August is traditionally a calmer month when it comes to music releases but this one had some significant highlights which are hard to bypass. The return of PiL 8 years after the release of their previous studio album ‘What The World Needs Now’ with a punk gem that brings in some subtle Belgian coldwave elements too. ‘End Of World‘ is the bone-cracking title of the band’s latest offering ahead of the celebration of their 45th anniversary with a gig at O2 Forum Kentish Town.
February was definitely a better month in some ways, and its music releases are testament to the different energy that it brought about. We listened to 58 independent and underground albums, EPs and singles and we created the soundtrack of the month that took us on an electro/industrial, punk, darkwave, synthwave, post-punk trip which had neoclassical and black metal moments of brilliance as well.
This is the playlist that prepares for the end of the year — the soundtrack of a journey through an abandoned fairground where everything is left in a state of limbo. Our favourite albums of this month include the dynamic return of Pecadores, a cult band from Brazil, 11 years after the release of their previous album. This time they have been haunted again and have come back with their incredible mix of industrial rhythms that sometimes nod to Wumpscut and tribal percussion that bring the mind to tribal ceremonies. A special mention in due to the fantastic releases of ant-zen by vromb, thorofon and 2kilos&more who created an addictive IDM/noise/industrial symphony that kept us on edge for most of the month! TEATRE‘s album ‘Metropolis’ added to the captivating sonic mix with notes of downtempo and dark techno.
If a path cannot be fathomed nor designed, then sound shall carve one out of nothingness. We might not ‘curse’ anyone this time, but our favourite songs celebrate both the realms of death and those of a pastoral nature with equal passion.
IDLES-CRAWLER
1.MTT 420RR /2.The Wheel</span< /3.When The Lights Come On /4. Car Crash/5.The New Sensation /6. Stockholm Syndrome /7. The Beachland Ballroom /8.Crawl! /9. Meds/10.Kelechi /11. Progress /12. Wizz /13. King Snake /14. The End
Release date: 16 November 2021
…or what does a paralytic loveless dream sound like?
When IDLES first dropped ‘Brutalism’ – their debut album on the planet, followed by a mind-blowing gig at Rough Trade East at the height of a blistering London summer – we all jumped for joy in the presence of a band that dared to 
look at the ‘life of the dog’ and had the audacity to spit on the ills of such a life with the in-your-face emotional drama that is absent from our everyday lives. Two studio and two live albums later, this band has stood the test of time and drop ‘CRAWLER’. IDLES have carried a certain assertiveness with them, an urge – to take back things ‘stolen’ (friends, innocence, jobs, decency…) – that comes from the emotional strength acquired over time, when someone keeps too many things inside for far too long.
Are you ready for the storm? (lyrics: ‘MTT 420RR‘)
This is a set of photos from the all day mini festival organised by Chaos Theory at The Black Heart in Camden in 2022, to celebrate their 12 years as a London promoter. You can read the review of this gig here.
Blaue Rosen 
“If you don’t learn to laugh at life it’ll surely kill you, that I know“-BROM
March was a dark month, especially in the UK as it was the month when the lockdown measures were put in place, creating a new situation even for the reclusive misfits of society. The sonic output of this month was rich but we did not find it as easy, to identify truly exceptional releases. There were many EPs and albums that confused us both with the plurality of their influences and with the fact that the bands seemed to be unable to make sonic sense out of all this. Once again it was the most experimental approaches to sound that fascinated us and a spirit of relentless energy that has been retained and enhanced from all-time favourite bands.
I am writing this review on a plane, having taken with me, the energy from last night’s powerful gig of The Chameleons at 229 the venue. This was the first of the two last gigs of 2019, which started with an electronic gig and ended with an experimental one.
“Time he’s on my side…she said…” (lyrics: ‘Less than Human’)
Despite not having seen any familiar faces in the audience at this gig, it felt as if I was among friends.
There was strong anticipation in the air, people were discussing their experiences from other gigs of the band in other cities and others were just voicing their desire to listen to specific songs. There were two generations of fans in the venue and it was very evident that they all shared an adoration for The Chameleons.
““A poet is a nightingale who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds.”
-Percy Bysshe Shelley
October was one of the most inspiring months of this year in terms of its independent music output, not only because Stephen Mallinder has released his first solo album for 37 years, but also because SWANS have ‘broken’ their self imposed hiatus. In October we also had the chance to enjoy some great debut releases by new bands showing a strong DIY element. If this monthly playlist was a person, they would be a kooky, abrasive and gothic looking one.
