14 days

Review: Dego and Kaidi on Sound Signature whut???? Here's a partnership that makes perfect sense! The West London legends bring their signature blend of soul and brukked up grit to Theo Parrish's label across three stellar cuts resulting in a 12" that will remain long in the box. Lead track "Adam Rock Dissed" sets the tone, gliding out of the grooves with impeccably placed drums snapping away loosely as Kaidi lets loose with his magical fingers on keys. Next up, "Moths In Wallets" rolls forward and fat on a lazy breakbeat with the vibe enhanced by the low bass rumble and rich, rich keys. This might be our favourite cut on the 12" though B-side production "Backchat for Toprock" runs it close. Live drums get ripped up hard, rocking to their own broken step as Dego and Kaidi slowly tease out some heart wrenching chords amidst a flurry of heavy piano. The masters are in session, pay attention!

Review: The long running Late Night Tales series has retained a certain prominence despite the increasing flood of online mixes and podcasts thanks to the concept that's remained its selling point; namely ask a high profile musician, act or band to compile a selection of music to soundtrack the post club twilight hours. Everyone from Four Tet to Bonobo and Trentemoller have featured previously and now it's the turn of London indie troupe Django Django. Overseen by the band's Dave Mclean, this twenty one track selection demonstrates he's got a fine ear for music with cuts from Bob James, Primal Scream, Roy Davis Jnr and Massive Attack sequenced perfectly. The requisite cover version sees Django Django taking on The Monkees whilst Benjamin Cumberbatch is called on to do the closing spoken word honours.

Review: For one reason or another, this is Emanative's debut for London's Jazzman imprint, with the artist having touched most other like-minded labels thus far. Better late than never, we say! It also marks Nick Woodmansey's fourth studio album to date, having travelled through Space and Time, and now landing firmly on Earth. As you'd expect, mystique and experimentation are very much a core part of this LP, morphing at every turn, shifting unpredictably amid jazz flutes, deep cello bass, and a supremely sporadic drumming aesthetic that perfectly encapsulates the 'free' element of jazz. The electronics play a part too, however, adding a noticeable aura to an already atmospheric selection of sonic patterns. A beauty, from start to finish.

Review: Released back in 2003, Rounds was the third LP from Kieran Hebden as Four Tet and perhaps the first long player that widely established him as a pioneering voice within electronic music. Though it doesn't feel like a decade since it was released, Domino celebrate the album's tenth anniversary in requisite fashion here, reissuing it in double LP format and slipping in a CD of Four Tet performing live in Copenhagen in 2004. Listening back now, it's easy to understand why Rounds is viewed as an early classic in the Four Tet canon, transferring his love for free jazz records to a beat template that's more palatable on the ear (Fact pickers might want to know that Hebden recently revealed to Pitchfork the LP was made entirely from samples) "She Moves She" still sounds absolutely haunting too!

Review: Since bagging the 2014 Mercury Music Prize for sophomore set V.20, GoGo Penguin has become one of the most talked-about outfits around. The self-confessed "very modern piano trio" has succeeded largely due to their far-sighted ability to fuse more traditional jazz and classical music sounds with a surprisingly wide palette of influences, most notably dancefloor-focused 21st century electronic music. On A Humdrum Star, their fourth full length, the Manchester threesome has decided to take a "freer" and more "liberated" approach. The resultant music is every bit as exciting, entertaining and beguiling as you'd expect, with the full-throttle, high-octane dancefloor jazz of "Raven", atmospheric and undulating "Bardo" and gently jazz-funk influenced brilliance of closer "Window" amongst the highlights.

Review: Soul Has No Tempo present Groove Curse, Jordan Rakei's long-awaited follow up to highly-acclaimed debut EP Franklin's Room, his modern take on reggae-infused soul music. Groove Curse takes an evolved turn, with a sound Rakei describes as "raw, vocal-driven, groove". With the first single off the EP, Street Light featuring Berklee College of Music Alumni Gwen Bunn (vocalist and producer of Schoolboy Q's Collard Greens feat. Kendrick Lamar), the release celebrates the skills of upcoming young musicians who are writing, self-producing and taking full advantage of their vocal and multi-instrumentalist talents.

Review: Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One's on/off funk boogie project Tuxedo gets the remix treatment from an all-star/all-genre cast that could only make sense on a label like Stones Throw. Kaytranada adds a loose Plant Life style swing, long-time Snoop confidant Battlecat retains more of the synth juiciness while adding his own west coast funk signature while Jean Tonique flips the disco bird with a lavish almost Balearic twist that you could instantly imagine Greg Wilson or Luke Solomon playing. All complete with instrumentals this is a very well dressed package. Dapper.

Review: You have to admire Leon Vynehall's ambition. Although he built his career by delivering atmospheric, otherworldly club music, his first set for Ninja Tune is a sprawling, largely ambient - or at the very least hazy and horizontal - concept album inspired by the story of his parents emigrating to New York. Thus, the ten tracks that make up the album - crafted from a combination of field recordings, sound effects, orchestral instrumentation recorded at Konk's studio in New York and his own sublime electronics - were produced and sequenced to tell a story. It's epic stuff, all told, but crucially also incredibly good. It proves, without any shadow of a doubt, that Vynehall is a producer with talent to match his widescreen vision.