Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Tom Browne's 1980 single 'Funkin' For Jamaica' has long been something of an anthem - a hybrid funk/boogie classic that remains a staple in sets of hip-hop, disco and soul DJs alike. Given its ubiquity, covering the song is fraught with danger, but remarkably Japanese producer Akiko and guest vocalist Mbanja Richy have successfully put a new spin on it. Their take is subtly tougher and more synth-heavy, with bilingual French/English vocals, nods to Zouk music and a bassline so squelchy it could have been lifted from a P-funk record. Over on the flip, the pair go mellow, deep and laidback on a pleasingly skewed hip-hop soul cover of Terry Callier's legendary vocal interpretation of Alex North's 'Love Theme' from 'Spartacus'. Inspired stuff all told.

Review: Adeen Records returns with a superb EP that blends a classic with three new and fresh unreleased tracks. Deep house don Chez Damier's Panorama Bar Remix kicks off and is a a 2021 standout with a killer baseline and Spanish guitar that brings some sunny soul and makes for some top level house grooves. Makez then shines with 'Rocket Music' which has a chunky low end and glistening, golden piano chords making it a late night favourite. On the B-side, Adeen regular Alkalino delivers a tropical-infused edit for the peak time and Gledd closes with a classy cut 'Sere Yo' that is all about the drums. Lovely stuff.

Review: .German low end collective Bass Come Save Me unleash a new 45 with a strong Portland portrait as Boomarm's Gulls makes their debut on the label with a warm beat that will keep the chills at bay this winter. Add Jamaica's Wayne Daniel on the vocals and another Portland native Madgesdiq on the conscious bars and there's a vibe that sits somewhere between Roots Manuva, YT and Wyclef. Yeah it's that toasty. Stay blessy.

Review: The dream team Dogger & Mindstate return to TNQ wax with this hearty package of soulful, hip-hop-influenced D&B flavours that was originally unleashed digitally last summer. Representing both their pathways into this music, from north to south, the duo recruit the likes of London's Verbz and Manchester's Sleazy F Baby to vocal and narrate their delicate, subtle but ultimately heavyweight rhythms. From the deep jazz of 'Different Roads' to the symphonic dynamics of 'From The Concrete', this is one of the hardest hitting and emotional records Dogger and Mindstate have made so far.

Review: If you like classic r&b and Afrobeat then get your lugs around this where both sounds meet in a perfect fusion on this German-Nigerian collaboration. Featuring modern, warm drums and potent basslines, this release kicks off the Sedsoulciety Recordings Gold Line series aimed at showcasing contemporary styles. 'Tell Me What You Want' is presented here in two versions: the Afro Vibe Mix on the A-side and the Groove Mix on the flip. Both tracks bring plenty of heart and also dance floor heft so get things underway in great style.

Review: The Frosted label is back with more brilliance from Inland Knights in the form of this newly remastered version of the classic 'Figure It Out.' It was first put out back in 2013 as the first release on the label and remains a vital tune from the British pair. On the flip, Mark Farina is one of those hallowed producers who always has his own unique sonic signature, most famously under his Mushroom Jazz alias. His edit brings plenty of depth and broken beat lushness with noodling guitar riffs and spoken words making it a backroom gem.

Review: Japanese DJ, producer and remixer Makoto Nakatani is the man behind the M-Scape alias, and he straddles genre borders with the four cuts he serves up for evergreen UK staple Local Talk. 'Urban Reconstruction' is propulsive deep house with Detroit-style hi-tek synth magic colouring the airwaves. 'I Do' is an ass-wiggling heater with stylised vocals and colourful melodic motifs triggered by the drums. 'Freedom' is all early Chicago jack, cowbells and sugary chord progressions, then 'Let The Drums Play' taps into sun-kissed London broken beat with cosmic melodies adding a futuristic twist. There are a lot of different moods touched up on with this EP and they are all high-class.

Review: Canadian hip-hop star Maestro Fresh Wes releases his iconic single 'Drop the Needle' on 7" for the first time here and it comes with the rare remix by The 45 King. This special edition via FLIPNJAY Records brings the classic track from his groundbreaking 1989 album Symphony in Effect back to vinyl. 'Drop the Needle' is a milestone in Canadian rap history known for his smooth flow and infectious beats. With The 45 King's remix included, this release is a must-own for lovers of golden-era hip-hop.

Review: London's Original Gravity label is a trusted source for soul, funk and reggae 45s, and they're back with this seriously hot one from Mafumu. The project is a collaboration between Neil Anderson and Max Jere of The Umoza Music Project, based in Senga Bay on Lake Malawi. On the A side track you can hear Jere singing in Malawi's main language of Chichewa, urging listeners to "vina!" which means 'dance'. It's unmistakably Afro funk, with blasts of horns and a rolling, hypnotic groove that suck you in immediately. On the flip Anderson takes over for the instrumental 'Mkondo Wa Moto', which leans in on the talking drum and lays some funk and and Latin touches into the mix.

Review: Mr Bongo has been shining a light on the work of Main Source (aka Queens native Large Professor and Toronto's Sir Scratch and K-Cut) for a while now. Their latest reissue - after plenty of other 7"s last year- is Just Hangin' Out, which is an ode to the simple pleasures of relaxing with friends. The a-side is made from two huge samples (Vanessa Kendrick's '90% of Me is You' and Sister Nancy's 'Bam Bam' ) to make for a stone cold and swooning groove. On the flip, 'Live at the Barbecue' is often said to be one of the finest posse cuts of all time.

Review: Mr Bongo continue to shine a light on classic hip-hop with their excellent curated reissue series. They have two Main Source 45s in their sights and this is the second. When it first came out on Actual Records, it soon sold out and became a much sought after piece with copies going for high prices on the second hand market. And for good reason - the band really hinted at the greatness they would go on to achieve with an impeccable three minute rap single making a massive mark. 'Think' is a superb example of how to take well known samples and flip them into something fresh.

Review: Said to be two decades in the making, this record features two tracks by Makode Linde, the visual artist and musician who has long been a friend and frequent cover designer for Sweden's most eccentric dance label, Studio Barnhus. 'Never Getting Over Me' features Makode's poignant vocals on a quirky, sun-drenched rhythm while 'Professional Help' delivers bossa nova brilliance with a graceful, flute-driven backdrop which reflects the protagonist's lament over his old flame's aversion to therapy. With exquisite songwriting and charming lo-fi appeal, these songs are brilliant dance-pop fusions with a great message and plenty of irresistible grooves.

Review: Get ready for the ultimate holiday mash-up here as this fun 7" brings together two festive anthems that will light up your turntables, and the party. First, Mariah and her Machine deliver a cheeky twist on 'All I Want for Christmas is a Dog' by reminding us that owning a canine is a lifelong commitment. On the flip side, Winston puts a fresh spin on Run-D.M.C.'s 'Christmas in Hollis' by giving it a vibrant Queens New York makeover. With ill reindeers and Jam Master Sleigh, this record is sure to deck the halls and add some serious holiday cheer to your collection.

Review: Just a month after dropping their first 7" in the form of a sweet and funky version of classic hip-hop joint from the 90s, Alloy Cuts is back. Once again, Booty Hall is involved this time facing off against Carla Marshall, a known talent from the roots and reggae world. The resulting sounds start with 'All Night Champion', which has raw and dusty breaks, old school stabs and funky drums topped off with a mix of early hip-hop vocals and soulful coos. 'Champinstrumental' on the flip cuts back the vocals to a more direct dance floor instrumental.

Review: Eclectic Beats Music is building up a fine head of steam and the sixth outing is a tidy 7" featuring two red-hot Latin broken beat cuts. The opener is a collaborative remix from Born74 and Fradinho who do a superb job of flipping Jorge Ivan Martin's original gem 'Yo Tambien Baile La Conga' into something more contemporary with fresh broken beats, plenty of steamy Latin flavours all finished off in electric fashion with Frank Santiuste's trumpet solos. Flip this one over and you will find Fradinho unearth an easier cut and again update with some compelling broken beats and funk as well as a rich bassline and silky synth solos.

Review: "Bounce Rock Skate Roll", by Vaughan Mason & Crew, is a classic electro-ish disco jam.

Review: James Massiah is already regarded by those in the know as one of London's most vital poetic voices and this potent two-tracker only serves to add weight to that reputation. It pairs lo-slung, richly textured beats with razor-sharp lyricism from the off with 'Holland Park,' produced by Shimz343, finding Massiah narrating a cryptic tale over lush strings and jagged rhythms that channel the great Gil Scott-Heron. On the flip, 'Hot Winter' drips with jazz poetry swagger, chopped flutes and dusty breaks with Massiah riding the beat with effortless fluidity. He proves himself a timeless narrator here, half street prophet, half storyteller, but a stylish, witty bridge between past and present with lyrical gravitas.

Review: James Massiah and Lord Tusk team up for the fine Accidental Meetings label it this is actually their first official release together after years of collaboration in various forms. This highly anticipated project showcases their chemistry and creative synergy across one fresh new cut. 'Open Up' is a dense sound with dubby low ends but raw metallic drums and swirling pads next to the stream of conscious vocals. The record is mastered by Beau at Ten Eight Seven Mastering, ensuring a polished, high-quality sound and it comes in limited pressings with a more cavernous and melon-twisting version on the flip.

Review: Jenifa Mayanja is a favourite amongst true deep house heads. Her work is smoky, jazzy, and emotive, and has come on labels like Underground Quality before now. Here she arrives on the sixth EP from fledgling but already cultured label Sole Aspect and shows off her sophisticated sound once more. 'Rise To The Top' is full of elegant harmonies and jazz melodies that dance on pulsing rhythms, 'Like A Dream' brings spiritual vocals to bold chords and dusty drums while 'Our World' has piano lines floating high over the languid drums and bass. 'Rose Colored Glasses' has fresh melodies and challenging synths that defy usual genre norms and bring all new ideas to deep house. This is music that elevates mind, body and soul.

Review: Long-time hip-hop heads will be familiar with this particular bit of beat-making history from back in 1998 when it dropped as part of PF Cuttin's 44 Magnum (Tape 44 Side A & B). It was his 44th mixtape back then and one of his most classics with this jam, Medina Green's 'Crosstown Beef', one of the standouts. It is lo-fi, perfectly undercooked, rides on a catchy bass riff with some slick bars and is a great and instant hit of nostalgia that has aged to perfection. An instrumental also appears on the flip.

Review: Medline is on a mission to serve up his own fresh cover versions of well known tunes from the movies, library music vaults, jazz funk scenes and worldwide rare grooves. He is one man who plays flute, guitar, keyboard, pads, drums, percussions and violin and lays down each part of the tune and then puts them all together with some extra studio touches at a later date. He mixes the music himself so that it is live sounding and vibrant, and then shares it with the world. These latest two cuts are heavy Afrobeat gems with cosmic synth work, psyched-out melodies and jazz invention that makes them captivating in the extreme.

Review: Metronomy mark their signing to Ninja Tune with a new single that comes not long after their Posse EP Volume 1, a collection of tunes all made in collaboration with up-and-coming artists like Biig Piig, Spill Tab, Sorry, Brian Nasty and Folly Group. This one is another collaboration, this time with Pam Amsterdam. 'Nice Town' deals with the lead singer's own battles such as "internal versus the external or, intangible versus the tangible." It is a delightfully snappy dance-pop ditty with great and tight synth sequences, old-school rap vocals and nice broken early electro beats. Metronomy and Alain Ogue add their own remixes to a great label debut.

Review: Brooklyn based Mighty Eye welcomes the Michael Leonhart Orchestra - which features some 20+ musicians - for their first single since 2018, although the collective has put out three albums in that time. These two cuts on this 45rpm are the first and second movements in Michael Leonhart's The Normyn Suite #1, which is a soundtrack to the five stages of grieving and is both a celebration and a requiem. The soundtrack is inspired by the death of an old dog and first appeared on The Normyn Suites album. Here it is expanded with the original brass, woodwinds, and strings now siting with choir and found percussion as well as gritty breakbeats from Nick Movshon.

Review: Australian multi-instrumentalist four-piece Mildlife is all set to unleash its new album Automatic any time soon. Before that though they keep us happy with a new single that comes backed with some pretty big remixes. Adam Halliwell's flute on 'Vapour' is the standout feature on a lush broken beat tune that also makes great use of a vocoder. The first to add their own spin is Scottish legend and one half of Optimo, JD Twitch. Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy aka Cosmodelica is the second remixer and the Worldwide FM host and assured music aficionado comes correct with two versions, one of which is a nice instrumental.

Review: Here's something to get excited about: a cracking new cut from Detroit deep house legend Alton Miller, backed with a 'Sound Signature' translation from the equally revered Theo Parrish. Miller's version of "Bring Me Down", is something of a treat: a sparkling, starry deep house epic that's blessed with immaculate vocals from soul chanteuse Maurissa Rose. Parrish's translation is equally as stretched out and similarly enjoyable, but is far looser and dustier in feel, with warmer bass and beats that naturally tend towards the jazzier. It's naturally more in keeping with Parrish's work than Miller's, but retains enough of the latter's touches to be counted as a fine remix.

Review: When it comes to crafting party-starting joints featuring classic hip-hop and R&B vocals, few producers can match the output of Gallic rework fiend Jerome Potin AKA Moar. He's in prime form on this ultra-limited "45" too. A-side 'H' crafts a rolling, 4/4 hip-hop tempo beats out of some classic disco licks and then adds Ol' Dirty Bastard and Kelis' vocals from one of the biggest hip-hop hits of 1999. It's a simple idea, brilliantly executed. Flipside 'HH' is equally as funky and accessible, with cut-up edit effects, rubbery slap-bass sounds, jangling acoustic guitar chords, warming synths and the lead vocal from a much-loved R&B jam. Tons of fun!

Review: Ukrainian jazz singer Mona returns with a powerful funk 45 following last year's breakout 'Moya Vode' (or 'Sweet Water'). Fusing ancient folk traditions with modern cypher culture, this one delivers a message of unity and resilience while rolling on tempting grooves. Jazzy breakbeats, soaring horns and relentless clavinet and guitar riffs create the dynamic foundation for Mona's radiant vocals while loose piano and sax add a fresh live-jam feel. The vinyl edition features an exclusive instrumental version, with a Moog stepping into the lead and adding a different vibe.

Review: The wonderful new 'Womp In My Spirit' blends flashy 80s-inspired beats with smoothly delivered and rhythmic lyrics that together capture the essence of West Coast vibes with American Moniquea's distinctive vocals shining alongside masterful boogie beat maker XL Middleton's typically faultless contributions. Once again they have cooked up a gem for the modern funk scene and the instrumental version allows you to fully appreciate the depth of the production without the vocals. This one has already been getting bumped by renowned DJs like Walla P, Zackey Force Funk and Soul Clap and hits a perfect sweet spot between funk and hip-hop.

Review: Record Store Day always serves up some hip hop treasure and this year's is no different. For this one, Most Wanted's The Commodores sampling one-off makes it to vinyl for the first time. It comes with the original artwork and is a crossover hip hop and breaks joint from 1989 that was massive back in those days. From clubs to raves it was heard everywhere and still bangs now. The instrumental version on the flip is a stripped back take but that original takes some beating. An essential pick up for all jobbing DJs.

Review: Danny Krivit remains in a class of one when it comes to meticulous and masterful edits of classics. He puts out a fair few of them too, but the quality levels never dip, as is the case again here when he throws it back to the energy of his native New York's most legendary dancefloors. Opener 'Flying Machine' by War was originally composed for the 1978 film Youngblood and is a dramatic Latin-infused instrumental packed with swirling flutes, fierce perc and a breakbeat that's fuelled countless Afro house tracks. It's a fiery dancefloor weapon that hasn't been on 7" before and it comes backed with 'How Much Are They', which dives into deep dub territory with help from post-punk legends Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit and Holger Czukay. It's a real mind melter packed with mad effects.

Review: No one edits a classic like Mr. K, as he has proven time and time again. Now the legendary studio craftsman is back and revisiting Paradise Garage and some of the club's legendary sounds. First up is TW Funkmasters' 'Love Money,' which was conceived by UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams and fuses Dennis Brown's reggae hit 'Money In My Pocket' with early rap influences. The dub version was embraced by New York's dance scene and became iconic at the 'Garage, with many homages coming later such as Larry Levan's Man Friday remake, 'Love Honey, Love Heartache.' On the flip, Janice McClain's 1979 Philly disco classic 'Smack Dab In The Middle' shines as Larry Levan's mix is reworked by Mr. K who turns up the jazzy groove with fresh breaks.

Review: Presented simply, with basic artwork that offers a subtle nod to DJ Harvey's iconic Black Cock Edits series of the 1990s, this single-sided blue 12" marks the debut of a mysterious new rework series: Mr Wong's Edits. We're not sure who Mr Wong is - aside from the fact that the artist is not the grime producer of the same name - but he has delivered a strong debut. 'The Finest This Is What You Are' sees him tastefully mess around with a lesser-celebrated, string-drenched S.O.S Band jam - or at the very least, an acapella of it. This is combined with sweeping, string-laden elements from a simmering Barry White disco number and a shuffling, bossa-influenced Latin house beat. It's certainly a unique combination but one that works really well.

Review: DJ-friendly and top rare jazz vocals with piano trio in a swinging samba vibe, available on vinyl for the first time! 4 Tracks/ Exclusive Non Album Vinyl only recorded at VARA Studio Hilversum/ Netherlands for the Dutch radio show "Metro`s Midnight Music" in February 1974 produced by Joop De Roo. Remastered 2006. US-singer Mark Murphy is one of the world's greatest jazz vocalists of the 20th century. A six-time Grammy nominee, he has enjoyed a prolific 40-year recording career, with over 40 releases to date. Stereo Review dubs Mark 'one of the major artists of our age. Mark Murphy is a jazz singer.' For decades the question 'What exactly is a jazz singer' has had two easy answers, Betty Carter and Mark Murphy. 'He is arguably the best male jazz singer in the business' declares Rex Reed. Mark's musicianship, range, intonation, diction, inventiveness and incredible rhythmic sense are all of a piece and all marvellous.' Vocal greats Betty Carter, Peggy Lee, Cleo Laine and Shirley Horn all sing Murphy's praises as one of the best in the business and the legendary Ella Fitzgerald declared 'he is my equal.' It was Sammy Davis, Jr. who first discovered the young Mark Murphy in 1953 at a jam session in Murphy's hometown of Syracuse, New York. Impressed with Murphy's talent, Davis invited him to his show that night, where he even asked Mark to join him on stage. In 1974, Dutch radio producer Joop De Roo invited him to the VARA Studios Hilversum for a short rehearsal and a first but final take on the same day with the excellent Louis Van Dyke Trio. The corresponding recordings were shelved in the radio archives over the years and chosen by Joop for inclusion into his programme, that was broadcasted every week around midnight until 1980. Parts of the rare trio recordings feat. Mark Murphy were previously released on a Japanese CD fifteen years ago in very small amounts, unmastered and falsely marketed as the "North Sea Jazz Sessions", although the musical material cannot be connected in any manner to the famous Dutch festival of the same name. The sought after four tracks on this exclusive vinyl EP will NOT be included on the forthcoming Various Artists compilation "Metro`s Midnight Music" featuring rare and unreleased tracks from the Dutch NOS radio archives 1970-1975, carefully remastered in 2006 incl. tracks by the Metropole Orchestra, The Louis Van Dyke Trio, Mark Murphy, Helen Merrill, Eddie Jefferson, Greetje Kauffeld, Dave Pike and others (Sonorama-16/ 2 Lp & 2 CD), to be released in October.

Review: Atlanta house mainstay Stefan Ringer finds a perfectly complementary bedfellow in Marquinn Mason on this new EP for the venerated UK label Eglo. His mastery of deep house and broken beats is a great foundation for the jazz chops of Mason. 'Bounce Lesson' is the first to win you over with its loose, leggy bassline and funky, jazz, cosmic chord work. It's a seamless fusion of different worlds and after the brief jazzed-up piano dance of 'Alltogethernow' comes the standout cut 'Lead Walk'. Another wandering bassline locks you in while heavy, knocking broken beat patterns and gloriously life-affirming chords all warp and weft around one another.

Review: Limited white vinyl repress.DJ Soopasoul's last mash-up was an inspired affair that saw him perfectly fuse tracks by Philadelphia Soul legends MFSB and the Beastie Boys. Here he takes a similar approach, placing the rap vocals from the 1995 hip-hop classic 'How High' atop a suitably funky, lolloping beat crafted from clavinet-heavy sections from Stevie's party-starting floor-heater 'Superstition'. It works remarkably well on the A-side vocal mix, and those who'd not heard either track would be convinced that there was no mash-up antics going on. Over on side B you'll find an instrumental mix that showcases Soopasoul's editing skills; minus the vocals, is a fine re-edit of the Wonder-ful jam.

Review: It would seem we're back on the Christmas card list... 2000 Black supergroup comprising the likes of Dego, Mensah and original Bugz members Lord and Tatham have been slowly ramping up their releases again and this year has seen their largest output yet. Following "Two Way Here One Way Go", "Simmering" proffers three more sublime and silky instrumentals from deeply decorated foursome. "Simmering" is a tight jazz funk jam with a sprung guitar groove spine and a blissful switch into soothing flutes midway, "Private Life" flips for a sunnyside digidub, all spacious and rippling with its breezy keys while "Climb The Sun" brings us back to the funk root note but with rising synth insistency that's bruk to the bone. Simmering now, boiling tomorrow...

Review: The traditonal way to start a review of any Micko Westmoreland release - and with as is to point out that he's best known for playing Jack Fairey in the mock glam documentary Velvet Goldmine, but with a second strong album in his new, flanked -by-legends incarnation and some highly memorable video promos featuring a succession of alternativ ecomedy greats, that could well be changing. Expect spiky English podst-punk songwriting a la XTC or even Pulp, with recent singles 'Autosexual' and 'What's In A Name' (which includes guest vocals from Kevin Eldon numbering among the highligths.

Review: Following mesmerising Marseilles mutations from the likes of Syqulone, Kabylie Minogue and Lisa More, Cain ? Muchi return to Gros:Oeuvre with their remarkable debut album. A heady tagine of grime, beats, techno, global bass and contemporary electronica with a title that either refers to famed Moroccan popstar or, far more likely, relates to meaning as 'universe', Dounia is a beguiling clash of western electronics and eastern bars, lyrics, and vocal harmonies. Fractured and macabre throughout from the distorted hardcore bass highs of 'J'wadi' to disarming vocal cries of 'Majdouba' this post grime, pre apocalypse opus is a trip from edge to edge.

Review: Curren$y and MonstaBeatz reunite for their second full-length collaboration here in the wake of years of joint projects. Both are New Orleans natives and the Jet Life rapper and producer duo first made waves with their 2009 debut, This Ain't No Mixtape. New record Radioactive delivers 12 fresh tracks that speak of great chemistry and subtle sonic evolution. The album features guest appearances from Jay Worthy, Fiend and DeeLow Diamond Man all of whom add their own dynamic energy. These tunes have a blend of smooth production and sharp lyricism that once again restarts the artists behind it as some of the most consistent collaborations in modern hip-hop.

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: Contemporary American stars rapper Future and record producer Metro Boomin make for a great combination, as they proved with their debut collaboration. We Still Don't Trust You is their second such work and is an even more impressive work with guest appearances from the likes of the Weeknd, Chris Brown, Brownstone, Ty Dolla Sign, J. Cole, Lil Baby, and ASAP Rocky. It's a double album with the first half being r&b-centric while disc two leans more into hip hop- and trap-focused beats with plenty of memorable tracks.

Review: This Record Store Blanc Friday, US label Madlib Invasion serves up a CD version of this most classic of albums from Jackson Conti aka the one and only beat making behemoth Madlib with Mamao. Sujinho landed in 2008 and since then has often been heralded as one of the best few projects Madlib has ever been involved with. It is a smooth fusion of hip hop, jazz, Latin and soul that, on vinyl, has fetched eye watering high prices until now. A new reissue has landed on wax as well as this CD.

Review: Percussionist and singer-songwriter Mami Kakudo returns with her latest album, Contact. A graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts' Department of Instrumental Music, Kakudo has gained recognition in Japan and internationally for her expressive use of marimba, percussion, voice and music boxes. Four years after her debut album, Oar (featuring covers of Maki Asakawa's 'My Friday' and Fishmans' 'Ikkareta Baby'), Contact showcases her signature sound again here in all its glory. Recorded with a talented ensemble-including Mugi Furukawa on guitar, Akita Goldman on bass, Wataru Mitsunaga on drums, and Yumiko Iwao on cello-Contact highlights Kakudo's ethereal voice, poetic lyrics and whimsical arrangements.

Review: Talib Kweli and Madlib are two of the biggest names in hip-hop, one a mic man with exceptional skills the other a beat maker like no other. They first worked tother in 2006 on a joint project and thankfully they now reunite for the highly-anticipated follow-up, Liberation 2. This is an album that is as expansive lyrically and with its themes as it is musically. As you would expect form this pari of heavyweights, the album is defined by thought-provoking lyricism and raw soundscapes that explore revolution, love, pan-Africanism, music, spirituality, and more with plenty of jazz-tinged instrumentals and guest spots from Q-Tip, Westside Gunn, Roc Marciano, Roy Ayers, Goapele, Wildchild, Pink Siifu and more.

Review: American musician Machine Gun Kelly made quite the about turn on his fifth studio album, released in September of 2020. In a grand depart from his usual style, he ditched his rap sound in favour of a guitar-driven pop punk style that is primed for emo teenagers. Famous for his motor mouth flow, Kelly switches it up for big anthemic verses. Most of the songs clock in under three minutes, come with simple but effective three-chord melodies, huge hooks and tender breakdowns that sound like late but natural air to Blink-182.

Review: Rock dynamo Machine Gun Kelly has been busy of late. After a well received album in 2020 he is now back with another one, Mainstream Sellout, which is his sixth in all and is full of just as many big riffs. As always these are short put potent tunes and this is the second collaborative record he has made with drummer and producer Travis Barker. The record has plenty of pent up angst that fans old and new will feed off and plenty of entertainig lyrics.

Review: It has been six years since Macklemore dropped his last album Gemini in 2017. Ben is a welcome return to form after long battles with addiction and some sad relapses for the artist. 'Faithful' here is a very personal song that reflects those battles. "As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be clean, and yet the disease I have is always present, it always follows me," he says. That is well expressed through this record with four sides of deeply intimate and tightly packed hip-hop bars that make a real emotional impact.

Review: Madlib's mad one a month release mission continues with his fifth outing on his own imprint, Madlib Invazion. The odd numbers in the series are joints produced by the man himself, while the evens are mixtapes. This one looks at his personal history as a the loop digga over a ten year span in which Madlib cranked out a whole slew of mixtapes. They were his early productions for the Alkaholiks in about 1992, while his popular Quasimoto album came in 2000, before a sabbatical saw him go and work on his fictional jazz outfit Yesterdays New Quintet.

Review: Originally released in 2010, this album from Madlib's Medicine Show series saw him delving deep into the pocket of mother Africa for his source material, coming up with new slants on his unmistakable grooves. The samples centred around African records from the early 70s, from Afrobeat to funk, psych rock to soul, from all over the continent. Of course, Madlib is one of those artists whose signature is so strong, it all ends up sounding like him, but these high-life guitar licks and dusty drum beatdowns add an extra layer of vibe to one of the illest producers to ever do it. 37 beats taking you deep into the continent where it all began.