Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Since founding DiN in 1999, Ian Boddy has been driven by a passion for collaboration, particularly with artists connected to the pioneering German electronic scene of the 1970s. When a chance meeting with Harald Grosskopf at a Dutch music festival presented the opportunity to work together, Boddy eagerly embraced Grosskopf's ear; the latter's tutelage at the Berlin school spans decades, and he is most notably for his fellowship as a drummer with Klaus Schulze, whose influence looms large over Boddy's own work. But beyond percussion, Grosskopf's Synthesist album revealed his distinct melodic sensibilities, making him an ideal creative partner for Doppelganger. Blending Berlin-schooled sequencing with evocative grooves. Boddy's modular synth textures shine on tracks like 'Boulevard Horizon', while Grosskopf's rhythmic playfulness is evident in 'Livewire'.

Review: Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement deluxe double CD album commemorates the iconic debut of Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh after leaving Sheffield's Human League. Joined by Glenn Gregory, they formed Heaven 17, drawing their name from a list of bands favoured by the anti-hero of Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Their debut single, '(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang,' stirred controversy and earned a BBC Radio 1 ban in March 1981. Released in September 1981, the Penthouse and Pavement album quickly achieved gold status and featured hits like 'Play to Win,' 'Penthouse and Pavement', and 'The Height Of The Fighting.' Disc One contains the original album, while Disc Two offers six non-album A and B sides, five original demos, and four 12" versions. Packaged in a new 7" deluxe gatefold with an eight-page booklet, this set includes album lyrics and credits, making it a very eye appealing package.

Review: A warm welcome back to perennial genre-benders Hot Chip, who return to stores after three long years with their eighth album, some 21 years after making their debut. Freakout/Release is no dramatic change in direction, but instead a further distillation of what has always made the band so appealing - a trademark fusion of synth-pop, loved-up house sounds, lilting and sometimes melancholic lead vocals, loose-limbed organic drums, nods to Prince and an ability to craft killer hooks. There are highlights aplenty, from the gravelly live hip-hop funk of 'The Evil That Men Do' (where rapper Cadence Weapon delivers a star turn) and the subtly post-punk influenced, saucer-eyed brilliance of 'Hard To Be Funky' (featuring Lou Hayter), to the classic Hot Chip sing-along flex of 'Time' and the krautrock-tinged 'Out of My Depth'.