Paraphrasing the Soul Sonic Force and sorting through today`s releases for tunes that could have graced Alfie & Leo’s Amnesia dance-floor…

Joe Armon-Jones / Sorrow / Aquarii Records

Sorrow is the third and heaviest instalment so far in Joe Armon-Jones’ Aquarri In Dub project. Liam Bailey’s heartfelt vocal leading the totally authentic EQ’d, phased and echo drenched drop of roots rock reggae. There’s plenty of jazz in the horns, which are showcased in a second mix. Not just the main melodic hook, but also a smoky saxophone solo care of James Mollison. A Sorrowful Rhodes version then focuses on Armon-Jones’ incredibly cool electric keys. The Fender duelling with shimmering cymbal syncopation.

Dream Baby Dream / Banana Trance (Calm Remixes) / Hell Yeah

Dream Baby Dream aka Leya Touch and soFa elsewhere take the track, Banana Trance, from their self-titled LP, and commission a couple of remixes from Tokyo’s chillout king, Calm. The original is weird, wonky, chugging, chunky cosmic electronic pop, where Touch’s vocals, bouncing between muffled, bluesy holler and jazz-like scat, weave in and out of the shadowy growling and gurgling. Calm plays against type and lifts the mood entirely by adding flickering 303 frequencies and a big, fuck-off break. His dub is even more pounding, beating its way to a rave peak.

Steve Jones / I Need You / Isle Of Jura

Isle Of Jura revive Steve Jones’ slice of sought-after soulful mid-80s Brit-funk boogie, I Need You. The song’s razor sharp rhythm guitar lending it a new wave-y / Prince & The Revolution feel. A dub loses the vocals and instead gets to grips with the groovy bass, adding dropouts and all sorts of echoed keys.  These are flipped by the slightly jazzier The Challenge, which is fleshed out with alto sax and flute.

The Gospel Of Thomas / For The Children Who Have Fallen From Grace / Drab Queen

This is a forthcoming shot of stripped back jack from Girls Of The Internet’s Tom Kerridge. House with Gregorian rather than gospel influences, where holy monastic harmonies sooth its forceful kick.

Kay Suzuki  / Choice Remixes / Time Capsule

The latest release on Time Capsule collects 4 remixes from label founder Kay Suzuki. Performing his magic on traditional rhythms and songs from Cuba, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and Senegal, Suzuki collapses time to create carnival collisions where past meets future. Where Gwo Ka toumblak is shaken by reggae soundclash sirens and seismic sub drops, and Nu Yorcian boogaloo chants mix with modal techno tones. Like Close Encounters Of The Third Kind meets Masters At Work. Tito Puente on the dark side of the moon. Gilles Peterson and Simbad sending the Noro Morales Quintet into orbit. Suzuki’s rub of Blackbush Orchestra’s Sortez, Les Filles! has the vibe of an electrical storm in some alien rainforest. Programmed but pure and spiritual. Sunlightsquare’s Oyelo, a pukka piece of piano-led Latin jazz, is washed in sampled surf and seabirds. Its beat deconstructed, broken down to almost beat-less but still body moving.

Marshall Watson & Cole Odin / Voyager / Leng

Leng Records’ San Francisco spars Marshall Watson and Cole Odin’s new track Voyager, takes a trip back to the early 1990s and the heyday of Balearic’s indie rock / dance crossover. Packing a powerful punk funk / disco-not-disco B-line and fancy feedback-edged fretwork, its rippling, ringing keys come across like Happy Mondays borrowing from Chicago house. An extended Guitar Mix adds tumbling drums and big breakdowns, while a Cosmic Rave remix replays everything on machines. According to the press release this is partly in tribute to fellow San Franciscan Patrick Cowley, and its freaky phased arpeggios do indeed have a touch of the Tantra / Hills Of Katmandus. An urgent, marching Italo-flavoured groove, the pair push the arms-in-the-air piano to the fore and top that with soaring stadium anthem synths.