CD Album Recommendations September 2017

Review: We can think of few more qualified to play around with the vast Salsoul Records archive than long-serving disco lothario and re-edit maestro Dimitri From Paris. On Salsoul Mastermix, he delivers two contrasting but equally essential CDs. On disc one, he takes on the role of original Salsoul and Prelude "mastermixer" Shep Pettibone, crafting a whirlwind tour through the legendary imprint's catalogue rich in original disco scorchers, electrofunk slammers and boogie dubs. There are familiar favourites included, but also lesser-known highlights that have previously only been championed by serious disco diggers. On disc two, he dips into his own vaults of DJ-friendly re-edits, offering up killer scalpel interpretations of cuts from Skyy, Love Committee, Charo, Double Exposure and Loleatta Holloway.

Review: Of all DJ duos currently operating in British dance music, Belfast boys Bicep might be the hardest to pin down (Optimo aside, of course). Certainly, this debut album is not easy to pigeonhole, though it is an enjoyably cohesive listen. This is largely down to two factors; the frequent use of deliciously colorful and loved-up synthesizer parts, and the duo's innate ability to utilize beats tailor-made for dancefloor devastation. So while keen dancefloor historians may notice sly (and not so subtle) nods to '89 rave, U.S house and garage, Italo-disco, late '90s progressive house, jungle and early British hardcore, the album never sounds anything less than a fine set of Bicep tracks. Expect it to be one of the biggest albums of the year.

Review: Gilles Peterson has decided to push the boat out for the 12th edition in the Brownswood Bubblers series, his annual showcase of emerging, unsung and little-known musical talents. While previous volumes have appeared on a single disc, this instalment features 21 tracks stretched over two CDs. That means an even greater number of highlights than usual - and that's saying something. These include the languid, jazz-flecked hip-hop-soul deepness of Wayne Snow's "Rosie", an impeccable chunk of spacey synth-soul from the Pendletons, some sumptuous jazz from Simulator Jones and Chip Wickham, and a next-laden futurist afro-jazz workout by Blood Wine Or Honey. In other words, it's another essential selection from the UK's most revered DJs.

Review: A couple of years back, Running Back boss Gerd Janson wrote an in-depth article for Red Bull Music Academy about Tony Humphries' legendary "Mastermixes" - all-action mixes originally created for NYC radio stations in the '80s and '90s. With this in mind, it's perhaps unsurprising that he commissioned the legendary DJ to give the Running Back catalogue the same treatment. Predictably, Humphries has come up with the goods, delivering a loved-up, melodious and classic sounding trip through mostly synth-heavy, classic-sounding label highlights. That it sounds like the kind of set you'd actually hear from Humphries is testament not only to the quality of his track selection and mixing, but also the suitability of the Running Back catalogue.

Review: Around this time each year, Kompakt's latest Total compilation lands and reminds us that Michael Mayer's imprint is still at the top of its game. Predictably, this 17th edition of the annual two-disc trawl though recent label highlights is every bit as essential as its predecessors. Highlights come thick and fast from start to finish, and include - deep breath - the Pet Shop Boys-esque instrumental synth-pop of Thomas/Mayer's "25", the typically Teutonic techno stomp of T Raumschmiere's "Jaguar", the meandering ambient pop of Max Schollp's "The Dream", Kolsch's Boyz Noize-ish "PUSH" and the dense, percussion-heavy thrust of Patrice Baumel's heavyweight "Sorcery". Oh, and a particularly melodious contribution from Parisian legend Laurent Garnier.

Review: Seven albums in, The National have solidified their songwriting with confident nuance, and 'Sleep Well Beast' is another milestone on this consistent band's upward curve. Standout ballad 'Carin at the Liquor Store' waltzes and wanders through melancholic nostalgia and glimmers of hope, exemplifying the sound and storytelling that The National are so renowned and respected for. Small cracks in the concrete gloom appear with the more energetic and optimistic tracks, allowing just enough light in for this masterfully executed album to encourage repeat listens, which will in turn, and as always, provide ample rewards.

Review: Summer may be over, but the sun is still shining in the studio of Spearhead Records' founder Steve "BCee" Jefroy. North Point, his fifth full length in six years, begins with a sparkling blast of soulful, sun-drenched D&B, and the positivity keeps on rolling throughout. While there are occasional deviations towards a punchier, crunchier and slightly darker sound (see "Armed & Dangerous" and the full-throttle jungle revivalism of "Hollow Eyes"), these merely add a little variety to an otherwise thrillingly upbeat and musically rich collection. Then again, when you've got the likes of Logistics, Dynamite MC, Riyah and Thomas Oliver lending a hand, you'd expect good vibes to all round.

Review: On his previous albums, 1977 and 1983, Rune Reilly Kolsch explored different aspects of his childhood, delivering music inspired by favourite formative memories. Predictably, this third full-length also has an autobiographical bent, inspired as it was by what the Danish producer calls his "difficult early teenage years". As he was dealing with both puberty and the break-up of his parents' marriage, it's perhaps unsurprising that 1989 features more music that's melancholic in tone, with extensive use of evocative string arrangements, rough-round-the-edges synthesizers, yearning pianos and nods towards early German techno. Clearly, young Kolsch was prone to teenage mood swings, too, because there's also plenty of surging tech-house beauty and heartfelt dancefloor positivity amongst the glistening poignancy.

Review: Ostgut Ton has been trailing Steffi Doms' third album, World of the Waking State, as a departure for both artist and label. Certainly, it's an altogether more considered, complex and musically expansive set than its' predecessors. It's rich in evocative electronic soundscapes, whose scuttling rhythms look to IDM and vintage "intelligent techno" for inspiration. The assembled musical elements - think bubbly and occasionally wonky electronics, sweeping synthesized strings, deep space chords and Motor City melodies - often tend towards the heart-aching and melodious, lending the set a genuinely poignant feel. When Doms decides to change tack and head towards the dancefloor - see the ghostly, industrial electro assault of "Mental Events", sparkling positivity of "Cease To Exist" and bustling, intergalactic title track - the results are equally as inspired.

Review: Breaking from their exceptional soundtrack work of late, the infallible Scottish post-rock behemoth Mogwai have returned to the studio for their ninth full-length. 'Every Country's Sun' is a whirlwind album whose sheer impact hinges on its powerful use of contrast, most likely evident of their recent film and television score work. Passages of atmospheric calm give way to loud cascading floods of aggression without sounding trite, forced or clumsy, and a more polished use of electronics further accentuates the band's tonal variety. From the spatial futuristic opener 'Coolverine' to the album's grinding and mechanical climax, 'Every Country's Sun' feels like a score for a film not yet made, following all the highs, lows, twists and turns of narrative told by a band continuing to showcase their deft and controlled writing.

Review: Six years ago, an iconic and emotional concert at Madison Square Gardens marked the end of LCD Soundsystem. The accompanying documentary 'Shut Up and Play The Hits' delved into frontman James Murphy's reasons for the decision, with self-examination, a need for change and a fear of old age playing a part. Fast forward to 2017, and the surprise release of three singles accompanying the announcement of a comeback album triggers anticipation and a sigh of relief from fans everywhere. 'American Dream' meets expectations and at times surpasses them, with the familiar driving disco rhythms, strutting funk basslines and heartfelt morning-after-the-night-before ballads feeling like a well-needed catch up with an old friend. The current musical, social and political climates provide Murphy with platforms for his self-effacing and acerbic witticisms. This strong return to form was needed now perhaps more than ever, but simultaneously feels like they never left in the first place.

Review: Despite having a hand in numerous full-length excursions over the years, Matt Edwards has not previously released a solo album under his most famous alias, Radio Slave. It's for this reason that Feel The Same, a debut album two decades in the making, feels like a significant release. Certainly, it sounds like a set created by a producer comfortable in his own skin, capable of so much more than the club-ready workouts he's renowned for. While it contains a number of bona fide dancefloor slammers - see the Twilo-era Tenaglia-influenced title track, bustling Drexciyan electro of "Geisterstadt", new wave throb of "Trans" and Motor City/Berlin fusion of "Axis" - there are also impeccable trips into ambient, IDM, and dreamy, proto-rave.

Review: Since making his debut at the tail end of the last decade, Claudio Porceddu has delivered music that delights in sidestepping convention. The Italian experimentalist's albums are chock full of distinctively atmospheric and often foreboding tracks that most naturally nestle in the cracks between established genres. He's at it again on Volumi Diamici, a superb set that incorporates elements of drone, ambient, dub techno, IDM, sound design, industrial murkiness and horror-influenced synth-scapes, without ever sounding contrived. Porceddu's inctinctive fusions are unified by a pervading sense of dread; a kind of ghostly darkness that's in turns claustrophobic, inspired and hugely entertaining.

Review: Since first emerging on Hotflush at the tail end of the last decade, Mount Kimbie has navigated the post-dubstep landscape better than almost any other act. It says something about their transformation into hard-to-define electronica heavyweights that Love What Survives, their third full-length and second for Warp manages to be both surprising (there are subtle nods towards titans of post-punk pop and rock, for starters) and exactly what you'd expect. They're masters of fusing disparate styles, sounds, textures and beat patterns into beautiful hybrid shapes, and this kind of 21st century fusion is evident throughout. Naturally, there are a few notable guest appearances dotted throughout, with James Blake's two contributions amongst the album's many highlights.

Review: The second album from questionably spelt Canadian five-piece Alvvays doesn't see them straying too far from their comfort zone, but only because they don't particularly need to. Stylistically, the band are good at what they do, snugly nestled in the ethereal pop sound we've come to recognise from groups such as Best Coast, Beach House and Camera Obscura. Clocking in at just over half an hour long, the follow-up to 2014's self-titled debut is kept short and sweet, providing a lean and sentimental album full of jangling guitars, satisfying chord progressions and relatable emotional intelligence that will continue to please current fans, and more than likely enamour a swathe of new ones.

Review: Congratulations to long-running Berlin label Still Vor Talent, which has now notched up no less than 200 releases. To celebrate this milestone, the label has put together this fine celebratory compilation featuring contributions from "old and new faces". Fittingly, it's arguably one of the imprint's strongest and most varied releases to date. Of course, there's plenty of typically Germanic fusions of deep house and tech-house present, but also the Arabic-influenced deep house exotica of Sam Shure, the rising, piano-laden dancefloor bliss of Oliver Koletzki's "Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously", the heavily electronic, club-ready psychedelia of Fideles ("Dark Stone") and the lilting melodies of Deorbiting's warm and picturesque "Warnsignal".

Review: Earlier in the year, WRWTFWW and Palto Flats both reissued Japanese percussionist Midori Takada's brilliant 1983 debut album, Through The Looking Glass. Now WRWTFWW has gone a step further, releasing another hard-to-find touchstone of Japanese ambient: Takada's 1990 collaboration with jazz pianist Masahiko Satoh, Lunar Cruise. It's another sublime set, all told, with Takada's impeccable percussion work - both jazz-style free drumming and more melodious instruments such as marimba, kalimba and xylophone - being complemented by Satah's slick and atmospheric synthesziers. It's perhaps a little more challenging in places than Through The Looking Glass - some tracks are dense and tribal in tone, or unashamedly experimental - but rarely less than wonderfully atmospheric.

Review: Numero Group, respected musical explorers and archivists, delve into a significant turning point in 1960's culture. 'Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares' documents the dawn of a more paranoid and abrasive psychedelia following the demise of the optimistic hippie movement. Compiled from rare and extremely limited pressings, these eighteen rough and ready tracks provide a visceral insight into the darker side of American lysergic rock, and could almost be an alternative soundtrack to Easy Rider. By digging up this unheard chapter of 1960's music, Numero Group have perhaps also revealed some of the roots of genres that rose decades later, setting a rough template for the future of metal, grunge and stoner rock.

Review: With Rod Modell putting the finishing touches to his next Deepchord album (due for release later in the year on Soma), Echospace partner Stephen Hitchell took the opportunity to record a new solo set of his own under the lesser-known Intrusion alias. "Amongst The Stars", a beguiling, 21-minute chunk of soft-focus dub techno smothered in spacey analogue electronics and the distant sound of traffic, is taken from that forthcoming album. Here, Hitchell's fine "Extended Dub" comes accompanied by a trio of varied but typically atmospheric translations from CV313 (AKA Hitchell and Modell), of which the astonishingly deep "Distintegration Dub" is probably our pick. On the second CD, Hitchell dons his ambient alias, Variant, and delivers an absorbing, CD-length "re-shape" that's as entrancing as it is quietly picturesque.