Review: Alektra is a new project featuring the combined talents of long-serving European nu-disco and house hero Daniel Monaco and rising star John Noseda. As debut singles go, 'Shake Your Body' is a genuine treat - a throbbing, high-octane trip into mid 1980s Hi-NRG hedonism rich in sequenced, arpeggio-style bass, heavy machine drums, razor-sharp synth riffs, glassy-eyed female vocal samples and oodles of sweat-soaked male muscularity. It's basically a peak-time dancefloor anthem in the making. As well as the original mix (side A), we're also treated to a handy instrumental take shorn of the distinctive female vocal samples, and an effects-laden acapella for DJs who like to get imaginative in the mix
Review: In 1979, the Washington-based Janice Lakers Quintet recorded this fetching demo, beloved for its formal attending to the joy of making music together. With Lakers on vocals, Dick Cady on piano, Mike Edwards on woodwinds, Larry Turner on bass and Fred Taylor on drums, the group delivered two unique covers, each worked into their own signature style. Their take on Seawind's 'He Loves You' strips back the funk, replacing it with a light, effortless glide. Taylor's whisking drums and Turner's steady bassline lay an airy foundation, while Edwards' clarinet and Cady's piano inject bursts of energy mid-song. On the flip, 'Shaker Song' bridges Spyro Gyra's instrumental and Manhattan Transfer's later vocal version; richer in texture, it offered Lakers a chance to explore her vocal range, closing with lively scatting.
Review: Molekul's 11th outing is a various artists' affair with each of them exploring high-impact techno with a retro bent. JKS's 'Express Yourself' is a video game soundtrack for a post-apocalyptic shoot-em up. "Bad Boy" Pete brings dark and driving breakbeats infused with fierce stabs on 'Champion Sound' and Jacidorex brings some warped acid lines to the ever ascending and tightly stacked 'Extinctor.' Vikkei shut down with 'E Fallo Uno', which is an update of a manic hardstyle sound with caustic synths running a mock. Pure dance floor carnage, this.
Review: Born and raised in Chicago, Durty Truth Records founder Darryn Jones delivers a couple of corkers for North-East England re-edit imprint Hot Biscuit Recordings. A-side 'In The Bush' is a thrillingly heavyweight jam - an Afro-funk meets Afro-disco version of a track made famous by US disco and boogie outfits, which Jones has expertly extended and rearranged in all the right places. B-side 'In The Know', meanwhile, is a take on a more classic-sounding slab of Afro-disco that boasts a superb "walking bassline", extended electric piano solos, sultry strings and a fine male lead vocal.
Review: Jori is Jori Hulkkonen, the long-time Finnish artist who has mastered dub techno depths many times over. Here he gets more minimal and tech-inclined with the seance outing on Gorin, but very much keeps his signature dubbed out low ends. 'Chroma' is masterfully smooth and silky, with deft hi hats and lithe synths making for sweet and seductive loops as some nice synth work layers in the narrative. 'Quelle' is another impossibly cool and breezy deep tech glider with hints of old school West Coast tech. 'Citrone' is the final original and another super stylish deep minimal tech fusion. The Track & Trace New Friends mix reworks the drums to land with extra pillowy softness.
Review: There is no questioning Jovonn's deep house credentials. Smooth groves have long since oozed out of the American master and now comes another flow of goodness on the Next Moon label's first foray into vinyl. 'Back In The Dark' has it all - the spoken word consciousness, the glowing jazz chords and the cuddly beats. 'Moov' Sphere' gets more dark with bleeping synth sequences and what sound like wind sounds all darting about the mix and then 'Keep On Dancin'' lands nice and heavy of dusty drums with swinging hits and Roy Ayres-style melodic goodness. Last of all is the most raw and evocative of the lot with a spoken word sermon making 'Jessie's Speech' really cut through.
Review: Joyhauser revisit one of their breakthrough tracks with the 2025 version of 'Elements', out again through Terminal M; first released in 2019, the track helped cement the Belgian duo's place in the upper ranks of festival-ready techno, driven by towering synth leads and seismic drops. This new version sharpens the original's impact: percs are is tighter, basslines sling lower, and structures come re-mixed for optimal tension and release, tailored to high-cap systems. Kos:mo's flip offers a contrasting take, dialling back the aggression in favour of a moody, slow-release suspender. Both versions prove the power of a certain musical preservative instinct, when harnessed with intent, that is.
Review: Italian producer J.P Energy resurfaces with a reissue of two rare late-90s works-deep, percussive hybrids from a fertile moment in underground Italian club culture. Originally released in 1997, 'Prima Dell'Alba' and 'Forbidden Planet' blur the lines between early trance and stripped-back techno, brimming with cinematic tension and pulsing groove. 'Prima Dell'Alba' is the more mysterious of the pair: tribal rhythms, eerie pads and a gradual rise in intensity evoke a kind of sunrise ritual for the dancefloor. The original mix of 'Forbidden Planet' delivers a leaner, more mechanical energy-icy and forceful but with a meditative undertow. A 2025 revisited mix by J.P Energy himself kicks things off on the A-side, reimagining the track with updated production and added spatial depth, without losing the spirit of the original. As part of the Sound Migration series, this reissue pays tribute to a singular voice in Italian electronic music-subtle, rhythmic, and visionary.
Review: JR Disc has already become a firm part of the Detroit new school with his two previous outings on this label. Once again here he shows off his raw but emotionally poignant style and knack for a catchy groove. 'Bust' has rusty hi-hat sounds and deep, cavernous bass with rough edge drums a la Omar S. 'Wonder Traxx 1' then picks up the pace with heavy but inviting kicks that are again all frayed and dusty while some jazzy melodies bring a cheeky and playful twist. Pure Motor City gold if you ask us.
Review: 'Incense Music for Dining Room' is the third release in the acclaimed Incense Music compilation series curated by Toru Hashimoto, with artwork by Jiro Fujita and mastering by Calm, who is one of Japan's leading figures in jazz, chill-out and Balearic music. The 7" comes with two standout tracks: side-A features a beautiful reinterpretation of Yusef Lateef's 'Love Theme From Spartacus,' famously sampled by Nujabes on 'The Final View,' while Side-AA delivers a mellow, jazzy take on Joe Thomas' 'Coco' which also known as the basis for Buddha Brand's 'Buddha's Holiday.' It makes for a refined blend of nostalgia, jazz and chillout for discerning diggers.
Jauzas The Shining X Foreign Sequencer - "Enter The Body" (4:03)
Teslasonic - "Chubby Bee" (5:13)
Igors Vorobjovs - "For One" (4:40)
Review: Gladio Operations continues to bolster its catalogue with an international five-track set showcasing both label newcomers and trusted affiliates. Protocolo Sysex, the new alias of Madrid's Fabio Vinuesa, sets the tone with 'NotTheFuture'ia dense, adrenalised workout packed with rugged basslines and twitchy sequences. It's a fierce opener that signals the label's club-facing intent. Sinitsin, hailing from Russia, debuts with a moodier, machine-led cut, its melody work striking a balance between precision and drama. Jauzas the Shining returns alongside Foreign Sequence, offering a cold-blooded, cinematic highlight with shadowy synths and detached vocal fragments. Teslasonic's 'Chubby Bee' acid-kissed electro is quick and wiry, while Igors Vorobjovs brings the EP to a poignant close with a brooding IDM coda rich in ghosted textures.
Review: LowMoney unites fresh global talent for another big serving of their signature club sounds. Ukrainian producer Rustam kicks things off with 'Happy Comby,' a gritty acid-tinged groove built on deep, dreamy basslines. On A2, Jordan Lakofski delivers 'The Heat,' which is a nostalgia-soaked roller with a punchy 8-bit synth and infectious bassline. Glasidum nails the warm-up vibe with his trippy, groovy and perfectly deep opener on the flipside. Closing it out, Dutch duo MASI serve up a lush, introspective house cut that floats into the sunset. From acid edge to dreamy depth, this four-tracker has got something for everyone, which makes it a hugely useful 12" from the LowMoney camp.
Review: Interdance impressed with its first couple of forays onto wax and now its third release packs in more fresh talent from South America's underground. On the A-side, Buenos Aires' Vinz delivers two standout tracks: 'Instinto,' a raw, trance-tinged techno trip straight from 1992, and 'Transradio,' which is a cinematic journey with pounding drums and acidic synth lines burrowing deep. Flip to the B-side for Uruguayan producer Juan Dairecshion's deeper, more hypnotic sound on 'Rebel Rebel,' which rides a steady four-on-the-floor pulse, while 'UR Love' dives into murky, Detroit-inspired territory with eerie vocals and twisted melodies inspired by the group name-checked in the title. A bold, mind-bending four-tracker built for serious late-night floors.
Review: Measured Mile, the 7"s label run by Bob Stanley, firms its focus on DJ-friendly 45s that are or were either very rare or previously unavailable in the format. Its run of sharply curated 7"s is replenished with another three-tracker, this time an unusual choice, fencing two classic British sports broadcasting themes, pivoting from midtempo funk to faster breaks. Leading the A are two standouts from Douglas Wood, 'Cranes', known as the punchy, synth-heavy theme from the BDO World Darts Championship - and 'Drag Racer', the atmospheric opener to the BBC's Snooker World Championships coverage, both drawn from the revered Studio G library catalogue. On the flip, John Cameron's 'Sprocket Shuffle' - the lively 1980s ITV Snooker theme - rounds out the package in a flurry of analogue texture and charming nostalgia.
Review: Headnodic and Jazz Mafia, hailing from the Bay Area, bring a fresh yet nostalgic twist to the West Coast jazz-rap sound, combining the gritty pulse of boom-bap with the fluidity of jazz. From the outset, tracks like 'Rambissimo' and 'Zugulala' strike with a laid-back but engaging energy, fusing head-nodding beats made from SP-12s and MPCs with live instrumentation that radiates warmth and spontaneity. The resulting sound is both organic and meticulously crafted, effortlessly balancing sharp, loop-based hip-hop with the kind of loose, human groove that gives jazz its soul. The project came to life through an introduction from Thes One of People Under The Stairs, and it's clear why this collaboration is so electrifyingiheadnodding beats paired with smooth, clever bars that never take themselves too seriously. Tracks like 'Maiden Voyage' and 'All That You Could Be' capture the essence of jazzy hip-hop without ever feeling forced, creating a timeless vibe perfect for any occasion. This limited release is a gem, capturing a moment of pure creativity and musical synergy.
Review: The tenth album from French-Syrian flautist Naissam Jalal brings together some of jazz's most distinctive wind players in an intimate and remarkably cohesive set of duets. On Souffles ('Breaths'), she engages in raw, unhurried dialogue with Emile Parisien, Louis Sclavis, Sylvain Rifflet and others, each piece anchored in mutual listening and the elemental pulse of breath. Rather than showcasing virtuosity, these recordings draw power from restraint. 'Souffle #1' with Archie Shepp is the most meditative, an unspooling conversation between two voices that barely rise above a whisper. On 'Souffle #5', Thomas de Pourquery's sax lifts Jalal's flute into a playful, unsteady dance, while 'Souffle #3' with Yom pulls from deeper tonal reserves, evoking both lament and resolve. Jalal's talent lies in evoking weight from simplicity - not just through technique but through presence. The album foregrounds breath as both material and metaphor: exhalation as expression, resistance, memory. Her unforced phrasing and instinctive sense of space bring a disarming honesty to every track. Though rooted in jazz, this is music beyond genre - personal, embodied and open to the world. It's less about improvisation as freedom and more about the quiet intensity of listening.
Busta Rhymes - "In The Ghetto" (feat Rick James) (3:54)
Review: There's more to US funk god Rick James than just 'Super Freak' and this sprawling retrospective proves it. Across four sides, the Buffalo-born musician's full-spectrum funk is on glorious display i from the righteous bounce of 'You & I' and weed-soaked romance of 'Mary Jane', to the hard-grinding grooves of 'Ghetto Life' and 'Give It To Me Baby'. The hits are all here, but so are deeper cuts like 'She Blew My Mind (69 Times)', 'Cold Blooded' and 'Can't Stop', showing off James's twisted humour, whip-smart arrangements and genre-bending instincts. Highlights like 'Glow', 'Dance Wit Me - Part 1' and the Temptations-featuring 'Standing On The Top' cement his reputation as a psychedelic soul innovator who consistently defied convention. Even the closing Busta Rhymes flip of 'In The Ghetto' feels earned i a nod to his lasting influence on rap and r&b. This isn't just a greatest hits i it's a flex, a time capsule and a reminder that Rick James could outplay, outsing and outfreak almost anyone.
Review: Jameszoo aka Mitchel van Dinther returns with a cinematic journey blending jazz and contemporary classical. Written for Dutch ensemble Asko Schonberg, percussion group HIIIT, and Jameszoo's trio, Music for 17 Musicians explores themes from his 2022 work Blind. Central is a self-governing player piano controlled by custom algorithms creating autonomous musical decisions which add a unique, experimental edge. The music reflects van Dinther's fascination with detaching composer identity to invite active, unbiased listening. It is packed with rich orchestration and smart electronic interplay that nods to Steve Reich's classic while pushing onto new frontiers.
Review: There's a dark and eerie underbelly to Kathryn Joseph's We Were Made Prey. Everything feels dense, the air thick with a kind of moonlight, midnight unease. Images spring to mind of rushing through twilight woodlands or sailing through blinding fog. More than a few shades of Kate Bush, with the leading lady's vocal range certainly worthy of such a comparison. Tracks like 'Deer' owe more to the eternal Wuthering Heights resident than others, perhaps, but when all is said and done drawing this kind of comparison does us all a disservice. Lazy writing, and a failure to recognise the unique individuality of both female icons. Sticking in the here and now, Joseph has this remarkable ability to distill heady, intoxicating songs that grow, blossom, sometimes growl and always captivate. An emotionally charged enigma you need in your life.
Review: First released in 1981 in the wake of Ian Curtis's death, the compilation Still served as both an epilogue to and archive of Joy Division's brief but seismic existence, beginning in 1980s Manchester. A one-of-a-kind compilation, its uniqueness stems from two non-album wranglings, 'Dead Souls' and 'Glass', which precipitate a revelatory ream of studio outtakes, before a raw, emotionally freighted live set from their final show at Birmingham University. That concert also captured the only time the band played 'Ceremony' live; the tune would later reappear, reshaped, on the other side of Curtis's death, as New Order's debut single. An unusually passable idiosyncrasy consists in the fact that Curtis' vocals are barely audible on this version, as was often the case with every live performance of the song. Now reissued, this has to be one of the most comprehensive four sides of formative post-punk supersession ever to hit the shelves.
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