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Review: The Sorcerers have been a mainstay of the ATA Records imprint since it was founded in their home city of Leeds back in 2015. Here, the Yorkshire combo, whose primary influences have always been Ethopian "Ethio-jazz" and obscure European horror soundtracks, return to action with a heavyweight dancefloor workout. In truth "In Search of Sha Hulud" is a far more funk-fuelled affair than you might expect, with exoitic Middle Eastern melodies and fluttering flute solos rising above killer drum breaks and a seriously heavy bassline. Turn to the flipside for "The Anderson Spectrum", a pitched-down, 1960s style library funk jam credited to The Yorkshire Film and Television Orchestra, which appears to be another project helmed by leading members of the Sorcerers.

Review: There are seemingly no limits to the music Emotional Rescue will put out. This time they look back to the post punk scene of Bristol in the early 80s. Mouth was a short-lived outfit that put out just a couple of releases, but each one blazed a trail though leftfield percussive sounds, wave, weird jazz and electronics. Andy Guy and Rob Merrill were the main members with the likes of Nellie Hooper also in the band's orbit. This record is packed with tribal drumming and floating horns, broken dubs and avant-jazz but all with a proudly DIY attitude. It's packed with heady moments and wild steppers that havent aged a bit and still sound future.

Review: Legendary jazz label Blue Note has tapped up the super hot nine-piece Afro-jazz outfit Nubiyan Twist for their own new version of Donald Byrd's song 'Through The Noise.' It features on the 16-track Blue Note Re:imagined II collection that is due soon, but first also gets its own pressing here. Heavy swing, garage and 2-step all colour their version with broken-beat, afrobeat and bebop also colouring the fresh sounding grooves. The lyrics build the reimagined concept and make for a stunning new piece. On the flip is another gem in the form of Swindle's 'Miss Kane.'

Review: Hip-hop heads love nothing more than classic Blue Note material getting a modern fix up. And that's what we have here as Kay Young and Venna and Marco Bernardis join forces to work their magic on Marlena Shaw's 'Feel Like Making Love' and Donald Byrd's 'Where Are We Going?' This limited 7" is a taster from the 16-track compilation Blue Note: Reimagined II. It's packed with the neo-soul, r&B and hip hop scenes finest contemporary talents adding new magic to the still standout original source material. Like volume one, it's an absolute must-have, as is this 45rpm.

Review: Born on the French Island of Martinique, Louis Xavier later settled in France where he discovered the freedom of jazz, and an idea to mix his influences into a global melting pot of sound. He formed his band (Synchro Rhythmic Eclectic Language) in Paris in the early '70s, making music that was both spiritual and eclectic for its time. Both tracks are jazz in essence but with instrumental funky rhythms infused with intricate percussion and electric keys.

Review: There have been plenty of column inches devoted to this collaborative debut album from hyped producer Kamaal Williams (AKA Rhythm Section International sort Henry Wu), and fast-rising Afrobeat drummer Yussef Dayes. With such raw talent to choose from, it's little surprise to find that Black Focus is as good as the critics claim. Their sound is distinctive: a London-centric take on jazz-funk that's loose, rich, organic and shot through with soul. Their major influences seem to be the work of West London broken beat pioneer Kaidi Tatham, and his inspiration, jazz-funk legend Herbie Hancock. These touchstones, combined with Dayes' brilliant drumming and Williams' superb synth solos and jammed-out Rhodes lines, makes Black Focus a hugely alluring set.

Review: The latest limited-edition salvo on Jazzman's contemporary jazz offshoot Jazz45 comes courtesy of Soren Skov Orbit, a Copenhagen-based outfit formed by saxophonist Soren Lyhne Skov and pianist Peder Vind. The two tracks stick closely to the project's founding principles of fusing global musical traditions with modal jazz. A-side "Orbit Bound", where hissing cymbals, hypnotizing piano motifs, plodding double bass and ear-catching saxophone solos cluster around a droning bass clarinet, is probably the pick of the pair, though the more straight-up, trad-jazz warmth of "NV" is also very enjoyable. As debut outings go, it's hugely impressive; here's hoping we hear more from Skov and Vind in the months and years ahead.

Review: Tony Allen is on record as saying that The Source, his first album on iconic jazz label Blue Note, is the best recording he's made. Given his length of service and vast discography, that's a bold claim. Certainly, it's a fine album, with the legendary drummer and his selected musicians - mostly jazz players from Paris, plus a Cameroonian guitarist and previous Allen collaborator Damon Albarn on one cut - effortlessly blur the boundaries between Afrobeat and the kind of jazz pioneered by Allen's percussion heroes Art Blakey and Max Roach. It's a brilliant hybrid that fits Allen's unique style of drumming like a glove, and there's no doubt that the former Fela Kuti sticks-man is the real star of the show.

Review: People of Earth shakes things up for #016 with a limited 12" from Charolastra entitled Karuna. Only 200 copies pressed of this continuous play, crossover jazz release. Brought to the realization with some of ATLANTA's most talented instrumentalists. It is an amalgamation of genres but the underlying emotions are immediately recognizable. Grief, loss, regret and the transcendental power of the spirit to overcome these hardships. Blending elements of jazz, IDM, broken beat, drone, and dub, while it may be difficult to put your finger on Karuna it doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

Review: Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records serve up two underground dance floor hits from the London circuit here. Latin supergroup Wild And Infectious's 'Caliente' takes care of the a-side and has banging piano riffs and heavy bass laid down by Descarga originator Cachao, all run through with some superb driving vibes from Tany Gil with a big percussion meltdown from Walfredo De Los Reyes added for good measure. ON the reverse, The Vienna Art Orchestra serve up a great new version of a Bud Powell classic.

Review: We Jazz Records welcomes a label debutant here for a tasty little 7". Gothenburg-based Finnish pianist Joona Toivanen is the man and he offers up a fresh take on Terry Riley's 'Keyboard Study' with trusty help from Tapani Toivanen on bass and Olavi Louhivuori of Superposition on drums, both of whom complete his trio. It is a heady, minimalistic piece with a deeply introspective mood. On the a-side is an edit of his future album cut 'Except For' which is another complex, moody piece of inward-looking jazz minimalism with gorgeously mellifluous

Review: It's five up for the Palmetto Street label and this one finds them turning to Ben Pirani & The Means Of Production who manage to again find new ground in this great EP. The lead single from the 7" is a soft and melancholic sad song with none other than Brian Jackson (who collaborated with Gil Scott Heron) playing the flute parts. He cuts through the smokey mood with daring harmonies while on the flip things get even more forceful with 'Something So Precious'. Pirani goes it alone on the vocals for this one while a strong quartert adds the sumptuous melodies.

Review: Gilles Peterson and Bluey's Str4ta project has always been something of a nostalgic offering, with the pair exploring their mutual love of Brit-funk, jazz-funk and dancefloor grooves of the early 1980s. Naturally, they've loosely stuck to the same winning blueprint on sophomore set 'Str4tasfear', with the addition of an impressive cast-list of collaborators, a touch more production polish and a subtly wider set of inspirations only enhancing the listening experience. The results are uniformly impressive, with our picks of a very strong bunch including the slap-bass sporting, floor-friendly brilliance of 'Turn Me Around', the Maze-esque 'Night Flight' (all squelchy electronic bass, glistening jazz guitars and colourful synthesizer solos), the sweat-soaked jazz-funk disco heaviness of 'Lazy Days' (featuring Emma-Jean Thackray) and the super-sweet 'When You Call Me'.