For the first time on Little Beat More, Sweden’s Cumbiasound deliver a vibrant 7” that expands their ever-evolving exploration of tropical soundscapes. Led by Daniel Fridell, the band has long been pushing the boundaries of cumbia while keeping its analogue heart beating strong, blending classic Colombian and Peruvian sounds with Afrobeat, reggae, jazz, funk, and beyond.
The A-side Mas Paz (Rework) breathes new life into one of Cumbiasound’s most beloved tracks, originally featured on their album Cosas del Universo. Vocalist Lis Flores Varela brings her unmistakable smoothness, while Chilean rapper Boogie Castillo lays down thoughtful verses with his signature flow in a track that captures the essence of the band: rooted, soulful, and globally connected. And to top it off, this new version has a fresh new vocal feature by Congolese singer José Pereelanga.
On the flip side, Jinsei, is a collaboration with Japanese cumbia band Mumbia y Sus Candelosos, led by composer and percussionist Mutsumi Kobayashi. With its breezy guitars, soft tropical groove, and the warm vocals of José Pereelanga, the track drifts like a slow river, effortlessly bridging continents and traditions.
With this 7”, Cumbiasound once again affirms its place among the most interesting projects in today’s nu-cumbia landscape with a vision that crosses borders with ease.
Made with Love by Little Beat More 2025 “We Dance We Think”
"Next up in Mr Bongo's Groove Merchant Records reissue series, we present the only solo album saxophonist Ramon Morris recorded as a bandleader. Having cut his teeth playing with the iconic band Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and working with other jazz greats, including Reuben Wilson, Shirley Scott, Rashied Ali Quintet, and Woody Shaw, 1973 saw Ramon take the step into solo territory. The resulting album Sweet Sister Funk became a certified classic and a landmark showcase of the cherished ‘70s jazz-funk sound, later sampled by the likes of DJ Premier, The Alchemist and DJ Shadow.
Originally released on Sonny Lester's iconic Groove Merchant record label and produced by Lester himself, Sweet Sister Funk is a jazz-funk masterclass. It features a slick line-up including Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Mickey Roker on drums, and Albert Dailey on electric piano. Rich and beautiful, the seven songs ebb and flow in energy, fusing jazz funk and soul jazz with style and swagger. There are bags of groove with Ramon and Cecil trading off on sax and trumpet in an effortless conversation throughout the LP, supplemented by brilliant solos from the rest of the players.
A gold mine of sampling material, the album includes a sublime cover version of The Stylistics' much-loved 'People Make The World Go Round', which was sampled by DJ Shadow on Blackalicious's 'Swan Lake' in 1994. Elsewhere, the percussion and bass intro of the opening track 'First Come, First Serve' is a sampler's delight - a deep, heavy groove with a fine saxophone workout by Ramon. Head to 'Don't Ask Me' and you’ll find the swinging horn intro that formed the basis of 'You Came Up' by Big Pun featuring Noreaga from 1998, whilst 'Wijinia' has echoes of ‘70s indie jazz by labels such as Strata East & Black Jazz.
Here at Mr Bongo, we are proud to be delving into the vaults of Groove Merchant Records once again, reissuing this iconic LP from Ramon Morris."
Originally released in 1971, this classic album was the second studio album from the legendary American singer/songwriter Carole King. It is the 81st best selling album of all time, with over 10 million copies sold and is also ranked by Rolling Stone as 25th on the list of the Top 500 greatest albums of all time. A 12 track standard black vinyl, with download code insert (replaces previous version which had a mastering issue). Marketing.
Belgian based Phara makes a huge debut on Soma with The Great Attractor EP. With his fast, raw and energetic sound, Phara's ascent has been quick off the mark and this latest release has the young producer stretch himself farther with cleverly produced and exciting tracks. UK Techno don, Setaoc Mass backs up this already masterful EP, lending his own prowess to the title track.
Great Attractor leans on 90s, spaced out techno vibes as fast paced 909s fire against the backdrop of rapid, modulating synths. Setaoc Mass' remix comes up next, offering a deeper more restrained affair. However, as usual, the adept nature of his productions deal out devastating effect. On the flip, Mission 3,2,1 delves into dubbed out synth work whilst retaining drive and groove. Further dub explorations are found on closing track The Andromeda Manoeuvre. Spacial synth work and atmospherics ebb and flow as Phara's hard hitting and relentless percussive work deals the final blow.
We are thrilled to welcome back Aldo Cadiz to Beatwax Records with his brand-new EP “Amandorada.”
Years after his highly acclaimed debut album on Beatwax, Aldo returns with a stunning follow-up that once again showcases his unique sound signature — a perfect blend of hypnotic grooves, deep rhythmic precision, and timeless underground energy.
“Amandorada” captures the essence of Cadiz’s refined production style: warm textures, intricate percussion, and that unmistakable Latin-influenced pulse that has made him a favorite among DJs and music lovers worldwide.
This EP marks not only a reunion between Aldo Cadiz and Beatwax Records but also a new chapter in our shared musical journey. We couldn’t be happier to have him back on the label, delivering another powerful statement of cutting-edge electronic music.
Don`t sleep on this. Already making waves and getting hammered by all the big players in the scene.
The Éthiopiques series returns! Essential archive recordings from an extremely fruitful period in Ethiopian music.
Before “Swinging Addis” took over the world, there was Moussié Nerses Nalbandian — the Armenian-born composer who shaped modern Ethiopian music. Mentor, arranger, and pioneer, he laid the foundations of Ethio-jazz.
This Éthiopiques volume revives his forgotten legacy, recorded live by Either/ Orchestra First issue ever with new exclusive photos and in depth liner 8-page insert.
“Ethiopian jazzmen are the best musicians that we have seen so far in Africa.
They really are promising handlers of jazz instruments.”
Wilbur De Paris
(1959, after a concert in Addis Ababa)
አዲስ፡ዘመን። *Addis zèmèn* **A new era.**
The time is the mid-1950s and early 1960s, just before "Swinging Addis" bloomed – or rather boomed – onto the scene. Brass instruments are still dominant, but the advent of the electric guitar, and the very first electronic organs, are just around the corner. Rock’n'Roll, R’n’B, Soul and the Twist have not yet barged their way in. Addis Ababa is steeped in the big band atmosphere of the post-war era, with Glenn Miller's *In the* *Mood* as its world-wide theme song, neck and neck with the Latin craze that was in vogue at the same period. Life has become enjoyable once again, with the return of peace after the terrible Italian Fascist invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1941). The redeployment of modern music is part and parcel of the postwar reconstruction. *Addis zèmèn* – a new era – is the watchword of the postwar period, just as it was all across war-torn Europe.
The generation who were the young parents of baby boomers** were the first to enjoy this musical renaissance, before the baby boomers themselves took over and forever super-charged the soundtrack of the final days of imperial reign. Music is Ethiopia's most popular art form, and very often serves as the best barometer for the upsurge of energy that is critical for reconstruction. Whether it be jazz in Saint-Germain-des-Prés or the *zazous* who revolutionised both jazz and French *chanson* after the *Libération*, be it Madrid's post-Franco Movida, or Dada, the Surrealists and *les années folles* that followed World War I, the periods just after mourning and hardship always give rise to brighter and more tuneful tomorrows. Addis Ababa, as the country's capital, and the epicentre of change, was no exception to this vital rule.
**Two generations of Nalbandian musicians**
Nersès Nalbandian belonged to a family of Armenian exiles, who had moved to Ethiopia in the mid-1920s. The uncle Kevork arrived along with the fabled "*Arba Lidjotch*", the** "*40 Kids*", young Armenian orphans and musicians that the Ras Tafari had recruited when he visited Jerusalem in 1924, intending to turn their brass band into the official imperial band. If Kevork Nalbandian was the one who first opened the way of modernism, pushing innovation so far as to invent musical theatre, it was his nephew Nersès who would go on to become, from the 1940s and until his death in 1977, a pivotal figure of modern Ethiopian music and of the heights it. Going all the way back to the 1950s. Nothing less. And it is Nersès who is largely to thank for the brassy colours that so greatly contributed to the international renown of Ethiopian groove. While the younger generations today venture timidly into the genealogy of their country's modern music, often losing their way amidst a distinctly xenophobic historiographical complacency, many survivors of the imperial period are still around to bear witness and pay tribute to the essential role that "Moussié Nersès" played in the rise of Abyssinia's musical modernity.
Given the year of his birth (15 March 1915), no one knows for sure if Nersès Nalbandian was born in Aintab, today Gaziantep (Turkiye/former Ottoman Empire) or on the other side of the border in Alep, Syria... What is certain is that his family, like the entire Armenian community, was amongst the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Turks. Alep, the place of safety – today in ruins.
Before Nersès then, there was uncle Kevork (1887-1963). For a quarter of a century, he was a whirlwind of activity in music teaching and theatrical innovation. *Guèbrè Mariam le Gondaré* (የጎንደሬ ገብረ ማርያም አጥቶ ማግኘት, 1926 EC=1934) is his most famous creation. This play included "ten Ethiopian songs" — a totally innovative approach. According to his autobiographical notes, preserved by the Nalbandian family, Kevork indicates that he composed some 50 such pieces over the course of his career. This shows just how much he understood, very early on, the critical importance of song as Ethiopia's crowning artistic form. Indeed, for Ethiopian listeners, the most important thing is the lyrics, with all their multifarious mischief, far more than a strong melody, sophisticated arrangements or even an exceptional voice. (This is also why Ethiopians by and large, and beginning with the artists and producers themselves, believed for a long time — and wrongly — that their music could not possibly be exported, and could never win over audiences abroad, who did not speak the country's languages).
Last but not least, one of Kevork's major contributions remains composing Ethiopia's first national anthem – with lyrics by Yoftahé Negussié.
Nersès Nalbandian moved to Ethiopia at the end of the 1930s, at the behest of his ground-breaking uncle. Proficient in many instruments (pretty much everything but the drums), conductor, choir director, composer, arranger, adapter, creator, piano tuner, purveyor of rented pianos,... he was above all an energetic and influential teacher. From 1946 onwards, thanks to Kevork's connexion, Nersès was appointed musical director of the Addis Ababa Municipality Band. In just a few years, Nersès transformed it into the first truly modern ensemble, thanks to the quality of his teaching, his choice of repertoire, and the sophistication of his arrangements. It was this group that would go on to become the orchestra of the Haile Selassie Theatre shortly after its inauguration in 1955, which was a major celebration of the Emperor's jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of his on-again-off-again reign.
At some point or other in his long career, Nersès Nalbandian had a hand in the creation of just about every institutional band (Municipality Band, Police Orchestra, Imperial Bodyguard Band, Army Band, Yared Music School…), but it was with the Haile Selassie Theatre – today the National Theatre – that his abilities were most on display, up until his death in 1977. To this must be added the development of choral singing in Ethiopia, hitherto unknown, and a sort of secret garden dedicated to the memory of Armenian sacred music, and brought together in two thick, unpublished volumes. Shortly before his death (November 13, 1977), he was appointed to lead the impressive Ethiopian delegation at Festac in Lagos, Nigeria (January-February 1977).
His status as a stateless foreigner regularly excluded him from the most senior positions, in spite of the respect he commanded (and commands to this day) from the musicians of his era. Naturally gifted and largely self-taught, Nerses was tirelessly curious about new musical developments, drawing inspiration from the very first imported records, and especially from listening intensely to the musical programmes broadcast over short-wave radio – BBC *First*. A prolific composer and arranger, he was constantly mindful of formalising and integrating Ethiopian parameters (specific “musical modes”, pentatonic scale, and the dominance of ternary rhythms) into his “modernisation” of the musical culture, rather than trying to over-westernise it. It even seems very probable that *Moussié* Nerses made a decisive contribution to the development of tighter music-teaching methods, in order to revitalise musical education during this period of prodigious cultural ferment. Flying in the face of all the historiographical and musicological evidence, it is taken as sacrosanct dogma that the four musical modes or chords officially recognised today, the *qǝñǝt* or *qiñit* (ቅኝት), are every bit as millennial as Ethiopia itself. It would appear however that some streamlining of these chords actually took place in around 1960. It was only from this time onward that music teaching was structured around these four fundamental musical modes and chords: *Ambassel*, *Bati*, *Tezeta* and *Antchi Hoyé*. A historical and musical “details” that is, apparently, difficult to swallow, especially if that should honour a *foreigner*. Modern Ethiopian music has Nersès to thank for many of its standards and, to this day, it is not unusual for the National Radio to broadcast thunderous oldies that bear unmistakable traces of his outrageously groovy touch.
Portuguese Techno star Lewis Fautzi returns to Soma with another Earth shattering release as he drops the Molecular Spasms EP. The young producer once again shows great depth and knowledge with 4 straight up dance floor killers all set together his unique, futuristic sound.
Neroli reaches release number 50 during its 20th anniversary and celebrates with a special project, an album of songs by some of the label artists and friends. The title reference goes back to 20 years ago when label’s honcho Volcov decided to give the label the name of Brian Eno’s Neroli album, an hour long ambient opus inspired by the oil derived by the flowers of the Seville orange. So after 20 years and 50 releases the label goes full circle and offers an album of delicate and heartwarming melodies and atmospheric songs. The talent of original UK dons Kirk Degiorgio, Dego and Ian o’Brien is enrolled once again to guarantee sophistication and depth. Patrice Scott and Fred P, who had recently released eps on Neroli, are joined here by fellow spacecadet Aybee…all delivering warm futuristic pieces! K15 and Linkwood debut on the label, opening and closing the album with class. And there is even a lost composition by Volcov himself with Detroit’s Gerald Mitchell and Pirahnahead as part of some 2010 sessions that might resurface soon…THE FIRST CIRCLE is complete!
Design by Al White. Manufactured and Distributed by Mother Tongue, Verona.
After a stop it's time to squeeze the lemon again with our boy Emanuele Montalto and his four tracks that move from progressive and raw bass to hypnotic and deep touch.
From the heart of his own Safe Space imprint, Ackermann returns with a powerful new statement that traces a high-voltage line between techno and house. Known for his raw yet precision-tooled club cuts and a sound that moves from warehouse grit to late-night euphoria, the Stuttgart-based producer once again delivers tracks that are direct, functional and full of character, built for DJs who like it tight, driving and emotional at the same time.
On remix duties, Berlin icon Anja Schneider flips Ackermanns ideas into elegant, rolling peak-time material, balancing subtle tension with her trademark sense of groove and warmth. Rising force Confidential Recipe pushes things further into raw, percussive territory, upping the pressure with jacking drums and rave-soaked energy made for smoke-filled rooms and redlined sound systems.
True to the Safe Space motto, this release is all about the dancefloor: no filler, just stripped-back, high-impact tracks that lock you in and don’t let go.
A year after her rebirth on the 2.0 EP, Maedon returns to her Rant & Rave imprint with the intentions of her previous release now distilled and focused into bold new forms. Whereas before the artist was transitioning from her earlier work towards new directions, Matter & Form arrives as an extended concept piece featuring four variations on a bracing, developed sound, an equally impressive remix from Lady Starlight, and a contrasting mix of the opening track. Where 2.0 charted emergence, 'Entelechy I-IV' unites to actualize this potential into a single-minded purpose behind fundamental principles.
Immediately launching into territory her last release only hinted at, 'Entelechy I' is a showcase for her now-mature approach. Her rhythmic dexterity and groove focus remains, with drum programs subtly evolving phrase by phrase, but they now form the basis for layered, complex compositions in a decidedly contemporary vein. 'Entelechy II' shifts focus towards the arrangement while keeping its drums steadily driving, drawing attention to details in its densely designed sounds through deliberate, gradual processing. Relaxing the tempo slightly, 'Entelechy III' fills in the extra space with more dark atmospherics and finely detailed soundscapes, finding a heavy medium between dark ambience and hammering techno. Another deeper effort, 'Entelechy IV' counterbalances insistent, finely-tooled percussive bleeps and equally persistent bass figures against another sweeping bass pulse, at times breaking down into carefully-controlled atonal aggression. Lady Starlight's remix is skeletal in comparison, deploying its parts sequentially over ticker hi hats and a massive kick while using small shifts to incrementally build tension. 'Entelechy I (Bent Mix)' is more accurately described as hellbent, stripping out the original's harmonic elements to grind the heavy rhythmic workout against an unrelenting acid line.
Der legendäre Club-Hit von 1987 ist zurück! **Robotiko Rejekto – Rejekto! **, einer der prägendsten Tracks der Electronic Body Music (EBM) und Synth-Pop-Ära, erscheint jetzt wieder – als limitierte farbige Maxi-Single.
Mit seinem markanten Vocoder-Gesang, treibenden Beats und futuristischem Sounddesign war Rejekto! ein absoluter Clubburner der späten 80er und gilt bis heute als Meilenstein der elektronischen Tanzmusik.
Die Maxi enthält insgesamt 4 Versionen, darunter die begehrten Club- und Extended-Mixe – perfekt für DJs, Sammler und Fans elektronischer Klassiker.
Ein echtes Sammlerstück – **Robotiko Rejekto – Rejekto! **, der Kult-Hit von 1987, jetzt wieder auf Vinyl erhältlich!
The legendary club hit from 1987 is back! Robotiko Rejekto – Rejekto!, one of the most influential tracks of the electronic body music (EBM) and synth-pop era, is now being rereleased as a limited edition coloured maxi single.
With its distinctive vocoder vocals, driving beats and futuristic sound design, Rejekto! was an absolute club burner in the late 80s and is still considered a milestone in electronic dance music today.
The maxi contains a total of 4 versions, including the coveted club and extended mixes – perfect for DJs, collectors and fans of electronic classics.
A real collector‘s item – Robotiko Rejekto – Rejekto!, the cult hit from 1987, now available again on vinyl!
DJ Support: Danny Krivit, Michael Gray, Dr Packer, The Shapeshifters, Tedd Patterson, Seamus Haji, Terry Hunter, Brian Tappert, Hector Romero, Danny Rampling and many others
Groove Culture's ongoing 'Jams' series continues to deliver disco-house excellence with its fifth edition. This high-quality compilation features standout tracks from Micky More & Andy Tee, Reverendos Of Soul, Soulista and Serge Funk.
Highlights include: Reverendos Of Soul Feat Sheree Hicks - ‘Wasted Time'(Micky More & Andy Tee mix): An all-night disco spirit track verging on Hi-NRG style, bringing big energy and a lively atmosphere to any dance floor. Another great one is Soulista, Micky More & Andy Tee ‘Like I want You" (feat.Anduze): A perfect blend of disco and house, featuring a heavy beat and great guitar sounds that create an infectious groove. Closing things out on a classic leeven is Serge Funk's heater ‘Just Disco’ and Micky More & Andy Tee’s “Soul Education”. These fantastic edits of the classic disco tracks are a filtered gems that is sure to knock the roof off the discotech. Groove Culture once again proves its reliability as a source of top- tier disco-house with this stellar collection.
Since the recent reissue of Sylvia Striplin's one album for Uno Melodic Records, demand has been building again for two of the key tracks back together again on 12' single. Huge on disco, rare groove, two step scenes these track capture the essence of the period of music and genius of producer Roy Ayers. First released in 1980, both tracks became signature tracks for Roy's Uno Melodic label. Sylvia previously sang with Roy at Polydor, sang lead momentarily with Aquarian Dream and one album with Eightes Ladies.
Belgian tastemaker Charlotte de Witte returns to her own KNTXT to serve up the well regarded label's seventh EP. Rave On Time is about reminding us of the joys of being lost on the dance floor and is another hard hitting EP filled with her distinctive techno energy.
Charlotte is at the centre of her own musical movement, with a hard hitting, no frills style. Her powerful grooves, whether solo or in collaboration with the likes of Chris Liebing, come laced with ambient and synth beauty. She has mesmerised crowds all over the world as well as at her own special KNTXT events, and has been as creative as ever during lockdown, as this new EP shows.
Says the artist herself of this latest offering, "Rave On Time. Three words that probably have never been more relevant. In a time where raving feels like a distant memory, it seems increasingly important to bring music back in our lives, in reverse. Let's not forget where we came from and let's not lose hope. We'll be together again soon. Rave On Time."
Opener Rave On Time is built on hammering, distorted kicks that bend you to their whim. Freaky vocals and monstrous hits add extra pressure and ensure you stay locked before shooting laser synths and retro hoover sounds bring the rave. There's No One Left To Trust keeps up the energy with scintillating synths rattling over rock solid drum programming that never lets up. The World Inside is brain frying material, with serrated synths firing out and growing ever more acid as the groove pounds on. Common Era is brilliant hands in the air acid-trance-techno that froths with energy and flashing strobes. Finally, vinyl only track 'Wahr Ist Sie Dann’ is a distorted, brain melting techno workout with brutalist kicks and vast walls of synths that are hugely powerful.
As ever from de Witte, this is pure, unadulterated club music that makes a gargantuan impact.
Phonotheque Recordings presents "Solve Et Coagula” by the artist Digregorius.
Across four carefully interwoven tracks, Solve et Coagula unfolds as a sonic and conceptual journey that refuses to be confined by labels, moving fluidly through traces of techno, electro pulses, breakbeat, and exotic atmospheres.
An EP that pushes boundaries and proposes a journey where the symbolic, the visionary, and the emotional coagulate into powerful basslines, strange textures, hypnotic rhythms, and synthetic melodies—only to be dissolved again in both immersive listening and the collective experience of the dancefloor.
After following Luke Blair's work for approaching two decades from his 2007 debut as Lukid on Actress' Werk Discs, we're humbled to present a new album on Death Is Not The End. Following relatively hot on the heels of 2023's Tilt (his first in 11 years, not counting his work with Jackson Bailey under the Rezzett guise) Underloop brings Blair's innate knack for building loops and sound structures further to the surface, while allowing his ear for emotional expression to be dialled up a notch. Those fortunate enough to be familiar with Lukid's work as a DJ will be aware of how distinct his ability is to seamlessly disappear into loop-based abstraction and back again seemingly without blinking, and often Underloop feels much like a collection of the sludgey interludes and foggy sketches that underpin his sets. Blending apparently ramshackle melodies and textures and pulling them together into an undeniable whole, Blair's tendency for pairing the simple and the indescribable with an understated vigour is fully on show here.
Written and produced by Luke Blair. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi.
The legacy of wipE′out′′ has transcended time and cemented itself as a true transgenerational phenomenon. Launched in 1995, it didn’t just revolutionise the gaming industry, it created a bridge between the gaming ecosystem and the raver community. Its futuristic aesthetics and forward-thinking sound left a mark not only on mainstream audiences but also on the most demanding corners of the underground.
Decades later, the game’s impact is still alive. The release in 2023 of The Zero Gravity Soundtrack on Lapsus Records proved once again that wipE′out′′’s accompanying audio will go down in history as much more than just an anti-gravity racing game soundtrack.
This is why we decided to go deeper into the slipstream and build the second volume you’re now holding in your hands. Drawn from the original archives of Tim Wright, aka CoLD SToRAGE, this new collection surfaces unreleased cuts, pieces that couldn’t fit on the first edition, and a suite of self-authored ambient reworks that translate pure velocity into wide-screen atmospherics engineered for the long straights, the drone of airbrakes, the blue hour between checkpoints. It also reconnects the circuit, gathering selections and variants tied to later chapters of the saga — wipE′out′′ HD and wipE′out′′ Pure — plus alternative mixes that, until now, only existed in the Sega Saturn dimension of the franchise.
Finally, the material takes a leap into the future in the hands of four remixers especially chosen for this release: Tim Reaper, SHERELLE, Mantra, and NikNak, who collectively forge links between CoLD SToRAGE’s pioneering musical vision, the sound world of the game, and the contemporary breakbeats and drum & bass vanguard.
Expect the DNA you remember — accelerated breaks, trance-vector synths, jungle influences, sub-bass rumbling neatly beneath the craft’s hull, and at times even echoes of classic hardstyle — now revealed with new angles and air. The previously unheard material carries the same aerodynamic design sense that made these tracks feel faster than the track map itself, while the ambient versions open the field of view with melodies hovering at the lip of overdrive. Without a doubt, here you’ll find a strong sense of nostalgia. But this isn’t just nostalgia; it’s also proof that this sound world continues to evolve when you ease off the throttle.
For the faithful — crate-digging ravers, speed-run obsessives, and design nerds — this is an essential expansion pack: compiling rarities, restoring context, and reframing the emotional core of wipE′out′′ for late nights and early mornings alike. Bridging memory and momentum, club and console, rush and afterglow. Strap in.
Detailed tracklist, with annotations by Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE
· Scratch Pad 1: “This track was composed using incomplete tracks that were developed around the time of the first wipE′out′′. It’s so long because it was used for a marathon-length Psygnosis promotional video.”
· Messij Received: “Messij was a firm favourite with wipE′out′′ fans, so it made sense that there’d be more where that came from — this was one of those re-workings.”
· God’s Gift: “I was always very fond of Erasure’s track Love to Hate You with the canned crowd FX sounds. God’s Gift was a tongue-in-cheek reference to how some musicians think they are just that. This was way before I even played live as CoLD SToRAGE.”
· Tentative: “I wasn’t sure about introducing some wacky beats and distorted sounds into one of the tracks, because it was kinda heading away from the other tracks, hence Tentative — but it turned out OK.”
· Canada 2048: “When wipE′out′′ 2048 was launched I decided to re-make Canada as a kind of tribute, but in a slightly new-tech, laid-back way, using Propellerhead Reason and all software synths.”
· Wiped Out: “Based on a few riffs from a MIDI file unused at the time of the original wipE′out′′ game compositions, this featured on my debut album MELT.”
· Body in Motion (Body Plus Mix): “A more trippy interpretation of Body in Motion that featured on non PlayStation versions of the game e.g. Sega Saturn.”
· Onyx (“Dark Side of the Moon”): “Onyx was my sole contribution to wipE′out′′ Pure on the Sony PSP handheld gaming console. This version was something I developed in a darker style, that eventually erupts into a crescendo.”
· Messij Received (WSTWGBE Mix): “Like I say, Messij was a hit with most wipE′out′′ fans, so when I was asked to compose more music for non-PlayStation versions, I adapted this tune into a parallel-universe version for PC and Sega Saturn. By the way, WSTWGBE refers to Who Said This Was Going To Be Easy?”
· Canada (Drunken Ausländer Mix): “In early 2018 I released a fresh album called Ch'illout′′, a re-working of many of my wipE′out′′ tracks in an ambient, Sunday-morning vibe style — it was a few years’ work, here and there.”
· Tentative (Woffenfum Mix): “Another chilled re-working of one of my wipE′out′′ tracks, the mix named with a nod to a good friend of mine, Carl Woffenden — someone who I've worked with for many years in the games industry.”
· Messij (Bobbing Boat Mix): “A nice cheesy computer blip-blop start belies its deep and upbeat chilled-out melodic finale.”
· Body in Motion (Timeless Techno Mix): “Another classic track given the chilled-out vibe mix, as featured originally on my Ch'illout′′ album. This one’s a really trippy, deep-space take on the original.”
· DOH-T (AM / FM Mix): “The idea with this chilled-out mix was to imagine all the melodic parts of this varied track being broadcast on terrestrial radio, so each theme drifts in and out through the radio static.”
· ’95 Future Echoes: “Originally developed as a companion album for wipE′out′′ HD, this track actually has its roots in a tiny loop of a song that never progressed to anything special back in the mid-’90s when I was composing for the original game.”
· Turbine: “Also from my wipE′out′′ HD album, it leans heavily into the upbeat, uplifting tunes from the original game, but also steals a bit of vibe and energy from The Prodigy, with those distorted flute sounds.”
· Pencil Neck: “This excerpt from my wipE′out′′ HD album features lots of sounds centre-stage and forward from Propellerhead Reason’s Subtractor virtual synth. I learned to love this more than my JD-800!”
· Messij 2005 (New Science Mix): “Yet another take on the track that still raises a smile, this time through a mix of samples from the original and Propellerhead Reason — the ‘new science’ when compared to an Amiga 1200 running Bars and Pipes.”
SOULMEEX record label marks its first anniversary in November 2025 with a milestone release: the label’s debut 7-inch. This special edition offers a new opportunity to expand its catalogue of forward-thinking sounds while honoring the timeless spirit of vinyl.
For the occasion, SOULMEEX presents signature tracks from NYC-based artist Evan Michael, whose productions balance depth and groove with finesse. On Side A, “Drifted Past” flows with hypnotic textures and steady momentum, creating a journey that bridges nostalgia and modern club energy. Side B, “Total Fiction” reveals a darker, more intricate narrative, weaving subtle rhythms and immersive layers that highlight Michael’s skill in uniting experimentation with dancefloor appeal.
As in the label’s very first release a year ago, the artwork is once again crafted by watercolor artist Celia Egea, whose visual language perfectly captures the spirit and emotion behind SOULMEEX sound.
More than a record, this release acts as a bridge between tradition and innovation, embodying the SOULMEEX vision: connecting timeless electronica aesthetics with fresh artistic voices. One year of music, community, and creative exploration.
ULURU is a large sandstone rock formation in Australia. It's sacred to the Anangu, the local Indigenous of the area. For many years it had been deprived of its spiritual significance, due to mass tourism, capitalism, as well as greedy and selfishness of people who just want to make money out of it. However, as a result of the Anangu’s resilience, care and staunchness, huge changes took place in the national park around Uluru as well as in the broader public's consciousness, giving again to the Uluru the sacred identity that had been lost.
You might be reading and thinking now: so what's the point? Actually, there's no real point. I would rather say, there’s hope. The hope of seeing humans all around the world following the example of the Anangu. The hope of seeing humans finally stopping to treat the earth and all what’s part of it, what’s on and what’s in it, as a slave without soul. The hope of changing today, and if not today at latest by tomorrow. This system is failing. It's no longer sustainable, and there's no much time left.
Kid Katana Records teamed up with Dotemu, The Game Kitchen and KOEI TECMO GAMES, to bring you the highly anticipated NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound OST on vinyl.
The physical edition is a 2LP designed in close relationship with the game's creative team:
- 2 colored vinyls: transparent blue & magenta, matching the cover art & the color-code of the two protagonists
- exclusive poster with extended credits & liner notes giving insights from the game’s creative team and featured artists
This album illustrates the incredible return to the saga's origins, embodied by Ryu Hayabusa's disciple Kenji Mozu and The Black Spider Clan Kunoichi Kumori, both united to repel the sudden onslaught of demons. It takes players back to its roots: a side-scrolling, brutally precise action-platformer set between the events of the first three episodes of the NINJA GAIDEN 8-bit era. The game’s OST blends different genres: rock, retro tunes and action-packed arcade music that respect the IP music legacy while modernizing it.
Partisan and PILLZ join forces once again, this time tapping into the innovative sound world of Brazilian live act Lucas. His signature style, twisted beeps, energetic glitches and razor-sharp mechanics, takes centre stage on Sign, a vinyl journey built for the peak hours. Each track is packed with calculated machine funk, emphatic drums and a relentless bassline drive. Lucas’ rising reputation across Europe stems from his electrifying live sets, where he seamlessly shifts between electro, techno and house. This record captures that same kinetic spirit, playful and powerful, built to move the floor.
A rave-ready trip from an artist breaking all the rules.
A pioneer of the NYC underground returns to Psionic. After a highly sought after release in the label’s early years, Reade Truth delivers once again with the Life In Review EP. With decades of experience shaping the sonic landscape, his signature blend of analog vintage textures and modern flair shines across four diverse cuts. From hazy minimal electro and dusty broken beats to hypnotic, mind-bending energy—this is Reade Truth in full force. A vital new weapon in the Psionic arsenal from a legend, one of the true originals.
Hot on the heels of Luv (LuvLuv) comes a sublime new Drum Chums from midland's madlads Wrekin Havoc.
Over the years we've shared great tunes, fun times and A-grade dance floor debauchery with these permanent party people (our first encounter almost exactly like that Spiderman pointing meme) so it made more sense than we usually do to invite them aboard the V*nga bus for some Balearic-Disco edit excellence.
Things kick off with the sexy throb of 'Shine A Light', a stonewashed funk workout complete with Paisley guitars, Troutman bass grunts and some big time blue-eyed soul vocals. It's a bit like an extended and unheard collaboration between George Michael and Tears For Fears recorded immediately after a particularly heavy night at Future. Unsurprising perhaps that this one's been getting a whole lot of love from DJ Harvey.
'Mars Bar Party' grabs you by the hips from the first bar of its swaying Mediterranean house rhythm, then tugs at every single one of your heartstrings with melancholic pads and a silken vocal croon. Fuuuuuuckin' hell! Sorry, was totally bewitched by the primal power of piano house magic - it's like John Rocca was in the room for a second. Armed with an awesome arrangement and clocking in at ten massive minutes, this may be the ultimate Balearic house journey.
If all this wasn't enough to have you stocking up on 5-HTP and sinus rinse, those crafty cats close the set out with the shimmering disco euphoria of 'Leccy Meet Her'. The bottom end pulses endlessly, Cowley synths trill and a crystal clear Vox soar above, sending us far off into mirrorball orbit. If this isn't a hit at Horse Meat, we'll neck a bottle of poppers and never eat a tomato again.
Each and every track Wrekin Havoc touch is a pearler, but we're particularly chuffed with ourselves for snapping this top trio up.
Ambroos De Schepper and Pepijn Gyssels became roommates when PiP moved to Brussels in 2021. Both paid close attention to each other’s musical approach and interests. One year later, Ambroos moved out. When he swung by to pick up some boxes, they decided to record something for the fun of it. Between May '23 and November '24 they continued experimenting with textures and improvisations. This collaboration has become the deepening of a friendship and a way to maintain it at the same time.
PiP: “We would have coffee or the occasional beer and everything we recorded came very organically. Ambroos would just bring his saxophone, a clarinet, some FX pedals or a weird flute. Whatever he felt like on that particular day. A few hours later he would usually be on his way again, leaving me with the recordings. I could treat them as I pleased.”
Ambroos: “I liked the idea of working with someone focussing on the physical side of music. Not so much on chords and tonality, but on texture and atmosphere. This gave me a framework with less concrete references, using words like “dark” or “busy”. I could improvise freely and we would try and catch a particular moment."
“l’Esprit de l’Escalier” is meant to be a musical meditation, opening up a continuous and detailed sound palette, aimed for the right mental state to listen with. Ambroos came up with the melody in COVID times and later in PiP’s studio, they recorded it on clarinet.
“Sans Loup” is the first jam the duo did together, after Ambroos and Lou moved out of the apartment they shared. Lou Wéry eventually found her way back to the album, as she can be heard playing the wing piano in this track.
PiP: “We recorded in the apartment we used to rent together. Since the title track and the entire album are named after Lou being absent in this dynamic, it seemed only natural to invite her in a later stage.”
“Spring Whistle” was an attempt to embed Ambroos’ musicality in dreamy textures and “Bring Back Bones” was built around an endlessly evolving krakeb recording that PiP took home from on a trip to Morocco. Both tracks are not aimed to end or evolve drastically, they just make the clock tick slower.
To conclude this release, “Velours de Tendre” is built out of a deconstructed groove and a field recording of the “Ronde van Vlaanderen”, a small reference to the countryside where PiP grew up. The reverberating chords you hear are the echoes Tijn Driessen squeezed out of an old harmonium, in a staircase of De Grote Post in Ostend.
PiP: “During a residency in De Grote Post we recorded in a staircase with a spaced pair of omni microphones. And you can take ‘spaced’ quite serious; one was positioned 5 stories higher and the other 3 stories lower.”
Sans Loup is the first vinyl to release on PiP’s label. They look alike, but none will be identical. The cover is screen printed in various combinations + a risograph insert. A highly personalized object.
credits
Released on Zitstill Records
Recorded in Brussels, Horebeke, Morocco and elsewhere, between September 2021 - November 2024
Music, mixing and production by Pepijn Gyssels
Saxophone, flute and clarinet by Ambroos De Schepper
Grand piano on “Sans Loup” by Lou Wéry
Harmonium on “Velours de Tendre” by Tijn Driessen
Mastering and lacquer cut by Anne Taegert at Dubplates & Mastering
Pressing by Objects Manufacturing
Layout and graphic design by Liselotte Van Daele & Otis Verhoeve
Photography by Willem Mevis
Special thanks to: Stijn Cools, Victor De Greef, De Grote Post
Shurale continues its deep exploration of abstract rhythm and texture with Numina by o.utlier. Four pieces that move between drones, breaks and spacious techno, unfolding slowly and deliberately.
It’s music that feels weightless and intense at the same time, crafted for deep listening and late moments when time starts to dissolve.
Welcoming elusive Japanese guitarist, Kouhei Fukuzumi, for his 3rd solo full-length as Ultrafog. ‘A Replica Screams’ emerges as a collection of drifting memories, a chain reaction of unique combinations of elements already present in the World. It embraces the idea that existence itself is positively shaped by serendipity and meaningful coincidences, and that we are all falling together, in time, and on time.
The vinyl edition contains an original artwork poster presenting João Bragança Gil’s ‘The Origin’ (On & On), an installation on synchronicity and fossils, which materialized in conjunction with Ultrafog’s live show at Ufonic (Lisbon, September 2024).
Mastering by Giuseppe Tillieci in Rome
Design by Eunseo Kim in Seoul
Manufacturing by AFG in Rome
Back in 1988, disco rap aficionado and collector Dave Lee put together a compilation titled 'Back To The Old School', showcasing some of the best of the genre, most of which had never been issued before in the UK . Fast forward to 2025 and Dave's label Z Records has managed to procure the rights to a few choice old school cuts for a (sort of) follow up. The difference is this time Mr Lee has remixed and re-worked the songs for today's dancefloors while preserving their original flavour and integrity. In this first part of the series we have TJ Swann's 1981 jam 'Get Fly', re-tracked and taken into lo-slung yacht rock funk territory with a sizzling synth solo for good measure, a perfect compliment to TJ's smooth NYC flow. Terry Lewis & Wild Flower are up next on the A-side, with a boogie rich, mid-tempo stomper with a heavy funk bottom end and a message that still rings true in this day and age. Mike T's 'Do It Anyway You Wanna' finishes things up with a compulsive dose of jazz-tinged disco rap that goes straight for the jugular, super charged slap bass underpinning sharp sax and flute motifs while the rich tones of Mike T slide over the top. Dave Lee yet again providing a masterclass in production.
The producers take a timeout from their Metalheadz offshoot series to return to their own stable for the pair’s 25th collaboration 12”.
In the Air features rolling breaks with ‘Can you feel it’ vocal hooks, violins and chords that build emotion. On the tougher flipside, the duo kickback with rhodes, chimes and an infectious tabla groove in Come with Me.
Original art once again pens the physical jacket sleeve.
Five years after the release of 'The First Circle' Neroli celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new volume.
'The Second Circle' picks up from where its predecessor left and expands its aestethic into more musical territories.
The album moves from still ambience and majestic uplifting strings to quirky electronics, it explores expansive fusion landscapes till landing into Detroit beatless territories accompanying the listener to multiple musical places and to embrace this unique spiritual journey. Featuring original unreleased compositions by: Nu Era, Lar Bartkuhn, Molinaro, Claude Young jr, Joe Claussell, EDB, Jordan GCZ, Other Lands, Stephen Lopkin, Meftah, Zopelar and Volcov.
On her fourth full-length album as Shedir, Sardinian sound artist Martina Betti offers a profound meditation on what it means to be human on the threshold of uncertainty.
We Are All Strangers is a series of ambient tapes-tries shaped by duality and introspection, where sound becomes a space to explore the tension between identity and ambiguity, presence and disappearance, connection and solitude. Inspired by the idea that we are all strangers, however, first and foremost to ourselves, Betti crafts seven fluid, slow-burn compositions that inhabit a sociological liminal zone—what she comments as an “inner elsewhere.”
These aren’t songs in the traditional sense, but evolving sonic environments that feel like emotional states made audible. Environmental textures, submerged electronics, and deep low-end pulses coalesce into a dreamlike architecture of sound: immersive, fragile, and quietly transformative.
Rather than offering answers or closure, the album invites us to live in radical openness—to stop trying to define everything we see and feel, and instead bathe in what remains unnamed. In this sense, We Are All Strangers is an invitation: to sit with uncertainty, to embrace the unfinished, and to find resonance even in our collective disconnection.
For listeners drawn to the introspective frequencies of Rafael Anton Irisarri, Félicia Atkinson, or Lawrence English, Betti’s music offers a similarly haunting and immersive experience—one where strangeness is not a flaw, but a starting point. In her hands, ambient music becomes a kind of reflective shelter: a place to brush against each other in the dark and begin to learn, as she puts it, “the difficult art of closeness.”
Vel initiates the «Cuddle Protocol», her first ambient album, set for release on October 17, 2025 on PURR.
Vel, recognized for her striking presence in the contemporary techno scene, steps into new territory with the release of her first ambient album, Cuddle Protocol (P:\URR(3)_Cuddle_Protocol), the third outing on her own label PURR. Out October 17, 2025, the 9-track record is a personal and intimate statement, delivered on vinyl and digital formats.
With Cuddle Protocol, Vel explores the paradox of intimacy in a coded world. “I like the idea of a protocol for softness,” she explains, “of codifying something that should be intimate and spontaneous.” This tension runs through the album: fragile voices and soft layers unfold against serious, carefully structured arrangements, balancing tenderness with rigor.
Ambient music has always been Vel’s “first love.” Before producing techno, she composed ambient exclusively, and this album marks a return to the form in its most sincere expression. “I know this music will follow me all my life. It’s not a phase. It’s how I express myself most truthfully.”
Cuddle Protocol is about slowing down, embracing sincerity, and reaching for deeper connection. “When I listen to ambient, I access another world. It’s charged with emotion, it makes me drift and forget everything. That’s the feeling I wanted to share.”
Mastering: Sixbitdeep / Artwork: Adone Giuntini
Synaptic Cliffs is barely able to contain the excitement for the release of the 4-track EP "Maximalism" where pdqb collaborates with DJ Sotofett in the most effective way. pdqb's sleek and melancholic electro originals carry a sexy 1980s reminiscing vibe, not too unknown from classic US electro disco-styled pop music. They meet warehouse remixes from DJ Sotofett, known for his top-notch electro productions on Clone and Tresor, as well as funky breakbeat, afro-dub and all-things-house on his own labels Wania and Sex Tags Mania. The remix of pdqb's electrocognition-beauty 'Giallactrus' has heavier, almost p-funk styled electro beats, live scratching complementing the block party approach while retaining the vibe of the original. Elysiaamore, pdqb's sonic love letter to Tangerine Dream, gets a bit of melodic menace treatment by DJ Sotofett, turning it into an intensified breakbeat juxtaposition with Junglized B-Boy elements... again without taking away the energy from the original. The vinyl version was cut by DJ Sotofett with optimal club sonics at Manmade Mastering, Berlin.
Der legendäre Frank Sinatra (1915 - 1998) war zweifellos einer der größten Sänger aller Zeiten. Diese großartige Sammlung präsentiert 75 Highlights aus seiner Karriere begleitet von herausragenden Orchestern unter der Leitung von wichtigen Persönlichkeiten wie unter anderem Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, Billy May, Sy Oliver und Don Costa. Die erste CD zeigt The Voice in seiner schwungvollsten Stimmung, während sich die zweite einigen seiner besten Balladeninterpretationen widmet und die dritte schließlich Songs aus berühmten Filmen kompiliert, von denen er in vielen auch die Hauptrollen spielte.
For the first time on Little Beat More, Sweden’s Cumbiasound deliver a vibrant 7” that expands their ever-evolving exploration of tropical soundscapes. Led by Daniel Fridell, the band has long been pushing the boundaries of cumbia while keeping its analogue heart beating strong, blending classic Colombian and Peruvian sounds with Afrobeat, reggae, jazz, funk, and beyond.
The A-side Mas Paz (Rework) breathes new life into one of Cumbiasound’s most beloved tracks, originally featured on their album Cosas del Universo. Vocalist Lis Flores Varela brings her unmistakable smoothness, while Chilean rapper Boogie Castillo lays down thoughtful verses with his signature flow in a track that captures the essence of the band: rooted, soulful, and globally connected. And to top it off, this new version has a fresh new vocal feature by Congolese singer José Pereelanga.
On the flip side, Jinsei, is a collaboration with Japanese cumbia band Mumbia y Sus Candelosos, led by composer and percussionist Mutsumi Kobayashi. With its breezy guitars, soft tropical groove, and the warm vocals of José Pereelanga, the track drifts like a slow river, effortlessly bridging continents and traditions.
With this 7”, Cumbiasound once again affirms its place among the most interesting projects in today’s nu-cumbia landscape with a vision that crosses borders with ease.
Made with Love by Little Beat More 2025 “We Dance We Think”
Repress of original 1996 classic which has built up over recent years to be a cult house classic with select headsy DJs and players, especially championed by Chris Stussy whose set spins have pushed copies up to £100 on Discogs, support from Saint Lukez on his Instagram channel who now offers an exclusive bonus edit. This will be strictly limited with pre-sales essential. Buy of cry.
There are many reasons why summer always feels like the invincible season, and one certainly is its ability to sketch colorful pictures of life rife with options. Now Sebastian Mullaert and Layla Rehana are drawing one themselves. And they use solar paint for it.
Coming from completely different backgrounds - Sebastian, a sound explorer with a history of exploring musical textures and moving dancefloors while the work of vocalist Layla weaves intuitive healing and subconscious reprogramming - they were immediately ready to take creative chances as first improvised sessions already felt like everything is perfectly keeping up with their very own sensibilities.
The resulting LP for Bigamo offers a collection of patient and almost meditative tracks that feel as natural as breathing. Everything is interconnected. Glowing. Soothing. Like a memory, everything is now and then. It’s the equivalent of laying on your back and watching fair weather clouds as they gently transform and eventually disappear. It’s when you realize that love is all there is, is all you know of love. Although we’re slowly but steadily entering the annual phase of shorter and darker days, their sun clearly sets only to rise and shine again.
The Natural Yogurt Band returns from the Derbyshire hills with another trippy record. We find again his signature sound
of raw neo-library and exotica grooves, with an electronic twist. Soulful string synths, modular chirps and crunchy electric
pianos will bring you in a colourful soundscape that only The Natural Yogurt Band can paint.
Chalice Sound next release as a music label is ready!
Following the six tracks previously released under the project MAFIA & FLUXY "MEETS" CHALICE SOUND, it's time for a brand new 7” record with Dean Fraser & Matic Horns. 4 Reggae Legends unite in this new instrumental song.
In addition to the riddim makers that are the backbone of this project; Mafia & Fluxy, this time we have 2 of the greatest Reggae Horns that exist: Dean Fraser on the saxophone & Matic Horns on the trombone.
On the B side we’ll find the track on its Riddim version, a Sound System hit for the best sessions.
A song standing for freedom in this times of war and tribulations; music against slavery & oppression, against racism & inequality.
After years of work, the two labels established by members of the Spanish sound, Cosme Deyah Productions and Infini-T Music merge together for the creation of a series of releases available on digital platforms and some vinyl singles:
Mista-T (Infini-t Music) and Cosme Deyah (Cosme Deyah Productions) have been working together for many years and now by joining efforts, Chalice Sound (est. 2000) is ready for its first releases as a music label.
This project include singles and their dub versions, having all riddims composed by the legendary Reggae musicians Mafia & Fluxy, arrangements by Maga Lion (Emeterians) and mixed by Mario Olivares (Daddy Cobra) at Cobra Studio, Madrid, Spain.
After appearing on the in-house series The Secret Sun under the moniker Sensefinite, Dan Piu once again graces OCD with pure aural bliss.
This EP took a long time to come to life—not for lack of material, but because the sheer volume of brilliantly composed, unique, and exciting productions to choose from turned the process into a literal “lost in music” experience: a psychedelic journey that at times seemed to have no end in sight.
Talk about first-world record label problems…
It’s techno, it’s trance, it’s house, it’s bleep—it’s all of that and more, seamlessly blended with the gentle finesse Dan brings to all his productions.
