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Introducing: Temporary Blessings, the new project by stalwart Naarm / Melbourne trumpet player and composer Liam McGorry.

Assembled to realise McGorry's compositions drawing on 1960s Italian & French soundtrack music, Temporary Blessings brings together trusted instrumentalists and fellow travelers from Melbourne's rich enclave of cinematic soul. With Liam at the helm, the group is composed of members of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Saskwatch and Let Your Hair Down.

The resulting recordings realise McGorry's sonic visions of film noir, giallo, library music and cinematic soul, captured live in one room with what the maestro describes as "a shared spirit". The recordings, produced by paragon Henry Jenkins, bring together emotive string arrangements, tough horns and a steadfast rhythm section with an acute attention to detail McGorry has developed over years in the saddle.

Liam says: "I find great comfort in collaborating with good friends and playing together in the same room and taking these blessings as they come."

A veteran of Melbourne soul, McGorry's steady hands have touched some of the city's most revered projects over the last 15 years; McGorry-led projects Saskwatch, Dorsal Fins and Ex-Olympian sit aside Sampa The Great, Ella Thompson and Adrian Eagle on Liam's heavy list of credits and collaborators. He has contributed more than his fair share of bricks to the great structure of Melbourne soul, always playing the background, true to his humble nature.

LP available in black or orange and brown splatter vinyl.

French musician, producer, and live artist Contre Soirée aka Olivier Decodts makes a significant return to Veyl with 'Psychiatry', a four-track EP shaped by deeply personal experience and emotional intensity. Rooted in post-punk, the release blends electronics with guitar parts, everything performed by Olivier himself.
What may have initially sounded like a PR stunt quickly revealed itself as anything but: ’Psychiatry' was conceived, completed, and sent to the label during Olivier’s stay in a psychiatric hospital. The first three tracks form a raw and honest narrative, tracing the events and emotional journey leading up to his hospitalization and explore the boundaries between vulnerability and resilience.
Closing the release is a cover of the Pixies' 'Gauge Away', a long-time favorite of Olivier’s. His rendition pays tribute to the original while placing it firmly within the emotional and sonic context of the EP, a final note of reverence and catharsis.
'Psychiatry' is a fearless expression of personal truth, pushing beyond the dancefloor to uncover something more intimate and affecting.

Following a number of more vocal-led releases, French deep house don Franck Roger returns to his tracky house roots with this latest drop on Seasons Limited. Kicking off is 'Mind Games', a swirling, peak-time house seducer built for late night floors and on the flip, 'I Can Feel Ur Love' stays deep but has a subtle skip to the kicks, while molten chords are draped over the beats and subtle vocal swirls marble the mood. 'Gerkin Moods' pays tribute to the legend Larry Heard, not just in title. It's got real emotional depth and a deeply cosmic atmosphere.

For over two decades, Dub Inc has been a cornerstone of the French-speaking reggae scene, embodying both power and authenticity. Hailing from Saint-Étienne, the band has built a strong identity, whether on stage or through their productions, always driven by the will to deliver meaningful messages that resonate far beyond borders. Dub Inc now returns with their new project Atlas, the result of a full year of creation at their new Greenlab Studio. Writing and composing went hand in hand, guided by powerful themes and a constant awareness of today's world. To enrich this record, the band invited three renowned artists: L'Entourloop, Kabaka Pyramid, and Marcus Gad. The result is an explosive fusion of reggae, world, and urban sounds - a 9th album that stays true to Dub Inc's DNA while opening new musical horizons.

As early as her first album, Retiens mon désir (2016), Cléa Vincent brought us her fresh new pop sound, and succeeded in speaking a universal language through her music – an achievement that she accomplished again in Nuits sans sommeil (2019). Tropi-Cléa 3, which concludes the trilogy with a tropical excursion begun in 2017, represents a new – and bright – demonstration of this.

A souvenir record from her tour in Central America, it draws its inspiration from latin music, from the jazz that makes up Cléa’s roots. Surrounded by her live musicians who participated this time with her in the songwriting, she plunges us into into an exotica à la française, in the legacy of the French Riviera of the sixties, where Cléa’s admiration for Nougaro, Sébastien Tellier, le Gotan Project, Baden Powell, Tito Puente, and Gilberto Gil shines through. As though in mockery of the quarantine, Tropi-Cléa 3 opens a door for us to a festive and salvational escape.

Swimming Paul’s music has always lived in the push-and-pull between euphoria and melancholy; the rare kind of electronic music that can make you cry while your body keeps moving.



On Smiling Through the Pain 2 (out October 24 via Headroom Records), the French-born, London-based producer doubles down on that emotional duality, delivering an album that feels as much like a diary as it does a DJ set.

Over the course of 15 tracks, Paul stitches together late-night catharsis, suburban nostalgia, and the jagged tenderness of early adulthood. The record is sequenced like an unbroken night out: the giddy anticipation, the sudden moments of reflection, the quiet comedown as the sun edges in. It’s an album that refuses to treat joy and sadness as opposites, they coexist here, often in the same chord progression.



“I don’t want to escape the feelings, I want to bring them with me” Paul says. “If you can’t stop thinking about something, you might as well dance with it.”

That philosophy runs through the singles: the emotional release of Holly (with Junior Simba), the aching nostalgia of Different Time, the hypnotic haze of Hard 2 Sleep, and the house-driven Drinking to Get Drunk, a bittersweet ode to nights spent outrunning your own thoughts. Elsewhere, Liza M1 folds heartbreak into an almost triumphant piano hook, while Shine a Light urges listeners to take risks and live without hesitation—as if youth’s boldness could be bottled.



Since debuting in 2023, Swimming Paul has quietly built an empire on emotional resonance: 150 million streams across platforms, 1.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 50 editorial placements (including Dance Party, Crying on the Dancefloor, Electronic Rising….), 10,000+ radio spins worldwide, and sold-out tours across Europe and North America. His sound has earned co-signs from BBC Radio 1, Triple J, KCRW, Sirius XM and a wave of DJs who value melody as much as momentum.

But Smiling Through the Pain 2 isn’t chasing charts, it’s chasing connections. Paul’s global fanbase, nurtured through a lively Discord community and nights on the road, has become a two-way conversation, with fans’ stories feeding back into the music’s emotional core.
This autumn, Paul takes the album to stages that match its ambition, from London to a string of US club dates, festivals and intimate pop ups designed for shared release.



Smiling Through the Pain 2 is an invitation to feel everything at once. To sweat through the sadness. To let your guard down under strobe lights. To realise that the best nights out don’t make you forget; they help you remember.

Anlässlich des zehnjährigen Jubiläums des ätherischen Albums ,Moonlust" von The Holydrug Couple freut sich Sacred Bones Records, eine Special Art Edition auf Vinyl mit brandneuem holografischem Regenbogen-Laminat-Artwork zu präsentieren. Moonlust wurde ursprünglich 2015 veröffentlicht und markierte eine mutige Weiterentwicklung für das chilenische Duo. Das Album vermittelt ein Gefühl von Sehnsucht und Transparenz und taucht ein in eine spacige, psychedelische Dream-Pop-Welt, umhüllt von romantischen Synth-Leads, popigen, distanzierten Vocals und halluzinogenen Klanglandschaften. The Holydrug Couple sind dafür bekannt, ihre eigene Realität zu erschaffen, und haben eines der revolutionärsten psychedelischen Alben des letzten Jahrzehnts geschaffen. Mit Songs wie ,If I Could Find You (Eternity)", der Sie auf eine zarte Reise durch den Weltraum mitnimmt, getragen von Ives Sepúlvedas Gesang und kaleidoskopischen Synthesizern, und ,Atlantic Postcard", durchdrungen von lebhaften Arpeggio-Ambient-Klängen, ist ,Moonlust" ein Muss für alle Liebhaber des psychedelischen Rocks.

Moving freely through time and space via experimental DIY recordings since 2009, Joasihno return with their fourth album "Spots".

“Find your spot in the shade,” a truly laid-back and incredibly soft-spoken MC once advised, yet in a world that seems to get shadier every day, it’s probably time to finally get out and face the sun. Southern German experimental pop duo Joasihno – initial solo founder Cico Beck (The Notwist, Aloa Input, Spirit Fest) and drummer/composer Nico Sierig (Instrument, Fehler Kuti) – seem to know exactly when it’s time to shine. Idiosyncratic genre tweakers since day one, they have been operating at their own pace, mostly staying in their own shady corner. Yet, almost a decade after their most recent “Meshes” (an album that came with a whole legion of tiny music robots), it’s high time for them to take over more corners, to reclaim even more spots between lo-fi and sci-fi, retro electronica and contemporary classic. Drawing upon influences as varied as Reich, Riley, and Ryuichi, múm, Meek, and Moondog, while also nodding to other experimental twosomes (e.g. The Books), the duo’s fourth full-length “Spots” is set to arrive via Alien Transistor in late 2025.

Leaving soulless automation and all things artificial to others, Joasihno launch the latest record on “2 Squares” that feel like a peaceful, almost bucolic version of retro space age: lights blink ever so softly as easy-going bass tones point at today’s introspective flight arc. Electronic shapes align and things lift off – with a majestic 8-bit sunrise soon appearing right in front of us. Whereas playful title song “Spots” is a miniature Rube Goldberg kind of device, with quirky plucked strings and glitches setting off more and more contraption layers, “Crackleboom” is uncharted energy, an open landscape, an expanding bonfire that leads to a long-forgotten piano, all dust-covered in some kind of saloon. Space might be only noise to others, here, it’s foreboding screeches (“Dizzle Whistle”) that make room for A-side center piece “Forest Lights”: a steady beat that lures us to a clearance in the woods. Things break and shatter in the distance, but this spot right here is for hypnosis, dancing, sylvan spirits. And yeah, it’s surprisingly hot down here in the undergrowth…

Opening side B with a fun banger that takes the unhinged dancing to the playground – “Characa Orb.” feels like French kids on swings going crazy, a tipsy, tongue-in-cheek electro blow-out between Oizo and Orbis Tertius –, things get even more cinematic throughout the second half. Even the cheapest, lo-fiest gear is sufficient to make “The Slow Hour” glow like true, timeless pop royalty. In fact, the very same pop spirits roam and celebrate freely in the chirpy coves of mesmerizing “Detune Lagoon” – more hand-crafted sci-fi/lo-fi loops you’ll only find after facing the ghosts of Lynch or Sakamoto on those night-time trails under the “Deep Moon”. It’s all DIY spots, spots that leave room to dream or dangle, drape yourself over or dive into. Returning to the leafy bower on a melancholy post rock tip, we eventually learn that “Death Is Real” – and so we’re left with a laterna magica that turns and turns and turns. It’s a beautiful spot where light and shadows keep on dancing, just like they’ve always done, ever since the dawn of this madcap universe.

Die frühesten Aufnahmen des legendären Singer-Songwriters Blaze Foley. Einfach, geradlinig und kraftvoll - ,Sittin' By The Road" enthält 12 Titel, die während Blazes ,Baumhaus"-Zeit in Georgia aufgenommen wurden. Die hier vorgestellten Titel wurden Mitte der 1970er Jahre auf Blazes heimischem Tonbandgerät aufgenommen, das er auf seinen Reisen zwischen Texas und dem ländlichen Georgia mit sich führte. Diese Songs zeigen Blazes Talent in seiner frühen Form. Das Album enthält mehrere Songs von Blaze, die heute als Klassiker gelten, darunter ,Cold, Cold World", ,Election Day", ,Clay Pigeons" und ,If I Could Only Fly". Das Album enthält außerdem drei Songs von Foley, die auf keiner anderen Aufnahme zu finden sind: ,The Way You Smile", ,Fat Boy" und der Titelsong. Als Blaze 1989 auf tragische Weise ermordet wurde, war er außerhalb der Kreise der rebellischen Songwriter von Austin kaum bekannt. Heute wird er als einer der großen Songwriter von Texas verehrt. Townes Van Zant und Lucinda Williams haben beide bewegende Hommagen an Blaze geschrieben. Seine Songs wurden von John Prine, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings und Willie Nelson gecovert.

»La Traversée« (»The Crossing«) is Matthias Puech’s second album for Hallow Ground and follows up on 2023’s »Mt. Hadamard National Park.« Profoundly inspired by re-reading »The Odyssey,« the French composer, instrument designer, and scholar used a Eurorack modular synthesizer to create four pieces that are by far the most intuitive and emotionally charged in his ever-expanding catalogue. Puech’s masterful command of sound comes to the forefront with even more urgency on this record. A wandering meditation on the human condition, »La Traversée« is an album that is constantly in motion—complex electronic music at its most gripping and evocative.

The foundation for »La Traversée« was laid when Puech prepared a live set for a tour organised in collaboration with Hallow Ground in support of »Mt. Hadamard National Park.« Before writing the first three pieces—»Ennosigaios,« »Polyphármakos,« »Nekuia«—the 18½-minute-long »Ithâké« was composed in near-total isolation in the South of France at the end of 2023. Puech performed the material live several times before taking a step black from it for a while. He revisited the pieces when preparingthem for a release. »I was struck by how the technical process and the intention behind the music had completely vanished from my memory,« he says.

What remained intact, however, was Puech’s association of the material with one of the most influential texts of Western literature. Reading a graphic novel adaptation of »The Odyssey« with his two four-year-olds, he noticed the effect that it had on them and himself. »Its themes of longing, fear of and attraction to the unknown, unresolved quests, and the struggle for control felt topical,« he says. »I was completely taken. Every story ever told seemed contained in this ancient tale; every story I have ever tried to tell as a composer seemed inscribed in this framework.« This also extended to formal motifs such as the repetition of incidents, narrative developments, or dramatic effects that also mark »La Traversée.«

Puech says that he perceived Homer’s writing as musical, »like an old Delta blues or a Renaissance counterpoint,« which inspired his writing process. »With a couple of knobs on my Eurorack system, I could control the unfolding of a story,« he notes. »This made me pass through different emotional statesand led to moments in which everything made sudden sense—when you as an artist get a glimpse atsomething essential, can touch upon something universal.« This shines through »La Traversée,« a wildly imaginative album that is deeply personal while also telling a story far more wide-reaching than that of its creator.

D'ar gad ataw! (Always in Combat!) is the fifth album from Ramoneurs de Menhirs, these tireless punk bards who, for almost 20 years, have been making Brittany echoes in every town of France. They came back with 13 new tracks that give pride of place to compositions from an enraged "zone mondiale", often in Breton ("Marion ar Fawed", "Louise A-Dak"...) but also sometimes in French (No Pasarán...) or english (cover of Patty Smith "Rock'n Roll Diggers") relentlessly denouncing the forces that crush us ("Lacri-Moged" or the cover of Angelic Upstarts "Police Oppression"), the dictatorships in place as well as those that threaten ("Dirann").

AOKI takamasa and Tujiko Noriko’s 2005 album »28« has become a cornerstone in the artists’ respective discographies. 20 years after its initial release, Keplar issues it on vinyl for the very first time. Three years in the making, »28« saw the sound artist and the avant-pop singer-songwriter combine their distinct aesthetics for an album that defied categorisation. Their combination of advanced electronic experimentation and pop appeal paved the way for a new generation of artists and turned »28« into an enduring fan favourite. Remastered by Stephan Mathieu, the reissue comes with a brand-new artwork by Joji Koyama and a changed track listing—authorised by Takamasa and Tujiko—for the vinyl version to fit it on a single LP, while the digital version remains identical to the original release.

Tujiko and Takamasa first shared the stage together after the turn of the millennium. Both were emerging solo artists, with Takamasa a mainstay on the Progressive Form label and Tujiko forging a connection with Mego in Vienna, Austria. »I simply liked Noriko’s voice and music, and since we often performed at the same events, it felt like a natural progression for us to start working together,« remembers Takamasa. They first collaborated in 2002 for two shows at the Fondation Cartier in Paris and at SonarLab in Barcelona, respectively. The first joint piece was a rework of Tujiko’s »Fly« from »Hard Ni Sasete (Make Me Hard)« by Takamasa, appearing as the album opener »Fly2« on »28.«

After that, the Paris-based Tujiko and Takamasa, still based in Osaka, worked sporadically and remotely on new material. For the first two years of their collaboration, the two met in the context of live events or Takamasa’s visits to the French capital to discuss their process and exchange hard drives while also occasionally sending each other CDrs in the mail. »Aoki made beats and sounds that complemented my music perfectly, building the foundation on which my voice could float,« Tujiko says today. Takamasa used hardware such as the Nord Modular, the Korg Z1, and the Korg ER-1, while also working with different kinds of software and plug-ins as well as Logic. Tujiko was using Cubase, her preferred piece of gear at the time being an AKAI MPC.

After Takamasa moved to Paris in 2004, this enabled the duo to finish the album together in person. Starting with its subtle use of glitches to the almost-anarchic way in which it deals with the structures of a song, »28« came to be an incomparably intricate album. 20 years on, it remains timeless because of its flawless synthesis of the cutting-edge avant-garde ideas of early 2000s electronica with an idiosyncratic but accessible pop sentiment. Both artists look back fondly—though not uncritically, with Takamasa noting a certain »youthfulness« in his contributions—to the album that was titled after their respective age at that time. »Maybe we should make ›51‹ now?,« quips Tujiko. See you in three years, perhaps.

On “Cold Sweat,” James Brown famously called to “give the drummer some.” In 1974, Philadelphia vibraphonist Khan Jamal called to Give the Vibes Some, with superb results. Pianist and composer Jef Gilson’s PALM label gave Jamal the platform he needed to deliver a thorough exploration of contemporary vibraphone. After launching PALM in 1973, Gilson quickly demonstrated that he would only produce records not found anywhere else. Give the Vibes Some, PALM number 10, was another confirmation of this guiding principle.



Raised and based in Philadelphia, Khan Jamal took up the vibes in 1968, after two years in the army during which he was stationed in France and Germany. Decisively drawn to the instrument by the work of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s Milt Jackson, Jamal studied under Philadelphia vibraphone legend Bill Lewis and soon made his debuts in the local underground.



Early in 1972, Jamal made his first recording, with the Sounds of Liberation. The band attempted an original fusion of conga-heavy grooves with avant-garde jazz soloing. Saxophonist Byard Lancaster, an important figure in Jamal’s development, contributed much of the solo work. Later in 1972, Jamal made his leader debut with Drum Dance to the Motherland, a reverb-drenched, never-to-be-replicated experiment with live sound processing. Both albums appeared on the tiny musician-run Dogtown label.



“We couldn’t get no play from nowhere. No gigs or recording sessions or anything. So I took off for Paris,” Jamal recalled in a Cadence interview with Ken Weiss. “Within a few weeks, I had a few articles and I did a record date. It didn’t make me feel good about America.” That was in 1974, while Byard Lancaster was recording the music gathered on Souffle Continu’s recent The Complete PALM Recordings, 1973-1974.



Jamal’s record date delivered Give the Vibes Some. At its core, it was an exploratory solo vibraphone album, even if two tracks added (through technological resourcefulness?) a très célèbre French drummer very much into Elvin Jones appearing under pseudonym for contractual reasons. Another track, for which Jamal switched to the vibes’s wooden ancestor, the marimba, added young Texan trumpeter Clint Jackson III. The most notable article published on Jamal during this stay in France was a Jazz Magazine interview. Jamal’s last word there were “The Creator has a master plan/drum dance to the motherland.” “Give the vibes some” could be added to this programmatic statement.

Mit Ravel Recomposed legt Victor le Masne eine Hommage an einen der größten Meister der französischen Musikgeschichte vor. Nach seinem Erfolg als Komponist und Musikalischer Leiter der Olympischen
und Paralympischen Spiele 2024 in Paris widmet sich Le Masne nun der Musik von Ravel, die ihn seit
seiner Kindheit begleitet. Ravel Recomposed schlägt Brücken zwischen Tradition und Gegenwart: Klassik
und Jazz verbinden sich mit dem Puls des French Touch und verschmelzen zu jenem unverwechselbaren
Klang, der den Grammy®-prämierten Komponisten, Produzenten und Multiinstrumentalisten international
bekannt gemacht hat. Das Album erscheint am 21. November 2025. Die Neuinterpretationen von Boléro,
Jeux d’eau, Le jardin féerique sowie Auszügen aus Daphnis et Chloé, L’enfant et les sortilèges und dem Streichquartett, neben weiteren Werken, erscheinen anlässlich des 150. Geburtstags von Ravel. Zu hören sind
Christine and the Queens (Texte, Gesang), Julius Asal (Klavier) und Camille Thomas (Cello). Das Album
mit seinen zwölf Stücken ist der jüngste Beitrag zur wegweisenden Reihe Recomposed von Deutsche Grammophon. Den Auftakt machte vor 20 Jahren Matthias Arfmann mit seinen Bearbeitungen von Aufnahmen
der Berliner Philharmoniker unter Herbert von Karajan. Es folgten unter anderem Peter Gregsons Neuinterpretation von Bachs Cellosuiten sowie Max Richters gefeierte Neufassung von Vivaldis Vier Jahreszeiten

"As iconic as she was discreet, Françoise Hardy established herself in the '60s as a major artist in the genre of ""French chanson."" Her voice, songwriting, and ability to surround herself with talented collaborators helped her seduce the whole world and, over the decades, shape a discography of the highest caliber.
This brand-new Best Of compilation is the very first to cover Françoise Hardy’s entire career, spanning from her 1962 debut to her final recordings in 2018. Featuring a timeless 1960s-inspired cover, it brings together her most iconic songs, from early classics like ""Tous les garçons et les filles"" and ""Le temps de l’amour"" to signature hits such as ""Comment te dire adieu"" (a streaming and sync favorite), ""Message personnel,"" the viral sensation ""Voilà"" (#1 viral hit, with over 300k TikTok creations), and ""Le large."""

"As iconic as she was discreet, Françoise Hardy established herself in the '60s as a major artist in the genre of ""French chanson."" Her voice, songwriting, and ability to surround herself with talented collaborators helped her seduce the whole world and, over the decades, shape a discography of the highest caliber.
This brand-new Best Of compilation is the very first to cover Françoise Hardy’s entire career, spanning from her 1962 debut to her final recordings in 2018. Featuring a timeless 1960s-inspired cover, it brings together her most iconic songs, from early classics like ""Tous les garçons et les filles"" and ""Le temps de l’amour"" to signature hits such as ""Comment te dire adieu"" (a streaming and sync favorite), ""Message personnel,"" the viral sensation ""Voilà"" (#1 viral hit, with over 300k TikTok creations), and ""Le large."""

After two self-produced EPs, Sarah Maison (2018) and Soleils (2021), and the EP Karma (2021) with Anoraak, French singer, musician, author, composer, arranger, and producer Sarah Maison finally unveils her first album, DIVAD, the fruit of four years of creation. Sarah opens up, tackling personal themes through an exploration of the soul and existential questions. She also ventures into more autobiographical subjects such as melancholy, derealization, the search for meaning, and the breakdown of romantic or friendly relationships: often through coded language but always with a touch of humor. DIVAD is a manifesto of artistic independence, boldly and uncompromisingly fusing French chanson, Egyptian music, 70s disco, synth-pop, and English pop. Her influences draw on musical history while reinventing it, bringing together Alan Vega and Martin Rev, the 70s Egyptian band Al Massrieen, the king of Iranian psychedelia Kourosh Yaghmei, as well as Brigitte Fontaine and Françoise Hardy. Each track is a cinematic tableau, where the artist"s theatrical voice, both imperious and vulnerable, carries an intimate narrative with universal overtones. Co-produced with Steve Surmely (sound engineer) and Timotée Pédron (sound designer), the album blurs the lines and asserts an artist who defies categorization. Throughout these twelve tracks, we witnessa rebirth, with Sarah fully embracing her character as a dark, grandiose, and tragicomic diva straight out of a Dario Argentofilm, a sort of tribute to her Italian muses. Danceable, elegant, and elusive, DIVAD is a flamboyant work that reflects Sarah Maison"s image: free, sunny, and daring.

As a label, we are specialists in musical diversity. With our newest installment of the annual System 108 compilation we present you two parts of hand picked creative output by our friends, residents and dearest guests. Curated by the artist Ira Bespalova, the concept of both parts is simple and deep: the good, the calm, the kind is part 1 and all anti-heroes, filthy electro-armored jams is part 2. All together - another twist of the planet, another beat of our big heart, that became shelter and home home for a whole new tribe. It pumps, it creates, unites and warms up, kicks it real hard, no matter how tough it is. Part 1 is densely populated by our new kids on the block! Isktrit, TURBOSH, BORIS REDWALL, DJ Yesyes, Dominique Mara have been releasing singles, EP's and album during 2023 and became an integral part of the collective. Here you will also find good old friends Maksimovna, Lipelis, Kito Jempere. Very special Siberian inspired trippy workout by RLGN and Sasha Kustov, Luchshiy Drug. And a super special guest appearance starring Magnus Opus and mo?se?. The running order is curated as a narrative, as an album that takes you on a journey. But separately, it all works as singles, DJ tracks and tools. Welcome to Nine Years Of Love!

Soft Cell - Marc Almond and Dave Ball - release their classic track ‘Martin’ as a single for the very first time this Hallowe’en, Friday 31st October.

Originally featured as one side of a bonus 12” released as part of the original The Art of Falling Apart album in 1983, Martin has since become one of the most popular and enduring Soft Cell deep cuts.

Limited to 500 copies and pressed on deluxe black and red vinyl, it features special Hallowe’en remixes from Dave Ball, as well as a club remix from French electroclash pioneer The Hacker. Martin will also be released download EP across all digital platforms.

‘Martin originated in the arts studio at Leeds Polytechnic, as it was then known. We wrote and recorded it at the same time as the track “The Art of Falling Apart”. After we left art school all the pop madness of Soft Cell began and those two tracks were shelved.

Suddenly, Phonogram Records were asking for a second album. We were unsure of a direction or concept then I reminded Marc of those two art school tracks. I suggested to him that “The Art of Falling Apart” would be a great album title and he agreed….

A banger at the frontier form Acid Freetek to french Hardcore...

It's keeping turning and turning and turning... A Spiral... A vinyl.

Mastering By Akouphen

First Word Records are very proud to bring you 'Ghouls', the 6th studio album from Bastien Keb.

Through the reflective and introspective multi-mood journey of its 19-tracks, this album spans psychedelic-chamber-funk, warped anti-ballads, cinematic instrumentals, Ethio-jazz & ethereal ambience.

Part soundtrack, part beat-tape, part memoir, this is a dreamlike soundscape sewn together from half-forgotten memories & late night breakdowns.

Entirely sample-free, this album is full to the brim with musical experimentation, with Keb's compulsion to make all the individual pieces of music independently; combining strings, harps, saxophones, theremins, clarinets, flutes and trumpets.

He signals to the fuzzy, nostalgic nebulous of mid '90s skate videos, as well as harking back to the scores & moods of movies like The French Connection, Taxi Driver, The Warriors and La Haine. There are whispers of sounds in the air from jazz clubs, street preachers & Turkish restaurants.

Keb describes the sonic experience of this album simply as this… "You're half awake, and half asleep, but you're warm…"

For this 19-track opus, Keb is joined extensively by Malik Ameer Crumpler; a poet, composer, editor and professor based in Paris, who's been involved in numerous albums while writing for various forms of experimental media.

A multi-instrumentalist originally from the Midlands, Bastien Keb (aka Sebastian Jones) previously released his highly-acclaimed album '22.02.85' on First Word back in 2017; this new album being a very welcome return to the Worldwide Award-winning UK independent label.

His music has been widely supported across BBC Radio in the past by DJs including Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Huw Stephens, Jamie Cullum, Lauren Laverne, Mary Anne Hobbs, Nemone and Tom Ravenscroft. This is in addition to glowing press reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian and The Line Of Best Fit.

He's built up a steady fanbase through his extensive catalogue over the years, with material for labels like Def Pressé, Gearbox, One-Handed Music and most recently for Shabaka Hutchings' Native Rebel Recordings imprint, on a collaborative project with South London's Confucius MC (Speakers Corner Quartet).

Keb concludes "this record is for anyone feeling lost in a world that seems to have lost itself without knowing it. It's for the people who know that the world is missing the beauty of the lights in the distance, whilst being distracted by new shoes and flashy phones..."

'Ghouls' is due to be released on vinyl & digital worldwide, November 14th 2025.

Released here for the first time on vinyl, Science-Fiction is one of Mazalda's early albums, originally released in 2008 on CD only. Mazalda is a legendary band for anyone who's been to French venues and festivals in the last 20 odd years ; the Lyon-based collective have played – literally – thousands of shows, always with a high level of breathtaking musicianship, sensitivity and energy.

Although mostly known for their fruitful collaboration with raïsinger Sofiane Saidi in the late 2010's, Mazalda started off as a street brass-band circa 2001. Soon, they integrated specific modern elements to their sound : 70's analog synths, psychedelic guitars, electric mandoline, Wurlitzer piano, Ewi electronic saxophone.

Stéphane Cézard, Mathieu Ogier, Lucas & Adrien Spirli, Gilles Poizat and Julien Lesuisse were influenced by numerous styles of instrumental music from across the Eurasian continent since their teenage years ; yet with Science-Fiction they broadened their field of inspiration to both pop and experimental horizons. Gilles Poizat (Orchestre Tout-Puissant Marcel Duchamp) and Julien Lesuisse (Crimi)'s clear and melodic vocals pair with a great sonic depth created by the countless possibilities of instrumental combinations.

Mazalda chose to record a handful of cover versions such as the majestic opener " Thu Og Eg " by Icelandic prog musician Gunnar Thordarson, or a funk-fuelled version of a 1920's protest song by Neapolitan singer Alfredo Bascetta. A majority of the selection, though, is masterfully penned by members of the band.

Science-Fiction captures the fresh and boundless creativity of a young band of mates who, as well as being top-rank interprets, draw unique inspiration from timeless musical wells. It just wasn't fair that this album never got released on vinyl or online. Meanwhile, Mazalda are still alive and well, as they released their latest album Special Key in 2023 (Airfono) and are currently playing shows across France and Europe with Franco-Egyptian singer Hend Alrawy (Orange Blossom) as "Zerzura".

Deadbeat Records is back with a debut 4-track EP from rising star Berwick. Four tracks of tightly produced breaks that range from moody and playful, uplifting to joyous - and everything in between. Will Hofbauer is on remix duties, and turns in a woozy, dub-soaked remix that sounds like it's been up way past its bedtime.

Early support from: Laurent Garnier, Identified Patient, DJ EZ, Doctor Jeep, Enzo Leep, AC Slater, Syz, Jay Carder, Alien Communications, Bake, Giant Swan, Yushh, Dead Man's Chest, Vladimir Ivkovic, Alien Communications, Shy One, Nala Brown, Andy Martin, Ehua, Ayesha, Sha Ru, Double O, French II, Tañ, Dadan Karambolo, Bokonon, An Taobh Tuathail, Shady Daoud, bake, Dax J, LWS, Gigsta, Nancy June, COLA REN, Yas Reven, Just Jane, Will Hofbauer, Guiltee

"From the very first seconds of the opening track "Graffiti Palace", this album establishes itself as one of the clearest and strongest in the band's discography. Eric Deleporte assumes his new ambitions and deploys his song-writing across 10 panoramic, dreamy songs. Seven years after "Black Condensed" and 31 years after a debut album "Icy Morning in Paris" released on the legendary French label Lithium (1994), "The Sharp Bones of my Sleep" marks a major turning point in the band's history. Rémy Poncet (Chevalrex) accompanied the construction of this sound architecture and Angy Laperdrix (Tahiti 80, Aquaserge, Chassol, Zombie Zombie, Halo Maud...) produced the mix. The light-dark atmospheres and heartbreaking melodies are more sensitive than ever in Perio's work, and summon the best of US indie (Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart...), the ghosts of punk and new-wave, and the urban poetry so dear to Eric Deleporte. ""Perio is a rare band. Because it sounds like no other, resolutely French-American, in a folk vein that bridges the gap between tradition as recorded in Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music and resolutely contemporary sounds."" -La Blogothèque

Die frühesten Aufnahmen des legendären Singer-Songwriters Blaze Foley. Einfach, geradlinig und kraftvoll - ,Sittin' By The Road" enthält 12 Titel, die während Blazes ,Baumhaus"-Zeit in Georgia aufgenommen wurden. Die hier vorgestellten Titel wurden Mitte der 1970er Jahre auf Blazes heimischem Tonbandgerät aufgenommen, das er auf seinen Reisen zwischen Texas und dem ländlichen Georgia mit sich führte. Diese Songs zeigen Blazes Talent in seiner frühen Form. Das Album enthält mehrere Songs von Blaze, die heute als Klassiker gelten, darunter ,Cold, Cold World", ,Election Day", ,Clay Pigeons" und ,If I Could Only Fly". Das Album enthält außerdem drei Songs von Foley, die auf keiner anderen Aufnahme zu finden sind: ,The Way You Smile", ,Fat Boy" und der Titelsong. Als Blaze 1989 auf tragische Weise ermordet wurde, war er außerhalb der Kreise der rebellischen Songwriter von Austin kaum bekannt. Heute wird er als einer der großen Songwriter von Texas verehrt. Townes Van Zant und Lucinda Williams haben beide bewegende Hommagen an Blaze geschrieben. Seine Songs wurden von John Prine, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings und Willie Nelson gecovert.

Soft Centre is the new album by Iko Chérie, the solo project of French-born, London-based multiinstrumentalist Marie Merlet. She blends dub-inflected textures, pop tinged vocals, reverbdrenched guitars, Casio drones, and warm experimental noises - creating her own intimate, fragile sound. Self-produced and largely performed by Merlet, the album grew from an introspective process, with many sketches recorded in transit between tours. The result is a deeply personal work, balancing light and dark in a Lynchian dream-pop haze. Songs such as We Smoke That Peace Pipe and Bilbao shimmer between vulnerability and resilience, while the single Ghosted Ghosters of the Holy G captures the immediacy of a one-take dub bass. Some pieces retain the quality of improvised snapshots (Intelligent Women, Half a Metaphor) while others reveal her meticulous production process and songwriting craft (Tears in the Sea, Luciférine). Merlet defines Soft Centre as alive in radical tenderness, unguarded, open, and vivid. Influenced by Clarice Lispector"s prose, Diane di Prima"s poetry and Rachel Carson"s environmentalist writing, as well as Marie"s fascination with a vintage Roland Space Echo, the album is an invitation to connection that she describes as "... hopefully a meditation into healing." A versatile musician trained in classical piano, jazz, and electroacoustic composition, Merlet has long moved between different worlds of sound. She has worked with Laetitia Sadier in Monade, performs with Gina Birch (The Raincoats), Malphino, Yama Warashi, and several other groups. She recently appeared as guest singer on the latest Stereolab album. Her debut solo LP, Dreaming On (Elefant Records, 2015), revealed her singular melodic instincts; with Soft Centre she ventures further inward, shaping her own distinctive voice in experimental pop.

With his third album Ouin Ouin, Miel de Montagne further establishes himself as a key figure in today’s global indie scene, resonating worldwide, especially in Latin America and Germany. Like a tightrope walker balancing between melancholy and carefree joy, he evolves alongside French talents (Lewis Ofman, L’Impératrice, Au Pinard) and international names (Parcels, Benny Sings, Men I Trust).



After a tour across Europe (England, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark) and France with a sold-out show at l'Olympia to close off his tour, he returns with “Ouin Ouin Ouin”. In this deluxe version, he collaborates with artists he met over the past few months, such as Blasé, Kazy Lambist, and Girl Ultra, a leading figure of the Mexican indie scene. To accompany these features, you’ll find two new exclusive tracks to make the Ouin Ouin journey last a little longer.

Lukah’s unprecedented trajectory shatters new heights with A Lost Language Found, his most thoughtful, sonically-diverse record yet. With the multiplatinum OG Statik Selektah on production duties, Lukah’s by now iconic, razor-sharp pen-game goes toe-to-toe with some of the best. Trading verses with Houston innovator Bun B, Memphis legend 8 Ball, and the larger than life Killer Mike, all parties involved operate at the peak of their skill. The first of what will be multiple collaborations with heavyweight hip-hop producers, this new LP establishes what we already knew in our hearts: Lukah is here to take over.

The stage set to deliver this latest opus is intensely personal: in the heart of his community, Lukah holds court with his trusted fellows at his great grandmother’s house in French Fort, Memphis, a historically black neighborhood long rec-ognized as a stately, proud vision of Black suburbia in a city still healing from deep racial trauma. Recently laid to rest in Elmwood Cemetery, the pain and strength of mourning her influence is present in the deep lyrics of A Lost Lan-guage Found, where Lukah traces not just his own legacy, but that of the linguistically rich and diverse dialects of his people. The cover image depicts the game room of the house, a place that once hosted civil rights leaders and revolu-tionaries, now a monument both to a history of leadership and to its future. For the first time, Lukah himself appears on the album art to mark this significant occasion, flanked by his partners, the symbolic source of knowledge in his hand. Listening to Lukah spit has always been a privilege and a revelation. His artistic power lies in uncovering secrets thru torrents of lucid, poetic rhymes. The listener is invited to share in this bountiful feast. Witness the real god expansion.

The album is available as a limited edition vinyl release of 500 copies in gatefold jacket.

SID MEIER’S CIVILIZATION VII – DER SOUNDTRACK AUF VINYL

Firaxis Games, 2K Games und Laced Records schließen sich zusammen und bringen den epischen Soundtrack von Sid Meier’s Civilization VII erstmals auf Vinyl.
Diese exklusive Doppel-LP präsentiert eine sorgfältige Auswahl musikalischer Highlights aus den verschiedenen „Zeitaltern“ des Spiels – verpackt in kunstvoll gestalteten Hüllen mit historischen Illustrationen aus dem Hause Firaxis.
Der Soundtrack spannt einen weiten Bogen über die Menschheitsgeschichte und Kulturen weltweit – mit orchestraler Wucht, weltmusikalischer Tiefe und eindrucksvollen Chören.
Den Auftakt macht Grammy-Gewinner Christopher Tin mit dem epischen Hauptthema „Live Gloriously“, gesungen in Altgriechisch, Altenglisch, K’iche’ und Sanskrit vom renommierten Crouch End Festival Chorus. Bereits mit „Baba Yetu“ (Civilization IV) schrieb Tin Videospielmusikgeschichte.
Die restliche Ingame-Musik stammt von den langjährigen Civilization-Komponisten Geoff Knorr und Roland Rizzo. Eingespielt wurde sie von internationalen Ensembles wie dem Prague FILMharmonic Orchestra, dem Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble oder der Southern Pine Drum Group – eine weltumspannende Klangreise durch Vergangenheit und Gegenwart.

Ein Must-Have für Sammler*innen, Gaming-Fans und Liebhaber orchestraler Weltmusik.

To mark the occasion, Léonard Lasry offers a deeply personal rendition of "Aimer", one of the iconic songs from Sylvie Vartan's repertoire. This intimate cover serves as a tribute to the legendary singer who inspired five songs on his 2021 album "Merci pour le regard", and whose body of work he considers to be one of the richest and most fascinating in French pop music. The artwork was created by renowned illustrator Jeanne Detallante.

For the first time ever, the only full-length album by Spanish soul and garage legends Z-66 is being reissued. Z-66's signature blend of powerful soul, psychedelia, and pop-clearly influenced by bands like The Move, Stones, Vanilla Fudge, and Blood, Sweat & Tears delivers a bold, modern sound that remains fresh and compelling. Unlike other Spanish bands of the time, Los Z-66 enjoyed unique conditions that allowed their sound to stand out as one of the most advanced on the local scene in the late 1960s. As was the case with many other groups, their repertoire for entertaining discotheques had to include the hits of the moment and was not always open to the songs of the most daring international bands, which was the sound that most stimulated the musicians. In the case of Los Z-66, being based in Mallorca meant they had privileged access to hard to-find records, imported by foreign tourists, and to a much more modern atmosphere than in other parts of the country. Songs in Italian and French soon gave way to English hits by the Animals, the Stones, and the Beatles. But it was the offer received from Mike Jeffries, manager of Jimi Hendrix, the Animals, and others, to serve as the house band at the newly opened club Sgt. Pepper's that allowed the group to raise their live performances to a level rarely seen in these parts... They even soon incorporated the distorted sound of fuzz into their guitar when they received a fuzz face pedal as a gift from Jimi Hendrix himself, who was invited to play at the club's opening! Their excellent blend of stunning soul, psychedelia, and pop became their hallmark, not only in the band's concerts but also in the handful of singles and EPs they released on the Regal label. We are now re-releasing for the first time their only full-length album, originally published in 1969, which is actually a compilation of songs previously released in 45 rpm format, complete with two bonus tracks not included on the original LP plus a booklet with liner notes and rare photos.

[v] 9Have No Fear Bond Is Here (Single Version) [feat. Mike Redway]
[w] 10The Look of Love (Film Version) [feat. Dusty Springfield]

The word "amateur" originates from the Latin word "amator," meaning "lover" or "admirer". This Latin term is derived from "amare," which means "to love". The French adopted "amateur" from Latin, and the English then borrowed it from French, initially retaining the sense of someone who loves or is devoted to something. Over time, the English usage of "amateur" also developed a meaning related to a lack of professional skill or experience. How did a word derived from love become a slur? Is love really so defenseless? They say love conquers all, but in reality isn’t love quite ridiculous? It has no intention, no motive, no agenda. How could it possibly prevail? It can’t be bought or sold, or so they say.Its mere existence can't be proven or even measured. What an impossible thing. Trying and failing, time and time again, no wonder cynicism always seems to win. I see “amateurism” as a delighted, even foolish, protest. Protest against everything. Of what’s expected of someone, or expected of someone to desire or strive for. To be elite, to be expert, to be professional, to be a master, to excel and succeed. Where’s the joy in that? I just want to have fun. I want to want. I want to love. And keep doing it, forever. I want to have fun, even when it’s tiring and sometimes even heaven is boring as hell. I want to be bad. I want to do my own thing. “I vant to be alone”. I want to be someone so dedicated to their passion that it starts to seem like there’s something wrong with them. All the way. We can take it all the way, and never get it back. ” - Molly Nilsson Amateur is the 12th studio album by Molly Nilsson. Deep in the teeth of a career that threatens to tip into something resembling a “legacy,” Molly Nilsson celebrates with an album recorded instinctively, quickly and bursting with so many moments of emotional brilliance and clarity it may be her greatest yet. Hers has been a career spent reaching out, perennially powerful in her earnestness, a warrior ridiculously defenceless and armed with a glittering sincerity. Shearing herself of the machinations of the music industry, recording at home, writing direct to the heart. Amateur is a jubilee for losers. A treatise in 13 songs, Amateur states clearly that we should live our life with eternal curiosity, offers us an open hand of comradeship out of the rat race. The songs on the album are both some of the most personal of Nilsson’s career and the most anthemic. First single How Much Is The World asks us to re-evaluate value in the face of a Neo-liberal system squeezing the life out of our loves. Pulsing opener Die Cry Lie satirises the commercialisation of emotion in the form of a shout-along diss-track. With a pounding rhythm track held down by gorgeous chord changes, heartbreaker Valhalla carries the torch for the main themes of the album: never growing up, making mistakes with kindness, moving on. When the drums crash in on the line “It’s going to get better now, you’ll see, going to be much better off without me” there is a world of feeling swirling about in the vocal delivery. One reading of the track might be that it’s a break up song but the subtext is classic Molly Nilsson: by living truthfully, making mistakes, we’re active agents against the myriad oppressions of the world. All The Way takes the theme for a run into the eternal sunset. It’s a manifesto for living fully. “Take it all the way, and never get it back” - it’s the process that’s the important point. The journey not the destination. Big Life, follows on like a part 2: An ode not only to Molly Nilsson’s career of endless gigs, endless connections with people, it’s a massive ode for following your dreams, doing it yourself. Closer The Bitter End is a powerful anthem for friendship, another definition of love infused in Nilsson’s work, A beautifully poignant ode to comradeship til the end, it seems to be the songwriter approaching aging, approaching life’s inevitability with the same vigour and earnestness, the same love of life she enjoyed at the onset of her career. There are moments on Amateur shrouded in reverb, slightly out of focus, forcing the listener to step deeper into the Mollyverse.. Nilsson’s open-armed beseeching to the world permeates every beat, every chord. These are songs exploding with life: the chunky, aggressive bassline on the punker Get A Life can’t hide its massive, catchy chorus. The sweeping Swedish Nightmare might be a tongue-in-cheek self-reference, but at its heart it’s a song about the duality of living life large, what is a dream, what is a nightmare? Molly Nilsson says you can’t have one without the other, and why would you want to? Here’s to making mistakes.

Big remix package for TOY TONICS'S boss KAPOTE. His song "Mystery" from the last album reworked by HARVEY SUTHERLAND, OPOLOPO, CLOSE COUNTERS with a bonus remix by french house master CASSIUS. Turning Kpaote's New school house anthem into super fresh jazz-funk disco, NYC 1990ies House hit and proto-dance bangers. There is no way there is not one version that every good DJ with an interesting fresh sound can't play.

It's 2025 and Toy Tonics one more time tries to define what are the perfect vibes for the "post-dark-electronic music age". Yes. After 10 years of explosion of hard techno, dark trance and fast race sounds Toy Tonics is trying every month to bring ideas for a more positive, high quality, forward-thinking dance music.

Opolopo: Opolopo brings his legendary touch to "Mystery." With a career spanning decades and a reputation for fusing boogie, funk, and broken beat, his remix promises a soulful journey. An artist who's famously remixed everyone from Gregory Porter to Stevie Wonder, Opolopo's version is pure, unadulterated groove.

Harvey Sutherland: Straight from the heart of Melbourne's electronic underground, Sutherland delivers his signature "Neurotic Funk." The celebrated synthesist and producer, known for his distinctive analog textures and a discography that's earned him ARIA Award nominations, is sure to inject his unique genre-bending energy into the track.

Close Counters: The duo from Melbourne, Close Counters, are set to turn "Mystery" into an electrifying fusion of house, soul, and jazz. Known for their dense synths and infectious energy, they have earned praise from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson and have wowed crowds at festivals like Splendour in the Grass.

Finally, the package features "Berlin Boogie Town" with a new interpretation from Parisian legend Cassius, adding some uplifting French Touch filter vibes.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of MGMT's debut EP, Time to Pretend, the band's early work is being revived on vinyl for the first time in a decade. Featuring unique, hand-made versions of the hit songs "Kids," and "Time to Pretend," the 6-song set is pressed on banana yellow vinyl with original artwork by the French visual artist SKWAK.

Multi-faceted musician and co-founder of the Hungry Music label, Worakls, has unveiled the full tracklist for his stunning production 'Orchestra', an ambitious project filled with 10 brand-new productions, including recent single 'Cloches.'

Allowing his musical film influences to fully express themselves by incorporating them into his music, 'Orchestra' combines the grandiose feeling of album opener 'Nikki' with the melodic rhythms of 'By The Brook', and wistful yet percussive tones of tracks like 'Detached Motion.' Packed with cinematic elements throughout, Worakls explains his creative process, stating:

'Along the years, I have become more sensible to the emotions of film music, and I wanted to lead my universe into that direction. My aim is to mix in the emotions of this music with the freedom and energy of electronic music.'

With the original music composed to be specifically played with an orchestra, the album is accompanied by a tour of the most prestigious venues in Europe where Worakls will be accompanied by an orchestra formed of 20 musicians. Having recently kickstarted the schedule in Paris, the tour will take in a further 9 sold-out dates across France and Belgium throughout February, March, and April.

Spending the last ten years travelling the globe's most prestigious concert halls and festivals, Worakls' journey into composition started at the age of 3, learning the piano amidst his family of musicians. However, it was the 2015 launch of his 'Hungry Band' group alongside fellow frenchman N'to and Joachim Pastor which earned the French producer widespread acclaim. Proving his skills in composing film scores as well as electronic and orchestral productions, Worakls recently scooped the 'Best Original Soundtrack' prize at the Deauville Green Awards for Ushuaia and InFocus. The accolade was awarded to Worakls for his work on 'Une Oasis d'Espoir' alongside Nicholas Van Ingen & Jean Baptiste-Puchain.

More than a first album, more than a show, 'Orchestra' is the culmination of an inimitable artist whose inspirations touch all generations of music lover. After more than a decade of waiting, 'Orchestra' marks the first solo album from Worakls, and is set for a physical release in Spring 2019.

Broken District presents Theoric Proximity, the debut album from French producer and label co-founder Jus Jam. Known for his blend of dreamy atmospheres and groove-driven productions, Jus Jam delivers a 12-track journey exploring the subtle balance between introspection and the dancefloor.

The record flows between ambient textures, deep and leftfield house, broken beat, hip-hop, and jazz influences, creating a cohesive yet versatile soundscape. From late-night moods to club-ready moments, Theoric Proximity reflects the artist’s unique approach: instinctive, emotional, and personal.

A milestone release for both the artist and the Bordeaux-based label, Theoric Proximity positions Broken District among today’s forward-thinking electronic imprints.

An electrified meeting of minds, Candy Girl is a lost 1975 session by jazz pianist Mal Waldron, recorded in Paris with core members of the mighty Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the American funk unit who had made France their home and whose deep grooves would later be mined by generations of hip-hop producers.

By 1975, Waldron was a decade into his self-imposed exile from the United States—a transformed musician who had reassembled his sound in Europe and Japan after a devastating breakdown in the early '60s. His post-1969 output had stripped jazz down to its core elements: modal intensity, locked grooves, and hypnotic repetition. Candy Girl doesn’t interrupt this trajectory—it extends it, wrapping Waldron’s minimalist mantras around the funked-up chassis of the Lafayette rhythm section.

Originally released in microscopic quantities on the Calumet label and long shrouded in obscurity, Candy Girl was recorded spontaneously in the studio of French producer Pierre Jaubert, whose Paris HQ had become the workshop for both avant-garde jazz (Archie Shepp, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Steve Lacy) and psychedelic funk (Lafayette Afro Rock Band AKA Ice). This session finds Waldron jamming freely with bassist Lafayette Hudson, drummer Donny Donable, and keyboardist Frank Abel on clavinet, Moog and more—laying down raw, unfiltered instrumental funk with an experimental edge.

Highlights include the low-slung vamp of “Home Again”, the crisp, break-laden groove of “Red Match Box”, and the mesmeric swirl of the title track “Candy Girl” —a minor-key electric piano waltz with hints of cosmic soul. There's even a deep cut for the crate diggers: the somber yet meditative “Dedication to Brahms”, where Waldron deconstructs the Romantic composer’s third symphony into a sparse jazz reverie.

Unlike his polished sessions for Japanese labels or the avant-garde swing of his earlier Prestige work, Candy Girl feels more spontaneous, even accidental — and that’s part of its power. It’s a document of Waldron as bandleader, collaborator, and explorer, captured in the midst of a vibrant, cross-cultural scene in mid-70s Paris. Never officially issued with a cover and barely released at all, Candy Girl is a rare convergence of two underground traditions: Waldron’s Euro-exile electric jazz and the raw, sampled-future funk of the Lafayette Afro Rock Band. Now finally resurfaced, it deserves its rightful place in both stories.