Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Rhythm Section International turns ten this yearia whole decade since Bradley Zero started what seemed like a modest project, spinning out of those infamous Peckham pool hall parties. But modest it was not. In those ten years, Rhythm Section became more than just a label. It became a pulseia defining force in London's music landscape, rippling out across the globe. To celebrate the milestone, Rhythm Section has pulled together something that's as much a reflection as it is a bold step forward: a three-part compilation titled PAST, RE-IMAGINED AND FUTURE. Six discs, 30 tracks, spanning the label's evolution while pointing toward its next era. The first two discs? A dive into history, with one track from each year since 2014ia walk through the archives that pulls out deep cuts and forgotten classics. Then we get into the RE-IMAGINED part, where artists from the label like Ruf Dug, Session Victim, and Private Joy reinterpret past tracks in their own styles. No gimmicksijust raw, playful creativity that breathes new life into the old. And finally, the FUTURE: two discs of brand-new material for 2024. Artists like RONI, Gayance, and Jordan Rakei under his Frank Liin alias step forward to show where the label's heading, blending genres and moods seamlessly. What's special about this release is that it never feels like it's trying too hardiit's a reflection of the organic growth that's made Rhythm Section what it is today. Ten years in, and the label's as forward-thinking, alternative and grounded as ever.

Review: Ambiances Ambigues shows off the breadth and depth of its talent pool with this new compilation of experimental post-rock, synth and ambient sounds. There is nothing poppy about them despite the title, and in fact in places these sounds bring to mind great composers like Ennio Morricone and John Carpenter, as well as the indie-breaks of UNCLE and plenty more references from the noise and abstract world. It's dense and intense, and a perfect go-to when you want to add something a little different to your rotation.

Review: Landing several months after it was presumably intended to be released (we blame the inevitable vinyl pressing delays), this bustling triple-vinyl set is a sequel to Parisian imprint LoFi Records' Halloween-themed compilation of 2023. Featuring fresh artists delivering spooky-themed tunes - coded with liberal use of sustained organ sounds, jaunty melodies and frequently head-nodding beats - it's a largely instrumental affair packed with tracks that are frequently as melodious and ear-catching as they are horror-tinged. Highlights include the post-air trip-hop shuffle of 'A Pumpkin's Farewell' by Frances The Mute v Lenny B, the DJ Cam-esque headiness of Swink's 'Bloody Night', the sring-laden folk-horror-goes-hip-hop flex of Alto vs Lenny Loops' 'Hollow' and the haunted headiness of Solar Body's 'Hocus Pocus'.

Review: Hydeout Productions released its first-ever compilation album, Hydeout Productions: First Collection, in 2019 as a way of celebrating the best of the independent label's roster. The album featured a selection of Nujabes' early, energetic works alongside more emotional and metaphorical tracks, which later shaped his distinctive sound and success. It became a cult classic in no time so soon sold out, which is why now, five years on, it is reissued on double gatefold. The collection makes for a nice ride through the evolution of Nujabes's style from sunny broken beats to jazzy interludes and plenty of lush instrumental moments in between.

Review: The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions a rare kind of affirmation, one that has the power to course-correct many a sensitive soul whose 'meaning well' might have more unintended negative consequences than good. It's also exactly the kind of title that London experimental electronic producer Vegyn would choose for a mixtape-album; it inspires a kind of wisdom-starved curiosity in those who might seek to plug that gap via the music of an artist more experienced than they. But in this case, beyond this title, Vegyn has no further wisdom to impart than reams of his signature trip-hop and IDM glossouts, featuring fellow London regulars such as Ethan P. Flynn, Lauren Auder, Lea Sen and John Glacier; the album is transcendent in timbre, seeming to constantly push at the limits of Vegyn's stereotypically snappier and sparser sound.