Back catalogue:

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.

Review: Marvin Dash and Lowtec combine to serve up some house grooves here that perfectly embody the Workshop sound. They are lovably loose-limbed, dusty and ramshackle, and almost feel as if they may fall apart at any given moment, but that is the joy of them. Instead, they keep you locked amongst rickety drums, frayed pads and imperfect little vocal hooks that bring the soul. 'Track 1' does that with a hazy feel, 'Track 2' is more one out with a dubby undercurrent and sustained keys and 'Track 3' brings little more prickle and drive, like a super raw Omar-S track. 'Track 4' is all about the prying, bulbous bassline that unfurls with a mind of its own beneath DIY percussive sounds.

Review: Chicago's Tied label rolls out a 17th release as good as all the previous ones, this time with a four-track various artists EP that showcases emerging talents from deep, spacey electronic realms. Just_Me's 'Laser Brane' launches the journey with electro-funk propulsion, while Lumieux's 'In Your Space... It's Me In Space' drifts into cosmic grooves and ambient textures. On the B-side, Constratti's meticulously crafted 'Bind' delivers intricate synth delays and solid rhythms that capture the feeling of interstellar motion. Label head Max Jacobson and 97 Till close with 'Orion,' a break-infused and celestial house cut built for late-night floors.

Review: MessenJAH Movement is on a roll after its first three outings and this fourth is just as momentous as it explores conscious dub. The A-side showcases the unmistakable voice of King Lorenzo on 'Down Ya Inna Babylon', which is a heartfelt collaboration years in the making. It's backed by a militant yet soulful MessenJAH Movement riddim and a heavy dub version mixed in-house with stepping rhythms and shiny digital leads. On the flip, Black Swan marks a long-anticipated link-up between Locks MessenJAH and EverestDub, who has been a key figure in Bristol's dub scene since 2008. The track pays tribute to the roots and legacy of Bristol dub and is named after the iconic venue that shaped UK sound system culture.

Review: Misty Lane is vocalist Elaine Desjardins, and she worked with producers Michel Bibeau and Ralph Mashats in the mid-80s. Two tunes from that time, 'Energy' and 'Controle', brim with charm and analogue warmth all these years later as they get served up in all their quirky synth-pop style with unmistakable Quebecois flair via Dark Entries. The opener pulses with snappy Roland TR-808 beats and proto-house vibes carried by Desjardins' refreshingly unpolished vocals, while 'Controle' slows things down into a tropical mid-tempo groove that echoes the atmosphere of Junior Byron's 'Dance to the Music.' This reissue is a delight for lovers of Italo, Canadian disco and eccentric synth pop.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


A timely reminder of the enduring power of classic house music. Originally released in 1991, 'Rise Up' is a certified anthem, its infectious energy and uplifting piano chords transporting listeners back to the golden age of house music. This reissue features the original mix on the A-side, a timeless piece of dancefloor history that continues to inspire and uplift. But the real treat lies on the flip, where Vandalism delivers a remix that injects a contemporary twist via a driving bassline and fruity synths. A guaranteed mood booster and a reminder of the timelessness of classic house music.

Review: Definitive Recordings throws it back to 1994 for 'Do It' a house classic by Las Americas, which is a legendary project by David Alvarado. Newly remastered for 2024, this edition includes the original version as well as a refreshed Chuck Phulasole remix and two dynamic new takes from Italian producer St. David, who brings his vintage-inspired style in all its glory. He delivers a playful 'Big Tool Mix' with vocal flips and infectious grooves alongside a funkier 'Drum-Tool Dub' packed with sharp guitar licks. The original's hypnotic basslines and soulful vocal hook still shine, while Phulasole's deeper remix adds rich keys and Moog warmth. Lovely stuff.

Review: Tuff Cut / Late Nite Tuff Guy (Carmelo Bianchetti) has so far done well to dig out for himself a rather outre oeuvre, the Australian steadily supplying such head-turning edits as this since as far back as 2013. The seventh volume in this new iteration of the series comes in two parts, and brings two further soft disco inflammations: 'Fooled', a pre-coffee, rheumy Sister Sledge disco edit, and 'So Much Love', an unknown cut whose lyrics return plenty of red herrings on the 'ole search bar.

Review: As you can tell from the title of this ongoing series, System Error likes to serve up only 100% party bombs. The third volume lives up to that once more with Parchi Pubblici kicking off with the acid-laced bumps of 'Perfect Vacuum2Disco' complete with zippy synths and snappy percussion. Lanzieri's 'Twisted Tango' hits just as hard with an electro-techno fusion that rides on psychedelic synth loops with jacked-up drums. Raku's 'Valle Dei Templi' has a more pared-back sound with a menacing and rubbery low end and creeping synths that keep you on edge. Phill Prince's 'Indigo' shuts down with something tripped out and retro with 90s techno vibes colouring the drums.

Review: Last year, Groove Culture Music established the Groove Is In The Heart series as a vehicle for showcasing on vinyl some of the various gems from the label's digital-only releases. In effect, what we get is the cream of the crop - guaranteeing high quality throughout. Certainly, the second EP is packed full of tried-and-tested treats. To kick things off, label chiefs Micky More and Andy Tee rework Prospect Park's 'I Got This Feeling', where the legendary Taka Boom sings soulfully atop and jaunty and celebratory disco-house groove, before Groove Assassin re-imagines Lou Casablanca's 'Gimme Your Love' as an organ and bongo-rich soulful house gem. Over on side B, Da Funk Junkies and Discogalactix's deliver the sweet disco-house rush of 'Holding On', before Massimo Beradi lays down the piano-powered soulful house delight that is 'Who I Am'.

Review: Amsterdam's Bordello a Parigi's ongoing Diamonds In The Night series has not only proved to be a reliable source of new - if authentically old sounding - Italo-disco, Hi-NRG and proto-Eurodance, but also a brilliant platform for new and up-and-coming artists. Volume seven in the series is another strong offering. It begins with the tops-off, melody-driven Hi-NRG joy of Tallac's 'Chemtrail Surfers' and concludes with the vocoder-heavy early morning dark bew wavce disco of 'Disco Homicide' by Hypersensitive. Sandwiched in between you'll find the tough, throbbing, strobe-lit and sweat-soaked hedonism of Luksek's 'Tropicale' and the Bobby Orlando and early Pet Shop Boys influenced excellence of 'That Moment' by Francesco Cascella.

Review: Laibach and A/political present Alamut, a new, symphonic album inspired by Vladimir Bartol's 1938 novel of the same name. Recounting an 11th-century Persian tale - centered on the charismatic and enigmatic Hassan-i Sabbah, leader of the Nizari Ismailis and founder of the Order of Assassins - this is a shadowy, ninja-black-wax initiation into an esoteric order of spies. Laibach's work blends classical Persian poetry, minimalist orchestral textures, and industrial elements, reflecting both historical propaganda tactics and Bartol's critique of rising Fascism in 1930s Italy. Released on double vinyl and CD box set through Mute, the album was recorded in 2022 at a former Crusader castle in Ljubljana; it features the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Tehran's Human-Voice Ensemble, the Gallina Women's Choir, and the women's accordion orchestra AccordiOna, conducted by Navid Goharib.

Review: Vick Lavander is a name that has always been a byword for deep house quality. His sound is couched in a classic template but comes with subtle tweaks and plenty of its own musical character. BEYOND is a bumper collection of beats which proves just that. There are silky and cosmically minded sounds like 'Time & Time Again' next to subtly jazzy dancers like 'Sunset BLVD' and dubby, elegant grooves like the life-affirming 'Grace'. The pace picks up with joints like 'Knights' but never at the expense of atmosphere and slows right down with swab-tinged downbeat delights like 'Good Timing'. A magnificently rich work.

Review: Dutchman Danny Wolfers aka Legowelt is one of the most prolific artists in the game. He has several aliases which all explore ambient, synth, house and techno, but this is his most well-known. Synths Below Sea Level is another singular long player packed with his signature machine-made sounds and vintage synth textures. There are intergalactic acid odysseys like 'A1200 The Valley Energy', brilliantly lo-fi deep house mediations like 'Maybe You See Them Fly' with melodies so meaningful they bring a tear to your eye and forward-thinking cosmic techno bangers like 'MKS100 CZ Reference Pod 9' which bend space and time. Another gem with artwork by the man himself.

Review: New Zealand collective Leisure collides many different musical worlds on their genre-blurring sophomore album, genre-blurring. Soul, r&b, rock and pop all get taken in and worked into a lush sound defined by its experimental energy. There are several standout tracks like 'Money' and 'Feeling Free' that showcase their signature sun-soaked vocals and smooth grooves. Elsewhere, Twister brings a bold, modern take on funk, which has won over both fans and critics with 'On My Mind' a prime example of their boundless creativity and knack for warm textures and adventurous spirit. As such, it's a record that cements the group's place as contemporary innovators.

Review: Known for his hypnotic dance music, Southern Italy's Lomonte delivers three tracks rich in deep disco soul and tinged with a psychedelic shimmerisounds that have already caught the attention of dancefloor icons like Ricardo Villalobos. Attitude Records is his new label and the 'Attitudes' EP, a record that sidesteps passing trends in favour of crafting music with true staying power is it's first release. Opening the Side-A, the title track 'Attitudes' highlights Lomonte's remarkable touch for layering dynamic, textured rhythms into a groove that unfolds naturally, pulling the listener deeper with every bar. Over on the Side-B, 'Can't Get Enough' and 'Summer Vibes' reflect his talent for channeling uplifting moods without ever losing the music's subtle complexity. Rather than chasing ephemeral sounds, Lomonte commits to an honest emotional resonanceihis work feels timeless, not tied to any particular moment or movement. With nearly 20 EPs already under his belt, he demonstrates here why he's become such a respected name: each track glows with warmth, soul and an understated finesse.

Review: Loscil (Scott Morgan) returns to Kranky with Lake Fire, an ambient fugue born of destruction and reinvention. Initially conceived as an all electronic-ensemble suite, most of the original compositions here were abandoned, except for the James Meager double bass collaboration 'Ash Clouds'. From the remnants of this ambitious but failed aim, Morgan reshaped and rebuilt the music, creating something entirely new from its soots. Impressions of a mountain road trip seep into the album's textures, marking personal milestones set against the eerie backdrop of wildfire smoke. The record takes its name from the strange irony that fires are often named after lakes, evoking a sense of ancient myth. The cover photos capture this moment of contemplation, taken from a rowboat near Revelstoke, BC, Canada.

Review: Originally conceived as a suite for electronics and ensemble but then abandoned, the latest from Vancouver-based ambient producer Scott Morgan aka Loscil sees him restructure, remix and transform the ashes of it into something newian album that feels like a smouldering landscape, its textures layered with both loss and rebirth. Loscil's Lake Fire is an album born from destruction and reinvention. Thematically, Lake Fire draws inspiration from a road trip into the mountains Morgan took to mark his personal half-century milestone. eventually surrounded by wildfires and thick smoke, and that experience seeps into the album's DNA, shaping its dense, hazy atmospheres. The title itself reflects a haunting ironyiforest fires often take their names from nearby lakes, a stark juxtaposition of destruction and serenity. The album unfolds like a shifting mist. 'Spark' is dynamic and drenched in deep chords that ripple through a cloudy haze. 'Arrhythmia' carries a heavy build, swelling with intensity before receding into silence. These pieces, along with the rest of the album, feel like echoes from another worldidistant yet deeply resonant. Released on Kranky, which has long been a home and supporter of his music, Lake Fire is another great example at Morgan's ability to craft ambient soundscapes that are both vast and intimate. It's a hypnotic listen and an exploration of impermanence and transformation wrapped in a thick sonic fog.

Review: Paris-based Loris is a cult minimalist who heads up his own aeTERNUM MUSIC and plays plenty of the scene's most tasteful events. This new extended project finds him serving up an array of solo cuts and collabs with the likes of Praymond & Abe and countryman DJ W!ld. The latter, 'Dirty Busines', is a standout with its shimmering rhythm looping beneath percussion that sounds like it was recorded next door. 'Standardized Human Era' is a clean and synthetic, sparse and abstract sound for 5 am, 'Dekstra Orelo' is a slow motion dub percolator with plenty of mad effects and trippy treated vocals. All in all, this is like the soundtrack to a perfect afterparty.

Review: Scruscru and Los Protos hook up on the former's ever-reliable label for some more funk-fuelled and sample-heavy madness. This eight-tracker draws on the best of Library, jazz, hip hop and soul and collides elements of all of those together with some raw, and what sounds like, MPC beats, all tapped out with a lovably loose vibe. Some like 'Local Sugar Diggers' look up towards a sunny, cloudless sky, others like 'Dreams Of Sonora' are swaggering broken beat workouts with sensuous sax lines setting a steamy tone. 'Por Do Sol Em Shelekhmet' is another highlight with its aloof, angelic vocal tones.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Item shows signs of age***


New edition of Dancehall, Beth Lesser's seminal photography and style book capturing the rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture in the 1980s. The book also features a new introduction by the British fashion designer and art curator Duro Olowu.

Featuring 100s and 100s of amazing photographs - all with accompanying text, interviews and biographies,'Dancehall' is an essential reference book for anyone interested in Reggae and captures a previously unseen era of musical culture, fashion and lifestyle in stunning, vibrant colour.

Aside from the music, this book is as much about Jamaican fashion and style. Beth Lesser's Dancehall photographs in this book have directly influenced fashion brands including Aime Leon Dore ('Kingston 1983' collection), recent Levi's Vintage and Farah collections.

Dancehall is a culture that encompasses music, fashion, drugs, guns, art, community, technology, and more. Born in the 1950s out of the neighbourhood soundsystems of Kingston, Dancehall grew to its height in the 1980s before a massive influx of drugs and guns made the scene too dangerous for many. Today Dancehall remains at the centre of Jamaican musical and cultural life. From its roots in Kingston in the 1950s to its heyday in the 1980s, Dancehall conquered the globe spreading to the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Europe and beyond.

In the early 1980s Jamaica was in the throws of political and gang violence - photographer Beth Lesser ventured where few other dared and this book is a never-before-seen record of the exciting, dangerous and vibrant world of Dancehall.

Living in Jamaica in the late 70s and early 80s she photographed and documented a cultural explosion as producers, singers, DJs and soundsystems who all made a living out of the slums of Kingston. With unprecedented access to the incredibly vibrant music scene during this period, Beth Lesser's photographs are a unique way into a previously hidden part of Jamaican culture.