(Soul, New Grooves) 12-inch, Vinyl record

A set that's almost a back to basics effort for DJ Shadow, yet one that's also a strong step forward too – basic in that it's a record that's almost all instrumental, with no guests at all – but forward because it's got a leaner groove, and a style that shows just how far Shadow has moved past the more hip hop/turntablist style of his roots! There's almost a cinematic vibe to the music at times – a mode that fits the action adventure of the title, with plenty of cuts that would be right at home on classic soundtracks, especially of the 80s crime/cop/action style – served up with just the right sorts of beats, basslines, and keyboards to echo that era! Titles include "A Narrow Escape", "You Played Me", "Time & Space", "Forever Changed", "She's Evolving", "Reflecting Pool", "Free For All", "Ozone Scraper", and "Witches Vs Warlocks". (Hip Hop, New Grooves) CD

A record that forever changed the role of the DJ and turntable when it was dropped on the world – certainly not the first record to feature an artist building sound out of a mixture of old records and his own creation, but definitely one of the most hyped and most exposed over the years! For some reason, Shadow was able to find a way to take all the skills that hip hop DJs had been developing for 20 years, mixing them with some of the darkness of the European production scene – and then getting a wider audience to really appreciate both his own talents, and all the other inspirations that drove him – something that still seems to resonate all these many years later, as Shadow opened the door for many others to appreciate all the sounds that we'd been loving in the underground! And despite all his later work, this classic full length set might still be his best – a well-deserved classic, with titles that include "Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt", "The Number Song", "Changeling", "What Does Your Soul Look Like (pts 1 & 4)", "Mutual Slump", "Organ Donor", and "Midnight In A Perfect World". (Hip Hop, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Ten tracks from Magnetic, Hanna, Illform, Droid, and Dietrich Schoenemann. CD

Some of the most jazz-based work we've ever heard from keyboardist Mark De Clive-Lowe – continuing a progression that's been taking place over the past decade or so – to a point where the musician is turning out a record to rival the classics of some of the 70s giants who influenced his sound in the first place! Mark plays Fender Rhodes, piano, and other keyboards in the company of bassist Andrea Lombardini and drummer Tommaso Cappellato – on live tracks that are full of energy and life, driven with strong rhythms, and have lots of strong solos over the top. Titles include "Birds Of Prey", "Strolling Down Degnan", "Volta Ao Mundo", "Dreamweavers", "Kodama Shade", and "In Answer To Your Question". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of straight ahead jazz – cut by a current combo from Italy, but done with a really classic sound! The style here is a bit like that of the straighter jazz albums on Schema Records – all acoustic, but often highly rhythmic – and focused in styles that explore older Italian modal jazz of the 60s, as well as some of the deeper shadings of the Blue Note scene from years back! The lineup is incredibly strong – with tenor from Daniele Scannapieco, trumpet from Fabrizio Bosso, and piano from Luca Mannutza, whose firm work and bold notes on the keys really give the album a lot of drive and fire! CD features Nicola Conte remixes of the leadoff track "Conversation" – which is actually great enough in its original version by the group – and other tracks include "Wide Green Eyes", "The Driver", "Shade Of Gira", "Dubai", and "Campagna". (Jazz, New Grooves) CD

Incognito never lets us down – and records like this keep us listening strongly year after year! The set's got all the core brilliance of Incognito at their best – a really classic approach to jazzy soul, served up with top shelf instrumentation by the group – and sent home strongly by a range of singers who include Vanessa Haynes, Tony Momrelle, Chiara Hunter, Imani, Deborah Bond, and the great Carleen Anderson! Nobody can do it as well as these guys – tight, but never uptight – smooth, but never sleepy – really right on the money from the production on down to the bottom – the kind of careful, classy soul that almost makes Incognito a genre unto themselves. Titles include "Wind Sorceress", "Rapture", "Hands Up If You Wanna Be Loved", "Hats", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Something Bout July", and "Silver Shadow". Japanese CD features the bonus track "Part Of The Plan". (Neo Soul, New Grooves) CD

An insanely wonderful set from Sean Khan – maybe the greatest music he's done since his early classics with the SK Radicals! This album really takes us back to a time when music from London was completely fresh and exciting, and cosmically soulful, too – and Sean's got help from some great singers on the record who also date from that era – including the mighty Omar, plus Sabrina Malheiros, and vocalist Heidi Vogel of Cinematic Orchestra! All three of these artists really flesh out the sound of the record – and make it every bit as much of a soul record as a set that's awash in all the great reed touches and jazzy bits we'd expect from Sean. Andy Noble's also on the record, playing some wonderfully warm piano lines – and the overall instrumentation has more acoustic elements than before, which makes for a very righteous vibe throughout! Titles include "Dance For Little Emily", "Muriel", "Samba Para Florence", "Sister Soul", "What Has Jazz Become", "Trane's Shadow", "Don't Let The Sun Go Down", and "Fire Within" – plus bonus remix tracks "Don't Let The Sun Go Down (4Hero rmx)", "Samba Para Florence (Henry Wu rmx)", and "Things To Say (Ben Hauke rmx)". CD

An amazing record from Kyoto Jazz Massive – and about time, too! The Japanese collective has been bubbling under for years – doing some of the most groundbreaking production, remix, and single work of the current Japanese scene – and this album is really their first true full-length, a massive set of tracks with a soulful approach we never knew they had! The whole thing's amazing from the word "go" (which actually isn't the first word on the album!) – and the first few tracks are especially strong, all soulful numbers with vocals by guest singers that include Vanessa Freeman, Victor Davies, and Maiya James. After that burst, the album takes off instrumentally – stretching for the sky in a jazz-infused blend of beats and keyboards, occasional other instrumentation creeping into the mix at just the right moments. Titles include "The Dawn Introduction", "The Brightness Of These Days", "Mind Expansions", "Stargazer", "Eclipse", "Between The Lights", "Substream", "Shine", "ME Outroduction", and "Behind The Shadow". CD

In the spirit of this popular series, Kruder & Dorfmeister remix some of the tastiest modern grooves from hip labels like Ninja Tune, Moving Shadow, Compost, and Cup Of Tea. The pair add in a nice heavy sound, giving the tunes a bit more soul than usual, thanks to a wonderful sensitivity for a nicely placed riff. Titles that get the remix treatment include "Never Say?" by James Bong, "Look Up Dere" by Kama, "Keep On Believing" by Beanfield, "A Mother" by Herbalizer, "Spellbound" by Tango, "Give My Soul" by The Lab Rats", and they even manage to sneak in their own classic "High Noon"! CD

An instant classic from Five Corners Quintet – acoustic jazz played with a dancefloor groove, and the perfect summation of a brilliant run of initial singles! The FCQ return jazz to its grooviest roots – played live, without processing or electronics, and able to hit a snapping groove that takes us back to the days when Blue Note and Prestige got plenty of play on the radio and jukebox! Most tracks roll along in a modal or waltzing mode that shares a lot with the best Nicola Conte projects of recent years – but the group have also got a real feel for their own tonal colors, effortlessly shading in each space and corner of the tunes with a sublime blend of ringing vibes, dancing piano, and beautifully-toned horn passages. Mark Murphy guests on vocals on the tracks "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Before We Say Goodbye", and "Jamming" – and Okou sings on "Blue Cycles" and "Case Study" – leaving the remaining instrumentals "Trading Eights", "Interlope", "Straight Up", "Three Corners", "Lighthouse", and "Unsquare Bossa". US CD features the bonus tracks "Taxi Driver". CD

A smoking little set from DJ Kemit – done in that great old school mode we used to love – in which a hip producer gets vocal help from a range of key contemporary singers! Vocals here are from the best of the best – Eric Roberson, N'Dambi, Osunlade, Frank McComb, Lady Alma, Carl McIntosh, Choklate, and others – each of whom step in on a different track, and really help shade in the different flavors of the record! Kemit comes up with a different groove for each guest – often one that really helps show them at their best – and titles include "Digital Love", "You Don't Know", "Funky 8 Ball", "Inside Out", "Summers Night", "Spread Love", "Never Go Away", "Fortune Teller", and "I Was I Am". (Neo Soul, New Grooves) CD

The great Roy Ayers joins Soul Society for this classic 90s set – a record that was really forging deep funk territory years before Daptone, Colemine, and all the contemporary labels got into the game! Soul Society's a German collective of musicians and singers with a great ear for 70s grooves, but who also do just the right job of updating the music too – and they wisely chose Roy Ayers' vibes to help shade in all sorts of great aspects of this albums – bringing Roy back from almost-retirement, at a time when most of the rest of the world wasn't giving him a chance to record! Titles include remakes of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", "Funky Nassau", and "Smiling Faces" – plus "Feed Me Your Love", "Spaced Out", "Pusher", and "Money Mad". CD

A well done survey of the career of Thievery Corporation to date – selected by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton – wonderful stuff from the reigning kings of downtempo jazzy grooves! It's made up of the duo's best known tracks as well as their own personal favorites. You couldn't really ask for a better or more careful curated set! Includes "Amerimacka", "Lebanese Blonde", "Facing East", "Holographic Universe", "Until The Morning", "All That We Perceive", "The Richest Man In Babylon", "The Passing Stars", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", "Vampires", "Warning Shots", "Shadows Of Ourselves" and more. CD

Some of the most jazz-based work we've ever heard from keyboardist Mark De Clive-Lowe – continuing a progression that's been taking place over the past decade or so – to a point where the musician is turning out a record to rival the classics of some of the 70s giants who influenced his sound in the first place! Mark plays Fender Rhodes, piano, and other keyboards in the company of bassist Andrea Lombardini and drummer Tommaso Cappellato – on live tracks that are full of energy and life, driven with strong rhythms, and have lots of strong solos over the top. Titles include "Birds Of Prey", "Strolling Down Degnan", "Volta Ao Mundo", "Dreamweavers", "Kodama Shade", and "In Answer To Your Question". Features Japanese-only bonus tracks – "Masina's World" and "Mizugaki". CD