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T. Gowdy has kept up a productive albeit mostly virtual pace since the release of Therapy With Colour (his third full-length album and first for Constellation) which dropped just as things were locking down back in spring 2020: performances at numerous festivals including MUTEK Montréal, Node Festival and NEW NOW; audiovisual pieces exhibited at various European galleries and events; a track and video for Constellation's Corona Borealis Longplay Singles Series; sound design for the documentary Atalaya by filmmaker Emma Roufs. Gowdy now returns with Miracles, his second full-length for Constellation, which draws on source materials originally performed in 2018 for an unreleased audio/visual project based around surveillance footage_a precursor to videocapped, monitor-based horizons that soon took on new meanings. Re-immersing himself in those recordings, Gowdy disassembles and deploys them as raw source material for new experiments with vactrols, noise gates and analog-to-digital triggering and aliasing, the original recordings juxtaposed anew amidst their successive textural and rhythmic treatments. Gowdy keeps this re-composition process stripped down, elemental and purposive, guided by an ascetic Aufhebung: synthesis as sublation_subjecting a temporal material/theme to analysis and transformation, reintegrating to form a whole that overcomes what it preserves without erasure, reshaping and intrinsically carrying its origins forward. Where Therapy With Colour was strictly and rigorously a set of stereo live performances, Miracles fuses iterative_though still spartan_layers of performance. "Therapy With Colour was about healing through self-hypnosis; Miracles is about forging a future with memory through subjection to trigger mechanisms" notes Gowdy. The result is a captivating collection of minimal IDM and oscillated electronics from the Montréal/Berlin producer, working primarily in a 120-140 BPM zone of tonal percussion and corrugated pulse. Gowdy's sensibility and sound palette gets deeper and dirtier, summoning new pathways of alluvial flicker and abraded euphoria. As the album progresses, low-pass gate vactrols coalesce into a clear and vital theme, conveying immanence through woody timbres at times reminiscent of the Shinrin-yoku aesthetic (Japanese `forest bathing'), though always with a grainy transcendence rather than invoking any clean pure sheen. Gowdy consistently heats and heightens the presence of each component in the mix, balancing different elements in democratic compression/distortion, attaining an unornamental and earnest form of mantric-industrial majesty. Miracles is live, corporeal, activated electronic music of the highest caliber, deployed with monastic and meditative focus.

Pink Clear Vinyl
Nottingham based artist Cyclonix launch new journey Little Red Hand and kicks off its schedule with heavy 3 track "Metal Bass" EP from him. Label aim is to champion the sounds of modern electronic fusion music on the broken beat and future jazz spectrum taking in hints of house, techno and breakbeat culture. Music that will stand the test of time - like the handprint in the logo - one of the oldest forms of human expression. POWERED BY ART-AUD

New York-based duo Bottler, Pat Butler and Phil Shore, are the vanguard of their own distinctly eclectic sound. Raw, emotive, bold and highly creative, the duo has successfully carved out their own path with a series of EPs that represent the broad scope of their production prowess. Over the last five years Bottler have been working on their debut album, ‘Journey Work’, a milestone achievement that marks a pivotal moment in their music career. The LP is a distillation of the duo’s multifaceted upbringing, blending a variety of styles together bound together by an overarching attitude and approach that embraces creative freedom and self-acceptance.



Pat and Phil are childhood friends whose bond is akin to that of blood relatives. Their parents are best friends and they grew up side by side, developing their deep love for music together; sharing discoveries and inspirations, learning to play and perform, and nurturing their creativity together. Now formally ordained as Bottler, they channel their eclectic tastes into a sound that encapsulates the love and trust that forms the foundation of the friendship. The duo blends a myriad of styles to create songs that emanate warmth, joy, sorrow, pain and the full spectrum of human emotion.



The album title, like their music, is open to interpretation. The duo reveals themes related to chronicling life’s many ups and downs, the deep preparation that must be taken ahead of a spiritual ceremony or psychedelic experience, and, simply, the journey taken during the conception and creation of an album. A quote from Walt Whitman also partly inspired the title; “every leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars”. However, the intention behind the title is to allow for ambiguity, giving the listener an opportunity to write their own narrative.



Across 11 cuts Bottler illustrate their distinct take on electronic music, weaving in elements of indie, pop, rock, house and techno with confidence and panache. ‘Journey Work’ starts at ‘Home’, a song that is fizzing with positive energy, Pat’s vocals welcoming the listener to the start of this meandering audio adventure.

‘Chrysalis’ opens with delicate piano keys that guide us into a bombastic bassline and energising drum beats. As it progresses, scintillating layers of synth and strings are added, creating a highly affecting, uplifting atmosphere.



‘Melatonin’ follows up next, merging heartfelt vocal delivery with a sombre instrumental, and a stirring guitar riff. A glorious demonstration of Bottler’s songwriting capabilities, which are also evident on ‘Vinyl’, an uptempo dance number with an unbelievably catchy chorus. Here we see the duo channel their experience of playing in multi-member bands, as the breaks and arrangement feel perfectly suited to a festival-sized crowd.



On ‘Tacoma’, Pat and Phil channel their appreciation of house and techno into a haunting cut that utilises reverse strings and extended vocal refrains to chilling effect. A heady club track for the twilight hours. ‘Meds’ incorporates muted singing, mystical pad work and a mesmerising riff to produce a captivating slice of uncomplicated dance music.



This is followed by ‘Hot Water’, which feels like a trip to a Californian beach, circa 1965. The vocals drift over a bouncing bassline with a complementary guitar riff. ‘Mako’ features Samurai Velvet singing about fireflies and afterlife in a wonderfully heartrending manner, Bottler’s instrumental keeping things simple, yet highly effective.



We head back underground with ‘Weed’, a dense, gloomy cut with inspired use of chopped up vocal clips, stuttered throughout, alongside a mean bassline. ‘You’re Old’ is the soundtrack to an explosion of festival euphoria, dancing shoulder to shoulder with your best friends, forgetting all your troubles and living in the moment. An anthemic song that transposes Bottler’s idiosyncratic style onto the pop blueprint. Finally, ‘Cicada Rhythm’ closes the LP with a pensive, yet joyful feeling. A chunky bassline is juxtaposed with Pat’s angelic vocals cascading over the top. A hint of tribalism comes through, as we approach the end of the Journey Work…



Five years in the making, fuelled by the desire to express their deep love for music of all varieties, Journey Work is symbolic of the long road it takes to accept oneself and be comfortable expressing one’s truth. Diverse, dynamic and daring with a rawness and honesty that is rare to find, the album marks a triumphant debut for Bottler and one that crystalises their unique identity.

A 12” filled to the brim with talent, Schrödinger’s Box have collected three juggernauts of wave tainted electronics for the latest. Dmitry Distant teams up with Norwell for a partnership of serious intent. The pair deliver a trio of blackened tracks, opening with the ghoulish caverns of “Transient State” before the long shadows, acid stains and painful echoes of “Visionary.” The duo venture into brighter territory with the computer funk of “On A Verge of Veil”, crisp beats and bubbling melodies changing the tone. Following Beyond the War, Cute Heels returns to occupy the flip. The Colombian is immediately on it with the swirling mirrors of “Kuriyaki Horizons,” a kick drum offering solid footing in this entrancing piece. An aloof, yet alluring, disco hook takes hold for “Litua”, a low thump keeping time. The finale arrives with the clipped industrial gait of “Determinated In Order.” Marching to a military beat, this work is industrial inspired with Cute Heels keeping a close ear to the pressure release gauge.

Spun Out Agency is honoured to present ‘More of that Frightful Oompty Boompty Music’, a compilation dedicated to the Guv’nor himself Mr Andrew Weatherall who should need no introduction on these pages. Released on vinyl in two beautiful parts, the first drops on April 15th with the second following two weeks after.

‘More of that Frightful Oompty Boompty Music’ (yes we are going to write that out every time we talk about it in this communique) showcases a selection of the shining greatness from the agency’s roster. Paranoid London, Fantastic Twins, Mehmet Aslan, Autarkic, Ruf Dug, Sean Johnston, and Manfredas gift exclusive tracks which highlight the sublime acid, techno and house sound that Weatherall would have described as “oopmty-boompty” music.

Spun Out is a London-based artist booking agency which has been run by Caroline Hayes for over 20 splendid years, that looked after the life and times of Andrew Weatherall alongside his partnership with Sean Johnston under their A Love From Outer Space moniker, and the likes of Optimo (Espacio), Ivan Smagghe, Josh Caffe, Man Power, Body Hammer, Kiara Scuro and many more artists, doing it differently.

Kicking off the A-side of the first record is Hardway Bros’ (aka Sean Johnston) previously unreleased remix of We Are The Axis by The Asphodells, the duo consisting of the Andrew Weatherall and former Battant member and Spun Out talent Timothy J. Fairplay. An energetic techno stomper with percussive rhythms, this exclusive remix offers the ideal tantalising dose to tease any dancefloor. The vocals and synth layers give it a punk rock approach, referencing the multi-genre essence of Weatherall’s taste in music.

Tel-Aviv-based Autarkic’s Sleepover closes the A-side with a chuggy lullaby, one that is certainly unsuitable for putting a baby to bed, given its intricate acid lines of total hypnosis. Following on the B-side is Manctalo Banger, a house bop by the Manchester-via-Ibiza computer game nerd and vinyl digger Ruf Dug, and Shizowaves, Turkish-born Basel-based Mehmet Aslan’s soulful touch to the compilation, bringing Middle-Eastern percussive melodies and catchy basslines.

The second record is introduced by Paranoid London, with a Spun Out dedicated acid techno banger appropriately titled Spinning Out and Fantastic Twins’ EBM track Kali’s Tongue Was A Weapon. On the B-side is Lithuanian chug legend Manfredas’ Hfuhruhurr, and Naum Gabo, who closes the compilation with the chaotic analogue-synth frenzy, Cold Sold. The name Naum Gabo may evoke the pioneer of Russian constructivism, who rose to fame thanks to his crazy kinetic sculptures. However, here it manifests as one half of Spun Out’s Optimo duo Jonnie Wilkes (JG Wikes) and James Savage. The duo’s impeccable manipulation of electronic hardware couldn’t give a better homage to him.

Some highlights for Spun Out artists this summer include 9 acts from the roster playing at Houghton Festival, Paranoid London’s show at Sonar Festival, Love International Festival and Ransom Note’s festival with Optimo Watching Trees.

Australia-born Los Angeles-based artist Luke C. presents ‘T.O.M.B.’, his debut solo release on his newly minted label Velvet Bikini.

The seven-track album is a gauzy, starry-eyed style of ambient electronics, embedded with melancholia and a touch of otherworldly psychedelia. A soundtrack to a generation lost, endlessly searching the streets of a sun-drenched, neon-lit city. ‘T.O.M.B.’ will be pressed on limited-edition vinyl.

The bulk of T.O.M.B. was recorded at Luke C.’s home studio in LA over the last 12 months and put together with various sources—MicroKorg, voice, sampled records, treated field recordings, resampled synths—to create the noir-ish atmosphere present across the LP, one that takes the listener through the depths of the psyche and the neon-lit corners of the city in which it was recorded.

Iranian-American artist Kamran Sadeghi mastered the entirety of the LP, known for his recent album on Richard Chartier’s LINE imprint and his work as a key member of Soundwalk Collective.

It’s been more than a year since our last release on Suction Records, and we’re excited to be back with the introduction of a new artist to the label’s roster. In fact, this split 12” serves as an introduction to both Useless Idea, and Seven Nights Alone, two aliases from the same Italian artist and producer, Cesare Bignotti. The split also serves as a taster for two forthcoming Suction Records full-length LPs, coming soon from both aliases.

Useless Idea, with previous under-the-radar cassette album releases on WéMè Records (2018’s “Acid Hologram”) and EVES Music (2020’s “Xa Peh”), has been quietly recording his own brand of inventive, playful, and melodic IDM/braindance for more than 20 years. We’ve been slowly compiling Useless Idea’s debut vinyl full-length for several years now, and the resulting “Glitch In The Colors” will be released later this year on 2LP vinyl, covering the span of his 20+ years of recording. From “Glitch…” we’ve included standout cut “Mello Tron” alongside two tracks that are exclusive to this split 12”.

Seven Nights Alone is a more recent alias, and outside of 1 track released on a compilation, this marks the new alias’ debut release. There is an undeniable Boards Of Canada influence here, but this is a unique and sophisticated take on BOC’s woozy and melancholy electronica. Both “Soft Where” (a menacing, futuristic instrumental hip hop killer) and “Walkman” (like a BoC “Campfire Headphase” outtake but on an optimistic tip) are taken from Seven Nights Alone’s debut 2LP vinyl full-length “Another Place”, to be released on Suction Records in 2023, alongside a 3rd track that’s exclusive to this split 12”.



Vinyl is limited to 200 copies, and comes with a Bandcamp download card.

House and techno purveyor Ejeca delivers with a high-octane release, ‘Keep Climbing EP’ on Needwant Records, which celebrates 100 releases. The four-tracker is available on a limited run of vinyl.

From its inception, Needwant has focussed on pioneering the sounds of tomorrow, developing exciting artists in the world of crossover dance and electronic music including lau.ra, Kiwi, and Ejeca, who first released on the label in 2013.

The title track kicks off the EP with serious force; heavy kicks and a glitchy melody loops hypnotically before making way for the track’s commanding vocal which is equally entrancing. Like its title, ‘Keep Climbing’ builds and builds, generating full-throttle energy that is finally erupted after a euphoric piano breakdown. ‘Vader’ reduces the pace and deepens the mood with a deep humming bassline, twinkling chords, and eerie strings. A breakdown follows with Ejaca’s signature ravey piano-lines in combination with hooky top-line vocals that seamlessly takes the track into peak-time party territory. The track is dynamic, enthralling, and highlights the depth to Ejeca’s production.

‘Won’t Beat Me’ is colourfully uplifting from the offset with bright piano and arpeggiating pads shimmering in tandem. The vocal is contagiously catchy, topping the instrumentation with positive energy which is present throughout the track’s duration. ‘Won’t Beat Me’ is a peak-time club big-hitter. Rounding off the EP is ‘Zyfer’ which boasts uncompromisingly chunky kicks and raw industrial echoes, before cleverly switching to a contrasting sonic soundscape in true Ejeca style. 8-bit arpeggiating chords bubble before warping into a driving club melody which dances on top of the heavy-hitting kicks and groovy percussion.

The EP perfectly captures the ethos of Needwant; forward-thinking music with innovative ideas from an artist who contributed to the label in its early stages. 100 releases on and Needwant continues to push the sounds of tomorrow in slick style.

Milanese producer Nelson of the East sets out on a deeper exploration of percussive house/techno on Sub Erotic, the first release on Tartelet Record’s new dance floor-focused sub-label DANCEMPORIUM – out May 6th.

Following his 2021 album release of Kybele, Nelson of the East (Nicolas Meyer) is embarking on a new area of sonic exploration rooted in club music motifs. His forthcoming EP, Sub Erotic, builds on his accomplished artistic imprint, balancing the urgent pulse of dance music with the rhythmic sensibilities of non-Western cultures. “After the release of Kybele, it took me a while to figure out what would be a good sequel, and I found myself deconstructing tracks from the album,” says Nelson. “I came to the conclusion that the most important thing on the new EP would be the relationship between the different elements, while trying to use fewer layers.” While the lilt and sway of organic musicality remains at the heart of his sound, the Berlin-based producer applies these qualities in a variety of ways. On “Ellipsis”, for example, live percussive patterns were recorded and recreated using synthesis, which Nelson found to be more effective than the acoustic originals. The result is three tracks that pivot around danceable structures while moving well outside the established norms of house and techno. From the pinging textures and staggered beat impulses of “Ellipsis” to the Go Go-flavored funk of “Sub Erotic” and the trance-inducing acid incantation of “Memoria”; Nelson’s distinctive inspirations spill out of his music in intriguing formations.

Danish mainstay Kasper Marott rounds out the EP, applying a seductive pulse to push “Ellipsis” towards a psychoactive peak. The perfect brooding partner to the original, while reinforcing Nelson’s vision of an electronically minded album. Sub Erotic marks the first release on DANCEMPORIUM, Tartelet Records’ new home for dance floor-oriented music. Having grown to become a broad church of musical modes and expressions, the label is now breaking out into more focused sonic spheres. With his use of rich timbres and adventurous spirit, Nelson of the East is the perfect inaugural candidate.

Toma Kami returns to Livity Sound for a third EP of provocative, experimental club gear. At the helm of his own Man Band label the French producer continues to explore a hybridised style which favours fractured beats, playful samples and occasional psychedelic flourishes.

Compared to the busier sound of previous releases, minimalism informs Toma’s approach on LIVITY053 as he sits his crunchy drums and weighty low-end in a tangibly spacious mix on ‘Amapicante’. Even within a stripped-down context, his unique approach shines through as ‘Later To The Bone’ progressively ramps up in scratched and scuffed sonic interference and ‘Mzecal’ trips over its own fragmented found-sound drum formations.

Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.

Future Jazz Ensemble is a project from multi instrumentalist Nicola Penna. With Future Jazz Ensemble, Nicola is exploring of the intersected sonic paths of jazz, ethnic and electronic music; trying to recall the past and evoke the future. His previous two Future Jazz Ensemble releases; The Mankind's Place 12" LP and Art For Art's Sake 7" were limited runs and are now very sought after. We are very proud to have Nicola releasing music on Ten Lovers Music and look forward to future projects.

4 divers new school detroit trax.
Jolly house moods and melancolic electronica dub

‘Emotional Eternal’, out on Domino, is a glorious consolidation
of the lessons learned along the way, seen through the eyes of
someone who has taken a step back, and who can see clearly
as a result.

 As with her previous acclaimed 2018 album ‘Bon Voyage’, this
album was initially recorded in the outskirts of Stockholm, with
Reine Fiske, the multi-instrumentalist member of Swedish rockband Dungen, who has worked with the likes of Travis Scott and
Anna Järvinen, and Fredrik Swahn, the musician, producer and
engineer best known for his work with Swedish indie-rock band
The Amazing.

 A deeply human collection of songs full of prolonged moments
of sonic transcendency, ‘Emotional Eternal’ is a record rooted in
adulthood, but one that still regards the world with a childlike
wonder. It includes ‘Alma_The Voyage’, a beautiful paean to
motherhood concluding with resounding violins and EBow;
‘Personal Message’ featuring a giddily assured vocal
performance from Melody, vertiginous and breathy and the
ornate and catchy, ‘Where The Water Clears the Illusion’.

 Listening to the album feels like coming across an abundant
treasure chest; strap in and get ready to be transported to
another heavenly, mediative and groove-filled world.

 CD in printed inner wallet with 18-page poster booklet.

 LP with 2-page insert plus 12” circular ‘optical effect’ card platter
disc with digital download code.

 Press - Reviews in Uncut, MOJO, Loud and Quiet, Record Collector,
Reader’s Digest, Shindig, Electronic Sound, The Skinny, NARC,
Aesthetica, Spin, All Music. Features in Clash, Shindig Magazine,
Pitchfork, The Eagle, The Line of Best Fit, Far Out Magazine.

 Radio - 6 Music Lauren Laverne, Craig Charles, Amy Lame, Radcliffe
& Maconie, BBC Radio 1 Jack Saunders, Radio X John Kennedy.

Modern Obscure Music turns to Japan for inspiration. Suemori debuts on the Barcelona based imprint with an album of striking textures and sounds. From the first track, you can feel the influence of the Far East in both the melodies and rhythms created by Suemori. The music is complemented by Mayte Nicole Esteban fs impressive artwork.
Suemorifs real name is Yoshinobu Hoshina. He previously recorded as Hoshina Anniversary. Under this alias, Hoshina released music on labels such as Boysnoize Records and ESP Institute. As Suemori he released the Maebashi album earlier in 2021 on Elena Colombifs Osare! Editions imprint.

Tawamure is an album of richly textured compositions. Pianos and electronics are equally important. Some tracks are beatless and others have an unorthodox approach to percussion. We begin with the playful yet sombre pianos and strings of Mou Aenaindesune ‚à‚¤‰ï‚¦‚È‚¢‚ñ‚Å‚·‚Ë. Honshin –S has a magical beauty and Konton ¬“× Chaos is as chaotic as you would expect. There is so much to explore on this wonderful album from Suemori.

Gunship Gold vinyl 6th Anniversary Edition Double LP
2 x 180g heavyweight gold vinyl inspired by the legendary GOLD Nintendo World Championship cartridges.
Features handwritten liner notes and doodles by the band, detailing the cinematic influences that inspired the creation of the album.

According to the band, GUNSHIP is a neon soaked, late night, sonic getaway drive, dripping with luscious analog synthesizers, cinematic vocals and cyberpunk values, exploding from the front cover of a dusty plastic VHS case which has lain forgotten since 1984. The band's debut album ‘GUNSHIP’ received outstanding reviews from both electronic and rock press earning a place in synthwave history as one of the first crossover albums. After being available only as a direct to fan purchase the LP is now being released across the world for the first time.

The GUNSHIP album has 25 million streams on Spotify alone. The band have 100k subscribers on YouTube. Views on the music videos from this album: Fly For Your Life: 4,243,244; The Mountain: 1,624,513; Revel In Your Time: 1,230,947; Tech Noir 4,211,296.

Toro y Moi siebtes Studioalbum MAHAL ist die bisher wohl kühnste und faszinierendste Reise des musikalischen Masterminds Chaz Bear. Mit einer weiten Spannbreite zwischen Genres und Sounds - vom zotteligen Psychedelic Rock der 1960er & 1970er hin zum luftigen Sound des Mod-Post-Punks der 90er-Jahre - nimmt das Album die Hörer*innen mit auf eine musikalische Expedition, in der sie im Rücksitz von Bears philippinischen Jeepney, der auch das Albumcover ziert, Platz nehmen können. So ist MAHAL ein unverwechselbares Toro y Moi-Erlebnis, welches in Verbindung zu seinen vorigen Werken steht und dennoch einen ganz neuen Weg einschlägt, wie es nur Bear tun kann. Seit der Veröffentlichung des bahnbrechenden Electronic Pop-Albums Causers Of This 2009, hat Toro y Mois Alben stets die Idee, was sein Sound sein könnte, weiterentwickelt. Dennoch findet sich in Bears Backkatalog nur wenig, das einen auf die Deep Groove-Exkursion auf seinem bisher vielfältigsten Album MAHAL vorbereiten könnte. Mit den ersten Tönen des Albums werden wir direkt in den Beifahrersitz gesetzt, umgeben von den Motorengeräuschen des Jeeps und bereit für die Fahrt, die Chaz und seine Gefährten für uns geplant haben. Einige der 13 Tracks auf MAHAL - das Wort für Liebe in der auf den Philippinen gesprochenen Sprache Tagalog - finden ihre Anfänge in der Zeit um das deutlich rockigere What For? aus dem Jahr 2015. So liefert das neue Album eine ganz klare Antwort und spannt den Bogen: What For? - For Love. MAHAL wurde größtenteils letztes Jahr in Bears Studio in Oakland in Kollaboration mit Künstler*innen wie Sofie Royer, Unknown Mortal Orchestras Ruban Neilson, Alan Palomeo von Neon Indian sowie The Mattson 2 fertiggestellt. "I wanted to make a record that featured more musicians on it than any other record of mine," erklärt Bear. "To have them live on that record feels grounded, bringing a communal perspective to the table." Im Resultat ist MAHAL üppig und voller Überraschungen - sei es durch das locker lässige "The Loop", das an Sly and The Family Stones erinnern lässt oder dem elastischen Psych-Rock bei "Foreplay" sowie der schwindelerregenden Mulatu Astatke-Anlehnung bei "Last Year".

Toro y Moi siebtes Studioalbum MAHAL ist die bisher wohl kühnste und faszinierendste Reise des musikalischen Masterminds Chaz Bear. Mit einer weiten Spannbreite zwischen Genres und Sounds - vom zotteligen Psychedelic Rock der 1960er & 1970er hin zum luftigen Sound des Mod-Post-Punks der 90er-Jahre - nimmt das Album die Hörer*innen mit auf eine musikalische Expedition, in der sie im Rücksitz von Bears philippinischen Jeepney, der auch das Albumcover ziert, Platz nehmen können. So ist MAHAL ein unverwechselbares Toro y Moi-Erlebnis, welches in Verbindung zu seinen vorigen Werken steht und dennoch einen ganz neuen Weg einschlägt, wie es nur Bear tun kann. Seit der Veröffentlichung des bahnbrechenden Electronic Pop-Albums Causers Of This 2009, hat Toro y Mois Alben stets die Idee, was sein Sound sein könnte, weiterentwickelt. Dennoch findet sich in Bears Backkatalog nur wenig, das einen auf die Deep Groove-Exkursion auf seinem bisher vielfältigsten Album MAHAL vorbereiten könnte. Mit den ersten Tönen des Albums werden wir direkt in den Beifahrersitz gesetzt, umgeben von den Motorengeräuschen des Jeeps und bereit für die Fahrt, die Chaz und seine Gefährten für uns geplant haben. Einige der 13 Tracks auf MAHAL - das Wort für Liebe in der auf den Philippinen gesprochenen Sprache Tagalog - finden ihre Anfänge in der Zeit um das deutlich rockigere What For? aus dem Jahr 2015. So liefert das neue Album eine ganz klare Antwort und spannt den Bogen: What For? - For Love. MAHAL wurde größtenteils letztes Jahr in Bears Studio in Oakland in Kollaboration mit Künstler*innen wie Sofie Royer, Unknown Mortal Orchestras Ruban Neilson, Alan Palomeo von Neon Indian sowie The Mattson 2 fertiggestellt. "I wanted to make a record that featured more musicians on it than any other record of mine," erklärt Bear. "To have them live on that record feels grounded, bringing a communal perspective to the table." Im Resultat ist MAHAL üppig und voller Überraschungen - sei es durch das locker lässige "The Loop", das an Sly and The Family Stones erinnern lässt oder dem elastischen Psych-Rock bei "Foreplay" sowie der schwindelerregenden Mulatu Astatke-Anlehnung bei "Last Year".

Immortal Onion have already built a strong position as one of the most interesting, new jazz projects from Poland. After two well received albums ("Ocelot of Salvation" in 2017 and "XD ExperienceDesign" in 2020) we've had the pleasure of presenting the new re- lease called "Screens" recorded at the initiative of the saxophonist Michał Jan Ciesielski.

The songs composed by Michał confirm, that jazz electronic fusion can be still fresh and thrilling. The album, where beside Michał, Tomir, Wojtek and Ziemowit, you will find many guest instrumentalists. Thus resulting in a step forward made by the still young musician from TriCity.

It is worth mentioning, the song entitled "ZOZI" is enriched with the string parts recorded by Ola Szymańska on violin (Alfah Femmes, Ralph Kamiński, The Fruitcakes) and Weronika Kulpa on cello. Also, you can hear the brass section consisting of David Lipka on trumpet (Zgniłość, Bizzarre Penguin) and Paweł Niewiadomski on trombone (Power of the Horns). In the composition called "OK Boomer" you can hear characteristic guitar soundscape recorded by Marcin Gałązka (Tymon Tymański).

The whole album was recorded and mixed by Michał Jan Ciesielski. Mastering was done by Michał "Eprom" Baj. Graphic design was created by Marta "Martiszu" Ludwiszewska, who, like no one else senses the crazy spirit of immortal onion.

“I am most excited, that they got out of their formula and invited Michał Jan on saxophone who perfectly complements the ideas of guys from the Immortal Onion.”
Hania Rani —

A supergroup comprising Deerhoof + Juana Molina + Kasai Allstars + Konono No.1 + Skeletons + Wildbirds & Peacedrums. It all started when the music of Konono No.1 and Kasai Allstars was first released in the US and Europe, in the later part of the '00s. With its blend of ritual music, traditional percussion, thumb pianos, electric guitars, and makeshift instruments made from junkyard scrap, their out-of-this-world sound now also known as Congotronics, a word coined to title the series in which their albums appeared on Crammed Discs - deeply struck the imagination of musicians and fans worldwide. Leading rock media enthused about this newly rediscovered brand of "primal rock", while an impressive string of avant-rock, electronic & hip hop artists (from Dirty Projectors, Andrew Bird, Animal Collective and Deerhoof to Beck, Björk, Wilco, Radiohead, Saul Williams, Questlove and many more) repeatedly quoted the Congotronics bands as major sources of inspiration.

Spun Out Agency is honoured to present ‘More of that Frightful Oompty Boompty Music’, a compilation dedicated to the Guv’nor himself Mr Andrew Weatherall who should need no introduction on these pages. Released on vinyl in two beautiful parts, the first drops on April 15th with the second following two weeks after.

‘More of that Frightful Oompty Boompty Music’ (yes we are going to write that out every time we talk about it in this communique) showcases a selection of the shining greatness from the agency’s roster. Paranoid London, Fantastic Twins, Mehmet Aslan, Autarkic, Ruf Dug, Sean Johnston, and Manfredas gift exclusive tracks which highlight the sublime acid, techno and house sound that Weatherall would have described as “oopmty-boompty” music.

Spun Out is a London-based artist booking agency which has been run by Caroline Hayes for over 20 splendid years, that looked after the life and times of Andrew Weatherall alongside his partnership with Sean Johnston under their A Love From Outer Space moniker, and the likes of Optimo (Espacio), Ivan Smagghe, Josh Caffe, Man Power, Body Hammer, Kiara Scuro and many more artists, doing it differently.

Kicking off the A-side of the first record is Hardway Bros’ (aka Sean Johnston) previously unreleased remix of We Are The Axis by The Asphodells, the duo consisting of the Andrew Weatherall and former Battant member and Spun Out talent Timothy J. Fairplay. An energetic techno stomper with percussive rhythms, this exclusive remix offers the ideal tantalising dose to tease any dancefloor. The vocals and synth layers give it a punk rock approach, referencing the multi-genre essence of Weatherall’s taste in music.

Tel-Aviv-based Autarkic’s Sleepover closes the A-side with a chuggy lullaby, one that is certainly unsuitable for putting a baby to bed, given its intricate acid lines of total hypnosis. Following on the B-side is Manctalo Banger, a house bop by the Manchester-via-Ibiza computer game nerd and vinyl digger Ruf Dug, and Shizowaves, Turkish-born Basel-based Mehmet Aslan’s soulful touch to the compilation, bringing Middle-Eastern percussive melodies and catchy basslines.

The second record is introduced by Paranoid London, with a Spun Out dedicated acid techno banger appropriately titled Spinning Out and Fantastic Twins’ EBM track Kali’s Tongue Was A Weapon. On the B-side is Lithuanian chug legend Manfredas’ Hfuhruhurr, and Naum Gabo, who closes the compilation with the chaotic analogue-synth frenzy, Cold Sold. The name Naum Gabo may evoke the pioneer of Russian constructivism, who rose to fame thanks to his crazy kinetic sculptures. However, here it manifests as one half of Spun Out’s Optimo duo Jonnie Wilkes (JG Wikes) and James Savage. The duo’s impeccable manipulation of electronic hardware couldn’t give a better homage to him.

Some highlights for Spun Out artists this summer include 9 acts from the roster playing at Houghton Festival, Paranoid London’s show at Sonar Festival, Love International Festival and Ransom Note’s festival with Optimo Watching Trees.

HIGHLIGHTS: Let yourself go with the overwhelming musical output of Argentina's very own Melopea Discos, in a selection of songs that explore fusion with an air of mystery and a side of exquisite sensitivity across 11 carefully curated leftfield synth pop, experimental folk and ambient tracks. "Viento Sur" has been compiled by Argentine DJs and collectors Bárbara Salazar and Alejandro Cohen (dublab) based in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles respectively. Most of the songs are reissued here for the first time and many of them were previously unavailable on vinyl. Includes a 4-page insert with liner notes and photos. Remastered sound. Further Info: Viento Sur. Experimental Music & Fusion Music from Argentina. A Retrospective from Melopea Discos. Following the success of our 2020 release "América Invertida" (VAMPI 205), a fascinating survey of Uruguay's lesser-covered '80s endeavours in new wave pop, jazz-fusion, ambient folk and electronics, it's now time to cross to the other side of Rio de la Plata and let yourself go with the overwhelming musical output of Argentina's very own Melopea Discos. Born partly out of necessity and partly by a twist of fate, Melopea is a record label from Argentina created at the end of the 80s as a vehicle for the creative curiosity of its founder, Litto Nebbia, to document music not supported by the music industry. The songs that form "Viento Sur" do not provide a comprehensive vision of the different styles of the label but rather an approach to its more experimental side. This compilation puts together a selection of songs that explore fusion with an air of mystery and a side of exquisite sensitivity across 11 carefully curated tracks. From the southernmost latitudes of the American continent, "Viento Sur" brings soft and warm atmospheres that intermingle with more earthly pulses; sounds that reflect the beauty and richness of Argentina, from the jungle to the pampas, the subtlety of the forest, and the effervescence of the Río de la Plata and its neighboring candombe. "Viento Sur" has been compiled by Argentine DJs and collectors Bárbara Salazar and Alejandro Cohen (dublab) based in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles respectively. This release is presented with obi strip and a 4-page insert including liner notes and photos. Most of the tracks are reissued here for the first time and many of them were previously unavailable on vinyl. Remastered sound.

Bristol techno, noise and hardcore supremos SCALPING are
releasing their highly anticipated debut album ‘Void’.
‘Void’ comes on the heels of an extremely exciting 2021 for the
band, which saw them play to sold-out crowds at the Roundhouse
twice in two weeks - both on tour with Squarepusher and at
Pitchfork Festival London - as well as releasing two widely
acclaimed EPs titled ‘FLOOD’ and ‘FLOOD Remixed’, the latter of
which featured treatments from producers Hodge, Azu Tiwaline,
object blue, AQXDM and Laurel Halo and Scottish instrumental
rock legends Mogwai.

SCALPING are heavy metal in 4D; the sound is moody, distorted
and rhythmic, but the use of electronic techniques gives the finer
details room to breathe, making more space for experimentation.
Tracks such as ‘Tether’, featuring Oakland rapper DÆMON, puts
a modern, metal twist on Bristolian trip-hop, whereas album closer
‘Remain in Statis’ features fast-rising artist Grove, a Bristol-based
rapper and self-professed metalhead whose commanding
presence sets the track alight.

In the heat and darkness, it’s a swarm of low-end frequencies and
ripping guitars, somewhere between Black Sabbath-esque
psychedelica and The Bug’s sub-bass headfuckery. Live, the
effect is immense. SCALPING play continuously for the duration of
their sets, generating a storm of metal-and-techno through a rising
beats-per-minute count.

‘Void’ will be put to the test, as the band kicks off an eight-date UK
headline tour, culminating in a live performance at fabric on May
5th. As live shows return in 2022, SCALPING will continue to
prove themselves as one of the UK’s most impressive, ambitious,
and original new live bands.

Toro y Moi’s seventh studio album, ‘MAHAL’, is the boldest and most fascinating journey yet
from musical mastermind Chaz Bear. The record spans genre and sound - encompassing the
shaggy psychedelic rock of the 1960s and ‘70s, and the airy sounds of 1990s mod-post-rock -
taking listeners on an auditory expedition, as if they’re riding in the back of Bear’s Filipino
jeepney that adorns the album’s cover. But ‘MAHAL’ is also an unmistakably Toro y Moi
experience, calling back to previous works while charting a new path forward in a way that only
Bear can do.
 ‘MAHAL’ is the latest in an accomplished career for Bear, who’s undoubtedly one of the
decade’s most influential musicians. Since the release of the electronic pop landmark ‘Causers
of This’ in 2009, subsequent records as Toro y Moi have repeatedly shifted the idea of what his
sound can be. But there’s little in Bear’s catalogue that will prepare you for the deep-groove
excursions on ‘MAHAL’, his most eclectic record to date.
 The second the album begins we’re immediately transported into the passenger seat, jeep
sounds and all, ready for the ride Chaz and company have concocted for us. Seeds of some of
‘MAHAL’s 13 songs date back to the more explicitly rock-oriented ‘What For?’ from 2015.
 ‘MAHAL’ was mostly completed last year in Bear’s Oakland studio with the involvement of a
host of collaborators, Sofie Royer and Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Neilson to Neon
Indian’s Alan Palomo and the Mattson 2.
 “I wanted to make a record that featured more musicians on it than any other record of mine,”
he explains. “To have them live on that record feels grounded, bringing a communal
perspective to the table.” As a result, ‘MAHAL’ is lush and surprising at every turn, from the
cool-handed ‘The Loop’, which recalls Sly and the Family Stone, to the elastic psych rock of
‘Foreplay’ and the dizzying Mulatu Astatke-recalling of ‘Last Year’.
 Lyrically, the album zooms in on generational concerns, picking up where the ‘Outer Peace’
standout ‘Freelance’ effectively left off. Bear seems to be surveying the ways in which we
connect with technology, media, each other, and what disappears as a result. Cuts like the
squishy ‘Postman’ and ‘Magazine’ take a deep dive into our relationship with media in a
changing digital world. “It’s interesting to see how we adapt to this new age. We’re so
connected, but we’re still missing out on things,” Bear ruminates while discussing the album’s
themes.
 It’s not all introspection. Bear cools things down near the album’s end with the Mattson 2-
featuring ‘Millennium’, a laid-back jam with tricky guitar licks about ringing in new times even
when everything else seems upside down. “It’s about enjoying the new year, even when it’s
been shitty,” Bear explains. “There’s nothing else to do.”
 Finding a sense of joy in the face of adversity is embedded in ‘MAHAL’s DNA, right down to the
jeepney that literally and figuratively brings the music out into the community. “We know that
touring is messed up for now, and large gatherings are a fluke,” he explains. “It’s about the
notion of us going out to the people and bringing the record to them.” And with the wide-open
atmosphere of ‘MAHAL’, Toro y Moi stands to connect with more listeners than ever before.

Limited to 250 copies worldwide.

Croatia's Fiume delivers a full length eight track lp for L.I.E.S., following his cult 2019 Bunker Records release.

Jasmin Mahmić, (who is also known for his Le Chocolat Noir project) returns with his absolute blackened industrial onslaught straight from the depths of the Balkans. Fiume takes us into a netherworld of short circuited electronics, scrap yard soundscapes and foreboding, stark ,straight from your worst nightmare vocals. Barren wastelands, tropical depression, vast nothingness of the modern age, pillaged republics and metropolis' that have gone wrong, this is world downfall music. Let your own irrelevance stare you down in the mirror, minutes crawl like days, horror of life goes on. These are the sounds in your head, try to claw your way out. Recommended!

Pink Vinyl

The year is 1981. The Kiel-based PostPunk / Wave underground outfit NO MORE releases their second ever single „Suicide Commando“ and their world changes forever. Well, not only their world – THE world.
What began as an independently published 7“ single became a cult classic, a genre defining – and defying – song, an all-time dancefloor favorite of many, a timeless signature piece that escaped its original realm of PostPunk x Wave x Indie x Alternative to also become engrainedin the DNA of modern electronic dancefloor culture most prominently in the beloved late 90s permutation presented by DJ Hell which became a classic in its own right. Now the year is 2021. Four decades have passed and NO MORE's „Suicide Commando“ is
back once again - well... the song actually never left! -, this time harking back to the very beginning, the original vibe and the original format.Remastered and re-released with the original tracklisting and paying homage to the original artwork „Suicide Commando“ will be available in 7“ format for the first time since 1981. And staying true to the underground blueprint this 40th anniversary re-release edition once again is put out on the circuit through a small independent label: the Intrauterin Recordings offspring El Caballo Semental which also released NO MORE's „123456789 *baze.djunkiii & Herr Brandt Dream A NuDream Remix“ as a limited to 200 copies one-sided, colored whitelabel 7“ edition in 2019.

A cold wind blows while a disembodied drum marches in distance, diving slowly into an orchestra warm-up that ends with a bang: Marmo Music welcomes back Massimo Pegoraro, aka Modus, this time with a special tape release that carries genuinely shaped musical fantasies by the enigmatic electronic music composer and DJ from Genova. Each tune brings a new shade of his polychrome musical universe. He wrote a library music leaning ode to Moondog, recalls forgotten WW1 battles with longing choirs’ chanting along a minimal droning dream house Cello tone, and drops a melancholic fairytale that pits footage of kids laughing at a street market against Fellini-Score spinet melodies. Three of 14 mesmerizing, profoundly written pieces of music, that tell multi-layered contes with Synth reverberations, jazz ambiances, experimental Brit pop sonics, and a sundry range of field recordings. Together they build an enthralling story arc, that displays the open-minded spheres of the broad musical cosmos of Modus. To open the doors to his universe extensive, he additionally wrote some author’s notes for each single composition, that evoke vibrant images on his inspirations and their sounding outcome. Check the spell below while listening to intensely produced explorer music, that brings you obscure ideas from afar who express all the many subtle spirits of Modus.

First volume – though the 2nd never happened – of this ongoing collaboration between post-punk stalwarts Cherry Red and home of the western dub On U Sound. Adrian Sherwood obviously sitting behind the desk and a cast of marvelous artist leading the way for a reggae renaissance. Stolen and contaminated songs, we may take this as a reference point for 12 unreleased tracks showing the best of the UK underground rhythms. A further development of the Jamaican heritage, with handmade electronics and a forward thinking production. Mothmen ‘Afghani Dub’ is one of the leading track here, with future members of Durutti Column and Simply Red on board, this is a mystical post-industrial trip through upbeat rhythms. Along the way you’ll find the over the top vocal performance of Judy Nylon – more akin to certain no wave expressionism – futuristic vibes from Sun Of Arqa, contribution from New age Steppers supergroup and Creation Rebel teaming up with the so-called Jamaican ‘Voice of Thunder’ Prince Far I. All in all a (natural) mystic experience.

After the 2020 album "Lieder Für Geometrische Stunden", Sankt Otten finally make us happy again with a new release at the beginning of 2022. "Symmetrie Und Wahnsinn" (Symmetry and madness) fits here skillfully, both creatively and musically, in an album series with geometric context.

The album starts unusually buoyant with "Hymne Der Melancholischen Programmierer" (Hymn for sentimental programmers). A Kraut-Pop pearl, which could go on forever with its Motorik swing and with its catchy melody the track doesn't come across as melancholic as the song title predicts. You have to listen twice to not succumb to the illusion that it was composed in Düsseldorf at the end of the seventies. Here (and on the track "Sei Symmetrisch Zu Mir"), Sankt Otten were supported in the studio by drummer friend DIRK PELLMANN.

The drum machine in rumbling funky mode. "Die Glücklichen Unglücklichen", the secret hit of the album? They bend the beat into geometric shapes, let the bass play in circles and cover the song with ghostly choirs. The echo of a spinett-like sound overlays the sound, spitting out a deceptively cuddly dream world.

The 10 minute long "Die Ordnung Des Lärms" could be called an Ambient-Kraut symphony without hesitation. An enormous swelling to ecstasy, a guitar sings distantly in the background. Silence. Synthetic strings pave the way and are supported by choirs. A crackle that suggests a rhythm until it is taken over by a drum computer in the main part of the track. Bombastic mountains of synthesizers pile up and yet a catchy melody finds its way through this mishmash of hypnotic electronics. Fourth movement - Kosmische-choirs in suspension over a bass synth and an Ebow guitar. Is this already Prog-Rock? The question doesn't arise, in the end everything merges into reverb. "Luftspiegelung Der Sentimentalitäten" begins cautiously with a gentle sequence and a discreet kick drum. The mini-Moog sounds like a guitar. Anyway. A surface floats by and returns, layers and shapes build up. At last, everything melts into perfect harmony with a plaintive-sounding synth. This track was composed as a stripped back reprise of the first track from the last album "Sentimentale Sequenzen". A hypnotic Motorik-beat of an 808 that encourages head nodding and could almost be danceable. True to style with warm analog 80s electronic sounds and a loose echo guitar. This is "Angekommen In Der letzten Reihe". Man and machine hand in hand as a homogeneous musical unit and the connection of tradition and vision.

Sankt Otten like images of infinity. In the religious sense of meditative mantras, or also in the mathematical sense of an elongated curve that eventually returns to its starting point. "Bis Das Helle Licht Uns Holt" goes exactly in this direction with its classical use of sequencers and a sound carpet of choirs. Sound worlds that, through a clever repetitiveness, barely noticeably guard the constant changes in the compositional mesh like a secret and only reveal what is to be discovered by listening closely and letting it be seen. Such a thing is probably called Berlin School?

The Osnabrück duo Sankt Otten, founded in 1999, has been releasing on Denovali since 2009. With their now 12th album they give us again a gem of timeless instrumental music. The holy trinity of Krautrock, Ambient and contemporary Electronics, but always stylistically confident and unmistakable Sankt Otten. For the mastering New York based RAFAEL ANTON IRISARRI could be won. Also with the cover layout again good taste is proven. As part two of a cover series, this extraordinary die-cut cover artwork was again created by designer DANIEL CASTREJÓN.

Often when music is constructed with synths and other electronically generated sound makers, their level of exactitude and control is such that the vocalist will either wittingly or otherwise seek to emulate the relative artifice of the soundscape. This is often done to great effect, think Kraftwerk. But what if there was a unit whose music was synth-generated but the vocals were coming from a hot-blooded, singing-for-the-cheap-seats approach? If done well, it’s a case of two great tastes that taste great together, which brings me to System Exclusive.

Their multi genre / time period collision is like a car accident where all parties walk away not only unscathed but sure they had a great time, like two different recording sessions sharing the same space and making it work. Vocalist Ari Blaisdell (previously of Lower Self, The Beat Offs) co-exists excellently amidst the driving beats and synth waves and her guitar further helps to jailbreak the tunes from the often sterile entrapments that synths provide. Matt Jones (previously of Male Gaze, Blasted Canyons, and continuing Castle Face behind-the-scenesman)’s smart use of live drums bring great juxtaposition against the machines. Ari’s irony-free sincere delivery is the perfect closer on this very cool record, recorded ably by Enrique Tena Padilla (Osees, Wand, Beach House) in their backyard studio mid-pandemic and adorned with original artwork by Miles Wintner (L.A. Takedown, Mr. Elevator, Devon Williams). If you don’t get this slab of goodness, well, that act of non-compliance will confirm you as the pain-in-the-ass that many have described you to be in great detail during Zoom chats. How dare they! Prove them wrong! Reduce their snark to mere pseudo-intellectual piffle! Your lifeline arrives in March. Grab it. — Henry Rollins

repressed !

Emotional Rescue reissue 'Into Dark Water', the second album from UK post-industrial ambient pioneers O Yuki Conjugate (OYC).

The willfully obscure OYC formed in Nottingham in 1982 and have had a sporadic career on the outskirts of musical culture ever since. Initially associated with the early 80s post-industrial scene - along with Soviet France and Muslimgauze - OYC quietly forged their own brand of ambient music at a time when it was distinctly unfashionable to do so.

Always reluctant to categorise their sounds, OYC have been variously described as post-industrial, ambient, darkwave, tribal ambient, chill out, electronica and Fourth World. Take your pick.

'Into Dark Water' was recorded in 1986 over four days in an eight-track garage studio in Nottingham. Produced and engineered by John Kaukis, the result was a blend of flutes, percussion, electronics and loops that focused their sound and became for many the definitive OYC album.

Originally released in 1987 on the Leeds-based Final Image label, 'Into Dark Water' quickly sold out and has been highly sought after ever since. The re-issue, featuring a lovingly recreated sleeve, makes a vinyl version of this classic available again for the first time in over 30 years.

- First vinyl reissue, available on LP for the first time in 20 years - Completely remastered audio and restored artwork - Side D lunar vinyl etching art // After leaving London in 1999 for the sleepy seaside retiree town of Weston-super-Mare, Coil co-founders John Balance and Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson set up shop in a palatial eight-bedroom estate to pursue the outer reaches of the group's heightening cabalistic chemistry. Among the staggering string of late-era masterpieces they produced is lunar opus Musick To Play In The Dark, widely hailed as an artistic zenith upon its release. The sessions that birthed it were in fact so fruitful that a second LP took shape during the creation of the first one. Aided by the recent addition of Welsh multi-instrumentalist engineer Thighpaulsandra, Coil mined further into the recesses of surrealist eldritch electronica Balance termed "moon music" - post-industrial spellcasting at the axis of narcotic and nocturnal energies. Musick To Play In The Dark² spans a full witching hour of bad acid sound design, synthesizer voyaging, opiated balladry, Luciferian glitch, and subliminal hymnals, alternately ominous, oracular, and absurd. Scottish gothic icon Rose McDowall guests on vocals for two tracks but otherwise the album is a hermetic affair, tapping into the group's limitless insular synergy. Opener "Something" is stark and incantational, a spoken word experiment for windswept voids. "Tiny Golden Books" unspools an aerial whirlpool of cosmic synth, both whispery and widescreen. "Ether" is an exercise in funeral procession piano and intoxicated wordplay ("It's either ether or the other"), while "Where Are You?" and "Batwings - A Liminal Hymn" lurk like liturgical murmurings heard on one's death bed, framed in granular FX and flickering candlelight. As a whole the collection skews more muted and remote than its predecessor, as if having grown accustomed to the nether regions of these darkening seances. But music box hallucination "Paranoid Inlay" captures the group's oblique comedic side, always glimmering beneath: over a warped, wobbly beat Balance intones an opaque narrative of serenity, Saint Peter, and suicidal vegetables, accompanied by spiraling harpsichord and stuttering squelches of electronics. "It seems concussion suits you," he repeats twice, like a macabre pickup line, before dictating a dear diary entry about risks and failures, finally concluding with as close to a self-portrait as Coil ever came: "On a clear day I can see forever / that the underworld is my oyster."

- First vinyl reissue, available on LP for the first time in 20 years - Completely remastered audio and restored artwork - Side D lunar vinyl etching art // After leaving London in 1999 for the sleepy seaside retiree town of Weston-super-Mare, Coil co-founders John Balance and Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson set up shop in a palatial eight-bedroom estate to pursue the outer reaches of the group's heightening cabalistic chemistry. Among the staggering string of late-era masterpieces they produced is lunar opus Musick To Play In The Dark, widely hailed as an artistic zenith upon its release. The sessions that birthed it were in fact so fruitful that a second LP took shape during the creation of the first one. Aided by the recent addition of Welsh multi-instrumentalist engineer Thighpaulsandra, Coil mined further into the recesses of surrealist eldritch electronica Balance termed "moon music" - post-industrial spellcasting at the axis of narcotic and nocturnal energies. Musick To Play In The Dark² spans a full witching hour of bad acid sound design, synthesizer voyaging, opiated balladry, Luciferian glitch, and subliminal hymnals, alternately ominous, oracular, and absurd. Scottish gothic icon Rose McDowall guests on vocals for two tracks but otherwise the album is a hermetic affair, tapping into the group's limitless insular synergy. Opener "Something" is stark and incantational, a spoken word experiment for windswept voids. "Tiny Golden Books" unspools an aerial whirlpool of cosmic synth, both whispery and widescreen. "Ether" is an exercise in funeral procession piano and intoxicated wordplay ("It's either ether or the other"), while "Where Are You?" and "Batwings - A Liminal Hymn" lurk like liturgical murmurings heard on one's death bed, framed in granular FX and flickering candlelight. As a whole the collection skews more muted and remote than its predecessor, as if having grown accustomed to the nether regions of these darkening seances. But music box hallucination "Paranoid Inlay" captures the group's oblique comedic side, always glimmering beneath: over a warped, wobbly beat Balance intones an opaque narrative of serenity, Saint Peter, and suicidal vegetables, accompanied by spiraling harpsichord and stuttering squelches of electronics. "It seems concussion suits you," he repeats twice, like a macabre pickup line, before dictating a dear diary entry about risks and failures, finally concluding with as close to a self-portrait as Coil ever came: "On a clear day I can see forever / that the underworld is my oyster."

- First vinyl reissue, available on LP for the first time in 20 years - Completely remastered audio and restored artwork - Side D lunar vinyl etching art // After leaving London in 1999 for the sleepy seaside retiree town of Weston-super-Mare, Coil co-founders John Balance and Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson set up shop in a palatial eight-bedroom estate to pursue the outer reaches of the group's heightening cabalistic chemistry. Among the staggering string of late-era masterpieces they produced is lunar opus Musick To Play In The Dark, widely hailed as an artistic zenith upon its release. The sessions that birthed it were in fact so fruitful that a second LP took shape during the creation of the first one. Aided by the recent addition of Welsh multi-instrumentalist engineer Thighpaulsandra, Coil mined further into the recesses of surrealist eldritch electronica Balance termed "moon music" - post-industrial spellcasting at the axis of narcotic and nocturnal energies. Musick To Play In The Dark² spans a full witching hour of bad acid sound design, synthesizer voyaging, opiated balladry, Luciferian glitch, and subliminal hymnals, alternately ominous, oracular, and absurd. Scottish gothic icon Rose McDowall guests on vocals for two tracks but otherwise the album is a hermetic affair, tapping into the group's limitless insular synergy. Opener "Something" is stark and incantational, a spoken word experiment for windswept voids. "Tiny Golden Books" unspools an aerial whirlpool of cosmic synth, both whispery and widescreen. "Ether" is an exercise in funeral procession piano and intoxicated wordplay ("It's either ether or the other"), while "Where Are You?" and "Batwings - A Liminal Hymn" lurk like liturgical murmurings heard on one's death bed, framed in granular FX and flickering candlelight. As a whole the collection skews more muted and remote than its predecessor, as if having grown accustomed to the nether regions of these darkening seances. But music box hallucination "Paranoid Inlay" captures the group's oblique comedic side, always glimmering beneath: over a warped, wobbly beat Balance intones an opaque narrative of serenity, Saint Peter, and suicidal vegetables, accompanied by spiraling harpsichord and stuttering squelches of electronics. "It seems concussion suits you," he repeats twice, like a macabre pickup line, before dictating a dear diary entry about risks and failures, finally concluding with as close to a self-portrait as Coil ever came: "On a clear day I can see forever / that the underworld is my oyster."

There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels. Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceeding’s singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song.

An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond.

Colourful Dream begins proceedings, taking the form of a gently-building opener. From the pluck of a guitar string to hypnotic flute-like elements, we soon arrive at the enchanting world of Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari. Recorded in a four-hundred-year-old water well, it showcases the transcendent sound with which Satori has become best known, meandering through rustling hats and tribal-like drum patterns whilst the dulcet tones of Ariana shimmer softly throughout.

Tuti ft. Kalima takes on a harder edge, with gritty drum patterns opening into melancholic chords early on. Kalima’s vocals add an emotive touch to the piece, paving the way for Moj Dilbere: a euphoric cut that feels tribal and reflective in one.

We land at a similarly ethereal soundscape on The Gin Song ft. Mybaby, as star-like synths pulse alongside punchy percussion before Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska takes its place. It begins with real-life ambience, made up of sounds recorded live in Ibiza as a bus passes and birds chirp merrily in the background. This swiftly gives way to a guitar-flecked bassline, opening neatly into the vocal offerings of both Satori and Laska.

Troublemaker ft. El Mundo retains an inherent melodic quality, progressing through poignant strings and whispering kick-hat combos. Powerful and poignant, the mesmeric sounds of Ora Dea and Moshe meander subtly into Lonely Boy (Redux) ft. Hugo Oak. The closing saga brings things to a wonderfully subdued finish, rounding off the album on a wholeheartedly calming note.

Although raised in the Netherlands, where commercial electronic music is of course king, on Dreamin’ Colours it is undeniably Satori’s Balkan heritage that layers his production with dreamy, ethereal, Eastern European influences. The album’s overriding voice lies in his exultant celebration of Eastern European music, weaving vibrant threads of its earthy, melodic, rhythmic sounds into his thick musical tapestry. Written during the pandemic and driven by the ache of separated love, the album is, Satori says, his most personal yet.

From holding down an eighteen-month residency at Heart, Ibiza to having nearly four-hundred-thousand listeners on Spotify each month, Satori is a truly worldwide artist in today’s electronic music scene. Having been championed by Damian Lazarus early on in his career, he has emerged as a must-see live act for fans from all corners of the globe. November 2021 marked the start of his USA tour, where his Maktub concept adorned some of the country’s most iconic clubbing institutions, whilst his discography speaks for itself, with a plethora of acclaimed releases on labels including Crosstown Rebels, Sol Selectas and DGTL Records to name a few. As Dreamin’ Colours introduces him to an ever-growing audience, Satori remains one of the most exhilarating, untamed and truly authentic forces in music.

"Way back in the 1990s, Mark Hand, Neil Iceton & Jez Nicholl channelled their love of sci-fi-fired Motor City techno into a string of inspired releases under the alias Cubic Space Collective.

After reuniting for a memorable machine jam at Freerotation festival in 2016, Hand & Iceton headed back into the studio for a one-off session and recorded 'Holiday in Beta Centauri', a musical love letter to Mad Mike and the rest of Detroit's most militant futurist techno crew.

Sending us surging skywards via 'Binary System', where lilting lead lines, fizzing electronics and enveloping chords dance atop a snappy, cymbal-heavy drum machine rhythm, before 'Arps in Hyperspace' sees them step things up a notch via layered waves of synths, sparkling melodies and a driving, hyper-speed groove.

The North-East-based twosome then attempt to warm us to the core in the shape of 'Rigil': restless organ stabs, undulating Michigan bass, alien electronics, psychedelic acid lines and Galaxy 2 Galaxy style chords catching the ear. Bringing us gently back down to earth, they complete their deep space mission with 'Beyond The Nebula (Holiday in Beta Centauri)', a bustling electro number full of stabbing analogue bass, star-burst electronics, meditative ambient chords that shimmer full of night-sky melodies.

A fine return to action for this Teesside UR-loving techno twosome... 3,167 miles away in Detroit, their achievement will be noted."

LDI Records serves up a celebration of The Hague's famous electro sound with native Cliff Dalton aka Sander Evers behind four originals and fellow West Coast legends Legowelt and Rude66 both remixing. Cliff Dalton is a relatively new project from a long-time Dutch music great. Sander Evers is the drummer in psychedelic stoner rock band Monomyth and has played with other notable groups including 35007 and Gomer Pyle. Next to those projects, he has always had his ear tuned into the region's enduring techno and electro scene and now offers up his own fresh take on it. The EP's title refers to the fact that all these artists are bound by geography, but is also a nod to the fact that The Hague is the largest Dutch city by the sea. The opener 'We Are The Little Ones' is about an evil robot factory in a futuristic dystopian city. It is a coruscated electro-funk workout with crisp analogue drums and nimble bass overlaid with withering sci-fi melodies. 'We Don't Need A Real World' is a superbly cinematic eight-minute excursion with widescreen synth work taking you to the stars as you ride an elastic bassline. The majestic 'City Under The Sea' then layers up neck-snapping snares with cosmic arps and plunging bass and 'Cleopatra's Matrix' soundtracks an ancient Egyptian city with its mystic leads and eerie pads luring you into a late-night electro trance. West Coast pin-up and hugely prolific electronic innovator Legowelt remixes 'We Are the Little Ones'. His version has plenty of his textbook intrigue, lo-fi texture and magical synth charm, and finally key Bunker Records associate Rude 66 flips 'City Under The Sea' into a snaking dub rhythm with hypnotic acid lines and seductive vocal whispers woven in deep. The Blue City EP is a timeless package of West Coast electro direct from the source.

After the impact of Exist in Ramallah festival back in 2019, and how relationships between the artists got established and the attendees contribution that helped to shape the identity and the vision of the project itself. Exist decided to take the next step and expand the project with a label that is runned between Amman based and festival founder Odai Masri and Amsterdam based and label co-founder Chafik Chennouf with the same ethics that the festival is standing for. Some of the main principles Exist upholds include resistance to homophobia, and the ongoing colonization of various parts of the world by state actors or multi-national oligarchs. In turn, we think that this colonization leaves no one free, and that it especially targets communities (human and non-human) that are most marginalized by capital and historical racial and ethnic structures. The first release 'Marks of Existence' is a collection of mind-melds with some of the scene's most continuously exciting and refreshing artists: Drew McDowall, Muqata'a, CASKO, Adel Poursamadi & Tegh. The Scottish, NYC-based experimental musician, Drew McDowall, has been subverting the formula for many years now, having clocked up storied work with Coil and Psychic TV back in the day. His track 'Conceal the Wound' is a stunning, exquisitely chiselled piece of synth music. It's like waking from a dream, only to return to its febrile clutches. Ramallah's Muqata'a came through flawless with his cut 'Administrative Detention', a blast of chaotic chopped breaks and lurching neo-beat tape MPC programming. The breakcore influence in combination with referencing crimes against humanity makes the tune an intense headmelter. The ideal soundtrack for unorganized resistance from a firsthand perspective. ‘The Price You Pay To Be Unattached Flesh’ sees CASKO push the hi-tech dirt of his Opal Tapes, Leyla Records and Voidance releases down darker ginnels to claustrophobic, anxiety-raising effect in a collection of brilliantly neon explosions of colour and exuberance floating on a sleazy and slow beat with bags of North-African swagger. Experimental electronic musicians from Iran have marked their prints on the face of the universal experimental music scene for some time now, though the manner in which their status went from "non-existent" to "present" and from "silent" to "noisy" might somehow seem "unpredictable" to the naked eye. Tegh, known for his work on Opal Tapes joined forces with Adel Poursamadi to come up with a beautifully bittersweet synthetic orchestration in a staggering fashion to close this EP with.

Kenny Lynch was a popular singer, songwriter, actor and all-round entertainer. A self-styled “black cockney”, Kenny was one of the few people of Caribbean origin prominent in the British entertainment industry during the ‘60s and ‘70s.

During his musical career, Kenny released a number of Top 10 singles, including a version of ‘Up on the Roof’ (1962), competing with the original by the Drifters. He composed and co-wrote songs recorded by Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, the Drifters and the Everly Brothers. He also worked briefly as a songwriter at the Brill Building in New York.

Whilst probably best known as a prolific Pop Crooner during the earlier part of his acting and musical career, we must not forget his stomping disco success of the early eighties, released under British-borne Satril Records. “Half The Day’s Gone, and We Haven’t Earne’d a Penny” was a milestone moment for British Disco. Produced by Kenny himself at Satril Studios, London 1983, this record still encompasses that organic late-70s disco sound, with true instrumentation and minimalist electronic synth elements.

This is the album’s first ever repress since 1983 and has been remastered in high-definition from the original analogue tapes. Pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, this is one not to be missed. Limited to 500 copies only.

Paris-based producer Alexandre Bazin returns to Umor Rex with another side to his music approach. If in Full Moon (Umor Rex 2016) he explored the analog electronic music merged with classical minimalism, in this new work, Bazin dives into totally rhythmic terrains while maintaining his devotion to electronic exploration and acoustic drums. Four Steps even rubs shoulders without discretion with techno music and the dancefloor, and retains his refined obsession with melody and structure.

In these pieces, Bazin lends space to electronic soundscapes, experimentation, and computer programming, everything derived from precise compositions. With melodies created with Buchla Music Easel, EMS Synthi, among other instruments, Four Steps –through the drone and ambient music– crosses roads with elegant and infinite techno loops. The album is a 4 track EP released in vinyl 12" in 45 rpm, finely mastered by John Tejada with a focal point in harmonics and dimension, offering an exquisite hi-fidelity experience even for the digital lossless audience.

Alexandre Bazin has been a member of the France GRM (Groupe de Recherches Musicales) since 2005.

Composed & mixed by Alexandre Bazin at Château Rouge. Drums in Four Steps III by François Desmoulins. Mastered by John Tejada in Sherman Oaks. Artwork & photos by Daniel Castrejón in Mexico City.