An nicely expanded take on this soulful set from Futuristica frontman Simon S – an artist who really knows the best way to continue the crispy, cosmic vibe of the London scene from years past – while also forging his own way forward into new territory in 21st Century soul! Simon's always been a very collaborative artist – and that's definitely the case here, as the set features a shifting lineup of singers – Georgie Sweet, Nathan Thomas, Oz, Nicola Cramer, and others – all coming together with a nicely unified vibe, thanks to Simon's production skills – on cuts that include "Sunblind", "The Game", "For You", "Slick", "Looking", "Half Human", "Beautiful", and "Sunshine Through The Trees". 2CD version features lots of bonus mixes – six more tracks added to the original album! CD

11 different beats and a track of vocal stabs, etcetera, all produced by Simon Harris, so it has a sort of 80s feel to it. One of the original series of "DJ Tool" or battle records. Titles include "Sister Brake", "Assembly Beats", "Chicken Beats", "Bigger Beats", "Kraftbreak", "Perk Beat" and "Friday Nite Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

13 different beats and a track of 50 vocal stabs, scratches and effects, all produced by Simon Harris. One of the original series of "DJ Tool" or battle records. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Latin leader/trumpeter Willie Rodriguez – one of his gems for the Fonseca label, with vocals from Leo Casino – a tight mix of Latin Soul, descarga, and salsa tracks that hit hard from the start and don't let up! Rodriguez leads a great band, and they're joined by vocalist Casino some of the tracks – with tunes that have an uncommon, heated intensity without sacrificing the groove – some of it with the feel of an after hours session full of players just hit with a mighty second wind, and others that are just straight up tirelessly driven. The whole set cooks really nicely! Titles include "Dig It", "Descarga DJ", "Pussycat Bugaloo", "Simon", A Mi Negra". "Golden Bugaloo", and "Chickie's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

This issue's got a big cover feature on the global projects of DJ Scratcha DVA – plus an article on Eberhard Kanemann, who spent time in both Neu and Kraftwerk before starting his own solo career – and more on singer-songwriter Joanne Robertson, artist Anne Gillis, jazz maestro Alabaster DePlume, percussionist Jessie Cox, and electronic duo Yao Bobby and Simon Grab! Sonic Youth founders Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley take on the Invisible Jukebox – and there's more on Earl Sweatshirt, Peter Maxwell Davies, and others – plus the usual huge section of new music reviews. Magazine

Maybe the coolest entry so far in this excellent series – and proof that the Mr Bongo label has gone much farther in recent years than it ever did in the past! Years back, Bongo was known as a hotbed of Latin and Brazilian music – but the sounds here are also rare funk and soul, other global modes, and even a few contemporary touches too – all served up with the care and class that we used to love from a Mr Bongo DJ night in London – way back when we used to make it to events like that! There's no need to know anything about the music in advance – just let the record work its magic, as it takes you through cuts that include "Paradise Island" by Azwon, "Eyes Growing Wider" by Carnival, "Throwing Stones (Kenny Dope mix)" by James Reese & The Progressions, "Amanha O Tempo Muda" by Lincoln, "Mama Matotoya" by Vikings, "Sputla" by Teaspoon Ndelu, "Al Elnim" by Hamlet Minassian, "Selfportait" by Matty, "Extralude (Wyndham Earl's more than an interlude rmx)" by Wax Machine, "Lotus 72 D" by Ze Roberto, "Sonho Lindo" by Don Ricardo, "The Peruvian" by DJ Format & The Simonsound, and "Don't Stop This Train" by Cindy & The Playmates. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the coolest entry so far in this excellent series – and proof that the Mr Bongo label has gone much farther in recent years than it ever did in the past! Years back, Bongo was known as a hotbed of Latin and Brazilian music – but the sounds here are also rare funk and soul, other global modes, and even a few contemporary touches too – all served up with the care and class that we used to love from a Mr Bongo DJ night in London – way back when we used to make it to events like that! There's no need to know anything about the music in advance – just let the record work its magic, as it takes you through cuts that include "Paradise Island" by Azwon, "Eyes Growing Wider" by Carnival, "Throwing Stones (Kenny Dope mix)" by James Reese & The Progressions, "Amanha O Tempo Muda" by Lincoln, "Mama Matotoya" by Vikings, "Sputla" by Teaspoon Ndelu, "Al Elnim" by Hamlet Minassian, "Selfportait" by Matty, "Extralude (Wyndham Earl's more than an interlude rmx)" by Wax Machine, "Lotus 72 D" by Ze Roberto, "Sonho Lindo" by Don Ricardo, "The Peruvian" by DJ Format & The Simonsound, and "Don't Stop This Train" by Cindy & The Playmates. CD

A full set's worth of remixes of older Nina Simone tunes – served up hot on the heels of the big success of Simone songs from the Verve Remixed series! Ulike the Verve series, the work here is all pulled from Nina's RCA recordings of the late 60s and early 70s – some of her hippest work on record, and even better suited to this sort of modernization, given that the themes and styles of the originals were often years ahead of their time! There's a bit of a laidback feel to most of the mixes, one that sometimes diffuses the power of Nina's righteous intentions – but there's also some tracks here that are a lot more respectful of the originals than other sets of this nature. Titles include "I Can't See Nobody (Daniel Y rmx)", "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Jazzeem's All Styles rmx)", "Here Comes The Sun (Francois K rmx)", "Obeah Woman (DJ Logic rmx)", "Ooh Child (Nickodemus rmx)", "My Man's Gone Now (DJ Wally rmx)", "Go To Hell (Mowo rmx)", and "Save Me (Coldcut rmx)". CD