Review: Using only a guitar and the occasional synthesiser, this two-track debut album is a visceral experience, with the record quickly pulling us into a listening world thick with uncertainty, unease and disorientation. At times, the experience is just plain chilling, with some of the more crystalline moments on 'Track 2' invoking the sinister melodies of a 1970s horror movie soundtrack. Amazingly, these aren't the darkest sections, either. The feeling of doom is omnipresent throughout, with distorted noises nodding to the clank and screech of old rusted metal, or simply the strange sounds that come with being in the house alone at night. Environmental recordings are interspersed, which only adds to the sense of not quite being alone in this place. A moody, highly compelling ride that sends shivers down the spine for both musical and atmospheric reasons.
Review: The basslines might be big, but Berlin collective Cheap Fast Worldwide are keeping budgets tight with their brand new vinyl concern. Already an established podcast mix series, now a fully-fledged label, this launch release lays down everything we need to know as we flip and fly between the flavours. Cats like Lou Raw lay down golden woozy UKG skippery, B is all about the lo-fi flavours and warm and warping house and Olli Oski and EE bring the EP to a wonderful psycho dub finale. What an entry EP.
Review: Community minded eclecticists Neighbourhood continue their unifying work with the latest boundary-bender from label co-boss Birke TM. With each cut sitting in a different tempo territory, he paints a vivid picture. 'I Dream Of Jeannie' is a mid-paced 160 jungle breeze while 'Eden' is a classic atmospheric two-stepper that wouldn't have gone amiss on GLR back in the day. Flip for a tempo dip as both cuts on the B smoulder with slow beauty. 'Sanctuary' hits like a cosmic UR escapade while 'Never Lose Touch' bids us an emotional and heartfelt 150BPM farewell. Visionary.
Review: The always superb Sounds Of The City comes through here with some freshness and newness here via their newly minted 'Sounds Of The City, Dark' series. It finds the French outfit Catalogue debuting on the label with a sound that brings a different perspective to the new post-punk movement. Their sound is a mixing pot of an array of different influences and what you get is music that will get you nodding to the grooves while your mind gets lost exploring synthetic elements, angular guitar riffs, robotic rhythms and lovely deep bass.
Review: This is how it all began! Coco Bryce and Saturate take us back to 2011 with this deliciously wacky 80bpm halftime couplet. 'Honeymoon' takes us on a wonky MIDI mission with stacks of drama and feeling while 'Wonk' is pure off-the-wall bleep art. Never before released on vinyl, both cuts carry a certain sense of late 2000s nostalgia while remaining so unique they still bump hard today. Feel the love!
Review: It's always a good day when the Blahh label rises up from the streets to drop a new bit of true school garage. This is a various artists release which brings together core label members Beforethebeatsbreak, Ronaldo and Crazy Bank, who have all served up their own solo EPs before now. It's the latter who kicks off with the tightly coiled bump n grind of 'So Good' before Ronaldo gets your feet moving on 'Get My 319', another dry, clipped garage shuffler with pent up energy to spare. There are good time piano-led vibes to Beforethebeatsbreak's B1 then 'Why You Wanna' from Crazy Bank is defined by its pitched up vocal sound.
Review: The Disciples & Creation Stepper came together for 'True Nazarite' back in 1991 and it was an instant classic on the dub circuit. It has long been sought after by collectors and now comes back as a reissue from Partial Records who have done a fine job of cutting it so that the deep, heavy UK roots sound, which has become pricey on the second-hand market, is as clear as possible. Produced by Russ D, the crucial tune has thunderous sub-bass and bouncing keys and dubbed to the max across three extra mixes. 'True Nazarite (Version)' carries traces of the vocal, while the B-side 'Nazarite' dials up digital keyboard melodies and echo effects. The fourth mix strips it all down to skeletal toms and shivering bass for a stark, raw dub experience.
Review: Hip-hop super group Dinner Party is made up of Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin and 9th Wonder. They have a wide array of sounds and skills between them and put them to good use on their second album Enigmatic Society, which is presented here as a Japanese Edition on milk-clear white vinyl with the requisite obi-strip. This is super smooth material that mixes up hip hop, new soul, jazz and plenty of great samples to make for a laidback and romantic record full of lovely vocals from the likes of Phoenix, Orin Ray and Ant Clemens.
Review: Don Dokken returns 11 years after the divisive Broken Bones album to give people much more of what they want. Fans of Dokken, and all things Dokken-esque, will likely attest with open armed honesty to the fact they're here for some insanely oversized riffs and classic, polished driving heavy metal, and it's safe to say that Heaven Comes Down delivers on those counts. Then it throws in a load more. While very much sounding like a time capsule back to the heyday of this sound, this isn't to suggest there has been no progress, development, or evolution. As critics pointed out when this hunk of wail and muscle landed, the eponymous frontman is arguably at his most laidback on this record, and vocals are used not just to provide a focal point in between all that shedding, but also as a complement to other elements making up some pretty complex arrangements.
Review: If Electribal Soul sounds deliciously vintage, there's a good reason for that. An exemplary exploration of glassy-eyed synth-pop and electro, deep house and street soul marked out by tactile electronic motifs, warm basslines and Billie Ray Martin's superb vocals, the album was mostly recorded in 1991 and '92 at a time when relationships in the group were beginning to fray. Now tidied up and released by Martin three decades after it was shelved, Electribal Soul has the feel of a genuine lost classic - a set that would have received rave reviews at the time had it appeared in late 1992 as originally intended. A genuine triumph that's as loved-up and saucer-eyed as a sweaty hug at sunrise on an Ibizan beach.
Review: Burning Sole does a fine job of putting Switzerland on the map for red hot funk and it has for a long old time now. The latest missive from the mountains is a heavily limited 7" from Freethinker Funk Essence that kicks off with 'Just Need Your Love' (feat Ria Currie). It has plenty of swing to it and warm organ chord vamps that bring an old school feel while funky riffs and the belting vocals really make it standout. 'Motorcycle Girl' is a low slung funker with more guitar riffs piled up next to loose percussion.
Review: An Evening With The Devil is regarded as one of the Tribe Records label's finest ever releases - an unrestrained free jazz expression from Wendell Harrison that is packed with forward-thinking grooves. The Detroit reedman was always in a class of one and he showed it here with a record so heavy it was way ahead of its time. Now though it's regarded as a classic with trumpet from Marcus Belgrave, Charles Eubanks on keyboards, Ike Daney on drums, and Will Austin on bass. There are also some spoken word passages from the Black Messengers making this a jewel of the jazz underground.
Review: Healing Force Project is prolific Italian artist Antonio Marini. Over the last decade he has dropped plenty of heat on the likes of Firecracker, Berceuse Heroique, 2 Headed Deer, Random Numbers and more. Drifted Entities Vol 1 is his latest offering and is an experimental take on dub, cosmic funk, jazz and drum & bass with the HFP signature unifying it all. 'Tiny Germs' opens up on dark, sparse drums that are kinda haunting then 'Upbeat Damage' is a deconctructed jungle jazz cut with squealing synths that bring the horror. The flip side continues in that eerie manner with fresh musicality and loose arrangements drawing you in.
Review: Borrowing a title from a 50ft sport climbing route in Oliana, Spain, there's definitely something big and wonderfully overbearing about the debut offering from Hot Face. Freshly pressed onto London's revered and always-forward thinking Speedy Wunderground imprint, the work here more than lives up to the label's name, going at listeners with pedal to the metal for the most. Comprising two tracks, an original and 'dub', the opener nods to the likes of King Gizzard and other sprawling, epic prog-metal-psyche outfits, offering up huge guitar solos and switching tempos with cunning, guile and groove. Flip it to find the alternative take, which ups the impact of drums, taking us closer to dance music as it's more widely recognised, and the heyday of big beat, if anyone remembers that one?
Mare Imbrium (Raoh alternate remix - part 2) (7:00)
Mare Nectaris (The Mechanical Man Night View) (6:28)
Review: GIM Records is a brand new label that makes a superb start to life with this debut release. It's a limited edition EP from the Italian pair 'HP' or House Pleasure. They offer up three effortlessly cosmic grooves that take us on a trip through the stars. There is a motorik kick to 'Mare Imbrium' (part 1) that starts off in sleek fashion with delightful melodic patterns, then 'Mare Vaporum' has a more broken beat with rubbery bass and funky lo-fi and dry hi hats akin to the Mood Hut crew. 'Mare Nectaris' is star-gazing deep house with dusty aesthetics and dreamy chord work. The two remixes head off into ambient and then deep dub territory. Deffo a label to watch on this evidence.
Review: Hip-hop head and dizzyingly dexterous DJ J Rocca is back with another musical celebration of the exit from office of the worst president in the history of the United States of America. This is the 6th such volume of 'Impeach' and it is a tight woven tapestry and skilful mash-up of no fewer than 14 flips of surely one of the most sampled songs in the history of hip hop. Masterfully mixed together and limited to 500 copies, this is a strong sonic statement that will stand the test of time.
Review: It is now Jack Smooth's turn to serve up some sonic brilliance on the hardcore-focused Cantina Cuts. And he does so with a great blend of old-school authenticity but new-school sound design. His rave stabs are tightly coiled and looped, the bass is fleshy and elastic and the vocal samples add that unique character. Once the pianos arrive, the euphoria flows freely. On the reverse is 'Groove Tek' which is a prog techno come jungle fusion which never lets up and is packed with energy and deepness.
Periculum (Danger!) (feat MidaZ The Beast & DJ Grazzhoppa) (2:45)
Ceasare (feat Rell) (3:03)
Lamentations (feat Ke Turner) (3:09)
Exitus (outro) (0:47)
Review: Jamil Honesty x HxlySmxkes launched their The Rufus Buck Project back in 2020 as a way of reflecting their frustrations and anger. It continued song messages to fight for freedom and the pair themselves call it riot music, with Baltimore's Hxlysmxkes cutting the beats while Jamil's MC work is pure truth and power. Now comes this deluxe edition that features the original tunes as well as three full extra jams featuring guests such as Midaz The Beast, Ke Turner and Rell and some mad scratches from DJ Grazzhoppa. An eight-page booklet is also included on this limited and essential long player.
Review: Karlowy Vary are rather legendary amongst alternative and new wave fans. They formed in Zagreb, Croatia and played widely across the former Yugoslavia throughout the 80s. They had a rather rotating line-up of musicians and one replacement frontman Milan Manojlovi?-Mance was often prone to inventing all new lyrics live on stage. This reissue is of their best album, La Femme, which is a potent and fresh now almost half a decade on as it was back in the 80s. It comes on sky blue 180 gram vinyl and fact fans will note the band's name is taken from the Kubrick film 'A Clockwork Orange.'
Let's Make A V (feat DJ Quik & Frost & El Debarge) (5:00)
Tha Game (It's Ruff) (feat Playa Hamm) (5:20)
That's Drama (4:45)
Real Raw (feat Sharief) (3:57)
It's Where Ya From (feat Mc Ren) (4:14)
Shake Da Spot (feat Shaquille O'neal) (3:47)
I Don't Wanna Die (4:59)
N'na Moe'nin (feat Dawn Robinson) (3:12)
Step On By (feat Dr Dre & RC & Crystal) (5:15)
Big Ballin' (feat RC) (5:03)
Where's T? (feat Dr Dre) (3:15)
Nuthin Has Changed (feat Kool G Rap & Tray Dee) (3:38)
The Original (feat Whoz Who) (4:32)
Review: Originally released in 2002, following the years during which the West Coast hip hop legend was allied with iconic producer, Dr Dre, Thy Kingdom Come is often noted as a creative turning point in the rapper's discography. Marking a departure from the cool, carefree persona he became known for following his previous releases, the standout figure of Compton rap emerges as a more matured version of his once roguish iteration. Tracing the themes of success and making it against all odds, this album marks a key point of Tee's career, where the Likwit Crew mastermind was on the precipice of Dre-induced stardom.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme (feat Mike Patton) (0:59)
The Wrecking Crew (1:13)
Jaw-Breaking News! (1:58)
Big Apple, 3 Pm (2:10)
Mutants Over Broadway! (feat Anton Corazza) (2:20)
Rumble In The Zoo (2:10)
Inner Peace (1:18)
Turtle Throwdown (0:52)
King Of The Spill (2:29)
Mall Meltdown (1:52)
Roof Running Reptiles! (2:16)
Panic In The Sky! (feat Jonny Atma) (2:06)
Crisis At Coney Island! (2:18)
The Side Hustle (1:14)
Rush Hour Power (1:18)
A Few Screws Loose (2:08)
Dinosaur Stampede! (2:20)
It Won't Fly! (1:49)
Technodrome Redux (2:03)
Clash Of The Outcasts (1:54)
Partners In Slime (0:59)
Cypher Cats (1:10)
The Lost Archenemies (1:57)
Outworld Strangeoids (2:33)
We Ain't Came To Lose (feat Raekwon The Chef & Ghostface Killah) (2:22)
Wrath Of The Lady (1:48)
A Dish Best Served Cold (1:28)
It's A Pizza Party! (feat Mega Ran) (2:28)
Review: High-kicking, nunchaking, pizza-eating, wise-cracking green dudes incoming. The barnstorming success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge isn't hard to surmise. The original cartoon itself is a joyous, goofy, good time slice of late 80s / early 90s pop culture, and the modern video game knew exactly how to capture that energy and port it into a highly addictive beat 'em up. The soundtrack is pitched bang on for the occasion as well, running the gamut from electro and funk to jazz, all rendered with that classic chip tune finish. But that's not all - the team also invited a dizzying cast of guests to lend their voices to this project, from Raekwon and Ghostface Killah to Mike Patton and more. To put it another way, it's totally far out.
Review: The 140+ BPM revolution race with scarcely a look in the rear view mirror. Malaizy here dropping two tracks that show just how wild and weird stuff can get in this part of the dance music spectrum. 'Burgercome' itself has hints electroclash, juke, ghetto tech, footwork, and EBM, without fully committing itself to any of those things by way of a DIY punk on speed in a Parisian warehouse party vibe.
Over on the flip, 'Stuck' is an entirely different beast altogether, which probably isn't that surprising considering the unique and particularly niche nature of the opening tune. Rather than setting a break neck pace, instead we descend into a staccato amalgamation of white noise, distorted drums and inaudible human murmurings.
Review: The Goodies label makes its bow here with a fully licensed 7" that features the Enos McLeod tune 'Ram Jam Party' backed with 'Rammed'. The former was the opening and title track from the Jamaican reggae singer's 1996 album. It is impassioned lovers' rock with his yearning and vulnerable vocals over clean reggae rhythms, with bright chords and lumpy drums and bass. The flip is a dub version with crispy hits and digital synths paired with the natty guitar riffs and organic piano chords. This is a good start and augurs well for the future of this label.
Review: ZZK Records describe Montoya's new full length El Nido as "a welcoming embrace in uncertain times" and they are not wrong. It's a record that was born out of the pandemic and his desire to get back to normality. Italy-based Colombian producer Montoya reckons we were all "virgins of destiny again' in those times and he channels that into a musical quite place here. It goes from the lo-fi and dubbed out reggaeton of the wonderful 'Nubecita' featuring Pedrina to the more sunny and tropical rhythms of 'Flor del Mar' featuring Pahua via many other highlights, making this a perfect summer record no matter your mood.
Review: Meg Mulhearn and Belly Full of Stars come together for this split release on which the former takes care of the first four tunes and the latter the other five. For her part, Mulhearn harnesses the power of fire and ice, sunshine and torrential rain in tracks that are occasionally gentle and sometimes harsh. The textures are fuzzy and grainy but synths and strings bring light and hope. Kim Rueger's Belly Full of Stars alias finds her going deep into subterranean worlds of cavernous sound detailed with the finest of wispy melodies on' Ebon Flow' while 'Perihelia' has a more organic and summery feel desire being so pressurised and tense. These are enchanting sounds for sure.
G-Connection - "Free Your Spirit" (Spirit mix) (6:12)
Snare Dream - "LaLaLa" (Deep Ambient) (5:26)
TiEs - "Trying To" (5:59)
Review: Rebirth invites us to go back, way back, to the Italian underground techno scene of the 90s with this new selection of alternate versions, unheard gems and certified classics. Oneiric & Vortex open up with a tune that brings to mind the warmth of Motor City techno on 'Oasi' before GNMR layer up supersized hi hats and seriously weighty beatdown drums, Populous offers the loopy melodic delight of 'Barragan' and G-Connection heads into the cosmos with the dreamy ambient of 'Free Your Spirit', a perfect mood build if ever we heard one. Two further gorgeously blissed-out post-rave comedown sounds close out this gem of an EP.
Review: Taking off where her debut album Spurn Point left us in 2014, musical innovator and serial boundary blurrer Shelley Parker returns with another long playing adventure. Her debut on Hypercolour, it's another immersive and very fluid experience that rattles through a whole range of flavours and forms. From the slower hardcore breakbeat style cuts like 'Glisten' and 'Cage' to more up tempo fires like the dubbed out 'Scrubs Lane' and the rampant sci-fi sizzler 'Coldstream' by way of raw, uncompromised experimentalism like 'Deluge' and 'The Faun', Wisteria is another exciting reflection of Shelley's wider work as an installation artist and sound performer. Highly recommended
Review: Theo Parrish is giving his new album with Maurissa Rose the full treatment - serving it up on his preferred vinyl, but also as a CD and here a cassette on his own label Sound Signature. It is a complete coming together of these two revered Detroit musical talents following a string of great singles with one another since 2019. As you can expect, the grooves are dusty, complex and rooted in house but with plenty of influences from soul, funk and jazz. The vocals from Rose are as smooth as you like and take the form of soulful streams of consciousness. Utterly vital.
Review: Deptford Northern Soul Club go in on this new single compiler. On the A-side comes a rare and true cut from singer-songwriter Velma Perkins, a paean for optimism in the form of 'Yes, My Goodness, Yes', which despite its affirmations only appeared as a rare and expensive B-side on her first ever 7". On the B-side comes Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr, whose 'You Can't Blame Me' originally appeared as a single for their then-incarnation as The Revelations.
Review: It's five up for the Palmetto Street label and this one finds them turning to Ben Pirani & The Means Of Production who manage to again find new ground in this great EP. The lead single from the 7" is a soft and melancholic sad song with none other than Brian Jackson (who collaborated with Gil Scott Heron) playing the flute parts. He cuts through the smokey mood with daring harmonies while on the flip things get even more forceful with 'Something So Precious'. Pirani goes it alone on the vocals for this one while a strong quartert adds the sumptuous melodies.
Review: It's silly but true that anything which has the words Detroit on it will immediately get more attention than something that doesn't. 99% of the time though the music lives up to that reputation as is the case here with a fourth offering from Detroit Sound Odyssey. It's a four-tracker that sees Isaac Prieto hook up with different collaborators on each tune. Moppy and 'Double Bass' open up with a well-swung house kick and deep bass combo while the machines get a little more unhinged on 'What Do You Want' with G&J. Javonntte brings his signature depth to 'Imperfections' and Ali Orlandi adds a heavyweight downbeat headiness to 'I Like That'.
Review: Fresh from his maximal debut album 'Unbearable Lightness', Colombian Rachiid Paralyzing returns to an older project that he's been incubating since 2018. Essentially the sound of him refining his signature and focus, both cuts are more functional than his more experimental stuff now but both still defy the usual tropes and typicalities of breakbeat music. 'Mi Mama Dic K No' subverts ideas of electro as shades of melody morph, mutate and overlap over growling bass while 'Run Miami Run' is an all-out acid/breaks riot jam. A very interesting release - especially if you're still recovering from the mind-exploding matter of his recent album. Run come get some.
Review: Ree-Vo is a powerhouse duo consisting of T. Relly and Andy Spaceland who have carried on the Brsotil trip hop legacy many ears after The Wild Bunch. All Welcome On Planet Ree Vo/Dial R For Ree-Vo is a new eight-track record of fine originals that also features remixes by The Bug, Dalek (Will Brooks), Surgeon and Rob Smith. These are glitchy sounds with paranoid modern production, fixing synths and hefty bass dollops beneath most cuts as well as observational bars and plenty of edgy energy.
Review: Renaldo Domino has nothing to do with the pizza chain, of course - in fact, he was so named because his voice was sweet as sugar (Domino is an American sugar brand, if you didn't know.) He had a very short but sweet - pun intended - a career that saw him drop tunes on Mercury subsidiaries Smash and Blue Rock, and later Twinight records. They managed to make an impact and for that reason, he was inspired to get back to making new music in 2019. 'I'm Hip To Your Game' was his first single and one that was soon re-recorded for a second release - it's deep and warm with lavish strings where the A-side has a swinging Northern Soul vibe.
Review: Following on from last year's excellent statement of intent, 'Nowhere Generation', Chicago natives and melodic hardcore heroes Rise Against return with the companion, sister EP, 'Nowhere Generation II'. Composed of 5 new cuts originally written/recorded during the album process, the band opted to split the 16 full songs into separate volumes, in order to give listeners an opportunity to fully digest the overarching themes of alienation and everlasting political corruption that have become ceaselessly commonplace. Anthemic, ferocious, emotive and cathartic in equal measure, this follow-up continues the momentous energy of its predecessor while putting a definitive full stop on the 'Nowhere Generation' era. Lead single, 'Last Man Standing', is also one of the most vital contributions to their own expansive canon the group have dropped in well over a decade.
Rogue D - "The Vibe" (feat Joe Le Groove - Job remix) (5:47)
Ruff Stuff - "The Gathering" (5:53)
Ruff Stuff - "Brighter Mood" (6:50)
Review: For the sixth transmission from Stolen Goods, two artists in Rogue D and Ruff Stuff step up to take charge of one side each. The former goes first with 'The Vibe' (feat Joe Le Groove) and it is a smoky, low-key and deep basement house cut with razor sharp hi-hats and dusty drums overlaid with a sensuous male vocal adding the soulful vibes. A Job remix is much more cosmic as it travels through starry night skies on shiny synth lines, then Ruff Stuff douses you in rippling synth melodies on 'The Gathering' and lays down clipped, funk-fuelled house on 'Brighter Mood'.
Review: RRUCCULLA finds fresh new ground to explore here on his new Zero Freq album for Lapsus. It is a wide-ranging one with vastly cinematic tracks taking you on a trip through magnificently realised compositions that pair electronic sound design with an almost orchestral architecture. The tracks sound both synthetic and abstract but organic and real world. Rhythms range from dubby and persuasive to barely there at all. In combining such grand ideas with relatable structures the Spanish composer, percussionist and multidisciplinary artist once again shows why he is in a class of one.
Intelligent Jump Rope Music (Locked Groove remix) (5:00)
Review: Bangkok-based Sarayu is an artist at the heart of the electronic music scene in Thailand, and co-runs the label More Rice. His latest releases comes courtesy of local imprint Boiled Wonderland titled Intelligent Jump Rope Music, featuring four club focused tracks with a darker edge. On the A-side, there's the atmospheric broken beat techno of 'The Bag' and the mental 'E30 Track' . On the second side, the deep and entrancing title track's knackered feel is complemented nicely by Belgian producer Locked Groove's hypnotic rendition.
Review: In 1969, Manny Campbell discovered a talented group in a showcase and promptly arranged a recording session. Their debut demos, 'Love is the Way' and 'Something Wonderful,' were recorded at Upper Darby Studios. Seeking a richer sound, they transitioned to Sigma Sound Studios around 1970 to produce 'Trouble Trouble.' Named by Campbell as Sharisma, the group embodied soulful charm. Unfortunately, their Vietnam-bound lead singer delayed the release so Campbell, inspired by his own son's troubles, penned 'Trouble Trouble.' Although shelved due to missing members, the tracks remained and now get pressed up to wax for your pleasure.
Review: Bristol producer Sir Beans OBE is also a real wizard on the decks. He has been a featured producer or guest DJ on a number of projects on the AE label before now (including the Truck and Aroma long players) but this marks his first proper solo drop. A-sider 'Part Of It' (feat Kelz) is a classic bit of boom-bap with raw rhymes and punchy drum work cut up with great samples and eerie chords. 'DEF= Defeat Evil Fools' (feat Zaeb Dust, Blaktrix & Medusa) slows it down for a late-night trip with live-sounding drums and more great bars over the top.
Review: If you don't know William Dorey already then chances are you're about to realise you've been missing out on quite the artist. Working as Skinshape, he's managed to garner a quiet cult following for his relatively quiet music, designed to unwind to, allow worries of the day to unwind, and dissipate into a concoction of psychedelic pop, downtempo electronica and dubby grooves.
Turn Away, a two-track single featuring titular piece and 'Dreams of Panama' is the latest case in point. Sublime melodies and deceptively advanced acoustic guitar work set to lackadaisical rhythms and beat patterns, soothing brass and synthesised strings helping capture a real mood. Which, specifically, is all about slowing down, and taking time to appreciate the moment. Designed to transport you to far away places, real and imagined, it sounds reductive to say these are bonafide travelling tunes but they are. The real joy is they also sound incredible when standing still.
Review: Oakland's SNDTRAK dropped his long awaited debut album back in 2021. It was a big hit right off the bat and now it gets a welcome reissue. These are snappy beats with rolling drums, deep hip hop instrumentals that bring the best of the dusty school to fresh new school thinking. Delicate melodies are buried within, soulful vocal smears drift in and out of ear shot and well played bass slowly rotate sunder the tunes to bring languid funk. Sunny and heart aching, heat damaged and stoned, this is a warming soundtrack on many different levels.
Review: Stroom has another great audio curiosity on its hands here with this 7" from Sonoko. She is a Japanese artist who works in the worlds of ambient and ambient, chanson and elevator, experimental and folk. Both of the cuts here are uplifting sounds that will bring some joy to the gloom of this season. They were made by the artist somewhere in the 90s with 'Meditation' a sensuous sound with hotel lobby piano playing and delicate vocals while 'Un homme et une femme' has a more icy and cold electronic sound with delicate keys twinkling like snow.
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - Silverlining Swung dub) (6:58)
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - H Foundation remix) (7:25)
Review: Theoretical Speed is an alias of Ryan Crosson, the long time Detroit underground mainstay who runs this label and has always operated at the vanguard. This EP again finds him joining the dots between Detroit and Berlin with opener 'Take Me to Bed and Mix Me Forever' featuring a trademark Visionquest vocal with deep roaming sub bass. 'Dusty Rugs' is rich with cascading keys played by John Camp as the drums bump and hints of Thomas Melchior shine through. Underground veteran Silverlining serves up a 'Swung Dub' on the flip side while H-Foundation also put their signature stamp on another 'Dusty Rugs' remix.
Review: Thomas Xu from Steady Flight Circle and Tommy Kladis from Music Time with Friends come together on this new cassette-only release that captures three of their sessions at Kladis's studio. Xu was on synthesizers while Kladis was in charge of samples, drums and loops on the SP-555 and the final touch was lo-fi drums from John Shaughnessy. It takes the form of two extended jams that reach out to almost 15 minutes of dusty, ambient-laced soundscapes with distant percussive details and melancholic moods. 'Klaxu' has more darkness and more prominent rhythms to it but both pieces make for escapist listening.
Review: The output from cult label Emotional Response is always varied and always vital. This time out the focus turns to Useless Users, who offer up a standout nine-track debut here. The band features former Sarah Records alumni including members of Action Painting! and Secret Shine as well as featuring Even As We Speak. The music they make is pop but with bold adventure at its heart. There are dreamy elements, big bold chords and stunning vocal deliveries as well as a few twists and turns along the way. It's a real gem with nods to sixties psyche amongst others.
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