CD Album Recommendations September 2014

Review: German veteran Roman Flugel's debut album under his given name, 2011's Fatty Folders, was something of a surprise package - a collection of warm, playful and melodious tracks that belied his reputation for hypnotic techno and eccentric deep house. This follow-up retains that playfulness - not to mention a curious pop sensibility with regards to tunefulness - but douses it in the clanking rhythms of machine drums and industrial strength electronics. The production is still pleasingly finessed, but there's also a pleasingly raw feel to his blends of IDM, deep house, deep techno, electronica and classic Kraftwerk (see the standout "Wilkie"). Happiness is Happening also impressively plays around with mood and tempo, with wholeheartedly positive results.

Review: It's been a long time between drinks for Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe; their last album dropped way back in 2009. Happily, Junto could be seen as something as a return to form. While it lacks the sheer excitement of their early work, there's a breezy, summery feel about their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink blends of styles and sounds that's particularly appealing. It's noticeably less hectic than previous excursions, with the veteran duo variously turning their hands to classic house, radio-friendly pop, basement-bothering , bashment-inspired house, trap, trip-hop and carnival rhytnms (the horn-heavy "Mermaid of Salinas"). This edition comes bundled with a bonus disc containing a range of extended versions, remixes and bonus cuts, including the thrillingly odd "Moments in Dub".

Review: For all the impressive vivaciousness of his previous albums, Drew Lustman has occasionally been guilty of throwing together far too many ideas. Of course, when he hit the spot - and his track record in that regard is impressive - few could match his ability to fuse a myriad of dancefloor-centric styles with vivid melodies and kkleidoscopic sounds. On Into The Wild, his fourth album, he consciously takes a different approach, fixing his colourful sound palette to more downtempo rhythms - think hip-hop, jazz, dub and pitched-down post-dubstyep -and ambient soundscapes. The results are, by and large, stunning, with Lustman delivering evocative and at times spellbinding compositions that are almost cinematic in feel. It's a surprise turn, for sure, but one that offers further proof of Lustman's impeccable credentials.

Review: It's been some six years since renowned misery guys Kevin Martin won plaudits for London Zoo, a typically dark, intense and aggressive full-length that showcased his unique ability to blend dubstep, grime, dancehall and dub techno textures into nightmarish new shapes. Angels & Devils, his belated follow-up, is intriguingly different. While the second half of the set is blessed with plenty of robust, floor-friendly riddims (each blessed with vocals from a range of impressive collaborators), the first half is an altogether more downbeat affair. In fact, it's these moments - the droning, dub-inflected ambience of "Pandi" and the bluesy, soundscape dub-soul of "Save Me" - that hit home hardest.

Review: Unbelievably, it's been a decade since Roni Size last released an album, and nine since he dropped a solo single. Take Kontrol, then, is something of a pleasant surprise; not only for it's appearance at all, but also because it's rather good. Of course, much has changed in D&B since the Bristolian's last outing, and that's reflected in the sounds and micro-styles explored. Sure, there's a blast-from-the-past feel about some of the material - see the jump-up meets EDM of "Made in Korea", for starters - but for the most part it sounds like something that could appear on Hospital. There's a bold, festival-friendly feel through, with lashings of bright electronics, starburst synths and, of course, heavyweight electro basslines. Oh, and autotune-heavy pop vocals.

Review: Under his now familiar Tokyo Prose alias, New Zealand-born Sam Reed has prospered in recent years, delivering a brand of warm, deep, musically rich drum and bass that recalls the glory days of liquid D&B. Presence is his debut album, and it expands a little on his trademark sound whilst retaining a becalmed, almost horizontal approach. Sure, many of the rhythms are punchy, but they're smothered in twinkling pianos, soulful vocals and chords straight out of the classic ambient playbook. Occasional forays into downtempo (see the delicious opener "16 Bar Cycles" and impeccable closing track "Dance With You") and post-dubstep territory only serve to enhance the immersive, laidback mood.

Review: Pure Ghanaian gold, Disco Documentary: Full Of Funk was a rare private press released in 1979 never to be released again... Until now. Dusting off the long lost tapes with due care and attention, BBE have kindly reminded us that disco had much wider impact than the US and Europe. Nana Love's slightly nasal tones are instantly alluring, but it's the clam-tight musicianship that really bites. Big Bernard Edwards bass, shiny guitar twangs, extensive organ noodling and vibrant Afrofunk horns galore, this is a truly stunning document.

Review: Ital has always confounded expectations, releasing electronic music that flits between styles and defies easy categorization. The American producer's at it again on Endgame, an album supposedly inspired by minimalist composers and his recent experiments with psychedelic drugs. Certainly, Endgame boasts the hypnotic, off-kilter pulse of, say, Steve Reich and Philip Glass, and the dreamy, hard-to-focus musical wizardry most associated with psychedelia. Despite these influences - and occasional nods to both jazz and dub - it's primarily a techno album, with ghostly electronics, skittish rhythms and drowsy chords underpinning crystalline melodies. It's certainly his most considered album to date, and arguably his best.

Review: Young Turks clearly believe that Tahlilah Barnett, formerly known as Twigs (hence the FKA Twigs pseudonym) is a star in the making. They plucked her from obscurity last year and have since released a number of highly regarded singles. This debut album expands on her EPs to date, showcasing her woozy, intricate take on post-R&B. Naturally, her vocals - fragile and evocative, sounding not unlike Kate Bush on occasions - take centre stage, riding a bed of layered-up head-nodding rhythms, post dubstep grooves, trip-hop soundscapes, fizzing electronics and bubbling synthesizers. It's an intoxicating brew, all told, and one that delivers further proof of Barnett's immense potential.

Review: It makes perfect sense for the London trio of Carlo Anderson, Matthew Benyayer and Thomas Edwards to issue their debut Dark Sky album on Monkeytown as they've gradually become more and more affiliated with the network of labels overseen by Modeselektor. So how exactly does Imagin sound? It covers alot of the bases we've come to expect from both Dark Sky and Monkeytown; there's the skywards pointing melodic flex of the opening title track, a smattering of vocal numbers (such as lead single "Silent Fall"), some bass heavy floor burners ("Voyages" and the neck snapping "Odyssey" stand out) and plenty more to boot.

Review: Tying down Spanish duo Pig & Dan to one particular style has always been tough. Since first appearing on Submission Records in 2003, they've gleefully flitted between tribal, tech-house, progressive house, progressive trance and techno. Here, they pop up with a double album for Bedrock - their third full-length in total - that harks back to the glory days of baked downtempo grooves. Sure, there are dancefloor excursions - see the dub house of "Magic Wake Up Call" and "Positive Vibrations" - but these are few and far between. Instead, they focus on hazy grooves, dub, ambient, sun-backed trip-hop, humid hip-hop, nu-jazz, ambient and deep breaks, with surprisingly impressive results.

Review: Yes! Powder Horn is the result of Powell's Diagonal label coaxing a new album's worth of material out of Shit & Shine, the masterful project of Texan musician Craig Clouse. Whereas previous Shit & Shine material has seen Clouse working with other musicians, this album is purely his own work and delights on so many levels. It's fairly hard to accurately surmise how this nine-track album sounds such is the range of styles covered though Diagonal's description of Powder Horn as a raucous collection of 'deviant funk, wiry disco and burnt-out acid' is pretty on the money. Perhaps it's best to describe it as everything (and more) you'd expect to hear in a Powell DJ set with "Pearl Drop" and "PG13" particular standouts.

Review: It's been three years since husband-and-wife team Jus' Ed and Jenifa Mayanja released their collaborative debut album, Let's Groove. Since then, both have been busy with solo projects, delivering a large volume of releases in their distinctive warm, melodious and loose deep house style. Love It Or Leave It, then, is something of a rare treat for those who dig their wholeheartedly positive and spontaneous take on deep house. It's perhaps a little breezier than either producer's solo work, with less immersive pads (though they are present, particularly on the chiming "Love Bubbles Change"). It's still deep, though, with cascading melodies, picturesque chords and occasional soul-flecked vocals riding a range of deep, sinewy house grooves.