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A really cool classic from this Italian combo – one of the first groups to really get the sound of vintage easy and bossa grooves just right – which they perform here in a mix of original tunes and numbers by famous soundtrack giants like Piero Umiliani and Armando Trovajoli! Rhythms are nice and lean, and not in the too-clubby remix mode that other groups in this territory might use – with plenty of percussion down next to the bass and drums – topped with some especially great work on organ and synth, plus occasional wordless vocalizations too! The whole thing is very tasty – and titles include "Psicoerotica", "Il Bellunese", "Topless Party", "La Decisione", "Madame La Mousse", "Don Peppino E Falpala", "Gonna Make It Easy", "Gangster Story", "Il Colore Degli Angeli", and "Dentro L'Atelier". Great vinyl pressing – with a bonus record that features seven unreleased tunes, and seven more from singles as well! LP, Vinyl record album

A really lovely soundtrack from Forever Pavot – contemporary, but with some of the best touches of our favorite French film scores of the late 60s – a blend of sentiment and subtle instrumentation, light melody and occasional groove – all handled with excellent keyboards, flutes, and other sweet touches throughout! Pavot often has the sense of space and tune of Francis Lai – which makes the record a great hit in our book – and the organ, piano, and harpsichord moments are especially great – on titles that include "Au Chalet 2", "La Ballade De Poulenc", "Dans L'Aquarium", "Generique Debut", "En Voiture", "Les Amants", and "Marche Dans La Niege". (Soundtracks, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Diviniti sings on both cuts here – adding in some mighty soulful vocals! "Shine" is a great clubby groover from a few years back – and definitely showcases the warmer side of dancefloor work that Shuya Okino has been bringing to the world since his days in Kyoto Jazz Massive – a wonderfully uplifting tune! The flipside's a great take on Shuya's excellent "Sun Will Rise" anthem – again with excellent vocals from Diviniti! (Funky 45's, New Grooves) 7-inch, Vinyl record

We totally loved Reel People's Seven Ways To Wonder album – and this special remix set is equally great – a package of wonderful new versions that features work from a host of hip producers! The set has all the soulful spirit of the original album, but also takes off in some more spaciously soaring modes too – a mix of British cosmic touches and classic instrumental roots – both of which really show up in some of the mixes here! Vocals are by Omar, Tony Momrelle, and Tasita D'Mour – and titles include "Outta Love (4 Hero rmx)", "It Will Be (Kyoto Jazz Massive rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (The Realm rmx)", "Alibi (Rasmus Faber rmx)", "Amazing (Jon Cutler's distant music mix)", "Upside (Bugz upside mix)", "Upside (Pete Kuszma rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (Orto rmx)", and "Anything You Want (Domu rmx)". 12 tracks in all! CD

A free jazz jam from the Nostalgia 77 Octet – easily their most far-reaching work to date, and only available on a limited edition vinyl EP! "The Impossible Equation" has the group stretching out in a side-long jam of space jazz proportions – building very slowly with a style that's even more sonically focused than their previous efforts – sounding nicely tripped up, but still a bit funky at the bottom, thanks to a bassline that steps strongly along underneath some of the more psychedelic solos! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, as with other Octet records – but the production makes for some especially spacey sounds. The flipside features a great version of "Desert Fairy Princess" – done in a really righteous 70s soul jazz mode – plus the shorter "Well Being I", which is a bit outside! LP, Vinyl record album

A great remake of one of the biggest cuts ever from the legendary Roy Ayers – done here with a version that's got even more vibes than the original! In fact, the core groove is very much like the Ayers recording, but the cut soon moves into loads of jazzy vibes – and also has a great bass breakdown in the middle! The flipside takes out the initial burst vibes, but keeps all the grooves intact – and brings in some sweet jazzy keyboard work from Diplomats Of Soul, then brings back in the vibes! (Funky 45's, New Grooves) 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the principal albums in trip hop's ascension into the mainstream, and the bright, extroverted flipside to Portishead's darker vision of the late 90s scene. Mo Wax honcho James Lavelle's longstanding Unkle project got a massive makeover when DJ Shadow became the prime sonic architect for the Psyence Fiction LP. Shadow throws everything but the kitchen sink into the thing, working with a wide range of vocalists and collaborators from hip hop innovators (Kool G Rap, Mike D) to whiny alternative rockers (Richard Ashcroft, Thom Yorke). With a project as busy as Unkle, the law of subjectivity pretty much dictates that you're gonna love parts, and hate parts – but Shadow was so on top of his game at the time, he somehow manages to hold it all together. It may not be his best ever work, but Psyence Fiction certainly holds up, and it's an essential piece of the puzzle! Tracks include "Main Title Theme", "Guns Blazing", "Blood Stain", "Unreal", "Chaos", "Rabbit In Your Headlights", Lonely Soul", and more. LP, Vinyl record album