paulfcook
@paulfcook.bsky.social
Polyphonically perverse musician | member of Skylon | Deputy Editor & writer for Joyzine.org | artist & designer.
"a burst of well-intentioned rage against the toxic machine" Paul F Cook reviews the "one-inch-punch of righteous anger" on Wealthy Women's new single 'Atheist Wife'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE REVIEW: WEALTHY WOMEN – ATHEIST WIFE - Joyzine
'Atheist Wife' is the new single from Wealthy Women, with righteous anger against JD Vance's "childless cat ladies" comment.
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"The album has an uplifting feeling that picks you up and gently skips and shuffles you along its ten tracks" Paul F Cook reviews the "catalogue of so many perfect moments" on Loma Suyo's new album 'Paloma'. Released through the Earthly Measures label. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: LOMA SUYO – PALOMA - Joyzine
Loma Suyo is a musical project of Liz Fullerton and Ish Quintero who met in the underground and trip-hop scene of Philadelphia but on Paloma they mix Latin folk traditions with Americana.
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"A band that AI could never recreate and that is something I celebrate with every single one of their releases" Paul F Cook reviews the Run Logan Run's new release 'An Ear In Place Of A Mouth' which completes a trilogy of EPs that started with 'Prey For Peace'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
EP REVIEW: RUN LOGAN RUN – AN EAR IN PLACE OF A MOUTH - Joyzine
'An Ear In Place OF A Mouth' completes a trilogy of releases that started with 2025’s 'Prey For Peace' and 'LV: HRD'.
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FILM REVIEW: SHOOT THE PEOPLE - MISAN HARRIMAN "Harriman maybe softly spoken but his camera is screaming for us to get involved." Paul F Cook reviews the new documentary about photographer & activist Misan Harriman. Directed by Andy Mundy-Castle, by Watermelon Pictures. @paulfcook.bsky.social
FILM REVIEW: MISAN HARRIMAN – SHOOT THE PEOPLE, DIRECTED BY ANDY MUNDY-CASTLE - Joyzine
“When I look around at what is happening today, it’s hard not to feel helpless. I’ve never known a time when humans have been more divided. It seems as though we are heading towards something truly ca...
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"slowly layering fuzz on top of distortion on top of cavernous reverb" Paul F Cook reviews the "star going supernova" sound of TIGER! SHIT! TIGER! TIGER!'s new single 'Glue'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE REVIEW: TIGER! SHIT! TIGER! TIGER! – GLUE - Joyzine
Italy's TIGER! SHIT! TIGER! TIGER! have released 'Glue', a new single with cavernous reverb and mounting distortion.
joyzine.org
TRACK BY TRACK: ORLA NOBLE – UNFURL Orla Noble's album 'unfurl' is an exceptional debut. Her track by track is a wonderfully illuminating dive into each track with inspiration from art and poetry, crown shyness, vulnerability, friendship, and the power of wooziness. joyzine.org/2026/07/05/t...
TRACK BY TRACK: ORLA NOBLE – UNFURL - Joyzine
'unfurl' is an exceptional album by singer-songwriter Orla Noble and she was kind enough to give Joyzine a track by track breakdown.
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"like a gentle hand on your arm guiding you to the beatific chorus" Paul F Cook reviews the "sumptuous wash of sounds" on Cherry Seraph's new single 'splitting the sky'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE REVIEW: CHERRY SERAPH – SPLITTING THE SKY - Joyzine
Cherry Seraph's new single ‘splitting the sky’ is a sumptuous wash of sounds held together by a lightly ticking drum pattern and a beatific chorus.
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"Conte and Lahs have done wonders dialling up the club vibes while retaining the authenticity of the source material" Paul F Cook reviews the percussive dancefloor joy of 'Reloved (the Afro Club Mixes). Released through Four Flies Records. @paulfcook.bsky.social
EP REVIEW: NICOLA CONTE & NICO LAHS – RELOVED (THE AFRO CLUB MIXES) - Joyzine
'Reloved' has DJ Nicola Conte collaborating with house producer Nico Lahs to produce four reworkings of tracks from the golden age of Italian soundtracks, released through the label Four Flies Records...
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"drawing from folklore and collaging myriad sounds into layered and captivating sonic arrangements that often centre around drones, strings and her divine voice" Paul F Cook reviews the "swirling galaxy of elongated sounds" on Alison Cotton's new album 'The Gods Laugh'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: ALISON COTTON – THE GODS LAUGH - Joyzine
Alison Cotton ‘s new album The Gods Laugh joins a long line of albums that inhabit dark and ancient parts of our collective past, drawing from folklore and collaging myriad sounds into layered and cap...
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"quite simply her most exquisite album" Paul F Cook reviews "the most beautiful landscape" of Sumie's new album 'Stardust In Valleys'. Released on Anna Von Hausswolff's label Pomperipossa Records. @paulfcook.bsky.social @annavonhausswolff.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: SUMIE – STARDUST IN VALLEYS - Joyzine
Listening to the music of Sumie is to cast off the stresses of the world and be transported to the most beautiful landscape. For many reasons 'Stardust In Valleys' is quite simply her most exquisite a...
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"KÖLN 75 is acted and edited like bebop with the cast all playing together in harmony like a great jazz band" Paul F Cook reviews the true story of 18-year old Vera Brandes who put on the Keith Jarrett concert in Cologne in 1975. Directed by Ido Fluk and with Mala Emde as Vera.
FILM REVIEW: KÖLN 75 – DIRECTED BY IDO FLUK - Joyzine
KÖLN 75 is one of those true stories that would likely have been rejected by a studio for being too far-fetched had it been fiction. It centres on Vera Brandes who, at 18 in 1975, is living a double l...
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"The EP is built on blissful fluidity. It is marshmallow and sparklers and the feeling you get in a plane when you rise above the clouds and the sun fills the cabin" Paul F Cook reviews the "lighter-than-air buoyancy" of 'Traces & Tremors' the new EP from Jinjé. @paulfcook.bsky.social
EP REVIEW: JINJÉ – TRACES & TREMORS - Joyzine
Jinjé’s new release maybe an EP but it packs more than a double album’s worth of sounds into its running time. Traces & Tremors is a hugely captivating set of tracks that show Jinjé - aka Yorkshire DJ...
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"a collection of tracks driven by pulsating rhythms and intoxicating beats that it is hard not to move to" Paul F Cook reviews the "beauty and power" of Racines new album 'Arilos Mennar'. Released by Locomotiv Records. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: RACINES – ARILOS MENNAR - Joyzine
Racines new album Arilos Mennar is a collection of tracks driven by pulsating rhythms and intoxicating beats that it is hard not to move to.
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"glitchy dub-vibes and layers of velvet jazz held in beautiful suspension by sounds that are put together with gentle precision" Paul F Cook reviews 25th anniversary of A Certain Frank's 'Nothing' which "sparkles with class". Released by Bureau B. @paulfcook.bsky.social @bureaub.bsky.social
ALBUM REISSUE: A CERTAIN FRANK – NOTHING - Joyzine
A Certain Frank are Frank Fenstermacher and Kurt Dahlke who emerged from a fertile musical landscape in 1990s Düsseldorf. 2001's 'Nothing' has barely dated since its release.
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"splashy, angular, nearly-out-of-control, febrile and raw" Paul F Cook reviews the "serious fun" of 'Never Been Cheddar', the new EP from Tits Up. @paulfcook.bsky.social
EP REVIEW: TITS UP – NEVER BEEN CHEDDAR - Joyzine
'Never Been Cheddar' is the new fuzzed-up punk rock is splashy, angular, nearly-out-of-control, febrile and raw EP from Liverpool-based band Tits Up,
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"Its glorious arc draws you in from the outset and holds your attention right through to the shimmering end" Paul F Cook reviews 'Blue Morpho' the "iridescent " new album from Ed O'Brien. Out on the Transgressive label. @transgressive.bsky.social @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: ED O’BRIEN – BLUE MORPHO - Joyzine
Ed O’Brien’s Blue Morpho is an album born out of the darkness during the pandemic. However, it is a sonic journey that encompasses some minor keys en route but also some sun to warm the melancholy.
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"it’s hard not to be swept up in the undeniable energy of voice and percussion" Paul F Cook reviews 'Flame Folclòre' the "inspirational and joyous" new album from Occitan duo Cocanha. Out on the Bongo Joe label. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: COCANHA – FLAME FOLCLÒRE - Joyzine
Cocanha are Caroline Dufau and Lila Fraysse a duo who are reimaging traditional Occitan folk. Their new album Flame Folclòre does not just reimagine tradition but ignites it with their exuberance and ...
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"their most atmospheric and affecting album to date" Paul F Cook reviews the "effortless fluidity" of Tamikrest's new album 'Assikel'. Out on the amazing Glitterbeat label. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: TAMIKREST- ASSIKEL - Joyzine
'Assikel' is Tamikrest’s new album with the title meaning ‘voyage’ or ‘journey’ and draws on just how the band have come in those two decades.
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SINGLE PREMIERE: ANNA RAN – VULTURES WITH GUILT "We are all in the liminal space between understanding the world is on fire but not having the energy to put it out" Paul F Cook reviews the "disquieting beauty" of 'Vultures with Guilt', by Anna Ran. Out 22 May. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE PREMIERE: ANNA RAN – VULTURES WITH GUILT - Joyzine
An exclusive listen for Joyzine readers of Anna Ran's new single 'Vultures with Guilt'.
joyzine.org
"replete with grace & depth on a subject that would resonate with anyone who has experienced the grief of losing a loved one" Paul F Cook reviews With Sun's single 'Go Lightly', which has the "serene feeling of weightlessness" on a song written after the death of her mother. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE REVIEW: WITH SUN – GO LIGHTLY - Joyzine
With Sun's new single is ‘Go Lightly’, written after the death of her mother.
joyzine.org
"From the opening bars there is a joyful bounce that starts to fill you up like helium, a sense of being lifted from the mundane into the magnificent" Paul F Cook reviews the "incredible kaleidoscope of influences" on Pigeon's new album 'OUTTANATIONAL'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: PIGEON – OUTTANATIONAL - Joyzine
'OUTTANATIONAL is the new album from Pigeon, a wonderful collage of style held together by the incredible voice of Falle Nioke.
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"Beauty can sometimes come from pain, and adversity often makes the living of life all the sweeter" Paul F Cook reviews 'Dahlia' the "effortless and beautiful" new single from Sumie. Taken from the album 'Stardust In Valleys' out 12 June. @paulfcook.bsky.social
SINGLE REVIEW: SUMIE – DAHLIA - Joyzine
'Dahlia' is the beautiful first single from Sumie's forthcoming album 'Stardust In Valleys'.
joyzine.org
"sunlight seems to shine through every track" Paul F Cook reviews the "uplifting beats and soaring tunes" of AySay's new album 'Mal' which mixes Anatolian folk and Nordic pop. Out on V2 Records. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: AYSAY – MAL - Joyzine
AySay are Copenhagen-based and led by singer Luna Ersahin who combines Anatolian folk and Nordic pop through her Danish/Kurdish heritage.
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"as magnificent, heart-rending, uplifting and honest on the fiftieth listen as it did on the first" Paul F Cook reviews the "perfect mix of the electronic and the analogue" on Pictish Trail's new album 'Life Slime'. Released by Fire Records. @pictishtrail.bsky.social @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: PICTISH TRAIL – LIFE SLIME - Joyzine
Life Slime is the new release from Pictish Trail, and despite being the product of the “personal tumult” following a relationship break-up there is still a great deal of warmth radiating through the m...
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"An album that so comprehensively distils the anger you feel towards the state of the world right now that you get chills listening to it" Paul F Cook reviews the "angry symbiosis" of words & music on dälek's release 'Brilliance Of A Falling Moon'. @daleknwk.bsky.social @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: DÄLEK – BRILLIANCE OF A FALLING MOON - Joyzine
dälek’s 'Brilliance Of A Falling Moon' is a rap album that sonically goes to the edge of chaos but dälek has a way emboldening the listener by speaking truth to power.
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"the difference between film and digital; it feels real and alive and not created by an AI prompt" Paul F Cook reviews the "low rumble of bass, gravel guitar, pounding drums, super-catchy vocals" of Topsy Turvey's new album 'Fighting the Ginormous Macho Nacho'. @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: TOPSY TURVY – FIGHTING THE GINORMOUS MACHO NACHO - Joyzine
Topsy Turvy’s new album 'Fighting the Ginormous Macho Nacho' has the low rumble of bass, gravel guitar, pounding drums, super-catchy vocals and some great ooh-aah backing vocals.
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"Their technical proficiency is awash with humour and mesmerising tunes that quicken the pulse and a promote a euphoric sense of happiness" Paul F Cook reviews the "sexy staccato" of intergalactic microtonal duo Angine de Poitrine and their new album 'Vol.II' @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: ANGINE DE POITRINE – VOL.II - Joyzine
Angine de Poitrine play microtonal music, one on a guitar/bass double neck and one on drums. Their new album is their second album and it’s called Vol. II.
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"Haiku Salut’s perfect balance of the electronic with the acoustic, coupled with the jazz and classical elegance of Meg Morley’s piano playing" Paul F Cook reviews 'The Lost Score' by Haiku Salut & Meg Morley .Out on Lo Recordings. @haikusalut.bsky.social @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: HAIKU SALUT & MEG MORLEY – THE LOST SCORE - Joyzine
The songs that make up 'The Lost Score' were originally written to be performed as a live score for the 1930 German silent film People on Sunday commissioned by Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival.
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"These are songs that dispel the cold and dark of winter and usher in the optimism and warmth of the sun waking up in spring" Paul F Cook reviews the "beatific voice and buoyant guitar playing" of Aure on her new album 'Printemps' @paulfcook.bsky.social
ALBUM REVIEW: AURE – PRINTEMPS - Joyzine
Printemps is the new album from Aure Delaroière and it’s a gentle delight that perfectly accompanies the turning of the seasons, from winter into the spring of its title.
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