Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

Recommended by Bex:

Amidst recent announcements to play 15 then 22 London concert dates, ticket-purchasing drama (that I am happy to report went in my favour) and NoKateBush trending: the week is easily Kate's.

Hounds of Love consists of two broad suites. The first half was top heavy with propulsive pop tracks ('Running Up That Hill', 'Cloudbusting', 'Mother Stands for Comfort'), which had in common a bold use of the Fairlight drum sampler and a lyrical bent that found Bush dissecting physical and family relationships with a new directness.

Whilst that run of songs were some of Bush's strongest to date, it was the conceptual second side (The Ninth Wave) that saw her brilliantly meshing together her most high art, avant-garde tendencies with her unique pop sensibilities.

The songs were strung together over the loose narrative of a girl drowning at sea. As Bush tells it: 'The idea is that they’ve been on a ship and they’ve been washed over the side so they’re alone in this water. And I find that horrific imagery, the thought of being completely alone in all this water.'



Tracks like 'Under Ice' and 'Waking the Witch' were truly horrifying, Gothic soundscapes which greedily bubbled with disturbed voices, desperate noises and inescapable violence.

These battle with the good forces in songs like 'Jig of Life' or the out-of-body, lonely grief of 'Watching You Without Me'. The depth of what was on play here was like observing layers of oil colours on a beautiful painting or uncovering the deeper meanings at play in a devilishly clever cinematic masterpiece.

In winter 1987, Kate said: 'Some of the most beautiful music ever was written for God, for a loved one, in a state of grief, sorrow, suppression.

'Music is a strange and beautiful thing. It means a great deal to me. I love listening to and making music. I am very lucky to be able to be involved with music - I hope I always will be.'

Hounds of Love is entirely graspable in its pitch of human emotions and depth of feeling, transporting the listener to a different place. Seeing Kate perform has always been a dreamlike fancy for me. I am beyond thrilled that it's become a reality certainty.

Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe

Recommended by Bex:

The Bones of What You Believe, the debut album from Scottish pop trio Chvrches, is inarguably synth pop at its finest. Draped in coruscating, swooping, staccato synths, this is an album that captures a spectrum of emotions in a genre that is often associated with carefree revel – all the while without sounding the least disjointed.

The singles that circulated blogs everywhere, 'Lies', 'Gun', 'Recover' and 'The Mother We Share', represent a lot of what Chvrches has to offer. You really can't fault well-crafted pop albums for sticking to the genre; every song on this is a pretty perfectly crafted pop song.

Blue Sky Black Death - Late Night Cinema

Friend Recommendation:

On their fourth full-length and first completely instrumental album, the production duo of Kingston and Young God employ a variety of sounds to craft an orchestral masterpiece. (Think Beethoven with a sampler and drum machine.)

The six-minute opening track, 'The Era When We Sang', opens with rapid keys, atmospheric percussion, and a soulful vocal sample before a breakdown of soft strings, pianos, and a light flourish of horns takes over. It sets the pace for what follows: a dark yet beautiful soundscape with heavy classical overtones and lush drops that commands listeners' attention, navigating us through various moods.

As one Amazon reviewer states: To put it bluntly, do not underestimate the power and genius of this album. It is literally and actually imperative listening. I find this album (and A Heap of Broken Images and Slow Burning Lights too) to be sublime enough on my computer, but when it's just you and this album on your iPod it really comes to the fore.

Lights - Siberia Acoustic

Recommended by Bex:

As a long-standing fan, I can't believe I slept on this release for almost a year. Siberia Acoustic strips off the synths and eradicates the electro, but leaves the simple structural beauty in tact.

2011's Siberia was pretty rad in its own right, but Siberia Acoustic manages to take it to an entire new level. Whilst tracks like 'Toes' may lose their playful element in the loss of synth, the door is opened up to a world of possibility in both power and vulnerability.

'Suspension' is given a whole new dimension simply in its slower pace, removing the slightly futuristic edge in favour of more innocent tones. Similarly, 'Peace Sign' is given an entirely new layer in its contributions from the lovely Coeur de Pirate, as she tumbles out a tirade of French; such quirks simply adding to the illusion of romance and intrigue that seem ever-present on an acoustic record such as this.

On previous records, some might say a certain vocal quality has been lost or perhaps disguised when compared, say, to her live performances. There's none of that here - Lights truly comes into her own.