Reviews
Opinionated and informative criticism of all the music that counts
Previous Album of the Week
Our favourite LP of the moment
Album of the Week
Nature Boy: Driving Through Belgium by Anton Pearson
This ambient side project from the guitarist in Squid reaches back through a deep history of British music inspired by the countryside
Previous Reissue of the Week
Genuine treasures unearthed
Reissue of the Week
Reissue of the Week: Mash Down Birmingham by Musical Youth
Wrongtom dismantles the unhelpful idea of the one hit wonder with some help from a new anthology of early recordings by Musical Youth
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Start Free TrialMetal
A fearless trawl through the realms of extreme and experimental metal
Metal
Columnus Metallicus: Heavy Metal for June Reviewed by Kez Whelan
Kez Whelan gets straight to the point in his latest roundup of newheavy metal, which this month features Converge's second brilliant LP of 2026, an audacious orchestral recording from Voivod, the latest disappointment from Venom, and much much more
Metal
Columnus Metallicus: Heavy Metal for April Reviewed by Kez Whelan
In his second column in what's shaping up to be another great year for metal, Kez Whelan rounds up all things good and heavy, from At The Gates' triumphant swansong to the glorious return of sludge legends Moloch
Metal
Columnus Metallicus: Heavy Metal for June Reviewed by Kez Whelan
Kez Whelan gets straight to the point in his latest roundup of newheavy metal, which this month features Converge's second brilliant LP of 2026, an audacious orchestral recording from Voivod, the latest disappointment from Venom, and much much more
Rock
A guide to psych rock, noise rock, post rock, space rock, and many other rocks
Rock
Feedbacker: Rock Music for March by JR Moores
JR Moores emerges from the scented bath to widen his lens in the inaugural edition of our new rock column
Punk
The best of punk and hardcore (and oi, and crust, and squat grind)
Punk
Straight Hedge! Noel Gardner Reviews Punk & HC For May
From bone-boiling Aussie racket to French powerpop crust via Cleveland, Bristol, Ross-on-Wye and more, Noel Gardner's guide to the best in brand new punk returns
Punk
Straight Hedge! Noel Gardner Reviews Punk & HC for March
From Norwegian hardcore royalty to one of the few flying the flag for the Alabama underground, via returning Dublin favourites and yet another essential demo from the relentless Shrewsbury scene, Noel Gardner returns once more with his guide to new punk rock
Punk
Straight Hedge! Noel Gardner Reviews Punk & HC for March
From Norwegian hardcore royalty to one of the few flying the flag for the Alabama underground, via returning Dublin favourites and yet another essential demo from the relentless Shrewsbury scene, Noel Gardner returns once more with his guide to new punk rock
Rum Music
Casting the net for undefineable sounds
Rum Music
Rum Music for April Reviewed by Jennifer Lucy Allan
Rabid hurdy-gurdy, murky DIY sounds from Canada, a shahi baaja and a Javanese kentongan in this month's playlist from the zone.
Rum Music
Rum Music for January Reviewed by Jennifer Lucy Allan
Your Rum Music roundup returns for 2026, where Jennifer Lucy Allan presents early AOTY contenders from Silvia Tarozzi, Tashi Dorij and more
Rum Music
Rum Music for September Reviewed by Jennifer Lucy Allan
Jennifer Lucy Allan returns with another batch of rum music, reviewing an essential new compilation of Amy Sheffer, posthumous releases from Mika Vainio (as Ø) and Amelia Cuni, the return of Surface Of The Earth, the first recording of legendary Ugandan vocalist John Katokye, and much more
Rum Music
Rum Music for September Reviewed by Jennifer Lucy Allan
Jennifer Lucy Allan returns with another batch of rum music, reviewing an essential new compilation of Amy Sheffer, posthumous releases from Mika Vainio (as Ø) and Amelia Cuni, the return of Surface Of The Earth, the first recording of legendary Ugandan vocalist John Katokye, and much more
Cassettes
Spooling through the world's best tapes
Cassettes
Spool’s Out: Cassette Reviews for July by Daryl Worthington
Scrambled DIY pop as temporal anomaly, multiple accordions in one band, a duo piping urban noise into tranquil marshes and a Tokyo-Manchester collaboration that both crushes and levitates, Daryl Worthington roams through the tapes of this infernal summer
Cassettes
Spool’s Out: Cassette Reviews for May by Daryl Worthington
Glitched waltzes, iridescent flutes, enormous beats and ferocious black metal, Daryl Worthington ventures into the tapes of May
Cassettes
Spool’s Out: Cassette Reviews for July by Daryl Worthington
Scrambled DIY pop as temporal anomaly, multiple accordions in one band, a duo piping urban noise into tranquil marshes and a Tokyo-Manchester collaboration that both crushes and levitates, Daryl Worthington roams through the tapes of this infernal summer
New Weird Britain
Transmissions from the thriving British underground
New Weird Britain
New Weird Britain in Review for April, by Noel Gardner
Noel Gardner detects plenty of dub at the core of this month's New Weird Britain selections, from bareknuckle nightmare fuel techno to gloopy audio microdramas
New Weird Britain
New Weird Britain in Review for February by Noel Gardner
Noel Gardner returns once more from Britain's sonic undergrowth, with an improv-dominated edition of New Weird Britain that also includes epic fringe folk, shuddering static from London via Beijing, and much much more
New Weird Britain
New Weird Britain in Review for November by Noel Gardner
From weighty out-jazz poetry to a dream pop / post rock wormhole, via mutating synth grids, a record fuelled by hatred of the ‘the music industry’ and more – it can only be Noel Gardner’s latest guide to the best of New Weird Britain
New Weird Britain
New Weird Britain in Review for November by Noel Gardner
From weighty out-jazz poetry to a dream pop / post rock wormhole, via mutating synth grids, a record fuelled by hatred of the ‘the music industry’ and more – it can only be Noel Gardner’s latest guide to the best of New Weird Britain
Electronic
The best club culture brought to your device
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for June Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
Jaša Bužinel consider’s techno’s resistance to – and resistance to deal with – AI, and delivers new goodies from various electronic music realms, including new releases from DJ Plead, Beatrice M, Yushh, Will Hofbauer and others
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for April Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
From sophisticated coffee table electronica and dubwise armchair albums to hardware outsider house and minimal masterpieces, Jaša Bužinel unearths the best in brand new contemporary electronic music
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for February Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
Our electronic music columnist argues for the importance of trusting the curator and delivers new gear for the club, soundtracks for afters and other, weirder stuff
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for October Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
Jaša Bužinel reflects on the importance of outside recognition and the influence of industry-fed dogmas on the success of aspiring artists, and reviews releases covering devilish UKG, Swedish minimal tech, bubbly deep house from Japan and more
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for June Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
Jaša Bužinel consider’s techno’s resistance to – and resistance to deal with – AI, and delivers new goodies from various electronic music realms, including new releases from DJ Plead, Beatrice M, Yushh, Will Hofbauer and others
Electronic
Hyperspecific: Electronic Music for October Reviewed by Jaša Bužinel
Jaša Bužinel reflects on the importance of outside recognition and the influence of industry-fed dogmas on the success of aspiring artists, and reviews releases covering devilish UKG, Swedish minimal tech, bubbly deep house from Japan and more
The Quietus International
Our favourite music, country-by-country
The Quietus International
The Quietus International: Shanghai’s Underground Music, Reviewed by Jonas Klein
Shanghai's underground is like a washing machine that never stops, says Jonas Klein, as he presents an in-depth report on the city's extraordinary musical infrastructure, and picks out five key releases - from the former pop star re-booting the Bristol sound to a hell-bath of distorted drone
The Quietus International
Inner Ear: Latvian Music for June, by Jakub Knera
In his latest dispatch from Central and Eastern Europe's underground music, Jakub Knera turns his attention to Latvia, and finds a creative scene built around curiosity, experimentation, and collaboration rather than stylistic purity
The Quietus International
North American Music: tQ in Chicago, by Levi Dayan
In our next dispatch from the American underground, Levi Dayan reports from Chicago, where the music scene benefits from a rare combination of broad scope and cross-scene collaboration, and rounds up five key recent releases. Plus, for tQ subscribers, a bonus playlist exploring all the acts featured and beyond
The Quietus International
The Quietus International: Shanghai’s Underground Music, Reviewed by Jonas Klein
Shanghai's underground is like a washing machine that never stops, says Jonas Klein, as he presents an in-depth report on the city's extraordinary musical infrastructure, and picks out five key releases - from the former pop star re-booting the Bristol sound to a hell-bath of distorted drone
The Quietus International
Inner Ear: Latvian Music for June, by Jakub Knera
In his latest dispatch from Central and Eastern Europe's underground music, Jakub Knera turns his attention to Latvia, and finds a creative scene built around curiosity, experimentation, and collaboration rather than stylistic purity
The Quietus International
North American Music: tQ in Chicago, by Levi Dayan
In our next dispatch from the American underground, Levi Dayan reports from Chicago, where the music scene benefits from a rare combination of broad scope and cross-scene collaboration, and rounds up five key recent releases. Plus, for tQ subscribers, a bonus playlist exploring all the acts featured and beyond
Live Reviews
From pubs to festivals to arenas, out and about with tQ
Live Reviews
Europe Eternal: Kraftwerk in Bournemouth
Tariq Goddard dodges the punches and negotiates with arthritis in order to bear witness to one for the ages
Track-by-Track
Albums dissected, the granular detail revealed
Track-by-Track
Arcade Fire’s Everything Now Reviewed Track By Track
Anna Wood delves into Arcade Fire's fifth long player in order to bring us a track by track breakdown. But is Everything Now something or nothing
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