The Aloof: "Seeking Pleasure" (East West)
The Aloof's Sinking was a slo-mo pleasure ride on the sleazier side of the soundtracks-for-imaginary-films roundabout; two years later they've gone much deeper and darker. You could call this the first Goth-hop album to emerge from the shadows, but that might be pushing things a little too much in that direction. There's nothing quite like One Night Stand, the last set's stand-out centrepiece, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Dense dubbed-out electronica dominates, with even the lyrical content matching the downwards direction. The departure of Jagz Kooner may be one reason for Dean Thatcher and Ricky Barrow's sudden interest in what their Joy Division albums have to offer; but tracks like Morning Spangle and I Find Fun have distinct new wave attributes and angles.
Jim Carroll
Various: "Sushi 4004" (Bungalow)
The return of spectacular Japanese clubpop, and who are we to argue with such a succinct description of what's inside this delicious album? With the likes of Cornelius already showing what an active Japanese imagination can do in the studio, the time is right to evaluate what else is going on in the tiny Tokyo district of Shibuya, a Temple Bar with more record shops and fewer stag parties. Here, the likes of former Deelite foil Towa Tei, the evergreen Pizzicato Five and the mighty Yoshinori Sunahara hold sway and celebrate the true meaning of eclecticism. This means stimulating drum & bass, fast-forwarded easy-listening, chunky funky house, fuzzy jazz and all manner of fantastic sonic collages dealing with everything from Sunahara's obsession with airports (the magnificent 2300 Hawaii) to the heartbeat of technology (Towa Tei's Sweet Robots Against The Machine alterego).
Jim Carroll
Various: "Blue Break Beats Volume 4" (Blue Note)
The vaults of innovative labels like Blue Note have become a vital source for many of dance music's most celebrated big cheeses in search of the perfect groove and the Blue Break Beats series is where trainspotters can go to locate the original tune. With the likes of David Holmes constantly referring to old mod-jazz records for vital breaks on the likes of My Mate Paul, these excursions can unearth some very weird connections. Here, you'll find the inspiration for tunes like Blueboy's Remember Me, or Deelite's Groove Is In The Heart (taking a large chunk of Herbie Hancock's Bring Down The Birds and adding some of their own funk) as well as other jazzy moments to treasure. And for anyone hunting recent rare groove fave Three Is The Magic Number, you'll find Bob Dorough's original here, all spick and spruce straight from Multiplication Rock. The beat goes on.
Jim Carroll
