quête:claud

Rance Allen churned that rhythm smack between gospel music and soul. Rance brought the fire, his every performance a dedicated reach beyond expectations. It's like he lived in a realm above ours, and his performances were a ladder from our plane to his, an invitation to step up, step out, be good, do right, dance while doing it, jive and smile. And praise the Lord.
Rance sang about Jesus Christ, even when he didn't mention him. His music was an invitation to groove along, but it was also a stepping stone to church. He focused not on the fire and brimstone but on building community, helping those in need, a church of embrace.
His two brothers were his band, along with Stax guests. On "Everybody's Talkin'" you can hear disco coming around the corner and also the influence of Isaac Hayes. "You Need A Friend Like Mine" builds on the Staple Singers' "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)", and it features some of Rance's finest falsetto, up there with Rev. Claude Jeter and Al Green.
Rance moves your spirit.

It's difficult to ''label'' the songs of this authoritative and necessary official reissue (after the shameful fake of 10 years ago). ''Zombi'' and ''In the Land of the Zombi'' are two electro disco-funks from 1979, therefore from three years before was born the ''Italo-Disco'' style, certainly more powerful, aggressive and more electronic than the ''Made in Italy'' disco style of the 2nd half of the 70s (Fratelli La Bionda, Pino Presti, Claudio Simonetti, Celso Valli and others.). The creation of the original 7" by Salvatore Ida, great musician and bandleader - to whom this excellent reissue is dedicated - was a sort of game for the authors of the two pieces: Federico Ida and Massimo Ida, were protagonists 4 years before of the Italian progressive rock scene with the sister Silvana Ida, Marcello Surace and Franco Vinci thanks to the immeasurable and acclaimed album ''Apoteosi''. So The Zombies were destined to pair with another easy '79 joke by the Ida brothers: ''Let's Go'' and ''Mustang'' by Sandwich, also reissued on 12inch by Best Record Italy. The Zombies comes out with the original artwork of the time, but in a full embossed picture sleeve and released in the classic black vinyl and on red vinyl with black shades (limited edition with red copies numbered manually (1/250: 2/250 and so on...) What else to add except that: the two long versions of ''Zombi'' and ''In the Land of the Zombi'' were re-edited by Massimo Berardi, always diligent and active, as well as tidy and aware of where he was putting his hands, are fundamental in order to complete this 12" fully remastered by Dom Scuteri.

For the fifth release called "SAI MATIKA" Rambadu and Claudio PRC immersed themselves into an aquatic landscape and explored its properties.

"Sai", The natural occurrence of ebb and flow, a sacred dance of the earth and our moon.

"Matika", alluring hymns and the rhythmical sounds of air rising up from the deep.

"Aqua", exposes you to the slow churning of the marine blue sea, engulfing us until we are unable to feel the bottom and vortexing sands.

Scan the QR code on the outersleeve for a cymatic experience, visualizing the effects of "Sai" on our fluid bodies.

All sleeves are hand-made with love!

2024 repress

WRWTFWW Records is very honored to announce the official reissue of Grauzone's essential 1981 maxi single with timeless classic "Eisbär", proto-techno beast "FILM 2", and romantic synth ballad "Ich Lieb Sie", just in time for the 40th anniversary of the Swiss band's formation. The three-track vinyl is sourced from the original reels, cut at 45rpm, and comes with its iconic artwork on a 350gsm sleeve.

Ich möchte ein Eisbär sein...Written by Martin Eicher after a nightmare in which he saw talking polar bears on the walls, and with music by the Grauzone crew consisting of Martin and his brother Stephan Eicher, Marco Repetto, Christian "GT" Trüssel, and Claudine Chirac (on saxophone), "Eisbär" is the most recognizable title from the band, a sublime mix of ingredients reflecting the transitional era it comes from - the raw energy of punk music still palpable, combined with the audacity of early electronics, the warm groove of a disco gem, beautifully fragile lyrics, and one of the best basslines ever. It became a mega hit, totally unplanned, but how could you resist such a track

"FILM 2" is the ultimate b-side monster, a menacing all-instrumental pre-techno masterpiece, slowly building to a magnetizing frenzy. An instant underground favorite, it was famously heard played at both speeds depending on the scenes and DJs you were frequenting, 45rpm as it was first intended, and 33rpm for the cosmic experience (search Daniele Baldelli's Cosmic C75 1982 mixtape online for a great example of this).

The maxi single ends with "Ich Lieb Sie", a synth-pop meets doo-wop ballad, a true love song oozing with innocence. Simple, stylish, and just right.

At the crossroads of post-punk, new wave, pop, and electronic experimentation, the Eisbär maxi offers three songs that are technically different but hold the same spirit, the perfect embodiment of Grauzone's music - wild, unpredictable, and youthful, yet sophisticated, catchy, and ingenious. The magic recipe for the good stuff.

Stephan Eicher went on to be, arguably, the most successful Swiss musician ever, with an international career extending from pop chanson to experimental escapades and collaborations with Moondog, artists Sophie Calle and John Armleder, and author Martin Suter among many other luminaries. Marco Repetto flourished as a techno and ambient producer, releasing multiple projects including releases on Aphex Twin's Rephlex label.

Grauzone and WRWTFWW will continue to collaborate on the band's 40th anniversary reissue campaign, with numerous projects planned for the year, including a vast selection of music, visuals, and literature never available before.

2024 Repress


"Limited Collector's 12inch Edition on Pink Colored Vinyl" - of 300 copies only !
It contains the original versions plus the extended version of "Un Nodo All'Anima", a big Italo-disco hit performed from one of the best eighties italian singer and showgirl.
This release comes with full picture cover artwork on the original "Jumbo Records" label.
From an idea of the former executive producer : Claudio Casalini.

Vintage Pleasure Boutique is proud to present another reissue from the Made Up Records catalog. The success of Claudia’s debut single “Dance With Me” in 1988 left Michiel Van Der Kuy no choice. The impatiently awaited follow up wax was released a year later and became an instant hit in Europe and Asia. The VPB’s reissue of this single includes remastered original versions and 2 new remixes by Electro Potato and A.P. Mono.

Noise pollution results when man does not listen carefully. Noises are the sounds we have learned to ignore. Which sounds do we want to preserve, encourage, multiply?

When we know this, the boring or destructive sounds will be conspicuous enough and we will know why we must eliminate them. Only a total appreciation of the acoustic environmentcan give us the resources for improving the orchestration of the world soundscape.

The Chilean label and record store 5 Universos Records present the third release of their vinyl only series where music and creativity speaks for itself.


On Side A, label owner 5UNIVERSOS, delivers two captivating hypnotic tracks, approaching to micro house. "NEK” immerses us in a funky roller with deep bass and acid touches, guided by an Asian voice. “TOKO” leads to an enigmatic dream voyage across the Atlantic incorporating Koto, the national instrument of Japan.



On Side B, the versatile Chilean artist Claudio Solis introduced us with "ABHASA", an enveloping track with dub-techno airs and a solid groove at 132 BPM.
For closing Side B, Denis Kaznacheev, Russian master of minimalism, presents a happy remix of "Abhasa", infusing a healing atmosphere and his distinctive sensitive and hypnotic groove.

This third pressing is an exceptional compendium on vinyl not to be missed; only 300 copies, no repress, soooooo grab this one to your collection !!!


#Chileansareplaying



Mastered by Claudio Solis

2023 Repress.

In honor of the January full moon, 2016.

Supported by Alan Backdrop, Claudio PRC, Ness, Svreca, Antonio de Angelis, Arnaud le Texier, Exium, Kwartz, Takaaki Itoh, The Noisemaker, Unam Zetineb, Vilix, Oscar Mulero, Eric Cloutier, Conrad van Orton, Acronym, Felix Lorusso, Jose Pouj, Nihad Tule, Nobody Home, Brando Lupi, Brendon Moeller (Echologist), Francois X, Gianluca Meloni, Artefakt, Iori, Rasmus Hedlund, Reggy van Oers, Retina.IT, Stefan Vincent, Antonio Ruscito, Sam Kdc and more.

The next issue in the on-going Mastermix series features a centerpiece of Frankfurt’s club history: Wild Pitch Club.

A predecessor to the esteemed Robert Johnson and a stepping stone for Panorama Bar’s very own nd_baumecker.

Founded by Playhouse masterminds Ata and the late Heiko M/S/O it was a Thursday club night that heavily featured house music as a prescription to the ongoing techno fever. Enamored with the US-American roots of it and all things deep, it not only presented the right records, but also their creators and protagonists. With a string of guest DJs from Robert Hood and Claude Young to Kerri Chandler and Theo Parrish as well as talent from the UK and Europe, it was one of the culture’s hubs at the time.

Here you have its testimony. Selected and mixed by Ata and nd_baumecker, it’s an authentic snapshot of the club’s vibe and spirit, spread over two 2x12” volumes, a collectable tape (download included) and a pleasant streaming version, it’s the full dosage. Like Roach Motel confessed: Wild Pitch, I love you.

The next issue in the on-going Mastermix series features a centerpiece of Frankfurt’s club history: Wild Pitch Club.

A predecessor to the esteemed Robert Johnson and a stepping stone for Panorama Bar’s very own nd_baumecker.

Founded by Playhouse masterminds Ata and the late Heiko M/S/O it was a Thursday club night that heavily featured house music as a prescription to the ongoing techno fever. Enamored with the US-American roots of it and all things deep, it not only presented the right records, but also their creators and protagonists. With a string of guest DJs from Robert Hood and Claude Young to Kerri Chandler and Theo Parrish as well as talent from the UK and Europe, it was one of the culture’s hubs at the time.

Here you have its testimony. Selected and mixed by Ata and nd_baumecker, it’s an authentic snapshot of the club’s vibe and spirit, spread over two 2x12” volumes, a collectable tape (download included) and a pleasant streaming version, it’s the full dosage. Like Roach Motel confessed: Wild Pitch, I love you.

2022 Re Edition

STAREAWAY is Markus Guentner from Regensburg, of Kompakt- and Ware-fame, and Heiko Badje from Hamburg, the man behind saudade-driven pop-band La Grande Illusion. Exploring the possibilities of combining Guentners critically acclaimed adventures in ambient scapes and Badjes melodies and distinctive singing, their track 'Baghira", as an early result, was selected on Kompakts 'Pop Ambient 6 compilation in 2005. Their first EP as STAREAWAY, called 'Learn How To Love Me", was released on Hamburg-based label Couldn.t Care More in 2011 including a remix by deep house icon Osunlade crossing all borders, yet feeling so natural, and the somewhat timeless electronic pop reference 'Unwise". Now STAREAWAY come up with their first album 'No Life In This Ghost Town' (again on Couldn.t Care More); seven sketches between song and track deliberately carved from a shimmering wall of electronic sound by guitars, spiritualized voices and subtle melodies. It.s caressing and thoughtful, but there is also a darkness that makes you shiver. Glowing embers in far away windows. STAREAWAY combine a vision of sound with multitudes of micro-organisms which take turns no one can forsee. And what may appear as a mere coincidence is in fact a concentrated search. They are seekers of the things lying underneath. STAREAWAY's 'No Life In This Ghost Town' is mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri. It will be available as Double Vinyl (+ Download-Code) and, of course, digitally. Layout by JL Prozess (Markus Guentner), artwork by Claudia Kugler.

Freestyle comes with it again - presenting the first officially licensed reissue for a previously white label-only slice of fantastic 1982 UK boogie funk, featuring the vocal talents of a then 19 year-old Caron Wheeler!

La Famille were a group put together at the turn of the 1980s by seasoned reggae & jazz guitarist (and later band-member with the award-winning Jazz Jamaica) Alan Weekes. The band's main line-up consisted not only of a young Wheeler, but also a young Cleveland Watkiss - as well as the late Claudia Fontaine (who would go on to pair with Caron as Afrodiziak) & Roy Hamilton - with guitar, arrangement and production provided by Weekes.

While the group was short-lived - recording only this 12" alongside a couple of singles for Leonard "Santic" Chin's Sanity label (a stellar cover of the Mary Jane Girl's classic All Night Long) and Alan's later Bpop label (the down-tempo groover Lost in Paradise, co-arranged alongside Watkiss) - there is no denying the talent on display here, as the years and decades that followed can surely attest.

Brazilian artist Bruno Furlan is the next to make his mark on the famed Hot Creations imprint. The two-track release, The Speakers Pump Like This, is set to bring the heat and make serious waves on dancefloors this year.

Title track The Speakers Pump Like This transports you straight to the club, with its peak-time pace, sonic synth stabs and prominent vocal cuts. On the flip, Moving gets to work with a sharp kick-drum and infectious vocals, as subtle builds and drops move throughout the track, whilst retaining the solid, rolling groove.

Hailing from the diverse and electric city of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Bruno Furlan started his DJ career while still a teenager and quickly became a highlight in the Brazilian electronic music scene, capturing the attention of artists such as Claude VonStroke, Chris Lake, Solardo, Green Velvet and Amine Edge & Dance. Always driven by a great love for his art, Bruno has created his own unique way of approaching music production, resulting in a standout discography and performances throughout the world. In addition to his own record label Whistle Records, Bruno has released on labels such as Dirytbird, Relief, , Sony Music, SOLA, Nervous, and more.

If there was ever a dance oddity it’s the bizarrely named single ‘Prisencólinensináinciúsol’, released in late 1972 by Italian entertainment icon Adriano Celentano, first appearing as a 45 on his own Clan label. A cult favourite if there ever was one, GW Edits kicks off their label with a sumptuous edit sewing the A and B side of the record into an 11-minute masterpiece named ‘Adriano Italiano’.

Renamed ‘The Language Of Love (Prisencol…)’ for the UK market, the original failed to make any impression on the UK chart instead becoming a cult DJ treasure. The fact that it was regularly reissued over the next few years illustrates its enduring appeal.

The novelty of its title and zany nonsensical lyrics may have caught the attention, but what sealed the deal was that groove! On top of that, Celentano’s vocal (as well as that of his wife Claudia Mori, who injected the short female section) that mimics the way English sounded to non-English speakers, comes across nowadays as proto-rap, receiving kudos as such in more recent times. The track is most certainly an anomaly, having no bearing whatsoever on hip-hop culture, yet somehow unconsciously envisaging it.

The flip side of the record was appropriately called ‘Disc Jockey’, also featured that infectious rolling groove complete with offbeat hat. It wasn’t as DJ friendly though, the drums not dropping for the first minute, whilst it also featured a more traditional sounding song in Celentano’s native tongue instead of the rhythmic rap gobbledygook of ‘Prisencólinensináinciúsol’.

Here the two are sewn together for a full-length ‘Adriano Italiano’, running at just over 11 minutes, with the addition of a further two-minute instrumental version. The full-length appears on vinyl for the first time and, along with the original ‘Adriano Italiano’, launches the GW Edits series, bringing this eccentric favourite to a new generation of DJs in time for its 50th anniversary next year.

Double LP: Heavy 350gsm Sleeve, Liner Notes, Sticker

WRWTFWW Records is very happy to reissue Swiss cult band Grauzone's self-titled album in an expanded 40 Years Anniversary Edition packed with the original 1981 album plus 9 extra songs, as well as extensive liner notes by Swiss music historian Lurker Grand. The 19-track album is available as a double LP vinyl in heavy 350gsm sleeve and a digipack CD, both sourced from the original reels and put together under the supervision of band member and all around legend Stephan Eicher.

The pioneering band from Bern (Switzerland) had a short-lived but highly-regarded career which birthed a cult discography that still fascinates and resonates today. Consisting of core members Martin Eicher, Stephan Eicher, and Marco Repetto, and on-and-off participants Christian GT Trüssel, Claudine Chirac, and Ingrid Berney, the elusive group broke new grounds in the early 80s, experimenting with punk and industrial music, early techno sounds, minimalism, new wave, pop, and various electronics. With an innovative and polished approach to design, visuals, performance, and all around style and philosophy on top of their superb music, the constantly transforming unit developed a whole experience - the Grauzone experience: wild and unpredictable, yet sophisticated and cohesive, or as Swiss music historian Lurker Grand would call it, "an Art band with a Punk attitude".

Completely rejecting the music industry rules and refusing to play the game of promotion, touring, release schedules, and TV appearances even though they had a multi-platinum international hit with the song "Eisbär", the band quickly disintegrated in full convention-defying glory, leaving behind an inspiring music legacy for the world to discover and discover again, one generation after the other.

This extended version of their debut (and only) album beautifully crystallizes the Grauzone miracle/accident - where pop and youthful experimentation meet at (new/cold/no) wave and industrial crossroads, and where classic hits ("Eisbär", "FILM 2", "Raum", "Träume Mit Mir", "Der Weg Zu Zweit"…) flawlessly mesh with unconventional deep cuts ("In Der Nacht", "Film 1", "Maikäfer Flieg"…). Very simply put: GOOD timeless music with an edge.

Stephan Eicher went on to be, arguably, the most successful Swiss musician ever, with an international career extending from pop chanson to experimental escapades and collaborations with Moondog, artists Sophie Calle and Sylvie Fleury, and author Martin Suter among many other luminaries. Marco Repetto flourished as a techno and ambient producer, releasing multiple projects including releases on Aphex Twin's Rephlex label.

For the first time ever repressed on FullTime Production the iconic disco record "Easy Going" by Easy Going!
That's a brand-new great landmark for the label as "Easy Going" set a milestone in the italian Disco culture.
If at the end of the Seventies you were at Piazza Barberini in Rome at night, you would have come across a small but crowded club half-hidden in the ascent of Via della Purificazione, a trendy gay club with elegant Fassbinderian furniture, but also a night crossroads for many prominent characters of the cultural and artistic life of the eternal city and a regular stop for the most popular national DJs at the time. Easy Going creature was founded by Claudio Simonetti (Goblin), as a homage to the place mentioned above.

The homonymous 33 rpm debut of 1978 is remastered and repressed on a glossy white vinyl and due next December 13th on FullTime Production!
It features the original LP cover highlighting the mosaic of masculine struggle between a sailor and a strictly naked policeman , photographed in the Roman club.

The music explodes with the piece that will define the group par excellence: "Baby I Love You" also released as the first single, sung by a very filtered voice on a hypnotic rug of keyboards and a captivating melody that define a real masterpiece of italian disco and beyond. The same goes for the remaining three tracks of the album, which are also set to set the dance floor on fire: "Do It Again" is pure dance from Studio 54 and on the flip side, Creedence Clearwater Revival's cover "Suzie Q" and the ballad "Little Fairy".

Stripped Down Records continues to make a big impression with its second release, this time coming from munimuni & Seelenwald and featuring stellar remixes from label founder Claudio Ricci as well as Sasse, Tiefschwarz and Kollektiv Turmstrasse.

With new track 'Warschauerstrasse', Claudio Ricci has created an expansive seven minute workout of twisted synths and deep house drums. The first remix comes from long time techno heavyweight Timo Maas and the prolific and inventive Basti Grub. Their singular remix speeds up the original and layers in fluttering toms and percussive sounds as well as broad, groaning synths and the distant sound of a bustling city at rush hour. Sudam label boss and Ibiza based artist Kintar flips the track into something spacious and haunting. Eerie keys and sweeping synths keep you on edge as the rubbery techno groove rolls on into the night. Bulgarian based Metodi Hristov loves to experiment and has a distinctive techno style that gains support from the likes of Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox and Adam Beyer. In his hands the track becomes a peak time tech banger.

Originally released on Claude´s own label Dirtybird 'LFO I Love You get´s a 2016 polish with great Remixes from the D-Floor owners NiCe7 and Keinemusik artist David Mayer.

finally repressed !

Big with Maya Jane Coles, Round Table Knights, Homework, Claude Von Stroke, Robert Owens, Wildkats, Nhan Solo, Shir Khan,..Berlin-based Robosonic welcome the springtime with their first OFF EP. "Worst Love" uses an anthemic sample to create a groovy dancefloor burner with tight groove. Doctor Dru delivers a contemporary underground pop remix. Fritz Zander from the Suol collective made a "Panorama Bar 9 am"-styled remix for the real house-heads. And with "Thankful", Robosonic give us a 2nd original track, slightly more toolish than Worst Love.

Die brandneue Kollaboration zwischen Freddie Gibbs und The Alchemist, „Alfredo 2”, ist der offizielle Nachfolger der gefeierten „Alfredo”-Veröffentlichung des Duos aus dem Jahr 2020.



Der Rapper Freddie Gibbs wird für sein technisches Können und seine provokanten Texte gelobt und hat sowohl Fans des Gangsta-Rap als auch des Underground-Hip-Hop für sich gewonnen. Er reimt sowohl auf dröhnende Breakbeats als auch auf Trap-Beats und hat mit zahlreichen Rappern und Produzenten zusammengearbeitet, darunter Young Thug, Jeezy, DJ Drama und Statik Selektah. In den 2000er- und frühen 2010er-Jahren machte er sich mit einer Reihe von selbst veröffentlichten Mixtapes einen Namen. Nach seiner ersten offiziell veröffentlichten EP Str8 Killa (2010) begann er, richtige Studioalben zu veröffentlichen, darunter die gut angenommenen Kollaborationen mit Madlib Piñata (2014) und Shadow of a Doubt (2015) sowie You Only Live 2wice (2017). Nach dem kommerziellen Mixtape Freddie (2018) tat er sich für Bandana (2019) wieder mit Madlib zusammen und produzierte mit The Alchemist das Album Alfredo (2020). Letzteres wurde seine erste LP, die die Top 20 der Billboard 200 erreichte und anschließend für einen Grammy Award nominiert wurde.

Rather than yielding to despair in these troubled times and offering listeners a rope to hang themselves, Zimmermann (trombonist for Claude Nougaro, Manu Dibango, and Tony Allen) playfully grants them another option - a humorous sarcasm! He mocks the vain shelters of the powerful with the tune "My Little Sweet NZ Bunker", denounces the manufacture of one- track minds with "Les maximiseurs de PI", and escapism with the classic satirical Mose Allison's song "Stop This World (let me off" (translated and sung in French) In more tender moments, he reflects on the intimate consequences of this global unraveling.

Daniel Zimmerman's style, both as a composer and soloist, is that of a melodist above all else; disregarding concepts, he sings and seeks to go straight to the heart. He was voted 'Trombonist of the Year' by Jazz Magazine (Frances most influential jazz publication) in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Technokunst Records returns for a second chapter in the Split Series, pairing long-time friends Reeko and Claudio PRC for a package of highly effective grainy Techno excursions. This meeting is a perfectly weighted exchange with two originals and two reinterpretations shared between them.
The opener ‘Grainphase’ is a slowly morphing textural work building towards a masterfully executed release of energy in the latter half of the track. Reeko’s version reshapes the main elements and reveals a harder spine beneath the original’s fluid architecture. Flipping the record gives way to Reeko’s original, a tour de force in sound design. ‘Tierra De Nadie’ paints a desolate and hazy surface filled with glitched recordings of alien language. Finally, Claudio’s rework is built in a similarly dark tone but with an increase of visibility, drifting aboveground.

Mastered by Artefacts Mastering and cut by Simon at The Exchange. The artwork is based on a digitally scanned painting on canvas by Technokunst’s own Dorka Berkes.

180gr pink & blue mixed coloured vinyl in poly sleeve w/ art print insert, LTD — 200 copies.

Technokunst Records returns for a second chapter in the Split Series, pairing long-time friends Reeko and Claudio PRC for a package of highly effective grainy Techno excursions. This meeting is a perfectly weighted exchange with two originals and two reinterpretations shared between them.
The opener ‘Grainphase’ is a slowly morphing textural work building towards a masterfully executed release of energy in the latter half of the track. Reeko’s version reshapes the main elements and reveals a harder spine beneath the original’s fluid architecture. Flipping the record gives way to Reeko’s original, a tour de force in sound design. ‘Tierra De Nadie’ paints a desolate and hazy surface filled with glitched recordings of alien language. Finally, Claudio’s rework is built in a similarly dark tone but with an increase of visibility, drifting aboveground.

Mastered by Artefacts Mastering and cut by Simon at The Exchange. The artwork is based on a digitally scanned painting on canvas by Technokunst’s own Dorka Berkes.

Continuing the remix saga with global flair: Deadbeat Knockout punches up Lover's Rock with punchy dubbed out beats. While Quantic reimagines Forrowest into a soulful, rhythm-driven journey. More cross-genre magic from Nublu's remix vault.

The dreamy harmonising of Everything But The Girl. The propulsive urgency of The Strokes. The lilting folk-pop of The Coral. The introspective songcraft of Belle and Sebastian. The bittersweet, lyrical side-eyes of The Beautiful South. Vona Vella have all these elements and so many more, all weaving together to form a contemporary sound both gossamer delicate and fiercely robust. Since their eponymous debut album in 2023 (released on Strap Originals, Pete Doherty’s label), the seed of their signature sound – wistful indie-pop harmonies, exquisitely blended male/female vocals – has not so much grown as erupted through the dream-pop meadow into a towering, flowering beanstalk.

Today, with their second album Carnival, the former indie-pop duo have spectacularly evolved into a dynamic five-piece band, with key musical contributions from the musicians they’ve so successfully toured with over the last two years, drummer Jake Bott (who they’ve known since they were 17), bassist Claud J Melton (who they found on TikTok through a search for a female bassist), and guitarist Dexter Howell (a friend of a friend). As a five-piece, their innate pop sensibilities are now newly bolstered by a confident, thrilling propulsion, izzy and Dan, still the main songwriters and vocalists, are thrilled with the sound, where the possibilities are endless. Vona Vella may be names after two flowers, but there’s nothing twee happening here.

Alongside with the release of the new album “Tote Winkel”, Sankt Otten will be delighting us with another limited vinyl bonus release. “Hymnen und Helden” (hymns and heroes) is a collection of cover versions created over the last few years. As the album title suggests, it pays homage to self-proclaimed musical hymns and heroes from the seventies and eighties.

HYMNEN UND HELDEN – track by track: A well-known Moog sequence leads us on the way into the cover album. Giorgio Moroders 1977 disco classic “I feel love” has been tackled here. Sankt Ottens instrumental interpretation starts out familiar, but ends in a slightly disturbing disharmony of mellotron and ebow guitar.

The instrumental version of the melancholy Wipers anthem from 1983 starts with a rather unusually fast 808 beat for Sankt Otten. The 80s electronic echoes suit the punk rock earworm “Doom Towen” surprisingly well.

Without Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, more unusual electronic music would hardly have been conceivable in Germany in the early 1980s. “Alles ist gut” tribute to this band and singer Gabi Delgado-Lopez, who passed away in 2020 and with whom they shared the festival stage in 2015. Gabi‘s lyrics are rendered by text- to-speech software with the voice of an unknown Claudia.

“Wishing (If I had a photograph of you)” was made famous in 1982 by A Flock of Seagulls. This record was regularly played on Stephan Ottens turntable back then. Reason enough to remember this with “Sehnen (Hät- te Ich von dir eine Fotografie)”. The recordings for this album were made in 2007 and have been updated and completed in the last year. Carsten Sandkämper, who was also featured on Sankt Ottens debut album “Eine kleine Traurigkeit”, contributed the vocals and lyrics.

The Swiss band Grauzone became famous with the NDW hit “Eisbär”. Instead of this title, they took on the B-side of this single with “Ich liebe sie”. A synthpop love song full of innocence, stylishly sung by Carsten San- kämper and refined with Kraftwerk-like choral sounds and an herbaceous motorik beat.

The band has enjoyed a personal friendship with Harald Grosskopf since their collaboration in 2013 on the album “Messias Maschine”. With “So weit, so gut”, they take on his little hit from the album “Synthesist”, which is one of the gems of the synthesizer albums of the eighties.

“Kriegsmaschinen, fahrt zur Hölle” is an anti-war song from 1974 by Günter Schickert, the Berlin master of the echo guitar. Unfortunately, the lyrics are still relevant. Oliver Klemm contributes the delay guitars and Stephan Otten puts the lyrics through a vocoder. Sankt Otten compress the 17-minute original to just under 5 minutes and move it musically from the 70s to the 80s.

Sankt Otten’s adaptation of David Bowies “Heroes” is equipped with warm Juno 106 sounds, ebow guitar and synthesizer pads. The German “Helden” version, known from the movie Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo, is sung in a touching way by Carsten Sandkämper.

New York-based Rafael Anton Irisarri was responsible for mastering the record. As part of the series with graphic covers, this die-cut artwork was also created by Mexican designer Daniel Castrejon. The one time only vinyl pressing, limited to 350 copies, comes in a beautifully designed die-cut cover and colored vinyl. The Osnabrück duo Sankt Otten, founded in 1999, have been releasing on Denovali since 2009. The band has dedicated itself to the holy trinity of Krautrock, Ambient and contemporary Electronics.






d Sehnen [Haette ich von Dir eine Fotografie]

Like a crusader, Apollo Noir relentlessly pursues his noble cause: pushing modular and analog experimentation ever further while remaining irresistibly accessible. Here is CORE, his 4th studio album, fusing post rave techno Detroit à la Drexciya and Manchester early Autechre (Spiral), OPN’s most epic era (Nobody On The Floor), futuristic UK jungle (A Good Brainwash), letfield amen-breaked ambient (ça va), a mega massive cadaver exquis song (CORE) featuring Remi Sauzedde’s very close friends (Janis, Ley, Claude Violante, Silly Boy Blue, S Diamah, Serguei Spoutnik and Fly HQ), diving deeper - as a true obsessive lover of drum machines (TR909, TR808 and TR606) - in the raw deconstruction of techno rhythms (Déconstruire), unleashing a dark and heavy Bassline at 145 bpm with grime vocal samples (Patternity), heavy modular beats blending perfectly with soft and voicy Korg M1 pads (Shame)... Apollo Noir knows his classics and contemporaries inside out, forging his own path with deranged yet beautiful twists (Thedral, Arco Arca).

The last time Noir embarked on a similar creative exorcism was for 2012's Jimmy's Show LP which selected choice cuts from 18 E.P. 's released via straight to fan subscription over as many months. The resulting album is one of his most lauded and beloved by fans, with the vinyl now selling for silly money on Discogs.

Programmes for Cools is Jimmy's Show's spiritual successor, idiosyncratic, other worldly and brimming with timeless melodies. Noir's influences seep through the track list, wrapped with a haunting, dreamlike delivery.

First single 'Out Of Sight' is a Fleetwood Mac meets Selected Ambient Works era Richard D James, four to the floor banger. Already a fan favourite, it propels Side A forward with a somewhat misplaced optimism, much like Neil Young's 'Walk On' starting On the Beach.

Side B is more esoteric, exemplified by 'Fireworks’which includes lyrics and vocals from Marie Claude Dequoy,produced with the wooze of golden era Boards of Canada. Elsewhere, influences as disparate as Stevie Wonder, on the wonky clav funk of 'The Fountain', and Ian Brown 'I think I found it' illustrate Noir's disregard for musical straightjackets (the latter may have the most unapologetic baggy, hypnotic groove since the Mondays' 'Halleluiah').

As the album swells to its conclusion, via the epic Led Zeppelin meets the Warhol clique 'Morning Light’and the heart tugging finale of 'Motorbike’(the first song released from the most recent run of E.P.'s), there is a sense of completion and finality...
‘This is the last Jim Noir album. There are no more Jim Noir albums after this one. This time I'm serious. It's been the hardest I've ever worked on anything. I think I have created my own Be Here Now...Sorry.’
Joking and hyperbole aside, the album has more of an Abbey Road feel, and needs to be experienced in one sitting. If the infamous Davyhulme prankster is to be believed and this is his final outing, then you could wish for a more fitting album. - NM

Minority Records is releasing a unique boxset Politique du silence with three early albums from Sylvain Chauveau, French composer of minimalist neoclassical music.
“When I made my first albums as a composer, I was obsessed with minimalism, and this quote from the film director Robert Bresson summed up my state of mind. I set myself three principles: 1) Use silence as a starting point, 2) Only add sound when it's absolutely essential, 3) Don't imitate the Anglo-Saxon musicians I admired, but draw on the musical culture of my country, France which lead me to listen intensively to Satie, Debussy and Ravel.” Chauveau explains the background to his work.

The collection Politique du silence contains the recordings of Des plumes dans la tête (2004), Un autre Décembre (2003) and Nocturne impalpable (2001) on coloured 180 gram vinyls. The cover features artwork by French photographer Valéry Lorenzo.

“When I discovered the simple and powerful black and white pictures by Valéry Lorenzo, in the 90s, I immediately fell in love with them. We became good friends and since then I ask him to let me use one of his photos for most of my album covers, or to make my portrait for press shots. It has become a real collaboration, music and images, for more than 25 years. It was then logical to ask him again for the cover of this boxset, like a gentle reflection on my piano and strings era. It's a true honour for me to see my early music recollected, repackaged, remastered after all this time. Which gives me hope that this music, in which I've put all my soul and heart during the years 2001 to 2003, is maybe not forgotten yet.” Chauveau himself adds of his collaboration with Valéry Lorenzo.
Nocturne impalpable and Un autre Décembre were re-issued by Minority Records in 2014 and 2015 and both titles completely sold out. This year’s release also includes the album Des plumes dans la tête in its world premiere on vinyl.

Nocturne Impalpable is a world of minimalism, abstraction, and contemporary rendition of classical music with variations for the piano, clarinet, strings, and accordion which are often compared to the compositions of composers Harold Budd and Claude Debussy. Here, Chauveau partially reveals his versatility as a composer by connecting electronic elements, noises, and ambient planes with monumental strings and piano preludes. The
album of piano variations Un autre Décembre is interspersed with field recordings and electronic noises. The inspiration for the recording of the album and for its name was the song Jaurès by the Belgian singer and composer Jacques Brel. This song tells the story of the grandparents’ generation who toiled in the mines. “Comfort and health won’t protect our generation from sadness and discontent. We also live through winter times, even if these are slightly warmer due to the current climate.” An album of 20 short instrumental sketches with several delicate intermezzos for the piano, string quartet, and the clarinet, Des plumes dans la tête, was composed for the eponymous film by director Thomas de Thier.
Sylvain Chauveau was born in 1971 in the French town of Bayonne and currently lives in Barcelona. His extensive discography of mainly meditative neo-classical recordings for the music labels FatCat, Sub Rosa, Sonic Pieces, and Flau is enriched by several collaborations and his participation in the Ensemble 0, Arca, and On projects. Chauveau has also composed many film soundtracks as well as music for the theatre. He has presented his works in Prague several times, most recently in the spring of 2024 at the Spectaculare festival. His compositions get tens of millions of streams on streaming services, and he’s been called the French king of minimalism.