Latest articles by Mike Barnes
How prog are Penguin Cafe Orchestra?
The musical collective praised randomness, caught the attention of Brian Eno and were self-described as “modern semi-acoustic chamber music”, amongst other things. But just how prog were they?
Penguin Café Orchestra - Union Cafe album review
Not yet ratedThe group’s final album from 1994, released for the first time on vinyl
Sendelica - Cromlech Chronicles II album review
Not yet ratedTwo evocative pieces of improvised inner space exploration
Andrew Heath - Soundings album review
Not yet ratedA seductive ambient blend of instruments and field recordings
Dhani Harrison: "People have a preconceived idea of the music I’m going to make"
Dhani Harrison may have a famous father, but the multi-instrumentalist wants to be respected as a musician and composer in his own right with his solo debut IN///PARALLEL
The Left Outsides - There Is A Place album review
Not yet ratedEerie and evocative new songs and reworked material inspired by forests
Tom Rogerson With Brian Eno - Finding Shore album review
Not yet ratedSuffolk brethren Rogerson on piano, Eno on sonic manipulations
Ben Frost - The Centre Cannot Hold album review
Not yet ratedThe Solaris/Fortitude soundtrack composer’s fifth, recorded with Steve Albini
Brooklyn Raga Massive - Terry Riley In C album review
Not yet ratedThe minimalist masterpiece tackled by Indian classical musicians
Sonja Kristina - Anthology album review
Not yet ratedFrom Hair to eternity: a double CD overview for Curved Air’s frontwoman
Rodney Slater’s Parrots - Parrotopia! album review
Not yet ratedA musical journey through a psittacine Arcadia with the former Bonzo sax man
Astralasia - Oceania album review
Not yet ratedTwo-CD/blue vinyl set from Astralasia, the wizards of psychedelic electronica
Keith Emerson: A Musical Celebration at Birmingham Symphony Hall - live review
Not yet ratedThe great and the good gather to celebrate Keith Emerson's music
Mogwai - Every Country’s Sun album review
Not yet ratedScottish band Mogwai’s ninth, recorded with Flaming Lips man Dave Fridmann
Judy Dyble & Andy Lewis - Summer Dancing album review
Not yet ratedThe original Fairport Convention singer’s return to psychedelia, 21st century style
Darryl Way - Underworld album review
Not yet ratedFormer Curved Air man Darryl Way’s Orpheus myth opera. Contains sex drugs and rock’n’roll
Prog pioneers: Meet five women pushing the boundaries of modern prog
The Anchoress, Jane Weaver, Cate Le Bon, Susanna and Anna von Hausswolff are all fiercely independent, bold and idiosyncratic, and real pioneers in today's progressive music world
Kraftwerk - 3-D The Catalogue album review
Not yet ratedThe Men Machines live sets collected over myriad formats
The Mothers Earth Experiment - The Mothers Earth Experiment album review
Not yet ratedWest Midlands six-piece The Mothers Earth Experiment invoke Island pink-label mischief
Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra - Vula album review
Not yet ratedFourth album in 10 years by the dazzling Berlin-based 18-piece Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra
The Can Project at The Barbican, London - live review
Not yet ratedIrmin Schmidt teams up with London Symphony Orchestra and some very special guests
Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble - Find Me Finding You album review
Not yet ratedFourth solo album by the former Stereolab/Monade vocalist, inspired by geometric forms
Michael Bernier & Ritchie DeCarlo - Strangers album review
Not yet ratedFormer Stick Man and drummer’s inaugural collaboration with some special guests
