Experimental Hip-Hop legends dälek return with their latest full-length album, Brilliance of a Falling Moon. Taking its name from a section of Erik Larson’s 2011 novel In The Garden of Beasts, the album paints a fiery portrait of life and resistance in fascist America.
Conceived, composed, and produced by Will Brooks (aka MC dälek) and Mike Mare, Brilliance of a Falling Moon is a sprawling, uncompromising record that speaks to the political timbre of the day.
With the album announcement they share the track "Better Than", about which dälek says;
“Better Than encapsulates the new sound and feel of the record perfectly. It conveys the anger, frustration, and defiance of the moment. Sonically, it is somehow simultaneously, sparse and stripped down, yet complete and dense. A new wall of sound built only of the absolutely necessary elements.”
Spotlights, the beloved trio of Mario and Sarah Quintero with drummer Chris Enriquez, release Rarities, a remastered nine-song compilation of early and rare tracks spanning the band’s full discography on 21st November via Ipecac Recordings.
A preview arrives with ‘050809’, the first song the now married Mario and Sarah Quintero ever wrote together. “Sarah and I had been talking about making music together before we were even dating,” Mario shares. “05/08/09 is the day we became an item.”
Hear it here:
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Rarities traces the band’s evolution, from their debut single to standout tracks from their 2023 Séance EP. After relocating from San Diego to New York in 2013, the band released their first EP, Demonstrations, in 2015. That was followed by the Spiders EP and their full-length debut, Tidals, in 2016 – releases that drew attention from artists like Deftones, Shiner, If These Trees Could Talk, and ultimately led to their signing with Ipecac Recordings.
Now, after a decade of releases, the band is reflecting on these songs, all of which are appearing on vinyl for the first time. “It’s a really fun listen,” Mario adds. “You can hear and feel the development of the band over the years, not only musically but emotionally and production wise as well.”
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The band will be selling copies of the Rarities vinyl on tour, and via the Ipecac website. Tickets for the band’s shows supporting AA Williams are on sale now, via Ipecac.com/tours.
LIVE DATES IN SUPPORT OF AA WILLIAMS:
27/01 – UK Norwich, Arts Centre 28/01 – UK Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms 29/01 – UK Nottingham, Bodega 30/01 – UK Manchester, Deaf Institute 31/01 – UK Glasgow, G2 01/02 – UK Leeds, Brudenell Social Club 03/02 – UK Birmingham, Hare & Hounds 04/02 – UK Bristol, Strange Brew 05/02 – UK London, Bush Hall 06/02 – UK Southampton, Papillon 07/02 – BE Diksmuide, 4AD 08/02 – FR Paris, Nouveau Casino 10/02 – FR Toulouse, Le Rex 11/02 – ES Barcelona, La Nau 12/02 – ES Madrid, Villanos 13/02 – PT Lisbon, Casa Capitão 14/02 – PT Porto, Mouco 15/02 – ES Donosti, Dabadaba 17/02 – FR Grenoble, l’Ampérage 18/02 – IT Milan, Legend Club 19/02 – CH Aarau, KiFF 20/02 – DE Munich, Live / Evil 21/02 – AT Vienna, Chelsea 22/02 – CZ Prague, SUBZERO 24/02 – PL Warsaw, VooDoo 25/02 – DE Berlin, Neue Zukunft 26/02 – DE Cologne, Gebäude 9 27/02 – NL Eindhoven, Effenaar 28/02 – NL Utrecht, Tivoli Cloud Nine
mclusky released their first album in 20 years, the world is still here and so are we, last week. they’re sharing another video today which is directed by remy lamont, and that’s for the track ‘autofocus on the prime directive’, which is one of the songs from that album. there are also a lot of live dates coming up which you can look at below if you like.
falco offers; “autofocus on the prime directive is a series of patently untrue statements set to music by a man who can barely dress himself. the title is not a reference to star trek in any way but if it was I hope you’d understand.”
dälek share a new track ‘The Essence’ ahead of European tour dates this May. The experimental hip-hop pioneers are currently in the studio working on their follow up to Precipice and have given fans a taste of what’s to come in this new single.
“The Essence is a window to where me and Mike are at right now. We quite literally took it back to the essence on this joint. Straight up me on the MPC 3000 and Mike on Processed guitar, playing off of each other as we created the track. Lyrics and flow are central to the joint and dictated the direction of the production and how we sculpted the arrangement.
As always there are layers to the meaning but I also wanted to be crystal clear on what I was spitting. There are minimal to no overdubs. We somehow kept the heavy “wall of sound” feel but stripped away superfluous layers to just the parts and pieces that were needed to complete this as a “dälek” song. This is just a taste of what is coming.” – Dälek
The lyrics of ‘The Essence’ are full of defiance and energy, something which the band will no doubt bring to their live shows; "We had civilizations interconnected throughout history/Our art and architecture composed with sacred symmetry/I’m seeing these past lives vividly/Refuse to let them kill our joy wit bigotry."
dälek live 2025:
May 20th – Berlin, DE – Neue Zukunft May 21st – Vilnius, LT – Kirtimai Cultural Center May 22nd – Tallinn, EE – Paavli Kultuurivabrik May 23rd – Helsinki, FI – Sonic Rites Festival May 24th – Budapest, HU – Instant-Fogas May 26th – Prague, CZ – Palac Akropolis May 27th – Brno, CZ – Kabinet Muz May 28th – Vienna, AT – Flucc
mclusky was one of those bands which built a cult following without ever really breaking through in the period they were active, in the period which spanned from 1996-2005. None of the greats are ever appreciated in their time, of course. Their albums would fetch premium prices second-hand, in the years after they called it a day, and my local Oxfam had prohibitively-priced copies of a couple of them for a while, which got progressively more tired and shelf-worn. With Future of the Left, Andrew Falkous found a wider audience while still doing much of the same, but as loved as they became, there was always a sense among fans that ‘they’re bloody brilliant… but they’re not mclusky’.
Of course, nostalgia has a large part to play here, and it’s almost inevitable that practically no second or subsequent band, however popular or successful, will experience the same affection as their forebears, unless, perhaps, they’re The Foo Fighters, in which case that affection is misplaced anyway.
mclusky flirted with occasional comebacks, while Falkous would release solo work as Christian Fitness. But, somewhat unexpectedly, the Wikipedia note on Mcluskyism (2006) that ‘This compilation is, without doubt, the final chapter in Mclusky’s nine-year saga, as Falkous informs in the Mcluskyism liner notes, “that’s it, then. No farewell tour… no premature deaths (at time of writing), no live DVDs…”’ First, there was the EP unpopular parts of a pig in 2023, and now, here we have it: their first full-length album in a full two decades. What has happened? I really don’t know, but seemingly from nowhere, a stack of bands from the Jesus Lizard to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, have re-emerged with their first new albums in twenty years or more, and they’ve not been some second-rate, tepid late- (or even post-) career cash-ins, but up there with the best of their work.
‘Is it any good?’ people will be asking. ‘Is it as good as the old stuff?’ Anyone who has heard lead single, ‘way of the exploding dickhead’ will probably already be thinking that the answer to both of these questions is in the affirmative, and they would be right. the world is still here and so are we is indeed up there. As they put it, ‘it was important not to cos-play the past but also not to flubbity-flub over everything like a gang of big stupid flubs.’ Yeah,. There’s definitely no flubbing, or flab here. This is lean and full-on, and sheer quality.
It’s ‘unpopular parts of a pig’ which launches the album in a scratchy blast of cutty treble, a skewe(re)d tumult of stop / start angular punk which is frantic and irreverent, compressing elements of Nirvana and Shellac and Butthole Surfers, Dead Kennedys, and the Jesus Lizard into a manic two minutes and twenty-one seconds.
It was often the case, especially in the 70s, 80s, and 90s – before streaming, essentially, but while record company exploitation and the industry gravy train was racing at a seemingly unstoppable pace – that the singles, which would lure you in to buy an album, were the only decent songs on it, and you’d feel pretty bummed and short-changed at having forked out £7.50 for an LP or cassette – unless if had been one of your bonus purchases through Britannia Music – when you might as well have just paid 99p for the 7” and not bothered with the album. This may still be the case in some instances, now that the album format is supposedly dead in the world of the mainstream, where people only stream the songs they know already as part of the playlist they’ll loop for weeks, but beyond the mainstream, it feels like the album is stronger than ever, and acts are committed to making albums which are 100% quality from beginning to end. This certainly rings true for the world is still here and so are we.
Of the album’s thirteen songs, only three are over three minutes in duration, and it feels like there’ve compressed and distilled everything to achieve peak intensity. The bass is absolutely immense, a thunderous boom that dominates the sound, leaving room for Falkous’ guitar to wander and explore sinewy tripwire picked lead parts and discordant textures.
‘people person’ also released as a single, lands with a swagger and showcases a gutsy bass-led groove, while also highlighting the sarcastic, ironical humour and misanthropy that’s integral to both mclusky and FOTL: bursting with pithy one-liners and sharp commentary, it’s everything that makes them so loved and so bloody great. Elsewhere, the more overtly mathy ‘not all the steeplejacks’ channels the spirit of Shellac rather nicely.
the world is still here and so are we is gritty, unpretty, full-throttle, and fiery. It’s a racket. And yes, it’s fucking mint.
Melvins 1983 – the lineup featuring Buzz Osborne and original drummer Mike Dillard – offer a second preview of Thunderball (out 18th April, Ipecac Recordings) with today’s release of ‘King of Rome’.
The charging track once again features contributions from avant-electronic artists Void Manes and Ni Maîtres, with Osborne saying of the song; “The ‘King of Rome!! Hot Cross Buns! This song is a hot little punk rock number. I hope all of you enjoy it and tell your friends.”
"people person" is a new song from mclusky which they are sharing today. there’s also a video directed by remy lamont which you can watch below if you like.
this follows their recent announcement of mclusky’s first album in 20 years; the world is still here and so are we (9th may, ipecac recordings).
andrew falkous says; "people person is the song that gave me tinnitus, so asking me about it is really cruel. it’s probably about being overwhelmed by the world because that’s what all of our songs are about."
as the song itself says; a lot of people like to be wise after the event.
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it’s important to state that the world is still here and so are we is the fourth mclusky album (no qualification being needed). they had an asterisk next to the name for a bit – out of respect for past band members and the precious memorial glue of teenage musical crushes – but fuck that, in for a penny, in for a pound. lyrically it touches on subjects as rich and as varied as work-it-out-yourself and impenetrable-inside-joke-for-the-band, but one thing is clear, all of the songs have different words. all hilarious joking aside, the best songs are about things without being precisely about them. mclusky endorse this sentiment. they positively insist on it.
mclusky tour dates:
may 8 - wrexham, uk – the rockin’ chair may 16 – tourcoing, fr – le grand mix may 18 – brussels, be – les nuits botaniques (w/ the jesus lizard) may 23 – manchester, uk – gorilla may 24 - leeds, uk – brudenell may 25 – bearded theory festival show may 29 - london, uk – electric ballroom may 31 - bristol, uk – swx
jan 6, 2026 – melbourne, aus – corner hotel jan 9 – adelaide, aus – lion arts factory jan 10 – sydney, aus – factory theatre jan 11 – brisbane, aus – crowbar
tickets for all shows are on-sale now with links available via ipecac.com/tours.
mclusky, masters of razor-sharp wit, jagged riffs and unrelenting energy, return with their first new album in 20 years: the world is still here and so are we (may 9, ipecac recordings).
today, mclusky previews the 13-song album with a two-song digital single: “way of the exploding dickhead” and “unpopular parts of a pig.” a cheeky video for “way of the exploding dickhead” directed by remy lamont, was released simultaneously. with a blistering mix of tightly wound aggression and wry humour, mclusky’s edge is as sharp as ever.
andrew falkous: "with a title modelled on/ripped off a formative video game (‘the way of the exploding fist’ on the zx spectrum), and lyrics inspired by the huge excitement caused by the surge pricing on tickets to see a band play well in the distance, ‘way of the exploding dickhead’ is a modern parable, without the parable bit.”
it’s important to state that the world is still here and so are we is the fourth mclusky album (no qualification being needed). they had an asterisk next to the name for a bit – out of respect for past band members and the precious memorial glue of teenage musical crushes – but fuck that, in for a penny, in for a pound. lyrically it touches on subjects as rich and as varied as work-it-out-yourself and impenetrable-inside-joke-for-the-band, but one thing is clear, all of the songs have different words. all hilarious joking aside, the best songs are about things without being precisely about them. mclusky endorse this sentiment. they positively insist on it.
Ipecac is honoured to release the new album from legendary musician, composer and arranger, Jean Claude Vannier. Jean Claude Vannier et son orchestre de mandolines, out on Feb 14th, 2025 is a playful album of beautiful reveries composed on mandolin and accordion, that are both poetic and unrestrained. As a taster, the new track ‘La 2CV rouillée’ (‘The rusty 2CV’) has been shared.
About the new track, Vannier comments;
I’ve always dreamed of writing for a mandolin orchestra – the instrument’s tremors seemed apt to expose romantic and sentimental melodies. It brings back old memories.
On Sundays, my father used to take us to the countryside in his 2cv.
It’s a funny car, with the slightest change in speed, a flick of the brake or the gas pedal, and it rocks like a duck on the water.
During these drives, I was unable to see the landscape because I was seasick.
My father was an inventor, and had come up with a rudimentary air bag that went off at the slightest jolt.
Those rides in the countryside were a nightmare for me, and I now avoid trips in the 2CV…
A pinch of strings, a hint of childhood, melodies that touch the heart, orchestration that is always unexpected… these are just some of the elements to emerge from this album.
Venamoris share a new standalone single ahead of the holiday period, ‘Winter’s Whispers’ – an icy and desolate track perfect for spinning as the long nights draw in… This track is the latest to be shared from the compelling and spellbinding world created by husband-and-wife duo Paula and Dave Lombardo, which fans will get a full-length look at in 2025 on their forthcoming album.
Venamoris comment on the track;
“‘Winter’s Whispers’ is a nod to our wavering, romantic love of the many vibes of the season.”
Aural Aggravation 