Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Many Hands is a fresh label helmed by Jona Jefferies and Kava that here kicks out an eclectic EP with four tracks from various members of its musical family. Dan Aikido opens with '0800 TXT4 Herb,' a smooth fusion piece that builds a laid-back groove, blending fretless bass, jazzy keys and soulful vocals all reminiscent of Rare Silk's 'Storm.' Ernie Ruso's 'Stroke It' offers slow, sensual r&b infused with P-funky wah-wah effects while DJ Nomad's 'African Boy' brings upbeat pop house next to funky organ and a female reggae MC.Jefferies' closer 'A Change Will Come' samples Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a rave-inspired beat and soulful piano. Cracking stuff.

Review: Adeen Records returns with a superb EP that blends a classic with three new and fresh unreleased tracks. Deep house don Chez Damier's Panorama Bar Remix kicks off and is a a 2021 standout with a killer baseline and Spanish guitar that brings some sunny soul and makes for some top level house grooves. Makez then shines with 'Rocket Music' which has a chunky low end and glistening, golden piano chords making it a late night favourite. On the B-side, Adeen regular Alkalino delivers a tropical-infused edit for the peak time and Gledd closes with a classy cut 'Sere Yo' that is all about the drums. Lovely stuff.

Review: In celebration of 50 years in the performing arts, Idris Ackamoor presents Artistic Being for Record Store Day 2025-a powerful blend of jazz, spoken word and activism. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actor Danny Glover and stage legend Rhodessa Jones, this record captures highlights from the Underground Jazz Cabaret, which was performed during Black History Month 2024 at The Lab in San Francisco. Co-produced by Ackamoor's Cultural Odyssey, the release fuses poetic storytelling with evocative musical textures while reflecting on social justice, identity and resilience. Artistic Being is a profound statement from a visionary artist.

Review:  London-based DJ and composer/producer Phil Mison revisits his Ambala project with a fresh collection of immersive, sun-drenched soundscapes, weaving together breezy rhythms and luminous synth work. A defining force in Balearic music, Mison has long explored the genre in various guises, including Reverso 68 and Cantoma, the latter earning a place in chillout's informal "most revered albums" section. On this second Ambala release, he refines his approach, balancing crisp electronic foundations with warmer organics. A cast of collaborators from the Music For Dreams label join, including guitarist Santino Surfers (Jonas Krag), whose fluid solos range from sultry noir to Mediterranean reverie, composer Troels Hammer, and ambient producer The Swan And The Lake. The result is a dreamlike blend of melody and plunge-texture, perfect for late night reflection or hazy afternoons by the sea.

Review: On Club Tounsi, Tunisian producer Sofyann Ben Youssef, aka AMMAR 808, brings the raw rhythmic power of Mezoued-the folk music of Tunisia's working class-into a bold electronic future. Fusing pulsating synths, distorted textures and TR-808 beats with traditional instruments like goatskin bagpipes, hand drums, and the ney, he reimagines iconic Mezoued tunes for a new generation. Vocalists from classical, Sufi and Mezoued backgrounds also feature to add human soul and mean the album captures the genre's emotional depth while transforming it into something cinematic and club-ready. This LP is a bridge between past and future, tradition and innovation and one that makes you want to move.

Review: ANAN is a project by DJs Roberto Agosta and Massimo Napoli and it takes its name from their surnames, repeated twice. Their new album is inspired by jazz, 70s psychedelia, Afrobeat, cumbia and soul and was recorded in a space in Catania, Sicily, where they melded those inspirations into a versatile and innovative sound. The session musicians manage to really lay down some deep melodies to give the album a live session feel. Tracks like 'Eden' and 'Naif' combine cinematic jazz with African influences, while 'Eros' blends Ethiopian and Indian cultures. 'Mind' offers a hypnotic cumbia and 'Etna' evokes spiritual psychedelia. The album includes also collaborations with The Invisible Session which take things to even higher spiritual planes.

Review: Hailing from Atlanta, Andre 3000 continues to redefine the contours of musical experimentation with his latest sonic offerings. On 'Moving Day', a piece first showcased in last year's short film documenting his recent work, the OutKast veteran trades in his usual genre-defying flow for the smooth, ambient tones of a cosmic flute. The track unfolds like a slow-motion dream, where the melodies drift in and out of focus, capturing the disorienting yet soothing experience of moving through transitions. Then comes the reversed version, 'Day Moving', which inverts the gentle flow of the original, adding an unsettling, almost ghostly quality as the music warps and loops. The third track, 'Tunnels of Egypt', brings in an unexpectedly grounded yet still vast atmosphere, with its deep, resonant percussion and sparse instrumentation evoking a journey through both time and space. Andre's recent forays into the abstract have seen him abandon his commercial past in favour of an introspective exploration that challenges both him and his audience. Across these three tracks, he once again demonstrates his ability to balance complexity with restraint, creating something both otherworldly and deeply personal.

Review: The mighty Dez Andres has hooked up with Parisian digger Victor Kiswell for a sublime new double album on Spot Lite that finds a perfect sweet spot between both men's sound. It stems from a party that explores Arabic grooves from Northern Africa and the Middle East and pairs that with low slung deep house beats and hip-hop inspired joints. It's woozy and warm, packed with killer melodies and hooky riffs and is right up there with some of Dez's best work. Highlights include the likes of 'Grand Meze In Gemmayze' with its dusty beats and 'Bounce The Casbah' with Middle Eastern guitars that ring out with great soul.

Review: Legendary producer Ant, who you will most likely know for his work with Atmosphere, showcases his talent once more here with Collection of Sounds: Vol. 4. This release highlights his years of dedication to his craft and is a great mix of fresh ideas with his signature style. While previous volumes explored hip-hop, funk and reggae, Vol. 4 introduces rock-inspired elements such as wailing guitars, though it still maintains a firm foundation in hip-hop. Tracks like 'Hearing In Dark Colors' and 'Created With a Heavy Brush' display his mastery of diverse styles while 'Day After 2010' offers an unexpected vibe that helps confirm Ant's status in the scene.

Review: "Danama" is a Bambara word meaning "trustworthy" that reflects the essence of Arat Kilo's fifth album, which was recorded in Spring 2024. The album embodies optimism, collective strength and cultural blending, while advocating confidence during these times which are so marred by wars, nationalism and environmental crises. Arat Kilo is France's leading Ethio-jazz ensemble and they take a fresh approach by experimenting with sound production by adding new instruments like synths, bass clarinet and Malian n'goni, alongside their signature grooves. These tunes are influenced by genres like Jersey club and 2-step and merge with Ethiopian jazz and global rhythms. Mamani Keita's poignant lyrics and social critique from Mike Ladd make this a resounding call for hope and unity.

Review: Jazz maestro and Ezra Collective founding member Joe Armon-Jones presents his most ambitious solo project to date, released on his own fledgling imprint Aquarii Records. After a six-year gap since his last solo album, Turn To Clear View, Armon-Jones has spent his time touring, building a studio, and collaborating with icons of UK jazz, including Liam Bailey, Fatima, Prince Fatty, and Mala over a string of politically-charged EPs. Now All The Quiet promises an august jazz opera in two parts, and so coming complete with an interval, crossing twixt jazz, funk, dub, hip hop, and soul, the album is entirely written, produced, and mixed by Armon-Jones himself, and manifests as the first of a two-part album, featuring guests Nubya Garcia, Oscar Jerome, and Goya Gumbani.

Review: The talented Joe Armon-Jones has been at the centre of some of London's most exciting musical developments in the jazz world in recent years, not least as co-founder of the mighty Ezra Collective. He is a prolific creator, keyboardist, singer and producer who draws on dub, pop, hip-hop and electronica to foment his own style and once again that shines through with this, the first part of his new album on his own Aquarii Records. It is full of standouts like the Afro-leaning drums and summery melodies of 'Kingfisher (feat. Asheber)' with life-affirming lyrics. 'Show Me' has a darker downtempo energy with crashing hits and drums and 'Hurry Up & Wait' ends on a tender note with introspective keys and feathery drums.

Review: Part of the wider Megami Tensei video game franchise, Persona 4 is a 2008 role playing title that hit Japan, and made a huge impact, in 2008. Set in a fictional version of the Land of the Rising Sun's countryside, players adopt the character of a high school student who moves to the small town of Inaba from the city to experience rural living for 12 months. Mysterious murders ensue, and it's up to you - or whoever's got the PS2 controller - to work out what's happening. It's typically deep dive stuff for a country that has always had a very unique relationship with video games. Atlus, the developer, already had a reputation for making beloved scores for its titles, and this one is no exception, although broke the mould compared with preceding instalments in the saga. Way more upbeat, it's a mixture of bubblegum dance pop, chip music, high intensity synth rock, urban-hued J-pop, and 'toon jazz.

Review: Sensory Blending hears Finnish artist Jimi Tenor and Italian group Aura Safari team up for an impromptu studio shebang in Perugia, Italy, after Tenor's storied but clandestine performance at a Hell Yeah party. Despite no prior connection, the musicians quickly found common ground, forging a vivant fusion of jazz-funk, tropicalia and soul. Tenor's psychedelic style gelled Aura Safari's faster, intuited approach, resulting in such tracks as 'Bodily Synesthesia,' 'Bewitched By The Sea' and 'Lunar Wind', each of which connect seductive grooves and ghost noted keys. Possibly performed live at select events later in the year, the record is a perfect storm of recorded "live feel" Balearica.

Review: Polish producer Latarnik and American vocalist Anthony Mills collide on this new album for Polish label Astigmatic to explore lo-fi hip-hop, soul, dub and experimental electronics. Mills's falsetto vocal brings great Neo-soul warmth to Crack Rock with emotionally charged tones soaring over the production which ranges from sugary and 80s-tinged disco and boogie on 'Crack' to deep, seductive and gooey on 'Passive Lover' which is a more romantic sound. Latarnik's work is often minimal yet immersive which creates space for Mills' voice to shine and is delivered in equal parts spoken word, chant and soulful croon. The hypnotic, slow-burning soundscapes that result are both intimate and confrontational, ready to make you dance but also often just to feel. Unapologetically raw and deeply human, this one lingers long after the final track ends.