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In a bold step! Myles Sanko has taken full creative charge over every element of this project—from writing, composing, arranging, recording, mixing and producing to distribution through his own label, 213 Music.

"Let It Unfold" represents a pivotal moment in Sanko's musical journey, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to his artistic vision as an independent artist and visionary. The album provides listeners with a deeply intimate musical exploration, serving as a form of therapy that addresses past childhood traumas and empowers future dreams, all while radiating a hopeful energy.

Inspired by his love for soul, jazz, and hip-hop, and rhythmic influences from his Ghanaian roots, Sanko delicately blends these musical styles to create a unique contemporary sound. His distinct approach to songwriting enriches each track with emotional depth and authenticity, presenting a new level of artistic expression.

The album's theme of self-acceptance and self-love is encapsulated in its title, symbolising the gradual process of personal growth and healing. The creation of this album has been a therapeutic endeavour for Sanko, helping him embrace his vulnerabilities and celebrate his strengths.

"At the end of the day, a new one begins. Sometimes dust covers the wounded human spirits, nebulizing their ambitious world with melancholy from some far place. Today we met and melded our emotions. Improvisation is the art of becoming sound. Loose lyrics on Hollywood dreams, galaxy economy, and algorithm poetry, banned and warped in drama industrial, synth-journey-music, ghost pop, anger electronics, and analogue deserts. Improvised recording sessions for epochs where head liquefies the concrete. It’s all about fashion, now, that we have recession. Dressed to kill with murder fabrics. The anger of the machines. The happiness in their language. Inkasso & ML asked themselves"

Das dritte Album von Pale Blue Eyes ist eine Beschwörung neuer Horizonte, das cremige Devon wird gegen das Synth-Zentrum Sheffield getauscht. "New Place" erscheint nach einer wundervollen Tour mit Slowdive durch 12 europäische Länder und vielen Veränderungen im Leben von Sänger/Gitarrist Matt Board und Schlagzeugerin/Synth-Queen Lucy Board, die den Kern der Band bilden. Es gibt neue Sounds, aber auch einen markanten Krautrock-Einfluss, neben weiteren Lieblingsstimmungen und -aromen der Band, auf die auch zwei Mitglieder der PBE-Livebegleitung, Tom Sharkett (auch Gitarrist bei W.H. Lung) und Lewis Johnson-Kellett, einwirkten. "New Place" spiegelt das Ende einer Ära und einen willkommenen Neuanfang an einem neuen Ort wider.

Black vinyl / 505mcn paper / 30 x 60 cm Insert with full interview to Khan Jamal II + extended liner notes printed on 300 gram Büttenpapierfabrik Gmund "No Color No Bleach" paper with exclusive pictures & much more!

Personnel:
Khan Jamal - Vibraphone, Marimba
Clint Jackson III - Trumpet
Hassan Rashid - Drums

Notes:
It's quite simple, if you have a good connection with music, to find things that should be reissued due to their exceptional quality, but, like a diviner, being able to unravel the problems related to the licensing of a record, well, that's much more difficult. Finding someone is Sherlock's job! After 4 years, Khan Jamal II (son of Khan Jamal) delighted us with a "Let's go my guy".
Khan Jamal doesn't need much introduction: Born Warren Robert Cheeseboro, he was a jazz vibraphone and marimba player from Philly. He founded the band Sounds of Liberation in 1970 with Byard Lancaster. In 1974, during one of his many trips to the old continent, he recorded this album in France at Jeff Gilson's Palm studio. It is a delicate game of lucid and intense contrasts between Christian Vander's drums provides a rock oriented touch, the marimba and the vibes with influences from the lands of the rising sun of Jamal and the composed trumpet of Clint Jackson III which anchor "Give the vibes Some" in a sort of Space Age Jazz era.
In the end, you know what? This album is a transcendent journey into yourself, like an intense session of meditation...even if "35.007 Feet Up" could easily be played by Jeff MiIls in his DJ Set!

“Ticket to Ride” marks the solo debut of Dandolo, member of the duo Maurizio & Dandolo. This time, Dandolo wins a lottery ticket and flies solo, away from his Adriatic coast, to Thailand where lust, love and broken hearts await him.

The single’s exotic flavour is highlighted in the B-side, the dub version by Cosmo Dance. The track is a total floorfiller, a DJ essential and dancers’ delight that nods in its production to the Eastern influences of the golden age of Italo Disco.

With “Ticket to Ride” ends the Italo Disco trilogy of Maurizio & Dandolo, started with “Natale in tangenziale” and continued with “Demin”. The track confirms Mirella Records’ commitment to craft exquisite Italo Disco instant classics, with a distinctive and authentic 1980s flavour, which echoes in the cheekiness of the lyrics and themes narrated.

Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (and Back) author Oli Freke returns with a new volume in his Synthesizer Evolution A6 zine series. The first two volumes (Vintage Synths and Drum Machines & Samplers) focused on vintage electronic instruments from the 1970s and 1980s. Volume three moves into the 21st century, showcasing a selection of the most interesting, impactful, and—arguably—best synthesizers of the past two decades.

The synths in this book celebrate the vast range of sonic possibilities now available to musicians and producers. From analogue wonders to extraordinary digital creations, from tightly designed monosynths to open-ended polyphonic beasts, each one is more marvellous than the last!

Split Evolution from Chicago and released two singles. The first "Jumpstreet" (vocal/instrumental) on Wasp in 1978 (although copyright on the label states 1974 whilst publishing states 1978) followed by "If Only You Would Say (I Love You)" (vocal/instrumental) on Jumpstreet in 1984 as The Three Phases Of Evolution. Both pretty hard records to find and not even listed on 45Cat but appear to have been reissued by Magnetic Recordings in 2014 (both included below). Interestingly, on the label for the latter it states that it is from the LP "Jumsptreet" so perhaps an album was in the pipeline? They recorded a third single which only made it to a test pressing stage, as the full run was cancelled later on. This unreleased third single "Bedroom Eyes" / "Let Me Do It" is the one out in March on Canonnball Records. The only surviving copy was found by rare soul DJ Dave Thorley on a record hunting trip to the States in the early noughties.

Our 8th Anniversary release is totally, completely, wholeheartedly dedicated to LOVE. Written not to be a ballad neither to be a dancer “Bedroom Eyes” inevitably ended up being both, turning out in what I consider the definitive love song, up there with Sly, Slick and Wicked's Sho' Nuff. It just melts my heart. Warm basslines laying on a catchy drumming which anyone would likely mistake for an Enchantment groove. A man and a woman dueting like if they were actually laying in bed after a consuming day out, and finding relief in each other’s presence. The man, desperate for love, makes questions to which the woman answers in the choruses with a hidden prayer to stay together forever. All with mutual background voices and brass crescendos and strings pizzicatos counterpointing each others to make it a beautiful yet rough arrangement. Just pure Soul love heaven.

First things first - you don’t need me to tell you about the significance of Australia in the history of punk. I mean, what am I, Jon Savage? Google it yourself, FFS. Instead, let’s just agree that the speedy, feral racket thrown together by the likes of The Saints, Radio Birdman and The Scientists in the mid-late ‘70s is AT LEAST as deliriously entertaining as anything concocted by their UK/US counterparts, sowing the seeds for seemingly endless garage-inflected noisemakers in the land down under. No one likes using words like ‘tradition’ or ‘heritage’ here - the punk rock clusterbomb is far too messy for any of that business - but also emerging from Australian rock’s primordial soup is the addictive sneer of Stiff Richards. Like their predecessors, the band are a gleefully wracked mess of full throttle energy and barrelling power chords, with songs like ‘Kids Out On The Grass’ and ‘Point of You’ proving at least the equal of ‘(I’m) Stranded’ or ‘Aloha Steve And Danno’. Nine tracks in less than 30 minutes, all winners and all determined to leave you flipping over couches and smashing your TV set. And let’s face it, you may as well; there’s nothing good on. It all builds towards frantic closer ‘Fill In The Blanks’, which rattles around your speakers like the UK Subs trying to play Ed Kuepper riffs at the centre of an earthquake, before grinding to a halt as a voice says, “That’s the one.” Does it sound self-satisfied? Hey, it’s got good reason to - this is the best no-frills garage rock party since Gino & The Goons’ ‘Do The Get Around’, and the only appropriate response is to declare yourself betrothed to Stiff Richards because you can’t imagine your life without ‘em. Don’t believe me? Sort out your ears and get ‘State Of Mind’ in ‘em. Rock’n’roll as it’s supposed to be played.

The first in a two part series on Canopy documenting the work of the Beninoise supergroup, T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who were responsible for an astonishing multitude of records, numbering well over 250 releases. While the group underwent numerous personnel changes over the course of their 40+ year legacy; the founder, composer, vocalist & multi-instrumentalist Clément Melome remained a constant and uniting force.

The title track, "Zo Tche Kpo Do Te", sung in Fon by bandleader Clément Melome translates as, "My Fire Will Not Go Out" and was taken from the self-titled LP "Melome Clement & L'International Orchestre Poly-Rythmo". It is here remastered and reissued by Canopy for the first time. This evocative song is a hybrid of soukous-like elements with a driving, almost disco beat and a relentless bassline shot through with funky guitars and triumphant horn arrangements. The atmosphere is given a cosmic sensibility with synth lines and psychedelic FX, culminating in a sonic cocktail that has often been described as "Voodoo-disco".

Accompanying the original version are two remixes by producers whose work Canopy has long admired.

Jose Marquez adds live bass and percussion to his "Mezcla", turning it into an uplifting opus that deftly dances the line between the original work and the modern elements, tastefully updating the sound to segue between the past and present.

Sol Power All-Stars up the ante with their powerful reinterpretation. Throbbing bass underpins a club focused yet dubbed out and psychedelic afrobeat over which Clement Melome's composition shines. The Ibibio Horns add complimentary horn arrangements and galactic synth solos. The end result is a master work in 21st century future-vintage afro funk creation.

Legendary Brazilian jazz-funk trio Azymuth are set to release "Arabutã" (Daniel Maunick Dub), a vinyl-only 7" single, on December 13, 2024. The limited edition release serves as a captivating preview of the band's highly anticipated new album, set for release in 2025.

"Arabutã," which takes its name from the Tupi Guarani word for the endangered Brazilwood tree, underscores Azymuth’s fusion of timeless Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic futurism. A symbol of both the value and fragility of Brazil’s natural beauty, Arautã reminds us of the salience of indigenous wisdom to ecological preservation.

In the hands of producer and long-time Azymuth collaborator Daniel Maunick, “Arabutã” is tweaked for a special mid-tempo 7”inch, two part, dancefloor dub mix.

The limited edition 7” single is available to pre-order exclusively from the Far Out Recordings website and Bandcamp ahead of its 13th December 2024 release date, and at shows on Azymuth’s upcoming European tour.

Watkins Group returns to Frequency Consortium for its second release, pushing further into the murky depths of dubbed-out desolation. Dubh Dubs (Dark Dubs) takes its name literally—seven tracks of cavernous low-end pressure, submerged echoes, and spectral atmospheres, drawing inspiration from the voids between worlds, the unseen corners of deep space, and the eerie stillness of unknown places.

Where Beanntan a’ Bhròin charted a course through the bleak grandeur of the Highlands, Dubh Dubs plunges headfirst into the abyss, embracing the weight of isolation and the slow decay of time. Watkins Group crafts a sound that feels at once infinite and suffocating—pulsing, restrained, and heavy with the dread of something just beyond reach. Tape-warped textures and submerged percussive mutations unfold in glacial movements, calling to mind the nocturnal dub abstractions of Porter Ricks, the blackened ambience of Thomas Köner, and the sub-heavy spirals of Rhythm & Sound at their most ghostly.

A study in tension and negative space, Dubh Dubs marks another compelling entry in the Frequency Consortium catalog—an offering for those drawn to the darker recesses of sound, where every echo leads deeper into the unknown.

In loving memory of my brother and kindred spirit - Marcus Rafferty

Billboard Heart, das neue Album von Deep Sea Diver, stellt die Band aus Seattle auf Anhieb in eine Reihe mit St. Vincent, TV On The Radio und Flock of Dimes, Bands, die neue, kunstvolle und magnetische Wege gefunden haben, Indie-Rock zu machen, indem sie Vorstellungen davon, wie er klingen oder was er sagen muss, über Bord geworfen haben. Es ist ihr viertes Album und das erste für Sub Pop, und es ist ein Coup, ein Triumph über Selbstzweifel, der das Scheitern in eine Chance verwandelt, neue Freiheit, Glauben und Stärke zu finden. Mitte Juli 2023 nahm Deep Sea Diver-Mastermind Jessica Dobson in einem Studio in Los Angeles ein Gitarrensolo auf, spürte aber irgendwie nichts. Nur wenige Tage zuvor hatte ihre Band aus Seattle eine Reihe von halb-geheimen Auftritten vor Anhängern gespielt, die de facto als Proben für ein neues Album dienten. Die Sets waren gut gelaufen, aber die neuen Songs schienen verworren, Dobsons Überzeugung ging irgendwo in den 1.000 Meilen zwischen Südkalifornien und dem Heimstudio verloren, das sie mit ihrem Partner, Schlagzeuger und häufigen Co-Autor Peter Mansen teilt. An jenem ersten Abend in Los Angeles hatte sie einen Zusammenbruch, fragte sich, was sie dort tat, und überlegte, wie sie es in Ordnung bringen könnte. Deep Sea Diver zogen sich ohne Album nach Hause zurück. Mussten sie es verschrotten, um mit neuem Material neu anzufangen? Ganz und gar nicht: Nach einer kurzen Pause fand Dobson ein neues Selbstverständnis, ein Vertrauen in ihre Vision für ihre Band und ihre Songs und in ihre Fähigkeit, diese einzufangen. Bei einem Abendessen mit ihrem langjährigen Mitarbeiter Andy Park gestand sie in aller Bescheidenheit, dass sie Hilfe brauchte, was Dobson dazu inspirierte, Deep Sea Diver neu zu erfinden und zu beleben. Diese Enthüllung bereitete die Bühne für die Kraft und Brillanz von Billboard Heart. Drei Jahre zuvor veröffentlichten Deep Sea Diver ihr drittes Album, 2020's Impossible Weight, über das kolossale Indie-Imprint ATO. Es war ein bedeutender Schritt nach oben und brachte der Band eine Welle der Aufmerksamkeit und einen Platz in den Billboard-Charts ein. Doch der Erfolg veranlasste Dobson, an ihren Impulsen zu zweifeln und sich zu fragen, ob die Wirkung oder die Rezeption einer Idee ebenso stark sein könnte wie die Idee selbst. Zu Hause, mit ihr am Klavier und Mansen an der Gitarre in ihrem Wohnzimmer in Seattle, bahnte sich das Paar einen Weg nach vorne und belebte ihre Songwriting-Partnerschaft neu. Das Material auf Billboard Heart ist von Anfang bis Ende erstaunlich. Das Titelstück ist der einzige Song, den Deep Sea Diver tatsächlich in Los Angeles fertiggestellt haben. Die wogenden Synthesizer von Elliot Jackson und der tunnelbläserähnliche Pedal Steel von Greg Leisz sind eine Hymne auf den furchtlosen Vormarsch in die Zukunft - ein strahlendes und großartiges Stück. „Emergency“ verbindet den Elan des Hardcore mit der unmittelbaren Anziehungskraft des Electroclash, wobei Dobsons fesselnder Gesang und seine Gitarrenarbeit im Mittelpunkt stehen. Das zarte und verletzliche „Tiny Threads“ ist eine mitreißende Hymne für alle, die versuchen, etwas zusammenzuhalten - das Leben, die Liebe, sich selbst. „If it haunts me, let it haunt me“, singt Dobson sanft über einer Stille, die nur von Bass und Noise eingerahmt wird. Sie lässt ihre Gitarre in eine Rückkopplung kippen und formt sie dann stetig zu etwas Melodischem um. Es ist ein ganzes Leben voller Angst und Sublimierung, kristallisiert in 10 Sekunden. Billboard Heart fühlt sich im Großen und Ganzen so an. Billboard Heart entstand, als Dobson ihren Instinkten vertraute, es ist ein persönlicher und künstlerischer Durchbruch und das bisher beste Deep Sea Diver-Album, ein trotziges und brillantes Ausrufezeichen am Ende einer langen Zeit der Wanderschaft.

Carrying the torch of psychedelic cumbia, with a healthy dose
of surf guitar and Amazonian dancefloor flourishes from Peru
and Brazil alike, Fiesta en la Jungla by Los Dexter’s de Uchiza
is the first release from the newly formed London-label Ritmo
del Barrio. Originally released in 1982, it captures the finest
cumbia being made in Peru at the time, decked out with
frenetic surf-rock guitar riffs, rhythms floating on crisp
cumbia percussion and occasionally punctuated by carimbó
breakdowns native to the Pará region of north-eastern Brazil.
The album is filled with energy, a gem that was always
intended to animate any dancefloor. Peruvian cumbia came to national attention in the late 60s
through the recordings of Juaneco y su Combo, Los Destellos
and Los Wembler’s de Iquitos, but it’s had many revivals, and
Fiesta en la Jungla arrived when the style was going through a
major transition. In 1977, a passenger plane carrying most of
the members of Juaneco y su Combo crashed, killing everyone
on board. In 1980, Los Destellos retired, and Los Wembler’s
released their tenth and final record, they were ready for a
break. This left a big void in Peruvian music. Wasting no time,
Los Dexter’s Emerson Ruiz Mosquera took the opportunity and
gave his band new life, filling the band’s ranks with young and
energetic musicians who were hungry for success. He built the
new band around a solid base of dexterous guitars, a dynamite
rhythm section, and added oodles of percussion and an electric
organ, giving them a powerful psychedelic sound that called
back to the sounds of the original chichamasters, but added a
new sheen. Along with bands like Los Shapis and Los Walkers
de Huánuco, Peruvian cumbia was reborn as chicha in the
1980s, and was now the sound of Peru’s barrios up and down
the country.
Based in the city of Uchiza, on the edges of the Amazon basin,
Los Dexter’s were uniquely located in central Peru, closer to the
largest urban centres of the country than Amazonian outposts
like Pucallpa or Iquitos, and therefore better positioned to
travel to the furthest reaches of the country with ease. In a
sense, Los Dexter’s were a bridge between the Amazon and the
rest of Peru, a bridge over which the sounds of Amazonian
cumbia could travel to the rest of the country on their way to
becoming one of the most ubiquitous elements of Peru’s musical
identity. Fiesta en la Jungla represents Los Dexter’s in their third
iteration. Led by Emerson Ruiz Mosquera, who was just a
young boy in 1970 when his older brother founded the group
with four of his friends, the ensemble by the time of Fiesta en la
Jungla included Orlando Abad on the timbales and lead vocals,
Lucho Bendezú on lead guitar, Javier Quiroz as second
guitarist, Alejandro Almeira on bass, Rufino Bustamante on
keyboard, Ramon Siu on bongos and bells, Ivan Rios on conga,
and Emerson as musical director and composer. Remarkably,
most of the group’s members helped to write at least one
track, Los Dexter’s were a collective endeavour.
Reissued on vinyl for the first time by Ritmo del Barrio, this
record is essential for any collector of Peruvian cumbia.
Showcasing the unique sound of Los Dexter’s, it carries hits
like “Fuga en la Selva” and “El Shiringuero”, which are sure to
set any dancefloor on fire, combined with slower, carimbó-
infused cumbias like “Fiesta en la Jungla,”and “Agua de
Cachilde.” Its closing track, “Tragedia en Uchiza'', is a key
piece of local history and tells of the flooding of the
Chontayacu River in 1982, a mortal tragedy that affected
thousands of people. Despite the subject matter, the album
maintains a joyful vibe throughout, with high energy riffs and
irresistible rhythms, contrasted with terse love ballads, like “A
Jhenny.” It is both a piece of musical history, and a sure-fire
tool for the dance floor.
Los Dexter’s became a fixture of festivals and celebrations in
the provinces of San Martin and Huánuco, and from expanded
across the country, taking Amazonian cumbia from the
Peruvian Amazon, to the heights of the Peruvian sierra, the
coastal plains, and the capital city of Lima.

2025 Repress
Anenon's tenor saxophone breathes an emotive contemplation on loss, meshed with sustained piano and field recordings. 'Moons Melt Milk Light' is a hyper-personal statement contained in a visceral beauty.

LA native Anenon returns with a highly anticipated new album 'Moons Melt Milk Light' on Tonal Union, bearing his most personal, expressive, and arresting works to date. Anenon is the ongoing solo studio and live project of Brian Allen Simon, whom since 2010 has released multiple albums and EPs to critical acclaim, including the highly revered 'Tongue' (2018) and 'Petrol' (2016).

'Moons Melt Milk Light' is direct, efficient, and unwavering in its immediacy. Anenon departs from the electronics of previous works, and embarks on a reductive, almost entirely acoustic approach consisting of piano, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and field recordings. All of the music was improvised with everything recorded as either a first or second take with no edits. Any layering happened fast and in the moment, and yet the sonic architecture of the whole feels both planned and refined.

"I feel a kinetic and messy honesty that doesn't exist in any of the other music I've ever made. There is also a sense of being settled, of calm. There is no faking it here."

Muireann Bradley is a young blues, ragtime, roots and folk guitarist and singer based in Ballybofey in County Donegal Ireland. “This is my first album. Most of these tunes were originally recorded by the great blues men and women who were making records from the 1920s and 1930s right up in some cases to the early 1970s. I have also found inspiration for the renditions recorded here in the playing of some of the musicians who began recording this music in the 1960s and later, and who in some cases learned at the feet of the greats. Many of these guitarists played pivotal roles in the 1960s blues revival and subsequent “rediscovery” of many of the greats of country blues. I grew up steeped in these old blues in the hills overlooking the valley of the River Finn just outside the town of Ballybofey in County Donegal. My father would play this music constantly at home and wherever we went in the car and talk about it endlessly whether anyone was listening or not, telling stories about the lives of these musicians as if they were legend, mythology or the evening news. My father could of course play all this stuff on guitar, I remember watching him when I was very young and thinking “I want to be able to do that”. When I was nine he agreed to teach me and bought me my first little travel guitar. I worked hard to learn how to play but as time wore on I seemed to have less and less time to practice as I became more and more invested in the combat sports I was regularly training and competing in. Then in March 2020 the first Covid lockdowns happened and all contact sports were shut down. I was lost for a while but soon found my way back to the guitar. I was now listening, playing and practicing with a new intensity and focus. In a very serious moment, I wrote out a list of tunes I was going to learn. The first tune on that list was Blind Blake’s “Police Dog Blues”. I’m not sure now how long it took to get that arrangement together but when it was ready we videoed me performing it and posted it on YouTube. It ended up getting a lot of attention, I remember my parents being quite shocked and soon after that Josh Rosenthal got in touch… and here we are! Each individual track on this album was recorded live in the studio and represents one entire take with me singing and backing myself up on guitar simultaneously. Most are either first or second takes. Nothing has been added or taken away, no overdubs or modern recording tricks of any kind have been used at all so at least in some respects this album has been recorded in the same way as those classics of the 1920s and 1930s

Matilda Mann’s debut album, Roxwell, is a heartfelt exploration of love, vulnerability, and nostalgia. Named after the street of her childhood home, the album reflects Mann’s sentimental connection to her formative years in West London, where she grew up as an only child. Her introspective lyrics and delicate vocals navigate the highs and lows of relationships, from infatuation to heartbreak.
“This is my debut album. Every song feels like a part of me, and I’m so, so excited that it’s finally coming out. It explores various types of love, the experience of growing up and reflecting on the past, the struggle of not being able to give someone your all, getting stuck in the past, and accepting what you can’t change.”

Synapson's latest album, Blue Jeans, is described as timeless and irreplaceable, much like a beloved pair of jeans that only gets better with age. The album is crafted with care, featuring diverse collaborations that resonate with a wide audience, reflecting the duo's commitment to inclusivity and unity. Celebrating their 15-year career, Blue Jeans represents a milestone in Synapson's journey, highlighting their evolution and enduring impact on the music world. This album stands as a tribute to their dedication to music and their fans, poised to become another classic in their storied career.

Where to begin with a figure like Simon Fisher Turner? From teenage stage and screen star to illustrious recording artist for Creation and Mute and score composer of Caravaggio, Blue and The Epic of Everest - via a stint with The The and collaborations with Derek Jarman, David Lynch and Tilda Swinton - Turner embodies a distinctly British sensibility and boundless curiosity for sound. For A Colourful Storm, discovering Deux Filles, his mysterious project with Colin Lloyd-Tucker that has since been reissued by Dark Entries, was a significant moment in shaping their identity.

In August 2023, A Colourful Storm presented Simon Fisher Turner and Time is Away at Spanners, London. Performed at the tail end of Blue Now, a series of events celebrating Derek Jarman's last feature film, Blue, the recording reveals a lifetime of significant events and influences. Terre Thaemlitz's remix of Turner's Shishapangma (Comatonse Recordings, 2015) is reworked and appears on vinyl only, Jarman is privately recorded reading White Lies, Bertrand Russell is sampled, and Turner records his brother practising the Great Rissington organ for their father's funeral.

"My wife and I lived in Brixton, near the venue, on Coldharbour Lane, 20 years ago. We were above a takeaway shop. The air extractor was a nightmare and the flat smelled of grease. The market was a great place to buy fish. We adopted a giant snail, who we called Ayrton. I used to take him all over town and he loved lettuce and tomatoes. There was a wonderful small pizza shop too, which was so delicious. But back to the music. Brixton is music and I'm a lucky man."

ARCHITECTS are back and charging forward in the heavy rock world with their latest sonic masterpiece, The Sky, The Earth & All Between. After two relentless years on the road-featuring massive European summer tours with Metallica and top billing at festival stages across Europe, (Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park, Hellfest, Download, Graspop, Full Force to name a few and headlining Bloodstock) - the band has returned to the studio to deliver their most powerful collection of songs yet. With the creative force of Jordan Fish (Bring Me The Horizon) behind the boards, Architects have captured the explosive energy of their live performances while elevating their signature melodic edge. This album reflects the perfect blend of raw intensity, emotional depth, and innovative production. Already making waves, singles like "Curse" and "Seeing Red" have drawn rave reviews from all major metal press worldwide. "Seeing Red" the "anthem powerhouse" landed because of global success in the top 10 of charts worldwide-amassing over 45 million streams along the way. The Sky, The Earth & All Between builds on the momentum of their 2022 album, the classic symptoms of a broken spirit, which stormed to the top of the UK Rock and Metal Charts. With this new release, Architects are once again set to push the boundaries of modern heavy music, cementing their status as one of the most exciting and essential bands of our time.

"Every night we've been listening to RATTLE. They have a stark yet deep trance percussion vibe that is both holistic and rocking." Thurston Moore
“Quietly dramatic and loudly intimate.” The Quietus
“Two drum sets. Two voices. One great idea.” MOJO
Rattle are Katharine Eira Brown and Theresa Wrigley, they formed in 2011 after meeting on the live circuit whilst both playing in other bands. Katharine was a guitarist who had recently started playing drums in the band Kogumaza, whilst Theresa was the drummer in Nottingham band Fists. They’ve since released two long-players, 2016’s self-titled debut album Rattle (Upset The Rhythm / I Own You) and 2018’s Sequence (Upset The Rhythm) to much critical acclaim in the music press, and with James Acaster discussing the debut on his BBC Sounds podcast Perfect Sounds!
Rattle have honed the four songs that make up ‘Encircle’ by playing them live over the last few years, adapting and stretching them into endlessly inventive new shapes, playing with the concept of time and expectation. ‘Encircle’ was recorded at Foel Studios, Wales, produced and mixed by Mark Jasper, and mastered at Liminal Audio by Shaun Crook. The stunningly colourful artwork was created by Martha Glazzard, who was also responsible for Rattle’s other mesmeric covers.
‘All Burning’ opens the album, a live favourite of cyclical tumbling and evolving wordplay. ‘All Burning’ was built up gradually layer by layer with Theresa’s cumulative snare work and Katherine’s urgent calls for action: “hold your doctor, hold your daughter, hold your horses”. If ‘All Burning’ represents fire, then it’s accompanying 12-minute long track on Side 1, ‘Argot’, is informed by the air. ‘Argot’ is a song about uncertainty, with Katherine singing wordlessly across the majority of the track. “I prefer to sing wordlessly often because it feels a bit more expressive and universal” asserts Katherine. The track feels truly epic with a satisfying release that comes with the eventual introduction of the bass drum and snappy hi-hat section.

Side 2 also pairs a shorter song with a long-form composition. ‘Ritual’ is worked up from a simple snare drum pattern which becomes more and more overlapped into an elliptical form of waltz. Katherine considers ‘Ritual’ as “very earthy song - lots of low lying mist on the ground swirling around and the drums coming together to summon something”! ‘Ritual’ was inspired by a visit to the ruins of Boleskine House so multi-dimensional themes and occult practice loom large. ‘Your Move’ is a step-up gear change with the band wanting it to feel like the tape had suddenly started to spin faster, urging movement, venturing action. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, ‘Your Move’, is mesmeric and boundless, hypnotic in its minimalism of doubled-drums and almost tribal vocal cycles.
With ‘Encircle’ Rattle have grown again, these songs are alive with elemental power. They build-up and disintegrate, existing in two places at once, embracing the nuance, tracing the circle’s edge. These are modes of song as pure gesture and eternal imagination, refined in mirrors after midnight.
Rattle has performed at The Barbican, London and toured the UK with Animal Collective and Thurston Moore Group and Europe with The Julie Ruin and Protomartyr, and performed with Hot Snakes, Bill Orcutt Quartetand Codeine.

"Every night we've been listening to RATTLE. They have a stark yet deep trance percussion vibe that is both holistic and rocking." Thurston Moore
“Quietly dramatic and loudly intimate.” The Quietus
“Two drum sets. Two voices. One great idea.” MOJO
Rattle are Katharine Eira Brown and Theresa Wrigley, they formed in 2011 after meeting on the live circuit whilst both playing in other bands. Katharine was a guitarist who had recently started playing drums in the band Kogumaza, whilst Theresa was the drummer in Nottingham band Fists. They’ve since released two long-players, 2016’s self-titled debut album Rattle (Upset The Rhythm / I Own You) and 2018’s Sequence (Upset The Rhythm) to much critical acclaim in the music press, and with James Acaster discussing the debut on his BBC Sounds podcast Perfect Sounds!
Rattle have honed the four songs that make up ‘Encircle’ by playing them live over the last few years, adapting and stretching them into endlessly inventive new shapes, playing with the concept of time and expectation. ‘Encircle’ was recorded at Foel Studios, Wales, produced and mixed by Mark Jasper, and mastered at Liminal Audio by Shaun Crook. The stunningly colourful artwork was created by Martha Glazzard, who was also responsible for Rattle’s other mesmeric covers.
‘All Burning’ opens the album, a live favourite of cyclical tumbling and evolving wordplay. ‘All Burning’ was built up gradually layer by layer with Theresa’s cumulative snare work and Katherine’s urgent calls for action: “hold your doctor, hold your daughter, hold your horses”. If ‘All Burning’ represents fire, then it’s accompanying 12-minute long track on Side 1, ‘Argot’, is informed by the air. ‘Argot’ is a song about uncertainty, with Katherine singing wordlessly across the majority of the track. “I prefer to sing wordlessly often because it feels a bit more expressive and universal” asserts Katherine. The track feels truly epic with a satisfying release that comes with the eventual introduction of the bass drum and snappy hi-hat section.

Side 2 also pairs a shorter song with a long-form composition. ‘Ritual’ is worked up from a simple snare drum pattern which becomes more and more overlapped into an elliptical form of waltz. Katherine considers ‘Ritual’ as “very earthy song - lots of low lying mist on the ground swirling around and the drums coming together to summon something”! ‘Ritual’ was inspired by a visit to the ruins of Boleskine House so multi-dimensional themes and occult practice loom large. ‘Your Move’ is a step-up gear change with the band wanting it to feel like the tape had suddenly started to spin faster, urging movement, venturing action. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, ‘Your Move’, is mesmeric and boundless, hypnotic in its minimalism of doubled-drums and almost tribal vocal cycles.
With ‘Encircle’ Rattle have grown again, these songs are alive with elemental power. They build-up and disintegrate, existing in two places at once, embracing the nuance, tracing the circle’s edge. These are modes of song as pure gesture and eternal imagination, refined in mirrors after midnight.
Rattle has performed at The Barbican, London and toured the UK with Animal Collective and Thurston Moore Group and Europe with The Julie Ruin and Protomartyr, and performed with Hot Snakes, Bill Orcutt Quartetand Codeine.

Der Soundtrack von 'KNEECAP', mit Musik von der Band sowie Bicep, Fontaines DC und Orbital, ist als Doppel-LP im Gatefold-Design auf farbigem Vinyl erhältlich. Er enthält auch Filmmusik von Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante MBE und Ausschnitte aus den Dialogen des Films.

- Ltd. Col. 2LP: (LP1 Orange / LP2 Green Vinyl)

Oxblood Vinyl

If you’ve followed the global shenanigans of heavier music over the past decades, you know the name Marko Hietala.
And if you don’t, I strongly suggest you go back down the dark rabbit hole and do your homework again. There is no doubt about it: Marko Hietala has been synonymous with quality for more than four decades. Hietala has not only shaped, but also defined the sound of harder rock, as a founding member of the heavy metal band Tarot, as an essential member of the supergroup Sinergy (next to extreme talents such as Alexi Laiho) or as one of the key figures of world’s biggest symphonic metal band Nightwish. Needless to say, his thunderous bass lines and rich vocals have been echoed in the world’s most famous venues, such as Wembley Arena and legendary festivals like Rock in Rio.
However, despite all the achievements, new conquests are coming at a steady pace... Just recently, Marko Hietala has appeared in a starring role in the TV series Vain elämää, which has gathered millions of viewers in Finland.
When it comes to an endlessly talented artist with a strong musical flame in his heart, an eponymous album is always just a matter of time. In the case of Marko Hietala, it took a while, but better late than never: his long-awaited first solo debut, Mustan sydämen rovio, finally arrived to grace the spring of 2019 (later reissued in English as Pyre of the Black Heart) Guess what? Marko Hietala’s musical and lyrical tide has not dried up and the well-received debut is getting the company it deserves. To be released in February 2025, “Roses from the Deep” follows the adventurous path of its predecessor, but perhaps with even greater ambition.
“Sometime in 2017-18, Nightwish took a break – first for about 20 years – and I decided to spend my time working on my first solo album”, I’ve come up with all kinds of ideas over the years, and it was time to get them out of my system. When I set my sight on the album, I didn’t limit myself in any way. If the idea felt good, it was good...” Hietala recalls.

Rasiermesserscharfer New Yorker Thrash Metal-Klassiker remastered! Endlich wieder erhältlich... New York, New York... die mächtigen Metalhorden,
die du auferweckt hast... Anthrax, Overkill, Pro-Pain, Carnivore, Prong, Nuclear Assault, Riot, Helmet... brauchen wir noch mehr? wie wäre es mit
diesen E.X.E.cutioners hier? Der Stil dieser frühen Tage war ungestümer Heavy/Power Metal, dessen Reste auf dem Debüt „Stricken By Might“ noch
gut hörbar waren, eine Mischung aus Heavy, Power, Speed und Thrash, die auf ihre eigene charmante Art sehr unterhaltsam war. Zwei Jahre später
schlug die Band mit einer weiteren, fieseren Veröffentlichung „Sicker Than I Thought! Und sie haben ihr Spiel um Längen gestrafft und sich auf die
Speed/Thrash-Seite des zuvor gezeigten Konglomerats konzentriert. Auch die Soundqualität hat sich verbessert, die Produktion ist ausgefeilter und
verleiht den Gitarren ein artikuliertes, scharfes Klicken. Mindestens die Hälfte der Zeit mosht die Band ohne Reue, entfesselt vehemente Headbanger,
rührt Moshpits links und rechts an und versucht, der Kampfeslust ihrer Kollegen aus der NYHC-Szene in nichts nachzustehen.

EDGE OF SANITYs schweres und doch abenteuerliches sechstes Album "Infernal" wird 27 Jahre nach seiner Erstveröffentli-chung endlich neu aufgelegt. Ursprünglich im Abyss Studio mit Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) aufgenommen, hat Songwri-ter/Frontmann/Produzent Dan Swanö (Opeth, Dissection, Bloodbath) nun alle Register gezogen, um "Infernal" in vollem Umfang neu zu mastern und es als Ltd. 2CD (11 Tracks + Bonus-CD mit 14 Tracks) mit O-Card und zum ersten Mal auch als LP (11 Tracks). Diese ultimative Edition von "Infernal" enthält das unveröffentlichte Demo von 1996, ein Remaster des Bonus-Tracks "Moonshine" und neun unerbittliche, klassische EDGE OF SANITY-Live-Tracks von 1991 auf der Bonus-CD. Erstmals 1997 veröf-fentlicht, enthält "Infernal" kritische Stücke wie "Hell is Where the Heart is", "15:36", "Helter Skelter", "Losing Myself" oder das vielsagend betitelte "The Last Song". Auch wenn die klassische EDGE OF SANITY-Besetzung auf "Infernal" ihren Zenit über-schritten hat, haben langjährige Fans und neue Anhänger der Band nun die Möglichkeit, eine der vielfältigsten und am meisten unterschätzten EDGE OF SANITY-Veröffentlichungen erneut zu hören.

1970s New York: determined to emerge from his powerful father's shadow and make a name for himself in Manhattan real estate, aspiring mogul Donald Trump is in the earliest days of his career when he encounters the man who will become one of the most important figures in his life: political fixer Roy M. Cohn. Seeing promise in young Donald, the influential attorney--who secured espionage convictions against Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and investigated suspected Communists alongside Senator Joseph McCarthy--teaches his new acolyte how to amass wealth and power through deception, intimidation, and media manipulation. The rest is history.

"Dear music lovers, this album represents the truest and purest essence of myself in a 'now state' at the end of my thirties. I really don't care about aging, but I care about these ten songs. They make me happy, sad, aware, they make me laugh, cry and confident - hopefully, they make you feel the same or make you feel at all, too. For me, they shatter the rising coldness in this world. This wholesome musical powerhouse is about 'people in white cars' - it's a weird metaphor. Learn all about it on this album." - Rico

El Dorado ist ein Meilenstein der guten Laune und der wohltemperierten Gesinnung. Das Album hat sich seit der Erstveröffentlichung (2016) zu einem digitalen Dauerbrenner entwickelt. Mehr als 50 Millionen Streams im Jahr, über 5 Millionen pro Monat, 1 Million Listener im Monat, davon mit 250000 die meisten in Deutschland. 60% Zuwachs in 2023. Dies ist eine Erfolgsgeschichte, die noch lange nicht zu Ende erzählt ist. Im Herbst 2024 erscheint das neue Album. Seine Frühjahrstour war innerhalb von 4 Wochen ausverkauft. Im Herbst folgen weitere Termine. Aber vorher gibt es ein besonderes Schmankerl - Sein in farbenfrohem Maya-meets-Pop-Art auftauchendes Debütalbum „El Dorado“ erscheint endlich als Vinyl und wie könnte es, angesichts des Titels, anders sein - in El Dorado Gold !

The EP opens with CRYMEs original mix of HOLD ON, a track driven by a weighty low-end, saturated rhythms, and hypnotic vocals. Cinthie's remix brings her soulful house touch, layering choppy stabs, airy strings, and a bouncy bass hook. Obscure Shape then takes the track into techno territory with a robust drum workout and dubbed-out fragments of the original keys and vocals.
On the flip side, Lydia Eisenblatters remix highlights crisp breaks, gritty rave stabs, and pulsing subs. Volpe closes out the release with an ethereal dub techno rework, featuring spiralling echoes, a groovy bassline, and heavily shuffled percussion.

Ten years of history, sweaty nights, and raw techno are celebrated with a very special vinyl. Umwelt, Silex92, Ancient Methods, and Phase Fatale come together to pay tribute to Lanna Club and its legacy in the underground scene.

This vinyl isnt just a collection of tracks its a statement. A decade of passion, resistance, and club culture in northern Spain. Dont miss the chance to own this unique piece of Lannas history.

So laut das Duo auch wird, so lässig agiert es am Ende und schüttelt laufend groovende Garage-Knüller aus dem Ärmel, die durch und voller Pop-Momente. Klar, bei THE PIGHOUNDS steckt 90er Alternative drin, Punkrock, Grunge, stets eingängig und catchy – und auf "Tutti Frutti" sind einige neue Seiten zu hören, die durchaus zu überraschen wissen. Aber sie haben auch den Pop geschluckt und schreiben Hymnen und Hits, wenn sie nicht immer einen Tick zu kratzig und ruppig sind.

“Eerie, wailing sounds over distorted feedback drones… Vibrato-heavy harmonies chirrup and throb in agonisingly slow motion.”
The Guardian, Album of the Month

“Cinematic...carefully orchestrated...delicately explores unfamiliar territory with uncanny finesse.”
The Wire

Acclaimed Icelandic theremin musician Hekla returns with Turnar, her third album of devastatingly heavy, spectral soundscape-songwriting, entering a sublime paranormal plane of haunting dread.

Now augmenting her virtuosic solo theremin work with cello, voice, and the sacred church organ of Icelandic master Kristján Hrannar, the evolution of Hekla’s unique magic summons new worlds with Turnar. The album was recorded partly in (and named after) a medieval castle tower in rural France, its ruinous black broken in spare beams of angelic stained-glass light. But, writes Hekla, “the sound of theremin kind of opens up a portal into a new realm that both looks into a dark old world and to the future.” The record is an alternately beautiful and crushing space voyage into a glacial underworld cascading with phosphorescence and cave drip, conjuring ancient choral ritual just as readily as redolent sci-fi gloam.

Opener “Inni” begins with swooning and shimmering lines of theremin that shiver with electrified energy before subfrequency bass elevates them into a glowing plasma, hovering above a crystallised surf. Key moment “Gráminn” wails with ghostly harmonics while distorted drones crash together in a stormy and blackened netherworld sea. It traces a neat progression from Hekla’s last album - the acclaimed Xiuxiuejar - while also welcoming an expanded timbral palette and flourishing compositional confidence. At the end of side A, “Var” delicately places sonic artefacts about a desolate negative space, creating a dense inverse gravity. As with the rest of the record, a claustrophobic gauze hangs over music that could otherwise be called subverted songwriting, aligning Hekla’s sonics with avant-garde, musique concréte and sound-art.

"Phantom Planet has returned! After a decade plus long hiatus, the band reunited in 2019 and released Devastator in 2020, their first full-length since 2008's Raise The Dead.

Devastator featuring the singles ""Time Moves On,"" ""Only One,"" and ""Balisong."" Pressed on limited edition vinyl in two colors, Yellow and Black, respectively.

Mike Montgomery’s lifelong fascination with music began as a solitary endeavor. After secretly mining his dad’s record collection of golden 60s and 70s icons and tumbling headlong into 80s skateboard culture and its thrilling soundtrack, Mike learned guitar and started amassing songs on his Tascam Porta-Studio, chronicling hushed bedroom melodies with each new chord he discovered. Soon, he founded thistle, a wonderfully self-sufficient power trio that served as a rich opportunity to tinker with every stage of the music-making process. Through four LPs and two EPs between 1992-2013 and countless thistle shows criss-crossing North America, Mike discovered how to book a tour, repair equipment, run live sound, manage a label, build a studio, and foster a community of collaborators.

Inspired by R.Ring’s looseness and a growing confidence in spartan songwriting, Montgomery’s latest project - under the Nervous Verbs moniker - further peels back the layers of production and fussiness that might accompany access to a fully appointed studio. Instead of ensconcing himself in Candyland with limitless options, Montgomery treated his latest batch of songs as field recordings, often using phone memos to document melodies and entire performances at their inception, where and whenever they might materialize. He realized “there was something about the idea of noticing I had captured something of myself that I couldn’t recreate on subsequent attempts.” As he collected these home sketches, he shared them with friends (including Kelley Deal, Lori Goldston, Devin Ocampo, Joe Suer, Kate Wakefield, Rick McCarty, Adam Nurre, Matt Hart, Dan Dorff Jr., and Alexis Marsh) who responded with supportive contributions, fostering the initial sparks. “All of the extra tracks people sent me that I dressed the songs up with showed me that these were sturdy enough to hold those layers.”

Released in 1990, “Love Dub” by Black Uhuru stands as a significant work in the dub genre, revisiting their iconic tracks. Under the guidance of the undisputed dub master, Prince Jammy, this instrumental album pushes the boundaries of reggae, enhancing its signature basslines and syncopated rhythms. Echo effects, delays, and reverberations create an immersive atmosphere, showcasing the group’s enduring influence across eras!

War "Funeral for Justice" der Klang der Entrüstung, so ist "Tears of Injustice" der Klang der Trauer. Mit dem neuen Album "Tears of Injustice", das am 28. Februar 2025 erscheint, hat Mdou Moctar sein Meisterwerk "Funeral for Justice" neu interpretiert. Dieses wurde vollständig neu aufgenommen und mit akustischen sowie traditionellen Instrumente arrangiert. Das Album ist die kontemplative Weiterentwicklung der Band - das ruhige Gegenstück zum intensiven Original. Im Juli 2023 war Mdou Moctar auf Tournee in den USA, als eine Militärjunta den nigrischen Präsidenten Mohamed Bazoum stürzte und ihn in der Präsidentenresidenz festsetzte. Aufgrund der geschlossenen Landesgrenzen konnten Mdou Moctar, Ahmoudou Madassane und Souleymane Ibrahim nicht zu ihren Familien zurückkehren. Obwohl bereits Pläne zur Aufnahme von Begleitmaterial zu Funeral for Justice - das zu diesem Zeitpunkt noch Monate vor der Veröffentlichung stand - existierten, gewann das Projekt plötzlich an Dringlichkeit und Tiefe. Nur zwei Tage nach Abschluss der Tour in New York City begann das Quartett im Bunker Studio in Brooklyn unter der Leitung von Toningenieur Seth Manchester mit den Aufnahmen zu Tears of Injustice. "Wir wollten unsere eigene Interpretation von 'Funeral" schaffen, die die Menschen auf eine andere Art erleben können", sagt Mikey Coltun, der in den USA lebende Bassist und Produzent der Band. "Bei unseren Konzerten experimentieren wir ständig mit den Arrangements. Nun wollten wir zeigen, dass wir diese kreative Vielfalt auch auf einem Album umsetzen können. Wenn wir ein reduziertes Set spielen, zeigt sich eine ganz neue Seite der Band - es wird zu etwas Eigenem." Sie entschieden sich, Tears gemeinsam in einem Raum aufzunehmen und die Session spontan und unstrukturiert zu gestalten. "Wir haben die Arrangements nicht im Voraus festgelegt", erinnert sich Coltun. "Wir haben einfach gespielt, das richtige Gefühl eingefangen und die Songs aufgenommen. Alles fügte sich schnell zusammen, und die Hauptaufnahmen waren in nur zwei Tagen abgeschlossen." Der hypnotische 8-Minuten-Track Imouhar besteht eigentlich aus zwei direkt hintereinander aufgenommenen Durchläufen - Moctar hörte kaum auf zu spielen, sodass die Takes nahtlos ineinander übergingen. Nach einem Monat konnte die Band schließlich nach Niger zurückkehren, und Coltun gab Madassane einen Zoom-Recorder mit. Damit nahm der Rhythmusgitarrist eine Gruppe von Tuaregs auf, die traditionelle Call-and-Response-Gesänge vortrugen, die später in den endgültigen Mix eingearbeitet wurden. Auf Funeral for Justice äußert sich die Wut über die schwierige Lage des Niger und des Tuareg-Volkes durch die Lautstärke und das Tempo der Musik. Auf Tears bewahren die Lieder dieses Gewicht, jedoch ohne elektrische Verstärkung. Sie sind von tiefer Traurigkeit durchdrungen und vermitteln das Leid eines Volkes, das in ständiger Armut, unter kolonialer Ausbeutung und politischen Umbrüchen lebt. Es ist Tuareg-Protestmusik in ihrer rohesten und essenziellsten Form. "Wenn Mdou die Texte schreibt, tut er das oft mit einer Akustikgitarre", erklärt Coltun. "Dadurch kommt man dem ursprünglichen Moment näher. Die Schwere bleibt, aber die Intensität ist auf eine eindringlichere Weise spürbar."

War "Funeral for Justice" der Klang der Entrüstung, so ist "Tears of Injustice" der Klang der Trauer. Mit dem neuen Album "Tears of Injustice", das am 28. Februar 2025 erscheint, hat Mdou Moctar sein Meisterwerk "Funeral for Justice" neu interpretiert. Dieses wurde vollständig neu aufgenommen und mit akustischen sowie traditionellen Instrumente arrangiert. Das Album ist die kontemplative Weiterentwicklung der Band - das ruhige Gegenstück zum intensiven Original. Im Juli 2023 war Mdou Moctar auf Tournee in den USA, als eine Militärjunta den nigrischen Präsidenten Mohamed Bazoum stürzte und ihn in der Präsidentenresidenz festsetzte. Aufgrund der geschlossenen Landesgrenzen konnten Mdou Moctar, Ahmoudou Madassane und Souleymane Ibrahim nicht zu ihren Familien zurückkehren. Obwohl bereits Pläne zur Aufnahme von Begleitmaterial zu Funeral for Justice - das zu diesem Zeitpunkt noch Monate vor der Veröffentlichung stand - existierten, gewann das Projekt plötzlich an Dringlichkeit und Tiefe. Nur zwei Tage nach Abschluss der Tour in New York City begann das Quartett im Bunker Studio in Brooklyn unter der Leitung von Toningenieur Seth Manchester mit den Aufnahmen zu Tears of Injustice. "Wir wollten unsere eigene Interpretation von 'Funeral" schaffen, die die Menschen auf eine andere Art erleben können", sagt Mikey Coltun, der in den USA lebende Bassist und Produzent der Band. "Bei unseren Konzerten experimentieren wir ständig mit den Arrangements. Nun wollten wir zeigen, dass wir diese kreative Vielfalt auch auf einem Album umsetzen können. Wenn wir ein reduziertes Set spielen, zeigt sich eine ganz neue Seite der Band - es wird zu etwas Eigenem." Sie entschieden sich, Tears gemeinsam in einem Raum aufzunehmen und die Session spontan und unstrukturiert zu gestalten. "Wir haben die Arrangements nicht im Voraus festgelegt", erinnert sich Coltun. "Wir haben einfach gespielt, das richtige Gefühl eingefangen und die Songs aufgenommen. Alles fügte sich schnell zusammen, und die Hauptaufnahmen waren in nur zwei Tagen abgeschlossen." Der hypnotische 8-Minuten-Track Imouhar besteht eigentlich aus zwei direkt hintereinander aufgenommenen Durchläufen - Moctar hörte kaum auf zu spielen, sodass die Takes nahtlos ineinander übergingen. Nach einem Monat konnte die Band schließlich nach Niger zurückkehren, und Coltun gab Madassane einen Zoom-Recorder mit. Damit nahm der Rhythmusgitarrist eine Gruppe von Tuaregs auf, die traditionelle Call-and-Response-Gesänge vortrugen, die später in den endgültigen Mix eingearbeitet wurden. Auf Funeral for Justice äußert sich die Wut über die schwierige Lage des Niger und des Tuareg-Volkes durch die Lautstärke und das Tempo der Musik. Auf Tears bewahren die Lieder dieses Gewicht, jedoch ohne elektrische Verstärkung. Sie sind von tiefer Traurigkeit durchdrungen und vermitteln das Leid eines Volkes, das in ständiger Armut, unter kolonialer Ausbeutung und politischen Umbrüchen lebt. Es ist Tuareg-Protestmusik in ihrer rohesten und essenziellsten Form. "Wenn Mdou die Texte schreibt, tut er das oft mit einer Akustikgitarre", erklärt Coltun. "Dadurch kommt man dem ursprünglichen Moment näher. Die Schwere bleibt, aber die Intensität ist auf eine eindringlichere Weise spürbar."

20 Jahre The Offenders in 2025! Und zum Jubiläum gibt's keine Nudeln von gestern neu aufgewärmt, sondern das brandheiße, nagelneue Gericht "Storm Over The Mainland" Das 10. Album der Offenders vereint in den neuen Songs alle Einflüsse und Stile der Band aus den letzten zwei Dekaden. Mit treibendem Offbeat des vorab im Januar erscheinenden "Partizani in Budapest" bis zum mit Mandoline untermalten Folk-Punk bei "Off My Chest", vom klasischen straight-foward Ska-Punks "The Way The People Think" bis zu den dominierenden Gitarrenriffs der Punkrock-Hymne "Sixteenth Round", ist es das abwechslungsreichste Album der Band. Ausgeklügeltem Songwriting, sich festsetzenden "catchy chorals" und einem perfekt abgestimmtem "kick-ass"-Sound, der für emsiges Treiben auf der Tanzfläche, vor der Bühne oder lautem Mitgröhlen sorgen dürfte! Von Anfang an engagieren und unterstützen die Offenders mit ihrer Musik und den Konzerten dabei die antifaschistische und antirassistische Bewegung weltweit. Egal ob in autonomen Jugendzentren und anderen Kultureinrichtungen, besetzten Häusern oder der Ultraszene beim Fußball quer durch ganz Europa - ihre Message ist eindeutig und findet sich selbstredend auch in den neuen Songs wieder. The Offenders sind beileibe keine Spaßkapelle, auch wenn ihre Musik davon eben jede Menge zu bieten hat. Vielleicht macht das ja auch ihren Erfolg, Glaubwürdigket und die stetig wachsende Beliebtheit seit 20 Jahren aus: "Storm Over The Mainland" jedenfalls ist jedenfalls ein Album mit Attitüde, wie es für ein Jubiläum nicht besser sein kann. Cheers & Ciao! 2005 wurden "The Offenders" um den charismatischen Sänger Valerio in Cosenza (Italien) gegründet, Ende 2008 zog es die Band in ihre neue Wahlheimat nach Berlin. Zu ihren prägendsten und bekanntesten Underground-Hits zählen unter anderem: "Hooligan Reggae" (ein Dancefloor-Klassiker vom gleichnamigen ersten Album, der weltweit in den Stadien zum Schlachtruf der antirassistischen Fans wurde) und "Marchez" (der rebellische Sound von Class of Nations - mit fast 2 Millionen Streams allein auf Spotify. The Offenders sind unzählige Male durch ganz Europa getourt, haben Russland, China zuletzt in Mexiko (Januar 2024) für ihre Konzerte bereist und sind regelmäßig Gast auf den internationalen Festival-Bühnen wie beim Mighty Sounds (Tschechien) - Rebellion (UK) - Spirit from the streets (DE), Sjock (BE) - Couvre Feu (FR) - Ruhrpott Rodeo (DE) - Los Almiros (GR) - Rudeboys Unity (CH) und viele weitere. Die Bühne teilten sie u.a. mitBad Religion, Nofx, Korn, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, Social Distortion, Uk Subs, Agnostic Front, Selecter, Discharge, Sick of it All, Real Mckenzies, Cock Sparrer, Slime, Antilopen Gang, Pennywise, Toy Dolls and many more!