Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: UK ensemble Abstract Orchestra is led by producer Rob Mitchell and has built its name through jazz-infused hip-hop tributes to legends like J Dilla and MADVILLAIN. Their latest cut, 'Big Bad Wolf,' features Detroit MC Guilty Simpson, whose booming baritone drives the track's cinematic narrative. Originally shelved and not put out, Mitchell revived the collaboration by rewriting the entire instrumental. The result is a two-part journey: from eerie, dreamlike strings to hard-hitting live drums, textured synths and reverb-heavy vocals. With lines like 'when a good guy becomes a villain' Simpson's in raw vengeance mode and jay lyrical grit meets with tight musicianship for modern hip-hop orchestration at its boldest.

Review: Phil Mison, long revered for his chill-out sets and Balearic sensibility as a DJ, not to mention over two dozen releases under his belt, returns as Cantoma with a new single that perfectly captures the spirit of sunset listening. 'Light As Before' is a gentle and evocative piece built on Latin percussion, breezy guitar work and a standout horn section that lifts the track into a golden-hour daydream. It's the kind of track that feels tailor-made for a coastal terrace, a glass in hand and nowhere to be but the present. The B-side remix is a tasteful reimagining that dials down the horns and replaces them with soft flutes and delicate acoustic textures. This version leans deeper into the groove with a more introspective yet still melodic mood. It trades some of the exuberance for warmth and depth, making it an ideal complement to the original. Both sides highlight Mison's continued mastery of Balearic downtempo.

Review:  Loveland, Ohio's Colemine label offer a 7" indie exclusive on this furtive freshener from house engineer and regularly featured artist Leroi Conroy, returning after his last 45 in 2017 with a sharp double-sider flaunting his rhythmatic flair and deeper verbal intuitions. 'No Return' outlays crisp boom-bap drums wrapped in fluttering flute lines from Michael Sarason (of Say She She) and shimmering harp hallelujahs, courtesy of Cincinnati handywoman Rachel Miller. There's a distinct nod to Dorothy Ashby's work here, but reimagined for a 2025 palette; the flip leads the way to the 'Path Of Man', stripping the bark back to murkier moods, pulling from the darker corners of Conroy's upcoming full-length. He's come a long way since vacationing from the cutting lathe, representing himself in a new soulful and cinematic light, one which is yet raw and unpolished where it counts.

Review: Toronto's Icons Of Hip Hop follow up their inaugural 7" with a heavy second B-boy drop, pairing a titan of rap over an unmistakable funky 70s soul loop. The A-side delivers a vocal-led version that marries sharp bars with dusty horn chops and a butter-smooth rhythm section, channelling the crate-digging spirit of golden era production with modern flair. Flip it for the 'Touch The Sky' Funky Soul Instrumental Edit, where the sample's full groove comes into focusigritty drums, warm basslines and shimmering soul textures that nod to the track's roots while inviting DJs to get playful. Limited stickered dinked 45, this is essential heat for anyone still chasing that raw, loop-driven magic.

Review: The enduring electronic musical gene sequence that was Virginia-born pianist and keys player Lonnie Liston Smith's spiritual funk-jazz opus, 'Expansions' from 1974, now hears another re-disco-scription by keyboardist Gail Johnson and her unstoppable band, Jazz In Pink. Renowned for her keytar uplifts and relentless live schedule, this is a rare 12" for the modern genius LA live musician. Her rendition of Smith's 'Expansions' both mellows and sharpens the mood in equal measure, providing a renewed euphony come euphoria. 'Glow' backs up the B-side with a sheeny original, with dramatic phrase stops and trademark peak-out pianos from Gail.

Review: Brazilian hip-hop star Laiz follows her breakthorugh Ela Partiu album from last year with a multilingual, percussion-heavy tribute to Jorge Ben Jor & Quarteto Em Cy, threading Brazilian hip-hop through Latin groove, Afrobeat and free jazz. Recorded at Nima Studio in Hildesheim with her 20-strong band dubbed the New Love Experience, the album sits between languages and borders, echoing Laiz's own migration from Jundiai to Europe in 2019. Shaped as much by cultural dissonance as it is by Babylonian joy, the record is sung in seven languages, leaning on lyrical mysticism and transitive instrumental interplay, telling particular stories of heritage, upheaval and diasporic unity.

Review: Tea Breaks comes through with the goods again here in the form of a killer hip-hop hit that comes from the legendary East Coast scene back in the mid-90s when, for our money, it was turning out its most vital artists and albums. 'CREAM (feat R & ID)' has familiar dark soul energy with strumming strings running across its face, dusty and deep beats and iconic vocals. On the flip of this tidy 7" is an instrumental version that strips things back to the core ingredients and lets your mind do the rest.