Sufjan Stevens’ ambitious “50 States Project” produced only  Michigan  and  Illinois  before he abandoned the idea, admitting it was more of a joke than a real plan. Despite its incompletion, the myth of the project endures, adding to the fascination surrounding his work. The two albums that do exist remain landmark achievements, inviting listeners to imagine the many states that never came to be. The Mic's Ben Dale reports. Sufjan Stevens , 2005 Over 20 years ago, a young S

LUX  blends classical, electronic, and pop influences into a bold exploration of spirituality, femininity, and sacrifice. Anchored by flashes of familiar flamenco-pop, the album demands close attention, cementing Rosalía as one of modern pop’s most inventive voices. The Mic's Ben Dale reports. LUX Album Cover, Rosalía In his 1992 song Anthem , Leonard Cohen writes, “Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in”. These are the lin

The reformation of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart saw the beloved indie-pop band celebrating their 15th year anniversary of their 2009 self-titled debut album with a grand reunion tour and a new compilation album earlier this year. Following their first show together after 7 years in February, the band have continued into the UK leg of their tour, performing at Nottingham’s Metronome on Tuesday night. The Mic’s Josh Holmes reports, sitting down with the band just before th

When Radiohead released Kid A  in October 2000, it marked one of the most radical artistic pivots in modern popular music. Abandoning the guitar-driven sound that had defined their rise through the 1990s, the band retreated into a fragmented world of electronic textures, cryptic composition methods, and deliberate opacity. Max Durno writes on the making, the release and the wake of Radiohead's seminal project, 25 years after its release. It’s April 1998. Radiohead had just c

Billie Marten continues the UK leg of her Dog Eared tour with appearance at Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Returning to the venue she claims to be more familiar with than any other, Ripon-born singer songwriter Billie Marten has little to prove following the success of her 2025 full-length Dog Eared . Nevertheless, taking to the Rescue Rooms main stage (with Canadian folk artist Le Ren for support), Marten demonstrates her long-nurtured talent with a show that, whilst soothing for

5 Seconds of Summer, at any given time, could have been considered punk, or pop, or alt-rock — but never a boy band. Much to the band members’ despair, their early association with One Direction as openers for the Take Me Home Tour  seemed to permanently brand their punk act. They’ve been trying to shake the title ever since. The Mic's Aaliyah Field reports on the soon-to-be-released poppy-punky-rocky record. I kept up with 5SOS in my early teens and I remember very distinctl

Last week, the University of Nottingham announced that from next academic year, Music (alongside 15 other courses) will be suspended from the university’s programme. This policy — which is consistent with the University of Nottingham’s previous track record of reducing spending on students, laying off staff, and reducing course sizes — is emblematic of a broader systemic issue affecting the UK university system. The Mic's Sami de Jong reports. When the United Kingdom was a m

Fifteen years on, Speak Now  stands as one of Taylor Swift’s most ambitious and self-written albums, blending country, pop, and pop-punk influences. It marked her artistic independence and lyrical maturity, even if it’s now an underrated gem in her discography. The Mic's Aimee Goldblum Reports Speak Now Album Cover, Taylor Swift 15 years on from its original release, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now is still one of her most ambitious projects to date – no mean feat, considering he

Lily Allen’s West End Girl  is a quiet but piercing return, charting the collapse of her marriage with raw emotional clarity. “Pussy Palace” exposes the hollowing impact of an “open” marriage strained by addiction, while the album’s minimalist, dreamlike production mirrors the disorientation of heartbreak. The Mic's Mide Williams reports. Cover for West End Girl, Lily Allen Much to everyone’s surprise, Lily Allen made a quiet yet poignant return to the music scene last week

Sheffield indie pop four-piece Sundress (@wearesundress) have recently been making waves, in no small part thanks to their dreamy sound and a string of appearances at high-profile UK festivals such as Tramlines. Recently, the band played a lush set in Rough Trade as part of the Keeping Music Live tour, organised by music university institution WaterBear.

Depeche Mode’s new single “In the End,” an outtake from the Memento Mori  sessions, reflects the band’s enduring exploration of mortality with both darkness and optimism. Featured in their upcoming concert film Depeche Mode: M  and live album Memento Mori: Live in Mexico City , the track reinforces that the synthpop icons still have plenty of creative life left. The Mic's Josh Holmes reports. The critical success of Depeche Mode’s latest full length, Memento Mori (2023) , pa

Few could claim to have such a wide-reaching influence upon underground music and culture in the last 30 years as David Pajo. The influence of Spiderland , the wiry, disconcerting odyssey that he and his band Slint made when they were barely adults can be seen everywhere: from the anxious jitters of early London Windmill Scene bands, to North American post-hardcore, to the noise rock scenes in Asia and South America. The pleasure was all Ria Serena 's when she got to sit down

Rooted in Nottingham, LDYA pours her personal stories into heartfelt soul music that moves both heart and feet, creating an atmosphere that pulls you in on and off stage. We had the pleasure of seeing LDYA live at JamCafé during Nottingham’s Hockley Hustle this October, where her soulful energy lit up the room. The atmosphere was electric, a true sense of community ran through the crowd as she wove heartfelt stories between songs, drawing everyone in. Her rich, personal lyric

Hockley Hustle returned this year with a line-up like no other. Creating a parallel universe in which each person could handcraft their own musical world for the day. As a newcomer to gigs, this festival was a masterful intro – whether you’re a seasoned attendee or a beginner. The diverse array of genres, electrifying performances, and salt–of-the-earth artists. The Mic’s Daniela Roux  reports. Pretty Windows, The Angel Microbrewery: My committee and I took a leisurely walk t

Emily Sanders, a Nottingham-local, is acclaimed for her vulnerability and distinct voice. She is an artist with an ability to converge grunge, R&B, and pop. With two incredible singles out now, and more certain to come, Emily Sanders is a local artist to focus on. The Mic’s Daniela Roux  reports.   Emily and I chatted initially, exchanging niceties and introducing ourselves. As I knew we were both music lovers, I asked her what I would ask a friend... Q: What music have you b

The city hosts numerous festivals across its many venues, offering a great way to experience its flourishing scene; Hockley Hustle being just one example. With over 40 venues taking part, and a mixture of music acts, drag artists, DJs, political speakers and more, Hockley Hustle is a vibrant celebration of Nottingham culture. The Mic's Sami De Jong reports. A performance that epitomises my experience was the much loved Nottingham punk band Cheap Dirty Horse . Frontman Finbar

A decade on, Carly Rae Jepsen’s  Emotion  remains a pop masterclass, blending 80s-inspired synths with heartfelt, unfiltered emotion. Initially overlooked, the album has become a cult favorite, celebrated for its joy, vulnerability, and meticulously crafted hooks. More than a collection of songs, it proves that sincerity and pure pop craftsmanship endure. The Mic's Ben Dale reports. Emotion (Carly Rae Jepsen) album cover, photographed Matthew Welch Following her 2011 hit Cal

The modern U.S. shoegaze scene has been dissected countless times, but if you ask its most devoted fans to name the scene’s most ambitious act, one name inevitably surfaces: They Are Gutting a Body of Water. The Mic's Josh Holmes reports on the latest shoegaze spotlight contender. Past full-length projects such as Destiny XL  and Lucky Styles  have earned the Philadelphia outfit a dedicated underground following, while supporting sets for dream pop and shoegaze figureheads

Known predominantly for his 1969 record, Ode to Quetzalcoatl , David Bixby's music is that of a true original: deeply intimate, spiritually powerful psychedelic folk embedded with a powerful sense of both hope and crushing loneliness. The Mic's own Ria Serena sat down with Bixby to discuss religion, his experiences of having been shipwrecked whilst working as a sailor, and the absolute power of music to carry one through the void of depression. I had always entertained the i

Following on from Revolver’s recent Nottingham performance, I was pleased to catch up with frontman Mat Flint regarding the band’s recent reformation, as well as its history. Throughout the conversation, he has an optimistic, confident and polite demeanour, and seems more than excited that life and circumstance has returned him to the pioneering shoegaze band he first formed as a teenager. Throughout the conversation, we touched upon the past, present and future of the music