Back Catalogue

Review: Dave Lister, sorry Craig Charles, isn't holding back when he says that his new compilation 'contains 19 rip snorting tunes guaranteed to tear the roof off any venue festival or house party in the known universe'. He's not far wrong either as, much like his popular 6Music show of the same name, he delivers a booty-shaking selection of vintage and modern, soul, funk and blues music. Highlights include The Bamboos' high energy banger, "Amen Brother", the everybody-knows-it "Clap Hands Song", Nostalgia 77's remarkable take on "7 Nation Army" and Al Wilson's beguiling "The Snake".

Review: Synth-bothering indie-popsters Friendly Fires are the latest contributors to the uniformly excellent Late Night Tales series, and they seem desperate to prove just how diverse their tastes are. Oh, and their underground credentials. So, we get fuzzy stoner disco (Renee), curious French electro-disco oddness (Space), shirts-off end of night goodness (the much-played but still ace "Like An Eagle" by Dennis Parker), krautrock-inspired indie pop (Stereolab, Cocteau Twins), classic US garage (Iron Galaxy), future anthems (SBTRKT), dream-pop (Junior Boys, Lauren Halo), folksy musings (Grouper), and even a dash of Olivia Newton-John (the decidedly Balearic "Love Song"). While a cynic may raise a surprised eyebrow at some of the selections, there's no denying their quality.

Review: Champion of freaky twists on disco roots, Justin Velor hands his tracks over to a host of remixers for this new 12" on the sturdy Brutal Music imprint. Psychemagik brings a lazy kind of deep house sound, letting languid chords and forlorn guitars hover in between the low slung roll of the beat, proving to be something of a foil to the rest of the EP. Cherrystones immediately ramp up the intensity with a ranging drum workout and swathes of shapeless guitar wails and distortion on a thoroughly oppressive tip. The Go! Team are last up, and they reappropriate "Galiano Rocks" into a squalling riot of punk attitude and effervescent energy.

Review: By now, you should all know the story of Atoms for Peace, the new all-star leftfield rock outfit founded by Thom Yorke and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. Amok is the five-piece's full-length debut, following a couple of well-received singles on XL and 50 Weapons. While there are obvious similarities with the path Radiohead have taken over recent years - curious beats influenced by dubstep and IDM, haunting soundscapes and intoxicating compositions - there's far greater warmth and vibrancy to the songs than some of Yorke's other projects. Ultimately, it sounds like what it is: a bunch of experimental-minded mates getting together to make music. It comes highly recommended.

Review: If you're going to release a remix album, you best make it interesting and worthwhile. That's certainly what Radiohead have done on TKOL RMX 1234567. Based on a series of seven acclaimed 12" singles, this 19-track release boasts contributions from some of electronic music's most forward-thinking contemporary talents. Supposedly handpicked by Thom Yorke himself, the presence of Pearson Sound, Shed, Modeselektor, Caribou, Mark Pritchard, Jamie XX and SBTRKT (whose anthemic version of "Lotus Flower" provides a fitting finale) demonstrate the band have more than a cursory grasp of who is doing good things right now. The end product sees widely varied reimaginations that veer between twisted underground techno, stargazing electronica, maudlin ambience and whatever this week's go to term for the UK bass cognoscenti is.

Here at Juno HQ, we rather like the long running Late Night Tales series, where esteemed bands, musicians, producers and DJs give us a taste of what post-club listening is like round their gaff. To celebrate the series, we've put together a little low-price bundle featuring some of our favourite tracks from the unmixed versions of the compilations. There's plenty to enjoy, from the shuffling goodness of Kenny Dixon Jnr's slightly overlooked remix of Innerzone Orchestra, and the Balearic goodness of Steve Miller Band and Chris Rea, to the classic hip-hop styles of Mos Def and Souls of Mischief. As if that wasn't enough for less than a fiver, you also get 25 per cent off any downloads from the LNT catalogue. Bargain!

Review: Time get out the 'shrooms out as Claremont 56's dancefloor offshoot Leng present this psychedelic DJ mix from Psychemagik. Yes these nu-disco freakazoids have been granted the right to take us on an hour-long journey that takes in their beloved afro-beat, disco, funk and psychedelia. High-lights of this trip include the flower power vibes of "Catching A Wave", the saucy Euro-funk of "Gozame Ya!" and the west coast Manilow-isms of ""House Of The Rock".

Review: Well known for over a decade as leader of Afro-rock powerhouse Kokolo, Ray Lugo has finally found the time to drop a solo album on the Jazz & Milk label, featuring esteemed vocalists and players such as Dap Kings percussionist Fernando Velez and Joe Bataan guitarist Andy Averbuch. With a mix of hip-hop beats, live Latin percussion and all manner of slinky, JB-inspired funk, tracks like the smoky "This Feeling's Gone" and "I Dream of Bahia" show a whole new side to Lugo and make for a pleasantly-varied and raw LP.

Review: The Buttshakers are one of those bands who still manage to bring the funk back and make you feel like you're in '74. The St Louis ensemble make their return on Germany's Copase Disques and do so in mighty fine style; "Man's World" is a rocked-out banger of tune, whereas "Nothing To Hold On" takes those drum breaks all the way downtown for some truly bumping vibes. The others are in no way less impressive but another certified gem has to be "A Way To Get By", a slow-moving soul anthem which places this interesting little outfit on a well-deserved funk podium.

Review: It's difficult to make dance music with 'real' instruments, as so many second rate punk funk acts have proved, but Miami proves to be an anomaly. BBF have taken inspiration from jazz influences for this album, which makes for an adventurous, at times breathless work. At one end of the spectrum there's the seductive piano lines and soaring woodwind of the title track and "Miami Titles", while at the other there's the high tempo, syncopated rhythms and deranged brass of "Skiffle It Up" and "Broken Pieces", which features a contribution from Jamie Lidell. Another contributor, Nina Kraviz, helps to turn the air blue on the abrasive "Verwahrlosung", but in the main, Miami is a work inspired by warm sea breezes and ice cold cocktails.