Breton’s ‘Sharing Notes EP’ starts with a whoosh.
The whoosh is followed by keyboards and synths and then - the delicious drop of a Dub-inspired beat. The vocals however are as gritty and emotion-laden as Radiohead, remarkably different, a voice straight from the hearts and streets of South East London. And then everything stops apart from the vocal drawls: “I’ll find a way to count it owwwt.”

Something of a big name back in her homeland, France, Emilie Simon is a female singer/songwriter looking to repeat that success worldwide with album number four, THE BIG MACHINE. A French multiple award winner since 2004, her soundtrack for La Marche de l'Empereur – the original version of March Of The Penguins was nominated for a Cesar, the French equivalent of an Oscar.

What sort of person do you have to be to enjoy instrumental music? A scientist perhaps, or a mathematician? A late night raver, a DJ or a drum n’ bass fiend?
In order to feel a true, deep-seated love for instrumental music you have to have a very acute music taste. Instrumental music is like meditation for the ears; it is the bare bones of music and a whole different level of entertainment.
Run Silent, Run Deep is the second EP from Producer Andy Smith a.k.a Dialog>. He has been compared to Orbital and Underworld and while there are similarities there, Dialog> seems to be missing the enchantment found in the records of his contemporaries. There are moments on Run Silent, Run Deep that will really catch your attention but the majority of the EP fails to entertain and will leave the listener disappointed.
To be successful, instrumental music needs to truly blow you away and there can’t be any part of the listener left unaffected by the sound. Run Silent, Run Deep is a good but limp effort from Dialog>.

APOLLO PAST PRESENT FUTURE presents a compilation of artists on the Apollo label, which is a subsidiary of Belgian dance/techno label R&S Records. The track listing of this album has been selected by the owner of the label, Renaat Vandepapeliere, and the quality and depth of talent on offer is a reflection of his own knowledge and judgment of the musicians under his wing. R&S Records was set up in 1984 and became an innovator in the techno, jungle and trip-hop scene, Apollo Records was formed to represent the more ambient side of the genres and brought forward acts such as Aphex Twin and London based Mark Van Hoen's Locust.

The album flows and meanders along beautifully from start to finish, often invoking moments of intense pleasure and sonic delight. There is an enjoyable mix of styles on offer, from the guitar driven acoustic vibe of the opening track PENELOPE by Pinback, to the elegant and graceful track WHO CHANGED THE ORDER by Manna, a song that soars like a bird at times, all because of some exquisite singing from Finlay Quaye. Not one song feels out of place in this collection and as a complete work it fits together so well it's like the songs were made for each other. There are a few new compositions such as ALIEN NATURE from Paul White that uses some cool Bollywood style samples over a looped drum track, DREAMS by Dave Angel, an atmospheric number utilising mainly repetitive laid back vocals with synthesizers, and a remix by Bullion, RUDE EFFORT, a thunderous closer to the compilation with an eighties feel to it.

The best moments are the more ambient and spaced out tracks. KINETIC, a David Morley remix, by Golden GIrls had me so relaxed I nearly fell off my chair, at 8 minutes it's a languid, luxurious trip into computer generated landscapes, it's probably the sound robots make when relaxing, and is the musical equivalent of red wine and chocolate. ANDORMEDA by Mundo Musique follows a similar theme but is not quite as enchanting. THE NUMBER READERS is another futuristic Bladerunner-esque track, bordering on Vangelis territory. PATASHNIK from Biosphere continues the science fiction theme with an intro that sounds like something from the X-Files, an alien heartbeat throbs in the background over an eerie unintelligible recorded voice. Aphex twin, as would be expected, impress with the remastered HELIOSPHAN, a trip hop adventure featuring some far out organ and electronic drums, and Underworld contribute SOLAR SISTIM, another treat to the ears, the leisurely vocals float above the bass and keyboards and seem to lower the blood pressure a few notches. JUST LIKE YOU is the best offering from The Locust, their two other tracks on this album don't quite match the standard set by this one, vocals, guitars and synths combine in Massive Attack style to generate a chilled, sensual groove.

This compilation is for fans of trance, trip hop, hip hop, or anything cool and contemporary; your ear drums will be thanking you for exposing them to this. It's a testament to the quality of the artists signed to the Apollo label, and I would suggest listening to it in an armchair, late at night, gazing at the stars, and possibly alien ships.