Mike Ladd, wearer of many brands of hats, drops some high concept hip hop on the broad minded Big Dada imprint, more or less a follow up to the Infesticons project started a few years back. You know the drill, post electro beats that refuse to admit they're jiggy, that'll appeal to fans of Anti Pop and fellow travellers in the left field world of the new school. Underground heroes like Vast Aire, Murs and El Producto saddle up next to Ladd and others whose names are even less household like Cheeta Chinchilla, Premadon-a etc. 15 party tracks, including "Piranha Party", "Platinum Blaque Party", "Helicopter Party", "Dwarf Star Party" and "San Trope Party". Be there or be square. (Hip Hop, New Grooves) CD

A very clubby set from the Johannesburg scene at the start of the 90s – four longer tracks that really showcase that moment when house music influences were running through more mainstream R&B – all at a level that's richer and more soulful than some of the synth-heavy work of the decade before! The basslines are great – really grooving in that garage style that was big in the NYC clubs at the time – warming up the tunes in mighty nice ways, and making for some very seductive rhythms! Titles include the super-catchy title cut "Big World", plus "Unity", "Rebatla Muzik", and "Qinisela". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Dave Lee under his other name of Joey Negro, which has long been associated with some of the best clubby cuts on both sides of the Atlantic – but whatever the case, whoever the name, the man himself has always given us nothing but top-shelf work – a tradition that's definitely continued with this wonderful set! Dave/Joey has always had a really great ear for the classic – carrying forward the best sorts of 70s and 80s elements from the world of funk, club, and soul – all with a sense of perfection that rivals the work of bigger names like Incognito or Brand New Heavies, and always served up with a killer ear for the dancefloor! Here, Dave steps forth with a dozen new tracks under an array of various group names and projects – all produced with the love promised in the title, and a heavy dose of soul as well. Titles include "Do It Again" by Rare Essence with Lifford, "Starlight" by Dave & Omar, "Love Walked In The Room" by Jayenne with Gina Carey, "Raise A Blaze" by Foreal People with Xan Blacq, "Want Me Back" by Mistura with Jemini, "Power Of The Mind (power trip mix)" by Dave Lee with Billy Valentine, "Let's Do It In Style" by The Sunburst Band, "Taste My Love" by Dave Lee with Billy Valentine, "Face The Love" by The Sunburst Band with Angela Johnson, and "If You Ever Need Someone" by Mistura With Tiffany T'Zelle. 2CD version features a full bonus CD of remixes – 10 more tracks that include "After The Rain (Dave Lee destination boogie mix)" by Str4ta, "Don't Leave Me This Way (Dave Lee Philly World mix)" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Mountains (Dave Lee live & direct ext mix)" by The Vision with Adreya Triana, "Prospect Park (Dave Lee disco reshake)" by Prospect Park, "Use Your Imagination (Dave Lee reimagined mix)" by Kokomo, and "One Plus One (Dave Lee ext mix)" by Leroy Burgess. CD

Thievery Corporation are back after a long hiatus – and they've returned to the fold with a host of surprising guest stars! The set's got a really wide range of grooves – as one might expect when the group's working with artists that include David Byrne, Perry Farrell, and The Flaming Lips! But over and above these bigger crossover names, the team's also sticking very true to their roots on other tracks – bringing in some great downtempo and Brazilian influences, and fleshing out tunes with an equally great array of lesser-known talents that includes Sista Pat, Gunjan, Verny Varela, Gigi Rezende, and Patrick De Santos. Titles include "Marching The Hate Machines", "Pela Janela", "Sol Tapado", "The Time We Lost Our Way", "A Gentle Dissolve", "Holographic Universe", "The Heart's A Lonely Hunter", and "The Cosmic Game". CD