HENRY WU 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Fresh from the runaway success of his Yussef Kamaal project with Yussef Dayes, Henry Wu returns to Eglo Records for the first time since 2015. While it's jazzy broken beat opener "Deep In The Mudd" - co-produced by Hardhouse Banton - that's naturally getting most attention, there's plenty to get excited about elsewhere on the EP. Check, for example, the hissing jazz of "Boards & Skins", Kaidi Tatham's deep, sparkling and effortlessly soulful re-make of "Just Negotiate", and the ultra-deep, Rhodes-laden bliss of "Reflections", a beat-less treat. Also worth checking is the EP's other Hardhouse Banton hook-up, "Century", which charges off on a high-tempo, mutant P-funk tip.

Review: 22a/Eglo alumni, Henry Wu and Jamal Banton complement each other with every spacious, measured groove. The power is evident from the supreme jazz funk of "T-Slap Biz" - show us a body that isn't popping when this drops and you're playing the wrong parties. "2011" techs us up to a notch with an UR style pace and trippiness while "Natural" is 100% 22a soul, all loose limbed, warm, harmonic and fuzzy. "Dutty Dubz" tips a nod to the deep foundations of Dego and Marc Mac with its jazzy breakbeat introspection and "Street Brukka" brings us home with woozy far-away trumpets, shuffling swinging drums and chord washes that are up there with Iz & Diz's legendary "Mouth." Stunning.

Review: Bruk bastions, the CoOp collective were one of the brightest, most exciting musical movements in the early to mid 2000s with their barbed, broken soul take on bass music emanating from Plastic People playing a heavy role in the forms of contemporary house music, dubstep and all things in between. Freshly reformed since a Boiler Room comeback in 2015 and loaded with new affiliates, the ensemble, First Word proudly present their first collective EP. Ranging from the jittering soundclash bashment of "Spartan Riddim" to the sensual Bias-like harp heaven of "Can't Hold It" via the technoid stutters of "2nd Intention", this marks the start of a very exciting new chapter for the CoOp crew.