Review: The Advisory Circle's Mind How You Go is a haunting and evocative album that transports listeners back to the eerie world of 1960s and 1970s public information films. Inspired by the chilling soundscapes of these films, the album captures a sense of nostalgia and unease that is both poignant and unsettling. The album's music is both catchy and unsettling, with its eerie melodies and haunting vocals creating a sense of unease. The lyrics, which often focus on themes of danger and caution, add to the album's unsettling atmosphere. Mind How You Go is a masterpiece of nostalgic electronica. It is a record that is both haunting and beautiful.
Review: Bedroom beat producer Blank Check has teamed up with Honolulu's Aloha Got Soul and Tokyo's Grand Gallery for this majestic new six-song EP which comes on tidy 10" vinyl. It's mega limited with only 300 copies produced and it showcases loop-based music that evokes a floating sensation, which is reminiscent, say the accompanying notes, of Tommy Guerrero's world view. The instrumental sound features a dub-like quality that perfectly captures an urban mellow vibe that feels both original and authentic. Essentially it serves as a soundtrack to a short film that immerses you in atmospheric and cinematic soundscapes.
Review: Anorax has got a vital 10" here featuring a stone cold classic Balearic house tune from Don Carlos in two different mixes. First is the Paradise mix which is as Ibiza as house music gets - the swirling pads, the subtly joyous feeling in the piano chords, the blistered bassline. It all immediately transports you to the White Isle and gazing out to see as the sun sets and the party ratchets up a gear. On the flip is a Lute Mix which brings some more mellifluous melodies and makes the drums a little more bouncy. Both are brilliant.
Review: Detroit legend Marcellus Pittman, a member of the iconic Three Chairs collective, teams up with renowned producer James Curd for the AtNosphere EP, marking his debut on Shall Not Fade. This 10" brings all the classic Detroit deep house elements togetherilush synths, smooth vocals, and rolling drum patternsicrafting a track that feels timeless. Curd, known for his work on the GTA soundtracks and various films, adds his production expertise to this collaboration, making the EP a must-have for fans of both Detroit house and masterful production. Two heavyweights on one record, delivering deep house at its finest.
Review: Mutual Rytm deals in proper techno that does the basics well and doesn't worry about modern fads. 'Surface' is the standout here - it has brilliantly bubbly synths rippling in sync with the hunched drums and bold bass notes. It works perfectly on both head and body and so does 'Blush' though with a more sleek, straight-ahead groove and minimal percussion over the echoing claps. 'Grainy' shuts down with another stylish techno bent and confirms Dold to be a vital voice in the current underground.
Dreams Are Made (Kenneth Graham She Likes To Ed-It remix) (5:47)
Review: The always-cultured Sushitech is back with another of its well-chosen reissues, this time focusing on the London-based Get Fucked. These tunes dropped in original from back in 1999 on Eukahouse and have since become cult classics. First is an unreleased Sweet mix of 'Dreams Are Made' which is lush, dubbed out tech with some magnificent jazz chords. On the flipside, Kenneth Graham steps up with his She Likes To Ed-It remix which is silky smooth and hypnotic for late-night zone-outs that will lock in the real heads. This is a superb limited-blue splattered vinyl that looks as good as it sounds.
Review: Back once again, it's Ill Behaviour with yet another two pantherine jungle steamers to top up their eponymous series of black labels. With purring associative moods of a melanistic leopard on wax, 'Side A' crafts knockout jungle from mutedly distant, longing r&b samples and rampant drum snaffles, wafting a prowly energy not too far from the voracious ravishing of prey. 'Side B' goes speedier jungle techno, proving that this is no alley cat; the piano breakdown is particularly impressive, weaving successfully controlled, empirically tested vocal science chops around a well-controlled mallet melody line, one we could only too easily assume was played in by a feline philanderer.
Review: Who doesn't love it when new Legowelt music drops? The Dutch is one of the most prolific producers in the game but he never sounds the same from one record to the next. This time out he lands on Hotmix with a two-track 10" that kicks off with 'DRUMCOMPUTER GLORY.' It's a warped track with acid tinges, mirky synths, weird vocal samples and jacked-up drums that are raw and proudly old school. On the flip side is 'CASIO CTK630 HOMEKEYBOARD', a snaking groove with hissing hi-hats and more smeared, smudgy synths that make for an unusual but alluring atmosphere.
Review: Niney The Observer's Set Dub Free vinyl delivers two exceptional dubs straight from the heart of the 1975 dub scene, a period when the genre was reaching its peak. On the Side-1, 'Set Dub Free' presents an unreleased dub cut of Michael Rose's 'Freedom.' This track showcases Niney's mastery in crafting deep, resonant dub that captures the essence of the era. The production is rich, with heavy basslines and echo-laden effects that transport listeners to the golden age of dub. On Side-2, 'Dub Born Free', features a rare King Tubby dub cut to 'Rasta No Born Yah,' originally voiced by Sang Hugh. This track is a true gem, blending Tubby's innovative mixing techniques with Niney's powerful rhythms, creating a sound that's both timeless and deeply rooted in reggae history. This 10" is ideal for any dub enthusiast looking into the creative forces that shaped the genre.
Review: Spiritual flute jazz by the mastermind Antti Vauhkonen aka. Oiro Pena. Coming only to a limited edition lathe-cut 10'', of which only 20 copies exist, there's something in the ultra-exclusivist approach to release and distribution here that seems to mimic and or bottle the sentiment of the record. Oiro Pena, first released via Ultraaani in 2019, was made after the Finnish musician found solace and inspiration in the question: who was the first person to create instrumental music? Arriving at the conclusion that this person was probably alone, the ensuing LP is an engaging testament to the idea that wellsprings of spiritual, flauting sonics might gush forth from such thought experiments. Through four pieces of rippling flute-jazz, backed by free-strained piano and double bass accompaniments and sprinkled thereover by keyboards, drums, strings and reams of percs, all of which were at some point played by Vauhkonen himself.
Review: Renowned reeds player, composer, and producer Finn Peters unveils his latest offering Red, Green and Blue and it is a vibrant fusion of global influences condensed into three potent tracks of what Peters dubs 'ancient techno'. This solo endeavour continues Peters' sonic exploration and expands upon the palette he began with his Purple and Yellow EP nearly a decade ago. MPC3000 and SP12 percussion intertwines with cosmic flute choirs and transcendent saxophone, guided by analogue synths that bridge eras past and future. Inspired by dreams of the Miraculous Mandarin, an immortal mystic from the future, Peters crafts musical resonance here, awash with alchemy and timelessness.
Review: The Barefoot Beats crew return with outing number 14 and once more it is music for sunny climates. Aroop Roy takes care of the A-side of this 10" with 'Fankiando Taniador', the Latin flavoured deep cut disco and funk roller with 80s horn stabs and rumbling bass all topped with a red hot vocal full of flair. It's pure Brazilian heat that is perfect for outdoor dancing and Bernardo Pinheiro's 'Expresso Amor' then brings more sunshine goodness with its slinky disco house beats and swinging hand claps all irresistible to anyone with a heart.
Review: Ruby Rushton's latest offering presents a vibrant exploration of rhythm and texture, breathing new life into contemporary jazz fusion. On the title track, 'Stapodia,' an infectious groove shifts effortlessly between time signatures, creating a dynamic backdrop for striking solos on saxophone and trumpet. 'Kalo Livadi' bursts forth with a whirlwind of flute, trumpet, and synth bass, only to wind down into a hypnotic hip-hop groove, its keys solo lingering like an unexpected afterthought. The interplay of improvisation and structure feels both daring and deliberate, capturing the energy of a band constantly in conversation with itself.
Review: Cristian Sarde (aka. Mamosato, Samo) teams up with fellow techno tussler Bakked for an off-piste non-label release, sharing inverse sides of a single furtive black label record. Veering minimal, moving, and moribund, both staples of the Italian dance musical underground share what is implied to be their deepest, darkest and most exclusive thoughts, strictly for heads only; 'Love Tea' is an unusual track, fusing an almost early-noughts dubstep wriggle against an otherwise taut house groove; a move we don't see coming. Bakked meanwhile brings 'Effect171', on which a raw MPC-style jam - pleated with analogue rimshots and backsliding chords - is sown as the underlying field line onto which a dreamy sampled vocal admission, "I don't mind talking about it", may be heard. Both artists sound to have indulged a weirder side to their crafts, hence the labelless aside, and we love to hear it.
Review: Silent Force Records unleash a brand new series SFR Titans and its down to the mighty giant Sicknote to launch it. Naturally he tears the series a new one before it's even started. 'Craw' takes the lead as Sicky links with old mate and long-time collaborator Escher for some tense, emotional volatility. For 'Lates' on the B-side old Notey chops goes solo and takes us proper darkside. Think 'Angel Fell'-era Dilli with a slice of old Digital and you're in the right armshouse. Titanic.
Review: Solene and J. Rawls team up for a delicious pair of pelagic, coolant nu-soul and house nocturnes, crossing the sparse but oceanic space between genres. On 'Love Moon', the producer and singer respectively cover such intense themes as late-night reflectivity and good company: "nothing glam, it's just you and me..." Solene intones this sombrely, as the last syllable is heard to trail off into a surfactant mist. Meanwhile, 'Can't Catch Me In Love' raises the emotive drawbridge once more, hoisting supporting pillars of kick drum and serene pan flute, as flirtatious gingerbread taunts are heard in the chorus, not to mention musings on past relationship blunders.
Review: An up and coming producer and more known for his dub techno roots, Stojche shifts gears with three tracks of futuristic techno. Bringing a harder, more pounding techno sound to Mutual Rytm, the title track, 'Stomping Ground', hits with catchy chords and a strong, dancefloor-ready rhythm, complete with infectious hooks that keep energy levels high. Side-2 begins with 'Oberheim' a percussive, melodic builder with a heavy beat that captivates with its addictive groove and some gorgeously dynamic layering. The EP closes with 'Consequence', a spacey, floaty track that lays beats over a shimmering, providing an outstanding end to a great release.
Review: Suburban Architecture share the fourth in their 'Architecture Dubs' series of limited edition 10" vinyl releases, which hears some of the most revered names in mid-90s golden-era drum & bass deliver remixes of newer Suburban Architecture material, in homage to that most innovative of periods. It's an impressive feat, not least since most of the time, it's the newcomers remixing the works of the veterans, and not the other way round; and that's what makes this record such a great flex. 'The Drifter', from SA's 'Turning Point' EP, first hears a dedicated, flauting remix from Ray Keith on the A, while Moving Shadow favourite DJ Harmony brings a thoroughly filterpassed amen-packed version to the B1.
Review: Matching breezy, Bossa nova-tinged sophistication with softly spiralling psychedelia, Testbild! arrive in the Quindi lounge as though they've always been there. Bed Stilt is their latest, anagrammatic album, on which the Swedish collective cast their minds back over their entire careers, all the way back to the earliest days of their 25-year trip through sweetly mysterious pop-not-pop, rendered in warm tones and shot through with surrealism. At once nostalgic for the sleepy neo-psych rock realisations of 90s Malmo - yet also unconsciously nodding to the potents of an incarnation of the sound yet to come - the likes of 'And Her Eyes Are Red', through to the farmyard dream scenario of 'Soft Winged & Frail' and finally absurd bemusement 'Water On The Moon', meet us with an unconscious flight of fancy, teeming with psychic quirks and happily irresolute instrumental combinations, from banjo to Mellotron Mikro to vibraphonette.
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