Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Eight further sonic spirits are conjured on the seventh edition in Damian Lazarus' annual compilation series. Emphasising deep house and techno grooves with a hypnotic flavour, the procurement here is exemplarily brooding; Dino Lenny's 'I Have Sampled Father' marks a sure turn away from the openers' cleaner-cut mesmerisms with a smoky, funk-inflected haze, bringing rhythm guitar and paternal murmurations to a surreal montage. The monologuing mood continues on the equal highlight that is Upercent's 'Where Are You', whilst Enamour's 'Jackpot' rounds out the show with the record's only brightly-lit minimal triller. The record is marked by sensuous, distant, familiar voices throughout.

Review: A rarely legit example of raw hip house from Chicago's Tyree & Ungkel Huud, who are, well and truly, tired of this BS - by which they mean illegitimate house music of the wannabes' kind. MC Tyree buckles up for a challenging but knocked-out-the-park verse glided over four mixes, from Wade Teo's opener to an acid killer, decrying the falsity of upstart house producers: "get out my house! You been here too long... matter fact, you can kiss my..." With an instrumental mix on the flip too, you can be sure for a fiery start to your next vocal-soaked DJ set.

Review: Berlin's Disco Disco give us disco not once, but twice. This homespun label attests to its artisanship by limiting each of its releases to short 500-ish runs, and hand-stamping each and every one of them. The latest of its type is this new one from ethereal disco-house artist Ube, offering a new three-track sex-lixir. We reach a mellow precipice on 'On The Edge', reining in our impulse to let loose through skilfully withheld chords and jutting, yet still attenuated and hazy backing elements. 'Corsica Deep' and 'Heatwave' offer two further divesuited and snorkeled visions of the deep, their fluttery surround elements and murmurations suggesting the presence of sunken ghosts.

Review: The Cosmocities label keeps it class with another deliciously deep house outing. This one comes from You Udagawa who opens up with 'Into The Rapture', a melodically rich cut with twinkling keys, lush pads and icy cow bells all detailing a steamy groove. 'We Become' is a loose-limbed sound with live-sounding chords and percussive bringing a Detroit vibe. Francesco Tristano remixes with a signature jazzy touch and nimble key work. 'Flows Forever' then keeps the jazzy, dance vibes flowing with more live drums and louche hits, 'Radiance' exudes cuddly warmth and late-night feels and Atjazz dubs it to perfection.

Review: Razor-N-Tape's white label series serves up its first-ever various artists collection here, and it opens with Windy City master Glenn Underground. His 'Happy House' is a joyous disco stomper with florid strings and lung-busting vocals. Rahaan adds his own edit to 'Be Cool', which is a jazzy dancer with magnificent guitar work and brassy horns. 'Hot Damn' (JKriv edit) keeps the love flowing with funky disco house energy and an air of hands in the air celebration and The Patchouli Brothers flip 'Love Explosion' into a strident, front foot wafered and pumping disco funker with gorgeous vocals. There I so much sunshine and joy in these tunes that they melt even the stoniest of hearts.

Review: New York-based DJ and producer Antonio L Ocasio brings his deep house expertise to his own label as the latest release. On Side-1, 'Meant To Be' by Unified Spirits, is a smooth builder led by gentle guitar riff and enriched by lush strings. Its house groove is both soothing and uplifting, unfolding with a natural, unhurried progression that draws the listener in. On Side-2, Ocasio himself delivers 'La Fiebre', a stunning example of tribal house mastery. The track is spacious and deep, with ominous chords and a subtle tech edge that creates an immersive, almost cinematic feel. There's a beautiful balance between rhythmic drive and atmospheric depth, showing Ocasio's knack for blending soulful elements with intricate production. Altogether, this release maintains a polished and timeless quality - like his Tribal Winds label now verging on 30 years in operation.

Review: UK-based United Freedom Collective unites a throng of talents from Jordan Stephens, Falle Nioke, Eliza Shaddad, Labdi, William Rees and Facesoul, emerging from a collective yogic and breathwork practice before mutating into a full musical outing. Debuting on Maribou State's Dama Dama label, they now return to Multi Culti for a psychedelic five-tracker documenting the euphoric somatic states reachable by the confluence of entheogenic therapy and progressive house production. A through-composed odyssey in many keys, 'Bright Patterns' opens the proceedings with piano-led vocal house, complete with sliding leads and oceanic feels, continuing in this way until a steel-panned sunriser takes form on 'El Yo', and 'Moonshine' brews its own blissful future garage vat.

Review: Terry Usher takes things deep on a new outing for Saint Wax that has spiritual overtones and Afro vibes exuding from every beat. '8 Hours' opens up with the sort of spine-tingling vocals and pensive pads that take any floor higher. 'Never Leave You' is a percussive groove with an infectious sense of skip and 'M' Pon' then picks things up with chanting vocals and warrior leads next to rousing horns full of soul. 'O' Wey' closes out with steel-plated drums and soft shakers bringing plenty of late-night magic.

Review: UV & Nenor link up once more and return to Fossils with three new edits that take the form of spaced-out deep cosmic chuggers. These are all classy tunes with an analogue edge, great deference to the classic synth sounds of days gone by but all with nice modern touches. 'Space Love' is a widescreen odyssey with sultry female vocals and a sweet theremin sound. On the flip, 'Shwag' has hazy pads and slowed down, rugged, sleazy drums and bass and then last of all comes 'GoGo Stomp' with another bubbly bottom end, squelchy bassline and weird but wonderful vocal sounds. A brilliantly high-grade addition to your record back.

Review: UZOO brings their raw energy and smart lyricism to new this new single which comes on Ill Adrenaline Records from the US. This project highlights the collective's dynamic sound which blends gritty beats and sharp, thought-provoking lyrics which add up to a refreshing take on hip-hop while staying rooted in the genre's golden era influences. 'Attack' hits hard with heavy, precise drums and gravelly vocals next to a mix of string samples, dark soul synths and eerie melodies that float way up above the drums.

Review: Kali Uchis has always had a gift for building dreamy, insular worlds, but her fifth studio album feels like a quiet reckoning. She channels existential uncertainty into lush, open-hearted pop i a mix of glittery r&b, woozy soul, and downcast slow jams that seem to float between time zones. Written in the aftermath of what she's described as a "life-altering" experience, there's a newfound stillness here. 'Sunshine & Rain...' is all candlelight and quiet yearning, its soft-focus production the perfect backdrop for a voice that's more hushed and inward than ever. 'ILYSMIH' (short for "I love you so much it hurts") doubles down on vulnerability, with lyrics that feel read straight from a diary, tangled up in delay-drenched strings and pillowy keys. There's punchier stuff too i 'Territorial' and 'Daggers!' lean towards funk and psychedelia, but the tempo never really rises. Instead, the energy folds inwards. 'Silk Lingerie,' 'Lose My Cool,' and 'It's Just Us' feel like whispered confessions, suspended between dream and memory. Across all 14 tracks, there's a strong sense of intimacy and solitude: of letters written and maybe never sent, of a person quietly finding the strength to stay soft in a world that rarely offers the same back.

Review: Since appearing on Gorillaz fifth album, Humanz, in 2017, Kali Uchis has been on an upward trajectory. Now a major international star with a quartet of major label backed solo albums to her name, the Colombian American rapper and singer arrives at album number five, Sincerely, at the peak of her powers. Inspired in part by an unexplained "life-altering event", the set's lyrics explore "the complexities of life" and her desire to "find joy in life despite of the world". In truth, it's more joy than pain, with Uchis gravitating towards head-nodding, string-laden grooves, r&b-influenced pop, guitar-laden trip-hop torch songs, and immersive, dream-like soundscapes.

Review: Veteran French hip-hop producer Ugly Mac Beer ventures into synth-punk with this new album. A passion project conceived in his teens, this record embodies three decades of musical ambition and collides post-punk, electro-punk, darkwave and new wave with US hip-hop and rap rock. Influences like Beastie Boys, The Cure, Kraftwerk and Sleaford Mods resonate throughout and collaborations with Princess Superstar-whose hit 'Perfect' recently resurged on TikTok-French rapper Mynameisleonidas, Frustration's vocalist and longtime ally The Real Fake MC, Broken Ill is a bold trip. Ugly Mac Beer reinvents himself here by delivering a daring UK-inspired rap rock gem that defies convention.

Review: It's been seven years since Freeform Jazz was released as a new frontier for Uyama Hiroto. Now hearing Japanese label Roph return to the jazz and hip-hop artist receive a second round of recognition, we get a thorough reminder of the directions in which jazz can be taken when not mired neither sophistry nor overcomplexity; the liners on this one remind us, likewise, of the reversals and flip-sides of every substance on Earth, that "If there is no movement, there is no stillness, and on the flip side, if there is no stillness, there is no movement." Hiroto's last record, Freeform Jazz, was his obverse side to Breath Of Love; one is duskier than the other, but the works are inseparable - so make sure you listen to the former too. Here though, we hear Hiroto synergise with participating artists Substantial and J Soul, both based in Virginia, as well as Marter and Reinaria; all the artists reign supreme over one wax side each, casting a healthful vocal light over Hiroto's otherwise impeccable recordings, as though they were each happily-ever-after kingdoms anointed in sound.