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

Moody and atmospheric vocals from Dani Siciliano – a singer with a voice that has lots of strange twists and turns! At one level, Dani could be a classic vocalist from older jazz years – but the backings on the set hearken more towards a New York downtown style of the early 80s – a bit electronic, a bit avant, but also still soulful and swinging throughout. The approach is really unique – far better than the usual "female vocalist with beats" sound that seemed to come across endlessly in the post-trip hop years – and overall, Dani seems like a much deeper artist with a heck of a lot to offer in years to come! Titles include "All Thee Above", "Extra Ordinary", "She Say Cliche", "Come As You Are", "Canes & Trains", "Walk The Line", "One String", and "Collaboration". CD

Kinkysweet and Unified Records team up for this great look at late nite Chitown – a set of grooves that definitely comes from the deeper side of the Chicago dancefloor scene of late – mostly in a house-based mode, but with some key hipper touches as well! Some of the artists here make us mighty proud to hail from the Windy City – and tracks include "Caugth Up" by Gene Hunt, "Thinkin Back" by Mr Ali with Nicole Mitchell, "Sexy 1" by Peven Everett, "The Feeling Track (Eddy The Family rmx)" by Garage Family, "Imagine Freedom (DJ Spinna rmx)" by Mr Ali, "Church (Sting International rmx)" by Peven Everett, "In Transit 2" by Mr Ali, "Told You So" by Glen Undreground, and "Easy Livin (Brian Reaves & Afrodisa rmx)" by Peven Everett. CD