Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Opening out with a distorted, but, of course, still recognisable, sample of Jeremy Steig's 'Howlin' for Judy', 'King of The Mischievous South Vol.2' is boldly repping the sound of 90s hip-hop, pulling references from the Beastie Boys (who also famously chopped up the aforementioned Steig flute for 'Sure Shot') and Three6Mafia. Here, we see Curry embody his alter ego Big Ultra in full effect, the head honcho of Ultraground. What to expect? Hardcore flows on full violence, as well as the inclusion of the legend Kingpin Skinny Pimp throughout - one of Three6Mafia's most underrated affiliates, though a host of behind-the-scenes drama got in the way after his mega influential 'King of Da Playaz Ball' album broke the mould. There are also features from 2 Chainz and Juicy J to name a couple - it's a stacked lineup. The LP dips its toes into a host of different genres, even pulling from the recent Brazilian phonk explosion on 'Lunatic Interlude', which is followed by the hard-hitting 'Sked' - a bass-laden cut with a slick Kenny Mason verse over blaring 808s that evoke Playboi Carti and his contemporaries that are pushing boundaries, and speakers, to their limits. He even breaks out a smoother singing passage on 'COLE PIMP', evoking the Outkast-era Atlanta scene that continues to influence all your favourite rappers to this day. Curry is flexing his versatility, as well as his importance in the rap canon as a name to know.

Review: These are buoyant times for leftfield hip hop rooted in experimentation and lo-fi sonics, and here comes Denzel Curry returning with a serious lesson for all newcomers. Hailing from Carol City, Florida, Curry has been dropping pure fire for more than 10 years, but his current form is pushing him even further into the global rap conscious. Kenny Beats is taking no prisoners on the production, while Curry's righteous anger gets processed, re-pitched and mashed up and still it lands every blow. Moving through skits, mad samples and heavyweight tracks, this is everything a visionary hip hop LP should be.

Review: The Jazz Dance Fusion series is a compilation-based series collecting some of the finest songs in the Jazzdance, Latin Jazz and Fusion. Each volume is careful cultivated by the well-known British DJ Colin Curtis. After the first three successful editions, the fourth boasts tracks like 'Mother Of The Future" by Venus Dodson, 'I Face East' by Mary Greer Mudiku and 'Ponteio' by Miho Nobuzane, to name but a few. Volume Four Part 2 is spread across two pieces of vinyl housed in a beautiful gatefold vinyl. If you are a jazz fan looking for a compilation to expand your knowledge and love the style, then look no further than this one here! Thanks ro Colin Curtis for continuing to curate such a great series!

Review: Cult American hip-hoppers and legendary stoners Cypress Hill played live at San Francisco's iconic Fillmore on August 16, 2000. Now available on vinyl for the first time, the set captures the legendary group's explosive live energy as the band were in top form and delivering raw, high-octane renditions of their biggest hits. What better way to relive classics like 'Insane in the Brain,' 'Hand on the Pump,' 'Cock the Hammer' and 'I Wanna Get High' than on vinyl? Those gems sit alongside deeper cuts such as 'A to the K,' 'Riot Starter' and '(Rock) Superstar' making this a great blend of those for singing along to and those for the head.

Review: In 1994, legendary hip-hop stoners Cypress Hill took the stage at Woodstock '94 and left an indelible mark on the iconic festival. With their groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop and rock, the 'Hill captivated the Woodstock crowd with their electrifying performances and brought all of the raw energy and innovative sounds they are so well loved for. The group's set at Woodstock '94 showcased their ability to command any stage, drawing fans from diverse musical backgrounds as they worked through many of their most well loved hit and in doing so solidified their status as pioneers of the rap-rock genre.

Review: Some critics have called Cypress Hill's Back in Black their best album in 25 years. While this is a bold claim, it has some merit - at least to those who view the cannabis-obsessed Los Angeles crew's early-to-mid-'90s work as the artistic peak of their career. A big part of the allure of Back in Black is Black Milk's production, which in reaching for crunchy snares, classic hip-hop breaks and killer basslines doffs a cap to the group's gangsta-rap era releases. Lyrically, they're at their acerbic and dextrous best, too, matching updated raps on legalized weed with flows that take aim at other issues surrounding personal freedom and politics.

Review: The unstoppable force of Czarface is back yet again with another heavyweight hip hop assault. This time around the super group of Wu Tang's Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric are joined by the mighty Ghostface Killah - as you'd expect the results are big. The beats are wild, with the sample sources veering from Hammer horror dread to cosmic synth wobbles and dubbed out bass, as hard rocking as it is trippy and loose. Meanwhile the lyrical flows are razor sharp, with Esoteric, Inspectah and Ghostface all sparring at the top of their game. This is deadly modern hip hop that recognises what made the golden era special without cashing in on old tricks.

Review: Czartificial Intelligence, the instrumental version of Czarface's latest LP, showcases the trio's signature old school production and focuses on the awesome music from the album. Stripping away the vocals allows listeners to fully appreciate the lush beats and vibrant instrumentation that have become synonymous with the group. Tracks like 'Mama's Basement' and 'All That For a Drop of Blood' shine with strong synths and heavy beats. With its genuine, fun, and playful vibe, Czartificial Intelligence instrumental version is a great version for fans of underground hip-hop and those who appreciate top-notch production.

Review: CZARFACE & MF DOOM's newest team-up record Super What? is an all powerful outing. Doom's famous wordy wizard is unleashed with wicket wordplay tying your mind in lots for the first to the last beat. CZARFACE's production (with help from Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck and Esoteric) is on point, with golden age beats, cosmic thrills and spills and killer bars all lock-in you in.

Review: Da Buze Bruvaz are a hardcore rap duo from Philadelphia, consisting of Him-LO and Clever One. Known for their outlandish, non-politically correct, and gritty lyrics, they owe much of this influence to their former memberhip of New York posse The LoLifes, founded by Thirstin Howl III. Gunz Knivez & Nunchuckz carries out what the title implies; Clever One's lyrical skills and Giallo Point's grimy production combine to produce a cinematic, action-packed sound, be that via the sinister mover 'Vizable Ghost Gunz' or the hilarious, film-referencing 'Lo'ceanz 11'. A must-have for fans of hardcore hip hop and boom bap.

Review: &Chakib is the debut album from Swiss Producer, DJ, and live-act Dominik Traub, also known as Dandara. Infusing influences from Africa, Asia, and Latin America with European techno and house, Dominik's signature sound shines through. The album's inception came after a fateful encounter with Algerian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Chakib Bouzidi at a festival in Basel. Despite Chakib's untimely passing, Dominik continued the project, honouring his memory by completing the work. Infused with Chakib's voice notes and collaborative recordings, the album serves as a heartfelt tribute and through resilient collaboration and creative influence it emerges as a fine collection of globally influenced dance music.

Review: On the first instalment in the Wamono A to Z compilation series, released in September 2020, dusty-fingered diggers DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite.jp and Chintam focused on Japanese jazz-funk and rare groove gems recorded and released between 1968 and '80. For this speedy sequel, they've narrowed their focus further in order to showcase little-known Japanese funk slammers pressed to wax between 1970 and '77. As you'd expect, there's tons of absolute bangers amongst the 10 tracks on show, with highlights including the Blaxploitation movie soundtrack vibes of Mieko Hirota's 'Theme of Doberman Cop', the fuzzy, Hammond-sporting psych-funk of Fujio Tokita's quirky 'Watashi No Beatles', and the energetic, proto disco-funk of Hatsumi Shibata's 'Singer Lady'.

Review: Some compilations manage to both educate, inform and educate in equal measure; this fine collection from Japanese crate diggers DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite and Chintam is one such set. Comprising mostly little-known tracks recorded by Japanese artists between 1968 and '70, it offers up a wealth of cuts inspired by American jazz-funk "rare groove". There's much to admire across the ten tracks, from the mazy Rhodes solos, fizzing big band jazz grooves and traditional Eastern instrumentation of Toshiko Yonekawa's "Soran Bushi", and the languidly-slung brilliance of Tadaki Misago and Tokyo Cuban Boys' multi-faceted musical fusion "Jongara Reggae", to the Jimi Hendrix-goes-funk heaviness of "Incitation" by Monica Lassen & The Sounds, and the drums-driven dancefloor madness of Masahiko Sato Jiro Inagaki & Big Soul Media's "Sniper's Snooze". Recommended.

Review: For the latest edition of their essential Wamano A to Z compilation series - the third to date - DJ Yoshiwza Dynamite JP and Chintam have decided to focus on "Japanese light mellow funk, disco and boogie" tracks recorded between 1978 and '88. Like its' predecessors, the eight-track set is heavy on obscurities and little-known cuts, as well as bona fide killer cuts. There's much to savour throughout, from the intergalactic, slap-bass propelled boogie brilliance of Jadoes' 'Friday Night (Extended Mix)' and the laidback funk bliss of Yumi Sato's 'Ame', to the smooth jazz-funk lusciousness of Hitomi Tohyama's 'Rainy Driver' and the Latin-infused, Teena Marie style electrofunk brilliance of Mizuki Koyami's 'Kare Niwa Kanawanai'.

Review: Uganda: Dawn Of Rock is a great collision of creative talents from Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes who combine to deliver a captivating exploration of rock music's emergence in Uganda. A classic since it was first issued, the album showcases Ishikawa's masterful drumming and Count Buffaloes' dynamic instrumentation. It overflows with infectious rhythms and soulful melodies and each track immerses listeners in the vibrant music scene of Uganda where rock and local African sounds are fused into something new. As such this is a record that offers a perfect glimpse into a pivotal moment in Uganda's musical history.

Review: V Don and Ransom are back with Chaos Is My Ladder 2, bringing a fresh wave of gritty bars and raw production to the table. Joining forces with Griselda heavyweight Conway The Machine, the album showcases ten tracks where each artist brings their A-game, blending sharp lyricism with V Don's signature, rugged beats. Lloyd Banks makes the sole feature appearance, adding even more depth to an already powerful project. With its dark, immersive soundscape and undeniable energy, this release has quickly caught attention as a potential Album of the Year contender. Each track pulls you deeper, making it impossible to stop at just one listen.

Review: The reissue of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's Main Ingredient reminds hip-hop heads what a timeless masterpiece it really is. The record has a sure place in hip-hop history and has since it was originally released in 1994. The album showcases the duo's famous and unparalleled chemistry, with Pete Rock's soulful production and CL Smooth's smooth lyricism blending seamlessly on tracks that continue to resonate with listeners and very much capture the essence of 90s hip-hop while still remaining relevant today. 'Sun Won't Come Out', 'The Main Ingredient', and 'Get On The Mic' all demand to be played loud and proud

Review: We guarantee you won't have heard percussion like Serpente for some time. Offering three tracks of disorientating, complex beats, from 'Perda Outra' to 'Dobra De Ra', the triptych is rhythmically challenging but absolutely captivating, and certainly the kind of thing that's going to prove demanding for anyone obsessed with smooth, clean transitions in a mix. Flip this wild six pack and CZN's trio of tunes are similarly beguiling. Space age desert folk drums, suppressed ritualistic thrumming, and top-heavy pulsating arrangements that seem poised to generate high energy while never managing to release the tension. Quality bits we don't really know what else to say about - genre obsessives need not apply, this is no place for you or your structures and rules. But trust us, letting go of such ideals and diving in here will be one of the best things you do this week.

Review: South African rapper TUMI teams up with French trio Chinese Man for a genre-defying collaboration here that reimagines hip-hop through a global lens. Drawing from dusty crates and forgotten corners of music history, such as banjo riffs, 1930s swing and Andean flutes, the production is a crate-digger's dream that boldly ventures far beyond traditional hip-hop terrain. The result is a rich, textured sound that's both nostalgic and refreshingly new as TUMI's lyrics weave between irony and poignancy and are grounded in sonic experimentation with sharp social commentary. This is a bold, borderless journey and proof that when cultures and styles collide, magic happens.