Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Alex "Landy" Hill was the producer for and founding member of the 80s r&b and disco group Timex Social Club. This gem is the result of a deep dive into his archives and is an unreleased 1990s Bay Area demo project. The collection features nine original tracks created in collaboration with vocalist Jordana and songwriter John Pruitt all written and recorded in Hill's modest apartment studio. As you would expect of him, the tunes capture the raw, soulful energy of the era's underground r&b and funk scene with a nice lo-fi edge and plenty of analogue sounds from the time. Long tucked away on ageing cassette tapes, the recordings have now been carefully restored by PPU to offer a great look at Hill's post-Timex era.

Review: Secretly Canadian comes through agin with a superb new album of emotive hip-hop from Wesley Joseph. This is a record of love, loss, joy, anxiety and coming-of-age struggles that arrive on lovely and lively translucent green vinyl. Joseph shows off his wordplay, lyrical intricacy and songwriting skills as he sings in his unique falsetto about a time of change. It follows his well-recorded latest single 'Sugar Dive' and is paired with plenty of low-slung bass, snappy rhythms and percussive drums. As he moves from rapping to singing with real raw honesty and some fine character studies along the way, Joseph really announces himself here.

Review: Known for her solo work and as the frontwoman of 30/70, Allysha Joy's husky, soulful voice and exceptional Fender Rhodes skills make her a standout in the jazz-soul scene. She hails from Melbourne and is a singer, songwriter, producer, and keys player who has had big props by key figures like Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova and Jamie Cullum and performed alongside acts such as Kokoroko and Children of Zeus. The Making of Silk is her new album and it is packed with her captivating vocals over jazz instrumentals, organic hip-hop grooves, with hints of new-soul, r&b and spiritual jazz greats like Alice Coltrane all appearing throughout the majestic, richly realised and luxurious sounds. This is a black vinyl version, though it also comes on grey-marbled wax.

Review: If JPEGMafia is a great artist name, "All My Heroes Are Cornballs" is an even better title for an album. It's the third from this experimental American rapper and another fascinating insight into his elastic, protean mind. Musically, it's tense, with rock licks and distorted guitars next to sinewy electronics and organic hand claps. The whole record brims with pop references to anime chapters, internet personalities and characters from the DC Universe, pushing and pulling you in many different directions on a whim. It makes for a loose collage, a living and breathing musical sketchbook, and an alluring listen.

Review: JPEGMAFIA's Veteran is a confrontational and glitchy masterpiece, both musically and politically charged. Drawing inspiration from Ol' Dirty Bastard's experimentalism, the album delves into themes of racism, gentrification, and internet culture with unapologetic fervor. Entirely self-produced, the album showcases JPEGMAFIA's adept ability to use of sound and texture, weaving together frayed elements into a cohesive and atmospheric whole. Tracks like 'Baby I'm Bleeding' and 'Panic Emoji' exemplify the album's sonic chaos, with distortion and fragmentation used percussively and melodically. JPEGMAFIA's delivery is equally dynamic, seamlessly transitioning between singing and rapping, often on the same track. His lyrical prowess shines on 'Williamsburg,' where he paints a vivid portrait of gentrification's cold and industrial reality. JPEGMAFIA's music remains firmly rooted in his unique perspective, making Veteran a breathless and essential addition to the hip-hop landscape.

Review: LP! marked the fourth studio album by esteemed Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA. Dropping back in October 2021 and coinciding with his 32nd birthday, the record boasts collaborations with DatPiMaa, Kimbra, and Tkay Maidza and picked up plenty of acclaim from Pitchfork, NME, and others. Lyrically, it delves into JPEG's struggles within the music industry while maintaining his own sense of authenticity. Fully self-produced, it epitomizes his artistic ethos and comes after he has amassed over 1.5 million monthly Spotify listeners and a 500K+ strong Instagram following. As such with this album, JPEGMAFIA has solidified his status as a leading figure in contemporary and experimental hip hop.

Review: JPEGMAFIA's All My Heroes Are Cornballs is a departure from his earlier work, showcasing a sprawling collage of influences and pop culture totems. While his past projects sometimes obscured this scope with adrenalized politics, this album lays bare the breadth of his creative influences. Adopting gendered terms and staging songs from diverse perspectives, JPEG fearlessly explores identity and expression. As a producer, he creates hyper-syncretic songs that blend disparate sounds seamlessly, turning friction into motion. Sequences blossom fully, with tracks like 'Kenan Vs. Kel' effortlessly shifting through keyboard melodies and crunchy power chords. 'Grimy Waifu' exemplifies this approach, blending gun ode lyrics with gorgeous instrumentation. All My Heroes Are Cornballs is a trippy, earnest journey into JPEG's interdimensional mind showing his fearlessness and creativity.

Review: Alternative hip-hop wunderkind JPEGMAFIA unveiled Ghost Pop Tape in 2023 under his current moniker, and made it widely available to streaming platforms, yet the 23-track mixtape was originally released a full decade prior in 2013 under the prolific MC/producer's birth name of Devon Hendryx. Featuring a less focused, lo-fi, alt-r&b vibe compared to the more animated, frenetic and dynamic modern persona of Peggy, the tape finally comes home to wax for all of those uber-fan completionists utterly bothered by the project's absence from their shelves...until now!

Review: Easily two of the most unique, eccentric and absurd artists in modern hip-hop; the much whispered about collaborative album from Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA finally lands on wax, and does its utmost to live up to the apt, meme-reflective title of Scaring The Hoes. Fully produced in house by JPEGMAFIA, the beats are stark, minimal, caustic and often impenetrable, whilst the two frenetic MCs go toe to toe, back and forth, and constantly attempt to one-up the other with bizarre bars, unhinged delivery and a hazy, drugged out audible aesthetic designed to clear out any party and scare away all proverbial hoes. Alternative hip-hop rarely gets as outsider or purposefully obtuse as this warped meeting of minds.

Review: The Juggaknots' seminal debut gets a lavish reissue, expanding their original nine-track opus into a sprawling 20-track testament to 90s indie hip-hop. Re:Release: Clear Blue Skies presents the Bronx trio's groundbreaking LP in a whole new light, adding 11 bonus cuts that showcase their deft blend of braggadocio, humour and social commentary. Siblings Breeze Brewin, Queen Herawin and Buddy Slim were ahead of their time, laying the bedrock for what would become alternative hip-hop. Their thick, low-end heavy beats provide the perfect backdrop for lyrical acrobatics that veer from playful to poignant. 'Clear Blue Skies' remains a standout, its nuanced take on racism as relevant now as it was in 1996. This reissue doesn't just rehash old glories. Three bonus mixes breathe new life into classic cuts, while the remastered audio brings out previously hidden layers in the production. The alternate cover, culled from the same Steve Brock photo shoot as the 2002 release, offers a fresh visual take on a familiar favourite. Diehards will appreciate the six-page insert, complete with lyrics and a foreword by Bobbito Garcia (aka Kool Bob Love). The photo collage of vintage family snaps and show flyers provides a vivid snapshot of the era that birthed this underground classic. While some tracks have been polished to a radio-friendly sheen, there's nothing cynical about the Juggaknots' approach. Their shift towards accessibility feels organic, the product of artists honing their craft rather than chasing trends. Even with the expanded tracklist, the album's core remains uncompromisingly true to the group's roots in New York's fertile 90s hip-hop scene. Re:Release: Clear Blue Skies stands as both a celebration of a milestone and a testament to the Juggaknots' lasting impact. It's a vital document of hip-hop history, as fresh and vital now as it was when it first dropped on Fondle 'Em Records over 25 years ago.

Review: Juice WRLD's posthumous album is a powerful continuation of the late rapper's unique style in that it mixes up introspective lyrics with emotive melodies and raw tap beats. The Party Never Ends delivers a mix of emo rap and melodic hooks that are all aden with the American star's signature vulnerability. Tracks like 'Misfit' and 'Party By Myself' dive into themes of love, loss and mental health, all of which resonate deeply with fans. The production is atmospheric and immersive with smooth transitions between songs and though the album captures Juice's raw energy and emotional depth, it also serves as a poignant reminder of the talent lost too soon.

Review: We don't half love a bit of Steven Julien, the artist formally known as Funkineven. And this new EP arrives just at the right time as the days brighten, the sun heats up and cruising day-time funk, house and boogie blends are all you want to pump out of your retro 3 series with the top down. 'Time' has distinctly 80s flavours with its bright chords and beats, 'Ultra' is more heavy with a contemporary rap/trap edge and 'Up' is a raw house cut with swinging kicks. 'Wraap't' is another crunchy and loved-up 80s street soul sound then 'Lil'bit' and 'Ballad' close out with more neon pads and retro-future melodic sparkle.

Review: This 1988 debut album from Jungle Brothers eschews the use of the sampler, choosing instead to lay down these fresh beats by recorders, all looped by hand, eight bars at a time. The record also features Q-Tip for the first time on the excellent "Black Is Black" which features one of the few samples on the album as the voice of Gil Scott-Heron is stitched into the rolling beats. Smash hip-house hit "I'll House You" was added to later versions of the album and is included here with other gems like "Braggin & Boastin" and "Behind the Bush".

Review: Jurassic 5's Quality Control album from all the way back in 2000 is a sonic manifesto that embodies their signature blend of old-school hip-hop vibes with a fresh twist. The album showcases the group's tight-knit chemistry and impeccable flow, delivering razor-sharp rhymes over hypnotic beats that are now well-known as their signature. With its infectious groove and insightful lyrics, Quality Control is a testament to the group's mastery of the genre and their commitment to delivering high-calibre music that is also full of timeless tunes that not only celebrate the art of hip-hop but also serve as a reminder of the importance of staying true to one's craft.

Review: Talib Kweli and J Rawls reunite after 25 years to deliver a heartfelt tribute to hip-hop's golden era. Their collaboration blends Kweli's razor-sharp lyricism with Rawls' authentic boom-bap production, crafting a rich, soulful journey through the genre's essence. Tracks like 'Breath, Eyes, Memory' bring introspection, while 'Turnstyle' captures nostalgia and 'Native Sons' pays homage to the Native Tongues collective. With an impressive roster of collaborators including Blu, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Skyzoo, the album underscores the depth of rap culture. A celebration of roots, growth and timeless artistry, firmly rooted in the traditions that shaped the genre.

Review: The Night Took Us In Like Family is the first collaborative album from American producer L'Orange and cultured rapper Jeremiah Jae. The Mellow Music label originally released it back in 2015 and it performed well with some fine guest appearances from Gift of Gab and Homebody Sandman. The album is rife with beautiful storytelling from Jae who delivers his ideas in a gangsta rap style but the first-rate beats are more soulful, giving rise to a style the pair called 'noir hop'. They are louche, lo-fi and drawn from the golden era of boom-bap with plenty of smart samples.

Review: Amerigo's The Big Payback series finds him bring together some fantasy all stars for his "J.B. and The Soul Mates" tribute concept. Here, James Brown's music is reworked, edited and chopped together with the work of hip hop giant Notorious BIG. It results in speaker blasting, floor filling, ass wiggling jams that mash up all the most iconic verses and choruses from each singer with their most recognisable guitar riffs, drum breaks and samples. It's a colourful collage that is as fun as it is funky.