(Neo Soul, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Def Jux's funky party band Chin Chin returns – spacey, 70s inspired club funk and synthy grooves galore! The core Chin Chin trio of keys, strings, drums, percussion & vocals but they really flesh these jams out in the studio – going all in with loads of horns and additional percussion, guitars and more. Unpretentious and groovy fun all around. Titles include "The Flashing", "Stay", "Moments", "It's OK", "Peteredactyl", "Go There With You", "That's Where I'll Be", "The Fancing", "GG And The Boys" and "Hotter Than Hot". CD

A sweet little record that's bristling over with that future past sort of vibe that makes the Star Creature label so great – 80s electronic elements coming into play with a more contemporary sort of groove – lean, mean, and right on the money all the way through! E Live is definitely a master on the keys – able to bring some jazzier elements into his lines here – as he steps out strongly in a mostly instrumental setting over some bassy beats and heady basslines – on titles that include "Mood Swing", "I Feel It", "Friday Night Flight", "Cadillac Breeze", "Traffic Jam", "Stranger Dayz", "You Got Me", "City Girl", "Slapadelic", and "Wise Up Rise Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The record's definitely a nostalgia blitz, but one that has a very strong grounding in the 80s! Benjamin Herman plays saxophone throughout – but in a setting that's very new wave, post-punk, and no wave as well – lots of sharp reed lines colliding with frenetic work on bass, guitar, and keyboards – all with a vibe that makes you feel like you maybe stumbled onto some hip performance spot on the New York downtown scene in 1982! Yet despite the bombast and other instrumentation, Herman is actually pretty amazing on his solos – coming up with all these great sounds that really push the boundaries of the instrument – on titles that include "Chancelot", "One For Deelder", "Captain Zorg", "Zaat", "Hornin Out", and "Asman Graves". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collaboration between Coldcut and a host of South African musicians – and a set that also features a number of key contributions from the legendary Tony Allen! The record uses the older cutup style that Coldcut first forged on the London scene of the 80s – but has lots of live musicianship from an array of jazz and percussion players, plus a variety of singers too – stretching out in this really visionary blend that includes contributions from Dele Sosimi, Tenderlonious, Tony Allen, The Watts Prophets, Nono Nkoane, Lani Sigers, Gally Ngoveni, Miles James, Antibalas, and others! The project comes off way better than most of this type – very collaborative, and with a sound that's very unified, very together, and very fresh – definitely a whole that's even greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "Freedom Groove", "Broken Light", "Crystallise", "Papua Merdeka", "Swift Gathering", "International Love Affair", and "Future Toyi Toyi". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) CD

Fantastic work from this group headed by keyboardist IG Culture – a set that takes us into even jazzier territory than some of his more famous early work, thanks to key contributions from members of the London scene! The record is definitely a group collaboration – not just backdrops from IG with added instrumentation – and the lineup features trombone from Nathaniel Cross, tenor from Deji Ijishakan, drums from Benjamin Appiah, and additional keyboards from Dwayne Kilvington – plus a bit of vocals from Allysha Joy and Tyrone Isaac Stuart, who each appear on a track. As with so much post-4Hero work from the London scene, the set's just an EP, but has the depth of a full album – on titles that include "The Remedy", "Vanguard", "The Score", and "Givin Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the greatest music we've heard so far from Nostalgia 77 – a group who started many years back as a jazz-referenced project – but one who here are definitely a fully-fledged combo with a very spiritual vibe! As before, producer Benedic Lamdin is at the helm of the lineup – yet the production is minimal, and instead the whole thing has this instrumental flowering of group members in ways that really fit the spirit of music by Dollar Brand, Chris McGregor, and Sun Ra – who are all covered on the set alongside the group's own original compositions too! The horn work is especially wonderful – a blend of flute from Gareth Lockrane, tenor from James Allsop, and trumpet from Alex Bonney – held down by bass from longtime 77 stalwart Riaan Vosloo on bass, plus Tim Giles on drums, and Ross Stanley on piano and organ. Titles include "Dakar", "Ishmael", "The Sun Is Big", "Love In Outer Space", "Flower", and "The Hooper". (Jazz, New Grooves) CD

Maybe the greatest music we've heard so far from Nostalgia 77 – a group who started many years back as a jazz-referenced project – but one who here are definitely a fully-fledged combo with a very spiritual vibe! As before, producer Benedic Lamdin is at the helm of the lineup – yet the production is minimal, and instead the whole thing has this instrumental flowering of group members in ways that really fit the spirit of music by Dollar Brand, Chris McGregor, and Sun Ra – who are all covered on the set alongside the group's own original compositions too! The horn work is especially wonderful – a blend of flute from Gareth Lockrane, tenor from James Allsop, and trumpet from Alex Bonney – held down by bass from longtime 77 stalwart Riaan Vosloo on bass, plus Tim Giles on drums, and Ross Stanley on piano and organ. Titles include "Dakar", "Ishmael", "The Sun Is Big", "Love In Outer Space", "Flower", and "The Hooper". (Jazz, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks from DJ Fudge, Hardsoul, DJ Technic, Junior Jack, Hippsoul featuring Chill, Black Eyed Peas, Omar, Jason Hates Jazz, Thommy Davis, Jamie Lewis & Michael Watford, Martin Solveig, and more. CD