Buscar:bass up

After releasing their third album, Maintenant Jamais, and touring in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2025, Population II now announces Gimmicks, a new synthedelic rock EP.
Blending vocal and instrumental tracks, Gimmicks is a companion piece to the Montreal band's latest full-length. It's an extension of the electronic sounds we explored on Maintenant Jamais, with tracks like “13 1 3 1” and “Poudreuse Blues, explains Pierre-Luc Gratton. Even though we added upright piano and fuzz bass to some of the songs, our number one rule for this project was: keyboards and synthesizers, first and foremost! This is why they decided to ditch the guitar completely on these new songs, once again demonstrating the extent of their versatility.
Rhythm-wise, the use of a drum machine allowed the musicians to push their own boundaries and take this exercise in style to a higher level. It made us rethink our rhythmic habits and add bursts of intensity by experimenting with timbres and sound dynamics. The result is an EP at times unsettling, at times dreamy, but perfectly calibrated, where constraint gives way to ingenuity, freedom, and friendship. Although prog and krautrock fans will recognize the influence of Syrinx, Tangerine Dream, and Cluster, Gimmicks is, above all, the affirmation of a band capable of looking back to move forward.

"What if, alongside the mainstream history of music, with careers and discographies spanning ten or fifty years from album to album, there was an underground, minority history, that of artists and projects with only one record? A flash, a burst of brilliance, a gem, but no follow-up, no repetitions, no decline.
"This will most likely be the case for this album by Amarante-Cerisier, a duo formed by Mauricio Amarante (RadikalSatan, Équipage, travelling companion of Canan Domurcakli and Austin Townsend) and Marine Debilly Cerisier (dancer, performer, writer, co-founder of alternative cultural venues in Marseille and Brussels), with these eight poetic songs in French having more in common with the visionary essence of certain songs from the early 1970s (Brigitte Fontaine-Areski, for example) than with the post-modernism of the ‘nouvelle chanson française’ of the1990s and 2000s.
"But – and this is undoubtedly no coincidence – this is also the case for two unique albums, which had no immediate follow-ups but which, 50 and 20 years after their release, inspired Mauricio and Marine's album and discreetly found their way into it:
"At the very end of the 1960s, Tchékov Minosa (Marine's grandfather) embarked on a journey to the East with his partner Brigitte de Saint-Preux, during which they were married ten times, in ten different traditions (in Kurdistan, among the Kuchi people of northern Afghanistan, among the Kalash people of north-eastern Pakistan, in Rajasthan,etc.). This three-year journey was documented in numerous articles in the European press, in documentaries, in a book... and on a double LP of traditional music recordings released in 1973 by Le Chant du Monde. And sampled today by Mauricio Amarante at the end of the track ‘Parfois’.
"In the early 2000s, Austin Townsend, a tall, bony figure, washed up on the banks of the Garonne River near Bordeaux, arriving from New Zealand. With a voice that was sometimes very Bob Dylan-esque, at other times buried in the gravelly depths of the low frequencies, he strung together contemporary blues songs on his only album, Introvenus (Potagers natures, 2007), beautifully accompanied in subtle tones on banjo and double bass by Mauricio and Cesar Amarante (alias Radikal Satan). Beyond this unique record, Mauricio played extensively with Austin in concert. And when his friend died in the spring of 2024, he received his guitar, used the instrument for some of the tracks on the upcoming Okraïna record, and decided to dedicate the album to him.
"In our conception of music, fleeting appearances, unexpected reunions, and timeless records outside the dictates of current musical trends thrill us more than overly well-planned career paths."

Ed Solo & Deekline par up gain for the next installment of the always awesome Jungle Cakes label. Some feel good sticky Sensi reggae DNB bass goodness, paired with some Special Ghost Town action on the flip. This for now is a vinyl only release.

Dr. Emma Dayhuff explores the depths of her musical experience that developed from her time in Chicago studying with the many gifted musicians of the city. This Live recording features her musical comrades switching effortlessly from Avant-Garde, Blues, and Modal styles.
A powerful line up featuring Kahil El'Zabar on Drums, Percussion, and Vocal chants, The incomparable Dee Alexander swaying on Vocals and The gift virtuoso Isaiah Collier on Tenor Sax and Piano. Led by Dr. Emma Dayhuff on Bass and several original compositions. The recording reflects the deep connection shared amongst the musicians, that was developed over years of experiment, trust, and growth.

Sergeant ventures deeper into the chaos, occasionally emerging with something dangerously close to catchiness.

Symbols further explores the technique the band calls “dj-shadow-in-reverse”. Instead of digging for samples, they dig through themselves. Things are cut apart and glued back together: kraut drums, plunderphonics fragments, dance floor killers and dub chambers. This time, the wreckage has rhythm and the rhythm has an opinion. Ferre sings through the songs like he’s looking for an exit and having a great time not finding it. Somewhere in there, a flute appears: it sounds slightly worried about the bassline. But the band is more in charge of its plot than ever before. Sergeant finds bliss in losing it over and over again.

Risk/Reward’s third installment comes from Brooklyn-based California native Chuwee, a rising star with records in the bags of the scenes most discerning selectors. Teaming up with homies Sasta, Seb Hall and Gaspar Muniz to form the Wizards on Waverly, they deliver a wildly creative and versatile collection of funk-drenched floor fillers.

On the a side: 4TJADEN combines crunchy electro house drums with a twisting, monstrous analog bass lead and 80s synth pop strings, before euphoric chords and a killer acid line send this one in to the cosmos!

Let’s Talk About Sex is a big, bad, booty bouncing slice of West Coast electro funk. An ultra groovy and addictive bass line, naughty vocals, spooky synth lines and rays of acid sunshine straight from California, make for an infectious party cut that gets the floor rocking every time.

On to the b-side: Slippy Jim’s is a laid back, dubwise, chugger, perfect for warming up, day time sessions or late in the afters. Crunchy analog drums patter over a warm, playful bass groove, speckled with dubby stabs, an imposing synth lead and vintage Jamaican spoken word vocals transport you to Kingston after party where the rum and vibes flow in equal measure.

Pioneer of the dub tech house sound Grant Dell delivers a gargantuan remix, with enough weight to break even the sturdiest of scales. Chunky yet detailed drums, a sub-heavy & driving bass line, acid squelchs and dubbed out stabs create an absolute weapon of a track, with a truly epic breakdown featuring a legendary vocal that gets right under your skin and stays there.

Heavy support from Enzo Siragusa, Harry McCanna, Bushwacka!, Dyed Soundorom, Anna Wall, CHKLTE and more.

Limited Silver Vinyl Repress!

Mexican brothers Soul Of Hex are back on Delusions Of Grandeur and deliver an absolute gem of an EP entitled Constellation. With recent releases on Underground Resistance (as Mano De Fuego) and an upcoming release on Kilometro 4.5 which features Mad Mike Banks and Kuniyuki it’s safe to say Soul Of Hex are keeping good company and have earned the respect they deserve through their talent, consistency and hard work.

Leading the charge we have Face Down which is an absolute barnstormer of a track which features a killer electric bass line and low slung dubby disco drums and twisted FX. Simple, powerful and funky AF!

Constellation is up next, picking up the BPM’s for a full on soulful piano house jam which features Javonntte and Mariana Phelts on vocals. Far from being a retro throwback, Soul Of Hex have successfully created a fresh and original slice of feel good, disco-influenced house music while doffing their caps to to the OG maestro Marshall Jefferson.

Next up is Dimension Spell which brings some full on funk vibes to the table courtesy of More Lotion’s heavy guitar work. Euphoric synth pads bring the deep ness while the stripped back beats and punchy Moog bassline ensure maximum dance floor pressure.

Closing out this brilliant EP we have Into The Night, a beast of a tune which fizzes with an understated energy thanks to it’s rolling, minimal groove. In your face syncopated Rhodes stabs skip around the disco drums while a repeating vocal sample brings that top line ear candy.

Anané’s colourful life in music has seen her do everything from singing at the famous pre-game show at Super Bowl XLI as part of the group Elements of Life, DJ at hotspots like Hi Ibiza, Pacha NYC and Ushuaïa to name a few, while also curating her own monthly residency Nulu Movement, now ten years strong at Le Bain NYC, release unique blends of Afro, house, and pop on labels like Vega Records, and head up her own imprints, Nulu Music and Nulu Electronic. The Cape Verdean-born DJ, producer, vocalist, and songwriter has had countless club hits and has released acclaimed albums like ‘Ananésworld’ and ‘Chapters Of Becoming’, often with a lush, live, and orchestrated style that is truly unique.

With this release, Anané steps forward with her first solo production to date. Here she serves up the sumptuous ‘It Looks Like Love’, a poised, elegant house sound with her own smoking, soulful vocals and classy strings bringing colour to an Afro groove packed with infectious bounce. Neat guitar riffs and silky synths all enrich this most sophisticated sound. The first mix sees Anané link up with veteran Italian Christian Mantini, who has hosted Sunset Ritual parties with Anané and Louie Vega since 2013. Their dub is rooted in warm, rubbery drums that are even deeper and more immersive than the original.

Manda Moor & Sirus Hood are a red-hot contemporary pair who run the Mood label and are defining the contemporary underground. Their remix is more driving, but it retains the soulful vibe with breezy pads and jazzy motifs drifting in and out above the swaggering groove.

Rotterdam-based Chicagoan Jamie 3:26 is a master at blending disco, soul, and house into timeless sounds, and here he delivers a loopy rework that pairs deep drive and sun-kissed vibes with funky, Chic-style bass guitar motifs.

Onna Last Live 1983 includes the final performance by the original line-up of Onna, the psych-rock project of revered Japanese manga artist, Keizo Miyanishi. Onna’s legend has largely rested, until now, on one self-released and self-titled seven-inch from 1983. Reissued by Holy Mountain in 2009, its rediscovery, along with several archival live and studio sets that leaked out across the 2000s, signalled to a wider audience the power of Miyanishi’s strikingly hypnotic songwriting. With Onna Last Live 1983, though, we hear the group’s perfect line-up performing at its peak.

While Miyanishi was the core member and conceptualist of Onna, the other members of the group would also go on to make significant contributions to the Japanese underground. Guitarist Michio Kurihara would eventually be known for his membership of YBO2, Ghost and White Heaven, and collaborations with the likes of Boris and Damon & Naomi. Drummer Ken Matsutani formed Marble Sheep & The Run-Down Sun’s Children and The Mickey Guitar Band, while also running the Captain Trip label. Joined by the late bass player Yasui Yutaka, to whom the album is dedicated, this quartet only performed live in 1983; the live set here was recorded at Silver Elephant.

It’s a different line-up to the Onna duo that’s documented on their single. After Miyanishi and fellow manga artist Mafuyu Hiroki recorded that material, Miyanishi decided he wanted to start playing gigs; Hiroki left, and Kurihara, Matsutani and Yutaka joined soon after. This line-up allowed Miyanishi to significantly expand Onna’s powers, leading to a sound that Kurihara once described to Ptolemaic Terrascope magazine as “repetitive and heavy, yet quite orthodox.”

The songs here are simple yet deeply effective in their repetitive power, generally revolving around two or three simply strummed chords for guitar. Bass and drums repeatedly lock into mantra-like grooves as Kurihara’s guitar scales the walls, with Miyanishi’s consumptive moans and sighs sent torquing through FX. The cumulative effect of the seven songs here is very heavy indeed; if the prologue “Always…” drifts beautifully through five minutes of placid, beseeching melancholy, the epilogue, “Never Seen A Light Like This”, spirals out into sixteen minutes of glazed-over psych-rock, completely monomaniacal and thrilling in its slow-motion tumult.

Throughout, you can hear Miyanishi and co. reaching for something ineffable, something beyond and between the notes. It’s a phenomenal performance; it’s also no surprise that the group disintegrated after this show, given its intensity. Matsutani and Yutaka left after the Silver Elephant show, with Miyanishi and Kurihara continuing through the first half of 1984 firstly as a duo, and then a trio with new drummer Yoshiki Ueonyama. Kurihara left soon after. But Onna Last Live 1983 is proof plenty of the powers of the original Onna quartet, sending their Rallizes/Velvets dream-mantras off into darkened, stormy skies.

Music never exists in a vacuum — every scene and sound evolves from the non-stop exchange of ideas between different groups and cultures. Traditions get passed down from one generation to the next, and then individual heads take influence from their own unique perspective. Sometimes, certain people strike upon fusions that spark massive new movements, but even those rarest innovations came from somewhere.

Jon E Cash knows this more than most — the legendary beats he started putting out at the turn of the millennium had their own disparate roots and influences which he had the motivation to put together into a sound he called sublow. There wasn't any other reference point for this music — when he took the first white labels of 'Drop Top Bimmer Kid' into Blackmarket Records in Soho, London, he had to describe it to a puzzled Nicky Blackmarket and J Da Flex as being, "between garage and hip-hop."

Playing catch-up in 2004, Rephlex Records nodded to sublow when trying to introduce a wider audience to the sounds which had been tearing up the London underground. "Grime. Sublow. Dubstep... It's Music. Different people call it different things depending on when they discovered it." But Jon E Cash's sound was rooted in more than the UK garage that had dominated the clubs through the late 90s, reaching way back to his pre-teen days when the first waves of hip-hop culture crossed the Atlantic and broke in the UK.

25 years on, it's a fine time to reflect on the impact of the music Cash made at the turn of the millennium. History looks back favourably on what he and the Black Ops crew were doing with sublow in the early 00s. The timing meant it ran in parallel with what was happening over East with Pay As U Go, Roll Deep et al, and of course there was crossover. Every DJ and every MC was on the hunt for the best beats they could find. But there's a whole different swagger to sublow — a different web of influences, a different intention and so a different outcome. It's still there in the beats Cash is making more than 20 years later — his 3dom Music label is carrying upfront productions with that sublow DNA coursing through their veins. Whatever the beat or the tempo, the drums are still hard as nails, and the bass is tuned for maximum rave damage.

Goosey makes his Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Wrapped Up In Your Love’, featuring remixes from Daniel Steinberg. Out on 10th April 2026, the Barcelona-based artist lands on Damian Lazarus’ imprint for the first time with a vocal-driven house cut backed by two reworks from Berlin mainstay Steinberg.

A vocal-led slice of modern house lands on Crosstown Rebels as UK DJ/producer Goosey makes his label debut with ‘Wrapped Up In Your Love’ on 10th April, a record that channels a classic touch through a contemporary lens. Built around slick drums, warm basslines, and an unmistakably uplifting vocal hook, the track leans into the nature of the dancefloor while keeping its groove firmly locked from start to finish.

The original mix leads the release with bright, feel-good energy, while the ‘Club Dub’ strips things back to the track’s rhythmic core, letting the drums, bass, and melodic touches breathe deeper into the groove. Berlin house mainstay and Arms & Legs co-owner Daniel Steinberg then steps in on remix duties, delivering two reinterpretations. His main remix sharpens the original’s hook with skippy percussion and rich M1 organ stabs, while his ‘6AM’ remix stretches the elements into deeper territory built for after-hours dancefloors.

'At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.
'In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of… Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again. On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.

'Us, the first of the four records was recorded on November 24th, 1973 with Sylvin Marc on electric bass (a Fender… Lancaster?) and the evergreen Steve McCall on drums.
'On the album, the trio works from the John Coltrane model; free jazz shook up by the timely contributions of the bassist, followed by a mesmerizing atmospheric music. Then, Lancaster delivers a sinuous solo path, which is a reminder of his unique tone. On the album’s companion single, the trio launches into great black music of a different genre which would lead the clairvoyant François Tusques to claim that Byard Lancaster is an “authentic representative of soul/free jazz”, to sum up this is Great Black Music!'

Saxophonist, producer and composer Brian Allen Simon explores darker hues, transposing waking and altered states under his studio veil Anenon. On the deeply evocative new album 'Dream Temperature', he shifts electronic processing to the foreground, introducing digitized wind instruments and unworldly atmospherics, not heard since his innovating mid-late 2010s output.

A longtime Los Angeles resident, born and raised, Brian Allen Simon has expressively operated under the moniker Anenon, releasing the highly revered 'Petrol' (2016), 'Tongue' (2018) and the viscerally beautiful 'Moons Melt Milk Light' (2023), in a line of unwavering musical dialogues. While the penultimate album was a deliberate, reductive, entirely acoustic detour that was born out of a want to unplug, 'Dream Temperature' sees Brian primed with a newly discovered wind synthesizer as his central compositional tool, alongside acoustic piano and tenor saxophone. The entirety of the album's electronics are triggered by Brian's lungs, generating otherworldly synths modulated by expressive breath control, channelled through the laptop as the core processing chamber for added textural components and field recordings.

A free floating and heavy emotional resonance marks 'Dream Temperature' from beginning to end, invoking the feeling of waking up, still heavy from a night of half-remembered dreams, and continuing one's day in this state. Simon maps out the album's spatial voice early on the statement title track, a deep, yet compact cut, generated from digital saxophone rasps that whistle by in close proximity, along with haze filled textures and sub bass. There is a sonic oscillation of urban grit and pastoral drift throughout as tracks pass by like introspective thoughts, fueling both a tense and ethereal quality that underpins the album. Interluding solo and part-solo piano improvisations 'Last Sun 1' and '2' are positioned adjacent to the buffering digital soundscapes. Their softer, still processed timbres pierce the melancholic exterior, offering a contrasting tenderness that could echo the grace of Ry?ichi Sakamoto, the spiritualist rigor of ECM's Keith Jarrett and a touch akin to Aphex Twin's piano miniatures. 'Nulle Part 1+2' signals the first appearance of an acoustic wind instrument, as tenor saxophone flourishes are juxtaposed against noisy drones, all shouting at the void, with notes resurfacing like lost digital data.

The album was recorded at home during either sunset or nocturnal hours between September of 2024 and October of 2025, a period in which Brian found himself craving more lengthy and intimate studio time as he searched for more pronounced textural qualities amidst his new sonic ambitions. 'When The Light Appears, Boy' shows further evidence of this deeper universe, revealing a grittier edge as the album's essential blueprint is sonically inked. A sprawling expanse of wind synths rhythmically encircle the listener before a dreamy, ghostly ambience blankets 'Toyama'. The sound is evocative of the productions of post dubstep era luminaries such as Burial or the productions of HTRK's Nigel Yang. More isolating and enveloping than the previous all acoustic record, this is music both disorienting and yet warmly inviting all at once. A sonic diarist at heart, personal field recordings were also taken from Sardinia, Japan, Big Sur and LA which intersect at unexpected moments throughout the album's 31-minute play time.

'Dream Temperature' is a vital coalescence of both Simon's electronic and acoustic practices with repositioned electronics akin to earlier works, both haunting and elegant, yet still profoundly personal. Simon continuously resonates as an experimental outlier treading an enthralling, non-linear musical path. This music resolutely glows with an unknowing aura, like an untapped energy source waiting to be discharged.

Fresh from releasing projects on Method 808 and Future Classic, landing a huge collaboration with Chloé Caillet, and delivering an official remix for Fatboy Slim, PPJ are entering a new chapter in full force. Their expansive take on global street sounds, ranging from neoperreo to Miami bass, gets a cool re-coating.

Led by the magnetic vocalist Páula, with production from Povoa (individually supported by Four Tet, Ben UFO, and Barry Can't Swim, with recent releases on Live From Earth), the duo operates in maximalist mode: playful, sensual, and slightly unhinged.PPJ’s new era, JOKER, embraces a figure that appears everywhere from card decks to carnival culture as a symbol that mirrors their own DNA: funny, eerie, seductive, unpredictable. The EP leans further into club territory, but rather than polishing their edges, PPJ amplify them.

At the emotional core of the record sits “Coeur,” co-produced with Chloé Caillet. It begins with an MPB-tinged foundation flirting with bossa nova. It’s unmistakably Brazilian, bathed in sunset hues before being sped up and twisted into a dance-floor-ready electronic form. The groove shimmers with tension: warm percussion, elastic basslines, and Páula’s voice hovering between intimacy and tease. It feels like a remix of itself, romantic, but slightly untrustworthy.

If “Coeur” glows, “To Nem Ai” is a slow burner. A very deep and downtempo house cut, it unfolds slowly, almost luxuriously, guided by sensual vocals that feel whispered directly into the ear of the listener. A hypnotizing piano sample that feels like a late-night confession. It’s the kind of record that transforms a dancefloor into something tactile.

Elsewhere, “Me Pega” is a high-energy reinterpretation of the tech-house sounds from Santa Catarina, one of southern Brazil’s most feverish party states, twisted and accelerated for ferocious impact. Drawing direct inspiration from Sarro, a raw and vibrant Brazilian street dance, the track captures physical intensity in its purest form: sweat, bass pressure, collective release.

Its counterpart, “Tem Carnaval” channels Páula’s vivid storytelling into a thunderous ode to Rio’s carnival spirit, euphoric, chaotic, cinematic landed just in time for this year’s celebrations.

On “Sexy Doce,” rugged electroclash melodies collide with unexpected references. “It was inspired by Budots, which is dance music from the streets in the Philippines,” Povoa explains. “Then we mixed it with Páula’s Brazilian vocals. Baile funk is similarly from the streets, so there is a connection.” The result is raw yet futuristic, a cross-continental flirtation that feels both underground and explosive.

With this new EP, PPJ make music like they’re tuning into a dozen pirate frequencies at once. Pirate radio from Rio to Berlin to Manila intercepting fragments of street culture, sensuality, and chaos, and stitching them into something deliriously cohesive.
JOKER doesn’t just nod to club culture. It challenges it, twists expectation and leaves a lasting impression.

Fog On Mirror Glass introduces a new aesthetic amongst Donald Beaman albums. After four albums of varied full-band arrangements, this album emerged as an idea to present solo performances in conversation with full-band work. The bulk of the songs were recorded in the same place they were written: Beaman’s living room. Long time bandmate and producer Kirt Lind set up a makeshift studio at Beaman’s house to record the guitar parts in the same room where they were written, using the same guitars on which they were first played.

Unfurling with a measured pace, the resulting album combines elegiac lyrics with elemental arrangements played with an almost jazz-like reverential expressiveness, calling to mind the works of Cass McCombs, Will Oldham, and Jake Xerxes Fussell. Album opener “Glass Bottom Boat” sets the tone for the album with just Beaman and his guitar – written during the final months of a decade-long stay in New York City, the song was finished upon his arrival back in California. Meanwhile the title track, long a staple in live sets, lands near the middle of the album to recalibrate the mood, featuring the ghostly guitar work of longtime collaborator Ken Lovgren. “Old Universe” lifts things up a bit, propelled by the brushwork of drummer Michael Nalin and the jaunty bass playing of Kirt Lind. Finally, the album ends much the way it began, with Beaman and his guitar on album closer “Bamboo”.

“The dictionary definition of less is more.” - ---- Mojo
“His ability to carve universal empathy from mundane domesticity is remarkable.” - ---- RNR Magazine
“...a collection of evocative scenes and vivid emotions sung to sparse musical arrangements in Beaman’s distinctive sonorous tones” - Americana UK
“...pure and simmering, like a tattoo dedicated to a long lost friend, slightly fading from years in the sun, a memory that will always bring a tear in those quiet reflective moments.” - Psychedelic Baby Magazine

One which lyrically questions some of the radical changes affecting society. A society of increasing division and tension. Social media, influencers, online dating, the distraction of mobile phones, young adults financially trapped in the family home, AI, and bullying: are all scrutinised. Musically, the style has moved on since the last album, 'Things Are Getting Stranger On The Shore'. New members, Luxagen (keys, vocals) and Steve Thompson (bass) have added their considerable musical talents to an already strong line up of Mordecai (vocals, guitar) Tabitha (Sax, clarinet) and Michael Creech (drums, percussion). The new direction tips a nod to the "Art Rock" and "New Wave" music of the 1970's, with plenty of modern innovation in store to keep things sounding fresh and exciting. Previously, Mordecai Smyth has worked with Terry Bickers (House of Love/Levitation) and recently played live shows supporting Bickers' new band. He has had three albums released by Mega Dodo and has written soundtracks to historical films for the British Film Institute. 'Gather The Scattered Mind' is limited to 100 copies, comes in a gatefold sleeve with lyric insert.

When asked about the founding fathers of German thrash metal, band names such as Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction come to mind. Perhaps even Tankard. The name Living Death is usually not among them. There is a simple reason for this. Similar to the Swiss band Hellhammer, Living Death from Velbert were simply a tad too extreme for most fans and the press. Thorsten “Toto” Bergmann's truly shrill vocals and the poor production of the first two (legendary) albums did not make it easy for the public to adequately assess the band's musical significance. Living Death was founded in 1981 by the two Kelch brothers, Reiner on guitar and Dieter on bass. In the early days, guest drummer Eric sat behind the drums. The line-up was completed by Frank Fricke on second guitar and the aforementioned singer Thorsten “Toto” Bergmann. Living Death recorded their first demo with three tracks in 1981, which earned them a deal with the Belgian label Mausoleum Records. A year later, their debut album “Vengeance of Hell” was released, which actually suffered from its very thin (and treble-heavy) production (in 1985, the record was re-released as a remix – with slightly improved results). However, the below-average production should not obscure the fact that “Vengeance of Hell” offers a few timeless thrash metal classics with “My Victim,” “Heavy Metal Hurricane,” “Hellpike,” and the title track “Vengeance of Hell.” The raw, unpolished sound of Living Death sounds more contemporary than ever today, 30 years after its initial release. This only proves that it took the music world three decades to catch up with Living Death.

Purple Haze started out in Linköping in 1981. When singer Christer Göransson joined them towards the end of the year, they soon changed their moniker to Genocide (after the Judas Priest song of the same name) and supported local metal heroes Axewitch. A final name change was to follow: In August 1983, the band, now called Mindless Sinner, recorded a four-track demo entitled »Master Of Evil«, consisting of the title track, “Broken Freedom”, “Key Of Fortune” and “Screaming For Mercy”. This attracted Swedish label Fingerprint Records, and they in turn released the NWOBHM-inspired material as a mini-album with an awful cover and getting the band’s name wrong (spelling it Mindless Sinners). By then, the line-up of the band was Anders Karlsson (bass), Magnus Danneblad (guitar), Jerker Edman (guitar), Tommy Johansson (drums) and vocalist Christer Göransson. »Master Of Evil« originally saw the light of day on Fingerprint in January 1984. This was followed by the second album »Turn On The Power« in 1986 as Christer Göransson explains: “Well, »Turn On The Power« was actually recorded in October 1984, the same year as »Master Of Evil« was released. But the record label was almost out of business by 1985, so as a result »Turn On The Power« didn’t come out until January 1986, and shortly after the label went bust.” Just like on the debut, the cover was once again pretty weird. “Same story,” says the singer. “Blame the label again. We wanted a band photo for the cover but once more Fingerprint didn’t listen. We didn’t know who this girl was at all. And once again we saw the cover for the first time when we visited our local record store.” “I guess »Turn On The Power« was more of a straight heavy metal album compared to »Master Of Evil«,” describes Christer Göransson the band’s follow-up record, “better playing and better songs on »Turn On The Power«. Even though we love »Master Of Evil«. I guess it didn’t sell that much as the label went bankrupt, but the reactions were great.” Mindless Sinner played as much as they could in Sweden at the time but didn’t venture outside their home country. Over the years, their music has often been compared to the Tygers Of Pan Tang from England but Christer Göransson doesn’t see too many similarities: “We really love Tygers Of Pan Tang but I don’t think they were a big influence. It was more Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne and Dio.” Shortly after the release of »Turn On The Power«, the band cut their name short to Mindless. According to Christer Göransson, this is why: “It was the sign of the times really. We wanted a more melodic kinda style and we just thought it was better to change the name to Mindless. But looking back now we should have stuck to our guns.”

Mystic Force was a progressive power metal band from Baltimore, Maryland. After releasing several demo tapes, they signed a contract with the German label Rising Sun Productions. This resulted in two albums, “The Eternal Quest” (1993) and “A Step Beyond” (1995). Their third album, “Man Vs. Machine,” followed in 2001 on Siegen Records. After Mystic Force broke up, drummer Chris Lembach and guitarist Rich Davis formed the group Shift and recorded two albums with them. Rich then started his own solo project (for which he played all the instruments and sang), before looking for suitable fellow musicians again and releasing the CD “Inside The Upside Down” in 2024. Mystic Force was originally formed in 1984 by guitarists Rich Davis and Marc Rouchard together with bassist Keith Menser. After numerous line-up changes in the early days, they finally found suitable bandmates in Chris Lembach (drums) and Bobby Hicks (vocals). In 1987, Mystic Force released their first 4-song demo, followed by “Blind Vision” a year later. After selling large quantities of self-produced cassettes (the first 4-track demo is said to have sold over 5,000 copies), it was time for their first vinyl release. In 1990, the album “Take Command” was released on the English label C.M.F.T. Records, which included the first demo and four brand new tracks: “Take Command,” “Awakened By The Dawn,” “Immortal Souls,” and “Silent But Deadly.” Later that year, the 12“ single ”Shipwrecked With The Wicked“/”Eternal Quest" was released in a limited and numbered edition by the band's own company, Pro-duction. The widespread distribution of Mystic Force's material (also via underground distributors such as Oliver Jung's “Demolition”) led to an increasing number of labels taking an interest in the band. Ultimately, the choice fell on Rising Sun Productions, who released the debut album “The Eternal Quest” in 1993, featuring tracks such as “Shipwrecked With The Wicked,” “Another World,” and “Answers Of The Mystery”—a forgotten gem of progressive power metal somewhere between Fates Warning and Hades.

'A few months after recording Us, Lancaster recorded Mother Africa along with Clint Jackson III, a trumpeter, partner of Khan Jamal or Noah Howard on other recordings.
On march 8th, 1974, Lancaster and Jackson headed up a group composed of Jean-François Catoire (electric and double bass), Keno Speller (percussion) and Jonathan Dickinson (drums). Together, they create an immediate impression. From the first seconds of We The Blessed, they develop a free jazz which rapidly abandons any virulence under the effect of blues and soul based interventions.
When Gilson’s composition Mother Africa begins, listeners are transported into the studio, listening to the musicians setting up: chatting and joking… Then comes the melody: a dozen or so notes of a repeated theme which is accelerated and deformed according to their whims… The jazz played by the association Byard Lancaster / Clint Jackson III is rare: creative AND recreational. We the blessed, is apt listening to this again today!'