Review: The Avidya label arrives with a bold new concept that sees it push itself to "step out of comfort zones to release a series of EPs of broad, challenging and deep music." The first affair is a fine one from four artists, the first of which is Lyon based procure A Strange Wedding from the Worst label. His slow trance locks you in and then Gothenburg trio Datasal come through with a prog rock and post funk and dance fusion. 84PC's contribution is peak time gold and Barcelona's Iro Aka arrive with another debut to round out this fine offering.
Ivano Fossati - "Night Of The Wolf (Tema Del Lupo)" (4:00)
Review: Measured Mile records puts two classy soul tracks onto the same 7". Originally released in 1974, Act 1 - 'It's The Same Old Story' is often looked over classic of the era. Act 1 hailed from Detroit and featured Raeford Gerald, Roger Terry, Reggie Ross and George Barker. The band had two minor hits but often people recall 'It's The Same Old Story' as their favorite of their only full album. Ivano Fossati's 'Night Of The Wolf' is found on the B-side. A jam song that verges slightly into Latin music, asks for quite a sum of money for its original copy. Both tracks add up to a real gem of a 7".
Review: Fourth part of the compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Milanese record shop. This collection is entirely composed of previously unreleased music, exclusively produced for the occasion by many artists of great relevance in the worldwide music scene, who supported the store over the last ten years.
This EP features Ellen Allien, Kreggo, Timeslip89, Itinerant Dubs and Heith.
Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.
Nathan Haines - "U See That" (feat Vanessa Freeman & Marcus Begg - Atjazz Love Soul mix) (5:12)
The Realm x Atjazz x Kelli Sae - "On The Road" (vocal mix) (7:58)
Review: Back ion 2021, the relaunched Foliage Records imprint offered up a killer mix from NYC house legends Mood II Swing, the must-check Deep Rooted. Soon, the revitalised label will release a sequel, with long-serving British deep house don Atjazz at the helm. This sampler EP boasts six of the highlights from that set - all remixed and reworked by Atjazz himself. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the tense, slowly building deep-tech shuffle of Halo''s 'Glorty (Atjazz Galaxy Art Remix)'and the sun-splashed 6am bounce of Atjazz's remix of Dominique Fils-Aime's gorgeous 'Sun Rise', to the dreamy dancefloor wooziness of Ralf GUM's 'AWA' (re-imagined by Atjazz as an Osunlade-esque spiritual house workout) and the jazzy, bass-guitar-propelled broken house excellence of 'On The Road (Vocal Mix)', a three-way collab between Atjazz, Kelli Sae and The Realm.
Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur - "Smooth Sweet Talker" (6:53)
Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.
Review: Third part of the compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Milanese record shop. This collection is entirely composed of previously unreleased music, exclusively produced for the occasion by many artists of great relevance in the worldwide music scene, who supported the store over the last ten years. The artists who produced the music for this compilation are Egyptian Lover, Ellen Allien, Thomas Brinkmann, Neil Landstrumm, JD Twitch, Matias Aguayo, San Proper, Tolouse Low Trax, Jay Glass Dubs, Dj Marcelle, Jorge Velez, Tamburi Neri, Fabrizio Mammarella, Heith, Itinerant Dubs, Timeslip89, Kreggo and Intersezioni Ensemble. The entire work is composed of 4 x 12", plus a bonus EP.
Review: Colin Curtis - an early purveyor of rare groove and jazzdance whose credo rings far and wide - has been helming his own label of originals for some time now. Presently focusing on the best live-feel broken beat, house and jazz in his orbit, his latest curation, Cengiz and Ishfaq's 'Vibrations', is no break from this general rule. Each artist helming one side respectively, Cengiz' 'Motf' and its remix work a steadily built progression around faint jeers, metallic percs, filterpassed tom fills and space-age risers, the latter of which is much more skeletal than the former; while Ishfaq's 'Wonderjazz' moves impressively somewhere in the lost interregnum between speed garage and techfunk.
Crown Prince Of Waterford - "Getting Fingered On The Waltzers" (13:19)
Island Times - "Together" (5:47)
Umberto Lumber - "Between Those Sheets" (4:54)
Review: Chubby Irish groove hounds Fatty Fatty return with another sublime funk-stacked V/A three tracker. Local lad Crown Prince Of Waterford (not to be confused with the legendary blues singer) lays down a furiously funky jam about having fun at the fairground while fellow Emerald Isle strutter Island Times returns Fatty Fatty with a loose-limbed falsetto-loaded twanger. Finally, we fly off into the Italian sunset with a stunning slow jam from Umberto Lumber. A twinkling slo-mo chugger with serious cosmic tendencies, what a way to finish an EP.
Review: Ed Black, aka "edbl," is an increasingly prominent hip-hop and R&B artist and composer who has emerged from South London's indie music scene alongside luminaries like Jorja Smith and Jamie Isaac. His sound, a blend of lo-fi soul and hip-hop akin to Jordan Rakei and Tom Misch, garnered attention when Spotify UK featured him on their New Music Friday cover. Additionally, Music Business Worldwide Magazine nominated him as one of The Hottest Independent Artists In The World and now he backs up that potential with 'The Way Things Were,' featuring the mellifluous vocals of Isaac Waddington.
Toro ((I Hate Models Speed Up Revival edit Of Andre VII remix) (6:09)
Review: 'Toro' is a modern classic post-punk track by Spanish band El Columpio Asesino, formed in 1999. Thoroughly difficult to classify or put into any neat box, their sound is characterised by synthesised elements and sinister rhythmic singing, with cryptic lyrics heard throughout. Here techno titan I Hate Models lends 'Toro' a surprise sped-up remix of a remix, remixing the ultra-dry retro-nostalgist version by Andre VII. Whereas Andre's is a drier take on the track - setting its dark-wavey lyrics against serious buzzing saws and scary sixteenth-note stabs in true synthpunk fashion - I Hate Models' version expounds on this further, fleshing out hardcore rollicks and luxury woops for a sublime, floor-frightening ultimatum in sound.
Review: Drop Music marks a quarter of a century of reliable and ever-on-point sounds with a special series of EPs that embodies what it's always been about, offering up both classics and never-before-released tunes. This one kicks off with 'Make A Move' which is chunky low-slung tech. It unfolds at a relatively slow tempo but that gives the fat acid gurgles time to really hit. Inland Knights then serves up the next three cuts, starting with the bass bin bothering sounds of 'Push It', the more silky tech loops of 'Long Time' and the vocal-laced acid-tech swagger of 'Same Talk.' Here's to the next 25 years.
Review: Corsican label Isula Science drop a fresh brooder of previously unknown electro knowns, this time from label founder Flash FM alongside HDV, Sweely and Man/ipulate. Spanning vertiginous dark acid, then moving on through to dreamatic neon breakbeat and expedient Italo - 'Vol de nuit' especially makes signature use of a classic slap bass synth - they've got us entirely covered here. Enticing bumps in the night from the exquisitors.
The Future Sound Of London - "Stolen Documents" (Jazz dub) (5:17)
Smart Systems - "Zip Code" (Stress Ball mix) (5:15)
The Future Sound Of London - "Innate" (W O W mix) (4:42)
Indo Tribe - "I've Become What You Were" (Insider mix) (4:21)
Review: The influential 90s IDM and techno act Future Sound of London continues to delve into their early career with the reissue of The Pulse EP Vol 2, originally released in 1991. This EP exemplifies the early techno sound, blending rave elements with the more intelligent and linear side of electronic dance music. Side-1 kicks off with 'Stolen Documents' (Jazz dub) by The Future Sound of London, a track that perfectly melds jazzy undertones with dub influences, creating a sophisticated and immersive experience. Following this is Smart Systems' 'Zip Code' (Stress Ball mix), a piece that balances high-energy beats with a stress-relieving ambiance. Side-2 begins with 'Innate' (W O W mix) by The Future Sound of London, a track that delves into deeper, more atmospheric realms, showcasing the group's innovative approach to soundscaping. Indo Tribe's 'I've Become What You Were' (Insider mix) closes the EP, with a pulsating techno rhythm that encapsulates the essence of the early '90s rave scene. Before their signature chill out sound was made, FSOL his some of their highest notes here with these early EPs.
Review: A historical pairing of hip-hop and soul that celebrates the connection between the iconic rap track and its sampled origin. Side-1 features 'Mind Playing Tricks On Me' by the Geto Boys', a landmark 1991 hit, widely regarded as the first Southern hip-hop classic. Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill deliver deeply introspective verses exploring paranoia, mental health and street life, setting a precedent for emotional storytelling in rap. The track's haunting atmosphere and raw vulnerability put Houston's 5th Ward on the map, cementing the group's legacy in the genre. On Side-2, Isaac Hayes' 'Hung Up on My Baby' takes center stage, the soulful 1974 instrumental that inspired the Geto Boys' masterpiece. With its funky guitar licks and cinematic grooves, the track embodies Hayes' genius and underscores the lineage between soul and hip-hop.
Review: Shout out to Greek powerhouse Kinesthetik Recordings for making it all the way to a half a century of releases there. They celebrate in the best way they know - with more tranced-out sounds from artists in their orbit. Giorgio & Andreas open things up with 'Nice One' and its thudding tech drums and cosmic synth lines. Diskinesia gets much more raw and moody with the edgy drums of 'Back & Forth' and Interphase then drops a pair of industrial tech thumpers. Giorgio & Andreas reappear with a raw, roughshod and deep groove and Marcelino Sanchez's 'Motive One' offers dub techno to close.
Review: Will Hofbauer and Igaxx collaboratively expand the all-too-easily received palettes of electro, techno, garage all in between, and even more yonder, proving to us that the boundary edges of each genre may be blurred without worry. Sharing three groove-bays each on this latest 12", Hofbauer indulges an across-the-pond sojourn, guesting on Japan's Ladybug label, which is managed by the also eminent Igaxx, who occupies the B with equal grip. Hofbauer's 'Cricket', 'Clod' and 'Cocodrilo' bring three endocrine C's to a singly sanguine side, echoing a Hessle Audio-esque experimental dance sensibility while secreting all manner of vital sonic fluids from his ears unto ours; the last track is especially alarming; cursedly toothy, its growly lead zombifying the elsewise rapid mix by way of an enthralled grunt. Igaxx's contributions are relatively supportive and yet mad, moving from the squelches and pipey ascensions of '4 5 SL Trip' to the parabreaks flows of 'Liquefy' and the sloshing cosmo-funk astro-vista that is 'Ray In Space'.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & Kaidi Tatham - "Doin' The Most" (7:32)
Matthew Law - "Dilla's Disco" (4:10)
Review: The Private Stock label is back with more of their irresistible house magic with a limited translucent red splattered 12" featuring some pretty big names. Terry Hunter kicks off with the sort of guitar-laced roller that you imagine would have been massive at Paradise Garage with 'Go Back Jack' then Ian Wallace brings big and sunny house stomps with his 'From Beginning To End.' DJ Jazzy Jeff & Kaidi Tatham then team up for the irresistibly feel-good disco, soul and house fusion that is 'Doin' The Most' and Matthew Law lays down dusty MPC drums with grinning bass and lo-fi atmospheres on the perfectly entitled 'Dilla's Disco.'
Review: Bellissimi Dischi di Ornavasso open the doors of the Archivio once again! Meticulously chosen from their vast, nigh boundless collection, each selection in this series maintains the warm and danceable sound that has continually distinguished SOMAR Records from the rest. 100% Italian, and certified by officer T. Campanat, their latest brings four new ones to the fore, which are increasingly whammy and experimental; 'Cosa C'e' is ear-infatuating enough, with its from-scratch handclaps and high strings, but from the jump of 'Mondo Killer' we realise we're in for a more experimental, electro-tinged and sample-heavy ride, ones like which we rarely hear.
Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass (XL remix) (9:14)
Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass (instrumental remix) (6:39)
Pong's Run (with Intergalactic Gary) (4:06)
Review: It's been 22 years since the release of I-F's razor-sharp Dutch electro anthem, "Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass". Given the upsurge in interest in electro of late, it's little surprise to see the man himself offering up this reissue, which is focused around two previously digital-only revisions that first landed back in 2010. Stretched out across the A-side is the brilliant - and undeniably mind-altering - "XL Remix", a nine-minute revision that gives greater prominence to the producer's twisted electronic riffs, industrial strength melodies and dusty drum machine percussion. This time round, it comes accompanied by both a vocoder-free Instrumental take and "Pong's Run", a lesser-known collaboration with Intergalactic Gary that's slow, spacey, out-there and thoroughly intoxicating.
Review: Original Gravity strides into 2025 with this electrifying debut release from I Ragazzi. The limited 45 rpm has been crafted by the talented Neil Anderson and the title cut 'Terremoto' on the A-side bursts with funky, soulful energy that promises to keep floors moving and grooving all night long. It has big drums, crashing hits and driving Hammond organ stabs that never let up. On the flip, things get a little more laid back with 'Via Appia' which is led by more great organs, this time with swirling horn sounds and an inviting rhythm.
Review: This is the thirrd release by the amazing Italian producer Ivan Iacobucci for the Perlon label. The previous two were so well received, this next one was destined to come out sooner than later. Perlon fans know what to expect from their label of choice and Ivan delivers the goods. Those addictively quirky and fonky jackin' minimal techno jams. The title track is that and then some! We especially like the sexy jam 'Waiting For My Love'. Expect the unexpected when you flip over the record as 'Close the Door' is a full-on acid banger that combines high energy techno into what sounds like a video game soundtrack theme song! Closing things out is the wild sounding 'Fear & Madness in the Desert'. We are smiling at the thought of someone playing out these corkers to audience. Expect to see WTF typefaces everywhere!
Review: The first missive from the reissue-focused Throwdown imprint takes a deep dive into the bulging back catalogue of West Coast hip-hop legend Ice Cube. Side A offers us another chance to own 1992 hit "It Was A Good Day" a languid, sun-kissed Golden Era jam crafted from elements of a familiar slab of laidback jazz-funk. Over on side B you'll find 1999's "You Can Do It", another once high-profile single featuring additional verses and vocal contributions from Mack 10 and Ms Toi. For those who've forgotten it, the track is a punchier and heavy club cut that utilizes all three rappers' distinctive flows to ratchet up the intensity throughout.
Review: Throwdown Records throw down a fresh reissue of Ice Cube's stone cold classic 'You Know How We Do It', first released as a single from his fourth studio album Lethal Injection (1996). Emblematic of Cube's signature West Coast G-funk, this one's replete with the glissando'd whistles and smokey funk motifs we all know and love from the frozen rap hexahedron, who confidently assures us of us already knowing how he does it. There's no messing with Cube; the track appears alongside the original B flip '2 N The Morning', which ups the bombast to boomier, increasingly sexual nighttime ends.
Review: This is a brand new cut by Jamaican rootsman Icho Candy, who still ploughs on strong despite first making his way in the 1970s. Characteristically for Icho, 'Pave The Way' is a ghostly bop, coming packed with antistate political quips - "you reap the system... you reap your liberty" - and a hauntingly soft and almost defeated feel. Yakka comes through on the version, which begins with a beautiful set of harmonies before launching into a huge spring-reverbed, cavernous bubbling.
Review: Two previously unheard righteous anthems from the sweet-voiced Icho Candy. The A side, 'Get Up Natty' was cut at Channel One in the mid-eighties, with backing by the Gifted Roots Band, and features an instantly recognisable bed of squelchy FX, elastic synth leads and choppy upstrokes, while the flip is an emotive new cut featuring legends from the Firehouse and Channel One production camps on the riddim. It's great to hear Icho still in fine style, delivering a timeless anthem with a positive message. Both sides also include excellent dubwise versions. Another jewel in the constantly expanding Digikiller catalogue!
Review: Ltd B's good recent run of form continues with another dive into lush deep house realms courtesy of ICTV. First off the mark is 'Hit The Floor' with its US garage-inspired drums and some old school hip-house vocals. 'Orange Mood' is a steamy one with romantic melodies soothing the soul and some smart vocals adding a tough of firey soul. 'Adrift' then picks up the pace with some high-speed jungle breakbeats and 'Dazzling' sinks back into loved-up late-night sounds with expressive vocal yelps. Last of all, 'Sunset Recall' takes things down into blissed out realms with dusty drums and wispy pads.
A Place In The Sun (Kaoru Inoue remix 45 edit) (3:47)
A Place In The Sun (dub) (4:27)
Review: Yasushi Ide has a storied career reaching back into the 80s club scene in Japan, and he's worked with many a legend in his time. He originally released 'A Place In The Sun' as a Japan-only track on his 2012 LP Late Night Blues, and now the track has been revived by NYC label Love Injection. The track which led to this release was in fact a limited dubplate mix of 'A Place In The Sun' by Kaoru Inoue, which the Love Injection founders Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele found while on tour in Japan. In this remixed form on the A-side, or the dub version of the original on the flip, it's a resplendent slice of downtempo bathed in exquisite musicianship, not least Nobuyuki Nakajima's gorgeous Rhodes and Jamaican legend Ernest Ranglin's unmistakable guitar lines.
Review: 'Ain't No Sunshine' is one of the great soul songs. Originally recorded by Bill Withers, a legendary vocalist who simply walked away from the scene once he had said all he had to say, it has been covered many times. Here it is Yasushi Ide who steps up with a new version that comes featuring Ken Booth & U-Roy on this new 7" from Grand Gallery out of Japan. In original form, it's dubbed out to the max with oodles of echo and dark pads next to some original vocal toasting. 'Border Town' is then a more acoustic sound with gentle guitar strums and slow, persuasive rhythms.
Review: Detroit native Ideeyah is a singer, songwriter and performer whose soulful vocals and lyrical storytelling touch the heart. Born LaKeisha Johnson, who you may remember from featuring on Theo Parrish's superb DJ-kicks mix. Here she steps up to his Sound Signature label with a new solo EP produced by Meftah. It begins with praise-giving spoken words and cosmic synths on 'Invocation (feat Maimunah Baqui)' then takes in deep and jazzy broken beats on 'Align', heavenly keys and vocal coos on 'Light' and slow motion grooves on '2020' where Ideeyah's effortless smooth and seductive tones melt the heart. 'Eat The Plants' and 'Sweet Chariot' are two more magnificent vocal pieces with gentle live drums and meaningful pads.
Review: The iconic North London dance music duo Idjut Boys are famed for their nostalgia fueled offerings of dub, disco and house and join forces again for this 4 track single featuring 4 completely different takes on the track 'Speedball'. The 'Full Whip' version is an 80s powersynth with powerful kicks and synth perfection, an authentic use of a commodified sound used in the past couple of years. 'Severe Itching' takes the party downstairs into an acid techno rave, the liquid bass seeping through your ear canal into your skull - an utterly extraterrestrial experience. 'Strip Off Dub' is just that: a stripped back dub version of 'Full Whip'. Focusing on the heftier synths and bass, with the rushing wind effects that compromised 'Full Whip'. 'Whizbang Mix' invites you back into the bassment for another slice of acid house pie, the meeting point between 'Full Whip' and 'Severe Itching' that feels like trying to listen to the former after the laters aforementioned liquid has blocked your eardrums. This one's for the messy afterparty.
Review: Since rebooting their long-dormant Droid imprint earlier in the year, the Idjut Boys have used it as a vehicle to release some of their most wild, heavily electronic music in years. Portion Out of Control sees Dan and Conrad continue this trend with pleasingly heavy, mind-altering results. On 'Gum Saucer', they expertly work a pulsating, throbbing groove to the max, peppering a druggy bassline with breathless drum machine fills, delay-laden electronic motifs and brain-melting noises. 'Gas On Tap' is a more stripped-back chunk of new wave/EBM insanity that once again prioritises dubbed-out, echo-laden percussion, while 'Tartine De Merde' is a deeper, woozier chunk of intergalactic machine funk. Finally, 'Quick Bowl' sees them twist a raw, arpeggio-driven groove into a multitude of nightmarish, echoing sonic shapes.
Jungian Archetype - "Pursuit Of The Blue Car (RIP)" (5:28)
I-F - "Shadow Of The Clown" (7:28)
I-F - "Casablanca Sunrise" (7:39)
Jungian Archetype - "Who Are You?! (Theme From Paranoid Stranger)" (7:48)
Review: Released back in 1996, Test Pilot Vol 1 has remained a highlight of the Viewlexx label ever since and has been one of those records that command regular calls for a repress. Kudos to I-F then for finally heeding these shouts and presenting a remastered edition for the masses. For the uninitiated, this 12" features classic Hague cuts from I-F and Jungian Archetype, another alias of the Viewlexx boss, with all four perfect for introducing a sense of bedlam to the dancehall. "Who Are You...?! (Theme From Paranoid Stranger)" in particular will bend many an unprepared mind. If you don't own an original edition, grip this remastered version and hold tight for a brand new second volume of Test Pilot featuring Gesloten Cirkel and Roberto Auser!
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