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The Sha La Das sind Bill Schalda und seine talentierten Söhne Paul, Will und Carmine, die aus Staten Island, New York, stammen. "Your Picture", das zweite Album der Sha La Das und ihre erste Veröffentlichung auf dem Label Diamond West Records des Produzenten Tom Brenneck (Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band, Lady Wray), ist ein weiteres einzigartiges Zeugnis der mitreißenden Kraft der Harmonie zwischen Blutsverwandten und eine Hommage an die dauerhafte Liebesgeschichte zwischen Bill und der Matriarchin der Familie, Linda. Spuren alter Erinnerungen flimmern durch "Your Picture". Bills klassisches Songwriting und üppige Gesangsarrangements werden in neues Territorium katapultiert und aktualisieren den Doo-Wop mit dem basslastigen Groove und dem wirbelnden Pop von Brennecks schlanker, räumlicher Produktion. "Wir haben einige psychedelische Klänge eingebracht und uns von Deep-Soul-Platten bis hin zu den Beatles und den Beach Boys inspirieren lassen", sagt Brenneck. Liebe strahlt aus "Your Picture" heraus und fließt aus den schimmernden Melodien, die Bill und seine Söhne produzieren, während sie ihren musikalischen Traum leben.

When Niko Moon broke out with his triple-platinum hit “GOOD TIME,” the Texas-born, Georgia-raised singer/songwriter lit up the country scene with his larger-than-life energy and message of radical positivity. Since then, he’s earned a passionate following, major TV performances, and praise from outlets like Holler and American Songwriter. With AMERICAN PALM Deluxe, arriving right before his headline AMERICAN PALM Tour, Niko expands his latest LP with
two new tracks, “BREATHE” and “BARE FEET IN THE SAND,” furthering his mission of creating music that feels like a“mental vacation” filled with sun-soaked serenity and coastal escape.

“Breathe is all about finding that place where you can take a deep breath and let your worries drift away,” says Niko. “I find peace by the water, and I wanted the song to be a mantra of positive self talk and a celebration of the coast.”

Niko partly grew up in Georgia, spending summers on Florida beaches, an influence that shapes the concept-driven AMERICAN PALM. Written during his THESE ARE THE NIGHTS tour with producer Danny Majic and songwriter David J, the record blends coastal sounds—ukuleles, nylon-string guitars, ocean waves—with organic beats and a touch of ‘90s hip-hop, nodding to his Atlanta roots. The result is a seaside getaway in album form, equal parts carefree, romantic,and life-affirming.

Tracks like “I LOVE THIS BEACH” and “YOU, ME & A BEACH” capture that spirit. The latter, a love song linking his wife and the beach as his grounding forces, helped cement the record as his first concept album. “SANDBAR” delivers a euphoric summer vibe, while “SANDCASTLES” reflects on life’s impermanence. “KING OF THE ISLAND” is a family
milestone—co-written and sung with his father, Cris Cowan.

Niko’s journey began early, inspired by his dad, a truck driver and drummer who introduced him to John Prine and Emmylou Harris. Niko picked up drums at eight, guitar at fifteen, and started playing in bars while working construction. A chance encounter with Zac Brown led to songwriting cuts like “Homegrown,” before Niko launched his solo career with “GOOD TIME,” a No. 1 hit on both Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts. From the start, he committed to making only positive music: “In a way a song is like a mantra, and I want mine to carry optimism and encouragement.”

Since his debut, Niko has sold out the Ryman, played major festivals like Stagecoach, and performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Beyond music, he and his wife Anna founded the Happy Cowboy Foundation to support mental health and addiction recovery, and launched Happy Himalayan water and the American Palm clothing line, both of which benefit the foundation.

Sie sagen langsam Tschüss! Mensch kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie wichtig NOFX für den Punkrock gewesen sind. Sie kombinierten catchy Songs mit intelligenten, witzigen und provokanten Texten, für die die Fans sie lieb(t)en. Sie prägten den Sound des kalifornischen Punk der 90er Jahre und ebneten den Weg für die nächste Welle von Bands wie Green Day und The Offspring, die später ganz groß herauskamen. Vor etwas mehr als einem Jahr spielten NOFX ihr (angeblich) letztes Konzert, und nun haben sie eine Dreiteilige-Album-Reihe mit Raritäten, Demos und unveröffentlichten Songs angekündigt: "Es gibt unveröffentlichte Songs, sehr seltene Songs, die noch nie digital erhältlich waren, und Demoversionen von Songs, die bei weitem nicht so gut sind wie die Albumversionen!", sagt Fat Mike selbst. Das Projekt heißt A to Z, ein Song für jeden Buchstaben des Alphabets, jede Ausgabe ist auf klassischem schwarzem sowie limitiertem farbigem Vinyl erhältlich. Die erste "A to H", erscheint num am 05.12.25 über Fat Wreck Chords. Darauf enthalten ist "Barcelona", das sie bereits im Juli digital veröffentlicht haben, aber ursprünglich vor 12 Jahren geschrieben hatten. Aufgenommen nach ihren letzten Konzerten, bezeichnen sie den Track als den "neuesten und letzten NOFX-Song". Klassisch schwarzes oder EU-exklusives Transparent Magenta Vinyl (letzteres limitiert auf 1200 Exemplare) wird's geben.

Sie sagen langsam Tschüss! Mensch kann gar nicht genug betonen, wie wichtig NOFX für den Punkrock gewesen sind. Sie kombinierten catchy Songs mit intelligenten, witzigen und provokanten Texten, für die die Fans sie lieb(t)en. Sie prägten den Sound des kalifornischen Punk der 90er Jahre und ebneten den Weg für die nächste Welle von Bands wie Green Day und The Offspring, die später ganz groß herauskamen. Vor etwas mehr als einem Jahr spielten NOFX ihr (angeblich) letztes Konzert, und nun haben sie eine Dreiteilige-Album-Reihe mit Raritäten, Demos und unveröffentlichten Songs angekündigt: "Es gibt unveröffentlichte Songs, sehr seltene Songs, die noch nie digital erhältlich waren, und Demoversionen von Songs, die bei weitem nicht so gut sind wie die Albumversionen!", sagt Fat Mike selbst. Das Projekt heißt A to Z, ein Song für jeden Buchstaben des Alphabets, jede Ausgabe ist auf klassischem schwarzem sowie limitiertem farbigem Vinyl erhältlich. Die erste "A to H", erscheint num am 05.12.25 über Fat Wreck Chords. Darauf enthalten ist "Barcelona", das sie bereits im Juli digital veröffentlicht haben, aber ursprünglich vor 12 Jahren geschrieben hatten. Aufgenommen nach ihren letzten Konzerten, bezeichnen sie den Track als den "neuesten und letzten NOFX-Song". Klassisch schwarzes oder EU-exklusives Transparent Magenta Vinyl (letzteres limitiert auf 1200 Exemplare) wird's geben.

Gong Gong Gong aus Peking und Mong Tong aus Taipeh sind gleichgesinnte Duos, die für ihre cineastischen und rohen Klänge bekannt sind und transglobale Melodien mit unwiderstehlichen Grooves verbinden. Auf Mongkok Duel haben sich die Bands zusammengetan, um einen imaginären Soundtrack für einen verlorenen Kung-Fu-Film zu kreieren. Es handelt sich zweifellos um die musikalische Untermalung einer übernatürlichen Geschichte über Ehre, Intrigen und (natürlich) Rache. ,Mongkok Duel" knüpft an die langjährige Rhythm 'n' Drone-Kollaborationsreihe von Gong Gong Gong an und präsentiert die unverwechselbare Ästhetik beider Gruppen, indem es eine gemeinsame Sprache aus zyklischen Motorik-Rhythmen, sich entwickelnden Drones, texturierten Soundeffekten, knurrenden Gitarren und growlenden Bass-Hooks aufbaut. Geschrieben und live aufgenommen in den legendären Proberäumen der President Piano Co. in Mongkok, Hongkong, spielten die Bands auf den Instrumenten und Verstärkern des Studios, die noch aus der Gründungszeit der President Piano Co. im Jahr 1978 stammen. Die Aufnahmetechnik des Studios ist ein einzigartiges System, das vom Eigentümer Lee King Yat entworfen und eingerichtet wurde und dem Album seinen unverwechselbaren Vintage-Sound verleiht, ohne dabei an beeindruckender Klarheit einzubüßen.

Cintura Interna is João Hã’s new release for Sucata Tapes, a work shaped by accident, drift, and unlikely connections. Its guiding notion comes from “Música Careca” (Bald Music) — a strange term apparently used by Jean Dubuffet to describe his own sound experiments. Dubuffet wasn’t a musician, but he was bald; the phrase lingers as an apt description for music that is naïve without innocence: amateur bruitism, soft sound, raw and direct, where intention is left exposed to errancy.
The piece itself came together without project or plan, eventually forming what Hã calls an “accidental Frankenstein” — or perhaps Frankenoise. Built from recordings made more than 15 years ago on cassette and obsolete equipment, mixed with more recent material, Cintura Interna bridges time and decay, refusing diaristic or documentary framing.
As an unexpected detour, the release also includes a version of the garage classic Louie Louie.

When Leng Records founders Paul ‘Mudd’ Murphy and Simon Purnell marked the imprint’s 10th birthday, they did so via a celebratory compilation that mixed classic catalogue cuts, remixes and exclusives. Five years on, and with the label’s 15th birthday upon us, they’ve decided to look to the future via a compilation made up entirely of fresh productions from Leng’s roster of current and new artists. Presented on limited-edition gatefold double vinyl with a bonus 10” single, the collection offers an updated showcase of Leng’s much-loved trademark sound, a distinctive fusion of mid-tempo sleazy-disco, Balearica and chugging house interspersed with elements of electronic psychedelia and synth-powered space disco. Fittingly for a compilation that wholeheartedly looks to the future, you’ll find first contributions from a handful of label newcomers.

Fast-rising duo Flying Mojito Bros give their spin on ‘Smoke Signals’ by label debutants Joe HarveyWhyte and Bobby Lee, turning in a heady and inspired revision that sits somewhere between dusk-ready cosmic disco and flash-fried desert blues. There’s also an appearance from Swedish producer Bo Wosticz with the dreamy and ultra-deep nu-jazz of ‘Bs As’. Naturally, you’ll also find plenty of heat from those who have already proved their mettle through prior releases on Leng. Danish duo Liminal, who made their debut earlier this year with the much-played ‘Keep Coming Back To Me’, open proceedings with the tactile, slow-disco flex of ‘Tzatziki Bay’ where sweet synth melodies and a heady electric piano riff ride a warming groove.

Roberto Intrallazzi and Dario Piana from Italy’s original Afro-cosmic movement return with ‘Plutos’, a typically deep dubbed-out cosmic chugger. Then there’s Rose Robinson AKA Tigerbalm, whose ‘Mexicana’ featuring singer Joi N’Juno is presented across the package in two different forms. Pete Herbert, who contributed to some of the earliest Leng releases, drops a driving dub disco take on the main compilation, while Robinson’s original mix – a more organic, percussive and horn-heavy affair blessed with plenty of hallucinatory intent – opens the bonus 10”.

There’s a welcome return to Leng for the brilliant Payfone, whose ‘Dime Algo’ is a typically classy, analogue-rich affair in which attractive Rhodes riffs, atmospheric female vocals and pitched-down house pianos rise above shuffling drum machine beats and a slow-motion bassline. Long-serving label contributor Lex (Athens) delivers the loose-limbed nu-disco breeze of ‘Stolen Dance’, while the imprint’s San Francisco connection – the ever-brilliant 40 Thieves collective – drop the dubbed-out Bay Area brilliance of ‘Such A Great Trip’.

Then there are the contributions of the label’s most storied artist, Andrew Meecham AKA Emperor Machine with ‘Eumig’, a deliciously slow, synth-rich chugger full of colourful chords, bubbly electronic melodies and jaunty electronic bass. Then, to round off the bonus 10” single, Meecham joins forces with Paul Murphy (as Mudd) on ‘Road To Nikko’, an extended, Japanese musical culture-influenced slab of pitched-down alien-funk packed to the rafters with squelchy synth sounds, effects-laden percussion, chiming melodies and rubbery bass guitar.

Mit "So Far" setzte die Krautrock-Legende Faust 1972 ihre radikale Klangforschung fort. Nach dem experimentellen Debüt zeigt sich die Band hier strukturierter - aber nicht weniger subversiv. Die Songs wirken zugänglicher, doch unter der Oberfläche brodelt weiterhin Fausts anarchischer Geist.

Mit "So Far" setzte die Krautrock-Legende Faust 1972 ihre radikale Klangforschung fort. Nach dem experimentellen Debüt zeigt sich die Band hier strukturierter - aber nicht weniger subversiv. Die Songs wirken zugänglicher, doch unter der Oberfläche brodelt weiterhin Fausts anarchischer Geist.

" Originally released in 1995, Jimmy Somerville's Dare To Love stands as a powerful statement of pride, passion, and pop brilliance, carried by one of the most unmistakable voices in modern music.

" Dare To Love embodies Somerville's gift for marrying political conviction with irresistible melodies. Produced by Stephen Hague and other longtime collaborators, the album traverses bass-laden house grooves, slower, dubby reggae numbers and classic pop ballads.

" Featuring the UK Top 30 hits 'Heartbeat' and 'Hurt So Good', along with the poignant 'Safe in These Arms', Dare To Love explores love, loss, and identity, both on and off the dancefloor.

" London Records celebrate 30 years of Dare To Love with a full remaster and expended editions :
1. putting the album on double vinyl for the first time 21 tracks. Features previously unreleased b-sides & rarities. Collector Double LP Crystal Clear Curaçao

Pierce the Veil is an American rock band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2006, the band was founded by brothers Vic and Mike Fuentes after the disbandment of the group Before Today. Other members of the band include Jaime Preciado (bass) and Tony Perry (lead guitar). To celebrate the 10-years anniversary from ‘A Flair For The Dramatic’ original release Rude Records is delighted to present the album in a new and refreshed format with remixed and remastered audio. The band extensive touring action saw them perform multiple times on Vans Warped Tour stage from 2008 on. Being one of the most influential names in the alternative scene, expect continuously touring to support their eagerly anticipated fourth studio album ‘Misadventures’ which was released on May 13, 2016.

DYSTORTION
Extrawelt's Latest and Longest-Brewing Album Lands This December on Cocoon

In this beautiful world marked by rising chaos, sometimes the simplest way to escape its troubles is through sonic relief. Germany's renowned electronic duo Extrawelt will offer exactly that with their 5th full-length album, DYSTORTION, via Cocoon Recordings this December.

For over two decades, the humble duo behind Extrawelt, who shy away from making music for clicks, have been a steadfast presence in electronic music. Known as serious studio and tour-focused artists who craft timepiece albums, each a work of enduring craft, that go on to create atmospheric, out-of-the-box live acts, they've been shaping and redefining electronica since their first release.


DYSTORTION is their most diverse and evocative album to date. Imagined over six years and shaped by a world in flux through COVID, political upheavals, social media, and AI, it reflects the contrasts and twists we've all felt while offering surges of serenity and hope. From brooding tension to playful relief, it moves through different states in an evolved Extrawelt manner.

The album's opening credit, "Grand Départ," as if a cinematic prelude, invites us into a world of creeping bass, an explicitly Extrawelt sound that's synonymous with the "anti-genre genre" they work within. The album's second track, "Clapland," sees Extrawelt joining forces with Jimi Jules, a name synonymous with excellence in electronic music, creating a rare collaboration that is felt in every note. Soon, the mood shifts into softer melodies as heard in "Surrounded By Miracles," "Hope Sounds Good," and "Sir Stringalot," which bring bright euphorics to balance the darker moments in an album echoed by industrial influences. Later, as "Dystortion" (the album's title track) unfolds, we're drawn into something few electronic artists can create: raw emotion. This is a gritty landscape as reflective as it is pulsing, glitchy, intense, and richly textured.

DYSTORTION is a reflection of a complex, divided world, carried through dramatically with Extrawelt's signature techno tension. Like the world right now, it is full of contradictions, surprises, and moments of introspection, an essential listen for fans of mature electronic music that may or may not need a reminder of why, after 20 years, we're still listening.

Bassist, composer and producer Shay Hazan returns with his third solo album, "When It Rains It Pours", on Batov Records. Following the critical success of "Reclusive Ritual" and "Wusul" Hazan takes a bold step forward, shifting from the guimbri-led sound that established his reputation to a broader palette of bass, guitar, and synth-driven compositions.

The stunning debut album by Peki Momés is back in store after selling out the first edition in a few weeks! This 2nd pressing has a different label design. Featuring twelve outstanding original tunes. Turkish psychedelic, global disco and outernational!

Peki Momés is a Turkish artist living in Germany - who only started to record music by accident in 2024. Blessed with style and intuition rather than formal education, her fresh and uncompromisingly authentic approach to music took hearts and ears by storm.

Ever since her debut 45 on Mocambo Records, Peki Momés has become a little sensation in and outside the organic groove scene: turntablist DJ Koco played doubles of "Göc Mevsimi" in his set, Iggy Pop announced "Rüya" on his "Iggy Confidential" show on BBC and the second vinyl single surprised everyone with a mesmerizing cover of Marco Valle's much loved "Estrelar" in the turkish language. Both records sold out quickly and are in the bags of tastemakers like Coco Maria.

Peki Momés' music is an eclectic mix of sounds from the global underground, tastefully crafted by producer Dustin Braun and a troupe of ridiculously talented jazz musicians. Dirty disco, fuzzy funk, anatolian rare grooves, experimental synth, library music and japanese city pop all blend naturally with her distinct vocals to create a unique ethereal outernational sound that is all her own.

Once dubbed as 'turkish discodelic', Peki's songs have a dreamlike, enchanted and psychedelic quality and instantly take the listener on a journey. In a poetic way, she approaches topics like "dreams and a naive fear of losing or not fulfilling them" or expresses "worries about our weary world and call for solidarity from all" - always with an outlook of hope. You do not have to speak turkish to understand - the message is transported by a universal language.

With her debut album, Peki Momés is now telling her full story. Displaying a young Peki on the cover, the artwork hints at the freshness and enthusiasm of the project. We should consider ourselves lucky that Peki chose to disrespect rules in favor of self-empowerment and made this wonderful longplayer that you never knew you needed.

Muddy Monk's Ultra Tape is being released on vinyl for the first time



Originally released in 2020, this project, conceived as a mixtape, condenses five tracks that are both radical and raw, for a quarter of an hour of a ghostly and thrilling ride. Compressed and melodic, dark and iridescent, lyrical and modern, Ultra Tape offers, according to the artist, ‘a somewhat desperate view of life and the world, with a little note of hope added’.



The cover, designed by Swiss illustrator Dexter Maurer, extends Muddy Monk's unique visual universe. Created at a time when Dexter was beginning to get involved in musical projects, this collaboration was a seminal encounter between two Swiss sensibilities that are both melancholic and futuristic.

Built from the ends of Kunas's mind, steeped in raw, dark, underground UK laced bass comes "Lost Potential" A mature representation of melancholic sentiment, serious introspection and the culmination of growth, spatial awareness and undeniable London / UK bass grit. Reminiscent of the morbid nostalgia of the "Bristol" sound, Kunas effortlessly focuses sounds of the past all weaved into a modern, authentic, contemplative EP in "Lost Potential"

GO:OD AM (10th Anniversary) 3LP vinyl by Mac Miller. Includes 3 bonus songs from the GO:OD AM sessions.

Originally released in 2015, the album, hailed by the likes of Billboard and Rolling Stone as the best of his career upon its release, marked Mac Miller's first for a major label and was regaled as "one of the most musically appealing hip-hop LPs of the year" by The New York Times. After surprising fans and critics alike with his second full length Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Mac returned with another adventurous album in GO:OD AM that marked the beginning of a rapid artistic evolution that unfolded across 2016's The Divine Feminine and 2018's Swimming.

Each 3LP package includes a special triple gatefold jacket printed on silver mirror board with die cut, two inner sleeves with photos printed on silver mirror board and a yellow bonus vinyl with a custom etching on the back.

Transparent Purple vinyl. Sometime in 2005, a lone box of master tapes escaped an estate sale and made its way through a network of collectors, record dealers, and "junkers" into the hands of leading Ohio soul expert Dante Carfagna, who linked them to Columbus, Ohio's mysterious Prix label (See: Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label). A bit of research turned up Prix proprietor George Beter, who identified most of the unlabeled material. All it took was an endless series of phone calls and letters and two fields trips in Columbus. But one complete mystery wended its way onto our final Prix compilation. "You and Me," a simple but irrepressible demo credited only to Penny & the Quarters, was found tacked onto a mixed studio reel. Our survey of every willing lifer left on the Columbus soul scene, including retired DJs, producers, and important local artists, produced not so much as a glimmer of recognition at the name Penny & the Quarters. Though we loved the song from the first play, it may've ended up a bit buried on our original compilation, as #18 of 19 tracks.Four years later, Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label hadn't exactly become a huge seller, although listeners had repeatedly told us that the unfiltered studio demos that fill out the record's back half were true diamonds in the rough. But neither Penny nor her Quarters had appeared to claim credit for their efforts. Then, completely out of left field, we heard from respected screen actor and avowed Numero fan Ryan Gosling that Penny's piercing bit of stripped down doo-wop was being considered for inclusion in Derek Cianfrance's indie-weeper film Blue Valentine. What we didn't know was that "You and Me" had won a major role in what became an indie circuit hit, and that Penny & the Quarters would instantly assume the role of world's most famous unknown doo-wop group.Every week is a slow news week in Columbus, Ohio, and early January 2011 found the city recovering from the thrill of elevating Ted Williams_the formerly homeless guy with the awesome voice for radio_into a national news sensation. But both major daily newspapers in town, as well as the city's alternative weekly, also ran stories about how a lost and unknown Columbus soul group had become the musical centerpiece of a film already garnering Oscar buzz. That mainstream spotlight aimed at Blue Valentine and Penny & the Quarters did the trick: we finally made contact with the widow of Jay Robinson, lead Quarters' singer and songwriter. Robinson, it turned out, had also been the leader of Columbus doo-wop pioneers The Supremes (later known as "The Columbus Supremes," for reasons which should be obvious). Jay Robinson never did give up on the dream of writing a hit record; even so, the posthumous realization of his dream is cold comfort for his widow and daughter. With their blessings, we returned to those estate sale masters and pulled down another neglected track ("You Are Giving Me Some Other Love") from the still-unknown Penny and her now-partly-known Quarters. "You and Me" is a song that could not be suppressed: not when Prix failed to release it; not when Penny & the Quarters were forgotten; not when Numero stuck it at the bitter end of a much overlooked compilation. Its evolution from estate sale trash to silver-screen gold has finally returned it to big-hole 45, where it probably should have lived all along.

'In collaboration with the children of Nico Kasanda, better known as Docteur Nico, Planet Ilunga proudly presents an anthology dedicated to African Fiesta Sukisa, available as a 3LP set and a digital release with bonus songs. This release is the result of many years of preparations and was realized in close partnership with Liliane Kasanda, Nico’s eldest daughter. Marking forty years since his passing, we felt that the year 2025 was the right time to honor Docteur Nico’s legacy with this original collection.
'Almost all of the African Fiesta Sukisa songs were released on Nico’s Sukisa label which translates in Lingala for “the final accomplishment”. The music on Sukisa, crafted by Nico and legendary vocalists such as Chantal, Sangana, Apôtre, Mizele, Lessa Lassan and Josky, embodies the essence of that powerful phrase with genius, class and depth. The label ran between 1966 and 1975 and released approximately 280 songs. Ngoma also issued the group between 1967 and 1971 and, in addition, reissued material from the Sukisa label. Many of these songs have become part of the collective memory of Congolese society and are still heard, discussed, and analyzed daily across digital platforms worldwide, as well as on numerous Congolese radio and TV stations.
'The album we put together features some of Nico’s signature songs alongside never before reissued tracks from the Sukisa catalog. It furthermore contains a large booklet with song commentary, testimonial interviews from well-known musicians, journalists, fans and Nico’s entourage, besides never before published photography about his personal and musical life.
'Alastair Johnston, author of the book ‘A Discography of Docteur Nico’ and longstanding Planet Ilunga collaborator, designed a stylish booklet and cover using all our collected material. Audifax Bemba, longtime admirer, compiler and connoisseur of Nico’s music, and the author of most of the song commentary in our accompanying booklet, offers his portrait of Docteur Nico:
“After displaying technical virtuosity with African Jazz, expert and accomplished guitar with African Fiesta, which musicologist Sylvain Bemba described as a dream guitar, Nico Kasanda was consecrated ‘dieu de la guitare’ by the public in the late sixties. With his band African Fiesta Sukisa, Docteur Nico displays his wide palette of unusual sounds. While exploring the Hawaiian guitar with its clear, airy, plangent, psychedelic effluvia, he continues to replicate the piano comping technique, and adds two missing strings to his bow: a simulation of the sanza (likembé or thumb piano), whose sounds he reproduces right down to the noisemakers of the tiny tin rings, on the one hand, and the sounds of the Luba balafon on the other. The right note, in the right place, at the right time, is the triptych on which Nico Kasanda’s playing is based, a note dressed in the perfect sound. A guitar of pure emotion. With African Fiesta Sukisa, his playing takes a ‘Chopin-esque’ turn, sending out more notes in a sublime adagio. The true artist is the one who simplifies everything. Docteur Nico is a genius of our time, whose style makes him the supreme exponent of the most important guitar school in Congolese music. He is recognized by his peers as the greatest African solo guitarist of all time. Sculpting sound in a tireless quest for beauty, Nico Kasanda has sublimated the guitar throughout his career.”






























[xd] Kamulangu [Outro] (Dr. Kasanda – Sukisa 135) Folklore Baluba

Sixteen wonders from the first three years of Franco’s own imprint Les Editions Populaires, founded in 1968. Mostly OK Jazz, performing ravishing rumbas and bolero ballads in Lingala, traditional songs in Kikongo, Kimongo, and even Yoruba, collaborations with Ngoma artists Camille Feruzi and Manuel d’Oliveira, and their own tough take on US funk.
Glorious music. Bim.