CD-Charts Position 1
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Is That a Riot?

by: Youngblood Brass Band

Release Date April 24, 2007
This new delivery from the youngblood brass band sees them truly beginning to cut themselves a niche in the vast melting pot of today's music. Their combination of Soul, Jazz and Hip-hop has become more and more refined since their early releases: 'Unlearn or 'Word on The Street'. A more experimental approach has been taken with a number of their tracks but the powerful solidarity of their words are not lost.

I defy anyone not to be bowled over by the sheer passion that goes into 'Nuclear Summer'. The juxtaposition between such a passion-filled song, with the quiet emotion of 'JEM' gives this album a real architectural quality.

I really hope, and indeed believe, that the youngblood brass band will go from success ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Tropidelico

by: Quantic Soul Orchestra

Release Date October 22, 2007
This has to be one of my absolute favourite albums of recent months. It's Will Holland at his absolute best. Even if you're not familiar with this man's work, I defy you not to like this!!

CD-Charts Position 3
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Best Of Brass

by: The Black Dyke Mills Band

Release Date February 26, 2008
I bought this CD to add to my collection and am glad I did, it is amazing. The only problem there is not enough music on the CD

CD-Charts Position 4
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Third

by: Portishead

Release Date April 28, 2008
Much of the time bands who have gone into hibernation return with albums which are mere shadows of their previous work. This album is the complete opposite and successfully captures the eerie tones which occupy many of their best songs. I simply cannot pick a favourite from an album which oozes style.

CD-Charts Position 5
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Most Of The Remixes...

by: Soulwax

Release Date October 22, 2007
This is one of the only electronica albums I have bought and enjoyed from beginning to end, it just doesn't let up. Soulwax are masters of the remix, highlights for me are Klaxon's Gravity's Rainbow, Justice's Phantom Pt.II and Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out Of My Head... but all of them are a stroke of genius.

If you want something to lift a party, get this you won't be disappointed!

CD-Charts Position 6
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Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

by: Sigur Ros

Release Date June 23, 2008
I think this album is a transitional one for Sigur Ros. They've become a band that had a specific sound and they were no doubt aware that they needed to develop their style to avoid stagnation.

With their latest release there are clear signs that the band wanted to make a different kind of a record. The songs are shorter, more acoustic sounding and generally more upbeat. They've tried to rely less on tried and tested ways of working and moved towards spontaneity and improvisation.

At least half of the album sounds a little different for Sigur Ros especially with the single "Gobbledegook" with its tribal drumming, hand claps and chanting. A couple of the tracks almost border on indie pop which would have been very out ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
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Made In The Dark

by: Hot Chip

Release Date February 04, 2008
'The Warning' was, if not quite a stunner, a bit of a hottie. This quite simply is not.

Why include three soul ballads if none of them is a patch on 'Look After Me' from the last release? These deathly dull tracks in particular bring the album crashing down. Other songs come across as in jokes and failed experiments - I'm looking at you 'Wrestlers' and 'Bendable Posable'.

The first three songs do show signs of life, 'Ready for the Floor' is a great single (partly due to the fantastic video) and there are other flashes of near brilliance in the intro to 'One Pure Thought' and the genuinely amusing spoken word section of 'Bendable Posable' - but at this stage of the game more is expected.

Make no mistake this is a ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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The Brazilian Funk Experience: Patrick Forge Presents Rare Grooves from the EMI & Odeon Vaults 1968-1980

by: Various Artists

Release Date April 03, 2006
Some real gems here. Granted some of the tracks have been released on other compilation records (namely Gilles Peterson's; indeed Forge used to DJ with Gilles back in the eighties; check out their excellent Dingwalls record) but that's because the songs are excellent. There's a nice mix of funk, jazz, folk and soul here that is sure to make your average party goer stand up, take notice, and applaud your unique and well flavoured musical taste.

CD-Charts Position 9
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Stainless Style

by: Neon Neon

Release Date March 17, 2008
He's a canny lad that Gryff Rhys! I've had this album on rotation for over 6 months now, and it never fails to entertain.
An album which gives Belfast the concept album, glamour treatment usually reserved for Detroit, Neon Neon spin a nostalgic 80's synth pop web suffused with style and substance to spare!
Yes it's a pop record, but it's done with such grace, quality and respect for it's source material that you are literally skewered on the countless pop hooks flying out of the speakers! Great synths, great basslines, canny, intelligent lyrics, fantastic!
Gryff has used Boom Bip's talents to good effect, while he can create some interesting electronic ditties, they always seemed somewhat rudderless at times, here however, Neon Neon is a ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
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The Holy Pictures

by: David Holmes

Release Date September 08, 2008
A complete shift away from the break beat grooves of his best known material towards a more Neu influenced vibe reminiscent of Primal Scream's 'Evil Heat' crossed with the Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Darklands'. So if you get off on those this should also be your bag. Like the JAMC's Jim Reid, DH half whispers rather than sings but that's fine. Whether I play this as often as 'This film..' remains to be seen. There isnt as much to find on repeated listenings as there is on his first 2 albums but it's still pretty good at that.