Music ebbs and flows, as MISSIO are only too aware. As a duo, Matthew Brue and David Butler have completed six records together, with Love & Heartbreak being the richest in form and purpose. This project, as an entity, is rich with references to mortality, degradation, and inner turmoil. In terms of it being a sonic experience, Love & Heartbreak is strikingly different from previous MISSIO records; a visceral rollercoaster burning with energy on all sides.
“I will make you beg for self-deprecation,” the singer shouts on “Self Deprecation”, sharp keyboards rattling behind the glass-cut vocal. The amorous affection in “You Are My Love” is alluded to in its melodic counterpoints, a Wagnerian backdrop. The term “tender” is…
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In addition to being one-half of synth pop legends Erasure for over 40 years and engaging in numerous other solo and collaborative projects, 
01. Martyn Lenoble & Christian Eigner feat. Mark Lanegan & Dave Gahan – Cat People (Putting…
Hot Chip release the reissues of 
True to its name, 
With ‘Sowas von Egal 3’, the Hamburg-based Damaged Goods DJ team continues its compilation series on Bureau B, once again turning its attention to the underground scenes of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in the early 1980s.
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of 
“You can change the chapter, you can change the book, but the story remains the same if you’d take a look”. So runs the chorus line from ‘Nobody’s Diary’ by Yazoo, an unexpectedly prophetic lyric looking forward to the formation of 
Originally released on April 1, 1986, 
Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story is a double-CD companion to a podcast of the same name, charting the history of the label from the early 1980s, after the British branch of Decca Records was acquired by PolyGram. Though the label was reopened in the 2010s, the compilation stops in the early 2000s, bringing highlights from more than 20 years of hit releases.
Having a solo project has been Josh Conway’s dream since he was a child. Between then and now, he has found international acclaim with 
For music fans of a certain vintage, the name Hue and Cry will immediately send them back to the late 1980s. Pat Kane and his brother Gregory seemed to be the epitome of the sharp-suited, smooth pop-jazz-soul that was so popular back in those days. Yet there was more to them than a snazzy image – their biggest hit ‘Looking for Linda’ sounded like a swooning ballad but was actually about domestic abuse, while their signature track, ‘Labour of Love’, was an infectious, politically-charged critique of capitalism.
Filtering one of Borges’ short stories through the theory that our world is just a computer simulation, JJ Weihl uses ambient synthscapes to frame head-spinning ideas about knowledge and chaos.
Back in 2024, 
Released at a pivotal moment in their career, 
Future Islands are an emotionally charged synth pop group, known for their dexterous melodic touch, stately momentum and impassioned delivery. Over the past twenty years they have travelled a rare arc, from promising newcomers to best-kept secret, from cult favourites to heroes of the genre. As they reach this remarkable milestone, they resist the obvious move.
Somewhere along the lines of their history, MUNA started calling themselves “the best band in the world.” Not the best synthpop band, or the past queer band, but the best, period. It’s a tall order for three people who make excellent pop music, a genre that, for most people, doesn’t hold a lot of weight or seriousness. But MUNA makes pop music, and even though they’ve done it for almost a decade now, it was surprising to hear the synths and pulsing beat that kicks off 