Originally released by producer Youth's Butterfly Studios' sub-label Liquid Sound Design and now re-released by Cyber Octave (sub-label of Higher Octave) and licensed by cult label Dragonfly records, "Mana Medicine" has become sort of a cult record in the undeground scenes of New Zeland, Japan and Europe. Featuring Jairamji, Ott, Tripswitch, Grey Beard and Noodreem (from the UK), Drift and Lisa Walker (from Canada), Angel Tears (from Israel) and Zen Lemonade (from Australia), "Mana Medicine" is one of the most gorgeous sounding examples of ethnic dub ambient I have heard this year. The artists portray their cultural and geographical background within the tracks thus making it a special and unique release where ambient electronica merges with dub reverbs and delays, fusion/jazz hits here and there, organic grooves, ethereal sonics and ethnic references such as rain forest sounds, middle eastern flavors, flamenco guitars... Chill out, soulful, dreamy, trippy, mystical, relaxing, warping and wrapping, in other words close to a master piece. Think of a mixture of Conjure One, Muslimgauze, Echo, Rebro, Boards of Canada, and throw a bunch of super talented UK producers in this with their chill-out trance music and you'll be somewhat close... Jairamji's opening track and Angel Tears' closing one are probably my favourites! Get this right away!

Empire State Human are slightly changing their music style but this isn't to be seen as something bad, because they are evolving. Even if this MCD contains eight tracks (of which six are remixes) we can notice traces of the new path from some arrangements of the opening "Liquid Blue" (coming from the forthcoming new album "Urbanism"), from the unreleased "Time/Travel" and from their remixed version of "Film Star" . At this point you'll ask: what changed? Well the sound is quite the same but if before the references were based most on 80's sounds, now we can say that techno influences are taking a hold. This isn't bad at all because Empire State Human are a good band and they wanted probably to "refresh" the sound always being true to themselves and be sure that they succeeded. Also the remixed versions of "We Are Industry", "Dollar In Blue Collar", "Chimes", "Little Alfie" and "High" are good tracks which with this new versions live of a new life becoming more intriguing. Sign that E.S.H. did a good job since the beginning when they composed the tracks the first time. You know... if melodies suck it's difficult to do a catchy remix ;)

It is Dutch producers/remixers/DJs Pako & Frederik we owe the fact that the Global Underground music brand is now not only for globe-trotting DJ mix albums anymore, but also an outlet for original material. The duo has been featured on Digweed's Bedrock label and on Global Underground's "Hong Kong" album, as well as on GU's sub-labels Coded and Quad, so they're no strangers around here, but they also have been releasing music on their own label Majestic Music. Personally I really digged "Atlantic Breakers" because it merges so many aspects of techno, electronica, ambient, trance and dance music. It is not your average dancefloor album, and although it has that too, it chills it out with relaxing suites of cool breaks, acoustic drums loops, elegant electronique musique and ethereal atmospheres. This record truly deserves, it's simply beautiful, various, special, unique... I love "Atlantic Breaks"'s relaxed moods! Beautiful artwork photography too. Enjoy it, it's worth.

Experienced UK club DJ Steve Lawler is back with his signature hot blend of sexy house, sweaty techno and sensual trance that he already sported last year on "Lights Out". Global Underground releases the second chapter of "Lights Out", which again blacks out people on the dancefloor leaving them asking for more at every one of his sets at Harlem Nights' The End or at Space. His many devote fans know him for messing with the tracks he mixes so when you are in the presence of Lawler you know you'll get more than what you bargained for (if you don't know what I mean check out the intros to these two CDs, one featuring Luzon and the other one featuring the majestic Underworld). Either way, the needle of "Lights Out 2" (which saw the lights of stores on Nov 4th) explores the holes of Alan Barrat, Bertoldo, Diamond Dogs feat. Mary Tanning, Solar vs. Audio Fly, Dino Da Cassino, Danusha, Paul Johnson, Kade, Polekat, Presser, Steffano Noto presents Faith Sounds, Anoma, Corbett feat. Michelle G., Chuck'n'Roll, indart Colors Y Legaz, Dj Pierre vs. David Morales, UN7, Sahara, Alcatraz, Prophets of Sounds, Eric Kaufmann, Java & Gabi Newman, Eurochrome, What Ever Girl presents, Jaydee. Dance on...

JAR basically stands for Jake, Alex and Rat, the three individuals that make up this experimental noise project. They all have a punk and post-rock background (Jake drummed for The Frantix and played in Arse, Steccoral Pride and Speed Cripple together with Rat, who also sung with Marching Orders, while Alex was lead singer and guitar player in Initial Prater and Thursten Sigferth), but eventually ended up in the industrial-electro-noise scene (Jake also releases music under Slackjaw and established Corrosive Growth Industries in '91, while Rat is Thorax+Wings). Musically JAR doesn't carry around much of the anger of their individuals' past projects, but it does have sort of a retro outlook on the matter of interpretation of "industrial" which is what makes it stand out. Abstract and noisy, somewhere between Throbbing Gristle, Asmus Tietchens, Dream Into Dust, As All Die, Vehemenence and other projects from those sonic surroundings. The CD-R comes in a beautifully hand-made packaging consisting of silver-sprayed black jewel case and CD and of parchment-like paper with black-sprayed edges. Outstanding design, uncompromising sound.