Back in stock: All genres

Review: Like many veteran jazz artists, American pianist Keith Jarrett has amassed a vast discography. The 92 solo and collaborative albums he's notched up since 1968 cover many styles of jazz, making it tricky for newcomers to know where to start. We'd suggest beginning with this 1999 album, which is as pure as you'll get. Made up entirely of solo piano pieces - mostly covers, with a sprinkling of Jarrett's own compositions - "The Melody At Night With You" not only offers a brilliant introduction to Jarrett's trademark playing style, but also the breadth of material he's covered. More importantly, the whole collection is hugely entertaining and enjoyable, with Jarrett putting his own twist on everything from Duke Ellington classics and Oscar Hammerstein show tunes, to Gershwin ballads and traditional favourites.

Review: Jeru The Damaja doesn't always get namechecked as readily as the likes of Gang Starr, but he's just as vital a part of the East Coast rap legacy. 1996 album Wrath Of The Math is a totem of conscious hip-hop, with Premier on the beats and Jeru showing off exactly what he can do on the mic. Now 45 Kings are taking measures to remind people how good this record is by picking two of the album's finest cuts and giving them a trip out on 7". 'Ya Playing Yaself' is an impossibly funky Preemo groove underpinned by a righteously cheeky b-line, while 'Scientifical Madness' finds The Damaja breaking down societal ills with devastating dexterity.

Review: Director Max Kestner's documentary film portrait Copenhagen Dreams is a tribute to the Danish capital. That also happened to be the place acclaimed composer Johann Johannsson was living at the time he was asked to score the movie. As always he does so with real aplomb and devastating emotionality. This now classic soundtrack features celestial keyboard sounds, emotive string quartets, clarinet, subtle electronic and plenty of melodic magic that both swells and breaks the heart. Academy Award winner Hildur Gudnadottir plays on the soundtrack with various other of Johann's favourite Icelandic talents.

Review: First released in 1970 and now reissued in conjunction with Light In The Attic and Future Days, Pete Jolly's Seasons first manifested on A&M Records as a series of live-composed melodies and textures, recalling the naturalisms of each passing season through their expression in jazz and funk. Starting naturally in spring before segueing into a verdant nature-scape, then briskly launching into a sandstorm, not long followed by an 'Autumn Festival' and an 'Indian Summer', the order of each season in Jolly's remit is not the same as their occurrence in reality; yet this is precisely what makes this early ambient, cool jazz opus so arresting; it's as though it came from another world.

Review: Pete Jolly's Seasons, first released in 1970, is an early example of, one could say,'"environmental' cool jazz and ambient music. Seasons never saw a significant commercial release, though they say that if one successfully articulates the spirit of the time, one is rewarded with fame regardless: the ensuing cult following in the years after felt almost inevitable, and now that its flames are being fanned again, we can say with surety that the West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist's efforts will continue to be rewarded once more. Cycling through each season in a jumbled order, yet revelling in every possible sensory twist and turn characteristic of each season, we're met with an album that not only straddles the jazz and pop worlds in unprecedented ways, but also serves a premonitory rendition of hip-hop; the album is a favourite sample source of such greats as Cypress Hill, Jay Dee and Busta Rhymes.

Review: First time on a 45 with a killer string laden funk instrumental on flipside

Review: The irrepressible Past Inside The Present is back with the second in a trilogy of tape loop experiments from T.R. Jordan. This is the limited and hand-numbered CD format and is another cohesive piece of this three-suite puzzle. All of the music was made by the same materials and methods and was all made in "a concentrated period of inspired experimentation with no energy wasted." The artist calls it a form of "musical composting" and the music is full of a sense of musical grace and elegance, peaceful pads and sonic versions of pastoral scenes like flowing rivers and mossy rocks under beautiful wispy clouds.

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


A highly collectible splatter 12" vinyl of this Martin Hannett-produced session groundbreaking gothic/post-punk band, Joy Division. Includes the band's best known composition 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and a superb non-album B-side in 'Leaders Of Men', plus an extended mix of the A-side. Most music fans and their mothers will have had the former track firmly implanted into their grey matter by now, but it's the B-side that really gets the true-heads going, channelling a massive, cortex-cracking sound that is closer to punk than post. Boy, did Joy Division have a toothy side.

Review: Expansions' latest essential reissue takes us back to 1980 and the much sought after seven-inch edition of singer Ty Karim's collaboration with lesser-known soul man George Griffin. "Keep On Doin' Whatcha' Doin'" was written and produced by Karim's other half Kent Harris and, like the original seven inch, appears here in two parts. The glorious A-side version is a lolloping chunk of disco-era sweet soul rich in soaring orchestration, fluttering flutes and Marvin Gaye/Tammi Tyrell style duet vocals from Karim and Griffin. Part two focuses more on the killer groove and the duo's impassioned improvised vocalizations, with a variety of tasty solos helping to whip things into a mid-tempo dancefloor frenzy.

Review: After 16 years as a DJ and label owner, Kasra only released his debut EP in 2018. Now he's dropping albums dripping in high grade collabs. Gardna, Riko Dan, Yaano, Slay, VISLA, Killa P, T Man and Enei all play a role in this gully-fest as the Critical bossman rolls out a session of timeless styles. Highlights include the A.W.O.L style dark stepper 'Platinum', the Digital Soundboy flavoured 'Shatter' and the mesmerising smash of 2023 - 'BB.OO'. Dreamy. .

Review: This is a new record of unearthed delights by Leon Keita, a longtime singer and multi-instrumentalist from Mali. On the eponymous 'Leon Keita', we hear Malian music fused with sensibilities from Sudan-Guinea and Burkina Faso, with modern pop and electronic influences, impeccably played in a smattering of crisp guitars, love-sung lyrics and laboured rhythms. All laid to a fresh pressing, the A-side hears three rather relaxed beauties, while the B moves into more idealistic and hedonic directions, not least the conclusive 'Dakan Sate, Korotoumi'. Brought back to our attention by Analog Africa, 'Leon Keita' serves yet another top serving and reminder of Mandingue culture, the influence of which stretches across the world; 'Dalaka' was a recent hit, making it as far as the Colombian coast.

Review: Mint Condition continues its run of strong reissues of house and techno music. Originally released on the cult label Robs records in 1995, Kilowatt's 'The Last EP' is finally getting the much deserved repress. Included is the wicked acid banger 'Loose End' which is a diamond of the mid-90s bleep house sound. 'The End' is another standout track on this release that gives us great memories of all the exciting IDM related going ons in the mid 90s - not least in the club of the same name - with echoes of 808 State from the late 80s too. Sometimes you aren't sure why a record's been reissued, but this one is definitely a worthy case. Expect these copies to go fast.

Review: One of the greatest things to happen to the vinyl industry, the beloved Australian rock collective are a force to be reckoned with in terms of releases. For all their conceptual and experimental releases however, 'Omnium Gatherum' works exactly as prescribed - a latin phrase roughly translating to "just a bunch of stuff". The double LP is a collection of reworked unreleased material, as well as original music tacked on to boot - King Gizzard fans never have to worry about getting bang for their buck. Expect frenzied shredding, nu-metal cuts and the occasional synth-pop banger. The real highlight here is 'The Grim Reaper', a fusion of hip-hop and medieval instrumentation if you can believe it. Kenny-Smith's flow is no doubt influenced by the Beastie Boys era of hip-hop, a style being repopularised by the likes of Joey Valence & Brae. The album is a crazy patchwork of genres that feels not unlike watching your favourite movie in the form of a highlight reel.

Review: Experimental musician Leyland Kirby has been skirting round the edges of electronic music since the tail end of the '90s, delivering curious concept albums under a dizzying variety of pseudonyms (The Caretaker, The Stranger, Billy Ray Cyrix, Butcher Claws and Bored in Columbia, amongst many others). Here he dons his familiar V/VM alias for a discordant trip into drone territory supposedly inspired by fading memories of the last throes of early '90s outdoor raves. In truth, there's little in the music - a typically hissing, dystopian fusion of murky textures and becalmed electronic tones - to justify the concept, but it matters little. Kirby is a master at creating vaguely spooky, industrial-influenced soundscapes, and The Death of a Rave (A Partial Flashback) only enhances his reputation.

Review: RECOMMENDED
If 2020, and the coronavirus pandemic, did anything good for music it was forcing a long overdue reevaluation of the role technology plays. Video games had a bumper year, and it didn't take long for the historic relationship between computer entertainment and contemporary musical compositions to start finding favour with content-starved editorial teams.

They say there's no turning back, ever, and as such the smart money is on albums like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice not just becoming more commonplace, but taken more seriously going forward. Soundtrack to Activision's critically acclaimed video game of the same name, in which players take on the role of a shinobi in feudal Japan, as you'd expect it's a deeply atmospheric collection that invokes misty mountaintops, shadows dancing off bamboo and patient heroics. An OST equal to any major movie.

Review: A selection of fifteen pieces from the soundtrack of the cult anime Dragon Ball Z, on a limited 2xLP edition, fully licensed, including the main opening track 'CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA'. This soundtrack accompanies the anime's key moment in which Dragon Ball Z resumes five years after Son Goku's wedding. Radditz, a mysterious warrior, arrives on Earth to find Goku, who learns that he comes from a planet of warriors from a planet of warriors, of which only four remain. The plot is based on a succession of increasingly strong opponents to be fought, but there's often a quest or travel motif that adds interest beyond the duels. All this, and more, is bolstered by this electrifying soundtrack edition.

Notes: Two oscillators independently set as VCO, LFO, or random generator

This new version replaces the original Twin Waves. All features of the former are retained. You can check all videos, reviews and comments of V1, being sure to benefit of all in the MKII version :-)

Features in VCO mode:

V/Oct tracking over 10 octaves
Tuning lock with octave selection
Through zero and linear FM
Sub-octave output
Hard & soft synchronization
VCA control and CV algorithms selection
Quantizer with various scales
20 algorithm-based synthesis types among:
Wave shaping
Phase modulation
Phase positioning of multiple waves
Up to 5 stacked oscillators in tunable unison
Self-sync with phantom oscillator
Additive synthesis (7 waves)
Variable bit reduction (bit-crushing)
Ring modulator with its own 2nd oscillator
Noise with LPF, BPF, or resonant filter

Features in LFO mode:

Simultaneous signal and trigger outputs
External wave synchronization
Clock controlled rate with voltage controlled multiplier and divider
CV and knob control of output level
Algorithm based wave engine with a selection of:
Wave shaping
Phase modulation
Random levels and vectors (also Brownian)
Randomly spaced triggers and waves
Display with contextual icons and instant reminder help text
LEDs indicating potentiometer vs. value matching, switch settings and output signals
Automatically saved settings for instant recall at power on
Firmware update by playing an audio file via the front panel
Compact and skiff-friendly module

Dimensions
8 HP
21 mm deep

Current Draw
52 mA +12V
17 mA -12V
0 mA 5V

Notes: *** " B-STOCK: Box opened, but product is in excellent condition and in perfect working order ***


Two oscillators independently set as VCO, LFO, or random generator

This new version replaces the original Twin Waves. All features of the former are retained. You can check all videos, reviews and comments of V1, being sure to benefit of all in the MKII version :-)

Features in VCO mode:

V/Oct tracking over 10 octaves
Tuning lock with octave selection
Through zero and linear FM
Sub-octave output
Hard & soft synchronization
VCA control and CV algorithms selection
Quantizer with various scales
20 algorithm-based synthesis types among:
Wave shaping
Phase modulation
Phase positioning of multiple waves
Up to 5 stacked oscillators in tunable unison
Self-sync with phantom oscillator
Additive synthesis (7 waves)
Variable bit reduction (bit-crushing)
Ring modulator with its own 2nd oscillator
Noise with LPF, BPF, or resonant filter

Features in LFO mode:

Simultaneous signal and trigger outputs
External wave synchronization
Clock controlled rate with voltage controlled multiplier and divider
CV and knob control of output level
Algorithm based wave engine with a selection of:
Wave shaping
Phase modulation
Random levels and vectors (also Brownian)
Randomly spaced triggers and waves
Display with contextual icons and instant reminder help text
LEDs indicating potentiometer vs. value matching, switch settings and output signals
Automatically saved settings for instant recall at power on
Firmware update by playing an audio file via the front panel
Compact and skiff-friendly module

Dimensions
8 HP
21 mm deep

Current Draw
52 mA +12V
17 mA -12V
0 mA 5V

Review: UK producer Kloke has been on prolific form lately, dropping the science on Tim Reaper's Future Retro, Unknown To The Unknown, Fresh 86 and scores more labels besides. Now he's stepping up to Samurai sub label Mindgames in the wake of essential drops from Reaper and Eusebeia with some incredibly accomplished workouts which reach beyond formulaic limitations to offer the kind of bar-raising breaks juggling and considered production that truly stands out in this day and age. 'Eternity' is as compelling in its teasing, quasi-ambient lead in, taking some of the backroom surrealism of Photek's Modus Operandi and charging it with a vivid, underwater sound design flair. That's just one example - every track has its own distinctive intrigue and mind-bending ideas flying out of the speakers in high-definition.

Notes: *** NO POWER SUPPLY INCLUDED - USES GENERIC 12VAC ADAPTER ***

Basically, the Ekdahl Moisturizer is a spring reverb where the springs are exposed so they can be played/hit/fiddled with. As well as being capable of creating sound in itself, you can of course also play sound through the springs like a regular spring reverb - this makes for happy-fun-time finger-modulation of the reverb on whatever audio that's going through it. On top of this there's an analog multimode filter that can be used to attenuate or exaggerate certain frequencies in the sound, this is real handy while playing the springs as you can - for instance - cut all the highs and just make thunderous doomy sounds or do the opposite; cut all the lows and make that ear piercing high frequency special love. Also, it incorporates an LFO that's internally routable to the filter and that also has some external routing-stuff. The Ekdahl Moisturizer has tons of CV / Expression pedal options on the back for even more hillarious moments. The Moisturizer is a mono unit.

The Moisturizer was developed with the help of Jason Willett (Half Japanese, Leperchaun Catering), Martin Schmidt (Matmos, Instant Coffee), Joshua Atkins (Polygons, Major Powers), mom & dad and many more.

The Ekdahl Moisturizer contains exactly:
Preamp (up to 10 times gain)
Reverb
Reverb / Preamp wet/dry crossfader (Knob & CV/EP controllable)
State variable filter with
Lowpass/Bandpass/Highpass seamless crossover (Knob, CV/EP & LFO controllable)
Cutoff (Knob, CV/EP & LFO controllable)
Resonance (WITHOUT resonance limiter)
LFO with
Speed control (Knob & CV/EP controllable)
Square / Triangle crossover
External output with output amplitude knob
Filter / No filter wet/dry crossfader (Knob & CV/EP controllable)

The preamp section is designed for a max of 10 times gain, this to accomodate for low level output instruments such as guitars etc. The reverb tank has normal reverb signal gain on it, meaning that if you hit the springs hard they'll distort like crap which is real nice, if you hit them softly the sound won't be distorted.

The filter in the Ekdahl Moisturizer is abrasive, the fact that it doesn't have any resonance limiting makes it possible to get the filter to sound *really* bubbly & metallic (way more then any filter i've ever heard), but it's also of course capable of sounding completely "normal" - it all depends on the amount of resonance and/or gain. The fact that you can seamlessly fade inbetween lowpass, bandpass or highpass filter (or lowpass+bandpass and highpass+bandpass) makes the unit pretty damn versatile and by using the wet/dry filter/no filter crossfader there's some neat shit that can be done too. Now it should be said that due to the fact that there's no resonance limiter, if using very high gain, with high resonance and turning the cutoff frequency very high the filter might cut out - not to worry, just turn the cutoff back a bit and the filter pops in again. This happens because the filter gets overloaded and can be avoided with a resonance limiter, however if i had one of those all the super-awesome bounce would be gone and it'd sound like all the other filter out there.

The Ekdahl moisturizer has six CV/Expression pedal related jacks on the back, one of them is a LFO output so you can control other shit with The Moisturizer's LFO. All the other jacks are inputs and takes either CV or Expression pedal, they are: Reverb Mixture, VCF Cutoff, VCF Filter Mode (LP/BP/HP), Filter Mixture and LFO Speed.

Review: Toolroom head honcho Mark Knight has pulled out all the stops here and joined forces with some of house music's biggest names. His ow-slung new tune 'The Greatest Thing Alive' is a collab with the one and only Chicago don Green velvet plus James Hurr and it has already made an impact on global dancefloors since its digital release in October last year. Between these talents they all dig deep and cook up something perfectly chunky and detailed with fresh percussion. It's the sort of tune that will blow up in Miami and has the addition of Green Velvet's take on the classic 'Mannish Boy' from Muddy Waters.