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Glasgow reggae collective Mungo’s HiFi celebrate 25 years of pulsating music with a follow-up to game-changing second studio album Soundsystem Champions. Released in 2008, the original Sound System Champions became an instant 21st century classic - thanks to its industrial strength basslines, blazing horns and lineup of scorching microphone talent. To commemorate a quarter century of rocking dances and building rhythms, Mungo’s have created Soundsystem Champions 2. They’ve lovingly assembled some of their biggest dubplates, previously only heard in a soundsystem situation, now available to the world. Fans of the first Sound System Champions will hear musical echoes in the new version. Irrepressible Junglist General Levy rides the Belly Ska riddim that kicked off the 2008 edition, with the militant Gideon Boot. Italy’s Marina P returns to the new record on the expansive Searching, as does Kenny Knots, closing the track list with heartfelt roots anthem Rise and Gravitate. For Soundsystem Champions 2, Mungo’s have invited many more voices from their epic journey. Bristol’s Eva Lazarus revisits Althea and Donna’s immortal Uptown Top Ranking. Reading’s Solo Banton turns his lyrical versatility to hip hop banger Bubble N Wine. The beautiful grainy tones of Ireland’s Cian Finn reimagine the Wailers’ Rainbow Country. With this historic sequel album, Mungo’s look back while going forward, the exclusive becomes the inclusive, and the Sound System comes to you!

Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP

The Snatch! Records boss follows up 2022’s appearance on the label with Mark Broom as Star B.

Italian producer and DJ Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP, arriving 27th March 2026. It marks his solo debut for Radio Slave’s flagship label, succeeding his ‘Love Will Remain’ EP together with Mark Broom as Star B in 2022. Active for more than two decades, Starr has been a consistent force within House music, known for building infectious loops, weighty basslines, and hook-led vocals into timeless club records. His catalogue spans his own Snatch! Records alongside labels such as Hot Creations, Cajual, Crosstown Rebels, and Factory 93, with releases regularly topping digital charts.

Riva Starr’s ‘Shine A Light’ EP starts with 'Can't Stop The Feeling’, setting the tone with a bold, elastic House groove, driven by funky bass, smart filter work, and diva-style vocal stabs designed to lift the room. ‘Shine A Light (On Me)’ follows with even greater impact, pairing wall-rattling drums with belting vocals that bring gospel intensity to a hands-in-the-air anthem. ‘Tryin’’ digs deeper, keeping the pressure on with a sleazier bassline underpinning male vocal cries and smooth choral touches built for peak-time reactions. Closing things out, ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling (Beat-A-Pella)’ strips the groove back, rounding off a high-impact, emotionally charged EP of modern house craftsmanship.

A meteorite and a lost EP from an experimental electronic talent escape their grim fate: remain unknown to human civilization forever.

Around 2015, Gareth Smyth (aka Lumigraph) produced two tracks before uploading them on his Soundcloud page under the name “Canyon Diablo”, a tribute to a meteorite that crashed in Arizona 49,000 years ago. Amazed, the future co-founder of M+M Disques barely had time to download them onto his hard drive before they were deleted... until today.

Behind the extraterrestrial sounds of this 2-tracker, Lumigraph seems to want to establish communication with planet earth using its own means. In the dubby “Flamingo Drive”, he patiently builds up his sluggish groove before bringing in a reassuring and catchy bassline. On the B-side, the avant-garde “America Song” combines industrial rhythms, drone guitar, and Pierre Henry-ish noises.

* fine art printed insert + PVC sleeve

This Raven With A Crown 02 is a new fledgling label materializes in the Violent Cases universe. Corvus Corone - also known as the carrion crow - is stylistically dedicated to true Tribal sounds.This is not chipmunk tribal with laughing gas voices, this is serious stuff as you can expect from Violent Cases because evil forces are invading lala land and we need to gather the tribes. The roadmap for the project covers territory cultivated by the likes of Isotope, LBE and DSP just to name a few reference points.
First in flight is a full release by As’teka Nahuatl who just featured on MSTR 13.
Corvus Corone is styled by TDSiGNZ, whose design skills consistently lend the Violent Cases sub-labels a fresh, disciplined minimalist touch. As he previously created for “Endless Night”... More is forthcoming - because the Violent Ravens nest has another spawn in the breed. Keep an eye out for their upcoming signs!
Mastering by Stefan ZMK.
A1 – Musicō'teka
20k rig in the catacombs of the pyramid of the sun. Join the war dance. 160 beasts
A2 - Tekno Drops (feat. Lil’ Nahuatl)
Serious old school dancefloor vibes under the wings of crows circling above. 170 beasts
B1 – Shaman Children
Inducing a long trancy journey heeding the shaman’s call. 170 beasts

Following our well received "Prince Philip Presents..." 2LP compilation, here's a lovely overview of the second phase of Philip's career, as engineer & producer at his own studio, HC&F. These ten tracks comprise our favorites from his production catalog, spanning the mid '80s when the studio really got going, right up until 1996 and his last set of proper productions. The album holds a mix of well known classics like the Garnett Silk, lesser known album only cuts like the Frankie Paul, NY dancehall 12" staples like the Scion Success or Shelene, as well as some lesser known gems. We'd be remiss in not mentioning that this album also contains two previously unreleased cuts - a wicked mid '80s Tony Tuff, and the wild vocoder laden 1985 theme song for Philip's "Get Smart" radio show, which ran for many many years on New York University's WNYU radio station.

"Earth Mother Earth" is literally a home made album by former YES singer Jon Anderson. Acoustic based and recorded in his home, "Earth Mother Earth" in some ways brings back the magic of Anderson’s debut solo album "Olias of Sunhillow" making use of harp, acoustic guitars and vocals. In this case he goes for a more natural approach with songs about love and faith and making use of sounds recorded in his garden, including birds chirping in the background. Musically this album shows the huge influence that Simon & Garfunkel and Cat Stevens had on Anderson (and, thus, YES)

On her new album, Two Whole Summers, Half A Life, Lisa Bassenge is once again accompanied by her trusted fellow musicians, pianist Jacob Karlzon and bassist Andreas Lang, with whom she has already realised numerous projects. Typical of Bassenge, the repertoire comprises a seemingly wild yet harmoniously connected mix of pop, singer-songwriter and jazz elements. The spectrum ranges from Elliott Smith to Duran Duran, from Billie Holiday to Björk. ‘It's always about the expressiveness of the songs – that's the common thread for us,’ emphasises the Berlin-based artist. The album features a track by Hank Williams as well as Madonna's ‘Frozen’ and “Catch” by The Cure. Two original compositions are also part of the recording: the title track ‘Two Whole Summers, Half a Life,’ a tribute to the power of friendship and youth, and the neo-folk ballad ‘I'm Getting Old.’ Both works impressively underline Lisa Bassenge's own artistic signature. For over two decades, Lisa Bassenge has stood for stylistic openness and a characteristic voice that lends new nuances to every song. Despite all the diversity, jazz remains the tonal basis. The Scandinavian-style relaxed sound of Karlzon and Lang lends the interpretations a soft, atmospheric depth.

Ursprünglich veröffentlicht im Februar 2000, handelt es sich bei 'Daisies Of The Galaxy' um das dritte Studioalbum der amerikanischen Rockband Eels um Mastermind Mark Oliver Everett.
War der Vorgänger - aufgrund schwerer persönlicher Schicksalsschläge des Sängers - noch düster und verzweifelt, so ist das neue Album das komplette Gegenteil - größtenteils fröhlich-freundliche Songs, die sich alle im drei-Minuten-Format bewegen.

Dread Spectre Council is Kenneth Amundsen"s solo-moniker compiling years of archival demos reimagined and re-recorded. First presented through the debut EP "Dystopia/Eons" (2024) feat. Dale Crover (Melvins/Nirvana/Redd Kross) on drums. Connected to bands like Mindy Misty, Le Corbeau and Izakaya Heartbeat, - He has sneaked around the Norwegian indie scene for the past two decades. On Thetans Kenneth plays all instruments, records and mixes himself in a solitary catharsis. Bringing emotive confessionals, barn-burners and sect nodding psychedelics together in a melancholy-stroked indie rock epos, "unshakably human" as described by Last Day Deaf . A gang of co-conspirators is lurking to join for future releases and tours.

Dread Spectre Council is Kenneth Amundsen"s solo-moniker compiling years of archival demos reimagined and re-recorded. First presented through the debut EP "Dystopia/Eons" (2024) feat. Dale Crover (Melvins/Nirvana/Redd Kross) on drums. Connected to bands like Mindy Misty, Le Corbeau and Izakaya Heartbeat, - He has sneaked around the Norwegian indie scene for the past two decades. On Thetans Kenneth plays all instruments, records and mixes himself in a solitary catharsis. Bringing emotive confessionals, barn-burners and sect nodding psychedelics together in a melancholy-stroked indie rock epos, "unshakably human" as described by Last Day Deaf . A gang of co-conspirators is lurking to join for future releases and tours.

,Stürmische und kathartische Dark-Pop-Perlen", schrieb Gorilla vs Bear über Jessica Weiss' frühe Soloarbeiten. Die Sängerin und Songwriterin von Fear of Men bringt dieselbe lyrische Präzision und emotionale Intensität in ihr Soloprojekt New German Cinema ein. Es hat fünf Jahre gedauert, zwischen London und LA, aufgebaut aus nächtlichen Dateien, langen Stillephasen und der stillen Beharrlichkeit zweier Menschen, die versuchen, etwas Schönes von entgegengesetzten Enden der Welt aus zu vollenden. Produziert mit Alex DeGroot (Zola Jesus, Cate Le Bon), wirkt es sowohl forensisch als auch hingebungsvoll, das Produkt von jemandem, der die Katharsis nicht überstürzt. Pain Will Polish Me präsentiert sich sowohl einsam als auch verbindend, als wäre es aus Fernübertragungen zwischen zwei Traumzuständen entstanden. Weiss nennt es eine Meditation über Pop und den europäischen Arthouse-Autoren Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Es verfolgt, wie Intimität und Kontrolle ineinander übergehen, bis es unmöglich ist zu sagen, wo das eine endet. Die Songs handeln von den Teilen von dir selbst, die sich in der Liebe auflösen, und von den kleinen Gewalttaten, die damit einhergehen, wenn man bekannt ist. Sie bewegen sich durch klaustrophobische Beziehungen, Obsession, Hingabe, Zyklen des Leidens, die sich allmählich wie Hingabe anfühlen. Die Sprache ist Pop, aber das Gefühl ist etwas Fremderes, Kälteres, Innerlicheres. Die Songs bewegen sich im Schatten. Es ist ein Album darüber, sich selbst zu verlieren, um zu sehen, was übrig bleibt. Ein Dokument der Liebe als Besessenheit, Wiederholung, Überleben. Eine Meditation über die Liebe als Spiegel und Untergang, in Fragmenten gestaltet und dann zu einem Ganzen zusammengefügt.

Death Is Not The End present a further volume of Arja Kastinen's eerie amalgamations of 110 year old wax cylinders with her own meticulously transcribed takes, this time focussing in on Armas Otto Väisänen's field recordings of kantele player Iivana Mišukka (b. 1861 d.1919).

"Ivana Mišukka (1861–1919) was one of the Karelian kantele players recorded by the folk music researcher Armas Otto Väisänen on wax cylinders in 1916 and 1917. In the early 20th century, the remote areas of Border Karelia were undergoing the final phase of a transformation in musical culture, with the ancient runo song tradition giving way to newer forms of music. This transition is reflected in Mišukka's repertoire and choice of instrument. The ancient small kantele, hollowed out of a single piece of wood, was already rare at the turn of the century. Mišukka's kantele was a new type of instrument with 26 strings, constructed of several parts, but he played it using the traditional plucking technique. Like other Border Karelian kantele players, his repertoire consisted of music rooted in runosong culture, as well as newer dances and songs from the east and west. Most of the recorded material falls into the latter category.

Ivan Bogdanov Mišukka was born out of wedlock in Suursara village, Suistamo, on 1 May 1861. He began playing the kantele at the age of five or six, quickly mastering the instrument. In adulthood, he was considered one of the area's best master players. Mišukka was landless for most of his life and lived in different parts of the Suistamo parish. His first wife, Tekla Markintytär, died in 1897 at the age of 40, and his second wife, Jevdokia Filipintytär Jeminen, died in 1907 at the age of 50. Seven children were born from the first marriage, two of whom died young. The third wife, Maria Ignatintytär Gurnan (Kuurnanen), was a well-known master of lamentations. Together with Maria, Iivana Mišukka worked as a tenant farmer in the village of Suursara. Mišukka suffered from rheumatism, which prevented him from participating in physical work like Maria. This was apparently partly the reason why Iivana Mišukka went to earn extra money by playing the kantele on gig trips. He often had other traditional artists from Suistamo as his travelling companions, such as the runosingers Konstantin Kuokka and Iivana Onoila. Iivana Mišukka died in Leppäsyrjä village, Suistamo, on 18 May 1919 at the age of 58, and his kantele was donated to Teppana Jänis.

Mišukka only used 14 of the 26 strings on his kantele, playing the same tunes either a fourth higher or lower. He tuned his kantele to the major scale using fifths, except for a low seventh scale degree on the upper strings, but not below the fundamental. Since he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all, he could use the major scale both lower and a fourth higher with this tuning. According to Mišukka, the sound of higher, or 'finer', strings is 'more beautiful', while that of lower ones is 'greater'. Among runosingers, the size of the thirds varied, ranging from major to minor to neutral. A similar phenomenon can be observed in kantele tunings, where the third, sixth and seventh scale degrees vary in a comparable way.

During a meeting, Väisänen suggested that Mišukka play the smaller kantele belonging to Konstantin Kuokka. The idea was to bring it closer to the horn to improve the recording quality. However, the kantele was completely out of tune, and now Mišukka tuned it to the Lydian scale (track 18).

Using the old plucking technique, Mišukka placed his right middle finger on the fundamental tone, his right index finger on the second scale degree, his left middle finger on the third scale degree and his left index finger on the fourth scale degree, and his right thumb on the fifth. The thumb also played the notes above the fifth note of the scale. As Mišukka remarked to Väisänen: 'Peigaloll' tuloo enemb ruadoa' (the thumb has to do more work). However, he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all. Below the fundamental note, he played the seventh and sixth notes of the scale with his right middle finger of and the fifth note of the scale with his right ring finger. This fifth scale degree below the fundamental is almost always used as a drone. Sometimes, when the melody required it, Mišukka, like other players, also varied the fingering. He would also occasionally strike the same string with the side of his fingernail after plucking it.

The wax cylinder recordings of Karelian kantele players are kept in the archives of the Finnish Literature Society in Helsinki, Finland. Copies were made of them onto reel-to-reel tapes in both the 1960s and 1980s. The 1960s copies are mono and the 1980s copies are stereo. However, not all kantele recordings from these decades have survived.

The sound of the kantele is difficult to hear in wax cylinder recordings due to its low volume, and it occasionally becomes completely obscured by noise. During the copying process, the cylinder sometimes rotates unevenly, resulting in breaks or jumps in the music. Additionally, the rotation speed of the cylinder in the copies does not correspond to the performance speed of the original music, which alters the pitch. However, since Väisänen's precise notes are available in the archive, it is possible to deduce the melodies, their speed, and the tuning level of the kantele in the recordings. Of the copies of the original recordings from the 1960s and 1980s, I have selected the one that best met the requirements of this publication and adjusted the speed of the recording to align with Väisänen's notes. To enhance the listening experience, I have replayed the songs, which now partly overlap the old recordings on this release."

— Arja Kastinen

Death Is Not The End present a further volume of Arja Kastinen's eerie amalgamations of 110 year old wax cylinders with her own meticulously transcribed takes, this time focussing in on Armas Otto Väisänen's field recordings of kantele player Iivana Mišukka (b. 1861 d.1919).

"Ivana Mišukka (1861–1919) was one of the Karelian kantele players recorded by the folk music researcher Armas Otto Väisänen on wax cylinders in 1916 and 1917. In the early 20th century, the remote areas of Border Karelia were undergoing the final phase of a transformation in musical culture, with the ancient runo song tradition giving way to newer forms of music. This transition is reflected in Mišukka's repertoire and choice of instrument. The ancient small kantele, hollowed out of a single piece of wood, was already rare at the turn of the century. Mišukka's kantele was a new type of instrument with 26 strings, constructed of several parts, but he played it using the traditional plucking technique. Like other Border Karelian kantele players, his repertoire consisted of music rooted in runosong culture, as well as newer dances and songs from the east and west. Most of the recorded material falls into the latter category.

Ivan Bogdanov Mišukka was born out of wedlock in Suursara village, Suistamo, on 1 May 1861. He began playing the kantele at the age of five or six, quickly mastering the instrument. In adulthood, he was considered one of the area's best master players. Mišukka was landless for most of his life and lived in different parts of the Suistamo parish. His first wife, Tekla Markintytär, died in 1897 at the age of 40, and his second wife, Jevdokia Filipintytär Jeminen, died in 1907 at the age of 50. Seven children were born from the first marriage, two of whom died young. The third wife, Maria Ignatintytär Gurnan (Kuurnanen), was a well-known master of lamentations. Together with Maria, Iivana Mišukka worked as a tenant farmer in the village of Suursara. Mišukka suffered from rheumatism, which prevented him from participating in physical work like Maria. This was apparently partly the reason why Iivana Mišukka went to earn extra money by playing the kantele on gig trips. He often had other traditional artists from Suistamo as his travelling companions, such as the runosingers Konstantin Kuokka and Iivana Onoila. Iivana Mišukka died in Leppäsyrjä village, Suistamo, on 18 May 1919 at the age of 58, and his kantele was donated to Teppana Jänis.

Mišukka only used 14 of the 26 strings on his kantele, playing the same tunes either a fourth higher or lower. He tuned his kantele to the major scale using fifths, except for a low seventh scale degree on the upper strings, but not below the fundamental. Since he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all, he could use the major scale both lower and a fourth higher with this tuning. According to Mišukka, the sound of higher, or 'finer', strings is 'more beautiful', while that of lower ones is 'greater'. Among runosingers, the size of the thirds varied, ranging from major to minor to neutral. A similar phenomenon can be observed in kantele tunings, where the third, sixth and seventh scale degrees vary in a comparable way.

During a meeting, Väisänen suggested that Mišukka play the smaller kantele belonging to Konstantin Kuokka. The idea was to bring it closer to the horn to improve the recording quality. However, the kantele was completely out of tune, and now Mišukka tuned it to the Lydian scale (track 18).

Using the old plucking technique, Mišukka placed his right middle finger on the fundamental tone, his right index finger on the second scale degree, his left middle finger on the third scale degree and his left index finger on the fourth scale degree, and his right thumb on the fifth. The thumb also played the notes above the fifth note of the scale. As Mišukka remarked to Väisänen: 'Peigaloll' tuloo enemb ruadoa' (the thumb has to do more work). However, he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all. Below the fundamental note, he played the seventh and sixth notes of the scale with his right middle finger of and the fifth note of the scale with his right ring finger. This fifth scale degree below the fundamental is almost always used as a drone. Sometimes, when the melody required it, Mišukka, like other players, also varied the fingering. He would also occasionally strike the same string with the side of his fingernail after plucking it.

The wax cylinder recordings of Karelian kantele players are kept in the archives of the Finnish Literature Society in Helsinki, Finland. Copies were made of them onto reel-to-reel tapes in both the 1960s and 1980s. The 1960s copies are mono and the 1980s copies are stereo. However, not all kantele recordings from these decades have survived.

The sound of the kantele is difficult to hear in wax cylinder recordings due to its low volume, and it occasionally becomes completely obscured by noise. During the copying process, the cylinder sometimes rotates unevenly, resulting in breaks or jumps in the music. Additionally, the rotation speed of the cylinder in the copies does not correspond to the performance speed of the original music, which alters the pitch. However, since Väisänen's precise notes are available in the archive, it is possible to deduce the melodies, their speed, and the tuning level of the kantele in the recordings. Of the copies of the original recordings from the 1960s and 1980s, I have selected the one that best met the requirements of this publication and adjusted the speed of the recording to align with Väisänen's notes. To enhance the listening experience, I have replayed the songs, which now partly overlap the old recordings on this release."

— Arja Kastinen

Schmitz is a cool guy. He dreams of meeting the ruler of the universe. One day, his dream comes true: he meets the electro goddess Irma. The compilation is a kind of audiobook in 13 acts, danceable and cool, fast and loud, an homage to all space cats. The LP comes with a booklet introducing the bands and telling the story.

Following on from Butler, Blake & Grant's eponymous 2025 debut for Bernard Butlers' 355 Recordings, the trio reassembled at Norman Blake's home studio. 'Murmurs' is in some ways going back to where it all began for Butler, Blake & Grant, with the trio reimagining songs from their individual back catalogues which was in fact the premise for the very early shows that they played together. It all begins with 3 guitars, 3 voices and blooms from there.

Limited edition initial pressing of 1000 copies on silver vinyl in individually numbered sleeve.

"Scottish fireside Supergroup' - Uncut

"A uniquely pastoral musical summit...the tone feels perfectly integrated and cohesive. Imagine a mostly-Caledonian CSN&Y and you get the idea" - Record Collector

High-quality FERRO cassette tapes, printed on 160g premium paper.

Release info
For the second release in the series, I invited Diffused Signal from Australia. His track can be categorised more as an extension of my original track rather than a remix. With new rhythmic elements and textures that blend smoothly with the main idea, creating a more dynamic atmosphere.
The result is a fusion of deep techno and breakbeat, with an organic aesthetic that gives the release its unique character.

From dreamy indie pop to melancholic ambient fragments to crazy distortion pedals, The Me In You has never sounded more adventurous without losing sight of cohesion.

Press:
Humo: “The Me in You simply offers more colour and dimension than most other Belgian pop groups”
OOR: ‘A wonderfully addictive album for connoisseurs.’
Het Nieuwsblad: ‘Duyster music that gets under your skin.’
Le Soir: ‘Every song, every melody manages to surprise us.’
Stu Bru: Catch of The Day – De Afrekening list
Radio 1: Top 10 Vox list – A Rotation

Singer, songwriter, and producer Absolutely will release her highly anticipated sophomore album Paracosm on February 20, 2026, via Epic Records. A kaleidoscopic mix of pop, electronica, jazz, and R&B, the album features previously released singles “Goodbye Glitter,” “I Just Don’t Know You Yet,” and “No Audience,” each offering a window into the record’s emotional and sonic scope. From the viral, piano-pounding transformative catharsis of “I Just Don’t Know You Yet” — which sparked standing ovations on tour and millions of TikTok views last summer — to the cinematic introspection of recent single “No Audience,” praised by Rolling Stone as “an invitation to create purely for yourself,” Paracosm cements Absolutely as one of the most compelling new voices of her generation and 2026’s de facto artist to watch.

Taï Phong is a French progressive rock band formed by two Vietnamese brothers, Khanh Maï (guitar, voice) and Taï Sinh (bass, guitar, voice, keyboards), in 1975.1 They were joined by Jean-Alain Gardet (keyboards), Stephan Caussarieu (drums, percussion), and Jean-Jacques Goldman (guitar, voice, violin). They released three albums between 1975 and 1979: Taï Phong (1975), Windows (1976), and Last Flight (1979). "Sister Jane" (1975), the first single from their first album, was a radio hit.

Ltd. pink-lilac splatter LP &

PET NEEDS return with their fourth studio album ‘ELBOWS OUT! THIS IS CAPITALISM’ to be released on Xtra Mile Recordings on 27th March 2026. Recorded by George Perks (Enter Shikari, You Me At Six, Mogwai, Skindred) it follows the release of their Top 20 album ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ in February 2024. The album charts the exploits of the band buying a second-hand punk rock career at auction and trying (and failing) to make it work.

Over the course of the genre-spanning 12 tracks, the story unfolds with a mix of frenetic punk rock defiance; reflective melodic introspective and beat heavy party anthems as well as guest appearance by CJ Ramone, legendary auctioneer Eric Olson and friends The Whops and Jess Guise who help the story develop. The album is a satirical look at the pitfalls of trying to make it as a DIY punk band, delivered by a band at their most creative and bold as they continue on their own ascension of success.

PET NEEDS are a punk fuelled melodic rock fourpiece from Colchester who have toured the world since they signed with Xtra Mile in 2020. Their past three albums have helped catapult the band to the rising stars they are today. They regularly headline tours in UK, Europe and in America as well as huge support tours with Laura Jane Grace, Art Brut, Frank Turner, Flogging Molly, Skinny Lister, Bouncing Souls, NOFX, The Hives. The Lottery Winners, Spike & The Gimmie Gimmies and The Levellers. In the lead up to the album release the band will tour the UK’s regional towns giving fans exclusive listens to some of the new songs. And throughout week of release will perform instores and outstores to push for a high chart position.

British rock singer Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” — an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower. Once again written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production. The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.

From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave — she’s leading it. If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right — bold, catchy, and undeniably alive. Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable.

British rock singer Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” — an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower. Once again written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production. The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.

From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave — she’s leading it. If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right — bold, catchy, and undeniably alive. Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable.

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present MIDYRASI’S KULT’s highly anticipated debut album, Italian Dark Sound, on CD and vinyl LP formats. MIDRYASI'S KULT are revolutionary and uncompromised. Featuring veterans from such Italian doom stalwarts as Doomsword, Midryasi, Agarthi, and Fiurach, their unique blend of elements from the NWOBHM, doom metal, and early black metal – all fused in their distinctive national dark-sound tradition, which includes such cult legends as Black Hole and Death SS – results in an obscure, hypnotic, and exciting formula. In March 2025, after just one week on Bandcamp, MIDYRASI’S KULT were intercepted by Caligari Records, who released on cassette their debut demo, Mountain Devil. Featuring three songs in a concise 15 minutes, this demo reaped international acclaim for its originality and attitude. But that was but a foretaste of darker delights to come. Witness the first full-length of MIDRYASI’S KULT, Italian Dark Sound.

Truly titled, Italian Dark Sound is an intoxicating spelunk into catacombs both idiosyncratic and indefinable. Totaling 32 time-/mind-expanding minutes, the eight primary tracks here – the outro is titled “The Lost Son of Sylvester Anfang,” which should offer an obvious clue to the black-metal-minded out there – each offer something different from the next, and yet all add up into a shadowy experience that’s both rocking and atmospheric. In fact, if one were to single out an aspect between the demo and album, it’s that MIDYRASI’S KULT exude more energy on this full-length without sacrificing any of their occult aura. But, just like that demo, Italian Dark Sound features supremely pro production – gritty, earthy, and yet kaleidoscopic in texture – under the guidance of Gabry "The Way" Strada, head of RDF Studio and who’s now collaborating on the upcoming Doomsword new album. In the vein of an open artistic project, all the artwork is made by vocalist / bassist Geilt himself, and up to 11 musicians have been involved in these recordings

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

Special Friend have become the masters of weaving elegant and sophisticated pop musical webs while staying true to their low-fi indiepop roots. The French/American duo (Guillaume on guitar and vocals, Erica on drums and vocals) manage to create a sound like no other band. When they play live, audiences marvel at the huge, intricate structures the band construct, while falling in love with the crystal-clear vocal melodies that are threaded in between the shards of guitar and the rattle of the drums. How can a duo achieve so much? UK audiences will be able to ponder this question in March: Special Friend are coming over from France to do a substantial tour of the UK. These shows are highly recommended!
The new album is more diverse that the last, with the high-tempo indiepop of first single ‘Breakfast’, the majestic, Yo La Tengo-like dreampop of ‘Clipping’ and the country-ish, gentle, homesick melancholy of ‘Isolation’. Final track ‘OOO’ is a bold piece of Krautrock-inspired experimentation; ‘Mold’ is a beautiful slice of slowcore and opener ‘Paint A Picture’ is modern pop at its catchiest and most direct.

‘Clipping’, the album title, refers to the discipline of pruning growth back, removing dead wood to create a perfectly shaped tree with abundant blossoms: an accurate description of the album, and of the songs that hang from its elegant branches. The album artwork is by Erica: Special Friend are in control of every aspect of this elegant artefact.
‘Clipping’ was recorded in 2025 at Studio Claudio by Alexis Fugain and Margaux Bouchaudon. Set in an isolated rural environment conducive to immersion, the band had seven days in the studio—significantly more than for previous records—allowing for greater care in the recording process, particularly for vocals and arrangements. Several tracks feature synthesizers and organs, acoustic guitar, and even an electric bass on “Sanctuary,” a first for Special Friend. Overall, the record benefits from a more developed and detailed production while preserving the band’s direct approach and spontaneity.

The album was mixed by Syd Kemp, who has worked with artists such as Thurston Moore, Ulrika Spacek, Caroline, Crack Cloud, and Vanishing Twin.
Special Friend’s previous album on Skep Wax, ‘Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In’ was an underground hit, with a significant amount of airplay in the UK and in the US.
‘Clipping’ is a co-release with Howlin Banana Records and Hidden Bay Records (both in France). Skep Wax is proud to present the album in the UK and in North America.

The track shows SUEP at their best - glistening synth pop with Marr-esque jangle, sweet but emotionally incisive. Singer Georgie Stott - also known for being the keyboardist of the recently ended Porridge Radio - is at peak performance, marrying catchy melodies with off-kilter storytelling.
Receiving acclaim across BBC 6 Music and the indie press for their ‘car boot sale’ pop music, SUEP rummage through the jumble bin of music history, selecting and reassembling its best parts into something playful, strange and deeply artful. The band are affiliates of the Gob Nation collective - including The Tubs, Sniffany & The Nits, Ex-Void, and others., described by the Guardian as uniting around “a leftfield sensibility, lacerating wit and snotty attitude.”

With a slightly darker edge than their delightful EP Shop or last year’s groovy The Rain, Highway II tells the story of hope slamming into disappointment - a Valentine’s date gone wrong. Tears, cigarette breaks, running makeup and snotty sleeves paint a picture of painful emotional dislocation. It comes with an incredible, multilayered dance-routine music video from frequent collaborator, artist Jess Power.

Singer Georgie Stott says: “The lyrics for this poured out of me on Valentine’s Day when me and my partner went out on a date in the Limehouse area, over the river from where we lived in Rotherhithe. I got drunk too quickly, he got grumpy, and tears started streaming down my face because I just wanted to have a nice romantic time. We made up in the Canary Wharf Wetherspoons at the end of the night, but I went to have a cigarette before, to get out all my sobs and wrote all the lyrics on my phone in one go. Then at a practice studio we quickly wrote it around some chords I made up in the room.”
Forever is a confident debut, a masterpiece of modern indie songcraft. Across the album SUEP dip into country, synthpop, garage rock, post punk, and pub rock, but always retain their signature penchant for melodic hooks, snappy structures and straight-to-the-heart lyrics. Artfully unpretentious, the album was recorded by friend Matt Green, best known for his work with The Tubs, and mixed by Mike O’Malley of the band caroline.

Led by Georgie Stott and Joshua Harvey, SUEP have become fixtures of south-east London’s underground through a series of shared living spaces, improvised studios and DIY venues. Now with George Nicholls (The Tubs, Joanna Gruesome, GN Band), William Deacon (PC World), and Louis Forster (The Goon Sax, Expiry) completing the line up, their debut is finally on its way.
Forever is a glimpse into one of the best bands on the scene, not fitting into any trend, but also never fading into obscurantism - SUEP are a band that wear a joie de vivre loosely but fashionably. Now is their time to shine.

Their debut album, Why Trains Crash was released in June of that year to rave reviews. In 2023 they released their follow-up LP, A Company Sleeve, solidifying their reputation with critics and fans alike for all- killer/ no- filler indie rock. Their third LP, Never Felt Bitter, will be released on March 27, 2026. The music on Never Felt Bitter -- the quartet's first release for Chicago- based Forge Again Records--is the result of playing together on hundreds of nights in innumerable bars and clubs across Southern California and beyond. Over the years the band has honed a fearsome melding of pop melodicism and raw physicality. Their knack for crafting catchy anthems for outsiders and underdogs has made them one of the most respected underground bands in L.A.

Step back into the irresistible world of Dutch pop legends Gruppo Sportivo with Vinylly! (Selected Songs '78-'91). a vibrant, limitededition celebration of the band's most iconic tracks. This double LP is the ultimate collector's item for fans of clever pop, quirky humor, and timeless hooks.

Featuring standout songs like ''Beep Beep Love,'' ''My Old Cortina,'' ''Up to Date,'' and cult favorites from The Buddy Odor Stop, Vinylly! captures the band's golden era with crisp remastered sound and a beautifully designed sleeve and 4-page booklet. A complete overview of a group that defined an era with their playful lyrics, sharp arrangements, and unmistakable charm.

The band is touring throughout 2026 to celebrate the 50th birthday of Gruppo Sportivo.

After that album, in addition to an intense schedule of headlining shows, she was invited to support prestigious artists such as experimental folk paladins Heilung and the historic gothic rock band The Cult on their extensive tours across Europe and the United Kingdom. It was during her performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, as part of the tour with Heilung and Eivor, that the album "Live in London" (2024) was recorded -- a testament to her overwhelming performative power, a cathartic ritual capable of transcending genres and styles.

Blending folk metal, dark ambient, pagan ritual, psychedelia and operatic elements, and entirely composed, performed and sung by Lili Refrain, "Nagalite" combines in its title two words: "Naga," from Sanskrit, meaning "serpent," bearer of ancient knowledge; and "Lite," from the Greek lithos, "stone," something that endures beyond space and time, embodying earth, world and family. From this fusion emerges a symbolic being -- a stone- serpent -- the living body of metamorphosis, emblem of an imaginary transformation through four serpentine alchemical states, the four tracks that make up the suite. It is a sonic reflection on an era marked by war and horror, in which the artist traces a possibility of resilience and new life.

After that album, in addition to an intense schedule of headlining shows, she was invited to support prestigious artists such as experimental folk paladins Heilung and the historic gothic rock band The Cult on their extensive tours across Europe and the United Kingdom. It was during her performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, as part of the tour with Heilung and Eivor, that the album "Live in London" (2024) was recorded -- a testament to her overwhelming performative power, a cathartic ritual capable of transcending genres and styles.

Blending folk metal, dark ambient, pagan ritual, psychedelia and operatic elements, and entirely composed, performed and sung by Lili Refrain, "Nagalite" combines in its title two words: "Naga," from Sanskrit, meaning "serpent," bearer of ancient knowledge; and "Lite," from the Greek lithos, "stone," something that endures beyond space and time, embodying earth, world and family. From this fusion emerges a symbolic being -- a stone- serpent -- the living body of metamorphosis, emblem of an imaginary transformation through four serpentine alchemical states, the four tracks that make up the suite. It is a sonic reflection on an era marked by war and horror, in which the artist traces a possibility of resilience and new life.

DJ Support: Garnier, Opolopo, Worldwide FM, Marcia Carr, Bill Brewster, Timeout Moscow, Craig Smith, Delfonic, Tony Nwachukwu, Marcel Dettmann, DJ Rocca, Shuya Okino, Borrowed Identity, Titonton Duvante, Alex Attias, Rainer Truby, Sol Power All-Stars, Kyri R2, Robert Luis, Severino Panzetta, Lars Behrenroth, Kassian, Alkalino, Getdown Edits, Moodymanc, Gerd, Lea Lisa, Young Pulse, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mark Grusane, Alex Barck….

International dance music heavyweight, producer and DJ Alexander Lay-Far returns with a powerful new chapter - Lay-Far Dance Orchestra (LFDO) - a fully-fledged live band project that reconnects him with his jazz-funk and fusion DNA while pushing dance music forward with unmistakable groove, musicianship and emotional weight. Formed in early 2024, LFDO is no nostalgia exercise. With Lay-Far at the helm as bassist, bandleader, composer, arranger and sound engineer, the orchestra has already been turning heads with explosive live performances, reinventing classic Lay-Far cuts, and now unveil their first album “Skybreak” with all new and original material written and produced by Lay-Far together with his bandmates and star guests, including Lipelis, Antoha MC and Seven Davis Jr. This work shows the departure from the predominantly electronic sound of Lay-Far's previous solo albums in favour of live instrumentation recorded to analogue tape and effortlessly bridging the gap between Jazz, Library Music, Disco-Funk, House, Broken Beat and Drum’n’Bass. “Skybreak” is dynamic, passionate, spiritual, cinematic, playful, heartfelt, life-affirming, dreamy and deeply romantic. Ultimately, there’s something profoundly romantic in recording and releasing such music in this day and age!


“Take Flight (Part 1)” is opening the album with style. It takes us on a beautifully orchestrated journey, blending the sensuality of Library Music with high-octane Jazz-Funk and raw b-boy breaks, propelled by breathtaking flute and Rhodes solos of Timur Nekrasov and Maxim Glonti. This aural symbiosis of “beauty and the beats” will become more and more prominent as the album unfolds.



It’s time for “Aquarius Love” created with the inimitable artist and vocalist Seven Davis Jr. (Secret Angels, Ninja Tune). In this composition cinematic soul and heavy jazz meet the restless energy of live drum & bass with deep and heartfelt vocals - timeless sound combined with a timeless message about love and life!



Next is “Head In The Clouds” - a theme for an imaginary rom-com, an ode to all the dreamers - sweet, light, naive and heartwarming. Space-Disco-Funk at its best!

“Where You From” is a fiery Soulful House number with heavy Afro-Latin influences recorded in collaboration with Lipelis. It’s full of Sun, joy and passion. Its irresistible rhythm is emphasised by funky octave bass, wah-wah guitar, catchy piano riffs, guitar solo by Lipelis and seemingly light conscious message delivered by Lay-Far and Maryag. Summer is here!

Now the album takes an unexpected twist in the form of “The Harp of Boom” which at first glance appears to be a classic-sounding Boom-Bap banger. Yes, It’s loud, raw, and gritty, yet it gradually evolves into something delicately-touching and deeply-soulful thanks to a memorable flute melody and lush string arrangement. Definitely recorded with tongue in cheek.


Next is “Feel The Moment” a remarkable collaboration with one of the most recognisable and distinctive Russian artists, singer, trumpeter and cultural icon Antoha MC. It’s a feel-good song, hopeful, life-affirming and bittersweet. A stylish excursion into Brit-Funk and Soviet Jazz-Fusion sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Atmosfear, Light Of The World or Soviet Jazz bands like Allegro and Arsenal, but reimagining the influences through the modern West London broken beat lens.


The spectacular music journey continuous with “Take Flight (Part 2)” - it’s all about the deep infectious jazz-funk groove, heavy beats, rolling percussion and the glory of the soloing instruments - saxophone and flute by Timur Nekrasov, demonstrating the wide range of emotions from thoughtful and lyrical to restless and borderline vicious. One for freestyle dancing!

As the album draws to an end a vibrant musical triptych “Soul Constant” awaits, mixing together the deep and sensual mood of spiritual jazz with heavy syncopated drum’n’bass rhythms by Michail Fotchenkov, lush orchestration, expressive saxophone solos and the ending which can simply be described as “aural bliss”. It’s breath-taking!

A pleasant bonus is the exclusive version of “Where You From” by Lipelis himself, who is taking it into dub territories, further enhancing the rhythm section and enriching the song with his trademark playful synth flourishes and dreamy guitar solos for maximum effect (and appeal).

The album “Skybreak” by Lay-Far Dance Orchestra is the work of real artistry and craftsmanship with timeless sound that’s not only deeply-rooted but also forward-thinking.

Two original house cuts. One statement. Soulbound / Abracadabra lands as a double-header single as part of our new XPRESS Singles Series, bridging gritty South London soul with slick Franco-American house energy - a release designed for the salubrious moments on the dance floor.

“Soulbound” sees Bustin’ Loose deliver cutting-edge disco-soul infused house music straight from the concrete textures of South London. Sung and produced by Bustin’ Loose himself, the track rides a pumping, elastic bassline with warm strings and raw vocal emotion - modern house with classic soul DNA. Capturing the energy of London's expansive music culture, Soulbound is both uplifting, euphoric and street-wise. Inspired by the music of Fatboy Slim, rappers like JME and Ghetts and the club culture of London.

On the flip side, “Abracadabra” from Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring LA wordsmith Relaye drips with French house sensibilities, blending glossy filters, catchy wah guitar and punchy grooves with razor-sharp rap vocals. Imagine Music Sounds Better With You colliding with the cool charisma of Q-Tip - hypnotic, stylish, and irresistibly repeatable.

The remix package pushes the release deeper into club territory:

• Dam Swindle transform Soulbound into a deep, bumping underground roller, rich in groove and late-night atmosphere.
• Phil Weeks delivers a signature Ghetto Mix of Abracadabra, crafted with his beloved MPC sampler - raw drums, stripped-back funk, and a pure nod to house music’s roots.
• La Felix closes the circle with a nostalgic, early-2010s-tinged deep remix of Abracadabra, balancing modern polish with timeless dance-floor warmth.

Finland's GRAVETAKER are a duo of Lunatik and Atavistic Mouth. Taking inspiration from Soulside Journey-era Darkthrone and Katharsis among other things, the band drag death metal back to its ambitious and obscure roots with their first recording, Sheer Lunacy. With five tracks clocking over 35 minutes, each song has taken a form of its own, fully realized but effectively part of a greater (w)hole. From mesmerizing acoustic intros to divebombs casting their screams over blastbeats, crazed hysteria to somber fields and back again, all wrapped in a swirling-yet-mossy recording, Sheer Lunacy is hard to categorize in any specific subgenre popular to this age and day; GRAVETAKER would be violently antagonistic if they actually cared about the nowadays scene. A true testament to a schizophrenic approach to songwriting and wielding true Metal of Death, IRON BONEHEAD now makes this archaic tome available on vinyl for full analog possession.

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 is a compilation bringing together the early 2000s works of Marco Passarani under his Analog Fingerprints alias, collecting key tracks originally released on Rome’s Plasmek and Pigna labels.

For Numbers, the story starts long before the label itself. In their formative years, digging in Glasgow’s Rubadub, Passarani’s records felt like dispatches from a future city. Releases on his own Nature Records and on labels such as Generator and Interr-Ference Communications were mind blowing: rooted in Detroit techno, Chicago house and electro, yet pushing somewhere new. Much like fellow travellers Autechre, who would remix him in 2001, Passarani’s music balanced machine funk with restless experimentation.

Information was scarce, and you would hear these records first on the dancefloor or at listening stations in shops like Rubadub. Print fanzines like Ear and early web outposts such as Forcefield offered only fragments. But there was a palpable axis forming between Detroit techno and a new European wave of record labels including Skam, Rephlex, Clone, Viewlexx and Nature itself. It was the sound that defined Saturday nights at Rubadub’s ‘69’ parties in Paisley, just outside of Glasgow.

Passarani’s records, in particular, were instrumental in bringing together the future Numbers co-founders. Richard had already booked him pre-Numbers; meanwhile Calum (Spencer) and Jack (Jackmaster), then 16/17 year olds working alternate Saturdays in Rubadub, were so enamoured with the Roman sound that they travelled to Rome for the Bitz Festival in 2003 to seek out Passarani and Lory D at their source.

The first Analog Fingerprints release landed as a 12” on Plasmek in 2001, following the fractured, IDM-leaning 6 Katun material. For Passarani, the project marked a recalibration. A DJ first and foremost, he had moved into production via early computer setups, from a Commodore Amiga through primitive PC audio, Cubase and Logic, later experimenting with Ableton. The IDM scene had offered a playground for trial and error, but there was always a tension between abstraction and the dancefloor. Analog Fingerprints became the bridge: still intelligent, but with more dance than distance. After years of broken beats and complex arrangements, he wanted directness without surrendering identity.

Working closely with Francesco de Bellis and Mario Pierro in the Pigneto district, the trio formed Pigna as a vehicle for reclaiming a more accessible dance sound, deliberately steering away from the minimal wave beginning to dominate Europe. Sessions were fast, instinctive, often stretching late into the night with friends dropping by. It was a studio as social space, production as collective energy.

“In that constant search for balance, Analog Fingerprints was my way of expressing something closer to the classic dance floor. The track 'Tribute' - a tribute to my favourite early Detroit techno track of all time, 'First Bass' by Separate Minds - came after I realised I had almost lost my connection with the dance floor. The simplest step was to take inspiration from early Chicago and Detroit and twist it in our Roman ‘Pigna’ way. My goal was to create more accessible dancefloor tracks by mixing my unconscious Italo roots with my teenage love for that early US sound, ensuring the result was as far as possible from the minimal sound that was starting to dominate everywhere.” - Marco Passarani

Technically, the Analog Fingerprints tracks span a transitional era: Roland TR-909, SH-101 and Alpha Juno hardware met early software experiments. A Novation Drumstation rack stood in for the unattainable TR-808, syncing with TB-303 and TR-606. Yet the true secret weapon was Jeskola Buzz, a tracker-style modular environment that allowed step-by-step parameter control and strange melodic constructions, later exported into the audio sequencer. Even the lead on ‘Tribute’ came from an early PPG Wave-style plugin. It was hybrid thinking at a moment when digital tools still felt unstable but full of possibility for technologists like Passarani.

Behind the music sat Finalfrontier, a loose Roman collective orbiting Nature and Plasmek. Distribution and production were intertwined; importing obscure records into Italy built connections with like-minded outsiders across Europe and the US. Expensive phone bills and fax machines forged an “electronix network” that linked Rome to Clone, Viewlexx, Skam, Rephlex, Rubadub and Detroit’s Underground Resistance. There was a shared sense of survival and resistance, of operating against commercial systems.

Passarani recalls “The first time I found a sheet of paper inside an Underground Resistance 12” with info about upcoming releases... and a huge picture of Spock on the back. Imagine that: you love the music, you love Star Trek, and there’s someone on the other side of the ocean sharing those same values and sounds. It was the perfect match. We even gave our original company the suffix ‘Finalfrontier’: that says it all.”

Feedback in that era arrived physically: distributor faxes, conversations with visiting DJs, the experience of playing abroad and meeting kids who had connected with the records. Glasgow became a key node in a scattered outlier network. Passarani personally brought the first two Nature releases to Fat Cat in London, playing them in-store. Shortly after, a fax arrived from Rubadub in Glasgow requesting copies.

“I still remember that phone buzz and the fax paper slowly sliding out, with someone I didn’t know saying they wanted 75 copies of Nature 001. Or like the time we got a fax from the Rephlex crew just saying, “Hello Nature Records, Keep up the good work.” That was how we knew the message was getting through. It was a fantastic feeling; just one piece of thermal fax paper as an analog notification - the mood for the entire week would change.” - Passarani

The connection to Glasgow has since stretched across generations. As Passarani reflects, links often fracture as scenes renew themselves, but in Glasgow something different happened. New and old mixed seamlessly. There was a visible trust in what came before, and a willingness to carry it forward rather than discard it. Observed from Rome, it was deeply encouraging.

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 captures that moment of exchange: Rome to Glasgow, Detroit to Europe, experiment to dancefloor. It documents an artist recalibrating his sound and a network of scenes discovering one another in real time, connected by vinyl, faxes and shared intent.

Pick a Piper is a Toronto-based electronica duo featuring Caribou drummer Brad Weber and vocalist–songwriter Sophia Alexandra. Their music pairs catchy, ethereal vocals with warm synths, upbeat percussion, and a distinctive sense of sound design that feels both grounded and vulnerable.
The duo’s live show is an intoxicating blend of vibrant physicality and immersive lights and visuals, creating an experience that is both danceable and hypnotic. Pulsing with momentum, vocally driven and haunting, it radiates a charisma that unites the band and audience in cathartic release.
Their new album "Dandelion", explores how we exist in the space between opposing feelings while calling for resilience and the courage to recognize that growth is possible and inherently beautiful, even in life’s most difficult experiences. The record employs skippy beats, bass-heavy kicks, warm subs, hyperactive percussion, woozy synths and organic textures, delivered with a lovingly human-curated feel.
Pick a Piper has toured across Europe, the US, Canada, Guatemala, and Colombia, and has shared the bill with Bonobo, Gold Panda, Blue Hawaii, Do Make Say Think and Ghetto Kumbe.

A joke that doesn’t make you laugh is just a sentence. Music that doesn’t make you dance and feel is just noise aimed in your direction. To make a circuit where energy flows freely, you must have feedback. Without feedback, connection is absent. As Limousine Dream enters the Age of Aquarius, we open up. Instead of trying to grow, we let it grow. Instead of building a pyramid, we see a constellation where we are all stars, and every star can equally stand out and fit in. We invite you to join us, just like we want to join you. This is where we begin our Life Spiral.

Undun is the story of a man, Redford Stevens, dying in reverse, rewinding from the moment he became a statistic and hitting the points in his life where he's at his most self-aware. That he's a criminal who got caught up in the familiar street-hustle trappings that the modern media's documented countless times is a pivotal detail-- it's hit at an angle that seems to emphasize the futile inevitability of it all. His life could be any number of misdirected narratives that ends with a toe tag, and what details listeners learn about him are hazy, buried under archetypal turns of fate and decisive struggles. That this protagonist is a fictionalized composite of a handful of real people, filtered through a matter-of-fact narrative that splits character ambivalence with journalistic impartiality, only makes his lack of direction and the failure of any real closure stand out even more. "Lotta niggas go to prison," Dice Raw states on "Tip the Scale", "how many come out Malcolm X?"

So the Roots' latest album isn't a sprawling, rise-and-fall crime story, not a condemnation or a veneration of a man living outside the law, not a bullet-riddled grand guignol heavy on explicit details of soldiers getting cut down. It's a character study of a man whose existential crisis ends only with his death-- a death gone largely unspecified, the glamor and tragedy washed over with a doomed resignation. That's a hard thing to pull off, even for a band as given to deep-thinking concepts as the Roots are. And when your main lyrical catalyst is Black Thought-- a man more given to allusions than direct statements-- it's likely that it'll take a while for the full scope of Undun to really sink in.

If and when it does, it might strike listeners as a bit skeletal: omit the mood-setting instrumental bookends, including a brief, four-part orchestral suite that builds off Sufjan Stevens' "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)", and you've got maybe a half hour's worth of material. By ?uestlove's accounts, writing Redford's story introduced the headaches and challenges that come with scriptwriting into their songwriting, and what's left on Undun is the end result of frequent revisions and rewrites that attempt to reconcile character, theme, and continuity. If it comes at the expense of nuance, it's not always obvious: There's an easy-to-trace narrative line from Redford's acceptance of his fate ("Sleep") to his acknowledgement of how close it's approaching ("Make My"), back through declarations of aggravated toughness ("One Time"), and celebratory fatalism ("Kool On"), along ups and downs that juxtapose motivation ("Stomp") and helplessness ("Lighthouse"). When the vocal portion of the album ends with two of the bleakest sets of verses in the Roots discography, peaking with the estrangement of "I Remember" and the desperation of "Tip the Scale", Undun reveals itself as a story where a man's actual death isn't quite as tragic as the circumstances that pushed him to it.