Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Ill Communication, the Beastie Boys' fourth studio album, remains a hallmark of their creative versatility. Released in 1994, this groundbreaking record merges hip-hop with punk rock, jazz, and funk, marking a significant shift towards live instrumentationia progression from their previous album, Check Your Head. Co-produced by the Beasties and Mario C, the album showcases their talent for genre-blending, featuring iconic tracks like the explosive 'Sabotage,' the funky 'Get It Together' with Q-Tip, and the raw 'Do It' with Biz Markie. The album also includes jazzy breakbeat grooves such as 'Root Down' and 'The Scoop,' along with instrumental jazz-funk tracks like 'Ricky's Theme' and 'Sabrosa,' and even nods to their punk roots with 'Heart Attack Man.' With further contributions from Money Mark, Eric Bobo, and Amery 'AWOL' Smith, Ill Communication is a testament to the Beastie Boys' ability to innovate. Now available on cassette for the first time ever, it continues to resonate as one of the band's most diverse and celebrated works.

Review: And the award for best box set idea of the year goes to Ghostly International, who've recognised the untapped crossover market potential between tape culture and architecturally minded 3D sandbox gaming. Both Minecraft and cassettes offer unequivocal home downtime experiences, so what better way than to celebrate such ingenious associations than with a mammoth expansion of Daniel Rosenfeld's original soundtrack under the name C418? After many vinyl and CD reissues became fanatic cult favorites, with several sold-out color variants, now both volumes Alpha and Beta appear in opaque green; assuming the rewind button functions properly and the reels haven't garbled round the spools, you're in for a degradable lo-fi treat and analogue alternative listening experience; mute the laptop output and fire up the Nakamichi, you wally.

Review: This is an exclusive limited edition cassette version of ever more prominent US pop star Sabrina Carpenter's Short N Sweet album. It captures the vibrant energy of the petite popstar who has already made an enormous artistic impact. Boasting a gold album and numerous platinum singles, she has reached new heights with singles like 'Espresso from this latest album. The track features playful lyrics that will make you both giggle and blush and Carpenter's signature charm and creativity shine throughout these tunes, sure to make it one of the biggest records of the year.

Review: Hot on the heels of her blockbuster album BRAT, Charli XCX delivers Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, a remix project that defies the conventional obligations of such releases. This album is a celebration of her newfound fame, marked by unfiltered creativity and a dizzying array of collaborations. Each track features new vocals, often transforming the originals into something wholly unique. The guest list is impressively eclectic, ranging from established artists like Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande to emerging talents like Bb Trickz. These collaborations highlight Charli's ability to bridge genres and eras, creating a vibrant tapestry of sound that reflects her experiences with fame. Lyrically, Brat and… dives deep into the complexities of celebrity life, navigating themes of loneliness and connection with surgical precision. Charli’s candidness is refreshing, eschewing platitudes for raw, introspective moments. The album swings between melancholic and euphoric, showcasing both the highs and lows of pop stardom. Ultimately, it’s a thrilling, unpredictable ride that reinforces Charli XCX's place at the forefront of contemporary pop.

Review: Chief among the multiple formats of De LA Soul's debut album is this lovely orange cassette edition. Often regarded as the inception of late 80s/early 90s 'alternative rap', the trio incited said era thanks to their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (da inner sound, y'all), consciously choosing a flowery, positive hip-hop sound, accessible to everyone. Trugoy, Maseo and Posdunos offer distinct personalities across the project, suggesting alternative ways in which to stay true to one's roots while keeping on the right path.

Review: Past Inside The Present go big with this Winter 2022 Deluxe Boxset across three cassette tapes. It's a superb showcase of the talents on their roster and includes a collection of music made by Italian composer Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist aka Drum & Lace between 2016 and 2019. There is also an album by London-based Will Bolton which finds the "beauty in ruins, decay and the details and textures of everyday scenes" and an album from People Galan and David Cordero which saw the pair send sound fragments back and forth over the internet and develop them until they both liked what they heard. It all adds up to a brilliant snapshot of some of ambient's best current practitioners.

Review: Past Inside The Present co-founder Isaac Helsen - a multi-disciplinary artist from Michigan, creating photography and paintings as well as music - in action on this double cassette alone after a string of collaborations with labelmate 36 and fellow label co-founder zake. Helsen's sound works on a grand (electronically) orchestral scale at times, the proverbial cathedrals of sound coming to mind, at others (see 'Duniskwalgunyi') understated and intimate. On first listen, it's the simpler moments like 'Whisper At A Party' that grab you, but the 17 track selection slowly reveals itself to be quite special on repeated rotations.

Review: Returning with his redemption attempt follow up to 2020's We Are Chaos, industrial metal shock-rock provocateur Marilyn Manson seeks to skirt the numerous controversies and accusations accrued in the last few years with his most potent musical statement in decades. Signing with Nuclear Blast and enlisting the likes of Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to helm the project, his 12th full-length One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 (indicating that more is sure to follow), offers up some of the heaviest and introspective material of his career to date, with cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand' harking back to the unhinged angst of Antichrist Superstar, whereas 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' breathes with the same mercurial synth-gloom as the strongest moments on Mechanical Animals. A cynical attempt to regain fan adoration, or the sound of a tortured artist finally coming to terms with his own demons and attempting to rediscover former glory and prowess, the interpretation is entirely your own to consider.

Review: Meg Mulhearn and Belly Full of Stars come together for this split release on which the former takes care of the first four tunes and the latter the other five. For her part, Mulhearn harnesses the power of fire and ice, sunshine and torrential rain in tracks that are occasionally gentle and sometimes harsh. The textures are fuzzy and grainy but synths and strings bring light and hope. Kim Rueger's Belly Full of Stars alias finds her going deep into subterranean worlds of cavernous sound detailed with the finest of wispy melodies on' Ebon Flow' while 'Perihelia' has a more organic and summery feel desire being so pressurised and tense. These are enchanting sounds for sure.

Review: Theo Parrish is giving his new album with Maurissa Rose the full treatment - serving it up on his preferred vinyl, but also as a CD and here a cassette on his own label Sound Signature. It is a complete coming together of these two revered Detroit musical talents following a string of great singles with one another since 2019. As you can expect, the grooves are dusty, complex and rooted in house but with plenty of influences from soul, funk and jazz. The vocals from Rose are as smooth as you like and take the form of soulful streams of consciousness. Utterly vital.

Review: Originally part of an exhibition curated by Elysia Borowy last September, Scott Grooves' contribution to After The Dance transcends the dancefloor, exploring experimental expressionism in visual arts and electronic music. Critiquing capitalist culture and drawing from afrofuturism, his work prompts reflection on consumerism and futuristic themes. The CD release features deep ambient pieces that caccaompnied six thought-provoking installations: Sweet Dreams Anakin, Foot Work, Vinyl, For All-Dee People, Yellow Sun Bricks, and Found Sound. It shows another side to the deep house don's work and is just as essential.

Review: Natsu Summer's 2024 release, Orange Tsushin (Orange Communication), produced by Cunimondo Takiguchi of Ryusenkei, is a delightful blend of danceable lovers' rock and soothing city pop, featuring ama-piano and steppers rhythms. The seven-track album is highlighted by a cover of a hidden Japanese lovers' rock classic from the 90s, adding a unique twist to its reggae and city pop roots. With different jacket artwork for each media format, Takiguchi's artistic touch extends beyond music. Released on cassette, Orange Tsushin is a vibrant homage to Natsu Summer's Ehime heritage, encapsulating the spirit of mandarin oranges in both sound and visual presentation.

Review: Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign join forces on Vultures 1, delivering a polished, cohesive project that showcases their combined talents. The album feels unusually complete for West's recent output, with crisp mixes and dynamic arrangements that highlight Ty's signature silk-and-grit vocals alongside Kanye's evolving artistry. From the airy melodies of opener 'Stars' to the Donna Summer-sampling 'Good (Don't Die)', the album strikes a compelling balance between nostalgia and innovation. Tracks like 'Burn' and 'Paid' stand out with hypnotic beats and intricate rhythms, while the Brazilian funk-inspired 'Paperwork' adds a playful, global flair. Ty's smooth hooks complement Kanye's performances, which, while technically precise, focus more on fitting the production's mood than dominating it. The production shines throughout, blending industrial textures with moments of emotional resonance. Songs like 'Carnival', featuring Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid, bristle with energy, while the lush layering on 'Do It' and 'Fuk Sumn' enhances their infectious grooves. Despite occasional lyrical flatness, the album's sonic brilliance and pacing make it a captivating listen.

Review: A new double cassette box from Past Inside The Present, which sees its co-founder zake in relatively rare solo mode mixing soothing ambient sensibilities with orchestral, classical influences. 'Dernier Souffle (Pt 1)' is a great example of how the two can meld very easily and comfortably, a sense of slowly retreating heartache creeping over its open, slabs of floating sounds, whereas the three parts of 'La Paix Eternelle (Pt 1), on the other hand, evoke heavenly choirs of angels. An album with its head in the clouds, for sure, but once you join it there you won't want to come down.

Review: Esteemed ambient auteurs, zake and ossa's collaborative output continues to soothe and delight in equal measure. After Syntheticopia in August 2022 and the dark long-player 'A Pale Shelter' in 2021 between zake, ossa, and City of Dawn comes Module, a collaboration that includes seasoned electronic producer Ruben A. Tamayo, under the alias FAX. The power trio brings forth an eight-track excursion into heavy ambient atmospheres with moody soundscapes and a real weight of melancholy. As always, the textures are grainy and lo-fi, the drones long-held, and the chords which poke through the clouds, bring subtle rays of hope and optimism. It is the latest and maybe the greatest chapter in this ongoing story from zake and ossa with featured collaborators.