Not gonna deny I am biased when it comes to promoting local artists, so I make no excuse for posting Rose Gray’s tribute to our shared home borough in her ethereal techno tune Hackney Wick.

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Rave duo Altern 8 took Acid House and Rave culture into the charts in the early ’90s with their blend of outrageous outfits and infectious dance tunes.

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Max Romeo’s career spanned the early days of ska through rocksteady to fiery roots reggae with a political conscience, peaking in the mid-’70s.

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West Coast rappers Luniz had a moment in 1995 with this playful weed-smoking anthem, I Got 5 On It, a million-seller in America that also reached No.3 in the UK singles chart.

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Protoje is flying the flag for old-skool reggae music from Jamaica, with tunes like this tribute to sound system culture, Big 45.

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Bomb The Bass, the studio project of Tim Simenon, shot straight into the singles chart in early 1988 with their sample-heavy debut single Beat Dis.

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Sissy Spacek is an LA-based duo who make experimental avant-garde noise and is not related to the actress of the same name.

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What a voice! That’s the first reaction I had when I first heard unsung Southern soul legend James Carr singing this. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

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RIP Val Kilmer (1959-2025)

The night I met Val Kilmer was, weirdly enough, at a Mazzy Star gig at the Union Chapel in London. OK, it wasn’t actually at the gig, and I didn’t actually meet him, but we were both there at the same time that night in 1996.

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The Three Degrees teamed up with Philly’s house band MFSB for the joyous soul anthem T.S.O.P. aka The Sound Of Philadephia.

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