A quick turnaround from the Manic Street Preachers after the critical success that was last year’s ‘Rewind The Film’. Back with a thirteen-track album that marks a significant change of direction for this Welsh trio by drawing on a number of electronic influences ranging from Kraftwerk to early Simple Minds, due to a longstanding affection for such musical reference points but also as a result of a previous road trip throughout Europe when touring that proved inspirational. That is not to say that ‘Futurology’ is not without the various ticks and nuances of a typical MSP album because there are signs of their post-punk sound via a number of guitar riffs and lead singer James Bradfield’s instantly recognisable vocal that still amazes with its ability to navigate its way around complex and jagged lyrics. Another notable difference is the role Nicky Wire’s bass performs as it pushes to the fore during a number of songs with a real authority (‘Walk Me To The Bridge’, ‘Misguided Missile’) à la Derek Forbes and provides a solid spine to the band’s more adventurous urges. While there is suggestion of a certain level of bleakness considering the trip back in time, there is light between the covers as suggested by the immediacy and breezy nature of the title track and furthered exemplified by the rousing chorus of ‘Walk Me To The Bridge’ with its golden splashes of electronica. Politics and a sense of detachment is portrayed to great effect during the machinelike ‘Let’s Go To War’, only to be usurped in the futuristic mechanical stakes by the hypnotic electronic pulses of ‘Europa Geht Durch Mich’. There is no doubting the Manics’ love affair with music as ‘Futurology’ continues a previous trend of guest vocalists with Scritti Politti’s Green Gartside’s wondrous touch on ‘Between The Clock And The Bed’ being one such highlight. Such affection, however, also gets the better of them and is best illustrated by the instrumental ‘Dreaming A City (Hugheskova)’ as it is no ‘Theme For Great Cities’. Thankfully, this remains the only hiccup in what transpires to be a monumental leap forward for the Manic Street Preachers, without completely ditching their past, as the barely audible intro of the krautrock-inspired ‘Mayakovsky’ raises much curiosity, if you know a thing or two about the Manic Street Preachers history, by ushering in a bit of The Beatles ‘White Album’. It appears the Manic Street Preachers is entering a rich vein of form and one that is opening up to the possibilities of experimentation. Hopefully, the band’s next endeavour will continue along a similar path as ‘Futurology’ because it is definitely among their finest works but, more importantly, it’s the first signs of a fresh start.

Naming your latest album ’48:13′ suggests that time is beginning to catch up with Kasabian. Not that this five piece from Leicester has anything to prove, of course, after a succession of critically well-received albums and legion of loyal supporters championing their cause, but the signs of a band struggling for fresh ideas is slowly beginning to reveal itself. This latest album, however, begins in fine fashion with the humming static of electronics and subdued fizz of guitars that is ‘(shiva)’, before flowering into the thunderous beats and tripped-out psychedelia of ‘Bumblebee’. The film score inspired entrance of ‘Stevie’ would not sound out of place in a Bond film as it eventually catches up with an exhilarating rhythm that gives a fine impression of a song moving in transit as there is a real sense of one car pursuing another, hence the Bond reference. ‘Mortis’ is a mournful and brief instrumental that directs the listener to the first lacklustre effort in the ideas department, both musically and lyrically, with ‘Doomsday’ and followed by the all too familiar ground of yet more pounding beats and boastful comments running throughout ‘Treat’. A change of tempo and style is welcomed with the intriguing ‘Glass’, that is more considered in its use of electronica and fleeting standard instrumentation but then, surprisingly, takes an even greater twist in its strategy by closing out with a spoken word passage that contains the telling line, “When the biggest criminals I ever met wore a suit and tie”. ‘Explodes’ continues the more restrained approach and owes a slight debt to Gary Numan, before returning to tried and trusted ground with the pounding ‘Eez-eh’ that skewers the usual suspects of Primal Scream, Happy Mondays and Stone Roses in one fell swoop. Not without its faults, ’48:13′ warrants enough attention for the sometimes weird and wonderful and one or two forays venturing into classic Kasabian territory. However, it’s the latter category that requires considerable tinkering if, next time around, Kasabian is to enter a whole new era.

The name Martin Hagfors is one associated in Norway with a prolific work rate that has resulted in eighteen albums and a long line of song writing contributions for the likes of Askil Holm, Big Bang, Ida Jenshus, Motorpsycho, The National Bank et al. Hagfors latest release entitled ‘Producers Politics Passion’, minus the punctuation, is a match made in heaven for those who have a soft spot for indie pop music with a definite left-field approach. Having enlisted a whole host of guest musicians including such names as Anne Lise Frøkedal, Jenny Hval, Erlend Mokkelbost, Anders Tjore to name but a few, ‘Producers Politics Passion’ is as much about the ‘passions’ of these talented musicians as it is the man in the hot seat, Martin Hagfors. Beginning in fine fashion with the suggestive ‘Kinky Lovers’, due to being a likely example of a composition that a certain Brian Wilson conjures up in his dreams with its lovely warped qualities of mild electronics and vocal delivery. The following, ‘Leaning To The Left’ is open to interpretation (“I might sound out of date…”) but most likely the ‘Politics’ segment and contains some fine musicianship. The dreamlike ‘You’ve Been Replaced’ again contains many different facets when considering its overall meaning, but one clear revelation is that it is a supremely clever ditty that manages to incorporate elements of ‘I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)’ as a means to emphasise its overall message considering the redundancy in the title. There are moments of playing it straight with the easily distracted by how infectious this seductive mellow pop is with ‘Easily Distracted By Love’, until the distant chill of ‘Earl Is Gone’ brings the mood back down, but compellingly so, via some delicious vocal harmonising. ‘Producers Politics Passion’ is a ‘gammeldags’ recipe consisting of intelligent and insightful pop music with a few quirky edges, the kind of which used to be more frequently accepted by the mainstream. As it stands, Martin Hagfors and his musical associates have just produced a winning formula that demands a follow-up if ever the desire exists.

Alida’s former single ‘Next Plane’ managed to cause a wave of enthusiasm on various radio playlists throughout Norway due to its alluring vocal and mild, atmospheric electronica that played out to a narrative full of unrequited love. The next destination for Alida is right here and now with a full-length offering, of sorts, by way of a mini-album. Arriving in two parts, which makes for a refreshing change, ‘To Where We Reside’ is the first instalment before the next chapter arrives with an equal number of tracks that will complete this concept. The previously mentioned ‘Next Plane’ is included here, and greatly complimented with the transcendent qualities of ‘Tell Me’, that provides an explanation to the visual imagery of the cover art, and perfectly constructed indie-pop of ‘Feathers’. By offering a condensed version in terms of ‘To Where We Reside’, the songs making up this mini-release should receive the care and attention they deserve, considering the exquisite and piano-led ‘I Get Lonely’ and pop dynamics of ‘Hunger’; the latter of which is the appropriate description when waiting for the next segment of this two-part series.

Reviving a musical passage confined to the history books by dragging it into the present, This Sect possess an undisputable post-punk and indie influence with a definite whiff of the eighties when it comes to their sound, but one that is given a slightly modern edge considering the grooving rhythm of former single ‘Bookburner’. The giveaway, however, to such references can be heard in the shimmering and echoing effects of the guitars that is reminiscent of such 80s innovators The Chameleons and Bauhaus, as well as paying their respects to such record labels as Dischord with the aforementioned post-punk sound. With this being a debut album and one that has taken considerable time to fully realise, the benefits of such a lengthy gestation period are revealed in the tight musicianship which creates moments of genuine tension as well as providing a sense of holding the ship together. For lead vocalist Gøran Karlsvik, the title of This Sect’s debut long player seems to literally plague his very being, with his vocal giving the impression of pulling the songs along but with considerable suffering involved due to the immense weight of the lyrical contents contained within. Such indications can be identified from the layered guitars and melodic bursts of ‘Lines On A Trail’ where there appears no exit from troubled times, to the (some might say) actions of a philistine with the tortured ‘Bookburner’ and major clue that is ‘Detox The Soul’. As brief as ‘Shake The Curse’ stands, This Sect manage to cram a succession of deeply intense emotions that are often cryptic in nature, with an equally forceful brew of raucous guitars and additional synth that harks back to a period in music that is sadly missed and thus rendering ‘Shake The Curse’ utterly essential.

Upping the ante further with album number three by adding the production skills of British producer Eliot James (Two Door Cinema Club, The Futureheads, Kaiser Chiefs) and enrolling fellow Brit Simon Walker to help out with lyrics, Montée is willing to take chances in order to broaden their sound but also their appeal when it comes to reaching new audiences. The results appear to be a winning success judging from the fuller sounding and more consistent quality of the songs making up ‘Into The Fray’. The eighties influence blended with modern pop-disco tendencies remain and clearly evident from the off with ‘Saviour’ that receives extra plaudits for its decision to include backing vocals that take this ditty to another level. ‘Icarus’ has a sense of familiarity about it, which is a compliment, with its gliding rhythm that almost suggests a smoky jazz texture when really it’s a reflective synth number that has lead vocalist Anders Tjore sounding rather like Bowie on occasions with a desire to remain detached from society, and it really is that good. The infectious melodies continue their charge with ‘Animal Traits’ and ‘The Beast In Their Nature’, before ‘Picture Paradise’ offers a different perspective with its colder rhythm and more measured pace. For fans of Human League, Heaven 17 and more recently Van She and Empire of the Sun, ‘Into The Fray’ should see Montée victorious judging by the overall quality and consistency of their latest album.