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Orange and black. Fire and ebony. Fury and pride. Wearing its signature colors proudly and raising its exclamation point high, Impulse! Records was the go-to label for music that harnessed the searching and political stand-taking of the Sixties. Launched in 1961, Impulse grew to become an inherent part of the era’s velocity as well as its volume, pulling jazz into the age of Black Power, Afrocentricity, and Spiritual Expansion. In its balance of tradition and transition, it bridged the golden age of jazz, that brief window from the late Fifties to the Seventies when players representing every jazz era were alive and active—from Louis Armstrong to Albert Ayler, from the legends of lore to a new generation of energy players. Impulse treated all its musicians as innovators, revolutionaries even—from swing and bebop, to free and Afrofuturist. The performances on Impulse Records: Music, Message and the Moment draw their staying power from a wide embrace of styles and sounds, as well as a tight focus on a historic moment when the promise of change was in the air and the message of racial harmony was in the music. Today that music has lost none of its relevance: the promise still deferred, the message still on time.

2012 von den Balfour Brüdern in Belfast Nord Irland gegründet, konnte sich MAVERICK schnell in der Szene etablieren. Mit ihrem ersten Album„Quid Pro Quo“ waren sie bereits mit den schwedischen Hardrock Stars THE POODLES auf Tour. Das von Presse und Fans überschwänglich gefeierte zweite Album „Big Red“ brachte sie wieder zurück auf die Bühnen, diese Mal mit den schwedischen Superstars TREAT. Außerdem waren sie Gast auf vielen Festivals wie z.B. das H.E.A.T FESTIVAL (D), ICEROCK und ROCKNACHT TENNWIL (CH), WILDFEST (BE) und dem ROCKINGHAM in England, was ihnen half ihre schon große Fanbase noch weiter zu vergrößern. Ihr nächstes Album »Cold Star Dancer« aus dem Jahr 2018 bekam beste Kritiken in der internationalen Presse und die Band spielte ihre erste Headliner Tour in Europa gefolgt von einer Tour mit den schwedischen Glam Rockern CRASHDIET. Außerdem spielten sie das das schweizer ROCK
THE RING Festival zusammen mit WHITESNAKE, TESLA und DEF LEPPARD. Die Tour wurde wieder mit Gitarrist Ric gespielt, der die Band wegen persönlicher Gründe verlassen hatte. Sein Ersatz Steve Moore kehrte zu seiner Band STORMZONE zurück. Ihr H.E.A.T FESTIVAL Auftritt im Dezember 2019 war die letzte Show für ihren Drummer Jonny Millar. Für ihn konnte mit Jason-Steve Mageney,
einem guten Freund der Band aus Wuppertal, ein mehr als adäquater Ersatz am Schlagzeug gefunden werden. Die Aufnahmen für das Album begannen Ende 2019 aber Covid-19 geschuldet, dauerte alles länger als erwartet. Durch den Lockdown in der UK war es lange Zeit unmöglich Jason für die Schlagzeugaufnahmen einzufliegen. Dies gelang dann endlich im Sommer 2020. Mit »Ethereality« ist der Band ein Album gelungen, welches alle MAVERICK Trademarks enthält. So findet man catchy, Hookline-orientiertes Songwriting von »Big Red« kombiniert mit etwas härteren Einflüssen von »Cold Star Dancer«. Man muss nur die Songs «Switchblade Sister”, «Bells Of Stygian”, «Falling” oder die Fast-Ballade »The Last One« anhören, um zu wissen, dass »Ethereality« ihr bisher bestes Album ist. Denn
so muss Heavy Rock klingen!

A Deep House 3 track EP featuring more of Matt’s production.

A. Deep Within - Almost metallic percussion accompanies atmospheric pads evolving into a breakdown with lush chords and bass.

B1, Last Dance a jackin’ styleHouse jam with shuffling beats and happy melodies.

B2 Acid Jasz A jazzed out Deep House track with a repeating drum loop sample complete with chords and Vibraphone.

This reissue of Cannonball Adderley’s classic 1958 Bluenote album ‘Somethin’ Else’ features Adderley on alto sax, Miles Davis on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums.
The bonus Riverside album, ‘Portrait of Cannonball’, recorded in 1958 includes Cannonball Adderley, alto sax; Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Bill Evans, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums. The 20-page booklet contains complete information with specially prepared liner notes by Penguin Guide to Jazz’s writer Brian Morton and by France’s prestigious Jazz Magazine. “ ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Love for Sale’ will never mean the same after listening to this album, this masterpiece of the 1950’s which hasn’t aged at all.” Jazz Magazine

Introducing Cutcross, created to champion the melting pot of bass-centric sounds teetering around 140 bpm. Heading up the concept is Sicaria Sound, a DJ duo who since their inception set out to explore and expand on the possibilities of these sounds whilst spotlighting underground artists. Cutcross is therefore their next step in supporting the forward-thinking music that they've drawn for when curating sets.

"CXT003: With The Pulse" is the second themed compilation from the label, this time with distinctly percussive driven sounds formulating each track. Originally curated with dancefloors in mind, the current global standstill means for most of us these tunes are to be enjoyed from local settings - and that's not to their detriment. Each track offers something different sonically to get you moving, regardless of where you are right now.

Glasgow post-punk six-piece Kaputt aren’t strangers to directing their explosive energy and maximalist vibrancy in the name of allegory and critique. Their 2019 debut album on Upset the Rhythm ‘Carnage Hall’ confidently deconstructed themes of surveillance, paranoia, and cultural identity through a sonic lens of high-tempo, bright, danceable pop hooks and technical, polyphonic rhythms which border on the bombast of Zeuhl. 


New EP ‘Movement Now/Another War Talk’ continues the synthesis of animation and discontent with an ethos that exemplifies post-punk’s most original and guiding purpose: casting aside the rigid, signifying fashions of modern performative genre tropes and instead combining a vast fluidity of influence, tone and style to create something as unique and personal as it is counter-cultural. The result is a release that responds to the apathy of our current situation with a positive thesis, breathing life into the lived-in, bursting through every vessel, leaving nothing unturned.

‘Movement Now’ enters with the distinct high-low drive of guitar whines and racing low toms, emblematic of the presence one feels when pushing past bodies in a heaving DIY venue, but it is not afraid to play with expectations. When the song thematically opens out, disrupts convention and progressively rebuilds upon itself, the track, a comment on the ever-lagging pace that jaded, old values take to transform, transitions from a goth aesthetic to the optimism characteristic of any indie heavyweight.

‘Another War Talk’ shines in production and composition as arguably one of the best examples of distilling the band’s manic live energy into a studio recording. The divergent vocal duality of Cal D. and Chrissy B. accompanied by competing percussionists and dynamic saxophone lines encapsulates the performative strengths that has allowed the band to become a constant highlight in Glasgow’s ever exciting DIY scene. It is, in essence, the naturalness by which six passionate voices can combine into one vision so seamlessly, which one who has not experienced the band live should take away from the track for now in anticipation of the future.

color/ltd

Columbia, South Carolina’s Chaz Bundick (aka Toro y Moi) rose to the fore of the music blogosphere in summer 2009 when he and a few peers made their hazy bedroom recordings the most talked-about sound of the season. Critics across the board took notice of the range of his compositions, and his debut album, Causers of This, showcased his ability to make elements of Brian Wilson’s pop, 80s R&B, and Stone’s Throw hip hop coalesce into a distinct sound that’s as suitable for a dancefloor as it is a pair of headphones.

When Chaz first signed to Carpark Records, the plan was to release two records in 2010 — one electronic and one with live instrumentation — and although it didn’t quite fit into the same calendar year as his debut, Underneath the Pine is that latter offering. This release sees him following the same creative urges to completely different ends. Having spent the year listening to film composers like Ennio Morricone and François de Roubaix, Bundick returned to his home in Columbia, the birthplace of many Toro tracks of yore, to bring his new ideas to fruition. The result of these sessions is an album evocative of R. Stevie Moore’s homespun ruminations, David Axelrod’s sonic scope, Steve Reich-ian piano phrasing, and the pervasive funk of his first record. Underneath the Pine announces a new phase for an artist whose talent defies classification.

‘Voyager’, the seventh album from Current Joys, rattles with the
live-wire feeling that’s thrummed through all of Rattigan’s previous
releases: quavering, scream-itself-hoarse vocals and selfinterrogation via song. But here, that bristling, sentimental rock ‘n’
roll cacophony is overlaid with a soundtrack orchestra guiding it
along. It’s an odyssey, a grand-sounding journey of self-discovery
spread across sixteen tracks.
Part ekphrasis, part personal, it’s Rattigan learning new ways to
understand his own feelings and identity while inspired by the
highly-stylized, striking storytelling of filmmakers like Alfred
Hitchcock, Terrence Malick, Agnès Varda and Andrei Tarkovsky.
‘Voyager’ is unlike anything Current Joys has released before.
On his new album, Rattigan eschews lo-fi home recordings for a
full band and recording sessions at Stinson Beach Studios. As a
vocalist/drummer in his other band Surf Curse, Rattigan had finally
opened up to the possibility of working in a professional studio.
It’s all held together by the fervour of Rattigan’s creative process.
He believes in the premonitory power of music and he latches onto
the song ideas that strike him in the moment, propelled by an
abstract existentialism or burst of feeling more than anything else.
It imbues ‘Voyager’ with an intensity and intimacy - with the sense
that you’re getting to hear, all at once, the disparate parts that
make a project - or person - into a sprawling, cinematic whole.
Similar to Tame Impala or Mac Demarco in their early days,
Current Joys is singular and with a fanbase that extends far
outside of traditional indie fans. The band managed to establish an
indie and mainstream audience while flying under the radar of
DSPs and nearly all other industry levers. They are one of the first
indie bands to have their place fully created and cemented by
TikTok.
Double LP packaged in a gatefold sleeve

Buzzing new Glasgow five-piece VLURE release their hotly anticipated
debut 7” ‘Shattered Faith’ via London-based label Permanent Creeps
Records.
Bursting onto the scene at the dawn of 2020, VLURE introduced
themselves to the world with a live audio/visual performance of their
phenomenal track ‘Desire’, captured in beautiful cinematography from
the loading bay of their Glasgow studio space. Blurring the lines between
live electronics, jarring guitars and the performance sensibilities of their
post-punk contemporaries, the video offered a keyhole view into their
captivating live shows.
Combining synth laden hooks, heavy club influenced rhythms and
emotionally confronting lyrics, VLURE have already seen support from
the likes of So Young and Wax Music praising their life affirming, intense
and enigmatic live performances.
Recorded between the halls of a deconsecrated church in the heart of
the Scottish Borders, the self-produced ‘Shattered Faith’ is an indulgent,
genre bending coming of age anthem influenced by the rhythms,
repetitions and euphoric hooks of Glasgow’s thriving afterparty and club
scene with an angular post-punk foundation. Speaking on the track the
band explain: “We wanted to create something that felt at home on the
dancefloors that we all found ourselves on growing up, yet still equally at
home in the sweat-filled venues that the band was conceived in. At its
crux, ‘Shattered Faith’ is about self-empowerment. It’s the
disillusionment with where you are and what you’ve been given. It’s lying
on your kitchen floor at 3am realising who you truly are and finding
power in that - it’s a new lease of life. We believe that, if they want to find
it, there is something for everyone in this song.”
“There is nothing comparable - this is a new era of musically skeletal
human showmanship” - So Young Magazine
“Urgent, destructive and completely absorbing. Brutalist in form -
unyielding, massive-sounding, distinctive - their atmospheric, yearning
mood is overflowing with inclination and exposed tenderness -
vulnerable and exasperated. They pound the door down with every inch
of blood, sweat and tears in their vessels” - Wax Music
“This is post-punk, but not as you might familiarly expect” - Little Indie
Blogs
“One of Scotland’s most exciting new bands” - Tenement TV

After a year of sadness comes an album fit to resist it. Detritus, the third solo LP by violinist/composer Sarah Neufeld, confronts anguish with beauty, turmoil with grace, gliding through the present like a dancer mid-motion, reaching through space 'til she's caught. Detritus originated with a collaboration: in 2015, Neufeld was invited to appear on stage with the legendary dancer/choreographer Peggy Baker. Baker had prepared a solo piece based on work from Neufeld's second album, The Ridge, to which Neufeld added an original lyrical prelude. The live result was an incendiary duet, almost a sort of face-off, which left each artist unsated. They agreed to reunite for a more extended collaboration - a full-length show with Baker's company, where Neufeld would write to (and perform music alongside) Baker's choreography. It was a fertile partnership, uniting the two women's intense, curious, ferocious sensibilities across an age difference of 29 years. Baker had conceived the show around the title of Neufeld's prelude, "Who We Are In The Dark," exploring themes of loss, betrayal and the emptiness of space; Neufeld was herself in crisis mode, reacting to a specific, earthbound kind of grief (including the end of a relationship). Making work together, they drew on these raw feelings - insistent, urgent darkness but also something that was, for Neufeld at least, much more unexpected: a romantic, tender-hearted love, inspired by the movements of the dancers before her. The work premiered in February 2019. Even before Neufeld and Peggy Baker Dance Projects set off on tour, she had the intuition that this music might take another form: as a distilled set of songs, refined and developed beyond the versions performed on stage. Starting that summer, she began arranging this lush and soloistic material - work that eventually became Detritus - and performed some of these experiments at her own solo gigs. Neufeld worked throughout the process with her Arcade Fire bandmate Jeremy Gara, whose drums, synths and ambient electronics co-anchored the Peggy Baker shows and helped shape the reimagined album versions. She would go on to add foot-pedal bass synth, wordless vocals and swells of French horn courtesy of Bell Orchestre compatriot Pietro, bringing in woodwind wizard Stuart Bogie as a one-man flute ensemble, layering clusters of chords atop Neufeld's luminous compositions.

René Pawlowitz is a man of many aliases SHED, Head High, Hoover, WK7 - for his debut on UTTU he returns to his Evil Fred guise for a 4 track EP absorbing UK Funky, Jacking Techno & "deeper than deep” Houz Muzik.

Clear / Orange Vinyl
Factory Benelux presents a remastered 2xLP coloured vinyl edition of Circuses and Bread, the seventh studio album by Manchester ensemble The Durutti Column. Originally released by Factory Benelux and Factory in 1986, the original 9 tracks have now been expanded with 6 bonus pieces.

The cover art retains the original design by 8vo. The remastered limited edition CLEAR+ORANGE vinyl set is housed in gatefold sleeve, with liner notes and rare band images. A CD version is also available (FBN 154 CD).

Self-produced by Vini Reilly at Strawberry and Revolution studios, the album saw Durutti playing as a quartet, with Reilly on guitar, vocals and keyboards, Bruce Mitchell in drums and percussion, John Metcalfe (viola) and Tim Kellett (trumpet).

‘The music ends up being very simple,’ Vini told NME. ‘People can dismiss it as being very simplistic, easy listening or whatever. It’s very honest, it’s very personal. People say it’s ambient, and it’s like Eno. I don’t like that, because the music’s made to be listened to, it’s not wallpaper.’

Of extended piece Blind Elevator Girl – Osaka, Vini adds: ‘The music really writes itself. For example, we’re in Osaka, in Japan, getting in this elevator. It’s very crowded with all these Japanese businessmen talking about distribution deals, and going on and on. On this lift was a beautiful Japanese girl, in an immaculate uniform. Each floor we arrived at, she’s starting talking Japanese, obviously saying what was on each floor. We went higher and higher, and finally we get to the top. And then, sort of walking out of the elevator, I suddenly realised she was blind... It got to me, this girl. It was incredible. So maybe a day later, I was thinking about that, and the whole tune came out. And every single piece of music is like that.’

Bonus tracks include Italian-only EP Greetings Three, scarce compilation track The Aftermath, and a previously unreleased working version of 1987 single Our Lady of the Angels produced by the late Stuart ‘Jammer’ James.

"Louie Louie" by Belgian schlager legend Joske Harry's (aka Joe Harris) blows The Kingsmen's original version away. Absolute dancefloor-filler.
There must be about 11,283 versions of "Tabou." This ultra-rare gem by Burt Blanca just might be the ultimate version... or maybe not. Anyway, this is a must-have for your collection.

Reprint of Radio Martiko’s 2nd single from 2015. As online prices of the first pressing went up to 60 euros, a reprint was much needed.

Strut present the definitive edition of a 1977 classic, Plunky & Oneness OfJuju's 'Make A Change' album featuring the international hit 'Every WayBut Loose' and five previously unheard studio takes. Recorded at Omega studios in Maryland, the album marked a transition forthe band with lead vocalist Jackie Eka-Ete recording her last sessions withPlunky and Virtania Tillery taking over lead vocal duties. "'Make A Change'was always designed as a slightly more commercial entry in our discography," says Plunky. "We approached the sessions in the same way that we had approached all of our music since the early '70s. We played extended jams because we would always find something within those explorations. The songs had enough organic qualities to be considered R&B and enough rhythm to be Afro funk." After catching fire in Washington DC clubs through local record pools, the dancefloor favourite 'Every Way But Loose' famously became an anthem for Larry Levan at New York's Paradise Garage, kick-starting international success for the track. Other album cuts like funk workout 'Higher' and the wistful stepper 'Always Have To Say Goodbye' have remained staples among soulful DJs worldwide. "The songs and lyrics on this album have come back around full circle," continues Plunky. "With songs like '(Family Tree) Make A Change' and 'Every Way But Loose', we don't have tochange one word for them to be relevant all these years later. The positive messages are universal and timeless." This definitive edition of 'Make A Change' features the full original album alongside five previously unheard studio takes, all remastered by TheCarvery from the original tapes. Bonus tracks include extended studio versions of 'Every Way But Loose' and 'Always Have To Say Goodbye'and a previously unheard version of 'Time'. Package features brand newliner notes by bandleader Plunky Branch.

Schatzi 007 is spun, not stirred, with five special-ops disco Bond boogies dug up from the Schatzi R&D department reserves.

"Some men just don't like to be driven" but we all like to dance...

Belgian underground DJ/producer Red D continues his solo Red Basics quest with the second release in this series in which he explores a variety of sounds that make him tick, always drawing inspiration from his favourite city: Detroit. The A-side travels to the heartland of classic Detroit deep house, taking in deep chords, a pitched-down vocal sample and the subbest of bass antics making for a groove that can be enjoyed both on and off the dancefloor. On the B-side the melancholy of the continued longing for better days prevails, delivering a cut to make you think and sway at the same time. Electronic music for your mind, heart, body and soul.

10Questions is a record label by Dam Swindle's Lars Dales and graphic designer Bas Koopmans. After an amazing first release, 10Questions ventures deeper into Italo territory with signing one of the scene's longest running duo's: 'PBR Streetgang'. PBR has been known for big dancefloor tracks, whether it's house or disco, they always deliver. This EP will surely add to this legacy.

The title track 'Dayskipper' sets the mood with it's 707 drum programming and rolling Italo bassline. The track slowly progresses to show it's dancefloor pedigree. A catchy synth hook combined with synth choir stabs drives the theme home. What makes this a standout track is that the hook is not an obvious one. The ominous chords are very well crafted and will cut through you like a knife through butter.

'Dayskipper' shares the A side with 'Knockout'; a track that is both a tribute to the early history of house and a contemporary piece of music in one. The 'Moog' style bassline sets the mood for a playful approach but it's the addition of the vocal hits and the piano hook that drives that theme home. Add a pinch of hip-house and you have the recipe for a good time.

On the third track (and a full side on the record) 'Chi-Lite' you can hear that PBR still knows how to get the most out of a house beat. The theme however is more a dreamy proto house track than anything else. The syncopated synth stabs set the perfect mood for the DX7 style bells that are played on top. PBR masterfully shift from floating moments to dancefloor energy within a matter of minutes.


10Questions is a label build on the concept that the record and record sleeve are an integral part of the full experience of an EP. The artist is given a questionnaire and depending on his/her answers the artwork is made. This way the music and art co-exist in the same creative universe, that of the artist and the label alike.

Ibadan announces the release of volume 4 in the Leads & Bites series, presenting an exciting selection of soon-to-be timeless dance floor favorites. Up first is house DJ and producer Massiande, one of the most captivating talents from South America and notable Housewax alumnus. “Mainline” comes on strong, delivering punchy synth lines and fat beats with an undeniable Chicago spirit. Sharing the A-side is “Lens House” by The Prince of Dance aka Elbee Bad, an edgy sleeper track with eclectic rhythms and a perfect balance of all the classic elements. Kicking off the B-side are heroes of the hour S.A.T. - Sydenham, AYBEE, and Trent - with “Yaphet,” a low-key offering that gradually unfolds into the trio’s signature blissed-out, energetic vibe. MLiR and Arnau Obiols wrap it up with “Calanda,” a genre-defying foray into organic vocals and experimental sounds - nervy, mysterious, and with hints of downtempo electronica.

From the rampaging start of the EP, "Eternal Remorse", not a single note, guttural vocal, or fierce drum hit is out of place. The emerging greek artist Boris Barksdale, portraits the overall feeling of militaristic order encompasses music and vocal samples. The musical equivalent of that image, industrial society's restless march to oblivion rendered as an infinite dance track, as aggressively vibrant as it is alienated.

Mother Freedom Band’s Cutting The Chord is a funky modern soul classic. It’s both a criminally under-appreciated album and a hard-to-find record so we’re delighted to be giving this sweet disco-funk groover the reissue treatment it deserves.

Produced by the great Al Goodman from The Moments and originally released in 1977, Cutting The Chord seems to be one of the lesser known releases on the curious, and often great “All Platinum” label. Other than a 7" of a couple of these tracks, the only thing that the band seem to have released is this album, and what an album it is. Unbeatable soul-funk of the highest quality.

The album bursts open with “Love Will Stay In Your Corner”. It’s a soulful dancer that reliably slays any funk set you care to drop it in. It’s followed by the lithe disco funk “Flick Of The Wrist” that’s all bubbling baselines and elegant horns. The groovy, horn-enhanced sweet soul of “Gotta Get It Back” is equal parts heartbreaker/hip-shaker and the acidic organs on “Mr Brother” are an experiment in synth soul.

Perhaps the group’s best known track, “Beautiful Summer’s Day” might well be worth the price of an original copy alone. It’s pure piano-driven paradise soul. A tropical birdsong intro sets the scene of a warm, perfect sunshine day and the lead vocal soars over the lush, clean production. The tempo oscillates between contemplative and stomping. Essential.

The brilliantly-named “(Assistants Rag) When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” opens side two. Another huge highlight, its title refrain repeated over this laid-back, power-funk workout. It still sounds incredibly modern, like something off the last D’Angelo record, and if Public Enemy and Diamond D both sampled it you know it knocks hard.

The horn-heavy, clav-stabbing-stomper “We Like To Boogie” keeps things fast and funky before the airy, heavenly harmony soul of “Come On Home” mellows us all out. Things pick up again with “Touch Me”, and you might recognise its addictive elements sampled in Jay-Z’s Kanye West-produced “A Star Was Born”. The magical, reggae-tinged, gospel-influenced “Sweet Love” closes out this assured, classy set.

We dare to say that Cutting The Chord is a rare example of a funk-soul LP which is killer from start-to-finish. Sure, there are the stand-out bombs, but the whole thing is a complete and varied album of feel-good vibes held together by its fluid horns, tight, tight rhythm section and beautiful vocals.

Mastered for vinyl from the original analogue tapes by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and artwork restored at Be With HQ, this new edition should hopefully stop this album slipping any further into obscurity. It’s just too good to be forgotten.

Extra Credit is the project of three of electronic music’s greatest exponents; legendary NYC DJ and producer Justin Strauss, London DJ and producer Marcus Marr and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard; one of dance music’s greatest polymaths.

Roman Flügel is a magician. This statement is far from being a hyperbole. Just put the needle down on any record – I mean any! – of his ( collaborations included) since the early nineties and see for yourself: none of them are without that special effect. The magic works instantly. And as the thing with magic goes: it’s challenging to explain it. But I guess that is what makes it magic.

Eating Darkness is the title of his newest spell. Affected by the fundamental shock that any system got in 2020 – but not the result thereof – it is an album that could absorb it – as its name might suggest. Music and nightlife work hand in hand as escapism and as anchors or as the undercoat of social interactions. They enable people to deal with hardships as well as the burden and the joy of life. That is the starting point and hope of Eating Darkness: the outlook and invitation to enrich each and everyone’s existence.

Bound to the single LP format and reminiscent of a time with format limitations, the nine tracks are testament to Flügel’s weakness for the art of pop music with the use of little and especially short motifs. Furthermore equipped with a clear instrumentation and without any camouflage, Eating Darkness corresponds to his idea of a virtual band.

As it happens, the opener is called The Magic Briefcase. That sits not only well with my first sentence, but pretty much embodies the album and Roman Flügel’s apparatus in an alternative title: Crystal clear sounds and melodies bounce on and off the dance floor, living room and club are pulled together and transcendental moments take turns with the tangibility of reality. After all, that is how a real magician allures you.

YELLOW VINYL
A taste from his upcoming debut album, Biesmans’ ‘Cold Void’ EP is brilliantly wistful and nostalgic, traversing indie dance, rock, electro and pop-tinged cuts.
Released in February, the artist’s ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ EP laid the retro groundwork, taking inspiration from ‘80s video games. ‘Cold Void’ takes the baton and runs with it. The title track sees
Biesmans team up with guitarist Boi Wonder and Tom The Bomb, front man of Belgian rock outfit The Guru Guru. The resulting track is driven by steel blue synths, a massive guitar riff and memorable vocal
hook. A certified gem.
Disco Halal label founder Moscoman links up with emerging Ukrainian producer Komilev to beef up ‘Cold Void’s’ bottom end, adding ascendent pads and lush melodies, shifting the vibe into punchier dancefloor territory. ‘When Will It Stop’ is a woozy indie dream, propelled by robotic vocals and ‘80s piano chords. A handy radio edit of Moscoman & Komilev’s remix rounds out the package, promising broad appeal.

Sam Goku returns to Atomnation with a stunning debut album titled East Dimensional Riddims. The 11 tracks record is a journey into his hugely characterful club sound complete with ambient and subtle use of instruments from his Chinese heritage. Sam Goku - born Robin Wang - was born in Düsseldorf, yet his upbringing was Chinese for the most part. It is the contrasting influences of those two cultural backgrounds that play out in his music and lend it a truly unique character. The album is a fine fusion of East and West, house and techno, power and emotion that really showcases the unique production talents of Sam Goku. Following up on the EPs Tanggu, Every Step and Paradise Drum, this new album is the sound of an artist evolving, maturing and finding his own sound. It’s a cohesive work that is as emotional as it is physical and thought provoking.

Dead Can Dance members Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell have teamed up under a new guise with James Chapman (MAPS) to create a studio album, titled ‘Burn’.
The record began its journey more than seven years ago, when Lisa met Irish theatre composer Jules Maxwell before working together for the first time. ‘Burn’ is set for release on 7th May 2021 via Atlantic Curve. Speaking about the origins of the album, Lisa Gerrard explains, “It is with great pleasure that I share this collaboration with Jules Maxwell. Jules and I began our creative journey with Dead Can Dance. We realised that we could connect through improvisation and that musical exploration continues to evolve with this present work.” Although this record is a new release, its beginnings go all the way back to 2012 during that year’s Dead Can Dance world tour. Originally brought in as a live keyboard player, Jules Maxwell helped create a new song with Lisa Gerrard called ‘Rising Of The Moon’, which was performed as the final encore of each show. By the time the tour finished in Chile in 2013, a strong affinity had begun to develop between the two of them and further opportunities to collaborate with each other resulted over subsequent years. In 2015, when Maxwell was asked to submit songs for the Bulgarian choir The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices (Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares), he approached Gerrard to co-write material and travelled to Australia to work with her in her home studio. The pair came away with four new songs for that release, as well as the building blocks for this new venture together.

This Mini-LP was originally released on Materiali Sonori in 1984 in Italy and is long out of print. Alexander Robotnick (aka Maurizio Dami) is an Italian electronic musician. He made his debut on the Italian music scene as the founding member of Avida, a dance-cabaret band featuring Daniele Trambusti and Stefano Fuoch. in 1983 he attained international popularity with his track “Problèmes d’amour”, published first by the Italian label Materiali Sonori and then by Sire-Wea. “Problèmes d’amour” went on to become a “cult track” of the disco scene. After 40 years Spittle Records in joint venture with Materiali Sonori re-issues the mini album and the 12” with its original artwork.

"Once I was in Chicago, it was around 2010, I was just finishing my set and went outside the club to light a cigarette. Suddenly a police car stops nearby. I thought the policeman was here to fine me (I was more than 20 meters outside the venue), but he just lifted a poster of mine and asked to sign it. Then I realized that "Problèmes d’Amour" has been for a longtime the opening theme for a popular radio broadcast well-known between the black community (hence the policeman was black)”. - Maurizio Dami

For our 5th vinyl release on Bouquet. Recs, Trent is toeing the line between fresh and trippy, but undeniably dance floor heat on his first solo EP, and first release on our label.
We are proud to share his momentous solo effort. Recorded in Berlin between 2018 and 2020, 'Transition 35' takes cues from multiple eras of dance to characterise the ever changing colours of nightlife. C'mon ride the train - final destination? The limits of your sensual abandon. Stops along the way? 90's rave. Psychedelic space station.

Trent is a Berlin-based Italian DJ and producer who co-created the party series and label 'Oscillator' with fellow Italians Dama and Budino.
Alongside resident and cosmic pioneer Beppe Loda, they curated one of Berlin's remarkable events for obscure italo, disco and electro.

Taking lessons from the past Trent weaves together a highly sophisticated yet playful sound for the contemporary club goer. Having spent many years as part of collectives, his solo aesthetic is thoughtfully considered and always surprising.
A longtime fixture of the infamous playground party Cocktail d'Amore, Trent collaborates with Juan Ramos under the shared byname Greenvision, releasing together on Cocktail d'Amore, ESP Institute and Ene Tokyo.
'Transition 35' marks Trent's first solo EP sojourn and a triumphant showcase of his individual voice, on Bouquet. Recs

TRACK DESCRIPTIONS

A1. Like a fast train barreling out the station to destinations unknown, This is a Trip hurtles forward like a 90's rave classic, with new wave and nu beat inflections that keep you hooked through unexpected transitions to its explosive finale.

A2. Gasping lysergically, the sci-fi sounds of Don't Stop evoke ecstasy on the dancefloor. That internal scream as you summon more energy, eyes closed, enjoying the trip with a smile.

B. Touch Me is a spell of primal percussions and ominous warlock voices to make for a dark, hot situation

Das kanadische Rock/Metal-Crossover-Quartett SUMO CYCO bricht mit seinem dritten Album und Napalm Records Debüt Initiation in eine explosive neue Ära auf - und lädt die Fans in ihre schräge, dystopisch
anmutende Welt von ”Cyco City” ein! Gespickt mit mitreißenden Heavy-Metal-Grooves, poptauglichen
Hooks, elektronischen Elementen und einer Prise Punk bricht Initiation alle Regeln und liefert ein zusammenhängendes und dennoch ungezügeltes Hörabenteuer.
Wie schon die Vorgänger Lost in Cyco City (2014), Opus Mar (2017) und unzählige Singles basiert Initiation auf dem fantasievollen Schauplatz ”Cyco City” und baut auf dem Thema, den Charakteren und
den verschiedenen ”Gangs” auf. Der lyrische Inhalt ist von der Lebensrealität der Band inspiriert - mit
zeitgemäßen, persönlichen Themen wie Liebe, Aufopferung, Angst und Empowerment.
Initiation setzt seine meisterhafte Heavy-meets-Pop-Attitüde fort, bevor SUMO CYCO mit Vollgas im
zuckersüß verpackten Albumabschluss ”This Dance Is Doomed” enden (verschiedene Varianten des Albums enden mit dem unverblümt selbstbewussten ”Awakened”). Am Ende von Initiation werden sich
Hörer fragen, was genau SUMO CYCO nicht können - was sie zu einer vielversprechenden Band macht,
die sich durch ihre Originalität stets von der Masse abhebt.

Global pop sensation Ava Max—who has already accumulated more than 4 billion career streams—has released her highly-anticipated debut album Heaven & Hell. The record features eight new tracks alongside her previously released hit singles “Sweet But Psycho,” “Who’s Laughing Now,” “So Am I,” “Salt” and “Kings & Queens,” the latter of which spent five weeks at #1 on European airplay and is currently #21 on Top 40 radio.

“Heaven & Hell represents light and dark, good and evil, and the devil and angel on your shoulder,” said Ava on the meaning behind the album. “I’m discussing the dualities of the challenges we face each day. Some songs have darkness; other songs are more positive. Heaven & Hell is the middle ground.”

Ava has also revealed the video for her track “Naked,” which was directed by Hannah Lux Davis (Ariana Grande, Halsey, Doja Cat).

“It’s about the real emotions we go through,” said Ava on the meaning behind the track. “If you don’t know my mind, soul, and heart, you’ll never know me by seeing me naked. We are more than our physical bodies. That’s what I wanted to show.”

A truly international artist, Ava sealed her pop superstar status with the blockbuster success of the RIAA 3x-platinum certified hit, “Sweet but Psycho.” Currently boasting over 2 billion global streams and counting, “Sweet But Psycho” was named among the New York Times’ “54 Best Songs of 2019,” spent three weeks in the top 10 of Billboard’s “Hot 100,” peaked at #3 at US Pop Radio and earned Ava her first-ever Teen Choice Awards nomination for “Choice Pop Song.” The song was joined by an official video that has more than 600 million views on YouTube.

Produced by GRAMMY® Award-winning super-producer Cirkut (Maroon 5, Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd) and co-written with Madison Love (Camila Cabello), “Sweet But Psycho” hit #1 on both Spotify’s “United States Viral 50” and Billboard’s “Dance Club Songs” while becoming one of “The Top Most-Shazamed Songs of 2019.” The song’s stateside success followed the track’s remarkable popularity abroad, including four consecutive weeks atop the UK Singles Chart and #1 rankings on charts in nearly 20 countries.

Dubbed an “Artist You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone, Ava has been feted with a wide range of media attention including high profile features in Vanity Fair, Billboard, FORBES, PAPER, and more. The pop star first took over TV with performances of “Sweet but Psycho” on CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden, NBC’s TODAY, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show, as well as a summer performance of her RIAA-certified gold single “So Am I,” on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. Ava became one of 2019’s most honored performers, including “Best New Artist” nominations at both the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards. The latter was highlighted by both Ava’s first-ever win for “Best Push Artist” and show-stopping live performances of both “Torn” and “Sweet But Psycho,” streaming now.

The American Negro is an unapologetic critique, detailing the systemic & malevolent psychology that afflicts people of color. It should be evident that any examination of black music is an examination of the relationship between black & white America. This relationship has shaped the cultural evolution of the world and its negative roots run deep into our psyche. With an elaborate orchestral and soulful display, The American Negro re-invents the black native tongue: a politically conscious LP with a prescription to eradicate hate in America. "The American Negro is the most important creative accomplishment of my life. This project dissects the chemistry behind blind racism, using music as the medium to restore dignity and self-worth to my people": Adrian Younge is a multi-instrumentalist, film composer and producer with an analog studio and record store in Los Angeles. He is a member of The Midnight Hour and has produced for entertainment greats ranging from Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar and Wu Tang Clan. He's composed for television shows such as Marvel's Luke Cage (with Ali Shaheed Muhammad), and films including Black Dynamite. He owns the boutique record label, Linear Labs, and is co-owner of Jazz Is Dead. When he's not working on scores for major studios or networks, he's making albums that speak to his own artistry. For The American Negro, Younge not only wrote, but played every instrument of the album's rhythm section; he also orchestrated a 30-piece orchestra and recorded them in his analog studio.

2020 has been one rough ride for everyone, forcing us all to review what we thought was normal and maybe, one would argue, even our priorities.

Two years have passed since their previous Inflict LP and we don’t really know how what recently happened impacted on the band’s mastermind Michael but what’s sure is that Veil Of Light are now a fully grown-up band.

Landslide is their fifth full-length (and their third on Avant!) and it’s definitely their most elaborated album.

Ten new songs, rather than the usual eight, with a perfect balance of Coldwave-inspired intimate atmosphere and synthpop catchy melodies. Musically speaking it’s still clear where the Swiss duo draws their influences from, right in between New Order’s moodiness and The Klinik trying one softer, less brutal approach to their Electro. But a new sense of privacy is reflected all through these new tracks, enhanced by lyrics now more personal than ever.

The Prayer Wheel is a page torn out of a private diary, Love And Money is a mechanical mantra for a no-way-out situation; Suburban War is a confession of defeat whispered at night, No Return is the last dance before reaching the point of.

This is the kind of record that takes its time, and takes its toll, we just need to sit down and listen because there’s much to discover.

RIYL: Depeche Mode, New Order, Naked Eyes, Lust for Youth, Black Marble

Recorded live on 9th November 2018 (their only UK show of 2018), ‘education entertainment recreation’ is a brand new live album from London’s Alexandra Palace.
Sonically spectacular, spanning 2 hours 20 minutes, the show joyously mixed New Order classics, their latest acclaimed album ‘Music Complete’ and Joy Division’s finest.
Opening with ‘Singularity’ from ‘Music Complete’, they eased back in time to 1993’s ‘Regret’, to ‘Love Vigilantes’ from 1985’s ‘Low-Life’ to ‘Ultraviolence from 1983 debut ‘Power, Corruption and Lies’.
Later, their power over the dance floor was proven by sublime performances in the manner of the celebrated extended 12 inch remixes they are synonymous with - on ‘True Faith’, ‘Blue Monday’ and ‘Temptation’ before a four song Joy Division mini set to end

Dua releases the deluxe Future Nostalgia album ‘The Moonlight Edition’ on 11th Feb at 11pm GMT. The Moonlight Edition is a celebration of what can only be described as the album of a generation. Future Nostalgia was the most streamed album in a day by a British female artist globally, in the UK & UK. Dua spent more weeks at the top of the album and radio chart than any other artist last year. Future Nostalgia will go platinum in the UK at the end of Feb, just ahead of its first birthday at the end of March.

Future Nostalgia (The Moonlight Edition) features four previously unheard tracks ‘We’re Good’, ‘If It Ain’t Me’. ‘That Kind of Woman’ and ‘Not My Problem (feat. JID)’ and will include the top 10 smash hit single from Miley Cyrus Feat Dua Lipa ‘Prisoner’ which has reached 250m streams worldwide. Also on the album is ‘Fever’ with Angèle, which spent three weeks at #1 in France and 11 weeks at #1 in Belgium and J Balvin, & Bad Bunny ‘UN DIA (ONE DAY) (Feat. Tainy)

We’re Good is the incredible lead single from the deluxe album and both creatively and sonically pushes boundaries of what people expect from Dua. The official video, released on 12th Feb at 5am GMT with a huge global promotion confirmed, follows the story of a lobster in a tank on the Titanic, escaping when the ship sinks. We’re Good is the focus release.

Since the release of her first single in 2015, Dua Lipa has become one of the music world’s hottest young artists. Her eponymous debut album has eclipsed 6 million sales worldwide, with single sales reaching 80 million and the video for her break-out hit “New Rules” (“the song that changed my life,” she says), made her the youngest female solo artist to reach one billion views on YouTube. She made BRIT Award history in 2018 as the first female artist to pick up five nominations, with two wins for British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist. She then went on to receive two Grammy awards for Best New Artist and Best Dance Recording for “Electricity,” her collaboration with Silk City the following year. At the end of 2019, Dua performed her Number 1 global hit single ‘Don’t Start Now’ at the MTV EMAs, ARIAs and AMA’s in the lead up to the release of her latest album, Future Nostalgia. Her sophomore record was released in March 2020 and surpassed 294 million streams in its first week and has now exceeded 6 billion streams across all of its tracks. The platinum selling album Future Nostalgia has been nominated for 6 Grammy Awards including Album of the Year & Best Pop Vocal and also holds the record for the most streamed album in a single day by any British female artist. Dua has also had the longest run of 3 tracks in the top 10 by a female artist since 1955 and spend more weeks at #1 in the UK than any other artist in 2020.

2021 is shaping up to be another huge year for Dua Lipa, with a 12 date UK Tour, the Grammys and Brit awards in May. Get ready to hear the name Dua Lipa on everyone’s lips.

Brilliant second album from the wholly original cult Sheffield post punk band. Released in 1983 on Red Flame ‘One Afternoon In A Hot Air Balloon’ is an adventure on its own. Artery somehow replaced the somber post-punk of the debut with a stream of melancholic pop paeans influenced by british folk and certain ballroom dances, with a spectral keyboard sound worth killing for. The secret weapon - when compared to the rest of their discography - is largely explained by the presence of keyboard player and (by now) main composer Christopher Hendrick. The band was in fact reduced to a trio with former members Mark Gouldthorpe (guitar) and Garry Wilson (drums) now supported by the singular effort of Hendrick (also on bass and xylophone). At the same time Garry Wilson was playing in an early incarnation of Pulp. Despite the early Joy Division influence - which the band firmly dismissed – Artery is moving forward into the so-called new romantic era. A vaudeville scenario light years ahead from the streets and the aggro-culture, a way to some pleasant and revealing experience.

Next up for Shall Not Fade's new Killer Cuts series is London-based DJ and label boss Tom Frankel. The up-and-coming producer has gained attention and respect for his slick techy house cuts that take from a range of classic house and UKG sound palettes. He makes his debut on Shall Not Fade with Milestones EP, six tracks of skippy house that reminisces early 90s raves.

The record meshes modern sounds with nostalgia; "Better Perspective" is a pulsing laid back house track but with a swerving bassline that gives it edge. Frankel experiments with the sounds of a warehouse rave in a nod to dancefloor romance, "Mandy Cuddles" - melding the classic M1 house piano with searing jungle vocals that cut through the melody like a laser.

Showing the cheekier side of his production, "Slippery Nipple" pays homage to filter house, a skippy garage bassline bringing it up to date. The funkiness of this one is unavoidable, making even the most static hips move; onto "Peak District", a throbbing 90s style roller to keep the pace going.

The two final tracks dabble in the darker end of Frankel's sound palette; "Tapas" adds heavy bass and percussive organ stabs to a clean house sound while "Cuckoo Land" is a deep, sweeping club track that formed a spaced out end to an otherwise high-intensity EP.

Scottish DJ Ewan McVicar is tipped for big things, having found support in the likes of Annie Mac and Fatboy Slim. After a stellar year crowned with a release on the hallowed Nervous Records, he makes his debut on Shall Not Fade's "Basement Tracks" series with five explosive earworms.

Amnocairn EP collects the most classic sounds from the dancefloor and melts them together, styles blending throughout songs to keep listeners on their toes and dancing. The title track is a sweeping marriage of insistent house piano and washy dub techno synths, leading into the sugary, hardcore "1001 Freestyle" that calls back to early Lone tracks. Then one for the after hours crew, "Ha Mez", a syncopated 303 techno roller.

McVicar keeps the party atmosphere close across the B-side, flexing laser-cut synth arps with a dark, big-room edge on "Stu Boy", before crowning the EP with a gorgeous sun soaked party number "See U Thru My Eyes", jazzy inflected house with a 90s aesthetic. This EP has something for everyone, bringing together eclectic influences into a smooth festival-ready record.

‘This Is Telex’ is a brand-new compilation collecting 14
tracks from the innovative Belgium trio, covering their
career from formation in 1978 up to the final album in
2006.

This compilation includes the hit single ‘Moskow
Diskow’ as well as their Eurovision Song Contest
entry, aptly called ‘Euro-vision’.
There are also two wonderful and previously
unreleased tracks unearthed from the Telex archive, a
cover of The Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’ and a
reinterpretation of a Sonny & Cher track called ‘The
Beat Goes On/Off’.

All the tracks were newly mixed and remastered from
the original tapes by band members Dan Lacksman
and Michel Moers, keeping all the tracks in the spirit of
the originals but adding a freshness to them.
This compilation sets the way for a comprehensive
reissue campaign of the entire Telex catalogue.
CD in card pack with 12-page booklet.

Coloured vinyl 2LP (side A/B is shrimp pink vinyl, side
C/D fern green vinyl) housed in a gatefold cover with
printed inner sleeves with notes by David Stubbs, plus
digital download code.

Tape packaged in pink case with a green shell, plus
digital download code.

Flat Worms on 45! These two tracks charge forth in perfect accord with the increased speed of the format. Culled from their sessions at Electrical Audio for the just-released ‘Antarctica’, this is the upper-cut to follow the album’s gut-punch, a classic knockout move.
The dance called ‘The Guest’ is a bit like The Twist but with more writhing involved. There’s horror there so it’s earned writhing on your part. For this song, Flat Worms take a DEVO-esque view, looking passively upon the actions of the real people. It’s pretty scary.
‘Circle’ belongs to that tradition of 45 tracks that may or may not allude to the 45 itself. “Find the circle! Find the center!” might serve as both timely
polemic and shameless self-promotion. Or maybe not. One thing that’s not ambiguous is the acidglazed lead guitar that hovers like a neon apparition above the thrashing rhythm section. It’s
definitively eerie.
‘Antarctica’ was a life sentence. This double-A-side
45 is the emphatic exclamation point that follows.

1. SINGLE - EN Crowned by expert, airtight vocal domination from frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, “Bystander” owns the listener with its aggressive, fast-paced attack of low, grooving metal riffage, relentless, erratic drums and slinking electronic accents. Tied together with a gritty hook, the track cements what “Cycos” can expect from the heavier side of Initiation. 2. SINGLE - EN Sauntering, forceful and haunting, “No Surrender” track shines as a prime pick on Initiation. The anthem fills the room with a pointed vocal attack and chugging lead riff of the heaviest metal, underlined by creeping electronic murmurs, seamlessly blending several more under-the-radar genre influences ranging from industrial to world while never losing its primary hard rock flavor. 3. SINGLE - EN Purely electrifying and in-your-face throughout, “Vertigo”, unlike its title suggests, is nothing but balanced – connecting like a sucker punch as soon as its electro-laced intro breaks into the first verse. Featuring the production mastery of Juno Award-winning producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach), the anthem stands tall with its airtight, gritty pop rock sensibility. 4. SINGLE - EN As unpredictable and infectiously manic as the news itself, “Bad News” is a rollercoaster of charging, metallic rock riffage, jolting rhythms and catchy, sing a-long vocal lines. Poised as one of the most eclectic offerings on Initiation, lyrically, the timely track careens the listener down a road all too universally familiar – exploring tensions and eventual emotional explosions ignited by the cycle of never-ending bad news that has seemingly saturated the world.

Part of Ernesto Chahoud’s ‘Middle Eastern Heavens’ album series, BBE Music reissues Lebanese composer Ihsan Al-Munzer’s 1985 masterpiece ‘Sonatina for Maria’. Al-Munzer’s sixth solo release, the first entirely composed of his own original works, ‘Sonatina for Maria’ takes a step away from the sound of his earlier ‘Belly Dance Disco’ album (reissued by BBE in 2020). This innovative library album features eight synth-driven instrumentals that effortlessly flow through psychedelic pop, cinematic soundtracks and disco music. Taking in a range of styles, the album illustrates Al-Munzer’s skill in composition and arrangement that saw him become one of the busiest arrangers of Lebanon’s 1980s pop scene. The record goes deeper into the Western rhythm Al-Munzer explored at the beginning of his career and brought to his Middle Eastern fusion productions, with the synthesizer still taking centre stage, and the electric guitar, bass and drums ever more present. When Al-Munzer entered Copenhagen’s Sun Studio in 1985 to record ‘Sonatina for Maria’, the composer thought it would be his last ever album. Diagnosed with mouth cancer, he had travelled to Denmark for treatment and decided to make one final work while awaiting his operation. The composer wrote the record during a particularly challenging period in Lebanon too – the country was buckling at its knees: destroyed, bankrupt and beaten after 10 years of civil war. “When I made the album, I had a sad feeling because of the war in Lebanon and it was hard for me to be away from my country at that time” reflects Al-Munzer. Hence, the album has a particular originality and energy across its eight tracks, wrapped up in melancholy and nostalgia for a troubled homeland, as well as showing a lust for life. Dedicated to his then five-year old daughter, title track ‘Sonatina for Maria’ is an up-tempo disco instrumental with a classical theme. Several pop ballads feature on the album, as well as trippy 1980s TV-style soundtrack ‘Dindolo’ and Arabic disco instrumental ‘Mishwar’ (Picnic), revolving around a punchy Middle Eastern melody. The album includes the main theme from the 1983 Lebanese film ‘Al Makhtouf’, one of three films for which Al-Munzer wrote the soundtrack. Directed by Clauda Akl, the film starred iconic Lebanese singer and actress Sabah. ‘Streets of Beirut’ captures the atmosphere of the Lebanese capital’s deserted streets in wartime and the album closes on fast-paced Euro-disco instrumental ‘Gipsy Nights’. Al-Munzer’s five releases from the 1970s and 1980s are part of BBE Music’s Middle Eastern Heavens reissue series, a collection of ground-breaking productions from Lebanon, curated by Lebanese DJ, compiler and music researcher Ernesto Chahoud. Notes by Natalie Shooter, edited by Will Sumsuch.