Bittles‘ Magazine Here at ›Titel kulturmagazin‹ we have been receiving a load of complaints about last week’s reviews. Apparently there just wasn’t enough new music in there. So, bowing to public pressure, together with the threat of the sack, I managed to compile a further 17 albums which have been pleasuring my ears over these past few weeks. By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazine | Record Review When I tell you that there is lots of great music coming out this month I am not just saying this because I have been given lots of huge bribes. It is actually true! That is why, this month, the new album reviews will be spread out over two whole weeks instead of the usual one. By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazine | Mo’Wax Records While browsing in my local book shop the other day I came across the recently published ›Mo’Wax Urban Archaeology: 21 Years of Mo’Wax Recordings‹. A mighty tome of a book, it chronicles the life and times of this beloved label, through meticulous design, a lot of love and some beautiful artwork. For former beatheads like myself it is a wonderful read, and quickly makes you nostalgic for the plethora of great songs they released over the years. By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazine | Music Review It was a time when anything seemed possible. The overriding sense of depression had come to an end making the late 80s, early 90s a truly glorious time to be young. Music, sex, drugs and fashion were the key, with the elitism and separatism of the Thatcher years being dissolved in one youth culture movement of inclusiveness and hope. The gap between rap, indie and rave was almost nonexistent, while a wave of E’d up positivism was flooding through the veins of the nation’s teens. These were glorious times indeed! By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazine | Record Review So, now that we are on the brink of World War 3 due to the Ukraine crisis there is only one thing the politically apathetic among us can do; listen to some damn fine music and pretend that all is good with the world. Luckily, to help with this, we’ve had some pretty fantastic releases over these last few weeks with top albums by Jungle, Submerse, Honeyblood, Fhloston Paradigm and more hitting the shops and download sites. By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazine | Live: Slow Club @ Rough Trade East In their short yet eventful career Sheffield-based band, Slow Club, have moved from folk-rock darlings to disco divas to ›Motown‹-infused soul revivalists. This latest incarnation is given free rein on their excellent third album ›Complete Surrender‹. With the band playing a sold out gig at the ›100 Club‹ later in the evening, tonight represented a chance to hear the new material that makes up the latest LP for the first time. By JOHN BITTLES
Bittles‘ Magazin | Music Review Mr Steven Patrick Morrissey has made quite the name for himself over a long, fruitful and distinguished musical life. If someone were to say though, that at the ripe old age of 55 he was going to release one of the defining moments of his career then you would probably think that person was a little bit mad. Yet, that is exactly what has happened with his tenth album World Peace Is None Of Your Business. It really is very good, with songs like the title track, Earth Is The Loneliest Place and Mountjoy already
Bittle Magazine | Record Reviews This June has been something of a short, hard kick in the face for all those who say there is no good new music out there, with so many great new albums that it‘s hard to know where to begin. By JOHN BITTLES.
Bittles‘ Magazine | Interview: Mat Playford Fans of deep, groovy house music with a warm Balearic twist are in for a real treat this month in the form of ›Too Big To Fail‹, the sparkling new album by dance music icon Mat Playford. The record is made up of eleven lush tracks and is a calm, sedate affair whose laid back feel betrays a razor-sharp political edge. When you combine this with Mat’s gleeful will to experiment and constantly push past idle genre restrictions it makes the album one of the most stimulating and engrossing of the year. By JOHN
Bittles‘ Magazine | Interview: Crossing Wires With Timo Maas Fans of deep, psychedelic house with a touch of melody are in for a bit of a treat this month in the form of ›Crossing Wires 2‹, the rather fab new mix album from none other than Timo Maas. Containing fourteen new and exclusive tracks from some of the finest purveyors of quality house music this side of the sun, it is fair to say that this is one mix that will have any fan of funky electronica feeling rather weak at the knees. By JOHN BITTLES (Foto: Lukas Piotrowksi)