Back catalogue: All genres

Review: This heavyweight 12" delivers fresh French-produced roots reggae straight out of the unlikely region of Brittany in the North West. It unites the talents of producers William Spring and Arthur Dub Dealer with sought-after Jamaican vocalist Aza Lineage and results in 'Give Thanks For Life,' a spiritually charged anthem carried by Aza's commanding, conscious delivery over a deep, meditative rhythm. William Spring serves up his own riddim, and the B-side offers a delicious dub version from Dub Dealing that strips the rhythm back and recooks it with echo-drenched finesse. Benyah's 'Badman Horns' is tipped with some ska-adjacent brass to make for a meeting of modern roots energy with enduring messages of uplift.

Review: The classic 1982 funk anthem 'Don't Fight The Feeling' by American r&b and funk band One Way gets a fine 12" pressing here, which means it can be played nice and loud. Singer Al Hudson leads the way with his buttery vocal, while a stepping and broken rhythm with lovely dry claps and w sloppy synth squeal make for a pretty unique sound given when this was first recorded. On the flip side, Windjammer's 'I Thought It Was You' offers a more mellow, melodic contrast full of the band's signature blend of r&b and jazz with cooing, heart-melting vocals and a nice stepping rhythm that lovers of UK street soul will surely be drawn to.

Review: French label Cairo Xpress debuts with a first-ever vinyl outing and a fine one it is too, with six stylish house outings from an array of fresh talents. Wilt's 'Beoyon' has lovely gloppy drums and bass looping under harmonic chords - it's simple but effective. Hermit gets more full-bodied with his textured 'Who Dunnit' and DOTT strips it back to bumping drum track workouts on 'Twitching Softly.' There is more irresistible bounce to Lucho's 'Mesh', Artphorm layers in some old school pianos to 'Daown' and HATT D shuts down with maybe the best of the lot, 'Contrasts In Life,' which is a broken beat, analogue sound with celestial energy.

Review: Guillermo aka Existencia Pasajera is part of a new wave of artists from the Andes who is making rightful waves in the wider underground. He's got a few great releases dropping this year, and this one on the tasteful Prozpektiva is among them. 'Dreamless' starts off with an eerie piano progression that is suspenseful and noir as twitchy techno beats and synths bring an intergalactic feel. 'Universal Express (feat Dismal)' is a brightly melodic tech stomper with Italo overtones and then hints of garage underpin the nice and punchy 'Now Or Never'. 'Disco Cydonia' (feat Dismal)' best more wiry and weird again then 'Space Groove' closes out with more celestial energy and squelchy acid lines.

Review: There are immersive experiences that inspire artists to do great things. Then there's Aboutface heading to the Wampis Territory, in the Peruvian Amazon, to live with the local community, learn a little of how they live and their relationship with the Lungs of the Planet, capturing field recordings collaboratively with those people, and trying to articulate their world through an electronic-organic deep dive album. After you've got over the jealousy about how life-changing that trip was, let's focus on the fundamentals. This is seriously escapist stuff that seems to have been made using every root, branch, and animal encountered during those weeks. The synthesised elements are audible, but take a backseat to what was and is actually there. Or here. Quite unlike anything we've heard this year, it's a stunning way to raise awareness and support for Indigenous-led conservation and initiatives trying to stop illegal deforestation and ecocide.

Review: Plucking themselves and their strings out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Watchhouse has its foundations in Mandolin Orange, and the duo - songwriter Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar) - haven't necessarily changed since the name switch. A married couple, there's always been this beautiful intimacy in their music, which is often tender, if not strictly quiet. Eight studio albums in and most of the reasons we fell for this Americana-folk-country outfit remain front and centre. The musicianship, at times, is nothing short of spectacular. Check the chord work on 'In The Sun'. The lyrics are capable of stopping you dead, forcing contemplation and reflection. And the overall atmosphere is like the feeling you have after stepping off a train back home. Slow down, re-familiarise, and pay some attention to the subtle things.

Review: Released way back in October 2001, the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone soundtrack became an instant classic. It was composed and conducted by the legendary John Williams and features iconic themes like 'Hedwig's Theme' and introduces multiple character and setting motifs that shaped the musical identity of the series. Many of these leitmotifs returned in Chamber of Secrets and beyond, with 'Hedwig's Theme' becoming the franchise's signature melody and appearing in all eight films plus the Fantastic Beasts spinoff. The score earned Williams an Academy Award nomination and was certified gold in both Canada and Japan. It's a magical, enduring piece of cinematic music history.

Review: In January 2025, Al Wootton visited Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio, which is home to a rare archive of vintage drum machines. Once there, he recorded the unique rhythms and quirks of these machines and captured their raw character. Back in the UK, he transformed those recordings through processing and layering to create this new EP, Rhythm Archives. The result is a stripped-back but impactful exploration of rhythm that draws from industrial, dub, post-punk and proto-techno influences. The record stands as both a creative tribute to the iconic machines and their makers and a nod to MESS's mission of preserving electronic music heritage and making it accessible through public engagement and education.

Review: Adam Winchester and Laurie Osborne (probably still best known as Appleblim) are Wrecked Lightship and they have an inventive approach to dub, breaks and bass. Their work creates an immersive world full of rich, atmospheric textures and the latest example of that is Drained Strands, a new album for Peak Oil full of fragmented, genre-blurring sounds. The six-tracker is full of experimentation and new ideas from the off. 'Delinquent Spirits' for example is a jumble of jungle breaks and vast basslines with minimal percussion, 'Reeling Mist' is warm, blissed out dub and 'Somnium Sands' is an eerie and evocative world of synth designs and industrial decay.

Review: French label PBT is absolutely on fire right now with a series of massive reissues of long-time boogie, funk and soul grails that will have collectors in a spin. Next up is this hidden gem from Florida's boogie funk archives, Pixie Dust by Wreckin' Crew, which was originally released in 1983 and was once a US-only rarity. It's a bass-heavy, synth-laced prized find for collectors and DJs featuring Robert Rans (who was the co-writer of Freeze's classic 'AEIOU') and veteran producer Kent Washburn. It's brimming with tight grooves and crisp drum programming while smooth vocal harmonies flow throughout. Every track radiates pure 80s boogie energy, all crafted with precision and ready to dominate dancefloors.

Review: Wunderhorse's Cub has evolved into a cult classic since its 2022 release and propelled the band from pub gigs to Glastonbury and sold-out Brixton Academy shows in quick time. Blending grunge bite with expansive psychedelia, the album became a generational touchstone, and frontman Jacob Slater's journey from burning out in Dead Pretties to rediscovering music while working as a surf instructor means he infuses Cub with hard-earned introspection and raw power. As the solo project transformed into a full band, Wunderhorse gained momentum, and their acclaimed 2024 follow-up Midas broke into the UK Top 10 and earned global praise while confirming their place as one of rock's most vital new voices.