New Jersey house don Kerri Chandler is rightfully lauded as a hero of the scene. He continues to pour his heart and soul into every record and imbue his music with real-world emotions that elevate his tunes. He is of course a master of a deep but driving sound that borrows from soul, funk and jazz in ignitible ways. The third volume of his Lost & Found EP series on his own label Kaoz Theory is packed with more gold, from the slinky depths of 'Let It (Give Me Back My Love)' to the soul staring vocal work of 'Another Dawn' via more paired back sounds on 'The Bassline' (Kerri Dark mix) and the percussive energy of 'The Breeze.' Yet another essential Kerri 12" for your collection.

Swiss producer and DJ Lea Lisa gathers together some of her favorite tracks to play out with in a double pack compilation for Favorite Recordings. As you might be able to tell from some of the artists and tracks on here, Lea likes her house music deep, tracky, sometimes soulful and verging on proper techno. Featured here are key tracks like 'Ekeyz' from Pure Science, the club mix of 'Be There' by Kerri Chandler and 'Blax Thanxs' by Abacus. One very desirable addition is the early 90s gem 'Emotional' by Think. This very strong gathering of deep house tracks may be one of the best this year. Act quick and grab a copy.

US label Planets is back with a third outing and this time they have a superb blend of roots and digi-dub with a cover of a Michael Jackson classic. AJ Brown is a noted vocalist who here serves up a rare street soul lovers' version of The King of Pop's 'Human Nature.' It's a passionate and emotive vocal work over a nice rolling beat and on the flipside it comes with an excellent instrumental dub version that allows the synth work to shine more and the funky bassline to come to the fore as the vocals are drenched in echo and reverb. Limited press on this one so move fast.

A fresh and exciting new concept record from ambient master Jan Jelinek; the new LP Social Engineering is made of nothing more than the text-to-speech renderings of the content of phishing emails received in the musician's inbox over an undisclosed period. Over the course of 13 tracks, Jelinek reworks, timestretches, juggles and expands these robotic narrations into speech-synthetic soundscapes, making for a weird and well-paced foray into a certain greyscale sonic unheimlich. Beginning with a Microsoft impersonator and ending on a 'polite threat', Jelinek's latest record presents an ironic conundrum; indeed, Social Engineering presents the only kind of decision under pressure - whether or not to buy ingenious new experimental ambient music - that we can't refuse.

ProleteR's Curses From Past Times is a captivating blend of instrumental hip-hop, jazz, and lo-fi beats. Originally self-released in 2011, crafting heavy-weight boom bap beats infused with sprightly chanson samples. Drawing from the tradition of sample-based hip-hop, each track is a seamless fusion of jazz and Charleston influences, complemented by intricate guitar arrangements and smooth synth layers. Curses From Past Times is a testament to ProleteR's ability to create a nostalgic yet innovative sound that resonates with both hip-hop enthusiasts and lovers of jazz-infused beats.

Indonesian groove merchants Lair are back on Guruguru Brain with their second LP, which finds them digging even deeper into themes as well as the instrumental psych sound they established themselves on. The album reflects on the land in the region of their hometown Jatiwangi, on the northern shores of Java, and the tension between love for their home and the grim portent of industrialisation. Led by the strident, meandering guitar sound as it careers through all manner of moody landscapes, it's an engrossing trip-out and a sincere expression from a community which neatly proves the international power of psych rock as a vessel for a message.

Some 29 years after it first hit record stores, Nick Holder's sought-after Fruit Loops EP returns in remastered and reissued form. The long-serving Canadian was already four years into his career - and many 12" singles deep - when he delivered the four-tracker, which offers a funky and seductive take on deep house rich in disco and boogie samples. Check first the Chic-sampling disco house roll of 'Dance, Dance, Dance', before moving into the more complex (but not less attractive) 'Keep On Running'. 'The Message Is Love' does a brilliant job in turning choice loops and samples from MFSB's 'Love Is A Message' into heady house gold, while 'Clap Your Hands' makes merry with the stomping brilliance of Hamilton Bohannon's most famous tune ('Let's Start The Dance').

Stop Hurting Me Baby by Purple Mundi, originally released in 1972, is a soulful gem from the 1970s soul group hailing from Miami, Florida. This sought-after record, reissued in 1978 with the B-side 'I Can't Understand,' shows the group's undeniable talent and soulful voice. With its smooth melodies and heartfelt lyrics, the song captivates listeners with its timeless appeal. The reissued version preserves the rare quality of the original pressing, making it a must-have for collectors and fans of vintage soul music. Purple Mundi's Stop Hurting Me Baby continues to shine as a standout rare track in the funk and soul genre, delivering soul-stirring vibes that is still being discovered today.