Linear Labs US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Composer and producer Adrian Younge has enjoyed a diverse career, variously releasing dusty hip-hop collaborations, psychedelic workouts, and deliciously funky film soundtracks. For The Electronique Void: Black Noise, he's changed tack entirely, delivering an album that was, bar a few live drum breaks, recording entirely using vintage electronic instruments. That means a mixture of analogue synths - including, to our ears at least, some modular ones - and dusty drum machines, with the resultant music sitting somewhere between the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Klaus Schulze, Conrad Schnitzler, David Vorhaus and, on the impressive "Voltage Controlled Orgasms", horror legend John Carpenter. Throughout, Younge maintains impressive control over mood and melody, despite his experimental intentions.

Review: 'Linear Labs: Sao Paulo' marks Adrian Younge's next chapter, bringing together unreleased tracks from his global collaborations. Known for blending analog warmth with modern sound, Younge delivers an exciting mix of psychedelic soul and hip-hop. The album includes highlights like 'Something About April III' and 'Don't Cry for the Devil' with Snoop Dogg, alongside contributions from artists like ALA.NI, Bilal, and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier. Each track taps into different influences, from Brazilian samba to Middle-Eastern psych, creating a dynamic sonic experience. This CD release presents Younge's curated vision of musical innovation, a must-have for fans of his boundary-pushing sound.

Review: Adrian Younge has done some mighty collaborations in recent years, from work with Venice Dawn and Delfonics to Ghostface Killah and Souls Of Mischief. The skill and scope of this songwriter and producer is broad, and it's no different on this latest project with Venice Dawn's Jack Waterson. You can hear the ghost of Syd Barrett in tracks like "Larceny", while "The Legend Of Shorty George" channels a little early Bowie magic. Elsewhere the influences are more contemporary. With a generous dose of sunshine and psychedelia, this is a rich, rewarding record from artists steeped in the great tradition of heady, adventurous albums to intrigue and satisfy in equal measure.

Review: Man of many talents Adrian Younge is something of a musical butterfly. To date, he's worked with an impressive roster of talents, including Ghostface Killah, The Delfonics and Souls of Mischief. Here, he gathers together the other members of Venice Dawn to lay down a follow-up to their acclaimed 2011 debut, Something About April. Like that album, Something About April II takes a widescreen, psychedelic approach to soul, mixing clear Rotary Connection and Harry Nilsson influences with fizzing, pleasingly loose funk instrumentation. Throw in occasional nods to easy listening and Sly Stone, as well as a heap of delicious modern soul vocals, and you have an evocative, heady musical brew that rewards repeat listens.

Review: Based around bassist/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad and pianist/producer Adrian Younge, The Midnight Hour shot to prominence last year with a self-titled debut album that was rapturously received by critics and listeners alike. Since then they've been touring extensively, so it makes sense that their latest full-length effort captures the energy and improvisation of those headline-grabbing performances. Complete with whooping crowd noise, the set sees them effortlessly join the dots between jazz-funk, classic-sounding soul, library music and hip-hop soul with the assistance of guest vocalists Loren Oden and Angela Munoz. The former stars on the album's standout moment: a set closing extended version of slow-burn favourite "It's You".

Review: As foretold on Kendrick's Untitled two years ago, composer Younge and Tribe Called Quest's Muhammad have been conjuring behind for many years (since 2014 to be precise, on Souls Of Mischief's album There Is Only Now) and Midnight Hour is the incredible result. 20 tracks of ageless Harlem wisdom; the warmth and fusion is rich throughout as we glide from each soulful moment to jazzy highlight with the help of vocalists such as Cee-Lo Green, Luther Vandross and Angela Munoz. Everything about this body of work smacks with class and authenticity; from the sweeping orchestral dynamics of "Gate 54" to the dreamy lo-fi jazz of "Smiling For Me" via the soul jazz vibrancy of "Dans Us Moment D'errance". The night is young...