Review: This Biscuit release is a fierce four-track punch built dancefloor disruptors. Opening the A-side, France's BOOH (aka BOOOoo! Records co-founder) delivers 'Hidden Between Two Ferns,' a punishing blend of EBM and electro that morphs with dark energy. A2 sees Argentina's Micro.Tron bring pure electro muscle with 'Microclima Robot,' a rhythm-heavy cut that hits with precision. On the flip, JJ Fortune drops the epic and destructive 'Then I Dropped It' while Vloon closes with a snarling, high-voltage electro weapon. Raw, trippy and relentless, this one's built to shake basements and bend minds.
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - "Ghetto Skank" (3:00)
Review: In the mid-70s, reggae great Dennis Brown was on a creative high with producer Niney propelling him to stardom. However, around this time, he was transitioning back to working with Joe Gibbs, another masterful studio hand who would later cement Brown's superstar status. Gibbs had previously worked with him on the acclaimed Visions album, and this particular track was likely recorded during that era or slightly earlier. Despite its quality, the tune didn't reach the audience it deserved, largely due to Gibbs' lack of UK distribution at the time. For much of the seventies, Joe Gibbs remained sidelined in England, limiting the global impact of his exceptional productions, but reissues like this do a fine job of underlining his importance.
Review: Caleto Records's eighth outing takes the form of this various artists compilation featuring exclusively Polish producers. The Etat Cru duo of Olszewski and Pawlescu kick off with the wire and sinewy synths and tech house pomp of 'Jasmina' then Jerry M offers two cuts. 'Gutek' is a nice spaced-out tech cruiser with flashy astral pads and 'Gondin' rides on well-designed breakbeats with an old-school bassline. Robsessive's 'Look After You' is a deeper, dubber, grittier cut for late-night vibes and SIM ON's 'Brudas' is all glitchy and dystopian urban landscaping. Poland sure has plenty of talent based on this EP.
Review: Emma Noble, the emerging soul singer from London, delivers a powerful performance on the girl group soul anthem 'Unstoppable'. Her second single, it's poised to become a next-gen floor-filler; catch us playing it on repeat, *in flagranti*, after it premiered on Craig Charles' BBC6 Soul Show in early 2025. 'Going Going Gone' backs it up on the B-side, as the first single from FPE's upcoming album Waves. Hearing rising Australian singer-songwriter and pop genius J Mahon on vocal duties, the track's catchy brass sections combine with J's androgynous soul vocals, and evokes the sounds of young Motown artists in the style's 60s adolescence.
Girls Of The Internet - "Someone Somewhere" (6:35)
James Alexander Bright & Girls Of The Internet - "Where Is Your Love" (6:54)
Review: Hot since day, Girls Of The Internet have widened the eyes and perked the ears of many a squabbling listener since 2017, deploying many a nu-disco nutcracker through imprints such as Drab Queen and Palm Recs. The duo now stop by Athens Of The North, surveying a wide polar acropolis of deep repetition and strung sampledelia. 'Somewhere Someone' delivers peak energies crafted about a mystery sample, while the flipper, 'Where Is Your Love', hears a roomy linkup with James Alexander Bright, straining the A's comparatively full, gluey mien into a much stringier slice of vocal disco minimalism.
Review: OG business! Majik and his label Infrared have been charming the dance since the very roots and he's back once again with this superb trio that originally ran last autumn. Fresh to wax, 'Ghost Train' charges along with real old school hardcore vibes, especially with those booming detuned synths. Things get deeper as we skip further into the EP; 'Above The Clouds' is goes all icy and introspective while 'July' closes with a nod to Detroit. Powerful.
Review: Scottish producer Milton Jackson returns to Freerange with four club-rooted collaborations that bridge Glasgow's punch with Detroit's finesse. It's a new release that brings Brian Kage on co-production and mastering, HazMat Live on synth duties, and Jon Dixon supplying characteristically sharp keys i and the results are as warm and robust as you'd expect. 'Fire Emoji' opens with a stripped-down, pressure-cooked club tool: all booming low-end, echoing vocal wisps and crisp arrangement. 'The Sunsetters' is the emotional peak, built around a fluid synth solo from HazMat Live and buoyed by plush pads and 909 accents. On the flip, 'Wanna C U' nods to both sides of the Atlantic, fusing US house depth with the swing and snap of UKG. 'The Shine', featuring Jon Dixon, is the most musically rich of the lot i gliding chords, broken grooves and cosmic jazz touches make it a standout closer. Rooted in deep house but flexible in feel, these tracks feel fully lived-in: tactile, soulful and beautifully engineered. Four cuts that do damage without shouting i a smooth burner from a seasoned crew.
Review: Emily Jeanne launches her new label Quynh with a bold debut that explores psychedelic club music and deep percussive rhythms. Named after a nocturnal flower, Quynh reflects new school talent Emily's authentic late-night sound and a move toward more experimental territory. Opener 'Wet Skin' dives in with pounding kicks and burrowing deep techno intensity while 'Count Me Out' brings sparse, agile drum & bass textures. 'Do Son At Night' shifts into a dreamlike flow of loose percussion and swirling synths that rise and fall with grace, while closer 'Gone Water' embraces polyrhythmic psychedelia to end what is a thrilling, unconventional statement from an artist pushing boundaries.
Zopelar - "Move This Way" (feat Antonio Dal Bo) (6:28)
Retromigration - "Fret" (6:15)
Cem Mo - "Rushmore" (5:41)
Monty DJ - "Sat15" (5:25)
Review: To keep it in the family is to imply things stay pure and untainted, but the irony with the Keep It In The Family 12" series is that every record sounds raw and unsheltered. So, although 'Feel' and 'Move This Way' cycle through unperturbed and dreamatic sounds, their finish is rough, suggesting a well-wrought processing chain, the music having seen through many a prodigal battle. Retromigration's 'Fret' and Cem Mo's 'Rushmore' continue the mood of vintage deep raspiness, with one-up arpeggios closing out the final track with special glee.
Review: Haggerston-based production wizard Jeigo kicks off the year after a standout 2024 by serving his own label Fleurella Records' first release. For the occasion, he reissues his track 'Pearl Leaf' which sits in between the worlds of Bicep, Sasha and UKG. It has floating pads and airy, organic beats that carry you away on a melancholic mood with deeply buried vocals adding a blurry, heart-tugging hook. On the flip are two new and unheard jams. 'Headpains' is full of a flurry of breaks but is also laden with introspective emotion in the vocals and chords and 'The Days You Were Here' is a more downtempo cut with shimmering pads, pitched-up vocals and languid bass.
Review: Since being snapped up by Defected a few years ago, the reinvigorated Nu Groove label - originally home to some of the earliest NYC deep house recordings ever released - has done a good job in balancing essential reissues with new EPs from artists whose music neatly fits their ethos. Jimpster, a man who has been serving up impeccable deep house for decades, is their latest recruit. Fittingly, he's delivered an EP of nostalgic, colourful deep house of the kind that could have been produced by Nu Groove stalwarts The Burrell Brothers in 1990 or 91. For proof, check the tactile, analogue-rich retro-futurism of 'The Phoenix', the warming deep NY garage-house bump of 'Lightening In Me' (featuring vocalist Oliver Right) and the synth-rich sonic sunshine of 'Beat Of An Era'.
Review: Jordan GCZ brings a unique jazz-infused approach to techno on his latest release, which is a third for the good folks at Rawax. He has a complex sound but one that always remains buttery impactful in the club and pairs cerebral ideas with physical grooves, and all of it's crafted with an array of outboard gear and vintage synths. The opener blends melodic nostalgic charm with dusty house beats, while 'Timbit Acid' is an off-kilter acid workout and 'Beaver Tail' weaves together a tapestry of intricate synth patterns and glistening pads. Last but not least, 'All Dressed' offers a soul-infused take on mid-tempo techno that is deep, groovy and compelling.
Curtis Baker & The Bravehearts - "Wooly Bully" (2:26)
Review: Across four artists and four versions, Original Gravity present 'Woolly Bully', a woollen repackaging of the longtime Sam Sham & The Pharoahs classic. Laid down in 1964, this terpsichorean prancer kept to a 12-bar blues progression, and made for the first American record to sell a million copies during the storied British Invasion. Its mixture of skiffly British rock and Mexican-American conjunto was an intentional blend, and a succesful one at that. Its enduring impact is now felt in these rollicking cover versions from Junior Dell, Donnoya Drake, Luchito & Nestor Alvarez and Curtis Baker, all roomy, costume vintage retrofits of the original. Listen closely to the lyrics for strange talk of a mythical creature: the original song's lyrics were so strange that some radio stations banned it for fear of popular befuddlement.
Review: System warmongers Moonshine Recordings brew their own methanol murder beats, this time enlisting master home brewer King DuBear and toaster/taster Junior Dread for an apocalyptic system smasher, of epidemic proportions. In characteristic throaty baritone, 'Keep The Faith' hears Dread caution his fellow youngers against folly - "stay away from they food and the lies dem a spread" - while snares and noir bubbles come ensnared in intense, pop-out reverb. The dub goes surprisingly in on Dread's vocals, hamming them up with extra preamp body.
Review: Coorreente Belgium delivers a compelling slice of modern techno with 'Interlink', a four-track compilation that dives deep into rhythmic exploration and sci-fi atmospheres. Each cut offers a unique perspective, yet together they create an excellent and cohesive experience. Orbe's 'Jaxa' kicks things off with a spacey, melodic groove. The track's sci-fi techno aesthetic is underscored by rhythmic intricacies, creating a sense of forward momentum through the cosmos. It sets the tone with a blend of dreamlike melodies and pulsing beats. 'Refraction' by PTTRNRCRRNT follows, venturing into tribal territory with creative, off-kilter rhythms. Alien-esque warning sounds weave through the mix, adding a sense of unease and mystery that keeps listeners on edge. On Side-2, Deluka's 'Axis' plunges into subterranean techno with a deep, hypnotic vibe. Elements of trance filter through crisp production, guiding the listener on a spacey, introspective journey that feels both grounded and ethereal. Jorge Flukso's 'Synaptic' closes the EP with a nod to classic underground techno. Its dynamic, brooding build recalls the raw energy of Surgeon's warehouse bangers. The track's evolving layers and relentless drive create a late-night atmosphere perfect for dark, crowded dance floors. 'Interlink' is a well-curated snapshot of techno's diverse spectrum, balancing the cerebral and the physical with finesse. If you are one that thinks techno has been over-saturated the last decade and that there is no good techno coming out anymore then I would check this EP out.
Hazmat Live - "The Marriage Of Korg & Moog" (4:50)
Review: Passing Currents aims to stand out from the predictable by offering a deeply human touch in its music. This five-tracker backs that up by melding academic expertise with dancefloor intuition and the A-side features txted by Phil Moffa remixed by Yamaha DSP coder okpk after they met during doctoral studies, they flip technical mastery into bass-driven energy while Atrevido' fuses California warmth with analogue electro, Josh Dahlberg's rediscovered 2009 electro gem, 'Ass On The Floor', still bangs and Detroit's Kevin Reynolds delivers hypnotic grooves before Hazmat Live pushes boundaries with a sound rooted in soulful, experimental innovation.
Review: Razor-N-Tape's white label series serves up its first-ever various artists collection here, and it opens with Windy City master Glenn Underground. His 'Happy House' is a joyous disco stomper with florid strings and lung-busting vocals. Rahaan adds his own edit to 'Be Cool', which is a jazzy dancer with magnificent guitar work and brassy horns. 'Hot Damn' (JKriv edit) keeps the love flowing with funky disco house energy and an air of hands in the air celebration and The Patchouli Brothers flip 'Love Explosion' into a strident, front foot wafered and pumping disco funker with gorgeous vocals. There I so much sunshine and joy in these tunes that they melt even the stoniest of hearts.
Review: Somewhere between a rolling terrace session and a very well-behaved afters, Aloque's second 12" offers a quietly confident take on modern club gear. The Valencia-based label launched with a bang last year i their debut sold out quickly i and now they return with four new tracks from co-founders Vsan & Jose Marti. If the first record introduced the label's sound, this one deepens it. 'Creilla' opens the A-side with a stripped, percussive groove that unfolds patiently, stitched together with dubby effects and subtle movement. It's restrained but functional i the sort of track you'll play more often than you think. 'You Will (Remaster)' leans into darker territory: heads-down and system-facing, with a weighty low end and just enough melodic tension to hold your focus. Over on the flip, 'Stabito' takes things into smokier, slower territory. Airy stabs drift in and out over a skeleton of drums, soft-edged but purposeful. 'Calibre (feat Badano)' closes with more urgency i a focused, dry pulse driving the most direct track on the record. With two sharp 12"s under their belt and a clear sonic identity forming, Aloque sit right at the centre of Valencia's shifting dance landscape i these records already feel built to move well beyond it.
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: German pair Markus Guentner and Joachim Spieth rightly got plenty of acclaim for their 2023 ambient album Overlay and now it gets revisited with a top selection of remixes that breathe new life into the original compositions. Prominent ambient and experimental artists such as Hollie Kenniff, Rafael Anton Irisarri and Pole all show their class while newer names like Abul Mogard smears synths into a misty wonder on 'Scope', Galan/Vogt layer in angelic vocal tones to 'Valenz' and Leandro Fresco brings a lightness of touch that fills with optimism on opener 'Apastron. Guentner and Spieth themselves provide two alternate versions of their originals that bring new emotional and sonic depth.
Review: Experience the white knuckle energy of the band's early U.S. tour at the legendary punk club, with a mix of tracks from their 1977 debut In the City and their second album - also released '77 - This Is the Modern World. Technically named the Rathskiller, the Boston venue was nicknamed The Rat and built a reputation as a basement dive bar that has hosted acts that have gone on to be the biggest names in rock. The Jam are a case in point and on red hot form here with the Paul Weller-led band thrashing through the likes of 'Carnaby Street', 'In The City' and 'All Around The World' in an unpolished, ramshackle and intimate way that the studio albums can't conjure.
Review: This ten-track dub sizzler is an essential long player that delivers five vocal cuts and five dub versions, oof of which do a fine job of spotlighting early 80s Roots Radics magic. It takes in a mix of long-requested classics and five previously unreleased tracks, which all add fresh fire to the legacy of vintage dancehall. This album forms a brilliant trio alongside the great Wayne Jarrett's What's Wrong With the Youths and Chip In albums for Jah Life and Junjo Lawes. The music's raw, rootsy energy is palpable in all cuts, and the timing couldn't be better as this is perfect summer soundtrack tackle.
Review: Celebrate 20 years of In Between with In Between Revisited: Jazzanova Live, a vibrant reimagining of Jazzanova's smashing debut. Recorded at Little Big Beat Studios, this intimate session fuses the original album's sample-driven roots with the real-deal energy of live musicianship. Tracks like 'That Night', 'No Use', and 'Days To Come' take on new life, blending jazz, soul, and electronic elements in a seamless, unforgettable performance. Though it was originally a studio creation, In Between helped define the genre of nu-jazz upon its 2002 release, where nu-jazz itself always invites live-lounge rejigging. With the Jazzanova Live Band, formed in 2008 and honed over 15 years of touring, the group finally brings a long-plotted album to the stage. The performance is here captured on analogue tape with stellar musicians and vocalists, reinventing, yet at the same time devoting itself to, a classic.
Review: Released in 2000, Poison is the third studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter Jay-Jay Johanson, having earned his place as a stalwart figure thanks to his melancholic vocals set to perspirant trip hop. From 'Believe in Us' to 'Colder,' not to mention the toxicologist's favourite 'Poison,' we're met again with Johanson's signature downtempos and experientially charged lyrics. Sophisticated atmospherics abound, bridging the all-to-intimate gap between sexuality and the unknown.
Review: An essential snapshot of late 60s British jazz, Off Centre snaps pianist and arranger John Cameron during a rare small group session, capturing a uniquely vivid, rhythmically complex album. Renowned for his soundtrack and library music work, Cameron brings that same cinematic flair to these tracks: 'Off Centre', 'Troublemaker' and 'Omah Cheyenne' are rowdily rich in texture, yet never overworked. His collaborators include the extraordinary Harold McNair, whose flute and tenor sax playing bring a kinetic energy that nods to his Roland Kirk influences, but with a cooler, more spacious edge. There's a strong modal undercurrent throughout, bringing the session a searching, propulsive edge, reflecting the sonic gemstone gleams that music magpie Gilles Peterson helped champion on his storied Impressed compilations.
Atmosphere (live At The Factory, Hulme, UK, September 28, 1979) (2:22)
Wilderness (live At The Factory, Hulme, UK, September 28, 1979) (3:00)
Shadowplay (live At The Factory, Hulme, UK, September 28, 1979) (3:53)
Insight (live At The Factory, Hulme, UK, September 28, 1979) (4:06)
Colony (live At The Factory, Hulme, UK, September 28, 1979) (4:06)
Review: Famed for having hosted the likes of Hendrix and The Stones, the Moonlight Club in the basement of the vintage Hampstead pub The Railway, was a ram-packed sweaty room and a fantastic place to have seen Joy Division live. The Ian Curtis-fronted Macclesfield post-punk legends played three nights on the trot here and the setlist is the stuff of legends, nicely meandering through the best tracks from their Closer, Still, Unknown Pleasures albums and beyond. Side 2 includes a run of tracks that they recorded in the briefly opened and since demolished Factory live venue in Moss Side, Manchester, bringing you back to a time when the city was in its monochromatic prime..
Review: Though they've trodden remarkably different paths through music so far, the coming-together of UK singer-producers Allysha Joy, Hidden Spheres and Finn Rees makes for a latent talent condensation of the "of course!" kind. Solina hears them freshwater rock pool their shared ear for groove and space, weaving motifs of Balearic house, jazz, broken beat and 90s street soul through a vivid whole; long after each artist's works across in veins of future beats, chillwave, deep house and UK bass. From the tremulous Rhodes overwash of 'Promised Me Love' to the sophomoric sunstroke 'Trust The Feeling', Joy's vocals usually only appear lately, like a vocal forest spirit peeking its head out on the ecotone between wood and sea. Not a showcase of chops, but a case of layered restraint, unfurling unhurriedly.
Experimental (feat Brian Smokey Williams - album vocal mix)
The Midnight Hour
Knights (Ext Time Traveler mix)
Overdrive (album mix)
The Project
Good Timing (feat Big Mel)
Spirits (album mix)
Beyond
Review: Vick Lavander is a name that has always been a byword for deep house quality. His sound is couched in a classic template but comes with subtle tweaks and plenty of its own musical character. BEYOND is a bumper collection of beats which proves just that. There are silky and cosmically minded sounds like 'Time & Time Again' next to subtly jazzy dancers like 'Sunset BLVD' and dubby, elegant grooves like the life-affirming 'Grace'. The pace picks up with joints like 'Knights' but never at the expense of atmosphere and slows right down with swab-tinged downbeat delights like 'Good Timing'. A magnificently rich work.
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