A tremendous step forward for Jazzanova – an album that's overflowing with classic soul touches, and done in a style we'd hardly have expected from the group a few years before! Jazzanova have always had an ear for older sounds in their music – which is something that first set them apart from the dancefloor pack – but this album's a really amazing achievement, and one that's put together with the solid sound of some lost late 60s sessions from Motown at points – or with some of the cooler sounds of European jazz of the 70s! There's still a 21st Century vibe to the music – a bit of crackle here and there that marks it as contemporary – but the backings also have tight orchestrations, occasional strings, and that perfectly put-together quality that still makes us marvel at old soul and jazz records after all these years. Vocals are sublime too – as the album features contributions from Phonte, Paul Randolph, Ben Westbeech, Jose James, Dwele, Bembe Segue, and Leon Ware – all of whom fit in perfectly, without any of the sort of random "vocals with sound system" feel you might get in another album of this type. Most tracks are co-written with the vocalist – which is an even hipper touch that ensures a depth of quality – and titles include "Gafiera", "Lucky Girl", "Little Bird", "I Can See", "Look What You're Doin To Me", "Let Me Show Ya", "Lie", and "So Far From Home" – plus a great cover of "Rockin You Eternally". CD

A bold move forward for Re:Jazz – a record that's even more cohesive than their first few, and which shows them emerging much more strongly as a group! As before, the approach here has the combo offering soulful jazz versions of tunes from the more popular side of the spectrum – but unlike before, there's a warmly flowing sense of energy that unites the whole record – an approach that's often topped by the vocals of Inga Luhning, an expressive singer who really gives the record a good focus – even though the record also features a bit of guest singing by Alice Russell and Ernesto. There's a sense of power and entitlement to the music here that goes way beyond the earlier releases – almost as if the band have stopped being tentative about their efforts, and move confidently forward with a sense that their music is really making a difference. Titles include "People Hold On", "Gabrielle", "Finally", "Rock It", "Too Many Holes", "Promised Land", "Back Home", "Not About Me", "Plastic Dreams", "Return To Damara", and "Stewed". CD

Abstract beats with a depth of global influences from Dimlite – the Swiss beatmaker/producer's debut for the Now Again/Stones Throw – and far reaching effort that covers a lot of aural atmosphere over its running time! Dimlite's work for Sonar Kollectiv was among the most forward looking on the roster, and that unpredictable approach is well served here. Glitchy synth sounds and bubbling electronic errata mix with more earthy rhythms and hazy melodies – with vocals that also give it a more grounded feel in spots, but this is adventurous and unpredictable in all the right ways. Titles include "Kalimba Sewathswamp/Kurt Feelings", "On The Same Picture" featuring vocals by Elan Tamara, "Firevomit (ODN)", "Elbow Flood", "Can't Get Used To Those (Afterlude)" and more. CD features the bonus "Elbow Flood" instrumental. CD

A beautifully bracing title from this hip Scandinavian trio – one of the best recent releases on the mighty Jazzland label – very much up to the high standards of the imprint! The group here is a slightly unusual one – a trio with violin from Ola Kvernberg, plus bass and drums – all played in a way that's quite different than other violin jazz on the European scene – much more sound-based and textural, with the violin working in a way that's still melodic, but not in conventional ways. The bass here is especially strong – a richly pulsating sound from the hands of Steinar Raknes, which really pushes most tunes forward into very dark space – and the drums aren't bad either, done by Erik Nylander, with a spare snap that further echoes out the space. Kvernberg also sings, howls, and claps a bit – but his main contribution is violin – on titles that include "Lament", "Song Before Breakfast", "Music For A While", "Octacgon", "Haifas Steps", and "Adaptation Suite". (Jazz, New Grooves) CD

A mad mix of styles pulled from Balkan, Mediterranean, Jewish, and American cultures – served up in a mode that more than delivers on the enigmatic promise of its title! There's a feel here that almost takes us back to the playful creativity of the New York scene of the early 80s – the criss-crossing of sounds that were showing up often in some of the most forward-thinking indies, and which reflected the rich mix of cultures bubbling together in the post-punk years. As you might guess from the "beat box" in the title, there's a bit of a hip hop influence here – but one that's pretty small, and mostly just used on the bottomest part of the rhythms – leaving the core components of the tunes to a range of exotic instrumentation and some occasional haunting vocals. Title sinclude "Cha Cha", "Bulgarian Chicks", "Sunday Arak", "Gross", "9/4 The Ladies", "Adir Adiram", "Meboli", and "Hassan's Mimuna". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) CD

A broad leap forward for Detroit, from a few years back, with Carl Craig establishing himself as a visionary not only amongst the first wave of techno artists, but for the new beat generation too – alongside like minded producers like Kirk Degiorio and Larry Heard. Electronic music imbued with a sense of human warmth, and one of the few techno full lengths we enjoy listening to front to back. 15 tracks in all, with 4 more than the LP, some quite short, others song length, including "Goodbye World", "Alien Talk", "Dreamland", "Butterfly", "Suspiria"and "Frustration". CD