London Vinyl & CDs

Review: Poet, librarian, Mancunian, father, husband, uncle, brother. Mike Garry is many things to many people, but tonight, Matthew, his voices guides our eyes upwards, inviting us to stargaze to one of Orbital's most emotionally resonant and timeless pieces of rave noise. Belfast Revisited would be one way to describe it, taking some of the classic and unmistakable elements of that anthem and turning it into something new. First and foremost freshness comes with the spoken word addition - a thoroughly positive, passionate and amorous declaration of unending love that could feel jarring depending on whether you always felt 'Belfast' was reflective and slightly melancholy, or not. Gone too are the breaks, replaced now by stadium-sized four-to-the-floor turning what was once the end of the night walking home at dawn into something that sounds way more 11PM at the concert.

Review: The Redskins released just one studio album, their well received debut Neither Washington Nor Moscow in 1986. It came on London Records and now for the very first time since the first time, it reappears on vinyl and CD with new sleeve notes by bassist Martin Hewes. The album came just two years after the band formed but already their soulful songs were packed with passion and political undertones as a result of the band all being members of the Socialist Workers Party. Highlights include 'Bring It Down! (This Insane Thing)' which was the band's only Top 40 hit. The band split the same year this was rebased.

Review: Rufige Kru, the legendary alias of Goldie, has long been a cornerstone of breakbeat enervation and innovation. First tizzwozzing dancefloors in 1992 with the hardcore classic 'Darkrider', Rufige Kru delivered pivotal tracks like 'Ghosts of My Life' and 'Terminator'. Now, for the first time since 2009, Rufige Kru returns with new LP Alpha Omega, featuring longtime collaborator and krumate Submotive. Leading the charge is 'Still The Same', a heavyweight single featuring CASISDEAD, fresh off his BRIT Award win, interceded by 'Goldikus' with Cleveland Watkiss, a chance early jazzstep pioneer from the far-flung realm of piano jazz and soul.

Review: Goldie revives his genre-defining Rufige Kru alias for Alpha Omega, a new double LP on London Records. The record secures the first new release under the name since 2009. Though the proverbial kru once consisted in Goldie (Clifford Price), Linford Jones and Mark Rutherford, Price characteristically dominated it. Rufige finally came to with the seminal 'Darkrider' release on Reinforced Records: the track was a handed down later version of what started as a plundering of Japan's 'Ghosts Of My Life', giving the classic new wave title the mood of a broken-window metropolis, and it became the object of much cultural theorising for its influence on d&b's reflection of class politics. Now, Goldie faces the city of glass again, exposing the dirt behind the neon with longtime collaborator Submotive, enlisted to propel the project further into the "rufige": classic roots crusted by high-presh, concrete crud.

Review: A significant return to the core of Goldie's pioneering drum & bass project, here in collaboration with Bournemouth beatsmith Submotive. Since the early 90s, Rufige Kru have ve redefined breakbeat science, with Goldie's early tracks like 'Darkrider' and 'Terminator' laying the foundation for modern drum & bass. Now, over a decade since their last release, the duo's chemistry is palpable, revisiting their roots while steering the genre forward. The opening track, 'Alpha Omega', sets the tone with intricate beats and emotional intensity, while 'Goldikus' (feat. Cleveland Watkiss) layers jazz influence with expansive soundscapes. 'Still The Same' (feat. Casisdead) blends grimy vocals with atmospheric pads, reaffirming their connection to the genre's experimental edge. With tracks like 'Mercury' and 'The Guardianz', the album remains rooted in the soulful, deep bass culture Goldie helped create. A fresh chapter in the legendary Rufige Kru legacy.

Review: Utah Saints, the debut album from the British electronic duo, was originally released in the U.S., followed by a UK release in 1993. This album played a pivotal role in establishing the band as household names in the burgeoning techno scene, reaching number ten on the UK Albums Chart. The singles 'Something Good', 'I Want You' and 'What Can You Do for Me' showed the band's crossover appeal, with 'Something Good becoming a staple on college radio in America. A standout on the album, 'Something Good', prominently samples Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting', lending it a nostalgic yet fresh vibe. Released as a single in May 1992, it soared to number four on the UK Singles Chart and captured attention on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart as well. The song also gained prominence during the BBC's coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The album is full of great techno and dance music. This vinyl reissue features striking new artwork that beautifully balances modern aesthetics with a classic feel, ensuring it appeals to both new listeners and longtime fans. Utah Saints remains a defining work of its time, reflecting the innovative spirit of early 90s electronic music.