A record that makes us go "wow" all over again at the mighty talents of Bob James – because even this late in life, he's clearly open to new ideas and pushing the boundaries – which he really does here in collaboration with younger musician Sam Franz! In the way that Bob's CTI albums were a landmark electric jazz effort for the 70s – this set's maybe one for the 21st Century, with a vibe that's shows the passage of time in so many different ways! This isn't fusion, smooth jazz, or traditional jazz at all – yet Bob's got some great moments on keyboards throughout, in different sonic settings from Franz, merging together in ways that make it difficult to figure out who's doing what. Titles include "Brew This Again & Again", "This Theme Needs A Movie", "Polar Tangents", "Starless Vault Of Heaven", "See Ya", and "Atsuko's Arcade". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a mighty sexy cover on the front – and the grooves inside definitely have the flavor to match! The work here is from the obscure French disco underground – a European scene that never got the same exposure as German or Italian work for clubs – which makes the whole package a really great discovery in sound! The music is surprisingly fresh, and often quite funky too – and done in modes that are arguably warmer and more soulful than most other European disco – and often a lot like the best American underground club of the period. Some tracks have breathy female vocals, while others have bolder lyrics that almost echo some of the global musical crossovers happing in 70s Paris and a few of the later tracks bring in electro elements, but in a subtle way we totally love. The collection's a follow-up to the Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilation – and like that one, it's really a cut above the usual! Titles include "Super Star" by Contessa, "Lady Jones" by Over Drive, "Music Madness (ext Charles Maurice version)" by Beckie Bell, "Y'A Du Blues" by Marche Noire, "Un Fait Divers & Rien De Plus (re-remix)" by Le Club, "Pour Moi Ca Va (Charles Maurice version)" by France Lise, "Polar (Charles Maurice version)" by Bernard Guyvan, and "Minuit L'Heure Du Swing" by Didier Makaga. LP, Vinyl record album

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek are no musical strangers to each other – their paths have crossed often on the Chicago and global scenes over many years of creative activity. Yet this project is also the first they've co-led, and it's an incredible document of how much both artists have grown in recent years – especially when they let their talents flow together on a project like this! At some level, the core of the work is the voice that both artists have discovered – Locks, his own more focused message and ability to find other voices to sample in with his own – Mazurek, a way of using his own voice more directly, in addition to his well-known work on trumpets and electronics. Both Rob and Damon are in the forefront here, criss-crossing electric and acoustic elements with voices live and sampled – mixed with guest voices from others, in a swirlingly creative project that not only lives up to the current legacy of International Anthem and the Chicago scene, but also advances it a few notches too. Titles include "Breeze Of Time", "New Future", "Yes", "The Sun Returns", "Future City", "Las Ninas Estan Escuchando", "Support The Youth", "10 Mins Past The Hour", and "Polaris Radio". LP, Vinyl record album

Vibist Sasha Berliner has a really great touch here – a style that's almost elliptical at times, as she builds and builds these waves of sound on the vibes – creating a magical flow that really makes the whole album a strong statement for her ever-growing talents! The lineup also helps with the sound of the record a lot too – a great combo that includes alto from Jaleel Shaw and Fender Rhodes and piano from James Francies – players who step back at the right moments, then soar right in and spice things up. The rhythms have a nice crackle that matches Sasha's energy, too – drums from Marcus Gilmore and bass from Burniss Travis. Thana Alexa sings on "Crescent Park" – and all other tunes are instrumental, and include "Jade", "NW", "Boom's Epilogue", "Polaris", and "Ephemerality". LP, Vinyl record album

Pop culture baggage aside, this is some pretty mesmerizing stuff from Kanye West! Ye the album, if his persona hasn't turned you off by now, is a compelling effort from what we'll dub Kanye's "puzzle period" – this strange era of his recorded output that's a long time since his creative and popular breakthroughs, past the more challenging and complex work circa My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that enchanted critics and polarized fans, and just got more polarizing from there. The man is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, hiding behind a Twitter handle but this might be very well be pop art genius...we'll see how it holds up over time! Pretty stripped down compared to some of his denser productions the past few years, and lyrically daunting, but oddly hypnotic all the way. Includes "I Thought About Killing You", "Yikes", "All Mine", "Wouldn't Leave" and "Ghost Town" with PartyNextDoor, "No Mistakes" and "Violent Crimes". LP, Vinyl record album

The noisy, nasty side of French new wave – not the too-clean sounds that always got shoved off on the rest of the world as a Paris export back in the day – but the grittier, dirtier electronic numbers that clearly set the tone for the big French explosion in recent years! The styles here are much more similar to work coming out of the UK and Germany at the time – particularly the latter, and the kind of playful but noisy work you might find on a label like Ata Tak – which would be a good comparison for lots of the great grooves here. Titles include "Pretty Day" by Mary Moor, "Game & Performance" by Deux, "Polaroid Roman Photo" by Ruth, "Aller Simple" by Vitor Hublot, "Viol Af Dis" by Casino Music, "Terroriste" by Vox Dei, and "Ping Pong" by Act. LP, Vinyl record album