Reggie Dokes & Steve Crawford - "Fear Of Failure" (4:46)
Martin Prather - "Until" (6:32)
Steve Crawford - "Let You Go" (feat Tony B) (6:13)
Steve Crawford - "Love Is Here" (feat Anthony Poteat) (7:01)
Martin Prather - "Passed Up" (6:45)
Reggie Dokes - "Not Ready" (4:54)
Review: Motor City label Upstairs Asylum celebrates its roots in 313 with this new Dance Detroit EP featuring a wealth of American house innovators. First up, Reggie Dokes and Steve Crawford join forces on 'Fear Of Failure', a house track steeped in Detroit soul. Marvin Prather's 'Until' follows on with his stylish and soul-drenched grooves. Steve Crawford then goes it alone and turns up the drums on his potent 'Let You Go' (feat Tony B) and then get deeply emotional on 'Love Is Here' this time with help from featured artist Anthony Poteat. Prather and then label regular and Atlanta man Reggie Dokes closes down with his 'Not Ready.'
When We Dance (Move My Feet) (DJ Spinna Galactic Soul remix) (7:13)
When We Dance (Move My Feet) (DJ Spinna Galactic Soul dub) (8:11)
When We Dance (Move My Feet) (DJ Spinna Deep mix) (7:17)
When We Dance (Move My Feet) (DJ Spinna Deep dub) (7:19)
Review: "Bloody hell" inducing house swing from DJ Spinna (Vincent Williams) and Roland Clark, two absolute historic units of house music hailing from Brooklyn and Newark respectively. Though it's a fresh collaboration, 'When We Dance (Move Your Feet)' has the airs of a classic, informed by joint decades in the game. An unusually high dose of swing parlays a profound propulsion on the matinee special 'Galactic Soul Mix' by Spinna, laden throughout by a rousing narration by Clark himself. The track's electric piano is EQed to flashing, premium glossy heaven; this is the kind of effort we look out for in our house music: no sound cliched, all sounds clinched.
Review: Belgian-born producer Gratts and pioneering Chicago vocalist Robert Owens first collaborated on 'Brighter Future' back in 2021 after meeting in the streets of Kreuzberg years before. The pair now join forces again for follow up 'Today', a powerful and emotive, 90s inspired deep house cut with layered backings and Owens' lilting affirmations soaring above. The extended club version takes you straight to house music's ecstatic heydays, while the twelve also includes an acapella tool for those singalong moments. On the flip, Mark Hand's slower, soulful rendition takes things into sideroom territory. Finally, 'Mount Olympus', home to the Greek deities, fuses a rattling drum machine, arpeggiated synth lines and a potent analogue bassline - with added bonus beats to bang the box and get weird!
Lex, Dennis Liber, Rosa - "Una Sera D'Estate" (feat Max Giovara) (7:02)
Lex, Dennis Liber - "End Of The Line" (5:56)
Dennis Liber - "Playa Eden" (feat Sariela Camargo) (8:32)
Dennis Liber - "Hidden Island" (feat Ricardo Benitez) (4:17)
Review: Rocksteady Disco welcomes Dennis Liber & Lex for a standout debut here. Their four-tracker captures the magic of musical nights spent down in Mexican hotspot Tulum with organic and airy grooves aplenty. 'Una Sera D'Estate' (feat Max Giovara) exodus late-night warmth and loved-up vibes with its melodic bassline and disco-tinged house drums. 'End Of The Line' is more lively but is no less direct with its big drums and pointed bass phrasings. Liber then goes solo for the dreamy, Italo-tinged yet tropical 'Playa Eden' and wonderfully escapist closer 'Hidden Island' complete with Balearic beats and the sound of singing dolphins.
Micky More & Andy Tee, Reverendos Of Soul, Anduze - "Devoted" (6:23)
Serge Funk - "Can't Get Enough" (6:30)
Danny Losito - "All I Want" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:11)
Micky More & Andy Tee - "Philly Sensation" (6:55)
Review: There is an immediately loveable vibe to the carefree and breezy house music that the Italian label Groove Culture deals in. This is the 15th such offering - a third volume of its Jam series - and again the good times flow from the off. 'Devoted' is a four-way collab between Micky More, Andy Tee, Reverendos Of Soul and Anduze that layers up the soulful drums and disco percussion with buttery smooth soul vocals. Serge Funk's 'Can't Get Enough' is all swirling strings and sunny trumpet motifs over funk house beats and then Micky More & Andy Tee appear to remix 'All I Want' into another future Body & Soul classic. The duo's own 'Philly Sensation" is a disco-tinged, string-heavy house dream to close.
Jamma D - "Don't Wanna Leave The Couch Today" (4:20)
Roche - "House Shuffle Boogie" (6:13)
Darone Sassounian - "Arms" (6:18)
Review: This deep, jazzy and lo-fi house 12" is perfect for escaping at this time of year as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and the general weight of modern life can get all too much. It comes from an array of standout producers from around the world including Darone Sassounian, Jamma D and Jarren from Los Angeles, Roche from Portland and Morris Mobley from Nancy, France. Between them, they offer the cuddly, cloudy depths of 'Drippin'' (Sauce dub), humid and jazzy heat of the sumptuous 'Don't Wanna Leave The Couch Today', playful rhythms of 'House Shuffle Boogie' and more besides.
Fleur De Mur - "Ease My Mind" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (5:48)
Derrick McKenzie & Angela Johnson - "On My Way Out" (7:02)
Ron Carroll - "My Prayer" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:21)
House Freakers - "Tease Me" (feat MO) (5:34)
Review: Sultry purist disco house moods from Groove Culture Italy, welcoming four standalone originals to the first edition of their 'Groove Is In The Heart' series, three out of four of which are remixes of tunes that have already been released on the label. True to their form, this record welds the ways of classic disco and disco-house, opening with the melismatic vocal tones of 'Ease My Mind' by Fleur De Mur before moving into the slightly slower chic-funk of Derrick McKenzie and Angela Johnson's 'On My Way Out'. Things turn housier - as the outdoor shindig moves indoors at first sign of the crepuscular tide - with 'My Prayer', while House Freakers' 'Tease Me' rounds things off on a well-sidechained womper.
Review: Happiest of birthdays to Super Spicy who celebrate half a decade in the game with an EP of irresistible tunes. Phunque kicks the party off with an old school vibe that pairs a superb male vocal with crisp, effective drums. Bob Musella brings sample magic on 'Baby Hot Stuff' and Ysheso, Ralo keep the disco-tinged house feels flowing with a percussive monster. After the smoother sounds of Ghosts Of Venice, the flip side brings a trio of funked-up and guitar-laced house grooves that take it back to the glory days of New York.
Review: Radio Cargo's Like You Move EP pulses with energy, fusing groovy breaks and deep, warming basslines. Each track effortlessly merges rhythmic complexity with atmospheric synths, drawing listeners into a sound that's as nostalgic as it is innovative. There's a playful balance between old-school dance vibes and fresh, forward-thinking production, capturing the essence of French house while pushing the genre's boundaries. It's a release that will resonate with fans of classic dancefloor sounds, while still feeling entirely contemporary in its execution.
Marc Brauner - "The Feeling" (Tilmans Atmospheric mix) (6:35)
Max Telaer - "Running" (Soela & Module One remix) (6:32)
Sebastian Gummersbach - "Heads Up High" (Eddie C remix) (7:48)
Shaka - "Overminded" (Denyl Brook remix) (7:08)
Review: Inhale Exhale Records return with their seance virus artists EP and it is one that will appeal to anyone who has any love whatsoever for house music. Raoul's 'Vae Victis' is first up to get a remix and that is from Luvless who brings modern power with old school dreaminess. Tilman is next up with an Atmospheric Mix of Marc Brauner's 'The Feeling' which has potent 90s vibes and Soela teams up with her partner in crime Module One for a super chunky groove to close the a-side in style. Eddie C is the standout on the flip side with a suer funky rework of 'Heads Up High' while Denyl Brook brings some peak time power to his interpretation of Shaka's 'Overminded.'
Review: Prelude is the don when it comes to the dubbier end of disco in the 80s. So many of its releases were staples of the key New York City scene at the time and they have kept their charm over the decades. 'Beat The Street' from Sharon Redd is one of them - a track doused on echo and reverb with dancing synths layered up over analogue drums, cold claps and with her fine vocals soaring high and bright. The vocal is where it's at but the paired back instrumental is also a fine groove for some retro feels.
Review: Back in the mid-90s, Rednex dropped their global smash 'Cotton Eye Joe' as part of their album Sex & Violins and it topped plenty of charts. It was also a school disco favourite that paired euro-dance beats with country melodies and redneck vocals as well as the very singable chorus. Now it comes with a series of edits, instrumentals and remixes by the likes of Madcow on this new 12" from the ZYX label who have pressed it up to limited orange vinyl. It is still silly but lots of fun so why not cop this ultimate edition.
Review: Middlesborough musician Rees impressed with his last outing on the Bordello A Parigi label: 'Three Eyes' was a real dancefloor gem which he now follows up with three more gems that showcase the artist's eclectic style and versatile skills. 'Dream Wave' is a bright, busy, intense cut with glistening synths front and centre, dancing about a crunchy and rigid rhythm while 'The New Beat' ups the ante with eerie arps leading the way as more metallic drum sounds clatter away below. Last of all is 'Electric Body' which is awash with more incisive synths and guitar lines, all with a hypotonic lead synth and new wave techno drums powering it along.
Review: "Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah blah blah. Hope is telling the truth." So said the world's most visible climate activist Greta Thunberg in her pre-COP26 speech in Milan, blasting world leaders for inadequate (or near-non-existent) responses to the environmental crisis. Given we're 12 months down the line and the vast majority of promises made at said 2021 climate summit have not been actioned, with emissions continuing to climb, it's unsurprising direct action has turned much more direct and disruptive this year, and people are now sampling the young orator to amplify her message through music.
If that sounds like it may lack subtlety, fear not. Renude19 have managed to achieve something pretty difficult - a protest dancefloor track that doesn't ram things down your throat and works very well without you knowing that context. Essentially a dystopian-vibed broken beat synth workout with electro-pop vocals and occasional "Blah blah blah" hook, it's timely and well executed.
Review: Fresh disco edits outing Respect have essentially named themselves after just the right attitude they expect of their rave-goers. Continuing to embody virtues of respect and respectability with another limited edition white label release, this sixth addition to the pile hears whimsical collieries, chicken-pickin' rhythms, and lurching remixes, with the B-side doing especially well to re-ingest the essential War cut 'The World Is A Ghetto' and its DJ Spinna nu-disco rendition. The breakdown is especially performative and brilliant, with scatting mimicries of guitar heard expertly interleaved.
Review: This is a mega rare 12" version of a classic tune which will never not get big reactions. 'Get Ready For This' is a proper Philly disco soul delight with stirring vocals that are deep and powerful over fine instrumentals and funky bass effects. On the reverse is a flip by the one and only Paradis garage legend Ron Hardy. He upped the drums and allowed the vocal plenty of room to shine while tweaking the synths and melodies to sit not so loud in the mix and allow horns room to shine. A real gem from the glory days of early club culture.
Reverendos Of Soul - "Love Will Set You Free" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:06)
Right To Life - "Give It Up" (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:04)
Soulista - "Love & Life" (feat Karmina Dai - Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:28)
Serge Funk - "Disco Hustle" (6:11)
Review: Groove Culture's ongoing 'Jams' series continues to deliver disco-house excellence with its fourth edition. This high-quality compilation features standout tracks from Micky More & Andy Tee, Reverendos Of Soul, Soulista, Serge Funk, and Right To Life. Highlights include: Reverendos Of Soul - 'Love Will Set You Free'(Micky More & Andy Tee mix): An all-night disco spirit track verging on Hi-NRG style, bringing big energy and a lively atmosphere to any dance floor. Another great one is Soulista's 'Love & Life" (feat. Karmina Dai - Micky More & Andy Tee mix): A perfect blend of piano disco and house, featuring a heavy beat and great horn sounds that create an infectious groove. Closing things out on a classic leeven is Serge Funk's heater 'Disco Hustle'. This fantastic edit of the classic disco track is a filtered gem that is sure to knock the roof off the discotech. Groove Culture once again proves its reliability as a source of top-tier disco-house with this stellar collection.
Review: This top-drawer reissue digs into the vaults of the legendary UMM Records label. It comes from 1992 and is an impassioned, steamy deep house by Rhythm 3 Request aka Carlo Montagner, Gibo Rosin, Maurizio Sacchi and Paolo Verlanzi. They released just three EPs, all within about a year of each other, but this one has more than withstood the test of time. 'Desafinado' comes in several forms with an After Hours mix laced with lush chords, the Hastenia have more drive but no less romance to it and the Red Zone is only a subtle tweak before Tribal Tracks gets more trippy.
Hold On To My Love (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:04)
Blow Your Mind (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:05)
Love Blind (Micky More & Andy Tee mix) (6:49)
Review: Italy's Groove Culture has really done a fine job of winning us over since it started out and this 14th EP is another one that is sure to slide into your affections. It's a quartet of disco-tinged house cuts from Right to Life, Micky More and Andy Tee that kicks off with the hip swinging and lush feels of 'Subway'. 'Hold On To My Love' then layers up the loops and rickety organic drums with some rousing strings and vocals. The good time vibes and carefree sense of soul continues on the flip with 'Blow Your Mind' and the more heartfelt 'Love Blind'.
Review: Luv Shack's compilation style 'Disco Biscuits' series is the very definition of reliable, with each new EP delivering killer cuts aimed at the more cosmic end of nu-diusco dancefloors. Volume five in the series arrives with four more tried-and-tested workouts and little in the way of forgettable filler. Check first Rising Seed's 'Back For More', a driving slab of spacey dub disco/cosmic disco fusion in which intergalactic electronics and samples sitars ride a Prins Thomas-esque bassline and beats, before admiring the chugging and squelchy nu-disco shuffle of 'Suffering of K.P' by B.Visible. Over on the flip, Peletronic's 'Drifting' is a glassy-eyed slab of immersive deep house/nu-disco fusion, while Jon Gravy's 'When U Leave' is a stomping slab of peak-time house headiness rich in bustling beats, memorable melodies and hands-aloft riffs.
Do U Love Me (feat Vanessa Freeman - The DJ mix) (7:08)
The Party (feat Hannah Khemoh) (6:08)
Review: This EP marks a sixth outing for the always fresh Stereo:type which deals in soulful house and disco fusions with a timeless edge. Risk Assessment is behind plenty of them, including this lovely 12" which opens with the deep house throb of 'The Way I Feel'. A dub version strips out the soulful vocal hooks then the flip opens with 'Do U Love Me' (feat Vanessa Freeman - The DJ mix) which is a proper bit of house music songwriting with US garage drums and soaring vocals. Last of all is 'The Party' (feat Hannah Khemoh) which is more upright and intended to get the floor pumping.
Review: UK artist Risk Assessment is back once again with some potent sonic weaponry that is designed to make a big impact in the club. All four of the disco cuts are peak time sounds starting with 'Something New' which is awash with some crystalline synths and gloriously lush pads. 'Party People' is nice raw and live-sounding disco with lo-fi drums, slapping hits and a James Brown-style funk vocal. 'Like This Like That!' brings some funky little guitar motifs and a jumble of percussion while last of all, 'Girl At The Disco' shuts down with a more sensuous sound and slinky grooves that worm their way into your affections.
Review: Robert Rental is an artist as influential as he is overlooked. An anchor of the early British DIY and post-punk scene, his name is most frequently uttered alongside illustrious collaborators such as Thomas Leer and Daniel Miller. Dark Entries and Optimo ally to illuminate some of Rental's early solo works with an expanded reissue of his debut 7" Paralysis /A.C.C.. Both labels have previously excavated Rental's catalog; we reissued the collaborative LP with Glenn Wallis in 2017, and Optimo released a collection of demos in 2018.
Review: The third release from Soul In The Horn features tracks from Rockwilder and KingPros, the former's 'Love In Need' proving to be a captivating mid-tempo house rendition of a classic tune by the esteemed hip-hop producer, blending the original melody with the soulful rhythms and textures of mid-tempo house. King Pros' 'You Had to Know' is a powerful mid-tempo rework of a very well respected voice. The result is two stunning tracks that demonstrate the versatility and vitality of the genre.
Review: Franck Roger recently impressed with a vocal project alongside Arnold Jarvis and is now back on Seasons Limited with some of his signature house depths. Opener 'Don't Look Down' kicks off with louche, lovely drums and swirling pads and vocals that soon melt the heart. 'That's Alright' is a more thumping kick but is no less heartfelt with its warped bass and prickly hi-hats. 'Proscription' closes out with smooth, serene grooves that have your head in the stars and your heart locked into the romantic melodies. .
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: This new 12" on US label Seasons Limited brings together two of deep house's most accomplished and tasteful names in French legend Franck Roger plus Arnold Jarvis who he last collaborated with in 2007, while UK mainstay and Freerange label boss Jimpster remixes. It is one the label has been cooking up for a while but proves more than worth the wait. 'Living My Life' is the one original collab and is smooth, buttery deep house with lush vocal tones. Jimpster brings a little more bounce and a fat bassline on one mix, then dubs things out to prefect for the second. A timeless set of grooves that will level-up any collection.
Review: Seasons Limited made a welcome return in 2024 and now keeps up that good momentum with another big single from French house mainstay Franck Roger with some fine vocals by Paul B. It's a super smooth sound with drum swaying back and forth, molten synth adding late night and tissue soul and the tender vocal adding intimacy and late night romance. Rocco Rodamaal steps up for remixes and first of all he pairs things back to a sedate, seductive deep house roll then fleshes out the drums with some dubby weight to finish.!
Review: Few vocal deep house records are quite as timeless as Cece Rogers' "Someday", a Marshall Jefferson produced anthem that has continued to be constantly played by discerning DJs ever since its original 1987 release. As most will tell you, it was also the major sample source for Liquid's rave anthem "Sweet Harmony". This South Street reissue replicates the track listing of that initial Atlantic release, albeit it in re-mastered form to sound a little meatier on modern club soundsystems. On the A-side you'll find the essential Club Mix, where Rogers' impeccable vocal and Jefferson's meandering piano solos naturally dominate. These piano solos take more prominence on the "Some Dub" version, which in true '87 style still includes key vocal passages drenched in dub delay, while the Accainstrumental is - ironically - a little more like a contemporary house Dub.
Review: Back by popular demand comes this four track revisitation of the famous 80s synthpop classic, which emerged in December 2024 with the kind of slightly Euro twist in the vocal department you might expect from the Netherlands-based Random Vinyl stable. The Master Mix is perhaos the most poignant, given that its airy, lush pads were put together by the late producer Marc Hartman who very sadly passed away in August 2024 at the far too young age of 58. But all four show due reverence to this monolithic moment in electronic music history, without resisting the temptation to add a little new. Grey-t stuff.
Sammy Virji - "If U Need It" (extended mix) (3:58)
Gorgon City - "Voodoo" (extended mix) (6:11)
Azari & III & Max Dean - "Reckless" (2024 extended mix) (7:49)
Alan Fitzpatrick & Ronnie Spiteri - "On My Mind" (extended mix) (4:39)
Review: Time-honoured, blue-crossed phono-phrenic audio pharmacists Positiva celebrate their 30th anniversary with the launch of a brand new sampler series. Simply titled 'Positiva', the new outing spans every sonic end-logic from slick UK garage to mesmeric trance, the throughline being the modern uplifter sound into which the label has settled; a far cry from their jet-propulsive Ibiza-rave garage house days of yore. Most of the tracks on this first edition of the series are already floating about out there, though they've never been compiled onto a single record before: Sammy Virji and Gorgon City complement each other well on the A-side's 'Voodoo' and 'If You Need It'; then Azari & III, Max Dean, Alan Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Spiteri spin things out ever further, into two warming, well-layered party-pushers driven by ecstatic vocals.
Review: Back in the early-to-mid 1990s, Robert Fripp collaborated with numerous ambient house-era electronic artists, including the Orb (see the largely forgotten FFWD>> album) and The Grid, who invited the long-time Brian Eno collaborator to recording sessions back in 1992. While some of the latter material made it onto their '90s albums, much of Fripp's work - dreamy guitar textures, drone works and other electronic experiments -was left in their archive. Leviathan is based around these unissued recordings, with Dave Ball and Richard Norris adding their own new sounds to create a string of beautiful, meditative, and picturesque ambient compositions that sit somewhere between their own ambient works, Norris's recent modular electronic explorations, and the forementioned FFWD>> project.
Review: There's been an unexpected revival in Sophie Ellis Bextor's music ever since the success of 'Murder On The Dancefloor' in the closing scene of the Saltburn film. Some lesser-known trivia is that she was in a 90s band with DIY pop hero Billy Reeves called Theaudience, who were like a poppier Stereolab. Reeves being the band's songwriter founder and co-producer. They only ever released one album (their second album was rejected by Mercury Records) and Reeves retrained as a radio producer and broadcaster following a near-fatal car crash in 2001. Reeves, however, has been reasserting himself in music since 2023 and is already onto his third solo album, which is a thrilling, idiosyncratic take on electropop. 'Generation Game' is what you imagine the inside of Hunter S. Thompson's head would have sounded like if he was let loose around a Tokyo gaming arcade around the time he was writing Fear And Loathing... 'Let's Not' is Britain's answer to LCD Soundsystem's 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House'. Elsewhere, 'Bstrds!' has a groove reminiscent of Alabama 3's Sopranos soundtrack and 'Dear Life' is poignant and emotional, offering a terrific counterpoint to the joyous emotions running through this magnificently compiled album.
Review: Some For This And That is the new album from house royalty Timmy Regisford on the legendary Nervous Records. It finds him mixing up his signature house sound with Afro, r&b and more to make for a widescreen and timeless record packed with big vocal moments, deeper beats and plenty of soulful sounds. 'Heaven 10 Zillion' is one of those with its warming chords and rolling drums, while 'Stay With Me Tonight' cuts a little more loose with some skyward synths bringing more edgy club-ready energy. 'Khannyisa' is another standout with its Afro drums and organic percussion.
Review: For Left Ear's 35th release, the label revisits the archives of Spanish musician Jesus M' Catalan and his project, Respuesta Alternativa. Unlike his previous release, these tracks, which were created between 1987 and 1990, were recently discovered in a forgotten shoebox. While working as a sound technician, Jesus crafted atmospheric tracks in his bedroom, later refining them with collaborator Julian C. Perez. Their music evolved from simple themes with guitars to incorporating vocal samples. Influenced by his Asturian roots, Jesus blended serene and stormy elements, reflecting the contrasting seas of the Balearic and Asturias Islands, creating unique, enduring soundscapes.
Review: R.N.A. Organism's 1980 release, R.N.A.O Meets P.O.P.O, reissued and remastered by Stephan Mathieu, is a captivating delve into Kansai's experimental scene. Comprised of enigmatic figures 0123, Zero, and Chance (aka Tatsuo Kohki), the album presents a sonic collage blending metallic beatbox loops, robotic vocals, and glockenspiel motifs. Producer Kaoru Sato (of EP-4 fame) helped sculpt their dub-infused, distorted rhythms and bizarre effects. While initially deemed too avant-garde, the album offers a more direct insight into their visionary sound. The opener, 'Weimar 22,' sets the tone with blown-out drum machines and ethereal vocals, hinting at influences ranging from electro-pop to spannered dub and tape manipulations. Tracks like 'After' and 'Nativity' showcase their experimental abilities, layering environmental sounds and off-kilter melodies over chuggy beats. R.N.A.O Meets P.O.P.O is a fusion of low-budget experimentation and tempered instrumentalism, offering a glimpse into the enigmatic world of Kansai's late 70s scene. Its timeless appeal resonates with listeners, echoing throughout the decades with its prophetic Japanese twist.
Review: Twenty nine years ago (can you believe it) Alexander Robotnick released his first album, Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut, featuring what's arguably his most defining track "Problemes D'amour" with the Harajuku-cute vocals of Martine Michellod. It's this album that has influenced countless French synth pop acts and a horde of old school electro lovers, and all this time later it's been repressed (again) by the label that first released it, Medical. Keeping the sacredness of this LP firmly intact by sticking with the keyboard-head artwork, Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut - along with Man Parish's 1982 self-titled debut - should be in all of our record collections.
Review: 70s space disco and laser-rock outfit Rockets started out life in Paris as Crystal. They later renamed and had singles such as 'Future Woman' and debut album 'Rockets' which helped establish them and win them a wider fan base. 1980 saw them record their Live album and offer up a cross section of their tracks in all their synth and futuristic glory. The aforementioned 'Future Woman' features along with the heavy sounds of 'Drum Solo' and Kerouac-referring 'On The Road Again' which is a jaunty disco groove with vocoder vocals.
Review: It feels like Romy's debut album has been a long time coming, but it's absolutely worth the wait. Stepping to one side of the imposing shadow of her band The xx, the world-famous singer-songwriter has taken her time to deliver something sincere and vulnerable which opens up her world and celebrates the places she's found sanctuary. Having worked extensively with production wonder boy Fred Again, writing for other artists, the two finally funnelled their creative chemistry into songs for Romy which now result in a perfect nugget of pop-club with aeons of space for all the feelings to swirl. It's immediate and catchy, but elegant in equal measure, and certain to lodge Romy in the pantheon of modern pop titans for sensitive souls.
Review: Romy Madley Croft continues to explore her solo career - as seems to be the inevitable prophesied path of of The xx member trifecta - with Mid Air. Collabs with Fred Again and Beverly Glenn-Copeland here thematically match Romy's implicit vision: to exploring the ever-thinning dividing line between heartfelt rave music and sounds for personal, teary-eyed catharsis moments. Edging ever-more into a more party-pop direction (contrastion to her prior projects' enduring indie tinge), Romy gets far trancier with things on the likes of 'Strong' and 'The Sea', even verging on Eurodance in short bursts. Other moments of downtime further express the many angles of Romy's personal ecstasy, citing the project as a dedication to queer clubbing and a mitigation of loneliness.
Review: Here's something new from one of Japan's leading nu jazz outfits Nautilus. Already seriously accomplished across their back catalogue, on this occasion they chose to tackle some evergreen jazz standards and give them a crisp modern lick. From Herbie Hancock's 'The Eye Of The Hurricane' to Bobby Hutcherson's 'Little B's Poem' plus pieces from Billy Taylor, Duke Ellington and more, the band's signature sound is all over the renditions (check the super funky slap bass coursing through the Hutcherson cover) but you can hear the original material coming through in all the right ways.
Review: Jimetta Rose and The Voices of Creation's new album, Things Are Getting Better, via Day Dreamer Recordings, is a soul-stirring devotional that blends house, funk, soul, r&b and hip-hop influences. The album opens with the lead single 'Portals,' an invitation to a new way of thinking. With a shuffling groove and soaring vocals, it breaks traditional gospel molds, introducing soulful r&b runs and syncopated verses. Things Are Getting Better is fantastically crafted studio sound, evolving from their raw debut, How Good It Is. The album is composed of non-professional singers and embodies Jimetta's mission to demystify the ministry and spread faith in music's power for positive change. Featuring instrumentalists Isaiah Collier, Ryan Porter, and V.C.R., and recorded at Sunset Sound studios, it encapsulates Jimetta's vision of "Black spiritual classical music". A prolific collaborator with artists like Anderson .Paak and Angel Bat Dawid, Jimetta leads the choir, delivering new mantras for our times. Things Are Getting Better is an example of the power of music, faith, and community.
Review: Rosetta Stone, one of the most enduring bands from the influential second wave of gothic rock, returns with a brand-new studio album called Under the Weather. Known for their dark romance and chiming guitars, the new album stays true to form with lush keyboards and an undercurrent of sinister nostalgia, thanks to bandleader Karl North. Fans can look forward to pre-release singles and a significant media blitz to accompany this album, their first in 4 years. Formed in the 1980s by Porl King and Karl North, Rosetta Stone initially captured the jangly-guitar sounds of gothic rock. Their big break came after supporting The Mission on tour. The band later transitioned to a more electronic sound before disbanding in 1998. Now, gothic mastermind Porl King is back with an album that promises to transport fans back to goth's heyday. Like their namesake, British goth legends Rosetta Stone were pivotal in bridging the gap between the first wave of gothic rock and the emerging underground scene. Their music brought a romantic element to a dynamic era of black fashion and experimental freak culture.
Review: Rosetta Stone's latest studio album, Under The Weather, continues their legacy as gothic rock pioneers. Returning with their signature dark romance, the album features chiming guitars, lush keyboards, and a hint of sinister nostalgia. Karl North, the band's key figure, guides this new release with a refined blend of their classic sound and modern touches. Since their 2020 comeback with Cryptology, fans have eagerly awaited new material, and Under The Weather promises to exceed expectations. This album is set to impress longtime followers and new listeners both with its evocative melodies and hauntingly atmospheric tracks. Available on coloured vinyl, it's ideal for collectors and fans of the gothic rock genre.
Review: Michael Rother from acclaimed wave bands such as NEU! and Harmonia steps out for a new album As Long As The Light that finds him collaborate with Italian musician Vittoria Maccabruni. It is a work packed with dark moods, with towering sonic constructions and plenty of unsettling emotions. They are created by Rother's trademark melodies and expressive guitar harmonies and all eight songs manage to break new ground despite the fact that over the last 50 years Rother has amassed such a fine catalogue. This one is eerie and excellent and will conjure up a mental movie like no other.
Review: Royksopp declared their 2014 album The Inevitable End to be the last time they would release a traditional album, and after eight years they lived up to that promise this year with a new audio-visual approach titled Profound Mysteries. The first instalment appeared in April, while the second volume landed in late summer, and now they're underlining the project with this appropriately epic conclusion. Drawing on collaborators such as Alison Goldfrapp, Susanne Sundfor and Jamie Irrepressible, we get another 10 slices of glittering, melodious synth pop magic from one of the finest duos to do it.
Review: "As human beings, what we don't know vastly overshadows what we do know. As teenagers, we would discuss our own fascination and preoccupation with the infinite and the impossible - the most profound mysteries of life." Svein Berge & Torbjorn Brundtland
Royksopp unveil Profound Mysteries, an expanded creative universe and a prodigious conceptual project, on numbered gatefold vinyl for the first time. Profound Mysteries is as mystifying as the title suggests, much like Danny L Harle's 'Harlecore' the house cuts and hardcore dance tracks of 'This Time, This Place...' and 'Breathe' are broken up with echoing ambience sprinkled with the heavenly vocals of Susanne Sundfor on 'The Mourning Sun' or the sinister 'Press R', reminiscent of Anamanaguchi's 'USA' with its text-to-speech warning messages.
Review: Electronic pop trailblazers, Royksopp, announce the second part to their expansive Profound Mysteries project, Profound Mysteries II. They declared their 2014 album The Inevitable End to be the last time they would release a traditional album, and after eight years they lived up to that promise this year with a new audio-visual approach titled Profound Mysteries. This second instalment of three is the andante-minuet of said electro-symphony, in which the band unveil a gargantuan selection of self-generated tunes, in contrast to the totally collaborative third part).
Review: Dutch 'West Coast' sound pioneer Ruud Lekx has been serving up suitably dark, throbbing and wayward dancefloor jams since the mid 1990s, most frequently under the name familiar Rude 66 alias. On his latest full-length excursion - the long-serving producer's first for six years - the clandestine melodies, weirdo analogue synth sounds and horror movie soundtrack textures have been dialled up to eleven. That's no bad thing, because Lekx does it far better than most. For proof, check atmospheric chugger 'Magick Angels' Invocations', the acid-laced early morning beauty of 'Interpreting The Cards', the slow motion dark-Italo pulse of 'Victim Of Illusion', the swirling ambient darkness of 'The Demiurge and his Arcons', and the sub-bass-propelled headiness of 'The Chariot'.
Review: Nadyne Rush is an Italian-Haitian singer whose roots lay in exploring jazz. While picking up diverse experiences in Italy and abroad, she collaborated with prominent Italian musicians and notably contributed as a backing vocalist for Dirotta on Cuba and Italian trapper Ghali. Her roster includes partnerships with Mario Biondi, Gege Telesforo, and more. Now, under FullTime Production, 'RUN!' comprises seven tracks inspired by 70s/80s music that blends live instrumentation with horn sections, disco, funk, and house, all meticulously mixed by producer Alex Barattini. This collection evokes strong emotions and reflects on love, motivation, and introspection, all while also being nice and danceable yet contemplative.
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