POLYPLUS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Fresh from delivering killer dancefloor jazz covers of classics cuts by Galaxy 2 Galaxy and Avicii (really), Japanese trio Polyplus deliver a fine sequel to last year's Good Luck Sound Tracks EP. They go for the dancefloor jugular from the off, wrapping snaking sax solos, fuzzy guitar licks and elongated solos around a breathlessly rapid punk-funk groove on 'Massive', before fusing Brit-Funk and sweat-soaked jazz-rock on 'Speedy Gold'. This hybrid jazz-funk/rock sound continues on 'Ranki 2025' (whose heavy beats and memorable piano riffs nods to classic house). Elsewhere, 'Ocean Breeze' re-frames wide-eyed city-pop as jaunty jazz-funk and 'Natural Born' is a drum solo-sporting slab of jazz-rock/jazz-fusion insanity straight from the top drawer.

Review: The all-star team of the instrumental world, Polyplus, release a cover of 'Hi-Tech Jazz', a classic electronic jazz track and representative work of the project Galaxy 2 Galaxy, first put forth by Mad Mike's Underground Resistance. As for the choice of cover, the Tokyo jazzdance quartet have chosen well; while they've only gone and done it - reinterpreted Mike's timeless club masterpiece with a full band sound - they refuse to sacrifice any danceability or DJ mixability, doing full justice to the term "hi-tech" despite the freehanded naturalism. Also coming backed by the original B-sider 'Wake Me Up', 'Hi-Tech Jazz' heralds Polyplus' upcoming tenth anniversary album, Cosmic, as well as a jet-setting tour spanning Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.