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,Sharp Pins" ist das äußerst starke Lo-Fi-Pop-Projekt des talentierten Musikers Kai Slater aus Chicago, bekannt von Lifeguard und Dwaal Troupe. Aufgenommen von Kai Slater. Abgemischt von Kai Slater. Gemastert von Amy Dragon. Aufgenommen im Stülo Gulo in Chicago, Illinois. Ursprünglich als Hallogallo-Kassette im Eigenverlag veröffentlicht. ,Youth Revolution Now". Von Kai: ,Der Soundtrack zu meinem 18. Sommer, in dem ich mit einem chinesischen Taotao 50-ccm-Roller durch die Gegend um die Taqueria Moran fuhr und meinen Sta-Prest-Träumen nachjagte. Ich dachte, es wäre cool, eine Reihe von Songs aufzunehmen, die nie wirklich aufgenommen wurden, und zwar auf eine etwas durchdachtere Art und Weise. Aufgenommen auf einem Tascam Porta One im alten Beton-Stulogulo mit einer imaginären Band namens ,Men in Green Striped Trousers". Der ursprüngliche, von Sharp Pins geprägte Garage-Pop-Sound in seiner ganzen rohen, rauen und kreischenden Pracht _ Ich glaube, ich habe davon etwa 50 Exemplare angefertigt. Nun gehört mein Teenagertraum Ihnen.".

A glorious night of no particular significance, Totally, the new album by Baba Stiltz. Recorded in Helsinki in studio with a drummer and overdubs committed in 5 days. Ballroom- sink songs of loss, grief, long drives on the I-5, centralized acquisitions, and corrective conditioning towards the prolonged effects of computerized lifestyles.

Every song looks you straight in the eyes, crooked and veering towards a light fixture off the side of the mirror. Ambivalence and assertions track us, down some gauzy networked afternoon. Relatively, perfectly, three dimensional. Proportions as they appear to us from outer intuition. Sometimes meaning is evoked through pure nothingness. Concealed and nothing known. We have no need for any paradise informed by anything beyond what is directly in front of us.

Stone repetition thwarts the possibility of control and surrenders itself to understanding. Who are we, and what are we trying to understand? To understand being universally greater than being understood. There are soap operas everywhere for those with eyes to see. You don’t have to look as hard as we currently look. The dramatic is everywhere, we breathe it unintentionally, then we come to hate it. Haptic, embodied facts of a tedious life lodged in the jowls of history. Everything under the
sky being the best bedlam has to offer. Your family, your relationships, your memory. As you eat a burger you are reminded of every sharp protrusion and corner under the florescent lights, the same lights you see when you’re born, and although unconfirmed, when you die.

Some of these songs were written years ago, some recently. The bookshelf and television set come into full view. Women/men come and go. Stars and poseurs collapse under their alienated contradictions, the search for truth yields to continued gradients of probability (collapse). Spatial order maintains itself through perceptional feeling. Silence, singing along to Roger Miller, people entering and leaving, figures hovering over you in your dreams and waking hours. Cool and fun, Totally

Text by Barrett Avner

There is a hush most of us only knew as children, the warm drift between familiar household sounds and being carried to bed, a place that belongs to you and to some self you have not met yet. June McDoom’s debut full-length, Follow the Light, lives in that dream space and then keeps walking, slipping out of time and waking somewhere new, barely familiar enough to feel like home yet wholly your own. She came up in a Jamaican household on the edge of the Florida Everglades, an existence built of extended family, communal care, bass and harmonics. Her father, a carpenter and a student of sound, built his own speakers and kept three sound systems going across as many rooms. His low end would rise through her bedroom floor like some wayward cat while she lay above it with folk records, finding harmonies that were new and hers alone. Two musics in one room. Lushness as past and premonition. She found folk on her own, somewhere between the cast recording of The Sound of Music and Simon and Garfunkel, while everyone around her called it sleepy music. She did not mind being the only one. The solitude let her fall for harmony first, before words, before anything else, and harmony is still the thing she reaches for. Generationally speaking, the music was already in the air. Her grandfather, Colin Smith, is a distinguished mento man who played banjo and guitar and built his own rumba boxes, worked to keep Jamaica’s oldest acoustic folk form alive. Mento is the root of all of it: ska, rock steady, reggae, dub and everything after. He is the one who put a guitar in her hands. An inheritance, a gift and a map. Even her name is part of it, though she will tell you she landed on it more by feel than reason. She records as June McDoom, born Alyssa, June being a nickname one of her grandmothers, Joan, went by, a name she thought was cool to carry and simply liked the sound of. An etheric channel that reverberates all the same. A dub all its own.


Made slowly and by hand with her longtime partner Evan Wright, Follow the Light lays the harmony of folk over the rhythm of dub, with Dionne Warwick, Minnie Riperton, Pentangle and the washed guitars of Cocteau Twins haunting its outer edges. Voice and guitar seeking each other out first, then everything else stacked across long days in the studio they keep at home, restraint kept on purpose. The lead single “Without You” is the whole method surfacing, split open and sparkling like a geode in a creek bed. Angelic heroics, and nothing less.


At the heart is family. Her grandmother Aggie, the light behind “Memory,” guiding still. And underneath, the quieter truth the record keeps: none of us are only one person, but a continuum of selves, the ones who shaped us and the ones we have yet to meet. Future you is an ancestor your current self gets to greet. Press play and the same invitation is yours: A few minutes out of time, a place that turns familiar the longer you stay until you surface somewhere new and find it was yours all along

There is a hush most of us only knew as children, the warm drift between familiar household sounds and being carried to bed, a place that belongs to you and to some self you have not met yet. June McDoom’s debut full-length, Follow the Light, lives in that dream space and then keeps walking, slipping out of time and waking somewhere new, barely familiar enough to feel like home yet wholly your own. She came up in a Jamaican household on the edge of the Florida Everglades, an existence built of extended family, communal care, bass and harmonics. Her father, a carpenter and a student of sound, built his own speakers and kept three sound systems going across as many rooms. His low end would rise through her bedroom floor like some wayward cat while she lay above it with folk records, finding harmonies that were new and hers alone. Two musics in one room. Lushness as past and premonition. She found folk on her own, somewhere between the cast recording of The Sound of Music and Simon and Garfunkel, while everyone around her called it sleepy music. She did not mind being the only one. The solitude let her fall for harmony first, before words, before anything else, and harmony is still the thing she reaches for. Generationally speaking, the music was already in the air. Her grandfather, Colin Smith, is a distinguished mento man who played banjo and guitar and built his own rumba boxes, worked to keep Jamaica’s oldest acoustic folk form alive. Mento is the root of all of it: ska, rock steady, reggae, dub and everything after. He is the one who put a guitar in her hands. An inheritance, a gift and a map. Even her name is part of it, though she will tell you she landed on it more by feel than reason. She records as June McDoom, born Alyssa, June being a nickname one of her grandmothers, Joan, went by, a name she thought was cool to carry and simply liked the sound of. An etheric channel that reverberates all the same. A dub all its own.


Made slowly and by hand with her longtime partner Evan Wright, Follow the Light lays the harmony of folk over the rhythm of dub, with Dionne Warwick, Minnie Riperton, Pentangle and the washed guitars of Cocteau Twins haunting its outer edges. Voice and guitar seeking each other out first, then everything else stacked across long days in the studio they keep at home, restraint kept on purpose. The lead single “Without You” is the whole method surfacing, split open and sparkling like a geode in a creek bed. Angelic heroics, and nothing less.


At the heart is family. Her grandmother Aggie, the light behind “Memory,” guiding still. And underneath, the quieter truth the record keeps: none of us are only one person, but a continuum of selves, the ones who shaped us and the ones we have yet to meet. Future you is an ancestor your current self gets to greet. Press play and the same invitation is yours: A few minutes out of time, a place that turns familiar the longer you stay until you surface somewhere new and find it was yours all along

Best Remixes is an album by Two Brothers On The 4th Floor, released in 2023. Best Remixes includes a.o. the following tracks: “Dreams 2016 (will Come Alive) (louis Bailar & Dimitris Kops”, “Dreams (will Come Alive) (twenty 4 Seven Remix)”, “Do You Know (where You're Going To) (ferry Corsten Remix)”, “The Sun Will Be Shining (ferry Corsten Remix)” and more. The album is a Coloured Vinyl, High Quality, Gatefold Sleeve dance 2-LP.

"Spiritual Jazz 19" besteht aus zwei Doppel-LP-Sets, die den Einfluss und die Ausdrucksformen jenes Underground-Jazz beleuchten, der sich in der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts in Kalifornien und den angrenzenden Bundesstaaten entwickelte. Die insgesamt 24 Titel erscheinen in Gatefolds und enthalten Liner Notes, Fotos und Download-Codes.

Die US-Westküste wird oft mit dem Boom des Cool Jazz in den 1950er Jahren in Verbindung gebracht; doch überall dort, wo Jazz gespielt wurde, florierten auch modale, afrozentrische und spirituell geprägte Strömungen – und die Westküste bildete da keine Ausnahme. In der Nachkriegszeit rangierte die Central Avenue in L.A. als bedeutendstes Jazz-Viertel Amerikas direkt hinter Manhattan. Auch wenn Manhattan in jenen Jahren das faktische Zentrum des Jazz-Universums war, übte Kalifornien eine stärkere Anziehungskraft auf die Kultur im Allgemeinen aus und zog Menschen aus dem ganzen Land in den Bann seiner aufkeimenden Gegenkultur der 1960er Jahre.

Hier untersuchen wir die Auswirkungen dieser Gegenkultur auf den Jazz. Wir beleuchten den Einfluss der Black Panthers – der prägendsten Kraft innerhalb der schwarzen politischen Bewegung nach der Ära der Bürgerrechte – und widmen uns den neuartigen spirituellen Praktiken und Religionen des aufkommenden New Age. In Kalifornien waren zahlreiche eigenwillige Independent-Labels wie Arhoolie, Theresa und Nimbus sowie viele weitere private Unternehmungen ansässig; wir präsentieren die Ergebnisse ihres Strebens nach musikalischer Freiheit. All diese Faktoren beeinflussten die Entwicklung und Blütezeit des Jazz und der Jazzmusiker an der Westküste – und die Evolution des Spiritual Jazz in dieser Region wird hier eingehend betrachtet.

Spiritual Jazz 19" besteht aus zwei Doppel-LP-Sets, die den Einfluss und die Ausdrucksformen jenes Underground-Jazz beleuchten, der sich in der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts in Kalifornien und den angrenzenden Bundesstaaten entwickelte. Die insgesamt 24 Titel erscheinen in Gatefolds und enthalten Liner Notes, Fotos und Download-Codes.

Die US-Westküste wird oft mit dem Boom des Cool Jazz in den 1950er Jahren in Verbindung gebracht; doch überall dort, wo Jazz gespielt wurde, florierten auch modale, afrozentrische und spirituell geprägte Strömungen – und die Westküste bildete da keine Ausnahme. In der Nachkriegszeit rangierte die Central Avenue in L.A. als bedeutendstes Jazz-Viertel Amerikas direkt hinter Manhattan. Auch wenn Manhattan in jenen Jahren das faktische Zentrum des Jazz-Universums war, übte Kalifornien eine stärkere Anziehungskraft auf die Kultur im Allgemeinen aus und zog Menschen aus dem ganzen Land in den Bann seiner aufkeimenden Gegenkultur der 1960er Jahre.

Hier untersuchen wir die Auswirkungen dieser Gegenkultur auf den Jazz. Wir beleuchten den Einfluss der Black Panthers – der prägendsten Kraft innerhalb der schwarzen politischen Bewegung nach der Ära der Bürgerrechte – und widmen uns den neuartigen spirituellen Praktiken und Religionen des aufkommenden New Age. In Kalifornien waren zahlreiche eigenwillige Independent-Labels wie Arhoolie, Theresa und Nimbus sowie viele weitere private Unternehmungen ansässig; wir präsentieren die Ergebnisse ihres Strebens nach musikalischer Freiheit. All diese Faktoren beeinflussten die Entwicklung und Blütezeit des Jazz und der Jazzmusiker an der Westküste – und die Evolution des Spiritual Jazz in dieser Region wird hier eingehend betrachtet.

Both Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn had already started promising solo careers in the 1980s, but something special happened when Tim DuBois suggested they record together. Brooks & Dunn was not just a temporary collaboration, but the beginning of one of the most impressive and successful stories in country music.

The men were unstoppable. Their debut album delivered four number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, going seven times platinum in the US (seven million copies sold) and three times platinum in Canada. "Boot Scootin' Boogie" was the album's biggest hit and single-handedly revived line dancing in the 1990s. This undeniably shows the album's cultural significance. Finally, this classic gets the LP treatment it deserves.

Brand New Man is available as a 35th anniversary edition on smokey marbled vinyl and includes an insert with lyrics.

Although nearly two decades after its release the legendary album Eksel by D'Arcangelo has achieved cult status, it is worth remembering that it all started in the early 90s in Rome. The twin brothers Fabrizio and Marco D'Arcangelo sculpted this electronic IDM treasure with a minimalist arsenal of hardware and analog synthesizers, achieving a raw though sophisticated sound that immediately caught the attention of Aphex Twin & Grant Wilson Claridge, Rephlex record label heads themselves.

While in 1993 and 1994 a large part of the European scene was carried away by the faster, more commercial rhythms of hardcore or eurodance, the D'Arcangelo brothers preferred to look toward the mental landscapes and abstract textures coming out of Detroit and Warp Records. By fusing the machine-like coldness of electro with melancholic melodies and complex rhythm structures, the Italian duo became one of the undisputed pioneers of braindance music in Mediterranean Europe.

Looking back, Eksel—released on Rephlex in 2007—stood as a challenge to the listening habits of its time. Positioned between mental experimentation and dancefloor functionality, the album moves effortlessly between hypnotic club contexts and intimate, detail-rich home listening. Now twenty years later, its legacy continues to resonate among collectors and lovers of analog sound. Eksel stands as proof that electronic innovation extended far beyond the major hubs of London or Berlin, strengthening the dialogue between British IDM and the Italian school, and establishing D'Arcangelo as architects of a distinctive sound.

Marco D'Arcangelo looks back on the album's origins with characteristic wit: "Eksel was conceived to celebrate our 40th Birthday. At Rephlex, they thought we should include a Roman attribute, just to remind people of our so-called 'ancestry'—which isn't really anything, but being born in Rome did sound cool. The XL in Roman numerals is 40, spelled 'Eksel'. And funnily enough, this year we are turning 60 (oh my god!), and 60 in Roman numerals is LX, spelled 'Leks'."

For this release, the partnership brings together a range of elements into a cohesive and refined sonic language. D'Arcangelo seamlessly blend leftfield electronica, avant-garde techno, and glitch, shaping a forward-thinking sound. Vintage synthesizers intertwine with crisp programmed percussion, while melodic structures interact with classic 808 rhythms. This deluxe reissue also exclusively includes RFLX1902 and Electronic Lounge, two tracks from the same era never before pressed on vinyl. The result is a warm and reflective body of work, deeply rooted in electro's legacy, yet unmistakably oriented toward the future.

Following their self-proclaimed LP trilogy (2020-2024), Straw Man Army returns with a new songwriting experiment in the form of True North; a collection of 11 songs written for acoustic instruments over three 72 hour sessions at a cabin, isolated in the woods north of NYC. The result is a concept album in practice as opposed to subject alone. Attuned to both the spiritual and political dimensions of seeking refuge in our times, it asks what exactly we mean by “peace” in this era of increasing violence, incarceration, and skepticism towards a future worth living. Does it feel like relaxation, does it tend towards silence? Is it the cooling of our collective rage? Not here. On True North, peace is a spiritual contradiction; a chimera incorporating our innermost desires and the brutality of the world that surrounds us. The album’s central character is a “sleepwalker” trudging through the waking nightmares that have defined daily life since the release of 2024’s Earthworks. Because True North is music that dreams. Sonically, the band toys with the aesthetics of psychedelia, folk, and kosmiche music for contrast, creating a still pool into which their deepest anxieties ripple and flow and flower into ever darker shapes. And while the musical palette plays on tropes of peace—lush piano instrumentals, fingerpicking guitars, gong, vocal harmony—the subject remains steeped in environmental collapse, death, mental breakdown, and the rejection of our most closely held myths. The clash of these forces is the engine that turns the musical wheel. True North is the sound of music mourning a future that never took place and a bout of anticipatory grief for something that’s only just begun…

There was nothing in contemporary music like Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World when it hit shelves in June 1989. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique — and claims a backstory nearly as fascinating as the retro-leaning material and standout performances that propelled it to sales of more than 2.5 million copies. Home to the Top 10 smash “Wicked Game,” the set remains a masterful mood piece that invites you to pour a late-night drink, sit in a dimmed room, and relish Isaak’s elegant albeit raw ruminations on love, relationships, and questionable decisions.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and featuring the bonus track “Diddley Daddy,” Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Heart Shaped World unearths the staggering inner details, saturated tones, and brilliant atmospherics of the crisp production. It brings you up close and personal with Isaak’s spectacular singing — impeccably controlled, tense, brooding, steamy, smoldering, haunted — situated amidst stripped-down backdrops that allow every note to fully bloom and decay.

While Isaak’s ever-steady baritone remains the anchor, the contributions of his trusty backing band, the aptly named Silvertone, come across with just as much cool, command, and realism. The indispensable playing of guitarist James Calvin Wilsey particularly emerges with superb clarity and dimensionality. The character of his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, shivering twang of his spring-coiled fills, and his signature use of reverb, delay, and vibrato seamlessly match Isaak's patient deliveries and the band’s unhurried rhythms. Experienced on UD1S with ultra-black backgrounds and a nearly invisible noise floor, Heart Shaped World is in every regard a demonstration disc.

The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its elevated status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, not the least of which is the cover art depicting a lost-in-thought Isaak staring ahead and sitting in what appears to be an efficiency apartment. The image epitomizes the record’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes.

Of course, if not for director David Lynch hand-picking two cuts from Heart Shaped World for his 1990 film Wild at Heart, the record would’ve probably suffered the same fate as Isaak’s prior efforts and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Despite receiving raves from outlets such as NME, Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, the album stalled in the lower quadrants of the Billboard charts and, after a few weeks, dropped off.

Cue the ear of Lee Chesnut. Then the music director for a large Atlanta radio station, Chesnut heard the instrumental version of “Wicked Game” on Lynch’s soundtrack and started airing the album rendition at all hours of the day. Aided by a sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, the song found its way into the public consciousness by early ‘91 and helped make Isaak a most unlikely mainstream star in an era where his techniques had little to nothing in common with popular tastes.

Despite its vintage vibes and shared DNA with legends such as Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, Heart Shaped World transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and throwback tropes. For all the melodrama and sadness at hand, Isaak’s gorgeously transparent singing dives deep underneath emotional surfaces. He mines subtleties that indicate his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, and occasionally suggest frustration, menace, and anger. You can hear it in his quivering falsetto, and the slow and methodical ways he allows delicate whispers to break into shadowy phrasing that crosses over to the darker sides of romance and desire.

That approach bolsters the title track, which suggests calm yet moves on ominous currents — its simmering pace and snare-drum snappiness foreshadowing Isaak raising the volume and urgency during the coda. The southwestern-tinged “Wrong to Love You” plays with similar concepts of hesitation, unease, and discord, Isaak careful never to fully erupt and give anything away. His poised deliveries offer a master class in the art of insinuation and hurt on “Nothing’s Changed,” sent up with a wordless backing chorus and crackling guitar lines straight out of a Memphis blues joint.

Heart Shaped World further boosts its merit via its abundant stylistic variations, from the upbeat country-and-western trot of “I’m Not Waiting” and Spanish acoustic shimmer of the jazz-based ballad “Blue Spanish Sky” to the swinging horn-accompanied grooves of “Don’t Make Me Love You” and desert smokiness of the understated “Kings of the Highway.” On the latter, Isaak comes across as resigned and absolute. His singing and pain worm their way into your soul, and echo akin to the way the music prepares to strike when you least expect.

“Trouble going 'round,” Isaak croons right as the album begins. “Trouble going down.” Damn straight.

Born 2 Be Free celebrates the naughtier end of the house and garage spectrum with a first volume in this new Low End Guerrillas series. Mista Men's 'Corner' has muggy blasts of bass that cocoon you in warmth as lively garage drums and nimble synth motifs keep things fresh. Mella Dee brings his usual sonic filth to the rugged analogue grind of 'A Way Of Life'. No Brainers then layer up a bubbly mix of top and hits over driving bass notes on 'Not Again', then Lvpica's 'Funky:Mission' keeps it deep and moody with a shadowy bassline and slick drums for cool cats. Live From The Moon shuts down with the more eerie and suspenseful 'Parrot In The Studio.' Characterful tools from font to back.

Rising star Storm Mollison lands her debut on Heist with an ep blending House & R 'n B and we're completely hooked.

The future is looking bright for Storm Mollison - Heist's newest. Marked as artist to look out for by Shazam on their fast forward 2026 list, Storm's got a bright and busy year ahead, after an already big 2025. Last year alone, she featured on Kiki's hit 'Getting ready for the party', featured on a Mixmag London event and a Raw Cuts X Heist ADE party, had her first cover feature on Spotify, multiple radio 1 appearances, released several singles, a full EP on Noir Fever and a Luuk van Dijk remix.

If that's not enough to get you excited, we suggest you just listen to her 'Act like that' EP on Heist. In Storm's own words: "it's the most exciting music I've made so far" and we couldn't agree more. Her EP is a perfect blend of her love for house music and soulful R 'n B with its 4 tracks smothered in deep chords, smooth vocals and crunchy textures.

EP opener 'Doing Sumthin'' has been a staple in Dam Swindle's sets ever since receiving Storm's first demo and has never failed to make the crowd bounce from left to right with its quirky and equally cool vocal courtesy of Aaron Pfeiffer. Sometimes, you just need someone to tell you which way to move and before you know it, the whole club is doing it. The beat is chunky, and the sax lick is a nice wink to the old school house that has influences Storm's sound so much.

Act Like That - the EP's title track -, is a modern R' n B song that could have easily been on Rochelle Jordan's latest album. The lyrics are perfectly delivered by Storm herself and celebrate women who stand up to unreliable men. It could well be the badass soundtrack of womanhood for 2026 delivered in a silky-smooth package that'll live rent-free in your head for the foreseeable future.

On the flipside is "Gotta Go', an undercover dancefloor burner with lush keys and a lean-back groove. The track relies on crisp textures and little frizzles all throughout the track, with a big breakdown for ultimate release.

Ep closer 'Workin' takes us back into R 'n B territory, this time in a very danceable form. Storm's soft vocals lie on top of a steady beat with deep chords and a bassline so sexy It'll make you get down no matter where you're hearing this.

It's hard to speak about a breakthrough for an artist that has already seen such a rise in the scene, but if we're talking about her music, this will be the record that people come back to after years and say, "remember when she releases ALT!?"

As always, enjoy the music and play it loud!

Yours, Maarten & Lars

2026 Repress

After the promo version flew off the sleeves, now comes the full picture sleeve, yellow vinyl version of French live trio, Oden & Fatzo’s chart topping, house smash hit, ‘Lauren’ limited to 1000 copies. A bootleg experiment that got out of hand, Oden & Fatzo’s Radio 1 A-listed single is the accidental hit that everyone is talking about.

So how do you go about making an ‘accidental hit’, by accident of course... The track came about when French DJ Fatzo tried to demonstrate the difference between an edit and a remix to his dad, “... I took a song from the band Men I Trust, sped it up and added a drum beat and violin. After playing it to Oden, they loved it, and in turn, added their secret ingredients.”

Unlike the name might suggest, Oden & Fatzo consists of three people: The Parisian underground collective are a powerful fusion of the electronic live duo Oden, and house DJ Fatzo. Back in 2020 a bootleg version of ‘Lauren’ was uploaded to the YouTube channel of the electronic label Novaj, kicking off an unforeseeable wave of enthusiasm. That video is now approaching 3 million views. Enthralled listeners begged for a commercial release, a year later Ministry of Sound/B1 cleared the sample and the track started its march across the airwaves and up the charts.

With its captivating beat and nostalgic catchiness, ‘Lauren’ makes up for the party nights lost to the pandemic lockdowns, and sees people dancing in their homes and on the streets, as concerts, parties, and live sets are finally making a return. As the trio put it: “This song was all about hope, freedom and a party atmosphere at a time when you couldn't go anywhere. We think it gave everyone who heard it a little bit of an escape, including us.”

Meanwhile in the UK, the track has seen early support, not only by names like Franky Wah, Danny Howard, Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Jax Jones, Jodie Harsh, HUGEL, Bakermat, Cut Snake, Salomé Le Chat, Piem, David Gausa and many more, but also by the incredibly ecstatic party crowds.


Press:

6th week A List at Radio 1
Plays from Radio 2 and added to Hits Radio Pride playlist
Airplay up +3% week on week
#1 Cool Cuts Chart
#1 Upfront Club Chart
#1 Pop Club Chart
#5 UK Shazam Chart
Holding at #12 on Shazam – over 200k tags for the track in the UK to date
Over 8.6m+ streams WW now across all platforms
Over 200k+ views for the music video
Averaging 50k daily streams in the UK
47k+ sales across UK OCC to date
#1 on Beatports Deep House for 16 consecutive weeks

Rolando’s back in the game with Syncrophone Remixes Vol.2—flipping DJ Qu’s “Undescribed3,” Detect Audio’s “Synchronize,” and Anthony Shake Shakir’s “Arise.” Three exclusive remixes, pure underground techno for real heads. Detroit spirit, cop this 12” before it disappears!

DJ Feedbacks :


Honey Dijon : DJ Qu is the one for me. Will def support!
Raresh (ar:pi:ar) : super! thanks
Truncate : Thanks!
The Advent : Smooth bgrooves on here.. 3 - Anthony 'Shake' Shakir - Arise (Rolando Remix)
Anika Kunst (Symbolism / RSPX) : Cool release. Arise rmx is beautiful. Thanks!!
Harvey Sutherland (MCDE / PPU / Voltaire Records) : DJ Qu flip for me, thanks!
Scott Grooves : The Shake is the one
Satoshi Tomiie (Abstract Architecture) : Wooow hot hot hot
Roman Fluegel (Roman Fluegel, Dial, Cocoon, Playhouse, Robert Johnson) : The Remix for Shake is the one for me.
Erol Alkan (Phantasy Sound) : Downloading Thanks!
Enrica Falqui (ERIS, Plexus 4) : I like it!
Daniel Avery (Phantasy / Fabric) : Awesome
Laurent Garnier : cool release
Elisa Bee : Only love for Rolando, thanks x
Slam (Soma) : Brilliant - thanx
San Proper (Perlon / Rush Hour / Proper's Cult) : Totally what i needed to hear, Rolando remixing Shake & Q, my heroes lined up. I will enjoy playing all 3 mixes. One Love.
Axel Boman (Studio Barnhus) : killer remixes!
Terry Farley : DJ Qu mix my fave - heads down LETS GURN
D'Julz (Bass Culture) : great work !
gilbr (Dj Gilb'R / Chateau Flight (Versatile)) : Like the Shakir remix thanks for sending
Ben Sims : Now downloading... will check asap!
Lea Lisa (Phonica Records / Folklor Club) : mental, really good one
Dj Deep (Deeply Rooted) : Super nice package! Dj Qu's Undescribed3 remix for me here! Thank you
Mike Shannon (Cynosure) : Rrrrreeeeemix!! Thx
Efdemin (Dial) : Wonderful remix package!
Inland (Inland) : Hellooo. These are great. Qu and Shake versions both killer! Thanks
Kai Alce (Real Soon) : DJ QU remix bangin
Uncertain (RSPX, WRKTRX, Suara) : remix 1 for me
Harri (Sub Club) : very nice all three will play and support
Blasha & Allatt (Meat Free) : Thank you!
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Richie Hawtin (M_Nus) : downloaded for r hawtin
Luke Solomon (Classic / Freaks / Music For Freaks) : all killer
Luke Slater : Thanks Ro!
Ame (Innervisions) : thanks
Felix Dickinson (Futureboogie, Rush Hour, Cynic) : I like this
Geir Aspenes (G-Ha (Sunkissed)) : Thank u
Alienata (about blank) : Very nice remixes, all of them, thx!
Nat Wendell (Depth of My Soul, Courtesy of Balance, Love & Loops) : Dope remixes!
Dave Clarke (white noise radio) : Not my sound, but please keep them coming !

Ambroos De Schepper and Pepijn Gyssels became roommates when PiP moved to Brussels in 2021. Both paid close attention to each other’s musical approach and interests. One year later, Ambroos moved out. When he swung by to pick up some boxes, they decided to record something for the fun of it. Between May '23 and November '24 they continued experimenting with textures and improvisations. This collaboration has become the deepening of a friendship and a way to maintain it at the same time.

PiP: “We would have coffee or the occasional beer and everything we recorded came very organically. Ambroos would just bring his saxophone, a clarinet, some FX pedals or a weird flute. Whatever he felt like on that particular day. A few hours later he would usually be on his way again, leaving me with the recordings. I could treat them as I pleased.”

Ambroos: “I liked the idea of working with someone focussing on the physical side of music. Not so much on chords and tonality, but on texture and atmosphere. This gave me a framework with less concrete references, using words like “dark” or “busy”. I could improvise freely and we would try and catch a particular moment."

“l’Esprit de l’Escalier” is meant to be a musical meditation, opening up a continuous and detailed sound palette, aimed for the right mental state to listen with. Ambroos came up with the melody in COVID times and later in PiP’s studio, they recorded it on clarinet.
“Sans Loup” is the first jam the duo did together, after Ambroos and Lou moved out of the apartment they shared. Lou Wéry eventually found her way back to the album, as she can be heard playing the wing piano in this track.

PiP: “We recorded in the apartment we used to rent together. Since the title track and the entire album are named after Lou being absent in this dynamic, it seemed only natural to invite her in a later stage.”

“Spring Whistle” was an attempt to embed Ambroos’ musicality in dreamy textures and “Bring Back Bones” was built around an endlessly evolving krakeb recording that PiP took home from on a trip to Morocco. Both tracks are not aimed to end or evolve drastically, they just make the clock tick slower.

To conclude this release, “Velours de Tendre” is built out of a deconstructed groove and a field recording of the “Ronde van Vlaanderen”, a small reference to the countryside where PiP grew up. The reverberating chords you hear are the echoes Tijn Driessen squeezed out of an old harmonium, in a staircase of De Grote Post in Ostend.

PiP: “During a residency in De Grote Post we recorded in a staircase with a spaced pair of omni microphones. And you can take ‘spaced’ quite serious; one was positioned 5 stories higher and the other 3 stories lower.”

Sans Loup is the first vinyl to release on PiP’s label. They look alike, but none will be identical. The cover is screen printed in various combinations + a risograph insert. A highly personalized object.


credits

Released on Zitstill Records
Recorded in Brussels, Horebeke, Morocco and elsewhere, between September 2021 - November 2024

Music, mixing and production by Pepijn Gyssels
Saxophone, flute and clarinet by Ambroos De Schepper
Grand piano on “Sans Loup” by Lou Wéry
Harmonium on “Velours de Tendre” by Tijn Driessen
Mastering and lacquer cut by Anne Taegert at Dubplates & Mastering
Pressing by Objects Manufacturing
Layout and graphic design by Liselotte Van Daele & Otis Verhoeve
Photography by Willem Mevis

Special thanks to: Stijn Cools, Victor De Greef, De Grote Post

Deutsche Bank is the musical project by Mats From. Cool, modern & stylish electronic music in the tradition of bands like Kraftwerk, Komputer or Vorsprung Durch Technik! The sound of Düsseldorf meets Visby.This vinyl edition includes one previously unreleased unlisted bonus track!

When Los Amigos Invisibles first released "The New Sound" (1998) - more than a quarter of a century ago!) - was the ultimate party album. Time has passed, but the party has kept on - and this party music, full of non-stop funked out grooves-traveling through house, funk, acid jazz, and bossa nova, to name a few musical avenues - is a journey deep into the pants of rhythm. (We won"t even mention the old sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera).

'Matriarchy' is a rebirth for the celebrated, multi- faceted artist, as girli further explores her sound and takes the reins with full creative control, truly cementing her place as a cult figure and ambassador for the next gen of LGBTQIA+ music.

girli's passions have always migrated beyond music and she continues to use her platform to ignite conversations around feminism, sexuality, identity and mental health, opening up topics that most have always shied away from. Representation matters more so now than ever, and girli is ready to rewrite the rules.

Numbers hold the key to unlock the universe. So, a six-pack can either consist of six bottles of beer, very well developed stomach muscles or in our case: a string of smash hits. To take it even further, it’s exactly six tracks for the sixth part of the VA-series that is One Swallow Doesn’t Make A Summer.

Hit men include friends new and old: Llewellyn, Stereocalypse, Zillas On Acid, Storken & Hammer, Ede, Señor Chugger & Count Van Delicious. The pace is cool and hot at the same time. Rave signals by Ede foil the nouveau disco by Stereocalypse or Storken & Hammer, Llewellyn does a classic house piano hop, Zilles On Acid deliver, well. mid-tempo acid, and last, but not least, Señor Chugger & Count Van Delicious strike a delicious pose.

One for almost everyone! And if not, let your body go with the flow!

Water Machine is an office romance between Hando Morice (they/them), Flore de Hoog (she/her), Jimmy Gage (he/him) and Goda Ilgauskaitė (she/her). An unassuming supergroup formed out of Glasgow institutions including Goth GF, Passion Pusher, Brenda and Soursob, their sound careens between punk, country and alt-rock underpinned by the unique quality they call “Raw Liquid Power”.
Following last year’s self-titled demo tape on Gold Mold Records, and fresh off of shows with the likes of Holiday Ghosts, The Cool Greenhouse and The Orielles, as well as a rollicking Viagra Boys afterparty, the four-piece will release their highly-anticipated first studio effort ‘Raw Liquid Power’ on Upset The Rhythm on August 4th.
The EP opens with a menacing, modulating synth melody. Gage’s guitar enters with a mighty bend before breaking into the chugging rhythm of ‘Water Machine Pt. 2’. This timely reminder to refill your water bottle - “don’t be late, hydrate!” less a wellness mantra than a threat - builds to a spacey outro with flashes of the art-punk weirdness of Suburban Lawns. ‘Stilettos’ marches on indignantly with a spiky riff punctuated by Ilgauskaitė’s cowbells. Staccato talk-singing tells a playful tale of stray cats following you home, but belies a darker subtext as the breakdown gives way to paranoid duelling guitars evoking The Fire Engines.


The anti-anthem ‘At the Drive In’ skewers joyless DIY crowds, reminiscent of much-missed Glasgow punks Breakfast Muff. Water Machine’s irrepressible sincerity can’t help but shine through in the final moments though, as jibes about “late night trade potential” give way to plaintive vocal harmonies. Morice tears public transport a new one on closer ‘Bussy’, a First Bus diss track bemoaning precarious employment amidst crumbling infrastructure. “That’s why I’m not on time!” they roar over de Hoog’s frantic, pounding bass, bringing the record to a skidding, screeching halt.

One of the world’s premier house DJs, Junior Sanchez re-imagines one of his early classics, releasing ‘Be With U 2.0 (feat. Dajae)’ via Club Sweat.

As a passionate advocate of preserving the spirit of house music Junior Sanchez mixes ingredients of the 1999 original, situating the warm buoyant bass underneath Dajae’s fervent and impassioned vocals, while implementing spirited sax tones for a soul-fulfilling affair.

An iconic anthem that has lit up dancefloors for over two decades, is served dance music justice with its rebirth. Junior Sanchez bestows the ‘Be With U’ gift upon a new generation, coupled with remixes from Yolanda Be Cool and Dance System.


Supports from: Claptone, Anna Lunoe, Tommie Sunshine, Sacha Robotti, David Penn, Riva Starr, Kryder, Shiba San, HeavyFeet, Kevin McKay, Jamie Jones, Pat Lok, Heldeep Radio - The Noise House, Vanilla Ace, Moon Boots, Norman Doray, Nick Catchdubs, severino panzetta, Don Diablo, Charles J, and Patric la Funk, TOCADISCO, Chris Lake, Paco Osuna, Dennis Cruz, Bingo Players, Mendo, Riva Starr, Don Diablo, Joachim Garraud, and Roger Sanchez

This vinyl includes a free downloadcode were customers get the
whole digital release (incl. Bonustrack) for free via Facebook !!
Anyhow fresh but still trusts! 4CR comes with his second vinyl - release,
and it sounds fat. "Menschenskind" has delivered with "Tequila" this time
a real Minimal House bomb with catchy tune character. Organic guitar -
samples and fresh Grooves sound like the fruity sweet taste of summer
which drips in the dusty and dry desert. A touch of western, High Noon
and heat under cloudless sky. "Menschenskind" gives us with Tequila an
acoustic place under the sun, the suitable drink and just the pure groove.
Alec Troniq, Sonntagsmusikant and Tinush deliver their great remixes on
top. While Sonntagsmusikant holds the striking theme first a little more
covered and comes along even more minimally, Alec Troniq with a stylish
variation of the subject rocks more offensively forwards. Tinush adds with
his Remix some Coolness and completes this 4CR Release. This package is
the fruity cocktail, which runs down the dusty throat, while the smell of
the sun and desert is omnipresent. Get a drink, and enjoy Tequila!

Irgendwie fresh aber dann doch vertraut! 4CR kommt mit seinem
zweiten Vinyl - Release, und es kommt dicke. Menschenskind hat mit
- Tequila' diesmal einen waschechten Minimal- House Knaller mit
Ohrwurmcharakter abgeliefert. Organische Gitarren - Sounds und
freshe Grooves klingen wie der fruchtig süße Geschmack von Sommer,
der in die staubtrockene Wüste tropft. Ein Touch von Western, High
Noon und Hitze unter wolkenlosem Himmel. Menschenkind gibt uns
mit Tequila einen akustischen Platz unter der Sonne, den passenden
Drink dazu und den puren Groove. Dabei liefern Alec Troniq,
Sonntagsmusikant und Tinush ihre großartigen Remixe on top.
Während Sonntagsmusikant das markante Thema zunächst etwas
gedeckter hält und noch minimaler daher kommt, rockt - Alec Troniq'
mit einer stylischen Variation des Themas offensiver nach vorne.
Tinush packt mit seinem Remix die Coolness und rundet dieses 4CR
Release gekonnt ab. Dieses Package ist der fruchtige Cocktail der die
Staubige Kehle runter läuft, während der Geruch von Sonne und
Wüste allgegenwärtig ist. Schnapp dir n Drink, und genieß Tequila!

Die Guitar Gangsters könnte man getrost als die "older statesmen" des britischen Punkrocks bezeichnen, obwohl sie nie Teil der ersten Welle in den späten 70er waren. Gegründet Ende der 80er Jahre von den Brüdern Pete und Phil Ley hat die Band den musikalischen Schmelztiegel ihrer Heimatstadt London von Punk, Glam, Rock 'n' Roll bis Reggae förmlich aufgesogen. Ihr Debütalbum "Prohibition" erschien dann 1988 bei Link Records. Mehr als 35 Jahre und über 1000 Shows später haben die Guitar Gangsters noch mehr als genug Munition und Durchsetzungsvermögen um auf der "Revolution Street" ganz klar den Ton anzugeben! Wer ihr neues Album hört, wird keine Zweifel daran haben. Mit einer unglaublichen Spielfreude, treffsicheren Gespür für mitreißende Powerchord-Melodien, eingängigen Riffs, Hooks und stilsicheren Ausflügen quer durch alle Rockepochen ist "Revolution Street" ihr abwechslungsreichstes Album geworden_bleibt dabei aber immer unverwechselbar "Guitar Gangsters", eng verwurzelt im Punk Rock. Von klassisch, zeitlosen 77er Punk ("Suck it" up" / "Fake"), Pub- und Garagerock ("Without Prejudice"), RocknRoll und Glam bis zu dem einmaligen "80er feeling" in dem Gitarrenpop mit Punk und New Wave verschmolz ("Invisible"). Und mit "Car Crashed Heart" präsentiert die Band ein von den 50er/60er inspirierten Song, bei dem man förmlich "The Wanderers" auf der anderen Straßenseite erwartet. Da verwundert es auch nicht, dass mit "Baby Blue" die 70er und ein verlorener Rock-Klassiker von Badfinger neu zum Leben erweckt werden_.natürlich auf Guitar Gangsters-Art! Es gibt viel zu entdecken auf der "Revolution Street"! Nach knapp 45 Minuten Spielzeit endet in bester "The Clash"-Tradition mit "Warzone" das Album. Mit einer lässig-coolen Eleganz und großartigen Songwriting haben die Gentlemen des Punk Rocks ihr 12-er Magazin abgefeuert. Jede Menge Spaß, Singalongs und eine gute Zeit ist dabei garantiert! Die Revolution muss nicht immer blutig-aggressiv sein und Street credibility hat man halt, oder eben nicht. Klassisch schwarzes oder mehrfarbiges Splatter Vinyl am Start!

Die Guitar Gangsters könnte man getrost als die "older statesmen" des britischen Punkrocks bezeichnen, obwohl sie nie Teil der ersten Welle in den späten 70er waren. Gegründet Ende der 80er Jahre von den Brüdern Pete und Phil Ley hat die Band den musikalischen Schmelztiegel ihrer Heimatstadt London von Punk, Glam, Rock 'n' Roll bis Reggae förmlich aufgesogen. Ihr Debütalbum "Prohibition" erschien dann 1988 bei Link Records. Mehr als 35 Jahre und über 1000 Shows später haben die Guitar Gangsters noch mehr als genug Munition und Durchsetzungsvermögen um auf der "Revolution Street" ganz klar den Ton anzugeben! Wer ihr neues Album hört, wird keine Zweifel daran haben. Mit einer unglaublichen Spielfreude, treffsicheren Gespür für mitreißende Powerchord-Melodien, eingängigen Riffs, Hooks und stilsicheren Ausflügen quer durch alle Rockepochen ist "Revolution Street" ihr abwechslungsreichstes Album geworden_bleibt dabei aber immer unverwechselbar "Guitar Gangsters", eng verwurzelt im Punk Rock. Von klassisch, zeitlosen 77er Punk ("Suck it" up" / "Fake"), Pub- und Garagerock ("Without Prejudice"), RocknRoll und Glam bis zu dem einmaligen "80er feeling" in dem Gitarrenpop mit Punk und New Wave verschmolz ("Invisible"). Und mit "Car Crashed Heart" präsentiert die Band ein von den 50er/60er inspirierten Song, bei dem man förmlich "The Wanderers" auf der anderen Straßenseite erwartet. Da verwundert es auch nicht, dass mit "Baby Blue" die 70er und ein verlorener Rock-Klassiker von Badfinger neu zum Leben erweckt werden_.natürlich auf Guitar Gangsters-Art! Es gibt viel zu entdecken auf der "Revolution Street"! Nach knapp 45 Minuten Spielzeit endet in bester "The Clash"-Tradition mit "Warzone" das Album. Mit einer lässig-coolen Eleganz und großartigen Songwriting haben die Gentlemen des Punk Rocks ihr 12-er Magazin abgefeuert. Jede Menge Spaß, Singalongs und eine gute Zeit ist dabei garantiert! Die Revolution muss nicht immer blutig-aggressiv sein und Street credibility hat man halt, oder eben nicht. Klassisch schwarzes oder mehrfarbiges Splatter Vinyl am Start!

Apero, das aktuell wahrscheinlich beliebteste (weil einzige) deutsch-franzosische Eggpunk-Trio legt nach! Nach der laut Expert*innen "extrem geilen" Debut-Kassette "Cold Drinks, Cool Snacks" gibt es mit "Dragons & Eels" jetzt endlich Nachschub, diesmal in Form einer 7" EP. Vier neue hektische Garagenpunk Smasher aus der Holle werden auf die nichtsahnende Menschheit losgelassen. Synthie Geballer, schrammelige Riffs, ein uberhitzter Drumcomputer kurz vorm Absturz, saftige Schellen vom Schellenkranz. Und doch gibt es auch ein paar neue Akzente zu horen. Der Song "Tribute To Eel", in dem Apero einer gleichermaßen bedrohten wie coolen Tierart Tribut zollen, ist zum Beispiel fast schon postpunkig. Jemand meinte neulich, das klingt "wie Jay Reatard auf Eggpunk". Lassen wir so mal stehen weil: Namedropping. Mit "The Rent Is Too High (And I'm Too Fucking Sober)" kriegt auch die Immobilienwirtschaft ihr Fett weg. Ein Schrei nach Gerechtigkeit sowie nach alkoholhaltigen Erfrischungsgetranken. Der anti-Ritter Song "Dragon Slayer" und der pro-Rock 'n' Roll Song "Rock 'n' Roll Tonight" vervollstandigen das Paket. 4x aufs Maul fur schmales Geld. Empfehlung des Hauses!

In a world increasingly shaped by disposable content, Chat Pile answer with something defiantly real and organic, a mentality that permeates Who Loves The Sun, their third full-length record. Since the band’s formation just over six years ago, the Oklahoma City-based quartet Chat Pile has grown from a scrappy passion project into one of the defining heavy acts to emerge from the 2020s underground. Ray B. (vocals), L. Manhole (guitar), Stin (bass), and Cap’n Ron (drums) create a crushing, crass, and cathartic take on noise rock that captures a raw, undeniably human essence in an age marked by technological overreach and the cold state of society. Nothing about Who Loves The Sun feels synthetic.

Whereas their debut album God’s Country depicted a particularly American flavor of dread, and the follow up Cool World showed a cruel planet defined by global systemic violence, Who Loves The Sun peels the skin back on how collective indifference defines this new century. Spanning imagery of coastlines devouring cities, dead-end jobs, and submission to data-driven inauthenticity, the album dissects the apathy-bloated state of 21st-century existence as a slow-motion apocalypse. As with much of Chat Pile’s work, Oklahoma City itself looms over the album like a character, its sprawling isolation, economic contradictions, and underlying sense of decay embedded in the fabric of the record. The perfect allegory for the thematic essence of Who Loves The Sun is the photo embossed on the record’s cover, where Devon Tower, a glassy, largely vacant monolith, looms high above the Oklahoma City skyline while a burnt-out home or storefront envelops the foreground. The album remains lyrically and sonically confrontational, but Chat Pile approached the songwriting with hooks in mind, drawing on melodic tones of pre-2000s indie rock, alt-rock, and new wave. From the blood-soaked vocal passages of “Christabel ’26” to the eerie trip-hop pulse of “Same Rules,” Who Loves The Sun is deeply human despite its allusions to a dying, divided .

In a world increasingly shaped by disposable content, Chat Pile answer with something defiantly real and organic, a mentality that permeates Who Loves The Sun, their third full-length record. Since the band’s formation just over six years ago, the Oklahoma City-based quartet Chat Pile has grown from a scrappy passion project into one of the defining heavy acts to emerge from the 2020s underground. Ray B. (vocals), L. Manhole (guitar), Stin (bass), and Cap’n Ron (drums) create a crushing, crass, and cathartic take on noise rock that captures a raw, undeniably human essence in an age marked by technological overreach and the cold state of society. Nothing about Who Loves The Sun feels synthetic.

Whereas their debut album God’s Country depicted a particularly American flavor of dread, and the follow up Cool World showed a cruel planet defined by global systemic violence, Who Loves The Sun peels the skin back on how collective indifference defines this new century. Spanning imagery of coastlines devouring cities, dead-end jobs, and submission to data-driven inauthenticity, the album dissects the apathy-bloated state of 21st-century existence as a slow-motion apocalypse. As with much of Chat Pile’s work, Oklahoma City itself looms over the album like a character, its sprawling isolation, economic contradictions, and underlying sense of decay embedded in the fabric of the record. The perfect allegory for the thematic essence of Who Loves The Sun is the photo embossed on the record’s cover, where Devon Tower, a glassy, largely vacant monolith, looms high above the Oklahoma City skyline while a burnt-out home or storefront envelops the foreground. The album remains lyrically and sonically confrontational, but Chat Pile approached the songwriting with hooks in mind, drawing on melodic tones of pre-2000s indie rock, alt-rock, and new wave. From the blood-soaked vocal passages of “Christabel ’26” to the eerie trip-hop pulse of “Same Rules,” Who Loves The Sun is deeply human despite its allusions to a dying, divided .

In a world increasingly shaped by disposable content, Chat Pile answer with something defiantly real and organic, a mentality that permeates Who Loves The Sun, their third full-length record. Since the band’s formation just over six years ago, the Oklahoma City-based quartet Chat Pile has grown from a scrappy passion project into one of the defining heavy acts to emerge from the 2020s underground. Ray B. (vocals), L. Manhole (guitar), Stin (bass), and Cap’n Ron (drums) create a crushing, crass, and cathartic take on noise rock that captures a raw, undeniably human essence in an age marked by technological overreach and the cold state of society. Nothing about Who Loves The Sun feels synthetic.

Whereas their debut album God’s Country depicted a particularly American flavor of dread, and the follow up Cool World showed a cruel planet defined by global systemic violence, Who Loves The Sun peels the skin back on how collective indifference defines this new century. Spanning imagery of coastlines devouring cities, dead-end jobs, and submission to data-driven inauthenticity, the album dissects the apathy-bloated state of 21st-century existence as a slow-motion apocalypse. As with much of Chat Pile’s work, Oklahoma City itself looms over the album like a character, its sprawling isolation, economic contradictions, and underlying sense of decay embedded in the fabric of the record. The perfect allegory for the thematic essence of Who Loves The Sun is the photo embossed on the record’s cover, where Devon Tower, a glassy, largely vacant monolith, looms high above the Oklahoma City skyline while a burnt-out home or storefront envelops the foreground. The album remains lyrically and sonically confrontational, but Chat Pile approached the songwriting with hooks in mind, drawing on melodic tones of pre-2000s indie rock, alt-rock, and new wave. From the blood-soaked vocal passages of “Christabel ’26” to the eerie trip-hop pulse of “Same Rules,” Who Loves The Sun is deeply human despite its allusions to a dying, divided .

In a world increasingly shaped by disposable content, Chat Pile answer with something defiantly real and organic, a mentality that permeates Who Loves The Sun, their third full-length record. Since the band’s formation just over six years ago, the Oklahoma City-based quartet Chat Pile has grown from a scrappy passion project into one of the defining heavy acts to emerge from the 2020s underground. Ray B. (vocals), L. Manhole (guitar), Stin (bass), and Cap’n Ron (drums) create a crushing, crass, and cathartic take on noise rock that captures a raw, undeniably human essence in an age marked by technological overreach and the cold state of society. Nothing about Who Loves The Sun feels synthetic.

Whereas their debut album God’s Country depicted a particularly American flavor of dread, and the follow up Cool World showed a cruel planet defined by global systemic violence, Who Loves The Sun peels the skin back on how collective indifference defines this new century. Spanning imagery of coastlines devouring cities, dead-end jobs, and submission to data-driven inauthenticity, the album dissects the apathy-bloated state of 21st-century existence as a slow-motion apocalypse. As with much of Chat Pile’s work, Oklahoma City itself looms over the album like a character, its sprawling isolation, economic contradictions, and underlying sense of decay embedded in the fabric of the record. The perfect allegory for the thematic essence of Who Loves The Sun is the photo embossed on the record’s cover, where Devon Tower, a glassy, largely vacant monolith, looms high above the Oklahoma City skyline while a burnt-out home or storefront envelops the foreground. The album remains lyrically and sonically confrontational, but Chat Pile approached the songwriting with hooks in mind, drawing on melodic tones of pre-2000s indie rock, alt-rock, and new wave. From the blood-soaked vocal passages of “Christabel ’26” to the eerie trip-hop pulse of “Same Rules,” Who Loves The Sun is deeply human despite its allusions to a dying, divided .

Friday My Lady steht für energiegeladenen Rock'n'Roll im coolen Garage-Punk-Stil, den das Youngster Quartett aus der Vendée souverän rüberbringt. Im Laufe des Jahres 2022 beschlossen Mathis (Gesang/Gitarre), Vérone (Leadgitarre), Balthazar (Bass) und Lény (Schlagzeug), sich auf das Abenteuer Friday My Lady einzulassen. Kurz gesagt: Sie haben noch jede Menge Tolles für uns auf Lager, und das ist erst der Anfang... FRN Friday My Lady c'est du high energy rock'n'roll sauce garage punk bien cool que le quatuor vendéen de 20 ans sait porter sur ses épaules. Courant 2022, Mathis (chant/guitare), Vérone (guitare lead), Balthazar (basse) et Lény (batterie) ont décidé de se lancer dans l'aventure Friday My Lady. En bref, ils ont encore pleins de belles choses à nous réserver et ce n'est que le début ..

"26/70 - Die Songs von STOPPOK" ist weit mehr als ein klassisches Tribute-Album. Zum 70. Geburtstag der Ruhrpott-Ikone versammelt diese Compilation 18 Interpretationen, die den Kern von STOPPOKs Songwriting freilegen: Haltung, Humor, Menschlichkeit und eine unverwechselbare erzählerische Kraft. Statt ehrfürchtiger Nachahmung entstehen neue Lesarten - persönlich, mutig und stilistisch vielfältig. Künstler:innen aus mehreren Generationen geben den Songs ihre eigene Stimme und holen sie gleichzeitig ins Heute. Ob folkig reduziert, rockig aufgeladen, popaffin oder weltmusikalisch gefärbt - die Kompositionen erweisen sich als erstaunlich zeitlos. Produziert von Sebel entsteht ein Album, das STOPPOKs enorme Wirkung als Songautor sichtbar macht: Seine Lieder funktionieren unabhängig vom Original, bleiben im Ohr, im Kopf und im Herzen. "26/70" ist eine Würdigung ohne Verklärung - und ein Beweis dafür, dass große Songs kein Verfallsdatum kennen.

The legends of the golden era of Italian soundtracks and library music go by many names, but the backbone of that era’s definitive sonic identity is most often identified as I Marc 4 (also known as Marc 4 or I Marc Quattro). While the moniker might be less familiar to the uninitiated, it is a simple acronym derived from its founding members: Maurizio Majorana (bass), Antonello Vannucchi (organ), Roberto Podio (drums and percussion), and Carlo Pes (guitar). The number "4" serves to highlight the core synergy of these four master musicians. Their journey began in Rome’s vibrant jazz scene of the 1950s and early 1960s, where they honed their craft as members of the RAI national orchestra and collaborated with the most prominent jazz and pop icons of the day. However, it was their pivotal role in defining the Italian cinematic sound of the 1960s and 1970s that secured their legacy. Their unmistakable style was an eclectic fusion of beat, jazz, classical, and Latin influences—textured with early synthesizers, experimental sound effects, and a blend of electronic and baroque instrumentation. Consequently, their initials are etched into the credits of countless landmark recordings by legendary composers such as Nino Rota, Armando Trovajoli, Gianni Ferrio, Alessandro Alessandroni, Piero Umiliani, and Ennio Morricone.

Beyond their work as session luminaries, they produced a vast body of library music under their own name at the legendary Telecinesound Studios in Rome. These recordings were released through prestigious library labels like Sermi, Ricordi, and Fonit Cetra, as well as through their own imprints: Nelson Records, Silver Men, and Silver Music, spanning a definitive series of sixteen albums. Ten of these volumes were issued on Nelson Records during the 1970s, featuring the now-iconic military stencil design. Each release was color-coded: red (G.L.P. 1001), dark blue (G.L.P. 1002), gold (G.L.P. 1003), light green (G.L.P. 1004), brown (G.L.P. 1005), black (G.L.P.1006), light blue (G.L.P. 1007), yellow (G.L.P. 1008), orange (G.L.P.1009), and cool green (G.L.P. 1010). The series was completed by two elusive companion releases: S.M. 2001 on Silver Music and S.M. 2002 on Silver Men, both presented in the same distinctive brown sleeve. Rediscovered in the 1990s and 2000s, these Nelson releases have since achieved cult status among collectors, producers, and DJs worldwide. The final two installments, S.M. 2001 and S.M. 2002, remain the rarest and most enigmatic of the set.

Often overlooked, they contain some of the most profound "hidden gems" in the group’s catalog. The tracklist traverses a wide stylistic spectrum: from the rare groove and proto-hip hop energy of "Trama Nella Metropoli", "Beat Morbido", and "Candy", to the lush cinematic atmospheres featuring the ethereal vocals of Edda Dell'Orso on "Summer In Love", "On The Rain", and "Arcobaleno". The collection is rounded out by sophisticated jazz pieces like "Flauti Ensemble", "Passeggiata", and "Atmosfere Dolci”. Sonor Music Editions has meticulously curated the finest moments from these two rare albums for this first-ever dedicated reissue. Bringing together the best of Silver Music (S.M. 2001) and Silver Men (S.M. 2002), this release retains the iconic stencil artwork but introduces a striking silver finish. This design choice honors the original ten-album sequence while shedding new light on these outstanding recordings—works that remain, in every sense, golden.

In his most self-aware and sonically refined work to date, JORDY returns with In Retrospect—an 11-track journey through the clarity of hindsight. Transitioning from a breakup record into a manifesto on healing, the album captures the "push-and-pull" of turning 30 and finding power in the wreckage of the past.

Known for his unmistakable blend of "pop precision" and vulnerable storytelling, JORDY moves past the guilt of time wasted to celebrate the person he has become. This is an album about finding yourself again after the noise fades.

In Retrospect is a love letter to the music that shaped a generation. Sonically, JORDY pays homage to his roots, blending the infectious energy of early 2000s pop-punk and Hilary Duff-era bubblegum with the high-gloss production of modern synth-pop.
JORDY commented, “In Retrospect started as a breakup record, but it quickly became something much bigger. It turned into an album about healing. About growing. I think when people find themselves stuck in bad relationships, they often blame themselves for not leaving sooner. They carry guilt over the time they feel they’ve wasted. But writing this album helped me see it differently. The moment I chose to leave the toxicity behind, I felt like I found myself again. I got healthier, mentally and physically. I gave myself permission to mourn the life I thought I’d be living at 30, the future I imagined as a kid. I found peace in remembering that nothing is ever as serious as it feels. I found my power again. In retrospect, the pain and suffering may have been the very thing that saved me.

“Sonically, this album pays homage to my roots - to my younger self blasting Hilary Duff and pop punk bands alone in his room. It’s nostalgic. It’s the kind of music I love to listen to. It feels more like me than anything I’ve made in a long time. It’s funny and catchy, vulnerably heartbreaking, and beautifully hopeful all at the same time. It’s exactly where I am right now,” he added.

Ever since the late 1950s bossa-nova revolution, Brazil’s influence on French music has been undeniable. Pierre Barouh, Georges Moustaki and a vast array of lesser known artists, all made the Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB) an axis of promotion at the service of a cool and metaphysical, modern and mixed Brazilian lifestyle. Some were seduced by the poetic languors of the bossa, some were looking for fun, and others just loved the American hybridization of jazz-bossa, jazz-samba.



What is bossa nova? One of its creators, Joao Gilberto said: "Its style, cadence, everything is samba. At the very start, we didn't call it bossa nova, we sang a little samba made up of a single note - Samba de uma nota so .... The discussion around the origins of bossa nova is therefore useless”. It is nevertheless useful to remember that these magnificent Brazilian songs, which the guitarist describes as samba, were shifted and balanced around improbable chords. "I like things that lean, the in-betweens that limp with grace," said Pierre Barrouh, quoting Jean Cocteau.



With emotion, arrangements for violin and supple guitar licks, bossa nova rapidly changed. A transformation that can be heard in the Tchic, tchic, French Bossa Nova 1963-1974 compilation, the result of a cultural reappropriation, which traveled through the United States and supplemented itself in France.

A musical revolution that has remained significant, bossa nova was born in Rio. From 1956 to 1961, Brazil lived through its golden years. In five years, the country had invented its modernist style. Elected president in 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, an elegant man with a broad forehead, brandished a promising slogan: "Fifty years of progress in five years". He quickly got to work. Not worried about increasing debt, he launched the project for a new federal capital, Brasilia, designed by the communist architect Oscar Niemeyer. Volkswagen opened state-of-the-art factories and created the “fusquinha”, the Beetle. In Rio, the Vespa made its first appearance. The Arpoador Surf Club crew run into the “girl” from Ipanema, Helô Pinheiro - the tanned garota ("chick"), between a flower and mermaid, who at 17 walked by the Veloso bar, where the fiery author and composer, Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, were getting drunk on whiskey. From then on, bossa symbolized cool.

In 1958, Joao Gilberto recorded Chega de Saudade, which the directors of Philips denied, calling it "music for fagots". The marketing director, who believed in it, secretly pressed 3000 78-inch vinyls and distributed them at schools around Rio, creating a tidal wave.

American jazzmen then took over. In particular, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and guitarist Charlie Byrd. In November 1962, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded a "Bossa-Nova" concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, inviting the genre’s pioneers. Unprepared, the show soon turned to disaster. But the troupe was invited to the White House by Jackie Kennedy. The first lady loved "the new beat" and in particular Maria Ninguem, a song by Carlos Lyra, later covered by Brigitte Bardot.

In Brazil, the 1964 military coup quickly ended this euphoria. The destructive atmosphere that ensued pushed many Brazilian musicians to leave, if not to exile. Thus, Tom Jobim, Sergio Mendes and Joao Gilberto arrived to the United States. In New York, Joao Gilberto met saxophonist Stan Getz. At the time, he was married to the Bahianese Astrud Weinert Gilberto, who had a German father. She had never sung before, but she knew how to speak English. Getz therefore asked her to replace her husband on The Girl From Ipanema. The Getz/Gilberto record with Tom Jobim on piano, was released in March 1964. Phil Ramone, the "pope of pop" was in charge of sound.

Bossa nova arrived in Paris through the classic “guitar-voice” channel (Pierre Barouh, Baden Powell, Moustaki…) But France loved jazz and Paris had already welcomed its American contributors. All these good people were to pass through Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The cabaret l'Escale became the Mecca of Latin American sound where one could find Pierre Barrouh and his friends, such as the Camara Trio, samba-jazz aces, whose only record was published by the Saravah label. With a band strangely called Les Masques (a band that included Nicole Croisille and Pierre Vassiliu, among others), the Camara Trio recorded an interesting Brazilian Sound, including the track Il faut tenir which is present on this tasty compilation of rarities.

Other enlightened musicians can also be found on the compilation, such as Jean-Pierre Sabar (songwriter for Hardy, Auffray, Leforestier ...) and the French pop rock organist Balthazar. In 1975, Sabar recorded Aurinkoinen Musiikkimatka on a Finnish label, which featured the crazy Vai, Vai, included on this record. We are now following the footsteps of Brazilian electronic musicians such as Sergio Mendes, Eumir Deodato or Marcos Valle who created funk and disco sounds on their keyboards and synthesizers. A style that influenced Véronique Sanson when she wrote Jusqu’à la Tombée de la nuit in 1969 for Isabelle de Funès, the niece of Louis and a great friend of Michel Berger - Sanson did end up singing this track on her 1992 Sans Regret record.


The pinnacle of exoticism and travel, Sylvia Fels’ Corto Maltese includes bongos, sea mist and ocean sounds. The title was taken from Jacky Chalard’s concept album written in 1974, Je suis vivant, mais j’ai peur (I am alive, but I am scared), based on Gilbert Deflez’s science fiction novel.


However, bossa nova extended the scope of popularity. "In the 1970s, I was a fan of Sergio Mendes, Getz / Gilberto. I fell in love with this music that I knew because I had been an orchestral singer, " explained Isabelle Aubret, who in 1971 delivered a composite record of covers by the very funky Jorge Ben, Orfeu Negro, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Morais and Jean Ferrat. "I recorded this album for Meys Records in Paris, far from Brazil, with wonderful musicians, François Raubert, Roland Vincent, Alain Goraguer...". The latter wrote the arrangements for Casa Forte, a very percussive title borrowed from Edu Lobo, one of the initiators of the bossa who spent time in California. "Jazz and bossa came together and produced very rhythmic music. I love singing, it allows me to dream, to have fun, to feel a high on stage, and these songs brought me joy, made me swing, my singing felt like a dance.”


The world tours of French singers and their desire for the tropics, often brought them to Rio with its hills, forests, caipirinhas and tanned bodies. There are surprises though, like this Iemenja (Iemenja is the goddess of the sea in the Afro-Brazilian candomblé religion). Not unlike the composer and musician Jean-Pierre Lang, based in Sao Paulo, Claire Chevalier taught Brazil to Brazil. In 1970, the singer and painter published a 45-inch vinyl, Mon mari et mes amants (My husband and my lovers), under the improbable pseudonym of Clarinha (little Claire). She was then living in Rio, with her husband, Joël Leibovitz, who founded a band called Azimuth, and who owned a record label specialized in "sambas enredos" songs for samba school parades.


For its B side, she asked Pierre Perret to come up with lyrics for a song composed by Carlos Imperial: "Oh goddess of the sea, o goddess Iemenja, I bring a white rose to adorn your long hair ..." . "Perret came to see us, and we had fun, remembers Joël Leibovitz. We wrote Lemenja for fun, we recorded it at the Havaí studio, behind the Central do Brasil the central station. Erlon Chaves, the arranger who worked with Elis Regina, joined us" adding his share of Afro-Brazilian percussions and funky brass to the mix.

There is a common misunderstanding in Franco-Brazilian history: that bossa, admittedly hedonistic, is perceived as funny, even though the poets who wrote the texts are often philosophizing on the human condition. Its French interpreters pull it towards a carnival inspired universe, far removed from its fundamental essence. Thus, Jean Constantin covered the famous Samba da minha terra, an ode to the art of samba written by the classic Bahian composer Dorival Caymmi, renaming it with the enticing title of Pas tant de tchi tchi pompon: "On your pier there is no tchi tchi / when you arch your back, you know everything is alright ”(lyrics by Gérard Calvi). This expedited bossa aims for the absurd, but retains a certain elegance.

Indeed, Jean Constantin was not an idiot, the rather large man had a huge mustache and liked fantasy, (Les pantoufles à papa, Le pacha, inspired by cha-cha-cha-cha, salsa and jazz) but he was also the lyricist of Mon manège à moi interpreted by Edith Piaf, the composer of Mon Truc en plume by Zizi Jeanmaire and the soundtrack of François Truffaut’s 400 Blows. Le Poulpe, published in 1970, from which this bossa is extract, was arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier, an accomplice of Serge Gainsbourg’s Melody Nelson. In short: "There is enough of samba / By looking at the parasol / Because my poor cabeza / Is going to die in the sun".

Even the American actress Marpessa Down, who was at the heart of the bossa nova revolution with her role as Euridyce in Marcel Camus’ film Orfeu Negro, winner of the 1959 Cannes Palme d'or, fed the clichée with Je voudrais parler au petit cuica - "Tell me how you manage to always make people want to dance / It's true, I must admit that I cannot resist your magic" - in consequence, once can hear the cuica, a little drum inherited from the Bantu.


But bossa nova had many angles. Societal, of course, pushing actresses who were symbols of women's liberation like Brigitte Bardot, Jeanne Moreau, or Sophia Loren to engage in the exercise of accelerated bossa. In February of 1963, Sophia Loren made a record in French in Rome, Je ne t'aime plus, featuring the song De jour en jour, a bossa written by two Italians, Armando Trovajoli and Tino Fornai, which was released a little later by Barclay. Bossa accompanied the 1960s, a decade of moral liberation. Ann Sorel, who interpreted La Poupée des favellas, caused a sensation with L’amour à plusieurs, a provocative song written by Frédéric Bottom and Jean-Claude Vannier. As for the actress Andrea Parisy, she displayed her bourgeois cheekiness in Marcel Carné's Les Tricheurs before interpreting Les mains qui font du bien. And Magalie Noël, the friend of Boris Vian, who sung Johnny fais-moi mal, was hired to sing Une énorme Samba, composed by Alain Goraguer (arranger to Gainsbourg, Bobby Lapointe and Jean Ferrat) with lyrics by Frédéric Botton.

But in the end, of what wood is bossa nova made of? The answer is given by Christianne Legrand, daughter of Raymond the conductor, and sister to Michel the composer: "With me, with jà" - jà means "immediately" in Portuguese. In 1972, the singer, an expert in vocal jazz and a member of the Double Six, published Le Brésil de Christianne Legrand. Two songs included on the Tchic Tchic compilation that demonstrate how bossa, jazz, funk, rock, etc. work like a swiss army knife: the music is used to denounce broken systems, or miracles, HLM et ciné roman, Cent mille poissons dans ton filet, two songs from the O Cafona soundtrack, a successful telenovela broadcast, at the time in black and white, on TV Globo. The first was adapted in French by the fighter and friend of the Legrand tribe, Agnès Varda. The second is content with a play on words, jostling them into a summer fun.



Véronique Mortaigne

Shooting Daggers are a band that never seems to stop. Sal, Bea and Raquel are one of the hardest working outfits out there, constantly playing shows and lending their support to myriad causes all around the U.K. and Europe. So, it’s always an exciting prospect when the band takes some time out from the maelstrom to write and record new material. And 2 years on from the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Love & Rage’ the band have been in Bear Bites Horse Studio with Wayne Adams (Big Lad, Green Lung) at the controls to come up with the goods once again. ‘The Real Life Thing’ is the latest hardcore sonic missive from one of London’s must-see bands, and it absolutely does not disappoint. Shooting Daggers are the real deal; the best, and most exciting and adventurous hardcore-inspired band in the country. A ‘mini album‘. 7 songs and 20 minutes of driving rocket fuelled punk meets melody picking up from their debut to go further into their own space. A selection of songs that are marked by a fierce energy, variety and cool musical nous, but always with a message firmly at its core. The band says … ‘It's a crucial time to focus on what really matters. Be present, be aware of real things happening in the world, with integrity and love we can make a difference as a community. There is hope out there, and if we all start treating nature, people and animals with respect and empathy we will be able to become better humans and coexist. In this mini album, we express the full range of our emotions through various sounds and genres. From cheerfulness to anger and hopefulness.

From hardcore punk, to shoegaze, to post hardcore and riot grrrl. We embrace our authentic self, with sensitivity in response to injustice, we act out, and all the while savouring every moment, being unapologetically yourself, empowering ourselves and each other’. With the help of some very special guests in the form of ‘The Menstrual Cramps' and Dennis Lyxzén from Refused, that message is driven home ‘big time’. ‘Adrenaline’ is as full on and heavy as Daggers have ever been, all buzzsaw riffs and rousing vocals, it’s a smart and catchy punch in the face to kick off proceedings. ‘My Oh My’ sweetens the vibe if only a bit with its layered post shoegaze guitars and anthemic vocals, exquisitely arranged we may add. It really shows how Daggers have taken the 90’s elements from Love & Rage and expanded it into something all their own. ‘T.R.L.T.’ back to ‘in yer face’ Daggers trademark off kilter punk, chants, fast bit, slow bits all straight into your head. ‘We just Wanna Play’ is, as Daggers put it ... ‘Empowering playground song for girls and queers to sing and play’. The perfect intro to … ‘Loud Mouths’ the first track to feature bestie guesties ‘The Menstrual Cramps’. A riotous call to arms. We are united with our sisters and queer folks in punk and hardcore, queercore is strong and more alive than ever. Together we will denounce problematic behaviours unapologetically, we won't shut up. Things must change and it’s happening when problems are pointed out and sorted. The scene is for everybody, and we are making it happen’. ‘Le Soleil’ is another step forward … a left field, almost dubby vibe with a dreamy melodic swirling vocal performance from Sal.

When Daggers decide to step outside the box, they do it seductively in style. ‘Glow’ is the second collaboration; this one featuring Dennis Lyxzén from Refused on dual vocal duties. A no brainer it seems … ‘Refused has been a band that never wanted to fit in with a specific sound, they are pioneers of experimental punk while still being rooted in hardcore. They believe in what we believe in, antifascism, veganism, social justice and Dennis on stage is anything but a generic hardcore singer’. It’s a celebration. It’s fuzzy, it's hooky and it’s heavy with, dare we say it, a bit of My Bloody Valentine in there too, generic hardcore it is not. And that pretty much sums up ‘The Real Life Thing’. This album and this band are anything but ‘generic’. They never stand still and continue to push the boundaries of what is ‘hardcore’ or ‘punk’ or whatever people think they are. T.R.L.T. is a delight and a surprise from start to finish, refreshing, abrasive, melodic and with a true beating heart. Embrace it.

There are two versions of this album:

1. numbered 100 copies of limited black 180g vinyl made in collaboration with U JAZZ ME Records

2. transparent orange 180g vinyl

LINER NOTES:

" When AJ Lee stepped back into the ring in September 2025 - after a ten-year break - she introduced herself to a new generation of fans with the words: 'If you haven't heard of me, I am your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.' That is exactly what came to my mind as a lead for this blurb when Pokusa asked me to write it. Because that’s what they are: your favorite indie darlings' favorite indie darlings (even though no one uses that term anymore, let alone identifies as such). They are your favorite cool jazzcats’ favorite jazzcats. And they are probably your favorite young jazz act - if you don’t usually (or ever) listen to jazz.

This, I always thought, is their greatest strength. Half the battle (in my eyes) is recording a sick jazz album - one that a jazz magazine would fawn over. The real win is getting someone wearing a heavy metal T-shirt into it; someone who’s never listened to jazz and has never stepped foot in a place like Pardon, To Tu, but heard Pokusa and decided to change that. I am such a person. I didn't learn about jazz because of them, but they’re definitely the reason I started rating it.
Głowy (Heads) is, in a way, a classic album. If someone played it for me and - relying on my lack of knowledge and gullibility - tried to convince me that it was recorded in the Polish Radio Studios in 1975, at Akwarium Club in Warsaw in 1985, at Club Rura in 1989, somewhere in Tri-City in '94, or at Mózg in Bydgoszcz, I would probably believe it. Its 'classicness' goes hand in hand with its timelessness. I could write about how the album fits into the catalogs of Lado ABC, GOWI, or Biodro Records. I could dig for connections to Yass, Tzadik, or a number of other things.
But what Teo, Natan, and Tymek create here is as important in its experience as it is in its music. For me - an artist active in a similar time - each Pokusa album, including this newest release, is a record of a period of time and the experiences hidden between the notes. The Indian spices in food served before a show in Mózg. A headache from all the cigarettes smoked listening to tapes in Eufemia. Marveling at the graffiti over the sink in Młodsza Siostra. The narrow steps at Chłodna 25. The wider but slippery steps to Pogłos. The quirky and uncomfortable steps in Ziemia. The mosquitoes at Ladomek. The dilemma of whether to wear a nice polo instead of a T-shirt to SPATiF. The wonder of turning off Monciak into Dwie Zmiany. Why is a club like this on such a strip? Why is Pokusa playing here? And why do they sound so good?
On one hand, you can find journalists writing that Pokusa grew out of the classic free jazz of the 1960s; some might mention Albert Ayler. On the other hand, there’s Unsound Festival and young critics writing about 'post-jazz.' All of them are correct. This is universalism. This is that timelessness. Whether you pick up this album the day it comes out or in the year 2046, it will be good. In twenty years, people will still reach for it. Of that, I am certain."
Michał Turowski

There are two versions of this album:

1. numbered 100 copies of limited black 180g vinyl made in collaboration with U JAZZ ME Records

2. transparent orange 180g vinyl

LINER NOTES:

" When AJ Lee stepped back into the ring in September 2025 - after a ten-year break - she introduced herself to a new generation of fans with the words: 'If you haven't heard of me, I am your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.' That is exactly what came to my mind as a lead for this blurb when Pokusa asked me to write it. Because that’s what they are: your favorite indie darlings' favorite indie darlings (even though no one uses that term anymore, let alone identifies as such). They are your favorite cool jazzcats’ favorite jazzcats. And they are probably your favorite young jazz act - if you don’t usually (or ever) listen to jazz.

This, I always thought, is their greatest strength. Half the battle (in my eyes) is recording a sick jazz album - one that a jazz magazine would fawn over. The real win is getting someone wearing a heavy metal T-shirt into it; someone who’s never listened to jazz and has never stepped foot in a place like Pardon, To Tu, but heard Pokusa and decided to change that. I am such a person. I didn't learn about jazz because of them, but they’re definitely the reason I started rating it.
Głowy (Heads) is, in a way, a classic album. If someone played it for me and - relying on my lack of knowledge and gullibility - tried to convince me that it was recorded in the Polish Radio Studios in 1975, at Akwarium Club in Warsaw in 1985, at Club Rura in 1989, somewhere in Tri-City in '94, or at Mózg in Bydgoszcz, I would probably believe it. Its 'classicness' goes hand in hand with its timelessness. I could write about how the album fits into the catalogs of Lado ABC, GOWI, or Biodro Records. I could dig for connections to Yass, Tzadik, or a number of other things.
But what Teo, Natan, and Tymek create here is as important in its experience as it is in its music. For me - an artist active in a similar time - each Pokusa album, including this newest release, is a record of a period of time and the experiences hidden between the notes. The Indian spices in food served before a show in Mózg. A headache from all the cigarettes smoked listening to tapes in Eufemia. Marveling at the graffiti over the sink in Młodsza Siostra. The narrow steps at Chłodna 25. The wider but slippery steps to Pogłos. The quirky and uncomfortable steps in Ziemia. The mosquitoes at Ladomek. The dilemma of whether to wear a nice polo instead of a T-shirt to SPATiF. The wonder of turning off Monciak into Dwie Zmiany. Why is a club like this on such a strip? Why is Pokusa playing here? And why do they sound so good?
On one hand, you can find journalists writing that Pokusa grew out of the classic free jazz of the 1960s; some might mention Albert Ayler. On the other hand, there’s Unsound Festival and young critics writing about 'post-jazz.' All of them are correct. This is universalism. This is that timelessness. Whether you pick up this album the day it comes out or in the year 2046, it will be good. In twenty years, people will still reach for it. Of that, I am certain."
Michał Turowski

House and techno mainstay Steve Bug returns to Nu Groove with four-track EP ‘Let’s Work’, showcasing the sound of a true electronic pioneer on vinyl. Up first is title track ‘Let’s Work’, a bouncy club record with a cool, metropolitan feel. What follows are ‘Mr Wonders’ and ‘Not The First Time’, two tracks that highlight Steve Bug’s rhythmic expertise and mastery of tension. Closing out this vinyl collection of fresh house music is a collaboration with Los Angeles native and dance culture expert Juliet Mendoza; ‘Whispers In The Dark’ features Juliet’s magnetic spoken word over Steve’s brooding electronic groove.