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C.A.R. (Choosing Acronyms Randomly) is the musical project of Chloé Raunet, a Canadian-born, London-based artist known for her icy synths, warm vocals, and left-field pop sensibility. Drawing from post-punk, electro, and experimental songwriting, she creates music that’s both emotionally charged and sonically adventurous.
Following a five-year hiatus, C.A.R. returns with Shyana, the first single from her long-awaited fourth album, Dance at Oscar’s. Produced by Nathan Ridley, the release marks a creative rebirth: a new label, a new live formation with Joni Green, and a sound pulsing with revitalised energy. After a pandemic-induced break to focus on filmmaking — and a period of burnout and disillusionment — Raunet was ready to walk away from music altogether. But a pair of carried-over festival dates and an impromptu onstage reunion with longtime friend Joni Green unexpectedly reignited the spark. What was meant to be a farewell became the start of something new.
Shyana is a shimmering slice of machine-funk — a warped and groovy tribute to Paul Anka, filtered through C.A.R.’s surreal pop lens. A meditation on teen hysteria, pop manufacture, and the strange alchemy of early fame, the track pulses with wonky elegance and strutting confidence. One of the most playful cuts from Dance at Oscar’s, it showcases Nathan Ridley’s tight, swaggering production while capturing the album’s embrace of movement, humour, and the weirdness of cultural nostalgia.
On the B-side, Cecilia Road offers a more reflective counterpoint — a nostalgic, synth-drenched ballad built around a call-and-response vocal, throbbing melodies, and emotional tension. Intimate yet expansive, it hints at vulnerability without losing the pulse.
Artwork by Chloé Raunet, Craig Richards and Oliver Hupfau.
With their musical roots deeply immersed in the fertile soil of Afro-American music, the Buttshakers have found a new direction for their nostalgia-heavy soul music. With Lessons In Love, their third album on Underdog Records, their early heartaches and furies have faded in favor of a more composed harmony – a sound enveloped in love and soaked in the blues. Guided by their singer Ciara Thompson, the Buttshakers have taken a more intimate path, whose compass, in the chaos of emotions and the modern world, points only in one direction: the light.
Seen from the sky, the view appears limitless. Accentuated by the sun, the ochre and sandy hues of the open road only reinforce this feeling of immensity. The sky stretches and the green stands out in striking contrast. In lighter tones, a road is drawn -- without bends or contours. This is the worn and weary road of soul music, which The Buttshakers explore on each album in new and unique ways. Soul music – a rare place to find a French band.
Vast, the musical direction could have taken them to lighter pastures. Yet the Buttshakers chose to evolve in a different way; to take a heavier load. Two paths – one sparked by social unrest, the other purely sentimental, Lessons In Love explores the deep roots of soul music, in the steps of Curtis Mayfield or Al Green. It is here that the heart and mind cross paths, merge, and become one. A weary road -- that brings together the agitation of a world where good intentions never rise above the level of digital outrage, and a faith in love which, however it manifests and expresses itself, remains the only truth that never loses its power.
Less rage and more compassion, it is through the haunting words and now tempered inflection of Ciara Thompson's voice, which opens to distinct emotions and perspectives, that the listener is guided. With its gaze fixed on the horizon, the acoustic guitar of Gotta Believe invites us on an intimate stroll through the open plains, while Dream On carries us away with a clavinet riff and a possessed saxophone; reconnecting the electric heat and neurosis of a city full of dreams. The senses are moved by the conjuring potion of the guitar which distills throughout Troubled Waters; the body is brought back into a visceral dance by the keys and brass section that are put to the test by Sure As Sin and its irrepressible rhythm. Passing through clouds of dust and sand has left a bluesy imprint on their groove: the miles travelled became hundreds, then thousands.
All of this leaves the listener bewitched by the halo of resilience that now surrounds Ciara's performance, as the ten tracks let the light fade. But certainly not hope in a better day. Like the sunflower that always lifts its head towards the sun’s rays, the Buttshakers continue to resource their sounds in the deep roots of soul music. Into the rich layers of African-American music of the 60s and 70s, The Buttshakers capture the spirit as much as the musical aesthetics of the epoch. A sound that reaches into the meanderings of the soul, bringing light to dark places and hope for all. A sound for the most parched of hearts, living in a damaged world, Lessons In Love confirms that even the tiniest beam of light can illuminate one’s path.
At daybreak, as sunlight travels through the atmosphere and begins to reach Earth’s surface, daylight gradually emerges. This marks the transition from night to the beginning of a brand-new day. As the temperature rises—especially after clear, calm nights—relative humidity decreases, and mist, formed of tiny suspended droplets, begins to evaporate. Warm air rises and cool air sinks, creating an interplay of temperature, humidity and sunlight that gives way to a soft, diffuse glow. The sea breeze slowly clears the morning mist, setting life in motion once again as the world wakes up.
‘Daybreak’ is Sven Wunder’s fifth full-length album, seamlessly continuing the progression of his musical oeuvre. It takes the listener on a vivid maritime expedition, beginning the moment the first rays of light break the darkness of the night and embarking on a lush journey through the early hours of the day and far beyond, until the light slowly fades and night falls once again. True to Wunder’s now-distinctive artistry, ‘Daybreak’ is marked by elaborately crafted compositions and elegant pop-jazz arrangements for flute, percussion, brass and strings—supported by a decisive rhythm section, all of which add depth and build on his body of work, continuing to unfold his creative path.
- A1: Tafese Tesfaye - The Dove &Amp; The Pigeon
- A2: Yetemwork Mulat - Heathen &Amp; Earth
- A3: Alemu Aga - The World Is But A Place Of Survival
- B1: Sosena Gebre Eyesus - Save Us From Our Death
- B2: Abiy Seyoum - The Last Judgement
- B3: Tafese Tesfaye - You Who Take Good Care Of Me
- C1: Sosena Gebre Eyesus - When I Say Your Name
- C2: Akalu Yossef - Who Can Doubt
- C3: Abiy Seyoum - We Are All Mortals
- D1: Yetemwork Mulat - The Second Coming Of Christ
- D2: Akalu Yossef - Our Father
- D3: Alemu Aga - Song Of Praise Played With A Plectrum
Cassette[16,18 €]
The begena is a large ten-stringed lyre which is part of the traditional Amharic heritage of Ethiopia. The Amharas, who have long formed the politically and culturally dominant people of Ethiopia, mainly inhabit the central and northern part of the country. In the majority, they follow the monophysite Orthodox Tewahido Church established in the early fourth century AD.
Music plays a very important part in the life of the church. Most of the liturgy is sung and, contrary to secular music, it is accompanied by percussion instruments only. The begena occupies a special place because it is the one melodic instrument exclusively dedicated to the spiritual repertory. Because of its mythical origin, it is highly respected. Tradition holds that the begena was given to king David by God, and brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I, together with the Ark of the Covenant. It has always been the instrument of kings and nobles. Played by pious men and women of letters, it never became widespread. But it never disappeared either, not even under the Derg regime (1974-1991) which had banned the instrument.
Among Amhara string instruments, the begena is the most carefully crafted, especially with regard to the ornately sculpted crossbar. Its ten gut strings are cleaned and twisted several times. The characteristic buzzing timbre equalled by no other Amhara instrument is due to the enzirotch, that is, small bits of leather placed between each string and the bridge. This plays an important part in the sound production by creating a brief contact between the string and the upper rim of the bridge, thus modifying the vibrating properties of the string. In this manner, the spectrum of the sound is considerably enhanced (up to over 10 kHz).
The begena is a very powerful instrument, it keeps the devil thirty steps away, and its presence in the home wards off malicious spirits. Priests and preachers recommend its presence, especially during Lent (Fassika Tsom) when the Orthodox Amharas ponder their sins and repent. Because of its spiritual import, the begena generates intense emotion. According to some musicians, playing the begena brings them into direct contact with God or the Virgin Mary. The religious role of the begena is underscored by the shape of the instrument, each part symbolises an important element of the faith. The crossbar for instance, which reaches across the entire width of the instrument, represents God who is above all things. The belly which "gives birth" to the sound represents the Virgin Mary, and the ten strings recall the Ten Commandments.
Recorded by Stéphanie Weisser in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 2002-December 2005.
Mastered by Renaud Millet-Lacombe.
Issued under license from VDE-Gallo, Switzerland.
"Pretty Close", Ethel Lindsey's debut LP, marks the beginning of a new musical journey, showcasing the talent and heartfelt nostalgia of this gifted singer-songwriter. Deeply rooted in the sound and spirit of the 1970s, her work draws from the golden age of Soul, Funk, Disco, and AOR, blending these genres with elegance and authenticity. Her songwriting and vocal delivery are so true to the era that one could easily imagine this album emerging straight from a California studio in 1976.
Entirely composed, written, and performed by Ethel Lindsey, Pretty Close is a deeply personal and cohesive body of work. From lush harmonies to groove-driven arrangements, the album captures the warmth and depth of vintage recordings while offering a fresh and intimate take on these timeless sounds.
Once again, Favorite Recordings brings its signature dedication to the project, ensuring every step of the process—from production to final mix—remains faithful to the sonic and aesthetic codes of the era. The album was produced using a maximum of vintage analog equipment, staying true to the texture and character of original 70s productions.
This is not merely a nostalgic tribute—it’s a sincere continuation of a musical tradition. With a deep respect for the past and a forward-thinking spirit, Ethel Lindsey breathes new life into classic genres, reaffirming their relevance in today’s musical landscape.
As Ethel herself puts it:
"The songs on this album offer but a fleeting glimpse into the whimsical, melodic reveries that may have danced through the mind of a young girl growing up in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France during the early to mid-1980s. They are, perhaps, the earliest echoes of a fraternal musical upbringing—an inheritance both consciously absorbed and unconsciously imprinted—shaped by shared moments, half-remembered sounds, and the mysterious alchemy of childhood imagination. This collection is, in essence, a first distillation of that early inner world: playful, imperfect, sincere."
Eddie shows up to this game alone, wielding, as ever, a deft and unbeatable trigger finger on the sampler...
Reprising those beloved 7 Inches Of Pleasure and early Red Motorbike vibes on some deadly Madlib style downtempo cuts, and quick Cut 'n Paste workouts
LJ Simon, who collaborated on those killer recent Sandy B releases lends a hand too, it's a joyous Disco-House affair that reminds us of those old Tony Senghore jams from the 90's
Fruitful and fully juiced up joints for the Disko Universal !
Celebrated DJ, producer, and sonic explorer Auntie Flo (aka Brian d’Souza) — described by The Guardian as “one of global club culture’s most vital voices” — returns this autumn with ‘Birds of Paradise’: a rhythmically rich, emotionally resonant, and ecologically grounded new album, out 23 October via his A State of Flo imprint. The album will be launched with a special live show at London’s Jazz Caféon the same day.
‘Birds of Paradise’ draws on d’Souza’s global club experience while deepening his connection with the natural world. Built around classic Roland drum machines and iconic vintage synths, the record is a joyful, body-driven celebration of rhythm and movement, but one grounded in ecology and place. The album’s spiritual centre lies in Saligao, Goa, near d’Souza’s maternal homeland where his Auntie Florie (where the name is derived from) is buried. Where he found his ‘paradise’ nearby, staying in a converted fisherman’s hut and recorded dawn choruses from a riverside studio overlooking mangrove-lined waters. Environmental textures from Japan also make their way into the music, creating a sonic map rooted in lived experience.
“Birds of Paradise is about finding beauty and rhythm in a chaotic world. It’s about listening, to nature, to our bodies, to what’s real. It’s a reminder that dance music can be both joyful and grounded.” The album blends Afro-Latin polyrhythms with Western 4/4 patterns, fusing instinctive, dancefloor energy with field recordings that anchor the music in the earth. Described by d’Souza as “tropical with a few deeper edges, a balance of light and dark.”
The new record follows the acclaimed ‘In My Dreams, I’m A Bird and I’m Free’, which earned 4 stars and Global Album of the Month from The Guardian, featured in Disco Pogo’s Albums of the Year, and received support from Luke Una, Resident Advisor, Juno, Bandcamp, Mixmag, DJ Mag, Electronic Sound, The Skinny, Beatport, Ban Ban Ton Ton, and more. The album’s launch show at Omeara London sold out. Other recent projects include the ‘Outernational Dance’ EP on cult label Multi Culti, event series ‘Plants Can Dance (and Mushroom’s Sing)’ which explore plant and fungi bioelectricity as a means of live composition, and ‘Black Beacon’, a haunting cassette release and soundwalk series recorded on the abandoned military island of Orford Ness. There, d’Souza explored the eerie intersection of nature, decay, and deep time, gaining special access to restricted buildings to capture long-form soundscape compositions.
Alongside his production work, d’Souza has emerged as a leading voice at the intersection of sound and science. He curated music for Imperial College’s groundbreaking psychedelic therapy trials, developing six-phase playlists to guide participants through psilocybin-assisted sessions treating conditions such as fibromyalgia and gambling addiction. His five-hour ambient set at Watching Trees Festival, selected as Resident Advisor’s Mix of the Day, continued this exploration into the therapeutic potential of sound in altered states. He also spent six months collaborating with BBC producer Tom Raine on a documentary for BBC World Service, centred on a two-week journey through Kenya and Goa. There, he performed live, led plant music workshops, and joined a deep listening retreat rooted in field recording. “I realised my studio isn’t just four soundproofed walls filled with instruments — it’s the journey itself. It’s the people I meet, the natural world I listen to, and the connections I feel.”
This same commitment to deep listening fuels his live concept Plants Can Dance, a project that combines the biosonification of plants and fungi with modular synthesis. The next event, on 14 September at Hideout Hackney Wick, will feature performances by Stella Z and Lapalace, with d’Souza and resident Lamine playing live alongside responsive plants in collaboration with Repot Hackney Wick and the label Music To Watch Seeds Grow By. “I’ve spent years exploring how electronic music can connect us, not just to each other, but to the natural world. Whether it’s translating mushroom data into melody or capturing birdsong at dawn, it’s about finding resonance across bodies, ecosystems, and machines.”
Rooted in his Goan and Kenyan heritage and shaped by years of travel and collaboration, d’Souza’s creative mission is simple: to reconnect the electronic world with the natural one. Through A State of Flo, he continues to blur the boundaries between club culture, sound art, and ecological awareness.
To mark 10 years since SOPHIE’s game-changing singles collection PRODUCT, Numbers are celebrating with a special edition featuring 11 songs across Deluxe Vinyl and Compact Disc.
This anniversary release includes bonus tracks, track-by-track slide posters, and a SOPHIE PRODUCT Card. Physical editions are now available for pre-order and released on 11th July 2025.
SOPHIE classics ‘BIPP’, ‘LEMONADE’ and ‘VYZEE’ are joined by two immaculate PRODUCT-era songs ‘OOH’ and ‘GET HIGHER’ recorded and produced at the time, each with colourful single artwork completing the set.
‘OOH’ is one of SOPHIE's earliest productions that has been through several revisions since 2011. It was one of three original tracks that Numbers had signed when SOPHIE uploaded the song alongside 'BIPP' and 'ELLE' to her Soundcloud, and while it had been through several iterations and speed changes, this finalised version was completed by SOPHIE in 2019.
SOPHIE once described ‘OOH’ as “hi tech club dance pop”. Musically speaking, the earworm hook is carved out by her signature portamento-infused synths and candy-coated lyrics, a firm cult classic approved by AG Cook and Charli XCX. Initially titled 'MAKE RESPECT', the track was first performed live by SOPHIE in 2011 to a handful of lucky people at a beach afterparty surrounding Sonar Festival, Barcelona and later that year at Manhattan's New Museum. The vocal was recorded as the first track in the same one-day recording session as SOPHIE's debut single 'NOTHING MORE TO SAY', released on the Huntley & Palmers label, where Sophie's songwriting was performed by the London vocalist Jaide Green.
The genesis of the ‘OOH’ and ‘NOTHING MORE TO SAY’ recording session is lore-worthy in its own right: after watching Jaide Green perform live with Olly Murs during the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009, SOPHIE reached out and invited Jaide to record in her home bedroom studio.
‘GET HIGHER’ was born during joyous sessions in 2013, when SOPHIE’s beat was introduced to the vocalists Cassie Davis and Sean Mullins. The track feels like a visionary precursor to ‘Vroom Vroom’, and doesn't sound out of place next to the sub-clang intensity of SOPHIE’s ‘HARD’ and ‘MSMSMSM’. Striking a playful balance between blissed-out hyperpop and club-ready Atlanta trap, it showcases SOPHIE’s signature, laser sharp sound design. Originally released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD edition of PRODUCT, ‘GET HIGHER’ has remained a hidden gem.
A groundbreaking producer, songwriter and performer, SOPHIE's visionary approach reshaped the landscape of pop and electronic music. Emerging in the early 2010s, SOPHIE introduced a hyper-detailed, futuristic sound defined by metallic textures, elastic basslines, and an uncanny blend of synthetic and emotional tones. Collaborating with artists including Charli XCX, Madonna, Vince Staples and Arca, SOPHIE helped pioneer a new pop movement while challenging conventions around identity, genre and production. SOPHIE's work continues to resonate deeply, leaving a lasting impact on a generation of artists and listeners alike. Discography: PRODUCT (2015), OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES (2018), SOPHIE (released posthumously, 2024).
The Danish/Norwegian duo of Ida Urd and Ingri Høyland believe that music is an extension of one’s immediate sensory environment. Duvet, their collaborative full-length debut, explores the way that creating sounds together is intertwined with various quotidian actions: establishing surroundings, rearranging furniture, moving towards the light, collecting flowers or other objects for aesthetic and sensuous impulses. Through a quiet and attentive process, music becomes a way of nurturing space: a soft architecture for play, writing, care, or simply rest.
Sonically, Duvet feels like an extension of Høyland’s last album, 2023’s Ode to Stone, which also featured Urd along with ambient musician Sofie Birch and visual artist Lea Guldditte Hestelund. But where that album, created in response to an open call for work themed around Denmark’s national parks, suggested rolling landscapes and endless horizons, Duvet turns inward, countering chill winds with glowing warmth. Its eight tracks seek a balance between abstraction and melody, intention and happenstance.
“We had a truly inspiring and rewarding process working with Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen from Vanessa Amara, who co-produced and mixed the album with us,” Ingri adds. “He approached the material with great care and sensitivity, while also bringing his own distinct presence and creativity into the sound.”
Høyland and Urd both studied at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, which has turned out many acclaimed artists over the past few years, including Erica de Casier, Astrid Sonne, and Smerz. Over many years, the two composers have developed a collaborative method based on connection and trust. A practice, they write, “where composing, or rather suggesting, sounds and melodies for one another is a way of carefully talking, mending emotions and obstacles. Saying yes to one another. The compositional space becomes a nest for entangling whatever emotions, thoughts, or barriers one of the composers brings to the given day or moment.”
Quiet and contemplative, Duvet is simple on the surface but rich in timbral, textural, and emotional complexity. Høyland and Urd sourced their sounds from an array of instruments and techniques—electronic devices, modules, pedals, and also electroacoustic treatments of various wind instruments.
Mixing primarily through analog tape units added further mystery and depth, weaving together wordless voices and unknown sounds—breathing, rustling, perhaps the coppery gleam of Urd’s electric bass—into a dynamic matrix. Like a nest, pull one twig and the whole thing unravels.
In the winter of 2023, Ingri Høyland and Ida Urd retreated to a summer house along the coast to create the album. Picture the scene: an abiding quiet all around. Gardens carpeted by snow; beach grass silvery against the silvery sky; a tendril of smoke rising from the chimney. Not another soul in earshot. This sanctuary was the perfect setting to yield this meditation on shelter, trust, and communication. The two composers hope the album can be a similar space for others—a temporary space of residence, it can represent a summerhouse, a cabin in the woods, your favorite bench or wherever you need to go. “The album also works really well when picking out apples in the supermarket” Urd laughs.
The ninth installment in the MEGABREAKZ series dives headfirst into the raw energy of early industrial. A rhythmic discharge straight from the golden era of industrial new beat and industrial dub: rusted percussion, toxic delays, and sweat-drenched basslines. Velax channels the raw spirit of Chicago’s most abrasive scene, Wax Trax!, where beats were machines and noise had a body. But here, everything is filtered through the dub haze of the UK’s early counter-scene, with fractured echoes in the style of Keith LeBlanc, crafting the ideal soundtrack for a crumbling factory. Grit, groove, and distortion as the only possible language. Presented in ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid BLACK vinyl.
- A1: When I Sing, I Slip Into The Microphone. Into That Void, I Bring Comrade "Prayers", Then, Turning To Face The Outside, Together We Explode. Part I
- B1: When I Sing, I Slip Into The Microphone. Into That Void, I Bring Comrade "Prayers", Then, Turning To Face The Outside, Together We Explode. Part Ii
- C1: When I Sing, I Slip Into The Microphone. Into That Void, I Bring Comrade "Prayers", Then, Turning To Face The Outside, Together We Explode. Part Ii (Continued)
- D1: When I Sing, I Slip Into The Microphone. Into That Void, I Bring Comrade "Prayers", Then, Turning To Face The Outside, Together We Explode. Part Ii (Conclusion)
- D2: When I Sing, I Slip Into The Microphone. Into That Void, I Bring Comrade "Prayers", Then, Turning To Face The Outside, Together We Explode. Part Iii
Among the true Keiji Haino devotees, Nijiumu’s Era of Sad Wings (released on P.S.F. in 1993) has always held a special place in the pantheon. Operating for only a few years in the early 90s and apparently only performing a handful of shows, Nijiumu operated at the opposite end of the dynamic spectrum to Haino’s famed power trio Fushitsusha, dwelling in a hushed, meditative realm of mysterious droning sonorities and free-floating melodies that occasionally erupts into violence. Black Truffle is pleased to announce a new double-LP edition of a lesser-known 1994 Nijiumu recording, When I sing, I slip into the microphone. Into that void, I bring comrade “prayers”, then, turning to face the outside, together we explode. Here, Nijiumu is the trio of Haino, Tetuzi Akiyama and the obscure Takashi Matsuoka, the three performing on a wide variety of string, wind and percussion instruments, as well as electric guitar and bass, and Haino’s unmistakeable voice.
Like on the early solo Haino album that shares the group’s name (released on P.S.F. in 1993), the instrumentation swims in reverb (the use of which Akiyama recalls as ‘a kind of point of the band’), often obscuring the instrumental sources. On the short opening piece, a distant reed instrument arcs long buzzing melodies over a bed of cymbals and gongs, like a psychedelic take on Tibetan music. The epic second part, occupying almost 50 minutes, begins as a splayed, near-formless cloud of electric guitar and bass, shadowed by bowed and plucked strings, the three elements working through twisting atonal shapes. At various points in the recording, we hear what seems to be the sounds of musicians moving between instruments, their shuffling and bumps fitting seamlessly into this radically open music. Eventually, what sounds like electric guitar moves closer to the foreground, fixing on a repeated melodic cell around which hover mysterious clouds of long tones and a sporadic shaker. At the half-hour mark, the music begins to build to a violently emotive climax, Haino’s impassioned vocal cries punctuating a lumbering, bass-heavy murk, contrasted at points by what sounds like a tin whistle. Suddenly, the volume drops to a near-whisper, opening the way for the stunning final moments, which touch on the slow-motion balladry of Haino’s classic Affection, here given an eccentric twist by an occasional woodblock hit. The third piece opens with a hazy trio of rumbling bass, bowed strings and abstracted slide guitar, the latter calling to mind some of Akiyama’s later solo work. Eventually joined by Haino’s voice, its fragile, haunted tone might remind the listener of the man in black’s documented love of the madrigals of the murderous Count Gesualdo, before the recording abruptly breaks off mid-note. In this new edition, the Nijiumu trio recording is supplemented by a piece recorded solo by Haino in 1973, a bracing electronic blowout stretching almost half an hour. Using a homemade electronics setup to unleash a barrage of crunching distortion and shuddering harmonic fuzz, it takes its place in the canon of extreme live electronics next to Robert Ashley’s Wolfman and Walter Marchetti’s Osmanthus fragrans, looking forward to extreme noise years before Merzbow. Taken as a whole, these four sides of music are a stunning document of some of the lesser-known waystations of Haino’s singular creative path.
Sublunar is thrilled to announce its next release: Kashpitzky's powerful new EP, Steampunk.
Affiliated with esteemed labels such as Blueprint, Be As One, and Token, Kashpitzky proves once again why he is one of the most exciting artists in today's techno landscape. With Steampunk, he delivers a set of tracks that showcase not only his signature sound design and unique energy, but also his ability to craft music that feels timeless.
The journey opens with Aborted, where intricate grooves and striking sound design merge into a truly distinctive piece, setting the tone for the record. Erath follows with a muscular and driving character, powered by a vocal that drops at key moments to amplify its raw energy.
On the flip side, Steampunk offers a minimal yet highly effective groove, a versatile track built to work in any context. Code 2 pushes deeper into hypnotic territory a perfect fusion of modern textures and classic sensibilities that leaves a lasting impression.
Closing the record is Last Day On Earth, an evocative outro where vocals and sounds echoing another era bring the journey to a haunting and memorable conclusion.
Swedish underground maestro Jo Bubbles (a.k.a. Jonas Dahlström) boasts an impressive streak of hot dance 12’’ releases in recent years, for illustrous labels like Parkway Records, The Transient Nature of The Disco Business and Västkransen. Ever intent on lifting homegrown talent and presenting it to its
worldwide audience, Studio Barnhus proudly unveils Mr. Bubble’s first outing on the label: a compilation of four distinct, yet equally striking dance tracks, each showcasing meticulously curated sound palettes paired with undeniably rock solid grooves.
From the electroid stomp of Compass Point to the Balearic-leaning grandeur of closing track Tu Cariño, these are cuts that would have gone down a storm during the early morning hours at Hägring, the infamous, now-defunct disco rave Jonas helped steer for over a decade. We’re thrilled to release these babies into the wild, for all to enjoy. Tu Cariño is out on vinyl and digital formats on October 10.
We met Volen through a tip from our friends at Cyclone as a Los Angeles-based DJ who was also a natural with production. In 2021 we released Volen's Distortion mini-album on Rhizome Forms. Those heady productions stuck with us and we knew a vinyl would soon be ready. Four years later, with countless hours spent in his Arizona desert sound lab, we present four acidic dancefloor interventions on wax.
“Validation” is immediately lively with a cascading acid groove. Spinning through inversions, the vocal refrains frame the kaleidoscopic dance floor energy of the title track.
The record's a-side finds completeness with the twisted anthem “I've Got to Shower".
Wobbly chords simmer under that famous sample while a slick breakbeat delivers the rhythm.
Side-b arrives with swagger as "Left & Right” rolls in with a mental acid and breakbeat powerplant of a groove.The track's breakdown billows atmosphere while the lower frequencies growl.
Volen saves the starry ecstasy for the final track. “Pump Their Dump” is an upbeat and dreamy acid house journey evolving into a collage of ear candy samples that'll satisfy dancers looking for that positive vibration release.
Following the lush listening LP outing by KAMM, the EG team is back in fine floorrocking form, this time with both label operatives on the dials as Rodney joins Dave Aju for his debut co-production. And what a debut it is: Highly-potent, raw, swinging house music of the highest order, complete with knocking 909 kicks, thick slapping snares, and a hypnotic melodic call-and-response tonal section that keeps things properly lifted and moving throughout. The vox evoke label boss Aju’s earlier catalog work, and he’s in particularly pointed mode here, spitting fire spoken word lines calling out various questionable corners of the dance music scene and humanity on the whole. A bold light-shining display during notably dark times, defending the once-sacred underground dance space against runaway trends of ego-driven capitalism, online image over actual skill sets, and the beyond low-ball barrier of entry into the arena. But by the time the soulful chorus lines hit and rise us up and onward toward the blissful musical finish, it is clear that this is in fact a unifying floor anthem and that indeed despite our differences amidst disheartening global chaos, at least “We Still Dancin". As always with the seasoned DJ-focussed three-piece Elbow Grease EP offerings, here we have the full A-side OG Vocal Mix cut at a crispy and tight 45rpm, a deliciously stripped and leveled-up EG Dub Mix on the B1, and finally the uplifting B2 Vibe Mix which doubles-down as half ambient instrumental builder and essential acapellacapella
Several years after a 12” for the Unrelatable imprint, Marco Passarani opens a new chapter with F.F.O.M., a work of extra-terrestrial tales that feel grounded, where the hard, dirty work of the people continues on a different planet. The scenery changes, but the story stays the same: broken dreams on arid ground.
Linking back to his early Nature Records releases, Passarani blends experimentation with an unshakable sense of groove, weaving a more abstract narrative without losing the dancefloor pulse. While distinct from his Studiomaster output, the project shares the same DNA, fusing digital and analog textures until the boundaries dissolve.
True to the raw spirit of pure techno and imbued with the unmistakable nuances of the Roman school, F.F.O.M. is both a nod to the past and a step into uncharted territory, where Martian dust meets earthly sweat.
Each track paints a fragment of this imagined frontier: Tales Of Truth reveals shadowy landscapes hiding the real nature of the so-called new promised land; Alone in the Depth drifts through liquid scenery, a classic TR-808 pulsing deep beneath unknown oceans; Clouded Shore distills the numeric essence of groove in a subtle nod to Kraftwerk; Dominion erupts into the fierce struggle for supremacy over the new territories; Passione Orbitale tells of love for the unknown and voyages toward otherworldly sunsets; Exploration Noises echoes the spirit of Ixora from Passarani’s first Nature Records release, with manic, melancholic SH-101 lines riding electro rhythms.
The digital edition includes two exclusive miniatures, fleeting transmissions from the edge of this Martian settlement.
After an initial European release in 1976 on the Isadora label Age Of Earth was re-issued on Virgin Records in Summer 1977 and fast became a beacon for electronic music and what was becoming known as ambient - Some cite its very title as helping introduce 'new age' music - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1977 Virgin Records release and is pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl.
Guitarist and synthesiser player Manuel Göttsching formed Ashra after disbanding Ash Ra Tempel, the outfit he had led since 1971. Moving away from the space rock of his previous group, Ashra was a far more electronics-based project. Recorded in Berlin, between March and June 1976, the four pieces on the album represent the very best of what became known as Kosmiche: dreamily repetitive, glancing to the stars while keeping feet firmly on the ground.
New Age Of Earth is a record full of contrasts: the throbbing, techno-predicting Sunrain opens the album; with its waves and crickets sound effects, Ocean Of Tenderness pulses gently like a space-age early Fleetwood Mac; Deep Distance brings elements of surf music into glacial electronica. At 21 minutes long, Nightdust occupies all of the album's second side, a ruminative, slowly unfolding piece that, after its crescendo, gives way to Göttsching's impressively celestial electric guitar solo.
- A1: Alice Ruby - Neptune
- A2: Flavour - Lespag
- A3: Raffa - Drowning In Your Love
- A4: Dj Dean - Higher
- A5: Noneohone - Knew It All Along
- B1: Roka. - D Beam
- B2: Gabriel Griffith - P’s & T’s
- B3: Shep - M1 Sun
- B4: Sharksss - Morning Star
- B5: Manoah Kenna - Just A Bit Of Rain
- B6: Mélanger Le Miel (Ft. Alice Ruby) - Bloom
Mélange is a new community and online platform for young emerging artists based between Europe and Australasia.
The first of the label’s VA compilation album, just released,spans corners of electronic and world music and weavesbetween classical/ambient sounds and UKG, Jungle & Disco. It’s a commitment to multi-genre discographies and the need for more established career paths for young, gifted artists.
With early support on the vinyl from Four Tet and Haai, our goal is to help share and further establish European and Oceanic sounds with music lovers everywhere.
London based label Natural Selection present their forthcoming release in the form of a 4-track 12" EP, courtesy of Swarm Intelligence, entitled "Radiance". Mastered by Alain Paul and cut by Simon at The Exchange Vinyl. Record Sleeve and labels printed to premium specification, featuring artwork by Kaan Ulgener.
Born in Dublin and now firmly based in Berlin, Simon Hayes aka Swarm Intelligence has cemented his place in the Techno underground with critically acclaimed LPs and EPs on labels such as 47, Instruments of Discipline and Voitax. He returns to Natural Selection, after releasing his track "Generative" on the label's latest VA release; "Natural Selection: Selected Works Vol. 1" in 2024. Featuring amongst an extensive list of heavyweight label affiliates such as SHXCXCHCXSH, Charlton, ASEC, Nørbak, MAEDON, Annie Hall & more. After further connections with the label via live performances at their regular label nights at FOLD London, it was inevitable that Simon would be invited to release a solo EP on their imprint.
His distinctive sound comes from over a decade of releases spanning multiple genres and tempos and oscillates between rhythmic noise, tense atmospherics, uncompromising levels of distortion, and stark, astute beats. This resolutely non-conformist approach to his productions has earned him a reputation as a true trailblazer in the realm of Techno and has led him to perform at some of the world's finest institutions including Berghain, Tresor and Basement NY.
For "Radiance", Swarm intelligence delves further into the sonic unknown, presenting a bold evolution in his uncompromising vision of Techno. Deep, fragmented textures form the backdrop for thunderous, distorted rhythms and IDM-laden drums and percussion, fused with meticulously designed cinematic soundscapes and powerful low-end muscle. Fierce, unrelenting, and deeply conceptual, all rules and boundaries are smashed to pieces and all tracks are equally suitable for blasting through the world's biggest club systems and rigs as they are for home listening.




















