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Siavash Amini is a composer from Tehran, Iran. He Has worked with labels like Room40, Hallow Ground, Opal Tapes and Umor Rex for the better half of the past ten years. He has performed at festivals like CTM & MUTEK and many other well known international events. Apart from it Siavash is a co-founder of the “SET experimental art events” and “SETfest” in Tehran, Iran. His work ranges from fragile ambient pieces and brittle IDM (incorporating his distinctive style of atmospheric guitar playing) to noisy drones and bleak modern classical pieces. His compositions have been inspired by films such as Andrei Tarkovsky's The Mirror as well as novels by Dostoyesvky and poems by T.S. Eliot.

Saffronkeira is the Sardinian sound researcher Eugenio Caria being active in the electronic music scene since almost two decades. His most recent work - a cooperation with the Italian jazz trumpet legend Paolo Fresu - earned a lot of praise from the international music press for the pure timelessness of the album.

"Upon hearing a small snippet of sound an image is conjured, not a memory but not unfamiliar. A shell of a memory, thousand events superimposed on each other. While trying to extract points of a narrative to ease the discomfort of this recollection, I try to separate and unfold the image and with it the points of the spectrum which make up the sound, a shell of a narrative. Here is an album based upon an almost entirely imagined/ synthesized happening upon hearing a snippet of sound. It sounded like of a whole story that never happened but yet I felt myself amongst it’s participants, a sound triggering a false memory. Each sound in Eugenio’s collection of sounds and ideas guided me a to a point in the narrative and it’s construction. He had handed me a portals of some kind to a few scenes of the whole narrative. This is the soundtrack for that false memory from all the perspectives I can think of."

Magma is one of the most influential bands from France. Their music defies any of the standard and convenient classifications of rock, instead they operate in a realm of their own creation. Their third studio album Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh was originally released in 1973 and showcased in particular the range of singer Klaus Blasquiz and introduced the ground-moving work of bassist Jannick Top. The French edition of Rolling Stone magazine named the album the 33rd greatest French rock album and ranked the album 24th on their list of the ’50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time’.

Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on copper coloured vinyl. The album is housed in a gatefold sleeve with a copper foil finish on the front of the sleeve.

Collection of ten unreleased demos written for the ninth PJ Harvey studio album The Hope Six Demolition Project, including demos of ‘The Wheel’ and ‘The Community Of Hope’. Features brand new artwork with cover art based on a drawing by Polly Jean Harvey, plus previously unseen photos by Maria Mochnacz and Seamus Murphy. Artwork is overseen by Michelle Henning with Rob Crane. Mastering by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering, under the guidance of long time PJ Harvey producer John Parish.

Die Rough Trade Counter Culture Compilation, aller Lieblingssammlung von musikalischem Konfetti ist zurück für eine weitere Zusammenstellung einiger der Highlights des Jahres 2021. Bereit, Musikliebhaber*innen mit einigen der besten Tracks des Jahres zu überschütten, die von den Mitarbeiter*innen der Londoner Rough Trade Shops ausgewählt wurden. Einige werden bekannt sein, andere nicht, aber sie sind alle grossartig. 20-Track-2LP auf umwelltfreundlichem Doppelvinyl.

Drawing inspiration from Buddhist teachings and the hopeful attitude of frontman Johnny Quinn, Liverpool-based four-piece Spinn return with news of their second album Outside Of The Blue – via Modern Sky UK.

Outside Of The Blue acts as a lynchpin sonically and thematically. Written in the immediate aftermath of a panic attack, following a drive down to Birmingham to work on material for the album, the lyrics poured out in just half an hour. Instead of embodying that place of anguish it’s filled with light and an appreciation of unconditional love.

Following his feature on We Miss The Crowd EP - the last addition to our Killer Cuts series - Romeo Louisa returns to the Shall Not Fade catalog with a blissful solo EP.

Rarified Terms sees the emerging French producer come into his powers with three soulful deep house tracks which reflect his musical background in jazz, and see reworks from the likes of Shall Not Fade family members and fellow collaborators, THEOS and Denyl Brook, and London duo, Funk Cartel.

The EP starts as it means to go on. A skippy house beat, jazz-like piano chords and diva-esque vocal phrases lend "Desires" a driving propulsion, equally suited to the dancefloor as it is to a more laid-back listening environment. Next up, the stripped-back melody on the title track makes way for a focus on percussion, paying tribute to Romeo's brief residence in London with a half broken garage beat. "The House of Jazz" sees the EP at its classiest with soulful piano chords and a bouncing deep house rhythm, at times punctuated by drum accents which reference the sporadic nature of jazz improvisation.

Next up, enter Silver Steps Records boss, Denyl Brook, and fraternal duo, Funk Cartel, who offer their take on the title track before French producer THEOS rethinks "The House of Jazz", teasing out the lower ends so that the track is led by a funk-infused bassline.

Stygian Dark, the purveyors of dirty, down-tuned,
old school death metal, release their debut fulllength album, ‘Gorelords Of War’.
 The band was created by vocalist Dave Ingram
(Benediction, Bolt Thrower) and guitarist Rogga
Johansson (Paganizer, Massacre, Heir Corpse
One, Revolting, To The Gallows). The line-up is
completed by Alwin Roes (Dead End) on bass and
Jon Rudin (Wombbath, Just Before Dawn, Dead
Sun, Wormveil) on drums.
 If you like Benediction, Bolt Thrower, Grave and
general stumping, old school, aggressive, ultraheavy and raw down-tuned, straight to your face
death metal, this one can’t fail in your collection.
 For fans of Benediction, Grave, Asphyx, Obituary,
Six Feet Under, Dismember, Gorefest, Bolt
Thrower.

Massive debut release for UK producer Social Rhythm on new blockchain art collective Oblivious Transfer! + spot varnish sleeve and poster insert by London street artist The Real Dill, with digital download card included. The record highlights rave and sampling culture, whilst paying homage to previous innovators across multiple genres. Hot tip for the 90's Intelligent Drum & Bass enthusiast!

Reissue of George Duke's classic 1976 jazz-funk-fusion album 'Liberate Fantasies'

This 1976 album, the last one of the MPS fusion series, continues George Duke's tendency to couple his fusion world with accessible R&B songs. Once again, he shows a discernible vocal development. In "Tryin' And Cryin" the Californian together with rock singer Napoleon Brock overlays multiple vocal tracks.
On "Seeing You" Duke lays on a glaze of soulful tenderness, whereas "What The…" is 30 seconds of frivolous funning around. "Back to Where We Never Left" is a witty gem in which Duke bundles his pool of synthesizers into a united groove, whereas "I C'n Hear That" shows off synth and marimba tonal colors in dialogue, with the bass riffing on the bottom.

The album flows into the final bend carrying along the sonorous richness of Brazil. "After the Love" plays with the languorous erotic colours of the tropics, whereas all the band members are allowed to shine on the epic circa ten minute title track with its hot samba flair: the rhythm section with "Ndugu", Al Johnson, and Airto Moreira's percussion arsenal, Daryl Stuermer with his rock interludes on guitar, and Duke himself with inspired virtuosity on all sorts of synths and
keyboards.

The progressive metal band Crimson Glory formed in Florida in 1982 and consisted of vocalist Midnight, guitarists Jeff Drenning and Ben Jackson, bassist Jeff Lords and drummer Dana Burnell. They played together for four years before recording their debut album Crimson Glory in 1986. Tight harmonies and soaring vocals are featured prominently on this release. The band wanted to be immediately identifiable from other metal bands, so they wore full-face metallic silver masks on-stage, for all photo shoots and public appearances. Following the release of the debut album, these were toned down to smaller half-face masks. Midnight was an astoundingly powerful vocalist, so in addition to their identifiable look, they were easily identifiable in sound.

Proper Grounds was an alternative rap-metal band from Los Angeles that first formed in 1988. After being discovered by Madonna and signing to Maverick Records, they released their first and last studio album Downtown Circus Gang in 1993. Proper Grounds was able to merge the gritty realities of life on the street with the intensity and velocity of heavy metal. Formed by frontman The Sandman (who is also on the cover of the album) and bass player/producer Danny Saber, they had a deep-rooted social consciousness that neatly subverted the mindless violence and material worship that engulfed rap in the Nineties. They called their particular brand of noise “anguish rap metal”. Soon after the release of Downtown Circus Gang, Proper Grounds disbanded and rap-metal moved to the suburbs where iconic bands such as System Of A Down and Papa Roach found their origin.

Rapper and producer duo ​Verbz & ​Mr Slipz announce their latest album ‘Radio Waves’ ​due out ​13th November 2020​. Released on the acclaimed Hip-Hop label ​High Focus Records​, the 22-track project sits perfectly between present-day greatness and unrivalled nostalgia welcoming us into their unique rap landscape. The cover, designed by ​Matt Littler​, captures the essence of the album perfectly.

Born and raised in Croydon, rapper ​Verbz has proven himself time after time with his innovative rhyming style and distinct flow. The creative partnership wouldn’t be complete without Brighton based producer Mr Slipz who marries ​Verbz’ form with his laid back jazzy sound as well as unmistakable attention to detail. The pair started making music together in 2017 when they released their debut collaboration ‘Lessons Of Adolescence’. This was followed by extensive tours and studio sessions where their musical alliance was cemented and their bond has been untouchable ever since.

Kicking off the album with humour and personality, '​2202 FM​’ is a full-bodied track which sees ​Verbz spit tales of admiration for his city whilst at the same time striving to escape. With London on the brain,

‘Summer In The Bits’ ​is an introspective analysis of a summer's day in the capital full of tense trials and tribulations. Moving throughout the album, ​‘Kno The Status’ welcomes three potent guest verses from Alex Holy​, ​Datkid & ​Upfront ​paired with an unrivaled ​arrangement and instrumentation magnifying Mr Slipz’ craft. Once again his incomparable production delivers on ​‘Weekend Blues’ ​which see’s ​Verbz regretfully address craving more from his weekend to then be greeted by numbness on a Monday morning. ​High Focus linchpin Fliptrix delivers some captivating combinations on ​‘My Wonders’ ​honing n on the current state of the world from his point of view. Up next is one of the lead singles

‘The Feeling’, which is a refreshing and rare representation of the classic Boom Bap sound. Before signing out, ​Verbz’ ​impressive storytelling shines through on ​‘In My Mind’ offering insight into his artistry as he allows access to his inner thoughts via vivid storytelling lyrics. Sandwiched amongst the project are evocative radio skits placed to perfection, offering angles of comedy including a mini-interview acting as the final pieces to the puzzle.

This record is the culmination of two years of hard work packed with skill and finesse, as we have all come to expect. With their unrivalled chemistry, the dynamic duo have proven themselves to be some the most exciting artists on the scene, and '​Radio Waves' is going to cement their position at the top of the ranks.

High Focus ​Records linchpin ​Fliptrix announces his 8th solo album ​‘Light Work’. The 16-track project is a complete representation of ​Fliptrix as both an artist as well as reflecting the person behind the artistry. The album tackles deep rooted issues within society, the current state of the world as well as portraying an overarching message of peace, openness and optimism.

“Light Work is the culmination of years of experience, emotion, research and love. Crafted to heal, fulfil my desire to create and further raise vibrations.”

The London born, Brighton based lyricist’ creative CV has become one of legends. His long-standing trade as a solo artist is paired with him being one-quarter of the acclaimed collective ​The Four Owls (Big Owl)​, adding in Founder and Director of ​High Focus Records and not to forget becoming a first-time dad earlier this year. Operating at this level has been achieved by years of self-development and his mission is to pay it all forward.

Both Fliptrix and High Focus Records have been irreplaceable cogs in the UK HipHop machine for well over a decade. He and the label have been there for the hard times and the glory days but have never sought out fame or verification. Albums such as ​‘The Road To The Interdimensional Piff Highway’ and ​‘Patterns Of Escapism’ ​were pioneering amongst peers and resulted in multiple global tours and a dedicated fanbase across the world.

Kicking off the album is the title track ​‘Light Work’ which starts with faded, eerie laughter whilst Fliptrix unleashes a barrage of flows ending with “DMT be elevating my consciousness​”​. An introspective cut,

‘Light Work’ expresses his undeniable passion for his craft whilst tackling personal demons and overcoming them through altered states of consciousness. ‘​Multicolour’ paints a raw psychedelic picture and encourages us to think outside the box and not take everything for face value. His vivid storytelling continues throughout with feelings of being burnt out expressed in ‘​Broken Glass​’ whilst ​‘Powerizm’ ​switches up the tempo and he conveys his daily grind whilst paying homage to his fallen friend and legendary London graffiti artist ‘POW’ as well as his recently born first child. Tracks ‘​Problem, Reaction, Solution & ​The Realisation Part 2​, tackle the world's current situation head-on with a no holds barred viewpoint. Coming full circle, ​Fliptrix closes the project with ‘​Vibes’​ which is full of positivity and hope.

No stranger to talking openly about his mind-altering experiences, spirituality, quest for knowledge and dedication to the exploration of consciousness, Fliptrix’s raw flow and intricate lyricism perfectly portray the albums hard hitting narratives and set him apart from the rest of the scene. Self-reflection, personal improvement, determination and revolution are at the core of ​‘Light Work’ and they come together harmoniously under one roof.

>>>>Cryovac Recordings is allowed to exist by artists and craftsmen that take up the cause and come together to share their skillset. A Cryovac artist is a master of their own style. They are heros that represent the best of Detroit’s spirit. From Dietrich to Desmond to the house of Archer, Cryovac is a product that is crafted at each step by years of know-how. The Cryovac machine continues its course through an ever changing technosphere.

>>>>James “jit” Pennington a.k.a. The Suburban Knight has the honor of techno nobility; with a warrior ethos he loyally defends Detroit around the world. The Knights tracks are legendary and his service to the underground code compels him to come to the aid of Cryovac. ”Lectrasonic” activates a hypersensitive conga rattling the night air and through swelling synth predatory melody becomes prey to a breaking kick.
>>>>Mike Petrack is a cool customer with an easy style and his tracks are the same. Petrack’s Info Lines record label is the latest concoction from this ever innovating techno collaborator. “Holy Redeemer '' rises with an infectious melody through bossa nova rhythm to a point of spiritual awareness inside a natural funk.
>>>>a.garcia & M. kretsch are a team that have learned to work in unison to develop all parts of a space with sound. Their construction and deconstruction of the techno sound is a reflection of a spartan Detroit ethos. “invasion” is a 4/4 minimal rocker that rings to life with an eerie synth attacking with waves of effect bringing a tone of other worldly dread.
>>>>Mollison folson a.k.a. Body Mechanic brings his gregarious personality to all genres he delves into. He is a musician of instrument and computer with a focus on freeky love music. “Everything” is a smooth and jazzy minimal mover that harmonizes synth over a funky bass line.

Following the demise of emo band Mineral in 1997, singer/guitarist Chris Simpson (Mineral/ Zookeeper/ Mountain Time) and bassist Jeremy Gomez reunited to form The Gloria Record. Taking an acoustic and more organic approach than their previous work, The Gloria Record (with the addition of guitarist Brian Hubbard, drummer Matt Hammon, later replaced by Brian Malone and Ben Houtman on the keys, organs and synthesisers) were unarguably the logical progression from Mineral’s emo throes - quieter, delicate and fervently impassioned. Heralded as a “band with big visions and bombastic sounds”, the quintet fostered their admiration for artists with similar arena sized visions ( Radiohead, REM, U2) to produce a sound that was reminiscent of their British contemporaries and American indies. In 1998 the band released their self-titled EP, followed by the intricate offering of 2000’s A Lull In Traffic and 2002’s full length effort Start Here, before disbanding after extensive US tours in 2004.

Hygiene is the upcoming album from Drug Church. Hygiene is the latest work from Drug Church. The Albany and Los Angeles-based five-piece have a unique ability to make distinctly outsider music that’s also welcoming and instantly satisfying, as evidenced by Hygiene's lead singles "Million Miles of Fun" and "Detective Lieutenant." The two songs represent the essential tension between overt melody and visceral aggression that fuels Drug Church—the former pushing the band's seamless blend of hardcore bite and massive, '90s-indebted hooks to its most anthemic point, while the latter shows off a level of tunefulness never before seen in their catalog.

After their debut full-length album, Puritan Masochism, took the entire doom and heavy metal scene by storm upon its release in 2020, critically acclaimed Danish blackened death doom outfit KONVENT returns with a sophomore offering that doubles down on the band’s songwriting talent and brutal, heavy sound! The sonic evolution of KONVENT over the course of just two years is immediately evident on Call Down The Sun, surprising with new elements at every turn. Undoubtedly inspired by recent dark times, the ongoing pandemic and cancellation of live performances, the new album sees the Copenhagen-based band more pissed off, fast-paced and pitch black throughout. Rikke Emilie List’s guttural, sublime growls and fierce screams perfectly integrate with a heavy as hell wall of blackened death and funeral doom metal riffs from guitarist Sara Helena Nørregaard, backed by a thick, profound rhythm section provided by bassist Heidi Withington Brink and drummer Julie Simonsen. Tracks such as “Grains” – a ground-shaking, stomping black doom metal epos that will be a must-hear on KONVENT’s upcoming live setlists – showcase the band’s deep black soul with a hint of post-metal and even progressive elements. Featuring a haunting violin and cello guest performance by Felix Havstad, the band creates dark, eerie yet epic atmosphere on “Harena”, revealing threatening yet beautiful facets of their sound. With songs such as “Pipe Dreams” and massive album opener “Into the Distance”, the four-piece unleashes hurricanes of blackened death doom metal. Recorded and mixed by Lasse Ballade at Ballade Studios, Sweden and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Studio, the new album’s thunderous apocalyptic sound is impossible to escape. Call Down The Sun a refreshing, vibrant record that is not only poised to top 2022 Album Of The Year lists, but reign as one of the best death and blackened doom metal records of modern times!

Limited Brown Vinyl

Brown Rice is probably the most accessible entry point into Cherry's borderless ideal, jelling into a personal, unique, and seamless vision that's at once primitive and futuristic in the best possible way. Its title track is a sensual fusion of various styles and sounds from the African, Indian and Arabic traditions. It also represents the spiritual multiculturalism that Cherry was interested in exploring during this creative period. With ex-Ornette Coleman cohorts on board – Billy Higgings on drums and Charlie Haden on double bass (also heard on electric) – the album (originally released in Italy in 1975) is a cult on its own.

Collection of ten unreleased demos written for the ninth PJ Harvey studio album The Hope Six Demolition Project, including demos of ‘The Wheel’ and ‘The Community Of Hope’. Features brand new artwork with cover art based on a drawing by Polly Jean Harvey, plus previously unseen photos by Maria Mochnacz and Seamus Murphy. Artwork is overseen by Michelle Henning with Rob Crane. Mastering by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering, under the guidance of long time PJ Harvey producer John Parish.

Collection of ten unreleased demos written for the ninth PJ Harvey studio album The Hope Six Demolition Project, including demos of ‘The Wheel’ and ‘The Community Of Hope’. Features brand new artwork with cover art based on a drawing by Polly Jean Harvey, plus previously unseen photos by Maria Mochnacz and Seamus Murphy. Artwork is overseen by Michelle Henning with Rob Crane. Mastering by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering, under the guidance of long time PJ Harvey producer John Parish.

Few groups of musicians would be brave enough to tackle such an iconic jazz funk classic, but the Incognito guys under the guise of Citrus Sun and in the capable hands of their producer, Bluey, have pulled it off. This rendition of the Lonnie Liston Smith masterpiece from 1975 was recorded in 2020 and became the title track of an album, further to which it has brewed on the underground dance scene building an insatiable appetite for a release on 12” vinyl. So here it is in all it’s glory, coupled with an original instrumental jazz funk creation “Hard Boiled”. Grab one while you can. This 12” version comes in straight on the bass line.

If this word "music" is sacred and reserved for eighteenth and nineteenth century instruments, we can substitute a more meaningful term: organization of sound.
- John Cage

Kista returns from a long hiatus with his first ever all instrumental LP.

Songs From The Seas Edge takes us on a journey into the mind of producer and Graffiti Writer Kista.

It's an album where all his early influences or things that intrigued him, all come together, his love for Sc-Fi Movies, Hip Hop, 80's Arcade Games, John Carpenter Soundtracks and Films (you will notice a few vocal samples from his films nestled away among the songs) and many other things that influenced him growing up as a kid.

In a world now dominated by Playlists and the digital age, Kista took a step back to try and make an album that all fitted together, a concept album based around living on the coast as a kid in the 80's.
“ I started going through samples i put aside years ago and started to go back to them, to try and make them all fit and blend together to form an instrumental album”.

“It's kind of hard to explain where Songs From The Sea's Edge fits to my previous work” explains Kista
“ I wanted to make something for myself that I could then share, a journey, something to listen to from start to finish,with certain samples making an apperance in more than just one track.

Songs From The Sea's Edge has an hypnotic and haunting synergy to it, it's atmospheric, melodic but is still firmly rooted in Kista's love for Hip Hop.

Press play and enjoy.

Emily Wells, die New Yorker Multiinstrumentalistin mit einem klassischen Geigen-Background, denkt beim Komponieren oft an ein Ensemble. Als klassisch ausgebildete Violinistin, Sängerin, Komponistin, Produzentin und Videokünstlerin wurde die Musik von Wells als "visionary" (NPR) und "quietly transfixing" (The New York Times) beschrieben. "Regards To The End" wurde 2020-21 aufgenommen und ist von Künstlern der AIDS-Krise inspiriert. Es handelt von der Art und Weise, wie ihr Aktivismus unsere eigene Herangehensweise an den Klimaschutz beeinflussen kann, und von Wells eigenen Erfahrungen als queerer Musikerin. Zusammen mit einer Reihe von Mitwirkenden baute sie die zehn Songs auf "Regards To The End" aus bewussten Schichten von Gesang, Synthesizern, Schlagzeug, Klavier, Streichinstrumenten (Geige, Cello, Bass) und Blasinstrumenten (Klarinette, Flöte, Waldhorn) auf. Ihre Musik ist u.a. deshalb so anziehend, weil das Hörerlebnis bei Emily Wells ein sehr körperliches ist. Der Gesang und die Bläser, die auf dem Album stark vertreten sind, stellen den Atem in den Vordergrund. Das Leben schwillt in jeder Note an, während das Schlagzeug uns sowohl an den Puls unseres Herzschlags bindet als auch erdet. Inhaltlich knüpft "Regards To The End" an das Leben und die Arbeit von Choreograph*innen und bildenden Künstler*innen an, die insbesondere mit der AIDS-Krise in Verbindung stehen.

The Neptune Power Federation brings back the love song and rocks as furiously as ever on their fifth studio album, Le Demon De L’Amour! The Imperial Princess and her crew of Aussie rockers lord over eight love songs that prove few can push the boundaries of rock and metal like The Neptune Power Federation! Heading into the creation of their fifth studio album, Le Demon De L’Amour, Australian psychedelic rock and roll brigade The Neptune Power Federation couldn’t let go of the fact that love songs had been commandeered, in their words, by “soft rockers, bedwetters and the introvert crowd.” Whereas rock had its glory period during the 1970s and 80s, the art of the love song is now lost within heavier music. Few bands are now willing to venture into such territory — metal and rock have settled comfortably into typical, predictable lyrical tropes that fail to pull at the heartstrings the way they used to. On Le Demon De L’Amour, The Neptune Power Federation reclaims the art of the love song as their own. Off the heels of their acclaimed 2019 Memoirs of a Rat Queen studio album, the members of The Neptune Power Federation utilized the unexpected downtime afforded from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to craft an album that takes more chances than its predecessor. While the band’s trademark rock swagger and prog tendencies still come into play, Le Demon ups the voltage and energy. True, there is a multitude of genre-blurring taking place, but the album’s infectious choruses and leaden riffs easily re-imagine metal and rock’s glory eras without blatant thievery.

Of course, all roads to The Neptune Power Federation run through lead vocalist Screamin’ Loz Sutch and her stage persona, “The Imperial Priestess.” Le Demon’s eight cuts find the indomitable frontwoman in top form, belting out tales of love from a female’s perspective, weaving in stories of cult worship, murder and hypnotism. The album’s artwork (created by guitarist Inverted CruciFox) also introduces her new nemesis — The Wizzard Princess. Recorded at bass player JayTanic Ritual’s The Ped Food Factory in Marrickville, Sydney, with mixing duties provided by Clem Bennett, Le Demon De L’Amour leads The Neptune Power Federation into their tenth anniversary next year. Their journey has taken them from the sweaty clubs of Sydney to a global audience. Now armed with eight love songs sure to melt and captivate the most hardened metal hearts, The Neptune Power Federation boldly goes where few bands dare to go.



"Maybe their best album so far!" - Deaf Forever (DE), 8.5/10, Soundcheck pos. 7 !!

"They can even top the phenomenal predecessor!" - Metal Hammer (DE), 5.5/7

"'Le Demon De'L'Amour' is definitely their most mature and complete album to date!"

"Finest party rock music of the most beautiful kind!" -(DE), 9/10

"An album full of thick, good riffs, solos, melodies and choruses that stick in mind - definitely recommended!" - Rockmuzine (NL), 85/100

"They are in impressive form!" - Saitenkult (DE), 8.5/10

"The Neptune Power Federation add a great piece of music to their list of achievements." - Heavy Music Blog (DE), 8/10

"The band rocks a bit straighter and more pleasing than before through their love song concept." - Rock Hard (DE), 8/10, Soundcheck pos. 6 / Dynamit !!

E-L-Rs zweites Album "Vexier" oszilliert elegant zwischen samtener Dunkelheit und Ausbrüchen wilder Energien. Der Stil der Schweizer wird oft als "Doomgaze" oder "Post-Metal" bezeichnet, und beide Begriffe treffen durchaus auf die mäandernden Down-Tempo-Doom-Epen des Trios zu. E-L-R variieren und verzerren hypnotische Riffs in sich wiederholenden Schleifen, die an schamanische, mit psychedelischen Farbspielen durchtränkte Rituale erinnern. Ausdauernd und sorgfältig webt das Trio einen subtilen Klangteppich, dessen Motive in ein Labyrinth voller verschlungener Details und verborgener Schätze locken.
"Vexier" gibt seine Geheimnisse nicht so leicht preis, denn in seinen Klangschatten verbergen sich zahlreiche Details und überraschende Wendungen, so wie es der Albumtitel bereits andeutet. Dieser leitet sich vom lateinischen Wort "vexare" ab, was so viel wie "plagen, irritieren" bedeutet und sich im Begriff "Vexierbild" wiederfindet. Dialektal kann "Vexier" auch ein Geduldsspiel meinen.
E-L-R wurde 2016 in der Schweizer Stadt Bern von I.R. (Bass) und S.M. (Gitarre) gegründet, die beide auch den Gesang beisteuern. Bald gesellte sich der Schlagzeuger M.K. dazu, dessen gefühlvoller und komplexer Stil sich als die perfekte Ergänzung erwies. Ihr Debütalbum "Mænad" (2019) wurde von Fans und Kritikern gleichermaßen hoch gelobt.
Mit "Vexier" machen E-L-R einen weiteren entscheidenden Schritt nach vorne und laden auf eine abenteuerliche Reise durch ihren ebenso faszinierenden wie multidimensionalen musikalischen Kosmos ein.

Hailing from Liege in Belgium, David Body has been put on our radar with releases on the fine Endless Music — but this EP for Exploited’s Black Jukebox series looks set to propel him to a new level.

‘I Bird You’ is a seriously charming affair, led by a colourful, sugary-sweet refrain that twinkles and sparkles in cute fashion. A warm deep house groove crafted through swirling Rhodes chords builds the vibe before the flowery melody explodes into life, pushing the track into an altogether more magical direction.

‘Jack Me Baby’ channels rubbery bass and a galloping house beat, with minor piano chords creating a dramatic feel as a classic vocal sample whoops away in delight. The enormous snare-rolled propelled build-up thrusts the track into overdrive, with a delightful, balmy synth line woven in to provide a mystical counterbalance.

‘The Talking Mouettes’ is a supremely feel-good slab of Balearic-tinged house, with choice piano chords cut up and cascading over a high-energy groove. Big squelchy melodic bass wiggles under the chords and shoulder-popping chime riff, with plenty of power and punch scattered throughout to keep the vibes rolling.

‘Endless Love’ is an absolute monster to close the EP, a soaring, triumphant electro beauty that overflows with euphoric melody and ecstatic, eyes-closed-and-rolling tingles. It just keeps building and building through layer upon layer of synth mastery to an explosive, epic climax.

In the 1990s, Malka Family landed from the planet Kif to convert France to their vibrant and crazy madness made of euphoric riffs and glittering suits. Direct heirs of George Clinton and his cosmic P-Funk, they quickly burned stages around the world with this communicative energy which only large ensembles have the secret to. France, Europe, Japan, Africa, Canada… They will be forced to stop in the early 2000s replaced by DJs and computers.

2021. June 5th. Three years after the reformation of the band, Ground Control received a message from "Major Thom" - the astronaut Thomas Pesquet himself. The post is clear! Le Retour du Kif produced in 2018 is played in space… @Thom_astro and all the crew members of the ISS are totally fans of the Malka Family’s Music!

A new era begins, the Jedi of Funk have swept away the machines and their logarithmic music, groove and heavyweight Funk reign in the galaxy once again. The Malka Family is releasing a new 14 track album, SuperLune, a crazy and heavenly funk combo!

This time, back to Malka Family’s old recipes. They spend hours, nights in the studio, writing songs, arranging horns, recording vocals, slapping the bass guitar… "SuperLune is a more introspective album, we did everything without any restrictions, and our funk is more accomplished than ever…" says Jo Mannix fresh out from mixing the album. French Radio Nova tells: "In their spaceship, the bass is definitely queen. From your head to your feet and (especially) through your buttocks, “Blue Funk” will awaken your senses. Without even realizing it, you've already been swept up in the crazy storm of the Malka Family. All the ingredients are there: the dance, the music and an atmosphere that only they have the secret to…" Last but not least, to accompany the interplanetary release of SuperLune, Malka re-embark in their spaceship for the next cosmic tour. Let’s go to the Moon! The SuperLune!

Bristol based band Cousin Kula announce their debut album Double Dinners. With co-signs from the likes of BADBADNOTGOOD and newly signed to Rhythm Section, Cousin Kula have created their own musical universe of otherworldly pop serenity with vastly distinct, but complementary elements: “the possibilities of jazz, the emphatic energy of club culture, and the sonic tapestries of psychedelia” CLASH Magazine remark.

Living and recording together, nestled in the sun-drenched hills on the outskirts of Bristol, Cousin Kula are masters of their craft, and also of restraint; widely regarded by their fans for their superior live show. Having performed live in various bands for the past 10 years since their early teens, not being able to hit the stage during lockdown took its toll on these musicians. Ever resourceful, however, Cousin Kula began a series of their own home-made live sessions, which lead in turn to a Boiler Room Session and further a request from XL signees BADBADNOTGOOD to record a live adaptation of their new single.

Now, Cousin Kula flutter into the collective consciousness with a timeless slice of psychedelic soul on debut album Double Dinners. The latest band to emerge out of the buoyant Bristol music scene,
they have stripped back all excess baggage for their most accomplished recordings to date. Existing on a similar plane to contemporaries such as Connan Mockasin, Mildlife, Toro Y Moi, Mac DeMarco and HOMESHAKE, the band caught the attention of renowned tastemaker Bradley Zero with their 'Casa Kula Cassette' EP at the end of 2020, with the Rhythm Section founder swiftly taking the 5 piece under his wing, with him commenting:

“The band balance an outsider approach with more hooks than you can shake a stick at... the result being a gently beguiling sound that effortlessly draws you in, revealing more character with each listen.”

For their next reissue, Parisian crew Discomatin picked one of the rarest and sought-after releases of the French Boogie scene, Lot'Vie / Y'a Du Blues by Marché Noir. The original 12" from 1984 gets a proper remastering and delivers its powerful mixture of Boogie, Jazz-Funk and West Indies influences. Two amazing titles finally reissued with a loud sound!

"Lot'Vie" is a perfect blend of powerful funky rhythms with tons of percussion, second to none slap bass and dope synths leads. With its infectious chorus ("son a bip bip!"), the track seems to irresistibly make you move your feet. Sung in creole, the track speaks about everyone going their own way, knowing that past, present and future are only one.

"Y'a Du Blues (Tant Pis, C'est La Vie)" is based on a monstrous boogie bassline. the song talks about melancholy and hope, but with joy. In these troubled times, lyrics surely get a special meaning: whatever happens, keep smiling because after all "c'est la vie" ("that's life").

Marché Noir brought together friends and family around keyboardist Max Marolany living in the south of France, with the band starting in the second part of the seventies. Excited by the new funky sound coming from the USA, they wanted to create Marché Noir to compose and sing their own French songs. With a full range of references, from Zouk to Soul, from Disco to Funk, Reggae and Pop, their first goal was to have fun! The band was playing in clubs and festivals around Marseille, Nice, Aix-en-Provence and Fréjus. With this local fame, they ended up doing the first parts of Touré Kunda and french rockstar Johny Halliday. Without a doubt, their live shows were a truly funky experience.

Thanks to Discomatin, the EP is now available to the real connoisseurs with an exclusive insert that contains lyrics, again with fantastic illustrations from French artist Camille de Cussac.

Causa returns to Infernal Sounds for his debut solo release, after his previous two outings in collaboration with Shu (IFS003) and as part of the VA Crimson LP (IFS025). This time he presents two standout tracks, and a strong message to go alongside. With the world requiring more sustainability and less waste, this record has been created with the most measures possible to create a greener record - The 12" are made in a completely climate-neutral way, the material having been recycled, all unavoidable Co2 emissions have been offset, the cardboard/centre labels are either FSG approved or via recycled means, and even the artwork has been made with all of this in mind, using minimal ink work and a restricted colour pallet to limit the amount of waste throughout.

Not only that, but the two tracks on the 12" absolutely slap, radiating that trademark Causa swampy-sound. 'Haiy' kicks off the proceedings with a reverberating lead before plunging you into a frenzy of mid-range madness, and bass-curdling pressure. 'Untitled R V3 C' has been a long sought after dubplate, having done the rounds for a few years. It's a proper groovy, swinger, providing you with pure invigoration.

Alex Lentini & STOMP BOXX return to Drumcode following January’s outstanding contribution ‘Natural Desire’.

The release marked the first in 2021 for the label and perhaps, fortuitously, their follow up ‘Split the Noise’ marks the final on Adam Beyer’s imprint for the year, reinforcing the respect the DC boss has for the Italian pair and their developing studio talents.

‘Split the Noise’ EP continues their creative, multi-faceted production approach. ‘Solstice’ is a distorted concoction of bass and techno, abrasive and beautifully eerie.

One for the winter warehouse season ahead. ‘Azimuth’ is an intergalactic trip to the moon and explores the more experimental side of techno, while having enough streamlined drive to move the dancefloor forward. ‘Equimulate’ works through a range of perky moods before a rasping bottom appears and propels the track into brain spangling territory.

The title track is an immersive weapon that sucks you in via knife-sharp percussion, spit-fire effects and a ripping Reese-inspired bassline. A full assault of noise and delicious bass that takes no prisoners.

Tristan Disco was an ephemeral Japanese project led by Takayuki Shiraishi (BGM, MLD) focused on making dubbish Post-Punk.
In 1982 they elaborate a no-wave full of unrehearsed breaks and cavernous vocals. Boundless dark jamming sessions through shades, effects and reverbs always submerged by a tense nervous bassline.

On the B side Krikor delivers a hard-hitting Industrial reconstruction of "Social Dance" perfect to shatter your brain.
Retakes from the mysterious ambient artist Civilistjävel! are more brooding.
Introspection and faded horizons are the main purposes here but a glimpse of hope still glow.

All (label, artist and distribution) proceeds of this next record will go to UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agencys' emergency interventions in Ukraine.

Third and closing chapter of the Oyster Tribe series, the revised single edition of Brent Lewis ‘1739’ oozes a mix of breezy outback dreamtime, red earth funk and sun-baked drum virtuosity. Originally issued in 2004 as part of his self-released ‘Drumsex’ album, Lewis’ mystique-imbued tune sculpts a tripped-out hybrid jam out of spoon percs and folk-infused broken beat; and who better than OZ home-boys FIO and Fantastic Man to add their masters' spin to that totemic chugger.

Whilst FIO cranks the BPMs a notch further and beefs up the bass to turn the OG mix into a serious contender for countryside banger of the year, Fantastic Man plays havoc with the whole of Lewis track’s DNA sequence, slicing, dicing and re-hashing its bits and bobs over and over again to form a Southerner variant of the Frankenstein creature, all sight set on busting dancefloors by the dozen.

"If I could watch any jazz band in the UK, any, I would choose Matthew Halsall's band, just love what he's been doing over the last few years... It's always high level, spiritual jazz music" Gilles Peterson BBC Radio 1.

Matthew Halsall (born September 11, 1983, in Manchester, England) is a Worldwide Award winning and MOBO nominated trumpeter, composer, producer and DJ.

Since 2008, Matthew has released seven critically acclaimed studio recordings and has been a key figure in the rise of a new jazz sound in the UK. In addition to his own releases Halsall has collaborated with many DJs and producers, most notably DJ Shadow and Mr. Scruff, and in 2013 Matthew's music was selected by Bonobo for his Late Night Tales compilation. Halsall is also the founder of Gondwana Records, a genre bending independent record label featuring a wealth defining albums by the likes of Portico Quartet, GoGo Penguin, Hania Rani and Mammal Hands.

His own rich music draws on the spiritual-jazz of Alice Coltrane and Phaorah Sanders, contemporary electronica and dance music alongside his travels in Japan, the traditional art and music of which, has left a lasting impression on his compositions.

Sending My Love (2008) and Colour Yes (2009) were his first releases and document Halsall's first great bands featuring the likes of flautist Chip Wickham, saxophonist Nat Birchall, harpist Rachael Gladwin, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Gaz Hughes. Joyful, life-enhancing albums, drawing on UK jazz and spiritual jazz influences but with a decidedly modern bounce, they introduced Halsall's music to the world gathering support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Jamie Cullum, Mojo, Straight No Chaser and beyond.

But Halsall was never completely happy with how the records were presented and as part of Gondwana Records 10th anniversary decided to revisit the recordings, meticulously remixing and remastering them for vinyl and commissioning new artwork from Ian Anderson, one of his favourite designers. These then are the definitive editions of the records.
Sending My Love comes complete with the beautiful bonus track This Time, while Colour Yes features the equally striking It's What We Do and Ai.

"I am very proud of these early recordings. They represent the starting point of my musical journey in Manchester and showcase some of the cities finest musicians such as: Nat Birchall, Chip Wickham, Rachael Gladwin, Adam Fairhall, Gavin Barras and Gaz Hughes. They are also the very first recordings my brother and I decided to release on our record label (Gondwana Records). Listening back they sound full of energy and joy and really reflect how I was feeling at that precise moment. But as much as I loved the music, I was never 100 percent happy with the sound of the mixes and mastering.
So I decided to go back to the original tapes to remix and remaster them and present them the way I'd always wanted, and along the way we unearthed a couple extra unreleased tracks, which we decided to include as bonus material. Myself and my brother also decided to bring in Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic to re-imagine the artwork and we are super blown away by the results!" Matthew Halsall, Oct 2019

Always hot on the steel-hard plates and murky subterranean atmospheres, Public System turns in a haunted double package from the crypt. Spanning hi-octane indus bullets, half-baked mutant salvos and shadow-clad juicers from a host of reputed names and rabid underdogs, this new comp collates ruff’n’tuff joints from gritty techno don Container, genre-unbound explorer E-Saggila, Berlin’s electro arsonist Privacy, acid-spitting hydra DJ Loser x Penelopes Fiance, basement guerillero Yabboq Penuel alias Le Syndicat Electronique, neo-punk beat thrasher Crave, Yves Tumor collaborator and sine-wave crusher Anthem, expert circuit dissector Beau Wanzer, Liquid G as remixed by Mick Wills, Night Gaunt’s Lower Tar, occult machine funk preacher Maenad Veyl, DJ Chupacabras under new guise 110, soundwaves cross-pollinator DJ Richard, vibrant mood-scapist Gavil�n Rayna Russom, as well as label boss Myn going ubiquitous with studio fellows Kluentah as Myntha, and R Gamble as Fade Accompli. A much desirable feast of raw, unhinged, all-round spine-tingling jams for the club and not.

Tape

Limited to 100 CASSETTES Fairground of Tears’ ‘Execution’ is a 10 track EP of heavy, noisy techno, containing 5 original tracks and 5 remixes from Melania., Phin, Pre Silent, Antechamber and Tomohiko Sagae. Conceptually, the release explores the multi-perspectival facets of the serial killer phenomenon, both the victim and the killer, but also the role of the voyeur, which in this instance, the listener becomes. Fairground Of Tears is a London based producer, resident DJ at Noise Orchestra and the founder and curator of the London event series, Exiled. credits Mastered by Joe Farr Artwork by Hila Angelica Mazzocco

Calibro 35, the legendary crime funk combo sampled by Dr.Dre and Jay-Z, announce the reissue of "Traitors", their iconic fourth album, on Crystal Red vinyl and digital deluxe edition with bonus tracks.

Record Kicks proudly presents the reissue of CALIBRO 35's fourth legendary long-time sold out album "Traditori Di Tutti" (Traitors) on March 04thon limited edition crystal red vinyl and digital "deluxe" edition with bonus tracks.The publication is part of "The Record Kicks Trilogy" that follows the reissue of the first three albums of the band, released in 2020. This time, Milan label Record Kicks will repress on wax of three different colours and on digital deluxe edition, the fourth, fifth and sixth legendary studio albums of the Italian cinematic-funk cult band. The digital deluxe edition of"Traditori Di Tutti" includes 2 bonus tracks: a crime funk cover of "Get Carter", originally released as a b-side of the "Butcher's Bride" 45 vinyl, and the unreleased funky stormer "Milan, Michigan".

"Traditori Di Tutti" is the fourth album by Milan's combo, inspired by noir masterpiece novel "Betrayers"published by the father of Italian noir, award-winning crime fiction author Giorgio Scerbanenco. The album contains only band's original recordings, from floor-shaking first single "Giulia Mon Amour" to groovy "The Butcher's Bride", from deep funky "Filthy Bastards" to the dancefloor jazz madness of "Mescalina 6". The five-piece pays homage to "I Maestri" such as Morricone, Micalizzi and Bacalov with 12 tracks full of funky beats, heavy guitars, groovy bass lines and fuzzy organs.

There's one thing that Italians do better than others: funky soundtracks. Quentin Tarantino knows best: soundtracks from Italian movies of the '60s and the '70s are the THING! "Calibro 35 does with music what Tarantino does with films". They borrow what they love and they make it their own. With Rolling Stone magazine words "Calibro 35 are the most fascinating, "retro-maniac" and genuine thing that happened to Italy".

Active since 2008, CALIBRO 35 enjoy a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent bands around. During their fourteen-year career, they were sampled by Dr. Dre on his Compton album, Jay-Z, The Child of lov & Damon Albarn; they shared stages worldwide with the likes of Roy Ayers, Muse, Sun Ra Arkestra, Sharon Jones, Thundercat and Headhunters and as unique musicians they collaborated with, amongst others, PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish and Stewart Copeland and Nic Cester (The Jet). Described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that happened to Italy in the last years", Calibro 35 now count on a number of aficionados worldwide including VIP fans such as Dj Food (Ninja Tune), Mr Scruff and Huey Morgan (Fun Lovin' Criminals) among others.

Birds’ second Höga Nord offering is a 4 track EP created entirely during the first UK Coronavirus lockdown in spring / summer 2020. The themes throughout the record are inspired by various thoughts, feelings and coping mechanisms adapted by herself and her peers; from live streams to micro-dosing, to exercising patience and trying to feel comfort in the fact that there will be other opportunities and we’ve just got to wait this thing out whilst trying to stick together for emotional support. Sonically it moves around a lot from gurgling 303 bass lines, to break beats, to dubby guitar breakdowns, to heavy club inspired 909 kick drums, whilst always maintaining a droney undertone.

Composer, bassist and producer Horatio Luna is a musician
intrinsically interwoven into the fabric of Melbourne’s (and indeed the
global) jazz scene. Following his 2020 LP “Boom Boom” (Which won
support from the likes of Jamz Supernova, Lefto, Bradley Zero,
Earmilk and OkayPlayer) Horatio returns to Jitwam’s The Jazz Diaries
imprint, inviting several of his all time favourite producers to
reimagine some of his standout tracks.

The ‘Reworks EP’ kicks off with Horatio’s interpretation of ‘Milestones’ (a cover of the incredible Miles Davis track), while enigmatic UK producer Zepherin Saint takes to the boards with his remix of ‘Bumps’, giving the track a new lease of life with scattered drums and jazzy progressions. Next up Detroit’s Patrice Scott turns in his emotive remix of Horatio’s LP title track ‘Boom Boom’ - featuring moody pads, piano flourishes and an ominous bassline, he adds some Mo-town seasoning into the original. Last but not least the one and only Kai Alcé also turns his gaze to ‘Boom Boom’ opting for a more uplifting approach, and his Wurlitzer notes stretch into the ether, to be joined by a driving rhythm section to keep the dancers moving.
With these incredible remixes, Horatio’s infectious and groove-soaked
driving bassline and astral textures are given a soulful injection from some of the finest in the game.

FOR FANS OF
Miles Davis, Kai Alce, Patrice Scott, Glenn Underground, Kaidi Tatham, Kamaal Williams, 30/70

KEY POINTS
Remixes of 'Boom Boom' and 'Bumps' from Horatio Luna's 2020 studio album on The Jazz Diaries Featuring remixes from house
heavyweights Kai Alce and Patrice Scott! Title track 'Milestones' is a
blistering jazzy house cover of the seminal Miles Davis song of the same name Milestones featured on Spotify's All New Jazz playlist