Den Harrow is famed amongst the heads for his Italo disco classics like 'Overpower,' 'Future Brain' and 'Bad Boy' and he recently returned with the new release 'Always.' Frontman Stefano Zandri, whose charisma and dance moves helped propel Den Harrow to chart-topping fame, once again takes centre stage in the original, and this waxy instalment sees producers Eddy Mi Ami and Mark Hoogkamer deliver their unique remix styles. They both breathe fresh life into the iconic project and offer cuts packed with dancefloor-ready energy and undeniable Italo charm. As such, 'Always' is one of those you are going to be reaching for time and time again.

DJ AL delivers creative edits that breathe new life into iconic tracks from hip-hop and r&b. Side-1's title track takes the beat from 2Pac's '2 of Amerikka's Most Wanted' and transforms it into a smooth, soulful jam, showcasing DJ AL's knack for blending hip-hop and soul seamlessly. On Side-2, 'Super Sweet Hoe Cakes' reimagines Anita Baker's 'Sweet Love' with a hip-hop beat, adding a fresh layer of groove and soul. The instrumental 'Bonus Beats' wraps up the release with jazzy, laid-back beats, allowing the production to shine on its own. Creative and unique.

False Aralia is a new self-titled label from Brian Foote (of Peak Oil, Kranky, etc.) that launches with "a series of recordings growing in all directions" and that draws together the work of artists from North America who are centred around the studio practices of Izaak Schlossman. Zero Key is the first 12" and it opens with a blend of spread synths, dubby undercurrents and microhouse rhythms. Pained vocals drift in and out of focus. There is a hallucinogenic quality to some of the sounds and an aquatic feel to the way the subtle and supple grooves unfold. It is otherworldly music that is rooted in real-world emotion.

Max D and Matt Papich are Lifted, and now the accomplished pair debut on Peak Oil with Trellis, an experimental new album that comes after previous standout releases on Future Times and PAN. This project is where the pair blend some new solo work with recorded elements from a 2021 session with Dustin Wong, Mezey and Jeremy Hyman. The magic happened CDJs were loaded up with sounds and the collages were assembled into one fluid soundscape that takes in elements of jazz, pitch-shifted downtempo, and guitar. It makes for a listen that is always moving and in flux and so various moods drift in and out over the course of the record as harmonic synergies and rogue acoustics all colour the airwaves and make for something that's both immersive and unpredictable.

Who doesn't love a bit of sophisticated soul? We certainly do and it's always good to hear some reworks of the soul great's finest cuts for the dancefloor. And that's what we have here on a new 7" that opens with a disco version of 'Cherish the Day' and doesn't go hard, instead building in some gentle drums and lo-fi melodies, swooning vocals and a mystical late night sense of romance. On the flip, we get a lovers rock version of 'Nothing Can Come Between Us' which adds plenty of lovely guitar lines to bring that island vibe while the shuffling drums lock you in gently.

Latest in our cornucopian supply of Afro-funk and dance crossover music comes Italian supergroup Addict Ameba with a new, sophomore single version of the 2024 LP Caosmosi, which followed on from 2020's Panamor, and demonstrated an impressive ear for stylistic continuity. Led up by the Josh Idehen-featuring single 'Look At Us', this polydirectional power mover crossed between desert blues, Afrobeat, Latin rock and Ethio-jazz, all while offering a slickly maximised sound - careful not too sacrifice all the headroom, though it occupied more than enough space to cross into the periodic threshold of weird. This 7" study of the record, focusing on tracks 'Caosmosi' and 'Por Nostalgia', suggest two of the album's best selective choices for the roving DJ.