Cerca:filter tip

Following Parnell March’s Back Bar Grooves EP in February and November’s release of the Dust Tears (lead song from Sarah/Shaun’s debut) remixes, Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label returns with a second EP of dream pop from husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), alias Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced McLochlun), who wooed hearts and wowed critics with debut EP ‘It’s True What They Say?’ last year.

‘It’s True What They Say?’ attracted fans across the board: Artist Of The Week in The Scotsman, rapturous reviews from The Skinny and Tokyo's Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, BBC 6Music airplay courtesy of Nemone (Mary Anne Hobbs' Morning Show), more radio play from Radio Scotland's Roddy Hart & Vic Galloway, plus Simone Butler (Primal Scream) and Jim Sclavunos (Bad Seeds) via their respective Soho Radio shows, not forgetting ringing endorsements from the likes of David Holmes, Youth, Kevin Bales (Spiritualized), Brent Rademaker (Beachwood Sparks) and Julian Corrie (Franz Ferdinand).

They played gigs supporting Glasgow's huge Glasvegas, at festivals (Kendall Calling, Dunbar Music, Hidden Door), plus a slew of venues across the Scottish capital, ending the year with a trio of shows supporting Glaswegian 80s pop legends The Bluebells at Aberdeen’s Tunnels, Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys and Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms, while The List magazine tipped them among their Ones To Watch For 2025, with journalist Fiona Shepherd suggesting they were “blending the starry-eyed pop of Sonny & Cher with the electronic experimentation of Chris & Cosey.”

Very much the companion piece to the debut EP but arriving a full twelve months later, Someone’s Ghost is emblematic of the duo’s desire not to rush things or release anything half-baked.

“I’ve always wanted to create the perfect pop record and I do really feel that we’ve achieved that with this one,” says Shaun. And he’s clearly not the only person who thinks so.

REVIEWS, FEEDBACK ETC:

"I LOVE that! Dreamy dreamy pop." ROY MOLLOY (Marvellous Crane/Alex Cameron) on BLAST RADIO, Sydney
“the Scottish music scene’s cream of the cool... buzzy drum beats, high, distant chimes, and heavenly electronics…. very ethereal.” THE SKINNY

"Listening to Sarah/Shaun is like eavesdropping on a noir dreampop, long-distance phone call between them both, across two separate sonic locations. On this stunning 4-song EP, Sarah’s voice, effortlessly mesmerising, draws you into these big beautiful and haunting passages of perfect dream-pop. All beautifully produced in a multi-layered-scape of low-fi analogue textures, epic cinematic crescendos, intense electro-pulse grooves and warped psycho-pop guitar riffs. Within the songs lurk a sense of unresolved emotions, longing and pathos. There are shades of classic Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra but also Post-Punk Electronica and Beach House. But what a unique sound they’ve created of their own. I love it" DAVID MCCLUSKEY (The Bluebells)
"Absolutely beautiful" SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"Lovely stuff here! Total quality." MARTYN 'MASH' HENDERSON
"Ooooh. Everything the last record promised is here. Well done" GEORGE T aka George Demure (Accident Machine)
"Vince clark Era Depeche Mode in places" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized)
"Sounds cool. Well done" PETE KEMBER (Sonic Boom, Spacemen 3)
"Glorious, it (Debbie Harry) grabs hold of you and doesn't let go." IAIN DAWSON aka RAVECHILD (Everyone Wants To Play The Hits Podcast)

SOMEONE’S GHOST

Born out of an incredibly anxious, stressful time, the songwriting process for these recordings has been something of a personal tonic for Shaun…

“There was a period when I was having nightmares,” he reveals. “Apparently I was saying there was someone in the room, I was talking to that person and Sarah was seeing all this while I was still asleep.

So, I was thinking that this was my ghost. I started writing songs because I was going through something and I was dealing with something and writing songs was a comfort. My ghost was a comfort, whether it was real or not. The idea of it was a comfort.”

“I firmly believe that everyone has someone who watches over them but all of the songs are essentially about being there for someone,” he says. “Everybody needs someone but also everyone needs to stay real and keep what you have, keep it close, never let it go. If you don’t have it, continue to tell people you’re there for them. It’s about loving and hoping people will be good to you in return.”

While Shaun took the songwriting lead on Filter Of Love and EP closer The Sound Which Stresses The Sound Of My Ears, Debbie Harry was originally instrumentally conceived by producer Jaguar Eyes, alias Ali Chisholm, later lyrically completed by Shaun, and the EP’s lead track, Anhedonia, and one of its stand-outs (much like Starbed on the debut) was conceived by Sarah, as a result of experiencing a bit of a spiritual epiphany of her own.

“When I first heard the word Anhedonia, I didn't know what it meant but when I found out I thought about it quite a bit. How sad it would be to have no enjoyment in anything,” she explains. “This song is really about my own personal beliefs. When I have been down, that's one of the things that helps me the most. It talks about trying to make amends but realising, for some things, you can't. But I think with any kind of faith comes hope… which is always a good thing.”

A record about hope, truth, honesty, a belief in something bigger than oneself… and all set to a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a David Lynch or Eighties feature film. What more could anyone ask for, really?

There’s equally a desire to offer something universal and positive to anyone who tunes in. The labels for the 12” edition reveal the dual mantras “Who just wants to survive?” and “It’s about time to live a little”, with both messages also engraved in each record’s run-out grooves. T-shirts accompanying debut EP It’s True What They Say? bore the slogan “Kill Them With Kindness” - leading caps intentional. Shaun carries the acronym KTWK everywhere he plays, as a reminder: it’s stitched into his guitar strap. And this particular wee pebble has already caused a few ripples: people have been approaching him at gigs to acknowledge their appreciation and respect for it.

"We feel we have made an honest, open, colourful, body of work,” say the duo. “We hope to go out and play the songs with the guys (our band) and then potentially make more records. We are taking things as they come. Everything has been organic so far, after all. We are looking forward to whatever this brings."

2026 RSD Release - GREEN Vinyl

Mark Pritchard (Global Communication / Africa Hi-Tech / Reload / Harmonic 313) produced gem from 2004. Featuring Eska, Nina Miranda and other vocalists. TIP!

An expanded edition of a long out of print Far Out classic. This double vinyl edition will include the track 'Strikehard' for the first time, which was omitted from the original pressing, only released on a separate 12" and CD.

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Far Out Recordings announces the Record Store Day 2026 deluxe double LP reissue of Troubleman’s Time Out of Mind. Originally released in 2004, the album marked a distinctive turn in Mark Pritchard’s expansive career, channeling his pioneering electronic instincts through a filter of Brazilian grooves, African rhythms, and global soul. This special edition includes the underground club classic “Strike Hard” (previously unavailable on the original vinyl), alongside the album’s flawless blend of early-noughties space-age bossa, broken beat, future soul, and psychedelic downtempo.

Under the Troubleman alias, Pritchard stretched his focus outward in every direction. From the UK rave continuum to Brazil, the US, Africa, and beyond, he drew on the psychedelic soul of Dorothy Ashby and David Axelrod, the Afrobeat drive of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, and the samba-doido energy of Azymuth. Filtering golden-era seventies influences through early-2000s pop, club, and rave lenses, the album moves effortlessly between club-ready tracks like “Strike Hard,” and more laid-back, tripped-out moments that highlight Pritchard’s range, shifting seamlessly from dancefloor heat to outer-bongolian cloud watching.

Featuring vocal contributions from Nina Miranda (Smoke City, Da Lata), Steve Spacek (Spacek, !K7), and Eska (New Sector Movements), the record captures Pritchard at a pivotal moment, exploring how electronic production could absorb and expand the rhythmic complexity of global sounds.

One half of Global Communication and Jedi Knights with Tom Middleton, and Harmonic 313 with Dave Brinkworth, Pritchard has since built a dense, acclaimed discography across numerous aliases and labels. His work on Warp Records has included collaborations with Thom Yorke, and his remix portfolio spans Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey, Underworld, Aphex Twin, Lamb, KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, The Orb, and The Beloved.

Remastered from the original sources and pressed to vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day 2026, this edition also faithfully reproduces the album’s psychedelic artwork by renowned British artist and designer Swifty.

Fresh off heavy-hitting releases on SlothBoogie and Refuge, Glasgow's very own Tiptoes finally makes his way to Footjob. Renowned for his uncompromising MPC-driven workflow, the Scotsman delivers a four-track EP that stays true to his reputation: raw, sample-heavy house bangers built for pure dancefloor energy. With Shuffle Service, Tiptoes serves up a masterclass in groove. Whether it's dusty breaks or filter-heavy workouts, every cut is engineered to keep the feet moving.

2026 Repress


DJ Koze's 2013 album opus Amygdala has continued to bewitch all who encounter it since its release. Tipped as his own personal Sgt. Pepper, the sublime long-player revealed a fully-realised and personal body of work, complete with a classic songwriting at its core, House in its heart, and veins coursing with psychedelic color. La Duquesa' was the album's dreamy single standout, a journey into deep, tropical ecstasy. XTC' begins in the same spirit, and captures the all the blissful allusions of its name, but its initial gentility belies the deep intensity to come. Floating pads glow with celestial ambience as a kick drum is gradually coaxed into solid form, and the introduction of spoken text begins the second act. Many people are experimenting with the drug Ecstasy,' it says, ...is the drug like the lie and meditation the truth Or am I missing something that could really help me". XTC' then transforms: sweetly imploring tones become demanding, gentle gradients between chords turn hard-edged, and sharp hi-hats cut through the haze. Complete with Koze's signature percussive quirks, it drives towards the track's final pay off: an undeniable, all-consuming, irresistible high. Knee On Belly' recalls Koze at his most tongue-in-cheek and overt, it is bright, bold and literally brassy, using cut-up horns of all shapes and sizes to patchwork together his own unique arrangement. With the highs and mid ranges accounted for, Koze adds in a swollen, thrumming bass line to mix to bring this floor-filler to life. Knee on Belly' recalls a raw, filtered and funky approach to groove, with a nod to disco house and the art of artful sampling, as it orbits between its own neon highs and simmering lows.

Roberto Musci, born in Milan in 1956, studied guitar, music and electronic instruments. From 1974 to 1985 he traveled the world studying African, Indian, Arabic and Oriental music, recording ethnic music “in the field,” studying and collecting ethnic musical instruments from all over the world. His self-produced debut album, “The Loa of Music,” is a seminal work of staggering originality and extraordinary beauty in which field recordings, musique concrète, electronics, synthesis and instrumentation are interwoven, drawing on the countless musics from around the world that he has recorded. The subsequent “Water messages on desert sand,” composed with Giovanni Venosta, was nominated for a Grammy in the UK in 1987. In the 1980s and 1990s he broadcast ethnic and electronic-experimental music from Rai and Radio Popolare radio stations. He has also composed and played music for videos, commercials, dance, poetry, theater, composed soundtracks and accompanied silent films live. From 1980 to the present, he has played with many Italian and European musicians: Giovanni Venosta, Claudio Gabbiani, Walter Prati, Giorgio Magnanensi, Massimo Cavallaro, Massimo Mariani, Moni Ovadia, Roberto Zorzi, Chris Cutler, Jon Rose David Moss, Steve Piccolo, Elliott Sharp, Keith Tippett and the Third Ear Band.

The theme of travel, ethnicities and mysticism are a pivotal point in this new album of his as well, demonstrating once again how music needs absolutely no sharp lines of demarcation. The music is one.

It goes from the search for deep meanings in a time spent in a Hindu monastery (Ashram) listening to mantras and studying Buddhist philosophy (The Principle Of Things) to space explorations and human settlements on the Moon or Mars wondering how man will live and what he will bring to the new worlds imagining that Sufism, an Islamic mystical religion, will accompany him in the discovery of new worlds (Derviches On Mars). In Goodbye Monsters, harmony and peace are sought. Memories Of A Piano Player is a tribute to Keith Tippett, a great pianist (King Crimson , Centipede, Mujician) with whom he played in several concerts and with whom I spent evenings talking about music, food and Italian wine. Quantum State focuses on how quantum mechanics is creating a revolution in the way of thinking and dividing reality into infinite Parallel Worlds. Panthalassa is the vast ocean that surrounded Pangea and blends South American marimba music and traditional Chinese music. Burn The Shadows is a tribute to the fascinating Indonesian shadow theater, from the stories told and the atmosphere created during the long plays told in the sacred Indian texts of Ramayana or Mahabharata. Shadows are also more or less pleasant memories to which one is attached, and to burn them is still to move on with one's life.

Torajan Funeral Chant: The Toraja are a people living in Sulawesi (Indonesia) who have a special worship of the dead. Funerals are festivals that last several days, the corpses are protected by Tau-Tau (small dolls that watch over cemeteries), and over the years, they exhume the corpses of their relatives and keep them in their homes with them for a time to remember them.

The experimentation goes all the way to modern Artificial Intelligence that 'interrogated' to create something new by inserting conflicting inputs joins them together but nonsensically creating interesting insights; hence A.I. In Confusion. Pangea, named after the continent that contained all the land that emerged between 540 and 200 million years ago, in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic periods, imagined as inhabited by man without divisions created by borders, wars, religions or ethnic groups, is also a tribute to Steve Reich, one of the fathers and a great musician of minimal music. Prophecies, a reading of sacred texts and religious songs from evangelical sects in the United States filtered into granular synthesis with percussion music from South India, closes.

Repress!

KNTXT signs hotly-tipped techno artist Indira Paganotto for a new EP that showcases her unique sound across four compelling tracks.

Indira's father was a DJ in the iconic Goa scene in India in the 90s, so she grew up surrounded by colourful, emotive techno and psytrance. She has brought that to her own DJ sets and productions ever since she moved to Madrid to pursue her career. Now Indira is coming out with her best EP to date.

“I got to know Indira Paganotto when we opened up for demo submissions earlier this year,'' says KNTXT label boss Charlotte de Witte. “She immediately caught my attention with her unique take on psy/techno music. It feels very good to have her on board and I'm curious to see what the future holds for her.”

Indira adds, "I understand music as a state of trance where each track develops a journey and a story. Himalaya EP is the reflection of everything I learned since my childhood until today, the heritage and passion for Psytrance, the experiences in India, the connection with nature, as well as the feeling of freedom and strength like the gallop of a horse, the synths of Goa music, the love and the truth, which is what fills my life. Thank you Charlotte for understanding my language in such a true way. Ours is a real connection in such a sincere mental embrace, and I am proud to be part of your KNTXT family and to be able to show everyone who I am."

The EP ́s opening track, 'Takeshi', is a slick techno roller that is rippled with psychedelic melodies and bright acid lines. They bleep and squeak up top to create a hypnotic effect as the drums march on. 'Sultans Of Mountains' contains intense psychedelic synths waning about the mix. The drums are stripped back and urgent, and crashing hits and smart filters bring real tension as this one unfolds in an arresting fashion. On the other hand, 'Himalaya' has a deep and sleek techno atmosphere where astral pads and heavenly vocal coos make for a cinematic sound that will cast a real spell on the crowd. Last, but certainly not least we have the edgy and heavily textured 'Cobra' with its unrelenting drums, slapping hits and futuristic, psytrance-tinged melodies all designed to mess with your mind.

This is an EP packed with fresh techno, straight from the breakout star Indira Paganotto.

Tiptoes makes a welcome return to SlothBoogie Records with a fresh four-track EP, entitled ‘The Akai Samurai Strikes Again’.

Glasgow’s Tiptoes has long been a respected name in the Scottish electronic music circuit, bringing his eclectic style to the table as a DJ, blending everything from jazz to jungle, house to techno, garage, broken beat and many more genres. His productions are a nod to his many influences and once again with this EP were treated to an amalgamation of sounds.

‘Techno Woo’ leads the way and see Tiptoes embracing a filter house feel, merging a number of choppy funk licks, vocal chants, and bass lines in an ever-unfolding dynamic matter, while dusty drums carry the bouncy groove throughout. ‘Brotherman’ then tips the focus on to soul drenched guitar lines, brass melodies, snaking bass grooves and hypnotic vocal lines alongside loose, swinging percussion.

Opening the flip side is ‘Mars Landings’, embracing a deeper house aesthetic courtesy of hazy Rhodes chords, swelling vocal loops and organic drums before ‘Strings’ rounds things out, as the name would suggest the composition is built around expansive string melodies, gritty bass stabs and sturdy, thunderous drums.

London’s SlothBoogie records welcomes Subjoi to its roster with his four-track ‘Reflections’ EP.

Hailing from Warsaw in Poland and now residing in Adelaide, Australia, Subjoi has been gaining steady traction in the House scene over the past five years, racking up releases on the likes of clipp.art, Shall Not Fade’s Lost Palms sub-label, Lobster Theremin sub-label Distant Hawaii and 13th Hour amongst others. Here we see him joining the roster of SlothBoogie Records with some more soul-infused and sun-drenched house cuts.

Up first on the EP is ‘At A Time’, seeing Subjoi lay down an amalgamation of disco string, brass and vocal samples atop a swinging drum groove, dynamically evolving with filter sweeps and a loopy feel throughout. ‘Gone’ follows next and employs more classic house tropes courtesy of a bouncy piano line, robust drums and hooky vocal chops.

Opening the B-side is ‘What You Do’, shifting things aesthetically to 2-step drums alongside airy stab sequences, bubbling synth melodies and processed R&B style vocal lines. ‘Sapporo Nights’ completes the EP next on a deeper tip, journeying through hazy string lines, warm bell chimes, heavy doses of sub bass and stripped-back, bumpy drums.

repressed !

RFBCOLOURS 002 bring L'Atelier on board. This pair from Amsterdam bring you a 4 track EP with a digi only bonus. It starts off with Again, which hits that great sample hard and gets the party started on a disco vibe with a house twist. Then theres XTC which carries on where the A1 left off. On the flip we see a serious piano workout on top of a a grooving drum arragement. To finish off the vinyl package we see Times Are Ruff take the remix on a deeper tip with some seriously crunchy basslines and rolling groove. Then if that wasnt enough theres a digital bonus that will warm up any willing club room.

Feedback:

Telonius (Gomma)
'thanks nice one'

Laurin Fedora (Sleazy McQueen (Morris Audio / Paper Recordings))
'I'm looking forward to this vinyl. Nice return to late 90s filter disco!'

kostas tassopoulos (Ekkohaus (2020 vision, morris audio, cargo edition, liebe detail))
'Solid house record, loving it, thanks....'

Harri (Sub Club)
'liking afew of these'

Gameboyz (Clouded Vision / Relish)
'we dont usually play this kind of house music, but this is very nice! will try! thanks!'

Sebastian Wilck (Sebastian Wilck, Watergate)
'times are ruff remix is strong! support'

Jonny Cade (2020 Vision / Leftroom)
'great house ep'

Tensnake
'wow, that's quite a killer, downloading thanks!'

Lauhaus Lanting (Polder / Intacto)
'nice ep guys, also diging the times are ruff mix. thanx!'

Julien Barthe (Plaisir de France, Pro-Zak Trax)
'yeah remmeber 2000'years'

Julien Sandre (Morris Audio)
'nice music'

Doc Martin (none)
'XTC for Me!!!!'

Tom Findlay (Groove Armada)
'great EP, a little bit of everything and in all the right places....'

Andrew Claristidge (Acid Washed (Records makers))
'good stuff...'

Mihai Popoviciu (Highgrade, Fear Of Flying, Hudd Traxx)
'again is cool for me!'

Dorian Paic (Raum Musik)
'xtc times are ruff remix is the one for me ! cheers Dorian.'

Hector Couto (Tribal Sessions)
'full support for this release! good music!!!'

Gianluca Pandullo (I-Robots)
'LAtelier - XTC (Times Are Ruff Remix) ! I-Robots approved!'

Odisea is the new album, actually the real debut from Los Retros, out in April on Stones Throw. It draws inspiration from 1980s Japanese City Pop, and marks a new creative chapter from Mauri Tapia shaped by growth, reflection, and renewed purpose. It's been a journey since Tapia first captured hearts with the lo-fi magic of "Someone To Spend Time With", recorded at the age of 17 on a humble four-track in his parents' living room. Now 25, the Oxnard native has stepped into an entirely new season of life - he married his high school sweetheart, became a father to two daughters, and embraced spiritual faith. Earlier this year, he revisited his start with Early Days (2016-2019), a compilation of unreleased music from Mauri's teen years. "Jazz fusion has become my favorite genre and greatest inspiration of all time," Mauri says. "I made this album for the version of me that first fell in love with music. It's my full-circle moment - a sonic hat tip to my beginnings - as well as a nod to the forefathers of jazz fusion and city pop for leaving us with great music." Through it all, he's kept the same DIY spirit, writing and recording every note himself, only now in a home studio of his own. On Odisea, Tapia blends neon-lit City Pop with the melodic sensibility of Latin American soft rock. Mauri's deep love for 70s and 80s jazz fusion records anchors the album, yet Tapia filters those influences through a modern lens. Odisea features two Japanese vocalists, - Hikari and HITOMITOI. Also check out Los Retros new compilation "Early Days" released simultaneously. RIYL soul, bedroom pop, indie, modern jazz, downtempo, soft rock, Mac DeMarco, Thee Sacred Souls, Skinshape, Men I Trust

Two original house cuts. One statement. Soulbound / Abracadabra lands as a double-header single as part of our new XPRESS Singles Series, bridging gritty South London soul with slick Franco-American house energy - a release designed for the salubrious moments on the dance floor.

“Soulbound” sees Bustin’ Loose deliver cutting-edge disco-soul infused house music straight from the concrete textures of South London. Sung and produced by Bustin’ Loose himself, the track rides a pumping, elastic bassline with warm strings and raw vocal emotion - modern house with classic soul DNA. Capturing the energy of London's expansive music culture, Soulbound is both uplifting, euphoric and street-wise. Inspired by the music of Fatboy Slim, rappers like JME and Ghetts and the club culture of London.

On the flip side, “Abracadabra” from Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring LA wordsmith Relaye drips with French house sensibilities, blending glossy filters, catchy wah guitar and punchy grooves with razor-sharp rap vocals. Imagine Music Sounds Better With You colliding with the cool charisma of Q-Tip - hypnotic, stylish, and irresistibly repeatable.

The remix package pushes the release deeper into club territory:

• Dam Swindle transform Soulbound into a deep, bumping underground roller, rich in groove and late-night atmosphere.
• Phil Weeks delivers a signature Ghetto Mix of Abracadabra, crafted with his beloved MPC sampler - raw drums, stripped-back funk, and a pure nod to house music’s roots.
• La Felix closes the circle with a nostalgic, early-2010s-tinged deep remix of Abracadabra, balancing modern polish with timeless dance-floor warmth.

Undun is the story of a man, Redford Stevens, dying in reverse, rewinding from the moment he became a statistic and hitting the points in his life where he's at his most self-aware. That he's a criminal who got caught up in the familiar street-hustle trappings that the modern media's documented countless times is a pivotal detail-- it's hit at an angle that seems to emphasize the futile inevitability of it all. His life could be any number of misdirected narratives that ends with a toe tag, and what details listeners learn about him are hazy, buried under archetypal turns of fate and decisive struggles. That this protagonist is a fictionalized composite of a handful of real people, filtered through a matter-of-fact narrative that splits character ambivalence with journalistic impartiality, only makes his lack of direction and the failure of any real closure stand out even more. "Lotta niggas go to prison," Dice Raw states on "Tip the Scale", "how many come out Malcolm X?"

So the Roots' latest album isn't a sprawling, rise-and-fall crime story, not a condemnation or a veneration of a man living outside the law, not a bullet-riddled grand guignol heavy on explicit details of soldiers getting cut down. It's a character study of a man whose existential crisis ends only with his death-- a death gone largely unspecified, the glamor and tragedy washed over with a doomed resignation. That's a hard thing to pull off, even for a band as given to deep-thinking concepts as the Roots are. And when your main lyrical catalyst is Black Thought-- a man more given to allusions than direct statements-- it's likely that it'll take a while for the full scope of Undun to really sink in.

If and when it does, it might strike listeners as a bit skeletal: omit the mood-setting instrumental bookends, including a brief, four-part orchestral suite that builds off Sufjan Stevens' "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)", and you've got maybe a half hour's worth of material. By ?uestlove's accounts, writing Redford's story introduced the headaches and challenges that come with scriptwriting into their songwriting, and what's left on Undun is the end result of frequent revisions and rewrites that attempt to reconcile character, theme, and continuity. If it comes at the expense of nuance, it's not always obvious: There's an easy-to-trace narrative line from Redford's acceptance of his fate ("Sleep") to his acknowledgement of how close it's approaching ("Make My"), back through declarations of aggravated toughness ("One Time"), and celebratory fatalism ("Kool On"), along ups and downs that juxtapose motivation ("Stomp") and helplessness ("Lighthouse"). When the vocal portion of the album ends with two of the bleakest sets of verses in the Roots discography, peaking with the estrangement of "I Remember" and the desperation of "Tip the Scale", Undun reveals itself as a story where a man's actual death isn't quite as tragic as the circumstances that pushed him to it.

Oakland's DJ Mes returns with a fresh dose of jacked-up house in the 'D3w W3rk' series. Volume three blends gritty funk and rawness into fun, functional sounds. The EP opens with 'Detroit Ratchet City,' a bold, chunky anthem for pumping up the sweat before moving into the loopy 'For The People' where slinky percussion and soulful vocal hooks build a bristling arrangement. 'Look at Ya Shine' turns up the heat with a sleazy, slamming low end and then 'Peace of Mind' closes on a steamy, old-school tip with filtered synths, hooky male vocals and a retro charm that proves DJ Mes knows how to work the floor by joining the dots between the past, present and future.

First Word Records are proud to present the sophomore solo EP from Victoria Port.

'Barefoot In The Garden' is a 5-track selection merging classic soul with contemporary sounds.

Put together from sessions recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, and Victoria's home studio Candle Shop, this project exemplifies her talents as a singer-songwriter, developing upon the building blocks of her debut EP 'Did it Again' and Victoria's work as one half of electronic-soul duo, Anushka (BBE / Tru Thoughts / Brownswood).

On this EP, Victoria is accompanied by a wealth of talented artists in their own right, including frequent collaborators Hemai and JNR Williams, the highly-acclaimed drummer Moses Boyd, and vocalists such as Lea Lea, to name just a few.

The sonic tapestry stitched together on this EP epitomises the quality of British soul music of modern times; a vintage symphonic feel approach with modern-day production techniques, encompassing the Ronson-era of the late great Amy Winehouse, to the pack leaders of nowadays such as SAULT and Jungle. It's a logical progression considering Victoria's lifelong influences of US luminaries like Minnie Riperton, Gladys Knight, Nina Simone and Dionne Warwick.

Her fanbase includes Gilles Peterson (BBC 6 Music / Worldwide FM) who has tipped her as "an exciting emerging new artist whose sound fits alongside current successful acts like Cleo Sol, Lynda Dawn and Yazmin Lacey."


Victoria's previous EP had support from a wide range of tastemakers, including Cerys Matthews, Huey Morgan, Somewhere Soul, Mo Ayoub (Selector Radio), Ronnie Herel (Mi-Soul Radio's "One to Watch"), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM) and across platforms like Rinse FM, NTS, Soho Radio and Global Soul, whilst her work with Anushka also received airplay from Annie Mac, Jamz Supernova, Huw Stephens and BBC Radio 1.

Victoria says "this EP comes from a place of nostalgia. It's kind of reflective of parts of life up to this moment, culminating in 'Barefoot in the Garden'. I guess it's me starting to understand the things that are truly important to me. How I want to love and be loved, the way I want to spend my time, and just me starting to filter out a lot of the noise. Sonically it's been such a dream to explore elements of old soul and jazz with so many incredible musicians, and to put our own unique spin on the genre."

Already a seasoned live perfomer, additionally to various live appearances solo past & forthcoming including We Out Here, Jazz Cafe, Koko and the London Jazz Festival, Victoria Port is set to be one of the leading lights in the world of British soul music. This EP provides some solid examples as to why.

'Barefoot In The Garden' is due to be released on vinyl and digital, November 7th 2025.

"Chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams..."

December 25th, 2023 - an Instagram post. Stimulator Jones shared half a dozen FIRE tracks from his beat tape archive. We were immediately drawn to the rough hewn boom bap.

"I'd release that", Rob commented.

Hours of material was shared and the result is this: Cool Green Trees (1999-2005). A collection of beats and loops Stimulator Jones created between the ages of 14-20 at home in his basement, bedroom and computer room in Roanoke, Virginia.

You will not believe the profound soulful genius contained within these naive schoolboy melodies.

December 25th, 1998 - 25 years ago to the day and his much-coveted Yamaha SU10 sampler was finally bestowed upon young Stimmy AKA Sam Lunsford: "I immediately hooked up a CD Walkman to the input jack and looped the beginning two bars of Grover Washington Jr.'s "Mercy Mercy Me". I don't know what exactly was so thrilling about hearing two measures of music repeating over and over but it was so infectious and hypnotizing and enthralling to me. I'll never forget that ecstatic rush of making my first loop - an uncontrollable, gleeful smile plastered all over my face." When you hear the pocket breakbeat symphonies featured here on Cool Green Trees, you'll feel the same sense of frisson.

In the wake of his Stones Throw breakthrough - Exotic Worlds & Master Treasures - Stimulator Jones was pegged by many as a 90s throwback artist. However, he literally IS a 90s artist. He's been recording music most of his life and he's now 40. He created the bulk of Cool Green Trees as a teenager. Everything before 2004 was recorded when Sam was still in school. He was in 8th grade when he made the 1999 tracks - he didn't even have his learner's permit. This album is a snapshot of a young man in a simpler time. Things were still mysterious back then and he was flying blind, relying on his ears and having to figure things out for himself: "I had no road map for becoming a beatmaker. I have been collecting music since I was a kid, I am a lifelong digger and seeker of cool and interesting sounds. I was there in the golden age of Hip Hop, and while I may have been a suburban white kid in Roanoke, Virginia, I was tuned in and I bought so many classic albums when they came out. I was attracted to Hip Hop because of the musical and poetic quality. I was hypnotized by the rhythms, partially because I was a drummer. I didn't brag about collecting my breakbeat records or making beats - it was something I did in isolation. It wasn't something I generally wanted to bring attention to and it didn't really score me any cool points. I certainly wasn't flexing on social media about it."

Hell, he can do that now!

Opener "Pharoah Jones" was inspired by Yesterday's New Quintet and Madlib's ability to capture that classic 70s sound whilst playing all the instruments. Sam created this one stoned afternoon by laying down a 2 bar loop and a shaker loop on his Yamaha SU700 sampler. He hung a microphone from the ceiling and played his Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit over the top before adding ender Rhodes and playing his dad's Selmer tenor sax through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. Yes! Up next, "Ghost Gospel" utilises a dope loop from a gospel record and adds some soul-funk drums overtop, whilst working that filter knob. Says Sam: "The loop reminded me of something Ghostface would rap over. The sample was in 3/4 waltz time but I flipped it for a 4/4 groove, a technique I picked up from RZA. "Ill Feeling" uses sped-up pieces from a dusty old funk record and putting them over a classic NOLA drum loop; gain chopping up a slow, bluesy 3/4 time signature and bending it to a 4/4 groove. Classy shit. "Capital Punishment" features drums tapped in live, inspired by MF Doom's Special Herbs series. "Do Not Adjust" consists loops found on a compilation of 70s French music at Happy's Flea Market, a classic Roanoke digging spot.

The sublime, evocative title track, "Cool Green Trees" was created when Sam was still living at home. He dumped samples off his SU10 into the family desktop and arranged them in a demo version of Pro Tools: "This track was sort of my ode to the DJ Shadow style of sample based production. Super spacey, slow, and moody. The heavily filtered drums were inspired by Alec Empire's 'Low on Ice' album. I later added some scratches and sounds from a Spider Man storybook record." "Chill Scratch" snags the final bit of a bossanova record and pairs it with a drum loop before adding experimental scratching run through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. "Poisonous Fumes" was made using a sampler, mixer and a turntable; a kind of mixtape beat collage with added scratches and sounds from various records. Using dialogue from superhero records was a nod to Madlib. "Welcome Aboard The Starship" is dark, downtempo trip-hop with a spooky bent. Sam paired a slow, hard drum loop with a guitar sample grabbed off a psychedelic rock record. To finish, he added various backwards sounds and weird atmospheric effects and a little scratching. Swoon.

Side B opens with "Keep On Runnin", made on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler. Having always loved the sound of the Lo-Fi filter on those machines, reminiscent of the Emu SP1200, Sam always imagined Del or another of the Hieroglyphics crew rapping over this beat. You can certainly hear why. "Sounds Impossible" sees Sam experimenting with layering multiple kick samples at different volumes to create patterns similar to those heard by Showbiz and Lord Finesse during their God-level 1995 period. "Painted Faces" was made by chopping up a REDACTED record which he had gotten from Happy's Flea Market and paired it with a REDACTED drum loop. By the time Sam recorded "The Knew Style", he had acquired a shitty old 1960s portable turntable off eBay. It didn't function properly when he bought it but his brother opened it up, cleaned it out and got it working: "I remember he told me that there was a bunch of sand inside of it when he opened it up, as if its previous owner had taken it to the beach. I would take that turntable on my Happy's Flea Market digs so I could preview records...that's how I found this loop."

"Chicken Wing Blues Sauce" loops up a classic blues joint and pairs it with some REDACTED drums. A bit of filtering and arranging et voilà! "Kool Breeze", from 1999, is one of Sam's oldest surviving beats, as is "Sexx Bullets". The Roots sampled the same record, leaving Sam frustrated yet vindicated. "Soul Child" was an early SU10 creation, looping a dusty old Soul Children 45 and pairing it with 70s rock drum loops to great effect. "Take Off Runnin" was another loop found digging with a portable turntable. Paired with some boom bap drums it makes for a hypnotic head-nod groove. "Centurian" was intended to be a little beat interlude a la Pete Rock. The sample is from a sun-dappled soft-psych record and it's paired with a Robin Trower drum loop that just happens to fit perfectly. Sometimes you slap things together kind of haphazardly and magic happens. "Bozack" was the first beat Sam made using Pro Tools, his first foray into using chopped sounds instead of loops, an exciting new world. "Church" is beat interlude using a Phil Upchurch loop with the "Long Red" drums - a favourite break of Dilla et al. Sam was really on a tear in late 2004, probably because he was unemployed and phoneless and able to just make beats all day. He made "Splash One" on a borrowed Yamaha SU700 and again was experimenting with tapping the drums in live with his fingers, instead of using a loop or sequenced pattern. Channeling 9th Wonder, Sam used a water splash sound effect from a Batman record as a percussive element, hence the title (also a 13th Floor Elevators reference). The main loop is a backwards portion of one of his favourite Roy Ayers songs.

"Hank" is another fun little beat interlude thing, created on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler with the fantastic Lo-Fi effect that resembled the Emu SP1200 at a fraction of the price. "73 goatee", from 99, is another of his oldest surviving beats, created in his bedroom with his Yamaha SU10 and his brother's Vestax MR-300 4-track recorder: "This one will always feel special. I can remember having a feeling all the way back then on the night that I created it that this was a solid beat with a catchy loop. There was something in the Fender Rhodes melody that resonated with me emotionally, and I had never heard a producer sample that portion before. I felt like I had found my own unique sound, my own unique loop. It came from an Ahmad Jamal '73. I actually even recorded myself rapping and scratching over this beat way back then, I still have that version in all its imperfect sloppy glory."

Sam explains just how much these tracks mean to him: "They all have immense historical and sentimental value and I'm proud of them. These beats come from an innocent, simple time when I was just figuring out how to craft these sounds. They're something very personal to me. They are the initial part of a journey that I really was taking *alone*. There was no YouTube. I couldn't Google shit. I didn't even know any other beatmakers, producers or DJs in my town that could teach me anything. It was always just me, alone, in a room with some equipment - chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams. What I was doing wasn't cool. Most of my peers thought I was a weirdo and couldn't care less. Creating these sounds was an anti-social endeavour. In a sense, I felt like it was me against the world, and all I had to instruct and assist me were the recordings produced by my heroes - RZA, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Beatminerz, Showbiz, Diamond D, Beatnuts, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, E-Swift, Mista Lawnge, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Peanut Butter Wolf, El-P and so many more...I dedicate this collection to them, and to my older brother Joe who has always been a musical and technical guiding light for me.

This was a time before every kid was a self-described producer and beatmaker, before everyone had a DAW, before Kanye and "chipmunk soul", before Red Bull beat battles, before there was any social media beyond chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger, before Soundcloud, before SP-404 mania, before lo-fi beats to study to, before Splice, before targeted ads for MIDI chord packs, etc. In 99 when I told people that I had a sampler and made beats I was mostly met with bewildered confusion and indifference. Kids and adults alike would wonder why I got this weird machine for Christmas instead of something worthwhile like a Playstation or a mountain bike or even a guitar for that matter because at least that could be used to make "real music". Back then, sampling was still not widely respected as an art form - it was seen as lazy, talentless and unoriginal at best and outright criminal theft at worst. I had gotten respect for playing drums and guitar and things of that nature but this was a step in the wrong direction in the eyes of many."

The cover photo is a picture of Sam standing on his back porch in the latter part of 1998, just before he got his first sampler. He was 13 years old, in 8th grade. His dad took the picture with his 35mm film camera: "I actually wanted to be pointing my dad's .22 pistol at the camera lens but he wouldn't let me. He gave me an old walking cane to use instead. The Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket came from the lost and found at William Fleming High School where my mom worked as a secretary. I was thrilled when she brought it home because we never spent money on expensive name brand clothing like that - we were for the most part strictly a sale rack, bargain bin, thrift store, yard sale, flea market kind of family when it came to clothes. My watch is some cheap off-brand fake gold department store watch." Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

Back in print, pressed on canary yellow vinyl!

Hailing from the wintry heartland of Minneapolis, the Trashmen achieved cult immortality with a passel of landlocked surf anthems and reckless garage-rock gems, best exemplified by their immortal anthem "Surfin' Bird," two and a half minutes of inspired, unhinged mayhem that's never been equaled. But "Surfin' Bird" is just the tip of the iceberg of the 1964 album that bears the song's name. The only longplayer that the band released during their original lifespan, Surfin' Bird demonstrates that the Trashmen were no novelty act or one-hit wonder, but a brilliant, original outfit who filtered their R&B and surf influences through their own cheerfully demented sensibility to make some of their era's most reckless, uninhibited rock 'n' roll. ll outfit.

Amsterdam's Toman is set to release his first EP since 18 months ‚Dolce Far Niente‘ on Cécille Records!

Dutch producer and DJ Toman, based in the country's capital, Amsterdam, has been steadily rising up the ranks of underground house music in recent years. He has released tracks on labels such as Meta, Eastenderz, Cuttin' Headz, and NO ART. As a rising star in the Netherlands, Toman tours the globe, bringing his raw, stripped-back style to many of the hottest locations, including reputed clubs and festivals across multiple continents.

'Courtyard' opens and sees Toman fuse together crunchy drums with an amalgamation of plucked bass tones and pulsating subs alongside filter house synth licks and vocal hooks, with the vocal on the track provided by Toman himself, all dynamically evolving throughout its eight-minute duration. 'De Bongo Man', as the name would suggest, shifts focus towards a more tribal feel, merging organic percussion atop subtly unfurling synth tones, dubbed-out stabs, resonant
flutters, a weighty low-end drive, and a sturdy rhythm section.

Title-cut 'Dolce Far Niente' follows next on the flip-side, a high-octane house cut fueled by a robust drum groove, twitchy synth lines, breathy vocal chants, and multilayered, gritty stab lines. 'Good Old Sunny Day' then rounds out the release on a more stripped-back tip via bumpy reduced drums, choppy vocals, and airy, fluttering chord sequences.

Over the past decade Tuccillo has steadily honed his craft as a producer and is now widely known and beloved for his contemporary twist on raw groove driven House music which has found a home on the likes of Nu Groove, Kwench, Melodeum, Holic Trax his own Unblock label and of course Kaoz Theory where he returns here following 2023’s ‘The Waves’ EP.

Title-cut ‘Sundown’ leads the release on a deep house tip with a swinging drum groove, airy chord sequences, intricate filtered vocals and a funk-infused bass line. ‘Holding On’ then shifts gears into Chicago House territory via a bouncy bassline and dubbed out vocal chops, intertwined with a playful organ melody, tension building strings and skippy percussion.

‘Whatever’ then opens the b-side with a more stripped-back feel, laying focus on crisp, low-slung drums, hypnotic atmospherics, choppy dub stabs and an amalgamation of vocal murmurs. ‘Velvet City’ then concludes the EP, encapsulating the core aesthetic of deep house with wandering jazzy keys, ethereal pads, organic drums and rumbling subs all silkily ebbing and flowing amongst one another.

2025 Repress

Beste Modus, we_r_house and Unison Wax co-founder Cinthie launches her new imprint Crystalgrooves this October with three raw House cuts.

Berlin's Cinthie has long been a respected figure in the underground electronic music scene of Berlin and further afield, heading up the Beste Modus and we_r_house imprints, as well as Unison Wax alongside Diego Krause amongst holding a residency at the infamous Watergate club in her hometown and recently opening her new record store in Friedrichshain, Elevate. It's clear to see electronic music scene plays a huge part in Cinthie's life and here we see her adding another label to her already impressive coterie of imprints, namely 803 Crystalgrooves, a platform for her own material edging towards more classic, raw House sounds in contrast to the deeper more stripped back sounds heard across the other labels. Leading on the package is the anthemic heavy hitter 'Together', a heady House groove fuelled by a filtered, funk-infused bass line, bright organ chords and bumpy 909 drums, the result is an emotive slice of peak-time house to kick start the EP.x 'Ada Lovelace' follows and tips the focus over to dusty, swinging drum sounds and an amalgamation of choppy disco string and vocal samples all intricately programmed to create a dynamic dance floor workout. 'No Need To Worry' then rounds out the package with murky bass tones, wandering stab sequences and stripped-back shuffled percussion to close the package on a more dark and brooding tip.

Twisted and irreverent, The Rabbits combined ear-splitting guitar shrapnel with one of punk’s greatest-ever snot-nosed vocalists. With hints of PIL or Chrome, but beamed in from a parallel dimension and filtered through the warped lens of visionary loner Syoichi Miyazawa. First-ever vinyl release, fully remastered from the band’s original early ’80s cassette releases, and housed in a sturdy tip-on sleeve. Includes a double-sided, printed insert. Edition of 500

Singer-songwriter Syoichi Miyazawa’s tale is a confounding one.

He grew up in a small town in Yamagata Prefecture (in northern Japan), loved Dylan and The Beatles, and had very little exposure to, or interest in, underground music. And yet, shortly after 24-year-old Miyazawa arrived in Tokyo in 1978, he began performing solo shows at tiny clubs in the city, singing and playing guitar. His performances quicky devolved from brisk acoustic jaunts to lengthy, heavy dirges sung in a snot-nosed wail over a blown-out electric guitar detuned to produce a kind of sonic sludge.

At one of his earliest gigs, a mutual friend introduced him to Endo Michiro, who would soon become the legendary front man of Japanese punk icons The Stalin. It turned out Miyazawa and Endo had attended Yamagata University at the same time just a few years earlier, but hadn’t known each other at school. In Tokyo, they became fast friends, moved into the same apartment building, and for years were inseparable. Endo played guitar and drums on Miyazawa’s debut release, the “Christ Was Born in a Stable” flexi disc. But while Endo was social and outgoing, Miyazawa preferred to be alone, avoiding concerts unless he was performing.

Despite these antisocial tendencies, Miyazawa came to despise playing solo. In 1982, an eccentric high school student named Chika introduced herself at one of Miyazawa’s gigs, and Miyazawa asked if she’d play bass. She agreed and drafted two of her friends to play second guitar and drums. The Rabbits were born.

Miyazawa wrote the tunes, and had a clear vision for the group, but struggled to get the sound he wanted from the other members. His second guitarist was more of a fusion player, and Miyazawa took great pains to get him to tone down the shredding. The group quickly went through multiple line-up changes. Frustrated with the sound of their first proper recording (self-released as the “X1(x)” cassette), Miyazawa spent a full year mixing their second cassette, “Winter Songs,” on his own.

The hard work paid off — the sound of “Winter Songs” is striking, and unlike anything the band’s peers produced. There’s liberal use of delay on the vocals, giving the music a psychedelic feel, but the guitars are caustic, cutting through the mix like metal shrapnel. The rhythm section seems on the verge of teetering out of control throughout, an overdriven and pummeling current below abrasive slabs of guitar and vocals. Even at their most aggressive, though, The Rabbits had strong pop sensibilities, complete with cooing backing vocals and the occasional harmonica solo. Miyazawa delivers his borderline nonsensical lyrics with equal amounts of menace and gaiety, consistently riding that fine line as only a natural oddball can. At times, the band sounds like a distant cousin of PiL, Chrome or The Homosexuals, but beamed in from a parallel dimension and filtered through Miyazawa’s warped lens.

Although The Rabbits briskly sold all 500 copies of the "Winter Songs" tape, live audiences at the time seemed dumbfounded by the group, and would stare at them in silence. After two years together, The Rabbits called it quits in 1984.

When asked if any of the many legendary groups (Les Rallizes Desnudes, G.I.S.M., etc.) he shared stages with left an impression, Miyazawa recently revealed that he always left the venue as soon as he finished performing, so he never caught any of the other bands…

All of which is to say —

The Rabbits are one of the great punk bands of the early ’80s, but their leader had no interest in the punk scene and always thought he was making “normal” music. They rubbed shoulders with a slew of notable groups of the era, and their singer was best friends with arguably the most famous Japanese punk of all time, but Miyazawa shunned fraternization and purposefully distanced himself from his peers.

Could this be why so few underground music fans are familiar with the group, even in Japan? Why they seem to have been written out of the official history of Japanese punk? One can never know for sure, but Mesh-Key hopes to remedy this travesty by offering this compilation, the first-ever official LP by The Rabbits, to a new generation of punk and psychedelic music connoisseurs.
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