Search dance music

Review: Easy Star All Stars are back, refreshing a simple yet effective formula - melodic reggae covers of titanic rock albums. The New York natives have released several tribute albums to said figureheads, not least Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Beatles and Michael Jackson. Ziggy Stardub, evidently, is a reggae version of David Bowie's 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowiemaniacs will be Bowie-led over by this 15-track collective vision in dub, which comprehensively serves up serene versions of 'Starman', 'Five Years' and 'Moonage Daydream' and four actual dub versions. To top it off, there are myriad features from fellow coverer fanatics, including Macy Gray, Steel Pulse, Mortimer and Carlton Livingston.

Review: Numero Group has another of their superb soul gems here from former Mind & Matter bandmates James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Michael Dixon. The duo teamed up in 1978 for this gospel-boogie banger which first came on the private Mad label, so is now mad hard to find. 'You're Everything' is a classy dancer with a big heart and those Good worshipping vocals taking things to new heights. The flip is no slouch either and keeps the grooves coming with 'You're All I Need' another timeless classic that will improve any set and record collection no end.

Review: Rita Ora recently described her hotly anticipated third album, You & I, as "like my diary of the last few years". Masterminded in collaboration with executive producer Oak Felder and featuring Ora as a credited co-writer throughout, the album has been trailed as loosely chronological musical wander through the highs and lows of relationships and falling in love. Ora is in fine form throughout, singing confidently (and sometimes passionately) atop backing tracks that offer a 21st century synth-pop take on dance music culture - as has been the fashion for a number of years. It also contains a genuine club anthem in the shape of 'Praising You', an inventive, hands-aloft, festival-friendly banger that makes extensive use of Fatboy Slim big beat classic 'Praise You' (for which he gets a 'featured' credit).

Review: Neon Indian main brain Alan Palomo returns under his own name for World Of Hassle, the latest full-length project and exploration of a completely different sound altogether. His first album under his own name, it's something of a departure from his previous synthpop/chillwave oeuvre, homing in on a brighter, kookier disco, funk, and house verve. Thematically, the album is adventurous and playful, having been inspired by Palomo's travels around the world, ups-and-downs in the music industry, and personal relationships.

Notes: Inside this brand new issue:

Releases of the Year: Wire asked their contributors to vote for their top ten records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes

Critics' Reflections: Wire's writers discuss their memorable cultural experiences of the year

Columnists' Charts: Wire's specialist critics delve deep into their musical niches from noise to modern composition

Archive Releases of the Year: Wire asked their contributors to vote for their top ten archive records, CDs, streams and more, then added up the votes.

Engineered Phantoms: AI for the masses. By Abi Bliss

Back to the Land: Strange as folk. By Louis Pattison

Rival Camps: Crossing the streams. By Britt Brown

Weapons of Mass Distraction: Artists and Gaza. By GAIKA

Invisible Jukebox: Linton Kwesi Johnson: The veteran reggae poet faces down The Wire's mystery record selection. Tested by Gabriel Bristow

Laetitia Sadier: The Stereolab founder promotes community and healing with her new solo work. By Claire Biddles

Fred Frith: The Henry Cow co-founder returns to his groundbreaking 1974 album Guitar Solos with a reissue and a new album. By Clive Bell

Unlimited Editions: Bead Records

Unofficial Channels: Lanner Chronicle

Phil Geraldi: Road head music. By Emily Bick

HUUUM: Viennese whirl. By Ilia Rogatchevski

Lisa Ullen: Piano magic. By Peter Margasak

Thomas Ignatius: Medieval synthpop. By Leah Kardos

Global Ear: Chicago Democracy and improv in the Midwest. By Levi Dayan

The Inner Sleeve: Vince Clarke on The Human League's Travelogue

Epiphanies: Mariam Rezaei on Persian pitch-shifting

Print Run: Dancehall: The Rise Of Jamaican Dance Culture by Beth Lesser; Lost In Room: Mark Perry, Alternative TV And Related, 1977-1981 by Richard Johnson; Deep Blues 1960-1988 by Val Wilmer; Ukrainian Field Notes edited by Gianmarco Del Re; At The Vanguard Of Vinyl by Darren Mueller; Too Much Too Young: Rude Boys, Racism And The Soundtrack Of A Generation - The 2 Tone Records Story by Daniel Rachel; NOTHING IS POSSIBLE NERVOUSNESS, OR IMMORALITY DON'T WAIT TO BE HUNTED TO HIDE/ SPOILT HEALTH by TRS: The Fucking Terrible Receding Shapes, Trading As TRIPLE NEGATIVE

On Screen: Midori Takada: Japan On Film; Robert Fantinatto Subotnick Portrait Of An Electronic Music Pioneer

On Location: Recombinant Festival, San Francisco, US; Sir Richard Bishop, Edinburgh, UK; Week-End Fest, Cologne, Germany; Black Industrial | Noise Event 4: Ain Bailey, London, UK; Out.Fest, Barreiro, Portugal; Gonerfest 20, Memphis, US; Sonica Surge, Glasgow, UK; People Like Us, London, UK; Loraine James, San Francisco, US; Usurper: That's That Then, Edinburgh, UK; Easter Margins Road 2 Redline Tour with OverMyBody Taipei, Taiwan; Donaueschinger Musiktage 2023, Donaueschingen, Germany

On Site: Val Wilmer Blue Moments, Black Sounds, London, UK; Meredith Monk: Calling, Munich, Germany; Barbara Ess Archives, New York, US

Soundcheck: Aesop Rock, Agitation Free, All Men Unto Me, Alternative TV, Chino Amobi, Andre 3000, Erlend Apneseth Trio & Maja SK Ratkje, Anenon, Daniel Bachman, BEAM SPLITTER + Eivind Lonning & Espen Reinertsen, Beans, Lea Bertucci, Better Corners, Galya Bisengalieva, Black To Comm, Andy Blade & Buddies, Danny Brown, Conflux Coldwell, Amelia Cuni/Werner Durand/Uli Hohmann, CZN, Angharad Davies & Phil Julian, Eartheater, Max Eastley/Terry Day/John Butcher, Carlos Ferreira, Peter Gabriel, Gruzja, Holy Tongue, Robert Hood & Femi Kuti, Idea Fire Company, Ed Jones/Dominic Lash/Mark Wastell, KAVARI, Kid Acne, Klein, Anysia Kym & Jadasea, Dominic Lash/Rachel Musson/Phil Durrant/Steve Noble, Joelle Leandre & Rodolphe Loubatiere, George Lewis/ICE, DJ Manny, Trevor Mathison, Myra Melford's Fire & Water Quintet, MHYSA, Moin, Maggie Nicols/Matilda Rolfsson/Mark Wastell, Steve Noble, Aki Onda, Ordeal, Aruan Ortiz, Tony Oxley, Eddie Prevost/NO Moore/James O'Sullivan/Ross Lambert, Janneke van der Putten, Lucy Railton, Maja SK Ratkje & Nordic Affect, Mike Reed, Marc Richter, Raphael Rogi?ski, Patrick Shiroishi, Timelash, David Toop & Tania Caroline Chen, Universal Harmonies & Frequencies, V/Z, Alex Ward Items 6 & 7, Teresa Winter, Various C-01 Compilation, Various Flux Gourmet: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The Boomerang:

Barry Bermange/Delia Derbyshire/The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Earth, Khanate, Meat Puppets, Meshuggah, Het Pandorra Ensemble, Penny Rimbaud/Mikado Koko, Rudimentary Peni, Archie Shepp, Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit, War, Frank Zappa, Various The Complete Obscure Records Collection, Various One Mile From Heaven, Various Spectra Ex Machina: A Sound Anthology Of Occult Phenomena 1920-2017 Vol 2

Review: Here comes Red Greg with a joyous edit from his coffers, presented on the run of Magic Touch reissues currently surfacing on Numero. Magic Touch was a cult label in Chicago which carried some incredible, rare tracks from the city and nearby up until 1984. The finest of these have been out of reach of the average Joe for a long time, and finally now cuts like Andy Brown's swooning, string-laden disco stomper 'Why Do I Love You' are getting back out there. For this particular release Greg was called on to offer his edit services and of course he does right by the original, bringing the best out of the track to ensure it lands the best it can when you take it for a spin.

Review: Why Do I Love You? Good question! Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero treatment, hearing rare groove selector & DJ, Red Greg, edit the disco holy grail 'Why Do I Love You' by Magic Touch. Now available on 7" for the first time, we hear both Red Greg's full version and its instrumental edit, providing ample choice for selectors hoping to build versatile sets out of the Numero catalogue.

Review: Bobby Ozra was on tour back in 2019 and the final date was in New York City. He had some time before returning home to Finland so hooked up with El Michel's Affair and Diamond Mine to record some music. The pair hit it off immediately, and Bobby used the chance to write about more esoteric subjects with the pair soon deciding to work on a full length album together. They are now well on with that process but in the meantime offer up two new gems. 'Losing It' is sun in Spanish and English and is a dramatic and moving tune while 'Watcha Know' explores death with some philosophical ponderings.

Review: For fans of 60s/70s soul, American Psych-Soul band Monophonics have released another 45 from their acclaimed 2022 album 'Sage Motel'. Frontman and LA native, Kelly Finnigan is the conductor of this train taking the listener through a journey of Bay-area psych guitars, 60s soul trumpets and Motown influences sprinkled here and there, printed on a limited swirled 7" disc. Side B's 'Crash & Burn' is the mellow ballad that succeeds Side A's 'Warpaint', originally the ninth track on the ten-track LP. A sombre, wistful track that sees Finnigan's keyboard skills on full display, the psychedelic elements taking over, having an element of St Vincent's groovy 2021 album 'Daddy's Home' in its warbling synths and hippie-esque percussion. You don't know whether you want to cry to it or get high to it, or both.

Review: Fans of Tame Impala listen up, American Psych-Soul band Monophonics have released another 45 from their acclaimed 2022 album 'Sage Motel'. Frontman, and LA native, Kelly Finnigan is the conductor of this train taking the listener through a journey of Bay area psych guitars, 60s soul trumpets and Motown influences sprinkled here and there. No better do all these things collide than on Side A's 'Warpaint', the eighth track on the album and predecessor to Side B's slow-jam 'Crash & Burn'. 'Warpaint' is a brassy quick-stepper of a track, featuring all the hallmarks of the jukebox era as Aquiles MagaNa shreds mid-way through. The tumbling drums and big band trumpets give way to a psychedelic breakdown, before picking things up where they left off in a grandiose crescendo.

Review: US dub crew Park Heights has got a real gem on their hands here with this latest 7". It is a killer jam from the mid-1980s that was made at Aquarius Studio. The 'live digital' tune has never before been released which is a wrong that is rightly corrected here and is even more special as it has Errol Dunkley on the rhythm even though it is not his usual style. It is a heavy stepper with loopy drums and hits that echo off to infinity as he drops his loved-up vocals over the. It of course comes with a superb dub on the flip.

Review: Yet another addition to the pile of new music from a Penrose soul singer who has been active since the mid 1970s and has not stopped since, Lee Fields' latest 7" single 'Waiting On The Sidelines' is a paean to pining, a song for sad hollowness. The star sings heartbreakingly of having been reduced to 'waiting on the sidelines' while the object of his affection goes off gallivanting with someone else. It's a beautiful new one from the singer-songwriter and producer, effortlessly showing off his undying penchant for the 7"s format and neatly following up his 2022 album Sentimental Fool.

Notes: Display your favourite vinyl records in style with our Now Playing Wooden Stand. This compact stand showcases your current record with a touch of elegance. With the words "NOW PLAYING" prominently displayed on the front, it adds a charming and nostalgic vibe to your vinyl listening experience.

Box contents: x1 Now Playing Wooden Display

Review: Word of a sixth album from Big Thief comes with their latest track 'Vampire Empire'. First debuting live on Stephen Colbert's Late Show in March 2023, its lyrics express an inner conflict at "vampire empires", of the tendency for relationships to err towards toxic, parasitical and contingent mindsets and a rallying cry for infinite and unbroken loves. A fixture of their many live shows for at least a good few years now, we're pleased to finally be seeing the official release of this gem.

Review: German artist Stephan Bodzin has done a fine job of keeping himself at the forefront of the melodic techno world, not least with his always boundary-pushing live shows. He takes that energy into the studio when cooking up his scintillating club tracks, too, and always has. This reissue on his own Herzblut label revisits one of his many stand cuts. 'Valentine' is a wonky one with creepy bass and mysterious melodies over crunchy tech beats. 'Papillon' takes flight like its butterfly namesake, with elegant leads and rubbery bass all doused in glorious melodic rain that has a sci-fi edge.

Review: Kilometre Club lands on the Indianapolis label Healing Sound Propagandist with a collection of sounds made using only one piece of gear, the Squier Bass VI, with the assistance of guitar pedals. Each one is a pure and cathartic meditation on minimalist drones that are deft and wispy. The compositions are smartly layered up and slowly ascend to the heavens with subtle spaces between notes and long tails making their mark on your heat. Says the artist, "this is an album for floating away while calling out vowels in reverse alphabetical order" - and we love it.

Review: Russian titan Monokle is back to once again traverse many different sound worlds with his new album Ultraflowers. It is one of a number of superb albums landing on Constellation Tatsu this summer and one defined again by its warmth. The title track is a lo-fi, scruffy and deep opener with persuasive breakbeats, while 'Glassy Eyed' is an ambient jungle trip that drips with watery melody. 'Night Objects' offers some introspection and 'Moths' is a glitchy future techno cut with smeared synth soul. '1000Work' layer sup more breaks with elegant ambient melodies and 'Predteche' casts you admit in the deepest corners of space.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Box opened, product in perfect working order***


The UDG Ultimate Phone/ Tablet Stand is a height and angle adjustable phone/ tablet holder that is designed to provide you with the most comfortable viewing angle at ergonomic eye-level height. It's a well-made and durable phone/ tablet stand with rubber grips on the holding portion to ensure that the phone/ tablet does not easily slip or fall.

In terms of convenience, this stand is perfect for watching videos, viewing photos, reading, typing, video recording, and so on.

Specifications:

Colour: Black
Outer Dimensions (W x H x D) Folded: 11.0 x 2.5 x 6.7 cm | 4.3 x 0.9 x 2.6 inch
Inner Dimensions (W x H x D) Not Applicable
Material: Aluminum + Plastic
Protection: Durable aluminum body, smooth edge, surface polishing process
Fully rubber grips on the holding portion protect your devices from slip or fall
Bottom & support surface can be extended
Multi-angle & height adjustable

Extras

Rich adjustment function, can match the use of multiple scenes
Fully foldable, easily picked up with one hand, very handy & light in weight
Reserved space for charging cord to ensure that your device is always available & help reduce desktop clutter

Fits

Works perfectly with tablets, iPad & phones

Review: Two of Finnish label Timmons regulars in their house band Cold Diamond & Mink and heart-melting vocalist Emilia Sisco come together once more here following previous successes such as 2019's vital 7", 'Don't Believe You Like That'. The gorgeous 'Trouble' has wah-wah pedals and slow-turning rhythms imbued with lush soul from Sisco under laissez-faire horns. 'It'll Get Better' is more intimate with organ chords shimmering over a sentimental groove. These are two timeless jams that could be forgotten 60s classics as much as great new cuts.

Review: A new one from American ambient artist City Of Dawn (real name Damian Duque), 'Transient Lounge' is a short EP-length collection of soothing pieces aiming at a simple intention: a peaceful and healing atmosphere for the listener. The theme is apt, since the album's inspiration-striking allegedly came at a time when the artist and his family needed to get away and find space to adapt. The LP's natural blend of guitar, piano, space delays, synthetic pads, and field recordings - a rightfully well-trodden combo - forms an echoic journey into the heart of the human condition, perhaps recalling inspirations like Bvdub or Celer.