Back catalogue: All genres

Review: .Three years on from the release of his hugely successful third album, Big Conspiracy, J Hus continues to make all the right moves. Now a genuine superstar of British music, the London MC has aimed even higher on Beautiful & Brutal Yard, enlisting the vocal talents of none other than Drake on 'Who Told You' (a Latin-tinged chunk of r&b slinkiness), as well as an impressive array of fellow MCs and beat-makers across an album that consciously pulls grime in a variety of accessible, radio-friendly directions. Lyrically, there are naturally some hard-hitting moments, but for every reflection on inner-city life and wider social issues there's a dose of loved-up sweetness and weary reflections on relationships. As a result, it's an impressively balanced and impeccably produced collection.

Review: Cosmic disco and spaced out Brit funk and pop fusion outfit Jamiroquai celebrates 20 years of their landmark Dynamite with a new limited edition reissue of what was their sixth studio album. Originally released in 2005, the album fused their signature funk, disco and electronic flair into smash radio hits like 'Feels Just Like It Should,' 'Seven Days in Sunny June' and '(Don't) Give Hate a Chance.' This anniversary edition comes pressed on exclusive coloured vinyl and also included is a replica promo CD sampler featuring pre-release single versions, an extended mix of the title track, and 'Black Devil Car.'

Review: Jamiroquai's The Return Of The Space Cowboy celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special reissue on "moon grey" vinyl. This edition includes Michael Gray's 2024 Good Vibe Zone edit of 'Space Cowboy', available on a physical release for the first time. The redesigned packaging, featuring foil accents, enhances the original album's iconic cover. Released in 1994, The Return Of The Space Cowboy solidified Jamiroquai's place in music, following their successful debut Emergency On Planet Earth. Fans praised its blend of jazz, funk, and soul, The album achieved platinum status in the UK, France, and Japan, and its single 'Space Cowboy' became a hit, topping the U.S. Billboard Dance charts. Musically, the album toned down its predecessor's "acid" influences in favor of funk and jazz, with tracks like 'Half The Man' and 'Stillness In Time' having a more mature sound. Political themes, such as on 'Manifest Destiny', highlighted the band's growth, addressing issues of racial injustice and homelessness. Timeless and genre-defying, The Return Of The Space Cowboy remains a classic, with its influence felt in artists like Missy Elliott and Tupac Shakur, who sampled its tracks. This reissue commemorates its enduring legacy.

Review: Making its debut release on vibrant neon green 12" vinyl for Record Store Day 2024, this release from Sony spotlights Jamiroquai's dazzling 2006 BBC live session, recorded at Maida Vale for radio legend Ken Bruce. It features all of the funk one's most epic tunes such as the perma-hit 'Cosmic Girl', the infectious 'Canned Heat' and the superb opener 'Runaway'. A great album, a great new pressing, a great one to snap up for when you need some colourful cosmic uplifting in your life.

Review: Allegedly one of the first ever records to make use of sampling, Jean-Michel Jarre's seventh album Zoolook brought with it a unique vibe, one well worth looking back on in light of its latest Sony reissue. In terms of notoriety, Zoolook pales in comparison to the electronic music crackerjack's 1976-8 heyday, which saw to both Oxygene and Equinoxe; but this is understandable, as Zoolook came much later, and sacrificed the grandiose mood of otherworldly space-awe for an eerier menage of playful factory hits and cacophonous dance hubbubery. Perhaps this sound - a jankier one that grew in popularity in the mid 80s - was driven by Jarre's use of the Fairlight CMI workstation and sampler, an example of a piece of gear that had the power to define an entire sound. We'd venture to say that the titular "Zoolook" is a kind of gaze that, by virtue of us living in a machine society, makes animals of us all.

Review: Originally released in 1984, this album remains one of the most experimental and groundbreaking albums in electronic music with Jarre's fans including everyone from Jeff Mills to Eno and Depeche Mode's Martin Gore. With its fusion of cutting-edge sampling techniques and rich, multicultural vocal work, the album stands out as a pivotal moment in both Jarre's career and in the history of music production. For its 40th anniversary, the album has been reissued in a remastered edition, with a bonus track, 'Moon Machine', making it an ideal time to revisit its timeless innovation. The album utilizes the Fairlight CMI sampler to manipulate vocal samples from over 25 languages, creating a truly unique soundscape. Tracks like 'Ethnicolor' and 'Diva' exhibit Jarre's use of avant-garde techniques, blending musique concrete influences with electronic textures and vivid, expressive vocals from artists like Laurie Anderson. The album's surreal qualities are further enriched by its diverse use of genres and influencesifrom the haunting 'Ethnicolor 1' to the funky, upbeat groove of 'Zoolookologie'. Though Zoolook diverges from the atmospheric, space-themed sound of Oxygene and Equinoxe, its experimental nature and complex structure push boundaries and make it an essential listen. While some tracks, like 'Woolloomooloo' and 'Blah Blah Kafe', slow the pace, they provide a contrast to the more intense moments, rounding out the album's broad, eclectic emotional range. Ultimately, Zoolook is a landmark in blending technology, culture and sound, and this anniversary edition is a fitting tribute to an album that helped shape the future of electronic music.

Review: Pivotal electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre is venerated for his massive live shows, which incorporate projections onto the sides of big buildings, fireworks, and the like. According to Sony, Jarre was also the first 'western' musician to perform in post-Mao China, which led to a longstandingly solid relationship between him, his management team, and the tourism and events industries of Beijing and Shanghai, which led to him continually performing in those cities over many years. 'The Concerts In China', originally released in 2014, collects the live audio of all of these performances, and is once again set for a re-release.

Review: Birmingham metal behemoths Judas Priest make their illustrious return on LP number 19; Invincible Shield. Serving as follow up to 2018's frenetic yet direct Firepower, the material this time around promises to hark back to the more loose, proggy edges of classic 70s cuts such as 'Sinner', whilst simultaneously eschewing the more grandiose experimentation found on the likes of 2008's symphonic Nostradamus. In essence, it's a victory lap of almost every sonic avenue the band have torn through during their multiple decades long tenure and although plagued by pandemic-related delays which then morphed into touring/scheduling conflicts, the six-year wait has been beyond worth it. Riffs = Check. Leather = Check. Rob Halford's sky-piercing vocals = Double Check.

Review: A true classic, British Steel would serve as the sixth full-length from British metal titans Judas Priest and is often considered to be their crowning achievement. Referred to by Max Cavalera (Sepultura, Soulfly) as the "essential thrash metal; I'm sure you can ask Metallica, if it wasn't for British Steel they wouldn't be here", and with notable footage of the aforementioned Metallica members James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett rocking (nerding) out at a recent Priest headline show, it's really no big secret how lofty of regard this razor-riffed gem is still held today. Boasting their iconic hit single and easily one of the best metal openers of all time with 'Breaking The Law' (which due to the lack of digital sampling at the time the band had to use analogue recording of smashing milk bottles for the desired sound effects), as well as mammoth cuts such as 'Metal Gods' (a subtle omen), and 'Living After Midnight', British Steal still breathes the like giant it is that welcomes all subsequent thrash metal acts to rest on their intimidating shoulders. Repressed on limited lush black and white splattered vinyl for National Album Day 2024.