Review: The Fruit Medley series has been hella juicy so far so we're glad another edition is ripe and ready for picking to kick off the label's 2025 season. This one features all newcomers starting with Cromie's 'Timereite', a chubby and clubby tech pumper with full throttle rhythms. Wilba's 'New Recipes' has lush synth smears over grinding low ends that echo early West Coast tech, and Darren Roach then gets a little deeper on the percolating 'Brettski Colectski'. Lazer Man's 'Time Of Ghosts' closes down with a mid-tempo, off-kilter house cut with steely drums and distant alien activity.
Junior Dell & The D-Lites - "Watch That Girl (Little Fatty Boom Boom)" (3:30)
Woodfield Rd Allstars - "Sharpen Up!" (3:11)
Review: Junior Dell & The D Lites so often and so brilliantly work together and this is another fin example of it. Red hot vibes and sunny soul flow freely throughout the airy and breezy 'Watch That Girl (Little Fatty Boom Boom)', which muses on a passing beauty with a lovely behind. It's a single bursting with catchy hooks and tight rhythms topped by Junior Dell's charismatic vocals and all coated in nice authentic lo-fi fuzz and analogue warmth. The Woodfield Rd Allstars provide a Hammond organ-laced groove with brighter melodies and still lush, dynamic instrumental backdrops that elevate the song's lively edge.
Review: This heavyweight 12" delivers fresh French-produced roots reggae straight out of the unlikely region of Brittany in the North West. It unites the talents of producers William Spring and Arthur Dub Dealer with sought-after Jamaican vocalist Aza Lineage and results in 'Give Thanks For Life,' a spiritually charged anthem carried by Aza's commanding, conscious delivery over a deep, meditative rhythm. William Spring serves up his own riddim, and the B-side offers a delicious dub version from Dub Dealing that strips the rhythm back and recooks it with echo-drenched finesse. Benyah's 'Badman Horns' is tipped with some ska-adjacent brass to make for a meeting of modern roots energy with enduring messages of uplift.
Review: The classic 1982 funk anthem 'Don't Fight The Feeling' by American r&b and funk band One Way gets a fine 12" pressing here, which means it can be played nice and loud. Singer Al Hudson leads the way with his buttery vocal, while a stepping and broken rhythm with lovely dry claps and w sloppy synth squeal make for a pretty unique sound given when this was first recorded. On the flip side, Windjammer's 'I Thought It Was You' offers a more mellow, melodic contrast full of the band's signature blend of r&b and jazz with cooing, heart-melting vocals and a nice stepping rhythm that lovers of UK street soul will surely be drawn to.
Review: Cha Cha's latest drop revisits some essential roots reggae with the original 12" mix of the late 70s classic 'Very Well,' which is a standout track dripping in Channel One's signature so-called 'ruff & tuff' style and rich Jamaican soul. Complementing it are two heavyweight cuts of 'Kunta Kinte,' the iconic original dubplate version and a previously unreleased mix from the same era. These selections are packed with deep rhythms and militant vibes with signature production that is alive and raw. This reissue harks back to a golden moment in roots history and also offers fresh depth for collectors and selectors alike.
Review: Niklas Wandt is a Berlin-based man of many talents including drumming, singing, playing synth and percussion and DJing, as well as crafting delicious techno depths such as those on this latest EP from the fledgling Viscera Transmissions. Initially, 'Mehr Phett' veers towards hi-tek soul a la early Detroit with its surging pads and sleek percussion. 'Feuerwerk Der Rhythmen' is another quick and kinetic cut but one with great meaning in the musical synths. 'Subcutaneous Dance' then gets more wild and free with layers of synth pulses, scintillating drum programming and a driving bass line that will lead to dancefloor lift-off. Eden Burns remixes the opener into a tropical, dubby, elastic house workout with an off-balance bassline.
Donna Washingtons - "You Can't Hide From The Boogie" (4:06)
Linda Clifford - "Build A Fire" (5:31)
Review: Donna Washington, a legendary soul singer from LA, is known for hits like her duet with The Dramatics' LJ Reynolds, 'I'm Into You.' However, just as good is 'You Can't Hide From The Boogie' is a disco classic that got revived amongst heads after it featured on Boogie Times Presents The Great Collectors Vol. 8 in 2008. Now, it's getting its own standalone 7" pressing and is a high-energy, funky gem complete with powerful horns and driving drums, all perfect for the dancefloor. On the flip side, Linda Clifford's 'Build A Fire' delivers a more seductive, deep boogie sound, showcasing the enduring allure of 1980s disco and boogie music.
Donna Washington - "You Can't Hide From The Boogie" (4:04)
Linda Clifford - "Build A Fire" (5:29)
Review: Donna Washington is a US soul singer from LA who had a number of big hit including her duet with The Dramatics' LJ Reynolds, 'I'm Into You' 'You Can't Hide From The Boogie' is a disco gem that featured on the Boogie Times Presents The Great Collectors Vol. 8 compilation back in 2008 but now get its own pressing on a standalone 7". It's leggy, glossy and a real lung buster with funky drums and big horns. Linda Clifford's 'Build A Fire' is another track from the 1980s boogie and disco era that still bangs but has a more deep, stripped-back and seductive sound.
Review: This is a highly sought-after slice of 90s Detroit techno well cherished by those who like machine soul and siren futurism from the Motor City. It is now reissued, so those who consider it a holy grail are sure to rejoice as it has also been smartly remastered and features two remixes that were never officially released, with only a limited number of white label copies originally distributed as promos by 430 West. 'Vocoder' glistens with cosmic synths that twinkle like distant stars over a rubber, bouncy bassline. Remix 1 is more dark and rugged, and remix 2 has a heftier low end and more snap in the drums. It all makes for high class mind and body music.
Review: Jamaican reggae and dub don Willi Williams had hit with 'Armagideon Time,' back in 1977. He recorded it at the famous Studio One in Kingston and it was later covered by The Clash as the flipside of their seminal 'London Calling' single. He's back here with 'Length Of Days' which packs in his trademark vocal styles and rides on a loose, tumbling and dubby low end. On the flipside is Shilo Ites All Stars subtly tweaked dub version, 'Days Of Dub,' for more paid back sound system vibes. Two big tunes as the summer approaches.
Review: French label Cairo Xpress debuts with a first-ever vinyl outing and a fine one it is too, with six stylish house outings from an array of fresh talents. Wilt's 'Beoyon' has lovely gloppy drums and bass looping under harmonic chords - it's simple but effective. Hermit gets more full-bodied with his textured 'Who Dunnit' and DOTT strips it back to bumping drum track workouts on 'Twitching Softly.' There is more irresistible bounce to Lucho's 'Mesh', Artphorm layers in some old school pianos to 'Daown' and HATT D shuts down with maybe the best of the lot, 'Contrasts In Life,' which is a broken beat, analogue sound with celestial energy.
The Beat On The Street (feat Donovan Kingjay) (3:02)
Button Down (2:27)
Dis Sound Run Town (feat Horseman) (2:41)
Rudi's Serenade (2:35)
Review: Guillermo aka Existencia Pasajera is part of a new wave of artists from the Andes who is making rightful waves in the wider underground. He's got a few great releases dropping this year, and this one on the tasteful Prozpektiva is among them. 'Dreamless' starts off with an eerie piano progression that is suspenseful and noir as twitchy techno beats and synths bring an intergalactic feel. 'Universal Express (feat Dismal)' is a brightly melodic tech stomper with Italo overtones and then hints of garage underpin the nice and punchy 'Now Or Never'. 'Disco Cydonia' (feat Dismal)' best more wiry and weird again then 'Space Groove' closes out with more celestial energy and squelchy acid lines.
Review: Mid-90s East Coast hip-hop classic 'CREAM' is one of the best Wu-Tang Clan tunes if you ask us, but we never thought it might get mashed up with a Beatles tune. That's what we have here on the Tea Breaks label, which flips it into a lush, soul-drenched hip-hop sound with low-slung drums and Raekwon & Inspector Deck delivering the bars. On the flipside is an instrumental that strips them away and allows the introspective melodies and laid-back, golden-era beats to shine. Two heady tunes for sure.
Review: The second album from Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith on ECM is a meditation on resilience, sorrow and the human condition. Across four expansive tracks on Defiant Life, Iyer's piano and Fender Rhodes intertwine with Smith's haunting trumpet to create a soundscape that's both urgent and serene. From the solemn depth of 'Sumud' to the shimmering melancholy of 'Floating River Requiem' and the radiant close of 'Procession: Defiant Life' notions of suffering, resistance and hope are explored. The record was recorded in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher. It's a deeply reflective work of emotional and spiritual resonance.
Review: There are immersive experiences that inspire artists to do great things. Then there's Aboutface heading to the Wampis Territory, in the Peruvian Amazon, to live with the local community, learn a little of how they live and their relationship with the Lungs of the Planet, capturing field recordings collaboratively with those people, and trying to articulate their world through an electronic-organic deep dive album. After you've got over the jealousy about how life-changing that trip was, let's focus on the fundamentals. This is seriously escapist stuff that seems to have been made using every root, branch, and animal encountered during those weeks. The synthesised elements are audible, but take a backseat to what was and is actually there. Or here. Quite unlike anything we've heard this year, it's a stunning way to raise awareness and support for Indigenous-led conservation and initiatives trying to stop illegal deforestation and ecocide.
Lonnie Dreams (Leroy's Latin Lament - Medley) (3:10)
The Way We Feel (0:54)
La FIesta (3:24)
Lament (2:28)
Smile Happy (7:20)
So (4:56)
Low Rider (3:12)
In Mazatlan (2:54)
Why Can't We Be Friends? (3:43)
Zorro (bonus track) (5:35)
Don't Let No One Get You Down (Unedited mix) (6:31)
Roam & Ramble (bonus track) (9:07)
Low Rider (9:28)
So (Unedited mix) (9:47)
Oatmeal Box (bonus track) (5:50)
Heartbeat (16:55)
The Making Of "Why Can't We Be Friends?" (22:54)
Review: This special Anniversary Edition celebrates the groundbreaking band War's 55th year with a remastered version of the original album by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman. The iconic, multi-million selling, Billboard 200 Top Ten original has plenty of seminal WAR classics such as 'Low Rider' and the title track 'Why Can't We Be Friends?' and next to this eon disc one is a second disc filled with unreleased tracks from the original sessions, along with unedited mixes that offer deeper insight into the group's creative process. Blending funk, soul, jazz, pop and Latin influences, this genre-defying band has remained a cornerstone of Los Angeles's scene for over five decades.
Review: American blues rock's other famous double zed, ZZ Ward doubles down on her blues instincts with her fourth studio album, going to the logical ends of her newfound motherhood and creative independence. Produced with longtime collaborator Ryan Spraker, the record folds four tracks from her recent EP 'Mother' into a broader canvas of originals and carefully chosen covers. In the midst of early parenthood, the songs confront exhaustion, strength, and clarity with grit and grace. "It just took me a long time to get here," she reflects, describing the album as a way of reclaiming her place in the genre, as lead single 'Love Alive' lights the way to a blues-traditional, real-life sound and upcoming tour, Dirty Sun. Messy, honest, and unmistakably hers.
Review: Plucking themselves and their strings out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Watchhouse has its foundations in Mandolin Orange, and the duo - songwriter Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar) - haven't necessarily changed since the name switch. A married couple, there's always been this beautiful intimacy in their music, which is often tender, if not strictly quiet. Eight studio albums in and most of the reasons we fell for this Americana-folk-country outfit remain front and centre. The musicianship, at times, is nothing short of spectacular. Check the chord work on 'In The Sun'. The lyrics are capable of stopping you dead, forcing contemplation and reflection. And the overall atmosphere is like the feeling you have after stepping off a train back home. Slow down, re-familiarise, and pay some attention to the subtle things.
Review: Ben Webster and Associates marked the final collaboration between tenor saxophone legends Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, with veteran Budd Johnson joining them. The album was originally released in 1959 and featured a lineup including trumpeter Roy Eldridge, guitarist Les Spann, pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jo Jones. It has many timeless standards like 'Time After Time' and Ellington's 'In a Mellow Tone' along with three original Webster compositions, all of which have been transferred from the original analogue tapes and remastered. The album served somewhat as a tribute to Lester Young, a tenor master from the same era who had died under a month before the session.
Reflections Laughing (feat Travis Scott & Florence & The Machine)
Enjoy The Show (feat Future)
Given Up On Me
I Can't Wait To Get There
Timeless (feat Playboi Carti)
Niagara Falls
Take Me Back To LA
Big Sleep (feat Giorgio Moroder)
Give Me Mercy
Drive
The Abyss (feat Lana Del Ray)
Red Terror
Without A Warning
Hurry Up Tomorrow
Review: Scarred by a high-profile breakdown, Abel Tesfaye aka The Weekend has spent much of the last three years rebuilding his mental health - a process reflected in the introspective and surprisingly open lyrics at the heart of Hurry Up Tomorrow, his sixth studio album. Said to be the final part of a semi-autobiographical trilogy, the two-disc set is a dizzyingly varied and star-packed affair that confidently strides between squelchy synth-pop (Justice collaboration 'Wake Me Up'), thrillingly bass-heavy Baille funk (Anitta hook-up 'Sao Paolo'), attack-on-the-senses EDM-pop ('Until we're Skin & Bones'), heavily orchestrated slow jams (' Reflections Laughing' with Travis Scott and Florence and the Machine), head-nodding R&B ('Enjoy The Show' with Future), 80s pop revivalism ('Take Me Back To LA'), and shimmering analogue synthscapes (Giorgio Moroder collaboration 'Big Sleep').
Review: Norwegian pianist and composer Bugge Wesseltoft, a jazz innovator known for the diversity of his sound, is back with 'Am Are,' which is an expressive exploration of many sonic textures and dynamic contrasts. This album showcases Wesseltoft's inspiring collaborations with a constellation of superb musicians who bridge generations and styles. From sparse arrangements to complex layers of dubs and loops, Am Are highlights the power of human connection through improvisational interplay. Wesseltoft's curated selection demonstrates his passion for projects that spark creativity and celebrate the beauty of musical communication and make another fine addition to his catalogue.
Review: Wild Planet was originally a duo consisting of Simon J Hartley and Richard Brook who put out a fine debut album on Warp. After that. Hartley became the sole member for a further album on Octave One's Detroit-based 430 West label. This album came first in 1999 and has been fully remastered and sounds better than ever, with three bonus tracks from the original CD version making their vinyl debut. Transmitter captures a distinct blend of raw, warm and futuristic Detroit electro and techno that ranges from deep machine funk to atmospheric synth work. It's a shining example of Motor City innovation at its peak. Do not sleep.
Platform Nine-&-Three-Quarters & The Journey To Hogwarts (2:44)
Entry Into The Great Hall & The Banquet (3:13)
Mr Longbottom Flies (3:00)
Hogwarts Forever! & The Moving Stairs (3:15)
The Norwegian Ridgeback & A Change Of Season (4:28)
The Quidditch Match (8:28)
Christmas At Hogwarts (2:50)
The Invisibility Cloak & The Library Scene (3:12)
Fluffy's Harp (2:29)
In The Devil's Snare & The Flying Keys (2:25)
The Chess Game (3:21)
The Face Of Voldemort (4:22)
Leaving Hogwarts (3:07)
Hedwig's Theme (4:19)
Review: Released way back in October 2001, the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone soundtrack became an instant classic. It was composed and conducted by the legendary John Williams and features iconic themes like 'Hedwig's Theme' and introduces multiple character and setting motifs that shaped the musical identity of the series. Many of these leitmotifs returned in Chamber of Secrets and beyond, with 'Hedwig's Theme' becoming the franchise's signature melody and appearing in all eight films plus the Fantastic Beasts spinoff. The score earned Williams an Academy Award nomination and was certified gold in both Canada and Japan. It's a magical, enduring piece of cinematic music history.
Review: American jazz drummer Tony Williams rose to acclaim as a member of Miles Davis' so-called 'Second Great Quintet'. He later went on to pioneer jazz fusion with the group and formed his own outfit, the Tony Williams Lifetime. In 1986 he released 'Civilization', which marked a triumphant return to Blue Note and a great window into his visionary approach to jazz. Leading a stellar acoustic quintet with Wallace Roney (trumpet), Billy Pierce (sax), Mulgrew Miller (piano) and Charnett Moffett (bass), Williams served up a dynamic set of original compositions that pulse with intensity and technical brilliance, as well as emotional depth, while taking post-bop tradition into new relays. Each player brings sharp improvisational insight, but it's Williams' explosive yet precise drumming that anchors the session.
Review: Wire's 'Nine Sevens' is a double LP that serves as a reissue of their 2018 box set of 7" singles, which brought together early iconic tracks with more obscure later works. The compilation tracks the band's evolution from their monochrome early phase to the more complex, almost psychedelic sound that emerged by the end of the 1970s. The first disc resembles a traditional greatest hits collection, while the second veers into experimental territory and between them, all these 7" singles represent Wire's pop art explorations as well as being snapshots of the band frozen in time. This fine take on pop culture is a thrilling, artful journey through Wire's pioneering work.
Review: Zambian psych rock trailblazers Witch - formed in 1971 and led by Emmanuel Chanda - endured decades of dormancy but enjoyed a new lease of life over the past few years. This follow up to their 2023 reunion album, Zango, sees them continue their blossoming relationship with the Desert Daze festival's label arm and Partisan Records, which is the label that broke Fontaines D.C. A notable producer of the album is Finland's Jacco Gardner, who has dabbled in myriad projects including an impressive solo career and what he's been able to oversee here is remarkable. The rabble-rousing garage rock opener, 'Kamusale' sees fuzz-laden guitars intertwine with Chanda's raw, energetic command as a frontman and we are quickly cast into their spell. Another highlight is the eye opening 'Queenless King' where a kraut-funk bass groove sets off a free-spirited psychedelic tapestry, bursting with bright ideas and soulful charm.
Review: Over two decades since their initial formation, Idag serves as the seventh full-length from Swedish occult rock/proto-doom metal legends Witchcraft, marking their follow up to 2020's sombre, acoustic dark folk, ironically titled Black Metal. Speaking on the project, founding guitarist/vocalist and sole original member Magnus Pelander states: "This album will reap souls and destroy wicked minds. And perhaps mend a couple of broken ones." Astute rock occultists quickly surmised the nod to Chicago psych rockers Coven's 1969 debut album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls, which marked the deepest foray into all things gloom and doom the rock scene had witnessed up until that point, even birthing the "sign of the horns", with Witchcraft doing their best to honour the pioneers with an all-encompassing work. From the monolithic, eight-minute opening title-track to the swaggery, 70s-indebted progressive rock and metal roots of 'Irreligious Flamboyant Flame', all underpinned with delicate folk pieces to provide vital respites, Witchcraft have ultimately delivered an awaited full accounting of who they are as a band.
Review: Aside from his many seminal soul sounds, Bill Withers will always be a favourite of ours for the way he simply quit the music industry once he felt he had said all he had to say. And he never changed his mind, never got lured back for money, instead enjoying quiet retirement. What a set of tunes he left behind though, many of them on this album, Still Bill, including the dark paranoia of 'Who Is He (& What Is He To You?)' the funky licks of 'Another Day To Run' and anguished leads and menacing drums of 'Use Me'. Singles aside, this also plays out as all great albums should, as a coherent and absorbing story from front to back.
Review: Not all Record Store Day releases are created equal, and if you ask us, this is one of the best ever: Golden is a limited-edition gold vinyl compilation featuring all of The Wombles' singles, remastered and presented in chronological order. Originally released in 2024, this version celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Wombles' 1974 UK chart success and includes hits like 'The Wombling Song' and 'Remember You're A Womble' alongside rather more rare tracks such as 'Wombling USA.' The group was a total pop phenomenon in the 1970s and enjoyed chart-topping success with three songs in the UK charts simultaneously in 1974. This nostalgic pressing is a great reminder of those magical times.
Review: In January 2025, Al Wootton visited Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio, which is home to a rare archive of vintage drum machines. Once there, he recorded the unique rhythms and quirks of these machines and captured their raw character. Back in the UK, he transformed those recordings through processing and layering to create this new EP, Rhythm Archives. The result is a stripped-back but impactful exploration of rhythm that draws from industrial, dub, post-punk and proto-techno influences. The record stands as both a creative tribute to the iconic machines and their makers and a nod to MESS's mission of preserving electronic music heritage and making it accessible through public engagement and education.
Review: Adam Winchester and Laurie Osborne (probably still best known as Appleblim) are Wrecked Lightship and they have an inventive approach to dub, breaks and bass. Their work creates an immersive world full of rich, atmospheric textures and the latest example of that is Drained Strands, a new album for Peak Oil full of fragmented, genre-blurring sounds. The six-tracker is full of experimentation and new ideas from the off. 'Delinquent Spirits' for example is a jumble of jungle breaks and vast basslines with minimal percussion, 'Reeling Mist' is warm, blissed out dub and 'Somnium Sands' is an eerie and evocative world of synth designs and industrial decay.
Review: US coutntry rockers The Wreckers - or Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp - were only around for three years, but in that time they did manage to chalk up a couple of massive singles, 'Leave The Pieces' and 'My, Oh My', as well as this album, which went on to sell in excess of 850,000 copies after it emerged in May 2006. Harp has gone on to have success as a solo artist, but the updated country sound and close harmony simplicity of this album, now reissued, is yet to be eclipsed by either.
Review: French label PBT is absolutely on fire right now with a series of massive reissues of long-time boogie, funk and soul grails that will have collectors in a spin. Next up is this hidden gem from Florida's boogie funk archives, Pixie Dust by Wreckin' Crew, which was originally released in 1983 and was once a US-only rarity. It's a bass-heavy, synth-laced prized find for collectors and DJs featuring Robert Rans (who was the co-writer of Freeze's classic 'AEIOU') and veteran producer Kent Washburn. It's brimming with tight grooves and crisp drum programming while smooth vocal harmonies flow throughout. Every track radiates pure 80s boogie energy, all crafted with precision and ready to dominate dancefloors.
Review: Wunderhorse's Cub has evolved into a cult classic since its 2022 release and propelled the band from pub gigs to Glastonbury and sold-out Brixton Academy shows in quick time. Blending grunge bite with expansive psychedelia, the album became a generational touchstone, and frontman Jacob Slater's journey from burning out in Dead Pretties to rediscovering music while working as a surf instructor means he infuses Cub with hard-earned introspection and raw power. As the solo project transformed into a full band, Wunderhorse gained momentum, and their acclaimed 2024 follow-up Midas broke into the UK Top 10 and earned global praise while confirming their place as one of rock's most vital new voices.
… Read more
in stock$25.72
Artikel 1 bis 34 von 34 auf Seite 1 von 1 anzeigen
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.