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We Jazz Records kicks off their new series of archival 7" releases with Esa Pethman "In Belgium 1967" released 23 September 2022. The two-tracker is licensed from the Belgian VRT radio archives and both of the pieces are previously unreleased. Finnish jazz legend Pethman, heard here on alto flute and tenor sax, joins forces with European jazz greats such as Heinz Bigler, Uffe Karskov and Jean Fanis. This is a small but valuable piece of unheard European jazz history from the early heyday of modern jazz. The physical release is a quality "inside-out"-styled EP with 3mm spine and small center hole on the 45rpm vinyl.

An excerpt from the liner notes by Mikko Mattlar:

"Esa Pethman (b. 1938) was one of the key figures of modern Finnish jazz in the 1960s. His album The Modern Sound Of Finland was the first Finnish modern jazz album and his composition "The Flame" a true modern Fenno-jazz evergreen.

Pethman was born in Kuusankoski, 135 kilometres from Helsinki in the Kymenlaakso area. The jazz scene was active even though it was an area of rural landscapes and paper mills. Pethman discovered jazz when he heard a Charlie Parker record being played at a local music shop in the late 1940s. Following Parker, bebop became his favourite style of jazz.

Young Pethman played flute and saxophone in local bands who accompanied schlager singers. They played tangos and waltzes for dancers, but usually started a typical dance event with an hour of jazz. In 1959 Pethman moved to Helsinki to study music at the Sibelius Academy. Back then it was a strictly classical music academy, but Pethman later described the studies as crucial for his development and career. He quickly made his way to studio sessions and into the best orchestras in Helsinki.

As a student of composition, Pethman also began writing his own music. "The Flame" was a melody he just got on his mind one night, and he decided to write it down. The catchy composition was released as a 7" single in 1964, a year before Pethman's debut album. Both records stand as benchmarks for modern Finnish jazz. The album consisted entirely of Pethman's compositions, not versions of jazz standards like a lot of the Finnish jazz released until then.

In the mid 1960s, Finnish jazz was also taking its first international steps. Pethman's quintet took part in the first Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in June 1967. At the Montreux jazz band competition, the quintet came in fourth of the twelve contestants. Despite not winning the competition, the band got an honourable mention, and Pethman was now recognized outside Finland.

In December 1967 Pethman travelled to Brussels. His visit was organised by the national Finnish broadcasting company Yleisradio and their jazz program producer Matti Konttinen. Konttinen was supposed to go to Brussels with Pethman, but the musician ended up traveling alone.

In the Decca recording studios Pethman played two songs. He recorded a version of his most famous composition "The Flame", where he played the alto flute and was accompanied by Belgian musicians. On Swiss saxophonist Heinz Bigler's composition "Like Steel", Pethman played the tenor saxophone. The band was now more international, consisting of Bigler, the Italian Francesco Santucci, the Dane Uffe Karskov, a Belgian rhythm section and Pethman. After 55 years, Pethman still remembers Bigler's remarkable skills as a saxophonist.

The two-day visit included the recording session, a dinner and a concert. Pethman and the other non-Belgian musicians came to Brussels mainly to play at a jazz concert organised by the European Broadcasting Union EBU. They played at the studio first, and the concert was held the following day. Pethman and all the other soloists played as members of an international big band. The studio and live session were produced by the Belgian Radio and Television jazz section leader Elias Gistelinck."

JAF Trio emerges on Helsinki's We Jazz Records with their debut LP on 3 July. The young Finnish-Danish band includes saxophonist Adele Sauros (of Superposition), bassist Joonas Tuuri (of Bowman Trio)
and drummer Frederik Emil Bülow. After a string of lauded live performances over the past couple of years (the band was awarded with the "We Jazz Rising Star" accolade at We Jazz Festival in 2017), the trio is now ready to present their first studio work.

Sound-wise, JAF Trio has an approach which brings the band very close to the listener, "loft jazz" style. The sax, bass and drums are right there at the forefront together, creating a remarkably strong presence. The original material of the band has depth and groove alike, at times leaping forward with giant steps, at times calming things down to really stretch time. The music is very melodic and rhythmic, as withnessed by single tracks "Ninth Row of the Fifth Floor" and "Dark Sparkle". There's a sense of playfulness in the repetitive riffing on "Something New" and an air of sombre melancholy on "Shades of Tomorrow".

"JAF Trio" will be released by We Jazz Records on 3 July on vinyl, CD and digital. The vinyl version comes in a heacy-duty "old school" tip-on sleeve. The cover design features the artwork "Red" by Finnish visual artist Maija Lassila.

Gothenburg trio Dark Horse present their new album "Listen", released by We Jazz Records on 13 November. The band, comprising of John Holmström (piano), Alfred Lorinius (bass) and Mårten Magnefors (drums) recorded their second album in a remote cabin by the ocean in Norway, owned by Holmström's family. The natural sound of the album owes a lot to the relaxed surroundings and the result is some high degree of improvised music turning into collective composition as the music unfolds.

The album recording took place at a very active spot in the trio's calendar, following extensive touring in Europe, Japan and their native country Sweden. The two days of improvising were edited down to highlights that easily fill an album's worth of quality listening and reveal what playing live brought to the three musicians: A natural ability to react to ideas, build on them and form coherent, compositional tracks on the spot. A task much easier said than done.

"We're a non-conceptual basement band all the way", laughs pianist Holmström. "We have been moving from free form music into collective composition and this is our pinnacle recording with that idea thus far. We just set out to play as honestly as possible and this is what followed."

A testament to the power of a fixed band unit developing over time, "Listen" comes across as a work by a group constantly keeping its nose to the wind when it comes to developing their music. The long-form opener "Allas Favorit" is a monumental piece building and releasing tension along its 12+ minute length. First single "Brutet Groove" assumes a fascinating, almost mechanic-sounding swing while assembling and reassembling the pieces of the puzzle, and the closing track "Fjäll-låten" gives us something of an ever-shifting sonic landscape in glorious colors, much akin to its name ("Mountain Song" in Swedish).

"That one Fjäll-låten includes some of the best musical moments of my life so far" confirms bassist Alfred Lorinius. "It's actually an edit of a 20-minute improvised sequence, and it has the real feeling of the band coming together and doing something new and fresh in the moment. I feel it's something you can revisit as many times as you like and there's always something to find in there."

Dark Horse formed in 2012 after Lorinius joined Holmström and drummer Mårten Magnefors to complete the group. Things quickly started taking shape musically from there on, but the group took their time in honing their craft with a method they now refer to as "tryout development". Their self-titled debut album appeared in 2015 and the current We Jazz album "Listen" marks the first internationally distributed release for the trio.The roots of Dark Horse lay firmly in the buzzing creative music scene of Gothenburg, Sweden, where the members have close ties with local establishments such as the legendary venue BrÖtz, and the city's vast scene of highly-regarded musicians.

In brief, "Listen" presents Dark Horse gloriously putting into use their musical philosophy what they describe "improvising as composing together".

"Listen" by Dark Horse is released by Helsinki's We Jazz Records on 13 November 2020 on vinyl and digitally. The vinyl comes in a heavy duty tip-on sleeve and the album design features the painting "Overwhelming Structure" by the Helsinki-based visual artist Maija Lassila.

The dynamic duo of tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy and drummer Teppo Mäkynen return with a double LP of live recordings captured in 2019 and 2020. The We Jazz Records release "Live Recordings 2019-2020" follows the duo's 2019 LP which was shortlisted for "Jazz Album Of the Year" at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards. While the studio album versions were studies in improvisational brevity, the live album lets the long-time collaborators really let loose and build memorable sonic narratives around the compositions. The album is produced and edited by Teppo Mäkynen, also known as a sought-after producer with the knack for looking at the big picture.

From the subtle minimalism of "Fallow" via the ambient of "Aero" to the riff-heavy groove of "Calling James", Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen breathe their music as one unit, building it based on a mutual trust as fellow musicians. Their duo shows have quickly become celebrated examples of what a long history of playing together can enable on stage when paired with the right mindset and a shared musical goal. This live album follows the ethos of both documenting what's happening and expanding on what was captured in the studio earlier.

Double LP gatefold on WHITE or BLACK vinyl.

The dynamic duo of tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy and drummer Teppo Mäkynen return with a double LP of live recordings captured in 2019 and 2020. The We Jazz Records release "Live Recordings 2019-2020" follows the duo's 2019 LP which was shortlisted for "Jazz Album Of the Year" at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards. While the studio album versions were studies in improvisational brevity, the live album lets the long-time collaborators really let loose and build memorable sonic narratives around the compositions. The album is produced and edited by Teppo Mäkynen, also known as a sought-after producer with the knack for looking at the big picture.

From the subtle minimalism of "Fallow" via the ambient of "Aero" to the riff-heavy groove of "Calling James", Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen breathe their music as one unit, building it based on a mutual trust as fellow musicians. Their duo shows have quickly become celebrated examples of what a long history of playing together can enable on stage when paired with the right mindset and a shared musical goal. This live album follows the ethos of both documenting what's happening and expanding on what was captured in the studio earlier.

Double LP gatefold on WHITE or BLACK vinyl.

Guitars On Life solves a nagging mystery about the fate of a musician who stood out as a singularly spectacular bloom even in the verdant creative fields of the San Francisco Bay Area at the turn of the century. After more than two decades of recording silence and about a dozen years away from the bandstand, Jack West is back, still immediately recognizable as a guitarist and composer but miles from the last stop on his ongoing musical journey. There’s poetic symmetry in discovering that his detour from life as a performing musician involved fruitful work devising innovative solar technologies, as he had similarly distinguished himself as an inveterately inventive musician. When we last heard from West he’d carved out a vibrant niche as a guitarist with a percussive attack and lustrous group sound. Wielding a custom-built eight-string acoustic guitar with uncommon rhythmic dexterity, he released six albums featuring his original tunes, mostly recording with his band Curvature (though he also played mesmerizing solo recitals). West’s knack for crafting glistening, minutely detailed soundscapes full of surprising twists and oddly inviting textures prompted NPR to describe his work as “a whole new sub- genre of jazz.” Drawn back to performing in recent years, West saw guitarist Walter Strauss at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage in 2022 and suspected he’d found a kindred spirit. Intrigued by Strauss’s unusual approach to guitar, West “wondered what a musical conversation might sound like between two guitarists who had developed such uniquely different ways of playing the instrument.” An invitation to play together led to them writing the tune ‘More Guitar,’ the bravura opening track that launches Guitars On Life. Several months later they spent a week in Florida together writing intensively, resulting in most of the material for this consistently thrilling project.

Her natural command on stage, paired with a voice that feels quietly seasoned, has made her one of the most exciting young live musicians emerging from the region. Now, with her first release, a double single featuring the raw, one-take folk recording 'Poison Ivy' and the dreamlike, psychedelic shimmer of 'Forget About' -- Grant introduces the full spectrum of her sound. One track close to the bone, the other lost in a dream, both unmistakably hers. 'Poison Ivy' was recorded when Grant was just 16, in a spontaneous midnight session after finally playing her songs to her dad. With only one microphone, no click, and a single take, the track became a time capsule of her earliest songwriting voice -- fragile, real, and impossible to recreate.

Now featuring Dan Bridgewood-Hill's evocative violin, it stands as a folk recording filled with warmth, instinct and unfiltered emotion. "I tried re-recording it," she says, "but nothing touched the magic of that first take." In contrast, 'Forget About' showcases Grant's emerging production instincts. Influenced by Zero 7, the song began as a kitchen jam before evolving into a lush mix of psychedelic keys, airy electronics and indie- rock textures. Self- recorded in Logic, the track reveals a new dimension to her writing, cinematic and rhythmically hypnotic

The news arrives in tandem with the release of two powerful new singles, "The Toughening" and "The Softening", shared in recognition of World Mental Health week At its core, 'Everythinglessness' is a record about masculinity and the mental health crisis facing young men, a subject Wolfe has lived through and now gives voice to with unflinching honesty. Turning his own experiences of depression, anxiety and ADHD into something raw, intimate and cinematic, Wolfe invites listeners into a world where vulnerability is not weakness, but a form of survival. Written after a period of intense personal reckoning, including time spent in a mental health rehab facility in 2023, 'Everythinglessness' is Wolfe's most emotionally resonant work to date, an album that unpacks what it means to be a man in a society that often demands silence and stoicism instead of softness and support.

Wolfe's voice channels the emotional resonance of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Nick Cave, while his songwriting explores everything from grief and generational trauma to love, loss and survival. The singles have been getting loadsa positive press. Radio support includes interviews and live performance on BBC London, Times Radio & 5 Live. More to come. Album launch show in Hastings, followed by UK and Europe tour supporting Alice Merton.

Goose Bumpsis Hutter's second solo release and was produced by Hi-Style Records's Jimmy Sutton (JD McPherson, Pokey LaFarge, The Bellfuries). Sutton assembled an all star cast of musicians, including Alex Hall (engineer, drums) and Joel Paterson (guitar). Almost all recording was done live at the analog Hi-Style studio in Chicago. Bonafide contemporary rock star JD McPherson wrote "Everybody's Valentine" for Hutter; it could easily find its way into the next Bond film. Emanuela's influences draw from disparate historical musical threads like doo- wop, German punk, and classic country. From the balladry of "Monday Morning" to the punk-surf rock of "The Voices," Hutter's original songwriting shines throughout. Goose Bumpsis a must listen for fans of modern rock with a classic twist

Falter is the 5th full-length album from New Zealand-based composer/-multi-instrumentalist Micah Templeton-Wolfe, working under the moniker Stray Theories.

Templeton-Wolfe has consistently woven together the cinematic sweep of ambient music, the refined structures of neoclassical composition, and the emotional cresting arcs of post-rock. With Falter, those intersections are more deeply blurred, yet more boldly explored.

Transparent Red Vinyl.

The title Falter evokes wavering, hesitation, uncertainty of intent and yet the album stands in sharp contrast to that concept: Templeton-Wolfe’s performance here is marked by a quiet but unmistakable confidence.
From the first notes, the listener is immersed in an atmosphere in which the music feels like a cinematic means of passage, a journey toward redemption. Optimism is present, but ever cloaked in doubt; moments of
contemplative solace sit side-by-side with streaks of melancholia. One senses something looming within the sound-world of Falter. As though the heart itself can tell something is coming.

In this respect, Falter may well rank as the most affecting release in Templeton-Wolfe’s canon to date. While his earlier work had always balanced delicate textures and evocative atmosphere, here he pushes into a more expansive emotional terrain. Only the hopeful refrain “Lifelines” brings the album fully into brighter territory , hinting that redemption is possible, that the journey through doubt is not endless.

Jadu Heart’s Wanderflower and Ezra’s Garden reissued together on vinyl for the first time.

Since their 2016 debut EP, Wanderflower, Jadu Heart has been slowly building a catalog of electro-pop, R&B, and psychedelic bops. The UK-based duo, consisting of Alex Headford and Diva Jeffery, now has roughly 30 songs that are a collective myriad of immersive soundscapes.

Jadu Heart's Wanderflower was a project released as part of a school project at The British and Irish Modern Music Institute in 2016. Diva described the project as a "story of two characters - Dina and Faro - who get cursed in a temple and every song in Wanderflower corresponds to a different chapter in their story." Their tutor sent the EP to Mura Masa who immediately took a liking to the duo and made them an opening act for his album release show. They were subsequently signed to his label and given the same manager.

The couple's sophomore EP, Ezra's Garden, is a continuation of Jadu Heart's now-signature DIY, psych-funk sound inspired by Jai Paul. The tracks are accompanied by a visual component on Youtube, as Spotify hadn't quite explored the necessity of visualizers yet. After the fantastical characters were introduced in Jadu Heart's first EP, the second EP explores the relationship between Dina and Faro when they are whisked out of the cursed temple and stumble upon a friend who takes them to a machine that shoots them through the galaxy.

Emerging from the Ukrainian darkness in 2011, Kaosophia blend the raw energy of black metal with dissonant tones and emotionally resonant melodics. Their music is a sonic tapestry woven with intricate guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and haunting arrangements.
The band recorded their first demo “Towards The End” which was self-released by them in 2012 on a limited edition cassette.

2013 saw their first album “The Origins of Extinction” released on CD and cassette and the band followed up with many shows across Europe. 2017 saw Kaosophia expand and deepen their abyssal sounds even further with the monumental “Serpenti Vortex”, with lavish cover art produced by occult master artist Dávid Glomba, it rose Kaosophia to the upper echelons and forged their name as one the best and most formidable black metal acts in the scene at the time.

After a long period of silence, bloodletting and transformation, Kaosophia return with their darkest, most mature and powerful work to date. 2025 sees the return of Kaosophia with their new album “Beyond The Black Horizon”.
A dark and malevolent opus that explores themes of darkness, existentialism and the human condition. Delving deep into the complexities of the mind, the fragility of existence and Death itself.
Kaosophia preach orthodox ideas of Satanism in the most straightforward and ruthless form - total unconditional worship. Self-destruction as the overcoming of human essence and the cognition of pain to gain access to another level of reality's perception.
It is time to enter the end of days and venture beyond the Black Horizon…

Originally issued in 2002, from the band formed by UFO vocalist Phil Mogg with guitarist Jeff Kollman (Cosmosquad/Mogg/Way), drummer Shane Gaalaas (Glenn Hughes/Uli Jon Roth) and bass player Jimmy Curtain, soon after the release of UFO studio album Sharks. Sparkling with melody, this album combines guitar-based rock and soulful blues perfectly.

With her sophomore album JAWBREAKER, Sam Quealy cements her status as one of pop’s most daring new voices. Like the cult candy it’s named after, JAWBREAKER is bold, addictive, and dangerously fun — a sugar-coated explosion of chaos, glamour, and emotion.

Produced alongside longtime collaborator Marlon Magnée (La Femme) between their Paris home studio and the legendary Studio Ferber, the album marks a striking evolution from Blonde Venus (2023). Here, Quealy trades the sharp edges of techno-pop for a lush, disco-infused sound, blending live instrumentation and cinematic sheen with her trademark anarchic energy. The result is a record that feels liberating, hedonistic, and deeply human — a vibrant antidote to modern gloom.

From the euphoric escape of “LONDONTOWN” to the dark romance of “LOVE LASSO”, and the shimmering pop fantasy of “GIRLS NIGHT”, Quealy channels a thousand versions of herself — club queen, rock diva, dreamer, and provocateur. The ethereal duet “BY MY SIDE” with Magnée closes the album in a haze of tenderness and light.

A multidisciplinary artist — singer, dancer, performer, and visual visionary — Quealy extends her universe through spectacular music videos and high-energy live shows that merge fashion, choreography, and raw emotion. On stage, she’s magnetic: a whirlwind of hyper-femininity and power, commanding every room with unfiltered authenticity.

With JAWBREAKER, Sam Quealy delivers a fearless pop statement — an exhilarating fusion of sensitivity, chaos, and self-expression that confirms her as a genre-defying visionary ready to take over the world.

After “Comme Jean Reno”, Flora Fishbach unveils a new extract from “Val Synth”, due for release on Sept. 12. On “Des bêtises (pt. I)”, she continues her 80s vein with a Europop / FM sound inspired by Niagara. On a production by M. Declerck (Justice, Kavinsky), the singer reveals her radiant and popular side: she sings “Tout ce que je fais, c’est vraiment pour te plaire” like an acid candy.



La Machine (Sept 18) sold out in just a few days, Zénith and tour all over France starting in 2026!

When I first started Future Retro London, primarily as a club night, the first event was meant to take place in April 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the date got pushed to June 2020 in the hopes that venues in the UK would have re-opened by that time. They very much were not re-opened by then and navigating the various lockdown periods that occurred meant the first event didn't actually happen until December 2021.

Dead Man's Chest was part of the original lineup intended for the first event but by the time it was actually able to happen, he had temporarily relocated to Portugal & it meant he wasn't able to make it for it. Various attempts were made afterwards to try & include him in events I was doing but nothing came together until I finally had him play the 2nd joint event I did with Distant Planet in December 2024.

He runs a label called Western Lore which I've featured on previously, with 2 different remixes I did of Plastic Face by Response & Pliskin, as well as a track featured on the first Blunted Breaks compilation. It only made sense to eventually work on a joint label project as his label is a key figure in the current wave of jungle music, plus I hadn't put any music from him on Future Retro London yet so now I can finally tick him off the list!

Big up to Dead Man's Chest for his work on the collaborations & for his involvement in making this release a reality.

Following his acclaimed releases on Violent Cases 006 VC006 and “Arriving In Nebula” VC10.2, as well as the magnificent launch of the sublabel Mysteries with his track “Ether” on Mysteries #1 [MSTR1], Austrian producer Van Der Wiese returns to Violent Cases with a new chapter in his sonic explorations. “Vestiges” unfolds as a deeply atmospheric EP with four tracks that balance melancholic introspection with subtle euphoria.
Each track feels like a fragment of a memory - traces of rhythm and emotion woven together in a delicate balance. Layered sound textures, immersive basslines, and shimmering harmonies create a mood that is both physical and reflective, inviting the listener to float between pulse and perception.
The release is designed - once again very impressively - by Darkam, who was inspired by the track “Haniwa.”
Her illustration captures the mysterious and organic spirit of the EP and offers a visual counterpart to its haunting emotional depth.
With “Vestiges,” Van Der Wiese defines his unique position within the contemporary Tekno scene - precise yet emotional, restrained yet resonant.
A release that lingers long after the last note has faded away.
And above all, this is because Pozek, as mastering engineer, has succeeded in delivering a very balanced EP.
A must-have for all good collections.
Each EP comes with 2 posters, a digital download code, and 2 artwork stickers.

Dubcore 27 features DJ Badshape from Leipzig’s vibrant breaks and bass scene with her full vinyl debut. She already made her solo debut with Hurrican Kick on Defrostatica Records and dropped some tunes on some compilations like Bassmæssage Second Drop as well as on cassette on human togetherness. While producing tunes she dj and regularly uploads her Temper mixes on SoundCloud.

The first two tracks, “Facebreaker” and “Entitled,” were produced shortly after Bangface. Hours of waiting at Humberside Airport turned into long talks about music — the festival's energy and conversations inspired this creation. The tune “Spring Bird Symphony” is the first track I produced with the KO2 media sampler from Teenage Engineering. It was the best birthday present my boyfriend could have given me! You hear the spring fever in it? ;) Finally, “Der Fallende Bach” is an ode to the flora and fauna of the Austrian Alps, imagining the joy a drop of water must feel as it rushes down a waterfall, riding nature’s own rollercoaster.

Neue Grafik has steadily built a strong reputation in recent years with releases on esteemed labels such as Rhythm Section, 22a, CoOp Presents, and Wolf Music. His sound is a distinctive fusion of jazz, house, and hip hop, infused with his African heritage, Parisian background, and a deep appreciation for London genres like broken beat and grime.

Neue Grafik first made a lasting impression on the community at Total Refreshment Centre (TRC)—the heart of London’s thriving jazz scene—during a spontaneous after-hours jam. Since then, there has been collaborations with notable artists including Nubya Garcia, Emma-Jean Thackray, Brother Portrait, Lord Apex and Allysha Joy.

The new album, ”Rachael”, is set for release on January 30th 2026. It stands as Neue Grafik's most ambitious project to date. Developed over the past year, the album explores themes inspired by the character of Rachael from the movie Blade Runner, representing the journey of love in all means, intimate, raw, tough, organic and honest offering a rich, emotional journey that balances lightness with depth—an introspective dive into the artist's evolving musical identity.

2024 Repress

One of the defining releases on Large Music gets a special re-issue after a 16 year wait. Considered by many to be one of the top 3 packages in the early Large catalog, this EP set the trajectory for what would quickly become known as the "West Coast" sound of American House. The main vocal on side A also became a venerable classic at the Shelter in NYC and was played consistently by Timmy Regisford throughout his tenure there. The darker, more disco filtered tones on the flip side were also highly praised and played at the time by French DJs such as Daft Punk, Phil Weeks, Cassius and many others. Rasoul is often overlooked as one of the chief architects of modern Deep House, yet this release certainly secures his elite standing in the annals of House Music history. Essential!

Repress!

4 To The Floor are committed to delivering seminal house music to wax, making sought after heritage tracks readily available on vinyl for crate diggers to add to their collections. On Volume 1’s A-Side you’ll find a track with one of the most famous lyrics from house music history MD X-Spress’ ‘God Made Me Phunky’, the record has inspired countless producers to sample and remix it, but this 90’s gem still sounds amazing in its original glory. On the flip are two mixes of a Three Kings classic, ‘Shake Dat Booty’. The A Pal Joey Interpretation matches looped vocals with harmonious keys that perfectly complement each other, while the Wahoo Main Mix utilises energetic drums and techy synths to up the ante.

More than thirty years after conquering dance floors across Europe, Mo-Do’s “Eins, Zwei,
Polizei” returns in a special picture disc reissue, available in record stores from January
30, 2026.
Originally released in 1994, the track quickly became a defining anthem of 90s eurodance,
blending driving electronic beats, a hypnotic German-language chant, and an infectious
club energy that still feels fresh today. Mo-Do turned a simple counting rhyme into a
worldwide phenomenon—one that continues to ignite dance floors, throwback playlists,
and DJ sets around the globe.
This new picture disc edition goes beyond sound, offering a highly collectible visual
experience. The striking design enhances the iconic imagery associated with the project,
making it as appealing to display as it is to play. It’s a reissue that honors both the artist
and an era, preserving the immediacy and impact that made “Eins, Zwei, Polizei” a true
timeless classic.

A must-have release for vinyl collectors, 90s dance enthusiasts, and anyone looking to
rediscover one of the most recognizable tracks in European dance music history.

This record is like the lost crown jewels of House Music with a story that spans decades. Originally programmed in 1998 on an Akai S3000XL, this was meant to be released on Bjørn Torske's Footnotes in 2001. Unfortunately the original matrix and the master DAT tapes got lost under crazy circumstances. Yet several years later the tapes were found by Sex Tags Mania in the studio of mastering engineer Helmut Erler and the record eventually got issued in 2009 when a totally different House sound was "en vogue." Then due to some unfortunate coincidences most of the records ended up in far flung Japan, and so this record stayed totally underground. Yet it became a cult hit when House Music and later Disco got a proper revival around 2010/11. So over the years prices for this rarity were rising and rising... Then fast forward to 2025: after a sunny day off Berlin's modular synthesizer show "Superbooth" ATJ boss Mr. Fonk and Doc L. Junior teamed up to finally reissue this gem with new masters by Andreas Kauffelt of "Schnittstelle" / Berlin. On this 12“ Norwegian Disco and Balearic sounds meet: funky but deep to the core, playful but hypnotic, stripped down but with baroque details. Truly one of House Music's greatest productions.

Repress!

The legendary partnership of NYC's Disco godfather Tom Moulton and Philadelphia International Records has long been documented. A truly explosive collaboration that yielded endless classic tracks for dancers and deep listeners alike, Moulton seemed to be totally in tune with the labels output and the direction it should go in. Luckily we've been enjoying the fruits of this labour for the last 30+ years with a lot of these PIR classics becoming ingrained in the psyche of the modern day music fan as the building blocks of House music.

The names alone fill one with awe, The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Archie Bell & The Drells and Lou Rawls. All of these artists were, and still are, huge stars. Turning in classic after classic, and with Moulton's supreme ear assisting, this special PIR reissue 12" see's some all-time classics from the aforementioned artists in their full, unabridged, unedited Disco glory. The selections on this EP are absolutely top-shelf, flawless in fact. One could argue that these are the 'definitive' versions of these anthems. Pure Disco gold essentials. Anyone with even a passing interest in Disco will most certainly need this record in their possession, the 2012 pressing of this EP changes hands for £100+ second hand, so a repress was desperately needed.

These tracks are fully licensed and reissued in conjunction with Tom Moulton and PIR and all relevant rights holders. Remastered from original source materials to the highest spec and pressed onto top quality vinyl, courtesy of Above Board distribution for 2019.

Kasablanca deliver their long awaited debut album ‘Higher Resolution’. Hitting milestone after milestone over the past five years, Kasablanca has quickly risen through the ranks of dance music must-see acts. Launching into the scene with their first singles in 2020 they struck gold early on with their hit collaboration ‘Run’ alongside Lane 8. With over 40M streams on the track since, the duo hasn’t looked back since. Hailing from Toronto, Canada the band has been explosive over the years since their first ‘Human Learning EP’ in 2020. Most widely known for their enthralling live performances, Kasablanca has played some of the world’s most well-known venues and festivals, like Printworks, Coachella, Red Rocks, Carnival in Brazil and The Gorge to name just a few. Their songs have also been heard worldwide across radio airwaves including features on BBC Radio 1 and Sirius XM (which brought in their #1 hit with ‘Run’) as well as thousands of spins from stations across North and South America, Europe and Asia.

From time to time Fortunea Records gives us the chance to highlight and welcome new faces. And this one is Petals In Sound!

Louise Baldwin is a UK-based producer and DJ. After over a decade of living, working and partying in South East London, she relocated to Crosby in Liverpool. Following a number of years experimenting with music production, she finally found her groove during the 2020 Covid lockdown. In October 2020, she released under her moniker the well-received debut EP 'Palace’ on Boyanza Records, gaining support from the likes of NTS Radio and the Sloth Boogie Radio Show. Many releases on labels such as Closer To Truth, Dirt Crew and Inhale Exhale followed.

Louise playfully attacks the fabric of deep house, pushing and pulling the genre into modern territory with clever and precise production techniques. And now she will release her first vinyl record on the Austrian imprint. The ‚Days‘ EP includes 4 original tracks and a remix by the Vienna-based dj and producer Dzc.. Hypnotic rhythms and well crafted deepness defines this record.

Petals In Sound’s ‚Days’ EP will come out on december 19th. All tracks have been mastered by Patrick Pulsinger. The vinyl is limited to 200 copies and there will be no repress!

Julius Rennert returns with a warm, soulful House release that channels the timeless spirit of Jack while bringing his own modern sensitivity to the floor. Blending smooth and deep-driven grooves with a partly unmistakable French House touch, the EP radiates a comforting glow - lush chords, shimmering samples, and subtly swinging drums that wrap the listener in a sense of effortless uplift.

Despite arriving in the colder months, this record feels like a beam of mid-summer light: nostalgic yet forward-thinking, deep yet wonderfully accessible. Its refined production and heartfelt energy make it equally suited for intimate late-night sets, cozy living-room listening sessions, and dancefloors craving a touch of emotion.

Warm, groovy, and irresistibly soulful - Julius Rennert's new release is set to brighten the season and warm hearts long after the last note fades.

It's pretty wild to think this is in fact Carli’s debut solo album, considering the Swedish producer’s long and illustrious career, defined by eclectic hits ranging from underground grime scorchers to straight-up Eurovision goodness, not to mention him being a cornerstone of acclaimed outfits like Off The Meds, Savage Skulls, and Marcus Price & Carli.
On Sea Of Love, the Stockholm-born former breakdancer takes listeners on a journey through a vast ocean of musical influences, effortlessly blending rave nostalgia, bass-heavy experimentation, and contemporary club sounds. Carli skilfully navigates from raw UK hardcore bonkerisms to the crisp rhythmic pulses of modern-day dancehall, always upholding a vibe that's at once futuristic and reverent of club music’s storied past.
Filled with intricate production techniques and an irresistible sense of joy, Sea Of Love showcases Carli’s unique ability to merge styles without losing coherence or authenticity. This is club music crafted by someone who’s not only seen it all from the booth, but also been on the dancefloor himself, resulting in tracks that feel deeply personal yet universally appealing.
With Sea Of Love, Carli firmly establishes himself as a visionary solo artist, proving that after decades of shaping the sound of Stockholm’s underground, his best is still ahead.

Originally formed in the early 1990s, Tadpoles earned a reputation as a neo-psychedelic rock band known for their impressionistic textures and adventurous sound.
After a 25-year hiatus, the band has reunited, now working across Sacramento, New York City, and Basel. They collaborate remotely to create new music that expands into unexpected genres, including jazz, ambient, country noir, and ambient shoegazer rock, all while maintaining their core psychedelic essence.
In this new chapter, the Tadpoles have teamed up with legendary producer and mixer Sonic Boom, known for his work with Spacemen 3, Panda Bear, MGMT and Beach House, to sculpt their evolving sound. His influence helps weave those new layers of psychedelia, ambient, and even jazz into the band’s signature adventurous spirit.”
This release reflects the band’s evolution and continues their legacy of blending noise, melody, introspection, and a bit of sly humor.

Belia Winnewisser and Fatuma Osman have known each other since childhood, a friendship rooted in shared afternoons of music and late 90s/early 00s girl core. Their first joint debut EP Vertex, released through the Swiss label Light of Other Days, emerges as both a continuation of that bond and an exploration of process, weaving together collective memories with their present-day musical language.

Resisting polished closure, the record circles around the idea of limerence in sound: suggesting rather than declaring, outlining atmospheres that leave room for the listener’s imagination to fill out the blanks. Across its five tracks Belia and Fatuma oscillate between the personal and the universal, immediacy and nostalgia. The opening track Emerald rises like morning light; fragile, blissful, and quietly radiant. Covering Madonna’s 80s single Angel feels natural and slots seamlessly into the EP’s arc: as a defining pop presence of the last four decades, she embodies less an idol than a subtle compass. Surrender, the first track on the B-side, draws you into the club, vibrating between vulnerability and release. Each step extends their vision further, revealing a cohesive body of work.

Vertex holds opposite poles in tension, creating a space where vulnerability and intensity create dialog. What lingers is a realm of possibilities: a conversation between two friends and collaborators who understand that sound can be as much about what is left out as about what is expressed. Vertex documents their progression, marking a milestone without concluding it.

The journey through French-speaking pop archives continues with this fifth volume, packed with fuzz, gimmicks, and dissent. Far from the charts, the selected tracks display a great creative freedom, often backed by corrosive humor. Welcome to the surprising, kaleidoscopic, and colorful world of the late sixties and early seventies, Wizzz!
Born in Montauban, Robert Pico stumbled into music by chance when he met René Vaneste, then artistic director at Pathé-Marconi. René brought him to Paris to record his first 45 RPM EP in 1964. A year later, Pierre Perret introduced him to Vogue, where he recorded his second album with Claude Nougaro’s orchestra. Sylvie Vartan then introduced him to RCA, where he recorded four singles, including the astonishing "Chien Fidèle," a track backed by a hair-rising fuzz guitar. Alongside his solo career, he also composed for other artists like Alain Delon (the song was recorded but remains unreleased), Magali Noël, Bourvil, and Georges Guétary. In the Paris of the sixties, he mingled with Mireille Darc, Elsa Martinelli, Marie Laforêt, France Gall, Françoise Hardy, Petula Clark, Régine, Dani, Serge Gainsbourg, Joe Dassin, Franck Fernandel, Charles Level, and Roland Vincent. Despite his efforts and winning a Grand Prix Sacem for his final record, Robert Pico didn’t achieve the expected success in show business and decided to leave Paris and return to the Southwest, where he devoted himself to writing. He is the author of 23 books (including Delon et Compagnie, Jean-Marc Savary Editions 2025, a memoir about his youth and his many encounters). Today, he is relieved to never have become a celebrity and devotes himself to his work with passion.
In 1969, the Franco-Italian movie Erotissimo was released, directed by Gérard Pirès (who later directed Taxi in 1998, written and produced by Luc Besson). This pop comedy features Annie Girardot, Jean Yanne, Francis Blanche, Serge Gainsbourg, Nicole Croisille, Jacques Martin, and Patrick Topaloff. The soundtrack was written by Michel Polnareff and William Sheller, with lyrics by Jean-Lou Dabadie. "La Femme Faux-cils," performed by Annie Girardot. It recounts the feelings of a rich CEO's wife who seeks to develop her sex appeal under the influence of advertisement and magazines. Groovy, sparkling and light, this track, with ITS lush arrangements humorously critiques consumer society and feminine beauty standards.
“Je suis l’Etat” (1967) is the flagship track of the first EP by singer-songwriter Spauv Georges, aka Georges Larriaga, better known as Jim Larriaga (1941-2022). Born into a family of bakers, the young man was initially planning to become a hairdresser when he discovered English-speaking music through Elvis Presley and the Beatles. After this revelation, he decided he would become a songwriter and gave himself five years to succeed. He recorded his first two EP’s independently for RCA under the pseudonym Spauv Georges; meaning “that poor George”, a nickname given to him by the mother of her friend Jean-Pierre Prévotat (future drummer of the Players, Triangle, or Johnny Hallyday). Portraying a depressed and eccentric young man, Spauv Georges created corrosive and amusing songs that didn’t reach a wide audience, despite a TV appearance with Jean-Christophe Averty.
Supported by his loyal friend and fellow songwriter Jean-Max Rivière, Georges Larriaga met the future singer Carlos in the early '70s, then Sylvie Vartan’s assistant. He wrote songs for Carlos, including the popular "La vie est belle," "Y’a des indiens partout," and "La cantine", which went onto become a huge hit in 1972. He also composed for Claude François (“Anne-Marie”, 1971), Charlotte Julian (“Fleur de province”, 1972), helped launch child singer Roméo (who sold 4 million records), and later wrote the hit "Pas besoin d’éducation sexuelle" (1975) for the young Julie Bataille. In 1971, Jim recorded an album for Disc'Az: “L’univers étrange et fou de Jim Larriaga”, which featured pop gems like “La maison de mon père”.
The story of the song "Zoé" began when Pierre Dorsay, artistic director at Vogue Records, asked Swiss singer and musician Pierre Alain to write a song for a new female singer. The inspiration came when he realized that Zoé (the artist's name) was also the name of France's first atomic battery, created in 1948, which consisted of uranium oxide immersed in heavy water! The lyrics reflect a bubbling energy that must be handled with caution, while the instrumentation echoes this atomic theme, notably with the use of a theremin.
Zoé’s career lasted only as long as a single 45 RPM, but it seems Christine Fontane was the vocalist behind this pseudonym, who is known for several EPs, a good "popcorn" album in 1964, and a handful of children’s singles in the '70s. Regardless, the photograph on the cover is of a different girl entirely.
Later, Pierre Alain continued his career, writing songs for himself, Marie Laforêt, Danièle Licari, Alice Dona, Arlette Zola (3rd place in Eurovision 1982), and achieving multiple gold and platinum records in Canada. Also an inventor with several patents, president of the Romande Academy, and head of the French Alliance in Geneva, he now composes atonal music, books, and poetry. Moreover, he is also the host of "Les Mardis de Pierre Alain" at "Le P'tit Music'Hohl" in Geneva.
Filled with oriental choruses and fuzz guitar, "Fou" is from Jacques Da Sylva's only EP released by Vogue in 1967. Despite the quality of this recording, all traces of this singer disappear after this first effort.
Valentin is a baroque pop singer born in Belgium. He is the songwriter and composer of most of the tracks on his three singles released in the late 60s in Canada. A legend says that he reincarnated himself as Jacky Valentin during the 1970s for a rock'n'roll revival career in Belgium, but his older brother sadly debunked this story. Valentin's first two singles were arranged by Claude Rogen, a Parisian session pianist who had come to Canada to promote the song “Mister A Gogo”, a cover of David Bowie’s “Laughing Gnome”, adapted by singer Delphine, his wife at the time. Far from his usual network, Claude Rogen arranged music for Polydor, including the arrangements for “Je suis un vagabond” in 1969, a jerk tune with string arrangements and a furious optimism.
Jacques Malia wrote, composed, and recorded his only 45 EP for Festival in 1966. “Histoire de gitan” is an incredible beat track with bohemian scat that tells the story of a gypsy musician who came to Paris to make it in the Music-Hall, to no avail. The hero of the song and its author probably shared a similar fate, as Jacques Malia faded into anonymity after this remarkable attempt.
Bernard Jamet recorded two EPs for Barclay in the late sixties and co-wrote several songs with Christine Pilzer, Pascal Danel, and prolific songwriters Michel Delancray and Mya Simile. The track “Raison Légale” (1968), his masterpiece, immerses the listener in a courtroom right when a murderer is being judged, with jerk rhythm and free arrangements. A unique, paranoid, judicial, and psychedelic oddity.
Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers started his career in show business in 1967 as a singer and songwriter for the Philips label. After three singles, he wrote several songs of a new kind with his friend Pierre Halioche, in the midst of the sexual liberation movement and the democratization of drugs. With provocative lyrics, “Les filles du hasard” and “Barbara au Chapeau Rose” were released on a Philips singles in 1968. The character of Barbara was inspired by a queen of Parisian nightlife during the psychedelic years: model Charlotte Martin, who dated Eric Clapton from 1965 to 1968, then Jimmy Page from 1970 to 1983. Jean-Claude Petit’s arrangements, with a table-filled intro, soul brass, and Hendrixian guitar, emphasize the flamboyance of a hedonistic and sexy character, whose dog is named Junkie because “Junkie est un nom exquis”! The track was recorded live in three takes with a full orchestra.
Upon its release, the record was censored by Europe 1 and RTL due to its references to drug use. Jean-Pierre Lebrot was then banned from the airwaves and later dismissed by his record label. He changed his artist name to Jean-Pierre Millers, while his companion Pierre Halioche became D. Dolby for a new dreamy composition, “Chilla”, which Jean-Pierre produced himself with arrangements by Jean Musy. Once again, the song was immediately censored everywhere. After this setback, he decided to stop singing and started taking on odd jobs to support his Swedish wife and their son until the day he met Jean-Pierre Martin, then production manager at Decca, who had worked with Manu Dibango. Martin offered Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, then employed at Rank Xerox, the position of artistic director at Decca. He accepted and became, a year later, promotion director (radio, press, TV). He worked on Julio Iglesias’s first album for Decca, which became a massive hit and allowed him to meet Claude Carrère. The latter asked him to write new songs and find their performers, much like a “talent scout.” It’s through him that Jean-Pierre discovered Julie Pietri and Corinne Hermès. He composed “Ma Pompadour” for Ringo, Sheila’s husband, and took the microphone again for the syncope hit “Rendez-Vous” in 1982.
That same year, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers tried to release a track for which he had heavily gone into debt: “Si la vie est un cadeau”. Having recorded it in London, he presented it to numerous professionals, all of whom refused to get involved. The same thing happened with Antenne 2 and the Sacem when he proposed the song as France’s entry for Eurovision. He then met Haïm Saban, who was producing cartoon soundtracks and had just launched the Goldorak theme song. Saban, having listened to the song, declared it had the potential to become a hit. He sent Jean-Pierre and Corinne Hermès to meet the CEO of the Luxembourg radio and television network. The latter received them, asked to hear a verse and chorus a cappella in his office, and immediately hired them to represent Luxembourg at Eurovision 1983. They reworked the arrangements and recorded a new version with Haïm Saban as co-producer. The song ended up winning Eurovision 1983, a great comeback for our hero. He continued producing and hung out with the band Nacash in Belgium when a couple came to introduce their daughter for an impromptu audition in a hotel room. The girl sang “Les démons de minuit” while dancing to a radio cassette. Impressed, he had her take singing lessons for a year and composed a song for her (for which he had the melody and title, but no lyrics). This required him to go on the hunt for a lyricist, who ended up being Guy Carlier. They recorded the song, which was initially a ballad, at Bernard Estardy’s CBE studio, and gave the singer a new name: Melody. They showed the song around their industry network without success. Later, Estardy called Jean-Pierre to suggest changing the rhythm and making it pop-rock. Orlando, Dalida’s brother, liked the result and decided to co-produce the track. “Y’a pas que les grands qui rêvent » became a classic hit. The song has since been covered by Juliette Armanet (as a ballad, like the original) and Valentina.

Born into an aristocratic Breton family, Hervé Mettais-Cartier worked as a DJ at Queen Kiss, a nightclub in Poitiers, where he formed the band Les Concentrés with Michel (an actor) and Christian (a radio technician). Together, they created a repertoire of whimsical songs (“Ma bique est morte”, “J’suis un salaud”, “Fils de dégénéré”...) that they performed on stage dressed in white (in homage to “concentrated milk”). They performed at Bliboquet and Olympia in 1968 for the 10th edition of the “Relais de la chanson Française” organized by L’Humanité-Dimanche and Nous les Garçons et les Filles, sponsored by Pepsi Cola. Winners in the author-composer category, alongside Danish singer Dorte, their visibility allowed them to record a 45, and appear on television in Jean-Christophe Averty’s show. The A-side of the disc features Bruno le ravageur, a casatchok dedicated to Bruno Caquatrix, the director of Olympia, nicknamed in the song “Coq Atroce” or “croque-actrices”. The B-side is dedicated to “Fils de dégénéré”, a quirky tribute to Hervé's aristocratic roots, mixing absurdity with sophisticated vocal harmonies.
After Les Concentrés, Hervé Mettais-Cartier formed the duo La Paire et sa Bêtise with his friend Olivier Robert. They performed in Parisian cabarets and toured with Pierre Vassiliu. In the late 1970s, Hervé began a solo career. He recorded two albums for the Motors label in 1978 and 1979, which did not achieve their anticipated success due to lack of promotion. In 1980, he met Bernadette, with whom he started a family and created a “Chansons à voir” (songs to see) show that he performed until his death at the end of 2024.

Publicité comes from the final EP by the Missiles (Ducretet Thomson, 1966), a disc that also includes “La (nouvelle) guerre de cent ans”, featured on Volume 4 of our Wizzz! series. Please refer to the booklet for the story of the band.

“He’s 1.82 meters tall, 28 years old, weighs 135 kg, is black and Belgian”: this is the description of singer Hegesippe on the back of his sole single (Decca, 1967). He appears on the album cover wearing a Greek toga, like a hippie gag – we are at the end of the year 1967. In “Le crédo d’Hegesippe”, this former bodyguard of Antoine and the Charlots plays the delightful card of the thick brute converted to Flower-Power and non-violence, with arrangements by Jean-Daniel Mercier, aka Paul Mille.
“Ethéro-disco” was released on a promotional record for clients of the Maréchal company (Liège, Belgium) for the New Year 1979. Over a funky rhythm, celebrity impersonations (Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Dutronc, Fernandel…) deliver an enigmatic text about pharmaceutical products like ether, bismuth, and aspartate. The track was composed by Dan Sarravah (responsible for Joanna's “Hold-up inusité” featured on Wizzz! Volume 3) and Tony Talado, who was also a singer (one 45 in 1967), songwriter (with over a dozen credits between 1964 and 1985 in various styles from surf music to disco), author (Devenez Végétarien, Dricot Editions, 1985), ad designer, and psychologist.

Décollez-les is on the A-side of Mamlouk's only single, a pseudonym for Marsel Hurten, who is known for his work on several EPs in the late sixties, as well as composing music for Hervé Vilard’s “Capri, c’est fini”, Claude Channes' “La Haine”, Annie Philippe’s “On m’a toujours dit”, and Nancy Holloway’s “Panne de Cœur”.
This strange song, with Afrobeat horns and absurd dialogues between a chef and his kitchen staff, is the result of a collaboration between Marsel Hurten and one of his neighbors, a photographer from Pavillon-sous-Bois (93), where the musician settled after returning from the Algerian War. A music video was shot to promote the record.
Marsel Hurten was born in Tourcoing (59) into a musical family. At a young age, he joined the brass band founded by his grandfather, playing the piston before studying trumpet at the conservatory, as well as teaching himself how to play the guitar. As an orchestra musician, he toured in France, Belgium, Germany, and England. He released a series of solo 45’s between 1965 and 1968 for the DMF and Az labels before stopping recording to focus on working for other artists (Gilles Olivier, Noëlle Cordier…).
“L’amour nu” (Vogue, 1971) is the work of the short-lived Belgian band Mozaïque. The track, written by singer Jacques Albin, closely resembles another of his compositions, “Carré Blanc”, which he recorded in 1969 for Disc’AZ.
Represented by the Lumi Son micro-label based in Marignane (Côte d'Azur), Jean-Marc Garrigues released two 45 RPMs in the late sixties, defending the French jerk sound. The song “Je dis Non” is a short, joyful ode to youth, pop music, and rebellion.
Songwriter and performer Jacques Penuel released three singles. The first one, “Astronef 328” (Fontana, 1969), features a dizzying series of chords punctuated by sound effects, a sci-fi story, and arrangements by Jean-Claude Vannier.

We would like to sincerely thank Pierre Alain, Moon Blaha, Marsel Hurten, Bastien Larriaga, Jean-Pierre Lebrot-Millers, Bernadette Mettais-Cartier, Robert Pico, Olivier Robert, Claude Rogen, Micky Segura.

Noctourniquet And then everything went black, at least for a while, at least for The Mars Volta. In the months and years following their fifth full-length, Octahedron, Omar kept on at his usual fearsome creative pace. In fact, he ramped up his output considerably, starting up his own Rodriguez Lopez Productions label and releasing a slew of solo albums. It was a practice he’d begun shortly after De-Loused’s release, with his solo debut A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One, but as the decade reached its close, Omar grew to rely upon his solo recordings as an outlet for his prolific creativity, these albums often exploring musical pastures far beyond even The Mars Volta’s wide-ranging parameters. Before choosing to release music under his own name, Omar would always play it to Cedric first, to see if the frontman thought it had potential to become Mars Volta music. Shortly after Octahedron’s completion, Cedric flagged one batch of tracks Omar had cut with Deantoni Parks, a brilliant drummer and composer who’d briefly occupied the Mars Volta drumstool in-between Jon Theodore and Thomas Pridgen’s tenures, and whose volcanic creativity and unique, unpredictable approach to rhythm and composition had quickly made him one of Omar’s favourite artistic foils.

As with the music that made up Octahedron, the new tracks Cedric had optioned for The Mars Volta often veered far from the riotous, Grand Guignol visions of their earlier releases. It possessed the punchy, song-based focus of Octahedron, though this was a considerably darker, more menacing strain of pop, with synthesisers figuring heavily in the productions. Cedric took the tracks in 2009 and set about writing songs to the music. But no more new Mars Volta music would be heard until 2012. The years that passed in-between were nonetheless momentous, and busy, witnessing an unexpected reunion of the members of At The Drive-In, and Cedric joining his own side-project, Anywhere. But there wasn’t any sign of life within the Mars Volta until Omar, Cedric and their bandmates took to the road for a series of live shows in the spring of 2011, billed as The Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, debuting the songs that would become Noctourniquet. The album followed the next year, and it remains one of The Mars Volta’s finest, its electronic textures staking out unfamiliar but fertile new ground.

An unsettling, subtly turbulent listen, Noctourniquet found Cedric sketching out a story about “some sort of device that stops the darkness from bleeding”, drawing influence variously from the nursery rhyme Solomon Grundy, the Greek myth of Hyacinthus and the song Birth, School, Work, Death by British underground rockers The Godfathers. It was an album of dystopian futurism, signalled by the paranoid cyber-rock of opener The Whip Hand and its unnerving chorus, “That’s when I disconnect from you”. But it was also an album of inspired, unexpected moves and uncanny invention, like how Dyslexicon seemed to eerily evoke Blondie’s Rapture, before rushing headlong into its bruising chorus, tempos shifting restlessly throughout like quaking earth beneath the listener’s feet, or how Aegis put a brave new spin on The Mars Volta’s trademark rewiring of salsa’s overdriven passions, or how Cedric had never sounded as scary as he did on The Malkin Jewel’s mutant burlesque shuffle. Tracks like Molochwalker were sleek and concise in a way The Mars Volta had never really attempted before – which was all part of Omar’s plan.

“It had all been guitar, guitar, guitar, overdubs, everything fighting for space in the same frequency,” he explains. “So for Noctourniquet, it was all about subtracting elements, of sticking to how I made demos.” Deantoni’s presence helped revivify the group, playing against cliché and expectation, and taking each song in unexpected directions. “I’d beatbox a rhythm for him to play, to go with my guitar part, and he’d come back with three or four alternate options. It was so great.” Similarly, Cedric had never sung better than on Noctourniquet, staking out a fearsome spectrum from the chilling Tom Waitsian growl of The Malkin Jewel to the keening, beautiful vocalisation on Vedamalady, rising to match some of Omar’s most deft, most immediately effective and melodic songs yet. Indeed, Noctourniquet is the sound of a band discovering new ways to do familiar things, renewing their commitment to their mission, finding fresh inspiration a decade in, and shaking off any complacency that might have come with ten years of acclaim and success.

Sweatmaster releases a new full-length album after a 15-year hiatus via Svart Records Sweatmaster, one of the aristocrats of Finnish garage rock, is making a big comeback with the release of their fifth album More! in January 2026. After the release of their 2010 album Dig Up the Knife, the band took a long break, which ended a few years ago with live performances both domestic and abroad. At the same time, new material began to emerge in the rehearsal room, and the band quickly found a common strategy for working on it. "We were unanimous about the strengths of our band and decided to get to the heart of the matter. The main idea was to make straightforward songs carried by the vocals. The kind that would work well live with our aggressive playing style," says the band's drummer Matti Kallio. Svart Records will release Sweatmaster's fifth album early next year. More! is a sharp package of fourteen songs that has not been polished to death. "We wanted a raw and electric sound for the new album, built tightly around the three of us playing. The aim was to stick to Sweatmaster's original energy and not spread ourselves too thin. However, despite our efforts, the intervening years brought some new tones with them," guitarist Mikko Luukko explains the background of the new album. The album's first single will be released on Friday, September 19th, and according to singer-bassist Sasu Mykkänen, Destroyer is the essence of Sweatmaster. "The drum fill draws you into the pull of the electric triangle. The guitar taps at the ballads and wants nothing more than to drive the rhythm until the passionate vocals take over. The song doesn't lead anywhere, it's already there. 2 minutes, 37 seconds. Wham bam. Here you go." More! is available for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore on Svart exclusive vinyl, limited coloured vinyl, classic black vinyl, and CD. Release date January 30th, 2026.

The Ruins Of Beverast narrate fables of the darkest secrets in human history and present. ‘Tempelschlaf’ is The Ruins Of Beverast’s seventh full-length output and sees the band continue with their sonic morbidity, noises and melodies of a human habitat in its sunset era, while maintaining and refining the widescreen low end that has been sustaining their sound from the beginning. On the instrumental side, ‘Tempelschlaf’ is stripped of some fat, forging the songs with a reduction in length and layers, cautiously leaning towards the stage part of things. While synths and samples have always played an adamant role in The Ruins Of Beverast’s sound, they reach yet another level of psychedelia and insanity on ‘Tempelschlaf’. The Ruins Of Beverast were formed in early 2003 and named after the most bloodcurdling occasion of the collapse of the giant bridge Bifröst. This incident bears analogy to the musical aura of The Ruins Of Beverast, which builds a sonic landscape of massive, surreal, barren mountain formations. Seven full-length albums and several EPs, splits and compilation releases have been published through Ván Records so far. As a live act, The Ruins Of Beverast became a strong force after Roadburn 2013, a festival the band have played again since with exclusive shows. The Ruins Of Beverast have embarked on several European tours with acts like 1349, Grave Miasma and King Dude, as well as a highly acclaimed US tour that eventually concluded with an iconic show at Fire In The Mountains festival. The band have played such well-established club shows and festivals as Hellfest, Inferno, Incubate, Party.San Open Air and Beyond The Gates, to name just a few.

After Differently (released in 2024), The Tighters (Roots Reggae) are back with a
new showcase album: Lovely Love — a celebration of unity, spirituality, love, and
freedom.

Side A brings together the vocal versions, while Side B features the dubs. The album was mixed and dubbed by Roberto Sánchez at A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio (Spain) and mastered on tape by Dr Charty at Bat Records Studio (France).
Recorded at Jah Jazz Studio with Julien “Yout” Barker, Lovely Love captures all
the spontaneity and strength of the band.

The album unfolds like a spiritual and emotional journey: from the meditative
Countryside to the love song Lovely Love, and the radiant Worship the Sun. The high point comes with Africa Will Rise, a true freedom anthem performed by the legendary Jamaican duo Keith & Tex (on the Lovely Love riddim).

After their acclaimed collaborations with Oku Onuora (Balance) and Jah Myhrakle
(He is Haile) in 2025, The Tighters continue their path with this new opus, asserting
their identity within the international reggae scene.

A sincere album, blending rich musicality with a powerful, deeply relevant message.

Sweatmaster releases a new full-length album after a 15-year hiatus via Svart Records Sweatmaster, one of the aristocrats of Finnish garage rock, is making a big comeback with the release of their fifth album More! in January 2026. After the release of their 2010 album Dig Up the Knife, the band took a long break, which ended a few years ago with live performances both domestic and abroad. At the same time, new material began to emerge in the rehearsal room, and the band quickly found a common strategy for working on it. "We were unanimous about the strengths of our band and decided to get to the heart of the matter. The main idea was to make straightforward songs carried by the vocals. The kind that would work well live with our aggressive playing style," says the band's drummer Matti Kallio. Svart Records will release Sweatmaster's fifth album early next year. More! is a sharp package of fourteen songs that has not been polished to death. "We wanted a raw and electric sound for the new album, built tightly around the three of us playing. The aim was to stick to Sweatmaster's original energy and not spread ourselves too thin. However, despite our efforts, the intervening years brought some new tones with them," guitarist Mikko Luukko explains the background of the new album. The album's first single will be released on Friday, September 19th, and according to singer-bassist Sasu Mykkänen, Destroyer is the essence of Sweatmaster. "The drum fill draws you into the pull of the electric triangle. The guitar taps at the ballads and wants nothing more than to drive the rhythm until the passionate vocals take over. The song doesn't lead anywhere, it's already there. 2 minutes, 37 seconds. Wham bam. Here you go." More! is available for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore on Svart exclusive vinyl, limited coloured vinyl, classic black vinyl, and CD. Release date January 30th, 2026.

The musical legacy of a night that will live on for years - Fermin Muguruza's 40th anniversary roar! Under the title "Akelarre Antifascista" (which literal translation would be "Anti-Fascist Witches' Coven", but loosely translated as Anti-Fascist Celebration), in a reference to the legendary Akelarre, a wild gathering of Basque witches, this album distils all the intensity, sweat and collective excitement of a night when thousands of voices joined together to celebrate not just a career, but a way of seeing art as resistance. On 15th February 2025, Madrid saw more than just a concert: it was a collective ritual, an anti-fascist demonstration in which thousands of voices came together as one to emphasize the tenacity of a voice that never surrendered. Four decades after lighting the fuse of combative rock in Euskal Herria, the Basque Country, Fermin Muguruza chose the capital of Spain, a city that closed its doors to him so many times and that he has described as "the heart of the beast", to make the definitive record of his 40th anniversary tour. The result is "Akelarre Antifascista", a live album that distils the history of a musical and political resistance that has spanned generations, languages and frontiers. The concert, sold out with 15,000 people, was an explosion of energy, memory and future. Right from the first chord, the Sports Palace of Madrid became an open setting, a free territory where bodies, rhythms, languages and flags mixed freely. Triple 180gr vinyl LP in trifold sleeve.

Five years after legendary Dutch rock band Golden Earring called it a day (after 50 years of recording and touring), their ten most loved songs and worldwide biggest hits have been brought together on one album: Essential Earring

Best known for his film and TV scores ( Dirty Harry, Enter The Dragon , Mission Impossible , The Eagle Has Landed , to name just a few) Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025) began as a jazz pianist who worked with some of the most important musicians of his day. The Insensatez session was cut during Schifrin's involvement in Dizzy Gillespie's band, which explains the participation of musicians from that aggregation. First issued as Piano, Strings & Bossa Nova in 1962 (produced by Creed Taylor), this album was reissued with one less title, as Insensatez on Verve in 1969. Featuring 12 Brazilianized themes and four Lalo Schifrin originals - 'The Wave', 'Rio After Dark', and 'Silvia' from Schifrin's movie score El Jefe, and 'Lalo's Bossa Nova' written for Quincy Jones' 1962 album Big Band Bossa Nova. Insensatez offers a rare insight to Schifrin's superb musicianship, not only as a composer, but also as a pianist



c 3 You And Me [voce E Eu]
[d] 4 Lalo's Bossa Nova [samba Para Dos]





[j] 10 Samba Do Perroquet [parrot Samba]



[c] 3 You And Me [voce E Eu]
[d] 4 Lalo's Bossa Nova [samba Para Dos]





[j] 10 Samba Do Perroquet [parrot Samba]

After two decades in the experimental music scenes of New York and Western Massachusetts, Wednesday Knudsen might be known equally as a sought-after improv collaborator and the vocalist and guitarist for the beloved long-running psych band Pigeons or, more recently, as a member of the New England psych-folk ensemble Stella Kola. Though her forthcoming release, Atrium, is Knudsen’s fifth solo album, it is both her first solo work to appear on vinyl and a double LP, marking her rich recording history with a stunning masterwork. Channeling the “atmosphere of presence” alongside the legions of Éliane Radigue, Hiroshi Yoshimura, and Joanna Brouk, on Atrium, Knudsen plays it all—alto saxophone, flute, guitar, synth, piano, autoharp, bass guitar, and vocals. The collected compositions are studies in the tones, timbres, and pacing particular to the woodland environment of the Taconic Mountains where she lives. Atrium’s tracks are sculptural rather than ambient, with a release into the gorgeous hold of gravity that insists we don’t escape or drift away. This is music for remembering time. This is music that reinforces the power of art as resistance. The songs on Atrium distill our attention in a language that Knudsen calls “the opening of the heart,” reminding us that subsistence and community results from our own actions and engagement with our exterior. Atrium is a refuge, vital in our current moment and imbued with resonant power for our future.