Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz Recommendations Best Of 2011

Review: Eglo continues to offer up choice reissues of killer cuts from the back catalogue of Sam Shepherd AKA Floating Points. The latest to get the treatment is 2011 12" Marilyn, which appeared at a time when Shepherd was just beginning to expand his sound palette following a few years of distinctively-swung deep house singles. The title track still boasts the distinctive, jammed-out synthesizer lead lines that were then a hallmark of his productions, as well as the shuffling house beats that we all love dearly, but also makes use of lots of extra percussion, Motor City-influenced chords and some sweet scat singing. Flipside 'Farukx' is a little more revolutionary, with the Eglo co-founder wrapping jazz-fired broken beats in drowsy chords, twinkling synth sounds and wavy female vocal snippets. Likethe A-side, it's one of Shepherd's best.

Review: Madrid-based Brighton boy Chip Wickham sure knows how to come up with exotic sounds. His name is perfect for the 60s spy theme style funk he cooked up for Lovemonk back in 2011. They proved so popular they quickly sold out and so the today 7" has now been repressed. 'Hit & Run' is exactly as it should sound based on the title - a soundtrack to a high-speed car chase in a 60s movie. 'Apache' then rattles and rolls with busy Latin percussive flair, tumbling drums and a sunny flute lead packed with joy. Both of these will inject any set with next-level vibes.

Review: Etage Noir label-boss Parov Stelar is a master in electro-swing, as he proves yet again on this new three-track EP. "Wanna Fete" is a feast of 30s jazz samples, all wrapped around a tight electro-house beat that's subtle enough not to swamp the jive out of the samples. Same goes with "Diamonds", which brilliantly keeps a heavy ride cymbal rocking that floats over the mix throughout and features some excellent cornet solos along with well-placed scratch breaks. No prizes for guessing the sample source on closer "Le Piaf" - another example of Stelar's skills in fusing that 78" sound with the dynamics needed to rock a modern floor.

Review: 4 hero main man Dego has a new 2000 Black album up his sleeve in the shape of A Wha' Him Deh Pon? which should get the heads excited. A little taste of what to expect is proffered via this three track drop which premieres three of the tracks from the aforementioned set. The A Side is dedicated to the fizz and snap that is "Late Night Fright", all future boogie basslines spreading out over typically intricate beat programming and taut moog flourishes - you're gonna love the big piano chords that characterise the main section. On the flip the "Love & Hate" contains just as much boogie but applies it to a straighter bounce - leaving the vocalist Obenewa to shine. The bruk vibes return on the final entree "Not In My Disco" a delightful 23rd C instrumental soul swinger that is most reminiscent of 4 Hero.

Review: This 45 from Canadian producer Moonstarr's Public Transit label imprint takes on a version of Carlos Garnett's classic "Mystery Of Ages". Both cuts feature legendary female singer Bembe Segue - one of the best known female vocalists from the broken beat/nu-jazz scene - who has worked with Dego, IG Culture, Mark de Clive Lowe, Nicola Conte, Japanese band Sleep Walker and so many more. The flipside is our pick of the two, boasting a decidedly more broken boogie slant. All proceeds from this release will be donated to the Living Dreams appeal, helping children in Japan affected by the 2011 earthquake.

Review: One of the foremost producers in the broken beat scene way back, Mark De Clive Lowe is prepping a return to the spotlight via a forthcoming long player for Tru Thoughts. A taste of what to expect is offered on this vinyl-only sampler of vocal soul bombs via the Mashibeats imprint De Clive Lowe runs. "The Way" opens proceedings, showcasing the producer's well documented talents behind a keyboard, laying down a fuzzy gloss over a midtempo jazzy bump which Nia Andrews vocally rides with aplomb. Props to Mark for getting two legends in the shape of Omar and Sheila E to guest on the following track "Get Started", a brilliant percussion-heavy jam matched in the future boogie stakes by "We Renegades".

Review: The latest Resista twelve sees the fledgling imprint expand their remit beyond whatever global danceteria Dan Snaith has in his vinyl arsenal, welcoming Tom Croose from the ever excellent Worst Friends to take the controls. With Worst Friends releases across Internasjonal and Future Classic, Croose has definite pedigree and his two tweaks here fit in with the off-the-beaten-track ethos of Resista. "Cho Chua" updates some classic Brazilian Tropicala, effortlessly tweaking proceedings so the infectious vocal and sweet guitar refrain are looped to delight over beefed up drums that roll with glee. It is complemented by the flipside "Dukes Dub" which naturally switches the focus to the percussive elements, thus presenting a darker, more restrained version that still retains hypnotic qualities thanks to the sweeping vocal effects and oscillating metallic synths.

Review: The first of four in a series of remixes from Bjork's upcoming album Biophilia sees Grammy Award winning mixer Serban Ghenea taking on two tracks. First is "Crystalline", which begins with a sedate melodic chime and Bjork's classic broken vocal delivery. Things pick up with a series of stripped back, skittering electronic rhythms, but when the song reaches its last minute things get crazy with a chopped up amen break coming out of nowhere that is more reminiscent of Venetian Snares than anything else! "Cosmogony" meanwhile is a beatless masterpiece, combining Bjork's breathtaking vocals with a pitch bent bass drone and haunting trumpet melody.