Back catalogue: Balearic/Downtempo

Review: Meat Beat Manifesto have released more than a few classic albums in their time, but their fourth album Satyricon is surely one of the finest. Originally released on Mute in 1992, it saw Jack Dangers push his voice even further to the forefront as he tackled a wide spectrum of social issues, while the production continued to find them keyed into the developments in rave and hip-hop as they were unfolding. The breakbeat structures are absolutely in keeping with the pace of the emergent hardcore sound, but of course Meat Beat Manifesto reached beyond purist dance music to take in industrial elements which made a hugely influential brew of its own.

Review: Meat Beat Manifesto's sprawling 1996 opus 'Subliminal Sandwich' is finally reissued by the good people at PIAS. Compared to much of their oeuvre, this one is a touch rougher round the edges, with serrated guitar licks layered over achingly resonant bell loops and typically crunchy percussion. Though most of the tracks on the LP are characterised by lax tempo and an ominously warped soundworld, the unique cocktail of styles and influences which MBM draw on shine forth one by one: dub, new jack swing, jazz, noise, punk, breakbeat. Percies include the smoked out dub nausea of 'Assasinator', and the bleary chug of 'Addiction', which sounds somewhat like if Christophe Goze ate one too many tabs and decided to compose a Buddha Bar single for the tweakers. While it isn't MBM's most accessible work by any means, it is an essential entry in the Jack Dangers catalogue and a must for anyone seeking a more charred, freaky body of work which doubtless went on to inspire some of breakbeat and trip hop's key players.

Review: Roisin Murphy seems to be getting more prolific with age. It's less than a year since the release of the critically acclaimed off-pop thriller Hairless Toys, and the Irish artist and former Moloko singer is ready to release the follow-up. Where its predecessor was bold, brassy and cheery, Take Her Up To Monto is an altogether more atmospheric affair, arguably closer in feel to her work with Moloko during the late '90s and early 2000s. Musically intriguing and largely downtempo in tone, it sees Murphy taking her left-of-centre take on pop in eccentric and evocative new directions. Even the album's most obviously upbeat moments - such as the cheery "Romantic Comedy" - feature musical backdrops that bristle with leftfield ideas and fuzzy, off-kilter electronics.

Review: A number of the many great full lengths penned by alternative pop star Roisin Murphy are currently being reissued and here we have Take Her Up To Monto!, a bold and adventurous exploration of electronic pop from 2016. It is another one that showcases Murphy's fearless creativity and boundary-pushing approach to music where distinct vocals, coupled with innovative production, create a dynamic and immersive listen. There is an infectious energy to 'Mastermind' and dreamy allure to 'Ten Miles High,' amongst a wide mix of influences from other genres and experimental soundscapes that confirmed once more than Murphy' is a true visionary.