To commemorate 10 years since its original release, Architects present a physical-only reissue of All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. This isn"t just a repress; the album has been completely remixed and remastered for this 10th anniversary edition, featuring brand-new artwork and an insert of never-before-seen studio photos from 2016. Exclusive to vinyl and unavailable on digital platforms.
I first encountered Pascal Comelade’s music thirty years ago—and nothing has sounded quite the same since. I was immediately captivated: he is an artist like no other, whose sincere and selfless love of music is always evident, especially in his tender reworkings of other people’s songs.
Comelade seems to work like a watchmaker: meticulous, precise, and obsessive—yet always drifting into something dreamlike. His music opens hidden doors, telling strange and beguiling stories filled with obscurity, kindness, and reserved humour.
Back then, my fascination was instinctive. Today, with a few more words at my disposal, I look to this exceptional 70-year-old French musician and feel exactly the same pull.
Métaphysique Du Hit-Parade is the first vinyl compilation devoted to Pascal Comelade’s favourite cover versions. It spans a forty-year career and traces sixty years of rock and roll history along the way. “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” becomes a soft, soothing lullaby that may well have made the Ramones weep. Then there are his idiosyncratic tributes to Jonathan Richman (“Egyptian Reggae”) and The Kinks (“Sunny Afternoon”), alongside nods to formative heroes such as The Gun Club, Captain Beefheart, and MC5.
Two exclusive recordings stand out particularly: Bob Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country” and Nirvana’s “Come As You Are”—a song that shaped my early youth. Both were recorded especially for this release.
Jan Lankisch, January 2026
Australian composer-performers Judith Hamann and James Rushford have worked together in countless projects for two decades, perhaps most notably in Golden Fur, their trio with Sam Dunscombe. Black Truffle is pleased to announce Midmeste, their first work as a duo. Its title is Middle English for ‘the middlemost point’, alluding to how the piece builds on the points of overlap between the highly personalised musical languages Hamann and Rushford have developed in recent years. Performed on cello and a variety of pipe organs, Midmeste is a spacious, sometimes unsettling exploration of their shared interest in alternative tunings, psychoacoustic phenomena, the physical properties of their instruments, and the usually peripheral sounds generated by the performing body.
Beginning with a sequence of austerely vibrato-less harmonics from Hamann's cello, trailed by Rushford's whistling portative organ tones, the music soon expands into a slow-moving melodic wander, pausing at times to linger over an uncomfortable harmony or particularly resonant cello tone. Hamann and Rushford have long histories of engagement with pre-Classical European musical traditions, having in past projects performed and radically extended the work of Solage, Louis Couperin, Johann Conrad Beissell and other composers. Here they use a 15th century song by John Dunstaple, ‘O rosa bella’, which returns throughout the piece, distorted, aerated and splayed into new forms.
Developed while the two shared residencies at Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart in 2020 and La Becque on Lake Geneva in 2023, Midmeste integrates recordings made (at at the invitation of the Biennale Son) on the organ of the Basilica St Valere in Sion, Switzerland—the world’s oldest playable organ, built in the early 15th century. Played by both Rushford and Hamann, the instrument’s idiosyncratic features, including bellows pumped manually using massive wooden beams, are integrated into the music through amplification. Creaks and thumps locate the music physically both in the performers’ bodies and the specific site of its making. Moving through a series of distinct episodes across its forty-minute span, Midmeste makes space for near-silent duets of high harmonics and hissing air, moments where twittering high tones and rumbling sub-bass could be electronic, and static fields that unexpectedly blossom into almost Romantic harmonies.
Listeners familiar with Hamann and Rushford’s work will find many familiar features here: the stunningly rich cello tones, their patient sustain allowing heightened awareness of the inner life of sound and its interactions with the environment; the care with which acoustic space is activated, becoming at times a third instrumental voice; the attention to fragile, unstable sonorities that sometimes have a comic edge. A major work from two key figures in contemporary experimental music, Midmeste synthesises rigorous exploration of fundamental questions of sound and performance with an unapologetic embrace of beauty.
It happens very rarely that you can praise a records without any reservations, this is the case here!!!
A lot of ink has flowed across the page since the Vogue/Swing release (1955) of that founding solo record. The repertoire was made up of pieces that Thelonious was playing in New York over that period, but in trio or with a quartet, here his music shows nakedness, i should say crudeness, whisch is completely overwhelming. It is a balck and white photograph of what is happening inside Monk's head; its sharpness is enthralling, as everyone has known for more than sixty years.
We enter the world of one of the most original artists. Monk, at 37, is at the peak of his art.
Father Sheed steps up to deliver a saucy meze for M.A.D Records sixteenth outing, following the groove-laden "Pancumbia" for A MAD 5 Years compilation!! The Austin, Texas based producer brings 5-tracks to ignite the discotheque with quirky sampling, punchy drum grooves and immaculate synth-scapes!
Die brandneue Kollaboration zwischen Freddie Gibbs und The Alchemist, „Alfredo 2”, ist der offizielle Nachfolger der gefeierten „Alfredo”-Veröffentlichung des Duos aus dem Jahr 2020.
Der Rapper Freddie Gibbs wird für sein technisches Können und seine provokanten Texte gelobt und hat sowohl Fans des Gangsta-Rap als auch des Underground-Hip-Hop für sich gewonnen. Er reimt sowohl auf dröhnende Breakbeats als auch auf Trap-Beats und hat mit zahlreichen Rappern und Produzenten zusammengearbeitet, darunter Young Thug, Jeezy, DJ Drama und Statik Selektah. In den 2000er- und frühen 2010er-Jahren machte er sich mit einer Reihe von selbst veröffentlichten Mixtapes einen Namen. Nach seiner ersten offiziell veröffentlichten EP Str8 Killa (2010) begann er, richtige Studioalben zu veröffentlichen, darunter die gut angenommenen Kollaborationen mit Madlib Piñata (2014) und Shadow of a Doubt (2015) sowie You Only Live 2wice (2017). Nach dem kommerziellen Mixtape Freddie (2018) tat er sich für Bandana (2019) wieder mit Madlib zusammen und produzierte mit The Alchemist das Album Alfredo (2020). Letzteres wurde seine erste LP, die die Top 20 der Billboard 200 erreichte und anschließend für einen Grammy Award nominiert wurde.
Todh Teri returns with a brand new record, and this time the spotlight falls on Hari Heart. The Return of Hari Heart marks the eighth release on Masala Movement Records and launches a fresh vinyl-only series that brings the mythical characters of Deep In India back to life in a bold new form. Todh Teri further expands his conceptual universe by focusing on deeper sonics & music explorations. Hari Heart guides the release with a delicious blend of nostalgia, analog warmth and a club-ready intentions - built for curious DJs (and listeners alike).
On the A side you will find Smriti (Remembrance) - a reimagined classic flipped into a peak-time driver - disco spirit, acid bite, and pure dancefloor release. Limited, loud, and made to move bodies. On the flipside we have ??a (Debt) - a deep, dubby slow-burn built around an evergreen melody which grows patiently - finally rewarding you with a sweet earworm.
The final tune on the record is Prem (Love) - a reinterpretation of a ’70s indie rock n roll gem. Unmistakably retrospective (if you know your history). Play it a bit longer into the dead wax, and you will catch a hidden acid sequence locked groove.
Art by Soju Aduckathil with creative direction from Masala Movement’s Manoj Kurian. This is the label’s eighth release, a vinyl-only exclusive, with more coming in 2026.
2026 Repress
Georgian powerhouse Yanamaste drops long-anticipated new EP on Mutual Rytm.
In-demand DJ/producer Yanamaste is a resident at Georgia's renowned Khidi Club and a key part of Amsterdam's Vault Sessions crew. His unique sound and fresh creative approach result in raw and visceral techno, reflecting his passion for pushing boundaries and showcased perfectly via his 'Dance' EP on Vault last year. Now, he returns with an EP born out of the creative process behind his live set with a debut appearance on SHDW's Mutual Rytm, 'Evil' - a collection of heavily-requested tracks that have already made an impact after featuring in his Boiler Room and Stone Techno Festival livestream.
'Evil' kicks things off with perfectly rubbery, funky drum patterns and an urgent sense of movement that sweeps you off your feet. 'Lahante' is more percussive, with busy snares riding the rolling, forceful drums and stark synths arresting your attention. 'Dragonfly' is perfectly reduced via minimal drums intertwined with thunderous effects and ghoulish energy, while 'Modulation Detected' has a more cosmic feel as it journeys into the future with whispered spoken words and synths searching across the face of the groove. Last but not least is the irresistible broken beat goodness of 'Walking On Mars', with its swinging kicks and vast bassline spraying about the mix beneath hypnotic melodic patterns.
Two superb bonus cuts, 'Ohohoi' and 'Pwiu', are also provided for digital buyers, bringing further gems loaded with moody depths and compelling rhythms.
illo.trio are representatives of the contemporary jazz scene who have already made their mark on numerous stages through other the world. Seamlessly blending elements of different styles, the musicians reinterpret familiar forms in fresh ways, filling them with unconventional meanings and stepping beyond the boundaries of expectation.
The new album is titled Wandering. It brings together 10 compositions that invite each listener to embark on a search for meaning and answers to essential questions.
This is a multifaceted journey where dramatic episodes coexist with retro-wave vibes, intimate chamber lyricism shifts into psychedelic phantasmagorias, and the trio's concise acoustic sound is interwoven with rich electronic textures and experimental effects.
Gatefold Sleeve
M’Bamina – African Roll (1975)
The story of an album born between Africa, Italy, and the nightclub culture of the 1970s
In the heart of 1970s Italy — a country undergoing profound social change and a music scene just beginning to open itself to distant sounds and cultures — an extraordinary, almost improbable story took shape. It is the story of a group of young African musicians who found their way to Europe, of a Turin nightclub that became a crossroads for communities and experimenters, and of an album which, released in small numbers and largely unnoticed at the time, is now considered a rare jewel of Afro-fusion.
The band called themselves M’Bamina — an ensemble of musicians from Congo, Cameroon, and Benin, who arrived in Italy in the early Seventies. Settling between northern Italy and the Pavia area, they began performing in small clubs and community events, bringing with them a vibrant rhythmic heritage: African polyrhythms, call-and-response vocals, funk-infused bass lines, and Caribbean or Afro-Latin colours absorbed along their musical journeys. Their raw, contagious energy on stage quickly drew attention.
Meanwhile, in Turin, another story was unfolding. There was a venue becoming almost legendary: Voom Voom, one of the city’s liveliest nightclubs, run by Ivo Lunardi. The club attracted an eclectic crowd — students, artists, foreigners, night owls — and Lunardi quickly understood that the dancefloor wasn’t just a place for music, but a melting pot for a new kind of cultural energy. Out of this vibrant atmosphere came his idea: to turn the club’s name into a small independent record label, Voom Voom Music, capable of capturing the spirit of those years and giving voice to unconventional projects.
When Lunardi heard M’Bamina, he immediately sensed that this was the sound he had been searching for: fresh, different from anything circulating in Italy at the time, and capable of blending African tradition with funk and European sensibility. He brought them into the studio.
Production was handled by Lunardi along with Christian Carbaza Michel, while the engineering was entrusted to Danilo Pennone, a young sound technician with a sharp, intuitive ear.
The recording sessions — held in Turin in 1975 — produced a remarkably warm and direct sound. The music feels almost live: grooves rooted in African tradition, but open to funk-rock structures and modern arrangements. It is a natural fusion, never forced. Tracks move between tribal rhythms, funk basslines, light electric guitars, congas and Afro-Latin percussion, with call-and-response vocals and melodies that echo both Congolese tradition and the lineage of Latin jazz. Not by chance, one of the album’s most striking tracks, Watchiwara, reinterprets a Latin standard through M’Bamina’s own rhythmic language.
The album was titled African Roll — a name that was already a statement of intention. It is African music that “rolls,” that moves, adapts, transforms within a new geographic and cultural setting. It is not strictly Afrobeat, nor Congolese rumba, nor Western funk: it is a spontaneous, hybrid blend, shaped more by lived experience than by any calculated aesthetic program.
When African Roll was released, the world around it barely noticed. Distribution was limited, and 1970s Italy had yet to develop a cultural framework for receiving such music. The national music press rarely paid attention to African or “world” productions. The album slipped into silence — though the band’s own story did not.
M’Bamina continued performing across Europe and Africa, even sharing a stage in Cameroon with none other than Manu Dibango. By the late Seventies, they moved to Paris, signed with Fiesta/Decca, and recorded a second LP, Experimental (1978). Meanwhile, the peculiar record they had made in Turin began to resurface quietly among vinyl collectors, Afro-funk enthusiasts, and DJs hunting for forgotten grooves.
That is when the album’s fate began to shift.
Over the decades, African Roll emerged as an almost unique document: a snapshot of an intercultural Italy before the word “intercultural” even existed, a fragment of migrant history, a spontaneous experiment in musical fusion born far from major industry circuits but rich in authenticity. Original copies began commanding high prices on the collector’s market, and the album became recognized as one of the hidden classics of European Afro-fusion from the 1970s.
Today, more than fifty years later, this reissue finally restores visibility and dignity to a project that deserves to be heard, studied, and celebrated. It is not simply an album: it is the testimony of a rare cultural encounter, born in an Italy unaware of how fertile such exchanges would one day become.
It is the story of a visionary producer, an extraordinary band, and a fleeting moment in which music, migration, and nightlife came together to create something genuinely new.
African Roll is — now more than ever — the sound of a bridge: between continents, between eras, between cultures. A record that, after rolling far and wide, has finally come home.
Somewhere long ago in a vinyl galaxy near you We Play House Recordings released an E.P. called ‘This Is Still Belgium Vol 1’. The release was called like that because the music on it could only have been made by Belgians. Vol 2 never happened…until now. Label boss Red D has always been inspired by the rich Belgian club music of the 90’s and inevitably those influences have sneaked into his own productions, but never as clear as on the three tracks you are reading about now.
And so the original WPH series has been revived with WPH 024.5, aptly called ‘This Is Still Belgium Vol 2’. The music is situated somewhere between house, progressive house and early trance music, basically club music with soul & melody at its core.
On the A-side we find Red D teaming up with his friend Mona Lee, a soul sister who has been making waves in recent years in soulful house circles and who comes up with the vocal prowess to match Red D’s emotional trip of a track and heartfelt lyrics. Can you handle the break?
The B-side opens up with ‘Tides’, a deep hypnotic builder for late night eyes-closed dance floors and closes with ‘Papillon’, a track that came to life long ago in the minds of Telepaticos (Marcos Salon & Sandro Valcke). When Red D heard a demo version of this one the melody got stuck in his head and never really left him. Many moons later he rediscovered the parts of this one on a hard drive and got to work on his interpretation that features on this E.P. Safe to say the track holds a special place in Red D’s heart and we’re sure you’ll feel it as well!
GRAMMY-prämierte Rap-Ikone Nas und DJ Premier – zwei der einflussreichsten und angesehensten Persönlichkeiten der Hip-Hop-Geschichte – veröffentlichten ihr mit Spannung erwartetes Kollaborationsalbum „Light-Years“ am 12. Dezember digital über Mass Appeal Nach den limitierten Day Ones Editionen gibt es nun die regulären Editionen mit Artwork, ab 20. Februar 2026.
Nach jahrzehntelanger Vorfreude ist „Light-Years“ die Wiedergeburt einer 30-jährigen Zusammenarbeit. Die Partnerschaft von Nas und DJ Premier ist tief in der DNA des Hip-Hop verwurzelt. Ihre Geschichte begann 1994 mit „Illmatic“, das Hits wie „N.Y. State Of Mind“, „Memory Lane“ und „Represent“ hervorbrachte. „Illmatic“ etablierte Nas als Ausnahmetalent und festigte Premiers damals aufstrebende Karriere. Ihre musikalische Chemie vertiefte sich im Laufe des folgenden Jahrzehnts durch Klassiker wie „I Gave You Power“, „2nd Childhood“, „Nas Is Like“ und „N.Y. State Of Mind Pt. II“.
Angeführt von Mass Appeals bahnbrechender Reihe „Legend Has It…“, die einige der wichtigsten und einflussreichsten Hip-Hop-Künstler aller Zeiten feiert und ins Rampenlicht rückt, präsentierte die Reihe ein ganzes Jahr lang historische Veröffentlichungen von Kultur prägenden Künstlern wie Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L und De La Soul. Mit „Light-Years“ liefern Nas und DJ Premier den krönenden Abschluss dieser legendären Reihe, in der ihre unbestreitbare Synergie nach wie vor einzigartig ist.
2006 zierten Nas und DJ Premier das Cover des Scratch Magazine und kündigten ein gemeinsames Projekt an, das die Begeisterung der Fans erneut entfachte und die zwei Jahrzehnte währende Vorfreude beflügelte. Letztes Jahr taten sich Nas und Premier zusammen, um das 30-jährige Jubiläum von „Illmatic“ mit der Veröffentlichung des neuen Tracks „Define My Name“ zu feiern, mit dem sie erstmals ihr wegweisendes Kollaborationsalbum ankündigten.
„Light-Years“ ist ein wahrer Beweis für den Einfluss beider Künstler, ihr Vermächtnis und die Zeitlosigkeit ihrer gemeinsamen Musik.
Simina Grigoriu returns to DCLTD with an EP 'Divine Assignment', delivering 4 brand new techno tracks. Divine Assessment - dub techno roller made for building atmosphere throughout the first stanza of DJ sets. Layers of Reality - slick slice of techno that mixes up dreamy synths with propulsive percussion. Love Honey - soulful techno as its finest, a cut with plenty of heart and warmth that makes an excellent bridging track to shift between moods. Shatter Pattern - a perky slab of deep techno with plenty of soul that works in the sunshine and club alike.
As it often happens, while Richie Weeks and Jerome Derradji were working on Volume 3 of the Love Magician Archives, Richie uncovered a couple more unreleased Jammers tracks that never saw release on Salsoul. He believes these songs were intended for a second Jammers album that, sadly, never materialized.
So here you go—two absolute stormers of NYC Boogie and post-disco madness. All the usual suspects are on the tracks, delivering that signature sound. What can we say but: thank you, Richie, for giving us even more heat to play out!
Jerome Hill, Lukes Anger, Dark Vektor and Computer Madness deliver a no-nonsense 12 Inch strike between Electro, Detroit pressure and machine funk. Punchy drums, icy synth cuts, raw momentum, built for DJs, built for floors. Four producers, four angles, one shared language of body-ready electronics, driven by Detroit energy and sharp-edged Electro.
London-based producer IZCO is set to release his latest single, “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, blending soulful nostalgia with the raw energy of the capital’s underground sound.
Drawing from influences that span UK dance music, hip hop, and soul, IZCO’s music captures both the energy of the dancefloor and the emotion of lived experience. Over the years, IZCO has become a key figure in London’s cross-genre underground scene, collaborating with artists like Reek0, Greentea Peng, Sam Wise, Liam Bailey, and Novelist, and performing at iconic venues and festivals across the UK and Europe.
His previous releases, including tracks like soulboy - IZCO Remix, Beauty Inside, and OBiNRin - IZCO Remix, showcase his knack for crafting warm, sample-rich productions that balance classic influences with a distinctly modern edge. Whether behind the decks or in the studio, IZCO continues to push boundaries, creating music that feels timeless, authentic, and deeply rooted in community.
“Guiding Star” is no different. It pairs warm, vintage soul textures with the sharp percussion and bass-driven pulse that have defined IZCO’s sound across his discography. Featuring long-time collaborator Reek0, the single bridges eras and styles; a homage to the past while firmly rooted in the energy of today’s London.
Speaking on this release, IZCO says:
“Guiding Star. That classic shit, Combining the soulful sample with the London grit, real London track. Inspired by a mixture of 70s soul, US hip hop and UK grime.
Made this track without thinking much, the sample spoke for itself.
Reek0’s vocal was from one of the first sessions we ever did years ago, and it had never been released but it sounded perfect on this track. A taste of nostalgia, this track reminds me of good memories and friendships. Simple but meaningful. And an honour to use such a beautiful sample”
Later this year, fans will be able to own an exclusive 7-inch vinyl edition of Guiding Star, featuring both the original and instrumental versions - a collector’s piece for crate diggers and fans alike. Out on the 5th December.
With “Guiding Star (feat. Reek0)”, IZCO continues to carve out his place as one of the most versatile and soulful producers in UK production, grounding every beat in authenticity, emotion, and connection
Alex Puddu's groundbreaking album, the soundtrack of The Golden Age of Danish Pornography from 2011, finally will be released as a new reissue on the artist's own label Al Dente in his entire
original track list and with a brand new cover. The music on this record is inspired by and composed by Alex Puddu for "The Golden Age of Danish Pornography" - a collection of vintage hardcore short films from the early seventies,1971-74 directed by Danish porn pioneer Freddy Weiss - available on DVD from Pink Flamingo Entertainment.
DJ Serviced Records is made by DJs, for DJs, and curated with love by DJ Service. This second release is a solo EP from the ever-creative Brian Topham, a.k.a. Papolious Jones. Born from the pulse of his live shows, it channels his signature groove — soulful, spontaneous, and irresistibly rhythmic.
Zum ersten Mal seit Jahrzehnten erscheinen DJ Shadows legendäre Mo’Wax-Singles wieder offiziell – in einem umfassenden 8-teiligen Vinyl-Set, das mehrere Stunden bahnbrechender Musik enthält.
Die Aufnahmen wurden in den Abbey Road Studios von Miles Showell halbspeed-remastered und klingen so klar und kraftvoll wie nie zuvor. Die Box enthält zahlreiche bisher unveröffentlichte Mixe und Edits sowie eine exklusive Bonus-LP mit den ursprünglichen Demos von vier Tracks – ein einzigartiger Einblick in die Entstehungsgeschichte des Shadow-Sounds.
Abgerundet wird das Set durch neue Fotografien von Brian Cross (B+), DJ Shadows langjährigem visuellen Wegbegleiter.
Ein essenzielles Sammlerstück für Fans, Vinyl-Liebhaber und alle, die die Wurzeln moderner Beat-Kultur feiern wollen.
"This box wasn’t made for the casual listener,it was made with the hardcore fan in mind. I’ve always felt, if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right, and every step of the process was
made with this philosophy firmly in mind. I had fun locating and resurrecting these songs, some of which still feel close to my consciousness as though they were made yesterday.”
-DJ Shadow
/// First track, Symmetry, debuted on BBC Radio 6 New Music Fix, 10th February: "A beautiful, beautiful album" /// I got my life back. On 17 February 2025, 1024 rays of ultra sound converged at an operation table in Bern, Switzerland, and disconnected a noisy circuit on my brain. 90% of the manifestation ceased – of a disease that I no longer wish to mention by its name. During the same period, I completed my new album: Self Help Manual. I’ve read more current research about the nameless disease than my neurologist, who despite that I didn’t follow his advice on suitable treatment, called me after the successful operation: a brave, brave man. I have composed the music in the same way as in my previous album – Songs for the Nervous System – through layers upon layers of improvisations in dialogue with my synthesizers, most of which are the same age as me. I made the majority of the songs in my studio in the remains of Old Hagalund in Solna. I edited the recordings in my bed during the waking hours of clarity at night. Some songs – NAC, Ketosis, Overkill – were recorded in the basement of my childhood home in Skutskär, in Norduppland, where I’d returned to be nurtured by my retired parents – who during a night when I couldn’t turn over in bed, or pull the blanket over me – made a list of what would happen to my belongings. To my friends who have stood out with me despite my disease, I want to state: you will not inherit me yet. On the new album, the electric bass takes on a leading role. ESG and Liquid Liquid have been important when I reinvented my baselines, limited and liberated by my poor fine motor skills. Plasma is my homage to Summertime Rolls by Jane’s Addiction, that I listened to frequently in my youth. I guess that no one will hear the resemblance. In several songs, the Fender Rhodes plays an important role, a magical instrument that I bought shortly after my diagnosis over a decade ago, and for a long time didn’t dare to touch out of respect for Herbie Hancock and Fela Kuti. A couple of songs draw inspiration from the Horn of Africa – Inner Nile and Delta. At first, subconsciously in the reverb-drenched Inner Nile, then more consciously in Delta. I’m sorry it doesn’t swing the right way, but it was my attempt to return to the cradle of humanity. Longevity is possibly my favourite. The melody is played by an arpeggiator that I controlled by pressing down different keys in an exhilarating sense of freedom. One song in particular, the second track – One – has caused friends to associate freely: one thought it sounded like Patrick Cowley, another like Sly & Robbie meets Kraftwerk, a third like Air – Moonlight Safari. I made one song just before the surgery: opening track Symmetry. It’s the mightiest and most minimal song. I made one song after the surgery: finishing track Self Help Manual. My previous medication pump is heard through the microphone of my Ovation Magnum. It’s the most hopeful song on the album. I took the cover photos with my Hasselblad during walks in Tokyo suburbs of Ōmori and Kamata more than ten years ago. It was something about the faith of the traffic cones that fascinated me – born in the same streamlined form, they had over the years become increasingly individual and lovable. The mixing was finalized by Christoffer Roth in the newly built Studio Dubious in Nacka. Rashad Becker, who in an interview said that he listens as much with his mouth as with his ears, mastered the album at Clunk in Berlin. Right now it feels like anything is possible. My recovery is perhaps a small step for mankind, but a giant leap for me. I hereby leave the music to you. Joakim Forsgren
