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House is the Religion. The DJ is my Deacon. The Music is my God and James Bangura is cool af.

Genuine, passionate, clear, authentic and real…. He isn’t trying, he just is. And his music is the same. It’s fucking cool. It’s real and authentic and it just is James Bangura. So it’s a real honour to add him to the Shall Not Fade roster; from Techno to Jungle to House and everything between the DC native can extract the true essence of a genre and simultaneously make it his own & pay homage to its roots.

So on Jack Sermon there’s no surprise when he flexes a seemingly generationally inherited knack for all things House (and Techno) and delivers four tracks of raw, real, genuine House music. OG shit.

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‘House is the Religion, and the DJ is my Deacon, but the music is my God” says the Evangelical vocal on title track ‘Jack Sermon’. Never has there been a more aptly named track…This is a jack sermon… an OG inspired Chi town cut channeling early house music’s soulful beginnings delivered with straight up jacking house beat offset with laidback dusty dub chords….. We don;t say this lightly but we’re calling anthem on this one.

‘Scat Pack’ takes a more percussive and drum forward House motif. Thunderous kicks tease techno but this is still house, NY at heart complete with voguing diva vocals . Blown out and choppy we could say ‘this could have been ripped from a late 90’s club recording on a lost tape’ but that would do disservice to the precise but invisible fusion that's been laid down here..

‘Funk To Berlin’ opens the flip side and in Bangura’s journey to explore classic forms of house and techno, this track may well have taken root from Dub techno pioneers from the past. Deep dub chords and deeper subs lead the track but that jacking percussion makes this more than homage. Machine Funk, Machine soul. AA side business.

‘The Green Line’ closes out the EP in style.. rolling it out with skittering synths that work like percussion, ethereal pads and a faint vocal ‘Chicago’ spiralling into itself making this track one you can get lost in. Some might argue that this one is techno but who cares. It’s the journey not the destination. Two tickets please.

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If you don’t know James Bangura’s music already (or even if you do) do some digging.. Look for releases on Mister Saturday Night, K7! and Floorspeed and check his output as part of “Black Rave Culture” with Amal and Nativesun and as a member of Groovedeep with Toronto’s Ciel and fellow DC native Jackson Ryland.

To close, we’ll leave you with this note from James……. told he is cool af.

House music, to me, exists on a wide spectrum. I’m inspired by its many forms: stripped-back minimalism, percussive drive, hypnotic textures, and soulful undertones. Rather than confining myself to one approach, I treat each track as an exploration—testing structure, pushing rhythm, and allowing subtle details to carry emotional weight. The studio becomes a space where groove and atmosphere meet intention. This body of work highlights that process. It reflects how I balance technical precision with feel, tension with release, and tradition with forward motion. Every decision—from drum programming to spatial design—is part of shaping a sound that feels honest and instinctive. - James Bangura

BBE Music’s celebrated J Jazz compilation series reaches its fifth and final volume in early 2026, culminating in a track list that maintains the exceptionally high standard first set with volume one back in 2018. This final volume features a selection of tracks that is as diverse as it is deep, reflecting the rich and varied Japanese jazz scene that spanned from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, a golden era of innovation and creativity. J Jazz volume 5 sees compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden dig ever deeper into their respective record collections to reveal tracks that encompass myriad styles including white hot jazz funk fusion from Toshiyuki Honda (Eastern Legacy) and Mikio Masuda (Sonic Barrier), super rare ethnic jazz crossover by Christal Zone - their one-off 45 promo release from 1971, Rai Rai, a deconstructed and abstract jazz classic by Yasuhiro Kohno with his solo piano rendition of My Favourite Things, and Mile and Half’s skin-tearing, shredding freak-out from their mega rare private press album.

A track that is so relentless, it leaves the listener in need of oxygen and a Valium. These hand-picked selections sit alongside other specially chosen numbers that embrace hard-driving samba (Seiichi Nakumura’s Judy’s Samba), epic head-nodding soul jazz (Masaru Imada’s World Line), psychedelic private press fusion (Aoyama Gakuin 101’s Fervor), angular post-bop tear-ups (Akira Miyazawa’s Nijimasu), intense and insistent fusion (Motohiko Hino’s Olive Step), serene cinematic pianism (Hideo Ichikawa’s On the Trade Wind) and tripped-out hallucinogenic tribal funky jazz (Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh’s Africa to Africa). Most of the tracks on this collection are being reissued for the first time, many of them only available previously on extremely limited and mega-rare private press or independent releases. J Jazz volume 5 is a fitting end to a compilation series that helped create a new audience and appreciation of Japanese jazz Some of the albums the tracks are drawn from are featured in the large format book J Jazz: Modern and Free Jazz from Japan 1954-1988, by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, published by BBE Music in 2024. With almost 7000 words of extensive sleeve notes, J Jazz volume 5 comes in a triple 180g vinyl set inside a deluxe gatefold sleeve with obi strip, and comes with a 4-page insert, with photographs from the renowned Tokyo Jazz Joints project. It is also available as a double CD and digital download. Mastered at the Grammy-nominated Carvery Studio by Frank Merritt, this latest collection is a worthy successor to the preceding four volumes that set the bar so high. The J Jazz series is curated for BBE Music by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden.

12" single w/ full picture sleeve. A-side is extended mix, B-side w/ version.

A best of both worlds reissue of the two most sought after tracks on Keith Cole's Lovebird imprint. Keith cut some sides for producers in Jamaica in the early '70s before coming to New York and starting his own Lovebird label, mostly self producing thru the first half of the '80s. The A-side here "Honey Bee Fantasy" is a killer slow burner of mid '80s boogie/funk, featuring a couple of well known American jazz/funk session players on the rhythm track. The picture sleeve is a near replica of the one that came with the original press. For the B-side we have Keith's production of Canadian singer Ann Marie, who also does backing vocals on "Honey Bee Fantasy." On "Together Again" she's singing on a well known and loved moody early '80s rhythm, laid by the first incarnation of the Roots Radics which featured Blacka & Bingy Bunny of the Morwells.

Emotional Rescue returns after a much-needed year hiatus, refreshed and ready, as it moves into its 15th year, to further explore the environs of oft-forgotten musical secrets and present them to new heads and minds.

To celebrate, the label looks back to one of its favourite collaborations, the music of French ‘Ethno-Industrialists’ Vox Populi! in presenting a truly unique EP of “In Dub”, inspired remixes by 4 fellow Paris based artists of today in Full Circle, Froid Dub, Krikor and Shelter.

“In Dub” takes a selection of songs from the series of albums reissued or compiled on Emotional Rescue and sister label, Platform 23, and gives the Master tapes to this talented ensemble to offer their own, unique dub reworks. The project explores the on-going advances in technology offered, mixed with pure talent and a respectful homage.

Formed by Axel Kyrou and including wife Mitra, as well as long-term music and art partners Pierre Jolivet aka Pacific 231 and Francis Lafont aka FR6 Man, they forged a path from obscure, drum and drum-based cassette releases on to fully realized albums and compilations on their now cult Vox Man Records.

Alexis Le Tan and Joakim’s Full Circle project starts, with their electronic dub remake of Soleyman Dub from the ‘Alternatif Réalisme’ compilation (ERC079). With releases on Good Morning Tapes, Offen and their own “Released” label, their plaudits as master diggers and producers of dubby tripped-out inspired electronics – releasing slowed Trance some 10 years before anyone else – is inspired. Tuning in and turning on the original dub into a mantra style slow-breaks (Digi)dub is the perfect experimental flavour.

Jube Man is next, a twisted, psychedelic dub out by rising stars Froid Dub. The stand-out from the ‘Magiques Creations’ release (ERC052), an album that explored Vox Populi’s furtive post-industrial period of 1984 to 1988, Jube Man was the perfect selection by the duo of François Marché and Stéphane Bodin.

Froid Dub have steadily developed their “cold” Digidub style to acclaim –

releasing a steady flow of dub inspired electronics on their own label Delodio, as well as recently appearing on sister label Emotional Response’s 10th year anniversary collection, ‘All Trades’. Their haunting, shuffling and murky acid / piano dub, with the drifting “Space Echoing” of Mitra’s vocals from the live desk mix, creates a ghostly version to effect.

Next, master mixer, producer and engineer Krikor serves a steppers remake with his “OverDub” of Zen-Dub. With a career that spans releases on Tigersushi, LIES and Soul Jazz, his sound has developed from Electro, House and Techno, to Acid, Bleep, Dancehall, Dub and touches of Gabba.

Taken from Vox Populi!’s master-opus Aither (ERC030), the first of our reissues dating back to 2016, Zen-Dub’s pacey, lo-fi dub experience is transformed and overdubbed into an incessant sound system throb, a true bass quaking “steppa”.

To close, Micro Climax is put through Shelter’s increasing avant dub exposition. Appearing on the likes of Growing Bin, Emotional Response and his own Protopost, as well for – and being in-house designer – on the much-missed Séance Centre, Alan Briand aka Shelter productions have developed from Balearic, Edits and House to explore Avant, Raga and live Dub productions.

Appearing on the recent ‘Ethniques Pyschedeliques’ compilation on Platform 23 (PLA032), in original form Micro Climax is a sprawling 10-minute ethno-dub of whispered vocals, drone and sub bass. Shelter strips it back, keeping background effects, adding live bass and percussion to create a wonky, slow, shuffling ska-lite excursion to complete a true “In Dub”.

In 1993 the French funk rock collective FFF (short for Fédération Française de Fonck) followed up their debut album with Free For Fever. The band went to the UK to record the album. This time there was significantly more rock and metal influenced compared to its predecessor, but the funk (or rather, the Fonck) is still ever present.

For production they got help from Mark Wallis who worked with Talking Heads, R.E.M. and The Smiths. Especially in France the album was a great success.

After being out of print for over a decade, Free For Fever is finally back on vinyl, as a limited edition of 1000 copies on white vinyl, Included in the package is a 4-page booklet.

Originally released on the Escape From South Warren LP via Motech Records in 2015, “We Get Down” was born from a hypnotic Turkish loop sample twisted into a raw modern dance weapon — driven by Gary Martin’s preacher-style spoken vocals and underground Detroit energy.

The story behind the youANDme remix runs even deeper. He first delivered a version back in 2015, but it never made it to the two 12” releases. The track refused to die. He later released it as “Swell,” and stripping away the original GM elements and releasing it with a massive remix from Kenny Larkin that went on to make serious waves. This latest version includes originals samples.

After asking Franki to release it on Teknotika, he came back wanting to make a much better version than 10 years ago. And he definitely delivered! This version includes much more elements of the original version with the fire fire of his sound.

Now “We Get Down” returns with the strongest remixes the track has ever seen — alongside the original cut that started it all. Detroit pressure, rebuilt for a new era.

Frenchman Franck Roger is as consistent as any of the deep house greats we have all loved and appreciated for many years. He returns to Seasons Limited with another EP of perfectly timeless sounds to back that up. Opening up this latest gem is 'Don't Make Me Wait', which is shimmering and candlelit, with wispy pads and aching vocal cries occasionally bursting out of the mix. 'The Number Track' has a more pronounced groove with lumpy kicks and this time neon chords bubble through nicely for zoned-out late-night hypnosis. 'Fast Lane' closes with a more insular and dark feel that takes you back to the early days of Chicago house with a devastating synth conveying great loneliness

2026 Repress

Although he's released on numerous labels since debuting almost a decade ago, Eduardo Barbi aka Gledd returns to his own reliable imprint Saint Wax. On his fourth vinyl missive for the imprint, My Church Is On Fire, the Italian producer delivers a quartet of cuts that happily boast samples from vintage gospel cuts. It's a simple idea, brilliantly executed, as proved by the righteous, spiritual, organ-rich stomp of opener 'Let It Shine', featuring guest lead vocals from Steve Salmaso. Elsewhere, 'Mama Don't Preach' is a whirlwind of sampled gospel soul vocals, expansive piano solos and chunky deep house beats, 'Be Real' is a heavily electronic slab of gospel-house deepness, and 'Back on My Stay' is a locked-in, late-night delight with an effortlessly soulful finish.

Recorded April 17 and 18, 1993, at the Union Grove Baptist Church, Ozark, Alabama.

The Wiregrass Singers' Dewey Williams began learning the shape-note tradition in his childhood. He studied under Judge Jackson, who authored the landmark 1934 hymnbook The Colored Sacred Harp. In 1971, Williams formally organized The Wiregrass Sacred Harp Singers to preserve the music full-time. This unified troupe began touring nationally and leading workshops, which ultimately launched them onto stages at the Smithsonian and Newport folk festivals up until Williams' passing in 1995 when the group disbanded. The African-American Sacred Harp tradition in the Wiregrass region has steeply declined since the start of the 21st century, due to an aging generation of singers, and today it is largely sustained through archival preservation and occasional multi-book singing meetups.

This raw recording, made at the Union Grove Baptist Church, Ozark in mid-April 1993 finds the group singing from B. F. White’s The Sacred Harp (1844), which together with his brother-in-law William Walker’s Southern Harmony (1835) formed the musical backbone of generations of Southern music and Southern musical styles.

"On almost any Sunday between the months of March and October, the season most conducive to travel and outdoor dinner-on-the- grounds, Sacred Harp devotés join with fellow songsters at the County Line Church in Slocomb, or the Mount Sinai Church in Henry County, or the Union Grove Baptist Church in Dale County, or at any one of a dozen or so churches in the southeast Alabama counties of Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Houston and Pike, to form the square and sing fa-sol-la. Approximately fifteen African-American Sacred Harp singings occur annually in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama. A singing tradition characteristically associated with white culture in the Deep South, southeast Alabama has enjoyed a vibrant African-American Sacred Harp tradition for well over a century.

On a day of a typical African-American Sacred Harp Singing, the participants arrive casually in the late morning, seat themselves in the square according to voice part, and begin to sing. A dinner break occurs in the early afternoon, and the singers enjoy a covered-dish "dinner-on-the-grounds" (or in the church basement) prepared by the women. The most intense and emotional singing typically occurs after the dinner break. Each singer takes a turn leading the song of his choice. He walks to the middle of the square, calls out the song's page number and waits for the designated tuner to key the song. Singers are discouraged by the other singers from repeating a song that has already been sung, or "used." This proscription is often dispensed with, however, if the singer is particularly young, particularly old, or if the song has special significance to the individual song leader (perhaps the favorite song of a recently deceased relative).

Every singer is given an opportunity to lead a song. Often, older or more infirm singers will request younger singers to lead their songs for them. The motions of the song leaders are highly stylistic and often emotional. Young children are taught in singing school to mark time with their right arm while holding the book in their left. Typically, a singer will stand in place at the center of the square while leading the singing of the notes. When he begins to lead the lyrics portion of the song, he will often begin to "walk time," rhythmically pacing from one side of the square to the other, being careful never to turn his back on the tenor section. This "walking time" is unique to the African-American tradition. As a singer grows more confident he develops his own distinctive leading style. During fuguing songs in particular, he may gesture to each section of the square as its part joins in. Skilled song leaders often elicit applause or other emotional responses from the group. Occasionally a singer may fall into a state of spiritual ecstasy and "get happy." The episode might include a personal testimonial followed by a repeat of the last verse or refrain from the previous song. The singings break up around 5 P.M."
—Henry Willett, 1997 credits

This exclusive vinyl edition of Walk the Plank brings the album back to collectors and fans in a carefully crafted format. Staying true to the original release, this pressing highlights the record’s distinctive sound and energy while offering a premium physical edition designed for vinyl lovers. Part of Be the Change, a project conceived and developed by Rude Cares to raise awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability within the music community, this limited eco-friendly variant combines music and environmental responsibility. Developed with artists who share this vision, each release contributes to a more sustainable future through a donation to Green Future Project, while 100 new trees are planted to fully offset the residual environmental footprint of the project. A defining chapter in the band’s journey, Walk the Plank continues to showcase the attitude, creativity, and spirit that made the album stand out—now available in a special edition with an impact that goes beyond the music.

Within the broad church of metal and its many offshoots – rock, doom, stoner and all the rest – it remains a minor thrill to stumble across a group who seem to exist at a slight tangent to everything else. Crumbling Ghost is one such anomaly. Crumbling Ghost are not newcomers. They've been operating for some time, releasing records sporadically, Four' is in fact their fourth release. Along the way they've accumulated a fervent coterie of followers, not to mention the occasional nod of approval from tastemakers such as Stuart Maconie, Stewart Lee and Tom Ravenscroft. And though they've appeared at Roadburn, shared stages with Hawkwind and even Damo Suzuki, they remain (possibly by design) curiously under the radar.
The group's core idea is deceptively simple: traditional folk material refracted through the haze and heft of heavy, fuzzy stoner rock with a chunk of psyche and a smattering of doom. But crucially, this is done without the costumery and theatrical tics that often accompany such collisions. No mock pagan pageantry, no graveyard cosplay, no cartoon Satanism.
What Crumbling Ghost latch onto is not folk as a museum piece, but as a lived experience, the dramas rooted in the culture, stories, and daily lives of ordinary people, the folklore, the tales of love and death, murder and adultery, freedom and oppression. Singer Katie Harnett says. "Doting mothers, possessive, violent partners, vulnerable women, seasonal workers and Royal scandals this album is our representation of the trials and tribulations of human existence and universal experiences that still feel relevant today.

Guitarist John adds. "Themes of murder, betrayal, loss, jealousy, and love are found across the record. In particular, the songs of Martin Carthy have been a particular source of inspiration".
The result is a set of murder ballads, supernatural reckonings and cautionary tales, all wrapped in slabs of heavy, thumping fuzz and atmospheric sonics. Harnett's voice sits at the centre: unmistakably folk rooted, but shorn of prettification, melodic yet capable of real bite.

The album opener 'Bows Of London' is a murder ballad of sisterly hatred and grim sibling rivalry, centred on a haunted fiddle fashioned from a dead sister's bones. The loping relentless, hypnotic backing chillingly and perfectly accompanies the narrative. Of course, the story doesn't end well. 'Bill Norrie' follows, a hooky melody propelled by an insistent bassline and a haunting psych tinged haze punctured with sheets of noise.. The story of young Bill Norrie who sends a token to a married woman, whose jealous husband beheads him, without knowing he was his wife's son from an earlier affair. An instrumental palate cleanser arrives in the shape of 'Valtz Efter Tor Lohne' a Norwegian traditional the band jokingly describe as a "banger".
Then we have 'Lovely Joan' which offers a rare note of sly triumph: a quick witted woman outmanoeuvres a predatory nobleman, escaping with his ring and his horse. Muscular riffs give this tale of empowerment a welcome sense of teeth. 'Gower Wassail' is a traditional Welsh folk tune that captures the raucous spirit of communal ritual, noise making and drink fuelled hope for a good harvest. Captured perfectly here by CG complete with wah wah guitar and a drunken groove catching the song's celebratory chaos. Then we have a little gem in 'Last Of All Sleep' , an original band composition and a genuine highlight: a heavy lidded, shoegaze tinged folk reverie, equal parts distortion and delicacy. It's a drop-dead gorgeous shoegaze-tastic psychedelic grunge mini epic. The album closer 'The Unquiet Grave' is a very apt place to finish. It's about a young man whose constant grief at the death of his true love disturbs her eternal sleep so she cannot rest. Even though the playout on this track, complete with a demonic repeated riff and feedback feels suitably bleak, even this song allows a glimmer of release ... we think.
And there we have it, 7 songs, 7 worlds, all honed to perfection by producer Wayne Adams (Green Lung/Big Lad) that will reward every repeated listen.

Folk and metal/heavy rock do have a connection of course, just look at Green Lung and their 'folk horror' infused musical universe, but Crumbling Ghost are a very different beast.
'Four' amply and beautifully demonstrates that when it comes to 'folk horror' there's nothing quite as horrible as folk ... Here, the horror such as it is, and it must be said, the moments of light, comes not from theatrics, but from the songs themselves – which, after all, is where it's always lived.
Crumbling Ghost are John Mosley – Guitar / Donny Hopkins – Guitar / Ruth O’Loughlin – Bass / Katie Harnett – Vocals / Matthew Atkins- Drums.

Longform: Across two decades, the California-born hardcore outfit CEREMONY has earned its standing as one of punk’s most adaptable and unflinching bands, always ready to meet the moment without surrendering its principles. True to form, CEREMONY's seventh album, Tell Me Your Dream pushes the group’s punk-forged intensity all the way to the fore, capturing the quintet at its most expressive, expansive, and timely. “We’re living in an era of mass uncertainty,” says CEREMONY vocalist Ross Farrar. “In punk, I don’t see how you can’t respond. It’s taken over our lives in so many different ways — economically, politically, spiritually. We want people to wake up and get into what’s happening.”  Ferociously alert, Tell Me Your Dream reunites CEREMONY — Farrar, guitarist-keyboardist Anthony Anzaldo, guitarist Andy Nelson, bassist Justin Davis and drummer Jake Casarotti — with producer John Reis for ten songs of searing breadth. That means everything from bristling hardcore to moody post-punk — all while taking fundamental inspiration from Discharge, Crass, and other anarcho-punk troupes that first helped certain members of CEREMONY find their own political voices back when they were teenagers. The result is a culmination of the band’s 21 years together, if not some kind of riddle: CEREMONY knows how to make a return-to-form sound like evolution — and vice versa.

This exclusive vinyl edition of Call Your Friends brings the album back to fans and collectors in a carefully crafted format. Faithful to the original release, this pressing celebrates the record’s distinctive sound and energy while offering a premium physical edition made for vinyl enthusiasts. Part of Be the Change, a project conceived and developed by Rude Cares to raise awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability within the music community, this limited eco-friendly variant connects the power of music with a commitment to a more sustainable future. Created alongside artists who share this vision, each release supports environmental action through a donation to Green Future Project, while 100 new trees are planted to fully offset the residual environmental footprint of the project. A vibrant and memorable album that captures the band’s personality and evolution, Call Your Friends remains a must-have for fans—now available in a special edition that extends its impact beyond the music.

This limited vinyl edition of Brain Invaders offers another chance to experience the album in
its most iconic format. Faithful to the original release, it features high-quality pressing andpackaging, making it a must-have for collectors and fans alike. Part of Be the Change, a project conceived and developed by Rude Cares to raise awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability within the music
community, this exclusive eco-friendly variant is more than just a vinyl release. Created in collaboration with artists who share this vision, each edition supports a more sustainable future: a donation is made to Green Future Project for every release, and 100 new trees are planted to fully offset the project's residual environmental footprint. A timeless album with the same energy and impact that made it a fan favorite, Brain
Invaders remains an essential addition to any punk rock vinyl collection—now with a positive
impact beyond the music.

A long-time figure at the heart of Samurai Music, Last Life makes his first appearance on SAIBAI trading his signature snarl for shadowy psychedelia and snaking beatdowns. Since 2015 Mauro Picciau has been cultivating a sound that maximises on the space that opens up around half-time 170, finding plenty of power while stretching out his rhythms. On this new release he pivots towards subtler tones and textures, and plugs directly into the wave of innovative artistry occurring at the intersection of D&B and deep techno. Writhing, taut sound design spells out the mood on opening track 'Gear Cutter', as Picciau gets expressive with metallic feedback tones that elegantly contort across the front of the mix. There's a strong sense of narrative that brings the track's dynamic movement to the fore, holding back energetic shifts with a measured intent to ramp up the tension. 'Norma' has a more ceremonial feel, locking into a steady pulse and letting distant clouds of melodic ambience create a bewitching atmosphere around the percussive mantras. 'Radian' speaks its own minimalist, techno-spirited language, drawing on alien murmurs and steely drones to strike a lighter note without breaking the mysterious fog that hovers over the EP. 'The Moat' leads on a heavier set of drums to close the record out, shaping space with skilful reverb and a tightly controlled synth pulse. Within this echo chamber, and across the whole release, Picciau has capitalised on this patient approach to bed infinitesimal ripples into the mix, rewarding the active listener and instilling his creations with a kinetic vitality that can always be felt, no matter how slight the sound is.

In the early 1960s, beat groups from the Dutch Randstad dominated the national charts. Yet far from the big cities, in the clubs of Drenthe, one band was already being billed as “Beatgroup Number One”: Cuby + Blizzards. But frontman Harry Muskee never embraced that label. Raised on broadcasts from The Voice of America, he possessed a deeper understanding of the blues than most of his contemporaries. Muskee didn’t want to sing ‘songs,’ as he called them, he wanted to sing the blues, raw and unfiltered, in the tradition of Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

Their debut single “Stumble & Fall” was recorded in the Bavohuis, a simple gym hall in Amsterdam, with Addy Kleingeld as producer. But the debut album Desolation marked a turning point, recorded at the Phonogram Studios in Hilversum with renowned blues producer Tony Vos, it captured the band exactly as Muskee intended.

The resulting album became a jewel of Dutch music history. Never before had the Netherlands heard a blues singer who poured his emotions into a recording with such conviction and authenticity. Muskee even outshone his British peers. Eric Burdon (The Animals), Paul Jones (Manfred Mann), Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones) and Van Morrison (Them).

At the 1968 Grand Gala du Disque (the Dutch equivalent of the Grammys), Muskee received an Edison Award for Desolation, handed to him by cabaret artist Wim Sonneveld, whose lukewarm speech couldn’t diminish the significance of the moment.

Sixty years later, the legacy of this groundbreaking album still resonates, an essential document of European blues and a defining moment in the story of Cuby + Blizzards.

This 60th anniversary edition of Desolation is now available as an expanded 2LP-set including the original 1966 album plus fifteen bonus tracks. The gatefold version features songs “Things I Remember”, “Stumble & Fall”, “L.S.D. (Got A Million Dollars)”, is a limited edition on blue vinyl and includes new liner notes by Dutch Blues authority Johan Derksen.

Sometimes the only way to feel better is to spend some time feeling bad. Countless albums have provided the soundtrack for picking yourself back up, but Public Opinion are there for when you’re getting kicked while you’re down. Their sophomore album, the cheekily titled The Curse of Public Opinion, is a ten-song, 23-minute ode to frustration and disappointment–all set to some of the catchiest punk songs you’ll hear this year. Who knew swallowing a bitter pill could be this fun? Recorded with Brett Romnes (Anxious, I Am The Avalanche, Hot Mulligan), the album plumbs the depths of disappointment over a tight set of fuck-you anthems that perfectly bottle 2000s garage rock swagger, classic punk hooks, and hardcore ferocity into Public Opinion’s own sneering cocktail. "Public Opinion are making straight up, relentless, rock and roll. And thank God." -Anna Zanes, Alternative Press

Catch them on tour across the US this year with Drug Church, White Reaper and Spy.

Fresh from dropping a fine collection of reworks by Scruscru, Blur Records welcome back regular contributor Hotmood. He brings with him a belated sequel to his 2023 EP Disco Power. The Mexican begins in fine form via the tease-and-release, disco-funk powered disco-house slammer 'Give It To Me', before opting for a more elastic and rubbery groove on the similarly-minded peak-time bounce of 'Let Me Dance'. Hotmood decides to breathe new life into a string-laden, cowbell-sporting 1970s disco workout on 'That's What You Had', once more exploring effects-laden disco-house dynamics, while closing cut 'Summer Nights' sees him making merry with loops and samples from an old Earth, Wind and Fire favourite and some suitably powerful beats.

Black Vinyl Repress

This is Partisan Records' black vinyl repress of Cymande's 1974 classic Second Time Round. This album features the stunning singles “Crayshaw,”“Fug” & “Genvieve”. Their self-titled debut was the first UK soul album to land on the Billboard Top 200 charts, and Second Time Round placed them back on the US charts. And in another first while touring on this album they became the first British band to ever headline the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The Dresden Dolls announce the re-recorded release of Yes, Virginia... (Tailor"s Version). Guest vocalists include Jinkx Monsoon and Veronica Swift. The pioneering punk cabaret duo of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione enter a new chapter with a full re-recording of their 2006 album Yes, Virginia..., tracked in Boston. The title nods to Taylor Swift"s reclamation of master recordings. After a 20-year contract with Roadrunner Records, the band regained the right to re-record their catalog. The announcement comes nearly 20 years after the original release. The track list remains unchanged (with a bonus track on vinyl and CD), while performances reflect two decades of artistic and personal evolution. Known for Viglione"s orchestral drumming and Palmer"s percussive piano and songwriting-exploring sexuality, identity, addiction, capitalism, and social isolation-this version brings new depth. Songs including "My Alcoholic Friends," "Sex Changes," and "Backstabber" return with renewed intensity. Recorded in late 2025 at Mad Oak Studios, the album was tracked mostly live with Benny Grotto and mixed by Paul Kolderie. It also features artwork by Niki McQueen.

The Dresden Dolls announce the re-recorded release of Yes, Virginia... (Tailor"s Version). Guest vocalists include Jinkx Monsoon and Veronica Swift. The pioneering punk cabaret duo of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione enter a new chapter with a full re-recording of their 2006 album Yes, Virginia..., tracked in Boston. The title nods to Taylor Swift"s reclamation of master recordings. After a 20-year contract with Roadrunner Records, the band regained the right to re-record their catalog. The announcement comes nearly 20 years after the original release. The track list remains unchanged (with a bonus track on vinyl and CD), while performances reflect two decades of artistic and personal evolution. Known for Viglione"s orchestral drumming and Palmer"s percussive piano and songwriting-exploring sexuality, identity, addiction, capitalism, and social isolation-this version brings new depth. Songs including "My Alcoholic Friends," "Sex Changes," and "Backstabber" return with renewed intensity. Recorded in late 2025 at Mad Oak Studios, the album was tracked mostly live with Benny Grotto and mixed by Paul Kolderie. It also features artwork by Niki McQueen.

A new collaborative project between Neil Jones (lead singer of Stone Foundation) and Nick Corbin (founder of New Street Adventure), bringing together two of the UK soul scene’s most distinctive voices and songwriters. The project also features legendary keyboardist Mick Talbot (The Style Council) and bassist Ernie McKone (Galliano / The Brand New Heavies), creating a band rooted deeply in British soul tradition while pushing the sound somewhere fresh.

The seeds of the collaboration were sown during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Jones and Corbin joined forces for a marathon live-stream performance that quickly gathered momentum online. The result is Silent Stream — an album steeped in soulful songwriting, rich musicianship and understated groove. The lead single captures that spirit perfectly: warm, reflective and melodic, built around classic soul textures, Hammond organ, and a rhythm section that breathes with the ease of seasoned players. For fans of contemporary British soul with classic influences, the track sits comfortably alongside artists like Paul Weller, Michael Kiwanuka and the wider Acid Jazz / modern soul movement.

It’s a meeting of kindred musical spirits — born in lockdown, but very much built for the long road ahead.

Spirit Tamer’ is the debut album from Mia Joy available on limited edition Bright Pink and Classic Black vinyl and compact disc on Fire Talk. A member of the Chicago Children’s Choir at a young age, the record sees Joy's dual backgrounds in music and poetry evolve into a juxtaposition between soaring emotional synthpop and introspective devotional harmonies. Past press has referred to Mia’s music as “warm, ethereal, endlessly layered, and beautifully expanding”. Filled with heady atmospherics and vulnerability that abounds through the shapeshifting sonic palette, fans of Ana Roxanne or Hand Habits will find much to love in this painstakingly crafted, endearingly intimate universe.

Coyote are back with another typically carefully curated collection of Baleraic re-edits and revisions via the reliable (and hush-hush) Magic Wand imprint. The Nottingham twosome kick things off themselves with 'Carpenter', a dubby and bass-heavy extension of a dreamy, folksy number (all jangling acoustic guitar, stoned male lead vocals and gentle hand percussion), before we're treated to the 'Pointless edit' of 'Six Blade Scalpel' - a languid, bass-heavy revision of a late 70s blues/soft-rock number crafted by Bedmo Disco's Sell By Dave. There's an Americana/neo-folk feel to Andy Kidd's sublime extension of Dan England's 'I Don't Feel That Way', while YZ's edit of 'Sapelo' is a horizontal, Rhodes-laden, spoken word-sporting ambient delight.

The Toy Tonics crew is known for being addicted to two things: vintage music machines and old vinyl. 100% music aficionados. On the Tonic Edit series the crew shares some of their favorite old tracks - in a reworked version. This time COEO get back in time. They destroyed a couple of 1970ies disco jams. Recut & repasted them. And gave them their special COEO touch. Of course it's irresistible! This release comes on vinyl only first. Later maybe could be out on selected Digital sellers.. not sure yet.

Starting with the sleeve, reminiscent of comic book style album covers from the 70’s and 80’s like The Upsetters “Return of the Super Ape” and Scientist’s “Scientist Encounters Pac Man”, you know this album is straddling the decades of ska, rocksteady, dub and reggae. King Zepha recorded vocals, sax, woodwinds, keyboards, guitar and percussion at his home studio, with his fellow touring band members adding “the stuff I can’t do particularly well” backing vocals, brass, double bass and drums

For more than two decades, SOJA have elated audiences with their fresh yet timeless take on roots reggae, a sound born from their shared passion for making music that transports and inspires. On 'Without Surrender' -their first new album since the Grammy Award winning 'Beauty in the Silence' (2021) - the band deepens that communal spirit by collaborating with artists from all corners of the world, including The Elovaters, Brazilian Superstar Di Ferrero, Kolohe Kai, 311's Nick Hexum and more.

Nat King Cole remains one of the most iconic and cherished voices in popular music, celebrated for his warmth, sophistication, and effortlessly smooth delivery that helped define a generation. Compiled here is a stellar array of his most memorable recordings, spanning romantic ballads such as "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and "When I Fall in Love," as well as lively favourites like "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," "Straighten Up and Fly Right," and "Ramblin' Rose.

Nite Hawk is a new name to us, but one we'll be keeping an ear on, just off the back of this new EP on York-based John Deevechis's The Owl label. The opener plays with a classic rhythm and serves it up with a bleeping synth sequence that will also be familiar, while the rickety drums unfold in off-grid patterns. It's a great start before 'Shake Ya Rump' brings machine-made disco with sugary synths and playful vocals over funky basslines, then 'Be Together' closes with another cold analogue groove that ramps up the pressure and is the sort of tasteful and timeless crowd pleaser you will be playing forever.

We’re delighted to be working with London based deep house label, To The Rocks

Presenting the Visions of love EP from Lucas Moinet, a Paris-born producer with his roots planted firmly in the soul of house music. Through projects like Keraw, Groove Boys Project and Projecture, he’s built a catalogue that doesn’t chase trends, it’s going straight back to the source. Chicago, Detroit, New York. Four tracks. Deep, soulful, deliberate. Made by someone who clearly loves and lives the culture.

The legends of the golden era of Italian soundtracks and library music go by many names, but the backbone of that era’s definitive sonic identity is most often identified as I Marc 4 (also known as Marc 4 or I Marc Quattro). While the moniker might be less familiar to the uninitiated, it is a simple acronym derived from its founding members: Maurizio Majorana (bass), Antonello Vannucchi (organ), Roberto Podio (drums and percussion), and Carlo Pes (guitar). The number "4" serves to highlight the core synergy of these four master musicians. Their journey began in Rome’s vibrant jazz scene of the 1950s and early 1960s, where they honed their craft as members of the RAI national orchestra and collaborated with the most prominent jazz and pop icons of the day. However, it was their pivotal role in defining the Italian cinematic sound of the 1960s and 1970s that secured their legacy. Their unmistakable style was an eclectic fusion of beat, jazz, classical, and Latin influences—textured with early synthesizers, experimental sound effects, and a blend of electronic and baroque instrumentation. Consequently, their initials are etched into the credits of countless landmark recordings by legendary composers such as Nino Rota, Armando Trovajoli, Gianni Ferrio, Alessandro Alessandroni, Piero Umiliani, and Ennio Morricone.

Beyond their work as session luminaries, they produced a vast body of library music under their own name at the legendary Telecinesound Studios in Rome. These recordings were released through prestigious library labels like Sermi, Ricordi, and Fonit Cetra, as well as through their own imprints: Nelson Records, Silver Men, and Silver Music, spanning a definitive series of sixteen albums. Ten of these volumes were issued on Nelson Records during the 1970s, featuring the now-iconic military stencil design. Each release was color-coded: red (G.L.P. 1001), dark blue (G.L.P. 1002), gold (G.L.P. 1003), light green (G.L.P. 1004), brown (G.L.P. 1005), black (G.L.P.1006), light blue (G.L.P. 1007), yellow (G.L.P. 1008), orange (G.L.P.1009), and cool green (G.L.P. 1010). The series was completed by two elusive companion releases: S.M. 2001 on Silver Music and S.M. 2002 on Silver Men, both presented in the same distinctive brown sleeve. Rediscovered in the 1990s and 2000s, these Nelson releases have since achieved cult status among collectors, producers, and DJs worldwide. The final two installments, S.M. 2001 and S.M. 2002, remain the rarest and most enigmatic of the set.

Often overlooked, they contain some of the most profound "hidden gems" in the group’s catalog. The tracklist traverses a wide stylistic spectrum: from the rare groove and proto-hip hop energy of "Trama Nella Metropoli", "Beat Morbido", and "Candy", to the lush cinematic atmospheres featuring the ethereal vocals of Edda Dell'Orso on "Summer In Love", "On The Rain", and "Arcobaleno". The collection is rounded out by sophisticated jazz pieces like "Flauti Ensemble", "Passeggiata", and "Atmosfere Dolci”. Sonor Music Editions has meticulously curated the finest moments from these two rare albums for this first-ever dedicated reissue. Bringing together the best of Silver Music (S.M. 2001) and Silver Men (S.M. 2002), this release retains the iconic stencil artwork but introduces a striking silver finish. This design choice honors the original ten-album sequence while shedding new light on these outstanding recordings—works that remain, in every sense, golden.

Weapons Of Desire is back with its first vinyl release in three years. WOD032 sees label misfits Auto Sound City and Iron Blu collaborate once again with a four tracker kick ass release that turns music upside down!

Lonely Man's Dream marks a milestone for Forager Records: our tenth release, and perhaps our most personal. More than a compilation, it is a self-portrait. A reflection of the musical obsessions, late-night discoveries, and restless digging that have defined this label from our first record to this latest one.

Spanning the dreamy psychedelic folk of the 1970s to the cool shimmer of 1980s synth pop, Lonely Man's Dream traces a decade of curatorial wandering. Eleven artists. Eleven songs. Each one rare, obscure, or otherwise lost to the margins of music history. Among them, two tracks surface here for the very first time: “Never Say Goodbye” by Cocktails and Dreams, a synth pop transmission from Norway, luminous and weightless as the skies on the cover. “True Love” by Keith Jones, a drum machine backed demo that pulses with a late night intimacy.

What unites these songs across genre and era is the same quality we have always chased; a transporting ache, the sound of someone searching, or the feeling of a memory you can't quite place. Like every record before it, this one asks nothing of you but your full attention and an open ear.

Ten releases in, we are still looking for the same thing we started with. We hope you feel it too.

* Featuring a selection of songs sourced from rare records of the 70s & 80s reissued for the first time.
* Includes 2 unreleased songs from the 80s
* Original artwork by Eric Thompson
* Very limited initial first pressing

Inspired by Kenneth Grahame's 'Wind in the Willows', the sonic endeavours of Mole have so far given us two cassettes (Before I Glare Up At The Sun Through The Top Soil and Mole's Uninvited Guests) and a top class library CD of covers. With ‘For Red Riverbank’, The Sprigs return to bison for their first full length LP, this time joined by Ratty and Badger to form a full three piece band, and to help Mole take on the developers working above ground…

Armed with guitars, pipes, samples and bric-a-brac, it’d be easy for the Sprigs to succumb to a totally romanticised nostalgia for an imagined British folkloric tradition. There’s enough of it going around. Instead, the gang create a ramshackle, ruddy faced blend of introspective hibernation, real-world anxiety and some absolutely knee slapping, joy inducing tunes. It’s a masterwork of folk collage - where beautiful straight-to-tape guitar sketches are cut up amongst British labour history with the help of Leon Rosselson and Ash Reid, giving way to waves of depression and relief in equal measure. Such is life!

First Word Records proudly bring you the sophomore EP from Ruby Wood - ‘No Rain, No Flowers’.

Ruby is a singer / songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the UK. Her soulful yet distinctive voice has enabled her to front numerous projects over the years; perhaps best known as lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed Submotion Orchestra, since 2009.

Her first solo EP ‘Sincerely’ dropped back in 2023, and received love from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles, Jyoty, Huey Morgan, Wordplay & saw Ruby named Mi-Soul Radio's 'One to Watch'.

The follow-up EP ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is a personal tale of growth through adversity. Reflecting on long-term love, fleeting intimacy, grief, and the relationships that shape us. Rather than offering answers, the 8-track EP sits with life as it is. Imperfect, cyclical and shared. The title speaks to the belief that difficult experiences are not separate from growth, but essential to it.

Musically, the project encompasses contemporary flavours within the realms of r&b, soul and hip hop. It features an impressive collective of vocal collaboraters; Illa J, Devin Tracy, Abnormal Sleepz & PRIDO. Each bring their own distinct perspective, whilst complimenting the EP’s introspective tone; favouring warmth, restraint & lyrical authenticity. All are backed by a smooth sonic backdrop of beautifully rich instrumentation, produced primarily by Rob Mitchell of Abstract Orchestra.

Ruby has performed live shows with Nightmares on Wax & Abstract Orchestra as well as with r&b legend Bryson Tiller at his sell-out UK gigs, including Wembley Arena & Manchester Apollo. This is additionally to touring with Bonobo & Nubiyan Twist, and collaborating with the likes of Krept & Konan, Alfa Mist, GLXY and Roska, to name a few.

The diversity of her career, ranging from the intimate to the large-scale performances, gives Ruby a unique balance of vulnerability and musical depth, prioritising authenticity over spectacle. As a solo artist, her work is rooted in honest lived experiences, leading to a focus on songs that resonate long after first listen.

This EP offers a reflection of where Ruby is at now, informed by where she’s been before. It’s a project that embraces imperfection, recognising that those experiences that challenge us the most, shape us the deepest.

To celebrate the Ellis Dee Month we have repressed Ellis Dee Project Part One, a release that is iconic within the rave scene and one we are always being asked for. Originally put out in 1992 as a self-released 12" by Roy himself, we repressed it for him back in 2019 on black vinyl, that pretty much sold out straight away via Kickstarter, which is how we use to press releases back then. There was a very small repress a couple of years ago on a marbled grey vinyl, but again, that sold out straight away. Grab fast as they will sell out!

I Never Knew Love sees Detroit house mainstay Chez Damier return to the iconic KMS catalogue with a timeless house classic, now available again on fresh 12” vinyl.

A staple of the deeper side of Detroit house, the release combines soulful vocals, warm grooves and refined production, reflecting the signature sound that has defined Chez Damier’s work across decades.

This edition features standout versions including the MK Extended Club Mix from Marc Kinchen, alongside additional extended mixes and a reconstructed version of Help Myself by Carl Craig, offering strong depth and versatility for DJs.

As a key release from the KMS catalogue, this record continues to hold lasting appeal across both classic house collectors and DJs seeking authentic Detroit-rooted material.

Back on fresh 12" vinyl, this repress brings an essential Chez Damier release back into circulation for a new generation of listeners.

An essential catalogue piece for stores supporting classic house and Detroit heritage releases.

The recordings on Volume II were captured in Copenhagen, Denmark on January 18, 2020. Guided as much by human instinct as by musical intention, the ensemble moved through the evening with a shared sensitivity…listening, responding, and trusting the moment as it unfolded. Though Morten McCoy admits to having felt quite ill that evening, nothing in the music suggests restraint. Instead, what remains is a vivid, playful exchange, where McCoy and Johannes Wamberg carry both Part I and Part II as a flowing conversation, speaking through sound rather than words.

Part I begins abruptly, almost throwing the listener back in time to the exact moment the improvisation was born. Jonathan Bremer steps to the forefront, providing a solid, melodic bassline as Kristoffer and Eliel, perfectly in sync, lay down a steady foundation for whichever voice chooses to rise above the rhythm.

This is also one of the few I Am An Instrument recordings to feature two guitarists. Johannes Wamberg leads the way, shaping the harmonic direction, while Steven Jess Borth II adds subtle rhythmic textures through muted palm work, deepening the groove without ever stepping into the foreground.

Part II unfolds with Morten McCoy on his Moog One, delivering a beautiful, expansive solo. Using a carefully chosen patch, the sound pulses through the rhythm, moving with the groove rather than above it, riding the beat like a wave through the ocean.
Shaped by trust, presence, and collective improvisation, Volume II captures a group deeply attuned to one another, allowing intuition and momentum to guide the unfolding form.
——
Volume III was recorded in Copenhagen on March 5, 2020. Little did anyone know that only days later, the world would be placed on pause for years. Captured just before that moment of global stillness, this session carries a heightened sense of presence, a final gathering before silence reshaped everything. Recorded in a space more commonly associated with a club atmosphere, the music draws on a different kind of energy and immediacy. With Eliel Lazo unable to attend, the group invited Victor Dybbroe of Girls In Airports to join on percussion, subtly reshaping the ensemble while preserving its core spirit. Part I opens with Steven Jess Borth II calling out on tenor saxophone, answered by Morten McCoy on Wurlitzer electric piano. The piece gradually unfolds into a meditative groove, patient and expansive, carrying the listener through an eight-minute journey of layered rhythm and restraint.

Part II begins with Jonathan Bremer on stand up bass, slowly joined by the rest of the ensemble as each voice enters with intention. Midway through, an unexpected vocal melody from Borth emerges, drenched in reverb and delay, later reappearing as a melodic line on the tenor saxophone.

Part III is led by Morten McCoy on Wurlitzer electric piano. His signature melodic language sets the direction, guiding the ensemble while leaving ample space for the music to breathe and evolve through collective improvisation. Reprise returns to the closing moments of Part II, its title reflecting its origin. The familiar groove reappears, transformed into a distinctly Jamaican-influenced rhythm, over which Borth delivers a final tenor saxophone solo, bringing the conversation to rest.

Any questions about any of these products feel free to get in touch and we'll help you out!

a a1. Part I [Vol.2]
[b] a2. Part II [Vol.2]
[c] a3. Part I [Vol.3]
[d] b1. Part II [Vol.3]
[e] b2. Part III [Vol.3]
[f] b3. Reprise [Vol.3]

New 2026 edtion in beer coloured vinyl! It's hard to believe fresh-faced pogo punks Teenage Bottlerocket (or TBR as the kids call them) celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2025. Since their inception way back in 2000, there has been one word best suited to describe them: Rad. Teenage Bottlerocket is the epitome of rad. Stay Rad! shows a slightly different side of Teenage Bottlerocket, putting their songwriting progression and personal growth on full display, while remaining a quintessential TBR album -complete with enthralling melodies, perfect harmonies, and their trademark breakneck down strumming. As with every Teenage Bottlerocket record, Stay Rad! has a good mix of silly and serious, but the overriding sentiment is one that echoes its title. From the incredibly catchy and clever "I Wanna Be a Dog" to the heartfelt hit "Everything to Me," Stay Rad! checks all the boxes of classic TBR. At the same time the band manages to stretch their boundaries on the riffy ode to Norwegian black metal "Creature from The Black Metal Lagoon" and the hardcore influenced "The First Time That I Did Acid Was the Last Time That I Did Acid." Top to bottom Stay Rad! meets expectations and shatters them with plenty of new twists for the legions of TBR faithful. Beer color vinyl & gatefold with Silver foiled sleeve art Produced by Andrew Berlin at the Blasting Room (Rise Against, Descendents) Features hit singles "I Wanna Be A Dog" and "Everything To Me" For fans of Ramones, Screeching Weasel, Descendents, The Queers, The Lillingtons

John Edwards’ early releases, mainly at Aware Records under the tutelage of Floyd Smith, thrilled soul lovers with his consummate vocals and impressed the multi-million selling Spinners enough to hire him to replace their revered vocalist Philippe Wynne.
Edwards’ first Aware hits, such as ‘Stop This Merry-Go-Round’ and ‘Careful Man’, led to his eponymous debut LP. As the label’s major male artist, the company followed up by recording a second album and were probably anticipating a further hit. But Aware collapsed thanks to the label owner’s criminal activities, putting paid to that proposed disc.
When the master tapes were uncovered in the ’90s, the tracks were issued on the 1996 Kent CD ‘Careful Man’ and handful of singles were issued to great acclaim.
At last, we have collected the tracks on vinyl and the beauty of ‘Tin Man’, ‘How Can I Go On Without You’ and ‘Cold Hearted Woman’ can be enjoyed as they were originally intended. Modern soul fans will be able to sleep easily again.