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Following his recent appearance on Blueprint, Mark Broom returns to the label with a unique project, revisiting the work of techno pioneer Regis. Entitled "Power Is Neutral", the release sees Broom rework a selection of seminal Regis recordings originally released on Downwards Records across the albums Gymnastics (1996), Delivered Into The Hands Of Indifference (1998) and Penetration (2001).

Known as one of the key architects of the Birmingham techno sound, Regis (Karl O'Connor) helped shape British techno through his work as co-founder of Downwards Records and a catalogue that continues to influence generations of artists.

For Mark Broom, few artists embody British rave culture quite like Regis. Drawing on source material that has long stood as a cornerstone of UK techno, Broom approaches these edits with both respect and imagination. As Regis puts it, "Mark Broom is like some modern day Bagpuss... he has fired up his techno mouseorgan and polished old relics to make them all shiny and new."

Power Is Neutral delivers six expertly crafted reinterpretations that bridge the raw energy of Regis' original works with Broom's unmistakable contemporary dancefloor sensibility, bringing these timeless tracks to a new generation of listeners.

Passionate about electronic music from a very young age, Francesco Scarci, aka Deejay Fisherman, is an underground DJ and producer who loves vinyle.

In 2022 he opened his own label Sea Records and released his first Ep. "Dancing with shark". After various experiences as a guest in the dancefloors of Italy and Europe, he became resident in the well - known Italian underground Sound Department.

Today it boasts FIVE EP:

Sea 001; Dancing with shark;

Sea 002; The sound of Sirens;

Sea 003; Jolly roger groove.

Sea 004 ''Revolution'' and several collaborations with international labels, the latest with “Label 2222” with the track “Extasiado” and wit h Sound Department ascolti with the EP ''walking'' and the single bomb track ‘Baby’.

Reissue of the debut album by Laghonia, one of the most important bands of Peruvian rock. Originally released in 1960, "Glue" will be cherished by lovers of Latin American rock, pop and psychedelia as practiced by other similar classic bands such as Traffic Sound, We All Together, Black Sugar and Telegraph Avenue. After four brilliant singles, in 1969 the Peruvian band New Juggler Sound, formed by Saúl Cornejo (guitar), David Levene (lead guitar), Ernesto Samané (bass), Carlos Salom (organ) and Manuel Cornejo (drums), changed their name to Laghonia and released their debut LP "Glue" on the MAG label. The album included those previously released tracks, which were very influenced by the British rock scene of those years, to which they added fiery guitars bursting with fuzz and wah-wah, the ever present and hypnotic Hammond organ sound and Latin American percussion and rhythms. The result was a wonderful mix of mid-60s British beatmelodies, Jimmy Hendrix's intense rock, Cream's heavy blues and Santana's Latin rock. "Glue" is regarded as one of the key albums of Latin American psych and garage rock and is an essential record for any fan of those genres. Deluxe edition: 180g vinyl LP in tip-on jacket and insert with liner notes.

Fenomenon are a trio hailing from Stavanger, on the west coast of Norway. Throughout their career they have released four full-length records, effortlessly moving between future jazz, downtempo, soul, and broken beat.

Their lush debut 12" Pacific Memories on Nuphonic made considerate waves and made the ears of many DJs perk up. As a result, the tracks "Pacific Memories" and "Solara" were featured on many big-name compilations and mix CDs such as Tom Middleton's The Sound Of The Cosmos, Hed Kandi, and MTV Summer Lounge. The latter was also featured in Michael Bay's sci-fi thriller The Island, featuring Scarlett Johansson. The follow-up single visjon.nord was only released as a white label promo due to the unfortunate demise of Nuphonic in 2002.

Pacific Memories: The Early Tapes collects tunes from both these EPs complemented by songs recorded around the same time. Originally released on CD only in 2006 by the Norwegian label Beatservice, it's now available on vinyl for the first time for its 20th anniversary. If you're a fan of Jazzanova, The Cinematic Orchestra, Kinobe, and Blue States, you can't miss this.

Pacific Memories: The Early Tapes is available as a 20th anniversary edition of 250 copies on turquoise and yellow vinyl.

Fenomenon are a trio hailing from Stavanger, on the west coast of Norway. Throughout their career they have released four full-length records, effortlessly moving between future jazz, downtempo, soul, and broken beat.

Their lush debut 12" Pacific Memories on Nuphonic made considerate waves and made the ears of many DJs perk up. As a result, the tracks "Pacific Memories" and "Solara" were featured on many big-name compilations and mix CDs such as Tom Middleton's The Sound Of The Cosmos, Hed Kandi, and MTV Summer Lounge. The latter was also featured in Michael Bay's sci-fi thriller The Island, featuring Scarlett Johansson. The follow-up single visjon.nord was only released as a white label promo due to the unfortunate demise of Nuphonic in 2002.

Pacific Memories: The Early Tapes collects tunes from both these EPs complemented by songs recorded around the same time. Originally released on CD only in 2006 by the Norwegian label Beatservice, it's now available on vinyl for the first time for its 20th anniversary. If you're a fan of Jazzanova, The Cinematic Orchestra, Kinobe, and Blue States, you can't miss this.

Pacific Memories: The Early Tapes is available as a 20th anniversary edition on black vinyl.

The band The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies emerged in 1991 in the Nashville blues scene. With their jam-oriented style, they quickly made a name in the live circuit and attracted the attention of major labels and ended up in the Billboard charts.

In 1996, they released their second album Magnolia. It was produced by Michael Barbiero (The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler) and features a guest appearance by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule. The album became a fan favourite and had two singles that appeared on the US Rock chart. Now, 30 years later Magnolia remains a Southern Rock classic and will finally be available on vinyl.

Magnolia is available as a 30th anniversary edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on blue vinyl and includes an insert.

Kitchen Knife Conspiracy emerged in 1998, blending death metal, hardcore, nu-metal, and thrash metal into a volatile concoction labeled ‘stompcore’ early in the band’s career. Forged in the industrial, run-down steel mills of Youngstown, Ohio, the group has laid down brutal riffs and relentless grooves over the course of five full-length albums, one EP, and a live DVD set.
The band has always diversified their sound from album to album: their debut, Sin-Pathetic, leans proudly into death metal and thrash. Their sophomore effort, Handicapitated, bears influence from hardcore, nu-metal, and sludge. Worst Case in Stereo, recorded and produced by Steve Austin of Today is the Day, “stands firmly in the shadow of grind-kings like Obituary,” as reviewed by Cleveland Scene. Their fourth effort, A Friend in Need...Is a Friend to Kill, incorporates a large dose of thrash and grind. Their most recent album, Seven Deadly Sins, is an ambitious concept record dealing with the faults of man, handing
out hardcore beatdowns with hints of black metal throughout. The future is now at hand as Kitchen Knife Conspiracy signs with a new label as diversified and ambitious as their own discography and issue the 25th Anniversary of Handicapitated on a Limited Edition (250 copies) White and Blue Splatter.
Stompcore looks to expand to a wider audience—a Kitchen Knife
Conspiracy is the blunt force weapon ready to deliver the killing strike.

Wewantsounds continues its reissue program of Bob Shad"s cult jazz label, Mainstream Records, with Hadley Caliman"s superb 1972 album, Iapetus. Recorded in LA and featuring a heavyweight lineup of West Coast players including Todd Cochran, Woody "Sonship" Theus, Luis Gasca, and Victor Pantoja, the majority of the album was composed by Todd Cochran (aka Bayeté) soon after he had composed Bobby Hutcherson"s Blue Note classic, Head On. A true hidden treasure, it is reissued here on vinyl for the first time since 1971, featuring its original gatefold artwork with rare first-generation photos. This edition comes with newly remastered audio and a two-page insert with exclusive liner notes by Todd Cochran, reflecting on Hadley Caliman and the making of the album.

Wie Amerika selbst ist auch die Geschichte von Chess Records eine Geschichte von Chancen in neuen Ländern, in denen Grenzen zwischen Hautfarbe und Kultur überwunden wurden, um Rhythm and Blues-Musik
zu schaffen, die Zuhörer auf der ganzen Welt beeinflusste. Das beeindruckende Künstleraufgebot von Chess
– und seine Gründer – haben den Blues von Volksmusik zu populärem Sound weiterentwickelt und verändert.
Im Jahr 2025 feiert Chess Records sein 75-jähriges Jubiläum. Anlässlich dieses historischen Meilensteins
wird Chess im Oktober dieses Jahres eine umfassende Jubiläumsreihe mit einer kuratierten Auswahl audiophiler Vinyl-Neuauflagen starten, beginnend mit Muddy Waters’ „The Best of Muddy Waters“ und Howlin’
Wolfs „Moanin’ in the Moonlight“.
„I Was Walkin’ Through The Woods“ versammelt Buddy Guys frühe Aufnahmen für Chess Records, die
allesamt in den frühen 1960er-Jahren entstanden. Die Sammlung rückt sein glühendes Gitarrenspiel in den
Mittelpunkt und zeigt eindrucksvoll, warum Guy zu den herausragenden Talenten der neuen Generation
von Bluesmusikern in Chicago zählte. Zu den zentralen Titeln gehören „First Time I Met The Blues“ und
„I Found A True Love“.
Mitte der 1960er-Jahre veröffentlichte Chess Records eine Reihe von Alben unter dem Titel „The Real
Folk Blues“, die Singles aus den Karrieren einiger der bedeutendsten Künstler des Labels bündelten. John
Lee Hookers „The Real Folk Blues“ unterschied sich von vielen dieser Kompilationen, da es eigens für Chess
neu eingespielte Sessions enthielt.
Diese legendären Aufnahmen aus dem Jahr 1966 fangen die Essenz seines unverwechselbaren Sounds und
seines einzigartigen Zugangs zum Blues ein. Zu den herausragenden Titeln zählen „One Bourbon, One
Scotch, One Beer“, „Stella Mae“ und „I’m In The Mood“.

Wie Amerika selbst ist auch die Geschichte von Chess Records eine Geschichte von Chancen in neuen Ländern, in denen Grenzen zwischen Hautfarbe und Kultur überwunden wurden, um Rhythm and Blues-Musik
zu schaffen, die Zuhörer auf der ganzen Welt beeinflusste. Das beeindruckende Künstleraufgebot von Chess
– und seine Gründer – haben den Blues von Volksmusik zu populärem Sound weiterentwickelt und verändert.
Im Jahr 2025 feiert Chess Records sein 75-jähriges Jubiläum. Anlässlich dieses historischen Meilensteins
wird Chess im Oktober dieses Jahres eine umfassende Jubiläumsreihe mit einer kuratierten Auswahl audiophiler Vinyl-Neuauflagen starten, beginnend mit Muddy Waters’ „The Best of Muddy Waters“ und Howlin’
Wolfs „Moanin’ in the Moonlight“.
„I Was Walkin’ Through The Woods“ versammelt Buddy Guys frühe Aufnahmen für Chess Records, die
allesamt in den frühen 1960er-Jahren entstanden. Die Sammlung rückt sein glühendes Gitarrenspiel in den
Mittelpunkt und zeigt eindrucksvoll, warum Guy zu den herausragenden Talenten der neuen Generation
von Bluesmusikern in Chicago zählte. Zu den zentralen Titeln gehören „First Time I Met The Blues“ und
„I Found A True Love“.
Mitte der 1960er-Jahre veröffentlichte Chess Records eine Reihe von Alben unter dem Titel „The Real
Folk Blues“, die Singles aus den Karrieren einiger der bedeutendsten Künstler des Labels bündelten. John
Lee Hookers „The Real Folk Blues“ unterschied sich von vielen dieser Kompilationen, da es eigens für Chess
neu eingespielte Sessions enthielt.
Diese legendären Aufnahmen aus dem Jahr 1966 fangen die Essenz seines unverwechselbaren Sounds und
seines einzigartigen Zugangs zum Blues ein. Zu den herausragenden Titeln zählen „One Bourbon, One
Scotch, One Beer“, „Stella Mae“ und „I’m In The Mood“.

Are You Alien's first vinyl missive, a compilation style affair showcasing the work of four label affiliated artists, is genuinely packed to the rafters with cuts designed to be played loud on "deep dancefloors and late-night transmissions". HearThuG kicks things off with 'Relax', a post-punk/dark disco inspired slab of early morning hedonism inspired by DFX's 'Relax Your Body' (which itself borrowed heavily from the KLF's 'What Time Is Love'), before Light Blue File charges towards darkened warehouses on the tactile tech-house/stab-happy rave fusion of 'Guante El En Mic'. Over on side B, Briki opts for squelchy acid bass, trippy vocal snippets and spacey sounds on 'Droppin The Pressure', before Ahmet Mecnun adds spoken word vocals and French Touch flourishes to a deep tech-house groove.

Venus Flux is a new four-track EP by Lord Of The Isles on Amsterdam’s Far Blue label. The record opens with Mushroom Talk, a beatless ambient piece built from slow-moving analog tones, inspired by the honesty of altered states. Two live-improvised dub techno tracks, Betuladub and Pedaldub, form the core of the EP, shaped by intuition and in-the-moment connection rather than fixed arrangements. The closing track, Venus Flux, is an electro piece that feels reflective and unresolved.

Melodies everywhere. Hidden ones, obvious ones, the kind that stick around long after the magic is gone. The Fulmars, Hagen’s lo-fi experimental indie outsiders, return with 13 haunting songs on their first proper full-length album. It’s filled with warm lo-fi guitar hooks, carried by Teacherface’s stripped-back Roland drum machine pulse and Fabian Dietz’s soft, delicate vocals. Modern castaways’ music, truly seeing the light, somewhere between the hazy spirit of The Velvet Underground, the playful weirdness of early Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan!, the tender shadows of Dead Moon, and the hypnotic austerity of Party of One. There is a lot of tragedy, all covered in positive agility. Hypnotic simple charmers compellingly recorded by the illusionists behind the delicate Hüüpnootsche Platen Un Kassetten cassette label. If you listen in a row, you will fall into a calm flow, time is on the go, and you so, in The Fulmars circle, disappearing in melodies, those hidden, obvious, glorious. You will fall for the voice, their “rollie” grooves carry you out there, browsing on irresistible humble guitar vibes. Be ready to watch the blue birds fly, it’s a real streetside surprise, for your pleasure, please don’t call it leisure.

A lo- fi and uncompromisingly honest body of work, the record is considered a departure from his work with blur at the time, although it marks a world first hinted at in his song 'You're So Great', recorded for the eponymous blur album a year prior. Written, recorded and produced by Coxon, with original artwork by Coxon, the album was originally released on Coxon's own label Transcopic. The Sky Is Too High and The Golden D are the first in a comprehensive reissue of Coxon's complete solo catalogue, spanning 9 studio albums and 2 soundtracks, to be released across the next 12 months.

Ready for take off? Metallic States proudly welcomes Chris Carrier for the label’s first full-length album.

This release reflects the recent evolution of Chris’ sound, following a career that has crossed decades, trends, and the constant mutations of electronic music. He embraced these changes naturally while always remaining faithful to his roots and distinctive identity.

From slow-burning trance excursions and mental dancefloor cuts to rave-driven anthems and soothing downtempo moments, this more psychedelic album could well become a landmark entry in his vast discography.

At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.

In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of... Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again.

On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.

“Funny Funky Rib Crib” is an unforgettable recording (made up of several sessions dating from the middle of 1974) of creative jazz overwhelmed by funk and soul.

If Lancaster had already made successful albums in the same genre – notably New Horizons, under the name Sounds Of Liberation which he co-led with Khan Jamal –, this one is an homage to James Brown and Sammy Davis enjoying the company of a host of guests including François Tusques (electric piano), Clint Jackson III (trumpet), François Nyombo (guitar), Joseph Traindl (trombone)...

Funny Funky Rib Crib’s cover is a three-quarter profile portrait of the saxophonist (who can also be heard on flute, piano and even vocals), however, on the record, it is the whole group, inspired and frenetic, that tests the melodies of “Just Test”, “Dogtown” or “Rib Crib” – the two versions of which display leader Lancaster’s art of nuance. On both sides of the album, the group also moves into a calmer groove, infused by blues and soul, “Work And Pray” and “Loving Kindness” are meditative tracks where listeners can lay back and relax before asking for more: Funny Funky Rib Crib

Colemine ist stolz darauf, die neueste 45er von Aaron Frazer zu präsentieren. Diese hier ist etwas ganz Besonderes. Zwei Tracks mit der Rhythmusgruppe der legendären Cold Diamond & Mink, dem Rückgrat des finnischen Soul-Labels Timmion. Die A-Seite ist ein neuer Track: ,It's A Shame". Und es ist vielleicht wirklich schade, dass dieser Titel es nicht auf die "Into The Blue" LP geschafft hat, denn er ist ein echter Knaller. Meisterhaft von Aaron und Produzent Alex Goose zusammengestellt und arrangiert, besticht der Track durch knackige Drums, Aarons charakteristisches, seidiges Falsett und wunderschöne Streicharrangements. Du wirst den Refrain noch tagelang vor dich hin summen. Die B-Seite ist der Album-Closer auf ,Into The Blue" - und das aus gutem Grund. Es fühlt sich wirklich wie ein süßer und gefühlvoller Abgesang am Ende eines Films an. Ein Klagelied über die Höhen und Tiefen der Liebe, das Gefühl, angesichts des Scheiterns dumm dazustehen, aber trotzdem weiterzumachen. Es fühlt sich an wie ein verlorenes Sample, das von Aaron und Goose gekonnt ins Hier und Jetzt geholt wurde. Für Fans von Durand Jones & The Indications, Pale Jay, Jason Ngonda, Thee Sacred Souls, Neil Frances, Khruangbin.

Michigan Band EJ & the Echoes: Rediscovering a Soul Legacy

The story of EJ & the Echoes represents a remarkable chapter in Michigan's music history and the early American soul scene. Its origins date back to the late 1950s, when Everett J. "EJ" Gronda was already active as a young musician. While studying at Central Michigan University in the early 1960s, he met the talented vocalist Manuel "Manny" Holcolm. Together with other musicians, they formed vocal groups that soon performed throughout the state and even recorded near Detroit's legendary Motown studios.

In 1963, Gronda founded EJ & the Echoes, a band that quickly gained popularity at dances, clubs, and weddings across Michigan. With Manny Holcolm as lead singer, the group developed a distinctive harmony-driven sound, blending influences ranging from the Beatles to James Brown. The band served as a house band in Traverse City, opened for national acts, and performed regularly at well-known Detroit venues.

Between 1964 and 1967, EJ & the Echoes released several singles on the Diamond Jim Records label. Although major commercial success eluded them at the time, their recordings later found international recognition. Today, their songs remain staples of the British Northern Soul scene.

After the band dissolved, the members pursued different paths. EJ Gronda became a schoolteacher but remained devoted to music throughout his life. In 2006, the musicians reunited for an emotional jam session. EJ Gronda passed away in 2022, followed by Manuel Holcolm in 2024. Their musical legacy endures-on this vinyl release, dance floors, and in the memory of a remarkable era.

Our sincere thanks go to author and blues historian Fred Reif. He wrote the accompanying text and provided all the pictures of the band printed in the gatefold cover. Without him, this project would not have been possible.

Ltd Edition 10"

Budapest based concept label Blue Sun welcomes formerly independent local afrobeat-jazz ensemble to its catalogue with a nuanced 4 tracker EP. The release not only marks the beginning of the collaboration, but a definite new musical direction in the band’s life.

Written in a one week jam session retreat in the Hungarian countryside, and recorded at one of the highest peaks of Hungary after a year of global touring, The Garden becomes an amalgamation of the band's personal and artistic experiences. The material conveys a more jazzier approach, with complex harmonies, and an almost cinematic, dreamlike atmosphere, somewhat distancing from (but not completely forgetting) the previously emphasized, dance-oriented Afro- and Latino roots. Song for Ramon serves as the EP’s emotional climax inspired by the passing of a close friend and local underground chef pioneer.

Formed in 2019 in Budapest, Hakumba is a staple of the Hungarian festival circuit, with a growing international presence (SXSW London, SHIP, PIN Music Showcase). They’ve recently finished a tour in Australia this January.

The groove-driven ensemble blends afrobeat, jazz, and various strands of world music into a sound that is both rhythmically powerful and harmonically adventurous. With an eleven-piece lineup featuring an expansive horn section, multiple vocalists, percussion, and keys, the band moves effortlessly between dancefloor energy and more intricate, jazz-influenced musical ideas.

Like the band’s previous album, the EP was again recorded, mixed, and mastered by András Weil, the producer behind The Qualitons, the only hungarian band ever performed Live at KEXP. This continuity preserves Hakumba’s recognizable sonic identity while giving space for new colors and more complex musical ideas to emerge.

Written & performed by:

Soma Számel – drums
Endre Szép – bass
Imre Hegedűs – guitar
Zalán Bendegúz Huff – guitar, vocals
Csongor Mari – keys
Noel Nagy – percussion, vocals
Dorka Foster – flute, vocals
Kristóf Szabó – alto sax
Alpár Sikó – tenor sax
Gáspár Simon – trumpet
András Téglásy – baritone sax

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Andras Weil
Artwork by Eszter Lukács
Graphic design by Péter Tóth
Manufactured by AD Records
Distributed by Rush Hour

Recorded at Galyatető, Hungary

Released under the Blue Sun

After a sold out first release, NY’s Superflux is back for Round Two with a debut release from arguably the most unsung hero of the Midwest underground. Uplink is a REDACTED-based hardware specialist known for their work running a series of labels and organizing parties that have helped define the region’s sound for more than a decade. Crafted using time-honored tools of the trade, these four dubby, tracky, and raw cuts – lifted from live stereo board recordings – will sit comfortably alongside releases from STL, Skudge, and MRSK.

The A1, Audio Sport, is a dubby groover with almost-steppy hats and bit of bite; a reverb-drenched lattice of delayed pads bends your sense of time and space until you realize you’re 12 hours into the warehouse function and someone’s just thrown a piano off the roof. A2, Blue Untitled, is a deep stomper reminiscent of the early WAX records. A big & shifty bassline turns this into a true head-nodder. B1, Temporary Machine 1, is a more subdued dubbed-out tech house cut anchored on a rolling bassline and flanked by dusty percussion and prescriptive stabs. Proper warm up tackle or hazy after-afters fodder: the choice is yours. Connoisseurs of a fine B2 rejoice – this one is it. Dokta is a moody, tripped out late night techno affair with a dash of bounce for good measure. All that hisses is gold.

Written by Colin Boardway

Since 2020, 12 Inch Lovers has embarked on an exhilarating journey, characterized by sold-out parties and samplers that have built a loyal fanbase. These samplers consistently find their way to collectors in search of contemporary classics. Samplers 7 & 8 once again constitute a collection of true classics, rare gems, and club tracks that have never before appeared on vinyl.

Sampler 7

Helping to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his debut LP, Matthew & Son, released in 1967 via Deram, Third Man Records along with producer Jack White are pleased to announce two new and as of yet unreleased renditions of the earliest singles from Yusuf "Cat Stevens" Islam's vibrant and storied catalog. The project signals more of what's to come from the Blue Room Sessions series. Recorded at label headquarters this past September, the songs find new life with arrangements that are pensive and potent, sharpened by time on the road. The results are far and away a testament to the hustle and vision of all involved.

Mr. YT returns!

The cult deep house alias of Yuji Takenouchi was last seen on Brand New Day in 2017, which compiled a series of soft scenes and deepest soulful house for the ambient techno predator R&S and its Apollo, Generations and Global Cuts sub-labels across the mid-to-late 90s. Quietly and confidently some of the most beautiful house music ever made.

So it's a thrill to announce the Universo EP today on Short Span, and to say that he’s still making incredible new dance music in his studio. This is the first Mr. YT record of brand new material in twenty eight years.

The lushness springs forth as delightfully as ever. The inspirations of Detroit chords floating and interacting with a certain kind of Japanese plasticity and futurism. Crystal clear blue skies, sweet perfume and space race optimism, touched with a gentle wistfulness. The four tracks are each as beautiful and intricately deep musically as they are colourful and buoyed by energy. Ready to delight you.

Universo has some new purpose and drive up front, designed and deployed as his most propulsive dance music as Mr. YT. The tempo is taken up, and tracks frequently break out into virtuosic melody that dances across the pieces. Yuji’s talent for composition that hits as hard as it effortlessly glides hasn’t lost its edge in the quarter century plus break. The kick of “Acuario” and “Escorpio” are finely balanced with the influences of jazz and something a little more padded and cosmic. You could mix these into something by Los Hermanos or Ian O’Brien.

The EP bubbles down to a more yearning, sunsetting ambient house on the B side. The instantly recognisable language of classic Mr. YT, a warm and tender place.

Mr. YT has been absent a while, but Yuji’s busy. He’s established a long career as a musician and sound designer within the Japanese videogaming industry, having his hand in games including FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series surely adds something widescreen and sharply emotionally focused to the direction of his dance music. His Missing Project alias also got some shine from the stellar Music From Memory Virtual Dreams II compilation in 2024, which once again pinned down his enduring importance within the ambient techno movement of Japan. He’s also regularly working with Tokyo’s FORM@ Records and regularly self-publishing interesting work and studio versions. And his Missingsoul alias is still some of the most beautiful deep jazz-house committed to wax on Ron Trent’s Future Vision label. Check it all out!

2026 Repress

Thirteen years after their landmark debut, Italian duo Voices From The Lake (Donato Dozzy & Neel) return with their much-anticipated second album, 'II' (two) on their own Spazio Disponibile.The record marks a new chapter in one of electronic music's most revered projects. Born from a friendship and a singular musical vision, Voices From The Lake first emerged as a one-off live performance in the Japanese Alps, later distilled into their self-titled 2012 album. That record has since become a touchstone in ambient techno, reshaping the global landscape of hypnotic and atmospheric electronic music. In the years since, the duo have performed worldwide, released a handful of EPs, worked on installations, and founded record labels, all while continuing to refine the project's unique identity. Yet the core of Voices From The Lake has always been its deep, aqueous approach to sound, a sensibility that returns in full force on II. "The project was never meant to become what it did," the duo reflect. "At one point, we even paused it. Only to later embrace it in all its forms. II is both a continuation and a reinvention." True to that spirit, Voices From The Lake have explored extremes in recent years, from high-tempo live sets to seated listening concerts, while remaining anchored in the meditative pulse of ambient techno. II extends this lineage, carrying forward the immersive sound design and boundary-pushing vision that has defined their work from the beginning.

Miles Davis's Kind of Blue was the number-one jazz album in history. It totaled five songs. There are four more songs from that same historic group, recorded in the same time period and at the same studio. And here they are. These songs deserve to stand on their own with artwork to highlight the quality of the music and that matches the time period of the recording. This is a rare opportunity to have a smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever!

Through the years, these four remarkable performances — all from a single recording session in 1958 and all exemplary of the sound of Miles Davis' legend-loaded sextet of that year — have not been served well. They have been largely treated as add-ons for other compilations. Now, for the first time, Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Prssings, has deservedly given these tracks a stellar stand-alone release for jazz fans to savor!

The once-in-a-generation lineup that recorded these tunes is the very same that would be immortalized for the enduring classic they would record almost a year later, Kind of Blue. Davis played trumpet sublime with his ensemble sextet featuring pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley.

Undervalued since their recording, the tunes on this album reflect historial and musical significance. They offer early glimpses into the modal jazz that Kind of Blue would bring to the forefront. Using modes common in modern classical music, rather than the chords of popular songs, Miles had begun to experiment with the new approach on the Milestones recording sessions previously.

Analogue Productions is proud to present Birth of the Blue in an exclusive first-of-its-kind stand-alone release that reflects our reputation for meticulous production, capturing authentic sound with clarity, depth and fidelity that exceeds the audiophile standard. 180-gram 45 RPM double LP pressed at Quality Record Pressings.

Features:
• Pioneering Ensemble: Captured the same rare and short-lived alignment of jazz legends including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, as heard on the historic Kind of Blue.
• Innovative Sound: The session represented a crucial transition in jazz, blending elements of hard bop with early modal jazz influences, showcasing the ensemble's experimentation and forward-thinking approach.
• Undervalued Legacy: Despite its historical and musical significance, the session's recordings have been historically overlooked, often relegated to being add-ons in compilations rather than recognized as standalone masterpieces.
• Modal Jazz Precursor: Offered early glimpses into the modal jazz that would later be fully realized in Davis's groundbreaking album "Kind of Blue," laying the groundwork for future jazz innovation.
• Impact on Artists: Served as a critical point of development and confidence for the musicians involved, particularly Bill Evans, who noted the significant impact of this experience on his own identity and style.
• Historical Context: Occurred at a peak moment in Miles Davis's career, following his signing with Columbia Records and his critical and commercial successes with albums such as ‘Round About Midnight and Miles Ahead.

Ten years ago, Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. planted his flag. Released on February 19, 2016, King of Memphis wasn't just a debut studio album; it was a bold declaration of independence and a flawless blueprint for self-made success. To celebrate a decade of this foundational Southern rap masterpiece, Paper Route Empire is honoring Young Dolph’s legacy with a series of exclusive, limited-edition 10th Anniversary vinyl variants.

Before King of Memphis, Dolph had already built a massive underground following through a relentless run of mixtapes. But this official debut elevated him from a local hero to a national powerhouse.

By bypassing the major label system and releasing the project entirely through his own Paper Route Empire (PRE), Dolph proved that undeniable talent, relentless hustle, and business savvy were all you needed to take the crown. The album peaked in the Top 50 of the Billboard 200, an incredible feat for a fiercely independent artist at the time, and cemented his status as a CEO who called his own shots.

King of Memphis is all killer, no filler. Over 11 tracks, Dolph's signature slow-flow delivery and larger-than-life charisma glide over heavy-hitting, trap-defining production from a legendary lineup of producers, including Mike WiLL Made-It, Zaytoven, TM88, and Cassius Jay.

With zero guest features, the project relies entirely on Dolph’s magnetic presence. From the motivational hustler's anthem "Get Paid" to the menacing confidence of "Let Me See It" and "Royalty," the album plays like a victory lap for a self-made king.

2026 Repress!

The story begins in 2000 in Britany (France). Two guys decide to create a sound system with the aim of sharing their common passion for roots reggae and early digital. Rootystep (selecta) and MacGyver (operator) begin to collect records and purchase music equipment. They are quickly joined by Pupajim who becomes the MC, the singer and the dub builder. The Stand High Patrol first toured the land of Brittany, gradually moving towards stepper dub production emanating from the English stage. Fifteen years later, the sound is more present than ever. Stand High has created a true identity and has established itself as one of the essential sound systems of the French dub scene. In 2009, Stand High Patrol creates his own label "Stand High Records". In 2012, after releasing several records, the Dubadub Musketeerz present their debut album "Midnight Walkers", 13 exclusives & wicked tracks inna pure Dubadub Style. In 2015 the dubadub experience takes on new dimensions with their second album : "A Matter Of Scale". In 2017 they are back with "The Shift" a third LP totally dedicated to Boom Bap & 90s Hip Hop. Words, blue notes, boom bap and bad news: here comes "The Shift", the third album of Stand High Patrol.

IN 2017, TRYING TO MAKE BOOM BAP FROM THE 90s, INSPIRED BY JAZZ FROM THE 60s, MIXED WITH MACHINES FROM THE 50s

Lyrics, Boom bap and bad news: Stand High Patrol present their third album 'The Shift' and confirm their attachment to 90s hiphop.

Toronto’s Ducks Ltd. (formerly Ducks Unlimited), the bright jangle-pop duo of Tom McGreevy (lead vocal, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Evan Lewis (guitar, bass, drum programming), accomplish the impossible. The pair craft songs that play to very specific inspirations without drowning underneath them—immediately evidenced on their critically acclaimed EP, Get Bleak, and sharpened on Modern Fiction, their debut LP. “The Servants, The Clean, The Chills, The Bats, Television Personalities, Felt,” Evan rattles off. “Look Blue Go Purple is one I reference a lot with our production.” Echoes of ‘80s indiepop abound, but they never overwhelm. This is not a nostalgic record, after all, nor is it a derivative one. Instead, across 10 cheery-sounding songs, Ducks Ltd. explore contemporary society in decline, examining large scale human disaster through personal turmoil (hence the title, taken from a university course called Gnosticism and Nihilism in Modern Fiction, influenced by Graham Greene novels. Bookish indie fans, look no further.)

Writing the album was intimate. Tom drafted the nucleus of a song on an unplugged electric guitar and brought it over to Evan’s apartment, where the pair sat in his bedroom, placing percussive beats from a drum machine under nascent melodies, passing a bass back and forth, adding organs and bridges where necessary. “It’s computer music trying extremely hard not to sound like computer music,” Tom jokes. Fearful that limited and expensive studio time would kneecap the project creatively, eroding their charming naivete, the pair re-recorded the album in a storage space owned by Evan’s boss. Ornamentation through collaboration followed: there’s Aaron Goldstein on Pedal Steel in the Go-Betweens’ “Cattle and Cane”-channeling interlude “Patience Wearing Thin,” Eliza Niemi on cello (“18 Cigarettes,” a song loosely inspired by a 1997 Oasis performance of “Don’t Go Away”), and backing harmonies from Carpark labelmates The Beths (on an ode to friendship at a distance, “How Lonely Are You?,” “Always There,” and on the sped-up Syd Barrett stylings of “Under The Rolling Moon.”) While in his native Australia due to covid-19, Evan worked closely with producer James Cecil (The Goon Sax, Architecture in Helsinki) on Modern Fiction’s finishing touches—at one point, in the mountains of the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, recorded a string quartet (featured on “Fit to Burst,” “Always There,” “Sullen Leering Hope,” “Twere Ever Thus,” “Grand Final Day.”)

It’s danceable, depressive fun, with some relief: in “Always There” and “Sullen Leering Hope,” Modern Fiction’s faithful heart. “There’s a tendency in my writing, because of my world view, to be very bleak.” Tom explains. “A quality I don’t always see in myself and really appreciate in others is the courage to go on.” And yet, the record manages resiliency—enough for pop fans to fall in love with.

As keyboard maestro James Taylor arrives at his 40th year leading his Quartet, he has re-signed with his original label Acid Jazz and is embarking on a series of the most radical projects he has ever worked on. Following his first classical album ‘Shadows and Dreams’ earlier this year, he brings the Quartet together for a remarkable new album. ‘Te Deum’ sets the ancient, 4th-entury Christian text to intense jazz, funk, and Latin grooves. The music sees the James Taylor Quartet working alongside the children of the Benenden Chapel Choir, and a guest horn section and legendary Acid Jazz percussionist Snowboy. Lead track ‘Have Mercy On Us’ mixes Brazilian samba with Gregorian chants, ‘The Comforter’ sounds like a Donald Byrd with voices Blue Note Records experiment, and last year’s radio favourite ‘Wildflower’ mixes bossa nova with sunshine pop harmonies and a positive message. The JTQ is on tour throughout the year - as he always is and will be worth catching live.

Full colour sleeve with rare use of the Italian only movie artwork.

A few years ago I issued the soundtrack to Virgin Witch, the score to an underground 1971
kinky British London / posh stately home horror that seemed more like an excuse to show as
many racy cars and devilish nude scenes as possible. This fleapit film was written by Hazel
Adair - the writer of legendary long-running TV series Crossroads, and her business partner at
the time Ken Walton (yes, the wrestling commentator). Virgin Witch was cheap and successful
enough to allow the whole team another go at the sexploitation game through their newly
formed production company Pyramid Films. Sex Clinic was the quick follow up; I say Sex Clinic,
the initial cinematic title was Clinic Xclusive, which was also called With These Hands, which
was also called La Masseuse Perverse. This film also came out in 1971 and they used the
musical services of Ted Dicks once again. Dicks had originally met Adair in 1960 through a cast
member performing in his first musical, Look Who’s Here.

If you are not aware of the great Ted Dicks, his quick bio reads as follows: born London 1928,
was educated through both grammar and art school and after National Service flirted with both
art and music. He worked with a series of very talented song writers - including Barry Cryer -
finally sparking properly with writer Myles Rudge. Together “Dicks and Rudge” had a hit with
their musical And Another Thing which starred Lionel Blair and Bernard Cribbins. Their talents
were spotted by producer George Martin and they followed this show success up with a series
of truly classic novelty pop chart hits, again with Cribbins - “Hole In The Ground” and “Right Said
Fred”. If you are not aware of the classic A Combination Of Cribbins LP they wrote, go and find
it. It includes “Gossip Calypso”, a triumph of novelty song writing that somehow manages to
squeeze in the lyric “Oxy-aceteline welder”, and is possibly the only song ever to do so. They
wrote further hits (winning an Ivor Novello for “A Windmill In Old Amsterdam”) and were in
constant demand throughout the 1960s and 1970s, working with artists such as Petula Clark,
Matt Munro, Bruce Forsyth, Topol and Kenneth Williams.

By the late 1960s Ted had also penned a handful of instrumental library cues including the
classic “Busy Boy” for the Standard Library company that got picked up as the theme for the
brilliant TV kids fantasy show Catweazle in 1970. It’s a light, kooky, hummable tune that lodged
its way deep in the mind of any child under 12 over the following decade.

When I first got the reels for Sex Clinic I’m not sure what I was sonically expecting - much of
Dicks’ music blends musical hall with jazz and some brilliant novelty - and maybe I was also
imagining a different kind of film to the one that was actually made. Turns out Sex Clinic is more
like a sleazy drama than an erotic adventure - I’ve read reviews that call it “nothing more than a
naked Crossroads”. Even knowing this I had no idea what the music was going to sound like. So
I was thrilled when it was almost the musical opposite of what I imagined. We have here a great,
easy jazz score. Not a proggy, wild or free jazz score, this is lightish, vibes-led, bluesy and really
charming, which gets slightly more lively when the naked pool party sequence kicks off, and
drifts effortlessly into more seductive midnight moods as and when required. And having now
seen the film, musically it’s unusually at odds with the on screen nudity, blackmail and revenge.

But like most of Ted’s work, the music sticks in your mind. Unlike the film. Which I suggest you
try and avoid unless you like watching plump randy middle aged men with terrible hair pursue
women half their age.

TRACKLISTING: There were no notes or titles to any of the cues on the reels. So I have just simply labeled the sides as per the reels that came in:

James Ruskin's Blueprint Records continue the 30th anniversary with another label stalwart as Mark Broom returns with his new EP, "Reality Check".



Mark Broom is a renowned British techno DJ and music producer whose career spans over three decades. Throughout his career, Broom has released over 150 singles, showcasing his versatility across various sub-genres of electronic music. He has collaborated with esteemed record labels such as Defected, Rekids, Warp, Ifach, M-Plant, Cocoon, Glitterbox and his own Beard Man (launched in 2009).



In addition to his solo projects, Broom has engaged in numerous collaborations. He partnered with James Ruskin to form The Fear Ratio, exploring experimental sounds that blend elements of hip-hop, IDM and techno with four albums (to date) on Skam Records, Tresor and of course, Blueprint. Another highlight has been their "Ruskin & Broom" EPs which have peppered the label's roster.Now based in Norfolk (England), Broom continues to be a driving force in the techno scene.



His work has been described as ranging from "club-ready techno and house to left-field electro, downtempo and IDM" highlighting his adaptability and broad musical range.? Returning to his driving Techno roots, his "Reality Check" EP is an essential release for fans of both Broom and Blueprint.

All Day I Dream offers a soft and serene close to a snowy season with A Winter Sampler VII, a 12-track compilation out now. Continuing the label’s tradition of seasonal collections, the latest installment gathers a global cast of artists whose productions capture the reflective calm and subtle warmth that arrives as winter begins to thaw.

Sixteen killer 70s reggae funk and soul cuts from the likes of John Holt, Lee Perry, Cornel Campbell, The Cimarons, The Chosen Few and more featuring superb reggae takes on songs by artists including The Jackson 5, William DeVaughn, Diana Ross and The Supremes, War, The Temptations, Roberta Flack, The Stylistics and others!

Well-documented is the influence of American black music on Jamaican styles of the 1960s – from the birth of ska music, when The Skatalites ska-ified the jump-up southern USA rhythm and blues music of Rosco Gordon, Louis Jordan and Fats Domino, through to the creation of rocksteady when Jamaican artists like The Techniques, The Paragons, Alton Ellis and The Melodians turned to the slower rhythms and soulful harmonies of groups such as The Impressions and The Drifters for inspiration. 

Less-well established is that in the 1970s Jamaicans didn’t (shock!) stop listening to American black music styles, with many 70s reggae artists as invested in soul, funk and the proto-disco sounds of Philadelphia, as was the case with rhythm and blues in the previous decade. In the 1970s, while Jamaica promoted its own roots reggae styles around the world, powerhouse USA soul labels such as Motown, Philadelphia International and Stax Records were at the same time all popular on the island.
This interaction between American and Jamaican music was not limited to Jamaica. In Britain, first-generation Caribbean-émigré children in the 1960s and early 70s grew up with an equal love of both soul and reggae, which manifested itself in the home-grown arrival of lovers rock in the mid-1970s.
Soul Jazz Records’ new ‘Reggae Island Soul’ tells this story of how soul and funk-infused reggae in the 1970s united the sounds of Jamaica, USA and the UK into a highly addictive cultural hybrid of styles.

Nachdem er Mitte der 1950er Jahre mit “Afro-Cuban” und “‘Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia” zwei frühe Klassiker für Blue Note aufgenommen hatte, feierte Trompeter Kenny Dorham 1961 mit
“Whistle Stop” ein fulminantes Comeback bei dem Label. Das Album, eingespielt mit einem erstklassigen
Hard-Bop-Quintett, enthält sieben Originale aus Dorhams Feder, die seine erstaunliche Vielfalt als Komponist unterstreichen. Scott Yanow gab der Aufnahme bei AllMusic 4,5 von 5 Sternen und schrieb: “Dorham
präsentiert hier lebhafte, frische und durchweg swingende Musik. Dies ist ein allgemein übersehenes, fast
schon klassisches Album.”

After releasing two albums with the UK label Rocket Recordings, the Italian psych band Julie"s Haircut now release the new album on its own Label Superlove. With a title taking inspiration from the I Ching book of divination, and a six piece lineup introducing new singer and songwriter Anna Bassy joining the consolidated team formed by Nicola Caleffi, Luca Giovanardi, Andrea Rovacchi, Andrea Scarfone and Ulisse Tramalloni, Radiance Opposition collates an eight tracks cycle that generates a consistent yet multifaceted musical journey, combining psychedelia, electronica and polyrhythms - all blended together thanks to a syncretic vision juxtaposing apparently irreconcilable factors. None of this is more evident, perhaps, than in the opener "I Can See The Light", with its sudden yet flowing shift from a dark pulsating preamble to an invigorating, hypnotic coda; or in the transition from the stoner-drenched heavy chthonic blues of "Extinction Of The Sun" to the liquid nocturnal moods of closing piece "6AM Carpet Candlelight". But it is the whole record that finds a rare balance, with tracks melting deep atmospheres and summoning vocals, synth-driven shapes and dynamic cadences, noise textures and evoking chants - all of them making the album a cohesively transformative experience. Nestled in a visual frame by contemporary artist Zoë Croggon suggesting an aura of ritualistic tension and mystique, Radiance Opposition sets Julie"s Haircut in a renovated form, at once rooted in their history and rushed to a creative renascence.

Cowboy Junkies are set to release Open to Beauty, a collection of songs from their 21st century albums to date. This "Best Of" set will revisit selected tracks from albums "Open", "One Soul Now", "Early 21st Century Blues", "At The End of Paths Taken", "Renmin Park", "Demons", "Sing In My Meadow", "The Wilderness", "All That Reckoning", "Songs of the Recollection" and "Such Ferocious Beauty". Speaking about the new collection, Cowboy Junkies" Michael Timmins said: "We are now 25 years into this century, the beginning of which saw us leave the world of major labels and return to making music as an independent band. We figured this was as good a time as any to look back, reassess, and reflect on the music that we have recorded over these past two and a half decades and, hence, "Open to Beauty - The Best of the 21st Century".

Much like the duo’s music, the story of Rural France is both mundane and magical. Tom Brown (also of transatlantic janglepunks Teenage Tom Petties) and Rob Fawkes moved to London in their mid-twenties. Despite living under the same roof, they never picked up a guitar – except for one drunken, failed attempt at writing a Spoon song (“Big Chops” …don’t ask). It was only after both separately relocating to Wiltshire and starting families that they began assembling songs as a way of meeting up. Tom had amassed a pile of sprightly slacker jams that were calling out for Fawkes’ messily melodic guitar lines. Rural France was born.

After a debut album on their hero, ex-Lemonhead Nic Dalton’s Half-a-Cow Records, they retreated to a garage to record their next two albums: RF (2021) and Exacamondo! (2024), both released on much-respected jangle label Meritorio Records. Despite being lo-fi in the truest GbV sense, both records were warmly received by the DIY indie blogosphere, with their short, scrappy, but supremely melodic songs landing on numerous AOTY lists. RF even won Album of the Year at Janglepop Hub.

Raven Sings The Blues probably summed up the sound best: “With drunken visions of Beach Boys harmonies playing in the back of their heads and hooks that consume Teenage Fanclub cheeriness with the same beautiful brevity that drives Tony Molina, the pair have knocked out eleven rumpled classics.” Album four, SLOTHS, arrives via Meritorio Records and Safe Suburban Home Records on 08/05, and is a slightly different beast. For one, it’s been mixed by a professional – Rob Slater (Westside Cowboy, Yard Act, Thank) – giving the guitars and drums room to breathe. It’s easily their most high-fidelity record to date. It’s also their jangliest, most baroque and thoughtful album yet. But alongside added organ, horns and mellotron – and drums from Tom’s Teenage Tom Petties bandmate Jeff Hamm – it still retains the buzzes, hums and little freak-outs that stick to the duo’s original “Pavement playing Teenage Fanclub” mission statement. “Rob and I both wanted to do something a little slower and a little more melancholy,” says Tom. “We resisted our usual urge to hit the distortion pedal and made something that fitted where we are now and celebrates how we still listen to Meatloaf when we get drunk.”

SLOTHS is also the most thematically consistent Rural France record to date. While it wouldn’t be right to call it grown-up, it definitely has homeowners’ insurance. From the Silver Jews-esque Americana of “Slab” and mid-life rallying cry of “Thirty Seven Forever”, to the horn-embossed loser anthem “Lonely Heart Pyramid Scheme,” the songs celebrate (and rail against) the absurdities of getting older, forming a band in your thirties, and the strange phenomenon of time passing. Because no matter how slow you move, everything else goes fast. SLOTHS.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its release, Happening Songs, the debut album by Dionysos, is finally being issued on vinyl for the very first time.

Recorded in 1996, the record captures the early days of a band still in its rawest form, already driven by a singular stage energy and a boundless imagination. Entirely sung in English, Happening Songs unfolds a free and inventive sonic universe where indie rock, dark humor, and surreal visions intertwine. Tracks such as "Wet," "Polar Girl," and "Screamin' Like an Egg" sketch the foundations of a poetic, strange, and deeply endearing artistic world that would become Dionysos' signature.
Long regarded as a cult album, passed from stage to stage and through word of mouth, it now returns in a brand-new vinyl edition, faithful to its original spirit.
This anniversary release is presented by EGGMAN RECORDS, the label founded by Mathias Malzieu, giving new life to this foundational work and inviting listeners to rediscover the initial spark of a project that has since become essential.
Thirty years on, Happening Songs remains the opening chapter of a unique artistic journey: inhabited, unruly, and profoundly free rock.

East London producer and DJ IZCO announces his debut solo studio album ‘POWERSCROFT’, set for release on 1st May via Brownswood Recordings. The album’s first single, ‘Strike a Pose’ featuring the vocals of Camille Munn offers an early glimpse into the project. To celebrate the release, he will go on a run of UK dates from March to May, culminating at London’s Jazz Cafe.
Named after the road where he grew up, ‘POWERSCROFT’ marks a defining new chapter for an artist who has spent the past decade shaping the sound of UK dance music. Drawing from jungle, broken beat, grime, garage, soul and dub, the album channels the energy of the dancefloor while remaining deeply rooted in memory, instinct and identity. It captures what it feels like to be inside IZCO’s world, where thoughts, memories and influences collide.

Hailing from East London, IZCO is a producer and DJ spearheading a new generation that is bringing soul back to the dancefloor. Shaped by the rich musical heritage of his hometown, he has developed a sound that feels familiar yet forward-looking, diverse yet distinctly his own. That sound has taken him across the globe, from New York to Tokyo, alongside standout sets at We Out Here, Outlook and Glastonbury.

IZCO began his journey making grime beats for local rappers including Capo Lee, Novelist and Reek0, before becoming a key figure in the UK’s evolving garage and dance music landscape. In 2018, he launched his long-running Rinse FM show and released his debut EP Tek 5, earning early underground acclaim. His production credits include PinkPantheress’ breakout track ‘Passion’, created alongside Jkarri, as well as collaborations and remixes for artists such as Katy B and Greentea Peng.
Beyond his solo work, IZCO is a label head, promoter and co-founder of the Brighter Days Family, a collective built on community, craft and cooperation. With ‘POWERSCROFT’, he steps fully into the spotlight, presenting his most personal and fully realised body of work to date. “This album is about channeling my true musical personality and character,” he says. “I’m marking a new chapter by paying tribute to my foundations.”

Budapest-based concept label, Blue Sun is launching their new line of vinyl focused releases, aimed primarily on DJs and collectors: the Blue Series. A counterpart to the Orange Series launched last year that showcases a more upbeat side of the label, the new collection presents a darker, more experimental, and introspective musical vision.

The first release in the Blue Series is a six-track EP by Budapest based multimedia artist, Virág Réti. Choosing her legal name as her artist persona (“Flower of the Meadow" in Hungarian) also with the track titles capturing the folk names of local fauna, Peremidő evokes the artist's innate connection to nature as a place of refuge from the noise of Eastern European urban life.

The EP’s motifs point back to early memories of sitting by a river, simply observing time flowing by. The arc of the songs follow the passage of a day, beginning with the hesitant sounds of early morning, gradually moving on toward more defined, rhythm-driven forms. As the airy textures slowly give way to structure and percussion comes to the forefront, the sense of direction becomes clearer, letting moments of gentle disorder and unexpected sounds to surface.

Virág previously appeared on the label’s Blue Sun VA II compilation with her track Bíbic. Since launching her ambient music project in the fall of 2024, she has become one of the promising newcomers in the Hungarian experimental electronic music scene. Her debut EP, Minden Ami Megmaradt (All That Remains), was released last November as the final offering of temporary nites label (2023–2025). She is also the founder and organizer of the Budapest-based experimental electronic event series Still Places.