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Review: Purple Print's musical universe expands once more here with a ninth outing on wax and a fine various artists selection to mark the occasion, with Minube appearing on each of these collabs. It's a wonky and afterparty-tinged minimal jaunt from him in solo mode to open up with as 'Zaha Zhivai' gets you locked into a slinky groove. He then inks with Rebreanu for the marching bleeps and squeaks of 'Bro Disch Tut' and with D I N he makes 'Wormhole', a dry and dusty final tech shuffler before a fine work with Andrey Djackonda in the form of the abstract funk of 'Can't Stop The Time' shuts down.

Review: After his amazing performance on the mainstage at the Super Bowl, this 7" comes out exactly at the right time. Usher showed why he was one of the strongest male performers in pop music with his review of some of his biggest hits in his 25+ year career. A clear highlight was his top ten hit 'Yeah', featured here on 7" featuring Lil John, who also puts in an appearance on the B-side with another club destroyer in 'Get Low'. Not many other tracks represent the 2000s dance club much better than these do.

Review: Almost two full decades into their curious career, slacker-psych experimentalists The Pheromoans have never been ones to shy away from the esoteric or mundane. Led by the droll, deadpan delivery and unique world view of primary songwriter Russell Walker, LP number 13 sees the collective lean ever further into topical malaise whilst honing their fuzzed out, post-college-rock jangles into their most digestible and direct form yet. With the title Wyrd Psearch, Walker takes direct aim "at the ubiquity of people claiming things are eerie or weird/wyrd in the present cultural milieu", while the word-search artwork is intended to highlight our cultures' obsessive search for meaning in an increasingly illogical world. Twinkling no wave riffs, glistening synth lines and muted requests to loved ones requesting their presence on a trip to town to reup on prescription meds.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing original outer sleeve but otherwise in perfect working condition***


Mikal Asher, a scion of Jamaica's Morgan family dynasty, reunites with Chocolate Star Records here and does so with a collaboration with disco legend Gary Davis. Asher, akin to his brother Denroy Morgan, upholds the family's legacy of righteousness through music. Known as the Binghiman, he crafts captivating tunes with profound lyrics and has recorded in Ghana's Hustle Hard Studios and collaborated with industry pioneers in Kingston and Brooklyn, setting new standards in musical excellence along the way. Here, 'Wicked Ah Fi' transforms into a modern dub stepper, while 'Black Woman' offers a soulful, laid-back dedication to Davis' wife, Sonjia. This 7" also comes with innovative remixes from California-based DJ and producer Knoe1.

Review: Arutani's third album Who We Used To Be is a meditation on times passed and alternate lives lost, filtered through the decorative lenses of deep, minimal, tech and dub. As if to paint a character portrait of the artist himself, this is a measured, calm, light, mindful and modest album, replete with bulging concave chord undulations and synaptic percussive snaps for balance. Everything from electro's usual dotted rhythmic pattern to progressive house's woodblocky felicities are checked off here, plus the glissando'ing lead on 'In Case You Wondered What I've Been Doing' is a special highlight.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


This album is one of the greatest r&b records ever. That's just a fact. Jill Scott herself has never even managed to surpass what she lay down on this stone-cold classic all the way back in 2002. The production is stylish and warm, seductive and sensual throughout, with jazz, neo soul, funk, r&b and hip hop all carefully infusing each track. The lyrics are empowering as they celebrate blackness and female strength, but also at times witty and playful. It's a go-to date night album for people all over the world and how it missed out on a Grammy for Best Album or Best Vocal Performance when it was first nominated we will never know.

Review: White Fetish X, the latest release by enigmatic collaboration between Dataintrang and Luke Eargoggle on the Italian label Pareidolia Recordings, is a hypnotic and eerie exploration of the dark side of electronica. The album's six tracks veritably pulsate with a sinister energy, blending elements of EBM, electro clash, and sci-fi to create a truly unique and unsettling soundscape. 'Starting Shift' sets the tone with its menacing EBM stomp and early techno sound, while 'Mann Gegen Mann' ups the ante with its sinister electroclash beats. The title track is a hypnotic and eerie soundscape, with its sci-fi synths and demented, horror-like atmosphere. 'Radiowelt' is a heavy electro track with a pulsing body funk rhythm, while 'Audio Warrior' closes the album out with its dark and evil-sounding but funky bassline. Overall, White Fetish X is a challenging and rewarding listen for fans of dark electronica. Its sinister soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms create a truly unique and unsettling experience that will stay with you long after the final track has faded out.

Review: Italian label Roof Club aims to raise both ceilings and roofs, and continue to do so with their latest EP from Guile. Mixing a contemporary minimal approach with classic 90s sounds, this one's a neat fusion of progressive house and trance, with sprinklings of cheesy freestyle and acid thrown in for good measure. The jokingly titled '90's Generator' is the real highlight, with its orchestral hits and licky leads.

Review: Good Cop Bad Cop's sophomore release, crafted by frontman Joe Carnall and producer Gold Teeth, marks a departure from traditional indie rock. Recorded closer to home, the album embraces synth and hip-hop influences, pushing boundaries while retaining elements of nostalgia. The decision to leave guitars largely untouched results in a sound that feels both timeless and contemporary. Carnall's forward-thinking approach shines through, showcasing his willingness to evolve creatively. While rooted in the present, traces of the band's indie rock origins linger, creating a dynamic listening experience that bridges past and future. The album has innovative soundscapes that journey through Carnall's sonic evolution, offering a refreshing take on modern music.

Review: Tilman returns to Off Track with a four-tracker for ostensible dancefloor pleasure, but our ears can confirm it goes further to sate the home-listeners' predilections too. Continuing the verve of his old skool 90s garage-intoned releases on his very own Pleasant Systems label, Tilman's newest spans dreamatics, whorling deep stabs and saturated toppers; with just the right ratio of sizzle, body and booty to make for a full collective somatic ecstasy.

Notes: Analogue Ring Modulation Pedal With LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE Controls.

Reviving An Avant-Garde Pedal For Music's Trailblazers

From light Lo-Fi modulation all the way to the piercing sound of infinity ring-modulation, the Warm Audio RingerBringer accurately recreates the ultimate all-analogue ring modulation effect used for experimental tones. Like the original, loved by artists like Jeff Beck, Radiohead, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Trent Reznor, and many more, RingerBringer delivers the original distinct set of controls, extensive in/out options, and rich sonic textures to inspire boundless sonic experimentation.

Don't Just Play, Create

The ideal platform for the sonic tinkerer, RingerBringer inspires you to generate layered frequencies and harmonics, explore a wide range of sonic possibilities for guitar & beyond, and design your own sounds from the ground up. Extensive controls including LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE open up sonic possibilities that range from subtle overdriven textures all the way to wobbling, warped leads soaked in texture and tone. RingerBringer is 100% analogue and sports premium components including hand-selected op-amps and transistors. RingerBringer is no emulation or "patch", instead it delivers true-to-spec performance of the boutique, analogue original.

For Original Artists Building Memorable Sounds

Delivering tones ranging from nuanced drive to out-of-this world modulation, RingerBringer helps develop a unique sonic signature for any instrument, on any track.

A Sandbox For Synths & Keys:

Send any keyboard or synth through the WA-RB for added harmonic content and endless modulation. Try sending digital synths, keys, and pads from your interface through the WA-RB for added analogue vibe and "fattened up" tone on otherwise dry digital signals.

Technical Specifications

100% Analogue Ring Modulation Pedal With LFO, MOD, Frequency & RATE Controls
Accurate Recreation Of The Ultimate Ring Modulator For Experimental Tones
Premium Components Including LM13700M & TL072ACDR Op-Amps + Hand-Selected Transistors (DMMT3906W & MMBT3904) For True-To-Spec Performance
LFO Controls: Amount, Rate, & Sine/Square Wave Switch
Modulation Controls: Mix, Frequency, & Lo/Hi Switch
Universal Drive Control + LED Indicators For Level, LFO, & Bypass
CV Inputs: Rate | Amount | Mix | Frequency
1/4" Input Jacks: Audio In | Audio Out | LFO Out | Carrier IN/Out
Output Impedance: 600 Ohms | Buffered Bypass
9-Volt Battery Or /External 9V Regulated (Centre-Negative) DC Adapter
Nominal Current Draw: 100 mA (9V)
Custom Black Panel Enclosure With Retro Faux-Wood Sides
Dimensions: 6.5" x 5.25" x 3" | Product Weight: 1.90 lbs

Notes: In the high woodlands of the north, undiscovered by most inhabitants, there ruled a clan of old, mystic Treefolk. On the first new moon of spring, these Treefolk could be heard grafting limbs to grow their young - splicing bits of branches from each generation to produce the next line of Treefolk. These new beings keep the lifeblood of all who came before in their new skin. These sounds are in part very old, but in part very new. They are referred to as... Fable.

Let your storybook adventure grows with the Fable Granular Soundscape Generator. The Fable gives you five all-new programs centered around sample and chop delay algorithms to create bizarrely beautiful networks of sampled and resampled sounds. The Fable uses a powerful dual DSP architecture to combine delay programs in series with granular sampling algorithms, each with its own analogue feedback path. Find unique soundscapes ranging from smooth, flowing ambience; to bizarre, organic reverberance; to chaotic, glitchy swarms.

So, what exactly is this granular effect and why is it a magical experience when combined with delay? Granular is a digital processing technique of micro-sampling, wherein short samples called grains are read from a delay buffer. In the Fable, players can adjust these grains by manipulating their sampling length, position, and buffer size from which they're read. They can be played at double or half speed for pitch shift and time stretching effects, play them in reverse, read from multiple positions, and more, in order to achieve different effects.

It's a powerful but complex technique and Walrus Audio created five streamlined programs in the Fable that explore different aspects of its sonic range.

Programs

I. Reverse Delay into Reverse Granular

Program 1 runs a reverse delay into a reverse granular algorithm, in which sampled grains are played backwards. Reversal and re-reversal build up in the feedback paths, creating a complex and organically shifting soundscape. Turn grain size down for long, smooth reversed transients, and grain size up for stuttering reverse glitch madness.

II. Forward Delay into Octave Up Granular

Program 2 runs a forward delay into an octave-up granular program, in which sampled grains are played at double speed. Swarms of double-speed grains build up in the feedback path for bright and airy cascades of sound.

III. Analog Delay into Octave Down Granular

Program 3 runs a warm, dark analogue-style delay into an octave-down granular program, in which sampled grains are played back at half speed. Slowed down repeats combine with analogue-style processing to create deep, thunderous footfalls and thick, murky ambience.

IV. Multi-Tap Granular into Multi-Tap Granular (Grain-Verb)

Program 4 runs two multi-tap granular algorithms in series, in which multiple samples are played back from each granular buffer simultaneously. Multiple points of sampled sound build upon each other in the feedback paths to create glitchy clouds and unique organic reverberance. Time in this program controls time-stretching of both granular algorithms, changing both the length and tonal character of the granular effect.

V. Forward Delay into Randomized Pitch Granular

Program 5 runs a forward delay into a randomized pitch granular program, in which each grain is played back at a randomly selected speed and direction, varying between pitched up double speed, pitched down half speed, normal speed, plus forward and reversed playback from grain to grain. Pitch changes with each new grain, so play with the X knob in this program to control the rate of randomized pitch modulation.

Granular soundscape generator
Unique soundscapes ranging from smooth ambience to bizarre reverberance to chaotic glitchy swarms
Powerful dual DSP architecture with individual feedback paths
Combine delay programs in series with granular sampling algorithms
5 programs centered around sample and chop delay algorithms
Program 1: Reverse Delay into Reverse Granular
Program 2: Forward Delay into Octave Up Granular
Program 3: Analog Delay into Octave Down Granular
Program 4: Multi-Tap Granular into Multi-Tap Granular (Grain-Verb)
Program 5: Forward Delay into Randomized Pitch Granular
Manipulate sampling length, position and buffer size of grains (short samples)
Play grains at double- or half-speed, reverse or from multiple positions to achieve different effects
Tap Tempo switch
Top-mounted Input and Output
Coated in a slate grey enclosure with white, black, cream, red, and orange ink
9-volt DC, Centre Negative, 300mA minimum
Buffered bypass
Power supply not included.
Designed and assembled in USA

Review: Through his work with revivalist soul band the Indications, Durand Jones has already proved that he's a serious talent - a vocalist and lyricist whose impressive range and impassioned, emotive delivery mark him out as a genuine star in the making. Wait Till I Get Over, his debut solo album, will only enhance his reputation. Framed as a love letter to his hometown of Hillaryville, with thoughtful lyrics that reflect not only on his own intriguing life story but also the history of the town's black community, the collected songs veer from string-laden, socially conscious ballads and fuzzy rhythm & blues workouts, smoky slow jams, nods to Sly Stone and righteous, reverb-laden gospel winners.

Review: More explosive rap classics get pressed up to handy and battle-ready 7" here courtesy of the TNT label. This seventh volume in their on going series of old school dynamite joints kicks off with a banger from Blu Cantrell. 'Breathe' (feat Sean Paul) has the reggae man dropping his trademark bars in stylised vocal form with Cantrell''s own delivery offering a clean, icy counterpoint over nice low end bump and Cali-style synth lines. Paul again features on the flip, this time adding his words to Beyonce's huge pop hit 'Baby Boy'.

Review: Vinyl Fanatiks take it all the way back to 1993 with this reissued EP by Fruit & Veg. It has been fully remastered of the occasion and sounds as good now in terms of the fidelity, as well as the style, as it did 30+ years ago. 'Dark Enough?' is a nice heads-down and hardcore jungle roller with broad, menacing bass that booms out beneath the silky loops. Flip it over and '25%' again has some devastating amen breaks looped to infinity while more tripped melodies bring a darker rave edge to this one.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Across a run of three outstanding EPs since 2017, Yazmin Lacey has slowly and steadily brought her cool and assured strain of neo soul into earshot, regularly popping up on festival line-ups and aligned with a resurgent UK jazz scene. Now we finally get to hear her stretch out on an album which takes its inspiration from the raw honesty of voice notes as a means of communication. Teaming up with the likes of Craigie Dodds, JD.REID, Melo-Zed and executive producer Dave Okumu, she's more than delivered on her promise with an outstanding, deep and nuanced album that hits true from the first beat to the last breath.