Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Is there a more fun and hard-to-pin-down label than Studio Barnhus? The plaything of Swedish artists Kornel Kovacs, Axel Boman and their mate Petter Nordkvist it has done it all from trancehall to bubblegum house via pop edits and plenty in between. Now they look to Stockholm boys Ari Bald & CJ Scott once more for a new EP that bangs hard and has a great sense of character, much like their label debut here last year. All four of these house cuts are full-flavoured slammers with heartfelt vocal samples and lovely naive melodies that really make their mark.

Review: This is the reissue of 2021's of the house music record Basement Grooves Volume 1 by Call Eden. After the first run of copies, the demand continued to slowly build as many couldn't resist wanting a copy of this excellent EP. All four pieces offer something special for that late night house music lover. Fans of labels like Nu Groove, Strictly Rhythm and the like will surely gravitate to gems like the beautiful 'La Riviera' and the Wild Pitch sound of 'Frome'. The B-sides are not just fillers either. We really like the groove on 'Gum' especially. This version comes on red vinyl to differentiate itself from the first edition.

Review: New Jersey house don Kerri Chandler is rightfully lauded as a hero of the scene. He continues to pour his heart and soul into every record and imbue his music with real-world emotions that elevate his tunes. He is of course a master of a deep but driving sound that borrows from soul, funk and jazz in ignitible ways. The third volume of his Lost & Found EP series on his own label Kaoz Theory is packed with more gold, from the slinky depths of 'Let It (Give Me Back My Love)' to the soul staring vocal work of 'Another Dawn' via more paired back sounds on 'The Bassline' (Kerri Dark mix) and the percussive energy of 'The Breeze.' Yet another essential Kerri 12" for your collection.

Review: Rapidfire techno-trance from Berlin's Changer, in the form of four rogue planetary collisions which, we must admit, we weren't ready for. In fact, it's pretty much statistically impossible for a human body to survive exoplanetary impact; all Changer promises with this EP is to help guide us through the emotional tumult that might ensue, and to perhaps convert said worry to excitement. While opener 'The Carrier' impresses somewhat with its furtive fast-trackings of bass and low-slung yet lightfooted kicks, it's the ensuing 'Undiscovered Expeditions' and jackhammering 'Type 2' that really capture our imaginations, with their relentless cosmic swirls and flustered synths caressing the top edges of things.

Review: Cheeba's Prestige All Stars carries on strong with its cut-and-paste beats/soul edits series. 'I Got You' tops up the trailblazing, quickfire repertoire with a dust-caked window into the past, by way of well-crafted, surround-mixed breakbeats and a gritty gospel sample on the A. Complementary to this comes the instrumental, highlighting the fact that the fact that the vocal sample is indeed the cherry on top; it hardly 'needs' said vocal to convince the listener to dance, though it does round things out with utter finesse.

Review: It is five up for the French label Chivalry here and the eponymous production outfit is behind the sounds which are distinctly futuristic and techno-minded. The opener rides on gurgling low ends and distant synth tension that is always on the rise as whistles vie for your attention up front. 'Track 2' is another wonky and industrial tech house sound with snappy drums that will jerk the floor into action and 'Track 3' then gets a little more smooth with its warped tones and alien sound effects. Last of all is 'Track 4', a jacked-up tune that spins you out on loopy synth madness.

Review: NYC Records looks outside its in-house stable for the first time here and signs the delightful nu-disco delights of Constellation. This duo hails from Miami and focuses on space disco sounds that fans of the famous Metro Area style are sure to love. They remain mysterious themselves but their beats are brilliantly designed with plenty of retro-future pads, cosmic arps and tight basslines full of colour, texture and soul. Like Daft Punk but deeper and more dubbed out. All four of these cuts are sure to get floors going but also bring plenty of style.

Review: Radial Records is the product of the friendship between the two artists Cosmjn and Lizz, coming together here to promote their sound, musical ideas and passion for electronic music. The two said that they want their record label to lead to cultural exchanges and a blending of musical influences, enriching the electronic music scene and promoting cross-cultural exchanges and for the first release on the label it makes complete sense for them to share top billing and set the tone. Simply called 'Radi 001', the EP has each one doing two tracks of all new music. Cosmjn's first track 'Touchstrip' is a dark tribal tech builder that has some prog house and a perfect amount of jackin' in it. 'Systems' is an electro funk party track that is perfect for poppin' and lockin'. Lizz's two tracks 'Restore Your Fear' and 'Future', meanwhile, are house burners that show the way forward in house music. If this is sign of what's to come on the label, than make sure to keep tabs on this project.

Review: The third welcome release in the vital NETWORK 23 remastered repress series comprises another three essential tracks. The A-Side showcases 'Panasonic,' a solo cut by Crystal Distortion that is pure experimental techno-madness. Flip it over and on the B-side you will find two tracks by 69db. 'Water' is a fizzing, dense, caustic mix of impenetrable rhythm and groove, and the second 'Drivin' is a collaboration with the original Spiral Tribe member, Meltdown Mickey, that again sounds like little else with its skittish loops, fizzing synth textures and unrelenting rhythms.

Review: Dadaphonic has a key reissue on their hands with Cranes debut album Fuse. The Cranes was a groundbreaking alternative band from New Hampshire that was led by the brother and sister duo Alison Shaw & Jim Shaw. Their popularity grew as the late 80s turned in the early 90s culminating with an opening slot on The Cure's Wish Tour in 1992. Perfectly blending with Cure in many respects, the Cranes would be re-labeled as Dream Pop in retrospect. Fuse was originally put out in 1986 as a cassette only album. Strangely, 38 years later it was still not brought out on other formats. Until now! This album shows the band in its infant stage honing their craft while longtime fans love the rawness of their early days. This album was remastered for this release to celebrate Fuse finally getting a wider release. Fans of dreampop, goth and alternative music will extremely interested in this important release.

Review: Legendary emo indie outfit The Cure have played all over the world in their decorated careers but back in 1996 when they headed to Brazil, it was the first time they had been to the country since 1988. They were there for the 1996 edition of the Hollywood Rock Festival which they headlined in superb fashion and wowed their Latin American fans. Live Lullabies & Other Bedtime Stories is a special recording of that night that comes on nice yellow vinyl and features the likes of signature anthems like 'Boys Don't Cry,' 'Friday I'm In Love,' 'Just Like Heaven' and many more.