Modsnap Radio

Over the past couple years, the xx’s Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim have both released solo material — Sim just released a new song, “Fruit,” last week. Jamie xx, who was the first xx member to break out on their own with 2015’s In Colour, hasn’t been nearly so active as of late, though in 2020 he released the one-off single “Idontknow.” Today, he’s back with his first new […]

When a punk or hardcore band goes long enough without releasing any new music, it’s usually a pretty good bet that the band no longer exists. So I’m delighted to report that mouth-frothing New York punks Warthog are back in business. Warthog are led by Chris Hansell, former singer from the Men, and the band features current and former members of bands like Nude Beach, L.O.T.I.O.N., and Witchtrial. Warthog’s music […]

Two experimental music icons are teaming up for a collaborative LP. Translation From Unspecified brings together David Grubbs (Gastr Del Sol, Bastro, Squirrel Bait, etc.) and Jan St. Werner (Mouse On Mars, Microstoria, etc.). The collaboration is the result of a years-long exchange of ideas, leading up to a recording session just before the pandemic. As Drag City explains:

Next month, Sacred Bones is releasing a 15th anniversary compilation featuring some artists from the label’s roster covering one another. We’ve already heard contributions from Marissa Nadler and the Hunt, and today the label is sharing another pair of tracks. Boris has covered “Funnel Of Love,” a song originally recorded by Wanda Jackson which director Jim Jarmusch then put his own spin on with his band SQÜRL for the Only […]

It’s been three years since the California punk institution Ceremony released In The Spirit World Now, their last album. Ceremony have been consistently moving from sound to sound ever since their early powerviolence days, and In The Spirit World Now took clear inspiration from new wave in general and from early New Order in particular. In the time since that LP’s release, the members of Ceremony have kept themselves busy […]

The Fest, the annual gathering of punk bands in Gainesville, Florida around Halloween, has announced the lineup for its 20th iteration. It’s going down in venues around Gainesville this Oct. 28-30, and it once again features every punk band on Earth. Topping the bill are a whopping six veteran groups playing two sets apiece: hometown heroes Hot Water Music, Anti-Flag, Bouncing Souls, Piebald, Samiam, and the Flatliners. Also on deck […]

Scottish greats Mogwai have had a fascinating career. They pioneered the post-rock genre in the ’90s, stretching the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic way beyond its logical extreme, and then they stayed together and made the transition into providing tingly scores for movies and TV shows. These days, Mogwai can make their own records, like last year’s Mercury Prize-nominated As The Love Continues, and they can also score things like the 2020 Amazon […]

The War On Drugs bassist Dave Hartley has announced a new album under his Nightlands moniker. Titled Moonshine, Hartley’s new project is out in July and follows 2017’s I Can Feel The Night Around Me. Today, Hartley is sharing the album’s title track, which also has a music video by Daniel Fox and Ray Lynch. Recorded in Hartley’s Asheville home studio, Moonshine features guest spots from Western Vinyl labelmate and […]

JB Dunckel, one half of the French duo Air, has announced a new solo album called Carbon, his follow-up to 2018’s H+. “When you burn it, it doesnʼt go away,” he noted of the titular element. “Itʼs full of strength — diamonds are crystallized carbon. Carbon is the thing that makes you solid. Itʼs the most important thing in our bodies and in our lives, but weʼre hardly aware of […]