Christopher Connor

Neu Bulletins are DIY’s guide to the best and freshest new music. Your one stop shop for buzzy new bands and red hot emerging stars, this bumper two week roundup features some of the tracks we’ve been rinsing at full volume over the last fortnight.
We’ve also got a handy Spotify playlist where you can find the full slate of the Neu tracks we’ve been loving, so you can listen to all our hot tips in one place!
EFÉ - 2000SEVEN
With two shimmery EPs under her belt, Dublin's EFÉ has brought a fun,...

Chris Connor reviews the sixth episode of House of the Dragon season 2…
With Princess Rhaenys’ passing and King Aegon’s grave injuries, both sides of House Targaryen are reeling as we head into the final stretch of House of the Dragon’s sophomore season. Daemon continues to be haunted by his past a narrative thread which has taken up much of the season but has not yet become tiresome with a rotating set of familiar faces to plague Matt Smith. This episode sets up plenty of excitement for the ...

Glaswegian septet The Joy Hotel has been building a steady reputation with their distinctive sound that recalls past artists but feels timely with stellar production and lyricism. Built around Emme Woods standout vocals. Having built momentum on the festival circuit and strong word of mouth, the group now celebrates the release of their debut LP ‘Ceremony’, recorded in eleven days at Rockfield, the legendary studio in Monmouth, Wales, recording live-to-tape.
‘I Decline’ sets the tone and spot...

Chris Connor reviews the season finale of Star Wars: The Acolyte…
The Acolyte has been an intriguing prospect across its first season. On the one hand it has shown us a plethora of new worlds, characters and concepts tapping into an uncharted era of the Star Wars universe. However it has felt rushed and lacking in cohesion at points with questionable motives from both the heroes and villains and two extended flashback episodes robbing the central story of momentum. The decision to kill off mu...

To celebrate the release of the new documentary on Blur’s latest album The Ballad of Darren and the road to their hugely successful Wembley shows in 2023; we had the pleasure of speaking with the films director about the band’s enduring popularity and what he hopes audiences take away from the new film.
Blur: To The End is released in UK and Irish cinemas from July 19
What are your first memories of Blur’s music?
I was born in 1984 and grew up during the 90s. Music was a very visual thing to ...

Chris Connor reviews the fifth episode of House of the Dragon season 2…
The fourth episode of House of the Dragon’s second season saw the action ratchet up considerably as key figures from both houses Green and Black were placed at the heart of the battle for the iron throne. Both sides taking considerable losses and reeling from casualties. The fifth episode takes a more leisurely approach dealing with the fallout from the battle and reflecting on the position both sides find themselves in. ...

The War On Drugs’ ethereal sound is among the most distinctive in modern indie/alternative music, built around Adam Granduciel’s haunting vocals and distinctive guitar tones, buoyed by constant experimentation. Lost In The Dream and A Deeper Understanding are transformative records that define their unique style. The Philadelphia natives have consistently proven themselves as one of the most impressive groups today.
Having played massive festivals like Glastonbury, the Royal Albert Hall’s mor...

The last 12 months have proven to be one of the most prolific and acclaimed stints in indie icons, Bombay Bicycle Club’s, career. Their latest LP My Big Day earned some of the strongest reviews to date while they drew a large crowd at Glastonbury, featuring special guest Damon Albarn. The band, who grew up in Crouch End, now fulfil a lifelong dream of playing Alexandra Palace in an emotional homecoming. They delivered an energetic, eclectic set in the picturesque settings of the park with a s...

Label: Ninja Tune
Now more of a solo effort for frontman Joe Mount, Metronomy return with ‘Posse EP Volume 2’, which sees the protagonist collaborating with artists across a range of genres to frequently thrilling effect. ‘Nice Town’ (which features Pan Amsterdam) blends hip hop, electronic and jazz in an intriguing way, while ‘With Balance’, with its guests of Naima Bock and Joshua Idehen, has more of an acoustic feel, recalling early Bon Iver before segueing more into spoken word territory....

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Features
We speak with the soundtrack writer behind Star Wars’ latest spin-off and learn what it takes to bring its vast universe to the small screen.
The sound of Star Wars has come a long way since John Williams first put those iconic themes into the world in 1977. Since then, Williams has continued to make the franc...

A taut, finessed debut...
Austin rock quintet Font have steadily been making waves, supporting Yard Act on their run of US shows and previously opening for bar italia. While they’ve been building a steady live presence, the group now releases their debut album ‘Strange Burden’. Starting out from their own DIY arts space, their sound has a raw/kinetic vibe. At 30 minutes there is rarely a wasted moment.
Opener ‘The Garden Calf’ has an electronic soundscape to begin with built around synths bef...

Chris Connor reviews the penultimate episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte…
The Acolyte has built steady momentum in recent weeks with the reveal of its villain and lingering mysteries, coupled with some impressive action. With just two episodes remaining the show takes a surprise route to return to events of 16 years earlier on Brendok, events depicted from Mae and Osha’s perspective in episode three. Here we see the same timeframe from the perspective of the four Jedi, giving us far more time w...

Photo: Neil Bedford

Kasabian have been one of the most successful indie bands of the past 20 years thanks to enduring hits including Club Foot, Underdog and Fire, seeing off the exit of singer Tom Meighan in 2020 to continue their popularity under Serge Pizzorno.

Following a storming surprise Glastonbury set and sellout homecoming show in Leicester, their eighth album ‘Happenings’ feels like an attempt to underline their well-worn credentials, returning to a more familiar sound after experime...

In the 25 years since their formation, Ohio’s The National has become one of the most recognisable faces on the Indie/Alternative scene with a string of acclaimed albums including Boxer, Alligator, Sleep Well Beast and two in 2023. Fresh off an exhilarating set headlining The Other Stage at Glastonbury and with a string of shows across the UK, the group graced a wet and gloomy Friday evening in Crystal Palace Park delivering a knockout two and a half hour set that encompassed tracks from acro...

Chris Connor reviews the fourth episode of House of the Dragon season 2…
House of the Dragon’s second season has steadily built momentum as the forces of the Greens and Blacks have looked to find an advantage ahead of an all out conflict. As the series hits its midway point we are treated to one of the most action-packed instalments yet. Ser Gwayne Hightower and Criston Cole at the centre of an all-out brawl, as with Game of Thrones before it, there is the sense that no one is safe at this po...