Cerca:curses

Curses' dark, romantic take on electronic music is often linked to EBM, new beat, synth-pop, and the offshoots in between - but, as the artist states, it's feelings, not genres, that motivate his music. Especially the underground and its niche sounds, brimming with collective energy, drive and passion, make for a major impetus. It's no coincidence that he's drawn to the era when man turned to the machine, as a collaborative force, and a new kind of liveliness, timelessness, emerged. In Curses' practice, this synergy translates into an enticing mix of synthesisers and voices, electronic drums and guitars. Nostalgia operates as an influence rather than a motive, though: despite its affinities with the past, his music is stridently contemporary and idiosyncratic. On the "Perfect High" EP, this approach is rendered in a resolutely dancefloor-oriented selection. It's rich in detail and constantly evolving; each time a new element appears, it's treated with such delight and care that you could imagine the track to flit off and turn it into the main theme. This doesn't happen, however, as the sense of cohesion and momentum is paramount: there's a relentless forward drive that keeps engagement tight from start to finish. The detuned, chorus-heavy leads of title track "Perfect High" and the clockwork-tinged percussion of "Weapon Of Time" jell with lustrous hooks. The ominous choirs on "Dare To Dream" and the proto rolling-and-scratching squelches of "Killer Instinct" similarly fall into place. Bravado never stands in the way of flow. Everything is kept in check by gated R-50 rhythms, and in the vocal department, Curses finds the sweet spot between his own voice and a slew of off-kilter samples. On closer "Blasted" NYC royalty Andi joins for a slab of synth-driven groove. It's shiny and sensuous, like patent leather - a perfect distillation of club music channeled through pop aesthetics, and thus a right coda for ALT028.

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took usfrom the industrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s, through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 1.

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took us from the industrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s,through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 3.







f B2. Javi Redondo - HALT [Process]

Limited 12" sampler for the forthcoming Curses compilation: As much musical memoir as compilation of often impossible-to-find tracks, 'Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS' has joined the dots between industrial, post punk and EBM from the 70s and 80s with the emerging rave scene of the 90s and proven that this spirit is still alive by unearthing some of the best unreleased dark disco, techno and electro produced today. Extended versions only!

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took us from theindustrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s, through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 2.

Luminary and guiding light of the Wave and Italo resurgence, Curses returns to Wrong Era Records under the veil of Tutto Vetro, presenting the mechanical masterpiece ‘Trust The Beat’ in this fresh form. A master of cinematic body music, Tutto Vetro ignites the release with 'Trust The Beat,' a slamming and enigmatic proto cut. 'Wild Things' delves deeper into his talent for infectious melodies and commanding percussion.

His first album, critically acclaimed and certified with a platinum single, places the French producer as a key player on the independent beatmaking scene.

High Roller Records, black vinyl, ltd 250, insert, download code

High Roller Records, oxblood vinyl, ltd 250, insert, download code

Als sich das deutsch-griechische Paar Local Suicide und die aus New York City stammenden Curses in Berlin, dem Epizentrum der elektronischen Musik, trafen, war die künstlerische Chemie sofort offensichtlich. Dieses zufällige Zusammentreffen führte zu mehreren fruchtbaren Kollaborationen, wobei die jüngste "Magia" ist, eine dunkle und mysteriöse Vier-Track-EP. Diese Veröffentlichung ist die perfekte Gelegenheit für die beiden Künstler, ihre genreübergreifende Mischung aus 80er New Wave & Dark Disco, die ihren früheren Kollaborationen bereits viel Lob eingebracht hat, auf ein ganz neues Niveau zu heben.
Die EP kommt nach einem beeindruckend produktiven Jahr für das vielbeschäftigte Powerhouse Local Suicide, nach der Veröffentlichung ihres weltweit gefeierten Debütalbums "Eros Anikate" mit Kollaborationen mit The Hidden Cameras, Lena Platonos, Theus Mago und Curses selbst, sowie vier Remix-EPs mit Remixen von befreundeten Produzenten wie Adana Twins, Silicone Soul, Echonomist, Biesmans, Die Selektion und vielen mehr. Der vielseitige Künstler und Chef des Ombra International Labels Curses hat kürzlich sein düster-romantisches zweites Album “Incarnadine” mit Features von Jennifer Touch und Terr veröffentlicht, nachdem sein erstes Album auf Jennifer Cardinis Label Dischi Autunno hochgelobt wurde. Für diese Zusammenarbeit hat er seinen unverwechselbaren Sound weiterentwickelt, der Punk-, Italo-Disco- und EBM-Einflüsse zu einem düsteren und nostalgischen Gesamtkunstwerk vereint.

Are you still here? Or are you still there? Berlin-based/Italian warehouse-rave warrior, Younger Than Me, and Italo-American romantic goth-wave prince, Curses are THERE. They're there where it's at!

It was the bond of bold friendship that brought these guys together - and of course a shared history of subgenre juxtaposition and meshing. Both grew up on Punk, Rap, and of course the early days of Techno. »Still There« is their first EP together and thus of course their first for Live At Robert Johnson. It's a venture into the euphoric, psychedelic power of early Trance and Breaks mixed with the attitude and energy of EBM and Electro.

Starting with the moody slow beats of the title tune »Still There«, Y2C takes you on a journey to a faraway chill-out room in some dark yet warm and cozy cellar. Or is this place to be found in synth heaven? It could well be if you listen to those dreamy melodies. Melodies as beguiling as the song of the Sirens that seduced good old Ulysses.

Y2C pick up on that dreamy vibe but throw in that slight and subtle Trance-factor, taking up speed with »Romantic Squat«, dragging you into their very own romantic squat.

Next up is »Love Your Enemy« - oh yes, shouldn't we all? Icey claps with lots of reverb and a bass line draw you onto the dry ice flooded aluminum floor and there's no way back - especially when that strange break with that crazy sound makes you stop for a second and think, why did I stop dancing? Get back on the floor y'all!

The last track »Lullapaluza« is indeed some kind of a lollapalooza ride, a very special ride. And no, it does not lull you to sleep because the beat created by Y2C here is a demanding one, a special which gets you going all over its eight and a half minutes. It's sheer bliss, you gotta believe it.

This is not a one-off novelty EP, it's a kinetic collaboration. Y2C is a force of nature, a force of RAVE/WAVE energy, with many more to come, a force to reckon with.

For 13 years of porn, fun and games, Berlin-based event series and label Pornceptual presents a nine-track VA on double vinyl, bringing together artists from across the international queer scene. Each contribution leaves a distinct and uncompromising fingerprint in the grooves. This marks the third release in the PRNCPTL VA series. This is music made for the dancefloor, for the dolls, for the lovers, for the freaks and the queens.

For more than two decades, Vidmantas ?epkauskas has occupied a singular position within European underground culture. As the driving force behind Opium Club and gallery 1986 in Vilnius, founder of Ant Bangos, Alfavilnius and OLE festivals, curator, label owner, promoter, DJ and artist, he has spent much of his life creating the conditions for other people's music to be heard.
It makes sense then that he has no shortage of friends and collaborators in play. Across ten tracks, V presents shades of Italo, krautrock, post-punk, minimal synth, industrial pop and neon-noir romanticism, arriving somewhere between the dancefloor and a dream-state. The cast of collaborators both contextualize and help sharpen the vision.
First and foremost, much of the album was crafted alongside Frankfurt's Philipp Lauer, whose friendship with V grew through marathon studio sessions. Curses lends his unmistakable blend of dark romance and theatrical energy to "Is This What You Want?", Australian cosmic journeyman Dreems joins for the kaleidoscopic "Blitz Disc," Domenique Dumont brings their unmistakable emotive touch to "Avventura," while Lithuanian artists Noyus and Ruta MUR, both distinctive voices from the country's queer scene, whose vocals add another dimension to the record's emotional palette. As V puts it, "These are the people I've been vibing with."
That he finally delivers a full-length LP with such elusive qualities is more than a clue to his character. The title itself, a nod to Magritte's famous paradox and his years living in Brussels, suggests that any attempt to define V through a single image is destined to fail. At once playful and philosophical, 12:55 (Ceci n'est pas une V) questions ideas of identity and artistic value while marking the closing chapter of the musical persona that followed ?epkauskas' earlier success as Vidis. Neither retrospective nor statement of intent, it feels like a connected set of reflections spanning a lifetime of influences.

On their third album, FANGS, London collective HMLTD have created an entirely new genre: Götherdammerüng (or ÜberGöth). Predictably unpredictable, it could not be further away from their last outing, 2023 rock opera The Worm. The sixteen-piece orchestra has been traded in for Ableton, the timpani and violins replaced with side-chained four-to-the-floor and rave synths, and the gospel choir swapped for guttural gothic howling and black metal screams. The result is both unique and terrifying: a total reinvention and rehabilitation of the goth genre, through the looking glass of modern electronic and doomscroll-era dance music.

This new beginning was accompanied by a change in personnel, with Theo Spark and Andrei Martynchyk joining the fray alongside original members Henry Spychalski and Duc Peterman. Decamping to a ruined château in the Loire Valley, the quartet became obsessed with vampire lore, and the EBM and goth sound that inspired their early work: Fad Gadget, DAF, Nitzer Ebb, Suicide and Bauhaus. FANGS also points to more contemporary influences like Crystal Castles, German hardcore, 2000s blog-house a la Justice, and 2020s sleazepop.



The world crafted in FANGS is full of cosmic pessimism, glowing horror, imperceptible evil and digital dismemberment, ancient curses and ruined castles, Vampires. But it is also a thoroughly fun, and funny, record, as danceable as it is deep. Born of the club, some tracks would not sound out of place on Brat. Like a Smiths song which sounds happy and carefree until your brain tunes in to the misery of the lyrics, it can be listened to - and enjoyed - on two levels. One can get lost in the throb of bass and ludic synths, or tune into the horror of the lyrics which overlay them.



FANGS attempts to offer up a reflection to a culture that - like a Vampire - has lost its own. The result is something not only thoroughly modern, original, and inventive - but that feels genuinely dangerous and potent. FANGS delights in this ambiguity: simultaneously indicting decadence, decay, and moral rot, while luxuriating in its intoxication by it. Cacophonous sub-bass becomes a chthonic call of the void; seraphic rave synths become the screech of Valkyries; four-to-the-floor becomes a deathly funeral march. Vampire apocalypse.

On their third album, FANGS, London collective HMLTD have created an entirely new genre: Götherdammerüng (or ÜberGöth). Predictably unpredictable, it could not be further away from their last outing, 2023 rock opera The Worm. The sixteen-piece orchestra has been traded in for Ableton, the timpani and violins replaced with side-chained four-to-the-floor and rave synths, and the gospel choir swapped for guttural gothic howling and black metal screams. The result is both unique and terrifying: a total reinvention and rehabilitation of the goth genre, through the looking glass of modern electronic and doomscroll-era dance music.

This new beginning was accompanied by a change in personnel, with Theo Spark and Andrei Martynchyk joining the fray alongside original members Henry Spychalski and Duc Peterman. Decamping to a ruined château in the Loire Valley, the quartet became obsessed with vampire lore, and the EBM and goth sound that inspired their early work: Fad Gadget, DAF, Nitzer Ebb, Suicide and Bauhaus. FANGS also points to more contemporary influences like Crystal Castles, German hardcore, 2000s blog-house a la Justice, and 2020s sleazepop.



The world crafted in FANGS is full of cosmic pessimism, glowing horror, imperceptible evil and digital dismemberment, ancient curses and ruined castles, Vampires. But it is also a thoroughly fun, and funny, record, as danceable as it is deep. Born of the club, some tracks would not sound out of place on Brat. Like a Smiths song which sounds happy and carefree until your brain tunes in to the misery of the lyrics, it can be listened to - and enjoyed - on two levels. One can get lost in the throb of bass and ludic synths, or tune into the horror of the lyrics which overlay them.



FANGS attempts to offer up a reflection to a culture that - like a Vampire - has lost its own. The result is something not only thoroughly modern, original, and inventive - but that feels genuinely dangerous and potent. FANGS delights in this ambiguity: simultaneously indicting decadence, decay, and moral rot, while luxuriating in its intoxication by it. Cacophonous sub-bass becomes a chthonic call of the void; seraphic rave synths become the screech of Valkyries; four-to-the-floor becomes a deathly funeral march. Vampire apocalypse.

Amidst their illustrious presence in dance music, Âme have been - and seen - a tumultuous evolution in all that surrounds. Genres have splintered and sharpened, melodies reinvented.
Yet, Frank and Kristian continue to stay true to their own meticulously individual art form. The pair muse on all that's been in latest album, "Love Is The Dance", where they reflect on a multitude of sounds that have shadowed their career for 20 years and counting - presenting a collection of tracks that flicker between different worlds and feelings, whilst harmoniously paying tribute to icons such as Underground Resistance and Compass Point Studios.

Between slower gems such as "Water Be My Crown" and "Of Courage", where buttery chords melt into sleek solitude, comes catchy pop-leaning numbers like "Shadow Of Love" and "Pha Na Pha" that carve their own vibrancy; having already painted endless dance floors with endless memories following individual releases. Cemented with club-focused cuts "Asa" and "Love Is The Dance", the album also moves towards familiar Âme territory; and still, threaded through its DNA is the art of collaboration. A substantial essence to Âme's work throughout the years, the duo level-up, as they invite a curated list of friends and artists, including RY X, Henrik Schwarz, Curses and Busiswa. The result forms a curious, all-expansive record that sees Âme creating avenues bolder, stronger - and even more musically diverse.

Amidst their illustrious presence in dance music, Âme have been - and seen - a tumultuous evolution in all that surrounds. Genres have splintered and sharpened, melodies reinvented.
Yet, Frank and Kristian continue to stay true to their own meticulously individual art form. The pair muse on all that's been in latest album, "Love Is The Dance", where they reflect on a multitude of sounds that have shadowed their career for 20 years and counting - presenting a collection of tracks that flicker between different worlds and feelings, whilst harmoniously paying tribute to icons such as Underground Resistance and Compass Point Studios.

Between slower gems such as "Water Be My Crown" and "Of Courage", where buttery chords melt into sleek solitude, comes catchy pop-leaning numbers like "Shadow Of Love" and "Pha Na Pha" that carve their own vibrancy; having already painted endless dance floors with endless memories following individual releases. Cemented with club-focused cuts "Asa" and "Love Is The Dance", the album also moves towards familiar Âme territory; and still, threaded through its DNA is the art of collaboration. A substantial essence to Âme's work throughout the years, the duo level-up, as they invite a curated list of friends and artists, including RY X, Henrik Schwarz, Curses and Busiswa. The result forms a curious, all-expansive record that sees Âme creating avenues bolder, stronger - and even more musically diverse.

Younger Than Me announces his debut full length "The Golden Age Of Love", to be released on 90's Wax this coming March 2024. The record is the perfect example of the breadth of his irrepressible and unique sound. Featuring collaborations with Massimiliano Pagliara, Brame & Hamo and Pablo Bozzi. The artist is an Italian native known for a modern interpretation of '90s club music' - a dynamic blend of Progressive House, Trance, EBM, Breakbeat, and Techno ideas. This first album is a love letter to a deep-rooted passion for the idiosyncrasies of rave culture and the crossover points with contemporary electronic music.

Younger Than Me, an artistic project by Francesco Mingrino that is steeped in the nostalgia of ‘90s rave, yet not at all trapped in that past. A project that has cemented a special place in the electronic music scene with a string of records on labels like Bordello A Parigi, Amsterdam-Utrecht based platform XXX, Rotterdam’s Bar and Jennifer Cardini’s Dischi Autunno. To this point Francesco has pushed his fun yet forceful sound, with many releases on his own 90's Wax, and collaborations with people like Skatebård, Francesco Farfa, Timothy Clerkin and Curses (as Y2C).

"The Golden Age Of Love" as a package is curated in Younger Than Me's characteristic style. Opening with "Long Life Death", a track that sets the stage with a cinematic soundscape in a classic Carpenter vibe. Picking up the tempo "Zarathustra Dance" takes you right into the golden age itself, its low slung beat and carefully sequenced lead line pushes an ever building tension designed to crack any dancefloor. The track with Massimiliano Pagliara, "Eternal Sunshine Of Solitary Mind", is one of the highlights, perfectly building around a catchy lead with tight arpeggio and sequenced acid. Leading us into the 2nd half of the record "Sadness Is The Only Way To Happiness" is a proto-trance beast, inspired by that period in the early 90s when Trance was less bright lights and big stages and more dark rooms and smoke filled spaces, an ever building progressive run of haunting vocals, rave stabs and rolling bass.

Whilst YTM is at home presenting dancefloor focussed material, we see him explore the other side too, with "Memory Is A Clock" like the earlier "Vortix", he ditches the 4x4 for breakbeat territory. Whilst the bass keeps the solid metronome you would expect, "Memory Is A Clock" is a track that takes a few moments, contemplative melody and trademark arpeggios take the lead. When it comes to the other collaborations on the record, the appearance of Brame And Hamo on "Raver's Heart Is A Mess" sees them lean into the Progressive nature both artists love so much. Then Pablo Bozzi lends his own unique outlook to "We Don't Know The Way, We Just Stay" in one of the standout tracks, epitomising Younger Than Me’s ability to create profound experiences.

The album concludes with "Music Will Never Stop, Heartbeat Will Never Fade, Party Will Never End", less of a title and more of a personal philosophy – the perpetual essence of rave culture and its timeless impact on music. A rhythmic belter, juxtaposed with incendiary synth-lines and staple catchy sequence work, finishing the record with one of the true highpoints. In addition the release also features four digital bonus tracks, including "The Other Face Of Loneliness" and a Prog Dance Reshape of one of the records more eclectic cuts "Zarathustra Dance" all offering an extended exploration into the creative landscape YTM inhabits.

"The Golden Age Of Love" is a debut album that ticks all the boxes; it's a celebration of a bygone era through the lens of the contemporary. Younger Than Me stands as a testament to the enduring spirit and evolving nature of the music that began in the ‘90s rave scene, with an LP that pushes Love, Progression and Fun to the forefront.

Silver Tears is the new joint venture by Berlin-based gent Luca Venezia and Damian Shilman, respectively of Curses and Skelesys’ fame.

The duo first debuted in 2023 on Next Wave Acid Punx Deux (Chapter 2) compilation delivering one track rich with deep bass lines, crystal clear guitars and captivating mechanical drums. One somehow classic formula enriched by an universal allure that left you hoping for more. And here we are: these charming men have been working hard for the past two years and their first, self-titled full-length album is now ready.

Eight new cuts of elegant electronic beat-driven coldwave with baritone vocals, sharp arpeggios and no lack of slow passages, recalling 90’s shoegaze or moody grunge. A subtle play of juxtaposition of dancing moments and introspective retreats, dancefloor-oriented grooves and caustic precipices, sometimes crowned by the two dueting at vocals. One wide musical cape to cloak all the angles of the Goth subculture and prove how this can still be relevant some many years after it first bursted out.

limited to 500 copies

Moderna Ignites the Dance Floor with Debut Album "The Future Is Among Us"
Conceived over seven years in Berlin and Mexico City, "The Future Is Among Us" is a sonic tapestry woven from diverse influences. Each track, produced in a different era, retains its unique character while seamlessly blending into a cohesive album experience.
The album ignites with "DIE4U," a powerful homage to Prince's iconic "I Would Die 4 U." Moderna reimagines the timeless sentiment – entirely self-produced and written in Berlin. Layered vocals, a driving bass line, and a pulsating electro beats that create a controlled yet electrifying atmosphere.
The title track, "The Future Is Among Us," embodies the collaborative spirit at the heart of the album.
Originally conceived before the album was complete, bringing bass lines and a percussive energy that feels like a declaration that the future is not something to wait for, but something we are actively creating together on the dance floor.
The album promises a vibrant blend of electronic and dark wave music, showcasing Moderna's ability to weave together infectious dance floor anthems with deeper, more introspective moments.
This depth is evident in tracks like "Lost at Heart," a collaboration with post-punk artist Skelesys that transcends genre with its raw emotional vulnerability. The album's ability to seamlessly shift
between these contrasting styles is a testament to Moderna's artistry and her ability to curate a cohesive listening experience that invites a provocative energy.
Moderna’s impressive career extends beyond this album. Beyond her solo work, she has showcased her remixing talent on tracks for The Matrix 4 soundtrack and Curses' Next Wave Acid Punx compilation, collaborated on four EPs with Mexican artist Theus Mago who also contributes to the album on the dream wave serenade “Blades”.
The album will be released on her ‘Brave New Rave’ imprint which she established in 2019 from her highly recognized radio show on KCRW Berlin.

Bonding over a shared love of soul, jazz, funk and hip-hop, rapper Essa and producer / multi-instrumentalist J-Felix assembled a dream-team of top notch vocalists and players for this collective effort.



The result? Driving beats, poignant bars, soulful hooks and stirring brass.



The collective includes vocalists Avijè, Vanya Lyma, Marshall Mandiangu and Jerry Clavier, with Jack Kendon on horns and a guest appearance from your favourite drummer’s favourite drummer, Richard Spaven.



With his customary wit and masterful flow, Essa speaks on finding truth, confronting ego, eloping to the tropics and breaking generational curses. The esteemed lyricist was a key figure in UK Hip-Hop’s heralded “golden era”, alongside contemporaries and collaborators Jehst, Klashnekoff and TY, performing and recording with such luminaries as De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, Guru, Slum Village and Pharoahe Monch, winning praise from Nas and Mark Ronson.



J-Felix’s rich production takes in neo-soul, UK Jazz, boogie and hip-hop. His signature “J-Funk” style evokes classic samples but with all-original playing from the versatile multi- instrumentalist, who has worked with Swindle, Kojey Radical, Mahalia and Alice Russell.



The Fifth Foundation’s explosive live experience ranges from a versatile MC/DJ set-up to a full live band, with horns and multiple vocalists, mixing originals from this bold debut with inspiration from timeless soul, jazz, funk and rap classics.

ARCA unfolds as a modern parable, where the ancient biblical plagues become subtle echoes of the afflictions we have created. through ten distinct compositions, it explores the human shadows - hope and fear, violence and greed, resentment and perfectionism - that we cast upon the world and upon ourselves, crafting a fragile, fractured existence. each track serves as a mirror reflecting our flaws and contradictions, inviting listeners to confront the quiet turmoil within and around us.

amidst this sonic journey, the music becomes a space for reflection and reckoning, gently urging us to acknowledge these plagues not as distant curses, but as intimate truths. it is an invitation to recognize our own power offering a path toward redemption and renewal in the turbulent landscape we call home.

In order to celebrate their 20 years anniversary Permanent Vacation is releasing a series of EPs with some of their core artists and friends of the past two decades. First EP comes stacked with high quality tracks from Lauer, Midnight Magic, Pional, Curses and PV's own Benjamin Fröhlich. The
music is in a fabulously Permanent Vacation tradition and covers the spectrums from Disco, Italo, beefy House and poppy Electronic.

22Recordings pres: Capítulo IX “Art-Fact Reviewed by Veintidós” (Incl. Curses, C.ru.z, Lvca, Stefano Andriezzi, Art Fact Remixes)

Black Vinyl Repress


Das Berliner Indie-/Electro-Wave-Trio Dina Summer meldet sich mit einer ordentlichen Portion Synthpop auf ihrem zweiten Album ‘’Girls Gang’ zurück!

Dina Summer ist ein kollaboratives Projekt, das aus Kalipo, einer Hälfte der legendären Electro-Punk-Band Frittenbude, und dem griechisch-deutschem DJ & Produzenten Duo Local Suicide besteht, die das Label Iptamenos Discos betreiben. Ihre bisherigen Werke umfassen das von Kritikern gefeierte Album „Rimini“ aus dem Jahr 2022, das einen nostalgischen Einblick in Retro-Disco-Vibes bietet, sowie die EPs „Who Am I“ (2021) und „Hide & Seek“ (2024). Seit der Gründung der Band vor fünf Jahren hat Dina Summers Musik mit Millionen von Streams, weltweitem Radio-Airplay und zahlreichen Spotify- und Apple Music-Editorial-Playlists für Aufsehen gesorgt und wurde von DJs wie Charlotte De Witte, The Hacker, Âme, Dixon, Joris Voorn, DJ Hell, Joyce Muniz und Dubfire gespielt. Das neue Album umfasst 11 Songs die sich mit Themen wie Empowerment („No More Tears“ & „Girls Gang“), Außenseitertum („Alien“ & „Zombie“), Vergänglichkeit („Promise Me feat, Curses & Joshua Murphy“), Nostalgie („Halkidiki“) und Beziehungen („Nothing To Hide“ & „Hypnotized“) auseinandersetzen. Legte ihr Debütalbum seinen Fokus eher auf den Club zwischen Italo-Disco und 90ies Elektro, erkundet die neue Veröffentlichung eine größere Sound-Palette, die von New Wave & Post-Punk zu Electroclash und Synth- & Indie-Pop reicht. „Girls Gang“ ist ein gutes Stück songorientierter als das Debütalbum, die Band erweitert ihr Repertoire auf einigen Songs unter anderem um echte (!) Bässe und Gitarren, vorallem aber setzt Frontfrau Dina neben ihrem Markenzeichen - Spoken Word - immer öfter auf ihre Gesangsstimme. Trotzdem knüpft das Album nahtlos an das Erstlingswerk an, man hört wieder jene poppige Melodien und Hooks mit denen sich Dina Summer zuvor schon einen Namen gemacht hat, ausgebreitet auf einem Bett aus Indiepop-Hymnen und Club-Brechern.

"Guerra Total Na Boca Do Lixo" is CAVEIRAS' new album, to be released on February 13, 2026. The album will include 12 brand new tracks, displaying the usual mix of punk aggression, batucada rhythms, industrial / noise bravado and bass music.

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CAVEIRAS deal in obsessive rhythms and low frequencies, infusing punk with Afro-Brazilian vibes. Their spiritual birth can be traced back to a visit to Favela Rocinha: while watching two young boys improvise a batucada with a bucket and a bin, band members became obsessed with the possibility of an occult alliance between Rio de Janeiro and Einstürzende Neubauten’s Berlin. Back home, Caveiras made a blood oath, vowing to channel the dark side of samba. Armed with an electric bass, scrap percussions and a machine-gunning sampler, they began to butcher Brazilian standards with a wild and iconoclastic attitude. Claves and rhythms of the Brazilian tradition are heavily treated through electro-acoustic techniques, dub-oriented bass lines strip melody down to the bone, while screams cross the line separating punk’s rants from Quimbanda’s curses.

Iptamenos Discos kündigt Houdini an, die neue EP der Labelgründer Local Suicide. Die Platte enthält drei ihrer dunkelsten und kraftvollsten Originaltracks bis heute, ergänzt durch markante Neubearbeitungen des französischen Electroclash-Pioniers David Carretta und der aufstrebenden griechischen EBM-Kraft Alpha Sect. Die Houdini EP entstand im Berliner Studio von Local Suicide während zahlloser nächtlicher Sessions mit Skelesys in derselben kreativen Phase, die auch ihren gemeinsamen Hit Moustache, die Surface Of The Sun EP und Faster Faster auf Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx-Compilation hervorbrachte. Das Ergebnis ist ihr bisher düsterstes Material, das ihren Technodisco-Sound in noch härteres Terrain führt - mit hypnotischen Basslines, industriellen Texturen und analogen Vintage-Synths. Damit zählt es zu den mutigsten Releases im Katalog von Iptamenos Discos. Die EP eröffnet mit Obsessions, einem Track zwischen Darkwave und Techno, aufgebaut auf einer brutalen Bassline, analogen Synths und eindringlichen, mantraartigen Vocals. Die wiederholte Zeile „Obsessions, they come and go“ spiegelt den unerbittlichen Sog des Stücks wider und unterstreicht seine klaustrophobische, sich ständig wiederholende Energie. Submission, eine Zusammenarbeit mit Langzeitkollaborateur Skelesys, steht dem in nichts nach: ein düsterer Low-End-Sound, verzerrte, stark bearbeitete Vocals und der Sprechgesang „Resistance, no submission“ durchziehen den Track wie eine Trotz-Erklärung, die Spannung in Kraft verwandelt. Der Titeltrack Houdini ist etwas zugänglicher, behält aber die gleiche schattige Atmosphäre. Unheimliche Orgelmelodien und der Text „The great Houdini, the big escape“ beschwören Transformation und Befreiung herauf, zollen dem legendären Illusionisten Tribut und verleihen der Nummer eine theatralische Note. Der französische Kult-DJ und Produzent David Carretta interpretiert Obsessions neu mit seiner unverkennbaren retro-futuristischen Handschrift. Seit den 1990ern bekannt für die Fusion von industrieller Präzision mit Italo-inspirierten Synths, hellt er den Track mit glitzernden Disco-Melodien und einer erhebenden Stimmung auf – eine Version, die sich bewusst vom dunklen Original absetzt und sofort für die Tanzfläche taugt. Der in Straßburg ansässige Alpha Sect, das Projekt des griechischen Künstlers George McCall, führt Submission in kompromisslose Dimensionen. Verwurzelt in Electro und Body Music mit Punk-Einflüssen, beginnt sein Remix als wuchtiger EBM-Stomper und entwickelt sich zu einem clubtauglichen Track, der Intensität mit Katharsis in Balance bringt.

Let the Good Times Roll (Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN, 1956)
I Got a New Girl (Informal Recording, Hibbing, MN, 1959)
Jesus Christ (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)
K.C. Moan (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)
Remember Me (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)
Railroading On the Great Divide (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
Man of Constant Sorrow ('Bob Dylan' Rehearsal, NYC, 1961)
He Was a Friend of Mine ('Bob Dylan' Outtake, NYC, 1961)
Ramblin' Round ('Bob Dylan' Outtake, NYC, 1961)
Story: East Orange, New Jersey (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Po' Lazarus (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Dink's Song (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
I Was Young When I Left Home (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Cocaine (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Talkin' New York (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
Corrina, Corrina (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle ('Freewheelin'' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
Rocks and Gravel ('Freewheelin'' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
Let Me Die in My Footsteps (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
The Cuckoo (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
The Ballad of the Gliding Swan (BBC-TV, London, 1962)
John Brown ('Broadside Ballads' Album Version, NYC, 1963)
Dusty Old Fairgrounds (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)
House of the Rising Sun (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
Seven Curses ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
Masters of War ('Freewheelin'' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
Girl from the North Country ('Freewheelin'' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
Liverpool Gal (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)
Boots of Spanish Leather ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
Moonshiner ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Party, Los Angeles, 1963)
The Times They Are A-changin' (Informal Recording, Los Angeles, 1963)
Who Killed Davey Moore? (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Lay Down Your Weary Tune (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Blowin' in the Wind (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
North Country Blues (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Talkin' World War III Blues (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Only a Pawn in Their Game (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
When the Ship Comes In (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)

Local Suicide kündigen ihr lang erwartetes Debütalbum "Eros Anikate" an, das am 13. Mai 2022 auf ihrem eigenen Label Iptamenos Discos erscheinen wird. Der Titel bedeutet übersetzt "unbesiegbare Liebe" und ist inspiriert von Sophokles’ Stück "Antigone”.

Das Album bleibt dem Technodisco-Sound des Berliner Duos treu, für den sich die beiden einen Namen gemacht haben, und zeigt ihren unverkennbaren Stil, der 80er Retro-Feeling mit einem modernen, düsteren Twist kombiniert. In gewohnter Local Suicide-Manier zeigt das Debütalbum des Duos augenzwinkernde Texte über mystische Abenteuer, Lieb...

2025 Repress

Die „Girls Gang Remixes“ 12“ wartet mit Clubversionen und Remixen von befreundeten Künstlern wie dem legendären DJ Hell, dem Dark-Disco-Allstar Damon Jee, dem italienischen Produzenten Phunkadelica und dem französischen Sänger und Filmkomponisten The Populists (alias Yan Wagner) auf. Ausserdem enthält sie noch Clubversionen von den beiden Singles „Promise Me feat. Curses“ und „Schall & Rauch“ und eine griechische Version von dem Sommerhit „Halkidiki“.

DJ Hell ist der Pate des Electroclash und Gründer des einflussreichen Labels International Gigolo Records. Helmut Geier steht seit vielen Jahrzehnten hinter den Decks und spielt entweder in den größten Clubs der Welt, auf riesigen Musikfestivals oder bei Laufstegshows für die angesagtesten Modemarken, neben der Produktion von Musik, der Schauspielerei in Filmen und dem Designen von Kleidung. Sein Extended Mix von FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) ist eine krachende, genreübergreifende Reise durch Zeit und Raum. Eine neue Baseline, treibende Hihats, Live-Atmosphäre und ein druckvoller Kick heben den Track auf ein neues Level und machen ihn zu einer Waffe auf der Tanzfläche. Der aus Südfrankreich stammende Damon Jee ist eine Pionierfigur in der Dark-Disco-Szene. Mit über zwei Jahrzehnten Erfahrung in der elektronischen Musik hat der Dust & Blood-Labelbesitzer einen ganz eigenen Sound entwickelt. Er verwandelt „Girls Gang“ in eine Clubbombe, indem er seine charakteristische Big-Room-Energie einfließen lässt, einen epischen Break hinzufügt und die Vocals in eine andere Welt verzerrt. The Populists ist das cluborientierte DJ-Projekt des französischen Sänger-Produzenten, Gesaffelstein-Kollaborateurs und Filmkomponisten Yan Wagner. Seit 2014 veröffentlichte er EPs und Tracks auf Tastemaker-Labels wie Lumière Noire, Zone, Detriti, Ritmo Fatale & XXX. Auf seinem Remix von 'Disco Goth' kombiniert er entspannte Italo-Disco-Grooves mit New Beat Drums und verleiht dem Original ein ganz anderes Feeling.

Girls Gang wurde überragend aufgenommen und unter anderem Magazinen wie Rolling Stone, Mixmag, Musikexpress, Kulturnews, Visions, TAZ, Penthouse, Brigitte sowie Sonic Seducer (Album des Monats) und Orkus abgefeiert. Radiostationen wie KEXP, BBC Radio 1, Sunshine Live (Album der Woche), Radio Eins, Flux FM, WDR 1Live und Deutschlandfunk berichteten über das Album, das mittlerweile auf über 20.000 weltweite Radioeinsätze und mehr als 1 Million Streams kommt. Auch führende Online-Plattformen wie Spiegel Online, Plattentests (Album der Woche), Laut.de (Song der Woche) und Tonspion (#6 Album des Monats) lobten die Veröffentlichung in höchsten Tönen.

Format: Schwarzes Vinyl (140 g) mit alternativen & Clubversionen sowie Remixen von Damon Jee, DJ Hell, Phunkadelica & The Populists.

The saga continues with the powerful soundtrack to Vikings Season 3. Composed by Emmy Award-winner Trevor Morris, the score evolves with the growing scale and emotional weight of the series. Season 3 takes viewers deeper into Ragnar's journey, from political ambitions to personal sacrifice, and the music reflects this with rich orchestration, ambient electronics, and haunting Nordic textures. This edition also features musical contributions from Einar Selvik (Wardruna) and Steve Tavaglione, whose unique elements lend an ancient layer to the score. Vikings (Music From Season Three) is available as a limited edition of 750 numbered copies on white coloured vinyl. This 2LP package includes a 4-page booklet with pictures and liner notes by Trevor Morris.

Als er 2011 von Scion angesprochen wurde, um ein Album für die Musik-Promotion-Abteilung der Automarke aufzunehmen, konnte sich Reigning Sound Frontmann Greg Cartwright nicht weigern - trotz oder geraden wegen der prekären Existenz seiner Band zu dieser Zeit. "Mehrere Besetzungswechsel hatten sich ergeben. Die Ursprungsbesetzung, das "Memphis-Quartett", war längst aufgelöst, und ich dachte über die Möglichkeit nach den Namen Reigning Sound zurückzulassen", so Cartwright. "Ich hatte beschlossen eine Pause einzulegen, um an Produktionen für andere Leute zu arbeiten und Songs zu schreiben für The Parting Gifts, meine Zusammenarbeit mit Coco Hames." Aber plötzlich hatte Reigning Sound dieses Toyota Angebot auf dem Tisch, und es gab keine Band. Neben Cartwright war die eine Konstante der letzten drei Reigning Sound Jahre Keyboarder Dave Amels, der ansonsten in der Brooklyn-Soul-Combo The Jay Vons Schwarzarbeit machte. Etwa zur gleichen Zeit war Dan Auerbach von den Black Keys nach Nashville gezogen und kümmerte sich dort in seinem Privatstudio darum, dem Gitarrensound der Parting Gifts Platte den letzten Schliff zu verpassen. "Dan war begierig darauf, etwas im neuen Studio zur Vorbereitung auf eine bevorstehende Sitzung mit Dr. John zu tun, und bot er mir etwas Studiozeit sowie seine Produktionsunterstützung an. Da saß ich nun ohne Band in einem Nashville-Studio, die Uhr tickte. Ich rief in Brooklyn an und The Jay Vons sagten ja. Ich rief Scion an und bat um drei Flugtickets und Hotelzimmer. In wenigen Stunden war die Band auf dem Weg nach Nashville. In zwei Tagen nahmen wir fünf Songs auf. Ich habe diese fünf mit drei Outtakes der vorherigen Reigning Sound LP "Love and Curses" mit Lance Wille am Schlagzeug und Dave Gay am Bass kombiniert.", erzählt Cartwright und fügt hinzu: "Greg + The Jay Vons ist die bis heute gültige Reigning Sound Besetzung." Nach der Veröffentlichung von "Abdication...." brachten Reigning Sound 2014 die beliebte "Shattered" LP raus. Cartwright war zudem seitdem ausgiebig mit den reformierten Oblivians auf Tour.

XXX the label starts of 2025 fresh with it's 17th original EP.
Four house tracks, each with it's own signature sound. Peak time throbbing, electrifying house vibes with a distinguished layer to it alternate with more melancholic house for the after hours, mimicking that feeling of never wanting the night to end. The EP comes with two remixes by Venice Arms (Curses) and upcoming Amsterdam based talent Kyra Khaldi who both add another layer to the record.

BLACK SPIDERS sind nicht totzukriegen kehren zu Beginn des Jahres 2025 zurück. Die authentischen Rocker aus Sheffield sind mit einem brandneuen Album voller Hochspannungs-Kracher zurück und werden ihr neues Album "Cvrses" veröffentlichen, das zwölf neue Tracks mit genau der Art von mitreißender Rock'n'Roll-Action enthält, die wir alle von Black Spiders erwarten, lieben und fordern. Ihre Absichten sind heute noch dieselben wie in dem Moment, in dem sie 2008 angefangen haben - sei dir selbst treu, ohne Kompromisse. ,Wir hoffen, dass alles gut wird, wenn man sich an diese Formel hält, und mit ein bisschen Glück kann einen das Leben überraschen", sagt Gitarrist Pete Spiby. ,Es ist unser fünftes Album, aus der Sicht von mir und Irwin. Es ist unser bestes. Unsere Absichtserklärung hat sich seit dem ersten Tag nicht geändert. Wieder in den Axis Studios in Doncaster mit Produzent Matt Ellis aufgenommen, ist das neue Album - und das sagen natürlich alle Bands - höchstwahrscheinlich ihr bisher bestes Album. Es destilliert erfolgreich alles, was an Black Spiders einzigartiger Marke der stampfenden Heaviness spannend und lebensbejahend ist. Massive Riffs, massive Hooks, massive Beats. "Cvrses" dampfrockt gleich eine Achterbahnfahrt der Rock-Emotionen mit Balladen, Uptempo und Härte.,Solange der Antrieb im Tank ist, werden wir weitermachen, denn das ist es, was wir tun müssen", sagen Pete und "Cvrses" zu jedem, der versucht, die BLACK SPIDERS aufzuhalten. Farbige Vinyl-LP sowie CD!

2026 Repress

MOLA's music is the unadorned antithesis to a rosy world. She celebrates herself to death, pulls you into her inner chaos and does without the usual romanticising transfiguration of the merciless disorientation that catches up with you on the way home after the last cigarette.

MOLA knows better than anyone that she is a border commuter - and she has never made a secret of it. Perhaps it was fate that the course of events abandoned her shortly after her birth in Erba, Italy, in Germany's most austere metropolis. In Munich, where flying free and falling free are a little more complicated than in the cesspit of Berlin, where one would naturally place Isabella Streifeneder and her music if one didn't know better.

Temporarily reduced to intimacy, then escalating into iconic 80s "Purpel Rain" pathos, MOLA illustrates the emotional chaos that the inner dialogue of left and right brain triggers in her. Unconventional pop music that bundles the nonchalance of great soul anthems, the grace of the Italo-disco of the eighties and the ingenuousness of lascivious hip-hop bangers instead of trying to sound modern by force.

MOLA celebrates defeat, exposes life lies, criticises adulthood, documents radical mood swings. She balances along the abyss in her ball gown, jokes about things you don't joke about, praises and curses intoxication and love - "Vino Bianco no longer tastes like dolce vita, it only tastes like losing".

You can now see MOLA supporting Fatoni, Roy Bianco & the Abbrunzati Boys, Mayberg and Kaffkiez in a flurry of strobe lights after sold-out "nothing breaks me" shows in Munich, Cologne, Berlin & Hamburg. In addition to a festival season that couldn't have been more beautiful, they finally have a big tour of their own coming up for their next album, which will see the light of day in September.

After more than 40 festivals "Snow in Summer" on well-known stages like Lollapalooza Berlin, Rocken am Brocken, Puls Open Air, but also as support for Udo Lindenberg at the Hermann-Hesse-Festival, "Life is Beautiful", the darned second record, sounds almost cynical, ironic or simply naive? In the end, it doesn't matter, because when you are overcome by this spontaneous feeling that is far removed from any rationality, you don't ask any questions. It tastes like the melancholy of a summer in its last breaths, like the last drink of an uncompromisingly insane night.

There is sweating, pogoing and feeling together. Even where it hurts.
You are not just an onlooker or a silent spectator, but part of this empowering feeling of "we".

Pinkman is proud to present the debut album of darkwave artist Skelesys. Across nine evocative tracks, "Fading Echoes" navigates the tension between nostalgia and self-discovery, weaving together a moody blend of synth-pop, post-punk, and goth influences. The result is an atmospheric exploration of memory, heartache, and resilience--a soundtrack for those moments when the past refuses to stay buried, and the future feels uncertain. From the cold, creeping synths to the mournful guitar lines that echo like distant whispers, Fading Echoes immerses the listener in a soundscape where shadows and light coexist. The album has a distinct cinematic quality, evoking the smoky allure of neon-lit cityscapes and rain-slicked streets, where every track feels like a chapter in a film noir tale of introspection and escape. There's a sense of longing that runs through the album, a desire to hold onto something beautiful, even as it slips through your fingers.