Back catalogue: Library/Archive

Review: All Bad Boy & All Good Girl is a fascinating mixtape, first released in 2022, documenting the few and rare radio broadcasts that propagated a now-elusive, but decade-long, Mancunian form of street soul. Lasting from at least the mid-1980s to the mid 1990s, this exciting ream of 'extracts', here on the vinyl version coming as a playlist of nine, transports us right back to this scratchy, no-holds-barred chuggers' sound. Featuring DIY cassette recordings of bands such as Broadway, Stereo Dan and Soul Control playing live at dances and blues parties in south & central Manchester from 1988 through to 1996, Death Is Not The End do a stellar job as ever of compiling the most exquisite forgotten tracks in the style, as though they'd been beamed into the present through a trans-temporal airwave. Packed with the radio phase distortion, hiss, vocal and SFX interjections, dub sirens and delay-outs, this is much more than just a functional soulful soundclash.

Review: The brilliant Death Is Not The End has always done a great job of digging into niche scenes and serving up great albums that document them. Here the label presents a mixtape-style collection featuring live recordings from London's Notting Hill Carnival, spanning 1984 to 1988. Originally aired on NTS Radio in August 2018, this release marks a milestone in their 10th-anniversary series and it now comes on cassette. Highlights include sounds from renowned systems like Jamdown Rockers, Saxon, Java Nuclear Power, Killerwatt Turbotronic, Stereograph, Sir Coxsone, and Volcano Express. The audio, meticulously curated by the Who Cork The Dance crew, features contributions from Jayman, Ruff House, Keimo, Omar, Gee Wizz and Jah Humble.

Review: DJ Muggs brings his latest instrumental hip-hop tinkerings to Madlib and Egon's Invazion Music Library Series, which allows the two beatmaking legends' friends the opportunity to experiment with the form in whichever way they choose. Taking after the mood and feel of library music pieces, Silver Cloud adds to the many additions to the label to pay homage to the Piero Umilianis and Alan Hawkshaws of yore, albeit through a hip-hop lens. From 'No Time' to 'Calm Down' to 'Fast Arp', Muggs takes a functional approach to beatsmithing, crafting everything from tempo-synced, two-tone moody piano expositions to full-blown lo-fi whackers.

Review: Demon Records presents the complete narrated TV soundtrack of Doctor Who: The Crusade on double 140g green and yellow translucent vinyl. This release offers fans the chance to experience the classic 1965 story, with William Russell providing linking narration. Set in 12th Century Palestine, the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions find themselves in the midst of a conflict between English Crusaders and Saracen forces led by Saladin. When Barbara is captured during a Saracen ambush, the group encounters historical figures such as King Richard the Lionheart, played by Julian Glover. Though only two of the original four episodes survive, this vinyl edition captures the full audio experience, bringing the adventure to life once again. The release includes beautifully illustrated sleeves with Radio Times-style billings for each episode, offering a nostalgic touch.