Back catalogue: All genres

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Louie Vega's famed Elements of Life project - an ever-changing collective of musicians who create live house, disco, Latin and soul tracks - returns to action, this time with old friend Josh Milan in tow. In its original Louie Vega mix form (track 3),'Let Us Shine' is a deliciously deep soulful house number with tribal-influenced percussion, gospel-influenced vocals and Vega's usual impeccably produced instrumentation. Milan provides two top-notch 'Honeycomb' mixes (vocal and instrumental), which opt for a breezier and more tactile vibe with nods to both early New York garage-house and the earlier 'proto-house' wave spearheaded by Boyd Jarvis, Timmy Regisford and Paul Simpson. Rounding off the EP is live Latin house workout 'Los Tonos Segrados', featuring guest musician Axel Tosca.

Review: It might be one of the most famous hotels in Las Vegas but now the Bellagio lends its name to this new label. The first missive is a delightfully deep and classic house sound from Jacy. 'Sound Of Eleven' is coated in dusty chords and dreamy pads with an early 90s Italia feel, then 'After Dance' adds to the serene sense of hose escapism with more lushness. 'Sometimes' has a nice heavy groove and soft pads that linger in the air with real class. Last but not least is something of a Chicago jacker with 'It's You' layering up the toms. A sophisticated EP with a traditional bent.

Review: Brokntoys has been helping to set the electro agenda for some years now. This 85th outing is a hand-stamped, white label 12" in mad limited quantities from Alex Jann and it opens with a cosmic adventure in the form of 'Cold Light Wave'. Things get much darker on 'Collective Paranoia' with its menacing low ends and booming sub-bass, then 'Pass 3' takes on a creepy atmosphere with sequential synth bleeps and bumpy broken beats keeping you guessing. Last of all is a funky cyborg disco workout in the form of 'The Chamber'.

Review: An iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation flick, JJ Johnson and Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things turned a collective head when they simultaneously composed their core themes for Willie Dynamite, directed by obscure director Gilbert Moses. This ineluctable screen treat stars Roscoe Orman and Diana Sands in a quintessential portrayal of early '70s New York pimping, with the central character's foibles giving rise to a latent conscience when he comes into contact with a young social worker. As is often the case with the blaxploitation genre, Willie Dynamite begins with the lead character cruising down the streets of New York in some kind of fancy car, and 'tracked by the central theme: the theme of Reeves' 'Willie D' is clear as day, lyrically portraying D's hustle as 'magic', "never treating two girls the same", "it's no different from any other industry". 'Keep On Movin' On' contrasts this with a note of modesty, signaling the movie's inevitable tonal shift; nor should you miss the B-side instrumentals 'Willie Chase' and 'Parade Strut'.

Review: The French label Metallic States' first EP sees fellow countryman Joking Sphinx aka Christophe Marcourt take the helm. A veteran of the Goa and psy scenes of the 90s, he infuses those original sounds with different a new level of understanding for this timeless sound. Take 'Rainbow Nation' for example that chugs along at a more reasonable 124 beats per minute, showing a new maturity, while side two, 'Chasing Invisible Man', sticks to a more classic trance meets progressive house sound and finds a great balance. A label to watch, for sure.

Review: Rush Hour has been one of Europe's independent musical powerhouses for decades now. Now only does it have Amsterdam's best record shop, but it throws the best parties and puts put the fresh new records from several different genres. next to that of course they also know how to dig deep and unearth vital reissues, which is what they do here with a triple headed Japanese house affair. Katsuya Sano keeps it OG Chicago with his 'I Need Luv', then Junichi Soma offers the analogue depths of 'Ubnormal Life' and Shuji Wada shuts down with more brilliantly atmospheric sounds on 'Endless Load.'

Review: Joe Babylon's cultured US label Roundabout Sounds has never rushed music out but when it does serve up new material it is always timeless and top quality. This latest EP is the first installment in the new All Hands series and it features some real house heavyweights. Frits Wentink kicks off with the mystic and lo-fi depths of 'Jellyfish, then DJ Aakmael layers up his soft edge chords and cuddly kicks drums with some muted horn motifs that bring the romance. The label head brings some upright drums and spoken word lyrics for a beautifully warm sound and last of all Detroit royalty Rick Wilhite links with Jon Easley for a final blissed-out and breezy deep house day dream.

Review: The Jesus & Mary Chain - Peel Sessions 84/86 offers a riveting glimpse into the evolution of the iconic noise pop band across four recording sessions for John Peel's BBC show. These sessions capture the band at various stages of their early sonic development, showcasing their signature blend of classic pop, noise, punk, psychedelia and garage rock. Each track serves as a testament to the band's innovative and influential sound, presenting a raw and unfiltered expression of their musical vision. With its combination of infectious melodies and gritty noise textures, this collection stands as a perfect document of The Jesus & Mary Chain's essential contribution to the alternative music landscape of the 1980s.