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Mr Bongo proudly presents Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo’ a captivating compilation of percussive-driven, Italian gems curated by Sardinian multi-instrumentalist, percussionist and producer, Gabriele Poso. A journey into the heart of Italian musical history, it celebrates Italy’s rich rhythmic traditions, showcasing a selection of genre-traversing, Italian treasures from the ‘60s to the early ‘90s. Honouring the timeless rhythms of Italian percussion masters, alongside a brand-new exclusive composition by Gabriele, ‘Ritmo Italiano’ shines a light on the universal, primal language of the drum.

A connection sparked from an early age; percussion has always deeply resonated with Gabriele. It led to years of studying percussion traditions across Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, crafting his own songwriting skills in the process. An acclaimed producer and compiler, his releases on Yoruba Records, BBE and Soundway Records have garnered global support. Yet a growing need to rediscover the essence of his country’s cultural heritage laid the foundations for this new compilation.

In Gabriele’s own words, “Italy has always been a crossroads of civilizations, with influences from the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe converging over centuries. Ports like Naples, Genoa, and Venice played a crucial role as gateways for musical exchange, a melting pot of sounds and cultures brought by sailors, merchants and travellers. These influences blended with Italy’s own folk and religious traditions, creating Italy’s unique and emotionally resonant rhythms.”

Across the 12 absorbing tracks, there’s jazz influences, Italian library music aesthetics and experimental beats mixing with Afro-Cuban and Mediterranean rhythms. It’s a broad selection anchored by the drums. The synth-heavy, ‘80s jazz funk flavours of Gegè Munari's ‘Police Man’, sit side-by-side with the samba-infused ‘Napulitano D' 'O Brasil’ by Don Marino Barreto Jr. Tribal, earthly energy radiates from Naco’s ‘Volando Con Milton’, with Tullio De Piscopo serving up cosmic disco brilliance, and blistering jazz funk mastery coming courtesy of Agostino Marangolo. Taking the name of the compilation, a new original track by Gabriele, ‘Ritmo Italiano’, blends traditional rhythms with contemporary energy, Afro-Latin influences with Italian jazz essence. Recorded live in one take, it captures a raw, unfiltered vibe.

“Each track tells a story, connecting the past with the present, and highlighting the deep-rooted traditions that shape Italy’s rhythms. The collection also offers a glimpse into the diversity of Italian music with a variety of styles from the organic, earthy beats to the more experimental and modern takes on traditional rhythms. It’s a reflection of how these rhythms have not only shaped Italian culture but also influenced global music.”

The Battle of the Year Poland 2025 Official Soundtrack is a powerful compilation created especially for b-boys and b-girls, capturing the energy and raw essence of the Polish breaking scene. Curated to accompany the prestigious Battle of the Year Poland event, this release features exclusive tracks from some of the most respected and influential producers in the country.

The tracklist showcases an all-Polish lineup, including talents such as Oer Beatz (IBE Beat Battle Winner), DJ Plash (Official DJ – Olympic Games 2024 Paris), the legendary DJ 600V, DJ Pablo, and many more. Each beat is crafted to elevate the dancefloor and pay tribute to the roots and future of hip-hop culture in Poland.

This soundtrack is not just a musical release—it's a celebration of movement, rhythm, and community, reflecting the strength of the Polish breaking scene on the global stage.

The Southern Fold wurde 2014 in Kilkenny, Irland, von Sänger/Gitarrist/Songwriter Emlyn Holden gegründet. Die Band integriert Elemente aus Country, Blues und Gospel in einen Folk-/Roots-Sound und findet Einflüsse von so weit her wie Hank Williams, Nirvana und alles dazwischen. Holden griff mit zehn Jahren zum ersten Mal zur Gitarre, als er Elvis Presley hörte, und war in seinen frühen Teenagerjahren völlig in die alten Sun-Aufnahmen vertieft. Über die Roots-Rocker Creedence Clearwater Revival und den Punkrock schuf er sich eine vielseitige Inspirationsquelle. Die Entdeckung der Alt-Country-Pioniere Uncle Tupelo und Wilco brachte Country zurück in sein Songwriting und führte ihn auf den Weg zu The Southern Fold. Ursprünglich als Duo im Stil von Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris gestartet, enthielt die erste EP der Band - "A True Ascension from the Wayward Path" aus dem Jahr 2016 - fünf eigene Songs sowie ein Cover von "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". Es war eine reduzierte Folk-Country-Nummer, gepaart mit sehr persönlichen Texten und zusätzlicher Instrumentierung durch Klavier, Cello und E-Gitarre. Es folgten einige Jahre intensiver Konzerttätigkeit, und bis zum Erscheinen des Albums "Bible Fear"s" im Jahr 2019 hatte sich die Band zu einer vollständigen fünfköpfigen Band entwickelt, die einen eher Folk-Rock-orientierten Sound hervorbrachte. In dieser Post-Covid-Zeit erlebten wir den Aufstieg der Southern Fold aus der Asche mit einigen neuen Singles ("Nothing to Fear" und "Before the Fall"), die 2024 im Eigenverlag veröffentlicht wurden. Zu Holden in einer neuen Live-Besetzung gesellen sich der ehemalige Blackbird & Crow-Gitarrist Stephen Doohan, die aus Mauritius stammende Madeline Leclezio am Gesang, der kanadische Schlagzeuger Gregor Beresford und der ehemalige Midnight Union Band-Bassist Brian McGrath. Diese Kernbesetzung spielte einige äußerst gut aufgenommene Konzerte bei den Kilkenny Roots 2024, im Whelan"s, Dublin mit den Frank and Walters und bei der britischen Ramblin" Roots Revue im April 2025.

In the spring of 2019, a new rock band consisting of four otherwise ordinary Okies would arise out of seemingly nowhere, swiftly turning heads with a grotesque new take on noise rock fuelled by the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. Taking its name from the towering mounds of toxic waste that stand as monuments to capitalism’s cruel hubris across its home state, Oklahoma City’s Chat Pile made an immediate impression, soon culminating in the release of its landmark 2022 debut album, God’s Country and 2024’s expansive follow up Cool World
While the massive success of God’s Country would propel the quartet from the status of underground favorites to an international sensation, Chat Pile’s mission to take rock music to new zeniths of intensity was part of the plan from the very start. In fact, during its first handful of months as an active project, Chat Pile began writing and recording some of the heaviest, hellish, and harrowing music of its entire catalogue, laying the foundation of the themes and traits that would eventually manifest in the band’s debut LP. The result of these sessions would be a pair of EPs, This Dungeon Earth and Remove Your Skin Please, released in the summer and winter of 2019, respectively.
Initially put out by Reptilian Records in 2020, The Flenser is proud to present a special reissue of Chat Pile’s pivotal first two EPs, each compiled onto a single disc. This dual EP compilation chronicles the earliest moments of the Oklahoma City quartet’s discography, a snapshot of the band’s pre-Flenser days and of the eight tracks of noxious, nihilistic noise rock that would propel the Midwest band to a globe-spanning, underground heavyweights.

In the spring of 2019, a new rock band consisting of four otherwise ordinary Okies would arise out of seemingly nowhere, swiftly turning heads with a grotesque new take on noise rock fuelled by the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. Taking its name from the towering mounds of toxic waste that stand as monuments to capitalism’s cruel hubris across its home state, Oklahoma City’s Chat Pile made an immediate impression, soon culminating in the release of its landmark 2022 debut album, God’s Country and 2024’s expansive follow up Cool World
While the massive success of God’s Country would propel the quartet from the status of underground favorites to an international sensation, Chat Pile’s mission to take rock music to new zeniths of intensity was part of the plan from the very start. In fact, during its first handful of months as an active project, Chat Pile began writing and recording some of the heaviest, hellish, and harrowing music of its entire catalogue, laying the foundation of the themes and traits that would eventually manifest in the band’s debut LP. The result of these sessions would be a pair of EPs, This Dungeon Earth and Remove Your Skin Please, released in the summer and winter of 2019, respectively.
Initially put out by Reptilian Records in 2020, The Flenser is proud to present a special reissue of Chat Pile’s pivotal first two EPs, each compiled onto a single disc. This dual EP compilation chronicles the earliest moments of the Oklahoma City quartet’s discography, a snapshot of the band’s pre-Flenser days and of the eight tracks of noxious, nihilistic noise rock that would propel the Midwest band to a globe-spanning, underground heavyweights.

In the spring of 2019, a new rock band consisting of four otherwise ordinary Okies would arise out of seemingly nowhere, swiftly turning heads with a grotesque new take on noise rock fuelled by the existential anguish that has defined the 21st Century. Taking its name from the towering mounds of toxic waste that stand as monuments to capitalism’s cruel hubris across its home state, Oklahoma City’s Chat Pile made an immediate impression, soon culminating in the release of its landmark 2022 debut album, God’s Country and 2024’s expansive follow up Cool World
While the massive success of God’s Country would propel the quartet from the status of underground favorites to an international sensation, Chat Pile’s mission to take rock music to new zeniths of intensity was part of the plan from the very start. In fact, during its first handful of months as an active project, Chat Pile began writing and recording some of the heaviest, hellish, and harrowing music of its entire catalogue, laying the foundation of the themes and traits that would eventually manifest in the band’s debut LP. The result of these sessions would be a pair of EPs, This Dungeon Earth and Remove Your Skin Please, released in the summer and winter of 2019, respectively.
Initially put out by Reptilian Records in 2020, The Flenser is proud to present a special reissue of Chat Pile’s pivotal first two EPs, each compiled onto a single disc. This dual EP compilation chronicles the earliest moments of the Oklahoma City quartet’s discography, a snapshot of the band’s pre-Flenser days and of the eight tracks of noxious, nihilistic noise rock that would propel the Midwest band to a globe-spanning, underground heavyweights.

Macht euch bereit für das lang erwartete, brandneue Album "Psychotic Mutilation" von DEMENTED ARE GO! 39 Jahre nach ihrem Debutalbum und 13 Jahre nach "Welcome Back To Insanity Hall" veröffentlicht eine der legendärsten original Psychobilly-Acts um den charismatischen, außergewöhnlichen (manche würden sagen "frenzy") Bandleader Mark "Sparky" Philips ein Dutzend neue Songs, oder sind's nicht doch 13? Schon von jeher scheren sich DAG einen Dreck um den klassischen Psychobilly-Purismus: Ihr Sound ist immer noch eine einzigartige Mischung (Hellbilly) und kombiniert Elemente von Rockabilly, Punk, höllischem Rock'n'Roll mit mal Country-esken Einflüssen oder dunkelsten Blues, alles immer geprägt von Sparkys rauem, giftigem Gesang. Und als ganz besonderer Gast tritt Emanuela Hutter von The Hillbilly Moon Explosion wieder im Duett mit Sparky bei ,Cast A Lonesome Shadow" an. Eine wilde und schräge musikalische Reise durch menschliche Abgründe, Wahnsinn und dunkle Sehnsüchte. "Psychotic Mutilation" mit genau den Songs, die diese kranke Welt verdient. Simply a masterpiece!! Die Pressung der LP-Erstauflage dürfte ein jedes Sammlerherz höherschlagen lassen, denn neben 180g Vinyl, klassisch schwarz oder Multicolour, gibt es noch ein Plakat und am Ende der der endlos B-Seiten-Rille ein verstecktes Special zu finden, oder genauer gesagt: ganz in der Mitte der B-Seite....lasst euch überraschen. LP als 180g Vinyl, Glanz-Cover & A2 Poster, CD als Digipack. Diese Version hier ist klassisch schwarzes Vinyl!

Macht euch bereit für das lang erwartete, brandneue Album "Psychotic Mutilation" von DEMENTED ARE GO! 39 Jahre nach ihrem Debutalbum und 13 Jahre nach "Welcome Back To Insanity Hall" veröffentlicht eine der legendärsten original Psychobilly-Acts um den charismatischen, außergewöhnlichen (manche würden sagen "frenzy") Bandleader Mark "Sparky" Philips ein Dutzend neue Songs, oder sind's nicht doch 13? Schon von jeher scheren sich DAG einen Dreck um den klassischen Psychobilly-Purismus: Ihr Sound ist immer noch eine einzigartige Mischung (Hellbilly) und kombiniert Elemente von Rockabilly, Punk, höllischem Rock'n'Roll mit mal Country-esken Einflüssen oder dunkelsten Blues, alles immer geprägt von Sparkys rauem, giftigem Gesang. Und als ganz besonderer Gast tritt Emanuela Hutter von The Hillbilly Moon Explosion wieder im Duett mit Sparky bei ,Cast A Lonesome Shadow" an. Eine wilde und schräge musikalische Reise durch menschliche Abgründe, Wahnsinn und dunkle Sehnsüchte. "Psychotic Mutilation" mit genau den Songs, die diese kranke Welt verdient. Simply a masterpiece!! Die Pressung der LP-Erstauflage dürfte ein jedes Sammlerherz höherschlagen lassen, denn neben 180g Vinyl, klassisch schwarz oder Multicolour, gibt es noch ein Plakat und am Ende der der endlos B-Seiten-Rille ein verstecktes Special zu finden, oder genauer gesagt: ganz in der Mitte der B-Seite....lasst euch überraschen. LP als 180g Vinyl, Glanz-Cover & A2 Poster, CD als Digipack. Diese Version hier ist klassisch schwarzes Vinyl!

Macht euch bereit für das lang erwartete, brandneue Album "Psychotic Mutilation" von DEMENTED ARE GO! 39 Jahre nach ihrem Debutalbum und 13 Jahre nach "Welcome Back To Insanity Hall" veröffentlicht eine der legendärsten original Psychobilly-Acts um den charismatischen, außergewöhnlichen (manche würden sagen "frenzy") Bandleader Mark "Sparky" Philips ein Dutzend neue Songs, oder sind's nicht doch 13? Schon von jeher scheren sich DAG einen Dreck um den klassischen Psychobilly-Purismus: Ihr Sound ist immer noch eine einzigartige Mischung (Hellbilly) und kombiniert Elemente von Rockabilly, Punk, höllischem Rock'n'Roll mit mal Country-esken Einflüssen oder dunkelsten Blues, alles immer geprägt von Sparkys rauem, giftigem Gesang. Und als ganz besonderer Gast tritt Emanuela Hutter von The Hillbilly Moon Explosion wieder im Duett mit Sparky bei ,Cast A Lonesome Shadow" an. Eine wilde und schräge musikalische Reise durch menschliche Abgründe, Wahnsinn und dunkle Sehnsüchte. "Psychotic Mutilation" mit genau den Songs, die diese kranke Welt verdient. Simply a masterpiece!! Die Pressung der LP-Erstauflage dürfte ein jedes Sammlerherz höherschlagen lassen, denn neben 180g Vinyl, klassisch schwarz oder Multicolour, gibt es noch ein Plakat und am Ende der der endlos B-Seiten-Rille ein verstecktes Special zu finden, oder genauer gesagt: ganz in der Mitte der B-Seite....lasst euch überraschen. LP als 180g Vinyl, Glanz-Cover & A2 Poster, CD als Digipack. Diese Version hier ist klassisch schwarzes Vinyl!

I’d clocked this kid coming in to the shop over the last 6 months, quiet, serious, head down, digging through ALL the records, intently listening and then buying and scurrying off… Not the most chatty BUT he did let slip he was making music, and then it made sense, he was in the shop for one reason and one reason only… to find music he could use to make his own music. The kid is 17 this is the start of his musical journey. I suppose its been a Bristol thing for a long time, maybe its the same in other cities but here there’s been people taking other people’s music and bending it to their own will for a long time, making it their’s but also somehow making it OURS, it always seems to sound like its from here… So when ZEE asked if he could play me some music he’d made it wasn’t a surprise that it sounded like it came from here, the darkness, the clever twists and turns, soulful but heavy… I said it sounded like ’Shoegaze Hip-Hop’ which he seemed to like… So here’s three tracks that I hope you dig them as much as I do…. Tom Friend (Friendly Records).

Dark, brooding hip-hop instrumentals that joins the dots between Company Flow, The Bug and Dilla. A killer vibe from tipped new West Country producer, ZEE! Limited gold vinyl copies available in an edition of 100 — don't miss!

Civilistjävel! x Mayssa Jallad’s ‘Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels (Versions)’ is a radical response to Mayssa Jallad’s 2023 original LP, a lyrical account of epochal events in Beirut at the dawn of Lebanon's civil war. ‘…(Versions)’ sees Civilistjävel! (aka Swedish producer Tomas Bodén) apply a stripped, dub methodology to Mayssa's rich stems, refracting the Arabic source through the hazy prism of Northern European electronica. Retaining ‘Marjaa…’s deep spatial framing and vaporous, shifting nature, traces are lifted and set down in a new landscape: a ghost of a ghost. Informed by Tomas' singular strand of ambient, minimalist, dub techno, ‘… (Versions)’ recalls the reductive, shimmering pulse of pioneering Berlin-based practitioners Basic Channel/Chain Reaction, but with the parameters stretched into the ether. Where versions typically focus on a rhythm, here the anchor is the tone and texture of Mayssa’s voice, around which a new world has been constructed. Disembodied and liminal, it conjures an eerie panorama that feels like a postscript to the original, further emphasizing the geopolitical events that have had such devastating effect in Mayssa’s homeland of Lebanon since that record’s release. ‘Marjaa…’ (tr. ‘reference’) combined Mayssa Jallad’s two main vocations: music and urban research/architectural history. The album was co-written with Fadi Tabbal and based on Mayssa's Historic Preservation master's thesis (‘Beirut’s Civil War Hotel District: Preserving the World’s First High-Rise Urban Battlefield’). The thesis examined a 5-month conflict that took place within Beirut's skyscraper-laden luxury hotel district of Minet El Husn near the start of the Lebanese Civil War. Addressing a post-war generation who have never been taught this difficult history, ‘Marjaa…’ was an attempt to process trauma, and “a call to protest for the renewal, rather than the recycling of the political class that once destroyed the country and holds us, to this day, hostage of its violence.” Often perceived as a mysterious, shadowy presence, Civilistjävel! has come increasingly to the fore in recent years through a consistently dazzling stream of records, released both anonymously and via Fergus Jones’ FELT imprint, often appearing with scant information and tracks for the most part untitled. Having featured tracks from ‘Marjaa…’ on mixes, and included the album in his picks of 2023, in early 2024 Tomas asked Mayssa to provide vocals for a track on his album ‘Brödföda’. Mayssa remembers, “Tomas asked me to choose one of the tracks he was working on. I was in Boston at the time, so I took a walk and chose a track. I wrote the lyrics at the public park, wondering if I was the only one around that was losing sleep over the genocide in Palestine and the war in South Lebanon. I went back to the apartment and recorded the vocals on my phone, while listening to the track on headphones. Tomas reworked it with the voice and sent it back. I liked it immediately.” Despite the geographical distance from Beirut to Uppsala, Sweden, where Tomas resides, Mayssa’s contribution sounds very much at home in Civilistjävel!’s atmospheric, contemplative sound-world. Tomas’ request was reciprocated by Mayssa soon after, resulting in the spectral, glassy ambience of ‘Etel, Kharita (Version)’. This was followed by an invitation to work on more tracks, which Tomas immediately embraced, intensively jamming out versions live to two-track tape in downtime between travelling. If not entirely dissimilar to his regular working practice, the immediacy of it was unusual. Much was improvised live with just a keyboard (not tethered to a grid), and a restricted set-up that largely forbade later edits - only the rhythm tracks are programmed. A sharp conceptual thinker and composer, Tomas takes creative liberties with Mayssa’s songs in a way that is deeply felt and sympathetically aligned, whilst unashamedly outside of the original context of the record. The voice is leaned into as an instrument, without the clear, specific details of language, and this axis provides an uncertain, amorphous footing - structure is often suggested or hinted at, before disappearing or collapsing into fog, and folding back into the message within the song. A somewhat unprecedented source for an album of versions, even those familiar with ‘Marjaa: The Battle of the Hotels’ may at points struggle to hear the songs these versions are rebuilt from, despite the vocal narratives remaining virtually intact. The light has shifted; eroded buildings are foregrounded; fragments of memories appear in chiaroscuro. Signs and signifiers have been replaced. Shorn of the original's warm guitar, ‘Baynana (Version)’ feels like an ominous visitation, the sun no longer visible. ‘Holiday Inn (March 21 to 29) (Version)’ is a molten, clattering invocation. The beat-less tracks nod towards the cold, otherworldly sound-scaping of late '90s isolationism. More propulsive and embodied, ‘Holiday Inn (January to March) (Version)’ and ‘Kharita (Dub)’ are strobing, iridescent techno - lithe, shifting and mutating with almost implausible finesse. A stunning addition to Civilistjävel!’s growing catalogue, ‘…(Versions)’ is a luminous counterpoint to ‘Marjaa…’, and a welcome reminder of how incredible that record remains.

The Dark Flowers beguile with their dark take on country music" ROLLING STONE. THE DARK FLOWERS release their second album `INDIAN SUMMER' with Paul Statham bringing together a unique collection of collaborators, JIM KERR, GABRIELLA CILMI, DAVID J, THE ANCHORESS and SHELLY POOLE in June 2025 on Loki Records via Cargo.With 2014 debut album. `Radioland', songwriter and producer Paul Statham brought together a group of guest vocalists for a collection inspired by Sam Shepard's `Motel Chronicles'. Featuring an all-star cast of Jim Kerr, Peter Murphy, The Anchoress, Shelly Poole, Dot Allison, Kate Havnevik and Helicopter Girl, the album was characterized by MOJO as "a perfect album for a lonely winter night" (4/5). The new album sees Statham, a member of Post Punk band B-Movie, and co-writer with a host of well-known artists including Dido, Kylie, Peter Murphy and Simple Minds retain his principal role in the project as both producer and songwriter. Once again, Shepard's prose plays a key role with `Hawk Moon', the companion volume to `Motel Chronicles', an additional source of inspiration. Jim Kerr from Simple Minds continues his involvement with 3 tracks as does Welsh songwriter and multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress. David J from Bauhaus/Love and Rockets is also a featured artist along with Gabriella Cilmi turning in 2 dark and beguiling tracks. The project is completed with Shelly Poole (from country/folk band Red Sky July and a long-time friend and co-writer on 3 songs.

The Dark Flowers beguile with their dark take on country music" ROLLING STONE. THE DARK FLOWERS release their second album `INDIAN SUMMER' with Paul Statham bringing together a unique collection of collaborators, JIM KERR, GABRIELLA CILMI, DAVID J, THE ANCHORESS and SHELLY POOLE in June 2025 on Loki Records via Cargo.With 2014 debut album. `Radioland', songwriter and producer Paul Statham brought together a group of guest vocalists for a collection inspired by Sam Shepard's `Motel Chronicles'. Featuring an all-star cast of Jim Kerr, Peter Murphy, The Anchoress, Shelly Poole, Dot Allison, Kate Havnevik and Helicopter Girl, the album was characterized by MOJO as "a perfect album for a lonely winter night" (4/5). The new album sees Statham, a member of Post Punk band B-Movie, and co-writer with a host of well-known artists including Dido, Kylie, Peter Murphy and Simple Minds retain his principal role in the project as both producer and songwriter. Once again, Shepard's prose plays a key role with `Hawk Moon', the companion volume to `Motel Chronicles', an additional source of inspiration. Jim Kerr from Simple Minds continues his involvement with 3 tracks as does Welsh songwriter and multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress. David J from Bauhaus/Love and Rockets is also a featured artist along with Gabriella Cilmi turning in 2 dark and beguiling tracks. The project is completed with Shelly Poole (from country/folk band Red Sky July and a long-time friend and co-writer on 3 songs.

2.0 is the fourth studio album by DIAMOND-selling Country artist Brett Young. Produced by Jimmy Robbins (Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett) and Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts), the 11-track collection features Young’s signature Caliville style mixed with driving Classic-Country instrumentation of banjo, pedal steel and mandolin, offering a unique sonic backdrop to this new chapter.

The Wandering Hearts are a British Americana-Folk band known for their enchanting harmonies and heartfelt songwriting influenced by the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and have a similar sound to The Lumineers and First Aid Kit. Their new album, Déjà Vu (We've All Been Here Before), is a beautiful re-work of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's 1970 hit album of the same name. Recorded in one week in Joshua Tree, Taurus Rising Studios. This isn't an album out to besmirch the original, but to become a loving companion without being an overly reverential copy. With a band as distinctive and exciting as The Wandering Hearts, a note-for-note facsimile was never an option. One listen to how The Wandering Hearts have taken Déjà Vu's ten songs to new places and reimagined it over 50 years later, and it's clear this is a very bold, very new work by one of Britain's most accomplished Americana artists.

A Colourful Storm proudly presents a remastered first-time vinyl editions of Lone Capture Library's modern-day DIY environmental masterpiece, All Natures Most Mundane Materials. "Environmental"? While this certainly wasn't recorded for dinner party ambience nor was it commissioned by Harrods, it does document a haphazard wander through the English countryside, feeling the air and the earth, detaching oneself from confinement and attempting to make sense of it all. Its protagonist is Rory Salter, London's restless improvisor extraordinaire, who has contributed to dozens of solo and collaborative releases in an ecosystem branched from his Infant Tree private press. Under his alias Malvern Brume, he is responsible for some of the most enchanting sides of contemporary concrète that's graced our ears: dérives revealing beauty and curiosity within London's urban banality. And while we'd argue that Lone Capture Library applies this approach but seeks the peculiar within the pastoral, there also lies a certain hermetic recklessness, with its disruptive details and discarded sonic bric-a-brac.

"I'd walked from Swindon to Avebury and back, which is about a 21-mile round trip. I'd been a muppet and did the whole thing down the A4361, which is not a road suitable for walking on - there was a lot of jumping into the hedges to avoid lorries. Turned out, there was a really nice walk across the fields I could have done instead. But maybe that sums it up quite well. Instinctive and very impulsive. The day following, I was at home and recorded it in single takes, improvised and straight to the tape. There was a good deal of significance for me in walking to the stones, passing the Hackpen Horse, being in the landscape and dealing with some brain rot after being stuck in a house, anxious and depressed. There was a sense of freedom and detachment. It was all about the materials of the earth and the body and fucking the brain off for a bit - just wanting to move between places. I dunno, it's all very cliché."

Danny Wagner wirkte wie ein Rock- oder Country-Künstler und lieferte 1968 auf Imperial das hervorragende Soul-Album "The Kindred Soul Of Danny Wagner" mit frühen Streicherarrangements von Gene Page ab. Daraus erscheinen nun zwei Klassiker direkt hintereinander auf einer 7". "I Lost A True Love" ist ein gefragtes, basslastiges Northern Soul-Meisterwerk. Ebenso beeindruckend und noch nie vorher auf 7" erschienen ist "This Thing Called Love" auf der Flip.

'This exclusive re-issue of “Brighter Side of Blue” is limited to only 300 copies on baby blue heavyweight vinyl, with an individually-numbered obi strip, and bespoke essay from Amy Campbell.

This was one of our albums of 2023 (Double J agreed, too making #16 in their Album Of The Year Countdown). Released in mid-January, it soundtracked our late Australian summer. It’s not a record that’s easily pigeon-holed. Is it alt-country, with a nod to Gillian Welch? Is it classic rock, mined from a similar vein that Chrissie Hynde has drawn from? Is it indie-folk, a lighter, brighter Jen Choler? You tell us.

‘Brighter Side of Blue’ was recorded in Bellambi in the Illawara throughout 2022. Featuring Cecil Coleman from Body Type on drums, and Russell Fitzgibbon (who also released Skeleten’s ‘Under Utopia’) on bass and co-production, it’s a beautiful shiny record that glistens like the sea in that part of Australia, a place where the waves meet ancient escarpment.

Impressed is proud to present Brenton Thwaites—renowned actor, writer, and now accomplished songwriter—with his debut Album Searching For The Man. The announcement follows his recent iconic role in the Paul Kelly-inspired film How to Make Gravy. While filming Titans in Toronto, Brenton dove into music, recording Searching For The Man with producer Justin Abedin. The album weaves together styles from blues and folk to singer-songwriter and country. Brenton’s songs offer an intimate glimpse into his journey to and from Hollywood, life on the road with his family, and the rollercoaster of highs and lows that define it.

"Bookends" bildet soetwas wie das Herzstück des am 20. Juni erscheinenden Albums. Die weitläufige Ballade zollt ihrem verstorbenen Freund Riley Gale Tribut, ehemals Sänger der Band Power Trip. Sie ist auch inspiriert von John Careys Buch "Eyewitness To History", einer Sammlung von über 300 historischen Augenzeugenberichten zu prägenden Ereignissen der menschlichen Geschichte. Zu Bookends erscheint ein Video von Caity Arthur. "Im Video geht es um Tod und Absolution, wie der Tod eines der wenigen sicheren Dinge im Leben ist, der große Gleichmacher, nolens volens", so Arthur. "Es untergräbt aber auch das traditionelle Narrativ vom Tod als verzweifelte Leere und porträtiert ihn mit seinem halluzinogenem Sixties-Ensemble stattdessen als euphorische Übergangserfahrung samt TV-Pop-Performance und Taschenspielertricks, während Megs Lyrics den Tod in all seinen Formen beschwören." Für "Scratch It" hat Meg Remy mit Gitarrist Dillon Watson eine Band zusammengestellt - ursprünglich für einen einmaligen Festivalaufrtitt, aufgrund der guten Chemie schließlich gleich für ein ganzes Album. Mit Watson an der Gitarre, Jack Lawrence (The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs, Loretta Lynn) am Bass, Domo Donoho am Schlagzeug und Jo Schornikow und Tina Norwood an den Keys entstand "Scratch It" innerhalb von zehn Tagen in Nashville. Zwischendurch schaute auch Mundharmonika-Legende Charlie McCoy vorbei, der bereits mit Elvis, Bob Dylan und Roy Orbinson gearbeitet hatte und seine Künste für einige Songs einbrachte. Die Authentizität der analog produzierten Songs ist unmittelbar, ein Zeugnis der Chemie zwischen allen Beteiligten, Remy klingt relaxt wie kaum je zuvor. Das Album verwebt Country, Gospel, Garage Rock, Soul, Disco und Folk, während sich Remy in den Lyrics mit Patti Smith auseinandersetzt, mit junger Liebe, Mutterschaft, Macht-Dynamiken, der Kraft von James Brown, verstorbenen Weggefährten, dem Goldrausch am Yukon - oder dem eigenen nach einer Tequila-getränkten Nacht. Dabei lässt sie wie immer auch ihren beißenden Humor spielen.

Movement and Soul Records is the highly-anticipated imprint, founded by Nonna Fab...

The label aims to capture deeper sounds and meditations in rhythm, spanning spiritual jazz, broken-beat and deeper house.
Nature is Enlightenment is the debut release on the label. With flute, keys, bass and drums from Nonna Fab and saxophonefrom Benjamin Ten-Bruggencate.

The B1, 'TROPIC' invites Kali, lyricist, poet and azz influenced vocalist from Sheffield, accompanied on piano/rhodes by Nonna Fab.

The broken-beat focussed B2,'FLOAT' featuring bassist Tom French and an opening poem, that touches on thecosmos, by Kali.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer, band leader, record collector and party'starter, Nonna Fab has launched the label as a platform to push the sound of his own music, working closely with a range of musicians from the North.

"It's come at the right time for me to allow a space to push a very new, organic sound working with a lot of the musicians I play with regularly, interweaving the sound with dance music."

Nonna Fab is behind audiophile party, Apricot Ballroom, which was named in the top 10 nights in the country in TimeOut Magazine as well as being acknowledged for being a pioneer of northern contemporary jazz by BBC for Footprints. As well as this, Nonna Fab is co-owner of Grub Records, which has been written about in DJMag, Mixmag and Resident Advisor.

"The label is a true hybrid of both live sound and electronic dance music and really allows focus on true communication and expression. I have always appreciated more free-form styles of dance music so it really is a space for me to explore the more expressive andspiritual side of my sound"

The songwriter Joseph Allred is always prolific, but breaks up their string of solo releases for one of the most orchestrated offerings since the excellent Branches And Trees. Allred’s often monastic guitar works are fleshed out here on Old Time Fantasias, turning them towards ensemble visions of country, Americana, and Appalachia. Album opener, “The Groundhog,” features the distinctive piano of Hans Chew, with bass from Daniel Kimbro and brass from Mikey Allred. Elsewhere the new album features Kelby Clark, Courtney Werner (Magic Tuber String Band), Evan Morgan (Magic Tuber String Band), Lydian Bramblia, and Jack Bird in the mix. “I started recording this album in Spring ‘23, thinking I might be making a mostly solo acoustic album with a couple of duets thrown in for good measure. I met Hans Chew at a Nashville show a few months earlier and sent him a few tracks to see if he wanted to add anything to them. Before long the ‘solo acoustic album’ had given way to what’s probably the most involved and densely orchestrated album I’ve made to date. “I enjoyed following some threads of influence that aren’t as easily discernible in my solo playing—I hear some classic country and psychedelic flourishes, baroque pop glockenspiel and horns, percussion ideas that may be cribbed from Danny Elfman and Tom Waits albums, nods to post-rock-filtered western guitar twang, and a little Cocteau Twins dreaminess. “All in all this was a satisfying record to make. I’m especially grateful to the collaborators for adding their touches and making it a less solipsistic affair than it would have been otherwise. The political climate has changed so much over the last two years that I find it hard to imagine I could make a record with this kind of fantastic mood if I started now. I hope that it can maybe re-enchant those of us who are felling disillusioned.” —Joseph Allred

HEXVESSEL erkunden auf ihrem epischen siebten Album "Nocturne" liminale Räume, z.B. zwischen Licht und Dunkelheit sowie Natur und Einsamkeit. Die sich kontinuierlich wandelnde finnische Band besinnt sich wieder auf ihre Wurzeln im Folk und im psychedelischen Rock, indem sie akustische Zwischenspiele, kosmische Synthesizer und geisterhafte Pianoklänge kunstvoll mit den frostgesponnenen Fäden ihres Black Metal Geflechts verwebt. "Nocturne" klingt sowohl vertraut als auch unverhohlen progressiv, da HEXVESSEL ihre eigene Tradition mit einer frischen Neuerfindung ihres charakteristischen Sounds vermischen. Der Keim für dieses Meisterwerk wurde durch die Aufführung eines Auftragswerks beim Roadburn Festival 2024 gesetzt, das ursprünglich den Titel "Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne" trug. Mit diesem Album nimmt das Projekt eine ausgearbeitete physische Gestalt an. Dieses opus magnum verbindet den rauen Geist von Quorthons Black Metal mit dem komplexen Minimalismus zeitgenössischer Komponisten wie Philip Glass, György Ligeti und Avro Pärt. Den eklektischen Charakter von "Nocturne" unterstreichen ausgewählte Gastauftritte wie der ätherische Gesang von Saara Nevalainen oder die harschen Stimmen der Avantgarde Black Metal Vorreiter Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (DHG/DØDHEIMSGARD) und ORANSSI PAZUZUs Juho Vanhanen. HEXVESSEL stammen zwar aus dem finnischen Tampere, die Band wurde aber vom englischen Sänger und Songwriter Kvohst alias Mat McNerney gegründet, nachdem er im Jahr 2009 in das nordische Land gezogen war. In vielerlei Hinsicht spiegeln HEXVESSEL die Natur ihres Gründers wider. Der Sänger und Songwriter war schon in vielen erfolgreichen Gruppen und Projekten aktiv, deren Spektrum von der britischen Black Metal Band CODE über einen Abstecher bei den norwegischen Legenden DHG bis hin zu den Rock-Shootingstars BEASTMILK reicht, die er später mit GRAVE PLEASURES fortsetzte. Mit "Nocturne" laden HEXVESSEL alle dunklen Seelen der Erde zu einem transzendentalen Nachtritual ein, das unter anderem die Klangvisionen von DARKTHRONE, TANGERINE DREAM und Philip Glass aus der toten Vergangenheit erweckt und mit neuem Leben erfüllt.

With their seventh full-length "Nocturne", HEXVESSEL explore the liminal spaces between light and darkness, nature and solitude on an epic album. The ever evolving and shifting Finnish band has reawakened their treasured roots in folk music and psychedelic rock as they artfully weave acoustic interludes, cosmic synths, and spectral piano into the frost-spun threads on their black metal loom. "Nocturne" sounds both familiar and fearlessly progressive as echoes of tradition entwine with a fresh reinvention of their characteristic sound. The seed of this masterpiece was sown by the performance of a commissioned work at Roadburn Festival 2024 that was originally entitled: "Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne". With this album, it arrives fully fleshed in recorded form. This opus magnum blends the raw spirit of Quorthon's black metal with the intricate minimalism of contemporary composers such as Philip Glass, György Ligeti, and Avro Pärt. Its eclectic nature is elevated and underlined by select guest performances, including the vocals of Saara Nevalainen, as well as the avant-garde black metal luminaries Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (DHG/DØDHEIMSGARD), and ORANSSI PAZUZU's Juho Vanhanen. While HEXVESSEL are based in Tampere, Finland, they were founded by English singer & songwriter Kvohst aka Mat McNerney after he moved to the country in 2009. In many ways, HEXVESSEL reflect their founder. The vocalist and songwriter has instigated and been involved in various bands ranging from UK black metal act CODE, a stint in Norwegian legends DØDHEIMSGARD, and to rock shooting stars BEASTMILK – later 'continued' with GRAVE PLEASURES to name but a few of his success stories. With "Nocturne", HEXVESSEL invite all souls on earth to a transcendental night ritual that is imbued with DARKTHRONE, TANGERINE DREAM, Philip Glass, and sounds unearthed from the dead past, now instilled with new life.

F.G.S.–the musical project of Los Angeles artist Flannery Silva–announces the first-ever vinyl release of her debut album ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’, arriving May 27 via Scenic Route. Alongside the release comes a new single, ‘The Punisher (Tinker Bell’s Edit)’, and an exclusive vinyl-only live track, ‘Passions (Live at Tinker Bell’s Clubhouse)’.

Co-created with musician and producer Chase Ceglie, ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ is a surreal Americana record that filters the language of girlhood, heartbreak, and fantasy through a warped, theatrical lens. It’s Lana Del Rey meets David Berman in a cartoon whirlwind, with traces of Dolly Parton, Arthur Russell, and David Lynch.

Silva describes the record as “fairy tale theatre”. It’s packed with alt-universe country hits (‘Beth’s Deth’, ‘American Shield’), uncanny ballads (‘I’m Growing A Cross Around My Neck’), and leftfield pop songs rooted in character and place. ‘Passions’, the opening track, was inspired by Mary MacLane’s ‘I Await the Devil’s Coming’, while the title track imagines Tinker Bell herself singing a lullaby to God.

New single ‘The Punisher’ is an anthemic road song about loneliness and transcendence. “It’s about driving north on I-5 in California, worrying my car will overheat, bargaining with God, and falling in love with dust tornados,” Silva says.

Raised in the woods of upstate New York and formerly one half of the cult duo Odwalla88, Silva brings a visual artist’s sensibility to music. She studied art in Baltimore and continues to make sculpture and performance work that informs her songwriting. ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ was written on the Rhode Island coast, where she and Ceglie met weekly to write and record—drawing from old texts, visual references, and poetry.

F.G.S. has drawn praise from NTS, The FADER, Gorilla vs. Bear, The Line of Best Fit, Artforum, Sex Magazine, and more. With the reissue of ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ and the release of ‘The Punisher’, Silva continues to expand the strange, magnetic world of F.G.S., one that feels both deeply American and entirely her own.

Tennessee Ernie Ford, will go down in music history for his bestknown song ‘Sixteen Tons’. Penned by country legend Merle
Travis, it put Ford at the top of the Billboard chart for seven
weeks in late 1955-early 1956, selling a million copies in just
three weeks. It was also Capitol Records’ first Number 1 of the
rock era. He also hosted a Thursday-night variety show, which
ran for nearly five years, and had several big hits in the US and
UK. His music endures, and this vinyl collection of his very best
songs is testament to a unique performer.

Nach 25 Jahren Herman Dune und 15 Alben freut sich BB*ISLAND, Odysseús zu präsentieren, eine neue Sammlung von Songs, die den Hörer auf eine Reise durch das turbulente Leben von David Ivar mitnimmt, eine Reise voller Sehnsucht, Schmerz, Liebe, Tod, Glaube und Erlösung. Es ist das erste Mal, dass Herman Dune mit einem externen Produzenten, David Garza, zusammenarbeitet. Das Set-up besteht fast ausschließlich aus akustischen Instrumenten, die live mit der Band in einem Raum aufgenommen wurden. Es ist Folk-Musik im typischen Stil von Herman Dune mit Anklängen an Americana, Country, jüdische und hispanische Traditionen, aber mit einer ganz neuen Wendung in Sound und Arrangements, vor allem im Vergleich zu seiner letzten rein akustischen Trilogie The Portable Herman Dune. David Herman Dune über die Produktion: "...David Garza getroffen zu haben war reiner Zufall. Ich mühte mich gerade mit einem Geigenarrangement für einen der Songs ab, als er sich in einem überfüllten Café in der Innenstadt von San Pedro an meinen Tisch setzte und mich fragte, woran ich gerade arbeitete. David, ein mit einem Grammy ausgezeichneter Produzent und Musiker, hatte mit Fiona Apple, Iron & Wine, John C. Reilly und den Milk Carton Kids gearbeitet und mit einigen meiner musikalischen Helden wie Lucinda Williams und Townes Van Zandt gespielt. Wir verstanden uns auf Anhieb, und er bot mir an, meine Songs zu produzieren. Wir begannen, die Stücke jeden Abend bei mir zu Hause zu spielen, und einmal pro Woche in einem französischen Restaurant namens Le Compagnon. David kannte die besten Musiker in L.A. - Leute wie Sebastian Steinberg am Kontrabass (Fiona Apple), Richard Edson (Schlagzeuger von Sonic Youth, Schauspieler in Jim Jarmuschs Stranger Than Paradise und Spike Lees Do The Right Thing), Odessa (violin, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) und Paul J. Cartwright (violin, Olivia Rodrigo). Als wir uns bereit fühlten, versammelten wir alle in meinem Haus für drei Tage Live-Sessions. Es war ein chaotischer, schöner Prozess, bei dem alle in einem Raum zusammen spielten, keine Kopfhörer, keine Overdubs - nur rohe, echte Musik. Aufgenommen und gemischt wurden die Sessions von Chris Sorem (ebenso Grammy-prämiert für seine Arbeit mit den mit den LA-Legenden Los Lobos). Chris brachte eine Wagenladung alter Mikrofone mit und konzentrierte sich auf "Raummikrofone" - djene, die die Atmosphäre des Raums einfangen. Er sagte, dies sei eine Technik, die auf Alben wie Buena Vista Social Club verwendet wurde, und es erzeugte eine Magie im Raum, die spürbar war. Sogar die traurigsten Lieder wurden lebendig mit so viel Freude, Energie und Elektrizität. Die Aufnahmen waren ungefiltert, organisch und hatten Seele. Als wir mit dem Abmischen begannen, waren wir alle vom Ergebnis erstaunt, wir hörten einen Moment in der Zeit, der sich gleichsam zeitlos anfühlte"

,Dogs" ist Cash Langdons zweites Album unter eigenem Namen, aber das erste mit seiner Band Meadow Dust (Bassist Matt Whitson und Schlagzeuger Reagan Bruce). Die Aufnahmen fanden größtenteils in den Portside Studios (dem ehemaligen Standort des legendären Muscle Shoals Sound) statt und wurden in nur zwei Tagen aufgenommen. Der Tontechniker Brad Timko (Dan Sartain, St. Paul and The Broken Bones) sorgte dafür, dass das Trio wild und tight klingt. Ihre unscharfe Interpretation von schwerem Country-Rock erinnert an Neil Young & Crazy Horse und verströmt die Hitze von Langdons Heimatstadt Birmingham. Wie bei Young ist seine Stimme gleichzeitig ernst und weltmüde, aber es gibt auch einen Sinn für Humor und die Resignation, weiterzumachen (,Dogs"). Diese Songs sind wunderschöne, brennende, südlich-gotische Zeugnisse der fortwährenden Gewalt, die es bedeutet, wach zu sein für die Welt um einen herum (,Lilac Whiskey Nose") und die Entschlossenheit, trotzdem wach zu bleiben (,Magic Again").

DESCRIPTION
Having endured no less than three long-players and a brace of singles featuring the caterwauling of Messrs Hampshire and Childish, the Milkshakes’ audience figured it might be time for an instrumental outing. In response the group gave them just that. But this was to be no run-of-the-mill effort – no Dick Dale-esque surf marathons or Shadowsy twangers are apparent here. These tunes are more ‘rhythm-and-mood’-based compositions; occasionally leaning more towards the Link Wray end of the spectrum – as you would probably expect. This IVth album (hence the name) was recorded in 1983 at Oakwood Studios – as were all previous releases – but this was the first in their new facilities in a converted church near Canterbury, which opened up a whole new golden vista of shimmering, silvery sounds in atmospheric conditions. Of course, the Milkshakes were having none of that. We suggest you plonk the wax on your gramophone and let whatever happens happens. Hasty bananas.

Musiklegende BRIAN ENO und Konzeptkünstlerin BEATIE WOLFE veröffentlichen mit den gemeinsamen Alben LUMINAL und LATERAL zwei Projekte, die ebenso eigenständig wie miteinander verbunden sind.

Das Alternative Music/Vocal-Album LUMINAL featured Vocals + Lyrics von Wolfe und wurde von Eno produziert. Beide nennen die Musik auf dem für beide Künstler ungewöhnlichen Album „electric-countrydream-music“.

LATERAL bezeichnen beide dagegen als „ambient-landscape-dream-music“ und „like the familiar, but better“. Eno selbst gilt als Erfinder des Begriffes „Ambient Music“ in den 1970er Jahren.

Beide Alben erscheinen am 6.6. auf LP, CD und digital. Die Künstler sind Mitglieder von EarthPercent, einer Non-Profit-Organisation, die Klimaschutz innerhalb der Musikindustrie einfordert und unterstützt. Die schwarzen und limitierten LPs des Projektes werden deshalb in BioVinyl (bio-basiertem PVC) gepresst.

Musiklegende BRIAN ENO und Konzeptkünstlerin BEATIE WOLFE veröffentlichen mit den gemeinsamen Alben LUMINAL und LATERAL zwei Projekte, die ebenso eigenständig wie miteinander verbunden sind.

Das Alternative Music/Vocal-Album LUMINAL featured Vocals + Lyrics von Wolfe und wurde von Eno produziert. Beide nennen die Musik auf dem für beide Künstler ungewöhnlichen Album „electric-countrydream-music“.

LATERAL bezeichnen beide dagegen als „ambient-landscape-dream-music“ und „like the familiar, but better“. Eno selbst gilt als Erfinder des Begriffes „Ambient Music“ in den 1970er Jahren.

Beide Alben erscheinen am 6.6. auf LP, CD und digital. Die Künstler sind Mitglieder von EarthPercent, einer Non-Profit-Organisation, die Klimaschutz innerhalb der Musikindustrie einfordert und unterstützt. Die schwarzen und limitierten LPs des Projektes werden deshalb in BioVinyl (bio-basiertem PVC) gepresst.

This is a repressing of their EP from 2018.

"Boys" is the second release from Caamp, the American folk band from Upper
Arlington, Ohio (who actually met at summer camp!)

This is a repressing of their EP from 2018.

"Boys" is the second release from Caamp, the American folk band from Upper
Arlington, Ohio (who actually met at summer camp!)

Rock’n’roll revivalists Split Dogs are not here to make 15 second viral videos, they’re not here to sell you a lifestyle, they’re here to destroy. Born from the frustration of seeing music become commodified and soulless, vocalist Harry Atkins and guitarist Mil Martinez had the idea to form a band as far back as 2015, with the name ‘Split Dogs’ pulled from the classic zombie film ‘Return of the Living Dead’.
In South London, a young Martinez would hear Status Quo, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Dire Straits on the car radio while his father drove him to school. At home he would invade his older brothers’ record collection which leaned towards the harder sounds of punk and heavy metal. Meanwhile in the Black Country, Harry’s mother instilled a love of Northern Soul, Slade and rock’n’roll, with stories of nights out at Club Lafayette and family singalongs at home. According to Martinez, “Our sound is a culmination of all those early influences and, to be honest, it really shows.”
It wasn’t until 2022 that Split Dogs officially arrived on the scene with bass player Suez Boyle joining the band in 2023. Already a prominent figure in the queer punk scene, Suez played the first ever Rebellion Festival at the tender age of 16 with her band The Walking Abortions. Up until that point, drummer Chris Hugall, an old friend of Martinez and former member of ska punks Mouthwash (signed to Rancid’s label Hellcat back in the day), was only on hand to help design artwork. It wasn’t until 2024 Hugall joined the band full time, cementing the current line-up.
The raucous live shows and infectious lyrics saw the four-piece make a name for themselves among the punks of Bristol, a scene that has always welcomed LGBTQ+ and marginalised people. As word spread, so did the gigging, and soon enough Split Dogs were playing to sold out rooms in mainland Europe, eventually grabbing the attention of UK label Venn Records (Gallows, Bob Vylan, High Vis). ‘Here to Destroy’ was recorded over three days at Middle Farm Studios by producer Peter Miles. All tracks were laid straight to a 16 track reel-to-reel tape machine, no autotune, no effects pedals, no computers. To add to the music’s authenticity, the album was recorded live, with Harry singing along in a vocal booth. No cutting and pasting, just nailing takes. According to Martinez, “It was a blast! We fully immersed ourselves, sleeping in a small apartment below the studio, cooking meals and listening to Pete’s extensive record collection”. While the final result is a step away from Split Dogs early punk sound, the attitude is still there in droves. “We wanted the album to have a raw bones feel,” Martinez tells us, “real 1970s rock’n’roll!”. Harry channels the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as they tear through hook after hook, singing about the Northern Soul clubs their mother once frequented (‘Lafayette’), the Orwellian nightmare we’re heading for (“Stay Tuned”) and a touching homage to British working class culture (“And What?”). As the album title makes clear, Split Dogs are here to destroy, but they’re also here to rebuild and remind us of music’s essence. “We’re not beholden to the digital age, we don’t want to get famous on social media, we just want to show the world that rock’n’roll is alive and well”.

“13 Months of Sunshine” is more than just a slogan for Aminé. Ethiopia’s marketing campaigns of the 60s and 70s used the phrase to entice Western visitors to the country, but for the Portland-born rapper raised by an Eritrean father and an Ethiopian mother, it holds deeper meaning. “13 Months of Sunshine,” a phrase adorned on posters in homes of his aunts and uncles, cousins, and family friends, became something more, a declaration of shifting perspectives and a reinvigorating jolt to one of rap’s most celebrated discographies. He's returned with a new offering, featuring artists as varied as 454, Toro y Moi, and Waxahatchee, that will go down as one of the most exiting rap releases of 2025.

“13 Months of Sunshine” is more than just a slogan for Aminé. Ethiopia’s marketing campaigns of the 60s and 70s used the phrase to entice Western visitors to the country, but for the Portland-born rapper raised by an Eritrean father and an Ethiopian mother, it holds deeper meaning. “13 Months of Sunshine,” a phrase adorned on posters in homes of his aunts and uncles, cousins, and family friends, became something more, a declaration of shifting perspectives and a reinvigorating jolt to one of rap’s most celebrated discographies. He's returned with a new offering, featuring artists as varied as 454, Toro y Moi, and Waxahatchee, that will go down as one of the most exiting rap releases of 2025.