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Music
Records, scenes, and the artists shaping the sound.
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Arab Strap Unveil New LP, ‘Half-Told Tales’
the 14-track record is out in September Arab Strap have shared details of their ninth studio album, Half-Told Tales. Spanning 14 tracks, its release comes 30 years on from the release of the duo's debut single. The album was written and produced amidst a push-pull, back-and-forth dynamic between the group's Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton that saw them compromise on each other's various ideas. "The excitement comes because me and Aidan like and hate different things," said Middleton in a statement. "There are things in the record that individually we might not choose but that's why I like this album so much, because it's not the one I wanted to make. I don't think it's what Aidan wanted to make either, it's this... The post Arab Strap Unveil New LP, ‘Half-Told Tales’ appeared first on The Quietus.
Xiu Xiu Reveal ‘Eraserhead’ Soundtrack Album
The band's own take on the score for David Lynch's feature debut will be released in July Photo by Joe Stewart Xiu Xiu are releasing their own interpretation of the soundtrack to David Lynch's 1977 feature film debut Eraserhead. The material featured on the album is based on a new live show by the band, which sees them recreate the film's score alongside a screening of the movie itself. The film's original score and sound design was produced by Lynch and Alan Splet, with Peter Ivers famously composing the most prominent piece of music, 'In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)'. Xiu Xiu previously produced the album and concert concept Plays The Music Of Twin Peaks in 2016 with the blessing of David Lynch... The post Xiu Xiu Reveal ‘Eraserhead’ Soundtrack Album appeared first on The Quietus.
Seefeel – Sol.Hz
Seefeel Sol.Hz Five years on from their EP, London's Seefeel continue to plough that fertile furrow between ambient shimmer, dub oomph and the silences in-between Sol.Hz by Seefeel The cover of Seefeel’s latest album Sol.Hz seems to stare back at you. A piercing blue eye gazing through your soul to foreshadow the contemplative nature of the record inside, while the surrounding void simultaneously introduces one of the integral themes of the album: use of space. Throughout the record, decrescendos and silence are used to suck you in and ease you out of the music, whilst simultaneously dousing the listener in welcome dub flavours. Seefeel, currently consisting of Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock, might have halved in size since its inception, but is still just as... The post Seefeel – Sol.Hz appeared first on The Quietus.
Phil Collins Reacts to Viral Twins Reaction Video for “In the Air Tonight”
TwinsthenewTrend's 2021 video has racked up more than 10 million views to date. Phil Collins Reacts to Viral Twins Reaction Video for “In the Air Tonight” Eddie Fu
Dexys Midnight Runners Announce New Album, ‘LOVE’
It's their first release under the name since 1985's Don't Stand Me Down Dexys Midnight Runners have announced a new album, titled LOVE. Marking their first release under the Dexys Midnight Runners name since 1985's Don't Stand Me Down, a press release notes that it may be the final chapter in the group's musical journey. The record collects stories from across frontman Kevin Rowland's life, covering his second generation Irish childhood and family relationships, as well as late-life romance, loss and reconciliation. To mark the record's announcement, the group have put out lead track 'My Life In England Pt. 1', which you can watch a video for below. In a statement about the song, Rowland said: "We put out a version of this song... The post Dexys Midnight Runners Announce New Album, ‘LOVE’ appeared first on The Quietus.
“Weird Al” Yankovic to Kick Off 2026 “Bigger & Weirder” Tour
The massive 90-city jaunt will hit arenas and amphitheaters across the US and Canada through mid-October. “Weird Al” Yankovic to Kick Off 2026 “Bigger & Weirder” Tour Eddie Fu
Low Culture Essay: Mary Chiney on Stanley Okorie’s Nollywood Soundtracks
Stanley Okorie’s thousands of songs defined the Nollywood film industry, becoming “the vocalisation of the collective id” of a fast-changing Nigeria. Words and Subscriber Plus exclusive playlist by Mary Chiney The power cuts out. It is a Tuesday evening in Lagos somewhere near the turn of the millennium, and the sudden, suffocating silence of the ceiling fan is immediately replaced by the collective groan of the neighborhood, followed seconds later by the violent, coughing roar of a diesel generator. The heavy, sticky humidity of the Nigerian night immediately begins to press against the windows. Inside the living room, a heavy CRT television screen flickers back to life, the static clears with a high-pitched whine, and a VHS tape resumes its rotation... The post Low Culture Essay: Mary Chiney on Stanley Okorie’s Nollywood Soundtracks appeared first on The Quietus.
Heavy Song of the Week: BIG|BRAVE Bring Emotional Heft to “an uttering of antipathy”
BIG|BRAVE demonstrate the emotional heft attainable through the extremities of noise and drone on "an uttering of antipathy." Heavy Song of the Week: BIG|BRAVE Bring Emotional Heft to “an uttering of antipathy” Langdon Hickman
In the Shadow of the Bomb: Heavy Water by Magic Tuber Stringband
Magic Tuber Stringband’s first LP as a trio is a work of unruly beauty that doubles as a cautionary tale, says Bernie Brooks Magic Tuber Stringband by Dani Smith Probably it's best to start with Ellenton, South Carolina. This once-was-a-town and its fate are at the heart of Heavy Water, Magic Tuber Stringband’s latest and arguably best LP. Now an accumulation of concrete scars near the Savannah River, the meagre remains of an infrastructure lacking structure, Ellenton was, like many rural places in the States, a railroad town. Settled in 1870 as the Charleston and Western Carolina Railway was being cut through the landscape, Ellenton is now mostly remembered for two things: it’s erasure, which we’ll get to shortly; and a bloody... The post In the Shadow of the Bomb: Heavy Water by Magic Tuber Stringband appeared first on The Quietus.
Lupita Nyong’o Reminds Racists that The Odyssey Is a “Mythological Story”
The Oscar winner's casting as Helen of Troy has received blowback from online blowhards. Lupita Nyong’o Reminds Racists that The Odyssey Is a “Mythological Story” Liz Shannon Miller
New Order to Release ‘The Best & The Rest Of’ Compilation Featuring Rarities and Unheard Remixes
Two compilations from 1994 and 1995 have been remastered for the new release New Order are reissuing their compilations The Best Of New Order, from 1994, and The Rest Of New Order, from 1995. The new combined release will be available in multiple formats, with both compilations having been remastered for the new edition. A four-CD edition will come with an additional disc of remixes, including previously unreleased versions and rarities, while there will also be a standard CD release and double and triple-vinyl sets. Included on the release are are Shep Pettibone’s remix of ‘True Faith’, as well as CJ Bolland's version of 'Temptation' and reworks by Richie Hawtin, Sabres Of Paradise and Hardfloor, among others. Warner Music will release The Best &... The post New Order to Release ‘The Best & The Rest Of’ Compilation Featuring Rarities and Unheard Remixes appeared first on The Quietus.
“Claypool Gold Tour” Kickoff Show Spotlights Primus, Claypool Lennon Delirium, and Frog Brigade: Video + Setlist
All three of the singer-bassist's bands get the spotlight on this unique outing. “Claypool Gold Tour” Kickoff Show Spotlights Primus, Claypool Lennon Delirium, and Frog Brigade: Video + Setlist Spencer Kaufman
UK Government Accused of Extracting Portion of Grassroots Ticket Levy via VAT Charges
£1.2 million of £6 million raised to support small music venues appears to have been lost to "stealth" charges The UK government has been accused of using "stealth" VAT charges to extract a significant portion from a £6 million fund that was raised to support grassroots music venues. The funds were raised via a voluntary ticket levy that the LIVE Trust established in January 2025. The £1 levy on tickets sold for gigs at arenas and large venues in the UK was created so that the money could be redistribute to smaller venues that were facing uncertain futures. The Telegraph reports, however, that HM Treasury is believed to have used VAT charges to extract £1.2 million from the £6 million that was raised by the ticket... The post UK Government Accused of Extracting Portion of Grassroots Ticket Levy via VAT Charges appeared first on The Quietus.
Saint Just Unveil Debut Track
The band consisting of former members of Algiers team up with Kyle Kidd, AKA Motherboard, on righteous banger 'You Betta' Ryan Mahan and Lee Tesche of long-time tQ favourites Algiers have teamed up with Kyle Kidd for a new project called Saint Just. Kidd, who goes under the musical name Motherboard, is part of the Mourning [A] BLKstar collective, and has collaborated with Moor Mother and Irreversible Entanglements. Saint Just are named after a Jacobin who perished at the guillotine alongside Robespierre during the French Revolution. The trio came together in 2025, writing material at a residency at Colorado's Music District, before studio sessions followed with Bartees Strange and Brendan Canty in Baltimore. The first fruit of this endeavour is new track 'You... The post Saint Just Unveil Debut Track appeared first on The Quietus.
Don Omar’s 2026 “The Last King” Tour: How to Get Tickets
The Puerto Rican reggaetón star launches a new 24-date outing this fall. Don Omar’s 2026 “The Last King” Tour: How to Get Tickets Scoop Harrison
Phillip Golub – Partisan Ship
Phillip Golub Partisan Ship An album of microtonal jazz played on a Flexichord keyboard proves an all-enveloping experience, for Andrew Taylor-Dawson Partisan Ship by Phillip Golub The word ‘immersive’ can be overdone or feel forced when applied to artistic endeavours, be it a theatrical performance, an exhibition or indeed an album. Yet, it feels like the natural descriptor for Partisan Ship, the latest offering from LA born, Brooklyn-based pianist, composer and bandleader Phillip Golub. Golub has become an essential artist for fans of experimental avant-garde jazz. He has collaborated with other contemporary visionaries such as Vijay Iyer and is currently on a particularly prolific run – having released two records in 2025. With Partisan Ship, which can loosely be seen as a concept album about a... The post Phillip Golub – Partisan Ship appeared first on The Quietus.
Dick Parry, Pink Floyd Saxophonist, Dead at 83
He performed on such songs as "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Wish You Were Here," "Us and Them," and "Money." Dick Parry, Pink Floyd Saxophonist, Dead at 83 Spencer Kaufman
Visible Cloaks – Paradessence
Visible Cloaks Paradessence Portland, Oregon duo amplify the creaks and cracks between the many different styles in their toolbox Paradessence by Visible Cloaks Paradessence spotlights the innate surrealism of Visible Cloaks shimmering, digital-powered exotica. Since 2014 the duo, Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile, have forged a borderless space where echoes of globally dispersed music converge in a glimmering zone and the periphery between synthetic and otherwise is porous. Their albums bring to mind Yves Tanguy paintings, filled with impressions of familiar forms contained in unusual contours and doused in hyperreal sheen. Visible Cloaks’ first full length since 2017’s Lex, Paradessence amplifies the portals and colourful intrusions generated by their crossing of streams. Opener ‘Apsis’ begins with slithers of synth that mutate between elegant brush strokes... The post Visible Cloaks – Paradessence appeared first on The Quietus.
Come Shrine With Me: Holy Pop! at Somerset House
A new exhibition at Somerset House explores fan-made shrines to dead pop stars, from Barnes' Marc Bolan memorial to Nina Simone's gum. Jak Hutchcraft talks to curator Tory Turk about art and fandom Children of Graceland (project). Hayley Louisa Brown How do we mourn a pop star? How do we remember somebody that we loved dearly, butnever really knew? The new Holy Pop! exhibition at Somerset House in London celebrates the world of modern shrines, “the objects and collections that honour heroes, celebrities, and cult icons”. The show includes extensive collections of photos and ephemera, carefully crafted sculptures, decorated crypts and inner city murals protected by Perspex. Some reside in quiet spaces at fans’ home, and others stand tall at graveyards inviting awe.... The post Come Shrine With Me: Holy Pop! at Somerset House appeared first on The Quietus.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Drops Below $250 to Lead the Best Memorial Day Headphone Sales
Bose headphones and Apple AirPods are also heavily discounted. Sony WH-1000XM5 Drops Below $250 to Lead the Best Memorial Day Headphone Sales Eddie Fu
Staff Picks: Best Songs of the Week May 16th – May 22nd
Great new tracks from Aja Monet, Eilish Constance, Liquid Mike, Swapmeet, Veeze, and more. Staff Picks: Best Songs of the Week May 16th – May 22nd Consequence Staff
Communism, Sex & Cruelty to Animals: 40 Years of Hail The New Puritan
Featuring The Fall and Leigh Bowery, Charles Atlas's revolutionary mockumentary on dancer and choreographer Michael Clark first aired forty years ago this month – looking back at it shows how far Channel Four has fallen, argues Samuel Cox There are few better advertisements for a robust welfare state than The Fall. Mark E. Smith lapses into a rare moment of sentimentality in his autobiography Renegade when discussing his time on the dole in the late 1970s: “Other people went to university and I read books, smoked cigs and looked around most days. It’s good to have a period like that in your life, when you’re not being forced to think like others.” Smith posits that “if you’re a cod psychologist” – and... The post Communism, Sex & Cruelty to Animals: 40 Years of Hail The New Puritan appeared first on The Quietus.
“It Takes Two” Rapper Rob Base Dead at 59
He passed away peacefully after a private cancer battle. “It Takes Two” Rapper Rob Base Dead at 59 Eddie Fu
Ava Mendoza – Alive Alone, Alive Together
Ava Mendoza Alive Alone, Alive Together Eight tracks – seven of them reworked versions of cuts from previous albums – are brought thrillingly to life by the drumming of Hamid Drake Alive Alone, Alive Together by Ava Mendoza Brooklyn based guitarist and vocalist Ava Mendoza has forged a serious reputation over the last couple of decades. She’s garnered the respect of experimental music fans through co-leading noise-rock and free jazz trio Unnatural Ways, playing with the Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet and as a solo artist. With Alive Alone, Alive Together Mendoza presents a tight eight track set comprised of seven significantly reworked versions of tracks from 2021’s instrumental offering, New Spells and her 2024 effort The Circular Train. She also treats the listener to one... The post Ava Mendoza – Alive Alone, Alive Together appeared first on The Quietus.