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Review: Tame Impala's breakthrough album 'Lonerism' celebrates its tenth anniversary with a special edition reissue. Through tracks like 'Elephant', 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' and 'Endors Toi', the album is known for introducing psychedelia to a new generation of hungry music fans in the early 2010s, and features Kevin Parker's distinctive falsetto vocals and intricate guitarwork throughout. The reissue here includes various bonuses, demos and "assorted sketches", casting renewed light on an important record for both the music-loving public, and an Aussie band/project destined for stardom.

Review: Australian soul rockers The Teskey Brothers are back with their third studio album, The Winding Way. It’s a smouldering, simmering masterpiece of classically informed, blue-hued songwriting that evokes such titans as Otis Redding without ever sounding derivative or overwrought. Just listen to the stirring, swooning ‘Take My Heart’ and you’ll hear exactly what we mean - you can’t fake soul like that. It’s no wonder it shot to the top of the Aussie charts upon release, but now it’s set for a whole new level of appreciation as Decca carry it to the wider world.

Notes: This is the powered version that includes the case as described here, a Strom+ module, a Strom power supply (AC/DC adapter) and a Strom busboard with connector cable. You only need to plug modules into the case and you’re ready to go!

One case fits 84HP of modules with a depth of 70mm.

The cases can be used with an incredible amount of flexibility to swap in an out full rows and create larger setups using the Case Connectors and Case Standoffs.

The side cheeks are made of high-quality Finnish plywood and are coated with a durable transparent melamine film. The black surface is hardwearing and crack resistant as well as easy to clean.

All cases are shipped with a set of 4 rubber feet and 50 x M3 screws.

Review: LP Giobbi finally drops her long-awaited debut album. The DJ, activist, producer and pianist has risen to the top quickly and now operates in the same spaces as acts like Bicep and Bonobo. Light Places is dedicated to the artist's parents and finds her calling on her classically trained playing chops to lay down mesmerising melodies. There are plenty of collaborations and lots of freeform experiments that end up as expressive and organic pieces which encourage you to let yourself go and get lost in the lush, lavish sound from the funky chug of 'Greogia' to the indie-pop-dance fusion 'All In A Dream.'

Review: Quite the multi-national talent, German-based DJ Admo makes music that pulls from all manner of regional genre variations that cover the breadth of the house spectrum. From the groovier French cuts to his love of UK vocal samples, 'A Visible Specturm' seems apropos to Admo's mission. An instant favourite for us was track three, 'Spiders', a somewhat sinister tech house jam that would be the perfect soundtrack for sneaking, complete with nostalgic distorted vocal samples that sound like they are coming out of a Wiimote and goofy percussion stings. 'The Brawl' is another great cut from this four-track, a downtempo groove for the end of the night that wouldn't feel out of place in both a dirty Amsterdam hole-in-the-wall and an early 2000s cooking show - there's something deeply nostalgic about these sounds

Review: Pauline Oliveros' approach to experimental music-making has been described by many as 'egalitarian', ensuring that every aspect of the music was accessibly playable by an ensemble of artists, with the idea that the pieces remain as interactive as possible. The Well & The Gentle is testament to this approach, collecting unusual and oftentimes naive motifs and riffs for a honking, almost uncouth, yet almost undeniably brilliant body of long-form pieces. Mass-communal inclusion is the aim of the game here, and we can really hear it this album's the quivering, chamber-reverbed orange glow.

Review: Heads On Platters is the third instalment in a trilogy of vinyl records that delves into the intersectionality of queer pleasure and the pandemic. Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the series, titled Undetectable: Queer Pleasure and Pandemic, amplifies voices on queer sexualities, chemsex practices, and emerging cultural responses amidst rising global LGBTQ+ challenges. Through exploring themes of public sex and evolving queer cultural expressions, the project confronts pervasive homophobia, transphobia, and violence. It celebrates resistance, acknowledging that true defiance often arises amidst revelry, challenging societal norms and amplifying marginalised voices in a powerful cacophony of sound and expression.

Review: Legendary DJ and producer Daniele Baldelli has put his name to many different compilations in his time, and plenty have been on this Use Vinyl label such as Cosmic Drag and Baia Degli Angeli 1977-1978. Now he's back with a second volume of his Cosmic Step album collection which comes across two slabs of wax and includes a lovely coaster. These are disco not disco sounds with stiff synths and rugged arps over steely retro-future drum machine sounds. Kraut, wave, psych, funk and many other influences colour the tunes and help make it such a top collection.

Review: Jah Thomas's Shoulder Move dropped in 1983 and was one of some 200-plus released the veteran Jamaican producer and Midnight Rock label was involved with in a career that spanned from 1978 to the present day. He worked with legends like King Tubby, The Roots Radic Band, Scientist and plenty more but head up this one alone. His deadpan vocal style is rhythmic and compelling as he rides the stripped-back dub rhythms below through the nine superb cuts on this newly reissued record. It's pure reggae and it really hits the spot.

Review: Fluxus drone pioneers La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela present the latest reissue of 31 VII 69 10:26-10:49 PM/23 VIII 64 2:50:45-3:11 AM The Volga Delta, a historic and mesmerizing soundworld which captures the '60s pioneers' twin paths through the worlds of performance art, sculpture-based acousmatic music, and an overall real alternative beatnik lifestyle . Made between 1964 and 1969, the album has gone down in history as a captivating fusion of dreamy electronic sounds and Eastern-influenced vocalization, with techniques such as microtonal tuning and extended repetition laying its experimental groundwork.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Torn inner sleeve, otherwise in excellent working condition***


Amused To Death is the third studio album from Roger Waters outside of his work in Pink Floyd. As one of the fundamental creative forces in the prog behemoth, of course it's hard to separate his solo work from that most famous of bands, but this is indeed its own beast. At times it's an experimental space in which Waters uses space and minimalism to great effect, creating a foreboding sound peppered with speech samples and field recordings. There are of course plenty of more straightforward tracks too, like lead single 'What God Wants, Part 1'. This lavish issue of the 1992 album spreads the music out across four discs and comes in a box set format, a must-have for devoted Floyd and Waters collectors.

Review: At King Tubby's With The Roots Radics sounds a bit like the sort of text message a kid out too late might send her worried mum. It's also the name of this killer album which finds Barry Brown providing some super vocal work to killer rhythms initially laid down by the in house band Roots Radics and then twisted into psyched out stoner soundscapes by the one and only studio wizard The Scientist. He really gets deep here and EQs hard while masterfully dubbing Brown out of the picture.

Review: When it comes to excitable club fodder rooted in club sounds of the late 80s and 90s, the Tone Dropout crew consistently delivers the goods. They're at it again on their 11th multi-artist extravaganza, which giddily sprints between acid-fired breakbeat house with glassy-eyed melodic motifs and spacey bleeps (Sween and Alphonse hook-up 'Downfall'), trancey early progressive house revivalism ('Odyssey T3D' by XOTR), intergalactic electro-bleep fusion (the punchy, Kraftwerk-on-pills excellence of Samuel Padden's 'Teslas Still Alive') and classy bleep and breaks nostalgia (Kostas G's pleasingly sub-heavy, funk break-driven 'Spectrum').

Review: The first official reissue of Playtime by popular and prolific Italian composer, Piero Umiliani. Incorporating styles like jazz, easy listening/lounge, rock, funk, and bossa nova to a genre largely dominated by orchestral scores, he penned some of the most outstanding kosmische music from the '60s and '70s with over 150 titles under his belt. Originally released on Umiliani's own Omicron label in 1968, the album has been remastered from the original recordings by Noah Mintz.

Review: Healing Force Project is prolific Italian artist Antonio Marini. Over the last decade he has dropped plenty of heat on the likes of Firecracker, Berceuse Heroique, 2 Headed Deer, Random Numbers and more. Drifted Entities Vol 1 is his latest offering and is an experimental take on dub, cosmic funk, jazz and drum & bass with the HFP signature unifying it all. 'Tiny Germs' opens up on dark, sparse drums that are kinda haunting then 'Upbeat Damage' is a deconctructed jungle jazz cut with squealing synths that bring the horror. The flip side continues in that eerie manner with fresh musicality and loose arrangements drawing you in.

Review: International Anthem has become one of the contemporary jazz scenes most crucial labels. It deals in the most cutting edge sounds in the genre as well as offering up fantastic fusions with sounds from the world's hip-hop, R&B and broken beat. Here they look to Charles Stepney for an album that he recorded back in the 1960s in his Chicago basement. He played all the instruments himself and across four sides of vinyl he serves up his so-called and signature "baroque soul" sound with widescreen arrangements, innocent melodies and curious rhythms.

Notes: Finally it's here! The new cable for the Sennheiser HD-25 headphones. This spiral cable in different colours is an absolute eye-catcher and enhances your HD-25 visually. It's not standard, but it makes your headphones special.

This will make your Sennheiser HD-25 unique and stand out from the crowd!

The cross-section of the spiral cable is also thicker than conventional cables, which brings technical and optical advantages.

Fits the following Sennheiser headphones
Sennheiser Sennheiser HD25
Sennheiser HD25-13
Sennheiser HD25 II
Sennheiser HD-25-13 II
Sennheiser HD25 C II
Sennheiser HD25-1 II

Details

Length 3,5m
3,5 mm stereo jack plug incl. 6,3mm adapter

Gold-plated connections
Connection of cable 1: 1x 3.5mm Jack
Connection of cable 2: special (Sennheiser HD 25)
Cable length: 3.5 m

Review: Fred Shepherd has been laying down thick slabs of electro for the past six years under the No Moon alias, taking in labels like X-Kalay, Echo Vortex, Craigie Knowes and Church. Now he's landing on Mechatronica with five new works, leading in with the compression chamber sonics of 'No Way Back' which doesn't need to roll fast to make its imposing presence felt. 'Small Moves' takes the interstellar elevator in pursuit of its own bruising intentions, while 'Go 2 Bed' locks into a more familiar mode of machine funk for the mid-tempo massive. 'Vegetarian At The BBQ' keeps things pinging and ponging atop those hard-ass drums, and 'All Roads Lead To Hear' winds things up with a rapid, bleepy selection for when the night wants to get a touch more delirious.

Notes: Finally it's here! The new cable for the Sennheiser HD-25 headphones. This spiral cable in different colours is an absolute eye-catcher and enhances your HD-25 visually. It's not standard, but it makes your headphones special.

This will make your Sennheiser HD-25 unique and stand out from the crowd!

The cross-section of the spiral cable is also thicker than conventional cables, which brings technical and optical advantages.

Fits the following Sennheiser headphones
Sennheiser Sennheiser HD25
Sennheiser HD25-13
Sennheiser HD25 II
Sennheiser HD-25-13 II
Sennheiser HD25 C II
Sennheiser HD25-1 II

Details

Length: 3,5m
3,5 mm stereo jack plug incl. 6,3mm adapter

Gold-plated connections

Connection of cable 1: 1x 3.5mm Jack
Connection of cable 2: special (Sennheiser HD 25)
Cable length: 3.5 m

Review: The Midnight's latest Heroes is a stark display of the musical evolution of the New York duo. A band that started as a synth heavy proposition, extensive touring across the globe (including a headline at London's Brixton Academy) and the desire not to repeat themselves in creative terms has led to the bigger vision and wider appeal of what their label calls "fully-realised, arena-worthy songs".
Heroes is the final part in a trilogy of albums that started with 2018's Kids, followed in 2020 by Monsters. "For me, Kids is self-knowledge, Monsters is self-love, and then Heroes is empathy," said singer Tyler Lyle. "I got into depth psychology and this idea of aetiology, the way a human forms. The world doesn't get better but we do. We grow into ourselves. We grow into our voice."
Still, Heroes remains definitely more a case of evolution than revolution - there's still more than a hint of the gorgeous synth sounds in evidence, but with a lyrical maturity and smartness that gives even its most pop moments an unexpected twist.

Review: The Midnight's latest Heroes is a stark display of the musical evolution of the New York duo. A band that started as a synth heavy proposition, extensive touring across the globe (including a headline at London's Brixton Academy) and the desire not to repeat themselves in creative terms has led to the bigger vision and wider appeal of what their label calls "fully-realised, arena-worthy songs".
Heroes is the final part in a trilogy of albums that started with 2018's Kids, followed in 2020 by Monsters. "For me, Kids is self-knowledge, Monsters is self-love, and then Heroes is empathy," said singer Tyler Lyle. "I got into depth psychology and this idea of aetiology, the way a human forms. The world doesn't get better but we do. We grow into ourselves. We grow into our voice."
Still, Heroes remains definitely more a case of evolution than revolution - there's still more than a hint of the gorgeous synth sounds in evidence, but with a lyrical maturity and smartness that gives even its most pop moments an unexpected twist.

Review: This record was thought to have been lost until recently re-discovered. Recorded in the 1970s and has been loving remasters from the original tapes here and pressed onto heavyweight wax. This collection features some heavily sampled tunes such as 'Funkanova' which has been pillaged by the likes of Black Science Orchestra, DJ Sneak and The Bucketheads. It also has a famous rendition of the Ronnie Laws jewel 'Always There'. Wood, Brass & Steel members include the likes of Doug Winbush who went on to play with the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash.

Notes: You can now update your Bitbox mk1 or mk2 with a black faceplate. Now you can have an all black rack and have digital sampling capabilities. This is just the faceplate.

Give your module a facelift

These replacement faceplates are designed for use with the module in the traditional orientation with the screen on top. These are the same faceplates used when manufacturing our modules, but now in black. They are anodized aluminium with a bead blasted finish.

Swapping out a faceplate is easy to do, and requires a small wrench or pliers. Here are the steps to replace a faceplate:

Remove the module from the rack.
Use a small wrench or pliers to remove the small round nuts around each of the mini jacks. Note that these nuts have a notch on the top side of them. This notch fits into a specialized tool that can be used to remove these nuts more easily.
Gently tug on the four knobs to pull them off.
Use a small wrench or pliers to remove the hex nuts from the knob stems.
Remove the washers from the knob stems.
Gently pull up on the faceplate and it will slide off easily.
Place the new faceplate on the module.
Replace the washers on the knob stems.
Use a small wrench or pliers to replace the hex nuts on the knob stems.
Use a small wrench or pliers to replace the small round nuts around each of the mini jacks. Note that the notch should be on the top side of the nuts, the side away from the faceplate.
Look at the underside of the knobs and the post that they rest on. You will see that the knobs are keyed. Line up the flat edge of the hole in the knob with the flat edge of the post, and then push the knob onto the post. If you have the knob aligned properly, it should go on with moderate pressure. If it seems to require more force, please check the alignment.

Weight: 0.19 lbs
Dimensions: 5.5 × 5 × 0.25 in
Touchscreen product: bitbox, fxbox, synthbox, toolbox

Review: Dutch symphonic metal icons, Epica, deliver the ultimate fan service with the epic (excuse the pun) compilation box set,'We Still Take You With Us: The Early Years. Consisting of the band's first three, long out of print, full-lengths; 'The Phantom Agony', 'Consign To Oblivion', and, 'The Score', as well as the long sought after, 'Live At Paradiso' performance, recorded at the legendary Paradiso theatre in Amsterdam during the touring cycle of these early albums, there's no denying the care and attention to detail the band have poured into this expansive collection. Including b-sides, demos, as well as recordings from their first appearance on live Dutch television, this 11xLP beast is a vital puzzle piece/holy grail compiling of long sought-after physicals, collectively priced at a far lesser amount than any flipped singular, earlier editions.

Review: The latest 12-inch from Tino Piontek under his now familiar Purple Disco Machine outing features two fresh remixes of tracks from his popular 2021 album Exotica. First up, Alex Virgo reworks 'Playboox', delivering a mid-to-late-'80s Hi-NRG and Euro-dance inspired take full of starry synth breakdowns, hard-wired sequenced bass, spiralling melodies and bustling beats. It's good, but arguably even better is yacht disco-loving outfit Poolside's languid Balearic disco revision of Ed Mac collaboration 'Wanna Feel Like a Lover'. It's warm, dreamy and luscious, with strings and soulful vocal snippets combining wonderfully with the band's bass and guitars - basically the sort of jam you want to hear as the sun goes down on a steaming hot day.

Review: The Half Dead Organization was a short-lived rap group from Houston, Texas.The dropped just one album and one EP but for hardcore rap fans they are real classics. The original label was Johnny Palmer Entertainment but now it is Most Wanted that drop this reissue of the seminal self titled debut. It's a record that goes big on the gangsta sounds with hard hitting bars and beats and plenty of old school scratching and samples. It has aged well and though it has plenty of nostalgia it still stands up all these many years later.

Review: Released in 1984 on Bebop's, Clarence Park's 'I'll Be There' and 'True Love' is a classic reggae cut that's become hard to find, hugely sought after and even more expensive if you do. It is currently listed at well over 300 quid to this new label has been launched to make it more widely available. The passionate vocals are a plea for love over timeless reggae riddims on the a-side 'I'll Be There' while on the back is the more slow and steady, deep cut and sunny 'I'll Be There.' It's a beauty for some lovely hazy sessions.

Review: Back in 1973 Big Youth started the Negusa Nagast label, translating as the king of kings in Ethiopian. The first single was a split 7" from Leroy Willacy, also known as Cookey Monster, and Big Youth himself. Nearly 50 years on, this treasured record is back in print and it sounds as magical as ever. Willacy's 'Far Beyond The Blue' is a powerful slice of roots reflecting on the mire of slavery which forms a backdrop to so much of reggae's emotional impact. On the flip Youth delivers a deejay cut which rolls slow and easy, the legendary singer freestyling over the lazy groove in his inimitable fashion.

Review: Brazilian saxophonist and composer Glaucus Linx and French percussionist and composer Antoine Olivier are a long-standing and fruitful musical pair. They are known for their unique mix of Afro-Brazilian Candomble rhythms and jazz, and they never sound better than on this album Kan. For the first tie ever the album is now on vinyl and it comes on Brazilian DJ, producer and MIMS resident, DJ Tahira's brand new label in collaboration with Memoria Discos. The sounds manage to be ancient and ancestral as well as contemporary and futuristic. The brilliant 'Canto de Xango' is a standout tune here amongst many.

Notes: Finally it's here! The new cable for the Sennheiser HD-25 headphones. This spiral cable in different colours is an absolute eye-catcher and enhances your HD-25 visually. It's not standard, but it makes your headphones special.

This will make your Sennheiser HD-25 unique and stand out from the crowd!

The cross-section of the spiral cable is also thicker than conventional cables, which brings technical and optical advantages.

Fits the following Sennheiser headphones

Sennheiser Sennheiser HD25
Sennheiser HD25-13
Sennheiser HD25 II
Sennheiser HD-25-13 II
Sennheiser HD25 C II
Sennheiser HD25-1 II

Details

Length: 3,5m
3,5 mm stereo jack plug incl. 6,3mm adapter

Gold-plated connections

Connection of cable 1: 1x 3.5mm Jack
Connection of cable 2: special (Sennheiser HD 25)
Cable length: 3.5 m

Notes: With the T-10 NSE from Zomo you get a high quality flight case for the Technics SL-1210 MK7. The T-10 NSE in the appealing NSE edition impresses with its black look. This flightcase was developed to survive the rough DJ use without any problems and convinces with an extremely stable quality.

The extra strong, black lacquered aluminium profiles and very solid ball corners guarantee an absolutely high durability and provide noble and beautiful design accents. The practical inner padding of the T-10 NSE ensures optimal protection of the Technics DJ turntable against damage.

Abrasion and cigarette burns cannot harm the T-10 NSE, thanks to the solid, laminated 9mm plywood. Made for the rough DJ everyday life, the Zomo Flightcases are unrestricted tour-suitable and protect your valuable DJ equipment from damage, wetness or falls.

The Technics Equipment Case in the night black NSE Edition not only offers strong, professional quality, but also inspires with a modern look - without question an eye-catcher! The helpful butterfly snap locks ensure an extraordinarily stable fit of the cover and easy unlocking and locking. All NSE flightcases can also be locked with an optional lock for stronger protection.

Technical data

Suitable devices: 1x Technics SL-1210 MK2 / MK5 / MK7
Outer material: 9mm plywood
Color: Black NSE (Night Style Edition)
Weight: 8.68 kg
External dimensions: 517 (length) x 427 (width) x 224 (height) mm
** The devices pictured and/or mentioned in the photos are NOT included in the scope of delivery!

Suitable devices:

Technics SL-1210 MK2
Technics SL-1210 MK5
Technics SL-1210 MK7
Suitable brands: Technics

Laptop shelf included: No

Review: Theo Kottis, like many artists, produced plenty of music during lockdown and much of it took on the characteristics of that time. Now he presents six of them here on Permanent Vacation. They provided him moments of escapism during the lockdown and suggest he was listening to everything from pop to Italo to new wave. 'On My Mind' is synth heavy house, 'Piano Dance' is a super happy tune for fun times and 'Cocktail' explores a twitchy disco vibe with throwback feels. The second half of the EP carries on in just as varied and vital fashion. Super stuff.

Review: Saturate continue to delve deep into the electronic hinterland and find those sweet spots between myriad genres and multiple flavours. Unclassifiable delights designed twist melons and screw faces, highlights can be found in the Justice-meets-Black Strobe arpeggiated hypnosis of Tobacco Rat's 'Madlien', the 22nd century trap tension of Title's 'Guitly MFs' and the dreamy, woozy sonic slime of Seaweed by none other than Starkey. All this and stacks more, this was originally released in July 2021 and we've waited over a year to get our hands this limited purple vinyl. Impossible to sleep on.

Review: The first Blue Note Re:imagined album was frankly brilliant - an imaginative, inspired and thoroughly brilliant set of covers of classic cuts from the label's catalogue, expertly realised by a cast of 21st century UK jazz and soul talents - so hopes are naturally high for this sequel. We shouldn't have worried, to be honest, because it's another terrific collection. Our picks of a very strong bunch include Swindle's orchestra-sporting, jazz-funk-goes-hip-hop-soul take on Donald Byrd's 'Miss Kane', Ego Ella May's gently dubby, head-nodding and sunrise-ready re-imagining of Chico Hamilton's 'The Morning Side of Love', an ultra-dreamy, pedal steel-sporting cover of 'Harvest Moon' courtesy of Maya Delilah, and a tactile neo-soul interpretation of Marlena Shaw classic 'Feel Like Making Love' by Kay Young. Impeccable.

Review: As the title suggests, this brand new compilation from the legendary jazz label Blue Note finds a wealth of the UK's most exciting new and young talents turn their hand at reimagining a selection of classic Blue Note tracks. The wonderful sax player Yazz Ahmed kicks off with her take on 'It' which his all alluring and deep, and across the other 15 cuts the likes of Brit Award-winning Jorja Smith appears with her own distinctive voice, the much hyped - and rightly so - Nubya Garcia also adds her own contribution and Aussie soul boy Jordan Rakei serves up some buttery sounds.

Review: The glorious Athens of the North label will always be one of our favourites. It is pretty much buy on sight for lovers of soul, funk and disco and this month it is serving up two more unmissable long players. Here it is Ike and The Uptights and their superb sounds which make, what me might bravely, say, could be one of this always high class label's finest releases. Formed by Henry Bradley in Forrest City, The Uptights recorded for Memphis label Action Records and here we get a perfect window into their world of raw and guttural funk.

Review: No digital, vinyl only. Save for these previews on Juno. Art Of Dark are one of just a handful of UK labels pushing 2-step garage in the best way they know how - 'keeping the tradition alive', if you will. Farty and strange as hell comes 'Hillyfields Warrior', referring to a lesser-known park in Hither Green known for its illegal parties and mystical properties. The A-side continues to be helmed up by proder JM Project, with 'Meltdown' serving harder and choppier flavours. Keo Lab handles the B and opts for nuskool electro and breakstep on 'Rich Cascade' and 'Swarm'.

Review: If you're looking for online evidence that Rust even existed then prepare for at least three Google searches. These guys aren't the rock band from Helsinki, Finland, that formed in 2001. Nor are they the mid-1980s classic rock covers outfit. The fact those other two groups used the same name speaks volumes about how little known this Rust are, which is criminal when you start getting to grips with this record.

British psychedelic rock at its finest, Come With Me was originally recorded back in 1969, and those in the know regard it as something of a lost mini-classic. From the off, it feels like you're spiralling down into a wormhole, surrounded by the colour of sound. From thereon in, we launch into the kind of cacophonous, blues-tinged guitar solo-filled, rhythmically infectious stuff that really should have earned this lot a chapter in the pantheons.

Review: Inell Young was a New Orleans-based singer who recorded with Eddie Bo and also had a small clutch of solo singles in the late 60s-early 70s. Soul Jazz picked up on one of Young's rarest offerings, a beautiful single which came out some time in the 60s. They first reissued it in 2014 and it keeps getting repressed for very good reason - it's just a perfect slice of southern soul. 'The Next Ball Game' is a fiery, funky number with a clattering beat and plenty of overdriven energy, raw like the best music should be but oh so sweet thanks to Young's angelic voice. 'Part Of The Game' is a swooning heartbreak ballad that makes the perfect inversion to the firecracker of an A-side.

Review: There is currently only one copy of this on Discogs and it is listed at a rather eye watering L1200. Thankfully this reissue means you can own an undeniably brilliant tune for a much more reasonable price. It is a seminal New Orleans joint from the main man Eddie Bo who made it for the hugely popular group The Explosions. Juanita Brooks is the powerhouse soul sister who provides the vocals and on the other side is something just as good - a deep soul gem to warm you to your core.

Review: Hailing from Philadelphia - currently up there with the most artistically arresting cities in the US (having spawned the nickname 'New York's most exciting borough' among those wanting weary of the Big Apple's gentrified shell) - Plastic Ivy make music that's pure drama on disc. Or digital file, depending on your chosen format. Founded by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lira Marie Landes, when teamed up with bassist, producer and engineer Daniel James Shields, the duo are something real to contend with.

Here we're given four pieces of compelling evidence proving that point. Original versions ooze a kind of affected sexuality, a retro-tinged electro-punk ride through the experimental side door of a night in the club, nodding to influences from Kitten to The Human League. Remixed, though, 'Superior Corruption' is nothing short of a banging electro number filled with attitude and cheekiness. Essential.

Review: Harlem's renowned THC fanatic Sean Pompey aka 10-year hip hop veteran Smoke DZA teamed up with LA producer Real Bad Man for this superb collaborative album back at the start of the year. It was inspired by the fact that weed became legal to be sold on the West Coast and so comes with bars that are heavily steeped in the spirit of the bud. Signature Real Bad Man beats are carriages for silky bars from DZA while plenty of solid guest appearances bolster the already fine collection of tunes. Flee Lord, NymLo and Knowledge The Pirate are amongst those contributing and it is so good to finally have these available on wax.

Review: The output from cult label Emotional Response is always varied and always vital. This time out the focus turns to Useless Users, who offer up a standout nine-track debut here. The band features former Sarah Records alumni including members of Action Painting! and Secret Shine as well as featuring Even As We Speak. The music they make is pop but with bold adventure at its heart. There are dreamy elements, big bold chords and stunning vocal deliveries as well as a few twists and turns along the way. It's a real gem with nods to sixties psyche amongst others.

Notes: Bags of character courtesy of 'tone wizard' Andy Timmons (Danger Danger). Dual delay lines work in tandem, creating stereo effects from vintage tape delay to infinite hold.

Supplier's Notes:
Andy Timmons' mysterious sounding "Halo" effect is a modulated dual echo sound that has long been kept a secret by the tone wizard himself. Andy spent decades combining and crafting the sounds you can now get from the HALO. Notes from the HALO dance rhythmically, almost creating a reverb diffusion. Those notes are held together with tape-style effects like modulation, saturation and compression. The results are stunning!

The pedal comes loaded with his signature delay tone and you can program your own sounds and save them as presets. Easily bounce between Side A and B on the fly, essentially giving you two delay pedals in one. In addition to Andy's signature "Halo" sound, there are numerous other rhythmic delays including: quarter note, dotted 8th, stereo rack mount analogue delay, and a vintage multi-head tape echo. Stunning stereo and pristine sound quality are further enhanced with controls for saturation, tone, and shelving filters that give you the ultimate delay pedal.

Think of HALO as two delay pedals that work in tandem, letting you switch between your main delay (side A) and an alternative (side B). With up to 1500 ms of available delay, set sides A and B for different delay times, then simply foot switch between the two. Keeley's Smart Stomp System allows you to press and hold either stomp switch to engage tap tempo mode. Press and hold the alternate stomp switch for infinite repeat/hold.

Each Preset bank gives you 2 delays settings for a total of 8 user-storable effects. Use the Rhythm control to select between different echoes like HALO, Analog, Tape, Quarter and Dotted Eighth. HALO's Saturate control adds tape compression texture to your tone. The Tone and High Pass Filter controls your overall delay shape and mix. The Rhythm Mode selector delivers 5 delay types, including Andy's unique "Halo" sound. Set the Time and Feedback controls low, and you can open up a world of ambient chorus and flanger effects.

Run the HALO in stereo for incredible true-stereo imaging or save your favourite combination of settings as a preset and the HALO becomes an incredibly compact multi-effect workstation!

Review: Over the last few years, the Pixies have become surprisingly prolific, serving up a string of albums that move away from their punky alt-rock roots and further towards more grandiose, immersive territory. They've subtly shifted the dial even further on Doggerel, which on this 'deluxe' edition comes packaged in a bespoke hardback case. With the assistance of producer Tom Delgaty, drummer David Lovering and bassist Paz Lenchantin, Joey Santiago and Black Francis have chosen to offer up a string of widescreen epics that variously touch on folk-rock, 1960s dream-pop, Americana, turn-of-the-90s alternative rock and the kind of classic, timeless-sounding indie that should appeal to those who came of age in the 1990s. Highlights include the psych-tinged 'There's a Moon On' and the hooky, Pulp-does-Americana flex of 'Vault of Heaven'.

Review: In a collaboration you might never have expected but somehow makes perfect sense, original Brit blues mastermind Jeff Beck teams up with a little known American by the name of Johnny Depp to render some of the latter's songs alongside some finely selected covers. From The Beach Boys to John Lennon, The Velvet Underground to Killing Joke and more besides, this is the sound of two lifelong music lovers letting it all hang out and playing with the impassioned energy and innocence of youth. More than just a throwaway side project for a global superstar, this is a deeply discerning project which frames Depp's music in a whole new light.

Review: Dance music stars don't come much bigger or more iconic than Carl Cox. The big man with the big smile and famous gap in his teeth has been at the cutting edge for decades. He plays all across the spectrum with high energy and a really infectious style. Now the legend returns with his first album in over a decade and it comes on BMG. It was written over the last two years at his home studio in Melbourne and takes his sound to a whole new level. It is also being played live by Carl on the road right now.

Review: Following on from their crushing 2020 EP, 'Beneath the Canopy of Compost', New York/New Jersey based death-doom new schoolers, Reeking Aura, deliver a punishing, pummelling blend of grandiosity and fury on their debut full-length, 'Blood & Bonemeal.' A concept album detailing the "caretaker of a desolate agricultural property and that person's struggles with morbid psychosis," this is a ferocious blend of doomscaping and death metal brutality, elevated by a three-pronged lead guitar assault. Ambitious and desolate in equal measure, with the cavernous and corrupt colliding in abrasive cacophony, this is essential metal extremity for the most hardened of audible masochists.

Review: Spanish label Sungate has become a truly buy on sight label thanks to its eye-catching artwork by Abel Fdez and scores of quality digital and vinyl releases from the likes of Jozef K & Tinman, Iori, Skudge and many more. Their latest release comes from Estrato Aurora, who you might have spotted on Bliq, and his frequent collaborator Siarem. Between them, the pair whip up a classy strain of minimally-minded electro which locks into simmering, understated beats and uses subtle atmospheric touches rather than the usual punchy synth leads and basslines you commonly associate with the genre. It's a fresh approach which serves them well, and also gives devoted electro DJs some interesting tools for tweaking the energy in a set without losing the essence of the sound.

Review: Making no bones about his sources of inspiration, Rotterdam-based DJ and producer Mitchel Polderman directs his Tafkamp alias to a wholesale ghetto house / Dance Mania aesthetic right down to the centre label. Tracks like 'Twerk Dat Shit' and 'Drive Me Crazy' have all the moves you'd expect from some proper Chicago early 90s gear, but Polderman's sound has a slicker modern finish which sets it apart from the OG material. There are six tracks on this release, and they all channel legends like DJ Deeon et al, with a pitched down sample of Peaches thrown in for good measure.