Electro soul pioneer and resurgent creative force Giorgio Moroder gets the front cover honor, and rightfully so – with classic electro-inspired Brooklyn instrumentalists Ratatat on the backside! This issue includes great features on both, plus pieces on Steve Arrington, Divine Styler, Van Hunt, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the photography of soul jazz hero Les McCann, the too often underappreciated female voices of dancefloor soul legends Chic, and lots more! The always photo rich style of Wax Poetics is in full force here, too. One of the best issues in a while! Magazine

Not a new version of Pierre Dorge's famous group, but a 30th anniversary celebration that shows the guitarist and ensemble to be as creative as ever! As with earlier efforts, the approach here is a very offbeat extrapolation of modern large ensemble modes from the generations of Ellington and Kenton – taken to very weird territory with Dorge's guitar in the lead, and with some very inventive use of familiar horns, plus keyboards and percussion. Tracks are mostly short, and titles include "Xongly", "Sankt Jakob", "Fur Kontrabas", "Balada Para El Trompetista", "Ratatata Lang Ra", and "Blessing Bones". CD