Jakarta Germany Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Jakarta Records return for a new mini-album with fresh jazz visionary and drummer Alexander Flood, whose latest opus 'Oscillate' takes from styles ranging from broken beat, to nu jazz, to breaks, and transports them all to the far fancier, experimental heights. Fans of Tom Misch, Herbalizer, Skalpel and/or Dego will all be pleased, for these are both light- and darkside jazzors, mixing everything from detuned arps ('Deja Vu') and panpipes ('Berlin') into an impressive live-drummed dance affair.

Review: Jakarta is one of contemporary hip-hop's best labels if you ask us. They have a fine crew of artists who work solo and often cross-pollinate with one another's work. Most of the releases are dusty and instrumental like this one from Suff Daddy, bar the odd sample. The vibe is deep and boom-bap-era sounds for late nights and smoker sessions. Funky basslines prop up squelch synth lines on cuts like 'Psycho Mantis' while there are more melodic and airy feel good tunes like 'Bootsy Call'. These are always short, sketchy pieces which means the album moves on quickly and is all the more compelling for it.