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Antorcha are one of the best-kept secrets of the Mexican underground rock scene. Their influences came from Iron Butterfly, Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Vanilla Fudge, and others. At times they also sounded like MC5, with whom they shared an anarchist and anti-establishment spirit. After a brief period during which they recorded only a couple of 7-inch singles for the Orfeón label that had a very limited distribution, Mexican rockers Antorcha fully embraced a DIY approach to managing their own career. They had evolved into a heavy psychedelic rock group, with no metaphors and no compromises. Anarchists in a country that could barely utter the word without trembling. It was the final years of the 1960s. They recorded five self-produced EPs, sold exclusively at their live performances, passed from hand to hand as if each record were a clandestine act. While MC5 stirred the streets of Detroit alongside the White Panthers, Antorcha was doing much the same in a Mexico that preferred to look the other way. The band operated as a cooperative: agreements were reached collectively, and income was shared equally. Antorcha became a forgotten band in their own country, overlooked even by Mexican rock experts. Yet their legacy proved influential on an organizational level for later groups in the independent scene, which followed Antorcha's model of self-releasing and self-managing their work. This compilation brings together the best of their discography, collecting self-released 7-inch records originally issued between 1971 and 1976, along with material that never appeared on their EPs. Includes an insert featuring liner notes by Carlos Icaza "Tropicaza" and photographs of the band.

Released in 1983, "En la guía, en el listín" remains a permanent anomaly in the history of Spanish pop music, with few clear predecessors and even fewer descendants. It is an imperfect yet fascinating catalog of the many faces Derribos Arias could reveal. Its sound combines odd electric rock, leftfield proto-hip-hop, and dark, immersive songs that simply defy categorization. An essential album. Includes liner notes and the artwork of the original insert. By late 1981, the San Sebastián-based group La Banda sin Futuro had already transformed into Derribos Arias. Their first two singles dazzled critics eager for new ideas capable of placing Spanish pop alongside the contemporary music increasingly arriving from abroad in real time. 'Branquias bajo el agua', the standout track from the band's debut single, topped the list of Best Songs of 1982 as voted by listeners of Diario Pop on Radio 3 (Spanish National Radio). With an expanded four-piece lineup and a larger budget than they had enjoyed for their earlier singles, the band entered the prestigious Kirios Studios to record their album, with Paco Trinidad serving as producer. The electric intensity of 'Intima decoración' and 'Crematorio' -angular, off-kilter reinterpretations of a strain of rock descended from The Velvet Underground and The Stooges, a style with virtually no precedent in Spain-are excellent examples of the band's sound. To aberrate was the key term Poch used to describe his ineffable working method: a fearless creative freedom without which songs such as 'Lo que hay' could never have existed. The track stands as a leftfield proto-hip-hop number, later reworked as 'Disco pocho,' demonstrating both his admirable lack of prejudice and his complete disregard for any commercial ambitions the album might have had.Unfortunately, this album would never have a follow-up.

The Fall-Off is J Cole's 7th studio album, presented as a 24-track 4LP Set & CD. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, his 7th chart topping release. Featuring appearances from Burna Boy, Erykah Badu, Future, Morray, Petey Pablo, PJ, and Tems

After enjoying two major hits with the singles “Maybellene” and “Roll Over Beethoven” in 1955 and 1956, it was not until May of 1957 that Chuck Berry released his debut studio album and masterpiece, After School Session. The second album ever released on the legendary Chess Records, After School Session offered a new sound to audiences, nodding to teenagers with its title and including a mix of “rockers” that set the blueprint for the rise of rock ‘n’ roll. Includes “School Day (Ring Ring Goes The Bell),” “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” and “Too Much Monkey Business.” Bring home the sound of America’s greatest blues label in high fidelity with the Chess Records Acoustic Sounds Series. These audiophile reissues of classic albums and compilations from the Chess discography are remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP). Each disc is packaged in tip-on gatefold sleeves printed on high-grade board.

It's been a while hasn't it?! Well say 'Hello' to this new slab of wax from THEE CYBERMEN, because they NEVER SAID GOODBYE Some thirty years have passed since the last album from Dan Price (guitar & vocals) and Pete Scoundrel (bass, keys & vocals) but they didn't slip away quietly, in fact they kept on gigging and writing songs until the time was right and ladies and gents, that time is NOW! With the sterling help of rhythm dynamo Bruce Brand (MILKSHAKES, HEADCOATS etc. etc.) on drums and Surf maestro Hipbone Slim (AKA Sir Bald Diddly etc. etc.) on guitar the purveyors of pure, unalloyed BorderBeat have returned once more! This time with twelve all original tunes drenched in garage, beat, surf and attitude, recorded at Gizzard vintage analogue studio in London for that authentic sound.The long-awaited new platter from THEE CYBERMEN lands on your turntable like a fistful of fireworks displaying the band's 60s beat and Medway garage influences proudly in its grooves.

After hooking up with Ten’s Gary Hughes for his first three solo albums, and his fellow Hard Rain band-mate Paul Hodson for his fourth, when it came to ‘Spirit of Man’, Bob’s fifth album, the Magnum vocalist worked with the guys from Lost Weekend, along with Vince O’Regan (Escape, Legion, Pulse), who had been Bob’s touring guitarist for many of his solo shows. Vince and Bob also played many acoustic shows, and during this productive period the duo retired to Vince’s studio and recorded acoustic versions of songs covering Bob’s full solo career. The result is 11 songs highlighting the beloved velvet tones of Catley’s vocals and the melodic clarity of O’Regan’s delicate finger picking. No Magnum songs, but then this is purely a record of Bob Catley’s wonderful and highly successful solo career. Artwork and design by award-winning artist Sebastian Kozak (Ten, Crown of Thorns etc).

Pressure Chords is the first joint album by composer-performer John McCowen, trombonist Weston Olencki and cellist Lucy Railton. McCowen’s composition is based on the spectral analysis of contrabass clarinet multiphonics, and the tuning system corresponds with the overtone spectrum of McCowen’s instrument. The trio adaptation of Pressure Chords presents itself as an exercise in both patience and intensity, slowly building towards an expressive finale. Across its 34-minute runtime, restrained minimalism slowly gives way to maximally affective sonic force.McCowen, Olencki and Railton first shared the stage for an improvised session at Berlin’s KM28. McCowen realised that he found two capable partners for creating orchestrations of his works for the contrabass clarinet. Olencki, who also contributes field recordings to the album, has worked across different genres and traditions, while Railton has made a name for herself as a composer and improviser as well as a performer of Just Intonation music. Weston and Lucy both have immense experience performing and composing music outside of equal temperament, so it seemed like a perfect situation, McCowen says. The trio first presented Pressure Chords live at Berlin’s Morphine Raum in 2023 before recording a studio version with Adam Asnan in the following year. The recording—mixed and mastered by Albert Finnbogasson in Reykjavík—elegantly captures the multi-layered tonal and sonic qualities that the musicians so carefully explore. As a result, their performance doesn’t so much invite but necessitate deep listening—time passes differently on and with Pressure Chords.

Led By Vultures, the new Los Angeles based heavy rock band fronted by Brian Tichy (Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol, Gene Simmons, etc...)
has come together over the past year to record its powerful, uncompromising, undeniable brand of heavy music, and released their highly anticipated first single “Get It Right” in late-March. With that comes 12 songs dominated by loud guitar, massive drums, big riffs, killer grooves, aggressive vocals, and a feeling of flying through a tornado! With a pro home studio, Tichy started the recording
process and instead of trying to find the right players, engineers and producers, he chose to see it through on his own, and aim to make it feel and sound like a band that’s been together for years. Long time buddy/keyboard virtuoso Derek Sherinian (Alice Cooper, Dream Theater) lent a hand on a few tunes, including some co-writing and it was Sherinian who has been one of Tichy’s main friends, supporting him and telling him to stop talking and to get writing and recording!!
Led By Vultures is all about serving the song, the groove and the power it possesses. The recording process began as an organic, exciting, challenge for Tichy but soon became an all-consuming obsession to serve the songs and sounds with all of his being and abilities. This includes a rule of no samples or
auto tune! Led By Vultures; not just a band but a pure musical obsession!

Formed in New York City in 1993 around singer, guitarist and songwriter Chris Leo, the band emerged from the same fertile underground scene that gave rise to many of the most influential post-hardcore, indie rock and emo acts of the decade. Yet while many of their contemporaries went on to achieve wider recognition, The Van Pelt chose a different path: one built on artistic independence, restless experimentation and a stubborn refusal to fit comfortably into any scene or trend.
Across two landmark albums — Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves (1996) and Sultans Of Sentiment (1997) — The Van Pelt developed a singular language that combined intricate guitar interplay, spoken-word intensity, literary lyrics and emotional depth. Their music occupied a unique space between post-hardcore urgency, indie rock invention and the introspective sensibility that would later become associated with emo, influencing generations of musicians while remaining largely outside the spotlight.
After disbanding in 1997, the band's reputation continued to grow. What began as a well-kept secret among underground music fans gradually became a touchstone for listeners searching beyond the obvious narratives of 1990s alternative rock. Reunions in 2009 and 2014, the release of the long-lost Imaginary Third, and a series of acclaimed live performances introduced their music to a new audience while reaffirming their enduring relevance.
In 2023, The Van Pelt returned with Artisans & Merchants, their first collection of new material in more than twenty-five years. Rather than revisiting old formulas, the album expanded the band's sonic vocabulary while preserving the qualities that made them unique: curiosity, intelligence, vulnerability and an unwavering commitment to following their own instincts.
Now, more than three decades after their formation, The Van Pelt are set to return in 2026 with Remain Obscure, their fifth studio album. Continuing their tradition of defying expectations, the record pushes beyond the familiar boundaries of the band's sound while embracing the same spirit that has defined them from the beginning. A band whose influence has consistently exceeded its visibility, The Van Pelt remain one of independent music's most enduring and rewarding secrets.

When Pouya dropped The South Got Something To Say in the summer of 2019, it wasn’t just a title—it was a definitive statement of growth. Nodding to André 3000’s iconic 1995 Source Awards declaration, the Miami pioneer used his third studio album to prove that his raw, independent formula had mutated into something deeper, more mature, and entirely unmatched in the underground rap landscape. Now, for the first time since its digital release, this pivotal moment in Florida hip-hop history is finally available on wax, offering listeners something tangible they have been anticipating for years.

The South Got Something To Say captures Pouya at a lyrical and sonic turning point. While maintaining the blistering flows, heavy bass, and visceral Florida energy that initially put him on the map, the album opens the door to intense themes of mortality, legacy, and the heavy toll of independent success. It bridges the gap between the frantic energy of the SoundCloud era and a mastery of songwriting, offering fans a remarkably transparent look into the mind of an artist surviving the very chaos that birthed him. Standouts like "Cruisin' in the MIA" and "Florida Thang" showcase his signature rapid-fire delivery, perfectly balancing the record's darker, more introspective moments.

The sonic diversity of the project is anchored by a stellar lineup of collaborators who push Pouya into new creative territory. He enlists Three 6 Mafia royalty Juicy J alongside heavy-hitting underground peers like Ghostemane and City Morgue, while seamlessly pivoting into the melodic, hazy soundscapes of indie-pop artist Cuco and longtime producer Rocci on tracks like "Talk to Me Before I Die" and "Mood Swing Misery." This striking balance of aggressive phonk and melodic vulnerability solidifies the album as a cohesive, genre-bending journey rather than a mere collection of singles.

For years, vinyl collectors and die-hard fans have begged for this underground masterpiece to be immortalized on wax. This first-ever vinyl pressing delivers the booming low-ends and intricate, therapeutic bars exactly how they were meant to be experienced. From the opening nostalgic chords to the final fading beats, this release stands as an essential artifact of the modern underground rap movement, finally giving a landmark Southern album the premium physical presentation it deserves.

Remastered limited edition double vinyl with double-sided screenprinted poster-cover (sleeve folds out to be one huge poster). A real collectors item!

When Off Off came out around June 1984, one couldn’t speak of an independent music scene in Portugal. Warm Records’ vague existence didn’t have any impact and Dansa do Som’s inaugural release appeared only in December. 10 years after the revolution, after two IMF interventions, a lot of political instability (not to say turmoil, in the first couple of years) and the natural excesses of a sudden burst of freedom, the Portuguese consumer had more choices but a generally poor standard of living. There was no entrepreneurial culture and serious second thoughts about investing private money in risky ventures.

After many complaints about the whole music scene (institutions, critics and record label executives, popular and classical music alike), something that would continue well beyond the end of the decade, Telectu decided to finance, record, produce, release and sell an album with complete independence from outside structures. Their karmic reward was profit. According to Vítor Rua, Off Off was the only album fully payed by the duo and the only one that really payed off. Not an easy accomplishment for a double LP housed in a large (also double-sided) screenprint with complicated cuts and folds. The artwork was conceived by António Palolo, a friend and multidisciplinary artist. It was based on a collage of heavily saturated and xeroxed polaroids framed in shocking pink and green. Palolo was considered the third member of Telectu, regularly producing slides, video and other visual support for their shows. The inspiration for the type of cover came from GRM’s Gramme series.

Off Off is divided in four distinct sides, each one corresponding to a “theme” or “function” related to Telectu’s manifold artistic interests and interactions. The titles are also gateways to influences and a small portion of Portuguese cultural life:

- Side 1 / “Diagonale” is dedicated to Egídio Álvaro, art critic and gallery director (he opened Diagonale in Paris). Performance art was arguably his main artistic concern over the years, so the music on this side is suggested for use by one or more performers in live or playback situations. The three tracks segue into each other, linked by a synth arpeggio much in the same way as Telectu’s previous “Belzebu” álbum (1983);

- Side 2 / “Anarké” is dedicated to the composer Filipe Pires, one of Jorge Lima Barreto’s recurring invocations when asked about worthwhile contemporary music in Portugal. It is subtitled “concert music”, proposing «a new form of listening». Three tracks also, and these are separated by “clap interludes”, which basically consisted in the following: JLB and VR each had a pair of headphones on, and they clapped their hands according to the rhythm of the music each one was listening. Both musicians were interacting with a different Steve Reich piece: Vítor with “Music for Mallet Instruments”, Jorge with “Six Pianos”. The result is disjointed clapping, an awkwardly deliberate celebration of their own music. Telectu applauded themselves.

- Side 3 / “Cornucópia” is subtitled “music for theatre” and dedicated to Luís Miguel Cintra and Luís Lima Barreto (JLB’s brother), both connected to the Cornucópia theatre company. The side consists of several short pieces previously used as interludes in the Cornucópia staging of “Mariana Espera Casamento” (1983). Field recordings, mood pieces, ambience and a numeric poem (“Soneto Soma 14x”, by E.M. de Melo e Castro) read by João Perry, a quite well-known stage actor. His voice is treated with a flanger effect;

- Side 4 / “Palolo” is “video music”. It’s a one-take mix recorded from cassette sources (Telectu studio experiences) and done live while watching António Palolo’s Om film (1978) projected on the living room wall. It’s a deep, immersive, quasi-mystical 20-minute piece perfectly suiting the meditative, abstract, fluid images created by Palolo by mixing paint and water inside a bathtub. One imagines the Cosmos, hardly suspecting the technique. The film is 90 minutes long, so the music on the LP is of course edited.

The six titles on sides 1 and 2 evoke demons, all of them with conflicting symbolism, since it varies from culture to culture, religion to religion. No explanation is given and Vítor Rua has no idea where this imagery comes from. During virtually the whole stretch of the 1980s, Jorge was the one in charge of titles and concepts, and Vítor didn’t bother too much even reading the liner notes :) In any case, when you synchronize the listening experience with the imagery, a powerful impression emerges, a feeling of being in the presence of these entities while placing yourself inside the sonic narrative.

Off Off is undoubtedly a seminal album in the history of electronic music, as much Heldon as Fripp & Eno, jazz and American minimalism, cosmic out-thereness, mantric miniatures. Telectu at the height of their powers, still very early on, delivering an album-manifesto advocating intermedia art and the fierce independence of Portuguese musicians «from the scum of capitalist music industry monopolies. It’s a path to follow, albeit one that requires enduring hardships and retaliation from music industry gangsters.» Despite a few journalists deemed «capable of being free», the media are «enslaved by the dominant and fascist imbecility of the speculators of light music.» Off Off is addressed to those journalists «and to an audience angry at the cultural misery imposed upon us ..., certain that this music will open new horizons of musical pleasure in the conception of Portuguese avant-garde music, and in the open consciousness of us all. OFF OFF repeats Freedom.»

Those two words are a direct lift from Alberto Arbasino’s 1968 book Off Off, the basis of which is a critical analysis of Theodor Adorno’s and Dwight MacDonald’s ideas concerning the stratification of culture in different levels (high, mid and low) and the pervasiveness of mass culture in the form of a culture industry. In very simplistic terms, and that is precisely the point that inspired Jorge, Arbasino argued that it was possible and desirable to effect a revolution from below, cultivating alternative circuits completely cut-off from what he termed the in-in reality. Telectu’s record was a deliberate demonstration that it could be done, displaying Freedom in the face of all the gatekeepers and other human obstacles.

Twisted Teens is a rockin’ roll band from New Orleans.
The Kinks living in a school bus with no wheels on it. The Rolling Stones of Jungian anarchism.
The Buzzcocks of the poisoned bogs of south Louisiana.
Punk inflected country music, or country inflected punk music idk.
Memetic warfare via earworms (it’s extremely catchy). Outperforms all other bands in every metric, drinks every night but still makes it to the gym.
Draws no contrast between the familiar and unfamiliar.

"Emergence of Shadow" (Mint Condition Records / Self Distribuzione)—the new album by Davide
Ghidoni, produced by Gianluca Pighi—is arriving: its digital release is set for Friday, September 11,
while the vinyl will be available starting Friday, September 18.
A trumpeter with a career marked by international collaborations, Ghidoni here signs his most
personal project to date. It is a predominantly instrumental record in which the trumpet becomes a
voice, a narrative, and an emotion. The only vocal track is "Come On Closer," performed by Heidi
Vogel (The Cinematic Orchestra), creating a moment of suspension and intensity within the project.
Davide Ghidoni’s passion for music and the trumpet was born in his childhood around the age of ten,
fueled also by Western films and Ennio Morricone’s soundtracks: those melodies, where the trumpet
played a central role in the duels of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, deeply shaped the artist's
imagination and sound.
Ghidoni has always maintained an open and curious approach, letting himself be inspired by different
genres, artists, and musical cultures. His projects naturally coexist with influences ranging from rock
to soul, jazz to blues, and other languages that have left a mark on his path. Rather than identifying
with a single genre, he prefers to view music as a guiding thread capable of uniting different styles
through emotion, sensitivity, and respect for artistic identity.
"Emergence of Shadow" represents a new chapter in his journey. After numerous collaborations with
various artists, the musician felt the urge to undertake a completely his own project, giving shape to
ideas he had nurtured for a long time.
The record is inspired by the 1970s soul, rock, and blues sounds, but the goal is not to faithfully
reproduce or imitate those genres: the atmospheres, themes, and arrangements recall that sonic
world, yet are reinterpreted through a personal and original sensibility. The trumpet remains the
primary narrative element, supported by meticulous arrangements and a solid rhythm section that
enhance its character and expressive intensity.
Alongside the sounds that distinguish his path, the album also explores deeper emotional
dimensions. Some tracks are fluid and atmospheric, born from the desire to recount vibrations
without rigid schemes, letting melodies and dynamics guide the listener on an inner journey. The aim
is to offer an engaging listening experience in which music communicates directly, beyond words.
The album encapsulates everything Davide Ghidoni wanted to express and fully represents his
artistic identity: a timeless instrument to communicate emotions and engage in dialogue with different
musical traditions, always keeping the pursuit of musical quality and sharing with the public at its
core.

Issued on Crystal Clear vinyl is Max Richter’s emotive and minimal score to Damon Lindelof’s TV series about a post-apocalyptic global event where 2%

of the world’s population disappears without explanation. Richter’s approach explores the feelings of the protagonist’s family, the Garveys, through intimate,

small scale music. He tackles this psychological landscape by bringing a ritual quality to the score, while themes of departure and loss are represented by

a sense of sonic decay, relying on the instrumentation of a few sustained tones on pianos, harps and celesta.

Max Richter is a classically trained composer that defies boundaries. Trained at the Royal Academy of Music and finishing his studies under the tutelage

of avant-garde composer Luciano Berio in Florence, Richter’s career has followed many paths. His musical output ranges from ballets

(Wayne MacGregor’s Infra), reinventions of classical works (Vivaldi’s Four Seasons), collaborations with The Future Sound Of London, Roni Size and

Vashti Bunyan to writing scores for film and TV (Waltz With Bashir, Lost and Found, Last Days on Mars) and solo work.

Pioneering Ghanaian musician King Ayisobareturns September 4, 2026 with his forthcoming seventh album Pure Confusion, recorded and produced by On-U-Sound’s Adrian Sherwood.

Ayisoba is one of Ghana’s most distinctive musical voices. The world’s foremost player of the kologo - a homemade two-string lute fashioned from a calabash and covered in goatskin - he delivers fiercely political and socially observant songs using three different voices, including the voice of his grandfather that possessed him as a child. Sherwood meanwhile is the pioneering British producer and founder of On-U Sound whose hugely influential career has connected dub, post-punk, industrial, hip hop and experimental music through collaborations with artists including Lee “Scratch” Perry, Mark Stewart, Horace Andy, Sinéad O’Connor, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode.

Ayisoba and Sherwood first collaborated during a BBC Radio 3 Late Junction session at Maida Vale in 2017, organised by Ayisoba’s long-time collaborator Arnold de Boer/Zea of The Ex. The pair immediately connected, and during the pandemic, when Adrian’s long-time African Head Charge collaborator Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah was in Ghana looking for musicians to collaborate with Sherwood suggested Ayisoba, who eventually featured on two tracks on African Head Charge’s 2023 album A Trip To Bolgatanga (Bolgantanga is the region Ayisoba is from). Ayisoba then returned to the UK in late 2024 and travelled to Sherwood’s Ramsgate studio where the pair laid down the songs that would become Pure Confusion: “All the songs were already in my head,” says Ayisoba. “This album is all recorded live, over one afternoon. Adrian only plays live, and I like that. And he works hard - he doesn’t sleep. I woke up in the night and he was still working.”

“In my role producing it, I just let it roll to make a good vibe,” says Sherwood. “We recorded it completely live, did some programming and processing on some tracks, using dub techniques live on the mixing desk and adding some slick touches. We wanted the colours on the album to swing off what Ayisoba was doing, so we invited some friends to participate. Doug Wimbish (Sugar Hill Gang) arrived from America and lent his services playing bass on a couple of tracks; the wonderful Ivan Hussey (Celloman) played bass, keyboards and cello - cello is not really featured on African recordings so we thought it would be really cool to try it. I'd been working with Alex White (Fat White Family/Primal Scream) on my album (The Collapse of Everything) and so he added sax to a few tracks and I brought Alan Glenn down especially - Alan was in Little Axe but also Nine Below Zero and played in the Yardbirds – to add some mouth organ; Mark Bandola added a bit of flavour with his Juno, Ayisoba’s long-time Ghanian collaborator Ayuune Sule added some percussion and vocals and Matt Smith did some programming.”

“King Ayisoba is quite amazing, so unique,” Sherwood continues. “He’s got his own handmade instrument and three different voices - when you’re listening you think it’s three different people. He’s a breath of fresh air, full of love for the music which he wants to share with everybody. Some tracks we kept very straight and others we experimented with - adding dubby psychedelic little touches to trip you out a bit. The added production we did at On-U has given it a shine while still keeping it vibrant, live and spontaneous. I’m really proud of this record”.

On Pure Confusion, Ayisoba documents the anxieties, contradictions and changing social realities of contemporary Ghana. “Land is a problem for everyone,” says Ayisoba of the opening track “Property”. “If you don’t build on your land they will take it away. Plenty corruption in Ghana, plenty confusion. They sell the land to two, three, four people and then everybody fights.”

Elsewhere Ayisoba explores illness, spirituality and social stigma on “Bemba”, warning against hiding sickness out of shame or fear of “bad juju”: “People hide their sickness and the sickness kills them.” “Tewigiloge” reflects on cultural difference and open-mindedness encountered through world travel: “We will tour the whole world and we will see many things we may not like or understand… your eyes will see, but don’t talk - you have to be open-minded.”

Spirituality runs deeply throughout the album. Ayisoba’s grandfather was a respected spiritual healer whose presence the musician says still guides him today. “The grandparents’ spirits are the ones you can contact,” he explains of the spiritual chant “Nkaase”. “This song talks about the forefathers.” The closing track “Leeda-Mampanga (It’s Not My Strength)” acts as a statement of humility and gratitude: “You have to be humble, even if you have talent. God gives you the power.”

For more than two decades, King Ayisoba has been one of Africa’s most distinctive musical innovators, transforming northern Ghanaian kologo traditions into a bold contemporary sound rooted in hypnotic rhythms, social commentary and spiritual intensity. Since the breakthrough success of 2006’s Modern Ghanaians, Ayisoba has built an international following through acclaimed albums, relentless touring and collaborations with artists including Lee “Scratch” Perry, Orlando Julius and African Head Charge. Performances at Roskilde, WOMAD, Le Guess Who? and the Barbican have further cemented his reputation as a singular live performer and cultural force.

From Berlin to Lagos: Jembaa Groove expand their sound on "Be A Lover"

Berlin-based outfit Jembaa Groove return with "Be A Lover", a four-track EP set for full release on 18 September via global soul imprint Agogo Records. Following two critically acclaimed albums and an intensive period of touring across Europe and the US — including a SXSW showcase and a widely acclaimed KEXP session — this latest release marks a new chapter in the band’s trajectory. Built around highlife rhythms and shaped by Afro-jazz and the more organic edges of Afrobeats, "Be A Lover" unfolds with a warm, languid and deeply soulful feel, capturing different strands of today’s multifaceted Afrofusion scene.

Here, the band strips back from a seven-piece ensemble to its two founding members, while at the same time opening outward into a deeply collaborative space. At its centre is a close creative partnership with celebrated Nigerian highlife revivalists The Cavemen., alongside contributions from London-based, Nigerian born soul artist Azekel, Lagos vocalist Tim Lyre, and Malian icon Fatoumata Diawara.

“This record has a different flavour,” says Owusu. “It’s really about collaboration — different feelings, different thoughts, different energies coming together.” While centred around the Lagos contemporary scene, the record is shaped by a wider diasporic network stretching across London, Lagos, Berlin and Amsterdam, cities producer and bass player Yannick Nolting describes as “the pillars where everything that is happening in today’s highlife and Afro-fusion scene.”

Formed in Berlin in 2020, Jembaa Groove began after a chance meeting between bassist, producer and composer Yannick Nolting and percussionist, vocalist and songwriter Eric Owusu. Drawing on their respective musical journeys — Nolting’s years working with Lusophone artists in Lisbon and Owusu’s deep roots in Ghana’s highlife tradition, including work with Pat Thomas and late highlife legend Ebo Taylor — the project quickly took shape: their debut album Susuma established a powerful, poly-rhythmic sound grounded in highlife, jazz and soul, while 2024’s "Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves" expanded that vision through collaborations with artists across Ghana and its diaspora, including UK based Ghanaian singer, rapper, percussionist, and arranger K.O.G and legendary Ghanaian highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley.

The collaborative spirit continues on "Be A Lover", most of which grew out of a meeting with sibling duo The Cavemen. at Supersonic Jazz Festival in Amsterdam in 2023, leading to a sustained exchange of ideas between Berlin and Lagos. With two acclaimed albums behind them, The Cavemen. have emerged as central figures in both Lagos’ alternative music scene and the wider contemporary highlife revival, bringing the genre to a new generation through a stripped-back, melody-driven sound. “There was some kind of magnetism towards Lagos,” says Nolting; for Owusu, who is Ghanaian but spent much of his life in Nigeria, the connection runs even deeper. “I feel lucky to be able to bring different cultures together and make something really beautiful,” he says. A key part of that process was a close working exchange between Nolting and The Cavemen.’s Kingsley Okorie, who effectively stepped into a co-producing role on three out of four of the tracks.

The one exception is opener No Pain No Gain, which features Nigerian-born, East London-based Azekel, whose smooth, R&B-leaning vocal moves through a slow-burning arrangement of bright keys, gently rising horns and atmospheric synths, anchored by Owusu’s organic percussion.

The title track Be A Lover, featuring Afro-fusion Lagos artist Tim Lyre, distills the EP’s central message into its most immediate form. Backed by syncopated percussion and a gently smouldering arrangement, Lyre’s voice moves with a laid-back, melodic ease, delivering a simple refrain: “be a lover, not a fighter.” “It’s a very simple message,” says Nolting, “It’s about showing more love, on a personal level but also more broadly… just show love.” That same sense of warmth runs throughout the record, reflecting its core idea.

On Obi, The Cavemen. take centre stage, with Kingsley Okorie leading through melancholic, plaintive vocals rooted in classic highlife. In contrast, his brother Benjamin James punctuates the track with high-pitched vocal interjections, heightening the emotional tension against a backdrop of slow, restrained instrumentation.

Waka follows with a more melodic, hook-led refrain from Eric Owusu, whose loose, almost conversational delivery creates a striking contrast with Fatoumata Diawara’s unmistakably powerful, raspy vocal. The collaboration grew out of a chance meeting while Owusu was on tour, with ideas exchanged quickly and Diawara returning a finished vocal within days. “We are so proud to have her. It’s a privilege” says Owusu. "Be A Lover" is a record shaped by connections like these — between people, scenes, and cities. “It was partly intention, partly destiny,” says Nolting. “We met these people along the way, and somehow Lagos was meant to come into our path.”

Lovemonk and Barcelona’s Marula Café bring back their Marula Soulfood 7" series with two standout tracks taken from The Jade’s debut album, "Love Harder". Behind The Jade is Oli Stewart, aka Casbah 73, leading a transatlantic ensemble of top-tier musicians equipped with heart and heat, bridging worlds while remaining firmly centered around home base Madrid.

‘Let The light In’ is a radiant burst of sunshine and a riotous cross-pollination of sounds. Nebraska’s Josh Hoyer delivers a powerhouse vocal performance, soaring over exuberant rhythms and fluid grooves that feel right at home in sweat-filled basement clubs or an open-air set as the sun dips low over the horizon. On the flip, ‘At The Queensboro’ is a beautiful jazz-funk instrumental that stretches out with elegance, giving its wonderful groove plenty of room to breathe. It was highlighted as one of BBC 6 Craig Charles’ favourite tracks of 2025.

Desire erschien 1976 zu Beginn von Bob Dylans Rolling Thunder-Tour-Ära, die ihn in den folgenden Jahren buchstäblich mehrfach um den Erdball führte. Die Platte tänzelt virtuos zwischen den Stilen, die von Dylans herausragenden Lyrics zusammen gehalten werden. Die bemerkenswertesten Songs des Nr.1-Albums sind zweifellos die Boxer-Tragödie 'Hurricane', 'Sara', 'Mozambique' und ganz besonders 'Isis', der als Dylans beste Komposition der 70er Jahre gilt.

Die Wiener Band feiert 2026 ihr 20-jähriges Bestehen - ein Statement gegen Schnelllebigkeit und für künstlerische Konsequenz. Aus der DIY-Punk- und Hardcore-Szene hervorgegangen, verbindet sie seit zwei Jahrzehnten elektronischen Industrial mit analogem Post Rock und schafft atmosphärische Klanglandschaften zwischen Melancholie, Düsternis und Hoffnung. Das neue Album "Minor Tremors" klingt rauer, direkter und zugleich zugänglicher als seine Vorgänger. Inhaltlich kreist es um Faschismus, politische Ohnmacht, Solidarität und Liebe in einer brennenden Welt. Die Band arbeitete u. a. mit Lustmord, Justin K. Broadrick, Jarboe und Dälek zusammen und teilte Bühnen mit Lydia Lunch, Boris oder Dälek. Produziert wurde das Album von FAZO666FAZO (Baits), gemastert von Alex Vatagin. Marketing Hardfacts:- begleitende Konzerte 2026/27 (bestätigte Daten bis hierhin):- TBA - - eine Vorabsingle inkl. Videorelease- redaktioneller Beitrag im Slam Magazin- intensiv begleitende Social Media Kampagne die über die Kanäle des Labels, der Band und der Protagonisten der Band- Reviews in Outlets wie The Gap, 4NDREAS.Postrock Blog

Sarah de Scisciolo, known as the Brutalist Poet, presents a new project born from her collabora%on with
Alex Neri, long%me member of Planet Funk and a leading figure in the Italian electronic music scene.
Produced by Alex Neri and released on vinyl, the single emerges from the encounter between Sarah’s
poetry and performa%ve dimension and Neri’s electronic research. The project blends spoken word, vocals
and electronic music, transforming words into sound and crea%ng an original dialogue between
performance and club culture.

This collabora%on brings Sarah de Scisciolo’s poe%c language into the world of electronic music and vinyl,
shaping a release conceived for both audiences and professionals within the contemporary music scene.
PRODUCED BY ALEX NERI AND MANNIE FOR TENAX RECORDINGS

Saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi and drummer Jason Nazary present their new album, "here i am no i". The release marks their duo debut for We Jazz Records, adding to an expanding release catalog also including Nazary"s solo album Spring Collection (2021). "here i am no i" is a free-flowing body of work with continuous forward-motion, building on the acoustic duo setting and expands with electronics and voice landing somewhere beyond genre. Dedicated to jaimie branch, the album is a spontaneous product of trying to come to terms with the unimaginable loss of a close friend. Patrick Shiroishi is a Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist, composer & poet based in Los Angeles. His solo work has appeared on labels such as Sub Pop, Touch, American Dreams and Otherly Love. Jason Nazary is a Brooklyn-based drummer and producer, whose work has previously appeared on the We Jazz label on the solo album Spring Collection and on New Monuments by Amirtha Kidambi"s Elder Ones. RIYL: Patrick Shiroishi, Jason Nazary, Anteloper, jaimie branch, Y-OTIS, Koma Saxo, Jon Hassell.

Die deutsche Black-/Death-Metal-Kultband Ch’ahom opfert ihr zweites Album „Anthropic Rites of Sublimation“ auf dem Opferaltar – ein Konzeptalbum, das in einer fiktiven Welt spielt, die von den Ritualen, der Kunst und der Architektur vorspanischer Kulturen inspiriert ist. Anknüpfend an ihre EP „Ts’ono’ot“ entfaltet sich die Geschichte um eine Cenote von unvorstellbaren Ausmaßen, deren kosmischer Ruf die Verlorenen und Unsicheren zur Selbstaufopferung treibt. Vier Zivilisationen erheben sich an ihrem Rand, wobei jede ihre eigenen Riten, Hierarchien und Monumente entwickelt, um den tödlichen Ruf des Abgrunds in eine Grundlage für kollektives Dasein zu verwandeln.
Ch’ahom verleiht dieser imaginären Welt Gestalt durch höhlenartigen Death Metal, bestialische Ausbrüche und fieberhaft progressive Strukturen. Wilde Riffs winden sich durch erstickende Kammern rhythmischer Beschwörungen, während uralte Instrumentierung aus dem Tumult hervortritt wie Echos in einem verschütteten Tempel. „Anthropic ‚Rites of Sublimation‘“ bewegt sich wie die Cenote selbst und zieht den Hörer durch ein ekstatisches und sich immer weiter vertiefendes Gefühl des Unbekannten nach innen.
Inspiriert von einer bewusst wörtlichen Interpretation des Todestriebs und seiner Sublimierung untersucht Ch’ahom Kultur als Antwort auf ein unwiderstehliches Verlangen nach Selbstauslöschung. Verstümmelung, stellvertretendes Opfer, Versklavung und freiwillige Hingabe werden zu den Grundlagen konkurrierender Gesellschaften, die auf das regelmäßige Öffnen der Cenote warten. Ch’ahom verwandelt diese düstere Fiktion in ein gewaltiges Klangritual und porträtiert die Menschheit durch ihren erschreckenden Einfallsreichtum: Sie schafft Glauben, Schönheit und ganze Zivilisationen am Rande der Vernichtung.

"Originally released in 1979 on Sly & Robbie's Taxi label, this album was Black Uhuru's second LP. Recorded at Channel One it set forth a new sound in recorded music technology. The songs blend into dub versions and the mixing is simply stunning. The track Shine Eye Gal also features guitarist Keith Richards"
(but hey, nobody's perfect).

"Hear the meticulous song writing of Michael Rose, joined by Puma Jones & Duckie Simpson, to complete the vocal line-up.

Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang created a sublime sonic masterpiece at Channel One studio in Jamaica. They were at their absolute peak of their powers, before being launched as global superstars with Grace Jones.

Black Uhuru went on to be an extremely popular live outfit, touring endlessly around the world, breaking down barriers and making new inroads to territories previously unknown to Jamaican artists.

This Classic reissue is a must for all reggae collectors."

„Ein bisschen Frieden“, „Flieg nicht so hoch, mein kleiner Freund“, „Papillon“, „Ein leises Lied“, „Mit dir vielleicht“, „Allein in Griechenland“ oder „Ich bin zurück“. Diese Hits von Nicole kennt wohl jeder und kann jeder mitsingen.

Nicole ist die die Grande Dame der deutschen Popschlagerszene, seit vielen Jahren auf den größten, schillerndsten Bühnen unterwegs. Aber sie liebt auch die Zurückgezogenheit, um als klassische Singer-Songwriterin an ihrer Musik zu arbeiten. Sie schafft es ehrliche Einsichten und pures Gefühl, in bewegende Songs zu übersetzen, die gerade durch diesen Tiefgang so faszinierend und zeitlos sind.

Vor allem bleibt sie sich treu und weiß ihren unverkennbaren Sound immer wieder ganz behutsam neu und weiter zu denken: Unaufgeregt und immer absolut nah am eigenen Leben, gewährt sie Einblicke in ihr Leben und ihre Weltsicht - passend zu Ihrem schweren Kampf gegen die Krankheit. Sie möchte Mut machen und zeigen, dass es sich lohnt zu kämpfen, auch gegen eine scheinbar nicht zu besiegende Krankheit.

„Ein bisschen Frieden“ bescherte Nicole Millionenverkäufe und Top-Platzierungen in ganz Europa. In den vier Jahrzehnten, die seit diesen ersten Sensationserfolgen der Euro-Gold-Single vergangen sind, folgten zwei Dutzend weitere Longplayer, für die sie gleich 11 Goldene Stimmgabeln sowie 17-mal den ersten Platz bei der ZDF-Hitparade gewann. Auf die Zweitplatzierung beim World Popular Song Festival in Tokio (1983) folgten zudem ein ECHO-Pop in den Neunzigern, mehrfach die Goldene Europa und 2017 der smago! Award.


2024 feierte Nicole Ihren 60. Geburtstag und setzte diesen Trend fort. Das Album „Carpe Diem“ gilt als eines ihrer Besten und wurde mit einem Chart-Eintritt gekürt.

Stillstand hat es für Nicole nie gegeben – auch 2026, nach 45 Jahren auf der Bühne, nicht. Bereits die erste Single „Ich will mehr“ machte deutlich, wohin die Reise geht: nach vorne. Mit ihrem neuen Album „Meine Schätze“ blickt Nicole auf ihre außergewöhnliche Karriere zurück und setzt gleichzeitig ein kraftvolles Zeichen für Aufbruch, neue Wege und echte Lebensfreude.

„Meine Schätze“ produziert von ihrem kongenialen Produzententeam – Achim Meier, Zoran Grujovski und Jens Carstens, ist dabei kein klassisches Best-of-Album. Stattdessen hat Nicole ganz persönliche Songperlen aus 45 Jahren ausgewählt – Lieder, die sie geprägt, begleitet und inspiriert haben. Dazu gehört auch ihre gefühlvolle Interpretation des Don-McLean-Klassikers „And I Love You So“.
Teilweise neu arrangierte Akustikversionen verleihen den Songs eine besondere Intensität und zeigen ihre emotionale Tiefe ebenso wie ihre zeitlose Kraft. Gemeinsam mit musikalischen Weggefährten und Freunden wie Heinz Rudolf Kunze, John Kelly, Johnny Logan, Nino de Angelo und Mickie Krause entstand ein Album, das Mut macht, nach vorne zu blicken und das Leben bewusst zu genießen. Diese positive Energie trägt Nicole mit ihrer unverwechselbaren Stimme – kraftvoll, klar und berührend wie selten zuvor. Eine Nicole, die viele überraschen wird.

Die Botschaften der Songs haben auch nach 45 Jahren nichts von ihrer Aktualität verloren. Sie stehen für Hoffnung, Zuversicht und die Überzeugung, dass gute Musik Generationen verbindet.

Musikalisch präsentiert sich „Meine Schätze“ in einem modernen, frischen Soundgewand. Gefühlvolle Streicher des F.A.M.E.'S. Skopje Studio Orchestra treffen auf einen atmosphärischen Mix aus Folk, Pop und Schlager – eingängig, emotional und voller Tiefe. Ein Klangbild, das bewegt und lange nachhallt.
Besonders bemerkenswert: Die Produktion setzt bewusst auf echte, handgemachte Musik. Statt künstlicher Intelligenz stehen hier authentische Musikerinnen und Musiker, echte Instrumente und ehrliches musikalisches Handwerk im Mittelpunkt – ein klares Bekenntnis zu Qualität, Leidenschaft und echter Emotion.

The follow up to her UK number 1 album This Is How Tomorrow Moves, the stark and striking fourth album by beabadoobee is named for the electricity towers that dot every major artery in the world—the strong, spindly structures that reminded Beatrice Laus of her connection to friends and family at home while she was staring down extreme disconnection and isolation on tour over the past few years.

The title can also be read as an allusion to Laus’ spiky, forceful new sound—the waves of distortion that crash and shatter across this record’s 14 songs mirroring the intense crackle you hear when walking under power lines. The pylon is also a fitting symbol for an album that reckons with the repetitive anxieties of your mid-twenties: What if I’m always going to be this way? What if life is just pylon after pylon on the road?

The album’s first single is available to stream and buy from today: “Sun Has Set” introduces Pylon as, in essence, a set of songs that began as diary entries, words that Laus thought she’d never be able to say out loud. “A lot of the songs on this record are things I wish I could have said to someone,” she says. “This song has this petty tunnel vision—it’s like, I hate you. You’re gonna stay here and listen to how much I hate you. Because I never got to say that.” The single comes accompanied by a striking first person video directed by Bea’s partner and longtime visual collaborator Jake Erland.


Ever a devotee of pure rock music—both as something to be cherished and something to be played with—Laus casts these feelings in songs that touch on classic grunge, midwest emo and ‘90s radio rock, zeroing in on a sound that is both harsher and more direct than any of her previous records. She says the music she’s loved has “always been an influence” on her music, and so for B4 she went straight to the source. A fair few of Beabadoobee’s composite influences contributed to Pylon, a fact that speaks to the goodwill and respect Laus has amassed over the course of her relatively brief career.

Hayley Williams sings on “Nothing to Prove,” a deeply anthemic indie-rock song about getting your power back from fairweather friends who just want a bit of your success. The moody “Powerlines” features a verse from Turnstile singer Brendan Yates, a master of matching vocal force with emotional nuance. Elsewhere, you’ll find contributions from Pinegrove’s Evan Stephens Hall, Deftones’ Chino Moreno, and Title Fight’s Shane Moran, as well as, on “Write Me A Letter”, production work from Laus’ longtime friends and collaborators Matty Healy and George Daniel of The 1975.

Beabadoobee will debut songs from the record on the Powerlines Tour, her first ever arena shows and biggest tour to date, taking in shows across North America, the UK and Europe this autumn-winter. The Powerlines Tour kicks off 1 October and includes stops at Madison Square Garden, The Kia Forum, The O2 and more (full routing below). Support comes from Wisp in the US, Canada and UK and Violet Grohl in France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.





Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Beatrice Laus emerged as a British alternative music icon across three acclaimed albums and five EPs. She has garnered multiple BRIT Award and BBC Sound Of nominations, and won NME’s Radar award, whilst amassing over 10 billion streams worldwide and more than 12 million followers across her social channels.

This Is How Tomorrow Moves became her first record to reach number 1 on the UK Official Album Chart in 2024, following her Top 10 albums Fake It Flowers (which reached number 8) in 2020 and 2022’s Beatopia (#4). Earlier this year, beabadoobee released the one-off single ‘‘All I Did Was Dream Of You,” teaming up with Grammy-nominated best New Artist The Marías, the result of a longtime mutual creative admiration between María Zardoya and Bea.

Product Text:

When we go searching for a Black avant-garde, we have to be prepared to look in unexpected places. The route to a Black avant-garde involves walking down – what some might consider – peculiar highways. Where they see strangeness, a road leading them nowhere, we see nothing but beauty. The paths Darren Cunningham went down, the highways he took to make Actress, are a chapter in the story of the Black avant-garde. Cunningham the footballer. Cunningham the Wulfrunian. Cunningham the ex-footballer. Cunningham the DJ. Cunningham the Londoner. Cunningham the producer. Cunningham the painter. Cunningham the writer. Cunningham the composer. This is where the Black avant-garde in Britain is made. This is where you have to go to find it.

Across an expansive discography of more than ten LPs, Actress has created his own arcane language of hermetic references and inter-dimensional electronic composition.

Radical Frame arrives 18 years since debut album Hazyville, and it feels like an apotheosis. The image realised. We get the full gamut of Actress signatures. Short bursts of broken down music. Tiny sketches of zoomed-in sound. Refracted dance floor heat. And we get more.

Perhaps Radical Frame is a container for everything that Cunningham has built so far. A frame he is handing over to the next in line. The next artist to make their own way in the Black British avant-garde.



Wenn wir nach einer schwarzen Avantgarde suchen, müssen wir bereit sein, an unerwarteten Orten zu suchen. Der Weg zu einer schwarzen Avantgarde führt - wie manche finden mögen - über ungewöhnliche Pfade: wo sie Fremdheit sehen, einem Weg, der nirgendwohin führt, sehen wir nichts als Schönheit. Die Wege, die Darren Cunningham beschritt, die Highways, die er befuhr, um Actress zu erschaffen, sind ein Kapitel in der Geschichte der schwarzen Avantgarde. Cunningham, der Fußballer. Cunningham, der Wulfrunianer (Anm.: Einwohner von Wolverhampton). Cunningham, der Ex-Fußballer. Cunningham, der DJ. Cunningham, der Londoner. Cunningham, der Produzent. Cunningham, der Maler. Cunningham, der Schriftsteller. Cunningham, der Komponist. Hier entsteht die schwarze Avantgarde in Großbritannien. Hier muss man hingehen, um sie zu finden.

In einer umfangreichen Diskografie von mehr als zehn Alben hat Actress seine eigene, geheimnisvolle Sprache aus hermetischen Referenzen und interdimensionalen elektronischen Kompositionen geschaffen.

„Radical Frame” erscheint 18 Jahre nach seinem Debütalbum, „Hazyville”, und fühlt sich wie eine Apotheose an: das Bild ist vollendet. Wir bekommen die ganze Bandbreite von Actress' Markenzeichen zu hören: Kurze Ausbrüche reduzierter Musik, winzige Skizzen von vergrößertem Klang.

Vielleicht ist „Radical Frame“ ein Gefäß für all das, was Cunningham bisher geschaffen hat. Ein Rahmen, den er an den Nächsten weitergibt. An die nächsten Künstler:innen, die seinen eigenen Weg in der britischen Avantgarde der Schwarz.

Product Text:

When we go searching for a Black avant-garde, we have to be prepared to look in unexpected places. The route to a Black avant-garde involves walking down – what some might consider – peculiar highways. Where they see strangeness, a road leading them nowhere, we see nothing but beauty. The paths Darren Cunningham went down, the highways he took to make Actress, are a chapter in the story of the Black avant-garde. Cunningham the footballer. Cunningham the Wulfrunian. Cunningham the ex-footballer. Cunningham the DJ. Cunningham the Londoner. Cunningham the producer. Cunningham the painter. Cunningham the writer. Cunningham the composer. This is where the Black avant-garde in Britain is made. This is where you have to go to find it.

Across an expansive discography of more than ten LPs, Actress has created his own arcane language of hermetic references and inter-dimensional electronic composition.

Radical Frame arrives 18 years since debut album Hazyville, and it feels like an apotheosis. The image realised. We get the full gamut of Actress signatures. Short bursts of broken down music. Tiny sketches of zoomed-in sound. Refracted dance floor heat. And we get more.

Perhaps Radical Frame is a container for everything that Cunningham has built so far. A frame he is handing over to the next in line. The next artist to make their own way in the Black British avant-garde.



Wenn wir nach einer schwarzen Avantgarde suchen, müssen wir bereit sein, an unerwarteten Orten zu suchen. Der Weg zu einer schwarzen Avantgarde führt - wie manche finden mögen - über ungewöhnliche Pfade: wo sie Fremdheit sehen, einem Weg, der nirgendwohin führt, sehen wir nichts als Schönheit. Die Wege, die Darren Cunningham beschritt, die Highways, die er befuhr, um Actress zu erschaffen, sind ein Kapitel in der Geschichte der schwarzen Avantgarde. Cunningham, der Fußballer. Cunningham, der Wulfrunianer (Anm.: Einwohner von Wolverhampton). Cunningham, der Ex-Fußballer. Cunningham, der DJ. Cunningham, der Londoner. Cunningham, der Produzent. Cunningham, der Maler. Cunningham, der Schriftsteller. Cunningham, der Komponist. Hier entsteht die schwarze Avantgarde in Großbritannien. Hier muss man hingehen, um sie zu finden.

In einer umfangreichen Diskografie von mehr als zehn Alben hat Actress seine eigene, geheimnisvolle Sprache aus hermetischen Referenzen und interdimensionalen elektronischen Kompositionen geschaffen.

„Radical Frame” erscheint 18 Jahre nach seinem Debütalbum, „Hazyville”, und fühlt sich wie eine Apotheose an: das Bild ist vollendet. Wir bekommen die ganze Bandbreite von Actress' Markenzeichen zu hören: Kurze Ausbrüche reduzierter Musik, winzige Skizzen von vergrößertem Klang.

Vielleicht ist „Radical Frame“ ein Gefäß für all das, was Cunningham bisher geschaffen hat. Ein Rahmen, den er an den Nächsten weitergibt. An die nächsten Künstler:innen, die seinen eigenen Weg in der britischen Avantgarde der Schwarz.

A very classic, auditorily both honest and skillful, techno mini-album by US producers D-Knox and Tim Xavier of Black Nation, 773 Tekno, Limited 400serie, and Sonic Mind fame. The duo's six-tracker nods to old-school US 'multitrack' underground techno EPs, but is bombastically engineered for club systems. Stunningly starting with "Soul Kraft Intro", a hymn for the Detroit techno legacy, only to slip into the tracky club rider "Stream Of Consciousness" with short stabs and alarming strings. Ripping acidic riffs and multifaceted hi-hat programming are signatures throughout, particularly highlighted by the teeth-grinding Chicago-styled (almost 'French Touch' compressed) "Dead Star Grinder", and not the least by the ultimately classic "Tomorrow Is A Rainy Day" with its broken beat and deep-standing forward-driving chordal beauty.

Zed Bias (aka Maddslinky) is a pioneering producer and DJ whose influence has helped shape UK Garage, 2-Step, Broken Beat and UK Funky.

The second release in the archival series opens the Biasonic vaults once again, uncovering rare and essential recordings that span multiple genres and decades of groundbreaking music.

Pressed in strictly limited quantities, this is a collector’s edition for devoted fans and curious crate-diggers alike. Once it’s gone, it’s gone—secure your copy while you can.

This is the 12" already immortalized by Gilles Peterson! Dub Souljah, with its classic Roots Reggae/Dub-styled horns and brilliant lead and backing vocals, comes in two versions when Ekowmania meets DJ Sotofett. The first version, in 1970s tradition, is a rocking dancefloor Disco Dub with extended and highlighted percussion parts. Then there's the Ultra Dub – a severely deep and reduced dub where horns and vocals surface only intermittently through constant echoed kicks, minimal hi-hats, and a two-tone bassline. The title track is from Ekowmania's Dr. Afrodub album, produced by Jimi Tenor, but this 12" also includes two non-album cuts: the psychedelic Afro twist of Afrolistic Rock & Roll, and the cosmic Latin-styled Kuusikasi Funk, featuring beautiful saxophone and flute by Jimi Tenor. THIS 12" IS CUT WITH LOUD VOLUME FOR EXCELLENT CLUB USE!

Archimboldos have clawed their way out of the starcaves of their primordial past and into the tranquil light of a coral garden on their third full length album, Crusta Arcana, a gumbo stewpot of transcendent electronica suffused with tribal rhythms and liquid ambience. Across a stereo field smeared with tolling bells, post-industrial folk percussion, and tinkling keys, Archimboldos soundtrack a science fictional journey, not into the depths of space, but deep beneath the waves.

In the past the Chilean duo of Nicolás Carcavilla and Felipe Crocco have described their music as “liminal shrimp folk.” Here they continue this strange exploration when they visit the court of the prawns, producing stately electronic chamber orchestrations. Perhaps these are the frequencies used for ritual dream initiation into the mystery schools of drowned Atlantis. Weaving an ancient sacred science, Archimboldos take listeners on a mystic vovage into their singular crustacean mythology, the crusta of their hidden arcana.

Archimbolodos are masters of conjoining cyclonic and centrifugal lines of electricity into spellbinding incantations. These deep-sea transmissions envelope the listener into aquamarine forcefields that are as hallucinatory as they are hypnotic. Navigating these strange fantasias could lead one to getting lost at sea, but the work is buoyed by the somnolent melodies of lonely harpsichords and swelling synth pads whose sustained tones reach towards distant shores. Sailing across a vast expanse of oceanic harmonies and percolating percussion, these pieces are as precise as the hand of a sailor on the rudder, moving with the tide.

Casting their net wide across eight pieces, Archimboldos have made a big catch. From the emotive electronic counterpoint found on “Bursting Armor” to the blocks of seaweed tangled sonic sculpture trawled up from the ocean floor on “Aphelion IX.” Other songs are like samples of biological ambience collected from luminous tide pools: resplendent tones placed into a Petri dish of sound, swirled, cultured and fermented until it undulates with the rhythmic movement of microscopic lifeforms. Alternating between rippling minimalist sonority and pounding, progressive, synth-heavy entrancement, Crusta Arcana charts its own idiosyncratic itinerary of instrumental invention.

All the while light is down streaming from the heavens to pierce the waters, here calm, there choppy. The intrepid musical captains commanding Archimboldos have laid a course for new archipelagos of the imagination, guided by heavenly constellations.

-Justin Patrick Moore, author of The Radio Phonics Laboratory, Telecommunications, Speech Synthesis and the Birth of Electronic Music

Moving between lo-fi experimental songwriting, sparse post-punk textures and intimate recordings; Ukrainian artist Regina Collage’s new album ‘Horizont’ is a personal and honest document of rebuilding a life and creative voice in Bristol. The record holds space for themes of burnout, quiet shame, tenderness and the courage of staying emotionally open when the world feels unstable. Sung entirely in Ukrainian, ‘Horizont’ does not ask the listener to understand every word. Feeling carries the songs forward. Across bedroom recordings and borrowed studios, Regina moves between cloudy dissonance and stark minimal arrangements built around bass, fragments of guitar, and an exposed voice. The recordings hold onto their rough edges. Mistakes remain and imperfection becomes part of the story. “Music for me is about not being scared to be vulnerable,” Regina says. “Almost every song I have is about what it means to be open and emotional. I really do not think it is a weakness. I hope people can listen and feel welcome to take a break and just let their emotions exist.” The album takes its name from the Ukrainian word for “horizon,” that unreachable line where sky meets earth. For Regina, the horizon became a quiet metaphor for living with distance and uncertainty. Inspired by one of her collage artworks showing a figure lying in grass and staring toward that far line, the title track reflects a feeling of moving toward something that never quite comes closer. Even without understanding the lyrics, the song carries a slow sense of longing and suspended arrival. m‘Vpiznavaty’, by contrast, initially feels almost light. Beneath that surface is a candid portrait of burnout and depressive exhaustion. The song looks at those moments when even greeting friends feels overwhelming. It captures the quiet embarrassment of withdrawing from people you care about, and the slow recognition that sometimes stepping away is simply how you survive. Other songs reveal different sides of the same emotional landscape. ‘Weak’ strips everything back to bass, a hint of guitar, and a bare vocal. Written and recorded in a single instinctive session, the track circles around the idea that softness might be its own kind of strength. Repetitive and intentionally unpolished, it quietly sets the tone for the whole record. Running through ‘Horizont’ is the reality of Regina’s life between Ukraine and the UK. Her hometown Kharkiv continues to face attacks, and many of her friends remain on the front line.

2026 Repress

Deadbeat & Tikiman's occasional collaborative performances have since blown the minds of many audiences

Deadbeat. Tikiman. Infinity. Dub. A quadrangle of such obvious statement and perfect musical inference may very well never have been uttered for those of the wholly weeded out persuasion. Indeed, when the great book of Dub music is written the names Scott Monteith and Paul St Hilaire will undoubtedly figure highly in its chapters devoted to recent years. Monteith, the last great prodigal son of the doctrine handed down from the Blue Mount of Lord Scratch and King Tubby, St Hilaire the undisputed voice of a generation, those fanatical warrior monks, followers of the most Holy House of Ernestus and Von Oswald incarnate.

Having developed a fast friendship from their very first meeting in Montreal at the premier Micro Mutek event a decade ago, Deadbeat and Tikiman's occasional collaborative performances have since blown the minds of audiences from Berlin to Tokyo and many points in between. No great surprise then that their first album length venture is a Tour de Force of Dub music of the highest order.

Nearly a year in the making, the genetic code of Deadbeat's Infinity Dubs series gets shot through with a Dreader than Dread Kingstonian logic, hi hats dropping back from the three to the one, Tikiman at his most militant, poetic, fierce, and flowing. These are the recordings of two lions uncaged, and none who bare witness shall escape their fiery judgement.

If music is truly eternal, here be two voices which shall echo in infinity with all the weight, reverence, and dire power unleashed with every tectonic bass hit, and every whimsical turn of phrase. And if these eight burnt offerings are any indication of what happens when these two sit down for a session of smoke and reasoning, here's hoping they choose to do it frequently. Dub without end. Ad Infinitum.

2026 Repress

Macedonia's own Stojche is Fuse's next guest for the club's freshly made imprint. The long standing DJ and producer has been known to keep Detroit's playfully hybrid style as the focus of his work and 'Metaphor' is the case in point. His four tracks bounce through a nostalgic balance of techno, house, and more with a modern crisp. A refreshing take on club music, Stojche keeps techno's sometimes nonchalant attitude at arms length with a charismatic record that hits its mark with every measure.


The record's first track 'Counterpunch' features heavily lined percussion but still brews up a storm far and wide with resonant dub stabs and open hi hats. The drum machine boasts a full spectrum, rolling through a light show of melodic flashes, perfect for a room compressing soundsystem. The maximalist, vintage detail that Stojche brings to his compositions blurs the lines between classic genres in a time of hasty hybridization, which gives it a sort of authenticity that can't be taken for granted. 'Chordal Tribe', on the other hand, raises the general euphoria of the EP. Luring in the listener with bright pads and full-on drums, Stochje's work is reliable main slot material that adds color to any mix while providing a persuasive low end. Shimmering hi hats give it an ethereal quality making it an appropriate interlude for almost any context. Moving on to the B side, the producer sharpens up his rhythm and emphasizes the hardgroove influence in 'Signal Drive'. Softening the pace of his drums with free use of melodic chord stabs, Stojche opens up his dance floor for a crowd bonding record once again, complete with filter transitions and pummeling toms. As the final contribution, his title track 'Metaphor' begins with a more obscure opening to conclude his EP for Fuse. Leaning more to a techno cut, the record remains flamboyant as ever with open hats and rides shuffling through his arrangement. A muted main synth becomes apparent to focus the energy of the track while allowing for liveset-like drum flickering to take shape beneath, claiming the immortality of old club records with the technical precision of a seasoned modern producer.

As has been the case with a number of releases on Punctuality so far, Echo Chambered has already gained notoriety as a sleeper hit for those in the know. Fans of Evan Baggs and Rey Colino’s Radar stream from Dekmantel 2025 will instantly recognise Carousel, pulled from a white-label dubplate about half an hour into the set. Fast forward nine months and a flood of track ID requests later and PNCT011 is finally here: five expertly crafted rollers from a modern master of the craft, Bliss Inc.

It’s easy to see why there has been so much demand for Carousel. Its earworm vocal, delicate percussion programming, undulating low end and spacey sound design land it squarely in the sweet spot between the minimal, progressive and contemporary tech house that so many
diggers are seeking out.

While the A1 is an undeniable hit, each track truly sounds like a hard-to-find early 2000s gem—the kind of record a Discogs shark will flip for extortionate rates. Why? Maybe it’s the rolling basslines, the understated grooves, the organic but club-ready percussion, the vocal samples or the cerebral FX.

Maybe it’s the mature, floor-focused arrangements, or the way Bliss Inc. nods to different corners of the dance music spectrum while maintaining a distinct signature. Or more simply, perhaps it’s because each track is an expertly constructed club tool —built for DJs, but just as rewarding for listeners.

However you want to hear it, Echo Chambered has all the markings of a Punctuality classic. With all five tracks doing damage in equal measures, you know what to do…

Get On Your Knees' (1968) was the global hit recorded by the Spanish band Canarios, a true anthem that took the British soul scene by storm and still today gets regular plays at '60s clubs. 'To Be A Man,' on the b-side, is a rare gem by Camilo Sesto, packed with fuzz bass guitar and sophisticated arrangements, making it perfect for the dance floor. Canarios, the band led by Teddy Bautista, was one of the first Spanish groups to incorporate the sounds of emerging musical trends-primarily from the English-speaking world-into its repertoire. It was also one of the first Spanish bands to tour the States (they even recorded an album there under the name The Canaries). In 1968, 'Get On Your Knees' was released, a stunning soul track recorded by Swiss producer Alain Milhaud that quickly climbed the charts in numerous countries. Its appeal remains undiminished, and it still gets regular spins in the 60s scene today. 'To Be A Man' is something of a rarity in the discography of Spanish singer Camilo Sesto, whose songs typically lean toward straightforward melodic pop and ballads. Surrounded by an international team of collaborators under the direction of former Brincos member Juan Pardo as producer, he recorded this psychedelic-tinged pop song. Its sophisticated arrangements and sinuous fuzz-laden bass line create an effective and irresistible dancefloor-filler that was released as a 7" single in several countries but, curiously, not in Spain. First-ever single reissue of both songs.

"Psicofásicos" by The Silver Pumpkins is a unique document: an EP that is virtually impossible to find in its original edition, offering an essential glimpse into Bolivia's thrilling 1960s rock scene-raw, wild, and unlike almost anything else. Beyond the ubiquitous covers of Cream and Jimi Hendrix recorded by countless South American bands, this EP features the far less common 'Pushing Too Hard' by The Seeds and, most notably, the dark, powerful 'You're Gonna Miss Me' by the 13th Floor Elevators. Bolivia boasts an extraordinary musical legacy of raw, garage-driven '60s sounds. Alongside Peru, it was one of the South American countries where the greatest number of recordings in this style were released-captured with limited resources but overflowing with spontaneity, energy, and attitude. The difficulty of obtaining the records that were shaping the latest Anglo-American rock trends of the 1960s in many Spanish-speaking Latin American countries led to a proliferation of local bands covering their musical heroes. Well-known artists such as Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly were reinterpreted by countless groups, making these songs available to local audiences without having to rely on imported records reaching their countries. By doing so, these bands helped spread the cutting-edge rock music already making waves elsewhere in the world. What makes this release particularly unusual is that the band chose to cover second-tier cult acts rather than the obvious classics-groups that only briefly cracked the U.S. Top 50 in the late '60s, such as The Seeds and 13th Floor Elevators. Originally released on the Bolivian Psicofásico label, this exceptionally rare EP pairs The Seeds' garage anthem 'Pushing Too Hard' with the ferocious, immortal 'You're Gonna Miss Me' by Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators. The raw power of the original songs is pushed even further here by the rudimentary recording techniques and the limited instrumental skills of the very young members of The Silver Pumpkins. The result is a one-of-a-kind document-virtually impossible to find in its original pressing-that helps complete the picture of Bolivia's fascinating '60s rock scene. First-ever reissue.

Ein Gespräch mit Thee Sinseers kurz vor der Veröffentlichung ihres neuen Albums ,Love Stories" bei Colemine Records macht eines ganz deutlich: Dies ist kein Album, das eine glatte und ordentliche Liebesgeschichte erzählt. Es geht hier nicht um das Happy End. Es geht um alles, was davor, danach und trotz allem passiert. Auf dieser LP hat sich die Band auf eine erdigere Instrumentierung konzentriert - Kontrabass, Gitarren, die durch Verstärker laufen, um einen wärmeren, an die Sechziger angelehnten Klang zu erzielen - und sich von allem inspirieren lassen, wo es sich bot, selbst an den unwahrscheinlichsten Orten. Es ist dieses genreübergreifende Denken, das Sänger Joey Quiñones als das bestimmende Merkmal der Platte ansieht. "Es fühlte sich zu keinem Zeitpunkt so an, als würden wir Soul-Musik machen", sagt er. ,Es fühlte sich an, als würden wir einfach unsere Musik machen." Die Band wollte etwas Ehrlicheres einfangen als nur die Höhepunkte - sie wollte die Höhen und Tiefen romantischer Beziehungen zeigen und gleichzeitig den Rahmen erweitern, um auch das Familiäre, das Komplizierte und das Ungelöste einzubeziehen. Die Eltern der Bandmitglieder sind auf dem Albumcover zu sehen, ihre eigenen Liebesgeschichten sind in die visuelle Identität der Platte eingewoben, manche dieser Geschichten bestehen noch, andere nicht. ,Jeder einzelne Songtitel führt dich auf einen anderen Weg der Liebe - egal, ob du gewinnst oder verlierst." Quiñones wollte, dass die Zuhörer sich auf diese Mehrdeutigkeit einlassen. ,Liebe ist unendlich", sagt er. ,Sie reicht über ein Leben hinaus. Ich möchte, dass die Leute immer noch verwirrt sind - ich möchte, dass es wie ein offenes Buch bleibt." Doch eines bleibt durchgehend konstant: das Bekenntnis von Thee Sinseers zu ihrer Herkunft. Diese East-LA-Identität stellt sich nicht zur Schau - sie existiert einfach, eingewoben in das Gewebe der Musik, ohne als Abzeichen getragen zu werden. Hier wird kein Liebeskummer vorgetäuscht, sondern es ist das Echte.