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  • Kula Shaker expand the world of “Wormslayer” with an epic new short film
  • Peter Gabriel releases ‘Put the Bucket Down’ the second track from his forthcoming album i/o
  • STATE OF GRACE: Why Valencia Grace Is an Artist on the Brink
  • Wunderhorse announce biggest Belfast headline show to date at Custom House Square
  • Embrace announce new album ‘Avalanche’ and share lead single ‘Road To Nowhere’
XS Noize | Independent Music News
  • News
        • Kula Shaker
          News

          Kula Shaker expand the world of “Wormslayer” with an epic new short film

          February 3, 2026

          Kula Shaker’s Crispian Mills and co-director Laurie Peters blew minds with the band’s game changing, ground-breaking ‘Good Money’ music video last year. So when the duo directed their creative sights at the expansive mantra-metal of […]

          Peter Gabriel
          News

          Peter Gabriel releases ‘Put the Bucket Down’ the second track from his forthcoming album i/o

          February 2, 2026

          Sunday, 1 February, 2026 – the snow full moon heralds the arrival of Put the Bucket Down, the second track from Peter Gabriel’s forthcoming album o\i. Put the Bucket Down was written and produced by […]

          wunderhorse
          News

          Wunderhorse announce biggest Belfast headline show to date at Custom House Square

          January 29, 2026

          British Rock Band Wunderhorse announce their biggest Belfast headline show to date at Custom House Square on Tuesday 25th August alongside very special guests. Wunderhorse have seen their popularity snowball the old-fashioned way; winning fans […]

  • Reviews
        • Album Reviews

          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 […]

          ALBUM REVIEW: Kula Shaker - Wormslayer
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Kula Shaker – Wormslayer

          January 23, 2026

          Kula Shaker have never been a band in a hurry. Their history is dotted with long gaps between albums, sometimes stretching close to a decade. Since 2022’s 1st Congregational Church Of Eternal Love And Free […]

        • 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

          LIVE REVIEW: Craic, Community and Conviction: The Mary Wallopers storm Belfast Credit: Becca McCaffrey
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Craic, Community and Conviction: The Mary Wallopers storm Belfast

          December 29, 2025

          The Mary Wallopers returned to Belfast on 23 December fresh from five consecutive nights at Glasgow’s Barrowlands, and if there was any risk of fatigue, it never showed. From the opening song, pints were flying, […]

          LIVE REVIEW: Wool City Rockers: Paradise Lost, Terrorvision & New Model Army take over Bradford Live Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Wool City Rockers: Paradise Lost, Terrorvision & New Model Army take over Bradford Live

          December 23, 2025

          On 13 December, Bradford proudly celebrated the strength and legacy of the Yorkshire heavy music scene with Wool City Rockers, staged at the city’s newly refurbished Bradford Live. The line-up brought together three iconic bands […]

        • 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// 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 […]

          IN FOCUS// Punk Spirit Burns Bright as SLF, PiL & Sham 69 Rock Custom House Square © Bernie McAllister
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Punk Spirit Burns Bright as SLF, PiL & Sham 69 Rock Custom House Square

          August 17, 2025

          Putting the Fast in Belfast 7 once again proved why it has become a staple of the city’s summer music calendar. A packed Custom House Square buzzed with anticipation as fans from across generations gathered […]

  • 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
        • 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 […]

          Callum Beattie
          Podcast

          Callum Beattie on new album INDI and trusting his instinct | XS Noize Podcast #265

          January 14, 2026

          In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar sits down with Callum Beattie to talk about a pivotal moment in his career and his forthcoming album INDI, released January 23rd. After landing two […]

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Articles by Sandra Blemster

Xsnoize Author
Sandra Blemster
Sandra mainly writes about indie/rock bands and has written many features, album reviews and interviews for XS Noize.Favourite bands and albums is a long list but to name a few Horslips, REM, Love, The Doors, Let It Bee – Voice of the Beehive, Velvet Underground and Nico album. (Ozric Tentacles live), October Drift. Sandra likes yoga, reading a good book, watching films, Netflix and drinking wine.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Proud Mary - Songs From Catalina
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Proud Mary – Songs From Catalina

June 23, 2020 Sandra Blemster

Manchester band Proud Mary are back after a seven-year break with their new album Songs From Catalina, out 26th June. Proud Mary comprises Greg Griffin (vocals), Paul ‘Spot’ Newsome (guitars, bass, keys, drums, harmonica and […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Hightown Pirates - All of the Above
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Hightown Pirates – All of the Above

April 28, 2020 Sandra Blemster

The Hightown Pirates was formed by Simon Mason. He penned the critically acclaimed rock n roll memoir Too High Too Far Too Soon: Tales from a Dubious Past in 2013. Back in the 90s, Mason […]

ALBUM REVIEW: The Slow Readers Club - The Joy Of The Return
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: The Slow Readers Club – The Joy Of The Return

March 16, 2020 Sandra Blemster

Manchester’s The Slow Readers Club are back with a fourth album, The Joy Of The Return, out on March 20th via Modern Sky UK. It’s recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool and produced by […]

INTERVIEW: From the Altar to the Mainstage - A Chat with OCTOBER DRIFT 3
Interviews

INTERVIEW: From the Altar to the Mainstage – A Chat with OCTOBER DRIFT

February 16, 2020 Sandra Blemster

October Drift don’t take shortcuts. With their own personal style of intense guitar-driven, emotionally charged music the Taunton, Somerset quartet of Kiran Roy, Chris Holmes, Alex Bispham and Daniel Young have toured around the country […]

BRIX & THE EXTRICATED release their new album 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' on 25th October
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Brix & The Extricated – Super Blood Wolf Moon

October 21, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Brix & The Extricated are back to release their third studio album Super Blood Wolf Moon on 25th October nearly a year on from their last one Breaking State, which saw them move on from […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Temples - Hot Motion
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Temples – Hot Motion

September 24, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Temples return with their third album Hot Motion on ATO Records, their first on this label. First appearing on the music scene back in 2012 with the single ‘Shelter Song’ they have brought their own […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Black Futures - Never Not Nothing
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Black Futures – Never Not Nothing

September 6, 2019 Sandra Blemster

It’s hard to believe that Black Futures is just two people with the trippy names of Space and Vibes. They released their first single in September 2017 Karma Ya Dig? a slice of industrial space-age […]

TRACK OF THE DAY: Cold Water Swimmers –  Burn Your Idols
Track Of The Day

TRACK OF THE DAY: Cold Water Swimmers – Burn Your Idols

June 21, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Hot off the heels of their previous single in March the delicious Summer Breeze, Cold Water Swimmers release their new single Burn Your Idols on June 21st 2019.  It was recorded with long-time collaborator Simon […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Hawley – Further
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Hawley – Further

June 3, 2019 Sandra Blemster

2019 is quite a year for Richard Hawley. As well as releasing his eighth studio album Further, a musical has been released based on his songs. Standing At the Sky’s Edge premiered at his hometown, […]

FEATURE: You Are Not Alone Festival (YANA) this Saturday March 30th, Manchester 2
Features

FEATURE: You Are Not Alone Festival (YANA) this Saturday March 30th, Manchester

March 27, 2019 Sandra Blemster

This coming Saturday, March 30th Manchester plays host to a multi-venue event in aid of Manchester Mind (the not-for-profit based charity for Mental Health). All profits go straight back to Manchester Mind. The festival will […]

REVIEW: Cold Water Swimmers Double A-Side 'Summer Breeze' / 'I’ll Be Your Witness' - Listen Now
Track Of The Day

REVIEW: Cold Water Swimmers Double A-Side ‘Summer Breeze’ / ‘I’ll Be Your Witness’ – Listen Now

March 18, 2019 Sandra Blemster

The Cold Water Swimmers played their debut gig in May 2018 in Manchester’s Northern Quarter area which I attended. At the time I was struck by how raw and direct they came across. Fronted by […]

ALBUM REVIEW: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: The Brian Jonestown Massacre – The Brian Jonestown Massacre

March 10, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Ever since the 1990s, The Brian Jonestown Massacre have released an inexhaustible discography with their psychedelic 60s soaked music. They are the brainchild of Anton Newcombe and found certain notoriety in the 2004 documentary DIG! […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Ten Fé - ‘Future Perfect, Present Tense’
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Ten Fé – ‘Future Perfect, Present Tense’

March 3, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Two years on from the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Hit the Light, Ten Fe are back with their follow-up. Future Perfect, Present Tense, is due out March 8th on Some Kinda Love/PIAS […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Telekinesis - Effluxion
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Telekinesis – Effluxion

February 15, 2019 Sandra Blemster

According to the Oxford English Dictionary Effluxion means the action of flowing out. And when Michael Benjamin Lerner aka Telekinesis first heard the word he said: “I looked it up and it felt really indicative […]

TRACK OF THE DAY: Catfish and the Bottlemen - 'Longshot' - Listen Now
Track Of The Day

TRACK OF THE DAY: Catfish and the Bottlemen – ‘Longshot’ – Listen Now

January 9, 2019 Sandra Blemster

Catfish and the Bottlemen are back with their latest single Longshot. The single is released Tuesday 8th January 2019 ahead of their third album due out in the Spring. It’s been quite a ride for […]

THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT Rockarchive Exhibition now at Manchester Central Library
Features

THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT Rockarchive Exhibition now at Manchester Central Library

January 3, 2019 Sandra Blemster

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is a free exhibition running at Manchester Central Library celebrating the famous history of Manchester’s music scene. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky the founder of Rockarchive.com and […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, 20th Year Collector’s Edition
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Manic Street Preachers – This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (20th Anniversary Edition)

December 5, 2018 Sandra Blemster

On December 7th 2018, the Manic Street Preachers release a 20th Year Collector’s Edition of their fifth album, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. The title comes from a part of a speech by […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Brix & the Extricated - Breaking State
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Brix & the Extricated – Breaking State

November 11, 2018 Sandra Blemster

Breaking State is the follow-up album to last year’s highly awaited debut album Part 2 from Brix and the Extricated, released by Grit Over Glamour. The cover art features an iconic animation designed by Rufus […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Mole - Danger Island
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Mole – Danger Island

October 19, 2018 Sandra Blemster

Danger Island is the debut solo album from singer-songwriter MOLE. A double album of 21 tracks, that has taken more than five years to make. MOLE is the solo project of Californian-born singer, songwriter and […]

THE SLOW READERS CLUB announce 'For All Here To Observe' Acoustic EP
Album Reviews

REVIEW: The Slow Readers Club –  For All Here To Observe EP

September 19, 2018 Sandra Blemster

Manchester indie-electronic favourites The Slow Readers Club have released a new acoustic EP, For All Here To Observe, this month on  September 14th via Modern Sky. The EP features tracks spanning across their entire career including songs, […]

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