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Maximum Penalty wurden 1986 gegründet und gelten als eine der einzigartigsten Bands, die während der Blütezeit des New Yorker Hardcore entstanden sind. Die Band, die von Sänger Jimmy Williams ins Leben gerufen wurde und 1988 durch den Gitarristen Joseph Affe verstärkt wurde, begann mit schnellem Hardcore-Punk und entwickelte sich nach und nach zu etwas Größerem, angetrieben von melodischen Rhythmen und gefühlvollem, klarem Gesang. Maximum Penalty war von Anfang an ein fester Bestandteil legendärer Veranstaltungsorte wie CBGB und Coney Island High und tourte in den 90er Jahren auch durch Nordamerika und Europa, wo sie die Bühne mit Bands wie Agnostic Front, Madball, Sick Of It All und Gorilla Biscuits teilten. Die erste Schaffensphase von Maximum Penalty umfasste eine beeindruckende Diskografie - ,Demo 89", die EP ,East Side Story" von 1995, die LP ,Independent" von 1996, die LP ,Super Life" von 1997 sowie eine Reihe von Titeln auf verschiedenen Compilations, darunter ,Where The Wild Things Are" und ,Satisfaction Guaranteed" von Blackout Records. Maximum Penalty tauchte 2009 mit der LP ,Life & Times" (Reaper Records) wieder auf und brachte ihren Sound neuen und alten Hörern näher. Der Einfluss, den Maximum Penalty auf die moderne Hardcore-Szene hatte, ist unbestreitbar. Turnstile nahm die Band in eine einflussreiche Playlist auf, und der Hardlore-Podcast erklärte Maximum Penalty zu einer der ,am meisten unterschätzten Hardcore-Bands". Im Jahr 2025 veröffentlichte die Hardcore-Band End It aus Baltimore ein Cover von ,Could You Love Me?" aus dem 1996er Album ,Independent", hauchte dem Titel neues Leben ein und veranlasste Fans, das Original zu entdecken. Zum 30-jährigen Jubiläum wird ,Independent" zum ersten Mal überhaupt auf Vinyl gepresst, und zwar über Flatspot Records. Gitarrist Joseph Affe bemerkt: ,Maximum Penaltys ,Independent` ist das einzige Album, das nie auf Vinyl erschienen ist, da Vinyl zu der Zeit, als es auf CD veröffentlicht wurde, nur eine Nebensache war. Während wir weiter spielten und neue Veröffentlichungen herausbrachten, war die Veröffentlichung von ,Independent` auf Vinyl etwas, das wir schon immer tun wollten, und nun sind wir endlich, 30 Jahre später, so weit. Die ,Independent`-Ära war eine großartige Zeit in der Geschichte von Maximum Penalty - es bedeutet uns sehr viel, zu sehen, dass ein neues Publikum die Platte zum ersten Mal entdeckt, das ist unglaublich!"

Creator of Le Châ, a chimera emerging from the margins, Lutèce Lockness builds worlds where dreamlike imagery and satire intertwine, inviting us to embrace the bizarre, the strange, and the intimate. With her debut album Le Châ, she crafts powerful, incantatory soundscapes. Her compositions blend psychedelic tones, medieval timbres, drifting drones, bouzouki improvisations, and digital textures, enriched through collaborations with Christoph Fink, Maxime Denuc, and Jean Rondeau.


Inspired by David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, and Hayao Miyazaki, her practice shapes sonic material like exquisite corpses. Across disciplines, Lutèce Lockness explores new territories through projects such as the collective book Bande organisée (Seuil), born from the transport of a stone book across France during lockdown, and as part of the feminist punk group Forsissies. On stage, she has opened for Bonnie Banane at the Olympia and Flavien Berger at Le Lieu Unique in Nantes, and is also preparing for the opening of Kanal Pompidou in Brussels - continuing a trajectory where music, performance, and visual experimentation converge to create spaces of freedom.

Inkl. Bonus-LP mit rarem Livematerial aus Dänemark und Göteborg. "Rock för kropp och själ" markiert das letzte und endgültige Statement von Träd, Gräs och Stenar während ihrer ersten Zeit beim legendären Label Silence. Im Jahr 1972 hatte die Band einen Wendepunkt erreicht. Nach fünf Jahren unablässigen Tourens - geprägt von drei- bis vierstündigen Marathon-Konzerten an vier oder fünf Abenden pro Woche - war das Kollektiv körperlich wie kreativ erschöpft. Was einst befreiende Intensität gewesen war, wurde zunehmend zur Belastung. Die Band spürte einen stetigen Druck, bei jedem Auftritt ,maximale Ekstase" und vollständige psychische Immersion zu liefern. Diese Phase hochintensiver, völlig ,abgehobener" Live-Performances fand ihren Abschluss im Auftritt im Gefängnis von Falun im Juli 1972. Kurz darauf gingen die Mitglieder getrennte Wege, um Abstand zu gewinnen, sich neu zu orientieren und ihre individuellen künstlerischen Wege neu zu gestalten.

Filmmaking and music-making share a common element of worldbuilding. Whole cloth, environments are raised in which a perspective can be placed; the viewer, the listener, is taken on a ride into the unknown for a time. Movie, the newest album by DMV-based duo Lifted, is like a film shot with microphones rather than cameras, using the pacing, spatialization, and semiotics of cinematic sound design to lead us through a surreal soundworld that draws as much from Foley artistry as dub, jazz, and electronic music. Musical elements and field recordings shift in and out of focus, collaged in spontaneous improvisation sessions on CDJs by the core duo of Andrew Field-Pickering (Max D, Dolo Percussion, Beautiful Swimmers) and Matt Papich (Co La, Ecstatic Sunshine). We may not see where we are, but our ears give us all the information we need.

We open on a pedal steel, played by More Eaze, but it’s been warped and slowed, gradually pitching upward until it's met by drums and electronics. Imagine the THX logo emerging onscreen. Movie is bookended by two related themes, “The Ice Chewers (Opening Credits), ” and “Midnight Snack (End Credits), ” giving the spatial experiments at the heart of the record form and focus. If there’s a broader narrative to latch onto, it’s in the transition moments, the juxtaposition of various field recordings that indicate movement of characters through space and life happening at its own pace. Tracks are defined by other thematic elements: a wandering piano in "Repossessed, " the drone of Duncan Moore’s bagpipe on “Melts Very Nasty, ” the delicate dance of Dustin Wong’s guitar over Jeremy Hyman’s drums on “Midnight Snack. ” Even with such an expansive ensemble cast, the focus remains squarely on the flow from one scene to the next.

Robert Altman’s use of sonic perspective shifting, as well as Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s intricate construction of environmental ambience and aural representations of the unknown, were both inspirational for Lifted’s focus on sound as a way to establish set and setting in film. We hear Altman especially in the way dialogue emerges and recedes: as Papich puts in a sandwich order, as Field-Pickering browses the grocery store. These techniques have been a part of the duo’s arsenal in Lifted and their own projects for years, but here, without the mandate to make something overtly musical, they are foregrounded and placed in crisp focus. Here is another way to listen to the world, to understand how time, place, and personality are communicated through sound as Lifted closes the gap between artforms. What you can’t see only drives the imagination to more brilliantly invent.

Daughter of Swords ist das Soloprojekt der Singer-Songwriterin Alex Sauser-Monnig aus North Carolina (they/she), die auch mit Bands wie Mountain Man und The A's Musik veröffentlicht hat. Ihr Solodebüt, Dawnbreaker, war eine ruhige Folk-Platte, die 2019 veröffentlicht wurde; in den Jahren seither hat Sauser-Monnig ein neues Selbstverständnis gefunden, persönlich und musikalisch. In den letzten Jahren ist die Musik von Daughter of Swords dorniger geworden, ein unvorhersehbares Gewirr aus Synthesizern, berauschenden Gitarren und blubbernden Rhythmen, ein Glanz, der Songs über die rohe menschliche Intensität im großen Stil umhüllt - Verknalltheit, Verlangen, Wut, Entfremdung, die Schrecken des Spätkapitalismus, die kaskadenartigen Paradigmenwechsel, auf die wir alle zuzusteuern scheinen. Eine Neubewertung innerer Systeme und Beziehungen aller Art - mit Kunst und Kreativität, mit anderen Menschen, mit dem Geschlecht - all dies ging einher mit Sauser-Monnigs Hinterfragung der spätkapitalistischen Kultur, die das Leben für arbeitende Künstler zu einer ungerechten Plackerei macht. Gezwungen, ihre gewohnten Denk- und Lebensweisen aufzugeben, fanden Sauser-Monnig neue Energie darin, alte Beschränkungen aufzulösen - sei es in Bezug auf das Musikgeschäft oder ihr Konzept von Geschlecht. Ihre Priorität war es, die Stimmung jedes Tracks zu maximieren, was in "Alex" Schichten aus synthetischen Texturen und unorthodoxen Schnörkeln zum Ausdruck kommt.

Exactly four years and one day after ''All That Has Never Been True'' Ultha releases their fifth full-length studio album entitled ''A LIGHT SO DIM''.
It features 10 original new songs at a combined length of 74 minutes, with guest appearances by Pieter Uyttenhoven & Annelies van Dinter (TAKH), Pardis Latifi (DAEVAR), Danni Kann and the ''Chor Der Damen Ohne Namen'', a 40-women choir from Cologne.
Recorded, engineered and mastered at GOBLIN SOUND STUDIOS (Cologne) by ANDY ROSCZYK, who also contributed guitars and keys to various tracks. Artwork was done by TOBIAS HAHN, featuring photography by MAX HECKMANN.
After the conclusion of the trilogy consisting of Converging Sins, The Inextricable Wandering & All That Has Never Been True, the question was: where do you go when you've lost everything? You either accept defeat and die - or you start fighting. This is an album about hope in the darkest of times. It's a call to arms for the inner self, to find a rope of light in a world of mist. ''A Light So Dim'' is another concept album, with a narrative spinning from beginning to end. The unnamed narrator wakes up and tries to make sense of a world gone absolutely mad, where truth is nothing more than an empty shell of its once great self.
''IT'S THE STRUGGLE FOR AMBITION IN AN OCEAN OF DEFEAT. LIKE A FOREST FOR A GARDEN IN A WORLD YOU'LL NEVER SEE''.
This is for all of you!
Viva reason, viva love.

Collecting Orders for 2026 Repress

Music for Swimming Pools has put together their first-ever compilation here and it's a self-titled series that launches with Volume One. It's an assembly of their friends and label family members in with newly discovered gems.

Some cuts are exclusive and some of them hint at projects to come, while some are making vinyl debuts. Pete Herbert kicks off with a seductive downbeat jam, Max Essa's 'Sacaton Skylines' is a new age delight and Gafas Du Soul lays down deep sunset house vibes on the gorgeous 'Embers' amongst many other highlights. A fine first collection for sure.

The Bug Club sind mit einem neuen Album zurück. Seit ihrem letzten Album sind ganze sieben Monate vergangen. Wo waren sie denn? Every Single Muscle, das fünfte Album der Band, ist das dritte, das von Sub Pop, dem angesehenen Label des walisischen Duos aus Seattle, veröffentlicht wird. Seit Very Human Features, das im Juni 2025 rauskam, sind die Lieblinge von BBC 6 Music und KEXP auf ihrer Nonstop-Tour quer über den Atlantik geflitzt, wie sie es früher auf der Severn Bridge gemacht haben. Verschiedene Festivalauftritte im Sommer haben sie davon abgehalten, Urlaub zu machen - wer braucht schon Urlaub, wenn man in Wales lebt? - bis es Zeit war, wieder ins Songwriting-Studio zu gehen. Das ist wahrscheinlich immer noch ein Schlafzimmer in Caldicott, das von einem Windhund namens Ted frequentiert wird (aufgepasst - er taucht in einem der Songs auf). Die Songwriter Sam (Gitarre, Gesang) und Tilly (Bass, Gesang) sind immer bescheiden und behaupten sogar, dass sie während des Songs ,It's Our Manager David" nur ,herumsassen und nichts taten". Das ist eindeutig eine Lüge. Every Single Muscle startet mit ,Miss Wales 2012" voll durch und bezieht sich dabei auf einen Wettbewerb, den sowohl Tilly als auch Sam tatsächlich gewonnen haben. Es ist der erste von vielen Tracks auf dem Album, die weniger als zwei Minuten lang sind, und gibt den Ton für das bisher punkigste Album von The Bug Club an, das sowohl an die kurzen, knackigen Snaps ihrer allerersten Singles als auch an das Grunzen ihrer jüngsten Veröffentlichungen erinnert. Das Album ist so vollgepackt mit Riffs und eingängigen Hooks, dass Sam tatsächlich um Erlaubnis bittet, im zweiten Track ,A Good Day For Dying" ein Solo einbauen zu dürfen. Er bekommt zwei Sekunden Zeit. Glücklicherweise fragt Sam später noch einmal und bekommt mehr Zeit. Auf achtzehn Songs gibt's genug klassisches Gitarrenspiel von Sam und Tilly, um selbst die lautstärksten Bug Club-Fans zufrieden zu stellen und die Behauptung der Band, sie seien ,nur technisch versiert auf ihren Instrumenten", klar zu widerlegen. Dieses Album ist ein Beispiel für effizienten Maximalismus - so wie wenn dein Vater das Auto für den Urlaub vollpackt. Bring mit, was du willst; der Platz ist knapp, aber sie kriegen es irgendwie rein. Zu den Texten: Während ,Very Human Features" hervorragend alltägliche Dinge aufzeigte und ihre Absurdität hervorhob, schauen The Bug Club auf ,Every Single Muscle" genauer auf sich selbst. Allerdings nicht so sehr auf introspektive Weise, sondern eher so, wie ein Außerirdischer ein gefangenes Exemplar auf einer intergalaktischen Trage untersuchen würde. Horrorfilme haben ihr ,Body"-Subgenre, jetzt bekommen auch Garage-Rock-Alben ihres. In einem völlig neuen Sinne des Wortes selbstbezogen, wird die menschliche Form und Verfassung im Laufe des Albums aus jedem Blickwinkel beleuchtet und untersucht. Wir spüren eine surreale Distanz zum Selbst, die den allgegenwärtigen, von Langeweile geprägten Humor hervorbringt; im letzten Song verkündet Sam, dass er ,es satt hat, ein Mensch zu sein". The Bug Club scheinen dem Konzept, ein Mensch zu sein, fast misstrauisch gegenüberzustehen - als wären sie in einem Kostüm aufgewacht, das sie nicht anziehen wollten und nicht ausziehen können. Ist drei die magische Zahl? Wahrscheinlich nicht. Aber Every Single Muscle - das dritte Sub-Pop-Album von The Bug Club - kommt dieser Vorstellung nahe genug, um den durchschnittlichen seltsamen Menschen davon zu überzeugen, dass es so sein könnte.

Back in 2023, Bruce was approached by a band of young and ambitious lads, who wanted him to mix their debut album 'Nacre'. Being fans of his music, they hoped to utilise his renowned, club-informed and emotive sound design to add a shade of hypnotism and psychedelia to their singular strand of post-rock. The band of course were Quade, and the union proved to make perfect sense: Bruce excelled in gracefully fulfilling the band's vision, sealing their relationship for projects to come.

A couple years on, both Quade and Bruce had really proved the scope of their abilities: the sophomore album 'The Foel Tower' won the hearts of fans and critics across the board, who celebrated its "gorgeous" and "tender" sound to great acclaim. The world they had built clearly stood defined and dignified, though at the same time, Bruce couldn't help but wonder if there was more to be said. Besides, the sheer abundance of emotion and rich textures therein, suggested a great deal of potential for further exploring. So with the band’s blessing, he embarked on versioning the album.

Bruce was off the leash: total freedom leant him the ability to dub in wild style, weaving and wrestling with drum, bass et al, connecting to the arrangements' true feelings and expanding them to full frame. The "doomer sad boy, ambient-dub, folk, experimental post-rock" of the original, was blown into a whole new, hypnotic realm: through rattling analogue distortion and huge spaced out effects, Bruce's efforts stand as an exploding supernova of dub and noise, refracted through the band's themes of grief, beauty and the great British countryside.

To be released on his label Poorly Knit, this remix album once again proves Bruce's deft of touch and skill in reworking material. Maximising the sonic potential of such a promising and talented band he marks his personal contribution towards what will surely continue to be a fulfilling and illustrious musical journey for Quade.

Available digitally and on super limited cassette (50 copies)

Born Hovhannes Sargsyan, D.zúk (”dzook” = fish) is a Yerevan-based producer influenced by the delicate qualities of nature, juxtaposed against the concrete imprint of human existence. His debut, Ishkhan (“eesh-khan” = prince; also refers to an endemic trout found in Lake Sevan) is a pensive journey through ethereal, underwater landscapes. He calls his music “fishwave”; a swinging mélange of dub, house, bass and ambient sounds. “Ishkhan to me is at its strongest when it gets deepest into its reveries and abstractions... Wobbly electronic weirdness collides with duduks and whatnot - and maybe reach maximum fish-ness with ”Poghpatits Sarer”. Reserved grooves strolling astride plenty of great musicianship. As a debut, it shows great promise of things to come, too, and I hope creator D.zúk continues to plumb to watery depths soon.” - Peter Kirn for CDM.link

TRACKLIST: 1. Mutq 2. Impulse 3. Punge 4. Reverse 5. Anush 6. Nane 7. Tses 8. Sa 9. Poghpatits Sarer 10. Elq

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present MEGATON SWORD’s highly anticipated debut album, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire, on CD, cassette and vinyl LP formats. It was but November of last year when MEGATON SWORD unleashed their glorious debut EP, Niralet, via DYING VICTIMS. Arriving fully formed, virtually without warning – no prior demo recordings existed, at least not publicly – this Swiss quartet evinced an ages-old sound that was wise (and wizened) well beyond their young years. Already, MEGATON SWORD knew the mystery of steel…and wielded it with a startling confidence. And no one knew just how high they could fly, only that they were just getting started. Now, with the arrival of their imminent debut album, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire, MEGATON SWORD are marching into the halls of greatness, with no one to stop them. Retaining the same, well-named lineup – vocalist Uzzy Unchained, guitarist Chris the Axe, bassist Simon the Sorcerer, and drummer Dan Thundersteel – MEGATON SWORD maximize the strengths of the EP and then some, revealing new twists to that mystery of steel whilst retaining the charisma and crunch that endeared them to the true-metal underground the first time around. Indeed, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire is aptly titled, almost ridiculously so: this is true-as-steel HEAVY METAL drunk on high fantasy and the enduring themes of conquest and valor, triumph and tragedy, but rendered in a form even bloodier and possessing more bravado. It’s also more dynamic, maximizing drama between notes and from one passage to the next, each movement a narrative crucial to their conquest.

The second release from the legendary Celluloid label since its rebirth after 35 years of silence, Honk Gong is a brand-new trip-hop / no wave duo built around the wild, dreamlike sampling of Paul Ramon(Pleasure Principle, Bryan"s Magic Tears) and the contagiously laid-back flow of the San Francisco"s MC & Producer,Robin Jiro Margerin (Salopecia, There"s Ifs, Marginal Tow). Conceived as the diary of a chemical wreck, Dissociate drifts somewhere between the intelligence of an A Tribe Called Quest track and a YouTubecollage. Recorded by Paul Rannaud (Fat White Family, Insecure Men)and mixed by Maxime Maurel (Departure Kids,Ventre de Biche), this debut track kicks off a series of concerts and showcases ahead of the release of a first album, "Eau de Low", due in spring 2026. "Dissociate" is released in partnership with agnès b.

The trilogy is finally complete as Deep Dish make their monumental return to Global Underground, following up the seminal Moscow and Toronto mixes with #GU49 Dublin. The legendary duo has delivered a masterclass in mixing. This isn’t just an album, it’s a legacy.

Boogie Vice & N-You-Up Return to Definitive Recordings with 'Decadisco EP'

Definitive Recordings continues its run of forward-thinking house releases with DEF2603, the new four-track 'Decadisco EP' from Boogie Vice and N-You-Up. Following their 2025 collaboration 'Come On Closer', the duo returns to the label with a fresh collection of groove-driven club tools that balance modern energy with classic house foundations. Recent releases on sister label Get Physical Music further underline the duo's strong creative momentum.

Boogie Vice is a French DJ and producer known for his groove-led house sound that blends funk, soul, and percussive club energy. With releases on labels such as Get Physical, Rekids, and Definitive Recordings, he has built a reputation for warm, dancefloor-focused productions supported by tastemakers worldwide. Now based in Cape Town, Boogie Vice has expanded his creative work into film scoring and executive production, adding new depth to his already rich musical palette.

N-You-Up, Southern France native Nick, brings decades of DJ experience and a deep-rooted love for jazz, funk, and disco. Formerly known as The Beatangers, he now channels those influences into a refined house fusion under his N-You-Up alias. Alongside Boogie Vice, his collaborative releases have appeared on labels such as Nervous Records and Get Physical Music, with their joint productions receiving support from key artists including Solomun, Dennis Ferrer, Jamie Jones, Pete Tong, Laurent Garnier, Radio Slave or Mita Gami, firmly establishing the duo as a reliable source of dancefloor-ready house music.

The EP opens with 'Game Concept', a driving house cut built on percussive drums, a rolling classic house bassline, and catchy vocal samples. Dreamy, deep synth chords float above the groove, creating a hypnotic yet energetic opener. 'Wurkin Like Dat' follows with a disco-infused house vibe, stacking groove upon groove as vocal snippets and disco elements take center stage, delivering pure dancefloor momentum. Rounding out the EP are two DJ-focused versions of 'Wurkin Like Dat'. The Invasion Tool strips the track back into a flexible club weapon, while the Drumapella isolates the rhythm and percussion, offering maximum versatility for creative mixing.

With 'Decadisco EP', Boogie Vice and N-You-Up once again showcase Definitive Recordings' ability to deliver modern house weapons that honor the genre's past while pushing the sound firmly forward.

Fifteen new compositions from Andi Haslacher, written and recorded over the last years, now available on cassette via Beatbude Records & Vertrieb. Music and mix by Andreas Haslacher, with drums on side A by Flurin Mück. Mastered by Maximilian Schweizer (SMS), artwork by Lutger Lonin.

Systematic Gent EP brings together four distinctive cuts from artists who each embody a different shade of the label’s sound. For this special various-artists release, Ghent-based Maxim Lany delivers the deep, driving, atmospheric and immersive “Noise”; Dimitri Andreas adds rhythmic drive and tribal energy with “Jungle Circus”; Robert Babicz contributes the hypnotic, progressive and emotive “Soul Traveler”; and Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic round out the EP with the powerful, forward-moving techno gem “Solar.”
Released on 12” vinyl, Systematic Gent EP arrives in perfect sync with the label’s showcase at Wintercircus in Gent on May 8, 2026, creating a direct link between the music on wax and the energy of the dancefloor. With a tracklist that balances atmosphere, groove and peak-time impact, the EP captures the essence of Systematic’s sonic identity while celebrating a special night in one of Belgium’s most exciting cultural spaces.
Marc Romboy, A&R of Systematic, says: “I’m very glad to present this EP, showcasing the different shades of music Systematic currently stands for. Each track could be an A-side on its own. The vinyl will be released on the day of our label showcase at the local record store GENX Recordstore in the city centre, as well as via our distributor, Word and Sound.”

The borderless, tropical band “of Tropique,” whose core sound blends funk and rock-infused exotica, releases a 12-track full-length album on vinyl LP!!
This work maximizes their core lineup as a guitar-less trio, featuring a diverse array of 14 guest musicians to construct a rich sonic landscape.
This landmark release in the history of domestic exotica and tropical music features Mutsumi Kobayashi of the Minyo Crusaders, Rockin' Enocky of Jackie
& The Cedrics, to global talents like Joshua Camp of CHICHA LIBRE and MIRAMAR, the standard-bearer of US new wave Latin bands, and more!
It's a masterpiece that delivers the full thrill, excitement, and pleasure of encountering unknown music.

Im Mai 2026 würde Miles Davis seinen 100. Geburtstag feiern. Dazu gratuliert auch die TONE POET
EDITION mit der audiophilen Wiederveröffentlichung eines seiner absoluten Albumklassiker, wie immer produziert von Joe Harley, komplett analog von Kevin Gray von den Originalbändern remastert, RTI-Pressung
(180g), Gatefold, stabiles Tip-on-Sleeve, wattierte Innenhülle.
Mit “Birth of the Cool” schuf Miles Davis eines der stilbildenden Werke des Jazz. An der Einspielung des
Albums, das Davis’ erste Zusammenarbeit mit dem Arrangeur Gil Evans markierte, waren einige Musiker
beteiligt, die in den folgenden Jahren neben Miles zu den führenden Protagonisten des neuen Stils avancieren
sollten: Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz, J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Gunther Schuller, John Lewis, Al Haig,
Max Roach, Kenny Clarke. Die Arrangements, die für das einzigartig instrumentierte Nonett geschrieben
wurden, ließen neue Klangtexturen entstehen, die von impressionistischer klassischer Musik beeinflusst und
dennoch tief im Jazz verwurzelt waren.

London trio, thredd’s, acclaimed 2025 debut ‘It’s Lovely, Come On In’ available for the first time on vinyl. thredd is the latest project from musicians Will Lister, Max Winter, and Imogen and The Knife who came together as the first (and only) band formed during the infamous Laylow residency in West London.

Over the course of 4 weeks in November 2023, the trio set up a makeshift studio in Laylow’s basement venue and wrote music to be performed live each Wednesday, embracing a raw, immediate approach with no room for overthinking. The result is a sound they call “cold pop”, a mix of atmospheric textures, sharp melodies, and emotional depth. Since then, they’ve built on their diverse strengths having already played the ICA and supported Nourished by Time across the UK.

Having shared a studio in South London together since 2020, the trio have collaborated and cross-pollinated their musical approach while taking time to hone their individual crafts; Will’s drum programming and production, Max’s ear for harmony and composition, Immy’s lyrics, melody and vocal delivery. With music that both feels familiar yet boundary pushing, ear catching and intriguing, it becomes a true sum of its parts celebrating the individualism of each musician.

The album ‘It’s Lovely, Come On In’ moves between late-night indie, synth- driven pop, and stripped-back songwriting with emotional weight. Tracks like ‘Horseshow’ showcase Will’s tight post-triphop inspired beats, Max’s harmonic instincts, and Immy’s evocative vocals. ‘We Don’t Speak Anymore’ came together in a day, capturing a sharp, defiant energy. ‘Something For My Head’ is a late-night, anxious love song, while the title track has a defiant repetitive energy. The lead single ‘Party’ bursts with bold, euphoric energy, and ‘Funny Girl’ strips back to something vulnerable, inspired by a haunting vocal sample and personal notes.

The record channels the layered, mysterious atmosphere of Laylow’s basement, shaped by the building’s winding corridors and hidden rooms. Themes of fatigue, release, and creative survival run throughout, born from a pressure-free, collaborative process.

‘It’s Lovely, Come On In’ feels honest and immediate, a collection made to capture a moment, not polish it away. As they put it, the record is for people who are “Up for a party, down for a cry.” The album doesn’t make grand claims; it simply invites you in.

Recorded in London during 1995–1996 and produced by Chris Sheldon, the album marked a significant step forward for the York-based group following their 1994 debut Change Giver. Written by band members Rick Witter, Paul Banks, Tom Gladwin and Alan Leach, the record captures the energetic guitar-driven sound that helped define the Britpop era.

A Maximum High reached number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and produced five UK Top 40 singles: "Where Have You Been Tonight?", "Getting Better", "Going for Gold", "On Standby" and "Bully Boy". Among these, "Going for Gold" became the band's biggest hit, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

'Lookaftering' von Vashti Bunyan wird 20 Jahre alt. Aus diesem Anlass und zum 80. Geburtstag der Künstlerin erscheint eine erweiterte Ausgabe. Neben dem Original-Studioalbum auf Disc 1 enthält die Expanded Edition auf Disc 2 Demoversionen, alternative Takes und Live-Aufnahmen aller Original-Tracks des Albums. Außerdem begleitende Kommentare von Vashti Bunyan höchstpersönlich, Produzent Max Richter und Devendra Banhart sowie ein 16-seitiges Textheft mit einer Sammlung von Gemälden von Vashtis Tochter Whyn Lewis - Gemälde, die zufällig die Texte des Albums widerspiegeln.

Die Demos stammen aus den Jahren 2001 bis 2005 und wurden von Vashti zu Hause aufgenommen, wobei sie sich selbst auf akustischer und elektrischer Gitarre begleitete und mit Synthesizern experimentierte. Der Sound ist im Vergleich zum fertigen Album natürlich etwas zurückgenommen, doch die Live-Version von Lately, aufgenommen bei einem frühen 'Comeback'-Konzert in Los Angeles im Jahr 2006, mit der gleichen Instrumentierung wie auf dem Album, ist absolut perfekt.

Es ist eine wunderbare Erfahrung, die Demos und die endgültigen Versionen nebeneinander zu hören, während man die Sleeve Notes liest. Man erfährt und hört, wie sich die Songs und das Album entwickelt haben, und Vashti und Max Richter (der das Album produziert und auch darauf gespielt hat) erklären, wie alle beteiligten Künstler (Devendra Banhart, Johanna Newson, Adem Ilhan, Robert Kirby und Mitglieder der Band Vetiver), die von Vashtis Originalalbum 'Just Another Diamond Day' von 1970 berührt waren, die Gelegenheit ergriffen, dabei zu sein.

Das Erste, was man hört, ist eine einsame, klare Gitarre und ein sanfter Gesang, der von "city scenes caught up in the moment" erzählt, bevor das Schlagzeug einsetzt und es losgeht! So beginnt die atemberaubende, kraftvolle Eleganz von The Spatulas neuestem Album ,A Blue Dot". The Spatulas, das sind im Wesentlichen Miranda Soileau-Pratt und wer auch immer sie rekrutiert, um ihre Vision zu verwirklichen. Alles begann in Oregon, wo frühere Veröffentlichungen wie ,March Chant" und ,Beehive Mind" mit dem Schlafzimmer-Schmerz von ,Beyond the Implode" und der wackeligen Psych-Magie von ,Garbage and the Flowers" glänzten. Doch obwohl diese Elemente nicht verschwunden sind, ist ,A Blue Dot" ein ganz anderes Kaliber. Ein Umzug nach Cambridge, Massachusetts, und eine notwendige personelle Veränderung haben das, was einst eine beständige, schimmernde Lockerheit mit voller Rockdynamik war, verwandelt. Die neue Besetzung (Gitarrist Luke Einsiedler, Bassist Elijah Bodish und Schlagzeuger Greg Witz) hat ihren Sound zu einer lauten Masse aus harter und stimmungsvoller Jangle-Explosion verdichtet. Der Post-NZ-Glory-Pop von Barbara Mannings SF Seals ist hier zu finden, ebenso wie der dichte Wirbel von Rain Parade. Fachmännisch aufgenommen im Suddenly Studio von Emily Robb, gemischt von Evan Mersky und von Sarah Register zu vollendeter Kohäsion gemastert, klingt das Ganze laut und stolz. Seit der Fertigstellung dieses wunderbaren Albums sind Miranda und Elijah nach Indiana gezogen, wo glücklicherweise eine neue Besetzung gefunden wurde. Aber ein noch glücklicheres Ende ist, dass diese spezielle Crew noch nicht fertig ist mit dem gemeinsamen Musizieren, und hoffentlich wird diese elende Welt noch lange genug existieren, um im Sommer 2026 eine Tour an der Ostküste mitzuerleben. Man kann sich im Leben wenigstens auf eine Sache freuen! - Max Milgram

RATTUS' furious sophomore album from 1984 reissued in May Rattus is one of the most legendary Finnish hardcore punk bands. Formed in 1978 and split up in 1988, Rattus returned in 2001 and are setting venues ablaze to this day. Uskonto on vaara was originally released on Poko Rekords in 1984. It's a furious album with nine killer songs; an aggressive and intense ride, a true classic in its genre. Svart Records reissued the album in 2012 and after fourteen years it's about time to bring it back to the streets with black and limited color vinyl editions. "RATTUS combustion, startling adrenaline speed and hammerhead blows of power. Featuring the new high-velocity rasping vocals of Annikki, RATTUS virtually sweep forth with sharp-edged earloads of riveting force and disorderly rapidity. Brilliant Finnish hardcore, unhesitant and explosive assaults of raw nitro energy." -Pushead, Maximum Rocknroll #7, July/August 1983

RATTUS' furious sophomore album from 1984 reissued in May Rattus is one of the most legendary Finnish hardcore punk bands. Formed in 1978 and split up in 1988, Rattus returned in 2001 and are setting venues ablaze to this day. Uskonto on vaara was originally released on Poko Rekords in 1984. It's a furious album with nine killer songs; an aggressive and intense ride, a true classic in its genre. Svart Records reissued the album in 2012 and after fourteen years it's about time to bring it back to the streets with black and limited color vinyl editions. "RATTUS combustion, startling adrenaline speed and hammerhead blows of power. Featuring the new high-velocity rasping vocals of Annikki, RATTUS virtually sweep forth with sharp-edged earloads of riveting force and disorderly rapidity. Brilliant Finnish hardcore, unhesitant and explosive assaults of raw nitro energy." -Pushead, Maximum Rocknroll #7, July/August 1983

Prism Shores return with Softest Attack, produced by Scott "Monty" Munro, the album blends '90s power pop crunch and shoegaze shimmer in their most collaborative and ambitious release yet. Montreal janglers Prism Shores return with a sharper, more immediate follow-up to their acclaimed 2025 breakthrough Out From Underneath. While the previous record leaned into atmosphere, this new album doubles down on hooks, maximalist guitars, and the pure strength of their melancholic songwriting. Produced by Scott "Monty" Munro (Preoccupations) and mixed by René Wilson, Softest Attack blends jangle pop, '90spower pop, and shoegaze with clear echoes of The Wedding Present, Teenage Fanclub, and My Bloody Valentine all filtered through the band's Dunedin-inspired indiepop sensibility. For the first time, all four members contribute lyrics and lead vocals, marking their most collaborative and ambitious effort yet. Softest Attack is Prism Shores' boldest attempt to craft a top-tier indiepop record: bigger, brighter, and overflowing with guitars, but always anchored by undeniable melody.

Fika Recordings are pleased to present Bring On The Apathy, the third solo record from Scottish songwriter Adam Ross. Adam Ross is an indie-folk songwriter based in north-east Scotland. He is a solo artist and has also led the cult indie band Randolph's Leap for over a decade, releasing music with legendary Fence Records and Lost Map as well as Olive Grove Records and Fika Recordings. He is known for his unique brand of articulate lyricism which blends humour, poignancy, wordplay and offbeat stories.. “Bring On The Apathy” was recorded onto tape, using traditional analogue techniques at Glasgow’s Green Door Studio with Samuel J. Smith. It showcases some of the most emotionally open, lyrically deft and characterful songwriting so far from one of Scotland’s most accomplished writers. The vintage recording approach brings a warmth and intimacy to a record which is in equal parts raw and organic while also beautifully arranged and performed as Adam is joined by a raft of excellent collaborators. The album itself is a reaction. Whether it be in the title, the lyrical content or the method in which the sounds were captured. “I was feeling fairly down and uninspired about the musical landscape” Adam explains. “The risk with digital recording where every instrument is overdubbed separately is that it can end up sounding metronomic, sterile and lacking personality.

I also started to get a bit freaked out by the topic of AI-generated music and the insidious, creeping impact it’s already having. I therefore decided that, as a bit of a protest, I wanted to make something that sounded extra-specially human and hand-crafted, where you could hopefully hear the interplay between musicians.” For this reason, Adam decided to record the majority of the album live, as a band, playing together in the same room without a click track. “I’d put a band together to tour my last album, Littoral Zone, and I really enjoyed the way we all worked together. Green Door Studio was chosen as the destination as it specialises in analogue sound production but it had an extra significance for Adam. “Green Door was the first studio I ever recorded in, back in 2009. This time around, the “unforgiving” nature of tape recording became an inspiration. “The musicians on the record are such great players that they rarely make mistakes, so there was a confidence there that we wouldn’t need to rely on copious amounts of editing or post-production, which isn’t always possible with tape anyway. The core band consisted of Owen Curtis-Williams on drums, Cameron Maxwell on bass, Pedro Cameron on violin, Gillian Fleetwood on harp and (long-time collaborator with Randolph’s Leap) Pete MacDonald on piano. Mercury Prize-nominated artist C Duncan was drafted in to write and perform backing vocal arrangements along with Amanda Nizich and Gillian Fleetwood. Adam says “I’d been listening to a lot of Bob Dylan, Karen Dalton and Bill Callahan records and I thought it might be interesting to apply those sorts of influences to my brand of Scottish quirk-pop”.

The second volume of this series is as good as the first with more finely tuned twilight dubs and Balearic chuggers, expertly curated by a master of this form in Pete Herbert. Across two sides, the comp flows between low-slung grooves, deep synth atmospheres and sun-kissed dancefloor moments. Highlights include Statues' warming 'Andromeda' and a powerful synth-driven turn from Imogen Soundsystem, while side two leans further into Balearic romance, from Herbert's nostalgic 'At Zuka to Kasper Bjorke's proto-dancefloor elegance. Cohesive, tasteful sunset music with real substance.

DJ Feedback

Phil Mison/Cantoma/Ambala:
"Great tunes as always , full support. Lovingthe Zuka tune!"

Sean Johnston/ALFOS:
"Killer Petey! Next few ALFOS sets sorted"

Conrad/Idjut Boys:
"Nice selection, totem project rmx has it for me"

Sally Rogers/A Man Called Adam:
"Excellent, dependable DJ fodder from Pete and Co. Thanks for the consistency :) "

Camilo Miranda/Ibiza:
"Nice combo of tracks here ! loving these!!"

Dream Chimney/Blog:
"SF vol 2 is 10/10 every track a winner on here"

Logan Fisher/Try Outs:
"Superb comp. full of goodies"

4Trepanado/Selvagem/Brazil:
"Great compilation! the Pete Herbert Remix for Time is a great weapon to flip the switch at the dancefloor"

Simon Lee/Faze Action:
"Stunning compilation, hard to pick a winner but I'm heading for Pete Herbert - Zuka"

Marco Gallerani/Hell Yeah:
"Beautiful selection!!! loving it. Can't wait for summer now"

Dicky Trisco/File Under Disco:
"Classy release. All winners. Giselle is my fave. Nice one Pedro xxx"

Felix Joy/Rinse FM:
"Sounding great!"

Jaime Fiorito/Ibiza:
"Some cool bits! Time is my favorite!"

Hot Creations Spring 2026 Vinyl Sampler featuring four of the Hottest recent release on Hot Creations.

After a year in which Joe Rolét’s ‘No Hesitating’ on Hot Creations became one of the biggest tracks of 2025 earning a spot in Mixmag’s ‘30 Best Dancefloor Bangers of 2025’, UK favourite Max Dean’s own
interpretation give s whole new energy to the track. Max’s remix reframes it even further for maximum peak-time impact. The bassline is murkier, the cuts sharply, and the overall momentum makes it a powerful weapon for DJs looking to keep crowds moving. Next up is ‘Sweat’, a collaborative drop from in-demand rising talents Locky and Mad.Again, bringing together two distinct voices shaped by London’s underground. ‘Sweat’ is a monster of a track, delivering punchy, driving drums, weighty bass, and tightly coiled grooves designed for peak-time floors, it’s a collaboration that feels rooted, purposeful, and built for the club!

On the flip and L.P Rhythm delivers his 90s-driven house aesthetic with ‘Want Somebody’, leaning into the warmth and swing of the era he draws so much influence from, the production blends crisp percussion, squiggly acid basslines, and soulful vocal flashes into a sharp, club-focused flip of a ’90s house classic - built and re-purposed for packed rooms and late-night energy. Final track ‘Freaks’ from Joshwa, brings a hypnotic blend of infectious vocal chops, punchy percussion, and growling low-end heat built for late-night dancefloors. Another four track banger!

Groovy, functional and elegantly reduced Micro House. AFRV008 brings Dubfound for a tight, late-night or early mroning leaning 12" on Aforisme. Freak Love EP moves with that signature micro-house precision: crisp drums, warm low-end pressure and hypnotic groove shifts that keep the floor locked without ever overdoing it. On the A-side, “Freak Love” sets the tone with elastic rhythms and a stripped-back, forward-driving pulse. Flip to “Hold Me Up” for a deeper, more rolling mood, minimal elements arranged with maximum impact. Maher Daniel closes it out with his remix, adding extra swing and a refined, spacious touch that feels made for long blends and after-hours moments.

Mysticisms’ returns to the music of the Conscious Sounds label and their short-lived but highly prized Dub meets Funk project, Dub Specialists. Created by label head Dougie Waldrop and Chris Petter (Love Grocer) to explore their interest in samplers and a love of Funk and Jazz.

A hugely respected “Digital” and “Roots Reggae” label, Conscious Sounds has been a mainstay of the East London digidub sound for over 30 years. Dub Specialists released 3 albums on the Crispy Music sub label, they have recently gained considerable interest in digger circles, with rising prices to match.

As with their first Dubplate outing, the release features extended re-edits by the label and friends, this time featuring versions by Lexx, Miles J Paralysis, Chuggy and Vanity Project. Working with the simplicity and skill of his studio craft, Dougie utilised the Atari 1040, Cubase and Soundcraft mixer to effect. Petters’ chords sit atop reggae basslines, funk samples, loops and this time, a heavy dose of cut up vocals in to the mix.

While the first EP came from their debut album, Breat To Break, here the source material for the re-edits comes, in the main, from their second outing “Dub To Dub Beat To Beat”. A more expansive album that also dipped in to 4/4 rhythms and touches of House / Techno.

Opening track Dynamic Duo is a 4/4 stepper bomb – with samples from Adam West’s iconic interpretation of Batman – expertly extended by long-standing DJ, producer and edit master, Zurich’s own Alex Storrer aka Lexx, who dials things to max for a club stop. A new name on many lips, Miles J Paralysis takes it all back down with a beautifully drawn out, acid-tinged tripper. Bumpin’, the mid-tempo groove sucks you in, psychedelic and mind expanding.

The flip returns to the more traditional Dub Specialist vibes of Breaks’n’Funk’ cut ups, first with (co-)label head Chuggy’s faithful extension of Heavy Dub. Featuring the classic Ijahman Levi’s vocal, the breaks flow and piano / horns stab, a dance floor shaker for the discerning. To close, secret studio fixer to many, Matt Bruce again dons his Vanity Project moniker to perfectly tease and live dub (out) the half-stepper, Reality Dub and close this latest in the Dubplate series.

Beat The Mystery.

USA Hardcore/Punk Geschichte! M.I.A. wurden 1980 in Las Vegas gegründet, zogen 1981 nach Orange County und begannen im berüchtigten Cuckoo's Nest zusammen mit Fear, Shattered Faith, T.S.OL. u.a. Shows zu spieln. Ende '81 gingen sie in ein lokales Tonstudio in Costa Mesa und nahmen an einem Nachmittag neun Songs auf, bis ihnen das Geld ausging - 300 Dollar gut angelegt! Eine Kassette wurde rasch kopiert und herumgereicht. Eine Kopie der Kassette wurde KevinSeconds bei einem Gig mit 7 Seconds in Reno gegeben. Kevin gab sie an Tim Yohannan von Maximum Rocknroll weiter. Schließlich gelangte sie in die Hände von Felix Alanis von Smoke Seven und Greg Shaw von Bomp. Mitte 1982 waren M.I.A. dann auf drei Vinyl-Veröffentlichungen vertreten: "Tell Me Why" auf der Compilation American Youth Report von Bomp, "New Left" auf Maximum Rocknroll Presents: Not So Quiet On the Western Front von Alternative Tentacles und acht der neun Tracks landeten auf der berüchtigten Split-LP mit Last Rites auf Smoke Seven. Alle 9 Tracks des ersten Tapes sind hier versammelt, zum ersten Mal richtig abgemischt. Der Begin von M.I.A. (US) und gleichzeitig das letzte Lapitel der Moder City Records-Reissue-Reihe zur Band. « ...In one corner is M.I.A., a band originally from Las Vegas, the champions of punk's positive side. They've managed to fuse a super tight thrash sound with enlightened attitudes_"I Hate Hippies" is obviously meant as a satire with a moral, and the results are absolutely stunning. » _Jeff Bale's 1982 review of the Last Rites for...-Split-LP in Maximum Rocknroll #2 2.Auflage, Cover Metallic Blue, Vinyl Dirty Turquoise, plus 24seitigem Booklet.

Italo-Disco-Klassiker aus dem Jahr 1983 jetzt wieder als farbige Maxi Single erhältlich „Feel The Drive“ von Doctor‘s Cat als Limitierte Auflage.

Originally released on Ezekiel Honig's Anticipate label in 2007, Standing on a Hummingbird is the debut album by Canadian sound artist Mark Templeton, now appearing for the first time on vinyl, newly remastered by Giuseppe Ielasi and cut by LUPO. Working at the intersection of post-glitch, electroacoustic ambient, and textural minimalism, Templeton composes through restraint and erosion, building patient and richly tactile pieces primarily from acoustic sources - fingerpicked guitar, plaintive banjo, muted accordion tones - subjected to careful processes of granulation, filtering, and environmental masking. These gestures never overwhelm the source material; instead, they wonderfully destabilize it. Melodies appear briefly, only to dissolve into dense atmospheres of field recordings: distant streets, birds, water, air. Sounds hover, vibrate, and vanish, much like the wing beating latent in the album’s title.

Tracks such as “Pattern For a Pillow” and “Amidst Things Uncontrolled” articulate this approach with particular clarity, setting languid acoustic figures against churning granular backdrops that feel at once sheltering and unstable. Elsewhere, moments of fragile clarity - fluttering guitar lines, reedy accordion tones - briefly break the surface before being absorbed back into the field.

Heard today, the record offers a clarion, almost spartan strain of textural ambient music: intricate yet unforced, shaped by human touch rather than automated excess. Its refusal of spectacle feels especially vital in a landscape saturated with maximalist digitalia - a reminder that electronic music’s most enduring gestures often occur where sound is allowed to tremble and hold itself just long enough to be felt before disappearing once again. (Alex Cobb, 2026)

Die Band Touch Girl Apple Blossom aus Austin komponiert Songs, die dich direkt ins Herz treffen. Ihre selbstbetitelte Debüt-EP ist eine Sammlung von klirrend-nostalgischen Popsongs, die sich so vertraut und intim anfühlen, dass sie sofort an die zuckersüße Glückseligkeit von Künstlern wie Heavenly, Tiger Trap und Velocity Girl erinnern. Die Gitarristen Olivia Garner und John Morales lernten sich beim Spielen in einer Country-Band kennen und fanden über ihre gemeinsame Liebe zur Twee-Musik zueinander, was sie dazu inspirierte, sich zusammenzutun und ein paar Songs zu schreiben. Bassist Dustin Pilkington und Schlagzeuger Charles Powell stießen kurz darauf dazu, und die Band begann, in ihrer Heimatstadt Austin, Texas, aufzutreten. Letztes Jahr ging die Band mit Max Deems ins Studio und nahm die vier Songs, aus denen später die EP Touch Girl Apple Blossom werden sollte, auf einem 8-Spur-Recorder auf und stellte sie im August 2023 online.

Chinese American Bear return in 2026 with their third album, Dim Sum & Then Some, released in May via cult UK label Moshi Moshi.

“Dim Sum & Then Some was started the day after we finished our 2024 album Wah!!!. We were having a lot of fun and inspiration was still high,” the band explain. “The album explores themes around what we love—food, little joys, fun simple nonsense, China, love, anthems, and fairytales. It’s a collage of our life, distilled into positivity and lightheartedness.”

Often described as The Flaming Lips, Dusty Springfield, and The Beach Boys having a baby with a Care Bear, Chinese American Bear’s music is bursting with comedy, groove, quirk, and cuteness. Dim Sum & Then Some is melodically rich and joyfully maximalist, weaving together psychedelia, doses of funk, and lush instrumentation, with plenty of lyrics devoted to the simple pleasure of filling up your belly with good food.

Anlässlich seines 15-jährigen Jubiläums erscheint das Debütalbum "One" von TesseracT aus dem Jahr 2011 als Sonderausgabe in "Half-Speed-Master"-Qualität auf Vinyl, geschnitten in den Abbey Road Studios in London für maximale Klangtreue. Diese brandneue Pressung auf 180 g schwerem weißem Vinyl in einer speziellen matten Hülle mit Spot-Glanz-Details würdigt einen besonderen Moment in der Geschichte der Band.

Vladislav Delay, primarily known as a highly regarded electronic music innovator, steps ahead with his acoustic jazz quintet. Echoing the forward-looking vd musical vision always ahead of the curve, the new album does not fit into any specific category, forging a path of its own across the 10 tracks. Recorded at Candybomber Studio in Berlin, the album brings vd together with Maria Bertel, Lucio Capece, Derek Shirley and Max Loderbauer. This is shape-shifting, elastic music that exists left of any given timeline.

Based in Hailuoto in Northern Finland, Vladislav Delay has never fit into any given mould as an artist. His prolific, at times mythical output has elevated him to a veritable legend status in all music cycles appreciating a unique artistic voice. Be it his forward-reaching recent releases as Vladislav Delay on his own Rajaton imprint, his Ripatti alias, or playing metallic percussion with the Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Vladislav Delay always has A SOUND. And that sound is ever-evolving, as his new jazz album shows. What "jazz" is this? There are certainly liquid elements there in the mix, not unlike the ones heard on previous vd productions. Then again, this is acoustic quintet music by and large, but not any specific kind we have ever heard before. Isn't that the whole point of "jazz"? Whatever came before is a springboard, not a limitation.

Myth? Legend? No need to pump this up, the music is self evident. As is the crew of Marfox, NK, Nervoso, Fofuxo, Pausas and Jesse, who shaped the universe as we know it. The simplest of elements for maximum (minimal) impact, an imperative burst of energy that perfectly echoes the title of Marfox's first EP: I Know Who I Am.

These are statements of personality directly stamped on the dancefloor. "Hard Tecno" (without the H, yes) embodies the crystal clear intention of the set: to light a fire wherever the beats fall. To make people smile and move. And this was (and is) achieved without the need for obvious smiley culture signposts. The music just came through with fierce enthusiasm. All were youngsters (Nervoso being the elder) in 2007, and youth is definitely a factor in the fearless display of bare bones dance music production. Raw, is it?

A second volume of DJs di Guetto on Príncipe was always going to happen. The tough part was deciding how to organize the bangers on the tracklist without ending up with a quadruple vinyl set. Thus separate volumes 1&2. Volume 1 (2023) was culled from the actual DJs di Guetto compilation (self released in 2006), whereas Volume 2 comes straight from the crew's archives, nearly 100% unreleased tracks produced in 2007.

The crew disbanded as such a long time ago, but the legacy stands as sacred scriptures stand. FL Studio and standard laptop and tower desktop PCs combined as raw materials; a no-fuss approach added by these DJs and producers who sound unequivocally rootsy and primeval, drinking from the source. Also punishingly minimal, dry and alien. Happy-sad, sweet-sour, nice-angry, soft-aggressive. Words fail us. It's 2026, new humans seem to beon the rise but some old ways are still enthralling.