Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz

Review: New York City's Jennifer Vanilla - aka. Jennifer Vanilla and Brian Abelson - offered a portal into a colourful world of innovative electronic sound with their 2022 debut album Castle In The Sky, traversing a new wave, post-punk, art pop, and experimental r&b aesthetic. Now Love Injection - the just as wonderful duo of Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele - team up for a booster jab to bolster Vanilla's original shot of liquid amour, also delivered via the medium of 12". Here the original track features in full naked glory on the B-side, while two live-giving remixes from Love Injection - 'Earthly' and 'Celestial' - appear on the A and B respectively. The former takes its time, through djembe and hopeful pad wash, to deliver a blissfully organic take on the original; the latter aims more squarely for the flickering stars, and is more immediate in feel. An overall exquisite, deep, spiritual house release, with an unusually soft and dubbed-out palette, reminiscent of the deeper ends of Y2K broken beat and wild, long-form nocturnal galas a-la Joaquin Claussell.

Review: Eddie Piller and Dean Rudland's Acid Jazz (Not Jazz): We've Got A Funky Beat is a vibrant compilation that celebrates the eclectic and groove-driven sound of acid jazz. It takes in a well-curated and eclectic selection of definitive tracks from the genre's heyday that all perfectly capture the essence of the movement which is defined by its infectious rhythms, jazz melodies, and silky beats. Along the way, there are non-stop funky basslines and energetic brass sections. Each song exudes a sense of excitement and spontaneity that is so characteristic of acid jazz which rightly has such an enduring appeal to contemporary audiences.

Review: The translucent yellow vinyl reissue of Disco Not Disco: Leftfield Disco Classics From The New York Underground on Strut brings forth once again an exhilarating journey through the vibrant tapestry of the city's dance scene. Curated by Sean P and Dave Lee, the collection captures the essence of the era's experimentalism and innovation with full authenticity. From the infectious rhythms of Liquid Liquid's 'Cavern' to the hypnotic grooves of Loose Joints, each track pulsates with raw energy and eclectic creativity. With contributions from various key artists of the time, this collection serves as a timeless homage to the influential sounds that defined the underground disco movement while offering a captivating glimpse into New York's musical legacy.

Review: Broken beat hero Kaidi Tatham steps forth with the first in a series of all-star remix albums of the Reel People Music back catalogue. Over an impressive ten tracks, Tatham sashays between syrupy soul slo-jams, virtuosic broken beat trips, almost UK funky-esque live jams, and acoustic boom bap beats. Percies include the sweeter-than-molasses opening flip of Sebb Junior's 'All My Life', his sassy, stripped-back version of Daz-I-Kue and Hadiya George's 'Pedigree' and a dazzlingly technical re-run of the Monkey Brothers' 'Losin my Head.' With this anthology, Tatham proves that London's broken beat scene continues to flourish, and his boundary-hopping style is as relevant as ever.