Lili Refrain’s fifth release ‘Mana’ was an interesting proposition. The record’s nine compositions drew influence from a variety of styles. The opening couplet (‘Ki’/‘Kokyu’) set a fairly cold mood by mixing light drone with choral vocals; ‘Eikyou’ featured strong, soaring vocal lines against heavy tribal influenced rhythms; the much darker ‘Ichor’ shared a vocal mantra shifting between the gothic and operatic, augmented by orchestral sounds via heavy synth work, only allowing finger cymbals to bring any lightness to the piece. Better still, and slightly more accessible without shifting too far away from Refrain’s sense of the artistic, ‘Ahi Tapu’ occasionally sounded like early eighties Tangerine Dream fused with a Brad Fidel film score, topped with whispering Japanese vocals, and latterly another neo-operatic melody that showed Refrain in possession of a huge voice.
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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #146
A rather spooky offering from veterans of the UK alternative scene, an epic but self-effacing narrative set against great orchestration, and an almost uncategorisable number splicing synths with a world music flair are just three things you can expect to find at the Singles Bar this time around. As we head further into 2026, the sheer variety of “single” recordings remains impressive, and perhaps ever more so now that we live in a world where underground artists are more likely to present digital singles and EP releases over an old school album format. To call this selection a mixed bag would certainly be an understatement but, as always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
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