Back in stock: Library/Archive

Review: Madlib continues to bring things full circle with the series of library music albums on his label Madlib Invazion, inviting contemporary artists to lay down the kind of impeccable instrumentals that formed so much source material for the first wave of samplers and crate diggers in hip-hop and elsewhere. After entries from Dan Ubick, Dan Hastie and Terin Ector, the latest finds Los Yesterdays' Gabriel Rowland laying down 16 funk and soul-informed pieces which would lend themselves to TV and film use as much as someone getting fancy with an MPC. Don't wait until these become coveted treasure for dusty-fingered record hawks - grab those sublime grooves and get busy whether you want to make use of them or simply savour the flavour.

Review: After teasing it for a while with a number of singles, London-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Sholto finally unveils his much anticipated new album. The Changing Tides Of Dreams "refers to the way our lives and selves are constantly transforming, learning and growing" says the artist. It was written while he underwent some personal transformation and is a mix of heavenly and celestial melodies and moods with deep nostalgia and elements of jazz, classical, experimental and film music. It makes for a moving listen with majestic arrangements really making their mark throughout this fine fusion album.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Heavy denting and creasing to the corners of the outer sleeve, product unopened and in perfect working order***


Lounge Psychedelique: The Best Of Lounge & Exotica 1954-2022 is a third superb instalment in this series and is another deep dive into the world of lounge music from spaced out to bachelor pad ready. Spencer Hickman and Mark McQuillan are the Jedi-level diggers who have put this one together for Two-Piers and in doing so they find common ground between jazz, exotica, instrumentals and soundtrack grooves from legends of each respective scene such as Martin Denny, Yma Sumac and Herb Alpert, with lounge jazz from Cal Tjader and Latin bossa from Quincy Jones. It is a compressive overview that instantly improves your own collection no end.