New releases last eight weeks: Balearic/Downtempo

Review: Magic Wand welcomes Baz Bradley for a series of Special Editions that keep blissed-out late summer dancing sessions alive and possible even as days shorten and the sun fades away. He opens up with 'Soul Boys' (Acetate edit) which is an 80s disco jaunt with superb vocals and noodling funk rifts. 'Super Maxi' is a more stripped-back and aloof groove with sung-spoke vocals and hook melodies making for a weird yet wonderful vibe. 'Flight 207' (Gate One) is another slow-motion and dubbed-out disco funker then 'Burn The Candle' has a raw percussive twist.

Review: The faultless Razor-N-Tape label has long been one to keep an eye on for fans of all forms of house, disco and plenty in between. This new one from Balearic man Max Essa with slow-motion maestro Eddie C is perfectly timed to arrive as days are getting longer and the sun is out more. It features four lush tunes that roll deep with languid chords, deft little funky guitar riffs and laidback vibes that douse you in all the feels. 'We Live In The Hills' is the standout for us with its fleshy synth work and a sprinkling of tropical percussion.

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: DJ and producer Gratts returns to his own imprint with the third instalment of the "Balearic but bumpin'" trilogy. Here, the Belgian puts forward a captivating piece of organic, Body & Soul NY inspired deep house, assisted by Cata Mansikka-aho on vocals. As always, an instrumental is provided for maximum nightclub daydreaming. On the flipside, British duo Faze Action up the energy levels with an equally musical disco version that hits in all the right spots. Artwork once again by Mads Cooke.

Review: Marius Circus is well known and loved for a signature analogue sound and once again that is laid out for us all to enjoy here on a new EP that comes with a remix from men of the moment Jazxing. First up is the deep, unhurried and dubbed out 'Lost On A Path To Nowhere,' a subtle late-night sound with wispy synths and a muted bassline that grows ever more prominent. The Jazxing Pathfinder remix is more tropical and steamy, and on the flip 'No Way Home' douses you in more blissed-out chords before the downbeat boogie of 'Space Crumbs Trail'. This is yet more essential summer goodness from Is It Balearic.

Review: NT is Nail aka Neil Holliday, one half of Bent and a master of UK tech house. But here he shows a different side across six majestically Balearic groovers. That draw on everything he has done before to send you out to sea on gentle waves of shining synth goodness, downtempo bliss and dreamy, chubby, soft focus drums. 'Beside Boa Linn' is a soothing summer sound to kick off then 'Going Out To Feel It' is a spiritual house cut for sundown, and 'Don't Hide Away' is slow motion disco brilliance. The trip continues with the star-gazing 'Evening Fixture', Eddie C style guitar licks of 'Walk In Romance' and romantic lullaby 'Dreams On Hold.'

Review: This is the third installment in the Local Sugar Diggers Series from Scruniversal in which old and rare records from the label head's friend's collections get reworked and edited. This one is a collab between ScruScru and an equally passionate digger from Cyprus known as Dwaal. Both tunes offer quite different looks but with great results. The first is the steamy and loose-limbed 'Destination? Funk!' with its squelchy bass and neat guitar riffs, while the flipside is a super deep and lush downtempo jam, 'Camelot Chill'. This one has romantic sax notes and gentle grooves with jazzy keys finishing it in style.

Review: Ronnie Lion is one half of Ambient Warrior and this is his debut solo outing. It finds him paying homage to Spanish Town, which is the capital of St Catherine in Jamaica and that is apparent from the off with its lush Spanish guitar notes fluttering over the face of the dubbed-out low ends and shiny digital chords. Lead guitarist Sean Wilkinson pays plenty of the guitar and the rhythm section has Ronnie himself on bass while Horseman is on drums to bring a heavy foundation. Up to the intricate and memorable hooks add the colour and charm and elements of Bossa Nova and Flamenco guitar also help add extra layers to this fine debut.

Review: When will Alex Paterson, the Dr, run out of ideas? Here joined by fellow originator of The Orb, Andy Falconer, the pair's Sedibus project takes all of the serenity of the legendary UK electronic act and then walks it up onto the nearest mountainside in the middle of the night, sets up camp, and invites you to join in a stargazing odyssey. You can almost feel the cosmos appearing around you as the work unfolds. Just like the great blanket of stars, energy and matter above, there's complexity here, even if it often feels deceptively simple. Layers, textures, passing noises, background harmonies, all these elements subtly create this deep and incredibly immersive soundscape that pulls you in like a black hole, before showing you what the spread, retreat, and expansion of energy might sound like.

Review: Tosca's wonderful No Hassle celebrates its 15th anniversary with a reissue that reaffirms its timeless allure. The album remains a hallmark of downtempo and electronic music and is a seamless fusion of jazz, trip-hop, and ambient elements. From ethereal vocals to hypnotic grooves, Tosca crafted a soundscape that transcends the usual genre boundaries and invites listeners into a world of sublime tranquility and introspection. Packed with lush instrumentation and sophisticated production, the record is a perfect escape that is as useful now in the busy modern times as it was back in 2009.

Review: Dualismo Sound decided to start this new Tribal Italia Breaks compilation with the aim of "reconstructing a different perspective of Tribal Italia," which was a label started in 1995 in Riccione. It was known for its mix of cosmic and Afro-disco sounds and regional DJs such as Meo, Fary, Fattori and Brahms. One aspect of the sound was that it took cub from hip-hop's sample-heavy culture and al that gave birth to the Tribal Italia catalogue. The best of it is offered up here on a worldly trip through all sorts of innovative rhythms and colourful sounds, exotic pads and tropical signifiers. A great retro-future collection of leftfield downtempo and disco, then.