Sandwell District - Hidden

Sandwell District return with a new album in March called End Beginnings. Following the death of Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) last year, Karl O'Connor (Regis) and David Sumner (Function) forge ahead with the help of friends Simon Shreeve, Mika Hallbäck (Rivet), Seth Horvitz (Rrose) and Sarah Kranz (Sarah Wreath). Listen to an Acid-fuelled taster from the album called Hidden.

OHYUNG - no good

no good is the first taste of a new album of Pop tracks from Asian-American artist OHYUNG (Lia Ouyang Rusli) that explores their own gender transition. Quite a shift from their experimental Ambient album imagine naked! from 2022.

The albums is called You Are Always On My Mind and will be out on 28th March 2025.

Tara Brooks - Off My Mind

A couple of decent DJ tools here from Tara Brooks on her new Come Back EP. Off My Mind tips the balance for me.

Out today on Desert Hearts Black.

GNMR - Amelia, Totalmente Sola

Vinyl-only release sadly, as this new EP deserves to be heard! GNMR is Italian producer Gianmaria Coccoluto and Future Empire is his fifth release since his self-released debut in 2020. Essentially finding his feet, Coccoluto's previous work has explored a range of influences (mainly Techno and House moods) but who knows if this is another step on his sinuous path or if he's hit pay dirt?

The four tracks here are low-key chuggers, built on a groovy beat (some with tom-toms) with vocal snippets woven into the thrum. If you like Tamburi Neri then you'll probably appreciate third track Amelia, Totalmente Sola.

Future Empire EP is out now on Mung Records.

KRM & KMRU - Otherness

Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug) and Joseph Kamaru (KMRU) sneaked this Dub-heavy dark invocation out early in December as a companion-piece to their excellent Disconnect album. It's three tracks that progressively descend into the decaying depths of Dub, with Kamaru's witchy incantation slowly disintegrating in the murk.

...a new study of foreboding tension, hope, and profound sonics that marries depth-trawling dub with Kamaru’s voice, ambient sensibilities, and negative space. "I think Otherness carries the whole weight and the complexities of Disconnect,” Kamaru explained. “It extends the album into spaces of the unknown while remaining opaque..."

Otherness is out now on Phantom Limb.

Innershades - Homage

The title track from Thomas Blanckaert's new EP Homage has class stamped all over, with its sleek Electro vibes and a touch of Acid for good measure.

The five track Homage EP is out on Monday 6th January on Clone Records