Author: Katie Collins

Wahoo, who tragically passed this weekend, was undeniably the real MVP of Oxford’s Holy Trinity (Park End and Bridge, obviously). Home to your weekly questionable last-minute decision (“I guess we could go out”), Wahoo made a name for itself through the dogged determination of the college Shuffle reps, desperate to plug ‘RETOX’ Fridays. Despite its […]

Massive Attack have had a rough journey from the hey-days of mid-90s trip-hop. It’s been a story of breakups and scandal. Yet ‘Ritual Spirit’, their first release since the commercial acclaim of Heliograd in 2010, feels evocative of much of their earlier music. Perhaps the return of long-time collaborator Tricky adds to the pre-Mezzannine feel […]

When Ezra Furman laughs that the crowd is ‘starting to get the hang of it’ three songs into his frenetic, marathon set, the crowd understand exactly what he’s talking about. Resplendent in a pink shirt, skirt, red lipstick and pearls, Ezra Furman is by no means a typical rockstar. Raising money on Kickstarter for his […]

With Valentine’s day last Sunday (a day of commercial nonsense which takes all the spontaneity out of romance) my mind turned to the commercialisation of love in the modern music industry. I’ve got this stereotypical image in my head of how romantically music was used ‘back in the olden days’; I’m picturing boys standing outside […]

After an accidental leak last week, Rihanna’s long-awaited eighth studio album ANTI dropped on music streaming service Tidal, going platinum within just 24 hours. It’s been more than three years since the release of Unapologetic, her seventh album in eight years, and perhaps that is why this newest offering is uncharacteristically thoughtful and considered. Rihanna’s […]

I suppose that there must have been at least someone else in the room who expected to be hearing Rach 2 on Saturday night—only to find themselves wondering where on earth the piano was! But if there was then, like me, they were keeping a low profile because unfortunately, this review must start with an […]

Why the Beatles Still Deserve our Attention On 24th December last year, the Beatles released their back catalogue onto several major streaming platforms; they now sit in the 50 most listened-to artists on Spotify. Although they’re by no means threatening to challenge Justin Bieber’s hegemony over the charts, that’s an impressive figure for a band […]

‘I came to slay, bitch.’ And slay she did. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, you won’t have missed Beyoncé’s surprise release of her new track ‘Formation’, on the eve of her hotly anticipated Super Bowl performance. The track, along with its video, has  generated a lot of hype […]

The Ox Stu: What is Dreaming Squires promotions? Dreaming Squires was formed in a field in Winchester by two pretty drunk blokes who like music that doesn’t visit Oxford. It seemed like a good idea in the morning, so we went ahead with it. It’s a labour of dirty, sweaty love aimed at fostering a […]

A reflection on what a great year 2015 was for Nicki Minaj As the only female artist on Forbes’ list of The World’s Highest Paid Hip-Hop Acts 2015, and the most charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard 100, it cannot be denied that Nicki Minaj is a fighter. This time last year […]

Take your eyes away from the Oxford bubble for a moment, and let’s transport ourselves to the exotic paradise of Norwich. A local venue, the Owl Sanctuary, has been bought without the knowledge of its owner and is closing its doors on the 31st of January. It has become a great DIY venue that has […]

The SSS  Brooding, pensive, mysterious are just three words which you might use to describe the live presence of Sheffield band, The SSS. Their sold out hometown show last year was a testament to the care that is behind the band’s music; releasing a single here and there, their catalogue is growing into a carefully […]

On Wednesday, upon hearing the news of the death of the composer, conductor, writer, intellectual, teacher and bon-vivant, Pierre Boulez, the musical world paused to recollect everything that he had given it: not only many dazzling musical masterpieces, and not only a wealth of the highest quality recordings with the best orchestras and ensembles, but […]

Child Death – Balam Acab By Naomi Southwell The ominously titled Child Death is Balam Acab’s latest release since his debut LP Wander/Wonder. The artist is known for his ethereal watery sounds immersed in psychedelic witchy beats. In anticipation of the new release Alex Koone (Balam Acab) revealed a photo montage of samples he had […]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that people are born, and people die. Stars are born, and they too, must eventually die. On 6th January 2016, a star whose light has been shining since he launched his music career back in 1967 died aged 69, after an 18-month long struggle with cancer. That star, of […]