Cerca:break it

“Extremely highhgrade psych” (MOJO, 2024) “Immaculate sounding new psychedelia“ (Maggot Brain, 2024) “Alexander succeeds in capturing the post-psych grandeur that he’s aiming for while also creating one of his headiest offerings yet” (Raven Sings The Blues) “Psych lifer in a bloozy Americana mode. The whole thing hangs loose like a frayed rope tied to a river tube… essentially, a choogler’s dream.” (Viking’s Choice / NPR Music) “Plug in and space your face” (Aquarium Drunkard) Originally on Tape via Arrowhawk (please go check more releases on this wonderful label) - Now on Vinyl Presented in a high gloss laminated outer sleeve with artwork by Jake Blanchard - Both sets of art joining together to complete the picture. 36 minutes of sonic bliss for your ears and brain. Side 1 - Dark Star Side 2 - Dark Star (continued) "Jeffrey Alexander is a lifer. He has been flirting around the underground for the past thirty years - starting in Baltimore in the mid-90s and later percolating in Providence, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and, now, Philadelphia. Throughout this span, he has run various record labels, worked in a bunch of record shops, organized music festivals, managed live venues, FM deejayed, jammed econo, booked endless tours and performed in a gaggle of groups from Black Forest / Black Sea to Dire Wolves to Jackie-O Motherfucker to The Iditarod and points in-between. And now we have The Heavy Lidders. Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders takes the freaked improvisation of Alexander’s instrumental band - DWLVS / Dire Wolves Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band - into the world of song. Heady songwriting, ethereal jazz and Trad Gras-y blues stomps all feature. Backed by members of Elkhorn and Kohoutek. This vinyl (in 2 volumes) you hold in your hands is a collection of live Lidders that will surely wax your stem, and how! When Record Crates United invited JA+THL to perform at their inaugural garden party, not only did the Lidders show up with a one-off Live/Dead cover as a surprise gift for Keith and Sarah, but they rolled in with the Jesse Sheppard mobile multi-track truck, as well. Fucking pros, mate. Most of the material here was captured that sunny afternoon in suburban New Jersey - and thank the Godz that we have this plastic burner. I missed the set, but Kenneth Higney was there and gave it two thumbs up! I know them Lidders have a deluxe studio LP lined up for September, but til then, this little box will comfortably help you break on through. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a mere EP. It’s SEVENTY SIX minutes of pure medicated goo. Now dose your capstan and pinch your roller. Shit is about to get Lidded." - Glen Burnout (on Sun Ra’s arrival day 2023)

After persistently fine crafting their sound in the studio for two years, the dynamic duo Blame The Mono return to Molekul with a powerful second opus.
Pulse Persisters is an explosive 4-track EP showcasing their vision of fun, creative and genre-bending techno.

Podgorica sets the tone of the EP with its swelling lowend, 2000s evocative acid bassline and intense breakbeat build-up.

Flip The Phase sends you on a face melting journey strewn with stuttering dub chords, playful vocal chops and a jungle section that completely flips the script.

Digital Diva loops a catchy 80s pop diva vocal and combines it with a frantic dub-tinged groove for effective dancefloor results.

Molly Pop sees the duo collaborate with German producer Lifka on an unrelenting psy-influenced peaktime weapon that closes the EP on a strong note.

Following on from the single release of ‘Intentions’, Soul Quest is pleased to present a myriad of remixes alongside a resonating live version of the original cut - and in doing so, serving up a package of lively renditions that add further to the label’s soulful sound.

‘Intentions’ in its original guise was the result of a joint musical adventure from label head Max Sinal, producer and longtime collaborator Kingcrowney, and vocalist Liv East. The track is Soul Quest to its core, with simmering and emotive chords interlaced between a softly spoken yet impactful rhythm section. East provides some inspired vocal work up top, her angelic voice floating through the breeze, shining light on all corners, as the totality of the musical package gives over only the most heartfelt and joyful feels. It seems only fitting that the original track be explored and reconsidered by some of the finest producers currently going, and with this remix album, you see all sides of ‘Intentions’ possible. Up first comes producer extraordinaire Frits Wentink, who takes the atmosphere firmly into the clubbing sphere. Wentink breaks down all the elements with razorsharp precision, drawing focus to the central progression by adding in new, repeating chordal elements that revolve around the kicks. As the track shifts through the gears, lines emerge and grow in stature, with plenty of time for breakdowns to get that full dose of the original’s emotive brilliance.

Dallas based deep house legend, JT Donaldson features next with not one but two remixes, the first of which retains the forward progression of the original but adds in some exciting elements. The addition of the driving bass line gives depth to the undercurrent, with stripped-back sections allowing the flow to meander through some very profound atmospheres. The ‘Dub’ version strips back East’s vocals to draw more focus to the groove and melodic sequences, and as a flip side to the first remix, the duo encapsulates all that could be wished for in a soulful house number.

Flying Moth is up next, with his spin consisting of a more hypnotic approach, with skipping broken drums creating melodic pools and caverns. East’s voice echoes through space and time, enticing further escapism as the track grows and morphs with each passing minute - a beautiful saucerful of sound that is oh so intoxicating.

Finally, to wrap things up, the live version lands to take the energy down to a beautiful canter. The rhythm section takes the form of a full percussive outlay, which speaks gently amidst a sea of exquisite guitar licks, breezy chords, and brass. East is the star of the show here, her voice the anchor within the ever-evolving backing section, which drifts and lulls with a wondrous effortlessness.

‘Intentions’ as a single contained all the sonic qualities which Soul Quest treasure, and with this collection of remixes and live versions, its meaningfulness is only added to. From imaginative takes through to inspired audial environment

We’re thrilled to announce the ultimate collection for fans of Raz Fresco’s groundbreaking “Pocket Operations” album series! For the first time, all three volumes of this critically acclaimed series have been brought together into one seamless release. Featuring over 40 meticulously crafted tracks, this collection showcases Raz Fresco’s unique production skills, with every beat and sound created on the PO-33 – the world’s smallest sampler, designed by the innovative minds at Teenage Engineering.

This special release comes packaged in a stunning trifold jacket, making it a must-have for collectors and audiophiles alike. Available in your choice of vibrant colored vinyl or classic black vinyl, this exclusive edition is now open for pre-order. Don’t miss your chance to own this iconic compilation – secure your copy today!

Devendra Banhart's 3rd and 4th albums, originally released yb Young God, together as a 2xLP

Black Truffle is pleased to announce a new edition of Kassel Jaeger’s Fernweh, returning François J. Bonnet’s electroacoustic project to the label five years after the acclaimed Meith (BT069). Originally released on Giuseppe Ielasi and Jennifer Veillerobe’s impeccably curated Senufo Editions in 2012, Fernweh stands near the beginning of the gradual expansion of Bonnet’s approach after the austere acoustic textures of Aerae and Algae (both released on Senufo), leading to the lush, layered environments of recent solo works on Shelter Press and the epic electronic expeditions undertaken in duo projects with Stephen O’Malley and Jim O’Rourke.

A major work in the Kassel Jaeger oeuvre, stretching over two LP sides, Fernweh draws together synthesized and musique concrète materials into a drifting assemblage. Its title’s meaning is close to the concept of ‘Wanderlust’, fitting for this music that moves freely and unexpectedly between what Bonnet calls ‘climates’. Beginning with fizzing electronics whose rhythm of gradual approach suggests breaking waves, the clinical atmosphere is soon haunted by intangible traces of lived reality. Textures call up wind, water, insects, the crunch of feet on sand or the clinking of glasses, yet they can never be identified with any certainty. At times these concrete elements possess a vivid ‘closeness’; at others, the sounds shade into a formless distance. Though the listener forms no clear picture from the concrete sounds, these elements aerate the music, lending it their space.

Drawing from the rigorous formal language and conceptual apparatus of the French musique concrète tradition—with which Bonnet, as director of the GRM and researcher into its deepest archival recesses, is intimately familiar—the music of Kassel Jaeger is equally informed by how underground experimental music has rethought electroacoustic techniques, with Fernweh at times calling up the grit and grime of para-industrial eccentrics like Maurizio Bianchi or the Toniutti brothers, and at other moments suggesting the slow-moving grandeur of early Olivia Block. Subtle features of dynamics and rhythm act as connective tissue between the numerous ‘scenes’, with wave-like envelopes, rapid pulsations, and short, tape-loop patterns all recurring throughout the piece, shared ambiguously between electronic and concrete sounds. Amid these shifting, often inharmonic textures, the electronic elements sometimes cohere into melodic shapes and chordal patterns, cutting through the fog in distorted arcs or underpinning the layered surface with slow-moving harmonies. Like his friend and collaborator Jim O’Rourke, Bonnet displays a radical openness at odds with academic tradition, allowing unabashed emotion to coexist with rigorous experimentation. As Fernweh dies away with mysterious shudders, listeners are left at once moved and unsure of exactly what they just heard.

Chicago-based composer/producer Joey Meland makes music under the moniker Cocojoey. Treating genre conventions and ostensible barriers between disparate musical vocabularies like playthings to gleefully smash and reshape at will, Meland channels decades of experience as a polymathic professional musician adept in styles like metal, jazz, synthpop, and experimental sound design into their infinitely combinatory compositions. STARS, their first album on Hausu Mountain, follows the self-released COCOJOEY’S WORLD with a spellbinding burst of heart-on-sleeve self-expression. The album finds Cocojoey indulging their most adventurous impulses in production and technical instrumental performance, launching into a constantly morphing program that contrasts day-glo earworm hooks against cathartic moments of screaming intensity. Cocojoey’s music exudes warmth and finger-wagging mischief as it exhumes the depths of their psyche with the pure-hearted goal of making their audience smile — when those listening find a chance to breathe within the ecstatic overstimulation.

The album’s tightly constructed song cycle blasts the listener with moment after moment of novel juxtaposition, both in terms of genre and emotional energy, that keep us reeling in a state of delirious whiplash. Warp-speed piano solos over bossa nova-inflected chord progressions segue into detonations of death metal that front-load Meland’s ferocious screaming vocals and meticulously programmed double-kick drum patterns. A strain of iridescent prog emerges in the sheer overload of notes and ideas, as drum n’ bass breaks collide with labyrinthine multi-time signature keyboard lines and bright flashes of clean vocals. Despite whatever contrasting styles might hit within any given Cocojoey song, Meland returns again and again to the upheaval and release provided by extreme metal — though that idiom lands with joyful exuberance, an abrasive yet heartwarming flavor whose positive energy carries through even to those who might not encounter screams and hyper-technical drum breakdowns in their typical listening regimen.

Emerging from the fertile chaos of Düsseldorf’s Salon des Amateurs scene, Sequence of Events, the collaborative project of Deniz Saridas and Joshua Gottmanns, presents The Art of Memory, an album that feels both intimate and ungraspable, like recalling a dream that fades upon waking.

Rooted in the post-industrial landscapes of West Germany, The Art of Memory channels the bleak resilience of these environments into its sound. It’s a collage of kraut-infused electronics, shoegaze textures, and industrial pulses, filtered through a lens of introspective psychedelia. “We don’t consciously break down or combine genres,” they explain. “Everything is interwoven, like chemistry. Some reactions happen immediately, others take years under pressure.”

From the opening track TAR, with its stoic vocals and drum-heavy propulsion, to the robotic Meagre Gardens, where autotuned chants coil around unconventional drum programming, the album moves like a fever dream through fragmented memories. Soul Divider unfolds like a cinematic journey through yearning and desire, its repetitive pulses echoing the ache of unfulfilled longing, while Nature Hates Life distills pop music through the eyes of a killjoy: “Kurt Cobain on an AKAI MPC2000,” as the band describes it. Even moments of tenderness, like the drifting Becomings, shimmer with absolute sensuality: a seductive exploration of presence defined by absence. We lift each other up and hold each other down.

The creative process behind The Art of Memory is as fluid as the music itself. Saridas and Gottmanns, both self-taught musicians with backgrounds in fine art, worked intuitively, drawing from a shared pool of samples, text fragments, and images. Operating somewhere in the space between fin de siècle aesthetics and occultism, it’s a dream wedding with a continuous stream of meaningless (moving) images generated by human and non-human entities.

Ultimately, The Art of Memory is not an escape but an immersion. A meditation on the sensory overload of the present and the ghosts it leaves in its wake. In a world where music is often reduced to background noise for consumption, Sequence of Events offers something more elusive: a record that lingers, unsettles, and demands to be remembered.

Underground Pacific is back with a new double vinyl compilation titled ‘The Only Good Wave is a Dead One’ that confirms, once again, its uncompromising taste for bold electronic music, psychedelic textures, and raw, electrified rock ‘n roll. This release brings together a varied group of artists, each of them adding something special to the journey.

The trip begins with “Excursions” by Gregory Moore, a piece that floats into a humid sonic world, between the nostalgic tones of vintage video game soundtracks, the Fourth World atmospheres of Jon Hassell, and the shimmering calm of ’90s Japanese ambient à la Takashi Kokubo.

Next comes Talee, the Rotterdam-based regular of the label, with “Makes Me Wonder”. Here, grunge-soaked vocals meet a tight dark disco groove, pierced by crystalline guitar chords that shimmer at the track’s heart. A song with its soul in the past and its feet in the club.

Label founder Cantor teams up once again with German duo New Hook on “Achtung! Achtung!”, an homage to the eponymous track by Italian producer Black Saagan. Fueled by vintage drum machines, punk-infused vocals, and melodies echoing the krautrock minimalism of Cluster, the track channels pure Cold War disco energy.

On “Scavengers”, Berlin based World Wild Web and Rasp Thorne deliver a pure mix of electro-rock noir – Suicide by way of David Lynch. Picture a never seen before episode of the series where Martin Rev and Alan Vega are playing live at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks, while Laura Palmer slowly moves her head to the music, with a devilish smile on her face.

All the way from Grenoble to Berlin, H.L.M. deliver a dirty bass-driven anthem called ‘Fronde’. French spoken vocals spitfire over layers of distorted drones and hypnotic rhythms. The result is rough, hypnotic, and brings to mind the grooves of Death in Vegas.

New Hook return, this time solo, with ‘Unity’: a blend of groovy downtempo percussions, melancholic guitar riffs, and their signature brand of spoken word, a style that’s quickly become their sonic fingerprint.

Then it’s the turn of mexican-wave exponents Montessori featuring Vongold on “Ad Libitum”: a techy sunrise piece with soft pads, subtle build-ups, and an ecstatic sense of endlessness. After-party music for vast, open spaces.
Next up are SX2 from Ireland with their ‘Buttons’, offering a rolling tech-house banger laced with desert guitars. Psychedelic FX’s and whispered vocals drenched in delay slow the pace in a breakdown full of tension, preparing the floor to an euphoric release.

A dream from the pandemic era reappears: Cantor’s “Hannett’s Dream”, originally released in 2020 by Modular’s Project’s imprint ‘Nothing Is Real’ together with their own reworked version present also in two very limited vinyl-collector editions released by Underground Pacific. The introspection and hypnotic structure of the original cut here is replaced by a more stripped down arrangement, with a four-to-the-floor groove that is perfectly crafted for peak-time ignition.

Closing out the release is “Carissima” by the man behind iconic label Wonder Stories, Aimes – a Moroder-esque bassline and sensual vocals play on top of a warm groove that suddenly fractures into jazz-tinged, breakbeat mood, in the style of early Warp Records, just in time to get back into its disco-ish swing.

Contrary to what the title of this release might suggest, the wave isn’t dead at all. It’s well alive in the underground, reanimated by labels like Underground Pacific who are always ready to welcome artists who aren’t afraid to crash genres together and, above all, who are driven by the desire to make free-form, inspired pieces of music.

“We go through life. We shed our skins. We become ourselves.”

This line from Patti Smith was going round and round Felix Manuel’s head as he gradually constructed Under Tangled Silence, his first album in six years and a record of a literal creative rebirth. Felix originally began it in earnest in 2020 Covid lockdown, but a catastrophic hard-drive meltdown destroyed almost all his work and sent him close to psychic collapse himself. However, ultimately this pushed him to rebuild from scratch and in so doing to confront and reassess every part of his musical and psychological processes.

The result is utterly extraordinary. Felix was a child prodigy as an instrumentalist and his advanced musicality has always been prominent in his music, but here he has put himself front and centre as pianist, harpist and more. And this sense of exposure as a performer interweaves with an unflinching emotional openness too. Where sometimes electronic production as advanced as this can use intellect and techniques as shields from soul-baring, this is the sound of someone who can boldly say “I feel things, I cry all the time, and I'm not afraid to say it or show it in the music.”

But this doesn’t mean there’s a move away from the soundsystems and dancefloors where Felix made his name as a uniquely innovative vinyl DJ. Even just in the opening track “A Tune for Us”, minimalist piano ripples and jazz drumming flow into the breaks of vintage jungle – and as the structure of the LP unfolds, a deep ambient meditation like “Hold” can sit very naturally in between the futurist dancehall of “L’Ancienne” and the high-definition acid house mind movie of “Galaxy in Silence”. In fact, as with the hands-on musicianship, that gutsy big-speaker electronic impact is delivered with more certainty, more expertise, more personal flourishes than ever. And all of those elements are more integrated than ever too: the sound of a total musical personality emerging afresh is truly something to behold. An already remarkable talent has been refreshed, reborn and is making the music of his life.

Eddie Cochran - The Unforgettable Hits Collection This 20 track LP celebrates Cochran's legacy by bringing together all his hits, the most memorable tracks and glories in the young man's tenacious talent. It naturally includes the landmark records C'Mon Everybody, Twenty Flight Rock, Summertime Blues, Somethin' Else, Three Steps To Heaven and Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie, ending with the incredibly intimate, rendition of Pink-Pegged Slacks. All in all, it provides an in-depth overview of his glittering career and is a must for any rock n roller. Disc 11. Skinny Jim - Eddie Cochran2. Sittin' in the Balcony - Eddie Cochran3. Mean When I'm Mad - Eddie Cochran4. Am I Blue - Eddie Cochran5. Twenty Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran6. Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie - Eddie Cochran7. Pocketful of Hearts - Eddie Cochran8. Pretty Girl - Eddie Cochran9. Theresa - Eddie Cochran10. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran11. C'mon Everybody - Eddie Cochran12. The Boll Weevil Song - Eddie Cochran13. Somethin' Else - Eddie Cochran14. Hallelujah I Love Her So - Eddie Cochran15. Three Steps to Heaven - Eddie Cochran16. Cut Across Shorty - Eddie Cochran17. Sweetie Pie - Eddie Cochran18. Weekend - Eddie Cochran19. Nervous Breakdown - Eddie Cochran20. Pink Peg Slacks - Eddie Cochran

Founded in 2020 by Austrian producer Lee Stevens, Rising Seed has evolved into a joint venture with Ken Hayakawa and a collective of guest musicians. Blending Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, and Disco, the project bridges the warmth of live instrumentation with the depth of electronic production.
With a strong focus on recording and re sampling real instruments, Rising Seed crafts a rich, organic sound—where vintage samplers, drum machines, and analog textures meet hypnotic grooves and cinematic atmospheres. Inspired by artists like Moby, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Massive Attack, their debut album True Lies unfolds like a layered collage, blurring the lines between past and future, truth and illusion.
The opening track, “Follow Me,” perfectly embodies this fusion: sampled instruments and vocal snippets blend seamlessly with live recordings of flute and saxophone, all set against a funky drum break. “Gone West” does the unthinkable—marrying a house groove with esoteric vocals, live sitar by Amrith Jan, and—why not?—a touch of harmonica. “Like A Lion” is a dub-infused downbeat track packed with crusty blues samples.
On “Freedom,” we hear a more minimalist side of Rising Seed, with a tight brush-drum arrangement and densely layered sitar melodies. Another high point is “Soldier of Peace,” featuring even more funky sitar and a subtle acid line, reminiscent of the early days of big beat. It’s followed by “True Lies,” which elegantly distills the downbeat sound of the late '90s while staying true to the Rising Seed formula.
“Psych Jazz” is, as the title suggests, both psychedelic and jazzy, albeit with a somber, low-slung trip-hop feel, while “Don’t Worry” is equally trippy yet more upbeat, carried by a moaning vocal sample that urges us not to worry. Finally, “Stay with Me” closes the album with a jazz-infused vibe that is both moody and uplifting, its shuffling drum groove and elegant piano melodies providing a fitting conclusion.

The Spanish Queen (of the Piano)

She had small, square hands. She was 1.52 m tall. As a child, she banged her head on the floor to be allowed to play the piano. She was Catalan. She was a pianist—one of the greatest. Her mission? To spread the Spanish repertoire. Her name was Alicia de Larrocha.

When she passed away in 2009 at age 89, Nelson Freire wrote, "I truly loved her; she was a modest woman, and her playing shone like the sun." Acclaimed worldwide, she stood alongside Victoria de Los Angeles as one of Spain’s finest artists.

Larrocha’s journey began at three, seated at a piano. At four, she studied under Frank Marshall, a student of Granados. By six, she was performing publicly; by eleven, she played Mozart’s Coronation Concerto with Madrid’s Symphony Orchestra, astonishing audiences. Despite her small hands, she developed an airy, precise touch, even daring to record Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto. But beyond technical mastery, her playing held a profound sense of life and imagination.

Though trained in Bach, Mozart, and Chopin, Larrocha fought to bring Spanish composers to global audiences. Albéniz and Granados owe much of their fame to her. Her international breakthrough came in the 1950s when an American impresario heard her Spanish recordings and invited her to the U.S., where she triumphed.

Her performances honored Spain’s musical heritage. From Soler’s sonatas to Granados' Goyescas, she infused each note with nuance. She brought Goya’s paintings to life in El Pelele and mastered the dark contrasts of Surinach’s Canción y Danza. Albéniz’s Iberia demanded both power and delicacy—qualities she commanded effortlessly.

Her final tribute was to her friend Francis Poulenc, performing his Toccata—a soaring farewell.

As one admirer put it in 1982, "She walked toward a piano too big for her, sat, placed her hands on the keys… and became the queen."

Alicia De Larrocha, Piano

Kicking off SSR's first ever 4 tracker are Label debutants 'Duburban & Peeb' these boys are really making their mark on the scene right now & when you hear 'Shadows Cast' you will certainly know why! Fans of Source Direct take note.. tearing!

Another new artist to the label is Bristol's LOMA with 'The Open Book' a beautifully minimal, tense & cinematic piece of music! exactly what we like here! Expect more from Loma on SSR in the future.

ETCH returns to the label this time on remix duties for Rawtrachs 'Inter Dimensional' (ETCH Hieroglyphics Remix) ETCH has stripped this one right back & added some his self coined 'breakbeat acrobatics' An amazing remix we can't get enough of here.

Last but most certainly not least we welcome Wolverhampton's RAWTRACHS to the imprint. He delivers a 140 breaks track in his own unique way. Always experimenting with crunching up & twisting sounds he cites influences that span from No Turn Records & even Star Trek for this piece! Rawtrachs is certainly putting Wolves back on the map! Long may it last.

The Battle of the Year Poland 2025 Official Soundtrack is a powerful compilation created especially for b-boys and b-girls, capturing the energy and raw essence of the Polish breaking scene. Curated to accompany the prestigious Battle of the Year Poland event, this release features exclusive tracks from some of the most respected and influential producers in the country.

The tracklist showcases an all-Polish lineup, including talents such as Oer Beatz (IBE Beat Battle Winner), DJ Plash (Official DJ – Olympic Games 2024 Paris), the legendary DJ 600V, DJ Pablo, and many more. Each beat is crafted to elevate the dancefloor and pay tribute to the roots and future of hip-hop culture in Poland.

This soundtrack is not just a musical release—it's a celebration of movement, rhythm, and community, reflecting the strength of the Polish breaking scene on the global stage.

"Chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams..."

December 25th, 2023 - an Instagram post. Stimulator Jones shared half a dozen FIRE tracks from his beat tape archive. We were immediately drawn to the rough hewn boom bap.

"I'd release that", Rob commented.

Hours of material was shared and the result is this: Cool Green Trees (1999-2005). A collection of beats and loops Stimulator Jones created between the ages of 14-20 at home in his basement, bedroom and computer room in Roanoke, Virginia.

You will not believe the profound soulful genius contained within these naive schoolboy melodies.

December 25th, 1998 - 25 years ago to the day and his much-coveted Yamaha SU10 sampler was finally bestowed upon young Stimmy AKA Sam Lunsford: "I immediately hooked up a CD Walkman to the input jack and looped the beginning two bars of Grover Washington Jr.'s "Mercy Mercy Me". I don't know what exactly was so thrilling about hearing two measures of music repeating over and over but it was so infectious and hypnotizing and enthralling to me. I'll never forget that ecstatic rush of making my first loop - an uncontrollable, gleeful smile plastered all over my face." When you hear the pocket breakbeat symphonies featured here on Cool Green Trees, you'll feel the same sense of frisson.

In the wake of his Stones Throw breakthrough - Exotic Worlds & Master Treasures - Stimulator Jones was pegged by many as a 90s throwback artist. However, he literally IS a 90s artist. He's been recording music most of his life and he's now 40. He created the bulk of Cool Green Trees as a teenager. Everything before 2004 was recorded when Sam was still in school. He was in 8th grade when he made the 1999 tracks - he didn't even have his learner's permit. This album is a snapshot of a young man in a simpler time. Things were still mysterious back then and he was flying blind, relying on his ears and having to figure things out for himself: "I had no road map for becoming a beatmaker. I have been collecting music since I was a kid, I am a lifelong digger and seeker of cool and interesting sounds. I was there in the golden age of Hip Hop, and while I may have been a suburban white kid in Roanoke, Virginia, I was tuned in and I bought so many classic albums when they came out. I was attracted to Hip Hop because of the musical and poetic quality. I was hypnotized by the rhythms, partially because I was a drummer. I didn't brag about collecting my breakbeat records or making beats - it was something I did in isolation. It wasn't something I generally wanted to bring attention to and it didn't really score me any cool points. I certainly wasn't flexing on social media about it."

Hell, he can do that now!

Opener "Pharoah Jones" was inspired by Yesterday's New Quintet and Madlib's ability to capture that classic 70s sound whilst playing all the instruments. Sam created this one stoned afternoon by laying down a 2 bar loop and a shaker loop on his Yamaha SU700 sampler. He hung a microphone from the ceiling and played his Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit over the top before adding ender Rhodes and playing his dad's Selmer tenor sax through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. Yes! Up next, "Ghost Gospel" utilises a dope loop from a gospel record and adds some soul-funk drums overtop, whilst working that filter knob. Says Sam: "The loop reminded me of something Ghostface would rap over. The sample was in 3/4 waltz time but I flipped it for a 4/4 groove, a technique I picked up from RZA. "Ill Feeling" uses sped-up pieces from a dusty old funk record and putting them over a classic NOLA drum loop; gain chopping up a slow, bluesy 3/4 time signature and bending it to a 4/4 groove. Classy shit. "Capital Punishment" features drums tapped in live, inspired by MF Doom's Special Herbs series. "Do Not Adjust" consists loops found on a compilation of 70s French music at Happy's Flea Market, a classic Roanoke digging spot.

The sublime, evocative title track, "Cool Green Trees" was created when Sam was still living at home. He dumped samples off his SU10 into the family desktop and arranged them in a demo version of Pro Tools: "This track was sort of my ode to the DJ Shadow style of sample based production. Super spacey, slow, and moody. The heavily filtered drums were inspired by Alec Empire's 'Low on Ice' album. I later added some scratches and sounds from a Spider Man storybook record." "Chill Scratch" snags the final bit of a bossanova record and pairs it with a drum loop before adding experimental scratching run through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. "Poisonous Fumes" was made using a sampler, mixer and a turntable; a kind of mixtape beat collage with added scratches and sounds from various records. Using dialogue from superhero records was a nod to Madlib. "Welcome Aboard The Starship" is dark, downtempo trip-hop with a spooky bent. Sam paired a slow, hard drum loop with a guitar sample grabbed off a psychedelic rock record. To finish, he added various backwards sounds and weird atmospheric effects and a little scratching. Swoon.

Side B opens with "Keep On Runnin", made on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler. Having always loved the sound of the Lo-Fi filter on those machines, reminiscent of the Emu SP1200, Sam always imagined Del or another of the Hieroglyphics crew rapping over this beat. You can certainly hear why. "Sounds Impossible" sees Sam experimenting with layering multiple kick samples at different volumes to create patterns similar to those heard by Showbiz and Lord Finesse during their God-level 1995 period. "Painted Faces" was made by chopping up a REDACTED record which he had gotten from Happy's Flea Market and paired it with a REDACTED drum loop. By the time Sam recorded "The Knew Style", he had acquired a shitty old 1960s portable turntable off eBay. It didn't function properly when he bought it but his brother opened it up, cleaned it out and got it working: "I remember he told me that there was a bunch of sand inside of it when he opened it up, as if its previous owner had taken it to the beach. I would take that turntable on my Happy's Flea Market digs so I could preview records...that's how I found this loop."

"Chicken Wing Blues Sauce" loops up a classic blues joint and pairs it with some REDACTED drums. A bit of filtering and arranging et voilà! "Kool Breeze", from 1999, is one of Sam's oldest surviving beats, as is "Sexx Bullets". The Roots sampled the same record, leaving Sam frustrated yet vindicated. "Soul Child" was an early SU10 creation, looping a dusty old Soul Children 45 and pairing it with 70s rock drum loops to great effect. "Take Off Runnin" was another loop found digging with a portable turntable. Paired with some boom bap drums it makes for a hypnotic head-nod groove. "Centurian" was intended to be a little beat interlude a la Pete Rock. The sample is from a sun-dappled soft-psych record and it's paired with a Robin Trower drum loop that just happens to fit perfectly. Sometimes you slap things together kind of haphazardly and magic happens. "Bozack" was the first beat Sam made using Pro Tools, his first foray into using chopped sounds instead of loops, an exciting new world. "Church" is beat interlude using a Phil Upchurch loop with the "Long Red" drums - a favourite break of Dilla et al. Sam was really on a tear in late 2004, probably because he was unemployed and phoneless and able to just make beats all day. He made "Splash One" on a borrowed Yamaha SU700 and again was experimenting with tapping the drums in live with his fingers, instead of using a loop or sequenced pattern. Channeling 9th Wonder, Sam used a water splash sound effect from a Batman record as a percussive element, hence the title (also a 13th Floor Elevators reference). The main loop is a backwards portion of one of his favourite Roy Ayers songs.

"Hank" is another fun little beat interlude thing, created on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler with the fantastic Lo-Fi effect that resembled the Emu SP1200 at a fraction of the price. "73 goatee", from 99, is another of his oldest surviving beats, created in his bedroom with his Yamaha SU10 and his brother's Vestax MR-300 4-track recorder: "This one will always feel special. I can remember having a feeling all the way back then on the night that I created it that this was a solid beat with a catchy loop. There was something in the Fender Rhodes melody that resonated with me emotionally, and I had never heard a producer sample that portion before. I felt like I had found my own unique sound, my own unique loop. It came from an Ahmad Jamal '73. I actually even recorded myself rapping and scratching over this beat way back then, I still have that version in all its imperfect sloppy glory."

Sam explains just how much these tracks mean to him: "They all have immense historical and sentimental value and I'm proud of them. These beats come from an innocent, simple time when I was just figuring out how to craft these sounds. They're something very personal to me. They are the initial part of a journey that I really was taking *alone*. There was no YouTube. I couldn't Google shit. I didn't even know any other beatmakers, producers or DJs in my town that could teach me anything. It was always just me, alone, in a room with some equipment - chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams. What I was doing wasn't cool. Most of my peers thought I was a weirdo and couldn't care less. Creating these sounds was an anti-social endeavour. In a sense, I felt like it was me against the world, and all I had to instruct and assist me were the recordings produced by my heroes - RZA, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Beatminerz, Showbiz, Diamond D, Beatnuts, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, E-Swift, Mista Lawnge, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Peanut Butter Wolf, El-P and so many more...I dedicate this collection to them, and to my older brother Joe who has always been a musical and technical guiding light for me.

This was a time before every kid was a self-described producer and beatmaker, before everyone had a DAW, before Kanye and "chipmunk soul", before Red Bull beat battles, before there was any social media beyond chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger, before Soundcloud, before SP-404 mania, before lo-fi beats to study to, before Splice, before targeted ads for MIDI chord packs, etc. In 99 when I told people that I had a sampler and made beats I was mostly met with bewildered confusion and indifference. Kids and adults alike would wonder why I got this weird machine for Christmas instead of something worthwhile like a Playstation or a mountain bike or even a guitar for that matter because at least that could be used to make "real music". Back then, sampling was still not widely respected as an art form - it was seen as lazy, talentless and unoriginal at best and outright criminal theft at worst. I had gotten respect for playing drums and guitar and things of that nature but this was a step in the wrong direction in the eyes of many."

The cover photo is a picture of Sam standing on his back porch in the latter part of 1998, just before he got his first sampler. He was 13 years old, in 8th grade. His dad took the picture with his 35mm film camera: "I actually wanted to be pointing my dad's .22 pistol at the camera lens but he wouldn't let me. He gave me an old walking cane to use instead. The Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket came from the lost and found at William Fleming High School where my mom worked as a secretary. I was thrilled when she brought it home because we never spent money on expensive name brand clothing like that - we were for the most part strictly a sale rack, bargain bin, thrift store, yard sale, flea market kind of family when it came to clothes. My watch is some cheap off-brand fake gold department store watch." Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

By now an essential part of the Mindgames story, Kloke follows up his LP with Tim Reaper on Hyperdub with 4 tracks of Jungle vitality. As always with Andy's productions, there are fragments of memories that you can't quite identify embedded in the tunes framework, but the Kloke magic is using these familiar elements to build new tunes that enhance and embody this era of sound perfectly albeit with a distinctly recognisable identity. Of course this is the raison d'être of the Jungle revivalist producer set, but very few have mastered it like Kloke.

Slightly more floor-centric than his last Mindgames set, Mindgame 8 has a rugged vibe with punchy b lines and jagged breaks, doubling down on it's embedded authenticity.

Stepping up to the plate for the second release of our catalog, we are pleased to share 'Aura Protocol', a four-track collection that taps into the emotive and melodic depths of 90s influenced progressive house from Mexico based Producer, Mahkina.

The A1 track ‘God, How Do I Handle This’ kicks off the EP with an introspective mood, blending atmospheric pads and hypnotic bass-lines. The deep, melodic structure recalls the emotional core of 90s prog, while evolving into an intricate tapestry of sounds. The second track ‘Flavour & Spice’ plays into Mahkina's latin roots. A fusion of playful percussion, and lush chord progressions, evoking the vibrant energy of classic 90s house, with an added modern twist from the artist's production style.

Flipping over to the B-Side, ’Sacoodelo" takes listeners to a well placed euphoria. Combining driving rhythms with evolving loops and rich synth work, its experimental side takes influence from the rhythmic structures of classic trancey house. The final track ‘Connected’ feels like the emotional and sonic culmination of the EP. Taking the listener on a more expansive journey, weaving through moments of tension and release via atmospheric build-ups, emotional breakdowns, and a sense of resolution toward the end.

RLF002 is a well represented embodiment of Mahkina's ability to fuse classic styles with contemporary sounds, resulting in an immersive, dynamic listening experience that resonates with both the heart and the body.

Franky Wah makes Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Disconnect’ EP, featuring Kuuda. Out on 20th June 2025, the four-tracker sees the acclaimed UK producer make his first appearance on the revered imprint.

A producer known for balancing dancefloor energy with introspective songwriting, Franky Wah’s rise has been fuelled by a string of chart-topping singles, non-stop global club and festival appearances, and the launch of his own imprint and event brand, SHÈN. With musical influences stretching from trance and breakbeat to afro-house and techno, he now brings that rich sound palette to the Crosstown fold for the first time with a release that’s equal parts euphoric and deep as it is driving. Delivering a powerful and emotionally charged four-track release, 'Disconnect' showcases the Yorkshire-born artist’s blend of underground grit and melodic sophistication, featuring two standout collaborations with rising vocal trio Kuuda.

Opening the EP, the title track pairs swirling textures, brooding basslines and crisp percussion with commanding vocals, setting the tone for the journey ahead. The synergy continues on ‘Off The Wall’, a hazy, late-night jam elevated by Kuuda’s signature warped vox interjections. On the flip, ‘Desert Dance’ continues further into hypnotic territory with wicked bass licks and layered synth work, before closing track ‘Freak In The Sheets’ delivers another impactful, heads-down groove laced with attitude. Featured on two of the EP’s four cuts, Brighton-based trio Kuuda continue to emerge as a rapidly ascending vocal project within electronic music. Known for their genre-fluid songwriting and dynamic live presence, their collaborations with Hot Since 82, Yousef and Artche have earned them widespread support from the likes of Pete Tong, Danny Howard and RÜFÜS DU SOL. Blending emotional depth with club-ready impact, ‘Disconnect’ marks an inspired meeting point between Franky Wah’s expansive production style and the Crosstown Rebels spirit—one that looks set to soundtrack dancefloors throughout the summer and beyond.

From the moment she began writing her new album, Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner knew that she wanted to call it Jubilee. After all, a jubilee is a celebration of the passage of time—a festival to usher in the hope of a new era in brilliant technicolor. Zauner’s first two albums garnered acclaim for the way they grappled with anguish; Psychopomp was written as her mother underwent cancer treatment, while Soft Sounds From Another Planet took the grief she held from her mother‘s death and used it as a conduit to explore the cosmos. Now, at the start of a new decade, Japanese Breakfast is ready to fight for happiness, an all-too-scarce resource in our seemingly crumbling world.


Jubilee finds Michelle Zauner embracing ambition and, with it, her boldest ideas and songs yet. Inspired by records like Bjork’s Homogenic, Zauner delivers bigness throughout - big ideas, big textures, colours, sounds and feelings. At a time when virtually everything feels extreme, Jubilee sets its sights on maximal joy, imagination, and exhilaration. It is, in Michelle Zauner’s words, “a record about fighting to feel. I wanted to re-experience the pure, unadulterated joy of creation...The songs are about recalling the optimism of youth and applying it to adulthood. They’re about making difficult choices, fighting ignominious impulses and honouring commitments, confronting the constant struggle we have with ourselves to be better people.”

Throughout Jubilee, Zauner pours her own life into the universe of each song to tell real stories, and allowing those universes, in turn, to fill in the details. Joy, change, evolution - these things take real time, and real effort. And Japanese Breakfast is here for it.