Back catalogue: All genres

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: Dilla's "The Shining" serves as a testament to the fact that legends never die. On February 10th, 2006, the world of hip hop lost J Dilla aka Jay Dee. James "J Dilla" Yancey leaves behind an impression on hip hop that will last the test of time. A bridge between hip hop's underground and mainstream, Dilla's contributions ranged from single handedly defining Detroit hip hop as a founding member of Slum Village to providing his production talents to Common, D'Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Janet Jackson and Macy Gray. "The Shining" marked the reunion of J Dilla & BBE, who had released "Welcome 2 Detroit", J Dilla's debut album. "The Shining" serves as showcase of J Dilla's talents which features him not only as a producer, but also as a rapper, singer and musician. Featured guests on this album include Busta Rhymes, Common, Pharoahe Monch, D'Angelo, Madlib, Black Thought, Medaphor aka MED, and Guilty Simpson.

Review: There are an awful lot of great records in the J Dilla's catalogue, but few can match the consistent quality and coherent construction of Welcome 2 Detroit, his 2001 breakthrough album. Designed as a love letter to his home city with a sample palette and blend of styles to match, it saw the late producer and a string of then largely unknown local MCs showcase their vocal talents over some of his best ever beats. This lusciously expansive 20th anniversary box set does a brilliant job in expanding on the original album, with the 12 included "45s" pairing vocal mixes with instrumentals, unreleased cuts and occasional remixes. The included hardback book is brilliant, too, and packed with first-hand accounts of the creation of a now iconic LP.

Review: Though they've trodden remarkably different paths through music so far, the coming-together of UK singer-producers Allysha Joy, Hidden Spheres and Finn Rees makes for a latent talent condensation of the "of course!" kind. Solina hears them freshwater rock pool their shared ear for groove and space, weaving motifs of Balearic house, jazz, broken beat and 90s street soul through a vivid whole; long after each artist's works across in veins of future beats, chillwave, deep house and UK bass. From the tremulous Rhodes overwash of 'Promised Me Love' to the sophomoric sunstroke 'Trust The Feeling', Joy's vocals usually only appear lately, like a vocal forest spirit peeking its head out on the ecotone between wood and sea. Not a showcase of chops, but a case of layered restraint, unfurling unhurriedly.