated over and over like a pop song – felt a bit like taking a Ferrari to work.

Nonetheless, there was never a sense of superiority about Ólafsson’s impeccable playing, giving the opening movement’s radiant refrain all the vigour it deserved, then sitting back during the breaks and eagerly watching his melodies take flight in the violins around him, clearly delighted by the results. Emperor‘s dominant emotion is simple and persistent joy, although Ólafsson still found room for brief moments of reflection towards the end of the first movement, easing off on tempo momentarily before a delightful final flourish of quicksilver scales.

It was the slow middle movement where Ólafsson seemed most at home. Beethoven’s tranquil theme here is often likened to a hymn, but to me it sounds starkly contemporary, and even pop-y (is there a through line from Beethoven’s steadily rising refrain to the chorus of Becky Hill’s pop hit Remember?). In Gateshead, Ólafsson’s elegant piano melodies were superbly matched by Sousa’s RNS, the strings sounding delectable over the theme’s hushed rise and fall.

The eventual third movement, foreshadowed with subtlety by Ólafsson a few bars earlier, was pure elation. The bombastic refrain looked like terrific fun to play on piano, and Ólafsson did well to ensure even the very loud passages remained light-footed and playful. For a studious-looking pianist whose discography leans towards the austere, this was a reminder that he is still not one to take himself too seriously. A final symphonic prank from Beethoven – the dummy of a quiet ending on piano, followed by a blast of conclusive chords from the orchestra – cued five straight minutes of rapturous applause.

It took the insistence of Ólafsson himself for the applause to finally abate. After his charming chat about Newcastle United, the pianist had one last surprise in store: an encore of Jean-Phillippe Rameau’s The Arts and the Hours, dedicated to the late concert pianist and former RNS director Lars Vogt, who had in fact chosen this specific Steinway grand piano for the Glasshouse. The piece – a devastating tapestry of falling melodies and mellow harmonies – was the sort of music that words could never do justice to. The piece’s title and its dedication to Vogt made it a deeply moving meditation on the mortality of artists and the immortality of their art. This was Ólafsson at his most extraordinary; there can be few people in the world this good at communicating emotion so powerfully. Ólafsson had been a close friend of Vogt, and shared with us a text he received from Vogt just days before his death in 2022. The message was simple, but it haunted me all the way home after this scintillating night of music: “Don’t ever take the music for granted.”

Not just background music: the art of the soundtrack
1
May

How exactly does the art of music-making change when it becomes a small part of a much larger video game or feature film? And what makes the soundtrack of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse so remarkable? Alex Walden is on hand to reveal all.

One of the things that I love most about music is that it’s entirely subjective. There’s no genetic influence on what type of music you enjoy or what you look for in music; it’s completely down to just what your brain likes and that’s what makes it so unique. There’s complete freedom over what songs you like, what you like about music and what music you prefer to listen to while experiencing specific emotions. Take me for example: I can go from Kanye West to Nirvana straight to Jorja Smith like its nothing. Music’s ability to merge its way into any and every situation in life is one of the best things about it. So, what happens when entertainment corporations begin to realise this? The simple answer is that you get soundtracks, a collection of songs which feature sometimes extensive lists of artists from the same genre who are recruited to essentially convey to you how a project should sound. If done well, these soundtracks can become a great way to further indulge yourself into a corporation’s project. But what makes a soundtrack so good? By looking at some of my favourite examples I hope to give you an insight into exactly that.

DOOM and the ability to immerse
To this day, the pair of unbranded plain grey headphones that my father bought for me as a Christmas gift years ago remain one of my essential items. The main reason for this is that they come with what was at the time a new feature known Active Noise Cancelling. Although I found this feature amazing when I first experienced it, it made me appreciate the idea of having music as background noise more. For example, as I’m typing this right now on my busted AirPods at about 60% volume in my silent room I can still hear the tapping sound of my fingers on my laptop, which is helping me from becoming completely focused on this Slum Village album, whilst helping me focus on what I’m writing. The addition of music is sometimes the crucial piece needed to allow a consumer to become immersed in entertainment and Mick Gordan’s DOOM soundtrack is a prime example of this.

For those who don’t know, DOOM is a video game series which has been going since 1993. What started out as a simple arcade-style shooter has gradually progressed in recent years to become one of the most intense games ever released. You can only imagine how intense a game set on Mars with your primary objective to kill everything in sight in increasingly gruesome ways could be. Filled with fast paced action and highly detailed combat sequences, this game series has earned its place as one of my favourite game series to play. The game itself may be great, but the soundtrack is the driving force as to why this game is so special.

DOOM‘s original release dates back to 1993

As you tread through the game’s map you are given a subtle warning as a stream of white noise and bass tones hit you. In addition these sounds have been completely transformed by an extensive list of phasers, pedals, distortion boxes, reverb effects and many more. These short stretches of music are known as stems and are designed to give you an uneasy feeling of dread. It forces your brain to tell you “I don’t know what’s up ahead but whatever it is, it’s going to a be a lot”. As soon as the combat starts, the game’s techno-based sounds are completely thrown out the window, now replaced with no-nonsense metal. The addition of heavy metal music which accompanies a swarm of demons as they head directly towards you forces your body to produce a surge of adrenaline as you try fight your way through the horde.

Mick Gordon’s idea of combining metal with electronic sounding drums and heavily altered stems is not only genius, but also extremely difficult to pull off. Metal music has always been a violent badass and extremely niche category of music. It’s aggressive, fast paced and resembles everything about this new generation of music that your grandma hates. However, the fact that metal is so niche that can be its downfall sometimes. There are occasions metal fans don’t like when their genre is mixed in with more cliché genres such as techno. They feel as if their music is being watered down or that the people who make it are just doing it for money, not just the love of music. Yet Mick Gordon is able to use just the right amount of techno influence in extremely heavy basslines to add that extra kick that makes the music hit that bit more. I mean seriously – the drums and guitar riffs in this game are completely unmatched. It sounds something far beyond the capabilities of some video game composer from Australia.

Sometimes I need to pause DOOM… either I need to turn my volume down or I feel way out of my depth.

There have been times when I’ve had to pause the game while in the middle of a combat scene. This is always because of two reasons: either I need to turn my volume down because I can feel a headache coming on, or I just feel way out of my depth and need a minute to gather myself before I jump back into the game. That’s why I love DOOM so much. I’ve never played a game where I feel as if I’m being mentally dragged right out of my comfort zone, pushing myself to my limits as I try to comprehend everything around me while also trying to stay alive. I assure you that without a soundtrack, this game wouldn’t feel the same. (No seriously, I’ve actually played the whole game on mute while I watch a show in the background). But with Mick Gordon’s remarkable background music blasting through my ears, my mind constantly bounces back and forth between the thoughts of how amazing a song is and how I’m currently flirting with death in my game right now. It’s as if the game is able to control my brain, messing with me so that I’ll find it all the more challenging to complete.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the construction of fictional universes

It’s time I let you into my lives a little more now. I have to admit I’m practically in love with the Post Malone and Swae Lee song Sunflower. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you I have a borderline unhealthy addiction to this song. At the time of writing this, Sunflower is my most played song on Spotify since I created my account (that must say something considering that this I discovered this song 5 years after I first created my account). If I’m honest, I could easily write a whole dissertation level paper about how the movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is a perfect movie but for now I’m going to attempt to restrain myself and try to only talk about why the soundtrack is able to help construct a fictional universe for the consumer.

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse received widespread critical acclaim in 2018 for its creative storytelling and hit-filled soundtrack

Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse is, in my opinion, the best spider-man film made to date. The story follows Black and Puerto-Rican teen Miles Morales as he begins his journey at the Brooklyn Visions Academy. It’s clear from the beginning that Miles isn’t a huge fan of the academy and feels pressured to live up to his father’s expectations. However, while hanging out with his Uncle Aaron, Miles’ entire world gets completely flipped upside down when he gets bitten by a radioactive spider. I’ll spare you my synopsis of this film, but seriously there’s practically and endless list as to why I love this movie so much. One of the key things I always notice is that like most teens in this day and age, Miles gets anxious and things can feel mentally out of his control very quickly. It’s through music that Miles is able to calm himself down, which I know is a very common practice for people who struggle with anxiety, so we naturally relate to him because we see he’s just a kid underneath the mask.

One of the best decisions Marvel made was constructing this specific movie soundtrack. We feel as if we’re being brought into Miles’ world. With tracks like What’s Up Danger and Start a Riot we get the textbook high energy songs that let our minds wander and draw up our own Spidey-themed scenarios in our heads, but with tracks such as Sunflower, Invincible and Scared of the Dark we’re brought into Miles’ personal life. Behind all the vigilante stunts, he’s really just a kid from Brooklyn. It’s through this that were able to build a connection with Miles and we feel as if we actually know him – after all, we know his music taste, his character traits, and his biggest secret.

It’s through the soundtrack that we’re about to build a connection with Miles. We see he’s just a kid underneath his mask.

One of the most common issues with movie soundtracks today is that, although companies tend to recruit artists who are in the mainstream scene at the time, it often sounds forced and cringey because let’s face it, the number one rule with any creative passion is that it shouldn’t be forced because everyone can tell when it’s not from the heart. I’ve even read up on cases where artists have been paid to name drop specific brands in their lyrics. People can tell if you have a genuine passion for something or if you’re just doing it for clout. But with Into the Spider-Verse’s soundtrack, Marvel managed to group together artists who fit quite well in the hip hop and pop rap categories, so for them this was just another song for them to write. In particular, you can hear how good the genuine chemistry is between Post and Swae throughout the song Sunflower. It’s probably why Post decided to take Swae Lee on tour with him after the songs release.

mid90s and cultural representation

If you would’ve told me when I was a kid that hip hop would become one of the most popular genres of music in the future, including the number one in America at one point, I would’ve thought that you were talking complete nonsense and I’d have fair reason to. Up until 2016, hip hop was seen as the outcast genre. It was viewed as the genre which your kids should avoid and hip hop artists were deemed to have no valid musical talent. One of my other favourite hobbies as a kid which also got a bad rep was skateboarding. I grew up in the era of skateboarding where the days of kids watching Tony Hawk blast off crazy huge ramps and go around pools were starting to fade as street skating grew in popularity. This obviously led to skateboarding being viewed as a reckless sport which some people even saw as a crime. The representations of these two interests of mine are why they used to be home to quite niche communities, which is the same reason they ended up getting represented so poorly in mainstream media, because the people who write about it often don’t know anything about it. Despite this, there is the odd moment where it’s done well and mid90s is a prime example of how it’s done perfectly.

Jonah Hill gave all the kids on set real iPods to listen to 90s hip hop on. As someone who skates, this is a major victory.

The story of mid90s is relatively simple. It follows 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) as he navigates his way through summer accompanied by a troubling home life and a group of friends he meets at the local skate shop. What I like most about this film is that it accurately represents the skate community by showing all skaters are different; hell, some of the skaters in this film are in their teens while some are just kids. It’s not just some attempt at seeming edgy for a money grab. In fact, all the people who play skaters in mid90s were skating way before they were acting. You can find them on the Illegal Civ YouTube channel which is what makes this movie so comforting to watch you feel as if you’re just watching some kids skate. It doesn’t feel like you’re watching some scripted attempt at making skating seem rebellious and edgy.

mid90s marked Jonah Hill’s directorial debut in 2018

One of the best aspects of this film is that it features music from the time that the film is set. As a matter of fact, director Jonah Hill gave all of the kids on set iPods which were all filled with songs that he used to listen to growing up in the 90s. Many of the songs on these iPods were from artists such as Pixies, Wu Tang Clan and The Pharcyde who were also featured during the movie. Now, to the average viewer this would just be seen as a method to help add to a scene, but as someone who skates this is a major victory. I remember hearing 93 ’til Infinity by Souls of Mischief and Put It On by Big L and feeling surprised that a movie about skating was using songs that actual skaters listen to. My friends and I actually listen to some of these songs on the regular and I’m hearing it in this movie? It felt weird at first but then it felt great realising that the director, who had decided to bring quite a small sport to the big screen, had actually nailed the portrayal of skaters and had taken the steps necessary to do so. Not only that, but thanks to mid90s I was able to discover loads of new artists and songs. After watching the movie, one of the first things I did was find a Spotify playlist with all the songs featured in the movie. I was blessed with Spotfiy’s own official mid90s playlist which even included small anecdotes from Jonah Hill himself. It was through this playlist that I was able to discover golden era hip hop and how as well as good music, it doubled as an awesome soundtrack for skating. I remember trying to skate around my neighbourhood while listening artists such as Raekwon, Nirvana and, now one of my favourite groups of all time, A Tribe Called Quest. It was through times like this that I was able to explore skate culture which has become one of the best parts about my daily life. Of course, there were other instances as to why I had discovered skating, like the famous Tony Hawk games, but I feel as if it weren’t for mid90s I wouldn’t have been able to link together this fun hobby with one of my favourite things in the world, music, which has led to skating and skate culture becoming a huge part of me.

So there you have it: three examples of how a soundtrack can become a valuable feature of any project. I feel like often soundtracks can get overlooked by some who just view it as an accessory and I will admit that sometimes it can fit that description if poorly constructed, yet I hope that these three examples of iconic soundtracks have helped you realise that soundtracks can often be underrated. Maybe it’s just my habit of having a particular interest the little things and small details talking for me, who knows? What I do know though, is that next time you go watch a movie or play a video game or even go somewhere with your friends or family and you feel some extreme emotion whether it be joy, sadness, anger, or any other variation of mood, pay attention to what music is playing in the background or the songs that you play that day. You might make some amazing memories which you can then attach to a specific song. That is what makes soundtracks so amazing.

Los Bitchos live at Star and Shadow review – scintillating cumbia finds a new home on the Tyne
19
Apr

Sturdy trainers were indispensable for a night of moving and shaking in one of the trendiest little venues in Newcastle. Armed with an arsenal of percussion, it was Los Bitchos’s touching onstage chemistry that turned a good show into a fabulous one.

It’s been a wild week, but something about stepping into the modest crowd inside the Star and Shadow felt like home. I’d been slightly nervous on the bus journey across Newcastle city centre – perhaps a sign that my solo gigging confidence has been lost somewhere in an almost concert-free summer – but seeing the lights and the staging and feeling the atmosphere of anticipation reminded me why I love live music so much, with company or otherwise. It helped that the Star and Shadow turned out to be my sort of venue. Cinema by day, the small complex is proudly independent and volunteer-run, and it felt like it with its artsy handmade signs and exposed overhead ventilation ducts that butted up against a mirrorball hung up by string, giving the place a cobbled together feel, albeit lovingly. No one I had asked since moving to the city three days earlier had even heard of the venue, which was small enough for the merch queue to be almost non-existent and the bar queue an unusually polite single line leading to one side. The typically awkward task of wrangling my way to the front was a cakewalk; in fact I did a little too well, and my spot front and centre with some space around me was a bit more of a challenge to my shyness than I had bargained for. Being the only member of the crowd in a fresh, bright tangerine Los Bitchos t-shirt admittedly didn’t help me blend in.

The Star and Shadow seemed to suit Los Bitchos too, a somewhat underground four-piece from London whose remarkably niche style of guitar-driven ’80s instrumental cumbia (Latin-American dance music with roots in Africa) has gained them some notoriety as the queens of their genre in the Big Smoke. To call Los Bitchos Londoners is to discount the improbable variety the band members offer. Australian former drummer Serra Petale plays lead guitar and acts as frontwoman; Swede Josefine Jonsson, formerly of a garage rock band, takes bass; Uruguayan model Agustina Ruiz plays synthesiser and born-and-bred Londoner Nic Crawshaw both plays drums and is a working physiotherapist in the NHS.

Despite their disparate origins, as soon as the music started Los Bitchos were one inseperable unit, and the undeniable chemistry between performers was a joy to witness. Whether performing coordinated footwork (the band simply having too much fun for it to come across cheesy) or sharing swigs of tequila between songs, the four women were clearly keen to share the spotlight as evenly as possible. Leading the charge was Petale with her slinking, frictionless guitar lines and carefree dancing which was well replicated by an energetic audience. Jonsson was an authority on bass, her riffs heavy and thumping, and Crawshaw was an engine at the back on kit, her kick drum providing an everpresent thwack that got the crowd’s feet moving. Percussion is an essential part of Los Bitchos’s appeal, and every member had a crack on some sort of percussion throughout the night. The several exhilarating drum breaks involved a flurry of clattering cowbell and rippling bongos, a tapestry of sound too detailed to fully appreciate in the moment. In the midst of it all, the four of them looked like they could hardly be having more fun. Even Ruiz, tasked largely with holding down long notes on a relatively quiet synthesiser between sorties on an egg shaker, rarely stood still amid the frenzy.

I had quietly hoped that a live show would give Los Bitchos – and Petale in particular – time to explore their tracks with some improvisation, but instead songs largely stuck to their original blueprint, with Petale’s guitar playing never beyond the remit of your average intermediate guitar player. Instead, the smartly crafted ostinatos were performed with purpose and passion by Petale, who often seemed utterly lost in the groove. At her best, like on impulsive plodder Pista (Fresh Start) or hopelessly earwormy The Link Is About to Die, Petale’s hooks felt inevitable, and quite capable of being played over and over for many minutes without losing any of their appeal. Throbbing Tripping at a Party, which at times sounded like a quaint cumbian Benny Hill Theme, was another example of Petale at the top of her game both in terms of songwriting and performance.

Drum breaks were amongst the show’s highlights

Wisely given the billing it deserved, Las Panteras was an ecstatic, roof-demolishing set closer. A final build – faster, louder and even more thrilling than the original – had the crowd in raptures. The end result was a room of invariably hot and sweaty revellers begging for more; poor Star and Shadow lacked the air ventilation to deal with such an invigorating dance number. Tequila, fulfilling the wishes of several crowd members, was the fated encore follow up. Changing the formula for possibly the only Latin-American surf rock standard in Western popular culture was a necessity, and Los Bitchos’s Tequila was refreshingly intense, Ruiz belting out Spanish into the mic with the force of a pop punk star behind a wall of rock guitars. An uninhibited yelp of “Tequila!” from everyone in the room marked a fitting end to a deeply lovely night of joyful music from musicians that didn’t take themselves or their art too seriously. Such an act isn’t always easy to find.

I walked back onto the quiet evening streets of Shieldfield glowing with that addictive post-gig high, not before taking an opportunity to thank Ruiz and Crawshaw who were already calming down with cigarettes on the entrance steps. A Los Bitchos gig had been a strange way to come to terms with the big week of change in a new city, but it had worked wonders. I couldn’t have wished for a more delightful inauguration.

The wonderful adventure: why Slipping Through My Fingers is ABBA’s tragic masterpiece
16
Dec

A devastating account of a mother’s loss doubles as a universal meditation on the human compulsion to cling on to the past in a pop single that mixes ecstasy and agony in a way no other song has before or since.

Slipping Through My Fingers is twice as old as me, and yet, unlike any song released before my birth – or really any song released before 2015, for that matter – it stirs something deep within my soul. It’s had a modest renaissance other the last year after Declan McKenna, an indie rock figurehead of my own generation, released a tasteful if unspectacular cover of the track, which somehow remains his second most popular song on Spotify. It’s obvious in McKenna’s tender, wavering vocals that this song means as much to him as it does to me, and yet on paper our adoration of it makes no sense. We should be reaching for remix-ripe disco hits like Gimme Gimme Gimme or TikTok-able snippets like Angeleyes’s chorus or Chiquitita’s outro, not a ballad told unambiguously from the perspective of a Swedish mother in her thirties. Presumably like McKenna, I cannot directly relate to experiencing your child leaving home – on to school, university, or marriage – for the first time, although I have played the “absent-minded schoolgirl” in my own departure to university, and have watched my parents process some of Agnetha Fältskog’s pain in real life.

But the daughter (now 51-year-old Lena Ulvaeus) is far from the only thing slipping away in this pop masterpiece. Add a comma (“Slipping through my fingers, all the time”) and suddenly time, not the daughter, is the song’s principal subject. “It’s okay, we have time,” Donna reassures Sophie moments before STMF begins in Mamma Mia!, but really she’s fooling herself – STMF primarily deals with the disturbing mystery of time’s “funny tricks”. How can a lifelong bond between mother and daughter suddenly be a thing of the past without warning? Even when it feels like there are some things, love perhaps, that can make time stand still, why do memories inevitably fade, and joy revert to a sort of distanced numbness? Why is time so slippery? “Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture,” the narrator admits in the song’s only dud lyric (pictures are, by definition, already frozen), a line that only makes proper sense when heard over that spine-tingling melody and Anni-Frid Lyngstad’s shrill vocal harmonies.

What’s most poignant about STMF, however, is how the mother mourns the idea that she might one day know her daughter entirely. “Each time I think I’m close to knowing, she keeps on growing,” she reflects beautifully. It’s a line imbued with equal parts melancholy and hope – ‘knowing’ her daughter may be forever just out of reach for the narrator, but what a gift it is to have a daughter so nebulous, so unfathomably special that she just “keeps on growing”. In the song’s moving rendition in Mamma Mia!, for a while Donna sings to Sophie’s back, the latter blissfully unaware of her mother’s agony as she preens herself in the mirror. “Do I really see what’s in her mind?” Donna mirrors back. To love is to know one another on the deepest possible level, but STMF comes to terms with the fact that we can never really “know” each other. The daughter will always have surprises for her mother, and indeed the mother hardly even knows herself, ending a verse with “And why? I just don’t know”. Such mysteries are the beauty of living.

That aching emotion you can hear in the music alone – the pull from major immediately to minor in the first two chords, the way a rising, major-chord bridge somehow sounds utterly desolate – perfectly complements the core of STMF’s exquisite tragedy: the mother mourns her daughter, but she must let her go. Crucially, the daughter is not simply leaving – the mother is actively letting her go, having come to the painful conclusion that her sorrow is the unavoidable cost of her daughter’s freedom. “Will you give me away?” Sophie asks, referring to her wedding, still just about young enough to act on her mother’s advice. Donna swallows a yes and nods. She lets her daughter go out of love, and yet weeps as a result of that same, heart-wrenching love.

On top of all that tragedy is a certain world-weariness in ABBA’s swooping melodies and plodding drum groove. This is, after all, a “well-known sadness” and an “old, melancholy feeling”. Has the narrator felt pain this before? Perhaps this agonising dilemma – whether to hold on to the past in vain, or to let go and mourn – is an integral part of human condition? We all have a compulsion to cling on to what we know, and yet the universe transpires to forever keep changing against our will in ways both subtle and profound.

Remarkably, despite the specificity of the lyrics, STMF succeeds (like all the best pop songs) in being readily malleable into whatever meaning the listener sees fit. Whilst traveling this summer, I found myself overlooking the tragedy and reading into the song’s ample euphoria. I took it as a reminder that this moment, in all it’s thrillingly novel glory – navigating towards a sparkling Eiffel Tower at night, summitting a rugged peak alone in the Bosnian mountains, watching the sunset from a boat on the Bosphorus – is of course only transient. In fact, it’s precisely that transience that makes those moments so special. After I arrived home, I found STMF morphed into a rallying cry for a return to that trip’s whole-hearted spirit of adventure and personal development. “What happened to the wonderful adventures?” Fältskog muses, and I hear a call to snap out of all my obsessing over tricky coursework or a patch of unhappiness and remind myself that this too is an adventure and, like the daughter, I will “keep on growing”.

Tellingly, STMF ends completely unresolved. Fältskog returns to the first verse having apparently learnt little from her revelations about love and loss, and the daughter finally waves goodbye, leaving only the sounds of a clock quietly ticking in the background. The mother doesn’t know what comes next for her daughter, and in fact she can’t know; this is not her story to tell any more. The daughter will continue to grow. Perhaps she will become a mother herself, or maybe she’ll find cause to run back to her mother for a spell, temporarily reigniting those wonderful adventures. But without any doubt, at some point along the way, the daughter will feel the full weight of her mother’s thoroughly human dilemma: to hold on, or to let go. In ways big and small, this is a question we all must tackle over and over in our lives. Long may Slipping Through My Fingers keep me asking it.

Katy J Pearson live at Leeds Irish Centre review – illness-battling songstress lifts the spirits
13
Dec

Battling on despite illness, the singer-songwriter’s voice still had just enough oomph to do her finest soft rock numbers justice, and her effortless stage presence brought joy to this rainy Wednesday night in Leeds.

The alarm bells were ringing as early as song one. Bristol singer-songwriter Katy J Pearson opened this evening’s concert in the endearingly ragged confines of Leeds Irish Centre – which looks like it hasn’t changed a bit since it opened in 1970 – with her wistful recent single Those Goodbyes, a treasure trove of gorgeous, meandering melodies and pained reflections on loss. But under the venue’s tinsel-strewn ceiling, something seemed off. Her vocals on the chorus quivered, and she stepped away from the mic in the instrumental sections as if hoping to escape the obligation of having to sing. It didn’t look like she wanted to be there.

She cleared things up immediately after the end of the song. “I’ve picked up a sinus infection, so sorry if I sound a bit shit tonight,” she explained, before joking with guitarist Benjamin Spike Saunders about handing over the cold to him. Pearson apologised to the front row before Saunders chipped in with “The cold is free merch!” It’s indicative of a night that was hampered by Pearson’s illness but uplifting nonetheless, in no small part thanks to Pearson and Saunders’ gift for convivial inter-song patter.

Pearson’s beleaguered vocals are a particular shame because, as an artist, her voice is her greatest weapon. It is a remarkable thing, piercing yet mellifluous, with a delicate sheen that only gets more beautiful the higher into her range she ventures. It’s been likened to a cross between Kate Bush and Dolly Parton, but her music also evokes the trending country star CMAT, albeit with a slightly more sober presentation.

Vocals aside, Pearson also has a gift for beautiful, deceptively simple soft rock ballads, showcased best in her indie classic debut LP Return. Her third album, this year’s Someday, Now, was arguably her first creative misfire. Billed as the first album in which she’s truly taken the helm of the songwriting process, denying her label’s calls for a straightforward pop hit, Someday, Now surprisingly lacked sonic boldness, with a glut of pastel-hued, woozy tracks and a chronic lack of hooks. The fresh material understandably took precedence in Leeds, but tracks like the lethargic It’s Mine Now or the vaporous Constant had a tendency to set the mind wandering.

Luckily, there were plenty of songs from Pearson’s first two albums to keep the crowd moving. The expansive opening of Talk Over Town felt like throwing open the window after the stuffy, staid songs that preceded it, and Pearson’s sole hit Beautiful Soul came with an appealing undercurrent of menace, even though the edits to the chorus melody – apparently a measure to protect Pearson’s voice – detracted from the beauty.

Pearson’s backing band gave an impeccably professional performance, and Saunders’ tasteful guitar solo on It’s Mine Now might have rescued the track had it not been mixed so frustratingly quiet. There were plenty of interesting basslines for Tom Damage to wrap his fingers around, not least in Save Me, noodling his way into a delightful breakdown and finale. Drummer Robbie Kessell, meanwhile, was best described by Pearson herself as “a safe pair of hands,” which is to say Katy J Pearson songs are not known for their challenging drum parts.

In fairness, Pearson’s voice did steadily improve (“adrenaline is a wonderful thing,” she explained), and she was almost at full power for the Fleetwood Mac swagger of Long Range Driver, the new album’s most arresting track. It was a relief, too, that she was more than capable of tackling Return‘s title track alone on stage whilst playing acoustic guitar. An understated ballad about the joys (and sorrows) of personal growth, Return is Pearson’s songwriting magnum opus. In an Irish Centre stunned into silence, Pearson’s elegant melodies proved that, illness or not, she is an extraordinary talent.

It was a testament to Pearson’s Adele-like powers of putting the audience at ease that she could transition from the quiet heartbreak of Return to light-hearted chat with audience hecklers, asking the lighting engineer to turn down the stage lights that were blinding a patch of the crowd. “I hope this gig was acceptable,” she said at the gig’s close, before launching into a story about the last time she played in Leeds and the subsequent “paralytic” night out. Tonight was far from Pearson’s best outing, but it will take more than a sinus infection to dampen this beautiful soul.

Confidence Man live at NX review – ludicrous dance-pop tears the roof off
9
Dec

Fresh from releasing their third – and finest – album, there’s simply no room left for duds in Confidence Man’s supremely silly live show. Even by Newcastle’s high standards, Saturday nights out don’t get much more ecstatic than this.

The first thing you should know about Confidence Man is that the band’s two singers go by the names Sugar Bones and Janet Planet. The other two band members perform exclusively behind what can only be described as wide-brimmed midge-proof hats. Together they make willfully silly dance-pop, and their notorious live show involves camp, somewhat stilted dancing, all duly served to the crowd with unflinching poker faces. If aliens learnt about dance music only through a Wikipedia page and decided to invade Earth in the guise of an Australian four-piece electropop band, they would sound and look an awful lot like Confidence Man.

If Con Man’s aim really is gradual world domination, their plan is working. October’s 3 AM (LA LA LA) was their third LP and quite possibly their best, a full-throttle clubby blast featuring a bounty of nostalgic musical references to Britain’s famous 90s rave scene, plus enough of a resemblance to Charli xcx to get the youngsters like me excited. It is 47 minutes of gloriously uncomplicated party music best enjoyed with your hands in the air and feet off the ground.

It made sense, then, that 3AM only sounded more glorious when flowing out of NX’s meaty soundsystem and into a packed room of dancing fans. Amidst the blasting dance beats, Planet and Bones’ kitsch choreo was occasionally impressive (a few of Janet’s somersaults would score well on Strictly) but always hilarious, delivered with a faux-seriousness that made it clear that we were watching a performance, and by no means the musicians’ authentic selves. In today’s post-Brat world, where popstars are obliged to lay out their deepest and darkest emotions on a record, there was something refreshing about seeing an act plainly giving the fans what they want: 90 tears-free minutes of quality entertainment.

And what entertainment. Breakout hit Now U Do was hastily disposed of at the very start of the set, but justifiably so – Con Man’s new stuff makes this mellow house track sound almost soporific. Recent single I Can’t Lose You, for example, is pure electro-pop gold – a sticky, agitated synth line set to a stellar vocal hook. The band have been churning out winning earworms for years now, but this is surely the most ruthlessly catchy ditty Sugar and Janet have ever penned. Control similarly provoked delirium in NX with its heady swirl of techno bass, backed by suitably batty visuals on the giant screen behind the band – think pigeons with laser eyes and badgers smoking cigarettes.

Not once did Bones and Planet falter in their complete commitment to the bit, launching from one side of the stage to the other as they recounted dancefloor love affairs and wild drug-fuelled nights out, occasionally pausing to execute an acrobatic lift. Album highlight Real Move Touch was served with a particularly involving dance routine, fitting for this breathless sugar rush of a dance track. In Newcastle, Janet’s pivotal yelp of “Don’t you know you make me want to scream?!” sounded utterly electrifying, the perfect distillation of the dopamine-filled mania this concert tended to induce.

Even 3AM’s more questionable tracks were given shrewd facelifts on the night. The patience-testing ode to psychedelics Breakbeat was rescued by a spot of crowd participation, whilst Sugar Bones’ sludgy solo number Sicko came with the theatre of seeing Janet smash a sugar glass bottle over his head (karma perhaps for Sugar Bones uncorking a full bottle of champagne on the front rows – myself included – in a particularly giddy moment a few songs earlier).

It must be said that, if it wasn’t already obvious, lyrically Janet Planet is no Shakespeare. Intoxicatingly heavy frugger All My People reads “With a face like that there’s no conversation / With an ass like that there’s no hesitation” (no prizes for guessing the choreography keynotes here), and pathetic boyfriends account for much of the lyrical inspiration. A Con Man gig is not the place for mulling over nuanced metaphors, nor should it be. Janet and Sugar instead focus their efforts on roof-raising beats and titillating visuals, two things they do extremely well. The exception was So What, which hides its musings on the pointlessness of taking life too seriously behind a curtain of trashy Eurodance synths. Whether they were listening to the words or not, the crowd – encouraged to give each other piggy backs – greeted the track like it was a legendary Eurovision winner.

Reggie Goodchild and Clarence McGuffie (or so they call themselves) were unsung heroes, cooking up club beats behind their veils at the back of the stage and more than proving their worth in two extended instrumental breaks that succeeded in keeping the crowd’s hands happily bouncing in the air even without the two frontpeople for encouragement. Sugar and Janet eventually returned to stage wearing little more than light-up underwear and took back control with a terrific rendition of Boyfriend (Repeat), perhaps the biggest fan favourite in a night of fan favourites.

Effervescent hit Holiday wrapped up the show before an encore of 3AM’s title track, home to the band’s most artfully melodic hook. A shirtless Bones flexed his biceps one last time, Planet (now in a frilly maid’s costume) delivered a final pout, and the crowd erupted. It had been a Saturday night out for the ages. Releasing her pose and taking a final moment to appreciate the crowd, Janet finally dropped her stern persona and cracked a smile. Who could blame her? Everything about this night was pure euphoria from start to finish.

Fat Dog live at Project House review – barking mad dance-rock is a treat
15
Nov

The much-hyped band crowned a breakout year with a bangers-only 45 minute blitz in Leeds, packed with mammoth riffs and thunderous bass lines. Even the band’s photographer couldn’t resist the pull of a vintage mosh pit.

Twilight on a moody November evening by the canal in Leeds, and the leaking locks are hissing harshly behind a gloomy row of trees. At 8 p.m. it’s still just about bright enough to make out the passing clouds, oddly glowing with light pollution against navy skies. I’ve only just arrived, but I already feel exhausted – with the murky recent weather, a cold going round and a certain election result, I can’t have been the only one approaching Project House feeling weighed down by November blues. I walked towards the reassuring thud of live music – the muffled sounds of what turned out to be a rather dreadful support slot from Truthpaste – hopeful the music might provide some catharsis.

As it happened, few bands do reckless, enthralling catharsis quite like Fat Dog. Like Black Country, New Road and Black Midi, they were borne out of the fertile left-field music scene centred on the legendary Windmill venue in Brixton, making a name for themselves in recent years solely through notoriously wild live shows. Fat Dog’s unique sound is charged with an impulsive energy that makes it easy for audiences to be swept away by it all even without prior exposure. Remarkably, one scant album into their career, Fat Dog have already carved out a distinct stylistic niche – aggressive industrial dance music with thunderous unisons riffs, scuzzy saxophone and yelped, barely coherent vocals about impending doom. Think somewhere between Madness and Daft Punk, but with more lyrical references to slug invasions. It’s unlike anything I’ve heard before.

You could forgive Fat Dog for being exhausted themselves – they’ve essentially been on tour for their entire career so far, including a marathon four performances on various small stages at this year’s Glastonbury. Emerging onto stage to a volley of drums and a tremble of deep synth bass, frontman Joe Love was a wonderfully enigmatic figure, his eyes barely open beneath a canopy of curly locks and a white Stetson. Vocally, he made no sense either, producing a manic yelp of “It’s Fat Dog baby!” at the start of the concert, sounding more menacingly deranged than comical.

Such is the unique appeal of Fat Dog, a band who on paper sound jokey – drummer Johnny ‘Doghead’ Hutch has a penchant for performing in a German shepherd mask, sadly not donned in Leeds – but in reality sound like credible harbingers of the apocalypse. It didn’t take long for the audience to start colliding with each other to the sounds of Vigilante, an album opener which brilliantly pairs a mammoth hook with a haunting, vaguely Eastern European folk melody. Gone were the intricate details of the studio recording – most notably a melodramatic spoken word passage, and a gigantic-sounding string orchestra carrying the hook – but in Leeds an additional percussionist was let loose on an arsenal of bongos and cymbals, more than plugging the gap. The result was an intoxicatingly heavy three minutes that had an instant, drug-like effect on the audience, who duly threw their arms – and beers – up in the air.

Joe Love’s performance was intimate for those in the front row.

It was enthralling – but then again I’m bound to say that, since Love spent a majority of this brief gig right next to me, close enough I could have nicked his hat. He leaned against the barriers for song after song, singing directly to his devotees like a young Nick Cave, only with less heartfelt hand-holding and more woofing into the microphone. It was a thrill to be in the mix of bodies with their arms reaching up towards him, but I doubt the people a little further back from me – spending most of the gig looking at a largely empty stage – would have agreed.

From my fortunate vantage point amidst the mosh, the only possible downside of Fat Dog’s set was that each song was almost too exhaustingly compelling. Seven-minute opus King of the Slugs was a marathon of industrial beats, particularly in its propulsive second half where the tempo was ruthlessly dialled up a notch. Wither similarly took off like a rocket, Jacqui Wheeler’s restless bass riff and Love’s oddball intonations of “You better wither, baby, before you die” whipping up a frenzy in the crowd. The bedlam was so irresistible that, in one exquisite moment of rock ‘n’ roll, even the hired photographer camped out beside the stage in front of me felt compelled to down tools and leap into the crowd, practically landing on top of me. A few seconds later I watched her drift off to the dim recesses at the back of the venue as Morgan Wallace’s saxophone squealed like a wounded pig.

Even I Am the King, the unconvincing ballad lodged in the middle of the band’s debut album, sounded gripping in Leeds, the shimmering backing of strings given new urgency by Hutch’s rapid hit-hats ticking away like a time bomb. “I am the king… and it means nothing at all,” Love repeated again and again with rising desperation, the swirl of synths rising around him like floodwaters. Yes, Love has penned plenty of silly lyrics (his first words in his debut album are “Granny’s tights on my head”), but this was a moment of genuine artistry and the evening’s only opportunity for pause and reflection.

It all came to ahead with an electrifying rendition Running, a stupendous single and one of the very best songs from any band this year. It’s a masterclass in tension and release, evident in Leeds when it triggered not one but three mosh circles (where fans clear an area of the floor then rush into the space when the chorus hits). The lengthy bridge in particular was excruciatingly tense, and by the time the eventual payoff came – a panoply of winning hooks, all neatly foreshadowed earlier in the song – bodies were circulating in the crowd as if swept up in a fast-moving lazy river.

An encore of noughties rave classic Satisfaction – a perfect riff for Wallace to attack on her saxophone – wrapped things up before the clocks struck 10 p.m.. Too early to call it a night perhaps, but I’m not sure if I had the physical fitness for much more, and the revellers around me looked like they’d been worked to exhaustion too. In the end, the crowd simply barked in unison instead of asking for one more song – if Fat Dog had indeed imbued their strange music with some sort of magic potion, it had worked a charm.

KNOWER: KNOWER FOREVER review – a grand return for the LA duo
23
Nov

Louis Cole, Genevieve Artadi and an incredible collection of collaborators have crafted an album elevated far above any of their past music, shaping a promising future for the electronic funk duo, writes Matthew Rowe.

Agood few years ago I was playing GTA with some friends when I first heard F—k The Makeup, Skip The Shower on FlyLo FM, and ever since I have been obsessed with LA’s experimental funk duo KNOWER, the main driving factor for me getting into funk music (thank you rockstar). It has been seven years since Louis Cole, Genevieve Artadi and their array of ridiculously talented musicians released an album under KNOWER, but you can tell they never stopped.

Cole, Artadi and friends are often found touring with their respective bands and solo projects. For example, Louis Cole’s tours often include a full entourage of artists, having a huge overlap with those included in KNOWER FOREVER. This is evident with how tight all of the songs feel, with every member able to fit seamlessly into the funk pocket, no matter how convoluted some of the melodies are.

KNOWER FOREVER is the product of a band where each member has refined their act so finely that their sound has evolved significantly, moving from a more unhinged dubstep feel to well put together funk. As an album, this was a brave move from Cole and Artadi, releasing it on Bandcamp back in June before it got released on streaming services, but listening to it on Spotify, I wish I’d caved in and bought it via Bandcamp.

Admittedly, at first I was a little worried about how the album would turn out, and that the rest of the songs would struggle to hold a candle to the three released before the rest, those three being I’m The President, The Abyss and Crash The Car, all of which set the bar high. On the release of specifically the first two, they were all I could listen to for a good week. The risk of the rest not being as good was one of the reasons I was put off buying the Bandcamp version but now since the Spotify release, I can’t stop listening. This project is easily the best funk album I’ve heard this year and is in contention for my album of the year, alongside Black Country, New Road’s Live at Bush Hall.

This project is easily the best funk album I’ve heard this year.

KNOWER has always been known for pushing the boundaries of wacky and ridiculous, but I believe that in KNOWER FOREVER they have successfully balanced this with producing nicely subdued songs in comparison. In the previous album, Life, there were songs like The Government Knows and Pizza which I’m sure some people will miss, but I think it’s a very welcome change for them to focus more on the synergy of the band rather than making rather nonsensical music. The new sound is very similar to two of their most famous songs, Overtime, and Time Traveller, the Overtime live session being one of my favourite videos of all time.

In this project, it’s also clear that inspiration has derived specifically from Cole’s other endeavours. Louis Cole is part of a duo that goes by Clown Core and in It’s All Nothing Until It’s Everything it’s clear to see with the drum beat that it is heavily inspired by them. This album also hosts a wide range of musicians; despite being a project by Cole and Artadi, it feels more like a revolving collective of pure talent. On top of this, some big names have been bought in: Jacob Mann and MonoNeon, just to name a couple. The only problem I have with this project is MonoNeon’s lack of bass soloing on The Abyss and despite his insane bass lines, I was left feeling that there was untapped potential.

As a drummer, I love nothing more than hearing new Louis Cole tracks, and he delivered. I have found, after several hours of trying, that his sound is very tough to replicate. Every song on KNOWER FOREVER seemed to bring a different style with it, but I for one find it very impressive how easily he can fit technically complex drumming and fills seamlessly into the rest of the band without overstepping. This has developed with this album. In the past, in songs such as Like A Storm, the contrast with the melodic singing of Artadi clashed with Cole a bit too much, but the new album has perfectly mixed her vocals depending on the song. Pair this with Sam Wilkes’ stank-face-inducing basslines and Sam Gendel’s sax riffs; you can’t go wrong.

It’s not only Louis who displays range in his playing; the entire band is capable of completely different soundscapes depending on the song. Just in this one album, we are blessed with ethereal melodic songs that focus on the range of the soft-spoken lyricism of Genevieve, fast bouncy funk in Nightmare and hardcore dubstep funk in It’s All Nothing Until It’s Everything. The band’s ability to adapt to any subgenre is inspiring and gives me a lot of hope for the future of KNOWER.

The band’s ability to adapt to any subgenre is inspiring and gives me a lot of hope for the future of KNOWER.

One thing I really appreciate about this album is the use of the full house band. This is classic Cole: a house full of musicians, all somehow in perfect sync with each other. This has been done in the past, but to my knowledge, has never made it into a KNOWER album, often being made as fun projects after the songs have had official releases. This opens up a whole new dimension to the song I’m The President, making it more of an epic orchestra rather than just a band, and the result is all of these talented musicians coming together, with perfect mixing to help realise a song, that otherwise would have been incredible, but is greatly boosted up by the theatrics of the brass and choir.

KNOWER FOREVER was worth the seven year wait. Even though I only started listening to them after Life came out, I have been waiting to see what else they could do. This has set the bar very high for future projects, but if there’s a group of people who can maintain quality, it’s these guys. All members involved contributed greatly, and all of them had their chance to shine, creating solid music with well-suited solos. They are able to take on any genre they feel like, and I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next.