New releases last four weeks: All genres

Review: Kaiserdisco bring some big room techno energy to the one label in the world that is most synonymous with that sound - Adam Beyer's Drumcode. Opener 'In The Music' is a dark and driving cut with an acid tinged bassline over hard, hammering, flat footed drums. Add in a dark vocal hook and you have a real monster. 'Error In The System' on the flip is another moody techno pumper for the main room with hefty drums, eerie siren sounds and of plenty squelchy designs. It's a real headwrecker to close out a big 12".

Review: Son of Todd Osborn (Soundmurderer/Ghostly) Kaito Ian makes a hugely impressing first outing on the Galaxy Sound Co label with a series of lo-fi hip-hop beat-strumentals that cannot fail to get your head nodding. He is a dedicated music lover and skater with a deep knowledge of his craft and that shows here with some refined sounds starting with the soul drenched 'Revert', then on to the warped angelic vocal samples of 'Sequoia' and the percussive jumbled and scratching of 'Trek'. 'Wait Up' is another excellently blissed out joint and 'Sloan' is a sunny, laid back, lazy vibe to close down a superb EP.

Review: South African Warrick Sony is a ground breaking composer who was behind the Kalahari Surfers project which now gets a vital spotlight courtesy of Emotional Rescue. This compilation shows how effortlessly eclectic his sound was - from jive rhythms to jazz, tabla to political speeches and much more in between. A Hindu pacifist who was once conscripted into the South African Defense Force, he founded this group as a way out getting his ides out there, calling on other musicians as and when he needed them. It was the first radical white anti-apartheid pop in South Africa and as this vital collection shows it explored polyrhythms, slow motorik, dub sound collage and even a goofy cover of Nancy Sinatra.

Review: Manchester's Kali returns to White Peach with four delicious dubwise treats. 'Scurvy' dodge the limes in favour of a big squeezy accordion and what it lacks in vitamin C it definitely makes up for in weight. Elsewhere 'Sober' hits on more of an instrumental grime type of vibe, 'Stripey T-Shirt' brings out the squeeze boxes again for another woozy oddity while 'Cop Something' brings the whole experience to emotional conclusion. Stunning.

Notes: Your eyes are not deceiving you! This incredible overdrive used to go by another playful bard-esque name. The new Mk3 Driver - Andy Timmons Full Range Overdrive is an overdrive workstation that allows you to orchestrate everything from a clean boost to a treble supercharger, a chimey tube-amp overdrive to a square-wave, germanium fuzz generator and more.

This Pedal combines a three-control blues driver circuit with two switches for the voicing of Drive and Tone characteristics. Robert and Andy developed these switches to give players a broad range of drive tones. The Drive toggle engages two germanium diodes for a smoother, slightly compressed drive. Switch to Andy's clipping style for a brighter and more articulate attack.

Every part of the circuit has been optimized for tone and the demanding needs of a recording and touring artist such as Andy Timmons. Simply adding the Mk3 Driver to your pedalboard will make your rig sound better. This professional grade overdrive can be switched between true-bypass and buffered bypass at any time.

Andy Timmons - Tone Switch

The Mk3 Driver gives you two tone control circuits to choose from. When the Tone Switch is up and in the AT Position the tone control features Andy's preferred voicing and low-end response. Each note in a chord is clear and articulate. If the Tone Switch is down and in the RK Position that features the legendary Phat Boost providing more low-end frequency response, perfect for pushing up vintage or single coil pickups.

Full Range Overdrive - Germanium Toggle Switch

This pedal's circuit combines JFET saturation, diode clipping, and op-amp clipping in order to create its harmonically rich tone. Drive Switch UP for AT Clipping - this mode features asymmetrical LED and silicon diode clipping and is Andy's Super AT Mod sound. Drive Switch Down for RK Clipping - now the circuit features two germanium diodes for clipping. This mode can sound a bit like a vintage fuzz pedal with a softer, smoother feel.

Buffered Bypass or True Bypass

The Mk3 Driver features our industry leading buffer for noise-free switching. We have developed a buffer which not only makes your rig sound better, it gives you silent switching with no tone loss. Switch between true-bypass and buffered on the fly. Simply press and hold the foot switch for two seconds and the pedal will switch between true-bypass and buffered bypass! You decide what works best in your rig.

Made In The USA

Keeley design, engineer, and manufacture the Keeley Electronics/Andy Timmons Mk3 Driver in Oklahoma City. Everything about the Mk3 Driver is geared towards the professional musician and their quest for an inspiring tone when performance demands it. From the meticulously built circuit boards to the newly fabricated aluminium enclosure; we make guitar effect pedals like finely crafted musical instruments.

Note From Andy Timmons:

'The Mk3 Driver is the ultimate expression of the clean/slightly broken-up tone I've been going for over the last several years. Robert Keeley and his incredible team have once again knocked it out of the park!

The AT/AT setting is exactly my Super AT Mod tone: just the right amount of breakup available at your dynamic command. Every note and nuance is clear as a bell. The crazy thing about this mode is that it also sounds great with the gain turned up, providing an incredibly cool Marshall-esque crunch tone.

Having the original RK modded BD-2 circuit is sheer luxury as that's the circuit that I fell in love with years ago! It still inspires me! The real hidden gem here is Robert's new modification that utilises germanium diodes instead of the original silicon for a new kind of clipping that works insanely well on its own OR as a boost for my lead tone. It has a lovely way of further taming the low-end that I really love.

With the Mk3 Driver and the Halo, I'm in Tone Heaven!'

Review: Tori Kelly's latest Tori, arrives amidst a tumultuous time as she battles a serious health scare. Despite this, she delivers a collection of r&b-tinged pop tracks that showcase her versatility and musical prowess. The infectious single 'Missin U' sets the tone, followed by the flirtatious 'Cit' featuring Timbaland's ad-libs. Tracks like 'Shelter' and 'unbelievable,' featuring Nigerian superstar Ayra Starr, highlight Kelly's ability to explore different genres seamlessly. While the album leans towards pop, songs like 'Alive Til I Die' and 'Young Gun' offer heartfelt lyrics and collaborations with Jon Bellion that delve into themes of love and loss. A promising new chapter for Kelly.

Review: Albertan experimenter Dylan Khotin follows up last year's full-length with an equally impressionistic two-tracker and logical successor, 'Alterac Acid/Mornings II'. Both tracks here are curious digi-Balearic offerings, with spacious episcopies of sound cast across meandering landscapes once seemingly trawled by space invaders and/or deep-cosmos probes. A nearly aimless acid line unfurls across the A-side, locking things into a nice stasis, before a more subdued, dare say clipped stab-womp drives the action of the B-track, which hardly so much as teases its drum line, nor avails itself of a need to even use drums at all (at points) to compel the listener into a driven, awestruck state of bliss.

Review: Desert funkers Khruangbin announce their latest album A La Sala, turning their efforts inward to a more personal recollection of childhood and origination, and to reach a firmer understanding of what exact influences made this troupe who they are today. In contrast to their last record Mordechai (2020), uniquely conceived as a party record from the jump of its making, A La Sala (translation: 'to the room') is the measured, self-reflective morning after; lead singles 'May Ninth' and 'A Love International' pare back the layers even further than we could imagine Khruangbin pulling otherwise, making for emotional ponderings of the external world, inextricably tied to the internal as it is.

Review: Texas-based trio Khruangbin returns with their highly anticipated album, A La Sala, blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock and world music influences. Laura Lee's funky basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar work, and Donald "DJ" Johnson's precise drumming define each hypnotic groove. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' emit a laid-back aura, ideal for lazy summer days, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' adds Latin rhythms with a psychedelic twist. 'A La Sala' offers a rich journey through diverse musical landscapes, solidifying Khruangbin's mastery of genre fusion and their ability to create sonic euphoria.

Review: The eagerly awaited album A La Sala marks the return of Texas-based trio Khruangbin, seamlessly blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock, and world music influences. Laura Lee's groovy basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar melodies, and Donald "DJ" Johnson's precise drumming define each mesmerizing groove. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' exude a relaxed vibe, perfect for lazy summer days, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' infuses Latin rhythms with a psychedelic twist. A La Sala takes listeners on a captivating journey through diverse musical landscapes, showcasing Khruangbin's adeptness at genre fusion and their talent for crafting sonic euphoria.

Review: Texas-based trio Khruangbin returns with their highly anticipated album, A La Sala. Blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock, and world music influences, the record mesmerizes with hypnotic grooves. Laura Lee's funky basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar, and Donald 'DJ' Johnson's precise drumming shine throughout. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' exude laid-back vibes, ideal for lazy summer afternoons, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' adds a psychedelic twist to Latin rhythms. 'A La Sala' is a captivating journey through diverse musical landscapes, reaffirming Khruangbin's mastery of genre fusion and their ability to create sonic bliss.

Review: King's debut album, Steps In Time, is an infectious energy bomb of new wave dance pop. Led by the standout single 'Love & Pride,' the album delivers a vibrant collection of tracks that are sure to delight fans of the genre. While 'Love & Pride' undoubtedly steals the spotlight with its irresistible hooks and infectious energy, the rest of the album holds its own as well. The songs are all well constructed and grow on you with repeat listens like longtime fans of the album have realized. After 40 years, they still hold plenty of entertaining moments for those who appreciate the new wave meets pop sound.

Review: Compton's King Tee is an important name in the genesis of west coast hip-hop. Originally signed to the legendary Techno Hop Records as far back as 1986, King Tee left an indelible mark on the scene still being discovered today. So much so in fact, that RMV Sweden has smartly gathered a few of his earliest and most desired tracks on to one special mini compilation. Hats off to them - those who like early NWA, Ice Cube, Compton's Most Wanted, Spice 1, DJ Quick or MC Ren will be digging this, a snapshot of why he was so revered still today.

Review: KLIM is a producer who hails from Aviv and is based in Ukraine. He grew up on the classic hip-hop of New York and Detroit and it shows in his crisp boom-bap beats. There have been an eye-watering amount of them to date with over 40 albums to his name. Each one comes laden with soul and this new one, Planet SL1200, which no doubt named after the hardware he used to make it, is another doozy. The short, sketchy tracks convey great vibes and ride on compelling beat work that cannot help but encourage you to zone out and daydream.

Review: Believe In You by Knoe1 featuring George JJ Flores is a soulful electro funk track that exudes the essence of the early 80s. The vocal version opens with disco claps and a smooth, sultry vocal, complemented by groovy keyboard work. The instrumental version showcases the track's infectious rhythm and tight arrangements, offering a dynamic and engaging listening experience. Overall, Believe In You captures the essence of boogie and electro funk, showcasing the talents of Knoe1 and George JJ Flores.

Review: Mark Knopfler's One Deep River album from 2023 immerses listeners in a reflective journey through Americana's heartland. It is a typically poignant album from the rock icon that showcases his mastery of storytelling as it weaves together tales of life's trials and triumphs. With his distinctive guitar work and soulful vocals front and centre, Knopfler paints vivid landscapes of dusty highways and riverbanks at dusk on each track, from the introspective 'Beneath a Prairie Moon' to the bluesy swagger of 'Ride On Across.' With its timeless allure, One Deep River speaks of Knopfler's enduring legacy as a guitar troubadour of the modern age.

Review: Mark Knopfler's 2023 album, One Deep River, is a written diary through the heartland of Americana. Demonstrating his mastery of storytelling, Knopfler intricately weaves tales of life's trials and triumphs, evoking a poignant reflection on the human experience. Each track showcases Knopfler's signature guitar work and soulful vocals, transporting listeners to dusty highways and riverbanks at twilight. From the introspective 'Beneath a Prairie Moon' to the bluesy swagger of 'Ride On Across,' Knopfler's ability to paint vivid landscapes through music is unparalleled. 'One Deep River' resonates with timeless allure, embodying Knopfler's status as a guitar troubadour of the modern era.

Review: Mark Knopfler's One Deep River delivers a steady stream of timeless classics, featuring his signature blend of poetic lyricism and exquisite guitar work. As the tenth solo album released on his own label, British Grove via EMI, Knopfler continues to captivate with his warm vocals and masterful compositions. The album's lead single, 'Ahead Of The Game,' sets the tone with a melancholic narrative, possibly autobiographical, over a classic Knopfler riff. Title track 'One Deep River' taps into Knopfler's emotional ties to his hometown of Newcastle, particularly the Tyne River. This connection to childhood memories imbues the album with a sense of nostalgia and introspection, echoed in each meticulously crafted song. Produced alongside longtime collaborator Guy Fletcher, the album exudes sophistication and depth, with Knopfler's guitar textures and evocative storytelling taking center stage.

Review: Kolter, hailing from Cologne, Germany, delivers a fresh - we don't use the word lightly - new four-tracker, 'That Was Fresh'. Centring nominally on the infamous literal breakbeat vocal sample, this EP plays out as a contemporary take on the breakdances and funk backbeats come electronic dance bangers of yore. Beginning with an impossible-missioned eponymous A-sider, before moving into flat beat electro house of 'This Is It' and the cascading metro-synths of 'Feel', before finally concluding on the retro trance rejoinder, 'I'm Fine, Thanks!', there's really something here for everyone.

Review: Naya Beat's modus operandi is to champion the OG sounds of the South Asian underground through the lenticular funnel of dance music. Their latest in this effort is a breakout wonder in V/A form, herding together three contemporary club titans for a jolly trans-national dialogue over the original stylings of an inimitable key player in proliferation of Bhangra music, Manjeet Kondal. The late great Kondal hears one original piece, 'Pyaar', reissued, alongside two exclusive versions of 'Ishkaan De Mamle' by digger extraordinaire Mr. Scruff, followed by a closing, straight-from-the-stems downtempo acid dub tribute by modern day remixers and DJs Turbotito & Ragz. This is an honorific tribute to the crossection of late 80s to early 90s Bhangra music with acid house, carefully modelled after the aesthetic sensibilities of the time.

Review: Konerytmi is quite a productive name in electro the last few years and in just a handful of earth cycles, the output of this Russian born audio warrior has reached staggering levels. Thankfully, the quality is there giving fans the joy to discover so much from him. One that definitely should be in your wantlist is the Saaristo EP. 'Hiekkalinna' is really good example at the strategy he employs when making tracks. 'Kesakauri' and 'Avaruukisko' add a bit of 80s nostalgia with some darker synth lines and an EBM balance to the electro. The title track ends the EP on a melancholy note and is perhaps, our favorite of the four. Konerytmi continues to give us terrific electro to enjoy.

Notes: Second-gen version of the excellent Opsix features major updates including 64-voice polyphony and an improved interface. Same powerful six-operator FM synth engine.

Supplier's Notes:
A Full-Spectrum Sound Experience

Opsix mk II is a digital synth like no other. Based on the sound engine of the original Opsix, the number of simultaneous voices and voicings has been expanded to an astounding 64 voices. The result is superior performance and precise control.

The Opsix Operator Mixer simplified FM synthesis for the first time, making it not just comprehensible but also controllable. With the addition of extra synthesis capabilities and programming, it offered a more efficient workflow and an even richer sound.

And, it is fully compatible with the sounds and samples from both the original opsix and the opsix Native software, including numerous high-quality libraries.

Evolved to an astounding 64 voices

The Opsix mk II has 64 voices, twice as many as the original 32 voices, allowing users to enjoy tone editing without having to worry about the number of simultaneous voices. In addition, the operator-mixer section, the most distinctive feature of this product, has been accented with a new image colour, green.

Get Illuminated with the Operator Mixer

At the heart of every sound is Opsix mk II's Operator Mixer - a simple set of six faders and knobs that invite exploration. Each part lights up red to indicate carriers or blue for modulators. Manipulating them opens up new sound-shaping possibilities to breathe fresh life into your musical ideas. This straightforward, hands-on workflow is part of what makes Opsix mk II so unique, just like the sounds it offers.

Direct Hands-On Control

Whether you're tweaking a preset or building a patch from the ground up, the six data entry knobs on the right give you quick access to the parameters you need and seamlessly sync with the large OLED display, giving you a clear, focused direction to your workflow. Coupled with the mixer, it makes creating fresh sounds super easy and, most importantly, fun!

Select from a full range of analogue-style filters, from the radical Korg MS-20 low-pass/high-pass filter to the powerful yet smooth KORG Polysix low-pass filter that gives your sound a vintage feel. There are also two or four-pole low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject filters with resonance.

There's even a built-in spectrum analyser and oscilloscope that gives you visual feedback via the screen on the music you're making.

Six in One Synthesis

The core of Opsix mk II is nothing short of exponential. Since waveforms can be arranged and modulated in nearly infinite ways, Opsix mk II can easily do the sonic work that is similar to numerous types of synthesis:

Subtractive

Removing parts of the sound to get the sound you want; the most widely-used synthesis. Opsix mk II uses up to six envelopes and multi-modelled filters to achieve many cutting-edge and classical analogue synthesis tones.

Semi-Modular

Rerouting signal paths to change the sound. A spin through the Algorithm section will dramatically reshape the sound by changing how the signal routing between the operators work together, and no patch cables are needed. Analog-style controls and plenty of stackable waveforms take you from digital to analogue-sounding in no time. Enjoy deep basses, crisp leads, thick pad sounds, fuzzy brass tones, and so much more.

Analogue (Modeling)

Analogue-style controls and plenty of stackable waveforms take you from digital to analogue-sounding in no time. Enjoy deep basses, crisp leads, thick pad sounds, fuzzy brass tones, and so much more.

Waveshaping

Adding intentional distortion to the waveforms to achieve aggressive overtones that are either harmonic or inharmonic. This will help you achieve gritty, bitey tones dripping with character.

Additive

Stacking waveforms and blending their harmonics is key to an expansive range of harmonious, dissonant, and tension-driven sounds. With six operators available, the complete FM experience is possible, including the ability to go back in time for classic sounds you have heard throughout recording history.

Classic FM

Last but certainly not least, Opsix's highly flexible and powerful architecture starts with true six-Operator FM. As a result, it easily delivers signature sounds you have surely heard on thousands of hits from the '80s on through today, and with far more polyphony than other standalone FM synths available today.

With all of these ways to realize and explore sounds, Opsix mk II is uniquely suited as a "future-modern-classic" synth!

Altered Reality

What started as a legacy synthesis has evolved into something completely different. Opsix mk II is FM-based, but the similarities to the classic synthesis end there. The Altered FM architecture delivers sounds across a vast spectrum, far wider than any single synthesis has been able to cover before, thanks to new sound components; new waveforms, filters, shaping, effects, LFOs, envelopes, modulations, and more, all translating to its broad assortment of sounds.

Powerful Effects Processing

Opsix mk II provides three blocks of 30 types of high-definition effects that you can use together to enhance your sounds even further. There's everything from a great mix of usable standard effects like chorus, phaser, delay, and compressor to some world-class shimmering reverbs that will elevate your sound to the next level.

Specifications

Keyboard: 37 keys (velocity and release-velocity sensitive)
Sound generating system: Altered FM sound generator
Maximum Polyphony: 64 voices (varies depending on the setting)
Structure: 6 operators, 1 filter, 3 EGs, 3 LFOs, 3 effects, step sequencer, arpeggiator
Algorithm: 40 presets + user algorithm (unique to each program)
Operator: 6 modes (FM, Ring Mod., Filter, Filter FM, Wave Folder, Effect)
Oscillator waveform: 23 waveforms (Sine, Sine 12bit, Sine 8bit, Triangle, Saw, Saw HD, Square, Square HD, Additive Saw3, Additive Sqr3, Additive Tri3, Additive 12345, Additive 1+2, Additive 1+3, Additive 1+4, Additive 1+5, Additive 1+6, Additive 1+7, Additive 1+8, Noise S/H, Noise White, Noise Pink, Noise Blue)
Filter: 11 types (LPF 12, LPF 24, LPF MS-20, LPF POLY6, HPF 12, HPF 24, HPF MS-20, BPF 6, BPF 12, BRF 6, BRF 12)
EG: ADSR
LFO: 23 waveforms (Triangle, Saw Down, Saw Up, Square, Sine, Sample&Hold, Guitar, Exp. Triangle, Exp. Saw Down, Exp. Saw Up, Step4 Triangle, Step6 Triangle, Step4 Saw Down, Step6 Saw Down, StepRnd:Time, StepRnd:Lvl&Time, StepRnd:Level, Random:Time, Random:Lvl&Time, Triangle + , Saw Down + , Saw Up + , Square +)
V.Patch: 12 routings
Effect: 30 types (Chorus, Unison Ensemble, Phaser, Phaser (BPM) , Auto Pan, Auto Pan (BPM), Flanger, Flanger (BPM) , Rotary Speaker, Auto Wah, Exciter, Enhancer, LFO Filter, 3-Band EQ, Distortion, Guitar Amp, Decimator, Grain Shifter, Master Limiter, Compressor, Delay, Delay (BPM) , Autopan Dly, Autopan Dly (BPM), Tape Echo, Tape Echo (BPM) , Early Reflection, Reverb, Shimmer Reverb, Spring Reverb)
Sequencer: Step Sequencer (up to 16 steps, up to 6 notes per step), Motion Sequencer (up to 6 lanes)
Arpeggiator: 7 patterns (MANUAL, UP, DOWN, ALT1, ALT2, RANDOM, TRIGGER)
Number of programs: 500 (350 preset programs and 150 user programs as the factory-set default)
Favourite: 64 (16 Slots × 4 Banks)
Controllers: MODULATION wheel, PITCH wheel, RATIO OP 1-6 knobs, LEVEL OP 1-6 sliders, DATA ENTRY A-F knobs
Inputs/outputs: Headphone (6.3 mm stereo phone jack), OUTPUT L/MONO and R (impedance-balanced 6.3 mm TRS phone jacks), DAMPER (6.3 mm phone jack, half-damper not supported), MIDI IN and OUT connectors, USB B port
Power supply: AC adapter (DC12V)
Power consumption: 5 W
Dimensions (W × D × H): 565 × 338 × 90 mm / 22.24" × 13.31" × 3.54"
Weight: 2.9 kg / 6.93 lbs.
Included items: AC adapter
Accessories (sold separately): DS-1H damper pedal, PS-1 pedal switch, PS-3 pedal switch

Review: It's been a while since we've heard from Moroccan breakbeat favourite and Convergence Records founder Kosh, but he's back with a bang on none other than everybody's favourite Atlantean, underwater-breathing, acid trance house everything kru - Kalahari Oyster Cult. 'The Chopper' EP spans everything from Drexciyan kitsch-lectro to to floaty tech house trance to sillily verbatim breakbeat, ending on a hilarious high note with the timestretching, disc-scratching, stadium-ready rave rampage 'Come On'.

Review: The KVB's forthcoming album Tremors, marks a significant return for the coldwave duo. Described as 'dystopian pop,' the album promises a fusion of industrial-tainted synths with post-punk percussive patterns, capturing the warped energy of their live performances. Lead single 'Labyrinths' offers a visceral experience, with sloping bass-lines and imposing production delivering unbridled aggression reminiscent of the band's early releases. The album represents a culmination of the duo's evolution, blending emotive impact and pop hooks within a uniquely shadowy atmosphere. As pioneers in atmosphere mastery. A cinematic journey through themes of loss, resistance and inevitable change, making it their most complete album to date.

Review: Talib Kweli and Madlib, two hip-hop heavyweights, have reunited for the highly anticipated Liberation 2, an expansive album exploring themes of revolution, love, and pan-Africanism, all set against Madlib's jazz-infused productions. Featuring collaborations with Q-Tip, Westside Gunn, and Mac Miller, the album is a global call for unity. Its thought-provoking lyrics and raw soundscapes showcase Kweli's enduring influence and Madlib's production prowess, paying homage to the genre's roots while pushing its boundaries. This album has been on many people's list as a potential hip-hop album of the year and we won't be at all surprised if that's where it ends up.

Review: Vampisoul dedicate one more 7" to another fresh-from-the-woodfired slice of modern cumbia, this time from the eponymous La Cumbia Moderna De Soledad band and Machuca Cumbia respectively. On the A, the former band offer up a two-toning cumbia version of Rod Stewart's 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?', sparse but well-wrought in its sound. The B is a treat that vibrates at a different, but equally as effective frequency, being a convincingly retro take on the Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive', and lending the song's ineluctable melodies a Latin twist by way of hypnotic percs and guitars.

Review: The blistering, one-of-a-kind West Coast disco-funk record 'U Need Me' by LA Propinquity surfaces as part of a new body of historic productions initially intended for compilation on a full-length LP. For reasons undisclosed, this never happened; instead, Italian sonic exhumers Cannonball Records have been afforded the privilege of reissuing these tracks across a series of 7"s themselves. Hardly and criminially under-recognised in their day, the L.A. Propinquity were nonetheless composed of the angelic city's finest, with drummer James Gadson forming a prominent part. A blast from the 1970s, 'U Need Me' is a beaming slice of unrequited longing, set to delicious funk tones that are as maximized as they are unstrained.

Review: Long Island's finest, the Lafayette Afro Rock Band, formed firstly as the Bobby Boyd Congress and then renamed themselves Ice; only after a string of travails and a return to the US after a long stint in France did they rename themselves the Lafayettes. Soul Makossa came a long while after this renaming; their second album is packed with the same Boyd-centric hallmarks, from bulbous Rhodeses, cowbells and wahs through to riffing funk fantastics, culminating in the peak sonic movements that are 'Hihache' and 'Nicky'.

Review: The Lafayette Afro Rock Band's superb Malik is a vibrant fusion of funk, soul and Afrobeat rhythms that was initially released in 1974 and now, alongside some of their other works, is getting reissued. The iconic track album showcases the band's infectious energy and dynamic instrumentation. It is packed with driving basslines, intricate percussion and hypnotic grooves that captivate from start to finish and transport you to the heart of a steamy dance floor. The band's mastery of blending African and Western musical elements shines through to make for an enduring musical document that is still widely celebrated for its infectious rhythms and influence on the funk and Afrobeat genres.

Review: Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage's Speak To Me is a dynamic Blue Note album produced by Joe Henry. Arriving with 13 original tracks, Lage's compositions navigate a rich tapestry of American music genres, from gospel hymns to California singer-songwriter vibes and skronky jazz. The album's lead single '76' showcases a hard-driving blues essence, while 'As It Were' offers an atmospheric acoustic ballad. With contributions from Kris Davis, Patrick Warren, Levon Henry, and his trusted trio with bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King, Lage presents a multifaceted musical journey that captivates and enthrals in equal measure here.

Notes: An ultra-compact 10HP VC filter with bags of personality. Camber can be treated as a subtle, non-intrusive sound design tool, or something much more lively.

Camber is designed to be a fun, tactile filter with a small footprint. It's sound is neutral enough for basic filtering without a fuss, with a much more aggressive tone available using high resonance settings in three-pole mode.

Filter Core

The core of the filter is based on a state variable topology using 2164 VCAs and 1% tolerance integrating capacitors. Resonance and feedback control is provided by the fantastic circuit design originally by Neil Johnson "Voltage Controlled 3-Pole State Variable Filter" recently made available in Sound Semiconductor documentation.

Operation

Camber is switchable between low pass and high pass responses with one pole (6dB) and three pole (18dB) flavours of each. It has full CV control of both cutoff frequency and resonance amount. The input is DC-coupled allowing LFO and CV signals to be routed through the filter. The filter will also act as a simple oscillator producing a clean sinusoidal signal with the resonance control turned *almost fully clockwise, and no signal at the audio input. Dialling in the resonance so that it is just under the point of self-oscillation allows the filter to be "Pinged" by sending gate signals to the audio input. This is useful for tuned percussion sounds and FX.

Specifications

Intellijel 1u format
Width 10HP
Depth 33mm
Power requirements ~40mA +12V/~40mA -12V
Control voltage range 0-8V
Impedance Input 100K / Output 1K

Notes: Lush analogue EQ switchable between tilt and Baxandall high-shelf configurations.

Perform a variety of mixing and sound design duties ranging from subtle brightness and clarity adjustments to low-end rumble removal, boosted low-pass filtering and sweep EQ.

In the default tilt mode, turning the control knob clockwise simultaneously boosts treble and cuts bass. Turning anti-clockwise boosts bass and cuts treble. These boosts and cuts are pivoted around the mid-range. With the control knob at 12 o'clock the frequency response is neutral.

With Baxandall high-shelf mode enabled, turning the control knob clockwise past 12 o'clock introduces and gentle high-shelf EQ weighted around the upper mid-range. Turning the control knob anti-clockwise results in a wide high-shelf cut with subtle bass and mid-range adjustments.

Patching the channels in series allows for radical sound shaping and band-pass responses. Each channel provides up to +/- 8db of low and high-frequency gain control, summing into a low noise output stage. Hot input signals over 15vpp are saturated by active Zener diode clipping.

Features

Precise voltage control of EQ tilt and shelf
Seamless switching between EQ modes
High-quality components used throughout

Specifications

Intellijel 1U format
Width: 18HP
Depth: 32mm
Power requirements: ~60mA +12V/~58mA -12V
Control voltage range: 0-8V
Impedance Input: 100K / Output 1K

Notes: Lush analogue EQ switchable between tilt and Baxandall high-shelf configurations.

Perform a variety of mixing and sound design duties ranging from subtle brightness and clarity adjustments to low-end rumble removal, boosted low-pass filtering and sweep EQ.

In the default tilt mode, turning the control knob clockwise simultaneously boosts treble and cuts bass. Turning anti-clockwise boosts bass and cuts treble. These boosts and cuts are pivoted around the mid-range. With the control knob at 12 o'clock the frequency response is neutral.

With Baxandall high-shelf mode enabled, turning the control knob clockwise past 12 o'clock introduces and gentle high-shelf EQ weighted around the upper mid-range. Turning the control knob anti-clockwise results in a wide high-shelf cut with subtle bass and mid-range adjustments.

Patching the channels in series allows for radical sound shaping and band-pass responses. Each channel provides up to +/- 8db of low and high-frequency gain control, summing into a low noise output stage. Hot input signals over 15vpp are saturated by active Zener diode clipping.

Features

Precise voltage control of EQ tilt and shelf
Seamless switching between EQ modes
High-quality components used throughout

Specifications

Intellijel 1U format
Width 18HP
Depth 32mm
Power requirements ~60mA +12V/~58mA -12V
Control voltage range 0-8V
Impedance Input 100K / Output 1K

Notes: Tilt is the first in Laine's series of core modules, which will take cues from the main product line and strip back the features so both the module width and cost can be shrunk dramatically.

Comprising an 'Ambler' style tilt EQ network similar to the 'Stilts' topology, Tilt allows simultaneous cut and boost of low and high frequencies using a single control.

Tilt control circuits are known for the transparency of their cut and boost curves, coupled with the inherent emphasis gained from cutting one end of the frequency spectrum whilst boosting at the opposite end.

It sounds pretty good on all audio source material but is especially suited to tracking drums, guitar and lead, or manipulating effects sends and returns.

With the control knob at 12o'clock the sound passed is neutral. Turning the control knob clockwise will boost high and cut low frequencies pivoting from a fixed mid-range point. Turning the control anti-clockwise below 12 o clock will in turn boost low frequencies and cut the highs.

In addition to the EQ there is a soft clipping network which will begin to saturate signals over 15 volts peak to peak.

Tilt uses the same high quality OPA op amps, Alpha pots and ENIG PCBs as found in our main product line.

Features

Compact EQ tilt control in 1U
Soft clipping network
High-quality components used throughout

Specifications

Intellijel 1U format
Width 8HP
Depth 28mm
Power requirements ~10mA +12V/~10mA -12V
Impedance Input 100k / Output 1k

Notes: Winnows, a dual VC resonant filter with damping.

Winnows brings radical resonant filtering to the 1U row. Make your basslines growl like it's 1999. Create clean resonant tones and layers, tuned percussion, steep filtered peaks, vowel filters and more. Each filter channel comprises two state variable filter cores, the first producing a 2-Pole band-pass response, with resonance and self-oscillation amounts set by a 3-Pole feedback network. Signals are then routed through a 1-Pole low-pass damping stage to remove harshness if required. This can be routed to the channel output, or switched and routed through a second series of resonant SVF and 1-Pole LPF damping stages. This circuitry is identical per channel.

Features and uses

Steep and spiked or wide and smooth, resonant bandpass filters
Zone in on and reinforce a sound's dominant frequency, create overtones using both channels
Create sharp resonant peaks, dull or remove any harshness with VC damping
Use the resonator as a sound source by shaping and triggering tuned percussion tones or kick drums
Per channel: 2 x VCA based SVF, 2 x 1-pole damping LPF, 1 x 3-Pole resonance core
Identical circuitry per channel, CV and audio jacks are normalled between channels
Combine both channels in series for vowel filter responses and creative filtering

Specifications

Intellijel 1U format
Width 24 HP
Depth 34mm
Power requirements ~90mA +12V/~80mA -12V
Control voltage range 0-8V
Impedance Input 100K / Output 1K

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