The Return to Form Black Magick Party

"This is without question, the best record ever made. Flawless.”
- Andy Gill, The Independent (5 stars)

"Wickedly produced, deeply psychedelic glam rock brilliance.”
- Mixmag

"An absolute genius.”
- Drowned In Sound

"Hyper-kinetic boogie.”
- Uncut (4 stars)

"A concise blitzkrieg of avant-bubblegum pop.”
- Observer Music Monthly (4 stars)

"Astounding new-wave soul for the future.”
- M8 (7/8)

"A genuine maverick.”
- Q (4 stars)

"One of the most infectious yet mind-blowing things you'll have heard.”
- Time Out

"Here's the metal.”
- Mojo (4 stars)

"An English music hall equivalent of Jeff Buckley.”
- The Times (4 stars)

"An altogether more dark and dangerous proposition.”
- The Sun (5 stars)

"Welcome to the dark side.”
- Gigwise (4 stars)

"Fully authentic riverbed rock n' roll soul!”
- Straight No Chaser

"Tremendous from start to finish. Get into it, now!”
- What's On (4 stars)

"Pure pop bliss.”
- AXM

"Pop Levi will sprinkle happiness on even the saddest of lives.”
- Clash (5 stars)

Get ready for a psych-pop glam rock blowout combining the spirits of Marc Bolan, Bob Dylan, Syd Barret and Prince!

One of the biggest and most unanimously anticipated buzz acts of 2007 amongst international music media is the debut album from Pop Levi, 'The Return To Form Black Magick Party'. And once you've heard it, you'll agree you'll be hard pressed to name a catchier recent record!

It's not often you get to use the word 'cat' about a fellow human being without feeling both anachronistic and a bit of a twat. But then it's not every day you come across someone like Pop Levi. And Pop Levi is one strange cat.

Born in London, with musical roots in Liverpool, a stint playing with Ladytron and a home in Los Angeles, Pop Levi likes to describe what's good about pop music as "astral”. His debut album 'The Return To Form Black Magick Party', is, fittingly, worthy of the term.

Although the most obvious precursor of his sound might be Marc Bolan, listen carefully and you'll hear touches of everyone from Jack White, Prince and Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Captain Beefheart in there.

But rather than being any kind of eyebrow-raised pastiche, this is what Pop describes as "channelling” - an album of such complete conviction, flair and energy [plus a truckload of hooks!] that it is utterly irresistible, a stack heel pushed right down on the accelerator.

From opening single, 'Sugar Assault Me Now', 'Return To Form…' picks you up and carries you along on a wave of jagged guitar riffs, rumbling drums, fuzzed up bass and Pop Levi's unique voice. Before you know it, 'Blue Honey' has kicked in and you're riding bareback over another monster groove. '[A Style Called] Crying Chic' is acid-fried folk blues, 'Pick-Me-Up Uppercut' classic call-n-response bubblegum pop that somehow manages to reference the Undertones as well as the Shirelles. 'Skip Ghetto' takes a more contemplative turn, the lyrics ostensibly about a girl, but actually a commentary on musical pigeon-holing. 'Dollar Bill Rock' takes the tempo up again with a crazed blues skank. And so it goes on.

'Flirting' is epic and affecting, 'Mournin' Light' a monster of rock riffage, 'See My Lord' nods to avant garde jazz, 'Hades' Lady' to electrified Dylan. The album is rounded off by 'From The Day That You Were Born', a lullaby for Pop Levi's as-yet-unborn daughter, which builds to a truly beautiful string-fuelled coda.

In the process Pop Levi seems to completely explode the already-tired consensus of rock music in the UK. Not for him the dour re-telling of reality. Pop Levi is not a reporter. He wants to re-make reality, and re-make it in his image.

Call it "astral projection” if you like, but Pop Levi is going to be a star.

"Like every kind of great pop you ever heard - and all at once!”
- LA Weekly