Buscar:be well

The drone-pop consternations of Ekin Fil emerge through vaporous tone and forlorn, distant song, as if plucked from a dream. These exist on their own accord, moving with their own internal logic of an emotion heaviness that belies any the passing observation of this as mere shoegazing ambience. Her songs, her compositions find themselves adjacent the fragmented etherealization of Elisabeth Fraser's voice from a forgotten scene of a particular David Lynch film, as a ASMR trigger for Proustian recollection. Something profound. Something hidden. Something desolately sad.

The Helen Scarsdale Agency has had the pleasure of witnessing Ekin's continued development, maturation, and growth as a composer, having released now seven of her magnificent, under-the-radar gems. Her slow burning, dejected ballads continue to draw from the deep well of sorrow, with varying frequencies and intensities of bitter light poking through. Loves lost. A world broken. All is not hopeless, but there is a considerable amount of shit to wade through.

Sleepwalkers embraces a familiar set of metaphors in her work, that of narcolepsy and the unsettled state of existence between sleep and being awake. But she stretches herself with a set of compositions that run parallel to the work of Tim Hecker as in the gravitation soft-noise of "Stone Cold" or to a slow motion serialism that punctuates the ambient crawl of her ambitious "Gone Gone." Recommended for fans of Grouper, Rafael Anton Irisarri, A.C. Marias, and Carla dal Forno.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Resonant Trees, the first vinyl release from French composer-performer Léo Dupleix. An active member of the international community of younger musicians working with just intonation, Dupleix has composed works for solo instrumentalists and ensembles in Europe and Japan, as well as performing extensively on harpsichord, piano and electronics. His music is distinguished by a formal clarity and elegance of surface, gently shaping pure intervals into delicate melodic patterns and shimmering harmonic planes.

Resonant Trees presents two side-long pieces for harpsichord and ensemble, both setting slowly repeating patterns played on harpsichord and guitar within an environment of sustained tones. Dupleix performs on a French double manual harpsichord (tuned to a just intonation scheme of his own devising) and Prophet synthesizer, joined by Juliette Adam (bass clarinet), Johanna Bartz (traverso flute), Cyprien Busolini (viola), Fredrik Rasten (6- and 12-string guitars), and Mara Winter (traverso flute). The harpsichord begins Resonant Tree I alone, slowly sounding out a series of arpeggiated chords that emphasise the unique (and for unaccustomed listeners, sometimes unsettling) harmonic and timbral qualities of justly tuned intervals. Long tones from synthesiser, bass clarinet, viola and Baroque traverso flutes slowly creep into the spaces between the arpeggiated chords, joined after several minutes by delicate patterns of harmonics played by Rasten on acoustic guitars.

On Resonant Tree II, a similar structure and ensemble (without the flutes) are used with quite different results. We again hear only the harpsichord at first, but this time playing a series of flowing melodic lines, each of which is repeated several times. Joined again by long tones from the ensemble, here the viola is particularly prominent and its interplay with the harpsichord creates fascinating acoustic effects. In both pieces, repetition gives the music a static, stable quality while, at the same time, the exact shape of the repeating patterns remains difficult to grasp. As Dupleix writes, these pieces dream of music as ‘space and a sound that one could grasp in one’s hand.’ As the near-static quality of the repetitions and long tones with little incident make these two stretches of musical time feel like spaces for the listener to inhabit, the small variations on a narrow range of related material act like a three-dimensional object whose each facet is examined in turn. At once austere and seductive, Resonant Trees takes its place beside the work of contemporaries like Catherine Lamb, while also calling up the languorous melodic world of Mamoru Fujieda, the dignified melancholy of Satoshi Ashikawa’s classic Still Way and the espaliered chamber atmospherics of the Obscure catalogue.

A deep, zouk/electronic dancehall crossover track from Cameroonian artist Maréchal Papillon, including a brand new dub version from Canadian producer Poirier Ferdinand ‘Maréchal’ Papillon was part of the makossa wave that moved from Cameroon to France and across the African diaspora in the 80s and 90s, bringing the sounds of rhythms of Douala and Yaoundé to the clubs and dancefloors of Paris. Although best known for his Sakissa style - his own uptempo take on the makossa of Cameroon - Papillon also regularly featured zouk and reggae influenced tracks on his albums, combining Caribbean and African influences into a unique sound that has stood the test of time. ‘Moulongo’ originally appeared on Papillon’s highly sought after 1995 album “Homme fort….je suis sérieux” and was recorded at Studio de la Madeleine in Paris. The Moulongo session features a who’s who of the Paris scene of the time - Aladji Touré and Toto Guillaume from Cameroon as well as Congolese guitar greats Ngoma Lokito and Nene Tchacou - and combines dancehall, zouk and makossa elements for a pan-African dancefloor sureshot.

The three howler monkeys of NAG strike back with their new album “Boys Of Europe”. They debuted in 2016 as an exciting breath of basement-smelling air. Their moderately original alternative cement mix of the filthiest of punk, the truest of hardcore, and the evilest of metal was very well received. Then came gigs and tours around Europe before the second album was released in 2018, to raving reviews too, ofcourse. But then there was dead silence. For a long time. Now they’ve finally returned from obscurity with ten perfected and mighty NAG-tunes. Indeed, their hair has become greyer, and their backs hurt more, but there’s no way you can tell. They still sound like raging Norwegian teenagers. NAG has stayed true to their original ‘crust punk black metal’ formula, and the new album is as hard, fast and straightforward as anything they’ve done before.

'Radiosoul', Alfie Templeman's second studio album, is an ambitious suite of tracks that showcase a bold new acid-pop direction for the Bedfordshire-born polymath. The record features production from Templeman as well as Nile Rodgers, Dan Carey, Karma Kid, Oscar Scheller, Will Bloomfield, Justin Young, Josh Scarbrow and Charlie J Perry. It is an album of self-discovery, one that zips between genres at whim and showcases a newfound incisiveness and acerbic humour to Templeman’s lyricism, whilst retaining the sense of joy that defined his previous releases. It is the work of a prodigiously talented songwriter truly coming into his own.

The fourth album by Love Battery, 'Straight Freak Ticket' (1994), now out for the first time on vinyl! Remastered by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc.) 'Straight Freak Ticket' is the 4th album by Seattle alternative rock band Love Battery. It was originally recorded in 1994 and released only in USA and on CD format - now it is being released on vinyl for the first time. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer called the album "a solid, well-produced album of guitar-based rock with catchy hooks and a strong dose of psychedelia." USA Today labeled the album "a psychedelic tour de force and dramatic leap forward," writing that "the antigrunge guitar riff-o-rama of Ron Nine and Kevin Whitworth propels the Seattle quartet's most adventurous and listenable tunes to date." The band, featuring members of Mother Love Bone, Green River, Skin Yard, The Presidents of the USA, is: Ron Nine - Vocals, Guitar Kevin Whitworth - Guitar Jason Finn - Drums Bruce Fairweather - Bass

Since 2014 the music of Killers Walk Among Us has slowly spread worldwide and has grown a cult following among indie music aficionados celebrating the grandiose post rock crescendos mixed with Stefan Holmbergs heartbreakingly emotional lyrics and vocals. The album was praised upon its release by critics and fans alike, and since then the vinyl release has been a well sought out gem among record collectors. Now, in 2024, the surviving members of Killers Walk Among Us have regrouped for the 10 year anniversary of their self-titled album, recording the previously unreleased track When the Caged Bird Sings to be include on the re-mastered version of their seminal debut. The music shall prevail.

Karriere Höhepunkt! Auf ihrem 7. Album 'Interplay' führen die britischen Shoegaze-Pioniere Ride alle musikalischen Fäden ihrer Karriere zusammen, die typischen rasenden Gitarrenwellen und hypnotischen Grooves treffen auf die träumerisch-melodischen Hooks ihrer Frühwerke. So bildet sich ein umfangreiches Sound-Geflecht, das auch Synthesizer-Verzierungen, psychedelischen Folk, elektronische Beats und Noir-Pop-Soundscapes mit einbezieht.

Das neue Album folgt auf 'Weather Diaries' (2017) und 'This Is Not A Safe Place' (2019), die den Funken von Ride neu entfachten und sowohl alte Hasen erfreuten als auch ganz neue Fans erreichten. Gerade auch dank des schnellen Shoegaze-Wachstums durch TikTok, die der Band eine neue Welle von Gen-Z-Anhängern einbrachte.

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'Mercury Rising' is the third studio album to be released by Rae & Christian. The duo weave together exceptional musicianship paired with a British song writing sensibility and the finest elements of studio production. 'Mercury Rising' was created at producer/musician Steve Christian's studio in Yorkshire with additional recording at songwriter/vocalist/DJ Mark Rae's London base. In London a song writing bond was formed with Ed Harcourt and Gita Langley who make excellent contributions with vocals, songs, strings and keys. Sam Genders of Diagrams threads a story of redemption lost on the Ubahn on '1975', Kate Rogers is on imperious form and rising star Jake Emlyn unravels a whole new level of microphone skills on 'Favourite Game'.
The international guests include the one-and-only Jazzy Jeff and Australia's Agent 86 dealing out world class scratch treatments on 'Check The Technique' (Tony D's vocals taken from a session recorded at the birth of Grand Central Records), Brooklyn rapper Masta Ace and Mark Foster of Foster The People, a collaboration born from Mark's L.A. excursion.

'Mercury Rising' is the first new material in many years from R&C. Their 1998 Mercury Music Prize nominated debut 'Northern Sulphuric Soul' ("Vitally fresh and timelessly classic...deserving a place alongside Massive Attack's Blue Lines' Uncut) and 2002's 'Sleepwalking' ("Another triumph, brimming with soulful, languid grooves, deft samples and well-chosen guest singers' Q Magazine) were both released on their Grand Central Records label (Aim, Riton, Boca 45, Only Child), a defining imprint of the late 90s soul/funk/hip-hop/beats scene. Guest vocalists over the two albums included Bobby Womack, Texas, The Congos, The Pharcyde, The Jungle Brothes and Jeru The Damaja.

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Twenty years ago, London Elektricity unleashed one of the most seminal drum & bass albums into the world. 'Billion Dollar Gravy' was Tony Colman's second longplayer, following the iconic debut project 'Pull The Plug' released in 1999. Widely acclaimed and well-respected for a multitude of reasons - from the iconic album artwork of Tony holding the 'Billion Dollar Gravy' picket sign, to revolutionary anthems such as album title-track 'Billion Dollar Gravy', 'Different Drum' and 'Fast Soul Music', two decades on, the album is revisited with a fresh sonic injection.

'Billion Dollar Remixes' is a meticulously crafted project which aligns a selection of some of the finest drum & bass talent with the album originals, making way for the likes of Watch The Ride, Whiney & Unglued, Mozey, Dogger & Mindstate, Zero T, Kimyan Law, Bop x Subwave, imo-Lu, Hugh Hardie and Conrad Subs to put their spin on the 2003 classics.

Pressed onto 2 x pink transparent heavyweight 12" vinyls.

Veteran electrohead and former artist on the Rephlex Records roseter DMX Krew's Ed DMX takes the well-known story by Jorge Luis Borges of The Library of Babel, said to contain all the different languages of the earth. Some deep philosophical thought has gone into the album's concept, but we'll leave that to Ed to explain. Instead, we'll tell you that from beginning to end there's plenty of the kind of trademark 80s synth playfulness in evidence, with a generally more mellow and soundtrack-related rather than frenetic and dancefloor-filling vibe in evidence, even on faster tracks like 'The Combed Thunderclap'. Still, Ed knows what he's doing when it comes to this kind of leftfield electro gear, and it's a rewarding, never boring listen.

2024 Repress

Starting out in 2001 to tie up some loose ends from our regulars, SPEICHER has since become a guarantee for vanguard dance sounds from all over the planet, allowing KOMPAKT to invite and support electronic artists that comfortably inhabit both the delicate and the more deliberate ends of the electronic music spectrum. For SPEICHER 81, Amsterdam-based DJ and producer PATRICE BÄUMEL presents two adventurous minimal epics with decidedly mind-bending propensities.

As a long-running resident DJ at Amsterdam's renowned Trouw club, PATRICE BÄUMEL certainly knows how to draw in a crowd, having proven his skillful approach to hypnotic techno time and time again, as an impeccable host as well as an internationally acclaimed guest DJ in the world's leading venues. Just as his DJ sets, Patrice likes to infuse his own music with raw energy and a sense for sonic adventure - MILE HIGH GANG serves as a perfect example for his credo, underpinning its vibrant synth sequences with a meticulously crafted - and intensely propelling - beat.

The true mind bender, however, arrives with the flipside's aptly named VERTIGO, a deceptively simple, yet unstoppable son of a pitch shifter, cutting its way through spiralling serpentines in dizzying heights. Never one to let himself get bogged down by genre markers or scene compliancy, PATRICE BÄUMEL commutes between electronic factions with ease: he caters to a purist crowd as well as those in dire need of sonic surprises, giving both daydreamers and nighthawks something to rock out about.

2024 Repress


DANNY DAZE returns to KOMPAKT EXTRA / SPEICHER with one of the most intense and gratifying tracks we have had the pleasure to hear this year. The Miami native's relentless passion for underground '90s electro and techno resounds in "Aire". A collaboration with up and comer SHOKH - a name you may recognise from DANNY DAZE's imprint OMNIDISC. For those that like their techno dark and dirty.

The rise of PATRICE BÄUMEL since last's years now ironically titled "Surge" (KOMEX89) has been steady for good reason - positivity, passion and a lot of hard work. With his days as a resident of TROUW well behind him and now a key member of the KOMPAKT family, he has had what one would call a breakthrough year. There's that remix of CUBICOLOR that was nearly impossible to avoid. Then there's been a steady stream of remixes for SASHA & POLIÇA, MAX COOPER, DAMIAN LAZARUS and DEPECHE MODE. Oh yeah, he's also become a part of the AFTERLIFE crew and put out an EP called "Glutes". Welcome to "Sorcery" - a catch and release techno roller that ripens with a fundamental percussion lead.

So there it is - two luminous artists responsible for two of our most beloved singles of 2016 - now together on one 12".

As we embark on this musical journey, we begin with a series of singles by female-led groups that celebrate ancestral traditions through a feminist lens.

Orito Cantora and Jenn del Tambó (Orijenn), an extraordinary musical duo with more than two decades of artistic experience, have left a deep mark on the Colombian music scene as well as in various international festivals.

Orito Cantora is a talented luthier, singer-songwriter, producer, composer and feminist from Barranquilla. Jenn del Tambó, born in Barrancabermeja, is a producer, feminist, and master percussionist specializing in the rhythms and drums of the Colombian Caribbean.
She is the founder, leader and teacher of the First Network of Drummers of Colombia and Switzerland. Their music not only makes people vibrate, but also makes them think and strengthens the cause of gender equality. Their passion for music is powerfully intertwined with their social commitment, creating energetic and passionate sonorities.

The wait is over and the underground viennese label Leap Records serves a brand new international VA vinyl record and celebrates its 10th release. On board are Federsen, Anton Kubikov, Mantsche and co-chef Alexander Wirth.
Side A is opened by viennese dub techno producer Mantsche. He released a 4-track EP on Leap Records in 2021 and is known for his timeless and reggae-influenced records. Ras Tawny accompanies him vocally.
In addition, the internationally renowned artist Federsen, based in San Francisco, is featured on the A side. Federsen is a household name for everyone in the scene and
with his analogue equipment and wide music knowledge he brings the Maurizio flavor back to the present.
Side B represents Anton Kubikov. His music career started in 1994 and Anton Kubikov has many vinyl releases to date, for example on the labels Tracks, Trapez,
Salo and many others. At this time Anton Kubikov shares the beauty of dub techno chords, accompanied with a crisp and juicy bass drum.
The last track is a mix of the co-founder of the well-known Innsbruck club Tante Emma Alexander Wirth and Mantsche. In this case, the Alpine Innsbruck and Vienna
meet and the result is a mix of sunrise dub house with soulful vocals and the extra vibe of the Round one to five series, which has its origins in the 90s.

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Gorillaz started the year with Episode 1 - ‘Momentary Bliss ft. slowthai and Slaves’ - of Song Machine, a whole new concept from one of the most innovative bands around. Now, six episodes in, Noodle, 2D, Murdoc and Russel have visited Morocco and Paris, London and Lake Como, as well as travelling all the way to the moon, and Gorillaz is ready to bring you the full collection titled Song Machine: Season One - Strange Timez, out on 23rd October 2020.

Song Machine is the ongoing and ever-evolving process which has seen Gorillaz joined by an expanding roster of collaborators captured live in Kong Studios and beyond. The result is an expansive collection of tracks embracing a myriad of sounds, styles, genres and attitudes from a breath-taking line-up of guest artists including Beck, Elton John, Fatoumata Diawara, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Octavian, Peter Hook, Robert Smith, Roxani Arias, ScHoolboy Q, Slaves, Slowthai, St Vincent and 6LACK.
To date the project has seen over 100million streams on all tracks already and the band’s biggest period of sustained growth across both listenership and fanbase growth. All this before the album has even been announced!

Virtual band Gorillaz is singer 2D, bassist Murdoc Niccals, guitarist Noodle and drummer Russel Hobbs. Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, their acclaimed eponymous debut album was released in 2001. The BRIT and Grammy Award winning band’s subsequent albums are Demon Days (2005), Plastic Beach (2010), The Fall (2011), Humanz (2017) and The Now Now (2018). A truly global phenomenon, Gorillaz have achieved success in entirely ground-breaking ways, touring the world from San Diego to Syria, winning numerous awards including the coveted Jim Henson Creativity Honor.

The band are recognised by The Guinness Book Of World Records as the planet’s Most Successful Virtual Act.












j 10. Désolé (feat. Fatoumata Diawara) Extended Version

Randy Edelman’s score soundtrack to the 1989 film classic. The music had not been previously released (the CD release in August was the first time on any format). This is a 140g vinyl in a luxury spotglossed cover also featuring a booklet pressing on white and pink splatter vinyl. The album includes original tracks as well as 3 newly re recorded tracks and a track originally recorded for Ghostbusters II but not featured in the film. Marketing activity.

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Next up on Toolroom’s 4-track vinyl sampler series is a tasty collab from label founder, Mark Knight who teams up with rapidly rising talent Crusy for a staunch collaboration ‘Daddy Shhh’. A fiery club heavy cut, focusing on Toolroom’s founder’s speciality of Tribal Tech House, ‘Daddy Shhh’ is a record made for the dance floor specifically. Mixing high energy grooves, Latin percussion and rolling tech bass line that’ll keep you moving until the early hours.

Next up, we’re welcoming UK selector and producer Huxley who drops brand new single, ‘All I Need’. An artist not bound by conventional genres, Huxley’s sound shifts and melds into whatever fits the record, and that is certainly true when listening to ‘All I Need’. Coming through with a lush, Deep House synth vibe and an earworm vocal that melts into the mix before launching into Classic UK House style bass stabs means only one thing, a straight up belter.

Up next is another heater from Liverpudlian DJ and producer ESSEL who returns to the label with ‘Lennon’. An artist well versed in the art of hit-making; ESSEL has been a firm fixture of the Toolroom family over the past few years. A darker take on her typical vibe, ‘Lennon’ is a record that skirts the edge of her sound, tipping over into clubland and we have to say, it’s absolutely class. If there’s ever a glass ceiling above then ESSEL is sure to smash straight through it, she certainly is an exciting new prospect and without doubt one to watch.

Last but not least, we see the return of powerhouse DJ and production duo Leftwing : Kody who team up with fast-rising producer James Hurr on their debut outing ‘Music Is the Medication’. Reggae vocalist I Jah also features, bringing some Ragga styled heat to the record. ‘Music Is The Medication’ is a sublime record, mixing a tough, Tech House focused vibe with UKG styled breaks and a straight to the point Ragga vocal overlayed for maximum delivery means only one thing, a certified banger.

Marking one year following Phase Fatale’s (aka Hayden Payne’s) last EP on his label BITE, ‘Love Is Destructive’ is a clear shift into true techno territories, integrated with his distinct curation of narrative and sonic framework, imprinted with a musical diet of sleek, synthesised storytelling.The 4-Track EP reflects the turbulent ebb-and-flow found with emotional conclusion - a genesis soundtracked by raw energy and driving undercurrents. The Berlin-based DJ, Producer and Label-owner’s propensity for creating a symbiotic harmony by blending seemingly divisive elements from his genre defying repertoire, demonstrates his masterful understanding and control of the listener’s borderless, auditory journey. Exemplified by his marathon closing sets at Berghain, as well as techno arenas such as Khidi in Tbilisi (both of which he is a resident), Phase Fatale’s recent DJ performances and production endeavours reflect his fresh approach to pure techno sensibilities. The title track sets the tone with imperative grooves, energetic vigour and intrepid attitude. Following a progression of techno propulsion in ‘Magma Driver’, infused metallic textures and trippy, headier elements add depth, whilst the body of work’s cutting edge sound design echoes spacey vivacity and purification in equal measures. Dichotomy comes forward with tracks ‘Ambivalence’ and ‘Introjection’, processed vocal samples with dub techno leanings and hints towards broken rhythms are sculpted by Payne’s focused approach, resonating a feeling of hopeful resolution akin to resurgence. These romantic sensibilities offset by cold mechanical nuances are reflected in the EP’s artwork, depicting roses against the backdrop of engine-like machinery. ‘Love Is Destructive’ is dedicated to Juan, Simone and Luis. Featuring artwork by Silent Editions.