Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans - Welsh version) (6:21)
Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans - English version) (6:21)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - instrumental version) (2:37)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - Catalan version) (2:42)
Un Adeu (feat Pep Tosar - Spanish version) (2:41)
Badia Onirica (feat Rhys Ifans- instrumental version) (6:19)
Review: With over 50 years of experience dating way back to the early 70s with the progressive outfit Zebra, Joan has left quite a discography that is still being discovered and enjoyed. This EP - Joan Bibloni's second appearance on the label in total - features three versions of 'Badia Onirica', two of them being language versions and then the instrumental. Overall, the song is a track fitting for the Cafe Del Mar sound - a mix of folk, electronica, house with a Latin and folk influence and versions in Spanish and Catalan. An EP for watching the sunsets, dreaming on the beach and remembering life's great time with friends and family. NuNorthernSoul continues to honor the chill out legacy.
Review: DJ Plead & rRoxymore make for a fascinating duo and take aim squarely at the floor on this new outing, Read Round City, for Smalltown Supersound. Opener 'Celestial' is a loose-limbed rhythmic jumble with hand claps, trippy xylophone patterns and deep bass that lulls you into a trance while 'Read Wrong' is a more reggaeton-inspired sound with snappy snares and warped synth sounds. It's gluey and gloopy and subtly colourful. 'Round Echoes' is a third and final cross blend of techno, dub and house that picks up the pace and heads off into the cosmos but retains an organic feel thanks to the marvellous wet hand claps.
Review: Belgian-born producer Gratts and pioneering Chicago vocalist Robert Owens first collaborated on 'Brighter Future' back in 2021 after meeting in the streets of Kreuzberg years before. The pair now join forces again for follow up 'Today', a powerful and emotive, 90s inspired deep house cut with layered backings and Owens' lilting affirmations soaring above. The extended club version takes you straight to house music's ecstatic heydays, while the twelve also includes an acapella tool for those singalong moments. On the flip, Mark Hand's slower, soulful rendition takes things into sideroom territory. Finally, 'Mount Olympus', home to the Greek deities, fuses a rattling drum machine, arpeggiated synth lines and a potent analogue bassline - with added bonus beats to bang the box and get weird!
Lex, Dennis Liber, Rosa - "Una Sera D'Estate" (feat Max Giovara) (7:02)
Lex, Dennis Liber - "End Of The Line" (5:56)
Dennis Liber - "Playa Eden" (feat Sariela Camargo) (8:32)
Dennis Liber - "Hidden Island" (feat Ricardo Benitez) (4:17)
Review: Rocksteady Disco welcomes Dennis Liber & Lex for a standout debut here. Their four-tracker captures the magic of musical nights spent down in Mexican hotspot Tulum with organic and airy grooves aplenty. 'Una Sera D'Estate' (feat Max Giovara) exodus late-night warmth and loved-up vibes with its melodic bassline and disco-tinged house drums. 'End Of The Line' is more lively but is no less direct with its big drums and pointed bass phrasings. Liber then goes solo for the dreamy, Italo-tinged yet tropical 'Playa Eden' and wonderfully escapist closer 'Hidden Island' complete with Balearic beats and the sound of singing dolphins.
Review: To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Archeo Recordings breaks tradition with the release of a new series of exquisite EPs honoring past masters. This collection features reimagined tracks from the label's cherished catalog, showcasing the talents of contemporary artists. Among these, Pepe Maina's 'The Infinite', enhanced by Manu's tribal percussion and electronics, transforms a classic into a celestial slow dance. Roberto Aglieri's 'Danza N. 1' receives a vibrant reinterpretation from Daniele Tomassini, merging proto-techno rhythms with psychedelic flute melodies, perfect for day raves and moonlit gatherings. The EP also revisits Radio Band's Italo-boogie classic 'Radio Rap', given a contemporary twist by the enigmatic Radiomarc. Finally, Mushrooms Project breathes new life into Futuro Antico's 'Pan Tuning', creating a transcendent dance journey that blends ancient sounds with modern beats. This collection not only honors the label's history but also promises exciting future endeavors, making it a great time to reflect on the past.
Review: Fresh from delivering the excellent El U Vee EP, Make a Dance welcome North-East titan Geoff Kirkwood AKA Man Power to M.A.D Records for the first time. This time round, Kirkwood has company: Kenyan singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rapasa Nyatrapasa. The pair set their stall out on opener 'Lou Land', where Nyatrapasa's Kenyan vocals and percussion slowly rise above a deep, drowsy and trippy deep house groove, before opting for an Amapiano-influenced Afro-tech-meets-Afro-House vibe on the more electronic 'Battle Hill'. Make a Dance deliver two takes on the latter on side B: a proto-house style vocal 'Remix' rich in vintage synth sounds, undulating acid bass, drum machine fills and echo-laden drum hits and a 'Dub Mix' that re-invents the track as a hazy, immersive slab of dub house/deep house fusion.
Odopt - "11000 Versions Of A Simple Track" (Berlin mix) (5:37)
Remotif - "HAJKSD15" (6:39)
N Tropic - "One Night Stand" (Full Circle & Kris Baha remix) (7:45)
53X - "Simulaatio" (5:38)
Review: Avidya is back with a third EP to build on the head-turning success of the first two and it is another trip to the outer edges of the dancefloor. Odopt from Born Free and 777 Recordings kicks off with a snappy cut that is deceptively simple but devastatingly effective with its gurgling and acidic bass. Remotif is a fast-rising talent who impresses with the heavy techno sludge of 'HAJKSD15' and Full Circle aka Alexis Le Tan and Joakim link with Kris Baha to offer a remix that is all twitchy electrons, busted drum loops and fizzing pads before 53X's 'Simulaatio' is another brilliantly loose jumbled of wiry electronics, sci-fi effects and techno chug for a fantastic closing beatdown.
Middle Point - "Round & Round" (Space Talk remix) (7:15)
DJ Norizm - "Keep It Together" (Polepole remix) (6:11)
Review: Long time deep house master Recloose breaks cover for this new EP on Interspecies and as ever it operates in its own unique sound world. Opener 'Round & Round' is a high speed house cut with squelchy bass and balmy vocals full of love and soul next to a pitched up r&b hook. It's a real joy. 'Keep It Together' flips the script and is a downbeat house workout with live drum and perc and humid chords. A Space Talk remix of 'Round & Round' then gets more cosmic and far sighted over dusty drums and a Polepole remix of 'Keep It Together' then layers up the percussion into something warm, jazzy and humid.
Review: With a storied history stretching right back to the mid-1990s, Reggae Disco Rockers are one of Japan's longest-serving reggae and rocksteady bands. While they're best-known for their original songs, they've delivered some killer cover versions over the years - including 2021's sun-splashed reggae re-imagining of Frankie Knuckles' classic house track 'The Whistle Song'. This seven-inch features another: the band's immersive, loved-up, super-sweet lover's rock-meets-Balearic reggae take on Neil Young classic 'Harvest Moon', featuring some suitably weary, emotive lead vocals from Marter. Flower Records regulars Slowly provide a dreamy and dubbed out take on the flip, as you'd expect given their output in recent times.
Review: Rekid is the alter-ego of Matt Edwards. With numerous recording projects (Rekid, Radio Slave, Quiet Village, Mathew E, Sea Devils) Matt Edwards’ music breaks down the traditional barriers of dance music and exposes influences from Walter Gibbons to Andy Weatherall to DJ Harvey to create a truly unique sound. "85 Space/Retrospective" are two more amazing slabs of tech/disco/slowed down house, his trademark sound as a taster for his forthcoming album "Made In Menorca".
Piano For The People (Calm Mellow Acid dub remix) (6:05)
Piano For The People (Double Geography remix) (5:21)
Review: Always fun house craftsman Ali Renault secured another big tune with his 'Piano For The People' which is a chuggy groover that locks you in with its rich atmospheres. Now it gets offered up with remixes from, firstly, Aikhi, who flip it with laidback downtempo drums and some classic and well known chords. Calm then brings his Mellow Acid Dub to sink you in even further and last of all Double Geography bring some more crunchy drum textures and psyched-out synth sounds with echoing vocals and dark, late night sense of mischief.
Review: Lips & Rhythm cruises into Summer 2024 with a new EP by Residentes Balearicos. Based in Ibiza, Alessandro Doretto and Luca Averna craft sun-drenched dance music from their island studio. The title track, 'Paraiso,' merges slowed-down Acid and Flamenco guitar with claps, creating a timeless vibe. 'Polvo Mineral' offers mystery with ethereal pads, robust drum fills, and chanting. 'I Wanna Dance' pays homage to the Italian Dream House era with lush chimes, driving synth lines, and pitched-down vocals. Gaspar Muniz, with roots in Brazil and New York, remixes 'Paraiso' into a breaky electro track perfect for late nights in Rio De Janeiro...or whoever you are so long as you shut your eyes and dream.
Sundown (Chris Coco Sueno Mediterraneo remix) (7:08)
Sundown (Chris Coco To The Bone dub) (7:08)
Sundown (SIRS remix) (8:39)
Review: If you've ever wondered how much Balearic you can get on one 12" then this one might answer the question. Arriving on Cala Tarida Musica, it finds Residentes Balearicos pair up with bonafide Ibizan legend DJ Alfredo for a sizzling summer anthem. 'Sundown' is pure Ibiza house bliss with wavy grooves and majestic jazzy keys that bring the joyful good times. Balearic boss man Chris Coco then steps up with his wavy and elegant Sueno Mediterraneo remix as well as a To The Bone dub that is even deeper and more smooth and last of all is a SIRS mix with a more raw edge and urban atmosphere.
Review: Ethos is a brand new label from Athens that follows up its notable debut with another classy deep house offering from Jose Rico, who has long been synonymous with such things. 'Dubplates' opens up with slow, patient, warming dub house that is lo-fi and coated in misty pads. 'New Life Galactica' is another richly atmospheric deep house sound with muted acid lines and humid chords while 'Fade Out' gets a little more driving with a jumble of woody hits and golden soft focus chords. 'Future World Dreamoon' shuts down with fine broken beats and jazzy synth work for cultured and cosy backrooms.
Review: Highly curious, difficult-to-pin-down techno/Italo-ish stuff from Prince Of Takicardia and Rifeno, who here jointly assist Backward Futura in its mission to explore the sounds of 1980s and 1990s through the lens of the new Millennium. We find this aim to be something of red herring, since these tracks sound almost entirely new in their composition, and not necessarily of those times, not least since they were made in the 2020s; while taking obvious cues from those eras, the likes of 'Arte Del Sexo' and 'La Casa Del Ritmo' flesh enough out of their respective influences to sound untied from them. Through cinematic breaks and tropical bleep, Rifeno and the Prince portray their wild but no less at easse imaginations, bringing the sunned and stressless feel of the Balearic Isles to the darker worlds of EBM and industrial, making for a complex sonic flavour.
Review: Luv Shack's compilation style 'Disco Biscuits' series is the very definition of reliable, with each new EP delivering killer cuts aimed at the more cosmic end of nu-diusco dancefloors. Volume five in the series arrives with four more tried-and-tested workouts and little in the way of forgettable filler. Check first Rising Seed's 'Back For More', a driving slab of spacey dub disco/cosmic disco fusion in which intergalactic electronics and samples sitars ride a Prins Thomas-esque bassline and beats, before admiring the chugging and squelchy nu-disco shuffle of 'Suffering of K.P' by B.Visible. Over on the flip, Peletronic's 'Drifting' is a glassy-eyed slab of immersive deep house/nu-disco fusion, while Jon Gravy's 'When U Leave' is a stomping slab of peak-time house headiness rich in bustling beats, memorable melodies and hands-aloft riffs.
Review: French producer Jerome Barresi as Robert's Diary delivers a superb EP on Is It Balearic? Something a little different. Dinky Bird is delicate pianos and an atmospheric vocal sample subtle beats and melodies reminiscent of Eple and classic Moby. Legendary Norse God Bjorn Torske keeps the atmosphere and adds creates a more percussive 4/4 shuffler. Six O Six has the trademark vocal sample and piano but a more dance floor feel. KXP which sounds like it could a long lost Gene Love Jezebel B -side rounds things off.
Review: 'Thermae' feels like a track that's more about the spaces between the notes than the notes themselves. Featuring Andy Baxter on guitar, bass, and drums, along with Jim Piela on saxophone and Francesca Uberti on piano, it's a laid-back, almost meditative piece that brings to mind the warm, smooth vibes of Khruangbin and Glass Beams. The track is sparse, but not in a way that feels emptyithere's a certain tension in the way it unfolds, with each instrument carving out its own space. The saxophone, in particular, stands out with an FX-laden part that evokes the mood of Robohand's 'Palms' LP from 2023, adding a touch of depth and atmosphere that lingers in the background. There's a nice balance between the organic and the electronic here, which shows in how the track was recorded between London and New York. It's all mixed and mastered with care by Sean Woodlock and John Webber, ensuring that each element, no matter how subtle, shines through in its own time. It's a reflective piece that doesn't demand attention, but invites it when you're ready.
Robot84 Vs The RAFF - "Get It Right Next Time" (5:46)
Review: London producer Scott Ferguson is the man behind the Robot84 alias. He has a love for 80s gear that very much defines the sounds he makes, from proto-house to darker disco. His self-titled label is back with more of that good stuff here as he faces off with The Raff for 'Get It Right Next Time'. This one has a creeping groove and warm chord sequences that tease and please beneath sweeping Balearic synths and celebratory melodic sequences that build to a crescendo. The drums get the hips swinging and the sprinkling of cosmic magic finishes it off in style making it a perfect cut for open-air dancing by the beach.
Review: Roggtrax is the latest of many alter-egoic endeavours by Matthieu Roggwiller (aka. Mattrogg) since 2020. His latest 12", 'The Docksides Boy', is a minimal, surfy disco wave-braving - an instrumental dance project homing in on the defined edges of early '80s "Anglo-Saxon disco, blended with sub-Saharan African disco, new wave and art pop of the time. Building off its own coinage - 'electropical' ambience - the sonic palette here is smooth, rhythmical and oded to the guitar, with casual disco hookers like 'Strato' and 'Finger' both in name and in content recalling the image of fingerstyling while overlooking a Mediterranean sundown.
Review: With Yoyaku's record shop staff handling A&R, the YYK No Label imprint has become impressively unpredictable. Recently, they've served up 21st century progressive house from Varhat, a killer collaboration between Chez Damier and Ben Vedren and an experimental synth-pop album from People People. Here they turn to Swizz jazz drummer Samuel Rohrer, an artist with extensive experience of delivering hybrid acoustic-electronic tech-house and minimal techno excursions. That's what's on offer here, with Rohrer blending vintage electronics and his own drums and percussion with synthesiser sequences, machine beats and intoxicating aural textures. This approach is best exemplified by the Tangerine Dream-goes-tech-house flex of 'Rewired Paradise' and the sludgy, pitched-down 'Memory Reset', though ambient jazz number 'Into The Void Where Things Go (Part II)' is also brilliant.
Review: Acqua Di Sale, the debut mini-album by the enigmatic Rosa, captures the essence of boogielicious synth-pop from Napoli. Recorded at West Hill Studio and produced by the renowned Neapolitan team behind Mystic Jungle Tribe, this album inaugurates the Pegaso Series on Periodica Records. With its velvety funk bass, smooth saxophones, and Nigel Rodgers-inspired guitars, Acqua Di Sale effortlessly evokes the polished synth-pop sound of the eighties. Rosa sings enigmatically in the Neapolitan dialect, adding an air of mystery to the already seductive melodies. The album's six tracks are tastefully artificial, featuring drum machines and other quintessentially eighties elements, perfect for a sophisticated cocktail evening. The music feels timeless yet modern, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in a continuous loop of evocative soundscapes. 'Acqua Di Sale' is not just another nostalgic throwback but a fresh take on synthpop that honours its roots while embracing contemporary production. It's an album that invites you to experience the romantic and clandestine Napoli of the heart, where vivid emotions and forbidden desires intertwine seamlessly.
Review: The Paper Cuts label has been doing a fine job in putting out head-tripping club and chill-out styles for a fair stretch now and following the Ivy mixtape released earlier this year they're back with this outstanding split release from Roza Terenzi and Furious Frank. Terenzi takes the A-side with her trademark line in electro-minded machine funk rhythms powering gorgeous back room moods, keeping the mix dubby and with plenty of ambient sparkle on top of the punchy drums. There's even space for a little d&b trippiness on 'Total Recall', which also features Noff. Furious Frank gets busy on the flip with 'Splash', a blissed out beatdowns with more than a little Balearic magic in its bones, while 'Moss Rock' turns the heat up for a distinctly 90s slice of acid trance. 'Dripp' seals the deal with another low slung roller from the chill-out room of your dreams.
Review: The latest one on Faze Action's label comes from Robin Lee in his Rudy's Midnight Machine guise. This is where Lee's disco funk fantasies run amok, with 'Dyane' in particular coming on strong with the sound of the early 80s. This is blissfully melodic, good time stuff throughout, steeped in classic motifs but delivered with a fresh, modern panache. There are downtempo Balearic moments like 'Crystal Dragonfly' to get lost it as much as there are plenty of invigorated calls to the dancefloor, making this a five track EP to really get your teeth into.
Review: Manchester character Ruf Dug has never shied away from poking fun at the sone and its all too often safe sounds. He really backs that up with his own music here as this Asking For Trouble EP is a brilliantly weird and wonderful concoction. 'Buttoned Down' has gun shots, curious melodies, ambient pads and hulking great kicks that are hella fun. 'Pomegranate Dub' is red hot island music for blissed out afternoons blazing in the sun and 'Open Air' brings sleazy rock riffs and chubby disco dub to the party. The flipside explores digi-dancehall-dub vibes on 'Watching', carnival house on 'Pipes' gorgeously melodic deep house shuffles on 'Night Blossom'. What an EP.
Review: Raf Dug has always been outspoken when it comes to the less favourable aspects of 'the scene' which if course means more eyes are on him when he steps out with new music. Fortunately he has more than enough skills to keep criticism at bay as this new one on the legendary International Feel shows. He kicks off with the epic electronics and dubby rhythms of 'Casita Mas Alta' which unfold over nine fine minutes. After that dancefloor workout comes the blissed out downtempo of 'Cala Vedella', steamy Balearic of 'Las Cicadas' and innocent new age melodic charms of 'Niu Blau.'
Review: Tokyo-based artist Ryota OPP is launching his own label, Encrypt Nude, to showcase his unique sound having worked before with greats like Meda Fury/R&S and Le Temps Perdu. With extensive experience as a buyer and curator at Tokyo's Coconuts Disk Ekoda, Ryota draws influence from his favourite non-dance music artists like Santana, Jaco Pastorius, and Herbie Hancock and infuses that with jazz, minimalism, experimental, and ambient elements into a unique take on deep house. The A-side 'Palace' blends ambient, ethnic percussive sounds with cosmic Detroit vibes, while the B-side offers a psychedelic deep house trip inspired by Terry Riley's minimalism and Motor City's raw machine soul.
Kimi No Tamenara Shineru Kanzenban (Super Zunzun mix) (2:51)
Review: Originally released in 2004 to a hot reception, this iconic soundtrack from the beloved Sega game Feel the Magic XY/XX features Tokoi's unforgettable blend of eclectic, funky and also smartly experimental compositions. The music complements the game's quirky, surreal themes with catchy rhythms and vibrant colours. This anniversary edition offers remastered tracks with enhanced sound quality so is a guaranteed nostalgic journey for longtime fans or a superb introduction to the brilliance of Tokoi's work for new ears.
Review: While not as widely known or celebrated as those who came in his wake (and cite his work as an inspiration), Rephlex alumnus Bogdan Raczynski makes music every bit as alluring - and, like one of those he influenced, Richard D James, a fan of playful press releases and eye-catching interview quotes. He's variously described his amusingly new title as an AI-made attempt at EDM, the soundtrack to a rejected Tesla infomercial, a collection of ten-year-old tracks and a bid to crack "the lucrative coffee shop playlist market". Whatever the truth, it's a melodious, warm and ear-catching collection of cuts that flits between cheery electronica, off-kilter IDM, immersive and maximal club cuts, joyful ambient soundscapes and short, sweet numbers that refuse to outstay their welcome. Another winner from a master of his craft.
Review: "And the award for best named album of the month goes to..." No prizes for guessing, Rephlex alumni Bogdan Raczynski delivers yet another record as manifesto. A collection comprising warm melodic 'electronic sketches', to borrow from the official release blurb, You're Only Young Once But You Can Be Stupid Forever is complex lo fi businesses, and immediately engrossing. Short and incredibly sweet, the tracks here are cute and unconcerned with imposing themselves on the listener. Instead, they invite us in from the cold of pretentiousness to play and connect with our inner child. At times, it feels like we're bouncing along the levels of a platform video game. In other moments, it's less, more minimalistic. Those thinking of chip music should move on, though, as this is none of the above.
Review: Phoebe Guillemot's world-building as RAMZi has yielded us a plethora of exquisite albums since she first emerged in the tape-oriented scene around 2013. She's gone on to helm different projects, tour the world and generally blossom as a singular and gifted artist. After a string of self-released LPs, she's popped up on Music From Memory with one of her most refined works to date. Hyphea unmistakably belongs in the RAMZi-verse, full of the same mystical, softly shaped flora and fauna which makes her music so inviting, but there's also a sense of structure and purpose here which suggests she was honing her expressions - a natural progression for an artist who can make electronic music sound so very natural indeed.
Review: It's been a while since we've heard from ethereal music doyenne Ramzi. The release pace has run steady since 2022, with 'Feu Follets' being the last to come out via her own FATi Records. But now she lodges unto the cubbyhole a quick but unassuming reminder of her talents with Moon Tan, a cheekily sweet new album themed around the harnessing of so-called "World Fuzion Music" frequencies, and the resolution of the apparent Gremlin's Paradox (the existence of which in our timeline we cannot verify). Moving through every stylistic avenue from vintage dub to chirrupy 2-step - many of which experiments sounds as if they were made on a possessed Tascam four-track - there is an arresting mood of experimentation in limitation here, as Ramzi leans deeper and deeper into colourfully psych-ish but not grandiose moods.
Riham - "Erja Ya Habebi" (DJ Srulik Einhorn remix) (6:44)
Amanaska - "Wonder Of The Storm" (5:48)
Panjabi Hit Squad - "Hasdi Hasdi" (feat Manpreet Kaur - Hit Squad mix) (3:24)
Sean Bay Vs Medhi Mouelhi - "Maktoub" (feat Arabella) (4:00)
Parov Stelar - "Chambermaid Swing" (5:46)
Review: The Buddha Bar series is one of the most enduring in all of dance music. It made famous the bars of the same name which started in Paris and are now found throughout the world, all with a signature soundtrack of gentle downtempo, jazzy house and stylish Balearic. French label Wagram attempt to pull together some of the very best bits from the very many cosmos over the years onto this one triple pack. And they do a fine job too with nice horizontal sounds from Ravin, Carlos Campos & David Visan, Consoul Training & Pink Noisy and Panjabi Hit Squad amongst many more, all with a nice worldly feel and cocktail-sipping atmosphere.
Review: Mute began reissuing some classic albums from Recoil last year and already they have vanished so this is another pressing of one of their best - from former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder. 2000's Liquid is thought to be one of his best works as he delves into dark and involving electronic worlds with its hypnotic and deeply charged charm. Its moods - desire, fury, and violence - are paired with self-reflection that encourages you to go deep inside yourself while listening. There are haunting and ghoulish moments of intensity like 'Strange Hours' next to more soothing trip-hop cuts like 'Breath Control'.
Review: Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder is Recoil. This musical project found him landing on Mute with a great series of albums including the likes of Liquid and Unsound Methods as well as his sixth LP, subHuman. This one dates back to 2006 and came after a 6-year break from recording. It is dark and broody electronic music "which sets the listener a challenge to analyse what makes us human and subHuman." It's a collaboration with bluesman Joe Richardson who served up guitars as well as harmonica and eerie vocals. Themes in the record include murder, death, and religion while guest singer Carla Trevaskis did a fine job of serving up ethereal sound on 'Allelujah'.
Review: Some 30 years have now passed since Warp Records decided to repackage and reissue Red Snapper's first three EPs on one handy collection, the efflortlessly excellent Reeled & Skinned. Effectively the duo's introduction to a wider audience, it did a great job in showcasing their trademark sound - an enticing blend of loose-limbed live drums, double bass, intoxicating electronics and snaking sax sounds. As this anniversary vinyl reissue proves, it's a musical blend that still sounds fresh all these years on. The plentiful highlights include moody theme 'Snapper' (featuring Beth Orton), lightly Latin-tinged punk-funk workout 'Swank', the riotous and aggressive 'Wesley Don't Surf' and Sabres of Paradise's incredible rework of 'Hot Flush' - a jazzy, breakbeat-driven slab of dancefloor deepness that ranks among Andrew Weatherall and company's finest remixes.
Hold My Hand Up (feat David Harrow - Tight Chest EP) (4:59)
ModSnap (feat David Harrow) (4:19)
Lucky Strike (feat David Harrow) (4:28)
Tight Chest (feat David Harrow) (4:55)
Review: Red Snapper return with Barb And Feather, celebrating 30 years since their debut album. Liquidising the band's signature jazz, funk, and electronic grooves into a prostrate puree of vivid, electronically augmentable sound, we once again hear Rich Thair, Ali Friend, Tom Challenger and new addition Tara Cunningham perform a brilliant post-punk-dub-disco dramaturge, mullioned at the midpoint by a cracking instrumental redo of David Bowie's 'Sound And Vision', upheld by a true Balearic trestle. The second half, on the other hand, hears a four-track collaboration with the legendary David Harrow, pushing Red Snapper ever further towards unsnapped chunks of dietetic punk-disco delight.
Review: Juan Rico, who also known as Reeko and Architectural, presents Urmah, his debut LP at the eye-watering pace of 170 BPM for Samurai Music. Expanding on his two previous EPs with the label, Reeko has become essential to its sonic identity and Urmah embodies this synergy with the label by both its and his artistic boundaries. Across the record, Reeko dives deeper into hypnotic grooves and layers lush textures and subtle breakbeats into an entrancing and meditative work. The producer's deft touch for blending techno's intensity with gentle psychedelia shines through as he demonstrates a mastery of new tempos and evolving sonic landscapes.
Review: There's been an unexpected revival in Sophie Ellis Bextor's music ever since the success of 'Murder On The Dancefloor' in the closing scene of the Saltburn film. Some lesser-known trivia is that she was in a 90s band with DIY pop hero Billy Reeves called Theaudience, who were like a poppier Stereolab. Reeves being the band's songwriter founder and co-producer. They only ever released one album (their second album was rejected by Mercury Records) and Reeves retrained as a radio producer and broadcaster following a near-fatal car crash in 2001. Reeves, however, has been reasserting himself in music since 2023 and is already onto his third solo album, which is a thrilling, idiosyncratic take on electropop. 'Generation Game' is what you imagine the inside of Hunter S. Thompson's head would have sounded like if he was let loose around a Tokyo gaming arcade around the time he was writing Fear And Loathing... 'Let's Not' is Britain's answer to LCD Soundsystem's 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House'. Elsewhere, 'Bstrds!' has a groove reminiscent of Alabama 3's Sopranos soundtrack and 'Dear Life' is poignant and emotional, offering a terrific counterpoint to the joyous emotions running through this magnificently compiled album.
Review: International Anthem presents a new album from Resavoir, a project from Chicago-based producer and composer Will Miller. This second outing for the group takes in a wide range of collaborators including Elton Aura, Whitney, Akenya, Lane Beckstrom, Macie Stewart and many more besides. Gliding between head-nodding bedroom beats and luxurious soul jazz, Miller demonstrates the clarity of his creative vision which is as rooted in relaxed musical interaction as it is accomplished instrumentation. Each track serves as a miniature world within itself, full of surprises and hidden depths, whether it's a dreamy vocal joint or a purely instrumental flight of fancy.
Review: Will Miller returns with the second album from his ensemble project, Resavoir. Mixing a love for beat scene production with a background in jazz conservatory training, Miller draws in a huge cast of collaborators to shape out an album draped in dreamy soul-jazz, which veers from sweetly sentimental vocal pieces to instrumental escapism. Alongside Miller's keys and trumpet, there's Lane Beckstrom on bass, Marie Stewart on violin, Akenya Seymour on vocals amongst so very many other talented cats. Brought to you by the always reliable folk at International Anthem, this limited 'dusk cloud' edition of the album captures the smouldering mood of the record perfectly.
Review: For Left Ear's 35th release, the label revisits the archives of Spanish musician Jesus M' Catalan and his project, Respuesta Alternativa. Unlike his previous release, these tracks, which were created between 1987 and 1990, were recently discovered in a forgotten shoebox. While working as a sound technician, Jesus crafted atmospheric tracks in his bedroom, later refining them with collaborator Julian C. Perez. Their music evolved from simple themes with guitars to incorporating vocal samples. Influenced by his Asturian roots, Jesus blended serene and stormy elements, reflecting the contrasting seas of the Balearic and Asturias Islands, creating unique, enduring soundscapes.
Review: First released in 2022, Rheinzand's Atlantis Atlantis updated the Belgian disco-house collective's sound for the utmost present, laying down a thickly layered collection of uncanny dark disco via post punk across thirteen tracks. Now two years on from the original release, Netherlands producer Pete Blaker has teamed up with the band to rework the album tracks; however, in the words of the label and Blaker themselves, this is by no means your bog-standard 'remix' album! Unlike most, this one hears Blaker go the extra mile, sonically refurbishing the tracks with entirely new instrumental layers and vocal takes, personally commissioning the band to do so himself. Formatively emerging after being asked to do just one remix for the band in 2021, this is a rare case of divine inspiration striking in an unexpectedly extended fashion - not to be missed.
Review: Rubicon marks the first physical edition of Galcher Lustwerk's driving-themed alias, Road Hog. Collecting tracks from seven releases spanning from 2014 to 2021, Rubicon serves as the project's Greatest Hits (for now). Including tracks from the Cleveland-dedicated album 'Tour De Hog' as well as the sharp toothed 'Spares' and 'More Spares' the pithy 'Haul Ass' plus some cinematic favorites from 'DWB' and 'On The Lam'. Originally meant to be digital only and listened to while driving, demand for certain tunes to be pressed to vinyl has risen with each release. From the Road to the Club, Lustwerk's got you covered.
Review: A quadruple box set spanning recordings made between 1968 and 1980 on two-track Revox tape, these previously unreleased works showcase the hypnotic cycles and textural explorations that define kosmische musik. Using his signature Farfisa organ and Echolette tape delay, the pieces evoke the spirit of Roedelius' Selbstportrait series and collaborations with Dieter Moebius and Michael Rother. Rather than a strict retrospective, 90 feels like a timeless sound journey, blending cascading minimalist loops with the organic warmth that has inspired generations. Tracks are unnamed and unmoored from chronology, allowing the listener to experience them as fluid expressions of Roedelius's artistry. The music recalls the meditative brilliance of contemporaries like Terry Riley, while firmly rooted in the experimental ethos of early German electronic music. Released to celebrate Roedelius's 90th birthday, this collection is both a celebration and a rediscovery, offering a vivid portrait of a visionary artist. 90 is a masterclass in innovation and introspection, essential for fans of kosmische and beyond.
Review: Samuel Rohrer's stylish new solo album is a fine advert for his expertise as a multi-instrumentalist as it blends percussion, modular synths and keys into lovely downtempo grooves. The title may suggest romantic simplicity, but the music delivers nuanced emotional and tonal complexity and is dedicated to "brave lovers" seeking truth. Tracks like 'The Parish Bell' reveal Rohrer's focused, unhurried style with ephemeral sounds emerging and fading gracefully and guest contributions like Nils Petter Molvaer's muted horn on 'The Gift' add layers of warmth at a record which rewards attentive listening.
Review: Ronnie Lion is one half of Ambient Warrior and this is his debut solo outing. It finds him paying homage to Spanish Town, which is the capital of St Catherine in Jamaica and that is apparent from the off with its lush Spanish guitar notes fluttering over the face of the dubbed-out low ends and shiny digital chords. Lead guitarist Sean Wilkinson pays plenty of the guitar and the rhythm section has Ronnie himself on bass while Horseman is on drums to bring a heavy foundation. Up to the intricate and memorable hooks add the colour and charm and elements of Bossa Nova and Flamenco guitar also help add extra layers to this fine debut.
Review: Royksopp declared their 2014 album The Inevitable End to be the last time they would release a traditional album, and after eight years they lived up to that promise this year with a new audio-visual approach titled Profound Mysteries. The first instalment appeared in April, while the second volume landed in late summer, and now they're underlining the project with this appropriately epic conclusion. Drawing on collaborators such as Alison Goldfrapp, Susanne Sundfor and Jamie Irrepressible, we get another 10 slices of glittering, melodious synth pop magic from one of the finest duos to do it.
Review: Electronic pop trailblazers, Royksopp, announce the second part to their expansive Profound Mysteries project, Profound Mysteries II. They declared their 2014 album The Inevitable End to be the last time they would release a traditional album, and after eight years they lived up to that promise this year with a new audio-visual approach titled Profound Mysteries. This second instalment of three is the andante-minuet of said electro-symphony, in which the band unveil a gargantuan selection of self-generated tunes, in contrast to the totally collaborative third part).
Royksoop - "Ice Machine" (Exclusive Depeche Mode cover version)
FR David - "Music"
Prelude - "After The Goldrush"
Andreas Vollenweider - "Hands & Clouds"
Richard Schneider Jr - "Hello Beach Girls"
Byrne & Barnes - "Love You Out Of Your Mind"
John Martyn - "Small Hours"
Acker Bilk - "Stranger On The Shore"
This Mortal Coil - "Til I Gain Control"
Popol Vuh - "Aguirre I Lacrime Di Rei"
Benedict Cumberbatch - "Flat Of Angels" (part 2 - exclusive Spoken Word Piece)
Review: Given the wide-eyed, largely downtempo nature of their music, it's perhaps a little surprising that it took Late Night Tales this long to ask Royksopp to mix a volume in the long-running after-hours series. Royksopp are, of course, old hands at this kind of thing - they delivered an impressive Back To Mine comp back in 2007 - and use the opportunity to mix-up a typically heady selection of stoner soft rock (Little River Band, FR David), sparse dub-rock (Tuxedomoon), cinematic soundscapes (Johann Johannsen), psychedelia (Prelude), well-worn favourites (Acker Bilk) and folksy Balearica (John Martyn). Fans will be pleased to see a sprinkling of unreleased Royksopp fare, including intensely beautiful opener "Daddy's Groove".
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