Back in stock: All genres

Review: Fabrizio Fattori has been a deep cover hero in Italian dance music since the mid 80s, and while he may have shifted his attention to tribal house music in the 90s, this collection zeroes in on his earlier afro disco funk work, which drips with Balearic groove appeal. Collecting sought after records and other archival gems, this lengthy EP is a joyous, synthy excursion through sunny climes, from the MIDI brass and plastic slap bass of "Leg Pulling" to the intricate percussion and live sax of "Bara-Hum-Ba." This is a quintessential Best reissue - beautifully packaged, and putting super rare music back in the hands of the fans.

Review: Active since the early 1980s, Robert Ffrench is a curio in the reggae scene, with a penchant for extra drum machines and a distinctly wacky sound. Emblematic of Ffrench's approach to music-making is the album 'Wondering', which here comes reissued via 333. Entirely themed around the tumult of Ffrench's relationships while living in 1980s Jamaica, hilarities like 'I Can't Finance You' and 'Heart Breaker' reflect the artist's intense thoughts on the various women in his life. It's all helped along, best of all, by his remarkable synthwork, making this an essential listen.

Review: Unstoppable Munich label Ilian Tape has another entry in its fine ITX Series here and this one is called 'Biospore Farmers' from Fields of Mist, describing it as "Sunrise Beams Through Orbital Mist." In less abstract terms, it is a gorgeously hazy and lo-fi electro-exploration. The first two cuts are slow, doleful and reflective with grainy pads and deep space ambiance swirling around nice rough-edged broken beats. The B-side picks up the pace with the brilliantly kinetic bounce of 'Astral Projection Spores' and then the skittish and celestial trip that is 'Orbital Mist'. A high-class EP once again.

Review: Fleet Dreams has worked on labels like PPU and All City but now launches the freshly formed Vinezza Records with an aim of putting out into the world "an eclectic tapestry of magnetic rhythms". The first EP comes from the label founder and kicks off with a tom-laced, dusty and muted melodic house affair that bangs pretty hard but also has a soft and gooey heart. 'Tan Gallant' is just as thumping but marbled with vocals and melodies that bring the soul and 'Deep Respire' gets busy with rising synth pads and swirling keys. 'Echoes Of Ego' is the full-throttle tribal closer with a steamy jungle atmosphere.

Review: Amsterdam collective Forsvarlig Arkiv is branching out with a new label that is going to represent what they are all about. This debut EP, 'Arkiv I', comes after many years of expert curating of their podcast series and welcomes four different, equally vital artists to offer up some fresh techno. Forest On Stasys kicks off with 'Sunken', a swamp and gurgling bit of mind-melting sound design, Zemog's 'A'te' then rides on silky, meditative loops with rising synth tension and Eyvind Blix follows a similar path with a more psychedelic edge. Biocym shuts down with 'Sabotage', a more percussive and edgy sound for late-night freaks.

Review: Francis K remains a legend to this day and his music will always be well received whenever it is reissued. It was pioneering tackle back then and it remains a cut above the rest to this day. Here his FK EP is in the spotlight on Wave Music. It opens with the rapturous vocals of 'Hypnodelic' (feat Freddie Turner) before going for jacked up space beats on 'Mindspeak.' 'Edge Of Time' is a freaky tribal number for the dead of night with plenty of cosmic chords, and last of all 'Moov' explores deep house beats with new age melodies. Hard to categorise, easy to love, this is classic electronic music.

Review: There are not too many house and techno labels in the United States that can boast quite the discography and international success that the Brooklyn based Scissor & Thread label can. For over a decade now, the busy label has kept the quality up to the high standards the label set when starting. A big part of that quality is having Frank & Tony on board through the label's history. Ethos is their new full-length album that, spread across a double pack of wax, with tracks mostly kept under close guard, except the opener 'Olympia'. Make no mistake though, from the rumours and whispers we've heard already, it looks like being a big hit.

Notes: Digital 12-bit oscillators meet analogue filters in this creative little synth module. Six-voice polyphony, preset storage and MIDI control make for a compelling instrument with its own distinctive sound.

Supplier's Notes:
The Tooro is Fred's Lab's new 6-voice 4-part hybrid "digilog" polysynth.

Including the latest discoveries in mixed electronics, the original FL A847 analog filters, this is the perfect module for demanding sound designers and every musician seeking distinctive tones with a strong personality, in a very compact form factor.

Each voice offers 2 complex digital oscillators with waveform morphing, 2-operator linear phase modulation and self-sync features plus a noise source, a ring modulator, the unique FL A847 lowpass filter accompanied by a digital shaper, 2 advanced LFOs and 2 ADSR envelopes.

A modulation matrix with 8 slots allow the animation of most of synthesis parameters.

A master stereo digital FX offering various modulated delays is also included.

Tooro is shipped with a printed version of the QuickStart Guide (in English) and a 1 meter black USB cable.

Technical aspects:

All Fred's Lab instruments are produced and manually assembled locally in Germany.

The Tooro is a polyphonic and multitimbral synthesizer module with 6 voices, 4 parts, per voice analog filters and a stereo signal path.

Sound Engine

Per voice

Oscillators:
Two 12bit digital oscillators with:
waveform morphing
additional sine modulator (for linear through zero phase modulation)
auto-sync feature - hardsync

Filter:
A single FL A847 12dB/Octave low-pass filter with auto-oscillation and saturation features.

Shaper:
A selection of digital filters algorithms from Fred's Lab.

Noise:
A regular white noise source.

Ring modulator:
An audio rate multiplication of osc1 output by osc2 output.

Envelopes:
Two ADSR envelopes with hold stage and multiple triggering options.

LFOs:
Two complex LFOs with various waveforms and their own AD envelope.

DCA:
A digitally controlled attenuator with volume and panning control.
Per part
MIDI channel selection, overall part volume and panning.

A syncable arpeggiator with multiple modes is included.
Global
Multi-FX
A 12bit digital multi-FX module with various modulated delays.

Instrument:
Memory
The Tooro can store:
100 sound presets
10 multis

Connectivity:
2 line-level unbalanced 6.35mm jacks (mix left & right)
2 instrument-level 3.5mm jacks for separate voice outputs (for voice 1-4 only)
1 DIN5 MIDI-IN
1 DIN5 MIDI-OUT (OUT + smart THRU)
1 USB 1.1 B compatible port (for power and MIDI over USB)
1 power switch

UI:
4 high-quality metal encoders
14 tactile switches
dual digit 7-segment hexadecimal display
12 leds

Mechanics:
aluminum industrial enclosure
quality rubber feet
170 x 120 x 45 mm
550 grams

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


REPRESS ALERT!: Best Italy turn their impeccable reissue powers towards a surefire burner from 1984 given the stamp of approval by the likes of David Mancuso, Larry Levan and Ron Hardy back in the day. "Come Back Lover" was actually mixed down by another legendary DJ - Tony Humphries - and it shows. Even the original mix plays out with an extended, floor-focused flow that captures the creative energy at work at this epochal time for DJ culture. As ever with Best reissues, there's a plethora of alternative and dub mixes to suit any spinner's specific requirements, with the groove front and centre every time.

Review: Fred Frith is simultaneously a singular musical figure and a collection of musical lifetimes. He's the composer who wrote fragile avant-garde music in the tradition of John Cage and Earle Brown, the innovator who created new concepts of underground rock with his colleagues in the band Henry Cow, and the improviser who developed his very own language on the guitar. The many facets of Frith's musical oeuvre shimmer in vibrant and unique colors, but stand as one rainbow monolith of musical creation, never disintegrating into esoteric eclecticism. Always musically curious and unbiased, he develops his ideas in the moment, demonstrating in real time how his creative process, while free of old hat conventions and tricks, creates an immediate yet unrandom and committed music. At the core is his unique guitar playing, which is on full display across these two records. His debut, Guitar Solos (1974), opened up a space beyond rock and improvised music and now, 50 years later comes Fift (2024), a new solo guitar album that sounds completely different and yet familiar, adding to his monolith of musical creation with another new vibrant color.

Review: This is a special cassette tape version of the recent album from zake, one of ambient's most prolific artists, alongside From Overseas on his own Past Inside The Present label. As always it is an almost impossibly deep ambient selection that once again finds him exploring fresh and always emotionally moving musical territory. Demain Des L'aube features eight tunes that convey real melancholia and have a gently persuasive sense of movement. Each one is vast in scale and sweeps you up and sinks you into the grainy lo-fi pads, wispy melodies and distant string-based sombreness.

Review: Vinyl Fanatiks take it all the way back to 1993 with this reissued EP by Fruit & Veg. It has been fully remastered of the occasion and sounds as good now in terms of the fidelity, as well as the style, as it did 30+ years ago. 'Dark Enough?' is a nice heads-down and hardcore jungle roller with broad, menacing bass that booms out beneath the silky loops. Flip it over and '25%' again has some devastating amen breaks looped to infinity while more tripped melodies bring a darker rave edge to this one.

Review: Needless to say, Fugazi were the kind of band whose first demo trounced most band's entire recording careers. Formed by four passionate musicians - from the ashes of Minor Threat, Embrace and Rites Of Spring - amidst a climate of idealistic fervour and youthful rage in Washington DC in the late '80s, this incendiary band took the energy and power of hardcore and broadened it out into a sound that was as expansive as it was incisive. This collection of ten songs, recorded incredibly at a point when the band had only played ten gigs, showcases an already unique and inspirational outfit creating a sound that would resonate around the hardcore scene of the world and way beyond.

Review: Croatian producer Funky Destination is back with an irresistible funk bomb here in the form of this new 45rpm on Sound Exhibitions out of Italy. It comes on limited edition red vinyl and opens up with 'I Wanna Love Ya' which is one of his signature grooves completes with snappy hits and jangling guitar lines. It's a loopy affair that bursts to life with the arrival of some big trumpets and has a throwback turn of the millennium feel. 70s Lonely Hustler' is the flipside jam and is a more organic and loose rhythm peppered with Latin energy, bird calls, tambourines and much more.

Review: Leading Italian disco outlet IRMA is back with more irresistible and dazzling goodness, this time courtesy of Funky Destination with some pretty standout remixes. 'Take It Down' opens up as a new version by LTJ Xperience that has percolating funk lines and slow, sensuous grooves. 'Mr Bong' (Louie Beat Re-work) is a more percussive number with brilliant drumming and sunny melodies and 'Take It Down' offers a sensuous soul sound and some psyched-out guitar riffs. Last of all is the most streamy and busy of the lot with unresolved drum loops, disco percussion and rousing pads that will fill the floor.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Rosie Gaines will also be synonymous with her smash hit single 'Closer Than Close' (also the name of her fifth album) which now gets reissued by the Demon Record Singles Club. Gaines actually started her career back in 1985 when she perfumed and recorded with The Curtis Ohlson Band but it was when she was a member of Prince & The New Power Generation that she really got noticed. Her Closer Than Close album came in 1995 and soon after she was dropped by Motown, but a remix of the title track a year so so later arrived in club land on bootleg and sold over eight million copies around the world.

Review: Light In The Attic do the preservative god's work of reissuing the rare Going To My Baby's Place by West Coast funk and soul singer Vernon Garrett. His debut album, released in 1975, this is a dynamic, un-fluffed funk breakthrough, following an extended panhandle of 45s that characterised his rarefied career for almost a decade before he moved onto full-lengths. Expanding the bittersweet mood that had characterised his career until this point in time, we hear the likes of 'Something Went Wrong', 'Don't Do What I Do', 'One Man's Loss' and 'Going To My Baby's Place', across which we hear a consciously stoic Garrett duly acknowledge the natural peaks and troughs of life, through which he recognises that it's all necessary for one well lived. Vernon's wild and powerful songs come backed by incandescent performances by members such as Jimmy Gough and Leon Kittrell, who would later form L.T.D. and David T Walker.

Review: Russian label Samizdat follows up its notable first release with a second 12", this time from Genning. It is classy and sophisticated outing all the way with this one as opener 'Stair To The Sky's Rooftop' soon sets you off on a trip to the stars with its slick rhythms and glistening celestial chords. 'Window To The Dub' follows more of a tech house template with loopy drums and bass that rumble up and down and 'Summer Lighting' then zones you out on some lovely pads and frictionless drums. Last off all is 'Mystic Lakes' which takes off on balmy pads and plump, cuddly but dynamic drums.

Review: DJ Scientist aka John Raincoatman is the German record collector behind the Outer Edge label. This time he welcomes Ghia for a second outing following the sold out and hugely desirable first one. This one comes in the form of a full length album featuring some previously unissued songs and lots of the group's signature downtempo synth pop sounds. They are soothing, lush and soulful, with delicate female vocals over sweet and innocent 80s keys and drum sounds. Perfectly steamy and sexy for slow dancing or lazy afternoons.

Review: Ghost are sadly an easily confused band - doubly so, for the fact that there is now a wildly popular masked metal troupe of the same name, *and* because there is, uncannily, a 1984 film named Ghost, also rather well known. This confounding is apparently so prevalent that the obligatory Wikipedia entry on *this* Ghost is titled
'Ghost (1984 band)'. We wouldn't usually mention it, save for the fact that this perhaps not so wilful obscurantism actually works in their favour. With Drag City's reissue of Ghost's first album on griseous vinyl here, it's safe to say that this Japanese experimental psych/acid record's aura as a hidden gem feels rare to come by. It's almost as if Ghost (1984) is 'haunting' the other aforementioned cultural touchstones of the same name. Don't get it twisted, though: Ghost formed in the early 80s, but this debut recording didn't make it to the pressing plant until 1990. What explains the gap in their CV, you ask? Legend has it that the band led a truly nomadic existence - as a "band" should, in all senses of the word - roving, drifting from ruined ancient temples to disused subway stations near Tokyo. With that all checked, the album itself is truly free-spirited and eerie, and not what you'd expect from contemporary notions of space rock, with prepared tinkerings and strange readymade detritus seeming to fill each piece at every twist and turn.

Review: The Canadian post-rock instrumentalists return with a demand for revolution, soundtracked by just shy of 45 minutes of orchestral aggression. As with all of their work, GY!BE convey their ideas articulately through evocative wordless music. The opener, 'Undoing a Luciferian Towers' sets a tone for the album with a monolithic and militaristic march. Passages of feedback open out into anthemic expanse on the three parts of 'Bosses Hang'. 'Fam/Famine' balances between harmonic assonance and dissonance, ramping up the tension before the final triptych 'Anthem Of The State' takes a more optimistic tone, with the movement away from noise providing some glimmers of light in the abyss. 'Luciferian Towers' is an impeccable and polished record, and possibly Godspeed You! Black Emperor's finest to date.

Notes: Top-of-the-range audiophile cartridge from Britain's oldest cartridge company. Beautifully revealing sound with quiet background and replaceable Gyger-S stylus included.

Supplier notes:
The 1042 is a record cartridge for the audiophile who demands the ultimate sonic performance from their system, together with the convenience of a user replaceable stylus. The extended groove contact of its Gyger-S diamond gives the 1042 unsurpassed resolution of the fine groove modulations, producing an exceptionally detailed, smooth and musical sound.

Notes: Goldring D42 stylus is designed to fit the current Goldring 1042 phono cartridge or old model 1040, a direct replacement when your stylus is worn - saving the cost of buying a whole new cartridge. Goldring cartridges generally last many hours until the stylus needs replacing. An indication of wear is a "duller" sound.

Simply remove your current stylus by carefully pulling it away from the cartridge and replace it with the replacement.

The 1042 is a record cartridge for the audiophile who demands the ultimate sonic performance from their system, together with the convenience of a user replaceable stylus. The extended groove contact of its Gyger-S diamond gives the 1042 unsurpassed resolution of the fine groove modulations, producing an exceptionally detailed, smooth and musical sound.

Replacement stylus: 1042 - D42

Review: Good Cop Bad Cop's sophomore release, crafted by frontman Joe Carnall and producer Gold Teeth, marks a departure from traditional indie rock. Recorded closer to home, the album embraces synth and hip-hop influences, pushing boundaries while retaining elements of nostalgia. The decision to leave guitars largely untouched results in a sound that feels both timeless and contemporary. Carnall's forward-thinking approach shines through, showcasing his willingness to evolve creatively. While rooted in the present, traces of the band's indie rock origins linger, creating a dynamic listening experience that bridges past and future. The album has innovative soundscapes that journey through Carnall's sonic evolution, offering a refreshing take on modern music.

Review: There isn't a Star Wars fan in the known galaxy who isn't singing the praises of The Mandalorian, a series which has gifted the world (and the merchandising machine) with the magic of Baby Yoda. As well as the stunning sci-fi action on screen, the series is also notable for the striking soundtrack from Swedish composer Ludwig Goransson, and now you can score a highly collectable edition of that very work thanks to this awesome picture disc. With the titular hero's helmet on one side, and of course wee little Grogu in his hover basket thing on the other, this is one that will look as good on the shelf as it will sound on the platter.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Summer 2023 will always be remembered for the cinematic battle that was Barbie vs Oppenheimer, two polar opposite Hollywood smashes that spawned a wave of memes. Both managed to break records but one stands out when it comes to the soundtrack - and that is Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, the three-hour epic about the genesis of the atomic bomb. Written by Ludwig Goransson it now arrives in full, on nice opaque orange vinyl, via Mondo. The music matches the deep trip into the psyche of a singular American mind J. Robert Oppenheimer with plenty of drama and immersive, emotional moments.

Review: Prolific Lithuanian dub techno explorer Grad_U is back with a new album which further develops his explorations in realms well beyond the limitations of the dancefloor. Spectral Decay examines all manner of spatial processing, not to mention celebrating the power of the space between the pulses. There are still some steadfast technoid rhythms to latch onto, but the beats are always secondary to the atmospherics in Aleksandr Martinkevic's immersive productions. With a couple of remixes from kindred spirits such as Dominique Jacquinet and Ohrwert Alter folded in for good measure, this is another essential trip into the echo chamber from a master of the craft.

Review: Four years on from her last full-length outing, Ariana Grande returns with her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. In keeping with many post-pandemic albums, Grande apparently drew on her own personal experiences during the writing process, keen to deliver something that mixed "vulnerability" with entertainment. Musically, it also follows current and recent pop trends, combining r&b and hip-hop roots with nods to disco ('Bye'), 80s synth-pop ('Supernatural', 'This Boy'), trap ('True Story'), EDM (the house-tinged 'Yes and?' and colourful 'We Can't be Friends (Wait For Your Love') and classic balladeering ('I Wish I Hated You', with its expansive musical palette and intricate instrumental flourishes).

Review: As usual, there's no confirmation as to who is behind this edition of the Semi-Skimmed Edits series, but as the previous volumes were the work of scalpel fiend James Greenwood, it's likely he's made these reworks, too. There's plenty to admire throughout, from the grandiose horn arrangements, starry instrumentation and club-ready jazz-funk grooves of 'Tea For Two', and the driving, heavily orchestrated disco-funk hedonism of 'Boogie Drunk', to the Chic-style guitar licks and sweaty drums of closing cut 'You Control Me', whose swirling, filtered breakdowns will do a terrific job in spiking energy levels out on the dancefloor.

Review: Muriel Grossman has already serve up her tune fusion album Union this month with the help from some fine talents including Radomir Milojkovi on guitar, Llorenc Barcelo on Hammond and Uros Stamenkovic's tight drums. But now the sax player is back on the same label with Natural Time, a double gatefold album that features some of the cuts off Union - namely 'Happiness' and 'African Dance' - as well as a few more that are just a s spiritual and sensuous. It is hard to pick a favourite between the two albums so you'll be best off just getting both.

Review: Contemporary spiritual jazz maestro Muriel Grossmann is a sax player, singer and composer who has already released plenty of well regarded albums, but is nowhere near done yet. Universal Code is her latest and is a bumper double that again finds her offering her own unique take on the spiritual jazz template. She once again recalls her recent band mates Radomir Milojkovic on guitar, Llorenc Barcelo on keyboards and Uros Stamenkovic on drums and Gina Schwarz on double bass and they slide into soul jazz sound with straight ahead sounds that soon soothe with breezy soprano motifs and bluesy walking basslines.

Review: Guitarist, composer and skateboarder Tommy Guerrero hears several of his earliest albums reissued now via Be With, of which 2008's Return Of The Bastard was his fifth. Still evidently deep in the throes of recording for the pure fun of it, this fifteen-track album reflects a pure lyricless enjoyment that few other of Guerrero's contemporaries could ever hope to share. Perhaps it's the meditative truck of his earlier skate career that course-corrected his frame of mind to pure creative meditativeness; here driving noisy drum machines, lightly-amped two-tones, the occasional kalimba and faint vocals all collide for the perfect accompaniment to an implied visual narrative.

Review: .

Review: Italian label Roof Club aims to raise both ceilings and roofs, and continue to do so with their latest EP from Guile. Mixing a contemporary minimal approach with classic 90s sounds, this one's a neat fusion of progressive house and trance, with sprinklings of cheesy freestyle and acid thrown in for good measure. The jokingly titled '90's Generator' is the real highlight, with its orchestral hits and licky leads.

Review: Quirky and lo-fi minimal moods from the Pirka label, successfully blending four tracks from various artists in their repertoire as far-flung as speed garage, deep house, and broken beat. Glitchingly restless come tracks like Hendriks Toth's 'Pescado Y Limon' and Jorge Savoretti & Lulla's 'Zoot', both of which we consider to be highlights thanks to their impressively slick and agile production quality and swing. The tunes by Guy From Downstairs and Unknown Collective are no less beguiling, spanning crossrhythmic pulses to speedy hat-clap hypnotizers.

Notes: 3xMIA is a 6-channel attenuverting mixer/offset/scale/polarizer.

3 blocks of 2-channel attenuverting mixers, using dual concentric pots. Each channel can be switched to mix with the subsequent channel, allowing for 2-2-2, 4-2, 6 mix configurations.

With nothing plugged into an input, an offset is normalled to that channel. The inner knobs control the A inputs, while the outer knobs control the B inputs.

DC coupled, so it can be used for audio, CV, or both at the same time.

80 mA +12V
80 mA -12V
35 mm Depth
6 HP wide

Notes: Mix up to four stereo channels in just 4hp, or chain multiple modules together to add channels. Inputs are normalled for mono operation. Simple, compact and high quality at a reasonable price.

Supplier's Notes:
4xSt.Mixer is 4 HP quad stereo mixer.

Right inputs are normalled to Left inputs for easy mono operation

Several 4xSt.Mixers can be chained together or with other HN stereo modules via sockets on the back side

65 mA +12V
50 mA -12V
35 mm deep

Notes: 1U version of Happy Nerding's effects module, offering a total of 32 effects, with user-storable presets and CV control. Great value in a convenient package.

Supplier's Notes:
32 unique audio effects arranged in 4 banks of 8 effects. Three effect controls plus analogue Dry/Wet control with dedicated CV input. High quality stereo signal pass. Assignable CV input to effect controls or to Sample Rate reducer (changes internal clock). Four user storable presets - stores selected program and all three controls. Spin FV-1 based.

The last used effect, assigns and presets are always remembered.

32 effects are simultaneously available, but FX AID can be reflashed with other effects in any order.

Reflashing procedure is quite easy: playing 40 sec long .wav file of line level amplitude to CV input.

Reflashing mode: hold both buttons for 10 sec.

By default it runs on 32.77 kHz and, if sample rate reduction assign is used, this sample rate can be decreased down to 2000 Hz or brought up to 48 kHz.

Dimensions

24 HP
40 mm deep
Module is a 1U tile in Intellijel format

Current Draw

80 mA +12V
30 mA -12V

Notes: 32 unique audio effects arranged in 4 banks of 8 effects. Three effect controls plus analogue Dry/Wet control with dedicated CV input. High quality stereo signal pass. Assignable CV input to effect controls or to Sample Rate reducer (changes internal clock). Four user storable presets - stores selected program and all three controls. Spin FV-1 based.

The last used effect, assigns and presets are always remembered.

32 effects are simultaneously available, but FX AID can be reflashed with other effects in any order.

Reflashing procedure is quite easy: playing 40 sec long .wav file of line level amplitude to CV input.

Reflashing mode: hold both buttons for 10 sec.

By default it runs on 32.77 kHz and, if sample rate reduction assign is used, this sample rate can be decreased down to 2000 Hz or brought up to 48 kHz.

Dimensions

24 HP
40 mm deep
Module is a 1U tile in Intellijel format

Current Draw

80 mA +12V
30 mA -12V

Review: We've been treated to reissues of everything else from PJ Harvey's spectacular catalogue, so it's only right we get a chance to savour the deeper cuts that shape out the persona of the high priestess of alternative rock. Gathering together an exhaustive 59 B sides, demos and previously unreleased tracks, this six-LP box set takes us into the heart of Polly Jean's writing process, showing the raw power in the songwriting when it's just her voice and an overdriven guitar, and showing us the broader possibilities of songs which didn't make the cut for the studio albums. This is a true treasure of music getting the authoritative release she deserves.

Review: Alleviated's Larry Heard reissue series has previously brought us the rough and tough acid of Gherkin Jerks and, more recently, the intergalactic downtempo grooves of his largely overlooked Alien LP. Here, they revisit one of Heard's later aliases, Loosefingers, dusting down and reissuing tracks from 2003's Glancing at the Moon EP. All three tracks are deep, warm and melodious in typical Heard fashion, with the title track delivering a sultry blend of wide-eyed chords, darting electronics, Latin-influenced percussion and tactile keys. "Deep Inside" delivers a hazy, sun-kissed take on soulful house - all jazz bass, sensual chords and gentle vocals. Best of all, though, is the tougher, synth-heavy "Lamentation", which rolls along at a near techno-tempo and is blessed with thrilling bleep melodies.

Review: Alleviated's trawl through the (admittedly limited) back catalogue of Larry Heard's long-forgotten Loosefingers alter ego continues. The three tracks here were originally released back in 2004 on the When Summer Comes EP, and see Heard at his deepest and most sensual. The ten-minute title track is particularly gorgeous, sounding like a blueprint for all those hazy "beach house" releases that followed in subsequent years. Pleasingly, there's some more aggressive, in-your-face material on the flip, with the rubbery "Transmission X" and bold "Acid Bounce" recalling Heard's more robust, acid house-inclined work (Gherkin Jerks, "Washing Machine" etc). In fact, it's these two cuts that make the EP nigh on essential.

Review: Italian singer Elena Ferretti was popular on the Italo and Eurobeat scene between the early '80s, produced by the likes of Giacomo Maiolini, Mauro Farina, Sergio Dall'Ora and Giancarlo Pasquini. One of her best known hits is the song "My World" (as Sophie). Here we have a reissue of Feretti's highly valued Italo classic (to those who know) in the form of "Witch" under the Helen alias - with which she used for half a dozen or so tracks in her career. A typically neon-lit Italo disco anthem of the timeless variety, with additional remixes by Centre Neptune chief Flemming Dalum and mad Aussie Hysteric - both of them giving the track a nice reshape for modern dancefloors.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Italian singer Elena Ferretti also worked under the monikers Sophie and Helen. She was massively popular on the Italo and Eurobeat scene back at the start of the 80s and was produced by Giacomo Maiolini, Sergio Dall'Ora and Giancarlo Pasquini. She has got plenty of cult tunes to her name (or names) and 'I Love You' is one of them to now get reissued by ZYX. It has a classic synth bassline that sprays across the track like the Donna Summer classic 'I Feel Love', with analogue drum sounds below and magnificent melodies up top. Flemming Dalum remixes with big, bright, shimming retro-future synth chords and Victor Ark brings a more cold and stomping feel.

Review: Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze Live On Air captures the electrifying essence of the American's legendary performances. Released posthumously, this album offers a superb glimpse into his unparalleled talent and stage presence. From the iconic riff of 'Purple Haze' to the soulful improvisations elsewhere, each track showcases Hendrix's innovative guitar techniques and charismatic vocals. The raw energy and spontaneity of these live recordings cannot fail to transport you back to the height of 1960s counterculture and reaffirm Hendrix's status as a musical icon for both die-hard fans and newcomers alike.

Review: NorthSouth records has made a strong impact since beginning to release music in 2017 and one fixture on the label who has been featured on almost half of the labels output is Henry Hyde. His knack for throwing genres to the wind and just making fun, upbeat music that works great on the dancefloor, has his talents in strong demand. Check out 'Melting' for a perfect example, or tracks like 'Mire', which remind us of the enjoyment injected into dance music of the late 90s, a time where addictive dance music was devoid of rules and boundaries. 'Sunrise At The Pavilion' might actually be our most favourite as it has the deepest most unique should to us. Every track is a winner.

Review: Hey Cabrera! brings the heat with Italo Void, a vibrant fusion of electro disco, Italo, and house that embodies the essence of summer. Clean drum patterns lay the foundation, complemented by captivating melodies that shimmer throughout the track. Lauer's remix adds an analogue touch with piano keys, infusing a sense of late-night romance. On the flip side, 'Forelskelse' transports listeners to Scandinavia, blending disco and house elements to create an uplifting atmosphere filled with emotive energy. David Bay's remix of 'Forelskelse' offers a measured yet addictive rendition, allowing the instruments to shine while retaining the essence of the original. Together, these tracks comprise a mesmerising soundtrack for the approaching summer season, promising nights filled with dancefloor joy and unexplored passions.

Review: Alternative, goth and pop rock band HIM are one of the most creative and strongest bands to come out of Finland. Tears On Tape was their eighth and final album from the band whose career covered nearly 25 years. Originally released in 2013, this is the first reissue and fans of the band are celebrating that this will also be its' very first time on vinyl. Green vinyl that matches the artwork as well is a nice touch. Experience some of the last key tracks from this ground breaking band like 'All Lips Go Blue', 'Into the Night' and the title song 'Tears On Tape. Come experience a celebration of the band's final full length.

Review: Having taken time out to travel the world and experience new things (including psychedelic substances in California), John Hopkins planned to make Singularity, his ninth album, "a sonic ecosystem that starts and ends on the same note". He soon got frustrated by these limitations, so instead just laid down a fluid and hazy album that combines his usual luscious, ambient electronics with a variety of sparse, heavy and off-kilter rhythms. While undeniably laidback in parts, the album also boasts a number of foreboding techno workouts and uses a wider palette of instrumental sounds than we've come to expect (including some fine strings and his own intricate piano playing). The resultant set is rather impressive, all told, and while not quite a "sonic ecosystem", it's certainly an enjoyable journey.

Review: Hornsey Hardcore is but one outlet for the prolific cult legend Jerome Hill, but at least you know exactly what you're going to get from these records. Bringing the breakthrough sounds of 1992-1994 into the modern age, Hill manages to maintain the clattering roughness of the OG material while adding in the benefit of modern mixing to make these tracks smack you upside the head in ways the old stuff can only dream of. Just drop in on the manic roll of 'Asylum' and you'll hear all you need to as the off key orchestra stabs and 'Bombscare' break create a five-minute pile-up with enough samples about insanity send a suitably grubby rave into sheer bedlam.