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'Nobody', der an der Westküste ansässigen Vokalgruppe Hodges, James Smith & Crawford ist seit langem ein Club-Klassiker für Funk-DJs und wurde von David Holmes gefördert. Das Original liegt mittlerweile bei etwa 100 £ und Ace Records veröffentlichen es zum ersten Mal auf 7inch. Für noch mehr Vergnügen wurde die Single um das bisher nur auf CD erhältliche 'It Cracks Me Up' als B-Seite ergänzt.

LP in printed inner sleeve. The Joy of Coincidences is the debut album from the intriguing Barcelona-born and raised musician and singer-songwriter of British and German descent. The songs are stories and related feelings that reflect upon mankind observed through our eyes in different circumstances. This reflection is told through intimate music coming from folk-inspired pop.



The Joy of Coincidences is the debut album from the intriguing Barcelona-born and raised musician and singer-songwriter of British and German descent. Within the midst of movement, noise and chaos of the city, Bianca Steck searched for calmness and silence in order to write these twelve songs. Whether in a bar, on a tram, under a tree in a park, on a bench or on the balcony of her little apartment in Brussels overlooking the square, there must always be room for curiosity regarding the world we live in. Hence, this album was born through her compelling need for a conscious observation of our society and surroundings.



The songs are stories and related feelings that reflect upon mankind observed through our eyes in different circumstances and the consequent understanding of ourselves along this process. This reflection is told through intimate music coming from folk-inspired pop. Rooted in classical tradition, Bianca Steck chooses instruments such as harp, cello, double bass, upright piano, and flugelhorn and blends these warm sounds with synths, omnichord, drums, electric bass... in a very delicate way in order to create a dreamy landscape of sound. This carefully chosen music together with lyrics that tell real down to earth stories seen through the eyes of her imaginary world are the realm of this work.



BiancaSteck sees coincidences as small and playful interruptions of our everyday concerns, of life. We live in extremely uncertain times where many worries reign over our minds and there needs to be some kind of lightheartedness to move forward, to survive. Within all this complex spiral of thoughts, in the Joy of Coincidences the essential seed of simplicity prevails over the existential crisis.



The album is produced together with Catalan pianist and composer Nil Ciuró and features guest appearance Hania Rani with whom Bianca Steck toured as a support act across London, Paris, Berlin, Utrecht, Antwerp and other European cities and venues.

All demos were recorded in her apartment in Brussels with very simple means and were later on recorded in a studio in the mountains of Catalunya.

Bárbara Salazar aka Barbarelle is an experimental multidisciplinary artist from Buenos Aires, known for her conceptual work as a DJ, creative director, and curator.

‘Celesta’ marks Barbarelle first foray into composing and producing her own music; a debut that reveals the intimate, heartfelt territories of her creative universe. The culmination of years of composing for herself - ‘behind closed doors’ - ‘Celesta’ is a deeply personal, self-guided masterstroke of beguiling, free-flowing ambient soundscapes and DIY electronics. With ‘Celesta’, Barbarelle artfully transitions from ardent music aficionado to fully-fledged artist, unveiling an enchanting sonic world that has quietly matured over time.

‘Celesta’ is an exquisite odyssey of sound, assembled from fifteen tracks recorded between 2022 and 2024 in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles. Conceived as spontaneous and intuitive explorations, many of these tracks were recorded in one take without technically-minded premeditation. The product of organic experimentation rather than concrete intention, ‘Celesta’ is an authentic, candid record of emotions, memories, and profound interiorities.

Over time, the pieces in this tapestry found a common thread: a conversation with the ethereal, defined by emotional intensities and softly spoken utterances. ‘Celesta’ is an invitation to immerse yourself in soundscapes that merge to the point of dissolution, evoking the transparency of water and the lightness of a dreamlike world that transcends matter. Like the song of a siren, the voice becomes just another instrument, beyond language yet full of significance. A collection of songs that feels like opening a secret diary; a direct pathway to the centre of the heart.

In addition to her work as an artist, Barbarelle is the founder of Atlas, a platform dedicated to active listening through radio, live performances, listening sessions and more. She is also known for her radio show of the same name on Dublab, where she shares her unique approach to sound with eclectic selections and interviews with the likes of Air, BADBADNOTGOOD, Lucrecia Dalt, Juana Molina & more.

Valentina Goncharova's work encapsulates a unique blend of innovation and tradition, providing audiences with an enthralling exploration of the vast possibilities within musical expression.

Drawing upon her compositional skills honed during her academic studies, Valentina expertly manipulates the violin, seamlessly integrating it with synthesizers and drum machines. The result is a mesmerizing fusion of organic and electronic elements, characterized by slow, pulsating drone soundscapes.

Written, performed and produced by Valentin Goncharova. Recorded in 2023-2024 in Tallinn, Estonia.

A long standing resident of the infamous FOLD in London whose risen to prominence with electrifying performances across Europe and a growing discography on esteemed labels such as Ear To Ground, Natural Selection, Raw Quarter, Laburnum, and Mhost Likely , Andromeda unveils her debut on Rant & Rave with Dark Matter EP. Drawing inspiration from the raw essence of 90s techno, with it she hones in her skills with modular synthesis and hardware production.


The EP opens with the title track, where a brooding tapestry of foreboding synths gradually rise in pitch and complexity, simulating the mysterious expansion of the cosmos. Lost Planet follows with hypnotic leads and an unyielding rhythm section. Appropriately titled Black Hole follows which cuts through with razor-sharp stabs and a resonating bassline. Closing with El Abismo, Andromeda ventures into darker sonic territories. This track is a no holds barred assault, where interwoven synth lines clash against commanding percussion and a punishing kick, asserting dominance over the dance floor with commanding force.


As a digital bonus, Andromeda invites Severn Electronics label owner, 7XINS, who delivers an outstanding remix of Black Hole. With his signature sound, 7XINS layers complex synth textures and reverberated drum patterns that twist the mind and tease the senses, crafting a remix that is as intricate as it is impactful.

Die aus Koblenz stammenden CURSE OF KHATRU sind weder Kumpel-Death-Metal noch vermummter Okkultismus oder was auch immer für eine "metallische" Modeerscheinung... Sie stehen für authentische Musik in der Tradition von Bands wie Death, Morbid Angel, Pungent Stench und Grave. "Unser Debütalbum klingt nach der Art von Death Metal, die wir mögen: entfesselt, aggressiv und songorientiert." 11 mega-eingängige Songs + Intro, technisch auf höchstem Niveau, werden den Hörer akustisch umhauen. Versprochen. Das selbstbetitelte Album wurde zwischen Oktober 2023 und Februar 2024 von Jörg Uken in den Soundlodge Studios Rhauderfehn (Keitzer, Maat etc.) aufgenommen. Das Cover-Artwork stammt von Noah Zark.

Die österreichische Indie-Institution Garish tröstet die Welt mit dem ersten Studioalbum in acht Jahren: 'Am Ende wird alles ein Garten'

Garish, das ist längst eine musikalische Institution, die sich Trend- und Kommerzialitätsdebatten mit nüchterner Nonchalance entsagt und vielmehr ein eigenes Universum geschaffen hat. Mit eigener Sprache, eigener Farbe, eigener Emotionalität. Seit zweieinhalb Jahrzehnten sind Garish ein solch stabiler Anker. 'Am Ende wird alles ein Garten' ist das achte Studioalbum von Garish und unterstreicht, warum und wie sich das Quartett über so lange Zeit treues Publikum erarbeitet und erspielt hat. Texter und Sänger Thomas Jarmer bedient sich der ihm eigenen Gabe, eine Fülle an Lebens- und Beziehungsgeschichten gekonnt mit der gesamtgesellschaftlichen Stimmungslage zu verweben. So mannigfaltig die Interpretationsmöglichkeiten sind, so übertragbar und treffsicher scheinen die Bestandsaufnahmen, wenn man auf die große weite Welt blickt. Garish sind nicht zurück. Sie waren nie weg. Und so soll es auch bleiben.

Blasé is a French-American pop artist, composer, arranger, producer, singer and author. Since his childhood and adolescence in New York, he experimented, mixed together 70s rock, electronic music, disco and hiphop, to create a sound that will take him directly to Paris with his first band Haute, with Anna Majidson. A first hit will be born, «Shut Me Down», whose session Colors accumulates more than 30 million views on YouTube.

After this first success, and following numerous collaborations with various artists such as Agoria, DJ Pone, Lala&ce, Niro or Jwles, he found his musical signature and started solo. The UFO Blasé released his first EP «Why Blasé? » in 2023 on Record Makers label, a unique fusion of Chic, The Strokes and Manu Chao.

Blasé releases his first album «BLABLABLA» in 2025, an album that stands as a personal manifesto of his sound obsessions that open almost as many tracks: 15 original titles in search of the groove.

With his educated ears to the radio and charts across the Atlantic, he honors this generous vision of pop that encompasses old-school hip-hop, R&B, jazz, funk, disco and new-wave, and navigates between different styles in the manner of American artists. Some songs are in French while others are in English, featuring singer Anna Majidson, rapper Jwles, and the late American artist Cola Boyy. So we go on «BLABLABLA» from a studio haunted by Quincy Jones to a cellar where he rehearses The Cure of «Boys Don’t Cry».

In between the Golden Earring albums 'Seven Tears' and 'Together', both guitarist George Kooymans and singer Barry Hay worked on solo material. Kooymans’ album 'Jojo' was released in December 1971 and was the result of a sparkling and short period of recording sessions at the Phonogram Studio in Hilversum, where he recorded a collection of songs with some of the best Dutch session musicians – among guitarists Eelco Gelling (Cuby + Blizzards) and Hans Hollestelle and saxophone player Bertus Borgers (Sweet d’Buster). Thanks to the spontaneous recordings, the personal lyrics - with help from George’s friends Bruce Kirkman and Jerry Voisin - and Harry van Hoof’s string arrangements, 'Jojo' achieved a cult status and became a collectors' item soon after release.

The album has been remastered from the original Phonogram Studio master tapes and includes a recent interview with George Kooymans about the making of 'Jojo'.

'Jojo' is available as a limited numbered edition of 750 copies on light green coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Five for Fighting achieved a hit record with "Superman (It's Not Easy)" in 2001 leading to his America Town album going Platinum.

For the follow-up, The Battle Of Everything, John Ondrasik went into the studio with Bill Bottrell, best known for his production work with Sheryl Crow.

On the influences behind Battle and its recording, Ondrasik said, "When I was a kid I could put on Dark Side of the Moon, turn up the sound in my headphones, lie down in the dark, and go away. I wanted that experience again, and so Bill and I were ambitious to the point of absurdity. If we wanted drama, we'd get a thirty-piece orchestra. If we wanted a rock edge, we went after it with reckless abandonment. It was like doing my own private Quadrophenia."

The Battle for Everything was released in 2004. The first single, "100 Years" was a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album itself was certified Platinum in 2009. and is now finally available on vinyl for the first time.

This is a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl. The LP contains a 4-page booklet with lyrics and pictures.

High Roller Records, ULTIMATE EDITION, 4th pressing, 180g black vinyl, ltd 350, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover (revised) , lyric insert, poster (revised), black vinyl bonus 7" in picture sleeve, restored & mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony, Cutting by SST Germany on Neumann machines for optimal quality on all levels

Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann (SML, Anna Butterss, Duffy x Uhlmann, Perfume Genius), Josh Johnson (SML, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet & New Breed, Meshell Ndegeocello, Anna Butterss, Leon Bridges), and Sam Wilkes (Sam Gendel, Louis Cole, Chaka Khan). The three improviser/arranger/producers' impressive individual credits encompass such a wide stylistic pendulum swing that a collection of group music from the trio could mine any number of musical territories with masterful results. I n these 11 instrumental songs, the trio explores a spacious lyrical curiosity that could b e described as a jazz-informed take o n progressive electro-acoustic chamber music.

Conceived during two live shows at ETA and a session at Uhlmann's house in Los Angeles, the album maintains a focus on beauty, melody, and rhythm as the pieces unfold, with the trio pushing their instruments and highly-dialed effects to sculpt otherworldly sounds with the collective sensibility o f a rhythm section. The ethos of these instant compositions is arrangement-minded improvisation that showcases the mournful beauty of Uhlmann's fingerpicked electric guitar, the hybrid rhythm-lead of Wilkes' bass chording, and the textural harmonic worldbuilding of Johnson's effect-laden alto saxophone.

‘Moonlight Concessions’ goes back to basics, a return for Throwing Muses to their esoteric off-kilter best courtesy of Kristin’s pin-sharp sketches and their suitably abrasive musical arrangements. The album follows their acclaimed ‘Sun Racket’ from 2020, a heady set filled with tough and tender tales spiked with surreal imagery. Produced by Kristin Hersh at Steve Rizzo's Stable Sound Studio in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ is a collection of snippets from everyday life writ large - think Raymond Carver Short Cuts, overheard conversations, recounted happenings and telling one-liners, all sewed together to illustrate the times as they slowly mature, fully peppered with original Muses’ vim and vigour. ‘Drugstore Drastic’ is a kerbside soliloquy caught en route to a more alluring rendezvous. Built on a brisk acoustic strum with a guitar sub-melody underpinning proceedings, it’s an unfolding tale of social awareness from a blurred sub-conscious. ‘Summer Of Love’ began as a bet with a guy for a dollar that revolved around the idea that the seasons don’t change us. The album opener, it’s a haunting baroque overture, bowed and brooding. ‘Libretto’s strings offset the acoustic ambience, the hot and cold of longing at the very heart of it, a thematic driver filed with warmth in a safe haven lubricated by tequila. Written in the differing South Coast environs of The Gulf Of Mexico and Southern California, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ pulls from the star clusters that light both, generating optimism and hope in varying degrees. Hersh explains, “In New Orleans the stars look greenish-blue, as it’s below sea level and swamp-lit. But on Moonlight Beach, they glow icy white. All these songs were written in these two glowy places, which helped our sonic technique find itself.”

Chaotic Shimmer is a collection of songs that vary in texture and genesis. The A side has a stronger sense of familiarity with the more rocking numbers, while the B side stretches out in more exploration. Some of the same electronic elements of 2024's Black Holes Don't Choke can be found in songs like "Music For The People" and "Caught Waiting". There is also a subtle nod to Minor Threat in the lyrics of "Caught Waiting". The track "Path I'd Like to Follow" is dreamy and meditative - channeling JJ Cale or late sixties San Francisco fog. The opening track is a rocket ship waiting to escape the dull confines of this singular consciousness, and it creates a space for the title track to transcend at will. All of the songs were recorded by Charles Moothart at his studio in Los Angeles. He wrote, performed, recorded, and mixed everything heard on this album. Reserving the right to do as thou wilt is rock and roll 101. The world is chaos, and chaos is creativity. To accept and embrace this is to tap in to the Chaotic Shimmer - a transcendent energy. Music is for the people. Charles Moothart is a multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He plays guitar in bands like FUZZ and Primitive Ring, as well as drums in GØGGS and Moonhearts. He was the touring drummer for Ty Segall's Freedom Band, as well as the Ty Segall and White Fence collaborative tours. Moothart has also released solo work under his initials CFM.

On her forthcoming record, Rose Cousins holds our hands as she guides us on a journey through the "conditions of love." Ever the emotional explorer, the acclaimed, Nova-Scotia-based folk artist seeks truth, in all its imperfection, in the depths of our most complicated of emotions: love. Co-produced with trusted friend and longtime bandmate Joshua Van Tassel, this new collection of songs sees Rose return to her first love, the piano. “Piano is where I feel the most connected. It’s the best partner in expressing the emotion I’m mining,” she shares. Rose’s work as garnered her two JUNO Awards (2013’s We Have Made a Spark & 2021’s Bravado), two Canadian Folk Music Awards, eleven East Coast Music Awards and one Grammy nomination (2018’s Natural Conclusion), along with praise from the likes of the CBC, No Depression, LA Times, Billboard, Folk Alley, and NPR, who raved “Cousins’ disarmingly fluid vocal tone has the ability to convey the most internalized feelings without an ounce of fuss.” Over the years, she has shared stages with Patty Griffin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jann Arden, Bruce Cockburn, Josh Ritter, Kathleen Edwards, Joe Henry, Aoife O’Donovan and Anais Mitchell, and her music has fittingly underscored scenes from notable TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Fire Country, Station 19, and Batwoman, along with several independent films.

A 1985 live performance from the Velvet Underground’s cult icon!

Nico’s doom-laden contralto voice, the bizarre choice of a harmonium for accompaniment, and the sheer eeriness and other-worldliness of her repertoire mark Nico as one of the most extraordinarily original performers of the rock era.

Sun Ra was a master of misdirection. Tape boxes wrongly labeled—whether by accident or design—are legendary among Ra archivists. One can speculate about the artist's intent or carelessness, but source misinformation abounds on Ra tape cases, album jackets, cassettes, ephemera—as well as in interviews. It's as if Ra, in furtherance of his own mythmaking, wanted to keep historians guessing.

This project began as a misidentified tape discovered by Michael D. Anderson of the Sun Ra Music Archive. The 7-inch reel, which contained a live Ra solo piano performance of 11 works—some recognizable, others not—was of stellar quality, and was marked as a 1979 Carnegie Hall date. But the program on the tape did not align with known facts (e.g., titles played, concert duration) which were chronicled in a Newsday review of Ra's appearance at Carnegie in September of that year. With a prod from writer/historian Ted Gioia and further research by myself, the tape was eventually identified as a mostly unreleased July 1977 performance by Ra at a downtown NYC "jazz café" called The Axis-in-Soho.

Sam Moss is a songwriter and instrumentalist based in Virginia. His next LP, Swimming, will be released on February 7th, 2025. Past albums have been acclaimed by publications like The Boston Globe, NPR, The Wire, and Paste. He has played hundreds of shows around the country and shared bills with Jake Xerxes Fussell, Joan Shelley, Diane Cluck, Doug Paisley, and others. He is also a woodworker.

Best known as a founder member of Submotion Orchestra, as well as Matthew Halsall’s pianist for many years & lately keyboardist for Portico Quartet, Taz Modi now returns with his long-awaited second solo album - the haunting and elegant ‘Involuntary Memories’ on Sehnsucht Records.

Recorded across the country on a number of different pianos, the album builds upon the eclectic nature of his debut ‘Reclaimed Goods’ by aiming to bring as wide a range of expression into post-classical piano music as possible, whilst also melding subtle electronic influences.

The debut recording from one of jazz music's most revered pianists! First U.S. vinyl release!

All-analog remastering by Bernie Grundman.
"Byard is absolutely brilliant...highly recommended." - All Music

Originally recorded in 1960, briefly released in Japan in the early ’70s, it wasn’t until 1988 that Jaki Byard’s solo debut, Blues For Smoke, was widely released. Even then it was more of a secret handshake among fans than the catalog cornerstone it should have always been. Now, Candid has finally created the definitive edition of this lost masterpiece for all to experience.

Byard backed generations of jazz icons, including Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Roland Kirk, and Quincy Jones.

As a bandleader and soloist, he went on to build his own catalog of iconic recordings across three decades while establishing himself as an educator and mentor to the next generation of artists, most notably, Grayson Hugh, Fred Hersch, and Jason Moran. Blues For Smoke is where it all began.

Recorded as a solo-piano showcase for Byard’s incredible gifts as a player, composer, and jazz historian, the exquisitely engineered session is given new life by Bernie Grundman’s sensitive remastering. With this release, Candid is hoping to make Jaki Byard’s very first album the rosetta-stone of jazz piano it was intended to be.

JP’s historic restoration carpentry has continued to be a baseline for his relationship to music; the yin to his yang, the Burt to his Ernie, the Dolly to his Porter. It was through this concurrent line of work that he met another twice-initialed singer with a penchant for old Americana music, obscure film, and overly elaborate ethnic meal preparations: one JD McPherson. The two became fast friends and would eventually, through many twists, turns, false starts, and biblically-proportionate plagues, enter a modest studio in Nashville to record Harris’ latest album.

Over the course of nine months in 2023, they recorded a sometimes lush, sometimes sparse, and sometimes jarring country album of Harris’ originals, loudly and violently squelching any attempt to pigeon-hole a song into any subgenre of country music. Only albums by Lee Hazelwood and an obscure folk album Waylon Jennings made when his hair was still short were allowed to be mentioned in reference. Featuring the guest vocals of Erin Rae, The Watson Twins, Shovels & Rope, and producer JD McPherson himself, the record is equal parts satire, reflection, and apology to those that would listen.

In a musical landscape of period-correct reproduction, “outlaw” internet posturing, and flavor-of-the-month variants on country,

“JP Harris Is A Trash Fire” burns bright as a dumpster in a Walmart parking lot on a moonless night; some will fear it, some will gravitate to its acrid warmth, and most will have no idea what to make of the situation. Harris has been steadily elbowing the definitive boundaries of “country music” wider with every album, both sonically and lyrically, and his latest piece of self described “Avant-Country” is no exception.

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

compiled by tsunaki kadowaki
artwork by yoshirotten
mastering by kuniyuki takahashi

Tsunaki Kadowaki, a staff member at Kyoto’s record store Meditations, the supervisor of "New Age Music Disc Guide", and the founder of Sad Disco, curates the fourth installment of "Midnight in Tokyo" themed around Ambient Kayō.

The Midnight in Tokyo series by Studio Mule focuses on Japanese music, serving as a soundtrack for Tokyo nights—whether for home listening, club play, or as a driving BGM, transcending location and space. After a six-year hiatus, the fourth volume takes "Ambient Kayō" as its new perspective, compiling genre-defying tracks released between 1977 and 1999 to explore the intersection of Japanese ambient and pop music.

For this long-awaited fourth installment, selections were made regardless of record label status (major or independent), era, format (vinyl or CD), original release price, or prior reissues. Instead, the focus was on music that deeply moves the listener, is open-minded and evocative, brims with inspiration and spiritual insight, and embodies the "utagokoro" (singing heart) of Japanese artists.

Opening the compilation is "Umi e Kinasai" by Yōsui Inoue, a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter whose works have recently gained renewed interest as hidden gems of Walearic and ambient pop

Composed and arranged by Katsu Hoshi—who is also known for his arrangements on Inoue’s masterpiece Ice World—the track features renowned players such as Masayoshi Takanaka, Hiroki Inui, and Shigeru Inoue. The song embodies a yearning for Balearic horizons, tinged with youthful vibrancy and sentimentality.

Next, "Oritatamu Umi", compiled from Keiko Nosaka, a 20-string koto player, and George Murasaki, a pioneer of Okinawan rock, is an instrumental track from their album "Niraikanai Requiem 1945". As the title suggests, it carries themes of requiem and remembrance, conveying poetic lyricism even without words. Blending Ryukyuan/Okinawan harmonies and indigenous elements, it unfolds as an intimate and nostalgic piece of progressive rock.

Also featured is "Natsu no Kowareru Koro" by Higurashi, a folk-rock band led by Seiichi Takeda, formerly a guitarist of The Remainders of The Clover, the predecessor of RC Succession. Like the opening track "Umi e Kinasai", this song was also produced by Katsu Hoshi. It stands as a folk/new music piece that takes a step into an "otherworldly" realm, recommended for fans of Twin Cosmos and Masumi Hara.

From the enigmatic Blue, the only work left by the mysterious composer S.R. Kinoshita, comes "Mangrove", a hidden treasure of Japan's ambient/new age scene from the CD era. With an oriental and enigmatic atmosphere, the track evokes a mystical world of deep, uncharted jungles, unfolding as an otherworldly New Age Kayō.

"Yaponesia Sakura", selected from Rehabilual’s sole album New Child, is a masterpiece of Japanese new age music. Produced by Swami Dhyan Akamo, a disciple of Indian meditation teacher Osho and a renowned balafon player, the track features Michio Ogawa (Chakra) and Atsuo Fujimoto (Colored Music). Their collective artistry creates an exquisite spiritual ambient pop sound.

"Asa no Hitoshizuku", the opening folk song from Sachiko Kanenobu’s album Sachiko, is also included. Known for her legendary folk album Misora, produced by Haruomi Hosono, Kanenobu’s fourth album after resuming her career was inspired by her experiences living in San Francisco and revolves around the theme of "love." This track carries the same intimate poetic world as Misora, imbued with a pure, crystalline innocence.

From the synth-pop band E.S. Island, known for the Haruomi Hosono-produced *Teku Teku Mami", comes "Yume Fūrin ", selected from their long-lost new age classic Nanpū from Hachijo. Created while the band’s core duo was living in Hachijō Island, the album aimed to sonically capture "the high and happy vibrations of everyday island life." This track offers a dynamic, tribal-infused New Age Kayō experience.

Dubbed "the world's first Min’yō House Mix" "Esashi Oiwake (Maeuta) " comes from Kanazawa Akiko HOUSE MIX Ⅰ, a collaboration between Japanese house music pioneer Soichi Terada and Akiko Kanazawa, a renowned min’yō singer. Through the prism of club music, Hokkaido's Esashi Oiwake, one of Japan’s most iconic folk songs, is transformed into a futuristic ambient pop piece with intricate sound design.

The compilation also includes "Sweet Ong Choh", a track from Voice From Asia, a group active between 1989 and 1992 featuring vocal artist Shizuru Ohtaka. Taken from their imaginative minimal work Voice From Asia, released under Aoyama Spiral’s music label Newsic, the song presents a tranquil, tribal-minimal soundscape enriched by ethnic instruments.

Hailed by Haruomi Hosono as having “a shaman residing in her voice,” singer-songwriter Nami Hōdatsu also appears in the selection. Known for her collaborations with Henry Kawahara, her debut album featured "Asa-Hikari-Ame-Yume", a track that now stands as a precursor to modern vocaloid/synthesized vocal music—a hidden gem of post-choir aesthetics that deserves rediscovery.

Likewise, "Tennessee Waltz", from Naomi Akimoto’s album One Night Stand, supported by members of Mariah, serves as another early prototype of vocaloid/synthesized vocal music. The track weaves fragmented vocal samples, pastoral yet sweetly minimal synth sounds, and mechanical beats into a strikingly unconventional piece in the history of Japanese music.

Closing the compilation is "Heaven Electric", a track from Nav Katze’s album Gentle & Elegance, which featured remixes by Autechre, Seefeel, and Sun Electric. Merging elements of IDM, ambient techno, and chillout, the song embodies an optimism reminiscent of space music while seamlessly blending a mystical Japanese aesthetic—an ambient pop masterpiece.

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The album presents 12 exquisite pop tracks infused with an ambient feeling, resonating deeply with the evolving landscape of the mid-2020s—a time of post-hyperpop and Y2K revival.

Tsunaki Kadowaki (Compiler)

Born in 1993 in Yonago, Tottori, Tsunaki Kadowaki is a staff member and buyer at Kyoto’s Meditations record store. He is the editor of New Age Music Disc Guide (DU BOOKS) and a contributor to Music Magazine, Record Collectors' Magazine, ele-king, and more. Kadowaki has written liner notes for multiple Japanese releases (Brian Eno, Masahiro Sugaya etc.) and runs the Sad Disco music label under Disk Union. He also curates Spotify’s official New Age Music playlist and performed as a DJ at YCAM’s Audio Base Camp #3 in 2024.

Freivogel / Sinclaire with their debut Untitled consisting of three live recordings made using only a concert flute and an Octatrack M1. The recordings are live taken from improvised sessions and have been left unedited.

Shifting between playful and austere, the simple goal for these sessions was honest improvisation; comfortable in both its limits and potentials. Placing classical instrument performance and extended playing techniques alongside heavy sonic processing and cavernous acoustics, they are in some ways uninfluenced by genre, governed only by a drive to find moments of clarity amidst chaos.

Recorded in single takes using a simplified setup of the flute – played into a microphone and wired through an Octatrack – every sound heard in the recordings comes in one way or another from the flute as a single sound source, manipulated and looped on the fly with additional live improvisation over the top.

The result is a timeless capsule of heady drones, offbeat electronics, and mischievous flutes, captured during a time when the world stood still. Scuzzy at times, glistening at others, and ever-optimistic in the pursuit of something new.

Adam Sinclaire is a flautist who has worked with artists such as Billy Bultheel and Ziúr, recorded for labels including PAN and Purple Tape Pedigree, and performed for institutions including KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Schinkel Pavillon, and Martin-Gropius-Bau. His practice focuses on using extended playing techniques to explore the limits of the C flute.

Marco Freivogel is a producer and composer who has released an extensive discography on labels including Mannequin Records and Veyl, and collaborated with artists including dBridge, Mare Nero and Mathew Jonson, remixing artists as diverse as Hercules & Love Affair, Shackleton and Yappa. His Prequel Tapes project sits between utopian and claustrophobic, tracing harsh industrial atmospheres and levitational ambient from a lifelong obsession with sonic extremes. Marco currently works on compositions for film and television, alongside his own releases and collaborations. The EP will be released on 14 February 2025 as limited vinyl and digital via Midnight Shift. Art direction by Mauro Ventura.

All record profits from this release will go to 3ezwa.de, providing financial and legal support to those facing repression for their commitment to the Palestinian cause.

Ancient Japanese spirits meet contemporary electronic music in *Yokai Parade EP*, a mystical collaboration between Italian producer Volantis and Japanese artist Hiroko. Inspired by a psychedelic experience in Kobe where train sounds summoned supernatural visitors, this four-track journey merges folklore with modern dance music through a unique blend of hardware synthesis and haunting vocals.

The title track “Yokai Parade” leads listeners into a shadowy realm where Hiroko’s Italian narration intertwines with Japanese train announcements, calling forth ancient spirits. Eden Burns transforms this nocturnal tale into a hypnotic, percussion-driven remix that deepens its ceremonial essence. On “La Kappa,” Hiroko embodies a playful water spirit, her accented Italian dancing over dreamlike sequences. Fabrizio Mammarella’s Italorama Version injects classic Italo disco energy, creating a perfect bridge between Japanese mythology and Mediterranean dance floors.

Co-produced with Niccolò Barozzi, this vinyl and digital release captures a unique moment where East meets West, and traditional folklore dissolves into electronic rhythms.

Formed in 2010, LORNA SHORE is quick to surpass expectations with 2012’s “Bone Kingdom” EP and it’s follow-up, 2013’s “Malificium” EP. Through each release, LORNA SHORE continues to prove themselves to be an increasingly formidable force and a ferocious live proposition. 2017’s sophomore LP, “Flesh Coffin” showed a band that had moved beyond mere “deathcore” trappings and had evolved into a modern metal band, as uncompromising and accomplished as any of their contemporaries or influences. “Flesh Coffin (Re-issue 2025)” comes with a vinyl master by Will Borza and is available as black 180g LP.

With a much-loved signature sound heavily influenced by many active years in the trance scene, Fernie’s blend of emotive pads and cosmic soundscapes has secured him a discography that spans some of deep techno’s most revered labels. Having releases on the likes of Monument, Khoros, KVLTÖ and Informa Records to name just a few, as well as heading up his own imprint Space Textures, curating the Monument podcast, and co-running the Orbits parties with fellow Glaswegians Deepbass and Repart - Fernie’s passion for the deep techno community resides in the energy he consistently commits to our scene.

The third release in our catalogue comes as a limited edition 140g transparent vinyl with black smoke, pressed in Italy and presented in a matte sleeve with full colour artwork. Celestial is a carefully woven journey that searches and probes, be it the outer reaches of space or the inner depths of oneself. Perfectly blending the themes of space exploration and astrology, the EP opens with a brooding wash of atmospheres and voice samples, before broken rhythms, lush pads and moody ethereal tones carry the voyage through the A Side. The B Side sees the record open up into two tracks perfect for deep immersion on the dance floor, with Unbound offering an atmospheric cruise fit for early morning bliss. And finally, we are humbled to have a remix from deep techno stalwart Ness closing out the EP - a ritualistic stomper that reworks the original atmospheres of Critical Functions into an uptempo dub techno infused gem.

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY has had more than its share of out-of-nowhere bands following from the second big bang that was punk rock. The Babylon Dance Band, Circle X, Your Food, Squirrel Bait, Bastro...these are but some of the exceptional music acts originating in Louisville after 1977. Now it"s time for the great secret of the Louisville first-wave punk scene to be revealed: The Endtables. The Endtables were the crazed brainchild of guitarist Alex Durig, brooding chess-master of the amplified freak-out, and singer Steve Rigot, a flamboyant transgender giant from the shores of southern Indiana who reinvented himself as a Warhol Factory superstar. Like Scarlett O"Hara wrapped in a green velvet curtain, Rigot crafted his own glamorous reality from what was available in the blasted cultural landscape of 1970"s Kentucky. Gold spray paint, duct tape, Ace bandages ... a spectacularly other trailblazer who caused folks to toss their received ideas of beauty and go with the new thing instead. The band first took the stage in late 1978 and was finished by the summer of 1980. In the fall of 1979 they recorded six tracks at a Louisville studio, four of which came out on a 7" EP on their own Tuesday Records. The two remaining tracks ("White Glove Test" and "Trick or Treat") were issued as a single on Self Destruct records in 1991. Both records are among the rarest of any American punk release - more sought after than seen, passed on disintegrating cassette tapes and shouted over upon impact. The music of The Endtables is another chapter in pure American weirdness, as jaw-locking today as the day it was recorded. The scent of modern can be detected in Steve Rigot"s remote vocalese, set against Alex Durig"s guitar outbursts, while drummer Steven Jan Humphrey and bassist Albert Durig (age fifteen!) supply frenzied rhythm. The band rocks its fevered vision to a ferocious degree while Rigot grimly rhymes the truths that remained locked out of the public"s pop tastes in "79-"80. Thirty years of rap and roll later, The Endtables seem inevitable.

"Invisible Threads" is a sonic assault that penetrates the darkest depths of existence. This album explores themes of human degradation, unspoken fears, and wars that ravage not only bodies but also minds. A fierce manifestation of death metal, "Invisible Threads" overwhelms the listener with a crescendo of sonic brutality and raw emotions_an unrelenting frontal impact from the first to the last track, destined to leave a lasting mark.

"Invisible Threads" is a sonic assault that penetrates the darkest depths of existence. This album explores themes of human degradation, unspoken fears, and wars that ravage not only bodies but also minds. A fierce manifestation of death metal, "Invisible Threads" overwhelms the listener with a crescendo of sonic brutality and raw emotions_an unrelenting frontal impact from the first to the last track, destined to leave a lasting mark.

Red vinyl. Released in 1982, III Wishes marked a new chapter for Shooting Star, as it was their first album without founding keyboardist Bill Guffey. Despite the lineup change, the band continued to refine their signature blend of melodic rock and soaring instrumentation, further establishing themselves in the AOR scene. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still leading the charge, III Wishes showcased powerful hooks, tight musicianship, and the band's signature violin-infused rock sound. While it didn't achieve mainstream superstardom, the album reaffirmed Shooting Star's underrated brilliance and commitment to delivering heartfelt, high-energy rock.

Red/Black splatter vinyl. Released in 1982, III Wishes marked a new chapter for Shooting Star, as it was their first album without founding keyboardist Bill Guffey. Despite the lineup change, the band continued to refine their signature blend of melodic rock and soaring instrumentation, further establishing themselves in the AOR scene. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still leading the charge, III Wishes showcased powerful hooks, tight musicianship, and the band's signature violin-infused rock sound. While it didn't achieve mainstream superstardom, the album reaffirmed Shooting Star's underrated brilliance and commitment to delivering heartfelt, high-energy rock.

Akae Beka’s inimitable style, developed over decades of performing with St. Croix based band Midnite and countless recordings (including the 2014 iTunes reggae album of the year BEAUTY FOR ASHES and RIDE TRU). At the point of his untimely passing in 2019, he had released over 70 LPs. He is without a doubt one of the most prolific reggae artists ever known and his quantity is always matched with quality, with his albums consistently featuring in the top 10 on the Billboard charts reggae LPs.

This LP, Topaz, is a unique contribution to the sea of Akae Beka titles, showcasing Vaughn Benjamin in a stripped-back, raw acoustic fashion. An LP that will not be easily confined to any genre, but for the fans of Vaughn's uniquely rich, deep, textured songwriting, uncompromising devotion to RasTafari and soulful healing melodies an absolute must-have!

When it comes to musical discovery, sometimes the stars just align. DJ and record collector, Steve KIW, put Mr Bongo onto this amazing Chilean cover version of Jamie Principle & Frankie Knuckles' all-time classic 'Your Love'. Despite being originally released 13 years ago, it had recently started to prick the ears of house and Balearic connoisseurs in the UK, further cemented by inclusions in the Idjut Boys epic sets. Steve heard them play it, tipped us off and it soon became a favourite at Mr Bongo HQ.



By pure chance when the Mr Bongo DJs joined Luke Una to play at La Paloma ballroom in Barcelona a few weeks later, Luke dropped this incredible interpretation at the peak of his set. A good friend of his, Michelle from Huddersfield, had also put him onto the track and he instantly fell in love. A serendipitous coming together, 'Tu Amor' seemed like the perfect next instalment in the E Soul Cultura discography. The version in question was released in 2012 as part of a digital-only EP.



It came courtesy of the Chilean DJ, producer and singer Mamacita (Carolina Vallejos) and producer Sebastian Roman, aka Persona RS. Meeting Sebastian while out partying in Santiago during a boom time for electronic music in Chile, their shared passion for making house music in Spanish and their admiration for Frankie Knuckles led to the creation of this raw and unique cover version. Recorded on lo-fi equipment, including an old Windows laptop and a borrowed Neumann microphone, it nods to the DIY ethos of the early Chicago productions. The result is a stripped-back, quirky cosmic take on a stone-cold classic, full of squelching synthlines and Carolina's stunning Spanish vocals, that became a club hit on Chile's underground circuit. However, aside from some Latin American and US DJs picking it up, it never got the international recognition it deserved.



Fast forward to 2025, and E Soul Cultura is proud to present the glorious 'Tu Amor' on vinyl for the first time, backed with a new, extended, club re-edit by E Soul Cultura captain Luke Una and Luke Solomon (Classic Music). On first hearing 'Tu Amor' Luke Una recalls, There was a real charm to it, it was quite an unorthodox arrangement, a huge wonkiness and just sounded so DIY in a brilliant way. I was chatting to Luke (Solomon) about how much we loved it and we decided to re-edit it together. Accentuating the wonk of those crazy synths, we've extended it to make a fiercer underground club tool, without taking away that very charming cosmic feel.

Imbued with the spirit of their late uncle, the qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali have returned with another deeply accomplished, moving collection of songs that ache with the frenzied anxiety of falling in love and dreamy desire of devotion, At the Feet of the Beloved. Their vocals and arrangements are refined and, together with their party, they build a world that helps the listener connect to another one. Brothers Rizwan and Muazzam Ali Khan are the contemporary torchbearers of the rich Qawwali musical tradition using their extraordinary voices to transport listeners to another, spiritual dimension. Performing together since the late 1990s, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali have developed a devoted worldwide following with their exceptional live shows and acclaimed albums, including A Better Destiny and Days of Colour. In great demand with global followers, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali have performed at festivals and venues including Barbican London, WOMAD festivals in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and some of North America’s most prestigious performing arts centres.

PRESSED ON BLUE SPLASH COLORED VINYL!

Executive Producers: Benny the Butcher & ElCamino

Benny the Butcher Presents: The Outcome, the new compilation from B$F and Buffalo-based producer ILL Tone Beats, is now available on vinyl. The project boasts star-studded features from artists such as Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and Westside Gunn, who provide hard-hitting verses over Tone’s dynamic production. The album’s 14 tracks, produced entirely by ILL Tone, showcase the distinct sound of B$F that has drawn acclaim from critics and fans alike.

"The journey from Belfast to Los Angeles, entwined with a lifetime spent at the coalface of bona fide rock n roll, has made for a heady cocktail of creativity and popularity. Ricky Warwick, founder of The Almighty, Black Star Riders, The Fighting Hearts, acclaimed and respectful frontman of Thin Lizzy since 2011, remains unstoppable.
This time he’s on a solo run with the release of his new album Blood Ties. "

Very little is known about Joe Prichard or his sidekicks, except that the band, which hailed from Missouri, drew its inspiration from influences far and wide, resulting in each of the five tracks being very different in character, ranging from the power chords and staccato guitar breaks of the Jimmy Page variety, to the throaty sax of 12-bar blues specialists Climax as well as the dual guitars of ZZ Top. There’s even a nine-minute jam a la Jethro Tull or Traffic with flute and sax giving a decidedly jazzy feel to proceedings. Originally released in 1974, this is another extremely rare record now reissued by Riding Easy Records. "Pro-sounding 1970s rarity with a ballsy rock sound and songs ranging from ambitious prog over bluesy bar-rock into macho FM rock postures. It’s solid across the board with excellent guitar leads, soulful vocals, and a versatile band. Keyboards, woodwinds and elaborate arrangements provide a prog-AOR vibe that may turn some off, although there’s enough groove to keep one’s attention throughout the four long tracks." – (Acid Archives)