Search dance music

Review: Emotional Rescue label boss Stuart Leath is particularly excited about this release, and it's not hard to see why. While Spanish singer/songwriter Javier Bergia is not widely known in the UK, his releases - either solo, or as part of the Finas Africae and Arium Musicae groups - are held in high regard by those of a Balearic persuasion. Eclipse is something of a treat, gathering together the best of Bergia's solo work from 1985 to the present day. Featuring Bergia's spoken and sung vocals atop a mix of gentle acoustics, atmospheric strings, delay-laden percussion and subtle global rhythms, Eclipse impresses from start to finish. It should be essential listening for anyone with even the tiniest interest in Balearica.

Review: Roisin Murphy seems to be getting more prolific with age. It's less than a year since the release of the critically acclaimed off-pop thriller Hairless Toys, and the Irish artist and former Moloko singer is ready to release the follow-up. Where its predecessor was bold, brassy and cheery, Take Her Up To Monto is an altogether more atmospheric affair, arguably closer in feel to her work with Moloko during the late '90s and early 2000s. Musically intriguing and largely downtempo in tone, it sees Murphy taking her left-of-centre take on pop in eccentric and evocative new directions. Even the album's most obviously upbeat moments - such as the cheery "Romantic Comedy" - feature musical backdrops that bristle with leftfield ideas and fuzzy, off-kilter electronics.

Review: Black Sands, the eagerly anticipated fourth album from Simon Green AKA Bonobo, is no revolutionary change from his signature sound but does come with perhaps even more subtlety and complexity than his previous offerings. Having constantly instilled a degree of integrity and value back into chill out music following the influx of Cafe Del Mar and Coffeeshop compilations, Green once again displays a musicianship that sets him apart as a true artist and producer amongst a sea of downtempo and chillout DJs.
His undeniably clear understanding of composition and arrangement of live instruments has enabled Green to make an album that reaches out through diverse styles, taking influence and inspiration from wherever possible. On Black Sands, Green delves into electronic music and bass more than he did across Animal Magic, Dial "M" For Monkey or Days To Come but does so with enough subtlety and finesse to refrain from causing a radical shift in his product. Tracks like "Kiara," "We Could Forever" and "All In Forms" all utilise beats and bass in a more contemporary outlook than we are used to with Bonobo. Of course the instrumental feel is still there for all to see. Title track "Black Sands" takes this position for almost seven minutes of a horn infused waltz whereas "Kong" assumes the traditional soul-jazz Bonobo take and "Animals" lets delicate drum patterns guide us through pleasing tempo shifts.
The instrumental vibe is highlighted further in the album's approach to vocals. Unlike his last album, Days To Come which was littered with vocals, Black Sands houses only three tracks that contain vocals. The breathy vocals of Andreya Triana complete tracks like "Stay the Same" and "The Keeper" turning them in more traditional songs. Black Sands is another loving crafted offering that uses orchestral arrangements but this time merged with more of a dance aesthetic. As he continues to make chillout more credible in his experimental way, it's no wonder that Bonobo is one of the biggest artists to come from the excellent Ninja Tune.

Review: Out of the Blue is arguably a more personal collection than many of Phil Mison's previous compilations. It was inspired by his first few trips to the White Isle of Ibiza, and specifically the unlikely set of circumstances that led to him filling in for the legendary Jose Padilla at the Cafe Del Mar. Musically, the track list is reflective of the story, joining the dots between impossible-to-find rarities (see the loved-up jazz-rock of "Jelly" by the Cactus Rose Project and the life-affirming fusion business of Christoph Spendel Group's "Forever"), huggable Balearic synth-pop, flamenco-inspired sunset gems and a smattering of head-in-the-clouds Italian dream house gems. Given Mison's heritage and status within the Balearic scene, it's little surprise to find that Out of the Blue is utterly brilliant.

Review: Eccentric Swedish sitcom enthusiast turned producer DJ Seinfeld is hot property right now, so it's hardly a surprise to see him mixing the latest instalment in the DJ Kicks series. It's rather good, all told, offering a good run through of his influences and inspirations whilst also packing plenty of dancefloor punch. Taken in isolation, the Swede's on-point selections (think breakbeat-driven lo-fi house, dreamy deep house, skewed techno and bubbly post-IDM jams) are often deep, melodious, atmospheric and left-of-centre; brought together, the result is a wonderfully fluid and entertaining mix. Highlights include the downtempo bliss of the producer's own "I See U", the bass-heavy breaks/deep house fusion of Rudolf C's "Deep Sea Survivor", the rushing dancefloor mania of FaltyDL and the loved-up goodness of Project Pablo.

Review: Inspired by the slightly unlikely collision of the Thai music of the '70s and The Shadows, Khruangbin - the name means 'aeroplane' in Thailand - are purveyors of a deliriously mellow and beguiling form of jammed-out power-trio guitar music - far removed from standard notions of psych and dreampop, partly owing to its pan-global influences, its nonetheless both psychedelic and dreamy, not to mention possessed of an unhurried, reflective and spacious lilt that renders this Texan-London outfit a rare treat in an information-saturated age, taking on delicate soul and funk with exotic atmospheres and making the journey feel both blissful and effortless.

Review: One of the most sensual and passionate dances. In South America, tango is, as it were, part of the daily menu, to be imbibed with potent beverages. Tango Bar presents this concoction of fiery music in sophisticated bar surroundings. As always in the Bar series: nice digipak at a great price!

Review: By now, we should all know what to expect from deep house legend Ron Trent. Over the years, he's fine-tuned his musically complex, emotion-rich sound to a tee. This fourth album, the follow-up to last year's more mixed up Dance Floor Boogie Delites, sees him at his most cosmic and melodic. Think smooth pads, darting synth doodles, hypnotic - and occasionally percussively complex (see "Atmosphere" - grooves, and twinkling piano melodies. For those who appreciate his slightly soft focus approach, it's a delight, with some genuine gems to behold. "Sweetness", "Space Dance" and the darker, clubbier "Blood & Fire" are arguably among his best tracks of recent years.

Review: As he did to celebrate Claremont 56's fifth birthday, Paul "Mudd" Murphy has enlisted the help of the Idjut Boys to mark the passing of the label's first decade. This time round, the long-serving dub disco duo has put together a spellbinding, two-disc mix of specially commissioned material. Of course, they've gone to town, blending the label's 10th birthday tracks with oodles of dub delay, all manner of trippy effects, and a swathe of their own specially prepared dubs, DJ tools and re-edits. These intoxicating, mind altering versions are showcased in unmixed form on disc three, following two discs of horizontal Balearic bliss, slow-dance goodness and the impossible-to-pigeonhole antics of Can founder Holgar Czukay.