Porcupine Tree

Lightbulb Sun 2000

Yes, it pre-dates Kscope’s official launch, but it’s the first record released on a KScope imprint so we figured it was okay to include it. Knowing what epic tours de force Steven Wilson went on to create (both with Porcupine Tree and as a solo artist) gives Lightbulb Sun an endearing naivety, lyrically and musically. There’s an experimental spirit here, combined with a prevailing focus on solid tunes and guitar hooks, that set the tone for subsequent KScope records.

Wilson has since become a better singer, guitarist and storyteller, but with this record’s mesh of melodic angst, atmospheric swathes and grittier rock jabs, that scarcely matters.