quête:blue night

Twisted Teens - alias Caspian Halliwell und RJ Santos - gab es vor ihrem Debüt-LP aus dem Jahr 2024, das heute als The Orange Album bekannt ist, eigentlich gar nicht. Das Duo hatte unter dem Radar und abseits der Öffentlichkeit Musik von Cajun/Country bis hin zu Anarcho-Folk gemacht und dabei ein Leben als Nomaden geführt. Twisted Teens entstanden aus einem pandemiebedingten Inspirationsschub, der sie zusammenbrachte, um in passender Lo-Fi-Manier in Caspians Haus in New Orleans aufzunehmen. Ihr erstes Album wurde schnell zu einem modernen Klassiker des eingängigen, warmen Rocks, der Blues, Folk und Punk zu einer rohen und unwiderstehlichen Mischung vereint. Das Duo meldete sich 2026 stark zurück mit Blame the Clown - das sofort von Pitchfork und Paste begeistert gelobt wurde - und anschließend mit dem ebenso gefeierten Florida Water Blues, einer absurden Betrachtung ihrer Streifzüge rund um die Welt. Ihr drittes fesselndes und perfekt schräges Album aus dem Jahr 2026 ist eine Saga über Herzschmerz und verborgene Triumphe namens The Holy Cross Tigers. Die Songs sind Hymnen der Sehnsucht und unzähliger Enttäuschungen, angeheizt von allem Möglichen - von einer brutalen Trennung bis hin zu verräterischen Ex-Freunden. Trotz all dieser Leiden strahlt The Holy Cross Tigers eine gewisse Leuchtkraft aus, ein Gefühl von reflektiertem Licht, das sich gegen die Traurigkeit stemmt. Man kann sich sofort damit identifizieren - es fühlt sich an, als würden ein paar Freunde die Lasten des Lebens miteinander teilen, mit seltsamen und ekstatischen Ergebnissen, weil sie nach ihren eigenen Regeln handeln. Es ist eine übersteuerte Übertragung vom Rand des Herzschmerzes, einem Ort, an dem selbst die Glücklichen schon waren und von dem sie hoffentlich zurückgekehrt sind.

Twisted Teens - alias Caspian Halliwell und RJ Santos - gab es vor ihrem Debüt-LP aus dem Jahr 2024, das heute als The Orange Album bekannt ist, eigentlich gar nicht. Das Duo hatte unter dem Radar und abseits der Öffentlichkeit Musik von Cajun/Country bis hin zu Anarcho-Folk gemacht und dabei ein Leben als Nomaden geführt. Twisted Teens entstanden aus einem pandemiebedingten Inspirationsschub, der sie zusammenbrachte, um in passender Lo-Fi-Manier in Caspians Haus in New Orleans aufzunehmen. Ihr erstes Album wurde schnell zu einem modernen Klassiker des eingängigen, warmen Rocks, der Blues, Folk und Punk zu einer rohen und unwiderstehlichen Mischung vereint. Das Duo meldete sich 2026 stark zurück mit Blame the Clown - das sofort von Pitchfork und Paste begeistert gelobt wurde - und anschließend mit dem ebenso gefeierten Florida Water Blues, einer absurden Betrachtung ihrer Streifzüge rund um die Welt. Ihr drittes fesselndes und perfekt schräges Album aus dem Jahr 2026 ist eine Saga über Herzschmerz und verborgene Triumphe namens The Holy Cross Tigers. Die Songs sind Hymnen der Sehnsucht und unzähliger Enttäuschungen, angeheizt von allem Möglichen - von einer brutalen Trennung bis hin zu verräterischen Ex-Freunden. Trotz all dieser Leiden strahlt The Holy Cross Tigers eine gewisse Leuchtkraft aus, ein Gefühl von reflektiertem Licht, das sich gegen die Traurigkeit stemmt. Man kann sich sofort damit identifizieren - es fühlt sich an, als würden ein paar Freunde die Lasten des Lebens miteinander teilen, mit seltsamen und ekstatischen Ergebnissen, weil sie nach ihren eigenen Regeln handeln. Es ist eine übersteuerte Übertragung vom Rand des Herzschmerzes, einem Ort, an dem selbst die Glücklichen schon waren und von dem sie hoffentlich zurückgekehrt sind.

- 2026 Edition, gepresst auf apricotfarbenem Vinyl - Erweitertes Gatefold-Cover - Enthält ein 20-seitiges Booklet mit seltenen Fotos und Liner Notes von Lenny Kaye sowie Beiträgen von Nick Cave und Devendra Banhart. Karen Daltons Album ,In My Own Time" aus dem Jahr 1971 gilt als wahres Meisterwerk einer der geheimnisvollsten, rätselhaftesten und nachhaltig einflussreichsten Künstlerinnen der Musikgeschichte. Das neu erweiterte, 20-seitige LP-Booklet mit selten gezeigten Fotos, Liner Notes des Musikers und Autors Lenny Kaye sowie Beiträgen von Nick Cave und Devendra Banhart rundet das Paket ab. Die in Oklahoma aufgewachsene Karen Dalton (1937-1993) brachte eine Vielzahl von Einflüssen in ihr Werk ein. Wie Lenny Kaye in den Liner Notes schreibt, hört man den Jazz von Ella Fitzgerald und Billie Holiday, die Intensität von Nina Simone, den Appalachen-Gesang von Jean Ritchie sowie den R&B und Country, die auf ihrem Weg nach New York unweigerlich in ihre Musik einflossen. Ausgestattet mit einem Langhalsbanjo und einer 12-saitigen Gitarre hob sich Dalton durch ihren unverwechselbaren, lebensmüden Gesang von ihren Kollegen ab. In den frühen 60er Jahren wurde sie zu einer festen Größe in der Folk-Szene von Greenwich Village, wo sie traditionelles Material, Blues-Standards und die Songs ihrer Zeitgenossen interpretierte, darunter Tim Hardin, Fred Neil und Richard Tucker, den sie später heiratete. Bob Dylan war unterdessen sofort von ihrer Kunst begeistert. ,Meine Lieblingssängerin dort war Karen Dalton", erinnerte er sich in *Chronicles: Volume One* (Simon & Schuster, 2004). ,Karen hatte eine Stimme wie Billie Holiday und spielte Gitarre wie Jimmy Reed." Wer Dalton kannte, wusste, dass sie kein Interesse daran hatte, sich den Launen der Plattenindustrie zu beugen. Auf der Bühne interagierte sie kaum mit dem Publikum. Im Studio fühlte sie sich beim Aufnahmeprozess ebenso unwohl. Ihr Debütalbum von 1969, *It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best*, das 2009 von Light in the Attic neu aufgelegt wurde, entstand heimlich, als Dalton dachte, sie würde nur Songs proben. Als Michael Lang, Mitveranstalter von Woodstock, Dalton ansprach, ob sie ein Folgealbum für sein neues Label ,Just Sunshine" aufnehmen wolle, war sie, gelinde gesagt, skeptisch. Das Album musste nach ihren eigenen Bedingungen und in ihrem eigenen Tempo entstehen. Daraus wurde ein sechsmonatiger Aufenthalt in den Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. Produziert wurde das Album von dem Bassisten Harvey Brooks, der bereits auf ,It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best" an Daltons Seite gespielt hatte. Brooks, der stolz darauf war, unkompliziert, zuverlässig und unterstützend zu sein, verstand Daltons Arbeitsweise, war aber auch bereit, sie sanft zu ermutigen und die Künstlerin dazu herauszufordern, ihre kreativen Grenzen zu erweitern. ,Ich habe versucht, ihr einen flexiblen Rahmen zu bieten", erzählte er Kaye. ,Ich habe die Entscheidungen ihr überlassen - das Tempo, das Feeling festzulegen." Sie war sehr zurückhaltend, und ich habe ihr alles vorgelegt; wenn sie mehr brauchte, habe ich ihr Optionen angeboten. Alle gingen einfühlsam auf sie ein. Sie war die Anführerin. Dalton, die selten ihre eigenen Kompositionen aufführte, wählte eine Reihe von Stücken zur Interpretation aus - von traditionellen Liedern wie ,Katie Cruel" und ,Same Old Man" bis hin zu Paul Butterfields ,In My Own Dream" und Richard Tuckers ,Are You Leaving For The Country". Außerdem erweiterte sie ihr übliches Repertoire und fügte R&B-Hits wie ,When a Man Loves a Woman" und ,How Sweet It Is" hinzu. Im Gegensatz zu ihrer vorherigen LP bot Daltons neue Aufnahme vollere, poporientiertere Arrangements, an denen eine ganze Reihe talentierter Studiomusiker mitwirkte. Auch wenn das Publikum der 70er Jahre vielleicht noch nicht bereit für Daltons Musik war, stand eine neue Generation kurz davor, ihr Werk zu entdecken. In den Jahrzehnten nach ihrem Tod nannten viele Künstler Karen Dalton als Einfluss, darunter Lucinda Williams, Joanna Newsom, Nick Cave, Angel Olsen, Devendra Banhart, Sharon Van Etten, Courtney Barnett und Adele. In dem kürzlich gefeierten Dokumentarfilm ,Karen Dalton: In My Own Time" sinniert Cave über Daltons einzigartige Anziehungskraft: ,Es wird eine Art Anspruch an den Zuhörer gestellt", erklärt er. Ob man es mag oder nicht, man muss in ihre Welt eintauchen. Und es ist eine Welt voller Verzweiflung. Peter Walker, der ebenfalls im Film zu sehen ist, führt diesen Gedanken weiter aus: ,Wenn sie in ihrer Musik ein bestimmtes Gefühl empfinden und es so rüberbringen kann, dass man dieses Gefühl auch spürt, dann ist das wirklich das Magischste, was man tun kann." Er fügt hinzu: ,Sie hatte eine tiefe, tiefgründige und liebevolle Seele - das hört man in ihrer Musik."

Bristol trio Jabu return with their first release for two years. Following on from their widely acclaimed third LP ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’, this stand-alone double A-side Disco Mix 12” features four exclusive new tracks, while signposting fresh material currently being written, recorded and mixed for their forthcoming LP, due 2027.


If 2023 LP ‘Boiling Wells’ documented Jabu learning to be a live band, leaning into writing collectively in-the-moment, ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’ took that record’s ad-hoc/mixtape blueprint, and fleshed out their transformation from an outfit rooted in hiphop and dubstep, to a guitar-based band with a unique take on dream-pop. It saw them described by The Face as “an experiential trio blending the raw edge of industrial dub with dreamy layers of ambient pop and shoegaze", and by The Wire as “like Mazzy Star remixed by The Mad Professor“.


Jabu have continued to grow in the space between releases, touring regularly for the first time, playing festivals such as Rewire and Le Guess Who?, and supporting the likes of Maria Somerville and AR Kane. Their extended live line-up now regularly incorporates those that contributed to ‘A Soft and Gatherable Star’, with new material often further developed as it gets passed back and forth between collaborators. Cellist Josh Horsley (Powders / Nightingale Floor) and multi-instrumentalist Will Yates (aka Memotone) both feature here, under the guiding hand of Birthmark’s mixing.


Titled after the rural, estuarine landscape bordering their Bristol hometown, ‘Severn Flood Plain’ sees the band pivot towards a more jagged and up-tempo, post-punk sound. It runs on a nagging drum machine pulse that feels closer to Joy Division than Sly Stone; while the echo-laced vocals and tremolo guitar phrasing hark back to the ‘50s slapback sound of Lee Hazlewood or Duane Eddy. Written and sung by Jasmine Butt, the lyrics describe a visit to a friend near the mouth of the Severn, and hint towards a darkness that can also be felt across that tidal landscape.


Dropping the pace to a languorous, sensual sprawl, ‘Where You Run To’ is plaintive and yearning, an opiated, ethereal flipside to ‘Severn Flood Plain’s more urgent, anxiety-laced opener. Alex Rendall’s vocals glide over a stripped, metronomic backdrop, eventually entwining with Memotone’s ghostly, processed clarinet.


If the band’s musical reference points appear to have shifted, their process remains indebted to dub and still very much rooted in the multicultural cross-pollination peculiar to their home city of Bristol. Both tracks are extended, with dub versions courtesy of Birthmark. The band sat in on those sessions, completing the circle that began with J’s on-stage mixing of their live sets. The strands provided by Will and Josh provide introspective counterpoint to the sound system leanings.


Jabu’s influences are threaded together as naturally here as on their long-running NTS radio show, ‘Music For Lovers’, which now occasionally guests on the Early Bird show slot. They are due to play World of Echo’s ‘Expected Music 2.0’ at London’s Walthamstow Trades Hall on 21st November with Loopsel, Insides, Giulio Erasmus, Thomas Bush, and Raime amongst others.

Sean Thompson hat mehr als ein Jahrzehnt damit verbracht, sich zu einem der vielseitigsten Gitarristen in Nashville zu entwickeln. Derzeit ist er als Gitarrist für Margo Price auf Tour, und sein flinkes, lyrisches Spiel hat Bands unter der Leitung von Erin Rae sowie einer ganzen Reihe von Größen der ,Music City" geprägt. Außerdem ist er neben Rich Ruth und Spencer Cullum ein Drittel des kosmischen Trios Shrunken Elvis, dessen gefeiertes, selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum 2025 bei Western Vinyl erschien. Mit ,Inner Principles", seinem ersten rein instrumentalen Album, bündelt Thompson all diese Instinkte zu etwas, das sich wie ein echtes neues Kapitel anfühlt. Es ist ein Jazz-Fusion-Album im reichhaltigsten Sinne des Wortes: virtuos, aber schnörkellos, experimentierfreudig und stilistisch von einem Titel zum nächsten unruhig. Die acht Stücke bewegen sich mühelos zwischen ECM-artiger Weite im Geiste von John Abercrombie, rauchigem Akustik-Picking, lockeren Late-Night-Boogies und eleganten Post-Rock-Abenteuern, mit Synthesizern, die hin und wieder in Richtung Jan-Hammer-Territorium blitzen. Man könnte meinen, ein Großteil dieser Musik stamme aus dem Jahr 1978 oder 1983, und genau diese Zeitlosigkeit ist der springende Punkt. Thompson spielt ein rasantes Spiel namens ,Finde den Einfluss" und zieht dann weiter, ohne sich jemals lange genug an einem Ort niederzulassen, um wie eine Hommage zu klingen. Im Kern ist das Album ein Trio aus Thompson, Eric Slick am Schlagzeug und Alec Newman am Bass, ergänzt durch eine Handvoll bewährter Mitstreiter: Jake Davis, der produzierte, als Tontechniker fungierte, abmischte und Synthesizer beisteuerte; sein ,Shrunken Elvis"-Bandkollege Rich Ruth an der Gitarre; sowie Jo Schornikow am Keyboard. Dieses Zusammenspiel des Ensembles ist das Herzstück der Platte, und trotz aller technischen Meisterschaft ruht sich ,Inner Principles" nie auf seinem Können aus. Jeder Track strahlt echtes Gefühl aus, vom weitläufigen, treibenden ,Underwater Way" bis zum zarten ,Waltz For Mama". Thompson hat ,Inner Principles" digital in Eigenregie veröffentlicht und das Material live beim BigEars-Festival vorgestellt. Western Vinyl presst es nun zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl und verschafft damit einem der stillen, aber unverzichtbaren Musiker Nashvilles sein bisher umfassendstes Statement.

Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979 is Time Capsule’s continuation of the deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.

Vinyl LP with 4 page insert, original artwork and photos

The kaleidoscopic psychedelia of 1970s Japan captured a fragile and fertile moment as the country sought its future in funk grooves, heavy reverb and lyrical hallucinations.

The follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes myriad pathways into the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Finding their feet at home and looking for inspiration abroad, the musicians featured here were engaged in the communal soul-searching that followed the breakdown of the 1960s protest movements. Some made it big, others drifted into oblivion. The music they left behind shimmers with intensity.

At the core was Happy End, the first project of YMO’s Haroumi Hosono, whose distortion-heavy guitar and crisp back-beat laid the foundations for Japanese lyrics that flipped the paradigm of Japanese rock music on its head. With it came a new found sonic ambition, such as in the bold Philly-soul style arrangements of producer Yuji Ohno, whose work with occult wandered Yoshiko Sai shares some of the bittersweet grandeur of Rotary Connection or David Axelrod.

Then there was Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, whose debut album was a carnival of orchestral funk, euphoric horn lines and rich production, complete with soaring guitar solos, psychedelic organ and a truly cinematic finale. The first and only time Fukamachi would sing on record, ‘Omae’ rips like the ultimate end-of-nighter.

Influenced by giants of the US soul scene, maverick composer Hiroshi “Monsieur” Kamayatsu (otherwise known as ‘the Brian Wilson of Japan’) went one step further, enlisting Tower of Power to play on ‘Have You Smoked Gauloises?’ The B-side to Monsieur’s biggest-selling single, it coasts with sophisticated cool - a liquid bassline and suave keys comping under a roaring trademark ToP sax solo. No surprise it found favour once more on the Acid Jazz dance floors of ‘90s London.

Such was the spirit of experimentation that big studio productions and private press releases sat side-by-side, with the likes of Momotaro Pink and Kazushi Inamura, taking their hopes of success into their own hands with the resources available to them. More reflective but no less robust, theirs was a heavy, fat-backed drum sound, soaked in dramatic, soulful psychedelia.

If some were dreamers and others space cadets, none were further out than sci-fi writer, musician, activist and self-made scientist Tadashi Goino, who transformed his own fantasy novel Messenger from the Seventh Dimension into an operatic prog odyssey with few discernible musical reference points – a majestic and completely bonkers outlier even among company as strange and brilliant as that which is collected here.

Less a compilation of a scene, as a compilation of a sentiment, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is a wild ride from start to finish, shattering the narratives of the Japanese folk and rock tradition into a million tiny pieces.

Marking a refreshed 2026 visual identity for Contemplate Recordings and a return to vinyl, Go Deeper EP draws from the atmosphere and musicality of classic Detroit and 90s deep house.

Built around warm synth textures, hypnotic grooves, sampled elements, and jazz-influenced harmonies, the release delivers a stripped-back yet immersive late-night sound. Classic 90s-style synthesis and sampler-based techniques underpin a record that balances subtle emotional depth with strong dancefloor focus.

Melodic, groove-led, and atmospheric deep house with a timeless, understated feel.

Tokyo producer Calm supplies a steady shore's lapping of sound with his next album, Ambient Jazz, not far after his previous records Before and Quiet Music Under The Moon. After a period of sharp emotional whiplash, Calm sets in again to moll the nerves here, serving a full plate of smooth new age and sonic draperies, recalling the night time jazz chasms of John Hassell especially. Between prefectures Tokyo and Yamagata, trusted collaborators are once again folded in, Calm asking them to prioritise tone over improvisation; saxophonist Kato takes central improv stage again on the plainly titled 'Jazz Acid 2' and 'After Dark', while deeper sus-chord shades stark jazz on the likes of 'Space Ritual'.

Mit „Golden Chart Hits Of The 80s & 90s Vol. 6“ erscheint die nächste Ausgabe der beliebten Vinyl-Serie und bringt erneut die größten Pop- und Dance-Hits zweier legendärer Jahrzehnte auf den Plattenteller. Die neue Compilation vereint internationale Chart-Klassiker und echte Kultsongs der 80er und 90er Jahre in einer hochwertigen Vinyl-Edition.

Mit dabei sind unter anderem Hits von Ace Of Base, Soft Cell, The Rainbirds, Corey Hart und Kim Wilde. Die Zusammenstellung bietet eine perfekte Mischung aus New Wave, Synth-Pop, Dance und Pop-Rock – ideal für Sammler, Vinyl-Liebhaber und Fans unvergesslicher Radiohits.

Die „Golden Chart Hits“-Reihe von ZYX Music steht seit Jahren für nostalgische Musikmomente und sorgfältig kuratierte Hit-Compilations auf Vinyl. Vol. 6 setzt diese Erfolgsgeschichte konsequent fort und liefert den perfekten Soundtrack für jede 80s- & 90s-Party.

A snapshot of UK tech house in its formative years, OLC002 finds Rob Pearson laying down the blueprint for a sound he’d continue to refine through Evasive Records. Released on Online Collective—the label arm of South London’s Online Studios—this EP captures a raw, forward-facing moment in underground dance music.

The title track Slipstream leads with intent: tight tech drums ride alongside a chopped breakbeat groove, underpinned by weighty sub bass and warped melodic textures. A fluid lead synth drives the track forward, locking into a hypnotic, evolving flow built for the dancefloor.

Vortex channels early Detroit techno through a South London lens—crisp edits, filtered drum machine rhythms, and a hypnotic vocal loop combine for a stripped, late-night roller with serious intent.

On Metaphor, Pearson taps into the spirit of early bleep and warehouse house, fusing it with late ‘90s tech house sensibilities—raw, swung, and deeply functional.

The Metaphor (Bonus Beats) rounds things off as a pure DJ tool, primed for layering and extended blends.

A sharp, authentic document of a pivotal era, Slipstream EP showcases Pearson’s early command of groove, texture, and dancefloor dynamics.

Featuring rare- and first-on-vinyl tracks from beloved producers such as 2000 And One, Stasis, and CiM. Remastered by DMX Krew and with an accompanying online essay by Oli Warwick.

Across eight carefully selected slices of starry-eyed machine soul, Cold Blow presents an exquisite tour through backroom techno and downtempo electro. With a focus on thematic flow and an immersive listening experience, the London-based label explores works from leading lights of the 1990s and previously unreleased cuts that celebrate the human heart that can be discovered in synthetic sound practices. The development of techno in the 1990s saw the music evolve in different directions across the world. From the expressive blueprint laid out by the Detroit pioneers, a wide range of tempos and energies emerged. Techno's evocative synthesis and intricate drum machine programming was especially potent for deeper explorations away from the dancefloor. Documents Of A Different Reality casts back to when technology was steering quantum leaps in communication and creativity and the future was shot through with naive optimism. It was also a time when the media and industry hadn't caught up with the music to box it into distinct categories. As such, there's a sense of creative freedom that informs the older tracks on the album, from 2000 And One and Sandy Huner's sparkling example of early Dutch techno to London-based LA Synthesis' detailed take on braindance and the majestic night sky vision of cult legend Stasis. There's also space for rare, late 90s machine funk from Icelandic outlier Thor alongside Connective Zone's charmingly fractured bleep dream and a more contemporary offering from Barcelona-based duo Permutation. Meanwhile Mind Control and CiM both capture the spirit of stylistic fusion with twitchier rhythms that take influence from hardcore and jungle as much as techno. With an atmospheric through-line of melancholic pads and harmonious leads, this small but perfectly formed collection naturally follows on from previous, equally thought-out compilations on Cold Blow, and adds a distinct perspective on the history and continuing legacy of pioneering early ambient techno.

Melodic Techno 2026 ist der eindrucksvolle Nachfolger der erfolgreichen Melodic Techno 2025 und präsentiert eine exklusive Auswahl moderner, melodischer Clubsounds. Gemixt von Seriös & Legendär sowie Little Duracell, verbindet die Compilation atmosphärische Klangwelten, treibende Beats und emotionale Peak-Time-Momente zu einem stimmigen Hörerlebnis.

Die abwechslungsreiche Track-Zusammenstellung vereint starke Originale und hochkarätige Remixe von etablierten Szenegrößen und spannenden Artists der aktuellen MelodicTechno-Szene. Zu den bekanntesten Namen dieser Ausgabe zählen unter anderem Resistance D, Alexander Bollinger, Klartraum und No Hopes.

Mit ihrer Mischung aus bekannten Artists, modernen RemixVersionen und zeitgemäßen Me

There was nothing in contemporary music like Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World when it hit shelves in June 1989. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique — and claims a backstory nearly as fascinating as the retro-leaning material and standout performances that propelled it to sales of more than 2.5 million copies. Home to the Top 10 smash “Wicked Game,” the set remains a masterful mood piece that invites you to pour a late-night drink, sit in a dimmed room, and relish Isaak’s elegant albeit raw ruminations on love, relationships, and questionable decisions.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and featuring the bonus track “Diddley Daddy,” Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Heart Shaped World unearths the staggering inner details, saturated tones, and brilliant atmospherics of the crisp production. It brings you up close and personal with Isaak’s spectacular singing — impeccably controlled, tense, brooding, steamy, smoldering, haunted — situated amidst stripped-down backdrops that allow every note to fully bloom and decay.

While Isaak’s ever-steady baritone remains the anchor, the contributions of his trusty backing band, the aptly named Silvertone, come across with just as much cool, command, and realism. The indispensable playing of guitarist James Calvin Wilsey particularly emerges with superb clarity and dimensionality. The character of his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, shivering twang of his spring-coiled fills, and his signature use of reverb, delay, and vibrato seamlessly match Isaak's patient deliveries and the band’s unhurried rhythms. Experienced on UD1S with ultra-black backgrounds and a nearly invisible noise floor, Heart Shaped World is in every regard a demonstration disc.

The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its elevated status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, not the least of which is the cover art depicting a lost-in-thought Isaak staring ahead and sitting in what appears to be an efficiency apartment. The image epitomizes the record’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes.

Of course, if not for director David Lynch hand-picking two cuts from Heart Shaped World for his 1990 film Wild at Heart, the record would’ve probably suffered the same fate as Isaak’s prior efforts and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Despite receiving raves from outlets such as NME, Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, the album stalled in the lower quadrants of the Billboard charts and, after a few weeks, dropped off.

Cue the ear of Lee Chesnut. Then the music director for a large Atlanta radio station, Chesnut heard the instrumental version of “Wicked Game” on Lynch’s soundtrack and started airing the album rendition at all hours of the day. Aided by a sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, the song found its way into the public consciousness by early ‘91 and helped make Isaak a most unlikely mainstream star in an era where his techniques had little to nothing in common with popular tastes.

Despite its vintage vibes and shared DNA with legends such as Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, Heart Shaped World transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and throwback tropes. For all the melodrama and sadness at hand, Isaak’s gorgeously transparent singing dives deep underneath emotional surfaces. He mines subtleties that indicate his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, and occasionally suggest frustration, menace, and anger. You can hear it in his quivering falsetto, and the slow and methodical ways he allows delicate whispers to break into shadowy phrasing that crosses over to the darker sides of romance and desire.

That approach bolsters the title track, which suggests calm yet moves on ominous currents — its simmering pace and snare-drum snappiness foreshadowing Isaak raising the volume and urgency during the coda. The southwestern-tinged “Wrong to Love You” plays with similar concepts of hesitation, unease, and discord, Isaak careful never to fully erupt and give anything away. His poised deliveries offer a master class in the art of insinuation and hurt on “Nothing’s Changed,” sent up with a wordless backing chorus and crackling guitar lines straight out of a Memphis blues joint.

Heart Shaped World further boosts its merit via its abundant stylistic variations, from the upbeat country-and-western trot of “I’m Not Waiting” and Spanish acoustic shimmer of the jazz-based ballad “Blue Spanish Sky” to the swinging horn-accompanied grooves of “Don’t Make Me Love You” and desert smokiness of the understated “Kings of the Highway.” On the latter, Isaak comes across as resigned and absolute. His singing and pain worm their way into your soul, and echo akin to the way the music prepares to strike when you least expect.

“Trouble going 'round,” Isaak croons right as the album begins. “Trouble going down.” Damn straight.

Originally released in 1968, James Taylor is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. This UK edition reissue by Endless Happiness brings back the album's rich blend of folk and rock influences, showcasing Taylor's introspective songwriting and soothing vocals. The album includes notable tracks such as "Carolina in My Mind" and "Something in the Way She Moves," which have become staples in Taylor's repertoire.

Carly Simon’s No. 1 smash “You’re So Vain” lingers as one of the most clever and famous songs ever recorded. The subject of mass speculation ever since its release, soon after which it occupied the top spot on multiple Billboard charts for weeks, the anthem kept a captive public guessing at the identity of its smug subject for decades. The question surrounding the protagonist’s identity remained perhaps the only mystery on the otherwise sexually open and autobiographically daring No Secrets, Simon’s commercial breakthrough and ‘70s singer-songwriter staple.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set affords the platinum-certified 1972 effort the finest sonic treatment it’s received on vinyl. Helmed by Richard Perry and recorded at London’s Trident Studios — where Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John captured landmark LPs — No Secrets touts exceptional production qualities highlighted by this restorative reissue.

Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time No Secrets has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces pay instant dividends. Simple, elegant, and disarming, songs seemingly float amid wide, deep soundstages. Simon’s voice takes on a confident, assertive tenor that emerges with accurate imaging, balanced tonality, and palpable presence. String arrangements and backing vocals come through with similar realism.

Enhanced by an all-star cast — Simon’s then-husband James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Bonnie Bramlett are among the renowned musicians who lend a hand — No Secrets advances Simon’s themes of personal introspectiveness, no-holds-barred reflectiveness, and feminist-inspired boldness. She makes every moment of No Secrets worth savoring. Simon invests her all in the songs, handling beautiful ballads, sassy folk-rock numbers, and bluesy fare with calm, composure, and candor.

While acknowledging her own regrets (“You’re So Vain”) and loss (“The Carter Family”), Simon champions the highs (“The Right Thing to Do”) and pains (“His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin”) of love in a sincere manner indicative of her maturity as both an artist and singer. The New York native distinguishes “When You Close Your Eyes” with deep-rooted spirituality, recalls childhood joys via charming sentimentality on “It Was So Easy,” and and takes ownership of her persona on a cover of Taylor’s “Night Owl.”

“We have no secrets
/We tell each other everything,” Simon sings at the record’s midpoint, encapsulating both the themes and bravura of an effort that was nominated for four Grammy Awards and saw her write or co-write every song but one. Combined with Perry’s savvy instrumental arrangements, her self-assured performances and forthright lyrics grant No Secrets an edginess and relevance immune to the ravages of time.

Electric Mud is the fifth studio album by Muddy Waters, with members of Rotary Connection serving as his backing band. Released in 1968, it imagines Muddy Waters as a psychedelic musician. Producer Marshall Chess suggested that Muddy Waters recorded it in an attempt to appeal to a rock audience. The album peaked at number 127 on Billboard 200 album chart. It was controversial for its fusion of electric blues with psychedelic elements.

Welcome to THE VAULT for 1985. A collection that digs deeper into the year’s musical landscape – uncovering singles that may not have always reached the highest chart positions but remain essential to the rich and diverse pop story of 1985. Some were overshadowed at the time, some were highlights from albums that had already sold huge amounts, some found greater success internationally – but all deserve their place in this continued celebration of 80s pop.

45 tracks across 3-LPs – pressed in gorgeous green vinyl – NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985.

LP1 opens with a trio of tracks from huge-selling albums:- Bruce Springsteen’s ‘My Hometown’, the sixth single in the UK from ‘Born in the U.S.A’ - one of the best-selling albums of the decade, followed by Bryan Ferry with the stunning ‘Windswept’ from ‘Boys And Girls’ and Sting’s ‘Love Is The Seventh Wave’, taken from his solo debut ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles’. Next up, Go West with a U.S single release ‘Eye To Eye’, Scritti Politti with ‘Perfect Way’ – their biggest hit in America, and ABC with ‘Be Near Me’. The first side closes with two established bands; Heaven 17 and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark… Flip the LP over for Adam Ant with ‘Vive Le Rock’, Midge Ure, Blancmange and the second collaboration between Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder with ‘Good-Bye Bad Times’. The Style Council’s ‘Welcome To Milton Keynes’ leads to LP1’s closer’s from Simply Red and Fine Young Cannibals who followed their debut ‘Johnny Come Home’ with ‘Blue’.

LP2 opens with Cocteau Twins and the dream-pop atmospherics of ‘Aikea-Guinea’, ahead of The Jesus And Mary Chain with ‘Just Like Honey’, and The Dream Academy with ‘The Love Parade’.

Brilliant with their cover of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World’ and jazz-influenced pop from Matt Bianco are up next ahead of the sublime ‘Castles In The Air’ from The Colourfield and Elvis Costello & The Attractions, who released the 1979 track ‘Green Shirt’ to promote their ‘Best Of’ collection … and the side closes with The Clash’s ‘This Is England’ which would become their last originally released hit…whilst on the other side…celebrate the dancefloor, with a vibrant mix of Hi-NRG, soul, electro and club-influenced pop:- Opening with Sheryl Lee Ralph’s ‘In The Evening’ and Barbara Pennington’s equally superb ‘On A Crowded Street’, the hi-energy continues with Miquel Brown and Hazell Dean ahead of a US hit from Laura Branigan (‘Spanish Eddie’) and Divine’s cover of ‘Twistin’ The Night Away’. LP2 finishes with a massive U.S. dancefloor smash for Eddie Murphy with ‘Party All The Time’.

The final LP kicks off with a bunch of singles that achieved bigger hit status in the US than here and opens with Billy Joel’s ‘You’re Only Human (Second Wind)’, a track written exclusively for his ‘Greatest Hits – Volume I & II’ compilation, ahead of pop-rock from John Mellencamp plus an anthemic smash from Bon Jovi. Pat Benatar’s ‘Invincible’ features ahead of The Power Station’s third US Top 40 hit…whilst back in the UK Chris Rea enjoyed his biggest chart hit to date with ‘Stainsby Girls’ and the side is completed by Marillion with ‘Heart Of Lothian’ the third hit from their huge ‘Misplaced Childhood’ album… Flip to the final side for the stellar vocals on ‘Act Of War’, the huge collaboration between Elton John & Millie Jackson ahead of dancefloor smash ‘New Attitude’ from Patti Labelle and ‘Show Some Respect’ a U.S. single from Tina Turner. Sophisticated pop-R&B from Michael McDonald and Daryl Hall & John Oates come ahead of the collection’s closers- and two outstanding vocal performances: Chaka Khan’s ‘Through The Fire’ and the U.S. breakthrough hit from Whitney Houston with ‘You Give Good Love’ – signalling the arrival of one of the decade’s brightest new stars.

NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985 – A deeper dive into an unforgettable year in pop.

Another Taste is back with their follow up album: Another Taste II delivers eight new cuts of boogie, funk, and obscure disco influenced productions, recorded live to tape. Comes with Download code.

After lighting up renowned clubs like KOKO London, Jazz Café London,Tresor Berlin, New Morning Paris, and festivals like Love Supreme (UK), Lost Village (UK), Nuits Sonores (FR), Hamburg Jazz (DE), Lowlands (NL), ADE Amsterdam - the band has surfaced from the studio anew, mixing myth with music.

If their debut record in 2024 was an introduction to their musical range, Another Taste II is the full immersion. The two-sided album plays like a neon-lit cab ride where the radio is set to groove. Expanding their palette with sharper songwriting, denser arrangements, and a fictional universe.

The album showcases Another Taste’s collective at full strength: Barend Lippens, Bobby van Putten, Bob Roche, Teun van Zoggel, Sarina Voorn, Diogo Carvalho, and Florian Verhagen. Together they summon a sound that is electrifying, communal, and unmistakably theirs, joined on “Peace Call” by Arp Frique and the Perpetual Singers, and bolstered throughout by a dedicated brass section.

Another Taste II is engineered and mixed by Bobby van Putten, mastered at The Carvery by Frank Merritt, with artwork and design by Timo ter Braak, Walt van der Veen and Robert Reinartz.

The new album presents a collaborative creation that’s both timeless and unpredictable, pulling listeners deeper into the band’s universe with every spin.

Some records feel like they should have existed. This is one of them.Originally buried as an album cut in the catalog of C. C. Catch, ‘Stop – Draggin’ My Heart Around’ never received the maxi single treatment it always deserved. For decades, fans of Dieter Bohlen’s signature sound have been left wondering what could have been… no extended mix, no dub, no proper club version… Until now.

Julie Chrome steps in with a strikingly faithful reinterpretation, capturing the emotional tone and melodic essence of the original, while Ryan Benson carefully reconstructs the sonic blueprint, staying true to that unmistakable mid-80s German disco aesthetic of Luis Rodriguez. Think shimmering synths, tight Linn-style drums and that bittersweet, dramatic tension Bohlen/Rodriguez and Co. perfected. But this release goes further than nostalgia. On this maxi, the track finally unfolds the way it always should have. Fully extended, club-ready, and built for the dancefloor. The Long Version delivers that essential 80s arc: slow build, emotional lift, and extended instrumental passages made for mixing. The Dub Version strips it back into a hypnotic tool, pure drums, synth stabs and atmosphere, tailored for late-night transitions and deeper sets. The Radio Version and Alternative Radio Version complete the package, offering two concise takes that still retain all the charm, drama and melodic punch of the original composition. This is more than a tribute, it’s a carefully crafted time capsule. From the production to the artwork and label aesthetics, everything here is designed to transport you straight back to 1986. For fans of classic German disco, collectors of lost Italo-adjacent gems, and DJs who know the power of a well-placed nostalgic moment – this one hits deep. A record that finally corrects history.

The anonymous Only Music Matters crew serve up another EP of smoking sounds for discerning crowds. It's the smart sampling of a classic motif from jazz-house great Saint Germain that makes the opener 'AAA001A' so enchanting as a bluesy vocal drifts in and out of a dry, dubby, minimal tech beat. 'BBB001B' is more driving and gritty, a clipped tech cut to keep things moving in the dead of night, then 'BBB002B' brings another supple groove, this time with rays of synth rising out of the mix like the morning sun. Quirky sound designs and a skipping rhythm make it irresistible.

Belgian saxophonist, composer, and producer Mattias De Craene (Nordmann, MDCIII) announces a new solo album, ‘A House Where I Dream,’ on VIERNULVIER Records. On his second album, he delivers a highly personal and healing journey, presented as an alternative soundtrack to the 1973 cult film ‘The Holy Mountain.’

The record will be released on October 11 on vinyl LP and through all digital platforms.

"The Holy Mountain" is a surreal Mexican film from 1973 directed, written, and produced by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who also stars in the film. The film holds a prominent place in avant-garde cinema and explores themes such as spirituality, mysticism, and the quest for enlightenment. It is in this vein that ‘A House Where I Dream’ is crafted.

“My mind and soul - and thus my music - come home to this motion picture” - Mattias De Craene

The album will be presented live with the film on October 16 at Videodroom during Film Fest Gent.

ABOUT THE ALBUM
With hypnotic tape loops, grainy textures, and mesmerizing saxophone, Mattias De Craene creates possible worlds that herald a spiritual transformation. From the Scottish Highlands and desolate mountains to the deepest recesses of the soul, this music has the power to create cinematic landscapes that transcend time and space. The sound of these 8 tracks is closely related to the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley, but the work of contemporary artists like KMRU or William Basinski is also drawn from the same material.

Above all, this album is a deeply personal journey and unintentionally serves as a metaphor for De Craene's ascent of his own mountain. For the Videodroom festival by Arts Center VIERNULVIER, the saxophonist began working on a new soundtrack for the film ‘The Holy Mountain’ in 2023, but his body and mind abruptly called him to a halt, forcing him to take a professional break. However, this project never left him, leading to an honest and raw quest to find himself as both a person and an artist, with Jodorowsky as a companion de route and music as an anchor. It initiated a long process of dismantling, searching, healing and back again. The album not only provides a sanctuary for dreaming to all who listen, but for its creator it also serves as both an outcry of despair and a source of comfort during challenging times.

All the tracks on 'A House Where I Dream' share an unfiltered grain of life, as one can almost feel the damp breath of the saxophone blowing.

The album opens with the three-part strong 'Transcention,' where the hypnotic interplay between soprano sax and lo-fi tape loops leads to higher realms of the mind and soul.
Alternating between deep frequencies and farout folk modalities, this mantra-like triptych acquires an alchemical character and ultimately transcends time and space.

In the ethereal 'Away,' one can peer into an abyss of resonance while a saturated tenor sax lends guidance in the spirit of Terry Riley's productions. 'You and Me' also bathes in a similar atmosphere, albeit in the vein of healing 90s ambient as granular sax tones converge with celestial chants. 'Gazing Upwards Towards The Sky,' offers different shades of blue as a slumbering tenor sax is juxtaposed to swift sax patterns. On 'A Stranger That Moved Me,' beauty lands in a soft and subtle manner, while the closing track 'Shepherd's Glow' drifts like a mountain wind flaring up at the darkest hour of the night.

The artwork is created by Gent-based artist Sam Timmerman, who portrays the world of 'A House Where I Dream' with playful repetition and mystique.

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

Aspetuck has been steadily carving out a name for himself through releases on Never Late and Oslated, garnering a respected following for his DJ mixes and festival performances. Aspetuck’s latest record, Immersion, was sequenced and curated from dozens of ideas spanning a transformative few years in Griff’s life. The album is less a snapshot in time and more of a memory bank - flashes of fatherhood, loss, modular rabbit holes, late-night studio sessions, and long walks by the Hudson River with his daughter.
The emotional undertow of the album is immediate. Opener Hit Me With Your Pet Shark is one of the earliest compositions in the collection, created just months after the loss of Griff’s brother and during the sleepless swirl of new parenthood. Built around a single sound from Spectrasonics Omnisphere, found while rediscovering his brother’s studio gear, the track sets the tone: restrained yet searching, personal without becoming precious.
From there, The Printing Press captures the raw energy of a live jam in Griff’s upstate New York basement, running through a 1980s Tascam mixer like a lo-fi assembly line of synths, pads, and drum machines. REI, named after a spontaneous family mission to find a pink water bottle, encapsulates his knack for imprinting daily minutiae into sound. And title track Immersion- once known simply as Tuesday 303 Jam- emerges from a dinner break and a blender, distilling modular sketches and distorted drums into a powerful, slow-motion march.
Under, Under The Tree hits hardest. Built around a grainy iPhone voice memo of Griff’s daughter singing by the Hudson. And closing the album is Bobik, a collaborative studio session with Moon Patrol channeling the playful chaos of a close friendship and modular exploration. Named after a joke about their golden retriever and filled with alien textures from Griff’s beloved EMU XL7 gifted years ago by his late brother, it’s a fitting send-off to an album that straddles celebration and mourning with grace.
The artwork comes courtesy of Peter Skwiot Smith, whose textured analog/digital aesthetic resonated immediately with Griff’s original vision. Peter’s treatment draws on Griff’s personal photography and leans into motion, blur, and the layered nature of memory, echoing the album's sonic tone without overexplaining it.
Mastered by Sven Weisemann, Immersion is available on blue smoke colored 12”

The Spoiled is an Italian post-punk project led by Giovanni Santolla, blending electronic beats, distorted synths, and reverb-soaked guitars into a dark, romantic, and nostalgic sound.

In 2024, the project self-released the debut EP Time distributed by Manic Depression, followed in 2025 by the full-length Living Ghosts via Swiss Dark Nights—an album that firmly established The Spoiled within the contemporary post-punk scene. Following the album’s release, Giovanni collaborated with international acts including This Eternal Decay, Darkways, Corlyx, Chaos International, and Hinfort, while maintaining a dense touring schedule across Europe and sharing the stage with artists such as Traitrs, Hinfort, Darkways, and Ductape.

The new album When It Rains, set for release on Avant! Records on April 17, 2026, expands The Spoiled’s artistic vision with a focus on intense, romantic soundscapes that delve deeply into human intimacy and interpersonal relationships. Embracing a warmer and more personal sonic direction, the record blends elements of indie rock and electrogaze music that enrich and revitalize the dark, melancholic palette that has defined the project’s earlier works.

Still playing homage to the forefathers of the genre such as Clan of Xymox, The Sound and Pink Turns Blue, When It Rains opens the path of The Spoiled to new soundscapes, exploring broader emotional territories while preserving the atmospheric depth and introspective tone that have become its signature.

FFO: Twin Tribes, Clan of Xymox, She Past Away, Mareux, The Soft Moon, Pink Turns Blue.

Italian multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and vocalist Alex Puddu is returning with at brand new album "Francia Meccanica" A strong set of songs with catchy hook lines and up tempo groove. Taking us back to the late ’80s and early ’90s disco-house production with refined, sexy vibes that introduces eroticism in both Italian and French. It’s a perfect cocktail mix that pairs seamlessly with Alex’s voice and performance, beats, funky bass, acid sax, and sultry French spoken words. Alex Puddu brings pop disco and retro vibes back in trend — always essential to his style and musical world — and sweeps us into wild French nights blending transgression and romance.

Horsemen make their debut on Small Great Things with Southbound, a warm and colourful EP made to ease the winter blues.

Drawing from a wide palette of house influences, the record showcases the duo’s versatility and depth beyond a single formula. The release follows Horsemen’s first year as residents at Small Great House, the label’s monthly party at OXI Berlin, including its beloved summer open airs that helped shape the sound of this EP. Southbound also introduces their first collaboration with vocalist Guya.

While the A-side sets a relaxed tone with disco and jazzy influences, perfect for those summer open-airs, the B-side shifts firmly into club territory, delivering two dancefloor-proven cuts for the night.

The A-side opens with Make Me Feel Excited, an almost disco-tinged summer anthem driven by a distinctive sample. It is followed by Napoliballa, featuring Guya on vocals, a sun-soaked jazzy track with playful rhythms. The side closes with Lighter Days, a moody piano-led track that adds a deeper, more dreamy tone.

The B-side moves into club territory, with Running offering a driving, floor-focused cut led by a bold organ hook, followed by a faster, more club-oriented version of Napoliballa.

2026 Repress

Producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett presents ‘Tresilian Bay’, a new project that draws from artists such as Tim Maia, Augustus Pablo and Idris Muhammed as much as the jazz scene and community he has found in south-east London. The languid, sultry sound fuses both modern and vintage, travelling from South London electronica, to Brazillian groove, Nigerian Afrobeat and Ghanaian Highlife along with a streak of Welsh psychedelia.

‘Tresilian Bay’ is a nod to hedonistic summer nights, whether spent on the Glamorgan coast or the hot Lewisham streets. The album is titled in honour of the bay near where Huw grew up, an area steeped in stories of ancient Welsh royalty, smugglers and pirates.

The album started out as a lost live session recorded at the Total Refreshment Centre studios, featuring Chelsea Carmichael (sax), Rosie Turton (trombone), Shirley Tetteh (guitar) and Jake Long (drums) with Huw at the helm on bass and compositions. With glorious vocal contributions from Miryam Solomon; Huw utilised his human style of production and multi instrumentality heard in his Susso project (Soundway Records, 2016) to mold these recordings into this mature and emotional debut.

The album was mixed and mastered by Albert's Favourites co-founder Adam Scrimshire with artwork by Jonny Drop.

RAPRAVE is an exciting collective born out of New York City, specialising in creating music teetering on the cusp of hip-hop and dance music. Consistently great releases like 'Heaven Plus', which is the ninth on the label, perfectly showcase how successful they are at executing this vision. The two tracker, headed by Dallas export Stonie Blue, is a fine display in a mixture of Chicago House, deep house and hip-hop, akin to a Galcher Lustwerk, or from the other side of the pond, Isaac Carter. On 'HEAVEN', smooth, sexy chords and choppy percussion prop up Blue's lyrics: "I found heaven, Heaven in the club". Then, as if in an attempt to make a club ready two-tracker even more club ready, Blue recruits London-based producer tom huna to inject some 2-step flavour into the B-side with 'FWM (S+H MIX)'. On this track, glitchy drum workouts and slick electric piano stabs meld with sensual vocals to create an intimate, late night banger.

Following Parnell March’s Back Bar Grooves EP in February and November’s release of the Dust Tears (lead song from Sarah/Shaun’s debut) remixes, Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label returns with a second EP of dream pop from husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), alias Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced McLochlun), who wooed hearts and wowed critics with debut EP ‘It’s True What They Say?’ last year.

‘It’s True What They Say?’ attracted fans across the board: Artist Of The Week in The Scotsman, rapturous reviews from The Skinny and Tokyo's Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, BBC 6Music airplay courtesy of Nemone (Mary Anne Hobbs' Morning Show), more radio play from Radio Scotland's Roddy Hart & Vic Galloway, plus Simone Butler (Primal Scream) and Jim Sclavunos (Bad Seeds) via their respective Soho Radio shows, not forgetting ringing endorsements from the likes of David Holmes, Youth, Kevin Bales (Spiritualized), Brent Rademaker (Beachwood Sparks) and Julian Corrie (Franz Ferdinand).

They played gigs supporting Glasgow's huge Glasvegas, at festivals (Kendall Calling, Dunbar Music, Hidden Door), plus a slew of venues across the Scottish capital, ending the year with a trio of shows supporting Glaswegian 80s pop legends The Bluebells at Aberdeen’s Tunnels, Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys and Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms, while The List magazine tipped them among their Ones To Watch For 2025, with journalist Fiona Shepherd suggesting they were “blending the starry-eyed pop of Sonny & Cher with the electronic experimentation of Chris & Cosey.”

Very much the companion piece to the debut EP but arriving a full twelve months later, Someone’s Ghost is emblematic of the duo’s desire not to rush things or release anything half-baked.

“I’ve always wanted to create the perfect pop record and I do really feel that we’ve achieved that with this one,” says Shaun. And he’s clearly not the only person who thinks so.

REVIEWS, FEEDBACK ETC:

"I LOVE that! Dreamy dreamy pop." ROY MOLLOY (Marvellous Crane/Alex Cameron) on BLAST RADIO, Sydney
“the Scottish music scene’s cream of the cool... buzzy drum beats, high, distant chimes, and heavenly electronics…. very ethereal.” THE SKINNY

"Listening to Sarah/Shaun is like eavesdropping on a noir dreampop, long-distance phone call between them both, across two separate sonic locations. On this stunning 4-song EP, Sarah’s voice, effortlessly mesmerising, draws you into these big beautiful and haunting passages of perfect dream-pop. All beautifully produced in a multi-layered-scape of low-fi analogue textures, epic cinematic crescendos, intense electro-pulse grooves and warped psycho-pop guitar riffs. Within the songs lurk a sense of unresolved emotions, longing and pathos. There are shades of classic Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra but also Post-Punk Electronica and Beach House. But what a unique sound they’ve created of their own. I love it" DAVID MCCLUSKEY (The Bluebells)
"Absolutely beautiful" SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"Lovely stuff here! Total quality." MARTYN 'MASH' HENDERSON
"Ooooh. Everything the last record promised is here. Well done" GEORGE T aka George Demure (Accident Machine)
"Vince clark Era Depeche Mode in places" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized)
"Sounds cool. Well done" PETE KEMBER (Sonic Boom, Spacemen 3)
"Glorious, it (Debbie Harry) grabs hold of you and doesn't let go." IAIN DAWSON aka RAVECHILD (Everyone Wants To Play The Hits Podcast)

SOMEONE’S GHOST

Born out of an incredibly anxious, stressful time, the songwriting process for these recordings has been something of a personal tonic for Shaun…

“There was a period when I was having nightmares,” he reveals. “Apparently I was saying there was someone in the room, I was talking to that person and Sarah was seeing all this while I was still asleep.

So, I was thinking that this was my ghost. I started writing songs because I was going through something and I was dealing with something and writing songs was a comfort. My ghost was a comfort, whether it was real or not. The idea of it was a comfort.”

“I firmly believe that everyone has someone who watches over them but all of the songs are essentially about being there for someone,” he says. “Everybody needs someone but also everyone needs to stay real and keep what you have, keep it close, never let it go. If you don’t have it, continue to tell people you’re there for them. It’s about loving and hoping people will be good to you in return.”

While Shaun took the songwriting lead on Filter Of Love and EP closer The Sound Which Stresses The Sound Of My Ears, Debbie Harry was originally instrumentally conceived by producer Jaguar Eyes, alias Ali Chisholm, later lyrically completed by Shaun, and the EP’s lead track, Anhedonia, and one of its stand-outs (much like Starbed on the debut) was conceived by Sarah, as a result of experiencing a bit of a spiritual epiphany of her own.

“When I first heard the word Anhedonia, I didn't know what it meant but when I found out I thought about it quite a bit. How sad it would be to have no enjoyment in anything,” she explains. “This song is really about my own personal beliefs. When I have been down, that's one of the things that helps me the most. It talks about trying to make amends but realising, for some things, you can't. But I think with any kind of faith comes hope… which is always a good thing.”

A record about hope, truth, honesty, a belief in something bigger than oneself… and all set to a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a David Lynch or Eighties feature film. What more could anyone ask for, really?

There’s equally a desire to offer something universal and positive to anyone who tunes in. The labels for the 12” edition reveal the dual mantras “Who just wants to survive?” and “It’s about time to live a little”, with both messages also engraved in each record’s run-out grooves. T-shirts accompanying debut EP It’s True What They Say? bore the slogan “Kill Them With Kindness” - leading caps intentional. Shaun carries the acronym KTWK everywhere he plays, as a reminder: it’s stitched into his guitar strap. And this particular wee pebble has already caused a few ripples: people have been approaching him at gigs to acknowledge their appreciation and respect for it.

"We feel we have made an honest, open, colourful, body of work,” say the duo. “We hope to go out and play the songs with the guys (our band) and then potentially make more records. We are taking things as they come. Everything has been organic so far, after all. We are looking forward to whatever this brings."

To celebrate over ten years of groove and sonic elegance, Roche Musique presents its “BEST OF” compilation, available exclusively on vinyl. A handpicked selection of 20 essential tracks tracing the label’s DNA — a refined blend of modern soul, nuanced electronics, and timeless groove.



Featuring the label’s cornerstone artists — FKJ, Darius, Kartell, Zimmer, Cezaire, Crayon, Dabeull, Lossapardo — alongside acclaimed collaborators such as Reva De Vito, Darianna Everett, Ayelle, Leven Kali, Panama, Chester Watson, Sølv, and more. From “Vibin’ Out” to “Espoir”, through “Wildflowers” and “I Can’t Stop”, this compilation captures the very essence of Roche’s sound: warm, heartfelt, and endlessly groovy. A pure analog listening experience designed for true music lovers and vinyl collectors — every groove telling the story of a decade of passion and sound.

VA – Parallel Sequences continues MixCult Records’ tradition of curating forward-thinking soundscapes for refined dancefloors. This four-track compilation brings together the finely tuned craftsmanship of Kirill Matveev, Genning, Overt, and Dawn Gab — producers with surgical precision and a deep understanding of space, groove, and sonic narrative. Together, they present a multi-faceted EP rooted in dub techno and tech house, designed with intention and built to navigate a wide emotional range throughout the night.

A1. Kirill Matveev – Never Losing That Track (Overt Remix) is a masterclass in momentum. It rises patiently yet confidently — perfect for steering the atmosphere toward something uplifting, with each element unfolding with deliberate purpose.

A2. Genning – Parallel shifts the energy into shadowy territory. Deep, dubby, and melancholic, it acts as a reset moment — cooling the air while preserving depth, tension, and forward motion.

On the flip, B1. Dawn Gab – Call Of The Wind moves between melodic phrases and swinging percussive patterns, offering a graceful push-and-pull that feels fluid, textured, and inviting.

Finally, B2. Genning & Kirill Matveev – Blueberry brings the release to its emotional peak with bright, expressive energy. Melodic and high-spirited, it is engineered precisely for a euphoric moment on the floor.

This EP is a toolkit for thoughtful selectors — designed to glide through introspection, propulsion, and release with clarity and finesse. Whether opening a night, shaping the arc, or closing with warmth, Parallel Sequences delivers depth, agility, and emotional charge in perfect balance.

EU/UK Exclusive

Japanese pressing

From Universal Music's vast catalogue, the essence of Japanese AOR, all tracks are selected and played in Muro's mix cd 'Diggin' Japanese AOR' released in 2017 and now released on 2LP.

This includes some of hidden gems such as Maki Asakawa's 'American Night', Yoshio Harada and more from the late 80's to early 90's - the golden time of Japanese AOR.

Blue Hour distills over a decade of artistry into his debut album Selva, unearthing eight tracks inspired by ancient wisdom and forgotten worlds.
Blue Hour is the moniker of Luke Standing, a multifaceted artist, producer, and label owner navigating between past and present electronic dance music. Over more than a decade, Standing has built a career balancing transformative craft with a sharp curatorial approach, earning him respect across the global scene. After years of sonic experimentation, he now releases his debut LP Selva. “I never set out to make an LP – it just wrote itself,” he says. “I followed my intuition, and the music found its own path.”
Born and raised in the UK, Standing grew up in parallel with club culture, moving between Brighton, Bristol and Berlin while running club nights and establishing himself under former aliases Furesshu and Esoteric.
He launched his Blue Hour project in late 2013, shortly after relocating to Berlin. Initially a platform for his own music, Blue Hour quickly became a collaborative hub, blurring the lines between personal output and curation. Over time, Standing has cultivated an international ecosystem of like-minded artists while continuously expanding his own sonic horizons.
Selva marks his first full-length studio album, weaving a lifetime of influences into a cohesive narrative inspired by ancient wisdom and forgotten worlds. The eight-track double LP transforms his inner dialogue into a subconscious story pulling inspiration from a labyrinthine network of influence and experience. “I followed the music obsessively, reflecting and refining until the story revealed itself,” Standing explains.
“To me, the LP evokes Amazonian or Mayan jungles, themes of exploration, the mysteries of the natural world, wisdom passed down through generations. I didn't set out to write about these things consciously,
they just emerged on their own.” he adds.The album was shaped through intensive work in his studio and periods spent in subtropical locations.
Listening closely, Selva unfolds like a modern ceremony: the opening tracks channel his early UK dance influences, shifting into blends of traditional and contemporary techno, then expanding into melodic soundscapes before concluding with transcendental textures and atmospheres. The result is an introspective journey where functionality and emotive storytelling coexist, revealing a depth in Blue Hour we haven’t heard before.
Whether performing, curating, or producing, Standing operates with a deep commitment to sound, culture, and collaboration. More than an artist, he is an architectural thinker of what electronic music could become. “Every release is my own metamorphosis,” he says. “This LP reflects my current form, and I’m curious to see what the next chapter brings.” Few artists can unify a lifetime of genre-spanning influences into a sound as sharp and focused. On Selva, Blue Hour does exactly that, opening a new era of deeper
immersion from his Berlin-based label.

2026 Repress

Glaskin is the alias of two brothers, Jonathan and Ferdinand, based in Munich. The pair have emerged as key figures in the citys electronic music scene as longtime residents of the renowned Blitz Club, standing out a homegrown talents amongst its vibrant electronic landscape. Bringing a unique, forward-thinking techno style, as evidenced by their contributions to Mutual Rytms Federation Of Rytm II and III compilations in previous years, they now mark a new chapter and open 2025 in style with their debut 12 on the label, Inertia Of Motion. Each cut on the EP has been handcrafted with analogue gear, reflecting their distinctive artistic and sonic vision. The release is a direct outcome of the creative process behind their live set, which has become an integral part of the duos identity and shows a natural evolution of their singular sound.

Hush Up kicks things off with deep, rubbery and rolling techno rhythms. The drums are stripped back and laced with pulsing synth patterns and spoken word snippets that add a freaky edge. Double Tap ups the anti with classic, pumping deep techno with smart filters adding movement to the track as urgent leads hurry onwards. Inertia bring a more anxious atmosphere with tightly coiled drums and perc and eerie bell sounds ring out over the fat, twisted bassline. The brilliant Tank brings mind-melting loopy techno with dubby chords and textured leads warming their way between the beats to great effect, while Motion is suspenseful techno that locks you into a high speed groove peppered with thumping hits and kicks. Last of all, digital bonus Blushed Blue explores a moody, minimal, late night techno sound that is warm, stylish and hypnotic to close the show

Zum 40. Jubiläum des ersten Teils des stylischen Actionspiel-Klassikers DEVIL MAY CRY erscheint der Killer-Soundtrack des Capcom Sound Teams - bekannt für seine Musik zur Resident Evil-Serie - spezielle für 180g Vinyl gemastert. Der OST ist eine genreübergreifende Meisterklasse, die von Rock über Techno zu Ambient und weiteren Paletten wechselt. Erhältlich als 2LP-Format mit 34 Tracks auf transparent-rotem und ockerfarbenem Doppelvinyl, sowie als luxuriöses 4LP-Boxset mit den kompletten 73 Tracks auf schwarzem 4fach-Vinyl.

2026 Repress

An anthology born out of isolation and deep introspection, Sky Dust Drifter is a cosmic medley of sun-soaked AOR, psychedelic folk, and soft rock. This soundtrack was driven by the lonesome cowboy, a lockdown savior leaving me adrift in desert winds and dimly lit country bars.

Long-distance trades and masked meetups yielded a collection of private press LPs and 45s from ten different artists spanning 1973 to 1980. This seemingly random stack of records revealed songs living entangled in themes of hard luck, heartache, and the inevitable loneliness of existence. Adorned in cracked leather and chrome, this album is an aimless wander from the soil to the stars.

Featuring an unreleased English version of the compilation’s title track “Sky Dust Drifter” (originally released only in Hebrew), the record shifts from laconic afterthoughts to bold proclamations. From Michael Andrews’ blue-eyed soul assertion “Something Bad’s Better Than Nothin’,” to the searing electric guitars and bold synths of Sunburst’s “Special Lady,” Sky Dust Drifter thrives on solitude in a universe of unconditional self-rule where loneliness is not darkness but rather a blazing light of autonomy.

The blueprint for a night of futuristic dancing in 1985; It resides not in the stars, but in the crystalline echo of Geometry’s synthesizers.

K!pz enters the grid with Geometry, a 12-inch Maxi Single that strips the Italo sound down to its most essential, pulsating core: Pure Shapes and Catchy hooks, filled with musicality.

A1 – Circular: Hypnotic and fluid: a rounded bass sequence and celestial arpeggios that draw you straight to the center of the floor. Tight, gated drums and bright leads deliver the unmistakable Hi-NRG feel.

A2 – Triangular: Sharp and dynamic: angular lead lines guide a bed of arpeggiated bass, punchy synth stabs, and impactful breaks. A precise, energy-building melodic core.

B – Square: Solid and deep: a driving, grounded bassline supported by a slapping Drumulator groove. Dub-like reverbs and a classic lead synths carve out a strong, steady, and foremost euphoric atmosphere.

GEOMETRY imagines the future as envisioned in 1985—a vibrant collision of abstract design and intoxicating pulse.

Following her acclaimed 2023 release Flood City Trax, a dreamy, lo-fi take on footwork inspired by the crumbling rust-belt city she calls home, Nondi returns to Planet Mu with her second self-titled album, Nondi…While Nondi… retains some of the hazy, nostalgic atmosphere of Flood City Trax, it pushes her sound in bold new directions. “I made this album to capture the sense of freedom I used to get from music when I was first discovering it all,” Nondi says. “It’s meant to be cute, fun, kinda weird and emotional — but most of all, it’s a presentation of some of the prettiest tracks I’ve made.” Though she hasn’t really experienced club culture where she lives, her impressionistic productions evoke the surreal, lingering sounds of a night out — the melodic haze that hums in your ears as you drift off to sleep. Lo-fi and melodic, yet fluid and free, her music carries a sense of flight and intuitive logic. Nondi’s influences range widely — Actress, Aphex Twin, footwork, and the stranger edges of dub techno are all felt, yet she hallucinates them through her own weathered, dreamlike lens. Her tracks often build from clashing loops that evolve and transform organically, or from familiar genre elements reshaped by her instinct for misty, heart-wrenching melody. Some moments stay closer to genre, like Broken Future 175, a drum-and-bass tear-out that dissolves into lush, blurred chords, or Just Hanging Out, a bruised and beautiful take on 2-step. Lead single Tree Festival feels like a blown-out fusion of rave energy and sped-up new-age bliss, while Death Juke drifts through off-beat vocal samples, pulsing drums and 8-bit FX, reminiscent of early Steve Reich reimagined through a Game Boy. Nondi… is a uniquely moving and exploratory album that expands her sonic world even further. Lo-fi yet luminous, playful yet profound.

You may be excused if, seeing the dazzling China Moses on stage, online, or on-air, you thought that she, fabulous and French, an orchestra trailing her, with one of those light-up-a-room smiles you only hear about in myth, was someone who might only be singing cheery songs about her glamorous musical life. Not so. It’s complicated… vibrates with the joy, wistfulness, ambivalence, and wisdom of a woman who’s been on many journeys, down many paths, and landed here, in your ears, on purpose, with something to say.

Through these songs, China captures the many hues of grown Black womandom: her choices, her regrets; her place in society as both citizen and observer. Her voice is girlish and playful; gritty and growly; truly prismatic, as Anthony Peyton Young’s cover art suggests, to reflect the many lives she’s lived. And she does all this with vulnerability, a quality that transcends and supersedes genre, taste, or ability. Of all the tools a singer-songwriter could possess, it might be the most important one. Though there is bravado here (“I can be happy”, the song and the video, are the best example), this is an album that taps into the full, resplendent spectrum of human experience, its many facets hewn into these 10 gems before you.

It’s complicated… and it’s complex. How could it be anything else?

— Kyla Marshell