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One can’t overstate the size of the Fear Factory boot print on the neck of heavy metal. Unleashing influential albums with devastating anthems for over 30 years, Fear Factory is widely recognized as both crucial and innovative in extreme metal circles. Fear Factory manufactured, demanufactured, and remanufactured a sound that reverberates across several subgenres. They perfected an explosive blend of staccato paint-stripping riffs, industrial-tinged drums, electronic flourishes, and a scream/sing dichotomy, all of which became staples in heavy music, ever since the group first emerged in L.A.

Fear Factory headline major festivals; earned several awards from the international sales charts; toured with Black Sabbath, Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Metallica; and influenced generations of bands. But it’s the group’s commitment to unrelenting extremity and creative authenticity which ensured its place in heavy metal history, from the highly-revered Demanufacture to the similarly dominating Genexus. Songs like “Zero Signal,” “Shock,” and “Fear Campaign” are instantly recognizable anthems, as much a part of the musical DNA of modern metal subculture as the riffs and scream/sing style within them.

Fear Factory records are cinematic in scope; sonic landscapes, echoing the dystopian post-apocalyptic futures found in classic sci-fi literature and films, from Ray Bradbury to Blade Runner. Aggression Continuum, the tenth studio album, is the culmination of three decades of unforgettable songs, performances, and forward-thinking storytelling concepts, while simultaneously rebooting Fear Factory onto a brilliant and excitingly unpredictable new path. Like the liquid metal T-1000 in the Terminator franchise or the Academy-Award winning reboot of Mad Max, Aggression Continuum is a turning point where what “was” transforms into what will be. It’s Fear Factory’s own Fury Road.

Aggression Continuum boasts the definitive attack of songs like “Recode,” “Distruptor,” and “Purity.” The riffs, concepts, and passion remain strong, as Fear Factory celebrates its past, present, and future. Whatever may come, Fear Factory will be there, a soundtrack to humankind’s uncertain times ahead.

The '2Kings EP' is the debut release from Ash and Jay Shah, two brothers based in London. The record has come out on their newly formed '506' label via Kudos Records. Having produced for various MC's and vocalists in the past, this is the first time the brothers have teamed up to release something under their own '2Kings' alias.

Drawing on influences from the styles of producers such as Madlib, J Dilla and The Alchemist, the record blends obscure soul and jazz infused samples with incisive vocals to take the listener on an introspective journey across 6 tracks.

”Papered Up” and "Dark Corners" shows the pair team up with Detroit legend Guilty Simpson and LA wordsmith Blu over two soul-smoked instrumentals, with both MCs lacing up to provide hard-hitting verses. Guilty's gritty personal narrative of the daily struggles of living in the D is wonderfully counterbalanced by the spaced out, string-lead production; whilst Blu takes a more positive approach, his intricate west-coast flow interrupted only by the pitched-up vocal hook of the sample.

"Last Time", perhaps the standout song on the EP, is a rich, experimental piece of neo-soul embellished by gorgeous guitar riffs from Oscar Jerome (who has released on both Universal Records and Giles Peterson's Brownswood Records) and the velvet smooth tones of rising vocalist Douniah (signed to german based hip hop label Melting Pot Music).

Since the digital release, the EP has received widespread acclaim, with support from Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan, Giles Peterson and Alexander Nut, to name a few. The brothers have been repeatedly championed by Jamie Groovement / Agent J (head music editor of Bonafide Magazine) having recently appeared on his Groovement Show on Reform Radio, and "Last Time" was also featured on Spotify's 'Fresh Finds' and 'Fresh Finds: The Wave' playlists.

The '2Kings EP' is definitely one to watch out for.

It may be his fifth album, but Saturday Night, Sunday Morning marks the start of chapter two for Jake Bugg. Arguably his most complete and coherent record to date, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning manages to combine a love of ABBA, the Beach Boys, Supertramp and the Bee Gees, with a contemporary pop sound: one that’s already spawned his most ubiquitous song in years via euphoric lead single, All I Need. “I knew what I was looking for this time around,” the 27-year-old says, firmly. “And I feel like I accomplished it.” It’s almost 10 years since a two-fingered Bugg burst onto the scene with his eponymous debut, one that topped the UK album charts and saw the then 18-year-old from Nottingham fêted as the next Bob Dylan. A Rick Rubin-produced follow up, Shangri La, quickly followed. But progress stalled with Bugg’s third, largely self-produced, record, On My One, in 2016. “I was having a hard time on that third record,” Bugg admits, five years removed. “The support from the industry wasn’t what it was. All those people telling you how great you are weren’t there anymore. It does feel like the rug’s been swept from under your feet.” What that record provided, however – along with its comparatively stripped-back follow up, Hearts That Strain (2017) – was a much-needed course corrector: one that set Bugg on the upward trajectory he finds himself on today. “When I came to terms with that was when I left the ego at the door,” he says. “It didn’t work out. But it led here. And this is probably my strongest record." It’s testament to Bugg’s rediscovered confidence that Saturday Night, Sunday Morning – a nod to the debut novel by Nottingham author Alan Sillitoe – sees him working with some of his highest profile collaborators to date, most notably American songwriters Andrew Watt and Ali Tamposi, best known for their work with pop heavyweights Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Camila Cabello. “I was looking for how I can incorporate my sound for a more modern era. And I kind of struck gold working with Andrew Watt and Ali Tamposi,” Bugg says. Convening in LA, the first track the trio wrote together is the jealousy-inflected About Last Night, a song about the “insecurities you go through as a young person in a relationship with someone.” “It’s got such dark undertones, which I love,” Bugg says, of a song that showcases a newly discovered, Beach Boys-esque falsetto. “But it’s also very, very pop. That’s what I’ve always loved. With ABBA, with Supertramp. I love pop music. But when you can get it to be dark, I love it even more.” It’s a trick the trio repeated again on Scene, Bugg’s personal favourite from the album and a song that best encapsulates the combination of old and new: Watt’s George Harrison-esquire guitar brushing up against contemporary melodic choices by Tamposi. “I love writing with her,” Bugg says of the Havana hitmaker. “She brought that women’s perspective. And I knew that I’d got that balance of what I wanted. That old school chorus with contemporary verses. That to me was my favourite song when I wrote it, and it still is.” Perhaps the biggest example of Bugg’s newfound ego-less approach to writing, however, came in the shape of Downtown, a song that grew from an idea by Jamie Hartman (Celeste, Lewis Capaldi, Rag'n'Bone Man), and sees Bugg deploy the higher range of his voice to ethereal, ’60s Bee Gees effect. “Usually, the initial spark of an idea comes from me. And when it doesn't, it sometimes loses my attention,” Bugg admits. On Downtown, however, he relished his role as arranger: “Because there were a lot of moving parts and chords, it was almost like a puzzle,” he says. “I’d never approached a song like that before. “What I’ve been enjoying on this record is the collaborative process,” he continues. Working with people, writing with people. Because I’ve realised all I really want to achieve is to be the best writer I can possibly be. And I think by working with other people, it allows you to learn a lot as well.” It’s a theory Bugg has put to the test during lockdown, when he was approached by his manager about writing the soundtrack to an upcoming documentary, The Happiest Man In The World, about Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho. “It’s kind of a completely different experimental outlet,” Bugg explains of his first ever score. “I approach my own work quite professionally. But with this I can just switch off and go into a different world. And it’s been brilliant – I’ve had to learn different styles of guitar: bossa nova, samba. It’s a bit Vangelis, who’s probably my favourite artist – which may surprise people.” Possibly. But you get the impression that surprising is what Bugg likes to do. “I don’t like to be stuck doing the same thing,” he admits. “And that’s what this record Saturday Night, Sunday Morning was. I wanted to push myself. I’m always learning new influences. I’m careful not to get stuck on the same thing. “It’s not going to be right every time. It’s not going to be good every time,” he continues. “But if that’s the process it takes to get to this record, where people are loving the songs again, then that’s the journey we have to take.” For Jake Bugg, chapter two starts now. New album ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’ is out August 20th on RCA Records

London’s finest garage crew, Kurupt FM, are preparing for a massive 2021, kicking off with the release of their debut original single. ‘Summertime’ saw the Kurupt FM boys teaming up with fellow UK heavyweight Craig David. Alongside their debut album ‘The Greatest Hits (Part 1)’ Kurupt FM will be releasing the feature film adaptation of their two-time BAFTA-winning BBC comedy series in August People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive, very often simply referred to as BTO, were a Canadian rock band active in three different intervals from 1973 until 2018, with the latest incarnation performing under the name of Bachman & Turner. The original line-up consisted of Randy Bachman (lead guitar, lead vocals), Fred Turner (bass guitar, lead vocals), Tim Bachman (guitar, vocals) and Robbie Bachman (drums).

MOV proudly presents new Collected compilation albums in collaboration with Universal Music. Collected is a compilation featuring the band’s greatest songs released between 1973 and 1996. Some of the hits included are “Let It Ride”, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, “Hey You”, “Down to the Line” and their rendition of the traditional folk song “The House of the Rising Sun”.

Whether you’re a new listener or a long-time fan of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, this compilation is essential and captures the band’s early career beautifully. The Collected package comes with liner notes and photos.

Behind The Dykes is a 2LP compilation presenting the best bands and artists the Dutch had to offer in the period 1964-1972. The Netherlands were the first non-English speaking country to storm the Billboard Hot
100 with a string of hit singles from bands such as Shocking Blue,
Focus, George Baker Selection, Golden Earring and Tee-Set. This
2LP presents the bands that followed closely behind, with singles and albums that internationally have become highly sought-after records. Some bands with a rich discography, others with no more than one or two singles under their belt. Original singles of many of these tracks are currently offered and/or sold for hundreds of Euros on Discogs, and many original pressings were so limited at the original time of release that they are impossible to find.

The album is released under the Decca brand with the classic logos and labels. The full color printed inner sleeves contain liner notes about each individual band with the original single artwork, while the inside of the gatefold sleeve contains photos of the artists featured on this album.

This is the first official re-release on vinyl under licensed courtesy of BMG Rights Management,UK, remastered from an original master copy out of the vaults of BMG, originally released in 1972 on Bronze Records.

Co-founder of Colosseum in 1968 with Jon Hiseman, he knew from his Jazz Club years as drummer for Georgie Fame, Dick ran through this group's hectic recording and touring schedule for over 3 years until November 1971, when it disbanded.

In his late 30s at that time, on top of his musical shape, he moved on to start recording on his first solo project, with material left over from Colosseum days (written by D. H.-S., Clem Clempson and Jon Hisemann) and new material jointly composed with well-known lyricist Pete Brown. He recruited the help of Colosseum mates, Hiseman, keyboardist Dave Greenslade and vocalist/bass player Mark Clarke, plus the brilliant ex-Elton John group Caleb Quaye (Hookfoot) on guitars and Rob Tait (ARC, Battered Ornaments) on drums; old pal G. Bond is featured providing remarkable moog work on 'Pirate's Dream', funky organ on 'Moses In The Bullrushourses' and sharing piano duties with Gordon Beck (G.B. Trio, Nucleus) on 'What The Morning Was After'; Paul Williams (Juicy Lucy) gets the lion share of vocal duties, and Chris Farlowe and Chris Spedding (Nucleus, Battered Ornaments) have respectively a sole vocal and a guitar spot on 'Pirate's Dream'.

The album track by track:
Side one starts with 'Future Song', the track that really rises above the other tracks here. The guitar, vocals (by Mark Carke) and sax are great on this one. Killer sax 2 minutes during an excellent instrumental interlude. H.-S. sounds slightly eastern-influenced on his outstanding sax lines. Such an uplifting track with it's repetitive riff and hard, driving sound! Next is 'Crabs', starting off in a mellow way with Greenslade's piano and reserved vocals as the sax joins in followed by guitar and drums as it builds. Irresistable! Great vocals by Paul Williams. One could easily imagine both tracks on a Colosseum album. 'Moses In The Bullrushourses' is uptempo, owing just as much to jazz, blues and hard rock. Great groove! Lots of organ here to send shivers down your spine and perfect guitar playing. 'What The Morning Was After' opens with some sax excursions as the drums help out. Acoustic guitar by Quaye and powerful vocals by Paul Williams take over as the piano joins in. Our second favourite tune on here after the opener. A folky song really until it picks up half-way through.

Side 2 opens with the 11 minutes 'Pirate's Dream', with Farlowe on vocals and Spedding's initial rock blues riff, but soon evolving to a complex multi parted composition in the best spirit of Valentyne Suite, driven by Hiseman multi faceted drumming. D. H.-S. twin saxes soar on a calmer mid section with Spedding doubling the licks and the bass grumbling relentlessly behind; it slowly gains speed with moog, sax and vocalizations duelling and answering each others with dazzling, demanding and inspired phrasings on top a thundering rhythm section; after the lyrics resume it evolves into a majestic, grandiose finale. A bluesy clean guitar lick opens 'Same Old Thing', a swinging, calm heavily modulated twisted blues, with a punchy rhythm section, a soulful Williams on vocal, Quaye delivering an inspired sparkling solo and D. H.-S.'s sensitive fat sax enhanced with some double tracking on the solo part. A great ending to a great album.

Album comes with the reproduction of original gatefold cover sleeve, additional cover-sized insert with band story, lyrics and photos. A highlight! Highly recommended!

Vistas announce their sophomore album ‘What Were You Hoping To Find? ‘
with their second track of the year ‘Stuck In Your Head’ - an indie ear-worm
that’s arrived just in time for the summer.
This latest offering comes not long after their hotly anticipated return ‘Start
Again’, and paves the way for a busy schedule of releases prior to their album
release, due Aug 2021.
- Debut album #21 in OCC album charts - September UK tour 90% sold out
- Bristol, Manchester (Academy), London (Heaven), Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow x2 (Barrowland and Ballroom), Huddersfield
- Outdoor advertising (from August 16th): Billboards in Camden London,
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth. + album flyposting in London, Glasgow,
Cardiff + Pavement Stencils (cities TBC)
- TRANSMT FESTIVAL: 60x40 drums & billboards around festival site, 10-12
September

When Walter Smith III released his fourth solo album ‘Still Casual’ in 2014,
people listened, and the album was heralded as one of the top
releases of the year.
Now, fans of the saxophonist and composer can experience the tenorist’s wideranging release on vinyl for the first time on this special 2xLP, 180 gram limited
edition pressing with gatefold artwork.
Smith’s discography is pleasingly joined-up. As ‘In Common 2’ follows ‘In Common’, ‘Still Casual’ references his 2006 solo debut ‘Casually Introducing’. The
title might be another one of Smith’s trademark riffs, but the album is as committed to exploration as any other. Over the course of ten original tracks, Smith
covers a swathe of musical and emotional ground.
The players assembled for ‘Still Casual’ speak volumes for the quality of Smith’s
company. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire joins Smith for explosive soloing on
‘Fing Fast’ and ‘Something New’. In Common co-convenor Matthew Stevens
provides reflective harmonic support and muted solo colours alongside the
understated backings of Taylor Eigsti. Together, Harish Raghavan and Kendrick
Scott provide moments of tension and intrigue from the backline, adding suitable punch to the opener ‘Foretold You’.
Chronologically, the album precedes the In Common projects, and comes right
as Smith hits his stride as a composer and arranger. From the elaborate (‘About
360’, ‘Processional’) to the personal (‘Greene’ is dedicated to saxophonist Jimmy Greene, whose daughter was killed in the Sandy Hook school shootings in
2012), Smith shines across fast-flowing vernacular and reflective, tender tones.
Still Casual showcases a group stretching themselves in a way that never seems
hurried, delving into a powerful collective energy to test their limits instead.

German DJ and producer Terrorrythmus returns with D3l3t3, a bass, gabber and hybrid rave inspired fire red five-tracker. It's time to get vacced and waxxed!

Red 140g vinyl comes in a printed sleeve with a download card and stickers.

Edition of 250pcs.

DIE NEUE ZEIT

Old time? New time!

And of course an exciting time - and thus time for DIE NEUE ZEIT and their eponymous high-speed statement "WIR SIND DIE NEUE ZEIT"!

But who is behind DIE NEUE ZEIT? We simply don't know! And we don't want to know. What we know is that these two daredevils race through their theme tune with sheer intensity - there simply is no stopping them - and you better don't - because when that cow bell gets loose … heaven forbid!

For extra extensive play of "WIR SIND DIE NEUE ZEIT" we strongly advise to make good use of the vocal AND the instrumental version playing both back and forth until all dancers surrender to the rhythms of DIE NEUE ZEIT.

Now tanz' die neue Zeit und geh' in die Knie und klatsch in die Hände, beweg' Deine Hüfte! The new time has come!

Comes with POSTER and digi dowload

Destruction by IND (Artist) - English version below.

Ce morceau est une tentative d'allégorie de la situation actuelle, entre confinement collectif et confinement individuel, ou comment en etant seul l'on peut se retrouver confiné en nous meme, et comment ce regard sur soi peut se transformer en catharsis si on ose le soutenir.
C'est un peu expérimental, j'espere que ça vous parlera!

C'est l'histoire de quelqu'un posé chez lui, seul.Dans sa solitude l'anxiété monte, et pour tenter d'attenuer cela, il décide de sortir à l'extérieur.il passe la porte de chez lui, se retrouve dans la rue, sous la pluie, dans l'orage.Les rues sont vides, vides comme son intérieur à lui, et ce vide ne fais que grandir cette anxiété qui le prend.Il marche, explore, pense, se perd, et finit par trouver un batiment dont il ne connait pas vraiment l'origine ni le but. Ca ressemble à une usine abandonnée, mais l'est ce vraiment?il décide d'entrer, se retrouve a l'intérieur, il fait sombre, l'angoisse grandit en lui.Pour retrouver un peu de lumière, il entrouvre une porte qu'il avait aperçu en entrant, au fond de la salle principale, et sort dans une petite court intérieur, quelques plantes ont poussé. Au fond de cette cours, et bien qu'il sache pertinemment, à l'image de son intérieur a lui, que certaines portes ne doivent pas,ne doivent plus être ouverte, il trouve une lourde porte de metal et l'ouvre.
Devant lui des escaliers, qui le mènent dans la cave, dans sa cave, a l'intérieur de lui meme, là ou la lumière n'arrive plu.Et attiré par la noirceur il descend.
Ses pas résonnent , et arrivé en bas, il découvre ce qu'il n'aurait pas du voir.alors l'instinc de survie reprends ses droits, et il court, il court et s'enfui, remonte les escaliers, ressort du batiment et revient dans la rue, vide, mais en sécurité, l'angoisse a disparue, car des fois, se confronter a notre noirceur la plus enfoui, permet de la mettre en lumière, et ainsi la dompter.

his track is a kind of allegory, a trial to express the feeling of these weird times , the lockdown we live ,wich is as external as its internal...How the anxiety grow and how our internal vibe could be felt as empty as the streets around us while seeing nobody all day long.
This is the story of someone, at home.He feel the anxiety grow in him, and decide to go outside, but all the streets are empty,like himself. he walk and as he walk the anxiety continue to grow.Finally he find a building, unknowing if its a factory or what but its abandonned, ,he goes inside to explore, arrive in an indoor course, and see a door...being intrigued, he decide to open this door and to go down the stairs he have in front of him...The more he descend, the more the fear and anxiety grow, as he goes down inside his mental.Finally he arrive in the basement, and what he see is too rude for him, and so he decide to run and escape from this, from himslef.
he run run run, go upstaris, open the doors and arrive in the street, safe.And without any anxiety, because sometimes, to go face to face with our deepest dark side, let us put light on it, and so let us tame it.

We are super excited to introduce our label Altered States with this four track EP by one of the label-heads Green Ink, a showcase of his versatile production with dancefloor focus.

After his first vinyl release on Andrew Thompson’s and Auntie Flo’s HIGHLIFE Imprint, and collaborating with Nicola Cruz, bedroom producer Green Ink gained confidence in his creations. Dedicating most of his free time to music, the idea of an own label developed. Together with his good friends dj n/a and visual artist Han$ Wor$t the concept of “Altered States” materialised, and finally comes to life with this release.

Motown Collected brings together the biggest names in the rich history of this legendary label. From very early singles to the artists that made Motown a household name for decades to come and the cross-over pop success of the late 70’s and 80’s. Featuring legendary artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Jackson Five, Smokey Robinson and The Commodores, as well as gems from the likes of Marv Johnson, Barrett Strong, The Marvelettes and Tom Clay and pop superstars Rick James, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie and Debarge: just a selection of the 33 incredible tracks featured on Motown Collected.

The documentary Hitsville: The Making Of Motown’, featuring Motown founder Berry Gordy and many of this artists, will premiere in cinemas across Europe this summer as well.






RELEASE: 23-7-2021

MOV proudly presents new Collected compilation albums in collaboration with Universal Music. Motown Collected is the first one, available as a limited edition of 3000 numbered copies on white vinyl. It includes an insert with photos and credits.

’Angelo lost his shit over it. Aaliyah’s 3rd favourite track of all time is on it. David Bowie rocked up with it to a TV interview, declaring it “the most exciting sound of contemporary soul music”.

In 1996, Lewis Taylor released his self-titled masterpiece. A true modern classic, it’s an album that was years ahead of its time. Forget 25 years ago, it could easily have been made in 2021. An effortless blend of neo-soul, sophisticated pop, smart grooves and laid-back white funk, it enjoyed rapturous reviews from critics and music legends alike. But the album never managed to make an impact and given what was likely a token vinyl release at the time, the original records have long since been near-impossible to find. Lewis Taylor’s Lewis Taylor remains a holy relic for some and criminally unknown to most.

Lewis Taylor’s impeccable influences created a dazzling sonic palette: the LP as a whole suggests the visionary brilliance of Prince; the vocal stylings evoke the yearning power of Marvin Gaye; the effortless guitar playing shares the virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix; the haunting tones conjure Tricky; the innovative production and engineering invite comparisons to studio mavericks like Todd Rundgren and Brian Eno; the multi-layered, complex harmonies flash on Pet Sounds-era Brian Wilson; the dark, drama is reminiscent of both Scott Walker and Stevie Wonder; the complex arrangements create textures and moods with the feel of Shuggie Otis on Inspiration Information; the bold experimentation is akin to progressive artists like Faust and Tangerine Dream; the atmosphere is in conversation with Jeff Buckley’s Grace… and we could go on. That might all sound like marketing hyperbole, but not as far as Be With is concerned. It is a genuine wonder how an album this good could’ve passed so many people by.

But despite all the reference points, the similarities are really only skin-deep because the album sounds truly original. It occupies its own distinct, strange universe that feels dark and brooding one moment, bright and joyous the next. Ultimately, Taylor sounds like Taylor.

Although you wouldn’t know it from the credits, the album wasn’t the work of Lewis alone. Sabina Smyth gets an executive producer credit on the original sleeve, but in fact she worked with Lewis on the production and arrangements, did a lot of the backing vocals and she co-wrote Track, Song, Lucky and Damn with Lewis.

Lewis clarified all this in a Soul Jones interview with Dan Dodds in 2016. He explains how not giving Sabina the credit she was due at the time was an unfortunate consequence of where his head was at and he’s now trying to set the record straight.

Together they created an exquisite and sensually-charged record, with a freshness to the writing that makes the songs catchy, melodic-yet-deep and sometimes even funky. The music is predominantly guitar-led and a mixture of organs and synths, live drum loops and electronic percussion make for a sort of modern soul backing orchestra.

On the surface the album is gorgeously laidback, but beneath the lush, sometimes slick, production there’s a murkiness in the seriously gritty funk/hip-hop instrumentation. Lewis Taylor can be a claustrophobic listen. Even its one-word, often seemingly throw-away track titles add to the sense of unease. In its most positive moments, there’s still a sense that things aren’t quite right. The magic comes from this compelling tension.

The languid, strutting “Lucky” is a sensational opening statement. Sinuous electric guitar winds around the shaking percussion with a killer bass line rattling your bones, and Lewis’s voice is sublime. Its six-and-a-half unhurried minutes manage to distill the work of Marvin, Al Green and Bobby Womack because yes, it’s *that* good. Up next is the tough, dusty drum and jazzy, unsettling psych-guitar workout of “Bittersweet”. Aaliyah described it the “perfect song”, which says it all. By turns loping and soaring, tightly coiled and blasting free, 25 years on its discordant, swaggering majesty still sounds like future R&B.

The swinging, blue-eyed funk of “Whoever” oozes sophisticated sunshine soul for hazy days before “Track” sweeps in. The music tries to lift us up, beyond the reach of the vocals trying to drag us back down as Taylor sings “my mood is black as the darkest cloud”. The spare, dubby electro-soul of “Song” closes out the first half of the album with barely contained dread as it creeps towards the lush, synth-heavy coda.

The smouldering “Betterlove” eases us into the second half, coming on like a languorous response to the call of “Brown Sugar”, before sliding into the shuffling, softly-rocking “How”. Somehow the remarkable “Right” manages to both warm things up and smooth things out even more. Taut yet luxurious, it’s definitely not wrong.

“Damn” was to have been the album’s title track and you might also be able to hear its influence on D’Angelo’s Voodoo, maybe most obviously in the chaotic closing moments of “Untitled (How Does It Feel)”. Building to a screeching wall of noise that suddenly cuts dead, “Damn” sounds like the natural end to the album, with the celestial a cappella “Spirit” serving as a heavenly reprise.

When it came to the sleeve, art director Cally Callomon heard Taylor’s music as “sideways off-camera glances at a plethora of influences he had” and wanted to interpret that visually: “I went off into night-time London to see if I could find his song titles in off-beam low-fidelity photographs. I even found a shop called Lewis Taylor”. With a slide for each of the album’s ten tracks, nine of them are on the inner sleeve and the slide for “Damn” makes the front cover. It should’ve been the album’s title, but concerns over distribution in the US scuppered this.

One of UK soul’s most fascinating artists, Andrew Lewis Taylor is an enigmatic figure and a hugely under-appreciated talent. A prodigious multi-instrumentalist who got his start touring with heavy blues/psych outfit the Edgar Broughton Band, he released two albums of psychedelic-rock as Sheriff Jack before Island signed him on the strength of a demo alone. But Taylor was destined to be one of those artists unable (or unwilling) to be pigeonholed and despite the best efforts of Island’s publicity department the music never sold in the quantities it needed to or deserved to. Island eventually let him go in the early 2000s and in June 2006, Lewis Taylor retired from music.

Typical for the mid-90s, this CD-length album was squeezed onto a single LP for its original vinyl release. Simon Francis’s fresh vinyl mastering now spreads out the ten tracks over a double LP so nothing is compromised. And as usual, the records have been cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. The original artwork has been restored at Be With HQ and subtly re-worked to work as a double.

This sprawling psychedelic soul opus really is a forgotten should-be-classic. We know that there are those of you who know, and as for the rest of you, we’re a bit jealous that you’re getting to hear Lewis Taylor for the first time.

Damiano’s 'PETE' is indebted to those feelings of anticipation for nightlife to return, nowhere is that fell more than his beloved Robert Johnson (where he's resident) and with a new chapter about to start this summer D's trio of heartfelt ravey corkers couldn’t come at a better time.

K Records continues to serve up a variety of music that perhaps wont fit anywhere else in Kniteforces deep catalogue of labels. This time we hit the ground running with one of the darkest releases ever to come out of the KF studio. Luna-C flexed very different muscles in the studio for this release, and it was perhaps too different at the time of release…Initially released on its own sub label, and limited to 300 copies, this slice of early d’n’b / dark sounding jungle has gained more and more acclaim over the years and changes hands for serious money with collectors on Discogs due to its scarcity.

Repress

Tiga's drops BUGATTI. Another irresistible one-liner on the dance-floor that can't be missed or forgotten.

So much sex and attitude, so few elements. A staccato kick-snare rhythm, a robo-funk synth line, a futuristic pad, a detuned ride, a cheeky vocal hook and a one-note acid line that brings it all together. That's it. All you need if you know what you're doing and have an experienced pair of Canadian Electro-godfather balls intact. Tiga has made a career out of being catchy: from Sunglasses to Mind Dimension, from Plush to Pleasure From the Bass, from You Gonna Want Me to Let's Go Dancing. How does he do it

It's his ability to drop a clever turn of phrase that separates him from the pack, but the strength and character of his production choices keep things clear of kitsch and make him a perennially hot-tipped cool-commodity everywhere from the great American EDM stage to the hallowed-haus of Panorama's deep underground credibility. His career is like a Veyron - stable AND insane.

So listen to it, get it stuck in your head. This track is crazy dope, it doesn't sound like anyone else, and it's the most hip-hop thing all you house DJs are likely to fit into your sets this weekend so go on, get loose and take it for a ride.

This is what Tiga had to say about the Vinyl-Only remixes 12" :

For this, my most personal record, i hand selected remixers of the highest order. Cliff Lothar, absolute legend, and current king of the enigma groove, delivers an absolute masterpiece. It's seriously a 10 on 10, and I never say that. Vinyl only bitches. Perth Drug Legend, somebody else who I kinda know and yet totally don't know (or I guess I just thought I knew) slams the 'gatti with raw tribal funk: again suitable for a warehouse or a particularly forward-thinking car dealership. Rebolledo, one of the few men i actually trust, comes in with a slightly electrofied extended party mix. God I'm happy. Full disclosure: there were a few people who did remixes that were rejected. I will reveal their names publicly in good time. Good day. T.

6 tracks including two new wigged out re-dubs from Paolo Baldini 'Dubfiles', demonstrating the effect of dropping an echo chamber down
a sink-hole. Upsetter magic at its finest. Comes in a grey house bag.

Polish alt-pop superstar Brodka announces new
album ‘BRUT’; a powerful examination of gender,
self-image and society.
Hot on the heels of her Speedy Wunderground 7”
‘Wrong Party’, ‘BRUT’ was recorded with Boxed
In’s Oli Bayston (Kelly Lee Owens, Loyle Carner)
and finds Brodka blurring the boundaries between
natural and synthetic sounds - post-punk riffs, icy
synths and the serrated, heavily-processed guitar
sounds that slice through glittering electro-pop to
bring an industrial edge to the brutalism-inspired
vision.
LP pressed on marbled vinyl.

Latin-infused Hip-Hop project by The Breed and Richard Holzmann feat. FLKS, Cy Leo, Kid Taro, Phlocalyst and Franz. Cover photo by the legendary Estevan Oriol (Netflix / LA Originals)

It all started in 2020 when producer The Breed and guitarist Richard Holzmann decided to start their own project called PAPI CHURRO. The two german musicians came up with a unique combination of latin-folk and HipHop Sounds. Almost like a Lo-Fi Beat version of guys like João Gilberto or Carlos Jobim. But also the typical Mexican sounds of Druglord Movies like „Narcos“ are part of their soundcollage. In very short time PAPI CHURRO gained a fanbase and millions of streams on the net. Since all the instruments are played live the songs are not your average Samplebeat but come with some more complex arrangements. But still producer The Breed clearly references those „Chops and Breaks Roots“ on the songs.

Now it’s time for their first full-length LP. El Clásico features all of their recently released tunes but also comes with a bunch of new material. It features a lot of talented guest musicians. Blue-note artists Phlocalyst on some trumpet parts, Harmonica world champion Cy Leo from Hongkong. Lo-Fi producer Kid Taro and Bassplayer and producer FLKS appear throughout the record.

For Indie Stores Only. Pressed on Sea Green vinyl, packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket, and limited to 2,000 copies worldwide. The debut album by Joan Shelley pressed on vinyl for the first time. Originally released in 2012 and long-elusive to fans, Ginko is the starting point for Shelley, now revered for her songwriting, “dazzling poetic imagery” (The Guardian) and “radiant sense of calm” (NPR Music). Standout tracks “By The Ohio” and “Siren” show what is to come, while “Sure As Night” was her first collaboration with guitarist Nathan Salsburg

Limited Coke Bottle Green vinyl, 250 copies only for the UK. Any future pressing will be on black vinyl. Massage feature Alex Naidus from Pains At Being Pure At Heart. Recorded by Lewis Pesacov (Fool’s Gold, Foreign Born, Peel’d). Massage was supposed to be low-stakes, no big deal "anti-ambition," as Andrew Romano, guitarist and vocalist, put it. The L.A.based jangle-pop group's first album, 2018's Oh Boy, was a sweet and simple weekend warrior's affair, or more specifically, an every-other-Monday one, as the band members gathered to bash out songs that offered messy but heartfelt tribute to their chosen heroes: The Feelies, the Go-Betweens, Twerps, Flying Nun. For Romano, not taking things too seriously is a dead-serious affair: “Nothing kills the kind of music we want to make faster than the sense that a band is trying too hard,” he says. The kind of music Massage makes sunny, bittersweet, tender is less a proper genre than a minor zip code nested within guitar pop. Take a little "There She Goes" by the La's, some "If You Need Someone" by the Field Mice; the honey-drizzled guitars from The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love," a Jesus & Mary Chain backbeat, and you're almost all the way there. Indie pop, jangle pop, power pop whatever you call it, pushing too hard scares the spirit right out of this sweet, diffident music, and Massage have a touch so light the songs seem to form spontaneously, like wry smiles. Still, on their sophomore effort, Still Life, they manage to take a quantum leap forward in songwriting, production, and depth, all somehow without seeming to try. These 12 deft songs are full of late-summer sunlight and deep shadows, pained grins and shared jokes, shy declarations of love and quietly nursed heartbreak. Still Life resurrects a brief, romantic moment in the late-'80s, right after post-punk and immediately before alt-rock, when it seemed like any scrappy indie band might stumble across a hit. When Andrew Romano and Alex Naidus first met in 2007, Naidus had just joined a band with his friends Kip Berman and Peggy Wang that was about to stumble into many of them. When Naidus finally left Pains for L.A. in 2013, two hit albums and a few world tours later, he started playing with Romano to recapture the no-stakes, suburban-garage joy of making music for its own sake. It was "friendship incarnate," Naidus remembers. The other members came from within the friend circle Gabrielle Ferrer (keyboard/vocals) is Romano's sister-in-law, Michael Felix (drums) is one of Naidus’ best friends, and David Rager (bass) is a childhood friend of Felix’s. When Felix moved to Mexico City in early 2020, Naidus’ wife, Natalie de Almeida, stepped in. The result is the finest batch of songs they've ever produced. From Naidus' velvet-lined JAMC tribute "Half A Feeling" to Ferrer's Let It Be-era Replacements-tinged lament "The Double" to Romano's "In Gray & Blue," these are gold-standard indie-pop gems from emerging masters of the form. Still Life glows with the sincerity and unfakeable warmth of the era they so lovingly channel. Like the best Gin Blossoms chorus you still remember, the songs on Still Life stir big, pure emotions, but beneath them, uneasy truths about adulthood linger, just below the surface. Maybe the exact mix of ringing guitars and two-part harmonies can chase those feelings away, or redeem them, for at least a minute or three. Massage won't stop trying.

The Room will be Ricky Reed’s first artist album since becoming a house-hold-name producer, and launching his own label with Nice Life Recording Company. The project features Leon Bridges, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Dirty Projectors, Terrace Martin, Duendita, Ayoni, Lido Pimienta, St. Panther & John-Robert and more. The Room is a title that came to him in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the galvanizing of the Black Lives Matter movement across America and the world. He wanted to create a communal place where it’s as necessary to cry as it is to rejuvenate; where it’s as vital to be angry as it is to find joy. The music is an invitation to share experiences, commiserate, rejuvenate, and offer hope. It is upbeat in places, meditative always, and has real soul to it. Ultimately, Reed feels fundamentally changed by quarantine, particularly with his process of creating. All the songs were written via text and voice memos. The Room feels like an offering to the world at a time when Reed was back in the process again. Back at a new start. “When this comes out, whether it is well or not, the only thing that matters is that I made it.”

Mondo is proud to present the premiere physical release of the soundtrack to the MSX2 version of the classic game that started it all: METAL GEAR.

The Metal Gear series began in 1987 in Japan, and while it took decades for this original MSX2 version to make its official debut in the United States (the Ultra Games NES version is disavowed by series creator Hideo Kojima) it is considered one of the essential games to come out of the 80's. While not the first to implement Stealth mechanics in gaming, METAL GEAR certainly popularized the genre, and served as the launch pad for a decades spanning franchise of games considered some of the greatest of all time.

Aus Down Under stammend, sind sie nun auf dem Weg nach ganz oben. Melbourne’s THE UGLY KINGS stehen mit ihrem bombastischen, zweiten Album Strange, Strange Times, welches am 13. August 2021 auf Napalm Records erscheint, in den Startlöchern um für mächtig Furore zu sorgen. Die vierköpfige junge Band vereint ihren unverkennbaren Power-Blues und rohen Punk mit einer metallischen Rockkante und dürften mit ihrem Sound bei Fans von Bands wie den Queens Of The Stone Age, Danzig oder The White
Stripes voll ins Schwarze treffen. Messerscharfe Riffs, dynamische Grooves und clevere, eingängige Vocals machen Strange, Strange Times zu einem Album mit hohem Suchtpotenzial! Mit Strange, Strange Times ist THE UGLY KINGS ein erfrischendes, inspirierendes und grandioses Meisterwerk gelungen, und eine mit Sicherheit mehr als willkommene Abwechslung in diesen seltsamen, seltsamen
Zeiten.

REISSUE - from original press release: For three decades the reclusive Revolutionary Army of The Infant Jesus (RAIJ) have confounded musical classification and studiously declined every invitation to explain their unique form of musical and artistic experimentation. Initially the Liverpool outfit built their reputation on their extraordinary immersive multi-media performances combining multiple layers of visual imagery, elements of ritual, enigmatic samples, field recordings and mesmeric live music. Their cult status was further reinforced with the release of the now much sought-after two studio albums The Gift of Tears (1987) and Mirror (1990) and two EP collections, Liturgie Pour La Fin Du Temps (1992) and Paradis (1995). After an 18-year hiatus the appearance of a new RAIJ album, and the apparent relaxation of their strict vow of silence, are generating predictable excitement and expectancy. Beauty Will Save the World does not disappoint. RAIJ's intoxicating mix of ethereal beauty, dazzling soundscapes and oblique mystery reach new levels of intensity and subtlety. The album title - a quote from Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky - is one of the many literary, cinematic and spiritual references underpinning RAIJ's unexpected comeback. Founder members Paul Boyce, Jon Egan and Les Hampson, joined by a fresh wave of collaborators, have crafted an album of unique beauty and originality. Prolonged silence seems to have deepened rather than dimmed their creative impulse. As ever it is the breadth of musical genres, cultural references, borrowings and retrieved sounds that define the RAIJ aesthetic, but there is also a more consistently meditative and melodic strain that underpins the album's integrity and purpose. In a rare insight into the RAIJ's creative method, Jon Egan explains: "Although our work takes elements and inspiration from many disparate sources we have never viewed it as deconstruction. We are looking for the thread that connects every manifestation of beauty, however fragile, transitory and seemingly accidental. " In addition to the album release on Occultation, RAIJ's second coming also includes a live performance at this year's Greenbelt Festival and the re-release on vinyl of The Gift of Tears by California-based label Feral Sounds. "There is renewed interest and appreciation of our music and that's great", said Leslie Hampson. "We have never tried to cultivate obscurity or anonymity, we simply wanted to avoid having to explain and justify a creative process that isn't necessarily premeditated. Isn't it enough to listen to and experience it?"

This 2LP set encompasses some of Ray Charles' most popular, influential and seminal recordings. Listen to these recordings by one of music's true greats, from his formative, pre-Atlantic days to his later genre-defying work, and discover why he was known simply as 'the Genius'.

This is the story of two sisters who nurtured a dream for half a century and never let it die. Vicki and Ronni Gossett launched their musical career as teenagers in Whittier, California in 1966. They called themselves the Female Species. Members came and went; their base of operations moved to Las Vegas, back to LA, and over to Nashville. Along the way their sound transformed from garage rock to lounge to country pop, the only constant being an innate mastery of hooks and harmony.



These ladies had it. Along the way, they crossed paths with The Carpenters, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Judds, and seemingly half of the industry’s power players, rebuffing all untoward advances, focused always on their craft. In the 1980s they became staff songwriters for music publishing companies in the hit-making business. Relentless pushing landed them a once in a lifetime audition before the court of RCA’s top executives — the kind of new talent showcase that almost never happens after 30.

Vicki and Ronni were by then in their 40s. Tale of My Lost Love is the whole story from beginning to end of two sisters who gave everything to their dream, yet never made a single record... until now. Sometimes great music just isn’t enough to break through — until it is. Numero Group is thrilled and proud, at long last, to introduce Female Species.

Glenn Astro returns to Tartelet Records with Purple, a four-tracker of minimal slow burners and futuristic dance music, marking the label’s 50th 12-inch release.

Since releasing his second album Homespun in late 2020, Glenn Astro has been quietly channeling his funky instincts towards new production approaches. Purple, a four-piece compilation of mutant future-boogie daubed in Rogers-Nelson hues, comes through with emotional heft. It also marks the 50th 12" release for Tartelet Records.

“Following up on Homespun, I wanted to try out some more dancefloor- oriented tracks again,” says Glenn Astro. “Keeping it simple and practical, while not being too predictable. I incorporated a lot of modular synth bits and experiments, with ‘Flux’ being an almost exclusively modular-based jam.”

Incorporating tricky sound design and fluid structures, Astro’s new lines of enquiry never come at the expense of the groove. From the opening thump of ‘Penduloop’ onwards it’s apparent that his rugged rhythmic kinks are present and correct to hook in the dancers, while the melodic drops later in the track edge in a little melancholic flavour to take the mind somewhere else entirely. On this opening track, the artist explores new territory with his version of early naughties minimal house – a welcome
slow burner.

The EP title track ‘Purple’ slaps with purpose, not least in the Linn-esque drums and melodic bassline, but it’s a positively dreamy piece which skips on crooked beat formations and floats upwards via a multi-timbral tapestry of yearning synth shapes and robotic vocals. On ‘Out Of Office’ Glenn Astro provides a generous dose of electro nostalgia when he amps up the heavy-hearted feeling with aching string pads and electro-informed machine logic. The track becomes alive with its deep un-synced rhythms and dark bass notes, pushing further into the abyss. ‘Flux’, with its tooly
feel, takes the electronic mantra further and sheds light on the source of much of Astro’s new sound palette.

Crucially, even in its techiest moments, an irrepressible humanity shines through across Purple. Glenn Astro’s soul is the binding agent which links his early, sample-heavy house to his more explorative new angles, and it comes through in abundance on this fully-formed release.

Para One, whose real name is Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, releases " Shin Sekai ", the new extract from the upcoming SPECTRE: Machines of Loving Grace. The " Shin Sekai " video is directed by William Laboury, who created a visual tryptic around Para One's SPECTRE: Machines of Loving Grace.
Resonating percussions by Wadaiko Hama and Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares ethereal voices frame Para One's ever evolving electronic music, drawing a new frontier in the artist's musical landscape, bringing together his experience as a film composer and his career as a dj and performer.
The original track comes with 3 remixes: British producer Actress (Ninja Tune) uses Arthur Simonini's strings as the backbone to his emotional climb, German musician Alva Noto (Noton) gives a minimalist stripped down version of the score, while speakwave, the new moniker of French artist dynaRec, proposes a total remake of the melody, the harmonies, and the rhythmic structure of Shin Sekai.

Today, beloved DJ, producer and songwriter Lauren Flax announces her forthcoming EP, Out Of Reality out August 6 via 2MR. Much of Out Of Reality’s cohesion comes from Flax’s expansive production, using simple elements to craft intricate backdrops for the questions posed by her songs. On the EP’s titular track, Alejandra Deheza (School of Seven Bells)’s crystalline vocals are woven against a delicate tapestry of arpeggiated keys, sparse percussion and haunting cello. Watch “Out of Reality” here.

Detachment isn’t always detrimental; sometimes you have to step outside to get a better view. Lauren Flax knows this - as a DJ, producer and songwriter, her discography is notoriously genre-defiant, consisting of an impressive array of solo tracks, collaborations, and remixes. The most recent of these – her mesmerizing take on Pale Blue’s “Breathe” - saw her experimenting with a new style of writing. “I wanted to explore that sound more,” Flax explains, “more of a synth exploration, textures with less beats.” The pared-down songwriting approach lent itself to thematic considerations as well: she’d been thinking about the repetitive nature of the life cycle - the Indian concept of Samsara - and felt a general disappointment at humanity’s lack of progress. On her new EP Out Of Reality, she washes that disappointment in lush sonic hues, stepping outside the quotidien for a new perspective.

Though its themes span beyond the scope of our current socio-political moment, Out Of Reality feels, right now, like an especially tantalizing proposition. Pandemic-driven escapism has bred a new crop of otherworldly music designed to transport the listener somewhere better. But Flax isn’t interested in escapism for its own sake - there’s still work to be done here on Earth, after all. Instead, through a combination of live instrumentation and ethereal synths, Out Of Reality grants us a respite from the real so we can return to it with a clear head.

It's not often that an album disavowed by its own author at the time of release goes on to become considered a modern classic. Yet that's exactly what happened with Chicago blues legend Howlin' Wolf's 1969 LP The Howlin' Wolf Album, a release that has since attained mythical status due to the controversy behind it. Released on Cadet Records, a subsidiary of legendary imprint Chess Records, The Howlin' Wolf Album was a radical experiment for a wellestablished artist: attempt to integrate electric instruments and psychedelic arrangements into his revered signature blues sound. The result was an album that Wolf himself initially disregarded on the nowinfamous cover, but one that has won a special place amongst dedicated music aficionados thanks to its unique mix of traditional blues and electric rock elements. Get On Down's reputation for high quality reissues continues with The Howlin' Wolf Album, which features a special Stoughton vinyl pressing with audio remastered from the original analog tapes for optimum sound quality and comes packaged in a paste-on style jacket featuring the album's famous original artwork. A1. Spoonful A2. Tail Dragger A3. Smokestack Lightning A4. Moanin' at Midnight A5. Built For Comfort B1. The Red Rooster B2. Evil B3. Down In The Bottom B4. Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy B5. Back Door Man

Oneknowing is the debut artist album by acclaimed composer and producer Lena Raine, most recently known for her multiple award-winning soundtrack for the video game Celeste. Based in Seattle, Raine has been composing soundtracks for games and media for 12 years, her breakout momentcoming with her work on the classic PC game Guild Wars 2. Her most celebrated work, however, has come in the form of 2018’s Celeste soundtrack. A game based around themes of anxiety, self-examination and more, Celeste is considered by many to be the key indie game of 2018, and has won multiple awards for both game and soundtrack – something which Raine painstakingly developed in tandem with the game’s design since its first steps. A flagship year for Raine was capped off in December, where she performed live with soundtrack legend Hans Zimmer at The Game Awards, the video game industry’s flagship annual award show (Celeste was nominated for fourawards, and won two). Although she’s released several nonsoundtrack releases, both under her real name and her Kuraine alias, Raine considers Oneknowing her debut artist album - a 10 track set that ranges from distorted paranoia to ambient pop, brought together by the shimmering melodies that make her soundtracks so memorable. An album that draws from “personal experiences, important places, dreams and the lack of dreams”, Oneknowing’s tracks are also threaded together by Raine’s own vocals, sung in a language unique to the album and manipulated by the software Vocaloid. In Raine’s words, “I have nostalgia for my voice as it sounded when I was younger. I can't de-age my voice, but I was able to use software and tweak its settings to a point that it has a similar quality to my voice from backthen”. At times (‘Tsukuyomi’, ‘Light Rail’) her vocals lean towards traditional pop structures, while on tracks such as ‘Wake Up’, they’re repeated, chant-like, to create a hypnotic effect. As well as vocals and software, Raine plays rhodes piano, zither and various hardware synthesizers on Oneknowing, while Michaela Nachtigall contributes violin and viola to various tracks. A succinct but expansive record full of detail, Oneknowing represents Raine’s most personal and realised original material yet, while showing a different side to one of the most unique and accomplished composers of the modern era.

Recorded in the spring of 2010 and then mysteriously abandoned by Prince before its release, the statement album Welcome 2 America documents Prince’s concerns, hopes, and visions for a shifting society, presciently foreshadowing an era of political division, disinformation, and a renewed fight for racial justice. The album features some of Prince’s only studio collaborations with the bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman, and engineer Jason Agel, with additional contributions from New Power Generation singers Shelby J, Liv Warfield, and Elisa Fiorillo and keyboardist Morris Hayes, who Prince also recruited to co-produce the album. The vinyl edition has the 12 songs spread across three sides on 2 LPs in gorgeous gatefold packaging, with a custom etching on the fourth side.

Plush is back honey! We begged for more & they listened. The Plush Managements™️ sophomore serve comes fully loaded with the party-starting dance kindling. 6 tracks that come with an official warning; HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. An audio smoke machine, juiced and ready2haze an event near you. Expect Regfant and D.Tiff’s Signature sass. Norty but nice jacked up edits that make you question if the originals even existed. The record touches on something old, something new, something borrowed and FREE BRITNEY too. Undeniable straight up bass in your face 4/4. It’s positively unethical to imagine a world without that precious Plush touch, gentle but firmly fierce! rawr xx :p

After featuring on the label with a contribution to Erell Ranson’s “Hand In Hand” Remix EP in 2018, SUED co-operator SW. punches back in on KOC with a hectic six-track sonic journey by way of inaugural transmission.

Crest-surfing the margins betwixt abstract beat-making, hardware experimentation and further explosive club-ready wares, the German producer breaks the trip in with the tropical hot "ariaJA" - reeling out a savvy mashup of animalian field recording, spaced-out FXs and loopy elastic bounce.

Cranking up the heat, a notch further, "moonNEWsoon" pulls out a hot mix of muscle-aching breaks, jackin' n’ smackin' toms and iridescent synth stabs, all coated with a thick sauce of mind-boggling machine stunts. Trading its gridlocked intro for an aqueously luxuriant design throughout, gOiOsee has us deep-diving in an all-blue scenario where each element finds itself draped in richly-hued envelopes.

Flip sides and here comes the further shape-shifting, non-formulaic "mASsLESS", which invites us to see straight through glassy cascades of skittish snares, gummy synth arpeggios and futuristic chimes as an Eden of AI-rendered birdsongs and forgotten melodies come to life before our eyes.

Back to a more dynamic mindset, “justMUST4y brings lush flights of altered piano chords and pop-informed harmonics face to face with a gritty, metronomic drum work to weave another singularly off-kilter epic SW. holds the secret of, right before "VFXpeaksTWIN" wraps it all up in a soul-invigorating, Twin Peaks-scented and horizon-broadening ambient finale.

On the heels of Spesh’s Interstate 38 album, Benny’s The Plugs I Met 2, and their joint drop of Trust The Sopranos, 38 Spesh is giving fans what they’ve been demanding, a new single with his day-one Benny The Butcher, Stash Box. Spesh handles production duties here and utilizes a sped-up vocal sample that gives the track an early 2000s vibe that is reminiscent of classic joints by Kanye and Dipset. Both emcees wax nostalgic about their come-ups and assert that they're still in the streets to this day. On the B-side of this 12" single is a non-album exclusive titled “Better Music”. This cut is only available on vinyl and cannot be found on digital or streaming sites. Benny and Spesh continue their historic run with this limited 12”. Upstate NY continues to impress.

Cut Ups was produced by the band and Geoff Sanoff (Nada Surf, Luna, Jets To Brazil) at Renegade Nation Studio in New York City with additional recording done by the band at their Brooklyn practice space and homes. This is an album for listeners who don't seek authenticity, but intuitively know it when they hear it; for people who are interested in language and sound. This is not lifestyle marketing. This is not going to cover your bald spot or shrink your waistband. This is not this year's model. Or last year's model dressed up as tomorrow's hope. This is the sound of four adult men in Brooklyn, New York, sharing their world as they see it. They are not afraid to write about politics or personal failings. They are not afraid to celebrate love. Or yearn for a better world. They may be cut up, but they are here to stay. For those who need references, the band suggests Neu!, The Gun Club, Agent Orange, The Fall, Magazine, Love, Mission of Burma, Gang of Four, The Byrds, Television and dub music, spy movie soundtracks, international folk music, free jazz, spoken word, comedy, food, travel, books, and just trying to sustain humanity in an increasingly hostile world.

Some years ago I happened to see Paul Thorn performing on an outdoor stage at a street festival in the heart of a small Mississippi town. Suddenly, in mid song, Thorn stopped playing and looked down at the upturned, sugar-splattered face of a fan on the front row. “I sure would like me a funnel cake,” Thorn announced. The crowd exploded with laughter. By the end of the next song, someone in the audience had responded, and soon Thorn was happily munching on the doughy confection. And that, dear people, is one more shining example of how Paul Thorn is able to breathe in the air around him, everyday and commonplace, and exhale something original and often side-splitting funny. It’s a kind of genius, and it’s there plain to see, in his music, his art and through his performances, which not only showcase his chops as a singer-songwriter, but as a pitch-perfect improv comic. His audiences love it. And they come back for more because no two Paul Thorn performances are alike. For further confirmation of this, check out Thorn’s YouTube videos, though I warn you. You will find yourself a long time in this rabbit hole. We live in a world where the terms “artist” and “genius” have been rendered meaningless through overuse. To use either in describing Thorn, though, is not overreach. Pick up any of his dozen or so CDs. The evidence is plain to see. Just listen.