Merge News

Im Jahr 2002 veröffentlichten Reigning Sound "Time Bomb High School", ein brandheißes Rock-'n'-Roll-Album, das die Herzen und Ohren aller eroberte - von Little Steven Van Zandt bis hin zu Howlin' Pelle Almqvist von The Hives. Seit der Erstveröffentlichung ist "Time Bomb High School" auf Vinyl vergriffen und zum Heiligen Gral für Plattensammler geworden. Jetzt haben diese Sammler Grund zur Freude: "Time Bomb High School" kehrt auf Vinyl zurück, neu gemastert und mit einem neuen Cover von Greg Cartwright. Von The Guardian als "ein wahrhaft unanfechtbarer Rock'n'Roll-Soul-Klassiker" gepriesen, war "Time Bomb High School" der Durchbruch für das in Memphis ansässige Quartett aus Cartwright (Gesang, Gitarre), Jeremy Scott (Bass, Hintergrundgesang), Greg Roberson (Schlagzeug) und Alex Greene (Orgel, Gitarre, Hintergrundgesang). Die Songs - Cartwrights Eigenkompositionen und Coverversionen wie "Stormy Weather" und "I'd Much Rather Be With the Boys" - sind so lebendig wie eh und je, doch das Herzstück dieser Ausgabe von "Time Bomb High School" liegt in der Reihenfolge der Titel, die originalgetreu der Erstpressung von 2002 beibehalten wurde. Seite 1 bietet Midtempo-Balladen und Liebeslieder. Seite 2 besteht ausschließlich aus Rocknummern. Das Album beginnt mit vier der verletzlichsten Sehnsuchtslieder von Reigning Sound, bevor es in eine Interpretation von "I Don't Believe" der Lokalmatadoren aus Memphis, The Guilloteens, übergeht. Daraus entsteht ein fast völlig neues Album. Die Selbstsicherheit und Prahlerei der Band bleiben intakt, doch das Album wirkt ernsthafter und offenherziger, als hätten sie ihre Schutzmauer abgebaut, um den Hörer wirklich hereinzulassen seine Lobeshymnen fühlen sich an wie ein Zufluchtsort vor dem Sturm. Es gibt keine falsche Art, "Time Bomb High School" zu hören, aber dies ist seine endgültige Form: ein Klassiker, der bereit ist, wiederentdeckt zu werden, und für den Rock-Kanon genauso unverzichtbar ist, wie die verstaubten 45er-Platten, die Reigning Sound inspiriert haben.

Special Red Vinyl. W Full Color Jacket Art Direction Performed by Akemi Shimada

2026 Repress

a 1Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) Phase Remix
b 2Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) Submotive Remix

d 4Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) Special Request Remix

a 1Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) Phase Remix
b 2Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) Submotive Remix

d 4Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) Special Request Remix

a 1Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) Phase Remix
b 2Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] 1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] 2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] 4 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] A1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] A2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] B2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] A1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] A2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] B2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] A1 Goldikus (Feat. Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] A2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[d] B2 Still the Same (Feat. CASISDEAD) [Special Request Remix]

[a] A1 | Goldikus (Feat Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] A2 | Still the Same (Feat CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[Special Request Remix]

[a] A1 | Goldikus (Feat Cleveland Watkiss) [Phase Remix]
[b] A2 | Still the Same (Feat CASISDEAD) [Submotive Remix]

[Special Request Remix]

Timeless remixes by Ron Trent, reissued in a special limited edition.
Featuring three versions of Ron’s signature deep vibe — including “7AM Dub,” appearing on vinyl for the first time.

Shadow Child’s ‘Say It Now’ is an ode to the Portsmouth producer’s rave-heritage and how it has inspired him.

· Featuring a soaring vocal sample, ravey piano stabs and a dangerous bassline, this is a release that tells the story of Shadow Child’s music journey.

· London Records have pressed four mixes onto wax, including a thumping techno cut from Dusky, a floaty progressive house interpretation from Cinthie and asoundsystem-ready, jungle banger from S.P.Y, as well as Shadow Child’s original mix.

· This 12” features artwork from renowned print artist and designer Jimmy Turrell, who has worked with names such as Chanel, Adidas, Apple, Rolling Stones, Dazed and Chemical Brothers, just to name a few

Eight years after his last solo EP on NORD LTD, Shkedul makes a formidable return with four absolute dancefloor killers. This release does more than just fill a silence; it reasserts his position as a producer with a fiercely distinctive character and an unmistakable sonic signature.

DFR is back with a rather mysterious alias first appearance. Signal Priest delivers four dance-floor workouts that intersect between techno, trance and electro with admirable sense. TIP

The second full-length album from Simon Herody - French born, Berlin based multi-instrumentalist and composer. Featuring the visual universe of Paul Waak.

Water from Mars retraces the imaginary odyssey of a near-future conquest of space - a sonic journey conceived as a soundtrack for the imagination. Blending acoustic and electronic instruments, Herody navigates between sci-fi jazz, left-field ambient dub, space lounge, and 4th world music, crafting a world where melancholy and forward-thinking curiosity coexist in weightless suspension.

Indulgent, textured, and uncompromising - for fans of glitchy synthesizer textures, cinematic atmospheres, and music that refuses easy categorization.

Single-Sided 12 inch with etched B Side, cut and remastered from the original tapes and housed in a new foil sleeve printed on 300gsm card with gold Stardust is Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. Twenty one years since its original release in 1998, their iconic track "Music Sounds Better With You" is now available again on vinyl and digitally for the first time.

**Vinyl Only**

For their first step into the wax game, Genau Experience land with a strictly vinyl statement straight out of Udine. (Italy)Active since 2018, Genau Exp. have been quietly cultivating parties and pushing underground culture in their corner of the map. Now it translates into grooves. No rush, no noise: just the right moment to press this record.

Leading the charge is resident and long-time digger Stefano Conte. A vinyl collector with a deep-rooted connection to house, techno and electro, Stefano’s sound carries echoes of the ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s | raw drum work, hypnotic sequences, stripped tension and subtlemachine funk. These four original cuts, written between 2025 and 2026, feel focused and functional. Club-minded but not obvious. Built for heads who listen.

On remix duties, taking the reins on The Landing, we find Shkedul – selector and producer who hardly needs an introduction. He draws us deeper into his signature style: decisive basslines, dark rhythms, and evolving sound design that flows and morphs across the full length of the track.

A versatile weapon with enough character to work across different floors and moods.

Introducing the latest reissue from Pacific Coast House. Resuming service with 2 slices of sublime deep, tech-house from Coastal Commission / Jesse Outlaw. Including the much sought after ‘On The Rocks’ - West-Coast house music from a vintage era. These will fly, act fast!

The Hacker teams up with Rein for ‘We Come Alive’ on Rekids. French producer The Hacker joins forces with vocalist, songwriter, and producer Rein for ‘We Come Alive’ on Rekids, arriving 19th June 2026. A longstanding figure within the underground, The Hacker helped shape the early electroclash movement through his analogue-heavy sound and influential releases on labels including Turbo Recordings and Dark Entries, while Rein has built an international reputation through a darkwave-influenced sound that blurs underground and crossover electronics, alongside releases on Boysnoize Records and live appearances with Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb.

Built as a tribute to the dance floor “We Come Alive” explores the feeling of liberation and connection that only exists late at night. Think an Alison Moyet-inspired vocal over stripped-back machine funk somewhere between LFO and Kraftwerk.” - The Hacker & Rein

The Hacker & Rein’s ‘We Come Alive’ pairs sharp, angular rhythms with punishing low-end pressure as acid lines twist through scintillating percussion and jacked-up drums. Amid the machine-heavy intensity, Rein’s vocals cut through the mix with clarity and emotion, lending a euphoric edge to the track’s raw, strobe-lit energy.

Colored Vinyl

Rinascimento Elettronico presents its first vinyl release: R/E001 — Divide By Zero EP by Translate, featuring a remix by Psyk. Out May 28th.
Argentinian artist Translate, a well-established name within the hypnotic techno scene, delivers a refined and immersive EP built on deep, looping structures, textured atmospheres and subtle rhythmic progression. His sound navigates between tension and introspection, maintaining a strong focus on hypnotic continuity and dancefloor functionality.
On remix duties, Spanish master Psyk reinterprets Inactive with his distinctive signature — stripped-back, precise and driving — adding a powerful and functional edge to the release.
With Divide By Zero EP, Rinascimento Elettronico sets the tone for its vinyl series, focusing on forward-thinking techno rooted in depth, repetition and sonic identity.

Highly collectable and sort after reissue from Discrete Records currently getting plays from Paula Tape, Make A Dance and Sean OD. Early Progressive House from 1992. Special Yellow vinyl edition.

2026 Repress

The sonic movement once known as downbeat continues to cast a long and intimidating shadow over the Austrian electronic music scene, with influential figures like Kruder & Dorfmeister reigning atop a metaphorical mountain of venerable dubplates, resembling ancient gods.

Now, emerging from the depths of this mountain, comes "Triangle," poised to rejuvenate the genre with its eponymous album, brimming with the purest liquid downbeat gold.

Featuring an abundance of dusty breaks, reggae vocals, atmospheric keys and strings, dub stabs, wonky acid sequences, and deep basslines, these tunes check all the right boxes without ever feeling like mere imitations. The overall vibe remains warm, mellow, and hazy, while each track seamlessly weaves in an array of peculiar soundbites.

After a second listen, you may well conclude that this album is a rediscovered DAT tape from the 90s, unearthed from a Viennese basement.

Dive into the depths of "Triangle," an album that bridges eras of timeless electronic soundscapes.

Holic Trax presents its 36th release, featuring Tuccillo.
On the A-side, “Eves Sky” returns, a track that was played on the terrace at DC10 Ibiza in the early 2010s. Now reissued on a full 12” cut,
the one-sided pressing allows the low-end bassline to be pushed to its maximum.
On the B-side, “Percussholic” and “Musicly” are included.
The former was previously vinyl-only, while the latter was released digitally.
Both tracks are now brought together on the same format for the first time.
A three-track house EP