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Review: Dominick Martin is best known as stone-cold drum & bass don Calibre, a prolific producer with a masterfully deep and smoky sound. He has also made tech house under his own name, but lesser known is this album
Valentia which was originally released in 2013 and has now been remastered and repressed on 180 gram vinyl with a sleeve containing the lyrics. It was written on the amazing Valentia Island, joined to the west coast of Co Kerry in Ireland by a bridge t and battered by strong winds. Says Martin, "I took my computer and mic with me not knowing what to expect when I got there. In one of the rooms sat a piano, and as my fingers touched the keys I knew there was a story there waiting to be told."

Review: The summer is almost here which means this is exactly the sort of record we want to be reaching for. It's a lush and tropical work of idealised disco grooves, deepest house, Balearic, smooth jazz and Mediterranean cool that cries out to be played loud while you sip on cocktails and dream of being somewhere utterly blissful and classy. Dreamy textures define each cut with nice fresh rhythms, glistening chords and lush melodies all sprinkled with delightful percussive detail. Big up to A Vision Of Panorama for serving up a beautiful album that is sure to soundtrack the warmest months of the year for many.

Review: E. Live returns to Star Creature HQ with his third full-length release, 'Soft Approach,' and it's a jazz-funk-infused and boogie-powered blast-off. Following the success of 2020's Boogie For Life and Cloud Vibes from 2022, this new long player marks a triumphant evolution in his solo journey. With a nu-school disco flair and jazzier undertones, E. Live expertly balances accessibility and sophistication to make for a well-crafted trip overall. Drawing inspiration from musical luminaries like Roy Ayers and Patrice Rushen, these tunes promise to captivate fans of danceable rhythms and refined musicality alike. This release solidifies E. Live's reputation as a trailblazer in the contemporary Boogie scene and confirms he is destined for seismic waves in 2024.

Review: The Milano Undiscovered series has been expertly overseen by Fred Ventura and now clocks up a third installment. It again delves into Milan's dynamic techno and house scene between the years of 1988 and 1992. Unveiling a trove of unreleased demos, it highlights the city's burgeoning underground culture during this period. Influenced by the pioneering sounds of Chicago, Detroit, London, and Sheffield, Milanese producers embarked on a creative journey, crafting their own distinct interpretations of electronic dance music. These demos offer a glimpse into the innovative spirit and diverse sonic landscape that defined Milan's contribution to the global dance music scene during this transformative era.

Review: Global Underground is one of the longest-running DJ mix series and it has always been one of the best. Plenty of big-names over the years have made their mark, often more than once, and now it is the turn of the famously long-playing New York titan Danny Tenaglia to show us what he's made of. He brings his signature grooves and a hint of Latin flavour to proceedings on this, a third and final installment of his trilogy for the series. It is mostly contemporary names serving up new school sounds but all delivered with Danny's cultured and old school DJ mentality.

Review: Accomplished Turkish label ISOLATE is marking five years in existence and over 30 odd releases with a new and bumper collection of sounds from all of its main players in remix mode. Isolate: Five Years unfolds over six, yes six, sides of wax and traverses all manner of fresh techno sound worlds. There are drawn-out synth and deep techno adventures from Aera, floating and dubby dream-house offerings from DJ Counselling, pulsating future tech from Hardt Anoine and roaming melodic tech house kickers from Gunce Aci amongst many more highlights.

Review: Detroit house hero Kyle Hall returns with his biggest project in some time in the form of Transmissions, a new double album on his own well-regarded Forget The Clock. All six tracks have enigmatic, functional titles and the music is as idiosyncratic as ever. Each one veers more towards techno than is Hall's usual style, with pulsating synth lines and tight, dusty drum tracks making for stripped-to-the-bones grooves. Later on, things grow ever more abstract with twisted acid lines screwing their way through the increasingly ragged and roughshod drums. These are perfectly imperfect jams from a master of the form.

Review: Joseph Shabason, Matthew Sage, and Nicholas Krgovich form a harmonious triangle, both musically and geographically. Hailing from Toronto, Colorado, and Vancouver respectively, they converged at Sage's barn studio nestled at the foot of the Rockies to explore their shared talent for finding beauty in life's mundane moments. Shabason, known for blending late 80s adult-contemporary and smooth jazz aesthetics into ethereal soundscapes, joins forces with Sage, who combines instrumental prowess with synthesis and field recordings to evoke the natural world's whimsy and profundity. Completing the trio is Krgovich, whose observational poetics add a relatable touch to their calm expressionism. Their collaborative album, warmly Shabason, Krgovich, Sage extends the wry and melancholic micro-miracles established in their previous works.

Review: Domenic Cappello is a long time legend of the scene who has been in the form of his life of late. As such he finally drops a much anticipated and long awaited debut album 'Basement Philosophy on Alien Communications that comes 20 years after he started making beats. Cappello's sound permeates the whole record as it traverses diverse sonic landscapes with captivating potency. Opening with 'Mushroom Waltz', dreamy pads and lively chords set the tone, leading into the soulful depths of 'Midnight with T'. 'Early Flight' builds cerebral atmospheres with characteristic snapping drums. 'Acid Rain' evokes nostalgia, while '3am Jamaica Street' pulsates with peak-time energy. 'Moon Jump' offers languid melodies reminiscent of classic Underground Resistance and electro-inspired 'Burning Past' and 'Not for Instagram DJs' conclude ta high class record in style.

Review: London-based quartet Uniri takes a unique approach by composing as a collective and bringing in new-beat aesthetics while steering away from traditional jazz band and "bedroom production" concepts. Founded by Chiminyo, Uniri, meaning 'one unified dream,' came to life in his private studio, inviting jazz peers Amane Tsuganami, Al Macsween, and Luke Wynter for spontaneous collaborations. The result, Infinite Reflections, delivers a psychedelic, rhythmic journey infused with cosmic synths and hip-hop beats. Embracing a global trend in jazz fusion, Uniri's debut album promises an innovative aesthetic akin to artists like Flying Lotus and Ras G.

Review: Unchained is the longstanding solo project of Nathaniel Davis. Gabbeh is his latest offering to the world, a suite of blissfully introspective tracks that envelop the soul in a blanket of soft, delicate moods, their sole purpose to comfort aching heads. Remarkably, dedicated fans will know you can trace the artist's lineage to noise mix tapes on CD-R, although more recent excursions into Bossa nova influenced tones perhaps help bridge the gap between then and now. Recorded at home over a three year period, from 2020 to 2023, Grenoble, Switzerland, played a big part in end results here. "I think certain songs reflect, in ways, Grenoble's natural surroundings. 'Drac' is named after the river that flows from the mountains down to the city - 'Dru' is the name of a well-known peak near Chamonix," Davis has explained. That as may be, nevertheless there's something more transportive than that here - songs feel as though they would be at home anywhere green, slow and thoughtful.

Review: Berlin-based Swedish tenor saxophonist Otis Sandsjo is back with another of his brilliant albums. Y-OTIS TRE is his third on We Jazz Records and one that finds him working closely with his old work partner, pal, bassist and producer Petter Eldh, plus the live band keys-man Dan Nicholls. Crafted and produced by Eldh & Sandsjo, the album embraces the band's Swedish roots within the continuum of layered liquid jazz. It has a neon, 3D essence, morphing from laser sharp to gooey like jelly, and each track is ripe with evolutionary ideas though also remains rooted in recognisable forms, cross-referencing its own concepts but never repeating. With a mixtape-like DNA, the music teems with vibrant colours and acoustic depth and blurs boundaries between live performance and studio innovation.

Review: Shame On Dry Land (Syndabocken) is an award-winning Swedish movie that picked up the Guldbagge prize for best feature film soundtrack in 2024. That soundtrack has been written and produced by sometime Studio Barnhus associate and mythical young artist Baba Stiltz. It arrives on vinyl for the first time here and is a dense affair with plenty of esoteric stylings as you would expect of a man with a famously hard-to-pin-down sound. It goes from heavy and dark to airy and Mediterranean and needs to be heard nice and loud for the best effect.

Review: Aziza Brahim's fantastic new album Mawja is a blend of Sahrawi roots music, folk, and contemporary sounds that reflect on the resilience and spirit of her homeland. Through haunting vocals and poetic lyrics, Brahim shares stories of displacement, longing, and hope, drawing from her experiences as a Sahrawi refugee. Backed by hypnotic rhythms, intricate melodies, and soul-stirring instrumentation, each track creates a rich tapestry of sound which means the record is more than just an album; it's a powerful testament to the human spirit and a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice. Brahim's music resonates deeply, transcending borders and connecting hearts across the globe.

Review: On-Ly is the creative persona of Joshua Smeltink, a pianist-producer who merges diverse influences and mixes sup aspects of sounds like house, hip-hop, and the hard-hitting post-bop jazz-rock of the 60s and 70s. He also takes inspiration from greats of the jazz world such as cats like Weather Report and Miles Davis Group. Wonderlust is his debut album and one that finds him introduce a fresh sound with a band alongside him. Aspects of great works like Santana's Moonflower, bands like The Mars Volta, and piano master Herbie Hancock all can be heard across a kaleidoscopic journey reminiscent of classic psychedelic records. With through-composed passages, heartfelt melodies, and vibrant arrangements, Wonderlust is a fine debut.

Review: Kintsugi is the Japanese art of fixing broken stuff in beautiful ways and thus embracing the item's history. It is also in part the name of this new Kintsugi Soul Stepper's album that mirrors that concept by "celebrating the beauty found in piecing together diverse fragments to create a harmonious whole." Filipino Canadian collective seekersinternational and beat-maker jjuwanstockton lead the charge, on a record that celebrates the fusions of many diverse sounds from dub to soul to nostalgic 1980s Japan, as well as many different cultures, and identities.

Review: Brainfeeder looks back to Japanese hybridist Hakushi Hasegawa's first album Air Ni Ni here and reissues it on limited grey marbled vinyl. Although on the surface it might be thought of as pop, get in between the beats and you will find a challenging record that fused everything from bubblegum pop to breakcore, prog jazz to video games and much more besides. The record first came in 2019 and remains astonishingly diverse and new in the way it mashes up traditional genre boundaries and draws on alt-rock. Fans of label head Flying Lotus are sure to love it as is anyone who heard it first tie round.

Review: Dragutesku's deft take on minimal is a mix of the abstract and the surreal if this EP is much to go on. 'Ecliptic' comes first as a vocal mix and is all backlit synth glows, fizzing synths and distant, heart-aching hooks with thumping drum loops front and centre. It is pure passion but also comes as a dub for more late night sets. On the flip is a Traumer mix that rewires the track into a rickety and loopy rhythm fleshed out with smeared pads and last of all is 'Jazzofil', a more downbeat and experimental cut full of weird and wonderful sound sources.

Review: Caravan Palace's Gangbusters Melody Club is a vibrant explosion of nu-jazz and broken beat energy. The French band showcases their trademark blend of vintage swing and modern electronic beats across all cuts as each one transports you to a lively and exhilarating musical realm. With infectious melodies, driving rhythms, and irresistible hooks, each track on the album is a rich aural feast that is sure to keep dance floors captivated from start to finish. Caravan Palace's sound is defined by its impeccable musicianship and inventive production, as well as it seamless ability to blend the old with the new to create music that is both timeless and cutting-edge.

Review: Mildlife's reputation has soared since the release of their last studio album, 2020's Automatic, with the Melbourne trio's every musical move now being watched with bated breath by a global fanbase. Chorus is built on a concept of sorts - "a coming together of disparate elements" and "cosmic compatibility and chemistry" according to the band - but as ever it's the quality of the music on offer that really hits home hard. Warm and optimistic, with nods to West Coast jazz-rock as well as space rock, kosmiche, blue-eyed soul and jazz-funk, it sounds more nuanced, sonically detailed and wide-eyed than their previous work. Highlights include, but are in no way limited to, the yacht rock-leaning 'Yourself', the cosmic disco-influenced wonder of 'Musica', and epic recent single 'Return to Centraus'.