New releases last two weeks: All genres

Review: Wots My Code has been back on our shelves recently with some of his most seminal EPs getting reissued. His self-titled effort from 1992 came back in October, as did his All Seasons EP also on Kiteforce, both of which sounded as good as they did back when first crafted. Now his The New Dubplates EP drops on Just Another Label with 'Dubplate' kicking off as a remix by Bay B Kane that takes no prisoners. A Sikka remix then tweaks the energy level and on the flip is 'Pass Me A Dubplate (92-3)' a short but sweet closer.

Review: Man of Mine encapsulates the soulful essence of Betty Wright's talent, making it a standout track on this 7" single release. Originally released in 1977, the song remains in high demand on the modern soul scene, attesting to its enduring appeal and timeless quality. Wright's emotive vocals, backed by lush instrumentation, create a captivating listening experience that resonates with audiences across generations. With its infectious groove and heartfelt lyrics, Man of Mine exemplifies the soul genre at its finest, showcasing Wright's talent as a vocalist and storyteller. This single serves as a fitting tribute to Betty Wright's influential contribution to funk, soul music and disco.

Review: Some 20 years on from the release of her debut album, acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright releases another instant classic album, Shadow. The Southern American heart-tugger is a specialist of gospel and soul, first earning her spurs as part of a Billie Holiday tribute act before earning increasing stars under the banner of Verve Records. Weaving influences from the Great American Church Songbook to Wright's own personal experiences of love, grief and kinship, Shadow is a moving album statement, channelling the recent memory of her grandmother through stripped-back and unprescribed deployments of acoustic guitar and bare vocals.

Review: X-Ray Ted's 'Talkin' EP' finally hits vinyl, a format perfectly suited for its timeless classic vibe. On the A-side, 'Talkin' weaves strings, horns, and guitar riffs over rolling beats and bass, topped with soulful vocals. On the flip, 'So Much' exudes infectious energy, blending vocal refrains, guitars, and horns for a soulful groove. These tracks offer a glimpse into X-Ray Ted's upcoming debut album, showcasing his talent for blending old-school sounds with a modern twist. Limited to a run of 7"s on Bombstrikes, these vinyl grooves exude sunshine vibes and feel-good warmth, destined to fly off shelves.

Review: The clandestine Xenia Reaper comes forth with their debut LP proper, a sprawling anthology of pulsating, sensual neu-ambient beatdowns for club and spa play. Across nine tracks, they traverse terrain from pensive, windswept chordscapes underpinned by resonant carpets of sub, to pummelling, stroboscopic workouts a la Basic Channel. It's a super accomplished tripp, full of pleasure centre-probing sonic shrapnel, waterlogged voices, saccharine synthwork and skittering percussion. A perfect soundtrack for the advent of longer evenings and resurgence of chlorophyll.

Review: youANDme has always been an important cog in the wheel of underground house and techno and his recent PPPPP was another fine project that has also spawned plenty of equally brilliant remixes. This is a second collection of them and it kicks off with the Polish master of perfect loop techno, Head High aka Shed. His bulky, barreling drums and big percussive loops come with plenty of bounce and raved up vocals. After that come Ian Pooley's dub, and Johannes Albert's deep house trip. Sasha, Roger Sanchez and Laurent Garnier have already been banging these so now it's your turn.

Notes: We Love Vinyl - 12" slipmat

Review: Kiria Records is back here with the fifth release by Zenk, which is a melodic but sci-fi tech house EP that starts with the jittery beats of 'Oniromantic'. Rigid synth sequences and slivery metal hits give it a future feel while 'Khubaba' gets more tight and kinetic and abstract. The more tough and pumping 'Nefertiti' is another carefully interwoven mix of sinewy synths, hiccuping effects and warped bass that is topped with a sensuous female vocal and 'Nefertiti' (Costin RP remix) then gets zoned out and trippy with a more balmy sense of synth soul.

Review: Latin funk music's best and brightest recollector-reissuers Vampi Soul continue to do what they do best with this latest reissue of the debut self-titled album by Zulu. One of the last great albums of the first wave of Peruvian rock,and originally released in 1974, Zulu was infamous for its linking of psych-tinged rock with Afro-Latin American beats and folk pop. The enigmatic Zulu (real name Miguel Angel Ruiz Orbegoso) was best known during his lifetime as a member of the bands Traffic Sound and Los Nuevos Shain, but his only solo album commands a unique aura as a numinous rarity, immediately pre-dating his latter-career immersion in the religious community. Reissued for the first time with the collaboration of Zulu, including extensive liner notes and one extra track, the likes of 'Si en el cielo yo viviera', 'Laberintos' and 'Candela' are pastoral gems of folk-cumbia and salsa, playing back with a level of sensitivity and texture that could only be born of a worthy spirit.