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  • ALBUM REVIEW: Consolers – Deep Breaths
  • 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
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  • 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

          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

          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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THE BEATLES Celebrate ‘SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND’ with Special Anniversary Edition Releases
Features

IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO TODAY: THE BEATLES SERGEANT PEPPER AT 50

June 1, 2017 Sandra Blemster

1967 was considered to be the Summer of Love. It was the year of rebellion against the system. Protests broke out against the Vietnam War, and hippies gathered in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco in their droves. […]

Album Review: THE CHARLATANS – 'Different Days'
Album Reviews

Album Review: THE CHARLATANS – ‘Different Days’

May 18, 2017 Sandra Blemster

On the back of 2015’s Modern Nature (critically acclaimed getting into the Top Ten album chart with a lifetime achievement award from Q magazine) comes the Charlatans thirteenth album. Different Days is released on Friday […]

Review: THE MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Send Away the Tigers 10th anniversary edition
Album Reviews

Review: THE MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Send Away the Tigers 10th anniversary edition

May 8, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Welsh band the Manic Street Preachers are re-issuing their 2007 album Send Away The Tigers as a 10th anniversary album offering 2cd and a DVD bookset. The band stated Send Away The Tigers was a […]

Album Review: WIRE – SILVER/LEAD
Album Reviews

Album Review: WIRE – SILVER/LEAD

April 4, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Wire, (formed in London in October 1976) are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and celebrate with the release of their new album Silver/Lead which has just been released on the band’s Pinkflag label. The […]

Album Review: Goldfrapp – Silver Eye
Album Reviews

Album Review: Goldfrapp – Silver Eye

March 27, 2017 Sandra Blemster

The enigmatic and creative Goldfrapp will release their seventh studio album Silver Eye this week on March 31st on Mute records. This is the follow-up to their 2013 Tales of Us. They have pooled together […]

Review: THE G-O-D - GRAFTERS OV DENTON – EP
Album Reviews

Review: THE G-O-D – GRAFTERS OV DENTON – EP

March 20, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Drummer Si Wolstencroft hardly needs an introduction. Famous on the Manchester scene for turning down the Smiths back in the early days. He played in The Patrol before they became the Stone Roses and was […]

Album Review: Temples – Volcano
Album Reviews

Album Review: Temples – Volcano

March 7, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Temples were first formed in Kettering, England in 2012 and released their debut album Sun Structures (Heavenly Records) in February 2014 to high praise getting to number seven in the UK and gaining the top […]

Album Review: Hippo Campus – Landmark
Album Reviews

Album Review: Hippo Campus – Landmark

February 27, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Landmark is the debut album from Hippo Campus. Since their formation and the release of two EPs in 2014 & 2015, Bashful Creatures and South respectively they have rapidly risen to become an unquestionable breakthrough […]

Album Review: Miss Ohio – White Hot (The Best Of)
Album Reviews

Album Review: Miss Ohio – White Hot (The Best Of)

February 20, 2017 Sandra Blemster

It’s hard to find out too much information on Miss Ohio as they keep and have kept a very low profile for the last 15 years of playing live! They consist of David Wilson on […]

Album Review: BLACKFIELD - V
Album Reviews

Album Review: BLACKFIELD – V

February 3, 2017 Sandra Blemster

Blackfield is a collaboration between English musician, Steven Wilson and founder of rock band Porcupine Tree, and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen. Geffen, a follower of Porcupine Tree he invited the band in the year […]

Track of the Day: TEN FÉ - "Overflow"
Album Reviews

Album Review: TEN FÉ – ‘Hit The Light’

January 18, 2017 Sandra Blemster

London act Ten Fé consists of Ben Moorhouse and Leo Duncan. Their debut album Hit the Light is due out 3rd February 2017 and follows on from several singles that were released including Make Me […]

Track of the Day: The Slow Show - ‘Ordinary Lives’
Album Reviews

Album Review: The Slow Show – Dream Darling

December 12, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Manchester’s the Slow Show consists of Rob Goodwin (vocals, guitar), Frederik ‘t Kindt (keyboards), Joel Byrne-McCullough (lead guitar), Chris Hough (drums) and James Longden (bass). They began their incarnation when keyboardist and producer Kindt helped […]

Live Review: Lush – November 25th Manchester Academy 2016
Live Reviews

Live Review: Lush – November 25th Manchester Academy 2016

November 27, 2016 Sandra Blemster

It couldn’t have been more fitting. The first song I ever heard by Lush was the brilliant hypnotic Deluxe and this was the first track played at Friday’s Manchester gig; the ultimate one they would ever play […]

Album Review: BLACK GRAPE - ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight….Yeah’, Deluxe Edition
Album Reviews

Album Review: BLACK GRAPE – ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight….Yeah’, Deluxe Edition

November 21, 2016 Sandra Blemster

It’s pretty hard to believe it’s been 21 years since Black Grape released their debut album It’s Great When You’re Straight….Yeah! Formed by Shaun Ryder and Bez on the back of their success in the […]

CLASSIC ALBUM: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: 50 YEARS ON
Classic Albums

CLASSIC ALBUM: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO: 50 YEARS ON

November 10, 2016 Sandra Blemster

It’s been 50 years since the ground-breaking album The Velvet Underground & Nico was created from the heart of the New York music scene. It charted unfamiliar territory with its avant-garde, experimental sounds. Comprising of […]

Feature: MUSICIANS AGAINST HOMELESSNESS CAMPAIGN
Features

Feature: MUSICIANS AGAINST HOMELESSNESS CAMPAIGN

September 23, 2016 Sandra Blemster

The nationwide campaign Musicians Against Homelessness is the brain child of Cambridgeshire based PR woman Emma Rule and is being backed by former Creation records boss Alan McGee. The aim of which is to raise funds […]

XS Noize Podcast: #14: Larry Love talks 20 years of The Alabama 3 2
Album Reviews

Album Review: Alabama 3 – Blues

September 22, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Formed by a Welsh man Rob Spragg AKA Larry Love (who really was the son of a preacher man) and a Scotsman, Jake Black AKA The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love in Brixton, London […]

Dodgy announce new album + UK tour dates
Album Reviews

Album Review: Dodgy – ‘What Are We Fighting For’

August 31, 2016 Sandra Blemster

If you’re old enough you may remember Dodgy in the 90s with their happy, summery hits such as Staying Out For The Summer, (I’ll never forget the video with them in a flying VW campervan) […]

Album Review: Beyond the Wizards' Sleeve - The Soft Bounce
Album Reviews

Album Review: Beyond the Wizards’ Sleeve – The Soft Bounce

August 10, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve is a duo comprising London-based DJ Erol Alkan and Richard Norris, record producer musician and engineer. They certainly have an impressive back catalogue. Alkan started DJing in 90s indie London nightclubs and […]

The Velvet Underground: Exhibition New York Extravanganza 31 March – 21 August 2016
Features

The Velvet Underground: Exhibition New York Extravanganza 31 March – 21 August 2016

July 20, 2016 Sandra Blemster

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: EXHIBITION NEW YORK EXTRAVAGANZA 31 MARCH – 21 AUGUST 2016 VENUE: PHILHARMONIE DE PARIS It’s been just over 50 years since the Velvet Underground not exactly burst onto the New York music scene but produced […]

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LATEST PODCASTS

  • Paul Draper
    Paul Draper on Mansun Retold: revisiting old songs with new perspective | XS Noize Podcast #267
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  • Alexander Wolfe
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  • Callum Beattie
    Callum Beattie on new album INDI and trusting his instinct | XS Noize Podcast #265
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