Djar One sets our ears on 'Fire' with a bombastic barrage of brushy big beat, flipping two incendiary, palmitic r&b cuts. 'Etta Is On Fire' reworks James' classic 'On Fire' to dusty, pyrotechnic effect, with flash powders of big beat and sass encouraging sweet talk and affective buzz. Then there's a version of 'Hit The Road Jack', which lends to an unusual tempo for battle music, with Djar One rounding out the syncopated backbeat to a clipped limit.

Ken Carson's A Great Chaos marks a creative breakthrough for the Opium affiliate, showcasing a departure from his previous work and establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in Atlanta rap. Collaborating with producers like Starboy, Outtatown, F1LTHY, and Lucian, Carson delivers a thrilling album filled with outrageous beats and vibrant vocal performances. The album's calculated sequencing and diverse production create a brisk and electrifying listening experience. Carson's vocals are upfront and raw, conveying a sense of urgency and vitality that permeates each track. From the icy duet with Destroy Lonely on 'Singapore' to the bludgeoning intensity of 'Hardcore,' Carson explores new sonic territory while staying true to his roots. Carson's audacious approach and undeniable charisma elevate the album to new heights.

The esteemed Rhino stable is kicking off 2025 with a series of 26 limited edition reissues from rock giants like ZZ Top, Ramones, Fleetwood Mac and - in this case - Californian stoner icons Grateful Dead. Their second live album was originally released in 1971 and showcases them - in quintessential quintet form - blending rock 'n' roll energy, Bakersfield twang and psychedelic exploration. The album features a diverse setlist with a healthy hit of covers, from the hard-hitting version Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B Goode' and the Stones' 'Not Fade Away' to the heartfelt balladry of 'Me & Bobby McGee' and the cosmic depths of 'The Other One'.

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.

Imagine a blend of Henry David Thoreau and Neil Young's 'After the Gold Rush', with a touch of Laurel Canyon introspection and a yearning for something just beyond reach and you're close to the essence of Midlake's breakthrough album. Wistful melodies and enigmatic narratives make for a sonic landscape pitched somewhere between 1871, 1971 and a realm entirely out of time. Tracks like 'Roscoe' and 'Bandits' shimmer with a romantic yearning for simpler times, while 'Head Home' and 'Van Occupanther' delve into the introspective musings of outcasts and dreamers. Its instrumentation is rich and varied, with dreamy horns, rolling guitars and plaintive pianos weaving a tapestry of sound that perfectly complements the elusive narratives. 'Young Bride', 'Branches', and 'In This Camp' showcase the band's vocal harmonies and their ability to craft melodies that linger long after the music fades.

Blu Ray Audio. Over the past half century, Tony Levin has been a prolific session player and one of the most active live performers on the planet. He's contributed his talents to over five hundred albums amongst which include 15 with Peter Gabriel and 18 with King Crimson (counting live, studio, and compilations). Alongside contributions to the work of John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Herbie Mann, Paul Simon and many others. On tour, he's travelled The World many times over with the aforementioned King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, and several of his own bands including Stick Men. This Fall, he'll stage 65 performances in North America as a member of BEAT, celebrating King Crimson's 80's repertoire alongside Adrian Belew, Steve Vai and Danny Carey interpreting Discipline, Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair." Levin's seventh solo album, and his first since 2007, is an autobiography of sorts, with the themes drawn from Levin's musical life. It features a myriad of collaborators from his half-century-plus on the road and in the studio with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson and many, many others. "It could have been done a long time ago, frankly," Levin says, of Bringing It Down to the Bass, "but it's because of a problem I have, which is a very good problem to have. And that's that I have a lot of touring and that's what I love to do, playing live. It just didn't give me much time at home to work on finishing the album that I've been working on for five or six years." "I had pieces very much in the prog-rock vein and I had pieces that were based on the bass," Levin says, "and somewhere around the middle of the record I made the difficult decision to toss the prog stuff - well, not toss it exactly, save it for another album - and the more I focused, I chose the kind of pieces that had to me a sense of unity to it in that it's about the bass. Not songs with singing about the bass, but each song is either based on a bass riff or a bass technique that I then invited some great rhythm sections to play on. Region code: 0 (universal)

Berlin's Disco Disco give us disco not once, but twice. This homespun label attests to its artisanship by limiting each of its releases to short 500-ish runs, and hand-stamping each and every one of them. The latest of its type is this new one from ethereal disco-house artist Ube, offering a new three-track sex-lixir. We reach a mellow precipice on 'On The Edge', reining in our impulse to let loose through skilfully withheld chords and jutting, yet still attenuated and hazy backing elements. 'Corsica Deep' and 'Heatwave' offer two further divesuited and snorkeled visions of the deep, their fluttery surround elements and murmurations suggesting the presence of sunken ghosts.

Hip-hop icon Rakim is son to return with a new album G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH), but before that come some teaser singles and this one of them. 'Be Ill' perfectly sets the tone with Rakim's raw rhymes and head-nodding production complemented by standout features from Kurupt and Masta Killa. On 'Love Is The Message', the American great slows it down with soulful vibes and enlists the late Nipsey Hussle plus Planet Asia, Snoop Dogg and more for a heartfelt anthem. This single and the ensuing LP celebrates Rakim's enduring hunger as an emcee and producer and proves that many years after he made his mark, he still has the skills to pay the bills.