Back catalogue: All genres

Review: This superbly timed and forever festive three-LP set showcases seasonal funk sounds from 1966 to 970. Holiday fan or not, these tracks, which are mostly original compositions, capture James Brown at the height of his career and rival his best grooves from the era. Packed with bonus tracks and insightful liner notes by Alan Leeds - Brown's former publicist and tour manager - the set offers an unparalleled glimpse into his festive yet funky brilliance and has been mastered and cut by the legendary Kevin Gray. Perfect for anyone who deserves an early dose of timeless, soulful holiday cheer.

Review: Few artists in electronic music are as legendary as Laurent Garnier. It is only right then that he finally makes his entry into the equally titanic and influential Fabric Presents series. His mix is a real doozy that here gets the full deluxe edition treatment and comes on 4 x12"s with a hefty booklet. The House Odyssey mix opens with afro house from South African producer Mr. Blase, leading into vibrant cuts from Cape Verde to Chicago. Newer faces like Culoe De Song, Neinzer, and Tal Fussman join stalwarts DJ Spen, DJ Lady D and Mike Dunn. The Rhythmic Resonance mix delivers high-impact techno moments from Red Axes, John Tejada, Electric Rescue, and more. Garnier's UK-focused Into The Low-End session includes Skrillex, MC GQ and more and all in all offers up a diverse mastery, from luminous house to bass-heavy techno.

Review: Star Trek has been on a tumultuous ride over the years. To paraphrase Wayne Campbell, of Wayne's World fame, in many ways The Next Generation was superior to the original series, but will always struggle to match the recognition of its source material. More recent shows in the franchise looked to expand the viewer base, following in the wake of the saga's modern films, but in doing so kind of lost the friendly, campish mild peril we love this universe for. Star Trek: Into Darkness was a case in point - it's not fun, it's not light, it's not particularly thoughtful. As a movie, it lives up to the promise of darkness. In terms of how this translates onto the score, expect seriously moody and atmospheric big screen compositions, rather than the jaunty soundtracks that once defined this institution.

Review: The Boston-based band The Post Pop Space Rock Be Bop Gospel Tabernacle Chorus and Orchestra was led by Webster Lewis and this album was recorded live in Oslo, Norway, in 1971. The original album was released in 1972 and this expanded edition includes previously unreleased songs, unseen photos and the full backstory of the historic concert. It is a rather rare recording that showcases spiritual and soul jazz at its finest and blends instrumental and vocal tracks for a unique, eclectic sound that has made it highly sought after. Newly transferred from the master tapes, it offers improved sound quality and is a must-buy for jazz cats.

Review: Certified 8xPlatinum and ranked at number eight in the highest selling albums of the 21st century, 2003's Meteora saw nu-metal legends Linkin Park attempt (and very much succeed) to make lightning strike in the same place twice with their now iconic follow up to their 2000 12xPlatinum selling debut Hybrid Theory. Launching the "Because Sound Matters One-Step" series with new high-fidelity remasters of their first three albums, these audiophile reissues arrive in newly designed slipcases, complete with elaborate details of the audio processing stages. Pressed to 180-gram standard black vinyl with all 3000 copies numbered, rediscover a genre-staple with some of the band's biggest hits remastered to their fullest sonic potential yet, including 'Numb', 'Faint', 'Breaking The Habit', and, 'Somewhere I Belong'. Never has the veteran production of Terry Date and his seamless ability to fuse the band's warring metallic and hip-hop centric identities, felt so prominent and clear, while the passing of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017 shrouds his lyrical honesty and vulnerable cadence in harrowing retrospectivity.

Review: The Certified 12xPlatinum Grammy Award winning seminal debut album from nu-metal heavyweights Linkin Park is set to receive a brand-new limited reissue (along with 2003's Meteora and 2007's Minutes to Midnight) on what has been dubbed the "One Step" remasters. These high-quality audiophile pressings launch the new "Because Sound Matters One-Step" series, with each release providing details of the audio sourcing process; all housed in newly designed slipcases. Pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, numbered and limited to 3,000 copies, mark our words when we say you've never heard the genre-defining hits such as 'One Step Closer', 'Papercut', 'Crawling', or, 'In The End', with this level of clarity and fidelity, while the band's effortless fusion of metal, hip-hop, alternative rock and turntable wizardry, emboldened by the legendary production guru Terry Date, has rarely radiated such towering sonic warmth. Above all, the vulnerable lyricism and cathartic cadence of late, great lead vocalist Chester Bennington looms large and poignant.

Review: "What was amazing about Liska's music was that, unlike most other composers, he didn't attempt to go with the mood of the film and milk the emotions but listened to the rhythm of the movie itself. Especially in an animated film, this helped to greatly enhance the sense of the picture's pace and drama. He was able to discover rhythms in films that even their authors weren't aware of." Jan Svankmajer, whose 90th birthday coincides with the release of this compilation, clearly holds Zdenek Liska in high regard. Respectively, a director and his regular composer-collaborator, the Czech artists worked on ten short films together. The original recordings of music for three of those have survived on tape - Don Juan (Don sajn), Leonardo's Diary (Leonard?v denik) and Jabberwocky (evahlav aneb sati?ky Slam?neho Huberta). Now here they are in all their surreal, folk-ish, playful, comedic and, at times, library-style glory.

Review: .Originally released in 2009, Crack The Skye would serve as the fourth full-length and creative rebirth of sludge-indebted alternative metal behemoths Mastodon. Inspired by the suicide of drummer Brann Dailor's sister in their youth, the album takes cues from prog classics such as Pink Floyd's Animals and King Crimson's In The Court Of The Crimson King to craft a monolithic sonic journey spread across seven tracks. With their later material taking on a more instantaneous approach to composition, whilst coming off the back of the harsh dynamics of 2004's Leviathan and 2006's Blood Mountain, the mercurial middle point the band found themselves on this LP emboldened them to add Dailor as a third lead vocalist, providing a melodious fulcrum between the snarl of bassist Troy Sanders and nasal croon of guitarist Brent Hinds. A hallucinogenic, astral projecting prog epic in the search for peace accumulated through unprocessed grief, the project has been held near and dear to the hearts of the band and their fanbase in the fifteen years since initial release and now celebrates such a milestone with this definitive boxset. Spread across gold vinyl 2xLP with a bonus blu-ray, poster, magnet sheet and 12-page booklet.

Review: This is a stone-cold classic from the legendary and late MF Doom that gets s deceiving special Japanese Edition reissue for its 20th anniversary, complete with fresh artwork by Sam Rodriguez. This one has long been revered for its inventive production, sharp wordplay and food-themed metaphors which blend humour with incisive social commentary as Doom explores themes of vice, violence and jealousy with playful yet profound storytelling. Tracks like 'Beef Rapp' critique conflict glorification, 'Hoe Cakes' examines indulgence and 'One Beer' delves into escapism and ego. With its witty, layered narratives and textbook beats, this one is a brilliant fusion of satire and social insight.

Review: Originally released in 1977 (the year of punk's simultaneous birth and more notably, death), (I'm) Stranded has gone on to become, not only one of the most vital pieces of OG Aussie punk, but commonly considered as one of the quintessential early blueprints for an entire generation of artists. Staying on course and not even wading into the creative differences that would soon loom large over each subsequent follow up, this box set arrives as a joint collaboration between L.A. garage rock label In The Red, Universal Music Australia and spearheaded by Feel Presents and The Saints founder Ed Kuepper (later Laughing Clowns), who collectively deliver the original LP remastered for the time in four decades, along with never-before-pressed-to-wax bonus discs of a five-song live performance from Paddington Town Hall in Sydney in 1977, the band's full set from the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival, London November 1977, all three tracks from the 1977 This Perfect Day 12" and all four tracks from 1977's 1-2-3-4 double 7" single, as well as the previously unreleased 1976 demo mix of the (I'm) Stranded LP. Also boasting a 28 page 12" x 12" photo essay of the band covering their origins from 1973 through the end of '77, authorised band history, an 8" x 10" 1976 promo photo, and sticker, this is fan service and an album celebratory box set done right.

Review: This movie from 1997 was, at the time, hailed as one of the greatest LGBT films of its era. That has not diminished in the years since and it is still much-loved flick that rightly solidified Wong Kar-wai's reputation and earned him Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. It's a classic that explores the sorrow of love-lost and identity struggles amidst Hong Kong's 1997 handover and the film's evocative soundtrack heightens the whole narrative. It features Caetano Veloso's 'Cucurrucucu Paloma' and Astor Piazzolla's 'Tango Apasionado' and perfectly underscores the emotional journey of lovers played by Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung, all set against the backdrop of Argentina. With handpicked live recordings, this beloved soundtrack remains a poignant complement to the film's exploration of heartbreak and self-discovery.