Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Legendary video game soundtrack-er Motorhiro Kawashima is best known for his efforts on the iconic Streets of Rage 2 and 3 titles. The latter is remembered as one of the hardest to define scores of all time, certainly in terms of a playable titles, and even 30 years on still amazes and baffles anyone who encounters it. Less well known are the artist's solo and standalone efforts, which came much later. Acrobatizm and Prepared Wave were the first two of those records, and emerged in the pre-pandemic late-noughties. Both draw heavily on the glitch and leftfield experimental techno worlds, which were in rude health at the time, doubling down on staccato rhythms and mind-blowing arpeggiation, with the punchiness and jerky vibes more than nod to the glory days of 8-bit gaming.

Review: Eli Keszler hears the New York percussionist and composer of the same name lord his soundworld over as yet unhaunted terrains. Rooted in dust residues of American abstraction, jazz noir, ancient melodic memory and crumbling industrial forms, the record unfolds as a footworking meditation on beauty and erosion, gawping at the anguishes and awes of the present moment. Keszler's metamorphic practice spans releases on PAN, Empty Editions, and ESP Disk, as well as collaborations with Oneohtrix Point Never, Rashad Becker and Laurel Halo. Icons emerges as a natural continuation of his previous, equally as unsettling LP Stadium from 2018, and this one emerges as its natural progression. The release coincides with a conversation between Keszler and filmmaker Adam Curtis, framing the album within a wider dialogue on sound, history and collapse.

Review: Originally released in 2002, Alive Or Just Breathing would serve as the acclaimed sophomore full-length from Massachusetts metalcore legends Killswitch Engage. Noted for initially marking the end of their tenure with original vocalist Jesse Leach, who would depart and be subsequently replaced by Howard Jones until 2012 before his eventual return; the album is considered a landmark in the scene due its ability to highlight the commercial viability of a melodious metal meets post-hardcore style, which had remained a niche underground subgenre up until this point. Produced by guitarist/ drummer/overall mastermind Adam Dutkiewicz before switching his sole focus to guitar, the crunching grooves, saccharine melodies and staggering confidence displayed quickly cemented the band's legacy, whilst lead single 'My Last Serenade' remains their most popular hit to date.

Review: What's that strange rock formation over there? Phantom Island hears King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard burrow back into their sprawling underworld Gizzverse, mixing hallucinatory narratives and a restrained sonic palette, all while returning their rock operatic thematic hand to the cartographic myth of phantom islands. First intended to lead their album Flight b741, the song (come album) took on a life of its own, and just had to be released separately. Pepys Island and Antillia are a but a few of the mythological backbones of this miraging rock masterpiece, intuiting the story of a pilot touching down on a dreamlike island, only to find the passengers unraveling into visions of gods and beasts.

Review: The hugely prolific and endlessly touring Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's latest is Rave Gizzard: Live in San Francisco 2024 via Reverberation Appreciation Society, a hefty triple-LP capturing their legendary first-ever full synth set. It was recorded live at The Regency Ballroom on November 6, 2024, and is a nine-track set with technicolour performances of tracks like 'Theia,' 'Gilgamesh' and 'Extinction' all reimagined with razor-sharp synth textures. It was an epic show lapped up by fans who revelled in the overwhelming bass and immersive, rave-like energy, all of which is conveyed when listening back. This limited-edition bootleg is a document of the band's adventurous leap into synth-driven psychedelia that is sure to swiftly sell out.

Review: Aussie rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's 22nd studio release continues their tradition of bold experimentation, featuring two expansive 15-minute tracks, including the highly anticipated fan favourite 'Hypertension.' The band's ability to push the boundaries of the rock genre is ever-present as they blend complex rhythms, hypnotic melodies, and immersive instrumentation in these sprawling compositions. An intricate sonic journey, showcasing King Gizzard's signature chaotic beauty and their continued exploration of sound in new, exciting directions.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Carole King's second album holds the title of being "the 81st best-selling album of all time," having sold more than 14 million copies around the world and picking up Diamond status in 1995. It was a multi-Grammy Award winner including Album of the Year and spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It features two covers written by King, and demonstrated her technical style and the full range of a voice that was said at the time to be liberating for other female singers. A creative album of pop with real intimacy, it also shows a high level of musical accomplishment.

Review: Luniwaz LIVE is the sound of Scott Kinsey paying tribute to Joe Zawinul and Weather Report, not by basic imitation, but through fearless reinvention. The album was recorded live in Prague and brings Zawinul's spirit to life with raw energy and deep improvisation alongside Kinsey's seasoned rhythm section. As part of that, Hadrien Feraud and Gergo Borlai join forces with rising saxophonist Patrick Bartley Jr to blend jazz mastery with modern flair alongside guest appearances from Pedro Martins, Meredith Salimbeni and Bobby Thomas Jr, who further elevate the sound. Far from an exercise in nostalgia, this is a great reimagining of a jazz legacy.

Review: A standout in Rahsaan Roland Kirk's early recordings rep, We Free Kings (1962) snaps the young multi-instrumentalist from Columbus, Ohio in sharp and fitted suited form, striking a confident balance between bop-rooted sophistication and latent warm expression. The album has two rhythm sections - Hank Jones and Wendell Marshall on one, Richard Wyands and Art Davis on the other - with Charlie Persip anchoring on drums throughout. While the majority evidences Kirk's prowess as composer and arranger, his interpretation of Charlie Parker's 'Blues for Alice' curves the ball with a fierce, swinging homage; clearly, there's no peace for this mouthpiece. Part of Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series, this one comes again with all-analog remastering from the original tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve.

Review: You don't sell 5.27 million copies of anything without doing something right. Winner of the E3 Game Critics award for Best Platform Game in 1999, to name just one of countless nominations and awards, Donkey Kong 64 was one of the best loved titles on the iconic Nintendo 64, and represented two years of programming, coding and designing on the part of legendary software house, Rare. Amazingly, considering this was almost three decades ago and cartridge-based titles are usually regarded as the stronghold of chip music, Grant Kirkhope's score is anything but and still sounds fresh. From aptly titled opener, 'DK Rap', to the meandering jazz closer 'Candy Kong', featuring David Leo Kemp on sax, via 'Angry Aztec' and its Indiana Jones vibe, and the John Williams-esque 'Mine Cart', it's all so enjoyable.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve split at the top but otherwise in excellent condition***


One of UK soul's brightest sparks and Danger Mouse on production: Michael Kiwanuka's highly anticipated sophomore takes a running jump and kicks the Motowns out of the difficult second album cliche. Ranging from epic urgent cinematica "Rule The World" to the smouldering blues ballad "The Final Frame" by way of ELO-meets-Finlay Quaye fuzzy rock funk "One More Night" Michael and Mouse take us through a detailed, dreamy and dramatic adventure that really explores Michael's gutsy range and developed writing style. On level, if not better, than Home Again.

Review: Christian Kleine returns in tip-top form to unearthing more pristine gems from his personal DAT archive for a second volume of Electronic Music From The Lost World. This one continues the journey of his effortless fusion of melodic warmth, intricate rhythms and punk influences while celebrating the lesser known edges of electronica. As always he carefully unearths previously unreleased experiments from his Berlin days where minimalist living fuelled maximal creativity. The album's visuals are rooted in Midori Hirano's Berlin photography and add an extra dimension to the cinematic unbroken beats and mournful rhythmic laments.

Review: Having long since been making a vital contribution to the drum & bass landscape, On Rhythm marks the first-ever album released on Future Retro London. It was during a 2023 tour in Australia and New Zealand that the label head finally met Kloke in Melbourne after years of online collaboration. Visiting his studio, he discovered a massive folder of thousands of music files and took a large part of it back home, spending months sifting through to select favourites for this album. After much back-and-forth with Kloke, the final version is now pressed to three slabs of wax. They make for a full sale exploration of his sound, from dark and driving drum breaks to more journeying cosmic trips like 'Rebellion', ice cold steppers like 'Tomorrow's World' and melodic mind melters like 'To The Moon'.

Review: The story of Kool Keith's latest project is as peculiar and unpredictable as the man himself. For decades, he's thrived on the outskirts of hip-hop, carving out a singular lane where eccentricity, sci-fi alter egos and razor-sharp wordplay collide. If rap had its own multiverse, Keith would be one of its most elusive figuresidrifting between dimensions, reinventing himself with each new project, all while maintaining a presence that feels both legendary and underrated. His first full-length release since Black Elvis 2 reunites him with longtime collaborators and fresh voices alike. Hip-hop mainstays Tash (Tha Alkaholiks) and Marc Live (Analog Brothers/Black Elvis) bring their unmistakable styles to the mix, while rising talents like Dear Derrick and Yah Zillah add new energy. The production, handled by Grant Shapiro, is an exercise in classic boom bap craftsmanship: chunky drum loops, hypnotic samples and that signature off-kilter bounce that Keith navigates so well. If anything, this release reminds us that Keith exists in his own creative galaxy, unbothered by trends or mainstream validation. The lead single, 'Super Hits', arrives with a video directed by Wayne Campbell, a frequent collaborator known for his work with Benny The Butcher. The tracklist alone reads like a cryptic message from Keith's mind: 'Pierre 9', 'Body Rock', 'Pissing', 'Jim Kelly'ieach title a doorway into his endlessly surreal world. J-Styles and Steve "Steve B" Baughman shape the sonics into something urgent and tactile, where every drum hit and vocal nuance pops. Keith, as always, plays by his own rules. He's been doing it for so long that any attempt to pin him down feels futile. Instead, you just press play and let the madness unfold.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve slightly torn and creased but otherwise in excellent condition***


This 2000 release was the first time his majesty of the melancholic Mark Kozelek had made a record under his own name as opposed to Red House Painters, and took many Red House Painters devotees rather by surprise by including - alongside three top-drawer songs of Kozelek's own - not one but three AC/DC covers along with one song by John Denver. Yet Kozelek transformed these well-worn rock classics into bleak and captivating glimpses into the darker recesses of the human condition, bringing out every drop of pathos and heartache in their bawdy lyrics as is his wont, and proving himself not only a man possessed of a uniquely affecting voice but a strangely transformative power as a performer. For many, 'Rock 'N' Roll Singer' marked not only the strangest work in his large back catalogue, but one of the finest.

Review: Ma?h is based in Berlin but makes occult techno inspired by Tikal, which is the ruin of an ancient Mayan city in Guatemala. He creates a sense of ancient ritual, tribalism, primaeval drums and otherworldly atmosphere across five fantastically evocative and escapist cuts here. They all go deep, with rubbery rhythms marbled with wordless vocals, chanting, eerie FX and absorbing mysticism that is all expertly done and hugely authentic. 'Acat' is a standout with its lolloping bass and tom-peppered beats, while 'Exorcismo' is more intense and heady. 'Caiman Ritual' is a humid and intense dub techno bumper, and it rounds out one of the most original EPs we've heard in ages.

Review: Journey Through Life witnesses Afrobeat pioneer, pallbearer and powerhouse Femi Kuti's very latest transformation in sound, as we witness the artist turn vividly, self-reflectively inward. The LP proposes a rare self-produced window into Femi's personal evolution, spanning childhood memories to fatherhood and, of course, the unshakable presence of family. As he puts it: "At the end of the day for me family is all that matters. The essence is to manage such events and let love prevail." Long celebrated for his uncompromising political voice, Femi leans evermore into an already evident vulnerability, revisiting earlier material through several, pylonic stylistic anchors: his signature horn-laced grooves, not to mention themes of personal legacy and posterity.

Review: San Fran-born Ben Kweller is a former member of post grunge band Radish, who were signed to Mercury Records in the 90s and count the mighty Nils Lofgren as a fan. His solo output, however, is a lot more prolific: this is his seventh studio album. Poignantly, the album is written in honour of what would have been his late son Dorain Zev's 19th birthday. This is Kweller's first release since Dorian's tragic passing in 2023. The album is blessed to have some incredible guests, Waxahatchee, The Flaming Lips and MJ Lenderman all lend a hand. And musically Kweller's power as a singer-songwriter is in potent condition - 'Dollar Store', which is two vocals and a guitar for the most part needs nothing more to captivate. That it then bursts into a distorted, soaring finale is just a bonus. It's no wonder the most talked about newcomers in America indie wanted to be involved with this album.

Review: Evergreen jazzers Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino mark an impressive 30 years performing and recording as Kyoto Jazz Massive with this superb selection of favourite covers the brothers have enjoyed playing across their storied careers. Embellished with the vocal prowess of Vanessa Freeman and Bembe Segue, the immaculately presented collection blends elements of Latin, jazz, disco and funk over a typically fusionist set. Opening with the gentle waves of 'Black Renaissance', the record bursts into life with the samba flex of 'Kowree Sambazzi'. The soul-heavy thrust of 'No Cross No Crown' stirs the senses, before the nocturnal energy of 'Karmapa Chenno' veers ever so slightly off-piste with its jagged rhythms and grooves. Finally, the hands-in-the-air positivity of 'Love Is Everywhere' ends on a joyously uplifting note.

Review: A powerhouse combination , Taj Mahal and Ken Mo join forces once again as TajMo and show why fans consider them two of the finest American musicians of their respective generations. Their first collaboration since 2017's TajMo, which won them a Best Contemporary Blues gong at the Grammy Awards, this is journeyman, soul, rock & roll, country and - of course - blues, at its most modern and finest. That said, Room On the Porch is resolutely rooted in the origins of the canons. At times, like the sax-heavy 'Blues'll Give You Back Your Soul', you can almost feel the balmy heat of a night in a Deep South bar and taste the sour mash. 'Rough Time Blues' even comes with the crackle and raw sonic aesthetic of an original early recorded music tome, adding to the sense of authenticity.

Review: Ali brings together Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Toure with Houston-based trio Khruangbin for pattern-textured tribute to Vieux's father, the legendary Ali Farka Toure. The group chose to reinterpret Ali's music, drawing on a shared sense of space and groove to honour his legacy without embalming it. Recorded in just a week in a barn in Burton, Texas, the sessions came steeped in warmth and mutual respect, with the final tracklist curated by Ali's eleven children. Khruangbin's dusky, reverb-heavy style embed the earthy, cyclical patterns of the recently popularised Malian desert blues, each side subtly reshaping the other sound while drawing parallels between North American and West African takes on the same name. Though long delayed by the pandemic, what has emerged is an unhurried traditional group mind, invoked to tread newer ground in songs erstwhile deemed well-trodden.

Notes: B.B. King spent 65 years on the road, with hardly a break for more than a few weeks' time, totalling some 18,000 performances. To say that there were some more than memorable incidents over all these years would be a massive understatement. Impossible to include all these anecdotes of the numerous dedicated musicians and companions who lived and played with the great BB King in Jon Brewer's highly acclaimed Documentary 'B.B. King : The Life of Riley' featuring Morgan Freeman, this feature documentary organically arose after the passing of King in 2015, when a legion of his past band members, family and companions reached out in an effort to share these stories from the numerous Tours over decades, recounting the journey they shared with 'B.B.' through civil unrest, historical moments in music and in stage, from 'Chitlin' Circuit to Stadiums with The Rolling Stones and U2. A cinematic pictorial feast, featuring the story-telling style that has established Brewer at the pinnacle of Documentary filmmaking.

Region code: 0 (universal)

Notes: Tribal Publishing and Unterwelt Books present the second edition of "Collected Obsession!" featuring over 400 vintage, American hardcore t-shirts from the personal collection of Ryan Bannahan of Youngblood Records' Desperate Measures. Book design by Patrick Kitzel with assistance by Jonathan Buske, photography by Joel Dowling, and editing by Shivaun Watchorn.

Paperback