Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: The fourth ever solo studio album from the acclaimed electronic artist and composer Laurel Halo, Atlas is intended to guide the listener through their own subconscious mind, coming as an intense sequence of soaring ambiences and beatless jazz montages. Finding its footing in instrumental improvisation by Halo herself, plus featuring artists Coby Sey, James Underwood and Lucy Railton - and then blowing any assumptive connotation with jazz out of the park with its subtly effected vocal processing and electronic tinkerings and washes thereafter - fans can be sure that this is not going to be your stock experimental affair.

Review: As part of his Gondwana label's 10th anniversary, masterful Manchester trumpeter and contemporary jazz trendsetter Matthew Halsall has put together a special deluxe edition of his beautiful "Colour Yes" album with thick reverse board sleeves, silver block letter foiling and two printed inner sleeves. First released in 2009, the album showcases Halsall's deeply emotive style across the 8 achingly good, supremely spiritual tracks that glow with gorgeous piano playing, gently lilting drums and his own fantastic leads.

Review: Following 2014's When The World Was One, Halsall and the Gondwana collective continue their spiritual jazz adventure with another immaculate narrative. Now with much more vocal prowess, singer Josephine Oniyama plays a lead role in the story, adding consistency and personality to the Halsall's swooning, cinematic odysseys. Highlights include the Hathaway-style half spoken/half sung "Badder Weather", the frenetic double bass and brushed drum crescendos of "The Land Of", the (lark) ascending strings and oriental scales of "Cushendun" and the smoky, faraway Coltraneisms of the title track. Modern jazz doesn't get any more authentic than this.

Review: The Jon Hassell retrospective series from Ndeya Records continues with 'Further Fictions', one of the recent three to explore the visionary composer and performer's ideas centring around the idea of the Fourth World. Further Fictions is a double CD anthology of the music on the vinyl editions, with a disc devoted to each album in hardbound book style packaging and an extensive booklet containing sleevenotes and archival images.

Review: It's only six months since The Heliocentrics released their last album, 'Infinity of Now', but boy how the world has changed since then. To reflect that, this new collection of songs is more intense, dark, paranoid, uncertain and, well, angry. It makes for a typically out there record that pulls together disparate worlds and defies familiar conventions. There are moments of sweetness and light such as "Space Cake" but also pixelated realms of jazz complexity that glisten and glean. This is an album that will lead you to strange, thought provoking places, but will also greatly reward any time you spend there.

Review: London-born Ashley Henry returns with his latest project, Who We Are via Naive Records. This new release highlights Henry's distinctive approach to music, blending introspective self-expression with vibrant jazz influences. Who We Are is a rich blend of sound where Henry's ethereal falsetto meets lush piano melodies and rhythmic percussion. His self-produced compositions create an inviting sonic space that highlights his introspective lyrics and deep-rooted self-assurance. The album reflects Henry's journey through self-discovery and collective empowerment, urging listeners to value each other's dreams and find inspiration within their communities. Henry's music draws from his London upbringing and Jamaican heritage, combining classical training with the profound influences of Black radical traditions. Inspired by icons such as James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Ahmed Jamal and George Benson, Henry's work resonates with both historical depth and contemporary relevance.

Review: Kryptox returns with yet another incredible album, once more hammering home their untoppled status as the best out their for weirdo jazz at the minute. This one's from Joel Holmes, a jazz pianist mainly stooped in the dance world, having worked with Carl Craig, Roy Hargrove and Common to name but a few. Into The Abyss is a sonic tour of the the present Berlin jazz and electronic scene, with fellow Berliners such as Ziggy Zeitgeist appearing as cameos, cropping up alongside other international guests such as London's Tenderlonious.