MALA Vinilo y CD

Review: Definitely one of the most haunting and quite possibly one of the most seminal cuts Mala has ever made, the show-stopping 'Changes' enjoys a long overdue re-press. Whether you were around when it first dropped in 2007 and never caught the wax, or you've since discovered it from many different samples such as XXXTENTACION's 'Look At Me' or The Game's 'Holy Water', this is an iconic piece of 140 music that transcends genres and generations. A contemporary classic, nothing less.

Review: Giles Peterson's agenda-setting Brownswood is back with another delve into the label's rich archives, and this time comes back with a bold reimagining of Mala's 'Como Como' featuring Dreiser & Sexto Sentido, which is taken from the landmark 2012 LP Mala in Cuba. This edition includes both the original track and a transformative remix by Detroit legend Theo Parrish, who brings his unmistakable touch in the form of raw grooves, layered percussion and a vast sense of space that is soulful in shamanic ways. The original is still in a class of one with its slow, heavy kicks and yearning vocals layered up with unsure, aching chords and a sprinkling of organic hits. A perfect mix of Cuban atmosphere and Mala bassweight.

Review: Hyperdub kick off the vinyl side to their ten-year celebrations with this weighty four-tracker from some of the leading lights from the label's story. Mala is in a strident mood with "Expected, Level 10" carrying through that extra touch of melody from the Mala In Cuba LP. DVA cuts loose with the leftfield scattershot groove of "Technical Difficulties", reveling in tonal experimentation and jagged rhythmic flair to a stunning end. Still locked into the sci-fi trap tangent that characterised Severant, Kuedo turns out the haunting "Mtzpn" and Helix pops up for a remix of Kode9's "Xingfu Lu" that strips down to bare essentials with a little starlit soul rubbed into the framework.