Review: Natasha Kitty Katt's - Synaptic Juice (F*CLR Music / Shadow Runner Recordings)

Followers of Franko-Dracula dungeon house have been waiting a year since the single 'Synaptic Juice' came out but Halloween is NKK's busy season so its time to feature Cat. No. 001 on F*CLR Music.

And not only sharing the release with her own Shadow Runner Recordings, you'll recall the title track features Suki Soul " drenched in disco/house/boogie" (see review HERE) that followed the first single, 'Batt Danse EP' featuring 'Lost Boy' Billy Wirth (see review HERE) and the other seasonal favourite, 'Intergalatic Vampire' (see review HERE).

And returning closer to home, Glasgow based vocalist 'His Bitter Truth' is cosmic with 'Galtactic Love' (see review HERE) and our much loved 'local lad', Joseph Malik turns up with 'Only Fans' as a Natasha Kitty Katt Rework that's meserising space ship soul.

Rounded off with another great dancefloor track 'Wrath Of Katt', the album as a whole lives up to its billing as the soundtrack to a warped Sci-Fi cartoon (Ed. that'll be intentional as ‘Synaptic Juice’ is taken from an episode of ‘Star Trek – Voyager').

If you'll lucky enough to catch her DJ sets, more likely to be dressed in a Wednesday Addams theme at the moment than the sultry Marlene Dietrich sex kitten on the cover (Ed. or is that a Honor Blackman/Diana Rigg combo?), Natasha has the synaptic juice you need. 

BUY LINK (Vinyl): Synaptic Juice Album | Natasha Kitty Katt | Shadowrunner Recordings

BANDCAMP (DIGITAL) FCLRLP001 - Natasha Kitty Katt - Synaptic Juice LP | Natasha Kitty Katt | F*CLR Music

Artist:Natasha Kitty Katt 

Title: Synaptic Juice  

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label: F*CLR Music

Cat. No: FCLRLP001

Format: Vinyl / Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Periscopi Invertit - Amèlia (Crea Music)

Totally unique take on Catalan folk-jazz-funk, not at all as scary as it might sound!

London-based Catelan artist Mireia Carbonell composed, and produced Periscopi Invertit’s first album 'Amèlia', blending folk songs from the Països Catalans (Catalan-speaking regions) with funk, jazz, Latin arrangements, and Mediterranean sounds.

Mireia Carbonell directed, composed, and produced Periscopi Invertit’s album 'Amèlia'. Over ten years ago, she emigrated to Northern Europe (first to Amsterdam and later to London), where she consolidated her project Periscopi Invertit — blending folk songs from the Països Catalans (Catalan-speaking regions) with funk, jazz, Latin arrangements, and Mediterranean sounds.

Periscopi Invertit has performed at London venues including The Jago, Orleans Bar, The Old Hall at Lincoln’s Inn, Waterloo Creative Studios, The Mildmay Club, Upstairs at the Ritzy, Karamel, The Post Bar, Folklore (Hoxton), and Jam in a Jar.

During her final project at ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya) music university, Mireia researched the interaction between Catalan folk and Catalan modern music from the 1960s to the 1980s. She found that, in the 1970s, many bands of the 'Ona Laietana' music movement (Barcelona’s 70’ underground music) had already explored this field and created an extensive discography. At that time, Periscopi Invertit began by performing versions of songs from the 'Ona Laietana' period and from other international artists who had fused folk with modern music at some point in their careers, while also including a few original compositions.

After completing her music studies, Mireia moved from Barcelona to Amsterdam, where she decided to shift Periscopi Invertit’s focus towards creating new arrangements of folk songs from the Països Catalans (Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Valencia, amongst other neighboring regions where Catalan is spoken). Only after several years of living in London did she set the project in motion, recording the album and forming the London-based band Periscopi Invertit.

Also love the cover artwork.

BUY LINK: Amèlia | Persicopi Invertit | Periscopi Invertit

Artist: Periscopi Invertit

Title: Amèlia 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Crea Music

Cat. No: TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Berwick - Powerflip EP (Cyphon Recordings)

Fans of Berwick's 'Mind of A Squid' would have instantly thought to themselves, "why haven't Cyphon signed him up for a his own 4-track EP of 'Powerflip' electronic dancefloor: another hit for the Jimpster label.

As the highlight of the 'NervouEs Lab 001' EP, Jimpster is one to not spot a winner such as the Infinity Plus One release, 'Reflexion' (see review HERE). 

DJ and producer Berwick has his own twist on electro rave warp wobble that may have been formed by having a Sheffield/Bristol background.

The opener 'Fall & Melt' reflects a duplicity of shuffle will melt dancefloors into submission and illuminates his talent for deep groove like hi-energy-post dubstep.

Can't get must better than this?  Well, the title track 'Powerflip' also enjoys "eyeball-rattling low-end" with some dub-infused vocal as the system is looking for more power surge than power point: set ya knobs to zero and twist.

Even a base dub diva like Biggabush (see his latest HERE, a split EP with James Hayford) would hav trouble remixing 'Powerflip' so step up Bristol's Sam Lester who, sensibly, has done a remix that's outta the dark gutter fear factor into a more bouncy tech-house with such a menacing wobble. 

So with each track scarier that the last, in a more fun way, 'Impossible' rounds the set off with some heritage Shefield drum machine and old skool computer game synths it shows how versatile this guy is.

Back in the day, .I spent a lot of time in Berwick Street as a central hot-pot of music, as an individual Berwick is setting out on his own pathway with a range of influences that's going to 'Powerflip' a nation: impossible? I don't think so!  

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER (Limited Edition Vinyl): Powerflip EP | Berwick

Artist: Berwick 

Title: Powerflip EP 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Cyphon Recordings

Catalog Number CYPHN17

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Jean-Jez - Hooked / Deep Trent (inc. Trinidadian Deep & Mikekon Remixes) (Trusted Rhythm Records)

More 'Afro-house, Not Afro-house' as Trusted Rhythm Records add three more ambassadores to the rosta!

Somewhat different to the last release on the label, Msizee Laroja's 'Musu'Kuyenza' featuriing Biikie (with Laroye Remixes) but what with Yuu's Beats Sculpture (with Coflo Remix) (see review HERE), Trusted Rhythm are on a roll at the moment and we're definitely 'Hooked' on this house work.

Trinidadian Deep is known for his love of dubs and Hooked' weaves in and out (for nearly 10 minutes) with catchy soulful vocals, piano and vibes: but hang on! This is the 'Hooked' orignal version.

Mikekon (the Austrailian) has a remix that goes wowie space synthy whilst keeping the vocals.

You have to wait until you get to the actual Trinidadian Deep remix of the 'Deep Trent' track.  I don't think this is a tribute to the River Trent, think more, "What would Ron do"?  As in Ron Trent (see review HERE).  Well it's spacey, percussive and synthy all with a sense of urgency - think of this as a Trent tributary; from the Andes when the pan pipes come in.

The Trinidadian Deep remix you've all been waiting for is typically Afro-housed with some choral/mod-jazz organ as it dubs in the mouth of the river.

BUY LINK: Traxsource

Artist: Jean-Jez

Title: Hooked (inc. Trinidadiandeep &  Mikekon Remixes) 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Trusted Rhythm Records

Cat. No: TRR030

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Mzala Wa Afrika - Descendants Of The Drum EP (Ostowana)

When it comes Ostowana, they know the drum and Mzala Wa Afrika have gone modern with 'Descendants Of The Drum' as a latest generation of Afro-House takes another step forward. 

After the stunning 'Matsena' album by Arrumar (see review HERE), Mzala Wa Afrika's got a different angle of/on Afro-House vs. electronic with a 5 track EP that focus' on the drum in a synthy dub style.

Particularly the lead track 'Ingonyama' as you get ready to JUMP but each track is said to be "a tribute to the universal language of rhythm" and by the time of 'Unyusawa' it sounds closer to Afro-kraut-synth club.

BUY LINK: Ostowana | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Artist: Mzala Wa Afrika

Title: Descendants Of The Drum EP 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Ostowana

Catalog Number: OST143

Format: Digital

Review: Kid Sublime - The Paradigm Shift (Natural Element)

Kid Sublime's new album, 'The Paradigm Shift' may not be totally all encompassing ground breaking musically but the musical evidence is that he's back as youthful and sublime on the dancefloor as he ever was/is: check out the title track for one!

Regular readers will recall in the review of the EP, 'You Got Me Runnin' (ft Bako - see review HERE) that I recalled many years ago that I was told by an industry big head, "if it's got a Kid Sublime remix on it, it'll sell alright"?   Well there was no "Paradigm Shift" where that track was concerned with remixes by Tru-Thoughts' WheelUp (see of the recent 'Inner Light' see review HERE) and Holland's Mo Wrights.

The original version is on the album has all of 'the Kids' adventurous approach that he's made his name on countless previous releases on high profile labels like Kindred Spirits (Amsterdam's hot bed of hip-hop to spiritual jazz), Japan's Jazzy Sport, London's BRUK birthplace Co-OP and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature to name just a few.

And talking of Co-Op, if you're missing some loose lips, 'Bring It Come' (featuring Oliver Night - he of recent 'Real Love' - see review HERE) is a return to those early days (Ed. or should that be 'dayz'?)  And talking of someone who never seems to grow old, like Kid himself, Colonel Red features on 'Kingz' as he "surfs the waves of our memories" and stretches out into a minimal broken beat with, is that snooker balls!

So having already declared the title track a nu-BITA/Kaidi Tatham influenced success, the other tracks on the album features some people that we know about, Hans Litz (50% of 'What I Love' - see review HERE) with the best jazz-funk-disco-flute ganger 'The Awakening': essential! And some other, we don't know like Sydney based vocalist Natalie Slade on 'Stay Over' (ohhh, very jazzy satin sheets) and the deeply soulful vAn on 'Heavens Glory'.

The label tell us, "The Paradigm Shift takes you on a deep sonic journey straight from the heart, celebrating love, connection, spirituality and human evolution." and you're not going to get a better eight track album this side of  the next earth moving paradigm sheet.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: The Paradigm Shift | Kid Sublime | Natural Element 

Artist: Kid Sublime 
Title: The Paradigm Shift 
Release date: 30th October, 2025
Label : Natural Element
Catalog Number  NE003
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Kʒːlu - Let It Not Pale feat Senita AppiaKorang (Wrongtom Remix) (Creeping Curtain Records)

It’s taken a long time for these two stellar talents to work together but it's definitely been worth the wait for Wrongtom meets the K3:lu feat Senita AppiaKorang on the beaches of dub!

You'll recall Fish Go Deep said that don't do many remixes but then felt that they had to when they were offered Kʒːlu (curlew)'s 'Standing Ovation' (see review HERE) and at the orther extreme, Wrongtom is known for his production skills, dubs and remixes and now podcasts.  

So it's 'Let It Not Pale' has to be good for him to find time to twiddle his knobs for a vocal and instrumental version of Cork-based musician Patrick Hatchett (aka Kʒːlu - sho is known for his 'Afro-inspired spaceship funk') but I suspect it was the mellow vocals of Senita AppiaKorang that caught his ear.

Kʒːlu (curlew) had an album out back in 2021 that featured Idris Rahman (Ill Considered, Soothsayers - new album out HERE - and brother of Zoe, etc) but expect any jazz breaks or the Wrongtom of previous rootsy releases, like Roots Manuva or Ragga Twins as this is totally ready for beaches and chill out zones for some lovers rockin'.

Artist: Kʒːlu 

Title:  Let It Not Pale feat Senita AppiaKorang (Wrongtom Remix)

Release date: 30th October, 2025

Label: Creeping Curtain Records / Tangential Music

Catalog Number:TBC

Format: Digital

Review: Various Artists - The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4: Comin' At Ya’ (Star Creature & The Boogie Munsters)

Can you think of something less Halloween than a 4 track EP on Star Creature? I can't either when it's Vol. 4 of 'The Chicago Boogie' series, no scary 'star' creatures here!

Well its taken 3 years since Chicago's Boogie Munster Crew teamed up with Tim Zawada (head honcho of the Star Creature label out of Chicago) for the Chicago Boogie re-issue series.

The likelihood is that only these mega deep diggers will know these tracks so to have them remastered, given a "beefed up" TZ Extended edit and available is reason alone to get out up to date with the windy city's finest.

And it won't take you long to 'Fallen Into Love' by Motherfox and you won't know Tiger Jack's 'Let's Bounce', originally on the Ajana label (Ed. Who?), that only ever had 2 releases.  'Let's Bounce' might not have the most cerebal depth of lyrics but it moves feet which is the main thing.  

And talking of cerebal lyrics, if you think AI is the future via ChatGPT (al a Hawksby & Jacobs' "cheap" version), 2025 chat bot vocals were all the 'future' rage back in 1983 as Pyramid Plus get vocoded up with 'Comin' At Ya' to the "spaced-out boogie".

Getting back to Side A, the set is completed by the 'rare as hens teeth', at the time of writing, "never sold on Discogs", gold that was passed onto the label by the Numero Group (more Chicago based brotherly love) that is, Soul Invaders' 'Give Me You': what a mouthful!

Any of my avid followers will know, I've never been to Chicago (see The Tonerarm, 02.10.25 with the interview of Lynyn HERE and his album review HERE) but this is encouragment in itself to cross the pond and get this package on vinyl.

BUY LINK:  The Chicago Boogie Volume 4: Comin' At Ya' | Star Creature Universal Vibrations

 

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Star Creature

Cat. No: TBC

Format:  Limited 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Cookin' On 3 Burners - Cookin’ The Books (Soul Messin')

Excited to hear their first studio album in 6 years?  You bet you are as this trio is 'the' Australian soul and funk outfit that introduced us to Melbourne nearly 20 years ago!

When Adrian Gibson got CO3B signed to  Freestyle Records and released the band's second album, 'Baked, Broiled & Fried', I think it's fair to say it was a bit of a suprise hit as it kicked off with 'Keb's Bucket' and this was the deep funk sounds that we thought could only be found by big diggers in the U.S. (like Keb Darge) which would then brought back to UK/Europe for the dance floor and soul/funk/mod clubs.

Well, not only that, the album also 'discoverd' the vocals of Kylie Auldist (on the track, 'Settle The Score) and that team went onto have a worldwide hit with the 'This Girl' in 2016.

So, it's good to have the group with a new album of 14 tracks that keeps funkin' from the very start with a signature organ, drums and guitar ('Cookin' The Books') and a menu of guest vocalists: Stella Angelico ('I'm Comin' Home To You', 'Brighter', 'Give A Bit More' and 'So Much More To Lose'), Natalie Slade ('Only Words'), Wilson Blackley ('Away From My Heart'), 

'I'm Comin' Home To You' has elements of Northern soul-pop stomper but Ms. Angelico more than excels on the other three tracks; particularly on the uplifting 'Brighter' and 'So Much More To Lose': sounding a bit like 'I'd Rather Go Blind'!

Taking a downturn, 'The World Is Cold' sees Mantra and Jane Tyrell mixing up hip-hop and soul backed up with "gritty funk".   And whilst in that ball park, one of the many stand out tracks is their instrumental versio of Mos Def's 'Ms. Fat Booty', that itself has roots in Aretha Franklin's 'One Step Ahead'.

'Give A Bit More' finds the group mixing up the deep south with those soul-grits in the guitar licks kitchen with that head chef Stella on the pass controlling what goes out.

If I said, there's not a bad track on this album (and there isn't), I have to mention the 'hair in the soup', only CO3B could make 'Livin' On A Prayer' (Yes, the Bon Jovi hit) sound like it was written for a Hammond organ/guitar led funk trio so fair play to them (Ed. and it'll be going on my Xmas mixtape!) 

But that's a minor is as 'Phoenix' is another 'best track' on the album as it channels 60s soul classic as a 'What's Goin' On' as a "meditation on resilience, rebirth, and the healing fire of funk". 

I'm not surprised this album has taken so long to get out as it's going to be on the Specials Board for some time, if the world is cold, this will get us all cookin'.. get ya orders in now.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER (Vinyl - T-Shirts): Cookin' The Books | Cookin' On 3 Burners

Artist: Cookin' On 3 Burners 

Title: Cookin’ The Books 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label : Soul Messin'

Catalog Number : SMRLP0125

Format: Vinyl 12" LP (Limited) / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: B.J. Smith - Dedications To The Greats Vol. 4: Don't Be Cruel ft. Joe Harvey-Whyte & Tamar Osborn (NuNorthern Soul)

Friend of NuNorthern Soul, B.J. Smith returns with the Balearic release of the year with the help on Joe Harvey-Whyte on steel guitar and jazz star Tamar Osborn on flute: 'Don't Be Cruel' as you've never heard it before and the only version you'll want to hear in the future!

As regular readers will know, NuNorthern Soul have been so hot this year with two remix versions of Tambores En Benirras' 'Ondas Horizontales' remixed (see review HERE and remix 2 from the beginning of the month HERE), Roots Artefact's 'Different Perspecitive' (see review HERE) and George Koutalieris' 'Seasons' inbetween (see review HERE). 

But what label head honcho Phat Phil didn't tell us was what he was playing in addition to all this during his 10 hour DJ set at the World Famous Pikes Ibiza!  Could it have been a version of 'Don't Be Cruel'; the international hit made famous by Elvis (Presley; kids, ask your grand parents) and covered by the lesser well known country star, Billy Swan who had a few international hits himself?

So, on this long running/intermittent series 'Dedications To The Greats' that's included notably Mos Def and The Pharcyde (see Phil's blog post HERE for futher info) what has Smith, Harvey-Whyte and Osborn done to such a standard track that's ingrained into the mindset of millions to make it sound incredible!

Well, first off, that mammoth near 14 minute 'Mother Earth Version' is dreamy in the excess with the slide guitar leading from start to finish where the white isle meets the desert disco: well desert chill-out zone at least.  What's really impressive, there's hardly any vocal and no chorus line to speak of.  As they say, "familiar yet transformed, timeless yet utterly his own".

You do get more of a vocal on the 'Earth Hear Version' that features award winning Tamar Osborn (aka Tamar Collocutor, also see HERE) on flute.  But even then you don't get your first "Don't be cruel, to a heart that's true" vocal until nearly the middle of the 12 minute track! 

And talking of taking your breath away, why would they stop there as there's also an instrumental as a 'Root Heart Version' with Joe and Tamar dueling in a caress type way: bet it would also be fantastic as a rockin' battle!

If you're familiar with the Flying Mojito Bros. (see HERE), their 'cousins', the Flying Burrito Bros or Hank Wangford's steel guitar side-kick, BJ Cole (Ed. what is it with all these BJs?) you'll know how haunting an instrument the pedal steel/side guitar can be and in a seemingly increasing cruel world, it's great to hear something as beatiful as this.

Did someone say, "Brilliant"?

BUY LINK / PRE ORDER: Dedications to the Greats Four 'Don't Be Cruel' featuring Joe Harvey-Whyte | B.J. Smith

Artist: B.J. Smith - Dedications To The Greats Vol. 4

Title: Don't Be Cruel ft. Joe Harvey-Whyte & Tamar Osborn

Release date: 31st October, 2025
Label : NuNorthern Soul
Catalog Number : NUNSDTTG004V
Format: Limited Edition 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp