Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Sometimes I can get a bit frustrated with music. In today’s internet filled world it seems like there is new music everywhere you look, which can get a little overwhelming at times. Gone are the days when you would have saved up for weeks to buy that one cherished record, listening to it over and over again, simply because you had nothing else to put on. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world With the sad passing of musical icon Prince this week, it has genuinely been difficult to get excited about new music again. The need to wallow in his legacy was overwhelming, with albums such as Purple Rain, Sign O The Times and 1999 demanding both tears and repeated plays. Yet Prince himself was never one to dwell on the past, or stand still. He constantly strove forward, reinventing himself, and bringing out new material with such regularity that all but the most ardent of fans struggled to
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Without a doubt one of the musical highlights of 2013 was the album Somewhere Else It’s Going To Be Good by the Berlin-based duo Kim Brown. Its lush deep house textures, orchestrated beats and dazzling synth melodies instantly won it universal love and critical acclaim. Three years later and it still sends shivers up and down the spine. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world The name Masha Qrella may be new to some, but trust me when I tell you that this is your loss. Over a busy and inspired career the artist has consistently created a wealth of great music, while appearing to always stay true to who she is. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world To say that there are some great albums out this month is a bit like saying that David Cameron is a little bit dodge. Amongst these new aural gems are the sublime electronica of Sasha, Yoshimi, Moderat and Dino Sabatini, the funked-up house of Potions, the alien beats and rhythms of Babyfather and Ash Koosha, the fuzzed-up guitar noise of Bleached, and more. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Music is memory. Sometimes all it takes is a mere hint of a melody, or the distant blast of a chorus to take you right back to the glory days of your youth. Faded memories suddenly seem clearer, while the feeling of nostalgia can be so intense that it almost seems we can reach out and touch our childhood toys. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world After almost three decades in the music business electronic duo Underworld have been reasonably quiet of late. Yet, even though there has been no new Underworld material in the last six years, neither of the duo have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs. Vocalist Karl Hyde has released a pair of albums with ambient icon Brian Eno as well as his debut solo LP Edgeland. Rick Smith, meanwhile has scored both Danny Boyle’s acclaimed Frankenstein production and the film Trance. Together they also directed the music for
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Ah, the humble 12 inch! It gives so much joy, but asks for little in return. This week we’ll be celebrating this musical format with reviews of some of the best new releases to hit the stores in March. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world There has been a bit of controversy recently about the amount of reissues clogging up our record stores‘ shelves. For instance, some have argued, correctly in my opinion, that the glut of re-released albums is harming new music. You only have to pop into your local record emporium, or look at the release list for this year’s Record Store Day to see how this could be a problem. Yet, the humble reissue does have its place! By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world: March New Album Reviews. After the colossal disappointment of Anti, together with the bloated arrogance of Life Of Pablo you could be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that these are dark times for music. I mean, Ed Sheeran’s X has just spent over 80 consecutive weeks in the official charts for fucks sake! And there does seem to be a dearth of great albums in the charts right now. Adele, Justin Bieber, Ronan Keating or Little Mix are hardly names to get your aural sense tingling
