This sneaky 7" from Mister Mushi is a must-have for any discerning digger or lover of feelgood grooves. The A-side, 'Hard Lifetime', is a masterclass in sample-based alchemy, seamlessly blending a killer hip-hop-meets-funk groove with elements of David Byrne's iconic vocals from Talking Heads classic 'Once in a Lifetime'. The result is a wonderfully infectious and toe-tapping creation that breathes new life into one of music's most familiar tunes. The production is so expertly crafted that Byrne's vocals sound tailor-made for the backing track, a testament to Mister Mushi's skills as a producer and sample manipulator. On the flip, you'll find the instrumental version, stripped of the vocal sample but retaining all the infectious energy and groove of the A. A record that will undoubtedly get heads nodding and bodies moving, a testament to the enduring power of expertly crafted sample-based music.

Ryan Adams' Wednesday album was released in 2020 and is introspective with songwriting up there with the best Americana. It's a world away from the classic rock swagger of his previous album, Prisoner, but no less powerful. This new album takes the exact same tracklist and reinvents the sound and spirit. It's a novel approach and a refreshing way of thinking about new studio releases for a label. 'Dreaming You Backwards and 'I'm Sorry and I Love You' has more of a more baroque pop with lush string sounds embellishing the fraught emotional tension; 'Dreaming Of You Backwards' is similarly majestic with classical music references guiding it. Compare these takes with the previous record's soulful rock feel - close in some ways to the sound of Hiss Golden Messenger - and it becomes clear Adams has shed that sound completely and achieved a true reinvention.

If propulsive rhythms, driving guitar riffs with the chorus pedal cranked all the way and reverb-soaked vocals are your bag then Sad Lovers and Giants are your ticket to joy. This release features their 1982 debut album - alongside companion material - and will almost certainly appeal to fans of post-punk greats, such as The Chameleons, The Cure and Interpol. The band never had the commercial backing that a major label affords so have slipped under the radar somewhat over the years. But thankfully new generations are tuning in and realising that they're an extraordinary group that ought to be held in as high regard as the seminal post-punk acts that people more readily refer to. The tracklist is stunning from start-to-finish, but don't miss 'Clint': the topline delivered on the synth is epic and the smorgasbord of guitar arpeggios and understated rhythms beneath prove their knack for penning atmospheric walls of sound. And 'Landslide' centers around a woozily psychedelic guitar pattern, hypnotic beats and short, thought-provoking lyrical stanzas that elevate the overall dreaminess. Music that's as tasteful as it gets, really.

A century of musical wisdom unfolds in a striking debut that bridges past and future with effortless fluidity. Channeling the avant-garde spirit of Sun Ra while carving out a singular voice, the album explores transdimensional jazz palettes, blues-infused big band and serene introspection. At its core is an artist whose mastery of saxophone and EVI transcends boundaries, fusing deep improvisation with a lifetime of sonic exploration. The project, spearheaded by longtime collaborator Knoel Scott and producer Jan Lankisch, emerged from an archive of unrecorded compositions. Featuring luminaries like Michael Ray, Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Cecil Brooks, the sessions in Philadelphia captured a raw, spontaneous energy. The title track blends spiritual jazz with the unmistakable vocals of Neneh Cherry, her presence adding a layer of cosmic depth. 'African Depth' is an atmospheric jazz gem of the highest order. A lullaby that will expand your horizons, the piece takes the album to another level. Defined by both reflection and innovation, the album reveals a previously unheard side of its creatoriswinging, bopping and expanding jazz's celestial reach. Though deeply rooted in tradition, the music never lingers in nostalgia, instead pushing ever forward. Not a culmination but an evolution, this is a real a love letter to spacetime that resonates across generations.

The Black Dog's Foucauldian 2009 CD opus hears an honorific remaster and reissue through Dust Science on vinyl, extending the trio's concern with Orwellian surveillance and state-capitalist intrusions into the present. "From billion-dollar corporate entities openly mishandling our data for profit to highly targeted and manipulative political propaganda campaigns, the misuse of our data and communications is far more sophisticated and devious than originally envisaged," says tBd's Martin Dust of the sinister side of today's sociopolitical climate. The tracks therein still elicit much emotion, with 'Northern Electronic Soul' especially charging our intensities despite moods of data scouring and electromagnetic hoarding and 'Skin Clock' co-opting even the more glamorous ends of modern techno-life.

Two techno forces join for a striking foray into the depths of otherwordly techno with a collaborative affair that bridges Rodhad's seasoned expertise with UVALL's fresh perspective. Side-1 sets off with 'KINVA 01 [240209.2]', a subterranean journey driven by pulsating rhythms that build an intense, propulsive energy. Following is 'KINVA 02 [240206]' which ventures into haunting, alien territory, layering sinister sounds that evoke eerie, cinematic atmospheres. On the B-side, 'KINVA 03 [240209.1', is a crisp, precise production with a depth that pulls listeners into its hypnotic groove. Closing the release, 'KINVA 04 [240207]' delves into darker, brooding techno, balancing shadowy textures with a commanding intensity that lingers. A great example of the synergy between two generations of techno talent, blending Rodhad's mastery with UVALL's fresh creativity, it's highly recommended.

Phonogramme is in the middle of a fine series of releases that highlight the great work of legendary US deep house don Abacus. Analog Stories Vol 3 opens with the lush depths of 'It's Bubbling (Short Stories)' then gets more busy with 'Beautiful African Girl' which features humid pads and jazzy keys with dense percussive layers. 'After The Disco' (Submariner edit) sinks back into smooth grooves with light sprinklings of percussion and nimble drums and last of all 'Take A Trip' (feat Keitajuma) closes out with ambient laced and late night sounds.

Calling all locked-groove stickerers, needle twisters, and/or tonearm weight worriers, prepare your ears and needles for a wonderful trove of breakbeat bullion, ripe for the looping and the zealous hunching over. This modern rare groove emulation by Florence, 'Funky Song', lays down a phantasmically funky original breakbeat, fleshed out and swollen unto the most maximal of proportions. Then, don't forget, there's 'Let's Dance', which reworks Jimmy Bo Horne's 'Dance Across The Floor' for a rare and never-edited-before take on the perseverant, provocative hip roller of a track.