Midnight Resistance - Under Glass (Synthwave Reflection Mix)

Some brilliant shiny synthwave from Germany.

Permanent Wave - Strange Days

Interesting germanic sounding electronica

Depeche Mode Wrong ( Black Swarm Remix )

Future Islands and Future Dancing

At Last an interesting band on Later With Jools Holland

Every week I watch Jools Holland waiting to be impressed by a new band and every week I am disappointed. This week was different. Future Islands knocked me out with their performance of Seasons (Waiting On You). People were raving about their performance on the David Letterman show in March but I would argue that this performance was even better.

So many bands use electronic sounds in their line up but they always seem so bland and boring. What makes Future Islands different is that they are a great band and have a passionate singer in Samuel T Herring. His chest thumping and interesting dance moves hypnotize you. The orchestral keyboards, pulsating bass and low key percussion keep you transfixed. I have listened to this about five times now. That doesn't happen very often nowadays. I am now hooked on this band from Baltimore after listening to their songs on Sound Cloud. Thank you Future Islands and Thank you Baltimore. 'Charm City'.

For more sounds go to Future Islands stream on Sound Cloud.

La Roux - Let Me Down Gently

It's been a long time but it's been worth the wait. La Roux is back dancing and looking moody and magnificent with this excellent track Let Me Down Gently. Her new album Trouble In Paradise is to be released on Polydor on 21st July and can be pre-ordered on itunes. 

Guardian Review - Best Science Fiction Books for June

Eric Brown Reviews the best of this months Science Fiction. This months varied themes are reincarnation, visitors from the Stars, manmade Gods versus secular high tech forces, an island city, conspiracy theories and paranoia. includes reviews of Claire North's The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, Nnedi Okorafor's Lagoon, James Lovegrove's Shiva, Neil Williamson's The Moonking and Sarah Lotz'sThree.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A novel set in an alternative version in Boston at the time of the American Civil War. This is from Cherie Priest's series of books called Clockwork Century. It had all the things I like: Steampunk, sky pirates and Zombies. The other thing I liked was that it was in America rather than an alternative Victorian England.

Briar Wilkes and her son Ezekiel are great characters as well as the mysterious and dangerous inventor Leviticus Blue. I loved the portrayal of a walled city with its community living underground in toxic conditions. This was the first book I have read by Cherie Priest and I want to read more.

View all my reviews