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Since 1992, Robin Storey (founding member of the pioneering post-industrial band Zoviet*France) has been creating innovative and thought-provoking music under the Rapoon moniker. Drawing inspiration from his early days with Z*F, he continues to push the boundaries of ambient, industrial, and world music genres, earning him a dedicated following across the globe.

Originally available in 1994 as a limited-edition DAT tape through Staalplaat Records, Cidar was later included as a bonus CD in the reissue of another Rapoon classic, Fallen Gods. Now, after years of anticipation, fans can experience this mesmerizing work as a stand-alone release – remastered and expanded with three previously unreleased tracks from the original 1994 recording sessions.

Cidar showcases Robin’s signature sound – a seamless blend of Z*F-inspired drones and loops intertwined with vibrant African percussion and hauntingly beautiful Asian string instruments. This combination creates an immersive, trance-like atmosphere that transports listeners into a world of meditative sonic exploration.

With its enchanting rhythms and deeply textured layers, Cidar stands as a testament to Robin’s unparalleled ability to craft music that defies genre boundaries while remaining instantly recognizable. Fans of both Zoviet*France and Rapoon will find themselves drawn into the hypnotic sounds of this timeless masterpiece.

The standalone release of Cidar marks an important milestone in the history of experimental music, offering audiences worldwide the opportunity to rediscover or experience for the first time one of Robin Storey’s most influential works.

'Tense from the first note and decisively uncompromising ‘GHSTING’ is the debut collaboration by Polish artists Alex Freiheit and Aleksandra Słyż, an incredibly unique piece of work that mixes fiction, spoken word poetry, theatrical antics, dense synthesis, acoustic ensemble and dark landscapes all set within the backdrop of a sinister Eastern Europe hotel. The resulting sound is menacing, humorous, harmonious, tumultuous, and at times quietly erotic.

Alex Freiheit, a poet and vocalist, is widely recognized for her captivating work with the SIKSA duo. Over the past decade, she has delved into the realms of personal feminist storytelling, postmodern fairy tales, and queer legends, crafting unique and thought-provoking narratives. In this groundbreaking collaboration with talented composer Aleksandra Słyż, they are now delving into the herstory of lies and exaggerations, extracting the raw essence of these tales filled with stench, stains, secretions, and torn organs. Eyeless Freiheit haunts the hotel guests while dressed in a binder and holding a bottle filled with a corrosive substance. She shares compelling stories about the hidden activities and other secrets that unfold within the walls of hotels when no one is watching. Her gripping narrative is complemented by equally haunting and eerie music. Słyż divides the text into four chapters, skillfully intertwining synthetic and acoustic elements. She combines the sounds of synthesizers, woodwind and percussive instruments with vocals, creating a tense, dynamic soundscape. Freiheit’s voice possesses an earnest quality, where a frightening cadence suspiciously flips into a meditative cycle.

Together, Freiheit and Słyż have crafted a bold and suggestive story that feels like the mesmerizing soundtrack to a contemporary Eastern European horror film, captivating an essence that is hard to pinpoint but instantly recognizable. This is abstractly powerful music that pushes listeners into a kaleidoscopic spiral that channels ecstatic over loss.

Following Parnell March’s Back Bar Grooves EP in February and November’s release of the Dust Tears (lead song from Sarah/Shaun’s debut) remixes, Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label returns with a second EP of dream pop from husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), alias Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced McLochlun), who wooed hearts and wowed critics with debut EP ‘It’s True What They Say?’ last year.

‘It’s True What They Say?’ attracted fans across the board: Artist Of The Week in The Scotsman, rapturous reviews from The Skinny and Tokyo's Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, BBC 6Music airplay courtesy of Nemone (Mary Anne Hobbs' Morning Show), more radio play from Radio Scotland's Roddy Hart & Vic Galloway, plus Simone Butler (Primal Scream) and Jim Sclavunos (Bad Seeds) via their respective Soho Radio shows, not forgetting ringing endorsements from the likes of David Holmes, Youth, Kevin Bales (Spiritualized), Brent Rademaker (Beachwood Sparks) and Julian Corrie (Franz Ferdinand).

They played gigs supporting Glasgow's huge Glasvegas, at festivals (Kendall Calling, Dunbar Music, Hidden Door), plus a slew of venues across the Scottish capital, ending the year with a trio of shows supporting Glaswegian 80s pop legends The Bluebells at Aberdeen’s Tunnels, Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys and Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms, while The List magazine tipped them among their Ones To Watch For 2025, with journalist Fiona Shepherd suggesting they were “blending the starry-eyed pop of Sonny & Cher with the electronic experimentation of Chris & Cosey.”

Very much the companion piece to the debut EP but arriving a full twelve months later, Someone’s Ghost is emblematic of the duo’s desire not to rush things or release anything half-baked.

“I’ve always wanted to create the perfect pop record and I do really feel that we’ve achieved that with this one,” says Shaun. And he’s clearly not the only person who thinks so.

REVIEWS, FEEDBACK ETC:

"I LOVE that! Dreamy dreamy pop." ROY MOLLOY (Marvellous Crane/Alex Cameron) on BLAST RADIO, Sydney
“the Scottish music scene’s cream of the cool... buzzy drum beats, high, distant chimes, and heavenly electronics…. very ethereal.” THE SKINNY

"Listening to Sarah/Shaun is like eavesdropping on a noir dreampop, long-distance phone call between them both, across two separate sonic locations. On this stunning 4-song EP, Sarah’s voice, effortlessly mesmerising, draws you into these big beautiful and haunting passages of perfect dream-pop. All beautifully produced in a multi-layered-scape of low-fi analogue textures, epic cinematic crescendos, intense electro-pulse grooves and warped psycho-pop guitar riffs. Within the songs lurk a sense of unresolved emotions, longing and pathos. There are shades of classic Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra but also Post-Punk Electronica and Beach House. But what a unique sound they’ve created of their own. I love it" DAVID MCCLUSKEY (The Bluebells)
"Absolutely beautiful" SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"Lovely stuff here! Total quality." MARTYN 'MASH' HENDERSON
"Ooooh. Everything the last record promised is here. Well done" GEORGE T aka George Demure (Accident Machine)
"Vince clark Era Depeche Mode in places" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized)
"Sounds cool. Well done" PETE KEMBER (Sonic Boom, Spacemen 3)
"Glorious, it (Debbie Harry) grabs hold of you and doesn't let go." IAIN DAWSON aka RAVECHILD (Everyone Wants To Play The Hits Podcast)

SOMEONE’S GHOST

Born out of an incredibly anxious, stressful time, the songwriting process for these recordings has been something of a personal tonic for Shaun…

“There was a period when I was having nightmares,” he reveals. “Apparently I was saying there was someone in the room, I was talking to that person and Sarah was seeing all this while I was still asleep.

So, I was thinking that this was my ghost. I started writing songs because I was going through something and I was dealing with something and writing songs was a comfort. My ghost was a comfort, whether it was real or not. The idea of it was a comfort.”

“I firmly believe that everyone has someone who watches over them but all of the songs are essentially about being there for someone,” he says. “Everybody needs someone but also everyone needs to stay real and keep what you have, keep it close, never let it go. If you don’t have it, continue to tell people you’re there for them. It’s about loving and hoping people will be good to you in return.”

While Shaun took the songwriting lead on Filter Of Love and EP closer The Sound Which Stresses The Sound Of My Ears, Debbie Harry was originally instrumentally conceived by producer Jaguar Eyes, alias Ali Chisholm, later lyrically completed by Shaun, and the EP’s lead track, Anhedonia, and one of its stand-outs (much like Starbed on the debut) was conceived by Sarah, as a result of experiencing a bit of a spiritual epiphany of her own.

“When I first heard the word Anhedonia, I didn't know what it meant but when I found out I thought about it quite a bit. How sad it would be to have no enjoyment in anything,” she explains. “This song is really about my own personal beliefs. When I have been down, that's one of the things that helps me the most. It talks about trying to make amends but realising, for some things, you can't. But I think with any kind of faith comes hope… which is always a good thing.”

A record about hope, truth, honesty, a belief in something bigger than oneself… and all set to a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a David Lynch or Eighties feature film. What more could anyone ask for, really?

There’s equally a desire to offer something universal and positive to anyone who tunes in. The labels for the 12” edition reveal the dual mantras “Who just wants to survive?” and “It’s about time to live a little”, with both messages also engraved in each record’s run-out grooves. T-shirts accompanying debut EP It’s True What They Say? bore the slogan “Kill Them With Kindness” - leading caps intentional. Shaun carries the acronym KTWK everywhere he plays, as a reminder: it’s stitched into his guitar strap. And this particular wee pebble has already caused a few ripples: people have been approaching him at gigs to acknowledge their appreciation and respect for it.

"We feel we have made an honest, open, colourful, body of work,” say the duo. “We hope to go out and play the songs with the guys (our band) and then potentially make more records. We are taking things as they come. Everything has been organic so far, after all. We are looking forward to whatever this brings."

Love For Love Vol.1 is a sumptuous two-tracker that takes you into both the unknown and the familiar.

On Side A, Mauritzio’s mesmerising, swirling ‘Sympathy’ (Gamma Reshape Boot) acts like a sonic shower that hits your body wherever it aches. The track kicks off with a subtle beat and acid-tinged backbone, spreading out into a deep, bass-laden symphony of sounds, detached vocals and warm synth chords. One for the late-night crowd searching for the darker corners of the dance floor for inspiration.

Flip over to Side B and Luber's ‘Somebody’ is waiting in the alley for you. At 124 bpm, ‘Somebody’ chugs along from the off with a curiously swingy beat, complete with perfectly trimmed hi-hats and a heavy double bassline. The familiar vocal acts as the track’s calling card – melancholic yet soaringly beautiful. ‘Somebody’ hits your nostalgia nodes with the flick of an ethereal finger, delivering low-end shuffle and hypnotic rhythms to lose yourself in.

Love For Love Vol.1 feels like the start of something special – and it would be wise to have these first steps in your record bag.

Steve O'Sullivan Returns to Phonogramme Records with New EP 'Tribal Dubs’ Following the success of his debut EP on the label, Steve is back with a mesmerizing three-track offering that showcases his signature blend of deep grooves and atmospheric textures.This marks Steve O'Sullivan's second EP on Phonogramme Records, further solidifying his relationship with the label and cementing his reputation as a leading figure in the techno scene. 'Tribal Dubs' is a testament to Steve's continued creativity and innovation, showcasing his ability to push boundaries while staying true to his roots.'Tribal Dubs' is set to release on Phonogramme Records and will be available on all major streaming platforms and vinyl. Don't miss out on this exceptional release from one of techno's most respected artists.

For its 9th release after its relaunch, Apnea Records proudly presents another ERP record, this time in the form of a 2x12" Album "Faded Caprice" is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of summer's fading glow. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, each track is a sonic tableau, capturing the essence of hot afternoons and wistful sunsets. E.R.P.'s signature blend of deep, cosmic funky electro gems resonates with emotional depth, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its hypnotic embrace. From the pulsating rhythms of "Miami Nice" to the introspective melodies of "Cape Earl "Faded Caprice" is a testament to E.R.P.'s artistry and vision. A testament to Gerard Hanson's music landscape, offering audiences a glimpse into the boundless possibilities of sound and emotion.

MEMORIALS jump off the waterslides and head above the clouds with their stunning second album, ‘All Clouds Bring Not Rain’. The duo of Verity Susman and Matthew Simms (formerly of Electrelane and WIRE) locked themselves away in a studio in a barn secluded deep in the woods in southwestern France and re-emerged with a beautiful, unusual record that is both melodic and unconventional. For such an ambitious album it’s striking that it was written, performed, recorded and mixed solely by the two of them. Sounding like an unearthed classic, MEMORIALS twist their influences into their own unmistakable sound. Imagine Nico singing with Can produced by David Axelrod and you’re somewhere in the right ballpark.

The record draws inspiration from a wide range of music including folk, dub, post punk, experimental tape music, 60s soul, garage rock, 70s spiritual jazz and Canterbury prog. This attention to detail in their sound meant finding several other studios to get what they needed to record with, including a harpsichord at 4AD’s studio in London and a vibraphone and vintage Leslie speaker in Stereolab drummer Andy Ramsay’s studio Press Play. Verity’s distinctive, unadorned singing is a focal point of the record, moving from tender to wild. Her vocal melodies quickly become earworms, providing the tuneful heart around which the songs’ more unorthodox elements are arranged, which is where Matthew’s unconventional approach to recording and production comes to the fore. With their adventurous arrangements, classic songwriting skills and innovative production techniques, MEMORIALS have created another mesmerising listen that’s accomplished and compelling in its unique approach yet remains dizzyingly immersive - just like their acclaimed live shows.

After years of shaping dancefloors worldwide and carefully curating the sonic and visual identity of Up The Stuss, Dutch favourite Chris Stussy presents his most expansive and personal statement to date with his debut album, ‘Lost, Found & Forgotten...’. Landing on 3rd April, the album unfolds across three interconnected chapters - ‘Lost’, ‘Found’, and ‘Forgotten’ - each revealing a different side of his creative world across 19 tracks while remaining tethered to a singular wider vision.

At its core, ‘Lost, Found & Forgotten...’ is an exploration of creative freedom. Visually and conceptually guided by the image of a kite, the album reflects movement, perspective, and balance. Floating freely yet always anchored, the kite mirrors Chris’s approach to music: unrestricted in emotion and imagination, but grounded in groove, craftsmanship, and intention. It’s a symbol that naturally extends the Up The Stuss identity; pointing skyward, embracing openness, and encouraging curiosity.

“This album has been a long time in the making, and I’m excited to finally share it with you. The process behind it - exchanging ideas with other artists and creating music outside of my comfort zone - has been an incredible experience. It gave me a true sense of freedom, allowing me to not think about boundaries or expectations. I’ve never been more proud of a project than this one. It’s deeply personal, and it represents my sound as a whole. I hope you listen with an open mind and find something in it that resonates with you.” - Chris Stussy.

The ‘Lost’ chapter opens the album by giving new life to music once left behind. These are tracks written across different moments in Chris’s journey, ideas that never quite found a home until now. Rather than relics of the past, they emerge re-discovered, refined, and fully realised. ‘

Found’ represents inspiration in motion. Sparked by collaboration, digging, and shared creative exchange, this chapter captures the moment when ideas connect, and colour floods the sky.

The album closes with ‘Forgotten’ - a nod to the deeper cuts, the B-sides, and the moments that reward patience. This chapter is for the heads and diggers; tracks that may not demand immediate attention but reveal their value over time.

Released independently and on her 30th birthday, "Water Baby" is Giorgia-May's stunning debut album. Spanning over 8 tracks & recorded live at The Famous Goldwatch Studios in Berlin, Giorgia collaborates with some of Berlin's finest musicians to enhance her craft at putting emotions into songs. Each track highlights something different in her ability to channel pain, desire, lust and heartbreak, all whilst (most of the time) making you want to dance & smile.

Stemming originally from Brighton (UK), Giorgia-May has been pursuing a musical career through the means of travel. Now based in Berlin, she combines sensual lyrics, mesmerising tones and exciting arrangements which draw upon her personal experiences of love, loss and coming into womanhood. Blending soulful melodies with jazzy chords and hints of RnB, she takes influence from writers such as Olivia Dean & Amy Winehouse.

Extensive independent European tour in August & September 2026 through the following cities: Berlin, Paris, Bilbao, Porto, Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Cannes, Milan, Lake Como, Zurich, Luxembourg, Brussles, Cologne, Amsterdam and more ...

On their seventh studio album, Lost Cause Lover Fool (due April 24th on Far Cry/Thirty Tigers), The Milk Carton Kids deliver 9 songs that, more than ever, invite listeners to lean in close and hover in the small moments the album magnifies. Much has changed since The Milk Carton Kids — Los Angeles-based singer-songwriters Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan — burst on the Folk scene in 2011. And The Milk Carton Kids have changed too. But at least one constant remains. Pattengale and Ryan continue to make music that entices us turn down the volume on a chaotic world and dwell as long as possible on what matters most. With rootsy arrangements, Lost Cause Lover Fool expands on the duo’s signature minimalist sound their fans love while also, somehow, making it even smaller. Lost Cause Lover Fool begins with the lonesome pluck and strum of the banjo on “Blue Water.”

Often employed either for lightning-speed or rhythm, here the banjo is handled carefully, with reticence, so that it feels more like light cast across a stretch of grass than a whole bluegrass instrument. Lyrically, this album-opener zooms in on a snapshot of a man walking along a riverside, remembering the child that used to lay on his chest who has now grown to share his worried mind. It’s a moment so small it might easily have been dismissed, except that it holds an emotion as universal as it is fleeting. Lost Cause Lover Fool magnifies many such small moments, turns them into mesmerizing worlds, and reminds us — pleads with us — to pay attention to them as they go by.

2026 Repress

Samurai Music heralds a new seam of spacious, rhythmically curious exploration with the launch of the Saibai sub label, opened in mesmerising fashion by Brendon Moeller.

The overarching premise of Saibai is to nurture a more delicate, meditative inversion of Samurai's physical, dense sound, leaning less on the dynamics of the dancefloor while holding true to the intricate drum play and dubby principles that bind the label's sound together.

In this open-eared, inquisitive environment, Moeller is the perfect fit as an artist with decades of diverse offerings across all kinds of dubwise manifestations. On SAIBAI1, the US-based, South Africa-born producer stretches out with a live-sounding drum palette and exquisitely rendered synth work loaded with detail, character and organic flourishes. It's a light-footed approach with plenty of air flowing through the mix, but there's considerable weight in every notch of the production, not least the imposing channels of sub bass coursing beneath the frequency range.

SAIBAI1 is a feast for the senses, wholly immediate and front-loaded with fascination, setting the perfect tone for Saibai as a platform for charming, immersive electronics that take a fresh diversion from the fundamental core of Samurai's sharply defined sonic focus.

The AMTK+ series on Amotik's self-titled imprint gives room for friends and admired artists to present their futuristic take on techno. For the fifth edition, Italian producer D-Leria joins the team and presents two highly effective, booming techno trips. The first track, 'Filterbank' sets the tone with its punching kick-drums mangled in between buzzing bass lines. His second track, 'Let It Be' shows a rare side from D-Leria where he uses mesmerising vocal chops to create an immersive, driving techno tool. On the flip side, Argentinian artist Translate comes in with some excellent bleepy hypnotism on 'Notation', followed by the darker, pulsating 'Shifted Communication'.

Over a decade has passed since this was released, and it has truly aged like fine wine. This release features 2 timeless cuts from the mind and soul of intrusion, mixed and recorded near the heart of Detroit. This was beautifully remastered by dub innovator and pioneer, Stefan Betke POLE @ scape mastering in Berlin, DE. The recordings were pulled from the session masters conducted by Bazza @ Alchemy Mastering in London to ensure a perfectly balanced mix and preserving the soul and spirit of the original tape master. The first incarnation of "A Gentle Embrace" came in the form of three extended reshapes from cv313 & variant and now we're proud to offer the original work on beautiful crystal/silver mixed clear 150 gram wax! :)

On side A the most pristine of dub techno is on offer here, this is Detroit techno stripped down to its most minimal core. A gorgeous subtle ambient soundscape exploring the deepest end of dub and house with gentle surges of organic elements, field recordings and modular movements simply out of this world. The "Reduction" mix on side B captures those chilling glacial soundscapes, trademark basslines and mesmerizing gaseous atmospheres subtly layer into the mix. Otherworldly to say the very least, this is music to swim in, breathe in and to pray to - for the spirit and the soul. Essential!

ESSENTIAL ITEM

RIPIT is back with a new LP after 3 years spent mostly on the mesmerizing collaboration between THE ÅNGSTRÖMERS- his duo with FRÉDÉRIC ALSTADT -and the Haitian voodoo ensemble CHOUK BWA.

While Ripit is better known for his radical noisy breakbeat work, "A Church or a Factory" explores a more industrial, power electronic and noise ambient side of his synthesizer lust. The instruments abused on this record are: Serge modular, Knifonium and various eurorack modular. The A-side comes with 5 powerful synthetic industrial songs which feature each one a different guest vocalist. The B-side is a long ambient noise piece that will plunge the listener in an anxious meditation.

Ripit is the project of the French NICOLAS ESTERLE for almost 25 years. He explores electronic instruments thru distortion , ranging from industrial hardcore to breakcore, from doom hiphop to dusty dub. Beside his solo project, he's involved in various bands like SOLAR SKELETONS (with TZII), FUJAKO (with HHY) and more recently The Ångströmers.

On the guest side, there's a wild bunch of Nicolas' friends:
- PAUL-TERGEIST is the galactic moniker of PAUL BEAUCHAMP in his band SPACE ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE;
- ANDREA EV is the lead member of 1997EV;
- ROBERT IMHUMAN and DIVTECH are members of the REALICIDE COLLECTIVE;
- TZII is a long-time road comrade of Nicolas and a touring freak spreading his music all over the world;
- ANDRÉ COELHO is known as METADEVICE and is the founder of the now-defunct SEKTOR 304.

The title "A Church or A Factory" refers to the Belgian countryside, wherever you are, you are at least surrounded by a church or a factory. As he just left the urban life of Brussels to escape to the French countryside, he is now lost enough not to have neither a factory nor a church in sight.

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.

More than half a century into its existence, heavy metal still prowls as a living force in the dark, and Vancouver's SPELL summon that spirit with defiant conviction on their fifth album, 'Wretched Heart'. Rejecting the safety of nostalgia, the band; Cam Mesmer, Al Lester, Gabriel Tenebrae and Jeff Black, step beyond retro homage into shadowy new terrain, where harmony guitars blaze like torches against the night and gothic atmospheres coil around songs pulsing with desperation, longing, and wild exaltation. Forged through the fire of the stage and shaped by trusted collaborators, this is SPELL at their most potent: dramatic, vulnerable, and unafraid of excess. From existential laments to bittersweet anthems that shimmer with both steel and sorrow, 'Wretched Heart' beats with a fiercely human pulse. In SPELL's hands, heavy metal is no museum relic but a darkly romantic covenant-restless, cathartic, and forever reaching beyond the veil.

Welcoming prolific and essential Mexican artist Andy Martin to Animalia, with his mesmerising, mind-bending musical interpretation of the Nahual, a common & integral figure of the belief systems of ancient Indigenous peoples of the Americas, which embodies the spiritual connection between humans & animals. In some traditional stories, this connection is so strong that they are said to transform into one of them. Tierra de Nahuales refers to a region of ancient America inhabited by these mythological beings, which in this EP become part of the Animalia universe, shaped by psychedelic broken rhythms, tribal sounds, and dub influences. A release that feels both deeply personal to Andy's musical & cultural identity as well as the label's own - a telling ode to the abilities of the depth & outer worldly sense to his music - a world-building, shapeshifting & one of a kind artist who feels truly at home in the Animalia family.

"Askew indie rock thrills, bubbling, synth-flecked and sitting at a perpendicular to the mundanity of the everyday" - Clash

London-based French chanteuse, multi-instrumentalist & composer Clémentine March shares her new single of entrancing avant-pop ‘After The Solstice’, from her upcoming new album ‘Powder Keg’.

Enriched by influences from jazz, folk and Brazilian music, ‘After The Solstice’ was initially inspired by a time spent touring the UK with acclaimed folk singer Naima Bock. For Clémentine, the song explores “the theme of memory and reminiscence” and employs an absorbing sense of cyclical repetition; a musical device used “to evoke the deja vu sensations we all experience in life”.

Out of life on the road, everyday recurrence and contemplative retrospection, Clémentine creates a profoundly hypnotic anthem on ‘After The Solstice’, both mellow and fervent. Evoking the likes of Stereolab, The Raincoats and Cate Le Bon, it’s a mesmeric singalong of graceful vocal lilts and poised musicianship, with every element moving in beautiful unison.

Recorded & arranged with Ollie Chapman (bass) & Sophie Lowe (drums), and featuring vocal contributions from Naima Bock, Sophie Jamieson, Katy J Pearson, MF Tomlinson, Marika Tyler-Clark, Robyn's Rocket and Alabaster DePlume, ‘After The Solstice’ is the first glimpse of Clémentine’s third album ‘Powder Keg’, following the rich international eclecticism of her debut album ‘Le Continent’, and the beguiling intimacies of her second LP ‘Songs of Resilience’.

The incomparable Hawksmoor return with their latest long player for Manchester's impeccable Before I Die.
Previous self-released outings and those splendid 7's for Soul Jazz have rightfully earned them a place in the lysergic musical canon.
This LP, like their other work, uses a central theme as a hub of influence, permeating the direction each composition takes.
On 'Am I Conscious Now ?' the band explore sonic realms influenced by their experiences with the powerful psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT.
Ego collapse and rebirth sonically reflected through this extraordinary record.
Its intensity is an instant hit and, once you are sucked into its orbit, it's routinely mesmerising and completely absorbing.

Dive into the depths of deep house with "Unexpected EP", the debut vinyl release from an upcoming artist to watch.

This meticulously crafted 12-inch EP showcases a profound love for detail in every element. It´s a timeless record appealing to collectors and DJs alike who crave depth over fleeting trends.

Side A opens with the title track "Unexpected," a hypnotic journey through evolving synths and crisp percussion.

Following seamlessly is "Still Missing," a soulful cut infused with emotive melodies and rolling sub-bass.

Flip to Side B for "Crash & Bang," which thrives on a mesmerizing polymeter figure over which intimate string sounds evolve.

The EP closes with "Sheltered Place," a serene retreat with warm pads and playful percussion perfect for moody after-hours sessions.

Embracing a vinyl-first strategy, "Unexpected EP" drops exclusively on wax ahead of its digital counterpart.

>>> comes in 4c Sleeves

With a soaring, emotionally-charged sonic signature all his own, Sam Goku returns to Dekmantel for his latest four-track EP, Bliss Drift.

As Sam Goku, over the past few years Robin Wang has edged into the beating heart of the contemporary house and techno scene with a rejuvenating sound that reaches from peak time maximalism to immersive introspection. Across a run of acclaimed albums and EPs — including 2024's Radiants on Dekmantel — he's balanced the heavyweight impact of his rhythms with mesmerising melodies and swirling atmospheres. It's precisely this blend he brings to Bliss Drift, writing and recording from the heart and accurately capturing what he describes as a sense of blossoming — "a renaissance into something new yet familiar."

Make no mistake, this is music to make you move. 'Rhythm Drift' and 'Bliss Drift' lead on rock-solid rhythms as springboards for Goku's ascendant tones. Airy, mysterious pads and sampled choral voices meet with glistening chimes that soften the tough edges of the drums — a quintessential demonstration of how to make a tender banger. 'Warm Soils' strikes a deeper, more meditative note enriched with haunting flutes and a heads-down roll to the percussion, while 'Infinity Keys (Sina's Song)' lets rich layers of melodic sequencing dictate the pace in a poised demonstration of techno composition at its most expressive.

Catching the mood as the Northern Hemisphere heads out of the winter months, Goku's unique energy hails a return to the light via four distinct twists on the house and techno tradition.

That’s a project led by a flamenco guitarist who turns out to be a talented lyricist and singer.
Billy Sharp received early support from Billie Eilish on SoundCloud and later from Nils Hoffman, who fell in love with his toplines. This first glimpse into his musical landscape reveals an intriguing personality, touching contradictions, but beyond that and more simply: a voice, a guitar, and mesmerizing melodies.

We're talking about music that moves, transcends, and resonates with the listener's emotions. All the tracks are elegantly carrying the project's message: introspective and passionately intense.

Billy Sharp unveils "Rose Tint," an EP with a strong identity, destined to be one of those timeless pieces. Billy worked meticulously on each of the 4 tracks composing this debut EP, resulting in an impressive outcome. The first notes of the opening track are sure to captivate anyone with their touching vocals and top lines. The EP builds in intensity with each performance, culminating in "2013," a danceable and nostalgic track.

Visionary producer Ibrahim Alfa Jr, who's been traversing the rave's farthest fringes since the late '90s, returns with his most focused and concise set to date, an anthology of undulating, bass-heavy experiments that surveys techno and its distorted history, printing fractured pulses and cybernetic synths over vanishing snapshots of jazz, funk, trip-hop, broken beat, dub and ambient music. It's a body of work that coalesced during a difficult time for Alfa.

After returning to Brighton and sobriety in 2022, he was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, subsequently suffering two debilitating heart attacks. With his immune system compromised, isolation was the only option, so for months on end Alfa devoted each waking hour to his art, recording samples, building digital synths and effects and meticulously sequencing some of his waviest, most experimental material to date. Over this period he finished over 500 tracks, writing impulsively and constantly challenging himself. "There was nothing to hold me back," he explains. "I just had music, I didn't know if I would see the next day."

Now recovered from his ordeal, Alfa looks back at this prolific period with optimism and fondness. It was a chance for him to reconnect with his art holistically, writing purely for himself without any outside influence. Because, at this stage in his life, Alfa has already been through a series of artistic evolutions. When he was still just a teenager, he penned a slew of grinding, jacking techno 12"s (under a variety of mysterious monikers) in the late '90s before re-emerging a decade ago with the acclaimed 'Hidden By The Leaves', an album made up of deeply personal archival tracks that were thought to have been lost. A few years later, Alfa returned wholeheartedly with a series of records for Mille Plateaux that redrew the boundaries of his "Black political music without words." And on 'Infinite Black Inside', those different strands are muddled with Alfa's profound life experiences and he expresses himself free of any self-imposed boundaries, writing quickly on a hybrid analog-digital setup to document as many ideas as possible.

There's a palpable sense of liberation that drives the album's opening track, 'Subutrax', lubricating polyrhythms that isolate the connective tissue between footwork and Detroit techno as they slip between looped electric piano vamps and vaporous synths. On 'Naked Lunchbreak' meanwhile, the beat generation's excesses are illustrated by mesmeric fast-paced acoustic drums that Alfa balances out with brassy drones and euphoric keys. He captures rubbery hits from a Ghanaian djembe on 'Drum Slinger', re-sequencing them into seismic waves that rumble underneath live woodwind blasts. And on 'Capture', decelerated breaks and garbled voices tumble into humid pads, suspending the album somewhere between the chill-out room and the night sky. It's a record of new beginnings and fresh narratives that collapses the hardcore continuum, revealing a sonic signature that's Alfa's alone.

London experimental spoken word and electronics duo BAG land on Phantom Limb with mesmerising new album This House is a Body, marrying visceral poetry with exploratory production to achieve beguiling, occasionally screwy and occasionally dreamy sonics.

“This album functions as a floor plan, a house in itself, collecting and containing the ecosystems of multiple rooms,” write BAG - Canadian artist and poet Jody DeSchutter and London producer Daniel Allison. “The roles we play can be defined by the room we are in; and it can be near impossible to tell what room we are in without looking from outside. This album maps out a number of rooms which hold such relations, memories, or experiences and builds them all into a single house, a single body.” Formed from Allison’s headspinning, depth-mining production for synthesis, field recording, and acoustic instrumentation, and DeSchutter’s lysergic and prophetic spoken word, the palette of This House is a Body can turn on a dime from claustrophobia and dread to hyperreal dream sequence, illuminated in sunstreamed glory in places and dripping with basement effluvia in others. Throughout, words, meaning, and imagery all dissolve into an architecture of alternately familiar and unknowable sound.

It's been more than ten years since Rolando debuted with his sought after self-titled EP on 030303 and it is thrilling to see the producer - who has always managed to remain a sort of best kept secret, admired only by the heads - still surf those high waves of creativity. Lifephorce is bound to be an instant classic, leaving instant marks on the listener's soul with unsettling yet mesmerising chord changes, a heavy throbbing bassline and generally a deep, introspective outlook on the dancefloor. Sterilize the Club brings back memories of face masks (thank you Rolando), but soundwise this is face to the ground stomping braindance material. Just as driving but more melancholic are Dot Zoner and Exit Your Own Realm. Classic Rolando Simmons, this one. If you know you know...

Trinidadian Deep is back with yet another deeply rooted house vibes EP entitled “Dub Nasty” EP!

This powerful collection of three independent tracks starts with the title track, Dub Nasty a seriously deep house excursion with captivating harmonies sonics complimented with a guitar solo which washes over you as you loose yourself to the music.
Track 2 “Sonics and Steel Drums” think sun sea and beach as this one brings up the tempo induced with a groovy bass line and heavily played steel pans that immediately uplifts the vibes which progress into a Caribbean crescendo!!
Head to side b, where Trini brings it back to Native African roots to loose yourself on the dance floor with it’s layered percussion, deep stabs & chords, captivating keys. Along with enchanting and soothing African vocals of serenity that will surely keep you mesmerised !

As always, Trini’s production is infectious, and this EP is no exception! Take a deep breath, listen and enjoy !!

Justin K Broadrick (GODFLESH) and Mick Harris (Napalm Death) drop militant, hard techno on split LP.

New album doubles the track count (and runtime) of the duo's last collab.

Stalwart Birmingham, UK innovators Justin K Broadrick and Mick Harris have connected again as JK FLESH and MONRELLA to deliver the warehouse-destroying hard techno LP SHOUTING THE ODDS, five years after their last EP, SEE RED.

Featuring four tracks from each artist, SHOUTING THE ODDS invokes both the feeling of listening to late night pirate radio and sweating in a darkened warehouse as the rafters shake, complete with the perfect amount of analog wow and flutter. Brimming with gnarled, unrelenting kicks hovering between 130–140bpm, the split format deftly showcases both artist's individual strengths, while displaying undeniable commonality.

Broadrick's side leans traditional hard techno, filled with mesmerizing, minimal synth arpeggios and contrasting toplines, all aligned and maligned by shrewd transitions. Harris' section presents more experimental and house influences, using bright, distorted synth hits and a touch of forlorn melody. The tracks take on a life of their own through expert use of filters and just the right amount of delay, stutter, and glitch.

Never before has an album filled with such shining, shimmering synths been so black and threatening. JK FLESH and MONRELLA have hard techno down to a science.

“No-nonsense old school flavoured techno bangers. We're flying the flag for outsider techno." - Justin K Broadrick

Shed makes his first appearance on Dekmantel with Rave Echoes — a supple, mesmerising album of angular techno caught between the heat of peak time and the time-blurred hours after the club.

A combination of dreamlike atmospherics and rugged propulsion takes on many forms across the album. It's submerged and restrained on 'Loot 25', speckled with sharply sliced breaks on 'Everybody' and scattered across a sparse, steppy soundscape on 'Rave Predator'. Emotive, swooning strings collide with tough, squashed breakstep drums on 'Double Scoop' and 'Taking You Home' thrusts with urgency and rave romanticism in equal measure.

Wielding his signature blend of UK-school soundsystem pressure and Berlin-school techno momentum with poise and purpose, on Rave Echoes Shed offers a perfect impression of those wild, indescribable sensory overloads that leave their mark on anyone devoted to the dancefloor.

After debuting on Delsin in 2023 as Reeko, Spanish techno icon Juan Rico now steps up as Architectural to present his second EP on the Amsterdam based label. Where Reeko is known for his adventurous, highly energized, broken techno bangers, his approach as Architectural is more fine-drawn. Over the course of four tracks, his tracks build slowly into immersive pulsations, pushing deep frequencies into captivating rhythm grooves layered with mesmerizing atmospheres.

Desinteresse releases their second album Onschuld through Fabrika Records on September 9, 2025.

Desinteresse is a Dutch Coldwave act consisting of Bart Vranken (bass), Joppe de Swart (drums), and Sem van den Munckhof (vocals/synth/guitar). Formed in late 2022 as a duo, Bart and Sem released their debut album Voor Altijd in April 2023 and the EP Ik Wil Dood Als Ik Het Vergeet in November 2023, both on cassette through their own label DECADENCE. With the addition of Joppe in early 2024, they released their first work as trio in August 2024, the 7” single Grijze Dromen.

Desinteresse produces their music using original vintage equipment as a deliberate form of artistic expression and identity. Their live performances are a melancholic, but mesmerizing affair, where music and vocals amplify the weight of their message, emphasizing the non-existential and abandoned emotions that define their sound. An absolute delicacy for fans of Fad Gadget, The Normal, Joy Division and early work from The Cure.

The titles and lyrics are in their native Dutch. Onschuld (also the title of the opening track) translates to ‘innocence’. With other titles such as Niets Te Zeggen (nothing to say), Brekend Glas (breaking glass) and Grizje Dromen (grey dreams), this pensive album could be a good-bye to innocence, but it’s certainly the ideal companion for ruminations on gloom.

Stepping up for Punctuality number 8 is the dynamic duo of Ciel and Matthis Ruffing. Needing little introduction, both artists are prolific producers and collaborators across tempos and genres. Toronto-based Ciel has released music on labels like NAFF, Peach Discs, and !K7, while Berliner Matthis Ruffing’s work can be found on International Chrome, Infinite Drift, and Strictly Strictly, to name just a few.

Bonding over a shared love for the techno stylings of Claude Young and early 2000s tech/prog house from labels like Future Groove and Slide, the duo’s collaboration began with a spontaneous jam in Ruffing’s Berlin studio during the summer of 2022. With an organic studio chemistry, the pair continued to jam over the following years. Hot Squid is the result of these studio experiments: five tracks of sleek, muscular, contemporary tech house that fluidly distill the creative visions of both artists—slick, shimmering grooves, heavily weighted for the dancefloor.

The title track, Hot Squid, weaves dubbed-out waves of FX and low-end sonics around metallic, staccato drum bursts, sci-fi pads, stuttered vocals, and syncopated snares that flit and flicker around a rolling bassline reminiscent of golden-era UK tech house from the late ’90s. Roza Terenzi’s remix flips the original into a modern, low-stepping tek roller—a mind-bending re-fix that puts more focus on the snaking vocal groove and a sparser percussion arrangement, filled out with lustrous textures and razor-precise sound design.

On Little Voice, glossy synths and spiraling atmospherics cascade around a mesmeric vocal line, while tightly wound, minimal drum loops give way to a swaggering bassline that barely relents throughout the track. The result is a satisfyingly boshy, groove-driven roller, fit for the dancefloor at any time of day.
Late Summer maintains the EP’s high-grade production standard in the form of a dreamy, electro-leaning tech house number, resplendent with deep, pummeling kick drums, woozy low-end, and organic sonics. Its plucked melody and introspective pads nod to halcyon-era IDM and the Detroit techno that inspired the duo in creating Hot Squid.

The release culminates in Bong Bong—a meditative dancefloor tool suffused with ASMR-like nature documentary samples that lend the track a psychedelic intimacy. Careening percussion lines and swooning chord stabs anchor the rhythm, while the title’s “Bong Bong” mantra hums beneath the surface, carried along by barely perceptible sub fills and ultra-processed percussion. A cohesive, unique, and enduring take on seminal tech house and Detroit techno from Ciel and Matthis Ruffing.

Samurai Music offshoot SAIBAI welcomes legendary producer ASC to expand upon the label's widescreen strain of electronic music plumbing the depths between techno, electronica and broken beat.

ASC is the flagship project for James Clements, a prolific veteran of the scene who started releasing his distinctive twist on drum & bass back in the late 90s. Across a variety of aliases and many different label projects and collaborations, Clements has retained a strong artistic identity defined by steely atmospherics, rhythmic intrigue and precisely sculpted sound design. He brings those qualities to SAIBAI3.

On 'Raijin' the tempo prowls at 90 BPM, all the better to carry the bass snarls and haunted melodies hovering in the middle distance. 'Rasetsu' meanwhile hides its much sprightlier 150 pace behind a half time construction punctuated by a tactile, almost organic set of percussion. 'Kyubi' sinks into a deep, inky well of spatial sound design with just a light smattering of percussion and a weighty kick for guidance. 'Shigure' completes the picture with a mesmeric tapestry of shifting textures and brooding melancholy.

Clements has devoted much time recently to his ambient output, and it shows in the richness of the space he shapes around his needlepoint patterns, while his roots in more propulsive club music show their hand in subtle, understated ways. It's this balance that makes the release the perfect addition to SAIBAI's evolving story.

Limited to 200 copies

Visionary producer Ilija Rudman confidently lands into the Black Jukebox catalogue with a truly mesmeric 2-tracker.

Based in Zagreb, Ilija has carved a legacy over more than two decades in the game throughout which he's released over 100 vinyl EPs and 8 studio albums, collaborating with the likes of Robert Owens, Greg Wilson, Faze Action and Ron Trent.

'Euphonia' opens up with a suave slice that melds deep Detroit shades with the flexible Electro funk of Morgan Geist and Clatterbox. A sawtooth bass climbs steps in the low end while gorgeous synths bend and glide at the groove's core. Crisp, delicate drums kick, snap and shuffle as they guide a low-slung, retro-futuristic trip to the moon.

'Late Checkout' draws for a similar sound palette as rich analogue pads form a magic carpet for Prelude-era synth phrases and another sneaking bass line. The tone is elegant and nothing feels forced as Ilija Rudman traverses the vast sonic territory between Salsoul-era Disco and modern Electro-funk in the most fluent and stylish manner.

For the 23rd entry in our ICONYC catalogue, we welcome rising Swedish star Fahlberg and his collaborative single with German maestro Paul Brenning, ‘Show Me’. Amped by reworks and edits by Hunter/Game, BAILE, and KEVSKI, our latest delivery is a monumental EP that is bound to awe and inspire in equal measure.

Hinting at something emotionally gripping from the onset, the original version of ‘Show Me’ unfurls over a tight frame as a synthetic bed surges to the front before Fahlberg deploys a thundering bassline. Slowly, we start to sway, making our way to a break in the cloud while Brenning’s ever-alluring vocals glide over the piece in a spectral presence, immersing us deeper into the narrative, as crisp arpeggios make their way through brass swells and backing chords. Blissful, yet exciting at every turn, ‘Show Me’ is a dazzling collaboration that invites us to revel in the possibility of a new, warmer dawn.

Taking ‘Show Me’ in a slightly darker direction, Hunter/Game presents us with their own interpretation, an introspective juggernaut that is constantly evolving as it walks the tightrope between light and shadows like only this acclaimed duo can.

Adding a new layer of depth to this package, BAILE gifts us a wondrous remix that fragments ‘Show Me’ in a different light. Employing broken beats and lush, evocative moments, this softer twist is a mesmerizing creation bound to wash the pain away.

Completing this aural gem that is ‘Show Me’, avant-garde electronic-classical duo KEVSKI unveils an exquisite masterpiece, deconstructing the original skyscraper into a sublime menagerie of textures and melodic flourishes that blossom somewhere between melancholy and hope.

Texas-based producer Declan James runs the VOIDWARE imprint and events, also listing music on labels such as Edit Select Records, Max Gardner's Peer, drxvo's Synergie, and Secus' Rituals amongst others. The Dallas native is making a significant contribution to the upcoming generation of American techno producers with both a domestic and international touring schedule.

Beginning with "Pendulums," a classic sci-fi trip with modular bleeps amidst a slinking, bouncing rhythm section for a perfect lesson in patience and restraint.

"Levitation" has an otherworldly feeling and floats along a sparse track of swirling drones, chugging bass pulses, and classy percussion taps for a mesmerising and introspective journey.

"Transmutate" throws down a stuttering kick drum, haunting tones, and bending modular notes for a grooving yet dystopian analogue concoction.

The final track "Absolved" sees a deep dive into details and dub influences. Where eerie rattles and precision production form a memorable dose of sizzling hot, futuristic, and fantastic techno.

In early 2025 Oakland-based Jerod S. Rivera released his second full length Dot-Dash, featuring a collaboration with CST co-founder Cat Lauigan and Jonathan James Carr. From the beginning we were mesmerized with the result, a perfect melding of Cat's processed spoken-word and Jerod's Buchla experimentations.

The thought of remixes presented immediately, the material extra ripe for interpolation. Enlisting friends from geographically and sonically disparate locations to present an ideal remix 12". Something for everyone, something for every setting, a tool with multiple functions...

The mysterious dub/techno/leftfield mastermind behind False Aralia dives further into territory explored on iri.gram, uptempo and dancefloor-ready in a more maximal Perlon-ish way while still embracing a half-time dub feel. Philipp Otterbach (Music from Memory, Offen, RIO) goes deeper into the guitar zone he’s been exploring, channeling Earth 2, Boris, and the like for some heavy drone. Oakland duo DJ ML and Wonja adopt their Motoko & Myers moniker (Future Times, Soda Gong), zeroing in on some choice vocal snippets that mesh perfectly with a live drum break and bassline for a Seefeel-esque version that could have come from a 90’s UK studio. Finally, Slowfoam embraces the more experimental elements of the original with a remix that starts sparse and minimal but builds into a glitchy rhythmic climax.

The 12” includes a 2-sided riso insert and a download code with access to an additional remix by close collaborator Jon Carr that twists the vocals into a throbbing industrial caucaphony.

Texas-based producer Declan James runs the VOIDWARE imprint and events, also listing music on labels such as Edit Select Records, Max Gardner's Peer, drxvo's Synergie, and Secus' Rituals amongst others. The Dallas native is making a significant contribution to the upcoming generation of American techno producers with both a domestic and international touring schedule.

Beginning with "Pendulums," a classic sci-fi trip with modular bleeps amidst a slinking, bouncing rhythm section for a perfect lesson in patience and restraint.

"Levitation" has an otherworldly feeling and floats along a sparse track of swirling drones, chugging bass pulses, and classy percussion taps for a mesmerising and introspective journey.

"Transmutate" throws down a stuttering kick drum, haunting tones, and bending modular notes for a grooving yet dystopian analogue concoction.

The final track "Absolved" sees a deep dive into details and dub influences. Where eerie rattles and precision production form a memorable dose of sizzling hot, futuristic, and fantastic techno.

Strong one on Voyage Direct from Rotterdam's Benny Rodrigues...TIP!

The label say "Benny Rodrigues seems to delight in confounding critics. Since making his debut alongside Darko Esser with 2007's Underwater Records-­-released 'Paradox', the Rotterdam-­-based DJ has surprised and excited at every turn.

Variously delivering woozy tech-­-house, rave revivalism, stripped-­-back minimal, jackin' acid, wide-­-eyed deep house and, under his occasional ROD alias, shirts-­-off warehouse techno. Along the way, he's released music on some of Europe's most prestigious labels, including Desolat, Soma, EC Records, Be As One and Wolfskuil Records.

Here, he makes his debut for Tom Trago's Voyage Direct imprint with two undulating, hypnotic, heads-­-down tracks that blur the boundaries between house and techno. Rhythmically loose but impressively tough - like all of Rodrigues' best productions - both cuts are built around mesmerising late night grooves and intoxicating chords.

'Master French' kicks things off, lacing nagging shakers, subtle synth strings and fluttering chords over a robust, shuffling tech-­-house groove. Rodrigues works the mix like a master, bringing elements to the fore before sliding them into the background. It's a simple, heads-­-down, 4am groove, but it's executed brilliantly.

'Z', on the other hand, is an altogether breezier affair, with repetitive, new age-­- inspired synthesizer melodies seemingly drifting over a rock solid house groove. Notable ride cymbals and warm beats proper the track forward, giving it a humid, tropical feel. This is music to move the body, mind and soul. "