dna

Having said this was poor man's Photek, I now find I absolutely love it. Nothing the postman can whistle here, just heavy atmospherics and skittering beats. Some reviews have commented that this is menacing sound, but I find it quite beautiful.

Dub techno by Richard H Kirk . Simple but very, very effective. Various breaks/techno rhythms with Rasta samples. This is easily my favourite LP of his, over and above all of the Cabaret Voltaire and other solo records. On the most wonderful Soul Jazz records, a virtual guarantee of quality. Nick Drake - Way to Blue VA - 600% Dynamite The Knife - Silent Shout

This is my favourite Photek record I think, and there's some pretty stiff competition. Seems to me that all the hoopla around Burial and dubstep conveniently forgets that Rupert Parkes invented the sound nearly 10 years ago with this EP. Rei Harakami - Red Curb Quirky electronics, with surprisingly calm feel, given that he's an absolute nutty professor live. Boredoms - Rebore vol.0 Eye-remixed version of 'Vision Creation Newsun' with song titles consisting entirely of the number 7. Really tremendous stuff, far out and gone.

This is so good, as good as any techno LP I've got I think. Quite a complicated style, lots of interesting drums and squelchy analogue sounds. I've also got the track he did as part of the soundtrack for the Playstation game 'Rez' which is similar to the opening track here, ' EXTRA ', and just as good. Saw him DJ live at the Liquid Room where he played a mostly electro set, and threw in a bit of 'Tour De France'.

Early R&S album from around '93. Some good moments but not as fully realise as 'Jelly Tones'. Amazing video for 'Extra' here, made by the producer of Akira. Dry & Heavy - From Creation Japanese roots reggae with typical attention to detail. They're an offshoot from Audio Active, who've recorded with Adrian Sherwood and On-U-Sound. The Orb - Orbus Terrarum Gong remixes 12" Jeff Mills - Metropolis DJ Vadim - USSR The Art of Listening

The Boredoms are the best live band I've ever seen. I managed to see them on two occasions at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, in their current three-drummer incarnation. What could be an awful muso/hippy idea is infused with a tremendous punk energy and Eye is a very charismatic front man. Seadrum/House of Sun was recorded with the full band, apparently at the beach on the surf line. Seadrum is very evocative of the sea, with its rolling piano lines, and House of Sun is an extended drone, which reminds of the very hot and humid days in a Japanese summer.

I really liked this at the time, and on revisting it sounds even better. Saw them live at the Concorde in Brighton last summer, and despite some admitted over-indulgence at Sonar and a set almost entirely comprised of new songs, they were great, a bit more muscular than on this record. VA - Jungle Vibes 2 VA - Flux Trax

Summer sounds. All of the 'Dynamite!' series are fantastic. I've seen reviews complain about the grab-bag approach, but I think the mixture of styles is a strength - they're supposed to sound like a radio station or sound system. Strictly Kev - Solid Steel Podcast #23 Rhythm & Sound - Rhythm & Sound

Full Cycle compilation of Bristol Drum & Bass. One of my favorite LPs, 'Music Box' and 'Breakbeat Era' are just fantastic. This is my preferred period of Jungle/D&B. I like all of the Suburban Base jump-up/ragga type stuff, and the Moving Shadow tunes of the same era but loved the jazzier feel of this. Tappa Zukie - In Dub Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown

More something to admire than something that really engages me, but perhaps I haven't listened to it enough. The 'there'll be another one along in a couple of minutes' approach is great but means I haven't got my head around quite a lot of the songs. Listening to this you get a sense that guitar pop hasn't moved on at all since 1977. New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Pigeonhole Money Mark - Mark's Keyboard Repair Aphex Twin - Girl/Boy Song

Bit on the trancey side, but surprisingly palatable. 'Turbo Dreams' is very good. Sabres of Paradise - Haunted Dancehall VA - Ping Pong Soundtrack

An electro/minimal mix from Weatherall. I particularly like the second half where things glide along smoothly. Highlights are Miwon's 'Brother Mole' and a cover of 'Atmosphere' by Technova.

Interesting mixtape, with guest spots from Method Man and Doom. Not much of a build or progression, more a scattershot mix of tunes with skits and weird samples. VA - Headz vol.2

Bit of a guilty pleasure, this one. Their seventies output stands comparison with the Stones, I think. This is one of their lesser LPs but there are still four or five cracking songs on it. Awful punning title and cover, though. Jon Carter - Live at the Social vol.2 Grateful Dead - Live Without a Net Kitchens of Distinction - Drive That Fast DJ Krush - Mieso Orb - Toxygene Hardfloor - Home Run

Not quite as good as people say, but you can't knock 'Miss You' and 'Before They Make Me Run'. Gil Scott Heron - Free Will V.A. - Pulp Fusion. Grooverider - Prototype Years

Caught the BBC documentary about him again, and so dug this out. Absolutely amazing guy, he'd written two novels by the age of 21. I love the bittersweet feel of the more downtempo songs like'Winter in America' - the double-tracked vocals are beautiful, and the lyrics very sharp. Sad to read that he's been arrested yet again and looks like doing another long strech in prison. Eighties footage of 'Washington DC' on You Tube.