L'Impératrice - Matahari (2LP)

L'Impératrice - Matahari (2LP)2LP, 45 RPM microqlima (2018) FR "Impratrice" is French for "Empress", and if their name is a difficult thing to grasp for anglophones, musically there's nothing that doesn't translate. Drawing from a range of genres, from 70s space disco to downtempo 90s synth pop, taking in French film composers like Franois de Roubaix and Michel Legrand along the way, the 6 Parisians have become a cornerstone of the reinvigorated French pop music scene. Matahari is

doing it right won them the Resident Advisor Best Live Act honor as early as 2009

reggae and soul

Not trying to tell everyone else's story

which first appeared on their breakout sophomore album Portamento

And more alive than ever

guitarist Stuart Braithwaite contributes more vocals than ever before

Transparent Green Vinyl Wrecking Light (2023) UK

4AD repress two more albums from Cocteau Twins on vinyl - their 1982 debut Garlands and 1986's Victorialand

and indie-related sounds heard in Moreno's Deftones

Pecknold describes the set as "me by myself on the longest night of the year

Originally released on Factory Records in March 1983

and money borrowed from guitarist Kerry King's father