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Originally released in 1985, the debut EP by The Mice still stands as one of the finer song-oriented rock records of that era. Drawing inspiration from both mid 1960s British Invasion groups and the energy of punk, For Almost Ever is about as scorching as an essentially pop record can be. Although vocalist / guitarist Bill Fox would go on to release several much-loved mostly acoustic solo records, here he is joined by his younger brother Tommy, a veritable monster on the drum kit, bashing away with both finesse and the manic energy of a high school kid. And let’s talk about the song “Not Proud of the USA.” Conceived as an answer to The Clash’s “I’m So Bored with the USA,” this track is packed with such overwhelming hooks, righteousness, and adrenaline that it’s irresistible. During the war in Iraq, it took on a new life on college radio and online when it was reissued on CD. And with this vinyl reissue, it would seem the timing is sadly spot-on once again. Mastered by John Golden, this new pressing crackles with The Mice’s spirit, reproduced in big 45 rpm sound for deeper low end and greater definition than the original, which has been commanding a steep price for quite a while now. We’ve also been able to restore the colors of the handcolored cover photograph to their original vibrancy.

Turner Cody first collaborated with Nicolas Michaux and the Soldiers of Love (Clément Nourry, Ted Clark, and Morgan Vigilante) on his album Friends in High Places (2021). This album marked a turning point for Turner Cody, in which he started to incorporate country influences to his songwriting. But that was only the beginning, and Out For Blood is without question a country album. This new album offers the perfect canvas for him to express his poetic lyricism, and to paint portraits inspired by American mythologies. The songs explore such themes as freedom, individualism, destiny, sin and redemption. Rooted in traditional narratives yet resonating with our times, these songs are to be seen as parables: imaginary characters faced with the dichotomy of good and evil. In the vein of Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, or John Prine, Out For Blood stands as a major contribution to the great repertoire of American song. ut For Blood bears witness to a transformation in Turner Cody"s life. While his songwriting already hinted at a certain Americana, it primarily reflected his twenty years spent in New York and the legacy of the anti-folk scene-closer to the Velvet Underground than to Hank Williams. Then came the move: Cody and his family left New York to settle in St. Louis, on the banks of the Mississippi. This change of scenery and perspective fueleda new way of writing. The challenge was clear: maintaining the subtlety and textural work characteristic of his previous works while integrating the country heritage of the new songs. The collaboration between Turner Cody and Nicolas Michaux signs the perfect communion between an artist who writes in the language of poetry and another who crafts sound and textures. The Soldiers of Love, far more than a backing band, have influences ranging from jazz to fusion, from pop to Congolese rhythms. Their subtle, atmospheric sound merges with Turner Cody"s "three chords and the truth" to create this unique magic!

Inspired by Thomas Hardy"s poem Transformations, ETERNAL BIRTH is Eliza Marshall"s debut solo album and a powerful statement on connection, ancestry and renewal. The album traces the cycles of life from conception to death, revering the natural world as a living archive of our ancestors and exploring the unseen bonds that connect past, present and future generations. Across the record, Marshall creates a rich, cinematic soundscape blending classical, folk and world traditions with flutes, whistles, bansuri, spoken word, percussion and electronics. Produced by Ivor Novello Award recipient Graeme Pleeth, the album features an international line-up of world-class musicians including Ady Thioune and Ansumana Suso (Senegal / The Gambia), Drew Morgan and Donal Rogers (USA / UK), Johnny Kalsi (UK) and Lena Jonsson (Sweden). Influences range from Steve Reich to Paul Simon, while remaining rooted in Marshall"s distinctive compositional voice.

The two distinct faces of the vinyl trace the boundary between life on earth and what lies beyond.

Written, performed, recorded, and mixed by Sissi Rada,

with cherished appearances and collaborations from Charis Karantzas, Jay Glass Dubs, Oï les Ox, and Theodor Milkov.

RENO, the debut album from Red Leather, is a scorched-earth confession wrapped in the swagger of classic rock and the soul of Americana. Written in the aftermath of addiction, heartbreak, and self-reckoning, it’s an unflinching look at what it means to burn your life down and start over. Across its 14 tracks, Red Leather howls through desert nights and neon cityscapes, blending grit and grace in equal measure. Songs like “Deathwish,” “Burn in Hell,” and “The Only Time It Rains in Hollywood” are raw, cinematic, and deeply human—each one a snapshot of pain, defiance, and redemption. Equal parts road trip and resurrection, RENO cements Red Leather as one of the most compelling new voices in modern rock. 1xLP, Single Pocket Jacket, Pressed on Translucent Red Vinyl

Joe Allotta's solo project (drummer, composer, and singer) was born from his need for freedom of expression after numerous experiences
as a session musician for artists such as Davide Shorty, Johnny Marsiglia, Funk Shui Project, Mario Biondi, Leburn Maddox, Giles Robson,
Amy True, and Imaani (Incognito).
His compositions embody the desire to make jazz, in its various forms and influences, accessible to the widest possible audience without sacrificing the impact of an engaging and captivating live performance.
Joe Allotta blends hip hop, funk, and drum 'n' bass with contemporary jazz, perfectly blending vocals with his performances. He combines
his rhythmic exploration with a sweet and surprising voice, capable of lending further emotional depth to his music.
"Transition" is a musical journey that reflects a life in constant motion, where everything seems fleeting, fast, and fleeting, immersed in the
frenetic rhythms that surround us every day. The title also encompasses a more intimate dimension: the growth of his artistic identity. Joe is
no longer just a drummer and composer, but also a singer. His intense and surprising voice intertwines with his drumming in a continuous
dialogue, opening up new expressive possibilities and adding further depth to his musical language.
The album was produced in the studios of the Sghetto Club in Bologna, where Joe, together with his producer Jacopo Trapani, spent weeks
researching and experimenting: rehearsing, playing, processing and synthesizing sounds, developing and arranging ideas, thanks also to
the collaboration of extraordinary musicians. The result is a work that blends instinct and research, intimacy and openness, movement and
transformation: exactly what Transition aims to convey.
CREDITS
Giuseppe "Joe" Allotta: Compositions, Vocals, Drums, Bass, Keyboards
Jacopo Trapani: Compositions, Recording, Mixing
Chicco Allotta: Piano (Track 1)
Giovanni Galdo: Bass (Track 1)
Riccardo Dalle Vedove: Trombone (Track 1)
Piergiorgio Perrella: Guitar (Tracks 2, 5, 8, 9)
Elijah Lee Last Jacinto: Piano (Track 6)
Matteo Diego Scarcella: Sax (Track 6) Francesco Brini: Master

Kolosso, a sacrilegious mix of 808, Tap, Drill, and Bastard Jazz.
Founded in 2023 under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist and producer Davide "Kidd" Angelica (who has previously worked with Inoki,
Deda, Voodoo Sound Club, and others), the group brings together some of the most visionary musicians in Bologna's underground scene.
Their music explores the chaos of contemporary life, intertwining urban sounds and jazz languages in a continuous exploration of new sonic
perspectives and narrative horizons. The result is powerful and powerful live performances, complemented by rich, layered, and meticulously
crafted album productions.
OVER is the conclusion of Phase 1 of the Kolosso project: extensive underground work, in the studio and on stage, seeking a point of collision
between jazz and urban sounds, trap, drill, and grime. Worlds seemingly distant but united by a common drive: to transform the chaos of the
present into language.
OVER is an attempt to go beyond: beyond the patterns of composition, beyond the rules of production. A huge sonic puzzle constructed with
patience, instinct, and perseverance.
OVER is the raw power of a musical collective condensed into an album. A tamed energy, yes, but still radioactive, like uranium: unstable,
dense, alive.
Featuring: DJ Craim, Awon, Lauryyn, Pasquale Mirra
CREDITS
Davide Angelica: compositions, guitar, samples
Salvatore Lauriola: bass
Giuseppe Allotta: drums
Gioacchino Allotta: keyboards, synth
Gabriele Polimeni: trumpet
Federico Califano: alto sax
Matteo Diego Scarcella: tenor sax, flute
Jacopo Trapani: compositions, recordings, mixing
Francesco Brini: mastering

Subconscio left the smallest town in Gargano to begin a new life in uncharted Bologna.
Leaving mother earth, he still retains a strong sense of that distant world, expressed through the senses of his inner child. The Subconscio
project finds its expression in music, where it blends Neo Soul, Hip Hop, and Electronica into a sound deeply influenced by individual experiences. Soft vibrations and relaxed lyrics are the means through which he expresses his devotion to creative freedom, moving with the urgency of someone who has finally found his voice. The word dáimōn originates from Ancient Greek and means divine messenger, a guiding
spirit that hovers in a middle ground, called metaxu, the same place where the soul resides, and acts as a link between God and humanity.*
"Daimon" is Subconscio's debut album, produced by Luzee. It's the intimate vision of a person suspended in his imagination, questioning
the identity of his own memory and how the places that led him to his NOW are actually his future. The present doesn't exist in the narrative.
It exists only in the connection between childhood memories and the adult perspective.
Giulio is his son and also his parent: the Subconscious; the "daimon" is the musical journey that connects these two ways of observing the
same memory. Nostalgic turmoil meets the desire to recognize oneself and fuel the obsession with music, because only this—albeit the least
apparent art—is the only one that can be the voice and bearer of the dimensions of consciousness.
Featuring on the album: Madbuddy and Claver Gold

We Mean It, Man! If you're receiving this message, you are a writerly/music/culture person who wants to know more about the new Gogol Bordello album the band just unleashed. It's called We Mean It, Man! And it's out on February 13, 2026 via Casa Gogol Records. Gogol frontman and spiritual figurehead Eugene Hutz calls it the band's "post punk revenge." It's a fitting description. We Mean It, Man! #was co-produced by Nick Launay, whose 40+ year run of musical partners reads like the Great Canon of avant-teasing rock: Idles, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Public Image Limited, Gang Of Four, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (he did the one with "Heads Will Roll" on it. Dude is the Quincy Jones of the underground). And Adam "Atom" Greenspan (Nick Cave, Idles, Refused, Amyl and The Sniffers).

One guitar, a self-made stand-up drum kit, and preaching vocals are all they need to sound like a bulldozer! A decade after their glorious and successful debut album "Earthquake", the talented duo hit the studio again with full power and recorded 10 self- composed hits at fabulous studio Teepdek. After their sensational 7"- rock'n'roll- anthem "Meatball", which is also included on the 10", "Pepper & Salt" continues in fine style, sounding like a brilliant mix of THE TRASHMEN, READYMEN, BUNKER HILL, ELVIS and ROY ORBISON. With "Pepper and Salt", THE SENSATIONAL SECOND COUSINS truly have a sensational record to offer!

Hania Rani is a pianist, composer and musician who splits her life between Warsaw, where she makes her home, and Berlin where she studied and often works. She has written for strings, piano, voice and electronics and has collaborated with the likes of Christian Löffler, Dobrawa Czocher and Hior Chronik, and released an album with her Polish group teskno last year. She has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in Europe - from the National Philharmony in Warsaw, to Funkhaus in Berlin, to The Roundhouse in London (where she made her debut at the Gondwana 10thanniversary festival last October) and at festivals such as Open'er, Scope Festival and Eurosonic. Her compositions for solo piano were born out of a fascination with the piano as an instrument, and her desire to interpret its sound and harmonic possibilities in their entirety and in her own way.

LP comes with heavy weight reverse board sleeve including a double sided printed insert plus digital download code.

Esja is her debut solo album and for Rani it is her first, real, personal statement as an artist. "No hiding behind the "collaborations" or "projects" anymore. For the very first time, finally - just me, as I am".

Recorded at Rani's apartment in Warsaw (the piano room has a beautiful reverb and the space has become part art studio and part sound laboratory for Rani) and at her friend Bergur Þórisson'sstudio in Reykjavik, Esja is a series of beautiful melodic vignettes. Sensual, sensitive, rhythmic, atmospheric, free but harmonious, beguiling and hypnotic, collectively they project a sense of unlimited space and time.

Expect support from accross the media spectrum from Mojo to Uncut and Gilles Peterson and Mary Ann Hobbs on 6 Music to Radio 3 and beyond. Full servicing to the Gondwana Records datebase.

Robohands, das Projekt des Londoner Schlagzeugers/Komponisten Andy Baxter, gilt mit seiner experimentellen Erkundung des Jazz, Krautrock, Ambient und cineastischer Soundscapes als aufstrebender Name der internationalen Jazz/Ambient-Szene - mit über 10.000 verkauften LPs seiner fünf Alben und Auftritten bei den London Jazz, Montreal Jazz und Waking Life-Festivals. Die neue LP "Oranj" ist eine Hommage an die Pioniere der analogen Aufnahmetechnik mit Röhrenverstärkern, einem 1960er Fender Jazz-Bass, Fender Twin Reverb-Verstärkern und einer Vintage-Hammond-Orgel. Die Tracks vereinen die Wärme der 1960er/70er Jazz-Fusion und Soundtracks der Spät-1970er/80er mit modernen Einflüssen von Boards Of Canada bis Robert Glasper. Frenetische Uptempo-Nummern balancieren mit besinnlichen und experimentellen Momenten. Teils auf Tonband für zusätzliche Klangsättigung aufgenommen, ist es das bisher rohste und spontanste Album von Robohands.

Reissue 2026

A hit born... three times over!

Released in 2005, "Born Again" was re-released in 2011 after becoming one of the most sought-after dance records in Europe.

It went straight to #1 in the Netherlands, where it also went gold!

Now available again on vinyl, remastered by Gianni Bini at HOG Studio, with versions by Balearic Soul, Pastaboys, and Funkerman.

The lyrics are truly powerful and different. I was born into a system that doesn't give a shit about you, or me, or life.

Don't be a victim of the things I do to survive, because I've always known, you Babylonians are good...

Watershed is the ninth studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth. Watershed is the first studio album by Opeth to feature guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and drummer Martin Axenrot, who replaced longtime guitarist Peter Lindgren and drummer Martin Lopez. The artwork for the album was made by Travis Smith in collaboration with Mikael Åkerfeldt. Opeth is a band that has been taking amazing chances and managed to not only win new fans, but not alienate older ones. A perfect blend of the death metal of Still Life and Blackwater Park, the monolithic riffage of Deliverance and Ghost Reveries, and the prog/classicism of Damnation combined with classic Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and Scorpions. Watershed is available as a limited edition of 4.000 individually numbered copies on silver & black marbled vinyl, includes a 4 page booklet and a poster and the sleeve has a special linen laminate finish.

Following her compelling debut EP Mending, Frida Touray returns with Homebody, a work of raw emotional clarity, crafted duringa time when her voice was literally fighting back. Diagnosed mid-process with a rare condition that forced her into silence andstillness, Touray chose not retreat, but rebuild. From the quiet corners of domestic life, she’s shaped a collection of songs thatradiate warmth, vulnerability and quiet endurance.Musically, Homebody expands on Touray’s jazz-soul foundations with sparse, atmospheric production that amplifies her voiceand message. There’s a newfound looseness in her phrasing, a deeper sense of presence in every word she sings. You can hearthe letting go, of perfection, of control, and the deepening of purpose in its place. Each track lands with unfiltered intimacy andemotional architecture, a subtle act of defiance wrapped in softness.This is music built on stillness and shaped by resilience. A reflection on self-worth, illness, femininity, community and healing.Songs that speak to the unseen parts of recovery and the small rooms we build ourselves back up in. Homebody is a record foranyone rebuilding from the inside.

Apollo Ghosts return with “Amethyst,” a seven-song EP overflowing with introspection, defiance, and the frustration of grappling with the world’s ills. With distortion pedals and walls of feedback - a first for Apollo Ghosts! - the songs contrast the monotony of daily life with climate anxiety, the rise of autocracies with the rise of apathy. But throughout, the album cements Apollo Ghosts' status as lifelong underground music defenders and eternal optimists with plenty of nods to 90s indie rock heroes Yo La Tengo, Dead Moon, Pavement, Guided By Voices, Eric’s Trip and Built To Spill

Repress!

LTD Edition white vinyl version of RÜFÜS DU SOL's debut LP 'ATLAS' that hit Number 1 in Australia. The album was a testament to the band’s passion, work ethic and DIY approach to music, featuring the much loved singles 'Take Me' and 'Desert Night'.

A labour of love, the album was written, produced and recorded by the band between two studios they built themselves - one in a remote farmhouse on the NSW south coast, the second in a hollowed out water tank under one of their parents houses.

Suburban Architecture are pleased to announce the second release in their 'New Town Dubs' series, following in the footsteps of the now Sold Out 'Architecture Dubs' series. Whereas 'Architecture Dubs' enlisted remixers from Drum & Bass's mid 90s golden era (among them the likes of Peshay, Blame, 4Hero and Ray Keith), 'New Town Dubs' turns its attention to the new breed of producers inspired by the sounds of Drum & Bass and Jungle's foundations.

On the A-Side, a rinsing Amen rework of 2022 roller 'Distant Response' comes courtesy of Law, the name behind the prolific Repertoire imprint. With releases on labels including Silent Force, Rupture and of course Repertoire, Law has been a major player in the Jungle revival sound for over a decade.

Over on the flip, Melbourne based producer Kloke delivers a stripped back rework of 'Rising', taken from this year's 'Vivid' EP. With releases on Future Retro, Hyperdub and Diamond Life, Kloke is a frequent collaborator with Tim Reaper and has collaborated with many of the notable producers and labels representing Jungle's new wave.

Pressed on 10" vinyl and housed in brown Kraft paper sleeves, the series makes visual reference to the exclusive dubplate pressings which introduced so many classic cuts to the UK's dancefloors in the 90s.

Formerly one third of the much-loved trio Black Box Recorder, alongside The Auteurs’ Luke Haines and Jesus and Mary Chain guitarist John Moore, the British singer-songwriter Sarah Nixey has steadily gained acclaim as a solo artist who makes savvy, sophisticated and poised pop.

Delivering vocals with a detached elegance over opulent tracks, any perceived nonchalance in Nixey’s luxe, cut glass voice belies her empathy, where social commentary serves as protest, both explicit and implied. Like Billy Bragg deepfaked as prime Julie Andrews, this strange but effective juxtaposition radiates soft power. ‘Lies of the Land’ depicts a corrupt post-Brexit and Covid-19 world where inequality and division flourish. ‘England's On Fire’ delves into the nuanced concepts of patriotism and nationalism, and ‘Pleasure Bay’ narrates the story of a love affair with a deprived yet beautiful English seaside town, written after Nixey left London, drawn back to the Dorset coast.
More than just a political record though, Nixey was drawn to the poetic elements of living too, telling stories of life and death, love and loss, conflicts and symmetry, in an intimate and close-up way, as if whispering secrets to her listeners.

“Sea Fever explores the bittersweet beauty of human life amid a volatile world of changing seasons and brutal elements,” says Nixey. “These are songs of deep sorrow, remembrance, birth, and change, set against a backdrop of the sensuous natural world.”
‘Rolling Waves’ explores profound grief following her beloved grandmother's death, while ‘Spring Equinox’ celebrates the joy and awe of life after welcoming her first grandchild. ‘At the Edge of the Forest’ is a poignant story of someone losing their memory, and ‘On This Wide Night’ recounts the early hours return home of a teenage runaway.

Für Mandy, Indiana, ist die Wahrheit der einzige Weg. Auf "URGH", ihrem ersten Album bei Sacred Bones präsentiert, sich das Quartett - bestehend aus Sängerin Valentine Caulfield, Gitarrist und Produzent Scott Fair, Synthesizer-Spieler Simon Catling und Schlagzeuger Alex Macdougall - als eine Kraft von unheimlicher Natur, die ein Album geschaffen hat, das ebenso sehr ein Aufruf zum Handeln ist wie eine Reise in die Vergessenheit und Transzendenz. In den zehn Tracks verwebt die Band ihre eigene unkonventionelle Sprache zu einem Mantra für Selbstbestimmung und Widerstandsfähigkeit und schafft so eine Vorlage für eine bessere Zukunft, bevor alles in Dunkelheit versinkt. Ein Großteil des Albums wurde während eines Aufenthalts in einem unheimlichen Studiohaus am Stadtrand von Leeds geschrieben und anschließend in Berlin und Greater Manchester aufgenommen. Es war eine intensive Umgebung, was zum Teil auf die gesundheitlichen Probleme zurückzuführen war, mit denen Caulfield und Macdougall während des Schreib- und Aufnahmeprozesses zu kämpfen hatten. Dennoch bleiben Mandy, Indiana kompromisslos. Caulfield setzt ihre Stimme als verzerrtes Instrument und Waffe ein, die zwischen verspielt und vernichtend oszilliert. Der pulsierende Sirenenton von ,Magazine" steht neben dem zerhackten Vocal Fry von ,try saying" und der sich wandelnden Wildheit von ,ist halt so", das die Dringlichkeit von Protestbewegungen kanalisiert, auf den Widerstand gegen den Völkermord in Gaza verweist und gleichzeitig allgemeinere Kämpfe thematisiert, während der letzte Track ,I'll Ask Her" eine bewusste Direktheit ist, die die toxische Boy-Club-Kultur anprangert, und eine hartnäckige Abrechnung, die über dem gesamten Album schwebt. Obwohl es immer noch unbestreitbare ,Knaller" gibt (wie der zerfetzte Rap von ,Sicko!" mit Billy Woods), wirkt "URGH" oft wie präzise geschnitztes Kino. Vom sprühenden Techno von ,Cursive" bis zu den dekonstruierten Feedback-Loops von ,Life Hex" bewegt sich das Album zwischen industrieller Katharsis und filmischer Unruhe und spinnt eine Spannung, die Fair als ,Remix seiner selbst" beschreibt. Diese kontrastreiche Palette ist sowohl ein notwendiger Aspekt des Albums als auch das zugrunde liegende Bindeglied. Obwohl "URGH" sehr persönlich ist, spiegelt es den gewalttätigen, zerbrochenen Zustand der Welt wider. Caulfields Texte setzen sich mit Gewalt, systemischer Gleichgültigkeit und der Allgegenwart von Schmerz auseinander, betonen aber auch Momente der Schönheit und Solidarität. URGH gehört in die physische Welt, und das Artwork von Carnovsky mit einer anatomischen Illustration von Andreas Vesalius unterstreicht die viszerale Auseinandersetzung des Albums mit dem Körper und seinen Grenzen. URGH ist sowohl jenseitig als auch physisch und kathartisch, sowohl ein erster Schritt zur Heilung als auch eine Weigerung, das Gespräch sterben zu lassen.

Drummer/producer Teppo Mäkynen's 3TM returns with a new album, "Lake", on 29 November on Helsinki's We Jazz Records. The album is the much awaited follow up to 2017's successful 3TM debut "Form", which was awarded as the "Jazz Album of the Year" in Mäkynen's native Finland. "Lake" was preceded by the ambient electronic album "Abyss" in August, which set the mood for what's to come next: A compact yet far-reaching body of work bringing together the trio's acoustic jazz sound and ideas rooted in abstract electronic music in a remarkably boundless way.

"Lake" is a collection of 9 Mäkynen-penned originals ranging from the looping, hypnotic compositions such as first single "Laws Of Life" to the delicacy of tracks such as "Woods". There is a sense of long form narrative here, evident in glorious, slowly evolving tracks such as "Lake" and "A Pile Of Broken Dreams". The overall sound is swinging, melodic, deep and futuristic. It's acoustic jazz and abstract electronic music understood deeply and used as the base of a new sound, which goes beyond the usual distinctions of "acoustic jazz" or "electronic music". This is music for the present day, moving forward.

3TM's "Lake" will be available as white and black vinyl versions, complete with printed inner sleeve featuring Mäkynen's essay about the theme of the album. On vinyl, "Lake" will also be available as a 2LP bundle with "Abyss", and the CD version includes both discs, "Lake" and "Abyss".

In the 3TM trio formation Mäkynen is joined by sax man Jussi Kannaste and bassist Antti Lötjönen, both Finnish scene mainstays. The band will celebrate their new release at Helsinki's We Jazz Festival on 7 December.

Swiss artist Lukas Traxel releases his powerful debut album One-Eyed Daruma on We Jazz Records, March 10. The trio features Traxel on double bass, Otis Sandsjö on sax and Moritz Baumgärtner on drums. Compact, deep, and organic to the bone, Traxel & co's sound echoes the innovations of rhythmically driven avantgarde jazz while keeping things moving at all times. There's both drive and freedom to this sound.
ONe-Eyed Daruma features eight new compositions by Traxel, who crafted the outline for the album while dealing with the loss of his father. The group came together after an open invitation from the Zurich jazz club Moods to present a new group. The trio of Traxel, Sandsjö and Baumgärtner creates a full, symphonic, and powerful body of sound despite the instrumentation without a harmony instrument. The trio functions as a collective where the boundaries between composition, melody, and accompaniment are in flux, while keeping the common goal of creating new music together in sight at all times. Traxel reports that after playing bass in various groups with guitar and/or piano, he wanted to create a counterpoint of sorts with his new group and specifically go about it with a more sparse setup. As One-Eyed Drama proves, the idea behind the trio dynamic is a strong one and the unit makes use of their extra space in creating evocative, moody, swinging creative jazz with a distinguishable fingerprint of its own.
Lukas Traxel says:

"The process of composing this music while dealing with the loss of a loved one resulted in a writer's block at first. The notes would just not flow out of my pen until I noticed a mysterious-looking figure in the right upper corner of my piano. It was a daruma, an eyeless figure that in the Japanese tradition brings luck and prosperity. According to the myth, the first eye must be drawn onto the figure while expressing a wish. The second eye can be added only if the wish comes true. My daruma is meant to stay one-eyed as my wish, strongly connected and intertwined with my now gone father, is not meant to be fulfilled. The feeling of unfulfillment and imperfection of life serves as a common thread throughout this album, right down to its title. In a similar fashion, a composition remains incomplete until it is interpreted by musicians, and given form as music. That being said, for me playing together with this trio symbolises the upside: the sense of fulfillment in music and life.

Our musical influences include the American composer and singer Caroline Shaw, Swiss pianist Colin Vallon's trio, and composer/singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane. In addition, I have listened a lot to the trio albums of Jimmy Guiffre and Sonny Rollins. Besides that, my musical heroes like Charlie Haden, John Coltrane, and Keith Jarrett always flow into the music. Another very important influence in the music is the work of American visual artist Agnes Martin, in whose works the imperfection of a multiplicity of repetitions results in a lively big whole in the end. (See "Wild Flower")

Live, the trio takes a lot of freedom in interpreting this music, yet we have a deeper, almost pop-like attitude towards the live performance as an experience. For me it's always important to build a strong narrative with the band while on stage."

One-Eyed Daruma by Lukas Traxel is released on 10 March 2023 by We Jazz Records on LP/CD/digitally. The LP edition is shelved in an inside-out sleeve and pressed on white vinyl. The CD is housed in a cardboard digisleeve with UV lacquer finish.

Falter is the 5th full-length album from New Zealand-based composer/-multi-instrumentalist Micah Templeton-Wolfe, working under the moniker Stray Theories.

Templeton-Wolfe has consistently woven together the cinematic sweep of ambient music, the refined structures of neoclassical composition, and the emotional cresting arcs of post-rock. With Falter, those intersections are more deeply blurred, yet more boldly explored.

Transparent Red Vinyl.

The title Falter evokes wavering, hesitation, uncertainty of intent and yet the album stands in sharp contrast to that concept: Templeton-Wolfe’s performance here is marked by a quiet but unmistakable confidence.
From the first notes, the listener is immersed in an atmosphere in which the music feels like a cinematic means of passage, a journey toward redemption. Optimism is present, but ever cloaked in doubt; moments of
contemplative solace sit side-by-side with streaks of melancholia. One senses something looming within the sound-world of Falter. As though the heart itself can tell something is coming.

In this respect, Falter may well rank as the most affecting release in Templeton-Wolfe’s canon to date. While his earlier work had always balanced delicate textures and evocative atmosphere, here he pushes into a more expansive emotional terrain. Only the hopeful refrain “Lifelines” brings the album fully into brighter territory , hinting that redemption is possible, that the journey through doubt is not endless.

"Tranquilizer is, Ambience by force" - Oneohtrix Point Never

"Tranquilizer" klingt nicht nach Beruhigung, sondern nach Wiederauftauchen. Daniel Lopatin verurteilt nicht unser Bedürfnis nach Flucht, sondern erkundet vielmehr, was danach passiert. Sein neues Album zeichnet eine Bewegung von schwereloser Ruhe hin zu etwas Bodenständigerem nach – keine Heldenreise, sondern der notwendige Kreislauf von Rückzug und Rückkehr, der uns in einer ebenso überwältigenden wie banalen Welt den Verstand bewahrt.

Wir stürzen aus der triefenden Glückseligkeit von "Lifeworld" in die traurige Melancholie von "Cherry Blue" und die spastischen Grooves von "Rodl Glide". Wie immer bei OPN kollidiert das Reale mit dem Unwirklichen. Wer genau hinhört, hört das Kratzen von Fingern auf einem Griffbrett, einen Stein, der über einen Kerkerboden gleitet, das Quietschen einer sich öffnenden Tür. Lopatins Musik war nie ein abstraktes Farbfeld; sie hat Gewicht, Kanten, Schatten. Während "R Plus Seven" nur aus kristallinen Arpeggiatoren bestand und "Garden Of Delete" ein fieberhaftes Erbrechen gurgelnder Synthesizer war, fühlt sich "Tranquilizer" an, als würde man aus einem Traum fallen, den man noch berühren kann.

Für Mandy, Indiana, ist die Wahrheit der einzige Weg. Auf "URGH", ihrem ersten Album bei Sacred Bones präsentiert, sich das Quartett - bestehend aus Sängerin Valentine Caulfield, Gitarrist und Produzent Scott Fair, Synthesizer-Spieler Simon Catling und Schlagzeuger Alex Macdougall - als eine Kraft von unheimlicher Natur, die ein Album geschaffen hat, das ebenso sehr ein Aufruf zum Handeln ist wie eine Reise in die Vergessenheit und Transzendenz. In den zehn Tracks verwebt die Band ihre eigene unkonventionelle Sprache zu einem Mantra für Selbstbestimmung und Widerstandsfähigkeit und schafft so eine Vorlage für eine bessere Zukunft, bevor alles in Dunkelheit versinkt. Ein Großteil des Albums wurde während eines Aufenthalts in einem unheimlichen Studiohaus am Stadtrand von Leeds geschrieben und anschließend in Berlin und Greater Manchester aufgenommen. Es war eine intensive Umgebung, was zum Teil auf die gesundheitlichen Probleme zurückzuführen war, mit denen Caulfield und Macdougall während des Schreib- und Aufnahmeprozesses zu kämpfen hatten. Dennoch bleiben Mandy, Indiana kompromisslos. Caulfield setzt ihre Stimme als verzerrtes Instrument und Waffe ein, die zwischen verspielt und vernichtend oszilliert. Der pulsierende Sirenenton von ,Magazine" steht neben dem zerhackten Vocal Fry von ,try saying" und der sich wandelnden Wildheit von ,ist halt so", das die Dringlichkeit von Protestbewegungen kanalisiert, auf den Widerstand gegen den Völkermord in Gaza verweist und gleichzeitig allgemeinere Kämpfe thematisiert, während der letzte Track ,I'll Ask Her" eine bewusste Direktheit ist, die die toxische Boy-Club-Kultur anprangert, und eine hartnäckige Abrechnung, die über dem gesamten Album schwebt. Obwohl es immer noch unbestreitbare ,Knaller" gibt (wie der zerfetzte Rap von ,Sicko!" mit Billy Woods), wirkt "URGH" oft wie präzise geschnitztes Kino. Vom sprühenden Techno von ,Cursive" bis zu den dekonstruierten Feedback-Loops von ,Life Hex" bewegt sich das Album zwischen industrieller Katharsis und filmischer Unruhe und spinnt eine Spannung, die Fair als ,Remix seiner selbst" beschreibt. Diese kontrastreiche Palette ist sowohl ein notwendiger Aspekt des Albums als auch das zugrunde liegende Bindeglied. Obwohl "URGH" sehr persönlich ist, spiegelt es den gewalttätigen, zerbrochenen Zustand der Welt wider. Caulfields Texte setzen sich mit Gewalt, systemischer Gleichgültigkeit und der Allgegenwart von Schmerz auseinander, betonen aber auch Momente der Schönheit und Solidarität. URGH gehört in die physische Welt, und das Artwork von Carnovsky mit einer anatomischen Illustration von Andreas Vesalius unterstreicht die viszerale Auseinandersetzung des Albums mit dem Körper und seinen Grenzen. URGH ist sowohl jenseitig als auch physisch und kathartisch, sowohl ein erster Schritt zur Heilung als auch eine Weigerung, das Gespräch sterben zu lassen.

Vintage recording equipment has long been a bit of a fetish, but to sound pioneers Voka Gentle, even the most magical machines are a means to an end. The band, made up of twins Ellie and Imogen Mason, along with Imogen’s husband, William J Stokes, are a family band in the truest sense. Whilst they started as a folk trio, their new album Domestic Bliss is an album of throat-grabbing, avant-garde indie rock songs studded with eccentric choices: a synth with its keys jammed, playing a tune of its own making; field recordings – Morris dancers, motorbikes – captured on binaural headphones.

Domestic Bliss is concerned with power: the abuse of it, being on the cusp of it, and what it really means. The album is
teaming with imaginary people in picaresque scenes that reveal the band’s rich cultural storehouse. The songs draw on history, literature, everyday life and pop culture references (specifically Jude Law’s 1995 Vogue cover), with tracks like Cheddar Man reflecting on climate change and prehistory and Creon I tracing the unease of authority through the lens of Greek mythology.

Recorded in the orchestral studios of City University, the album folds intimacy into scale, from phone-recorded vocals and samples of breath to heavy, tribal electronics in grand acoustic spaces. The result is by far their most refined record yet, where the band treat the recording studio like an instrument.

Cutting by Tohru Kotetsu — one of Japan’s leading mastering and cutting engineers!

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of ZARD’s debut, the best album Golden Best ~15th Anniversary~ is being released on analog vinyl!
The release is set for February 4, just before the 35th anniversary of their debut (February 10, 2026).

Originally released in 2006, Golden Best ~15th Anniversary~ is the ultimate ZARD best album, achieving million sales. It is also the final work
Izumi Sakai released during her lifetime before her passing in 2007.
For the vinyl release of such an important work, the cutting was entrusted to Tohru Kotetsu, one of Japan’s top mastering and cutting engineers and
a devoted fan of ZARD. The timeless ZARD classics engraved by Kotetsu have resulted in a truly exquisite finish. Please enjoy the warmth and depth
of sound that only analog vinyl can deliver.

Ski Mask The Slump God is a vaunted underground rap legend and pioneer in the Soundcloud Rap era
The Lost Files is a collection of songs from the soundcloud era, some unreleased, some never on streaming before.
Includes rarely heard features from XXXTentacion
Recently released “Catch Me Outside 2,” the followup track to his iconic “Catch Me Outside” track - with the single and video going viral
Over 8.5M streams on Spotify alone since release
Recently performed Sold-Out hometown concert celebrating release of The Lost Files. The show sold out in 4 minutes

Mit ihrem neuen Werk "Liturgy of Death" bekräftigen MAYHEM ihren Status als kompromissloseste Kraft des norwegischen Black Metal. Nach vier Jahrzehnten des Exzesses hat die Band einen neuen Höhepunkt erreicht: schneller, heftiger und finsterer als alles andere in ihrem bisherigen Schaffen. Das Album entfaltet sich als unerbittliche Meditation über den Tod in all seinen Erscheinungsformen - existentiell, spirituell und absolut. Vom wütenden Chaos von "Despair" und "Funeral of Existence" bis zur düsteren Erhabenheit von "Ephemeral Eternity" und "Aeon's End" zieht jeder Track den Hörer tiefer in ein Ritual des Elends und der Transzendenz hinein. "Propitious Death" und "The Sentence of Absolution" verbinden Brutalität mit einer bedrohlichen Atmosphäre, während "Life Is a Corpse You Drag" und "Sancta Mendacia" keinen Zweifel daran lassen, dass Mayhem nach wie vor unübertroffen darin sind, Verzweiflung in Klang umzusetzen.

Mit Necrobutcher, Hellhammer, Attila, Teloch und Ghul, die enger denn je zusammenarbeiten, präsentiert "Liturgy of Death" eine Band, die sich nicht mit ihrem Erbe zufrieden gibt, sondern entschlossen ist, die Grenzen des Extremen selbst zu erweitern. Das Ergebnis ist ein gnadenloses Album - düster, schnell und unerbittlich -, das Mayhem in ihrer gefährlichsten und vitalsten Form einfängt. Vierzig Jahre nach ihrer Gründung in Langhus verkörpern MAYHEM weiterhin das Chaos und beweisen einmal mehr, dass der norwegische Black Metal eine Kraft ohne Ende ist.

Music from the soundtrack to a horror-comedy podcast that Wood was commissioned to compose for in 2020. "At the height of the pandemic, podcasters Mayfield & Belov approached Will Wood to commission him to compose for an upcoming show entitled ""Camp Here & There."" The podcast had not been recorded yet, and as if that weren't enough, Wood couldn't read sheet music. However, Wood accepted the challenge and began to teach himself new methods of writing that would allow him to compose music note-for-note in ways that his days as a bandleader had not yet prepared him for. M&B provided notes and concept art they had developed so Wood could learn about the stories and characters, and he dug into his own life and used that and what he learned about the show as inspiration for what started as simple background music and eventually became a collection of both score and original songs. This album contains both instrumental music and four original songs, including "Yes, to Err is Human, So Don't Be One." and "Your Body, My Temple."

Recorded in one night in 2017 "The Real Will Wood" is a raucous live album accompanying a concert film of the same name. "The Real Will Wood" is a genre-bending mockumentary concert film co-created by Will Wood and Chris Dunne (Life in the World to Come, Revelator). The soundtrack and concert video were recorded in one night in 2017; the band was strung out and bigger than ever. Until recently, this raw and high-energy live album has had only limited releases, as has the film.

Tales from Topographic Oceans (Super Deluxe Edition) is the definitive version of Yes' ambitious sixth album, the record that stands as one of the most sprawling and intricate works of the progressive rock era. This expansive album version includes twelve CDs, two LPs, and a Blu-Ray disc. Introducing, a newly mastered/remastered version of the original album by Bernie Grundman for vinyl and CD. Delve deeper with new 2026 Steven Wilson remixes of the core album, including instrumental versions, alongside a treasure trove of previously issued rarities. This collection is further enriched by portions of two previously unreleased live performances from the legendary Tales tour. A Blu-Ray disc completes the collection with Steven Wilson's new mixes, including the album in immersive Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA.
Tracklist: 11CD + Blu-Ray
Disc 1 Original Album Remastered
1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD 22:01
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE REMEMBERING [20:38]
HIGH THE MEMORY

Disc 2
1. THE ANCIENT [18:34]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
2. RITUAL [21:35]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

Disc 3 Steven Wilson 2025 Remixes
1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD [22:01]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE REMEMBERING [20:38]
HIGH THE MEMORY

Disc 4
1. THE ANCIENT [18:34]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
2. RITUAL [21:35]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

Disc 5 Steven Wilson 2025 Instrumental Mixes
1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD [22:01]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE REMEMBERING [20:38]
HIGH THE MEMORY

Disc 6
1. THE ANCIENT [18:34]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
2. RITUAL [21:35]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

Disc 7: Rarities
1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD (Single Edit) [3:54]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE REMEMBERING (Single Edit) [2:50]
HIGH THE MEMORY
3. THE ANCIENT (Single Edit) [3:26]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
4. RITUAL (Single Edit 1) [4:20]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL
5. RITUAL (Single Edit 2) [3:47]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

6. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD (Version 1) [23:36]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
7. THE REMEMBERING (In Progress) [20:36]
HIGH THE MEMORY
8. THE ANCIENT (In Progress) [17:18]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN

Disc 8: Rarities
1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD (In Progress)* [27:50]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE ANCIENT (In Progress 2)* [19:30]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
3. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD (In Progress 2)* [21:52]
DANCE OF THE DAWN

Disc 9: Rarities
1. THE REMEMBERING (In Progress 2)* [20:42]
HIGH THE MEMORY
2. RITUAL (In Progress)* [24:37]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL
3. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD (Version 2) [22:23]
DANCE OF THE DAWN

Disc 10: Live 1973
1. THE REMEMBERING (Live TBD 1973)*
HIGH THE MEMORY
2. THE ANCIENT (Live TBD 1973)*
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
Live at Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales, December 1, 1973
3. THE ANCIENT* [19:55]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
4. RITUAL* [20:41]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

Disc 11: Live at Hallenstadion Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland, April 21,1974
1. AND YOU AND I* [10:10]
I. CORD OF LIFE
II. ECLIPSE
III. THE PREACHER THE TEACHER
IV. APOCALYPSE

2. CLOSE TO THE EDGE* [19:12]
I. THE SOLID TIME OF CHANGE
II. TOTAL MASS RETAIN
III. I GET UP I GET DOWN
IV. SEASONS OF MAN

3. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD* [14:38]
DANCE OF THE DAWN

Disc 12: Live at Hallenstadion Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland, April 21,1974
1. THE ANCIENT* [20:12]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
2. RITUAL [23:00]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL

Blu-Ray:
2025 Dolby Atmos Mix
2025 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA
2025 Stereo Remix
2025 Stereo Remaster
2025 Instrumental Mix

1. THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD [22:01]
DANCE OF THE DAWN
2. THE REMEMBERING [20:38]
HIGH THE MEMORY
3. THE ANCIENT [18:34]
GIANTS UNDER THE SUN
4. RITUAL [21:35]
NOUS SOMMES DU SOLEIL


[a] a1 THE REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD [22:01]

[c] b1 THE REMEMBERING [20:38]

[e] c1 THE ANCIENT [18:34]

[g] d1 RITUAL [21:35]

Active for 40 years, Nurse with wound is one of the projects of Steven Stapleton, materialized in a very wide range of hysterical noise over sound collages and cut ups, abstract music, soothing drones and surreal sound paintings, and more rhythmical and mechanical pieces, always inspired by Dadaism and Futurism, Krautrock, jazz improvisation, surrealism, never losing his main goal, that is having fun and enjoying himself.He has had many collaborators, a recurrent one in the 80s and 90’s being Current 93’s David Tibet, another noticeable one still at work with him is Andrew Liles.The main line of this unpredictable sound builder is hectic and uncompromised, his point of view is that everything is possible and applies it to himself. As a youngster he wanted to be an artist so decided he was one . He is not a musician, and says he has no interest in becoming one. Surprisingly, (or not!), the love of his life is building sculptures out of recycled and reclaimed materials, building things with anything, even junk. And sounds, we are a witness to it.With these very strange juxtapositions of styles and manners, female rap music and 50s and 60s lounge music having a special top priority in Steven’s tastes, and a creativity that has no bounds no taboos, with a taste of novelty every time, Nurse with wound will no doubt continue to surprise people listening to his works, and himself, as he wants to keep it fresh every time, mostly for him.

Islaja presents her new album ”Angel Tape”, her debut release on the new Helsinki-based label Other Power. Drawing inspiration from childhood epiphanies while listening to an alleged recording of angels singing, Islaja has crafted an album that stands out as a major work in her expansive and celebrated catalogue, which includes previous releases on labels such as Ecstatic Peace!, Fonal and Svart.


Islaja, aka Finnish artist Merja Kokkonen, describes her new album as a “counterwork” to her most recent albums, where the mode of composing was more song-based. This time around, she goes more in the direction of vast fields of sound where the human voice is a key ingredient of music that breaks free of strict stylistic guidelines and traditional song forms. Rough around the edges, atonal and otherworldly, "Angel Tape” is the result of a lifetime of inspiration from something beyond the immediate realm of our experience, an attempt to catch the elusive essence of musical otherness.


”As a child, I listened to the ’angel tape’ my mother played, and I never thought that the human voices I heard on it were angels singing. Instead, all the aural debris lying just beneath the surface caught my attention as I thought it was mysterious and something from a different world than ours, and so that was probably what was referred to as the ’angels’ so miraculously caught on tape”, Kokkonen explains. ”I think this was one thing that led me on this lifelong quest to find new sounds and forms in music.”



The tape she is referring to, a mid-80s church recording, was passed around in religious circles. Each time the tape was copied, it became slightly more distorted. It was believed that this recording of religious music had accidentally captured for the first time the voices of actual angels singing. The tape was rumoured to have originated in Kansas City and to have made its way to Finland.


Whereas Islaja has often thought of albums as being collections of recent songs presented together, ”Angel Tape” has a strong sense of conceptual coherence. The music comes from a place. That doesn’t mean that one must take a single path from one place to the next, as close listenings of the album reveal layers upon layers of not only sound but also of mood and meaning. From the human voice in its barest form, to the rising dense walls of sound moving and reshaping, ”Angel Tape” is a captivating album that unveils new contours with each repeated listening.

Gothenburg trio Dark Horse present their new album "Listen", released by We Jazz Records on 13 November. The band, comprising of John Holmström (piano), Alfred Lorinius (bass) and Mårten Magnefors (drums) recorded their second album in a remote cabin by the ocean in Norway, owned by Holmström's family. The natural sound of the album owes a lot to the relaxed surroundings and the result is some high degree of improvised music turning into collective composition as the music unfolds.

The album recording took place at a very active spot in the trio's calendar, following extensive touring in Europe, Japan and their native country Sweden. The two days of improvising were edited down to highlights that easily fill an album's worth of quality listening and reveal what playing live brought to the three musicians: A natural ability to react to ideas, build on them and form coherent, compositional tracks on the spot. A task much easier said than done.

"We're a non-conceptual basement band all the way", laughs pianist Holmström. "We have been moving from free form music into collective composition and this is our pinnacle recording with that idea thus far. We just set out to play as honestly as possible and this is what followed."

A testament to the power of a fixed band unit developing over time, "Listen" comes across as a work by a group constantly keeping its nose to the wind when it comes to developing their music. The long-form opener "Allas Favorit" is a monumental piece building and releasing tension along its 12+ minute length. First single "Brutet Groove" assumes a fascinating, almost mechanic-sounding swing while assembling and reassembling the pieces of the puzzle, and the closing track "Fjäll-låten" gives us something of an ever-shifting sonic landscape in glorious colors, much akin to its name ("Mountain Song" in Swedish).

"That one Fjäll-låten includes some of the best musical moments of my life so far" confirms bassist Alfred Lorinius. "It's actually an edit of a 20-minute improvised sequence, and it has the real feeling of the band coming together and doing something new and fresh in the moment. I feel it's something you can revisit as many times as you like and there's always something to find in there."

Dark Horse formed in 2012 after Lorinius joined Holmström and drummer Mårten Magnefors to complete the group. Things quickly started taking shape musically from there on, but the group took their time in honing their craft with a method they now refer to as "tryout development". Their self-titled debut album appeared in 2015 and the current We Jazz album "Listen" marks the first internationally distributed release for the trio.The roots of Dark Horse lay firmly in the buzzing creative music scene of Gothenburg, Sweden, where the members have close ties with local establishments such as the legendary venue BrÖtz, and the city's vast scene of highly-regarded musicians.

In brief, "Listen" presents Dark Horse gloriously putting into use their musical philosophy what they describe "improvising as composing together".

"Listen" by Dark Horse is released by Helsinki's We Jazz Records on 13 November 2020 on vinyl and digitally. The vinyl comes in a heavy duty tip-on sleeve and the album design features the painting "Overwhelming Structure" by the Helsinki-based visual artist Maija Lassila.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.

As the fifth chapter in the band's discography, " The Neonai" arrived at a critical juncture in Lake of Tears' career, marking both an end and a reluctant new beginning. Released in 2002, three years after the melancholic masterpiece Forever Autumn, the album came to life under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Despite the commercial and critical success of its predecessor (the band's best- selling album to date) Lake of Tears found themselves adrift, unsupported by their label at a time when the world expected them to rise higher than ever. Instead of world tours and deserved recognition, the band withdrew, disillusioned, and made the difficult decision to put all activities on hold. But one last obligation remained: to deliver a final album to Black Mark Productions. What could have been a soulless, contract- bound release turned out to be anything but. "The Neonai" pulses with haunting melodies, infectious refrains, and a deeper embrace of keyboards and electronic textures, without ever losing the emotional gravity and sorrowful beauty that define Lake of Tears.

If this album was truly written "in haste," then let us hope Daniel Brennare continues to compose under pressure, for rarely has urgency sounded so inspired. As with the previous vinyl releases, we do not single out any specific tracks. Each song, like every Lake of Tears album, carries its own unique charm, its own shade of shadow and light. "The Neonai" is not simply a continuation, it is a transformation, an echo from a band caught between endings and new beginnings. Another gem in the band's catalogue, a masterpiece where the doom/ gothic equation tilts gracefully in favor of the latter. A deeply cherished album, long adored by Lake of Tears' devoted followers, who have waited patiently for 23 years to finally see it released on vinyl. After all, every ending is but the beginning of something new. And as we've said before: The end for Lake of Tears has not yet come, and we truly hope it won't come for a long, long time.