The End of the Month Revue for Feb/March 2026
April 2, 2026
A very much delayed bi-monthly Playlist selection of choice music
Starring…
White Fence ‘Your Eyes’
Dyr Faser ‘Winter Olympics’
Rusty Santos ‘Psycho Horses’
Hello Cosmos ‘Black Gloss’
Cashell ‘Ferris Wheels’
Ira Dot ‘Voices’
Mecanica Clasica ‘Pulsacion’
Greg Stasiw ‘Field’
Triple Blind ‘Chaotic Eyes’
Lauten der Seele ‘Mondratsel’
Simon Mogul ‘Can’t Shake The Spirit’
Shabaka ‘Step Lightly’
Ramson Badbonez & Jazz T ‘Raw Rap Syndrome’
Dominic J Marshall ‘Imagination’
Farma G & Relense ‘Makes Me Wanna…’
DJ Ian Head & Omega Jackson ‘Sith Lord’
Chris Crack & Bruiser Wolf ‘Somebody Pinched MyAss When I Crowdsurfed’
Gregory Uhlmann ‘Pocket Snail’
Benjamin Herman w/ Jimmi Jo Hueting, Thomas Pol, Akihito Obama & Ko Ishikawa ‘Kazegafuku’
Brother Ali ‘Another Country’
Sonnyjim & Sumgii ‘Muse’
Roce ‘Laisse Les enfants courir’
The Architect ‘THE FORCE OF LIGHT’
RJD2 & Supastition ‘Reset (Better Friends)’
Darko the Super, MF Grimm & Doseone ‘Desktop Eternity’
Cult of The Damned, Lee Scott, Black Josh, BeTheGun, King Grubb, Tony Broke, Salar, Sly Moon, Bill Shakes, Sleazy F Baby & Sniff ‘EXT. CAR PARK – NIGHT’
Tiny das Neves e Conjunto Sol d’Africa ‘Africa e’
Lice (Homeboy Sandman & Aesop Rock) ‘The Burgers’
Ras Kass ‘FUN & GAMES’
Farma G & Relense ‘Sun Wukong’
Os Untues ‘Feca non Chiga-za’
aus & The Humble Bee ‘I Follow A Barren Path Across the Old Mountain’
Magda Drozd ‘Piosenka Ludowa’
The Legal Matters ‘Everybody Knows’
Salem Trials ‘Shot Out of Nowhere’
Boilermen ‘Curious Thing’
Vlimmer ‘Aufbeiber’
Black Milk ‘Crash Test Dummy’
hazbeen, Kong The Artisan & Quelle Chris ‘Scary Kids’
Camp Nowhere ‘Hiatus is just emo for breakup’
Origami Horses ‘Joyless’
Xqui & Pyramids of Phobos ‘Hindsight’
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS.
Bigflower ‘Stay’
Track Released 25th January 2026
Another beautiful cinematic all-encompassing brief encounter with the atmospheric guitar guile of Ivor Perry. Yes readers, a beautiful ballad, a slow waltz of heartache and regret.
Boggis Fringe ‘Desperate Dreams Destroyed’
EP Released 12th February 2026
Desperate Dreams Destroyed is the debut EP by post punk band boggis Fringe and is all jolly and post punky – more punk than the post variety. Do you ever sit in on a Friday evening and watch old Top Of The Pops on BBC 4 and get all nostalgic when the Members or Stiff Little Fingers or The Ruts come on and you start to wax lyrically about the good old days of late seventies early 80’s John Peel shows to your uninterested offspring? If so you will enjoy this EP as it will bring back the essence of small pub venues with smoke filled rooms and sticky beer stained carpets and well-thumbed copies of the NME scattered around the joint.
Boilermen ‘A 1000 Words On Sound’
Album Released 13th March 2026
What we have here is an album of short and sweet punk rock snogs That is supposed to read songs but I will keep it as snogs as it is very appropriate, as this rather excellent kissable bunch of guitar tomfoolery and alt guitar has tunes and melodies that don’t take a lifetime to listen to; songs that come tell you how it feels and gets to the point then piss off again as every good punk song should, and unlike a lot of punk music they are not afraid to mix things up a bit and have an occasional jangle: “By Accident” is a lovely short Wedding Present like gem of a pop song and “Working Abroad Dub” is a fine experimental instrumental that breaks the album up in a becoming way, and the final track “Life Map” at being over 8 minutes long ends this fine album in a haze of atmospheric splendour.
Camp Nowhere ‘Hiatus Is Just Emo For Breakup’
Single Released 18th February 2026
What we have here is the debut single from a young band from Wigan, and rather excellent it is as well, all Sebodah guitars and Mo Tucker drums and an angst that can only be expressed with such punk rock glee by a gang of teenagers with many more years of life left to live and a guitar riff Kurt Cobain would have sold Courtney Love’s best frock for. A wonderful gem of a release and dare I say a band to watch and in time with luck, encouragement and nurturing could become very special indeed.
Legless Trials ‘Listen To Static’
(Metal Postcard Records) Released 12th March 2026
I am not going to start this review with “What we have here” as I have, noticed, that I’ve already started two of my reviews with the phrase, so I will just hop straight in and say more post punk glamourance from The Legless Trials their second album of the year and is as just as good and enjoyable as their last. I especially like the second song “Dead Towns” which in an ideal world would be the theme to the next Batman movie as it is dark and Fall-like and has an aura of Caped Crusader bass madness about it; and I also love “Lubbock Blues” which has a wonderful Andy guitar riff and totally magical madness lyrics from Matt. Have you noticed I have already mentioned the word madness twice in this review and with good cause as insanity is a calling card left by The Legless Trials. I suppose like two psychotic Milk Tray men. So many great tracks so many great guitar riffs and so many fine lyrics: “From The Bottom Of The Well To The Top Of The World” is a great line and can be found on the wonderful chaotic “Ramblin Kook“. Yes, The Legless Trials just seem to get better and better.
Claus Mattheck ‘Chapter 8’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) Released 25th March 2026
I love this album it is just so bloody British, not in a rule Britania, hoist the flag kind of way, but in the standing in the rain waiting for your bus to turn up kind of way. The deadpan dour humour of the lyrics, the monotone spoken vocals that are completely at odds with the Sonic Youth/Fall like mood of the music. Songs about cars, office life, the inanity of small talk, the DIY bore are all wonderfully taken apart with the lyrical accuracy of a sniper’s bullet.
Origami Horses ‘Joyless’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 19th March 2026
This new single from the Origami Horses takes me back to the days of Snub TV, when semi commercial alt/indie guitar used to liven up the hour before you went to bed after getting back from the pub on a Sunday. Yes, the Origami Horses have the sound that would have the major labels scrambling for their cheque books back in the day; they have the commercial sheen of indie glamour down to a perfect tee. Which I’m very much in approval of.
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS.
Hello Cosmos ‘Black Gloss’
Single (Cosmic Glue) Out Now
Black Gloss is a Fall-like frenzy of Glam stomp post punk attitude; a song that one can imagine getting many plays on Dandelion Radio and receiving platitudes from various music blogs. Even this one.
John Howard ‘Can you Hear Me Ok?’ (Prof Stoned Remaster)
Album (Think Like A Key Music) Released 30th January 2026
Can You Hear Me Ok? was supposed to be the follow up to John Howard’s Kid In A Big World on CBS records in 1975 but for some strange reason was never released, which I will put down to major label foolhardiness, which is a common thing and has never changed and has helped the music business turn into the shambles it is today. But I digress.
Anyone who is familiar with the music of John Howard may already have heard or even own a copy of this fine album as it was released a number of years ago on CD. But it’s well worth giving this, the remastered version by Prof Stoned, a listen or indeed a purchase as it brings all the eloquence and style and downright talent and charm of the lovely John into a marvellous technicolour splendour: like in the Wizard Of Oz where Dorothy is transported from the grey black and white Kansas to the magical multi-coloured land of Oz, which means maybe we should start calling The good Prof Stoned Wizard Stoned.
Anyone who has not had the divine pleasure of hearing John’s music before should maybe give up an hour or so of their life and lose themselves in the pure 70’s pop piano balladry as I feel there is always room in one’s life for a well-crafted pop gem and this album is full of the darlings.
The Legal Matters ‘Lost At Sea’
Album (Big Stir Records) 27th February 2026
Ah, lets Bad Finger boogie shall we. Let’s cut some rug and roll turf and make shapes like it’s a pop frenzy of nobodies understanding. Oh, dearie me, this album is fun. It is seventies guitar pop covered in a Beatlesque stature of a stolen Cheshire cat’s smile.
Lost In Sea is a fine pop album, so good it could have been Jellyfish’s third or a time travel delight of being emitted from your transiter radio stuck on BBC radio one in their golden decade of the seventies when all their DJs where nonces but had great taste in music. Yes, you could picture this playing in the background whist Dave Lee Travis slapped his sectaries backside whilst dressed as Aladdin on his way to star in a Pantomime wondering which lucky young lady he will be able to pull out of the audience to rub his magic lamp.
Lost At Sea is an album made to be played on the radio, and an album to be added to your collection and filed alongside your Bad Finger and Cheap Trick CD’s unless of course you file alphabetically, and it won’t be anywhere near those.
Neon Crabs ‘This Puppy Can See The Frog’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 27th February 2026
This Puppy Can See The Frog is an album that is only available on ltd cassette from Cruel Nature Records, and by the time you read this review it could be sold out. I have already bought my copy, so “na na na na na” to you. So, I am one of the lucky owners of this artefact of art punk joy and it makes me think I wonder who else will have this ltd treasure in the collections and if so, will they appreciate the special madness they hold under their roof. Will they marvel at the Stooges riffs, the whooshing cold metallic synths and post punk attitude that party together on this fine debut album; an album that has a certain drop dead cool and dark humour – imagine if you will that Mark E Smith was American and a cartoon super hero scientist that wore a psychedelic lab coat and read the Washington Post with eyebrows arched and wandered through the day with a steady stream of The Banshees and Wire and Killing Joke and the Stooges being fed into his brain by a microchip implanted to give him his superpower of aiming his lyrical pop shots with the accuracy of a paid assassin. That is what this little spool of cassette boxed frenzy is to me. And to you if you have bought one.
Occult Character ‘Silver Fork Stories’
EP (Half Edge Records) Released 30th January 2026
Occult Character, yes, I know I reviewed a single from this eccentric Texan Gentleman last month but that was released on Metal Postcard Records and this 5 track EP is released on Half Edge Records. It is another fine release so deserves a little acclaim thrown once again his way, and acclaim thrown in the direction of Half Edge records who are savvy and brave enough to release this eccentric darkly comic experimental montage of musings from the modern-day Woody Guthrie. And as the world gets stranger and darker by the day, thank God for artists like OC soundtracking these difficult and horrific times.
Salem Trials ‘Tell’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) Released 27th January 2026
The Salem Trials are back with another 5 track EP of post-punk genius. The wonderful madness of this duo is for all to see or hear. They have a wonderful live cool that would have Tubeway Army reaching for fake fur coats. They hold a complete fascination with me, like watching Giant Haystacks eating a vat of soup with a dessert spoon. They walk the tricky tight rope of experimental and commercial post-punk perfectly. “Spit & Soldier” is quite marvellous, sounding like John Cooper Clarke fronting the Fall – and why did that not ever happen?! “Tell” is just simply marvellous.
Rusty Santos ‘Psycho Horses’
Album (Self-Released) 19th February 2026
Rusty Santos is a great name. A name that will stick in your mind in fact – I receive so many albums sent to review that a name like Rusty Santos leapt out and I thought is this an album of old country music that my dad used to play in my youth. Well, it is not but it is a rather lovely album of American alt folk with a sci-fi undercurrent of whooshing synths and throbbing bass – imagine Elliot Smith guest starring in an episode of Space 1999 or a lo-fi David Bowie just pre his Hunky Dory days. Yes, it is that good, and Rusty Santos is defiantly a name to review for so many reasons.
Vlimmer ‘Aufbeiber/ Young Folks’
Single (Blackjack Illuminist Records) Released 6th February 2026
Yes Vlimmer,everybody’s favourite dark wave messiah from Germany is back with two more sad (in a good way) tracks of dark beauty and mistrust. Like a harmonic Valentines card from a slightly spooky uncle who resolves to put the world right by manoeuvring his angular thoughts onto his delipidated garden shed walls where he keeps treasure troves from his ex-wife who left him: for his idea of a good time was not to everyone’s taste. Two tracks that could bring a tear to a stuffed ferret.
White Fence ‘Your Eyes’
Single (Drag City) Available Now
I like this single. It has a laid-back lackadaisical charm which is very becoming, and I also like that for the first twenty seconds or so it is going to be a cover of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’: which is no bad thing. I also remember my band The Bordellos getting compared to White Fence in a review years ago, and I never got around to giving them a listen and now I have, and they are very good so will have to investigate further.
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
Apologies, as I’m writing this from my bed in the Renal Unit of the Queen Elizabeth mega hospital, waiting on my weekend free pass for home and recovery in much more inviting surroundings. If you haven’t yet heard, I was rushed into Acute last Thursday lunchtime and ended up in the kidney specialist unit; prodded, tested, observed, scanned, observed more, biopsy and trialling various meds: some of left me pretty unfocussed and groggy. You get your own room, own shower and facilities, plenty of sockets and pretty good free WiFi, so it isn’t that bad a stay. Just waiting in limbo for action plans, lifestyle change advice and long-term medication. I will however at least try to get the site on some sort of regular track whilst all this is going on, but events may hinder this, and my state of health may make it impossible sometimes, but we shall see how it goes.
Saying all that, I’m able, or at least in a more awakened state to finish off the month with a revue playlist and selection of choice releases list from January 2026. This list includes both those releases I or my contributors (Matt Oliver and Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea) managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those records that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number of these to both our playlist and releases list.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Elea Calvet ‘Spurious Transmutations’
Chosen by Dominic Valvona
Geologist ‘Can I Get A Pack Of Camel Lights?’
(Drag City) DV Link
Clémentine March ‘Powder Keg’
(PRAH Recordings) DV Link
DakhaBrakha ‘Ptakh’
Chosen by DV
Roc Marciano ‘656’
(Pimpire Records/Marci Enterprises) Chosen by MO & DV
Minor Dents ‘Sitting With The Fish’
EP – (Rose Hill Records) Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea Link
Reine des Lezards ‘Lady Coca-Cola’
EP – (Metal Postcard Records) BBS Link
Sis and the Lower Wisdom ‘Saints and Aliens’
(Native Cat) DV Link
Wilson Tanner Smith ‘Perpetual Guest’
(Sawyer Editions) DV Link
Tachube ‘Mincminc’(Inverted Spectrum Records/PMGJazz)
DV Link
Charles ‘Poppy Bob’ Walker ‘Double-Wide’
Album – (Castle Dome Records) DV Link
Leo Wolf ‘Veiled In Light’
(The Oldest River) DV Link
PLAYLIST:
Sis and the Lower Wisdom ‘Luce’
Tinariwen Ft. Sulafa Elyas ‘Sagherat Assani’
Reine des Lezards ‘I’m Made Up’
Robert Stillman ‘Reality Distortion Field’
Neo-Magics ‘Acid Tongue’
Clementine March ‘After The Solstice’
The God Fahim & Nicholas Craven ‘Bik Luster S’
Roc Marciano ‘Vanity’
Doctor Nativo ‘Chokolate Kakao’
Shabaam Sahdeeq, Es-K & General Steele ‘Top Tier’
Under The Reefs Orchestra/Catherine Graindorge ‘Banquise’
Occult Character ‘Her Name Is Terriible’
The Bordellos ‘Who Do You Think You Are? Paul McCartney?’
Geologist ‘RV Envy’
Sniff, Caneva & Hush One ‘Polo Jacket’
Fliptrix, Forest DLG, Coops ‘Freedom?’
Toni Geitani ‘Ya Sah’
Wilson Tanner Smith ‘Cherry Picking’
DakhaBrakha ‘Kosari Kosait’
Elea Calvet ‘Bad Joke – Transmutation’
Sweeney ‘Lonely Faces’
Cashell ‘These Things Take Time’
Foster Neville ‘Hob Moor’
Strangebird-Sounds ‘CALCITE’
Charles ‘Poppy Bob’ Walker ‘Winterhaven, 1978’
KatzPascale ‘GBTC’
Sonnyjim & Sebb Bash Kezza’
Minor Dents ‘Rituals’
BRIAN ‘BORDELLO’ SHEA’S REVIEWS ROUNDUP – INSTANT REACTIONS.
Fran Ashcroft ‘Truth Love And Justice’
Single – 28th January 2026
This is a fine single, a song of wistful tinged country jazz; an arch eyebrowed swipe at Trump and his ICE goons; a song of revolt and revulsion; a resigned whisper of acid dropped venom moanfully performed as the sun goes down on a once great nation as the ghost of Roy Rogers quietly weeps.
Comet Gain City Fallen Leaves’
20th Anniversary Reissue Album – (Tapete Records) 13th February 2026
I love this album. It’s probably one of my most played albums over the last twenty years or so. It’s an album of wonderful lyricism, beautiful melodies and a heartfelt angst, and as any who knows the music of my band The Bordellos, I do love mentions of pop culture in the lyrics.
Comet Gain are one of those special bands (I call the Go Betweens Syndrome) that really deserve to be heard by a wider audience, and you never know maybe a well-deserved reissue of this magical bewitching collection of beautiful beat poetry will help do the trick. I also may add that Draw A Smile On An Egg and The Ballad Of A Mixtape never fail to give me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear them.
Knight’s Ferry ‘The Autumn Leaves On 14th Street’
Single – (Teeth) Out Now
Knight’s Ferry supply us with a cultured jingle-jangle of a guitar indie pop sweetie that was so all-encompassing of my late teen years. Yes, C86, a longtime ago I know but guitar jingle-jangle never grows old, it just grows melancholic with age and teases the memories of how good and bad those days where. Yes, life is indeed like a 7-inch single with a hand drawn label.
Minor Dents ‘Sitting With The Fish’
EP – (Rose Hill Records) Released 23rd January 2026
Minor Dents’ Sitting With The Fish EP is an example on how to make interesting and bewitching music. Jazz, psych and krautrock combine to make an EP of delightful curveballs songs – you do not know what is going to happen next -; songs that have a smooth undercurrent of sex and sophistication.
Minor Dents are obviously a band that does not think invention is a dirty word, and think that music lovers are all brain dead lager drinking Fred Flintstones wannabes who love nothing better than listening to the paint by numbers so called Alt Rock /indie guitar tedium that currently inhabits my inbox.
Occult Character ‘Her Name Is Terrible’
Single – (Metal Postcard Records) Out Now
With the current shitshow in America, Occult Character is by far one of the most important artists in the US Underground today. Her Name Is Terrible is an inventive, short, mad as bonkers single as one could ever wish for.
All you can say about Occult Character is he sounds like no-one else but himself. I am sure it is only a matter of time before one of the big hitters in the music business will discover the genius of the man and get his music out into a wider audience.
Reine des Lezards ‘Lady Coca-Cola’
EP – (Metal Postcard Records) Out Now
The subsonic discordant blast of a no-wave fantasy, the Lady Coca Cola EP is a demonstration on the value of the underground. Let’s be honest, you are very unlikely to hear this on primetime national radio and that is a bad thing as experimental fervour is a fervour that needs experiencing at least once in your life. So, I am afraid to say that this three-track ep will go unheard by your friendly neighbourhood milkman unless he is down with the angular tomfoolery of Dandelion radio. And so his whistle will not be heard whistling this gem of angsty experimental punk rock blowing on the breeze on a cold winter’s morning, which is a sad thing indeed.
Kevin Robertson ‘Birdy In The Window’
Single – Released 16th January 2026
I am both a fan of Kevin Robertson and Scott Robertson, who have both released some fine guitar music over the last few years, both solo and in their mutual various bands. They are Father and Son, and once again I do like bands/duos that feature the father/mother and their offspring because there to me always seems a melancholy and madness and obvious communication that carries over into their art.
Birdy In The Window is a fine introduction to their forthcoming album, a song that has one thinking of Teenage Fanclub, Buffalo Springfield, Mathew Sweet, and is rather lovely indeed.
Schizo Fun Addict ‘Pasteline Dream’
Single – (Fruits de Mer) Out Now
‘Pasteline Dream’ is both a taster for the new Schizo Fun Addict album and a limited-edition lathe-cut 7-inch single release on Fruits De Mer in March. And what a fine single it is too. All shimmering and jangling guitars ala early Stone Roses and those Scottish indie darlings The Pastels, with a wonderful slight whiff of the B52’s girls’ dreamlike magic. ‘Pasteline Dream’ is a wonderful way to start a New Year as it is the first new song I heard in 2026 and hopefully the musical magic will continue all throughout the oncoming year.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored, and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love or interest in. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
End of the Year Revue For 2025: Part One: A to M
December 11, 2025
Choice Highlights From The Last Year
I said I wasn’t going to do it this year. And this may be the last. But here is the first part of a comprehensive revue listing of choice albums (some extended EPs too) from 2025 that we returned to the most, enjoyed or rated highly. See it as a sort of random highlights package if you will.
As usual a most diverse mix of releases, listed alphabetically – numerical orderings make no sense to me unless it is down to a vote, otherwise what qualifies the placing of an album? What makes the 25th place album better than the 26th and so on…
Whilst there is the odd smattering of Hip-Hop releases here and there, our resident selector and expert Matt Oliver has compiled a special 25 for 25 revue of his own, which will go out next week.
Without further ado….the first half of that selected works revue:
A.
A Journey Of Giraffes ‘Emperor Deco’ (Somewherecold Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’ (Tall Texan)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Allen, Marshall ‘New Dawn’ (Week-End Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Armstrong ‘Handicrafts’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Audio Obscura ‘As Long As Gravity Persists On Holding Me to This Earth’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Aus ‘Eau’ (Flau)
Review by Dominic Valvona
B..
Balloonist, The ‘Dreamland’ (Wayside & Woodland)
Review/Piece by Dominic Valvona
Barman, MC Paul ‘Tectonic Texts’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Bedd ‘Do Not Be Afraid’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Bird, Jeff ‘Ordo Virtutum: Jeff Bird Plays Hildegard von Bingen, Vol 2’
(Six Degrees Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Blanco Teta ‘‘La Debacle las Divas’ (Bongo Joe)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Bordellos (with Dee Claw)/Neon Kittens, The ‘Half Man Half Kitten’
(Cruel Nature Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Braxton, Anthony ‘Quartet (England) 1985’ (Burning Ambulance)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Brody, Jonah ‘Brotherhood’ (IL Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Brother Ali ‘Satisfied Soul’ (Mello Music Group)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Burning Books ‘Taller Than God’ (Ingrown Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona
C…
Cindy ‘Saw It All Demos’ (Paisley Shirt Records)
Reviewed by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea here
Craig, Kai ‘A Time Once Forgotten’ (Whirlwind Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Crayola Lectern ‘Disasternoon’ (Onomatopoeia)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cross, Theon ‘Affirmations: Live at Blue Note New York’ (New Soil)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cubillos, Julian ‘S-T’ (Ruination Record Co.)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Cumsleg Borenail ‘10mg Citalopram’ (Cruel Nature Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Joel Cusumano ‘Waxworld’ (Dandyboy Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
D….
Dammann Sextet, Christopher ‘If I Could Time Travel I Would Mend Your Broken Heart aka Why Did The Protests Stop’ (Out of Your Head Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Darko The Super ‘Then I Turned Into A Perfect Smile’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Dyr Faser ‘Falling Stereos’
Picked by Dominic Valvona
E…..
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’ (Bearsuit Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Expose ‘ETC’ (Qunidi)
Reviewed by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea here
F……
Farrugia, Robert ‘Natura Maltija’ (Phantom Limb/Kewn Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Fir Cone Children ‘Gearshifting’ (Blackjack Illuminist Records)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti ‘Bitter Sweet, Sweet Bitter’ (Quindi Records/We Are Time)
Review by Dominic Valvona
G…….
Goldman, Ike ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Good Ones, The ‘Rwanda Sings With Strings’(Glitterbeat Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
H……..
Haas & Brian g Skol, Andy ‘The Honeybee Twist’
Review by Dominic Valvona
Howard, John ‘For Those that Wander By’(Think Like A Key)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
I………
Ishibashi, Eiko ‘Antigone’ (Drag City)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
iyatraQuartet ‘Wild Green’
Review by Dominic Valvona
J……….
Jay, Tony ‘Faithless’
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Johanna, John ‘New Moon Pangs’(Faith & Industry)
Review by Dominic Valvona
K………..
Kheir , Amira ‘Black Diamonds’(Sterns Music/Contro Culture Music)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Khodja, Freh ‘Ken Andi Habib’(WEWANTSOUNDS)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Kweli, Talib & J Rawls ‘The Confidence Of Knowing’
Picked by DV
L…………
Lassy Trio, Timo ‘Live In Helsinki’ (We Jazz)
Picked by Dominic Valvona
Last Of The Lovely Days, The ‘No Public House Talk’(Gare du Nord)
Review by Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea
Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove ‘Hostile Engineering’ (Fused Arrow Records)
Review by Dominic Valvona
LIUN + The Science Fiction Band ‘Does It Make You Love Your Life?’
(Heartcore Records) Review by Dominic Valvona
Locks, Damon ‘List Of Demands’ (International Anthem)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
M………….
Mikesell, Emily & Kate Campbell Strauss ‘Give Way’ (Ears & Eyes Records)
Reviewed by Dominic Valvona here
Mirrored Daughters ‘S/T’ (Fike Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
Mohanna, Nickolas ‘Speakers Rotations’ (AKP Recordings)
Review by Dominic Valvona
If you’ve enjoyed following and reading the Monolith Cocktail in 2025, and if you can, then please show your appreciation by donating to our Ko-Fi account. The micro donation site has been vital in keeping us afloat this year.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored, and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love or interest in. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
The Conspiracy ‘Dungeness’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) 23rd November 2025
The Conspiracy are back with another fine EP of post-punk art rock; a band that are as British as watching cricket on a summer’s day. The Fall, The Kinks, The Only Ones are all lovingly stroked and warped into a mesmerising shuffle of old man’s fancy. This is the sound of modern-day England as seen through the eyes of middle-aged men who can remember when rock ‘n’ roll had a meaning and need to the young, and soundtracked young rebellion, and was not just something they streamed from their phone as they nip down to Nando’s to ignore their friends as they watch videos on tic tok together but apart.
I Am Hands ‘Lastings’
Single 5th December 2025
This is the debut single by I Am Hands and it is no hands, feet and bumps a daisy but a lovely sail down the river of peaceful tranquillity, a song of the supreme confidence of knowing that your supreme confidence has never been painted in such a blue shade of subtly. It really is a rather lovely track that fans of the first Trembling Blue Stars album might clutch to their cardigan encrusted breast.
The Last Sound ‘All That’s Missed’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 28th November 2025
This is the sound of candy filled sugar pop, the kind that you might see on Top Of The Pops in the glory madness days of the 80s when Strawberry Switchblade seductively swooned from your transistor radio and pop could be both wonky and bliss like and whisper sweet nothings into your ear like an ethereal Green Gartside. All That’s Missed is an album that really is not to be missed. It’s yet another off-kilter pop wonder released by Cruel Nature Records, a label that certainly specialises in releasing off-kilter pop and or just plainly the off-kilter.
The Lounge Bar Orchestra ‘E.N.D.A.N.G.E.R.M.E.N.T. & The Room of Wrong Reflections’ Album (Self-Release) 26th November 2025
E.N.D.A.N.G.E.R.M.E.N.T. & The Room of Wrong Reflections is a collection of the tracks that made two-vinyl only releases on The Heavens Lathe label. The Lounge Bar Orchestra, who I have written about a number of times in the past, make a magical concoction of easy listening splenditude. The sort of thing one may hear on old sixties spy thrillers or takes you back to the golden age of seventies tv: you can easily imagine Bruce Forsyth willing on contestants on The Generation Game as they attempt to mold a mug in the shape of Anthea’s backside as “The Girl with Golden Hips Plays”.
Once again, The Lounge Bar Orchestra magically transports me back in an aural time machine to the days of Texan chocolate bars, Saturday night bath time, and watching Cilla duet with Marc Bolan as my dad eagerly awaits Starsky And Hutch and Match Of The Day. Yet again The Lounge Bar Orchestra proving why music is the most magical of all arts.
The New Tigers ‘Off The Wall/Butterfly’
Single (Soliti) 21st November 2025
These two tracks are a catchy foray into indie rock/pop, sounding not unlike The Bluetones with just a hint of what Teenage Fanclub might have produced during their heyday. All semi fuzz guitars and delightful melodies, and there is nothing wrong with that, let me tell you.
Origami Horses ‘Scenes’
EP (Metal Postcard Records) Released 23rd November 2025
I do not know if this EP was released to prove that post punk, garage rock, prog and psych can be melded into a hardy brew of rock ‘n’ roll finery. If not, it should have been as in fact that is what this EP is; one wonderful sparkling concoction of all the aforementioned, and track two, ‘Access Denied’, is an eight-minute gem that proves the point, and really needs to be heard by all, and takes one back to those hot summers days in 1989 when Madchester ruled the airwaves. The Scenes is another gem to be added to the aural crown that is the criminally ignored Metal Postcard Records label.
Sir Robert Orange Peel ‘A Man Dressed Up’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 22nd November 2025
‘A Man Dressed Up’ is a beautiful Christmas symphony of seeing the magical time of the year through children’s eyes. A track filled with memories and nostalgia and an innocence to life that we all at one point in our life will lose. The perfect song to soundtrack sipping a sherry and watching the Christmas lights reflect from the baubles hanging from the tree and wishing you or your kids were young again.
Toxic Chicken ‘Quirky & Perky’
Album (Earthrid) 7th November 2025
Toxic Chicken is insanely brilliant and brilliantly insane. And Quirky & Perky is a fine introduction to his crazy world.
TC takes dance electronica and game music to new and unexplored levels of madness, and quite wonderfully tuneful melodious instrumental shenanigans are oozed from one’s speakers.
I would love Toxic Chicken to have made an album with Jim Morrison as for some reason his keyboard skills had me thinking this is what The Doors may have sounded like if they were brought up with the Game Boy and not the blues. A truly great fun listen.
Vlimmer ‘Hintersommer’
Album (Blackjack Illuminist Records) Released 21st November 2025
Ah yes, Vlimmer is back to offer all those lovers of Gothic Euro disco with a hint of post punk synth shoegazery a new Vlimmer of light. Those who’ve never tasted such a shot of pulverising gothic industrial tuneage since members of Fields Of The Nephilim, Smashing Orange and Depeche Mode were chased through the streets of a rain paved Wigan by an angry mob of spotty faced chavs on undersized bikes all holding out for sponsorship by the North Face clothing company whilst waving knocked off vapes into the air like an ancient Greek Olympian wielding his flaming torch. Yes indeed, Deliveroo has never witnessed such a wave of free advertising.
Hintersommer gets around the snag of being sung in German by both Vlimmer being German and myself not really giving a fuck as the tunes are blissfully dark and encouraging enough to imagine that what he is singing about is a worthy subject. So yes, an album I entrust will soon be in the collections of all you old and young goths who still roam this earth.
For those that can or wish to, the Monolith Cocktail has a Ko-fi account: the micro-donation site. I hate to ask, but if you do appreciate what the Monolith Cocktail does then you can shout us a coffee or two through this platform.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Mute Swan Photo credit: Pat Hickman
Bad Trips ‘Nothing But Trouble’
Album 17th November 2025
I enjoyed this album: it’s experimental, it’s noisy, it’s peaceful, and at times it reminds me of Jimi Hendrix jamming with The Surfaris in a wind tunnel, and at other times of “I Hear A New World” by Joe Meek, but if being performed by Skip Spence. It really is a wonderful creation of sound art. Those out there who are old enough to remember the kids tv show The Clangers can imagine this would be playing at their local hop or discotheque. Nothing But Trouble is indeed a fine and rewarding listen.
Oliver Birch ‘Betty’
Single
OOOh Betty the Donkey has done a Whoopsie on the carpet…well, there is always one… Yes, sadly this has nothing to do with Betty the long-suffering wife of Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em or maybe it does. Maybe Oliver Birch has an alter to the paragon of 70s sitcoms other halves and Betty is the chosen one, and he has written this Oar like homage to her. Yes, it does remind me of Skip Spence or maybe even a Jeff Buckley demo, which is no bad thing.
Robert Callender ‘Rainbow – The Anniversary Concert’
Album (Think Like A Key) 14th November 2025
After over 55 years since the release of Rainbow, the cult classic psych ragga-rock album from 1968, Robert Callender decided to perform the album live for the first time. And here we have that performance, captured in all its wonderful mystical glory, released by Think Like A Key records.
This live performance has a quite lovely warmness and intimate magical quality that draws the listener into the song cycle, and has one lose themselves in the same way you can lose yourself in Van Morrisons Astral Weeks or The Beach Boys Pet Sounds as Rainbows shares the same uniqueness and one off-ness of those two classics. Rainbow is a beautiful blend of ragga, psych, rock, pop and jazz, and this live recording is one of pure oneness and love.
The Cindys ‘S-T’
Album (Breakfast Records/Ruination Records) 7th November 2025
The Cindys debut album is an album recommended to all those who have a soft spot for late 80’s/90’s alternative guitar bands. As I was listening, the Teenage Fanclub, Pavement, House Of love and even the Frank and Walters all came flooding back. The Cindys are a very good band who may one day be a great band who knows. I am of such an age when I have heard all this so many times before, but The Cindys do it all very well and have quite a lovely quirk in their lyricism which I heartily approve. Believe me, without putting a curse on the poor blighters, they could well be ones to watch.
Mute Swan ‘Hypnosis Tapes’
Single (Hit The North Records / Wooden Tooth Records)
I like this. It has a rather nifty nagging guitar line and rather lovely melody line. Dare I say Mute Swan could be ones to watch as they had me hunting out my Ultra Vivid Scene albums and had me stroking my memories from my mad year of 1991. Everyone has a lost weekend of high art and hedonistic tomfoolery and if the Mute Swans had been around in that musically great year, they, I am sure, would have helped soundtrack it.
My Violence ‘Isabella Rossellini’
Single (Starfish Records)
If you release a single named Isabella Rossellini it has to be dark, sultry and beautiful. And this fine pop song has indeed all those boxes ticked; a suave, blissful floating artful drift of pure pop melancholy.
Neon Kittens ‘21 Minutes of Adventure’
Album (Metal Postcard Records) Released 21st October 2025
The latest Neon Kittens album is upon us and anyone who loves the other litter of releases should add this post-punk gem to their collection. And anyone who has so far not heard their previous releases, 21 Minuets Of Adventure is a fine introduction. The lead off track “No Free Hugs” is a Tubeway Army like forage into the cold clinical extremities of post-punk sexual shenanigans and a nod and a wink and the house on the hill is truly yours. For The Neon Kittens carry a dark sinister humour in the lyrics that equally match the joyful dry dripping sarcasm of Andy Goss and his fretwork mastery, and both the music and lyrics intertwine beautifully to soundtrack living in these confusing and troubled times. The Neon Kittens is the aural equivalent of sitting opposite a beautiful girl on the train and wondering what she is thinking about as she licks her fingers after finishing her sherbet.
The Noisy ‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat’
Album (Audio Antihero) Released 24th October 2025
The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat is a fine indie alt-pop album; an album filled with candy floss dreams of fame sex and a melancholy nostalgic lust of fallen whispers.
The stony ground has never felt so waver thin, soft. It has never tasted so sweet cherry lipped. The Noisy have taken 60s girl group want, lust and ambition and wrapped it in a 21st century blanket of glitz and glamour, and managed to keep the old fashion ideals that sex does happen but will only take the one foot off the floor when the curtains have been drawn.
In an ideal world the singles taken from the album would be being played all over the radio. “Grenadine” is one of the finest pop singles of 2025 and the album is filled with fine pop songs like this, which makes it a fine and essential pop album, and in this day age a fine and essential pop album can make a difference to your life and mental well-being.
Occult Character ‘Her Guts My Graveyard’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 29th October 2025
Another song you won’t be hearing on the radio or reading about in your favourite blog, unless your favourite blog is the Monolith Cocktail, which if it is the case I would like to compliment you on your good taste, also if you do indeed read the Monolith Cocktail you will in fact have read about Occult Character and know he is a man who makes weird and wonderful alt pop music combing hip-hop and folk and pop and weird sci fi soundtracks – a little like Beck I suppose, that is if Beck at birth had been breast fed hallucinatory drugs.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart ‘Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan’
Single (Slumberland Records)
What a great title for a song, but it was a great cardigan it must be said. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have immediately put themselves under pressure: Does the song do justice to the cardigan? I am happy to report it does, and it is a fine indie pop romp of joyful proportions. And I am sure Kurt would heartedly agree if he was still with us.
Shitnoise ‘Charades’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 17th November 2025
“It’s all rock n roll” as the old saying goes, and that is a perfect phrase to describe this wonderful mish mash of post punk, grunge, metal, thrash and yes probably many other genres and probably some they don’t yet have a name for – my daughter described something as pastel goth the other day: what the bloody hell is pastel goth? So maybe this has a bit of pastel goth in it who knows. It is certainly unhinged and deranged in the best possible way, and we all need a bit of music that slips from the lips to the hips and adds some sanity into our lives, and if not, you are dead from the waist down and from the shoulders up, so basically you are a torso.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea’s Reviews Roundup – Instant Reactions. All entries in alphabetical order.
Joel Cusumano ‘Waxworld’
Album (Dandyboy Records) 24th October 2025
I like this album. I was expecting the typical power pop tuneful bombast, which it does to a certain extent have, but with a slightly tattered heart that at times reminds me of what Blondie might have sounded like if they were fronted by Pete Perrett instead of the lovely Debbie – especially on “Through A Darkened Glass“. Waxworld is an entirely enjoyable listening experience, one I would recommend to all those power pop aficionados out there, as Joel Cusumano performs like he is Joel Cusumano and not a stars in the eyes Mathew Sweet.
John Howard ‘Kid In A Big World (The Prof Stone Remaster)’
Album (Think Like A Key Records) Released back in August 2025
Autumn is upon us and is the perfect season to discover or even rediscover this 50-year-old classic debut from one of Britain’s finest hidden treasures. Yes, John Howard‘s excellent debut has been remastered by Prof Stone, available from Think Like A Key Records Bandcamp as a download only.
Do I need to pontificate about the magic of this much written about debut. Probably not, but I will anyway. If Elton John was as good as people think he is, he would sound like this album. And John does not feel the need to sing in a phoney American accent or share Dame Edna’s stylist. Why he never made it as a chart regular and enlightened the screens of Saturday night tv in the seventies can only really be put down to the homophobia that existed in the 70’s especially in the upper offices of The BBC and as John never felt the need to hide the fact that he was gay (as Elton wisely career wise did).
Kid In A Big World is a wonderful record and should a hold a place both in all music lovers record collections and hearts … and if I was Amazon or Spotify or Youtube I would say if you enjoyed this album you might enjoy Hunky Dory, or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Year Of The Cat. And it deserves mentioning in the same breath.
The Legendary Ten Seconds ‘Ricardian Churchward’
Album – Released 2nd October 2025
I love Musical British Eccentrics (it takes one to know, so they say), and here we have a wham doozy of a release by The Legendary Ten Seconds. Imagine if you will, that Julian Cope had not taken drugs and only read Horrible Histories books and was influenced by The Monochrome Set, then he could well have made this album.
This is the kind of album that could one day (if enough people get to hear this gem of a release) become a bit of a cult classic. For it is a fine collection of psych folk Medieval indie-pop (is there such a thing). The only bad thing I can say about this release is that it’s not available as a CD, as it is one that I would happily add to my collection.
Legless Trials ‘American Russ Never Sleeps’
Single (Metal Postcard Records) Released 13th September 2025
More post punk glory from the Legless Trials. American Russ Never Sleeps pt 1 and pt2 is two tracks of Public Image Ltd styled smooth discord with an air of dubby splendour and chaotic lyricism that once again pokes holes into the flimsy facade of shittery that currently engulfs the world: like a bedtime story read to you by Michael Myers.
Picniclunch ‘snaxbandwitches’
Album – Released 13th October 2025
snaxbandwitches is an album of supreme post punk noisery, experimental fun and undoubtedly surprisingly tuneful. Think the Fall, early Pavement, Morphine (the band not the drug) and early Talking Heads but only if they had been in the pub since opening time and David Byrne had been replaced with someone less annoying.
This is the sound of the true alternative; the sound of a band who would not use a Rickenbaker guitar but an old Woolworths copy battered and played through a borrowed amp. Yes, this is the true spirit of the garage band; the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. This is a band who should join forces with The Legless Crabs and do a double headline tour of all the dives in America, and influence the current American underground. If I had a record label, I would sign them up.
Edward Rogers ‘Astor Place’
Album – Released 10th October 2025
I love warm sounding timeless, slightly unusual sounding pop albums and Astor Place is an unusual sounding pop album. Unusual in its joyful mash of psychedelia and rose tinged eloquent nostalgia, at times sounding like a true English gentleman narrating over a backdrop of a huge love-in from ‘67 and believe it or not, sadly it’s not ‘67 and that’s what is so unusual about this album that it would not sound out of place if it was, but not in a retro way just in its feeling and atmosphere, screaming guitars and cucumber sandwiches is it seems a match made in heaven. Hippy heaven even.
If Noel Coward made a psych album, I believe this is what it may have sounded like. And me being a huge Noel Coward fan and a lover of the whole fairytale of the summer of ‘67 I love it. He also name checks Tommy Steele in the lyrics, which for me makes this album slightly more fabulous than it already is.
Smash Palace ‘87’
Album – Released 10th October 2025
87 was supposed to be the second album from Smash Palace in 1987, but their label Epic dropped them before they got around to recording it and releasing it. So, what we have here is a strange beast: 5 of the songs have been rerecorded by the original band and the other five songs are the original studio demos recorded in the 80s. The five freshly recorded songs are bright and chirpy covered with an old MTV sheen, with guitars that jangle and guitars that strut like they are going out on a date with Keith Richards; songs, at times, that remind me of The Hoodoo Gurus and the Smithereens and other bands from the 80s of that ilk – the kind of bands VJ’S with mullets would introduce wearing shiny leather jackets and being all hip to go.
The other five are the real deal from the 80s recordings, not as shiny and bright but have the advantage or disadvantage, depending on how you feel about 80s major label production values, of having the atmosphere of that strange decade. The five 80s tracks one can imagine not being out of place on the Pretty In Pink soundtrack or The Breakfast Club or The Lost Boys…yes indeed, an album to soundtrack Molly Ringwald looking gorgeous.
Striped Bananas ‘Eternity Forest’
Album – Released 3rd October 2025
I always imagine that the married couple that make up the Striped Bananas live in a thatched cottage just outside some enchanted forest in upper Connecticut and spend their time weaving magic. For their music has a fairytale cartoon quality to its Psychedelia; it’s as if Lou and Nico had discovered and became addicted to candyfloss instead of Heroin.
Eternity Forest is a joyful beatastic trip of wonder and delight, an album full of melody, invention and fun; an album where guitars, Hammond organs and Theremin weave together to make one heavenly cartoon album of pure adventure. It’s like going on a daytrip to the fairground with the Banana Splits while having a playlist made up of Buffalo Springfield, The June Brides, The Velvet Underground the Archies and Strawberry Alarm Clock playing in transit. As the Beach Boys once eloquently put it: “it’s Fun Fun Fun”.
Vexations ‘A Dream Unhealthy’
Album (Cruel Nature Records) 17th October 2025
Vexations could well be your new favourite band. “A Dream Unhealthy” is a rather impressive beast of an album, five tracks of pure post psychedelic rock n roll, off kilter as hell and probably as hot, with almost spoken screamed vocals surfing on an explosion of noise frenzy. This album is worth hearing for the drumming alone, which is not to say that everything else about the band is not as equally as wonderful. They produce such a cavalcade of cavernous hypnotic spine-tingling beat poetry.
Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea and the Shea family house band, the Bordellos, have a new single out on Metal Postcard Records this month called ‘The Village People In Disguise‘.
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you can, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat by donating via Ko-Fi.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored, and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love or interest in. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Our Monthly Playlist selection of choice music and Choice Releases list from the last month.
We decided at the start of the year to change things a little with a reminder of not only our favourite tracks from the last month but also a list of choice albums too. This list includes both those releases we managed to feature and review on the site and those we just didn’t get the room for – time restraints and the sheer volume of submissions each month mean there are always those records that miss out on receiving a full review, and so we have added a number of these to both our playlist and releases list.
All entries in the Choice Releases list are displayed alphabetically. Meanwhile, our Monthly Playlist continues as normal with all the choice tracks from July taken either from reviews and pieces written by me – that’s Dominic Valvona – and Brian ‘Bordello’ Shea. Our resident Hip-Hop expert Matt Oliver has also put forward a smattering of crucial and highlighted tracks from the rap arena.
CHOICE RELEASES FROM THE LAST MONTH OR SO:
Alien Eyelid ‘Vinegar Hill’
(Tall Texan) Review
Darko The Super ‘Then I Turned Into A Perfect Smile’
Eamon The Destroyer ‘The Maker’s Quilt’
(Bearsuit Records) Review
Ike Goldman ‘Kiki Goldman In How I Learned To Sing For Statler And Waldorf’
The Good Ones ‘Rwanda Sings With Strings’
(Glitterbeat Records) Review
Headless Kross/Poundland ‘Split Album’
(Cruel Nature Records) Review
John Johanna ‘New Moon Pangs’
(Faith & Industry) Review
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘No Public House Talk’
(Gare du Nord) Review
Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove ‘Hostile Engineering’
(Fused Arrow Records) Review
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here – The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings’
(Transcendence Sounds)
SCHØØL ‘I Think My Life Has Been OK’
(GEOGRAPHIE) Review
Tom Skinner ‘Kaleidoscopic Visions’
(Brownswood/International Anthem) Review
Theravada ‘The Years We Have’
Ujif_notfound ‘Postulate’
(I Shall Sing Until My Country Is Free) Review
Visible Light ‘Songs For Eventide’
(Permaculture Media) Review
THE PLAYLIST::
Star Feminine Band ‘Mom’lo Siwaju’
A-F-R-O, Napoleon Da Legend, PULSE REACTION ‘Mr Fantastic’
Pharoah Sanders ‘Love Is Here (Part 1) (Live)’
Tom Skinner ‘Margaret Anne’
Holly Palmer & Jeff Parker ‘Metamorphosis (Capes Up!)’
Matt Bachmann ‘TIAGDTD’
Darko the Super, Andrew ‘The Bounce Back (Heaven Bound)’
Verb T, Vic Grimes ‘Anti-Stress’
Cymarshall Law, Ramson Badbonez ‘Emerald Tablet’
Datkid, Mylo Stone, BVA, Frenic ‘Poundland’
Verbz, Mr Slipz ‘What You Reckon?’
Theravada ‘Doobie’
The Expert, Buck 65 ‘What It Looks Like’
Lt Headtrip, Steel Tipped Dove ‘0 Days Since Last Accident’
Ujif Notfound ‘Postril’
Lael Neale ‘Some Bright Morning’
Alien Eyelid ‘Flys’
John Johanna ‘Justine’
Ike Goldman ‘Land Of Tomorrow’
Ananya Ashok ‘Little Voice’
Rezo ‘Nothing Else’
Howling Bells ‘Unbroken’
The Good Ones ‘Kirisitiyana Runs Around’
Jacqueline Tucci ‘Burning Out’
Dyr Faser ‘Control Of Us’
The Last Of The Lovely Days ‘Runaway’
Frog ‘SPANISH ARMANDA VAR. XV’
The Bordellos ‘The Village People In Disguise’
The Jack Rubies ‘Are We Being Recorded?’
The Beths ‘Ark Of The Covenant’
SCHOOL ‘N.S.M.L.Y.D’
Neon Kittens ‘Own Supply High’
ASSASSUN ‘The Sons Of The United Plague’
Pelts ‘Don’t Have To Look’
Visible Light ‘Purple Light’
Wayku ‘Suchiche’
Here’s the message bit we hate, but crucially need:
If you’ve enjoyed this selection, the writing, or been led down a rabbit hole into new musical terrains of aural pleasure, and if you able, then you can now show your appreciation by keeping the Monolith Cocktail afloat through the Ko-Fi donation site.
For the last 15 years both me and the MC team have featured and supported music, musicians and labels we love across genres from around the world: ones that we think you’ll want to know about. No content on the site is paid for or sponsored, and we only feature artists we have genuine respect for /love or interest in. If you enjoy our reviews (and we often write long, thoughtful ones), found a new artist you admire or if we have featured you or artists you represent and would like to say thanks or show support, than you can now buy us a coffee or donate via https://ko-fi.com/monolithcocktail
Monolith Cocktail Blog 