Balearic/Downtempo charts

Review: To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The K&D Sessions, Kruder & Dorfmeister present a stunning limited-edition box set, available on 6xLP. Mastered by renowned engineer Bernie Grundman, this edition promises an audiophile listening experience. The set includes a newly added 6th LP featuring previously unreleased material, including remixes of Madonna, Roni Size, Lewis Taylor and Count Basic. The lavish packaging boasts gloss finishes, metallic gold Pantone details, and clear UV varnishing on the sleeves. Additionally, it includes a 40-page booklet filled with rare, unseen photos from the original era and extensive liner notes by Max Dax, Robert Menasse, and Werner Geier. A hi-res A2 poster is also part of the package. The standout tracks on the sixth LP include Kruder's 11-minute remix of Madonna's 'Nothing Really Matters', along with K&D's interpretation of Roni Size's 'Heroes' and U.F.O.'s 'L.O.V.E.'. Lewis Taylor's 'Lucky' appears in two remixed forms, one dubbed out and the other vocal-driven. This deluxe release elevates the original The K&D Sessions, which became the soundtrack for countless late 90s afterparties and lounge sessions, to new heights with a beautifully crafted presentation fitting for its enduring legacy.

Review: So Tough was Saint Etienne's second album, and it properly broke the band into the wider public consciousness thanks to their canny blend of house music, Balearic and melancholic indie. To date it remains the highest charting of their albums, helped no doubt by Sarah Cracknell becoming a permanent member of the band, the free-spirited nature of independent music in the early 90s and the success of the single 'Youre In A Bad Way'. Some 30 years on from its original release, So Tough is getting the luxury reissue treatment in the form of a triple-vinyl pressing, a 7" and a 28-page booklet - surely essential for any of the band's devoted fanbase.