Daughter of a South African father and a German mother, Denalane was born and raised in Berlin, and yet her singing voice is as American as they come. In the Mary J. Blige mould, she has a big, powerful sound that is just bursting with soul and which straddles perfectly the line between genuine R&B and a more commercially minded approach. With only three guest vocalists on the album, the spotlight is well and truly focused on Denalane’s talent, but the fact that one of those guests is Lupe Fiasco and another is Raekwon shows that there was no messing around here. Undoubtedly, the label/production team hoped and fully intended for ‘Born And Raised’ to achieve global success, and a couple of flaky ballads and fluffy fillers notwithstanding, it seems that they may just get their wish.

Tom Breslin

Fellow listeners to Benji B’s Deviation (1xtra) radio show will have noticed that the words ‘Jazzy Sport’ are now synonymous with exemplary Hip Hop, up-to-the-minute Nu Jazz, boundary-breaking Broken Beat, and killer live Disco to boot. Pound For Pound is the perfect demonstration of why this is so, delivering gem after gem from the likes of DJ Mitsu the Beats (alongside Maspyke’s Hanif Jamil), Bembe Segue, Masaya Fantasista, Cro Magnon and Grooveman Spot (who has even roped-in Hip Hop heavyweight Jeru The Damaja for a slice of the action). These guys are not messing around – Japan’s Jazzy Sport is consistently raising the bar and the challenge for others is to try to keep up. This is essential listening – don’t sleep!

Tom Breslin

California-based Stones Throw, home to head-honcho Peanut Butter Wolf and leading light Madlib, is undoubtedly one of the world’s most exciting and productive independent Hip Hop labels, and any new compilation from such a label is always cause for celebration. Far from predictable, Chrome Children 2 pulls together a collection that includes not only Hip Hop, but Jazz and Disco-tinged Funk and Electro (in the true sense of the word) as well. The featured Hip Hop matches some the hottest emcees around – Guilty Simpson, Aloe Blacc, M.E.D – with some of the most forward-thinking producers around – think Dabrye, Four Tet, Danny Breaks and Madlib himself – and the end result is satisfying indeed. For me though, the stand-outs are the Egon re-edit of the Clifford Nyren Disco-funker ‘Keep Running Away’ and ‘Murder’, by the rather comically named James Pants.

Tom Breslin

The formula: a hearty helping of expertly crafted beats – one-part classic Hip Hop, one part Broken Beat – with a sprinkling of highly talented vocalists. How could the man go wrong? Well, he doesn’t! Japan’s Grooveman Spot is on top of his game here, layering squelching synths and soulful keys over crisp, snapping beats that vary in tempo and form, but never in quality. Some are head-nodding instrumentals, some are full-on fodder for a discerning dance floor (‘Rude Fantastic’), and others are graced by star turns from the likes of Count Bass D, Grap Luva, O.C., Jack Davey and Capital A. Of particular note, is the Dilla-esque ‘Turn It Up’ featuring M.E.D. and ‘My Mind’, which introduces – to me at least – skilled Japanese rappers, Hunger, Raythought and U-Zipplain. Overall result: an album that I can’t recommend highly enough!

Tom Breslin

Let’s get the gripes out of the way. Firstly, there are too many skits and interludes on this album for my tastes. Secondly, there are a couple of insipid, ballad-like tracks that let the side down. Right, now to the positives. Most of Subject 2 Status is actually very good, and it’s hard to imagine most UK emcees being able to match the skill and flow of Manchester’s Broke ‘n’ English, a.k.a. Strategy and DRS, when they’re at their best. The high points, here, come on the tougher, up-tempo tracks, where they get a chance to display a rugged, but not aggressive, style that exudes energy and works to great effect. Case in point being ‘Take It Low’, a dynamite marriage of soulful chords, broken beats and smooth rhymes that deserves much success.

Tom Breslin

The Good Lookin’ label, home to Drum ‘n’ Bass pioneer LTJ Bukem, had rather drifted off my musical map of late, so it is particularly heartening to see it release a new artist album. Makoto, a confirmed Bukem-disciple, makes the kind of uplifting, melodic Drum ‘n’ Bass that is all too rare these days. You know, the kind with a sunny disposition, rather than the kind that was spawned by the Dark Overlord. Believe In My Soul is not breaking any new ground, but it’s not supposed to. It’s a high quality album full of intricately woven, musical Drum ‘n’ Bass, infused throughout with Jazz samples and soulful snippets that will please Good Lookin’ fans both old and new. And, if that’s not enough, it also includes bonus remixes by Marky and XRS.

Tom Breslin

Back again with new material, and DJ Vadim has been working hard, because there are 17 tracks here, with no fillers or interludes. What’s more, if you like one song, I think you’ll probably like them all, for The Soundcatcher maintains a certain summery style and feel-good factor throughout that makes it a perfect head-bobbing, relaxing-on-the-beach album. The beats are generally of a Hip Hop nature, but few tracks are straight-up raps. The rest are smooth instrumentals (a la Rae & Christian), laidback, Reggae influenced vocals and all other varieties of pre-party flavours that DJ Vadim has become known for. A good album that will be loved by many.

Tom Breslin

An unsung Hip-Hop hero, Braintax has been instrumental in much of the positive movement made by the UK scene over the last decade, and the politically-charged Panorama’s cultured flow, intelligent lyrics and captivatingly diverse beats are testament to just that. Self-funded and largely self-produced, the album is the interesting, progressive and ever-funky antithesis of mundane, mass-marketed fluff. The excellent, Louis Slipperz-produced Syriana Style, with its tough middle-eastern beats interspersed with George Galloway sound bites, just about sums it up!

Tom Breslin

Veterans of the electronic music scene, Kinder Atom are masters of a clean, highly polished and sharply produced sound that has a soothing, ambient quality to it, regardless of the setting. Whether it be the lilting dub of ‘Bring The Herbs’, the Squarepusher-esque drum’n’bass of ‘DB8’ or the soporific 4/4 of ‘Sangria’, the music is perfect material for a slick, contemporary soundtrack. Particularly pleasing and fitting then, that there is a bonus DVD with 7 music videos by various Toronto film directors.

Tom Breslin

Guru, an undisputed legend, is back with a new label, a new producer and a new album. And guests include Jean Grae, Talib Kweli and, amazingly, Cypress Hill’s B.Real! Only, something’s not quite right. Guru still possesses the trademark vocal skills with which he made his name, but these are lost here amongst the underpowered, synthetic and, sometimes, scarily poor production. Filling the boots of Gangstarr"s other half, the awesome DJ Premier, is clearly a Herculean task, but surely new boy Solar could have done better.

Tom Breslin