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Will probably ship earlier than the 14th. Up until Raising Hell, the rap juggernaut we know as Run-DMC was still in its building and breaking-down- doors phase. In 1986 that changed, and in a dramatic way. With their third long-player, the group had reached the mountaintop. It was THE record that proved hip-hop wasn't a fad. Raising Hell marked an important and significant new era for the group. Leaving producer Larry Smith for up-and- coming sonic innovator Rick Rubin (still co-produced by Run's brother Russell Simmons), they began to fully transition not only their own sound, but the sound of the entire genre. Less live playing - with some exceptions - and a slicker, tighter sonic attack. Musical aesthetics aside, though, at their core they stayed true to the essence of hip-hop: two turntables and a microphone, or two. It's impossible to talk about the album without its worldwide smash, 'Walk This Way,' which hit #4 on the Billboard pop charts and saw the group digging in the rock crates to summon Aerosmith in the flesh, combining Steven Tyler's and Joe Perry's musicianship with the group's own take on the '70s classic. The song's video cemented Run-DMC as legit MTV idols, and both groups rode its wave to new heights. Beyond 'Walk This Way,' the platter is full to the hilt with undeniable classic singles: 'You Be Illin''; 'It's Tricky'; 'Peter Piper' and the fashion-world shifting 'My Adidas.' Each song was new proof that Run-DMC's sound was indeed new, but still familiar, and full of the energy, charisma and innovation that drew fans to their first two LPs. Aside from the singles, the reason the album stands up so well is the fact that there is virtually no filler. 'Proud To Be Black' remains a pioneering and underrated cut when people talk about 'conscious' hip-hop. And to make sure they never lost the streets that gave them their start, 'Hit It Run,' 'Son Of Byford,' 'Is It Live' and 'Perfection' all bring it back to the group's early days in the park. Besides the triple platinum status the album achieved, it was more than just a pop smash. It signaled a new era for rap music, and it was

the no-turning- back point for the entire genre. This was the beginning of what we now call the Golden Era, and it still sounds as fresh today as it did three decades ago.

Da Beatminerz defined the dark, gritty sound of underground Hip-Hop in the '90s. Formed in 1992 by brothers Walter “Mr. Walt” and Ewart “DJ Evil Dee” Dewgarde, the production duo pioneered Hip-Hop's brooding vibes, a tonal shift that came with the release of Black Moon's classic debut album Enta Da Stage. As producers of the seminal 1993 project in its entirety, Da Beatminerz set a precedent for hardcore Hip-Hop.

Their sample-heavy, gutter tracks laced with heavy basslines, and hard kicks and snares helped reshape the music genre. Da Beatminerz continued to refine their distinct sound and identity with countless classic records for other artists and two albums of their own (2001’s Brace 4 Impak and 2004’s Fully Loaded w/ Statik) over the course of their illustrious 30-year career.

Stifled Creativity is the duo’s first full-length album in 20 years.

“We started working on this album in 2009... We had one focus and the focus was to stick to our core sound. We just wanted to bring back our traditional way of attempting a classic album. Everybody has their own type of hip hop that they love. Well, this is ours.” - Mr. Walt













m Adore HER (feat. Keith Murray)



q It’s All 4 U [REPRISE] (feat. Halley Hiatt & AZ)













[m] Adore [HER] (feat. Keith Murray)



[q] It’s All 4 U [REPRISE] (feat. Halley Hiatt & AZ)













[m] Adore [HER] (feat. Keith Murray)



[q] It’s All 4 U [REPRISE] (feat. Halley Hiatt & AZ)

Ghost Alive was the sixth album released by the Boxer Rebellion and is reissued on limited coloured vinyl pressing as part of a reissue series across their entire album catalogue.

An album born of hope through heartache, ‘Ghost Alive’ is the band’s most personal and human record to date. Exploring the darker corners of love, loss, and grief while shining a light on shared human experience, the album leans on the London four-piece’s more cinematic elements for a gloriously widescreen journey. Stripping away any excess, this album showcases the bare bones of opulent songwriting that lays at the core of The Boxer Rebellion. Rather than being crushed under the weight of melancholia, ‘Ghost Alive’ is 11 tracks that breathe with an understanding and experience. Bracingly vulnerable and achingly real, it’s a tender triumph from a band whose prime shows no signs of fading.

The band now have an eponymous EP, six studio albums, Exits (2005), Union (2009), The Cold Still (2011), Promises (2013), Ocean by Ocean (2016) and Ghost Alive (2018), as well as a compilation album, B-Sides & Rarities Collection, Vol. 1 & 2 (2012).

Emilia Sisco's debut album on Timmion Records, "Introducing Emilia Sisco", takes you on a smooth ride in the world of vintage soul, featuring 10 beautifully crafted original songs written by Sisco in collaboration with the renowned Cold Diamond & Mink band. The album showcases this young talent's unique ability to blend classic soul influences with contemporary flair, building mesmerizing harmonies by layering her voice, and through these channeling a sound that is both timeless and fresh. From the opening track "Say Yes" - grooving like an independent gospel soul jam that somebody discovered in dank Midwest cellar - to the closing "Secretly," each song is a testament to Sisco's deep connection to the emotional core of soul music. As one of the album's highlights, "Don't Let Nobody," stands out as a sweet anthem of love and encouragement for your fellow human. With its heartfelt lyrics and Sisco's gently floating vocal performance, the song displays the essence of the album_soulful, sincere, and deeply moving. The Cold Diamond & Mink band provides lush, downtempo arrangements throughout the record, perfectly complementing Sisco's voice and bringing her compositions to life with a rich, organic sound. In "Introducing Emilia Sisco" the singer's signature style of downtempo soul shines brightly, offering listeners a blend of introspective ballads and uplifting grooves. After her string of exquisite and well-received singles on Timmion, this album documents the impressive progress of a formidable new voice, one that is sure to resonate with fans of classic and contemporary soul alike.

Next up on Intrepid Skin, MarcelDune readies four heaters direct from the scuzziest corners of the rave, out on Friday 13 December on digital / vinyl.

Based in London but hailing from Athens, they draw upon a lifelong relationship with music spanning jazz studies, opera singing, and the punk DIY scenes of their hometown.


In connecting the dots between these disparate aspects, they've committed to engaging with music that honours resistance and authenticity, and draws inspiration from those seeking liberation from oppression and societal frameworks.

With this new release MarcelDune hones in on the ethos that underpins their aesthetic, with touches of euphoria, huge drums, and quintessentially fun.

Title track 'Buy Success' brandishes raw serrated edges and an industrial core whilst never losing the groove. 'Remedy for evil' moves into bouncier feels with the hardest groove. On 'Tell Me Who They Are', vocal chops ricochet over angular percussion and glitching machines. Closing things off, 'Romantic and Other Fantasies' lays down some weighty percussion driving a madhouse of effects forward.

"Because it's the passion for music that drives the person behind the decks, a dj's debut is bound to exude authenticity. It's often themselves they're recounting in music, posing on the slip mats their DNA and what makes them who they are.

When you're just starting out, you're faced with a multitude of routes to take and styles to play. When you know just how devastating it can be to step out of line and empty the dance floor even faster than it filled up, it often takes a lot of audacity to break the unity of a funk evening with a punk track.

Over time, to evolve is to find oneself facing only two roads.

On the first one, to satisfy the greatest number of people and not lose the credit for his fees, the dj adapts to the trend. Whether he likes what he's playing or not, the road has become a freeway and, indeed, a very comfortable one. The audience already knows everything there is to hear and doesn't come to hear anything else. Thirty seconds, or even a minute of each track, is more than enough. Everything has to flow quickly. Everything is marked out and secured. Those who respect the regulations will (normally) make the journey without accident. Several times a week, several times a month, several times a year. Curiosity disappears altogether.

And then there's the other road. Where nothing is expected nor sometimes even ever heard. The road of an unquenchable passion for diggin' and the desire to always know more and more. A passion billed at the price of hours of research-finding spent in the discomfort and possible disappointment of never coming across anything exciting, as well as nights exploring platforms and multiplying clicks resulting in a good old headache. Until that moment of grace happens when, after thousands of fruitless shakes, the nugget stands alone in the sieve, without the slightest doubt as to its quality.

Coming from places never mentioned for their music, sometimes classics of their genre, they are also rarities miraculously saved from total disappearance, as much as current marvels, but threatened to never leave the immensity of the web. Even if the possibility of a text with substance is never excluded, they can tell long stories or be destined solely to make you dance till you're dehydrated. Scintillating with spirituality, some can also vaporize energy and replace it with a pure emotion capable of touching hearts in the bareness of simple percussions.

This road is marked by sincerity, singularity and surprises, but always in a communion between the dj and the audience, who embark on it together, with mutual confidence in the promise of hours of sharing and discovering. "

Pedro The Lion Covers “B” By Lync. Lync “B” Original Version On The Flip Side. One-Time Retail Pressing Limited To 450 Copies. Pressed On Opaque Purple Vinyl, Includes Download Coupon. The early ‘90s Olympia trio Lync harnessed the same raw energy and passionate discord of the era’s San Diego and DC chapters of post-hardcore while building their songs on the foundation of the Pacific Northwest indie rock scene’s clever hooks and sophisticated melodies. In celebration of the recent reissue of Lync’s sole LP, These Are Not Fall Colors, singer-songwriter David Bazan has re-envisioned the album opener “B” under his Pedro the Lion moniker, stripping away the celebratory distortion and riotous clamor of the original for a hushed acoustic rendition in line with Bazan’s most austere slow-core moments. Paired together as a 7” single on Suicide Squeeze Records, these two versions of “B” highlight the multifaceted power of the original song, with Pedro the Lion’s version elevating its fundamental melodic weight, idiosyncratic chord structure, and poetic power, and the original Lync version reminding us how their distinctive brand of expressive dissonance and adrenalized execution transformed their cerebral pop songs into jagged masterpieces of the post-Nevermind punk underground

Scions are a new innovative experimental ensemble. The group features members from the award-winning minimalist chamber-jazz quartet New Hermitage, the Polaris-nominated drone-hymn duo Joyful Joyful, and the acclaimed producer and composer Michael Cloud Duguay. Their collaboration began at the Sappyfest music festival in Sackville, New Brunswick, in August 2022. During this event, New Hermitage and Joyful Joyful connected for the first time and teamed up with Duguay for a spontaneous improvisational performance based on his song writing. The enthusiastic response, capped by a standing ovation, solidified the ensemble's decision to pursue the project further, with Duguay deftly shifting from front-person to producer and musical director. After being awarded a Canada Council project grant in early 2023 the group took residence in Hotel Wolfe Island on Wolfe Island. Over a week the seven core members lived and worked together, culling material from sunrise improv sessions and collaboratively shaping it into a unique body of work that would later become To Cry Out In The Wilderness. In June 2023, the ensemble, now joined by double bassist Gabriella Ciurcovich, recorded their debut album in Halifax’s north end. Led by Duguay’s distinctive approach to site-specific production, the recording took place in the sanctuary of St. George’s Round Church, with engineering by Jake Nicoll, known for his sustainable recording methods using a solar-powered, mobile control room. The resulting album, To Cry Out In The Wilderness, finds the ensemble expertly exploring and powerfully combining their skills in jazz, devotional, classical, drone, folk, ambient, metal, improvisational, minimalist and avant-garde music. The project culminated in a week of production, with contributions from numerous artists from Halifax’s creative music community. Scions then presented their work live, performing on the opening night of Halifax’s Everyseeker festival of experimental music, where they shared the spotlight with the renowned Sun Ra Arkestra. Speaking on the narrative of To Cry Out In The Wilderness vocalist and lyricist Cormac Culkeen said: "When we came together to make this body of work, we started from a narrative seed; a post-apocalyptic humanity relearning and recreating itself, after a total ecological collapse." Speaking on "Fight Song" they add, "“Fight Song” became the song we thought the last of us might need. It is sung for an imagined last stand. It is a rallying cry to wholeheartedly fight a losing battle. So it is for us now, in this time of great dismay and unease. The axe must be disobeyed.

First detected in the 1950s, Quasars remained a mystery for years with the massive amount of energy seeming to come from a very small area of space. Over time, astrophysicists theorised and proved that these celestial objects are black holes forming the centres of galaxies. For the latest Micron Audio release, 6SISS creates a sonic exploration of the many aspects of these gigantic cosmological bodies resulting in a collection of tracks that reflect their density, power, and luminosity. Each of the four tracks, QUASAR I-IV, represents a different phase of interaction with a quasar's energy, from initial observation to a final, euphoric absorption into the quasar's core: fizzing and enigmatic synths suggest the radio waves that travelled for thousands of years before being detected, while other bassier sounds bring to mind the vast gravitational pull of galactic centres, slowly attracting stars and planets alike towards them. As with all Micron Audio releases, QUASAR reveals a deep appreciation of scientific discovery and knowledge. Whilst avoiding retro-futuristic clich?, the imaginative abstract storytelling genre of electro is perfectly represented in this collection, in which 6SISS yet again emits his own densely packed work to emanate across the universe with a bold radiant energy.

Sweetheart is the first Cassie Ramone album in ten years, a crowning glory for a singular artist who has forged a unique path through the underground. Breaking out in the late 00s with the revered Vivian Girls, to her current status as a traveler on the
heartworn highway, Cassie Ramone has survived and thrived. Sweetheart is Ramone's greatest recorded statement to date:
focused songwriting shot through with American tragedies, distorted guitars and tear-stained fretboards. Recorded with
collaborator Dylan White in Richmond, VA in the latter's Valley Structures barn studio between December 2023 and March
2024, Sweetheart is Ramone's songwriting rendered direct but with a sweeping cinematic quality. Smeared with reverb and
scintillating like stars in the pitch black night, these songs fulfill the promise of Ramone's songwriting prowess.
Ranging from heart-stealers like I'm Going Home or Joy to the World to the riotous guitar scree of the titular Sweetheart,
Ramone's songwriting here is raw and direct, bolstered by White's perfectly balanced instrumentation. White's work on
Sweetheart blows up Ramone's songs to epic proportions, with waves of shoegazed guitars crashing and cresting with
emotion. As a result, Sweetheart fits effortlessly in with the best of Ramone's work with Vivian Girls and The Babies. With the
emotional vulnerability at its core, Sweetheart is Cassie Ramone emerging as one of the most honest and vital songwriters of
the underground.
Sweetheart, released on White and Ramone's new CD-R Records, builds on Cassie Ramone's legacy as a DIY pioneer. With Vivian Girls, Ramone and her bandmates forged a distinctive sound from 80s Punk, Shoegaze and 60s Girl Groups, delivering it with a dedication to world-building and Do It Yourself pragmatism. CD-Records and this first release are a continuation of Ramone's mission to maintain creative and aesthetic control over her art, communicating directly and honestly. Sweetheart may
also be the best record of her career.
Released on Cassie Ramone and Dylan White's label CD-R Records

RIYL: Portishead, Thom Yorke, BEAK>, SUUNS, TR/ST, Radiohead. Solo project of Robert Toher who was the creator of ERAAS. Covered by Quietus,Pitchfork, NME, Stereogum, Earmilk, The 405, Clash, BBC Radio, Clash and more.... Public Memory is a mixture of damaged and dubbed-out percussion, unfurling synths and sparse sampling - all strung together by producer Robert Toher's spectral tenor. The project's sophomore LP, Demolition follows 2017's Veil of Counsel EP and 2016's Wuthering Drum LP with cinematic fortitude. While Public Memory's prominent krautrock and trip-hop rhythms are represented here, Demolition explores a greater range of tempos and an expanse of alien emotions with layers of electronic drums, live drums, Korg synths and samples from nature. Themes of rebirth and reflection imbue the album's atmosphere, rich in tape delay, spring reverb, and textures that conjure a sci fi and supernatural narrative. Opener "The Line" sets the album in motion with a driving energy and introspective unease, as if estranged from the world it was created in. A meditation on impending collapse, "Red Rainbow" begins with an arpeggiated melody that hints at a sense of dread. Like the darkness of night descends, the track unfolds with haunting atmospherics and howling synths, finishing with an unexpected climax that ominously builds until at last it falls apart, quickly, softly, without incident. The slowtempoed "Aegis" reflects on the banal reality of love lost, with shuffling rhythms, lingering inflections and a growling synth at its core. Toher's adept use of space and tension articulates the world of Demolition as eerie, emotive, and above all, narcotic. Each track is an existential procession. "Turning out the lights on your illusion," Toher sings to close the album, accepting that change is an inescapable condition of being.

Transparent Curacao Vinyl. Award-winning composer for video games and Scottish artist, Barry "Epoch" Topping (PARADISE KILLER, SENTRY, THATCHER'S TECHBASE, ENCOUNTERS) returns with "The Needs", 11 songs of lavish reflection in a modern city pop style. The album takes the listener through an emotional exploration of identity and change set against the backdrop of late summer. It fuses city pop, rock and dance music into a rich, dreamy blast of video game-tinged modern pop music. But "The Needs" is more than just an album title, like Barry explains: "It's a new ensemble built around a core of the musicians that worked with me on Paradise Killer: Fiona Lynch, Fabian Hernandez, Thomas Temple and Kyle Murray-Dickson. A new trio of horns Elin Andersson, Nicklas Dahlin and Simon Fransman round out the full lineup. Having such talented musicians involved in a much bigger way has allowed us to challenge ourselves and make the best, most over the top music we've made yet. 'The Needs' was created as a vehicle for my own reflections and is intended to help listeners reflect and find solace too. No album can be universal but if 'The Needs' can help people feel seen or understood then I'll feel like it's been a success. Getting to make the album has been an extremely rewarding experience."

DJ Support: Kevin Reynolds, James Baron, Hot Toddy, Pablo Valentino, Colin Dale

Suite For Chick is a heartfelt Homage to the late Jazz Maestro Chick Corea.

This collection features reinterpretations of City Gate, Rumble, Time Track, and Hymn of the Heart from the Chick Corea Elektric Band, as well as Return to Forever’s classic Romantic Warrior. These vibrant renditions celebrate Corea's enduring legacy in the jazz world.

Chick Corea played a crucial role in shaping Miles Davis's electric fusion era and was a key member of his Lost Quintet. He was also a founding force behind Return to Forever and many other influential groups.

Bangkok-based Maarten Goetheer collaborates with top Thai drummer Pong Nakornchai, blending Wurlitzer chords, Moog basslines, ARP leads, and signature Rhodes phasings. Nakornchai, a Master’s graduate in Jazz Studies from Mahidol University, leads his own quartet and embodies the progressive spirit of modern jazz in Thailand.

Maarten's inspiration stems from his musical upbringing; his father, Gerard Goetheer, was a jazz pianist. This environment fostered his deep appreciation for music. A pivotal moment came when he heard Masters at Work remixing Tania Maria, igniting his vision to merge genres and create something new.

With Suite for Chick Maarten wanted to incorporate a wider range of Modern influences that he became infatuated with throughout his Musical career such as Techno, Italo, Cosmic Disco, Dub, Acid, Boogie, Proto-House & Ambient Music.

To Maarten bringing these genres together is his current and unique interpretation of the JAZZ FUSION moniker.

Radio Support: Kev Beadle Radio support, Colin Curtis Radio support, RINSE FM mini album mix & interview on Tim Garcia show, BBC6 RADIO New Music Fix 16th Oct 2024

DJ Feedback:

DJ Harvey - Very cool collection of reworks

Terry Farley - so fucking good - house heads will be lovin’ this

Laurent Garnier / FG Radio France: Whaouuuu. That’s brilliant. Great album!

Lars Behrenroth / Deeper Shades Of House: This is so cool. Love the dub of City Gate, too. Great music

Jimpster / Freerange: Great idea to work up some contemporary interpretations of Chick classics! Was always a fan of Time Track so nice to hear this one included. These tracks strike a really nice balance of electronic/sequenced elements and live recording. I’m into it!

Tim Garcia / Rinse FM: I think this whole release is excellent and inspired, nice to see a tribute to one of my favourites work so well.

a A1: City Gate Rumble Original
[b] A2: City Gate Rumble [Reprise Dub]
[c] A3: Romantic Warrior [Original]
[d] B1: Time Track [Original]
[e] B2: Time Track [Reprise]
[Original]

Andrew Funk'B Records proudly presents Stylistic Murder, a dynamic collaboration featuring some of hip-hop's most influential artists: KRS-One, OC, AZ, and Onyx. This special release brings together raw lyricism and classic beats on a striking grey vinyl edition, offering a nostalgic yet timeless sound.
The limited Grey Vinyl Edition enhances the collectibility of this release, catering to vinyl collectors and hip-hop enthusiasts alike.
This release stands as a celebration of authentic hip-hop culture, with legendary artists representing the genre’s core elements—lyricism, knowledge, and realness.

Red Brut’s third album, "On Bare Ground", is a sonic tapestry woven from the final threads of her Rotterdam existence. Entirely composed of soundscapes captured during her last two years in the city, the album evolves into a poignant farewell as its creation mirrors the passage of time, culminating in a profound departure from her life there.

A Coherent States, Dead Mind Records and Econore co-release. 200 copies on white vinyl, comes with obi-strip.

“On Bare Ground” is a sculptural work blending its lo-fi with haunting melodies, field recordings, and ethereal soundscapes. Uncompromising in its approach, the album evokes the echoes of experimental music from a spectrum that ranges from dark bedroom pop to rhythmic noise, crafting a cloudy and dreamlike atmosphere. With meticulous attention, it unfolds as a strong hypnotic journey, where intricate sounds emerge from a hidden center, while, in a parallel narrative, they gradually expose On Bare Ground’s underlying deep melancholic core.

Red Brut is the artistic alias of Dutch artist Marijn Verbiesen, who recently moved to Groningen and has been a vital force in Rotterdam's art scene. Her work reveals a particular sensitivity to everyday sounds, the soundscapes of cassette music, musique concrète, and spontaneous sound collage, combining these elements into a unique and truly personal avant-garde expression. This expression is present in various forms, in a wave of releases that began with limited-edition underground cassette releases in the mid-2010s and culminated in her two full-length albums, "Red Brut" (2018) on the Belgian label (K-RAA-K)³ and "Cloaked Travels" (2020) on the Finnish labels Lal Lal Lal and Ikuisuus. She has appeared at many important European festivals such as Rewire, KRAAK festival, Inversia, Colour Out Of Space and in numerous smaller venues worldwide. In addition to her career as Red Brut, Marijn is a member of the free improv/weirdo electronic pop duo Goldblum and before in the experimental no wave/noise trio Sweat Tongue.

“On bare Ground works as like an homage to self discovery amid urban malaise” The Wire

FERMA third vinyl release lands just before the close of the year and it is a special one. Petros Spatharos leads with a set of bangers distilling perfectly the sound of the label. Athens-based artist is widely known for his dark, immersive industrial sound, so yeah expect nothing less.

Side A starts with ”Datura”, layering heavy drums with dark reeses and syncopations – solid stuff. ”Xorkia” is an eyes-down track which will keep you in the zone with stellar percussion and atmosphere. ”Vultures” closes the first side with higher energy levels and more distinct breakbeat elements.

On Side B, Randstad remixes ”Datura” and pumps up the tempo to create a mind-bending industrial electro track with aggressive synths. Boris Barksdale wrap-ups the physical release by remixing ”Xorkia” and changing the core to techno and reworking percussion to create an industrial heavy-hitter track.

Written and produced by CS + Kreme.
Cello on 'Master of Disguise' by Yuki Nakagawa (KAKUHAN).
Tarawangsa on 'COTU' by Teguh Permana (Tarawangsawelas).
Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker.
Photography and design by Will Bankhead.

Hello Everybody,

In recent years, the introductory texts for the Pop Ambient compilation series, which is released every year on Kompakt as the last release before the Christmas break, often began with the sentence "Every year again...".

“Every year again”, a quiet, almost unnoticed maxim of self-evidentness. Because this is already the 25th issue to be published this year.

25 years in increasingly fast-moving times in the even faster-moving music business is an eternity that doesn't just feel like it. It is all the more remarkable how I, as someone who is always restless and often driven by this fast pace himself, pleasantly almost haven’t realised how - in pop-ambient contexts - time does not pass (or passes differently) in the best sense.

When compiling the 25th edition I was asked, among other things, what it was like that I was still doing this and whether I had a favorite track. In the spirit of bringing all the tracks together I don't have a favorite track, or all of them. But I have a favorite part (moment) that I played. In this case it was a broad chord in a change of key at minute 2:55 in the piece Circles by Max Würden. A moment of majesty and familiarity that, at that moment, contains the entire Pop Ambient cosmos, that just works and doesn't explain anything - and I said: “...that's the reason why I'm still doing this.. .”

Pop Ambient is a statement without demands. Is promise without expectation. Is a path without a destination. Every year again.

Wolfgang Voigt, October 2024

And so to the facts:

01. Leandro Fresco / Thore Pfeiffer – Goldwasserfluss

The intercontinental collaboration between the two long-standing Pop Ambient artists Leandro Fresco from Argentina and Thore Pfeiffer from Mainz is a regular part of the series. They open this year's anniversary edition with the usual filigree.

02. Pass Into Silence – Mirage

The Japanese artist Tetsuo Sakae aka Pass into Silence returns to Kompakt 20 years after his legendary album “Calm Like A Millpond”. A master of tones that are as fine as they are stoic and crystal clear.

03. Tamarma & Sebastian Mullaert – Follow Me

For the first time, the well-known Swedish producer and DJ Sebastian Mullaert will be performing on Pop Ambient in cooperation with the Georgian sound artist Tamara Davitashvili. Their piece “Follow Me” fits confidently into the intimate, familiar sound cosmos.

04. Sono Kollektiv feat. Nathalie Brum – Periadriatische Naht

Sono Kollektiv is now a fixture on Pop Ambient, this time with Nathalie Brum. In particular, Luis Reich's characteristic flugelhorn always gives their sound that special jazzy touch.

05. Thore Pfeiffer – Phase Locked Loop 1

Thore Pfeiffer is a master of shimmering surfaces and hypnotically meandering loops.

06. Andrew Thomas feat. Julia Parr – Sunshine Night

An old friend from New Zealand is back with spherical sounds. Andrew Thomas, in collaboration with Julia Parr, sprinkles finely placed piano tones into distant soundscapes and even more distant voices.

07. Segensklang – Artifacts of Synthesis

We are pleased that Segensklang will be there again this year after his brilliant Pop Ambient debut last year. Deep and beautiful.

08. Ümit Han – Im Delirium

The Cologne producer Ümit Han is back for the third time. While he has so far explored the more emotional, soundscape aspects of the Pop Ambient universe, this year's piece "Im Delirium" rises to a pulsating mountain of sound with pearly, clear, effervescent sound crystals.

09. Würden & Schäfer – Analysis Of Variance II

In their track Analysis Of Variance II, Max Würden and Lukas Schäfer embed a finely placed beat impulse in a soft bed of modulating soundscapes and pleasant psychedelic spaceyness.

10. Max Würden– Circles

Max Würden once again shows his special feeling for one of the core statements of the Pop Ambient style spectrum. The abstract chord and soundscape movement between formal construction and emotional touchability, which seems like “pop music” under the microscope.

11. Blank Gloss – Jennifer’s Convertible

The Californian guitar-ambient duo takes us into their sublimely beautiful sound cosmos with their usual aplomb. Maximum condensed transparency. Lightness - heavy as gold.

12. Hendrik Meyer – Grün War Die Klamm

Another new addition is Hendrik Meyer. The versatile musician, also known for his MYR project distributed by Kompakt, leads us with a glistening, beautiful “wall of sound” determination into the eternity of a sunset that is only ended by the following track. Filmy Music.

13. Triola – Zum Renngraben

Jörg Burger aka Triola combines his typical “handmade” impulses and accents with a multi-dimensional, digital sound scenario in a pleasantly smoky, blurred stonewashed aesthetic.

As always, the indispensable final mastering by Jörg Burger ensures that everything is brought together and the sound is fine-tuned.

And like every year, the 25th edition is of course wrapped in an abstract, floral magic creation by Veronika Unland. Over the years, the grace of her imagery has increasingly merged with the musical aura to form an unmistakable magical symbiosis.

Hallo Leute,

In den vergangenen Jahren begannen die Anmoderationstexte zur Pop Ambient Kompilation-Reihe, die jedes Jahr als letzte Veröffentlichung vor der Weihnachtspause auf Kompakt erscheint, sinnigerweise immer mal wieder mit dem Satz “Alle Jahre wieder...".

„Alle Jahre wieder”, eine leise, fast unbemerkt zur Formel gewordene Maxime der Selbstverständlichkeit. Denn in diesem Jahr erscheint bereits die 25ste Ausgabe.

25 Jahre in zunehmend schnelllebigen Zeiten im noch schnelllebigeren Musikgeschäft, sind gerne mal eine nicht nur gefühlte Ewigkeit. Umso bemerkenswerter wie mir, als ewig Rastlosem und oft selbst von dieser Schnelllebigkeit Getriebenem, auf angenehme Weise fast entgangen ist wie sehr, in pop ambienten Zusammenhängen (gedacht), die Zeit im besten Sinne nicht (oder anders) vergeht.

Beim Kompilieren der 25sten Ausgabe wurde ich u.a. gefragt, wie es ist, dass ich das immer noch mache und ob ich ein Lieblingsstück hätte. Im Sinne des Zusammenbringens von allen Stücken habe ich kein Lieblingsstück, oder alle. Aber ich habe eine Lieblingsstelle, die ich dann gespielt habe. In dem Fall war es ein breit gesetzter Akkord in einen Tonartwechsel bei Minute 2:55 im Stück Circles von Max Würden. Ein Moment der Erhabenheit und Vertrautheit, der in diesem Moment den gesamten Pop Ambient Kosmos in sich trägt, der einfach nur wirkt und nichts erklärt - und ich habe gesagt: „...das ist der Grund, warum ich das immer noch mache...“

Pop Ambient ist Statement ohne Forderung. Ist Verheißung ohne Erwartung. Ist Weg ohne Ziel. Alle Jahre wieder.

Wolfgang Voigt, Oktober 2024

Und damit zu den Fakten:

01. Leandro Fresco / Thore Pfeiffer – Goldwasserfluss

Die interkontinentale Kollaboration der beiden langjährigen Pop Ambient Stamm-Künstler Leandro Fresco aus Argentinien und Thore Pfeiffer aus Mainz, ist regelmäßiger Bestandteil der Serie. Gewohnt filigran eröffnen sie die diesjährige Jubiläumsausgabe.

02. Pass Into Silence – Mirage

Der japanische Künstler Tetsuo Sakae aka Pass into Silence meldet sich 20 Jahre nach seinem sagenhaften Album „Calm Like A Millpond“ auf Kompakt zurück. Ein Meister der ebenso feinen wie stoisch-glasklaren Töne.

03. Tamarma & Sebastian Mullaert – Follow Me

Zum ersten Mal gibt sich der bekannte, schwedische Produzent und DJ Sebastian Mullaert in Kooperation mit der georgischen Klangkünstlerin Tamara Davitashvili auf Pop Ambient die Ehre. Ihr Stück „Follow Me“ fügt sich souverän in den intim-vertrauten Klangkosmos ein.

04. Sono Kollektiv feat. Nathalie Brum – Periadriatische Naht

Mittlerweile eine feste Größe auf Pop Ambient ist das Sono Kollektiv, diesmal mit Nathalie Brum. Insbesondere das charakteristische Flügelhorn von Luis Reich gibt ihrem Sound immer wieder diesen besonderen jazzigen Touch.

05. Thore Pfeiffer – Phase Locked Loop 1 Thore Pfeiffer ist ein Meister der flirrenden Flächen und hypnotisch mäandernden Loops.

06. Andrew Thomas feat. Julia Parr – Sunshine Night

Ein alter Bekannter aus Neuseeland meldet sich mit sphärischen Klängen zurück. Andrew Thomas, in Kooperation mit Julia Parr, sprenkelt fein gesetzte Klaviertöne in weit entfernte Flächen und noch entferntere Stimmen.

07. Segensklang – Artifacts of Synthese

Wir freuen uns, dass auch Segensklang nach seinem fulminanten Pop Ambient Debut im letzten Jahr auch dieses Jahr wieder mit dabei ist. Deep and beautiful.

08. Ümit Han – Im Delirium

Zum dritten Mal dabei ist der Kölner Produzent Ümit Han. Hat er bisher eher die emotional-flächigen Aspekte des Pop Ambienten Universums ausgelotet, schwingt sich sein diesjähriges Stück „Im Delirium“ mit perlend-klaren, sprudelnden Soundkristallen zu einem pulsierenden Klanggebirge auf.

09. Würden & Schäfer – Analysis Of Variance II

Max Würden und Lukas Schäfer betten in ihrem Stück Analysis Of Variance II einen fein gesetzten Beat-Impuls in ein weiches Bett aus modulierenden Flächen und angenehmer psychedelischer Spaceyness.

10. Max Würden – Circles

Max Würden zeigt einmal mehr sein besonderes Gefühl für eine der Kernaussagen des Pop Ambient Stilspektrums. Die wie „Popmusik“ unter dem Mikroskop anmutende, abstrakte Akkord- und Flächenbewegung zwischen formaler Konstruktion und emotionaler Berührbarkeit.

11. Blank Gloss – Jennifer’s Convertible

Das kalifornische Gitarren-Ambient Duo entführt uns mit gewohnter Souveränität in ihren erhaben-schönen Soundkosmos. Maximal verdichtete Transparenz. Leichtigkeit - schwer wie Gold.

12. Hendrik Meyer – Grün War Die Klamm

Ein weiterer Neuzugang ist Hendrik Meyer. Der vielseitige Musiker, u.a. auch bekannt durch sein über Kompakt vertriebenes MYR Projekt, führt uns mit gleißend-schöner „wall of sound“ Entschlossenheit in die Ewigkeit eines nur vom nachfolgenden Stück beendeten Sonnenuntergang. Film(Musik)reif.

13. Triola – Zum Renngraben

Jörg Burger aka Triola kombiniert die für ihn typischen „handmade“ Impulse und Akzente mit mehrdimensionalem, digitalen Soundszenario in angenehm rauchig-verwischter Stonewashed Ästhetik.

Für den alles zusammenführenden, klanglichen Feinschliff sorgt, wie immer, das unverzichtbare, finale Mastering von Jörg Burger.

Und wie in jedem Jahr ist auch die 25ste Ausgabe natürlich in ein abstrakt-florales Zaubergebilde von Veronika Unland gehüllt. Die Anmut ihrer Bildsprache ist über die Jahre immer mehr mit der musikalischen Aura zu einer unverkennbaren magischen Symbiose verschmolzen.

8/10 FULL-PAGE LEAD REVIEW IN UNCUT: “TALENTED ARTISTS SUCH AS ALDOUS HARDING , DELANEY DAVIDSON, IVY ROSSITER AND MARLON WILLIAMS REPRESENT A FRESH COUNTRY-FOLK/AMERICANA MOVEMENT IN AND AROUND CHRISTCHURCH AND DUNEDIN. NADIA REID'S IMPECCABLE DEBUT WILL MAYBE SET A WIDER ORBIT IN MOTION.”
4/5 LEAD REVIEW IN MOJO: “INSPIRED DEBUT BY A YOUNG NEW ZEALAND SINGER-SONGWRITER YOU'LL FEEL YOU'VE KNOWN FOREVER. A WONDERFUL ALBUM"

SUNDAY TIMES DEBUT OF THE WEEK: "SHE RANKS ALONGSIDE LOW AND THE COWBOY JUNKIES FOR DELIVERING SLOW-BURN EMOTION"
"It has all that well-smoked wisdom, that mingling of strength and yearning that seems to charge the work of all my favourite female artists – Laura Marling, The Weather Station, Sharon Van Etten and Tift Merritt, to name but four. Reid is just 23, and since I am loathe to run that “old beyond her years” line, let us simply say that when I hear a young artist making an album as soulful and rich and self-possessed as Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs, I feel so thrilled not only for the existence of that record but for all the music they will make over all the years to come.” THE GUARDIAN PLAYLIST
6MUSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
A richness of voice; a depth of emotion; and wise beyond her years; with Listen To Formation, Look For the Signs, 23-year-old New Zealand native Nadia Reid has claimed her place as one of the country’s most evocative and profound young songwriters. Her music traces the sharp mountain peaks, azure coastline, and mirrored images of the land and sky that pinpoint her home country’s vast open landscapes.
Whether nerding about with friends, stunning audiences into silence with her spellbinding live shows or unwinding in the tranquillity of her favourite hometown spot overlooking Port Chalmers’ harbour through her large-rimmed spectacles, Nadia Reid has achieved a gloriously fresh and eloquent new folk sound. “I’ve been in New Zealand my whole life and guess at times I take for granted the serene beauty that I live so closely with,” she says of her music’s majestic affiliation with nature. Mapping out tales of change and loss, whilst drawing inspiration from reading, writing, the human condition, falling in and out of love, death, and birth - it all lends to a superbly balanced album that moves surreptitiously between sparse and fragile melancholia to beautifully brutal lyricism with a philosophical maturity that bellies her years.
Born in Auckland, Nadia’s acoustic roots stem from an upbringing in a musical household where attending folk clubs and festivals were regular occurrences on the family calendar. “I was lucky to witness a lot of live music and theatre performances because my mum was an actress. I was encouraged to learn piano and guitar, and attended a Steiner school where we spent a lot of time in nature, singing songs.” Before long Nadia was listening to The Be Good Tanyas with friend and fellow recording artist Aldous Harding, which spurred her chosen career path. “There was something spiritual about the Tanyas’ records - I vividly remember the goose-bump feelings up my arms, a true connection to the lyrics and vocals,” she recalls. “Aldous was the first person who told me I had a good voice and I thank her for that. I admire her as an artist and writer, and we like to keep up with what each other is up to.”
Creating her own enchanting wonderworld, each of Nadia’s songs explores the elements; truly organic, her vocals ebb, flow and soar but are always ignited with fire from the gut. Her lyrics clearly reference lush landscapes but equally reflect alienation provided by the surrounding Pacific Ocean and mortality of living in such close proximity to Mother Nature’s wrath, as experienced whilst living in Christchurch at the time of 2011’s devastating earthquake. “It shook the city to its core,” Nadia recalls. “I’m sure living through it has shaped my personality and writing. My first EP was recorded just months afterwards, it was a strange time. We were all quite fragile, but I was braver somehow.”
Boldly infusing folk with full flavour, Listen To Formation, Look For The Signs was produced by Ben Edwards, owner of Lyttelton Records in his Sitting Room studios with Nadia’s band consisting bassist Richie Pickard, guitarist Sam Taylor and percussionist Joe McCallum. Whilst 'Reaching Through’s rich but unhurried nature evokes She Hangs Brightly -era Mazzy Star and intricate nuances of Beth Orton are recalled on lead single ‘Call The Days’ which talks of moving to a new town and was the first song penned after Nadia moved from Christchurch to Wellington; spurred on by a “panic attack” and being “worried about making the right choices in life”. Elsewhere ‘Runway’ and ‘Some Are Lucky’ immediately channel Nadia’s love of TBGT’s Jolie Holland and appreciation for New Zealand’s Maori music by Maisey Rika and Anika Moa, plus the inspirational narratives of Kenyan-born Somali poet Warsan Shire.

Direct follow up to OKC noise rock band’s 2022’s breakthrough album God’s Country. Mixed by Benjamin Green (Uniform, Portrayal of Guilt, Drab Majesty). Mastered by Matt Coloton (The Rolling Stones, Blur, Nick Cave, Sunn O)). Full US tour in 2024, EU early 2025, with more dates to come. Like the towering mounds of toxic waste from which it gets its namesake, the music of Oklahoma City noise rock quartet Chat Pile is a suffocating, grotesque embodiment of the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. It figures that a band with this abrasive, unrelenting, and outlandish of a sound has stuck as strong of a chord as it has. Dread has replaced the American dream, and Chat Pile’s music is a poignant reminder of that shift—a portrait of an American rock band molded by a society defined by its cold and cruel power systems. Though very much on-brand with Chat Pile’s signature flavor of cacophonous, sludgy noise rock, the band’s shift to a global thematic focus on Cool World not only compliments the broader experimentations it employs with their songwriting but also how they dissect the album’s core theme of violence. Melded into the band’s twisted foundational sound are traces of other eclectic genre stylings, with examples of gazy, goth-tinged dirges to abrasive yet anthemic alt/indie-esque hooks and off-kilter metal grooves only scratching the surface of what can be heard in the album’s ten tracks. Besides stylistically stretching the boundaries of the Chat Pile sound, Cool World is also the band’s first record to have someone else handle mixing duties, with Ben Greenberg (Uniform) capturing and further amplifying the quartet’s unmistakably outsider and folk-art edge. While Chat Pile’s debut album was plenty disturbing with its B-movie-inspired interpretation of a “real American horror story”, what the band depicts on Cool World is unsettling not just from its visceral noise rock onslaught, but from depicting how all sorts of atrocities are pretty much standard parts of modern existence. In film terms, think something like a Criterion arthouse film by way of schlocky grindhouse splatterfest: undeniably gratuitous and thrilling in the moment but leaving a looming dread in the back of one’s mind for how close the horrors depicted mirror reality.

Released on 15th November via Polydor Records, “Small Changes” is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Michael’s eponymous third LP, the Mercury Prize winning, and Grammy Award nominated “KIWANUKA”.

“Small Changes” was produced alongside Danger Mouse and Inflo, the team behind the globally acclaimed “KIWANUKA” and its equally acclaimed predecessor, “Love & Hate”. The new record was recorded between London and Los Angeles. The core trio made up of Kiwanuka and his trusty co-producers expanded into a wish-list ensemble that featured legendary bassist Pino Palladino (D’Angelo, John Mayer, Beyoncé) and Jimmy Jam of the iconic Jam and Lewis songwriting and production duo (Janet Jackson, Prince, SOS Band).

A welcome return for one of Britain’s most talented of songwriters, most recognisable of vocalists, and most virtuosic of guitarists.

Art by YOUT and photography by Marco Grey.

180g heavyweight black vinyl in gatefold sleeve. Includes full size 12pg lyric booklet.

Lisa Gerrard, the renowned Australian vocalist and composer, presents the compilation "Come Tenderness". With the inspiration of the healing power of water at its core, the album has been personally curated by Lisa and features ten of her most exceptional works newly mastered alongside a brand-new song "Whispers". The hand-picked playlist forms a cohesive album showcasing each track in a new light alongside striking artwork by Nigel Grierson. In keeping with her collaborative nature, the album includes iconic pieces Lisa has created over the years with Daniel Johns, Astrid Williamson and Patrick Cassidy. At the forefront of every track is Lisa's ethereal and iconic vocals which, combined with her expressive and profound compositions, come together to form a truly emotional listening experience. With a vision and vocal style that is as unique as it is precise and all-embracing, Lisa Gerrard has established herself as one of the world's most highly acclaimed film composers and vocalists, including winning a Golden Globe for her work on the score for 'Gladiator' with Hans Zimmer. Her musical journey began in the early 1980s when she and fellow Australian Brendan Perry formed duo Dead Can Dance. With nine albums released between 1984 and 1995. Lisa's vocal performances continue to be heard across the world. She performed as part of 'Gladiator Live' at The Royal Albert Hall in London in 2018 and as part of 'The World of Hans Zimmer - A Symphonic Celebration' tour. In 2021 and 2024 she was a Featured Vocalist on the score for 'Dune' and 'Dune: Part Two', directed by Denis Villeneuve.

Auf seinem neuen Album "Golden Age" bewegt sich der aus Brooklyn stammende, in New Orleans lebende Gitarrist und Grammy-nominierte Produzent Gitkin zwischen Surf, Psychedelia und Worldbeat-Einflüssen aus Lateinamerika, Nordafrika und Nahost. Gitkin ist Frontmann der Soulband The Pimps of Joytime aus New Orleans, seine Produktionscredits reichen von Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet über Bernard Purdy bis zu Cyril Neville und Cedric Burnside, für dessen Album "Benton County Relic" er bei den 61. Grammy Awards mit einer Nominierung für das "Beste Traditionelle Bluesalbum" geehrt wurde.

"Run the Jewels - Hip-hop's preeminent collaboration between veteran rhyme-slayers El-P and Killer Mike —have gone from a whim-driven underground rap project to a worldwide sensation since the release of their 2013 debut Run The Jewels. Mixing the industrial grime of New York City with the vibrant bounce of the dirty South, they forge hip-hop's future while adhering to the core tenets of its bedrock: gymnastic displays of skills, incendiary political rhetoric, merciless braggadocio, battle-honed assholery, R-rated punchlines and a back-and-forth that brings the interplay of the shell-toe Adidas era screaming into our contemporary nightmare.

Tearing up the music industry rulebook, their self-titled 2013 debut was originally released through a series of website-crashing free album downloads. Featuring Outkast's Big Boi on Banana Clipper and Prince Paul on Twin Hype Back, it's a "rough and rabid ride"; a "swaggering victory lap for two artists at the peak of their creativity"; and been dubbed "one of the best hip-hop records of 2013"."

Five Five is the second studio album from the Miami-born underground rap pioneer, Pouya. Marking a slight transition into a more mature sound, Five Five showcases Pouya’s evolution as an artist while maintaining the raw authenticity that has endeared him to his fans. With tracks like "Suicidal Thoughts in the Back of the Cadillac Pt. 2" and "Handshakes," Pouya delves into themes of struggle, resilience, and personal growth, offering listeners a glimpse into his journey. In what became truly a solo effort, Five Five is limited to one feature in Night Lovell, with production primarily handled by Mikey The Magician (Track 4 produced by Chevali). The album draws from elements of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, yet remains uniquely rooted in Pouya’s own style. Over the years, Pouya has developed a long lasting core fanbase, first bubbling up in Miami alongside artists such as Denzel Curry, and then becoming a nationally celebrated artist. Back in print for the first time since originally released in 2018. Pressed on Wire Wheel Picture Disc Vinyl and cut at 45 RPM.

A1 Dharma
Opening the LP in lively fashion, JLM liberally flecks a detailed composition with exquisite breaks cymbals playing a key role in the evolving patterns as the track progresses while heavy layers of synth work forms a substantial atmosphere. Musical and resonant with micro melodies and sprinkles of FX, Dharma encapsulates JLMs everimpressive attention to detail throughout its seven minutes.

A2 Artha
Where to start with Artha Setting the scene immediately with an epic synth intro that whooshes through your mind to prepare you for what is to come, its immediately obvious JLM has crafted a modern day classic here. Crisp Hot Pants breaks drop before we are treated to inspiring, continually developing and rousing melodies with a tuneful 808 bassline playfully dancing below. One to drop any chance you get Artha deserves to be heard.

B1 Moksha
Delightfully clear, characterful percussion introduces Moksha, a dancefloor friendly piece which rolls along beautifully thanks to old school breakbeats seizing the initiative while fluid keys, filtered synths and waves of serene effects punctuate the production. The
kick-light breaks will stay long in the memory as perfect for both the headphones and the discerning dance floor, just as weve come to expect from JLM.

B2 Kama
Taking you back to the early Progression Sessions era with a modern scifi twist reminiscent of your favourite space operatics, Kama will sit effortlessly alongside tracks from those days and now with its simple yet memorable core wind melody, sprawled
across energetic breakbeats and wide layers of synths & pads to a typically appropriate bassline. Another fine example of the evolving diversity in JLMs production with Spatial.

C1 Boundary
Switching things up, JLM treats us to a notably laid back vibe as Boundary is introduced by understated, filtered synth work and explorative kicks before a mellow yet chunky break pattern provides energy to the track. Detailed as ever, a myriad of effects and
samples are introduced and dance around the mix with a wistful complexity, in a track destined to be in your playlist for some time to come.

C2 Hexis
Kicking things off with a filtered DJ friendly beat intro, Hexis soon drops with constant old school jungle synth work and periodical strings alongside rasping, striking breakbeats that drive the track forward with impressive energy. The breaks reverberate in and out of the mix at intervals as JLM toys with the listener at will, creating a tonally unique and vibrant composition very much worthy of our attention.

D1 Ideal Forms
Low pass breaks echo and jostle for position with FX free counterparts early doors in the finely crafted intro to Ideal Forms, slowly developing with a triumphant assortment of keys and synths before a third layer of breaks are added which underpin a detailed, yet never busy, breakbeat landscape. Occasional breakdowns offer respite in a glistening wilderness of comforting melodies and light ambience.

D2 Physis
JLM rounds the album off very much on form with Physis a suitably climactic piece that opens with a detailed array of percussion, synths and effects before superbly programmed breaks take over the mix. An occasional, all encompassing sci fi synth rush
permeates the atmosphere to almost cinematic levels, while a melodic bassline nestles below leaving you with a track (and an album) you will not forget.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Jan Anderzén - living in Tampere, Finland - is a collage artist making music, quilts, drawings, mosaics, videos and other things. From him, among a few others, sprang the The River of Finland. A stream that shook the European underground for infinity, back from the years 2005 and up. Jan is/was involved in acts like Kemialliset Ystävät, Avarus, Tomutonttu and The Anaksimandros. When in the past some of that River of Finland tasted like a fermented ocean of mycelia - today it tastes different, like sparkling water.

Halki pilvien - transl. Trough the clouds - brings exactly what one expects from the clouds. It is a collection of soft and gentle movements, as playful as a ‘Jan Anderzén type of music’ is always. A collection of patterns that solidify for just a brief moment in time, before sublimating in the back of the mind. This album is in constant motion.

Push play. A warped piano and cartoonish SFX’s might foretell a hyperreal approach to music. Yet while the champion of hyperrealism, Noah Creshevsky, describes his music as being written in a language we already understand (realism) yet in an exaggerated manner (hyper) - I have to add that things on this album do not sound exaggerated at all. Moreover, i have the feeling that somehow on this work, Jan is trying to underwhelm us. In the best possible way. Because clouds float trough and dissolve. Thus instead of hyperrealism, is Jan maybe speaking to us in a certain Serenerealism? Or Mildrealism?

What Jan’s music does have in common with Creshevsky’s is the no rush part. Listening to Halki pilvien makes time non-directional. The music seems to be designed to be played over and over again. This music has no direct impact like one can experience at a punk show, or at a classical music concert. This music is not that one gigantic raincloud covering the world dark. Quite the opposite, it is a pattern of clouds and clearings, floating over the lands. Trough this music a shadow play appears. This music is durable.

And it is when the sounds are at its faintest, that Jan touches the core: in the smallest detail, we find the fullest musical information.

In 2006, Danger Mouse is King Midas of the music world. He has an uncanny knack for creating jagged, dense, frenzied beats and odd, eerie, vivid soundscapes that never compromise the music's natural flow. Meanwhile, rapper and singer Cee-Lo, a veteran of Atlanta's Dirty South scene, has never been one to be constrained by hip-hop conventions, and is a willing partner in adventure. The result is an intrepid psychedelic blend of pop, hip-hop, soul, and rock that consistently challenges and delights. It's no wonder that "Crazy," with its modest riff, irresistible hook, and disarming opening line ("I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind") became a worldwide Internet sensation a full six months before the official release of St. Elsewhere. But that relatively simple soul-pop gem is the tamest track on this wide-ranging, often dark and introspective collaboration. (In fact, the duo considers Gnarls Barkley to be a wholly new creation, as opposed to a collaboration of existing artists.) "Everybody is somebody, but nobody wants to be themselves," Cee-Lo croons on "Who Cares?" He and Danger Mouse try very hard not to be their old selves as they creatively and confidently break down boundaries, but the brilliant cores of their musical personae--Cee-Lo's eccentric spiritual soul man and Danger's bold sonic explorer--remain. --Marc Greilsamer

Known for his pivotal role in the Acid Techno sub-genre revival through his label, Involve Records, Regal's latest work revisits the genre's essence while infusing it with a fresh, modern twist. Under his ACIDBOY alias, his latest album, 'The Final Chapter', is a nostalgic and forward-looking expression of an artist who has grown and adapted but remains true to his core musical identity.



This eleven-track project blends the high-energy sounds that first defined his career with the depth and maturity gained over years of evolution whilst also honouring an unforgettable era of one of electronic music's boldest and most expressive sub-genres and artists.

'The Final Chapter' is an album that goes against the current flow, bringing to light the sound of the sub-genres of Techno from the last 35 years. It's a clever balance between past and present, the old and new Regal aka ACIDBOY, emphasising his introverted artistic side, a lover of music and production as well as a story intended for a patient and cultured listener. The album defies superficial musical trends, offering a profound sonic experience that invites listeners on a deeper journey, far removed from the quick-hit tracks designed for social media.

The name of this album and Regal's previous EP 'The Last Summer' certainly leaves room for interpretation as these might sound like signs of a farewell to the music scene.

Known for his pivotal role in the Acid Techno sub-genre revival through his label, Involve Records, Regal's latest work revisits the genre's essence while infusing it with a fresh, modern twist. Under his ACIDBOY alias, his latest album, 'The Final Chapter', is a nostalgic and forward-looking expression of an artist who has grown and adapted but remains true to his core musical identity. This eleven-track project blends the high-energy sounds that first defined his career with the depth and maturity gained over years of evolution whilst also honouring an unforgettable era of one of electronic music's boldest and most expressive sub-genres and artists.

'The Final Chapter' is an album that goes against the current flow, bringing to light the sound of the sub-genres of Techno from the last 35 years. It's a clever balance between past and present, the old and new Regal aka ACIDBOY, emphasising his introverted artistic side, a lover of music and production as well as a story intended for a patient and cultured listener. The album defies superficial musical trends, offering a profound sonic experience that invites listeners on a deeper journey, far removed from the quick-hit tracks designed for social media.

The name of this album and Regal's previous EP 'The Last Summer' certainly leaves room for interpretation as these might sound like signs of a farewell to the music scene.

DJ Marky, Makoto & Nookie reboot Adam F’s revisited rework of 1997 hit, ‘Music In My Mind’

Adam F enlists jungle royalty to modernise his 1997 track, ‘Music In My Mind’, from his anticipated forthcoming rework album, ‘Colours Revisited’

Legendary drum ‘n’ bass producer Adam F announces the ‘Music In My Mind Revisited Reboots’ EP, out digitally on 20th September via 181 Recordings, featuring reworks of his acclaimed 1997 track by DJ Marky & Makoto and Nookie.

Further launching this underground dance classic into new dimensions is Brazil’s DJ Marky and expertly selected Japanese producer Makoto. Together, they effortlessly bring the jazz-infused track to the attention of today’s ravers with re-jigged, amplified drums. Certified 90s jungle veteran Nookie goes more liquid with his version, heightening the vibes and setting the scene with immense violin strings.

‘Music In My Mind’ was originally featured on Adam F’s 1997 album, ‘Colours’. Now, as part of the Liverpool-born producer’s much-anticipated ‘Colours Revisited’ album, out in 2025, the jazzy, vocoder-loaded track inspired by Bob James, Lalo Schifrin and Chick Corea, has been given a modern reshape. 

“‘Music In My Mind’ speaks to the power of music to transport, heal, and uplift our spirits,” says Adam F. “This song resonates with those who find solace and freedom in the melodies and rhythms that exist in their own minds and bring back memories of a time when I felt an overwhelming connection to music.”

“This song holds a special place in my heart, and I believe it carries a deeper meaning that resonates with anyone who can relate to finding consolation and liberation in the power of music.”

There’s no better time to keep an eye on Adam F, as he uncovers yet more gold from his elegant and timeless back catalogue. Adam F is as fertile and contemporary as ever with more new production ready to launch unto the legions of listeners hungry for great music as his creativity flows brighter than ever.

On alene et, Michaela Turcerová, a Copenhagen-based, Slovakia born musician, takes minutiae — the tiniest scrapes and breathiest hums — and distorts them into sprawling, collaged webs that barely resemble the instrument in its natural state. Each shard, when pieced together, makes a rhythmic, undulating sound born from the subtlest motions.

Alene et marks Turcerová’s debut as a soloist, putting a spotlight on the exploratory approach she has developed on her own and across a variety of collaborations. She has long studied the quiet excavation of her instrument, pulling it apart to find a new vocabulary. To develop this language, she unearths shards of sound from the instrument, muting it or bringing out its scratchiness and grittiness. Primarily working with open-ended scores and improvisation, she is inspired by various percussive music, looking to deep sonic awareness to guide her. As a soloist, her music harkens to the abstracted electronics present across the Editions Mego catalog or the distorted ruminations of Nyege Nyege tapes. And no matter where she goes, she is constantly in the pursuit of the unknown — the hidden elements of music that come to life through experimentation and listening.

With alene et, Turcerová presents her singular language on the saxophone to the fullest. To make this music, she placed many microphones close to her instrument, zeroing in to each sound and examining it from multiple different angles. She emphasizes the percussive possibilities of her instrument, puzzle-piecing each note into pulsating webs. Each track highlights a different side of the saxophone — the bristling distortion and amplification of a column of air as it blows through her saxophone’s body, the trickling tapping of the keys as she places her fingers onto them.

At its core, alene et presents Turcerová’s curiosity. The saxophone lives many different lives within her hands, shapeshifting through the uncovering of its possibilities. She shows us how the instrument is an ever-changing entity, a distorted and blown out drone with a thousand shards poking out from inside of it. But more than just a showcase of an individual instrument, alene et feels like a statement of the act of exploration. Turcerová is an excavator, always looking for new worlds hidden within her saxophone, and leaving room for more to come alive with each listen.

Bruno Sanchioni releases "Capture EP 2" on Art Max Records. Bruno Sanchioni, a pioneer of electronic music and the mastermind behind legendary projects such as Age Of Love, BBE, and Bazz, returns with Capture EP 2, a follow-up that promises to make a lasting impact. Following the enthusiastic reception of the first installment, this new EP promises to be a unique sonic journey, where punchy acid sounds intertwine seamlessly with melodic and hypnotic atmospheres.

Capture EP 2 once again showcases Bruno Sanchioni's singular talent, as he skillfully blends boundless creativity with a deep respect for the roots of electronic music. Each track is crafted with his trademark originality, offering surprises at every turn while staying true to the spirit of his early works. The EP captures that timeless energy that has always been at the core of his musical approach.

This new EP, coming soon on Art Max Records, is much more than just a sequel. It is a brilliant showcase of Bruno Sanchioni's ability to innovate while remaining deeply rooted in a sonic tradition he masters to perfection. This EP stands as a must-have for those looking to rediscover the essence of an era, reimagined with the unique touch of one of the genre's true masters.

Emilia Sisco's debut album on Timmion Records, "Introducing Emilia Sisco", takes you on a smooth ride in the world of vintage soul, featuring 10 beautifully crafted original songs written by Sisco in collaboration with the renowned Cold Diamond & Mink band. The album showcases this young talent's unique ability to blend classic soul influences with contemporary flair, building mesmerizing harmonies by layering her voice, and through these channeling a sound that is both timeless and fresh. From the opening track "Say Yes" - grooving like an independent gospel soul jam that somebody discovered in dank Midwest cellar - to the closing "Secretly," each song is a testament to Sisco's deep connection to the emotional core of soul music. As one of the album's highlights, "Don't Let Nobody," stands out as a sweet anthem of love and encouragement for your fellow human. With its heartfelt lyrics and Sisco's gently floating vocal performance, the song displays the essence of the album_soulful, sincere, and deeply moving. The Cold Diamond & Mink band provides lush, downtempo arrangements throughout the record, perfectly complementing Sisco's voice and bringing her compositions to life with a rich, organic sound. In "Introducing Emilia Sisco" the singer's signature style of downtempo soul shines brightly, offering listeners a blend of introspective ballads and uplifting grooves. After her string of exquisite and well-received singles on Timmion, this album documents the impressive progress of a formidable new voice, one that is sure to resonate with fans of classic and contemporary soul alike.

"Sympathy Pain is an unusual animal, as their collective backgrounds come from hardcore, drone, and experimental pop in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sympathy Pain began as Skyler Hitchcox’s gloomy drone project which was later joined by Casey Hansen (of Cult Leader) to explore and expand the sullen space that the project initially carved out. Sympathy Pain is rounded out by Chaz Prymek (Lake Mary) and Nora Price. The deep connections to Salt Lake City’s underground well of experimental music have deep entanglements. Sympathy Pain has emerged from those entanglements with a clear eyed thesis, transmuting the often oppressive cultural climate of Utah through a personal veil of heavy sorrow.

Swan Dive is the product of years of excavating that space into a cavern, yielding their self-described “emo)))” (a nod to the preeminent doom/drone band Sunn) while still holding onto the submerged soundscapes that began as the core of the project. The album is expansive — a winding ride that travels from minimalism, to claustrophobic ambient, to triumphant passages that all underscore its forlorn undercurrent.

Originally released in January of 2024 as a CD by The Ghost is Clear and cassette by Diabolical Records, Swan Dive finally finds a new life on vinyl - reissued by the Cincinnati, OH record label Whited Sepulchre Records.

Tracked with Wes Johnson at Archive Recordings in SLC, UT and mixed/mastered by longtime friend and co-conspirator Ben Young, the album features a haunting guest spot by Madeline Johnston of Midwife on “Heaven + Hell” to close out the album."

Black Cherry. Fiddlehead's debut LP Springtime and Blind is an exploration of grief both introspective and through the insight of others. Following the release of their Out of the Bloom EP on Lockin Out Records, the Boston-based band have created a debut LP that shares an anguishing, relatable story of love and loss through the catharsis of spirited, loud indie rock. Consisting of guitarist Alex Henery (also of Basement), vocalist Patrick Flynn and drummer Shawn Costa (both of Have Heart), Fiddlehead explore musical styles different from their other projects while bringing a familiar energetic and emotional core to the collaboration. Springtime and Blind stemmed from Pat's loss of his father. Flynn looks at how his mother coped with the situation- losing her spouse, her center of gravity -writing the lyrics as an emotional catharsis for both of them. While the process of writing and recording helped Flynn cope with his personal loss there's no doubt it carries a universal message that can help ease others' loneliness. A contrast to itself, Springtime and Blind is a multidimensional and relatable journey through its cathartic message and spirited instrumentals.

Led by Sommer, the release signifies the first chapter of the drummers much much-anticipated Nordic trilogy on April Records, aiming to capture and document Nordic improvisation and composition across three carefully curated ensembles. Bassist Arild Andersens storied career stretches back to the 1970"s as one of ECM s first recording artists, collaborating with household names of the genre including Jan Garbarek, Don Cherry, Bill Frisell, John Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, and the list goes on. Welcoming the opportunity to work with and nurture younger artists, the ensemble was born when Daniel Sommer selected Andersen for a project during his studies at the Danish National Academy of Music. Later, impressed by Luft s performances in Ireland and Norway, Andersen suggested expanding the pair into a trio. A transcendent musical voyage, As Time Passes " blurs the lines of conventional trio roles, and celebrates the evolution of jazz as a fluid, versatile form of expression. By providing each musician the freedom of becoming a key contributor in the melodic discourse, the trio channels the spirit of jazz veterans such as the Bill Evans Trio and free free-jazz ensemble Air, while echoing the sounds and innovations of pan pan-European contemporary jazz. Mixing pensive rubato ambience with energetic grooves, instrumental dexterity, a modern ECM ECM-esque sound and folk undertones, the record s compositional clarity combined with the spontaneity of a live performance flows across and between genres, borders and generations alike. Luft s intricately over- dubbed layers of acoustic guitars, vast reverbs, and contrapuntal melodies expand the sound of the three piece into an immersive world of textures. Rendered in the stark beauty of Andersen"s bass lines, the nuanced strokes of Sommer"s drums, and capped with the lush, expansive timbres of Luft"s guitar, "As Time Passes" is a testament to the enduring and ever ever-evolving wonder of Jazz.

Reissue des sechsten Toxpackers, original aus 2011, endlich wieder auf Vinyl! 2011 veröffentlichten TOXPACK zum 10 jährigen Bandjubiläum ihr Album "Bastarde von Morgen" und danach war nichts mehr wie zuvor für die Berliner: Das Album war Start- und Sprungbrett für den rasanten Erfolg der Band, die seitdem in den vordersten Rängen der Charts mit ihren Veröffentlichungen vertreten sind. Und Fans sind sich einig: "Bastarde von Morgen" ist ein Meilenstein gewesen und ihr wohl bestes Album! Ihr packender Trademark-Sound aus Punk, Hardcore, Rock`n`Roll und einem Hauch Metal, von der Band gerne als East Berlin Street Core (E.B.S.C.) umschrieben, entwickelte sich von Album zu Album weiter und hat ihnen eine zahlreiche und stetig wachsende Fangemeinde beschert. 13 mitreißende Songs, die sofort ins Ohr gehen - und in Refrains gipfeln, die durch die Bank stadiontauglich sind. Textlich schleichen sich Tiefgang und Reife in den als beherzt zupackend bekannten Themenkreis der Band ein. Die bewährte Tradition, befreundete Musiker als Gastsänger ins Studio zu holen, wird mit Roi Pearce von The Last Resort (Heute So, Morgen So) und Paul Shearer von Sheer Terror (E.B.S.C.) fortgesetzt. "Bastarde Von Morgen" wurde von Studiolegende Harris Johns (im House Of Music / Stuttgart und Musiclab / Berlin) produziert, aufgenommen gemischt und gemastert. Unterm Strich steht ein Monolith von einem Album, das von der Punk- über die Streetcore-Fraktion bis hin zu Metal- und Hardcore-Fans und den Freunden harten deutschsprachigen Rocks alle prompt dort abholt, wo sie gerade stehen. Und das ganz ohne einen einzigen Funken Beliebigkeit. Ein sicherer Streetpunk-Klassiker! Seit vielen Jahren auf Vinyl vergriffen veröffentlicht ihr damaliges Label "Sunny Bastards" jetzt eine Collector's Edition Neuauflage auf 180gr. Vinyl in zwei Farben jeweils limitiert auf nur 250 Stück!

Reissue des sechsten Toxpackers, original aus 2011, endlich wieder auf Vinyl! 2011 veröffentlichten TOXPACK zum 10 jährigen Bandjubiläum ihr Album "Bastarde von Morgen" und danach war nichts mehr wie zuvor für die Berliner: Das Album war Start- und Sprungbrett für den rasanten Erfolg der Band, die seitdem in den vordersten Rängen der Charts mit ihren Veröffentlichungen vertreten sind. Und Fans sind sich einig: "Bastarde von Morgen" ist ein Meilenstein gewesen und ihr wohl bestes Album! Ihr packender Trademark-Sound aus Punk, Hardcore, Rock`n`Roll und einem Hauch Metal, von der Band gerne als East Berlin Street Core (E.B.S.C.) umschrieben, entwickelte sich von Album zu Album weiter und hat ihnen eine zahlreiche und stetig wachsende Fangemeinde beschert. 13 mitreißende Songs, die sofort ins Ohr gehen - und in Refrains gipfeln, die durch die Bank stadiontauglich sind. Textlich schleichen sich Tiefgang und Reife in den als beherzt zupackend bekannten Themenkreis der Band ein. Die bewährte Tradition, befreundete Musiker als Gastsänger ins Studio zu holen, wird mit Roi Pearce von The Last Resort (Heute So, Morgen So) und Paul Shearer von Sheer Terror (E.B.S.C.) fortgesetzt. "Bastarde Von Morgen" wurde von Studiolegende Harris Johns (im House Of Music / Stuttgart und Musiclab / Berlin) produziert, aufgenommen gemischt und gemastert. Unterm Strich steht ein Monolith von einem Album, das von der Punk- über die Streetcore-Fraktion bis hin zu Metal- und Hardcore-Fans und den Freunden harten deutschsprachigen Rocks alle prompt dort abholt, wo sie gerade stehen. Und das ganz ohne einen einzigen Funken Beliebigkeit. Ein sicherer Streetpunk-Klassiker! Seit vielen Jahren auf Vinyl vergriffen veröffentlicht ihr damaliges Label "Sunny Bastards" jetzt eine Collector's Edition Neuauflage auf 180gr. Vinyl in zwei Farben jeweils limitiert auf nur 250 Stück!