A key moment in electronic music in the US – the early Detroit experiments of Cybotron! The group were the duo of Juan Atkins and Rick Davis – working in early 80s Detroit, in a sound that would later transform into the more familiar techno groove – but which here is a strange blend of styles that includes bits of Kraftwerk, hip hop, electro, and post-disco club! The overall vibe is pretty spacey – with sci-fi themes that run through most of the tracks, echoed by odd production techniques that repeat the best elements over and over, and maintain a dark, spare style that was clearly the blueprint for midwest house grooves in years to come. And if you've ever been wowed by the darker sounds of Chicago house in the mid 80s, you'll really be stunned by the level of work from these guys – as Cybotron seem to preface just about all the post-industrial themes that would show up later on Trax – but come at things from a very different perspective. And added into the whole uniqueness of the work is the fact that these recordings originally were issued by Fantasy Records – so had a west coast life of their own, on a label that hardly had any other relation to Detroit at the time! The set features a total of 13 tracks that includes a few remixes – and titles include "Clear", "Cosmic Cars (Detroit Style)", "Alleys Of Your Mind", "R-(", "Let's Go", "Techno City", "Industrial Lies", "El Salvador", "Cosmic Raindance", "Cosmic Cars (house mix)", and "R-9 (inst)". CD

The sleeveless shirt and sunglasses give away the 80s origin of this obscure electro set from the 80s – music recorded on the German scene, but with some of the better elements of the catchy sounds that UK artists had brought to their work at the start of the decade! In other words, Skorpio's not as cold as you might expect – still using plenty of keyboards, beats, and electronics that situate him nicely in a cold wave style – but with a stronger sense of song, great hooks, and a surprisingly compelling personality at times! Titles include "Long Hard Climb", "Under The Rainbow", "Jealousy Lane", "Take Me", "Black Mercedes", and "Escapade With Zero". LP, Vinyl record album

Catchy, clubby grooves from the team of Zack Roberts and Gebah Swary – a Liberian duo who issued this very catchy record at the start of the 80s! The pair have an 80s look on the cover, and definitely bring that into their music too – with early electro touches used in very spare ways, next to the sort of more club-styled Afro funky sounds that were really coming into play on the west African scene. Titles include their hits "No Peace No Love" and "For The Love Of Money" – the latter of which is not a cover of the O'Jays song, but instead their own great groover – plus "Take It Easy", "Rock To The Music", "Home Is Home", and "My Luck Will Shine". CD

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge – the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements – fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got traces of "street" electro, mixed with some super-smooth LA production, and used brilliantly by the group in a family-based pop harmony way that stretches back to some of the great 70s groups of the same style – like The Sylvers or the Stairsteps. A heck of a lot nicer than we remember, and pretty great all the way through – with tracks that include "I Like It", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "All This Love", "I'm In Love With You", "Can't Stop", "It's Getting Stronger", and "Life Begins With You". CD

Funky breaking madness! Nice 12" single of Herbie's big hit cut with Bill Laswell – which sounds surprisingly better today than it did back in 1983. Lots of nice early electro keyboards – and some nice scratching from Grandmaster D St! 12-inch, Vinyl record

The reedwork of Dave Rempis is in a wonderfully electric setting here – next to the electric bass and electronics of Farida Amadou, and the piano and additional electronics of Jonas Cambien – both players who seem to really bring a lot of different sounds out of Dave's work on alto and tenor saxes! Yet if you know Rempis, you know what a wonderfully adaptive improviser he can be – and the mix of electro and acoustic elements in the record almost seems to take the early experiments of Anthony Braxton and Richard Tietelbaum and push them to a whole new level – maybe in part because the work on the strings of the bass and the tones of the piano seem to widen the color palette of the performance in really great ways. Titles include "Exotropia", "Radiata", "Bladderwort", and "Camelopardalis". CD

Denis Wise plays all instruments on this record – everything but the kitchen sink! Oh wait – the liner notes actually indicate that he does play a kitchen sink – and a garbage disposal too – but in ways that are completely changed, as he mixes them with sounds from a variety of guitars, keyboards, percussion, and various electronic instruments – all in this wild style that's surprisingly earthy and organic! At some level, the music is more a garage version of electro-acoustic modes from the academy – but at another, it's pure unbridled creation, with a sense of sonic joy that really comes through on the best numbers. Some songs are slightly tuneful, and there's maybe a bit of offbeat abstracted vocals here and there – on tunes that include "Balfazzar", "Light As Air", "Valhalla", "Machine Time Ship", "Love In Foam & Surf", "Andro", "Celes", and "Hedonic Rapture". LP, Vinyl record album

A Japanese electro pop masterpiece from Akiko Yano – done with lots of help on production from Ryuichi Sakamoto, and lots of musical help from other members of YMO too! Yet the set's got a very different vibe than Sakmoto's music and that of his group – maybe more tuneful, at a level that really takes advantage of the fantastic vocal range of Akiko – which sometimes stretches and inflects at a level that might rival Kate Bush at the time, although in a much more electronic setting overall. Titles include "Tadaima", "Vet", "Iranaimon", "Sensei", "Otosan", "Taiyo No Onara", and "Okasan No Ohige". LP, Vinyl record album

The Masterpiece series has been running for quite a long time – and just seems to get better and better in the process! The range of tracks here is nicely expanded past those on early volumes – not straight disco or funk, but instead this great slice of overlooked club cuts that includes some rare singles, and some material that's never been released on CD at all! If you dig 80s grooves, you'll find a lot to love here – but there's a nicely wide range of sounds, too – on titles that include "Stone In Love" by Electro, "Give Me The Time" by Michelle Gold, "Let Me Know (ext version)" by Beckie Bell, "After Tonight" by Shirley Brown, "One Love" by Tony Ransom, "Your Love Is All I Need" by BT Express, "Sweet & Sassy" by Deborah Foster, "Give It Up" by Tyrone Curry, "Can't Get Over You" by Shara, "Count On Me" by Linda Tillery, "Put Me Down" by Spur Of The Moment, and "Given Up On You" by Kevin & Benetta. CD

An incredibly lovely record from Kraftwerk – fashioned along the same suite-like style as Radio Activity, and served up with some haunting and charming tunes throughout! The electronics are quite spare, yet very thoughtful – never a note out of place, as the quartet build their careful efforts together to create a tapestry of surprisingly warm sounds – using just a bit of vocals in really great ways, and almost prefacing a whole generation of UK and Euro pop to come – yet without any of their schmaltz! Titles include "Europe Endless", "Hall of Mirrors", "Abzung", "Franz Schubert", and "Showroom Dummies" – not to mention the awesome title track and electro break number "Metal On Metal". CD

Really wonderful work from Towa Tei – an artist who's lost none of the charms that first made us fall in love with him when he was a member of Deee Lite! As with his earlier solo material, this set's got a wonderful combination of sounds, samples, and styles – that quality that has Towa maybe bringing forward some of the best spirits of the initial Japanese electro pop generation, but fused with a more dynamic sense of rhythm that he picked up while part of the scene in New York in the early 90s! All the elements crash together with non-stop action and a real sense of sonic delight – and titles include "Beautiful", "My Baby", "Sea Change", "Immunitas", "Ear Candy", "Hold On", and "OPA". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Thelma's best known for her grooves from earlier years, she still sounds plenty darn great on this sweet set from the mid 80s – a bouncy, buoyant batch of tunes that updates the rhythms a bit, but still serves up plenty of her classic-styled vocals! Backings are heavy on beats and keys, and with production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Monte Moir, Glen Ballard, and Dennis Lambert, there's a definite electro pop sensibility bubbling through many of the tunes – a style that's often forceful, even when subtle – slightly stiff on the rhythms, but in ways that make Thelma's warm vocals sound even more powerful. Titles include "I Guess It Must Be Love", "Fantasy & Heartbreak", "I'd Rather Spend The Bad Times With You", "Shake You", "Generate Love", and "Love Is A Dangerous Game". LP, Vinyl record album

A really nice batch of early 80s soul from Loose Ends – one of the best-remembered groups who were making strong soul music in Britain in the period – but who actually recorded this excellent first album at Philadelphia's Alpha Studios! Making the record in Philly was a wise decision – the sounds range from classic-level slow jams, to solid modern soul, to touches of electro – plus some more dancefloor-oriented groovers – coming across like work of deft scene veterans rather than a full length debut for the group! The songs were written by the band who, at that time, included Jane Eugene, Carl McIntosh and Steve Nichol – and titles include "Hangin On A String", "Choose Me", "Music Takes Me Higher", "Dial 999", "Tell Me What You Want", "A Little Spice", "So Much Love", and "Let's Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

Techno isn't a style that just evolved from 80s Detroit – as the authors of this book go way way back to the early 60s – to start digging for the roots of space-age music and electronic sounds that would explode on dancefloors many years later! The book offers up an array of records in many different styles – presented in the best Japanese disc guide mode – which means full color images of the cover and basic details in English – plus a small Japanese review that you can read using Google Translate. Chapters include a Space Age section on the 60s, a Krautrock section from the early 70s, Synth Pop of the late 70s, Electro of the mid 80s, and on up to chapters on Rave Culture, Detroit Techno, Artificial Intelligence, Glitch/Drone, Dubstep, Glitch/Drone, and Juke/Bass Music. The book features images of hundreds of records that will help you digging in the crates while drinking in this history lesson – and this softcover volume is 286 pages, full color throughout! Book

Fantastic sounds from this ultra-cool project – music that's neither straight disco, nor really reggae – and instead a great dubby reworking of dancefloor modes from a few generations past! The range of material here comes a number of different settings – but is all worked together carefully with a very cohesive feel – thanks to a selection of like-minded artists and producers who've made this Disco Reggae project one of the better experiments of this nature in recent years! Most tunes are familiar numbers, but remade in this fresh new vision – and titles include "Tainted Love (Grandmagneto orig 7")" by Grandmagneto, "Watermelon Man (Taggy Matcher disco reggae mix)" by Taggy Matcher, "Sabadi (7 Samurai electro disco reggae mix)" by Lucas Arruda, "Stand On The World (7 Samurai electro dub mix)" by Joubert Singers, "I'll Do Anything For You (Mato reggae mix)" by Lee McDonald, and "Queen Of The Minstrels (Taggy Matcher disco reggae mix)" by Mr Day. LP, Vinyl record album

Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix his older jazz funk style with an 80s groove sound that has slight touches of electro. This mix of modes is really unique for the time, with Roy embracing the new school without completely letting go of his trailblazing personal approach. Jean Carn sings lead vocals on the cut "Can I See You", and the album also includes the nice stepper "Programmed For Love", plus "Virgo", "Night Flyte", and "For You", a smooth mellow cut that's got great vocals by Roy! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 80s grooves from Cherrelle – a set that really has the singer cooking strongly with the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – complete with all the heavy beats you might expect! Jam and Lewis borrow plenty of bottom sounds from the styles of hip hop and electro, and do a great job of mixing the rhythmic elements with Cherrelle's catchy vocals – all in a way that really blows away some of their more chart-topping productions, as the tunes have a bit more of an underground appeal! Make no mistake, this is definitely the poppier side of the soul spectrum – but there's also a freshness here that goes way past Janet Jackson – and which retains some of that smoother, more sophisticated sound we always love in the Tabu label. Titles include "You Look Good To Me", "High Priority", "Artificial Heart", "Saturday Love", "Oh No It's U Again", and "New Love". CD

Fantastic early funk from Daft Punk – at once future and retro, and definitely at the level that was about to make these guys huge players in the global scene! The sounds here really follow some of the best French experiments of previous decades – the electro disco of Cerrone, some of the freakier spacier fuzzier club styles of the late 70s/early 80s world, and even that return to bold dancefloor modes from 90s giants like Bob Sinclar! Yet at the same time, these guys really break out of the dancefloor underground – and somehow manage to wrap everything together as the new voice of pop music – one that doesn't always need a vocal in the lead, as long as the other elements are this great. Titles include "Superheroes", "Harder Better Faster Stronger", "Aerodynamic", "Short Circuit", "Too Long", "Face To Face", "High Life", "Nightvision", and "Crescendolls". CD

Evelyn Champagne King will always be most popularly remembered for her massive disco pop crossover hits of the late 70s, but she progressed really nicely throughout the 80s, keeping up with the evolving dancefloor soul sounds of the times – and Face To Face is a lean, clubby electro soul and funk flavored set with catchy hooks and sweet vocals by Evelyn! The production duties are split almost evenly between the team of Leon Sylvers, Foster Sylvers & Joey Gallo and Andre Cymone – both of which embrace synth and programming, with Cymone's coming off a bit clubbier – but all of it nicely frames Evelyn's lovely vocals. Includes "Action", "Face To Face", "Shake Down", "Telll Me Something Good", "Don't It Feel Good", "Makin' Me So Proud", "Givin' You My Love (What Cha Gonna Do With It)", "Teenager" and "Let's Get Crazy". LP, Vinyl record album

Man and machine – a perfect summation of the Kraftwerk genius, delivered perfectly on this classic late 70s set! The album's got a bit more punch than some of their previous efforts – almost a not towards the dancefloor at times, yet hardly the disco you'd get from other groups of the period – and more a prefiguring of the sounds of the future from various UK and European sources! There's some great electro moments that made the record a favorite for the New York scene in the early 70s – including some wicked vocoder bits, and tight beats on a few numbers. Titles include the excellent "The Model" – plus "The Man Machine", "Neon Lights", "The Robots", "Spacelab", and "Metropolis". CD

Man and machine – a perfect summation of the Kraftwerk genius, delivered perfectly on this classic late 70s set! The album's got a bit more punch than some of their previous efforts – almost a not towards the dancefloor at times, yet hardly the disco you'd get from other groups of the period – and more a prefiguring of the sounds of the future from various UK and European sources! There's some great electro moments that made the record a favorite for the New York scene in the early 70s – including some wicked vocoder bits, and tight beats on a few numbers. Titles include the excellent "The Model" – plus "The Man Machine", "Neon Lights", "The Robots", "Spacelab", and "Metropolis". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s pop soul classic from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force – insistent and irresistible to this day – and a solid album full of tunes that stand up strongly with their unstoppable hit singles of the period! Yes, the sound would get a bit too cutesy and played out by the end of the 80s, if you lived through those years, but it's amazing how nice it sounds all these years later! There's nice dose of electro and early hip hop creeping in, it's the breakout "I Wonder If I Take You Home" is, straight-up, one of our favorite mid 80s mainstream R&B jams. Also includes "Can You Feel The Beat", "You'll Never Change", "All Cried Out", "This Is Cult Jam", "Behind My Eyes", "Private Property" and "Take Me Home (Rap)". CD

The only album ever issued by Matadi – a hip French group from those key post-colonial years on the Parisian scene, and one who serve up this wonderful blend of late 70s club and West African roots! The style is almost a few years ahead of its time – especially when compared to some of the groups who would break big on that early 80s moment of global circulation of new Afro-styled sounds – especially when some of the keyboards almost seem to hint at electro styles from years to come! Yet the overall approach is nice and warm, very 70s funky on most tracks – upbeat, and laced with guitar solos from Sammy Massamba, who put the whole thing together – on titles that include "Afro", "My Own Style", "Lode", "Viva Afrika", "Bola Bola", and "Timawok". LP, Vinyl record album

Blue Note boy genius Jason Moran rolls forward with another fine set for the label – leading a quartet session with a keen ear for 40s deep south jazz with groundwork in the blues – without sacrificing the freedom and fervor of bop or more contemporary sounds! Moran's been moving very well for a few years in the comfort of his great trio, featuring Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on the kit – this time adding a stellar guitar in Marvin Sewell. It's only appropriate that the measured piano firebrand would jump back a couple generations after lending his attention to hip hop and electro on the last studio album – and he does so with the same geniune passion, and perhaps even more appealing results! Tracks include "Gangsterism On The Rise", "Jump Up", "Aubade", "G Suit Saltation", "I'll Play The Blues For You", Mal Waldron's hot "Fire Waltz", "Field Of The Dead", "Restin'", "Gangsterism On The Set" and more. CD

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Really great sounds from the legendary Denny Zeitlin – an entry in his series of electro-acoustic improvisations with drummer George Marsh – and a record that has Zeitlin on a range of keyboards and electronics, in addition to his more familiar acoustic piano! It's that instrument which first brought Denny attention in the 60s, but over the years, he's also developed a surprisingly strong ear for electric sources – often using them in very different ways, sounding especially great in the freer setting of duo improvisations like these! George handles a bit of percussion, but mostly makes his main magic on the drum kit – and titles include "The Ascent", "Fillmore Dreams", "Hadron Collider", "Disagree To Agree", "Quicksilver", "Hatching", and "Black Hole". CD

Athur Baker was a producer with a slightly bumpy path in the 80s, but there's no denying his impact on music at the time – particularly the way he had of funneling sounds from the streets to the dancefloors in the mainstream! Baker was one of the first to really have an ear for both hip hop and other styles of grooves – super-sharp on the right electro elements, yet with a richer understanding of soul, R&B, and club – all of which he brings to work here, on versions of tracks that have all the excitement of a special take on the tune from the clubs back in the day! This 4CD set comes in a huge book-style package, with plenty of notes – and features 43 classic mixes by Baker, with titles that include "Big Love (ext rmx)" by Fleetwood Mac, "Sun City (last rmx)" by Artists United Against Apartheid, "Running Away (Arthur Baker rmx)' by The Colourfield, "C'Est La Vie (ext rmx)" by Robbie Nevil, "Out Of Touch (club version)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Living In A Box (dance mix)" by Living In A Box, "IOU (mega mix)" by Freeez, "Walking On Sunshine (12" version)" by Rockers Revenge, "Soweto (rmx)" by Jeffrey Osborne, "A Love Supreme (jazz in the house rmx)" by Will Downing, "Message Is Love (cupid mix)" by Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples with Al Green, "Ever Fallen In Love (club senseless)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "Buffalo Stance (1/2 way 2 house mix)" by Neneh Cherry, and "Planet Rock (12" voc version)" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force. CD

A great slice of work from the New York underground of the post-disco years – served up by a family of labels that had been making things happen through most of the 70s! The set focuses strongly on the singles issued by the Posse and Spring Records labels – the former a new offshoot of the latter, especially geared towards 12" singles that were strongly focused on both the new sounds of the clubs and the streets – including lots of electro, bass-heavy funk, hip hop-inspired grooves, and mabye even some elements that would soon point the way towards house music to come! This side of the Spring Records label has never been covered in detail like this before – and the choice of cuts is as great as the notes on the music – which finally gives the Posse singles their due in the scene from back in the day. Titles include "We Come To Jam" by Blaze, "Sing A Song" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Have Your Cake" by Body, "Wired For Games (long version)" by C Brand, "Workin Out" by Ritz, "Live It Up (short vocal)" by Fonda Rae, "Get Up An Dance" by Mynk, "Spread Love" by Fatback, "Let's Get Nice (7" vocal)" by Glory, and "Got To Have Your Lovin (short vocal)" by Feel. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw sounds from the American underground – a great set of twang-heavy tracks from obscure 45s – most of them with a unique blend of rock and country styles! There's lots of the spirit here of Johnny Burnette – and a few artists actually seem to pay him tribute with their work – but most of the recordings have a rougher style too, with some especially great echoey production on the guitars! Titles include "Willie Joe" by Mystery Trio, "Dark Mood" by Bartlett Brothers & The Country Paupers, "Still As The Night" by Clint Blacklaw, "Kentucky Fandango" by JP Dunn, "Misery" by Jacky Lee, "A Woman's Mind" by Jimmy Merrill, "Ghost Train" by Electro Tones, and "If You Love Me" by Johnny Fortune. LP, Vinyl record album

Three unreleased slices of work from the legendary Tony Oxley – a British drummer who's had an impact on his scene's music for decades – and also an artist who can handle a whole lot of other musical sources as well! The set begins with some very seminal sounds from Oxley – music from 1974 with a quintet that features Barry Guy on acoustic and electric bass, Dave Holdsworth on trumpet and effects, Howard Riley on piano, and Paul Rutherford on trombone – all giants from the key years of the Brit free jazz scene – working here with Oxley on drums, electronics, and effects – on titles that include "The Embrace", "Ensemble 1", and "Ensemble 2". Next is a long piece from 1981, titled "Frame" – with Oxley on drums, electronics, and even violin – next to Hugh Metcalfe on guitar and cymbals, Howard Riley on piano, Phil Wachsmann on violin and electronics, and the mighty Larry Stabbins on saxes! The final piece is "Combination" from 2016, and is spare, but equally striking – Oxley on electronics, working next to the percussion of Stefan Hoelker – almost evoking an older electro-acoustic style. CD

Snoop brings Doggy Style over to Geffen – also the home to the Neptunes' Star Trak, Snoop's partners for this seriously strong later effort – also working with a diverse roster of producers and vocal guests including Alchemist, Lil Jon, 50 Cent, Hi Tek, and others. Snoops laidback rhyme style sounds really great on the Neptune productions, with that glittery minimalist electro sound and the digital handclaps that meld perfectly with Snoop's hazy delivery. The the now classic status of the standout single "Drop It Like It's Hot" is pretty much all the evidence you need, but Snoop's on a real high (artistically, that is) here, and mainstream street hop is all the better for it! Other tracks include "Bang Out", "Can I Get A Flicc Witchu" feat Bootsy Collins, "The Bidness", "Let's Get Blown", "Step Yo Game Up" with Lil Jon, "Oh No" with 50 Cent, "Pass It Pass It" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Athur Baker was a producer with a slightly bumpy path in the 80s, but there's no denying his impact on music at the time – particularly the way he had of funneling sounds from the streets to the dancefloors in the mainstream! Baker was one of the first to really have an ear for both hip hop and other styles of grooves – super-sharp on the right electro elements, yet with a richer understanding of soul, R&B, and club – all of which he brings to work here, on versions of tracks that have all the excitement of a special take on the tune from the clubs back in the day! This 2LP package features 14 classic mixes by Baker, with titles that include "Big Love (ext rmx)" by Fleetwood Mac, "Sun City (last rmx)" by Artists United Against Apartheid, "Running Away (Arthur Baker rmx)' by The Colourfield, "C'Est La Vie (ext rmx)" by Robbie Nevil, "Out Of Touch (club version)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Living In A Box (dance mix)" by Living In A Box, "IOU (mega mix)" by Freeez, "Walking On Sunshine (12" version)" by Rockers Revenge, "Soweto (rmx)" by Jeffrey Osborne, "A Love Supreme (jazz in the house rmx)" by Will Downing, "Message Is Love (cupid mix)" by Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples with Al Green, "Ever Fallen In Love (club senseless)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "Buffalo Stance (1/2 way 2 house mix)" by Neneh Cherry, and "Planet Rock (12" voc version)" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force. LP, Vinyl record album

There's no breakdown to the boogie here – as the album's overflowing with stunning sounds that are right up there with better-known club music from the early 80s – every bit as full of basslines, beats, and keyboards as the best tracks from the American scene of the period, but maybe even more stripped-down and biting overall! As the title announces, the music here is all from South Africa of the late Apartheid years – a time that's usually summed up by music of protest, but which also required some moments of letting off steam – the kind of grooves that are featured in this set! The sound is warmer than you'd expect from the "synth" in the title, too – more like electro funk overall, with a great sense of sharp rhythms and nicely focused vocals – some of which echo older South African modes, but which still often nod more strongly to US dancefloor soul. Titles include "Party" and "Good Vies" by Harari, "Hey Tonight" and "We Keep On Keeping On" by Cannibals, "I Wanna Be Myself" and "Let's Groove Tonight" by Don Laka, "Perfect Love" and "Breakdown" by Neville Nash, "Flash A Flashlight" and "I Just Keep Dancing" by Benjamin Ball, and "You've Got Love" and "Hold Onto Love" by Al Etto. CD

A great slice of work from the New York underground of the post-disco years – served up by a family of labels that had been making things happen through most of the 70s! The set focuses strongly on the singles issued by the Posse and Spring Records labels – the former a new offshoot of the latter, especially geared towards 12" singles that were strongly focused on both the new sounds of the clubs and the streets – including lots of electro, bass-heavy funk, hip hop-inspired grooves, and mabye even some elements that would soon point the way towards house music to come! This side of the Spring Records label has never been covered in detail like this before – and the choice of cuts is as great as the notes on the music – which finally gives the Posse singles their due in the scene from back in the day. Titles include "We Come To Jam" by Blaze, "Sing A Song" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Have Your Cake" by Body, "Wired For Games (long version)" by C Brand, "Workin Out" by Ritz, "Live It Up (short vocal)" by Fonda Rae, "Get Up An Dance" by Mynk, "Spread Love" by Fatback, "Let's Get Nice (7" vocal)" by Glory, and "Got To Have Your Lovin (short vocal)" by Feel. CD

That's a pretty cosmic image on the cover, and the vibe of the album follows suit in a very nice way – mixing the best "future" modes of 80s music of the cassette generation with some more traditional funk and soul! The set opens our ears to a world we'd never have heard otherwise – and the music here has a surprisingly strong tie to some of the New York electro modes of the period – great basslines, keyboards, and some electronic touches that are balanced by warmer vocals by the Egyptian singers – all with a style that's a lot more soul-based and western than other Mid-East grooves of the time! Titles include "Donia El Arkam" by Frikit El Ensan, "Merci" by Simone, "Genoun El Disco" by Dr Ezat Abou Ouf & El Four M, "Hezeny" by Al Massrieen, "Ana Alby Har Nar" by Lebleba, "Mahsobka Endes" by Eman El Bahr Drwish, and "Tany Tany" by Araf Rady. LP, Vinyl record album

Spacey Far Out Brazilian grooves from the stellar label's roster – some of the wilder, more tripped out and psychedelic sounds on the label – from leftfield dancefloor grooves, to psych rock inspired grooves, to some of the more experimental numbers by Brazilian music legends! The 2CD set features numbers by Azymuth, Joyce, Binario, Jose Mauro and others – including a number of remixes that have never been released on CD before now! Includes "Apocalipse" by Jose Mauro, "Reza Brava" by Piri, "Tudo Bonito" by Joyce, "Black Magic" by Kirk Digeorgio Presents Offworld, "Caca A Raposa" by Azymuth, "Diretriz" by Binario, "Ao Amigo Quartin by Victor Assis Brazil, "Las Vegas" by Rabotnik, "Intergalactic You, Intergalactic Me" by Troubleman and many more. CD

A full funky set of tracks from Will Sessions – a record that more than lives up to the group's previous legacy, but also seems to take them into this cool cosmic territory – maybe even the "electromagnetic reality" promised in the title! There was always raw funk energy at the Will Sessions core, but this time around it's almost as if it's wrapped up in some sweet spacey sounds that echo the 70s revolution of artists like Lonnie Liston Smith or Larry Mizell – which, as you can imagine, only makes the elements at the core even sound better! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Coffee Cup", "Lil Picasso", "Seagulls", "Out Done", "Yeah Yeah", "Phase Shift", and "Planet Jumper". CD

A full funky set of tracks from Will Sessions – a record that more than lives up to the group's previous legacy, but also seems to take them into this cool cosmic territory – maybe even the "electromagnetic reality" promised in the title! There was always raw funk energy at the Will Sessions core, but this time around it's almost as if it's wrapped up in some sweet spacey sounds that echo the 70s revolution of artists like Lonnie Liston Smith or Larry Mizell – which, as you can imagine, only makes the elements at the core even sound better! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Coffee Cup", "Lil Picasso", "Seagulls", "Out Done", "Yeah Yeah", "Phase Shift", and "Planet Jumper". LP, Vinyl record album

Those are some pretty crabby ladies on the front covers – workers for the Jugoton label, working on quality control – but they're probably not the right audience for the music on this set, which is very cool and groovy – and not the sort that would usually go for the blue-haired set! As you'll guess from the title, the sounds were all created in the 80s – partly following off the British electronic modes of the post-punk years, in both cold wave and new wave styles – then moving into some of the shifting styles as the decade moved on, although still often nicely not really in any sort of too-commercial territory! Given the wealth of Croatian, Serbian, and other talents handled by the label, there's a huge amount going on here – as you'll discover on titles that include "Ti I Ja" by Denis & Denis, "Pocket" by Master Scratch Band, "Kad Je Kraj Blizu" by Parliament, "Palcica" by Mato Dosen & HC Andersen, "On" by Zana, "Devica 69" by Laboratorija, "Zaba" by D'Boys, "Radio Video" by Nicky, and "Harakiri" by Dubravka – plus some short "Jugoton Express" tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime soundtrack music from Edward Artemiev – not a big name for film scoring on this side of the Iron Curtain, but a really well-remembered talent for his classic 70s work for the films of Andrey Tarkovsky! Side one of this album features wonderful sounds from the film Stalker – music that begins in a sweet electronic mode, but soon gets darker – a weird space that's somewhere between the German elements of Cluster and Tangerine Dream, and some of the more abstract electronics of the underground academic scene! Yet throughout it all, Artemiev has a very visual approach to his sounds – one that steps out nicely on the one track from the film The Mirror, and an extended tribute to the director too. Titles include "Exodus", "Dedication To Andrey Tarkovsky", "Meditation", "They Go Long", "Stalker", and "Train". LP, Vinyl record album

Mike Bandoni soars to space on waves of funky drums – spread out here on long tracks that are often three times the length of a funky 45, which allows plenty of room for the drums to do all sorts of sharp changes and crackling passages – as plenty of cool keyboards, electronics, and other effects filter into the mix! The drums are at the core throughout, and Mike's a hell of a drummer – but he also really does a great job of bringing in all these other spooky, spacey sounds that really give the album a unique sort of vibe! Titles include "Gamma Ray Burst", "Event Horizon Approach", "Arrival", "The Long Nap", "Something Wonderful", and "It Might Be OK". LP, Vinyl record album

Totally cool, totally amazing music from the enigmatic Francis Bebey – a contemporary on the early 80s African scene of William Onyeabor, and an equally experimental artists! Bebey used a fair bit of electronics, but often with sounds that had acoustic roots – in this case, the ultra cool sansa, which is a similar thumb piano to the kalimba – amplified here in really great ways, and mixed with some moody, dark elements throughout! The music has much more of a 70s vintage than you'd guess from the dates on the record – thanks partly to the raw percussion, and very offbeat production – which sometimes is mellow, sometimes bursts out in these shocking waves of sound. Titles include "Sanza Tristesse", "Forest Nativity", "Sunny Crypt", "Ngoma Likembe", "Guinee", "Di Saegi", and "Binta Madiallo". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early chapter in the long legacy of Human League and Heaven 17 – a group of musicians who'd partly go on to form the latter, recently departed from the former – yet still working strongly in the dark, electronic style of the earliest releases from the Sheffield scene! There's plenty of moody analogue sounds going on here – and as a cassette only release back in the day, the whole thing is a key slice of that cold wave underground of the early 80s, even though its members reached later fame – definitely working in territory that's more avant and electronic at times, but with more rhythmic instrumentals as well! Titles include "Music To Kill Your Parents By", "Decline Of The West", "Honeymoon In New York", "A Baby Called Billy", "Wipe The Board Clean", "Uptown Apocalypse", and "The Optimum Chant". CD

A great package – one that features some wildly experimental work from French electronics whiz Philippe Besombes! First up is the album Libra – tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261". Next is the record Esombeso – also release as Ceci Est Cela – a strange mix of sound library electronics and much more experimental work from Philippe Besombes – a set that carries echoes of some of the best Italian soundtrack electronics of the 70s, but which also features much darker, more turgid moments as well! The album collects some of Besombes' performances for ballet and other settings – and stands as an even starker document of his talents than some of the other albums issued under his name in the 70s. Titles include "Pawa"," Geant", "Seul", and "Ceci Est Cela". Next are two more albums done under the name Hydravion – both of which show Besombes turning his electronics into tighter, more song-based territory – although not without some noise from time to time – shorter tracks that sometimes get a bit tuneful, but which are still light years from mainstream music of the period. CD set also features bonus tracks for the first two albums – 8 more numbers that include "L'Or Des Fous", "Traversee", "Trio", "Piano Prepare", "Orgue Hache", and "Chocolate Cream". CD

A trio of spacey classics from Tim Blake – all brought together in a single set! First up Crystal Machine – fantastic sounds from Tim Blake, an artist who previously worked with Gong, and sometimes worked with Hawkwind – but who really came into his own on this legendary album of electronics! Tim works here on a self-constructed "crystal machine" – a bank of electronics that was often played in performance to front some trippy film installations (as shown on the cover) – which perfectly suited the stretched-out spacey style of his music! The vibe is maybe a bit like early Tangerine Dream, but with some of the warmer modes of the French electronic scene of the time – and titles include "Midnight", "Last Ride Of The Boogie Child", "Synthese Intemporel", and "Crystal Presence". On the cover of Blake's New Jerusalem, Tim looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". Magick is a really great later set from electronic genius Tim Blake – an album recorded 15 years after his early classics, and done in his windmill home in France – but all played live, in a way that makes the electronics and keyboards here maybe more amazing! Blake has certainly picked up some of the elements from the 80s generation who were influenced by his earlier work – but also keeps the more open sense of song structure from his classics at points – with a sound that still knows when to revel in the best analog moments, next to the digital ones. Titles include "Tonight", "Strange Secret Of Ohm Gliding", "A Dream", "More Magick", and "Waiting For Nati". Also features the bonus b-side "The Woodland Voice". CD

A creative blend of jazz and other musical styles from David Ornette Cherry – son of Don Cherry, and an artist who really shares a similar sense of boundary crossing as his father! Cherry provides vocals, piano, and "soundscapes" on the record – mixing acoustic and electric modes with other instrumentation from a shifting lineup of musicians all through the set – very much in an Afro-futurist mode, and infused with a nice sense of politics through the lyrics – which are often processed in a way that fit in nicely with David's more electronic elements. There's a lot of acoustic elements in the mix – global percussion and flute elements, plus guitar too – on titles that include "So & So & So & So", "Ancestors Are Calling", "Frame Of Creativity", "Hidden Sounds", "Najour", "Cosmic Nomad", and "Cultural Workers". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Cherry gave many wonderful musical performances on the European scene in the 70s, including this one – a gem of a record that was thought to be lost for years, and finally gets released to the world at large! The set's a live collaboration with electronic musician Jean Schwarz – whose contributions here are nicely subtle, and never challenge the acoustic energy of the session, but instead augment it in all these really cool, unique ways – very different than most improvised music with electronics at the time. Cherry plays pocket trumpet and some great doussn gouni – in the company of an equally fantastic lineup that features JF Jenny Clark on bass, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Michel Portal on saxes, bass clarinet, and bandoneon. Given all the elements, there's some very unique sounds going on here – a really amazing record that includes the tracks "Bells One", "Doussn Gouni", "Tribute To Ornette", "Bando", and "Berimbau". CD

A really unusual project from electronic music legend Delia Derbyshire – sounds that were created for a film of abstract photographic images, but which work beautifully here on their own! Partner Elsa Stansfield contributes a lot of core elements to the music – Derbyshire works in sounds that are even more abstract and beautiful than her better-known music for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop – and together, they create something that we'd be more likely to call a "sonic painting" than just an ordinary record album! The set also features a bit of spoken introduction by Pamela Bone – whose photographs formed the core of the images – but overall, most of the proceedings are instrumental, and come from the team of Derbyshire and Stansfield. LP, Vinyl record album

Really inventive sounds from this hip Italian trio – a combo who have a way of mixing acoustic and electric elements in ways that echo recent experiments on both the Chicago and London scenes! The music is jazz, but with a strong reliance on larger soundscapes – a quality that's echoed here by the appearance of Rob Mazurek on one track, who seems to be a great inspiration for the way the group approaches their music! The core trio features Gabriele Mitelli on trumpets and electronics, Cristiano Calcagnile on drums and percussion, and Pasquale Mirra on vibes and korg minilogue – all of which makes for a great layering of creative sounds. The set also features guest work from Damon Locks and Cristina Dona – and titles include "The Black Shining Of The Sea", "Hey Mary", "The Elephant", "Fata Morgana", "Cherry Juice In A Box", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool electronic soundtrack for this obscure early 80s slasher film – music that's a lot more complex and sensitive than the usual sounds used for slashers – with a style that reminds us of some of the hippest late 70s music on the Sky Records label! Eric Feremens comes from a relatively similar place – working here on self-built synthesizers, tailored specially to produced these wonderful sounds and tones – not tinny commercial keyboards, but much more thoughtful electronic elements that make the music way more appealing than just its use in a film. In fact, this is one of the few soundtracks of its type that could stand alone as a batch of spacey electronics – far from the schlocky images on the screen. Titles include "Harbour Fight", "Persecution", "Lady", "Hippy Song", and "Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing project from Mats Gustafsson – and one that's a great reminder of his ability to create music in so many different and incredible ways! This time around, Mats acts as the conductor – at the head of NyMusik Trondheim and Avant Art Ensemble – both larger groups who mix together acoustic instrumentation with electronics, but all in these very spare, often subtle ways that hardly make you aware of their size at all. There are moments of full-on sonic activity, but much of the proceedings focus on smaller sounds and more focused expressions – served up with solo work from Anders Nyqvist on trumpets, Colin Stetson on amplified bass sax, Hedvig Mollestad on tuba, Jerome Noetinger on revox tape machines, and Dieb 13 on turntables – next to other work on cello, violin, prepared piano, accordion, and guitar. Titles include "Mirrors 1", "Echoes 1", "Shadows 2", "Outro", "Intro", and "Reflection". CD

The sonic intensity of saxophonist Mats Gustafsson gets a perfect foil here in the electronics of Joachim Norwall – a musician who really helps Gustafsson to reach some of the most powerful sounds we've heard from his horns in years! Mats can have a way of blowing his instruments as if they're almost modular electronics – not in a cold sort of approach, but one that works the reeds and pads with a pulsating sort of energy – waves of sonic activity shifting in pace, as he creates this incredible magic on baritone sax, slide saxophone, bass saxophone, alto fluteophone, and flute – while Norwall delivers work on analogue electronics in a range of different styles. Sometimes the electronics are more in the background of the saxophone improvisations, sometimes more actively upfront – and titles on the set include "There Are Some Worlds Where All Dreams Die", "Their New Life Was Their Final Life", "Birdbrain", "His Fingers Moving In The Air Produced A Soft Organ Like Music", "Here Eyes Were Like Cold Fires", and "The Day Of Days Was There". LP, Vinyl record album

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". CD

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". LP, Vinyl record album

Spacey sounds from the enigmatic Iasos – a legendary figure in the 70s underground – and an artist with a heck of a great ear for organic electronics and unusual recording techniques! This cool collection of Iasos' music was put together by Carlos Nino with the guys at Numero – and as such, it's got a really sensitive feel – a way of bringing together the sounds and stories that really get at the subtle genius of Iasos – packaged in a lavish set that also features lots of vintage photos too. The style is often quite personal, and almost naive – as Iasos works on guitar, keyboards, amplified flute, and other odd tape and studio effects – all flowing out with a style that's often a bit cosmic, and pretty darn compelling. Titles include "Crystal Petals", "Procession On The Horizon", "Cloud Prayer", "Rainbow Canyon", "I Passion You A Leap Of Love Flame", and "Spring Temple Forest". CD

The legendary first album from Kraftwerk – a groundbreaking set recorded when the group was more of a proggish outfit, and still yet to make their mark in the world of electronics! As with early work by Cluster, the instrumentation here is often from more conventional rock sources, but really abstracted through the production work of Connie Plank. Flute, violin, organ, and drums resonate with a new sort of intensity here – stretched out over long tracks and mixed up so that their sounds take on different shapes and textures. Album features 4 tracks in all – "Ruckzuck", "Stratovarius", "Megaherz", and "Vom Himmel Hoch". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks – maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme", and "Sounds Like Now". CD

An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks – maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme", and "Sounds Like Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material that was originally recorded in 1972 by organist Larry Young – some of his most outside material ever, and done with a bunch of young musicians who wail on all of these weird electronic instruments! The set's way wilder even than any of Young's albums that were issued at the time – including the classics with his group Fuel, or even his Lawrence of Newark album – and the album's got loads of wild, very noisy synth sounds and crazy percussion! The tunes come across as sheets and sheets of white noise – with Larry's organ going all over the place in freewheeling solos and groovy rhythm lines. Young plays Hammond, and other instrumentation includes Joe Gallivan on synth, percussion, drums, and steel guitar; Nicholas on guitar synth, ring modulator, hi-tension wires, wind, rain, and thunder (!); and Jimmy Molneiri on drums and percussion. Titles include "Love Cry", "Ancient Place"," Angels Wing", "Peace", and "Great Medicine Dance". LP, Vinyl record album