Back in stock: Leftfield

Review: Galvanica's 'Nightlights In Japan' dropped in 1987 and was a perfectly dreamy post-rave comedown soundtrack with heavenly pads and angelic whispered vocals. It came with various different remixes that repurposed it for different moments. The remix dance version is more driven by classic and crunchy analogue 80s drums with tumbling melodies and plenty of feelings of subtle euphoria. The single version tweaks that just a touch and the maxi instrumental turns up the drums and strips out the vocals for something more rock and club-ready. Tip!

Review: Experiment Defined is a cult classic of electro by Gedankenexperiment, a collaboration between two legends of the genre: Gerald Donald and Beta Evers. Fitting right into the niche of electro that only these artists alone can be said to have properly found, the EP is a sonic exploration scientific concepts and philosophical questions, but delivered with a cold and clinical precision combined with an unmistakable eeriness. Particularly cold and janky comes 'Experiment', while the A-sider 'Conclusion' also features a haunting vocal contribution from Evers - as if to repetitively ponder why someone would arrive at any conclusion in the first place, ever.

Review: Since the mid 1990s electronic explorer and sound designer Ryoji Ikeda has amassed a vast catalogue of releases. Some of these, though, are either hard to find or were only released on certain formats - hence this release on Sahko. It gathers together two lengthy compositions from early in his career that were previously only available on CD. Our pick of the pair is gorgeous A-side 'Luxus 1-3', a stunning, 16-minute suite from 1995 debut album 1000 Fragments that fuses deep space ambience with the orchestral musical cycles of American minimalism and plenty of gently mild-altering effects. Flipside 'Space', which first surfaced in 1998, is a ghostly piece of haunting sound design in which distance sub-bass tones struggle to break through a dense fog of creeping chords and digital watch bleeps.

Review: Poetic Hovering Synth Tinkerer.

Review: Dino Sabatini returns to his own Outis Music label with another mesmerising selection of deep electronic sounds that seem to take plenty of influences from dub, downtempo, ambient and trip hop. The open has a creeping melodic sequence that is forever subtly shifting and brings a sense of eeriness to the smooth and unhurried dub rhythms below. 'Inenarrabilis' is then a double quick flurry of tiny synth loops and trippy effects then 'Plena Lunae' allows you to breathe once more and sink into a vast dub soundscape. 'Ego Experior' shuts down with some paranoid baselines bubbling up through a slowly churning groove. Some quality work here for sure.

Review: Anoushka Shankar's Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn is a riveting sonic journey that seamlessly blends eastern and western musical sensibilities. From the rocking piano motifs of 'Pacifica' to the dreamy textures of 'Offering' and the mystical ambiance of 'Below the Surface,' each track unveils layers of evocative dreamscapes. Shankar's sitar weaves enchanting melodies, complemented by the soothing sounds of waves and voices. The album's fusion of instruments and tonalities creates a healing experience, inviting listeners to relax and float downstream. With its profound depth and beauty, Chapter II transcends mere background music, resonating as a genuine artistic expression. Anoushka Shankar offers a compelling soundtrack for introspection and tranquility.

Review: Zodiak Commune reaches right back into the early days of the Dutch acid techno and electro scene, and it remains an essential outlet for tough and gnarly rave gear for darkened souls. This new record is a split between Umwelt and Serge Geyzel, continuing a series of split discs pitting serious underground operators against each other. Umwelt's side kicks off with the blistering acid electro of 'The Wake Of The Anthropocene' and follows up with heavy but melodic pearler 'Cosmic Dancer'. Geyzel's 'Off The Ground' is a nervy slice of acid with sad-hearted undertones, and 'Hostage' completes the set with a moody, percussive throwdown.