Search dance music

Review: By 1997 Photek had already marked himself out as a wild card in the rapidly evolving d&b scene. He'd had three years to carve out some frankly dizzying displays of break editing wizardry and such was the innovation on display there just had to be an album coming. Modus Operandi smartly stepped to one side of the dancefloor, offering a smoky reflection on where jungle and d&b had got to, highlighting the compatibility between half-speed downtempo and breakneck drums and bringing inherent jazziness to the forefront of the beats, which avoided all the usual cliches. It's a masterpiece which hasn't dulled with time and here it's getting a heavyweight reissue across three slabs to ensure the loudest cut. All the better to blow your mind with, all over again.

Review: It was big news this year when hip-hop legends De La Soul finally made all of their music available to stream on digital platforms. That move was backed up by them also dropping a load of reissues of their finest albums and now we have, for Record Store Day/Back Friday, this special coloured vinyl boxset featuring their most iconic LP, 3 Feet High and Rising, on seven individual 7"s, making them perfect for DJ deployment. The box set also includes a funky slipmat making this a perfect Christmas gift for the hip-hop head in your life.

Review: Voices From The Lake is the pairing of Italian techno craftsmen and sound sculptors Donato Dozzy and Neel. They came together to do a live show at the famed Labyrinth festival in Japan and that's what gave rise to this new now seminal album. It's a deeply meditative and dubbed-out world of delicate synths and rolling drums that change only slightly and slowly but manage to keep you utterly locked in for the duration. It's pure techno that has been remastered for this new edition across eight sides of wax. An absolute modern classic for sure.

Review: Louie Vega remains a towering presence in house music 30+ years after making his early mark. As a solo artist, he deals in soulful, Latin-tinged and musical house sounds that are lavish in arrangement and often made with real instrumentals. The Vega boss now serves up a bumper collection of previously unreleased tunes across no fewer than ten sides of vinyl. There are collaborations, remixes, demos, dubs and reworks along the way and the range in impressive - from deep and triable joints to shuffling samba sounds and back again, this is a vital collection from a real house master.

Notes: DJ-specific version of AIAIAI's modular TMA-2 XE headphones, featuring 40mm S01 drivers, slim H01 headband, on-ear PU leather E02 earpieces and straight 1.5m C05 cable. Quality sound with loud, punchy response and eco-friendly credentials.

Supplier's Notes:
Modular DJ headphones.

Balanced sound
Clear sound at high volume levels
High sound isolation
Weighing only 168g
Modular headphone design

Modular DJ headphones with balanced sound for DJ performance and music exploration.

Signature bio-diaphragm drivers engineered to deliver high volume levels and minimise distortion when performing in loud environments. Weighing only 168g for enhanced comfort over extended periods of time.

Balanced sound; punchy bass

Critically acclaimed sound specifically designed for live performance. Punchy bass and balanced sound for DJ performance and music exploration.

The speaker unit contains a bio-cellulose diaphragm made from bacterial cellulose, an organic compound grown using certain types of bacteria. The precision-grown diaphragm from bio-cellulose is stiffer, lighter, and stronger than regular PET speaker units, allowing the sound-producing diaphragm to vibrate without the levels of distortion found in other speakers.

Each of these qualities results in more accurate and detailed sound from the speaker with the ability to retain clarity of sound at high volumes.

Lightweight & durable

Put to the test and trusted in the most vigorous environments - on the road, in the studio, and on stage. This requires the highest standards and zero compromise.

Modular product design

With interchangeable components such as earpads, cables, and speaker units, you can upgrade or change parts of your headphones to improve sound quality, comfort and style.

Weighing only 168g

Slim headband design made from high grade nylon covered in neoprene, results in a total headphone weight of only 168g.

High grade materials

Speaker units made from 30% recycled plastics and diaphragms made from bio-cellulose. Ear-cushions made from soft and resilient vegan leather.

The TMA-2 DJ XE comes with a number of specific features suitable for live DJing.

Cable lock

Make sure the cable are not pulled out while playing by locking it to the speaker unit.

Adjustable cups

Change the position of the speaker units for the perfect headphone fit.

Angled stereo plug

Reduce the risk of pulling the plug from the mixer, and less intrusive cable when you are beat mixing.

Stereo jack adapter

Change from a stereo mini jack (3.5 mm) to a larger stereo jack (6.3 mm) with the adaptor.

In the box

S01 . Balanced sound - Bio-diaphragm

Engineered with a 40mm speaker diaphragm made from stiff bio-cellulose to reduce distortion and increase transparency. Tuned for a balanced, accurate sound. Balanced sound - Bio-diaphragm.

H01 . Slim - PU foam

Slim and lightweight polycarbonate headband with soft, durable PU foam padding.

E02 . On ear - PU leather

Soft on-ear memory foam cushions covered with PU leather. The thickness and materials gives high isolation and a punchy sound. Strong bass and low end dynamics.

C05 . Straight - 1.5m - Adapter

Straight black 1.5m thermo plastic cable with soft touch surface. Comes with 1/4 to 1/8 screw-on adapter.

As a music creator, you need headphones that can keep up with your evolving needs and styles. These TMA-2 modular headphone system offers a customizable solution that adapts to your creative process. With interchangeable components such as earpads, cables, and drivers, you can upgrade or change parts of your headphones to improve sound quality, comfort, or style.

By investing in this modular headphone system, you're not just buying headphones - you're investing in a long-term solution that evolves with your music. This reduces electronic waste while ensuring that you always have the optimal headphones just for you.

Diaphragm: Bio-cellulose
Driver diameter: 40 mm
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Magnet: High-grade Neodymium
Max power: 100 mW
Rated power: 40 mW
Resonance freq: 80 Hz

Review: One of the most important albums of the 20th century, Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' gets a 50th anniversary specially packaged edition. Pressed exquisitely on clear 2x12 180-gram vinyl. 2x12 you ask? Well, each first side features the music while each second side has special accompanying UV enhanced artwork. This makes for a beautiful and unique special edition that sets itself aside from many reissues. This comes complete with full cover slipcase for the gatefold to reside in plus a poster as well! This album deserves a groundbreaking packaging and Warner Brothers sure gave it the proper tribute. Act quickly!

Review: Apparently inspired by a request for a reissue of their first 'greatest hits' comp Discography on vinyl, Smash is a career-spanning retrospective that rounds up all of the Pet Shop Boys singles to date - and there have been rather a lot over the years - in freshly remastered form. Naturally, it's a beautifully presented box set, featuring six slabs of wax (each in bespoke inner sleeves) and a booklet containing track-by-track liner notes by the iconic duo and journalist pal Chris Heath. It contains some of the greatest pop music made over the last four decades, with familiar hits being joined by fan favourites and occasionally overlooked later cuts. Basically, if you love the Pet Shop Boys you need this in your life.

Review: Few could have predicted the impact Phil Collins would have when he decided to go solo following his first stint in Genesis, but then few were prepared for the iconic gated drums which would come to define the 80s. Opening with the ubiquitous air-drum anthem 'In The Air Tonight', it was an unintentional landmark like all the best ones are, written as a personal therapy after his first divorce and subsequently turned into one of the biggest sellers of 1981. With a huge sound that deserves only the finest treatment, Face Value now gets remastered and repressed as an audiophile double vinyl courtesy of those exacting folk at Analogue Productions.

Review: Kirk Degiorgio's As One project continues to be a beacon of inspiration within the annals of deep, melodic UK techno. As a true pioneer of the sound from the earliest days, it's impressive to see his inspiration maintain, and there's no better home for his work than De:tuned, a label dedicated to preserving the rich expression and invention of that foundational sound. On AsOne2 we're treated to an extended excursion into widescreen machine soul of the highest calibre, where melancholic chord progressions collide with restlessly original drum programming. It's quite simply exquisite, produced with an impeccable ear and loaded with sincere human feeling. This limited pressing of the album comes on red marbled wax too - highly recommended for the collectors out there.

Review: Sub Focus has as far back as we can remember always been a 'big name' in drum & bass, but it's only now that the London-based music producer cements it as such with a slice of contextualising nostalgia. Evolve is his new LP, charting a new feel for 1990s influences and various musical homages to the acts and songs that contributed to his sense of musical evolution and maturity as a musician. Nods to the Chemical Brothers and early jungle and hardcore are conveyed through contemporary collabs with the likes of CamelPhat, Gene Farris and LOWES.

Review: Some 14 years in the making, Les Jardins Mystiques Vol.1 comprises 52 tracks of music composed, arranged and produced by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson; with contributions from 50+ friends including Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Carlos NiNo, Austin Peralta, Bennie Maupin, Gabe Noel, Jamael Dean, and more. If that wasn't monumental enough, just know that this lengthy classical-experimental-jazz album is certainly Miguel's intended magnum opus, having been written and recorded entirely as a result of his own uncompromised, self-funded efforts. Such an extensive time period reflects an album of longstanding personal growth for the artist; an attitude of continual evolution and innocence, of constantly coming of age and reinventing oneself.

Review: Fierce, fabulous and more than a little fancy, Box Of Sin takes an exhaustive look at 80s gay nightlife as the driver for the evolution of dance music. Spread over five CDs, we're taken on a sweat-slicked thrill ride through hi-nrg, disco, proto house and synth-pop taking in seminal classics and deep cuts alike. There are plenty of perennial favourites contained within, from The Pointer Sisters' 'Jump (For My Love)' and Soft Cell's 'Memorabilia' through to S'Express' massive chart dance banger 'Theme From S'Express', and you can be sure the compilers have taken care to source the real deal 12" mixes that bring out the best in a track. With plenty of lesser known surprises and a frankly head-spinning amount of knockout tracks, this is an essential document of the outsized impact queer club culture had on electronic music in the 80s and early 90s.

Review: With the recently announced news of a final "new" track from The Beatles set to imminently drop, reissues of both the iconic/infamous Red and Blue compilations are set to be delivered on a gatefold 180 gram vinyl 3xLP half-speed remaster, with the blue spanning their output from 1967 to 1970, this version exclusively bears the highly anticipated last original recording 'Now & Then'. Running from The Magic Mystery Tour EP all the way up to Let It Be (with a bevvy of essential non-album cuts such as 'Hey Jude' and 'Don't Let Me Down'), the compilation offers a detailed insight into the artistic abandon the members felt during the final years of their tenure once touring, radioplay and listener expectation had become moot points.

Review: Hard to define, rule breaking and game-changing producer Theo Parrish is back with another of his challenging and superlative albums. This one - which naturally arrives on his own Sound Signature label - is a collaboration with Maurissa Rose that true sooth the soul. It s full of his usual deadly grooves, shamanistic percussive layers and jazz energies with plenty of his famous luscious, meditative loops. Add in the smooth vocals of Rose - which come in the form of a soulful stream of consciousness - and you have yet another unique album from this true maverick of the form.

Review: Was anyone ready for one of the most talked-about albums of the year to be Andre 3000 going ham on the flute? Probably not, but in a post-reality world New Blue Sun just slots right in. Of course the legions of Outkast fans are going to be split when an artist of such prominence takes a wild swerve into experimental musical pastures, but for those with an open mind or a pre-existing appreciation of ambient and leftfield music, this album is an easy sell. Teasing the tension between acoustic and electronic, ancient and hypermodern, grounded and ethereal, Andre has been bold and honest in presenting this album to the world and his gamble has paid off.

Notes: It's clear that Pioneer DJ has once again raised the bar yet again with their latest DJ controller: the DDJ-FLX10. This versatile piece of equipment, boasts exceptional sound quality and an array of features that cater to the needs of both professional and amateur DJs.

With a layout that emulates a professional DJ setup, the DDJ-FLX10 features a 4-channel mixer and full-size jog wheels that provide a tactile and responsive feel, making it easy to scratch and manipulate tracks. It also comes equipped with a variety of input and output options, including XLR, RCA, and TRS connectors, as well as a built-in sound card that delivers high-quality audio processing.

But as with any high-end piece of music equipment, it's essential to protect your investment from any potential damage. That's where Decksaver comes in.

Designed specifically for the DDJ-FLX10, this cover is made from ultra-durable polycarbonate material that provides exceptional protection against spills, knocks, dust, and other harmful elements.

With a Decksaver cover, you can rest easy knowing that your DJ controller is protected from any potential harm.

Dimensions

Weight 1.2 kg
Length: 72 cm
Width: 39.5 cm
Height: 4.2 cm

Review: Another day, another reissue of the iconic/infamous Red Album compilation from the relatively well-known rock group dubbed The Beatles. This time delivered on a gatefold 180 gram vinyl 3xLP half-speed remaster, as the dates of 1962-1966 suggest, this collection pins down a plethora of classics penned by McCartney and Lennon, with a notable absence of any George Harrison material. Running from Please Please Me all the way up to Revolver, the compilation provides a sonic journey from the clean-cut pop-rock ditties of 'She Loves You' and 'Yesterday' to the more progressive and pioneering machinations taking shape on cuts such as 'Norwegian Wood' and the timelessly haunting 'Eleanor Rigby'. A crash course, in essence, of The Beatles' progression from witty boys with nice haircuts to modern music reformers.

Review: As part of their latest full-discography reissue via UMR, The Who re-release their second full-length rock opera, Quadrophenia. Newly to 180-gram black vinyl, this mammoth project is an early rock concept album by the band, credited for the revival and cementing of the Mod subculture at large in the seventies. The album is set between London and Brighton in 1965, and follows a young mod named Jimmy and his many tight-blazered, Moped-bound travails and heartaches. Responsible for producing the Mod as a full-blown, marketable, subcultural identity, Quadrophenia was the blueprint for a youth aeon, and went on to inspire the teen drug-addled, alley-way action of the later film of the same name, directed by Franc Roddam.

Review: As part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary celebration, the label has launched an extensive year-long vinyl series featuring 90 releases spanning the entire history of the company, from its earliest days until the present. Of these emerges this latest reissue of Crosby, Stills & Nash's self-titled debut album, first released on the label all the way back in 1969. The album features some of CSN's most well known and iconic songs; 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,' 'Marrakesh Express,' 'Guinnevere,' 'Wooden Ships,' 'Helplessly Hoping' and 'Long Time Gone.' This album saw a shift in sound to what was popular at the time - blues based rock - opting for a more folk rock, and sometimes jazz-based sound. It would lay the foundations for the California Sound that would be popularised out of Laurel Canyon in the '70s. Artists such as The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac would take inspiration from the sound of this record.

Review: Grant Green's Live at Club Mozambique is getting a first ever and long overdue issue on vinyl courtesy of a new partnership between Third Man Records and Blue Note Records called the 313 Series Partnership in recognition of the fact it will focus on seminal jazz talents from Detroit, whose zip code is 313. The record was recorded live on January 6th and 7th, 1971 at Club Mozambique and showcases Green's extensive foundatiosn in r&b. When added to his next level mastery of bebop and a style that always favoured expressiveness over technical expertise and you have an enthralling listen.

Review: First released in digital and CD formats via Sacred Rhythm, 'Progessive Roots Evolution: A Song For Healing' hears Joaqin 'Joe' Claussell's indelible style of long-form spiritual house music re-flaunted to especial somatic ends. Intentionally crafted as a piece that bridges the needs of both the music and dance communities to whom Claussell is mutually close, this is a suite divided into multiple sections that feed on one another; they appose elements of samba, jazz and house, with ambient interstices and even ruminative piano meltdowns ('Healer', 'Heloise'). This ultra limited yellow LP edition is the audiophile's preference, its dynamism best flaunted on the floaty but driving 'Cosmic Arts' mix.

Review: Aussie psych rockers King Gizzard & The Lizzard Wizard are an insanely productive and prolific group. Petrodragonic Apocalypse Or Dawn Of Eternal Night: An Annihilation Of Planet Earth & The Beginning Of Merciless Damnation is their 24th album and is base don jam sessions that finds them incorporating more heavy metal sounds than ever before. Lead singer Stu Mackenzie has explained that the album's concept is based around "humankind, and it's about planet Earth, but it's also about witches and dragons, and shit." It's a fine follow-up to the band's thrash metal album Infest the Rats' Nest and will keep them well in with fans old and new alike.

Review: The third full-length from experimentalist punk/hip-hop trio Death Grips originally arrived in 2013, just a mere year on from their exceptionally warped debut LP The Money Store and its equally depraved sophomore follow up No Love Deep Web. Made up of math-rock drummer extraordinaire Zach Hill, programmer and synth mangler Andy Morin, and of course the confrontational MC Ride; Government Plates proved the collective were seemingly unable to artistically sit still, while refusing to exude a modicum of stagnation in their prolific early days. Celebrating its ten year anniversary, while just finishing up a chaotic headline set at this year's Outbreak Fest held in Manchester, the mystique and allure of Death Grips has only continued to swell with time, and this overlooked gem (as it falls between two of their most quintessential projects) couldn't be more in need of vital appreciation and reappraisal.

Review: Armand Hammer is the New York-based duo of ELUCID and Billy Woods and now they are back with their first new album in two years. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips is a debut long player for Fat Possum and it is their biggest work yet with plenty of high-profile guest spots from the likes of JPEGMAFIA, EL-P, Kenny Segal, Black Noi$e, Preservation, DJ Haram, Child Actor, Sebb Bash, August Fanon, and more. Since they were last recording together, ELUCID and billy woods have both released critically acclaimed solo albums but show that they save some special magic for when they join up in the studio.

Notes: A digital DJ looking for a professional, durable case solution for your Ableton Push 3? Then look no further, UDG developed a super light EVA Hardcase designed for life on the road. Constructed from durable lightweight compression moulded EVA material with a laminated nylon exterior this case provides protection against drops, scratches & liquids. Skilfully designed & moulded to fit the Ableton Push 3, this case is perfect for the travelling DJ that needs to protect their equipment.

Specifications

Colour: Black
Weight: 0,90 kg / 1.98 lbs
Outer Dimensions (W x H x D): 42.4 x 40.7 x 6.1 cm | 16.7 x 16.0 x 2.4 inch
Inner Dimensions (W x H x D): 38.4 x 32.2 x 4.5 cm | 15.1 x 12.7 x 1.8 inch
Material: Durashock moulded EVA foam

Protection:

Covers main material 600D polyester with 5 mm EVA durashock moulded body
Water repellent laminated nylon exterior
Black soft fleece interior
Protective egg-crate foam prevent damage from vibrations & shocks

Extras

Extra space for cables
Heavy duty handle
Easy grip zipper pulls

Fits

Ableton Push 3 + extra cables

Review: The influence of Type O Negative continues to be felt long after Peter Steele's death signalled the end of the band. The goth metal band have a generous number of high points in their career, and 2003 album Life Is Killing Me is surely one of them. Drawing on his personal struggles at the time, Steele created a powerful statement draped in the grandiose style of rock he had cultivated since the band's debut. As well as the single 'I Don't Wanna Be Me', there was a cover of the song 'Angry Inch' and the opening track 'Thir13teen', a piece of music from classic TV show The Munsters. Two decades on from its original release, this is the first time the album has been released on vinyl, presented as a triple black and green pressing in a trifold sleeve.

Review: Half a century old and still kicking raw ass like it's still 1972, Alice Cooper's School's Out gets a deluxe reissue treatment befitting of such an iconic album. On this whopping triple-vinyl edition, Rhino have had the original album remastered so it's sounding better than ever, but of course there's heaps of bonus material to enjoy as well. You get the single versions of 'School's Out' and 'Gutter Cat vs. The Jets', an alternate version of 'Alma Mater' and an early demo of 'Elected'. On top of all that is a recording of the band's concert in Miami in 1972, recorded just before they stepped into the studio to lay down the album.

Review: Hardened music nerds may roll their eyes at the thought of the Now That's What I Call Music series turning its attention to disco, but this quintuple LP compilation does provides a great starting point for those dipping their toes into the sound for the first time or looking to grow their disco collection. A few needless pop hits aside, the set contains a wealth of sing-along party favourites ('Car Wash' by Rose Royce, Diana Ross's 'Upside Down', Lipps Inc's throbbing 'Funky Town' etc.) and genuine disco anthems that still get regular airings on club dancefloors today (Thelma Houston's 'Don't Leave Me This Way', Candi Staton's 'Nights On Broadway', Cheryl Lynn's 'Got To Be Real' and Sylvester's 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)' included).

Review: On his first solo album, 1981's Face Value, Genesis drummer-singer Phil Collins showed that he wasn't about to be left behind in the mire of classical-rock sludge. That LP boasted shorter songs and demonstrated that Collins had a true pop sensibility. Hello, I Must Be Going! continues that trend, with albeit some familiar patterns emerging, wrote Rolling Stone's John Milward; indulging a trend-bucking golden-oldie route, iridescing a rich luster of the classic rock old-school. This Analogue Productions (Atlantic Series) reissue of Hello, I Must Be Going! has the essential elements that make it a standout for your collection. First, the label turned to Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering to cut lacquers from a 1/4" EQ'd Dolby tape copy of the original master. Pressing on 180-gram vinyl is by Quality Record Pressings and RTI, the album comes housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination.

Review: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio. Japanese jazz legend Tsuyoshi Yamamoto has been busy with his trio for this new album A Shade Of Blue which comes on gatefold 180 gram vinyl via Evo Sound. The record is a reflection of his love of the classic piano trio. Such a setup was only first conceived in around the 1940s when jazz cat Nat King Cole first had the idea which was then further built on in the fifties by now well regarded innovators such as Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal and Bill Evans. Alongside bassist Hiroshi Kagawa and drummer Toshio Osumi, Yamamoto revels in great musical chemistry for this most sublime album.

Review: Juan Mendez took his Silent Servant project to another level when he released Negative Fascination on Hospital Productions in 2012. His EBM-informed, brooding slant on techno had already made its mark on Sandwell District and other such influential labels, but his debut album afforded the space to really shape out his seductive sonic dystopia. More than ten years on, it stands tall as a masterpiece in the space it occupies, seething with hard-boiled urban malaise but equally adept at using subtlety alongside intensity. This expanded edition incorporates the Extended Mixes 12" as well as additional demo versions for those who like the tracks a little rawer.