September: 18 albums you need to hear this month

LCD Soundsystem 'American Dream' (dfa/columbia)

When James Murphy did a Phil Collins and abruptly returned from self-inflicted semi-retirement, naysayers were quick to suggest that LCD did the one thing they swore they’d never ever do: get the band back together. Murphy then wrote a long and anguished Facebook post detailing his angst over the decision; he was well aware of what the ramifications were. But then they performed at Lovebox and Glastonbury and released a two-part return salvo, ‘Call The Police’ and ‘American Dream’ (both brilliant and both included here), which channelled Kraftwerk, U2 and Talking Heads (naturally) and somehow sounded more relevant than ever. So the signs were good. But how does the album measure up to ‘Sound Of Silver’, the record some (us included) might say is their defining moment? Well, the good news is ‘American Dream’ rocks, rolls, pops, fizzes and snaps. The energy is still there, no two songs sound the same and the ambition is somehow even more future-retro than before. On ‘How Do You Sleep’, James could be in a Simple Minds video in 1984 with The Cure’s Robert Smith on vocals (“I can’t hear you any more,” he wails). But then comes ‘Tonite’ which, if it was 2003, would be the first single: it’s all bleep and rhythm and killer lines such as “rattling off limited-edition truths” and “luck is always better than skill it seems, good gracious I sound like my Mom.” It really is one of the best things they’ve ever done. ‘Emotional Haircut’ updates ‘Drunk Girls’ nicely for summer ‘17., while the closing ‘Black Screen’ is slow, mournful and enigmatic. All that’s lacking is a cover of Jackson 5’s ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’. Great to have them back. Ralph Moore

8/10

Mount Kimbie 'Love What Survives' (Warp)

Mount Kimbie are at their best when they evoke pleasurable melancholy, as they did with ‘Carbonated’ on their first LP and ‘Made To Stray’ from their second. In essence, they conjure the same feeling of comfort as pulling on a warm jumper after a cold swim. They do it again with ‘Marilyn’, a Micachu collab from ‘Love What Survives’: just one line (“We could drive into the sea, I saw you looking up at me”) and soft pianet is enough to confirm they’ve not lost their gift. Here, they sound comfortable as a band rather than an electronic duo who use guitars, with off-kilter songs that nod towards Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine and are full of fizzing synths and weeping accordions confirming their status as one of alternative pop’s finest acts. S Wheeler

8/10

Tony Humphries 'Running Back Mastermix' (Running Back)

“It’s truly an honour to partake in this special anniversary,” says Tony Humphries, the former resident at The Zanzibar and one of the greatest DJs in the history of house. “Gerd Janson’s extraordinary palette of releases are unique.” It’s fantastic to see Humphries giving props to the German DJ on this celebratory comp – mainly because at the back of his head, Gerd is surely mouthing the words: ‘No, thank you’. Opening with arguably the greatest Running Back release to date (‘Ragysh’, by Todd Terje), the energy doesn’t dip once, with key catalogue jams from Roy Comanchero, disco citizens Tiger & Woods and Leon Vynehall all present and correct. An absolute blast from start to finish. Ralph Moore

9/10

Various 'Total 17' (Kompakt)

The 17th iteration of Kompakt’s ‘Total’ series is typically solid and filled with regulars from the legendary Cologne label’s roster, like co-founder Michael Mayer and Superpitcher. Recent highlights include Sasha’s return to big-room, breakbeat house glory on ‘Out Of Time’ and the frantic machine-gun chatter of Patrice Bäumel’s ‘Sorcery’. A clutch of new offerings is headed up by Tobias Thomas & Michael Mayer’s ‘25’, with chiming handbells and wood blocks adding a quirky touch to its squelchy bass, and some dreamy neo-disco on Jürgen Paape’s ‘Always Disko’. The ‘Total’ franchise remains as reliable as a Swiss watch but, thankfully, somewhat more exciting. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Patricia 'Several Shades Of The Same Colour' (Spectral Sounds)

As you might expect from someone who’s released on Opal Tapes and L.I.E.S., Max Raviz (aka Patricia) doesn’t deal in crisp and shiny sounds: this record is full of tape hiss, fuzzed-out textures and things lurking in the sonic shadows. This sort of lo-fi electronica has become as much of a cliché as male techno producers using female names lately – but Raviz does it with panache and uses the blurring and buzzing as brain-tickling instruments in their own right, rather than just affectations. There’s an undeniable funk to his electro and acid constructions and, while all the murk and gloom can occasionally get to you, it’s worth pushing through: the weirder these tracks get, the better they are. Joe Muggs

6/10

Lee Gamble 'Mnestic Pressure' (Hyperdub)

In his own words, Lee Gamble’s latest LP is a reaction to Western society that is both “strobing, visual… A constant subliminal advertisement” and “dreamlike, alien.” The infinite scroll of a million social media feeds is audible on ‘Quadripoints’, while 21st-century anxiety is encapsulated in the creepy synths of ’23 Bay Flips’. This is music born from information overload and the quick slide toward environmental and political chaos, but while Gamble threatens to leave you scarred, he also offers refuge, too, in the form of his signature styles: ‘You Hedonic’ is an immersive cloak of heavy ambience and ‘A tergo Real’ is beautifully deep, dusty house. ‘Ghost’, meanwhile, is absorbing jungle that’s lush to dance to while the world implodes. Seb Wheeler

7/10

Bambooman 'Whispers' (Accidental Records)

Music made from found sounds, odd percussive instruments and myriad samples can all too often just seem like a bit of fun rather than anything with lasting impact. Not so the work of beat alchemist Bambooman, the Leeds artist who has a magpie approach to sourcing sounds but always manages to make them coalesce into something more than exhibitions of wackiness. His beautiful debut is the perfect fit for Matthew Herbert’s Accidental label: as well as weird and wonderful percussion and some proper instruments, the sound of bird calls, breaking waves and footsteps on a frosty path all add charm to underlying house, dub and ambient tracks. They’re short and sketchy, but that only makes you want to play the whole thing again. K Caryl

9/10

Hercules & Love Affair 'Omnion' (mr.intl/Skint/BMG)

A little over five years ago, Hercules & Love Affair’s genial front man, Andy Butler, was in the grip of a drug addiction that landed him in hospital on a weekly basis. Butler’s solution was to head to Europe; he admits that he didn’t speak to his family for a year. It’s an episode Butler – now completely clean – recounts in ‘Fools Wear Crowns’, a key track on Herclues & Love Affair’s fourth album. Atop a subtle, burbling house rhythm that’s embellished by Indian strings and warm jets of acid, Butler lays himself bare: “Allow me to raise my hand and admit what a fool I am,” he confesses to his family. In those five years, the world has changed dramatically. Rather than fashion an escape from reality, they confront politics head on: the swaying Balearica of ‘Are You Still Certain’ finds Rouge Mary trading lyrics in Arabic with Hamed Sinno, the gay front man of Lebanese indie rockers Mashrou’ Leila. Inspired by the Bataclan attack and Beirut suicide bombings, it’s a call for an end to rampant fearmongering. There are other canny collaborations, too, with The Horrors’ frontman Faris Badwan emulating past luminaries such as Anohni and John Grant with his turn on the melancholic ’80s pop of ‘Through Your Atmosphere’. It’s a prime example of how sometimes less is more, a song that’s understated, haunting and brilliant. They haven’t lost the ability to party, as proven by the grinding disco-funk of ‘Rejoice’, but ‘Omnion’ is a serious, grown-up dance record for serious times. Let’s dance. Stephen Worthy

8/10

Sam OB 'Positive Noise' (LuckyMe)

LuckyMe’s Obey City has unveiled his Sam OB alias for a debut LP on the imprint, flipping the dancefloor agenda and finding comfort in the space his new music offers. Playing with an expansive sound that carries jazz, funk and an almost indie-garage feel, the whispering female call on ‘Balance’ tells you to “chase the glowing hours”, while Sam’s lines on ‘Siren’ are delivered in the smooth-as-hot-chocolate drawl of an unconventional lothario. ‘Common Ground’ combines wah-wah guitars with simmering hi-hats, and ‘237am’ is a straight-up baby-making jam, its teasing call of “I need your love” rousing the listener with some help from a sultry saxophone (an often-shunned instrument that actually helps make it sound cool, rather than cold). l Connolly

7/10

Dimitri From Paris 'Dimitri From Paris Presents: Salsoul Mastermix' (Salsoul)

As his popularity at Glitterbox in London and Ibiza proves, when it comes to being a consummate disco connoisseur, Dimitri From Paris sits at the top table. Previously a Japan-only compilation, this Salsoul comp was selling for silly money online (£100 at last look!) so hopefully the global reissue will ensure it hits more cash-strapped homes. As you’d expect, groove, soul and swagger take centre stage, the first, mixed disc featuring solid gold production legends from Larry Levan and Shep Pettibone to François K, while the second boasts 10 unmixed Dimitri From Paris edits for budding and blossoming DJs alike. Ralph Moore

8/10

Shackleton with Anika 'Behind The Glass' (Woe to the Septic Heart!)

Everything Sam Shackleton has done, whether it’s in the dubstep or techno worlds, has had an intense ritualistic quality, like it’s trying to conjure something very weird into existence. Though he’s still delivering pummelling club sets, his recent records have dropped the beats and brought that weirdness even further to the front. Anika’s eerie spoken and moaned vocals float across percussion and bass tones that are recognisably Shackleton, but the whole thing is weightless and deeply freaky. It’s very certainly not for anyone wanting a nice chillout experience, but if you’re willing to get taken to some peculiar places, you’ll be rewarded. Joe Muggs

8/10

Man Duo 'Orbit' (Kaya Kaya)

If you were fortunate enough to encounter Jaakko Eino Kalevi’s wonderfully dreamy debut in 2015, you’d have been won over by its louche, electronic pop and shuffling dancefloor-friendly rhythms. As its name suggests, his new project is a collaboration, recorded with his old childhood friend Sami Toroi. Thankfully, it doesn’t veer too wildly from his solo work, as Man Duo dive into shuddering Krautrock rhythms, slow-burn electro and stoner synth-pop. ‘On The Middle’, the breathy utterances of vocalist Sean Nicholas Savage add extra spice to the brooding yacht rock backing, while ‘Vanessa’ veers into sharp, driving electro territory and echoes of synth legend Jan Hammer percolate closer ‘The Boss’. Stephen Worthy

8/10

Bicep 'Bicep' (Ninja Tune)

Belfast duo Bicep have touched on many aspects of dance history as bloggers, re-editors and, of course, as global DJs. For much of their debut album, though, they’ve zoomed in on one short period in the past: circa 1989-92, when Balearic, rave, trance, electronica and prog-house still massively overlapped, all part of the same quest for sonic euphoria. There’s no laptop micro-trickery here; everything is drum machine or breaks, bass, warm pads and layers of melodic synth riffs. As the album goes on it occasionally moves forward in time to 2-step and backwards to synth-pop, electro and new age, but at its core are the same fundamentals. Given the energy of their sets, it’s surprisingly dreamy and thoughtful at times (see lead single ‘Aura’, which radiates pure white light) and full of the yearning and bittersweetness of the best post-rave sunrise moments. Most of all, it’s laser-focused in the pursuit of pleasure, and makes absolute sense as a complete album. Joe Muggs

9/10

Photay 'Onism' (Astro Nautico)

Woodstock boy Evan Shornstein’s solo debut as Photay muses on a person’s place within their environment. Gorgeous and textured, this album of percussive and jazz-infused tracks exists at the break of a desire for nature in an irrevocably technological era. Escapist but also sentient of its reality rooted in electronic music, it was recorded in both the urban milieu of Brooklyn and the young producer’s home in the Hudson Valley woods. That tension comes through not only in the album’s titles – ‘Storms’, ‘Screens’ and ‘Eco Friend’ – but in the tone of the tracks, where at one moment a song delves deep into an urgent, synthetic cadence, and then expands into an ambient sense of the vast beauty of the physical world. S Kretowicz

7/10

James Heather 'Stories From Far Away On Piano' (Ahead Of Our Time)

Simplicity and intricacy combine on James Heather’s debut album. He joins the burgeoning ranks of post-classical artists with just a piano for company. It proves a mighty weapon, capable of supreme tenderness and yet, tonally, hugely powerful. Heather – whose day job at Ninja Tune finds him handling PR for the likes of Actress and Wiley – is a storyteller: his instrumental tracks are inspired by real events, from historical incidents like Boer War concentration camps (the heartbreaking intensity of ‘Empire Sounds’), to contemporary tragedies, like a female blogger in Syria murdered by ISIS (the beautiful ‘Ruqia’). There’s a rawness to Heather’s songs that match the emotions of their subject matter. S Worthy

7/10

Dungen 'Häxan (Versions by Prins Thomas)' (Smalltown Supersound)

Inevitably, it’s the name of Prins Thomas that will get Mixmag readers’ ears pricking up. But Dungen, if you’re not familiar with their many jazz-inflected Swedish prog-rock albums, are well worth getting to know in their own right, too. Their most recent album, ‘Häxan’, provides him with no end of interstellar drones, folky guitar jangles, rolling drum patterns and other psychedelic magic to weave into his four 15-minute vinyl sides of cosmic voyaging. Every single thing here is as 70s as you can possibly imagine, yet it never feels kookily retro because it’s just so damned good. Every sound is there for a reason, and the flow over the hour into the ultra-funky final section is absolutely impeccable. Joe Muggs

9/10

UNKLE 'The Road: Part One' (Songs For The Def)

On his first album in seven years, James Lavelle celebrates London’s multiculturalism, producing a record that’s suitably ambitious in scale and widescreen in emotion. Many of Lavelle’s seasoned collaborators are welcomed back, including the gravel-voiced Mark Lanegan (most memorably on the searing strings and Middle Eastern twists of ‘Looking For The Rain’. A clutch of voices, including Mercury-nominated Zimbabwean-born singer Eska garnish the epic orchestral lament of ‘Farewell’, while ‘Arms Length’ strides purposefully towards the dancefloor, accompanied by thrashing synth drums. Like the sprawling city it celebrates, ‘The Road: Part One’ is endlessly eclectic. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Ibeyi 'Ibeyi 2' (XL Recordings)

French-Cuban twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz of Ibeyi follow the ambient soul and Afro-Cuban rhythms of their 2015 debut with a second album. Here, the sisters’ searching harmonies expand into thrilling layers of a capella chorale vocals in songs such as opener ‘I Carried This For Years’, as well as a series of emotional anthems with contributions from Meshell Ndegeocello, Kamasi Washington, Chilly Gonzales and others. Sincere and earnest, a softly Auto-Tuned vocal ripples underneath a sample of a speech by Michelle Obama on ‘No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms’. This is an album brimming with optimism, an ecstatic call to arms through music, love and compassion. Steph Kretowicz

7/10