outsider Page 1 of 2

Concrete Islands Albums of the Year 2023

These are the albums of 2023 that have meant the most to us, alongside our compilations & archives of the year

Loud and Immersive: Arnold Dreyblatt Interview

American minimalist Arnold Dreyblatt discusses his new Drag City album, opening the archives for Black Truffle and the impact of Jim O’Rourke

Subversive Signals: Thurston Moore Interview

Sonic Youth co-founder Thurston Moore discusses underground culture shaping his life and how he translated that into a magical music memoir

More of an Ethos: Apostille Interview

Michael Kasparis lifts the lid on his new record as Apostille, explaining his aim to make ecstatic trance music as sung by Meatloaf

We Still Feel like Outsiders: Interview with Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey of Skep Wax and Heavenly

Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey pull back the curtain on life running their Skep Wax label, revisiting Heavenly… and plenty more besides

Jim O’Rourke – Hands That Bind (Drag City)

Jim O’Rourke’s eerily captivating motion picture soundtrack for Hands That Bind is a vital addition to his Drag City catalogue

A Certain Kind of Energy: Lee Ranaldo Interview

An in-depth conversation with Sonic Youth co-founder Lee Ranaldo on European touring, new collaborations and what’s next from the archives

Songs for Grungers, Ravers and Indie Rock Librarians

Teen Spirit, Wings and a geographically dislocated Dinosaur Jr. at Stewart Gardiner’s recent DJ session of outsider sounds and indie rock

Concrete Islands Albums of the Year 2022

These are the fifty albums of 2022 that have meant the most to us, alongside our compilations & archives of the year

Loosely Shared Identity: Geographic Interview with Stephen Pastel

Stephen Pastel tells the story behind the Geographic label as they embark upon reissues by The Pastels, Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Lightships

A Dream within a Dream: CLAIR Interview

CLAIR talks music-making, microdosing and the magic of Glasgow to mark the release of her Body Blossom – Revelations EP

Tragedy into Comedy and Vice Versa: Simon Rivers Interview

The ever durable Simon Rivers tells all on his new solo LP as Poor Performer, Oldfield Youth Club, The Bitter Springs, collaborations and more

Don’t Look Now: Sons and Daughters

Stewart Gardiner talks to Sons and Daughters in this archive feature from 2005, alongside some thoughts on the band’s legacy today

Not Turning Off: Volume 39

New and archival things from The Leaf Library, Burd Ellen, Sharron Kraus, Marina Allen, Marine Girls and more are pulled from the review pile

Soundtrack Music for Arguments: Mick Derrick of Prolapse Interview

Alongside another bout of retrospective but refreshing Prolapse activity, co-vocalist Mick Derrick lifts the lid on the band’s rich history

Ears Wide Shut: How Agent Cooper Dreamed Blue Velvet

Could the origin story of Twin Peaks’ favourite FBI agent be found beyond the picket fences of David Lynch’s 1986 film?

Rough Trade Bristol DJ Setlist August 2022

Stewart Gardiner’s recent Sunday afternoon session of outsider sounds, Balearic beats and weirdo anthems at Rough Trade’s Bristol outpost

Increasingly Good Shape: Keiron Phelan Interview

The reblooming Keiron Phelan accounts for the emotional and melodic synthesis behind the third album in his scholarly pop craftsman guise

Stimela – Rewind (Mr Bongo)

Mr Bongo bring the heat with this 12″ reissue of serious late night Balearic business from 1980s South African fusion group Stimela

CLAIR – Body Blossom (HotGem)

Glasgow new wave of avant-garde artist CLAIR builds on the promise of her debut album with a submersive and ecstatic digital single

Not Turning Off: Volume 27

Fresh works from D Rothon & Oliver Cherer and Stomatopod arrive alongside archival bundles from Heavenly and The Weather Prophets

Concrete Islands Albums of the Year 2021

These are the seventy-five albums of 2021 that have meant the most to us, alongside our compilations & archives of the year

Pye Corner Audio – Entangled Routes / The Hardy Tree – Stagdale Part 2

A double bill of Ghost Box and Clay Pipe, with Pye Corner Audio and The Hardy Tree making sonic journeys into speculative fiction

Free-Floating: Dewey Mahood of Plankton Wat Interview

Portland psych scene pro Dewey Mahood takes us on a bespoke tour of his bounteous back catalogue with Plankton Wat, Eternal Tapestry and more

Tara Clerkin Trio – In Spring (World of Echo)

Bristol’s Tara Clerkin Trio further recombine outsider downtempo pop, soundsystems and forward-thinking jazz on In Spring for World of Echo

Silhouettes in a Fog: Andrew Wasylyk Interview

Andrew Wasylyk talks about reasonable daydreams, meeting migratory geese and the making of his intoxicating new LP for Clay Pipe Music

ToiToiToi – Vaganten (Ghost Box)

Germany’s ToiToiToi returns to Ghost Box with Vaganten, an LP of wayward electronics, Medieval plunderphonics and Chaucerian machine music