New releases last two weeks: All genres

Notes: The OpticTone MK2 is an improved revision of our original module, combining a 12dB multi-mode Vactrol VCF and a Vactrol VCA. This unique circuit is inspired by the distinct characteristics of Vactrols and Lowpass gates, celebrated for their fluid and natural character.

Notes: RipWave is a compact 6HP analog VCO designed for rich sonic exploration in a small footprint. At the heart of its design is the Transform knob: a unique, voltage-controllable parameter that shapes the character of each waveform. It offers a wide range of timbral variation, from saturation to wavefolding, harmonic morphing, and pulse width modulation, all in a single control.

On the Sine output, the Transform knob applies a tanh() saturation circuit, gradually shaping the waveform from a pure tone into a warmer, slightly overdriven version. As you turn the knob, the wave is smoothly compressed and harmonics are introduced, adding character without harsh clipping.

For the Triangle wave, turning the Transform knob folds the waveform through a transistor wavefolder, shaping the timbre of the signal by adding harmonic complexity. An additional soft clipping diode saturation stage keeps the amplitude in check, taming peaks while introducing additional character.

In the case of the saw output, the waveform is generated by combining two complementary signals: one waveform containing only odd harmonics, the other only even harmonics. The Transform knob controls the balance between them. At the center position, both are equally summed to produce a Sawtooth wave. Turning the knob blends between the two, letting you isolate odd or even harmonics and shape the timbre across a wide range of harmonic textures.

The Transform knob performs a more traditional role with the Pulse wave, acting as a pulse width control. At the center position, it produces a classic Square wave with a 50% duty cycle. Turning the knob shifts the duty cycle toward narrower or wider pulses, delivering the familiar pulse width modulation sound.

An octave switch provides quick transposition and includes an LFO mode for low-frequency modulation duties, allowing RipWave's uniquely shaped waveforms to be used as modulation sources. RipWave also features both sync and linear FM inputs. The sync input allows the oscillator to be reset by an external signal, creating harmonically rich or rhythmically locked results depending on the source. A rear-panel jumper lets you select between hard and soft sync modes to suit different patching contexts.

The linear FM input offers a wide modulation range, from subtle pitch modulation and vibrato to deeper, more complex timbral shifts depending on modulation depth.

Though initially designed as a companion for VastWave, RipWave has developed a strong identity of its own. It performs equally well as a standalone oscillator in a compact system or alongside its larger sibling. Whether used for Lead voices, complex layering, or modulation, it delivers a wide range of shaping options. From warm tones to ripping textures, RipWave pushes all waveforms into harmonically rich territory, making every output well suited for East Coast - style subtractive synthesis as well as West Coast - style waveshaping systems.

Review: Nicola Conte and Nico Lahs, both Bari-born producers pushing the boundaries of underground Afro-Latin and jazzdance, hear the warmest of intros through their friends over at Schema Italy, their sound pivoting a careful Newtonian balance between presence and nostalgia. The roomy but distant highs of 'Macumba De Oxala' contrast strongly yet subtly to the hifi plinks and percs of 'La Danse De L'Esprit', on the latter of which we hear visiting production fellow Oaklandian Lalin St Juste add an ancestral vocal magic. This first EP is only a start, with a second 12" and a resultant double LP planned.

Review: With his third EP and second for this label, Seattle-based South American Martin Selasco's project continues to carve out a distinct space in the Balearic downtempo universe, radiating a sun-baked, cross-cultural charm that is worldly and intimate. Side-A opens with 'La Pantera', a smoky instrumental driven by a dubby pulse and layered Latin percussion, the track's hazy atmosphere and subtle melodic touches hinting at everything from tropical lounge to low-slung sound system culture. 'Descalzo' is more of a downtempo cumbia laced gem with light funk and breezy French-Island textures. The rhythm sways with a casual elegance, evoking barefoot dances at golden hour and lazy days under a beachside canopy. Effortlessly blending influences, this EP feels like a postcard from an imagined coastline that somewhere between Colombia, Guadeloupe and the Balearics.

Notes: In the mid-nineties, documentarian Peter Spirer embarked on a three-year odyssey to offer a realistic view of Hip-Hop and the people and culture it encompassed, interviewing over 80 artists involved in the art form. Spirer managed to capture a seminal moment as the culture balanced on the cusp of the mainstream. As Ice-T comments in his foreword to the book, 'Rhyme & Reason is one of the few films that was there to document us before Hip-Hop truly exploded.' While filming, Spirer took accompanying stills using a medium format Rolleiflex camera. It is these photographs that form The Book Of Rhyme & Reason. 'The Rollei allowed me to capture some amazing moments: Puffy getting a trim in his office while doing three tasks at once, Biggie opening record plaques on his couch, Ice-T and Mack 10 hanging with their homies, Heavy D at the barber, playing pool. There was the Jack The Rapper convention with Death Row making a statement, at a Disney World Hotel, that ended in chaos. There were magical moments such as Redman and Erick Sermon freestyling on the mic to amazed onlookers at a block party in Newark and watching Wu-Tang Clan chop it up on the block in Staten Island on a cold winter's day before they exploded.'

This coffee table volume features over 130 of Spirer's photographs from 1994 to 1997. As Hip-Hop commemorates its fiftieth anniversary in 2023, it is particularly fitting that many of these images from this formative period are being seen and published for the first time.

Hardback Book, 224 pages with over 300 illustrations
275mm x 230mm x 25mm
Weight: 1.5kg

Review: Back in 2018, artist Omar "El Oms" Juarez introduced the world to Marie and Necalli, then known as Thee Lakesiders. Sensing something special, he linked them with Big Crown's Leon Michels and The Shacks and together, they recorded 'Parachute,' a soulful gem that became a cult classic and sparked a new wave of modern soul. The original 7" sold nearly 10,000 copies and its music video racked up over 15 million views. To celebrate its seven-year anniversary, the label has now assembled this special edition of 'Parachute' and its instrumental version on transparent green vinyl, complete with El Oms' artwork and guaranteed no represses. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Review: Some cynics say there's no romance *without* finance, but the one hit wondrous German funk and soulers Thirty Two Soul Band begged to differ. A formerly unreleased lowrider soul beauty from 1975, 'Finance Or Romance' was shelved for nearly half a century, but now it finally steps out of the vault and chooses love. Woozy horns collide with a plaintive groove that could've easily lit up any Eastside cruise: "what's it gonna be, what's it gonna be?". On the flip, 'Body Wave' also resurfaces for the first time since its scarce 7" run, a sultry midtempo cut, dusty fidelity intact.

Review: Martyn Hodgson (Tijn) and Daines (real name not known) have been mutually favourite collaborators within the experimental minimal techno scene in London since at least 2019, when the pair first crossed streams for Moss Co's eleventh for the 'Archway' EP, dedicated to the unmistakable North London district. Then came 'Aesthetic', a black vinyl interloper with revolutionary undertones, and now finally in 2025 comes 'CVS 008' for Curtea Veche, the voltage controlled UK outfit named after a Wallachian-Romanian palace built in Dracula's time (yes, that Dracula). On 'So Mad At You' and 'Excuse Me', we hear dreamy and fog-filled orbs of sound float before our ears, emitting juts of twiglike percussion and sheet metal gong sounds, worked around studious oneiric beats and swirling, timestretched vowel sounds.

Review: After breakout success in 2008 with radio-blitzing singles and a global tour, Salford duo The Ting Tings have spent five albums dodging repetition. Home marks their latest obliquity; written and recorded in a wooden-decked studio using analogue gear, the album trades digital punch for coastal ease. It's a love letter to the crisp songwriting of Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp and Christopher Cross, designed for long drives with salt air and rolled-down windows. Tracks like 'Song For Meadow', 'Goodbye Song' and 'Mind Thunder' lean into harmony, space and wistfulness, with Katie White and Jules De Martino easing into a more reflective, groove-led mode.

Review: Electric Ballroom proudly introduces Tommahawk, a rising force from Germany's next generation of peak-progressive house producers. 'Unfolding' lends a heart-in-mouth pre-drop choir motif to an antecedent stab centrepiece, whose vestiges linger long after the refrain tapers off. Label head Thomas Schumacher remixes the track in airier and floatier tones, meanwhile, creating an abiding minimal progressive ballast to contrast the A-side's intense eschatology.

Review: After declaring his retirement in 1996 with Gettin' It, it turned out that Too $hort couldn't really stay away from the game. In 1999, he returned with Can't Stay Away, his 11th studio album and one recorded in Atlanta with Southern influences folded into his signature West Coast Bay Area sound. Produced by Jazze Pha, Jermaine Dupri and Erick Sermon and with features from 8Ball & MJG, Scarface, E-40 and others, it's another example of Too $hort's versatility. It also introduces his Nation Riders, a collective of up-and-coming rappers signed to his new label, in a record full of pimp tales and classic $hort storytelling.

Review: Ali brings together Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Toure with Houston-based trio Khruangbin for pattern-textured tribute to Vieux's father, the legendary Ali Farka Toure. The group chose to reinterpret Ali's music, drawing on a shared sense of space and groove to honour his legacy without embalming it. Recorded in just a week in a barn in Burton, Texas, the sessions came steeped in warmth and mutual respect, with the final tracklist curated by Ali's eleven children. Khruangbin's dusky, reverb-heavy style embed the earthy, cyclical patterns of the recently popularised Malian desert blues, each side subtly reshaping the other sound while drawing parallels between North American and West African takes on the same name. Though long delayed by the pandemic, what has emerged is an unhurried traditional group mind, invoked to tread newer ground in songs erstwhile deemed well-trodden.

Review: Two legendary producers joined production forces in 1999 to create one timeless track that sees the light of day again here. Ron Trent and old friend Chez Damier were co-owners of one of the most important house labels of all time - Prescription Records - and they re-teamed up for this deep house classic for Ron's first full length album Primitive Arts. For the remix package, Atjazz deliveres an extended remix that amplifies the groove while maintaining the soulful depth of the original. Atjazz's signature melodic refinement and rhythmic precision shine through, making this version more uplifting yet hypnoticia lush reinterpretation that still respects its deep-rooted heritage. On Side-B, two more Ron Trent gems receive modern reworks. First up, 'Berlin Night in Paris' (Fred H Remix) transforms the 2017 track from 'Spaces and Places' EP into a chord-driven, tech-house-infused journey. Lastly, 'Cry' (Sourires Remix) delivers an atmospheric deep house experience, rich in space and emotion. Subtle yet powerful, this remix explores introspective tones, balancing melody and groove with a meditative feel. Together, these remixes further reinforce the already vast legacy of Trent and Damier in deep house history.

Review: Russian Tripmastaz is back with more devastatingly effective tech house that's infused with a touch of minimal, dub and garage. The prolific producer really knows how to tap into the dancefloor with his tunes and this one shows that from the off as 'Politics As Usual' sucks you in with a nice deep, loose groove that's lit up with singing leads. A dub mix pairs back some of the synths to allow the cavernous drums to shine and then 'Coffee Smack 4 Dat Azz' gets more raw and direct. 'Scarp' shuts down with physical drums and squiggly acid that bursts out of the speakers.

Review: Aachen Jazz Files is a tribute to NABEL Records, a groundbreaking German jazz label active from 1980 to 1994. This new and essential compilation has been curated by Miche and Rainer Truby and highlights NABEL's unique fusion of acoustic jazz, Brazilian rhythms and avant-garde influences. Featuring gems like Monika Linges Quartet's samba-infused grooves, John Thomas & Lifeforce's cosmic explorations and Maria Joao's expressive vocals, this collection captures Aachen's rich jazz heritage from every angle. Though it was once a hidden gem, NABEL's sound has since travelled worldwide and its sophistication and warmth shine through here from a most distinctive era of jazz.

Review: Back in 2008, Jethro Tull performed a now legendary set at the Basel Festival in Switzerland. Their "powerful and passionate" performance - as the accompanying press release puts it - was previously available on DVD, but this double-CD marks the first time the soundtrack has been made available as an audio release. It naturally stands up to scrutiny, with the effervescent Ian Anderson (switching as ever between vocals and flute) leading the way on a memorable trawl through their epic back catalogue and its notable blends of folk, progressive rock, jazz, hard rock and neo-classical movements. Expect to hear fine versions of 'Aqualung', 'Living In The Past', 'A New Day Yesterday', 'Locomotive Breath' and much more besides.

Review: Plenty of lad argot might rightly refer to the state of being blackout drunk, but few are so evocative and spot-on than the word "trollied". Right too that it should work its way into this fresh collaboration between Tunic and Sentient, neither of whom are newcomers but whose twin efforts are news to Dub Colony, fresh outta Bern, Switzerland. 'Trollied' and 'Dread' chart the course of a regrettable night at 140bpm, with high-brushing womp basses and nauseating bumps in the night, while 'Synapse Flare' and 'Shallow Grave' veer more experimental, their sludge-muffling sound design and triplet wois offering the listener a fork in the road between a return to full cognitive function or early death.

Review: Since the release of their Grammy-nominated third full-length Glow On in 2021, Baltimore hardcore experimentalists Turnstile have legitimately ballooned to one of the biggest acts in modern rock music. Returning four years on with their longest gap between albums yet due to their immensely expanded touring schedule, Never Enough seeks to maintain the momentum whilst building upon their unique vision for what was once an admittedly niche subgenre. With the opening title-track's anthemic stadium-punk vibes complete with ethereal synths and bombastic, purposefully simplistic riffage, to the jangling disco-dream-pop banger 'Seein' Stars' to the blistering yet positive chaos of 'Birds', all signs point to the band nailing their mission statement for the scene, with yet another intriguing opus brimming at the seams with creativity, energy and incomparable proficiency. Their first work to mark the arrival of former Chubby & The Gang guitarist and Yorkshire-born Meg Mills following the departure of Brady Ebert, the album will also be complimented by a musical film, essentially offering music videos to all 14 tracks in a style reminiscent of The Who's iconic album-film Tommy. Due to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, Turnstile continue to decimate the boundaries and limitations of what a hardcore punk band can accomplish.

Review: Matti Turunen is no stranger to Vortex Traks as he had previously dropped music here and appeared on the label's very first release and also later as part of Morphology. This, however, is his solo debut and it's a classy exploration of melodic electro. 'Tharsis' kicks off with lithe synths and sheet metal sounds flapping in a stiff cosmic wind. 'Pavonis' is deeper and more heady, 'Arsia' is built on neck-snapping drum patterns and 'Ascraeus' rides on plaintive pads. Last but not least is a collaboration with Dora Gray, 'Daedalia', which is an ambient-laced delight.

Review: One of the most legendary female producers in history of electronic music brings out her sixth solo album - not to mention her numerous seminal recordings as part of Throbbing Gristle and Chis & Cosey - and the first in three years. 2t2 is an intimate yet electrifying statement, a dualistic journey through rhythmic propulsion and meditative introspection across nine tracks entirely composed, performed and produced solely by Cosey herself. With 2t2, she expolores personal loss and global upheavalm transforming them into a defiant sonic odyssey, weaving raw energy and introspective depth together. The beat-driven tracks pulse with kinetic urgency, echoing her industrial and electronic roots, while the ambient passages invite deep contemplation. Lead single 'Stound' exemplifies this balanceiCosey's overtone chanting evokes resilience and catharsis, grounding the record in both personal and universal strength. 'Threnody' pays tribute to Delia Derbyshire and Andy Christian, weaving echoes of past creative dialogues into Cosey's present explorations. Even in its darker moments, there's a lightness, a refusal to succumb to despair, in evidende and Cosey seemingly embraces sorrow as a path to joy, a reminder that resistance and resilience are acts of creation. With 2t2, Cosey Fanni Tutti once again defies convention, crafting an album that is personal and powerful.

Review: Now on his fourth release, this anonymous artist continues to craft beautifully sun-drenched Balearic downtempo on his own label. With no name or face to tie to the music, the focus remains purely on the vibe-and what a vibe it is. 'Better Place' is a warm, feel-good anthem that effortlessly fuses pop charm with mellow house grooves. Its uplifting vocal and euphoric melodies radiate positivity. It reflects the spirit of a late afternoon dance on a Mediterranean coast. It's breezy yet punchy, a great blend of accessibility and sophistication. 'Couples Therapy' takes a more intricate path, combining soft island percussion, post-disco shimmer and touches of softwave. A slow tempo leaves room for a swirling acid line to evolve unexpectedly, adding a psychedelic edge to this otherwise dreamy beach gem. This is melodic, unclassifiable downtempo at its finest. These catchy tracks are hard to ignore.