Nicola Conte
Rituals
(Schema (Ishtar))
If you know Nicola Conte, you know that his music is the highest quality. This is not electronica. It's not electronic jazz. There are no samples or artificial beats. There are five different singers, nine horn players including Greg Osby on sax, and Conte on guitar, as well as harp, congas, and vibes. The only keyboard used is piano. Nicola Conte calls these thirteen songs, "Rituals". ... read more

Bombay Dub Orchestra
3 Cities
(Six Degrees)
When it comes to understanding Bombay Dub Orchestra's second album "3 Cities", it may help to compare it to their first, self-titled album. The flavor, the essence of what makes them different, yet the same, is as if you're standing in London while looking Southeast, to India. From there, you'll see the first album. For 3 Cities, trade positions, and look from India toward London. ... read more

Lovespirals
Free & Easy
(Chillcuts)
Free & Easy is an apt description of this 2005 release by the duo of Ryan Lum and Anji Bee known as Lovespirals. Their website calls it correctly, as a "jazzy and soulful mix of Downtempo, Deep House, and Pop." This is about as smooth and soft as you can get. ... read more

Beats Antique
Collide
(Unsigned)
Oakland-based power trio Beats Antique has just released an album that picks up where their debut record, "Tribal Derivations" stopped. "Collide" accentuates the electro-acoustic feel to this band's sound, which blends exotic, Middle Eastern scents and moves with highly-charged electronics, reminiscent of recent dance dialects like dubstep and glitch-centered paraphernalia. ... read more

Frost & Wagner
Remixes
(Sonar Kollektiv)
You know when Sonar Kollektiv and Best Seven founder Daniel Best come together, the result is guaranteed, slow-burning fire. When Frost & Wagner are thrown into that mix, just reach for the marshmallows and a comfy place to hold them over that fire, because you're going to be there a while. It's about a kind of cult of personality based on Germany's unique way of blending of Reggae, soul and dub sounds and I have to admit, I'm a bit of a devotee. ... read more

Soulphiction
Do You Overstand?!
(Sonar Kollektiv)
Michael Baumann, aka Soulphiction is back again with his signature style of sparsely arranged, loopy-but-deep, warm and in its own unreal way, very organic house music. As on his previous album, State of Euphoria, Baumann employs the vocal talent of jazz chanteuse Suzana Rozkosny but the outcome is nowhere near the sound of "Used" or "Love Thang". It's actually very ambient. Soulphiction's deep Detroit influences come through all the same. With dance music you ultimately have to ask yourself one question: down it like a shot or sip it slow? ... read more

Gelka
Less is More
(Wax On Records)
All the repair men in the world rejoice! There's a new duo in town naming itself after the general repair service for all household electronics, during Hungary's difficult times. Budapest-based Gelka is the music project of Alex and Sergio, who first surfaced on a Café Del Mar compilation five years ago. They are now signed to Nightmares On Wax's label for their debut album, described as "urban blues drenched downtempo electronica". ... read more

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