Long-running indie duos Arab Strap and Club 8 both released new albums in September. Plus, Swedish singer/musician Murex released her debut. Keep reading for the reviews.
Arab Strap
Half-Told Tales
“You You You,” the lead single from Arab Strap’s latest album, Half-Told Tales, is an incredibly poignant depiction of 2020s malaise, a discomfort that grows more intense with every verse, morphing into anger that’s tinged with irony of participating in society (“And if you’re streaming this song on Spotify/Then we both fund weapons-grade Ai/But if it wasn’t here, then how would you hear it?). As the tone of the lyrics change, the music begins to shift. Guitars are introduced. Then a dance song crashes into a hard rock crunch. It’s an incredibly clever approach to the song and sets the tone for the ninth album from the Scottish duo. It’s a scathing commentary on this decade, maybe, technically, this century’s, political and cultural landscape. “Fighting For You” addresses the grift people keep buying, that the rich are fighting for everyone else. “Glamour Magick” digs into anti-aging treatments. There’s also a lot in Half-Told Tales about age and the passage of time and the two threads wind together nicely throughout the album, forming a slice-of-life tale that has as much angst and energy as one might expect from a debut album. I mention this because headlines like to attribute today’s left-leaning political rage to young adults, but, really, there are people of all ages who are livid about the death, destruction and rampant greed we see on our phones every day. Arab Strap brings this much-needed perspective to the conversation and does so in a way that brings together elements of dance music, indie rock and post-rock to create an intriguing sound.
Half-Told Tales by Arab Strap on Bandcamp
Club 8
Weeks of Golden Beats
My main familiarity with Club 8 comes from a 1999 compilation called Moshi Moshi (Pop International Style) that I bought when it was new and still listen to at home fairly regularly. The Swedish duo of Karolina Komstedt (Poprace) and Johan Angergård (Acid House Kings, Poprace) has been around a few years longer than that and Weeks of Golden Beats is their 13th album. It also completes a trilogy that includes the albums A Year with Club 8 (2024) and Seasonal Echoes (2025). I listened to both of those after hearing Weeks of Golden Beats and they flow quite well together. A Year with Club 8 seems derived more from post-punk bands like New Order and Jesus and Mary Chain. Seasonal Echoes moves towards brighter indie pop, with at least one recognizable allusion to The Smiths, and ‘90s-style lofi, which is lightyears away from what people call lofi today. (Please don’t ask me to explain that one.) With Weeks of Golden Beats, Club 8 continues the indie pop vibe, albeit with a touch more of a dance flavor. The album opener, “Travel Back in Time,” is reminiscent of early ‘90s Saint Etienne in its grooviness and sets the pace for the album. Elsewhere, the band plays with jangly guitars and a mix of shoegaze, Madchester and synthpop vibes. Lyrically, this is a fantastic album, too, with a few likely indie allusions (I caught The Smiths and Belle and Sebastian, maybe there are others?) and vivid descriptions of Sweden. For the indie pop heads reading this, Weeks of Golden Beats is a must.
Weeks of Golden Beats by Club 8 on Bandcamp.
Murex
Inventio
Murex wastes no time getting to the point of Inventio. The Swedish artist drops listeners into an intense amalgamation of themes and reference points on opening track, “Massacre,” where her own ethereal vocals are juxtaposed with a static-y, drum ’n’ bass rhythm. On Inventio, Murex addresses body dysmorphia through a narrative that draws from Nordic folktales and a sonic palette that includes classical and contemporary influences. It’s an astonishing debut that somehow manages to accomplish seemingly high artistic aspirations in just 23 minutes. Musically, Murex falls into a genreless space that would appeal to fans of artists from Kate Bush to Björk to fka Twigs.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
Listen to the September, 2026 edition of Beatique, which also features music from Olivia Rodrigo, ear, Purity Ring, Brigette Calls Me Baby, Slayyyter and more.
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