New releases last eight weeks: Electro

Review: A sprawling, typically irreverent effort from the ever-prolific DMX Krew. With each unfolding track, Edward Upton charts a new tributary in the Detroit-Berlin-Sheffield pipeline, from the grouchy technoid stomp of 'Bathtime Bobby', to the hazy chillout room introspection of 'Escape To 92', to the dazzled machine funk of aptly named elektro quest 'Desperate Measures'. Another thoroughly satisfying entry in the ever-growing DMX catalogue, Spiral Dance is a sizzling hotplate of timeless electro wizardry.

Review: Let's hear it for Ed Upton, otherwise known as the evergreen DMX Krew. We're never short of essential electro of all stripes from the Rephlex veteran, but there's a special place in our hearts for the vocal turns he used to do back in the early days. Around 2004 he was focusing on purely instrumental experiments through the Collapse Of The Wave Function series, but Japanese label Poplot convinced him to return to the feelgood vocal electro and synth-pop sound and snuck this out as a CD-only release. Now on double vinyl, it's a love letter to the best of boogie and electro funk and Upton has a whale of a time laying down those endearingly straight-up party time, open-hearted lyrics about good times and love lives that any proper boogie record needs.

Review: Legendary Rephlex alumni and electro mainstay DMX Krew revisited a Minneapolis sound with boogie and freestyle elements in this timeless 2005 Japan-exclusive release. After almost 20 years it finally gets a vinyl issue over there in Europe thanks to Cold Blow and is a surefire way to kick start your day no matter the mood you are in. As ever, the studio wizard cranks up through the gears, gets the most out of his array of machines and explores rhythm and sound from many different angles, sometimes seemingly all at once. This remains a great record despite its vintage.