Rekid: Made in Menorca (Soul Jazz) - CD
Highly skillful re-interpretation of the house template as laid down by Chicago and Detroit originators. Rekid's previous work - under alternative pseudonyms - seems incredibly commercial but this feels like a statement of a more personal nature.

Tracks like 'Lost Star6', 'Diamond Black' and 'Tranzit' embody an almost hip-hop feel. Summery melodies against bright, high-contrast beats that is prone to sudden shifts in direction. But I keep returning back to the slow-mo-apreggio of '85 Space'; echoes of Italo and Transmat-era Motor City clatter. Not without its problems though: a culling of some of the latter tracks during its 60 minute + running time would have helped.

Rhythm & Sound: The Versions (Burial Mix) - CD
A greater sense of diffusion and dispersement at play here on the instrumental versions of Rhythm & Sound's sublime original selection. The contributing vocals from the likes of Tikiman, Jenifer Lara and Cornell Campbell now sound like ghosts. Occupying the ether whilst digitally emitted pulse rhythms and sub-bass propulsion take over.

Radian: Juxtaposition (Thrill Jockey) - CD
Terrible title for this, Radian's third full length. They might as well have called it "Music for Web Designers" or something. But despite a cliched appearance, they've somehow managed to knock up an album that's pretty decent.

Ok, so it's Chicago post-rock laced with a micro-tonal palette. Some moments sound like Tortoise (John McEntire was producer) and you could call some of it 'noodly' like a lot of this stuff is. But the standout moments like the tense 'Tester' and the freefall jazz crash of 'Shift' have kept me coming back to this more often than I thought.

Peter Rehberg: Kaptte Muziek (Korm Plastics) - CD
Seems that Mr. Rehberg's work (aka Pita) is slowly moving away from the dead-channel, digital noise that he's been known for into more ambient (but equally unsettling) territories. A single piece, seventeen minutes long. Metallic interference, engines that sound submerged: diffusion / dispersive / decay. A slow descent into the abyss.