After an extended, pandemic-related break, Brawther has decided to re-activate his highly regarded Negentropy label via a second EP on the imprint from former L.B Produce artist Ron Obvious. He begins in trademark style via EP highlight 'Builded Mind', a tech-tinged blend of skipping, UK garage style drums, jaunty sub bass, spacey electronics and deliciously tactile deep house motifs. He continues to fix loose-limbed and weighty garage grooves to deep and intergalactic house sounds on side two opener 'Nearly Forever', before pushing dub style bass to the fore on hypnotic late-night deep house number 'Foreground'.

The seventh album from South London-based producer and experimental maverick Darren Cunningham and it's a beauty. The last time we heard from him, in 2018, he was collaborating with the London Contemporary Orchestra and improvising a score for a Stockhausen opera and he's taken an element of that work with him and married it to disorientating, otherworldly electronics. 'Karma & Desire' has a real feel of escapism, almost to the extent of feeling like an out of body experience, as dislocated and disembodied melodies float around in the ether. There are the first proper vocal collaborations he's undertaken here, but the two tracks are no pop bangers, songstress Zsela's efforts sounding more like some beguiling abstract poetry. Travelling further and further, creatively, from the normal environs of dancefloor culture, he's not lost any of his spellbinding musicality or sonic storytelling skills.

Longtime stadium dance act Faithless are back with a new album that draws on many years' experience, but also advancing years, to cook up something spiritual and trance inducing. Maxi Jazz, the famous frontman, doesn't feature, but Sister Bliss does a fine job of soulful house, squelchy techno and plenty on between. It is a record chock full of collaborations with the likes of Suzie Breaks and Damien Jurado and Nathan Ball and will keep old ravers happy as well as entice some new ones to a more refined sound. There are sing along late night grooves like 'I Need Someone' but also lush ambient interludes such as 'What Shall I Do.'

The album "Signals" by Lau Nau & Matti Bye will be available in 3 distinct physical versions. This is the Deluxe Limited Edition version in an edition of 75 unique copies. It comes in an absurdly over-the-top modified, heavyweight recycled chipboard jacket. On the front of each jacket is an archivally printed photo on vintage scrapbook paper of a man in the mid 1960's, plugged into a bank of electrical components that were designed at the time by my father Kennan Herrick. He was an electrical engineer, inventor, neon/kinetic artist and Tesla coil builder. Loosely attached across the bottom of the photo is an actual old printout of signal waves from some obscure measuring device, each one unique. The artist's names and album title have been typed out on an ancient typewriter and attached to the jacket by hand. On the reverse side of each jacket is an assembled collage of sorts, also loosely taped and attached (so be very careful please!), of original hand written papers and diagrams, blueprints, transparencies, schematics, punch cards and artwork designs created by and belonging to Mr. Herrick. These have been somewhat modified by me with hand stamping etc as well. Inside the record jacket comes the 180gm "Icebreaker" colored vinyl in its inner black poly lined sleeve. Attached to each inner sleeve is a colorful hand printed textual picture insert, and along with the record in the jacket comes a stapled bunch of 3-4 other original technical papers belonging to and written/drawn by my father. Finally...each record jacket is carefully bound with a length of copper electrical wire, and then comes in its own outer poly sleeve. As usual no two copies of this version are alike, and the one that you receive may or may not match the copies pictured.

Coming off a late summer 2020 release on Washington DC's 1432 R label, Jackson Ryland keeps the momentum flowing with a 4-track self-release 12" entitled Acting Careless. The tracks were recorded between 2018 and spring 2019, intent on embodying a DJ's record that could be thrown on at different moments and emotions during a set. The freeflowing, laidback and freewheeling feeling behind the house & warehouse party sound of DC inspired the recording process. Borrowing from the past few years' experience recording at high speeds with the Rush Plus project, Acting Careless continues that same rhythmic intensity with a more uplifting and spiritually cleansing angle. A happy push-pull balance between fierce and sweetness.

This Record Store Day, Two Tone have put together a specially half-speed mastered version of this classic ska compendium. It is part of the ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations for Two Tone Records and is a soundtrack to the movie of the same name. It has never been repressed since 1981, making this an even bigger deal, and it contains standout live versions of plenty of essential tunes from greats like The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers. Whether new to the sound or a diehard, this heavyweight slab provides plenty of highlights

Mr Bongo is back with more stone cold hip-hop. This one comes from 1991 and is a reissue of a UK only 7" from Black Sheep. The single was always a curio and remained in the shadows of the more catchy and commercially successful 'The Choice is Yours' but it does have a great hook and tumble-down charm to the production. Dres is the MC bringing the character and plenty of carefully dug out samples make this one standout above many of its peers. An original copy of this will set you back a fancy few quid so when you also add in the break fuelled remix on the flip you have an essential little pick up.

Meitei is a Japanese artist who started out as a freelance composer and made all sorts fo weird and wonderful sounds across the whole musical spectrum. After eight years he stared working on his own music and now we get to hear the results. Kwaidan is a style of Japanese ghost stories and this album aims to translate that mood into music. It does so perfectly well, and hugely evocatively, with skills compositions and unsettling darkness sitting next to lush ambiance that keeps you enchanted throughout. Check out the awesome artwork, too, which is perfectly spooky as we head into witching season.