New releases last two weeks: All genres

Review: 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.

Review: In celebration of 50 years in the performing arts, Idris Ackamoor presents Artistic Being for Record Store Day 2025-a powerful blend of jazz, spoken word and activism. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actor Danny Glover and stage legend Rhodessa Jones, this record captures highlights from the Underground Jazz Cabaret, which was performed during Black History Month 2024 at The Lab in San Francisco. Co-produced by Ackamoor's Cultural Odyssey, the release fuses poetic storytelling with evocative musical textures while reflecting on social justice, identity and resilience. Artistic Being is a profound statement from a visionary artist.

Review: AgainstMe makes a powerful debut on 47 with four tracks of deep, spiralling techno rooted in Berlin's famous underground energy. The Greek producer showcases his signature multi-dimensional sound design well here as he fuses dynamic rhythms and immersive atmospheres with great precision. Each track builds on a foundation of undulating basslines and intricate textures, which takes you on a trip through shifting sonic terrain. From hypnotic momentum to cavernous depth, there is a balance between raw propulsion and detailed production that makes for a bold, immersive statement that positions AgainstMe as a key rising voice in forward-thinking techno.

Review: Survival horror franchise Alan Wake saw its second instalment in 2023, following the game series' 2010 debut. Again, we follow novelist Alan Wake, as he attempts to escape his imprisonment in an alternate dimension by penning a horror story about an FBI agent, Saga Anderson. Both a detective story and a shoot 'em up, the second game bolsters the franchise's neo-noir and gothic Midwestern tropes; the soundtrack is fittingly both lachrymose and chilling, with its contributing scorers - Petri Alanko, Old Gods Of Asgard, Jean Castel and more - portraying Nordic moods of modern, nailbiting mystery. Through stark, grim, minor-keyed anthems, trip-hop furrowers and trembly orchestral laments, we find dead bodies found in the woods, fight spriggan-esque creatures, and soak in moods of noir crime psychodrama, all chillingly captured in a single sonic melange.

Review: The 5th release from this Barcelona-based electronic label delivers a compelling mix of minimal and tech house with futuristic flair. 'Loving Matter' on Side-A starts things off with an electro groove, layered with techno elements and a touch of EBM. Its cool, dark vocal adds a layer of intensity, perfectly capturing the track's atmospheric edge. On Side-B, 'Whisper' has a trance-infused techno vibe, flowing smoothly with its subtle, hypnotic energy. The final track, 'Slowtrance', boasts a deep bassline and a fusion of retro trance and progressive sounds. The bouncy rhythm still carries an ominous tone, keeping the energy dynamic while leaning into darker, more introspective territory. This release is a masterful combination of old-school and modern electronic elements, with enough depth to impress fans of both techno and trance.

Review: Second time around for eccentric Sheffield trio The All Seeing I's sole full-length excursion, 1999's Pickled Eggs & Sherbert, which here lands on vinyl for the first time.The album, a celebration of Steel City creativity featuring cameos from Cocker, Tony Christie, Babybird and the Human League's Phil Oakey, is best remembered for hit singles 'The Beat Goes On', 'Walk Like a Panther' - lyrics reportedly penned by Jarvis Cocker - and 'The First Man in Space', but there are plenty more highlights amongst the unique blends of fractured dancehall rhythms, redlined electronica, oddball easy listening references, experimental d&b rhythms and genuine leftfield pop nous. For proof, check out blissful acapella number 'No Return' (where Lisa Millett plays a starring role), the breathless, bass-heavy house of 'Sweet Music', the weighty madness of 'I Walk' and the exotica-goes-big beat flex of 'Happy Birthday Nicola'.

Notes: The HDJ-F10 is a new model of professional DJ headphones with ultra-low-latency SonicLink
wireless technology. By combining the headphones with the HP-TX01 transmitter, which can be bought separately or in a bundle, DJs can use the SonicLink connection to seamlessly deliver wireless audio to their ears. This means they can move freely in the DJ booth without ever tangling or pulling on a wire. The headphones also feature high-resolution, powerful sound, and outstanding insulation and durability. Bluetooth connectivity is included too, with Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes available.

Ultra-low-latency wireless communication via SonicLink*
The uniquely developed SonicLink technology in the HDJ-F10 headphones enables DJs to move around as they play, without the constraints of cables. When the HP-TX01 transmitter is connected to a DJ mixer, SonicLink transmits sound to the headphones with just 9 msec of latency - 20 times faster than the commonly used Bluetooth SBC codec so DJs will never notice the delay - enabling accurate monitoring and mixing. The transmitter is compact, lightweight, and easy to carry with other DJ gear.

High-volume playback and sound insulation for accurate monitoring
DJs can hear their music loud and clear, even in an extremely noisy DJ booth or onstage, when using the SonicLink wireless connection. The headphones can deliver high-quality sound reproduction at high volumes. And, thanks to newly developed earpads and housing structures, they achieve an outstanding level of sound insulation that's higher than even the Pioneer DJ flagship HDJ-X10 model.

Tight kick sound and wide-ranging audio
The HDJ-F10 is the flagship headphones model under the AlphaTheta brand, designed with a meticulous focus on sound quality. The newly developed 40 mm driver achieves a high-resolution sound, from low to high frequencies, where even the smallest details in the music can be clearly heard. The housing structure combines a bass-reflex duct and air chamber to ensure a high level of sound insulation while also expanding and enhancing low frequencies. This enables DJs to monitor crisp, punchy kick sounds, even in a loud DJ booth, and provides a studio-level monitoring environment for a wide range of situations, from DJing to music production and listening to tracks when preparing for gigs.

Ruggedness for professional use
DJs can rely on the HDJ-F10 headphones to handle life in any environment. They're highly robust and they've passed the stringent US Military Standard MIL-STD-810H shock test.

Bluetooth connectivity and Noise Cancelling mode to serve a complete DJ workflow
While preparing tracks, DJs can choose whether they want to reduce or let in the sound from the world around them when connected to a device via Bluetooth. In Noise Cancelling mode, ambient noise is shut out - even in a busy city - so DJs can immerse themselves in the music as if listening to it in the studio. With Transparency mode, external sounds are let in so it's possible to continue having in-person conversations while listening to music.

Long battery life for extended DJ sets
A full battery gives 9 hours' use with SonicLink or 30 hours' use with Bluetooth. DJs can also play with a wired connection.

*HP-TX01 transmitter enables SonicLink connection - available separately or in the HDJ-F10-TX bundle

Review: Two toolroom essentials from Rob Amboule, former London stalwart come Frankfurt familiar. Where years of collecting and playing gradually evolved into Rob making music of his own, it wasn't long before he made the move permanent, settling in around the Main. A late stopover in Paris has now domino effected this new one: 'Wovv Tools' brings 'Melortra' and 'Kopuie', equal parts dance-incenting and vagus nerve-soothing. The B is especially brilliant, cycling through generative hypnotic whirls and sweller padwork.

Review: Amorphic and Tensal hook back in to the machine to dialyse their crafts once more, with 'Highland Frequencies' offering up four, machine-numbered atoning lambs to our mech overlords, following up the equally arrayed 'Distant Landscapes' EP (2024) on Blueprint. Now bringing their distinctive cataloguing system to the discographic vanitas Mord, four more 'AT' tracks make for an irresistibly well-layered, synthetically one-of-a-kind release. Only 'AT4' gets a subtitle, 'The Sleepwalker', where a sandman's slumbrous, lollygaggling beats somehow, at the same time, betray a subconscious, paradoxical restlessness.

Review: ANAZANAUT is a time-bending audio artefact stitched together from decades of disparate sonic moments. With recordings spanning from 1984 to 2024, the techno project feels like a cosmic scrapbook-fragmented memories reborn through meticulous remixing and remastering. From the icy atmospherics of 'Voice on the Air' to the vintage grit of 'Poacher Path (Extended Mix),' these tracks vibrate with echoes of past lives stitched together by a logic only time understands. ANAZANAUT doesn't follow a linear path; it loops, folds, and bends with compelling grooves and myriad occult sounds adding character and curiosity.

Review: The fledgling WEorUS label rolls out more stylish, minimal and tech here from a trio of artists. Andrade goes first with 'Kubernetes,' a driving minimal house cut packed with hefty groove. It is followed by 'Content Security Policy' which is a slick, rhythm-forward roller that locks you into its flow. Flip to side-B and get swept into Dragosh's 'One Way,' a deep, hypnotic workout that's all tension and release and rounding off the trip is Fabrizio Siano's 'Control Your Emotions,' a poignant, late-night burner that delivers introspection through rhythm.

Review: Chicago label Future Rootz is a collective of mix media DJs who all play and rework global roots, tropical bass, world electronic and Latin house. Who better to do that than Detroit's Dez Andres, a deep-diving DJ, house head and producer with Cuban roots. He goes first here with 'El Trombone', which has a signature low-end thump with sunny Latin vocals, joyous horns and florid melodies. He then slows things down with one of his trademark remixes of AfroQbano's 'El Bucanero', which has noodling bass and poolside charm.

Notes: Suitable for guitar, synths, drum machines and more, the updated Godeater refines the boutique saturation/distortion pedal, offering more precise control over low frequencies. New filter-keyed sidechain, advanced routing and MIDI integration add major flexibility.

Supplier's Notes:
The new Godeater+ is the successor to the successful Godeater pedal from Indian manufacturer Animal Factory.

The Godeater was primarily designed for electric basses and saturates the sound in the lower frequencies. However, it is not limited to bass guitars. The pedal can also be used with synthesizers or guitars. The pedal can also be interesting in combination with drum computers. The main aim of the Godeater+ is to create a pedal that allows you to create a distorted sound without losing the low frequencies.

Review: Cititrax proudly presents the debut LP from Another Body Found here, which is the latest moniker of A// who is well known for his pioneering work as Le Syndicat Electronique. Emerging from the French underground with a dark electro, industrial, minimal synth and wave style, he has a stark and visceral take on raw energy and haunting atmospheres. There are plenty of mechanical, hypnotic beats here with heft bass and hints of dystopian fears. The title track reimagines Bronski Beat's 'Smalltown Boy' and strips it to its emotional core, 'Lost In The Northern Lights' has a cold, urgent sound and 'Murderous Earth' is brilliantly unsettling and melancholic.