Search dance music

Review: Latin funk music's best and brightest recollector-reissuers Vampi Soul continue to do what they do best with this latest reissue of the debut self-titled album by Zulu. One of the last great albums of the first wave of Peruvian rock,and originally released in 1974, Zulu was infamous for its linking of psych-tinged rock with Afro-Latin American beats and folk pop. The enigmatic Zulu (real name Miguel Angel Ruiz Orbegoso) was best known during his lifetime as a member of the bands Traffic Sound and Los Nuevos Shain, but his only solo album commands a unique aura as a numinous rarity, immediately pre-dating his latter-career immersion in the religious community. Reissued for the first time with the collaboration of Zulu, including extensive liner notes and one extra track, the likes of 'Si en el cielo yo viviera', 'Laberintos' and 'Candela' are pastoral gems of folk-cumbia and salsa, playing back with a level of sensitivity and texture that could only be born of a worthy spirit.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Box opened, but product is in excellent condition and in perfect working order***


Zoom's top-of-the-range handheld recording option, the H6essential records up to six tracks via built-in stereo mics and four mic/line inputs. Top quality 32-bit/96 kHz recording quality.

Supplier's Notes:
Zoom H6essential Handy Recorder

The Flagship - Zoom's most robust handheld recorder, the H6essential is a recording powerhouse. With 6 tracks of 32-bit float recording, the H6essential provides unprecedented quality and unmatched versatility.

Features

6-track 32-bit float recorder with Dual A/D Converters
Clip-free recording with no need to set gain
Records up to 96kHZ sample rate
Interchangeable Mic Capsule System 3.0 with 32-bit float support
Included X/Y Mic Capsule captures up to 135 dB SPL
4 XLR/TRS combo inputs with locking connector
Colour LCD Screen
Built-in mixer to adjust each track's audio level
Built-in speaker for quick reference playback
3.5mm headphone output plus 3.5mm line output
Voice Guidance accessibility for the visually impaired
32-Bit Float audio interface for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices via USB-C port
Use as an interface and record to SD card simultaneously
Using the BTA-1* Bluetooth Adapter, sync with wireless timecode devices via bluetooth
Use the BTA-1* Bluetooth Adapter to pair with the H6essential Control App for iOS
Record to SD cads up to 1TB
10 hours of battery life on AA battery (2x) or USB-C Bus Power
*Please note: BTA-1 Adapter not included

Outputs you need

Use the line output to connect to a camera and the headphone output to monitor your audio.

Quieter controls

Recording and rotary controls have been meticulously designed to allow for silent operation.

Onboard speaker

Use the improved onboard speaker to listen to your recordings for quick reference.

Six perfect tracks

The 4 XLR/TRS combo inputs feature ultra-clean Zoom preamps, and the included X/Y microphones can capture up to a booming 135 dB SPL, equivalent to a jet taking off.

Record and stream

Use the USB-C port to connect to PC, Mac, iOS, and Android device to use the H6essential as a 32-bit float interface while simultaneously recording all 6 tracks to an SD card.

Pair with your iOS device

Use the BTA-1* Bluetooth Adapter to pair with your iOS device to remotely hit record, adjust your mix, view your waveforms, and change settings.

Bluetooth timecode

With the BTA-1* Bluetooth Adapter you can also pair with Bluetooth timecode devices for audio and video sync. *BTA-1 Adapter not included.

Specs

Input & output channels

Inputs
Mic capsule: 1
MIC/LINE (mono): 4

Outputs
LINE OUT: 1
Headphones: 1
Built-in speaker (mono): 1

INPUTS
XY mic: XYH-6e: 90O XY stereo format
Directionality: Unidirectional
Sensitivity: -42dB/1Pa at 1kHz
Maximum sound pressure input: 135 dB SPL

MIC/LINE (mono)
Connectors: 4 XLR/TRS combo jacks (XLR:2 HOT TRS:TIP HOT)
Input gain: Adjustment unnecessary (dual A/D converter circuits used)
Input impedance: MIC: 3.8 kO or more, LINE: 39 kO or more
Maximum input level: MIC: +4 dBu, LINE: +24 dBu
Phantom power: +48 V
Channel total: 32 mA or less
Equivalent input noise MIC: -120 dBu or less(IHF-A) @150 O input, LINE: -95 dBu or less(IHF-A) @600 O input

OUTPUTS

LINE OUT
Connector: Stereo mini jack
Maximum output level: +1 dBu
Output impedance: 110 O or less

Headphones
Connector: Stereo mini jack
Maximum output level: 20 mW + 20 mW(when 32 O load)
Output impedance: 10 O or less

Built-in speaker
Type: 20 mm x 30mm elliptical dynamic speaker
Effective maximum output: 250mW

RECORDER
Maximum simultaneous recording tracks: 8
Maximum simultaneous playback tracks: 6

Recording formats:
WAV
44.1/48/96 kHz,
32-bit float mono/stereo
BWF and iXML formats supported

Recording media: 4-32GB cards compatible with the microSDHC specification, 64GB-1TB cards compatible with the microSDXC specification

Display: 2.0-inch full-colour LCD 360 x 240

USB
Connector: USB Type-C - Use a USB cable that supports data transfer.
Audio Interface : USB 2.0 High Speed
Input and output channels: 6 in / 2 out (Multi), 2 in / 2 out (Stereo)
Sampling frequency: 44.1/48/96 kHz (AIF only), 44.1/48 kHz (AIF + onboard recording)
Bit depth: 24-bit, 32-bit float
File transfer: USB 2.0 High Speed

Remote

Dedicated wireless adapter: ZOOM BTA-1

Power

4 AA batteries: Alkaline, lithium or rechargeable NiMH batteries
AC Adapter: ZOOM AD-17 (DC 5 V/1 A) - USB bus power is supported.

Estimated continuous operation times using batteries: 2-track recording (XYH-6e)
Alkaline batteries: About 18 hours
NiMH batteries (1900 mAh): About 14.5 hours
Lithium batteries: About 30 hours

48 kHz/32-bit float with phantom power off, no headphones, no LINE OUT, no REMOTE, Power Saving on, Display Brightness Medium
These values are approximate.
Continuous battery operation times were determined using in-house testing methods.They will vary greatly according to use conditions.

Estimated continuous operation times using batteries: 6-track recording (XYH-6e and inputs 1-4)
Alkaline batteries: About 3.5 hours
NiMH batteries (1900 mAh): About 4 hours
Lithium batteries: About 9 hours
48 kHz/32-bit float with phantom power off, headphones used (33O load), no LINE OUT, no REMOTE, Power Saving on, Display Brightness Medium
These values are approximate.
Continuous battery operation times were determined using in-house testing methods.They will vary greatly according to use conditions.

Power consumption: 5 W maximum

Dimensions
Recorder: 78.1 mm (W) × 160.1 mm (D) × 42.8 mm (H)
XYH-6e: 69.1 mm (W) × 50.8 mm (D) × 43.0 mm (H)
Weight Recorder: 381 g (including batteries)
XYH-6e: 42 g
Note: 0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms

Review: youANDme has always been an important cog in the wheel of underground house and techno and his recent PPPPP was another fine project that has also spawned plenty of equally brilliant remixes. This is a second collection of them and it kicks off with the Polish master of perfect loop techno, Head High aka Shed. His bulky, barreling drums and big percussive loops come with plenty of bounce and raved up vocals. After that come Ian Pooley's dub, and Johannes Albert's deep house trip. Sasha, Roger Sanchez and Laurent Garnier have already been banging these so now it's your turn.

Review: With roots that date back to 1967, when Weekly Manga Action magazine decided to take a punt on a new character, master thief Lupin III, grandson of gentleman robber Arsene Lupin, and his criminal gang, Takeo Yamashita and Otomo Yoshihide's collaborative soundtrack has cult status written all over it. While not made to accompany the core Lupin III series, the music here featured on the critically acclaimed Lupin Zero, a saga that takes us back to the early years of the protagonist - a young boy opening the door on a life of crime in mid-1960s Japan. On record, that sounds like a flamboyant and intoxicatingly heady brew of jazz, psychedelic rock, electronic experimentation and pure groove. As vivid as both the original printed cartoons and the subsequent screen adaptations that continued the legacy.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, launches with a quiet stormy, soulful Balearic stunner. Kim Yaffa's 'Once Bitten' was recorded in LA and released on a 1989 private press 7", only to be buried in American record bins for decades after. A re-emergence of Yaffa's music on the internet in the last couple years has reached a fever pitch, with collectors thirsting after copies of the record. Now, New Islands has worked directly with the artist to deliver an official reissue, professionally transferred from the mixdown reels, carefully restored, and remastered. The track is an effortless class-act pop tune, with 80s blue eyed soul / Sade inspired sounds, and unknowingly Balearic production that renders it timeless (it's reminiscent of Linda Di Franco, Edie Brickell or 80s Fleetwood Mac). The 12" is rounded out by new mixes from Michael David (Classixx) and Nick the Record & Dan Tyler (Record Mission).

Review: X-Ray Ted's 'Talkin' EP' finally hits vinyl, a format perfectly suited for its timeless classic vibe. On the A-side, 'Talkin' weaves strings, horns, and guitar riffs over rolling beats and bass, topped with soulful vocals. On the flip, 'So Much' exudes infectious energy, blending vocal refrains, guitars, and horns for a soulful groove. These tracks offer a glimpse into X-Ray Ted's upcoming debut album, showcasing his talent for blending old-school sounds with a modern twist. Limited to a run of 7"s on Bombstrikes, these vinyl grooves exude sunshine vibes and feel-good warmth, destined to fly off shelves.

Review: Some 20 years on from the release of her debut album, acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright releases another instant classic album, Shadow. The Southern American heart-tugger is a specialist of gospel and soul, first earning her spurs as part of a Billie Holiday tribute act before earning increasing stars under the banner of Verve Records. Weaving influences from the Great American Church Songbook to Wright's own personal experiences of love, grief and kinship, Shadow is a moving album statement, channelling the recent memory of her grandmother through stripped-back and unprescribed deployments of acoustic guitar and bare vocals.

Notes: Inside our brand new issue:

Still House Plants: London's post-post-punk trio use deconstructed songform to tap emotions others cannot reach. By Frances Morgan

FUJI|||||||||||TA: Pulling out the stops with homemade pipe organs. By Antonio Poscic

Cheer-Accident: Thymme Jones's motley crew of Chicago outsiders flip the conventions of the rock band. By Peter Margasak

Lolina: One half of influential duo Hype Williams explores a comic book dystopia in new project Unrecognisable. By Claire Biddles

NikNak: The British musician turns the tables on sound art. By Tayyab Amin

Invisible Jukebox: Kristin Hersh: Will the songwriter and author find her muse in The Wire's mystery record selection? Tested by Emily Pothast

Unlimited Editions: Tripalium Corp

Unofficial Channels: Billdifferen

Ana Lua Caiano: Portuguese tradition made anew by the musician and audiovisual artist. By Shane Woolman

BBBBBBB: The Japanese trio present their scum manifesto. By James Hadfield

Fatboi Sharif: The Garden State Gargoyle raps a dance of the macabre. By Joseph Stannard

Angelica Sanchez: A set of monster jams from the East Coast pianist. By Stewart Smith

The Inner Sleeve: Lee Gamble on Various Artists' Decay Product

Epiphanies: Jlin maximises her creative potential with Philip Glass

Soundcheck: [Ahmed], Ancine, Andrea & Mud, Maria Bertel Et Nina Garcia, Alan Braufman, Anthony Braxton, Kyle Bruckman, Natalia Cappa, John Carpenter/Cody Carpenter/Daniel Davies, Cheer-Accident, Clarissa Connelly, Anastasia Coope, Viv Corringham, Alison Cotton, Couch Slut, Richie Culver, Elkhorn & Mike Gangloff, Phil Geraldi, Carlos Giffoni, Allen Ginsberg, Allen Ginsberg & Youth, Grackles, groundsound, Liz Helman, Julia Holter, Jack O'The Clock, Goran Kajfes Tropiques, Kowloon Spider Temples, Sean Ono Lennon, Magic Tuber String Band, DJ Marcelle, Melvins, Monopoly Child Nightlife, Monopoly Child, Star Searchers, NOUT, Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet, Organum Electronics, OU, Pye Corner Audio, Quiet Husband, Mikel Rouse, Bianca Scout, sinono, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Ches Smith, Kavain Wayne Space & XT, Guido Spannochi, Malini Sridharan, Luke Stewart Silt Trio, Sunburned Hand Of The Man, Thollem, Thollem & Ka, Thollem/Terry Riley/Nels Cline, tilt, Toadliquor, Alan Tomlinson & Lawrence Casserley, Alan Tomlinson Trio, Kamasi Washington, Larry Wish, Cody Yantis, Zombi, Various Resist Colonial Power By Any Means Necessary

The Boomerang: Amon Duul, As One, Cranes, Curve, Brian Eno, Brian Eno/Holger Czukay/J Peter Schwalm, NRG Ensemble, Pharoah Sanders, Linda Smith, Twelve Cubic Feet, Vile Cherubs, Mars Williams & Hamid Drake, Mars Williams/Darin Gray/Chris Corsano, Bernie Worrell, Bernie Worrell/Cindy Blackman Santana/John King, Various Aceh Punx Compilation, Various Groucho Marxist Record Co.Operative, Various Noise Of Cologne 3, Various Punk KS, Various Trouble Brews: A Belfast Punk Compilation

Print Run: Basta Now: Women, Trans & Non-binary In Experimental Music by Fanny Chiarello; Dream Machines: Electronic Music In Britain From Doctor Who To Acid House by Matthew Collin; Ears To The Ground: Adventures In Field Recording And Electronic Music by Ben Murphy; Ain't It Fun: Peter Laughner & Proto-Punk In The Secret City by Aaron Lange; 20 000 Words: Interviews With Antoine Le Bousse by Sylvain Darrifourcq; Switched On: The Dawn Of Electronic Sound By Latin American Women edited by Luis Alvarado & Alejandra Cardenas; The Future Of Songwriting by Kristin Hersh; Elizabethan Tape Loops by Drew Mulholland; The Notebooks Of Sonny Rollins by Sonny Rollins with Sam VH Reese (Editor)

On Screen: Neo Sora Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus

On Location: Andre 3000, San Francisco, US; Fred Frith & Susana Santos Silva, London, UK; FLEA Presents Random Gear Festival + Rashad Becker + Joanne Robertson + Callahan & Witscher + Nick Malkin, London, UK; Cassie Kinoshi with seed. + NikNak + London Contemporary Orchestra, London, UK; Fortuna 2024, Tokyo, Japan; Charlemagne Palestine, Amsterdam, Netherlands; On An Endless Road: It? Noe And The Women Composers Of Her Time, London, UK; Ustad Noor Bakhsh, London, UK; Glamorous Pharmacy, Shenzhen, China; ML Buch + Astrid Sonne, London, UK; Life After Death, London, UK; Brighde Chaimbeul, London, UK

On Site: Pan Daijing Mute, Munich, Germany; Ginsberg In London, London, UK

Review: American composer and sound engineer Adam Wiltzie, may not yet be a household name in electronic music yet but it's a safe bet you have heard projects that he has been involved in. Adam is one half of the highly regarded ambient and drone project Stars Of The Lid for the past 30 years and also worked with many popular rock and indie bands as an engineer as well as done composing for film and TV. Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentathol is the name for his first all original material for a full album. Last year in 2023 brought the untimely death of Stars Of The Lid partner Brian Mcbride. However, Adam's relationship with Kranky records is as strong as ever and that's where his first solo album finds a home. The music is inspired by a recurring dream Adam had where the music he composes makes people die. The music blends heavy emotions from ruin to absolute beauty. A powerful album that has extreme depth and cinematic expansiveness. We hope this will be the start to a very productive solo career that will continue his excellent work that was done with Stars Of The Lid.

Review: Originally part of the 2014 album I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me, 'Hit 'Em Like Ali' stands out as a vibrant and infectious track in Australian artist Chelsea Wilson's collection. Its energetic and riotous vibe has earned it a place as an unheralded modern deep funk classic. Spasibo Records now grants it a well-deserved single release on nice coloured vinyl. Co-produced by Jake Mason of Cookin' On 3 Burners, the heavyweight instrumental backing track, making its debut on the flip side, showcases Melbourne's top funk musicians. With blistering breakbeats, heavy horns, flanged guitars, and weighty bass, it's a track designed to captivate.

Review: Renowned saxophonist and flautist Chip Wickham has his 2022 album on Gondwana reissued by P-Vine here and it is fair to say that Cloud 10 is his most soulful album yet. Hailing from Brighton and honing his craft in Manchester, Wickham blends the spiritual jazz influences of Roland Kirk and Yusef Lateef with British jazz legends like Tubby Hayes. Having collaborated with diverse acts from The Pharcyde to Nightmares On Wax, his debut for Gondwana Records offers a timeless fusion of soulful, spiritual jazz and hard-hitting modal hard-bop. Wickham's dynamic flute and tenor work drive the album, reflecting his passion for connecting deeply with audiences and leaving a lasting musical legacy.

Review: Short-lived So Cal band Wheezing Maniac will bring back many nostalgic memories for those old enough to have been wooed by seminal skateboarding video H-Street's Hokus Pokus. Two of its most iconic tunes were by this outfit - 'Dollar on a Platter' and 'Don't Come Close' and both showcase their off-kilter invention and high-energy sound perfectly. The band only recorded 17 tunes in all and each one makes it onto this Shade Through the Night Door reissue on Putojefe Records. A fine remastering job brings them up to scratch and makes this an essential one for the collection for fans old and new.

Review: Jane Weaver describes her 11th solo album, Love In Constant Spectacle, as her most 'open hearted, direct and intimate' exploration of 'the British musical landscape'. It's certainly an impressive album, with the former Laura Kills vocalist fusing a wide range of nostalgic, pastoral, and analogue rich sounds, from Stereolab-esque krautrock revivalism, ;ate '60s dream pop, turn-of-the-90s indie-pop and crackly, organ-sporting folk-rock. Highlights include the deep and drowsy 'The Axis and the Seed', the fuzzy 'Is Metal', the head-in-the-clouds dreaminess of 'Romantic Worlds' and the hazy but picturesque headiness of 'Family Of The Sun'.

Review: 
Jane Weaver's Love In Constant Spectacle stands as a pivotal moment as it presents the artist's most heartfelt, direct, and personal collection yet. Bursting with vivid imagery, the album captures the very essence of the artist, pushing her distinct sound and poetic vision to unprecedented heights. While evoking the nostalgia of her early work, it boldly explores new realms, weaving intricate tales with vibrant hues, shapes, and languages. Teaming up with acclaimed producer John Parish, renowned for collaborations with PJ Harvey and Aldous Harding, the album strikes a delicate balance between familiarity and innovation. It's a surreal odyssey through the human experience that showcases the artist's ceaseless evolution.

Review: Following on from her latest Fenella project The Metallic Index, genreless folktronica oddity Jane Weaver, returns from the land of muted synth lines and hypnagogic instrumentals to deliver the first full-length baring her name since 2021's exceptional Flock. Her 12th album overall, Love In Constant Spectacle offers up Weaver's most succinct, direct and straightforward compositions in well over a decade, with the the beauty of these cuts lying in their simplicity. Motorik synth patterns, fuzzed out neo-psychedelic guitar lines and lush bubbles of digital fizz bounce around Weaver's melancholic musings on the trials and tribulations, big and small, of everyday life and love.

Review: Chicago outfit Wavelength tap into the funk traditions of bands like Parliament here with a seductive and rather sleazy new EP for Soulistic 360. The whole thing has been arranged by Windy City soul innovator Rahaan and comes on white marbled vinyl 12". Opener 'Can You Handle This Funk' is slow, steamy, sensuous with its languid kicks, live, raw drums and drawled vocals all luring you into the groove. The remix is a subtle teak of the original and on the flip is 'Kemetic Dance Party' which brings more Afro style drums and some bold sax lines to get things going in a more energetic way.

Review: Grime-inflected hardcore punk duo Bob Vylan follow up 2022's phenomenal The Price Of Life with yet another batch of scathing, witty, sardonic and severely pissed off bangers that distil elements from hip-hop, post-punk and metal into one cacophonous rallying cry for the working class. Touching on themes of racism, xenophobia, mental health and fatherhood, the hefty subject matter is balanced with energetic, banging compositions and a tongue-firmly-in-cheek delivery that falls somewhere between the smirking shitheaded-ry of IDLES and the intellectual fury of Rage Against The Machine.

Review: Socio-political hardcore punk meets the authenticity of grime by way of the dynamic duo that is Bob Vylan. Following on from 2022's much lauded sophomore effort The Price Of Life, the two Bobs (not their real names nor do they cite their namesake as a primary influence) return with their most direct, succinct and instantaneous collection of bangers to date. Drawing on motifs of hip-hop, nu-metal, post-punk and rap-rock, yet all restrained beneath a banner of venomous hardcore bite and London-centric wit, the material touches on the pressures of fatherhood in an especially unjust system, while tossing around uncomfortable topics of poverty, gentrification, racism, classism, and knife-crime like they're volleyed footballs rather than hot-button issues, challenging listeners to ruminate for a little longer than it usually takes to peruse through another desensitised news article.