Back catalogue:

Review: Next up for the Irie Ites label, which is a real favourite for reggae heads, is this dynamic collaboration featuring Queen Omega, Chezidek and U Brown with production by Irie Ites. This original A-side track 'Three The Hard Way' brings together powerful reggae and dancehall vibes while blending each artist's unique style into a compelling anthem. Queen Omega's soulful voice, Chezidek's conscious lyrics, and U Brown's classic dancehall delivery create great synergy and the production means the track pulses with heavy rhythms. The flipside is Lone Ark's dubbed-out and nicely horizontal 'Inity Riddim.'

Review: Seafront International returns with some classic roots sounds from U Brown with a dub from Jah Warrior. Recorded at Conscious Sounds studio in London 2001, the sounds are stripped down to raw bass and drum dynamics by producer Jah Warrior who was clearly intent on allowing his work to be a personal platform for U Brown to offer up his own lyrical expressions and his musical messages. It's a track delivered with energy and serious focus and will sound best nice and loud.

Review: Both tracks on this crucial new drop from Duke share a common theme of love and harmony, which were of course the cornerstones of reggae and part of the reason it has such an enduring appeal as the universal need for compassion and unity has never diminished. In fact, it might be more needed now than ever. First, 'Peace & Love' by U-Roy, The Jamaicans, and Tommy McCook & The Supersonics is a timeless cut with U-Roy's toasting sat next to horn-driven rhythms that were first released in the 1970s. Similarly, Tommy McCook & The Supersonics' "The World Needs Love" captures the essence of70s reggae, with McCook's smooth saxophone leading the instrumental arrangement.

Review: Whether or not this label is named in reference to long-life semi-skimmed milk, we do not know, but the tunes on it are certainly fatter than the 2% you get with UHT. 'Set Your House In Order' is the sort of raw, from-the-heart soul sound that will bring any floor to rapture with its gospel influenced lyrics, big horns and neat organ chords. It's a real dancer, while 'Lego Brick Road' is more of a funk-strutter with moody bass and upright kicks embellished with some warped vocals and playful licks. Two gems.

Review: A few years after recording at Damon Studios in Kansas City, Bump & The Soul Stompers-led by Jerald "Bump" Scott-rebranded as the Unnatural Funk Band. Unable to find a label for 'I Can Remember' they recorded at Cavern Studios, a unique space built in a Missouri limestone cave. Their track 'Living in the Past' features a nostalgic falsetto, while 'Strange Happenings' showcases a standout funk groove. This previously unreleased music was rediscovered with Scott's help during the Numero Group's research for the Eccentric Soul: The Forte Label collection, which now brings fresh attention to this rare Kansas City soul act.

Review: UZOO brings their raw energy and smart lyricism to new this new single which comes on Ill Adrenaline Records from the US. This project highlights the collective's dynamic sound which blends gritty beats and sharp, thought-provoking lyrics which add up to a refreshing take on hip-hop while staying rooted in the genre's golden era influences. 'Attack' hits hard with heavy, precise drums and gravelly vocals next to a mix of string samples, dark soul synths and eerie melodies that float way up above the drums.

Review: In the 1970s, UK reggae band The Cimarons were an in-demand backing act who worked with then-iconic Jamaican artists like the Wailers and Jimmy Cliff. During a 1975 tour of Japan with the Pioneers, they found time to hook up with guitarist and vocalist Toshikatsu Uchiumi of the rock band The Carol. This is the result - a fusion of different reggae perspectives that also folds in mid-70s Japanese rock and blues, with Uchiumi singing in Japanese and contributing lead guitar. Produced by Sidney Crooks, this one-off release showed how adaptable and brilliant the The Cimarons' were and has a broad appeal to fans of both reggae and rock.

Review: Veteran French hip-hop producer Ugly Mac Beer ventures into synth-punk with this new album. A passion project conceived in his teens, this record embodies three decades of musical ambition and collides post-punk, electro-punk, darkwave and new wave with US hip-hop and rap rock. Influences like Beastie Boys, The Cure, Kraftwerk and Sleaford Mods resonate throughout and collaborations with Princess Superstar-whose hit 'Perfect' recently resurged on TikTok-French rapper Mynameisleonidas, Frustration's vocalist and longtime ally The Real Fake MC, Broken Ill is a bold trip. Ugly Mac Beer reinvents himself here by delivering a daring UK-inspired rap rock gem that defies convention.

Review: Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann, Josh Johnson and Sam Wilkes, a collective of three versatile improvisers, arrangers and producers whose work spans jazz, rock and experimental. Across 11 instrumental tracks, they explore a jazz-informed take on progressive electro-acoustic chamber music that brings beauty, melody and rhythm to the fore. The record was conceived during live shows and a home session in Los Angeles and features Uhlmann's mournful fingerpicked guitar, Wilkes' bass chording and Johnson's effect-laden saxophone. Their arrangement-minded improvisation results in some nicely otherworldly textures as they push their instruments to create a spacious, lyrical sound.

Review: In classic jazz style, this collaborative three-way debut album brings together three musicians at the top of their game: SML members Gregory Uhlman (guitar and effects) and Josh Johnson (saxophone and effects), and sometime Louis Cole, Sam Gendel and Chaka Khan collaborator Sam Wilkes (bass and effects). Musically, what the trio offers is undeniably unique, with International Anthem describing the album as "a jazz-informed take on progressive electro-acoustic chamber music". Certainly, there's much to enjoy, from the tracked bass, guitar and sax loops and subtle changes of 'Mavis' and the dreamlike ambient jazz of 'Arpy', to the bubbling cosmic jazz of 'Frica' and a stunning, off-kilter instrumental cover of Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles number 'The Fool On The Hill'.

Review: Having recently been refused entry into the US due to their staunch anti-Trump stance, London's own pub rock turned homegrown punk icons UK Subs shall reissue their criminally underrated Japan Today for Record Store Day 2025. Originally released in 1987 and ranked letter J in the Subs' A-Z album list, this LP has been out of print for the past decade and finally returns home to wax for both longtime fans who've worn their original pressing down to PVC scraps and late to the party newcomers doing their most studious punk homework. Remastered with updated artwork, featuring both Knox and Daryl Barth wielding a double-guitar assault, the record boasts some of the band's most overlooked gems such as 'Another Cuba' and 'Thunderbird Wine'.

Review: Though much of the devout U.K. Subs fanbase will insist that the band's debut full-length Another Kind Of Blues is the begin and end-all of the pub-rockers turned punk icons seminal offerings to the punkosphere, both their legendary frontman Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt have previously stated that they believe their fifth LP Endangered Species is their crowning achievement. With lyrical cynicism showcasing Harper's razor sharp wit and riffage that simultaneously reflects the burgeoning hardcore scene forming across the Atlantic in 1982 (an era that saw the first batch of albums from future legends such as Black Flag, Negative Approach and Circle Jerks) whilst furthering their own brand of homegrown rock-centric punk into frenetic new directions, the work was severely ahead of its time with regards to where punk was at and where it was heading, with bangers such as the title-track or sarcastic 'Down On The Farm' still going as hard today as they did over four decades years ago.

Review: Although the common consensus amongst the fateful UK Subs fanbase regards London's own pub-rockers turned punk heroes' classic debut LP Another Kind Of Blues as the high watermark of their output, many devout listener as well as both founding vocalist Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt will counter-argue that the band's explosive fifth album Endangered Species (1982) is their strongest work. Complete with razor sharp cynical, lyrical insights and chunky riffage not dissimilar to the burgeoning hardcore scene formulating in tandem in early 80s USA, the material saw the Subs pushing their own form of classic rock-oriented punk into aggressive, surprising new directions, being both sonically emblematic of where the punk scene was at this time and where the future was beckoning towards, while bangers such as the title-track and the humorously sardonic 'Down On The Farm' still go as hard today as they did over four decades prior.

Review: While many a devout U.K. Subs fanatic will lay claim that the pub-rockers turned punk legends' seminal debut full-length Another Kind Of Blues is and shall always be the band's most vital contribution to the punk maelstrom, both legendary founding vocalist Charlie Harper and guitarist Nicky Garratt consider their fifth album Endangered Species to be their finest work. Boasting razor sharp lyrical cynicism and riffs simultaneously reflective of the burgeoning hardcore scene taking shape across the pond in 1982 (which saw the first slew of albums from future icons such as Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Descendents) while also pushing their own form of homegrown rock-oriented punk into aggressive new directions, the material was majorly ahead of its time in regards to where the punk scene was and where it was headed, with gems such as the title-track and sardonic 'Down On The Farm' still going as hard as they did 40 years ago. A true testament to the underrated staying power of one of the homegrown greats of first wave punk..

Review: This refreshed edition of the standout album from Ultravox comes as part of Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 and has been mixed in majestic stereo by Steven Wilson. It arrives on a double CD and pays tribute to one of the band's most influential works and in the process highlights the groundbreaking sound that defined their era. The album retains its timeless appeal all these years on and mixes up the innovative essence of the original with a modern touch. Alongside the original tracks, this edition includes instrumental versions that serve up a deeper exploration of the music and make it a must-own piece for fans old or new.

Review: This Ultravox classic gets a special release for Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 on double vinyl complete with a stunning stereo mix by Steven Wilson. This version offers a refreshed take on the iconic album and is a fine homage to one of the band's most defining works. It reminds just how groundbreaking their sound was at the time and it still has a modern twist that makes it feel relevant now. Instrumentals are all included next to the originals for added depth.

Review: Unionen is a new quartet of top-tier Norwegian and Swedish jazz musicians, namely Stale Storlokken, Per "Texas" Johansson, Petter Eldh and Gard Nilssen. Their name references the 1814-1905 union between Sweden and Norway and their sound is truly unique in the way it combines misty introspection and energetic rock-infused jazz. This album then is a deeply original musical experience with tracks like 'Stahlbad' and '6983' dull of emotional nuance. Eight originals overall blend classic and rare instruments, creating a unified, emotive sound. Early live shows have been praised, confirming their status as a standout jazz ensemble.

Review: Originally released in 1981 on the Clocktower label, this killer compilation does a fine job of harnessing the raw magic of Lee "Scratch" Perry's legendary Black Ark era. Although the sounds are mostly drawn from mid-70s sessions, it also features two standout early cuts from the late 60s, namely Perry's gritty versions of 'Tighten Up' and 'Serious Joke'. Elsewhere, highlights include Johnny Lover's deep DJ take over Devon Irons' 'When Jah Come' and the rootsy energy of Ricky and Bunny's 'Bush Weed Corn Trash.' This reissue is a crucial document of Perry's genre-defining production, masterful take on vintage dub, toasting and spiritual reggae heat.

Review: Celebrating his 70th birthday and seven decades in music, Midge Ure concluded a year of touring with a sold-out show at London's Royal Albert Hall. The concert spanned his impressive career, featuring songs from Ultravox, Visage, his collaborations with Phil Lynott and his extensive solo work. Ure performed alongside Band Electronica, special guest cellist Caroline Dale and Ty Unwin, his collaborator on 2017's Orchestrated. The highlight of the evening was a full performance of Ultravox's classic album Vienna. This triple vinyl captures the concert in all its glory.

Review: This sophomore album from Istanbul-born, Berlin-based electronic composer and sound artist Huma Utku explores psychological phenomena through a series of sonic essays. Drawing on her background in Psychology, Utku combines her academic and artistic practices in this ambitious release and includes recordings from her Elektronmusikstudion residency in 2020. The album also features synth intrigue, electroacoustic, experimental techno, industrial and spoken word all brought to life with piano, strings and vocals. Utku creates a dramatic, unsettling soundworld here while exploring themes of grief, consciousness, dream analysis and psychological symbolism. It's a truly intimate exploration of the human condition.