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  • Steven Wilson launches Headphone Dust – a home for pristine high-res & immersive audio
  • IN FOCUS// Ash ignite La Scala with career-spanning London show
  • Deftones announce major headline show at Irish Museum of Modern Art
  • The Boxer Rebellion announce seventh album and share powerful new single “Hidden Meanings”
  • The Black Keys return with new single ‘You Got To Lose’ and announce album Peaches!
XS Noize | Independent Music News
  • News
        • Steven Wilson
          News

          Steven Wilson launches Headphone Dust – a home for pristine high-res & immersive audio

          February 6, 2026

          Steven Wilson has announced details of a new online platform that will become the one-stop home for his renowned, Grammy-nominated spatial audio mixes, making “studio-quality immersive sound accessible to everyone”. The platform represents a major shift […]

          Deftones
          News

          Deftones announce major headline show at Irish Museum of Modern Art

          February 6, 2026

          Multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award-winning Sacramento band Deftones have announced a summer show at Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin on August 25th 2026, with special guests IDLES. This announcement comes ahead of the band’s sold-out […]

          The Boxer Rebellion
          News

          The Boxer Rebellion announce seventh album and share powerful new single “Hidden Meanings”

          February 6, 2026

          The Boxer Rebellion’s first full-length studio album since 2018 arrives with 10 soul-awakening songs this spring. UK/EU-wide tour dates concludes with a celebratory, London homecoming at Brixton Electric on album release weekend Things aren’t always […]

  • Reviews
        • Album Reviews

          Consolers - Deep Breaths
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Consolers – Deep Breaths

          February 3, 2026

          Belfast’s Consolers haven’t spent their first year in the spotlight trying to deconstruct the DNA of alternative rock. Since their April 2025 arrival, they’ve been far more interested in the visceral payoff of a massive […]

          ALBUM REVIEW: Dry Cleaning - Secret Love
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Dry Cleaning – Secret Love

          January 23, 2026

          With their third studio album, Secret Love, South London’s Dry Cleaning have officially moved beyond the initial hype of the post-punk revival, evolving into a band willing to risk their established formula. Released via 4AD […]

        • Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N - Esther Yi
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N – Esther Yi

          October 30, 2023

          K-Pop has reached an international audience. This year, BLACKPINK made history as the first K-pop band to headline a major UK festival at Hyde Park. The media’s coverage of BTS member’s enlistment into compulsory military […]

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes

          August 29, 2023

          How does one become qualified to write a fictional music novel? The author of Sophomore Songs offers some clues. Growing up reading NME, doing a stint at Clash, drumming for several bands on and off, and […]

        • Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 25: Looking back at the orphan child in U2's discography 2
          Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 26: Looking back at the orphan child in U2’s discography

          March 3, 2022

          In March of 1997, 26 years ago, U2 released their much anticipated ninth studio album POP; for fans and critics alike, it quickly became their most polarizing release. There is a prevailing feeling that POP […]

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran 2
          Album Reviews

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran

          June 17, 2021

          This week sees the 40th anniversary of Duran Duran’s self-titled debut album. XS Noize looks back on this momentous release from a band that would become the ‘Fab Five’ of the ‘80s. It was December […]

        • Live Reviews

          IN FOCUS// Ash ignite La Scala with career-spanning London show Credit: Denise Esposito
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Ash ignite La Scala with career-spanning London show

          February 6, 2026

          On 3 February, Ash returned to La Scala for a blistering, high-energy London show. Packed wall to wall, the venue buzzed as the trio tore through a career-spanning set, seamlessly weaving in new material from […]

          LIVE REVIEW: Marmozets Bring Relentless Energy and Heart to Sold-Out Rescue Rooms Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Marmozets Bring Relentless Energy and Heart to Sold-Out Rescue Rooms

          February 4, 2026

          British rock band Marmozets delivered an electric, sweat-soaked performance at Rescue Rooms on 26 January, turning the packed venue into a wall of noise and movement. Demand was so intense that security were forced to […]

        • Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018
          Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018

          December 22, 2018

          2018 has been an incredible year for albums. The year saw the strongest new acts in decades release their debuts, as well as a number of alternative legends returning to top form. The world of dance […]

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP
          Round Up

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP

          October 29, 2018

          Welcome to the October 2018 edition of our monthly new music playlist, which is available to listen to and watch via YouTube. If you enjoy any of the songs featured here, we encourage you to support […]

        • In Focus

          IN FOCUS// Ash ignite La Scala with career-spanning London show Credit: Denise Esposito
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Ash ignite La Scala with career-spanning London show

          February 6, 2026

          On 3 February, Ash returned to La Scala for a blistering, high-energy London show. Packed wall to wall, the venue buzzed as the trio tore through a career-spanning set, seamlessly weaving in new material from […]

          IN FOCUS// Biffy Clyro at 3Arena Dublin, Ireland Credit: Becca McCaffrey
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Biffy Clyro at 3Arena Dublin, Ireland

          January 11, 2026

          Biffy Clyro put on a brilliant show at the 3Arena on Saturday, 10 January, delivering a set that was as heavy and intense as it was open and emotional. The sold-out Dublin crowd were treated […]

  • Gigs
        • Hans Zimmer
          Gigs

          Hans Zimmer: The ultimate fan’s guide

          August 27, 2025

          Hans Zimmer, the genius behind Hollywood’s most unforgettable scores, is back on tour with an electrifying live experience to share with his fans. From “Inception” to “Dune”, Zimmer is preparing to transform his soundscapes into […]

          Andrea Bocelli
          Gigs

          The ultimate fans guide to seeing Andrea Bocelli in Amsterdam

          August 21, 2025

          The Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, will be at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on March 29 and 30, 2026. The show will feature a mix of operatic tracks, pop songs, and classical repertoire. Bocelli is […]

          Eros Ramazzotti
          Gigs

          Eros Ramazzotti: Dates, venues, tickets and more

          August 18, 2025

          To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his breakout single, “Una Storia Importante”, Eros Ramazzotti will be performing live on some of the grandest stages across Europe, Latin America, and North America. Ramazzotti is a world-renowned […]

  • Interviews
        • TAVE
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: TAVE Talks ‘Fly Away,’ Self-Discovery, and the Art of Letting Go

          November 11, 2025

          Rising artist TAVE has had an extraordinary journey — from earning a scholarship at just 13 and performing with some of music’s biggest names to now stepping into the spotlight with his deeply personal debut […]

          :Panic :Over
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: :Panic :Over Are Turning Northern Irish Indie Into a Global Sound

          October 16, 2025

          Neal McClelland meets the Northern Irish band whose anthemic sound is turning heads from Belfast to Tokyo. There’s something electric about catching a band right before liftoff — that mix of confidence, humour, and disbelief […]

          Fabrizio Cammarata
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Fabrizio Cammarata on Solitude, Connection, and the Inner Worlds of His New Album “Insularities”

          October 10, 2025

          Sicilian singer-songwriter Fabrizio Cammarata has returned with Insularities — a quietly profound exploration of connection, isolation, transformation, and memory. The record invites listeners into a space between light and shadow, where grief and love share […]

  • Podcast
        • Dani Larkin
          Podcast

          Dani Larkin on Next Of Kin: life, loss, and learning to stay open | XS Noize Podcast #268

          February 3, 2026

          In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar sits down with Dani Larkin to talk about Next Of Kin — a deeply emotive record shaped by time, patience, and a renewed sense of […]

          Paul Draper
          Podcast

          Paul Draper on Mansun Retold: revisiting old songs with new perspective | XS Noize Podcast #267

          January 27, 2026

          In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar sits down with Paul Draper to talk about Mansun Retold — a project shaped by distance, perspective, and the strange experience of meeting your younger […]

          Alexander Wolfe
          Podcast

          Alexander Wolfe on ‘Everythinglessness’ and confronting masculinity through music | XS Noize Podcast #266

          January 20, 2026

          In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar sits down with Alexander Wolfe to talk about his deeply personal new album Everythinglessness. Watch the full video conversation. Written after a period of intense […]

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  • Darren_leach

Articles by Darren Leach

Xsnoize Author
Darren Leach
Darren’s love of music started in radio, where he interviewed bands and recorded them live in the studio. Since then, he’s written album reviews and features for publications in both Australia and the UK. He’s a regular gig goer and at 6’ 7” tall, will one day be standing in front you.
Website
Consolers - Deep Breaths
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Consolers – Deep Breaths

February 3, 2026 Darren Leach

Belfast’s Consolers haven’t spent their first year in the spotlight trying to deconstruct the DNA of alternative rock. Since their April 2025 arrival, they’ve been far more interested in the visceral payoff of a massive […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Dry Cleaning - Secret Love
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Dry Cleaning – Secret Love

January 23, 2026 Darren Leach

With their third studio album, Secret Love, South London’s Dry Cleaning have officially moved beyond the initial hype of the post-punk revival, evolving into a band willing to risk their established formula. Released via 4AD […]

Sugar - Copper Blue
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Sugar – Copper Blue: The Singles Collection

November 28, 2025 Darren Leach

For fans of Sugar – and for anyone who still feels the shockwave of Copper Blue more than three decades on – Copper Blue: The Singles Collection arrives as a dream artefact. Pressed across four […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Gary Numan - 1,000: Live at the Electric Ballroom
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Gary Numan – 1,000: Live at the Electric Ballroom

November 25, 2025 Darren Leach

Captured during the third and final instalment of his sold-out 2023 residency, 1,000: Live at the Electric Ballroom finds Gary Numan in formidable form. Camden’s Electric Ballroom, steeped in the musical history of North London, […]

Aerosmith & Yungblud
Album Reviews

REVIEW: Aerosmith & Yungblud – One More Time EP

November 20, 2025 Darren Leach

The unlikely team-up of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry and Yorkshire’s punk-pop firebrand Yungblud has dropped a 5-track EP, One More Time. Four brand-new co-writes plus a glossy 2025 rework of “Back In the […]

ALBUM REVIEW: The Belair Lip Bombs – Again
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: The Belair Lip Bombs – Again

November 10, 2025 Darren Leach

The Australian indie scene has long perfected the art of masking malaise behind sun-drenched, jangly guitar pop, and Melbourne’s The Belair Lip Bombs deliver a textbook example with their punchy second album, Again. Over ten […]

ALBUM REVIEW: White Lies - Night Light
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: White Lies – Night Light

November 3, 2025 Darren Leach

Seven albums in, White Lies continue to evolve while keeping their signature mix of shadowy synth-pop and widescreen emotion intact. Night Light finds the London trio leaning deeper into electronic textures than ever before, with […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Kool & The Gang – Greatest Hits
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Kool & The Gang – Greatest Hits

October 27, 2025 Darren Leach

Few bands embody the joyous intersection of funk, soul, and pop quite like Kool & The Gang. With a career spanning six decades and 23 studio albums, their influence runs deep; from disco dancefloors and […]

dust - Sky is Falling
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Dust – Sky Is Falling

October 15, 2025 Darren Leach

Dust’s Sky Is Falling doesn’t so much make a statement as just show up and grab your attention. The Australian 5-piece follow up on their 2023 debut with an album that isn’t polished or overworked; […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Ash - Ad Astra
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Ash – Ad Astra

October 3, 2025 Darren Leach

Perennial 90’s power-pop heroes Ash return this autumn with their ninth studio album, Ad Astra. Now well into their fourth decade together, Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray continue to show that their knack […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Coach Party – Caramel
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Coach Party – Caramel

October 1, 2025 Darren Leach

Isle of Wight four-piece Coach Party return with their sophomore album Caramel, a dazzling, perfectly weighted collection of ten tracks that finds the band confidently pushing past their reputation as indie upstarts and stepping firmly […]

ALBUM REVIEW: The Chameleons - Arctic Moon
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: The Chameleons – Arctic Moon

September 10, 2025 Darren Leach

After more than two decades without new material, The Chameleons return with Arctic Moon, their fifth album proper, a seven-track collection that feels both timeless and urgently relevant. From the opening moments, it’s clear the […]

LATEST PODCASTS

  • Dani Larkin
    Dani Larkin on Next Of Kin: life, loss, and learning to stay open | XS Noize Podcast #268
    February 3, 2026
  • Paul Draper
    Paul Draper on Mansun Retold: revisiting old songs with new perspective | XS Noize Podcast #267
    January 27, 2026
  • Alexander Wolfe
    Alexander Wolfe on ‘Everythinglessness’ and confronting masculinity through music | XS Noize Podcast #266
    January 20, 2026
  • Callum Beattie
    Callum Beattie on new album INDI and trusting his instinct | XS Noize Podcast #265
    January 14, 2026
  • Sleaford Mods
    Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson on Planet X, cultural decay, and the evolution of the band | XS Noize Podcast #264
    December 6, 2025
  • Oliver Murray
    Oliver Murray on completing “The Beatles Anthology” and bringing Episode Nine to life | XS Noize Podcast #263
    December 4, 2025

TOP UK MUSIC BLOG 2026

Trending Articles

  • Bad Bunny6 of Bad Bunny’s biggest selling hits August 5, 2025
  • Steven WilsonSteven Wilson launches Headphone Dust – a home for pristine high-res & immersive audio February 6, 2026
  • Bad BunnyBad Bunny’s 2026 World Tour: Dates, venues, tickets, and more July 25, 2025
  • ALBUM REVIEW: Kula Shaker - WormslayerALBUM REVIEW: Kula Shaker – Wormslayer January 23, 2026
  • FaithlessFaithless to headline Custom House Square, Belfast on 20 August 2026 February 3, 2026
  • YungbludFive of Yungblud’s biggest hits August 24, 2025
  • BILLIE EILISH was "terrified" of Eminem growing up. The Billie Eilish phenomenon: Why she’s so popular  April 7, 2025
  • The Black KeysThe Black Keys return with new single ‘You Got To Lose’ and announce album Peaches! February 5, 2026
  • Kula ShakerKula Shaker expand the world of “Wormslayer” with an epic new short film February 3, 2026
  • Valencia GraceSTATE OF GRACE: Why Valencia Grace Is an Artist on the Brink January 31, 2026

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