New releases last two weeks: Jazz

Review: Vincent Lemieux and Guillaume Coutu Dumont are the producers who combine as Flabbergast and now they unveil their full-length debut, Consolation in Constellation. As you would expect from those two artists, it is a boundary-pushing journey through sound that is rooted in improvisation, classical training and deep electronic exploration. The album fuses jazz, acid house, breakbeatand cosmic textures into a seamless exploration that adds up to a sonic constellation-carefully composed, yet full of spontaneity. 'Binary Star' is like IDM, minimal and electro all distilled into a siren new sound, 'Orion Belt' is rich in pixel thin pads and glinting chords and 'Phaser' is a slithering, high speed electro workout from another world and with a playful charm despite its highbrow design.

Review: The cultured creative minds of James Simonson and Blair French reunite for this new Realities Remix EP on MotorCity Wine which was, in original form, recorded by Simonson in hotel rooms across Europe and the Americas while touring with soul legend Bettye LaVette. As such it takes in myriad global influences as well as evocative field recordings which get reworked in style. Blair French adds his touch with three remixes, firstly the anthemic 'Realities (Projector Remix),' then the more dance-driven 'Elektronolux Overture (Sunday Remix)' and the lush and downtempo 'Hannah (Remix)' featuring violinist Sonia Lee. Two originals 'Realities' and 'Elektronolux Overture' also appear on vinyl for the first time and sound superb.