Guardian Music — (Naim)Get the Blessing trumpeter Pete Judge says this new album finds the exuberant Portishead-powered quartet "less afraid to be itself than it used to be". With its thundering rock-bass grooves and scorching early Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry horn so... more info

Guardian Music — Talk Talk slowly disappeared from view, but not before recording some of the 80s' most astounding music Talk Talk's career trajectory from new romantic synthpop to the astonishingly crafted yet improvisation-driven Spirit of Eden album is one of the ... more info

Nialler9 — Portishead’s Geoff Barrow has a new hip-hop project on Stones Throw called Quakers which features an insane 35 members and three main producers. Barrow as Fuzzface is one, 7-Stu-7 (Portishead’s engineer and in-house producer ) and Katalyst (“on... more info

Stereogum — Rap has always had a tremendous impact on the production of Portishead sound-mastermind Geoff Barrow, but it’s been a long time since he’s tried making any of it himself. But Barrow, working under the name Fuzzface, is the man at the center of th... more info

XLR8R — Portishead member and noted producer Geoff Barrow (pictured above) has announced plans to release an album of hip-hop tracks he's crafted under the Fuzzface moniker in collaboration with 7STU7 (Portishead’s engineer) and DJ Katalyst. The trio ... more info

Guardian Music — Quakers, a side project comprising more than 35 members, will feature contributions by Dead Prez, Prince Po and Aloe BlaccPortishead's Geoff Barrow is to premiere his sprawling hip-hop side project this spring. Quakers, comprising more than 35 member... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — Speaking of openers on larger tours playing Mercury Lounge shows, Beacon, who are currently on a tour with Tycho, which hits MHOW on February 4 with Oneohtrix Point Never (tickets), just announced a show at the NYC venue happening... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — The duo known as the Peach Kings dubbed their debut EP “Trip Wop,” and the influence of sultry down-tempo acts such as Portishead and Zero 7 certainly leaves a mark on some Peach Kings tracks. more info

NME - The Bands Blog — Here, S.C.U.M.'s Tom Cohen chats about the weirdest gift he's ever received from a fan, his dream Xmas party guestlist and his resolutions for 2012. What was your highlight of 2011? "I think in terms of the band, it was doing the I’ll Be Your Mirr... more info

Impose Magazine — Doldrums have been kind and are letting us hear the entirety of their sparkly new Empire Sounds EP. Along with being a really sharp progression out of that bedroom where dudes make gnarly three part harmonies by themselves, this is also the work of a... more info