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Delphine Dora, the prolific French composer and multi-instrumentalist, graces Marionette with a suite of keyboard instrumentals that evoke futurism and the transcendental. Based in France and actively releasing music since the 00’s, Delphine’s remarkable solo and collaborative projects loosely connect the dots scattered across modern classical, folk, ambient, and poetic writing - always seeking new ambitions in terms of her sound.

Leaving behind the chaos of city life for the quiet solitude of a small village in the French countryside, Delphine finds herself fully immersed in the present moment and committed to her multi-disciplinary creative practices, savoring the experiences of deep listening in nature and her environment. Drawing from an academic background in Outsider Art and Art Brut, Dora yearns to express intimate inner dialogues, revealing the beauty of vulnerability through transportive musical passages to the mystical and sublime.

L’inéluctable pulsation du temps was composed in 2018, at a time when Delphine’s life was becoming increasingly busy, marked by relentless touring and concerts unfolding in rapid succession across different places. Written in parallel with L’Inattingible, her most ambitious album, it stands as its instrumental counterpart. The recordings reflect a period of exploration and assimilation of the Nord Electro, an instrument that opened up vast sonic possibilities, particularly for the development of rich polyphonies inspired by repetitive music. The track titles draw inspiration from an essay by Hartmut Rosa on the notions of acceleration and alienation - a reflection that resonates strongly with the pre-covid era right before the quarantine. The album reveals Delphine’s most colorful and rhythmic side, an aural mille-feuille, in total contrast with her previous melancholic vocal works.

On L’inéluctable pulsation du temps, Dora sustains atmospheric drone miniatures that form the foundation for flowing, cyclical arpeggios, spiraling into a liminal dream space where the repetitive phrasing of melodies rewards introspective listening. The compositions move through (dis)enchanted landscapes, taking unexpected turns into more haunted terrain, their contours further blurred by Dora’s intuitive articulation and sense of refinement. By mirroring both the acceleration of time and the experience of alienation, Delphine conjures up timeless sonic meditations, rendering the inevitable pulsation of time as something at once mesmerizing and unsettling.

Destruction, killing, is all that’s in sight. Unleashed in 1988 at a time when Death Metal as a genre was still at its infancy and the vast majority of bands were yet to release their first album, BOLT THROWER’s debut In Battle There Is No Law! already hit the nascent underground with full force. Only preceded by a handful albums like DEATH’s Scream Bloody Gore, NAPALM DEATH’s Scum or NECROPHAGIA’s Season of the Dead, In Battle There Is No Law! is widely considered a landmark record and ranks among the very first Death Metal albums ever.

Consisting of 8 tracks and clocking in at just around 28 minutes, the album originally released by Vinyl Solution is arguably BOLT THROWER’s rawest and most primal effort. Despite the uncompromisingly rough sound and their Crust and Punk influences still being rather obvious, the characteristics BOLT THROWER would go on to be hailed for, are already represented albeit in rather crude form, though. Rather than to its detriment, it’s this very unfiltered roughness that`s somewhat missing from their later albums that gives In Battle There Is No Law! its special unmistakable charm. Instead of putting emphasis on distinctive melodies and mid-tempo groove, the songwriting leans more towards all-out attack.

Destruction, killing, is all that’s in sight. Unleashed in 1988 at a time when Death Metal as a genre was still at its infancy and the vast majority of bands were yet to release their first album, BOLT THROWER’s debut In Battle There Is No Law! already hit the nascent underground with full force. Only preceded by a handful albums like DEATH’s Scream Bloody Gore, NAPALM DEATH’s Scum or NECROPHAGIA’s Season of the Dead, In Battle There Is No Law! is widely considered a landmark record and ranks among the very first Death Metal albums ever.

Consisting of 8 tracks and clocking in at just around 28 minutes, the album originally released by Vinyl Solution is arguably BOLT THROWER’s rawest and most primal effort. Despite the uncompromisingly rough sound and their Crust and Punk influences still being rather obvious, the characteristics BOLT THROWER would go on to be hailed for, are already represented albeit in rather crude form, though. Rather than to its detriment, it’s this very unfiltered roughness that`s somewhat missing from their later albums that gives In Battle There Is No Law! its special unmistakable charm. Instead of putting emphasis on distinctive melodies and mid-tempo groove, the songwriting leans more towards all-out attack.

Abdou El Omari was born in 1945 in Tafraout, south of Agadir -- a village suspended between the pink granite peaks of the Anti-Atlas and the waves of the Atlantic. A landscape already musical in itself. He grew up in the dry mountain light, surrounded by the rhythms of nature and Berber's culture. Very little is known about the man -- a veil of mystery still surrounds his life, only deepening the fascination. In the 1970s, as Morocco was transforming, Abdou El Omari shaped a sound of his own -- a visionary blend of spiritual jazz, psychedelic funk, Moroccan traditions, and early electronic experimentation. Today, his work is resurfacing, rediscovered by a new generation of listeners in search of lost horizons. This record stands among its rarest and most precious fragments. At twenty-two, he founded his first group, Les Fugitifs, which gained him local fame. Soon after, he released records and cassettes on labels such as Cléopâtre, Hassania, Boussiphone, Hilali, and his own, Al Awtar, while performing on RTM (national radio and television). He also composed for artists like Naima Samih, Laila Ghofran, and Aicha El Waad. In 1976, through the label Gam, he released his only vinyl album, Nuits d'été -- a record that would become cult decades later, reissued in 2017 by Radio Martiko. In the 1980s, his music grew quieter, more secret. He tried to recover his old tapes from the studios he had recorded in, but gradually withdrew from the scene and returned to hairdressing. A pioneer of musical fusion, he opened paths that would remain unexplored for years. He passed away in 2010, never witnessing the rediscovery of his music by diggers, bloggers, and collectors online. One day, his close friend and poet Aziz Essamadi, rescued a cardboard box from the trash -- a box containing Abdou El Omari's personal archives. It was later entrusted to Casablanca based collector Ahmed Khalil, founder of the label Dikraphone. Inside were treasures preserved by chance: demos, rehearsals, private recordings, unseen photographs -- and a stunning, almost forgotten cassette. Here, El Omari sounds bolder than ever, exploring territories where pop, cosmic disco, electric blues, and Moroccan tradition merge without boundaries. Armed with his ARP Odyssey synthesizer, hypnotic grooves, and the celestial layers of his Farfisa, he expanded the dialogue between deep roots and electronic exploration. This album is the continuation of a vision -- a music of the Moroccan future: rooted, but reaching for the unknown. Colorful, magnetic and timeless, here is music for dancing as much as for dreaming.

Wenn der Toifel (Berliner Weisse) mal alleine!!! Mit VÖ Nummer 50 beschert uns Smith & Miller Records den Toifel solo! "Für immer euer Feind" - eine Platte, wie sie ehrlicher nicht sein könnte. Hart, kompromisslos und ähnliche Floskeln stehen bei den meisten Auskopplungen in der Beschreibung, doch wenn man dann reinhört ist alles mehr Schein als sein. Toifel's Solo Debüt allerdings könnte ehrlicher und direkter nicht sein. Ein aggressiver Faustschlag gegen geheuchelte Freundschaften, Respektlosigkeit und Arroganz der Gesellschaft. Klare, deutliche Worte ohne Maulkorb direkt vom Herz auf die Zunge, wird diese Platte das Genre Streetpunk auf ein ganz neues Level heben. Lieder die im ersten Moment frustrieren aber im Nachgang Hoffnung machen und dem Hörer die Hand reichen,die dunkelsten Zeiten durchzustehen. 12 mitsingtaugliche Hymnen wie sie von Vielen lange ersehnt wurden. Fans von Berliner Weiße, OXO 86, Biertoifel, Loikaemie, 4 Promille, Gumbles, Stomper 98... werden sich froien! Zwölf Songs auf 180gr neon green/ black marbled Vinyl, limitiert, handnummerierte 1.000 Stück mit Insert oder als Digipac-CD mit Booklet.

Luminous Orange Marbled Vinyl Mit ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung seit sieben Jahren kehren MONSTROSITY eindrucksvoll zurück und präsentieren ein Album, das ihre unverwechselbare Mischung aus purer Aggression, technischer Brillanz und ungebändigter Intensität eindrucksvoll auf den Punkt bringt. Angeführt von Drummer, Gründer und Mastermind Lee Harrison, zeigt sich die Band stärker denn je. Mit Langzeit-Gitarrist Matt Barnes, der triumphalen Rückkehr von Originalbassist Mark Van Erp und der markerschütternden Stimme von Ed Webb (ex Massacre) entfaltet Screams From Beneath The Surface eine Energie, die sofort packt und nachhaltig wirkt. Das Album festigt nicht nur MONSTROSITYs Status als Death-Metal-Institution, sondern erweitert das Genre um frische, mutige Facetten - innovativ und dennoch kompromisslos ihren Wurzeln treu. Die zehn Tracks dieses massiven Werkes verkörpern den rebellischen Geist, der MONSTROSITY seit Jahrzehnten definiert. Songs demonstrieren eindrucksvoll das Zusammenspiel aus vernichtenden Riffs, komplexem Drumming und eindringlichen, bildgewaltigen Texten. Gleichzeitig zeigen sie, wie vielseitig und weiterentwicklungsfähig die Band geblieben ist - neue klangliche Ebenen treffen auf ihre charakteristische, rohe Wildheit. Jeder Titel ist ein Statement, ein Beweis für MONSTROSITYs technische Überlegenheit und ihren kompromisslosen Anspruch, Death Metal auf höchstem Niveau zu liefern.

Mit ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung seit sieben Jahren kehren MONSTROSITY eindrucksvoll zurück und präsentieren ein Album, das ihre unverwechselbare Mischung aus purer Aggression, technischer Brillanz und ungebändigter Intensität eindrucksvoll auf den Punkt bringt. Angeführt von Drummer, Gründer und Mastermind Lee Harrison, zeigt sich die Band stärker denn je. Mit Langzeit-Gitarrist Matt Barnes, der triumphalen Rückkehr von Originalbassist Mark Van Erp und der markerschütternden Stimme von Ed Webb (ex Massacre) entfaltet Screams From Beneath The Surface eine Energie, die sofort packt und nachhaltig wirkt. Das Album festigt nicht nur MONSTROSITYs Status als Death-Metal-Institution, sondern erweitert das Genre um frische, mutige Facetten - innovativ und dennoch kompromisslos ihren Wurzeln treu. Die zehn Tracks dieses massiven Werkes verkörpern den rebellischen Geist, der MONSTROSITY seit Jahrzehnten definiert. Songs demonstrieren eindrucksvoll das Zusammenspiel aus vernichtenden Riffs, komplexem Drumming und eindringlichen, bildgewaltigen Texten. Gleichzeitig zeigen sie, wie vielseitig und weiterentwicklungsfähig die Band geblieben ist - neue klangliche Ebenen treffen auf ihre charakteristische, rohe Wildheit. Jeder Titel ist ein Statement, ein Beweis für MONSTROSITYs technische Überlegenheit und ihren kompromisslosen Anspruch, Death Metal auf höchstem Niveau zu liefern. 180g Black

For more than three decades, Converge have delivered musical and emotional catharsis, putting purpose before perception and intent before interpretation. Whether it’s their 2001 landmark recording Jane Doe or their 2021 Bloodmoon: I collaboration with Chelsea Wolfe, they have created some of the most compelling music, lyrics, and visual art of the 21st century. During that time, fewer bands have had a greater impact on the underground imagination. It seems unlikely that anyone who has been making music for this long would create one of their best works for their eleventh album, in their 35th year as a band. And yet: Love is Not Enough might be the apotheosis of Converge’s decades-long journey through the punk, hardcore and metal microcosm. What vocalist/lyricist Jacob Bannon, guitarist/producer Kurt Ballou, bassist/vocalist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller have created is a strident artistic statement on the turmoil of living that hones their collective strengths to a razor’s edge. There isn’t an ounce of fat. Every song moves with a power and purpose that eclipses their human origins, that speaks to the anger, pain, and frustration of the modern age.

Shoreline’s new album Is This The Low Point Or The Moment After? is built around an unanswerable question: when you hit rock bottom, can you tell where things begin to turn? Meant to be heard front to back, the record starts in a subdued, reflective place, grows progressively heavier, and ultimately lands on a more hopeful note. Drawing from the current wave of emo and hardcore while reflecting the collision of Germany’s alternative scenes, the album shows a band with a clear musical vision focused on big melodies, heavy riffs, and an honest DIY punk foundation.

Der aufstrebende Country-Künstler und Songwriter Drake Milligan meldet sich mit seinem brandneuen
Album „Tumbleweed“ zurück – ein einzigartiges und lang erwartetes Kunstwerk. Produziert von Trent
Willmon, umfasst „Tumbleweed“ 14 Titel, die traditionellen Texas Country, Western Swing und moderne
Nashville-Elemente perfekt vereinen und Milligans zeitlose Musikalität unter Beweis stellen. „Das ist genau
das Album, das ich immer machen wollte“, sagt Milligan. „Es fängt so ziemlich alles ein, was ich an CountryMusik liebe, und ich freue mich riesig, es endlich veröffentlichen zu können.“ Das Album zeigt Milligans
beeindruckende Vielseitigkeit durch sein fesselndes Storytelling, sein Können und seinen charmanten Humor
in „Goodbye Ain’t All That Bad“. Im Schlusssong „How Much Beer“ holt sich Milligan seinen texanischen
Landsmann Randall King ins Boot, um eine Ode an die Kneipe des Arbeiters zu schaffen – der Song ist
eine schräge Hommage an den Bierliebhaber aus der Arbeiterklasse, seinen Barhocker und die Neonlichter

Lange bevor er jemals ein Studio von innen sah, war Sam Snitchy auf der Straße unterwegs und schrie unter dem Namen Maniporno Gedichte - roh, furchtlos und im Einklang mit dem Chaos um ihn herum. Dann begann er, diesen Lärm in Platten zu verwandeln - zuerst als Melker, später als Sam Snitchy. Im April 2026 erscheint nun das dritte Snitchy-Album bei Voodoo Rhythm Records - ein weiterer Schritt auf diesem Weg, tiefer hinein in den Lärm, den Puls, die Verwirrung, mit der alles begann. Das neue Album ist ein klanglicher Exorzismus, aufgenommen mit Marco Fuorigioco, der Bass, Synthesizer und Gitarren verzerrt und das Tonband zerreißt, Philipp Schlotter (Me&Mobi, Music Against Airports) der den Raum mit geisterhaften Synthesizer- Halluzinationen erfüllt, und Domi Chansorn (Sophie Hunger, Knackeboul, Fai Baba, Bonaparte, Marie Krüttli, Béatrice Graf) der die Drums wie einstürzende Türme hämmert. Gemeinsam zerren sie dich durch psychedelische Punkwut, verschmelzen mit den Schatten dunkler Waves, mutieren zu Industrial Noise und Dub-Nebel, verwandeln sich in einen verzerrten Techno-Puls, bis du nicht mehr unterscheiden kannst, wo das eine aufhört und das andere anfängt - alles nährt das Feuer. Und über diesem Sturm spuckt Sam Snitchy seine Worte wie zerbrochene Spiegel - verzerrte und selbstreflexive Geschichten über Menschen, die in ihren eigenen Widersprüchen gefangen sind, über leere Routinen und bedeutungslose Lebensstile, die als Erfolg getarnt sind, über den absurden Tanz zwischen Ekstase und Verzweiflung. Die Texte erklären nicht - sie verstören. Sie halten dir ein zerbrochenes Glas vor und zwingen dich, dich selbst anzusehen, bis du nicht mehr weißt, ob du lachen oder schreien sollst. In VVR's own words: "Sam Snitchy transforms chaos into sound. Once a street poet known as Maniporno, he now blends punk energy with techno pulse, industrial grit, dub tension, and psychedelic garage haze. It's raw and hypnotic _ words like broken glass, beats like heartbeat and collapse spring to mind."

Given her extensive and varied recording catalog, if you're looking for a place to explore the talents of the late Nina Simone, then 1965's I Put a Spell On You is a great place to dip your toes - particular if you want to start with her more pop oriented sides.
The set features a truly eclectic mixture including stabs at jazz (the instrumental "Blues On Purpose"), R&B (the title track), French chanson ("Ne Me Quitte Pas") and a number of show tunes.

For here lies one of the most influential bands in the realm of gothic metal, a group with doom and death metal roots that has flourished for over three decades, boasting thirteen albums that have garnered devoted acclaim. This injustice is now being set right by The Circle Music , beginning with the vinyl release of the classic album "Burning: A Wish", which emerged twenty-four years ago. "Burning: A Wish", released in the twilight of the year 2001, stands as a dark reliquary of dreams lost to the velvet fog of melancholy. To revisit it now, two dozen years later, is to unseal a time capsule of gothic ache, doom- laced longing, and the tormented tenderness that only Lacrimas Profundere could conjure at their creative height. It was a candle-lit corridor between worlds. A slow fall into velvet shadows. A scream muffled by rain.

By the time "Burning: A Wish" was released, Lacrimas Profundere had already begun to evolve from their early death- doom origins, shaping their identity with the sophistication of seasoned mourners. The death growls had receded, replaced by the haunted, baritone croon of Christopher Schmid, whose voice is an echo from a chapel ruined by time. Yet, while the growls faded, the emotional gravitas remained intact, transmuted into melody, into baroque gloom, into something more sorrowfully refined. Produced with lush, theatrical clarity, the album never drowns in its own atmosphere, it breathes with it, moves with it. The soundscape is dominated by somber guitar textures, languid tempos, and subtle orchestral touches. From the very first notes, it is clear that this is music for ruined lovers and moon-drenched graveyards.

This is the hallmark of Lacrimas Profundere 's style: an emotional minimalism that does not explain or elaborate, but merely opens wounds and lets them breathe. That this album has remained, until now, absent from the warm embrace of vinyl is both tragic and oddly poetic. For what format better suits a record such as this than the one that cracks and hisses like an old seance? Vinyl is tactile, intimate. It requires attention, reverence. To place Burning: A Wish on a turntable is to light a candle in the dark.

Far from being a nostalgic exercise, the record reasserts their daring artistry, merging legacy and rebirth. Known for melodic minimalism, elegant melancholy, and pulsing electronics, the band has often been compared to Depeche Mode, New Order, or Joy Division, yet their singular identity has always set them apart. On this new album, they reinvent their sonic language, blending vintage synths with classical textures and luminous modern production. The result is a sensory journey where light and shadow converse, where poetry meets pulse, reaffirming their timeless relevance. Their influence extends across genres: sampled by Madlib, reinterpreted by Tricky, reimagined by Theophilus London, and remixed by DJs such as Marcel Dettmann. Tributes, reissues, and appearances in cinema and fashion underscore their resonance, from Lucie Borleteau's Chanson Douce movie to catwalks by Chloe.

Born in Marseille in the early 1980s and led by Alain Seghir alongside Catherine Loy , Brigitte Balian , and Beverley Jane Crew , Martin Dupont left a mythic legacy with tracks like ' Inside Ou't and 'Just Because...' before dissolving in 1987. Rediscovered through Minimal Wave reissues, their music captivated a new generation of underground and electronic enthusiasts. Today, Martin Dupont are reborn. Seghir and Crew, joined by Sandy Casado, Thierry Sintoni, and Olivier Leroy, embark on a world tour that affirms their unique ability to move and inspire. You Smile When It Hurts proves that their visionary sound has never been more alive

A mix of metallic doomgaze, epic gothic soundscapes and post punk attitude. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. There are two kinds of heavy bands: the ones that make a lot of noise and the ones that drag you somewhere you didn't know you needed to go. Cwfen (pronounced 'Coven') are the latter, and Sorrows is a record that doesn't just crush - it haunts long after the final note. The allure of Cwfen's sound lies in contrasts: the glacial ferocity of Amenra, with the velvet-and-razor vocals of King Woman, and the rotting grandeur of Type O Negative. It's as hypnotic as it is harrowing, but somehow even better than the sum of those parts. Since emerging from Glasgow's underground just 18 months ago, Cwfen's reputation is growing, selling out shows and pulling growing audiences into their doom-laden fever dream. Released in October, the band's debut single 'Reliks' was a hit with fans and critics, landing a spot on Kerrang!'s release of the week playlist. And rightly so. Their sound devours and delights in equal measure. "Cwfen have emerged from the darkest depths of the Caledonian underground with a beguiling blend of doom metal and gothic post-punk for those who like to live deliciously." Kerrang! Sorrows lives in the space around doom where the weight of the riffs is matched by the weight in your chest, where the lyrics and the songwriting are as important as the music itself. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. It builds, burns, collapses, resurrects. Big on riffs, bigger on feeling. The kind of songs you carry with you. Singer and rhythm guitarist Agnes Alder bears her claws one minute, then whispers the next, as the band follows like a storm front, rising, breaking, drowning you in the weight of it. From the guttural Penance to the lush Whispers, to the feral Wolfsbane and the insurrectionist Rite. It includes a long reworking of Embers and Bodies, the two self-recorded demos that launched them into the scene with a bang and their growing legion of fans already adore. Intricate vocal arrangements, heavy and harsh guitars, a mix of atmosphere and heft, it undoubtedly punches above its weight for a debut. As Agnes says: "When we stopped trying to fit into any one space, what came out was this beautiful mix of dark and light. Something visceral and cathartic." This is a band that sits right in the boundaries between the heavy genres, pulling in everyone from the young goths and to the die-hard metalheads alike and 'Sorrows' truly does deliver in spades. Make no mistake, Cwfen are set to be one of the names to watch in 2025. FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Zetra, King Woman, Type O Negative, Alcest, Faetooth, Liturgy. Limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies in transparent red vinyl. Full colour Gatefold outer sleeve, with a full colour printed inner sleeve, Full download included as well.

Nach ihrer erfolgreich absolvierten Europa Tournee mit den Kaliforniern Y&T als special guest im Gepäck sowie diversen Festivalshows und den drei »Rockmonsters Of Switzerland« Arena-Auftritten mit ihren Landsmännern von Krokus, legen Gotthard nun nach: »More Stereo Crush« kommt mit insgesamt acht Tracks als lukrative, brandneue EP um die Ecke und liefert eine Menge neues und starkes Material.

Darunter befinden sich fünf vielseitige, bis dato unveröffentlichte Songs aus der »Stereo Crush« Aufnahmesession, wie zum Beispiel das pumpende »Ride The Wave«. On top gibt es das bis dato nur als Videoclip veröffentlichte »Mayday«, die Radio-Version der aktuellen Power-Ballade »Burning Bridges« sowie als Sahnehäubchen eine brandneue Duett-Version des aktuellen Album Fan-Favoriten »Liverpool«, zwischen Nic Maeder und Krokus-Monsterröhre Marc Storace.

Melohman and Paco Colombas Unveil 'Palma de Janeiro': A Rhythmic Bridge Between Mallorca and Brazil...

PALMA DE MALLORCA - Producers Melohman and Paco Colombas announce their new EP, 'Palma de Janeiro' on GAMM, a vibrant sonic fusion where Mallorcan tradition meets Brazilian pulse. All together, the result is a highly percussive house workout with a South American feel.

The project centers on a unique dialogue between two worlds: the Mediterranean drone of the Ximbomba and the tropical snap of the Pandeiro.
Inspired by the festive spirit of Mallorca's 'Devil' - a mischievous figure of joy and dance - the EP weaves together communal island roots with the duo's deep-seated passion for Brazilian music.

Born from years of crate-digging and travels across Brazil, 'Palma de Janeiro' is more than a collaboration; it is a celebration of music as a universal language. It is a tribute to the dancefloor, where local heritage and global rhythms collide.

Eight years have passed since 8 regards obliques, the album in which Jaumet reinvented his spiritual jazz classics, letting them drift into other dimensions. Since then, an intense tour alongside Thomas de Pourquery and a new recording adventure with Zombie Zombie have taken him on the road. Yet it is in the inspiring calm of his brand-new studio in Bagnolet that he found the material for Du cortex à l’iris, his new album recorded for his label Versatile Records. Du cortex à l’iris continues this delicate balance that defines Jaumet’s signature: a constant tension between hypnotic abstraction and an almost animal groove. "To reduce the distance between my cortex and my senses, in order to compose mental images with sounds," he says. This intention runs through the entire album: a desire to make people dance, yes, but with echoes of EBM, bursts of cinematic landscapes, and that singular way of slowly inducing trance rather than declaring it. Saxophone, synths, analog drum machines: the arsenal remains familiar, but the approach is even more direct. Playing fast, composing in the moment, letting the hand run before the mind corrects. Capturing something primal, spontaneous, almost raw – as if the sound were really passing, this time, directly from the cortex to the iris.

WRWTFWW Records is very pleased to announce the first-ever vinyl release of Art Form 2, the seminal 1998 Various Artists compilation from Tokyo’s cult label FORM@ RECORDS, now available as a limited edition double LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve, as part of the ongoing collaborative series between the Swiss and Japanese labels.
Initially available only in CD form, Art Form 2 emerges as a quiet artifact from an exploratory phase in FORM@ RECORDS’ late-1990s trajectory. The compilation drifts through the deeper layers of Tokyo’s electronic underground, where IDM, techno, ambient, and downtempo dissolve into one another within an atmosphere of deliberate experimentation. Both intimate and forward-looking, it preserves a moment in which a local scene, largely unseen, was patiently reshaping the future beyond the reach of prevailing global narratives.
Flowing with carefully sculpted rhythms, immersive sound design, and a subtle sense of machine soul, Art Form 2 reflects the maturity of the FORM@ aesthetic in 1998. The compilation resonates with the spirit of Warp’s Artificial Intelligence era, Carl Craig’s melodic futurism, Ken Ishii’s cerebral techno, B12’s deep electronics, and Ian O’Brien’s emotive touch, while remaining unmistakably rooted in its own local context. Timeless and singular, it stands as a beautifully preserved time capsule of underground electronic music.
Following the vinyl excavations of Virgo’s Landform Code (1998) and Remnants (1999), Art Form 2 continues WRWTFWW Records’ collaboration with FORM@ RECORDS. It is released simultaneously with Art Form I (1997), further expanding this archival series, which will continue with the forthcoming vinyl edition of Re-Form Ver-1.0 (1999).