Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: Twilight is the latest piece by long time DJ, producer and remixer, Dominic Dawson. The Japanese label Flower, has released this single to 7" complete with a remix for the second side. The title track is a catchy and funky house track that while the remix is a bit more Balearic and beachy. Both versions have their place in any house setlist and will set the tone for any eclectic DJ set. With the DJing background Dominic has, he is a great guide to setting the mood with music. Like the title artwork suggests, this is perfect music to watch the sun go down to.

Review: Yuki Kanesaka returns with a delicious uptempo remix-cover of Herbie Hancock's thoroughgoing jazz patent, 'Watermelon Man'. In respectful contrast to Hancock's original piece, Kanesaka deploys a to-the-letter rendition of the original's opening Hindewhu whistle hoot - also heard on the mashup B-side - and keeps up Hancock's intended 'mathematical balance' with a nonetheless meatier, dance-ready EQ balance. Legend has it that this was Hancock's first ever song to be composed with commercial success in mind; we're not surprised at its continued proliferation, appreciation and reproduction across the globe - and now in Japan, no less.

Review: Talib Kweli and Madlib, two hip-hop heavyweights, have reunited for the highly anticipated Liberation 2, an expansive album exploring themes of revolution, love, and pan-Africanism, all set against Madlib's jazz-infused productions. Featuring collaborations with Q-Tip, Westside Gunn, and Mac Miller, the album is a global call for unity. Its thought-provoking lyrics and raw soundscapes showcase Kweli's enduring influence and Madlib's production prowess, paying homage to the genre's roots while pushing its boundaries. This album has been on many people's list as a potential hip-hop album of the year and we won't be at all surprised if that's where it ends up.

Review: Magic Number is Ross Hillard, a downtempo and orchestral composer whose engineering and bass playing can be heard on an array of releases, most notably for the likes of his own house favourites including Louie Vega, DJ Spen, Kerri Chandler, Lay-Far and Atjazz. Now debuting his first record on the latter artist's eponymous label, Badly Written Songs sounds like a slice of humble pie, but it's actually well-thought out title: in Hillard's own words, "(it's) a tongue-in-cheek reference to how transient electronic music can be." Thus, writing songs in this genre might not have been the most sensible and sustainable idea - but we all love house music, so we put everything into it, hoping that people don't discard it too soon. True to an engineer's tastes, the album is ultra-dynamic and bright throughout, serving up a consistent guest-vocal steeze reminiscent of Charles Webster or Herbert's gravitas.

Review: Mr.Scruff and Ninja Tune are both entities that need little introduction. Veterans of the urban sounding landscape they both go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly. Always creative with naming things, Mr Scruff giving a 'Ninja Tuna' title to this 3x12 is a jammed packed compilation of older tracks as well as different versions of desired and classic Mr. Scruff gems. Included among others are the unique 'Music Takes Me Up' featuring Alice Russell, the addictive quirkiness of 'Whiplash', the funked up, sample-heavy 'Rocking Chair', and the classic 'Nice Up The Function' with Roots Manuva. Mr.Scruff gives us a collection here that demonstrates his amazing ability to make catchy instrumentals while also being elite at featuring singers over his eclectic style. 'Ninja Tuna' is sure to be a favorite with anyone into music regardless of your background or experience in music.

Review: Joseph Shabason, Matthew Sage, and Nicholas Krgovich form a harmonious triangle, both musically and geographically. Hailing from Toronto, Colorado, and Vancouver respectively, they converged at Sage's barn studio nestled at the foot of the Rockies to explore their shared talent for finding beauty in life's mundane moments. Shabason, known for blending late 80s adult-contemporary and smooth jazz aesthetics into ethereal soundscapes, joins forces with Sage, who combines instrumental prowess with synthesis and field recordings to evoke the natural world's whimsy and profundity. Completing the trio is Krgovich, whose observational poetics add a relatable touch to their calm expressionism. Their collaborative album, warmly Shabason, Krgovich, Sage extends the wry and melancholic micro-miracles established in their previous works.