quête:alpha

The new album by L.Y.R., their third commercial release, begins with the idea that the furthest points of light - stars - can only be seen in the dark. It’s a kind of contradiction that finds musical expression in these new tracks, the band always navigating towards sightings of hopefulness and constancy in an increasingly bewildering and storm-battered world.

The term dark sky reservation has its origins in environmentalism, and several tracks on the album deal with the messed-up weather of our contemporary planet, both meteorological and psychological, from descriptions of an earth deluged by thunderstorms to the soggy back-gardens of suburbia, a climate crisis brought on by rampant urbanism. In that context, dark sky reservations are those regions of the landscape where light pollution is discouraged and even outlawed, to allow scientists and casual stargazers to peer into the cosmos and see the glory of the constellations, patterns of light that have entranced and mystified us for hundreds of thousands of years.

It’s from those designated zones that human beings get a sense of their place in the universe, and experience the wonder of the here and now against a context of eternity and infinity. An alternative to the hectic craziness of everyday life, so often virtual and synthetic, the dark sky reservation is a place of refuge and dreaming, and like L.Y.R.’s music, such spaces are earmarked for contemplation and thoughtfulness.

L.Y.R. is author and current British poet laureate Simon Armitage, singer-songwriter Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist & producer Patrick Pearson.

A collection of fourteen digital reggae, deep roots and dub rarities from the Nigerian underground, spotlighting a time when Jamaican reggae entwined with Nigerian styles, politics and consciousness, creating a bridge between Lagos and Kingston. Fight the Fire is a companion piece to Soundway"s seminal "Doing it in Lagos" and "Nigeria Special" compilations, celebrating the innovation and musical experimentation of Nigeria in the 80s. Features rare tracks from key figures of the time including Oby Onyioha (with a crucial Burning Spear cover) and Orits Williki.

2026 Repress / Blue Vinyl

After releasing five sell out various artists EP’s featuring 25 artists, positivesource is excited to present a new chapter for the label with a diverse and anthemic EP from Berlin based producer Regent.
No stranger to the label, Regent contributed to src005 last year with his smooth techno roller ‘Off Agenda’ alongside music from Neri J, Alpha Tracks, Vil & Cravo. His tracks have featured heavily in DJ sets by label founders Blue Hour and Philippa Pacho over the years, naturally the idea to present the first artist EP on positivesource with Regent comes as no surprise. The record starts on a hypnotic tip with ‘Occult’, grooving along with an infectious bass-line swung beats and blissed out atmospherics before stepping up the energy levels on ‘Khmera’, a relentless chord driven percussive anthem with nostalgic vocals rising to new heights. On the flip the title track ‘Aphid Riot’ is bold and vibrant leaning heavily into UK flavours using sliced up vocals, breakbeats and a classic ‘Reece’ bass-line. Completing the record is a ‘broken’ version of ‘Aphid Riot’ highlighting an ethereal tonal melody with a deeper and more introspective take on the original. It’s a new sound exploration from the producer, emonstrating his versatility and perhaps a rare moment in his discography

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 is a compilation bringing together the early 2000s works of Marco Passarani under his Analog Fingerprints alias, collecting key tracks originally released on Rome’s Plasmek and Pigna labels.

For Numbers, the story starts long before the label itself. In their formative years, digging in Glasgow’s Rubadub, Passarani’s records felt like dispatches from a future city. Releases on his own Nature Records and on labels such as Generator and Interr-Ference Communications were mind blowing: rooted in Detroit techno, Chicago house and electro, yet pushing somewhere new. Much like fellow travellers Autechre, who would remix him in 2001, Passarani’s music balanced machine funk with restless experimentation.

Information was scarce, and you would hear these records first on the dancefloor or at listening stations in shops like Rubadub. Print fanzines like Ear and early web outposts such as Forcefield offered only fragments. But there was a palpable axis forming between Detroit techno and a new European wave of record labels including Skam, Rephlex, Clone, Viewlexx and Nature itself. It was the sound that defined Saturday nights at Rubadub’s ‘69’ parties in Paisley, just outside of Glasgow.

Passarani’s records, in particular, were instrumental in bringing together the future Numbers co-founders. Richard had already booked him pre-Numbers; meanwhile Calum (Spencer) and Jack (Jackmaster), then 16/17 year olds working alternate Saturdays in Rubadub, were so enamoured with the Roman sound that they travelled to Rome for the Bitz Festival in 2003 to seek out Passarani and Lory D at their source.

The first Analog Fingerprints release landed as a 12” on Plasmek in 2001, following the fractured, IDM-leaning 6 Katun material. For Passarani, the project marked a recalibration. A DJ first and foremost, he had moved into production via early computer setups, from a Commodore Amiga through primitive PC audio, Cubase and Logic, later experimenting with Ableton. The IDM scene had offered a playground for trial and error, but there was always a tension between abstraction and the dancefloor. Analog Fingerprints became the bridge: still intelligent, but with more dance than distance. After years of broken beats and complex arrangements, he wanted directness without surrendering identity.

Working closely with Francesco de Bellis and Mario Pierro in the Pigneto district, the trio formed Pigna as a vehicle for reclaiming a more accessible dance sound, deliberately steering away from the minimal wave beginning to dominate Europe. Sessions were fast, instinctive, often stretching late into the night with friends dropping by. It was a studio as social space, production as collective energy.

“In that constant search for balance, Analog Fingerprints was my way of expressing something closer to the classic dance floor. The track 'Tribute' - a tribute to my favourite early Detroit techno track of all time, 'First Bass' by Separate Minds - came after I realised I had almost lost my connection with the dance floor. The simplest step was to take inspiration from early Chicago and Detroit and twist it in our Roman ‘Pigna’ way. My goal was to create more accessible dancefloor tracks by mixing my unconscious Italo roots with my teenage love for that early US sound, ensuring the result was as far as possible from the minimal sound that was starting to dominate everywhere.” - Marco Passarani

Technically, the Analog Fingerprints tracks span a transitional era: Roland TR-909, SH-101 and Alpha Juno hardware met early software experiments. A Novation Drumstation rack stood in for the unattainable TR-808, syncing with TB-303 and TR-606. Yet the true secret weapon was Jeskola Buzz, a tracker-style modular environment that allowed step-by-step parameter control and strange melodic constructions, later exported into the audio sequencer. Even the lead on ‘Tribute’ came from an early PPG Wave-style plugin. It was hybrid thinking at a moment when digital tools still felt unstable but full of possibility for technologists like Passarani.

Behind the music sat Finalfrontier, a loose Roman collective orbiting Nature and Plasmek. Distribution and production were intertwined; importing obscure records into Italy built connections with like-minded outsiders across Europe and the US. Expensive phone bills and fax machines forged an “electronix network” that linked Rome to Clone, Viewlexx, Skam, Rephlex, Rubadub and Detroit’s Underground Resistance. There was a shared sense of survival and resistance, of operating against commercial systems.

Passarani recalls “The first time I found a sheet of paper inside an Underground Resistance 12” with info about upcoming releases... and a huge picture of Spock on the back. Imagine that: you love the music, you love Star Trek, and there’s someone on the other side of the ocean sharing those same values and sounds. It was the perfect match. We even gave our original company the suffix ‘Finalfrontier’: that says it all.”

Feedback in that era arrived physically: distributor faxes, conversations with visiting DJs, the experience of playing abroad and meeting kids who had connected with the records. Glasgow became a key node in a scattered outlier network. Passarani personally brought the first two Nature releases to Fat Cat in London, playing them in-store. Shortly after, a fax arrived from Rubadub in Glasgow requesting copies.

“I still remember that phone buzz and the fax paper slowly sliding out, with someone I didn’t know saying they wanted 75 copies of Nature 001. Or like the time we got a fax from the Rephlex crew just saying, “Hello Nature Records, Keep up the good work.” That was how we knew the message was getting through. It was a fantastic feeling; just one piece of thermal fax paper as an analog notification - the mood for the entire week would change.” - Passarani

The connection to Glasgow has since stretched across generations. As Passarani reflects, links often fracture as scenes renew themselves, but in Glasgow something different happened. New and old mixed seamlessly. There was a visible trust in what came before, and a willingness to carry it forward rather than discard it. Observed from Rome, it was deeply encouraging.

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 captures that moment of exchange: Rome to Glasgow, Detroit to Europe, experiment to dancefloor. It documents an artist recalibrating his sound and a network of scenes discovering one another in real time, connected by vinyl, faxes and shared intent.

RE-PRESSED ON CLEAR VINYL!!! The long-anticipated collection of rare A-sides, B-sides, covers and unreleased outtakes from influential punk rock favorites and emo granddaddies JAWBREAKER. A twenty-track Alpha-Omega of rare and previously-impossible-to-find songs presented chronologically from their first demo in November of '88 (before they were even named Jawbreaker ) to their final studio recording, a version of "Boxcar" re-worked at the end of the DGC Dear You sessions. Beautifully packaged with inviting artwork and track-by-track commentary and lyrics (printed courtesy of AARON COMETBUS). 24-Hour Satisfaction Therapy, indeed.

* More from the vaults of Alpha and Omega in the shape of `Warrior Dub’, previously an LP-only track appearing on the `Everyday Life’ LP in 1993, with the dub cut on vinyl for first time.

* As always from A&O, they reliably unleash a heavy-weight, mystical shimmering slice of 90s-style dub.

ESCAPE-ISM — the found-sound dreamdrama— are back in action & out in front. And this time, they’re leading a “Charge of the Love Brigade. ”This “charge” isn’t the traditional scramble across a muddy, bloody field though, like in the days of yore. This one is a furtive insinuation into the senses of the tuned-in listener.
Their fifth record, and fourth “sound” record — (the third one was “A Protest Against Sound”- an entirely silent LP) — “Charge of the Love Brigade” is revolutionary in its own right. Besides being packed with tunes — super-hits such as “Black Gold,” “Last Of The Sellouts,” “The Rebel Outlaw,” & “Fire in Malibu,” for exam- ple, Charge of the Love Brigade proposes a reformation of the traditional notes and scales; an entire new sound alphabet!
That’s right, ESCAPE-ISM —the “act of musical vandalism”— famous for their development of new prototypes for stomping & smashing, are reforming the scales, chords, & notes (e.g. A, B, F#, etc) that comprise musical literacy to achieve the group’s primary aim: the repurposing of music as we know it. Though many musicians of note have operated their instruments with "alternative tunings," up until now no one has obliterated tuning absolutely or abolished letter-notes for the destruction of bourgeois society.
According to ESCAPE-ISM, this will have a very profound effect: “Music will no longer be cordoned off from the rest of experience as a commodified, specialty freak show, but instead be a pastime which can be prac- ticed and enjoyed –not only by non-musicians and amateurs– but also by plant life, wild animals, and even inanimate objects such as rocks.
“The violent overthrow of musical conventions will lead to the reintegration of humanity into the natural order, the reordering of life itself into a cosmic congruity. This means the convention of time itself will be ended.” Like so-called nature itself, the ESCAPE-ISM group is also on a “loop.”
Play “Charge of the Love Brigade” and listen as ESCAPE-ISM go “over the top” against the note-letters of accepted musicality in a world premiere of a new upside-down antiscale.

Death Is Not The End present a compilation gathering a cross-section of early gospel choirs and vocal harmony groups recorded between late 1920s and the mid-1950s - a period when spirituals & jubilee traditions merged with blues, jazz and early rhythm and blues, providing the musical routes for the coalescence of the civil rights movement born out of the black church. In the modern world these perennially vital recordings provide a fitting tonic for the near-dystopia we find ourselves living through.

The Sound of Hardstyle Vol. 2 – The Anthems marks the long-awaited return of the iconic vinyl series, celebrating the most unforgettable anthems that defined an era. This exclusive release features monumental tracks like ‘Scrap Attack’ by Headhunterz, ‘Lost In Dreams (Alpha² Remix)’, and Alternate Reality, the legendary Qlimax anthem by Brennan Heart.

Each groove on this vinyl takes you back to a time when anthems weren’t just tracks, they were moments that united crowds, shaped festivals, and pushed the boundaries of the Hardstyle sound.

Whether you’re a vinyl collector or a true Hardstyle devotee, The Sound of Hardstyle Vol. 2 – The Anthems is a must-have piece of history.

Inspiriert von den schattigen Cabarets und verrauchten Jazzclubs des Weimarer Berlins der späten 1920erJahre, präsentiert Bryan Ferry mit seinem Orchester auf „Bitter-Sweet“ sein Solo- und Roxy-MusicRepertoire in neuem Gewand – mit einer raffnierten Jazz-Sensibilität. Das Album besticht durch elegante
Bläserarrangements, gedämpfte Trompete, Klarinettenklänge und eine Atmosphäre urbaner Melancholie,
die Klassiker wie „Alphaville“, „Reason or Rhyme“ und „While My Heart Is Still Beating“ neu interpretiert.
Ferry selbst steuert auf acht Titeln den Gesang bei, während die übrigen Stücke als instrumentale Neuinterpretationen präsentiert werden, arrangiert mit dem Können von Colin Good und gespielt von einem
Ensemble erfahrener Jazzmusiker. Das Konzept des Albums entstand aus Ferrys Tätigkeit als Musikberater
für die gefeierte deutsche Fernsehserie „Babylon Berlin“, in der einige Titel ursprünglich verwendet wurden
und die filmisches Drama mit authentischem Jazz verbindet. Perfekt für langjährige Fans, Jazzliebhaber
und Sammler: „Bitter-Sweet“ bietet eine neue Perspektive auf Ferrys Songwriting und ist damit ein herausragendes Album zum Ausstellen, Entdecken und Verschenken.
Das Album erscheint erstmals seit 2012 wieder als limitierte rote LP und CD.
Tauchen Sie ein in eine Welt, in der klassischer Art-Pop auf die wilden 20er Jahre trifft. „The Jazz Age“
interpretiert Bryan Ferrys Roxy Music- und Solo-Katalog als elegante Jazz-Instrumentals neu, präsentiert
vom Bryan Ferry Orchestra. Von „Virginia Plain“ und „Do the Strand“ bis hin zu „Love Is the Drug“ und
„Avalon“ – jeder Titel erstrahlt in authentischen Arrangements im Stil der 20er Jahre mit Banjo, Klarinette,
gedämpfter Trompete, Baritonsaxophon und Kontrabass, komponiert vom renommierten Arrangeur Colin Good. Britische Jazz-Größen wie der Trompeter Enrico Tomasso und der Saxophonist Alan Barnes erwecken
diese zeitlosen Melodien zum Leben, während die Mono-Produktion den Charme alter 78er-Schallplatten
heraufbeschwört. Ferry selbst verzichtet auf den Gesang und fungiert als Dirigent und Produzent. Dieses
innovative Projekt entstand aus seiner Liebe zum Jazz und seiner Neugier, wie seine Songs ohne Gesang
klingen würden. Perfekt für langjährige Fans, Jazzliebhaber und designorientierte Sammler: „The Jazz
Age“ bietet eine neue Perspektive auf Ferrys Werk und ist damit ein herausragendes Sammlerstück zum
Entdecken, Ausstellen und Verschenken.
Das Album erscheint erstmals seit 2012 wieder als limitierte Edition auf waldgrünem Vinyl (1LP) und
als CD.

Inspiriert von den schattigen Cabarets und verrauchten Jazzclubs des Weimarer Berlins der späten 1920erJahre, präsentiert Bryan Ferry mit seinem Orchester auf „Bitter-Sweet“ sein Solo- und Roxy-MusicRepertoire in neuem Gewand – mit einer raffnierten Jazz-Sensibilität. Das Album besticht durch elegante
Bläserarrangements, gedämpfte Trompete, Klarinettenklänge und eine Atmosphäre urbaner Melancholie,
die Klassiker wie „Alphaville“, „Reason or Rhyme“ und „While My Heart Is Still Beating“ neu interpretiert.
Ferry selbst steuert auf acht Titeln den Gesang bei, während die übrigen Stücke als instrumentale Neuinterpretationen präsentiert werden, arrangiert mit dem Können von Colin Good und gespielt von einem
Ensemble erfahrener Jazzmusiker. Das Konzept des Albums entstand aus Ferrys Tätigkeit als Musikberater
für die gefeierte deutsche Fernsehserie „Babylon Berlin“, in der einige Titel ursprünglich verwendet wurden
und die filmisches Drama mit authentischem Jazz verbindet. Perfekt für langjährige Fans, Jazzliebhaber
und Sammler: „Bitter-Sweet“ bietet eine neue Perspektive auf Ferrys Songwriting und ist damit ein herausragendes Album zum Ausstellen, Entdecken und Verschenken.
Das Album erscheint erstmals seit 2012 wieder als limitierte rote LP und CD.
Tauchen Sie ein in eine Welt, in der klassischer Art-Pop auf die wilden 20er Jahre trifft. „The Jazz Age“
interpretiert Bryan Ferrys Roxy Music- und Solo-Katalog als elegante Jazz-Instrumentals neu, präsentiert
vom Bryan Ferry Orchestra. Von „Virginia Plain“ und „Do the Strand“ bis hin zu „Love Is the Drug“ und
„Avalon“ – jeder Titel erstrahlt in authentischen Arrangements im Stil der 20er Jahre mit Banjo, Klarinette,
gedämpfter Trompete, Baritonsaxophon und Kontrabass, komponiert vom renommierten Arrangeur Colin Good. Britische Jazz-Größen wie der Trompeter Enrico Tomasso und der Saxophonist Alan Barnes erwecken
diese zeitlosen Melodien zum Leben, während die Mono-Produktion den Charme alter 78er-Schallplatten
heraufbeschwört. Ferry selbst verzichtet auf den Gesang und fungiert als Dirigent und Produzent. Dieses
innovative Projekt entstand aus seiner Liebe zum Jazz und seiner Neugier, wie seine Songs ohne Gesang
klingen würden. Perfekt für langjährige Fans, Jazzliebhaber und designorientierte Sammler: „The Jazz
Age“ bietet eine neue Perspektive auf Ferrys Werk und ist damit ein herausragendes Sammlerstück zum
Entdecken, Ausstellen und Verschenken.
Das Album erscheint erstmals seit 2012 wieder als limitierte Edition auf waldgrünem Vinyl (1LP) und
als CD.

Death Is Not The End present a compilation gathering a cross-section of early gospel choirs and vocal harmony groups recorded between late 1920s and the mid-1950s - a period when spirituals & jubilee traditions merged with blues, jazz and early rhythm and blues, providing the musical routes for the coalescence of the civil rights movement born out of the black church. In the modern world these perennially vital recordings provide a fitting tonic for the near-dystopia we find ourselves living through.

Roland Corporation's MKS-50 form 1986 is a rack-mount version of the Alpha Juno. It has the same synth engine and architecture, but with added features like 16 programmable chord memories, the ability to store velocity, volume, panning, de-tune, portamento and other similar parameters within each patch you create. The optional PG-300 gives traditional slider type control of all editable tone parameters which include DCO (digitally controlled oscillators) LFO, bend, ENV, pulse, waveforms, noise, PW/PWM, high pass filter, VCF (filter) with freq/env/res/LFO/kybd, VCA envelope, chorus, and more. Adapta delivers a project based on this legendary MKS-50 synth. Tracks created with technology from the past, aimed for the future. Techno!!

Die italienische Singer-Songwriterin Marta Del Grandi veröffentlicht Ende Januar 2026 ihr neues Album Dream Life bei Fire Records, ihre erste neue Musik seit dem raffinierten, hingebungsvollen Pop ihres Albums Selva aus dem Jahr 2023. Del Grandi kehrt mit einem Album zurück, das in einem Feld der Träume spielt, einer multidimensionalen Panoramaaufnahme, unterbrochen von gelassener Desillusionierung, die musikalische Grenzen überschreitet, während persönliche Hoffnungen und Sehnsüchte gegen die Weite der Sterne und darüber hinaus geworfen werden. Das Album beginnt mit ,Antarctica", einem Song, der sich mit dem ethischen Dilemma der Welt auseinandersetzt und uns mit einem Riff, das an Talking Heads in ihrer Blütezeit erinnert und mit abstrakten Phrasierungen à la Laurie Anderson durchsetzt ist, aus unserer Komfortzone reißt. ,Neon Lights" unterstreicht diese Stimmung, geht jedoch auf einer persönlicheren Ebene darauf ein. Die verzerrten Gitarren und der wandernde Bass bieten einen härteren Einblick in rebellische Selbstfindung, eingebettet in einen symphonischen Klangteppich. Weiter in ,Dream Life" ist ,Alpha Centauri" ein eindringliches, introspektives Stück Pop-Magie, das Martas wunderschöne Stimme in Nostalgie für die Teenagerzeit schwelgen lässt und ihr inneres Kind wiederentdeckt, während eine entfernte Tuba eine Gegenmelodie trägt. Der Titeltrack untersucht den Quantensprung zwischen Realität und unseren Träumen und Ambitionen und bildet einen Kontrapunkt zu ,Shoe Shaped Cloud" und seiner grüblerischen Untersuchung einer gescheiterten Beziehung, die von einer schmerzerfüllten Stimme vorangetrieben wird, die an Radiohead in ihrer zerbrechlichsten Phase erinnert. Das Album spiegelt das wachsende Bewusstsein wider, dass wir die Zukunft oder das Ergebnis unserer Pläne nicht vollständig kontrollieren können. Dieser rote Faden zieht sich durch das gesamte Album, eine Reise, die poetisch, ironisch und tief in der Gegenwart verwurzelt ist. ,Mein vorheriges Album Selva hatte einen poetischen und bukolischen Charakter - in meinem Kopf kann ich mir jeden Song als Ölgemälde vorstellen - Dream Life hat einen zeitgemäßeren Ansatz, mit Texten, die politische und soziale Themen berühren, einer expliziteren persönlichen Erzählweise und einem klareren Pop-Sound. Es ist eher wie ein Fotobuch, klarer und detaillierter." - Marta Del Grandi Limitiertes, goldfarbenes Vinyl, bedruckte Innenhülle, mit DLC oder Digi-Sleeve CD.

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

Swan Song

The vinyl LP at the heart of this éthiopiques 31 tracks 2 to 11 was one of the very last vinyl records ever released in Ethiopia. But above all it represents, we felt, the absolute masterpiece of the Ethiopian Groove – the Swan Song of Swinging Addis. The album leaves a clear idea for posterity of the level of sophistication and mastery that modern Ethiopian music had achieved, before being crushed under the Stalino-military heel of the Derg – as the bloody revolution that was unfolding came to be called.

Ethiopia1976.

The Revolution that broke out in February 1974 rolled on in a ruthless march. The whole of Ethiopian society was utterly stunned. The bouquets of flowers handed joyfully to the first tanks of the coup d'état were to wilt very rapidly. From September 1976 to February 1978, 18 months of Red Terror (the name given by the junta itself) spilled blood throughout the country. This fratricidal conflict took its heaviest toll among students and youth. The shift from feudalism to a cruel and primitive Stalinism left the country's citizens deeply traumatised, and snuffed out any pretence of activism, whatever the sector of society. This ice age was to last for seventeen long years.

ሙሉቀን፡መለሰ Mulukèn Mellèssè Muluqän Mälläsä

It was three tracks by Muluken that served as the opener for éthiopiques-1 more than 25 years ago. Seven more tracks appeared on éthiopiques-3 and 13, all accompanied by The Equators, which was soon to become the Dahlak Band.

The first track, Hédètch alu, also the very first piece that Muluken ever recorded, left audiences both unsettled and amazed. Reflecting the singer's extremely young age (he was just 17 at the time), this angelic voice mystified many, who thought they were in fact listening to a feminine voice. He was not yet 22 when he released his last vinyl record in 1976 with Kaifa Records (KF 39LP), one of the very last to be issued in Ethiopia, before the cassette tape became the dominant medium for music distribution – and before the new revolutionary regime put a stop to all independent musical life, via an unspeakable barrage of prohibitions and other persecutions.

Mulu qèn, literally, “A well filled day”. This tender maternal intention wasn't enough to ward off the cruelty of fate. His mother's premature death drove Muluken to leave his native Godjam, in northeast Ethiopia, to live with an uncle in Addis Ababa. Born Muluken Tamer, he took his uncle's last name – Mèllèssè.

The spelling Muluken appeared in his administrative records. Transcription of Amharic to the Latin alphabet, both in Ethiopia and for scholars, gives rise to controversies and quibbles that can never be neatly settled. French allows for a closer approximation of the original pronunciation, thanks to its battery of accent marks, confusing as they may be to anglophones.

Between rather accommodating administrative record-keepers and the various versions that pop up in interviews given by the artist, Muluken's year of birth oscillates between 1953 and 1955…

1954? One thing is certain: the artist's talent made itself known very early indeed, because he got his start in 1966-67, at the age of 13 or 14. Photos from the period attest to his extreme youth. It's a strange sort of initiation for a very young teenager to become a sensation in the heart of Addis's nightlife at the time, Woubé Bèrèha – the Wilds of Woubé. And what's more, in the club of the Queen of the Night, the Godjamé Assègèdètch Alamrèw herself, the very same that was portrayed by Sebhat Guèbrè-Egziabhér in his novel-memoir Les Nuits d’Addis Abeba2… The legendary female club owner who is remembered to this day by the capital's ageing boomers.

Muluken first tried his hand at the drums, before he grabbed the microphone. He emigrated briefly to the Zula Club, across the street from the old Addis Post Office, one of the ground-breaking bars of the burgeoning musical scene, before joining the Second Police Band in 1968, for around three years. He spent a few months with the short-lived Blue Nile Band founded by saxophonist Besrat Tammènè. As the musical scene grew increasingly successful, and pulled slowly but decisively away from its institutional ties, Muluken released his first 45rpm single in February 1972 (Amha Records AE 440). It was included in two LP Ethiopian Hit Parade compilation albums in September of the same year. All in all, Muluken released eight two-track 45s and the same number of original cassette tapes between February 1972 and 1984, the year that he departed for permanent exile in the USA. After converting to Pentecostalism in 1980, Muluken gradually abandoned all secular musical activity. In 1985, at the end of a concert in Philadelphia, he decided to quit concerts and recording for good. Mèlakè Gèbré, the historic bass player from the Walias band who was playing with him that night, recalls that everything appeared so irredeemably diabolical in Muluken's eyes, that it was to be the end of his contribution to Ethiopian Groove.

The end of the story, the beginning of a legend.

Dahlak Band, forgotten by History

Aside from his personal history and vocal talents, it must be remembered that Muluken Mèllèssè was one of the biggest names in the musical innovations that marked the end of the imperial period. These éthiopiques aim to convince those who are just discovering this hidden gem... As for Ethiopians themselves, they are to this day captivated by this singular and atypical figure in the Abyssinian pop landscape – even though he withdrew from public life some 40 years ago. Incorrigible devotees of poetic twists, of more or less hidden meanings, Ethiopians appreciate above all the care Muluken took in choosing his lyrics and the writers who penned them, such as Feqerte Haylou, Alemtsehay Wodajo and, here, Shewalul Mengistu (1944-1977). Love songs, written by women, a far cry from the conventional drivel that pleases sappy sentimentalists.

Muluken is equally acclaimed for his perfectionism when it came to music, the opposite of the overly casual approach that is all too common. He remained a faithful partner of musicians who came from a lineage that borrowed from several inventive and pioneering bands (Venus, Equators, Dahlak). Amongst them were certain artists who began their musical lives with Nersès Nalbandian at the Haile Sellassie Theatre and who come of age in around 1973 – at just the wrong time, you might say. Among them were the pillars Shimèlis Bèyènè (trumpet), Dawit Yifru (keyboards) and Tilayé Gèbrè (sax & flute). Most notably Tilayé Gèbrè, certainly one of the most important musicians, composers and arrangers of his generation, of the end of the imperial era, and of the early years of the Derg.

It was only in 1981 that a miraculous opportunity arose for Tilayé to escape the Stalinist paradise of the dictator Menguistou Haylè-Maryam. Once again it was Amha Eshèté (1946-2021) who provided a solution. The spirited and courageous producer, who had been in exile in Washington since 1975, succeeded, thanks to his incredible perseverence, in bringing the Walias Band to the USA. It was, in fact an extended Walias Band comprising ten musicians3, six of whom chose to slip away after a few concerts and the recording of an LP (The Best of Walias, WRS 100). Tilayé Gèbrè was one of these. He has been living in the USA ever since. There he joined the then-nascent Ethiopian diaspora, which lived largely unto itself, and was making only very modest headway in the American musical market. It seems unfair that Tilayé Gèbrè and the Dahlak Band were not able to benefit earlier from the public recognition that they do deserve.

A similar draining away of the top-rate talents would lead to the reorganization of the major groups of the “Derg Time”. The remaining artists spread themselves around between Ibex Band (renamed Roha Band), Ethio Star Band and a remodeled Walias Band. That spelled the end of the Dahlak Band.

With this record, produced by the essential Ali Abdella Kaifa a.k.a. Ali Tango, we can appreciate everything that the Derg not only destroyed, but also prevented from flourishing. This gem of Ethiopian-style afrobeat came out in 1976 (and, by way of a parenthesis, before the FESTAC 1977 in Lagos, which was attended by an impressive delegation of Ethiopian musicians — although Fela was already personna non grata in his own country). Despite everything that might distinguish this ethio-groove from Fela’s music – no colonial axe to grind, no question of political confrontation with the authorities, no claims to negritude or Africanism for the Ethiopian musicians, and less extrovertion! –, this LP fits beautifully into the saga of intense and electrified soul of the new “African” groove that Fela and Manu Dibango embodied so well from that point onwards.

In restoring this record to its place in the afrobeat epic, it can be seen that, if nothing else, the timeline bestows a legitimate pedigree and a historical primacy to works that had no international impact when they were originally released.

Warning! Masterpiece!

-Vinyl

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

T.O.Y.'s new album, The Prophet, is passion, history, a vintage museum, and full of great songs that are waiting to be heard. T.O.Y. is a German synthpop and futurepop band founded in 2001 by Volker Lutz. Highlights include collaborations with Alphaville's singer Marian Gold ("Turn On!") and FAITHLESS drummer Andy Treacey ("Silent Soldiers"), blending T.O.Y.'s atmospheric sound with iconic voices from the electronic music scene. "The Prophet is something truly special. During the Corona pandemic, wrapped in isolation, we all needed consistency, a sense of comfort, and security. I found that feeling through sounds--the sounds I have known my whole life: the music of the 80s. Courageously and full of ideas, one song after another emerged. Motivated by the wonderful collaboration and friendship with Alphaville frontman Marian Gold, who kept encouraging me with words about how good this record was, the pandemic passed, and so did one year after another. Through my friendship with Faithless drummer Andy Treacey, I got in touch with Jonathan White, also a member of the Faithless family. A true genius on bass in live performances, he became part of the album as well." - Volker Lutz

A long-awaited dubplate finally sees the light of day. For years, heard only through a handful of the world’s most exclusive sound systems. Spirit World unites French dub pioneer Brain Damage with UK heavyweights Dub Dynasty (Alpha Steppa & Alpha & Omega), featuring the unmistakable voice of Tenastelin. Deep, meditative and powerful. A timeless vocal on one side, and a crushing, thundering dub on the other.

“One of the most prolific and inventive dub producers around.” Wire

“A serious player in the sound system world.” Mixmag­

“Obliteratingly heavy bass.” Q Mag

Relive the excitement of SNK's greatest games with this album featuring cult titles arranged entirely for piano!


Arranged and performed by pianist Nicolas Horvath, a Steinway and Sons artist renowned as a leading interpreter of composers such as Philip Glass, Franz Liszt, Claude Debussy, and Erik Satie.



The album contains a rich selection of tracks composed by the legendary SNK Sound Team, ranging from Prehistoric Isle to The King of Fighters 94, Samurai Shodown, The Last Blade, and Metal Slug 3.


Sometimes dark, sometimes bright, the arrangements beautifully and emotionally revisit the melodies that have marked several generations of gamers!


b a2 Intro, Stage 1, Stage Boss Medley [PREHISTORIC ISLE]
[c] a3 Main Theme & Final Boss Medley [PREHISTORIC ISLE]
[d] a4 Dignity Palace (Kain R. Heinlein Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[e] a5 All Over With Blood (Freeman Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[f] a6 Fullmoon - A Groan (Gato Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[g] a7 Destruction Maniac (Grant Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[h] b1 The Twelve Challengers (Player Select), Exotic Lady (Charlotte) [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[i] b2 Darkness (Shiro Tokisada Amakusa 2) [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[j] b3 Banquet of Nature (Nakoruru) - Part 1 & Part 2 [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[k] b4 Ryuhaku Todoh Stage [ART OF FIGHTING]
[l] b5 The Primitive Age [TIME SOLDIERS]
[m] b6 The Age of Rome [TIME SOLDIERS]
[n] c1 PonPonella [ALPHA MISSION]
[o] c2 Vixen [THE SUPER SPY]
[p] c3 The Super Spy, New World [THE SUPER SPY]
[q] c4 Imputation [THE SUPER SPY]
[r] c5 Game Start, Powering Up [Vanguard]
[s] c6 Stage Medley [Vanguard]
[t] c7 Change (Theme 2) [THE LAST BLADE]
[u] c8 Termination (Ending 1) [THE LAST BLADE]
[v] d1 Bioinformatics (UFO Interior Passage 3) [METAL SLUG 3]
[w] d2 The Cenotaph (Stage 4 Alternative Route~Ancient Ruins), Desert (Stage 4) [METAL SLUG 3]
[x] d3 Secret Factory (Stage 3 Alternative Route~Armory) [METAL SLUG 3]
[y] d4 Into the Cosmos (The Void of Space) [METAL SLUG 3]
[z] d5 Opening, Napolitan Blues, Duel R&D, Yuu, Psycho Soldier "K.O.F Version" [THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94]


[b] a2 Intro, Stage 1, Stage Boss Medley [PREHISTORIC ISLE]
[c] a3 Main Theme & Final Boss Medley [PREHISTORIC ISLE]
[d] a4 Dignity Palace (Kain R. Heinlein Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[e] a5 All Over With Blood (Freeman Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[f] a6 Fullmoon - A Groan (Gato Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[g] a7 Destruction Maniac (Grant Stage) [GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES]
[h] b1 The Twelve Challengers (Player Select), Exotic Lady (Charlotte) [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[i] b2 Darkness (Shiro Tokisada Amakusa 2) [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[j] b3 Banquet of Nature (Nakoruru) - Part 1 & Part 2 [SAMURAI SHODOWN]
[k] b4 Ryuhaku Todoh Stage [ART OF FIGHTING]
[l] b5 The Primitive Age [TIME SOLDIERS]
[m] b6 The Age of Rome [TIME SOLDIERS]
[n] c1 PonPonella [ALPHA MISSION]
[o] c2 Vixen [THE SUPER SPY]
[p] c3 The Super Spy, New World [THE SUPER SPY]
[q] c4 Imputation [THE SUPER SPY]
[r] c5 Game Start, Powering Up [Vanguard]
[s] c6 Stage Medley [Vanguard]
[t] c7 Change (Theme 2) [THE LAST BLADE]
[u] c8 Termination (Ending 1) [THE LAST BLADE]
[v] d1 Bioinformatics (UFO Interior Passage 3) [METAL SLUG 3]
[w] d2 The Cenotaph (Stage 4 Alternative Route~Ancient Ruins), Desert (Stage 4) [METAL SLUG 3]
[x] d3 Secret Factory (Stage 3 Alternative Route~Armory) [METAL SLUG 3]
[y] d4 Into the Cosmos (The Void of Space) [METAL SLUG 3]
[z] d5 Opening, Napolitan Blues, Duel R&D, Yuu, Psycho Soldier "K.O.F Version" [THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94]

Sie sagen langsam Tschüss! Mensch kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie wichtig NOFX für den Punkrock gewesen sind. Sie kombinierten catchy Songs mit intelligenten, witzigen und provokanten Texten, für die die Fans sie lieb(t)en. Sie prägten den Sound des kalifornischen Punk der 90er Jahre und ebneten den Weg für die nächste Welle von Bands wie Green Day und The Offspring, die später ganz groß herauskamen. Vor etwas mehr als einem Jahr spielten NOFX ihr (angeblich) letztes Konzert, und nun haben sie eine Dreiteilige-Album-Reihe mit Raritäten, Demos und unveröffentlichten Songs angekündigt: "Es gibt unveröffentlichte Songs, sehr seltene Songs, die noch nie digital erhältlich waren, und Demoversionen von Songs, die bei weitem nicht so gut sind wie die Albumversionen!", sagt Fat Mike selbst. Das Projekt heißt A to Z, ein Song für jeden Buchstaben des Alphabets, jede Ausgabe ist auf klassischem schwarzem sowie limitiertem farbigem Vinyl erhältlich. Die erste "A to H", erscheint num am 05.12.25 über Fat Wreck Chords. Darauf enthalten ist "Barcelona", das sie bereits im Juli digital veröffentlicht haben, aber ursprünglich vor 12 Jahren geschrieben hatten. Aufgenommen nach ihren letzten Konzerten, bezeichnen sie den Track als den "neuesten und letzten NOFX-Song". Klassisch schwarzes oder EU-exklusives Transparent Magenta Vinyl (letzteres limitiert auf 1200 Exemplare) wird's geben.

Sie sagen langsam Tschüss! Mensch kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie wichtig NOFX für den Punkrock gewesen sind. Sie kombinierten catchy Songs mit intelligenten, witzigen und provokanten Texten, für die die Fans sie lieb(t)en. Sie prägten den Sound des kalifornischen Punk der 90er Jahre und ebneten den Weg für die nächste Welle von Bands wie Green Day und The Offspring, die später ganz groß herauskamen. Vor etwas mehr als einem Jahr spielten NOFX ihr (angeblich) letztes Konzert, und nun haben sie eine Dreiteilige-Album-Reihe mit Raritäten, Demos und unveröffentlichten Songs angekündigt: "Es gibt unveröffentlichte Songs, sehr seltene Songs, die noch nie digital erhältlich waren, und Demoversionen von Songs, die bei weitem nicht so gut sind wie die Albumversionen!", sagt Fat Mike selbst. Das Projekt heißt A to Z, ein Song für jeden Buchstaben des Alphabets, jede Ausgabe ist auf klassischem schwarzem sowie limitiertem farbigem Vinyl erhältlich. Die erste "A to H", erscheint num am 05.12.25 über Fat Wreck Chords. Darauf enthalten ist "Barcelona", das sie bereits im Juli digital veröffentlicht haben, aber ursprünglich vor 12 Jahren geschrieben hatten. Aufgenommen nach ihren letzten Konzerten, bezeichnen sie den Track als den "neuesten und letzten NOFX-Song". Klassisch schwarzes oder EU-exklusives Transparent Magenta Vinyl (letzteres limitiert auf 1200 Exemplare) wird's geben.

The Brokedowns are the coolest punk band in Chicagoland and they're back with 13 new songs of fury and satire. The quartet has steadily grown in popularity and so has their appetite for mockery. We asked them about the record, and they explained the fi­rst track is a musical tribute to QAnon moms taking over the school board. Quite the tone-setter. While not a concept album, there is a thematic protagonist: Alpha Dog Serum X. No, Serum X is not a panacea to a world gone mad, it's a fi­ctional miracle drug endorsed by all the coolest billionaires and influencers. Safe to say, if dorks like Elon and Logan Paul heard this music, they would not get the joke. The Brokedowns fuse heavy rhythms with singalong melodies, and they use those tools like hammer and tongs to blast away at our societal ills. It may sound grim, but no one has more fun with our stupid culture than The Brokedowns, so you may as well get in on the roast.

One Instrument welcomes Morning Seance, composer and sound artist, originally from Italy and based in Vienna. On this debut LP, Morning Seance traces a drifting narrative composed of unstable harmonies, fluid structures, and ghostlike forms. The album unfolds like a dream told in fragments, oscillating between fluctuating pulses and decaying transmissions, from nocturnal stillness to acoustic mirages. The first half of the record moves through zones of suspended tension and evanescent contours, where tracks like “Be faster than your own depression” and “The tenderness of our own autobiography” sketch fragile architectures of affect. The second half enters a more spectral terrain — “Breakfast in a night club,” “A visit to the Brion-Vega tomb” — not places, but agglomerates of sonic sensation, detached from any personal frame.

With each piece, the music dissolves and reconstitutes itself, resisting finality or form, and doing so with an indestructible joy that hums beneath the wreckage. This is degenerate ambient music: anti-geometric and subject to emotional weather — not a refuge, but a slow collapse of structure and purity, where atmosphere gives way to excess and disobedience.

The album is crafted entirely from a single source: the Roland Alpha Juno-1. Despite this constraint, it achieves a vast sound spectrum, transforming one synthesizer’s voice into a layered landscape of textures and moods.

The electronic music of Morning Seance is built on constant variation and intricate, looping patterns with no clear beginning or end. This variation is not simply applied to an audio element, but enacted as a compositional logic — avoiding mechanical combinations and obvious rhythms. The result is a mutable mass of audio matter and tonal debris, guiding the listener through richly divergent environments.

Iptamenos Discos kündigt Houdini an, die neue EP der Labelgründer Local Suicide. Die Platte enthält drei ihrer dunkelsten und kraftvollsten Originaltracks bis heute, ergänzt durch markante Neubearbeitungen des französischen Electroclash-Pioniers David Carretta und der aufstrebenden griechischen EBM-Kraft Alpha Sect. Die Houdini EP entstand im Berliner Studio von Local Suicide während zahlloser nächtlicher Sessions mit Skelesys in derselben kreativen Phase, die auch ihren gemeinsamen Hit Moustache, die Surface Of The Sun EP und Faster Faster auf Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx-Compilation hervorbrachte. Das Ergebnis ist ihr bisher düsterstes Material, das ihren Technodisco-Sound in noch härteres Terrain führt - mit hypnotischen Basslines, industriellen Texturen und analogen Vintage-Synths. Damit zählt es zu den mutigsten Releases im Katalog von Iptamenos Discos. Die EP eröffnet mit Obsessions, einem Track zwischen Darkwave und Techno, aufgebaut auf einer brutalen Bassline, analogen Synths und eindringlichen, mantraartigen Vocals. Die wiederholte Zeile „Obsessions, they come and go“ spiegelt den unerbittlichen Sog des Stücks wider und unterstreicht seine klaustrophobische, sich ständig wiederholende Energie. Submission, eine Zusammenarbeit mit Langzeitkollaborateur Skelesys, steht dem in nichts nach: ein düsterer Low-End-Sound, verzerrte, stark bearbeitete Vocals und der Sprechgesang „Resistance, no submission“ durchziehen den Track wie eine Trotz-Erklärung, die Spannung in Kraft verwandelt. Der Titeltrack Houdini ist etwas zugänglicher, behält aber die gleiche schattige Atmosphäre. Unheimliche Orgelmelodien und der Text „The great Houdini, the big escape“ beschwören Transformation und Befreiung herauf, zollen dem legendären Illusionisten Tribut und verleihen der Nummer eine theatralische Note. Der französische Kult-DJ und Produzent David Carretta interpretiert Obsessions neu mit seiner unverkennbaren retro-futuristischen Handschrift. Seit den 1990ern bekannt für die Fusion von industrieller Präzision mit Italo-inspirierten Synths, hellt er den Track mit glitzernden Disco-Melodien und einer erhebenden Stimmung auf – eine Version, die sich bewusst vom dunklen Original absetzt und sofort für die Tanzfläche taugt. Der in Straßburg ansässige Alpha Sect, das Projekt des griechischen Künstlers George McCall, führt Submission in kompromisslose Dimensionen. Verwurzelt in Electro und Body Music mit Punk-Einflüssen, beginnt sein Remix als wuchtiger EBM-Stomper und entwickelt sich zu einem clubtauglichen Track, der Intensität mit Katharsis in Balance bringt.

Knucks’ upcoming album 'A Fine African Man' marks his first full-length project since the breakthrough 'Alpha Place', which soared to #3 on the OCC charts. Across 13 tracks, 'A Fine African Man' delves into themes of duality, reflecting his experience as a British‑Nigerian navigating both cultures and identities. The album’s title underscores that bicultural journey. Expect a compelling evolution from the sound that defined 'Alpha Place. Knucks’ acclaimed album Alpha Place marked a major milestone in UK rap, debuting at No. 3 on the Official UK Albums Chart and topping both the UK Hip-Hop & R&B and Independent Albums Charts. The album was certified Silver by the BPI and has amassed over 480 million streams to date, with the deluxe version adding another 490 million. Praised for its sharp lyricism and rich production, Alpha Place received strong editorial backing from outlets like Complex UK and GRM Daily, while fan response on platforms like Reddit cemented its status as one of the year’s standout releases. Tracks like “Three Musketeers” and “Alpha House” became immediate fan favourites. Knucks’ MOBO win for Best Grime Act in 2022 further reflected his cultural impact, and his live shows—bolstered by previous EP runs—have built him a reputation as one of the most compelling voices in the UK scene.

In 1982, the elite, core musicians (MFSB / The Salsoul Orchestra) behind the soulful Philly Sound - Earl Young (drums), Ron Baker (bass), Norman Harris (guitar), Lenny Pakula (organ), Larry Washington (percussion), Vince Montana, Jr. (vibes) - and powerhouse vocalists David Simmons, Joe Freeman, Ron Tyson and Bobby Love convened at Philadelphia’s historic Sigma Sound and Virtue Studios to record some of the genre’s biggest hits. This small, but amazing set of lush recordings, which were mixed at Alpha Studios - ensuring that every note and nuance was captured with the highest fidelity, recently caught the attention of the famed producer and remixer Eric Kupper. Kupper got his start working as a keyboardist and guitarist for such producer/remixers as David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, Arthur Baker, Peter Rauhofer, and Richie Jones, just to name a few. Since 1986, he has played on, remixed, and/or produced over 1400 records for artists spanning all contemporary musical genres. Presented here is “Bad Luck” which features Simmons’ incomparable lead vocals and a brilliant remix by Kupper. This release is not just a tribute to the past, but a vibrant continuation of the legacy these legendary musicians helped create.

In 1982, the elite, core musicians (MFSB / The Salsoul Orchestra) behind the soulful Sound of Philadelphia - Earl Young (drums), Ron Baker (bass), Norman Harris (guitar), Lenny Pakula (organ), Larry Washington (percussion), Vince Montana, Jr. (vibes) - and powerhouse vocalists Joe Freeman, David Simmons, Ron Tyson and Bobby Love convened at Philadelphia’s historic Virtue Studios to record some of the genre’s most iconic hits. This small, but amazing set of lush recordings, which were mixed at Alpha Studios - ensuring that every note and nuance was captured with the highest fidelity, recently caught the attention of the famed producer and remixer Eric Kupper. Kupper got his start working as a keyboardist and guitarist for such producer/remixers as David Morales, Arthur Baker, Frankie Knuckles, Peterauhofer, and Richie Jones, just to name a few. Since 1986, he has played on, remixed, and/or produced over 1400 records for artists spanning all contemporary musical genres. Presented here is Kupper stellar remix of “Back Stabbers” which features Freeman’s impassioned lead vocals. This release is not just a tribute to the past, but a vibrant continuation of the legacy