Gorillaz - Song Machine, Season One - Warner Records
Song Machine, Season One is Gorillaz’ newest concept which started in January 2020, releasing brand new material episodically - as and when it happens – and has continued throughout the year.  The ongoing and ever-evolving process has seen our favourite characters joined by an expanding roster of collaborators captured live in Kong Studios and beyond. The result is an expansive collection of 17 tracks embracing a myriad of sounds, styles, genres and attitudes from a breath-taking line-up of guest artists including Beck, Elton John, Fatoumata Diawara, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Octavian, Peter Hook, Robert Smith, Roxani Arias, ScHoolboy Q, Slaves, Slowthai, St Vincent and 6LACK, as well as CHAI, EARTHGANG, Goldlink, Joan As Police Woman, JPEGMAFIA, Moonchild Sanelly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Skepta and Tony Allen. 

   

Ben Harper - Winter Is For Lovers - ANTI
Winter Is For Lovers was a lifetime in the making... a solo lap-steel guitar piece incorporating elements of delta blues, flamenco, and even Satie-like minimalism, this work resonates with lyrical virtuosity, originality and soul. In some ways Winter Is For Lovers is a love letter to Ben Harper’s longtime fans who have always revered his guitar virtuosity; it’s the record they always wanted him to make. For many other music lovers, this record is a revelation, an unknown side to a celebrated artist showing a sense of meticulousness, depth and music history that will add new dimensions to an already renowned career. As a child, before Ben Harper was even playing music, he sat at the feet of folk luminaries like Rev Gary Davis, John Fahey, Ry Cooder and others in his grandparents Folk Music Center in Claremont, CA, soaking up their influence and passion for pure guitar music. As a teenager, while discovering his own musical gifts, he was repairing guitars and being mentored by many of these artists, most notably, Taj Mahal. While his musical path has taken him to worldwide fame playing rock and roll, and many other idioms, that pure guitar music has always been central to his musical heart. Ultimately, Winter Is For Lovers is a very personal statement from Ben Harper, drawing from the bountiful garden of his earliest musical impressions and propelling him into the future with an elegiac masterpiece.

   

Sam Smith - Love Goes - Capitol
Sam Smith continues their all-conquering journey to super stardom as they move towards the release of their third album ‘Love Goes’ in October 2020. This follows an incredible run of global smashes including ‘Dancing with a Stranger’, with Normani which has amassed over 13 million copies and over 2.5 billion streams, became the #1 airplay in the US & UK and has achieved platinum status in 15 countries. ‘How Do You Sleep?’ and the accompanying game-changing video has already reached sales of over 8 million and remained in the Spotify Global Top 20 after 4 months. 2018 also saw Smith release their global hit with Calvin Harris ‘Promises’ which the pair performed at the BRIT Awards; Sam reached 13 million YouTube subscribers – one of only 8 UK artists to achieve this accolade – and they ended 2019 peaking at 8 on the Global Spotify monthly listeners chart. They have over 10 billion total streams on Spotify alone, with 2 singles (Too Good At Goodbyes and Stay With Me) being one of only 100 tracks to ever achieve over 1bn total streams on Spotify. During their career Sam has sold over 28 million albums worldwide and notched up seven UK No. 1 records to date including ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ – the first Bond theme to reach the position, gaining them a Guinness World Record. In addition, Sam has also received four Grammy Awards, three BRITs and an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song (Writing’s On The Wall).

   

U2 - All That You Can’t Leave Behind: 20th Anniversary - Interscope Records
Limited 11 vinyl LP set. Includes fully remastered studio album plus 20 page booklet. 9 track b-sides, out-takes and alternate versions. Elevation Live From Boston 19 track set. 5 x 12" featuring 11 remix singles including 4 previously unreleased. 32 page hardback book by long-time U2 collaborator Anton Corbijn featuring previously unseen photos. Double-sided poster. Digitally remastered 20th Anniversary edition. The forever-evolving U2 looked back to their anthemic, passionate '80s classics on their 10th studio album, even as they took what they'd learned in the '90s and had maximum fun with studio production (aided ably here by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois). It didn't hurt that Bono and co. Had their best batch of songs in years at the ready; all this combined to catapult All That You Can’t Leave Behind to #1 in 32 countries.

Also available: CD, Deluxe 2CD, 2LP and Limited Edition 5CD Super Deluxe Box Set

  

Eels - Earth To Dora - PIAS
2020 release from the alt-rock band Eels, led by singer/songwriter Mark Everett (AKA E). Earth To Dora is the follow-up to the band's 2018 release The Deconstruction.

   

Busta Rhymes - Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God - Conglomerate Ent
The first album in eight years from hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes. The album is a sequel to his 1998 album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. Includes the single "The Don and The Boss", a collaboration with dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel.