Every once in a while, I get contacted by a member of a band with a request to give a piece of music they have produced a listen, just simply as a means to help promote their band, passing on their work towards new listeners. In this instance, it was the lead singer Francesca Corradini, who contacted me via Instagram with a request to listen to a couple of singles they had released, or were in the process of doing so, which I was of course more than happy to do.

Now we are coming towards the end of another year, I think it's time to evaluate all that has come our way in the world of music. As I recently compiled my rundown of albums of this year, so i thought I would proffer a similar list, this time all the single tracks that struck a chord, as it were, with me this year.

Here is a fine work of beauty, an airy, ethereal and immersive album that envelops you and washes you in a wall of sound. As we endure the winter months, with the Sun low down in the sky, the cold chill all pervasive, here is something that will bring a glowing warmth to the coldest day. That something comes in the shape of a new album by Calliere, entitled…

So, here we are once again, at that time of year when music critics write their lists of the best albums of the past twelve months. Thus, without further ado, here is my selection for favourite albums of this year. In top spot is perhaps one of my favourite bands from Scotland of the last thirty years, who, from the first moment I heard them on John Peel's show in 1996 I knew I was going to be completely blown away by them.

£41 million! That’s how much more the Post Office has just agreed to pay Fujitsu to keep using the faulty Horizon IT system. And that's on top of another whopping £65m the Government paid the scandal ...

Ancient woodlands are vanishing – and with them, some of our most loved and endangered wildlife. Forestry England manages over 100,000 acres of land that used to be ancient woodland - that’s bigger th...

Nigel Farage says he welcomes freedom of speech, even if people find it offensive. Surely that should apply to freedom of the press too? So why have Reform's Nottinghamshire councillors - who control ...

Sir Keir Starmer is considering a mandatory digital ID scheme called “BritCard” that would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives. Mandatory digital IDs give the state enor...

A few years ago, in 2022, I wrote a review of the ep My Raining Stars released, entitled "The Life We Planned", in which the band explored the moments in time that can land do lead a person down a path they did not expect, sometimes for the better, but also for the not so good. In the three years since, they have obviously been busy bees, because they are here again, unleashing a new album upon our ears, in the shape of…

Sir Keir Starmer is considering a mandatory digital ID scheme called “BritCard” that would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives. Mandatory digital IDs give the state enor...

Sir Keir Starmer is considering a mandatory digital ID scheme called “BritCard” that would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives. Mandatory digital IDs give the state enor...

The current administration's 2026 budget request includes a staggering 47% cut to NASA's science programs as part of a 25% cut to NASA overall. This is an extinction-level event for the Earth and spac...

Oliver Beardmore brought the beautiful noise to King's Heath On Sunday I ventured to the Hare And Hounds in King's Heath, south of Birmingham city centre, to see three local artists perform live. The two support acts were unfamiliar to me, but I have seen Oliver a few times now, either performing under his own name, or as a member of the band Graywave.

A quarter of a century or more in waiting, when I first saw that Welsh indie rock band Melys (their name translates as Sweet) were due to perform at the Victoria here in my home city of Birmingham, I snapped up the chance to finally see them. Having heard their music frequently on the late John Peel's show on BBC Radio 1, and 11 sessions for his show, I longed to see them in the flesh.

It's that time once again, the time we music lovers put on the record the songs that hit us deepest, moved us the most and got us most excited. So, without further ado, here is my rundown of those album tracks, ep's and singles that affected ne the most for this year. Mahogany - A Scaffold Surely one of this year's most delightful and unexpected aural surprises came in the shape of a new release by those doyens of sonic construction…

Well, here we are yet again at the close of the year, the time where music fans think about the albums that defined their year, that struck them deepest, and made the biggest impact on their listening over the last twelve months. So, with that in mind, here are the choices I have made... 1. Whitelands - Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day…

anocean hail from Baltimore and comprise former members of noted shoegaze luminaries Thrushes and Mittenfields. They are a band that has emerged to become quite the force around Baltimore and DC, as their tuneful dynamic brings a hazy, melodic sweetness that is even more apparent in a live setting, where they sure ignite the fireworks. Made up of Anna Conner on vocals and guitar, Kyle Franta also vocals and guitar, Pete Ryan on drums and bassist Dave Mann, they seek to deliver a scintillating set of songs to caress our ears and tingle our hearts.

Calliere are back with more pristine sonic bliss to warm our hearts and caress our souls After the release of the album “Freefall Into Heaven” last year, and ‘Fade’ earlier …