Back catalogue: All genres

Review: American label Deep Bow makes a notable vinyl debut with this heavyweight 10" featuring King Stanley and Prince Jamo, both voicing over a thunderous riddim crafted by producer Dub Sev?. This roots-driven slab stars with King Stanley's passionate cries over sleek drums with shiny digital synths and neat guitar licks. It stays true to the deep, meditative spirit of sound system culture and becomes much more roomy and spaced out in the hands of Dub Seva. Prince Jamo's 'Joke' has a cleaner vocal and some natty keys, and also gets dubbed out by Dub Seva. A strong introduction from Deep Bow that showcases talent from both sides of the Atlantic.

Review: A new 7" from Sample & Example by Cut Creator$ delivers another rare, still mostly uncut gem in the tourmaline world of soul and funk. 'Here I Go Again' from 1976 hears Jean Plum, a soulful Memphis singer, come bundled together with 'Contact Off Funk' by Larry "T-Bird" Gordon, a masterpiece of Southern funk produced by the equally estimable Willie Mitchell. For enthusiasts of rare funk and soul, the influential Hi Records legacy is made evident once again.

Review: Rock A Shaka continue to wring out their apparently exclusive tenancy of Prince Buster's so far unissued reggae and rocksteady works, this time dropping a fresh 7" one with the instrumentalist Determinations on dubbing duties, 'Ten Steps Ahead'. Buster's final recording before he died initially went by the name 'One Step Beyond', and it has here been renamed in requiem, perhaps to differentiate it from the repopularised Madness cover. Lodged behind the vault door for years, you can be sure that Rock A Shaka thanked their lucky stars when they re-found it: "why must I suffer so much on this land?" Buster's voice is unusually lonesome and spectral, revealing in the late artist a rarely obviated forlornness.

Review: DFA Records prime mysterious new Brighton signees Proper Monday Number with a sure start, flicking the proverbial Rube Goldberg machine into gear with a banging remix of their otherwise unreleased debut track 'High Horse'. Here, of course, it's LCD Soundsystem / DFA's very own James Murphy at the remix controls, together with resident DFA DJ and "decent human" Matt Cash. Toolroom dance moods extend over a lusciously simple seven minutes, bringing home FM stabs and LinnDrum faceslaps aplenty. And the lyrics: "stop what you're doing now... you ain't got no crown! get off your high horse! turn this ship around!" In our day and age, we need more anti-stagnation, ego-teardown anthems like this, so we welcome the sentiment by the masked duo.

Review: This expanded edition of Pale Saints' third and final album Slow Buildings is a real doozy for fans of the English alt-rock and shoegaze outfit. The original is a long-out-of-print classic that has been sympathetically remastered here after originally arriving back in 1994. The album captures their transition into more open, melodic territory while retaining the dense guitar textures and experimental spirit of their earlier work. Meriel Barham's vocals shine as caller as always, particularly on standout single 'Fine Friend,' which was adapted from Persian Rugs' 1981 track. This two-disc reissue includes the Fine Friend EP and a curated trove of unreleased demos and tracks that make it an essential addition for completists.

Review: While many would chalk California's Papa Roach up to being another flash-in-the-pan late 90s/early 00s nu-metal outfit who had a few major singles and nothing more, dig a little deeper and their consistency and longevity makes them quite the exception to the rule when compared to their once peers in other forgotten groups such as Spineshank. Gearing up for what will be their 12th full-length studio album to be released later in 2025, serving as follow up to 2022's Ego Trip, the band have opted to reissue their much adored ninth LP Crooked Teeth. Originally released in 2017, the record has been praised for its sonic balancing between the more radio-rock oriented sound of their latter-day output and the dusting off of their rap-metal "old school" style prevalent on cuts such as the lead single title-track that swings from grooving hard rock to full on digitally produced rap bars, while a further signalling to their past selves in the modern era comes from the guest feature by hip-hop/pop-punk/pop star Machine Gun Kelly on 'Sunrise Trailer Park'.

Review: Leo Parker was a pioneering baritone saxophonist in the bebop era, best known for his time in Billy Eckstine's band, where he became part of the legendary "Unholy Four" saxophone section alongside Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons in the mid-1940s. Despite personal challenges that sidelined him in the 1950s, Parker made a brief yet impactful comeback in 1961, recording two standout sessions for Blue Note, including Let Me Tell You 'Bout It and Rollin' With Leo. Sadly, Parker died at 36 from a heart attack before the latter was released. Initially shelved, Rollin' With Leo was finally issued in 1980 as part of the LT Series; his signature swinging compositions resound in full audiophile quality here, from 'The Lion's Roar' to 'Jumpin' Leo'.

Review: In celebration of Arvo Part's 90th year, his latest release showcases the Estonian composer's continued exploration of minimalist, spiritually charged sound . Part's work has always sought to blend the sacred with the secular, and this collection of new renditions brings forward the timeless resonance of his choral and orchestral compositions. Opening with 'Littlemore Tractus,' based on John Henry Newman's reflections, the piece sets the tone of quiet, introspective change that permeates the entire work. His music, a dialogue between sound and silence, invites profound contemplation, with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Tonu Kaljuste's direction offering nuanced, deeply attentive performances. Compositions like 'Vater unser,' showcase Part's ability to transform liturgical text into transcendent musical experience. There's an undeniable spiritual gravity in pieces such as 'Cantique des degres' and 'Sequentia,' where strings and vocals weave in delicate yet forceful patterns, revealing a steady undercurrent of renewal. The rich textures in these works evoke both a longing for and a reconciliation with the past, capturing Part's life-long exploration of sacred music's dialogue with the world. The album culminates with 'Vater unser,' an evocative reworking that brings together choir, strings, and piano, offering a meditative close to an album that is as much about reflection as it is about the continued forward momentum of Part's artistry. Recorded in Tallinn's Methodist Church, this latest chapter is a continuation of the Part-Eicher partnership that has defined so much of his career, expanding the legacy of albums like Tabula rasa and reinforcing Part's place as one of the most significant voices in contemporary classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Review: It's been a while since we've heard from high-end hip-hop helmers PartyNextDoor and Drake. The two superstars usually work together to make ethereal stopovers on otherwise damn hard rap records, especially by the latter former Young Money megastar. Though the pair have never worked on a full-length album together before, Some Sexy Songs 4 U tots up to the third in an unsaid series of Drake collab albums, following ones between 21 Savage and Future. Dealing in themes of sexual jealousy and ongoing personal feuds - especially amid tumultuous fallouts between the larger private-jet-bound artist and various smaller up-and-comers such as Ice Spice - the record offers a stylistic range on an wide trap smorgasbord, working in Mexican rock samples and alt-rock progressions.

Review: Parus is a Belarusian ethno-ambient project blending pagan songs with modern soundscapes and Zara is their debut album. Led by ethnographer and folk singer Hanna Silivonchyk, the record features traditional Belarusian songs in various dialects, all accompanied by synths and field recordings crafted by Anton Anishchanka. The tracks were gathered during ethnographic expeditions across Belarusian national parks, and songs like 'Soniejka' and the title cut offer intimate reflections on life, love and mythology. It connects to the past while maintaining a deep personal edge that makes Zara a fascinating exploration of Belarusian culture.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this Record Store Day, 'Original Soundtracks 1' is a bold, imaginative collaboration between British ambient pioneer Brian Eno and Irish band U2 under the moniker Passengers. Blurring the line between ambient experimentation and cinematic storytelling, the album features 15 tracks that were all conceived as soundtracks for fictional films. Highlights include the haunting 'Miss Sarajevo' with Luciano Pavarotti and contributions from Howie B and Holi and this remastered anniversary edition comes on recycled black vinyl. An adventurous 1995 release that stands up now as an atmospheric, genre-blurring work and a rare and inspired detour in U2's discography.

Review: Smiting us down with the third and final chapter of his The God Trilogy, Vinnie Paz' ninth solo LP comes packed with demiurgic collaborators including Young Buck, Cappadonna (Wu-Tang), Onyx, Army of the Pharaohs, ILL BILL, Sick Jacken, and Lord Goat. Rising from Philly’s underground, Paz co-founded Jedi Mind Tricks in 1996 with producer Stoupe The Enemy Of Mankind. Paz’s solo work, starting with Season Of The Assassin, tends to hear the artist explore personal narratives, and this is reheard with a renewed roar on the likes of ‘Two Knights Forced’ and ‘Acid Heat’, exemplifying a highly processed production style echoing the craziest ends of horrorcore and Memphis rap.

Review: Inspired by his neon-lit walks around London's docklands, crate digger Ilan Pdahtzur's 2019 compilation Night City Life marked him out as a dusty-fingered crate digger and record collector with a distinctive, synth-heavy musical vision. It made him the toast of the selector/collector community, but more than that it was a genuinely superb selection of obscure, hard-to-find cuts. This belated sequel is every bit as essential and filled, unsurprisingly, with rare and lesser-known gems. Highlights are too plentiful to mention, but our current favourites include Sharon & Tracey's 'The Sheik' (a belly-dancing inspired slab of TB-303 bass-driven house hedonism), Jennifer's 1992 Euro-house gem 'Come Into My Life', Scicilian musician Claudio D'Ignoti's boogie-era treat 'Ache Per Noir', and the fashion scene inspired leftfield synth-pop of Lena's 'Embrasse-Moi (Strumentale)'.

Review: Pellegrino & Zodyaco's skillfully intertwine Neapolitan disco, funk, jazz and world music while channelling a spirit of creative escape of this new album, which is inspired by Henri Laborit's 'Eloge de la fuite'. It explores conscious escapism as a return to authenticity and seeks a "common language" through sound by merging Mediterranean melodies with global rhythms, vintage instruments and ethnic percussion that all bridge past and present. Four years after his last outing, Morphe, Pellegrino is still in top form here with a soulful, genre-blurring portrait of modern Naples that reflects the fact that, in the city, musical traditions meet modern experimentation.

Review: Having recently struck internet-age meme-gold thanks to iconic frontman (and sole original member) Bobby Liebling's iconic, seemingly "drugged out" gaze whilst performing live on stage, there really could be no more ample time for doom metal pioneers Pentagram to be releasing a new album. Returning a full decade on from 2015's Curious Volume, the band's ninth full-length Lightning In A Bottle offers up yet another entirely new revitalised lineup featuring guitarist/producer Tony Reed (Mos Generator, Big Scenic Nowhere), drummer Henry Vasquez (Legions of Doom, Saint Vitus, Blood of the Sun) and bassist Scooter Haslip (Mos Generator, Saltine), while the decades of performing, touring and admitted drug addiction have done little to dilute Liebling's looming presence and powerful vocal cadence. Unmistakeably still Pentagram, complete with heaving grooves and occult charisma, the material doesn't simply rethread past glories, but makes a vital case for the band's inarguable place in the doom metal cosmos, with Liebling balancing his aura with sobering introspection of his own years of opioid abuse on standout cuts such as 'Dull Pain' or the haunting 'Lady Heroin', where he ponders - "Lady Heroin, have I seen the last of you?" We hope so, Bobby, but we hope to see plenty more of you eyeballing fans in the front row whilst getting your macabre groove on.

Review: Pink Floyd's filmed performance in the haunting ruins of Pompeii has always been one of the band's most enigmatic moments, and this newly reworked version reveals an even deeper level of intimacy and chaos. The remastering by Steven Wilson accentuates the tonal complexity, particularly in 'Echoes,' where each reverberation and shift in atmosphere feels more present. The raw, untamed energy of 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene' and the hypnotic pulse of 'A Saucerful of Secrets' add a depth to the band's evolving sound. There's a startling sense of discovery in these tracksiboth in the unedited 'A Saucerful of Secrets' and the alternate take of 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene.' Pink Floyd's creative tension and experimental spirit pulse through these recordings, making the listening experience feel like an invitation to witness them at their most initmate and unguarded.

Review: More than half a century after its original release, Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII has returned to cinemas. Shot in 1971 at the haunting amphitheatre ruins of Pompeii, the film captured the band in their pre-DSOTM phase, during which time they were moving away from their originally overt psychedelia and space rock ventures and packing their work with a denser thematic and political verve. The DVD edition represents live versions of 'Echoes' and 'A Saucerful of Secrets', among other ashen, ruinous greats, in newly restored clarity - and that's not to mention its accompanying, behind-the-scenes studio footage of an early DSOTM studio session. This is a full 90-minute cut scanned in 4K from rediscovered 35mm negatives, with Steven Wilson providing a lush new audio mix in Dolby Atmos and 5.1.

Region code: 2

Review: Posuposu Otani is a mysterious throat singer and songwriter from Japan who dropped his debut physical album in March. By merging open-tuned guitar, Kohkin (aka the Jew's harp) and traditional throat singing, Otani creates a sound filled with rich harmonics and fluid rhythms that all evoke the mood of Impressionist art and explore themes of freedom, nature and self-discovery. Influenced by his punk roots, worldly travels and immersion in mountain life, Otani's storytelling music reflects his deep connection to the natural world and makes for a far-journeying listen.

Review: Since dub music and novelty sci-fi thematics go hand-in-hand, it's easily sayable that it was only a matter of time before dubbing bright spark Phil Pratt (George Phillips) would lend the genre a certain Lucasian fanaticism. The original Star Wars Dub album was first released in 1978 on Burning Sounds, and here it hears a special first-time reissue on picture disc; known across the board for his exceptional skills as a producer, singer, and songwriter, Pratt's Studio One days were well studded by this far-off galaxian moment, which doubled as a marketing boon (a true salesman, his debut record, released two years earlier, was called The Best Dub Album In The World). Though not directly made up of cover versions of classic Mos Eisley Cantina or Imperial March themes, the tunes channel a life-saving, lightsabring steeze, perfect for your next herbalised cosmic gallivant.

Review: There's something electric about hearing these live cuts pressed onto a lovely glossy picture disc. It's not just nostalgia, it's the grit and spontaneity of a performer who, even in the twilight of his career - these were recorded in 1974 and 1976 - could still bring a room to its knees. The energy is raw, the crowd reactions are real and the band behind him lock and step. These versions feel lived-in. 'Steamroller Blues' grinds forward with swagger, while 'Trying to Get to You' and 'You Gave Me a Mountain' cut deep with emotional weight. 'Hound Dog' still hits like a shot of adrenaline. The medley of 'Teddy Bear' and 'Don't Be Cruel' feels tossed off in the best way, like a quick smile to the audience before getting serious again. A snapshot of a performer still capable of surprises, even years past his peak chart dominance. For fans of the man's live sound, this one's a keeper.

Review: NPG Records and Paisley Park Enterprises, in partnership with Warner Records, are pleased to announce the release of a brand-new audiophile Blu-ray featuring 2024's Dolby Atmos mix of Prince and the Revolution's iconic 1984 album, Purple Rain, as well as Prince's original 1984 stereo mix, in high-definition 24bit / 96kHz audio.

Prince shattered all expectations and made music history when he released the album Purple Rain, followed by the hit movie of the same name weeks later. The 9-track LP went on to win two Grammy awards ("Best Rock Performance by a Group" & "Best Album of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture"), two American Music Awards, a Brit Award, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. In 2012 the Library of Congress added the album to the National Recording Registry, which only accepts sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." Purple Rain spent 24 weeks at #1 on the Billboard album charts, sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and appears on countless 'Best Of' polls, most recently achieving the #4 spot on Apple Music's Top 100 Albums Of All Time.

The 2024 Atmos presentation of Purple Rain featured on this Blu-Ray, was meticulously mixed from the original multi-track master tapes by Prince's protege and Best Engineered Grammy nominee Chris James. It was released via all participating Digital Service Providers on June 21, 2024. "In 2024 we started our year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain, we are thrilled to present Prince's masterpiece in ATMOS, providing an immersive, surround auditory experience of Prince's legendary album. This highly crafted release will present Prince's iconic work with more space and depth while preserving the beautiful songs that have shaped music and popular culture, and touched the lives of countless fans around the world." - Paisley Park Enterprises

Region code: universal

Review: Begun in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the former had remixed the latter's new Radiohead material, Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke exchanged much of the for their new record Tall Tales remotely. Forerun by new single 'Back In The Game' then 'This Conversation Is Missing Your Voice', the album takes shape as a surreal mythopoesis, warping back in time to 2020's plague, where the former track's hyperreal music video (dir. by Jonathan Zawada) sees a rooftop figure defenestrating art itself amid grotesque figures bearing the worst of a mutant contortionist slice-of-life. Yorke has said that the album was crucial to him, describing the music-making process as "mental."

Review: Since Radiohead went on hiatus a few years back, Thom Yorke has thrown himself into all sorts of solo and collaborative projects. His latest sees him join forces with Sydney-based British electronic music stalwart Mark Pritchard for an album that expands on their previous collaboration (the superb 'Beautiful People' from Pritchard's 2018 album Under The Sun). It's a breathtakingly brilliant concoction all told, with the pair conjuring ethereal, oddball and immersive songs in which Yorke's distinctive vocals - sometimes delivered as you'd expect, other times layered-up, mutilated or utilised as textures - rise above backing tracks made with unusual synths and drum machines, and variously indebted to ambient, IDM, ghostly electronica, lo-fi beat-scapes and the gripping intensity of horror soundtracks. A modern electronic classic in the making.

Review: Returning from a near-decade long hiatus with their first album in eight years, At Peace marks the eighth full-length from Manitoba punk heroes Propagandhi, serving as their follow up to 2017's Victory Lap. Channelling an anti-fascist ethos of skate punk meets thrashcore since 1986, their latest effort showcases a band doing their utmost to come to terms with the despondency they've been warning about since their inception. Recorded shortly before the re-election of Donald Trump and his assertion that the band's home country of Canada become the U.S.'s 51st State, the messaging here is as earnest and vital as ever, yet admittedly more worn out and exhausted following three decades of the same oppressive system, with vocalist Chris Hannah somewhat accepting defeat and altering what we can about our outlook - "Now it's the existential dread of eking out a life worth living in this completely failed society."

Review: Alex Puddu dropped his last album, Deliria, only back in September, but has been busy in the studio since then cooking up more of his international disco grooves. Professione Reporter is a stylish funk, soul and disco-pop workout all sung in Italian and recorded at Piero Umiliani's legendary Sound Work Shop in Rome. The album follows the cinematic story of a photojournalist who becomes a gigolo entangled in a glamorous underworld of money, romance and danger. Around that vocal narrative, Puddu delivers sleek, seductive grooves and plenty of authentic vintage flair with a sharp ear for melody and melodrama. Professione Reporter feels like a lost soundtrack to an Italian crime film that is moody, playful, sexy and irresistibly cool from start to finish.

Review: Puma Blue, the project of South-London-born, Atlanta-based Jacob Allen, moves in a starkly different direction with this latest release. Stripping away the layered trip-hop, jazz, and electronica influences of previous works, he now focuses on a more direct and vulnerable form of songwriting. With just his guitar and voice, Allen crafts an album that feels intimate, raw, and deeply personal. Each track is a careful balance of simplicity and complexity. On 'Tapestry', the narrative unfolds like a dense, aching reflection, while 'Hotel Room' captures a moment of quiet melancholy with an almost confessional tone. In contrast, 'In the Absence of You' is stark in its honesty, delivering a minimalist sentiment that resonates with painful clarity. The absence of the full band setup places the weight of emotion solely on Allen's shoulders, allowing his vocal delivery and guitar work to shine. The result is a profoundly affecting listen, one that's less about expansive sound and more about the intimate space between notes, where every breath and pause feels significant. It's a deeply personal exploration of solitude and longing, executed with haunting simplicity.

Review: Hailing from The Gret White North's Toronto, PUP (Pathetic Use of Potential) are your favourite current punk band's favourite current punk band. Originally formed in 2010, the past decade and a half has seen the group deliver one consistent album of bangers after the next, with their new fifth full-length Who Will Look After The Dogs? arriving three years on from 2022's The Unraveling Of PUPTheBand, proving that prior titular statement to be mistaken information. Expanding their sonics as far as their musical palettes, the LP showcases the debaucherous yet earnest Canadian troubadours pulling simultaneously from both more radio-centric college rock as well as more intense hardcore this time around, while modern punk legend (and once Bomb The Music Industry lynchpin) Jeff Rosenstock makes a standout appearance on the latest single 'Get Dumber'. Gritty, melodic, and sincere, all within the same breath (or verse), it's a tough year for any punk band to compete whenever PUP rear their grimy head.

Review: Toronto's PUP are your favourite modern punk band's favourite modern punk band. Over the past decade, they've delivered one consistent album of bangers after the next, and now they return three years on from 2022's The Unraveling Of PUPTheBand to prove that title as mistaken information. Who Will Look After The Dogs? serves as the fifth full-length from the debaucherous yet heartfelt Canadians, stretching their sonics as far as their palettes, pulling from both more radio-centric college rock and simultaneously much heavier hardcore this time around, while once Bomb The Music Industry lynchpin and nowadays punk rock troubadour legend Jeff Rosenstock makes an appearance on latest single 'Get Dumber'. Not so much the "Pathetic Use of Potential" that PUP still claim to be.