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Lost in time yet always in season, here’s a blast of that old perennial, the punk rock, representative of the swiftly changing times around Bailey’s Crossroads, just outside Washington DC, in the early 80s. Skam recorded this stuff in 1982-1983, then broke up, leaving these songs to be released… maybe never? Or more preferably, now, to race into the bloodstream of jaded, faded today with all the vigour and rigour of Skam’s eternal youth.

Though they didn’t release any records during their three years of existence, it’d be wrong to call Skam ‘never-was’ - in addition to these recordings, there’s a trail of flyers for shows with Scream, No Trend, United Mutations and Media Disease, as well as the memories of the student alumni from Bishop O’Connell High, class of ‘83 or so.

The conglomeration of scenes around the greater DC area at that time produced a variety of bands, but the prevailing recollection of the era is of the incendiary hardcore punk and subsequent straight edge values of the Dischord bands. The band that became Skam was a world apart; they were posited for the first time by 8th graders Vince Forcier and Jack Anderson at a Jackson Browne concert, and their initial rehearsals in their parents’ basement were highlighted by covers of Beatles, Stones, Who and Led Zeppelin songs. Bad covers.

It wasn’t until they’d been playing a bit that they discovered The Ramones, and it was then that the die was cast and pedal pressed to the metal for another frantic couple of years.

The Skam recordings from 1982 have an undeniably Clash-like countenance that sets them definitively apart from the ‘First Four’ of Dischord - in some ways, prefiguring the pop-punk sound of Green Day at the dawn of the 1990s instead - but subsequent recordings found them quickly evolving - or devolving - into a personal mastery of savage riffs and tempos, as well as post-punk conceptions.

But even as they were verging into this new territory, their three years together had frayed their alliance and they soon broke up. Jack joined No Trend, Vince played in Racer X and then Second Wind. And life went on. However, the rediscovered Skam tapes make for an incredible addendum to the more well-known music of that incredible time and place

Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series, repressing their limited releases by adjacent artists through Crass Records, in association with One Little Independent. The series, including over twenty bands and solo artists recorded at the legendary Southern Studios and produced by Penny Rimbaud, continues with two more historic pieces from the Crass Records catalogue; ‘Farce’ by Rudimentary Peni and ‘Can’t Cheat Karma’ by Zounds.

Zounds are an English post-punk band from Reading, Berkshire, formed in 1977. Originally, they were part of the cassette culture movement, releasing material on the Fuck Off Records label, and were also involved in the squatting and free festival scene. The name of the band is derived from the old English ‘zounds’, a contraction of ‘God’s wounds’, referring to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, formerly used as a mildly blasphemous oath.

The band met up with fellow anarchists Crass when, legend has it, their van broke down on the road. They made their way to nearby Dial House, where Crass were based, who helped them with repairs. The two bands became friends, and although musically very divergent, they shared many common political views. Zounds shortly afterwards released their first EP, ‘Can't Cheat Karma’, on the Crass Records label in 1980. The EP featured possibly their most well-known track ‘Subvert’, a call to arms against the grind of daily life. The release of this EP and association with Crass led to an increase in the band's profile in the embryonic anarcho-punk scene, touring with both Crass and Poison Girls. They split in 1982 but reformed in 2007, and remain active today.

Penny continues; “Zounds could have made a fine pop group, but they were far too socially sassy to fall for that one. No, their commitment to radical political change, so abundantly clear in their lyrics, set them apart from the commercialism that had so blighted the likes of The Clash and other punkish pretenders. Having been drawn from the ranks of hippy bands like Here and Now, Zounds encouraged dissent and personal change, and, at their own cost, to pursue and promote them as ideologies. Can't cheat karma? No, nor ever beat it. Zounds were hip to this fine point. Want a better life?

Then make it for yourself. Ain't no one gonna help you out on that one. Find your own way, it's the only way there is.”

First released on 7” vinyl, limiting the sound, the new series has been remastered for 12” by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios, allowing them to be heard as never before. This, plus enlarged replicas of the original covers, brings new gusto to their already radical sound.

Delta Funktionen's new project Immediate Proximity with the second release of the IMPROX series. A wide range of tracks with an axis of two powerful and archetypal tracks that serve as the central characters of this captivating EP. Both tracks exude a fierce and piercing energy, ready to strike with unrelenting intensity. On the flipside, the stage is set for their ultimate battle, resulting in a clash of violent beats and crystalline otherworldly landscapes. Adventurous and fresh!

The Strangers brings together Hervé Salters AKA General Elektriks and two exceptional rappers: Frenchman Leeroy (ex-Saïan Supa Crew) and American Lateef The Truthspeaker (Blackalicious) in a new project. Evolving in the year 2222, "The Strangers" is a testament from the future in the form of hip hop with a strong funk undertone, a timeless and playful sound where the languages of Shakespeare and Molière combine and clash to describe a world of tomorrow in 2023 that no one has yet heard of: requiring the earthlings of the future to travel from an early age, society abolishes the fear of the unknown. Lateef, Leeroy and General Elektriks have therefore chosen to set their narrative in the future to better speak of today"s world. The environment, individual freedom, police violence and communitarianism are all subjects that permeate the record. But the 3 Strangers inject a healthy dose of humour and energy into their music. This album is a sonic road movie of anticipation, zig-zagging between athletic and poetic flows soulful choruses, and darker downtempos. The sound developed is fluorescent and infectious, speaking to the hips as much as the head.

Stomu Yamash'ta's ultra-rare cult 1971 LP is reissued for the first time, it is a deep, cosmic, at time ambient performance recorded live and
featuring two other Japanese legends: Takehisa Kosugi from the TajMahal Travellers and jazz pianist Masahiko Satoh

Remastered from the master tapes with original gatefold artwork, obi and newintroduction by Paul Bowler. Recorded live at Yamaha Hall in Tokyo on April 18, 1971, the all- night concert was recorded in front of an invite- only audience consisting of friends and musicians. Yamash'ta had Satoh on keyboards along with Fluxus master and leader of the Taj Mahal Travellers Takehisa Kosugi on violin and Hideakira Sakurai on electric shamisen.

Edited down to fit two sides of an album that will become 'Sunrise From West
Sea', the performance is both hypnotic and ethereal. It starts with Kosugi's
distinctive electric violin and develops into a deep, spiritual free form
conversation between the four musicians, giving them all the space, they need to
freely improvise and interact with each other, mixing electronics, percussion,
electric organ and shamizen without ever clashing. The interaction alternates
between quiet, tranquil Eastern meditations and more paced parts, fuelled by
Yamash'ta's extraordinary percussion playing.
Yamash'ta never reached the creativity heard in 'Sunrise From West Sea' again.
The album was recorded during one of the most fertile periods in Japan where
such groups as Les Rallizes Denudes and Taj Mahal Travellers and jazz
musicians like Masahiko Satoh and Yamash'ta were revolutionising the Japanese
music scene.

Public Service Broadcasting kündigt This New Noise an, den neu abgemischten und neu gemasterten Live-Mitschnitt ihrer gefeierten BBC Proms-Show 2022 in der Londoner Royal Albert Hall, der am 8. September 2023 über Test Card Recordings veröffentlicht wird. Bei This New Noise, einer Feier der Macht des Radios, die anlässlich des hundertjährigen Bestehens der BBC geschrieben wurde, tat sich die Band mit dem 88-köpfigen BBC Symphony Orchestra unter der Leitung von Jules Buckley zusammen. Es war eine herausragende Aufführung bei den BBC Proms 2022 und wurde von The Telegraph mit 5* bewertet, der es als "eine klangvolle, zeitgemäße und letztlich berührende Show" bezeichnete. Gründungsmitglied J. Willgoose, Esq. hat das Konzert von Grund auf neu abgemischt, um der vielschichtigen Aufführung noch mehr Tiefe und Textur zu verleihen und sie in einem neuen Licht zu zeigen. This New Noise ist das zweite Mal, dass Public Service Broadcasting einen Auftrag für die BBC Proms erhalten hat. Im Jahr 2019 spielte die Band ein Orchesterarrangement ihres 2015er Studioalbums The Race for Space mit dem Multi-Story Orchestra anlässlich des 50. Jahrestages der ersten bemannten Mondmission. Public Service Broadcasting lehrt seit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt "die Lektionen der Vergangenheit durch die Musik der Zukunft". Das Debütalbum Inform - Educate - Entertain aus dem Jahr 2013 nutzte Archivsamples des British Film Institute als Audioportale zur Battle Of Britain, dem Gipfel des Everest und darüber hinaus. Zwei Jahre später nutzte The Race For Space ähnliche Methoden, um die Rivalität und den Heroismus der Supermächte im Orbit und auf dem Mond zu loben. Als Indie-DIY-Phänomen hat das Album mit über 100.000 verkauften Exemplaren allein im Vereinigten Königreich inzwischen Goldstatus erreicht. Im Jahr 2017 erforschten sie gemeinsam mit Stimmen wie James Dean Bradfield von den Manic Street Preachers in Every Valley auf bewegende Weise die Gemeinschaft und die Erinnerung an den Aufstieg und Fall der britischen Kohleindustrie. Ihr bisher ehrgeizigstes Projekt, Bright Magic, bringt den Hörer in das Herz und die de facto Hauptstadt Europas, die kulturelle und politische Metropole, die die "Hauptstadt" der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ist - Berlin. Das Ende 2021 erschienene vierte Album der Band, das auf Platz 2 der britischen Albumcharts einstieg, wurde von Electronic Sound als "ihr bisher ehrgeizigstes, unkonventionellstes und majestätischstes Werk, ihr glorreicher kreativer Höhepunkt, ihr Magnum Opus" beschrieben, DIY meinte, "es blühte am ruhigsten auf und brach am glühendsten aus" und Clash meinte, es "zementierte den Ruf von PSB als vitaler Act an der Spitze ihres Spiels". Das Album enthielt auch mehrere BBC Radio 6 Music A-Listed Singles, darunter "People, Let's Dance" ft. EERA und "Blue Heaven" ft. Andreya Casablanca.






d 1.4A CELLO SINGS IN DAVENTRY FT. SETH LAKEMAN

Public Service Broadcasting kündigt This New Noise an, den neu abgemischten und neu gemasterten Live-Mitschnitt ihrer gefeierten BBC Proms-Show 2022 in der Londoner Royal Albert Hall, der am 8. September 2023 über Test Card Recordings veröffentlicht wird. Bei This New Noise, einer Feier der Macht des Radios, die anlässlich des hundertjährigen Bestehens der BBC geschrieben wurde, tat sich die Band mit dem 88-köpfigen BBC Symphony Orchestra unter der Leitung von Jules Buckley zusammen. Es war eine herausragende Aufführung bei den BBC Proms 2022 und wurde von The Telegraph mit 5* bewertet, der es als "eine klangvolle, zeitgemäße und letztlich berührende Show" bezeichnete. Gründungsmitglied J. Willgoose, Esq. hat das Konzert von Grund auf neu abgemischt, um der vielschichtigen Aufführung noch mehr Tiefe und Textur zu verleihen und sie in einem neuen Licht zu zeigen. This New Noise ist das zweite Mal, dass Public Service Broadcasting einen Auftrag für die BBC Proms erhalten hat. Im Jahr 2019 spielte die Band ein Orchesterarrangement ihres 2015er Studioalbums The Race for Space mit dem Multi-Story Orchestra anlässlich des 50. Jahrestages der ersten bemannten Mondmission. Public Service Broadcasting lehrt seit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt "die Lektionen der Vergangenheit durch die Musik der Zukunft". Das Debütalbum Inform - Educate - Entertain aus dem Jahr 2013 nutzte Archivsamples des British Film Institute als Audioportale zur Battle Of Britain, dem Gipfel des Everest und darüber hinaus. Zwei Jahre später nutzte The Race For Space ähnliche Methoden, um die Rivalität und den Heroismus der Supermächte im Orbit und auf dem Mond zu loben. Als Indie-DIY-Phänomen hat das Album mit über 100.000 verkauften Exemplaren allein im Vereinigten Königreich inzwischen Goldstatus erreicht. Im Jahr 2017 erforschten sie gemeinsam mit Stimmen wie James Dean Bradfield von den Manic Street Preachers in Every Valley auf bewegende Weise die Gemeinschaft und die Erinnerung an den Aufstieg und Fall der britischen Kohleindustrie. Ihr bisher ehrgeizigstes Projekt, Bright Magic, bringt den Hörer in das Herz und die de facto Hauptstadt Europas, die kulturelle und politische Metropole, die die "Hauptstadt" der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ist - Berlin. Das Ende 2021 erschienene vierte Album der Band, das auf Platz 2 der britischen Albumcharts einstieg, wurde von Electronic Sound als "ihr bisher ehrgeizigstes, unkonventionellstes und majestätischstes Werk, ihr glorreicher kreativer Höhepunkt, ihr Magnum Opus" beschrieben, DIY meinte, "es blühte am ruhigsten auf und brach am glühendsten aus" und Clash meinte, es "zementierte den Ruf von PSB als vitaler Act an der Spitze ihres Spiels". Das Album enthielt auch mehrere BBC Radio 6 Music A-Listed Singles, darunter "People, Let's Dance" ft. EERA und "Blue Heaven" ft. Andreya Casablanca.






[d] 1.4A CELLO SINGS IN DAVENTRY [FT. SETH LAKEMAN]




[d] 1.4A CELLO SINGS IN DAVENTRY [FT. SETH LAKEMAN]

A long-in-the-works project of ours, here comes A Tribe Called Kotori's first foray into full-length territories, as the immensely talented Rampue takes us on a melancholy-riddled ride across his phantasmatic mindscapes. A true sound explorer, deftly steering his ship down the junction of electronica, abstract and balearic-infused prog house, the Berlin-based vibist has us transfixed and elevated throughout the twelve cuts that form the backbone to this lushly textured promenade in sound - at times understatedly euphoric, at others rivetingly exotic.

Of the creative process that lead to 'Bubblebath Trance', Rampue explains "It all started and ended in the same moment: my cherished feline companion, my laptop awash with an unintended bath, and alas, a dearth of backups. The resultant calamity, an echo of chaotic tranquility." Under the generous layer of irony lies some unaltered truth about Rampue's debut long-player for A Tribe Called Kotori: this sense of serenity that goes with stepping into this warm and bubbling primitive chaos of sorts infuses the listening experience far and wide. Distantly emulating the "euphonious strains" of iconic PS1 video games soundtracks from his youth days, the album has us surfing a constant paradox of emotions, wistful but not abandoning itself to sorrow, dynamic yet suspended in some sort of mind-expanding stasis. As if you were looking at the world beneath you in exploded view, conscious of all thing, slowly moving up the many layers of our atmosphere towards uncharted skies.

A paragon of Rampue's most poignant take on classic electronica tropes, 'Harmonie' blazes with a poetic fire that engulfs about everything in its wake. Just figure yourself riding a chocobo across the sand-covered expanse of North Corel (toasting to the FFVII nerds here) as this blasts out in the distance. From this trancey bubblebath emerge lots of musical shades and nuances, from the nicely dubbed-out, brass-heavy coastal jazz of 'Schattenschranz' to the choppy, trip-hop-adjacent future electronics of 'Inside', via the exuberantly joyous mess of faux-organic number 'Tripomatic' and cinematic charisma of 'Ich hasse Sonne' high-flying orchestrations.

Connecting the dots between that trance-indebted ebullience and further downtempo-friendly attraction, 'Verfahren' perhaps encompasses best what 'Bubblebath Trance' is about: gracefully walking the tightrope in-limbo nostalgia-soaked inner movements and a powerful outward thrust, burning to let the feelings ooze out from the shell that holds them.Clad in purely 90s-compatible breaksy motion, 'Salz' is another attempt to reconcile emotional and physical dissonance, like kneading all states - solid, liquid and vaporous - into an impossible mega-vibe of its own; malleable, strong and enveloping in equal measure. Borrowing from two-step and UK garage, 'Take Away' is a definite high in Rampue's master unfolding of musical twists and turns, summoning a Boarder Community-esque atmosphere and clashing it alongside floor-ready footwork motifs to fascinating effect.

An ode to his studio companion, 'Buchla Trip' finds Rampue's exploring his machinic friend's quirky yet soulful array of electronic potentialities - making it sound like a conversation you'd have with R2-D2 in the heart of a Sandcrawler, whereas 'Kajal' beams us up to a fragmented headspace, halfway altered PC-Pop and arps-loaded electronica on amphetamines. Effusive and transporting, the title-track 'Bubblebath Trance' could well figure as the album's no.1 medley in essence: a bountiful lucid dream of dancing forms, colours and sentiments to wrap your head around, confidently drifting from a liminal state of consciousness down the rapids of one's troubled inner workings.

Rounding off the package, the languid ambient finale of 'Die Leiden des hungrigen Fruehstuecks' rubber-stamps the feeling that 'Bubblebath Trance' belongs to that rare category of albums. The ones that mint their own alphabet aside from typical norms and expectations, teaching you the ropes of their new language as it unreels between your ears - real and unreal, elusive to any other meaning than the one your guts and brains will be inclined to give it to, in real time. A crystal-pure object if you will, that shall not reveal its secrets, even after a thousand listens and just as many wowing moments.

Their 2018 debut Pink Noise (released on Sonic Cathedral) gained them a spot on Rough Trade's best album of the year list and praise from Drowned in Sound, CLASH Magazine, BBC Radio 6 and more.

This music has been in development for quite a while, and you still find clear inspiration from some of the shoegaze greats such as Jesus and the Mary Chain, A Place To Bury Strangers, Slowdive, and many more. This album is built on the same foundation that Echo Ladies curated during their past releases, but with a more unyielding presence.

Echo Ladies have always tried to balance two emotions at the same time throughout their songs. While their past songs tried to convey the feeling of nostalgia and hope for the future, mixed with worries and anxieties about defining who you are and what you will become, this album instead tries to balance the emotions of sorrow and loneliness, with anger, frustration, and the determination to make a change for the better.

Nottingham’s hottest prospects, the four piece have been making waves with their definitive, genre-spanning sound that incorporates elements of post-punk, indie and art pop to create something remarkable and unique. 2022 saw the band release their debut EP ‘Soft Soap’ which garnered rapturous praise from BBC Radio 1, NME, Clash and more, cementing their place as an outfit to watch.

Wewantsounds continues its Akiko Yano series with the reissue of her cult classic 'Ai Ga Nakucha Ne' recorded in 1982 and co-produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Featuring Japan, the album includes additional recording in Tokyo with YMO and is mixed by Steve Nye and Shinichi Tanaka. It is the first time the album is released outside of Japan and the deluxe LP features the original artwork with gatefold sleeve and a lavish 24-page colour booklet with sessions photos by Pennie Smith (famous for The Clash's London Calling photo). The reissue also includes a new introduction by Mac DeMarco and a dual interview with Akiko Yano and Steve Jansen by journalist Paul Bowler. The audio remastered from the Original tapes by Mitsuo Koike.

'Ai Ga Nakucha Ne' ('there must be love' in Japanese) is Akiko Yano’s 6th studio album and follows 'Tadaima' in 1981. It continues exploring the electro-pop sound of its predecessor, hot on the heels of her touring with Yellow Magic Orchestra between 1979 and 1980. For this album, Akiko decided to try something new; she enrolled English fellow musicians Mick Karn, Steve Jansen and David Sylvian from Japan and booked the Air Studios in London under the supervision of engineer Steve Nye. ​​Over a couple of weeks, the musicians created a fascinating soundscape full of catchy pop tunes, sung in both Japanese and English. Reminiscing about the studio sessions, Steve Jansen notes "Our music’s different but we maybe had a similar process of working. It was a great environment because the studio was a great place to work. It was very insular. There were four studios and there were always groups working in there 24/7."

The eleven tracks featured on "Ai Ga Nakucha Ne," mostly composed by Akiko - are a great collection of catchy tunes featuring her distinctive vocals and accompanied by the Japan musicians. As Akiko explains about the creative process, "I didn’t think to imitate or to make another Tin Drum. But I had Steve Jansen and Mick Karn, these excellent musicians. They were eager to understand the songs, then they put in everything they had. I knew the material was different from what they usually played in Japan. But it was a great experience working with them.

​There are many highlights on the album, from the pop edge of "Aisuru Hito Yo" to the avant groove of "Another Wedding Song", each song is memorable and the album ends with the superb “Good Night” sung by Akiko and David Sylvian.

The original 1982 LP release included a 24 page booklet featuring many photos by Pennie Smith and Japanese photographer Bishin Jumonji. The booklet is reproduced in its entirety here and the album on top of contributions by Mac DeMarco, a longtime fan of the album, Akiko and Steve Jansen making this release of 'Ai Ga Nakucha Ne' a unique testament to Akiko Yano's greatness.

During the latter half of the seventies very few came close to emulating the success of the productions of Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson. 'The Mighty Two' took the greatest of Kingston's musical and technical innovations and transformed the cutting edge into a commercial proposition that crossed over to the rest of the world. 'Under Heavy Manners'' was an essential purchase as well as a defining statement on the sombre mood of the times in the year that two sevens clash and forty years after its original release, the raw reality of 'Under Heavy Manners' continues to hit home.

Katie Munshaw really needed to finish the fucking quilt, and find a way to
sew herself into it
The lead singer of Ontario four-piece Dizzy has been thinking a lot about the way
things look and the way you can find comfort in disappearing into it all. She
describes the album, a bright indie-pop beast continuing the legacy built from two
previous shimmering records, as a "patchwork quilt" with each song a square, or a
sliver, of her life. "None of them have all that much to do with each other and yet
they wouldn't exist without one another," she says.
It makes for a colourful record that's intrinsically Dizzy - one that swerves
comparison, instead reflecting the shapeshifting and imperfect nature of its
musicians. Avoiding the spotlight yet more confidently themselves than ever.
Munshaw is satisfied with where this record finds Dizzy. The band's first record,
she says, was "formative" to what kind of musician she became, even though "I
was young and had no business making a record. The Sun and Her Scorch was
our rebellious teenage phase where we thought we could do it all ourselves, this
new chapter is about throwing our hands up saying 'we don't have all the
answers. I'm open to having somebody help me. Help us.'"
Listeners will find that Dizzy have made what sounds like their most confident
work to date; embracing the best parts of what has made fans fall in love with
them in the past while confidently stepping into the future and trying new things;
ready to show the world exactly who they are as artists - mask or no mask.
Heavily supported across DSPs, with prime playlist placements across Spotify,
Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, Deezer and Tidal.
Plays on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio X.
Coverage on The Independent, Clash, Line of Best Fit, DIY, Dork, Brooklyn Vegan,
Gigwise, She Makes Music, Scientists of Sound, Cool Music & Things, Mystic
Sons and many more.

Following his critically acclaimed debut studio album Frank, Fly Anakin
returns with new offering Skinemaxxx
Produced entirely by Foisey - fellow member of Richmond rap collective Mutant
Academy - with features from founding Mutant Academician Big Kahuna Og and
frequent collaborators Pink Siifu, ANKHLEJOHN and London- based vocalist
Demae.
"After dropping one of 2022's best rap albums, Fly Anakin goes two-for-two in his
Skinemaxxx campaign with another high voltage performance" - Okayplayer
The physical formats feature mind- boggling packaging design by Commission
Studio and illustrations by River Cousin. The vinyl includes a cutout TV screen
cover and pull out 2- channel lenticular that allows fans to reenact the channel
switch moment that inspired the project.
"Features dreamy production reminiscent of the golden era of hip- hop. Anakin
flows effortlessly over the beats, with a flow that's both aggressive and somehow
calming ... an exciting new album from one of the best rappers in the
underground." - HotNewHipHop
Fly Anakin is a rapper from Richmond, Virginia, described by Madlib as "one of the
illest MCs". He's previously collaborated with Freddie Gibbs and Redveiland is cofounder of the Richmond rap collective Mutant Academy.
Press support so far from HotNewHipHop, The FADER ('Song You Need'),
HYPEBEAST, Stereogum, Clash, Okayplayer, Consequence & Brooklyn Vegan.
UK radio highlights include Benji B on BBC Radio 1/ 1Xtra and Tom Ravenscroft &
Mary Anne Hobbs on BBC 6Music

Undeniably one to watch, the release of his upcoming body of work is set to cement Sam’s status as one of the year’s most exciting new artists. His music has already been praised by the likes of MTV, Clash, BBC, and Notion magazine, played across BBC Radio 1 by Scott Mills, Clara Amfo, Ricky, Melvin and Charlie, and featured on flagship Spotify editorial playlists. Elton John and Bastille are fans, pop phenomenon Bebe Rexha has co-signed his work, while Justin Bieber is a prominent supporter. The two hosted a sensational IG Live together and more recently hung out in LA, while a video of Justin singing Sam’s single ‘Whole’ has gained more than one million views –and counting. Closer to home, JayKae jumped onstage on Sam’s last tour, and renowned UK tag-team Krept & Konan are fans. Such a broad spread of support simply represents his audience as a whole; there’s a literal army of TikTok followers moving alongside him, with Sam amassing almost a half million followers on Instagram –that’s more than some very established artists. In fact, he already has more Instagram followers than some winners at the BRITs last year. Matching pop touches to a classic feel, he’s often compared to Sam Fender’s anthemic truth-seeking or Tom Walker’s revelatory autobiography. Yet Sam’s work stands alone and is already scaling

"SAMURAI'S boss only released his debut EP 'RATS' in 2021 (after a quarter-century in the game), but his brutalist productions are already essential. Landing somewhere between Dylan and death metal, iron-clad breaks clash against the digital roar of techstep bass across opener 'Raven', title track 'Sacrifice', and the searing 'Temple'. The dubby halftime ritualism that's become Samurai's calling card is never far away though, and the sinuous 'Anaconda' made with label regular Sam KDC is a prime example, providing a less hectic yet equally intense ride." DJ Mag

Bekannt für seine ultrapersönlichen Texte und umwerfendes Songwriting auf der Schnittstelle zwischen tiefschürfenden Balladen und stadiongroßem Pop, ist Cian Ducrot aus Irland in den letzten zwei Jahren zu einem der wichtigsten UK-Newcomer avanciert, indem er erst TikTok, Insta & Co. und dann auch noch die offiziellen Charts auf den Kopf gestellt hat. Ein überraschend nahbares Songwriting-Genie, das nicht nur musikalisch kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt – und in seinen Socials auch mal mit Chorverstärkung die Londoner U-Bahn per Flashmob zum Implodieren bringt: Jetzt steht der für seine „erfrischende Ehrlichkeit“ (Clash) gefeierte Singer-Songwriter mit dem ersten offiziellen Albumstatement in den Startlöchern: „Victory“ erscheint auf Vinyl und CD am 04. August. Darauf vertreten sind auch die jüngsten Singlehits „I’ll Be Waiting“, „All For You“, ”Part Of Me” und die aktuelle Single „Heaven“.

'The Devil, The Heart & The Fight' is Skinny Lister's third studio album and is repressed here on yellow vinyl. The band are currently supporting Flogging Molly across the US, have summer festivals confirmed and will be touring across UK and Europe by the end of the year. 'The Devil, The Heart & The Fight' was recorded over five weeks in Newcastle Under Lyme’s Silk Mill Studio in May 2016 with producer Tristan Ivemy (Frank Turner, The Holloways), it is Skinny Lister’s most far-reaching, exciting and accomplished album yet. It’s a full-on rock record that splashes even more punk vigour and eighties pop elements across their fervent folk canvas, taking in hints of Adam Ant and The Clash. It also brings the folk storytelling tradition bang up to date with its brutally honest and close to the knuckle lyrics of real-life stories (‘Geordie Lad’, ‘Charlie’) and on-the-road mayhem, the Pogue-ish ‘Hamburg Drunk’. A mature, vibrant and varied record, it mingles classic Skinny folk romances (‘Grace’, ‘Reunion’) with epic rock takes on rafter-rattling shanties (‘Beat It From The Chest’) and hearty Dexys-style tributes to the fans they meet on the road (‘Fair Winds & Following Seas’), plus a hitherto unseen darker side. Take the deceptively upbeat ‘Injuries’, Dan’s ode on the bruising nature of life, or ‘Devil In Me’, in which Lorna comes on like a particularly melodic Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. • The Devil, The Heart & The Fight hit the UK Top 40 in the two independent album charts (#38 ‘Breakers’ chart, and #11 Independent Album Chart). • Has received over 2.5million streams on Spotify and the videos have reached over 400K views on YouTube. • Global radio support from 6Music, Radio X in UK Radio Eins, Flux FM, Star FM in Germany and WBSD, WRFL, WYCE, KSJS, WAWL, KPNT, WRIF, KXRN, Indie.FM, WVMO, and WCSF in USA. PRESS QUOTES: “…considerably upped their game.” 4/5 Q Magazine album review “…a deafening and visceral experience.” 5/5 Independent live review from London Garage. "This album has a wholesome kind of dirtiness woven deep into the tapestry of each of the songs." Subba Cultcha "The Devil, The Heart & The Fight’ sees them break their own mould, in places amplifying the popular influences on their sound yet retaining their fundamental roots." Punktastic “(a) kaleidoscope of high octane folk punk via Dexy’s and The Pogues” Louder Than War

"First solo record from Bethany after a 10+ year stint fronting Best Coast. Produced by Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Jewel, Panic! At The Disco, Weezer, Andrew McMahon). Co-writes with Ruston Kelly, Madi Diaz, Suzy Shinn, Morgan Nagler (Bleached, The Breeders, Jenny Lewis), among others. Press support from: DIY, Dork, HERO, record Collector, Guardian, Upset, Line of Best Fit, NME, Fader, Clash, Stereoboard.
“Natural Disaster was born out of a bit of an identity crisis. I was feeling really stagnant both in my life and in my creativity - the world around me was seemingly falling apart - and I felt like I had two choices; give up entirely or challenge myself to push through and see what was on the other side. This record is the story of a personal journey, one that led me to finding a new side of myself that I didn’t even know was there. It is a snapshot of what it’s like to allow yourself to soften, to take down some of your walls, and really lean into the magic of life.”"

Repress!

Exceptional debut album of Military Space Music and / or Fluxus Techno rave drills from the inimitable, acronymic duo for Diagonal. RIYL Belgian Techno, SuperCollider, Powell, Lorenzo Senni,
the bleep test At long last N.M.O. execute their crazed debut album for Diagonal, distilling the playful calisthenics of their laptop and drum kit live show in a totally unique manner that somehow deconstructs and alliterates tracky acid techno with avant no-wave rock, computer music and the kind of snare-
driven tattoos coming out of Portugal's Príncipe label. Best just call it Military Space Music - Cleft as two corresponding but individual sides entitled Nordic Mediterranean Organisation
& Numerous Miscommunications Occur, it finds the Romantic Viking duo ratcheting the psychotomimetic intensity of their previous tape and trio of 12"s for Anòmia, The Death of Rave
and Where To Now according to their central mantra of As Strict As Possible, resulting in 5 alarming, powerful dancefloor raids intersected by infuriating locked grooves, or Neoliberal
Madness Offering #1-4, plus a series of barking trained Unit drills.
The razor sharp and raucous results don't sit comfortably in any pre-ordained category, preferring to scythe their own route thru the time-flattened field of contemporary music by employing
the fundamentals of physical pressure and precise psychoacoustic frequencies in a disciplined pursuit of new, syncretic sensations that toy with rave convention and serve to demystify notions of aerobic mysticism.
Nose to tail, they spell out their ideas with playfully pedantic attention to detail, whether physically making you get up to nudge the needle from its pervasive locked groove, putting you thru your
paces in their German Trained Unit challenges, or simply driving you to delirium in the album's full blown dance tracks.
Cut almost a side-a-piece for optimal intensity, those five dance cuts veer from the clashing sharp and wet, tight-but-distended dichotomies of RIYL Roma to the ploughing pneu-beta bass drum
and giddy top end tickle of New Bulgaria on the Nordic Mediterranean Organisation plate, to take
in the scuffling, compartmented swerve and teeth-chattering acid of Armchair Evader and what