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Another foggy day in Yorkshire. A steel grey sky. Raindrops tracing one another down the windowpane. Kirk Barley sits in his studio and assembles compositions from scraps of found sound and live instrumentation. Melodies swell, withdraw and repeat like waves. Time slows. Accelerates. Slows again. The light bends, tweaked at the edges. Twisted by rhythms that never quite resolve.

Written, recorded and produced by Barley in Yorkshire in early 2024, Lux picks up where 2023 LP Marionette leaves off, conjuring a mystical, reflective space between formal minimalism and sonic imaginaries of northern landscapes.

And yet, where Marionette relied at times on more recognisable field recordings, Lux leans into Barley’s skill as an instrumentalist and sound designer, working from a palette of short samples and utilising a variety of alternate tuning systems to build, layer and coax his compositions into being. Most evident on tracks ‘Vita’, ‘Sprite’ and ‘Descendent’, these tunings create an otherworldly harmonic language that is easier to perceive than describe.

Alongside more familiar instruments of guitar, bass, drums, organ and clarinet, here Barley draws on plastic saxophones and bells, and recordings of glass, wood and metal sound objects to provide the organic matter. Rather than directly representative of the natural world, Lux enters into a dialogue with it which, like the grasses and flowers of the album’s cover, exists somewhere between reality and artifice.

On album opener ‘Cache’, Barley constructs his own sense of time from a recording of an umbrella crank, a sparse and spectral piece which hints at memories embedded in the track’s title. Introspection blossoms into new life on ‘Vita’, crumpling again into the percussive ambience of ‘Verre’. A track that takes its harmonic lead from the clinks of glass, it features Barley’s long-time collaborator Matt Davies on drums, whose nuanced, tonally sensitive playing gives ‘Verre’ a fizzing, ice-like quality.

There are several moments where Lux picks up on themes Barley explored under electronic moniker Church Andrews on recent works with Davies, stretching and distorting temporalities most explicitly on ‘Descendent’, whose ritualistic air unfurls around a pattern in exponential decline.

Embracing the surrealism Barley absorbed over years watching classic film noir and the works of David Lynch and Federico Fellini, Lux wends its way through the enchanted sound worlds of ‘Sprite’ and ‘Balanced’ before arriving at the album’s title track.

An expression of his recent experiments in live, prepared guitar, ‘Lux’ brings the album back to earth, returning us to the room where the rain has stopped, the clouds have parted, and the soft warmth of the spring sun is pouring in through the open window.

Hüma Utku returns to Editions Mego with her new album. The title Dracones makes reference to the mediaeval latin term "Hic sunt dracones" (Here be dragons), marking the unexplored, dangerous places on world maps, expressing the fear of chaos, the unexpected and the unknown.

This new work by the Istanbul sound artist is a sonic journal of an expedition into uncharted territory, one which occupies self and domesticity. Inspired by Utku’s experience of matrescence, Dracones explores the themes of familial demonology, metamorphosis and homecoming as well as human relationship to the experience of love woven layers of euphoria, alienation and consumption.

Musically, Dracones traverses a wide array of sonic tools whereby industrial sounds are imbedded with certain psychological angles, this is an album where, all matter meshes into a sly snapshot of the human experience with a tension and release exposure occurring frequently with dark corners opening up to bright layers of electronic experimentation.

The haunting opening track ‘A World Between Worlds’ tackles pregnancy, of which Utku was experiencing when making this record. The emotional, physical, spiritual and mental experience of this journey is all documented here.. This track features the ‘Lyraei’, an electromagnetic string instrument and modern interpretation of the ancient lyre, that was built and played by Mihalis Shammas. ‘Comfort of The Shadows’ moves from within to without, what was once hidden is now exposed. Utku’s ability to conjure the visual in the sonic is at the forefront as howling electronics give a distinct impression of movement. ‘A Familial Curse’ presents a desire to break the cycle of generational trauma with a creeping sense of dread that rolls into an industrial rhythm prior to landing in a beautiful place represented with shimmering guitar tones. ‘Here be Dragons’ is a rich and dark evocation, a spooked surrender to the themes of the record whereby Utku’s wildly distorted voice beckons all manner of phantasmagoria over cello and recordings of her ultrasound. ‘Care in Consume’ engages in further sonic exploration as a means of conjuring ‘matriphagy’, with its unique psychic energy coursing through electronic veins. ‘A House within a House’ could also be read as a body within a body as the pulse of ultrasound audio rattle amongst a cage of thudding rhythms and swirling electronics, one also ending in optimism as an exquisite melody is born from the prior fire. The striking journey ends with the more soothing ‘Ayaz’a’, a track embracing love and all the hardships that a period of fundamental metamorphosis brings, this is a heartfelt dedication to her son and concludes an album draped in life, experience, joy and pain.

Dracones is a deeply visual journey through inner and outer worlds, a space where symbolic evocation is supreme and passive listening is not an option.

All tracks composed,performed and recorded by Hüma Utku
Buchla 100, vocals, cello, electric guitar performed by Hüma Utku
‘’A World Between Worlds’’ features the ‘Lyraei’ built, played and recorded by Mihalis Shammas
Buchla 100 recorded in EMS Stockholm 2022-2023

Mixed by Enyang Urbiks
Mastered by Heba Kadry, NYC
Cover Artwork by Marco Ciceri
Design by Tina Frank

After a 30-year interstellar silence, the enigmatic producer Alien Signal—pioneering alias of Italian electronic composer Alex Silvi—reemerges with Whispers from Distant Suns, a transcendent odyssey that bridges retro-futurism and modern electronica. Hailed as a magnum opus, this album transcends genre boundaries, captivating ambient purists, downtempo aficionados, and even experimental listeners with its hypnotic fusion of analog warmth and digital precision.

Cosmic Tapestry of Sound
Drawing comparisons to Vangelis’ Antarctica and Alpha—but reimagined through a 21stcentury lens—Whispers from Distant Suns marries nostalgic synth textures with cuttingedge production. Silvi’s mastery of melody shines through in tracks like “Stardust
Memories” and “Fragile Eden” where shimmering arpeggios and celestial pads drift over robotic, glitch-infused drum patterns and sparse, meditative percussion. The result is a paradox: a retro-futuristic soundscape that feels simultaneously ancient and alien, familiar yet unexplored.

Listener Testimonials
Fans and critics have flooded forums with praise:

“An auditory revelation! It’s like Vangelis met Jon Hopkins in a nebula—vintage soul with a futuristic heartbeat.”
“The textures are gorgeously cinematic. Closing your eyes, you’re adrift in a Tarkovsky film scored for the Andromeda galaxy.”

The Vinyl Experience
Pressed on heavyweight vinyl, the album’s physical release amplifies its immersive qualities. The gatefold sleeve, adorned with surrealist astrophotography and metallic
foiling, mirrors the music’s cosmic ethos. Side A leans into Balearic serenity, with sundappled grooves and aquatic synth ripples, while Side B delves into darker, more
experimental terrain—think Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works colliding with the organic rhythms of Jon Hopkins.

Maturity in Motion
This album is a testament to Silvi’s evolution. Tracks like “Seeds Of Light” and “Message from Andromeda Galaxy” showcase his refined ear for dynamics, balancing silence and sound with surgical precision. Vintage drum machines spar with glitches, while field recordings of crashing waves and interstellar static blur the line between Earth and cosmos. The closing track, “The Star Charts We Shared” crescendos into a 6-minute ambient requiem, leaving listeners suspended in a state of weightless awe.

Final Transmission
Whispers from Distant Suns is more than an album—it’s a transcendent odyssey. Spanning time, space, and the artist’s own creative evolution, this immersive work invites listeners to lose themselves in its ebb and flow. Designed for moments both intimate and expansive, its balearic-tinged atmospheres resonate equally through dawnlit Mediterranean terraces or the solitary glow of headphones in darkness. These are compositions that pulse, morph, and haunt the air long after the final note fades. A living soundscape meant to accompany life’s quiet revelations and clandestine joys—a soundtrack to your most personal moments, crafted as what the artist calls ‘private dance music.’

Tailored for the Discerning Listener
Whispers from Distant Suns is designed with the true connoisseur in mind. This album is a must-have for:

Vinyl Collectors & Audiophiles: Those who value the warmth and tactile experience of heavyweight, limited edition pressings
Electronic Ambient and Downtempo Fans: Listeners who appreciate immersive soundscapes that merge retro analog charm with modern digital innovation.
Retro-Futurism Enthusiasts: Fans of pioneering artists like Vangelis, Boards of Canada, and early Warp Records who seek music that bridges nostalgic synth textures with futuristic experimentation.
Experimental Music Explorers: Individuals drawn to sonic narratives that invite deep, contemplative listening—perfect for both introspective moments and immersive listening sessions.
This release is not just an album; it’s a curated experience for those who desire music as a multidimensional art form, merging the vintage allure of analog sound with a contemporary, cosmic vision.

For fans of: Vangelis, Biosphere, Jon Hopkins, early Warp Records.

Four Flies Records is proud to present Paesaggio Bellico, a collection of unreleased music from legendary composer and multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Alessandroni.

Available digitally starting on the centenary of the maestro's birth on 18th March 2025 and on vinyl on 21st March, Paesaggio Bellico is a true gem hidden within the vast treasure trove of Italian film scores and library music.The album brings together themes and atmospheric pieces inspired by the world of war, viewed not just from a military standpoint, but also through a deeply human and existential lens.

The LP version features 18 tracks, while the digital release expands to 29, including alternate takes and thematic variations. These compositions were meticulously unearthed from scores written and recorded by the maestro between 1969 and 1978 for television documentaries and war films.

Alessandroni's war-inspired music masterfully balances action, suspense, and introspection. Expansive, panoramic themes give way to anxious, tormented moments. Horrifying visions are countered by calmer atmospheres, and glimmers of hope soften the intensity of pain.

Each track embodies the unique sound that has made Alessandroni an irreplaceable figure for soundtrack and library music enthusiasts. His signature whistle – so unmistakable for generations of fans of the genre – soars above delicate 12-string acoustic guitar arpeggios. More dramatic pieces feature his iconic Fender Stratocaster, equipped with a fuzz distortion pedal. And, of course, Alessandroni's vocal group, the Cantori Moderni, a constant presence in his arrangements, contribute, this time lending their voices to the more unsettling aspects of military psychology. An elegant string section adds depth and emotional impact to the more orchestral tracks, completing the picture of this monumental work.

The result is a sonic journey that delves into the darkest, most martial sides of war, but also explores its intimate and deeply painful dimensions, creating a powerful dialogue between the atrocities of conflict and the human emotions it evokes.

The release is enriched by original artwork from Eric Adrien Lee, who reimagined the 1970s graphic design of Italian war-themed library albums. The vinyl LP is housed in a tip-on hard cover (the kind used for higher-end productions during the golden age of Italian soundtracks), with an inner sleeve featuring a color-inverted variation on the cover art, which makes the physical record even more unique.

Patrick Conway crossed the threshold to find a new hope. This is his third offering for the ESP Institute. On side A, 'Loss' sets an overall melancholic tone for the record. A single repeating high note on the piano establishes a guiding element, which is eventually supported by a tear-jerking yet resolving chord progression, a trailing choir of angelic voices, and a filter-modulating synth that pads the widest zones of the mix with the occasional counter-melody. Robust in and of itself, Patrick’s melodic arrangement floats gracefully over an otherwise antagonistic rhythm section built from his signature corroded dancehall arsenal. This hornets nest of boxed live kick drums, piccolo snares, and high-pitched toms is held together by a dry veneer of saturation, sitting at safe distance from but in natural harmony with the bulbous low-frequency atmospherics. On the flip, 'Silencio' employs a similar statement at the top of each measure, this time an anthemic polyphonic synth stab as opposed to the singular piano note, however, unlike the layered melodies throughout 'Lost', here Patrick explores the narrative possibility of negative space—call and response, rhythmic dialogue, and the implied notes that leave the listener’s or dancer’s intuition to complete a phrase. In the game “musical chairs,” children run around manically until signaled to find a chair, at which point their diverse personalties must urgently synchronize, until set free to run again and repeat the process. Patrick's approach for 'Silencio' conjures said metaphor—his melody and rhythm are unleashed to meander and spasm within the confines of each respective bar, until that anticipated synth stab unifies everything “on the one”—controlling the chaos, calling on muscle memory and affirming logic. These two songs will be with you always as they always have been.

DJ Jewel Debuts with Mesmerizing 8-Track PHONK tape

Manchester DJ/Producer Glinks lands on Astral Black with ‘The Killaz’ his first project under the 'DJ JEWEL' alias, dedicated to diving deeper into the southern inspired phonk he explores monthly on @balamii with his 'the influence of memphis rap' show.

DJ Jewel's sound draws inspiration from Memphis rap, phonk, and ghettotech, infused with dusty soul and jazz samples, heavy 808s, and sharp snares that cut through the mix.

"This record is my introduction to the world as a producer," says DJ Jewel. "I wanted to pay homage to the sounds that shaped me while bringing my own twist to the genre." THE KILLAZ will be available on all major streaming platforms starting Feb 21st, with limited edition cassettes available via Astral Black.

Earthly Measures are very excited to bring to you 'Doroja', an album by Santiago Córdoba & The Bauls of Bengal. Different to past releases, EM explores another part of the world, introducing you to the traditional sounds of Bengal & its talented musicians.

Doroja, is the third album by Argentinian musician Santiago Córdoba, this time in collaboration with The Bauls of Bengal. Recorded at the Hansadhwani Studio in Calcutta, India, where Santiago arrived with only a synthesiser, some effects, and a Legüero Bass Drum (an Argentine percussive instrument used mostly in local folklore) - this album was first conceived in December 2017 during a residency in this mythical city, together with The Bauls of Bengal.

The Bauls believe the body and mind are the sources of all truths and that the expression of freedom cannot be restrained by the labelling of genres or religions, something which is evidently expressed in their music. This provides the perfect foundations for this album to develop without limitations and too effortlessly flow to whichever realms both Santiago and the Bauls of Bengal wish to take us too.

The album combines traditional songs of the Bauls, rhythmic Jhumar instrumental improvisations with the Argentinian legüero bass drum, and other compositions created together in the studio. The result is a melodic mixture/dialogue of cultures, folklore and ancestral sounds with modern influences that help create an experimental and addictive sound full of electronic textures.

Participating in these first recordings: Arpita Chakraborty (vocals), Chandan Ray (dotara), Pijush Baul (Vocals, Dubki) and Tanmoy Pan (percussion), who later, are joined by other artists from different latitudes to achieve a captivating fusion: Matías Romero on strings (Formosa, Argentina), Guilherme Peluci from Mineiro on winds and Daniel Guedes on percussion (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), Porteños Walter Broide on tabla and Cobra Rod on bass (both members of Poseidotica), and the Spanish Ángel Calvo on trumpet.

The album was mixed by Rodrigo Cursach at Delta Uno Estudio, mastered by Daniel Ovie, and the fascinating cover art is by Alejandro Sordi. It will be released on vinyl by the UK based label Earthly Measures, in addition to being available on all digital platforms.

‘Doroja’ means portal, and this album is indeed a magical portal to music, song and dance. Santiago's only means of communication with Bengali colleagues functioned as an astral portal to build the sounds of this journey through strange and unfathomable landscapes that captivate and surprise by building bridges between different cultures of our planet.

Santiago Córdoba is a multi-instrumentalist musician born in the city of Buenos Aires who has been developing his unique sound both with his solo project and with prominent bands from the Argentinian independent music scene. He has been developing his solo career through deep musical and spiritual searching, with the infinite journey as a primary objective.

In recent years, he has lived in places such as Madrid, Beirut and Berlin and has released two albums: ‘Corso’ (2015) and ‘En Other Places’ (2019).

As a founding member of Dublin experimental folk group Lankum, Ian Lynch explores submerged leylines of music and song. Forging a musical path that is all at once dark, mysterious and foreboding, but ultimately transcendental. His new solo project One Leg One Eye sees him taking a fresh approach to musical arrangement culminating in a sound that is more rooted in the raw aesthetics of second wave black metal than contemporary folk. The project was born across 2021, a period in which Lynch was able to enjoy the freedom of experimenting and exploring different paths of sound design without expectation or pressure. Seeking out interesting settings to record music and gather field recordings, there are several environments, external and interior, whose respective essence have seeped into the spirit of the music and come to represent Lynch’s artistic approach and development with this singular debut album, …And Take The Black Worm With Me. Rediscovered spaces in Dublin and the familiar enclave of his bedroom are intrinsic to the distinct and sometimes harrowing atmosphere conjured throughout the album’s five enveloping compositions. One particular location, an abandoned factory where his father worked when Ian was a child, provided a space of great inspiration and intrigue during this time. Lynch frequently visited the large abandoned warehouse and sang with his shruti box, contented in his solitude. ‘I’d Rather Be Tending My Sheep’, grew into existence from those initial sessions, eventually finding a home as an emotive centrepiece to the album. Reflecting on the overall recording of …And Take The Black Worm With Me, Lynch says, “Everything I was doing with these songs was all kind of new to me; experimenting with different sounds, textures and palettes and seeing what I could come up with by piecing it all together. I spent about a year making the album. I loved the whole process because it was basically just me in my bedroom recording everything. The experience of recording like this and having my own time to do it was amazing. I could focus on recording a specific element and happily spend all day working on that one part, doing it as many times as I wanted. At the end of the day if it didn’t feel right, I could just try it again the next day. When you’re on your own you can spend as much time as you want on particular parts until you feel that it’s absolutely perfect. I found that to be a really liberating experience. It was probably my favourite experience recording music.” The collection of songs (and their chronology) featured on …And Take The Black Worm With Me tell a story unique to Lynch’s experiences with anxiety and recognising his shadow self. Whilst the album became an outlet of personal expression for Lynch, the overarching themes and subsequent journey to confront one’s internal dichotomy of light and dark before accepting this inherent duality is universally shared. The eerie and often unsettling world contained within the album’s texturally dense opener ‘Glistening, She Emerges’, driven by the captivating drone of distorted uilleann pipes, immediately immerses the listener in this transportive work. It descends with a great heaviness, yet woven throughout the arrangement is a fascinating and indescribable entity that draws you further into this otherworldly dimension. This mood continues as the tracklist progresses and transitions into Lynch’s haunting realisation of ‘Bold and Undaunted Youth’ which further demonstrates a cinematic influence to Lynch’s compositional style. Sonically, Lynch effectively builds an impressively vast terrain with brilliantly murky lo-fi recording techniques and an unshakable curiosity to move beyond conventional structures and play with the timbre of the instruments available to him. From recording hurdy-gurdy or concertina to tape and experimenting with loops and effects pedals to stitching field recordings together, there’s an intimacy established between Lynch and his audience established through the simultaneously eerie and beautiful tones courting through …And Take The Black Worm With Me. This culminates in ‘Only the Diceys’, the extraordinary closing track in which we reach a place of resolution mapped into the album’s narrative structure. Mixed by longtime collaborator John ‘Spud’ Murphy in his Dublin-based Guerrilla Sounds Studio and mastered by Harvey Birrell …And Take The Black Worm With Me features contributions from Ruth Clinton (Landless) on church organ and vocals by Laurie Shanaman (Ails, Ludicra). Of Shanaman’s participation, in particular, which further illustrates the lo-fi and DIY ethos to the recording, Lynch says, “Laurie is my favourite black metal vocalist of all time and so I reached out to her hoping to have her involved in some way. She did, and she features on the opening track by providing some incredible screams. She recorded them into her phone and sent them over to me; what appears on the album is literally a phone recording of her screaming in her kitchen!” …And Take The Black Worm With Me continues Ian Lynch’s groundbreaking work with Lankum; recontextualising traditional forms and generating new spheres of music in his wake, confirming his status as one of the most interesting and innovative artists working in Ireland today.

OHYUNG aka Lia Ouyang Rusli describes their new album as “my trans self and my former self in conversation, from both perspectives.” The record represents their lengthy, complicated, but crucial journey between lives, strewn with both doubt and excitement. It is an ecstatic, pop-oriented shift in direction from an artist primarily known for noise, experimental hip-hop, and ambient music, but carried with sleek confidence, maturity, and a silvery, hallucinogenic shimmer that reveals Rusli’s experimental background. It is, writes Rusli, “sometimes written from a dark place and other times from a place of happiness.” Throughout, darkness and light rise and fall in layers of phased strings, trip-hop drum production, and earworming vocal lines.

Also a film score composer, Rusli’s songwriting craft is meticulous and nuanced. You Are Always On My Mind was, perhaps surprisingly, formed primarily from processed “generic string loops” found in online sample packs - a strange and wilfully jarring reminder that what seems to be is not always what is. Recontextualised, these string loops enshadow the simplicity of their origins and reveal a grace and purposefulness perhaps not even imagined by their authors, subtly drawing out euphoria and tension in equal balance.

Rusli also writes of the influence of rave culture central to their transition, and of the record’s production and theme. “It’s a declaration of love for raves and the dark hazy rooms that helped me to be free and true with myself— seeing other people who are so free and beautiful and thinking that one day that can be me— that’s me in the future.” But there is also a fear and unease present. Key moment “no good” explores “the worst version of myself as a trans person, feeding doubt to my pre-transition self” with its core lyric anyone can see / I’m no good for you, delivered over a relentless beat, swooning strings, and glistening synthesis.

Later, “i swear that i could die rn” renders a Spectreish Motown beat lamenting and lush with breathy synths and knife-edge melodies that eventually yield a hazy, gliding string section, created again from mutated, spliced, and transitioned royalty-free sample packs. The track is about “seeing my beautiful friends at raves and feeling at home appreciating the harsh noises of hardcore techno and acid. Feeling that I could die at this moment and be happy.”

Patricia Kaas’ 2016 self-titled album Patricia Kaas marks her return to original material after a long hiatus. The album showcases a more personal and introspective side of Kaas, blending elements of French chanson, pop, and jazz. Known for her smoky vocals and emotional depth, Kaas explores themes of love, heartbreak, and resilience through tracks like "Le jour et l’heure" and "Madame tout le monde." The album's modern production enhances Kaas’ signature sound, offering a fresh yet familiar experience for longtime fans. Patricia Kaas reflects her maturity as an artist, highlighting her ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. For fans of French music and soulful storytelling, this album is a must-listen, embodying Patricia Kaas' timeless appeal and musical evolution. Discover Patricia Kaas for a captivating journey through heartfelt melodies and poignant lyrics. Patricia Kaas is available as a limited edition of 1500 numbered copies on blue coloured vinyl.

“I saw a literal manifestation of the sacred feminine, and had this profound sense that I was meant to embody it,” recalls celebrated singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou after journeying through a hallucinogenic ritual that would inform the way she processed waves of grief in the sea of change ahead of her. The loss of her grandmother, the end of her marriage, and the overwhelming turmoil of the last few years found the Nashville-based artist on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and healing with this gift from the mystic swirl. On her new album Queen of Time (due September 29th from Kill Rock Stars), Lou explores that quest across ten tracks of tender, heartbreakingly beautiful music. Featuring a gamut of guests including GRAMMY® Award-winners Billy Strings and Jerry Douglas, Queen of Time celebrates love and loss, but above all, the art of living as an unattainably—a vibrant, powerful woman who can share herself with the world, and yet define a mighty sense of inner self as well.

Ventura (Lausanne, CH), started in 2003, and has released 4 albums so far, with Superheld being the proud fifth. It was recorded with Serge Morattel again, and displays a slightly more aggressive and intense sound than its predecessor, even if it explores a few new paths with songs like the semi-acoustic "Freeze In Hell" or the motorik "Optimistic". The line up still consists of the same three guys, Diego (bass), Grégoire (drums) and Philippe (guitar and vocals) as on the previous album, Ad Matres.

With breakneck rifs and explosive dynamics already earning a formidable reputation for avant-garde post-metal quartet Telepathy, their fourth album `Transmissions' sees the band turn their gaze inward to explore the rich sonic landscape of their creative and cultural origins. A new arsenal of cinematic synth textures and alien soundscapes pushes the band's genre-defying ethos towards more nostalgic and introspective ter- rain as they come to terms with the unknown. The band's latest ofering `Transmissions' marks the culmination of four years of introspection, experimentation and revitalisation for Telepathy, representing the band at its expressive core. Inspired by faded photographs unearthed in the brother's family home and the surprise discovery of a long lost relic, `Transmissions' is a cluster of musical messages that hurtles between nostalgic snapshots of the past and the everyday chaos of the present. Amongst precious memories and family treasures, the Turek brothers stumbled upon a recording of the frst radio broadcast of statesman Jo'zef Pilsudski, widely regarded as the founder of modern Poland. The wonder and optimism in his voice, captured over 100 years ago, ignited an inspirational drive to refect this time- less sense of awe in the present by pushing their musical creativity further than ever before. This revolutionary reinvention is immediately apparent on the opening track and lead single `Oath', which poured efortlessly out of the band in just one day. A recreation of that famous radio transmission introduces eight formidable minutes of widescreen rifs, thundering drums and otherworldly synth work that simultaneously feels like the blink of an eye. Subsequent track `Augury' rises from the dying whispers of `Oath', signalling Telepathy's renewed focus on composition and storytelling. The sense of open space and weightlessness from the song's halftime groove, soaring guitar arpeggios and an audio sample declaring that "the answer lies in the future" pushes the band beyond the familiar into exciting, uncharted territory. FOR FANS OF Tool, Russian Circles, The Ocean (Collective), Hans Zimmer, Mogwai, Kokomo

With breakneck rifs and explosive dynamics already earning a formidable reputation for avant-garde post-metal quartet Telepathy, their fourth album `Transmissions' sees the band turn their gaze inward to explore the rich sonic landscape of their creative and cultural origins. A new arsenal of cinematic synth textures and alien soundscapes pushes the band's genre-defying ethos towards more nostalgic and introspective ter- rain as they come to terms with the unknown. The band's latest ofering `Transmissions' marks the culmination of four years of introspection, experimentation and revitalisation for Telepathy, representing the band at its expressive core. Inspired by faded photographs unearthed in the brother's family home and the surprise discovery of a long lost relic, `Transmissions' is a cluster of musical messages that hurtles between nostalgic snapshots of the past and the everyday chaos of the present. Amongst precious memories and family treasures, the Turek brothers stumbled upon a recording of the frst radio broadcast of statesman Jo'zef Pilsudski, widely regarded as the founder of modern Poland. The wonder and optimism in his voice, captured over 100 years ago, ignited an inspirational drive to refect this time- less sense of awe in the present by pushing their musical creativity further than ever before. This revolutionary reinvention is immediately apparent on the opening track and lead single `Oath', which poured efortlessly out of the band in just one day. A recreation of that famous radio transmission introduces eight formidable minutes of widescreen rifs, thundering drums and otherworldly synth work that simultaneously feels like the blink of an eye. Subsequent track `Augury' rises from the dying whispers of `Oath', signalling Telepathy's renewed focus on composition and storytelling. The sense of open space and weightlessness from the song's halftime groove, soaring guitar arpeggios and an audio sample declaring that "the answer lies in the future" pushes the band beyond the familiar into exciting, uncharted territory. FOR FANS OF Tool, Russian Circles, The Ocean (Collective), Hans Zimmer, Mogwai, Kokomo

An air of ancient ritualism cloaks Modern Love’s midnight meeting between UK producer MOBBS and French-Egyptian spellcaster Susu Laroche, carving out a channel between hexed trip hop and shoegaze that’s one part DJ Screw, one part MBV, operating within a long shadow of influence cast by Curve, Leila, Cocteau Twins, Nearly God.

Clasping chiral energies on their debut collab, MOBBS brings a history spanning shadowy production work for big name artists to the grimly stylised vein of performance art and musick explored by Susu Laroche, an Egyptian-French with strong binds to chthonic contemporary London.

Their maiden sacrifice heightens the senses to blends of monotonic, sandalwood scented incantations and carpet-burned downbeats swept in slurred dub. Songs are subtly variegated in tone to spell out shifting plays of light evoking bedsit antechambers and warehouse innards lit by iPhone candle or extractor hood and emergency light bulbs on their last lumens.

It's music that's as elaborately serrated and blemished as early MBV, but positioned in a vastly different cultural landscape, drawing from hip-hop, drone, psych and basement noise. The pair’s range of cultural obsessions maintains a precarious balance between shadowy histories and an asphyxiating present; all too often, when the past is projected it's thru a mollifying, nostalgic lens, so their critical, prudent hybrid sound is a vital, chilling corrective.

From the bell-ringing, chain-rattle jag of ‘Throne’ thru the sleepwalker drift of ‘Roam’, and concrete plangency of ‘Forest’, the marriage of MOBBS’ illusive textures with Laroche’s feel for analog image and film (as evinced in her art for the likes of Blackhaine and Mica Levi) imprints their sound in gauzy layers that leave fleeting impressions on the mind’s eye. At their heaviest, Laroche’s arcane declarations descend in impressive enactments, undressing the excesses of over-glossed trip hop to reveal and revel in the sound at its starkest, sexiest, for new waves of washed up souls.

13 years in the making, Mr Bongo proudly presents a new compilation of beloved Brazilian disco and boogie finds from the legendary London disco connoisseurs, Horse Meat Disco. A labour of love, it showcases a tantalising cross-section of disco, funk, boogie, samba and MPB, from past to present. Unearthing tracks from the seemingly endless gold mine of Brazilian gems, the compilation features legends such as Jorge Ben, Gretchen, Marcos Valle and Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti, alongside unsung heroes including Zé Carlos and Carlos Bivar.

Over 20 years ago, the Horse Meat Disco crew (James Hillard, Severino Panzetta, Jim Stanton and Luke Howard) began their weekly residency at Eagle London back in 2003. That same year, Luke made his first visit to Brazil, beginning a musical love affair that is still going strong.

“I had always wanted to go to Brazil since I was a kid, and when I finally had the opportunity to go with Princess Julia, I was just blown away. I’ve visited Rio every year since 2003, and in that time, I’ve learned Portuguese and tried to discover as much as I can about Brazilian music and popular culture. I learned to dance samba with the Paraiso School of Samba in London and paraded three times at Rio Carnival. Brazilian music was a brand-new world for me to explore and get excited about—a whole universe of genius musicians, singers, and styles.”

9 years later, Mr Bongo invited Luke down to their Brighton HQ for a listening session of some of his favourite Brazilian boogie and disco 7" finds. A compilation was green-lit, but multiple licensing delays and the release of other HMD compilations meant that it lay dormant for years.

Fast forward to 2024, and with the help of esteemed, Rio-based record collector Tee Cardaci, along with suggestions from HMD’s James Hillard, the dream of an HMD Brazilian compilation finally materialised. It’s a carefully curated collection that includes the electronic-boogie/italo-disco-esque 1984 groover 'Venha (Remix)' by the singer Źe Carlos, two cuts by Luiza Maura taken from her sought-after Deixa Girar 7", and Gretchen's sultry 'Ela Tem Raça, Charme, Talento E Gostosura' written by Jorge Ben.

At its core, this compilation captures the excitement and sense of discovery that won over Horse Meat Disco’s heart more than 20 years ago. A vibrant mix of feel-good flavours, it homes in on a sun-soaked strand of disco and boogie that has been enriched with the spirit of a nation where music serves as a central pillar of life.

»Shell I« is the second edition on Edições CN by Brussels sound artist Florence Cats. It is a magical collection of 23 edits for voice, field recordings, theremin, and piano. Cats’ recorded piano rehearsals and singing sketches reminds us of Cornelius Cardew works. They are at the heart of Edições CN, where a sketch or rehearsal holds as much, if not more, truth than a definitive composition.

A melody line from Debussy passes by. Waves crash in the distance. Sails and flagpoles are sounding by the winds. Florence singing a stream of consciousness poem next to a water stream. Track by track you dream deeper in this generous collection. While the album’s A Side is an aquatic storyboard, the B Side is the essence of storms and days spent in the forest.

Cats holds a singular position at the firmament of Belgian sound explorers. Her art, almost unspectacular, is an important voice in these algorithmic times.

Florence Cats (Be, 1985) is an experimental artist working somewhere between music, sound, visual art and acupuncture. In 2023, she was selected as an emerging sound artist by Stuk, Q-O2 and Musica. Her work is a needle or antenna, inspired by the vibrations of sound and light in nature, travel, telepathy and dreams. She plays the theremin in experimental ways, interacting with her body, voice, water, radio and various.

TYRON is a tale of two halves exposing human complexity. Just as with the narrative of his own life, there are always two sides to every story. Side one re-introduces us to the classic hubris, machismo, and braggadocio typical of rap music. Side two takes what you thought you knew about slowthai and flips on its head. ‘feel away’ and ‘nhs’ go some way to dip a toe inside the complexities of his mind but delve deeper and you’ll be left with a clearer understanding of who he truly is. Honesty is paramount as ultimately Ty wants listeners to know that “it’s ok to be yourself”.

TYRON was formed against the backdrop of an unforgiving climate where judgement, shaming and underdeveloped and simplistic conceptions of other people are fashionable. Instead of succumbing to such simplicity, TYRON presents an artist who is unabashedly complicated and willing to explore themes of loneliness, identity, self-acceptance, and the difficulties in becoming an individual. Unlike the political overtone of slowthai’s debut album ‘Nothing Great About Britain’ which took listeners on a journey through slowthai’s turbulent upbringing and his stance on British life – this self-titled follow up, TYRON is a melodic dive through the expansive landscape of his feelings. His ability to bear his imperfections and contradictions makes TYRON an album that is the antithesis of a culture of purity. A resistance to the rising tide of moral one-upmanship and the pervasive self-righteousness that blinds us to our own fallibility.

Cross Record's new album, Crush Me, is steeped in the pressures and wonders of existence—a profound statement, especially coming from artist and death doula Emily Cross. A two-and-a-half-year gestation period offered challenges, disappointments, and joys reflected in the cramped space of the album, which explores how we handle the weights we carry. Emily Cross had held hundreds of Living Funerals and was as many episodes deep into her podcast, What I’m Looking At. She was five years into serving clients as a death doula and fresh off a tour with Loma, her band with Jonathan Meiburg (Shearwater) and Dan Duszynski, when she began work on her fourth album. After moving from Austin, TX to Dorset, UK, she established the Steady Waves Center for Contemplation (named after a track from her second record, Wabi-Sabi ), where she hosted Living Funerals, met clients, scheduled mindful tea sessions, and showcased experimental music nights. All the while, she was scribbling down song ideas. Cross’s Tascam four-track demos finally reached readiness, and she sent them to an interested major independent label. She was encouraged to push her imagination to the limits of what a record could be. So, unlike her usual process of recording as inexpensively as possible, she prepared a two-week recording session in Germany with a group of skilled musicians from around the world. True to her previous work, Cross left plenty of room in her demos for experimentation, collaboration, chance, improvisation, and complete obliteration, then resurrection when necessary. Comfort and traditional structure were eschewed in favor of unaccountable magic, prayers whispered into The Void. Cross is comfortable with the chaotic and unpredictable, a perspective demanded by her work and writing style. The Berlin Airbnb was packed with people, instruments and luggage. During a ride down in a tiny elevator to the studio, Cross realized how central the sense of being crushed was to the album. “I thought of it later and it dawned on me that ‘Crush Me’ perfectly embodied the record,” says Cross. Yes, the weight of a body laying limply atop yours, or the tight squeeze of a hug, can be pleasant. Go too far, and you’re in the hands of a cruel, adolescent god. Upon leaving Germany, the record was unfinished, and without a roadmap. As passages were recorded as isolated parts, Cross and musician Marcin Sulewski collaborated, facing a haphazard brick pile, waiting to be assembled. Work dipped in and out of view like a buoy bobbing in a violent sea over many months. During that time, the aforementioned interested label went radio silent, suddenly not seeming so sure of a thing. Collaborators disappeared, continuing the themes of abandonment, surrender, and disarray that followed the project. Cross physically felt her entire body go numb: In a twist of fate, the record was rescued by long-time friend and supporter Ben Goldberg at Ba Da Bing Records who was eager to help realize the project. Cross worked for months on the album, all the while nursing a pregnancy and continuing her full-time funeral work. The last minute participation of Seth Manchester of Machines with Magnets, who mixed and mastered, was an essential liferaft. He gave true final form to the abstracted songs. Crush Me has the effect of a spell being cast, with songs balancing heaviness and levity. Vocals, guitars, and keyboards float above, as drums and upright bass (often bowed) lurch beneath. On “Rolling Backwards” percussion wanders about while feedback squeals and persists in the distance. “Dorset Area Of Natural Beauty” starts with a thick, unhinged church organ progression punctuated by the disquieting sounds of laughter reaching the point of hysteria. “God Fax” is a slow-moving panic attack, with shallow breaths in and out framing a guttural cacophony like a wooden freighter encountering increasingly turbulent waters and vocals struck emotionless by autotune. The album ends with “Twisted Up Fence,” a reflection on life from outside the wall--wistful, warm, and comforting. Cross, likely with a smile on her face, sings: “You say it’s an endless abyss” “And I say the abyss is the best”

It has been over a decade since Anthony Mills created Wildcookie, his most celebrated project. With tracks like Heroine and Serious Drug, the album Cookie Dough gained worldwide recognition, landing on numerous radio playlists, including Gilles Peterson’s show. Even after all these years, it remains a favorite on streaming platforms. Now, fourteen years later, Mills returns, teaming up with Marek “Latarnik” Pędziwiatr to create Crack Rock—a bold evolution of Wildcookie’s legacy.
While Wildcookie’s signature warm, jazzy Fender Rhodes sound defined its identity, Crack Rock shifts toward 1980s-inspired compositions crafted by Pędziwiatr, known for his work with EABS, Błoto, and Zima Stulecia. The duo explored yacht rock, drawing inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and Michael McDonald, maintaining the genre’s clean vocals and catchy melodies. However, their experimental spirit pushed the sound further, distorting the polished yacht rock aesthetic—leading to Crack Rock, a clever wordplay reflecting both the music and its themes.
Anthony Mills is known for layered wordplay, and the album’s name nods to deeper personal struggles. “I listened to the song Crack on repeat—it brought me to tears. Growing up in the crack era was painful. The PTSD I endured is now a powerful source of inspiration.” This raw emotional backdrop adds an edge to Crack Rock’s themes of love and human relationships—what Mills calls “cold love”: alluring, grand, yet ultimately destructive. Like an addiction, you keep coming back for more.
This idea of addiction shapes the duo’s sonic exploration—beneath the catchy melodies lie deeper, pain-laden themes wrapped in metaphor. “I see this album as therapy, a testament to the magic we create in the studio,” says Pędziwiatr. “Our process is a mix of musical mastery and deep conversations about life. For me, it feels like soul cleansing.

Glasgow-based producer Conna Haraway returns to Theory Therapy with his first vinyl release, Spatial Fix. Inspired in part by his 2024 tour of Japan and Korea, the album explores new dimensions of his evolving sound.

Since Lusidiq – his debut on Theory Therapy – the co:clear owner has honed his ability to balance introspective atmospheres with crisp, meticulously crafted rhythms, imbuing his music with a physicality that’s as tactile as it is hypnotic.

Spatial Fix expands on this approach in every respect. The record oscillates between ambient abstraction and rhythmic intensity, seamlessly weaving the two together. Tracks like “Freon” and “1702” are anchored by a propulsive low end, woven through with Haraway’s crackling textures and field recordings – including those captured across Asia last year. Even in these deeply immersive moments, there’s always something luminous lurking beneath the surface – snaps, clicks, and micro-shudders ripple throughout in strange and surprising ways. The result is an album that pulls you into a writhing, disorienting space, a psychedelic sonic world where beauty and unease pulse in equal measure.

Spatial Fix is available as a limited edition run of 200 12-inch vinyl records.


Written & Produced by Conna Haraway
Mastered by Ike Zwanikken
Lacquer cut by Henry Rudkins
Artwork & Design by Conna Haraway & Gary Hunter

The third album by the rising star that is Aran Angmar: 'Ordo Diabolicum'
explores darkness not as a void but as a realm where truth reveals itself,
boundaries shatter, and human freedom emerges
A sonic descent where chaos reveals liberation. A Black Metal ritual.

The third album by the rising star that is Aran Angmar: 'Ordo Diabolicum'
explores darkness not as a void but as a realm where truth reveals itself,
boundaries shatter, and human freedom emerges
A sonic descent where chaos reveals liberation. A Black Metal ritual.

After humble lo-fi beginnings in the Australian Art-Pop Underground, Donny Benet has expanded his cult-like following across the Globe with a resonant Array of danceable Repertoire dealing with Love- and Affection. New album "Mr Experience" marks a new chapter, informed by a wealth of musical- and personal development.

For Mr Experience, Donny envisioned a Soundtrack to a Dinner-Party- Set in the late 1980's. While his earlier Recordings drew Inspiration from DIY Pop Conspirators such as Ariel Pink & John Maus, Donny channelled the Stylings of Bryan Ferry & Hiroshi Yoshimura as the Impetus for new Material, evident on the Intimacy found on ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ and it's lush production- with a soothing whistle-along Chorus for good Measure!

Sincerity has been a key component of Donny Benet’s output since the beginning. His songs deal with genuine Emotion served on a kitsch Platter. An alter-ego manifested in the beginning of the 2010's, Donny has blurred the Lines of Artifice to create a back- Catalogue that can embrace- and challenge, often simultaneously, - the notion of Irony in Art.

"Mr Experience" moves further away from ironic Notions as Donny explores lyrical- and musical themes which embody Observations of Maturation in his audience, his tightknit musical Community- and himself. While ‘mature’ is a term that often rings hollow as an album descriptor, the term couldn’t be more apt for Mr Experience.

Previous album The Don was created with the luxury of time. The phenomenal Response to that Album across Europe- and the United States - fuelled by accompanying Music Videos clocking in Views in the Millions- meant that there were scant Windows of Opportunity to write- and record a follow-up.

With a legacy in Sydney’s music community, working with Sarah Blasko, and tightknik collaborators Jack Ladder & Kirin J Callinan, Donny Benet is accustomed to collaboration on the Stage- and in the Studio, mostnotably on the 2014 full-length release Weekend At Donny’s.



“There is such immense talent evident in every aspect of the Donny Bene experience - the vision of the character, the steadfast adherence his narrative and the musicality of Benet himself all combine to makesomething truly genius.” - Double J, Australin.

“Donny Benet makes feminine music for everybody” - Vice, Netherlands.

“The Don does not sound like amusical copying machine”. - 3voor12 National, Netherlands.

“The set was punctuated with virtuosic solos and exquisite harmonies, and added another layer of genius to the show.
We almost couldn’t handle it... Donny for president!" - Indie Berlin.

“Everyone loves Donny Benet” - Feature in Gonzai, France.

“Phenomenal Australian Showman... Offers Top-Class Dance Music with Virtuose-Bass Guitar- and Keyboard Parts & incredible Sound-Colour feel.” - Podujatie.sk, Slovakia.

Donny has toured Europe five times since the start of 2018 and has played in the UK, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Greece and Sweden. The Don will revisit Europe twice in 2020, once for his own headline shows in May then back again in August for festivals!

"Encore Du Pain" by the legendary British punk band Buzzcocks, a rare live album that captures the raw energy and unapologetic spirit of one of punk rock's most influential acts. Recorded during their explosive European tour, this album brings fans into the heart of a live Buzzcocks show, where sharp guitar riffs, relentless rhythms, and unforgettable hooks define each track. Known for their groundbreaking approach to punk, Buzzcocks combined fast-paced, catchy melodies with lyrics that explored love, alienation, and the angst of youth. Fronted by the iconic Pete Shelley, whose distinctive voice and songwriting were complemented by the powerful guitar work of Steve Diggle, the band crafted a sound that was both gritty and emotionally resonant. This vinyl reissue allows both long-time fans and new listeners to experience "Encore Du Pain" in rich, analog sound, preserving the authentic live atmosphere that made Buzzcocks a defining voice in punk.

"Encore Du Pain" by the legendary British punk band Buzzcocks, a rare live album that captures the raw energy and unapologetic spirit of one of punk rock's most influential acts. Recorded during their explosive European tour, this album brings fans into the heart of a live Buzzcocks show, where sharp guitar riffs, relentless rhythms, and unforgettable hooks define each track. Known for their groundbreaking approach to punk, Buzzcocks combined fast-paced, catchy melodies with lyrics that explored love, alienation, and the angst of youth. Fronted by the iconic Pete Shelley, whose distinctive voice and songwriting were complemented by the powerful guitar work of Steve Diggle, the band crafted a sound that was both gritty and emotionally resonant. This vinyl reissue allows both long-time fans and new listeners to experience "Encore Du Pain" in rich, analog sound, preserving the authentic live atmosphere that made Buzzcocks a defining voice in punk.

New Theo Parrish? Yes please. The Sound Signature boss remains in a class of one and continually finds new ground to explore in the studio, often taking a freeform jazz mindset to roughed-up house and techno that blends the mechanical with the soulful in otherworldly, hypotonic fashion. 'Orange Barrel Action (Yellow Flashing Light mix)' is very much in that mould with lumpy drums detuned and off-grid keys and hissing hi-hats all coalescing into something seductive and subversive. 'Pianamonn' is a deep house foundation topped with weird and wonky keys in inimitable Parrish style.

Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann (SML, Anna Butterss, Duffy x Uhlmann, Perfume Genius), Josh Johnson (SML, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet & New Breed, Meshell Ndegeocello, Anna Butterss, Leon Bridges), and Sam Wilkes (Sam Gendel, Louis Cole, Chaka Khan). The three improviser/arranger/producers' impressive individual credits encompass such a wide stylistic pendulum swing that a collection of group music from the trio could mine any number of musical territories with masterful results. I n these 11 instrumental songs, the trio explores a spacious lyrical curiosity that could b e described as a jazz-informed take o n progressive electro-acoustic chamber music.

Conceived during two live shows at ETA and a session at Uhlmann's house in Los Angeles, the album maintains a focus on beauty, melody, and rhythm as the pieces unfold, with the trio pushing their instruments and highly-dialed effects to sculpt otherworldly sounds with the collective sensibility o f a rhythm section. The ethos of these instant compositions is arrangement-minded improvisation that showcases the mournful beauty of Uhlmann's fingerpicked electric guitar, the hybrid rhythm-lead of Wilkes' bass chording, and the textural harmonic worldbuilding of Johnson's effect-laden alto saxophone.

CRYO is the first album by the duo of cellist Nikos Veliotis (GR) and pianist Alex Zethson (SE). Veliotis is best known for the pioneering electronic group In Trance 95, MMMD and his collaboration with Giannis Aggelakas of the rock group Tripes. Zethson is a member of groups such as Goran Kajfes’ Tropiques, Martin Küchen's Angles, Fire! Orchestra, Vathres, and more. The duo met in Athens when Tropiques played at the legendary record store, gallery and concert venue Underflow, where Veliotis was invited for an opening solo set. The day after, the duo entered the Athens studio Artracks and created CRYO, consisting of two long pieces in which the duo explores slow forms and waves of sound, with the piano's bass register creating rumbling clouds and sparkling overtones that the cello blends into and transforms. Together, they’ve crafter an organically undulating, intense, heavy and dark drone music. The album was meticulously mastered by Mell Dettmer, who has collaborated with drone metal bands like Earth and Sun O))).

compiled by tsunaki kadowaki
artwork by yoshirotten
mastering by kuniyuki takahashi

Tsunaki Kadowaki, a staff member at Kyoto’s record store Meditations, the supervisor of "New Age Music Disc Guide", and the founder of Sad Disco, curates the fourth installment of "Midnight in Tokyo" themed around Ambient Kayō.

The Midnight in Tokyo series by Studio Mule focuses on Japanese music, serving as a soundtrack for Tokyo nights—whether for home listening, club play, or as a driving BGM, transcending location and space. After a six-year hiatus, the fourth volume takes "Ambient Kayō" as its new perspective, compiling genre-defying tracks released between 1977 and 1999 to explore the intersection of Japanese ambient and pop music.

For this long-awaited fourth installment, selections were made regardless of record label status (major or independent), era, format (vinyl or CD), original release price, or prior reissues. Instead, the focus was on music that deeply moves the listener, is open-minded and evocative, brims with inspiration and spiritual insight, and embodies the "utagokoro" (singing heart) of Japanese artists.

Opening the compilation is "Umi e Kinasai" by Yōsui Inoue, a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter whose works have recently gained renewed interest as hidden gems of Walearic and ambient pop

Composed and arranged by Katsu Hoshi—who is also known for his arrangements on Inoue’s masterpiece Ice World—the track features renowned players such as Masayoshi Takanaka, Hiroki Inui, and Shigeru Inoue. The song embodies a yearning for Balearic horizons, tinged with youthful vibrancy and sentimentality.

Next, "Oritatamu Umi", compiled from Keiko Nosaka, a 20-string koto player, and George Murasaki, a pioneer of Okinawan rock, is an instrumental track from their album "Niraikanai Requiem 1945". As the title suggests, it carries themes of requiem and remembrance, conveying poetic lyricism even without words. Blending Ryukyuan/Okinawan harmonies and indigenous elements, it unfolds as an intimate and nostalgic piece of progressive rock.

Also featured is "Natsu no Kowareru Koro" by Higurashi, a folk-rock band led by Seiichi Takeda, formerly a guitarist of The Remainders of The Clover, the predecessor of RC Succession. Like the opening track "Umi e Kinasai", this song was also produced by Katsu Hoshi. It stands as a folk/new music piece that takes a step into an "otherworldly" realm, recommended for fans of Twin Cosmos and Masumi Hara.

From the enigmatic Blue, the only work left by the mysterious composer S.R. Kinoshita, comes "Mangrove", a hidden treasure of Japan's ambient/new age scene from the CD era. With an oriental and enigmatic atmosphere, the track evokes a mystical world of deep, uncharted jungles, unfolding as an otherworldly New Age Kayō.

"Yaponesia Sakura", selected from Rehabilual’s sole album New Child, is a masterpiece of Japanese new age music. Produced by Swami Dhyan Akamo, a disciple of Indian meditation teacher Osho and a renowned balafon player, the track features Michio Ogawa (Chakra) and Atsuo Fujimoto (Colored Music). Their collective artistry creates an exquisite spiritual ambient pop sound.

"Asa no Hitoshizuku", the opening folk song from Sachiko Kanenobu’s album Sachiko, is also included. Known for her legendary folk album Misora, produced by Haruomi Hosono, Kanenobu’s fourth album after resuming her career was inspired by her experiences living in San Francisco and revolves around the theme of "love." This track carries the same intimate poetic world as Misora, imbued with a pure, crystalline innocence.

From the synth-pop band E.S. Island, known for the Haruomi Hosono-produced *Teku Teku Mami", comes "Yume Fūrin ", selected from their long-lost new age classic Nanpū from Hachijo. Created while the band’s core duo was living in Hachijō Island, the album aimed to sonically capture "the high and happy vibrations of everyday island life." This track offers a dynamic, tribal-infused New Age Kayō experience.

Dubbed "the world's first Min’yō House Mix" "Esashi Oiwake (Maeuta) " comes from Kanazawa Akiko HOUSE MIX Ⅰ, a collaboration between Japanese house music pioneer Soichi Terada and Akiko Kanazawa, a renowned min’yō singer. Through the prism of club music, Hokkaido's Esashi Oiwake, one of Japan’s most iconic folk songs, is transformed into a futuristic ambient pop piece with intricate sound design.

The compilation also includes "Sweet Ong Choh", a track from Voice From Asia, a group active between 1989 and 1992 featuring vocal artist Shizuru Ohtaka. Taken from their imaginative minimal work Voice From Asia, released under Aoyama Spiral’s music label Newsic, the song presents a tranquil, tribal-minimal soundscape enriched by ethnic instruments.

Hailed by Haruomi Hosono as having “a shaman residing in her voice,” singer-songwriter Nami Hōdatsu also appears in the selection. Known for her collaborations with Henry Kawahara, her debut album featured "Asa-Hikari-Ame-Yume", a track that now stands as a precursor to modern vocaloid/synthesized vocal music—a hidden gem of post-choir aesthetics that deserves rediscovery.

Likewise, "Tennessee Waltz", from Naomi Akimoto’s album One Night Stand, supported by members of Mariah, serves as another early prototype of vocaloid/synthesized vocal music. The track weaves fragmented vocal samples, pastoral yet sweetly minimal synth sounds, and mechanical beats into a strikingly unconventional piece in the history of Japanese music.

Closing the compilation is "Heaven Electric", a track from Nav Katze’s album Gentle & Elegance, which featured remixes by Autechre, Seefeel, and Sun Electric. Merging elements of IDM, ambient techno, and chillout, the song embodies an optimism reminiscent of space music while seamlessly blending a mystical Japanese aesthetic—an ambient pop masterpiece.

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The album presents 12 exquisite pop tracks infused with an ambient feeling, resonating deeply with the evolving landscape of the mid-2020s—a time of post-hyperpop and Y2K revival.

Tsunaki Kadowaki (Compiler)

Born in 1993 in Yonago, Tottori, Tsunaki Kadowaki is a staff member and buyer at Kyoto’s Meditations record store. He is the editor of New Age Music Disc Guide (DU BOOKS) and a contributor to Music Magazine, Record Collectors' Magazine, ele-king, and more. Kadowaki has written liner notes for multiple Japanese releases (Brian Eno, Masahiro Sugaya etc.) and runs the Sad Disco music label under Disk Union. He also curates Spotify’s official New Age Music playlist and performed as a DJ at YCAM’s Audio Base Camp #3 in 2024.

"Invisible Threads" is a sonic assault that penetrates the darkest depths of existence. This album explores themes of human degradation, unspoken fears, and wars that ravage not only bodies but also minds. A fierce manifestation of death metal, "Invisible Threads" overwhelms the listener with a crescendo of sonic brutality and raw emotions_an unrelenting frontal impact from the first to the last track, destined to leave a lasting mark.

"Invisible Threads" is a sonic assault that penetrates the darkest depths of existence. This album explores themes of human degradation, unspoken fears, and wars that ravage not only bodies but also minds. A fierce manifestation of death metal, "Invisible Threads" overwhelms the listener with a crescendo of sonic brutality and raw emotions_an unrelenting frontal impact from the first to the last track, destined to leave a lasting mark.

AM Higgins, the project of American singer-songwriter Annie Meredith Higgins, based in France, blends mystical poetry with influences from Kate Bush, Low, and Fiona Apple. Her new album, The Dream Trap, explores dreamy and deep atmospheres, fusing folk, electronics, and sonic experimentation. Recorded in a barn and a mill converted into a studio, the album captures contrasting dynamics, with arrangements combining organs, drums, synthesizers, and silences. Annie's warm, intimate, yet cosmic voice is at the heart of the project, supported by both organic and electronic instruments. For this album, she reunites with collaborator Casey Foubert (regular contributor to Sufjan Stevens, among others) for production and mixing, with contributions from sound creator Tana Barbier. The Dream Trap, set for release in February 2025 on the We Are Unique! label, promises to be a significant step forward in their musical evolution, both introspective and expansive.

"Gudatall" Music Cassette Edition. Limited to 100 pcs on white cassette.

“Gudatall” by Murg offers a stark reflection on humanity’s cyclical failures and the looming retribution of nature. This compelling creation, rooted in the bleak landscapes of rural Sweden, channels the essence of black metal’s golden era while forging a path of its own. With “Gudatall”, Murg explores themes of isolation, ecological despair, and the inevitable return to our primal state, all through a meticulously crafted sound that resonates with the cold, harsh beauty of the wilderness.

The complete classic Dave Brubeck album + 1 bonus track - a limited edition pressing on 180g crystal clear vinyl

Time Out was an unusual album from the start, not only for its surprising time signatures, but also for its huge commercial success at the time (1959), and its enduring popularity even to this day. The album's hit tune, Take Five , composed by Paul Desmond, is the biggest-selling jazz composition of all time and a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee.

"Dave Brubeck's defining masterpiece, Time Out is one of the most rhythmically innovative albums in jazz history, the first to consciously explore time signatures outside of the standard 4/4 beat or 3/4 waltz time. This belongs in even the most rudimentary jazz collection." - Steve Huey, AllMusic

Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann (SML, Anna Butterss, Duffy x Uhlmann, Perfume Genius), Josh Johnson (SML, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet & New Breed, Meshell Ndegeocello, Anna Butterss, Leon Bridges), and Sam Wilkes (Sam Gendel, Louis Cole, Chaka Khan). The three improviser/arranger/producers' impressive individual credits encompass such a wide stylistic pendulum swing that a collection of group music from the trio could mine any number of musical territories with masterful results. I n these 11 instrumental songs, the trio explores a spacious lyrical curiosity that could b e described as a jazz-informed take o n progressive electro-acoustic chamber music.

Conceived during two live shows at ETA and a session at Uhlmann's house in Los Angeles, the album maintains a focus on beauty, melody, and rhythm as the pieces unfold, with the trio pushing their instruments and highly-dialed effects to sculpt otherworldly sounds with the collective sensibility o f a rhythm section. The ethos of these instant compositions is arrangement-minded improvisation that showcases the mournful beauty of Uhlmann's fingerpicked electric guitar, the hybrid rhythm-lead of Wilkes' bass chording, and the textural harmonic worldbuilding of Johnson's effect-laden alto saxophone.

Introducing Obi Trackz, a new record label which debuts with Pelle’s “Momentum EP” featuring a remix by Michelle.

Momentum EP features three tracks that reflect Pelle’s signature style, balancing house and techno with a raw, yet refined edge. The tracks are characterized by acid-tinged sequences, textured basslines, and intricate drum work, offering a dynamic range of moods. The A side exhibits the more psychedelic and mysterious direction, where twisted melodies meet bouncing bass patterns.

The B side includes a remix by Michelle, the producer from Uruguay known for her contributions to My Own Jupiter and Cabaret Records. Her interpretation takes Pelle’s ideas into a more raw and atmospheric territory, combining layered soundscapes with rhythmically complex structures. The B side shows the outspoken side of the record, with broken drums on the remix and sweeping synths and a dark vocal flip on “Aesoning”.

With Momentum EP, Pelle explores the intersection of past and present dance music, carving a distinctive sound that feels rooted yet contemporary. This release marks an exciting beginning for Obi Trackz, setting the tone for future releases.

“Form itself, even if completely abstract... has its own inner sound.”
— Wassily Kandinsky

We are thrilled to announce the release of Objection To Form, a protean dispatch from the fringes of 1980s-inspired wave and raw, rugged electro. Driven by arcane machines and imbued with a melancholic urban atmosphere, Objection To Form offers a warped, modern-day response to the sonic landscapes forged by the likes of Chris & Cosey, Shoc Corridor, The Normal, and Cabaret Voltaire.

Spanning eleven tracks, Objection To Form explores electro-tinged wave that resonates with today’s creative pulse. From the lo-fi machine sounds of Alpha Sequenz’s Dawn Lines and the rugged jams of Fiume’s Haïti Market Daze, to the implacable Electro cadenza delivered by Le Syndicat Electronique, the compilation unfolds like a fragmented narrative. L.F.T.’s Inside I Was Screaming, a cavernous, electro-wave anthem featuring the mythical British band The Children Of Leir, adds a deeply resonant dimension, while the relentless drive of Beau Wanzer’s The Johnnie’s Secret Sauce underscores the compilation's protean spirit.

Objection To Form delivers a forward-looking sonic experience—a space where experimentation meets timeless resonance.

ANAN is a project born from the musical inspiration of DJs Roberto Agosta and Massimo Napoli (Galathea). The name ANAN comes simply from the repetition of the initials of their surnames.

Their new single ‘Naif’ blends African musical roots with a European groove and celebrates the cultural fusion of modern times and explores sounds that transcend borders. Imagine listening to Fatoumata Diawara or Ali Farka Touré meeting St. Germain or Bonobo

This track opens with a pulsating rhythm, featuring traditional instruments, percussion, and the vocal performance of Kadi Koulibaly from Burkina Faso.

Koulibaly manages to convey a sense of joy and vitality, evoking soundscapes rich with texture and dynamic motion. The melody is skilfully combined with electronic and jazz elements, creating an aural experience that invites you to dance. In short ‘Naif’ is a celebration of cultural fusion, an invitation to indulge in rhythm and explore sounds that transcend boundaries.

Modern Obscure Music is proud to present Pierre Bastien & DJ Low's "Swing Low", a work that fuses the poetic inventiveness of Pierre Bastien with the visionary legacy of the late DJ Low (Tom Deweerdt), a central figure in Belgian independent music and founder of the influential Lowlands label. This album, which interweaves memory and experimentation, represents Bastien's debut on the Barcelona label's catalog and a testament to the creative bond between the two artists.
The album, composed of seven pieces, stands out for its hybrid nature: five reinterpretations of Bastien's previous works, some of them coming from his influential Mecanoid (originally released by Rephlex), and two unreleased improvisations, A Pupa and Reviver, which seal the unique character of the project.
Pierre Bastien, recognized as a composer, inventor and builder of sound machines, has been a tireless explorer of the frontiers between the mechanical and the musical. From his contribution to the Belcanto Orchestra, his collaboration with the PRSNT project to his participation in Pedro Vian's Earth, Our Planet or his collaboration with Tomaga for the Other People label, his career illustrates a constant commitment to experimentation and the intersection of disciplines. Among the artists he has worked with are names such as Robert Wyatt, Jac Berrocal, Jaki Liebezeit and designer Issey Miyake. His works have found homes on iconic labels such as Marionette, Morphine and Discrepant to name a few.

The album is presented with a visual design by Koen Bruyneel, reinterpreted as a tribute to Tom Deweerdt, a decade after his departure.