Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: This is another reissue of a record that remains an ongoing favourite. Original Gravity delivered again with the original pressing featuring two unique versions of 'Burning Spear'. Nestor Alvarez opens with a lively, Latin-inspired rendition filled with fluttering flute melodies, raw drum beats and vibrant dancing keys that radiate sunny energy. On the flip, La Machine D'Argent takes a more cosmic approach, smoothing the vibe and layering spaced-out sounds for a dreamy, immersive journey. This release showcases Original Gravity's knack for reimagining funk with flair by offering two distinct yet equally good takes on a timeless groove.

Review: There ain't much that Matt Early and Lee Jeffries cannot do, and they have more than proven that with the music they have dropped this month alone. There have been four or five essential 7"s on Sonic Wax In Da House and its new sister label Disco Edits and this latest one is another bomb. It finds the duo taking Afro banger 'Rhythms Of Africa' and flipping it with their own Jazzphonic mix. It takes the original into new sonic realms with jazzy, dancing keys, restless drum funk, lashings of percussion and plenty of manic flutes. The instrumental is no less busy nor effective.

Review: After two long years, Dailysession has decided to reboot its popular DSR House EP series. As with its' three predecessors, volume four is a split affair. Montreal-based Jonattan Levingstone, co-founder of Parages Music, handles side A, first delivering a deep, immersive, dubby and space-heavy epic (the soft-touch, sunrise-ready hypnotism of 'Licorella') before doffing a cap to Japanese great Sprinkes and Italian ambient house of old on the gorgeous and enveloping 'Nufsaid'. Label head honcho DJ Monchan takes over on the flip. 'Eyes', a decidedly Balearic collaboration with Alfonsso Bottone, sits somewhere between musically detailed Kyoto Jazz Massive style nu-jazz and blissful deep house, while 'Tears From Stars (DJ Monchan Remix)' sees him turn a lesser-known version of a familiar song (Sting's 1987 number 'Fragile') into a Balearic house shuffler.

Review: Loftsoul's Re Works series is back with a sixth chapter that gets decidedly deep, not least with the opener 'Deep Poem'. It is just that - a smoky mix of dubby and slow-motion drums, wispy synths and spoken words that make for an intimate vibe. 'Euro-Express' brings rickety Kraftwerk rhythms and sleek synths right up to date with bigger low ends, then a classic piece of Ryuichi Sakamoto ambient gets a remix with some more crunchy textures but the same sense of melodic gorgeousness. Four useful sounds for constructing late-night mixes.

Review: Theo Parrish has green-lit a couple of back catalogue reissues from his Sound Signature label this month and this one originally came back in 2010 and found him on production duties and Bilal Love on the vocals. The Melloghettomental EP is an archetype Parrish offering - dusty, lo-fi beatdown and house fusions with muted but meaningful chords and aching vocal hooks. You get all that on blissed-out opener 'Can't Keep Running Away', superbly soulful live bass work on 'U Bring Me Up' and heavier, more griding grooves but still sublime vocals on 'Why Wait'. The title cut is an off-grid mix of sci-fi melodies and diffuse chords, shimmering drums and low slub bass. Sublime.

Review: Polish producer Latarnik and American vocalist Anthony Mills collide on this new album for Polish label Astigmatic to explore lo-fi hip-hop, soul, dub and experimental electronics. Mills's falsetto vocal brings great Neo-soul warmth to Crack Rock with emotionally charged tones soaring over the production which ranges from sugary and 80s-tinged disco and boogie on 'Crack' to deep, seductive and gooey on 'Passive Lover' which is a more romantic sound. Latarnik's work is often minimal yet immersive which creates space for Mills' voice to shine and is delivered in equal parts spoken word, chant and soulful croon. The hypnotic, slow-burning soundscapes that result are both intimate and confrontational, ready to make you dance but also often just to feel. Unapologetically raw and deeply human, this one lingers long after the final track ends.

Review: Danny Scott Lane's CAPUT album first arrived in 2021 as a cassette-only release and became a mini classic amongst those who know. It's a comforting, welcoming, soothing and serene ambient-jazz blend with thoughtful melodies a plenty and nice lazy rhythms. It's 'desert music inspired by the city' says the artist and is a pleasurable escape to emotionally rich places that go gentle on your soul. The pads are soft and smudged, the percussion is organic and deft, the melodies often fade to nothing as if distracted and the whole thing is a timeless work of great beauty.

Review: Noa Lauryn is a soulful r&b artist known for her honest lyrics and feel-good energy. She crafts neo-soul influenced by Jazmine Sullivan, Anderson .Paak and Mahalia and blends acoustic and electronic sounds backed by her jazz and hip-hop-rooted band, The Incredibles. Coin Collection is a wonderful window into her sound that will appeal to fans of the likes of Fatima and D'Angelo. It has lush drums and whimsical chords with romantic melodies and super smooth, emotive vocals from Lauryn. Some cuts ride raw like 'Bubble' while 'Head On (feat Josimar Gomes)' are deep, empowering grooves.

Review: Ledley is an album of immersive, improvised electroacoustic music by Raph Clarkson who plays trombone and takes care of FX while Chris Williams is on saxophone and Riaan Vosloo on electronics and post-production. It is their debut release and it pays tribute to legendary Spurs footballer Ledley King by drawing on the atmospheric sounds of North European ambient music and layering in deep references to Tottenham, with tracks like 'Seven Sisters Road' and 'Lordship Lane.' The album explores the intersection of improv and football fandom while, we're told, expressing the themes of community, struggle and resilience. With intricate, evolving soundscapes, this is a profound meditation on football.

Review: Giuseppe Leonardi returns with his highly anticipated mini-album 7 on the fresh label Unsure following his acclaimed releases for Second Circle. This eclectic collection features seven tracks showcasing Leonardi's diverse musical range. Kicking off with the unexpected 'Suzi Wong' which blends reggae and dub influences with mutant disco vibes and captivating vocals, it then takes in tracks like 'Anti Narcotics Police,' 'Both,' and 'Rrrrrrr' with uplifting house beats with a quirky pop twist. 'Wonder Girls' and 'Wondering' evoke rhythmic echoes of Stefan Schwander's new work, while 'Deadline' brings funkiness and magical melodies. 7 is a unique sonic journey that brightens any day with its playful coolness and raw charm.

Review: This new album from Les Truffles is as delicious as the thing they are named after, and as classy too. It's a deep dive into their smoky and seductive late night instrumental funk sound. The drumming is deft and feathery, the chords like puddles of bliss and the melodies hypotonic. Sometimes there is caution in the stick work to make for an unsettling mood, at others these sounds are warm and controlling for evening relaxation. Fans of El Michels Affair and Bad Bad Not Good will surely lap up this double album on Funk Night.

Review: "I was diagnosed with ADHD at 15 when I was expelled from school. I often feel like every day is an emotional rollercoaster. This album is a representation of that. It's a journey of high-energy, intense songs and deep, slow, mournful ballads", says Tara Lily, the British-Bengali South Londoner whose been turning heads with her captivating blend of jazz, electronica, trip hop, experimental r&b and Indian-subcontinental musical hues and cues. Produced by Dom Valentino, Speak In The Dark is immediately engrossing, like walking into a room to find an open fire blazing and falling into its spell the moment you take a seat. It's beautiful, and in some moments staggeringly so. It's packed with groove and mood and atmosphere that's somewhere between edge and sophistication, at times closing in on the carnival dnb-pop that Tru Thoughts has always done so well. Simply put, this is the best thing you'll hear for some time.

Review: The music of this unique quartet explores the roots of African music while embracing its newest possibilities. Featuring Malian singer Rokia Traore and griot Mamah Diabate, alongside Stefano Pilia (Afterhours, Massimo Volume), their collaboration merges with Gambian griot Jabel Kanuteh, a kora virtuoso, and percussionist Marco Zanotti. The fusion of Malian and Gambian rhythms with Italian influences creates a fresh new sound that blends the ancient and the modern. The music weaves jazz, rock and folk with a number of experimental digressions but never at the expense of an underlying groove and high-fidelity sense of musicianship that connects diverse cultural identities.

Review: On their first album, 2023's Legacy, French trio Emile Londonien (a name chosen to reflect their love of British musical culture) explored contemporary jazz of the sort you might hear played by locals at London's Total Refreshment Centre. They take a slightly different tack on Inwards, combining the breeziness and musical positivity of their previous work with added nods to jazz-funk, dub, fusion, spaced-out soundscapes, soul-jazz and broken beat. Highlights are plentiful, from the smoky sweetness of 'Easy' (featuring guest vocalist Cherise) and the loose-limbed organic dancefloor rhythms of 'Catch The Light' (a definite nod to UK legend Kaidi Tatham), to the intergalactic jazz-soul of 'Another Galaxy' (with Ashley Henry) and the live tech-jazz masterpiece 'The Vibe Is'.

Review: The superb Emile Londonien band returns with their second album, Inwards, which is one that manages to showcase their evolution as well as deepening ties to the British jazz scene with collaborations from artists like Ashley Henry, CHERISE and Kazy Lambist. True to form, Emile Londonien brings their unique style to life here across some majestic cuts that range in mood and groove. They blend broken beat, house, jazz and r&b in a fresh, distinctive way which means that Inwards reaffirms their talent for merging genres, pushing boundaries but also retaining their signature sound.

Review: "I wanted this album to sound like a collage," says Rosie Lowe about her new album Lover, Other. She aimed to blend her love of choral music, sample culture, live music energy, and intricate electronic production. This ambitious vision stems from a decade of industry experience and a lifelong passion for music. Over fifteen tracks, Lover, Other reflects this complexity-self-doubt versus self-assurance, age against youth, life against death-revealing Lowe's inner dialogue. Her flawless vocal layers and effortless delivery tie it all together, creating a patchwork tapestry that celebrates every facet of her character and musicality.

Review: You don't need to know that Craobh Haven was made during a one week residency at a tiny cabin in a remote Scottish village of the same name. One play through of the latest stunner to land on the ever-excellent ambient institution SWIMS and it'll feel like you were there in person. A witness to the creation of this strangely natural-feeling, highly technically-crafted, six tracker. Everything about the work by London-based musician and visual artist Loz Keystone and Glaswegian synth explore and jazz trumpeter Christos Stylianides feels in the right place. Its warm and fuzzy but vast and windswept. It's avant garde and abstract, but rounded and complete. It's incredibly inviting and slowly hypnotic. Distant samples of inaudible chatter and looped melodic refrains. Distorted walls of noise masking the patient power of aching brass. You get the point.