Review: Emerald's 25th outing takes the form of another superb compilation with four artists who have already released on the label and plenty of new names making an equally good impression. ANNE kicks off with the deep, thudding kicks of 'Coral Reefs' complete with lush hits to smooth the groove. There is more weight and intensity to the oversized hi-hats ringlets on Mike Konstantinidis's 'Apocalypse', DJ Plant Texture layers in plenty of gritty and grime to his gritty 'Swingers' and Jarrod Yeates goes for a twisted after-party vibe on his intense and unrelenting 'Sesh Gremlin', with many more highlights besides.
Pulse 02(coloured vinyl 12"+ MP3 download code limited to 200 copies (comes in different coloured vinyl, we cannot guarantee which one you will receive))
Joachim Spieth - "Subtle" (Nitechord remix) (4:45)
Review: Past Inside the Present's 'Pulse' series is an investigation into ambient tech and beat-driven ambient sounds. Who better for the job on this second edition than master craftsmen ASC and Joachim Spieth? ASC opens up with 'Tidal Disruption Event', an understated, underwater rhythm with jittery percussive patterns and bright shards of melodic light piercing through the mix as more coarse soundwaves break over the top. Spieth's 'Subtle' is just as artful and delicate a mix of persuasive rhythm and melodic beauty. A classy Nitechord remix closes out this fascinating EP.
Review: This EP is the first collaborative work by Andrea Belfi and Jules Reidy. Berlin-based and hailing from Italy and Australia respectively, the duo blends compositional precision with improvisational freedom. During a residency at Berlin's Callie's-a 19th-century factory turned arts space-they and engineer Marco Anulli crafted four expansive tracks in which Belfi's masterful drumming interlaces with Reidy's shimmering guitars and electronic textures. The opener layers just-intoned guitar figures over delicate brushwork and climaxes with a synthetic surge and tracks like 'Oben' and 'Alto' explore shifting grooves, propulsive rhythms and dynamic soundscapes.
Review: Brooklyn is not often somewhere you think of when it comes to minimal, a sound more usually associated with European artists these days, unless of course, you're talking about early US originators like Dan Bell and Robert Hood. This release suggests that view is wrong with a trio of classy cuts. Mike Berardi's 'Helicopter Ride' is lively and jazzy and rides a nice broken beat. Samuel Padden's 'String Theory' is more icy and paired back to a minimal cosmic trip and Jay Tripwire's 'Floorboards' a wonky late-night charmer.
Review: The well regarded Umwelt introduced Raverbreakerz as a dynamic new series on his label Rave Or Die earlier in summer. This massive compilation shows what it is all about with four hard-hitting tracks from genre specialists Blame The Mono, Jadzia, Ghost In The Machine and Umwelt himself, Seamlessly blending techno, breakbeat and dark, intense sounds design to captivate and energise the floor in equal measure, each artists contributes to what is a versatile arsenal for DJs seeking powerful sounds with a distinct style. On this evidence, Raverbreakerz is going to be a crucial new series.
Review: Inhale Exhale will have you doing just that at a fair pace once you've dropped the needle on their latest record. It's a sweet trip into the depths of house and disco with seasoned artist Eddie C igniting the dance floor with a disco-infused anthem sure to set your hips swaying. Tilman crafts a delectable nu-groove track evoking the essence of the 90s with 'Forevermore' and then debuting on vinyl, Julius Renner embarks on a soulful journey to the heart of the dancefloor. Fresh talent Toomy Disco offers a funky, introspective bomb, Ron Brown serves up a deep, Latin-infused organ piece brimming with melancholy and optimism. Last of all, Meeshoo delivers a soul-stirring fusion of strings and disco brilliance.
Review: Burnt Friedman and Joao Pais Filipe's collaborative efforts began back in 2018. The former using synthesis and electronics to paint subtly but incredibly specific aural pictures, the latter focusing on the drum and rhythmic end of things. At times their music feels entirely designed for the dancefloors of underground electronic clubs, in other moments it's something very different indeed.
This latest EP lives up to those broad brushstrokes. '21-30' is a lush, almost tropical sounding workout that offers a complex percussive pattern, and combines these with gentle shades of melody, harmony, hook and distorted note. '22-105' brings elements of glitchiness and robotics into the mix. Meanwhile, '18-140' would work well as a brooding building tool (or section) of a 'proper techno' mix, with '23-130' bridging gaps between the lot.
Review: French label Boogie Butt gets us moving and grooving once more with a tasty new EP in the form of The Boogievison EP. It features a lead single from Ian Ash & Ella May, 'I Want To Thank You,' which pairs some jazzy chord work with a low-slung and warm house groove. The bass is funky and the vocals are seductive. It comes as an instrumental as well as a more direct and harder-edged Mr Doris & D-Funk remix. On the flip is Jessie Wagner & Fostin meet Ian Ash with 'Try Again,' a lovely soulful house groove with sublime and emotive vocals over another lush bass guitar. All very sweet tunes, these.
Review: Berlin's Exit Strategy began their 12"s game releasing EPs in browned sleeves, shortly before branching out into digital-vinyl combo releases with original artwork in the 2020s. Now with over ten years of experience under their belts, they welcome five new artists for a playful bricolage in deep and minimal techno, privileging elite, razor-sharp additive sound design and future-soulful vocal tasters. Ivory's opener 'Rain' epitomises this, while Jimi Jules squelchifies the same formula, and Aera's 'Future Holdings' rolls out the same logic to its ultimate conclusion, veering towards complex, 3D-graphic melodic techno composed entirely of climbing saws.
Review: The world can always do with more love and J Diggns delivers that on the A-side if this new jam on Digger's Delight with a refreshing remake. Blending the iconic Skull Snaps drumbeat with a melodic summer vibe, this track revisits a Bush Babee's classic from 1996 featuring Mos Def. At 93 BPM, it's a perfectly paced treat for classic hip-hop lovers. On the B-side, J reimagines the '96 Coolio remix with an "Atomic Dawg" vibe. Infused with classic samples and dancehall twists, it pays homage to "one nation under a groove" while delivering hard-hitting beats for the streets.
BBE: Big Booty Express (Pepe Bradock Moulin Rouge remix) (7:35)
BBE: Big Booty Express (Memorex interlude) (4:31)
BBE: Big Booty Express (Ame remix) (5:51)
BBE: Big Booty Express (1:56)
Review: Here's an intriguing remix choice by Pepe Bradock, Coda Deep and Ame: 'Big Booty Express' channels hot-footed twerkage into scratchy yet weighty house beats, over the course of four exclusive mixes on 12". The original beat, which also appears here, was a solid and rather crude piece of space-age lo-fi, filled with Dilla-ey noise wreckage. It was the only Dilla beat to ever come about as a tribute to Detroit techno. And for that, the three remixes lend completely new ideas to the original, tooting and farting into a nice n' raw ether.
Review: In a rare backwards castling and killer checkmate, Friendly Records boldly re-press one of J Dilla's most beloved cuts, 'Geek Down', which appeared on his landmark Donuts LP. Known for its sample of the 2001 dark funk tune 'Charlies Theme' by The Jimi Entley Sound, this indelible, ringed hors d'oeuvre was essential for the critics' collective assessment that the 2005 LP was his magnum opus. Trailing pink sprinkles behind it, 'Geek Down' made Dilla's name. Sadly, the title would seem predict the artist's death just three days after the record's release. Dilla was a true productive geekazoid, and it shows in this track, with its untameable, above-the-law Western guitar wahs and tense, lilting strings keeping the goosebump hairs stood aright. The originally sampled track appears on the B, still only part-revealing the magic trick.
Review: Ja-Ge George is a rather little-known dancehall artist who has turned out only a few releases over the last 20 years. He hails from Japan and is part of the Rub-A-Dub Market crew and now he is back with a new single that comes on Far Eastern label Lawson Entertainment. 'Down Beat Rule' blends new school and contemporary raga and dancehall into a classic-sounding cut with some rhythmic vocal stabs, natty, polished chords and broken tumbling beats to amp up any crowd. On the flip, it becomes a high-energy jungle workout powered by blistering breakbeats.
Review: How many Italo disco records leave you saying, "now *this* is where it's at!"? Even many classics miss the chi-spot, but oh do ZYX Music know where to look for such satiate sounds. Originally released in 1986, JD Jaber's Don't Wake Me Up gleams in new citrusy light: the new 12" maxi single recirculates a genius work by Gianluca Bergonzi, whose clattery percs, rattly sweet melodies, and spandex stabs leave our breaths taken. The hard-to-find original versions feature on the A, while the B-side stirs up two new exclusive remixes mouth-to-mouthing new life into the track (and we're not talking CPR): Flemming Dalum's is steeped in retro finesse, while Dstrtd Sngl takes a more modern route, injecting darker textures and punchier dynamics.
Review: Jackie Touche's 'Watch Out' is a highly sought-after Italo gem and one Michiel Van Der Kuy's most appreciated vocal productions. It has been unearthed by Vintage Pleasure Boutique from the Made Up Records catalogue and is denied by the lushness and richness of the classic Juno 106 synthesizer at its core. It brings ever-rising progressions with classic 80s Linn Drum suns that are tinny and metallic and lovely and pure bait for fans of 80s electronic sounds. As well as the restored and remastered original version you also get new remixes by Prospero, Bellatrix, A.P. Mono and Chris Van Buuren.
Review: .Following rumblers and shakers on the likes of Well Rounded and Low End Music, Jackson makes his debut on Liverpool imprint LDH. Proffering some of his wooziest brews so far, the whole collection smacks of 3am liberty. From the moment the creepy opener 'Genie' wafts into view until the very last stench of triumphant hypnosis on the bruk influenced 'Power' leaves your brain, the whole collection is an assault of the vibe senses. The tumbling organs and heavy harmonicas on 'Shakey Shakey' and the trippy boom bap of 'Static' can't go unrecognised for that matter. Shake what your Jackson gave you.
Review: The Jackson Sisters are next up on the latest 45 from Tower Vinyl, which has in recent times done a superb job of serving up some timeless and effective vintage soul sounds from across different niches and eras. This one kicks off with the well high energy sound of 'Miracles' with its big vocals, bigger drums and raw horns that are well known to cinema goers everywhere. 'Boy You're Dynamite' is a more raw and emotive sound with a striped back rhythm but superbly gut wrenching vocal deliveries.
Little Orphan Boy (Two Soul Fusion Downtempo remix) (10:25)
Little Orphan Boy (Two Soul Fusion instrumental) (14:00)
Review: Josh Milan and Louie Vega are real heavyweights and as Soul Fusion they step up here to remix the legendary 'Little Orphan Boy' which is the second single taken from album 'This Is Brian Jackson', the veteran artist's first true solo LP in over 20 years. They do so across four different versions and give it a vintage treatment. The extended 'Two Soul Fusion' mix brings back golden era of Masters at Work with a Latin-infused percussion groove while the 'Downtempo' remix lets Brian Jackson's vocals ride over a stripped back but just as soulful arrangement.
Review: R Zee Jackson's 'Row Fisherman Row EP', released on Jamwax, is a smooth fusion of roots and lovers rock. Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, Jackson (also known as Esso Jaxxon or Castro Pink) eventually moved to the United States in 1973 and later settled in Canada. There, he connected with key figures in the reggae scene, including Oswald Creary of Half Moon Studio, Doug of Comfort Sounds, and the legendary Jackie Mittoo. The EP kicks off with the title track, 'Row Fisherman Row', a melodic roots rock jam enriched with smooth dub elements. The warm, laid-back groove sets the tone, followed by 'Blackheart Man', where a deep, wobbling bass carries a more traditional reggae sound. On Side-2, 'Long Long Time' is a spiritual, echo-heavy vibe that exudes class and depth. Jackson continues to contribute to the reggae community as both a performer and producer, keeping the spirit of roots music alive.
Review: This classic Japanese funk tune has long been adored by erudite boogie, 80s funk and soul fans in Japan but also more internationally, and for the first time here it is now available as a 7" single. Produced by Toshiki Kadomatsu, the release includes one track each from the Jadoes albums It's Friday from 1986 and Free Drink in 1987, both of which are considered iconic in the Japanese boogie canon. 'Summer Lady' is full of glossy 80s drums and sparking melodies that bring unbridled joy and 'Friday Night' is a little more paired back but the stepping drums and male-female vocal interaction is a thing of beauty.
Contemporary Outdoors (A Vision Of Panorama remix) (4:37)
Contemporary Outdoors (Byron The Aquarius Midnight instrumental remix) (5:29)
Review: Igor Jadranin returns with another interstellar EP that redefines genre boundaries. Blending boogie basslines, futuristic synths, vintage drum machines and lush flute, piano and vibraphone melodies, the producer delivers cosmic electro-boogie with a playful edge. Tracks like 'Gangster Electro' bring hard-hitting beats, while remixes from Byron The Aquarius and A Vision of Panorama expand the palette. Byron's haunting 'Midnight' mixes crunch with eerie vibes while Panorama's Nu-Balearic twist adds sunrise warmth to the original. It all adds up to a bold 12" from the much-loved Chicago label.
Review: Aloha Got Soul is pleased to announce Bitta Attack, the newest release from Jah Gumby. Based in Palolo Valley, Honolulu, the producer and multi-instrumentalist brings shimmering musical diversity and crate-digging sensibility to his four-track EP. Two high-energy, progressive reggae tunes, 'Dine An' Dash' and 'Influencers.m.h.', trace a link to his 2018 release Humility: The Vibes of Jah G, a double LP that presented Gumby's masterful ability to craft rich arrangements with overwhelming instrumental density. Continuing this tradition, Bitta Attack hears an expansion of Gumby's galaxy, introducing listeners to his love of freestyle music, the electronic New York dance genre made popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Both tracks derive heavily from freestyle's rhythm, cadence and synth-heavy production, though it fuses this with Jah Gumby's already established yet unique style, resulting in something unlike anything you've ever heard before.
Review: Jahlin was not only a talented singer and songwriter but was also someone who made music with a strong message. He got his education in Canada after moving there in 1975 following his younger days in amid and after booming a welder - which seems a popular first career choice for eventual reggae stars as Bob Marley took a similar path - he pursued his musical career. His 'Roots Reality' is as the title suggests a roots reggae song from the Roots Reality label in 1983. It has a positive vibe and the rather rare addition of a violin which is not so often heard in reggae tunes.
Review: Jose James is one of the most velvet voices in contemporary jazz singing. He also has history of working with one of deep house's finest having done an album with the great Moodymann. Louie Vega, meanwhile, is one of the most decorated house artists of all time, so seems like a perfect man to remix James. He offers up four versions of the American's 'Saturday Night' with the first being a percussive, loose-limbed and soulful sound. An OG Mix and instrumental also make the cut as does a Louie Vega remix Guitar dub to bring some extra depth to the EP.
Review: Remarkable conceptronic electro from French electro artist Romain Jauzas, who's submerged his production efforts in a schizophrenic, abyssal liquid soundworld recalling abandoned submarines, half-malfunctioning psychonautic machinery and gilled alien lifeways. Telling the story of the artist "hidden in the shadow of his room" - trying to make sense of a recent transformation into an extrahuman, proto-Drexciyan entity known as "Jauzas the Shining" - this EP is a noxiously bubbling, effervescent slow-release of amnestic venom from just five digisonic vials.
Review: Jayse and Steve P are two DJs and producers hailing from Australia. As is often the way with music as quality and neat as this, they keep a generally low profile but their edits are deft and crispier-than-crisp, with their instrumentals - here titled simple 'Boogie A' and 'Boogie B' - sounding production-sharp enough to cut glass. Bordering on freestyle and funk, these are short slices of beat dazzlement, and also function as perfect songwriter fuel too.
Face At My Window (Kyoto Jazz Massive remix) (5:25)
Face At My Window (Yoshi edit) (3:04)
Face At My Window (feat Sean Haefeli) (3:30)
Beyond The Dream (Musclecars Reimagination) (10:26)
Beyond The Dream (feat Sean Haefeli) (3:35)
Review: Next up for BBE is a package of remixes that invites several key artists to add their own spin to Jazzanova's superb reimagining of Sam Sanders's iconic 'Face at my Window'. Kyoto Jazz Massive are first to tackle the single which first appeared on 'Strata Records - The Sound of Detroit - Reimagined by Jazzanova' and bring some intimate jazz clubs vibes. After a Yoshi edit and version with vocalists Sean Haefli, musclecars bring a touch of New York and Chicago house classicism to their version. Both remixers bring new perspective to this timeless classic.
Review: Staten Island's The Jazztronauts return to Nu Tone with a smooth cruising single which capitalises on the slick fusion style they do so well. There's a reflective, season-shifting mood to 'This Thing Of Ours' which feels perfectly suited to the time of year, whether it's David Giordano's wistful guitar chops or Josh Glazer and Shawn Rhoades' brass section pealing out over the laconic rhythm. 'When It Hits' on the flip is a more sprightly affair which sees drummer AJ Pantaleo setting a snappy pace and Jesse Blum flexing out on the keys, once again maintaining the buttery smooth style the band are so well loved for.
Review: Deep house on a 7" is a rather rather thing but this 45rpm certainly is worth your while. It is the first we have heard from Jazztronik, all producer and keysman Ryota Nozaki, since his Universal Language album last year. He has been at this now for 24 years and brings all that know how to these two jams. 'Evoke' is a lively broken beat workout with squelchy bass and improvised jazz keys that are restless and energizing with rich leads. 'Beat Hopper' (The 3rd Session) appears on the flip with more innovative keys and party-pumping broken beats. A tasteful duo for sure.
Review: As we roll further into the New Year we're still enjoying the arrival of plenty of new labels. Now Is Not The Time is one of them from the US that takes a bow here with its first EP, Lost In The Message. It's a three-way collab between the legendary Rahaan plus DJ Reg and Jerome O. What they do is chip up classic samples and killer grooves form the worlds of funk, soul, house and disco with 'Lost In The Message' kicking off in freewheeling fashion. 'Get Up Out Tha Water' has oems nice big horn energy and plenty of whistles and 'The M8 Track' is a deeper house sound with a belting diva vocal.
Review: 1984 was a big year for a lot of reasons - including the wall of sound unleashed by The Jesus & Mary Chain with 'Upside Down'. The Scottish alternative rock set delivered their first single in November that year, marking the arrival of a decade-spanning tour de force of the guitar world. Packing a Syd Barrett cover on the B-side, 'Vegetable Man' (its chorus to be confused with the line, "festival man", not matter how much it sounds like those are the words), the track and its accompaniment on the flip would sell 50,0000 copies and become Creation Records first major success story. It also set the tone for one of the most inimitable back catalogues in rock & roll history. But these are other tales for other times.
Forever Sunshine (I:Cube Soup Less 2 Less Guit remix) (6:48)
Fibber's Aardvarck (Aardvarck remix - Jay Ka L'Abbé Chamelle Rew-Edit) (5:57)
Moon's Man (Stefan&Chair Jay Ka & Flabaire remix) (5:08)
Forever Sunshine (10") (4:26)
Fibber (3:53)
Moon 's Man (4:00)
Review: A powerful visual statement is presented on the front cover of the latest I:Cube and Jim Ka Ray release, on which McDonalds' french fries are likened to mollifying injections. Though the political conclusions we might glean from this are obvious and many, there is also an irony to the conceit; 'Jim Ka Ray' presents music that is almost equally as mollifying. Perhaps, however, the new alias of Jay Ka (aka. Kogui, who has formerly released with of Saft, As It Is and Phonogramme) would like to suggest that there are different forms of mollification; some that simply placate the soul so as to distract it from the world's injustices, and others that are more genuine, in that they serve to relax us by helping us articulate solutions. Music, luckily, is always part of the solution, as it resists the course of the world by form alone: 'Forever Sunshine', 'Fibber' and 'Moon's Man' ostensibly sound as mollifyingly Balearic as can be, but further listens reveal an attention to detail, a polish, that is not only rare in contemporary downtempo but evokes a subtler sense of emancipation, in that only the freer spirits among us could possibly have the talent or wherewithal to polish such gems. Enough blather; the remixes by the likes of Soup Less and Aardvarck (a name we haven't heard from in a while) are equally as subtle and tasty; dare we say far more nourishing than a L1.99 fry-fest.
Review: Jimi Ahlroos's debut release on Jazzaggression is a limited edition album that comes in a reused sleeve with a digital download but none of the musical ideas are rehashed in any way. it's a vital 10" that features three original compositions performed by Jimi's energetic trio which includes Mooses Kuloniemi on drums and Tuomo Purhonen on double bass. Recorded at Pelto Studio in Siuntio during November 2023, the A-side opens with the funky 'Kouvo's Dance' followed by the introspective 'Blues.' The B-side offers the expansive 'Dave Had a Dream,' a heartfelt tribute to David Lynch that has already proven popular at Jimi's gigs.
Willie D (feat Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things) (4:15)
Keep On Movin' On (feat Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things) (3:33)
Willie Chase (instrumental) (3:03)
Parade Strut (instrumental) (2:34)
Review: An iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation flick, JJ Johnson and Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things turned a collective head when they simultaneously composed their core themes for Willie Dynamite, directed by obscure director Gilbert Moses. This ineluctable screen treat stars Roscoe Orman and Diana Sands in a quintessential portrayal of early '70s New York pimping, with the central character's foibles giving rise to a latent conscience when he comes into contact with a young social worker. As is often the case with the blaxploitation genre, Willie Dynamite begins with the lead character cruising down the streets of New York in some kind of fancy car, and 'tracked by the central theme: the theme of Reeves' 'Willie D' is clear as day, lyrically portraying D's hustle as 'magic', "never treating two girls the same", "it's no different from any other industry". 'Keep On Movin' On' contrasts this with a note of modesty, signaling the movie's inevitable tonal shift; nor should you miss the B-side instrumentals 'Willie Chase' and 'Parade Strut'.
Review: The inaugural 9128.live label release came from the UK's Jo Johnson and Hilary Robinson, featuring subtle, harmonic drones and manipulated piano, originally aired as part of the duo's set for the CALMA (Madrid) takeover on 9128.live, April 2020. Released digitally in 2020, the set is now available on 12" vinyl, split into two long-form compositions.
Review: David R Jones's 'More Than A Dream' is about as Italo as Italo gets. It's also a hugely accessible disco cut with plenty of euro-dance influences in its hi-NRG, camp and upbeat arrangement. There are sinewy synth modulations and shiny arps, chugging beats and a big vocal to finish it off with plenty of razzmatazz. The dub version is included here as well as an acappella, extended mix, instrumental version and standout Eddy Mi Ami remix to complete this essential new 12" from Irma. All of these will provide great moments of energetic release in the club this winter and beyond.
Review: Joy Division's iconic track Love Will Tear Us Apart' gets a special treatment with this limited edition 12" LP on glow-in-the-dark vinyl. The 12" remix of the song offers a new perspective on the classic, allowing listeners to experience its haunting beauty in a fresh light. This release is idea for fans and collectors alike, offering a unique and memorable way to enjoy one of post-punk's most enduring and influential songs. What else us there to say? Get a beautiful looking copy of one of alternative music's most important song ever.
Review: Offering five tracks of captivating Italian techno and trance, JP Energy's Strano EP, resurfaces with a timeless allure, Originating from 1993 Italy, Side-1 opens with 'Down To The Moon,' exuding early 90s trance and techno vibes, hinting at the emergence of intelligent techno that later evolved into IDM. With celestial undertones, it sets a hypnotic tone. Following is 'Dolphin Dance,' blending techno with shades of darker 80s Italo house, crafting a compelling sonic journey. Flipping to Side 2, 'Alvorada' unfolds as a smooth, ambient techno gem, showcasing melodic intricacies that enchant the listener. The EP concludes with the E-Talking remix of 'Alvorada,' displaying a fresh and updated interpretation of the original. This remix maintains the track's smoothness while injecting
a contemporary flair. Overall, Strano EP is a great example at a timeless sound that is being enjoyed today.
Review: Scaring The Hoes was the 2023 collaborative record by unequivocal avant-hip-hop crown bearers Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA. The album was almost instantly met with widespread critical acclaim, most notably for its weird use of contemporary political imagery in music videos (frequently Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, for some reason) and its staunch defiance of the misogynistic injunction to "stop scaring the hoes" with weird, left-of-centre music. Now comes the 'DLC' and/or 'expansion pack' version of the album, which includes four exclusive new mixes from the album sessions; Brown shines on an ultra-kooky, SFX-laden intro, 'Guess What Bitch, We Back Hoe!', followed by the crackly soul-bap of 'Hermanos' and the crossticking lo-fi of 'Tell Me Where To Go'. Closer 'No! No! No!' presents an incredible gospel timestretch-spaghettification, over which a medley shared between both MCs makes their enduring talents ever more apparent.
To Jest To (Hemp Gru Jungle Scratch rework, Scratch DJ Cent & DJ Vazee) (4:10)
To Jest To (Hemp Gru Jungle Scratch rework - PZG remix) (3:39)
Scratch Tool (bonus track) (3:30)
Tylko Ty To Jest To (feat Cheeba & Scratch DJ Mad - Hemp Gru Jungle Scratch rework) (4:10)
Mocny Bass To Jest To (feat Sabot & Scratch DJ Chmielix - Hemp Gru Jungle Scratch rework) (4:09)
Sabot (acappella) (4:08)
Review: Jungle Scratch's latest release JS002 is a vinyl-only 12" that hits all the right notes for beat lovers and turntablists. This time, they've taken Hemp Gru's 'This is it' and reworked it with contributions from Cheeba and Sabot, adding their own flavours to the beat. DJ Cent, DJ Vazee, DJ Chmielix, and MAD are on hand with cuts and scratches, giving the tracks that raw, live feel. As a bonus, Mad & Tuse have included a special track made just for turntablists, adding even more value to the release. Each copy also comes with limited edition stickers, and Tuse's artwork rounds off the package, making JS002 a must-have for collectors and scratch enthusiasts alike.
Review: Koenig Cylinders always kept it hella real with their techno. The pair of John Selway and Oliver Chesler were pioneers of the hard stuff first time around and now that it is back en vogue, why not reissue this classic? 'Untitled' opens with a freaky vocal and eerie synth sound before '99.9' brings a wall of white noise and slamming drum patterns. 'Carousel' is an urgent wall-rattler with cantering drums and rave sires that light up the 'floor and 'Choreomania' shuts down with razor-sharp synths and acid flashes that tickle your brain. Arresting tackle of the highest order.
Review: The Mannequin label strikes another perfect techno pose here with LFT aka Johannes Haas stepping up to lay it down. Opener 'I Want To Be A Witch' is a pummelling drum assault with heavy funk in its rhythms and darkness in the tortured vocals. 'No More Tears' is a gehtto-fried double-time workout with more well treated, reverb heavy vocals and unrelenting drums and 'Horst Du Das' is a dark wave, EBM and industrial post-punk techno fusion full of straight-ahead energy and warehouse grit and grime. That scuzzy lo-fi aesthetic continues through the snarled vocals and fizzing drum machine sounds of 'Panzer Tanz', percolating synths of 'Voodoo Dues' and menacing atmosphere of The Hacker's remix.
Review: Eight further sonic spirits are conjured on the seventh edition in Damian Lazarus' annual compilation series. Emphasising deep house and techno grooves with a hypnotic flavour, the procurement here is exemplarily brooding; Dino Lenny's 'I Have Sampled Father' marks a sure turn away from the openers' cleaner-cut mesmerisms with a smoky, funk-inflected haze, bringing rhythm guitar and paternal murmurations to a surreal montage. The monologuing mood continues on the equal highlight that is Upercent's 'Where Are You', whilst Enamour's 'Jackpot' rounds out the show with the record's only brightly-lit minimal triller. The record is marked by sensuous, distant, familiar voices throughout.
Alexander Wirth - "Another Round" (feat Mantsche) (8:03)
Review: Leap hit double figures and over the nine previous releases has managed to establish a signature sound that has found favour with cultured techno heads. The Foundation EP is a various artists affair that opens up with a mix from Dutch deep smith Reshape. His usual dusty and grainy aesthetic colours the mid-tempo dub drums and eerie synth work. 'Creation Dub' is a little lighter and brighter with rippling chords and undulating low ends. Anton Kubikov then lets in yet more light with his lush synth smears and subtly funk house drums on 'Power Under Your Skin.' It's pure heads-down tackle from Alexander Wirth who closes out with 'Another Round' (feat Mantsche).
Sanderson Dear - "A Place For Totems" (extended version) (6:10)
Review: Sanderson Dear's Stasis Recordings released the original Time Capsule compilation in 2020 - a 20-track exploration of ten different ambient techno artists exploring two ideas each in compact form for a box set of 7"s. Now the label has revisited some of the project's standout moments and offered a chance to enjoy extended versions gathered on a single 12". From Maps Of Hyperspace shaping out atmospheric halls of synth work on 'Beta' to Glo Phase offering some gorgeous, sparkling grooves on 'Fire Flies', there's plenty of ground covered on this release. Of course the mighty John Beltran is a big drawer too, and his typically stellar 'The Descendent' doesn't disappoint in its full extended version.
Review: The fourth record from the French electro label Perfusion. So far, each release features multiple artists showcasing their own brand of the next generation electro. Nite Fleit's 'Off Radar' is an audio attack on your senses, a sometimes abrasive, crunchy, raw, heavy bass stormer is not for the faint of heart. Swooh's 'The Streets' also has an over-arching sci-fi sound to it revelling in the history of electro. For the second side, High Fidelity's 'Say My Name' adds a rave-punk attitude to the mixture of electroclash, gabber and techno. The EP rounds out with a breakcore romp with Juicy Selekta's 'Stackin' Up!' that features some hip-hop samples. If electro-shock was a genre, you'd point people to this track. Intense.
The O'Jays - "This Time Baby" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:53)
The Futures - "Party Time Man" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:11)
Jean Carn - "My Love Don't Come Easy" (A Tom Moulton mix) (10:45)
The Jones Girls - "Nights Over Egypt" (A Tom Moulton mix) (9:13)
Review: Philadelphia International Records continues to dip into its bulging archives and offer up double-packs containing some of the finest 1970s remixes from remix pioneer Tom Moulton. As you'd expect, there's plenty to get the juices flowing and the heart pounding on this third volume in the series. Record one opens up with Moulton's epic version of the O'Jays' "This Time Baby", a swirling Philly Soul classic that later became a favourite of sample-loving disco-house producers and disco re-editors, and continues with his sugary but floor-friendly version of the Futures' "Party Time Man". Over on record two, Moulton's inspired extension of Jean Carn's seductive "Love Don't Come Easy" is followed by his must-have version of the Jones Girls' "Nights Over Egypt".
Review: Solene and J. Rawls team up for a delicious pair of pelagic, coolant nu-soul and house nocturnes, crossing the sparse but oceanic space between genres. On 'Love Moon', the producer and singer respectively cover such intense themes as late-night reflectivity and good company: "nothing glam, it's just you and me..." Solene intones this sombrely, as the last syllable is heard to trail off into a surfactant mist. Meanwhile, 'Can't Catch Me In Love' raises the emotive drawbridge once more, hoisting supporting pillars of kick drum and serene pan flute, as flirtatious gingerbread taunts are heard in the chorus, not to mention musings on past relationship blunders.
John Abercrombie & Jack DeJohnette - "Unshielded Desire" (9:39)
Dave Holland - "Jamala" (2:42)
Jack DeJohnette - "Sorcery I" (7:54)
Review: Gateway by John Abercrombie is a captivating journey through the realms of modern jazz fusion, featuring Abercrombie's masterful guitar work alongside Dave Holland's silky-smooth bass and Jack DeJohnette's dynamic drumming. Seamlessly blends traditional and progressive jazz elements, Abercrombie's compositions showcase intricate band interplay, with tracks like 'May Dance' and 'Jamala' highlighting the trio's ability to shape melodies around each other's instrumentation. Holland's bass provides a solid foundation, grounding Abercrombie's exploratory guitar solos, while DeJohnette's drumming adds texture and depth to the ensemble. Abercrombie's experimental approach to guitar sounds, as seen in 'Sorcery 1,' adds a unique dimension to the album, enhancing its dissonant yet accessible nature. Overall, Gateway offers a rewarding listening experience for jazz and music lovers.
Review: After numerous patches, Cyberpunk 2077 has come an astoundingly long way since Keanu Reeves himself announced it at the now-defunct E3 expo. Phantom Liberty is an expansion on the original game set in Dogtown, the ruins of an abandoned luxury development project that was forced to be scrapped when old military complexes, bunkers and labs were uncovered by construction. A tale of espionage and political intrigue ensues, scored by P.T. Adamczyk and Jacek Paciorkowski once again following the duo's Game Award-nominated original score. The highlight is, of course, 'Phantom Liberty', the title and credits track that features Polish X Factor winner and multi-diamond recording artist Dawid Podsiadlo, his voice booming in front of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Pressed on heavyweight 180gm vinyl and includes a double-sided insert with key art of Songbird for fans of the series to enjoy.
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