Search:focus

Not so long ago in 2017, the first release on Michiel Claus' and Ailsa Cavers' Basic Moves saw the light of day and especially the shine of night. Produced by founding father Walrus, BM01 set the tone for a record label that focuses on releasing hidden archives from the 90s, whilst combining them with modern club music from the here and now. By highlighting the musical heritage of the Belgian electronic music scene, the label illustrates the continuity between past and present, history and shaping identities of 21st-century artists, undeniably building on the strong foundations of their forerunners. Seven years and nineteen releases later, Basic Moves is rounding off the series with BM20, a final double 12'' by one of the major figures from the Belgian underground: Circadian Rhythms also known as Dj Deg. After many years of collecting, deejaying and producing music, his musical spectrum ranges from synth, library and wave, to jazz, funk and disco, from house to techno. His journey started in clubs like Bocaccio (1988 - 1993), and La Gait? (1979 -1989), where young Deg came across deejay's like Olivier Pieters or Eric Beysens who made him choose the path of becoming a devoted disc jockey himself. BM20 is a sonic witness of Deg's first musical encounters with his machines, revealing a withdrawn selection of six bedroom patchwork tracks produced between the years of '93 & '99, a time without the internet or user manuals to help you solve the riddles of technology. Though only at the very beginning of his creative process, Deg's unique personality is nevertheless already clearly identifiable: blending techno with jazz, where the sharp edges of 16-step drum-sequences are smudged and bent in different directions. In the lower countries, the second half of the 90s was a period of fast & funky, happy Detroit, 140 BPM techno. Whenever Deg was not oscillating between record shops or gigs and had a moment on his own, mostly during morning hours after the club, he would spend his leftover energy in the studio. Either by himself or with his loyal ally Mike DMA, he would benefit from these moments to slow down and give space to a different, introverted sound - processing moods, feelings and thoughts. This record therefore gathers only a few of many (unrecorded) one-shot live sessions which were never intended to be shared - and only existed for the love of music and its power to take you beyond all things known. Thank you Deg for sharing your music and giving us a glimpse of your universe. Without your productions, your memorable warm-ups and closing sets - many of us would not be where we are now, and Basic Moves might never have been founded. As a last note to a closing song, BM20 is about being fully committed to the music and the club, a medium and place of fruitful settings for encounters, creativity and growth. Where dreams and ideas have a chance to exist, being almost ready and thought out to shape future times to come - and many party nights. Gurl, December 2023

Finnish electro duo Morphology, comprised of Matti Turunen and Michael Diekmann, is set to release ‘Made Up Reality’ on Deeptrax Records, the label with a mission to deliver high-quality, groundbreaking electronic music focusing on the deeper side of electronica and eclectic leftfield dance jams, exploring those spaces between deeper house and techno, with hints from the past and a strong vision of the future.

Continuing Morphology's tradition of dark, melodic, and skilfully produced electro funk that has captivated international audiences, they’ve have been holding down the retro-activism of Detroit and its call for an illuminated future of programmable, motorized, electro-fantasies for over 15 years. With releases on Semantica, Solar One Music and a slew of albums for Germany’s Zyntax Motorcity, it’s been Cultivated Electronics and Central Processing Unit that have given new rise to the music of Morphology. Their Traveller LP released through FireScope, helmed by the UK’s B12 in 2018, the floodlights remain unshakably fixed on the Finnish pair’s brilliance, appearing on landmark compilations like CPU’s 50th release jubilee to DJ Stingray’s Kern mix for Tresor, or holding it down in the underground at Scand nights in London, to bookings at Concrete Paris and Closer in the Ukraine, to Berlin’s unmissable Berghain. With a forever exploratory live set, Morphology’s place as a mainstay of futurist electro is rock solid and burning bright.

Renowned for their soul charged, emotion rich melodies and signature blend of techno and traditional electro, Morphology's new EP takes listeners on an unforgettable auditory journey. ‘Made Up Reality’ showcases the duo's ability to integrate acid lines and vibrant drum patterns creating a sonic landscape that is both innovative and deeply resonant. ‘Seven Fingers’ is a deep dive into the darker side of electro, with haunting melodies and pulsating rhythms. ‘Particle Swarm’ is an acid-infused cut that melds techno elements with classic electro beats. ‘Gradient Descent’ is a more electrifying electro acid heater, blending head nodding bassline with sharp acid riffs and pulsating rhythms that will ignite the floor. ‘Active Inclusion’ is a vibrant, drum-heavy composition that brings the EP to a powerful close.

‘Before the Odysee, there was the Iliad; a tale of the golden age of heroes and warriors.'

The idea behind the Iliads series has been to return to the sound of the golden age of Jungle/Drum & Bass, and more specifically the original ‘heroes’ of the Odysee label

This third instalment in the series focuses particularly on the darker style of the Hokusai releases; where dystopian landscapes of avant-garde Breakbeat Jazz-infused D&B reigned supreme.

Building on the foundation of his two EPs for Samurai Music, we proudly present Urmah, the first LP exploring the 170 tempo from acclaimed Techno/Electronic producer Juan Rico aka Reeko, aka Architectural.

Reeko has now become an integral part of the overall Samurai Music sound. His work resonates deeply within the label's ethos, and Urmah exemplifies this synergy, highlighting his ability to enrich and expand Samurai Music's vision and push the boundaries of his own artistic expression.

For Urmah, Reeko delves even further into sound and psyche with a richer, more enveloping exploration into his distinct interpretation of the tempo. Reeko's production prowess shines brightly on Urmah with the warmth and weight of each track leaving an indelible impression.

Urmah focuses on heady fathomless grooves that tease shards of breakbeats like delicious icing, binding themselves to a gentle psychedelia with celestial textures. This is dexterous, meditative journey music from a producer who has an intimate relationship with groove creation.

As one of the most respected Techno producers in the genres long history, Reeko's influence and mastery are undeniable. With Urmah, he further showcases his expertise, expanding his palette to display a refined command of the 170 BPM tempo. The LP is a testament to his ability to innovate and redefine, solidifying his reputation as a pioneering force in electronic music.

Atlanta native Stefan Ringer steps up for a solo release on Bristol’s Black Acre, tracing a lineage of sonic references into an unmissable four-track EP. From radiant, soulful house to wonky machine funk, Soulflow is a distillation of cultural and personal narratives, tracing the evolution of his sound over a number of years. As an influential force in Atlanta’s dance music community - and with a strong connection to the sounds of Detroit - Stefan’s music reflects a genuine love for the underground. He held a residency at the legendary Sound Table with Ash Lauryn until its closure, runs the beloved monthly party Kudzu, and has spent years committed to his craft as a producer, DJ, promoter, and label manager. Tying the threads between an ever-expanding pool of sounds, his approach to production looks beyond the restraints of formal genre, and instead towards community, offering new sonic frameworks for others to soundtrack their own personal journeys. Black Acre has, since its inception in 2007, focused on strains of electronic music that mutate across different styles, and as such, Soulflow touches on a number of subcultural moments. As the name suggests, the title track is an uplifting, 101 groove of stripped back soul, driven by Stefan’s vocal treatments. ‘What’s Your Sign’ heads into hazier territory for an angular cut of minimal hypnotism. Taking a trip further into Stefan’s musical heritage with a nod to mid-2000s dubstep, ‘Cleanse’ is a half-time stepper adorned with glistening keys and improvised melodies that flawlessly embodies the cross-pollinated spirit of the genre, continuing the lineage of what occurred before with a sincere appreciation. Rounding things off is ‘Body Know’ - born from an experiment with a bass guitar and beat-boxed percussion - that fuses echoed vocals with a driving, analogue funk. Soulflow offers an honest portrayal of Stefan’s musical story, honing in on its past to build an expansive vision of its future. As he summarises succinctly: ‘This collection offers a glimpse into my journey thus far, with the anticipation of more to come.

2025 Repress

For Fuse's fifth release, Brussels' Altinbas returns for a whirlwind of meditative and harmonious techno. Solidifying his identity of focused yet vibrant club music, the Fuse resident and label co-curator offers his second contribution 'Sustain' as a dancefloor-enveloping take on modern techno. Known for rich chords, whipping pads, and dry percussion, Altinbas proves once again that his touch as a producer revolves around balance and calculated effect.

'Trail of' kick starts the EP with flourishing synthwork and a taste of dub as has become the Belgian artist's signature. Dotting toms as rhythmic accents and a low to the ground shaker make for a swaying introduction with an infectious groove. Breaking things up in the second track, 'Life Force' presents Detroit style chord stabs and playful rhythmic work. With a mental synth at the foundation, the track presents 909 drums to reinvigorate atmospheric synths that make 'Life Force' a subtle hybrid of classic club genres. With a wink at Fuse's heritage and a peak into its future, Altinbas' focus on enduring music can be felt throughout 'Sustain' and truly understood in the Brussels club. As a fitting follow up, 'Purpose' opens the B-side with illuminating chords and rounded sound design and a pulsating low-end. With almost a lighthearted tone, the record fits across genres and rooms, claiming movement instead of mood as its sole medium. The title track 'Sustain' proves just that - a melodic sequence and progressive arrangement make for an intensely euphoric closing. Evolving melodies, opening filters, and big but calculated buildups sum up Altinbas's work for Fuse's fifth release on the new label. The record brims with warmth and yet it finds its way on darker dance floors with ease, providing a refined style of music that belongs only to him across the international scene.

Hellstain Productions are proud to present you with "Et Alter Av Forakt» - the second release by the Norwegian Black Metal entity ENE, following the debut «Lang Kald Natt» from 2021. The new album is a natural next step musically, while still focusing on primitive and atmospheric black metal.

«Et Alter Av Forakt» shines with a far more refined production, but holds the same cold and desperate feelings. Lyrically, the tracks describe the souls of a lost world, where our purpose and existence is fragile and perhaps equally lost.

Fans and supporters of our label already know that almost any of our compilation series are focused on privately produced recordings, whether it is Funk, Jazz, AOR or Yacht Rock. We always try to dig as deep as possible, and sometimes even further.

"Sounds" are one of those combos which have been overlooked since the start of the so called Rare-Groove movement in the early 1990s. The full length version of "Sound Spirit" can be found on the album "VARIOUS ARTISTS - PEACE CHANT Vol.7 - PRIVATE JAZZ FROM GERMANY" (TRLP-9124) album. "Sweet Emma" on the flip is a 7"-only track!

Few bands are as focused on potential challenges, on what is yet to come, as The Ex. Which is pretty remarkable for a band celebrating 45 years of existence, a turbulent journey filled with an impressive series of highlights. However, nostalgia has never been this band's forte, as they like no other succeed in reinventing themselves, finding new alliances and fascinating challenges along the way. Stay out of that comfort zone for long enough and it just might disappear. The pandemic was a standstill for many, including The Ex. Or perhaps it was more a kind of recharging, as the band is back on national and international stages with new music, ready to return to the studio. So, in 45 years they did more than 2000 concerts in 45 countries. It was time for a new 45rpm 7" single. From the brand-new set they are playing full-on this year, they picked two blinking tracks: `Great!' and 'The Evidence'. Urgent, willful, adventurous, open hearted and joyfully obstinate. As such, The Ex remains true to that one, indestructible adage: forward in all directions!

Dame Area's highly anticipated fourth studio album, "Toda la verdad sobre Dame Area" ("The Whole Truth about Dame Area"), a collaboration with the renowned labels Mannequin Records and Humo Records.

Formed in 2017 within the vibrant underground scene of Barcelona's Màgia Roja club, Dame Area comprises the Italian-Catalan duo Silvia Konstance and Viktor Lux Crux. They fuse industrial-tribal polyrhythms with minimalist synth basslines, drawing profound inspiration from avant-garde masters such as Esplendor Geometrico, Throbbing Gristle, Suicide, Einstürzende Neubauten, Can, Coil, Swans, Big Black, and Wolf Eyes.

This record represents a new phase in Dame Area's discography. It's a big step up in terms of sound, composition and ideas. This record it's the perfect representation of what they have been playing live the last three years and what most people know them for. Also it serves as a companion piece to 2022’s Toda la mentira sobre Dame Area ("All The Lies About Dame Area"), which had a stronger focus on melody, while this latest record is more aggressive and industrial-influenced, with a greater emphasis on percussion.

Tracks like the Suicide-influenced "Si no es hoy cuando es" and "Sempre Cambiare" are an onslaught of industrialism and experimentalism—formidable, volatile, and unpredictable avant-garde subversion. Silvia explains, "One of our biggest influences is doing what our influences wouldn't do. We're more into dynamics and structures atypical of electronic music, with changes in time signatures, starts and stops, and dynamics more typical of rock music. We use any musical idea from any genre. Some songs on the album are based on flamenco rhythms, others influenced by '60s experimental pop, heavy metal, or contemporary electronic music."

The confrontational "Vengo dall'aldilà" accelerates with heavy percussion, while "Tu me hiciste creer" builds into a rhythmic, transcendent noise of yelled vocals and hypnotic beats. Viktor adds, "This song took us more time to complete than any other we have recorded. It was a very organic process, evolving slowly from some instrumental percussive stuff we were doing live. Then we started using feedback as a rhythmic element (through a metallic sheet), and this was the first song where we incorporated this element, typical of noise-rock and experimental rock."

Elsewhere, "Esto Es Nuestro Ruido" represents a manic, eclectic form of contemporary industrial music, post-punk, and EBM. Silvia notes, "It's the first album we recorded outside a studio. Although we've been playing live with metallic percussion and floor tom from the very start, in the studio, with some exceptions, it was mostly sample-based until now. On Toda la verdad sobre Dame Area, all drums and almost all metallic percussion have been recorded live."

With a growing reputation as one of the best live bands around since their inception, Dame Area has toured extensively across Europe, performing at renowned festivals like Atonal, CTM, Nuits Sonores, Dour, and Fusion, as well as legendary clubs such as Berghain, Tresor, Apolo, and Spook Factory.

Recorded at Sol de Sants Studios and Estudio Hermetic between August and November 2023

Silvia Konstance: vocals, synths, percussions, electronics, production
Viktor L. Crux: synths, drums, percussions, electronics, production
Mixing and additional production by Guillermo Sánchez Rojo
Mastering by Paul Mac at Hardgroove Mastering
Designed by Leo Sousa
Photography by Fabio Calabretta
Photo concept by Dame Area

Senking and DYL team up again after first collaborating for a track on 2020’s »Uniformity Of Nature« EP that also featured different solo productions by the two producers. »Diving Saucer Attack« is the first full-length record by the German artist and his Romanian collaborator, released through the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk label, home to the former’s work for more than a quarter of a century. The six pieces, two of which were produced individually, both showcase the duo’s shared interests for dub-heavy, adventurous electronic music while also emphasising the productive friction generated by the subtle differences between their respective approaches.

Cluj-Napoca-based DYL, real name Eduard Costea, cites his colleague Jens Massel’s work and especially his »Ping« EP—released in 1999 through Karaoke Kalk—as a crucial point of reference for his own development. »He’s one of the producers who inspired me to start making music,« he says. Massel was already familiar with his partner’s eclectic productions when he was approached by him with the idea of collaborating for a piece in 2020. They didn’t stop there, as Massel explains »It went very well and ever since we’ve been sending each sounds and tracks.« As their first joint album, »Diving Saucer Attack« documents the multi-faceted results of this on-going process.

The album opens with a track in true Senking style. Throbbing bass frequencies, haunting synth melodies and carefully placed rhythmic elements form a slow, but driving groove. Before DYL’s »a7r380R« introduces the listener to his anthemic take on IDM, the collaborative second track »2024« showcases how well their respective philosophies complement one another: the two create a detailed soundscape in which an intricate interplay of percussive elements and melodies can unfold. The title track transforms rattling drums and growling bass sounds into a laid-back, spooky trip-hop tune with a live-jazz feel, while »Astral Project« sees the duo venture into the uncanny regions of dub techno. »Not Just Numbers« closes on an even more sombre note—a fitting closing statement to an album full of twists and turns.

»Diving Saucer Attack« is a special album on more than the musical level. Massel released his first records under different guises such as Fumble, Kandis, and Senking through Karaoke Kalk between 1997 and 2001, after which he focused on his work as Senking, putting out a string of iconic albums through raster-noton, among others. 23 years after his last Senking LP for Karaoke Kalk, 2001’s »Silencer,« his return is as non-nostalgic as you’d expect it from such a forward-thinking producer: together with DYL, he continues to explore the possibilities and outer limits of electronic music in an intergenerational dialogue.

Powerful duo Henri Bergmann and Wennink make their Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Guardian Angel’. Stimming and Hardt Antoine take the single to darker territories on their remixes.

Magnetic husband-and-wife duo Henri Bergmann and Wennink blend Bergmann’s taste for melodic realms with Wennink’s etherealv vocals and experimental left-leaning sound. Focusing on supporting up-and-coming talent via her label Automatik, Bergmann has also recruited some of the most notable producers in melodic house and techno for remixes, including The Element, Hernan Cattaneo, and Betical, while the duo's compelling collaborative work has caught the attention of heavyweights like Afterlife - featuring on the label’s ‘Realm Of Consciousness Pt.VI’ VA. Now, following Bergmann’s recent Hï Ibiza appearance and ahead of forthcoming sets at the likes of Zamna Mexico City, KOKO and Amsterdam Dance Event, the London-based couple bring their talents to Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels with ‘Guardian Angel’. Set to captivate audiences, the enchanting vocal single lands this September with remixes from German house DJ/producer Stimming and fellow London-based eclectic talent Hardt Antoine.

Melancholic yet uplifting ‘Guardian Angel’ opens with richly textured choric percussion that rises to meet Wennink's angelic vocals to powerful emotive effect. Stimming’s remix enters second, reaching for intensity over a stripped-back rendition through the driving rhythm and ethereal SFX. Closing out the record, Hard Antoine's remix pulsates with darker basslines and sharper synths, leaning into the otherworldly and stretching the melody into satisfyingly strange sci-fi-esque planes.

Clan Caimán, led by composer Emilio Haro, is a group from Argentina, but their timeless, organic music transcends nationality. “Pica-Pau” (woodpecker), their third album, is their most abstract and minimal to date, but this is not a cold abstraction nor an austere minimalism; the music here, with its focus on rhythm and texture, is warm and hypnotic, seeming to have existed forever despite the fact that it was recorded in 2023-24. As on their previous albums, all with EM Records, the music is driven by the kalimabafon, Haro’s self-made tuned percussion instrument. The kalimbafon’s patterns weave through waves of reverb-drenched lap steel and guitar, as bass undertow and sans-cymbal percussion allow the music to flow music inexorably forward, like a broad, timeless river. The compositions here have a feeling of being immersed in deep night, surrounded by life, away from the enclosed isolation of the urban environment. As with previous albums, the compositions are instrumental, the exception being the final song, a vocal version of the opening track, sung in a language invented by Haro.

No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.

Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.


With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.

“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”

A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.

By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.

Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.

Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.

Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.

On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.

The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).

The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.

Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.

London-raised, Lisbon-based songwriter, producer, and DJ William Florelle has been on our radar at R2 Records for some time now having released some of our favourite organically soulful
electronic jams of recent times, so when the opportunity came to release some of his music it was a natural fit.

“Red Velvet” is a sultry and soulful jam that typically blurs the lines between Will Flo’s soul-driven influences from jazz through R&B to club-focused dance music capturing his unique organic yet
electronic syncopation.

The maestro Kaidi Tatham has delivered a stunning remix featuring his signature broken-jazz virtuosity – timeless music.

Karizma comes in the door with one of his beat-down Dubs for that late-night drop, and finally Ato Ayerra blesses the release with the Beringel “2am Snack” Remix.

New album of Housse de Racket member Pierre III - previously seen on Ed Banger.

Throughout my musical journey, electronic music was always a discreet companion, like that cousin who's not so close, but always fun to hang with.

So I put aside my beloved guitar aside for a while, knelt to the Roland Holy Trinity 303, 808, 909, and focused on rhythm, repetition, loops, four on the floor and the search for trance. By the way, the evocative working title for the album was ‘body music.'

Which is ironic because I haven't clubbed less than these last few years. So this music is more like a fantasy, a personal interpretation.

Thinking outside the box, leaving my comfort zone, felt like a producer's challenge, a game. We ‘play’ music. But don’t get me wrong, I play very seriously. I’m not a content creator, I am a musician.

You’ll hear many influences on this record, from Chicago House to Homework-era Daft, Talking Heads, ESG, early 90’s Dance Music… Club music for indie heads I guess.

I don’t want to sound self indulgent, but I love this record very much and I really loved doing it. Music is about pleasure and pleasure is a success in itself.

So please, step into my ‘Discotheque’.

A new piece by minimalist / experimental composer PHILL NIBLOCK (1933 - 2024), co-composed and performed by ANNA CLEMENTI & THOMAS STERN. Intense, menacing layers of thick drones and alien sounds.

In summer 2022, within just a few weeks and by pure coincidence, 2 proposals regarding PHILL NIBLOCK albums arrived: one suggesting an overdue vinyl reissue of a CD release (more on that when the time has come for it), the other email was from ANNA CLEMENTI saying she and THOMAS STERN were working on new pieces that PHILL NIBLOCK has written for her … when "Zound Delta 2" was complete, PHILL sent photographs for the two artworks, we met twice to discuss details, but unfortunately he died unexpectedly early january this year so the album now is, sad as it is, a posthumous release … an intense goodbye from one of 20thcentury most iconic composers.

Phill Niblock

Phill Niblock (1933-2024, USA) was an artist whose fifty-year career spans minimalist and experimental music, film and photography. Since 1985, he has served as director of Experimental Intermedia, a foundation for avant-garde music based in New York with a branch in Ghent, and curator of the foundation's record label XI. Known for his thick, loud drones of music, Niblock's signature sound is filled with microtones of instrumental timbres that generate many other tones in the performance space. In 2013, his diverse artistic career was the subject of a retrospective realised in partnership between Circuit (Contemporary Art Centre Lausanne) and Musée de l'Elysée. The following year Niblock was honoured with the prestigious Foundation for Contemporary Arts John Cage Award.

Anna Clementi

Italian-Swedish singer Anna Clementi grew up in Rome, where she first studied the flute and completed acting training before moving to Berlin and studying experimental vocal music and experimental music theater with the composer Dieter Schnebel at Hochschule der Künste (now UdK Berlin). Anna Clementi sees herself as an "actress of the voice" rather than exclusively as a singer. In this way she also articulates the diversity of her artistic expression, with which she is always searching for new connections between voice, gesture, language, dance and theater.

During her decades spanning career, Anna Clementi has performed at the most important festivals, has premiered numerous works, many of which have been composed especially for her, and worked with Fast Forward, Michael Hirsch, Rupert Huber, Christian Kesten, Alexander Kolkowski, Olga Neuwirth, Josef Anton Riedl, Iris ter Schiphorst, Dieter Schnebel, Laurie Schwartz, Elliott Sharp, and many others.

A special focus of hers is the work of John Cage, whose pieces she has performed worldwide.

Thomas Stern

Born in Bremen, Thomas Stern moved to Berlin in 1984 where he joined Mona Mur with Alex Hacke and F. M. Einheit (both from Einstürzende Neubauten, with which Stern also worked as live sound engineer for many years). Around 1987 he co-founded the Berlin set up of Crime And The City Solution (Mick Harvey, Alex Hacke a.o.). Over the years, he has has collaborated with artists like Ulrike Haage, Phew, Nick Cave, Ton Steine Scherben, Meret Becker, Nina Hagen, Jaki Liebezeit, Ben Becker, N.U. Unruh, Gry, Iris ter Schiphorst, Automat, Swans, Hans Joacxhim Irmler and many more, on the road or in his own Sternstaubstudio.
credits:

Anna Clementi: voice

Thomas Stern: slide guitar, bass and soundprocessing

Composition by Phill Niblock, Anna Clementi and Thomas Stern

Recorded and mixed by Thomas Stern at Sternstaubstudio, Berlin

Mastering and lacquer cut: Kassian Troyer at D&M, Berlin

Cover photography by Phill Niblock

Layout and design by kaidoh

“The debut album from Bahraini-born, British-based musical duo Dar Disku is a celebration of their Arabic heritage and multicultural influences that melds golden age West Asian and North African sounds with a contemporary dance floor focus.

Recorded between the UK, Algeria, Turkey and Tunisia, the album seamlessly crosses from disco to Raï, piano house to Turkish psychedelia, ambient to bollywood and features guest artists from Algeria, Turkey and Bahrain as well as legendary Indian singer Asha Puthli.”

Black Vinyl. In Rumi's poem A Great Wagon he writes of a place of total acceptance. "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there," It is a boundless, liminal space where we can release the judgments we make and carry of ourselves, and the comparisons to others. When we think of this field, there is a sense of tranquility that only comes when we are undisturbed by the shadow self and see existence as neither bright nor dim, white nor black. But as lead singer Greg Bertens explains, arriving there is a whole different story. "This is a poem I've returned to over the years, and I love the idea of this place, but getting there is life's journey." Bertens adds "I think the longing for and elusiveness of this field is a recurring theme in our music." Field is enveloped by themes of regret, disconnection and frustration but with the space to understand that these feelings are a natural part of the struggle between reconciling the inner and outer self. The Los Angeles/San Francisco-based group have been indie shoegaze stalwarts since their formation in 2001. After two decades and a handful of line-up changes, their extensive discography presents a dynamically textural, lush psychedelic rock that has featured guest appearances by members of Pavement, My Bloody Valentine, and Snow Patrol, among others. 2021's LP We Weren't Here (Sonic Ritual) was hailed for its dense instrumental blanket, where unrelenting hi-hats and heavy kicks exist alongside dreamy drone guitar. This propulsive nature permeates Field, as members Bertens, Noël Brydebell (vocals), Nyles Lannon (guitar), Jason Ruck (synths), Justin LaBo (bass), and Adam Wade (drums) produce a kaleidoscopic sonic landscape. Patient, sprawling instrumentation builds a foundation in which Bertens' themes of endurance, perseverance and clarity can bloom with a considered poise. As a lyricist who writes in response to the instrumental arrangements, rather than a focus on a specific theme or person, Field is a testament to Film School's ability to create in the moment, and to showcase the magic that stems from when we are truly present. With over two decades in the industry, Field cements Film School as a distinct, dominant force in the shoegaze scene. Soaked in an emotionally open, imaginative atmosphere, the album is both singular and expansive, and leaves the door open for a constantly evolving interpretation. Film School have never confined themselves to the rigidity of specifics, and it's on Field that they urge us to look beyond the binary of certainty, and to take a second look.

Guitarist Steve Howe releases his new solo album Guitarscape on 27th September on his own HoweSound label. The album will be available on CD, vinyl and digital downloads, including Dolby Atmos, Guitarscape marks a new chapter for the YES and ASIA legend as he presents, what amounts to, a guitar masterclass. "What I'm doing," said Steve, "is focusing on what I do well and what I love to do." Guitarscape features 14 new instrumental tracks in a host of musical styles, from rock through to acoustic and classical, each bearing that unmistakable Steve Howe sound. Steve plays acoustic, electric, steel and bass guitars along with keyboards and is joined by his son Dylan on drums. Steve has written all of the tracks and produced the album "This album has given me the opportunity to do something different," says Steve. "I bought a Novation Summit keyboard and found that it had a wealth of inspiring sounds. It gave me a golden opportunity to create my own keyboard structures - chordal movements and structures that I thought were a bit different. I think differently on a keyboard, I don't see the chords looking the same but then I had fun playing around with the guitar to see where that goes. "I've utilised most of the colours, as I like to I think of my styles, and I'm always pleased when I hear them running through and it moves from a steel, maybe, to a Spanish guitar. Because it's a different sort of album, I'm not using terribly conventional chord sequences but things that give me a fresh feeling and opportunities to improvise and stretch out as well as be melodic and make this a nice tuneful experience. "I began feeding the tracks to Dylan. We get on great and he seems to know what to play around my guitar, it's almost instinctive. Dylan and I fit together really beautifully. We've had the chance to do this together, so it's wonderful. "The bass parts and the keyboards are pretty interesting, everything had to be interesting but also work together. I like doing things that are super fresh and this album says what I am today.