VA - Jungle Visions Part 1 (2017)

With just 24 releases in its catalogue over the course of 10 years, Mexican imprint Akbal isn't one of the most prolific labels. However, when it does put out material it is always of the highest quality. That approach is audible on this split release; it features the fragile deep house of label mainstay Doubtingthomas and Robbie Akbal & Zeque's melodic, murmuring grooves on "Magic Frog", while a loose, tribal sound is to the fore on Azteca & Bolivar's excellent "Elysian Fields". Only Natalie Quale delivers a slightly tougher variant on Akbal's style with the robotic drums of "Between Oceans" - but as the woozy woodwind of Modd's mysterious, frazzled "Catastrophe" so eloquently demonstrates, in the this is a wonderfully psychedelic collection. Enjoy!