Review: NY breakbeat craftsman 88 Katanas gets explorative on Silent Force with four outstanding jungle adventures. The brilliantly titled 'The Standard Of The Archipelago' ignites the EP with a brisk drumfunk type of flavour that's comparable to Seba. From there we move inland to brutalist terrains... 'Radiant Energy' is a halftime march through thick swamps and woodland, and 'Bit Rot' takes us onto elevated fields where the air is fresher but the ground is very slippery underfoot. 'Subconscious Emotions', meanwhile, takes us back to a much calmer shore where a good looking ship awaits for voyage home.
Review: Alpha & Omega is a legendary dub duo and despite them having many superb sounds to their credit, this one is a real standout. 'One Culture' pens with heavy bass as you would expect, but the alluring Indian vocal up top is even more hypnotic. It has a transcendental feel and is soulful and smoky while warped synths rumble away beneath the dusty drums. It's a real mental trip. On the flip is 'One Prayer' which is paired right back to dubby rhythms and subtle vocals are smudged and smeared throughout. Both of these are perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons in the sun.
Review: Amorphic and Tensal hook back in to the machine to dialyse their crafts once more, with 'Highland Frequencies' offering up four, machine-numbered atoning lambs to our mech overlords, following up the equally arrayed 'Distant Landscapes' EP (2024) on Blueprint. Now bringing their distinctive cataloguing system to the discographic vanitas Mord, four more 'AT' tracks make for an irresistibly well-layered, synthetically one-of-a-kind release. Only 'AT4' gets a subtitle, 'The Sleepwalker', where a sandman's slumbrous, lollygaggling beats somehow, at the same time, betray a subconscious, paradoxical restlessness.
Review: Last spotted raising hell and taking names with Jon 1st on Defrostatica, Arcane (who is also known as one half of the more mainstream-sounding d&b act Kleu) goes full nelson on the breaks with these two choppy choppy bangers on Foxy Jangle. Both cuts focussing on the drums, subs, samples and FX, these are fully timeless trips and sculpted strictly for the heads. Great for losing yourself inside at 3am and even better to mix. Just like concrete.
Review: This is the first in a new collaborative series between Derailed Records and Planet Rhythm who have teamed up for a new vinyl series that launches with Rotterdam's ARKVS. 'Sonus' rumbles with low-end threat and fizzy static that locks you in the moment. 'Deviate (feat Ronald Nels)' is more sparse with claps echoing out to an event horizon as supple acid tones linger in the air. 'Amphibian Velocity' layers up gurgling synths and pent-up drum tension and 'Crashing Rhythms' is a punchy but deep closer and a fourth and final evocative and sophisticated offering which gets this series underway in style.
Review: The ASHPPE series has been nothing if not unhurried. It started several years ago but always results in essential outings when they do come. The fourth transmission from the techno talent emerges from subterranean shadows with three tracks aimed squarely at the club. 'Judge' is tightly looped and edgy without letting you settle and 'Deeper' then brings muscular broken beat patterns, glitchy textures and raw hits into a futuristic techno soundscape. 'The Box' brings bright and shimmering synth smears to more contorted and twisted drum patterns that demand your more inventive moves.
South Of The Clouds Part 2 (Gregor Tresher remix) (11:25)
South Of The Clouds Part 2 (Extrawelt remix) (6:23)
South Of The Clouds Part 2 (2025 remastered edit) (5:53)
Review: Aural Float's 'South Of The Clouds' first evaporated, then fell as rain in the form of a two-parter progressive trance track released on a wider EP out on Elektrolux Records in 1995. Said to have effortlessly captured the feel and fervour of the Frankfurt trance zietgeist, the creative trio of Alex Azary, Gabriel Mastichidis and Pascal Dardoufas were over the moon to have heard their EP opener claimed as a scene favourite. Now after almost 30 years of cloud residence time do we hear two further precipitations of the already 26-minute (in total) track, by Gregor Tresher and Extrawelt respectively.
Review: B.Love is next up on Leeds legend Ralph Lawson's 20/20 label having come to his attention on Record Store Day 2024 with his Music Dance Experience EP and then later that day when playing as a resident at the Bizarre Trax party Lawson was en route to play. Here he showcases his electro sound across four cuts starting with 'Rhythm Freq', a celestial and disco-tinged sound. 'Movement Feeling' is a party starting cut with old school style and plenty of percussive lushness, then 'Soda Junior' brings louche, low-slung disco funk before 'Bisous' shuts down with more cosmic playfulness and vibrant synth colours.
Review: Every once in a while, you get a band emerge from the vibrant London music scene that you notice aren't like all the other bands. You sense they have something a bit special. BC, NR are like that - they offer something so rich musically that it appears immune to any potential threat that could come from changing trends. This third studio album of theirs comes under what looked like difficult circumstances from the outside. Their lead singer and songwriter Isaac Wood left the band shortly before the release of their second album. But they've withstood the pressure incredibly and are on top form here. There's more emphasis than ever on sharing the role of frontperson so the album is like a smorgasbord where you sample different voices and songwriting styles that exist within the group. Lead single 'Besties' is violinist Georgia Ellery's. It thrives off of its dynamism with explosive Phil Spector-esque wall of sound moments set in alongside elegant indie folk. A truly massive chapter awaits.
Review: One of the most important bands to come out of the punk era, Blondie changed pop music forever and this live performance at the Paradise Ballroom in Boston on May 27, 1978, sees the band just before mainstream success hit. Broadcast live on WBCN-FM, the show highlights their raw energy and the tight synergy between the band members. Debbie Harry, with her unique blend of punk swagger and glam allure, commands the stage as Blondie delivers a high-energy set that mixes their punk roots with emerging new wave influences. Songs like 'X Offender', 'Denis' and 'Rip Her to Shreds' are packed with punchy rhythms and catchy hooks, while deeper tracks like 'Youth Nabbed As Sniper' and 'Man Overboard' hint at the band's growing sonic complexity. This live recording not only demonstrates Blondie's ability to command a crowd but also marks the beginning of their ascent to global stardom with Parallel Lines. A perfect snapshot of Blondie during a transformative period with an energetic performance, when their influence on the evolution of punk and new wave music was just beginning.
Review: We shall never apologise for our love for the work of Steve O'Sullivan. His contributions to the world of dub techno are second to none. They are also mad consistent both in style and quality which means they never age. Here he steps up to Lempuyang with his Blue Channel alias alongside Jonas Schachner aka Another Channel for more silky smooth fusions of authentic dub culture and Maurizo-style techno deepness. Watery synths, hissing hi-hats with long trails and dub musings all colour these dynamic grooves. They're cavernous and immersive and frankly irresistible and the sort of tracks that need to be played loud in a dark space. In that context, you'll never want them to end.
Review: It has been some five-plus years since the last full Bon Iver album but the wait has been well worth it. This one follows the introspective SABLE, a sparse, vulnerable EP born from isolation and inner turmoil. Where that was shadow, this is light-a lush, radiant celebration of love, connection and emotional rebirth. Written at April Base in Wisconsin with collaborators like Jim-E Stack and Danielle Haim, the album leans into clarity and intimacy and gets rid of the signature dense abstraction for more honest and heartfelt pop. The vocals are delivered with openness and purpose as they explore desire, hope and devotion. While still acknowledging lingering shadows, this full-length is a story of growth that isn't about fairytale endings, but about the lessons love teaches.
Review: While not one of David Bowie's best-known achievements, masterminding the world's biggest-ever 'non-TV' satellite broadcast is undoubtedly an impressive one. It took place at London's Riverside Studios in 2003, with the Thin White Duke - accompanied by his regular backing band - performing then new album Reality in its entirety, live to 86 cinemas in 26 countries. This Record Store Day release presents the concert in its entirety (the encore was not broadcast at the time), delivering a superb document of a unique event. Of course, Bowie was in fine form, with the immersive sound mix by regular collaborator Tony Visconti capturing the legendary artist at the peak of his powers.
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