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Review: Three years after delivering a stunning debut album that cemented their position as this century's finest fusionists of Middle Eastern music and analogue electronic music, Acid Arab return with a sophomore set that's every bit as impressive. The basic ingredients remain the same - think Arabic vocals, instrumentation and percussion mixed with heavy drum machine rhythms, raw electronics and mind-altering TB-303 motifs - though the resultant tracks arguably draw on a wider range of electronic music influences. So as well as nods towards acid house and techno, the album also contains throbbing, dancefloor-centric workouts informed by EBM, Italo-disco, new wave, synth-pop and industrial. It's a subtle switch-up, but one wholly in keeping with the French quartet's distinctive vision.

Notes: The ZED-12FX is ideal for groups who need to travel light. Even with its small footprint, the 12FX squeezes in 4 auxiliary channels and swept semi-parametric EQ on top of the already impressive feature set including configurable USB audio in/out makes it easy to capture stereo recordings.

Getting audio to and from a computer easily is now a common requirement for live sound and music production. The way this has been implemented on ZED-12FX is super-flexible and super-easy. No longer do you need to fiddle around the back of your PC to get to the soundcard inputs, only to find that the levels are all wrong and noisy. Just plug in a USB lead to your ZED, select the USB routing on the mixer and the device on your computer and that's it.

USB AUDIO FLEXIBILITY
Getting audio to and from a computer easily is now a common requirement for live sound and music production. The way this has been implemented on ZED is super-flexible and super-easy! No longer do you need to fiddle around the back of your PC to get to the soundcard inputs, only to find that the levels are all wrong and noisy. Just plug in a USB lead to your ZED, select the USB routing on the mixer and the device on your computer and that's it! CD quality audio to and from your PC or Mac. Switches and connection through jack socket terminals provide different send/return configurations:-

SEND OPTIONS
1) Main Mix Left + Right (Post-fade)
2) Main Mix Left + Right (Pre-Fade)
3) Auxes 1-2
4) Auxes 3-4

RETURN OPTIONS
1) To Stereo 3 channel

MUSIQ
ZED-12FX features a responsive 3-band, swept mid frequency EQ design which utilises MusiQ - with optimised slope (or Q factor) for equalising individual instruments.

ZED-12FX has an essential selection of 16 time-delay effects, designed for small groups who don't want to carry around an effects unit with their gear but who still want great quality FX at their gigs and on their recordings. Our DSP engineers worked hard, crafting and refining beautiful reverb algorithms to enhance every performance. These effects are available nowhere else at this price point - this quality and integration is only available from the ZED-FX. ZED effects are easily controlled using 3 buttons with 9 display LEDs. For example, the ideal delay time can be quickly tapped-in, or the perfect amount of reverb on the lead vocal can be dialled-in. There is one-stop navigation and editing - in fact, it's just as easy as using effects pedals. To alter effects parameters, the TAP button is held down and the up/down buttons pressed to adjust the specific parameter for that effect, for example, the decay length on PLATE, or the depth on CHORUS.

Based on the proven pre-amps from the hugely successful PA series, ZED-12FX has DuoPre pre-amps, which use a two stage design, with carefully controlled amounts of gain in each stage. When amplifying the signal from the XLR input, the gain range is huge - 69dB of range to be exact - and is very evenly distributed around the gain control, meaning better control of signal level. Most of the gain comes from the first stage, so unwanted noise is kept to a minimum. Line level signals are simply plugged into the second stage of the pre-amp by using the line input jack socket, which has the great advantage of less noise when using the line input and also matching to a
higher input impedance.

Review: Last year, Amsterdam-based Turkish band Altin Gun delivered one of the most potent - and arguably overlooked - debut albums of the year, "On". 12 months on they return with album number two, "Gece", an inspired fusion of heavyweight Turkish psychedelia, funk, freak-folk and intergalactic rock. While the songs and recordings are brand new, the band's choice of instrumentation - vintage Moog synths, gnarled funk-rock guitars, skittish drums and fuzzy bass guitar - and 1960s style production gives the whole thing a deliciously retro feel. It's a recipe that guarantees thrills and spills, with "Yolcu", "Sofor Bey", "Derdimi Dokersem" and spacey "Gesi Baglari" among the many highlights.

Review: The story behind this one is that Vivian Yabby You Jackson once put together a tape that had been labeled The Best Of Patrick Andy but had never been put it out. On it was three unreleased tunes, one unreleased dub, and stereo mixes of several previously mono-only singles. For whatever reason it now sees the light of day and we're glad about it - this forms a fine tribute to a top singer and a legendary producer with some timeless dub. The horns pan, the rhythm tracks are heavy, the studio trickery is impressive throughout.

Notes: Compact phono stage to boost turntable output to line level. Add turntable inputs or upgrade the sound of your DJ mixer. Adjustable capacitance and gain to suit a range of cartridges.

Supplier's notes:
The DJ PRE II acts as an interface between your turntable and your audio recording/playback system. The analog input capacitance can be switched between 100pF and 200pF to optimize your phono cartridge response. A switchable low cut filter removes turntable rumble while leaving the audio pristine. The front gain trim control and signal/clip LED allow you to optimize the preamp's gain for a wide range of input sources. The built-in low noise phono preamp circuitry is highly accurate and precisely conforms to the RIAA standard. The line output jacks are low impedance and can be used with any sound card. Housed in an all aluminum black anodized case, the DJ PRE II can be powered by a wide variety of external supplies. If you need to amplify and EQ your vinyl records to interface with your audio workstation, sound card, home stereo system or main monitor system, the DJ PRE II gives you flawless audio reproduction in a rugged and reliable package.

Review: Arv & Miljo's new album delves into radical environmental activism and draws from the Swedish Plogbill movement's early 90s actions alongside Earth First! and Earth Liberation Front. Mixing monologues, interviews, protest songs, and site recordings with raw kosmische synth music, the pair crafts a mesmerising audio collage. Chaotic yet harmonious, disorienting yet soothing, the album reflects dedication, passion, and the spirit of change. Originally a limited CDR release in 2021, it quickly became a highlight in Arv & Miljo's discography. Now on, Jorden Forst offers a multi-faceted journey through environmental activism and the human spirit's resilience.

Review: Covert operator ASC continues his astral travels for his current series of intergalactic breakbeat explorations with 'Star Cluster'. Following 'Isometric Projection' and 'Cause & Effect', this EP once again reaches to the heavens for its essence and rolls out with shimmering, emotional charm and more than its fair share of heavy drum punches. The dreamy vocal calls and slamming breaks of 'Solyaris' and the tightly coiled spring groove of 'Oblivion' are both major highs on this trip.

Review: Mystics Arts is young label from Belfast that welcomes vocal duo Black Bones aka the DJ and production duo of Aaron Black and Timmy Stewart. Both men have been at this for many years and bring considerable know how, studio chops and dance music understanding to an EP that is aimed square at the rave. It's all about hands in the air breakbeats, old school rave energy, lush chords that come on stronger than the rush of an E and are steeped in the culture of pirate radio, illegal parties and warehouse sessions. A timeless EP that will light up any dancefloor.

Review: Archeo Recordings bring us some more Balearic Italian treasure here with some gold initially recorded in Bologna almost two decades ago. It's a collaboration between friends Bottin and Lucio Dalla that has never before been on vinyl. 'Lunedi Cinema' was an ident that played before Monday night movies on of one of the main Italian TV channels for many years. This electronic version includes the Martedi Mix from 2008, a Minibar Bonus Track and also a mix by pioneering Italian dream house dons Leo Mas & Fabrice with a Bottin dub sealing the deal. It's a superb package of real Italo music history.

Review: Reissue of classic mid-70s Niney production with Big Youths 'Ride On' & a cut to 'Westbound Train' on the flip.

Review: Despite her 'Working Men's Club" roots, British variety entertainer Marti Caine actually made some surprisingly good records during her lifetime. 1981 album "Point of View" is arguably the best of the lot. Caine's soft-touch (and emotional vocals) take centre stage, though it's the rather left-of-centre musical mixture below - think rock-infused cosmic disco ("Love The Way You Love Me"), trippy dub disco ("Snowbird City"), shirts-off disco ("Can I Speak To The World Please") and a string of cuts that could arguably be described as Balearic - that makes the album an essential listen.

Review: It goes without saying that 'A Love Supreme' is in the upper echelons of jazz history. A spiritual and emotional proclamation from American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, the 32 minute runtime is a narrative of strife and struggle with addiction as well as the notable repetition of his riff in all 12 keys throughout the session in 'Acknowledgement'. In many ways you could say Coltrane's playing wasn't improvised at all, and you could argue that the session was better off for it. At the end of the half an hour, the narrative unwinds and Coltrane is declaring a faith to God, a musical thankyou to his faith that kept him true throughout his trials following a spiritual awakening in 1957 - what resulted was an undisputed musical masterpiece.

Review: British soul singer Dee C Lee started her career singing backup for Wham and the Style Council, before embarking on a solo career that included an early release on Mo Wax. By the late 90s, she'd pretty much stepped back from music though - making this new album for Acid Jazz a genuine surprise (it's her first new release for over a quarter of a century). It's rather good, too, with Lee's sublime and emotion-rich vocals soaring above 'heritage soul' style tracks that variously offer nods to bossa-nova ('Don't Forget About Love'), disco/jazz-funk fusion ('Be There In The Morning', with its excellent horns and fluttering flutes), and Motown-style stompers (the uplifting excellence of 'Walk Away').

Review: Minimal heads will be chuffed to see that the third volume of the Dis Chronicles series has now arrived on Repeat. It is another stylish collection of Grant Dell beats starting with a cut as Chicago Transit Authority. 'Emotive' is a perfect blend of jazzy keys and skipping garage drums with deep house vibes and swirling pads to add extra heat. On the flipside, Dell links with Jay Tripwire for 'Cosmic Kebab' which leans more into tech house territory but as the title suggests has nice starry synth work and to close out, Dell goes it alone on 'Rhythmic Science' which looks you into his precise beat work and diffuse late night chords.

Review: Though his career has taken many turns over the last decade, DJ Koze has remained that most illusive of creatures: a minimal-minded producer with an ear for a melody. This fourth full-length, packed to the rafters with big-name collaborations (Apparat, Caribou, Ada and Matthew Dear all feature), continues his move towards the home-listening sphere. So, while many of the heady rhythms and shuffling grooves hark back to his stripped-back past, Amygdala impresses with its woozy songs, genre-straddling fusions (see the modern soul meets deep house of "Homesick" or the steppy, tropical vibes of "Marilyn Whirlwind") and homely atmosphere.

Review: Dark Entries welcome back the inimitable Doc Sleep aka Melissa Maristuen for a superb new album of ghostly and ethereal house and techno. This is a welcome follow-up to last year's ambient and IDM exploration, Birds, and shows another side that draws on Maristuen's years of queer clubbing. It fuses aspects of New York house, Berlin techno and West-coast breakbeats and is "a love letter to the West Coast's magnificent natural landscape, the light of the Pacific sunrise." That is reflected in the sublime synths and silky rhythms which manage to both move your body but also captivate your mind. It's another cracking album from the Doc.

Review: Vinyl only and lucky if we see one release a year; Moonshine's Dubwise Revolution always keeps us keen with their white label 10s. This is no exception. Crafted by an anonymous source, these spicy versions join the dots in a contemporary, high grade way. Sleng tenging it out with plenty of molten low end, 'Garnedd' brings the soul while 'Ghetto Living' slugs it out with swagger. Grab it while you can.

Review: A decade after making his major label with Doris, all all-star affair featuring contributions from the RZA, Frank Ocean and Tyler The Creator, Los Angeles MC Earl Sweatshirt delivers album number six - a two-way hoedown with acclaimed beat-maker, Cypress Hill affiliate and fellow LA resident The Alchemist. It's a musical marriage with great potential, all told, as Earl Sweatshirt delivers distinctively enigmatic lyrical flows in his distinctive timbre over impeccable beats that draw on an impressively diverse range of samples. Compare and contrast, for example, the sparse, bluesy brilliance of 'Vin Skully' and the West Coast synth-funk influenced smoothness of 'Heat Check', or gospel-influenced Vince Staples hook-up 'Mancula' and the slow-motion drowsiness and aural beauty of 'Sirius Blac'.

Review: For their sixth full length album 'Violence', melancholic Birmingham alt-rockers Editors have adopted a grander synth-pop sound to frame their typically dark songwriting in. This change in direction comes from collaborating with the album's producer Leo Abraham and composer Blank Mass, who helped the band hone their electronic craft. The songwriting pairs grandiose stadium riffs with assertive synth-work; 'Hallelujah (So Low)' goes straight for the jugular with fat synth leads and lo-fi drums, and the chorus of lead single 'Magazine' balances sections of punchy electronic swagger with singalong melodic euphoria. On 'No Sound But The Wind', there's a glimpse of an earlier Editors sound, more atmospheric and spacious than the tracks that surround it - unsurprising as it's a song the band first debuted back at Glastonbury 2008 and have been re-working since. Following 2015's somewhat confused 'In Dream', Editors sound reinvigorated and confident in the direction 'Violence' is taking them in.

Review: Unstoppable Munich label Ilian Tape has another entry in its fine ITX Series here and this one is called 'Biospore Farmers' from Fields of Mist, describing it as "Sunrise Beams Through Orbital Mist." In less abstract terms, it is a gorgeously hazy and lo-fi electro-exploration. The first two cuts are slow, doleful and reflective with grainy pads and deep space ambiance swirling around nice rough-edged broken beats. The B-side picks up the pace with the brilliantly kinetic bounce of 'Astral Projection Spores' and then the skittish and celestial trip that is 'Orbital Mist'. A high-class EP once again.

Review: Amsterdam collective Forsvarlig Arkiv is branching out with a new label that is going to represent what they are all about. This debut EP, 'Arkiv I', comes after many years of expert curating of their podcast series and welcomes four different, equally vital artists to offer up some fresh techno. Forest On Stasys kicks off with 'Sunken', a swamp and gurgling bit of mind-melting sound design, Zemog's 'A'te' then rides on silky, meditative loops with rising synth tension and Eyvind Blix follows a similar path with a more psychedelic edge. Biocym shuts down with 'Sabotage', a more percussive and edgy sound for late-night freaks.

Review: While Ben Frost's work has long been marked out by deft-touch dark ambient, experimental instincts and clandestine aural textures, he's always thrown in surprise excursions and drawn on musical inspirations that other like-minded producers would fear to embrace. This latter characteristic comes to the fore on Scope Neglect, his first solo set for six years. Remarkably, it utilises the moodiness, weight and ten-ton guitar licks of metal - played by Car Bombs guitarist Greg Kubacki and bass-slinger Liam Andrews of My Disco fame - as a starting point. Frost naturally puts these through the sonic wringer, combining them with his own skittish, IDM-influenced beats, dark ambient soundscapes and razor-sharp electronics. The results are unusual, impressive and emphatically enjoyable, sitting somewhere between timeless electronica, Nine Inch Nails and experimental metal.

Review: Croatian producer Funky Destination is back with an irresistible funk bomb here in the form of this new 45rpm on Sound Exhibitions out of Italy. It comes on limited edition red vinyl and opens up with 'I Wanna Love Ya' which is one of his signature grooves completes with snappy hits and jangling guitar lines. It's a loopy affair that bursts to life with the arrival of some big trumpets and has a throwback turn of the millennium feel. 70s Lonely Hustler' is the flipside jam and is a more organic and loose rhythm peppered with Latin energy, bird calls, tambourines and much more.

Review: "As a long-time fan of soundtracks and library music, I was thrilled by the opportunity to see just how much emotion I could compress into the brief connecting links that would augment a furtive kiss, a painful psychic vision, or a breeze across the bones of a scorched landscape," says Timmi Meskers, the North Country, New York-based artist behind Garden Gate. "The first glimmer of Magic Lantern flickered over the kitchen sink, if memory serves. I was cleaning up with a dear friend, author Roan Parrish, and we were discussing how we could collaborate creatively. "Our first idea was that she would share prose to inspire my themes, and inversely, I would share a few original themes to inspire her writing. Before we knew it, what started as a handful of stories and songs, damp with soap suds, ended up becoming a fully scored audiobook anthology." In practice, that sounds like achingly beautiful compositions packed with a sense of wonder and mystery, adventures and experiences waiting for a narrative, blissed out stargazing scores and spectacular ambient movements.

Review: Four years on from her last full-length outing, Ariana Grande returns with her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. In keeping with many post-pandemic albums, Grande apparently drew on her own personal experiences during the writing process, keen to deliver something that mixed "vulnerability" with entertainment. Musically, it also follows current and recent pop trends, combining r&b and hip-hop roots with nods to disco ('Bye'), 80s synth-pop ('Supernatural', 'This Boy'), trap ('True Story'), EDM (the house-tinged 'Yes and?' and colourful 'We Can't be Friends (Wait For Your Love') and classic balladeering ('I Wish I Hated You', with its expansive musical palette and intricate instrumental flourishes).

Review: Muriel Grossman has already serve up her tune fusion album Union this month with the help from some fine talents including Radomir Milojkovi on guitar, Llorenc Barcelo on Hammond and Uros Stamenkovic's tight drums. But now the sax player is back on the same label with Natural Time, a double gatefold album that features some of the cuts off Union - namely 'Happiness' and 'African Dance' - as well as a few more that are just a s spiritual and sensuous. It is hard to pick a favourite between the two albums so you'll be best off just getting both.

Review: Contemporary spiritual jazz maestro Muriel Grossmann is a sax player, singer and composer who has already released plenty of well regarded albums, but is nowhere near done yet. Universal Code is her latest and is a bumper double that again finds her offering her own unique take on the spiritual jazz template. She once again recalls her recent band mates Radomir Milojkovic on guitar, Llorenc Barcelo on keyboards and Uros Stamenkovic on drums and Gina Schwarz on double bass and they slide into soul jazz sound with straight ahead sounds that soon soothe with breezy soprano motifs and bluesy walking basslines.

Review: Just as some of her older albums are being reissued, American singer-songwriter Beth Hart returns with a fascinating new album that has long been rumoured: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is a profound work by the Grammy-nominated powerhouse vocalist that channels fellow legendary singer Robert Plant. It comes on two translucent orange vinyl and across the nine tracks the artist really manages to capture the wide spectrum of sounds the Zep were known for. Super-producer Rob Cavallo and engineer Doug McKean work don the record and helped bring everything from rock to psychedelia, folk to prog to jazz to the fore.

Review: We've been treated to reissues of everything else from PJ Harvey's spectacular catalogue, so it's only right we get a chance to savour the deeper cuts that shape out the persona of the high priestess of alternative rock. Gathering together an exhaustive 59 B sides, demos and previously unreleased tracks, this six-LP box set takes us into the heart of Polly Jean's writing process, showing the raw power in the songwriting when it's just her voice and an overdriven guitar, and showing us the broader possibilities of songs which didn't make the cut for the studio albums. This is a true treasure of music getting the authoritative release she deserves.

Review: Some expansive, cinematic, orchestral spiritual jazz for you here, from the trio of talents that Fumio Itabashi, Kuniyiki and Henrik Schwarz. While the latter two are generally better-known for their deep and sometimes tech-tinged house and ambient productions, the original mix of 'Watarese' (featured here on side B) is a dense, immersive jazz soundscape laden with evocative Japanese vocals, improvised piano, moody orchestration and definite nods towards vintage free-jazz. Spiritual Life supremo Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell provides the remix and, somewhat predictably, steals the show. His take is gently rhythmic, sun-splashed spiritual jazz full of hand percussion, fluid piano motifs and rubbery double bass.

Review: Like many veteran jazz artists, American pianist Keith Jarrett has amassed a vast discography. The 92 solo and collaborative albums he's notched up since 1968 cover many styles of jazz, making it tricky for newcomers to know where to start. We'd suggest beginning with this 1999 album, which is as pure as you'll get. Made up entirely of solo piano pieces - mostly covers, with a sprinkling of Jarrett's own compositions - "The Melody At Night With You" not only offers a brilliant introduction to Jarrett's trademark playing style, but also the breadth of material he's covered. More importantly, the whole collection is hugely entertaining and enjoyable, with Jarrett putting his own twist on everything from Duke Ellington classics and Oscar Hammerstein show tunes, to Gershwin ballads and traditional favourites.

Review: It's been a minute since we last heard from Earl Jeffers, the Cardiff-based artist who has been steadily making his mark in the house scene with a soulful style that calls back to some of the foundations of deep rooted Black house music from the UK. As such, it's significant to see him returning from a three year absence in collaboration with the imperious Kaidi Thatham. Their joint effort, 'The Essence', is a soaring, invigorating workout overflowing with Thatham's incredible musicianship front and centre. 'Higher' is a skipping, up for it garage house heater with raunchy organs and an infectious bounce, and it comes with an additional 'Alt Mix' which takes things a touch deeper for the late night crowd.

Review: When Jesus & Mary Chain reunited in 2007 there were tons of questions about what this would mean for their music, music in general, and the planet. Well, OK, maybe more their music. The notorious 1998 on-stage implosion between brothers William and Jim Reid was a culmination of tension between the siblings that afforded the band their inimitable conflict of sound, but also seemed to call definite time. It would be another decade before they attempted to work together again, with a show at Coachella, then another ten years passed while they figured out where from there. In the end, Damage & Joy was the answer, 2017's album, co-produced by Youth in a bid to bring in a potential mediator should things go sour. They didn't, and the record was well received - somewhere between old JAMC and a new era. Now we have Glasgow Eyes, an extension of that. Rather than born of conflict, tracks feel united in a common goal, synths rising to the fore above guitars, combative tones receding in favour of comfortable juxtapositions and contrasts.

Review: Through his work with revivalist soul band the Indications, Durand Jones has already proved that he's a serious talent - a vocalist and lyricist whose impressive range and impassioned, emotive delivery mark him out as a genuine star in the making. Wait Till I Get Over, his debut solo album, will only enhance his reputation. Framed as a love letter to his hometown of Hillaryville, with thoughtful lyrics that reflect not only on his own intriguing life story but also the history of the town's black community, the collected songs veer from string-laden, socially conscious ballads and fuzzy rhythm & blues workouts, smoky slow jams, nods to Sly Stone and righteous, reverb-laden gospel winners.

Review: Kangding Ray's debut is a balance between the flow of melodies and the ever changing structure of rhythm.

Review: After 16 years as a DJ and label owner, Kasra only released his debut EP in 2018. Now he's dropping albums dripping in high grade collabs. Gardna, Riko Dan, Yaano, Slay, VISLA, Killa P, T Man and Enei all play a role in this gully-fest as the Critical bossman rolls out a session of timeless styles. Highlights include the A.W.O.L style dark stepper 'Platinum', the Digital Soundboy flavoured 'Shatter' and the mesmerising smash of 2023 - 'BB.OO'. Dreamy. .

Review: Kiss' groundbreaking Creatures Of The Night was something of a shocker, as the band had taken a rather bold step in returning to a more heavyweight sound. The risk paid off, with the album becoming an instant classic and spawning no end of deluxe editions, one of which saw over 100 tracks pressed to a single box set. The kind souls over at UMC clearly saw it fit to release the original album as it was; simply nine tracks, from the massive femme fatale that is 'Killer' to the decadent judgment of 'Rock N' Roll Hell'.

Review: Jacopo Latini is an Italian producer just breaking through with some choice releases on Mood Waves and Conceptual Moods. He's back on the former label with a lush new 12" of progressive house that leads in with the epic strains of 'Rumore Bianco' - the kind of track to get a crowd swooning thanks to its emotive, plaintive tone. 'Illusion' leans in a little more on the bassline, but there's no shortage of melodic flourishes on top and the subtle fleck of trance we're used to hearing in house music these days. 'Rumore Rosso' is a punchier affair, while 'Synthesy (Acid Dub)' sports a more explicitly 90s flavoured demeanour

Review: Gail Laughton's Harps of the Ancient Temples was originally released in 1969 and now gets a proper reissue job courtesy of Pleasure For Music. It is a stunning piece of work from the American jazz harpist who has scored many films and cartoons during his time working in Hollywood. the record was produced by the sound engineer Paul Beaver who is said to be the dude who introduced the Moog to Stevie Wonder and Frank Zappa. Alway, the sound here manages to be both classical and space age, retro yet futuristic, with the shimmering, ethereal quality of the harp impossible to ignore.

Review: Late American rapper Lil Peep dropped his fourth mixtape on June 10, 2016, independently, but it was later added to streaming platforms in 2020 posthumously. Now it arrives on white vinyl for the first time thanks to Death Note Music and reminds us what a talent he was. Peep's raw lyricism and distinctive emo-rap style set him apart with haunting melodies and melancholic production. The record delves into themes of loneliness and despair, resonating deeply with listeners navigating the complexities of modern relationships and Peep's poignant delivery and introspective verses capture the essence of youthful anguish with bars that reverberate long after the music fades.

Review: Yet another good ole Studio One classic. Michigan and Smiley's 'Nice Up The Dance' is widely understood as one of the dancehall scene's most formidable classics. First out in 1979, this edition also comes with 'Real Rock', one of the most enduring tunes in reggae from time. Two rootsy monsters you won't regret hearing.

Review: Jeff Mills for Axis Records. Are there any more exciting words for fans of Detroit techno? Here The Wizard assumes his MIllsart alias and once again sets off to explore extra terrestrial soundscapes. The tempo here is slower than under his own name, leaving more space for the sci-fi details and cosmic motifs to really sink in. The beats roll deep, too, with gentle percussive clatter dropped in from above. In the case of 'Breaker Breaker One Nine' the sound is almost Glenn Underground-esque. It is the EP highlight, though the glistening 'The Upside Down' is not far behind.

Review: Monyaka's 'Rocking Time' encapsulates the essence of reggae's infectious groove in just four minutes. Released in 1983, this timeless anthem radiates positivity with its upbeat rhythm and uplifting lyrics. Monyaka's infectious energy and catchy melodies invite listeners to dance and celebrate life's joys and serve as a reminder of reggae's ability to transcend borders and unite people with its universal message of love and harmony. With its irresistible vibe, Monyaka's 'Rocking Time' is a warming gem that embodies the spirit of joy and togetherness that defines reggae.

Review: Ilian Tape's ITX Series provides another opportunity to sink into some deeply escapist ambient and drone soundscapes from the usually dance floor-focused breakbeat and techno label. MPU101 has served up a few of these EPs before and they always find them coax plenty of magic out of their analogue machines. 'TEAM 700_76' is a nice and bleary-eyed post-Blade Runner soundtrack, 'BLOCK-1_2AREA666' has a darker undercurrent of menace, 'TrailerparkBeauty' brings some twinkling celestial keys and 'Sunset Memories' closes on frazzled chords that speak of heat damage from a scorching sun.

Review: Poetic Hovering Synth Tinkerer.

Review: You can't beat a good edits label and that's what we seem to have here off the evidence of the first release from NIN Edits out of Italy. Ninja Edits 1 opens with the fused charms of what sounds like sleek, proto-techno synths from Kraftwerk and disco percussion on 'Dance & Music'. 'Get Up & Down' is a deeper cut with some smoky and soulful pads and nice loose percussion that throws it back to the New York disco scene, and the most buttery and seductive of the lot comes last. 'Moon & Night' has a woozy groove and lush strings scoring high next to plenty of rich instrumental funk.

Review: Samba flavours do not come more authentic than this. The sixth in Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series, here they unearth two foundation pieces from Rio collective Os Origianais Do Samba. Forming in 60s Rio, they're still highly active today and have a discography peppered with Brazilian gold. This 45 does well to showcase their breadth... "La Vem Salgueiro" is quintessential samba. Heavy rhythm, punctuated vocals and a dynamic that leaps from bold and delicate in a flash, it charms you instantly. "Tenha Fe" has a softer soul as it strums and sways and more of a folky sensation, tight harmonies and alluring naked instrumentation.

Review: We've got some of that naughty and irresistible white label madness here from new and mysterious label and production outfit Outtaface. It comes with a label that references the energetic cartoon stylings of the late Keith Haring and a bassline that will melt your face. The 'Vocal' track mixes up disco, skank, rave, The Prodigy references and outer space designs into a truly unusual blend that will bring colour and craziness to the floor. The flip side dub slows it down, fleshes out the low and and allows the cosmic synth work more room to shine. A handy 12" for sure.

Review: Fela Kuti and Tony Allen are your key starting points when it comes to the wild frenetic Afrobeat fusion Nigeria gave us in the late 60s but dig a teeny bit deeper and you'll find multi instrumentalist Tunji is right behind them. Armed with his band The Benders, Tunji ran a tight ship and perhaps should've done with a little more recognition. Now living and gigging in London, he's curated this essential collection of tracks from Afrobeat's most prolific era.

Review: Few things are certain in life; death, taxes, politicians lying and Paradox guaranteeing to slap your very soul with every single release he ever carves. Paradox Music 040 is no exception as 'Soviet' buries you under a savage iron curtain while '7Arc' is just Dev showing off his digging chops as he makes a whole range of breaks and cuts chat and bubble away in conversation. Pure breakbeat magic as always. Big up Paradox.