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A space is often described by its dimensions. The height of the ceiling, the expanse between walls. Division into functional elements of varying density follows. We have ideas of how such dimensions should be balanced to work well for sound — the classical concert hall, a Northward mastering room.

It’s tempting to try and use this idea of space to understand Space the group (Lisa Ullén, Elsa Bergman, Anna Lund). To calculate their cartesian co-ordinates: dynamics that run from whisper soft to punishing, shaking force; Ullén’s piano running the full expanse of the frequency spectrum; the mix of sudden, surprising and suggested variations in density (the space) that generates their musical structures.

But (a) space is a social phenomenon where meaning is accumulated and possibilities created by and through a constantly shifting set of social relations and their histories and entanglement inside and beyond the physical structures of a room or building. Reduced to its raw dimensions, Cafe OTO shouldn’t sound good: the low ceiling, the hollow void underneath the stage-not-stage, the hard glass windows out onto the street. But OTO as a social space — for gathering close to listen; the serious pursuit of a convivial good time (its productive mythology that an OTO audience is both up for it but also expects more); and then the idea of all that has happened before and what will come; that this is also part of ‘the music’ and changes what sounds to the point that none of those cartesian co-ordinates matter.**

It’s less of shock that Space sound good. Lisa Ullén is easily the most singular pianist in Sweden right now and Elsa and Anna’s ability to reroute in realtime reaffirms just how well they function as a group. The trio might have got their shit together holding down the rhythm section for the first incarnation of Anna Högberg Attack — but much like Högberg’s ongoing pursuit of artistic renewal, the trio avoid being shackled to any ideas about what a piano trio should be and there is something that happens (happened) in that room, on that night, with those people that made for something beyond just good.

It’s a gift that the sound of every concert at OTO gets recorded. A choice handful of these transcend their decoupling from that social space and radiate the room’s attendant energies. This record is one of them.

** See Jack Halberstam in Fred Moten & Stefano Harney, The Undercommons (2013): “…we must refuse the idea that music happens only when the musician enters and picks up an instrument; music is also the anticipation of the performance and the noises of appreciation it generates and the speaking that happens through and around it, making it and loving it, being in it while listening."

Originally released in 2017, Zara McFarlane’s Arise represents a classic moment in Brownswood Recordings catalogue. Just before the global spotlight landed on London's new jazz generation, Zara McFarlane was already forging her own path - connecting jazz, soul, reggae and Afro-Caribbean traditions with a confidence and clarity that remains striking nearly a decade later. Arise captures an artist operating with singular vision, creating a body of work that sounds every bit as fresh and forward-thinking today as it did on release.
The album also stands as an early landmark in the career of Moses Boyd, who produced and co-composed the record while serving as Zara's longtime drummer and musical collaborator. Years before his Mercury Prize-nominated breakthrough, Boyd helped shape Arise into a deeply personal exploration of heritage. The credit list is remarkable: Moses Boyd, Binker Golding, Shabaka Hutchings, Nathaniel Cross, Peter Edwards and Shirley Tetteh all contribute to a record that now reads like a roll call of British jazz royalty. The iconic cover shot was taken by Adama Jalloh, around the corner from Brownswood’s North London HQ.

Upon release, Arise was met with widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian praised “A Class Act" and celebrated its exploration of African-Caribbean musical lineage, while Clash Magazine described it as “enchanting and intriguing”. All About Jazz called the album's fusion of jazz and Jamaican rhythms "spellbinding".
As Brownswood celebrates its 20th birthday, we're proud to return one of the label's defining releases to vinyl, with the original copies being highly sought after. Pressed on limited edition gold vinyl, this special anniversary reissue is both a celebration of Zara McFarlane's artistry and a reminder of a record that was both ahead of its time, and whose influence resonantes today.

* Previously unreleased bonus tracks

West Coast luxury rap meets corner-store nostalgia on Two4Two, Jay Worthy's ode to late-night cruises and 40oz street dreams. Wrapped in artwork inspired by stacks of classic malt liquor bottles, the project captures the unmistakable G-funk-infused atmosphere that has made Worthy one of the most authentic voices in modern West Coast hip-hop.

For the very first time, Two4Two arrives on vinyl in a deluxe collector’s edition, including an exclusive liquid-filled pressing as bold and distinctive as the project itself.

This first-ever physical release also includes 2 previously unreleased bonus tracks, making this a definitive edition of Two4Two and an essential piece for Jay Worthy collectors.

,Do to the Beast" war bei seiner Veröffentlichung das erste neue Album der Afghan Whigs seit über anderthalb Jahrzehnten. Die 1988 in Cincinnati, Ohio, gegründete Band hebt sich seit jeher deutlich von ihren Mitstreitern ab - durch ihre wilde, mitreißende Mischung aus Hardrock, klassischem Soul und den eindringlichen Obsessionen ihres Frontmanns Greg Dulli. Das Album war sowohl eine Art Heimkehr - es markierte ihre damalige Rückkehr zu Sub Pop, für das die Whigs der erste Neuzugang außerhalb der nordwestlichen Heimat des Labels waren - als auch ein Blick in die Zukunft einer der meistgefeierten Bands der letzten dreißig Jahre. Doppel-LP, gepresst auf ,Pearl Flip"-/,Lagoon"-Vinyl!

South Asian super-producers Lapgan and Baalti – the former a Madlib-disciple spinning hip-hop grooves out of dusty desi samples, the latter duo purveyors of intricately tapestried dance music – holed up in the California desert in early 2024 for a songwriting session to blend their complimentary styles. They ended up with several albums worth of club material built upon decades of Indian music history – floor fillers that move like early Four Tet meets The Avalanches. They’ve been teasing this material around the world during live sets – from Paris Fashion Week to Glastonbury, London Clubs to BK Warehouse parties, sessions at Lot Radio and Karachi Community Radio, and anywhere else they find an aux. The result has been endless ID requests for unreleased gems like “Ipa Ma” and “Lime Tikka”, calls which should finally be answered with the release of Threads.

Lapgan Bio
Chicago-based archivist and producer Lapgan has become renowned for his signature style: unearthing rare and forgotten Indian & Pakistani sounds and recontextualizing them into hip-hop and dance beats that evoke J Dilla and Madlib. He has cultivated a reputation for quietly revolutionary sample-work across his beloved solo projects History and Duniya Kya Hai, as well as LAFANDAR, his critically acclaimed team up with Heems (of Das Racist / Swet Shop Boys). He has worked with a range of artists from both the West (Your Old Droog, Saul Williams, Cool Calm Pete, Kool Keith, Open Mike Eagle, Blue, Quelle Chris) and the East (EXCISE DEPT, Baalti, Sid Sriram, Sid Vashi, Dynoman), and has been featured in global media including Pitchfork, FADER, Stereogum, Passion of the Weiss, Mixmag, Homegrown, and Vinyl Me, Please. Over the past year he has headlined clubs and performed at festivals across the world from Chicago and New York to London and India, and was personally invited to soundtrack back to back Paris Fashion Week shows for the similarly norm-shifting designer Kartik Research. In 2026 he will soundtrack his third Kartik Research runway show, as well as reissue Duniya Kya Hai for its five-year anniversary alongside a companion EP featuring remixes from peers and supporters Arushi Jain, Loris, Mera Bhai, Malkfunktion, and Maral.

Baalti Bio
Baalti makes electronic music built around rhythm, pressure, and collective release – weaving through leftfield bass, dusty hip hop, tripped out dub and raw house all while maintaining a throughline rooted in South Asian culture seen through the lens of a sweaty dancefloor. In the last year they have experienced a whirlwind rise and growing global recognition: from their EP Mela vividly evoking West Bengal’s sound system culture to their Tamil-cinema-infused filter-house project with Anish Kumar Stunt Doubles, in addition to wide-ranging collabs and remixes alongside DJ ADHD, Naya Beat, and A.R. RahmanThey have also built a reputation for their frenetic live show, with appearances at international festivals like Glastonbury and MELT, headlining shows across Australia and Europe and supporting influences turned peers like Four Tet and Disclosure across North America. Their explosive, percussion-heavy sets have been platformed by Rinse FM, NTS, The Lot Radio, Beats In Space, and Refuge Worldwide, and their music has been renowned by publications including Pitchfork, Bandcamp Daily, RA, and MixMag. Their forward momentum continues into 2026 with slated headline tours in India, Australia, and Asia along with appearances at Coachella, Party in the Paddock, Fvded in the Park, and We Out Here festivals.

“When the flesh gets cut off the soul, it’s not the end.”

More than forty years after hardCORPS emerged from a Brixton basement, ‘Metal & Flesh’ returns in a new expanded edition on double vinyl and CD, newly remastered with the full involvement of surviving members Rob Doran and Clive Pierce. Born from the collision of punk, analogue synthesisers, sequencers, disco, reggae and experimental studio techniques, hardCORPS created electronic music that was as physical and emotional as it was mechanical. The arrival of French vocalist Regine Fetet gave the group its defining identity, placing her raw, uncompromising voice against the dense machinery of Hugh Ashton, Clive Pierce and Rob Doran. Working mainly with a Roland System 100, several Roland MC4 sequencers and later an additional MC500 and Atari ST 1040 computers, etc. pp., hardCORPS always transformed limitations, accidents, distortion and human imperfection into part of the music itself. Although rooted in the early 1980s, ‘Metal & Flesh’ refuses easy nostalgia, retaining the tension, space and character that made hardCORPS unlike their contemporaries. Yet, shall we eventually mention Kraftwerk, maybe let’s quote Ian Shirley from Record Collector magazine: „’Je Suis Passée‘ was not only a love letter to Kraftwerk but penned with such verve, passion and precision that Ralf and Florian probably would have accepted a blind date at a Düsseldorf cocktail bar (…).“ And as Martin Rushent famously said in 1990: “Hard Corps were ignored in their time. Perhaps it is the burden of the adventurous and the innovative to be ignored in their time, which is sad. Don’t ignore them now.”

This new edition has been carefully remastered to preserve that character and dynamics rather than simply making the recordings louder or more ‘modern’, while the artwork has likewise been developed to reflect the band’s original identity. Metal & Flesh’ is not merely an artefact of the 1980s, but a rare and fiercely individual document of four people discovering what happens when human instinct and machines collide.

Remastered by Martin Bowes. Graphic design by hard CORPS and Steve Lippert.

Gatefold sleeve gloss lamination, printed inner sleeves with lyrics, two double-sided hand-numbered.

Driven by a lush and irresistible energy, Beyond Brazilian Stories takes you on a musical journey between Brazilian traditions and jazz improvisation.

Introduced to the richness of Brazilian music by Philippe Baden Powell, pianist Mathieu Bélis and double bassist Stéphane Dardour founded BSP PRODUCTIONS and formed the quintet Beyond Brazilian Stories, joined by saxophonist David Florsch, drummer Louis Bao Lao, and Äulne, vocalist and flutist.

Together, they revisit masterpieces by giants such as Milton Nascimento, Airto Moreira, Hermeto Pascoal, Dorival Caymmi, Edu Lobo and Moacir Santos, blending popular melodies with soaring instrumental passages.
The group also brings its own compositions, inspired by the vibrant energy of Brazilian music, creating a sound that is both authentic and innovative.

Their new album O ritmo do sonho has been awarded the “Revelation” distinction by Jazz Magazine!
Album contributors:

Mariana Zwarg - flutist, daughter of Itiberê Zwarg, Hermeto Pascoal’s bassist.
Edmundo Carneiro - Brazilian percussion legend (Tania Maria, De La Soul, Saint Germain, etc.).
Jessica Simon - trombonist, member of the Orchestre National de Jazz.

“An explosive fusion where samba, bossa and jazz become the playground for joyful and virtuosic freedom....” Jazz Rhônes Alpes
“...the brilliant Hermeto Pascoal,
whose spirit is present throughout O ritmo do sonho...” Revelation Jazzmag

Five years after establishing himself as one of the UK's most distinctive selectors, Bloom marks the beginning of a new chapter for Yung Singh. More than a debut EP, it introduces EKTA his own label and creative world, built around the Panjabi concept of unity and the belief that dance music can be a meeting point for cultures, histories and new ideas.

Rather than treating heritage as something to preserve behind glass, Bloom places it at the centre of contemporary club music. Drawing inspiration from Panjabi folk traditions, Indian classical rhythms and centuries-old musical practices, Singh reimagines these influences through a modern electronic framework without reducing them to nostalgia or tokenism. The visual identity mirrors this philosophy, taking cues from Phulkari embroidery "flower work" passed down through his own family and connecting those traditions with the idea of growth, renewal and the arrival of a new creative season.

Finalised while touring Panjab during Basant, the festival celebrating the arrival of spring, Bloom became both a personal and artistic statement: the first release on a label intended not to represent one culture alone, but to create space for many. As Singh explains:

"EKTA as a name really sums up what I love about music and arts in general: unity and oneness. I want the label to be a sonic universe where artists bring their specific heritage into a modern club framework. It's about merging diverse folk traditions to treat these sounds not as relics, but as the future of dance music."

Across three tracks, Bloom presents different perspectives of that vision. 'NUG46' transforms field recordings captured in New Zealand into a meditative piece built around hypnotic tabla and razor-sharp jungle rhythms. 'Situationz' pays tribute to legendary Panjabi artist Sukshinder Shinda through the driving "Shinda Break", recontextualising a rhythm instantly recognisable to generations of listeners into a high-energy club weapon. Closing the record, 'Tabla Trouble' leans fully into organic instrumentation, layering classical percussion, strings, flutes and vocals into a composition that defines the open-ended musical language of EKTA.

Bloom is not simply the first release on a new label. It is the foundation of a wider vision one that looks to the past not for comfort, but for inspiration, using tradition as a catalyst for imagining the future of dance music.

Komponist und Pianist Alexis Ffrench veröffentlicht sein neues Album "24". Es ist eine musikalische Reise, die den Zuhörer sanft vom Morgengrauen bis zum Abend begleitet. Es vereint 24 von Ffrench komponierte Originalstücke für Klavier, Streicher und dezente Percussion. Jedes Stück spiegelt die alltäglichen Momente wider, die unser Leben prägen. Das Album hat einen simplen und zugleich unerwarteten Entstehungspunkt: Bei einem Spaziergang durch London bemerkte Alexis ein Schild vor einer Kirche. Darauf wurde eingeladen "guten Kaffee für gute Zwecke" zu genießen. Die Wärme dieser Idee, die Alltäglichkeit, das Gefühl eines kleinen täglichen Rituals, das zu etwas Bedeutungsvollem wird - blieb ihm im Gedächtnis und wurde zur Inspiration für "Coffee Song". Alexis stellte sich die Frage: "Was wäre, wenn wir für jede Aktivität im Laufe des Tages ein bestimmtes Musikstück hätten?" Musik, die uns dabei hilft, jedem Moment bewusst zu begegnen und ihn wirklich zu erleben. Musik, als Weg zu einem achtsameren Leben. Alexis Ffrench ist ein Künstler mit einer besonderen Fähigkeit, Musik für die Seele zu schaffen. Seine Erfolge sprechen dabei für sich: Er hat über eine Milliarde Streams und ist damit einer der meist-gestreamten Pianisten weltweit. Im Laufe seiner Karriere hat Ffrench sich immer wieder eine Frage gestellt: "Was brauchen meine HörerInnen von mir?" Mit "24" ist die Antwort darauf ebenso einfach wie tiefgründig: Musik, nach der man leben kann.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce a second volume of unheard concert performances from legendary Pakistani kyhal singer Salamat Ali Khan, recorded at Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie as part of the MetaMusik festival in 1974. Like the first volume, the immaculate recording by Michael Hönig (of krautrock legends Agitation Free) captures Khan performing a single extended raag in the company of Shaukat Hussein Khan on tabla and Hussein Bux Khan on harmonium. In addition to his stunningly inventive and moving vocal performance, Khan is heard accompanying himself on a specially tuned alpine zither (in place of the traditional swarmandal, an Indian style of zither). The lack of an underlying tanpura drone gives the music its characteristic floating quality, with the three instruments and voice masterfully dancing around one another as they sketch the outlines of this grand, 40-minute Raag Chandrakauns.

If anything, this epic performance of the late-night Raag Chandrakauns is even more seductively spacious and psychedelic than the music heard on the first volume. Obeying the traditional shape of Hindustani classical vocal music performance, a gradual rise in both pitch and rhythmic activity, the music hovers for twenty minutes in a reflective calm, the pulse only gently stated by the tabla while harmonium ornamentation and zither strums float by. In this meditative space, Khan gradually orients us to the contours of the raag, beginning with long notes at the bottom of his register. His improvisation at once builds with a stunningly firm sense of internal logic and seems liberated to explore every melodic and ornamental byway that comes up along the way. By the time we turn to the record’s second side, the music has grown into something far more frenetic, with virtuoso tabla passages at times occupying centre stage between Khan’s increasingly rhythmic melodic variations. Concluding with a sequence of unison tabla and voice passages of breathtaking complexity, the performance is met with rapturous applause. Arriving in a blue-toned variant of the first volume’s sleeve, with acclaimed musicologist Peter Pannke’s liner notes in the original German, Metamusik Festival Berlin ’74 Volume II is not to be missed. Essential listening not just for Hidustanti classic aficionados, but for anyone who needs reminding of the magic of collective music making in the moment.

ROMANCE is redefining the French rock landscape with a distinctive identity that blends punk urgency, infectious melodies, and lyrics sung in French. Rooted in the legacy of the Rennes music scene while looking firmly to the future, the band transforms a wide range of influences into a sound that is instantly recognizable. Their debut album, Promis ce soir, is driven by memorable hooks, a strong artistic identity, and a live energy that has already made an impression. Produced with James Eleganz, the record showcases a mature band capable of appealing to both indie rock audiences and a broader mainstream public. The singles Alizée, Le Net, and D'la faute à moi perfectly illustrate this crossover potential. With a striking aesthetic, evocative songwriting, and a genuine live DNA, ROMANCE is emerging as one of the most exciting new acts in French-language rock.

SLOT is the high-energy, dance-punk project of couple Abby Detrich (vocals) and Max Detrich (bass, drum machine), based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Their music is a potent, genre-fusing sound described as gritty but flirty pop songs with a punk, in-your-face delivery, and pumping, heavy, danceable beats. Drawing on dance punk, noise pop, and alt-rock, their sound is rooted in Max's transition from drummer to electronic beats via a Boss DR-5 drum machine, with Abby contributing lyrics and dynamic vocals. The band's upcoming album is a bold, flirty, punchy, and raw statement, delving into themes of the intersection of performance and sexuality, self-acceptance, and personal reclamation. It was recorded with collaborator Danny Gibney in Harrisonburg, VA, capturing an experimental sound inspired by Y2K media. SLOT delivers an energetic, bratty, and in-your-face live show, having shared the stage with bands like Brainiac and played festivals like MACROCK. Beyond music, Abby is a floral artist and Max is a graphic designer, and they are both dedicated to progressive community causes in Baltimore.

SLOT is the high-energy, dance-punk project of couple Abby Detrich (vocals) and Max Detrich (bass, drum machine), based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Their music is a potent, genre-fusing sound described as gritty but flirty pop songs with a punk, in-your-face delivery, and pumping, heavy, danceable beats. Drawing on dance punk, noise pop, and alt-rock, their sound is rooted in Max's transition from drummer to electronic beats via a Boss DR-5 drum machine, with Abby contributing lyrics and dynamic vocals. The band's upcoming album is a bold, flirty, punchy, and raw statement, delving into themes of the intersection of performance and sexuality, self-acceptance, and personal reclamation. It was recorded with collaborator Danny Gibney in Harrisonburg, VA, capturing an experimental sound inspired by Y2K media. SLOT delivers an energetic, bratty, and in-your-face live show, having shared the stage with bands like Brainiac and played festivals like MACROCK. Beyond music, Abby is a floral artist and Max is a graphic designer, and they are both dedicated to progressive community causes in Baltimore.

GER Erstes Album mit Hopeless der Atlanta Nu-Deathcore-Band LEFT TO SUFFER! Left To Suffer zählen zu den intensivsten und eindringlichsten Acts der modernen Heavy-Musik, eine Band, die mit der Wucht einer Abrissbirne und der Präzision eines Skalpells zuschlägt. Ihr Sound entsteht an der Schnittstelle zwischen Moshpit-tauglicher Brutalität und eindringlicher Melodik; er richtet sich an Hörer, die ihre Katharsis laut, körperlich spürbar und kompromisslos erleben wollen. Von zermalmenden Breakdowns bis hin zu unheimlicher, atmosphärischer Spannung haben sich Left To Suffer eine ganz eigene Nische geschaffen. Hier existieren Wut und Verletzlichkeit unmittelbar nebeneinander, getragen von messerscharfem Songwriting, gewaltigem Tiefenfundament und Hooks, die wie Nachbeben einschlagen. Left To Suffer jagen keinen Trends hinterher. Sie erschaffen etwas, das schwerer, schärfer und unüberhörbarer ist, und dieses Kapitel hat gerade erst begonnen. Oranges Vinyl, Digisleeve CD Hopeless debut from rising Atlanta Nu-Deathcore band LEFT TO SUFFER! Left To Suffer are one of modern heavy music's most visceral acts, a band that hits with the force of a wrecking ball and the precision of a scalpel. Their sound lives at the collision point of pit-starting brutality and haunting melody, built for listeners who want their catharsis loud, physical, and uncompromising. From pulverizing breakdowns to eerie atmospheric tension, Left To Suffer have carved out a lane entirely their own. One where rage and vulnerability coexist in the same breath, anchored by sharp songwriting, massive low-end weight, and hooks that land like aftershocks. Left To Suffer aren't chasing trends. They're building something heavier, sharper, and harder to ignore, and this chapter is just getting started. Orange coloured vinyl, digisleeved CD.

Röhrender Gitarrensound, voluminöser Bass und treibende Drums! Das Powertrio aus Dortmund verbindet perfekt Stoner, Grunge, Psychedelic und Post Punk in ihren abwechslungsreichen Kompositionen. Seit Erscheinen ihres im November 2024 von Muiskmedien gefeierten Debütalbums "Neuzeit", begeisterte LBC Musikfans auf mehr als 60 Shows in ganz Europa. Ihr zweites Studioalbum erklimmt durch die Live-Erfahrung nun ein noch höheres Level, vereint Klangstrukturen so verschiedenster Genres wie Grunge, Post Punk. Hard und Stoner Rock, teilweise in einem Song - das Markenzeichen von Last Bolt Ceremony! Heavy Psych Post Grunge für Fans von Fu Manchu, Daily Thompson, The Picturebooks, Truly, Okay You Win. CD und farbiges Vinyl erhältlich!

Chloe Slater’s debut album ‘Riot Youth’ unfolds in the fleeting, chaotic moments before doomsday – a coming of age record fit for the modern world. Arriving right on time in an era when hopelessness and nihilism run rife, painting the truest portrait of what it is to be young, British, and brave enough to be hopeful today. Across 10 tracks, she departs her signature, succinct commentary on the issues plaguing her generation: social divide, toxic internet culture, our dwindling sense of community, the climate crisis and, ultimately, the vampirish billionaire class cashing in on our collective misery. She playfully shifts from these frank descriptions of society to moments of gorgeous, gut-punching poetry, crafting anthemic choruses and intoxicating one-liners from the gripes many of us can barely muster the words for.

With the amps still warm from 2024's coruscating comeback Life Knife Death, veteran Swedish punk-metal masters Wolfbrigade strike back like a wounded cobra with their loudest, fullest, thickest-sounding record yet. And that's no happy accident. On their twelfth LP (the first three released under the Wolfpack monicker, 1996–99), the quintet concertedly resolved to shake up their habitual processes and interrogate their customary methodology. "As the songs started to fall into place, we decided to do something we hadn't done in many years," explains the band. "For the last decade we've recorded, produced and mixed our albums ourselves. This time we wanted to work with someone from outside the band whose work we respect and who we felt would understand what Wolfbrigade is about."

With the amps still warm from 2024's coruscating comeback Life Knife Death, veteran Swedish punk-metal masters Wolfbrigade strike back like a wounded cobra with their loudest, fullest, thickest-sounding record yet. And that's no happy accident. On their twelfth LP (the first three released under the Wolfpack monicker, 1996–99), the quintet concertedly resolved to shake up their habitual processes and interrogate their customary methodology. "As the songs started to fall into place, we decided to do something we hadn't done in many years," explains the band. "For the last decade we've recorded, produced and mixed our albums ourselves. This time we wanted to work with someone from outside the band whose work we respect and who we felt would understand what Wolfbrigade is about."

John Coffey built a reputation as one of the most explosive live bands in Europe - even becoming an internet sensation with the legendary “beer catch”. From Graspop to Sziget, Wacken to Pinkpop, Vainstream to Jera On Air, 2000trees and Hurricane/Southside - the Dutch group has played several of the biggest festivals, sold out the Melkweg in Amsterdam and even launched their own punk rock festival - Coffey Fest - to celebrate community and uncompromising music. Never shying away from the world around them, John Coffey actively uses their platform to speak out on social justice and political urgency. The new studio album "Not Alone" is about the power of connection. About discovering that there are other people who feel what you feel. Whether you find that connection through a partner, a friend, a helpline, or a room full of people feeling the same music. Talking helps. Singing helps. Screaming along helps. Armed with new music, a fierce activist ethos, and upcoming European tour dates, the band proves that engagement and heavy rock ’n roll are a perfect match.

This album is a glimpse into the creative outpouring from Todd in September and October of 2025. He returned to the Purple Building in East Nashville to perfect what he called “the sound of country music 10 years from now”. This meant taking his favorite country music tropes, dismantling and reassembling them over stretched-out, swampy grooves with New Orleans-style horns. He was so sure of this sound, feel, and his studio band's pliability that he insisted on recording his vocal and guitar first, with no accompaniment or click track. Todd wanted the band to record after him, so they would HAVE to follow his lead wherever it went. In his mind, he was attempting to write and record a double album. His excitement over the recordings and the push to capture that much material meant that by mid-October, Todd had recorded his vocal, guitar and the band's rhythm section for at least an album’s worth of material, with plans to continue recording. Sadly, Todd passed away before the remaining overdubs and additional songs could be completed. Fortunately all the notes, directions and encouragement he left behind in the form of emails, voice memos and demos provided an extensive roadmap for his band. Following that roadmap as closely as possible, his band was able to complete Todd's last work, My Second Rodeo, Part 1.

Röhrender Gitarrensound, voluminöser Bass und treibende Drums! Das Powertrio aus Dortmund verbindet perfekt Stoner, Grunge, Psychedelic und Post Punk in ihren abwechslungsreichen Kompositionen. Seit Erscheinen ihres im November 2024 von Muiskmedien gefeierten Debütalbums "Neuzeit", begeisterte LBC Musikfans auf mehr als 60 Shows in ganz Europa. Ihr zweites Studioalbum erklimmt durch die Live-Erfahrung nun ein noch höheres Level, vereint Klangstrukturen so verschiedenster Genres wie Grunge, Post Punk. Hard und Stoner Rock, teilweise in einem Song - das Markenzeichen von Last Bolt Ceremony! Heavy Psych Post Grunge für Fans von Fu Manchu, Daily Thompson, The Picturebooks, Truly, Okay You Win. CD und farbiges Vinyl erhältlich!

De Kloe: their name is as hard to explain as the music they channel from a total oddball universe. Rumour has it a wormhole sits hidden between the beer crates and a broken dartboard in the basement of the DPG Media building in Antwerp. Leon Jespers, Elian Van den Eynde and Midas Heuvinck stepped through and came back with De Kloe’s first full-length album.

Needless to say, De Kloe operates in the cracks - splicing obscure samples, fractured lyrics, jagged basslines, and serrated guitar riffs into something volatile and alive. Club rhythms pulse underneath, but nothing stays in place for long. Tracks mutate, structures dissolve, and both live and on record the band leans into instinct over control.

After the singles ‘Our House’ & ‘The Fish’ the trio finally presents their debut album ‘Vanity Fair’: more extravaganza tunes you didn’t know you need it, but soon will be addicted to.

A place where pop music collides with dubbed out samplemania, short sharp no wave riffs, sun-gazing psychedelica, 90’s indie sleaze, post everything vibes and endless sonic fun & happiness.

Some people would say Vanity Fair is a musical exploration of glossy machinery, the dacay of celebrity and a secret wink to John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress where
everything is on display and nothing is quite what it seems.

Other will say ‘Vanity Fair’ is a splendid record with 12 marvelous songs you just have to listen to and buy it because your life will only gets better from then on.

We believe both of them.

Credits
All songs written and produced by De Kloe
Elian Van den Eynde: guitar
Leon Jespers: electronica & keyboard
Midas Heuvinck: bass

Guest musicians
Kiara Govaert & Nina Brügger: vocals
Kiara Govaert: ocarina
Co-production and mixing by Martijn De Bondt
Recording by Simon Beeckaert
Mastering by Gert Van Hoof
Graphic design and layout cover by Leon Jespers

Mit A Kind Wave präsentiert Kid Francescoli sein bislang persönlichstes und klanglich vielseitigstes Album. Als zusammenhängende emotionale Reise erzählt das Werk von Liebe, Heimatgefühl, unvergesslichen Sommern, Fernweh und Heilung.

Zwischen Pop, Bossa Nova, Dance und cineastischen Klangwelten entstehen atmosphärische Songs, bereichert durch die Mitwirkung von Andréa, DEMIGOD und Samantha Alma Real. Begleitet von einer europäischen Tournee mit über 50 Konzerten unterstreicht A Kind Wave eindrucksvoll die künstlerische Reife des französischen Musikers.

,Es ist ein Bedroom-Album, das sich aber gar nicht wie eins anfühlt", sagt Glenn Morrow, Gründer von Bar/None Records, über ,Reseda Spleen", das lange verschollene Album von Ventilator aus dem Jahr 1996. Nach Jahren bei Permanent Green Light wurde Matt Devine klar, dass er weiterziehen musste. Devine stürzte sich kopfüber in sein neues musikalisches Kapitel: mit Earle Mankey als seinem musikalischen Mentor, Todd Rundgrens Klassiker ,Something/Anything" aus dem Jahr 1972 als konzeptionelle Inspiration und einem gebrauchten Tascam 388 - gekauft von einem Stuntman bei ,Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" -, den er in seiner Wohnung in North Hollywood aufstellte. ,Reseda Spleen" hätte bei Liebhabern von lautem, gitarrenlastigem Pop eigentlich Anklang finden müssen. Leider blieb die Existenz des Albums, wie bei so vielen Indie-Veröffentlichungen davor und danach, so gut wie unbemerkt - abgesehen von zwei begeisterten Kritiken (von ,The Big Takeover" und ,TapeOp"), die erst lange nach dem Verschwinden von ,Reseda Spleen" aus der Szene erschienen. ,Es ist so ein zeitloses Album", sagt Rob Zabrecky Possum Dixon. ,Es hat nicht diesen schrecklichen Glanz, mit dem damals so viele Bands überzogen wurden, und Matt hat nicht versucht, seine Gitarre wie Nirvana klingen zu lassen oder den Lo-Fi-Weg wie Pavement einzuschlagen; er war so im Reinen mit sich selbst und seiner Vision, dass ihn all das nicht beeinflusst hat. Es ist einfach so schön, dass diese Songs wieder herauskommen, denn ich glaube, die Leute müssen sie hören."

Rathmann spielen dunklen Gitarrenpop. Ungeschliffen und roh. Schmutzig, räumlich und mit einem Sinn für Romantik. Auf ihrem Debütalbum "Die Goldenen Zwanziger" haben sie zu einem klaren Selbstverständnis - einem eigenständigen Sound - gefunden und erzählen darin ehrlich und nahbar. Wenn in ihren Songs ein junges Paar ungewollt schwanger wird, Menschen aus der Bahn geraten oder sich dystopische Zukunftsaussichten breit machen - dann vertonen Rathmann abgründig und introspektiv, eingängig und wunderschön die Zwanziger. Ihre eigenen und das Jahrzehnt, in dem sie sie erleben. Vom Indierocker "Warum tut Liebe so" über den folkigen "Trauriger Geist" bis zum Italo-Western-Titeltrack des Albums - überall ist die klare Handschrift zu erkennen: Eine Band, die sich erlaubt, Band zu sein. Eine Band, die sich nicht am Zeitgeist, sondern ausschließlich an ihren eigenen Interessen orientiert. Und so findet man auf ihrem im Herbst 2026 erscheinenden Debütalbum mehr Anleihen von Leonard Cohen, Big Thief, Dr. Dog und Bands der Hamburger Schule als vom zeitgenössischen, deutschen Indiepop. Bei ihren Konzerten wie auch im Songwriting, Rathmann fangen in ihren Liedern den Moment ein: Die Unsicherheit unserer Zeit und die Tristesse einer soliden Quarter-Life-Crisis - immer aber auch die Freude an der Gemeinsamkeit und die Aufregung eines Lebens, das es noch zu entdecken gilt. Inklusive der Singles Wenn alles vorbei ist, Der Test in Deinen Fingern, Warum tut Liebe so & Trauriger Geist.

Das 1982 aufgenommene (aber erst 1986 veröffentlichte) Album *Jealous* war John Lee Hookers erstes
Album mit neuem Material seit Jahren und leitete ein Comeback ein, das drei Jahre später in dem mit
einem Grammy ausgezeichneten Album *The Healer* gipfelten sollte.
Im Gegensatz zu der Vielzahl an Gaststars, die auf den meisten Alben seiner späten Schaffensphase zu
hören waren, präsentiert sich *Jealous* als schnörkellose, erdige Produktion von Hookers eingespielter
Band. Das Album, das neu interpretierte, weniger bekannte Stücke aus seinem frühen Repertoire enthielt,
wurde schließlich mit einem W.C. Handy Award ausgezeichnet und für einen Grammy nominiert.

Der deutsch-amerikanische Violinist David Garrett veröffentlicht mit Immortal sein neues Album. Ein
zutiefst persönliches Projekt und zugleich eine Hommage an einige der bedeutendsten Komponisten der
Musikgeschichte wie W. A. Mozart, Claude Debussy und John Williams. Alle Stücke wurden von David neu arrangiert und spiegeln sein tiefes musikalisches Verständnis, sowie
seinen Anspruch an Authentizität wider. „Ich bin stolz darauf, sagen zu können, dass dieses Projekt zu
100 % handgemacht ist“, sagt er. „Ich hoffe, dass die Hörerinnen und Hörer nicht nur den Klang genießen,
sondern auch die menschliche Präsenz in der Musik spüren.“

Bachs h-Moll-Messe (BWV 232) ist seine einzige vollständige lateinische Messe. Sie entstand in den letzten Jahren seines Lebens und vereint neu komponierte Sätze mit überarbeiteten früheren Sätzen zu einer
musikalischen Synthese seines Schaffens, die einen Höhepunkt der Barockmusik darstellt.
Karl Richters Aufnahme von 1961 mit dem Münchener Bach-Chor und dem Münchener Bach-Orchester
gilt bis heute als legendäre Referenzaufnahme. Sie besticht durch ihren geschlossenen Klang, ihre klare
Interpretation und ihre herausragenden Solisten.
Um die bestmögliche Klangqualität zu erzielen, wurden die Aufnahmen neu gemastert und erstmals rein
analog von den originalen Zweispur-Bändern geschnitten.
Die audiophile Vinyl-Reihe „The Original Source“ präsentiert herausragende Aufnahmen in einer völlig
neuen Klangqualität. Dazu haben die renommierten Emil-Berliner-Studios die originalen Mehrspurbänder
in 100 % analoger Qualität (AAA) unter Verwendung von Technologien, die speziell für die Produktion
dieser Reihe entwickelt wurden, neu gemastert und geschnitten.
Die klanglichen Unterschiede zu den Originalveröffentlichungen sind beträchtlich: größere Klarheit, mehr
Feinheiten und Verbesserungen im Frequenzgang bei gleichzeitig weniger Hintergrundrauschen, Verzerrungen und Kompression ermöglichen ein audiophiles Hörerlebnis wie nie zuvor.
Diese limitierte und nummerierte Auflage erscheint auf 180-g-Vinyl in einem luxuriösen 3-LP-Box-Set und
enthält zusätzliche Fotos sowie Faksimiles der ursprünglichen Aufnahmeprotokolle und Bandkartons.

„A Charlie Brown Christmas“ vom Vince Guaraldi Trio –das meistverkaufte Jazzalbum aller Zeiten –
erscheint erstmals im Rahmen der Original Jazz Classics Reihe. Das ikonische Album enthält alle beliebten
Kompositionen aus dem PEANUTS-Weihnachtsspecial, und Guaraldi wird dabei von Fred Marshall, Monty
Budwig, Jerry Granelli und Colin Bailey begleitet. Diese festliche Neuauflage erscheint auf 180-GrammVinyl, gepresst bei QRP, mit vollständig analogem Mastering von den Originalbändern bei Cohearent Audio
und einem Stoughton-Tip-On-Cover.

DPRTNDRP make a long-awaited return to Infernal Sounds with 'Byrnei', a release that's been quietly building anticipation across the 140 scene. Following their acclaimed 'What Ya Mean' EP in 2020, the duo are back with five heavyweight cuts that showcase exactly why they've remained one of dubstep's most respected production outfits for well over a decade.

Opening with the title track, 'Byrnei' wastes no time setting the tone. Rolling with DPRTNDRP's unmistakable swing, weight and groove, it's a certified soundsystem weapon - built to lock dancers into its hypnotic rhythm while delivering devastating low-end pressure.

Next up, 'Jiaozi' shifts into overdrive. A relentless barrage of razor-sharp percussion, cavernous basslines and seismic energy, it's an uncompromising slice of peak-time dubstep designed to hit with maximum impact from the first drop to the last.

'Fury' explores a deeper side of the duo's sound, drawing influence from their dub-focused alias, D-Operation Drop. Rich in space, texture and heavyweight sonics, it perfectly blurs the line between traditional dub and modern 140, combining meditative atmospherics with chest-rattling low-end.

Adding another dimension to the EP, Causa steps in to rework 'Fury', twisting the original into a hypnotic, distorted roller. Layered with his unmistakable wobble-heavy aesthetic, the remix pushes the track into darker territory, delivering an immersive journey of oppressive bass weight and razor-sharp sound design.

Bringing the release to a thunderous close, 'Backfire' is pure, uncompromising pressure. Stripped back, direct and devastatingly effective, it's arguably the heaviest moment on the EP; a no-nonsense soundsystem destroyer that leaves a lasting impression.

From start to finish, 'Byrnei' is a statement of intent. It's a masterclass in weight, groove and precision, reinforcing DPRTNDRP's status as true innovators within the 140 landscape. With five expertly crafted cuts destined for dancefloors and soundsystems worldwide, this is another landmark release from two producers operating firmly at the top of their game.




[d] B2. Fury [Causa Remix]

Meet Matas Petrikas, a music producer, DJ, and book author with a passion for electronic music. Born in Lithuania during the time when it was still a part of the Soviet Union, Matas began experimenting with electronic sounds during his teenage years using self-built instruments and recording equipment. In 1991, Matas took a trip to Berlin that would change his life forever. There, he encountered the early years of techno culture, which led him to co-found EXEM, one of the first house and techno bands in the former Soviet space. With EXEM, Matas was one of the pioneers of electronic dance music in Lithuania, and by the end of the decade, they had charted numerous hits. They performed live shows ranging from intimate clubs to massive arenas, sewing the seeds of the local electronic music scene. Since then he relocated to Berlin and has forged a musical solo career focused on live-sets, experimentation, and authoring the book 'The Joy of Electronic Music'. The Unknown is Matas’ first release on his newly formed imprint Dangė Records, focused on supporting electronic music from Lithuania and the Baltics. The 6 track EP forges his love for texture heavy hypnotic techno with industrial and warehouse leaning low end and percussion. Although mainly an EP rooted in driving a groove, the use of earworm worthy basslines, rave breaky drums, and squelchy lead synths is where Matas’ long career foray into many genres of electronic music shines through. Dangė Records releases electronic music from Lithuania and the Baltics—sounds that emerge from underwater, carried by artists who inherited the weight of transformation.

The UK Players & Friends Hills and Valleys, Rivers and Streams (A Tribute to Idren Natural) 9 brand new tracks by The UK Players. Voiced by Singers and Poets who knew Idren Natural personally. Recorded and Mixed by Supa Yout’ at Earth Works Studio, Amsterdam. Sleeve artwork and written testimonials from close friends and associates. Idren Natural aka Ras Natural aka InI Oneness, DJ, Singer, Chanter, Musician, was a pivotal player and pillar of UK/European Roots, Reggae, Dub, Sound System Culture. A humble Rastaman who did so much for so many, inasmuch as inspiring, encouraging, and connecting. He selflessly helped those less fortunate than himself. A strong advocate of the culture and philosophy of Rastafari. He was a commanding presence who lit up the stage, giving JAH all the glory. His passing was a great loss to the community. The UK Players Dub Band formed in 1996. They teamed up with Ras Natural/InI Oneness to record their debut 7” single ‘Further’ for Jah Works with Producer Jah Rej. This single gained exposure via Jah Shaka, Abashanti, and King Shiloh Sound Systems, even the famous Radio 1 DJ ‘John Peel’ played it. More recordings with Jah Rej at Seventh Sense Studio led to the debut album ‘Take Heed’. During the halcyon days of InI Oneness & The UK Players (1997-2004) they toured the UK and Europe, clocking up over 250 gigs in that time. Amongst brethren within the Rastafari community, the band became affectionately known as Ras Naturals band. Friends of Natural like Ras Iyah, Tony Roots, Sister Aisha, Wayne McArthur, and Barry Isaacs (among others) performed with them during this time. Members of InI Oneness & The UK Players never split up, throughout the years they branched out into other projects, reconvening for specials and one offs. Following Idren Naturals passing in 2022, the band stepped up to play his memorial show, where the idea formulated of making a tribute album to him. Ben King offered the use of Earth Works studio to help realise the vision. Work began with longtime live sound engineer Supa Yout’ in March 2024. Jah Rej assisted production on a number of these recordings, and sadly passed during the making of it, the last album he worked on. Various vocalists who were close to Natural, submitted vocals across the following year. The album was mixed and dubbed in March ‘25 at Earth Works by Soupa Yout' & Kingsway. Artwork and written memories/testimonials were then assembled. Everyone involved in the creation of this album knew Idren Natural personally. This album shines a spotlight on his spirit. Carrying songs of tribute, and messages for the times. ALPHA DUB: Every time the band played a gig, Natural would insist on starting with a dub. In that tradition, this album is no different. ‘Mandlion’ passing through the studio, headtopped a Melodica cut on it. Dubbed to the max by Supa Yout! NATURAL VIBE: The ‘Forward Fever’ crew from Belgium were one of the first collectives that Natural affiliated with in Europe. Here, Ras Cloud cleverly weaves all of Naturals song titles into the lyrics, creating a song in itself. WORD & FLESH: Fellowdread was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. Now living in Bristol, England, residing with Natural in his last days. His Poetry is rich in inflection, knowledge and wisdom, teachings that spark up the divine. ALL ABOUT LOVE: A pause for contemplation, this one stills the listener. Rootsman Rak’s words warn against complacency, and encourages action. A completely (natural) acoustic track featuring the skilled percussionist Jonah Dan. REMEMBER HIM: Inna Dubplate style, Barry Isaacs toasts to Idren in personal remembrance, reminding us all of the man he was. The track also features snippets of a phone call from Naturals oldest friend ‘Fergie Greenspears’ recounting memories. RISE UP RASTA CHILDREN: The legendary Tony Roots, graces the album with his unique delivery. Natural, The Players, and Tony go back a long way. A song of strength to affirm the soul, and rally against Babylon. Livicated to the one (Natural) SONG FOR THE RIVER MAN: During those halcyon days, many stages were shared with Albaroot, whom the band met whilst on tour in Scotland. Clark Innes (lead singer/songwriter) reminisces about the force of nature that was Natural, times shared, and that knowing, to never meet again. ONE STEP AHEAD: An interpretation of the ‘Look Inside’ riddim by Reuben Addis. Built for Sound System, it is the only track on the album that rolls into a dub. Lyrical Benjie literally entered the studio, rode the riddim without hearing it first, cutting his vocal in one take! A message for the times that sends shivers up your spine. THE PRAYER: Iman Onedub AKA Iman Gebre Iyesus, member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, met Idren Natural at Fairfield House in Bath. Here he seals the album with a recital of the Lord's Prayer in English, with Amharic. His rich textural tones elevated with a one away riddim to carry the listener home.

Robert Nasveld (*1955 Utrecht) studied piano at the Utrecht Conservatory with Polo de Haas, Sas Bunge and Herman Uhlhorn, composition with Joep Straesser, and electronic music with Ton Bruynèl. After completing his piano studies, Robert Nasveld specialised in 20th-century repertoire, with a particular focus on Dutch, Russian and American music. He achieved international fame as a pianist for his interpretations of the works of the American composer George Crumb, which led to invitations to perform at various events, including the Warsaw Autumn Festival (1990). His connection with George Crumb also enabled him to produce a seven-hour live broadcast of Crumb's music for VPRO radio in 1986 and a television program with the composer. Nasveld recorded the complete works for one piano by George Crumb, which was released by the Attacca label in 1991. He has given concerts in Europe, Russia, and the United States.

Nasveld was also a member of the Orgella Quartet, founded in 1976 (with Margaret Krill, Polo de Haas, and Niek de Vente), Piano Kwadraat, and the Netherlands Pianists Quartet (with Marian Bolt, Corien van den Berg, and Niek de Vente). These ensembles specialised in performing music for two eight-handed pianos. He also collaborated with several vocalists, including Claron McFadden, Marjanne Kweksilber, and Liesbeth List (tour 1983/'84). Due to multiple sclerosis, he retired from performing in 1998.

From 1988 to 2021 Robert Nasveld worked for Dutch national radio (NOS/NPS/NTR) as a program producer for NPO Klassiek. Until 2004, he was editor of Supplement, which received the Silver Reiss Microphone in 1996, the highest award for a radio program, for its adventurous and innovative programming. Robert Nasveld also programmed concept evenings at Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, featuring contemporary music performed by soloists, ensembles, and the broadcasting orchestras for NOS/NPS. From 2019 until his retirement in 2021, he presented a series of podcasts for NTR/NPO Radio 4 about electronic music pioneers. The three compositions on this LP are the only tape pieces recorded by Nasveld. They were created at Ton Bruynèl’s studio at the Utrecht Conservatory and the Institute for Sonology in Utrecht.

A quick scan of the world’s favourite crowdsourced discography reveals that Sonic Youth co-founder Lee Ranaldo was not a total stranger to crackling electric experimentation in the years following his songwriting turns of the 20-teens. Yet »The System«, ingeniously culled and sequenced from Ranaldo’s soundtrack work for Dutch filmmaker Joris Postema’s ›eco-doc‹ of the same name, nonetheless feels like a reawakening. Quietly released in a vastly different (and much more ›filmic‹) form by Doxy Music/Riva Media Records in 2025, this LP reimagines and reconfigures the initial release, including unreleased material written and recorded for the film, to lend it new stature as both a return to drone-improv form and a reunion with introspective Downtown angst.

Given the state of the world, it’s not surprising that the film Ranaldo scores – a documentary on three climate activists bruising their fists on the black iron prison of techno-fascist deathkultur – is a study in despair and futility. But rather than wallowing in navel-gazing doom and gloom, the film documents the unstoppable spirit that has animated human resistance since the time of the Pharaohs.

As it turns out, the gorgeous scope of Lee Ranaldo’s guitar palette is a perfect manifestation of the hope and despair that animates the film. But like other high-water marks in the guitar-centric soundtrack canon – the high plains raga of Bruce Langhorne’s »Hired Hand«, Neil Young’s sparse and ghostly solo transmissions on »Dead Man«, or the monolithic mantras of Popol Vuh’s »Nosferatu« – its devotion to spectral gestures and meditative song forms launches it firmly outside of the OST orbit into a universe fully its own.

It might seem like a long journey from the Lower Manhattan rhythmic grime of the album’s opener »Tajikistan (Nice to Meet You)« (reminiscent of guitar opuses like Robert Quine and Jody Harris’s »Escape«) to the ringing cowboy chords of the final track, but the narrative logic of the LP pulls the listener along as solidly as a pack horse. As the LP unwinds, and collaborators like Jim Jarmusch, cellist Leila Boudreil, Yeah Yeah Yeahs snare shaman Brian Chase, and guitarist Yonatan Gat take their places, new vistas unfurl: the ritualistic thrum of »Berlin Blockade«, the haunted overtone palaces of »Bergelmir«, and the cavernous acoustic strumming of »Instruments of Violence«. It all winds up with the high lonesome standard »Cool Water«, each unhurried note trailing off into long-tail reverb, layers of shifting vocal harmonies pulling everything skyward – a hopeful note in an album where existential dread never lurks too deeply below the surface.

In the end, »The System« functions both as a film score and a hallucinatory (mostly) instrumental guitar record, revealing a sensibility not too often spotted in the 21st century – a liminal space where the song, the jam, and the meditation merge into a blurred whole. »The System«’s expansive fabric, emerging from a collective sound circling around Ranaldo’s signature tones, envelops and ampl amplifies the contributions of its community of creators – the perfect antidote to narcissistic despair. Much like the subjects of the film light the way towards intra-generational resistance, the music of »The System« reveals a path through gathering darkness. The world could be yours if you follow.

– Tom Carter

A quick scan of the world’s favourite crowdsourced discography reveals that Sonic Youth co-founder Lee Ranaldo was not a total stranger to crackling electric experimentation in the years following his songwriting turns of the 20-teens. Yet »The System«, ingeniously culled and sequenced from Ranaldo’s soundtrack work for Dutch filmmaker Joris Postema’s ›eco-doc‹ of the same name, nonetheless feels like a reawakening. Quietly released in a vastly different (and much more ›filmic‹) form by Doxy Music/Riva Media Records in 2025, this LP reimagines and reconfigures the initial release, including unreleased material written and recorded for the film, to lend it new stature as both a return to drone-improv form and a reunion with introspective Downtown angst.

Given the state of the world, it’s not surprising that the film Ranaldo scores – a documentary on three climate activists bruising their fists on the black iron prison of techno-fascist deathkultur – is a study in despair and futility. But rather than wallowing in navel-gazing doom and gloom, the film documents the unstoppable spirit that has animated human resistance since the time of the Pharaohs.

As it turns out, the gorgeous scope of Lee Ranaldo’s guitar palette is a perfect manifestation of the hope and despair that animates the film. But like other high-water marks in the guitar-centric soundtrack canon – the high plains raga of Bruce Langhorne’s »Hired Hand«, Neil Young’s sparse and ghostly solo transmissions on »Dead Man«, or the monolithic mantras of Popol Vuh’s »Nosferatu« – its devotion to spectral gestures and meditative song forms launches it firmly outside of the OST orbit into a universe fully its own.

It might seem like a long journey from the Lower Manhattan rhythmic grime of the album’s opener »Tajikistan (Nice to Meet You)« (reminiscent of guitar opuses like Robert Quine and Jody Harris’s »Escape«) to the ringing cowboy chords of the final track, but the narrative logic of the LP pulls the listener along as solidly as a pack horse. As the LP unwinds, and collaborators like Jim Jarmusch, cellist Leila Boudreil, Yeah Yeah Yeahs snare shaman Brian Chase, and guitarist Yonatan Gat take their places, new vistas unfurl: the ritualistic thrum of »Berlin Blockade«, the haunted overtone palaces of »Bergelmir«, and the cavernous acoustic strumming of »Instruments of Violence«. It all winds up with the high lonesome standard »Cool Water«, each unhurried note trailing off into long-tail reverb, layers of shifting vocal harmonies pulling everything skyward – a hopeful note in an album where existential dread never lurks too deeply below the surface.

In the end, »The System« functions both as a film score and a hallucinatory (mostly) instrumental guitar record, revealing a sensibility not too often spotted in the 21st century – a liminal space where the song, the jam, and the meditation merge into a blurred whole. »The System«’s expansive fabric, emerging from a collective sound circling around Ranaldo’s signature tones, envelops and ampl amplifies the contributions of its community of creators – the perfect antidote to narcissistic despair. Much like the subjects of the film light the way towards intra-generational resistance, the music of »The System« reveals a path through gathering darkness. The world could be yours if you follow.

– Tom Carter

Celebrate 40 years of Pixar storytelling through music with Pixar Hits, a collectible vinyl compilation featuring unforgettable songs and scores from some of Pixar's most celebrated films. Pressed on vibrant opaque yellow vinyl, this release brings together fan-favorite moments from Toy Story, Monsters,Inc., Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, Coco, Soul, Turning Red, and more.From Randy Newman's iconic "You've Got a Friend in Me" to the emotional storytelling of "Married Life" and modern favorites like "Nobody Like U" and "Steal the Show," this collection showcases the music that has helped define Pixar's most memorable adventures. A perfect addition for Disney and Pixar fans, vinyl collectors, and anyone looking to relive the magic through music

New full-length from MINIATURa, following Geometria Prohibida (Keroxen, 2020). Espectral was recorded inside the iconic Keroxen oil tank in Tenerife — a brutalist chamber whose metallic resonance seeps into every track.
Motorik tension, post-punk restraint, shoegaze and darkwave undertow surface and dissolve throughout, but this is no genre exercise. The album feels lived-in and physical: drums hanging in open air, guitars stretching into steel-lined decay, moments of synthetic clarity torn open by abrasion. Propulsion and erosion move side by side.
There’s a rawness here that isn’t aesthetic — it’s architectural. The tank becomes a silent collaborator, shaping space as much as sound.
Lyrically, Espectral unfolds through elliptical micro-poetry, tracing life, love, death and social fracture in fragments rather than declarations. Nothing is fixed; everything hovers.
One of the strongest independent statements to emerge from the Canary Islands in recent years, Espectral finds MINIATURa operating on its own frequency — austere, immersive, and built to linger.