Nach seinem vielbeachteten Album My American Story – North setzt Starpianist Daniil Trifonov seine Reise
durch die Amerikas fort. Mit Mi Historia Americana – Sur richtet er den Blick auf Südamerika und die
Karibik mit einem Programm, das beliebtes Repertoire des Kontinents mit neuen Entdeckungen Trifonovs
verbindet.
Zu hören sind unter anderem Klavierwerke von Gabriela Lena Frank, Ginastera, Guarnieri, Lecuona und
Villa-Lobos, dazu Trifonovs eigener Tango. Zwei orchestrale Werke mit dem São Paulo Symphony Orchestra erweitern das Album um Ary Barrosos populäres Aquarela do Brasil und die Weltersteinspielung von
Osvaldo Golijovs farbenprächtigen Cuadros del Sur.
Dabei spannt Trifonov einen Bogen von Brasilien über Kuba und die Dominikanische Republik bis nach
Peru und Argentinien und formt daraus ein vielschichtiges musikalisches Panorama. Zugleich gewinnt das
Album durch Trifonovs enge Verbindung zur Region eine persönliche Dimension, die dieser musikalischen
Entdeckungsreise besondere Bedeutung verleiht.
Nach seinem vielbeachteten Album My American Story – North setzt Starpianist Daniil Trifonov seine Reise
durch die Amerikas fort. Mit Mi Historia Americana – Sur richtet er den Blick auf Südamerika und die
Karibik mit einem Programm, das beliebtes Repertoire des Kontinents mit neuen Entdeckungen Trifonovs
verbindet.
Zu hören sind unter anderem Klavierwerke von Gabriela Lena Frank, Ginastera, Guarnieri, Lecuona und
Villa-Lobos, dazu Trifonovs eigener Tango. Zwei orchestrale Werke mit dem São Paulo Symphony Orchestra erweitern das Album um Ary Barrosos populäres Aquarela do Brasil und die Weltersteinspielung von
Osvaldo Golijovs farbenprächtigen Cuadros del Sur.
Dabei spannt Trifonov einen Bogen von Brasilien über Kuba und die Dominikanische Republik bis nach
Peru und Argentinien und formt daraus ein vielschichtiges musikalisches Panorama. Zugleich gewinnt das
Album durch Trifonovs enge Verbindung zur Region eine persönliche Dimension, die dieser musikalischen
Entdeckungsreise besondere Bedeutung verleiht.
Acid Jazz Records continue their exclusive licensing agreement with Albarika Store, the legendary record label that defined the sound of Benin and influenced the entire region of West Africa and beyond.
'Kpede Do Gbe Houenou’ is a burning piece of Afro-funk from Benin’s finest, the all-conquering Orchestre Poly-Rythmo. With a killer horns line, imploring vocals and a driving groove, this has it all and is just waiting to ignite reopened dancefloors. 'Ma Wa Mon Nou Mi O’ is equally strong, if a little less intense, and features wonderful guitar work to the fore. Without question, this is essential Beninese music. Both tracks were transferred, restored and mastered from the original 1/4 inch tape.
out of Stock
Last delivered 5 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Early 1980, UB40 scored their first success with Food For Thought', reaching high in the charts. By the time they released their first album they were already so successful that they had signed off on unemployment benefit, leading to the stamped Signing Off featured on form 40, for the sleeve of their debut album. The first dub album ever to reach the album charts in the U.K. included One In Ten' and Don't Slow Down'.
In 1983 the band put on a new project, boasting ten cover versions of Jamaican hits and, contrary to low expectations, it became a huge hit and the band's first number one album. Tracks included are Cherry Oh Baby' and Please Don't Make Me Cry' and Red Red Wine'. The latter was a rather poppy song and became the band's biggest selling single ever, entailing their definitive worldwide break through.
There have been lots of collaborations through the years and most of these became huge hit songs. Together with Chrissie Hynde UB40 recorded two singles: I Got You Babe' (1985) and Breakfast In Bed' (1988). They teamed up with Afrika Bambaataa for Reckless' (1988) and with Robert Palmer the band released I'll Be Your Baby Tonight' (1990), just to name a few.
UB40 - COLLECTED has captured all the different phases of the band in one complete album, from classic hits combined with the new!
Back in stock! A collection of super rare and highly danceable masterpieces recorded between 1969 -1981 by four legendary composers from Benin: ANTOINE DOUGBÉ, EL REGO et Ses Commandos, HONORÉ AVOLONTO, GNONNAS PEDRO & His Dadjes Band each one of them with their own distinctive sound. This compilation comes with a 40 page full colour booklet with ultra rare pictures and biographies. Fasten your seat belt and enjoy the mind-blowing sound of Benin.
A collection of nine reworks crafted by fans and selected by Nils himself form the 'Screws Reworked' re-issue, also featuring his original 'Screws'. The 2012 album 'Screws' by Nils Frahm, was the result of inspiration from his fans and friends while he recovered from an unfortunate accident, which saw him fall from his bunk bed located directly above his studio, which resulted in a broken thumb.
These nine intimate recordings were offered to fans to download for free and in return fans thanked Nils by sending him their audio and visual reinterpretations. Fascinated by the results, Nils then publicly asked his fans to submit their reworks or any form of art that was inspired by the release and all these submissions have been collected since on a dedicated website: It gave birth to the 'Screws Reworked' project from which Nils selected nine reworks to feature on a special edition re-issue which also includes his original 'Screws'.
'Whenever you have to decide between two things, you end up favouring one over the other. In the case of this record, I had to choose nine out of hundreds of songs - but I didn't want to follow this logic, I didn't want the songs to compete against each other. I never liked music competitions, neither when I was a kid playing classical music contests nor today when the best album of 2015 is awarded.
Having been in the situation to pick my own tracks for my own records, I knew that the only way to manage this tough job is to concentrate on the cohesiveness of listening to the songs all together. Screws Reworked should sound like a record, not like a random collection of tracks.
The motivation to make such a record came with the release of Screws in 2012 as a gift to my listeners. I thought about it as a starting point for people to make their own interpretations of the songs. The feedback was overwhelming. A couple of months later, we counted over 300 contributions. Without going through a selection process, they were all available only online until now.
It seemed essential to make it a real record as I imagined how happy it must make those who would find their names - in most cases for the first time - on a real record.
Now is the time to thank you all for your numerous and beautiful contributions. In case you don't find your track here, please don't think it stands behind the others. This record means, in fact, that some of the most beautiful songs couldn't be included as they simply weren't 'good neighbours' and because there is only one rework for each of my original compositions.
However all of you opened your hearts and minds and shared your uniqueness with us and I feel incredibly blessed by each and every single rework of Screws. Thank you!' - Nils Frahm.
Season Two continues with its fifth edition - a shift south this time, from KiF's English hedgerows to the island of Lutruwita, Tasmania, and the work of Soda Lite.
A gooseberry plant took root in the sand between the bricks of Alex's back patio - nutrient-deficient leaves and all - and fruited regardless. That's most of the appeal: "I'm drawn to species that survive in the interstices of human industrialisation." The husk itself carries the same idea, shielding the berry until it's ready to be let go.
Past Soda Lite records - Earthbound, Aqua Solar Cura, Vale & Stone - built outward from field recordings first. Here that flipped: you can't field-record a plant, only the noise around it, so only two tracks (Vibrant Matter and An Sí Gaoithe) carry field sound at all. The rest came from narrowing to a single species instead of the wider non-human world, and "trying to create and replicate sound and energy on the level of the plant and its perceptive world."
Two more things worth knowing. ‘Bryn Celli Ddu’ takes its name from a Neolithic burial chamber in Wales, aligned so the summer solstice sunlight reaches its back wall - the sun turning up again as its own recurring character. And ‘An Sí Gaoithe (Return)’ is a reworking of a Vale & Stone title, old fragments reprocessed into something new - "a bit like composting."
Soda Lite is the recording project of Alex Last, a gardener and composer working from Lutruwita on unceded Palawa land. Their music moves through field recordings gathered directly from the island's own biomes - coastline, forest, alkaline lake bed - alongside slow, warbling synth work, built less as backdrop than as document: proof of a specific place, at a specific time, being listened to closely. Past records have taken their titles and themes from geology and land relationships as often as botany - Aqua Solar Cura, Earthbound, Vale & Stone - so a plant with its own mineral-adjacent etymology (soda, found in dried alkaline lakebeds; lite, from the Greek for stone) suits the pairing.
There’s this feeling that House Music is sometimes diluted into a pleasant, non-offensive and conformist formula. Well, Jackie Gritness - you may have heard of her big bro Gary - is bringin’ all the sweat, the attitude and the filth down - take it or leave it.
Jackie introduces herself from both sides on this well-strapped debut 12” - the slick swingin’ & sangin’
on the bass-heavy A side, and the raw clave trax and cunty snarls of the acid-laced B side.
No trace of over-production or tired sampling here: this is just Jackie, her mic and her lil’ groovebox -
gettin’ raw in the studio just like she does onstage. Only thing added is some wall-shaking mastering by New York OG Dietrich Schoenemann.
This is the kinda House that’s supposed to make regular folks wanna turn it off. This ain’t rated E for Everyone, it’s rated F for Freaks.
It’s music from the underground, for the underground - as it was first revealed on the runway of Glastonbury’s infamous NYC Downlow last summer.
And if that’s more than you can take - it’s alright. It’s not like Jackie will hold it against you.
Jackie Gritness
“Gary’s little sister.” His studio session resume reads like a House music who’s who - from David Morales to Fred P. He’s also been rockin’ clubs with the Playin’ 4 The City and MLIU crews - but she’s also been seen on Gideon’s fierce Homo-Centric Records. See, this bitch’s true feelings about House are stripped-down, bare-bones, and unapologetically sexual. With a radical ‘live’ attitude, she’s serving the realness with an irresistibly acidic zing.
Dark Entries is Filling Your Silence with the help of J.D. Slater. Legendary actor, director, and composer J.D. Slater is sometimes known as “the Lou Reed of gay porn.” Slater cut his teeth in the New York punk scene, even opening for the Talking Heads and Blondie at CBGB with his project Frenzy. A true polymath of the erotic, he co-founded Raging Stallion Studios with Chris Ward in 1999, which has remained a prolific outlet in the world of gay pornography. Having spent years in front of and behind the camera, 1999’s Filling Your Silence was his debut as maestro. This album collects the soundtracks from the first two Raging Stallion films - Sexpack One and Sexpack Two - to bring us nine tracks of sleazy beats and trance-like moments of pure ecstasy. Album opener “Seduction” begins with the iconic synthetic pan flute, one of the defining sounds of the 1990s, before pulling us along with its wild grooves.
Halfway through its nine-and-a-half- minute course, it breaks down to bust out a jazzy electric piano vamp. “Running with Scissors” ups the tempo with some crunchy breakbeats to undergird its portamento-laced lead synth. Elsewhere, like on “Mercy” and “Mercy (2nd Movement),” we see Slater embracing a bleep-adjacent sound close to early Nightmares on Wax or 808 State. Filling Your Silence’s endless grooves pursue that oceanic feeling. This record comes with a one-sided insert that includes archival Raging Stallion press materials. In the words of the Bay Area Reporter, Filling Your Silence is “quite possibly the best music for sex ever written.” A bold claim, but we can’t help but agree.
Following the success of Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 in 2023, Cosmocities returns in 2026 with two new chapters in its acclaimed compilation series dedicated to the rich heritage and continuing evolution of Japanese electronic music.
Compiled by label owner Matt Soulie, Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 4 further explores the depth, sophistication and diversity that have long made Japan's electronic underground one of the world's most inspiring musical landscapes.
Since its inception, the Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku project has celebrated the artists and sounds that have profoundly influenced the Cosmocities vision. Across four volumes, the series has journeyed through ambient soundscapes, deep house, boogie, jazz-infused electronics and forward-thinking club music. Volume 4 shifts the focus firmly towards the deeper end of the dancefloor, bringing together timeless classics, rare gems and sought-after reinterpretations from some of Japan's most respected producers.
Opening proceedings is Kaoru Inoue's remix of Soft's "Art Farmer", a rolling percussive Afro-house excursion rich in hypnotic groove and organic rhythm. XTAL's "Heavenly Overtone" follows with a beautifully cosmic house journey, combining shimmering keys and celestial atmospheres that perfectly capture the compilation's expansive spirit.
On the B-side, Slow Didi's "Follow Me (Hidaway Mix Instrumental)" delivers a deep and hypnotic groove before Tokyo Black Star's "Fantastique Voyage" channels the soulful, sophisticated energy of classic 1990s deep house. The journey continues with Manabu Nagayama and Soichi Terada's "Low Tension", presented here in a sublime instrumental remix by Satoshi Fumi and Yoshi Horino, where warm piano melodies and elegant synth work create a timeless late-night mood.
The final stretch moves into more driving territory. Hiroshi Watanabe's "The Orionids (2025 Revised)" subtly raises the tempo, blending deep house sensibilities with sleek tech-inflected textures. Kaoru Inoue's "Ground Rhythm", reworked by The Backwoods, plunges deeper into hypnotic territory with a heads-down groove designed for intimate basement spaces and low-lit dancefloors.
Closing the compilation is Bitowa and YAMADAtheGIANT's "Forest (Mixtacy Exclusive Version)", a trippy, immersive finale that leaves listeners suspended in a dreamlike state between nature, rhythm and imagination.
A carefully curated collection of deep, cosmic and forward-thinking sounds, Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 4 once again showcases the enduring creativity, innovation and global influence of Japanese electronic music.
Born in São Paulo, Caetano Malta embodies the vibrant creative energy of one of Latin America's most dynamic cities. A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, he has spent more than twenty years crafting a distinctive musical universe shaped by Brazil's rich and diverse traditions. Tropicalia, MPB, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, psychedelic folk, and contemporary pop blend seamlessly in his work with effortless elegance.
Over the years, he has become a highly sought-after collaborator. Since 2004, he has performed with numerous leading Brazilian artists, including Lucas Santtana, Bixiga 70, Karina Buhr, and many others. After two decades of international touring, he eventually settled in Paris, where he became the guitarist for Flavia Coelho, Luiza, Guts, among others. As a songwriter, he has also co-written with artists such as Lucas Santtana, Wado, MOMO, Rubinho Jacobina, and Arto Lindsay.
With Eterna Juventude, his long-awaited debut solo album, due for release in autumn 2026, Caetano Malta reaches a new artistic milestone. The record reveals a radiant songwriting style where harmonic sophistication, organic rhythms, and instantly memorable melodies come together naturally. Filled with joyful energy and deep tenderness, Eterna Juventude celebrates imagination, movement, and childhood's unique ability to reinvent the world. It is a remarkably accomplished debut, showcasing an artist whose singular voice and musical identity are already fully formed.
French producer Moar is back with a brand-new, 100 per cent Boom Bap project, surrounded by his trusty old MPCs and SPs, just as he does so well!! An album infused with soulful and jazzy sounds, featuring top-class MCs such as Rasco, J-Live, El da Sensei (Artifacts), Awon, John Robinson, Napoléon da Legend, Dumi Right, Mikal and his Beatmatics colleague DJ Vince on the cuts!!
This record is a real treat for fans of 90s hip-hop, with samples that really pop on a beautifully marbled vinyl!
Already a boom bap classic…
“What Robot Says L” on What Robot Says Records is a deeply immersive Dub Techno journey crafted for demanding listeners who seek atmosphere, precision, and emotional depth beyond conventional dancefloor music. Across four carefully sculpted tracks, the release moves through shifting moods and textures, balancing raw energy with subtle elegance while exploring the deeper and more hypnotic side of techno.
A1. Nicolas Barnes – Dusted Maze opens the EP with a smooth and introspective approach, combining delicate textures, refined grooves, and floating harmonic layers that capture the timeless spirit of classic Dub Techno through a modern lens.
A2. Continuing the journey with TM Shuffle, Monoder – Vihreesametti delivers a warmer and more fluid interpretation of the genre, blending rolling grooves, dub-driven chords, and sophisticated sound design into a deeply immersive experience.
On the B-side, B1. Denizo – Versus follows with dark dub pressure, stripped-back rhythmic architecture, and evolving ambient detail, creating a hypnotic late-night atmosphere filled with tension and movement.
B2. Closing the EP, The Open Circle – Shinkai dives into deeper and more mysterious territory, emphasizing submerged atmospheres, minimal rhythmic tension, and profound spatial depth that slowly unfolds with every listen.
WRSL1 – “What Robot Says L” is not designed for casual listening, but for those who appreciate Dub Techno as an evolving exploration of mood, space, and sonic detail — a refined and highly immersive statement from some of the genre’s most skilled contemporary artists.
but wait a minute.. Does anybody know What Robot Says?
Folksongs and Ballads by Tia Blake & Her Folk-Group, is more than just a “lost classic”. As clear and honest as can be, Folksongs and Ballads is a magnetic record, a refuge like only Nick Drake, Nico, and a few others have been able to create. A graceful, delicately minimalist approach to classic Appalachian and British folk songs.The perfect balance between melancholy and daydream. Originally released only in France in 1971, Ici Bientôt is very pleased to present the first-ever reissue on vinyl.
When she recorded her only album, Tia Blake was nineteen years old and had just arrived in Paris a year and a half beforehand. She spent most of her time at Disco’Thé, a record shop in the Latin Quarter, a free space, peaceful and inspiring, a hub for students as well as the local artistic community.
There, Tia would occasionally sing—when she managed to overcome her shyness. Two young guitarists who were passionate fans of folk music and regulars at the shop began to accompany her, forming “Her Folk Group.” One year later, they cut 11 tracks at Pierre Barouh’s Studios Saravah.
Folksongs and Ballads is composed of traditional tunes that have been covered many times, but they’re not the best-known folk standards. A collection of stories ranging from the Middle Ages to the 1960s, bringing together sublimely doleful ballads, lamentations for a lost lover, and an unexpected, brilliant version of the road anthem “Plastic Jesus.”
Tia Blake's haunting, unaffected voice captivates and comforts us, wrapping us in its cool embrace. Meanwhile, the tasteful, stripped-down, mellow acoustic arrangements provided by the guitarists, reminiscent of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, occasionally supported by a kena flute, have created the space Tia Blake needed to reinvent these traditional songs.
Folksongs and Ballads is a timeless record, deep and unique, a longtime companion for repeated listening, in the vein of works by Sibylle Baier, Bridget St. John and Vashti Bunyan.
Underground heroes to worldwide pioneers. Deep cuts from the world's largest archive, pressed on heavyweight, collectible vinyl. Here is a list of names that defined techno, afrobeat, minimal, tech-house and alternative electronic music - all still top of their game.
The A-side features a typically robust Ricardo Villalobos remix of Beck, made accessible by the vocal lead and distinguished by an astonishing 14 minutes of playful drums and sound design that only Villalobos could create.
The AA-side opens with three pioneers co-creating a bass-heavy tech-house banger, with a tinge of guilty pleasure. Katy B on vocals, with Four Tet and Floating Points on production duties. Two further pioneers, Jeff Mills and Tony Allen, follow it up with a deep, brooding organ jam built on layers of intricate, varied percussion. To close, we hear a different side of Villalobos in collaboration with Max Loderbauer of the experimental jazz and electronic music scene. Built on original acoustic recordings, it is reframed with serene delicacy.
This is our deepest release yet.
Limited run. Follow the sound.
a A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) 14:36
b B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down 4:04)
c B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
[a] A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [14:36]
[b] B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down [4:04)
[c] B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47]
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
[a] A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [14:36]
[b] B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down [4:04)
[c] B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47]
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
[a] A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [14:36]
[b] B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down [4:04)
[c] B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47]
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
[a] A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [14:36]
[b] B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down [4:04)
[c] B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47]
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
[a] A1: Beck - Cellphones Dead (Ricardo Villalobos Remix) [14:36]
[b] B1. Four Tet, Katy B, Floating Points - Calm Down [4:04)
[c] B2. Jeff Mills, Tony Allen - Locked And Loaded [7:47]
[d] B3. Ricardo Villalobos, Max Loderbauer - Recat [7:15]
Mit der „TECHNO CLUB CLASSIX VOL. 1 - VINYL EDITION“ erscheint erstmals eine Vinyl-Ausgabe der beliebten Technoclub Classix-Reihe. Welche Tracks auf die farbige Doppel-LP kommen, haben die Technoclub-Fans selbst
entschieden: In einer Umfrage konnten sie für ihre Favoriten abstimmen. Das Ergebnis sind 13 Trance-Klassiker aus einer Zeit, die den Sound des Technoclubs bis heute prägt.
Mit dabei sind Chicane mit „Saltwater“, Nikolai mit „Ready To Flow“, The Thrillseekers mit „Synaesthesia“ und Veracocha mit „Carte Blanche“. Dazu kommen weitere bekannte TranceTracks in ausgewählten Maxi-Versionen und Remixen, unter anderem von Talla 2XLC, DJ Quicksilver und Rank 1. „TECHNO CLUB CLASSIX VOL. 1 - VINYL EDITION“ bringt die von den Fans gewählten Technoclub-Favoriten gemeinsam auf Doppel-Vinyl - für alle, die diese Trance-Klassiker damals gefeiert haben und heute noch feiern
From the globally acclaimed spiritual jazz album RUSHIN' (Mono Jazz), "PHAROAH'S MESSAGE" channels the spiritual legacy of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane into the present day. At its center is Joe Claussell's expansive alternate remix, where Afro-diasporic ritual, deep house, and jazz mysticism converge. Also featuring Didje Doo, with a Balearic sound and WATH with an Eastern Sound, this release reimagines the spirit of jazz for a new generation of listeners, dancers, and seekers.
For their eagerly awaited third album, the Parisian trio Howlin' Jaws have teamed up with Swedish producer Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm (bassist with The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and producer for Foals, The Hives, Jose Gonzalez and Junip) and have taken a major step forward, affirmingthe universal appeal of their explosive yet elegant psych-rock. This new album, Living The Dream, crystallises just about everything we'd ever dreamt of hearing from Howlin' Jaws. Here, more than ever, their dreams take the form of unifying choruses, transforming grief ("Troubled Mind") or separation ("Do What You Gonna Do", "So Sorry") into genuine bursts of hope. Rich in texture (with the Omnichord and Mellotron featuring on the spellbinding "Miss You" and the twilight-tinged "Up On The Roof" respectively) and in wit (led by the biting "Living The Dream"), the eleven-track album is equally diverse in its range of influences. Disco looms large on "Terminal Buzz", country creeps in on "Sunset Laundromat", whilst the fiery "Maximum Speed" is a joyful reminder of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's trippy flights of fancy. The trio are stunning when they're in full swing, but just as impressive when they slow the tempo down. Behind its layers of cosmic keyboards, "Time Has Come" immediately sets the scene and subtly invites introspection. Like an echo at the end of the journey, "That Kind of Pain" rubs shoulders with the stars of the French Touch (the Air school), letting the strings of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra burst forth amidst its melancholic swells. All in all, whether he simmers his albums like an omelette or a beef bourguignon, Howlin' Jaws proves he's never short of imagination.
For their eagerly awaited third album, the Parisian trio Howlin' Jaws have teamed up with Swedish producer Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm (bassist with The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and producer for Foals, The Hives, Jose Gonzalez and Junip) and have taken a major step forward, affirmingthe universal appeal of their explosive yet elegant psych-rock. This new album, Living The Dream, crystallises just about everything we'd ever dreamt of hearing from Howlin' Jaws. Here, more than ever, their dreams take the form of unifying choruses, transforming grief ("Troubled Mind") or separation ("Do What You Gonna Do", "So Sorry") into genuine bursts of hope. Rich in texture (with the Omnichord and Mellotron featuring on the spellbinding "Miss You" and the twilight-tinged "Up On The Roof" respectively) and in wit (led by the biting "Living The Dream"), the eleven-track album is equally diverse in its range of influences. Disco looms large on "Terminal Buzz", country creeps in on "Sunset Laundromat", whilst the fiery "Maximum Speed" is a joyful reminder of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's trippy flights of fancy. The trio are stunning when they're in full swing, but just as impressive when they slow the tempo down. Behind its layers of cosmic keyboards, "Time Has Come" immediately sets the scene and subtly invites introspection. Like an echo at the end of the journey, "That Kind of Pain" rubs shoulders with the stars of the French Touch (the Air school), letting the strings of the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra burst forth amidst its melancholic swells. All in all, whether he simmers his albums like an omelette or a beef bourguignon, Howlin' Jaws proves he's never short of imagination.
It’s rare for a hardcore punk band to make four full-length albums, and rarer still for the fourth album to be the band’s masterpiece. Yet Paratiisi, the fourth album from Helsinki punks Kohti Tuhoa, stands as the undeniable coup de grâce of a catalog overflowing with classic hardcore punk. If you’re already a fan, it’ll comfort you to know Paratiisi leans heavily on the strengths Kohti Tuhoa has possessed since their earliest releases: a timeless sound that combines UK82 drive and hooks with dramatic metal flourishes; a captivating vocalist with the perfect balance of grit and clarity, who can both howl like a banshee and carry a tune; and a particularly Finnish way with a driving, medium-fast tempo. But for all the continuities with Kohti Tuhoa’s excellent previous records, Paratiisi almost feels like the work of a new band. The riffs and choruses that anchor the album are impossibly catchy; Paratiisi bulges with huge moments that practically force you to air guitar and sing along (even if you don’t speak a word of Finnish), the band’s peerless chops and the rich and clear recording driving these climaxes to dizzying highs. But while the hooks are memorable, there isn’t a moment on Paratiisi that feels dumbed-down or overly familiar.
In fact, the album feels notably ambitious, pulling influences from across punk’s historical and aesthetic breadth and digesting them seamlessly into Kohti Tuhoa’s distinctive sound. The lyrics (don’t worry: English translations are included!) meet the same high bar as the music. They’re direct, assertive, and punk, but they’re also subtle and insightful, whether they’re tackling huge issues like microplastics or sharing a very personal account of a sexual assault and its aftermath. And then there’s Paratiisi’s most unexpected moment, “Eliitin Psykopatia,” a free punk freakout in the tradition of “Why (Reprise)” and “L.A. Blues.” If Kohti Tuhoa’s brief foray into free jazz tries your patience, though, don’t worry, because after three minutes of building tension, they reward you with what is bound to be the best riff of 2026, a clash of chords potent enough to blow holes through walls the world over. Paratiisi is the sound of one hardcore punk’s most exciting bands at the height of their powers.
Mit gerade einmal 19 Jahren hat sich die irische Gitarristin und Sängerin Muireann Bradley als außergewöhnliche Blues-Interpretin einen Namen gemacht. TV-Auftritte bei Jools Holland u.a., sowie ausverkaufte
Konzerte dies- und jenseits des Atlantiks sowie Festivalshows in einem Umfeld, zu dem auch Neil Young,
Lana Del Rey und Beck gehörten, machten sie bekannt.
Wer Muireann Bradley spielen hört, dürfte kaum vermuten, dass die Musikerin aus dem irischen County
Donegal erst 19 Jahre alt ist. Zu selbstverständlich klingt ihr Fingerpicking, zu tief scheint sie in jene
musikalische Welt eingetaucht zu sein, die von Blind Blake und Mississippi John Hurt über frühen Bob
Dylan bis zur irischen Folk-Tradition reicht.
Jetzt geht sie einen entscheidenden Schritt weiter und rückt eigene, unter die Haut gehende Songs ins
Zentrum. Ihr Album „Rose Dogs & Blackwood Pew“ verbindet die fünf Stücke der 2025 nur digital
erschienenen EP „Rose Dogs“ mit den sechs Titeln der neuen EP „Blackwood Pew“.
Ossie lands back on Heist after his 2025 hit ‘Are U still smiling?’ with a 4 track EP featuring Miraa May.
How on earth do you follow up your debut when that record got dancefloors moving across the world and picked up radio & dj plays from dance music’s finest selectors?
Many producers would get instant writer’s block, but not Ossie. His new EP on Heist is full of joyous melodies, catchy vocals and euphoric dancefloor moments. Across 4 tracks, Ossie takes us on a trip through rolling electronics, catchy UK sounds and big room anthems.
His Heist debut in 2025 did not go by unnoticed, and Ossie kept a busy calendar since, with regular shows in London and Hï Ibiza with Skepta’s Mas Tiempo crew, his own Supercali imprint as well as his appearance alongside heavyweights Louie Vega, Kerri Chandler, Cinthie and more on Heist’s ‘House of House’ much celebrated compilation.
The Motivation EP kicks off with a bumpy UK track that somehow reminds us of Bicep early day hit ‘Vision of love’. Where the Bicep boys went for a big sample, Ossie landed a surprise studio session with Algerian born-London native Miraa May where they wrote ‘Motivation’ in a single session. The track is stripped back to its core with catchy scats and chants from Miraa May and keys that’ll stick with you far after the track is over. If you’d need any extra motivation for your daily routine, to get out of bed or to go out dancing, this is your jam.
‘Can it get any better’ is a loopy house affair with soulful vocal chants, hints of disco and a subtle piano theme that drives the track into big room territory. It’s energetic without ever getting over the top; a thin line Ossie navigates effortlessly on this record.
On the flip, we’ve got ‘Left side’; a deep groover built around a synth & disco loop and cleverly sampled vocals singing ‘I believe… oooh yes I do’. This one is definitely a lowkey banger, where Ossie turns that one simple loop into a powerful theme made to ignite dancefloors.
The EP closes with the heavy warehouse groove of ‘Don’t stop’. A cavernous low end, rough percussion and chopped synth stabs all come together on this beast of a track. Ossie cleverly plays around with vinyl backspins, vocal chops and small changeovers to keep things interesting, while the groove just keeps on going.
Ossie’s ‘Motivation’ EP has dancefloor written all over it and with all its forward energy, there’s no doubt you’ll be hearing this one a lot in clubs all over the world.
There's a moment during every great dance floor experience when the music takes over and everyone becomes part of something bigger. "SHOUT!", the latest release from 2SoulFusion Presents Ascension, captures that feeling in its purest form. Featuring the powerhouse voices and ad-libs of Dames Brown and Dawn Tallman, along with an all-star ensemble of master vocalists including Josh Milan, Rahsaan Patterson, Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Audrey Wheeler, Ramona Dunlap, and Lea Lorien, this joyful anthem is an invitation to let go, lift your spirit, and celebrate through music.
Produced, written, arranged, and mixed by 2SoulFusion—Louie Vega and Josh Milan—"SHOUT!" draws inspiration from the communal spirit of gospel while embracing the energy and freedom of house music. Driven by simple yet powerful affirmations—"Shout," "Sing," "Move," "Love," "Get Up On Your Feet," "Listen Up," and "Let This Music Take You Higher"—the song transforms into an experience where every voice becomes part of the celebration. It's a journey of anthemic hooks, soaring harmonies, infectious grooves, and unforgettable melodies designed to ignite dance floors, uplift hearts, and remind us that music has the power to unite people through rhythm, joy, and love.
The inspiration for "SHOUT!" was born from a creative exchange between Louie Vega and Charaf Tajer, founder and creative director of the internationally acclaimed fashion house Casablanca. Introduced by longtime friend Joseph Capriati, Charaf shared a bold vision—to bring together the worlds of fashion, gospel, and house music for one unforgettable Casablanca runway presentation in Paris.
Louie Vega recalls: “Charaf was introduced to me by my friend Joseph Capriati, who said Charaf was looking to meet me about an idea he had. His vision was to marry fashion, gospel, and house music within Casablanca's collection. At first, he wanted me to DJ and play gospel house music. I said, 'Instead of playing existing music, why don't I create an original song with a gospel house flavor?' I immediately got together with my 2SoulFusion partner Josh Milan, and together we came up with 'SHOUT!'”
That vision came to life during Casablanca's spectacular Paris presentation inside a breathtaking cathedral, where Louie Vega premiered the original twelve-minute and nine-second composition live. As the music echoed through the cathedral, Dames Brown joined the London House Gospel Choir in a soul-stirring performance while the models walked the aisle on Casablanca's carpet made of their signature green color and a dashing vibrating giant mirror echoing the runway visually. Renowned DJs Luciano and Chloé Caillet were among those who walked the runway, while friends of Charaf Tajer and special guests—including Jaden Thompson, Folamour, Dimitri From Paris, Kapela, and many others—were in attendance, making it an unforgettable gathering where music, spirituality, fashion, and culture merged into one extraordinary experience.
Inspired by that magical evening in Paris, Louie Vega and Josh Milan returned to the studio to expand the original composition into the powerful recording heard today. Built around rich live musicianship, Josh Milan's keyboards, organ, piano and synth bass provide the foundation alongside Axel Tosca's expressive grand piano recorded live, Sherrod Barnes' soulful guitar, and Gene Perez's unmistakable bass groove. Together they create an infectious, organic driving sound that allows the vocals to soar while delivering the unmistakable musical depth and musicianship that define 2SoulFusion.
Leading the celebration are Dames Brown and Dawn Tallman, whose commanding performances are elevated by an extraordinary choir of world-class vocalists. Dames Brown's spirited sermon and ad-libs, and Dawn Tallman’s powerful ad-lib vamping out together with the soaring harmonies of Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Audrey Wheeler, Rahsaan Patterson, Ramona Dunlap, Lea Lorien, and Josh Milan, recreate the feeling of a joyful gospel congregation—not confined to four walls, but alive on dance floors around the world. Every chorus encourages listeners to get up, listen up, feel it, sing, move, love, and become part of the experience. Recorded between Honeycomb Studios in Pennsylvania, The Hub Ibiza and Manhattan Center Studios, New York City, and mixed at The Hub Ibiza, "SHOUT!" reflects the continuing vision of the Ascension project, where spirituality, musicianship, community, fashion, and dance music become one.
Mit „Tranquilo II“ schlagen In Extremo ein neues Kapitel ihrer beeindruckenden Erfolgsgeschichte auf. Am
23. Oktober 2026 erscheint das außergewöhnliche Akustikalbum mit 17 Songs, die mehr als drei Jahrzehnte
Bandgeschichte in überraschend neuem Klang präsentieren.
Statt ihre Klassiker lediglich leiser zu spielen, haben In Extremo Stücke wie „Spielmannsfluch“, „Frei
zu sein“, „Störtebeker“, „Liam“ und „Feine Seele“ komplett neu arrangiert. Swing, Rockabilly, Ska, Reggae und osteuropäische Einflüsse treffen auf historische Instrumente und den unverwechselbaren Sound der
erfolgreichsten Mittelalter-Rockband der Welt. Eingespielt wurde das Album in einem kleinen Studio in
Dornbirn – live, unmittelbar und mit viel Raum für spontane musikalische Ideen.
Unterstützt werden In Extremo von hochkarätigen Gästen: Metal-Ikone Doro Pesch verleiht „Feine Seele“
besondere Intensität, Jan „Monchi“ Gorkow und Max Bobzin von Feine Sahne Fischfilet sorgen bei „Störtebeker“ für eine ebenso ungewöhnliche wie mitreißende Begegnung, während Faun-Sängerin Laura Fella
den Klassiker „Liam“ bereichert. Mit „Heute wird der Himmel brennen“ enthält das Album außerdem einen
brandneuen Song.
Ein besonderes Highlight für Fans ist die exklusive Bonus-EP „Sternhagelvoller“, die der Deluxe-CD sowie
dem streng limitierten Vinyl-Bundle beiliegt. Das Herzstück bildet eine sechsminütige XXL-Version des
Partyklassikers „Sternhagelvoll“, aufgenommen mit zahlreichen Weggefährten aus der Mittelalter-Rock- Szene – darunter Mitglieder von Feuerschwanz, d’Artagnan, Faun, Tanzwut, Subway to Sally, Versengold,
Fiddler’s Green und Corvus Corax. Ergänzt wird die EP durch den exklusiven neuen Song „Amontillado“
und eine besondere Version von „Ave Maria“ mit der kroatischen Vokalformation Metaklapa.
Im November und Dezember bringen In Extremo „Tranquilo II“ auf große Akustiktour. In ausgewählten
Spielstätten wie dem Berliner Admiralspalast, der Hamburger Laeiszhalle, der Alten Oper Frankfurt und
dem Circus Krone in München stehen Nähe, Atmosphäre und musikalische Feinheiten im Mittelpunkt.
„Tranquilo II“ ist weit mehr als eine Reise durch die Vergangenheit: Es ist ein mutiges, vielseitiges und
überraschendes Album, das bekannte Hymnen neu entdecken lässt und zugleich eindrucksvoll zeigt, warum
In Extremo auch nach mehr als drei Jahrzehnten musikalisch unberechenbar bleiben.
Mit "Sacrament" veröffentlicht die Metal-Formation Lamb Of God ihr zweites Major-Album. Ihr letztes Album "Ashes Of The Wake" verkaufte sich fast 300.000 Mal und die letztjährige DVD "Killadelphia" wurde in den USA mit Gold ausgezeichnet. Zusammen mit den Longplayern "Burn The Priest" (1999) und "New American Gospel" (2000) kommt die Band auf über 500.000 Albumverkäufe in den vergangenen zwei Jahren.
Vor kurzem ging die "Unholy Alliance"-Tour in den USA zu Ende, die die Band zusammen mit Slayer bestritt. Nach einer kurzen Konzertreise mit Megadeth durch die USA steht jetzt die Fortsetzung der weltweiten Unholy Alliance Tour mit Slayer an - hier die Konzertdaten für Deutschland:
"Sacrament" wurde von Machine (Clutch, King Crimson, Eighteen Visions, Everytime I Die) produziert. Eine "Special Edition" des Albums beinhaltet eine DVD, auf der eine neunzigminütige Dokumentation die Entstehungsgeschichte von "Sacrament" beleuchtet - vom ersten Riff bis zum finalen Mastering.
Put your hands together and please welcome Linda Lo to Shall Not Fade's Time is Now imprint. The LA producer/DJ's new 12" EP "Masa" drops 23rd Oct 2026 and f**k is it sick.
Linda Lo fuses* mambo, samba, and salsa with UK garage, dubstep, and club rhythms to make guaranteed rewind material that is gonna light up the dance…
* imma talk about this fuses sh*t in a minute.. First we need to get a bit philosophical. Cos rewinds and fusions aside, this EP is alive. It's part of something bigger and cyclical, without a start or an end. It is music. It was part of someone else's music before and it will be part of other people's music in the future. Right now though, it's Linda Lo's music.
Too esoteric? Let me elaborate and, let's talk about fusion. There is the fusion that is – steal a bit of genre X and culture Y, chuck it on the grid and strut about professing fusion – and then there's actual fusion: Music that is something "new" and real and genuine. Music that you end up describing excitedly as a "fusion of" things (even if it inevitably ends up doing it a disservice). Music that is simultaneously one thing and not that thing, and also something else and not that something else too. Music that is just "music" to the creator but is also part of the progression and evolution of music for others. Mala wasn't making "dubstep". Skream & Benga ended up not making Garage. Like many before and after they were making their music and Linda Lo is making her music so let's hear from her about it. Big up Linda. This is real.
Notes from Linda:
-----------------
“Like Croydon by way of Havana”
“Masa, or corn-based dough used to make tortillas and tamales, is a traditional staple food for many in Mexico and throughout LatAm. In the Maya worldview, people's flesh is made out of masa. In order to make masa, corn must be dried, nixtamalized, ground, and mixed (often by hand) to create the right textured dough. I find much of my music work is a collision and a mixing of many elements, all worked into one product. In this way, I've worked these songs, transforming raw rhythms and sub bass into hand-mixed tunes. ‘Masa - EP' presents four delicious heaters. The title track explodes with a fiery double-time dubstep groove. Mambo horn stabs bite through a bass inferno. ‘Cenote' looks down upon a subterranean pool of sound—still on the surface but impossibly deep. ‘Minifalda', pure flirt and gyration, calls in cuica and other voices from a samba bateria. Finally, claves stitch across ‘Mestiza', a fusion of blooming lush orchestration and jagged 2step rhythm.
Around 1960, my grandparents were regular dancers at the Palladium in Los Angeles: young, Mexican, and falling in love to dance music, specifically big band mambo. My mom, consequently, is a fantastic dancer, and her mambo collection along with my dad's exotica records formed the base of my own vinyl collection. When I first discovered garage and dubstep, there was something indescribably familiar to me, something mambo-like about the syncopated offbeat hits and drama. Later, as I began stitching together mambo claves and 2step drums, I assumed I was trying out something totally new. The farther I go, the more I see that I was wrong.
Dubstep, garage and jungle share a parental lineage back to dub reggae, originating from Jamaica. Mambo hails from Cuba, and sister genres of salsa to NYC & PR, and bachata and meringue to the Dominican Republic. Yet, these musical genres of the Caribbean have not developed in isolation. Reggae, mambo, dancehall, salsa, even son jarocho from Veracrúz, Mexico (where my family is from), all developed together, influencing each other fundamentally. Ultimately, all musics of the Caribbean have come from West African polyrhythmic musical heritages. Garage, mambo, dubstep, and salsa are points in time along one musical continuum.
I feel very honored to be a selector working in Los Angeles (and elsewhere!). I hope I can share some music for the next generation of young people to fall in love to. "
-----------------
I'm moved by what Linda writes here. #1 Doing what you love, and finding you are part of something bigger. Creating for yourself freely and hoping to inspire others with healthy amounts of care, humility, freedom, self awareness and enjoyment. (It is inspiring and I'm honoured we are now a part of sharing Linda's music). #2 There's something wonderful about finding connection and a sense of place. A place physical, spiritual and in time. Music can help us all find connection and be part of a place. Wheel it up wherever you are.
IRST ALBUM IN 10 YEARS.
TOURING WITH TROPICAL FUCK STORM IN NOVEMBER (DATES BELOW).
PRODUCED BY DAN LUSCOMBE (THE DRONES) WHO IS ALSO PART OF THE LIVE BAND.
PREVIOUS ALBUMS ON HARDLY ART/SUB POP AND REMOTE CONTROL.
VERY LIMITED BLACK VINYL AND INDIES ONLY PINK VINYL . NON-RETURNABLE.
‘Jarrod Quarrell, creator of Lost Animal, is one of the most underrated songwriters in Australia and one of our all-time favourites. He creates poetic expressions. His work is very interesting in a highly original way and richly emotional. The songs reveal themselves more over many listens and always feel fresh. His powerful, beautiful, transformative, and unforgettable songs possess the vast depth of the human spirit.’ - GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE ZINE
‘Quarrell has developed a collaged techne that embodies a heart-on-sleeve attitude. Lush melodic delays wash with an influx of lyrics that pierce with uncanny imagery and diction.’ - VICE
It’s not every day you hear about a new Lost Animal album. In fact, it’s been ten years between drinks. The debut Ex Tropical (Hardly Art/Sub Pop) was released in 2011, and followed by You Yang (Remote Control) in 2016. So what happened, and where’s frontman/mastermind Jarrod Quarrell been for the last ten years?
From the horse's mouth, “I don't give a fuck about productivity”. A humbling reply. It confirms Quarrell's MO: here’s an artist as a non-conformist. And when he does see fit to bless us with his unique vision of what music can sound like, it has the ability to completely charm and disarm. Amongst a sea of rock bands, LA is essentially a solo act. Simply put; LA is JQ. But on the other hand, amongst an ocean of solo acts, LA possesses the grandiosity of a full band, punk in spirit, but without being fast, or heavy.
Armed with keys and synths, timbres align more with what a toucan might listen to, as opposed to what's heard commonly throughout Melbourne's gig economy. Strings are gently plucked and horns are tenderly blown. These are the colourful brush strokes that decorate the upper frequencies. They’re the ticket to a far away land;exotic, and potentially very dangerous. If the crew from Hear My Eyes are reading this, consider Lost Animal performing Give Some Get Some as the soundtrack to the next time you screen The Hangover Part 2. Yeah, the one where shit gets super fried in Thailand.
The album examines the underbelly of what a ten year journey might rub up against. As one may expect, a lot of that action is below the belt. Tracks like Do That Thing, and In
Rewinding, a few things have happened in the past ten years that are worth illuminating. Shags is no longer commandeering the bass full time. Though he does make an appearance on a couple tracks. The main difference from present day to yesteryear LA is Dan Luscombe (The Drones). Luscombe has jumped into the role of producer (and also part of the live band). One could say he’s a producer of the Spector-ilk: playing a hands-on approach and assisting Quarrell's song crafting. He may have suggested to add a chorus or two, but the chord progressions remain distinctly Lost Animal. You'll recognise them easily by their beauty, combined with either fragility or rigidity. Luscombe is arguably the defining force that made this album happen. Perhaps he had Quarrell at gunpoint. Yet to be confirmed. Regardless, thank fuck for Luscombe because it may have been another decade.
But the album's defining feature is arguably Quarrell's lyricism. He may not cross-examine where he's been, but his voice does unmask where he is: absolved and reincarnated. The decade-long journey has resulted in him looking inwards and unlocking himself. The album's many mantras suggest that he may be a bird (I'm a Bird Now), or that he is living on another planet (Never is Forever). Whatever and wherever he may be,
Give Some Get Some invites the listener to reflect on their own journey over the past decade. Because the game's got a price. So ask yourself what have you taken, and what have you given? Life ain't a box of chocolates. It's a bowl of berries. And when fruit symbolizes temptation, get some.
IRST ALBUM IN 10 YEARS.
TOURING WITH TROPICAL FUCK STORM IN NOVEMBER (DATES BELOW).
PRODUCED BY DAN LUSCOMBE (THE DRONES) WHO IS ALSO PART OF THE LIVE BAND.
PREVIOUS ALBUMS ON HARDLY ART/SUB POP AND REMOTE CONTROL.
VERY LIMITED BLACK VINYL AND INDIES ONLY PINK VINYL . NON-RETURNABLE.
‘Jarrod Quarrell, creator of Lost Animal, is one of the most underrated songwriters in Australia and one of our all-time favourites. He creates poetic expressions. His work is very interesting in a highly original way and richly emotional. The songs reveal themselves more over many listens and always feel fresh. His powerful, beautiful, transformative, and unforgettable songs possess the vast depth of the human spirit.’ - GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE ZINE
‘Quarrell has developed a collaged techne that embodies a heart-on-sleeve attitude. Lush melodic delays wash with an influx of lyrics that pierce with uncanny imagery and diction.’ - VICE
It’s not every day you hear about a new Lost Animal album. In fact, it’s been ten years between drinks. The debut Ex Tropical (Hardly Art/Sub Pop) was released in 2011, and followed by You Yang (Remote Control) in 2016. So what happened, and where’s frontman/mastermind Jarrod Quarrell been for the last ten years?
From the horse's mouth, “I don't give a fuck about productivity”. A humbling reply. It confirms Quarrell's MO: here’s an artist as a non-conformist. And when he does see fit to bless us with his unique vision of what music can sound like, it has the ability to completely charm and disarm. Amongst a sea of rock bands, LA is essentially a solo act. Simply put; LA is JQ. But on the other hand, amongst an ocean of solo acts, LA possesses the grandiosity of a full band, punk in spirit, but without being fast, or heavy.
Armed with keys and synths, timbres align more with what a toucan might listen to, as opposed to what's heard commonly throughout Melbourne's gig economy. Strings are gently plucked and horns are tenderly blown. These are the colourful brush strokes that decorate the upper frequencies. They’re the ticket to a far away land;exotic, and potentially very dangerous. If the crew from Hear My Eyes are reading this, consider Lost Animal performing Give Some Get Some as the soundtrack to the next time you screen The Hangover Part 2. Yeah, the one where shit gets super fried in Thailand.
The album examines the underbelly of what a ten year journey might rub up against. As one may expect, a lot of that action is below the belt. Tracks like Do That Thing, and In
Rewinding, a few things have happened in the past ten years that are worth illuminating. Shags is no longer commandeering the bass full time. Though he does make an appearance on a couple tracks. The main difference from present day to yesteryear LA is Dan Luscombe (The Drones). Luscombe has jumped into the role of producer (and also part of the live band). One could say he’s a producer of the Spector-ilk: playing a hands-on approach and assisting Quarrell's song crafting. He may have suggested to add a chorus or two, but the chord progressions remain distinctly Lost Animal. You'll recognise them easily by their beauty, combined with either fragility or rigidity. Luscombe is arguably the defining force that made this album happen. Perhaps he had Quarrell at gunpoint. Yet to be confirmed. Regardless, thank fuck for Luscombe because it may have been another decade.
But the album's defining feature is arguably Quarrell's lyricism. He may not cross-examine where he's been, but his voice does unmask where he is: absolved and reincarnated. The decade-long journey has resulted in him looking inwards and unlocking himself. The album's many mantras suggest that he may be a bird (I'm a Bird Now), or that he is living on another planet (Never is Forever). Whatever and wherever he may be,
Give Some Get Some invites the listener to reflect on their own journey over the past decade. Because the game's got a price. So ask yourself what have you taken, and what have you given? Life ain't a box of chocolates. It's a bowl of berries. And when fruit symbolizes temptation, get some.
Joe Fujinoki centered the compositions of his latest album Glass Torso round the idea of the fragility of the human body. Fujinoki described the narrative thread of the album as that of “holding the shape of a human body as if it might shatter like glass”. The precariousness of the body, the essence of the body as defined by Fujinoki as the torso, and the object relations between the boundaries of dialectical exercises pack themselves into his creative process.
Fujinoki recorded Glass Torso exclusively with analog synthesizers, stumbling in and out of structural loops to find space for accidental discoveries. The ten pieces of recorded material feel somewhere on the edge of typified form, feeling like a vascular system pumping in and out its undulating liquidities. Maybe this is the hollowed space held together by Fujinoki’s notion of the torso where you hear a microscopic world, dubby and generative. Fujinoki is adept at organizing this realm of subtle sound sources, giving proper considerations of shared tonal space. Seemingly, this handling of the precarity of sonic material elucidates Fujinoki’s mature attention to detail.
Ambient music genre tropes often affirm the listeners vessel for escape and dissociation. It provides an intoxicating allure by respite from an overwhelming exterior reality far outside the listeners controls. Here this space becomes apolitical, or its protest vocabulary softer and subtle. Fujinoki does not aim to tackle hyperobject topics on how to course correct the world, but he does something increasingly rarer to come across. On Glass Torso an alternative space is created not as shelter, but as a meditation on negotiation and compromise. This twenty eight minutes of audio lays down a foundation for imagination, for imagining how to negotiate the fragility of the self. Zoomed out, the implications of his negotiative sonics can be a playground for broader reflections on distributive care and attention.
Fujinoki says he feels “alert” to his physicality and placement in the world amidst vast digital cultures creating impositions on him and his surroundings. On Glass Torso he creates a concretized space on a vinyl record, where the virtual and the tangible antagonize one another that create the spectacle of the listening experience. This spectacle is a soft one, a considered one, and an utmost enjoyable one. Fujinoki juggles opposing forces brilliantly, and formulates an exquisite palette of soft passing music so he can also help the listener with the exquisite burden of their own Glass Torso.”
Donato Basile AKA DJ Plant Texture always wants his music to tell a story, and with his debut EP on Tresor Records, entitled Life, he’s now trying to tell the biggest story there is. According to the artist, “Life is about the fear of growing up”; both the anxiety itself and acknowledging and moving past it.
This narrative seems to have struck a chord with those who have heard the track, “People want to reflect themselves in the music; something personal. Lots of people have been in touch after hearing it; I guess they feel something melancholic in it. Personally, I imagine the track is like the life of a person; going from being born through childhood and youth and onwards, so perhaps they hear this?”
Having used an MPC since the early 2000s, Basile feels an intuitive connection to the hardware he uses, and so the creative process is very spontaneous: “I know where everything is so the music is made immediately. I make everything in the first ten minutes; after that if it’s not right then I just abandon it and start something else.” This immediacy, and familiarity with his equipment is apparent on the A-side, where Basile’s previous life as a drummer comes to the fore and tracks like Cycles and Ripetivo display his native understanding of groove but also how to stir things up - the three A-side tracks find classic techno rhythms seemingly falling apart only to snap back into place even stronger. The B-side finds Donato exploring more of his melodic side with WTT and the aforementioned title track showing Plant Texture’s love of breakbeat and classic techno.
The three digital bonus tracks continue this exploration of melody and syncopated beats - The EXP Days echos the wistful feeling of Life, as Basile meditates on the times spent at EXP, his record shop in Bari, which functioned as a meeting place for electronic producers in the area.
After some years of (non)hiatus, Contagious are back with a new album that
furthers the evolution of their uncompromising sound. The album features the high
caliber talents of guests: Valentina Magaletti, Sofia Jernberg and Andrea Belfi.
“Being” is conceived around the different activities pursued by the band since the
release of their first (self-titled) album. Members: Sabine Erklenz, Andrea
Neumann and Mieko Suzuki have been concentrating on performing, composing
and organizing their own event series “Partners in Crime” at Morphine Raum,
Berlin.
This series is an ongoing process of inviting musicians to collaborate, share
and record new material - unrestricted by genre or anything else. It was during
these sessions, “Being" was conceived and recorded. Inspired by the wide range
of lifeforms found in nature, the track titles are once again dedicated to species
that challenge binary notions of sex.
The album conveys the band’s brutal approach to improvised processing - tense
buildups, powerful grooves and delicate release. Contagious’ signature sound
very much suits the wild vocal extensions by Sofia Jernberg, obsessive drum
patterns by Valentina Magaletti and the Moondog-esque, hypnotic percussion of
Andrea Belfi, all of whom offer powerful contributions to a tracks on the LP.
The overall result is a blissful and loving punch in the stomach
Die chaotische Kometenreise des Polka Dot Girl geht weiter Ihr Jangle-Sound kommt in vielen Farben daher, denn ,This and That" vereint triumphale, liebeskranke Ohrwürmer mit selbstreferenzieller Lyrik. Durchdrungen von texanischer Tradition, mit Umwegen über Dunedin, Glasgow und Olympia. Ich liebe die Shaker und die Beckenklänge. Die Akkordwechsel und die Girl-Group-Einlagen sind genau richtig. Das erinnert an die Titelmelodie einer Kindersendung. 10 Songs, 33 U/min.
Melissa Weikart and her piano have proceeded through life in step, from her early classical
training to the experimental practice that defines her work today, a blending of sounds and forms that has never been so clear—and so fully realized—as on her new album, Contact. Across twelve shifting and evocative tracks that examine the connective tissue binding us to ourselves and others, the Franco-American musician’s voice and piano navigate personal and emotional terrain with clarity and nuance, forging a rich dialogue between artist and instrument, artist and self, and artist and listener.
Winner of the 2022 Nancy Jazz Pulsations emerging artist award and the instrumentalist prize at the 2023 La Défense National Jazz Competition, Weikart has released two EPs and an album as a solo artist, and one EP and an album—Surprise and Secret—with her electronic duo Beatrice Melissa. A student of jazz and ’70s folk-pop, and a keen lover of improvisation since her time at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Weikart has always conjured the confessional candor of the singer- songwriter in her music, even as she dispenses her lyrics across rich, shifting, dreamlike tableaux.
On Contact, written and arranged entirely by Weikart (aside from “New angles”), she pushes her sound further than ever before. The album is animated by a pressing need for connection, observing what brings us together and what drives us apart, and the life-saving revelations that emerge along the way. The album’s opener, “Crash,” is a dreamy telephone-hour ode, a message in a bottle, to connections new and old. On the wistful “Mesurer le vent,” Weikart conjures Debussy or Ravel, layering contrasting sounds like an Impressionist painting. The title track begins as a showcase of Weikart’s frank lyricism, a splice-reel of missed connections and wasted time, then glides into a hazy, euphoric galaxy of pleas, circling around her thesis—“I wanted to make contact”—that ushers us into “The Intersection,” a song that recalls her the beginning of her career, when it was just Weikart and her keys. “Appétit.e” is built around a sample of her down-the-hall neighbor’s drumming—another subtle, affecting gesture toward proximity and connection—while pulsating synths reminiscent of Air lend the track an unsteady atmosphere. On the Carpenters-inspired “Expectations,” Weikart muses on the relationship patterns, universal and specific, that have always been a hallmark of her songwriting.
The psychedelic “L’amour de construit” is a slow-motion fall down the rabbit hole, as Weikart
considers the way her own emotions are captured and commodified by the confining ways we think about love. The interlude—“L’amour pt. 2”—finds her near the end of that trip, shouting into the void as a last-ditch effort to rescue herself from the fall. The drums near the end of the interlude warn us that there may be no cushion for, until she is saved, again, by the power of revelation, on the confident, resilient “Not Right”—on which a show-stopping, frenetic conversation between singer and piano is gracefully interrupted by a rush of transcendent strings, lifting her back up.
On solid ground anew, “New angles,” featuring Manu Delta, creates a percussion-less groove that relies on experimental synth sounds. The 11-o’clock stunner “Catching up”—composed in a church—meets the singer in a state of ecstatic confession, bringing her to the formative memory that propels “Bicycle,” the album’s closer. Younger, more wide-eyed, she reflects on her move from Boston to Strasbourg, those early days, when Weikart had no other companion than that loyal hunk of scrap metal that took her to the shores of her own soul. She seems to suggest, on “Bicycle,” that a backward-glance is not always troublesome, not always anxiety-producing, but can be grounding: a reminder of where we come from, so that we can keep moving forward.
Revisiting the sound and spirit of Jazzy Sport, rooted in Japan and carried forward by a new generation. Compiled by Nina Yamada, featuring Cro-Magnon and Grooveman Spot, with remixes by DJ Mitsu the Beats and Idjut Boys.
Founded in 2002, Jazzy Sport emerged at a particularly fertile moment in Japanese music. Beginning as an independent label and record shop, with its first store in Morioka and Jazzy Sport Music Shop Tokyo opening in Shibuya the following year, it became a home for artists including GAGLE, DJ Mitsu the Beats, Cro-Magnon and Grooveman Spot. Its releases moved freely between hip-hop, house, jazz, broken beat and live musicianship, helping define a distinctly Japanese strain of open-minded club culture.
But the music was only the beginning. Jazzy Sport developed into a network of record shops across Japan, alongside its label and distribution work, apparel and design, dance studios, and a Morioka record shop joined to a bouldering gym. These were not unrelated side projects. They expressed the same founding idea: that music, sport and everyday life could come together to create community.
PAST FORWARD: SILVER marks the first release on the Jazzy Sport London label, distributed by Time Capsule. Established in 2022, the London project first took shape through parties, radio shows and community collaborations connecting Japan and the UK. This compilation carries the Jazzy Sport archive and its values forward through a new generation.
At the centre is Nina Yamada, the daughter of one of Jazzy Sport’s core members. She grew up within the community that shaped the collective, and her selection is not a conventional greatest-hits survey, but an inside view of the catalogue and an intergenerational handover made audible.
The music moves naturally between hip-hop and house, electronic production and live performance. That openness has always been central to Jazzy Sport, where club music, musicianship and community are part of the same conversation rather than separate scenes.
DJ Mitsu the Beats’ remix of Cro-Magnon’s “Eclipse” brings the refined, soulful depth that makes him such an important figure in Japanese beat music. Idjut Boys’ deep, dubwise Cro-Magnon rework reflects the long exchange between Japan and the UK, while Grooveman Spot’s “Do The Dance” finds a sweet spot between acid-tinged 808 groove and warm soulfulness.
Elsewhere, Nubian Lady’s “In☆Flu☆Enza” draws on Detroit techno and Chicago house but sharpens those influences into something lean and distinctive. Physical Sound Sport’s “Magical Kalimba” captures the communal energy and openness of a live session. Bottom Fly’s “Rhyme Or Reason,” rooted in Morioka, pairs rough-edged beats with mellow samples and a quiet sense of nostalgia.
What comes through is not only the strength of the individual tracks, but the sensibility that connects them. That keeps PAST FORWARD: SILVER from feeling like a nostalgic best-of. For longtime followers, it offers rediscovery; for new listeners, a way into the breadth of Jazzy Sport; and for DJs, a selection made for the record bag, not just the archive.
Für die Deluxe-Edition ihres zweiten Albums hat dodie neue Songs und Neuinterpretationen einiger ihrer
Songs aufgenommen. Die britische Singer-Songwriterin hat sich vom YouTube-Phänomen zur international
erfolgreichen Indie-Pop-Künstlerin entwickelt. Mit knapp zwei Millionen Abonnenten und rund 460 Millionen YouTube-Views verfügt sie über eine große, loyale Fangemeinde.
Ihr zweites Album „Not For Lack Of Trying“ erschien 2025 und wurde von ihr gemeinsam mit dem
Grammy-nominierten Produzenten Joe Rubel (Maisie Peters, Griff, Sigrid) produziert. Für die DeluxeEdition kommen mit „Fruit In The Sun“ und „As Far As We Know“ zwei neue Stücke hinzu, außerdem
erscheint „Maybe, Finally“ erstmals auf einem physischen Tonträger. Vier Songs aus „Not For Lack Of
Trying“ wurden zudem in den Middle Farm Studios mit Freunden und musikalischen Weggefährten komplett neu interpretiert.
Die Deluxe Edition mit sieben zusätzlichen Songs erscheint als transparente/graue 140g Eco-Doppel-LP
sowie als CD.
Pure loveliness. Proper music-making,
DIY Classical, but nothing slapdash or posey. Intimate and tentative, seamed with risk, occasional mis-steps, dodgy tuning, minor technical fuck-ups; but driven by gripping, stilled dedication and deep musical understanding.
Double bass, electric guitar, flute, melodica, singing; recorded at home in NYC, on dodgy gear, with snug, woody, shhshh-ing, analogue-style ambience.
The trio hovers between cheerful relish - who’s that giggling at the back - and hushed, humble reverence, basking in the processes of musical communion and learning. They play like they are gingerly passing on a precious, fragile gift; but without prissy conceit.
Luminous selections from the last six hundred years - John of Dunstable meets Friedrich Nietzsche - are lovingly arranged by the group, with a bent for stripped-to-the-bone, emotionally restrained sublimity, steady as she blows.
Very warmly recommended. Soul food.
Slammer Weapons EP es la tercera referencia en 12” que firma el artista Colombiano de electrónica oscura, Filmmaker.
Slammer Weapons EP is the third 12” release from Colombian dark electronic artist Filmmaker.
Side A kicks off with “Swordmaster,” a combative track with a syncopated rhythm and a powerful punch. It’s followed by “Power Overturn,” an exercise in oppressive tension and binary rhythm driven by dense synth lines. The EP closes with “Leveling,” a downtempo track featuring acid arpeggios that evolves from an initial lightness into a dense and sophisticated soundscape.
Side B opens with the relentless energy and unrelenting break of “Restoration Quest.” Next, “Knighthood” showcases a rich texture where the percussion blends with highly intense melodic sequences. The EP closes with Dob41’s reinterpretation of “Swordmaster,” who, after an expansive introduction, transforms the original track into an extremely powerful track.
The impeccable mixing and mastering are handled by Dan Böhler, and all the visual imagery surrounding the record is the work of Lucas Salinas.
Ever-evolving Amsterdam duo ANOTR continue their forward momentum with the release of their highly anticipated third studio album, ‘Withness’, out via their own imprint No Art. Rooted firmly in dance music, ‘Withness’ sees the pair refine their sound into their most dance-floor focused and cohesive project to date.
Born during their global tour, ‘Withness’ was shaped in real time: written, tested and refined on dancefloors across the world. Following the expansive, genre-blurring approach of their 2025 LP ‘On A Trip’, the duo felt a pull back toward the club - not as a limitation, but as a unifying space. “We really wanted to have a wide variety of songs that we can play out and create moments,” they explain. “Every track needed to make sense wherever people come together to dance.”
That intention sits at the heart of ‘Withness’. A title that reimagines the idea of “witnessing” into something more active and collective. ‘Withness’ is an album about experiencing life with others. It’s about the moments you share, the people who shape them, and the energy that becomes real only when you’re fully present. The album captures the collective high of friendship. Whether in a packed club, at a festival, or in a living room with friends, the album is designed to soundtrack moments of connection.
“The memories you make with people, they’re the witness of those moments. Withness is about being in it together.” - ANOTR
Sonically, the album marks a clear evolution. Drawing from their early club roots while building on the songwriting confidence developed on their previous records, classic drum machines and 909 samples sit alongside warm, 80s-tinged textures, layered vocals and modern production techniques, creating a sound that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
A key part of the process was spontaneity. The duo embraced a free-flowing, collaborative studio environment, often working with a rotating cast of contributors. Their now-signature “open mic” approach encouraged anyone in the room to experiment with melodies, lyrics and vocal ideas. This energy translates directly into the album’s standout moments. From the euphoric pull of ‘Withness’ to the groove-led ‘Do It With Ya’, the uplifting ‘Paradise’, each track is built to live beyond a single setting.
The LP comes at a timely moment, as their single ‘Talk To You ft. 54 Ultra’ has become the biggest global breakout dance single this year. Sitting firmly in Spotify’s Global Top 200, it has surpassed 175 million streams, and is currently No. 21 in the UK Singles Chart. Spotify have tipped it in their much-coveted global ‘Sound Of The Summer 2026’ list and other highlights include peaking at No. 7 in Shazam’s Global Chart, No.1 on Beatport Top 100 and gaining over 600M UGC views so far.
Ediciones Espectro Oculto returns with EOD003, its third release and the opening instalment of a new Split Series — a side each for two artists who deal in the shadows: Mick Wills & Blackmoon77.
Mick Wills handles the A-side in familiar territory, mining the margins of European DIY synth culture for cuts & edits. A1, “Six Six Six Sex”, resurrects a forgotten wave track laid down in 1983 by Venlo duo Carin & Henk, Carin Kollenbrander’s conspicuous, sexed-up vocals carrying the unmistakable spirit of the early-’80s minimal synth underground. A2 cuts “New York” by MCL a new beat staple first issued on German’s Boy Records, tightened into a playful, dancefloor-ready tool. Closing the side, Mick Wills turns to Folkvett’s “Kommando Kamprad” — originally out on Pater Noster Ltd. in 2012 — an ethereal, out-of-body drift that pulls the mood inward.
On the flip, Blackmoon77 doubles down on their signature across three originals: dark, raw and hypnotic wave built for bold & audacious DJs and fierce dancers.
All tracks mastered by Alden Tyrell.
As always, this is a one-time pressing of 250 copies — no repress, and no digital until the vinyl is gone.
Original, Oliver Lieb, M.I.K.E. Push, Moon Project, DJ Taucher remix
The iconic electronic music masterpiece “The House Of House” by Cherrymoon Trax is set to make an electrifying return to the scene. Originally introduced in 1994, this timeless classic, helmed by the talented trio Axel Stephenson, Yves Deruyter, and Franky Kloeck, has been revitalized in a new remastered wax format.
The eagerly awaited 2 x 12" double vinyl features mixes that have never graced vinyl before, alongside the cherished original and other mixes that have left an indelible mark over the years. As an added treat, collectors will also find the inclusion of the original tracks “Let There Be House” and “Conflictation.”
This exclusive edition is strictly limited to just 500 copies worldwide and features a unique Inside Out cut, pressed on stunning Starlight vinyl — a distinctive black colour with vibrant coloured speckles. The striking vinyl perfectly complements the sleeve, making this a truly special collector’s edition.
But this release marks more than just a return to the past. “The House Of House” also introduces a new upcoming single featuring the return of Axel Stephenson, bringing a legendary name from the original Cherrymoon Trax era back into the spotlight.
Brace yourselves for the resurgence of a true electronic music masterpiece — and the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Only 500 copies available — once they’re gone, they’re gone.
If the name The Midnight Hour isn't immediately familiar, the music almost certainly is. Ali Shaheed Muhammad is a founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, one of the most beloved groups in hip hop history. Adrian Younge is the Los Angeles-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who has shaped the sound of some of the most critically admired records of the past two decades. Together, they have been architects of the sound that serious listeners point to when they try to describe what great music feels like.
The music they had been making together had a life of its own. By 2018, it had become The Midnight Hour: their self-titled debut album, recorded to tape with a live rhythm section and a full orchestra, and released to widespread acclaim. In 2020, the duo were deep into sessions for a second album. But then the world shut down, the recordings were shelved. The album never came and remained unfinished and unheard. But now, via their Jazz Is Dead label, The Lost Tapes have been unearthed
If the name The Midnight Hour isn't immediately familiar, the music almost certainly is. Ali Shaheed Muhammad is a founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, one of the most beloved groups in hip hop history. Adrian Younge is the Los Angeles-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who has shaped the sound of some of the most critically admired records of the past two decades. Together, they have been architects of the sound that serious listeners point to when they try to describe what great music feels like.
The music they had been making together had a life of its own. By 2018, it had become The Midnight Hour: their self-titled debut album, recorded to tape with a live rhythm section and a full orchestra, and released to widespread acclaim. In 2020, the duo were deep into sessions for a second album. But then the world shut down, the recordings were shelved. The album never came and remained unfinished and unheard. But now, via their Jazz Is Dead label, The Lost Tapes have been unearthed
,DOGGOD" ist das 2025 erschienene dritte Album des kalifornischen Trios L.A. Witch und erweitert den bisherigen Garage-Rock- und Psychedelic-Sound der Band um deutliche Post-Punk- und Goth-Rock-Einflüsse. Inspiriert von Bands wie Joy Division, The Cure und Krautrock verbindet das Album treibende Basslinien, atmosphärische Gitarren und dunkle Melodien mit der charakteristisch mystischen Ausstrahlung der Band. Inhaltlich beschäftigt sich ,DOGGOD" mit Liebe, Hingabe, Unterwerfung und Spiritualität. Der Titel spielt mit den Begriffen ,Dog" und ,God" und setzt sich mit bedingungsloser Loyalität, Selbstaufgabe und gesellschaftlichen Rollenbildern auseinander. Zwischen romantischer Sehnsucht, düsterer Vorahnung und hypnotischen Rhythmen präsentieren L.A. Witch ihr bislang vielschichtigstes und ambitioniertestes Album.
Detroit techno visionary Keith Tucker returns through his acclaimed alter ego Optic Nerve with AUGMENTATIONS EP, a forward-thinking exploration of minimalist machine funk, futuristic sound design, and deep electronic movement.
Crafted with precision and unmistakable Detroit character, AUGMENTATIONS merges hypnotic analog sequences, mechanical rhythm structures, atmospheric synth textures, and driving electronic beats into a powerful sonic statement rooted in the city’s enduring techno legacy. Sparse yet immersive, the EP balances raw underground energy with cinematic futurism — designed equally for dark warehouse floors and deep headphone listening.
Pressed as a Limited Collector’s Edition Clear Vinyl 12-inch, PBX-38 captures the sleek, transparent aesthetic of the music itself: pure signal, machine emotion, and uncompromising Detroit innovation.
A1 — Augmented 1 (Optic Nerve Original Mix)
A deep, stripped down Detroit techno workout driven by pulsing drum programming, evolving synth modulation, and hypnotic minimalist sequencing. Functional futurism engineered for late-night motion.
B1 — Augmented 2 (Infinite Worlds Mix)
Built around a rolling funky bass line and eerie flowing string textures, this expansive composition moves through layers of atmospheric electronics and mechanical groove architecture. The track creates an immersive sense of drifting through endless digital landscapes while maintaining a sharp rhythmic intensity designed for the underground dance floor.
B2 — Augmented 3 (Visual Shapes Mix)
Abstract melodic fragments, and precision electronic rhythms collide to form a futuristic minimalist soundscape filled with movement, tension, and cinematic pulsed chords.
The “Kisses at Midnight” remix is an explosion of pure energy, designed for those who experience music directly on their skin. The track stands out for its rich sound design of open, sharp, and percussive sounds, capable of filling the room and creating a magnetic atmosphere from the very first seconds—thanks in no small part to the high-quality original sounds that define its sonic texture.
The real driving force of the track is its driving, arpeggiated rhythm: a continuous, hypnotic flow that doesn’t let you go for a single second, sweeping the listener into a non-stop journey from start to finish.
A physical and overwhelming track that hits you straight in the chest, giving no respite to anyone who wants to feel like an active part of the dancefloor.
– INCOGNITO
There are sounds that transcend time, capable of evoking entire worlds without needing any introduction. “Incognito” is exactly that: a visceral and modern tribute to the golden years of Italian progressive techno—an era that rewrote the rules of global clubbing.
The beating heart of the track lies in its hypnotic power. From the very first beats, you are captured by a perfect interplay of tight percussive rhythms and magnetic arpeggios, elements engineered to lock the listener to the groove and never let go. It is a continuous evolution, a sonic flow that destabilizes and fascinates, carrying us on a unique, mental journey.
Angelo Bass is an Italian DJ and producer known for his seamless blend of sophisticated electronica, house, and techno. After rising as a resident for the Push collective, he has graced the decks of top-tier clubs like Cocoricò, Sankeys Ibiza, and Veniceberg Verona. His production footprint is equally strong, featuring the highly supported “Drawn to the Floor EP” (Trend Records), his latest “Raw Luv EP” (Sengiley Wax), and key releases on Less Is More and Blackboard. Currently based in Ibiza, Angelo balances international club gigs with his role as an instructor at Accademia Italiana DJ.
Doppel-LP auf limitiertem ,Bullseye Splatter"-Vinyl. Seit 25 Jahren haben die Yeah Yeah Yeahs eines der beliebtesten Repertoires des modernen Rock aufgebaut. ,Hidden In Pieces Live at the Royal Albert Hall" versammelt Songs aus ihrer gesamten Laufbahn und interpretiert sie neu durch intime Arrangements mit Streichern, Klavier und Kontrabass. Aufgenommen an zwei Abenden in der Londoner Royal Albert Hall und angereichert mit Songs von Auftritten aus San Diego, Chicago, New York und Mexiko-Stadt präsentiert das Album Karen O, Nick Zinner und Brian Chase, die Songs aus jeder Ära der Bandkarriere in einem neuen Licht präsentieren. Entstanden im Rahmen der ,Hidden In Pieces"-Tour der Band und mit Arrangements des Musikdirektors, Arrangeurs und Dirigenten Jherek Bischoff, reicht die Sammlung von Klassikern wie ,Maps", ,Gold Lion" und ,Zero" bis hin zu neueren Highlights wie ,Blacktop" und ,Spitting Off the Edge of the World".
Limitierte Auflage von weltweit 666 Exemplaren. Dale Crover sieht Neil Young sehr ähnlich so sehr, dass Neil ihn selbst engagiert hat, um die, ähm, junge Version von sich selbst im legendären Harvest Moon"-Video zu spielen. Es ist schwer, sich jemanden vorzustellen, der besser geeignet wäre, den Song zu covern als Crover, dank seiner Präsenz im Video und seiner langen Karriere als Solokünstler sowie seiner 43-jährigen Zugehörigkeit als Schlagzeuger bei den Melvins, dieser Rock-Institution aus dem Pazifischen Nordwesten. Crovers Version von Harvest Moon" eröffnet seine neue EP Get Yer Ba-Ba's Out" und geht nahtlos über in eine Interpretation des Melvins-Klassikers The Bit" aus dem Album Stag", denn Crover hat den Gitarrenpart geschrieben er ist in der gleichen Tonart, und warum auch nicht? Die EP enthält außerdem Akustikversionen von drei Songs aus Crovers Soloalbum Glossolalia" (Doug Yuletide", Rings" und Jane"), einen aus dem 2021 erschienenen Rat-A-Tat-Tat!" (I Can't Help You There") und den brandneuen Titelsong. Diese intime Inszenierung von Crovers Songs steht hier im Kontrast zum elektrischen, mit Gastmusikern gespickten Glossolalia", aber man kann diese Musik kaum als ausgemustert" bezeichnen. Es fühlt sich eher wie eine Weiterentwicklung des glam-beeinflussten Power-Pop an, den Crover seit The Fickle Finger of Fate" aus dem Jahr 2017 produziert. Die Arrangements von Produzent Toshi Kasai füllen den verfügbaren Leerrum mit Slide-Gitarre, Maultrommel, verschiedenen Glocken und anderen Idiophonen. Der Geist von Crovers Musik war noch nie deutlicher ein rastloses Verlangen, Neuland zu erkunden, kombiniert mit einer tiefen Liebe zum Rock 'n' Roll, dieselbe, die die Melvins zu einer der interessantesten und einflussreichsten Bands ihrer Generation gemacht hat.
Early DJ Support: Massimiliano Pagliara, Paranoid London, Logan Fisher, Terry Farley, James Holroyd, Rocky (X Press 2), Francois K, Marcel Vogel, Sean Johnston, Austin Ato, Ron Basejam, Richard Rogers, Oliver Dollar, Crazy P and many more
Creating an international name for itself over the past decade as a sample pack label, Samples From Mars made its inevitable venture into the music world originally as a home for founder Teddy Stuart’s work. Long before making samples, Stuart garnered credits working as a grammy-nominated recording engineer in the hip hop world, and DJing / producing with Justin Strauss as A/JUS/TED, for labels such as DFA, Domino Records and Southern Fried Records. Now the label is set to release a variety of genres - house, disco, techno, ambient, all with a vintage tinge and a focus on high quality, analog production.
Enter Salt Queen. Visual artist and musician Magali van Caloen together with Samples From Mars founder, Teddy Stuart. Based in New York, the duo combine hardware dance aesthetics with dry, salty takes on familiar club moments into music that sits somewhere between funny, raw and unpredictable.
Salt Queen’s debut ‘ARE U OK’ is an acid-laced, deadpan spoken word track with an opening line that snaps any room to attention. A disorienting club encounter unfolds over Italo-inflected 808s and a relentless 303 bassline. There are no chords and no melodies - just a skeletal groove and an intimate voice circling the dancefloor. Drifting between concern and provocation, the vocal runs through cliché club conversations before destabilizing completely into a siren-laden crash out. The ‘Freak Nasty Club Mix’ ditches the plot and lets the hardware breathe, with a thick SH-101 bassline anchoring the first half before a sudden switch into an unrelenting acid pattern that refuses to settle. Two versions of the same wild night out.
Zur Feier des 25-jährigen Jubiläums ihres siebten Albums aus dem Jahr 2001 (ihres letzten mit Brant Bjork) veröffentlichen Fu Manchu die California Crossing 25th Anniversary Edition. Das Album, das von der Band gemeinsam mit Matt Hyde (Deftones, Slayer, Monster Magnet) in den legendären Sound City Studios in Los Angeles aufgenommen wurde, ist die kommerziell erfolgreichste Veröffentlichung der Band. Die aus 11 Songs bestehende Sammlung enthält "Mongoose" (bekannt aus einem Toyota-Super-Bowl-Werbespot sowie aus Sons of Anarchy, The Hot Chick, Boondock Saints II u.a.), "Squash That Fly" (ihre erfolgreichste Radio-Single), "Bultaco" (mit Gesang von Keith Morris von den Circle Jerks) sowie die Fan-Favoriten "Separate Kingdom", "Hang On" und den Titelsong. Diese auf 1.000 Exemplare limitierte Ausgabe erscheint als El Camino Sand Splatter-farbiges Vinyl im Gatefold-Jacket. Für die optimalste Klangqualität wurde das Audiomaterial des Albums nun neu gemastert. "a strangely nihilistic celebration of all things Cali." - The Guardian "Fu Manchu are the stoned Ramones, a matey Motorhead: a band who can rewrite that album into the infinite future and rule perpetually." - NME
DJ Support: Mad Matts, Jimpster, Rainer Truby, Craig Smith, Giles Smith, Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep), Lars Berhenroth, Leo Luscher, Ricky Chong, Rafa Santos, Buti Mabutana and many more
FORMA002 sees label co-founder Glenn Davis back with a deep original production that also does real damage on the dancefloor. Flip over for a true masterpiece remix from Trinidadian deep with his trademark Caribbean rhythms and deep sonics. When you know..
Glenn's deep driving baseline, jazzy chords and synth stabs elevate you to a hypnotic house nirvana. A love for deep atmospheric and melodic house music creates an instant classic from the Dublin producer.
Trinidadian Deep takes the original Davis production, adds his Caribbean magic with layers of live percussion, vocals, organs and sub bass that needs to be heard on a proper club system. Don't sleep on this one.
Argentinian artist Juan Hansen presents his debut album 'Ultrasonido'; twelve tracks spanning indie dance, tech house, and soft melodic house, released on his own newly founded label Ultrasonido, with the second single 'Inside My Mind' coming out via belonging by Innellea.
After his breakthrough Boiler Room appearance in 2019, Juan has been on a relentless quest to push the boundaries, playing major stages around the globe, becoming one of the figureheads of the Argentinian electronic music world. As an exceptional live artist, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Juan brings a real sense of groove to the stage, merging two worlds effortlessly: deeply emotional songwriting and direct, dancefloor-focused club tracks. 'Ultrasonido' brings both sides together. The album is a clear evolution of Juan Hansen, presenting a wider range of his sound, which he also presents in his live performances. A journey through the musical world of Juan Hansen.
Across twelve tracks, with contributions from Clér Letiv, Santi Portillo, Franco BA, Rocio Giorgi, Miko Franconi, Brigado Crew and Marley Waters, Juan shifts between club-focused tracks and more intimate, song-driven moments, moving naturally between Spanish and English. It’s a debut album that captures both his roots and the direction he’s evolving toward.
Juan Hansen's story doesn't start on the dancefloor, it starts with acoustic instruments. He built his foundation in the indie and rock scenes of Argentina before crossing into electronic music, a journey that's still audible in every track he makes. After years of building his profile with live performances, mesmerizing audiences from Cosquín Rock and Ultra in Argentina to Watergate in Berlin, Burning Man in the Nevada desert, and Grand Factory in Beirut.
His search is real and visceral; a search for the different, mixing genres without prejudice, with a seriously playful attitude. Positioned within a new generation of artists dedicated to improvising on stage, Juan fuses electronic sounds with analog instruments and organic soundscapes. There's no genre cage. 'Ultrasonido' is his debut album and the launch of his own label, also named Ultrasonido. A long-form statement after years of singles, EPs, and shows around the globe.
Mit "Intoxicated Man" widmet sich diese umfangreiche 2LP-Edition den frühen Jahren von Serge Gainsbourg und dokumentiert die Entstehung eines der einflussreichsten Künstler der französischen Musikgeschichte. Lange bevor Gainsbourg mit seinen provokanten Pop-Produktionen internationale Bekanntheit erlangte, entwickelte er aus Jazz, Chanson und literarischen Einflüssen eine unverwechselbare musikalische Handschrift. Die Sammlung vereint zentrale Aufnahmen seiner frühen Karriere, darunter Klassiker wie "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas", "La Chanson de Prévert", "L"Eau à la Bouche" und "Black Trombone". Begleitet von hochkarätigen Musikern wie Alain Goraguer, Marcel Zanini und Hubert Rostaing zeigen diese Aufnahmen bereits den scharfsinnigen Texter, stilistischen Grenzgänger und musikalischen Innovator, der Gainsbourg später werden sollte. Eine sorgfältig kuratierte Retrospektive eines prägenden Kapitels französischer Musikgeschichte.
80 g vinyl + 60 x 60 cm poster of original Big city life artwork)
Stirring the cauldron of sound. From the acclaimed album Big City Life, artists that Smerz admire put those songs through themselves, to become a friendly mirror and or an alternative documentation.
With Yrdloop, Astrid Sonne, NEW YORK, Haloplus+, Molina, Erika de Casier, Fine, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, MIKE, Zack Sekoff, Elias Rønnenfelt, Fousheé, ML Buch, Clarissa Connelly, Cezinando, Toxe, VVTZJ and Clairo.
Crash landing onto the scene in 2017 with his now legendary NTS broadcast of 2 hours of unheard music, the ultra-mysterious and enigmatic Michael J. Blood has gone on to release a series of sought after, lush and rugged future classics on his own imprints Blood Inc. and BodyTronixxx. Allegedly hailing from Manchester in the North of England, Blood’s sound is hard to pin down but instantly recognisable. Rooted in the twin foundations of modern dance music—Detroit and Chicago—while schooled in the sweaty basements of Manchester’s fêted club scene, his music feels both original and familiar, timeless yet unplaceable.
Weaving together a hypnotic narrative that feels both archival and futuristic, Cause & Effect Vol. 1 brings together some of Blood's rare and hard to find bangers from a variety of his early sold out projects. The collection mixes the pulse of Chicago with the grit and cosmic dreams of Detroit, while never losing sight of the North of England’s sophisticated late-night sleaze. Blood’s dance-floor eclecticism and raw, infectious mutant beats drive a soulful, jazz-louche energy into every track. The result is a collection of atmospheric grooves that weave together hypnotic rhythm and smoky texture, blurring house, techno, broken beat, and jazz-soaked electronics into a heady trip. Cause & Effect Vol. 1 maps out the restless evolution of Blood’s sound, a testament to his instinct for rhythm, atmosphere and dance-floor alchemy. House for the heart, techno for the mind, both built for the body. It’s in the Blood.
Released in 2024 via the usually way darker and oftentimes Hardcore / Breakcore oriented Flop Beat Disk label is this widely unrecognized 10" gem which harks back to the golden oldschool era of German HipHop vibewise.
The Munich-based duo of Misanthrop & Pay No Attention lays down a foundation of positive sample-laden grooves, pays respect to the classic BoomBap sound at times, adds a trippy, dreamy and well psychedelic vibe to their production effort and tops things off with conscious German flows and lyrics aimed at dedicated oldskool HipHop headz from all over the globe. No matter if one understands German or not - if you understand the true spirit of HipHop this is for you.
Never officially distributed before this is the first time ever this unrecognized gem is available to a wider audience, albeit in highly limited quantities.
Limited pressing of 100 copies on yellow transparent vinyl.
Manfredi and Marijn met for a studio retreat in Paris and quickly found common ground in their love for synthesizers, strange vocals, punk, leftfield electronics and music that doesn't necessarily fit into one box.
In the early '90s, Manfredi joined Wide Records in Pisa, becoming part of a post-punk and DIY network that stretched from Fugazi and The Make-Up to Coil, Clock DVA and early Nine Inch Nails, while spending time on the road tour managing bands across Europe.
Marijn grew up in a completely different generation, but has always had an old soul when it comes to making music. He's drawn to old machines, unconventional sounds and records made long before he ever entered a studio himself. The weirder the vocal or synthesizer, the better. credits
Die lang erwartete, auf 1.000 Exemplare limitierte Neuauflage des begehrten Debütalbums auf durchscheinendem lila ,Ritual Wine"-Vinyl - zum ersten Mal seit über 8 Jahren erhältlich. Erstmals wieder mit dem Original-Cover kehrt die ,Original Messe Noire" zurück. Zum ersten Mal seit ihrer unheiligen Geburt erhebt sich "Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound... Satanic Doo-Wop)" erneut aus der Gruft. Das Debütalbum von Twin Temple ist ein brillantes, blasphemisches Meisterwerk, das die Grenzen des modernen Rock 'n' Roll neu definiert. Durch die nahtlose Verschmelzung der klassischen amerikanischen Klänge der Girlgroups der 1950er- und 1960er-Jahre mit einem unerbittlich kompromisslosen, zeitgenössischen satanischen Ethos schafft das Duo ein Hörerlebnis, das zugleich schockierend originell und zeitlos ist. Das Album wurde unter Verwendung traditioneller analoger Techniken aufgenommen, unter anderem durch eine Live-Aufnahme auf Band in nur zwei Tagen, die die Essenz der Live-Qualitäten von Twin Temple brilliant einfängt.
Since its original release, Aging has taken on an interesting wider significance. OCA’s music came to the attention of Kelela, who featured the duo in her Aquaphoria mix before later working with Yo van Lenz and Florian T M Zeisig in their Berlin studio. Those sessions would go on to play an important role in shaping the sound of her acclaimed 2023 album Raven, on which both artists are credited.
2019 Press Release:
Berlin based duo OCA present Aging, their sophomore album and first for Métron Records. Following up last year's Preset Music (recently featured in Kelela's Aquaphoria mix) Aging is an album that focuses on memory, experience and the passing of time.
A collaboration between producers Yo van Lenz and Florian T M Zeisig, OCA formed after the pair met and became friends while studying in Berlin. Originally from small towns in Bavaria, the duo now live and work in the German capital.
Through a series of 10 vignettes, Aging transports the listener on a trip across a series of life events that retain a special personal importance to both of the artists. These emotional touchstones range from the profound to the prosaic - the discovery of something new, the relief from annoyance or the familiarity found in an old companion - and have been fully explored with playful sonic introspection.
Whilst the concept retains a certain ambiguity, it is the sound palette, created solely on an Alesis QS6 synthesiser - that brings these experiences to life. OCA blend and weave classic dance music motifs with shimmering synths, Japanese wet ambient, and even anthemic 80s rock to create a soundscape rich with texture and sensation.
The bass notes and tentative lead of ‘Baby’s First Blade of Grass’ reference the memory of first consciously or subconsciously experiencing something new, whilst the decaying ripples of ‘Stretching in Water’ paired with sounds of flowing streams conjure up images of tranquil pools. Their most developed work to date, Aging showcases OCA as rising stars of progressive pop and modern ambient.
Skarra Mucci, the globally acclaimed Jamaican MC known as the "Dancehall President", partners with Manudigital, one of Europe's top producers, to bring us the full-length album Ragga Blasta.
Following the success of their self-titled EP, the duo doubles down by expanding the concept into a complete 10-track album, delivering a varied, multi-inspired showcase where hybrid beats meet core sound system culture. This project retains the essence of their initial release: the energy of title track Ragga Blasta blending reggae and boom-bap hip-hop, Angel’s ragga beat and intoxicating Likkle Devon sample, alongside the heavy basslines of Freedom Fighter. It also features the more introspective rub-a-dub vibe of Inna Mi Brain, the explosive ska collaboration with Queen Omega on Feel It, and the atmospheric dub of Natty, where Skarra delivers razor-sharp rap flows.
This long-form edition packs an even bigger punch with four brand-new tracks built to shake sound systems and dancefloors alike. Skarra Mucci showcases his technical mastery on Lyrics Machine, a hard-hitting, hip-hop-infused track, while delivering a powerful, anthemic dancehall tune with Nah Fraid No Police. The tracklist further elevates with a legendary feature from Johnny Osbourne on What A La La, before broadening its musical horizons through the festive, hybrid sounds of Rock This Cumbia.
‘Finally’, the forthcoming new record from Catz ’n Dogz, belongs to the latter.
There are albums you listen to, and there are albums you live with. ‘Finally’, the forthcoming new record from Catz ’n Dogz, belongs to the latter.
Across sixteen tracks, Voitek and Greg have created their most creatively ambitious and emotionally open work to date. An album about relationships, friendship and the people and places that shape us. At its heart is a simple idea: music should make you feel something, and sometimes the most meaningful moments are the quiet ones when you finally have time to yourself.
Finally is rooted in the emotional contradictions that make memories so powerful. Inspired by classic American Folk and Soul, its songs are happy and nostalgic; hopeful without pretending that the past doesn’t exist. There is melancholy inside the euphoria and warmth inside the sadness, a constant interplay between looking back and moving forward.
The album begins with the soulful breakbeat glow of 'We’re Gonna Be Alright' featuring Ajii, before moving through the smoky jazz and piano-led intimacy of 'Dance For You' with Miller Blue and the bass-driven energy of 'Sun Goes Down' featuring Charlotte Haining. Closing with the reflective 'Miss You' featuring Mateusz Krautwurst, the record takes in a rich cast of vocalists, musicians and producers, alongside a series of deeply personal Catz ’n Dogz solo productions.
Those collaborations are central to Finally. The album is, in many ways, a celebration of the creative friendships Voitek and Greg have built throughout their journey. Relationships that have allowed them to step outside their comfort zone and rethink what their music can be.
Written and recorded between Madrid, New York, Warsaw and the road, the album finds the duo placing renewed emphasis on songwriting, chord progressions and musical craft. Rather than simply chasing the next track, they took the time to learn, experiment and create something with a sense of permanence.
This is an album for driving without a destination. For watching the sun go down. For remembering somebody you haven’t thought about in years. For those rare stretches of time when there is nowhere else you need to be.
Recommended. Compilation format, six producers, one shared idea of dub house done properly. Erratic and Nicola Brusegan open heavy on the low end, dubby without overdoing the effects. Nick Italy keeps the A side moving, no drama, just groove. Flip side goes warmer. Lorenzo Dada and Michura work more melody into the pulse, Peter Kir shuts it down slow and hypnotic. Nothing flashy, nothing filler either. Solid all the way through.
A Portal To The Unknown – 7 Rotations of Neptune Discs brings together 12 producers across a double LP. Tifra and Match Box return following their own ep’s on the label this year, joined by familiar contributors Wigs, Aiden Francis, Jeku, Cybernet and Mahkina. COZi, Dive Crew and Thurlow Joyce make their first appearances, with Milès Borghese and Biodive completing the four sides.
Run independently by Astro from Edinburgh, Neptune Discs treats the exploratory ideas of ’90s and early-’00s club music as unfinished business. Prog, trance, tech house and dub techno remain reference points rather than templates, with more than 50 releases—and the arrival of Jupiter’s Depth and Pyramid Fields—allowing that identity to keep developing.
Wigs’ “Strangers” and Aiden Francis’ “Uno” bring warped, driving prog. COZi makes his Neptune debut with “Ride The Snake”, a lean, stripped-back tech-house roller that brings early-2000s economy into the present. Jeku follows with “Droop”, a trippy, ozone-soaked slow roller, while Thurlow Joyce closes with the warm, deeply submerged dub techno of “Sundowner”.
Beyond the vinyl, three digital exclusives expand the release: Bert Vesper’s “Babbel Truc”, Azzecca’s “Home” and Foley’s “What Could’ve Been”.
Featuring artwork by theAJM, the release is pressed across two 12-inches, distributed by One Eye Witness and arrives on 23 October 2026.
Monster release by the Swedish Starving Insect and Japanese Miyuki Omura.
The Cinematic horror concept EP "Ningyo no Hausu" (Translated: House of Dolls) offers 4 bangers that will send shivers down your spine.
The theme track Hausu has both a Techno and a Hardcore version as well as A remix By label boss Tripped himself.
The "Disturbing, haunting & Scariest and strongest music" (as quoted in Kanji on the cover art)
dares you to indulge on this journey but remember "In this house... evil itself pulls the strings."
The Disco Express presents Best of 2026 - a deluxe, special edition 12" pink vinyl celebrating six of our favourite records from another landmark year on the label.
Showcasing the breadth of The Disco Express sound, the compilation journeys through funk-fuelled disco, jackin’ house, soulful grooves and peak-time dancefloor energy, bringing together some of the standout moments from our 2026 catalogue.
Featuring music from Make It Disco, Bustin’ Loose, MGR Mike, Ayce & Spirit of House, LEFTI, La Felix and more, Best of 2026 captures a label continuing to push forward while staying firmly rooted in the spirit of disco.
From the feel-good vocal energy of “What You Gonna Say” and the funk-driven swagger of “Less Struggle, More Hustle”, through to the 70's inspired “The Movers”, the soulful lift of “Stronger” and the irresistible drum rhythms of “Muchacho” and “Run It Up”, this is music made first and foremost for the dancefloor.
The music featured on Best of 2026 has already picked up support from some of the world’s most respected selectors, including Roger Sanchez, Danny Rampling, Marco Carola, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, Paco Osuna, Claptone, Danny Krivit, Sam Divine and Arthur Baker, alongside many more.
Pressed on limited edition pink vinyl, Best of 2026 is a snapshot of The Disco Express in full motion.
Mit "Intoxicated Man" widmet sich diese umfangreiche 2LP-Edition den fruhen Jahren von Serge Gainsbourg und dokumentiert die Entstehung eines der einflussreichsten Kunstler der franzosischen Musikgeschichte. Lange bevor Gainsbourg mit seinen provokanten Pop-Produktionen internationale Bekanntheit erlangte, entwickelte er aus Jazz, Chanson und literarischen Einflussen eine unverwechselbare musikalische Handschrift. Die Sammlung vereint zentrale Aufnahmen seiner fruhen Karriere, darunter Klassiker wie "Le Poinconneur des Lilas", "La Chanson de Prevert", "L'Eau a la Bouche" und "Black Trombone". Begleitet von hochkaratigen Musikern wie Alain Goraguer, Marcel Zanini und Hubert Rostaing zeigen diese Aufnahmen bereits den scharfsinnigen Texter, stilistischen Grenzganger und musikalischen Innovator, der Gainsbourg spater werden sollte. Eine sorgfaltig kuratierte Retrospektive eines pragenden Kapitels franzosischer Musikgeschichte.
Mit ”Muse” präsentiert EGOT-Gewinner und Multi-Platinum-Artist John Legend am 23. Oktober sein
neues Studioalbum – vollständig produziert und co-written von Pharrell Williams, der als Produzent bereits
Hits für Künstler wie Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg und Justin Timberlake geprägt hat. Musikalisch verbindet das
Album Gospel, Soul, Doo-Wop und Hip-Hop mit modernen Afrobeats.
Aufgenommen und produziert wurde ”Muse” in den Louis Vuitton Studios in Paris. Auf den insgesamt 16
Tracks zeigt sich John Legend bewusst von einer neuen Seite. Weitere Album Highlights sind Features von
sowohl Pharrell Williams als auch Clipse.
The songs of Jules de Corte are condensed, folky gems with an almost effortless charm. Poised between the intimate and the universal, between lightness and darkness, they touch on religion, love, loss, and the small dramas of everyday life. Yet they resist easy translation. Packed with wordplay, de Corte’s signature alliterations, humor, and local cultural references, the songs inevitably lose something in another language. Still, when a Belgian quartet of improvisers takes them on, joined by American songwriter Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, the songs are reborn rather than merely transposed: literal fidelity gives way to interpretation, and what is lost in words is often gained in spirit.
Even without tracing every change, their overall effect is fascinating. Songs are slowed down, often doubled in length, and filled with unexpected musical intrusions. They gain fuller arrangements and are placed in an entirely new context. Replacing de Corte’s piano with guitar can create a radically different vibe, as in “Mariska.” An added solo can heighten the contrast between childlike perspective and the almost matter- of-fact brutality of “Little Anita.” In “The Stranger,” another use of contrast unsettles the everyday harmony, transforming it with a subtle, disorienting twist.
Ultimately, these performances show that interpretation is not successful simply because it is literal. With the groundwork laid by Linus, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy further liberated the songs from their original versions. Lyrics and melodies become malleable, shaped by his recognizable cadences, timbre, and personal quirks. Like his collaborators, he allows himself the freedom to bend the material to his own approach. There is no radical break between this performance and his other records. Listeners familiar with the originals may be puzzled at first; for those new to de Corte, it is a wholly different experience.
Does it really matter that the original “Little Jesus, Mighty God” is a 100-second nugget combining playful naivete with biblical fervor? In the hands of these five explorers, the song becomes an intriguing contemplation, with subtle musical shades and a recitation in which every syllable carries a maturity that offers a new perspective. Then there is “The Outsider,” which feels as genuine as any original American folk song. The musicians’ process is more than reinterpretation—it is reimagination, bringing new musical compatibility and emotional depth. Whether that depth was there from the start, waiting to be uncovered, or created in the process is beside the point. What matters is that Linus and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy have made the essence of these songs their own, paying homage yet dancing to their own tune.
Linus is the Belgian duo of guitarist and banjo player Ruben Machtelinckx and reedist and synthesiser player Thomas Jillings. Across five previous albums — Onland (2014), Linus + Skarbø / Leroux (2015), Felt Like Old language at the crossroads of folk, jazz, minimalism, chamber music and free improvisation. Their music is adventurous, shaped by a particular sensitivity to texture, timbre and the subtle interaction between musicians.
What began as a duo gradually grew into a flexible musical world, bringing Linus together with musicians such as Nils Økland, Ingar Zach, Niels Van Heertum, Øyvind Skarbø and Frederik Leroux. Yet each new constellation has remained recognisably Linus: music in which carefully considered forms leave space for intuition, interaction and the unexpected.
For their sixth album, Linus takes a new step by moving into the world of song and text. Inspired by a shared love for the late Dutch songwriter Jules De Corte, the album is a reimagining of De Corte’s unique repertoire. More than simply interpreting De Corte’s songs, they absorb and reshape them, bringing them into dialogue with their own musical language. In keeping with this open approach, they are joined by celebrated vocalist Bonnie “Prince” Billy. With albums such as 1999’s I See a Darkness appearing on several greatest album lists, Bonnie “Prince” Billy is a cult figure in the alternative folk scene, and his highly intuitive way of singing seamlessly matches the subtle interplay Linus has developed over more than a decade.
Tomu DJ’s debut on CST Imprint shares ten atmospheric wistful ruminations on being, living, and the spiritual undercurrents that alchemize these experiences into song. Hazy memories recalled through glitchy lush lullabies, moving through whispered skittery percussive states into warm melodic vocal confessions. Playful yet exacting productions ebb and flow between pensive indietronica pop interspersed with blissful club tracks that swing from ambient, drum and bass, breaks and house for the dancers. A sanguine daydream, to be free.
Her fourth album since 2021 but first on vinyl, Tomu’s deceptively simple compositions bely complex emotions. Minimal, every element just so, nothing unnecessary. Her ability to create ideal environments for collaboration on full display.
“Bâzsâzi” sees the group rearranging their oeuvre for the dancefloor, starting with a raw excerpt of Zolfonoon, taken from their first ever show in August 2023, before they had a name. Caleb dons his Wavemap alias to rework it into a tunnelling, heads-down groover, in the lineage of Mike Dehnert and Luke Hess. Raf Reza (as Raf Rizzla) sends Parisa shapeshifting through the hardcore continuum with a nod to UK Drill, in continuation from his recent debut Ekbar Telephone Explosion. Jason (as Neonlichter) turns Delkash into a jungle montage – all mutant bass and vocal tessellations.
Rick Wade’s Late Night Basix returns in a fresh repress, keeping that raw Detroit deep house spirit alive. Heavy on groove, soulful in feel, and made for late-night sessions.
A must for heads who know the value of a true floor weapon.
Those familiar with the work of veteran French deep house don Franck Roger will happily tell you that he has long been one of the best in the business - a European equivalent to US greats such as Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Vick lavender and Glenn Underground. More proof of Roger's finely-tuned, floor-focused musicality can be found on this fine three-tracker on Seasons, an imprint he first featured on way back in 2005. Check first title track 'Avalon', where deep, dusty, minor key motifs, echoing organs and layered percussion cluster around a deep, dubby house groove. 'Draggin' sees him make merry with sustained chords, smooth beats, jazzy synths and gentle TB-303 acid motifs, while 'Ur Shoulder' is a spacey and futurist deep house delight.
Riviera Records presents XTC002: The Atlantic Connection with non-stop flights to X-Coast from Ireland, UK and USA.
The first route offers a very intuitive bass and breakbeat driven ride with a Tama Gucci signature, sensual vocals cutting through the airspace. The second journey is flying over (hard) house territory
with DJ Torture serving the snacks.
The B side we have a UK to X-Coast red eye flight with a trance edge courtesy of Capt. Ejeca. B2 is the only supersonic flight offered at this time navigated by Tommy Holohan: a shuffled up Reese bass powered techno from Ireland to X-Coast in just 4 minutes and 57 seconds - buckle up.
There's something about summer that makes everything fall into place. Maybe it feels even more significant to us, especially if you know MM Discos through its Balearic leanings. It's that time of year when the whole scene reaches its peak, with everyone dreaming of being in Ibiza-or at the very least, somewhere on a forgotten beach or island in the Mediterranean.
For that very moment, Desert Island Disco make their MM Discos debut with a record tailor-made for the summer of 2026. Splitting their time between London and Lisbon, the collective have already shown a deep affinity for African-rooted midtempo sounds through releases on Shades of Sound and Mister T Records, alongside a steady stream of sought-after self-released edits on their Bandcamp.
This time, Desert Island Disco dive headfirst into South Africa, drawing deeply from the worlds of Kwaito and Bubblegum to deliver a record steeped in the warmth, groove and unmistakable spirit of both genres.
From its South African foundations, *World View* reaches far beyond, weaving together tropical textures, Caribbean flavours and Balearic sensibilities into something fluid and difficult to pin down. A borderless collection where geography becomes secondary to feeling, yet every track remains firmly rooted in the dancefloor.
Special poster on 250gram paper. Postcard with photo taken by Sandrien. Hand-numbered sticker. Shrinwrap
After more than a decade without releasing new music, Amsterdam DJ and producer Sandrien returns with her debut album Compass, released on her own new label, inspi. Created during a stay in Spain, where she finally found the space to create freely again, the album marks a new chapter: no genres, no expectations, just music made purely on feeling. Compass is an album about finding your own path, personally and musically, a cycle of searching and finding, letting go and beginning again. Lead single 'Life' laid the foundation for it all. The visual world of the album is just as personal: photographs Sandrien took around her house formed the basis for its artwork and imagery. With 27 years of experience behind her, Compass proves that mastery doesn't lead to routine, but to exploration. This double LP includes a beautiful double-sided poster featuring two original artworks of ‘Compass’ by Dutch artist Pieter Jan Boterkoek. Releases October 9, 2026 Written and produced by Sandrien Mixed by Julien Chaptal Mastered by Giuseppe Tillieci at Enisslab Artwork by Studio Pieter Jan Boterhoek This album is made with love in Spain, Volkshotel Amsterdam and Groenekan.
‘Unfindable Ring', out October 23 on Bayonet Records, is an adventurer’s epic. The arc of the journey, like any good Spirited Away or Neverending Story, lands its wide-traveled protagonist right back at home before bedtime. Grumpy, like many great hero tricksters before him, has always been a project of juxtaposition: upbeat radio-ready hits whose buoyant, goofy hooks belie the dark thoughts they describe. Much of this, Schmitt acknowledges, owes its due to the matter-of-fact morbidity of the trans experience in America. It’s from these experiences—personal, romantic, political, and existential—that the tale of ‘Unfindable Ring’ unfolds.
Ambition and play have always defined the Grumpy sound. Late last year, the Fader praised their “demented, hooky” EP, “Piebald,” whose innovative fuzz-pop confections earned them coverage in NPR and the New York Times. Stereogum heralded them as “wonderfully weird,” and Paste designated them “the best of what’s next.”” Through boisterous collaborations with the likes of Sidney Gish and Claire Rousay, they’ve effortlessly ingratiated themselves with the titans of DIY, and, more recently, Schmitt has become an unlikely favored collaborator of chart-topping country giant Zach Bryan, who named his new record––which prominently features Schmitt’s harmonies–– conspicuously, ‘With Heaven On Top.’
In Grumpy, Heaven Schmitt is joined by Anya Good, Ellie Long (Kid Lake), Austin Arnold, Diego Clare (D.A. Crimson), and Lane Rodgers, who each contribute to every step of the process—engineering and recording, mixing, drafting artwork, producing, and making music videos. A kind of interdisciplinary thieves’ guild, the project, while once Schmitt’s solo eponym, is a labor of communal love.
“We are living these happy lives, and there are people we come across who don’t know us at all who want us to die,” Schmitt, explains. Often the visibility of the joy itself is what prompts the vitriol––“I’m so happy I could die,” Schmitt belts over and over on the chorus (a familiar figure of speech, sure, but one which, upon any scrutiny, shows Schmitt’s hand in the macabre.) A middle finger to fate, Good started asking, “What are you going to do with your One Beautiful Life?” Grumpy is going to keep playing, touring, searching, finding.
Muss sich alles ständig so schwer anfühlen? Claud Mintz ringt ständig mit dieser Frage. Und zwar nicht in Form von höflichen kleinen Wortgefechten, sondern in Form von großen, langwierigen, existenziellen Kämpfen - von der Art, die einen letztendlich dazu bringen könnte, den Kurs des gesamten Lebens zu ändern. Die 10 Songs auf seinem facettenreichen und glanzvollen dritten Album ,Me and the Music" zeigen den 27-jährigen Singer-Songwriter und Produzenten aus Brooklyn, wie er sich mit dieser Frage auseinandersetzt und schließlich triumphierend zu etwas gelangt, das einer Antwort nahekommt: Die Dinge können schwer sein, aber das bedeutet nicht, dass man keinen Spaß haben kann. Das Leben kann schwer sein, aber das Bier in Ihrer Hand ist es nicht - warum sollten Sie es nicht für einen Moment in die Höhe recken, mit den Freunden um Sie herum mitsingen und Ihre Sorgen für die Dauer eines perfekten Indie-Pop- Songs vergessen? ,Me and the Music" ist Clauds erstes Album seit drei Jahren, seit dem 2023 erschienenen, hochgelobten ,Supermodels". Sowohl ,Supermodels" als auch ,Super Monster" aus dem Jahr 2021 waren weitgehend inspiriert von ,dieser einen unklaren Beziehung", von der er irgendwann während des Schreibens von ,Me and the Music" erkannte, dass sie ,eigentlich nie wirklich etwas war". ,Supermodels" war ein so ernstes Album, und ,ich habe einfach so lange in meinen Gefühlen geschwelgt", sagt Claud. ,Es gibt einen Unterschied zwischen Aufrichtigkeit gegenüber dem Leben und dem Leben zu ernst zu nehmen." Diese Erkenntnis veränderte alles: Im Titelsong von ,Me and the Music" singen sie: ,Das ist der letzte Song, den ich von dir ruinieren lasse", und das meinten sie auch so. Nachdem Claud diesen Song geschrieben hatte - in den berühmten Electric Lady Studios zusammen mit ihren Freunden Hank Heaven und Annie DiRusso -, begannen sie, sich völlig befreit zu fühlen. ,Dadurch wurde viel Bedauern losgelassen, das ich mit mir herumgetragen hatte, und es ermöglichte mir, zu denken _ das macht so viel Spaß", sagen sie. ,Musik zu machen macht so viel Spaß." Das Markenzeichen von Me and the Music sind also Songs, die die Komplexität des Erwachsenwerdens und des Lebens in der Welt einfangen, ohne dabei den Sinn für Verspieltheit oder Spaß zu verlieren. Es ist ein typisches ,Slice-of-Life"-Album , das neue Romanzen, Insider-Witze, Gap-Werbespots, die Band ,America" und das Land Amerika thematisiert und all diese Dinge mit Sorgfalt und Rücksicht behandelt. Die Lead-Single ,She Doesn't Love Me" von ,Me and the Music" ist in vielerlei Hinsicht der Kern des Albums - ein leichtfühliges Lied darüber, wie es ist, in den 2020er Jahren in Amerika queer und trans zu sein. (Es ist eine kraftvolle, mitreißende Hymne, die vor Schmerz nicht zurückschreckt - und trotzdem Lust macht, wie Claud in dem Titel singt, die ,Biere in die Luft zu recken".) Als Claud den Song gemeinsam mit Heaven und DiRusso schrieb, waren sie fest davon überzeugt, dass es ein Yacht-Rock-Song werden sollte; das Demo klang letztendlich dennoch ,Lo-Fi und Indie". ,Me and the Music" wurde von Claud und John Congleton (Alvvays, St. Vincent) produziert und bedeutet für Claud, dass sich der Kreis schließt: Mit diesem Album hatte Claud endlich das Gefühl, als Produzent selbstbewusst genug zu sein, um die Rolle des Co-Produzenten zu übernehmen (und hat seitdem eine Reihe viraler Singles von Romy Mars produziert). Die Zusammenarbeit ist natürlich ein wesentlicher Bestandteil von Clauds Arbeit - wer wären wir ohne unsere Freunde? Neben Claud gehört er zu einem Viertel zu Shelly, einer Band, die er gemeinsam mit Clairo, Noa Getzug und Josh Mehling gegründet hat. Auf ,Me and the Music" arbeitet Claud bei dem Titel ,The Legend" erneut mit ihrem langjährigen Kollaborateur Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan) zusammen. Der Song thematisiert das Gefühl, tief in jemanden verliebt zu sein, der nicht mit einem gesehen werden möchte, sagt Claud: ,Es geht gewissermaßen um eine beschissene Beziehung und den Wunsch, die Liebe zur Schau zu stellen, ohne jedoch dazu in der Lage zu sein ", erklären sie. Doch wenn es auf ,Me and the Music" ein echtes Liebeslied gibt, dann ist es ,I Owe You", ein Dream-Pop-Road-Song, der hingebungsvoll und facettenreich ist. Er fängt den Geist von ,Me and the Music" als Ganzes ein: die Dinge Tag für Tag zu nehmen, Bilanz über das zu ziehen, was einen umgibt, und die schönen Dinge anzunehmen, wenn sie sich bieten. Das fühlt sich gar nicht so schwer an.
Layne & Chang might not be household names to everyone, but in the underground they’re long-established fixtures. Chang—who’s released music under a string of aliases over the years—was tipped by Urb magazine as one to watch back in the mid-’90s and has been embedded in dancefloor culture ever since. Alongside him, Layne Fox (formerly San Francisco, now back in Florida) brings deep disco credentials, having helmed the cult-loved Disco Dimensions label and recording as 40 Thieves—best known for the underground anthem Don’t Turn It Off. In short, the boogie lineage on this record runs deep.
And that’s before you even get to Dan Tyler. As one half of the Idjut Boys and co-founder of Noid Recordings, Tyler helped lay the groundwork for London’s edit culture long before it became a global phenomenon. His involvement here only strengthens the package.
“Shake Your Body” opens the release with a locked-in, funk-driven groove—swirling melodic lines, subtly acidic textures, warm vocoder touches, and tight, punchy drums all dialed for peak-time movement. On the A2, “In The Desert” shifts the mood into something more transportive: a hazy, late-night burner equally suited to open-air parties, after-hours sessions, or home listening with the lights low.
Flip to the B-side and Dan Tyler delivers two cosmic reworks that push things further out. Psychedelic, elastic, and built for serious systems, both cuts hit that sweet spot between heady and physical—already circulating among a handful of tastemaker DJs and primed for heavy rotation as festival season ramps up.
A strong, floor-ready release that sits comfortably in the Whiskey Disco catalogue—rooted in disco, but reaching well beyond it.
The Garden, experimental punk duo made of twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears and their new album Bootleg is available on vinyl and CD via Epitaph Records. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Wyatt and Fletcher, the 14-track album is packed with The Garden"s eclectic instrumentation and visceral production work. Formed in 2011 by twin brothers Wyatt Shears and Fletcher Shears, The Garden built their signature "Vada Vada" style from the raw foundation of bass, drums, and eerie electronic textures. Their minimalist approach delivers an explosive, genre-defying sound that is equal parts chaotic, precise, and unmistakably original. Blending an uncanny, arthouse-inspired visual identity with fearless creativity, The Garden has become one of alternative music"s most influential cult acts, beloved by Tyler, the Creator and Mac DeMarco. Renowned for their explosive live performances, they"ve cultivated a fiercely dedicated global following while inspiring a new generation of artists and fans drawn to their singular creative vision.
This special 3LP clear vinyl collates the “Back To Black” era in a definitive package. Featuring the original studio album, 4x unreleased demos, rare B-sides and demos, alongside the notable live performance from Paradiso, Amsterdam (February 8th 2007) from the Back To Black tour, never released in full and on vinyl.
This edition features brand new alternative cover artwork, including Amy’s handwritten lyrics, and never-before-seen photos by original album photographers Mischa Richter and Alex Lake, plus brand new, exclusive liner notes from Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi.
2026 celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 5x Grammy award winning album “Back To Black”, universally regarded as one of the greatest, most important and influential albums in pop history.
If you dig deep enough into the internet's lower depths, you'll find a shaky video shot on a camcorder. In 43 seconds, we see a makeshift drum kit built out of backyard Ostbahnhof trash, hear distorted vocals, and feel the anarchic energy of band and ravers dissolving into each other. It's now been twenty years since Bonaparte played their very first show at the legendary Bar25 on Berlin's Spree river. The ringmaster of this unhinged musical theater was Tobias Jundt then, and it's Jundt again now bringing the Bonaparte extravaganza back to the stage. New and nostalgic sit close together when the party's been going this long. Or, as they put it: "PARADISE IF YOU CAN STAND IT."
From late October through mid-November, Bonaparte will tour Germany, Austria, and Jundt's native Switzerland at full intensity, the full lineup - band to burlesque. Since their 2006 debut through their supposed farewell in 2019, Bonaparte played over 800 shows in 28 countries. Bottom line: "Too Much" isn't enough to properly celebrate a body of work like this. And the new songs from "PARADISE IF YOU CAN STAND IT" are far too significant not to bring to the stage. The lo-fi trash-punk of Bonaparte's earliest records has been built out with added layers, in production (largely alongside British avant-garde electronic artist HELiX) and in the songwriting itself.
The world certainly hasn't gotten any simpler since 2006. Tracks like "EVERYBODY PRESiDENT," loosely riffing on Zoe Leonard's poem "I Want A Dyke For President," and the corrosive "BRAiN ROT" mirror the social chaos we find ourselves in 2026. "OBEY (THERE iS STiLL A RiOT GOiNG ON)" is just as furious, though here the principle of hope still holds, as a multigenerational choir concludes "everything will be okay." Jundt speaks across generations again on "i LOVE YOU (MORE LATER)," dedicated in equal measure to his parents and his daughters: "Let the echo chamber bleed - from here into eternity."
The reconciliation and hope Bonaparte allows for and tends to, amid violence and all that noise, make "PARADISE IF YOU CAN STAND IT" a singular document of an artist grown wiser. Separation and grief don't cancel out love and vitality - they depend on each other. Ultimately, the album is a record of searching for and finding a home. To arrive, you have to let go.
And what better place to let go than in step with Bonaparte's wild, hedonistic party circus, finally back to gently terrorize our cities?
'Palle Mikkelborg (b. 1941) - a spiritual jazz legend, acclaimed composer, trumpet player and electronic music pioneer - is back in the studio recording his first solo album in more than 25 years. Working with him as a producer is Jakob Bro, with whom he has recorded the great ECM albums Returnings with Jon Christensen and Thomas Morgan, and Strands with Marilyn Mazur.
'"When Palle decided to stop touring and performing live, I suggested that we sit down together and listen through the many MiniDiscs and DAT tapes he had tucked away, hoping we might find a new direction for making music together. We went through everything - recordings of orchestras and choirs, soundscapes, and so on - material he had worked on throughout his career,” says Jakob Bro. “I can still remember the first time we said it out loud. Suddenly, it made perfect sense in my mind: a solo album. An album devoted entirely to Palle - his sound, his vision, his voice. It felt like something the world truly needed.”
'This final opus sees Palle Mikkelborg re-interpret and record his own orchestral works and two pieces by Per Nørgaard and Thomas Laub as 'meditations' on solo piano, trumpet and flugelhorn mixed with soundscapes and guest performances by longtime collaborators Helen Davis, Jakob Bro and Thomas Li.
'As a soloist his sound on trumpet and flugelhorn is both much loved and familiar after decades at the forefront of Nordic Music, but on Light one is struck by the weight Palle Mikkelborg has given his soundscapes and the grand piano. Forever curious on what's ahead, the album underlines his spiritual and ever-seeking approach to free improvisation, classical composition, choral works and experimental sound landcapes.'
It was in the year 2008 when Too Much came out: a 15-track debut that turned Berlin's underground upside down and made excess into a musical principle.
The album sounds like a party that has already gone off the rails - and is getting better because of it. Tobias Jundt's deadpan, heavily accented delivery collides with jagged guitars, rattling bass, vintage synths and restless dance grooves. Rock'n'roll, electroclash and dance-punk blur into something that never quite sits comfortably in any genre.
The songs are deliberately ridiculous, catchy and hedonistic. Too Much is full of party anthems, absurd one-liners and hooks that get stuck in your head whether you want them to or not. The title track itself became one of Bonaparte's signature songs - one of the early Myspace-era tracks that helped turn the band into a genuine underground sensation.
But Too Much was never just a record. Bonaparte's world extended into circus costumes, provocative performances, striptease, queer aesthetics and wildly excessive live shows. What began with illegal gigs under Alexanderplatz quickly moved to the Montreux Jazz Festival, international tours and legendary parties - with the band becoming one of the most distinctive acts to emerge from Berlin in the late 2000s.
Now Too Much returns on vinyl. A document of a particular Berlin moment - chaotic, funny, sweaty and impossible to ignore.
15 songs. Zero restraint. Still too much.
2026 re-issue, 180g vinyl, remastered from the original tapes
Be With have raided the KPM archives to re-issue another of our favourites from the KPM 1000 series. They say: Hard Afro Pop featuring large percussive rhythm section and front line. We say: One of the best-loved of all the KPM LPs. Afro Rock was recorded at Morgan Studios by John Cameron and Alan Parker in London in 1973 as a collection of stripped-down African rhythms, virtuoso jazz instrumentation, fuzzed up wah wah guitars and spaced out library breaks. The percussion is effortlessly funky, and those flutes so melodic, it’s as if the LP was crafted with the beat lovers of the future firmly in mind. As Cameron himself described it in Unusual Sounds, this is “heavy duty drum-and-bass salsa music”. As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for The Road Forward comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!
,Prophetic Perfect Tense" ist das neue Album von Oren Ambarchi bei Kou Records. Der australische Gitarrist und Komponist gilt als eine der unermüdlichsten und einfallsreichsten Persönlichkeiten der experimentellen Musik der letzten drei Jahrzehnte. Als Gründer von Black Truffle Records und versierter Kollaborateur, der bereits mit Keiji Haino, Jim O'Rourke, Johan Berthling und Andreas Werliin - präsentiert sich Ambarchi hier in seiner reduziertesten Besetzung: Solo-Gitarre, zwei Seiten, zwei Takes, minimale Effekte. Während seine Studioalben typischerweise konzeptionelle, vielschichtige Werke mit Gastmusikern waren, bricht ,Prophetic Perfect Tense" dieses Muster vollständig - nach seinen eigenen Angaben ist es das konventionellste Soloalbum mit Gitarrenklang, das er je aufgenommen hat, und das, was im Studio der Live-Energie seines ,Ghosted"-Trios am nächsten kommt. Aufgenommen im Studio Dede in Tokio im Januar 2026 und produziert von Randall Dunn, begann das Album als Akt hartnäckiger Zurückhaltung - irgendwo zwischen Joao Gilberts leisem, selbstbetiteltem Album von 1973 und Alemu Agas ,Bägänna"-Sessions. Doch sobald das Band durch eine Leslie-Box, einen Fender Twin und einen Ampeg B-15 in einen Telefunken-24-Spur-Recorder lief, entstand etwas ganz anderes: ein lockerer, abstrakter Shuffle, warm und dreidimensional, bei dem Verstärkerbrummen, Saitenquietschen und Raumgeräusche unverändert blieben. Beide Seiten in einzigen Takes. Ein Gitarren-Overdub wurde auf Randalls Drängen hin hinzugefügt. Eine Platte, die wie ein Raum klingt, nicht wie ein Studio. Aufgenommen, abgemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn. Gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby-Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Lackschnitt von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering. Cover-Artwork ,Untitled, 1977" von Kazuko Miyamoto, Foto mit freundlicher Genehmigung des Nachlasses von Kazuko Miyamoto / Zürcher Gallery, NY. Porträt auf der Rückseite von Ken Langraf
,Altarpiece H. af K." ist das neue Album von Eric Wubbels bei Kou Records - Komponist, Pianist, Co-Direktor des New Yorker Wet Ink Ensembles und Preisträger des Ernst von Siemens-Komponistenpreises 2023, einer der renommiertesten Auszeichnungen in der zeitgenössischen Musik. ,Altarpiece H. af K." hat seinen Namen und seinen inspirierenden Geist den Gemälden ,For the Temple" von Hilma af Klint entlehnt - monumentale Werke, die für einen Raum konzipiert wurden, der noch gar nicht existierte, gerichtet an einen zukünftigen Zuhörer. Wubbels begegnete ihnen 2018 im Guggenheim und ließ diese Begegnung in ein Stück einfließen, dessen vollständige Umsetzung sieben Jahre in Anspruch nehmen sollte: von einer E-Mail aus der Pandemiezeit an die Fagottistin Dana Jessen, in der er etwas Einfaches vorschlug - Multiphonik, Überlagerungen, vielleicht einen Kanon -, über Live-Auftritte in der Fairchild Chapel, bei Elastic Arts und in einer existentialistischen Kirche in Atlanta bis hin zu einer Aufnahmesession im Dezember 2025 im Power Station Studios in Midtown Manhattan, dem Raum, in dem ,Like a Virgin" und ,Let's Dance" entstanden sind. Die Besetzung - drei Fagotte, gespielt von Dana Jessen, Ben Roidl-Ward und Katherine Young - ist rein akustisch: keine Live-Bearbeitung, keine Elektronik. Was du hörst , ist das Instrument selbst, bis an seine Grenzen getrieben. Wubbels' Komposition nutzt die Fähigkeit des Fagotts zu Multiphonik und mikrotonaler Modulation, um sich überlappende Spektren aufzubauen, die voll und ganz aus den grundlegenden akustischen Eigenschaften der Instrumente entstehen - Obertöne, Differenztöne und Schwebungsfrequenzen, die den drei Musikern im selben Raum entlockt werden und einen seltenen Raum zwischen den spektralen Welten von Scelsi und Dumitrescu und dem anhaltenden physischen Gewicht von Sunn O))) einnehmen. Über zwei lange Sätze (Reh. A und Reh. C) hinweg häufen sich diese dichten, vibrierenden Spektren zu etwas an, das sich zwischen Stillstand und Vorwärtsdrang bewegt und an der Schwelle zwischen Tonhöhe und Rauschen schwebt. Das Stück gipfelt nicht in einer Auflösung, sondern in einer Transformation durch anhaltende Aufmerksamkeit. Aufgenommen, abgemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn. Gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Lackpressung von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering. Cover-Artwork von Thomas Hooper; Porträt auf der Rückseite von Julie Bell.
On Oath's latest, the imprint keeps the jazz-fuelled atmospheres going with 'Seven Dogs', an EP that serves up an astonishing excursion through deeply hypnotic melodies and idiosyncratic grooves, courtesy of an iconic link-up between Rteph88 aka Robin Taylor-Firth and Steve Cobby.
Taylor-Firth and Cobby are musicians whose careers are so richly storied, broad-ranging, and impactful that it's difficult to summarise their output and impact in so few words. Both Taylor-Firth and Cobby firmly established themselves in the 90s, being involved in some of the era's most prominent and celebrated groups and for releasing some truly era-defining records. As such, their discographies reach far and wide, from house and techno cuts through to downtempo, drum'n'bass and leftfield, there is little that is left uncovered, and this spirit remains with them both as they continue to explore the outer parameters of their sounds.
Taylor-Firth, a songwriter, arranger, and producer, is perhaps best known for his long association with Warp Records and its sublabel Nucleus, and for his work as a member of Nightmares on Wax, where his signature keyboard playing style became a staple of the group's legendary sound. Alongside this, he has hundreds of songwriting and arranging credits on a dizzying array of records, and was a member of house music group Anon and Pio Bo alongside Richard Barratt - to name but a few selected highlights of his extraordinary career. Cobby's career is distinguished by his multitude of releases under a variety of aliases, along with his helming of a number of imprints, including Pork Recordings and his most recent label Déclassé. Experimenting with a wide variety of genres and sounds, perhaps his best-known work was with the duo Fila Brazillia alongside Dave McSherry, who released a plethora of immersive and innovative records in the 90s and beyond.
'Seven Dogs' represents a shared passion, vision, and musicality, two languages borne of similar spaces but reaching through time, space, and existence in creating a richly veiled musical experience that draws from lifetimes spent within the nucleus of music's soul. The EP speaks of the present as such as the past and indeed future, hinting with motifs that feel right at home within sun-kissed skies and within the walls of the chill out rooms. 'Early Doors', the EP's opener, displays the core fundamentals of the unfolding experience, namely the intrinsic relationship between keys and drums and how they express tone and mood. The piano gently caresses, ethereally floating with space to grow, as the drums lightly swing into life, providing an engrossing and rhythmically diverse groove that nods as much as it dives. The title track lands next and leads with a more driving feel. Sonically, the track leads with an oozing bass sequence that worms through the mid range before retreating under an array of compelling piano chords. The drums once again provide a strong backbone, allowing the melodic elements up top to fully express themselves - in a myriad of ways, murmuring and clamouring all at once.
'Visiting Hobo' brings the groove down a few notches. Slightly sombre in its delivery, the piano and bass interchange above a sparse yet hard-hitting groove, with as much emphasis placed on the emptiness as on the melodically full sections. The piano has a certain tonality here, with the notes containing a large amount of textural reverb that helps the track feel alive, almost growing out of the speakers. Wrapping things up is 'Titled', which begins with the keys and an array of whimsical features. The drums allow themselves time to grow into being, but when they do, they simmer within an enriching melange. It's a fitting end to a record that abounds with sonic consideration, environmental and emotive feeling, where two technicians bring their best and serve up four tracks of such sublimeness and thoughtfulness. One to drift deep within, on those hot summer days….
,Reona" ist das Debütalbum von REONA bei Kou Records - Stepptänzerin, Metal- Percussionistin, Improvisatorin und eine der originellsten Klangkünstlerinnen der heutigen Zeit, weltweit. Das Album wurde im Januar 2026 an zwei Tagen im Studio Dede aufgenommen und von Randall Dunn produziert. Es fängt REONAs ganzkörperliche Performance in Echtzeit ein: Stepptanzschuhe und ein Holzbrett als rhythmische Grundlage, überlagert von Metallblechen, Ketten, Edelstahlschalen, Plastiktüten, Lautsprechern und einem ganzen Arsenal an gefundenen und handgefertigten Objekten, die im Laufe jahrelanger Auftritte gesammelt wurden. Die Instrumente tragen ihre eigene Geschichte in sich - ein Schild aus Okinawa, auf dem die Warnung vor nicht detonierten Bomben steht, ein Schild einer Transportfirma aus dem Jingisukan-Topf-Museum in Iwamizawa, eine Festglocke, die zu Beginn der COVID-Ära erworben wurde, südindische Essgeschirr, ein Ölkännchen aus Taiwan. Stampfen, kratzen, berühren, schlagen, blasen, stöhnen - REONA nutzt alles voll aus, von ihren Beinen bis zu ihrem Mund, und lässt dabei die Grenze zwischen Tanz und Percussion, Körper und Instrument verschwinden. Ihre Praxis befindet sich an einer selten besetzten Schnittstelle: die japanische Noise-Tradition von Merzbow und Otomo Yoshihide auf der einen Seite, die perkussive Körperlichkeit von Milford Graves und Han Bennink auf der anderen - ohne Präzedenzfall dafür, was passiert, wenn diese beiden Welten in einem einzigen Körper aufeinandertreffen. Track 7, M108, enthält einen Gastauftritt von Atsuo - dem Schlagzeuger der legendären japanischen Rockband Boris - in einer Kollision zweier unterschiedlicher, aber verwandter Ansätze zu Rhythmus und Noise.? Aufgenommen, gemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn. Gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby-Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Lackschnitt von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering. Cover-Artwork ,Legend of the Snow Spirit" von Kazuki Tomokawa; Porträt auf der Rückseite von Allison Brant.
A cosmic collision between Perzeptiverdampfkesselqualmtbesinnlich, the psycho-cognitive alter ego of acclaimed electro alien entity pdqb, and Edward Ka-Spel, experimental music icon, apparent half-Earthling and vocalist of The Legendary Pink Dots and The Tear Garden - and, according to pdqb, the owner of the most beautiful voice in the universe.
A storytelling dream team brought together by a fortunate twist of fate, with visual transmissions by the enigmatic Nicola Samorì.
Two Songs. Four Transmissions. One Missing Captain.
On their third album, FANGS, London collective HMLTD have created an entirely new genre: Götherdammerüng (or ÜberGöth). Predictably unpredictable, it could not be further away from their last outing, 2023 rock opera The Worm. The sixteen-piece orchestra has been traded in for Ableton, the timpani and violins replaced with side-chained four-to-the-floor and rave synths, and the gospel choir swapped for guttural gothic howling and black metal screams. The result is both unique and terrifying: a total reinvention and rehabilitation of the goth genre, through the looking glass of modern electronic and doomscroll-era dance music.
This new beginning was accompanied by a change in personnel, with Theo Spark and Andrei Martynchyk joining the fray alongside original members Henry Spychalski and Duc Peterman. Decamping to a ruined château in the Loire Valley, the quartet became obsessed with vampire lore, and the EBM and goth sound that inspired their early work: Fad Gadget, DAF, Nitzer Ebb, Suicide and Bauhaus. FANGS also points to more contemporary influences like Crystal Castles, German hardcore, 2000s blog-house a la Justice, and 2020s sleazepop.
The world crafted in FANGS is full of cosmic pessimism, glowing horror, imperceptible evil and digital dismemberment, ancient curses and ruined castles, Vampires. But it is also a thoroughly fun, and funny, record, as danceable as it is deep. Born of the club, some tracks would not sound out of place on Brat. Like a Smiths song which sounds happy and carefree until your brain tunes in to the misery of the lyrics, it can be listened to - and enjoyed - on two levels. One can get lost in the throb of bass and ludic synths, or tune into the horror of the lyrics which overlay them.
FANGS attempts to offer up a reflection to a culture that - like a Vampire - has lost its own. The result is something not only thoroughly modern, original, and inventive - but that feels genuinely dangerous and potent. FANGS delights in this ambiguity: simultaneously indicting decadence, decay, and moral rot, while luxuriating in its intoxication by it. Cacophonous sub-bass becomes a chthonic call of the void; seraphic rave synths become the screech of Valkyries; four-to-the-floor becomes a deathly funeral march. Vampire apocalypse.
In 2014, to mark 20-years since the release of their landmark album The Holy Bible, Manic Street Preachers embarked on a sold-out tour playing the record in full. More than a decade later, The Holy Bible Live captures an unforgettable show at London’s Roundhouse, documenting a band revisiting a defining chapter of their history. Out on 23rd October, this deluxe edition features the complete live show on CD and 2LP Blue Marble vinyl, including a special Side D etching, as well as the Director's Cut of Kieran Evans' acclaimed live concert film Be Pure – Be Vigilant – Behave on Blu-Ray. The package also includes a brand-new Steven Wilson mix of the original album on CD, an exclusive 16-page book and a Pennie Smith photo print; making it an essential addition to any Manics collection. Pre-order yours now.
Tresor Records announces GODSPEED, a new EP from NVST, out on October 23, 2026. From its origins in the Motor City and through to the themes of interstellar travel, techno has always been a genre focussed on forward movement, a tradition that GODSPEED continues boththrough music and title.
The EP is a collection that brings to mind the spirit of early, non-conformist releases on Tresor, full of hypnotic synth loops, spacious FX, and breakbeats, yet with a crisp and modern sonic palette. Side A embarks with two tracks that combine a low, buzzing bassline with trippy melodies and percussion that ventures close to breaks and electro, while the B-side moves intothe fast lane with driving acid and more regimented drums. Digital bonus track "Firliner" combines both approaches across its seven-and-a-half minutes, as a buzzy bassline and spluttering beat ignite into a steady trance-induction.
The EP title arrived the way the best ones do: not so much chosen as absorbed from the aether, the word kept popping up during the creative process until it became the ideal name for this collection, given its connotation with setting out on a journey.
"You remember the nights where you've been on the floor for hours without realising how much time has passed, the conversations you can't fully recall, or how unexpectedly open you've been to everything around you. The music speaks the language of substance not as a statement, but as a way of describing perception. It's about experimenting with yourself, your body, your hearing, your emotions. About reaching a point where things that once felt permanent suddenly lose their grip, even if only for a moment. These recordings come from that place. They capture moments where movement replaces thought, memories blur into feeling, and vulnerability becomes part of the process. They're documents of a very
specific time, but also of something much more familiar: trying to lose yourself just enough to find a different version of who you are." NVST
This fast-paced forward travel is implicit in the word speed, but once this word indicated power or prosperity so that godspeed is a wish for success, forming an appropriate double meaning for this first full release of NVST on Tresor.
With his last three records all landing within a calendar year (2024-25), enigmatic Swedish producer Civilistjävel! (aka Tomas Bodén) is on a hot streak of releases, his singular vision increasingly ambitious and expansive. There are few artists working at this level so consistently right now, reinventing, revising and continually developing their language. Following on from 2025’s radically re-worked ‘Versions’ (of Mayssa Jallad’s ‘Marjaa…’), Bodén returns to break further fresh ground with his new album, ‘Älvgång’. Featuring contributions from Soccer Committee, Carrier and guest (aka Jabu’s Jasmine Butt), ‘Älvgång’ foregrounds a more brittle and insistent rhythm-based sound, whilst comprising his most broad-ranging collection of material to date.
‘Älvgång’ grew out of a series of sketches made from late ‘24 and throughout the whole of ‘25 at Stockholm’s renowned EMS Studios, which gave Boden free rein to its extensive collection of vintage analogue equipment and rare modular synthesizers such as the Serge and Buchla systems. As a loose framework of tracks began to take shape, so did a reflection of sorts, on family and foundations, underpinned or influenced by sounds that drifted into Tomas consciousness around this time - ancient Swedish pastoral music, Georgian lithurgical chants, gongs, chimes. An idea settled into place, a dedication to his Grandfather, as the earlier release Fyra Platser (tr. ‘Four Places’) was to his Grandmother. Älvgång is grounded with the sense of time and place of an old family photograph, with the tracks over each side bearing one of two names that are more or less the same location - Strinne was the old name for a this loose collection of villages. These days it is more commonly known as Bjärtrå. Metaphorically speaking, the river runs through both.
Civilistjävel! conjures so many adjectives and descriptors, ‘glacial’ and ‘ambient’ frequently among them - but while not altogether untrue, such terms belie the tension and drama so often present in Tomas’ music. Listening to ‘Älvgång’ is not a passive experience. The eight tracks here feel like a patchwork of memories that bathe in the same ethereal, otherworldly glow of Tarkovsky’s polaroids’.
The machine pulses that dominate this landscape are reigned in and tempered by a human hand; lithe, untethered coils, breathing in and out. ‘Strinne Ett’ sets out with purpose, sensing awe and wonder through the murk, but as the final tone unfurls like a question mark, another chapter begins, unfolding/building like a Tarjei Vesaas novel. These lyrical, abstract miniatures combine to reveal a wider context, fragile humanity standing alone against nature.
Guest appearances on Civilistjävel! records have become a regular occurrence (including recent collaborations with Mayssa Jallad, Laila Sakini, Cucina Povera, Thomas Bush, Eldon + Withdrawn), but are used sparingly and with increasing precision. On ‘Strinne Tre’ Mariska Baars’ (Soccer Committee) voice feels like a balm, a clearing. But as her simple, three-word incantation drifts further into fog, the meaning changes, and her words seem to curdle. Carrier’s beats widen the parameters on ‘Strinne Fyra’, a skittering promise that builds tension then refuses to release it; all false starts, Photek gongs, and trinkling modulars. Jabu’s Jasmine Butt pulls all the threads together for the final track, Thomas Tallis’ ghost walking over offset machine impulses, that work against their own symmetry.
Side two begins inquisitively, scanning bleached, alien surroundings, its sparse pads recalling Aphex Twin’s ‘Selected Ambient works Vol 2’. 'Bjärtrå Två’ picks up the baton from ' Strinne Fyra’ with a ruptured Simmons SDS200 analogue drum synth set free from its shackles, the rhythm eventually slotting into the spaces that were hiding in plain sight. What follows seems like an epiphany; ‘Bjärtrå Tre’ is achingly beautiful, a euphoric, winding ascent that leads to devotional plainsong. ‘Bjärtrå Fyra‘s final unheralded shift feels both tragic and haunting.
Do you know what time it is? It’s Prime Time, the new EP on Punctuality from mischievous French duo Pureblast . Marking the label’s twelfth release, the record serves as a bold statement of intent from the Parisian pair and demonstrates why they’re quickly earning a reputation as one of France’s most exciting live acts.
Across the EP’s five tracks, Pureblast weave together a broad spectrum of influences while remaining deeply rooted in the duo’s singular vision. Every cut is fat, pumping, gritty and playful, ready to turn heads and hips on the dancefloor.
Side-stepping easy genre classifications, Prime Time is modern rolling prog at its most energetic. Tightly wound low-end, pummelling drums and restless basslines drive each track forward with purpose, while sa+ga’s vocals are manipulated and distorted to humanoid perfection. The result is something distinctly personal beneath the machine funk: robotic yet seductive, gritty yet playful.
Deep listeners will spot nods to tranced up breakbeats, Ray of Light-era big beat, Detroit electro and contemporary UK techno with psy-fluenced synth swirls and texture. Far from pastiche, these influences are absorbed into the Pureblast machine and transformed into something entirely their own.
Gritty, pumping, sexy and playful. It’s Pureblast, it’s Prime Time.
credits
For more than two decades, Vidmantas ?epkauskas has occupied a singular position within European underground culture. As the driving force behind Opium Club and gallery 1986 in Vilnius, founder of Ant Bangos, Alfavilnius and OLE festivals, curator, label owner, promoter, DJ and artist, he has spent much of his life creating the conditions for other people's music to be heard.
It makes sense then that he has no shortage of friends and collaborators in play. Across ten tracks, V presents shades of Italo, krautrock, post-punk, minimal synth, industrial pop and neon-noir romanticism, arriving somewhere between the dancefloor and a dream-state. The cast of collaborators both contextualize and help sharpen the vision.
First and foremost, much of the album was crafted alongside Frankfurt's Philipp Lauer, whose friendship with V grew through marathon studio sessions. Curses lends his unmistakable blend of dark romance and theatrical energy to "Is This What You Want?", Australian cosmic journeyman Dreems joins for the kaleidoscopic "Blitz Disc," Domenique Dumont brings their unmistakable emotive touch to "Avventura," while Lithuanian artists Noyus and Ruta MUR, both distinctive voices from the country's queer scene, whose vocals add another dimension to the record's emotional palette. As V puts it, "These are the people I've been vibing with."
That he finally delivers a full-length LP with such elusive qualities is more than a clue to his character. The title itself, a nod to Magritte's famous paradox and his years living in Brussels, suggests that any attempt to define V through a single image is destined to fail. At once playful and philosophical, 12:55 (Ceci n'est pas une V) questions ideas of identity and artistic value while marking the closing chapter of the musical persona that followed ?epkauskas' earlier success as Vidis. Neither retrospective nor statement of intent, it feels like a connected set of reflections spanning a lifetime of influences.
Rhythm Section International proudly presents it's 8th offering from local boys Chaos in the CBD. Born in New Zealand, but based in Peckham for the last few years (literally just around the corner from Henry Wu and Bradley Zero), these brothers have made a real mark on the scene here in London town and with their latest set of productions are set to take this message further afield.
Having already released internationally on labels such as ClekClekBoom (Paris), Hot Haus (London) and Amadeus (Montreal), the duo's approach to production has matured immeasurably in the last year, as is evident in the restrained potency and poetic subtlety on the 4 tracks across this accomplished EP, Midnight in Peckham.
Taking it's title from the locale the boys have come to know as home, the record channels a delicate late night energy - equally indebted to the hypnotic incantations of Ron Trent as it is to the hazy suburban atmospheres of Burial. These 4 classic cuts pay homage to deep house in it's truest sense - at once sublime, melancholy and meditative . Chaos in the CBD have clearly taken their cue from the mid-west masters of the genre but have not been afraid to let their own influences and environ creep in, and in doing so have created something that is unmistakablely London and infact, timeless.
“My Love” is one of its key tracks on “Summer End”, the current album by French singer & songwriter Al Sunny. Now that summer really has ended, Al Sunny asked a few producers and DJs from all over France to deliver their interpretation “My Love”. Featuring a wonderful organic take by Ludovic Llorca aka Art of Tones this EP is available digitally and as limited four track 12inch vinyl edition including the Art of Tones, Hugo LX and Jared mixes.
Art of Tones
Art of Tones is the house and disco project of acclaimed French producer Ludovic Llorca. Launched in 2006, the alias quickly earned international recognition through its distinctive combination of soulful musicianship, powerful grooves and dancefloor energy. His catalogue includes releases on respected labels such as 20/20 Vision, Local Talk, Glitterbox, GAMM and Toy Tonics, establishing him as a highly regarded producer and remixer within the global house scene.
Hugo LX
Hugo LX is a Paris-based DJ and producer whose musical universe moves effortlessly between deep and soulful house, downtempo beats, jazz, hip-hop and ambient influences. Known for his refined production style and wide-ranging musical knowledge, he has released music on respected labels including NDATL, MCDE, Balance and People of Earth, alongside projects on his own Doma Music imprint. Both behind the decks and in the studio, his work is defined by warmth, subtlety and a deeply personal approach to electronic music.
Jared
Jared is a French DJ, producer and event curator based in Bordeaux, with a strong connection to house music and club culture. Over the years, he has performed at a wide range of events and international stages, including Tomorrowland, developing a reputation for energetic and carefully constructed DJ sets. His musical approach combines a deep understanding of the dancefloor with warm grooves, contemporary production and an enduring passion for house music.
On their third album, FANGS, London collective HMLTD have created an entirely new genre: Götherdammerüng (or ÜberGöth). Predictably unpredictable, it could not be further away from their last outing, 2023 rock opera The Worm. The sixteen-piece orchestra has been traded in for Ableton, the timpani and violins replaced with side-chained four-to-the-floor and rave synths, and the gospel choir swapped for guttural gothic howling and black metal screams. The result is both unique and terrifying: a total reinvention and rehabilitation of the goth genre, through the looking glass of modern electronic and doomscroll-era dance music.
This new beginning was accompanied by a change in personnel, with Theo Spark and Andrei Martynchyk joining the fray alongside original members Henry Spychalski and Duc Peterman. Decamping to a ruined château in the Loire Valley, the quartet became obsessed with vampire lore, and the EBM and goth sound that inspired their early work: Fad Gadget, DAF, Nitzer Ebb, Suicide and Bauhaus. FANGS also points to more contemporary influences like Crystal Castles, German hardcore, 2000s blog-house a la Justice, and 2020s sleazepop.
The world crafted in FANGS is full of cosmic pessimism, glowing horror, imperceptible evil and digital dismemberment, ancient curses and ruined castles, Vampires. But it is also a thoroughly fun, and funny, record, as danceable as it is deep. Born of the club, some tracks would not sound out of place on Brat. Like a Smiths song which sounds happy and carefree until your brain tunes in to the misery of the lyrics, it can be listened to - and enjoyed - on two levels. One can get lost in the throb of bass and ludic synths, or tune into the horror of the lyrics which overlay them.
FANGS attempts to offer up a reflection to a culture that - like a Vampire - has lost its own. The result is something not only thoroughly modern, original, and inventive - but that feels genuinely dangerous and potent. FANGS delights in this ambiguity: simultaneously indicting decadence, decay, and moral rot, while luxuriating in its intoxication by it. Cacophonous sub-bass becomes a chthonic call of the void; seraphic rave synths become the screech of Valkyries; four-to-the-floor becomes a deathly funeral march. Vampire apocalypse.
Underoath reinvents the balance between chaos and harmony with each successive release. Their compositions, conjured from creative tension, become iconoclastic anthems. Even when the band almost combusts, the crackling energy coalesces into something deeply resonant for millions.
Each time they have a chance to do something safe, Underoath challenges themselves instead, with integrity and attitude. Their pair of gold albums and three Grammy nominations stand in stark defiance of the idea of commercial compromise. The Underoath catalog weaponizes noise, aggression, and ambiance as skillfully as melody.
They're Only Chasing Safety is the fourth studio album by American melodic hardcore band Underoath. It was released on June 15, 2004, through Solid State Records. Following the release of their third studio album, The Changing of Times (2002), half of the band's members were replaced. After finalizing the line-up with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, the band recorded They're Only Chasing Safety with producer James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever, Paramore). In the heavy and punk music scene, the album is considered a watershed moment. The blend of heavy metal and hardcore influences with a strong pop/punk sensibility spawned a new branch of heavy music. The sound eventually became synonymous with the screamo scene of the mid-2000s. The record went gold in 2011.
The East Bay's mighty Charger has returned with five new songs on 12" vinyl... Last Call is on its way from Pirates Press Records just in time for your motorcycle trip to hell! Charger members hail from legendary punk bands such as UK Subs, Rancid, and Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School of Medicine, just to name a few, but make no mistake, this band is its own entity with its own sound forged together! The band laid down these tracks in July 2025 at Studio 2200 in Sausalito, CA - formerly known as the Bay Area's legendary Record Plant - with Chris Dugan at the helm
The Garden, experimental punk duo made of twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears and their new album Bootleg is available on vinyl and CD via Epitaph Records. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Wyatt and Fletcher, the 14-track album is packed with The Garden"s eclectic instrumentation and visceral production work. Formed in 2011 by twin brothers Wyatt Shears and Fletcher Shears, The Garden built their signature "Vada Vada" style from the raw foundation of bass, drums, and eerie electronic textures. Their minimalist approach delivers an explosive, genre-defying sound that is equal parts chaotic, precise, and unmistakably original. Blending an uncanny, arthouse-inspired visual identity with fearless creativity, The Garden has become one of alternative music"s most influential cult acts, beloved by Tyler, the Creator and Mac DeMarco. Renowned for their explosive live performances, they"ve cultivated a fiercely dedicated global following while inspiring a new generation of artists and fans drawn to their singular creative vision.
Deep, deep stuff on the debut album from K Wata. Long and dubwise, dark and detailed. With bass that fills and warms a space.
All noir. Cast shadows against the wall. Weight being shifted and distributed with singularly delicate poise, like a knife being balanced on the end of a finger.
There’s a silvery, loose flow state to this record that maybe reveals the way some tracks were first written to be deployed live at Sustain Release 2025. Then taken back to the lab and tightened up further into the album’s final form, with beautiful mixing work between Kenzo and Chris Botta.
With that in mind, Give U Space unfolds slowly and fluidly, giving the listener the chance to access and open up to the deepness of the sound, being led down a path. It rolls and builds momentum and groove, and ratchets tensions up toward peaks of energy "Whisper Dub" and "There Will Be Love".
The tunes feel architectural. Rooms to be in and settle into. Simultaneously stripped back and then etched with neat little details and characterful or atmospheric sound choices. The silhouette of slo mo Memphis and Houston trap is a leading influence, especially with the drums. Mixing with bits of click’n’cut sampling and psychoacoustic tricks, the penumbra of dub techno and drowsier dubstep, and SG’s soft vocals rising in the ether.
The presence and inspiration of the sound system is obvious in all of Kenzo’s work, the music can rattle when spun up louder or blended into the club. But K Wata’s uniqueness and signature comes from an often equally inward facing quality, touched by distance and longing and a sort of chiaroscuro incandescent light set up.
Written and produced by K Wata.
Mixed by K Wata and Christopher Botta at Fer Sound Studio.
Built with the immediacy that comes from limitation, iPhone Grime is almost exactly what it says on the tape case. Pulled directly from the portable communication device of Front Left Life's Louis Payne, iPhone Grime is the perfect distillation of raw ideas through a simple medium. When producers can drown in the infinite possibilities of the DAW vortex, a simple phone app can steer you swiftly to the sharpest results. Snippets of real world sound captured on the mic ground these quick-fire beats in a time and place, dynamic and street-level like grime and early dubstep was when it was being imagined on PlayStation games and filmed on ropey phone cameras.
Payne is undoubtedly bringing perspective to his sketches, having forged a connection with London's club scene through his part in the widely hailed Front Left Life parties in Catford, at Venue MOT and elsewhere. With a roll call of guests that cuts a sharp line through the best of bassweight club music right now, his taste and knowledge precedes his first steps into the production arena. Rather than puzzling out the path to a thousand likes for a hardware jam reel, he's opted for a direct line between his brain and the beat at the end of it.
You can hear the naivety behind vocal loops like the one nagging away on 'Follow That', calling to mind the first time you ever tried making a Fruity Loops beat. But these are no amateur throwaways — the technology has moved on and Payne's instincts guide him towards legit constructions that could easily do damage in the club. Sometimes they exist as no more than an eight bar loop, while others like 'Wind It Up (Dream Dealers Version)' or 'Extra Dimensional Being' stretch an idea out. Throughout it all, the looming throb of square wave bass glues the record together and anchors the grime dimension of Payne's job lot of phone jams.
Payne's work is all his own, and the snatches of real life around the beats anchor this music in his own London life. But, like previous shifts in technology and accessibility, iPhone Grime also raises an important prospect—that anyone with one of these apps, a Bluetooth speaker and an idea can bring music out of studios and into the world. History has already proven, when that happens the possibilities become thrillingly unpredictable.
Budapest based concept label Blue Sun arrives with the 3rd edition of their annual VA series, showcasing a colorful taste of the local underground music scene, with some international sidenotes.
Following up on the label’s customs, the 19-track selection is not only released digitally, but also on a limited 200-piece cassette series. Curated by the label heads, the tracks follow Blue Sun's listening-oriented concept without genre restrictions with downtempo, trip-hop, jazz, dub, balearic, ambient, experimental, and electronica as highlights, with pieces that are more difficult to classify.
As before, instead of the usual A-B markings, the two sides are divided by the label's colors: “ORANGE” contains more organic and high-energy music, while “BLUE” contains more pensive and experimental tracks. Moreover, the selection has been carefully curated so that it can be listened to as an endless loop: the end of a side always resonates with the beginning of the other, wherever the listener begins.
The list of contributing artists this year are truly various and just as impressive. From uniqe debuting local artists to internationally recognised performers, it gives a taste of how the Hungarian underground scene sounds like atm. Important to note, that the release marks another debut: the label’s new visual identity by Blue Sun’s new designer, Péter Tóth.
Ibiza-based Jazz N Palms is back with more musical dispatches from the calmer side of the island that follow on from his Ses Rodes album in 2022. That record was focused on a double album assembled, as if over a Cartesian grid of space-time. While one record was about space/the environment, the other was following the times of the day. This 7" expands that with more music inspired by magical island spaces.
These tracks were recorded in Magrana Studio in Ibiza with three new musicians and, after the post-production, the mixing was made with the help of Ben Westbeech and his beautiful Unfairchild II, an amazing Californian reproduction of the holy grail of tube compressor that has been present in Abbey Road studios since the 60s.
Opener 'El Valle' ('the valley') captures the different shades of light that pass over Ibiza, from early spring light to the arrival of looming clouds and the first thunders of a summer storm. It is the organ which serves as the main character to convey those sensations and the passing from light to dark as a live, loose and dusty groove bounces below. On the flip side, 'La Costa' simulates cruising on the open sea, riding choppy swells as waves lap at the boat and you gaze at the passing landscapes. Only drums and bass have been used to convey the feeling, and the result is a wonderfully uneven, ever-evolving and funky groove full of life.
Zwölftes und finales Studioalbum der US-Rocklegenden erstmals wieder auf Vinyl. - Erstes Album seit 1984 mit Original-Sänger David Lee Roth. - Sieben unveröffentlichte Demos aus den 70er/80er-Jahren neu eingespielt. - Top-Chart-Erfolg: Platz 2 der Billboard 200 und Gold-Status. - Audiophiles Schwergewicht: Hochwertige 180g Doppel-Vinyl für Sammler.
Following the international praise for their 2024 debut album Where Did You Go?, Sandman Project return with Hearts Forever, the first album entirely composed, arranged and produced by guitarist, composer and bandleader Tal Sandman. Rooted in psychedelic groove, Middle Eastern musicality, funk, jazz and desert rock, it is a record driven above all by a wider spiritual belief in music as a force for connection.
If Where Did You Go? introduced Sandman Project as a borderless, brass-heavy outfit with a cinematic sound, Hearts Forever takes that vision somewhere more intimate and self-assured. Written following Tal's move from Jaffa to Leipzig, the album reflects a period of personal and creative transformation. Arriving in Germany without knowing whether she would find the right collaborators, she gradually assembled a new band through recommendations from fellow musicians, discovering a group capable of bringing her musical vision to life. For Tal, the music is not about drawing neat lines between styles or traditions. It is about taking inspiration from wherever it appears and reshaping it into something honest and alive. "If music touches my heart, it inspires me", she says. "So much music already exists, but what we are doing is creating something new out of inspiration. You take the ingredients and make a new thing".
This is the quiet force behind Hearts Forever. Almost entirely instrumental, the album deliberately leaves space for listeners to find their own stories within it. Without lyrics, the music is never confined to one language, nationality or identity.
Following support for Where Did You Go? from All About Jazz, DJ Magazine, Bayern Radio, Greedy For Best, Pipelines Magazine, Ban Ban Ton Ton and Laurent Garnier, Hearts Forever finds Sandman Project entering a new chapter: more confident, broader in vision and more deeply rooted in Tal Sandman's own creative voice. Rich, restless and full of feeling, Hearts Forever is music for uncertain times; a record about holding on to innocence, choosing compassion and believing, however quietly, that connection is still possible.
God Is Dead ist das zweite Studioalbum des amerikanischen ,Satanic Doo-Wop"-Duos Twin Temple, das am Freitag, dem 13. Oktober 2023 über ihr eigenes Label Pentagrammaton Records veröffentlicht wurde. Das Album kombiniert die musikalische Ästhetik des klassischen Rock 'n' Roll, Soul und Doo-Wop der 1950er und 1960er Jahre mit satanischen Texten, die Individualität, freien Willen und Rebellion gegen religiöse Dogmen feiern. Um einen authentischen Vintage-Sound zu garantieren, wurde die Platte komplett in Mono eingespielt.
,Bands Like It When You Yell `YAR!' At Them" war ursprünglich eine Promo-EP von Minus the Bear, die 2002 als Vorgeschmack auf das Debütalbum ,Highly Refined Pirates" erschien. Was als einfache Werbe-CD begann, entwickelte sich schnell zu einem Fan-Favoriten und erscheint 2026 erstmals offiziell auf Vinyl. Die Veröffentlichung zeigt die Band in ihrer frühen Hochphase und vereint ihren charakteristischen Mix aus Indie-Rock, Math Rock, Funk, verspielten Gitarrenfiguren und elektronischen Elementen. Neben frühen Albumtiteln enthält die EP mit ,Drop It Like It's Hot" auch einen exklusiven Song, der die kreative Experimentierfreude der Band eindrucksvoll dokumentiert. Heute gilt ,YAR!" als wichtiges Zeitdokument der Anfangsjahre von Minus the Bear und als perfekte Ergänzung zu ,Highly Refined Pirates", einem der prägendsten Indie-Rock-Alben der frühen 2000er-Jahre. Von Bernie Grundman für Vinyl remastert und mit bei 45 U/min geschnittenen Lackplatten trägt diese limitierte Auflage von 1.000 Exemplaren auf "San Juan Sands" Vinyl dazu bei, die aufregenden Anfangsjahre einer der beliebtesten Bands des amerikanischen Indie-Rock zu dokumentieren und zu bewahren.
Thematically, the album revolves around movement - excursions, outings, journeys, and the various vehicles and vessels that make them possible. It is music for those who drive, sail, walk, and fly. For those already on the move, and for those who are about to set off.
Each track functions as a vehicle of its own, collectively built and designed for different conditions and purposes. You can travel solo or collectively. The album is introduced by the single "ULYSSE."
Tropical Soldiers In Paradise:
Lush as tropical forests inhabited by fruit bats, fluorescent frogs, and giant millipedes. Comforting as paradise beaches from a screensaver. Absurd and psychedelic as the mission of Lieutenant Colonel Channon and the First Earth Battalion, where the paranormal abilities of warrior monks revolutionize the armies of the world.
A structure without status, uniforms without uniformity, and unity powered by diversity.
Tropical Soldiers In Paradise play crooked lounge (if such a genre existed). Their music blends a generous dose of improvisation with hip-hop-rooted beats and a distinctly new-wave approach to jazz. Since 2018, TSiP have released three albums and performed countless concerts on both intimate and major stages, bringing joy and solace to audiences along the way.
Italian percussionist Umberto Vitiello takes us on a journey into a vanished world. Mixed by Italian techno master Donato Dozzy, the album draws on memories spanning decades, including Vitiello's years living on Yarakh Beach on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal. There, the rhythms of daily life flowed with the tides: fishermen launching their pirogues at dawn, griots and vendors gathering beneath three towering palm trees, and the Atlantic Ocean providing a serene soundtrack.
Named after the Lébou people whose fishing culture has shaped the coastline around Dakar for centuries, the record is both a tribute to a community that welcomed Vitiello as one of their own and a reflection on what has been lost.
Those years left a profound mark on both his life and his music. Yet this is not simply a work of remembrance. It is also a meditation on change.
Today, the beach that inspired these recordings has been transformed by pollution and environmental decline. Where fishing boats and palm trees once stood, a sculpture by Senegalese artist Serigne Gorgui Mbaye now depicts two giant ears facing the sea-a reminder of the need to listen: to one another, to nature, and to our own conscience.
Blending percussion, atmosphere and storytelling, the album revisits formative experiences from the 1980s through the perspective of the present day. Featuring vocal contributions from Olympia Ndiaye, Anna Caragnano and Mariangela Morais, and guided by Dozzy's spacious, immersive mix, it unfolds as a deeply personal journey through memory, place and transformation.
In 2014, to mark 20-years since the release of their landmark album The Holy Bible, Manic Street Preachers embarked on a sold-out tour playing the record in full. More than a decade later, The Holy Bible Live captures an unforgettable show at London’s Roundhouse, documenting a band revisiting a defining chapter of their history. Out on 23rd October, this deluxe edition features the complete live show on CD and 2LP Blue Marble vinyl, including a special Side D etching, as well as the Director's Cut of Kieran Evans' acclaimed live concert film Be Pure – Be Vigilant – Behave on Blu-Ray. The package also includes a brand-new Steven Wilson mix of the original album on CD, an exclusive 16-page book and a Pennie Smith photo print; making it an essential addition to any Manics collection. Pre-order yours now.
As part of the 20 Years of BM anniversary celebrations, Bondage-Music proudly presents Bondage Games Pt. 11 — a special five-part vinyl series. Each release is named after a constellation, together forming a unique tribute to two decades of Bondage-Music.
With Bondage Games Pt. 11, the label's iconic vinyl series returns in its most ambitious edition to date. Created to celebrate 20 years of Bondage-Music, the series unfolds across five constellation-themed releases, each featuring four exclusive productions from artists closely connected to the label.
The first chapter, Ursus, brings together four exclusive tracks from Roger Gerressen, Sascha Dive, Rhadow and Lola Palmer. From Roger Gerressen's hypnotic groove-driven Patterned Shards and Sascha Dive's unmistakable deep house craftsmanship on Dub Chronicles #10 to Rhadow's atmospheric Ripples and Lola Palmer's warm and emotional Slow Down, the record perfectly reflects the timeless musical identity that has defined Bondage-Music since day one — deep, soulful, groove-focused and made for both intimate listening and late-night dancefloors.
Pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl and housed in an individually printed sleeve, Ursus continues Bondage-Music's longstanding commitment to exceptional quality in both music and design. The artwork was created by BM's longtime Head of Artwork, Pete Bombart — a close friend and an integral part of the label since its earliest days. His unmistakable visual language has become inseparable from the Bondage-Music identity, earning a loyal following far beyond the music itself.
Whether collected as part of the complete anniversary series or enjoyed on its own, Bondage Games Pt. 11: Ursus is a celebration of the artists, the friendships and the unmistakable sound that have shaped Bondage-Music over the past twenty years.
This album was born from a long-held, quiet ambition. I always wanted to navigate the entire journey of a record – from the first written note to the final mix. Winterglare is the result of finally stepping into that journey. Recorded in my home, the process was inextricably linked to the life happening just outside the door. Being surrounded by the daily routine and family created a unique tension; time felt precious, limited, and often fleeting. At first, finding mental stillness felt impossible. Yet as the winter deepened, a shift occurred. I found a place of unexpected calmness, where the music began to float, and the domestic noises around me became an accompaniment rather than an interruption. What began as an idea for a piano album expanded to include the Wurlitzer electric piano and the Gigster vibraphone. Some pieces evolved into experiments with percussion, accordion, and finally, the Roland tape echo and field recordings. Throughout this growth, the vision remained: to preserve a sense of space and time, allowing the true ambience of the moment to breathe. My hope is that these compositions find a place in your own quiet moments. I hope they offer your mind and soul the same sense of peace they eventually granted me during those cold months.— Volodja Brodsky
Now repressed on limited edition Venus Pink vinyl – 300 copies for the world Give your retinas a workout A supergroup of sorts - Fat White Family’s Lias Saoudi, Trashmouth Records’ Luke and Liam May, and Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London and Warmduscher - Decius have travelled the earth liberating people from banality since the release of Vol. I. They’ve revealed to all those they’ve encountered just what was missing in their lives: pump without borders, pump without reason - absolute pump. Decius live sets at Berghain’s 19th birthday celebrations, Block 9’s NYC Downlow at Glastonbury and Opium Club in Vilnius have set pulses racing, and they count the likes of Dixon, 2manydjs, Honey Dijon, Mochakk, Or:La, Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode as fans. Now they offer up Decius Vol. II (Splendour & Obedience). It throbs with an almost impossible sense of potential, and expands on the lexicon of molten desire. The sound has moved into new territories, with tastes of house, disco and techno, all with an underlying base note of acid on tracks such as the slippery night cruise intensity of ‘Birth of A Smirk’, where Colonel Abrams gets his nipples tortured. ‘Queen of 14th St’ is all watersports and Cybotron force from Detroit via Deptford. ‘Walking In The Heat’ struts like a sunburnt and horny Kraftwerk, while ‘Ghent’ is purest uncut ’88 acid. Vol. II is the art of seduction in damp rooms painted black. Keep hydrated from whatever source is available. Be your own pleasure centre. Vol. II is veritable selection box of booty bumps and illegal highs made at night for the night and beyond. This is music that takes pride in its walk of shame.
Tommy Lefroy has never been afraid of existential questions. From their critically acclaimed debut EP, Flight Risk, the band has captured audiences with their candor wrapped in wit. Both lyrically intimate and sonically vast, the band’s catalog is confessional and commentative, balancing irony with sincerity. They broach their biggest subjects yet on their first full length album, The Precariat. An economic term, the precariat refers to a growing class of people facing increasing instability. “Most people we know are experiencing an unprecedented level of precarity, permeating into the collective psyche. We feel like the best we could strive for in a body of work is an unflinching capture of the moment. The Precariat felt like the perfect title, and emblem of how it feels to be alive these days.” Recorded in Los Angeles at Blue Canyon Studios, The Precariat was produced by band members Wynter Bethel and Tessa Mouzourakis, with co-production from Stephen Sesso, and executive production by Mike Crossey (The 1975, Wolf Alice, MUNA). The album’s songs were written by Bethel and Mouzourakis, over the tenure of their friendship, across apartments and tour vans, phone calls and late night conversations. With themes of friendship, coming of age, personal and collective grief, environmental uncertainty and political decay, The Precariat offers a sonic landscape in which to contend with our rapidly changing world. The album’s title track (largely inspired by Springsteen’s critical narratives mistaken for bleeding heart patriotism) grapples with constant exposure to global suffering, and feeling entrenched within systems that fail us. “The Precariat” disintegrates into the ‘American cities’ outro, an idea started while the band lived in London, about missing home while watching it destabilize from afar. The Precariat faces this head on – all the sheen of the American empire has worn off, and there is much work to be done. “We hope to foster an antidote to precarity – community.”
Strawberry Guy’s new album ‘Give Me A Dream’ unfolds as a tender, fragile and intimate record. The 14 track album arrives as the ultimate hopecore long player, in a time when we need it most. It's a guiding light, healing for the mind, exploring the tight-rope balance that is making it through life intact. Strawberry Guy evolves from the dreamy indie-pop home recordings to a perfectly formed crystalline vision, utilizing an immersive studio approach. Shifting from sparse & fluid piano parts to rich, engulfing layered strings, infectious melodies and an exquisite rumination on manhood from fraught emotional states. Give Me A Dream is a big step up, brimming with ideas, glistening production, and a tender heart.
The vibraphone may have gone quiet, but the groove hasn't. Roy Ayers passed away on March 4, 2025, in New York City, at the age of 84, but the man they called the Godfather of Neo-Soul left behind a vault deep enough to keep dancefloors moving for generations. BBE Music now hands the keys to Berlin's own Delfonic, whose second volume of reworks digs even further into that treasure chest for six fresh, floor-ready reimaginings. The series began when Delfonic shared a spontaneous edit with BBE founder Pete Adarkwah, and listener demand for a vinyl pressing turned the idea into a full official release. Volume 1 sold out fast and moved through collector circles at speed; Volume 2 arrives with even higher expectations attached, and record heads who missed out the first time won't want to sleep twice. Everything here is pulled from deep, previously-vaulted Ayers sessions. The reworks draw from BBE's celebrated Virgin Ubiquity compilations, a trove of unreleased Roy Ayers recordings cut between 1976 and 1981. These are the rarer cuts serious collectors have been chasing for years, now given a second life courtesy of BBE Music Delfonic is the alias of Markus Lindner, a Berlin lifer. He's been DJing professionally since 2004, building his name across Berlin and wider Europe with a sound rooted in hip-hop but stretched across many genres. For anyone who needs the primer: Ayers pioneered jazz-funk through his group Roy Ayers Ubiquity and was widely regarded as the godfather of neo-soul. His breakthrough came young; he got his first vibraphone mallets at age five after watching Lionel Hampton's band, and by 1963 he had his own recording contract. His records have been sampled for decades by artists including Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, Common, and Kanye West, cementing him as one of the most sampled figures in soul-jazz history; a status that only grows with every year that passes. About BBE Music: This is a label with real archival credibility on Ayers specifically. BBE has held the license to the Virgin Ubiquity sessions since 2004, and this rework series is a natural extension of that decades-long relationship. Buyers trust the BBE stamp on soul-jazz reissues and edits precisely because of that history and the care, thought and quality that goes into every physical release, as BBE celebrates 30 years of real music for real people.
Dusky return to Anjunadeep with their forthcoming studio album ‘Signals’. The London duo first debuted on Anjunadeep in 2011 with their critically acclaimed album Stick By This. Expanding the boundaries of deep house and UK club music, the record marked the beginning of Dusky’s rise as one of the scene’s most respected acts. Their breakout track ‘Careless’, released via Aus Music, further cemented their reputation, amassing more than 14 million streams and becoming one of the defining UK house records of its generation. In 2014, the pair launched their own imprint, 17 Steps, which has since hosted releases and remixes from artists including Nathan Micay, LTJ Bukem, Interplanetary Criminal, Denham Audio and Shed. Since then, Dusky have released two further studio albums, Joy and Pressure, alongside a string of acclaimed singles. Their music has earned support from Pete Tong, Danny Howard and Sarah Story on BBC Radio 1, as well as widespread backing from leading DJs including Jamie Jones, Peggy Gou, Gorgon City, TEED and TSHA. While 'Signals' represents a natural continuation of the Dusky story, it also ventures into more reflective territory than previous releases. The album's wider range of influences and more contemplative mood offer a fresh perspective on the duo's sound, while also paying subtle homage to their acclaimed debut album ‘Stick By This’. Featuring multiple collaborations with vocalist Rromarin, alongside a contribution from Nadeem and Pritt, 'Signals' reflects a creative process that unfolded over many years. Some tracks grew from ideas first sketched long ago, while others emerged more recently, giving the album a sense of both history and momentum. Across its 13 tracks, 'Signals' balances Dusky's club-rooted instincts with downtempo offerings. Tracks such as 'Next Life', 'Kadhalan' and 'Lab' showcase the duo's signature combination of bold basslines, driving rhythms and emotional resonance. Elsewhere, 'Elm' and 'Bindweed' slow the tempo and draw on the warmth of soul, the deeper edges of disco and richly textured live instrumentation.
This compilation took almost four years to come together. For the residency, the band Alexander Flood composed three new pieces, which they developed with the ensemble over two rehearsal days before performing them across three concerts. The core ensemble - Lucy Liebe, Franka Fairy, Tara Sarter, Raffaelo Visconti and Nonny Smith - remained together throughout the summer of 2024, growing into something far greater than just a band. This compilation not only documents the music played by the Residence Band, but also captures the wider story of the other bands that we recorded while they were on tour and who came to the studio with me the following day. Kai appears here after performing at Holidays in 2024. Sonic Interventions recalls a special milestone: the band's first concert outside Berlin, which took place at Holidays in 2023. Sasha Berliner performed at the Jazz Klub, which is illustrated throughout the comic included in this booklet. Benedikt Montiel Mathews joined the Jazz Montez project through a year-long internship and a record we released together. Hind Ennaira led the successor to the Residence Band during a weekend at El Barrio in 2024. However, her recording was not made in Frankfurt, but in Essaouira, Morocco, during a spontaneous late-night session.
Inlcuding: Pressed on high quality 150g vinyl, the record comes packaged in a beautiful cover, designed by artist Verena Mack. It features a 20 page booklet that includes a fictional comic on the making of a Jazzklub.
Includes unlimited streaming of Jazz Montez Presents Vol. III via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Time to turn on and turn it up, theres a brand new Carlton Melton in the offing… its been a good couple of years since the West Coast space/sike travellers have dropped new music.
‘Phantomize beyond the window, into the portal, the panes of eternal returns, wooden spirals, roots into the realms of everything and nothing, the reason beings’
With Anthony Taibi fully ensconsed in the metaphorical Melton Dome, this four piece is ready to soar, go deeper and wider into the sike psyche than on previous recordings, now fully recording live with drums, bass, guitars and keys...recorded at 3D Light in Freshwater, CA by Anthony Tiabi in 2025, and mastered by the inimitable John Mcbain in 2026.
We have a single LP of 40+ minutes spanning 4 tracks, that have textures, and waves and patterns to lull you into some fever dream of motorik psych! Touchstones like Träd, Gräs Och Stenar / Kandodo / Guru Guru / Eno & Fripp / Birds of Maya / Parson Sound come into view.
There are moments of gentle ambience bordered by speaker shredding guitar soloing, whole passages of Krautrock inspired jams that have form and focus.. you blink and your live flashes before you, the record ends, you want more..
There are moments of gentle ambience bordered by speaker shredding guitar soloing, whole passages of Krautrock inspired jams that have form and focus.. you blink and your live flashes before you, the record ends, you want more.. Carlton Melton masterfully blend hypnotic, long-form psychedelic jams with drone and Krautrock influences.
Band:
Rich Millman
Andy Duvall
Clint Golden
Anthony Taibi
Announced to celebrate summers solstice.. released on the Autumn equinox.. with a full UK tour to boot..
Dan Kye is the mysteriously evoked moniker from multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocal sensation Jordan Rakei. The New Zealand-born artist - who now resides in London - presents his first long-player from Dan Kye, ‘Small Moments’, on Bradley Zero’s Rhythm Section INTL. An ode to the dancefloor, the musical project was born out of Jordan’s lockdown experience, created from the comfort of his own home. Recorded with just a laptop, extra live instruments and guest musicians, ‘Small Moments’ seamlessly transcends across electronica, jazz and funk, with each genre being effortlessly fused with Jordan’s melancholy vocals. Allowing himself to push the boundaries, Jordan’s Dan Kye moniker draws on the energetic and uplifting elements of house and techno and perfectly mixes it with the sultry vocals and emotion that come with the live elements we know and love from Jordan Rakei. The record offers listeners a journey through more floor-heavy tracks such as ‘Mogeri’ and ‘Raro’ to more groove infused offerings such as ‘Rainbow Road’ (which is named after one of the maps in Mario Kart and inspired by the energy of Prince’s iconic live concert at The Aladdin in Las Vegas), whilst tracks, like ‘Sober’, take on a more lyrical and anthemic feel.
Jordan Rakei: “Rhythm Section INTL was my entry point into dancefloor orientated music, and it was Bradley who asked me whether I could head in that direction so he could play my music out in the clubs. Dan Kye has still got melodies, but the main focus is to keep it high energy.”
After meeting Bradley Zero online whilst living in Australia, Jordan eventually moved to London in 2014. The same day he landed, he went straight to a Rhythm Section party to meet Bradley, and it was here that he first got a taste for house music. He enjoyed Rhythm Section INTL’s ability to draw on both live and electronic talent; and thus, after Bradley asked him for some productions for the parties, the idea for Dan Kye was born. ‘Small Moments’ is a musical masterpiece that can be enjoyed as much on the dancefloor as it can in the comfort of your own home and is a perfect step into Jordan’s landscape and idealism of dance orientated music.
Bradley Zero - “In around 2014 the proprietor of the famous Northside Records in Melbourne handed me a self released 12” from a new, unknown artist based in Brisbane. It was Jordan Rakei - Franklin’s Room. I’d been home almost a year before I actually got round to listening to it and I remember that moment like it was yesterday. I lay down on the sofa, put the record on and was transported! The Dan Kye project is a testament to the experimental and independent ethos Jordan lives by and is a product of an artist reaching full stride but not afraid to still try something new. This ‘Small Moments’ LP was conceived in a record store, born in a club on Rye Lane and is now flying the nest, throwing caution to the wind and making a bold statement.”
Kay Slice’s music is more than meets the ear. He channels a movement. His sound moves beyond borders, blending highlife rhythms and poetic verses into a sonic force that connects the soul of Africa with its scattered children across the globe. Slice is rooted in legacy but speaks to the now. Bold, layered, and deeply aware.
This isn’t fusion. It’s ancestral alignment with a futuristic edge.
From the electrifying grooves of West Africa to the sharp truths of hip-hop, Kay’s music isn’t merely entertainment; it’s a cultural awakening. His performances are highlights: Ghanaian drums, balafon chants, and rhythmic prophecy shaking stages to their core. His storytelling is vivid, raw, and intentional. The immigrant experience reimagined through sound and soul. And as Kay says about this new single, “Moving with purpose, driven by the will to put in the work. The time is now to raise Mother Africa.”
Following his powerful debut From Back To Back (2022), Kay is stepping into full artistic clarity. In 2026, it all comes to a head with Kay’s next album, scheduled for autumn 2026, forged across borders, driven by the spirit of his Ghanaian ensemble and a love letter to highlife, elevated with modern energy.
No longer bound by survival, Kay is moving like a general of sound. Leading with grace, grounded in legacy, but always forward-moving. His shows? Think rituals. Think liberation. Think sweat, spirit, and rhythm. Kay Slice isn’t finding his voice. He is the voice of diasporic pride, ancestral rhythm, and future Africa.
REPRESS of LOS NATAS album El Hombre Montaña This release is an epic slice of doom-laden pie fresh from Argentina, as the first fuzz-a-licious track "El Bolsero" proudly testifies. Waves of riff lick at the shores of melody as the vocals dive in and out of the mix, quite delicately so for this style of music. The production job was handled by one of the stoner scene's greatest recording affeciandos Billy Anderson, who has worked with The Melvins, Neurosis, Acid King, Fantomas and High On Fire previously, to name but a few! The production job is really quite superb, effectively capturing all the elements of the Los Natas sound and bringing each instrument to the fore in turn. - Roadburn Magazine
Blue vinyl, limited to 300 copies. REPRESS of LOS NATAS album El Hombre Montaña This release is an epic slice of doom-laden pie fresh from Argentina, as the first fuzz-a-licious track "El Bolsero" proudly testifies. Waves of riff lick at the shores of melody as the vocals dive in and out of the mix, quite delicately so for this style of music. The production job was handled by one of the stoner scene's greatest recording affeciandos Billy Anderson, who has worked with The Melvins, Neurosis, Acid King, Fantomas and High On Fire previously, to name but a few! The production job is really quite superb, effectively capturing all the elements of the Los Natas sound and bringing each instrument to the fore in turn. - Roadburn Magazine
Originally released in 2014, Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles is now being reissued on limited-edition gold vinyl.
The album tells a story of the intersection of the material world and the world of the spirit. Includes fan favorites "I Never Wear White" and "Crack in the Wall,” plus "Song of the Stoic" and “Don't Uncork What You Can’t Contain,” and "Horizon", written for Vaclav Havel.
Produced and arranged by Gerry Leonard, the album features an illustrious group of musicians including longtime Vega bass player Mike Visceglia and drummer Doug Yowell, bass player Gail Ann Dorsey and drummer Zachary Alford (David Bowie), bass player Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), drummer Jay Bellerose (T-Bone Burnett), and Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan) who plays banjo, mandolin, and cymbal throughout the album. Additional contributions feature drummer Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, B52s) and Alison Balsom, the virtuoso principal trumpet for the London Chamber Orchestra. Catherine Russell, known for her work with David Bowie and Paul Simon, adds background vocals.
The strings were recorded in the Czech Republic with the Smichov Chamber Orchestra. The album was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Kevin Killen.
Das Gründungsmitglied von Black Sabbath und der „Godfather of Heavy Metal“ kehrt mit seiner ersten
neuen Solomusik seit 21 Jahren zurück – zugleich seine erste Veröffentlichung in voller Länge seit dem
letzten Black-Sabbath-Album *13*. In acht einfallsreichen, weitläufigen und fesselnden Songs haben Tony
und sein langjähriger Produzent Mike Exeter eines der prägenden Rockalben des Jahres 2026 geschaffen.
Klanglich wuchtig und reich an musikalischen Texturen, lässt Tony hier eine Vision Wirklichkeit werden, an
der er lange gefeilt hat, und liefert dabei einige der besten Gitarrenleistungen seiner Karriere ab. Die erste
Single „World Alone“ ist ein rasanter, gitarrenbetonter Song, der von Tonys unverkennbaren, gewaltigen
Riffs angetrieben wird. Der Track ist hart und doch eingängig; dank des Textdichters und Sängers Jorn
Lande wirkt er zudem aufbauend. Dies ist klassischer Iommi: Das Stück vereint alle Markenzeichen seines
legendären Gitarrenspiels mit einer modernen Note.
Despite the widespread popularity of reggae music in the UK, following its explosion onto the international music scene in the late 1960s, many of these in charge of Britain's mainstream media were reluctant to give the exciting new sound coverage, wither in print or over the airways.
In an attempt to counter this prejudice, Trojan Records took the bold step of embellishing recordings from Jamaica with sophisticated orchestration, with the resultant ‘commercial reggae’ sound immediately finding favour with the country’s reggae fans.
Consequently, the company not just maintained, but in fact extended the procedure, employing producers to record the country’s finest British-based reggae acts. The result was the release of an abundance of superbly crafted recordings, the production values of which rated with the best that British pop had to offer.
Celebrating 50 years of dancing, Amnesia represents the heart and soul of electronic music in Ibiza. Telling a story that spans five decades, the 50th anniversary vinyl/CD compilation is a window into a legendary venue that has helped establish some of the world's biggest tracks.
From the iconic piano riff of Eric Prydz' 'Pjanoo' to the laid-back groove of 'Benediction' by Hot Natured. A club that spans eras and genres - the disco of Chic's 'Good Times', the synth-pop of New Order's 'Blue Monday', or the gritty electro of Alter Ego's 'Rocker'.
The soundtracks of 50 summers are represented across 50 tracks spanning 10 vinyl/5 CDs. A hand-picked selection that reflects the incredible breadth of Amnesia's cultural influence, featuring music from Calvin Harris, Donna Summer, Paul van Dyk, Candi Staton, Fred Again.., Robert Miles, Laurent Garnier, Binary Finary, and many more.
Underoath reinvents the balance between chaos and harmony with each successive release. Their compositions, conjured from creative tension, become iconoclastic anthems. Even when the band almost combusts, the crackling energy coalesces into something deeply resonant for millions.
Each time they have a chance to do something safe, Underoath challenges themselves instead, with integrity and attitude. Their pair of gold albums and three Grammy nominations stand in stark defiance of the idea of commercial compromise. The Underoath catalog weaponizes noise, aggression, and ambiance as skillfully as melody.
This year the band celebrates 20 years of their album Define The Great Line. Coming on the heels of 2004’s They’re Only Chasing Safety, Define The Great Line saw Underoath pivoting towards a more aggressive sound. The record’s unconventional – and, at times, jarring – intensity served as a stark contrast to the pop-leaning trends that were taking over heavy music at the time.
Featuring fan favorites like “Writing On The Walls”, “In Regards To Myself”, and “You’re Ever So Inviting”, Define The Great Line defied expectations when it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It is widely regarded as one of the definitive heavy records of the early 2000s, solidifying Underoath’s legacy as one most influential bands of the genre.
The heart of their sound, which delivers naked vulnerability with thrilling force and cinematic lushness, can be heard in generations of bands who’ve pursued their trailblazing spirit. But Underoath refuses to sit still. Walking an artistic tightrope between immersive access and isolationist otherness, Underoath owns the space between huge choruses and forward-thinking heaviness, both on record and onstage.
FROM THE HEART OF STAR TREK – 60 YEARS
From the Archives – Vol. 2 Vinyl Box
60 Jahre Star Trek – die Jubiläumsreise geht weiter! Vol. 2 der zweiteiligen Vinyl-Box-Edition widmet sich der großen Kinofilm-Ära von Star Trek: The Next Generation. Enthalten sind die Soundtracks zu Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact und Star Trek: Insurrection – drei prägende Klangwelten zwischen Jahrhunderten, Kino-Geschichte(n) und Emotionen.
Ergänzt wird die Box durch TV Series Soundtracks, eine Compilation mit musikalischen Höhepunkten aus dem StarTrek-Serienkosmos.
Enthaltene Vinyls:
· Star Trek: Generations
· Star Trek: First Contact
· Star Trek: Insurrection
· Star Trek – TV Series Soundtracks (Doppel-Vinyl)
From the Archives – Vol. 2 ist eine besondere Jubiläumsedition für Vinyl-Liebhaber, Soundtrack-Sammler und Trekkies – ein weiteres Stück Star-Trek-Geschichte zum Auflegen.
Here come two unearthed scorchers from the 90s era of UK Dub. Shades Of Black also known as Jonah Dan and Paul Fox on the riddim, mix and vocals. On the A side, one finds ‚Free Again‘, a conscious vocal piece including two dubs calling for freedom and equality. It has never been released as such, and only sounds like Aba Shanti-I were able to beat down cuts of this one dubplate style. The side B holds ‚Fight For The Right‘ an anti-war hymn from the late nineties, which seems to be unfortunately just as relevant today. A crunch with the needle and let the time traveling begin. 90s SALUTE !
At the foot of the mountain. Our gaze is inclined toward the summit.
Toward the ascent. The destination that awaits us.
From the valley, we look up at the summit: our destination. But also the path: the true destination.
We can already trace our route, and we are already imagining ourselves walking up there. Along the small ridge, just above the tree line. There, we take a short break and look for the exact spot in the valley where we were standing earlier. It is strange to grasp that we have actually climbed this mountain. To look down from up here at the place where we were just moments ago – the same place we looked up from, toward the place where we are standing now.
And now, knowing what it is like to be up here, we remember what we imagined it would be like back then. What we believed it would mean to stand here.
Along the way, our gaze wanders back and forth. Up toward the mountain, down into the valley, sometimes only at our shoes. We keep walking, one step after another. Our thoughts detached. Our body functioning purely mechanically.
Step left. Step right. Step left. Step right.
Our mind has completely detached itself, and our thoughts race at an immense speed. They summon the most different moments. Moments from our lives. Moments that shaped us, that made us who we are. Or are we perhaps simply trying to understand who we are and how we got here?
It is strange that reaching the summit and looking down could make us believe that we have finally reached, or are striving toward, some superior, triumphant position. When in fact, it is really only about looking at the path we inevitably have to take. Processing impressions from a certain distance. Reconsidering what we have experienced, without losing sight of what lies ahead.
Our gaze turns back toward the summit.
Is there a destination?
An ascent? A summit? A descent? The return?
Or is it only about the insights we encounter along the way?
Am Fuß des Berges. Unser Blick ist zum Gipfel geneigt.
Auf den Aufstieg. Das Ziel, das uns erwartet.
Vom Tal aus blicken wir auf den Gipfel: unser Ziel. Aber auch den Weg: das wahre Ziel. Unsere Route kann man jetzt schon abstecken, und wir stellen uns bereits vor, wie wir dort oben laufen. Über den kleinen Grat, leicht oberhalb der Baumgrenze. Dort machen wir eine kleine Pause und suchen genau die Stelle im Tal, an der wir vorhin noch standen. Es ist verrückt, zu begreifen, dass wir diesen Berg tatsächlich hinaufgestiegen sind. Von hier oben auf den Ort hinunterzusehen, an dem wir eben noch waren – an denselben Ort, zu dem wir hinaufgeblickt haben, als wir noch dort unten standen. Und jetzt, da wir wissen, wie es ist, hier oben zu sein, erinnern wir uns daran, was wir uns damals darunter vorgestellt haben. Was wir geglaubt haben, es würde bedeuten, hier zu stehen.
Unterwegs wandert unser Blick hin und her. Hinauf zum Berg, hinunter ins Tal, manchmal nur auf unsere Schuhe. Wir gehen weiter, einen Schritt nach dem anderen. Unsere Gedanken losgelöst. Unser Körper funktioniert rein mechanisch. Schritt links. Schritt rechts. Schritt links. Schritt rechts.
Unser Geist hat sich völlig losgelöst, und unsere Gedanken rasen mit einer ungeheuren Geschwindigkeit. Sie rufen die verschiedensten Momente herauf. Momente aus unserem Leben. Momente, die uns geprägt haben, aus denen wir geworden sind, wer wir sind. Oder versuchen wir vielleicht einfach nur zu verstehen, wer wir sind und wie wir hierhergekommen sind?
Es ist schon seltsam, dass das Erreichen des Gipfels und der Blick nach unten uns glauben lassen könnten, dass wir endlich eine überragende, triumphale Position erreicht haben oder anstreben würden. Dabei geht es doch eigentlich nur um den Blick auf den Weg, den wir zwangsläufig beschreiten müssen. Eindrücke mit etwas Abstand zu verarbeiten. Erlebtes noch einmal Revue passieren zu lassen, ohne den Blick nach vorne zu verlieren.
Unser Blick wendet sich wieder dem Gipfel zu. Gibt es ein Ziel? Einen Aufstieg? Einen Gipfel? Einen Abstieg? Die Rückkehr? Oder geht es nur um die Erkenntnisse, die uns unterwegs begegnen?
NAILS is beyond brutality. These grindcore tyrants of the American underground have triumphantly returned with their 2nd full length “ABANDON ALL LIFE”! Like the band's debut album: “Unsilent Death", was recorded with CONVERGE’s Kurt Ballou.
These 10 tracks of barbaric rage have no resemblance to the laughable retro party metal that passes as extreme music in today’s world. Abandon All Life viciously carpet bombs the listener with a horrifying brand of Death/ Grind/ Hardcore chaos.
Bludgeoning beatdowns, grinding blasts, hyper-distorted vocals, hard-hitting metallic chugs and early death metal riffs intensifies to a climatic end where the guitars wail and militant drum breakdowns send us marching. With profound hatred, the howling war cry of ABANDON ALL LIFE shows NAILS as a band without equal in their class.
''A swirling, savage and harrowingly sincere listen from start to finish, the record introduced the world to the band in the most brutal and brilliantly harsh manner possible. The new version of the album also features tracks that were never released from the sessions over a decade ago and completes the story of one of the most influential and affecting crossover releases of the century so far.'' ROCK SOUND
'When Southern Lord picked up and re-released their 2010 debut LP Unsilent Death after its smaller first pressing sold out, they offered a comparison of 90s AmRep bands and early Cro-Mags going faster than either. That sort of works. So does Eyehategod's songbook played by 2013 Converge. This music is more suffocating than it is Suffocation; it also pulls largely from hardcore and comes with plenty of raw emotion attached to it.'' PITCHFORK
LA-based producer Real Bad Man and multi-JUNO Award winning Toronto-based artist TOBi release their collaborative album The Perfect Blue via the producer’s own Real Bad Man Records. The album collects a diverse array of sounds,highlighted by the album’s two advance singles “When I’m Home, ” which Stereogum described as “a moody,graceful soul song with a serious groove, ” and the funk-laden “Over The Moon, ” released last week.
TOBi and Real Bad Man’s work together on The Perfect Blue encapsulates the producer’s mission for 2025, a year in which he released intricate collaborative albums with a wide swath of artists. His work with TOBi was seamless and began quickly after the two first met, finding kinship in their ability to push past their comfort zones in genre and familiar sounds. The result is eclectic and boundless, jumping from straightforward and unflinchingly personal rap moments, to the flared funk of “Over the Moon” and understated contemporary soul flourishes that prove the Toronto emcee can confidently make each of these sounds his own.
The Perfect Blue marks Real Bad Man’s fifth full-length collaborative album of the year, bookending a prolific 2025 that began with his collaborative album with ZelooperZ, Dear Psilocybin. Over a celebrated catalog spanning years, Real Bad Man, also known as Adam Jay Weissman, has cemented himself as a force in underground hip-hop, but his impact extends beyond work with contemporaries like Boldy James, Pink Siifu, Blue and more. Each of Weissman’s five collaborative albums this year showcases a different side of his craft, appeasing fans familiar with his gritty hip-hop production on his third album with Boldy James Conversational Pieces. He also surprised listeners with a bold turn in sonic direction, well outside of his traditional production palette, with his reunion with former Pollyn bandmate Genevieve Artadi on Everything Is Under Control.
Nigerian-born, Toronto-raised artist TOBi has carved out a distinct lane for himself with a celebrated discography of releases that explore themes of vulnerability, self-reflection and contemporary masculinity with a pointed nuance. His 2023 album PANIC swept the rap categories (Best Rap Album, Best Rap Single for “Someone I Knew”) at the 2024 JUNO Awards and his catalog has been praised by the likes of Billboard, Rolling Stone, i-D and more. Expanding on his ELEMENTS project series with the second volume released earlier this year to high praise, The Perfect Blue cements TOBi’s bonafides as an adept collaborator.
UK techno lynchpin James Ruskin celebrates 30 years of Blueprint with a remastered edition of his 'Further Design' LP, releasing 4th September 2026. Founded by Ruskin and Richard Polson in 1996, the infl uential label has spent three decades documenting uncompromising techno through releases from the likes of Rommek, Kr!z, Truncate, and many more, with 'Further Design' originally landing in 1998. The anniversary celebrations have already seen Mark Broom revisit seminal Regis recordings on the 'Power Is Neutral' EP, with further releases from Kerrie, Nastia, and more to follow, alongside a merchandise run later this year.
James Ruskin has been a constant presence in techno for over three decades. He defi ned the sound of British techno through his DJ sets, productions, and the releases on his infl uential Blueprint label. His stripped-back, functional, and forward-thinking sound has remained utterly uncompromising, with performances at clubs and festivals around the world while never straying from underground ideals. Substance over trends has always been his MO, through a catalogue spanning Blueprint, Tresor, and numerous collaborations that remain timeless.
The purposeful titles of the tracks on this essential album hint at the minimalist approach to sound. This is bold, linear techno with 'Enter', 'Below', and 'Indirect World' kicking off with rolling low ends and smart sound designs that even now sound futuristic. The likes of 'The Divide' bring spangled synths and crunchy percussive textures that jerk you into motion, while 'Time And Place' is an immersive cosmic odyssey and 'Unknown Destination' melts the mind with liquid synth work that loops around hypotonic rhythms. 'Work' is another perfectly calibrated cut with meticulous percussive placement and the shimmering of bells that dissolve space and time.
It is testament to Ruskin's original vision that 'Further Design' remains as evocative today as it was upon its release, full of otherworldly imagery and grooves that continue to move dance fl oors around the world.
Following on from back-to-back hit albums, Bristol beatmakers The Allergies keep the heat coming with Beneath This Sun. The sample-heavy LP deftly mixes up musical styles, like one of the duo’s dynamite DJ sets.
Soul-stompers ‘Bye Bye Baby’ burn the floor, while double bass banger ’Dig It Up’ adds a boom to the bap that’ll have ’90s hip-hop heads throwing their hands in the air.
Other standout moments are stolen by the earth-shaking cinematics of psych-rock-meets-rap epic ‘Resistance’, featuring Knytro – The secret weapon MC for stadium acts like Chase & Status. And ‘Leave Me Alone’ – a dancehall-on-steroids breakup record brought screaming to life by self-proclaimed "sound system baby" Aziza Jaye.
More new faces to The Allergies camp include tongue-twisting Dutch mic master, BlabberMouf. And rising stars from the Bristol scene, HybridMP & KAI, who shine with their radiant jazz-hop lament ‘Lost My Soul’.
Grooved throughout, built for dancing, no filler. Solid.! Liro on Bosom LTD with four deep, dubby cuts. Viaje Circular opens loose and circular, percussion looping under a warm bass. Ritmo Atemporal tightens up, minimal touches, hi-hats doing the work. La Pausa on the flip, dub chords, space to breathe. Los Tatas closes heavier, more percussive drive.
Blume presents two pieces composed in 1970 by the American pianist and composer David Tudor (1926-1996), one of electronic music's most important pioneers, for the Pepsi-Cola Pavilion, a unique artist-designed and programmed space for Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan, created by Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.). Pepsibird and Anima Pepsi deploy electronic technology as a means to experience sound in ways that are anything but matter of fact, rendering liberated environments within and through which one might democratically express and commune. Viewed through the lens of what was, is, and might have been, they offer the tools for time travel: an unmediated encounter with radical, optimistic ideas that gave way to the complex cultural landscape of our time.
Initially trained on organ and then piano, Tudor emerged as a leading figure within New York's musical vanguard after his groundbreaking 1950 performance of Stefan Wolpe's Battle Piece and the American premiere of Pierre Boulez's Second Sonata. Within less than a year he had joined the Merce Cunningham Dance Company as its accompanist, a role he kept until his death, and began one of his most lasting creative relationships with John Cage, who would state that his entire output between 1951 and the end of the 1960s was written with Tudor in mind. Christian Wolff, Earle Brown, Morton Feldman, Sylvano Bussotti, Mauricio Kagel, and Karlheinz Stockhausen all wrote works for him during the 1950s and '60s. Through indeterminacy and chance-based methods, Tudor was noted for radically intervening with the works he played, often making them entirely his own, and it was this same singularity of vision that led him to gradually abandon the piano in favor of electronic process, through which he began working as a composer in his own right.
His engagement with electronics dates to the early 1950s and Cage's Project for Music for Magnetic Tape. By the following decade the pair had moved to live electronics, with Tudor rendering works like Cartridge Music and Variations II through contact microphones and complex systems of feedback and amplification. Before modular synthesizers existed, he designed and built his own electronics, often with engineers from Bell Laboratories, producing dozens of unique instruments and processing tools that helped lay the groundwork for the technological needs embraced by most electronic musicians ever since. A clear marker of his emergence as a composer came in 1966 with 9 Evenings: Theatre and Engineering, where he premiered Bandoneon! (a combine), turning the cavernous performance space into a feedback instrument and a total environment. The event led directly to the founding of E.A.T. the following year by the engineers Billy Klüver and Fred Waldhauer, alongside Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman.
Among the most ambitious of E.A.T.'s projects was the Pepsi-Cola Pavilion, for which Tudor composed four pieces between March and April 1970: Pepsibird, Anima Pepsi, Pepscillator, and Microphone. Together with Forrest "Frosty" Myers, Robert Whitman, the sculptor and filmmaker Robert Breer, and the architect John Pearce, he was tasked with the design and function of the building: a 120-foot diameter steel and polyvinyl dome, shrouded in mist and fog and lit in the evenings by a square of intense blue-white xenon light. Tudor worked with Gordon Mumma and Fred Waldhauer on a unique sound system capable of processing and variable distribution through 37 speakers, controlled both by automated means and by the performer, and with Lowell Cross on a sound-activated laser deflection system inside the pavilion's mirrored performance hall.
Both pieces are an advanced form of musique concrète: libraries of tape recordings, live mixed and processed through the pavilion's sound console and distributed through 8 channels of stationary and rotating patterns designated by Tudor's instructions (small circle, great circle, large rhomboid, spiral, small triangles, small ovals). Pepsibird is focused upon a physical interiority, its source tapes being recordings of the brain wave activity of humans and animals: cat's eye, nerve firing, bats, EKG, alpha waves, a modified nightjar. Recorded in situ in 1970 and mixed down to stereo, it retains a striking sense of the space and ambience that Tudor achieved in performance. For more than eighteen minutes he merges subtle textures and pulses, at times resembling birdsong, within a blanket of vast, resonant ambience of subaquatic density, foreshadowing the relationship to the natural world of later works like Rainforest IV (1973).
Anima Pepsi is centered on the exterior: field recordings that Tudor made of animal and insect sounds (mosquitoes in a jar, a fly on flypaper, a wasp chewing, a beetle walking) and a mix of human and animal sounds that he called the "funny tape". Where Pepsibird deploys interior sounds in ways that allude to the natural world, Anima Pepsi pushes the sounds of nature and humanity toward the otherworldly through the clear presence of electronic sounds and processing, moulding detailed, pointillistic patterns of abstract sonority into gauzy blankets of ambience and space.
The collaboration did not last: less than a month after the opening, Pepsi withdrew its support, fired E.A.T., and disregarded Tudor's tapes, which according to accounts had to be smuggled out by staff, playing its own soundtrack in the pavilion for the rest of the Expo. Heard today, Pepsibird and Anima Pepsi anticipate many territories of later electroacoustic practice, from field recording to live processing, while the terms on which they were made, radically unpredictable, indeterminate, and experimental to the core, reconfigure what we've come to expect from electronic process, making one wonder if the past was ahead. Issued by Blume in a highly limited vinyl edition of 300 copies on red vinyl, with a 20-page LP-size booklet containing You Nakai's essay and newly commissioned liner notes by Bradford Bailey.
Blume presents The Days Pass Quickly Immersed in the Shadow of Eternity, a new work by Lea Bertucci commissioned by the ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe and premiered in Karlsruhe in November 2025. Written for, and created in collaboration with, the flutist Norbert Rodenkirchen, it draws on his collection of Renaissance, Medieval, and Neolithic instruments, harnessing sounds that have been largely absent from the modern world. What does it mean to employ one of humanity's oldest known technologies, the flute, appearing in human hands tens of thousands of years before the advent of the wheel, within an experimental, electroacoustic composition that is inherently forward-thinking?
Since her emergence within New York City's Noise scene during the early 2010s, Bertucci has balanced a fierce dedication to the DIY ethos and immediacy of the underground with a refined sense of creative rigor and ambition, moving from brittle, challenging compositions for saxophone, electronics, and tape toward investigations of acoustic phenomena, site-specific resonance, and complex harmonic interplay. Following her return to the rural environments of Upstate New York where she was born and raised, her work has entered a more introspective phase, with an expanded instrumental, technical, and vocal palette that has found her increasingly composing for others, as on 2023's Of Shadow and Substance and on Fata Morgana, a work for organ released earlier this year.
The piece grew from a meeting with Rodenkirchen after a performance by the early music ensemble Sequentia, to which he belongs. Struck by his ability to conjure "spirits from deep within human memory, as a clarion call into the present", Bertucci began a series of conversations that led the pair into the studio at ZKM in the summer of 2024. Conceived for ZKM's 42.4 speaker system, grouped into 8 discrete outputs before being mixed down to stereo, the work aligns with the collaborative process she has honed alongside her solo efforts, in duos with Ben Vida, Lawrence English, and Olivia Block: a dialog with personal and responsive agency offered to both musicians.
It carries forward her inquiry into the fundamentally human aspects of listening ("I am looking for sounds that call from somewhere deep within the listener and that tap into archetypal human knowledge and feeling") and her investigation of psychoacoustic phenomena and otoacoustic emissions through a meticulous alignment of pitches and timbres. Where many of her most celebrated efforts played, and played with, the room, this one is rooted in an implied space: the flutes recall and blur the boundaries between the eras and environments in which those instruments were originally played, from acoustically engineered Renaissance and Medieval halls to the naturally reverberant caves of the Neolithic, and those of the present.
Bertucci is not the first to bring ancient sound sources into experimental music: Harry Partch's instruments drew on Greek, Chinese, and Japanese precursors, Alvin Curran regularly plays a conch shell, and Walter Maioli has spent decades working at the borders of experimental music and archaeology. Her piece occupies a more rarefied position through its hybridity, combining advanced technology with archaic sound sources while sidestepping the exoticism and romantic primitivism that can hobble such efforts. Compared with its closest cousin, Phill Niblock's Four Full Flutes, where the instruments are manipulated beyond clear recognition, here the flutes remain recognizable and embrace the layers of history they carry. The result is an electroacoustic work that largely forgoes the auditory signifiers of the idiom: it could easily pass for a live ensemble, and only attentive listening reveals that it could only have been made through advanced technology.
As Rodenkirchen's playing interweaves with Bertucci's computer-facilitated arrangements of flute samples, ranging from pulsing clusters to dense combinations of sustained tones, timbres, and distances, the piece draws connections with folk and spiritual traditions across human history: Medieval polyphonic ecclesiastical music, Sardinian canto a tenore, Pygmy vocal music, Buddhist chant. By conjoining one of our earliest known technologies with our most advanced, Bertucci proposes that our tools are not the message, but rather the unending continuum of humanity itself. Issued by Blume in a highly limited vinyl edition of 300 copies on transparent light blue vinyl, with newly commissioned liner notes by Bradford Bailey.
Cosmo Dance is the artistic alias of Cosimo Mandorino, an Italian producer and DJ who has been active in the electronic music scene for more than twenty years, as well as the founder of the label Mirella. Produced and finalized in Napoli during a series of short stays, and developed with the contribution of Raffaele Arcella and Dario di Pace, "Cosmo-logic" unfolds within a parallel, plausible, and dystopian universe where humans and machines coexist in constant tension and perpetual conflict. A musical narrative shaped by rebellious computers, wars between binary systems, and universal unified languages, the record stands as a manifesto to the early era of Italo-Disco, while remaining deeply infused with influences from cosmic disco and stripped-down electronic funk. The tracks make extensive use of mechanical rhythms, voice modulators, vocoders, and analog effects, exploring sonic territories forged through iconic instruments such as the Korg MS-20.
Nach mehr als drei Jahrzehnten einer außergewöhnlichen Karriere kehren die schwedischen Progressive-Rock-Pioniere The Flower Kings mit "HOPE" zurück - ihrem 18. Studioalbum und einem der ambitioniertesten Werke ihrer legendären Laufbahn. Das Album, das raffinierte Musikalität mit furchtloser Kreativität verbindet, ist sowohl eine Hommage an das Vermächtnis der Band als auch ein mutiger Sprung nach vorn, der die grandiose, filmische Weite und den Abenteuergeist aufgreift, die sie zu einer der beliebtesten Bands des Progressive Rock gemacht haben."HOPE" bietet eine reichhaltige Sammlung weitläufiger Kompositionen, darunter das epische, 30-minütige Herzstück "The Gods of Rome". Das Album greift Themen wie Macht, Konflikt, menschlichen Ehrgeiz und den Zustand der modernen Welt auf und reflektiert eine Ära, die von Spaltung und schwindendem Mitgefühl geprägt ist, vermittelt aber letztlich eine Botschaft des Optimismus, des Mitgefühls und der Erneuerung.Anstatt zeitgenössischen Trends hinterherzulaufen, bleiben The Flower Kings dem organischen, melodischen Sound treu, der sie während ihrer gesamten Karriere geprägt hat. Das Ergebnis ist ein fesselndes Hörerlebnis voller schwebender Melodien, virtuoser Darbietungen, üppiger Arrangements und Momente echter emotionaler Tiefe."HOPE" wird als limitiertes CD-+Blu-ray-Digipak erhältlich sein, das Dolby-Atmos- und 5.1-Surround-Sound-Mixe von Rich Mouser sowie 24-Bit-Stereo-Mixe enthält. Das Album wird außerdem als Standard-CD im Jewelcase, als Gatefold-Doppel-LP und als digitales Album erhältlich sein.
After more than 20 releases as Not a Headliner, José consolidates his real-name identity with his second release
Four tracks, 28 minutes. José's first record under his own name.
Femenino Singular is José's first record under his own name, following more than 20 releases as not a headliner and an earlier take on the project with not a headliner presents José.
That same gesture moves with the record itself: side A happens at night, side B in the morning, and what the titles hint at shifts with that transition. Built with real instruments - bass, guitar, percussion, synths - reaching for a swing that breaks away from a machine's quantized grid, somewhere between house and techno.
Reissued in 2026 for its 10th Anniversary on limited edition double vinyl 1 X Blue 1 X White, showcasing sought-after tracks from the catalogue.
Rebirth 10, a limited double CD released in 2016, celebrated the 10th anniversary of Rebirth Records. Curated by one of the greatest names in House Music, Larry Heard, aka Mr. Fingers, it featured key releases from the label's first decade.
Featuring original music and remixes from Larry Heard himself alongside further legends of the scene such as Motor City Drum Ensemble, Joe Clausell, Andrés, Jamie 3:26, Ripperton, and Mr Fingers himself. This compilation shines a light on forgotten classics from one of House Music’s most influential labels of the past 20 years. True house from THE house producer of the scene.
Kito Jempere has spent more than two decades building a universe of his own, with releases on Mule Musiq, DFA and other influential labels, alongside remixes from Ewan Pearson and others. With Other People’s Aesthetics, that universe finally opens outward. After years of protecting his own musical language, Kito lets the outside world in—embracing the sounds, artists and scenes that have shaped him, from house and techno to Aphex Twin, Warp, Ninja Tune and Omar-S. The result is a personal universe merging with the world beyond it. The album opens with “Change For Now,” a collaboration with longtime friend Lipelis (L.I.E.S., Public Possession, Running Back), marking a friendship that has grown over the past decade. “Teaser,” originally released on Mule Musiq, returns in a new album “Dub” version, with fewer vocals and a stronger garage-house feel—a direct statement of love for David Lynch. “OPA” looks back to Kito’s original half-jazz, half-drum’n’bass sound and the Uniquetunes era of the early 2000s, alongside the music he absorbed from CDs by Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Skalpel and The Cinematic Orchestra. “Listens To Selected Ambient Works Once” is a direct homage to Aphex Twin, given a Warehouse-style treatment for bigger dancefloors. “I’m Not A Doctor, Either,” featuring mishinuki—previously heard on Green Monster in its Moloko homage—builds towards an epic, euphoric string finale. “Kobayashi Porcelain” closes the record by combining memories of Usual Suspects with Moby-like atmosphere and an Omar-S-type beat. The release of Other People’s Aesthetics will be followed by a Japan tour in December 2026 and Kito Jempere’s ongoing residency at Honeycomb Hi-Fi in Dubai. Early support from: Ata, Reznik, Horse Meat Disco, Vladimir Ivkovic, Tim Sweeney, Max Pask, Rich Thair of Red Snapper, Ame, Ellen Allien, Benji B, John Tejada, The Blessed Madonna, Hard Ton
Ariwa Sounds started in a front room in Thornton Heath, South London. Four tracks, some homemade equipment, and Neil Fraser, better known as Mad Professor, at the controls. That was 1980. Over four decades later, the label has more than 300 albums to its name and a legacy that stretches well beyond the reggae scene.
This compilation pulls twelve tracks from across the catalogue. Dub, lovers rock, heavy roots music, digital dancehall — it's all here. What ties it together is the Ariwa studio sound all going through Mad Professor’s desk.
Mad Professor is the backbone of it. Dub Me Crazy got him known and his production credits run from Jah Shaka and Horace Andy to Massive Attack, Sade and The Orb. The tracks here — the Dub Sampler, H2SO4, Disco Dude, Kathmandu Dub — show why.
The Jah Shaka collaboration Only One God is a landmark. Two of the UK's most important dub figures on one track. Dark and heavy roots music.
The Robotics appear twice — Hong Kong Flew! and Miss Mood. They are Ariwa's house band and have backed U-Roy, Lee Perry, Big Youth and more over the years.
Aisha closes things out with Can You Feel It. A track that crosses reggae, soul and boogie funk. Collectors have been after original pressings for years.
Starky Banton, Ragga Doll, Professor Doppler and Earl Lawrence complete the compilation. Exactly the kind of thing that reminds you how wide the Ariwa net was cast.
Sleeve design is by Trevor Jackson. One of the UK's most respected graphic designers. His work has defined the visual language of British music for thirty years. His involvement here signals exactly the kind of release this is. A serious serious catalogue and compilation of music, treated with the respect it deserves.
Ariwa sits alongside Greensleeves as the most important reggae imprint this country has produced. This compilation shows why.
With the fire of chariots, these moments are passing us. Preserve me with your tears, come save me from the burning years. The Burning Years. An album by Jason Priest.
The Antoni Maiovvi-fronted Jason Priest returns with new album The Burning Years. On this latest effort, the band draws influence from 90s shoegaze, indie alternative, and Britpop. For fans of Slowdive, New Order, The Cure, and Smashing Pumpkins.
Midnight Mannequin Records is proud to present Jason Priest's The Burning Years on deluxe transparent orange vinyl, complete with insert and OBI strip.
EELS, eine der eigenwilligsten und beständig gefeierten Bands der Rockgeschichte, melden sich mit ihrem 16. Studioalbum zurück. COOKIE HAPPENED findet E (Mark Oliver Everett) dort, wo er am stärksten ist: in den kleinen Siegen des Lebens, den unvermeidlichen Enttäuschungen – und dem stillen Wunder, überhaupt hier gewesen zu sein.
Den Albumtitel erklärt E mit einem Zitat des großen Philosophen unserer Zeit, dem Cookie Monster: „Me no cry because cookie is finished. Me smile because cookie happened." Alles wird vergessen werden – aber war es nicht trotzdem etwas Schönes, dass es geschah?
Die erste Single 'Cap In Hand' gibt einen bittersüßen Vorgeschmack: ein abgeklärt-bewegender Song aus der Perspektive von jemandem, der seine Fehler endlich eingesteht und versucht, die Dinge wieder geradzubiegen.
COOKIE HAPPENED folgt auf das 2024 erschienene und vielgelobte EELS TIME! und beweist einmal mehr, dass kaum ein anderer Künstler so gut darin ist, im Chaos des Lebens Bedeutung zu finden.
Erdgeschoss (The ground floor) makes no distinction between old and new. And certainly not between old and young.
On the new record, two generations of KöPi uninhibitedly indulge in a brand of dirty minimal purism between Schranz and Glanz (glamour) between bouncing and banging.
Romance for everyone, you revelers.
Purity and dirt - from 133 1/3 bpm upwards, things really take off, and another door opens and closes again. Because. Bass drum on, bass drum off.
Kölsch meets Pils.
Trance meets Kraut - Haspel Haze goes loud.
So what. Your backpack is about to burst open.
Erdgeschoss unterscheidet nicht zwischen alt und neu. Und schon gar nicht zwischen alt und jung.
Auf der neuen Scheibe frönen zwei Generationen KöPi hemmungslos dem Dirty-Minimal-Purismus zwischen Schranz und Glanz - zwischen hämmern und pimpern.
Romantik für alle ihr Jecken.
Reinheit und Dreck - ab 133 1/3 bpm plus geht die Post ab und eine andere Tür auf und wieder zu. Denn. Bassdrum an Bassdrum aus .
What an unbelievable record. From the wild cover to the iconic breakbeats, Roots from Ian Carr’s Nucleus is one of the dopest albums we know. This is seriously thick, funky-prog jazz-rock heaven. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, other than a couple of versions at the time for other territories, Roots was never re-pressed since so it’s gone on to become another one of those impossible to find records.
Maybe it was a little too out there for the time, but it’s aged very, very well indeed and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.
Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.
Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels.
Working together with producer Fritz Fryer and engineer Roger Wake, the seven compositions by Carr, Brian Smith and Dave MacRae that make up Roots flirt with perfection, and Nucleus at that time made up of the cream of 1970s UK jazz with Brian Smith on tenor saxophones and flutes, Dave MacRae on piano and electric piano, Jocelyn Pitchen on guitar, Roger Sutton on bass, both Clive Thacker and Aureo De Souza on drums and percussion, Joy Yates delivering the vocals and of course Carr on trumpet.
The spellbinding title track immediately renders the album indispensable. Riding the illest of loping breakbeats, “Roots” is low-slung, doped-out heist-funk. An absolute monster. If it sounds familiar then that’s likely down to it being sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga”, as well as by a whole host of beat manipulators. “Roots” conjures prime instrumental hip-hop / beat music, only 20 years ahead of its time. Truly, these are the roots. Through sinuous bass, twinkling keys and a hypnotic guitar riff, a smoky brass motif weaves its way into a gloriously deep haze around Carr’s solos. “Roots” is over 9 minutes long, but there’s not a single wasted second, not surprising given that this is a condensed version of an originally 40 minute long commissioned composition.
The soothing vocal fusion delight of “Images” follows. Meticulously constructed, with gorgeous flute work from Brian Smith, with Joy Yates’ silky vocals and Dave MacRae’s Rhodes never sounding better. The cool, driving “Caliban” closes out the first side. Originally the third movement in a four part commission to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday it stands up on its own, all robust rhythms and blended brass. Keyboard colour and Carr’s trumpet are splashed across the funk drums and basslines (and there’s even some bamboo flute). This really is fusion: the elements of jazz and rock coming together in beautifully synthesis.
Side two opens in riotous fashion with the short, thrilling samba of “Wapatiti”. Next up, “Capricorn” forms a smoothed-out, jazzy constellation. Mellow and dreamy, its twinkling percussion and languid horns slowly build the vibe before head-nod drums and a killer bassline enter the fray. With a distinct heaviness that Black Sabbath would’ve envied, “Odokamona” is a venomous slice of riff-soaked jazz metal (yes, you read that right), elevated by Carr’s wah-wah horns.
The album closes with MacRae’s exceptionally cosmic “Southern Roots and Celebration”. Very much in conversation with Weather Report, it opens as a languorous, spiritual jazz of chiming keys and serene guitar that turns slowly, gorgeously into a mid-paced, brass-laced banger. It’s another sure-fire party starter and the sound of the band having a righteous blast, building an ecstatic chaos that ends with Yates screaming.
And of course we need to talk about Keith Davis’ cover for Roots. Perhaps the coolest record cover of all time? Certainly one of the most bonkers. Just your run-of-the-mill high-gloss, acid-tinged airbrush dystopian/utopian living-room party scene. Consider this your chemical flashback trigger warning.
Front-and-centre the hip-to-death green robot holds court with their giant ball of yellow barbwire wool, hooked up to… something(?) being teased out from under the stairs (probably best not to ask). A thoroughly zoned-out, long-legged Pop Art party-goer lounges half-plugged in to the painting behind her as a pair of legs flail into shot from the the top of the stairs opposite. We won’t even begin to guess what the chap’s up to in the middle, but the view out of the windows is rather nice, and someone’s already got the hoover out ready to tidy up. All of the Nucleus sleeves are something special, but this particular one? Crikey.
This Be With edition of Roots has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Pete Norman’s cut to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The crazy cover has been restored at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
KYSH returns to wax with its third vinyl release — another milestone in the label’s steadily growing catalogue. More than a year and a half into the journey, KYSH feels more in its element than ever, bringing together five names that represent both the label’s own extended family and fresh acts joining the ranks. All well-established and highly respected figures in the modern techno landscape, they deliver a sharp selection of contemporary club weapons. Kashpitzky opens with “Blush”, a raw, boomy cut where rough-edged rhythmics meet crisp modern production, channeling the spirit of industrial techno at its best. “Tarmac” by Regent follows with a dense, restless groove, while Chontane’s “Gyuto” dives into hypnotic territory, layering rhythmic elements around subtle dissonant melodies. On the flipside, Temudo & Pierce join forces for the threatening, aggressively contemporary “Highest Clarity Grade”, balancing intricate sound design between rhythm and atmosphere. Closing comes GCOD with “Sleeper Agent” — dancing sub bass, a striking hook and a relentless hi-hat groove keeping the weight firmly down low. Another strong statement on wax, KYSH-003 confirms the label’s vinyl output as a mark of quality, with five floor-tested cuts drawing from a fresh, current take on the industrial influences that shaped techno a decade ago. A new lineup, a distinct direction, and five tracks ready to speak for themselves on a proper soundsystem.
Sublime frequencies from the golden era of ambient electronica.
Plumbing hidden depths beneath a deceptively tranquil surface, MLO's mid-90s masterpiece Io is an overlooked gem from a golden era for ambient electronic music. Originally released in 1994, Jon Tye and Pete Smith's collaborative album responded to the growing chill-out movement by leaning into classical and avant-garde influences from Satie, Debussy and Cage through to Soft Machine, Incredible String Band and Eno. Recorded across various studios stacked with classic and rare synths, Io was patiently composed into slowly unfolding suites punctuated with ripples of arrhythmic interference to arrive at a purist vision of true ambient.
The next instalment in Forever Records' ongoing reissue series shines a light back on this landmark piece of UK electronica with the first official reissue since its original edition on Rising High. As well as the original double LP pressing and a new CD digipak version, there will also be a uniquely numbered, limited edition housed in a gatefold sleeve that comes with a bonus 10" featuring two previously unreleased versions of the album's opening cut, 'Wimborne'.
Press response to Io:
"Not so much ambient, more environmental music, Io lets you bring as much (or as little) of your surroundings in as suits your mood. Every listen can be different. Interactive ambient at last.”
IO is pure ambience. Relying on motif as opposed to melody, MLO have produced a truly evocative album.
Peter McIntyre, Mixmag, UK 1994.
"MLO's influences range from the likes of Eric Satie and the intellectual salon music of his era to the more predictable reference point of dubby, modern techno, though they feel, perhaps rather contentiously, that "ambient music can exist in isolation from the rest of the dance music arena". Can it? Take a trip to Io, and find out."
Generator Magazine, UK 1994.
"If you like your ambient deep and moody with long chords that creep along at approximately the speed of drying paint then check out MLO’s Io."
Mixology, UK 1994.
"MLO set the controls for the heart of headspace for their first full album release. Io is top grade ambient brain… Ace album…"
Select, UK 1994.
