What does it sound like?:

Sofia Kourtesis has been a fast-rising star of the last few years as a producer and DJ. Her album Madres was high on my top albums list for 2023, with its mix of beats and hazy warm melodies creating something elusive and fragile as well as rhythmically hypnotic.

Now, after a series of mixtapes for platforms like Resident Advisor comes her first big-series DJ mix release on – gasp – physical format. Overall it cleaves to the general mix arc – we start with a beatless intro track, here temple bells from Jon Hopkins, and gradually warm up with some relaxed and downtempo tracks from Aphex Twin and Daphi (aka Caribou). Kourtesis has, as is customary with DJ Kicks, a few self-penned tracks scattered throughout – first up is It’s You is in the relaxed warm-up section, leading to some house-flavoured tracks from Myd, Axel Bowman etc (no me neither). Her next self-penned track, Texas Changing, takes things up another gear. This is what I love about her work – rhythmic while never losing sight of a melody. Joy look Up Now introduces a seventies disco sample-based track with a wicked mid-track stuttery » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

It sounds like what it is: Yes soundboard recordings transferred to vinyl. Let’s get that out of the way first, this is no audiophile release. But, it surprised me.

The energy is, at times, beyond anything I’ve heard from this version of the band. We’ve all heard the stories about Wakeman hating this album and tour, but in real life he plays like a man possessed, inserting new parts into the material from Topo and, the best I can think of saying it, playing seriously – no comedy car chase piano! Moogs and Mellotrons dominate. He inserts a whole new section into The Remembering.

Steve Howe is, as with Yessongs, flying forward at a million miles an hour, sometimes stumbling, but often adding flair and expressive, bluesy (or countryish) licks into some of the material that seemed a bit flat on the original album.

Chris Squire is Chris Squire.

Alan White is a powerhouse here, on the Ritual he raises the tempo and the band go flying, improvising sections and turning the worst track into a beast, Howe responds with some amazing steel guitar. It’s like a different song at times. Off the scale.

Jon » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Speaking with a similar nerdy friend, we hit upon discussion of UFO: “Strangers In The Night is indeed one of the best Live albums out there, but did they ever have such a complete studio album?” “Umm … maybe Phenomenon?”

UFO on stage and UFO in the studio were 2 different beasts, and I’m not convinced they ever managed a truly great studio album. But (other than Phenomenon mentioned above), this one comes very close. Buoyed by the critical and commercial response to Strangers In The Night, Chrysalis spotted an opportunity and paired UFO with George Martin for No Place To Run. Even with the Chrysalis marketing machine at full chat (including various coloured vinyl singles, alternative album covers), and George Martin’s AIR Studios at their disposal, the album felt a bit flat, and the rougher edges cleaned up. Coming into The Wild, The Willing and the Innocent, UFO dispensed with a producer and took the job on themselves. A blessing because they now had the freedom to create the sounds they wanted, and a curse (as Paul Chapman noted) as the quality control went out of the window, and they ended up with » Continue Reading.