Back catalogue: All genres

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 third volume of the AfroColombia Remix series merges African and Colombian sounds with contemporary electronica. It's a collaboration between Colombian labels Galletas Calientes and Palenque Records that celebrates Palenque's 20+ years of activism and Galletas Calientes' two-decade legacy while honouring the late Abelardo Carbono with a remix of his track 'La PiNa Madura' by Voilaaa - it's a standout here with hints of funk, soul and disco all bringing the sunshine. The compilation also reinterprets Nigerian Igbo Highlife and Ekobe music thanks to producers Captain Planet, Uproot Andy and Caribombo. They bring new, funky energy to timeless classics while preserving the original cultural essence.

Review: Bobby Orlando is something of a hi-NRG master - his work with Divine is credited as a major influence on the Pet Shop Boys - who tapped up the then soon-to-be iconic duo Oh Romeo for their debut outing back in 1982. Their work on 'These Memories' made it a hit right from the off with big drums, shiny synths and arps and plenty of campuses. Late last year, Iventi d'Azzurro put together this remastered package featuring extended versions of four rare Oh Romeo tracks on the EP Living Out a Fantasy. These bangers really capture the duo's signature energy and timeless appeal and make this a record that suits both working DJs and lovers of big jams alike, all with the right amounts of nostalgia.

Review: UK rave pioneers Orbital are revisiting their early 'Brown Album' EPs with the launch of a new and ongoing Orbital LEDs ('Limited Edition Drops') series. These 12"s are being re-issued with newly commissioned artwork by Intro. This one was originally released in September 1992 and is one of the group's most famous because it contains their most iconic track 'Halcyon' which blurs ethereal vocals with hypnotic breaks that define 90s dance music and still get huge reactions to this day. The EP also includes 'The Naked and the Dead' which is a darker techno track, plus 'Sunday' and the previously unreleased dub version of 'The Naked and The Dub.' Essential.

Review: UK electronic innovators Orbital have been revisiting their early roots with Orbital LEDs, a limited-edition series remastering their old greats. Now fully remastered and paired with striking new artwork by Julian House, the latest drop highlights the duo's groundbreaking early sound when tracks like 'Midnight' innovated with a blend of hypnotic house rhythms and minimalist influences from Philip Glass and Wim Mertens. Also included here is 'Choice' which stands out for its anarcho-punk edge and bold vocal sampling. Paul Hartnoll has often said he aimed to inject house music with a sense of rebellion and social commentary and these reissues reaffirm Orbital's ability to do that while pushing boundaries from the start.

Review: US-born, Germany-based Oshana's solo debut on Altered Circuits is a notable one for peak time party people with high-impact jams that also bring plenty of subtle detail. The tunes are rooted in the vibe of her live sets and fuse classic and contemporary club sounds with razor-sharp studio precision. From the tense, acid-laced drive of 'Above We Soar' to the cavernous, Chicago-flavoured bounce of 'Space And Time Dimensions,' Oshana balances groove with atmosphere perfectly. 'Girls In The Front' is another gem and hypnotic, bass-heavy workout with anthem potential, while closer 'Origins' explores trance-tinged territory before diving back into genre ambiguity. It's a refined, energetic statement from an artist in her element.

Review: Cha Cha's latest drop revisits some essential roots reggae with the original 12" mix of the late 70s classic 'Very Well,' which is a standout track dripping in Channel One's signature so-called 'ruff & tuff' style and rich Jamaican soul. Complementing it are two heavyweight cuts of 'Kunta Kinte,' the iconic original dubplate version and a previously unreleased mix from the same era. These selections are packed with deep rhythms and militant vibes with signature production that is alive and raw. This reissue harks back to a golden moment in roots history and also offers fresh depth for collectors and selectors alike.

Review: We didn't see this coming but we're very much delighted it has: the peerless dub techno don Steve O'Sullivan with a full length of past triumphs and unreleased gems on Nina Kraviz's always adventurous Trip label is always going to be worth hearing. The Brit stretches his legs and pulls out all the stops here to cover plenty of ground while reaming true to his signature sound design excellence: bouncy, minimal but strobe-lit cuts like 'Kesk', twisted 90s techno sounds like 'Grun', barely-there IDM-adjacent sounds like 'Groente' and ice cold dub cuts like 'Botala'. A real masterclass.

Review: As well as being a dance music figurehead. Paul Oakenfold is a devoted film buff who brought cinematic flair to his soundtrack for Dominic Sena's action-thriller Swordfish. Crafting a moody, high-tech sonic landscape and blending the tense energy of Dope Smugglaz's 'The Word (PMT Remix)' with the chill sunrise vibes of Lemon Jelly's 'Kneel Before Your God' and his own electro rework of 'Planet Rock' with Afrika Bambaataa, Oakenfold paints a vivid picture of early 2000s Los Angeles nightlife. Tracks like 'Stanley's Tune' and 'Password' evoke neon-lit scenes of decadence and danger. Subtle yet imaginative, this record rewards headphone listening for max impact.

Review: London-based New Zealander Arjuna Oakes impresses hugely with this debut album, a contemporary soul and jazz fusion, global folk, electronica and post-rock motifs all woven in. Like any good LP, While I'm Distracted is a deeply personal journey exploring common themes of vulnerability, identity and hope in a world shaped by ever-more existential angst and social media stress. We're told that Arjuna approached this full-length album like a filmmaker crafting a feature and aiming to evoke emotion over concept. Performing vocals, piano, synths and arranging strings himself, he also leads a talented ensemble of collaborators who help him on this emotional odyssey.

Review: Steven Umoh aka London-based Nigerian singer Obongjayar is back with Paradise Now, a sophomore album that is a bold blurring of pop, punk, Afrobeat, funk, dance and folk into a colourful and coherent new sound. Crafted with producers Kwes Darko and Beach Noise, the album was recorded between London and LA so has a global spirit with universal emotional depth. It was designed to play from start to finish on a night out so is both a party record and a Trojan Horse with infectious grooves concealing layers of complexity and introspection. It's Obongjayar at his most adventurous yet and explores what modern, global pop can sound like in 2025.

Review: 'Power Starved/Human Waste' is as scary to hear as it is to read the track title. As far as album openers go, it certainly sets the scene vividly. A dark, dystopian, murky futurism where people - or at least their ears - listen from beneath the boot of oppressive forces, inaudible vocals echoing and expanding, reverberating and dissipating into a distance we can never really hear because of how forceful foregrounded sounds are. Industrial, EBM, noise, elektro-punk. There are many ways to describe what's here but they all point to a 21st Century cloaked in darkness and anxiety. The irony, of course, is that this is a very human expressionism, despite the harsh machines that seem to dominate the soundscapes. The distorted screams and thumping bass drums of 'Safety Net' perfectly summarise the point.

Review: Oklou is a French musician and is known to her parents as Marylou Mayniel. She dropped her debut album back in February and on it collaborates with artists such as Bladee and underscores, while some expert studio contributions from producers like the revered A.G. Cook, plus Danny L Harle and Casey MQ. Choke Enough blends Y2K influences with medieval melodies to reflect Oklou's evolution from her 2020 mixtape, Galore. This new long player offers up a deep dive into her meticulous approach to electronic, modern, 'hyper' pop while incorporating classical rigour. Standout tracks like the title track and 'Endless' are great reflections of her unique artistic vision while balancing formal complexity with subdued emotional impact.

Review: Born on the 17th of May 1988 and dying in October 1992, Old Funeral were one of the very first Norwegian extreme metal acts on record, before the second wave black metal wave would sweep through Scandinavia. Featuring members of later pioneering acts such as Abbath and Demonaz of Immortal, as well as Varg Vikernes (who would go on to become the one-man band Burzum and murderer of Mayhem's Euronymous), the Our Condolences collection collates every known recording the group ever made, showcasing the earlier chaotic maelstrom of blackened death-thrash experimentation retrospectively required before black metal as we know it today could arise. In traditionalist fashion, these recordings have been in no way remixed, remastered or touched up, this is straight from the original tapes cold, raw harshness in the exact same form it was delivered to unsuspecting listeners decades prior.

Review: ONEGRAM, the cult Japanese reggae band formed in 2011, is back with a new album that takes in everything from their genre-defying journey so far. Though known for blending reggae with lovers rock, they also fold in conscious vibes and disco grooves to their sodden and here the Tokyo-based outfit delivers ten tracks that reflect their unfiltered present. It's their first original album in five years following 2021's cover-focused Random Access Music and highlights include the soulful hit 'After the May Rain,' the groovy 'Crazy For You' (which even got praised by Incognito members) and a dreamy take on Bread & Butter's 1974 classic 'Pink Shadow.'. It's an honest, heartfelt and unmistakably ONEGRAM sound.

Review: Originally founded in 1982, Bristol thrash metal legends Onslaught are considered to be one of the UK's so-called "big four" along with Xentrix, Sabbat and Acid Reign, while their sophomore effort The Force from 1986 is often regarded as a worldwide, stone cold thrash classic. Originally inspired by frenetic hardcore punk acts such as The Exploited and Discharge, the band would eventually adopt a hardcore-shaped speed metal assault that would be perfected following the arrival of vocalist Sy Keeler, allowing Paul Mahoney who provided vocals on their 1985 debut Power From Hell to switch to bass duties. Keeler would depart following issues with the label regarding his performance on the band's follow up third record In Search Of Sanity, released in 1989, yet he would make a triumphant return with the rest of the members for the dawn of their new era on 2007's Killing Spree.

Review: Open Mike Eagle may not have all the answers, but he asks some of the smartest questions in hip-hop. On Hella Personal Film Festival, he teams up with British producer Paul White for a psychedelic blend of soul-funk, booming drums and introspective storytelling. Recorded in London, the album continues where Dark Comedy left off-witty, anxious and deeply reflective. Eagle dissects modern life's absurdities, from social media addiction to racial microaggressions and uses that to craft surreal yet painfully real vignettes. With guest features from Aesop Rock and Hemlock Ernst, these tense anthems explore vulnerability with a cutting sense of humour.

Review: Originally released in 2005 and celebrating its 20th anniversary, Ghost Reveries would serve as the eighth full-length from Swedish progressive metal legends Opeth. Following the 2002/2003 two-part project which showcased their most malevolent form on Deliverance and then a resolutely pleasant prog rock opus with Damnation, this follow up sought to rectify one side with the other; coalescing into a masterwork which simultaneously was regarded by longtime fans as a career height, whilst the expanded distribution from signing with major label Roadrunner opened them up to an entire new wave of unsuspecting ears. Marking their first album since 1999's Still Life to not be produced by Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson, instead duties fell to Jens Bogren (Katatonia, At The Gates, Dimmu Borgir) who helped Mikael Akerfeldt and his cohorts to rediscover their death metal origins yet channelled through their more melancholic sensibilities. Boasting some of their most vital pieces from the epic 10-minute opener 'Ghost Of Perdition', to the even lengthier fan favourite 'Reverie/Harlequin Forest', as well as the equally adored 'The Grand Conjuration', the album has long since been held aloft as the perfect modern entry point to the world of Opeth. The project would also be the first to include keyboardist Per Wiberg as a "permanent" member while serving as their final endeavour to feature both drummer Martin Lopez and long-time guitarist Peter Lindgren.

Review: The Orb's 13th album is a carefully crafted collection of tracks that are couched in minimal techno and ambient house. The first half embraces so-called 'Schaffel' rhythms, while the second half explores classic Orb sonic landscapes and features guest appearances from Schneider TM and Ulf Lohmann. The likes of 'Captain Korma' are warmly infused melodic jaunts with shimmering vocals, 'Cool Harbour' is a lumpy, dubby and off-balance workout and 'Kompagna (Zandic mix)' is a raw, experimental blend of harmonic tones, smeared samples and ambient bliss. This one, then, continues The Orb's legacy of genre-defying music which started in the late 80s when they pioneered chill-out and ambient house.

Review: First put out in 1973, this jazz gem from Miyako ?tsuki makes a triumphant return after 50 years. Nihon Min'y?: Latin Feeling is a forward-thinking fusion of traditional Japanese folk songs and Latin jazz grooves that was recorded when ?tsuki was in her 20s and remains one of her most unique works. Backed by elite Japanese jazz musicians like flautist Akira Miyazawa and guitarist Sadayasu Nakamaru, the music transforms min'y? into vibrant, rhythm-driven pieces with arrangements by Akira Komachi. It's a rich cultural crossover that's both daring and elegant and this reissue includes two bonus tracks and a vintage-style obi.

Review: The Middle East has always invoked a sense of wonder and escapism, even if a singular tag for a vast and varied global region is an instant disservice. So it's not much of a surprise to find many countries currently in the throes of an explosive rediscovery of psychedelic sounds. Ouzo Bazooka is just one example of the kind of bands we're talking about. Originally solo project from Uri Brauner Kinrot - a musician, scientist and producer - the vehicle quickly grew into the fully fledged group we have loved over the last five albums and ten years, give or take. Widely considered pioneers of the burgeoning scene, Kapaim (Hebrew for 'palms') cements their status as a cut above most psyche rock bands anywhere on the planet. Informed by jazz, soul, blues, and indigenous musical traditions of the South Eastern Mediterranean, it's a smooth and intoxicating ride.

Review: This is Oye Manny's second album and it is a fine progression from his first across six tracks that blend classic Salon-style house with the producer's own unique rhythm-forward sensibilities. His personal Houston roots and a wider sphere of timeless deep house influences all feature in dynamic and percussive tunes that are built on propulsive beats and rich textures. Congas, bells and timbales weave seamlessly into four-to-the-floor rhythms as each track reflects Manny's skill as a producer and composer. This one hits a perfect sweet spot between classic and contemporary and is sure to sound good all year long.

Review: We Carry Eden is an album so deep you can plunge right into it and forget the real world entirely. It comes from Son Of Chi, the latest project by Dutch ambient pioneer Hanyo van Oosterom, and it melds drones, field recordings, dub, jazz and fourth world influences across a two-part composition that features storytelling by West African vocalist Omar Ka. A founding member of CHI and Chi Factory, van Oosterom crafts textured soundscapes rooted in meditative grooves and spiritual depth and is inspired by Patmos and Hopi wisdom. He also weaves nature, myth and memory into a unified sonic journey with fine artwork by Michael Willis underlining the message of harmony.