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It’s time for the label founders to take control over our spaceship. Clusterhead offers four slices of proper abstract techno for those who know.
Release starts with Alteración del orden: a broken kick spiced with elastic synth washes and microdrones sets the pace while the rest of the percussive elements appear softly in the arrangement. The main sequence grows and mutates as minutes go by, reverb and stereo treatment goes heavier until repetition makes the desired effect on the virtual dancefloor.
Second cut Resiliencia Incesante again relies on broken kicks and processed synth lines. The BPM rate is higher here and the percussive elements are snapper and tighter. Sounds twist and change over time as the frequency range grows. An industrial ode to obscurity.
On the flip side, Automutilación creativa brings us again into oblivion, shuffled grooves obsessive sequences continuously moving and high pitched synthetic drums running through the stereo field.
Closing the release we have Notzing on board, still recovering from his amazing experimental work on our label, we give him again the commands of our spaceship to translate his mental obsessions in this superb rework of Automutilación creativa.
One more time we push the sound boundaries on behalf of timeless futuristic music in touchable format.
ESPAÑOL
Es hora de que los fundadores del sello tomen el control de nuestra nave
espacial. Clusterhead ofrece cuatro rebanadas de techno abstracto para aquellos que saben de lo que hablamos.
El disco comienza con Alteración del orden: ritmos rotos condimentados con sonidos elásticos de sintetizador y microdrones marcando el ritmo, mientras que el resto de los elementos percusivos aparecen suavemente en el arreglo. La secuencia principal crece y muta a medida que pasan los minutos, la reverberación y el tratamiento estéreo se vuelven más presentes hasta que la repetición produce el efecto deseado en la pista de baile virtual.
Como segundo corte Resiliencia Incesante nuevamente se basa en bombos rotos y líneas de sintetizador procesadas. La tasa de BPM es más alta aquí y los elementos de percusión son más rápidos y ajustados.
Los sonidos se retuercen y cambian con el tiempo a medida que aumenta el rango de frecuencia. Una oda industrial a la oscuridad.
En la cara B, Automutilación creativa nos trae de nuevo al lado oscuro, grooves mezclados, secuencias obsesivas en continuo movimiento y percusiones sintéticas de alto rango recorriendo el campo estéreo.
Cerrando el lanzamiento tenemos a Notzing a bordo, todavía recuperándonos de su asombroso trabajo experimental en nuestro sello, le damos de nuevo los comandos de nuestra nave espacial para plasmar sus obsesiones mentales en esta soberbia reelaboración de Automutilación creativa.
Una vez más empujamos los límites del sonido en nombre de la música futurista atemporal en formato táctil.

- A spectacular reimagining of one of the all time greatest
Northern Soul tunes, Timi Yuro 'It'll Never Be Over For Me'
whilst the original can change hands for upwards on £2000 a
group of young Argentinian Mods and rude boys have come
up with a reggae version.

- On paper it shouldn't work but it does. The most requested
song on Eddie Piller's Eclectic Soul Show on Soho Radio in
2017 following a chance meeting with guitarist Kevin Finigier
from Los Aggrotones in the studio.

- Acid Jazz are proud to release this as a limited edition vinyl
single (backed with one of the bands original organ
instrumentals) as a taster for the labels release of their
European debut LP later in 2018.

Skimming Wizard Fallout Systems

The quintet NOVA FELLOWSHIP was formed at the initiative of producer Antoine Rajon for a performance at the NUITS SONORES 2026 festival to pay tribute to the short but fruitful collaboration between musicians Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) and Steve Reid.

A discreet yet essential figure on the American music scene, the African-American drummer Steve Reid (1944-2010) left his mark on the history of free jazz, funk, and rock. His collaborations included the Sun Ra Arkestra, Albert Ayler and Miles Davis (Tutu), James Brown (on the classic Popcorn), and Martha & the Vandellas.
The end of his career was marked by his encounter with the Englishman Kieran Hebden, an emblematic pioneer of electronic music known as Four Tet, with whom he recorded four hybrid, experimental, and spiritual albums between 2006 and 2010. NOVA FELLOWSHIP, a group of friends who have collaborated in several bands, recorded the album CONTINUUM live at Studio Pigalle in Paris, with Kieran Hebden in attendance, who was captivated by the group's first concert at the Nuits Sonores festival.


On this album, NOVA FELLOWSHIP covers three 1970s classics by Steve Reid & the Master Brotherhood, three tracks by Four Tet, and a composition by the duo Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid, "Morning Prayer," which appears on their first joint album. Missouri drummer Zach Morrow brings to the group the dynamism he has displayed in recent years touring with poet Aja Monet. Heir to the versatility of Steve Reid, his playing is imbued with the full spectrum of Great Black Music. Versatile pianists Tony Tixier, arranger of an explosive version of the Nova/Free Spirits tracks created by Steve Reid, and Rob Clearfield, known for his work with Makaya McCraven, create hypnotic bass lines and captivating synth textures on their shared keyboards and synthesizers. Eritrean/American trumpeter Hermon Mehari and Italian saxophonist Francesco Geminiani, both Parisians and active on the European scene, form a powerful brass section. On ‘Morning Prayer,’ Francesco uses for the first time a flute of his own design, the Nautilus, which resembles an ocarina. This instrument, carved from maple wood and stylized on the album cover, was designed according to the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. Its use celebrates the mystical and exploratory nature of the duo formed by Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid, whose musical alchemy has left its mark on all those who have attended one of their concerts.

Joaquin ‘Joe’ Claussell returns to the Spring Revisited project, and he delivers another jazz-infused house mix of a classic funk track by the iconic Fatback Band. Spring Revisited is collaborative project between Ace Records and Acid Jazz, inviting influential house music producers to reinterpret classic tracks from seminal New York label Spring Records, a pioneer in funk, soul and disco. After a series of sell-out and chart-topping 12” and 7” releases, as well as a 2LP compilation, the project continues with these two new mixes of the Fatback Band’s ‘(Do The) Spanish Hustle)’. Claussell combines the original classic funk elements with Latino percussion and samba-styled trumpets.

First up is his 'Sacred Rhythm Version’, which lifts the tempo and loops a section of the original's percussion. Keeping the trumpets, and soulful vocal phrases, he adds a DJ-friendly kick drum and shows off his improvisation skills with a vibrant synth line. On the flip, he strips back some of the drums and horns and focuses on the bassline with the 'Spanish Harlem Dub,' which is a moody rework utilising some funk-infused organ chords. On the original track Joe says: "I can vividly recall the very first time I heard Spanish Hustle blasting through my brother Jackie’s stereo system. Not long afterward, I experienced its energy again on the dance floor at a discotheque known as The Inferno, where it was masterfully delivered by the legendary René Hewitt. The record left an imprint on my spirit that never faded.’ A spectacular continuation of the series, presented in the nowsignature Spring Revisited housebag, resembling an original worn-in promotional 12”, pressed in a strictly limited run!

Der mitreißende Auftritt von AJR in der legendären Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles am 4. Oktober 2025
wurde auf dem allerersten Live-Album der Band verewigt! Die Tracklist umfasst 21 Titel, darunter alle
großen Hits der Band – von „Bang!“ über „Burn The House Down“, „Weak“ und „Way Less Sad“ bis hin
zu „World’s Smallest Violin“ und vielen mehr.

Since The Summoned announced Mama Terra as one of Britain's more intriguing modern jazz propositions, anticipation has only gathered pace, and this latest offering more than answers it, with Marco Cafolla's Glasgow ensemble stretching spiritual jazz into widescreen territory, enriched by Conrad Roberts' evocative narration on the title track and 'Bliss'. Elsewhere, 'Isha' drifts with serene assurance, then 'The Observers' gives way to a far more expansive finale. It's another bold step from a group whose musical vocabulary seems to grow richer with every outing.

Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science ― Matthew Stevens, Aaron Parks, and Morgan Guerin ― delivers their sophomore project, Trip the Night Fantastic, on Candid Records. GRAMMY® nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for their 2019 release, Waiting Game, this acclaimed collective returns ― boasting an illustrious roll call of emcees, spoken word artists, and instrumentalists ― this time exploring systemic and contemporary themes that demand our attention, call us to action, and add stunning breadth to the time-honored tradition of amalgamating art and activism. Women’s empowerment, climate change, immigration, gender justice, body autonomy, community building, and animal rights are all elucidated with a freshness, depth, and creative brilliance that can only be birthed from someone whose creative core is rooted in empathy and humanity.

Featured throughout this new recording are vocalists Ledisi, Arooj Aftab, Michael Mayo, Miki Howard, Fatoumata Diawara, Debo Ray, Christie Dashiell, Lizz Wright, Vuyo Sotashe, Safa, Imani Rousselle, and Ian Michael; instrumentalists Brandee Younger, Marc Ribot, Larry Goldings, Rashaan Carter, Simon Moullier, Riley G, and Brenda Navarrete; emcees Nappy Nina, Kokayi, Kassa Overall, and Khemist; and spoken word artists J. Ivy, Aja Monet, Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball, and Moor Mother.

Capsule Corp, familly !

Following the solid showing of global love and support for the collective Point Winona Sound Library Vol 1, LA’s Elbow Grease label runs it back with a sultry summer scene LP entry from one of the compilation’s most promising new talents.
Nashville-born/LA-bred Michael Griffin aka Gryph’s aptly-titled debut album Nash Angeles is a rare and refreshing example of true musical worlds colliding, that never loses focus of keeping the big fun in funky. The Tennessee-raised rock and blues guitarist/singer-songwriter’s newfound passion for dance music roots and devotion to the sonic feels of his current Cali home base are on full display here. Along with the studio-ace touches of co-producer Dave Aju and a cast of brilliant feature vocalists and live session musicians, the LP offers up only the most adventurous twists on contemporary genre fusion - from disco to dub, modern soul to post-punk, italo to r&b, and jazz-funk to classic house music, all while firing loved-up arrows straight through the hearts of any dance floors or fellow party animals, just in time for open-air bbq season
Already in heavy support rotation by legends such as: Glenn Underground, Francois K, Bill Brewster, Daniele Baldelli, Pete Herbert, Louise Chen, Graeme Park, Felix Joy, DJ Rocca, Massimiliano Pagliara, and many more..

cooler sampler !

Chad R. Matheny veröffentlicht seit 1998 exzentrische, textlich dichte Underground-Popmusik, oft unter dem Namen Emperor X. Nach seinem Studium der Physik, Philosophie und Musikkomposition legte Matheny eine Pause von der akademischen Arbeit ein und verbrachte einen Großteil der letzten zwei Jahrzehnte damit, die Welt mit Bussen und Hochgeschwindigkeitszügen zu durchqueren, um an Orten Musik zu machen, die von einem kleinen, aber vollbesetzten Konzertsaal in Portugal über eine leere Messehalle im Norden des Libanon bis hin zu buchstäblich unterirdischen Metal-Bars in der ganzen Ukraine reichten. Er tourt oft allein mit Gitarre und Synthesizer, teilt sich aber manchmal die Bühne mit Weggefährten wie Ratboys, The Hotelier, The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, Foxing, AJJ, The Front Bottoms und Xiu Xiu. Er produzierte das neue Brian-Sella-Album ,Well I Mean", war Co-Produzent des Sub-Pop-Albums ,Bits" der Jangle-Punk-Legenden Oxford Collapse zusammen mit Eric Topalski von Don Caballero und Storm & Stress und komponierte Videoundermusik für gemeinnützige Organisationen wie Planned Parenthood und SEIU. In den Jahren 2011 und 2012 wurde Mathenys Ambient-Werk ,Keeling Curve" in einer Multimedia-Installation des Fotografen Joel Sternfeld verwendet, die im Rahmen einer Retrospektive im Museum Folkwang zu sehen war.

Acid Jazz presents the second volume of their Jazz Sessions series with the first album from the Matt Berry Trio, with Matt Berry joined by band members Phill Scragg and Graham Mann on ‘Everything’s Peachy’.
When not creating numerous indelible characters on the screen, Matt Berry has forged a remarkable, diverse and acclaimed career as a recording artist. Following the widely lauded ‘Heard Noises’ (2025) and a collaboration album with KPM ‘Simplicity’ (2023), he returns in yet another musical guise as leader of a studio-based mid-century jazz adjacent trio.
‘Everything Peachy’ is a 12-part instrumental suite, inspired by ‘the Sky King’ (American folk hero Richard “Beebo” Russell), who stole a large aircraft with no flight training, performing stunts and manoeuvres, before crashing to his own demise, and takes its name from his response to air traffic control.
Conveying variously the chaos, nostalgia, regret and acceptance of Russell’s maiden flight, it is an open, freeform and flowing composition, drawing influence from the electronic experiments of Miles Davis and the melancholy of Satie, to create another moment of musical beauty from Matt’s curious and ever-moving musical mind.
The Jazz Sessions series was conceived by Acid Jazz founder Ed Piller as a return to the jazz roots of the label. The first release came from former Style Council drummer Steve White, with his first album as leader ’Soul Drums’, further releases will follow over the next year.

Fingier Records, released through Acid Jazz Records, has established itself in recent years as a distinctive voice in contemporary soul, drawing from Northern and Rare Soul, 60’s R&B and Raw Funk, Mod Jazz and Boogaloo, conceived by Argentinian producer Kevin Fingier.

‘Nothing Like Be Present’ is a new dancefloor-filler from Jo Ann Hamilton (USA), backed by The Kevin Fingier Collective. A powerful slice of Rare Soul tailor-made for Northern Soul all- nighters. Vibraphone, backing vocals and tight horn arrangements keep the energy locked on the dancefloor, while Hamilton’s voice takes the record to another level.

The instrumental was simply too strong to leave out, so it features on the B-side - a DJ-friendly cut that will feel right at home in many 7” boxes.

Strictly limited to 150 copies. DJ use only.

By popular demand, almost two years after its original release, we're finally pressing one of MM Discos' most iconic records to vinyl. A record that, in many ways, captures the label's vibe, spirituality, and sonic identity.
Daichi landed in 2024 with standout versatility, effortlessly pulling almost any genre into a balearic universe, bending it to his own language.
From the proto-tropical trance of "See of Cosmic" to the loose, hard-to-pin-down house of "Dampness," somewhere between Madchester moods and an Arthur Russell-esque swing. Late-night energy runs through "You Got Me" and "Aja Aja" - the former riding a garage swing, the latter drifting further into that signature cosmic space. To close it out and ease the tempo down, Daichi moves into more disco-leaning territory with a pair of understated but heavyweight edits.

There are two versions of this album:

1. numbered 100 copies of limited black 180g vinyl made in collaboration with U JAZZ ME Records

2. transparent orange 180g vinyl

LINER NOTES:

" When AJ Lee stepped back into the ring in September 2025 - after a ten-year break - she introduced herself to a new generation of fans with the words: 'If you haven't heard of me, I am your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.' That is exactly what came to my mind as a lead for this blurb when Pokusa asked me to write it. Because that’s what they are: your favorite indie darlings' favorite indie darlings (even though no one uses that term anymore, let alone identifies as such). They are your favorite cool jazzcats’ favorite jazzcats. And they are probably your favorite young jazz act - if you don’t usually (or ever) listen to jazz.

This, I always thought, is their greatest strength. Half the battle (in my eyes) is recording a sick jazz album - one that a jazz magazine would fawn over. The real win is getting someone wearing a heavy metal T-shirt into it; someone who’s never listened to jazz and has never stepped foot in a place like Pardon, To Tu, but heard Pokusa and decided to change that. I am such a person. I didn't learn about jazz because of them, but they’re definitely the reason I started rating it.
Głowy (Heads) is, in a way, a classic album. If someone played it for me and - relying on my lack of knowledge and gullibility - tried to convince me that it was recorded in the Polish Radio Studios in 1975, at Akwarium Club in Warsaw in 1985, at Club Rura in 1989, somewhere in Tri-City in '94, or at Mózg in Bydgoszcz, I would probably believe it. Its 'classicness' goes hand in hand with its timelessness. I could write about how the album fits into the catalogs of Lado ABC, GOWI, or Biodro Records. I could dig for connections to Yass, Tzadik, or a number of other things.
But what Teo, Natan, and Tymek create here is as important in its experience as it is in its music. For me - an artist active in a similar time - each Pokusa album, including this newest release, is a record of a period of time and the experiences hidden between the notes. The Indian spices in food served before a show in Mózg. A headache from all the cigarettes smoked listening to tapes in Eufemia. Marveling at the graffiti over the sink in Młodsza Siostra. The narrow steps at Chłodna 25. The wider but slippery steps to Pogłos. The quirky and uncomfortable steps in Ziemia. The mosquitoes at Ladomek. The dilemma of whether to wear a nice polo instead of a T-shirt to SPATiF. The wonder of turning off Monciak into Dwie Zmiany. Why is a club like this on such a strip? Why is Pokusa playing here? And why do they sound so good?
On one hand, you can find journalists writing that Pokusa grew out of the classic free jazz of the 1960s; some might mention Albert Ayler. On the other hand, there’s Unsound Festival and young critics writing about 'post-jazz.' All of them are correct. This is universalism. This is that timelessness. Whether you pick up this album the day it comes out or in the year 2046, it will be good. In twenty years, people will still reach for it. Of that, I am certain."
Michał Turowski

There are two versions of this album:

1. numbered 100 copies of limited black 180g vinyl made in collaboration with U JAZZ ME Records

2. transparent orange 180g vinyl

LINER NOTES:

" When AJ Lee stepped back into the ring in September 2025 - after a ten-year break - she introduced herself to a new generation of fans with the words: 'If you haven't heard of me, I am your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.' That is exactly what came to my mind as a lead for this blurb when Pokusa asked me to write it. Because that’s what they are: your favorite indie darlings' favorite indie darlings (even though no one uses that term anymore, let alone identifies as such). They are your favorite cool jazzcats’ favorite jazzcats. And they are probably your favorite young jazz act - if you don’t usually (or ever) listen to jazz.

This, I always thought, is their greatest strength. Half the battle (in my eyes) is recording a sick jazz album - one that a jazz magazine would fawn over. The real win is getting someone wearing a heavy metal T-shirt into it; someone who’s never listened to jazz and has never stepped foot in a place like Pardon, To Tu, but heard Pokusa and decided to change that. I am such a person. I didn't learn about jazz because of them, but they’re definitely the reason I started rating it.
Głowy (Heads) is, in a way, a classic album. If someone played it for me and - relying on my lack of knowledge and gullibility - tried to convince me that it was recorded in the Polish Radio Studios in 1975, at Akwarium Club in Warsaw in 1985, at Club Rura in 1989, somewhere in Tri-City in '94, or at Mózg in Bydgoszcz, I would probably believe it. Its 'classicness' goes hand in hand with its timelessness. I could write about how the album fits into the catalogs of Lado ABC, GOWI, or Biodro Records. I could dig for connections to Yass, Tzadik, or a number of other things.
But what Teo, Natan, and Tymek create here is as important in its experience as it is in its music. For me - an artist active in a similar time - each Pokusa album, including this newest release, is a record of a period of time and the experiences hidden between the notes. The Indian spices in food served before a show in Mózg. A headache from all the cigarettes smoked listening to tapes in Eufemia. Marveling at the graffiti over the sink in Młodsza Siostra. The narrow steps at Chłodna 25. The wider but slippery steps to Pogłos. The quirky and uncomfortable steps in Ziemia. The mosquitoes at Ladomek. The dilemma of whether to wear a nice polo instead of a T-shirt to SPATiF. The wonder of turning off Monciak into Dwie Zmiany. Why is a club like this on such a strip? Why is Pokusa playing here? And why do they sound so good?
On one hand, you can find journalists writing that Pokusa grew out of the classic free jazz of the 1960s; some might mention Albert Ayler. On the other hand, there’s Unsound Festival and young critics writing about 'post-jazz.' All of them are correct. This is universalism. This is that timelessness. Whether you pick up this album the day it comes out or in the year 2046, it will be good. In twenty years, people will still reach for it. Of that, I am certain."
Michał Turowski

Very limited numbers, orders will need to be confirmed.

For his new album, Irreparable Parables, Andrew Wasylyk felt a strong desire to write a set of songs featuring an element hitherto rare in his work: the human voice. Equally strong was the conviction that he did not want to sing them himself.

The Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer set about assembling a group of guest singers, sending out the songs to wherever they were in the world. The vocals were recorded remotely and then, like migrating birds, winged their way back to Scotland. The result is an album of great beauty which, perhaps preeminently in Wasylyk’s work, expresses the vulnerability and resilience of the human spirit.

Six singers appear on the record, represented by six songbirds illustrated on the sleeve by Clay Pipe Music’s Frances Castle. The cuckoo is a nod to Belle and Sebastian’s 2004 single ‘I’m A Cuckoo’, that band’s Stuart Murdoch being the first voice you hear on the new album. When the vocal for ‘Private Symphony #2’ arrived, says Wasylyk, “it was everything that I was looking for and more. But this is Stuart Murdoch. Of course he’s going to make something incredibly beautiful and thoughtful.”

The song lyrics were, for the most part, written by the singers. The music is Wasylyk’s creation. He navigates a sound world that lies somewhere beyond the borders of classical and jazz, ambient and abstract. It is difficult to describe, but easy to understand, which is to say to feel. That is the way Wasylyk’s work is experienced: as a feeling. It takes you back to childhood, perhaps, to feelings of comfort and safety, or to memories of walks at sunrise and sunset, or to the way a shadow falls on a particular field in a particular place at a particular time in your life. This is consoling music. That is why, though pretty, it is not merely pretty. These are songs to shore up the soul.

Wasylyk writes in a room, in his native Dundee, full of “half broken” instruments. He picks these up, plays a little, seeking an idea, a feeling, a door that lies ajar. The musical palette of Irreparable Parables includes brass and woodwind, a six-piece string section, guitar, bass, drums, vibraphone, Mellotron, Fender Rhodes, tape loops, synthesisers and percussion. The strings were arranged by the cellist Pete Harvey, a long-term collaborator.

Among the other guest vocalists are Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals, Saya Ueno from Japan’s Tenniscoats and Peter Brewis from Field Music. Wasylyk himself takes the lead vocal on the title track, though a throat infection and touch of pitch-shifting have altered his singing in a way that even he, having fallen out of love with his own voice, finds acceptable.

The heart of the record can, arguably, be found in two tracks, ‘Love Is A Life That Lasts Forever’ and ‘Spectators In The Absence of God’, sung respectively by Molly Linen and Kathryn Joseph. The former, bright with trumpets, was inspired by the writing of Derek Jarman. “I was feeling deeply upset about the world and wanted to try and write some- thing that was obviously hopeful,” Wasylyk says.

‘Spectators …’ offers an emotional counterpoint. It is an “apocalyptic hymn” that seems to grapple with watching human suffering from afar, too distant to be at physical risk, but experiencing the psychological wounding, and feelings of helplessness, even complicity, that come with constant awareness of other people’s pain. “Kathryn’s a pal, I love her dearly, and she’s a brilliant artist who really feels what she writes,” Wasylyk says. “The cracked tenderness of her voice is spellbinding.”

The album closes with an instrumental piece, ‘Soul Enters The Ocean Sun Climbs Out Of The Sea’, all piano and strings, that offers a sense of resolution and ascension. A good moment, too, for Wasylyk to reflect upon the artistic companionship that he enjoyed while making this record – the songbirds that answered his call: “These humans are incredible at what they do. I’m deeply grateful and feel so lucky. It blows my mind.”

As keyboard maestro James Taylor arrives at his 40th year leading his Quartet, he has re-signed with his original label Acid Jazz and is embarking on a series of the most radical projects he has ever worked on. Following his first classical album ‘Shadows and Dreams’ earlier this year, he brings the Quartet together for a remarkable new album. ‘Te Deum’ sets the ancient, 4th-entury Christian text to intense jazz, funk, and Latin grooves. The music sees the James Taylor Quartet working alongside the children of the Benenden Chapel Choir, and a guest horn section and legendary Acid Jazz percussionist Snowboy. Lead track ‘Have Mercy On Us’ mixes Brazilian samba with Gregorian chants, ‘The Comforter’ sounds like a Donald Byrd with voices Blue Note Records experiment, and last year’s radio favourite ‘Wildflower’ mixes bossa nova with sunshine pop harmonies and a positive message. The JTQ is on tour throughout the year - as he always is and will be worth catching live.

2026 Repress

2 tracks. 45 RPM. It's a steal!
Compiled by Rey Colino.
Mastered and Cut by Marco Pellegrino.
Design by AJAM.

aja monet ist eine surrealistische Blues-Dichterin, Musikerin und Bandleaderin, deren Werk fließend zwischen Poesie, Musik und politischem Ausdruck wechselt. Aus der Spoken-Word-Szene der Lower East Side in New York City hervorgegangen, wurde sie die jüngste Gewinnerin des Nuyorican Grand Slam Poetry-Titels, bevor sie ihr Schaffen auf genreübergreifende musikalische Darbietungen ausweitete, die ihre Wurzeln im Jazz, Blues und experimentellen Sound haben. Ihr Debüt-Poetry-Album ,when the poems do what they do" wurde 2024 für einen Grammy Award in der Kategorie ,Best Spoken Word Poetry Album" nominiert und etablierte Monetas als einzigartige Stimme in der zeitgenössischen schwarzen Musik- und Performance-Szene. Das Projekt verbindet Poesie mit Live-Instrumentierung und Improvisation und erkundet Themen wie Widerstand, Liebe und Freude durch einen kollaborativen, ensembleorientierten Ansatz. Als tourende Bandleaderin ist sie weltweit bei großen Festivals und in bedeutenden Veranstaltungsorten aufgetreten, darunter das Newport Jazz Festival, das North Sea Jazz Festival, das Montreal Jazz Festival, das Guggenheim, das Lincoln Center, das Barbican Centre und die Fremantle Biennale. Neben ihrer musikalischen Arbeit ist monet eine gefeierte Dichterin und Autorin. Ihr erster vollständiger Gedichtband, ,my mother was a freedom fighter" (2017), wurde für den NAACP Image Award in der Kategorie Poesie nominiert. Ihr jüngstes Buch, ,florida water", erschienen bei Haymarket Books, schöpft aus mehreren Jahren des Lebens und der Organisationsarbeit in Südflorida und setzt ihre Auseinandersetzung mit Ort, Bewegung und kollektivem Gedächtnis fort. Zu ihren Auszeichnungen zählen der Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award für Poesie, der Nelson Mandela Changemaker Award, der Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award, der EBONY 100 Artist in Residence Award sowie der Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award. Zudem ist sie künstlerische Kreativdirektorin von V-Day, der globalen Bewegung zur Beendigung von Gewalt gegen Frauen und Mädchen, und Schöpferin von VOICES, einem Hörspiel aus dem Jahr 2022, das die Geschichten schwarzer Frauen in der Diaspora und auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent in den Vordergrund rückt. aja monet's zweites Studioalbum, ,the color of rain", wird im Mai 2026 bei drink sum wtr erscheinen.

Der sudanesisch-amerikanische Künstler Dua Saleh setzt seinen unaufhaltsamen Aufstieg mit ,Of Earth & Wires" fort, einem durchweg warmherzigen, spirituellen und mitreißenden Album, das sich mit den Themen Heimat, Menschlichkeit und Erneuerung auseinandersetzt. Mit Beiträgen von Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), aja monet, Gaidaa und anderen verwebt und dekonstruiert Saleh Indie, R&B und elektronischen Pop mit Einflüssen aus sudanesischer Volksmusik, britischer Dance-Musik und elektronischer Popmusik. ,Of Earth & Wires" ist ein Album, das sich durch seine Vielseitigkeit und seine Fähigkeit auszeichnet, die Zuhörer in seinen Bann zu ziehen. Mit Beiträgen von Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), aja monet, Gaidaa und anderen verwebt und dekonstruiert Saleh Indie, R&B und elektronischen Pop mit Einflüssen aus sudanesischer Folk-Musik, UK Dance und Reggaeton - Klänge, die untrennbar mit ihrer Geschichte verbunden sind und durch eine ambitionierte, zukunftsorientierte Produktion und klare Lyrik zusammengehalten werden. Salehs gefühlvoller, kraftvoller und wandlungsfähiger Stil hat Fans von der New York Times bis zum NME überzeugt, ebenso wie ihre Durchbruchrolle in der Netflix-Serie ,Sex Education". Salehs gefühlvoller, kraftvoller und wandlungsfähiger Stil hat Fans von der New York Times bis zum NME gefunden, ebenso wie ihre Durchbruchrolle in der Netflix-Serie Sex Education, die das Debüt von Ghostly International im Jahr 2024, I SHOULD CALL THEM, zu einem echten Erfolg machte. Das mit Spannung erwartete Album ,Of Earth & Wires" ist sowohl ein Meilenstein in ihrer Karriere als auch ein dringender Dialog mit den Herausforderungen, denen man sich auf universeller Ebene gegenübersieht. Zusätzlich zu ihren musikalischen Aktivitäten ist Dua ein aufstrebender Schauspieler, der mit einer Durchbruchrolle in der beliebten Netflix-Serie ,Sex Education" bekannt wurde, in der er drei Staffeln lang die Rolle des Cal Bowman spielte.

Sari Jordan ist Sängerin, Songwriterin und Musikerin mit einer Stimme, die durch ihre unverfälschte Ehrlichkeit und verspielte Kühnheit besticht. Ihre Musik ist komplex und ätherisch, funky und fröhlich - ein kontrolliertes Feuerwerk. Die in New Jersey geborene und in New Orleans lebende Künstlerin beschäftigt sich mit den Widersprüchen in Beziehungen, Macht und Liebe. Jordans einzigartige Stimme und ihre introspektiven Songs tanzen am Rande der vierten Wand, die zwischen Künstlerin und Zuhörer schimmert. ,PERFECT BE THE ENEMY" ist ihr Debütalbum. Das Projekt mit 11 Songs kehrt Trauer und Wandel von innen nach außen und schmückt die emotionalen Erdbeben des Lebens mit eklektischen Grooves, hypnotischen Gitarrenlinien und einem warmen, goldenen Licht - wobei Jordans Stimme und Geschichten durchscheinen. Aufgenommen in New Orleans im Lil Squeeze Studio von Ajaï Combelic, wurde das Projekt von Jordan, Comebelic und Robin Sherman koproduziert, der auf der Platte auch Bass spielt. Jeder Song ist wie ein lebhafter Eintrag in einem Sammelalbum - Sari nimmt uns mutig mit auf eine Reise ins Selbst. Sie erinnern uns daran, dass nichts endgültig ist, alles im Fluss liegt.

2 tracks
45 RPM

Compiled by Rey Colino.
Design by AJAM.

Kenny Dope - the legendary DJ and producer - has been a central figure in the incredible Spring Revisited series, launched in 2025. A collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Records, the series has explored the legacy of Spring Records, with a run of sell-out vinyl releases, digital singles and a 2LP compilation, with new mixes from the biggest names in dance music and remix production. The series continues with this new 7” single: ‘Spring Revisited vs. Kenny Dope - The 45 Mixes’.

It pairs an edit of Kenny Dope’s mix of ‘Mucho Macho’ by Macho with the mix of Millie Jackson’s ‘Don’t Send Nobody Else’ he created with Swedish producer Magnus Frykberg. Macho was an alias for the mighty Fatback Band, who are central to the Spring legacy, led by the great Bill Curtis (and co-writer of Mucho Macho), while Millie Jackson is one of the great voices of modern soul. Soulful and dance-floor ready, this 7” arrives fittingly in time for spring.

A critical darling and beloved by fans, the success and recognition of Domestica changed the trajectory of Cursive's career. It was recorded over nine days at Lincoln, NE's Whoop-Ass studios (the original studio of Mike and AJ Mogis), and the album's bracing, jagged, cathartic, and visceral songs capture the urgency of the reunited young band_and continue to resonate with fans 25 years later.

For the last few years Acid Jazz has been the proud custodian of the Albarika Store legacy. Hailing from the small but culturally-significant state of Benin, the label was operational from the late-‘60s until the early ‘80s, and was home to some of the finest, deepest, rawest West African cuts ever. A font of local and regional music, infused with contemporary Western influences, the beating heart of the Albarika sound was the mighty T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who in various guises released dozens of recordings for the label, under the leadership of Mêlomé Clément. The intoxicating originality of their sound stems from their combination of folkloric and sacred rhythms of the region, with the modernist sound of soukous, afrobeat, soul and funk. Recorded at EMI Studios in Lagos, these recordings have a unique high fidelity and have been a target for grail-hunting record collectors for decades. For this incredible 2LP collection, Dean Rudland and David Hill compile the Poly-Rythmo 45 releases; 7” single and EP sides lost to the seeds of time. Until now. Brought together for the first time, presented in a beautiful wide spine layout, the 2 LPs present a snapshot of some of the group’s finest work from the ‘70s, their distinctive beat already honed. The printed inner sleeves include images of the rare and collectable original labels and sleeves, along with sleeve notes by Francis Gooding

LA underground hubs DISCOS XXX aka DX3 and Elbow Grease join forces to proudly present Point Winona Sound Library Vol 1 — featuring 20 distinct artists from the inspired local dance music scene, working under one unified studio roof in various collaborative
formation at the mighty Los Feliz hilltop palace Point Winona, overseeing the city they collectively represent. These timeless warehouse-wrecking tracks all stand on their own, but the compilation as a whole offers a solid geographic sonic statement with shared rhythmic DNA and bold rooted-futurist production blueprints, guided by the champion efforts of studio executive producers/curators Tavish DJ and Dave Aju.
The BPS stage-setting opener evokes crispy A.M. hours with lush Detroit-meets-Cali feels on “Within Reason” — then studio dream team 5 ATMs bring the dubwise floor vibes up a notch on “A Dub Called Mondo” and Chitown-to-LA legend Scott K lays down an FM bass-laced acid house heater with “Tighter & Tighter”. Nashville-born producer Gryph funks things up on the live space boogie bump of “Winona at Sunset” while SSRI, comprised of Underground Resistance’s DJ Dex/Nomadico, Aju, and Black Lodge’s fearless leader Kosmik, drop fierce robo-Italo bliss on “Omnicallora”. Things take a further psychedelic twist with the PW edit of Scotty Coats’ sublime midtempo tripper “Be Work Zone Alert”, then Omakase’s own Gold Code alongside longtime rave brother Aju drop the nasty J Saul-salute “Yolo Jungle”, and Warehouse Preservation Society aka Tavish DJ & TK fully detonate floors inna raucous Wicked Crew stylee with “Data Bliss”. Undisputed LA scene queen Stacy Christine arrives with her shining debut “Smart Move”, where she and Aju trade sly vox lines of party advice over a bouncing tech banger for the ages, before the “Obsesion Romantica (Free Winona Dub)” sees Sisters Of Sound aka Maddy Maia and Tottie's, OG track getting stripped back and fired up to acidic peak time form. Then Dave Aju and SF homies Moniker aka EO & Kenneth Scott unleash wild uptempo melodic bruk heaven on “Chuy Luis”, and Vastir sends us home with the stratospheric drum n bass closer "Turnpike"

Naive Melodies is a bold and visionary tribute to the music of Talking Heads, reinterpreted through the lens of Black musical innovation. Curated by Drew McFadden — the creative mind behind BBE’s acclaimed Modern Love (David Bowie tribute album) — this new collection dives deep into the Afro-diasporic rhythms and experimental soul roots that helped shape Talking Heads’ unmistakable New Wave sound. Inspired by artists like Fela Kuti, Parliament, and Al Green — whose influences loomed large in the band’s rhythmic DNA — Naive Melodies shines a light on the Black music traditions that underpinned their artistry. Far from a conventional tribute, Naive Melodies reframes the band’s catalog through the voices and visions of a new generation of genre-defying artists. These interpretations illuminate the foundational grooves and sonic textures that fueled Talking Heads’ rhythm-forward aesthetic, bringing them full circle with authenticity. “With Naive Melodies, I wanted to spotlight the deep and often overlooked influence of Black music on the sound of Talking Heads, drawing from the rhythmic foundations of Afro-diasporic traditions, soul, gospel, Latin, and spiritual jazz. This project is a chance to reimagine Talking Heads’ legacy through the lens of the very innovations that helped shape it, bringing those influences to the forefront through the voices of today’s most forward-thinking artists.” — Drew McFadden The album features a globally minded lineup, including Liv.e, Bilal, Rogê, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Aja Monet, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Theo Croker, Kenny Dope, Rosie Lowe, Pachyman, W.I.T.C.H., and more — spanning Afrobeat, jazz, soul, funk, gospel, dub, electronica, orchestral, and Latin styles. It reflects not only the boundary-pushing ethos of Talking Heads, but also the influence of Black music as a cultural force that helped shape it. This is not just a tribute album — it’s a recontextualization. A cultural conversation. A rhythmic reawakening.

AJATE from the East and STEPAK TAKRAW from the West. A historic encounter between Afro-groove bands from East and West!!!
A powerful split album born from the clash of diverse cultures.
The A-side features two tracks by AJATE, a group hugely popular not only domestically but also in Europe and America, who create a unique atmosphere using
Japanese festival music instruments, handmade bamboo guitars, and balafons.
The B-side features two tracks by STEPAK TAKRAW, whose hard-hitting technique rivals authentic Afrobeat bands, breakbeat-inspired approach, and original
sound effects will leave you spellbound.