One of the more beat-heavy records we've ever heard from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – thanks to a range of live drums and programs from Maxwell Owin – a really great partner who helps Joe's music take off in all these new directions! The record's still coming from a jazz perspective, but also has a heavy influence from hip hop and more contemporary genres – especially on the vocal cuts, which feature contributions from Fatima, Rocks Foe, and Lex Amor. Yet there's also some great instrumentalists who join the proceedings too – and the set features guest bass clarinet from Shabaka Hutchings on one cut, and guest harp and flute from Marysia Osu and Yuis. Titles include "Pedal Bike", "Grief", "Ode To Reverbe", "4Seasons", "Don't Tip Me Over", "Do I Keep Going", "Rago's Garage", and "Ikigai". (Jazz, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Badbadnotgood have always been pretty damn great, actually – and never better than on album IV – a remarkable step forward for the group! As ever, they take inspiration from some of the best prog, jazz, funk (and proggy jazz funk...they blend) of the 70s and beyond, but weave it into fairly distinctive and genuinely fun modern sound. It's built to last, too –we're sure be able to come back to their work in a couple decades and it'll still work! IV finds them with the confidence to trade in some fairly subtle, smoothed out moments between to more boisterous ones, and they're more dexterous in the instrumentation – especially in the horns, keys and percussion – but some great vibes, strings, flute and more when the mood calls. Includes the great vocal track "Time Moves Slow" with Sam Herring of Future Islands, "And That, Too", "Lavender", "IV", "Chompy's Paradise", "Structure No. 3", "Cashmere", "Hyssops Of Love" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most fantastic albums in years from the mighty Kirk DeGiorgio – a set that draws upon 70s sound library influences as a way for Kirk to really unfurl some of the jazziest elements in his music! Way back when nobody was ever referencing jazz for club tracks, DeGiorgio was always very clear to share his inspirations – a long-running love of keyboard giants from the 70s, like Herbie Hancock and George Duke – but not in a way that sought to ape their sounds, but expand on the ideas they first brought into the world – which is definitely the case here! Some rhythms have a nice evolution past London broken beat modes, and the whole thing's got a wonderfully cosmic vibe – served up on tunes that include "Chicago Shift", "Watts Awakening", "Dayton Daydreams", "Khumunu", "Beth El", "Shinar", "Cincinnati Sunrise", "Harlem Homerun", and "The Oakland Feel". LP, Vinyl record album

It seems like it's been way too long since we last heard from Domu – but he's more than made up for that with the quality of his work on this set! The beats are as bristling, complex, and urgent as ever – blended with these magically flowing keyboard lines that can convey all sorts of futurist tendencies, while also warming things up and keeping a soulful, jazzy core to the set! Lori from Hiatus Kaiyote provides great vocals on the track "On The Line" – and other titles include "Brilliance", "Nothing Ever Changes", "Just Roll", and "Ya Nah Gonna Get It". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from Flying Lotus – an artist who just keeps on pushing past any conventional expectations, to a point where his music is almost a genre unto itself! The record's got this very tripped-out sort of vibe – very much in keeping with the image on the cover – and while many others are exploring this territory of late, few ever even get close to the right sort of mix that's going on here – subtle elements of soul, funk, jazz, hip hop, and maybe a million other influences – all flowing through the double-length space of the set, as it Flying Lotus redefines the sound of soul in the modern age. The set's got guest work from Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces, David Lynch, George Clinton, Anderson Paak, Little Dragon, Solange, and others – and titles include "Post Requisite", "Takashi", "Spontaneous", "More", "Burning Down The House", "Actually Virtual", "Find Your Own Way Home", "The Climb", "Debbie Is Depressed", "Black BAloons Reprise", and "Land Of Honey". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool blend of live jazz instrumentation and beats – served up here with contributions from some mighty hip players on the British scene! Peter Franks plays live drums and adds in loops, basslines, and keyboards – but the soloists are what really make the album great – as the set features tenor from Nat Birchall on two tracks, plus harp from Amanda Whiting, flute from Rachel Crennell, and keyboards from Marc Rapson and Robert Mitchell. The two part "Creativity" features a hip spoken passage from Gordon Wedderburn, and the rest of the set is instrumental – with titles that include "Days Ahead", "Alone Together", "From The Heart", "Dream In Colour", "Train To Kyoto", and "Were You Ever Here". (Jazz, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album