The Age Of Love (Charlotte De Witte & Enrico Sangiuliano remix) (8:10)
The Age Of Love (Jam & Spoon Watch Out For Stella mix - 2021 Remaster) (6:46)
The Age Of Love (Solomun's Renaissance remix) (8:11)
Review: One of the most legendary trance anthems of all time, 'The Age of Love', continues its reign with a fresh set of remixes that bridge generations of dance music fans. On Side-A, Charlotte de Witte & Enrico Sangiuliano inject their signature techno power into the track, transforming it into a driving, hypnotic beast. Charlotte has championed this remix in her sets and for good reasoniits retro synths and rolling energy make it a festival weapon, modernising the track while keeping its euphoric essence intact. Side-B opens with the 2021 remaster of Jam & Spoon's Watch Out For Stella mix, the definitive remix that catapulted the track into trance history. With its sprawling, cinematic breakdowns and timeless atmosphere. Rounding things out, Solomun delivers his Renaissance remix, a deep and unique take that shifts the track into a melodic house and techno hybrid, offering a fresh perspective without losing the original's magic. This re-release is both a tribute and a reinvention, proving that' The Age of Love' remains unstoppable on the dancefloor more than 30 years later.
Review: Both of these funk gems are taken from a cult compilation Trans Groove Express, which explored the sounds of Express Records and was assembled by MURO. Fourth Wave now serve them up on a superb 7", starting with Maki Asakawa. 'Hohi Hitotsu' is a delightfully gentle and subtle dub with funky guitars adding movement while the sultry vocal soars. Yasuhiro Abe's 'Night Fish' is a brighter and more retro 80s soul and boogie sound with glowing chords and snappy hits. The Japanese language vocal is emotive enough to mean plenty without understanding the meaning of the words.
Review: Contemporary Afro-house producer and record procurer Auntie Flo tops up his flux-satisfactory A State Of Flo label with a re-pressed bleary-eyed house number, 'Green City', a track first released in 2024 and which paid homage to the Afrobeat legend and activist Fela Kuti. First debuted in a revelrous setting at 2019's We Out Here Festival, the track has since evolved into a staple of Flo's live sets, building on the contemporary folktronic fervour for records built out of obscure sample sources. In this case, the track evolves around a field recording captured in Nairobi, his motherland. East African Ambassa Mandela from the band Sarabi resounds on vocals, while contributions from Yohan Kebede of Kokoroko on keys, Ziggy Funk on guitar, Laurie Pitt from Golden Teacher on drums, and Glasgow's Joe Howe (Ex Ben Butler & Mousepad) on saxophone follow. 'Aker The Lion God' contrasts to the A's rather grand spirit crescendo with a downbeat deep house digestif.
Review: EC Underground is back with more inquisitors of low-end heavy sounds on Bass Scene Investigation vol 1 and again digs deep into the worlds of electro, techno, breakbeat and IDM. The compilation kicks off with the skittish percussive patterns of Illektrolab's 'Making Heads Dip', then heads into moody ground with ADJ, Pablo Funk brings some menacing synth work and Errorbeauty gets all weird and trippy with some mad electronics. Francois Dillinger offers a dystopian electro sound full of irresistibly jacked-up drums. A fine investigation indeed.
Review: Berlin's Exit Strategy began their 12"s game releasing EPs in browned sleeves, shortly before branching out into digital-vinyl combo releases with original artwork in the 2020s. Now with over ten years of experience under their belts, they welcome five new artists for a playful bricolage in deep and minimal techno, privileging elite, razor-sharp additive sound design and future-soulful vocal tasters. Ivory's opener 'Rain' epitomises this, while Jimi Jules squelchifies the same formula, and Aera's 'Future Holdings' rolls out the same logic to its ultimate conclusion, veering towards complex, 3D-graphic melodic techno composed entirely of climbing saws.
Unified Spirits - "Meant To Be" (Antonio Ocasio remix) (7:32)
Antonio Ocasio - "La Fiebre" (7:10)
Review: New York-based DJ and producer Antonio L Ocasio brings his deep house expertise to his own label as the latest release. On Side-1, 'Meant To Be' by Unified Spirits, is a smooth builder led by gentle guitar riff and enriched by lush strings. Its house groove is both soothing and uplifting, unfolding with a natural, unhurried progression that draws the listener in. On Side-2, Ocasio himself delivers 'La Fiebre', a stunning example of tribal house mastery. The track is spacious and deep, with ominous chords and a subtle tech edge that creates an immersive, almost cinematic feel. There's a beautiful balance between rhythmic drive and atmospheric depth, showing Ocasio's knack for blending soulful elements with intricate production. Altogether, this release maintains a polished and timeless quality - like his Tribal Winds label now verging on 30 years in operation.
Review: A2L were active between 1988 and 1990 and released two albums and several EPs on labels like 1st Bass, Big One and Force Inc. Their sound blended British psychedelic house with elements of new beat, industrial, EBM and early acid house and in doing so captured the raw energy of the UK rave scene. Notably different from typical acid house acts of the time, A2L's music took in machine funk, samplers and turntable techniques to create trippy, infectious grooves. This collection compiles rare underground gems from them from 1989 and features standout tracks like 'Even Though It's Make Believe' and 'Come On.' It's a great look back to the experimental spirit of the late 80s.
Review: Viva La Revolution indeed. The Adicts tore out of England's east coast, and specifically Ipswich, and immediately made an impact. Asked to change their name by Sire Records in a bid to appease the charts and TV bookers - although, oddly, one of the options was apparently The Fun Adicts, which raises more quandaries - Rockers In Orbit captures their huge sound in all its glory. Recorded live at Alabama Halle, Munich, Germany, depending on which way you're listening first impressions invoke breakneck punk, motoring metal, and even the romance and commanding power of The Cure at their loudest and most dominating. Ultimately, though, these guys just sound like The Adicts. A questionable reference point we can only assure you is meant as a total complement. Not a band people will forget in a hurry.
Review: Adja Fassa's debut album is a genre-colliding triumph of alternative r&b, neo-soul and jazz co-produced by Adam Scrimshire. Across 11 tracks, Adja dissects capitalism's influence on intimacy with sharp wit, layered symbolism and soulful grooves whether she's reimagining jazz standards or delivering dystopian vignettes of modern labor. Throughout these tracks her storytelling is bold, critical and playfully mystical. From the rebellious 'Sucking on my Emphatitties' to the haunting title track, this is protest music wrapped in velvet tones. Visually complemented by four self-designed tarot cards, the album is a rich conceptual tapestry for fans of greats like D'Angelo.
Review: Formed in 1982, New York City hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front left a defining impact on the burgeoning scene with their unmatched ferocity and sonic abrasion as well as their intimidating attitude and skinhead aesthetic, which would lead to them incorrectly being perceived by some as racists or neo-Nazis. Coming up in the rundown streets of Lower East Side Manhattan, surrounded by urban decay in an area battling severe poverty, drugs, and violence, they channelled their anger into a new breed of punk that would serve as both a rallying cry for the less fortunate as well as an urgent, abrasive form of catharsis. This blistering compilation contains recordings dating back to the very beginning of their career, featuring demos of tracks that would eventually appear on their 1983 debut United Blood 7", while also offering other recordings from this period originally left unissued at the time; some of these would later be included on the 1995 Raw & Unleased CD, though several of these cuts have never been made available on wax until now. The band would later be featured as part of Showtime's The Godfathers of Hardcore documentary from 2017, while frontman Roger Miret's autobiography provides a deeply insightful yet frightening firsthand account of an already clearly tumultuous yet integral time in punk history.
Review: Even reading the words All Saints takes us back to simmer times, when pop music seemed far more innocent and pop stars - the female ones at least - wore far more clothes. The British group's self-titled debut album was cooler and smarter than many of their candied peers (Spice Girls, we're looking at you) and blended effortlessly soulful vocals with rich, atmospheric production. From start to finish, the album lays down emotionally charged and honest lyrics. The production is lush yet minimal, allowing the powerful vocals to take centre stage, with classics like 'Never Ever', 'I Know Where It's At' and 'Lady Marmalade ('98 remix)' all still oozing a nice new soul and r&b edge.
Eden With The Invisible Session (with The Invisible Session - TIS version) (4:02)
Etna (with The Invisible Session) (4:05)
Call (with The Invisible Session) (4:13)
Eden (3:57)
Noir (2:50)
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.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
I Was Miles Away (5:17)
Bend The Round (3:26)
Inter Light (4:27)
Taste The Air (3:28)
Xanthe (2:31)
The Presence (3:32)
Willow & Mallow (4:01)
Tonight Is Mine (3:19)
For A Moment (2:53)
Clusters (4:51)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Lush fans will be aware that three of the bands albums are all being reissued, but also this year will founding member Emma Anderson release her solo debut long player. Pearlies, released by Sonic Cathedral, again shows why Anderson is one of the most underrated British songwriters to have come up during the Brit pop and shoegaze era. Here she works with Maps aka James Chapman on tune that effortlessly mix electronic pop with psych and folk and astute lyrics that muse on subjects such as confronting your fears, embracing independence and moving on.
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: London-raised, Berlin-based singer Anika got her start in the industry releasing her debut album on Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame's Invada Records. And she's gone from strength-to-strength since, collaborating with Dave Clarke, Tricky and I Like Trains, to name a few. Now onto her third studio album - and second on the esteemed Sacred Bones label - she's crafted a sound that's steeped in reverb and acts like a voyage through alternate states. Despite having plenty of retro psychedelic appeal, she's ill afraid to bring us more into the present by evoking the neo-psychedelia scene. The tracks 'Walk Away' and 'One Way Ticket' remind us of the greatness of bands like Amber Arcades, Temples and Pinkunoizu. And vocally she's up there with Aldous Harding and Cate Le Bon, but a lot darker, brooding and ominous in her delivery.
Falling Feels Like Flying (feat Kabusa Oriental Choir) (5:19)
Don't Understand Ya (feat Tyler Daley) (3:38)
Bad Trip (2:17)
24 (Turn It Up) (feat Kurtis Wells) (5:51)
Can't Let It Go (feat Tyler Daley & 3DDY) (2:54)
Simple Rules (feat Kurtis Wells) (4:22)
Here For You (feat Leven Kali) (2:19)
Livin In A Dream (2:33)
Set It On Fire (4:37)
6 Am (6:21)
Review: ANOTR turn the page on a bold new chapter with their second album, now out via their No Art imprint. Stepping out from their club-rooted origins, the duo now embrace a genre-spanning sound, weaving through shimmering disco, hypnotic alt-soul, raw post-punk, kosmische, and uplifter indie dance. Ahead of a global tour, the duo took refuge in psychedelic retreats in Ibiza, LA and the Netherlands, channelling the freedom unlocked in the act of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms. The revelations hereinafter steered them to using live instrumentation, as well as their first ever recorded vocals on key tracks like 'Set It On Fire', 'Care For You', 'Bad Trip' and 'Living In A Dream.'
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.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Signals
Shadowspace
No Closer Than The Moon
Landfall
Zonal Prospect
Air Foundry
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
The Frequency Domain label has been quietly issuing some of the most compelling electronica of recent times, with a staggering cast of characters including Anthony Child, Bass Clef, Luke Sanger and more delivering more introspective, experimental material over the past couple of years. Now it's the turn of Apologist, a lesser-known project from Brendan Nelson which manifested in one 7" back in 2006. If you appreciate dreamy, slightly dubby electronics which move through different moods and scenes without getting you up off the sofa, this is the perfect trip. Many layered, richly rendered and full of grit and personality, it's the kind of record you'll discover new secrets in every time you visit.
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: Blue Foundation returns with another lush and immersive album that deepens their signature blend of dream pop, shoegaze and ambient electronics. Crafted over three years by the much loved Danish duo Bo Rande and Tobias Wilner, Close to the Knife explores themes of melancholy and introspection through layered textures and haunting vocals from Wilner and Nina Larsen. Guest appearances from Scarlet Rae, Helena Gao, and Sonya Kitchell enrich its emotional depth, while contributions from Chinese experimental noise band Wang's Xie Yugang and drummer Federico Ughi add complexity to this shapeshifting soundtrack.
Review: Originally released in 2012, Daybreaker would serve as the fifth full-length from Brighton progressive metalcore heavyweights Architects, following an identity crisis after 2011's more streamlined post-hardcore effort The Here & Now. While in the decade since, the band have gone on to become one of Britain's most successful heavy music exports, finally managing to balance their heftier proclivities with mainstream appeal, the material here strikes a curious retrospective balance between their mathcore origins, the increasingly vast melodious experimentations, as well as their first forays into embracing elements of nuanced electronica. Conceptually marking their arrival to politically driven messaging, with the now even more timely and oppressively hefty 'These Colours Don't Run' tackling US political division while 'Devil's Island' lambasts the London riots of 2011, the album is also noted for its guest features including Drew York of Stray From The Path on 'Outsider Heart', and Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon on the standout 'Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat'.
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