Recommended music: 'Inji' by LA Priest

I'm not sure why I never got round to reviewing this when I first bought it, but lately I've been playing it a lot and realised that it'll definitely make my end of year list, so it's worth putting a few thoughts down about it.

Effectively the solo début album from Sam Dust, late of Late of the Pier, this is a funky, souly, electro-disco record that original and eclectic enough to appeal to left-field hipsters but also, given the right radio play, could launch some smash pop hits on the world.The moment the smooth, laid back bass of opener 'Occasion' starts to slink out of your speakers you know you're in for a good time.



As the records proceed influences emerge from Prince to Rick James to Basement Jaxx to Connan Mockasin (who Dust has previously worked with). Throughout it all there's a sense of playfulness and a lightness of touch that points to the fact that he's completely into the music he's making now. The moody tracks are sultry rather than sulky, while the dancier tracks are funky rather than full-on.



It all adds up to a huge success artistically (and incidentally, a record that for more deserved to be nominated for the Mercury Prize than some of the dross that made the list). If LA Priest is delivering the sermon you should definitely be listening.



'Inji' is out now on Domino Records.

Track of the Day: 'The Lavishments of Light Looking' by Woke (Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces & Thundercat) feat. George Clinton

Available as part of this year's Adult Swim Singles releases, this trippy psych-funk smorgasbord of delights is very much equal to the sum of its parts. It kinda feels like FlyLo, having been mostly kept out of the loop on the Kendrick Lamar album project, has decided to form his own to rival it. Whatever the driver behind it, it's new, it's fresh and you can download it for free from the Adult Swim site here - let's hope there's an album of this stuff coming...

Track of the Day: 'God Emoji' by Silicon

If you've not heard of them before (I hadn't until last night), Silicon is the band of Kody Nielson, whose brother Ruban fronts Unknown Mortal Orchestra. This slice of smooth electro-funk is their first offering for Weird World Records, and hopefully there's an album on the way later in the year.



By the way, if you get the chance to see them live then grab the opportunity, they were brilliant last night.

Track of the Day: 'XYMBOL 01' by Closer

If you've ever sat in an idle moment and wondered what would happen if you crossed The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays and 'Pull Up To The Bumper' by Grace Jones, then wonder no more. The brilliant new track by Closer sounds like all of that and more, topping things off with a hint of Lo-Fidelity Allstars and one or two more acts from the Skint Label. It's full of energy, is bags of fun, and you can download it for free below. Grab it now!

Recommended music: 'Redinho' by Redinho

It's taken me a while to work out if I like this record or not, but now I've decided that I really really do it's time to write about it.

Three years in the making, Redinho's brand of cyber-funk may be a bit too retro for some people's tastes, but there's no denying that he does what he does very well. In this age of trying to disguise the use of auto-tune and hiding vocal tweaking, it's great to hear full-on Zapp-style Roger Troutman talk-box vocals. It's not just restricted to 70s throwbacks either - 'Going Nowhere' seems to have borrowed the major part of the bassline from early 80s smash 'I Found Lovin'' by The Fatback Band. And if you're of a certain age (i.e. mine!) and you can listen to album opener 'Stinger' without thinking of 'Ride Like The Wind' by Christopher Cross I'll be very surprised.

It's not all retro though - 'Say I Want You' could easily be by one of the new breed of electonic artists like Gold Panda or Koreless, and the skittery sounds of 'Searching' would never never have been acceptable in the 70s. Throughout the album there are layers and layers of sounds and harmonised vocals built up on each other that reward repeated listening and ensure that there's always something new here to sink your teeth into.

'Redinho' is out now on Numbers Records.