Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Both of these funk gems are taken from a cult compilation Trans Groove Express, which explored the sounds of Express Records and was assembled by MURO. Fourth Wave now serve them up on a superb 7", starting with Maki Asakawa. 'Hohi Hitotsu' is a delightfully gentle and subtle dub with funky guitars adding movement while the sultry vocal soars. Yasuhiro Abe's 'Night Fish' is a brighter and more retro 80s soul and boogie sound with glowing chords and snappy hits. The Japanese language vocal is emotive enough to mean plenty without understanding the meaning of the words.

Review: This package of remixes of tunes from Translations is a real gem for lovers of Future Sound of London. plenty of familiar samples and textures are worked into the five Yage remixes as are cosmic overtones, sitars, drones, backward guitars and more. 'The Big Blue' is a woozy intergalactic sound on slow-mo beats, 'Requiem' is a worldly dub, 'The Lovers' has psyched-out lead riffs that bring prog energy and 'The Great Marmalade Mama In The Sky' has drunken tabla drums and mesmeric strings for a perfect retro-future comedown. 'Wooden Ship' is a spine-tingling sound with choral vocals bringing the celestial charm.

Review: The celebration of this series continues with a reissue of the second installment of the legendary Christmas salsa album. Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe returned here to bring the unique sounds that made Volume I a Latin music classic. For this one, Colon and Lavoe were joined by renowned cuatro player Yomo Toro and legendary percussionists Milton Cardona and Jose Mangual Jr. Together, they crafted salsa versions of beloved Puerto Rican Christmas songs while mixing traditional musica jibara with Cuban guaguanco, son montuno and African-American jazz. It delivers on all fronts with vibrant, festive blends that bring real Puerto Rican authenticity to salsa fans worldwide.

Review: Laurant Webb, Dave Coker, Justin Bailey, and Dave Pine were the key figures behind Strange Weather Studios, which was a creative hub in Southeast London that helped shape the very early sound of tech house in the capital. Collaborating with friends and partners on several projects, they produced a number of influential records that defined the genre including under aliases such as Housey Doingz, 7th Voyage, and Space Bunny. This release on Sushitech, which always does a fine job of offering up the best tech house past and present, pays tribute to the studio and its collaborators with representative tracks carefully selected by Laurant Webb and label head Yossi Amoyal. Restored and remastered from rare DATs and pressed up to no fewer than six sides of vinyl, it's a great look at a significant moment in the evolution of tech house.

Review: Working with various collaborators, Laurant Webb, Dave Coker, Justin Bailey, and Dave Pine produced influential records under aliases like Housey Doingz, 7th Voyage, and Space Bunny at the influential Strange Weather Studios. Those records very much helped to define the early days of the tech house genre. This Sushitech release comes on clear vinyl and honours their legacy, with tracks handpicked by Webb and label founder Yossi Amoyal. They have all been remastered from rare DATs and across three slabs of wax make for an essential deep dive into an important phase in the earliest days of tech house.

Review: Dumb Type Theater have been at the forefront of Japan's performance art landscape since 1984, although the years between then and now have seen some significant changes - culturally and in terms of the group. The death of Teiji Furuhashi, one of the central members, is just one example. A pivotal player in performances, he was often tasked with translating the instrumentation and arrangements of musician Toru Yamanaka into on-stage directions. Removed from that context, Yamanaka and Furuhashi's sounds still work incredibly well. There are aspects of Plan For Sleep that evoke the US avant garde of the time, perhaps reiterating the fact that the late-20th Century saw a closing of distances and a shared vision of where the future was heading among broad communities. Sound art, in the most musical and listenable sense.

Review: It's not hard to see just how ahead of their time Dumb Type were. And still are. Founded in Kyoto, Japan, in 1984, the artist collective looked to interpret and portray the changes they could see beginning to happen around them in society - specifically the start of the (information) technology age. Presenting work that took a dark and cynical view of the increasing importance and prevalence of equipment and digital in the every day, they do this though art exhibitions, performances and publications. Audiovisual installations have always been particularly prominent, and Every Dog Has His Day - one of two Dumb Theater albums previously only available on tape, now issued on vinyl for the first time - makes it clear music was never an afterthought. Credited to Toru Yamanaka, who wrote much of their heard work, and the late Teiji Furuhashi, who translated that onto stage, it's an avant garde essential.

Review: Aki Yashiro's album Yashiro Aki to Suteki Na Shinshi no Ongakukai: Live in Quest captures the essence of her enchanting stage performances. This live recording is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in Yashiro's signature blend of traditional and contemporary styles, her stunning vocal range and emotive delivery. The album features a world of elegant melodies all thanks to a skilled ensemble that enhances the overall experience. Each track is musically vibrant but allows Yashiro's charisma to shine and the live setting adds an authentic energy that makes this an all the more unique listen.

Review: 'Sayonara Ha Syuppatsu No Kotoba' roughly translates as "Goodbye is the Word for Departure" and is a striking blend of Japanese indie and folk music. The album combines rich acoustic melodies with introspective lyrics to make for often poignant and nostalgic atmospheres with Yasuda's emotive voice at the heart of the sounds. The band's intricate instrumentation reveals more with each listen and the record explores themes of departure, self-reflection and the bittersweet nature of transitions. They might sound heavy but the delicate soundscapes also capture both moods of vulnerability and resilience which adds to the tender, affecting nature of the record.

Review: This wonderful reissue of Yellowman & Fathead's classic 1982 album comes pressed on 180 gram yellow vinyl complete with an insert. It's a real reggae jam that features a unique collaboration between the legendary Jamaican reggae artists and blends Yellowman's iconic dancehall style with Fathead's distinct contributions. The tracks are infused with humour, romance and playful energy that captures the essence of early 80s reggae. A must-have if you love authentic Jamaican sounds, this Burning Sounds gem is sure to bring plenty of new ears to a timeless album full of charisma and chemistry between two of reggae's most influential figures.

Review: 'Only Love Remains' is Yemen Blues' boldest album to date and one that marks a departure from their previous releases. Created from finished compositions by vocalist Ravid Kahalani, the band spent two weeks in the studio with minimal ideas and simply allowed creativity to flow. The result is a powerful fusion of each member's unique cultural influences co-produced by bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz. The album blends direct emotional connection with spiritual depth and so offers both enlightenment and questioning. Amid global political and cultural polarisation, Yemen Blues leads by example and makes for an inclusive celebration of unity and love through music.

Review: Famously self-taught musician Adrian Younge is at the forefront of modern soul music after starting as a hip-hop producer in 1998. He expanded his skills by learning multiple instruments and took inspiration from classic soul and Italian soundtracks before he self-released his debut album Venice Dawn, a moody, synth-heavy album blending Ennio Morricone's style with contemporary flair. His Something About April album followed years later and is a modern classic that merges psychedelic soul, cinematic instrumentals and hip-hop aesthetics while taking cues from greats of the genre like Wu-Tang Clan.

Review: Adrian Younge's latest in the Something About April series is a stunning analogue opus that blends a 30-piece orchestra with breakbeats, synth work and Brazilian psychedelia. It has reportedly been years in the making and is the culmination of Younge's sonic vision as well as being his most expansive and experimental work to date. Brazilian vocalists, fuzzed-out drums and lush orchestration evoke MPB greats like Verocai and Os Mutantes and hip-hop kings Wu-Tang in equal measure. Tracks like 'Nunca Estranhos' and 'Nossas Sombras' are richly cinematic and deeply soulful standouts. More than a closing chapter, this record cements Younge's legacy as a visionary composer.