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After a massive 2024 that included the release of their second album Vol. 2 and a U.S. tour, Naarm/Melbourne punks Split System are back with new 7" On the Edge/On the Loose.The feeling of stress and anxiety permeates through both tracks. The opener is the sleazy, hardcore-infused On the Edge, featuring a pounding rhythm that mirrors the pressure of day-to-day life and the inevitable breakdown that awaits.Next, the sub-two-minute On the Loose delivers a catchy, high-energy garage-punk thumper about moving through life feeling like you've got a gun to your head. The band will return to Europe mid-year 2025, including a spot at the Best Kept Secret Festival in the Netherlands.

A Split System split 7" release in tandem with French garage-punks Les Lullies - one song apiece. The Australian side features a tough-as-guts Rock & Roll stomper, 'Chemicals'. On the other side Les Lullies deliver A L'Etroit. written and recorded in a burst of urgency - fast, loud and straight to the point. The two bands will hit the road together in June 2025 for a run of high energy gigs across Europe.

Lammping, the genre-defying psych-rock project from Toronto, is set to release four unique albums over the next year, each showcasing the eclectic range of influences and talents of its founders, Mikhail Galkin and Jay Anderson. A collaboration with Montreal's Bloodshot Bill kicks off the series with a psychedelic, sample-driven freak-out that’s as unpredictable as it is fun, blending Lammping’s DIY spirit with Bloodshot Bill’s singular style.

“(Cheer-Accident have) earned a reputation for extreme left turns - following collections of complex, metallic art rock with albums stuffed with piano-driven balladry cementing a practice of defying expectations that’s endured for more than three or four decades, depending on when you recognize as the group's actual genesis” - THE WIRE

From Cheer-Accident's liner notes: It’s weird to have so few words to say about our best album to date, but… well…

Our Best Album? Out of 26?

That’s not nothing.

What makes it “our best?” Is it the songs? Is it the production? Is it the convergence of those two elements? What if we added “accessibility?” It is, after all, a pop album. You know, very much in the same way that “The Why Album” and “What Sequel?” are. In fact, we very nearly named it “Now What”, viewing it as the final installment in this pop trilogy.

But that started to feel wrong, because: Why get locked into a “series” every time we happen to lean on the more melodic and concise aspect of what we do?

You know, and the thing is, this isn’t any kind of “return.” This is something new. Though it certainly shares DNA with the aforementioned What/Why releases, it also very much incorporates the rock and dissonance and experimentation present in many of our other forays. Maybe this is simply where we landed. Maybe this is what we are now. Maybe we’ve finally found the combination of ingredients that so perfectly synthesize as our aesthetic that there’s no need to go on from here. Maybe we’ve stopped. Maybe we’re done. Maybe we’ve finally found that sweet spot between the “adventurous” and the “palatable,” and we now intend to rest on our laurels.

What an Admission that would be.

Chicago-based composer/producer Joey Meland makes music under the moniker Cocojoey. Treating genre conventions and ostensible barriers between disparate musical vocabularies like playthings to gleefully smash and reshape at will, Meland channels decades of experience as a polymathic professional musician adept in styles like metal, jazz, synthpop, and experimental sound design into their infinitely combinatory compositions. STARS, their first album on Hausu Mountain, follows the self-released COCOJOEY’S WORLD with a spellbinding burst of heart-on-sleeve self-expression. The album finds Cocojoey indulging their most adventurous impulses in production and technical instrumental performance, launching into a constantly morphing program that contrasts day-glo earworm hooks against cathartic moments of screaming intensity. Cocojoey’s music exudes warmth and finger-wagging mischief as it exhumes the depths of their psyche with the pure-hearted goal of making their audience smile — when those listening find a chance to breathe within the ecstatic overstimulation.

The album’s tightly constructed song cycle blasts the listener with moment after moment of novel juxtaposition, both in terms of genre and emotional energy, that keep us reeling in a state of delirious whiplash. Warp-speed piano solos over bossa nova-inflected chord progressions segue into detonations of death metal that front-load Meland’s ferocious screaming vocals and meticulously programmed double-kick drum patterns. A strain of iridescent prog emerges in the sheer overload of notes and ideas, as drum n’ bass breaks collide with labyrinthine multi-time signature keyboard lines and bright flashes of clean vocals. Despite whatever contrasting styles might hit within any given Cocojoey song, Meland returns again and again to the upheaval and release provided by extreme metal — though that idiom lands with joyful exuberance, an abrasive yet heartwarming flavor whose positive energy carries through even to those who might not encounter screams and hyper-technical drum breakdowns in their typical listening regimen.

Back by demand and dirtier than ever, Apollo Brown & CRIMEAPPLE’s new underground classic This, Is Not That returns with the Dirty Money Edition — a fresh press on cream & green vinyl that bleeds grit and opulence. This updated release includes two brand new bonus tracks, adding new weight to an already no-nonsense body of work.

This, Is Not That pairs Detroit producer Apollo Brown’s signature soul-soaked boom-bap with New Jersey emcee CRIMEAPPLE’s razor-sharp wit and bilingual venom. The result is an album steeped in realness — raw, reflective, and resonant, laced with wordplay that sticks and production that slaps.

Whether you're just discovering the project or stacking your collection, this edition is a must-cop — a celebration of bars, beats, and the beautiful grit of hip-hop.

Apocryphal cycles are those that are not observed with the naked eye or those that interact implicitly.

Apocryphal cycles of atoms and molecules refer to chemical reactions and changes of state that occur at the subatomic level, often without being directly observable on the macroscopic scale. These cycles involve the creation and destruction of molecules, the movement of atoms, isomerization, and other processes that underlie the properties and reactions of matter.

Apocryphal cycles are fundamental to understanding the properties of matter, the chemistry of life, the behavior of materials, and the formation of new compounds. They are the basis of science and technology, enabling the creation of new materials, medicines, and chemical processes.

These new collaborations follow the mesmerising 'Dissolve In the Rain' in 2022 where Calibre leaned into the blues of Chelou.

Belfast-born Dominick Martin has spent the last 30 years creating. With over 100 Singles and 25 albums, encompassing a myriad of tempos and genres. Painter, Multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer, producer and DJ.

Chelou is the moniker of London-based artist Adam Gray, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his psychedelic blend of folk, blues, and indie electronics. Raised in Camden and influenced by a musically rich environment, Chelou developed a reverb-soaked, dreamlike sound that combines minimal vocals, distorted guitar, ambient textures, and offbeat lyricism. His name, "Chelou," is French slang for "bizarre" or "strange," reflecting his enigmatic and unconventional identity.

He emerged in 2014 with the DIY EP The Quiet, gaining early support from BBC Radio 6 Music DJs like Lauren Laverne and Tom Ravenscroft. Tracks like "Halfway to Nowhere," "Out of Sight," and "Garden" drew attention for their raw, intimate tone and distinctive visual accompaniments. His debut album Out of Sight (2018) expanded his sound and artistic reach, featuring a popular animated video created by Robin Eisenberg.

CRYSTAL VIPER ist stolz darauf, ihr Live-Debütalbum mit dem Titel "The Live Quest" zu veröffentlichen. Es wurde während der letztjährigen "The Silver Key Tour" in Polen, Deutschland, Österreich, Dänemark, Italien, Frankreich, Belgien und der Tschechischen Republik aufgenommen. "The Live Quest" ist eine kompromisslose Live-Aufnahme mit einer perfekt ausgewogenen Mischung aus Rohheit und Präzision. Dank der feurigen Gitarren, des stampfenden Schlagzeugs, des donnernden Basses und des eindringlichen Gesangs wird jeder Track härter und zu einem neuen Heavy Metal-Kracher. Für Fans von Judas Priest, Gamma Ray und Marta Gabriel.

Movie Rock - ein neues Genre wird definiert. Den beiden Komponisten Sven Bergmann & Oliver Bartkowski ist eine wunderbare Symbiose aus Rock und Pop gelungen, die mit klassischen und sogar jazzigen Elementen, sowie Ausflügen ins Reich des Musicals neue Maßstäbe setzen kann. Der Fan von Film-Scores wird gleichermaßen bedient wie der Rockfan, bei dem es auch gerne einmal krachen darf. Bergmann und Bartkowski konnten bereits mit "The Movie Trip Show" ihr Publikum begeistern. Sie komponierten die Musik für den international prämierten Euro-Western "Durch seine Venen fließt Blei - Bullet Vain" und präsentieren nun mit HEAVEN"S SAPPHIRE "Welcome To Wonderworld" ihr erstes Movie-Rock-Album.

Channeling the grooves of Black Label Society, the melodies of Alter Bridge, the aggression of Pantera, and the weight of Sabbath, Lowdown deliver doom-laced chords and searing, down-tuned riffs - battle cries in musical form, their arrival wasn't just heard; it was felt.

2023 Wiederveröffentlichung des griechischen Black-Metal-Klassikers; Ein Album, durch intensiven inneren Suche komponiert und aufgenommen, was zu dem vielleicht gefühlvollsten Album wurde, das ROTTING CHRIST geschrieben haben. Mit Original-Cover und 2 Kreator-Covern als Bonustracks!

After their 2022 LP 'Twelve Hymns To Syng Along', cult songwriter Mark ten Hoor, bass giant Peter Kroes, and drumming king of tape-hiss Arjan Spies - aka THE KRYNG - did what they do best: record more tunes at Studio Teepdek.

Mondo Paradiso is the fifth studio album by Sino Hearts - a record unlike any before it. Mocca Chung, the driving force behind the band, embarked on a journey from Beijing, China. His longtime bandmate, American guitarist Ned Moffit, set out from Washington, D.C., marking nearly two years since he left China. Their reunion in Vienna, Austria, was only a brief stop before they ventured to Brescia, Italy, where they joined forces with Italian drummer Carlo Manzoni. Under the guiding hand of producer Brown Barcella, this album was brought to life.

Since first forming in 2016, London's High Vis have steadily polished their palette of progressive hardcore with shades of post-punk, Brit pop, neo-psychedelia, and even Madchester groove, mapping a middle ground between hooks and fury, melodies and mosh pits. Singer Graham Sayle describes their third album 'Guided Tour' as an axis of competing forces: "It's trying to be a hopeful record, while also being incensed." Rounded out by drummer Edward 'Ski' Harper, guitarists Martin MacNamara and Rob Hammaren, and bassist Jack Muncaster, the band's deep roots in the UK and Irish DIY hardcore scenes have kept them grounded but growing, inspired equally by restlessness and righteous anger. As Sayle puts it, "Everyone's scratching, everyone's working all the time, and their idea of relaxing is just getting fucked and avoiding reality. This album is an escape from that."From its opening seconds of a cab door slamming, a car revving away, and a baggy rhythm swinging to life, 'Guided Tour' sounds like a band reaching for new heights, bristling with energy. Recorded across a few weeks at Holy Mountain Studios in London with producer Jonah Falco and engineer Stanley Gravett, the results feel dynamic and dialed-in, like anthems burned into sense memory through sweat and repetition. Harper cuts to the chase: "We had a clear idea going in, every moment got used. Maybe when we're 60 we can sit around and get a drum sound right, but for now it's about getting things done."The album's 11 songs span the spectrum of contemporary guitar music, sharpened by experience, camaraderie, and societal frustrations. From swaggering street punk ("Drop Me Out," "Mob DLA") to jangling indie sneer ("Worth The Wait," "Deserve It") to heavy alt ("Feeling Bless," "Fill The Gap") to shoegazey spoken word ("Untethered"), the group's chemistry transmutes any style to their unique intensity. Sayle champions this evolving fusion: "For years coming from hardcore, we had pretty clear boundaries - other scenes were separate worlds. Now things are getting more blended, drawing from different places."Nowhere is this sentiment flexed more boldly than on "Mind's A Lie," a dance- punk anthem inspired by Harper's love of house, garage, and pirate radio. Stabs of sampled female vocals (by celebrated South London singer and DJ Ell Murphy) build into a razor wire rhythm of low-slung bass, tense drums, and sparkling guitar before Sayle's staunch voice starts barking harsh truths ("Face to face with all I've known / I can't call these thoughts my own"). After a sudden breakdown, the track regroups and takes off, cruising into the horizon in a haze of chiming guitars and Murphy's ascendant voice, from the streets to somewhere beyond.

Netherlandsbased artist Heckerman delivers four tracks of surrealist and textured techno on 47. Laced with swirling sequences, snarling basslines and jagged motifs, 47046 swells with soaring to more introspective moods, streaked with an idiosyncratic flair. 47046 is out July 4th available

Throughout their history, Booker T. & The MG's racked up Top 40 hits, had their songs covered by artists as diverse as The Ventures, Count Basie, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award, and continued being the band of choice in collaborations with legends such as Bob Dylan & Neil Young. 1965’s Soul Dressing features the legendary The Mar-Keys’ horn section, who add gravity to their soul sound, while Side Two might be the most fantastic late-night come-down album side of all time. And bonus points for the hints of ‘mod’ sprinkled around (even the U.K.’s Small Faces covered their original track “Plum Nellie”).

“Extremely highhgrade psych” (MOJO, 2024) “Immaculate sounding new psychedelia“ (Maggot Brain, 2024) “Alexander succeeds in capturing the post-psych grandeur that he’s aiming for while also creating one of his headiest offerings yet” (Raven Sings The Blues) “Psych lifer in a bloozy Americana mode. The whole thing hangs loose like a frayed rope tied to a river tube… essentially, a choogler’s dream.” (Viking’s Choice / NPR Music) “Plug in and space your face” (Aquarium Drunkard) Originally on Tape via Arrowhawk (please go check more releases on this wonderful label) - Now on Vinyl Presented in a high gloss laminated outer sleeve with artwork by Jake Blanchard - Both sets of art joining together to complete the picture. 36 minutes of sonic bliss for your ears and brain. Side 1 - Dark Star Side 2 - Dark Star (continued) "Jeffrey Alexander is a lifer. He has been flirting around the underground for the past thirty years - starting in Baltimore in the mid-90s and later percolating in Providence, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and, now, Philadelphia. Throughout this span, he has run various record labels, worked in a bunch of record shops, organized music festivals, managed live venues, FM deejayed, jammed econo, booked endless tours and performed in a gaggle of groups from Black Forest / Black Sea to Dire Wolves to Jackie-O Motherfucker to The Iditarod and points in-between. And now we have The Heavy Lidders. Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders takes the freaked improvisation of Alexander’s instrumental band - DWLVS / Dire Wolves Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band - into the world of song. Heady songwriting, ethereal jazz and Trad Gras-y blues stomps all feature. Backed by members of Elkhorn and Kohoutek. This vinyl (in 2 volumes) you hold in your hands is a collection of live Lidders that will surely wax your stem, and how! When Record Crates United invited JA+THL to perform at their inaugural garden party, not only did the Lidders show up with a one-off Live/Dead cover as a surprise gift for Keith and Sarah, but they rolled in with the Jesse Sheppard mobile multi-track truck, as well. Fucking pros, mate. Most of the material here was captured that sunny afternoon in suburban New Jersey - and thank the Godz that we have this plastic burner. I missed the set, but Kenneth Higney was there and gave it two thumbs up! I know them Lidders have a deluxe studio LP lined up for September, but til then, this little box will comfortably help you break on through. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a mere EP. It’s SEVENTY SIX minutes of pure medicated goo. Now dose your capstan and pinch your roller. Shit is about to get Lidded." - Glen Burnout (on Sun Ra’s arrival day 2023)

NSTOCK AND SHIPPING Next up on Feral Child (alongside the mighty new Lake Ruth full length) comes an absolute banger of a 45 from THE HOLOGRAM PEOPLE. Following hugely well received -and sought after- releases on Dreamlord Recordings, Library of the Occult, Up In Her Room and others, the duo of Jonathan Parkes (Korb) and Dom Keen (Studio Kosmische) release “Bongo Express” as a limited one-off vinyl pressing for Crouch End based label Feral Child. "A heady, psychedelic collision of bongos and analogue synths create a dusty mid 70's groove of masterful krautrock infused funk instrumentation. The duo’s trippy soundtrack and radiophonic leanings are at the fore across both sides of this beauty. It is anticipated that a quick sell out is on the cards, and the single looks wonderful too- dressed in Feral Childs’ new psych company bags designed by label head Dom.

Mark Robinson and Trevor Kampmann are Uncomfortable Police. They have been collaborating for years. First as Fang Wizard (2011) and then Party Milk in 2023. While those LPs are primarily instrumental, this new 15-song Michelin Star Hardcore album sees them both getting in front of the microphone as lead and background singers. Mark started and starred in the bands Unrest (who just released the 30th Anniversary edition of their Perfect Teeth album with 4AD), Air Miami, Flin Flon, Grenadine and more. Trevor’s records his solo material until the moniker hollAnd for years and has produced and mastered albums by the likes of Cat Power and Explosions In The Sky. On Mark’s seminal Teenbeat label that he formed at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, just outside DC. This physical phonograph record contains one extra song that will not be available digitally.

Collecting Orders For 2025 Repress

Paris-Based Record Label Phonogramme Proudly Announces Its Milestone 50th Release, a Spectacular Various Ep Featuring 4 Exclusives and Unreleased Tracks From Legendary Artists Abacus, Fred P, Byron the Aquarius, and Felipe Gordon. This Special Edition, Showcasing the Finest in House and Deep House Music, Will Be Available on Limited Red Marbled Vinyl. Dive Into the Rich Sounds and Exceptional Artistry of These Iconic Musicians, Each Bringing Their Unique Style and Creativity to This Landmark Release. Don't Miss Out on This Collector's Item, a Testament to Phonogramme's Enduring Legacy and Bright Future in the World of Electronic Music....

Emerging from the fertile chaos of Düsseldorf’s Salon des Amateurs scene, Sequence of Events, the collaborative project of Deniz Saridas and Joshua Gottmanns, presents The Art of Memory, an album that feels both intimate and ungraspable, like recalling a dream that fades upon waking.

Rooted in the post-industrial landscapes of West Germany, The Art of Memory channels the bleak resilience of these environments into its sound. It’s a collage of kraut-infused electronics, shoegaze textures, and industrial pulses, filtered through a lens of introspective psychedelia. “We don’t consciously break down or combine genres,” they explain. “Everything is interwoven, like chemistry. Some reactions happen immediately, others take years under pressure.”

From the opening track TAR, with its stoic vocals and drum-heavy propulsion, to the robotic Meagre Gardens, where autotuned chants coil around unconventional drum programming, the album moves like a fever dream through fragmented memories. Soul Divider unfolds like a cinematic journey through yearning and desire, its repetitive pulses echoing the ache of unfulfilled longing, while Nature Hates Life distills pop music through the eyes of a killjoy: “Kurt Cobain on an AKAI MPC2000,” as the band describes it. Even moments of tenderness, like the drifting Becomings, shimmer with absolute sensuality: a seductive exploration of presence defined by absence. We lift each other up and hold each other down.

The creative process behind The Art of Memory is as fluid as the music itself. Saridas and Gottmanns, both self-taught musicians with backgrounds in fine art, worked intuitively, drawing from a shared pool of samples, text fragments, and images. Operating somewhere in the space between fin de siècle aesthetics and occultism, it’s a dream wedding with a continuous stream of meaningless (moving) images generated by human and non-human entities.

Ultimately, The Art of Memory is not an escape but an immersion. A meditation on the sensory overload of the present and the ghosts it leaves in its wake. In a world where music is often reduced to background noise for consumption, Sequence of Events offers something more elusive: a record that lingers, unsettles, and demands to be remembered.

SMFORMA returns with Quiet Collapse, their third EP, continuing to explore the boundaries between techno, industrial, and EBM. With a career defined by hard-hitting, direct sounds, their new work reinforces their identity through three original tracks where rhythmic tension and raw energy merge uncompromisingly.

Additionally, the EP features remixes by Statiqbloom, Radical G, and Nghtly—key names in the European EBM-Techno scene—who each bring their own vision to SMFORMA’s sonic power. Expect sweeping bass, electric textures, and a sound crafted for both the club and immersive listening.

A decade has passed since Infinity Night graced Bordello A Parigi with his wonderful Winter and Summer EPs. After too long a wait, the French producer returns with the aptly titled Le Temps Qui Passe. Six slices of select synthesizer music make up the 12”, tracks lovingly crafted with Frederic Bergamaschi’s trademark analogue warmth. A melancholic melody meanders through brightness in “Tu Ne Me Réponds Pas”, dulcet words hidden under the machine gauze of a vocoder. Skittish percussion gives way to the refrain of “It’s Full of Stars”. Hazy keys appear as an arpeggiator rumbles below a shimmering sky. “Les Souvenirs De Valerie” picks up where its predecessor left off. Astral notes are beamed into the heavens, echoing into the while crisp cymbals tether the piece. Infinity Night has always sought that point of balance in his music, a bittersweetness he accentuates and explores. This is true in the darker shades of “Nymphomania”. Beats are bolstered, key stabs piercing the tenderness of analogue trills. The title track is a rich patchwork. A burbling undercurrent supports forays into diverse tangents with lyrics surfacing through key shifts and sliding scales. Marching to militaristic rhythms, “I Comme Icare” is the curtain call. The stringent drums are broken by sailing synthlines, vocals masked in a familiar mesh to close. Le Temps Qui Passe, well worth the wait.

Underground Pacific is back with a new double vinyl compilation titled ‘The Only Good Wave is a Dead One’ that confirms, once again, its uncompromising taste for bold electronic music, psychedelic textures, and raw, electrified rock ‘n roll. This release brings together a varied group of artists, each of them adding something special to the journey.

The trip begins with “Excursions” by Gregory Moore, a piece that floats into a humid sonic world, between the nostalgic tones of vintage video game soundtracks, the Fourth World atmospheres of Jon Hassell, and the shimmering calm of ’90s Japanese ambient à la Takashi Kokubo.

Next comes Talee, the Rotterdam-based regular of the label, with “Makes Me Wonder”. Here, grunge-soaked vocals meet a tight dark disco groove, pierced by crystalline guitar chords that shimmer at the track’s heart. A song with its soul in the past and its feet in the club.

Label founder Cantor teams up once again with German duo New Hook on “Achtung! Achtung!”, an homage to the eponymous track by Italian producer Black Saagan. Fueled by vintage drum machines, punk-infused vocals, and melodies echoing the krautrock minimalism of Cluster, the track channels pure Cold War disco energy.

On “Scavengers”, Berlin based World Wild Web and Rasp Thorne deliver a pure mix of electro-rock noir – Suicide by way of David Lynch. Picture a never seen before episode of the series where Martin Rev and Alan Vega are playing live at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks, while Laura Palmer slowly moves her head to the music, with a devilish smile on her face.

All the way from Grenoble to Berlin, H.L.M. deliver a dirty bass-driven anthem called ‘Fronde’. French spoken vocals spitfire over layers of distorted drones and hypnotic rhythms. The result is rough, hypnotic, and brings to mind the grooves of Death in Vegas.

New Hook return, this time solo, with ‘Unity’: a blend of groovy downtempo percussions, melancholic guitar riffs, and their signature brand of spoken word, a style that’s quickly become their sonic fingerprint.

Then it’s the turn of mexican-wave exponents Montessori featuring Vongold on “Ad Libitum”: a techy sunrise piece with soft pads, subtle build-ups, and an ecstatic sense of endlessness. After-party music for vast, open spaces.
Next up are SX2 from Ireland with their ‘Buttons’, offering a rolling tech-house banger laced with desert guitars. Psychedelic FX’s and whispered vocals drenched in delay slow the pace in a breakdown full of tension, preparing the floor to an euphoric release.

A dream from the pandemic era reappears: Cantor’s “Hannett’s Dream”, originally released in 2020 by Modular’s Project’s imprint ‘Nothing Is Real’ together with their own reworked version present also in two very limited vinyl-collector editions released by Underground Pacific. The introspection and hypnotic structure of the original cut here is replaced by a more stripped down arrangement, with a four-to-the-floor groove that is perfectly crafted for peak-time ignition.

Closing out the release is “Carissima” by the man behind iconic label Wonder Stories, Aimes – a Moroder-esque bassline and sensual vocals play on top of a warm groove that suddenly fractures into jazz-tinged, breakbeat mood, in the style of early Warp Records, just in time to get back into its disco-ish swing.

Contrary to what the title of this release might suggest, the wave isn’t dead at all. It’s well alive in the underground, reanimated by labels like Underground Pacific who are always ready to welcome artists who aren’t afraid to crash genres together and, above all, who are driven by the desire to make free-form, inspired pieces of music.

When Alanis Morissette took direct aim at an ex who wronged her on the eviscerating “You Oughta Know” in 1995, everything about the Top 10 song communicated it wasn’t the usual narrative about love gone south. Or the typical wounded singer wallowing in self pity. Morissette, and both the lead single from and her entire American major-label debut — the profoundly personal Jagged Little Pill — represented a sea change. They kickstarted a movement, one whose impact continues to echo throughout the mainstream nearly three decades later.

Ranked the 69th Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 200 Definitive Albums, and featured in several books about essential albums, Jagged Little Pill remains more than a blockbuster that has sold more than 17 million copies in the U.S. and 33 million units worldwide. It’s a statement, an attitude, a soundtrack for anyone seeking inspiration, an outlet, or permission to be themselves.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Jagged Little Pill presents the landmark effort in audiophile-grade sound for the first time. A key part of the record’s appeal and accessibility — Glen Ballard’s smooth production, touches that help Morissette’s exposed-nerve fare seem more accessible and melodic — comes through on this special 30th anniversary edition with an openness, presence, and dynamic explosiveness that make the vocalist’s songs that much more real and visceral.

The singer’s distinctive mezzo-soprano deliveries — the octave-rippling highs, dark-hued lows, dramatic crescendos, belted choruses, wispy reflections, occasional yodels — resonate with full-range ardor and depth. As crucial as anything on the record, Morissette’s confessional words take center stage like never before. Ditto the instrumentation and atmospherics that form the magnetic backgrounds of the songs. Key in on the contributions from Red Hot Chili Peppers Dave Navarro and Flea on “You Oughta Know” to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' co-founder Benmont Tench’s organ playing on six tracks.

The deluxe packaging of Mobile Fidelity’s Jagged Little Pill UD1S set underscores the work’s distinguished status. Housed in a slipcase, the LPs come in special foil-stamped jackets with faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. Benefitting from an ultra-low noise floor, superior groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces, this UD1S reissue is for listeners who prize sound quality and desire to engage themselves in everything involved with the album, including the now-iconic cover art that juxtaposes two portraits of the then-21-year-old singer-songwriter and features typewriter font.

That script — which suggests a raw, blood-on-the-floor document created without modern aids like spell check or language correction — hints at the heightened level of unvarnished intimacy, honesty, and catharsis Morissette offers throughout Jagged Little Pill. Named after a phrase uttered on the astute “You Learn,” the album explores the frank emotions, inherent contradictions, and wishful desires people feel everyday but are often too afraid to express. Morissette displays no such fear or shyness.

Akin to a woman reading from a diary, Morissette leaves nothing to the imagination as she skewers hypocrisy during the poignant “Forgiven,” seeks recompense on the vengeful “You Oughta Know,” and spills her guts on the soul-purging “All I Really Want.” For all the anger and bile ascribed to the singer and record, Jagged Little Pill is incredibly healthy and upbeat. Morissette uses the catchy pop-rock frameworks and moody ambience to suss out situations, to learn, to give hope. There’s the clever yearning of “Hand in My Pocket”; wry contrarianism of “Ironic”; kind-heartedness of “Hand over Feet”; the live-and-let-live spirit of “You Learn” – all positive and amiable.

Throughout Jagged Little Pill, the ever-approachable Morissette connects with listeners who recognize themselves in her — and has an intelligent conversation with anyone who wants to participate. It seemed almost everyone did. In addition to the mammoth sales that make the effort the 17th-best-selling album in American history, Jagged Little Pill collected four Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and eight Juno Awards. In 2018, the record became the basis for a musical that netted 15 Tony nominations on Broadway.

Ironic? Anything but. Jagged Little Pill transcends generations, gender, and trends. As Morissette sings on the opening “All I Really Want,”, the album represents “deliverance” — “a place to find common ground.”

Mit ,Backstage" hat Jay-Jay bereits sein 15. Album veröffentlicht, und seine Inspiration wird ständig erneuert. Hier finden wir die grundlegenden Elemente seines musikalischen Universums: Jazz, Triphop, Pop und sogar einen Hauch von Easy Listening. Die erste Single ,How Long Do You Think We're Gonna Last?" bietet einen köstlichen Soul-Sound, der auf den ersten 14 Alben von Jay-Jay nicht zu hören war. Auf ,Backstage" singt Jay-Jay zum ersten Mal in seiner Diskografie einen Song komplett auf Französisch, der Rimbaud gewidmet ist. Der Text stammt von dem französischen Schriftsteller Renaud Santa Maria. Schließlich liefert Jay-Jay eine persönliche Version von ,Lujon", dem Kultsong zum 100. Geburtstag des Komponisten Henry Mancini. Aufgenommen in Stockholm im Winter 2024, wurde das Album in Paris von Alex Gopher (Air, Phoenix, Bob Sinclar...) gemastert. Für JJJ-Hardcore-Fans: In der Auflage von 1000 LPs gibt es 20 goldene Tickets zu gewinnen, die nach dem Zufallsprinzip verteilt werden. Die goldenen Tickets berechtigen zu einer VIP-Einladung zu einem beliebigen Jay-Jay Johanson-Konzert + Backstage-Treff mit Jay-Jay Johanson. Die CD-Version hat indes zwei Bonustracks aufzuweisen.

Für damalige Verhältnisse derbster, schneller, krachiger Hardcore-Deutschpunk diese Band ist ganz oben in europäischen Thrash-King-Historie. Die Gitarren dominieren, während das Schlagzeug und der Leadgesang darum kämpfen müssen, gehört zu werden. Unglaublich kraftvolle Musik, die ihre früheren Werke in den Schatten stellt. Von Anfang an rasen OHL auf dem Highway der antikommerziellen Musik. "1. Oktober" ist zugleich Auftakt und erster Höhepunkt. Wer einmal die hysterischen "Deutschland, Deutschland"-Rufe des Deutscher W. gehört hat, wird sie nicht mehr vergessen. Viele Songs folgen dem manischen Rausch des Eröffnungstitels. "Freut Euch", "Glocken der Revolution" oder "Neue Macht" gehören zu diesen Liedern und sie zelebrieren eine energiegeladene Orgie aus kompromissloser Geschwindigkeit und grimmig entschlossener Kampfeslust. Klappcover, neues Artwork & Linernotes. Rough, fast, noisy hardcore German punk for the time, this band is at the top of European thrash king history. The guitars dominate while the drums and lead vocals struggle to be heard. Incredibly powerful music that puts her previous works to shame. From the start, OHL race on the highway of anti-commercial music. "1. Oktober" is both the start and the first highlight. Anyone who has ever heard German W.'s hysterical calls of " Deutschland, Deutschland " will never forget them. Many songs follow the manic rush of the opening title. Freut Euch", "Glocken der Revolution" and "Neue Macht" are among these songs and they celebrate an energetic orgy of uncompromising speed and grimly determined fighting spirit. Comes in an nice inside/out gatefold sleeve with new Artwork and linernotes.

The German band Schatterau returns to Hands in the Dark with their latest release, »Übers Jahr« (»Throughout the Year«), which follows their acclaimed debut album from last year.

This sophomore effort, as its title implies, delves into the cyclical nature of time and the duality of the transient and the eternal unfolding of events. The album comprises 17 vignettes that reflect on the seasons, capturing their unique light and sounds, the passage of time, and the interplay of movement and stillness, as well as the perpetual transformation that leads to new beginnings.

Continuing the approach of their inaugural album, the compositions are constructed around endless cassette loops, allowing the band to explore intricate textures and weave them into a surreal, dreamlike tapestry. In this release, the warmth and melancholy of the compositions have developed into a more intricate existence, showcasing a wider array of textures and sounds, while the songwriting exhibits greater maturity, inviting listeners into a more immersive and cohesive experience.

»Übers Jahr« transcends being a simple collection of auditory moods; it serves as an intimate portrayal of the seasons that cyclically unfold, embodying a mystery that surpasses both memory and time.

Resilience
the elastic, technological noise crafted from the streets of Detroit
DRIVETRAIN - “Persuasion”
To be enchanted and beat down simultaneously
DJ CENT - “Send Me”
An unrelenting subsonic rhythm assault
Distant Lover - “Green Eyes”
The disco groove intent to ignite the dance floor
MARSHALL APPLEWHITE - “ “Front to Back”
Fast and furious high tech beats

Mannequin Records reissues "My Government Is My Soul", a searing 1989 statement from Bourbonese Qualk, one of the UK’s most defiant and politically engaged experimental acts. Originally released on the group’s own label, this LP captures the uncompromising spirit of a band deeply embedded in the resistance movements of 1980s Britain.

Recorded during a turbulent period of social unrest, "My Government Is My Soul" stands as a fierce response to authoritarianism, surveillance, and the neoliberal decay that defined the Thatcher era. Bourbonese Qualk fused industrial rhythms, minimal synth, distorted tape loops, and spoken-word polemics into a sound that was both confrontational and deeply physical—a weaponized form of music rooted in activism and direct action.

Widely regarded by fans as one of the band’s strongest works, "My Government Is My Soul" has earned a near-mythic status in underground circles. Fans have praised the album’s stylistic breadth—“sometimes it kisses the hem of rock, at others it bows towards the likes of Steve Reich & Philip Glass".

This reissue, fully remastered by Rude 66, reintroduces a critical work of post-industrial dissent to a new generation. Still as urgent and unflinching as ever, the album resonates with today’s climate of mass disinformation and systemic control. It is a timely reminder that sound can still be a form of resistance.

German/Canadian outfit ANiML is a collection of artists with long histories in electronic music. They founded the Stratasonic label as a way of working with friends, peers and legends without any genre restrictions. Following the ‘Star Walk’ album, which was a comprehensive deep dive into their sound with improvisation and off-the-cuff collisions of a wide array of moods and grooves, it now gets remixed by three underground mainstays.

Detroit's Seth Troxler is one of the most iconic characters in the scene. His left-of-centre sets and sounds have taken him to the world's most notorious clubs, festivals and labels over the last 20 years. His take on 'Breather' is a richly layered minimal groove with suspensory pads rising up through a cosmic sky. There is a mystic quality to the pads and tripped-out atmosphere that will hypnotise dance.

Next is the legendary Mathew Jonson, a notorious synth magician and live show maestro with a jazz schooling and countless seminal tracks to his name. His understanding of dance floor dynamics and meaningful melody runs deep and shines through his remix of 'Baby D.' It's a wonky, off-balance rhythm with shimmering melodies and soulful vocal snippets. Fractured percussive sounds, muffled horns and golden keys marble the mix, which is psychedelic and wonderfully woozy.

Brooklyn-based Galcher Lustwerk has been at the forefront for more than a decade with a signature blend of experimental house and stream-of-consciousness rap informed by funk, rhythm, and blues. His compelling take on 'Bruv' is powered by a bubbly, acidic low-end with shadowy vocal whispers bleeding in and out of the raw, ice-cold beats.