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"Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe" is re-issued in a variety of different formats including as a 180g Heavyweight half-speed remastered Clear Vinyl LP. The Alan Parsons Project debut studio album was originally released in June 1976. The lyrical and musical themes of the album are retellings of horror stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe. The album was a worldwide hit selling almost a million copies and achieving platinum status in a number of territories including Germany and Canada. Featuring a half speed remaster by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studio. Printed insert contains a sleevenote featuring quotes from Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

DESERTED FEAR haben sowohl ihr Songwriting als auch den Sound und das musikalische Können mit "Veins of Fire" erneut auf eine neue Stufe gehoben. Die Ostdeutschen sind ihrer Marke zwar wie gewohnt treu geblieben, aber sie haben ihren ausgefeilten Melodien und dem Schlagzeugspiel ein hörbares Upgrade verpasst. Obendrein konnte Frontmann Manuel "Mahne" Glatter seine stimmliche Spannweite noch einmal vergrößern. In den Texten von "Veins of Fire" reflektieren DESERTED FEAR über die aktuellen Themen unserer Gesellschaft, doch ohne jegliche Predigt oder Forderung nach Konformität. In ihren Songs spiegelt sich eine Welt voller Unsicherheit, Ungerechtigkeit und wachsenden Spaltungen. Der Aufstieg von DESERTED FEAR ist ebenso bemerkenswert wie spannend. Als sich das Death Metal Trio im thüringischen Eisenberg gründete, konnten Gitarrist und Vocalist Mahne, Gitarrist, Hauptsongwriter und Produzent Fabian Hildebrandt sowie Schlagzeuger Simon Mengs kaum ahnen, dass sie an der Spitze der deutschen Szene landen würden. Bereits das Debütalbum "My Empire", das die schwedische Legende Dan Swanö produzierte, schlug im Jahr 2012 beim Death Metal Publikum wie eine Bombe ein. DESERTED FEAR brachten neben brachialer Kraft, donnernden Riffs, einem hämmernden Schlagzeug und heftigem Gesang von Anfang an auch ein intensives Gespür für packende Melodien mit. Daher war es nur folgerichtig, dass sich das Gewicht mit jedem folgenden Album weiter auf die melodische Seite verlagerte - ohne dass dabei der nötige Biss verloren ging. Sämtliche Studioalben, "Kingdom of Worms" (2014), "Dead Shores Rising" (2017), "Drowned by Humanity' (2019) und "Doomsday" (2022), erwiesen sich als beeindruckende Meilensteine einer steilen Karriere.

DESERTED FEAR haben sowohl ihr Songwriting als auch den Sound und das musikalische Können mit "Veins of Fire" erneut auf eine neue Stufe gehoben. Die Ostdeutschen sind ihrer Marke zwar wie gewohnt treu geblieben, aber sie haben ihren ausgefeilten Melodien und dem Schlagzeugspiel ein hörbares Upgrade verpasst. Obendrein konnte Frontmann Manuel "Mahne" Glatter seine stimmliche Spannweite noch einmal vergrößern. In den Texten von "Veins of Fire" reflektieren DESERTED FEAR über die aktuellen Themen unserer Gesellschaft, doch ohne jegliche Predigt oder Forderung nach Konformität. In ihren Songs spiegelt sich eine Welt voller Unsicherheit, Ungerechtigkeit und wachsenden Spaltungen. Der Aufstieg von DESERTED FEAR ist ebenso bemerkenswert wie spannend. Als sich das Death Metal Trio im thüringischen Eisenberg gründete, konnten Gitarrist und Vocalist Mahne, Gitarrist, Hauptsongwriter und Produzent Fabian Hildebrandt sowie Schlagzeuger Simon Mengs kaum ahnen, dass sie an der Spitze der deutschen Szene landen würden. Bereits das Debütalbum "My Empire", das die schwedische Legende Dan Swanö produzierte, schlug im Jahr 2012 beim Death Metal Publikum wie eine Bombe ein. DESERTED FEAR brachten neben brachialer Kraft, donnernden Riffs, einem hämmernden Schlagzeug und heftigem Gesang von Anfang an auch ein intensives Gespür für packende Melodien mit. Daher war es nur folgerichtig, dass sich das Gewicht mit jedem folgenden Album weiter auf die melodische Seite verlagerte - ohne dass dabei der nötige Biss verloren ging. Sämtliche Studioalben, "Kingdom of Worms" (2014), "Dead Shores Rising" (2017), "Drowned by Humanity' (2019) und "Doomsday" (2022), erwiesen sich als beeindruckende Meilensteine einer steilen Karriere.

What happens when you combine SUMAC: a band that uses the volume, distortion, and guitar-centric approach of metal to make music that has the malleability of jazz and textural exploration of noise with Moor Mother: a poet and sound artist that has deconstructed hip hop to a point where it"s less about rhyme and rhythm (though obviously both are present in her work) and more about oratorical cadence and power.

The Film is an album that takes attributes of both artists" work and finds common ground in shifting musical patterns, and expressive force. The record is a musical thumbing of their noses at the more traditional approaches of their respective fields, an innovative, powerhouse of an album. The Film"s moniker speaks to the fact that it is conceived and delivered as a complete album, a full story or narrative. Moor Mother puts it best: "The idea is to create a moment outside of the convention. This is a work of art.

Thinking about the work as a Film, instead of an album or a collection of songs. This task is impossible in an industry that wants to force everything into a box of consumption. You won"t understand or get the full picture until the artwork is completed. This work is developing and is requesting more agency within the creative process." The Film is just such a work, a nebulitic collaboration between SUMAC and Moor Mother.

"The album was created in this back and forth of snapshots - we made most of the decisions impulsively without much questioning. That takes a lot of trust." — Violeta García & Hora Lunga

"I'll Wait For You In The Car Park", the first full length collaboration between Argentinian cellist, improviser and composer Violeta García and Swiss musician and composer Hora Lunga, is a work of extremes. Drawing from the realities of life on two continents, and embodying moods ranging from stoic desire to violent bursts, the album enciphers so-called ordinary moments from everyday life into an alluring collection of musical scenes. Seemingly inconspicuous moments are condensed into a tale of synchronicity: colliding time zones and seasons, metropolitan rhythms raining down onto a glacier's ice field, exploring places through street view, the serendipity of loitering at a kiosk. As such, "I'll Wait For You In The Car Park" brings documentary film essays to mind that carefully observe the private and everyday occurrences.
Violeta García and Hora Lunga crossed paths by chance in 2023 and began discussing and sharing music shortly afterwards. What started as a loose exchange of ideas, sending back and forth sketches and demos between South America and Europe, grew into several studio sessions in 2024. Being sucked into a "quite extraordinary flow", the two musicians recorded, arranged and intervened on a level playing field, using the studio as a playground to record musical layers and interweave them with field recordings and audio notes gathered over the course of a year. Speaking a kindred musical language, they quickly realized how their ideas clung to each other like two familiar souls, complementing, intertwining and merging. From gauzy and eerie textures, musical miniatures floating through time, howling and screaming strings, to tumbling and thundering basses – the sound of the ordinary shapes a body that vibrates, writhes and breathes.

Violeta García is a cellist, improviser and composer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Based in Spain, she tours a lot with her band Blanco Teta. She is a performer in many art forms, including free improvisation, contemporary and trans-media experimental repertoire in violoncello and electronics and collaborations with dancers, film makers and visual artists. After years of studying classical and popular music on violoncello and, later, contemporary composition and improvisation, Violeta has developed her own musical voice needed to emerge beyond outside specific genres.

Throughout Swiss composer and musician Hora Lunga's work, the focus lies is on exploring boundaries, both musically and in terms of performance and content. Above all, genre designations lose all meaning, as the music always takes place within a dramaturgically conceived overall framework. In recent years, his projects have ranged from pop music productions to experimental works and sound performances, as well astheatre and film productions. His ensemble WIRREN consists of up to fifteen performers.

High Roller Records, black vinyl, ltd 200, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, 2 inserts

Nach einer Reihe von zunehmend elektronisch geprägten Veröffentlichungen, kehren Billow Observatory mit einer völlig ambienten, schlagzeuglosen Perle von einem Album zu den Soundgefilden ihres Debüts aus dem Jahr 2012 zurück. Indem sie den Zufall und die Zufälligkeit umarmen, erheben sich spektrale Gitarren, flirren und knistern in staubige Partikel, während das Konzept der Zeit in jedem Track aus dem Fenster geworfen wird. Eine zunehmend feindselige Gesellschaft trägt zweifelsohne zum Gefühl der Introspektion und der Suche nach dem ,Anderssein" bei. Grübelnd, unheimlich, und wunderschön, werden die Hörer mit einer sehr detaillierten Sammlung von Songs belohnt, die Visionen von sich langsam drehenden Kugeln hervorrufen die leicht aus der Achse geschleudert werden. Das Duo, bestehend aus Jason Kolb (Michigan, USA) und Jonas Munk (Dänemark), begann 2006 mit der Zusammenarbeit und schickte sich gegenseitig Tracks über den Atlantik, was schließlich zu einer Veröffentlichung führte. Was zunächst als Nebenprojekt begann, wurde langsam zur Haupttätigkeit der beiden Künstler. Inzwischen haben sie insgesamt vier Alben veröffentlicht. Ihre Musik hat sich im Laufe der Jahre weiterentwickelt und ein Level der Perfektion erreicht, das sonst nur Produzenten zugestanden wird, die schon seit Jahrzehnten im Geschäft sind. Billow Observatory stehen mittlerweile für Ambient-Musik auf höchstem Niveau.

Melancholische Gitarrenakkorde, ein introspektiver Gesang, und immer wieder bedrohliche und energische Ausbrüche mit Percussions und Stakkato. Zwischen intimem Songwriting und Soundtrack-inspiriertem Pathos bewegt sich Jerome Reuter, der nun, 2025, das zweite Jahrzehnt seiner Band ROME feiert.

Zwei Dekaden begleitet das Luxemburgische Bandprojekt ROME nun also die Europäische Tragödie. Und während sich die Alben der ersten zehn Jahre noch vor allem historischen Themen widmeten, treten in der nicht mindert produktiven Ära zwischen 2016 und 2025, die auf dieser neuen "Anthologie" dokumentiert wird, auch aktuelle und grundsätzliche philosophische Fragestellungen ins Zentrum. ROME orientierte sich immer am großen Bild. Im Songwriting deutlich inspiriert vom französischen Chanson, dem späten Johnny Cash und Nick Cave, wurden von Beginn an auch literarische Quellen verarbeitet, und werden sie nicht namentlich genannt (wie bei "The Secret Germany" Paul Celan), so schwingen sie doch zwischen den Zeilen mit, die Denker - nicht nur - des 20. Jahrhunderts. Philosophische und gar okkulte Aspekte werden auf den Alben reflektiert ("The Hyperion Machine", "Hall of Thatch", "The Lone Furrow", "Le Ceneri di Heliodoro"), doch immer wieder wird es konkret, sei es mit Blick auf die russische Invasion in der Ukraine ("Gates of Europe", "World in Flames") und grundlegende Konflikte, die mythisch gelesen werden ("Coriolan", "Hegemonikon"). Wiederkehrend ist das mythische Motiv der Sonne, so auch auf dem jüngsten Werk "Civitas Solis".

Mal als volles Band-Line-Up, mal als Singer-Songwriter, und immer wieder im Austausch mit anderen Musikern (etwa Nergal von Behemoth oder der schwedischen Punklegende Thåström), Jerome Reuter erfindet sich beständig neu, und arbeitet kontinuierlich an einer singulären Stimme in der gegenwärtigen Popkultur. Wie ein Januskopf zurückgewandt in die Zukunft blickend.

Taba voices a subtle yet surprising shift for the Japanese musician and producer Satomimagae. Observing and absorbing the fleeting scenes and sounds of life flowing outside of her home studio, Taba unfolds as a series of vignettes that document the personal and the universal. Satomi sings beyond herself in an orbit of souls and systems known and unknown, seen and unseen, in the present and in the strange flux of memory, leaving linear songwriting to rest for circuitous stories expanded and expansive in tone and texture. Following the logic of taba, a Japanese term for a bunch, bundle or grouping together of different things, the album is assembled as a loose collection of short stories. Shapeshifting into something like a poet-narrator, Satomi casts her writer's eye to the often perplexing shapes that form from quotidian events and exchanges defining our increasingly alienated age. Where Satomi's last full-length, 2021's Hanazono, bloomed from the lush soil of a private inner sphere, the bird's eye of Taba searches to place the artist_somewhere, somehow_within a wider, wilder world. Collaborations with other artists and musicians close to Satomi's universe further elevate the album's sweeping sonics. Synthesizer lines from Norio, who also helps define the album's visual identity through photo and video, enliven the tender ballad "Kodama." The bell-like Rhodes piano ringing in and around Satomi's guitar on "Dottsu" is played by Akhira Sano, who created the cover art for her 2021 Colloid EP. Yuya Shito's clarinet was the missing puzzle piece that completed "Spells," and it was also Yuya who mixed Taba with an ear for its organic textures and elegantly frayed edges, giving utterance to a distinctly different energy than Satomi's earlier expressions. The tonal and rhythmic play that lay the foundation of these songs also animates a colorful palette of melodic gestures, noisy resonances and pointed moments captured by Satomi's close-at-hand recorder. While Taba is still carried by the innate intimacy that has defined Satomi's music to date, these songs channel her newly spacious and inquisitive songwriting approach, unlocking unusual layers in the process. Some are subsumed in the speculative poetics of sound design, while others peer through the window of bedroom pop. Gathering imagistic reflections, tracing vast ideations and quietly lingering in humble moments, Taba connects vivid lines between the individual and the collective, the constructed and the cosmic, the articulated and the felt. Satomi's sonic tales gain an eloquent coherence by the simple fact of existing in conversation, humming a harmony of parts that buzzes with the tangled circuitry of a life in motion. Taba is the fifth album from Japanese musician, songwriter and dream traveler Satomimagae, following her 2021 album Hanazono and the 2023 reissue of her debut album Awa, both for RVNG Intl. On Taba, Satomimagae leaves linear songwriting to rest for circuitous stories expanded and expansive in tone and texture, unfolding as a series of vignettes that document both the personal and the universal. Some of the songs on Taba feature intimate moments captured on Satomi's hand recorder, poetic moments of sound design animated by tonal and rhythmic bedroom pop foundations. As with Hanazono, Taba's album artwork features a wooden block print by Satomi's sister, the artist Natsumi Magae.

Nocturnes 2 was created at the initiative of the label Midnight Special Records. We invited artists to write music for a new planet, a new world, and then to come and record it in our studio.



With this album, we aim to offer you a journey across different celestial bodies, each designed by the selected artists who participated in this project.



The album is also a tribute to Joe Meek's work I Hear a New Word, recognized for its innovative approach to production and its sound explorations.



We recommend listening to this album when you are calm, or wish to be.

Isabelline curator and label head Practitioner reveals a stunning selection of his own archival productions with 'Portobello Innocent', the third release on the mysterious and acclaimed Berlin-based imprint. Recorded between 2016 - 2024, these «ve selected works offer a broad look into Practitioner’s sonic sphere. Introspective club re¬ections that cover a grand scope of machine-translated human emotions. The EP feels like a dug-up lost tape, timeless tracks untouched by current modes or trends, each composition progressively digging deeper into unknown chasms of the enigmatic producers' distinct sound.

Raisina - A hypnotic club track featuring sharp drum machine rhythms and a prominent vocal sample from a 1960s North African love song, creating an alluring and surreally beautiful opener. Well-Behaved Boys - Pulsating, shu®ing techno drums take front and centre, as warped frequencies from raves of a bygone era tune in and out, ¬ickering between past and present with frenetic rhythms and spoken fragments. Form & Emblem - An effervescent ambient interlude, its shimmering textures and layered atmospheres provide a meditative pause amidst the EP’s harder edges. Kala - Hazy and dreamlike, this track layers a wandering dub bassline under a steady house beat, glimmering jazz chords and ethereal textures surround the sonic sphere, evoking ¬ickering memories and lingering mystery. Council - A relentless, bassheavy techno groover with sharp vocal cuts and infectious energy. Council feels like a culmination of all that camebefore, resulting in a hypnotic and kinetic underground offering that feels in«nite. With 'Portobello Innocent', Practitioner offers a rare glimpse into his abstract realm, crafting magnetic spaces between memory and rhythm, the ancient and the future, the human and machine.

"Movements of Air" is the highly anticipated fifth album from Daniel Herskedal's acclaimed trio, featuring Eyolf Dale on piano and Helge Andreas Norbakken on drums and percussion. Marking his tenth remarkable release with Edition Records, this album seamlessly bridges his foundational trio debut, "Slow Eastbound Train," with previous masterpieces like "The Roc" and "Voyage."

Over the past decade, Daniel Herskedal has consistently pushed the boundaries of the tuba, crafting music that is both profoundly introspective and expansively cinematic. At its core, "Movements of Air" delves into themes of hope, the pursuit of a better future, and the very essence of musical creation. With masterful performances from all members and intricate compositions, Herskedal navigates the delicate balance between good and evil, war and peace. Tracks such as "The Olive Branch" and "Peace River Crossing" showcase his ability to create emotionally resonant soundscapes, while pieces like "Elements of Harmony" and "Harmonic Allusions" highlight his innovative approach to harmony and texture.

This album stands as a testament to Herskedal's extraordinary talent, transcending the traditional limits of his instrument to deliver music that is both emotionally compelling and artistically groundbreaking.

Daniel Herskedal's exceptional achievements further underscore his artistic prowess and versatility. His notable arrangement of"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" for the 2019 film "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," produced by Brad Pitt, was later featured in Coca Cola's global 'Open Like Never Before' advertising campaign. His extensive collaborations include performances with prestigious ensembles such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Norwegian Navy Band, and the Russian Patriarchate Choir of Moscow. His collaborative project with Marja Mortensson won the Norwegian Grammy in 2019, and in 2021,he secured The Ambies Award for Best Original Score and Music Supervision for the podcast "9/12." Additionally, his work with artists like Keaton Henson and Emilie Nicolas on their album "Out of the Fog" further highlights his versatility and collaborative spirit.

Rodeo Boys is what happens when the Miller High Life gets legs and starts walking around on its own. A rippin’ 4-piece from Lansing, MI is for queers and steers alike. Rodeo Boys shows up at your town, rolls up their sleeves, and gets to work to deliver their blue collar alt sound straight to your ears. They have been ripping rock n’ roll gigs since they formed in 2019 and After releasing their 2023 Album “Home Movies” on Don Giovanni Records, they have been steadily grinding away touring the US. They bring the nostalgia, twang, and punk rock rage of growing up in a small town to a city near you! This is how the Midwest was won.

"Vilhelm Bromander Unfolding Orchestra returns with Jorden vi ärvde (""The Earth We Inherited""), the follow-up to their acclaimed 2023 debut, In This Forever Unfolding Moment. Set for release on April 25, 2025, the album deepens Bromander’s unique fusion of cosmic jazz, free jazz, folk music and Indian classical traditions while carrying a powerful message about environmental and social responsibility.

Bromander composed this work as both a dedication to his children and a reflection on humanity’s role as caretakers of the planet. “The album is an attempt to spread light, beauty, hope, and resistance while acknowledging the gravity of our times,” he explains. “Right-wing forces are rising, wars continue, and climate disasters escalate. How do we find the strength and hope to change?”

The music balances urgency with a deep trust in humanity. Bromander’s meticulous arrangements, performed by an all-star ensemble, offer moments of both fiery resistance and serene contemplation. Tracks like “Jorden vi ärvde, den skall oss också ärvas” unfold patiently, blending vibrant improvisations with lush orchestration. The evocative ballad “Erde”, with stunning solos by pianist Alex Zethson and the bass-player himself, nods to Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, while “For Dewey” pays tribute to the elastic interplay of Keith Jarrett’s legendary quartet, high-lighting the fire-y saxophone playing of Elin Forkelid. The closing piece, “Calliope,” channels Indian classical influences, with harp evoking a swarmandal’s shimmering resonance.

With Jorden vi ärvde, Bromander expands his artistic vision, weaving together intricate compositions with a passionate call to action. The result is an album that doesn’t just demand to be heard—it invites listeners to reflect, feel, and, ultimately, act."

The first recorded collection of songs from celebrated Arkansas songwriter Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad band. Recorded live to tape and firmly below sea level at Mashed Potato Records in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is three mics, two tracks, and two afternoons sweating it out in the oppressive May heat with some very patient pals while the nearby Mississippi river churned overhead. Featuring "Snakes and Waterfalls", "After Hours", three countrified covers and a little bit more.

Wielding an ethereal croon and masterful whistle crafted from a lifetime chasing lizards through the Ozark hills, Nick Shoulders is a living link to roots of country music with a penchant for the absurd. Combining his family's deep ties to regional traditional singing with his years of playing to crowded street corners, Nick has sought to forge a hybridized form of raucously clever country music; born of forgotten rocky hollers and bred to confront the tensions of the 21st century South. As evidenced by his surreal album art and anachronistic songwriting, Nick’s creative output is steeped in the complicated history of his beloved home of rural Arkansas, but crafted as a conscious rebuke of country music’s blind allegiance to historical seats of power and repression. With a kind word and a mean yodel, Nick hopes to put the ‘Try’ in country.

A cry out against the withering void of listless Americana, Okay, Crawdad, is the fledgling full-length album from Nick Shoulders and company. A two-step laden dose of indignation, loss and profound elation, the album is inspired as much by the chaos and decadence of south Louisiana as it is the rural sounds of yesteryear from which it sprang. Despite a pandemic-inspired relocation to his home in the Natural State, New Orleans and its community helped meld the forces at play on the album; pitting an adherence to tradition and refusal to conform against each other with grand results. Embracing the mania of the podunk zeitgeist while seeking to enfranchise the meek, Nick Shoulders is here to stay.

LIMITED POSTER EDITION (stickers included)

The Acid Machines series is back with its third electrifying release! Dedicated to the darker side of acid techno, this VA compilation is primed to ignite dancefloors and leave a lasting impression on any rave.

Leading the charge, G303 returns with a gripping opener. Starting with an entrancing breakbeat, the track seamlessly transitions into a thunderous four-on-the-floor rhythm, underpinned by resonant basslines that drive its powerful energy forward.

Acidupdub follows with "Steampunk," a masterclass in atmospheric tension and energy. The track evolves from a deep, pulsating low-end into a relentless techno anthem, featuring hypnotic 303 sequences and immersive basslines that demand attention.

New to the Acid Machines family, Citric Acid makes a stunning debut as a resident artist with "Damage" This one-take analog acid experience is a whirlwind of raw, unfiltered energy and pure acid techno brilliance, showcasing Citric Acid's exceptional production skills.

Acid Machines Vol. 3 is a must-have for fans of dark acid techno. Out now on Zodiak Commune Records. Unleash the acid and let the machines take control!

Die irische Musikerin Maria Somerville kündigt ihr zweites Album "Luster" für den 25. April an. Es ist zugleich ihr Debüt bei 4AD. Mit dem Announcement erscheint die Single "Garden". Der Track taucht ihre sirenenhaften Vocals in einen Sound aus schwirrendem Feedback, luftiger Percussion und nostalgischen Gitarren, der Erinnerungen an die klassische 4AD-Phase heraufbeschwört. Bereits im letzten Jahr war der hypnotische Shoegaze-Track "Projections" erschienen, mit dem Somerville eine erste Spur in Richtung des Sounds ihres kommenden Albums gelegt hatte. Somerville wuchs im ländlichen County Galway an der bergigen und rauen irischen Westküste auf. Sie zog später nach Dublin, wo sie an ihrem Signature-Sound arbeitete: atmosphärischem Dreampop, der von der Landschaft ihrer Jugend geprägt bleibt. Die ätherischen Gitarrenklänge, spärlichen Rhythmen und elektronischen Ambient-Sounds hielt sie erstmals auf dem 2019 selbst veröffentlichten Album "All My People" fest, einem Werk, das knietief in Nostalgie und Sehnsucht watet. Erst als sie nach Connemara zurückkehrte, in ein Haus nicht weit von dem, in dem sie aufwuchs - und von wo aus man einen der größten Seen des Landes, den Lough Corrib, überblicken konnte - begann Somerville mit der Arbeit an Musik, die schließlich zum neuen Album "Luster" werden sollte. Während ihr DIY-Debüt Erinnerungen und Melancholie in nebligen Slowcore hüllte, zeigen die zwölf neuen Tracks eine Künstlerin, die sich des Weges, den sie eingeschlagen hat, viel sicherer ist. "I can see more clearly than I could before. I know now what"s true for me", singt sie passend in "Trip". Gestärkt durch die neue, alte Umgebung und ermutigt durch ihre Community, entwickelte Somerville wieder kreative Energien. Der Boden erwies sich im wahrsten Sinne als fruchtbar, als sie in lockeren Wohnzimmer-Sessions erste Demos aufnahm, die später u. a. mit J. Colleran und Ian Lynch (Lankum) ausgearbeitet und schließlich vom New Yorker Engineer Gabriel Schuman (Oneohtrix Point Never, Princess Nokia, David Byrne) gemixt wurden. Eine gewisse Popularität erreichte Somerville auch durch ihre "Early Bird Show" auf NTS Radio, wo sie seit 2021 zwei Mal die Woche ein Morgenprogramm hostet, in dem sie Musik zwischen Shoegaze und traditionellem irischen Folk vorstellt. Im selben Jahr unterschrieb sie ihren Vertrag bei 4AD, wo sie bislang zwei Compilation-Beiträge veröffentlichte und mit ihren Labelmates Dry Cleaning auf Tour ging. 2025 wird sie mit Band Shows auf der ganzen Welt spielen, darunter auch Konzerte in Deutschland.

Gegründet im Jahr 2008, hat sich Büyük Ev Ablukada zu einer der einflussreichsten Bands der türkischen Alternativ-Musikszene entwickelt. Mit ihren metaphorischen und fröhlichen Liedern haben sie schnell eine große Fangemeinde gewonnen und durch ihre mutige, originelle und genreübergreifende Musik, der Stadt Istanbul und dem Land neues Leben eingehaucht. Büyük Ev Ablukada ist eine der populärsten und erfolgreichsten alternativen Bands Istanbuls, die den dynamischen kulturellen Puls Istanbuls auf den Punkt bringt. Mit jedem Album ist es ihnen gelungen, ihre Hörer mit einem anderen Musikstil und einer innovativen Herangehensweise zu überraschen. Die Reise, die mit ihrem ersten Album ,Full Faça" begann, setzte sich mit ,FIRTINAYT" fort und fand zuletzt mit ,Defansif Dizayn", an dem sie jahrelang gearbeitet haben, ihren nächsten Höhepunkt. Ihr genreübergreifender Sound spiegelt die sich ständig verändernde Energie der Stadt wider und schafft eine innovative und mutige Darstellung des modernen Istanbul. Ursprünglich im August 2024 exklusiv in der Türkei veröffentlicht, markierte "Defansif Dizayn" die mit Spannung erwartete Rückkehr der Band mit ihrem ersten Studioalbum seit sieben Jahren. Dieses Album ist mehr als nur Musik - es ist ein Fenster in die zeitgenössische Klangwelt Istanbuls und ein Spiegelbild einer Stadt in ständiger Entwicklung. Es hat sicherlich das Potenzial, sowohl kulturell als auch künstlerisch, eine starke Anziehungskraft auf ein europäisches Publikum auszuüben. Und sicherlich wird auch die große in der EU ansässige türkische Gemeinschaft, die eine tiefe Verbindung zur pulsierenden Musikszene Istanbuls pflegt, diese Album jetzt (nochmal) warnehmen. Im Frühjahr 2025 wird die Band eine Europatournee starten, die sie in einige wichtige Städte führen wird. Zur Unterstützung dieser Tournee wollen die Band und das Label nun eine spezielle Europa-Edition mit einem neuen, alternativen Cover-Artwork präsentieren und wieder Vinyl erhältlich machen. Das Mastering der Platte wurde von Shawn Joseph in den Grammy-prämierten "Optimum Mastering"-Studios in Bristol durchgeführt, in denen auch schon Namen wie Massive Attack und Portishead gearbeitet haben. Hergestllt wurde die EU Edition bei Optimal. Das Label CAZ PLAK stammt aus Istanbul, und verbindet konzeptionell Jazz mit anderen Genres um neue, hybride Klänge für die 2020er zu finden, am besten in ihrer idealistischsten und künstlerischsten Form. Obwohl das Büyük Ev Ablukada-Album musikalisch von Caz Plaks üblichem Jazz-orientierten Katalog etwasabweicht, fügt es sich in Geist, Haltung und musikalisch nahtlos in die Vision des Labels ein.

Luke Titus is a Chicago-born drummer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for his remarkable versatility and genre-spanning artistry. With deep roots in jazz and a knack for blending it seamlessly with experimental music, drum & bass, and beyond, Titus has earned a reputation as a world-class drummer and a dynamic force across the national musical landscape. Growing up in Chicago's vibrant music scene, Titus flourished alongside fellow young artists in the early 2010s. His work quickly positioned him as a key figure in the city's jazz, hip-hop, and R&B communities, leading to collaborations that propelled him to national recognition. Continue to follow the thread of Luke Titus' many contributions to jazz and alternative scenes across America, and what emerges is a singular weave between his roots in Chicago, LA and New York communities. From What Was Will Grow A Flower is the second LP from the prolific young songwriter and producer, codifying his many musical leanings into an emergent, nearly clairvoyant statement of musical intent. Blooming and innovative songwriting, effervescent vocal hooks, virtuosic instrumental passages, and meticulously studied production techniques abound. About the album, Titus says "This album is about spirituality and connectivity, both with the universe and the self, as told through my personal journey. It questions reality as a way to deepen one's connection to it. I dedicate this album not only to anyone who has been through hard times, but to anyone who relates to the cyclical nature of the human experience. And more than that, I dedicate this album to my mom." As a producer and songwriter, Titus' fingerprints can be found on numerous acclaimed projects, including Noname's Room 25, Luke Titus & Cisco Swank's Some Things Take Time, Orion Sun's Orion, and Ravyn Lenae's Hypnos. His co-production credits span across a roster of innovative talents like Steve Lacy, Monte Booker, Brian Sanborn, Teo Halm, Phoelix, Cisco Swank, Saba, Kiefer, Elijah Fox, and Itai Shapira. Titus has taken his talents to the global stage, performing at high-profile festivals and venues such as Lollapalooza, Coachella, Pitchfork, Blue Note NYC, North Sea Jazz Fest, Smoking Grooves, Fuji Rock Festival, Blue Note Tokyo, and NYC Winter Jazz Fest, amongst many others.