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

Probably the best track off the second Mantronix LP. The 12-inch version fills out the trademark Mantronix sound with more syth and effects and the Freestyle dub is the more spare version. And then everything drops out but the bass kick and high hat on the 'bonus beat' version. (Hip Hop, New Grooves) 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

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

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

Joyously romping grooves from Auteur Jazz – a combo who take the modal style of the 60s European scene, and infuse it with a few contemporary touches of their own! The group are a bit more open-ended than some of the other club jazz combos on the Ricky Tick label – willing to stretch out in some occasional exploratory modes or mellower moments, then step back with a hard-hitting groove to round things in place – often getting a surprisingly rich sound from their relatively small lineup, which is mostly based around reeds and piano from Antti Hynninen, but also features occasional other saxes, strings, keyboards, and percussion. Sara Sayaed sings on the tracks "Kill You Alive" and "Tomorrow Knows" – and other instrumental tracks include "Two Jaguars In Warsaw", "Marbles", "Who Struck John", "Gris Gris", "Uruguayo", and "Najgo". Japanese CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Aphorisms" and "Gui-Do". CD

A jazz trio, but one who bring something else to the mix as well – as they blend in lots of other elements with their core energy on drums, bass, and keyboards! The keyboards themselves range nicely – acoustic and electric piano, plus other electronics too – and there's a bit of alto and tenor on the set, guest guitar, and use of vocals in Portuguese that almost give the record the vibe of Brazilian music at points – while at other times, the music moves farther from jazz with more of a focus on the groove, then swings back nicely on the next track. Titles include "Black Mica", "Tilia", "Pedra Mae", "Punctum No 2", "Ressonancia", and "Giesta". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit more of a stripped-down set than other work that Benny Sings has given us in recent years – definitely a record with the vibe of the beat tape promised in the title – but one that still has some of the soulful elements that Benny's given us on other records too! The hip hop element is stronger here than usual, right down to the record's guests – who include Koreatown Oddity, Cola Boyy, Mocky, St Panther, Rae Khalil, and others – and Benny put the album together out of elements that weren't used in the final version of his album Music – but which still carry some of the soulful currents of that set. Titles include "Money & Guns", "Don't Look", "CGEOOL", "Green Grass", "Watch Me Heal", "Song 13", and "Mag Ik In Je Huid". (Neo Soul, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

Prince Igor is Igor Zhukovsky of the legendary funk group The Soul Surfers – and he teams up here with DJ Boora for a set of lean, funky grooves! The tunes all have plenty of funk drums at the core – layered up top with samples and all sorts of sonic elements that create a cool, spacey sort of vibe – definitely echoing the image on the cover, but with a down to earth vibe, given the drums! Given the legacy of spacey funk projects we've loved from the Funk Night label, this set fits right into their mode – with titles that include "Who Is Hiding In The Forest", "Ninja", "Dvor", "Mamont", "Nani", "Gusli", "Klass", and "Arsenalio". (Deep Funk, New Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

There's a nicely narrative photo on the cover, and Antoine Bourachot seems to follow up that inspiration with some cinematic-styled jazz funk throughout – on a record that's even got a set of song titles that conjure up an imagined story as well! A few tracks here have vocals that bring a nice current of soul to the music – fleshing things out with contributions on three different tracks from Jim Grandcamp, Giacomo Lecchi D'Alessandro, and Irfane – who each have their own soulful shapes next to the overall vibe of the music, which is nicely unified, and heavy on warm keyboards, guitar lines, and larger arrangements. Shoko Igarashi plays soprano sax and flute on the record – and titles include "Resolution", "Action", "Miracle", "Fortune", "Bullet", and "Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer cut, and one that brings back the vocals of Paul Randolph in a really wonderful way – set to this jazzy groove that features keyboards from Mark De Clive-Lowe, who also produced the track! There's plenty of other live instrumentation in the track too – guitar, percussion, and drums – and the whole thing's almost a blend between Incognito-like London soul, and some of the crisper currents of the underground! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Tommaso Cappellato is a hell of a drummer – one whose work we've loved on other projects, but who sounds even better here in a lean funky combo of his own! Tommaso uses drum programs next to live drums, and his own work on the kit is the real driving force here – complex enough to match the cosmic rhythms on the set, and given great support from group members on bass and electric guitar! Cappellato plays keyboards as well – and the record features a bit of flute, vocals on three tracks, and titles that include "Heart To Mend", "Battle Moves", "Dancing Around Fire", "Made Of Golden Light", "Warming Up", and "The Flow Must Go On". LP, Vinyl record album