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Created in 1954 and originally based in Newport, Rhode Island, the Newport Jazz Festival became one of the most celebrated and emblematic jazz festivals in the world. Immortalized in 1958 by Bert Stern's movie Jazz on a Summer's Day, it provided the setting for some of the most talked about events in jazz history, such as Miles Davis' 1955 performance of 'Round Midnight

The new album addresses issues that have felt all too close to home in recent years; fragility of existence, what family means to him and striking out on his own to make his mark under his own steam.

What is the connection between talented Theremin player and founder member of the Buggles Bruce Woolley and psychedelic pop band The Honey Pot? Well, in he autumn of 2008 Bruce kindly listened to Icarus Peel's newly-completed album Tea At My Gaffe" and suggested that he should stay on the psychedelic journey. Soon after, Icarus met DJ Marrs Bonfire of Bay FM, who featured the album on one of his "Smart Set" shows. The challenge from Marrs was for Icarus to write a Revolver" style album with shorter songs, and thus "To The Edge" was composed and produced with Wayne Fraquet on drums and Jacqueline Bourne and Iain Crawford on vocals.

2024 Repress

Prague based duo Fractions presents their full EP for Rotterdam Electronix. A true breakbeat alliance counting down till the end of times.

With the brand new single 'Solid Air' (featuring Rosie Frater-Taylor), we announce the eponymous album from 'The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble', out on 24 May on Acid Jazz. It follows the release of two singles ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ (with Jacqui McShee) and the spellbinding version of Nick Drake’s ‘Parasite’ (featuring Kindelan),

Led by the trail blazing London based saxophonist Sean Khan, the album pays tribute to the sounds of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s folk revival, recast and reimagined in a jazz setting, with featured guest vocalists, including compositions by Pentangle, Sandy Denny, John Martyn and Nick Drake.

Featured singers include the legendary Pentangle lead singer Jacqui McShee, acclaimed singer-guitarist Rosie Frater-Taylor on the back of her recently released and critically acclaimed ‘Featherweight’ album on Cooking Vinyl, plus emerging artist Kindelan from vibrant Leeds folk and jazz scene.

Sean Khan is known as one of the UK’s premier saxophonists, driven by a serious work ethic and urge to create new sounds. The Modern Jazz and Folk Ensemble is his follow up to Supreme Love: A Journey Through John Coltrane released on BBE Records. His distinctive playing can be heard throughout, as he successfully connects the dots between Coltrane and Nick Drake

Belgian industrial, post-rock collective THOT have announced their forthcoming fourth full-length album, `Delta', set for release in May 2024. A band existing in constant flux, THOT seem to thrive in the tumult of modern life and `Delta', their first long form release since 2017's breathtaking `FLEUVE', is an even more ambitious musical melting pot of the people, places, spaces and times that have helped define the band to date. Written, arranged, recorded and documented between late 2019 and 2023 by Fray alongside THOT collaborators Lukas Melville, Gil Chevingné, Stéphane Fedele, Anaïs Elba, Michael Thiel and Juliette Mauduit; `Delta' is as much a product of the band's past as it is their present, also featuring a true collaboration with the women of `Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares', an iconic Bulgarian traditional polyphonic choir previously sampled by THOT as well as the voice of award-winning Czech singer-songwriter Lenka Dusilová, who Fray met by chance through friends on the road. The album is a shifting collage of people, places, past and present, all stirred by THOT's renowned grasp of cinematic, post-rock dynamics and cold-wave electronic orchestration. Boundary-breaking by nature, THOT delivered a powerful, post-rock document of hope and perseverance against all odds.

Belgian industrial, post-rock collective THOT have announced their forthcoming fourth full-length album, `Delta', set for release in May 2024. A band existing in constant flux, THOT seem to thrive in the tumult of modern life and `Delta', their first long form release since 2017's breathtaking `FLEUVE', is an even more ambitious musical melting pot of the people, places, spaces and times that have helped define the band to date. Written, arranged, recorded and documented between late 2019 and 2023 by Fray alongside THOT collaborators Lukas Melville, Gil Chevingné, Stéphane Fedele, Anaïs Elba, Michael Thiel and Juliette Mauduit; `Delta' is as much a product of the band's past as it is their present, also featuring a true collaboration with the women of `Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares', an iconic Bulgarian traditional polyphonic choir previously sampled by THOT as well as the voice of award-winning Czech singer-songwriter Lenka Dusilová, who Fray met by chance through friends on the road. The album is a shifting collage of people, places, past and present, all stirred by THOT's renowned grasp of cinematic, post-rock dynamics and cold-wave electronic orchestration. Boundary-breaking by nature, THOT delivered a powerful, post-rock document of hope and perseverance against all odds.

BANGER MAKE MY BODY SHAKE MAKE THE SPEAKERS SHAKE

It was two and a half years ago when a conversation took place between Sal Carmona and Dj Producer Jovonn Armstrong; talks of which planted a seed in Sal Carmona's ear, which years later would manifest what was once a dream into a reality. No stranger, nor a newcomer in the world of dance music, Sal's experience in the club scene goes way back to the days when his sisters, to whom he credits for helping shape the person he is today, took him to Dave Mancuso's The Loft. An experience that he recalls being nothing short of magical. It was a spiritual encounter that immediately took over thus steering him towards the direction of clubs such as The Paradise Garage, Bentley's, Underground, Red Parrot, Latin Quarters, Roseland, Studio 54, just to name a few. Years later, Sal decided to take on the role, of which he became quite successful at, of promoting his own events in New York City; throwing regular parties at venues such as Park Circle & USA roller skating rinks, Red Parrot, The Palladium, The Copacabana and many others, soon becoming one of the premier go to promoters in NYC. Taking a long and well-deserved hiatus from the club scene, in 2012 Sal decided to make his return back to what he loves. It was around this time that he began thinking what it would be like to venture into creating his very own record label. Envisioning his first release being a bona fide House Music Album, one that would include some of his favorite producers. Not one to let dreams drift into the ether, while recollecting on that conversation with Jovan way back, Sal set out to make that vision manifest into a reality and thus emerged this dope compilation titled Banger "Make My Body Shake" "Make the Speakers Shake"

A great idea which brings together an interesting mix that includes highly sought out and respected veteran producers in the scene, such as Timmy Regisford, Ron Trent, Dj Jovonn, and Joe Claussell. Alongside with up and coming DJ producers who are garnering their own adulation of fans, in the likes of Vick Lavender, Mark Francis, Conway Kasey, and DJ Punch. With valuable directional contributions from friend Joe Claussell, this, to say the least, has become far more than just a seriously dope compilation that consists of a unique coming together of serious dance music. More than the aforementioned, Sal Carmona has manifested a dream into a game changing music scripture that is one of a kind, especially in this day and age where it seems where things are thrown together hoping for something to stick. On the contrary, this is well planned and thought out dopeness at A higher level consisting of all new house music that hasn't been brought together like this in a very long time and probably not for a while afterwards.

2024 reissue of Thomas Bückers debut album as Bersarin Quartett, originally released in 2008 on Lidar.

With some albums, you realize within a few seconds that here you have come across something really special. It is music that touches you straight away. Music that is important, that has a story to tell – and that manages to do so without even a single line of lyrics.

Wonderful orchestral pieces full of longing and melancholy. It is that certain kind of melancholy that seizes you when you are moved while following the final credits of an emotionally touching movie, remembering special moments that have faded in the course of many years and linger hazily in your memory, when you are somewhat wistfully contemplating old, worn photographs from days passed by … not a feeling of failure or hopelessness, but a bittersweet reflection.

Orchestral cinemascope sounds provide the emotionally moving fundament, wrap the tracks up in a warm coating. Graceful strings pile up, creating big moments and repeatedly ending inmelodies that are simply heart-rending, cinematic and tragic. But the Bersarin Quartett does not merely rely on these ingredients. The songs are also repeatedly interspersed with suspenseful and surprising elements, be it frail electronica, hypnotic soundscapes, drums or reverbed guitars. Rarely has amelange sounded as convincing and natural as this, and rarely has it sounded so well produced.

Thomas himself calls his music “imaginary fictional filmscores“. And it is hardly possible to come up with a more apt term. 10 tracks for 10 movies that have yet to be shot. Music that radiates such an enormous and authentic passion in every single minute, that one can’t help but completely abandon oneself to it. And honestly: Can there be anything more wonderful that can be achieved through music?

In one sense, it's easy for artists-songwriters, specifically-to express their feelings in their work. After all, that's what the lyrics are for! But it's much harder to convey emotional energy in how you play, slash at the guitar, and the structure of the music itself. That's precisely why Girl and Girl's Sub Pop debut, Call A Doctor, feels like such a vital, electrifying shock to the senses. Not since the early work of Car Seat Headrest or Conor Oberst's widescreen emotional brutality as Bright Eyes has indie rock managed to come across as this intimate and grandiose, as the Australian quartet led by Kai James lay a lifetime's worth of woes-mental health, the human race's planned obsolescence if you've been living on this cursed rock you know what we're getting at-across a canvas of indie rock that feels both timeless and in-the-moment. An audacious and aggressively tuneful blast of a record, Call A Doctor is an unforgettable first bow from Girl and Girl, whose origins lie in James and guitarist Jayden Williams jamming in his mother's garage in the afternoon after school. One afternoon, James' Aunty Liss headed down to their practice space after walking her dog and asked if she could sit in on drums. "It sounded really great," James recalls. "We begged her to stay, and she said, 'I'll stay until you find another drummer.' We wore her down, and she eventually became a permanent member." After bassist Fraser Bell joined to round things out, Girl and Girl hit the road and began to make a name for themselves beyond the Australian bush, eventually signing to Sub Pop off the strength of word of mouth. Call A Doctor came together quickly soon after, largely recorded in marathon sessions in a two-story industrial complex over the course of two weeks. "That added to the intensity of the album," James says about the frenzied creative process overseen by producer Burke Reid. "I can hear the stress in the record, which is good because that's what it's about-being tense, tied up, and in your own head." Call A Doctor's eleven songs-spanning sweeping guitar epics and wry acoustic shuffles to spiky punk maneuvers and the type of raw, adoringly unvarnished indie-pop associated with legendary PacNW label K Records-are literally plucked from James' personal history, as he reworked older recordings with newer lyrics reflecting his past struggles as well as new anxieties that emerged prior to the album's recording. "I've struggled with mental health for a lot of my life," he explains, "and I went through a particularly difficult patch when we were making the album; the band had started to get some attention, and I felt an enormous amount of pressure to live up to it." "This record is about an individual who's too far in their head, trying to get out," James continues while discussing Call A Doctor's overall outlook-specifically the snapshot it offers of its creator. But even though this record deals with uneasy topics we all know well from within ourselves, it's important to emphasize how teeming with life Girl and Girl's music is. There's a brazen, bold sense of humor to this stuff, an undeniable brightness to the darkness that makes it impossible not to be drawn in as a listener. Feeling down never sounded so goddamn good.

Deluxe 180g vinyl. Art Edition LP includes set of six 12”x12” art cards.



The follow-up to Kee Avil's acclaimed 2022 debut Crease: "A stunning debut" (The Quietus); "A whiplash style of uninhibited exploration" (The Wire); "Kee Avil's debut is a force" (Foxy Digitalis); "A work of Frankensteinian wonder" (Electronic Sound); "A tightly coiled, finely wrought vision of avant-pop" (Exclaim); "A debut of fiendish creativity" (Bandcamp Album Of The Day / Albums Of The Year) Kee Avil's music is both adventurous and intimate, intellectually challenging and emotionally resonant. The Montréal guitarist and producer's 2022 debut LP Crease garnered plaudits from outlets like The Wire, The Quietus, Mojo and Foxy Digitalis, picking up a Canadian Juno Award nomination and Bandcamp Album Of The Day and Albums Of The Year along the way. Its intricate construction, unnerving atmospheres, and knife-edge take on avant-pop prompted comparisons to early PJ Harvey, This Heat, and Gazelle Twin. A remix EP with work by claire rousay, Ami Dang, Cecile Believe, and Pelada brought collaborative perspectives to four Crease tracks, offering new pathways within those songs. With Spine, Kee Avil strips back her heavily textured compositions, opening up a much rawer sound. She calls it folk… and while traditionalists might scoff, this is urgent music that reflects the precarity of modern life, as well as the jarring mixture of electronic and real-world interactions that have become the fabric of our day-to-day experiences. There's a hypnotic post-punk somnambulance to it all, using the repetition and fracturing of melodic phrases interwoven with delicate electronics to create curious and persistent hooks. While not a concept album, themes of time's passage, remembrance, and decay crop up across multiple tracks. Each track intentionally only has four elements - guitar, electronics, and two other instruments, with Kee's voice and guitar pushed to the front. Within this minimalist framework, the juxtaposition of beauty and discomfort that is key to the Kee Avil sound stands out in skin-prickling relief. "We're shaped by many versions of ourselves," says Avil. "I was looking back at these versions of myself and what could have been, what didn't end up being and what did end up being, and going back like that through time. Seeing the future, the past." Spine was written in Kee Avil's home studio after a lapse in writing while touring Crease and working on other projects. She is a well-known and respected member of the Montréal experimental scene, and formerly ran Concrete Sound Studio with Zach Scholes, who continues to work with her as a producer on Spine. Compared to the three years that went into making her debut, Spine emerged in a matter of months - a process that may also be a factor in its intensity and sharpness: "This record was much harder, like it was really discovering everything from scratch." In her desire to not simply replicate or extend the sound of Crease, she felt she had to rip up the rule book, write in a different way, and pare back songs against her usual instincts. Sometimes, when we work against our ingrained habits, we get to the core of who we really are. Spine is an exercise in that process. Without over-intellectualizing or being didactic, it hits immediately and emotionally, especially if you are a person who has spent much time in the process of self-examination. Kee's voice hisses, whispers, and chants; her guitar bends and rings; electronics skitter and crackle; violin creaks like a door in the wind. There is something so evocative about the atmospheres she creates that it's easy to overlay one's own feelings onto her work, but to do that wholly would be to overlook one of the most important things about Spine: Kee Avil's clear and thoughtful vision. This isn't just the next step forward in her artistic trajectory; it's a stunner of a record that stands on its own, a bracing and thrilling listen that has much to reveal about the contradictions inherent in being human. - jj skolnik

"I was in a dream, but now I can see that change is the only law." With a credo adapted from science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, an album title from a collection of metaphysical poetry, and an expansion in consciousness brought on by personal crisis, guitarist and songwriter Shana Cleveland learns to embrace a changing world with unconditional love on News of the Universe, the new full-length from California rock band La Luz. News of the Universe is a record born of calamity, a work of dark, beautiful psychedelia reflecting Cleveland's experience of having her world blown apart by a breast cancer diagnosis just two years after the birth of her son. It's also a portrait of a band in flux, marking the first appearance for drummer Audrey Johnson and the final ones from longtime members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl, whose contributions add a bittersweet edge to a record that is both elegy for an old world and cosmic road map to a strange new one. But is there any band in the world more suited to capturing the chaos of change in all its messy beauty than La Luz? Formed by Cleveland in 2012, La Luz is beloved for their ability to balance bedlam and bliss, each new record another fine-tuning of the band's mix of swaggering riffs with angelic vocals borrowed from doo-wop and folk; a band so reliably great that it makes the huge step forward in confidence and sheer musicality that is News of the Universe all the more formidable. Cleveland, also a writer and painter, has developed into a truly original songwriter with her own canon of haunted psychedelia. Yet if Cleveland has spent years writing songs about ghosts, what lurks in the shadows of News of the Universe is nothing less than death itself. "There are moments on this album that sound to me like the last frantic confession before an asteroid destroys the earth," says Cleveland. The powerful sense of openness that permeates News of the Universe is at least partially due to the fact that it is a record made entirely by women-from the performing, writing, and producing all the way through to the recording, engineering, and mastering. Working with producer Maryam Qudos (Spacemoth), the all-female environment allowed Cleveland to feel safe tapping into difficult places and expressing hard emotions women are socialized to suppress. Unashamedly vulnerable, unabashedly feminine, and undeniably triumphant, News of the Universe is another knockout record from a band so reliably great that it has perhaps led people to overlook how pioneering La Luz really are: women of color in indie music forging their own path by following their own artistic star into galaxies beyond current musical trends, always led by an earnest belief in the cosmic power of love and a great riff. Never is that more true than on News of the Universe, which might be La Luz's most brutal record to date but also their most blissful.

Black Uhuru wurde Mitte der 70er Jahre gegründet und stürmte in den frühen 80er Jahren wirklich in die Reggae-Szene, als Sly & Robbie die künstlerische Leitung übernahmen und wichtige Alben wie Showcase, Sinsemilla, Red, Chill Out und Anthem produzierten (beachten Sie, dass es sich um eine großartige Sammlung ihrer Alben handelt). Singles für Sly & Robbies TAXI-Label sind auf TAXI TRAXX erhältlich und wurden letztes Jahr von TABOU1 veröffentlicht.

Die Alben waren nicht nur künstlerisch bahnbrechend, auch die Live-Shows waren großartig. Eine Lawine aus kraftvollem Drum and Bass, ergänzt durch grenzwertige Metal-Rock-Gitarren des verstorbenen Darryl Thompson, lieferte ein Fundament aus Rhythmus und Energie für Michael Roses Lead-Gesang und Duckie Simpsons und Puma Jones‘ Backing-Gesang.

Die erste US-Tournee von Black Uhuru fand 1982 statt. Damals steckte Reggae in den USA noch in den Kinderschuhen und es gab nur drei Reggae-Radiosendungen in Kalifornien: Doug Wendt in San Francisco, Roger Steffens in LA und Lance Linares in Santa Cruz. Lance leitete nicht nur seine Radiosendung bei KUSP, sondern buchte auch Künstler in Santa Cruz und arbeitete mit dem Soledad-Gefängnis zusammen, um Insassen dabei zu helfen, berufliche Fähigkeiten zu erwerben, die sie nach ihrer Entlassung aus dem Gefängnis nutzen könnten. Lance kontaktierte die Organisation Black Uhuru und bot an, ein Konzert im Gefängnis selbst zu organisieren. Zu seiner Überraschung wurde seine Idee begeistert angenommen und die Gruppe trat vor vollem Haus im Soledad-Gefängnis auf.

Was wir auf dieser Doppel-LP hören, ist das gesamte Konzert, das live auf KUSP übertragen wurde. Seine historische Bedeutung ist enorm und kann mit dem Reggae-Äquivalent der legendären Live-Aufnahme der amerikanischen Legende Johnny Cash in Folsom verglichen werden. Außerdem wurde das Konzert per Video aufgezeichnet. Wir haben das Video mit modernster Technologie restauriert und Schlüsselmomente des Konzerts kuratiert. Jedes dieser Videos kann mit der Artivive-Anwendung auf ein Smartphone gestreamt werden. Sobald die App installiert ist, können Benutzer die Videos ansehen, indem sie ihr Telefon auf die Fotos auf dem Plattencover (von Bruno Tilley) richten, die mit dem Artivive-Logo gekennzeichnet sind. TABOU1 ist stolz darauf, das erste Plattenlabel zu sein, das diese Augmented Reality-Funktion anbietet.

Who said rock'n'roll is dead?! Maybe Dr Frankenstein's made a rock 'n' roll monster cuz it sure seems alive to me. We introduce to you the debut LP of MARTIN SAVAGE AND THE JIGGERZ! All three gentlemen in this power trio have a solid background in the rock 'n' roll business which we won't bore you with here. The band has already released a slew of solid 7" records which we won't bore you with here either. Get on the internet ya lazy sods! Anyway, back to this here album: recorded by Ed Deegan at the esteemed Gizzard Recording Studio up in Fish Island, East London, on magnetic tape it delivers 12 solid senders of pure heart-on-the-sleeve rock 'n' roll action! From the blastin' drumroll of opener 'Between the Lines', a staple in the band's live set, via punk ballad anthem 'Down the Line' leading up to another live favourite called 'Boomerang'. There are covers of should-have-been-legends with bad-ass names like the Backstabbers or the Stripes. There are songs about shitty jobs, troublesome relationships, life on the high and life on the low. It's got everything you need really. Whether ya dig Boston 1976, Medway 1986 or Memphis 1996 there's something for you here. You can call it punk, pub rock, garage, glam or any other label you like but we just call it good ole rock 'n' roll. Hope ya dig!

Svart Records are proud to release the long-awaited full length album "SÁLA" by Kati Rán in May 2024

If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, “SÁLA”. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.

Named after the Old Norse word for ‘soul’ and ‘sea’, “SÁLA” is an act of ‘soul retrieval’, the shamanic art of trauma recovery, be it illness, death, heartbreak or loss, and the reintegration of a splintered self. Across its 13, wide-ranging, elegantly unfolding tracks, the album is an embodiment of different feminine voices and perspectives – from the Norse nine daughters of the sea, or ‘billow maidens’, through various historical and fictional figures to the late-night voices we hear in our most liminal states – all with tales to tell, riddles to solve, challenges to be accepted and guidance to offer. It’s a multiplicity that, like the ocean itself, belongs to a vast, restless dynamic: a matrix of mysteries, unfathomable depths and ever-shifting currents, accumulating into an elemental, regenerative source of power.

Recorded in a barn in Húsafell, Iceland – home to glacier ice caves and a rare lava stone marimba rediscovered for the track “Stone Pillars” – as well as Finland, Norway and at home in Kati’s native Netherlands, “SÁLA” is as much chronicle of Kati’s own perspective-shifting recording process as it as a pilgrimage through different viewpoints and internal states. That itinerate urge is also reflected in the use of different languages, ranging across Norwegian, Old Norse, Icelandic, and, for the first time, English, her combination of ancient texts, historical reimagining’s and unguarded personal reflection backed up by deep research into the most resonant recesses of Nordic lore.

Spun throughout every thread of “SÁLA” is a sense of communion - with the power of stories to offer moral guidance and the thrill of the unknown; with the element of water, recreated across the album both in field recordings and the agelessly organic nature of the music itself; with the archetypes whose qualities we are called upon to embody at our most critical moments; and with the internal hidden realms forever whispering at us from the far edges of our consciousness.

Appropriately, it’s a collaborative venture too. As well as working closely together with Finnish producer Jaani Peuhu, there are contributions from across the musical spectrum, including extreme metal vocalist extraordinaire Gaahl, the Icelandic female choir Umbra Ensemble, renowned Norwegian jazz musician Karl Seglem, Björk and Brian Eno contrabassist Borgar Magnason, members of pagan folk acts Völuspá, Gealdýr, Heilung and Theodor Bastard and even Napalm Death’s Mitch Harris on vocals.

For all the many sources “SÁLA” draws from, the result is a singular, intimately transformative rite of passage, and a retuning of the heart to the reverent continuity of the sacred. It will take you from the opening title track’s chest-pounding rhythmic pulse emerging from a traditional Norwegian bukkehorn (recorded by Karl Seglem), a galloping horse-rider and Kati’s glacial, velveteen chant, through “Kólga’s” recounting of female persecution through the ages borne on the most gossamer-light yet unbreakable of timbres and “Stone Pillar’s” gently percolating, deep wells of abandonment and incantations to recovery. “SÁLA” closes with the track “Sátta” - Old Norse for ‘peace’ and ‘reconciliation’ – ending the album as it began with the bukkehorn, as it weaves rich drones and experience-stamped poems and prayers, Kati’s vocals the most sensitively tuned of emotional barometers. An album made in dedication, and in thrall to, its own sense of destiny, “SÁLA” is, as all quests must ultimately be, a homecoming.

Album introduction written by Jonathan Selzer.

Svart Records are proud to release the long-awaited full length album "SÁLA" by Kati Rán in May 2024

If the most profound treasures are often the most deeply buried, the journey to uncover them is vital process of discovery. Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long-awaited full-length album, “SÁLA”. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within.

Named after the Old Norse word for ‘soul’ and ‘sea’, “SÁLA” is an act of ‘soul retrieval’, the shamanic art of trauma recovery, be it illness, death, heartbreak or loss, and the reintegration of a splintered self. Across its 13, wide-ranging, elegantly unfolding tracks, the album is an embodiment of different feminine voices and perspectives – from the Norse nine daughters of the sea, or ‘billow maidens’, through various historical and fictional figures to the late-night voices we hear in our most liminal states – all with tales to tell, riddles to solve, challenges to be accepted and guidance to offer. It’s a multiplicity that, like the ocean itself, belongs to a vast, restless dynamic: a matrix of mysteries, unfathomable depths and ever-shifting currents, accumulating into an elemental, regenerative source of power.

Recorded in a barn in Húsafell, Iceland – home to glacier ice caves and a rare lava stone marimba rediscovered for the track “Stone Pillars” – as well as Finland, Norway and at home in Kati’s native Netherlands, “SÁLA” is as much chronicle of Kati’s own perspective-shifting recording process as it as a pilgrimage through different viewpoints and internal states. That itinerate urge is also reflected in the use of different languages, ranging across Norwegian, Old Norse, Icelandic, and, for the first time, English, her combination of ancient texts, historical reimagining’s and unguarded personal reflection backed up by deep research into the most resonant recesses of Nordic lore.

Spun throughout every thread of “SÁLA” is a sense of communion - with the power of stories to offer moral guidance and the thrill of the unknown; with the element of water, recreated across the album both in field recordings and the agelessly organic nature of the music itself; with the archetypes whose qualities we are called upon to embody at our most critical moments; and with the internal hidden realms forever whispering at us from the far edges of our consciousness.

Appropriately, it’s a collaborative venture too. As well as working closely together with Finnish producer Jaani Peuhu, there are contributions from across the musical spectrum, including extreme metal vocalist extraordinaire Gaahl, the Icelandic female choir Umbra Ensemble, renowned Norwegian jazz musician Karl Seglem, Björk and Brian Eno contrabassist Borgar Magnason, members of pagan folk acts Völuspá, Gealdýr, Heilung and Theodor Bastard and even Napalm Death’s Mitch Harris on vocals.

For all the many sources “SÁLA” draws from, the result is a singular, intimately transformative rite of passage, and a retuning of the heart to the reverent continuity of the sacred. It will take you from the opening title track’s chest-pounding rhythmic pulse emerging from a traditional Norwegian bukkehorn (recorded by Karl Seglem), a galloping horse-rider and Kati’s glacial, velveteen chant, through “Kólga’s” recounting of female persecution through the ages borne on the most gossamer-light yet unbreakable of timbres and “Stone Pillar’s” gently percolating, deep wells of abandonment and incantations to recovery. “SÁLA” closes with the track “Sátta” - Old Norse for ‘peace’ and ‘reconciliation’ – ending the album as it began with the bukkehorn, as it weaves rich drones and experience-stamped poems and prayers, Kati’s vocals the most sensitively tuned of emotional barometers. An album made in dedication, and in thrall to, its own sense of destiny, “SÁLA” is, as all quests must ultimately be, a homecoming.

Album introduction written by Jonathan Selzer.

Pressed on dark green BioVinyl housed in a gatefold cover.Cover and gatefold artwork by Scottish artist Paul Scott Canavan (Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering). Includes 12" art card of original artwork. Uncover the secrets of the Scottish Highlands with this beautiful vinyl release of "A Highland Song", brought to you by Lost In Cult in collaboration with Black Screen Records and Inkle Studios. Moira McKinnon has never seen the sea. Tired of her life of seclusion, she runs away from home in search of adventure. A lighthouse can be seen in the distance, but to reach it she must overcome a beautiful yet perilous journey across the Scottish Highlands. This authentic Scottish score is comprised of a suite of hauntingly beautiful original tracks by Laurence Chapman (Heaven's Vault, Total War) complemented by iconic hits from Scottish folk industry legends TALISK and Fourth Moon that provide a rapturous, virtuosic sense of rhythm to Moira's great journey through a wilderness of paths, peaks, dangers and song. This record comes in luscious dark green eco-friendly BioVinyl and features beautiful artwork from Scottish artist Paul Scott Canavan, known for his work on Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. Paul has developed a beautiful piece of cover art showing Moira gazing out at the game's iconic lighthouse, as well as a breathtaking gatefold view of an authentic interpretation of Scottish scenery. Take in the view in your own time with a 12" art print to frame on your wall.

The relatively short life of San Francisco's Aluminum has so far yielded a single (Spinning Backwards, 2020) and an EP (Windowpane, 2022), but their debut LP, Fully Beat, overflows with tenured confidence and a singular style that deftly comprises shoegaze, big beat, and jangle pop. With influences ranging from Orbital, to Wipers, to The Avalanches and Sly and the Family Stone, theirs is a multifaceted take on established forms, fed through fuzz and led by honeyed, male-female vocal harmonies from Bay Area post-punk veterans Marc Leyda (of Wild Moth) and Ryann Gonsalves (of Torrey). "Smile" begins with deceptive sparseness, adding neon swirls of stacked tremolo over a mesmerizing lyrical refrain, and hinting at the dynamism to come with understated grace and grit. "Always Here, Never There" is Fully Beat's first pure hit of melodic pop: its liquid bass groove winds beneath a melancholy-sweet synth hook and Leyda's plaintive vocals, while drummer Chris Natividad's deep, pillowy snare and propulsive style maintain a driving pace. Lead single, "Behind My Mouth", shifts gears into a big beat shuffle and howl of overdriven guitars, which relent to Gonsalves' rolling bassline and playful, snarky vocal. Composed across several weeks of experimentation, it is a prime iteration of Aluminum's meticulous world of sound, which nevertheless carries an air of wry nonchalance. Asking, "Do you ever see behind my mouth?", Gonsalves notes that the song "comes from a place of wanting to be understood authentically, and to communicate intentionally." This approach speaks to the album's broader theme of exhaustion amid the demands of the modern grind: working unfulfilling jobs to pay exorbitant rent, feeling society break at the seams, and trying to maintain a meaningful personal life with the remaining scraps of morale. The response, then, must be to find joy. These songs were crafted over a half-dozen months in basements and practice spaces, creating an abundance of authentic passion and catharsis that's as nostalgic and comforting as a cherished, tattered band t-shirt. The closer, "Upside Down", is a full-throttle blare of joyous release - "a straight-up love song," according to Leyda. The deliberate choice to end it with a gradual fade, rather than a dramatic climax, smartly suggests the ambivalence of acceptance - perhaps fitting, when considering the immensity of the album's subject matter. It also hints that there is much more to be said, and as such a rich and compelling debut, Fully Beat shows that Aluminum are only getting started.

Barro Music Label reaches its tenth reference with a tremendous EP in which the protagonist (even of the cover) is Nöle, the label's boss. In Electro Bloody Music, the popular DJ and producer from Pamplona delivers four original tracks accompanied by a fantastic remix by Delectro. The renowned Colombian producer, active since 2006, has released on some of the best international labels and with his 80s EBM, electro and techno influences, he is the ideal person to accompany the label boss on such an important release. As for Nöle, after the success of Mendekua, his previous work released in 2022, he does what he is the best at: dark and frenetic techno with EBM flavor, like the one he played during his long residency at Stardust and does now at Lasociación.

On the A-side of Electro Blood Music we find three originals, the first two could be included in the category of Techno Body Music while the third is more purely techno. The EP starts with BuruHilketa, a dark track with a certain experimental atmosphere endowed with an incisive synth line and disturbing vocal samples that accompany us during most of the composition. Shaktale, shares some of the atmosphere of the first track, as it also includes vocal samples and a eerie synthesizer melody quite catchy. It has quite a complex rhythm and an extremely careful production that we recommend listening with headphones to appreciate in detail. Cementerio caliente is powerufl techno track, with hypnotic synths and an acid touch and tremendously forceful. With this kick drum, you could definitely demolish a house!

On the B-side we find another original track titled Noisebuilder and the remix by Delectro. Noisebuilder, with its fat and aquatic basses starts off more techno but, little by little, it also includes EBM details. The track lives up to its name and the noise builds, little by little, layer by layer while the intensity keeps growing. With a hard-hitting beat, spiced in the background by synthesizers that help to create an atmosphere, it is one of the clearest bangers of the EP. Delectro delivers a remix a little more forceful and darker, a bombshell of pure Techno Body Music that closes this magnificent EP.

Release note: El Garaje de Frank

Field Records takes a look into the vast catalogue of Celer, the prolific ambient project from Tokyo-based artist Will Long. Perfectly Beneath Us was originally released in 2012 as a CD-R on Still*Sleep, and now it’s being presented as a vinyl release remastered by Stephan Mathieu.

Celer began in California as a collaborative project in 2005 between Long and Danielle Baquet, resulting in reams of self-released work up until Baquet passed away in 2009. Long opted to keep their project going, and Celer has continued to grow as an expansive exploration of purest ambient. Meanwhile Long’s solo work under his own name has been equally accomplished, with scores of releases on DJ Sprinkles’ Comatonse Recordings and respected Norwegian leftfield label Smalltown Supersound.

With such a sizable library of sounds to explore, the reissue of Perfectly Beneath Us serves as an ideal entry point into the Celer catalogue, presenting four pieces of sustained, glacial movement wreaking profound emotional impact from the subtlest methods. Long exercises the utmost patience from the shorter ‘Distressing Sensations’ and ‘Ultra-terrestrial Yearning’ through to the 10-minutes-plus stretches of ‘Slightly Apart, Almost Touching’ and ‘Absolute Receptivity Of All The Senses’.

It’s truly immersive, captivating drone music that rewards the attentive listener as much as it soothes the casual drifter. Originally limited to just 100 copies in 2012, it’s now beautifully framed on a carefully considered reissue which adds to Field’s own repertoire of evocative, subliminal electronics.

About Field Records
Field Records has been publishing versatile electronic music from a string of high-principled artists since 2008. Firmly rooted in minimalism and modesty, the label gained a reputation for its versatile and atmospheric output - which includes works from the likes of Artefakt, ENA, Imaginary Softwoods, Monolake and SUGAI KEN.

A special release featuring the winners of the recent remix competition by Slam for the 'Exhibit' series.
High quality interpretations of Slam's hypnotic 'Exhibit 1' come courtesy of BOHM & The Unborn Child, Lezther, LUMERTZ and Franco Rossi.
Mastered By Conor Dalton @ Glowcast Mastering

It’s burning, everything is catching fire, and Aquaserge are singing and dancing on the embers of a world contemplated in a rear-view mirror. A world which is hyper-connected, yet forgets its primary emotions.

This seventh album by the band is an ecological poem, where present and past collide. A resolutely rock-sounding album, laced with electronics, experimental pop songs and audio archives. Along the way, the listeners will encounter traces of Oulipo (the famous experimental French literary movement founded in the ’60st), Dada and free jazz. They will cross paths with the ghosts of Ennio Morricone, Walter Benjamin and Marguerite Duras, with the shadows of Kim Gordon and Brigitte Fontaine. And other audacious and exciting melanges, in the pure tradition of Aquaserge.

The album was arranged and produced by Benjamin Glibert, the band’s guitarist and main composer.

The recording took place in a house located in the french countryside (where Aquaserge’s mobile studio was installed). The mix was done at Studio St Guidon in Brussels, the album was mastered by the legendary Dominique Blanc-Francard at the Labomatic studio in Paris.

The members of the band’s current line-up all took part in the recording: Audrey Ginestet (vocals, bass, guitar, etc.), Benjamin Glibert (vocals, guitar, keyboards, etc.), Olivier Kelchtermans (saxophones, keyboards, vocals, etc.), Manon Glibert (clarinets, vocals, etc.) and Julien Chamla (drums, vocals, etc.).

In one sense, it’s easy for artists—songwriters, specifically—to express their feelings in their work. After all, that’s what the lyrics are for! But it’s much harder to convey emotional energy in how you play, slash at the guitar, and the structure of the music itself. That’s precisely why Girl and Girl’s Sub Pop debut, Call A Doctor, feels like such a vital, electrifying shock to the senses. Not since the early work of Car Seat Headrest or Conor Oberst’s widescreen emotional brutality as Bright Eyes has indie rock managed to come across as this intimate and grandiose, as the Australian quartet led by Kai James lay a lifetime’s worth of woes—mental health, the human race’s planned obsolescence if you’ve been living on this cursed rock you know what we’re getting at—across a canvas of indie rock that feels both timeless and in-the-moment.

An audacious and aggressively tuneful blast of a record, Call A Doctor is an unforgettable first bow from Girl and Girl, whose origins lie in James and guitarist Jayden Williams jamming in his mother’s garage in the afternoon after school. One afternoon, James’ Aunty Liss headed down to their practice space after walking her dog and asked if she could sit in on drums. “It sounded really great,” James recalls. “We begged her to stay, and she said, ‘I’ll stay until you find another drummer.’ We wore her down, and she eventually became a permanent member.”

After bassist Fraser Bell joined to round things out, Girl and Girl hit the road and began to make a name for themselves beyond the Australian bush, eventually signing to Sub Pop off the strength of word of mouth. Call A Doctor came together quickly soon after, largely recorded in marathon sessions in a two-story industrial complex over the course of two weeks. “That added to the intensity of the album,” James says about the frenzied creative process overseen by producer Burke Reid. “I can hear the stress in the record, which is good because that’s what it’s about—being tense, tied up, and in your own head.”

Call A Doctor’s eleven songs—spanning sweeping guitar epics and wry acoustic shuffles to spiky punk maneuvers and the type of raw, adoringly unvarnished indie-pop associated with legendary PacNW label K Records—are literally plucked from James’ personal history, as he reworked older recordings with newer lyrics reflecting his past struggles as well as new anxieties that emerged prior to the album’s recording. “I’ve struggled with mental health for a lot of my life,” he explains, “and I went through a particularly difficult patch when we were making the album; the band had started to get some attention, and I felt an enormous amount of pressure to live up to it.”

Far from the sound of collapsing under pressure, Call A Doctor finds James and Co. stepping up with their entire collective chest. This is a record that’s so out-and-out alive that you nearly feel like you’re in the same room with Girl and Girl as you listen to it; lead single “Hello” practically bursts through the speakers, amplified by Aunty Liss’ unbelievable stickhandling duties. “‘Hello’ is all about romanticizing your own misery. Letting those deep, dark, dirty thoughts take over. Understanding that even if you could pull yourself out, you wouldn’t because the constant stress and worry is far too familiar and comfortable.”

“Mother” pogos on a spiky groove that’s reminiscent of the geographically close New Zealanders who make up the legendary Flying Nun label, while “Oh Boy” draws from the Shins’ own jangly sound, injected with James’ wonderfully nervy vocals. Then there’s Call A Doctor’s sorta-centerpiece “Maple Jean and the Anthropocene,” a five-minute epic offering a new perspective on climate change and the notion of what it means, in a personal sense, to suffer: “I live in the bushland, and I was driving home one night and hit and killed a wallaby with my car,” James recalls while discussing the song’s lyrical inspiration. “My first thought was, ‘What is the universe trying to tell me?’ No remorse, no guilt, just total self-centeredness. Which was like, Woah, you fucking psychopath! This wallaby wasn’t put on this earth to send you a message. That’s what the song is about, our egocentric species - thinking you’re the main character and that everything that happens is somehow about you.”

“This record is about an individual who’s too far in their head, trying to get out,” James continues while discussing Call A Doctor’s overall outlook—specifically the snapshot it offers of its creator. But even though this record deals with uneasy topics we all know well from within ourselves, it’s important to emphasize how teeming with life Girl and Girl’s music is. There’s a brazen, bold sense of humor to this stuff, an undeniable brightness to the darkness that makes it impossible not to be drawn in as a listener. Feeling down never sounded so goddamn good.

Der legendäre Film The Shawshank Redemption (dt. Titel „Die Verurteilten“) aus dem Jahr 1994 wurde von Frank Darabont geschrieben und inszeniert und basiert auf einer Novelle von Stephen King aus dem Jahr 1982. Der Film erzählt die Geschichte von zwei Sträflingen, die im Laufe mehrerer Jahre eine Freundschaft schließen, um Trost zu finden und schließlich durch grundlegendes Mitgefühl erlöst zu werden. Bei seinem Erscheinen wurde "Die Verurteilten - Die Erlösung" für sieben Oscars und zwei Golden Globe Awards nominiert. Inzwischen ist der Film zu einem der beliebtesten Filme aller Zeiten geworden, steht seit 2008 auf Platz eins der IMDb-Bestenliste und wurde 2011 von der Jury zum besten Film aller Zeiten gewählt. Die Filmmusik wurde von dem mehrfachen Preisträger Thomas Newman komponiert. und 1994 für einen Oscar für die beste Original-Musik nominiert, was Newmans erste Nominierung dieser Art war. In einer zentralen Szene des Films singt die Sopranistin "Briefduett" ("Canzonetta sull'aria") aus Mozarts "Die Hochzeit des Figaro", das auf dem Soundtrack enthalten ist. Das Set enthält außerdem die Original-Songs "Lovesick Blues" von Hank Williams und "If I Didn't Care" von The Inkspots. „The Shawshank Redemption“ ist als 30th Anniversary Edition in einer Auflage von 2.000 einzeln nummerierten Exemplaren auf BLACK/WHITE MARBLED Vinyl erhältlich und enthält einen Druckbeileger.

R'n'Cs is the contraction of "Rem and the Courbarians". made up of Rem (drums - Vox) and the Courbarians brothers, Saïd (Guitar - Vox) and Gui (Bass Guitar - Vox). they were formed in the Orléans region at the dawn of the second millennium, combining Punk / Hard Core with overdriven Garage Punk'n'Roll. giving birth to a Rock'n'Roll speed all their own! The years go by. but the cadence remains the same. they are and remain definitively addicted to feedback and BPMs. Their Rock'n'Roll remains fast and furious. You'd think the teats they feasted on from an early age were loaded with nitroglycerine! And these R'n'R aficionados never tire of it! Class, delicacy and refinement have nothing to do with it. even if some music lovers will enjoy it! Their music isn't a poem, it's an ode to sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. all at breakneck speed! Hang on to the handlebars, because no one escapes this infernal spiral that grabs you and sends you straight to the devil's entrails! They became a national benchmark for speed rock'n'roll. and were repeatedly asked to play with bands such as Nashville Pussy, Supersuckers, Discharge, GBH, Unseen, Guitar Wolf, New Bomb Turks, The Cellophane Suckers, The Butchers, Burning Heads, Etc.. Over the years, R'n'Cs has always been backed, produced and supported by labels such as 442ème Rue, Beast Records, Guerilla Vinyl and of course Trauma Social. Their 7th Opus "Flytrap in the Murderhouse" released on Beast Records / Fly House Records (Trauma Social for the CD) saw the light of day in Spring 2024 and still remains in the tradition of Zeke, Peter Pan Speedrock, Mötorhead. This incendiary bomb will not differ from previous productions. Still in sweat, flames and Rock'n'Roll!!!! Hell Yeah!

José James - the forward-looking, genre-defying Jazz singer for the hip-hop generation - has done it again. “1978” (his 12th studio album since 2008’s “The Dreamer'') announces an instant classic, combining James’ deep love of jazz and hip-hop with songwriting and production nods to R&B heroes Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Leon Ware. Produced by James and featuring an all-star ensemble including Grammy nominees Pedrito Martinez (Camilla Cabello, Eric Clapton), Marcus Machado (Daniel Ceasar, Pharoahe Monch), Jharis Yokley (Sleigh Bells, My Brightest Diamond) Chad Selph (Bilal, FREELANCE) and David Ginyard (Solange, Blood Orange), “1978” pulsates with the socially conscious feel-good vibes of Marvin Gaye, Prince and Stevie Wonder. James also skillfully explores the boundaries of Black music, featuring Brazilian rising star and recent Latin Grammy nominee Xênia França as well as Congolese-Belgian rapper/filmmaker Baloji.

A1. Renowned producer, Bodeler, showcases his mastery in the minimal genre with his first contribution to the MBK collection. Combining intricate rhythms with subtle variations, he crafts a hypnotic sonic journey that expresses his signature techie groove while still capturing the essence of minimalism.

A2. Franco Cinelli, another accomplished Argentinian DJ and producer, lends his unique touch to Bodeler’s minimal masterpiece in an exceptional remix. Cinelli’s interpretation provides us with an immersive experience, with every beat and sound thoughtfully placed to convey a distinct musical narrative. With this submission, Side A displays the seamless synergy between two influential figures in the global minimal scene.

B1. Flip to the B-side and you will find an incredibly soulful composition from Nicola Brusegan and Camilo Gil. These two join forces to create a sublime deep house track that transcends boundaries, featuring a familiar sample of an iconic hip hop group from Brooklyn’s past. Lush chords, pulsating basslines, and ethereal textures create the ideal dance floor tune.

B2. ’Take A Groove’ is paired with a remix that has quickly worked its way through clubs around the world. Jorge Caiado shares his perspective of dance floor atmospheres, demonstrating his ability to craft a remix that stands as an artistic statement in its own right. When the acid hits, you’ll know why this track is creating such a buzz!

Das Vancouver-Duo Potatohead People (Nick Wisdom & AstroLogical) knüpft auf seinem vierten Album "Eat Your Heart Out" an die sauberen und musikalischen Produktionssensibilitäten an, für die es im letzten Jahrzehnt gefeiert wurde. Gleichzeitig treten die beiden J Dilla- und Madlib-Fans aus ihren Schatten heraus und als eigenständige Sänger, Songwriter und Musiker ins Rampenlicht ein. Begleitet werden sie u.a. von Redman, Kapok, Abstract Rude, t3 und Kendra Dias, während Kaytranada, Soulection, Nightmares On Wax, Pomo, Exmag, Big Boi, Phife Dawg und FM4 Radio zu ihren Fans zählen.

Rosa Brunello's latest album, "Senseless Acts Of Love" on Domanda Music, is a beautiful testament to the power of music. With captivating melodies and a celebration of uniqueness, this album brings together an incredible fusion of talent from jazz and experimental music.

Collaborating with brilliant artists such as Yazz Ahmed, Tamar Osborn, Maurice Louca, Marco Frattini, Enrico Terragnoli, and Luca Tapino, Brunello takes us on a journey through love and exploration. Through the concept of slow travel, "Senseless Acts Of Love" encourages listeners to embrace a more conscious and sustainable approach to exploration. It inspires us to connect deeply with the world we inhabit and appreciate the diverse cultures that coexist within it.

This album captures the essence of unity, with collective improvisations and serendipitous moments of sonic synchronization.

grey marbled vinyl 2024 Repress

The name Sleepnet first emerged when UKF premiered a mysterious release named "Angel Blade", following a series of cryptic posts on social media. Now confirmed to be the debut solo project for Noisia's Nik Roos.

The EP, cites Sleepnet, is "inspired by true events", and features the tracks: "Love No More", "Angel Blade", "Void Song" (collaboration with Former), "Unravel", "First Light", "Glass Hearts" (collaboration with IMANU), and "Hindsight" The music explores different stages of loss, grief and rebirth, and some of the tracks contain fragments of sounds and music that were originally intended for Noisia productions over the past two decades, but never used.

"Sleepnet exists because I wanted to have an outlet for my music after Noisia. I want to use that vocabulary to tell a more personal story. I want the music, the whole project, to mean something to me. So I tried to do as much as I could myself. Writing and producing, mixing and mastering, logo design and artwork, even some singing here and there. I am considering knitting the merchandise myself as well :D I worked on this EP from December 2019 to December 2020. Writing it helped me identify and process things I'd been going through: letting go of Noisia, grieving over lost friends, and welcoming my daughter into the world. You can look at it in that light: as a process of grief and rebirth. That's what I hear in it. But the music should speak for itself and it has a magical ability to mean different things to different people. So have a listen yourself, I wonder what you might hear."

YOUTH return with the debut album from Hazina Francia aka Tadleeh, chaining reticulated, sidewinding rhythms under gloaming scapes and pealing solo guitar licks.

Last spotted marshalling a mix for the now-defunct FACT series, Tadleeh’s previous productions landed on Haunter and more recently Nkisi’s label, Initiation, spanning reverberant downbeats and possessed cloud rap, a sound she further develops on this impressive full length debut. The 10 parts of ‘Lone’ sketch out a brooding worldview that takes the album format as an ideal canvas to fully portray her style of urbane ennui and gloom, bittersweet and depressive, but with a levity afforded by spatialised architecture.

With a clear sense of sorrow and a pull toward electronic music’s no-person’s-lands, she adapts animist techniques to tell a story “about loneliness and hidden places” in an attempt to work thru existential questions; “Am I still who I was before? Do I have the same energy and ambitions? Is this all still really me?” The results resonate with the sort of imaginative nostalgia navigated by fellow South European artists such as Christos Chondropoulos and Heith, and share a hauntological quality with Flora Yin-Wong’s works as much as Aïsha Devi’s summoning of ancient energies.

The wraithlike tumult of her intro gives way to reverberant dark ambient on ‘Blue (feat CTM)’, and spirit-gnawing, surprised tribalism in ‘Seekers’, whilst she pushes into screwed club murk on ‘Roads’ and the hot coal trampler ‘Barefoot’, before unleashing her darkest energies in the bombast of ‘Equality’, and channelling Loren Connors’ electric guitar nocturnes in ‘Homesick’, staking out grumbling downbeats shades away from Heith & Kareem Lotfy’s Ghost Lemurs in ‘Victim, perpetrator.’

Special Guests on the record include: Mark Cisneros, Joe Lally, Derrick Decker, Bob Berberich, Clint Walsh, Dave Grohl, Onam Emmett, John Goetchius, Jerry Busher, Amy Pickering, Ian MacKaye, Amanda MacKaye, Brian Baker, Randy Austin, Martha Hull, Michael Reidy, Nate Bergman, Bobby Madden.

Scream formed in 1979. Drummer Kent Stacks, bassist Skeeter Enoch Thompson and the brothers Pete and Franz Stahl attended school together in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, when they began to discover the punk and new wave scene in DC and the provocative power of making music.

Like most of the punk bands in DC, they were influenced by the Bad Brains, but their rock and roll sensibilities set them apart. In 1982, they went into Inner Ear Studio with Ian MacKaye and Eddie Janney to record Dischord's first full length album, Still Screaming.

Scream followed this with a second full length album, This Side Up, in 1984. The band toured throughout the US and were one of the first US hardcore bands to tour Europe and the UK. In 1987, they released Banging the Drum, which was recorded at both Southern Studios in London and Inner Ear. In 1988, No More Censorship was released on reggae label RAS records. Scream returned to Dischord to release Fumble in 1993.

They made a few line-up changes along the way, including the addition of their friend Harley Davidson on second guitar, and, when Kent Stacks (RIP) left the band to start a family, they asked a young local drummer, Dave Grohl, to take over. After a number of years with "the Scream team," Dave went on to join Nirvana and form The Foo Fighters.

In 1996, at a Christmas reunion show, Kent Stacks returned as Scream’s drummer; the show was recorded and released as the CD “Live at the Black Cat.” Over the next few years, everyone branched out in different directions – Franz joined the Foos for a short period and Pete played with Goatsnake and earthlings? The band returned as a unit, with Clint Walsh on second guitar, in 2011 to record the Complete Control Sessions, which was released as an EP on Side One Dummy and was, until now, the band’s most recent release.

Scream’s newest album, DC Special, will be released in the fall of 2023 on Dischord Records. For this record, Scream invited their extensive music community to help create a unique project that weaves the history of music in Washington DC into the story of the band. Recorded by Don Zientara just weeks before his studio was evicted from its longtime location, the record is rich with both the sounds of Inner Ear and those of friends and musicians who influenced Scream and who shaped DC music over the past six decades. DC Special embodies the same sense of community and politics that inspired Scream from the start and is a truly special collection of new music that speaks to the present and also tells the story of DC music, Scream, and the influences that shaped them.


Bonus Download Tracks
Faces
Politics is Entertainment
Black and White
Lifeline Redux
Smile and Bleed
I Saw Ya (Wanna Be Like Captain)

Chelsea Wolfe has always been a conduit for a powerful energy, and while she has demonstrated a capacity to channel that somber beauty into a variety of forms, her gift as a songwriter is never more apparent than when she strips her songs down to a few key components. As a result, her solemn majesty and ominous elegance are more potent than ever on Birth of Violence.

There is a core element to Chelsea Wolfe’s music—a kind of urgent spin on America’s desolation blues—that’s existed throughout the entirety of her career. At the center, there has always been Wolfe’s woeful longing and beguiling gravity, though the framework for compositions has continuously evolved based on whatever resources were available. Her austere beginnings were gradually bolstered by electronics and filled out with full-band arrangements. The music became increasingly dense and more centered around live performances. Her latest album, Birth of Violence, is a return to the reclusive nature of her earlier recordings

“I’ve been in a state of constant motion for the past eight years or so; touring, moving, playing new stages, exploring new places and meeting new people—an incredible time of learning and growing as a musician and performer,” Wolfe says of the era leading up to Birth of Violence. “But after awhile, I was beginning to lose a part of myself. I needed to take some time away from the road to get my head straight, to learn to take better care of myself, and to write and record as much as I can while I have ‘Mercury in my hands,’ as a wise friend put it.“ Birth of Violence is the result of this step out of the limelight. The songs stem from humble beginnings—little more than Wolfe’s voice and her Taylor acoustic guitar. Her longtime musical collaborator Ben Chisholm recorded the songs on a makeshift studio and helped fill them out with his modern production treatments and the occasional auxiliary flourish from ongoing contributors Jess Gowrie (drums) and Ezra Buchla (viola).

The album opens with “The Mother Road,” a harrowing ode to Route 66 that immediately addresses Wolfe’s metaphoric white line fever. It explains the nature of the record—the impact of countless miles and perpetual exhaustion—and the desire to find the road back home, back to one’s roots. Songs like “Deranged for Rock & Roll” and “Highway” offers parallel examinations on the trials and tribulations of her journeys while the ghostly “When Anger Turns to Honey” serves as a rebuttal to self-appointed judges.

While the record touches upon tradition, it also exists in the present, addressing modern tragedies such as school shootings in the minor-key lullaby “Little Grave” and the poisoning of the planet on the dark wind-swept ballad “Erde.” But the record is at its most poignant when Wolfe withdraws into her own world of enigmatic and elusive autobiography. Much like Alan Ginsberg’s hallucinatory long-form poem Howl, the tracks “Dirt Universe” and “Birth of Violence” weave together specific references from her past into an esoteric overview of the state of mankind. Though the lyrical minutiae remain secret, the overall power of the language and delivery is bound to haunt the listener with both its grace and tension.

“These songs came to me in a whirlwind and I knew I needed to record them soon, and also really needed a break from the road,” Wolfe says. “I’ve spent the past few years looking for the feeling of home; looking for places that felt like home. The result of that humble approach yields Wolfe’s most devastating work to date.

European Headline tour confirming now for 2020. UK/EU Publicity handled by Lauren Barley at Rarely Unable. Immense support from Press, including coverage with NPR, Pitchfork, FADER, Vice, Revolver, Decibel, Under The Radar.

‘Life On Other Planets’ is Supergrass’ fourth studio album, which peaked at #9 in the UK charts. (Norway#13, Australia #22, France #44).

Released as 1LP black heavyweight vinyl, 2LP white 12”, green and black 10” vinyl and 3CD with demos and live versions.

This 2023 re-issue has been fully remastered from original sources and includes the hit singles ‘Grace’ (UK #13), ‘Seen the Light’ (UK#22), ‘Never Done Nothing Like That Before’, ‘Rush Hour Soul’.

Gatefold 1LP is a faithful reissue of the original album

Tillla is 19 year old prodigal piano player Mateo Davis, a graduate of Purcell (Tirzah, Mica Levi, Jacob Collier) & a polymath musician, producer & mixer.

Third Person is Tillla's debut EP, a 13 track sprawling opus the then-18-yr-old made alone in his bedroom on a modular synth and dodgy copy of Ableton. The musicianship, depth and technical creativity in this record really is something that should be noted.

Matching his signature melodic futurism with enduring club music structures, Pev brings the Pulse series to a natural conclusion with the Pulse Phase EP. On this third release he underlines the broader approach to tempos and styles he’s taken across this latest period of his output, soon to be coalesced into a new live set.

If there’s been a nostalgic streak detectable amongst the crisp modernism of the Pulse series, it comes through clearer than ever in the looped-up house jack and starry-eyed techno synth hooks of ‘Pulse IX’. ‘Pulse TEN’ pares back for a lean soundsystem workout driven by a strafing arp and fractured drums while ‘Pulse XI’ revisits 90s bleep techno with a deep, dubby intention. ‘Pulse XII’ completes the picture capturing the skeletal pressure of 2-step at its most slender and deadly.

There’s never a sense of over-familiarity — the exacting angles of the drums and alien hue of the synths maintain Pev’s distinctive sound first and foremost. But this series has also been an opportunity to hear some of his musical DNA more explicitly than before, cast in universal rave motifs propelled by the unrelenting pursuit of new forms for the dance.

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

The mighty Modern Funk band from Annecy France hit one more time with this double sider. Two heavy electro funk tracks with creamy vocals from Mae Rojas on the A side, both track are fully made with analog synths and drum machines.
Enjoy the vibes of that French Touch !!

The Selenites Band returns with a Live album ahead of their 3 Studio album, due for release in late 2024. 8 tracks of psychedelic jazz influenced by Ethio-groove, Swinging Addis and pentatonic grooves, recorded in analog on tape recorders during two concerts between 2021 and 2023.

These recordings are an opportunity to discover 5 previously unreleased tracks, as well as live versions from the previous album "Behind The Mask". The Selenites Band are first and foremost a live band, and we've seen them at the New Morning, in Paris, in Belgium, as well as opening for the prestigious group GONG, on their only date in France, and at many other festivals. The Selenites Band's lively style takes us into a world of traditional music, Shamarnic grooves, spicy jazz and bewitching rhythms. A melodic universe, a music of heady modal trance, a cinematic space of energetic jazz punk! . All compositions are by Antoine "Obi Riddim" Laloux, with the exception of two tracks by Seyoum Gèbrèyès and Tlahoun Gèssèssè.

All sleeves are hand-silk-screened and numbered / limited edition

Neben der digitalen Veröffentlichung der EP "Answers" gibt die multidisziplinäre amerikanische Komponistin und Sängerin Holland Andrews eine limitierte Vinyl-Edition heraus, die alle neuen Stücke sowie die 2022 veröffentlichte EP "Doubtless" enthält.

"Answers" ist bereits die vierte Veröffentlichung in einer Reihe von EPs, die Andrews seit 2021 auf Nils Frahms Label LEITER herausbringt. Teile des Vorgängers "Doubtless" entstanden unter anderem im LEITER Studio im Berliner Funkhaus, wo Frahm selbst an der Leadsingle "Rules" mitwirkte. Mit Stimme, Klarinette und Synthesizer erschafft Andrews magische Soundscapes zwischen zeitgenössischer Klassik und Ambient - ähnlich wie ihre früheren Mitstreiter Son Lux, Darian Donovan Thomas, William Brittelle oder Christina Vantzou hat die erst kürzlich zur renommierten Whitney Biennale geladene Künstler*in eine Heimat am Knotenpunkt divergierender Klänge gefunden.

"Du reitest über die Zwickauer Hügel nach Nordosten. Die Lederzügel schneiden sich in deine gefrorenen Hände, während sich heiss-saurer Sod nach oben brennt. Metaphysischer Katerschweiss sticht sich Pore für Pore durch deine Haut, durch ein verblasstes Sargtattoo auf dem Unterarm. Die müden Füße in den NVA-Stiefeln deines Vaters umklammern die Flanken eines dampfenden, grauen Appaloosa, oder ist es doch nur die frisierte Simson S51? Egal, denn eigentlich ist es deine ur-eigene Mind-Machine, in der du dem Ruf der Leere folgend durch die Ruinen der Selbsterkenntnis irrst. Nach Chemnitz - dem San Francisco des ganz kleinen Mannes. Erwarten wird dich dort allerdings nicht Bernd Spier's einfältige Flowertime, sondern Asbest, Eternit und vor allem die Risse, die sich durch ebendiesen ziehen. Genau da verdichten sich die Songs auf L'Appel du Vide's erstem Full-Length "Metro" jedem Leerstand trotzend zu einem 9 Stories hohen Monolithen aus Post-Punk, Death-Rock, Synth- und Darkwave, der einen - einmal erklommen - über jene Genregrenzen hinwegschauen lässt. Ein schwarz-schimmernder Jengaturm aus (East-)German Angst und kompromissloser Innenschau. So viel aufrichtiger wankend, als ein Campino im einstudierten Seitwärts-Taumeltanz der Mitte der Gesellschaft weismachen will, führt er dich weg von den tief hängenden Früchten des epigonalen (Post-)Punkswindles. Hin zu den aufgehenden Blüten echter Musikliebhaberei. Man hat sich festgebissen und ist drangeblieben, hat geschürft und sortiert, die Linernotes gelesen und vor allem eins: den vielen Platten zugehört. Die Schubladen aufgemacht und offen gelassen. Sänger René klagt sich ohne Allüren, zeigefingerfrei und immun gegen jedes Zeitgeistgeheische ins zunächst eigene Herz. Die Gitarre sägt, klirrt und kreischt vor Hunger und ist doch satt. Die Rhythm-Section knurrt und scheppert und bumst sich geradeaus in den Abyss, aus dem auch analoge Synths hier und da auftauchen um kurz Luft zu schnappen. Überhaupt kann man die Instrumente atmen hören, so ehrlich ist der Sound. Gitarrist Flatty hat die Band Anfang 2023 im Studio Gloom, Chemnitz aufgenommen. Doch da ist nicht nur Sachsen und die zu oft beschworenen, modrigen Wurzeln der Hängengebliebenen. Da ist Detroit, Frisco und Los Angeles. Manchester, New York und Portland. Und genau so wie Poison Idea's "Feel the Darkness" (um dann doch mal eine Reminiszenz zu bemühen) beginnt, endet "Metro" nach 37 Minuten Spielzeit - mit nacktem Piano. Dazwischen: eine Verwandtschaft in Wucht und Haltung, nur ohne Metal- und Gepose. Just Power and Void. Und in der Satteltasche ein altes Foto vom Meer, körnig, schwarz weiss und doch alle Farben widerspiegelnd.

"ME STATIONS THAT SWING WITH SOULFUL THINGS"
Introducing "W.EN.D Radio," the latest musical masterpiece from the dynamic duo Frank N Dank.Drawing inspiration from their earlier collaboration with the legendary I Dilla on the fictional radio show of the same name, this album is a nostalgic journey for longtime FND enthusiasts.Crafted entirely by the skillful Japanese beatsmith, Mitsu The Beats, the album boasts a stellar lineup of collaborators, including Dj Rhettmatic of the renowned Beatjunkies, soulful British vocalist Harleigh Blu, versatile MC/Singer illa J (J Dilla's brother), and Gram-my-nominated producer/musician King Michael Coy (known for his work with Anderson Paak, H.E.R), among others."W.EN.D Radio" stands as a contemporary homage to the infectious boom bap sound of hip-hop's golden era. Each track is a fusion of rhythmic beats and meaningful narratives, delivering a sonic experience that traverses the spectrum of emotions within a captivating and head-nodding package. This album is poised to captivate J dilla fans with its blend of nostalgia, innovation, and the undeniable skill of its collaborators.

““Do One” is the last song I wrote for the new album, and the first song on that album, as well as the first single. So it’s a summation of what I’m trying to say with this record, a record about survival and defiance, but also one with a sense of fun and self-deprecation.
19 years into my solo career, I’m still standing up and putting out some of my best work. It feels good.”

“Undefeated” is my tenth solo studio album, and in many ways I’m pleasantly surprised by that statement. I feel very fortunate that I’m still making records and touring - fortunate
and proud. The record is fired by that feeling, and a new sense of energy and liberation. It feels like a new chapter for me - after the pandemic, back in the independent world, the
new lineup of the Sleeping Souls, and a slightly bewildered sense of gratitude that I’m still standing, still have something to say.” - Frank Turner.

The 25th anniversary re-issue of the #1, multi-platinum album Ricky Martin - featuring the worldwide hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca”. The album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 661k copies. It made Ricky Martin the first male Latin artist in history to debut at Number One on the Billboard 200. The lead single “Livin’ La Vida Loca” topped the charts in more than 20 countries. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks, becoming Ricky’s first #1 single on the chart. A x14 trk double Black LP Vinyl.

Hampton Hawes, For Real! was recorded in 1958 but not released on the Contemporary Records label until 1961. Featuring Hawes (piano) alongside Harold Land (tenor sax), Scott LaFaro (bass) and Frank Butler (drums) the album includes a mixture of both jazz standards and originals. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.

Die umweltpolitische Botschaft, die durch die Stärke der Metal-Musik zum Ausdruck kommt, macht "Reflections" nicht nur zu einem musikalischen Werk, sondern auch zu einem Werk des kulturellen Aktivismus.

Dieses Album geht über das reine Musikhören hinaus und verwandelt sich in eine sensorische Erfahrung. SOULLINE präsentiert ein Werk, das Musik und Bilder kombiniert, um tiefe Emotionen zu wecken und zu konkreten Handlungen anregen soll.
Ziel ist es, "Reflections" einem breiten und vielfältigen Publikum zugänglich zu machen, in der Hoffnung, dass die Botschaft des Albums in den Köpfen und Herzen der Hörer Widerhall findet und zu einem größeren Umweltbewusstsein und einem positiven Wandel anregt.

With his new instrumental album Ventas Rumba, the French composer (and singer) returns to his signature instrument, the piano, blending it with warm synth tones. This album represents a "return to his roots ", allowing Ezéchiel Pailhès to reinvent himself in a seamless way while still exploring ballads and ritornellos, halfway between light-heartedness and melancholy. Ezéchiel Pailhès has been meaning to write a solo piano album for as long as he can remember. Hardly surprising, of course, for this academically-trained pianist, brought up on classical music and then studied jazz. Yet, since his 2001 debut with the electro-pop duo Nôze, and his subsequent four albums, the artist had constantly postponed this project that was so close to his heart. Then in 2022, just as he was getting ready to start producing an album of new songs, this long-standing aim finally materialized.
The melodies he wrote seemed to stand on their own naturally, spurring him on to compose this series of fourteen tracks, recorded in sessions split between France and Latvia.
A new piano: the Una Corda
Ezéchiel wanted this project dedicated to the piano to begin a new narrative, to explore new instrumental terrain and new tones, something far removed from the familiar piano he has been playing all his life. He opted for the Una Corda piano, designed by David Klavins, a groundbreaking instrument builder renowned for his distinctive pianos with vertical shapes and frames.

The Una Corda, created in 2014, is an upright piano with a single string per note (unlike three strings on traditional pianos). Enticed by the "crystalline and unique" tones of this instrument, which is hard to find in France, Ezéchiel travelled to Kuldiga, Latvia (where David Klavins set up his workshops and studios), to record the first part of the album. Although the title of the album may initially conjure up images of a distant, sensual dance, the reality is quite different. Ventas Rumba indeed refers to the waterfall and rapids (in Latvian: rumba) of the river Ventas, which runs near this small village in the western part of the country. Ezéchiel chose to blur the lines, as the sound and musicality of the title likely evoke both his short stay in the Baltic country, and also a form of distant exotic imagery perfectly in tune with his own mischievous wit. Tracks as short stories

Back in France, Ezéchiel enhanced the first tracks recorded in Kuldiga with subtle synth tone layers, and added other tracks composed and recorded at his Montreuil studio. The album reflects a deliberate and sensitive orchestration of piano, synth keyboards and digital effects, as he puts it: "playing to erase the differences between the tones of the various instruments", as if each instrument's texture echoed the others. According to Ezéchiel, you can listen to Ventas Rumba as you would leaf through "a collection of short stories", through compositions that rarely exceed three minutes and evoke figures of movement, lightness, curves or modulation, such as "La ligne", "La valse des singes" or "Fly Finger". Others more seriously relate to a kind of spirituality, which quietly infuses such different tracks as "Ferveur", "Éclair" and "Louanges". Ezéchiel adds: “I’m by no means religious, but I like what God has managed to get musicians to achieve (laughs)". "Louanges", for instance, despite its electronic edge, "refers to Olivier Messiaen, a very devout composer who I greatly admire". Other tracks are directly inspired by the classical music he listens to on a daily basis. For example, Chopin's “8th Nocturne” formed the backdrop of “Pianovado”. Likewise, the harmonic structure of Beethoven's “Waldstein Sonata No. 21” inspired “Opus 53”. Aside from these multiple references and inspirations, which quickly recede behind a style that is uniquely his, Ezéchiel Pailhès keeps exploring ideas already found on his first solo albums, this time in an instrumental format, undoubtedly purer, fostering an imaginary world that evokes the shapes and themes of ballads, ritornellos, light-heartedness, passing time, reverie or a universal subdued melancholy.

Fucked Up are one of the most prolific hardcore punk bands of our generation. Since their 2001 inception, they’ve challenged listeners with thoughtful artful chaos and a seemingly limitless drive for musical experimentation. Because of this, they’ve also become a record collectors worst nightmare; releasing over 80 recordings and collaborations on countless labels that include Arts & Crafts, Matador, Jade Tree, and more. Fucked Up “Year of the Hare” is the latest installment of their Zodiac themed releases. Over a two year period, it was recorded and constructed at Electrical Audio, Key Club Studios, and Candle Studios. Title track “Year of the Hare” is a 21 minute epic that frantically mixes traditional instrumentation, piano/synths, flutes and sax, experimental editing/soundscapes, and guest vocals from great Isla Craig into one dizzying experience. While B-Side “California Cold” slowly builds and deconstructs over an 8 and a half minute stretch. Organically shifting from jangly melodic-punk anthem into a fuzzed out psychedelic jam session. Eclectically blending musical styles and voices in the most, well, Fucked Up way possible.

Göden’s second endeavor Vale of the Fallen out on 17th of May 2024 Göden is back, and on their latest album the sound is heavier than ever. Guitarist/Bassist Stephen Flam is best known for his previous work with the band Winter, whose sludgy dirge earned a cult following for years to come. Göden is the spiritual successor to Winter. One could say Celtic Frost is to Triptykon what Winter is to Göden. Their debut album, “Beyond Darkness” stood on its own in creating a distinctive world. Now, four years later, they explore new sonic territories with their second album, “Vale of the Fallen”. While "Beyond Darkness" was a concept album that propelled listeners into space, whether inner or outer, “Vale of the Fallen” brings us back to twisted reality. Their more in-your-face approach should only intensify the experience-much like a walk through a post-apocalyptic landscape in the bleakest imaginable conditions. Sound-wise, Stephen Flam's heavier-than-life riffs, Vas Kallas's sardonic delivery and Tony Pinnisi's keyboards create oppressive atmospheres atop Jason Frantz's powerful drumming, while Margaret Murphy’s violin weaves ghostly motifs. Like its predecessor, “Vale of the Fallen” features interludes which provide brief respites between some tracks, only to return to the crushing heaviness in yet another avalanche of sound. This might be your favorite album of 2024.

Göden’s second endeavor Vale of the Fallen out on 17th of May 2024 Göden is back, and on their latest album the sound is heavier than ever. Guitarist/Bassist Stephen Flam is best known for his previous work with the band Winter, whose sludgy dirge earned a cult following for years to come. Göden is the spiritual successor to Winter. One could say Celtic Frost is to Triptykon what Winter is to Göden. Their debut album, “Beyond Darkness” stood on its own in creating a distinctive world. Now, four years later, they explore new sonic territories with their second album, “Vale of the Fallen”. While "Beyond Darkness" was a concept album that propelled listeners into space, whether inner or outer, “Vale of the Fallen” brings us back to twisted reality. Their more in-your-face approach should only intensify the experience-much like a walk through a post-apocalyptic landscape in the bleakest imaginable conditions. Sound-wise, Stephen Flam's heavier-than-life riffs, Vas Kallas's sardonic delivery and Tony Pinnisi's keyboards create oppressive atmospheres atop Jason Frantz's powerful drumming, while Margaret Murphy’s violin weaves ghostly motifs. Like its predecessor, “Vale of the Fallen” features interludes which provide brief respites between some tracks, only to return to the crushing heaviness in yet another avalanche of sound. This might be your favorite album of 2024.

Melodischer Death Metal mit Frauengesang! Düstere Hymnen der Rebellion Ancient Settlers haben sich in der europäischen Melodic-Death-Metal-Szene dank ihrer unermüdlichen Live-Aktivitäten schnell einen guten Ruf erspielt und wollen nun mit ihrem zweiten Studioalbum die Messlatte höher legen. Angeführt von den dämonischen Vocals der Frontfrau Argen Death beherrscht die venezolanisch-spanische Band das Thema Melodic Death mit absoluter Sicherheit durch stürmische Heavy-Riffs, fette Grooves
und eingängige Hooks (genau wie die Schwedischen Paten es uns allen beigebracht haben). "Oblivion's Legacy" ist ein konzeptionelles Werk, das in die Tiefen der menschlichen Existenz vordringt und das Vermächtnis erforscht, das wir als Individuen und als Spezies hinterlassen. Die Texte befassen sich mit den Auswirkungen unseres Handelns, den Kämpfen, denen wir uns stellen müssen, und dem endgültigen Schicksal, das uns alle erwartet. Vor dem Hintergrund kosmischer Wunder und existenzieller Introspektion dient jeder Song als Kapitel in der sich entfaltenden Erzählung der Reise der Menschheit durch Zeit und Raum.

Unrelentingly grim and gruesome death metal that fractures the speed of sound. Continuing to morph both stylistically and conceptually, mangling and overwhelming all they encounter.

For more than twenty years, Ka Baird has explored the outer dimensions of sound through performance. Extending far beyond their roots in the psychedelic folk movement of the early aughts, Ka is known for their raw, boundary pushing solo performances that bridge experimental sound, performance art, and ritual. Their tool set in the live arena includes extended voice and microphone techniques, electronics, flute and piano. Bearings follows their 2017 debut Sapropelic Pycnic and Respires, their acclaimed 2019 album.

Initially conceived as a twenty minute composition and presentation commissioned by Lampo in Chicago in the spring of 2022, Ka first explored the concept of “bearings” through a series of intimate performances where they shifted guises between magician, shaman, clown, and athlete, all enduring ongoing states of groundlessness through a physically demanding performance that entailed both play and struggle. This piece, in tandem with the heaviness of caring for a dying parent during the subsequent year, laid the groundwork for Bearings, with the album’s final narrative structure revealing itself in the months after their mother’s death the following September.

Enlisting a cast of contributors including Andrew Bernstein (alto saxophone), Max Eilbacher (flute processing, electronics), Greg Fox (percussion), gabby fluke-mogul (violin), Henry Fraser (contrabass), Joanna Mattrey (viola), John McCowen (contra clarinet), Camilla Padgitt-Coles (bowls, waterphone) Troy Schafer (strings), Chris Williams (trumpet), Nate Wooley (trumpet), and their beloved cat, Nisa (purrs) to create a collective hum and thrum, Ka and company create sprawling minimalist densities, punctuated by abrupt starts and stops, complex harmonics and textures, percussive flourishes, and a single, cyclical lyrical phrase: “Here. Disappear. Poof!”

Ka considers the album to be a deviant nod to a song cycle, throughout which certain motifs are repeated in different configurations. In the album’s sonic lexicon, a trumpet blast signifies a birth or death, or a distant string motif denotes a memory. Bearings is a durational work of profound abstraction and focus, within which sonorous elements, structure, and meaning reach a single, unified form. This amounts to nothing short of a creative high-water mark for one of the most dynamic and uncompromising artists working in the landscape of music today.

Goldenes Vinyl, limitiert auf 100 Exemplare. DEVILTRAIN - Eine explosive Mischung aus Energie, Leidenschaft und ungebändigtem Rock. Seit 2015 bringt das Quartett aus Bamberg mit seinem einzigartigen Sound jede Menge Power und eine Prise Rebellion auf die Bühne. Nun steht der fränkische High-Energy-Schnellzug endlich mit dem dritten Studioalbum "Sonic Fever" in den Startlöchern. Musikalisch schlagen Simmi (Vocals/Gitarre), Heiko (Leadgitarre), Basti (Bass) und Simon (Drums) in eine ähnliche Kerbe wie einst die Vorreiter der skandinavischen Rockwelle in den 90er/00er-Jahren, The Hellacopters und Gluecifer. Aber auch Einflüsse aus dem Garage-, Southern- und Bluesrock sind nicht von der Hand zu weisen. Über allem thront dabei die ausdrucksstarke Stimme von Frontsängerin und Gitarristin Simmi, welche zusammen mit energiegeladenen Leadgitarren-Parts, einem donnernden Bass und treibenden Drums zum unverwechselbaren Stil von DEVILTRAIN führt.

BOTANIST nehmen uns auf ihrem zwölften Album "Paleobotany" auf eine Reise mit, die 70 Millionen Jahre zurück in eine Zeit führt, in der Dinosaurier den Planeten beherrschten und die ersten Wälder zu Kohle wurden. Bevor der apokalyptische Einschlag des Chicxulub-Asteroiden das Zeitalter der Giganten in Flammen untergehen ließ, wuchsen auch viele Pflanzen, deren Artenfamilien auch heute noch Nachkommen haben, zu erstaunlichen Größen heran. "Paleobotany" kommt mit all jenen Markenzeichen daher, die BOTANIST aus der Masse aller Metal-Acts auf diesem Planeten hervorheben. Lyrisch dreht sich bei der Band aus San Francisco, Kalifornien alles um Pflanzen - ein klarer Bruch mit den üblichen Genre-Klischees wie Satan, Drachen und Bier. Ihre Musik ist einerseits deutlich im "Metal" verankert, doch statt 6-saitiger Gitarren verwenden die Amerikaner 110-saitige Hackbretter. Zur Verwirrung aller Traditionalisten statten BOTANIST die perkussiven Saiteninstrumente aus der Folklore mit magnetischen Tonabnehmern aus und verzerren sie mit verschiedenen Mitteln, die von Verstärkern über analoges Tonband bis hin zu digitaler Manipulation reichen. Der daraus resultierende Sound ist ebenso einzigartig wie spektakulär. Die kontinuierliche klangliche Entwicklung von BOTANIST begann an einem hörbar vom nordischen Black Metal geprägten Ausgangspunkt. Die Band entwickelte aber bald einen offeneren, avantgardistischeren Stil, der zu einer wachsenden Komplexität führte. Auf "Paleobotany" haben die Kalifornier einige der verschlungenen progressiven Elemente zugunsten songorientierterer Arrangements wieder abgelegt, die dennoch weiterhin detailreich bleiben und voller Überraschungen stecken. Dies wird dadurch verstärkt, dass das Album vom renommierten schwedischen Produzenten Fredrik Nordström (DIMMU BORGIR, OPETH, AT THE GATES) im Studio Fredman abgemischt wurde. BOTANIST bleiben eine einzigartige Band. "Paleobotany" erweitert die dunkelgrüne Klangpalette ihres Avantgarde-Metal-Sounds zu einem zugänglicheren und dynamischeren Klangerlebnis. Pflanzen bevölkerten schon weit vor den vierbeinige Giganten die Erde - und sie werden immer noch wachsen, wenn die Menschheit längst wieder zu Sternenstaub zerfallen ist. BOTANIST gewinnen ihre musikalische Zukunft, indem sie mit "Paleobotany" Millionen von Jahren in die Vergangenheit reisen!

"Hot Rock Time Machine" ist ein explosives Album von BLACKRAIN, das Rock und Metal miteinander verbindet. Mit Swan Hellion, Matthieu de la Roche, Max Tew und dem neuen Schlagzeuger Franky Costanza, erfindet die Band 10 ihrer Klassiker neu. Abgemischt von Johannes Braun von KISSIN' DYNAMITE, greift das Album energiegeladen Hits wie "Overloaded" und "Revolution" wieder auf. Diese musikalische Reise zurück in die Zukunft ist eine kreative Explosion, die eine noch stärkere Zukunft für die Band nach über 20 Jahren ihres Bestehens einläutet. Eine Mischung aus modernen und klassischen Klängen, die bei den Fans des Genres Anklang finden dürfte.

DEVILTRAIN - Eine explosive Mischung aus Energie, Leidenschaft und ungebändigtem Rock. Seit 2015 bringt das Quartett aus Bamberg mit seinem einzigartigen Sound jede Menge Power und eine Prise Rebellion auf die Bühne. Nun steht der fränkische High-Energy-Schnellzug endlich mit dem dritten Studioalbum "Sonic Fever" in den Startlöchern. Musikalisch schlagen Simmi (Vocals/Gitarre), Heiko (Leadgitarre), Basti (Bass) und Simon (Drums) in eine ähnliche Kerbe wie einst die Vorreiter der skandinavischen Rockwelle in den 90er/00er-Jahren, The Hellacopters und Gluecifer. Aber auch Einflüsse aus dem Garage-, Southern- und Bluesrock sind nicht von der Hand zu weisen. Über allem thront dabei die ausdrucksstarke Stimme von Frontsängerin und Gitarristin Simmi, welche zusammen mit energiegeladenen Leadgitarren-Parts, einem donnernden Bass und treibenden Drums zum unverwechselbaren Stil von DEVILTRAIN führt.

"Das Öffnen der Visiere" heisst das neue Album von schubsen, das sich etwas verspielter und geschmeidiger als seine drei Vorgänger "Neue Blessuren", "Stühle rücken in Formationen" und "Sprachfetzen EP" gibt, ohne scharf vom bisherigen Weg abzubiegen. Auch die elf neuen Songs lassen sich irgendwo unter dem Label Post-Punk verorten, aber der Rahmen baumelt diesmal loser an der Wand.

Bewilderment - the feeling of being perplexed and confused - is the inspiration behind Pale Jay's new album. It's a soulful exploration of a family's gradual disintegration due to years of avoidance and miscommunication. During this difficult time, Pale Jay began to question the stories he had always lived with and re-examined his identity. The resulting work, Bewilderment, is his first full-length album, which strives to find answers to these questions and more. The album is set to release on 8/18/2023 on Karma Chief Records, a subsidiary of Colemine.Pale Jay is a trained jazz vocalist and pianist, and he wrote, recorded, and produced all songs on the album, except for 'By The Lake', which is a collaboration with labelmates Okonski - Steve Okonski, Aaron Frazer, and Michael Montgomery. Pale Jay's music is influenced by a wide range of songwriters, including Labi Siffre, Carole King, and William Onyeabor. 'Bewilderment' is a seamless blend of Pale Jay's trademark dusty soul, slow disco, and Afrobeat, with string arrangements by Raven Bush adding an extra layer of magic to the beat- heavy productions.Pale Jay's debut LP is a captivating journey of self-discovery. Each song on Bewilderment tells a unique story, but they all share a common theme of personal growth and self-understanding. Grab a copy on 8/18/2023 to dive in and experience the new album.

Jules Archive is a project founded by Marco Marzuoli and Marco Mazzei in 2016.

By employing various technologies, instruments, and approaches, the duo strives to craft a mysterious and fantastical persona named Jules. Through this persona, they aim to immerse listeners in a dreamlike atmosphere, transcending reality and dwelling in imaginary spatiotemporal dimensions.

Platonic Tales is the second chapter of Jules' journeys, more anthropocentric than the first album Adventures & Explorations (Volume 1), but equally exotic and dreamlike. The musical intention of this record was to rework a set of five (plus one) melodic tape loops, already structured in "song form”, through detailed arrangements. The treatment followed an experimental-pop-oriented production approach.

Recorded entirely at home by the artists, the music on the album features analog cassettes containing loops dating back to around 2016. The remaining arrangements were composed during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.

Several international guests collaborated on the album:

Lino Capra Vaccina, the legendary Italian percussionist/minimalist composer, and Jefre Cantu Ledesma engaged in a musical dialogue on An Ontological Novel.

Andrew Weathers contributed his voice to the tracks A Superior Truth and Exodus.

Christina Vantouz participated in Exodus and concluded the album with a string composition arranged and conducted by Minna Choi, performed by Magik*Magik Orchestra.

Recorded between Città Sant' Angelo (Pescara - Italy, 2016-2020), Francavilla (Chieti - Italy, 2020), and Firenze (2019-2020).

Nach dem Debütalbum und der Tour im Jahr 2022 meldet sich Sam Snitchy mit der zweiten Veröffentlichung "talking talking" im Mai 2024 zurück. Seid bereit für Psychedelic Synth Electro Punk Anti-Dance. Sam Snitchy - der Mann mit den vielen Namen und Gesichtern. 25 Jahre Straßen-, Club- und Festivalshows als Maniporno aka Melker mit zwei Albumveröffentlichungen in 2016 und 2018 (Warmer Bros/Irascible). 2021 wurde innerhalb weniger Tage das Sam Snitchy Project ins Leben gerufen, um gemeinsam mit dem Musiker und Produzenten Marco Fuorigioco (Bass/Synths/Programming) und Tobi Highm (Schlagzeug) eine einzige Show zu spielen. Später nahm Fuorigioco das Debütalbum "get me wrong" auf und produzierte es, das 2022 auf Voodoo Rhythm Records veröffentlicht wurde. Sam Snitchy begann mit Maze Kalin am Bass, Tobi Highm am Schlagzeug und Fuorigioco an den Synthesizern in der Schweiz, Frankreich, Deutschland und Dänemark zu touren. Im Februar 2023 kamen der Berner Gutter-Poet und Fuorigioco wieder zusammen, um an ihrem zweiten Sam Snitchy Album zu arbeiten. Entstanden und aufgenommen wurde es während eines schweren Wirbelsturms in Siracusa auf Sizilien, der sich als perfekte Kulisse für einen synthetischen Punk-Protest erwies. Ein paar fiese ironische Gedanken über dröhnenden Beats und hypnotischen Fuzzy-Bässen, gekreuzt mit analogen Acid-Synthies und psychedelischen Orgelschleifen - es ist ein mantrisches Album, um den Dreck aus deiner verlorenen Seele zu heilen.

After the Dead Boys, Bators embarked on a musical journey that saw him touch upon power pop during a brief solo career. Although included in our past release "I Wanna Be a Dead Boy" (1992), as a limited edition 7" boxset, this is the first time the single gets an official reissue in its original format. This is an essential power pop classic! As the frontman for the Dead Boys, Stiv Bators terrorized audiences with his snotty, in-your-face punk rock style. But after the Dead Boys, Bators embarked on a musical journey that saw him touch upon power pop during a brief solo career. Stiv moved to Los Angeles and signed with Bomp! Records, Greg Shaw's label that released many seminal 70s West Coast punk and power pop groups such as the Nerves, the Weirdos, the Zeros and the Germs. The first Bators single to emerge from Bomp!, 'It's Cold Outside' (originally by Ohio legends The Choir), is a song that the Dead Boys reportedly could not figure out how to play. It was released in May 1979. The B side 'The Last Year' is a Stiv/Jeff Jones (alter ego of Frank Secich) song dedicated to the recently deceased bassist of the Sex Pistols Sid Vicious and would later appear on the LP "Disconnected" (1980).

This record invites you on an extraordinary journey, in the form of a spatio-temporal and transgenerational sound collage, into the parallel and singular universe of one of the major counter-culture movements of the 1960s fantastic realism. A cross between thematic compilation and sound creation, it offers a selection of rarities and nuggets with psychedelic and esoteric tonesby groups from the late 60's - early 70's French psychedelic scene, such as Haira, Guy Skornnik and Martin Circus, as well as previously unreleased tracks by major current and emerging bands such as The Limiñanas, Zombie Zombie featuring Pacôme Thiellement, The Penelopes or Terrains vagues, Rubin et le paradoxe featuring Brigitte Fontaine, Tuxedomoon or Exotourisme (Perez and Dominique Gonzalez Foerster). These tracks were created especially for the occasion. All mixed and interspersed with audio archives by Jacques Bergier, Louis Pauwels or Eugène Canseliet and sounds from installations designed by visual artists (Veronique Belland, Alexis Chapelain). At once cutting-edge and accessible to the uninitiated, between fantasy and science fiction, esotericism and occultism, popular culture and contemporary art, avant-garde and pop music, this disc offers a poetic ode to the Strange, to curiosity, to the capacity for wonder and the desire for knowledge, with a view to re-enchanting reality. Conceived by Jean-François Sanz (author, director and curator) and Hermione Volt (visual artist), in collaboration with Laurent Paulré (founder of the Contours label and producer at Radio France), and with the complicity of Céline Du Chéné (author and journalist), this album, an atypical sound object, is the musical extension of the eponymous group exhibition UN AUTRE MONDE ///DANS NOTRE MONDE, which opened at Galerie du Jour in Paris.

The carbon footprint left by the Modern Talking duo is undeniable. Already in the 1980s, the sound created by Dieter Bohlen, Luis Rodriguez and Rolf Kohler was an inspiration for many producers of electronic disco music from countries such as the Italy, France, USA, Greece, Netherlands, Sweden or Switzerland. Nostalgia for romantic disco does not fade away, and one of its most interesting representatives is the Romanian project Romantic Avenue. Perfectly recreated sounds and progressions, as if they were created back in 1985 in studio 33. Anyone who brings tears to their eyes when they mention Modern Talking will be delighted when putting this record on the turntable.

China Forbes, the beloved lead singer of the globe-trotting “little orchestra” Pink Martini, releases her first solo album in 15 years, with 11 all-new original songs. Forbes has toured the globe for over 25 years with Pink Martini, performing on the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall. Her new album finds her returning to her singer-songwriter roots, sharing a journey of autobiographical songs. Forbes received the 2022 Ella Fitzgerald Award at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Previous winners include Diana Ross, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin. The Road is about figuring out,learning to accept, struggles and triumphs, lessons learned and knowing oneself. Promo: Feature in R2. Interviews on 7 BBC stations. Reviews in The Times, Telegraph, Guardian, Mojo, R2. Ads R2, Mojo

"After his massively acclaimed debut album ""Sonic Poems"", Lewis OfMan unveils his new project ""Cristal Medium Blue"". It was on the American roads during his last tour, including Coachella, that the genesis of this new project was born, largely infused by the artist's travels. Composed between France, Greece and the United States, the artist is accompanied on this project by singular performers: Empress Of, Camille Jansen, Sofie Royer, Gabriela Richardson Reviews: R2. London Macadam, Le Petit Journal, The Line Of Best Fit
Ads: R2. London Macadam"

Mit 'Erotico' enthüllt das französische Indie-Pop-Duo Charlotte Fever seine zweite EP. Ein neues Opus mit sinnlichen und tropischen Akzenten. Getreu ihren Gewohnheiten bietet uns die Gruppe Stücke mit Retro-Sounds, die zwischen überbordender Energie und viel Zärtlichkeit wechseln.

Das freche und temperamentvolle französische Pop-Duo Charlotte Fever trotzt der Morosität des Alltags mit glänzenden Kostümen und tropischen Grooves. Nach Shows in Taipeh, Tokio und Seoul Ende des Jahres eröffneten Cassandra und Alexandre das Jahr 2023 mit einer (ausverkauften) Pariser Show und einer Marathontour mit Terminen in Frankreich, aber auch in Estland, Lettland, Andorra, Spanien, Österreich und der Tschechischen Republik. Getreu der feurigen und witzigen Ästhetik, die bereits die Netflix-Show "Emily in Paris" überzeugt hat, ist hier nun das Debütalbum "Paris cyclone" erhältlich. Auf dem Album finden sich Charlotte Fevers poetische und aquatische Bilder, gemischt mit sonnigen Elektro-Pop-Noten die ihrer einzigartigen Klangwelt Substanz verleihen. Unter eine rhythmischere musikalische Richtung ein, mit durchsetzungsfähigeren Stimmen und Gesang, schaffen es Charlotte Fever, ihre Melodien in neue Gefilde zu führen, ohne dabei die schmachtende Wärme zu verlieren, die ihnen anhaftet. Manchmal leuchtend, manchmal in eine beunruhigende Fremdheit getaucht, immer sehr melodisch, schaffen es die von Cassandra und Alexandre für vier Hände komponierten Stücke, die Nüchternheit des aktuellen Elektropop aufzurütteln, indem sie dessen synthetische Hülle mit Marimbas und Holzflöten schmücken.

Audionaut sound adventurer Neil Stringfellow (aka Audio Obscura) makes a welcome return to Subexotic with his many-splendoured mixed media project Acid Field Recordings In Dub. Following years of avid field recording, Neil explains how it came about through a series of epiphanies: "It sort of started after I did a field recording introduction weekend workshop with the legend that is Chris Watson (the BBC wildlife team and ex-Cabaret Voltaire), just in terms of it being very inspirational and meeting like minded people. I've been sound recording for about 12 years now and have a good archive of sounds, and simply enjoy just listening and capturing the world. Since then over the years I've learned to really listen to the everyday soundscapes and as such I no longer walk down the street listening to a personal stereo anymore, the world can often be more exciting than music. A few memories of listening stick out which really helped form this album. I was walking up a hill in Norwich and a street cleaner was coming down pushing his cart, the broom attached to the cart but one end was bouncing up and down in the exact way a snare drum in a Dub reggae record might sound with the dub echo effect.. for a few seconds it was amazing and I stopped and stood still and just savoured the moment but of course did not have a microphone with me. Another time recording the dawn chorus in Lowestoft the chirping birds sounded intense coming from different trees and walking between the trees seemed to make the classic 303 acid squelch sound. part of this is in the middle section of the Babyloniacid track. Another time I was recording in a forest after a storm sitting under thick trees trying to keep the mics dry and the wind blowing the tops of the trees was like a swooshing synth line. I always liked the moments when the soundscapes felt like music and over time had a desire to marry music and field sounds together. Things really came together though when in summer 2022 I had a minor operation and was resting in bed after the operation, high on painkillers feeling quite spaced out. It was in the middle of a heat wave and the nurses had opened the ward windows, it was evening and I could see pink clouds but the sunset was out of view. I'd been listening to the Eno / Harmonia album and after that ended, I put on some Burial. I just lay there watching the clouds and the title Acid Field Recordings In Dub just came into my head... I could hear how the concept should be: made with field recordings, manipulating them and creating ambient soundscapes... dubby beats fractured in places and snatches of the acid 303. This is more or less what I wrote down that day and a few weeks later I started to create it... the process came easy and at first, I thought I'd need to spend some time making new extra field recordings but, to be honest, I has such an archive I pulled most of the sounds from that." Music, electronics & field recording by Neil Stringfellow. Design & mastering by Dan Seville. Test siren on 'Through Nuclear Skies' recorded by Marc Weidenbaum. Melodica on 'Hollowlands' played by Simon McCorry

The 25th anniversary re-issue of the #1, multi-platinum album Ricky Martin - featuring the worldwide hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca”. The album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 661k copies. It made Ricky Martin the first male Latin artist in history to debut at Number One on the Billboard 200. The lead single “Livin’ La Vida Loca” topped the charts in more than 20 countries. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks, becoming Ricky’s first #1 single on the chart. A x14 trk double Black LP Vinyl.

By now one of our most cherished and respected portuguese songwriters, Maria Reis has been steadily creating a legacy that will undoubtedly endure in the portuguese songwriting canon for years to come. Co-founder of the Lisbon based Cafetra label- collective, Reis spent her teenage years honing her craft, particularly with her co- leading role on Pega Monstro with her sister Júlia Reis, with albums like 'Alfarroba' and 'Casa de Cima' on Upset !the Rhythm and whose indefinite hiatus since 2018 opened the gateway for a prolific solo venture. After a raw debut EP released in 2017 – Maria -, 2019 saw the release of the celebrated 'Chove na Sala, Água nos Olhos', a definitive statement of Reis' almost casual gift of painting vivid and impressionistic portraits of everyday life, conveying all the anger, resignation and melancholic joy of moving on. Two years later, following a string of widely praised live appearances, Reis records the 'Flor da Urtiga' EP with musical production of Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear, a sweeter affair, crossed by a witty irony that tackles such subjects as family, love and toxic masculinity, through layered acoustic guitars, lightweight percussion and joyful harmonies. 'Benefício da Dúvida' from 2022, strips back most of the production to rely on simple but affirmative arrangements assembled with the help of her sister Júlia and longtime collaborator Leonardo Bindilatti.

And now, almost two years on the clock after 'Benefício da Dúvida', Maria Reis returns with a newfound maturity with 'Suspiro...' - Portuguese for sigh. Created in close collaboration with Tomé Silva - a young and versatile musician and producer who's been recently leaving a mark on the portuguese scene - and recorded in the intimacy of the latter's bedroom, 'Suspiro...' doesn't cut ties with that recent past but reflects the learning process embedded in previous ventures in its lyrics and arrangements, towards song's eternity. A projection of different emotional states and physical spaces throughout these years, 'Suspiro...' carries in the apparent simplicity of its title the plurality of meanings found in such a natural act, from anger to being in love, from resignation to resilience. Life in a sigh? We've been further from that.

An attentive and sensitive observer of both intimate and surrounding spaces, Maria Reis continues to explore wordplay in her very personal manner, a poetic act as brutally honest as filled with imagery allusions, enchanting the mundane with lyricism. Touched by a resigned and dreamy melancholy, 'Suspiro...' settles, for the most part, on electric and acoustic guitar lines, simple but expressive rhythms, floating vocal harmonies and a voice almost tangible in the way it conveys memorable hooks without fear of appearing both fragile and tenacious. 'Amor Serpente's low key tragedy turned mantra for life, the blissed pop of 'Estagnação' or 'T-shirt', 'Holofote's flailing rawness, the mesmerizing sparkle of 'Pico', 'Meta Data's electrified energy or the playful keyboards and sound effects of 'Coisas do Passado' composing a lively portrait of reality and expectations where we can all see ourselves reflected in. For Maria, almost a second nature, that through all her honesty, know how and imagination, reaches a new life with 'Suspiro...'.

Seit 2013 arbeitet Douglas Dare im Spannungsfeld zwischen Klassik und Chamber Pop, Folk und Avantgarde-Experimenten immer neue verblüffende Perspektiven heraus - und singt dazu mit einer Ausnahmestimme, die einen regelrecht umhauen kann. So hat er sich im zurückliegenden Jahrzehnt u.a. bereits die Bühne mit Größen wie Nils Frahm, Perfume Genius und Olafur Arnalds geteilt und wurde zudem von David Lynch und Robert Smith von The Cure für die von ihnen kuratierten Festivals nach Manchester (MIF) bzw. London (Meltdown) eingeladen. Mit seinem vierten Album Omni schlägt Douglas nun jedoch ein ganz neues Kapitel auf. Alles klingt nach Aufbruch, alles ist elektrisiert. Vor allem Robert Raths, der Gründer von Erased Tapes, ermutigte Douglas dazu, die angestammten Instrumente hinter sich zu lassen, alles Akustische auszuklammern. So löste er sich auch vom Klavier, mit dem er aufgewachsen war, und beschäftigte sich stattdessen intensiv mit Synthesizern und Drum Machines. Tatsächlich erinnern die neuen Aufnahmen vielfach an das Werk von Arca oder auch die Aufnahmen der verstorbenen SOPHIE - zwei Künstler:innen, für die der künstlerische Ausdruck vor allem ein Akt der Befreiung ist bzw. war. "Wir haben auch zusammen im Studio abgehangen", sagt Douglas über letztere. "Ihre ganze Herangehensweise als Musikerin hat mich extrem beeindruckt." Und doch ist auch Omni durchzogen von jenem intelligenten Storytelling, dem Schwung der Streicher, dem eleganten Kontrastreichtum und den fast schon märchenhaften Stimmungen, die man von Douglas kennt - und die seine künstlerische Handschrift so einzigartig machen. Passiert sonst ja nicht so oft, dass man einen massiven Electro-Banger hört, der auch aus dem Soho der Neunziger stammen könnte, und darüber Vocal-Loops, die von den experimentellen Sounds der US-Pionierin Meredith Monk inspiriert sind. Letzten Endes versucht Douglas mit Omni, all diese unterschiedlichen Facetten seiner Persönlichkeit - Songwriter, Raver, Beobachter, Lover - unter einen Hut zu bringen. Das Ergebnis klingt maximal queer: verführerisch und sexy, lüstern und vollkommen frei vom Korsett binärer Kategorien. "Selbst Matrosen begegnet man auf diesem Album!", sagt Douglas abschließend und muss lachen. "Noch queerer geht"s echt nicht."

Next up on BPitch sublabel UFO Inc. is an essential linkup from two rising Berlin-based talents, Linn Elisabet and Stina Francina. Bringing with them two distinct approaches to music production but a shared vision of techno's weirder corners, Linn and Stina go all in on their first joint release together, fusing sonic abstractions into a release that never loses sight of the club. With a classically trained musical background, Linn explores reverberant soundscapes and complex arrangements with a learned ear, but a firm rejection of the rigid forms that often taint formal musicality. Promoting a sense of non-compliance in their sonic palettes, they offer a contemporary and transgressive interpretation of techno that strives to reimagine reality and desire. Having fostered her passion for electronic music in intimate, underground spaces, Stina's approach to production is rooted firmly in affect; carefully weaving fragile emotional narratives with a generous sensitivity. With a particular penchant for old school trance, her sound is often coloured by a feeling of melancholy and hope.

Bruno Berle, the young songwriter and poet originally hailing from Maceió, the capital of Brazil’s Alagoas state, crafts songs that are simple, direct, and full of tender nuance. With his first album No Reino Dos Afetos (which translates to "In the Realm of Affections” and was released in 2022), Berle firmly established himself as a unique and important voice in the burgeoning scene of new Brazilian artists making a global impact, including peers like Ana Frango Elétrico, Tim Bernardes, Bala Desejo, Sessa and more. Now back with his second album, No Reino Dos Afetos 2, he stretches that further.

Bruno Berle’s music lives between two worlds – a traditional Brazilian folk talent steeped in history, and a contemporary, dreamy electronic pop; the result is songwriting that’s genre-bending, intentional, iconoclastic and consuming, spacious and sinewy and singular, a striking reflection of its composer while leaving space for the listener to settle in. The album follows Bruno’s relocation to São Paulo, and the songs are a reflection of his past and present. A rebuke of former categorizations of his work in Brazilian music scenes, and an idea of where his music can move, unfettered.

Berle’s music is purposeful in being a true portrait of himself, and a reflection of the music, art, and fashion scenes he personally moves through. Berle aims to provide an entrypoint for Black queer joy in his music, in his storytelling, in his presence and vision as a creative. For him, it feels subversive to be playing MPB laced with dubstep and lo-fi, a sort of intentional sacrilege, capturing a dialogue of modernity in traditional music.

Berle wrote most of the arrangements and co-produced his new album, Reino Dos Afetos 2 with longtime friend and musical partner Batata Boy, who is also from Maceió; the album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Maceió, and São Paulo, his new home, and picks up the conversation begun in 2022 on Berle’s debut album No Reino dos Afetos. Both records are the result of a nonlinear but coherent seven-year music creation process culminating in these albums, holding hands across space and time.

“Tirolirole,” the first single from the record, was released at the end of 2023; sun-soaked rhythms and soft voice coat the song, the lilting refrain of “Tirolirole” throughout – hushed, gentle, but somehow almost tactile, a golden-hour moment unlocked in the mind. “Tirolirole” is a triumphant future classic about the temporality of a blossoming love, with Bruno’s stunning vocal soaring over melodies which ebb and flow like the waters on the Atlantic shore. Of the track, Berle explains: “Despite ‘Tirolirole’ being an expression that evokes my childhood, just like the light words about nature, the harmony, and the poetry are epic, carrying a great hope for love.”

In fact, the guiding theme of No Reino dos Afetos 2 is a relationship, unfolding in the arc of a weekend. It traverses the innocence of an early young love, how that can be formative, can stretch on to take new shapes, or shape you. The album happens at the genesis of meeting someone and falling for them, before the relationship is thrown into overdrive – set in a big city, against a backdrop of major life changes, rising energy, the sound of São Paulo.

Something transcendental emerges in “Dizer Adeus,” with an arrangement that echoes a gospel atmosphere (evangelical and Catholic environments were pivotal to Berle’s upbringing). On “É Só Você Chegar,” piano and flute gracefully intertwine, a dance, while “Quando Penso” skews sparser, the voice-and-guitar minimalism somehow cultivating an entirely different shape – somehow both cozy and melancholy, with the background sound of a rainy day. Coupled with the lo-fi aspects that shape much of the album’s personality in the vocals and the production, No Reino Dos Afetos 2 is meticulously elaborated by Berle’s sonic alchemy, like on the mid-album instrumental “Sonho,” which feels like floating. “It’s the apex. It’s when lovers are sleeping together,” Berle explains of the feeling he wanted to encapsulate in the song.

On “Love Comes Back” Berle interprets Arthur Russell, the late Iowa musician who only reached greater visibility after he died in 1992. “His way of making music is similar to mine,” Berle explains. “He sings in a more fragile way, has more of an experimental way of recording, letting ‘chance’ appear in the final work.”

Even so, Berle doesn’t want his music to be buried in sentimentality – and the purposefulness of his craft serves as a sort of north star. The production, the arrangements, his restraint and intentionality in crafting his songs feel just as vital as their emotional cores. His songwriting is amorphous, fluid, an encompassing genre-bending movement in-and-of-itself, quietly daring. The songs are often in conversation with other works – drinking in fountains as diverse as the filmmaking of Ingmar Bergman, the poetry of Walt Whitman, the rhythm of Djavan, and the painting of Maxwell Alexandre. Musically he weaves together a rich tapestry of Brazilian folk, UK 2-step garage/dub, trip hop and sun soaked west coast songwriters; something akin to the worlds of Milton Nascimento, Arthur Russell, James Blake, Feist, and Sade colliding into one. But even then No Reino Dos Afetos 2 floats separately, a romanticism driven by a simplicity and intimacy, an open-ended possibility, Berle’s singularity as an artist at the helm of the ship.

Some albums are game-changers in a genre. Take OutKast's Speakerboxxx / The Love Below or Primal Scream's Screamadelica, they observe, study, and then flip what an album can mean to a genre or moment in time.

From the very first listen of Rubel’s Latin Grammy-nominated third album As Palavras, Vol. 1 & 2, you can feel its transformative force for the MPB genre. Here we see one of Rio’s brightest stars, fusing the contemporary with the classic, soaking up the richness of Brazil’s musical heritage. The result is a marauding 20-track epic, incorporating traditional styles such as forró, MPB, pagode and samba with modern baile funk, rasteirinha and hip-hop.

The album exudes a sense of freedom and creativity, playfully and provocatively juggling the familiar with the forward-thinking. The tracks are divided across two records, navigating feelings of love, heartbreak and discovery, whilst balancing themes of violence, passion, irony and affection. Collaborating with some of the country’s most esteemed artists such as Gabriel do Borel, Liniker, Luedji Luna, Tim Bernardes and Ana Caetano, Rubel takes this fusion of styles, subjects and flavours to the global stage.

The grand, forró-blending, choral opener, ‘Forró Violento (Instrumental)’ sets the tone for the album, with references and links between tradition and modernity everywhere to be seen. From the Ana Frango Elétrico produced, funk flexing, samba-soul brilliance of ‘Não Vou Reclamar de Deus’, to the album’s title cut ‘As Palavras’, in collaboration with Tim Bernardes, that melds MPB influences with electronic elements and hip-hop touches.

Across both sides of the album, Rubel’s story-telling gift is given space to shine. ‘Torto Arado’ featuring Liniker and Luedji Luna, beautifully references the racial injustice, tragedy, hope and ambition found in one the most celebrated Brazilian novels of recent times by Itamar Vieira Júnior. Elsewhere, ‘Na Mão do Palhaço’ manifests a satirical march about a suicidal conservative middle-aged man, who is rescued by the miracle of the carnival.

At times the album is gentle and intimate with tracks like ‘Toda Beleza’ featuring Bala Desejo, or the ode to friendship ‘Lua de Garrafa’, composed with the legendary Milton Nascimento. At others, the grooves hit harder, with sounds from the favelas laced within. ‘Put@ria!’, explores the universe of baile funk, with BK’ and MC Carol trading off on the mic, as ‘Rubelía’ moves between reggaeton, funk, and hip hop. The latter is a tribute to a key influence of the album, Spanish star Rosalía and her parallel mix of current with classic.

Ultimately though the beauty of this album lies in its concept. In the midst of a country divided, ‘As Palavras Vol. 1 & 2’ sets out to bring together genres and generations, grounded in rhythms and words that have helped define Brazil through the ages.

A recording by one of the leading violinists of the last decades, Anne-Sophie Mutter. She made this album with the legendary Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa during the first years of her stunning career, just before turning 21 years old. Still a classic recording nowadays, full of passion and vitality, and showcasing Mutter’s extreme virtuosity.

The band formed in Boone, North Carolina. (Robbinsville, North Carolina is the hometown of Ethan Goodpaster and Jess Haney.) Rainbow Kitten Surprise, ""RKS"" for short, is known for its harmonies, instrumentation, and lyrics. Their sound has been influenced by artists such as Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, and Schoolboy Q.

The band formed in Boone, North Carolina. (Robbinsville, North Carolina is the hometown of Ethan Goodpaster and Jess Haney.) Rainbow Kitten Surprise, ""RKS"" for short, is known for its harmonies, instrumentation, and lyrics. Their sound has been influenced by artists such as Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, and Schoolboy Q.

His list of collaborators is a who's- who of adventurous improvised music. Recently he's extended into an actual new territory, moving to Lisbon, Portugal in 2021. This new record Beast captures him playing in front of a live audience with a new multi-generational ensemble of musicians from the fertile European improv scene. Rhythm section duties are handled by the Portuguese team of Ze Almeida on bass and drummer Joao Lencastre.

Joining the band on piano is the German musical polymath Samuel Gapp, so that this recording marks the first time in John's prodigious and storied career that he has recorded as a leader with the classic piano quartet line-up. The album presents four extended improvisational settings, with half of these drawing upon John's compositional ideas as inspiration for exploring unknown territory, manipulating timbre and density as well as pitch and rhythm. "My compositions are used as frameworks, with the caveat that they are only to be used to provide cohesion when we sense the need. Otherwise, everything's wide open."

This album presents the next instalment in the journey of one of the music's greatest questing musical innovators, exploring all the possibilities opening up with a new set of collaborators in a new country.

Featuring live versions of songs from that album, shining a light on female composers and vocalists from the classic age of jazz, this album captures the racuous and occasionally hilarious energy of a Judith Owen live show.

Ultimately about self trust, Nicholson uses brooding chamber- pop and synthladen alt-pop to navigate many of the different relationships we have in our lives: friends, family, relationships with ourselves and, more personally, her changing relationship with music.

Self-produced by Nicholson at Blank Studios in Newcastle, the recording process was complemented by mix engineer Oli Deakin (CMAT, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Elanor Moss) and mastering engineer Katie Tavini (Arlo Parks, Nadine Shah, Sega Bodega).

The resultant album takes the listener on intimate journeys of minimalism and melancholy through to blooming, euphoric ends, with Nicholson's signature rich harmonies and ethereal, reed- like vocals remaining a compelling constant. Exploring themes of escapism, nostalgia and self-reflection, Nicholson leans on musical influences including Daughter, Matt Corby, The National, Warpaint, Lucy Rose and Laura Marling. There are also nods to her prog-rock upbringing and 80s inspired outros that wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtracks to Drive and Stranger Things.

A selection of 28 Colombian cumbia bangers for the dance floor from the deep vaults of Codiscos and associated labels Costeño, Zeida and Famoso, all of them originally released between 1962 and 1983.

“Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia!!!” combines well-known classics and rarities that are difficult to find in their original formats. An invitation to enjoy and be amazed, above and beyond ethnographic and academic concerns.

The historical origins of cumbia in Colombia are nebulous and imprecise. The mythology surrounding it suggests an ancient past when Amerindian, African and European musical sounds were mixed together.

The main record companies in Colombia such as Discos Fuentes, Discos Tropical, Sonolux, Zeida-Codiscos, Silver, Ondina, Discos Atlantic, Vergara and Curro were created between Barranquilla, Medellín, Cartagena and Bogotá from 1936 to 1954. All of them, without exception, recorded Colombian tropical music that over the years was given different names such as porro, gaita, fandango, paseaito, merecumbé, mapalé, bullerengue or, of course, cumbia.

After digging deep into the overwhelming archive of Discos Fuentes in our previous volume, this second instalment in the series “Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia!!!” comprises 28 Colombian cumbia bangers for the dance floor from the deep vaults of Codiscos and associated labels Costeño, Zeida and Famoso, all of them originally released between 1962 and 1983. Legally established on July 1, 1950, Zeida (later Codiscos) was one of the companies that consolidated Medellín as the epicenter of the Colombian recording industry in the central decade of the last century.

“Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia!!!” combines well-known classics and rarities that are difficult to find in their original formats. An invitation to enjoy and be amazed, above and beyond ethnographic and academic concerns.

repress !

Following acclaimed singles from Powell, Blood Music, Shit & Shine and Prostitutes, the next release from Diagonal is a landmark. It marks both the London label's first full-length album release, and the return of abrasive and furiously funky hip-hop deconstructionists Death Comet Crew, one of the most quietly influential underground acts to emerge from the creative melting pot of 1980s New York.

Ghost Among The Crew documents the group's return to studio operations for the first time since the 80s, as well as their first ever full-length studio album. It's a remarkable trip: a consolidation of their early feral disassemblies of hip-hop and electro, but also broader in scope, chewing up and spitting out fragments of soul, jazz fusion, punk and industrial music.
Death Comet Crew were founded in New York City in 1983 by Stuart Argabright, a founder member of post-punk/industrial mavericks Ike Yard and the mind behind Dominatrix and later Black Rain. Their sound, then as now, was a singular proposition: urban in mood, exploratory, often compellingly danceable, yet confrontational. It emerged from the interweaving talents of the group's varied members: guitarist Michael Diekmann (of Ike Yard), bassist Shinichi Shimokawa (later of Black Rain) and Nick Taylor aka DJ High Priest, frequently joined by the late, great hip hop artist and graffiti writer Rammellzee. Having recorded two studio EPs - 1985's At The Marble Bar (featuring Rammellzee) and its follow-up Mystic Eyes - the group disbanded barely a year after forming. They left behind a reputation for their incendiary live performances, several recordings from which were gathered on crucial 2004 compilation This Is Riphop.
The musical climate that first birthed Death Comet Crew was one of fertile cross-pollination of styles. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the seeds of modern day urban musics - hip hop, punk and post-punk, no wave - were taking root in the streets of recession-struck New York City. Argabright recalls dancing at the downtown Mudd Club around 1980 to a bold mixture of styles, with DJs cutting from synth-pop and post-punk to funk, soul and early hip-hop: Bowie and James Brown next to Run DMC, Ultravox and Gary Numan. Indeed, the names of his New York contemporaries operating around the same time - the likes of Liquid Liquid, Run DMC, Afrika Bambaataa, Arthur Russell, ESG, Swans, Sonic Youth, Bill Laswell and more - have since been inscribed in modern music history.
With previous projects Dominatrix and Ike Yard having recently become inactive, in 1984 Argabright formed Death Comet Crew as a means of exploring new sonic avenues. He'd been experimenting with tape, recording and procesing the sounds of his surrounding environment and dialogue from films and TV. Joined by Shimokawa, Diekmann and Taylor, and using drum machines, turntables, spidery guitar and bass, the group assembled a scrambled collage of rhythms and sampled voices. Their live performances were, in Argabright's words, "aurally violent, sharp-edged, downright lacerating", hacking gleefully away at hip hop and electro's rhythmic frameworks. Rammellzee joined the group to vocal 1985 debut EP At The Marble Bar; his MC turn on highlight 'Exterior Street' is all the more remarkable for having been entirely freestyled in the studio. When Death Comet Crew reformed in 2003 for a string of live shows, he continued as an active member of the group, touring and working with them during the recording of Ghost Among The Crew, until he sadly passed away in 2010.
After reforming, Death Comet Crew began writing and recording new material. Now, following on from their just-released Galacticoast 12" through Citinite, Ghost Among The Crew - its title a homage to Rammellzee - hones the group's abrasive early experimentations while tripping into bold and astrally minded new territory. Alongside the core quartet of Argabright, Diekmann, Shimokawa and Taylor are new voices, including Rapscallion (a friend of Rammellzee's), Jessica 6/Hercules & Love Affair singer Nomi Ruiz, and Carolyn 'Honeychild' Coleman. Its eight tracks are steeped in the impulsive spirit of electric Miles and the deep space romances of Sun Ra, and possessed of an enigmatic yet undeniable pop edge. But equally they're pricked with urban paranoia and dread, traits that have long been hallmarks of Argabright's musical projects.
'Me Czar Of The Magyars' opens the album in a twist of tension like the turning of a ratchet. Its taut electroid shudder is paired with machine gunned cymbal hits and a voice telling of "wormwood and opium dens" - the sound of being teleported from everyday city streets into the astral plane, where every sensory input is heightened and the promise of danger or pleasure lurks unseen around every corner. Later, Coleman's lyrics pay tribute to Rammellzee on the sci-fi funk of 'Deep Space Woman'. 'Let The Clubs Ring' melts lounge bar organs and frazzled guitar into freakishly unstable shapes, while 'Drag Racing' matches its title, rocketing along frantically atop clattering drums. 'Moons On Titan's Seas' is halfway interlude pause for rest, like an exotic cocktail in a bar orbiting some as-yet-undiscovered new world. These varied strands are somehow all summarised in album closer 'Ignition Spark', which sets Ruiz's vocals alongside Taylor's and Argabright's. The zone the trio inhabit in this final track exists in perpetual push-pull between contemplation, memory, intrigue and violence, a decisive opening of a new chapter in Death Comet Crew's history.

As with all Diagonal releases, the initial vinyl pressing will be packaged in unique, specially designed artwork.

After several successful singles, Ella’s only Sound Stage 7 release was recorded at Music City Recorders in Nashville, Tennessee. The self-titled LP is all classic, no filler and surely ranks among the deepest soul in her catalogue. Full of strong ballads that showcase her raw and emotive style each song is perfectly arranged to showcase Ella's powerful vocals. Standout tracks include ‘Sit Down and Cry’, ‘All The Time’, and ‘ Stop Giving Your Man Away’. The LP also features Ella’s 1969 hit ‘He Called Me Baby’ which entered the top 40 R&B charts and garnered a Grammy nomination. Newly remastered and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl. Limited to only 500 copies.