#586: Woodkid & Nils Frahm – Ellis

As a black-clad Robert DeNiro stalks the halls of a decrepit and peeling Ellis Island, each step accompanied by the icy piano motifs of Woodkid and Nils Frahm, its easy to imagine the gravitas of the situation millions found themselves in. Caught between a rock and a hard place, desperate to forge a new life in a strange country, it’s a narrative that draws comparisons with today’s current refugee crisis.

This review was witten for London In Stereo. Click here to read in full.

#585: Odonis Odonis - Post Plague

Since exploding on to the Toronto scene roughly five years ago, post-punk trio Odonis Odonis have gone from strength to strength. Interested predominantly in the angrier and more angsty side of the genre, their previous releases were deliberately abrasive affairs, back-boned by an uncompromising weight. It’s somewhat of a surprise then, that the band’s third effort, Post Plague, is arguably their most accessible release to date.

This review was originally written for London In Stereo. Click here to read in full.

#584: Samaris - Black Lights

That ‘Black Lights’ is something of a change in direction for Samaris is understandable. Having found themselves for the first time in completely separate locations across Europe, it’s clear their respective cities have permeated the record insidiously.

This review was originally written for Clash, Click here to read in full.

#583: Stephen Steinbrink - Anagrams

“While making ‘Anagrams’ I felt like I was losing it,” claimed Phoenix, Arizona-born songwriter Stephen Steinbrink in a statement about his new album. “Lately, writing songs almost makes the world seem more chaotic”. That might seem a strange claim for those familiar with the easygoing wanderlust of 2014’s ‘Arranged Waves’. But even though it shares at least some of that record’s characteristics, ‘Anagrams’ feels fuller and somewhat less optimistic.

This review was written for DIY. Click here to read in full.