quête:bill thomas

Get ready for psych funk and a cover from far left field. PP12005 has all the makings of an instant classic.

Enter the dark opium den — a release reminiscent of those pioneers of funk, early Parliament and Funkadelic. These found tracks by Bruce Marshall and Bill Thomas were likely recorded around the time of “Osmium” and “Maggot Brain” — in fact, the artists featured here may have been directly influenced by the movement as it was happening, making these discoveries remarkable entries into the history of psych funk.

Where to begin with Bruce Marshall’s Gimme My Wife on the A side? Try to imagine a psychedelic football game, with driving wah wah funk as the halftime show. The frenetic instrumentation is guided by an infectious guitar hook, coupled with a loose chorus of voices and whistle blows. They all come together at the end to chant what sounds like “parrrr-tay,” a foreshadowing of that refrain the Beastie Boys would popularize.

For our EP-exclusive track on the A side, we present to you a haunting cover of the Ides of March song, Vehicle. Bruce Marshall’s version is much more sparse — a psychedelic dirge that’s almost unrecognizable compared to the original. Dark, simmering and sensual, it explodes into a soul-splitting vocal wail as the track reaches its end.

Things get a little more solemn on side B with an instant classic by Bill Thomas, Ease My Mind Pt. 1. A surprising dirge of fuzzy guitar leads into a chorus that sings, like a mantra, “I have seen much trouble...ease my mind.” Things morph into tight horns backed by some prominent organ — in fact, this is one of the tightest horn sections on any of our releases to date.

For the exclusive EP B-side, Bill Thomas and band pick up right where they left off with Ease My Mind Pt. 2 — an extended instrumental of “Ease My Mind Pt. 1.” It kicks off with a drum solo, then throws you into some horn-driven funk, with guitars holding down the background. Sax and organ take turns on the lead in this hot and delicious track that’s ready for your enjoyment.

Funk is alive and well on our fifth release — adding a new dimension to the amazing body of psych funk that’s already out there. Who knows what could have happened had these cuts reached ears during the 70s — but the time for the Marshall-Thomas ship to land is now. Put this on to get your next party going, and it’ll do most of the work for you.

Enter the dark opium den that is PP005 — a release reminiscent of those pioneers of funk, Parliament and Funkadelic. These found tracks by Bruce Marshall and Bill Thomas were likely recorded around the time of “Osmium” and “Maggot Brain” — in fact, the artists featured here may have been directly influenced by the movement as it was happening, making these discoveries remarkable entries into the history of psych funk.

Where to begin with Bruce Marshall’s Gimme My Wife on the A side? Try to imagine a psychedelic football game, with driving wah wah funk as the halftime show. The frenetic instrumentation is guided by an infectious guitar hook, coupled with a loose chorus of voices and whistle blows. They all come together at the end to chant what sounds like “parrrr-tay,” a foreshadowing of that refrain the Beastie Boys would popularize.

Things get a little more solemn on side B with an instant classic by Bill Thomas, Ease My Mind Pt. 1. A surprising dirge of fuzzy guitar leads into a chorus that sings, like a mantra, “I have seen much trouble...ease my mind.” Things morph into tight horns backed by some prominent organ — in fact, this is one of the tightest horn sections on any of our releases to date.

Funk is alive and well on our fifth release — adding a new dimension to the amazing body of psych funk that’s already out there. Who knows what could have happened had these cuts reached ears during the 70s — but the time for the Marshall-Thomas ship to land is now. Put this on to get your next party going, and it’ll do most of the work for you. Get this special, split 7” on limited-run vinyl while you can.

Auf Taking Turns, vor einem Jahrzehnt im New Yorker Avatar Studio aufgenommen, trifft der dänische
Gitarrist Jakob Bro auf eine generationenübergreifende Gruppe eigenständigster Improvisatoren. Lee Konitz,
Andrew Cyrille, Bill Frisell, Jason Moran und Thomas Morgan injizieren ihre besonderen Energien in eine
Session, die die Konventionen der „All-Star“-Band umgeht und den Schwerpunkt auf Teamwork legt. Bros
raumgreifende Musik provoziert innovative Erwiderungen der Musiker: ein atmosphärischer Impuls oder
Fragmente dezenter Melodien eröffnen neue Wege, die auf elegante Weise gemeinsam erkundet werden.
Im Kontext der Aufnahme meinte Jakob Bro: „In meinen Kompositionen geht es darum, ein Gefühl oder
einen Eindruck einzufangen, das zu skizzieren und es dann während der Aufnahme zu entfalten“.

Released in 2000 on Tommy Boy, the album fi nds Capone and Noreaga leaning into their chemistry: Capone's colder, clipped delivery grounding Nore's wild-eyed charisma and off-kilter bounce. The record features heavyweight production and appearances from names like DJ Premier, The Alchemist, Havoc, L.E.S., Nas, Mobb Deep, Foxy Brown, and Carl Thomas, surrounding CNN with some of New York rap's most recognizable voices and architects. Highlights like "Bang Bang," "Invincible," "Queens Finest," and "Phonetime" keep the album rooted in hard drums, prison- call tension, borough pride, and that unmistakable CNN slang. Commercially, it made a solid showing, reaching No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on Top R&B/ Hip- Hop Albums, with "Phonetime" hitting No. 22 on Hot Rap Songs. The Reunion stands as a hard-nosed second chapter for CNN: a tough, guest-heavy, post- millennium Queens record that captures Capone and Noreaga reconnecting without sanding off the grime. This deluxe edition features the remastered original album with 3 bonus tracks.

The songs of Jules de Corte are condensed, folky gems with an almost effortless charm. Poised between the intimate and the universal, between lightness and darkness, they touch on religion, love, loss, and the small dramas of everyday life. Yet they resist easy translation. Packed with wordplay, de Corte’s signature alliterations, humor, and local cultural references, the songs inevitably lose something in another language. Still, when a Belgian quartet of improvisers takes them on, joined by American songwriter Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, the songs are reborn rather than merely transposed: literal fidelity gives way to interpretation, and what is lost in words is often gained in spirit.

Even without tracing every change, their overall effect is fascinating. Songs are slowed down, often doubled in length, and filled with unexpected musical intrusions. They gain fuller arrangements and are placed in an entirely new context. Replacing de Corte’s piano with guitar can create a radically different vibe, as in “Mariska.” An added solo can heighten the contrast between childlike perspective and the almost matter- of-fact brutality of “Little Anita.” In “The Stranger,” another use of contrast unsettles the everyday harmony, transforming it with a subtle, disorienting twist.

Ultimately, these performances show that interpretation is not successful simply because it is literal. With the groundwork laid by Linus, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy further liberated the songs from their original versions. Lyrics and melodies become malleable, shaped by his recognizable cadences, timbre, and personal quirks. Like his collaborators, he allows himself the freedom to bend the material to his own approach. There is no radical break between this performance and his other records. Listeners familiar with the originals may be puzzled at first; for those new to de Corte, it is a wholly different experience.

Does it really matter that the original “Little Jesus, Mighty God” is a 100-second nugget combining playful naivete with biblical fervor? In the hands of these five explorers, the song becomes an intriguing contemplation, with subtle musical shades and a recitation in which every syllable carries a maturity that offers a new perspective. Then there is “The Outsider,” which feels as genuine as any original American folk song. The musicians’ process is more than reinterpretation—it is reimagination, bringing new musical compatibility and emotional depth. Whether that depth was there from the start, waiting to be uncovered, or created in the process is beside the point. What matters is that Linus and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy have made the essence of these songs their own, paying homage yet dancing to their own tune.

Linus is the Belgian duo of guitarist and banjo player Ruben Machtelinckx and reedist and synthesiser player Thomas Jillings. Across five previous albums — Onland (2014), Linus + Skarbø / Leroux (2015), Felt Like Old language at the crossroads of folk, jazz, minimalism, chamber music and free improvisation. Their music is adventurous, shaped by a particular sensitivity to texture, timbre and the subtle interaction between musicians.

What began as a duo gradually grew into a flexible musical world, bringing Linus together with musicians such as Nils Økland, Ingar Zach, Niels Van Heertum, Øyvind Skarbø and Frederik Leroux. Yet each new constellation has remained recognisably Linus: music in which carefully considered forms leave space for intuition, interaction and the unexpected.

For their sixth album, Linus takes a new step by moving into the world of song and text. Inspired by a shared love for the late Dutch songwriter Jules De Corte, the album is a reimagining of De Corte’s unique repertoire. More than simply interpreting De Corte’s songs, they absorb and reshape them, bringing them into dialogue with their own musical language. In keeping with this open approach, they are joined by celebrated vocalist Bonnie “Prince” Billy. With albums such as 1999’s I See a Darkness appearing on several greatest album lists, Bonnie “Prince” Billy is a cult figure in the alternative folk scene, and his highly intuitive way of singing seamlessly matches the subtle interplay Linus has developed over more than a decade.

The music producer from Girls of the Internet steps away from the band and messes around with synths & samplers - resulting in a smorgasbord of styles and influences from UR, Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works, Andrew Wetherall's Bloodsugar, string-laden Detroit Techno, Drexciya, Microhouse, Underworld, and some oddball house stylings.

In 1978 a newly formed Augusta, Georgia group Marshall, Donovan and Broomfield chose to record cover versions of two songs previously recorded in 1973 and 1974 respectively by Florida siblings group Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. These Eddie Cornelius penned songs “Let me Down Easy” and “Since I Found My Baby” would form both sides of Marshall, Donovan and Broomfield’s first 45 single, released on group founder John Marshall’s own Augusta label. The flipside “Since I Found My Baby” would eventually gain popularity across the pond with aficionados of the UK modern soul scene of the early 1980’s and beyond.

John Marshall began his musical career in a high school group called The Fabulous Gardenias who recorded the doowop ballad “It’s You, You, You” backed with the up-tempo R n B mover “What’s The Matter With Me” released on Tommy Brown’s local Liz label (named after his wife future Motown recording artist, Liz Lands) in 1961.The Fabulous Gardenias featured John Marshall, the late Atlanta alumni Calvin Arnold, “Little” Joe Jones Jr (later of the Tams) and a fourth guy only remembered as Harold. John Marshall later sang with another Atlanta group The Tams of “Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me” fame from 1970 through to 1978.

Later in 1978, John Marshall having relocated to Augusta, GA the previous year was casually emptying the contents of his mailbox outside his home when a car suddenly pulled up. The driver called out “Hey I recognize you, you’re John Marshall you used to be with the Tams!” The driver continued to introduce himself as John Donovan stating that he too was a singer, followed by an impromptu performance, and hey! sure enough he could sing! A later introduction to Charles Broomfield (John Marshall’s next-door neighbour at that time) would lead to the formation of the group Marshall, Donovan, Broomfield with the addition of Mary Marshall and Pat Donavan (the then, two John’s respective wives) as backing vocalists. The previously mentioned group’s first release the John Donovan led “Let Me Down Easy/Since I Found My Baby” was recorded at the now defunct Jam Studio’s in Atlanta. Upon release, the “Let Me Down Easy “side received considerable local radio play but only led to the group performing a handful of local shows. On the strength of the group’s first release a second 45 release followed in 1980 “Let’s Dance/That’s Love” both sides of this 45 were penned by Charlston, South Carolina native, Harold Thomas who John Marshall knew from his time with the Tams, Thomas having once been part of Bill Pinkney &the Original Drifters and later the Tams management teams. This second 45 never gained the same local attention of “Let Me Down Easy” and after three years together the Marshall’s, Donovan’s and Charles Broomfield went their separate ways. John Marshall lost contact altogether with his former group members and left the music business taking up employment at International Paper Mill until his retirement in 2013.

Due to the current resurgence in popularity of “Since I Found My Baby” with copies regularly selling for four figure sums, Soul Junction have reacquainted ourselves with John Marshall to you bring you “Since I Found My Baby” backed with “Let Me Down Easy” with the addition of the excellent and lesser, known stepper “That’ Love” making this an excellent value 45 release.

“The high priest of country cool” - Rolling Stone

“I like him very much. He’s very special. He’s singing with a voice I never heard before” - Townes Van Zandt

“A conscious, soulful brother” - Horace Andy

“He’s a brother to me - one of the best singer/songwriters I’ve ever met” - Adrian Sherwood

“Unearthed mine of gems from inner Wales - a songbook of ideas - that's Jeb!” - Gilles Peterson

Jeb Loy Nichols is a bonafide Country (Got) Soul legend. The Music Maker presents 21 incredibly deep, grooving and soulful songs from the cream of Jeb's catalogue; from its earliest days to his latest unreleased gems via countless rare and unbelievably good lost-classics. This 2LP set is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned artwork courtesy of Jeb himself.

In collecting these uncut, under-heard gems, we hope to do justice to Jeb's jaw-dropping artistic brilliance. A man who, in working with Adrian Sherwood, Dennis Bovell, Dan Penn, Larry Jon Wilson and countless other legendary characters, has crafted some of the most deeply affecting folk, country, soul, funk, blues, dub, reggae, gospel, rap and electronic music, ever heard.

The first music Jeb really felt a connection with was southern soul: "I used to listen to the radio at night and fell in love with Bobby Womack and Al Green, The Staple Singers and Joe Simon – that whole Nashville/Memphis/Muscle Shoals thing.” But Jeb was so much more than a soul boy, Indeed, he "went to bluegrass festivals with my dad and come home and listened to jazz records with my mother.” And, when he was fifteen, he heard his first punk record: "God Save The Queen" by The Sex Pistols. “That and The Ramones completely changed me.” In 1979 he got a scholarship to go to art school in New York: “A great time. Punk was over but hip-hop was starting and I got into that in an obsessive way.”

His first recording, in 1980, was an unreleased rap song called "I’m A Country Boy". If that isn't an insight enough into Jeb's kaleidoscopic path through music, in 1981 he visited friends in London and found himself living in a squat with Adrian Sherwood, Ari Up (from the Slits), and Neneh Cherry. “Adrian put me to work immediately, moving boxes of records all across London. It was Adrian that was and is my biggest influence – in his complete disregard for genre purity.” So, presumably you're getting the picture? A veritable musical magpie with a voracious appetite and unimpeachable taste.

"Mine has always been a meandering career. I've done what I've done, and made the music I've made, due to chance meetings. I'm not particularly ambitious; it's more important to me that I work with friends and like-minded people. I've been a big fan of Be With for years. Everything they release is essential. When they asked about rereleasing "Countrymusicdisco45" I was both pleased and flattered. We began talking about how we'd do it; two years and twenty-one tracks later, here we are. I've always thought of the music I make as Country Music. Music conceived in the country, written in the country, recorded in the country. I left London and moved back to the country so I could live among the trees, the grasses, the animals, those things that don't go to war and get greedy. This compilation is the story of that life. Hand made, lo-fi, ramshackle, stripped down, real deal music. Heartworn and funky. Music made in the kitchen, not in the studio. As the great Skip Mcdonald said, Perfect ain't perfect. It's great to see all these tracks gathered together. It feels like a family reunion. Some older members of the tribe, some newer arrivals."

Opener "countrymusicdisco45" is a song Jeb wrote about how his crew lives, tucked up blissfully in the hills: "House parties full of country folk dancing to disco, reggae, soul, country, hip-hop. All night. I recorded it at home under the influence of Stevie Wonder." It's one of the funkiest records you'll ever hear. "Sometimes Shooting Stars" was recorded in Nashville and mixed by the legendary Dennis Bovell. It's deep, dubby, majestic. A thing of fragile, melodic beauty. The party ramps back up again with the undeniable groove of "Short Cut Home" before the profoundly moving "Disappointment" arrives. One of many songs he's recorded with good buddy Benedic Lamdin (aka Nostalgia 77): "We were going for a Leon Thomas meets Richard Brautigan meets Alice Coltrane kind of thing". We think they nailed it. "Days Are Mighty", like a lot of the tracks on this collection, "started life as a demo, an attempt to get something down while it was fresh. No frills, nothing fancy, just feel." And what feels!

The irrepressibly funky "Don't Dance With Me Tonight" is a deeply moving, slow-mo organ-drenched head-nod-funky country-ballad. Next up, the breezy "You Got It Wrong" was recorded in Wales with some of Jeb's good friends and neighbours, The Westwood All Stars, featuring Clovis Phillips and Will Barnes. Skanking fiddle-flecked gem "Ring The Bells" was the first thing Jeb recorded when he moved to Wales. A combination of all his loves; country, reggae, soul. It's followed by "Let's Make It Up", a truly sumptuous string-drenched emotional groover. "When Did You Stop Loving Me" is another Nashville track, written and recorded during a time Jeb was spending a lot of time with the Muscle Shoals crew, Donnie Fritts, Spooner Oldham, George Soule and Dan Penn: "It shows, I'm sure, their influence." Oh, you bet it does!

The swaggering country-funk of "Just Beginning" should grace many groove-focused DJs' sets whilst "Wintering Of The Year", again made with Clovis, is pastoral, campfire soul. The glacial, gorgeous "Let It Rain" is from an unreleased record Jeb made with the great British jazz bass player Andy Hamill and "We Tell Each Other Who We Are" is freaky country-soul made by a man with a love for strutting, wonky hip-hop stylings. Rounding out the side, "Trip To You" is pure, uncut amphetamine-propelled drum-machine soul.

The spare, beautiful "Dirt" is from an EP Jeb made with Julian Moore in his house in South London: "All first takes, straight to tape." Swoon! "Heaven Right Here" was a very minor league hit in America: "It was produced by the brilliant and much missed Wayne Nunes. It was started in the countryside of Missouri, finished in the countryside of Wales, and recorded in the countryside of Sussex." Double swoon! "If Later Ever Comes" is electronica meets J.J. Cale business whilst "Remember The Season" is truly wonderful and breezy guitar soul. "A Little Love" was made with Wayne Nunes as well, after a night of listening to Studio One and Northern Soul. Bouncy dub closer "Weary Traveller" was written by Bill Monroe, the hero of Jeb's youth: "Monroe's music was heavily influenced by black southern churches; I've tried to keep some of that feral feel." This was the final recording by Jeb's 1990s Country-Dub band, Fellow Travellers.

The name of this compilation comes from a time when Jeb lived in Peckham, south London and he used to DJ and sometimes perform at a local bar: "The owner of the bar, a Jamaican named Count Percy, once asked me what I called my music. I told him I wasn't sure, I guess just pop music. He thought about it for a minute and then said, 'no, more like mom and pop music'. Rather than call me a country singer or a folk singer he always referred to me as The Music Maker."

With the long overdue deluxe overview of his beloved music, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Jeb Loy Nichols. RIYL Larry Jon Wilson, Townes Van Zandt, Bobby Charles, country got soul artists, dub, deep soul, disco, dancing, heartbreak. This deluxe collection, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to ensuring Jeb reaches an ever bigger, ever more appreciative crowd of followers. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The artwork has been lovingly put together by The Music Maker, himself, Jeb Loy Nichols. "Be With is the perfect home for this mongrel music. I am forever in their debt." The pleasure is all ours, Jeb.

2025 Repress

“In stark contrast to the stress-makingly staccato assault of your average 'ardcore rave, Telepathic Fish was a wombeldelic sound-and-light bath"

Simon Reynolds (Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music And Dance Culture)

The first-ever illustrated compendium recounting the seminal underground South London ambient party that surfaced at the axis through which the likes of Ninja Tune, Warp and Rising High flowed. Telepathic Fish shared fertile waters with Megatripolis and The Big Chill, moving the early 90s London back room chill-out space into the kaleidoscopic spotlight.

Documenting the sights and sounds of South London’s seminal Telepathic Fish ambient parties. Hosted by Chantal Passamonte (aka Mira Calix - RIP), David Vallade, Mario Aguera and Kevin Foakes (aka DJ Food) - collectively named Openmind. With the help of Mixmaster Morris (The Irresistible Force) and Matt Black (Coldcut), they put on some of the earliest chill out events in London.

Rooted deep in the heart of the electronic underground they started DJing and decorating house parties or squats with mind-blowing installations and wholly idiosyncratic design, hosting the likes of Aphex Twin, Andrea Parker and Tony Morley (The Leaf Label). Within a year they were playing VIP after shows for the likes of Orbital and illegal New Year’s gatherings at the disused Roundhouse whilst guesting on Coldcut’s Solid Steel radio show on London’s KISS FM.

Whilst collaborations with legendary club nights such as Megatripolis saw them share bills with Autechre, Higher Intelligence Agency, Scanner and Global Communication, they also created their own ambient fanzine - Mindfood – to document the scene evolving around them. A 20-page history of their parties is included in the release, richly illustrated with personal photos, artwork and memorabilia from their adventures between 1992-95. The gatefold sleeve also features their Telepathic Fish logo, mirroring an original T-shirt design they sold in Ambient Soho, a record shop three of the four worked in at different times.

The selections featured here are all personal favourites that were played at the Telepathic Fish parties during the 90s. Picked and arranged by Mario, David and Kevin who combed their collections for key pieces they associate with the time and Chantal’s music tastes. Over a hundred tracks were selected, totalling nearly 11 hours of playing time, before being whittled down to the essentials by the trio, forming a snapshot of their world back in the day.

KEY POINTS:

* Features long deleted and hard to find tracks by Caustic Window (Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin), Tranquility Bass, Spacetime Continuum and Global Communication (Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton).

• Pressed on DJ friendly double black vinyl

• Includes A 20-page history of their parties is included in the release, richly illustrated with unseen personal photos, artwork and memorabilia from the Telepathic Fish crew’s adventures between 1992-95, as well as detailed liner notes courtesy of founding members Mario Ageura and Kevin Foakes.

• Cover includes horizontal obi sticker with quote from Simon Reynolds' book Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music And Dance Culture, describing the Telepathic Fish parties' place in the dance music landscape.

• Lacquer cut by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven Mastering

Ulrich Troyer has been producing music now solidly for over twenty years within a largely genre free framework, but whilst navigating forms such as avant-garde, techno, leftfield, field recording, electronica, glitch and ambient it is the aesthetics of dub that guide his creative direction. Not really recognisable in an orthodox form as remixed versions of roots reggae songs but in the way sonics are manipulated with space, the application and layering of delay, reverb and echo that fixes his output well within the scope of what might be called futurist dub.

The nearest comparisons to his new album TRANSIT TRIBE can only be established by a synthesis of some of the more adventurous explorations in modern music such as African Head Charge, Jon Hassell, Pole (Stefan Betke), Bill Laswell or even Miles Davis; featuring a diverse selection of artists and friends not only from Vienna and environs but also from around the world, sounds are not so much fused but allowed to float along the continuous flowing tide of warm waves of bass.

Rather than to allow the names of Ulrich Troyer's collaborators be merely listed in the album credits, what they bring to this joyful affair needs to be outlined, albeit briefly: Co-producer credits go to Osman Murat Ertel from Istanbul, who employed a variation on the old foolproof Nick Lowe method for checking out the impact quality of his own sound productions by playing tracks through his car sound system speakers!

Murat is a member of the electro-psych-folk group Baba Zula where he plays electric saz, oscillators and theremin and played a key part in the creative development of the album. Mamadou Diabate, the balafon master originally from Burkina Faso and now resident in Vienna, has developed his own unique technique of playing solos that replicate the sound of three instruments playing in unison; however the multi-talented Mamadou is engaged here on singing and playing the talking drum. From South Tyrol Reinhilde Gamper is a member of the experimental trio Greifer who are bringing the sound of the zither into the twenty-first century using new playing techniques and electronic gadgets. Susanna Gartmayer is an Austrian composer and bass clarinetist specialising in improv and multimedia sound research. Diggory Kenrick has been engaged with creating new dub fusions and also re-energising classic rocksteady and roots reggae classics, renowned for his interventions on flute. Didi Kern is an electronic dance musician and drummer from Vienna with a focus on free improvised music. Hamidou Koita, a singer and multi-instrumentalist, is from a traditional Griot family in Burkina Faso but now resident in Vienna and a regular musical partner of Mamadou Diabate playing drums and calabash. Austrian Lukas Lauermann is both a studio and live musician playing cello, also working on electronic sound design and writing string arrangements. He has recorded extensively and appeared on stage with both Mark Lanegan and Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Martin Mallaun is a Tyrol-born specialist in both the development of the zither in modern music and also as a researcher in the effects of climate change on the vegetation of Alpine ecosystems. Mystica Tribe is the musical alias of Tokyo-based dub/techno producer Taka (Takafumi) Noda. He collaborated with Vienna's own Vegetable Orchestra on 2020's "Transplants (Mystica Tribe Version)". After studying classical percussion Flip Philipp is now a jazz vibraphone player and member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Wolfgang Pfistermüller is a member of the Vienna Trombone Quartet and the developer of the incredible bass-trombone Aurora with its uniquely warm and resonant sound. Roger Robinson is a renowned British poet, winner of many contemporary poetry prizes and member of the experimental music group King Midas Sound. Kwame Yeboah is a Ghanaian born UK based keyboard wizard who tours regularly with Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Ms. Dynamite and Pat Thomas.

So contained on the album is an astonishing mix of musicians and instruments: sounds of cowbells recorded in the South Tyrolean alps processed by modular synthesizers and heavy analogue bass synths combined with instruments such as zither, bass-zither, electro saz, flute, talking drum, trombone, cello, vibraphone, marimba, djembe, contra-alto clarinet, melodica, Farfisa - all bound together by organic live-drums and dub effects.

Liner notes by Steve Barker

Ulrich Troyer has been producing music now solidly for over twenty years within a largely genre free framework, but whilst navigating forms such as avant-garde, techno, leftfield, field recording, electronica, glitch and ambient it is the aesthetics of dub that guide his creative direction. Not really recognisable in an orthodox form as remixed versions of roots reggae songs but in the way sonics are manipulated with space, the application and layering of delay, reverb and echo that fixes his output well within the scope of what might be called futurist dub.

The nearest comparisons to his new album TRANSIT TRIBE can only be established by a synthesis of some of the more adventurous explorations in modern music such as African Head Charge, Jon Hassell, Pole (Stefan Betke), Bill Laswell or even Miles Davis; featuring a diverse selection of artists and friends not only from Vienna and environs but also from around the world, sounds are not so much fused but allowed to float along the continuous flowing tide of warm waves of bass.

Rather than to allow the names of Ulrich Troyer's collaborators be merely listed in the album credits, what they bring to this joyful affair needs to be outlined, albeit briefly: Co-producer credits go to Osman Murat Ertel from Istanbul, who employed a variation on the old foolproof Nick Lowe method for checking out the impact quality of his own sound productions by playing tracks through his car sound system speakers!

Murat is a member of the electro-psych-folk group Baba Zula where he plays electric saz, oscillators and theremin and played a key part in the creative development of the album. Mamadou Diabate, the balafon master originally from Burkina Faso and now resident in Vienna, has developed his own unique technique of playing solos that replicate the sound of three instruments playing in unison; however the multi-talented Mamadou is engaged here on singing and playing the talking drum. From South Tyrol Reinhilde Gamper is a member of the experimental trio Greifer who are bringing the sound of the zither into the twenty-first century using new playing techniques and electronic gadgets. Susanna Gartmayer is an Austrian composer and bass clarinetist specialising in improv and multimedia sound research. Diggory Kenrick has been engaged with creating new dub fusions and also re-energising classic rocksteady and roots reggae classics, renowned for his interventions on flute. Didi Kern is an electronic dance musician and drummer from Vienna with a focus on free improvised music. Hamidou Koita, a singer and multi-instrumentalist, is from a traditional Griot family in Burkina Faso but now resident in Vienna and a regular musical partner of Mamadou Diabate playing drums and calabash. Austrian Lukas Lauermann is both a studio and live musician playing cello, also working on electronic sound design and writing string arrangements. He has recorded extensively and appeared on stage with both Mark Lanegan and Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Martin Mallaun is a Tyrol-born specialist in both the development of the zither in modern music and also as a researcher in the effects of climate change on the vegetation of Alpine ecosystems. After studying classical percussion Flip Philipp is now a jazz vibraphone player and member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Wolfgang Pfistermüller is a member of the Vienna Trombone Quartet and the developer of the incredible bass-trombone Aurora with its uniquely warm and resonant sound. Roger Robinson is a renowned British poet, winner of many contemporary poetry prizes and member of the experimental music group King Midas Sound. Kwame Yeboah is a Ghanaian born UK based keyboard wizard who tours regularly with Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Ms. Dynamite and Pat Thomas.

So contained on the album is an astonishing mix of musicians and instruments: sounds of cowbells recorded in the South Tyrolean alps processed by modular synthesizers and heavy analogue bass synths combined with instruments such as zither, bass-zither, electro saz, flute, talking drum, trombone, cello, marimba, djembe, contra-alto clarinet, Farfisa - all bound together by organic live-drums and dub effects.

There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.

Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves as ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.

Together they re-produced and re-purposed classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music.

For the third volume classic cuts such as Inaya Day & Robin S. - Right Now (A Director’s Cut Master) and Marko Militano - Good People (Director’s Cut Signature Mix) are nestled alongside equally absorbing Directors Cut mixes of Vintage Lounge Orchestra covering 'Dreams' and Art Department pres. Martina Topley Bird feat. Mark Lanegan & Warpaint covering 'Crystalised'.

The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.



DJ Feedback:

Dixon - 5/5 - "Classic"

The Black Madonna - 5/5 - "Love you Frankie!!!"

Laurent Garnier - 5/5 - "“niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice OHHHH SOOOOO NIIIIIIIIIIIIICE !!!!!”

Honey Dijon - 5/5 - "Iconic!!!!!!"

Axel Boman - 5/5 - "It's all about love - not about emotions!!!!

Adam Beyer - 5/5 - "<3"

Space Dimension Controller - 5/5 - "Always"

Tensnake - 5/5 - "Classic Love It"

Jonny Rock - 5/5 - "Hot!!!"

Prins Thomas - 4/5 - "very nice! fresh take on an all-time classic"

Len Faki - 5/5 - "It's been a while listening to this masterpiece - and yes - it's timeless and I love the new touch on the new version. thanks Frankie!"

robdabank (Radio 1) - 5/5 - “One of my all time faves and great mixes here!”

Severino Panzetta (Horse Meat Disco) - 5/5 - "OH YASS!!"

Matthias Tanzmann - 5/5 - "Can't believe it has been five years already. Legendary

Michael Serafini - 4/5 - "Excellant Retouch on this!!!"

Ease-Nightmares On Wax - 4/5 - "Timeless classic for a true legend RIP x"

Timo Maas - 5/5 - "well...classic!"

Tiefschwarz - 5/5 "bless Frankie Knuckles!!"

Red Rack'em - 4/5 - "Love this new version. Really tasteful. Well done!"

Shot At Dawn is a scintillating return for a band who have been collectively quiet (but individually busy) for a few years, and (once again) sounds like the music of tomorrow. Lyricist Leon Mayes wills the real revolution to come, Morris's uneasy keys and driving, bittersweet production embodies the UK's collective anxiety/apathy coupled with an impending sense of doom, as we all obediently troop off the cliff like lemmings, while vocalist Michelle Manetti's melancholy delivery is the perfect foil both, recalling Tracey Thorn at her best.

It's a genuine wake-up call for the dance floor that's dropping well with club DJs but clearly has the potential to shine fully on radio. A2 track Warm Your Love is an equally forward-facing slice of sci-fi dance music sonically and already turbo-charging the dance floor with its futuristic feel.

The remixes come from Edinburgh/London duo Leonidas & Hobbes and are the first productions they've released since 2017's summer anthem and Release Of The Year, Web Of Intrigue (from their Rags of Time EP), as voted by some 400+ DJs on Bill Brewster's DJ History podcast back in January. Their Electro mixes doff a cap to Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo) and Daft Punk/Thomas Bangalter, with some Compass Point era Grace Jones/Sly & Robbie thrown in for good measure on the electro dub, while the Deep House variations are more Pepe Braddock's Deep Burnt meets Frankie Knuckles/Jamie Principle's Your Love and Orbital...

With Frank Sinatra under pressure on the singles chart, conceptional albums became his 'weapon of choice' for continuing success. Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, conducted and arranged by Nelson Riddle, came out in March 1957 and was soon at #2 in the Billboard chart where it remained for a year. In the year 2000 the album received inauguration into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Includes the bonus tracks "Love Is Here To Stay", "When You're Smiling", and "Chicago". "Arguably the vocalist's greatest swing set. Sinatra is supremely confident throughout the album, singing with authority and joy. That joy is replicated in Riddle's arrangements, which manage to rethink these standards in fresh yet reverent ways. Songs for Swingin' Lovers! never loses momentum. The great songs keep coming and the performances are all stellar, resulting in one of Sinatra's true classics." - ***** Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic (2002)

(*Previously unreleased)

Telling a tale of house music’s early days or roots without mentioning Tony Humphries as a club DJ, remixer and radio disc jockey would make it an incomplete, forged and most of all a bit of a yawn.
Born in Brooklyn in 1957, Humphries’ musical journey is synonymous with New York City’s dance music history and the evolution from uptempo soul music to house: from being a dancer at David Mancuso’s infamous Loft parties to becoming a mobile DJ and getting the call from Shep Pettibone to become his right hand at
the then new Kiss FM radio station, followed by countless remix offers and a legendary residency at Newark’s Club Zanzibar. Next to that one, is was especially his work as a radio disc jockey for said station during most of the 1980s until 1994 that gave him majestic clout. Breaking new records week in, week out,
putting New Jersey acts like Adeva and Jomanda or countless up-and-coming producers from there on the musical map, while simultaneously playing the hottest imports from Europe, trax from Chicago, dance classics and all things straight from New York’s music factory that never seemed to stop.
Going to his vast and almost complete archive of radio shows from way back when he graced those airwaves, we at Running Back Records have pickedNew Release Information original recordings that symbolize his importance as an industry giant and ambassador of this style of music.
„But one thing I would like to point out is that, as a DJ, the music I play is not my music. I want to make it perfectly clear that it is music that is released, and it’s everyone’s music. I do not take any other credit than being the middle person exposing this music.“
(Tony Humphries in: What Kind of House Party Is This?, Jonathan Fleming, 1996)

2026 repress of classic fourth album by U.K. Psychobilly legends DEMENTED ARE GO! Originally released in 1991 on FURY RECORDS / U.K.! Mark 'Sparky' Phillips - vocals * Antanoid 'Horseman' Thomas - drums * Lex 'Luther Boy Wonder' - Guitar * Billy 'Space Cadet' Munster - Slap bass Initially released by the legendary rockabilly / psychobilly label Fury Records in 1991, DEMENTED ARE GO's "Orgasmic Nightmare" is brought back to life again for all you cellar beasts and demon angels! Twelve tracks of 100% psychobilly mayhem for all you stompers and wreckers out there! Classic (black vinyl here)!

2026 repress of classic fourth album by U.K. Psychobilly legends DEMENTED ARE GO! Originally released in 1991 on FURY RECORDS / U.K.! Mark 'Sparky' Phillips - vocals * Antanoid 'Horseman' Thomas - drums * Lex 'Luther Boy Wonder' - Guitar * Billy 'Space Cadet' Munster - Slap bass Initially released by the legendary rockabilly / psychobilly label Fury Records in 1991, DEMENTED ARE GO's "Orgasmic Nightmare" is brought back to life again for all you cellar beasts and demon angels! Twelve tracks of 100% psychobilly mayhem for all you stompers and wreckers out there! Classic (black vinyl here)!

Francis Ford Coppola’s coming-of-age drama The Outsiders (1983) adapted S.E. Hinton’s successful 1967 novel of the same name, using a young cast of rising stars (C. Thomas Howell, Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio and Diane Lane) many of whom came to be known as the Brat Pack, defining a genre of 80’s films. The plot focuses on the rivalry between two gangs of teenagers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one poor (Greasers), the other wealthier (Socs).

Coppola’s ambition was to achieve the widescreen scope ‘of a teen Gone with the Wind’, and he asked his father, Carmine Coppola, to score the soundtrack. The result is epic and romantic, a return to a golden age of Hollywood film composing which suits the stylised and epic cinematography, becoming darker as the characters fulfil their tragic destinies. Stevie Wonder co-wrote and performed the song that plays over the credits, ‘Stay Gold’, which is included on this release.

The inner sleeves feature extensive notes by Daniel Schweiger on the history of the film, the soundtrack and an insight into the Coppola father and son partnership.

NOW That’s What I Call 70s Soul brings together 50 era-defining tracks from one of the most powerful decades in soul music, featuring classics from Motown legends, Philly Soul pioneers, smooth balladeers and funk innovators – all pressed across 3LPs on beautiful blue vinyl… Out April 24th!

LP1 opens with one of the decade’s most recognisable love songs: Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’, a US #1 and UK Top 10 hit that became his signature recording. It’s followed by Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’, the socially conscious masterpiece and title track from his landmark 1971 album, and Diana Ross’ Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, which topped the US chart and became her first solo #1. Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’ remains one of Motown’s most joyful recordings and comes before Commodores’ ‘Easy’ introducing Lionel Richie’s smooth ballad vocals. The side also includes Bill Withers’ timeless ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, a Grammy-winning classic, and The Stylistics’ lush ballad ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’, a UK Top 3 smash, before closing with Rose Royce’s beautiful ‘Wishing On A Star’, one of the most loved soul ballads of the era.

Flip the LP over and The Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’ – the group’s explosive debut single opens the side. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ ‘The Tears Of A Clown’ became a UK #1 and is followed by The Supremes’ Nathan Jones’ showcasing the group’s evolving psychedelic-soul sound. Northern Soul classics from Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons with ‘The Night’, Chairmen Of The Board’s Top 3 smash ‘Give Me Just A Little More Time’ and The Trammps’ ‘Hold Back The Night’. The O’Jays’ joyous ‘Love Train’ leads to The Blackbyrds’ Walking In Rhythm’, before the side closes with the romantic classic ‘Always And Forever’ from Heatwave.

LP2 opens with The Temptations’ epic ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’, a Grammy-winning US #1 remains one of the most stunning recordings from the Motown catalogue, is followed by Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme From “Shaft”’, an Academy Award-winner and a US #1 smash. More funk follows from Ike & Tina Turner, James Brown with one of his key tracks ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine’, Edwin Starr’s powerful anti-Vietnam protest song ‘War’, and Sly & The Family Stone’s hugely influential ‘Family Affair’. The Delfonics’ sublime ‘Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)’ comes ahead of Billy Paul’s timeless ‘Me And Mrs. Jones’ which closes the side…the other side begins with the 1977 #1 from The Floaters with ‘Float On’, before the breathtaking vocals of Minnie Riperton on ‘Lovin’ You’. The Isley Brothers’ Summer Breeze’ and William DeVaughn’s ‘Be Thankful For What You Got’ have become enduring classics and are followed by a run of ‘80s pop-chart crossover hits completing LP2 from Detroit Emeralds, The Moments Raydio and The Tymes’ #1 ‘Ms. Grace’.

LP3 opens with the unmistakable voice of Barry White and his US #1 hit ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe’, before Aretha Franklin’s ‘Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’, delivers one of her smoothest performances. Al Green’s ‘Tired Of Being Alone’ and Gladys Knight & The Pips’ ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’ are followed by minimalist soul classic ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ from Timmy Thomas, and the side closes with a trio of defining ballads:- George Benson’s ‘The Greatest Love Of All’ Diana Ross’ ‘Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)’ and The Jackson 5’s ‘I’ll Be There’, their biggest hit…while over on the final side…Freda Payne’s #1 ‘Band Of Gold’, opens alongside Ann Peebles’ influential and much covered ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’.Marvin Gaye’s sensual ‘Let’s Get It On’ became another US #1, while Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass deliver the contemporary standard ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’. Three massive UK #1s are next…The Stylistics with ‘Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)’, The Three Degrees’ peerless ‘When Will I See You Again’ and Deniece Williams’ ‘Free’. This amazing collection closes with two timeless ballads: Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘After The Love Has Gone’, a Grammy-winning classic, along with ‘Three Times A Lady’, a huge worldwide #1 for the Commodores.


NOW That’s What I Call 70s Soul, 50 defining tracks from one of music’s greatest decades. Out April 24th.

Glasgow, Scotland duo Thomas + James deliver their silky-smooth dub laced sounds for Federsen’s Alt Dub with the four-track ‘Realtime’ EP.

Thomas + James are a Glasgow-based DJ and production duo whose sound reflects a deep immersion in electronic music. Raised in the city’s west end and shaped by early exposure to techno pioneers like Luke Slater, Slam and Jeff Mills alongside the atmospheric legacy of ’90s drum & bass, their productions lean into a dub infused, forward-looking aesthetic.

Drawing equally from house traditions via influences such as St Germainand Laurent Garnier, the pair blur the lines between dub techno, deep house, acid and minimal.

Their new EP onFedersen’s Alt Dub captures that hybrid vision with a maturity that belies their years, being born in 2006,marking them out as a quietly compelling new voice from Glasgow’s next generation.

Leading the release is the original title-track ‘Realtime’, setting the tone with a sturdy yet pared-back rhythm section, oscillating synth flutters, bouncy sub-bass and hazy textures that subtly shift across the arrangement.

Label boss Federsen steps in next with his interpretation, reducing the track to its deepest foundations and recasting it as a delicately drifting soundscape of evolving spatial echoes, weighty low-end pressure and restrained, muted drums.

On the flip, Thomas + James return with ‘Armonia’, an ethereal, dub-leaning deep house cut propelled by billowing pads, delayed vocal chants, fluid dub chords and a heavily swung, minimalist groove.

The EP closes with ‘X-Intense’, further highlighting the duo’s groove-driven signature sound as reverberant, airy stabs weave through breathy vocals and shuffled percussion to bring the release to a hypnotic conclusion.

Der Grammy-nominierte Altsaxofonist Immanuel Wilkins veröffentlicht sein erstes Live-Album, aufgenommen in der legendären New Yorker Jazz-Institution Village Vanguard. Wilkins‘ Quartett, bestehend aus
Micah Thomas am Klavier, Ryoma Takenaga am Bass und Kweku Sumbry am Schlagzeug, entfaltet in dem
von Jazz-Geschichte durchdrungenen Raum seine volle musikalische Kraft und reiht sich ein die Liste der
Jazzgrößen, die dort wegweisende Live-Aufnahmen gemacht haben, darunter John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins,
Joe Henderson, Bill Evans und viele andere.
Vol. 1 erscheint als LP + CD, Vol. 2 (17.04.) und Vol. 3 (15.05.) erscheinen ausschließlich digital.

Recorded spontaneously in a single afternoon, the album captures an unguarded musical conversation between two of the most compelling voices of their generation. Born in Brixton and now based in Harlem, Ruben Fox has emerged as a major presence on the international jazz scene, renowned for the depth of his sound, the emotional clarity of his ballad playing, and a voice rooted in tradition while speaking firmly in the present. His work follows collaborations with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Barry Harris, Roy Hargrove, Jon Batiste, and George Coleman, and builds on the critical acclaim of his 2021 debut Introducing Ruben Fox.

Micah Thomas is one of the most celebrated pianists of his generation, praised for a style that is both restlessly inventive and deeply grounded in the history of the music. A Jerome L. Greene Fellow and Juilliard alumnus, Thomas has worked extensively with Immanuel Wilkins, Joshua Redman, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Billy Drummond, and has been recognised by DownBeat, Jazz Magazine, and The New York City Jazz Record as a defining contemporary voice. Fox and Thomas first developed their musical relationship while studying at Juilliard, where they regularly played duo sets. In Two Minds was recorded on a whim at Chris Pattishall's apartment in Washington Heights, with no rehearsal, no edits, and no agenda beyond mutual respect, listening, and shared musical values. Over three hours, the pair simply showed up and played.

The result is an intimate, conversational record that foregrounds generosity, empathy, and deep musical listening. Sparse, direct, and emotionally rich, In Two Minds offers a rare document of two artists meeting in real time, balancing history, intellect, warmth, and spontaneity.

Federsen’s Alt/Dub imprint returns with its second instalment of its Artist Series featuring Forward Memory, Thomas + James, Gradient and Beppu.

Federsen, known for his deep Dub Techno sound, launched his label Alt Dub in 2024. The imprint focuses on warm and spacious dub aesthetics, carrying the torch for Dub Techno’s origins. Since its debut release in early 2024, Alt Dub has expanded with collaborations and artist series featuring names like cv313 and Fletcher, establishing itself as a forward- thinking force in modern Dub Techno.

Forward Memory’s ‘Scholz’s Star’ leads the release, laying down organic percussion and twitchy, oscillating synth grooves alongside, subtly evolving textural components and evolving bottom end swells.

Glaswegian duo Thomas + James follow next with ‘Chosen Colour’, a deep immersive journey fuelled by billowing ethereal pads, bumpy bass stabs and a raw, reduced rhythm section.

Respected Dub Techno artist Gradient follows next on the flip side with ‘Vibes Realm’, delivering his signature floaty style via shimmering dub stabs, crisp drums and a swaying bottom end drive.

Beppu’s ‘Conversions’ then concludes the EP, shifting gears once again as spiralling dub echoes, hissy atmospherics and wide bass intertwines with delayed, broken rhythms.

Noctourniquet And then everything went black, at least for a while, at least for The Mars Volta. In the months and years following their fifth full-length, Octahedron, Omar kept on at his usual fearsome creative pace. In fact, he ramped up his output considerably, starting up his own Rodriguez Lopez Productions label and releasing a slew of solo albums. It was a practice he’d begun shortly after De-Loused’s release, with his solo debut A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One, but as the decade reached its close, Omar grew to rely upon his solo recordings as an outlet for his prolific creativity, these albums often exploring musical pastures far beyond even The Mars Volta’s wide-ranging parameters. Before choosing to release music under his own name, Omar would always play it to Cedric first, to see if the frontman thought it had potential to become Mars Volta music. Shortly after Octahedron’s completion, Cedric flagged one batch of tracks Omar had cut with Deantoni Parks, a brilliant drummer and composer who’d briefly occupied the Mars Volta drumstool in-between Jon Theodore and Thomas Pridgen’s tenures, and whose volcanic creativity and unique, unpredictable approach to rhythm and composition had quickly made him one of Omar’s favourite artistic foils.

As with the music that made up Octahedron, the new tracks Cedric had optioned for The Mars Volta often veered far from the riotous, Grand Guignol visions of their earlier releases. It possessed the punchy, song-based focus of Octahedron, though this was a considerably darker, more menacing strain of pop, with synthesisers figuring heavily in the productions. Cedric took the tracks in 2009 and set about writing songs to the music. But no more new Mars Volta music would be heard until 2012. The years that passed in-between were nonetheless momentous, and busy, witnessing an unexpected reunion of the members of At The Drive-In, and Cedric joining his own side-project, Anywhere. But there wasn’t any sign of life within the Mars Volta until Omar, Cedric and their bandmates took to the road for a series of live shows in the spring of 2011, billed as The Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, debuting the songs that would become Noctourniquet. The album followed the next year, and it remains one of The Mars Volta’s finest, its electronic textures staking out unfamiliar but fertile new ground.

An unsettling, subtly turbulent listen, Noctourniquet found Cedric sketching out a story about “some sort of device that stops the darkness from bleeding”, drawing influence variously from the nursery rhyme Solomon Grundy, the Greek myth of Hyacinthus and the song Birth, School, Work, Death by British underground rockers The Godfathers. It was an album of dystopian futurism, signalled by the paranoid cyber-rock of opener The Whip Hand and its unnerving chorus, “That’s when I disconnect from you”. But it was also an album of inspired, unexpected moves and uncanny invention, like how Dyslexicon seemed to eerily evoke Blondie’s Rapture, before rushing headlong into its bruising chorus, tempos shifting restlessly throughout like quaking earth beneath the listener’s feet, or how Aegis put a brave new spin on The Mars Volta’s trademark rewiring of salsa’s overdriven passions, or how Cedric had never sounded as scary as he did on The Malkin Jewel’s mutant burlesque shuffle. Tracks like Molochwalker were sleek and concise in a way The Mars Volta had never really attempted before – which was all part of Omar’s plan.

“It had all been guitar, guitar, guitar, overdubs, everything fighting for space in the same frequency,” he explains. “So for Noctourniquet, it was all about subtracting elements, of sticking to how I made demos.” Deantoni’s presence helped revivify the group, playing against cliché and expectation, and taking each song in unexpected directions. “I’d beatbox a rhythm for him to play, to go with my guitar part, and he’d come back with three or four alternate options. It was so great.” Similarly, Cedric had never sung better than on Noctourniquet, staking out a fearsome spectrum from the chilling Tom Waitsian growl of The Malkin Jewel to the keening, beautiful vocalisation on Vedamalady, rising to match some of Omar’s most deft, most immediately effective and melodic songs yet. Indeed, Noctourniquet is the sound of a band discovering new ways to do familiar things, renewing their commitment to their mission, finding fresh inspiration a decade in, and shaking off any complacency that might have come with ten years of acclaim and success.

Der Produzent von Girls Of The Internet experimentiert mit Synthesizern und Samplern – das Ergebnis ist ein bunter Mix aus Stilen und Einflüssen von UR, Aphex Twins ""Selected Ambient Works"", Andrew Wetheralls ""Bloodsugar"", streicherlastigem Detroit Techno, Drexciya, Microhouse, Underworld und ungewöhnlichen House-Sounds.

Laaps starts into 2024 with the release of the first collaborative recordings by Benoît Pioulard and Offthesky, two long-time explorers of the experimental ambient genre.

Benoît Pioulard is the primary audiovisual project of Michigan-born, Brooklyn-based Thomas Meluch. With six LPs on the renowned kranky imprint, as well as a catalog of works for Universal (UK), Morr Music (DE) and others, he has constructed a unique aesthetic steeped in the textures of analog decay and pop song structure using chiefly guitar, piano and tape processing. He has also built an extensive archive of Polaroid photographs (many of which grace his album covers), the first official collection of which is the hardcover book "Sylva", released in 2019. His most recent album "Eidetic" (Morr Music, 2023) was his first vocal-heavy work in several years.

Jason Corder aka Offthesky is an experimental-ambient multimedia artist based in Denver, CO. He has been producing music, video art, audio software, and the occasional interactive sound sculpture, for over 20 years. He teaches private courses on generative music and occasionally lectures on various sound design topics at Denver University. He currently is the Audio Director at the Denver based videogame studio Dire Wolf. Over the years, he has worked with labels such as Home Normal, 12k's term, Facture, and more. Over the years he has performed at Mutek, Decibel, Communikey and other festivals, sharing the bill with likeminded artists Pole, Matmos, William Basinski, and more.

Berlin’s ZentaSkai returns to his Mask Records with the ‘Billie’ EP, collaborating with Palawan, Jeremy Reinhard, and Thomas Grün for release on vinyl only, 2nd November 2025. He kicks off with the solo cut 'A1', which is quick, sophisticated, raw House with a funky clip to the beats that diffuses heat in the grainy sustained pads. It brings serene emotional release through stylish hypnosis and gorgeous vocals that blend seamlessly into the mix. Next, ZentaSkai collaborates with the mysterious Palawan, as he did on one track of his 2023 album The Architecture Of The Mind, on 'A2.' This one suspends you in backlit synth glows while rounded drums and funky claps tap out the supple rhythm. Cautious hope comes from the quiet chord stabs and soft focus melodies in what is a masterclass in deep Techno minimalism. 'B1' reunites ZentaSkai with Cologne's Jeremy Reinhard following previous cuts on that same 2023 album. Reinhard has long been a pillar of his local Berlin scene as a resident DJ, but also the wider underground with his own label Lekker Record. Their track taps into dub depths but ups the pace and allows radiant synths to piece the surface next to muttered spoken word that keep it intimate and perfectly seductive for body and mind. Last of all is a collab with Austrian Thomas Grün, who has been shaping deep and Tech House with his immaculate grooves for decades. Their 'B2' brings US garage snares to buoyant drums and douses them in layers of fuzzy synth warmth. It's meditative yet direct with an ever-rising sense of hope that makes it all the more indelible. ZentaSkai (aka No Mad Ronin, Matt Nowak, and MASK) is a German DJ and producer active since 1997. Based out of his studio in Berlin, ZentaSkai runs the Zaijenroots label and, since 2017, the Mask sub-label, which houses his stunning 2023 ‘Architecture of the Mind’ LP as well as his Cuddling Monsters project with Laura Merino Allue, who has been significantly involved in the label's work since 2023. - with other credits including a release on Jerome Sydenham’s Ibadan Records and support from the likes of Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, Marcel Dettmann, Luke Slater, Laurent Garnier, DVS1, Ben Sims, and Radio Slave.

Slip is Paul Abbott’s response to his 3 day residency at OTO in 2023. It’s a continued exploration of the acoustic-digital hybrid drum setup Abbott has been developing for some time, which involves drum kit and synthetic sounds combined closely—through an entanglement of limbs and cables—in an intimate but strange relationship with each other.

Paul Abbott hasn’t had any formal musical training, but has a long history of making music, having collaborated for years with Seymour Wright, Pat Thomas, Michael Speers, Cara Tolmie, Anne Gillis and many others. Eventually, led by a profound suspicion of what is fixed or limited, Abbott began finding other ways to organise sound - or what he calls ‘material’:

“I wanted a way to 'persuade' or guide the possibility of something happening - my activity or the events of an algorithmic composition - for example, but without certainty or formalism. It felt to me, during playing, that certain ideas had a particular sort of shape, but more than the form of a line. I began to write alongside (before/after) playing the drums, and ‘characters’ began to enter the scene as a more wobbly, and therefore appropriate option to notation. Working with these characters allowed me to simultaneously approach body, imagination, language and music: without dividing things up or separating these aspects from each other. It allowed me to leave things messy and entangled, whilst trying to deal with form and specificity: wanting to have some things feel or respond differently to other things at other times.”

In approaching his residency, Abbott developed a fixed cast of characters - crystal, lleaf, reiy.F, reiy.C, strike, nee, qosel, sphu and aahn. They each communicate using different kinds of movement and drum kit/s, and Abbott choreographed them as ‘dances’ based on different feelings, or outlines of behaviours suggestive of ways of moving (body, drums, sounds). He then arranged these characters into ‘compositions’: one for each performance day, with each composition featuring multi-layered activity - options for behaviours, ways to move around the rooms, play drums, develop synthetic sounds, change the lights or re-distribute the sound in the space.

After the performances, Abbott took home 9 hours of recordings split into up to 28 multitrack channels for each day, and re-organised his cast once more into a performance for 2LP, CD and digital. It’s an enormous amount of work - but Abbott is activated by the process. For him, the pleasure of unstable edges, possibilities, slippages, is the vital attraction. Like all living organisms, Abbott’s characters have malleability and responsivity. They stimulate a bundle of possible behaviours, a tendency to act a certain way, a temperament, a boundary of respective limits or affordances.

It’s an affective way of working, inclusive of Roscoe Mitchell, Sun Ra, Nathaniel Mackey and Milford Graves. In ‘Pulseology’(2022), Milford Graves reminds us, ‘Breath varies, so cardiac rhythm never has that (metronomic) tempo. It’s always changing. All the alignments of the heart are determined based on the needs of the cells, specifically tissues and organs. The heart knows if it needs to speed up.’ In Slip, to slip, in a heartbeat, is to descend not into the grid of the even metre accorded to the heartbeat, but into a play of mutability and modality. To change is the condition of the heart.

The Heinz Beauvaix project dates back to the mid-1990’s when Niels Rønne and Flemming Kaspersen played in Danish ambient act Swimwear Catalogue. On an ever growing number of DAT tapes they recorded semi-improvised synth/sampler/sequencer jams that mixed influences from ambient, electro and industrial. Later they began working with more detailed studio productions.

The seven tracks on “Vision Man” combine complex synth pads, interweaving monophonic synth lines, discrete drum rhythms, and strange voice samples. The sound is experimental and melodic at the same time. Influences range from early industrial to IDM, techno and synth pop. Rønne and Kaspersen originally met through a shared obsession with Canadian industrial giants Skinny Puppy. And if there is one seminal album that has influenced the Heinz Beauvaix sound, it is the obscure Skinny Puppy side project Doubting Thomas and their solitary album “The Infidel”, released in 1990.

Others have mentioned influences from bands such as Coil, Severed Heads, Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber’s Delerium and Future Sound Of London.

“Vision Man” is old school synthesizer music with tunes you can hum.

25th anniversary edition of the widely acclaimed tribute album celebrating the music of Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys. 24 exclusive tracks. New remaster on 2 LPs in a gatefold sleeve with extensive liner notes and many rare photographs.

"At Newport" (Chess LP-1449) is one of Muddy Waters’ most celebrated albums. The blues portion of the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival took place on Sunday afternoon, July 3, at the end of the long weekend of jazz performances (and teenage riots too). The program included standout shows by John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Rushing, Sammy Price, Otis Spann, and Butch Cage & Willie Thomas, as well as Muddy Waters and his band, who were billed as “Muddy Waters and His Orchestra”.

c A3 Rose, Arranged By [Strings] – Paz*

[e] B2 Orestes, Keyboards [Keys] – Billy*

[g] C1 Sleeping Beauty (Extended Intro), Bass – Paz*, Guitar [End Lead Guitar] – Troy*

[i] C3 Renholdër, Engineer [Drums] – Alan Moulder, Lead Vocals, Piano – Billy*, Percussion – Josh*, Vocals – Kelli Shafer, Maynard*
[j] D1 Thinking Of You, Guitar [End Lead Guitar] – Troy*

[l] D3 Over (Alt.), Kalimba [Gord] – Maynard*, Piano – Billy*



[c] A3 Rose, Arranged By [Strings] – Paz*

[e] B2 Orestes, Keyboards [Keys] – Billy*

[g] C1 Sleeping Beauty (Extended Intro), Bass – Paz*, Guitar [End Lead Guitar] – Troy*

[i] C3 Renholdër, Engineer [Drums] – Alan Moulder, Lead Vocals, Piano – Billy*, Percussion – Josh*, Vocals – Kelli Shafer, Maynard*
[j] D1 Thinking Of You, Guitar [End Lead Guitar] – Troy*

[l] D3 Over (Alt.), Kalimba [Gord] – Maynard*, Piano – Billy*

»Ich denke immer wieder aufs Neue darüber nach, wie ich mich als Schlagzeug-spielender Bandleader so positionieren kann, dass das Instrument eine tragende Funktion einnimmt, dies aber auf eine musikalische Weise geschieht und auf keinen Fall als Zurschaustellung von Virtuosität«, sagt Wolfgang Haffner. Diese Haltung zieht sich als roter Faden durch seine gesamte Karriere - und auch durch »Life Rhythm«, sein zehntes Album auf ACT.

Und obwohl Haffners Musik gängigen Vorstellungen virtuoser Schlagzeug-Leader ganz bewusst widerspricht, steht das Instrument diesmal besonders im Fokus. Ausgangspunkt dafür war Wolfgang Haffners allererstes Solokonzert im Jahr 2022 auf Schloss Elmau. Er erinnert sich: »Das war eine Wahnsinns-Herausforderung bei der ich auch vor der Entscheidung stand: Spiele ich jetzt eine Stunde Schlagzeugsolo? Natürlich nicht! Also habe ich habe eine Menge melodisch klingender Perkussionsinstrumente eingebaut, Passagen live geloopt, mit Echos und Delays gearbeitet – im Grunde wie im Studio, nur eben auf der Bühne.« All dies brachte Haffner dazu, sich noch einmal auf ganz intensive Art mit dem Thema mit dem Instrument zu beschäftigen, welches ihn sein Leben lang begleitet. Und so haben alle Stücke auf »Life Rhythm« diesmal ihren Ursprung, nicht wie sonst bei Haffner, am Piano, sondern am Schlagzeug.

Das Ergebnis dieses Prozesses kann man gleich zum Auftakt von »Life Rhythm« auf dem Titeltrack erleben: Das Stück basiert auf einem hypnotischen Groove, bei dem nicht die Becken, wie sonst im Jazz üblich, die Time angeben, sondern vor allem die Trommeln. Das dieser Groove direkt Phil Collins und besonders an dessen Stück »Take Me Home« erinnert, ist kein Zufall: Collins' Art, Drum-Parts zu elementaren Teilen des Songwritings zu machen, ist bis heute eine von Haffners größten Inspirationen. Und auch jedes weitere der elf sehr kompakten, Song-haften Stücke auf »Life Rhythm« öffnet eine eigene Welt des musikalischen Schlagzeugspiels: Mal mal trocken-reduziert mit Besen wie auf »Balance«, poppig bei »Joy of Life«, mit filigranen Becken-Grooves, dezenter Elektronik und Percussion auf »Eternity« oder minimalis-tisch bis kurz vor der Stille in »Silence and Sound«.

Das aus all diesen Stilistiken ein so stimmiges Ganzes ent-steht liegt daran, das Wolfgang Haffner diese im Laufe seiner Karriere bis in die Tiefe durchdrungen hat - an der Seite von stilbildenden Charakteren wie Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Pat Metheny, Jan Garbarek, Esbjörn Svensson, Nils Petter Molvaer, Albert Mangelsdorff, Ricardo Villalobos und vielen, vielen mehr. All diese Kollaborationen haben Wolfgang Haffners Voka-bular am Instrument und auch als Komponist geprägt und die da-mit verbundenen, unterschiedlichsten Stile sind gleichermaßen Teil seiner musikalischen Persönlichkeit.

Vielseitigkeit und höchste Musikalität sind auch die Eigen-schaften, die Wolfgang Haffner und seine Mitmusiker auf »Life Rhythm« verbinden. Die Basis bildet ein bestens einges-pieltes Trio zusammen mit Keyboarder Simon Oslender, selbst auch Drummer und Bandleader, und Thomas Stieger, einem der gefragtesten deutschen Bassisten in Pop wie Jazz. Dazu kommen Trompeter Sebastian Studnitzky, Mitstreiter Haffners seit seinem ACT-Debüt »Shapes« und der Finne Arto Mikälä, eine echte Entdeckung in Sachen Klangvielfalt an der Gitarre. Diese Band herausragender Allrounder erweitert Haffner um eine Reihe musikalischer Charaktere, die der Musik ihre ganz eigene Farbe verleihen: Nils Landgren, Freund und Weggefährte seit mehr als 20 Jahren, Saxofon-Ikone Bill Evans, Sting-Gitarrist Dominic Miller, Balkan-Beat-Star Shantel, Bass-Feingeist Nicolas Fiszman, Oud-Virtuose Thomas Konstantinou und Bruno Müller, einer der besten deutschen Jazzgitarristen.

»Life Rhythm«, sagt Wolfgang Haffner, »ist für mich eine Fortsetzung, keine Wiederholung«. Die Musik trägt mit ihrer Wärme, Kraft und Klarheit die charakteristische Handschrift, die Haffner mit seinen Alben und auf tausenden von Konzerten in mehr als 100 Ländern zum wohl populärsten Schlagzeug-spielenden Leader Europas gemacht hat. Und gleichzeitig ist es eine Evolution seiner Musik. Gut möglich, dass Haffners Erfolg genau darin begründet ist, dass seine Musik immer etwas Ver-trautes und etwas Neues beinhaltet und dass Haffner sein Publikum so immer »mitnimmt« im Fluss seiner Ideen - und in einem gemeinsamen »Lebensrhythmus«

"Irma Thomas, born Irma Lee and widely celebrated as the Soul Queen of New Orleans, is a Grammy-nominated artist who recorded her first single in 1959. Her second solo album, released in 1966, features the song ""Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),"" co-written by Randy Newman and country music star Jeannie Seely. The single peaked at #52 at the Billboard Top 100 chart and this iconic track has been featured in multiple episodes of the acclaimed science fiction television series Black Mirror. "

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

Gold vinyl. Building on the momentum of their debut, Shooting Star returned in 1981 with Hang On for Your Life, a dynamic follow-up that further cemented their place in the AOR rock scene. The album delivered a mix of anthemic rock and melodic hooks, with standout tracks like "Hang On for Your Life," "Hollywood," "Breakout," and "Are You on My Side" all receiving steady radio airplay. One of the album's most unique moments came with "Flesh and Blood," an up-tempo rock song featuring a soaring violin solo_a rarity in the genre that highlighted the band's signature sound. While the record found success on rock stations, it also marked the end of an era, as founding keyboardist Bill Guffey departed the band following its release. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still at the helm, Hang On for Your Life captured Shooting Star at their peak_an ambitious, hard-driving rock band with a sound that was both melodic and powerful.

White/Gold Sunburst Vinyl. Building on the momentum of their debut, Shooting Star returned in 1981 with Hang On for Your Life, a dynamic follow-up that further cemented their place in the AOR rock scene. The album delivered a mix of anthemic rock and melodic hooks, with standout tracks like "Hang On for Your Life," "Hollywood," "Breakout," and "Are You on My Side" all receiving steady radio airplay. One of the album's most unique moments came with "Flesh and Blood," an up-tempo rock song featuring a soaring violin solo_a rarity in the genre that highlighted the band's signature sound. While the record found success on rock stations, it also marked the end of an era, as founding keyboardist Bill Guffey departed the band following its release. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still at the helm, Hang On for Your Life captured Shooting Star at their peak_an ambitious, hard-driving rock band with a sound that was both melodic and powerful.