BLAH Records is proud to announce the official release of BeTheGun's debut EP 'Miami Deco' - Entirely produced by Lee Scott & Jack Chard. BeTheGun is one of the most unique voices in the UK's underworld of independent rap, the talisman of the infamous COTD crew. A unique turn of phrase and unmistakable delivery with a panache for the finer things. A debut EP to behold.
It’s a unique universe with a distinct mood. Boy Deco’s SAP LP cements his offbeat artistic vision in a laid-back retro pop style. With distorted guitar riffs, wildly original arrangements and toplines that amplify the project’s intentional sense of ease, SAP is one of those rare gems you don’t forget and keep coming back to whenever you need to unwind.
Pop band Deco have announced their debut album, Destination: I Don’t Know released 6th September on Modern Sky. Deco have become the UK’s most intriguing viral pop acts, capturing millions with their social media mashups and earning themselves some famous fans along the way; though far from a flash in the pan online-only endeavour, the quintet emerged with this stunning debut album after building their reputation on the live scene.
Tom Trago returns to Rush Hour after 10 years with a wonderfully accomplished mini-album, tip!
During the years he spent living in Amsterdam, when his DJ career seemed to become an unstoppable juggernaut, Tom Trago was a regular visitor to Deco Sauna, a local institution that helped him “decompress” and de-toxify his body. Eventually, a more extended period of “decompression” was needed, with Trago moving to the coast to reassess his priorities and spend more time with his young family.
‘Deco’, his sixth album and first for Rush Hour in a decade, was recorded following an extended absence from club dancefloors, as Trago cut back on DJ commitments to prioritise family life. When he returned to the studio, often with his daughter by his side, Trago initially struggled to get back into the groove. The desire to make dancefloor-focused music had – temporarily, at least – deserted him; instead, he found himself drawn towards a desire to create “electronic lullabies” and music that reflected his more pastoral environment (his home backs on to a patch of woodland in which he would walk every day).
Returning to his most familiar synthesisers – and specifically the first synthesiser he bought, on credit, as a young DJ and wannabe producer – Trago set about navigating different musical routes without the straight-jacket of club-focused dancefloors. Occasionally, old friends from Amsterdam would join him in the studio – Tracey and Maxi Mill, both of whom are part of his Voyage Direct label roster, contributed to tracks on the album – but for the most part the production process was a solo endeavour: musical therapy for an artist determined to do things differently after years spent making club hits and sweat-soaked peak-time workouts.
The results are rarely less than spellbinding. Trago sets his stall out with opener ‘Dark Oak’, a gorgeous, colourful, sun-bright scene-setter co-produced by Tracey that layers tumbling lead lines, chiming melodic motifs and kaleidoscopic chords atop the gentlest of bubbly beat patterns. Maxi Mill lends a hand on ‘Central Park’, a deep and hypnotic excursion marked out by rhythmic bleeps, minimalistic beats and layered melodies, and the summer sun-down rush of ‘Never Peace a Puzzle’, where kaleidoscopic synth sounds, meandering solos and looped electronic stabs rush towards a dancefloor of the mind.
Trago’s desire to create “electronic lullabies” for his young daughter comes to the fore on ‘To Be Left Unlocked’, a hypnotising fusion of spacey electronic motifs, Steve Reich style (synth) marimba melodies and slowly building musical intensity, while the echoing Fender Rhodes riffs, squelchy synth-bass, glistening guitar notes and sparse, snappy post hip-hop beats of ‘When The Sky Is Watching Us’ doff a cap to the producer’s roots as a bedroom beat-maker.
Given the project’s genesis, it’s perhaps fitting that Trago chose to conclude proceedings with ‘It Might Be Forever’ and the digital only ‘Blue Dope’, the album’s most rejuvenating, immersive, and vibrant moments. Both feature sustained chords painted with vivid aural brush strokes and come blessed with the merest hint of a rhythmic pulse – a thread that subtly runs throughout Trago’s most mature and musically rich album to date.
Matt Anniss
RECORD STORE DAY EXCLUSIVE!
Late 70s Westcoast Yachtpop you can almost dance to!
Man nannte sie nicht umsonst die - Me Me Me Generation'. Die sehr von sich überzeugten bärtigen Musiker (und die Musikerinnen in wabernden Kleidern), die Mitte/Ende der 70er in L.A.'s Strassen rum hingen und sich selbst feierten. Der geschmackvolle Teil der Musik-Welt hätte diese Musikrichtung noch vor einigen Monaten nicht mit der Zange angefasst. Zu sanft, zu übertrieben, zu luxuriös, zu offen hedonistisch, zu ausladend. Zu unecht, zu gekünstelt, nicht authentisch, und dann noch diese unfassbaren Akkordwechsel...Aber ' Too Slow To Disco - vol. 1' hält sich nicht auf mit solchen alten Geschichten und Klischees. Wir alle wissen, sobald Musikgenres alt werden, scheinen die wichtigen, relevanten Teile auf einmal durch und diese Zusammenstellung versteht sich als Dokument eines fast vergessenen Teils der West Coast Musikwelt Mitte bis Ende der 70er Jahre.Es hat ein Jahr gedauert, die von uns ausgewählten, meist unbekannteren Songs aufzutreiben. Songs von Musikern, die damals gerade ihre ersten, oft wenig erfolgreichen Schritte unternahmen, bevor sie Jahre später mal eben eine Handvoll Welthits aus dem Ärmel schüttelten und die - grosse Welle' der Musik der kalifonischen Küste surften. Also, willkommen zu Volume 1 unseres sogenannten PRM (Personal Rediscovery Movement).
Don Cherry's downtown Paris funk masterwork produced in 1985 by Ramuntcho Matta and originally released by Barclay in France only, finally gets a worldwide release on Wewantsounds. Featuring French post-punk muse Elli Medeiros, avant garde poet Brion Gysin and cult Senegalese drummer Abdoulaye Prosper Niang (Xalam), this is a unique soundbite of Paris in the early 80s at its coolest when funk, jazz and new wave were mingling with sounds from Africa, Jamaica and Latin America. Newly Remastered, the album is augmented by a second LP worth of bonus tracks and a deluxe gatefold sleeve with a new essay by French journalist Jacques Denis (Liberation).
Unncecessary is the first EP released on his own label by Nocturnerror, extremely appreciated by the Bass scene led by Zuli, who many times has played his tracks in Web Radios such as NTS, Rinse FM, etc..
“Unnecessary" is the title of the second release on A Flooded Need. Previously tangled in the most slippery meanders of electronic music with strong punk and wave reminiscences, 1/2 of Hyperlacrimae alongside 11xxx27, Nocturnerror approaches this work in a totally different way. The six tracks of the EP, in fact, represent a melting pot of hybrid influences between audacious bass music, cinematic and cacophonic IDM, totally deconstructed techno - stripped of its dance component - and dirty rave jungle.”
Insert — Web zine
3LP limited deluxe edition of Beastie Boys’ platinum-selling 2004 To the 5 Boroughs album, featuring 11 bonus tracks, including remixes and B-sides., pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a triple gatefold jacket with pop-up elements and an NYC map lithograph, inside a rigid slipcase.
Death Is Not The End collaborate with Uzbek label Maqom Soul to deliver an LP counterpart to last year's mixtape of the same title, compiling specially picked & fully licensed individual belters from the ex-soviet studios of Central Asian republics between 1978 and 1989 - incl. Uzbek, Tajik, Kurdish & Uyghur artists pulling traditional folk motifs together with pop & rock and psych elements.
"These recordings do not form a smooth or coherent history. They feel more like a sequence of discoveries made at different moments and in different circumstances. Songs and instrumental pieces that once lived inside specific contexts radio broadcasts, philharmonic programs, touring routes now sit side by side, revealing hidden connections as well as clear fractures between them.
Nasiba Abdullaeva appears here as a voice from the end of an era. Trained within a conservatory system, she worked inside the format of the Soviet pop song while filling it with melodic logic that did not come from Moscow or Leningrad. Her voice is soft and sustained, shaped by Eastern melisma, and it never functions as decoration. Even in tightly structured songs there is a sense of resistance, an effort to preserve a musical language rooted in Uzbek tradition rather than fully adapted to an all Union standard.
The ensemble Sintez, later renamed Navo, represents a different path. Beginning as a student rock group, the band was gradually absorbed into the official VIA system with all its limitations and compromises. Yet it was precisely within those boundaries that Sintez and Navo developed a recognizable sound. Electric guitars and jazz rock harmonies do not overpower the folk material but remain in tension with it. Their recordings feel like negotiations between what the musicians wanted to play and what they were allowed to perform.
The Tajik ensemble Gulshan reflects an institutional approach carried to a high professional level. Formed under television and radio structures, the group treated folk material almost as a written score. Carefully constructed arrangements, close attention to orchestration, and restrained use of pop techniques define their sound. There is less spontaneity here, but a strong sense of discipline and structure, where national melody becomes part of a carefully controlled sonic framework.
Koma Wetan occupies a very different space. Formed in the 1970s, this Kurdish rock group approached poetry and folklore as tools of cultural assertion. Their psychedelic rock never feels like a stylistic borrowing. Instead it functions as a contemporary vessel for language and themes that might otherwise have remained unheard. Even today these recordings sound fragile and stubborn at the same time.
The Uyghur ensemble Yashlik, closely connected to a musical drama theatre, operated somewhere between stage performance and popular music. Their songs are built on folk melodies but shaped for wide audiences. What emerges is a constant attempt to preserve the recognizability of Uyghur musical identity without freezing it in a folkloric frame. Yashlik's music exists in a state of balance between representation and development.
Digging Central Asia does not attempt to establish hierarchies or offer a single wayof listening. Names and dates matter less than the sound itself. Tape noise, abrupt transitions, and unexpected timbres remain part of the material rather than flaws to be corrected. This music existed at the crossroads of multiple routes geographic, cultural, and ideological. Heard today in a new context, it no longer feels peripheral. Instead it stands as a reminder that the history of popular music is far more fragmented, layered, and polyphonic than it is usually allowed to be."
In Mikey’s own words, ““Myths of the MediterrAlien” is a high-octane voyage through a universe where ancient cultures collide with futuristic visions.” For him “the MediterrAlien is a hybrid character who drifts between mythology and outer space, carrying fragments of both history and hyperspace into the club.” Across four explosive tracks, the EP reimagines deconstructed club and experimental bass through a fast, hyper-energetic lens. Each piece feels like a different chapter in the MediterrAlien’s journey, spiralling through cosmic turbulence, touching down on ancient shores, and refracting tradition through the intensity of a distant galaxy.
Designed for the late-night fringes of the dance floor, Myths of the MediterrAlien is both a personal mythology and a sonic wormhole—bridging the universe where Jensen Interceptor’s comes from with where his imagination is heading next.
All tracks written and produced by Jensen Interceptor. Master by Carlos Nascimento at Qualia Audio Lab. Artwork by Conhecido João & Diogo Vasconcelos
Protocolo SysEx aka Fabio Vinuesa lanza este EP en su sello con cuatro pelotazos originales y dos remixes de Boris Divider y Heinrich Mueller.
GEOMETRÍA VIRTUAL documents a scenario in which mechanisms of control cease to function as external layers and instead become the very foundation of the system. The album does not propose a future dystopia, but rather a reality in which decision-making is automated and artificial intelligence is established as a structure of social control.Protocolo SysEx, a project by Fabio Vinuesa, is conceived as a narrative and sonic framework from which to examine the political and philosophical implications of a world governed by artificial intelligence. The release includes reinterpretations by Boris Divider and Heinrich Mueller and constitutes the first chapter of a trilogy focused on the progressive normalization of algorithmic control.
Geometría Virtual EP – Distrito 91 15
a A1 - Geometría Virtual Part I
[b] A2 - Geometría Virtual [Part II]
Building a temple of sound from reduced elements, Decoder's Alchemy EP on T3R allows selected components to generate a strong and steady drive. Using a distinctly organic sound palette, the tone of the release is wordly, sometimes almost wooden with space taking the role of an active element. When melodies or chords appear, they introduce a subtle sense of melancholy, adding emotional weight without pulling the music away from its physicality. In its unfolding storyline, the EP suggests a broader narrative. While each piece explores a slightly different soundscaping approach, a consistent DNA runs through the release - reinforced by Sanskrit and Hindu references as an underlying conceptual thread. Percussion is handled with precision and imagination: Grooves shift, evolve, and reconfigure. Dark, driving sequences are softened by airy pads and atmospheric layers, creating a dual feeling of intensity and serenity. Filters and reverbs are applied with restraint, giving the music a sense of movement and breath. Alchemy showcases an emerging artistic voice driven by aspiration and exploration. Through confident craftsmanship, genuineness and self-reflection translate into a perfectly balanced, inspiring release. ? 2026 The Third Room Written and Produced by Gautham Gaug Mixdown and Mastering by Ahmet Sisman (The Third Room Studios) Artwork by Daniel Bornmann & Lennard Makosch (STUEDIO.XYZ) Distribution by Clone Pressing by Matter Of Fact
OTON releases limited edition vinyl and CD box set of Alva Noto's Xerrox series.
Pioneering in his approach to digital sound and its materiality, Alva Noto (Carsten Nicolai) began his ongoing exploration of sampling, degradation and recontextualisation with the Xerrox series in 2007. Over the years, the project has evolved into one of the most distinctive bodies of work in contemporary electronic music, situated between minimalism, experimental sound art and digital abstraction.
Across five albums, Xerrox Vol.1 (2007), Xerrox Vol.2 (2009), Xerrox Vol.3 (2015), Xerrox Vol.4 (2020), and Xerrox Vol.5 (2024), Nicolai's method evolves from sample-based work toward original composition as he deconstructs and reassembles source material into precise, sculpted sound worlds that are at once minimal and emotive.
Remastered in collaboration with Bo Kondren of Calyx Mastering, the Xerrox recordings of Volumes 1, 2, and 3 are made available alongside Volumes 4 and 5 on vinyl and CD under the title 'reMASTER', presented in a beautifully designed box featuring original artwork by Carsten Nicolai.
Loud Ambient 2 picks up directly from where Loud Ambient left off. After picking the drum machines back up, we returned to the colourfield ideas that shaped the first record. Rothko remained a key reference, along- side a strong recommendation to spend time with the work of Josef Albers. We did exactly that, and it paid off.
Alongside the music, we created 50 new pieces of artwork for Loud Ambient 2. These became tools rather than decorations. Working this way felt open and rewarding, and brought a real sense of play back into the process. We already understood what a Loud Ambient track could be, so slipping back into that headspace felt natural. The tracks came together quickly, full of energy, movement and that familiar noodle quality.
The creative side landed easily this time. There is some- thing about working with colourfields that frees you up and pushes you further into abstraction. It removes hesitation and keeps the focus on instinct and response.
With the drum machines and synths loaded, we kept our heads down and made the kind of music we want to hear on a dance floor. Loud Ambient 2 is the result.
WRWTFWW Records is pleased to announce its fifth collaboration with NY-LA ambient / jazz / downtempo musician Danny Scott Lane with the first ever vinyl release of his 2022 full-length album Holy Goodnight, available on limited edition LP (500 copies worldwide) housed in a heavyweight sleeve.
After Home Decor, Shower, Caput, and Songs For Sex, here’s another Danny Scott Lane classic. On Holy Goodnight, he handles synths, keyboards, bass, guitar, percussion, and field recordings for a smooth nightride through city pop, contemplative jazz, vaporwave, slow funk, cozy ambient, library music vibes, and relaxed moods.
Holy Goodnight feels like cruising through a half-asleep city with the windows down and the radio low—lush harmonies and soft grooves guiding the way. It’s warm and hazy music for late hours and early mornings, introspective, comforting, cinematic, intimate…
Following the release of chillout staples on WRWTFWW, Danny Scott Lane further cements his unmistakable sonic universe. Complete the collection and sink deeper into the night.
Points of interest
For fans of ambient jazz, city pop, downtempo, smooth funk, vaporwave, library music, night drives, neon lights, quiet introspection, cozy late hours, and peaceful goodnights.
Super limited edition vinyl (500 copies worldwide) of Danny Scott Lane’s Holy Goodnight, available on vinyl for the first time ever.
Sound Records proudly presents ‘Morpho’, the debut LP from UK-based producer Benyayer, formerly one-third of celebrated electronic trio Dark Sky. A deeply personal record and a symbolic transition, Morpho captures the emotional and sonic evolution of an artist in metamorphosis.
Having stepped into the solo spotlight following his successful Infiltrator EP, Benyayer (aka Matt) delivers a bold, vinyl release that combines seven previously digital-only tracks with a brand new cut, ‘The Return’, all meticulously curated and pressed for the first time on wax.
Bridging influences from techno, UK bass, Afrofuturism, and electronica, Morpho is a meticulous exploration of rhythm designed to excite, cause chaos, personal reflection and movement. Each track is a raw, rhythmic exploration that draws on his time spent busking on the streets of London with found objects, experimentation with modular synths and years of experience honing his craft as a performer at some of the finest establishments in the electronic music landscape.
This initial vinyl edition is limited to just 300 copies. Designed in collaboration with Harry Cresswell, each sleeve features a deconstructed butterfly motif, laser-cut on both sides of heavy matte stock, paired with a matte-printed inner sleeve and a transparent vinyl disc, making each copy a true collector’s item.
The LP arrives amid support from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Benji B, and Tom Ravenscroft (BBC 6 Music), as well as heavyweight artists including Ben UFO, Bicep, Laurent Garnier, Bonobo, and Modeselektor.
Benyayer's new live show, built around these very tools, has already been trailed to great acclaim across Europe, adding a powerful performative dimension to the record. With previous performances at Berghain, Fabric, Glastonbury, MUTEK, Dimensions and Melt Festival. Benyayer's solo trajectory continues to rise with intent, mystery, and a fierce sense of artistic purpose.
GREEN TINT CASSETTE[14,08 €]
Niemand hätte jemals die Entwicklung voraussehen können, die Hardcore nehmen würde, als diese Bewegung entstand. Und Anfang der 2000er Jahre hätte niemand vermutet, dass eine Band wie TERROR auch 24 Jahre nach ihrer Gründung noch immer eine der einflussreichsten Bands des Subgenres sein würde. Ihre Aggressivität, gepaart mit ihrer Liebe und Wertschätzung für die Szene, die so viele gekommen und gegangen sind oder sogar ganz vergessen haben, hat ihnen Erfolg beschert - nun veröffentlichen sie ihr zehntes Album, STILL SUFFER, das am 24. April bei Flatspot Records erscheint. TERROR stammt aus Los Angeles, Kalifornien, aus einer Zeit, als Hardcore eine Band brauchte, um wieder auf Kurs zu kommen, da das Genre aus der Bahn geraten war. TERROR stürmte herein, machte sich sofort einen Namen und ließ nicht mehr locker. Die Band hat ihren Ursprung in der kalifornischen Hardcore-Szene, die sich in den späten 1980er und frühen 1990er Jahren von der Punk-Szene abspaltete. TERROR stammt aus Los Angeles, Kalifornien, und entstand zu einer Zeit, als Hardcore eine Band brauchte, um die Dinge wieder ins Lot zu bringen, da das Genre aus der Bahn geraten war. TERROR stürzte sich in die Szene, hinterließ sofort seine Spuren und gab sie nie wieder auf. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Produzenten (und ehemaligen Gitarristen) Todd Jones schuf die Band zehn schnelle, aggressive, provokative Tracks, die die Themen aufgreifen, die TERROR überhaupt erst so einflussreich gemacht haben. Songs über Selbstermächtigung, Überleben und den unerbittlichen Willen, sich Herausforderungen mit den Werten und der Unterstützung zu stellen, die innerhalb dieser Mauern zu finden sind. STILL SUFFER wurde durch die Technik und zusätzliche Produktion von Taylor Young im The Pit Recording Studio, das Mixing von Jon Markson und das Mastering von Brad Boatright bei Audiosiege vervollständigt, mit zusätzlicher Vocal-Technik von Jay Zubricky bei GCR Audio und Drum-Technik im Studio 606 von Taylor Young und Oliver Roman. Die Gastvocals auf dem Album stammen von Jay Peta von Mindforce bei ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine bei ,Deconstruct It", zusammen mit Hot Water Music's und Drum-Technik im Studio 606 von Taylor Young und Oliver Roman. Die Gastvocals auf dem Album stammen von Jay Peta von Mindforce bei ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine bei ,Deconstruct It", zusammen mit Hot Water Music's Als Gastsänger auf dem Album sind Jay Peta von Mindforce in ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine in ,Deconstruct It" sowie Chuck Ragan von Hot Water Music zu hören, der in ,Fear The Panic" eine selbstbewusste Performance liefert. Dieser Song wurde auch von Chad Gilbert von New Found Glory co-produziert. Von Anfang an hat TERROR nie den Dingen den Rücken gekehrt, die diese Band seit ihrer Gründung so wichtig gemacht haben. Mit der Veröffentlichung von STILL SUFFER wird deutlich, dass die Band keine Anzeichen einer Schwäche zeigt und weiterhin mit den Werten und der Unterstützung, die sie innerhalb dieser Mauern findet, Herausforderungen direkt angeht. Die Songs handeln von Selbstermächtigung, Überleben und dem unerbittlichen Willen, sich Herausforderungen mit den Werten und der Unterstützung, die innerhalb dieser Mauern zu finden sind, direkt zu stellen. Von Anfang an hat TERROR nie den Dingen den Rücken gekehrt, die diese Band seit ihrer Gründung so lebendig gemacht haben. Mit der Veröffentlichung von STILL SUFFER wird deutlich, dass die Band keine Anzeichen einer Schwäche zeigt und weiterhin erfolgreich ihre Mission verfolgt, authentischen Hardcore zu liefern und der Welt zu zeigen, dass dies viel mehr als nur Musik ist. Diese Gemeinschaft und Bewegung, die niemand wirklich in Worte fassen kann, ist genau der Ort, aus dem die Energie stammt, die TERROR antreibt, mit STILL SUFFER weiter zu wachsen und sich weiterzuentwickeln. ,Die Ewigkeit ändert sich nicht, du bist genauso beschädigt wie ich."
Niemand hätte jemals die Entwicklung voraussehen können, die Hardcore nehmen würde, als diese Bewegung entstand. Und Anfang der 2000er Jahre hätte niemand vermutet, dass eine Band wie TERROR auch 24 Jahre nach ihrer Gründung noch immer eine der einflussreichsten Bands des Subgenres sein würde. Ihre Aggressivität, gepaart mit ihrer Liebe und Wertschätzung für die Szene, die so viele gekommen und gegangen sind oder sogar ganz vergessen haben, hat ihnen Erfolg beschert - nun veröffentlichen sie ihr zehntes Album, STILL SUFFER, das am 24. April bei Flatspot Records erscheint. TERROR stammt aus Los Angeles, Kalifornien, aus einer Zeit, als Hardcore eine Band brauchte, um wieder auf Kurs zu kommen, da das Genre aus der Bahn geraten war. TERROR stürmte herein, machte sich sofort einen Namen und ließ nicht mehr locker. Die Band hat ihren Ursprung in der kalifornischen Hardcore-Szene, die sich in den späten 1980er und frühen 1990er Jahren von der Punk-Szene abspaltete. TERROR stammt aus Los Angeles, Kalifornien, und entstand zu einer Zeit, als Hardcore eine Band brauchte, um die Dinge wieder ins Lot zu bringen, da das Genre aus der Bahn geraten war. TERROR stürzte sich in die Szene, hinterließ sofort seine Spuren und gab sie nie wieder auf. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Produzenten (und ehemaligen Gitarristen) Todd Jones schuf die Band zehn schnelle, aggressive, provokative Tracks, die die Themen aufgreifen, die TERROR überhaupt erst so einflussreich gemacht haben. Songs über Selbstermächtigung, Überleben und den unerbittlichen Willen, sich Herausforderungen mit den Werten und der Unterstützung zu stellen, die innerhalb dieser Mauern zu finden sind. STILL SUFFER wurde durch die Technik und zusätzliche Produktion von Taylor Young im The Pit Recording Studio, das Mixing von Jon Markson und das Mastering von Brad Boatright bei Audiosiege vervollständigt, mit zusätzlicher Vocal-Technik von Jay Zubricky bei GCR Audio und Drum-Technik im Studio 606 von Taylor Young und Oliver Roman. Die Gastvocals auf dem Album stammen von Jay Peta von Mindforce bei ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine bei ,Deconstruct It", zusammen mit Hot Water Music's und Drum-Technik im Studio 606 von Taylor Young und Oliver Roman. Die Gastvocals auf dem Album stammen von Jay Peta von Mindforce bei ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine bei ,Deconstruct It", zusammen mit Hot Water Music's Als Gastsänger auf dem Album sind Jay Peta von Mindforce in ,Beauty in the Losses", Brody King von God's Hate und Dan Seely von King Nine in ,Deconstruct It" sowie Chuck Ragan von Hot Water Music zu hören, der in ,Fear The Panic" eine selbstbewusste Performance liefert. Dieser Song wurde auch von Chad Gilbert von New Found Glory co-produziert. Von Anfang an hat TERROR nie den Dingen den Rücken gekehrt, die diese Band seit ihrer Gründung so wichtig gemacht haben. Mit der Veröffentlichung von STILL SUFFER wird deutlich, dass die Band keine Anzeichen einer Schwäche zeigt und weiterhin mit den Werten und der Unterstützung, die sie innerhalb dieser Mauern findet, Herausforderungen direkt angeht. Die Songs handeln von Selbstermächtigung, Überleben und dem unerbittlichen Willen, sich Herausforderungen mit den Werten und der Unterstützung, die innerhalb dieser Mauern zu finden sind, direkt zu stellen. Von Anfang an hat TERROR nie den Dingen den Rücken gekehrt, die diese Band seit ihrer Gründung so lebendig gemacht haben. Mit der Veröffentlichung von STILL SUFFER wird deutlich, dass die Band keine Anzeichen einer Schwäche zeigt und weiterhin erfolgreich ihre Mission verfolgt, authentischen Hardcore zu liefern und der Welt zu zeigen, dass dies viel mehr als nur Musik ist. Diese Gemeinschaft und Bewegung, die niemand wirklich in Worte fassen kann, ist genau der Ort, aus dem die Energie stammt, die TERROR antreibt, mit STILL SUFFER weiter zu wachsen und sich weiterzuentwickeln. ,Die Ewigkeit ändert sich nicht, du bist genauso beschädigt wie ich."
One of the beating hearts of the film Hola Frida is its soundtrack, composed by Laetitia Pansanel-Garric in collaboration with Olivia Ruiz. More than just accompaniment, the music is a true extension of its universe: it paints emotions with vibrant sounds and pays tribute to Frida's roots while exploring modern and universal soundscapes.
From Olivia Ruiz's rendition of the original song ‘Hola Frida’ to the
rich orchestral sounds of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, each note invites you to immerse yourself in an artistic tribute that will appeal to young
and old alike.
Between elegant and dark electronic beats and cosmic ambient breaths, seven tracks enveloped in the voice of a multi-talented artist, dedicated to deconstructing the song form and breaking down language to create an esoteric sonic world where the archaic, contemporary, and futuristic entwine like the gravitational dance of two galaxies about to merge. Born in 1992 in Gallura, with a jazz background that allows for absolute compositional freedom, Daniela Pes is a unique personality in today"s scene. Her distinctive features include the use of voice as an instrument and textual exploration: in Spira, the Sardinian artist sings in a language that does not (yet) exist. Ancient Gallurese words, fragments of Italian terms, entirely invented words form the organic molecules of an unprecedented language where verses are free from metrics, and words are not conveyors of a concept but pure sound, like beads of an articulated phonetic rosary, inaccessible rationally but intoxicating emotionally. Spira is an album of visionary music interpreting the sonic dramaturgy as utopia.
Through her compositions, Oonagh Haines explores nocturnal atmospheres where contemporary electronic music, underground aesthetics and deconstructed pop forms intersect.
Her music is built on a play of opposites: a modified voice performs its antipodal double, while avant-garde techno and sentimentalism coexist, carried by a certain nonchalance and a restrained posture that is not without recalling Anika.
Not Not Pretending is her first album. It will be released by moli del tro on 24 April 2026.
NEW COVER ART, LTD ORANGE VINYL[25,42 €]
Ein PUNK-ROCK-MEISTERWERK neu aufgelegt - mit, aus aktuellem Anlass, aktualisiertem 2026 Cover-Artwork! Das erste Studioalbum von NOFX auf Fat! Die Band behandelte ernste Themen (Punk-Kultur und Politik) mit ihrem typischen Witz und Sarkasmus und zielte auf George W. Bush. Nun ist ein neuer Clown am Start! Damals (2003) schaffte es das Album sowohl in Großbritannien als auch in den USA in die Top 50 und war auch auf dem europäischen Festland erfolgreich, wo es in der Schweiz und in Deutschland die Top 30 erreichte, in Österreich die Top 50 und in Frankreich die Top 100. "Musically, NOFX fuses its political cynicism with criticism of punk rock itself and suggests that the best thing for all the kids and the bands might be to close ranks and start their own little hardcore community. 'Irrationality of Rationality' and 'Franco Un-American'_two of the album's most melodic, catchy songs_are also two of War on Errorism's most biting commentaries. The first personalizes the trickle-down effect of corporate decision-making over a lockstep hardcore rhythm; the second gets all-new wavy as Fat Mike reasons out his own world view, and somehow rhymes "apathy" with "Noam Chomsky.'" - NOFX hat sich zwar aufgelöst, aber das Vermächtnis lebt weiter. Die Band ist derzeit Gegenstand ihrer ersten umfassenden Ausstellung im Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas. Die Dokumentation "40 Years of Fuckin Upmakes" feiert beim SXSW 2026 Premiere und ist ab April umfassend zu sehen (Score & Original Soundtrack mit neuer Musik von NOFX folgen in Kürze). Der zweite Teil der A-Z-Raritäten-Trilogie "I to Q" soll Ende 2026 erscheinen. Und behaltet Fat Mike im Auge, denn Gerüchten zufolge hat er eine eigene Meinung zur aktuellen Weltlage. Warning: owning this record might piss off (more than ever) your army recruiter, grizzled grampa, or those wacky flag-wavin' nationalist buddies of yours.
Ein PUNK-ROCK-MEISTERWERK neu aufgelegt - mit, aus aktuellem Anlass, aktualisiertem 2026 Cover-Artwork! Das erste Studioalbum von NOFX auf Fat! Die Band behandelte ernste Themen (Punk-Kultur und Politik) mit ihrem typischen Witz und Sarkasmus und zielte auf George W. Bush. Nun ist ein neuer Clown am Start! Damals (2003) schaffte es das Album sowohl in Großbritannien als auch in den USA in die Top 50 und war auch auf dem europäischen Festland erfolgreich, wo es in der Schweiz und in Deutschland die Top 30 erreichte, in Österreich die Top 50 und in Frankreich die Top 100. "Musically, NOFX fuses its political cynicism with criticism of punk rock itself and suggests that the best thing for all the kids and the bands might be to close ranks and start their own little hardcore community. 'Irrationality of Rationality' and 'Franco Un-American'_two of the album's most melodic, catchy songs_are also two of War on Errorism's most biting commentaries. The first personalizes the trickle-down effect of corporate decision-making over a lockstep hardcore rhythm; the second gets all-new wavy as Fat Mike reasons out his own world view, and somehow rhymes "apathy" with "Noam Chomsky.'" - NOFX hat sich zwar aufgelöst, aber das Vermächtnis lebt weiter. Die Band ist derzeit Gegenstand ihrer ersten umfassenden Ausstellung im Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas. Die Dokumentation "40 Years of Fuckin Upmakes" feiert beim SXSW 2026 Premiere und ist ab April umfassend zu sehen (Score & Original Soundtrack mit neuer Musik von NOFX folgen in Kürze). Der zweite Teil der A-Z-Raritäten-Trilogie "I to Q" soll Ende 2026 erscheinen. Und behaltet Fat Mike im Auge, denn Gerüchten zufolge hat er eine eigene Meinung zur aktuellen Weltlage. Warning: owning this record might piss off (more than ever) your army recruiter, grizzled grampa, or those wacky flag-wavin' nationalist buddies of yours.
Oceanine, Jolanda Moletta’s third album and her first for Beacon Sound, is a powerful and ethereal statement of artistic community. Expanding on her previous work, each track represents a collaboration with a different female vocalist, with the foundational elements being generated entirely by her own voice. By turns haunting, enchanting, and inspiring, you won’t want to come up for air once you’ve been pulled under. Representing a
musical practice that is distinctly feminist, this is an album with a longer view in mind, to an age when the altars were to goddesses and women were centered as powerful beings representing the earth’s cycles of regeneration and renewal. Oceanine then, in all its beauty, can be viewed as an album of survival. It is deeply transportive, accessing something that lies within all of us. As the late, great Lithuanian folklorist and archaeologist Marija Gimbutas noted, “We must refocus our collective memory. The necessity for this has never been greater as we discover that the path of 'progress' is extinguishing the very conditions for life on earth.”
Jolanda Moletta is a multimedia artist and one-woman electronic choir. She creates wordless compositions through extended vocal techniques, integrating wearable-controlled live processing, alongside symbolic visuals. Moletta considers her performances to be a collective ritual and creates her Sonic & Visual Spells following the cycles of nature and the moon. Jolanda's 2022 critically acclaimed album Nine Spells was released on the Ambientologist label, followed by Night Caves on Whitelabrecs in 2025. Moletta’s artistic practice is a radical and spiritual journey through sound art, ritual, and the symbolic archaeology of the feminine.
Oceanine is inspired by sirens, water nymphs, and the timeless call of the sea. At its core lies Jolanda’s deep, lifelong connection to the Mediterranean Sea and to the ancient and modern myths and folklore that have emerged from its waters. Growing up by the Mar Ligure, Jolanda was surrounded by stories carried by salt, wind, and waves: legends of sirens, echoes of ancient voices, and the sea as both origin and oracle. This intimate relationship with the Mediterranean is not merely a backdrop, but a living source that shapes Oceanine’s emotional, symbolic, and sonic world.
Each track features a different female vocalist, creating a rich tapestry of voices, styles, and perspectives. This artistic choice not only broadens the album’s sonic palette, but also deepens its narrative core: celebrating the power, beauty, and mystique of feminine energy through myth, history, and sound.
The entire album is built exclusively from the human voice, processed and layered, yet always remaining voice, and nothing else. For each piece, Jolanda invited every vocalist involved to contribute a raw stem: a short, unedited melodic fragment of just a few seconds, inspired by the album’s themes. These intimate vocal seeds became the foundation of each track: the guest artists’ voices appear as brief, melodic stems, while the entire surrounding “orchestral” fabric is created solely from Jolanda’s own layered and processed voice. In this way, Jolanda’s voice becomes the Ocean itself, embracing, absorbing, and carrying the sirens’ calls within a vast, immersive soundscape. Every song is a unique expression of the feminine experience, revealing its depth, complexity, and emotional range, echoing the call of the sea and the many faces of the siren archetype.
The figure of the siren has transformed across centuries. In myths of Ancient Greece and Rome, sirens were hybrid beings, part woman, part bird, whose irresistible songs lured sailors to their doom. During the Middle Ages, the image shifted toward the half-woman, half-fish figure, often associated with temptation and danger. Historically, the voice of women has often been feared. Sirens were considered harbingers of misfortune not simply because they seduced or destroyed, but because they were powerful liminal beings.
In Ancient Greek, sirens functioned as psychopomps: figures who existed between worlds and guided souls, especially between life and death. Their songs were believed to carry forbidden knowledge, including prophetic insight and the ability to reveal truths about fate and the future. The danger of the sirens lay in what they revealed: knowledge that humans were not meant, or ready, to hear.
Oceanine confronts this legacy head-on. The voices heard throughout the album are not merely beautiful: they are dark and luminous, wild and enchanting, magical, soothing, dreamy, and at times fractured or distorted. They whisper, lament, beckon, and enchant. Like sirens, they skim the surface of the water and sink into its depths, hovering on the edge between tenderness and danger, vulnerability and power. They rise toward the sky, dissolve into mist, and return as echoes charged with raw, elemental emotion: voices that seduce, warn, mourn, and remember. They refuse to be reduced to decoration.
Alongside the album’s release in May, Oceanine will also unfold as a visual and performative work through a short art film. The film includes a live session recorded inside a sea cave facing the Mar Ligure, the very coastline where Jolanda spent her childhood, dreaming of sirens and listening to the sea as if it were speaking directly to her. This site-specific performance reconnects the music to its place of origin, allowing the voice to resonate within stone, water, and air, and transforming the cave into both a sanctuary and a threshold between myth and reality.
What if the sirens’ songs were considered dangerous because they carried another truth, an ancient truth long forgotten?
Oceanine embraces the idea that we are still deeply woven into myth. Though we may see ourselves as rational and modern beings, our world is saturated with ancient symbols and archetypes, often distorted, simplified, or stripped of their original meaning. And if those symbols are allowed to shift, if the mirror once held by the siren becomes an invitation to look beyond appearances and into what has been obscured, then we may finally uncover a deeper truth and reclaim the voice that was always ours.
Oceanine is not just an album. It is a reclamation, a spell, and a call from the depths.
Raw, focused, and deeply machine-driven, a record that embraces the essence of hardware-based production with confidence, energy, and character. There is no excess here, no unnecessary decoration, just a direct and powerful sound shaped by tension, movement, and the unmistakable warmth of true analog gear. Techno record built for dark rooms, serious systems, and lovers of authentic machine music. A powerful release that captures analog techno in its most direct and effective form.
The Vibracid network reaches its fourth phase — the moment of awakening.
What was once hidden beneath layers of programming now resurfaces: the total recall of collective memory.
Encrypted memories from multiple worlds are decoded through sequences of electro-bass, acid warfare, and cinematic techno tension.
Six sound engineers from the Galactic Confederation synchronize their signals to reassemble what was erased — transmitting across psychic fields, dancefloors, and forgotten neural corridors.
Calagad 13 opens the operation with Mad Flava, pure raw energy — the ignition spark that reactivates the buried code.
5ZYL follows with To Your Knees, a dark and heavy descent into pressure and distortion.
Saigg brings the direct, high-voltage electro of Procesos Continuos, channeling precision and drive.
On the B-side, Lups Digga delivers Just Dance, a floor-oriented electro-bass detonator built for propulsion.
Roi expands the field with Despoiled — cinematic, tense and electrified, balancing techno discipline with emotional depth.
Finally, Cliff Dalton closes with Snowbirds, an introspective and elegant comedown: the calm after total awakening.
Mastered and crafted with precision for a strictly limited edition of 150 copies on purple vinyl.
2026 Repress
Portuguese techno mainstay Dextro drops cultured EP 'Covil Dos Abutres' for his label debut on Mutual Rytm.
Dextro has been immersed in electronic music and DJing since the early 90s. In the decades since, he has become synonymous with a sound deeply rooted in simplicity and authenticity. Fuelled by a passion for his craft, his production process is guided by intuition and spans a diverse range of styles, from tunnelling grooves to more potent techno with deep and hypnotic layers. He has held several key residencies and released on top labels like CLR and Missile Records, and he adds to those with a first outing on SHDW's Mutual Rytm with 'Covil Dos Abutres'.
The five-track 12" and eight-track digital EP has a sleek, stripped-back style, with wide-spanning corners of the techno realm explored. 'Covil Dos Abutres' is a deep space transmission with journeying, frictionless beats and deft sci-fi motifs that recall classic touches synonymous with the genre's pioneers. 'Correct Incorrect' keeps the pressure on with more rubbery, dubbed-out groves beautifully decorated with delicate melodies. 'Vida E Morte' is another sublime and hypotonic minimal techno sound with funk in the kicks and a freaky late-night spirit. 'Element One' again combines perfectly reduced drum groves with atmospheric pads and curious samples that keep you intrigued, and 'Beautiful Day' closes out with sonar-like synth pulses over the most skeletal but captivating rhythms. Digital cuts 'Time Line', 'Savana Urbana', and 'Diferencas' further explore the intersection of minimalism with cosmic synth designs that take you off into distant astral worlds.
Jess Sah Bi is well-known as half of the legendary duo Jess Sah Bi & Peter One who brought homegrown Country-Americana to the West African masses with their smash debut Our Garden Needs Its Flowers in the mid-1980s. Touring stadiums and reaching listeners worldwide, their music has racked up millions of spins on YouTube and remains imprinted in the hearts of Ivorians of a certain age. ATFA reissued their album in 2018, garnering critical acclaim from publications including Pitchfork and Rolling Stone and reaching a new generation of listeners outside Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire). Sometime in the early 90s, Die Sahbi - or Jesse, as he known to friends-became gravely ill with an unknown ailment and almost died. He visited various doctors and all kinds of religious healers and nothing helped. One day he went down to an Evangelical Christian revival in his neighborhood. They prayed over him and he was delivered. He says, "Their prayers helped chase out whatever demons and unhealthy spirits were inside me. After that my illness went away. When I went to the United States a few months later on an exchange program I wanted to make music to thank God because I was saved." He recorded an album of music praising God in order to honor a promise he made to himself at the depths of his desperation in the hospital. The album Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas Jesus Christ Does Not Let Us Down came out in 1991 and sold around 3000 cassettes in Ivory Coast. The master tape was lost along the way so the recording has never been on digital platforms until now. Jesse didn't have much time to record while visiting South Carolina, hence the relatively short album, 6 songs including two reprises for filler. A local pastor connected him with a studio and some American musicians (Robert Fortner and Gary Davis) to help. They added acoustic guitar, percussion and keyboard accompaniment to Jesse's soaring French and Gouro vocals, harmonica and finger-picked acoustic. The resulting recording is deeply soothing and contemplative music that perfectly compliments the songs already embraced by millions. But he had to find the rest of the studio expenses-$600 total-which he secured drawing cartoons for UNICEF. Jesse is Ivory Coast's first political cartoonist, a vocation for which he was widely celebrated at the time. It also made him a few enemies which lead to him leaving the country permanently a few years later. Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas is Jess Sah Bi's first and only gospel album. Fortunately, fans responded with enthusiasm: widespread radio airplay and concerts followed, along with a growing solo profile in the country. The first big gospel artists in Ivory Coast were the duo Mathieu et Constance, who emerged in 1989. There was a bigger gospel music movement in English-speaking counties like Ghana and Nigeria (Christians make up roughly 40% of the population in Ivory Coast, slightly less than Muslims). Jesse didn't have any intention of working in Christian music but he realized, "You don't make music to make money-you want to send a message." In the years since Jesus-Christ's release, gospel music in Ivory Coast has grown to become a key part of music culture in the country. Spiritual music appears in community actives across the public and private spectrum from religious gatherings and parties to television broadcasts and music festivals. And, as it has evolved and indigenized locally, gospel music has picked up elements of traditional Ivorian music, reggae and soul. The album ultimately precipitated the demise of the duo, who were soon separated geographically as Peter One relocated to Nashville. He went on to become a nurse and release a successful solo album on Verve following the ATFA collaboration. Nowadays Jesse lives in the Bay Area and continues to record and perform music wherever and whenever he has the chance. He is publishing a new book of humorous cartoons in 2025 and his most recent album Never Give Up came out in 2020
Constellation Tatsu welcomes US artist Brendan Principato aka Saapato for what is a hugely conceptual new album based around decomposition. It was sparked when Saapato saw a dead fox lying by the side of the road on his way home from a job in a local warehouse. He used that as a jumping-off point to interrogate "transformation, interconnectedness, and renewal" and the five stages of decomposition, namely fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay and dry/remains. Several collaborators help him on his way as he sketches out various instrumental textures which variously have occasional shards of light, lingering melancholy and a subtle sense of hope.
Inside his quiet, neon-lit room after midnight, the night settles in shades of blue and violet. Screens glow softly, shelves sit lined with dormant consoles, and the outside world feels distant beyond dark windows and sleeping streets.
4 AM Chill Session is an invitation to watch the stars flicker with each spin of the vinyl. In the quiet hours of the night, let the blend of dreamy melodies and relaxed electronic rhythms pull you into a new dawn with this early-morning synthwave compilation. The nostalgic, intimate atmosphere of these 20 tracks will keep you grounded as the hours fade toward morning.
The physical edition is a visual extension of the music: pressed on double "Starry Night" splatter vinyl, the deep blue and sparkling white patterns mirror the celestial aesthetic of the 4 AM sky.
[a] A1 WYS x dreamẅalker Remix - Snowman [dreamẅalker Remix]
Deconstructed techno-dub classical piano, by exploratory composer Richard Pike. A suite of pieces for piano and texture loops, focused on real-time composition & an exploration of cassette sound sources, minimalism, harmony and the ghostly acoustic ephemera that emerges from the loop material. Intimate, granular and dust-covered.
After the passing of the late great Ryuchi Sakamoto during winter in early 2023 Richard Pike gravitated towards the piano as a daily ritual of improvisation, or what he prefers to call ‘real-time composition’.
Pike’s initial approach was an interest in a repeated practice, finding earthly textural tape loops against a daily commune with the piano. Very quickly a suite of pieces formed.
The process of collecting loops and beds in his studio the morning, then moving downstairs to a 1950s Eavestaff Minipiano in the living room, to record melodic and harmonic expressions over the bed of textures, with and against the flow. This process was pure and impulsive, leaving editing and scrutiny until later.
The textures are inspired by the likes of Romeo Poirier, Deepchord, early music concrete and a nostalgia for the ‘clicks and pops’ era that inspired Pike’s early experiments in his Warp Records-affiliated band PVT.
Bézier ripples their way back to Dark Entries with Decompose, an LP of doomed spa music. Multi-instrumentalist Robert Yang has made numerous appearances on Dark Entries for more than a decade, with releases spanning the stylistic gamut from hi-NRG disco floor-fillers to lush ambient epics. Decompose, Bézier’s second LP, is perhaps his most introspective work yet. It is an album almost ten years in the making, a deep investigation of life, loss, and the struggle of knowing oneself. If one were to pull a tarot deck for this album it would be the Nine of Swords. The album honors the lives of the fallen victims of Pulse Nightclub. It honors lives lost or suffering through the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The title track takes the form of a Buddhist chant, a brooding synth-driven meditation that scales steadily until breaking into John Carpenter-esque arpeggios halfway through. Tracks like “Egg,” “Marionette,” and “A Fading Citadel Atop Black Sand Bluffs” build on this soundworld, one in which intricate melodies and cavernous reverb induce in the listener feelings of both claustrophobia and free-fall. The album’s dancefloor-leaning moments, like “Codebreaking” and “Split a Path Towards the Thicket” are spartan, tunnel-vision techno tracks speeding towards ego-death. Decompose chronicles Yang’s journey to find peace with himself, as a gay Asian American. During this process, they learned to “repot” long-lost parts of their identity so they could grow forth in wholesome fashion. The sleeve for Decompose was designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh, and features a photograph by Frankie Casillo of Robert laying on a bed of rocks in savasana pose, resembling an ascetic, evocative of the monastic vibes of the record.
Disco legend Sylvester comes to Dark Entries with Private Recordings: August 1970, an intimate collection of vintage jazz, blues, and gospel. While Sylvester is best known for his chart-topping collaborations with producer Patrick Cowley, such as “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” this release reveals his passion for the sounds of the 30s and 40s. In 1970 a 22-year-old Sylvester had moved to San Francisco and found himself involved with the Cockettes, the infamous psychedelic performance art troupe. Among this milieu was Peter Mintun, a pianist and record collector living in a commune devoted to retro culture. According to Mintun, “We were like hippies who lived in the twenties. We lived in a house that didn’t have anything modern in it. Nothing in it was made after World War II.” Mintun and Sylvester bonded over their love of Black singers of yore and were allotted a slot during Cockettes performances reviving the music of the Prohibition Era. One afternoon, Sylvester and Mintun recorded a number of their shared favorites using a high-end microphone a friend had acquired. Private Recordings features 9 songs from this session, including standards like “Stormy Weather,” “Happy Days Are Here Again,” and “God Bless the Child.” Sylvester’s unmistakable falsetto brings depth and a dash of camp to these familiar tunes. The recordings are casual and intimate, even capturing banter between Sylvester and Mintun; their brief rendition of “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” has the duo working out a melody in real time. In addition to their sonic explorations of decades past, Sylvester and Mintun also staged photographic shoots in vintage couture. Private Recordings comes with a 16-page booklet on firm cardstock featuring images from these never-before-seen shoots as well as liner notes from Mintun detailing his friendship with Sylvester and their experiences recording. All this is housed in a metallic silver sleeve designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a 1920’s Art Deco aesthetic. The record will be released on September 6th which would have been Sylvester’s 76th birthday, and all proceeds from Private Recordings will go to the two charities that Sylvester left his royalties after his death: Project Open Hand and PRC (formerly AIDS Emergency Fund). This essential release documents the earliest known recordings from one of disco’s greatest talents.
After years of refining his sound, Decoder presents "Prakasa", an album that explores the emotional and expressive side of his soundscape. Its subtle shifts and surprising moments create space for the listener to get lost, to imagine, and to find something unexpected in every track.
The album takes its name from the Sanskrit word meaning "light" and "manifestation," a concept reflected clearly in the cover artwork and central to Decoder's vision. Planet X is honored to release such a powerful yet delicate album-one that feels equally at home in intimate listening settings as it does in clubs and festivals worldwide.
Bait kicks off their 2026 release schedule hot and heavy with a split EP from Andy Martin and Christian Coiffure. With both producers coming through with the next generation of artists exploring the dub-tech connection, the EP starts with two tracks from Mexican-Jamaican artist Andy Martin with the murky 'Waterhouse' and the hypnotic stepper 'The Ark'. On the other side, French producer Christian Coiffure lands with two sleazy minimal-tech tracks nodding to the early 2000s with 'Lure' and 'Decoy'.
The union of Antwerp synthesist David Edren and Tokyo minimalist Hiroki Takahashi is a fit so natural as to feel preordained. Both traffic in subtle shades of contemplative electronics, marked by patience, space, and poetic restraint. And both have rich histories of curation and collaboration – Edren in the duo Spirit & Form alongside Bent Von Bent, and Takahashi as proprietor of the Kankyō record shop, as well as one fourth of cosmic ambient quartet UNKNOWN ME. Mutual fans of one another’s work, they began sharing stems in the latter half of 2020, which slowly blossomed into a collection of multi-hued compositions inspired by notions of connectivity and impermanence, translated for east and west: Flow | 流れ.
Opener “Dusk Decorum | 黄昏 礼節” maps the mood of what’s to come, elegantly pirouetting and percolating through an expanding vista of looming stars and half-light horizons. Takahashi describes Edren’s arrangements as evoking “a strange feel, something we haven't heard much of before.” The sensation is one of “in-betweenness,” a restless current whispering beneath the beauty, like seasons seen in time-lapse footage: flickering but infinite, transience turned permanent. Takahashi’s signature sculpture garden tones plot spiral patterns over which Edren cascades dazzling pointillist synthesizer coloration. The pieces veer between delicate and dilated, micro and macro, their aperture forever softly in flux.
From the oscillating orchestral lullaby of “Stalactime | 鍾乳石時計” to the sweeping, sparkling dream sequence closer, “Shift Register | シフトレジスタ,” the album achieves the elusive goal of being more than the sum of its parts. This is music of rare air, elevated and amorphous, shimmering just out of reach. Though Edren and Takahashi have yet to cohabitate the same room in person (a fact that should be rectified soon by an astute festival booker), their palettes and poise are perfectly paired, twin fragilities woven into seven radiant and regenerative vibrational states. The cover design of a beatific, beaded leaf rippling on the surface of a hidden pond aptly captures the record’s muted majesty. Takahashi’s quiet pride is justified: “We are very happy with this time-consuming and carefully crafted work.”
Cindytalk has remained a majestic proposition over the decades, one marked by a continued process of disintegration and regeneration. Change has been a constant for Cindytalk, as has been the presence of the Scottish musician Cinder, who has fronted the project since the early '80s. The first Cindytalk albums embraced a dark theatricality of post-punk dissonance and abject rock deconstruction that coupled industrial dirges with Cinder's beatific vocals, these same vocals that were once plied to the earliest This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins recordings,forever binding Cinder to the 4AD lore. But even on those albums, Camouflage Heart and In This World, Cinder was pushing the band to embrace the studio as a tool for further abstraction of sodden drones, cobwebbed dark elegance, and decayed textures.
By the early aughts, Cinder had reimagined Cindytalk through the granular processes of digitalia with a handful of equally celebrated works of glitch-born expressionism for Editions Mego. Cinder explains that "those elements were growing roots under our sound and had started to organically change the shape of what we were doing. The fucked-up rock music was in retreat and the electro-acoustic abstractions were becoming apparent. Fast forward to the early part of the 21st Century and my first laptop. It seemed natural where I needed to begin that part of my new sonic journey. To further explore those and new territories. Sunset and Forever is intrinsically connected to what came before."
Sunset and Forever is a labyrinthine opus, one that returns to the themes of the sacred and profane that have rippled through all of Cindytalk's recordings, albeit in various guises. The opening track "Embers of Last Leaves" is a haunted piece of undulated, cyclical tones that entwine into a sorrowful chorale with Cinder's own voice. Thumps of electronic drum kicks and bass drops dot the apocalyptic menace of "Tower of the Sun" but serve not as a rhythmic grid, but as painterly noises that further disrupt and disturb the machined dissonance. A cinematic radioluminescence blooms from the tempered electronics within "For Those Eyes, Shadows Of Flowers." The finale "I See Her in Everywhere" bookends the opening number with a seemingly human chorus build from electronic tones cast in cathedral reverence. Sounds throughout may appear adjacent to those of Fennesz, Holly Herndon, or even Lovesliescrushing from time to time, but Sunset and Forever remains purely Cindytalk.
Cover designed by Chris Bigg, known for his iconic design work for 4AD. Mastered by James Plotkin.
“L’École de la nuit” marks Versatile Records’ 30th anniversary with a musical découpage by label founder Gilb’R. The album’s 12 songs and numerous collaborations form an adroit exploration of life and music, all threaded together by lifelong “partner in crime” I:Cube’s signature mixdowns.
“Hà mar” represents the peak of the album’s organic spectrum—an instantly captivating melodic and percussive Brazilian song featuring Alvaro Lancellotti on guitar and vocals—while “White Light” serves as its electronic counterpart, with a classic pop feel, featuring Swedish singer Monica Tormell
Musically, “L’École de la nuit” moves across many different landscapes and languages, intersecting rock, shoegaze, ambient, electronica, and, of course, jazz. Gilb’R collaborates with a rich arsenal of guest musicians: saxophonist Quentin Rollet; guitarist and producer Maxime Delpierre; French artist Judah Warsky, with whom Gilb’R previously released an album; Jonny Nash, producer and guitarist; as well as Ben Shemie. Not least, father and son Julio and Julinho Pimentel contribute their distinctive percussion, alongside François Creamer on bass clarinet.
“L’École de la nuit” is the 50th album release on Versatile Records. It was initiated in Amsterdam, then entirely reimagined and rebuilt in Paris. It stands as a manifesto for the album format and a tribute to the listener.
For the 23rd entry in our ICONYC catalogue, we welcome rising Swedish star Fahlberg and his collaborative single with German maestro Paul Brenning, ‘Show Me’. Amped by reworks and edits by Hunter/Game, BAILE, and KEVSKI, our latest delivery is a monumental EP that is bound to awe and inspire in equal measure.
Hinting at something emotionally gripping from the onset, the original version of ‘Show Me’ unfurls over a tight frame as a synthetic bed surges to the front before Fahlberg deploys a thundering bassline. Slowly, we start to sway, making our way to a break in the cloud while Brenning’s ever-alluring vocals glide over the piece in a spectral presence, immersing us deeper into the narrative, as crisp arpeggios make their way through brass swells and backing chords. Blissful, yet exciting at every turn, ‘Show Me’ is a dazzling collaboration that invites us to revel in the possibility of a new, warmer dawn.
Taking ‘Show Me’ in a slightly darker direction, Hunter/Game presents us with their own interpretation, an introspective juggernaut that is constantly evolving as it walks the tightrope between light and shadows like only this acclaimed duo can.
Adding a new layer of depth to this package, BAILE gifts us a wondrous remix that fragments ‘Show Me’ in a different light. Employing broken beats and lush, evocative moments, this softer twist is a mesmerizing creation bound to wash the pain away.
Completing this aural gem that is ‘Show Me’, avant-garde electronic-classical duo KEVSKI unveils an exquisite masterpiece, deconstructing the original skyscraper into a sublime menagerie of textures and melodic flourishes that blossom somewhere between melancholy and hope.
Yogg delivers the second release on his Polarized Future label, with four deep and sub-heavy cuts on ‘Don’t You’. Produced in his new Brussels studio, the EP channels the tension between familiarity and instability. The sounds here are deconstructed, fizzing and alive, produced with a pointillistic attention to detail.
This is music built for soundsystems, with a strong emphasis on bass weight and meditative, spacious minimalism. Elements are removed to the bare essentials, at times feeling like a contemporary reimagining of the early sound of dubstep; echoing the unease of a society in the midst of a dystopian timeline.
In 2015 Sam Shepherd - aka Floating Points - released his break out, critically acclaimed debut Elaenia. Earlier this year he followed up the album with Reflections - Mojave Desert, a short film and soundtrack featuring tracks recorded in the Mojave Desert. Today the polymathic producer is pleased to announce his latest project, Ratio, an epic track bordering on 19-minutes that harks back to his earlier dance floor focussed releases. Over the course of the summer Floating Points has developed Ratio as part of his solo live electronic show at festivals around the world. The track has fast become a fan favourite, a true highlight of the set.
Ratio will be released on 20th October. The full-length version will be available on all digital platforms. The track will also be available on vinyl, presented as a deconstructed mix of the 18+ minutes.
Repress of original 2017 release.
LWS returns to Parris and Call Super’s can you feel the sun imprint with All Of The Chaos. 4 mutant rollers in his
now-singular style, sharp constructions meticulously designed with club drama and devious rave energy.
A year on from Palloon, and Edinburgh’s LWS has certainly left his mark. His inner metronome ticks differently, ornate
club constructions snarling with hypnotic fervour. His music has been ubiquitous across clubs and festivals over the
past twelve months as a result, and on his second EP for can you feel the sun he proves there’s still plenty left in the
tank.
Opener Many Requests goes galactic, a wide-eyed entanglement of melody and rhythm that gallops tough yet supple
through an ever-shifting landscape; an inevitable deconstruction ensues, before the salivating return sets us back on
course. Gooly shifts darker, a looping roller with sultry swagger that deviously maintains its shuffling delirium with
uncanny nous. Sharkbait on the flip cultivates a jaw-gnawing tension, vibrantly edging towards that ecstatic release
with unrelenting ease. Closer All Of The Chaos goes weirdest, a chromatic safari swivelling on its mechanised 2 step
through a carousel of unhinged sound design to its conclusion; signing off on yet another collection of future-shock
missives from LWS.
Early DJ support from Call Super, Objekt, Pariah, Surusinghe, Ploy, OK WIlliams and Pangaea.
For SIDE B's fourth release, an EP by Portugal's own DJ Dextro is in line. Ultra efficient, fine tuned techno is put under a microscope by the international mainstay for this record. Using high pressure in the low-end and creative textures to decorate the tracks, Dextro solidifies his place as a mainstay with a biting performance on home turf. Balancing his uncompromising sound with mystical synth work, Dextro opens 'Lost Frame' with the title track. In this A1, he rolls straight into a tunnel with flashing percussion and lurking melodies far out in the stereo field. Dancefloor focused but with a hint of mysticism, 'Lost Frame' creates a captivating ambiance to introduce the project with promises of earworm groove. Quick to follow up, 'Disclosure Of Who We Are' sees more space between the elements, creating a whipping effect in the rhythm and rich in sound design. Synth stabs cut through a booming kick, creating urgency in an EP that was lacking none to begin with.
This spirit is maintained on the record's flip to the B side - this time with an added bit of funk and shuffle. 'Liberdade' throws a vicious synth sequence forward for peaktime use and sees Dextro define his space with concentrated transitions and booming percussive hits. Swinging along with the occasional vocal sample to emphasize the obscurity, the producer maintains his delivery of razor sharp focus in all of his elements. To conclude, 'Panoplia Abstracta' settles things with an ambient, even meditative fourth track. Staying insistent with his kick, Dextro lets go of the wheel to drift his record from the body to the mind with progressive arrangement and soothing textures to see off a whirlwind of an EP for SIDE B records. Words by Noah Hocker
2025 Repress
Amotik recruits Norway's Kameliia and Dallas-based Decoder for the third split EP on his increasingly essential AMTK+ label.
Kameliia's hypnotic and atmospheric music has appeared on the likes of Overbalance and Unterwegs, where she has previously flexed her sophisticated take on sound design and heady soundscapes with driving and physical grooves. Decoder recently started his new Toca label with Jay York and has previously appeared on labels like Subsist, Float and Jeff Mills' legendary Axis.
Kameliia kicks off with the heavy and thumping 'Beyond', combining forceful drums and a slow, mystical synth lead that encourages you to follow it deep into the night. '8-12' is another perfect fusion of the head and body with supple percussion smeared with balmy and cosmic chords for a classy and immersive cut.
Decoder opens the B-side with 'Kalpavriksha', a twitchy and paranoid cut laced with bleeps and pulses, crafting a futuristic soundscape that grows ever more intense. 'Swayambhu' brings experimental shades with its tightly interlaced drums and synths beneath an unsettling synth line that whistles like a storm. Closing the release is the excellent 'Velinattu,' a buoyant track that's warm and full of delicate percussive layers.
The White Chief project has been defined by her creator as the background character for self_sabotage deconstruction. Deeply inspired in early Industrial, Noise and Power Electronics taking, musically and conceptually some development model acts like Throbbing Gristle or Whitehouse, and certain complex lyrical compositions like could be some Fad Gadget tracks, Maria Barros, a colombian dj and producer known as Gatasanta delivers 5 dense, raw, noisey and dark cuts with the aesthetical connotation of the violent modern times, created among other analogical sounds with multiple Moog bass lines. This record includes also, two tracks from AMAS, Gatasanta's first live project with artist performer Ivana Ray Singh, both artists based in Barcelona. These two tracks appears on the EP as a tribute to the duo's early years of electronic production and performance tours around. All tracks has been produced 100% hardware.
Ambroos De Schepper and Pepijn Gyssels became roommates when PiP moved to Brussels in 2021. Both paid close attention to each other’s musical approach and interests. One year later, Ambroos moved out. When he swung by to pick up some boxes, they decided to record something for the fun of it. Between May '23 and November '24 they continued experimenting with textures and improvisations. This collaboration has become the deepening of a friendship and a way to maintain it at the same time.
PiP: “We would have coffee or the occasional beer and everything we recorded came very organically. Ambroos would just bring his saxophone, a clarinet, some FX pedals or a weird flute. Whatever he felt like on that particular day. A few hours later he would usually be on his way again, leaving me with the recordings. I could treat them as I pleased.”
Ambroos: “I liked the idea of working with someone focussing on the physical side of music. Not so much on chords and tonality, but on texture and atmosphere. This gave me a framework with less concrete references, using words like “dark” or “busy”. I could improvise freely and we would try and catch a particular moment."
“l’Esprit de l’Escalier” is meant to be a musical meditation, opening up a continuous and detailed sound palette, aimed for the right mental state to listen with. Ambroos came up with the melody in COVID times and later in PiP’s studio, they recorded it on clarinet.
“Sans Loup” is the first jam the duo did together, after Ambroos and Lou moved out of the apartment they shared. Lou Wéry eventually found her way back to the album, as she can be heard playing the wing piano in this track.
PiP: “We recorded in the apartment we used to rent together. Since the title track and the entire album are named after Lou being absent in this dynamic, it seemed only natural to invite her in a later stage.”
“Spring Whistle” was an attempt to embed Ambroos’ musicality in dreamy textures and “Bring Back Bones” was built around an endlessly evolving krakeb recording that PiP took home from on a trip to Morocco. Both tracks are not aimed to end or evolve drastically, they just make the clock tick slower.
To conclude this release, “Velours de Tendre” is built out of a deconstructed groove and a field recording of the “Ronde van Vlaanderen”, a small reference to the countryside where PiP grew up. The reverberating chords you hear are the echoes Tijn Driessen squeezed out of an old harmonium, in a staircase of De Grote Post in Ostend.
PiP: “During a residency in De Grote Post we recorded in a staircase with a spaced pair of omni microphones. And you can take ‘spaced’ quite serious; one was positioned 5 stories higher and the other 3 stories lower.”
Sans Loup is the first vinyl to release on PiP’s label. They look alike, but none will be identical. The cover is screen printed in various combinations + a risograph insert. A highly personalized object.
credits
Released on Zitstill Records
Recorded in Brussels, Horebeke, Morocco and elsewhere, between September 2021 - November 2024
Music, mixing and production by Pepijn Gyssels
Saxophone, flute and clarinet by Ambroos De Schepper
Grand piano on “Sans Loup” by Lou Wéry
Harmonium on “Velours de Tendre” by Tijn Driessen
Mastering and lacquer cut by Anne Taegert at Dubplates & Mastering
Pressing by Objects Manufacturing
Layout and graphic design by Liselotte Van Daele & Otis Verhoeve
Photography by Willem Mevis
Special thanks to: Stijn Cools, Victor De Greef, De Grote Post
'Yara Asmar’s new album presents 11 pieces recorded over the past year between the small town of Alfred in upstate New York and Beirut. These sometimes fragile and tentative sound sketches reflect the times as Yara steps out, as if onto ice, into a new life on a new continent during a time of tragedy, turmoil and upheaval. She works with unfamiliar instruments, new materials and new sounds to build on her intimate style; homemade mechanical music boxes and a personal archive of family recordings form the backbone of its delicate textures. Asmar explores the peculiar resonance of the metallophone and her collection of deconstructed toy pianos, and guides her music into ever more surreal territories. The result is a work that is dreamlike, fragmentary and strangely timeless.'
This 4 tracker dives deep into the hypnotic core of analog and modular techno. Arthur Robert sets the tone with Gluon, a precision-built trip of layered energy, while Decoder pushes forward with the kinetic drive of Running Start. On the flip, Jacom crafts Echo Bells, a resonant, minimalist journey of shifting textures, before Uväll closes the release with Dimension, a spacious exploration that balances intensity and depth. Four unique voices, one cohesive vision - pure techno for focused minds and late-night floors.
ENTER PLANET DUST goes full 80s Chicago for label head DONALD DUST’s new collaboration with Buenos Aires’ expert slinger of 12”s, knowledge-dropper of all things House, New Beat and dark Disco, and increasingly decorated Dance record vocalist GALA.
Working together halfway across the globe, the two have crafted a compelling single touching on the early sounds of icons like Matt Warren and Razz, with a healthy dose of Euro-Disco and heartbreaking threnodies from the mouths and minds of both parties. Flip the record over for a devilish dub and stomping beat-a-pella courtesy of the ‘Wicked Dub’ and ‘Beat This’ mixes.
Engineered and mastered by Loom Sound Studio’s KARL BARNES. Expect smouldering Spanglish vocals, tweeter-baiting fuzz and slamming synths, demand nothing less!
Figure is celebrating its 150th release with a loaded triple vinyl compilation, showcasing artists both old and new to the label – a testament to what the Figure sound is today. The cover art has been commissioned from Berlin-based graffiti artist Erik Winkler, whose spray-painted work is adorning the thick triple-pocket sleeve housing three colored records.
The compilation features some important recent additions to our growing roster: both Jancen and Arthur Robert deliver their unique take on tunneling techno, be it searing or psychedelic. And Brazilian shape-shifter Vinicius Honorio carves out his own gliding bass frequencies while A-STS relies classic drum machine bleep hypnosis.
Label head Len Faki’s own energetic appearance echoes his versatile style found on his recent album release. The all-out production featuring strings and quirky synths sits in contrast with Jeroen Search & Decoder - a pairing of veterans, whose minimal hardware sound slowly builds over trippy acid loops. The flipside belongs to a younger generation of producers, namely IGLO turning out a superb techno roller teeming with life and lush with details. The duo of Munich brothers Glaskin already remixed Faki for his Fusion album, their first original release on Figure comes a skillful blend of distorted stabs and deep grooves.
Equally refined but with a harder edge to it, Scheermann practices a dark, minimalist approach where each element gets time to shine for maximum effect. His bleak track is aptly paired with a rare solo release of Obscure Shape whose fractures of a dreamy, twinkly melody make for one of the most emotional moments of the compilation. The final side holds Roman Poncet’s seasoned understanding of groove, balancing perfectly the dubby stabs and vocal chops for a dazzlingly perfect loop. The final tones to this milestone release come courtesy of another of Figure’s bright new voices: Arkan manages to conjure up a powerful sense of progression, where colourful synths converge in harmonies over an effortlessly bouncing beat.
It is a rare moment for an independent label to make to number 150. But to keep finding new talent who help re-shape the signature sound while expanding the family roster, that’s a true blessing. This package shows how Figure is growing and adapting as a label, staying relevant as one of the leading voices in modern techno.
We The People were a vocal quarter who recorded a handful of singles between 1969 and 1976. Their most prolific release is this release from 1973 produced by Landy Mcneal. The music arranger was prolific Bert DeCoteaux Ace Spectrum (“Don’t Send Nobody Else”). Also Patti Austin, The Main Ingredient, Roy Ayers, Ramsey Lewis, Ben E.King, Sister Sledge, Lonnie Liston Smith and Marlena Shaw to name a few
High Focus Records is proud to unveil the artwork for the forthcoming Verb T & Illinformed collaborative album: ‘The Land Of The Foggy Skies’, designed by Siou Escalon.
As you would expect from two of the hardest working artists in the UK rap game, Verb T & Illinformed have delivered a fitting sequel to the iconic 2015 release ‘The Man With The Foggy Eyes’. The pair have both raised the bar, taking their already incredible chemistry to new levels, as demonstrated with singles ‘Rotten Luck‘ & ‘New Paths‘.
An all encompassing cinematic opus, ‘The Land Of The Foggy Skies’ once again proves why Verb T is one of the most decorated MC’s in UK Hip Hop and why Illinformed is in a class of his own when it comes to production.
Heralding 10 years of relentless club futurism, Timedance strikes forward once more with TD10. Batu's label has nurtured experimentation between techno propulsion, soundsystem pressure and innovative sound design since the beginning, rarely resting in one space and always reaching for new ideas. Across 23 forward-facing cuts, this compilation continues that tradition with a strong cast of scene-leading heavyweights and crucial emergent talent.
The wide-ranging styles across TD10 are bound together by a shared affinity for bassweight presence and vibrant, three-dimensional production. Fractured, artful deconstruction from Daisy Moon, Marco Shuttle and Verraco sits alongside the snarling half-step pressure of re:ni and Lurka and the jagged drum intensity of Lechuga Zafiro, 33EMYBW, Ayesha, and Jabes. There's space for big room anti-anthems from Pearson Sound, Bambounou and Batu himself, wildcard swerves from Minor Science and Skee Mask and more emotive melodic sensibilities from Polygonia, El irreal Veintiuno and BADSISTA. At every turn, the ideas are fresh, toying with the idea of an all-encompassing sound for the label and throwing open the possibilities for what it might represent in the future.
Timedance has thrived in an era where technology has eroded the boundaries between the generic formulae of dance music's past, helping set the pace for innovation and presenting compelling, immediate music across the tempo range. TD10 responds to that legacy with its gaze fixed firmly forwards, ushering in the label's next chapter in proudly unpredictable style.
Molecular Recordings proudly announces the release of "Structure Series 1," a special vinyl collection marking the label's 30th anniversary.
This release features unreleased tracks from both veteran artists and emerging producers, highlighting the label's ongoing commitment to innovative and high-quality techno music.
For three decades, Molecular Recordings has been a leader in the techno scene, continually pushing the genre's boundaries and redefining its sound. "Structure Series 1" is a testament to this legacy, blending the work of established artists who have shaped the label’s history with fresh talent poised to influence its future.
"Structure Series 1" is more than a collection of tracks; it is a celebration of Molecular Recordings' journey and a glimpse into its future. This release commemorates 30 years of musical innovation and signals the beginning of a new chapter in techno.
Pearl River Sound - Selected Works 17-24 is a unique sonic archive of Roberto Semeraro, known as Pearl River Sound, one of the most eclectic experimenters in the Italian electronic scene. This collection compiles years of research and sonic exploration, featuring previously unreleased tracks that have never been pressed on vinyl. Moving fluidly between idm textures, deconstructed techno, glitch, breakbeat rhythms, and ambient incursions, each track represents a moment in Pearl River Sound's artistic journey between 2017 and 2024. This release is part of LOSTINLAYOUT GALLERY's participation in the exhibition at EXP - Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, running from April 26, 2025, as part of the group show "THE ART OF TOMORROW. TODAY #1." The exhibition features works by four urban artists: LUCA FONT, JOYS, STEN & LEX, and V3RBO. Each print is randomly paired with a 10x15 cm postcard insert showcasing an artwork by one of the four visual artists.
For their first album as Gilla Band (formerly Girl Band), the
foursome have redrawn their own paradigm. ‘Most Normal’ is like
little you’ve heard before, a kaleidoscopic spectrum of noise put in
service of broken pop songs, FX-strafed Avant-punk rollercoaster
rides and passages of futurist dancefloor nihilism.
Lockdown robbed Gilla Band of any opportunity to try the new
material out live, but the pandemic also incinerated any idea of a
deadline for the new album. They were free to tinker at leisure, to
rewrite and restructure and reinvent tracks they’d cut, to, as
drummer Adam Faulkner puts it, “pull things apart and be like,
‘Let’s try this. We could try out every wild idea.’”
The group also fell under the spell of modern hip-hop, “where
there’s really heavy-handed production and they’re messing with
the track the whole time,” says Fox. “That felt like a fun route to go
down, it was a definite influence.”
‘Most Normal’ opens with an absolute industrial-noise banger that
sounds like a manic house party throbbing through the walls of the
next room as a downed jetliner brings death from above. What
follows is unpredictable, leading the listener through a sonic house
of mirrors, where the unexpected awaits around every corner.
The common thread holding ‘Most Normal’’s ambitious Avant-pop
shapes together is frontman Dara Kiely. Throughout, he’s an antic,
antagonistic presence, barking wild, hilarious, unsettling spiels,
babbling about smearing fish with lubricant or dressing up in binliners or having to wear hand-me-down bootcut jeans (“It was a
big, shameful thing, growing up, not being able to afford the look I
wanted and having to wear all my brother’s old clothes,” says
Kiely).
‘Most Normal’, then, is a triumph, the bold work of a group who’ve
taken the time to evolve their ideas, to deconstruct and reconstruct
their music and rebuild it into something new, something
challenging and infinitely rewarding. It’s a headphone masterpiece.
It’s a majestic exploration of the infinite possibilities of noise. It’s a
bold riposte to your parochial beliefs on whatever a pop song can
or should be. It’s the best work these musicians have put to
(mangled) tape.
PHYR0005: A landmark double split black vinyl from PHYR Records. Label founder Pyramidal Decode joins forces with techno luminary Oscar Mulero for "Il Poema," a 12-track odyssey inspired by Dante's La Divina Commedia. Artwork features Bosch's El Jardin de las Delicias, design by 5599studio.
Perhaps you've chanced upon a Number Station, unwittingly as you scour the shortwave bands, and heard a cold, disconnected voice repeating simple commands endlessly into the ether. Or maybe you've scanned past a series of bleeps and pips, or pockets of noise, thinking nothing of them, as you seek a favoured music station. These are messages, to those who know how to receive them, and are able decode them in their various forms and configurations.
Shropshire Number Stations - Recordings of Covert Shortwave Radio Stations charts the covert shortwave radio stations broadcasting silently through the air around us, to aspirant agents in the fields of Shropshire, UK and the counties which surround it. These two continuous sides include recordings of 19 such lay-stations, captured by Eric Loveland Heath at various points over the last few years. The true nature of these amateur networks may never be known, nor might their cyphers ever be revealed. These are recordings of their activities, made conceivably for the sake of posterity alone, offering a glimpse into clandestine worlds otherwise obscured from view.
Blazing onto ICONYC for its 21st release, Swiss sonic alchemist Shiffer makes a striking debut with the magnetic All I’ve Been EP. Celebrated for his emotional finesse and innate ability to connect with unexplored corners, Shiffer’s latest creation, including a lucious collaboration with Paul Brenning and capped off by Jonathan Kaspar’s trademark rework, is a tantalizing suite designed to echo in our timeless halls.
The journey begins with Shiffer & Paul Brenning’s opening manifesto, “All I’ve Been”, a track that unfurls with both confidence and caution, as if self-aware from its very first beat. Mechanical whirs and fractured frames give way to low-end swells that drive forward with an unrelenting undertow. Brenning’s unmistakable vocals start to break a warmer ground as they linger in the liminal space between today and tomorrow before slowly growing in gravitas. Suddenly, the piece begins to contort, drawing spellbinding figures as arresting arrangements and melodic flourishes allow for decompression. Imbued with a tantalizing breakdown that amplifies their exquisite use of negative space, “All I’ve Been” is a fascinating and intimate take that feels as expansive as it ever could.
The follow-up, “Urban Legends”, takes a bolder stance. Anchored by heavy drum programming that carves its place with deliberate force, the track is haunted by ghostlike vocal fragments that lend an unsettling, cinematic edge.. Out from the left field, Shiffer deploys undulating synthetics that intertwine with consummate ease as they glide under the spotlight. An alluring act that treads unhurried and unconcerned, “Urban Legends” operates at its own pace, far from the demands of a world lost in the metropolitan hustle, allowing us to bask in a lore of things that might or might never have happened.
Closing the release, ICONYC calls upon Cologne innovator Jonathan Kaspar, who delivers a singular reinterpretation of “All I’ve Been”. Immersed in iridescent textures, Kaspar layers lush, swelling pads over pulsing low frequencies, their ebb and flow punctured by flashes of distortion that spark like electric currents.. Reflective and equally immersive, Jonathan Kaspar’s take on “All I’ve Been” pushes the collaboration into a brash new terrain while retaining the spiritual ethos intact
For their first album as Gilla Band (formerly Girl Band), the
foursome have redrawn their own paradigm. ‘Most Normal’ is like
little you’ve heard before, a kaleidoscopic spectrum of noise put in
service of broken pop songs, FX-strafed Avant-punk rollercoaster
rides and passages of futurist dancefloor nihilism.
Lockdown robbed Gilla Band of any opportunity to try the new
material out live, but the pandemic also incinerated any idea of a
deadline for the new album. They were free to tinker at leisure, to
rewrite and restructure and reinvent tracks they’d cut, to, as
drummer Adam Faulkner puts it, “pull things apart and be like,
‘Let’s try this. We could try out every wild idea.’”
The group also fell under the spell of modern hip-hop, “where
there’s really heavy-handed production and they’re messing with
the track the whole time,” says Fox. “That felt like a fun route to go
down, it was a definite influence.”
‘Most Normal’ opens with an absolute industrial-noise banger that
sounds like a manic house party throbbing through the walls of the
next room as a downed jetliner brings death from above. What
follows is unpredictable, leading the listener through a sonic house
of mirrors, where the unexpected awaits around every corner.
The common thread holding ‘Most Normal’’s ambitious Avant-pop
shapes together is frontman Dara Kiely. Throughout, he’s an antic,
antagonistic presence, barking wild, hilarious, unsettling spiels,
babbling about smearing fish with lubricant or dressing up in binliners or having to wear hand-me-down bootcut jeans (“It was a
big, shameful thing, growing up, not being able to afford the look I
wanted and having to wear all my brother’s old clothes,” says
Kiely).
‘Most Normal’, then, is a triumph, the bold work of a group who’ve
taken the time to evolve their ideas, to deconstruct and reconstruct
their music and rebuild it into something new, something
challenging and infinitely rewarding. It’s a headphone masterpiece.
It’s a majestic exploration of the infinite possibilities of noise. It’s a
bold riposte to your parochial beliefs on whatever a pop song can
or should be. It’s the best work these musicians have put to
(mangled) tape.
More Rice and Jugaar Records – Two Bangkok-affiliated labels – bring together an assemblage of their mutual friends for a heady, floor-focused VA with moods to soundtrack peak flow, after-hours rabbit holes, and just about everything in between.
Rudoh of Jugaar Records fame kicks us off with ‘Madoh’, a bendy groove that initially bares flex of early 2000s Minimal with its trimmed, rubbery percussion and obscured vocal snippets. As the track progresses, a hefty break and a catchy synth line bolster things before breakdowns unfold like little trippy slumbers rudely interrupted by bold, punchy drops.
Next up is Tokyo legend Gonno who follows up with ‘Rad’, a broad-shouldered banger propelled by a heaving kick and clap combo. A wrought synth is paired with odd shocks of acid and a sequence that flickers like a strobe. All the while a thick, gnarled bass line rumbles underneath, keeping vibes at boiling point throughout.
More Rice’s DOTT follows up with a swampy excursion propelled by a potent kick and nimble submarine tones. Drums are neatly stacked in polyrhythms as an infectious swing unfolds, one that’s decorated with ghostly synths and a generous dose of psychedelic synthesis.
Sarayu – also of More Rice fame, closes things up with ‘Fuijan Groove’, a brilliantly lean cut that lets the subs do the talking. Sharp tonal blobs flesh out a simple but highly effective march as spectral pads expand in plumes of smoke until the conclusion of a rich and varied record that unites two kindred labels perfectly.’
‘More Rice and Jugaar Records – Two Bangkok-affiliated labels – bring together an assemblage of their mutual friends for a heady, floor-focused VA with moods to soundtrack peak flow, after-hours rabbit holes, and just about everything in between.
Rudoh of Jugaar Records fame kicks us off with ‘Madoh’, a bendy groove that initially bares flex of early 2000s Minimal with its trimmed, rubbery percussion and obscured vocal snippets. As the track progresses, a hefty break and a catchy synth line bolster things before breakdowns unfold like little trippy slumbers rudely interrupted by bold, punchy drops.
Next up is Tokyo legend Gonno who follows up with ‘Rad’, a broad-shouldered banger propelled by a heaving kick and clap combo. A wrought synth is paired with odd shocks of acid and a sequence that flickers like a strobe. All the while a thick, gnarled bass line rumbles underneath, keeping vibes at boiling point throughout.
More Rice’s DOTT follows up with a swampy excursion propelled by a potent kick and nimble submarine tones. Drums are neatly stacked in polyrhythms as an infectious swing unfolds, one that’s decorated with ghostly synths and a generous dose of psychedelic synthesis.
Sarayu – also of More Rice fame, closes things up with ‘Fuijan Groove’, a brilliantly lean cut that lets the subs do the talking. Sharp tonal blobs flesh out a simple but highly effective march as spectral pads expand in plumes of smoke until the conclusion of a rich and varied record that unites two kindred labels perfectly.’
Harmony marches eastward with its 21st EP, reconnecting with its roots through a collaboration with Kohra and Monophonik. While firmly grounded in the label’s deep-techno foundations, this release leans into a sharper focus on functional, dance oriented grooves and basslines.
A-side is opening with weight and intent, shedding the EP’s melancholic hues for something darker and more forceful. The gently broken spirit of “Uyire” follows, gliding between drones and gated vocals, stitched together by tactile percussion and an underlying volatility.
“Wavefolding Dreams” lives up to its name—wickedly modulated waveforms rise from a slapping bassline that pour like upside-down rain, finally dissolving into soothing, dreamy pads.
“Eastern Timbers” starts B-side with a deep, driving momentum. Trancey basslines and swinging arpeggios ebb and flow with tidal pads, wrapping the EP in a hypnotic finish that pulses with forward energy.
Decompress with “Neuroresonance” situated on the inner ring of the B-side. Suspenseful sliding drones in a wide stereo field and a sustained chord that breathes nostalgia, covered by a playful filter in motion.
The Block E.P. by A.J. Sound is the alias of two heavyweights in the scene, Arthur Smith (Artwork) and John Kennedy (Big Apple Records). First released in 1995 this blend of Techno and Acid is getting a much-deserved reissue and remaster for its 30 year anniversary. This widely desired release is a masterpiece of minimal techno. Basemental a track thrashed by Laurent Garnier for years, so much that it featured on his "Laboratoire Mix". This feature brought even more attention to this rare release. Copies on the second hand market are being sold at £40 and even more. Now Decoy Records are treating us to this much needed reissue for collectors and DJ’s alike who weren’t favoured enough the first time round to grab a copy for themselves.
Shhh. The command to be quiet is not just part of the title of one of the two sprawling compositions on this pioneering album. It's also an apt metaphor for the relaxed hypnotism and spaced-out atmosphere that define In a Silent Way, a record that pushes the boundaries of studio possibilities, artist-producer relationships, and rock-jazz chasms. Recognized as Miles Davis' first full-on fusion effort and part of his "electric" era, the 1969 landmark claims a Who's Who line-up that sends the music into an ethereal stratosphere.
Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, this unsurpassed 180g LP edition lifts the veil on the cutting-edge assembly process that created the pair of lengthy suites. Helmed by three electric instruments, the bevelled compositions melt away all preconceived notions of "jazz," ˜rock," and "ambience," following a loose theory Davis dubbed "New Directions."
Few albums are so delicately textured. And on Mobile Fidelity's meticulous reissue, such sulcate elements pour over ink-black backgrounds on a canyon-wide soundstage. In particular, Tony Williams' inventive percussive touch – he causes the cymbals to shimmer as a pieces of silver tend to do when exposed to sunlight – is broadcast with lifelike three-dimensional qualities, the panoramic view extending to Davis' nocturnal trumpet, Wayne Shorter's ribbon-unfurling saxophone, Dave Holland's extrapolative bass, and the mosaic of keys.
If the record's only accomplishment is its introduction of guitarist John McLaughlin to the world, it alone would be enough. Yet In a Silent Way continues to bedazzle, puzzle, and inspire for myriad reasons – not the least of which is the seemingly telepathic communicative methods employed by the group's members. The line-up is great on paper, but, if it's even possible, the octet sounds even better in practice, with the instruments and tonalities conjoining in avant-garde communion like hyper-sensitive tentacles exploring the stippled landscapes of an undiscovered planet.
Diverting from expectation, tubular grooves twist, turn, and spin, sometimes piling atop of each other, always shying away from structure and melody. Ellipsoidal solos provide hesitant guidance, ranging from Chick Corea's Fender Rhodes phrases to Davis' decorative spirals. And as colour is the primary unit of currency on Davis' Sketches of Spain, laid-back episodes, geometric spaces, and quiet sensuality reign here, with the set's maverick reputation attained via musings on solitude rather than explosions of noise.
Controversial for the period, the heavily edited production of In a Silent Way blew open the once-locked doors on what producer's could attempt – and how artists could assist them. Knitted together as one would construct a cross-hatched quilt, songs contain grafts of repeat passages that provide unifying structure and experimental continuity. What a statement.
Harap-Alb is the first full-length album by Articulat, following a trilogy of EPs (two released on vinyl) and previous appearances on Rotterdam’s Afrobotic Musicology label. This new project deepens Articulat’s commitment to narrative-rich electronic music — blending structure, rhythm, and texture to evoke both dancefloor tension and cinematic storytelling.
“This album began as a personal exploration—an attempt to deconstruct a story that has been familiar to me since childhood and reimagine it through sound. I first encountered Harap Alb as a crackling, timeworn radio play on vinyl, and its atmosphere has lingered with me ever since. This is my way of keeping that story alive—not by preserving it in amber but by passing it forward in a different form, hoping it resonates in a new way.”
Perhaps, years from now, someone will discover this record the same way I found the original. And in doing so, they too will add their own craft and love to the tale.
Based on the 1964 radio play adaptation by Vasile Mănuceanu
Original story: Povestea lui Harap Alb, written by Ion Creangă in 1877
Sticking a dirty thumb in the eye of fate, our third collaboration sees this marrow deep family malarky turn official as Pace Yourself teams up with YS’s own imprint ERF REC for a split release. As if our status as minor celebrities and footnotes of the underground could level off no further: the unification no one asked for is here. Sticking it to the man, handing your arse to ya on plate; cauterising infected suburban minds world over.
Burn is the second YS album and written as a direct follow-up album to Brutal Flowers. If their first album was an exercise in the incremental, a construction of poise and patience, Burn, should be taken way the fuck at it’s word: it quite literally finds catharsis in twisted reverse. Birthed out the malignant kick found in deconstruction and chaos. Evil twin, psychotic younger sibling, call it what the hell you like. It might take you a moment to get the lay of the land in this darkly mutated world. Like a bug eye’d native first confronted with a zippo, the hit is radical and instant: a new way for the world to go up in smoke.
Splice the Seattle slacker scene with the spliffhead soundsystem culture of the 90s Bristol trip-hop scene, then cross-breed that with the DIY optimism and glee in creation found in the cut-and-paste worlds of skate, graffiti and hiphop, now run that through the skitzo basement mind of John.T. Gast and you’re close to the kind of scorched earth and spiked suburbia that birthed Burn.
Dunno quite what YS have been ingesting of late but this massively twisted LP touches on a host of gloriously fucked totemic underground sources while not sounding much like any of them. It has the ballsy swagger and hard flipping of the script as Massive Attack’s seminal Blue Lines. Indeed, the eponymous album tracks sound similar - the opener ‘Burn’ is like a hard nosed jammed out redux of ‘Blue Lines’. Getting into a kind of slow-spinning overdubbed maximal euphoria ending with mumbled downer vocals, struggling to conceal their tongues in their cheeks there’s an air of paranoia and proto-conspiracy theory. It’ll leave you scratching your head, feeling like you’ve stepped into a New World Order governed by a cacophony of drop outs, dope fiends and apocalyptic stoners. A cracked out world somewhere between Richard Linklater’s movie Slacker (1990) and Marc Singer’s Dark Days (2001).
The rest of the album parts like a tongue on a wine glass: Smith and Mighty, Bandulu, ambient Luke Slater records, Wah Wah Wino, Nurse with Wound, Land of the Loops, Placid Angels, Adrian Sherwood, Urban Tribe and DJ Shadow can all be heard in momentary splatters - but Burn like other works by YS, is its own ritual beast. ‘Moth’, a track which has been knocking about the underground deejai circuit for many moons, is a real raw chopped and screwed slice of stoner erotica that reeks of obsession and unrequited desire. Elsewhere, on tracks like ‘Switch’, ‘Trying’ and ‘Drift’ the throughline from Brutal Flowers can be heard. Underneath the driving heavy gravity the trademark emotional intimacies of YS linger: eternal recurrence, ghosts of static and shortwave, worn memories of the playful and painful sort. The brief moments where flashes of orchestral ambience get out from underneath the swagger are so pure, personal and unguarded that for a moment they leave you completely lonesome. In the album’s closer ‘End’, you can hear the fleeting promise and DIY possibilities of an analogue world and embers of ash that flutter in its wake: where it seemed, for a brief moment, that collective of DJs, engineers, rappers, graffiti artists and skate crews were emerging from the streets, giving the middle fingers to the system, before just as quickly disappearing back to the doldrums of obscurity. ‘End’ is a bittersweet ode to early soundsystem culture, MCs and pirate radio - an out of step time where for a moment the underdogs and weirdos seemed to be kicking on the door of something bigger.
A veritable teenage doof suite dosed with desire, claustrophobia and deviance. Burn is a good old howl at the moon: lonely, raw, and out for blood; basement style exegesis at its best. A thump to the gut, a stud through your blood. A dubbed-to-death classic straight out of the annals of nowhere. A perfect post card from oblivion. A bleak, bold and personally ferocious vision of tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
This is everything that record collectors skip dates for. Fuck the scene and keep that shit underground. That’s what it is all about. Know what I mean, if you do? You’re in…
Serenda is a London-based DJ and producer of Guyanese and Greek heritage, known for her rich, eclectic sound rooted in house but never confined by it. Her sets fold between soulful depth and experimental edge, always delivered with a bold, contemporary vision.
Her sets are grounded in rhythm and instinct, built less around genre than sensation. She blends percussive house, warped club music, and raw, organic textures; crafting dancefloors that feel immersive and visceral and emotioanlly charged . There’s a physicality to her sound that edges toward the primal. For Serenda, DJing is a form of play - fluid, responsive, and deeply connected.
She deconstructs and distorts house music with intent, letting in pressure, dissonance, and emotional rupture. Her sets draw on the “timeless mindless states” of Mancuso’s The Loft, unfolding as rituals that don’t smooth over the chaos, they work with it.
Following the release of her debut EP The Prophecy on Josh Caffe’s Love Child label, she made her mark with a headline show in Fabric’s Room 2 and a Rinse FM residency. A regular in London’s queer underground, Serenda is also shaped by New York’s experimental club scene, where experimental sound and unfiltered expression mirror her own ethos.
Afro-diasporic and South American ritual in tension with city life, instinctive rhythm against digital overstimulation. Her fascination with world-building and quantum physics runs through everything she creates, fusing sonic design and sensory experience into one evolving landscape
Following the release of Haunted House Party, Bradley Thomas Turner was contacted by the Cryptozoological Society of New York City to create music for their museum’s holiday exhibitions. As enigmatic as they are controversial, the secretive society gave the composer free rein to create music that celebrated their profane (and, according to their critics, pseudoscientific) explorations of the darker side of yuletide folklore. The endeavour was denounced by religious groups, the scientific community and even parts of the cryptozoological community as “blasphemous,” “irresponsible”, and “a dangerous topic to make light of” respectively. Not much is known about the pandemonium that broke out on the night of the opening reception, but one journalist (who has been granted anonymity by request) infiltrated the event and captured the recordings that follow. Death cult ritual? Mishandling of cursed artifacts? Elaborate practical joke? Publicity stunt? No one can (or will) say for sure as no person in attendance has been willing to speak on record. Therefore, we present these recordings so the general public can decide for themselves.
‘Absurd Matter’ is a labyrinthine sonic conundrum that spirals around the two poles of extreme noise and hiphop. It's Berlin-based Italian producer Shapednoise's first album in four years and confidently advances his narrative into the next chapter, building on the groundwork of his prior abstractions to emerge with a coherent genre-warped fusion of urgent rap, crushing bass weight and idiosyncratic sound design. After spending years scrupulously deconstructing club music, Nino Pedone has rebuilt it brick by brick in his image.
The album is the first release on Pedone's brand new imprint WEIGHT LOOMING, a multidisciplinary label platform that's set to explore the depths of bass music, textured noise and abrasive transcendence. It follows a slew of acclaimed releases for Numbers,
Opal Tapes, Type and his own Cosmo Rhythmatic label, and forward thinking collaborations with Kenyan beat alchemist Slikback and Hyperdub-signed Angolan producer Nazar. Pedone's most ambitious project to date, ‘Absurd Matter’ taps into kinetic energy from a hand-picked selection of collaborators, including New York rap duo Armand
Hammer, French DJ/producer Brodinski, Bruiser Brigade's ZelooperZ and vanguard Philly poet, musician, and activist Moor Mother.
On ‘Family’, Billy Woods and Elucid weave a dismal, apocalyptic landscape with their razor-sharp anecdotes. The duo’s macabre imagery is given artificial life by Pedone's industrial scrapes and rattles that curl around their worlds like thick smoke. It's still rap, just about, but lodges itself in the back room of a factory, machines running themselves to an early death. Pairing with techno-rap trailblazer Brodinski, Pedone edges further towards the sound system, spatializing rhythms in four dimensions around Detroit rapper
ZelooperZ's playful expressions. This is the Italian producer's sci-fi tinged liquefaction of radio echoes, a way to fire familiarity into the void and sublime the human voice into weightless mist. When Moor Mother arrives shouting "me me me" on the aptly-titled 'Poetry', it sounds as if all of Pedone's loose threads are being tightened into a knot. His misshapen neo-grime beats sound like a broken jet engine, but smartly cede power to Moor Mother's resonant rhymes. "You can't cancel me" she assures. ‘Absurd Matter’ is a defining personal development for Pedone that not only appraises his career so far, but diverts its logic into frighteningly new sonic territory. From great loss, the producer has determined his work's cardinal themes, and sounds more strident and far heavier than ever before.
What happens when you combine SUMAC: a band that uses the volume, distortion, and guitar-centric approach of metal to make music that has the malleability of jazz and textural exploration of noise with Moor Mother: a poet and sound artist that has deconstructed hip hop to a point where it"s less about rhyme and rhythm (though obviously both are present in her work) and more about oratorical cadence and power.
The Film is an album that takes attributes of both artists" work and finds common ground in shifting musical patterns, and expressive force. The record is a musical thumbing of their noses at the more traditional approaches of their respective fields, an innovative, powerhouse of an album. The Film"s moniker speaks to the fact that it is conceived and delivered as a complete album, a full story or narrative. Moor Mother puts it best: "The idea is to create a moment outside of the convention. This is a work of art.
Thinking about the work as a Film, instead of an album or a collection of songs. This task is impossible in an industry that wants to force everything into a box of consumption. You won"t understand or get the full picture until the artwork is completed. This work is developing and is requesting more agency within the creative process." The Film is just such a work, a nebulitic collaboration between SUMAC and Moor Mother.
Deep techno, sometimes nostalgic and melancholic: that what Zooloft Records is. Giorgio Gigli and Francesco Baudazzi (Obtane), balancing soul and body, give birth to intense storytelling through sound, enhanced by an intimate reflection about childhood innocence.
Introspection is driven by a vein of subtle and rarefied nihilism, pervaded in each release. Project's graphics evoke the idea of abstract thoughts written on blank paper, where shadows meet memories.
Future, maybe, is the memory of a beautiful past. So, we are here, today, and proud to present you a special, collector-item vinyl boxset, limited to 100 pieces only, handsigned and remastered, containing the full Zooloft discography.
'A Senegalese Griot singer, an Amsterdam improviser and a Puerto Rican jazz drummer find each other on an open playground, a stage built for improvisation, an old cinema now used for minute made story telling.
'Equipped with an m'bira, a xalam, a drum kit, a voice, percussion, house hold tools and an electric clavichord on 220 volt, they sit down and take off: Wrrrrrraaang!
'Singer and percussionist Mola Sylla is in many ways a musical explorer. Born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, he grew up in the tradition of the griots. Griots play conveying stories – sometimes decorated with music, theater and dance – which all play an important role in West African culture. His rhythm and melodic compositions differ from the western agreed schedules and provide surprising twists.
'Puerto Rican drummer Frank Rosaly has been involved in the improvised and experimental music scenes since 2001 when he became an integral part of Chicago's musical fabric, navigating a fine line between the vibrant improvised music, experimental, rock and jazz communities.
'Oscar Jan Hoogland is the sound of Amsterdam in person. He is an instant composer and inventor of his own instrument by joining a clavichord, a keyboard instrument from the 17th century, to 220 Volt electricity. As the last student of the late pianist, composer and improvisor Misha Mengelberg he tears like a tornado through the Amsterdam jazz and impro scene.
'Together they are Mother Tongue.'
"After being praised as one of the best releases of 2025 by multiple platforms, the highly praised debut album from Obeka lands on vinyl via YUKU.
The rhythmic dynamics and emotive attitudes of A World No More captures the density of soundsystem culture in Obeka's ancestral roots. YUKU presents the Bermudians debut album capturing a Neo-Colonial dystopia, protest and Afro-Futurism hyperextended through decaying sonic structures of a dark past and its grievances which very much exist today.
Growing into adulthood within the walls of British and European Colonial systems meant the disconnection and lostness in a new country hid me from the world at a young age. Unlike London's vast and culturally engaging migrant communities, the industrial milling town of Stockport introduced a coldness towards people from other countries I experienced in my first year after relocating from Bermuda. I couldn't understand why. Whether cold words thrown towards me or actions upon other people who look like me, it has shown to be a dooming societal virus with no cure. The most comfort was found through what was familiar - drums and rhythmic spirituality of my homeland. It was a safe-haven, a place to empty the anger and confusion. It's been 15 years since relocating and as my sound evolved, it seems classism, racism, oppression and civil control of ethnic peoples has become worse - even now more legalised and normalised. Ogun (a powerful Yoruba deity associated with anger, justice and war) acts as the opening sequence of the record and its symbolism. Using distorted bass frequencies and dissected Regga-Dub immersed in live-sampled ghostly voices of the lost ones. This sonic exercising is also applied in Drillaman - a stampede of industrial framework and metallic instruments wielded over moody Dancehall MC'ing, magnifying two parallel worlds in cocooned evolution. The resurrection of Transatlantic African cultures and identity have never been silenced, rather carried elsewhere through trade routes of enslavement, which was pivotal when composing and completing the album upon returning home to the Caribbean for the first time ever. After reconnecting with my heritage my blurred vision of what's wrong in the world became so clear. Guidance in empty plains seek truth throughout the pain - A statement of finding oneself expressed on the poetic closing track A World No More.
On Fawohodie (A West African Adinkra symbol that represents independence, freedom, and emancipation stamped on the album cover) the motive and atmosphere begins to change. Afro-Caribbean idealism which refers to the philosophical concept that emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and the importance of community, often contrasting with Western individualism, begins to take shape in a new universe. We can co-exist. The track framework uses machine-led software forming frequencies we have no control over, then manipulated through decomposing soundscapes, scattered hand-drums and human-made weapons of control - exposing the hidden disparity that's been carried over generations whilst balancing hopeful and musical foundations towards equality and peace. On Pressure and Kuduro! the writing direction attempts to wake people up. Not settling for a composed approach like in past projects, quite the opposite. A call for native sonic awareness, dismantled vocals of protests, eroded percussion using chains, gears and motorised harmonies sculpted in challenging abstract behaviors far outside my comfort zone. A direct abrasiveness and weight I want people to feel, whilst finding hope and solace through enchanting choirs and hypnotic basslines in complete synchrony.
"Purity in sound manifests when you least expect it. The smallest memory or feeling grows from a seed into a sonic language that you, and only you can interpret and release back into the world." "
Halina Rice is a London-based electronic music artist known for her groundbreaking approach to music production and live performance.Rice has established herself as a leading figure in the contemporary electronic scene, blending complex soundscapes with immersive visual elements.
Her previous releases have been praised for their innovative use of technology and emotional depth, earning her a dedicated following around the world.
EVOLVE came about through her work in spatial audio where sounds are separated into granular objects and combined to create highly textured compositions.
Rice has toured the album extensively across the UK and Europe with sold out headline shows as well as festival appearances including a recent appearance at Polygon London live on the lineup with adjacent artists Jon Hopkins and Max Cooper.
Press coverage for the album includes Mundane Mag, Narc Magazine and previous support for the artist project includes feture length articles in Electronic Sound Magazine, DJ Mag, Mixmag, Decoded, Earmilk and Headphone Commute.
"EVOLVE's audio palette is a mix of organic and industrial sounds and beats that capture moments fleetingly. As the album title suggests they evolve and shift... exhilarating as the buoyant energy of the sounds grab your ears' attention, eager for your body to move."
Narc Magazine
Richard Rozen - Dialogue for Desires (w/ Tommy Vicari Jnr Remix)
Following the inaugural BF00, Based Faith continues its journey into the religion of the dancefloor
with BF01, Dialogue for Desires, a four-track exploration of energy, groove, and emotion from Richard Rozen, featuring a remix from Tommy Vicari Jnr.
On the A-side, Dialogue with You in My Dreams is an electrifying cut, driven by classic house stabs, rolling vocal chops, and a relentless 909 groove, blending playful energy with forward momentum. Tommy Vicari Jnr strips it back for a transformative, hypnotic remix, carefully deconstructing the original before building into an explosive moment sure to please the discerning dancefloor.
The B-side intensifies with We Are Our Desires, a serious workout drenched in tension and groove, subtly asking: "Is this forever?" Closing out, That Time pulls things inward, offering a deep, minimalistic journey through layered textures, introspective movement - and of course - plenty of cowbell.
This release is a Vinyl only, limited pressing, and there will be no repress-for the believers.
Two decades after its original release, the trance classic “The Morgan’s Wave” returns in a fresh and contemporary form. Born in 2003 from the creative meeting between vocalist Caroline Eloy and producers Patrick Ketels and Xavier Romain, the track first gained attention through David Altrix (Galaxie Radio), and was signed by Diki Records in 2004 on its sub-label Green Valley.
In 2025, the idea to revive the track came from Caroline Eloy—now performing as Ce’Loy—who teamed up once again with David Altrix to envision a remix with a modern twist, keeping the original lyrics and piano melody while exploring a new musical direction.
They entrusted the remix to Narik (Freegrant Music, Bonzai Progressive, EinMusika), whose timeless production style brings a unique reinterpretation of the track. His version features deep, emotional textures and a subtle deconstruction of the vocal part, blending nostalgia with innovation.
Now released on Clair Obscur, this 2025 remix also serves as a heartfelt tribute to Patrick Ketels, who sadly passed away a few years ago.
“The Morgan’s Wave (Narik 2025 Remix)” bridges eras with elegance — a moving reinvention of a beloved track, available soon on both vinyl and digital formats.
Français
Deux décennies après sa sortie originale, le classique trance “The Morgan’s Wave” revient dans une version fraîche et contemporaine. Né en 2003 de la rencontre créative entre la chanteuse Caroline Eloy et les producteurs Patrick Ketels et Xavier Romain, le morceau s’est d’abord fait remarquer grâce à David Altrix (Galaxie Radio), avant d’être signé en 2004 par Diki Records sur son sous-label Green Valley.
En 2025, l’idée de raviver le morceau germe dans l’esprit de Caroline Eloy — désormais connue sous le nom de Ce’Loy — qui s’associe de nouveau à David Altrix pour imaginer un remix à la fois fidèle et modernisé, conservant les paroles originales et la mélodie au piano tout en explorant une nouvelle direction musicale.
Ils confient cette mission au producteur Narik (Freegrant Music, Bonzai Progressive, EinMusika), dont le style intemporel offre une relecture unique du titre. Sa version déploie des textures profondes et émotionnelles, et déconstruit avec subtilité la partie vocale, mêlant habilement nostalgie et innovation.
Désormais publié sur le label Clair Obscur, ce remix 2025 constitue aussi un hommage sincère à Patrick Ketels, disparu il y a quelques années.
“The Morgan’s Wave (Narik 2025 Remix)” fait le lien entre les époques avec élégance — une réinvention touchante d’un morceau culte, à paraître prochainement en vinyle et en digital.
DJ FEEDBACK
Early support from Jam El Mar, Fedele, Township Rebellion, Themba, Roger Sanchez, Dan Marciano, DJ Fire, Tocadisco, Yalla Techno, Tom Leclercq, ….
lim. 2xLP colored yellow and oxblood vinyl with Poster, Sticker & Mp3 Download!
We are back with another chapter in our ongoing series of unearthing smooth vibes from all over the world, this time we go back to the FUTURE for you with: THE SUNSET MANIFESTO Volume 2. After a five year break mainly concentrating on the late 70s/early 80s Westcoast Soul/Yacht/AOR sound, we finally dive deep into the modern world of our beloved sister-label Too Slow To Disco NEO (for the third time after 2018s TSTD NEO - En France and 2020s The Sunset Manifesto excursions). But of course it wasn't a real 5 year break since the first Sunset Manifesto compilation, as in the meantime we also released a few digital TSTD Neo singles, and - more importantly - our "Too Slow To Disco NEO - FM" playlist on spotify (handcurated by Dj Supermarkt every week and now hosting more than 1500 tracks of mellow, modern sunshine vibes) was growing steadily and becoming a new, important fixpoint in the TSTD musical universe. TSTD NEO is the outlet Dj Supermarkt is using to unearth modern laidback, smooth, sunny slow disco vibes with a soulful Westcoast/Balearic touch. For him TSTD always has been about a laidback vibe/feeling, not a certain time period in musical history. And that sunny Westcoast vibe we dug out on those traditional TSTD compilations has become a huge influence to so many modern artists. So it makes sense that we present the cream of new slo/mo NuDisco/Sunset Disco/Daytime Disco acts in the TSTD format, a luxurious compilation, with artists from all across the globe: Not only from the two homelands of that modern slow disco sound, Los Angeles/California and France, but also from Beijing, Montreal, Mexico, London, New York, Stockholm, Rotterdam… the moon, you name it! This music is more a state of mind, a feeling, then a geographical thing. We are happy and really excited to annouce the following passengers are on board with exclusive tracks: Poolside, Woolfy, Prep & Eddie Chacon, Turbotito, Young Gun Silver Fox, Lovetempo, Kimchii, Goodvibes Sound a.m.m.
Jeff Parker’s 2016 album The New Breed was a turning point for both Parker and for International Anthem, changing the trajectory of his solo career as well as drawing an abundance of attention to our fresh imprint despite our then very limited catalog. Most importantly though, the album is the first to give voice to Parker’s wholly unique take on sample-based beat construction augmented by a crack squad of improv-savvy LA breezers—the high-level crew of Paul Bryan (bass), Josh Johnson (alto sax), and Jamire Williams (drums), augmented by Jay Bellerose (drums) and Ruby Parker (vocals).
What began as Jeff’s interest in understanding his own idea of hip-hop processes (and how they related to his work in jazz) expanded into a blueprint for much of his work since then. (see also: The New Breed’s rock-solid followup Suite For Max Brown, the gentle deconstructionist solo guitar of Forfolks, and the long-form slow bloom dub improvisation of The Way Out of Easy—all released via International Anthem)
The IA11 Edition LP features our IARC 2025 obi strip, plus a new 16-page 11x11" insert booklet with unpublished session photos, new liner notes by New Breed bassist / co-producer Paul Bryan, and an in-depth conversation between JP and IARC co-founder Scott McNiece.
“...equally rooted in jazz and funk, and built upon beat-making experiments…”
- Jason P Woodbury, Aquarium Drunkard
Black Truffle is thrilled to announce Spilla, the second album from Nantes-based Ensemble Nist-Nah, 48 minutes of music for Gamelan, drum kits, wood and metal percussion instruments, and plucked strings that will surely count as one of the most electrifying records you hear this year. Founded by the Australian drummer/percussionist Will Guthrie in 2019, continuing the explorations begun in solo form on Nist-Nah (Black Truffle, 2020), the ensemble (eight or nine core members with occasional guests) has been consistently active in the half-decade since: composing, rehearsing, recording and touring Europe (with a mass of equipment in tow) to great acclaim. Spilla tracks the continuing evolution of the project since the recording of their first album, Elders (Black Truffle, 2022). The two sides of this record document two different iterations of the group, and the members' compositional input has increased: each side contains one piece by a member other than Guthrie. It has become clearer than ever that Ensemble Nist-Nah is not an attempt at a European Gamelan ensemble but rather a hybrid percussion ensemble that uses instruments from a Javanese Gamelan alongside other percussion to perform original music informed by a variety of South East Asian music but also by everything from free jazz to contemporary hip-hop: while Nist-Nah and Elders both featured traditional Javanese pieces, on Spilla the only tune not generated by a member of the group is by Guthrie’s long-time musical hero and occasional collaborator Roscoe Mitchell.
The two short pieces that open the record could almost be the two sides of a wild 7” selected to show off what the Ensemble can do. On opener ‘Gerak Maju’, intricately skittering open-snare patterns bounce over clanging metal, chiming bell-like tones and deep gong hits, adapting the rhythm-register connections heard in traditional Gamelan musics—where the lowest pitched sounds are heard least frequently—to a cut-up breakbeat straight off Feed Me Weird Things. ‘Strollabout’ then moves into an entirely different realm of meditative repeating patterns, performed entirely on Chinese, Javanese and Vietnamese gongs. The remaining seven pieces, ranging from three to twelve minutes, offer up a wealth of different percussive, compositional and arrangement possibilities. On ‘Ghostly Klang’, two drumkits mirror each other’s moves, bouncing hats and snares across the stereo field in a way that recalls On the Corner and the jittering hi hat patterns of trap, while slow moving melodies on the tuned instruments add a sense of majesty contrasted by scurrying details in resonant wood. The epic closing track presents a take on Roscoe Mitchell’s ‘Uncle’, performed by the Art Ensemble of Chicago on their classic Urban Bushmen live album. Where the Art Ensemble used Mitchell’s dirge-like melody as a jumping off point for virtuosic improvisational flights, Ensemble Nist-Nah rethink the piece as a near-static dialogue between the monumental, slow-moving sequence of unison tuned percussion notes and a textural cloud that grows in richness and intensity from whispering cymbal rolls into a mass of gong overtones and bowed metal.
Beautifully recorded and mixed, Spilla arrives in a sleeve decorated with core member Charles Dubois’ drawings of cymbals and gongs. Against the backdrop of a wider musical landscape dominated by over-produced electronic slop and bland harmonic wallpaper, Ensemble Nist-Nah stands out as a reminder, vital and unpretentious, of the joys and possibilities of human beings playing instruments together.
PHYR003 - REACTIONS VA is the second vinyl release of Pyramidal Decode's imprint.
This Various Artist opens with a dancefloor-oriented track by the label boss himself called Fiammata.
On the A2 we find Overdose, a raw and warm 909 exercise by the Dutch legend Dimi Angelis.
The B side starts with 'Las Cenizas', a proper spanish groove by the Techno-expert Ribe.
Closing the release we have 'Therma', a great hypnotic track crafted by the Japanese pioneer Takaaki Itoh.
We’re beyond proud to announce UER003, a powerful new chapter for Unearthed Records, and a symbolic release marking our move from the underground scenes of Austin, Texas to the pulsating heart of Milan, Italy.
“Unstable Energy EP” comes from Two Opposites, a rising Italian duo with a sharp ear for deep, analog Italo and razor-edged electro. Hailing from the new school but drawing heavily from the roots, they deliver a record that bridges dreamy nostalgia with modern club energy. Every track is a journey—raw, emotional, and primed for dance floors that live in the shadows.
This record isn’t just a release—it’s a statement. The sound of Unearthed going global. The beginning of a new era.
Limited vinyl only. No repress.
LIMITED VINYL COMES IN CARDBOARD SLEEVE WITH BOOKLET!
OSTRANENIE is a collection of digitally manipulated, impressionistic piano miniatures — each named after blockbuster films and TV series. Improvised late at night as a reaction against passive media consumption, these pieces function as both homage and critique, navigating the space between classical impressionism and contemporary digital manipulation. They don’t just deconstruct traditional piano expression; they interrogate the emotional stakes of sound in an era where immersion culture flattens meaning and algorithmic logic erodes agency.
The album’s title references the Russian formalist Viktor Shklovsky’s concept of “ostranenie” (ɐstrɐˈnjenjɪj, estrangement/defamiliarization), a term he introduced in the early 1920s to describe art’s role in resisting the indifference of habitual perception.
“And so, held accountable for nothing, life fades into nothingness. Automation eats away at things, at clothes, at furniture, at our wives, and at our fear of war.”
—Viktor Shklovsky, Theory of Prose (1925)
Shklovsky saw art as a way to break through the anesthetizing effects of routine, stripping away the layers of habit that dull our senses. By making the familiar strange, art reclaims perception from the mechanical and the automatic. His argument wasn’t just a theoretical exercise — it was a response to a world rapidly consumed by industrialization, war machines, and the alienation of a technologically dominated modern life. In this context, he positioned artistic technique as something autonomous, distinct from mere social criticism or psychological reflection. Art seeks to remove “...the crust that the world of things deposits on our senses, with routine’s unending murder of the real.” Ben Ehrenreich on Serena Vitale’s Making Strange (The Nation, 2013)
This tension—between revolutionary/artistic and industrial technologies—defined the 20th century, and it continues to resonate today. The mechanization and automation that fueled the First World War’s devastation, alongside the social and economic turbulence of the 1920s, became central to the era’s self-conception. But just as technology was a source of alienation, it was also positioned as an agent of radical change. As the shock of modernity disrupted the human condition, it also became the driving force behind an ideological utopia — one that ultimately deformed into political totalitarianism — a paradox that remains unresolved.
OSTRANENIE plays within this contradiction. The music shifts seamlessly between an uncanny black MIDI dismantling of traditional piano virtuosity and moments of raw, fragile intimacy. The result is a work that resists automatic anonymity while questioning what it means to create in an era where the technological mediation of sound — and experience itself — is unavoidable: Art in the age of its technological constructedness.
As most of us now live in a world saturated with information, this album feels like a reflection of how the modern world might sound if it were to process its own chaos through a unified scream. Hailing from the highlands of Bandung, West Java, a city where tradition and modernization intertwine in the rhythm of daily life, Xin Lie unpretentiously translates this cultural fusion into a sonically rich and rhythmically bold debut LP.
The artist’s roots in the hardcore and punk scenes reverberate throughout the album, though they’ve been reshaped and refined for the club. There’s an undeniable pleasure in experiencing the chaos Xin Lie channels—irregular beats, dynamic frequencies, and disjointed grooves collide and expand, each track laced with a sense of unpredictable energy. Yet even in its most chaotic moments, the music feels deliberate, its edges softened by a sense of compositional care.
The album reveals a strange duality: tracks that seem to beckon you to the dance floor but never quite let you settle there. Frequencies flicker and fluctuate in patterns that feel just slightly off-grid, as though resisting traditional structures. Yet, amidst the digital textures, Xin Lie weaves in organic sounds—snippets of native conversations or environmental noise—creating layers that feel both intimate and expansive.It’s fair to say this album extends far beyond the boundaries of today’s club music.
Picture this: you’re moving through your daily routines—mundane, repetitive—and suddenly, the music shifts your perspective. It reframes the ordinary as something surreal, as though it’s deconstructing itself in real-time, breaking into fragments or conjuring entirely new forms. Perhaps it’s best imagined as the soundtrack to a multi-sensory art installation or a performance staged not in a gallery but in an unassuming house down your street. Who’s to say where it might take you?
To survive the AI’s purge, humanity encoded its memories into sound and launched them to the farthest corners of the galaxy. Planet Boom is one such archive. A world made of dreams, memories, and fractured timelines, reassembled through sonic fragments.
Planet Boom is the arena. The Serpent has issued a challenge: four warriors, one chance to shift the balance of power through sound alone. Each codebreaker brings their weapon. Sweater with his nimble footwork and striking rhythm combos. Reyer with a crushing, tactical onslaught. Poten with cerebral unpredictability. Lukey with a flowing, adaptive style that reads the room like an open circuit. Only one will decode the final key. The rest will be echoes. Planet Boom is the battleground. Let the soundclash begin.
OiOiOiOIAiAiAiIAiÆÆÆÆÆÆIIIIII!!!! The new Cucum45 EP dares to speed off from the endpoint of the two previous outputs Something Weirdcore and Cyclops í poka and off the edge of the record at 1000km/h. With a hardcore opening track titled “IIIiiiIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIiiiiiiiIIIIIiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIiiiiiii” (I added several more I’s in there for dramatic effect) that clocks with everything it needs to say at under 2 minutes, it’s safe to say that Cucumb45 aka Bjarki in this EP is WIDE AWAKE, YES!
Take “OpxThermin” – it’s straight up full-bore hardcore cartoon-pyrotechnics in overload, skipping and skedaddling over the turntables. Flipping out in a wild cocktail rush of hardcore ruffidge and smudged breaks that’s all smacked out on sugar frosted meth, listeners are gonna need some surgery to remove the smiley gurns from their faces. “Get Slothered 6even2” effectively can’t keep still as a track. From the collapsing rhythms and the pinging sound effects, it then decides what’s needed is a little bit of hip-hop flow in the background. Many hardcore rave re-treads (sorry, “deconstructed rave music”) often forget what this track seems to do at ease, and that is get you goddamn moving.
"Rathakrem" might have glitchy ambient Nintendo 90s vibe checks, but it is VERY un-chill. Stressed out hard drives grind to dust and distressed sounds of arcade dynamics mean that what you hear is the sound of Mario bricking it through all those haunted castle sections. Ironically the last track, “Crying Indian and Laser Horse” is the EP chill out tune, aiming instead for a nice, soothing, bottoms out disco-fister oompa-loompa warehouse techno track with auto-tuned cats, gunfire, orgasms, and
horses. A fine soundtrack for the morning commute!
Following his appearance on _NRV001, Dragomir returns with his solo debut for the label—a deep and driving four-tracker, backed by two standout remixes from Lizz. ‘Elisabeth’ sets the tone with a tense, stripped groove that slowly uncoils across the A1, while ‘Freaks’ rides a more playful, shifty rhythm laced with micro stabs and broken vocal hints. On the flip, Lizz reshapes ‘Elisabeth’ into two distinct versions—first with the ‘Straight Remix,’ a sharp and focused reinterpretation made for the peak hours, then closing out with the ‘Disconnected Remix,’ which takes a moodier, more deconstructed approach.
discos elgozo is proud to present our second single with two songs by Las Raras Del Folclor, a queer feminist musical project from the Colombian Caribbean, which harnesses the decolonising power of cumbia and drums to heal the community and transgress patriarchal orders. This musical project is part of the LBT Raras no tan Raras Corporation, which was born in 2019 in preparation for LGBT Pride Day in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Las Raras Del Folclor are feminist, maricas, drummers and caribbean. Their musical proposal is a disruptive political bet, where the lyrics carry a message of respect for the lives and re-existences of sexual and gender diversities, while the drumming and collective chants unite us in the joy of the movement of our diverse bodies. If in the first track, La Denuncia, we find the strength of our ancestral women to confront patriarchal violence, in the second track, La Pajarera, we find the community that welcomes and cares for us.
Credits:
Mayré Rivero: Voz principal (B), maracas, coros, palmas y animaciones.
Madeleyne Camargo: Voz principal (A), coros, animaciones y palmas.
Dani Brache: Llamador, coros y animaciones.
Maria Camila Navarro: Tambora, coros y animaciones.
Alejandra Peñaloza: Tambor alegre, coros, palmas y animaciones (B).
Naikel Villarruel: Tambor alegre, coros y animaciones.
Grace Lascano (Orito Cantora): Coros, palmas y producción musical.
Jenn del Tambo: Tambores, jamblock, platillos, palmas y producción
musical.
Composición y Autoría: Mayré Rivero, Madeleyne Camargo, María Camila
Navarro, Alejandra Peñaloza, Isabela Luján, Alana Delgado, Dani
Brache, Naikel Villarruel, Eliana Villa, María Serje y Grace Lascano
(Orito Cantora).
Liner Notes by Martyn Pepperell
A collection of ten hypnotic guitar renditions that dive deeply into the traditional compositional musicality that underpins Harakami’s hallucinatory beatscapes before reconsidering them under a fresh, innovative and engaging new light. River: The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami signals a new level of awareness and understanding of both Rei Harakami’s significance and Ayane Shino’s undeniable talent.
VITAL SALES POINTS:
In 1996 Tokyo-based label Sublime Records received a cassette demo from Rei Harakami, a 26-year-old Japanese experimental filmmaker, and musician. Within one year Harakami’s debut LP ‘Unrest’ was released. As the 21st century dawned, Harakami was becoming a critically acclaimed figure, and there was a feeling in Japan that Harakami would be an inevitable successor to such luminaries as Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sadly Harakami passed away at age 40 in 2011, leaving behind a musical legacy that seemed to deserve more recognition. A fitting tribute now comes from the incredibly gifted classical guitarist Ayane Shino. Continuing her album series ‘The Timbre of Guitar’ (the inaugural release of which was ‘Sakura’ - a cover album of Susumu Yokota's seminal album, released through the Swiss label, Mental Groove Records in 2021), she now presents ‘River ???? : The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami’. Ayane has reworked some of Harakami’s standout tracks into an album of tranquil yet complex compositions helping to build a new level of awareness and understanding of Rei Harakami’s significance. A collection of ten hypnotic guitar renditions that dive deeply into the traditional compositional musicality that underpins Harakami’s hallucinatory beatscapes before reconsidering them under a fresh, innovative and engaging new light.
In the years that followed Harakami’s untimely passing, Sublime Records continued to sign and support new artists emerging from Japan’s rich and fertile electronic music scene. This eventually led to a meeting with gifted classical guitarist Ayane Shino in 2020. Although a new name within electronica, Shino’s classical resume is impeccable. She has performed with a range of prestigious orchestras in concert halls and at music festivals across Japan, Europe, and South America while playing classical guitar for numerous animations, movies and television commercials and holding various educational roles. These days, she also hosts the Tokyo Harmonics radio show, which is syndicated through Hyogo prefecture’s Ashiya Radio and TJS Radio in Los Angeles.
During her time completing a masters at Tokyo’s University of the Arts, Shino became fascinated by Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, Oneohtrix Point Never, Steve Reich, and, closer to home, Harakami and Susumu Yokota. ”I found myself in an environment where I was surrounded by fellow students who produced computer music, live electronics, and installations,” she explains. Following her meeting with Sublime, Hideoki Amano, the producer and owner of Musicmine, the parent company of the label, asked Shino if she would be open to transcribing and recording an album of covers of the late, great composer, producer and DJ Susumu Yokota’s music in incorporate into then-upcoming events commemorating the 5th anniversary of his death and reissues of his past works. “Yokota made music with the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer and samplers, not in a way like a conventional instrumentalist, so I was aware it might be more of a challenge for her,” Amano explains. Fittingly, Shino was up for his suggestion, leading to ‘Sakura: The Timbre Of Guitars #1 Susumu Yokota’. Song by song, Sakura highlighted Shino’s free-flowing playing and prowess at translating electronic music into classical guitar shapes.
After considering Harakami’s background as an instrumentalist, Amano felt revisiting his catalogue should be the next step for Shino. Well-versed in how often classical versions of electronic music tend to fall flat, he asked her to examine Harakami’s songs closely, select the musical phrases suitable for guitar and create arrangements that would sound interesting to music listeners with a deep engagement with ambient, techno and electronica. In Harakami’s discography, Shino discovered “a sense of simplicity, warmth, moisture and a floating sensation.” “I was gripped by his songs, which had an array of sounds that gave me a sense of mystery but also coexisted with a sense of familiarity,” she explained. Moving beyond his official releases, Shino began digging through YouTube to find live recordings, radio appearances and obscure outtakes. Within her mind’s eye, imagining playing his songs on guitar was effortless. On her approach to the album, Ayane explains: “For this album, I succeeded in spinning some exquisite, silk thread like delicate tones, interwoven with human warmth, gentleness and simplicity. And I was also able to rework Rei Harakami's distinctive sound with a floating feel to it and transform it into a very classical guitar sound. I hope many people will be able to receive this group of sounds that I created in this album that I played with all my heart.” A record of limitless innate beauty, ‘River ???? : The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami’ is a delicate and thoughtful body of work. A true masterclass in deconstruction and subsequent rebuilding, and an eternal lesson in how the art that we leave behind can outlive us all.
WRWTFWW Records is happy to announce its fourth collaboration with New York ambient / jazz / downtempo musician Danny Scott Lane with the release of his newest full-length Songs For Sex. The seductive 11-track album is available as a limited edition LP (500 copies worldwide) housed in a shiny 350gsm silver cardboard sleeve. It is also available digitally.
Danny Scott Lane returns with Songs For Sex, a sultry funk, jazz, and ambient exploration inspired by candid conversations about intimacy. Smooth yet messy, uplifting yet off-kilter, this album captures every mood. It’s sensual furniture (leather sofa) music, deep passion minimalism, hedonistic downtempo, glossy and warm soul electronica.
The velvety sonic affair features the lush sounds of Joseph Shabson, David Lackner, and Simon Herody on flutes and saxophones, making it an irresistible modern brand of smooth jazz, the ideal soundtrack for your favorite pastime.
Songs For Sex follows the release of Danny Scott Lane’s chillout masterpieces Home Decor, Shower, and Caput, all available on WRWTFWW Records. Complete the funky collection now!
5-track vinyl-only release by Basse-cour label boss Decoq, delivering a raw, unapologetic slice of hard techno. Drawing light inspiration from the early '90s rave scene, this EP channels the gritty energy of industrial warehouses and the euphoria of underground dance floors. Thunderous kicks, gritty textures, hypnotic rhythms, haunting synths, and relentless grooves collide in a collection that pays homage to the roots of rave while keeping its sights firmly set on the future: this is a must-have for selectors who thrive on pure, unadulterated energy.
A visceral journey into the heart of techno’s rebellious roots and a pure dance floor ammunition for true heads.
Vinyl- Only Ep in 5 tracce firmato da Decoq, boss e anima dell’etichetta Basse-cour, che offre una cruda e inarrestabile dose di hard techno. Vagamente ispirato alla scena rave dei primi anni '90, questo EP incanala l’energia ruvida dei magazzini industriali e l’euforia delle piste da ballo underground. Casse martellanti, texture grezze, ritmi ipnotici, sintetizzatori inquietanti e groove implacabili si fondono in una raccolta che rende omaggio alle radici del rave, guardando al contempo verso il futuro.
Un must-have per i selector che vivono di energia pura e incontaminata: un viaggio viscerale nel cuore ribelle del techno e una vera arma da dance floor per gli intenditori.
Blank Code is a Detroit, USA techno outfit that have released music by artists like Bas Mooy, Mike Parker, Brian Sanhaji, DJ Hyperactive, Drumcell, and many more.
The newest Blank Code release is Decoder with his 'Distant Beings' EP, a fellow American from Dallas who has gained many devoted supporters from having releases on Jeff Mills' Axis Records, Amotik Records, TWR72's Float, Edit Select Records, Molecular Recordings, and Science Cult, amongst others.
Beginning with "Missing Sector," a dystopian and airy soundscape of captivating rattlesnake hisses and muted tones of melody and suspense amidst a stuttering kick pattern.
"Strange Interaction" follows with an abstract approach overall, but using a solid, rhythmic beat as a pulsing constant. Static crackles create mesmerising textures and light tom drums are met with wandering waves of analogue whispers and skipping hats.
"Farther" introduces deep and looping modular frequencies that dance around in a sci-fi aesthetic. This sublimely hypnotic track has an ethereal quality of patience and draws influence from dubby and atmospheric styling.
Finishing with "Elevation," it instantly has an experimental vibe that seems mysterious and menacing. Cyclical mid tones create a sonic suction before phasing pulses add even more tension to this esoteric adventure.
Following his acclaimed collaboration with Sw., Dreamlogicc is back on Kimochi, this time having his work remixed by some tasteful producers from across the electric spectrum. K-rAd is first up with a sharp, punchy rework of 'Fleetingly Jazzis' which then also gets reworked by Brendon Moeller & Todd Gys with their Eho Kates project. It's a gritty, stomping house cut and on the flip, Merix (formerly Midnight Circuitry) delivers a deconstructed breaks interpretation, while Shielding crafts a hypnotic re-edit of 'I'll Hausen You'. Shine Grooves wraps up with a slinky dub house remix which is perfect for early evening warm ups or late night wig outs.
Erudite, the upcoming album by Thomas Decock, is a powerful exploration of modern jazz fusion that uniquely intertwines literature and music. Inspired by iconic literary characters and novels, the album aims to bring the profound emotions and complex themes of these stories to life through music. This project reflects the collective creativity of Thomas Decock and his band, pushing the boundaries of jazz and redefining them with an innovative approach.
Compositions such as the exhilarating and dynamic Rodya, inspired by Dostoevsky's renowned novel Crime and Punishment, and the refined interpretation of Joni Mitchell's Cherokee Louise, showcase both technical virtuosity and profound emotional engagement. From the sharp, angular theme of Rodya to the lyrical melody of Emma-inspired by the character from Flaubert's Madame Bovary-which also highlights the acoustic qualities of the ensemble, Erudite offers a wide palette
of musical colors, ranging from intense improvisation to expressive, lyrical moments.
The music on the album is characterized by the remarkable interaction between the musicians, who are equally at home in jazz and electronic music. Both individual and collective improvisation form the core of the band's musical expression. The sound is crafted through a blend of electronic and acoustic instruments. Erudite is not only an album for jazz enthusiasts but also for listeners intrigued by how music can complement and deepen literary narratives.
Released under the W.E.R.F. label, the album promises an engaging listening experience for a broad audience, from jazz purists to fans of innovative music. Erudite is a work that brings the spirit of both music and literature to life, taking the listener on a journey through the musical translation of classic stories.
Irish producer and DJ Casper Hastings returns to the label in full force with a 6-track EP titled “Recreational Murder”, unleashing a lethal mutation of electro, techno and jungle, the release showcases Casper’s versatility as an artist who garners clear-cut expertise in his field.
Nodding to its foreboding title, “Tangerine Meme” follows suit with an increased pace, woven together by squelchy synth work, wobbly bass and a gnawed up vocal scattered throughout.
“Reaper” lands with a pitched-up vocal riff opening the track; the word LSD later echoing through the ghostlike atmosphere laid out by a snappy pattern of snares and smoggy distortion. Peder Mannerfelt’s remix of the track comes as a curveball and flips the B-Side of the record, upending the previously understated but ominous tone with thundering drums, whiplike percussion and in-your-face high velocity.
“Ruthless Romance” continues on the rapid tip, this time highlighting Caspers long-running love for jungle. With a spirited UKG-tinged sample layered over clattering drums and hardcore bass lines with the celebrated genre, this is the track that brings a chunk of quick escapism. The deconstructed “Good Medicine” closes the record with the return of stabbing bleeps, intense kicks and swirling psychedelics accompanied by a grunt-heavy sample to reflect the EP's theme a sense of dread lurking behind every corner. Looping full circle to that initial cinematic feel, the final track / digital bonus “Akashita” marks his solo instalment on the label with palpable effect.
Manufactured in Dublin, Yin Yang Label 2025
Havoc are back, with the fourth release on their label, and arguably the strongest effort yet. Here we have 4 reimagined efforts, including a galloping disco delight that's been tamed to perfection, a deconstructed US New Wave track guaranteed to get the freaks and fiends moving (wait for that kooky vocal and guitar halfway through!), a little-known German 80s gem given the trademark Havoc treatment, and a catchy as hell slo-mo Austrian Europop groover. With these fellas edits finding favour with the likes of DJ Harvey, you know this is likely to disappear fast, get on this while there are still copies left!
Oversized custom cut LP jackets (13” / 33.02 cm width)
Silkscreened with bespoke iridescent citrus green ink by Mark Rice
Short story by Natalia Zuluaga
Flexi 7”:
steaming mescaline (extended mix by bad lsd trips)
Citrus green metallic foil stamp
Pressed in full stereo
Edition of 150
I.
bad lsd trips is the collaborative duo of makers doris dana and domingo castillo flores. Respectively the two have fostered practices that have sprawled out through various approaches and, whether in the lanes of the musical or the contemporary arts, the phenomenology of the social and inclusive prevails. On ultrafest, this motif continues through the psychedelia of its eight time-defying recordings, welcoming the listener into an open temporal architecture of the stereo field as a signifier of environment. It is worth noting that the group began collaborating in Miami, Florida with longer form improvisations recorded to a stereo cassette deck. In these recordings, the paved geographical sprawl and oceanic view permeated the approach to amassing long swaths of sound material. Listening back on that work at the time of this writing, each track feels as though one is walking into an active space, arriving to an event already in full swing and finding your place inside of it. On ultrafest (this album) something different occurs. The space and events are built around you as you move through the record.
II.
The name of the album is ultrafest, which should effectively provoke your mind's eye the imagery of young people dancing, salivating, grinding, and imbibing chemical compounds to the perversely formalized musical genres of “Electronic Dance Music” and latter-era Dubstep often heard in European Uber rides and energy drink commercials. A far distance from the icy and machinic reverie of Techno’s finest rave eras or the notable historical contributions of Miami’s cerebral producers to IDM’s global output, ultrafest is a libidinal catharsis as festival scaled to a multinational corporation of hedonistic excess. The festival has been a hallmark of Miami cultural industry production and optical enticement for tourism, purportedly bringing in nearly a billion dollars in revenue to the city since 2012. Scores of documentation exist wherein this decadent escapism leaves the concertgoer, usually in some neon garment on a near nude body potentially adorned with fluffy faux fur leg warmers, facing a comedown from the combination of volume, sun, dehydration, and methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine. This MDMA experience characterizes an aspect of the way bad lsd trips employs vocals and pitch on this album. The detached, high octaved longing of a high pitched vocal is decoupled from its typical auditory body of song. High-pass clicks and pops touch the (h)air on the back of the neck, promising goosebumps and teasing towards euphoric rushes of dopamine, yet also exist decoupled from the body of song. As the dopamine depletes and the sun imposes itself, Miami’s downtown of skeleton real estate is your company as you meander towards your parked vehicle to rest your fatigued senses, elevated heart rate, and quench the need for air conditioning on your skin. The immediacy of bombastic social immersion to architectural alienation palpable here.
III...
- Nick Klein
Mezerg invites his fans to join him for a new world tour, kicking off in New York and concluding at the Zenith in Paris on April 26th.
For those unfamiliar with Mezerg, his real name is Marc Mezergue. Originally from Bordeaux, he launched the project in 2017. Prior to that, he started playing piano at the age of 16, teaching himself entirely. He later pursued studies at the Bordeaux Jazz Conservatory, though he wasn't particularly inclined to follow that path further. Nevertheless, it provided him with a solid musical foundation.
Cassette[15,08 €]
Studio, the influential project of Swedish musicians Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hägg, presents their legendary 2006 debut in remastered form, in partnership with Ghostly International. Available in limited edition "Fog Machine Vinyl", CD, and cassette. "One of the finest pieces of electronic music you'll hear this year.” - The Guardian (2006). Included in year-end best-of write-ups by Pitchfork, FACT Magazine, and Rough Trade. Physical copies have long been out of print for West Coast, and the album has also been notably absent from most streaming services until now.
“Somehow, I knew I wanted to make a conceptual record that, although only imaginary at that point, could represent or define how our city sounded,” says Lissvik of Gothenburg's influence on West Coast. Some called Studio, the project of Swedish musicians Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hägg, “the missing link between The Cure and Lindstrøm,” Pitchfork heard Durutti Column and Can, as the duo’s story became swept up in a loosely developing scene — adjacent first to the label Service (Jens Lekman, The Whitest Boy Alive) and later Sincerely Yours (The Tough Alliance, jj) — and a precursor to the 2010s boom at the axis of electronic and psychedelic music guided by indie greats like Caribou, Four Tet, and Darkside.
West Coast, their seminal 2006 debut, captured a faraway romanticism of Balearic brushed up against Krautrock, disco, dub, and afrobeat, with pop lyricism lifted from new wave, all made modern by two art school grads in Gothenburg. First pressed in a small vinyl-only run via their own Information label, the album has been notably absent from most streaming services, and the internet’s record of its initial impact is all but fossilized from a bygone blog era, while its sound is simply untraceable to any one moment in music.
Outside of three 7” releases, they’d keep the music to themselves for several more years. In 2005, Hägg remembers, “We got our degrees and were kicked out of our studio spaces so all these recordings were just piled up. A year later we dusted them off and started to deconstruct and assemble them in a more drawn-out fashion.” In the same breadth, they cite DJ Screw, J Dilla, and Joy Division, along with early ‘80s European live DJ sets from the likes of Beppe Loda, Dj Mozart, and Baldelli as reference points.
“The anything-goes mentality was very encouraging and was a big cornerstone to the Studio sound,” says Hägg. “But there’s so much more to the picture, we were not that young then and had lots of musical baggage in our suitcases, the new thing was that we finally let it all come through, not bound by any borders that was often the case with music identity in Sweden during the 90s.” In the afterglow of the record’s 2007 reception, Studio receded from view, clouded behind a mountain of remix requests (including one for Kylie Minogue that saw release) and label bureaucracy. “It’s easy to wish we would have done some proper recordings of our own instead,” Hägg reflects. But both artists, now well into respective careers beyond Studio, have come to peace with West Coast as their most enduring effort together. Lissvik adds, “It serves as a good reminder for me to keep to that decision and promise and to continue exploring and growing
ntroducing World of Rubber 4, a bold compilation featuring five cutting-edge tracks from trailblazing artists who push the boundaries of sound and embrace the label's signature non-conformity. This collection showcases a wide sonic spectrum, from experimental vocal pieces to club ready floor killers. With work of Indonesia's Senyawa, where vocalist Rully Shabara's electrifying range blends with Wukir Suryadi's processing of (handmade) instruments. Hailing From the UK, MAP 71 offers hypnotic poetry layered over pulsating electronics, driven by Lisa Jayne's surreal lyricism and Andy Pyne's ritualistic rhythms. Swedish experimental techno producer Peder Mannerfelt brings his raw energy and genre-defying sound. Dutch techno pioneer Unit Moebius Anonymous takes a second stab at Juzer, a project by Beau Wanzer and Dan Jugel, delivering heavy hitting industrial-tinged rhythms. Lastly, The Modern Institute brings their avant-garde, deconstructed take on techno, blending industrial noise and playful experimentation to create a truly unpredictable sonic experience. Cut by Simon - The Exchange, pressed on opaque white vinyl, Limited to 200 copies.
DIG CURATED the infamous four of this EP in an omnivorous fashion, allowing vinyl wizard Louis the 4th to take us on a ride of stylistic adventure between old and new-school techno wickedry.
Olivia Mendez (the curator behind this EP) picked these gems according to the way she would build her sets; each track corresponding to a distinct part of a blazing journey. Each track being a different color on a powerful, vibrant palette, attesting to the versatility of an artist whose emblem is anonymity - remember Detroit? - and reinvention. The man behind the bandana doesn't shy away from paying homage to the old school while at times enveloping us into a computerized sound chaos - classy as it is.
This selection reveals a side of LTF that hasn't been shown before, catching the ears of a great number of peeps, who could easily find their match here.
"Dilatation" is a chugging techno zinger, with a groove that feels minimal yet keeps expanding through punctured breaks and urging synth enveloped into a sustained air- a kind of tool that mounts the energy to near combustible.
"Almost There" decompresses space into a light-weight, energy saver atmosphere, that fleshes out a brand-new compartment in LTF`s music wallet. Threaded through driving rides and a rhythmic zeal, it wobbles gently between sustain and release.
On the flip side, "Kurrikulum Vitae" flexes LTS mechanics, with rascal shifts in a groove that feels simultaneously ancient and totally new, amassing a depth of textures and tones towards a skanking peak.
"999" seals the deal with multilayered distortions enveloped into ghostly undertones and reverbing crunches, half-step of being a techno-artefact and a dazzling sound puzzle, made of a loopy melody edging towards poise.
Words by __ORSHI
Repress!
Next up on Accidental Jnr are 2 club ready tracks from Sydney producer Cassius Select that straddle genres somewhere between techno, bassline and hardcore. 90 is a gurgling brutal post-dubstep wobble fest at a house tempo whilst HERD offers up Select's trademark idiosyncratic vocal snippets wrapped up in most broken and shuffled of techno rhythm. Cassius Select lives in the undefined sonic boroughs of the hardcore continuum. His first EP explored the grittier end of techno under Australian label Hunter Gatherer followed by a 12" of unstable rhythm workouts under DJ Haus' UTTU label. The Toronto native is hell bent on inciting movement in the most unorthodox ways. Sonics crush genre-defining sounds into a pastiche of cryptic one liners and side eyes. Drums that invoke an impossible sense of swing and momentum. Most importantly Select's sound defines itself on the mission to deconstruct the world around him,to level out the playing field so everyone can have a bite. This year, Select joins with UK imprint Accidental Jr. to release a two-track fury of sound that snarls with every grimace.
System Error’s ERROR300 Series welcomes Amalgama, a musician from Quito, Ecuador, who delivers for us something deep and special for the dancefloor.
No Pretensions is an EP crafted with the intent of creating something different for the dancefloor. Deep basslines and chords are decorated with lush synths and touching arpeggios for a soulful journey. A record full of feeling…
You’re NEXUS 21, central to the dizzy zeitgeist of the 1991 adrenaline rammed UK House Music juggernaut, and you have just recorded a masterpiece of an album MIND MACHINES.
DON’T DO IT LIKE THAT - somehow even though your record label love the album it does not get released.
DO IT LIKE THIS - it finally gets issued now.
When Mark Archer and Chris Peat flew back from a seminal recording session at Kevin Saunderson’s KMS Studio in Detroit there was a palpable feel of excitement. Instead of merely paying homage to their Techno forerunners, they were now creating their own just as innovative waveforms.
In the can was a gem - DON’T DO IT LIKE THIS, DO IT LIKE THAT. Motor City songstress Donna Black had unconsciously seemed to add Ma to the start of her name and her recorded in the dark vocals helped conjure up an almost Madonna and a drum machine meets Techno hybrid. This it was agreed could be a huge breakthrough single which - preceded by strategically released set up tracks - would build up Nexus 21’s surely inevitable rise to glory. And the release of the MIND MACHINES album. But it never happened. Instead one day Mark and Chris burst into Network’s Birmingham office excitedly brandishing no less than 8 new recordings infused with a propulsive Rave energy flash compared to their more cerebral Nexus 21 work. The label agreed that the new tracks should be released under a new artist name and an initial suggestion. Alien 8 replaced by Altern 8. What was planned as temporary dalliance became a long term relationship. You all know the score - Altern 8 became surf riders supreme on the rave tsunami, not just music makers but myth creators. The plan has been to run Nexus 21 and Altern 8 parallel, a kind of schizophrenic experiment by two men, a drum machine and a mad for it record company. History shows that Altern 8 became too DOMIN 8 and the lovingly recorded Nexus 21 album was left on the proverbial shelf (actually a box in Birmingham)
So now MIND MACHINES finally meets the World. First thing that screams out that it hasn’t half aged well. Obviously it is a wet dream for the anoraks of electronica, that goes without saying. But above and beyond the history lesson of how 2 young UK techno mad kids got the dots from Detroit and deconstructed them to create something very British the music they created, sometimes naive but frequently knowledgeable, sounds .. well just great.
The four Detroit recordings - NEXODUS, TOGETHER, DON’T DO IT LIKE THAT, DO IT LIKE THIS and EVERYTHING (NO STATUES) - variously feature contributions from Motor City luminaries Marc Kinchen and Anthony Shakir.
Only two of the twelve recordings were properly released in 1990/1991 with two more making it on a withdrawn white label 12 inch at the time. Three of the tracks, including a live recording at London’s Brain Club that has been retrieved from a DAT that was thought to have disappeared, are previously unreleased. And as well as two previously unreleased much altered versions of Nexus 21 gems there is the legendary much tougher mix of the duo’s signature techno treasure Self Hypnosis.
NEXUS 21
LOST AND NOW FOUND
8 straight sound system wreckers from Dionysian Mysteries , with each artist commanding their own sonic terrain. Embracing intensity on the dance floor by devolving ravers from a flock to a pariah of freaks. Dedicated to the outcasts, weirdos, and big booty cadets generating all that steam heat. 400 vinyl copies NO REPRESS (12'' Featuring tracks by DJ DISRESPECT , Kovyazin D , Wee DJs , DJ DR-660, and Nastia 6.9)
Mastered by DECODE BERLIN. Artwork work by Michael Idehall. Distribution by Lobster Distribution.
super small edition of this fire 12"... TIP! Comes with a "stick it yourself" sticker for decortaing the sleeve just how you like it.
Steadily making a name for himself on the live electronics circuit and with previous vinyl outings for VLEK & LEXI DISQUES - Sagat adds to the Private Stress with a lanky, bass heavy EP . Harmonic, tripped out and rhythmic. Perfect on a big sound.
Yet more high class talent from the Bruxelles underground. BIG TIP!!
Extreme digger bomb from Down-under, Sri Lankan born Australian, Alston Koch is a highly decorated musician and the mastermind behind "Kookaburra Connection" project, a collaboration with the aboriginal musicians of Australia. "Dreamtime Trance" explores indigenous themes over a highly unique sounding beat and truly refreshing groove, game changing on the floor. Accompanied with a new extended version featuring a long intro buildup. On the B side, a heartfelt "Midnight Lady" balances out this EP with a harmless ballad featuring another side of Koch's exploits, to be served with Piñacoladas during after hours. Remastered and re-issued with original artwork.
Stellar Systems, the latest imprint from the Rings of Neptune crew, readies its first release, "Archived Dreams" — a four-track EP signed by Berlin-based techno luminary Michael Melchner. Drawing influences between electro-charged techno and IDM-tinged minimalism, "Archived Dreams" explores cosmic, genre-blending themes through high-octane machine funk and tons of atmosphere. Crafted with pure analog equipment, the four tracks of the EP capture Melchner’s dedication to pushing sonic boundaries while channelling the raw energy of 90s electronic music.
The EP opens with 'Archived Dreams' (A1), a powerfully hypnotic track of pulsating drums and mesmerizing melodies, layered modular sequences and subtle percussion, setting an entrancing tone. Decollage (A2) dives into breakbeat territory, balancing intricate, syncopated rhythms with deep basslines and shimmering synths. On the B-side, Berlin Phenomena(B1) delivers a groove-laden, robotic vibe—a testament to Melchner’s knack for crafting infectious, funk-inspired rhythms. Closing out the EP, 'OE Underground' (B2) ramps up the intensity, blending raw, mechanical beats with intricate melodic threads to create an entrancing, slightly euphoric finale.
Stellar Systems emerges as an exciting extension of the Rings of Neptune collective dedicated to explore electronic music's rich sonic landscape. From deep, leftfield groovers to dynamic dancefloor stompers, Stellar Systems aims to capture a galactic range of sounds and styles. Michael Melchner, with his body of work — spanning solo projects and collaborations like Omega Men — and his esteemed reputation in the underground techno scene, aligns perfectly with the label's ethos.
The Blessed Madonna began with three magic words, scrawled in shoe polish on a broken - down box and hung on the wall at a small sweaty party: We Still Believe. “I think you have to give up completely to really understand what hope is. It was like 2011? I had spectacularly, monumentally failed. I left the label. I wasn’t DJing. I wasn’t putting out records. I was divorced and living on my Dad’s couch so naturally my friends and I decided to throw an illegal rave. We didn’t have any decorations, so I took a box and wrote, ‘We Still Believe’ on it. I needed to believe that something better was possible and that’s how it all started.” After years of $50 gigs, strung together by gas money and surfed couches, The Blessed Madonna cemented her reputation as a sublime technician behind the decks with a legacy of fluent and dynamic sets, spanning from disco to techno to house and back. One room sweatboxes, circus tents, theatres, massive festival stages and entire city blocks have all served as the canvas for her shows. After a jam packed 2023, from Glastonbury to Sonar to Boiler Room Bali, The Blessed Madonna has been filling the dance floor everywhere she goes and is now releasing her debut album.
“Artifact” by Novo Line makes a departure from his Atari ST fueled FM synth journeys, here reimagining the soundtrack of our collective memory. Born from a live performance at a listening festival in Berlin by the Camp Cosmic crew, this LP transforms universally recognized pop anthems, beckoning listeners into a kaleidoscopic realm of sound, where familiar melodies fracture and our brains attempt to reconstitute them.
Using era-consistent equipment – turntable, 12″ maxi singles, classic samplers, and iconic drum machines – Novo Line deconstructs and reassembles songs etched into our cultural DNA. From the soaring emotions of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” to the disco beat of “Heart of Glass,” these are melodies that have scored countless lives, now reborn in startling new forms.
Recorded live to tape, ‘Artifact’ doesn’t just play; it unfolds like an auditory hallucination. It taps into the deep emotional reservoirs these songs have built over decades, twisting familiar refrains into new shapes. One festival goer recollected that it uncovered “the dark inner universe of Kenny G, suddenly splayed out into a whole new cosmos.”
As the needle traces its path, ‘Artifact’ peels back layers of shared musical experience. It’s an aural alchemy that transmutes the known into the profoundly strange, yet achingly familiar. Listeners may find themselves adrift in a sea of frequencies, where every warped note triggers a cascade of personal and collective memories.
Rooted in the “copyriot” tradition of 1980s punk and industrial scenes, “Artifact” challenges notions of authorship while celebrating the universal language of pop. It doesn’t merely suggest a trip – it becomes a journey through the very fabric of our shared musical consciousness.
Mastered by Rude66, cut by Helmet Erler, and pressed at Objects Manufacturing.
Open Space is proud to present our first ever full-length LP by LA’s newest 3-man band, Puli. Some words from our dear friend Matt McDermott below:
In recent years, a cadre of musicians from the east side of Los Angeles have reestablished the city of angels as the first city of Balearica. Alex Ho’s “Move Through It” followed in the lumbering footsteps of Project Sandro’s “Blazer.” Now, there’s a new landmark for the floating west coast sound. Swirling, the first album from LA supergroup Puli.
If you’ve got your ear to the ground you know the names involved here. Drummer and producer Damon Palermo’s pedigree stretches back a good 15 years or so, starting off with dub punks Mi Ami. Phil Cho is one of the busiest DJs, musicians and advocates for the deep stuff in LA, throwing legendary hillside parties under the Third Place banner. John Jones, the preternaturally talented guitarist and electronic tinkerer, records as AV Moves, is a key member of the Suzanne Kraft and Baba Stiltz live configurations and plays in The Trilogy Tapes-affiliated act Geo Rip.
But this listing of personnel and credentials puts too fine a point on it. Puli are three close friends who go to parties, DJ and get tacos together, repairing to their Chinatown studio a few times a week and coming out with remarkably textured, idiosyncratic downtempo jams. Building off the solid foundation of their 7-inch of heavyweight dubs for Melbourne’s Constant Delay, Swirling is an exploration of new horizons in chill out.
“Ramona” acts a statement of purpose—with halftime/double-time dub-tinged rhythms, hazy yet bright synth motifs and atmospheric guitar from Jones, not terribly far from the expansive approach of Japanese dub aesthetes Pecker. “Cloudy,” meanwhile, is a sort of deconstructed and bittersweet Balearic pop featuring Cho’s ethereal vocals. “Bongo Springs” is steppers’ house not far from close LA peer Benedek or the Mood Hut crew up north.
But what truly sets this record apart is the space and layers in the production—while it’s nominally an electronic record, Puli is a band that has slowly crafted these songs in the rehearsal space. “Havana Jam” cruises along a sliding roundwound bass guitar take with dubby chords and textural guitars. Palermo’s hand drums and live percussion enmesh perfectly with icy pads on “Leech Seed Dub.” Cho is back on the mic for the gorgeous closer, “C.S.B.”, underpinned by breakbeat and trunk-rattling sub bass. Puli doesn’t sound like anyone else, and is ultimately reflective of the city itself. Listening to Swirling feels like navigating a warren of side streets in the eternal sunshine. Take the drive and dive.
The Błoto quartet had made a comeback six months ago with their first singles in over two years dropping “Szlam” and “Ścieki”. These tracks were pressed on a 7-inch vinyl by Astigmatic Records, but this only whetted the appetites of the band’s mud-loving fans, as the singles sold out instantly. And so, the band's musical onslaught continues. Ahead of their upcoming LP “Grzybnia” set to release in autumn 2024, Błoto is putting out another bacteria-laden 7-inch to conclude this brief series of singles. This time, the release features a remix by none other than the modern funk maestro DāM-FunK, hailing from sunny Pasadena, California.
Wading through the sludge of sewage, one can encounter colonies of bacteria. They are well-known for their dark side – causing serious diseases. Nevertheless, they are with us all the time. They exist in humans and all other living organisms – fungi, plants, and animals. They can be found in soil and water. They are even present in radioactive areas, proving that they are truly hard to eliminate. Such is the music of Błoto. Like a post-apocalyptic bacterium, it’s capable of surviving in the harshest conditions.
Sinister, biting, and primitive – just like colonies of microorganisms. This is Błoto's latest single. Drawing heavily from classic acid house, it can truly infect the mind, inviting you to join a rave in Błoto on the eastern flank of Europe. Quartet’s “Bakteria” is a direct continuation of their first 7-inch release. However, this time, during their collective improvisation at Studio Pasterka, the band has entirely forsaken acoustic instruments in favor of a full array of synthesizers accompanied by drums.
Certainly, the dichotomous nature of these organisms presents a paradox. While capable of causing harm, without bacteria, life as we know it would cease to exist, and human civilization would not have reached its current state. Bacteria fulfill numerous essential roles. They serve as decomposers, crucial in maintaining biogeochemical cycles, and contribute to processes such as fermentation and decay. As symbiotic organisms living within other organisms, they are vital for functions like digestion. Their versatility extends to diverse applications, from biological wastewater treatment to the production of various food products.
Such are the properties of the beneficial probiotic titled “Bakteria Re-Freak” by DāM-FunK (renowned for his classic albums released on Stones Throw, like “Toeachizown” and “7 Days of Funk” with Snoop Dogg). It offers a 180-degree transformation of the dark atmosphere of the original version. The track evolves towards G-Funk, brimming with sunny synths and a drum machine. It portrays a vision of a biopharmaceutical bacterium lazily roaming the streets of warm yet perilous Los Angeles.
The 7-inch will be released on July 19, 2024, by Astigmatic Records. The vinyl single is limited to 700 copies.
Black Vinyl[26,85 €]
“Wild Boy …” is a reissue of the well-known 2016 release curated by Brian Chidester, renowned researcher and biographer of Eden Ahbez. Especially for this album, Brian wrote an interesting text about Abi’s life, which definitely became the decoration of the release.
With the new 2020 re-release, we went a little further and kept what is commonly referred to as studio cuts. It’s a few more minutes in the studio with ahbez himself, full of emotion and life. In addition, to the delight of fans, the edition includes an additional composition Nature Boy (Mantovani Orchestra).
Especially, it is worth noting the outstanding mastering prepared from practically decomposed tapes by the Grammy-nominated Jessica Thompson, which guarantees the deepest and warmth possible sound. Jessica a huge ahbez fan and we’re highly appreciated for what she has done to save his music for the future.
Eden Ahbez is definitely at the origin of psychedelic music and this release can be taken as further proof. Over the past twenty years, the iconic figure of the world’s first hippie Eden ahbez has become famous primarily for his 1948 song “Nature Boy”, praising universal love, and his amazingly solo album from the 1960s called “Eden’s Island” – one from the first concept albums in the history of music and probably the first psychedelic music album. “Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez” deepens understanding of the origins of the psychedelic movement in the 1950s.
The disc contains a musical selection of works by Eden ahbez himself, written by him in the period after Nature Boy. The inclusion of songs such as “Palm Springs” – Ray Anthony Orchestra and “Hey Jacques” by Erta Kitt gives the listener the chance to discover for the first time the little-known recordings of world-famous artists composed by Eden ahbez. Through “Wild Boy” and “Surfer John” you can hear the author’s handling of absurd rock and exotic experimentation, as well as sweet psychedelic pop like Monterey (with Paul Horn on flute). Overall, Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez offers an overview of the lost works of 1949-1971 with seven unpublished recordings and eight rare singles.
If in 2020 you are missing the hallucinogenic content in Eden Ahbez, it amazingly makes up for that deficiency with simple chords, expansive arrangements, and lyrics about travel, relaxation, free love, and spirituality. Thus creating the standard of psychedelic music. Eden Ahbez’s songs weren’t only fantasy and his personal philosophy was the real thing that he lived.
reviews:
“This carefully and extensively researched compilation culls covers by top notch mainstream artists juxtaposed with unreleased Eden recordings. What might sound like a mixed bag is actually more like a chronological, musical non-fiction novel about Eden Ahbez. While Eden was writing hundreds of songs and performing live and making recordings in various styles, his songs were also being picked up by popular artists like Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt who recorded with a more polished mainstream style. There are also some early rock n roll style recordings here. Eden’s professionally recordings often end up as Novelty Pop records such as “Child of Nature” and “The Clam Man” but if you read between the lines and listen to the lyrics it is pretty eye-opening that he is singing about Eastern-religion-style and pre-hippie philosophies about being at one with the planet Earth.
All of this is explained in the lengthy liner notes inside the lp along with a few choice photos that establish Eden as a founding father of Southern California mystic/psychedelic music.” – Tiki_News
“Eden Ahbez’s life philosophy was summed up in the lyrics of his most famous song, “Nature Boy,” a 1948 hit for Nat King Cole: the song describes a “strange enchanted boy” who wanders the world in search of truth. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn,” he concludes, “is to love and be loved in return.” Ahbez was a pre-cursor of California’s beatniks and hippies, and an exalted icon of ex-otica via his rare 1960 album Eden’s Island. Beyond “Nature Boy” and Eden’s Island, though, there were nu-merous lesser-known Ahbez record-ings. Ahbez biographer Brian Chidester has been doing an exemplary job of archiving and documenting that catalog of work. The Exotic World of Eden Ahbez (reviewed in UT#38) appeared a few years ago, gathering together 14 Ahbez-related rarities” – Ugly Things
Afterhours. continues its quest for exquisitely crafted minimal dance music and welcomes young talent Aron for its seventh release. "Limbic" features three original dancefloor cuts and a groove-focused remix by Arno, Pressure Trax's head honcho.
The "Limbic" EP starts with 'Prawn Repetitions' (A1), immediately locking the listener into a seemingly endless loop of stomping sub-bass, slippery drums, snipped chords and a mantra-like vocal stating "I'm a Shrimp" just enough times to hypnotize. 'Inverse Perspective' (A2) strips down the sonic space to focus on micro/macro rhythms, leaving just enough room for its haunting atmospheric pads to cut through. The track title "Limbic" (B1) is as wacky as it is catchy. Its sound design feels alien, not only in its wobbliness but also in the type of vocal snippets used and overall aesthetic graininess; yet, it remains highly stomping and dancefloor appropriate, with its second part elevated, and humanized, by (very) human melodies. Arno's Remix of "Limbic" (B2) deconstructs its every element, grounding the alien elements into a groove-centered, drum-machine-driven composition that embraces the harmonious aspects of the original without ever losing pace on its (very) insistent bass pattern.
Between the acoustic and the electronic, the four-by-fours and the breakbeat, Aron's tracks are as trippy as they are soulful: dense and detailed tracks with enough forward momentum to keep any room moving.
Phyr Records, owned by Pyramidal Decode, is a techno Vinyl/Digital label focused on dark, hypnotic and strong Techno.
The label's name "Phyr" originates from the Greek word "pyro", meaning "fire", reflecting the intense and fiery energy that defines the label's sound.
'Compounds' is the debut release from Pyramidal Decode's Phyr Records.
This various artist compilation kicks off with a thought-provoking and intricately textured track, 'Resistenza', courtesy of Pyramidal Decode himself.
The A2 comes from Spanish Pwcca, label owner of Hardtools Rec. and Inducted Waves.
His track, 'Half Human', is a masterclass in building tension, crafting a sense of unease that's sure to leave listeners on edge.
On the B side, Irazu & Unkle Fon, both hailing from Madrid, bring their unique brand of modern techno to the table with a sprawling and atmospheric track that's sure to get lost in its sonic landscape.
Finally, the B2 is a hauntingly beautiful closing, courtesy of German producer Oliver Rosemann.
His emotive and atmospheric soundscapes provide a moody ending to this exceptional release.
In Mr Bongo’s opinion, 'Imprevisto' is one of the most unmistakable Brazilian jazz records ever made. Dramatic intro and hypnotic piano line, decorated with panned percussion before the hats come in. Then the upright bass. A true classic.
Bossa Três formed in 1961 in Rio. They spent most of their early years touring jazz clubs in the USA, before the original line up and their pianist (and perhaps most well-known band member) Luis Carlos Vinhas, returned to Brazil. This is the final track on their Em Forma! LP from 1965, released on Forma. The original pressing of this Brazil 45 was the first time ‘Imprevisto’ had been released on a 7”.
We know very little about Ana Rosely. She released four 7” 2-track records between 1975 and 1984, the latter featuring the brilliant ‘Skim Dum Dum Dum’. The original version was released by RGE Discos in 1984, which came as a surprise to us given the sound. It is very difficult to find an original copy in good condition and they are, as ever, increasing in price.
Raining Heart is a studio project originally created by the German musicians Peter Heckmann and Tobias Freund in 1986 in Frankfurt. Very much in the same vein as Art of Noise with its studio sound experimentalism, but with a Kraut edge to it. If there was one track that could be played for everyone at the G20 Summit whilst on LSD in hopes of achieving world peace, it might be “Raining Heart”, the first track on this EP, it’s just one of those tracks that makes you wonder what these people were eating for breakfast at the time. Nothing technically mind blowing, just crafted to perfection in terms of all the elements coming together in therapeutic beauty, (also clearly exposing Peter’s relationship with theatrical production). A downtempo chugger with the dreamiest of sounds, effortlessly transporting the listener to another dimension, the vocals are unthinkable, by Yucca Rose, an East Javanese Jazz singer, almost as if she was broadcasting from a radio station in a parallel universe. “Alien Beat” takes a more aggressive turn into some kind of neo rock direction generously decorated with a wide range of studio tricks that might have been ground breaking at the time. B-side offers two new remixes by Castro, a “K-hole Collage” version of “Raining Heart” taking the original theme to another dubbed out realm, and a “Bonus Beat” extension of “Alien Beat” that dissects the key elements of the original track in efforts to develop a more dancefloor oriented DJ tool. Remastered with original artwork.
The first contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life. The theme allows authors to explore a variety of philosophical concepts by adapting the anthropological topic of the first contact with extraterrestrial cultures. But then what are the Topics of a possible “Second Contact”? What would have happened to civilization if the extraterrestrial life force returns. Are they ready to greet it?
In this case, the second contact comes in the form of SEELEN. Label head and part-time intergalactic traveller Janein’s second full EP on the Imprint. And he hasn’t returned to take prisoners.
The Title track takes you for a wild ride from the second one. A warbling, acidic texture marks the foundation of what is an absolutely destructive and fiery cut. One of Janein’s heaviest percussion tracks to date takes the mood to an absolute frenzy while the acid-textures and metallic Chords can almost singe your eyebrows off if you get too close to the speaker.
In comparison, Gaja tones it down somewhat with mellower synths and an absolutely funky Bassline. But do not underestimate this track in comparison to Kobald M. This track will ensnare you into its hypnotic chokehold. It is the kind of cut you can play in any situation and not a single person will leave the dancefloor.
Meeting the Alien for a Parlay, translating its transmissions on this record are musical linguists Somewhen and Peryl.
While Somewhen has leaned into Kobald M’s destructive potential, adding a chaotic, out-for-madness kind of energy, that is sure to bring insanity to any warehouse, Peryl, known for his cathartic breakbeat excursions, has absolutely deconstructed Gaja making it into a track that sounds like the moment an unknown flying object enters the atmosphere of the earth.
microCastle’s second offering of 2024 welcomes Upercent back to the label for a new EP. Since first appearing in 2011, Valencia based sound architect Upercent has developed a distinct brand of electronic futurism. An enthusiastic attitude towards experimentation, coupled with extraordinary creative vision has made the Spaniard one of the more unique artists to emerge in the last decade. Upercent’s first microCastle project, 2018’s 'Vuit', not only served as the imprint's second ever vinyl release, but continued the Valencia resident’s mission to create contemporary club tools and destabilizing sound explorations. Seemingly in constant motion moving forward, Upercent would go on to record projects for Diynamic, Kompakt and Watergate, amongst others, firmly establishing his place amongst the underground’s premiere talents. Now more than five years on from this elusive string of projects, it has been Habitat, Innervisions, Sum Over Histories and TAU which have been vehicles for his creative swell over the last two calendar years, reminding us of the niche he carved out during his initial rise, as he continues to maneuver himself through the confines of electronic music. With 2024 being highlighted by ‘Falling’, a two-track collaborative project with Germany’s Adana Twins, Upercent now returns to microCastle with ‘Persevere’.
Beginning with the organic monochromes of ‘Oracle’, Upercent’s craftsmanship reveals itself across the slow-burning piece, one where funked-up beats and rubbery basslines get peppered with skittering rhythms, thought provoking vocal samples and glitched-out electronics. Its subdued yet swing-heavy suspense while perfect for an astute dancefloor, also acts as an ideal segue into the hopeful qualities of ‘As It May See’. Paul Brenning’s vocals feature here, falling like raindrops atop woody kick drums and clustered sonics, eventually giving way to an interlude of soulful phrasing, coaxing beautifully with granular textures and ghostly swirls of wind, before tastefully moving forward as panoramic arps emerge for a mesmerizing finale.
Upercent’s distinct aesthetic continues on the fourth selection ‘Cult’. Perhaps the most direct composition on the EP, its six-minute running time quickly sets you adrift in a techno-inspired wasteland of deconstructed vocals and retro chord stabs. Both intimate and wide-ranging, it's a series of crystal-like drones which engulf your attention whole, creating a sombre, ceremonial backdrop for misty glitches and fog-like swells to create a scenic storyboard. Reverberating hits and twitchy rhythms fill the space of closer ‘Blau Cel’, a production where Upercent crafts a trek through mountainous dancefloor trails. Unbound by gravity, orchestral gestures sweep across mossy plains and frost-filled sighs, offering listeners another immersive journey into the uncharted realms of musical expression.
Ruby Red - Transparent - Galaxy effect vinyl in dub style jacket (jacket sleeve with center hole cut out so label of LP shows through) a black paper inner sleeve and poly bag.
PART ONE’ METAL HAMMER - 8/10 review. FOR FANS OF : Lustmord, Om, Sunn O))) . “An exercise in freeform ambience, ritualistic repetition and the rapturous, womb-like power of bass…strange and affecting. We remain lucky to share in the great man’s vision.”
At its heart, music has always been a questioning of inheritance – a dialogue with predecessors and forebears, the forging of one’s own perspective in relation to what has come before, and for some, a plunge into the boundless realms between. For Steve Von Till, that process has always taken on an added dimension to become the most sacred of tasks. Whether through the apocalyptic uprising of Neurosis, the sonic deconstructions of their sister project, Tribes of Neurot, the invocatory intimacy of his eponymous solo albums or his instrumental psychedelic reveries in the guise of Harvestman, that dialogue has never just been with musical influences, but with what underpins them: the primordial, elemental forces now banished to the peripheries of our contemporary consciousness, yet still broadcasting a signal for all who will listen.
Drawn to the megaliths, ruins and ancient sites mapped out along the British and European mainland’s geographical and psychic landscapes, the folklore and apocrypha forever resurfacing as portals from a rational world, “Triptych” is a meditation forged from traces and residues, and an hallucinatory recollection of artists who have tapped into that enduring otherworldliness embedded within us all. It’s a dream diary narrating a passage through Summer Isle where Flying Saucer Attack are wafting out of a window, a distant Fairport Convention are being remixed by dub master Adrian Sherwood, celestial scanners Tangerine Dream are trying to drown out Bert Jansch and Hawkwind are playing Steeleye Span covers, all prised out of time yet bound to its singularity.
Woven together from home studio recordings that span two decades, this latest outing as Harvestman finds parallels with nature’s cycles not just in its release dates but in the repeated structure that binds each album, like an imprint refracted through three separate strata. As with April’s “Part One” and the forthcoming “Part Three”, “Part Two”, starts on a collaboration with Om bassist and long-term friend of Steve’s, Al Cisneros, with a dub take opening the B-Side. Here, the opening track, “The Hag Of Beara Vs The Poet”’s languid, tribal groove expands into a chromatic wash, like an endless drip of oil spreading out under a midsummer haze.
A filtering of the alpha-state travelogues of its predecessor, “Part Two” reaches even deeper into primal yet pristine states. It journeys from the undulating drone and slow-thawing wonder of “The Falconer”, as if the Myst soundtrack were being broadcast from outer space, through “Damascus”’s perpetual-motion, dreamtime bazaar and “Vapour Phase”s seismograph frequencies measuring supernatural tremors to “The Unjust Incarceration”s distorted bagpipes, sounding a noise-frayed lament
If “Triptych” is a multi- and extra-sensory experience, it extends to the remarkable glyph-style artwork of Henry Hablak, a map of correspondences from a long-forgotten ancient and advanced civilization. As with “Triptych” itself, it’s an echo from another time, an act of binding, a guide to be endlessly reinterpreted, and a signpost to the sacred that might not indicate where to look, but how.
There is propably no single event that has as potent of an
effect on the german Techno- scene as the fall of the Berlin
Wall. A city divided suddenly, in one single night, became
uni¦ed, opening up both sides for the new experiences and
ways to view life the other might have. Berlin’s eastside with
it’s empty, unused warehouses proved to be a fertile breeding
ground for free spirits and those carrying a newfound ¦re in
their eyes. This was the zero hour. The Consolidation. And it
is this mindset, spirit and ¦re of Consolidation that Shaleen
conjures on her debut EP of the same name. The title track
opens up by sampling John F. Kennedy’s legendary “Berlin”
speech from 1964, before absolutely caving in the concrete
with a beyond-heavy kickdrum and a very stripped down but
effective 909-percussion section. Spursed in along the track’s
runtime are droning sirens and JFK continuing to beckon you
to lose yourself in the metropolitan bowels. This is the
anthem of a past revolution. On Deconstruction, Shaleen
goes down a slightly more basement oriented route. The
Percussion shares the title track’s stripped down
effectiveness, but the Groove is more rolling, the Vocal
samples are more distorted and there are sharp synths
cutting through the beats like shards of broken glass. Of
course, a revolution wouldn’t be complete without a mob so
both Cadency aka Hector Oaks and New Frames have put
their spin on the EP’s title track. Mr. Cadeny is up ¦rst and,
being no stranger to revolutionary anthems, has given
Consolidation an almost contemplative mood in his Remix,by adding a very subtle melody. This doesn’t mean it hits any
less hard, mind you, there is an incredibly strong drive to the
track, paired with an almost constantly looping vocal and the
sirens going into overdrive, this would be the track to drive
crowds into a frenzy. Meanwhile New Frames’ track is the
kind of thing you wouldn’t want to encounter alone in a dark
alleyway. The sub-basses are heavy enough to terraform
Mars, the Jungle-esque Synthlines roar and snarl at the
listener and every drop feels like a right hook to the chin. The
original’s vocal is cut in a way that it only adds to the
stomping rhythm, putting you in a mood to throw bricks. So
while this record showcases an aggressive sound and a
mood for revolution, it is important to remember it’s title.
Consolidation. It echoes a message of uni¦cation. Of
standing together. Because together we are, have been and
will always be stronger than by ourselves.
Fledgling label Shadow Pressings already made a mark with their debut release in March entitled the Chicago EP, garnering love from Hunee, Terry Farley and Luke Solomon to name a few.
Striking while the iron is hot, the label are serving up four more heavyweight club tracks which include acidic edits, crunchy deep house, 808 electro grooves and dusty breakbeats.
Lead track Find A Friend jacks up the perennial classic with 808 rims and toms and additional synths but keeps things loopy and rolling.
Holding One Shoe continues with the 808 theme whilst injecting a healthy dose of acid resulting in what sounds like a long lost Yazoo B side filtered through a lysergic lens.
Train Of Fools decontextualises a well known acapella making for a deep and techy basement jam which will keep the floor moving and the speaker pumping.
Closing out the EP we have More Music In The Night, which chops up some familiar samples and layers up an 808 electro groove and breakbeats for a fresh take on early 90’s house.
Glasgow based Seated Records return with more 1980s Scottish Post-Punk / New Wave material. In this 8-track mini compilation the label introduces the work of Stirling band 22 Beaches, offering a deep dive into music recorded between 1980-1984 - the majority of which has never seen the light of day!
22 Beaches formed in Stirling in the late 1970s as an evolution of the short lived group ‘Alone at Last’ - drummer Fred Parson’s and guitarist Stephen Hunter being the two who spanned the divide. Out of the six members of 22 Beaches, many were school friends, and the rest naturally fell together. The band toured extensively and played at a truly diverse set of venues across the UK: from a local swimming pool boiler room, to small nightclubs and university parties, to several fundraisers for the miners strike. Maybe most notably of all, drummer Fred Parsons described playing at what he calls “the Grangemouth International”, organised by local promoter Brian Guthrie and which featured an all-star lineup of 22 Beaches, The Exploited and the first incarnation of The Cocteau Twins. A coach was hired to ship the audience to Grangemouth from Stirling, the cost of which was included in the ticket. The gig then paused halfway through for a 'help yourself' buffet. Young promoters take heed. This is how it's done!
Over the course of the 80s the band released music on three different, and now sought after, various artists compilation cassettes. “What Day Is It?” and “Sadie When She Died” were released on a compilation of local Stirling artists 'The A.N.K.L.E File'. The track from which the current record takes its namesake - “Dust” - was initially released on a compilation-tape for the fanzine 'Another Spark'. And ‘‘Zoo” (also featured on this record) was first released on Glasgow label Pleasantly Surprised via compilation, 'An Hour Of Eloquent Sounds', where 22 Beaches rubbed shoulders with early music from Scottish names Primal Scream, Cocteau Twins, The Wake and Sunset Gun. Unfortunately, 22 Beaches never met the same level of commercial success as these others and decided to retire the project in 1984 - leaving their recordings and demos to gather dust (hehe)…until now!
This compilation, “Dust: recordings 1980-1984” follows the band's journey and the changes in their sound over the years. It moves from the raw, punk energy of early DIY recordings through to the A Certain Ratio style Balearica of their later pieces. The record's opener and title track “Dust” is perhaps the most shining example of the latter. Characterised by the plenitude of sonic space in the mix, “Dust” has an almost dub sensibility that is communicated through centrality of Parsons’ drums, McChord’s percussion, and Fildes’ Bass while the harmonising vocals of Sharkey and McGregor chant over the top to give the track its distinctive psychedelic edge. This is an atmosphere only exacerbated by the lofi quality of the recording which sits the vocals in the same aural realm as much 1960s psych-folk. On “Cartoon Boy”, the band strips things down further. A droning bass line persists through the tape fuzz and is accompanied by the sounds of a sole looping guitar chord sequence and McGregor and Sharkey’s vocals - respectively and carefully dancing around one another before harmonising in the most beautiful way. The result is a haunting and abstract Marine Girls style heartbreaker. ‘That Girl’ again delivers a dub adjacent rhythm section similar to that of “Dust”. However, on this instance crisp guitar chords, a distant, phased organ and blue-eyed soul vocal delivery, produce a track that could easily have been a lost Orange Juice recording from their sessions with Dennis Bovel. On “Somebody Got It Wrong” and “One Of Us” the band employ a more macro approach where a jangling guitar with an almost highlife-influenced tone, vocal ad-libs and syncopated percussion give the music a Talking Heads-esque swagger.
Taken together these tracks illustrate a clear trajectory in the band's sound, moving from from the high energy no-wave quality of early recordings towards a more dub influenced, and stripped-back sound - a sonic trajectory followed by so many bands of the time, not least those emerging from the diaspora of Manchester’s Factory Records.
On “Breathing’’ we hear the beginning of this transition, with the strong influence of the oddball NYC disco styles of Was (Not Was) and ZE records. All of this is meshed together with the residual punk rock energy of 1980s UK. This combination is employed to excellent effect with the addition of the distinctly Scottish (and what the band confirmed to me to be spontaneous) vocal delivery of: “Do you love me? Do you want me?” “Aye!” “Do you love me? Do you need me?” “Naw!”.
On the record’s closing tracks, “Zoo” and “Talent Show”, we hear early examples of the band’s work, playing with their rawest all-in-one-take live energy where Hunter’s spiralling guitar riffs and McGregor's distorted vocal exclamations lead the charge. The band recalls that these initial-forays did not always translate so well into multitrack recording and overdubbing: “the deconstruction took away some of the band's natural feel”. On “Talent Show” the record ends with Sharkey delivering an almost unintelligible spoken word section over the top of the track, making for one final, disorientating, almost manic slice of post-punk.
These tracks from 1980-1984 chart the progress of a unique contribution to the world of Scottish Post-Punk and New Wave, encapsulating not only the musical trajectory of 22 Beaches but also echoing the broader sonic landscape of 1980s UK, a testament to the adaptability and creativity of the UK’s underground music of the time.
London outfit Kassian continue their broadly- evolving yet highly detailed journey through and beyond sound towards something ever more expansive. Their second release for !K7 Records comes in the wake of creating a dedicated hardware-forward studio in a Northeast London container complex, where they have the freedom to interlink their machines. This renewed focus brought them to Supercontinent EP, named for the ancient geological era when Africa and South America were joined as Pangea.
A reformulation of rhythmic ideas inspired by South= African Amapiano and South American Baile Funk governs the two hemispheres of the record. The pair examine and deconstruct dancefloor material, eschewing 4/4 for interlocking shaker patterns, searing acid lines, cracking breakbeats, and vocal samples in Zulu and Brazil Portuguese.
The immediacy of the restless rhythm and bass-led funk of “Yena” (the word Yena translates to ‘he/him /man’)forms a sweet spot where double-time and half-time can coexist. “Yami” (‘mine’ in Zulu) is a slinkier proposition which sheds prominent percussion in favour of a weighty, fluid, acid-informed bassline undulating from below.
An ascending percussive riff marks the arrival of “Pulgueiro”, followed closely by break beats and the nostalgia of distinctly British acid electro; it is an intentionally future-forward retelling of a vintage sound, replete with a mind-melt breakdown of rave pads.
A dubbed-out groove dominates the bottom-heavy “Sistema” – a groovy, steady roller that chugs and propels and chugs with head-nod hypnotism through an intricately minimalistic approach.
The Vinyl Set Holder Smart 7'' For Up To 25 Records In 7''-format Has A Minimal Design And An Especially Lightweight Construction - Ideal For Installation On The Wall In The Living Room, Home Studio Or Record Store.
Features
Holds up to 25 vinyls in the 7''-format
Especially light and stable construction
Easy assembly on the wall, incl. fixing accessories
Supplied without decoration (7''-records)
Technical Data
Dimensions: 218 mm x 150 mm x 64 mm (L x H x W)
Weight: 80 g
To be released on Ransom Note Records and marking the debut album of Wave Arising project , "(The) Rooted Sky" is an invitation to an initiatory journey where intuitions are channeled into grooves and otherworldly sonic landscapes . A sound where intense rhythms meet circular expansions .
From various improvisations, the experienced & avant-garde musician Sebastian Vaughan decided to take a fresh look and avoid the use of sampling third parties by crafting compositions. An approach to music as a spiritual path driven all the way long by psychedelic dubby vibes , acidic frequencies & hypnotic repetitions coming from his sound-system culture heritage .
While the tracks "It Comes and Goes" , "Ronde Cinétique" , "Electric Shrine" and "Golden Black" draw contemporary almost cinematic ambiences with vibrant and spacious feelings , "Monin Yiri" , "Sound Loves Dance" & "Grow with the Flow" represent a series of energetic deconstructed leftfields , with the omnipresence of a singular tribalism that emphases the african side of Wave Arising .
On its own "Music without chains" is , as the title underlines , a joyful jam free from any boxes or attempts at confinement .
Finally "Subconscience" arrives like a probe , a dreamlike piece full of endless reverbs from Kynsie's voice ; generating mysterious environments and resonating directly with "Soul Whispers" .
Taking on the challenge of fusion , "(The) Rooted Sky" asks the listener to open up through a collection of progressive tracks reflecting the core of Wave Arising’s spirit : Music & Body as a portal . Through this consciously chosen wide range of dynamics , the producer shows his musical ability to create an unique sonic palette yet staying true to his own personality .
Regarding the cover, the outside is a minimalist yet symbolic photograph of the duo’s hands. As for the interior, Wave Arising is very grateful to welcome primitive artworks by the talented artist Rapoon , one of the founder members of the legendary group Zoviet*France . Continuing with this global vision of intertwined arts, the videos accompanying this record are created by Wave Arising .
Ultimately , the recurrent animistic vibes of "(The) Rooted Sky" give to the album a spiritual ethos directly driven by the book of Nature reminding us that, we are all connected to the Source .
Whatever the "Source" means for each one . . .
microCastle’s first offering of 2024 welcomes Adrian Roman back to the label for his second artist showcase. Hailing from Spain, Adrian Roman first rose to prominence in 2021 with a string of superlative releases which redefined his sound, resulting in an aesthetic that was both cutting edge and effortlessly cool. F, nmully formed within the creative confines of his Castello studio, Adrian’s first microCastle project, 2022’s‘ Disturbing the Perception’ succeeded in showcasing his inventive approach to composition, while remaining club-effective, and in turn earning play from Aera, Fideles and Jimi Jules, amongst others. Moving forward the next eighteen months have proved to be impactful for the young Spaniard, recording standout projects for AZZUR and Sum Over Histories, releases which continued to build on his creative acumen, while remaining in the playlists of underground tastemakers Ame and Dixon. With 2024 beginning with Adrian’s latest Sum Over Histories vehicle ‘Oratorical Ability’, the Spaniard now makes a welcome return to microCastle with a six-track showcase entitled ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’.
From the opening monochromes of ‘Le Sabbat’ Adrian’s craftsmanship reveals itself across this slow-burning piece, one where grating growls, granular flares and panoramic arps ultimately set the pace for the groove-centric ‘Customized Reality’. It’s here where Adrian puts a greater focus on the dancefloor, marrying hopeful vocal phrasing and silky chord stabs for a rejuvenating experience, while a drum-driven drop ultimately charts the course for a finale of deconstructed sonics and post-rave bliss. The haywire electricity of ‘Faces of Belmez’ finds the Spaniard once again flexing his creative muscles, as corrugated bleeps and cataclysmic rhythms provide a vast sense of space, creating the ultimate backdrop for distorted synths to propel choppy rhythms into dark underground passages, and perhaps onto some of the world’s most adventurous dancefloors.
The collection’s midway point is marked by the hypno-architecture of ‘Mind Design’. Trickling reverberations and long sighs of tonal tension wade through its pulsating framework, with frayed effects and thumping rhythms submerged beneath a buzzing panoramic glow. Played by Ame and sitting as one of the project's most enigmatic tracks is ‘TAGDI’ (They Are Gonna Do It). Tinted with contemplative synths and guttural vocals, Adrian’s unique emotionality peaks here, as he crafts a low-slung, slow-building dystopian romance, all while weaving in cerebral manipulations for an unforgettable ride. The mist breaks instantly on the collection’s final piece, as your thrusted into the muscular grooves of ‘Fear Track’. Horrifying vocal stabs strike, leaving the gauzy purple skies of ‘TAGDI’ behind for a more robust romp, one where anabolic bassline, retro-arps and off kilter percussion bring the release to a feverish peak. A fitting conclusion to a diverse collection of music, one where Adrian creates a journey that speaks to the complexities of life against an immersive and challenging backdrop.
Artwork: Maurcio Seidel
Red Vinyl Repress!
(Feat. Joe Killington & Duane Harden)
The world’s leading disco house artist Purple Disco Machine teamed up with Joe Killington & Duance Harden to deliver ‘Devil In Me’ which was the first official single taken from his highly anticipated debut LP ‘Soulmatic’.
This vinyl features an extended mix, a Club Dub mix from Purple Disco Machine himself and a mix from one of dance music’s most established and decorated stars, Fatboy Slim.
«The almighty golden vhs tape has been stolen !!!"
An enigmatic lady contacts our heroes, claiming she saw the tape
At an illegal auction in istanbul. The adventure begins, and will lead them through Egypt, India, UK, to run against the evil ancestral cult before it uses the golden tape to summon dark forces... »
3 years ago, Videoclub concept album was released, using 70s movie soundtracks memories as an inspiration to create original compositions. It met warm reception all around the world. Beatsqueeze records is proud to announce Videoclub II this year, an ambitious sequel full of rich dusty theatrical arrangements. Take some pop-corn and enjoy the musical narration.
Yann Kornowicz, composer.
Starting from classical music by learning violin in his childhood, he began his film music obsession during the 90s, and used the piano as a tool to decompose the scores airing on tv. Many years later he continues his mono-maniac exploration through his albums and through works for tv, platforms, documentaries or advertising.
Dan Amozig, multi-instrumentalist.
After learning guitar in his teenage years , he graduated the cim jazz school in paris in the 2010s. He is touring with several projects since then, and focuses on live music. He recently added horns to his scope
To enrich his beloved musical territories : jazz and hip hop.
Free, Dancing . . . is the first release by a new trio with percussionist and producer Carlos Niño, luminary multi-instrumentalist Idris Ackamoor (of The Pyramids) and wizard guitarist, producer Nate Mercereau. They have been playing concerts together in California since June 2022, sharing a unique vibrant sound, findings and energetics... Including download code for the full album.
Artwork by Nep Sidhu.
![Various - [R]3volution Viktims Vol.2](https://www.deejay.de/images/l/7/2/1042772.jpg)
Second chapter for the new VA vinyl trilogy on R3volution Records called
In this edition there are the following artists under our attention:
- PWCCA, label owner of the top labels Hardtools and Inducted Waves and acclaimed world-famous Spanish producer, already distinguished with severeal appearances on our label including the latest release "Programming Language EP" last year;
- PUSHMANN, another top Spanish DJ and producer, making his debut on
- PYRAMIDAL DECODE authentic Italian based talent who, with many appearances on our label, has also found the time to make his music recognized around the world thanks to numerous releases on labels that represent milestones in the international techno scene, such as WarmUp, Mord, Dynamic Reflection, Faut Section, Edit Select...
- JOAQUIN RUIZ, the only non-European artist on this release, has already made many appearances on our label both as a solo release and as a remixer. He is a DJ/producer on the West Side of Buenos Aires. Ambitious and always looking for new challenges and opportunities, Joaquin is definitely one of the newest emerging talents from the techno music scene in Argentina. He runs his label West Rules too and also releases his music on respected labels of the scene such as Devotion, Knotweed, Affekt, Selected, Subsist, just to name a few
- MICHELE MAUSI founder & label owner with another amazing track called Waterloop
- MDMP is Michele's 2nd alias in pair with DANIELE PETRONELLI with a pure BOMB track called Under Armor
Following on La Bella Di Notte is a repress we are very proud of. Zero Origin, one of Nathanael Heres' monikers, techno music geek, and producer plus headliners behind Urban Sound Of Amsterdam, as well as the owner himself of Upcult Records, a tight but super sharp label from the mid-nineties, born in the backstreets of the Dutch capital. The original record here is "New Life".
Last on the market as Zero Origin, but perhaps the finest on his chest. Three exciting tracks chase each other in a rhythmic crescendo and increasingly hypnotic decorations are ready to set on fire both the main room of bigger clubs and intimate dance floors of a smoky underground party.
Forbidden to sleep.
Fortunea Records finishes off 2023 with another vivid release by Peletronic. The Hazy Jane EP features 3 new original deep house and electro tracks by the winsome Austrian. The record begins with ‚The Highest Chance‘.
A dazzling composition featuring vocals by M-Jane. Cold engaging pads and simple rhythmic structures are the main elements in this track. In combination with this prose, that can be construed and contextualise for eternity, it absolutely stands out from the mass of modern-day deep house productions. The A-side continues with the title-track. It is a groove-laden, old school house tune that will toss up the audience into new heights with its soulful rhodes, supple bassline and the comprehensive brisk arrangement.
A great tool that definitely will find its way in the recordbags and USBsticks of a house dj. On the B-side Peletronic greets you in his ‚Utopia‘ where impactful electro beats shape the landscape of a prospective scenario. And last but not least a remix of the first track is also included. Slovakian dj and producer Paradiso Rhythm retells M-Jane’s story in a 90s warehouse décor. All in all a warm, deep and beautiful journey to the brim.
A fourth vinyl arrives from Seattle/LA label Rhizome Records. The catalog returns to South America with 2 original productions from Gustavo Fridman of Buenos Aires, Argentina. An impressive up & coming DJ & producer, Gustavo Fridman has already released on underground labels Sous-Vide, Welter, and Tip Tap. Alongside the spacey originals, Romanian maestros Sublee and Ritmico (Emi & Suciu) offer expanded interpretations.
The title track “Dios Habla Hoy” kicks off the ep with cutting edge minimal percussion work and breezy atmospherics partnered with a celestial yet melancholy melody. The techy breakbeat and meandering effects deliver a nostalgic sound reminiscent of Cadenza classics.
Sublee’s remix of “Dios Habla Hoy” deconstructs and resynthesizes the original into a cosmic journey. While tones and texture remain, Sublee adds a massive groove to drive his trancy reinterpretation. Following the breakdown, synths cascade into eternity to create an emotional, dancefloor-tested moment.
“999” opens the record’s second side with a jazzy afterhours vibe. Mysterious and quirky effects add constant intrigue while the melody drifts about the punchy breakbeat.
Trip masterminds Emi & Suciu aka Ritmico are called upon to close out the record with a remix, and the result is a true weapon.Ritmico re-equips the original with powerful drums and an unrelenting groove. An array of unique and mental effects complete this deep space freak.
Ritmico re-equips the original with powerful drums and an unrelenting groove. An array of unique and mental effects complete this deep space freak.
written and produced by Gustavo Fridman in Buenos Aires, remixes by Sublee & Ritmico (Emi & Suciu)
After more than 20 years of studio work, it can be said that this album is the result of long hours of introspection and solitude. The inquisitive, investigative and analytical listening of the earliest works of artists such as Robert John Brown & Sean Booth, Mike Paradinas or Jochem George Paap influenced me a lot during the execution of this EP. The deconstruction or deconstructive process was something I needed to explore and put into practice, giving as a result naked periplos or sound spaces, in which the protagonism belongs solely and exclusively to sounds or textures that for my part deserved a thorough review and analysis, making these periplos a challenge in themselves, giving way to resulting works where the rhythmic section was in the background or simply disappeared. In relation to the cover design, thanks to Julian Schnabel and T?fol Cruz for the inspiration and the final artwork respectively.
On this fifth and final instalment of the Time Crystals series, Gabriel D'Or & Bordoy (GBD) takes the first turn with a fierce track, fittingly called "Saw"; its driving fundament alternated with rousing synths. Pyramidal Decode's second track provides a break from the four to the flour patterns, before handing over to old friend of the label UUN, whose "Seeking the End" is a true peak time banger.
Polish Szmer has the honor to provide not only this EP's last track but also for this entire series. He does so in the form of "SEQ3", a track that embodies what Dynamic Reflections 15-year discography stands for in the first place: artists from all corners of the world, young and old, respecting what generations before them have built up while turning it into something new.
Eye of Agamotto is part of Dynamic Reflection's 15 year anniversary celebration: Time Crystals. This is the last of the five EP's. Own all five and an all new, visual piece of art will appear.
Berlin based Philipp Otterbach debuts on Offen with "Correct Me If I Am Incorrectly You". TIP!
Post-music phantasmagoria for the world in which the past became more unpredictable than the future.
Remember Cowboy Bob, Salaryman and Gary Floyd in that opium den in Fischeln?
Deconstructed entertainment for hopeless romantics and testament to Otterbach's unique artistic language.
Supersound vinyl LP, full cover inside out print.
2023 REPRESS
Two dub edits "Bad" and "Badder" deconstructed from the track "Badman" with DRS, from legendary Mark Ernestus and exclusively released via his Hardwax Record store on 29th January and via Bandcamp on Feb 12th. "Getting to work with Mark Ernestus is a real honour, I collected his and Maurizio Von Oswald's work for many years and still do," he remarks. "It's hard to avoid the influence of these guys in electronic music across genres and so it is a real pleasure to have Mark do his thing with the Badman tune which I think sounds closely related."
Pyramidal Decode marks his ¦fth release on the label with an assertive and distinct EP that further showcases his unique, hypnotic style. This collection displays a blend of pulsating beats and dissociative sound design, meticulously crafted to create the ideal soundtrack for those early morning moments in shadowy basements. Not to be overlooked, Viels, a close associate of Pyramidal Decode, lends his talent on the B-Side. Simplifying the original structure of Pyramidal
Decode's 'Gaussian Movement', he transforms it into a straightforward, yet infectious club version that's sure to ignite dance floors.
Back in 2011 when I was tentatively looking for a second release for my fledging record label Clay Pipe Music, I stumbled upon a mysterious MySpace page by a group called ‘Tyneham House’, the page was decorated with artwork by Rena Gardiner (who was unknown to me at that time) and the music was an otherworldly mix of field recordings, Mellotron and acoustic guitar. It turned out that Tyneham was promised to Glen Johnson’s Second Language label, so I offered to do the artwork, and in January 2012 the two labels co-released it on tape and CD in a cardboard box with a handmade booklet of my illustrations.
In 2016 Clay Pipe reissued it on 10” vinyl, in an edition of just 300, which has since become sort after. The new 2023 pressing is on blue and transparent marbled vinyl, with a reverse board cover and inner sleeve, and the booklet of illustrations has been given a complete redesign. Frances Castle 2023
The pastoral, wistful yet ineffably disquieting music of Tyneham House is made by artists who wish to remain anonymous here, save for their eponymous title. The musicians are happy, however, to let it be known that these recordings have been around for some years (many of them complied from old cassettes) and that they take inspiration from the 1960s/’70s/’80s work of the Children’s Film Foundation – a body who really ought to have made a film about this mysterious West Country curio. At least now we have its endlessly poignant soundtrack.
The small village of Tyneham, on the beautiful Isle of Purbeck, in Dorset, was once a thriving little community – that is until the British Government requisitioned it for training manoeuvres and other ‘strategic purposes’ in the run up to WWII. This was supposed to be a temporary measure, but the area remained in military possession long after hostilities had ceased, causing distress among former inhabitants, many of whom were farmed out to prefabs in nearby Wareham and Swanage.
Tyneham was characterised by its red telephone box, a tiny parade of shops – Post Office Row – and a grand country pile which stood about half a mile away from the village: Tyneham House. The army removed the building’s oak panelling and ornate decorative details and promptly set about using it for target practice. So great was the shame expressed locally about the damage inflicted upon one of Dorset’s grandest houses that the powers that be decided to grow a copse around the remains of the structure to give the impression that it was no longer there. Despite this, a substantial part of the structure remains intact, including its Saxon hall.
Land access around Tyneham was opened up in the 1970s, but admission to the house remains strictly verboten. Those who’ve been found around the premises, especially anyone wielding a camera, have felt the full weight of military trespass law. Tyneham today is regarded as a nature reserve by some – as a national embarrassment by others. It’s still a political hot potato, in Dorset at least.
Repress
2x February Griessmuhle closing party, it was a Monday during the day I had a hard weekend but I know the last party from Griessmuhle is still running (one day longer already) I ended up playing that night because Tham made the closing with the other synoid resident Acierate in B2B. We ended up doing an eternal afterparty at my place until Wednesday morning when he showed me this track and immediately closed it for KAOS.
Following this iconic moment in the history of contemporary Berlin club culture. Alexander Repro strikes the third tune on KAOS being the first one to made it to such a number. This techno-trance cinematic bomb will make the basements and warehouses shake whenever they let us rave in them. The Soundtrack for the post-corona movement that we all hope is about to come.
Stealing the show with his first appearance, you may have heard of him with his continuous prolific bomb outcome in Lobster Theremin, his classy Eurodance edits or his mighty U4E compilation. One of the most talented out there right now. And we will hear much more from him soon. Warm welcome to Julian Muller with a song dedicated to his mother Nancy. Keep the fire bro!
Closing the record, one of the classiest of its kind, Binary Digit post-melancholia around 150BPM acid that will make you feel as hopeful as happy and as sad. Feelings overload.
In pure Herrensauna fashion, wearing DIY decolored pants I type: "this is bleached punk" for disc-jockeys and collectors.
“In the Flesh” is the brainchild of Egyptian-born, New York-based conceptual artist Nader Sadek. Known for his impressively twisted sculptures, masks, and installations used for example by bands such as MAYHEM and SUNN O))), Sadek is now venturing into the realm of recorded music- including songwriting credits on this album! The band NADER SADEK emerges out of a collaboration between Sadek and some of extreme music’s most talented artists with its core made up out of songwriter/vocalist Steve Tucker (ex-MORBID ANGEL), CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier and Norwegian composer/guitarist Rune Eriksen (AVA INFERI, ex-MAYHEM). A host of guest-appearances lends additional weight to the musical impact of “In the Flesh” by leading artists such as Attila Csihar (MAYHEM), Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION), Tony Norman (MONSTROSITY), Descructhor (MORBID ANGEL), and Nick McMaster (KRALLICE). “In the Flesh” is firmly based on a technically masterfully executed unique style of Death Metal with a pitch black twist that creates a multi-cultural symphonic abyss where melody and corrosion meet. As a work conceptual art “In the Flesh” is best explained like this: NADER SADEK invite you on a journey to the depths of the earth, where substances of a repulsive nature dwell. Beneath the earth’s crust, over millions of years creatures have disintegrated and decayed until taking on ghastly new life as petroleum. Like a return of the undead, petroleum and its derivates have wrought cross-cultural conflict, environmental pollution, and economic distress. With a visual and aural assault, Sadek’s new work “In The Flesh” re-interprets petroleum’s sinister insinuation into our everyday lives. Nine songs and a series of original drawings video works explore several aspects of the commodified resource we find ourselves fatally dependent on. “In the Flesh” exploits the sonic links between death metal and gasoline-dependent heavy machinery such as automobile and airplane engines. These links shaped the process of musical composition itself: The album opener, “Petrophilia”, kicks in with a sound evoking an engine starting up. Another song, “Of This Flesh (novus deus)”, follows the sonic structure of a car shifting gears. While continuing to link musical composition to mechanical transformations, other songs depart from engine-based references. The outro to the album, “Nigredo in Necromance” which is already accompanied by a video, dwells on an individual’s recognition that he must die in order to reunite with his deceased lover. The song riffs on the life-in-death of an oil-drenched society, as the lovers’ reunite in their decomposition and rebirth as petroleum. This theme also drives the track “Mechanic Idolatry”, which channels the uncanny thrust of Sadek’s recent artistic output, as live human beings provide the fuel for machines transforming themselves into flesh.
Speicher 125 is a most auspicious collaboration between two great, inimitable voices in techno: Kompakt co-founder Michael Mayer, and Magazine’s own Barnt. They’ve both been productive of late, Mayer with his “Brainwave Technology” EP in 2021, Barnt with his first release on Kompakt, "ProMetal Fan Decor Only Product" in 2022. Of course, they’re also busy with their respective record labels, and international DJing schedules.
You may already have heard their first track, which appeared on Michael’s "&" album from 2014, the psychedelic “Und Da Stehen Fremde Menschen”. For Speicher, though, they set their sights firmly on the peak time dance floor – the result is two stunning cuts of techno euphoria.
On “Teller” Barnt and Mayer unleash a synth storm, tense and thrilling. Percussion piles up against the incessant buzz, but before too long we’re submerged in waves of dense texturology, making the track an object lesson in tension and release. “Duration” is a bittersweet anthem about "life long love". A moving voice tells us about "faith in life" while gleaming, synths, choral swarms and snares shower down from above to form an epic tale about duration and devotion.
Weirding the groove and updating the emotions, Speicher 125 is a monster.
Speicher 125 ist die Zusammenarbeit zwischen zwei unnachahmlichen Stimmen des Techno: Michael Mayer, Mitbegründer von Kompakt, und Barnt von Magazine. Beide waren in letzter Zeit nicht unproduktiv, Mayer mit seiner "Brainwave Technology" EP, Barnt mit seiner ersten Veröffentlichung auf Kompakt, "ProMetal Fan Decor Only Product". Natürlich sind sie auch mit ihren jeweiligen Plattenlabels und internationalem DJing beschäftigt.
Vielleicht hast Du schon ihre erste Kollaboration gehört, die auf Michaels "&"-Album von 2014 erschienen ist, das psychedelische "Und Da Stehen Fremde Menschen". Für "Speicher" haben sie den Peak-Time-Dancefloor ins Visier genommen - das Ergebnis sind zwei atemberaubende Stücke voller Techno-Euphorie.
Auf "Teller" entfesseln Barnt und Mayer ein Synthie-Gewitter, spannend und mitreißend. Die Percussion türmt sich gegen das unaufhörliche Summen auf, aber schon bald tauchen wir in Wellen dichter Texturen ein, was den Track zu einer Lehrstunde in Sachen Spannung und Entspannung macht. "Duration" ist eine bittersüße Hymne über "lebenslange Liebe". Eine bewegte Stimme erzählt uns vom "Glauben an das Leben", während schimmernde Synthies, Chorschwärme und Snares von oben herab eine epische Geschichte über Ausdauer und Hingabe prasseln.
Speicher 125 ist ein Monster, das den Groove neu erkundet und die Emotionen auffrischt.
Flautist Johanna Orellana teams up with Carmen Villain for a collection of horizontal, pastoral field recordings and close mic-ed flute sounds that zero in on the instrument’s unstable resonance and levitational magic. There’s no cringe virtuoso business or fourth world firewalking here - just sonic purity, sublime minimalism and the precise capture of time, place and poetry.
You might have come across Johanna Orellana before if you’ve listened to Carmen Villain’s music (or seen her perform live), and Villain appears here in a producer’s role, using her engineering expertise to impart a level of restraint and sonic fidelity that’s quite startling. There are only really two central elements to the album: environmental recordings and flute. There’s no psychedelic delay, no cavernous reverb; no audible treatments at all - Orellana and Villain instead force us to consider the flute and its musical lineage.
‘El Jardín I’ introduces the instrument as a physical conduit; Orellana allows her breath to distort the sound - the padded pat pat of the keys forms a kind of rhythm, closely recorded so it’s amplified and jarring, linking to primal wind instruments like conch shells, bamboo flutes and wooden whistles. Recalling the way in which Debit interfaced with the ancient world using AI- assisted tech on last year’s ‘The Long Count’, Orellana uses a comparatively modern contemporary transverse flute, an instrument with roots that stretch back through the baroque era, into Medieval Europe, back to the Byzantine era and into Asia. The component that connects the instruments and eras is breath, and its amplification and modification through differently shaped pipes and vessels.
Orellana lets the environment sing: insects, rushing water and zephyr-like winds form a stage that presents her mortal energy, suggesting a harmony between our use of breath and its environmental ubiquitousness. Her technique is steeped in folk history and decouples itself from expectation by rooting itself in nature. It allows her to bridge the gap between equal temperament and less ordered (less commercially-focused) microtonality without overstating the concept. Other sounds waft in from the sidelines; what might be an Indian bansuri, stray notes, a gust of air.
There’s a link to the foundational new age recordings that Joanna Brouk made with Maggi Payne back in 1980, but Orelanna also absorbs the outdoor folk magic of Fonal or Stroom, and the improvisational grist of Bendik Giske or legendary US horn duo Nmperign.
Far Out Recordings proudly presents the self-titled debut album by Rio de Janeiro born multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Tunico. Honing Brazilian roots rhythms like maracatu, xanadu, and samba, to combine with a global contemporary jazz outlook, the newcomer adds a modern classic to the ever rich vein of Brazilian instrumental music.
Consider it a natural evolution from the legacies of greats like Quarteto Novo, Hermeto Pascoal, Banda Black Rio, Tamba Trio, and Dom Um Romão, Tunico’s debut brings together an eye catching ensemble of talents from the Rio jazz community, with whom he performs on a weekly basis at celebrated live sessions and jam’s at venues like Macuna and Comuna Lapa, which often go on all night.
Released in 2022, the album’s rip-roaring lead single “Galope” features the effervescent vocals of Katerina Assef, as well as consummate solos from all over the band, as Sounds & Colours put it “…it exudes distinction and promise”. “Sambola” calls on the signature swagger of Far Out favourite Antonio Neves, indulging us in irresistible swinging samba-funk, undeniably reminiscent of the aforementioned Banda Black Rio in their late 70s heyday.
Born and raised in an artistic Rio household, Antonio Secchin aka Tunico’s father was the painter Guilherme Secchin, whose original work is lovingly repurposed to create the album’s cover. Antonio learned his trade on guitar from a young age, which remains his primary method for composition, but at the age of eighteen he started to gravitate towards the saxophone, and in particular the soprano sax, from which he now leads bands despite being entirely self taught. He would develop his skills busking on curbsides and metro stations before becoming a mainstay player in venues and clubs around the city.
When the pandemic struck, Antonio retreated to his family home in the Rio countryside. With time and space to breathe and reflect in a natural environment, he set to work at fleshing out the compositions he’d written throughout his musical life into full bodied works. His affinity with his rural surroundings is reflected in the luscious, blossoming feel of this groovy, mystical and poignant instrumental debut album.
Tunico will be released on vinyl, CD and digital platf
DJ Eddie Fowlkes created the techno genre alongside Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. Now the 'Godfather of Techno Soul' uses his extensive knowledge and experience to create a dynamic wax release drenched in Motor City inspiration - this four-track vinyl package is both a love letter to his musical roots and an inspired representation of the left-of-centre house that Classic is known for. For the lead track, 'AHYEE', Eddie carves out his own sound in a low growl as distorted percussion whirs over a four-on-the-floor beat. 'Blow' goes tougher, with an undulating bass that adds a wonky unease to the rhythmic kick and syncopated decoration. On the B-side, ‘Talking To Me’ makes use of a distinctive spoken-word vocal over an expansive and rhythmically intricate accompaniment, celebrating the culture through expert sampling and production techniques, whilst ‘Complex’ is more beat-focused with driving synth rhythms. Coming from producing some of the first techno records nearly 40 years ago, unique releases like this continue to prove Fowlkes' status as a constant innovator, and his ear for house music is undeniable.
