quête:gang gang dance

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

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

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

Compton’s Most Wanted’s 1991 album Straight Checkn ‘Em is a classic in West Coast gangsta rap, delivering hard-hitting lyrics and gritty beats that capture the essence of early 90s Los Angeles street life. Led by MC Eiht, the group’s sophomore album, features standout tracks like “Growin’ Up in the Hood” and “They Still Gafflin’,” which offer raw commentary on urban struggles and survival. With its deep basslines, funky grooves, and unflinching storytelling, Straight Checkn ‘Em solidified Compton’s Most Wanted’s place in the gangsta rap movement alongside pioneers like N.W.A. Known for its realism and authenticity, the album is a must-listen for fans of West Coast rap history. Explore Straight Checkn ‘Em for a raw, unapologetic glimpse into the streets of Compton during a pivotal era in hip-hop.

Straight Checkn’ Em is a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on yellow coloured vinyl.

Second VHF solo LP from the Pelt/Black Twigs mainstay, following 2022’s acclaimed “Evening Measures.” “April is Passing” builds on the striking solo Hardanger-style fiddle performances on the previous LP to take the music even further out, with deep drones and extended techniques defining a vocabulary that is Americana-adjacent, but a unique and special sound that Mike is pursuing almost alone. Joined on selected tracks by Cara Gangloff’s Sruti and Kaily Shenker’s sonorous Cello, the all-original, all-live performances are resonant with both overt melody and a cloud of thick string overtones, whether on the more upbeat tunes like “Ironto Dancer” or the epic 11+ minute LP closer “Helen’s Song.” “September Air” is a mournful slow build, the fiddle embroidering a minor-key melody over the drone of the Surti box and a low cello counter point. “A Fallen Palace of Snowville” is a solo performance where the additional sympathetic strings of the hardanger fiddle are strongly heard as a ghostly accompaniment, as Mike’s elegant melody switches back and forth from minor to major. “Helen’s Song” closes side 2 with a complex, ever-changing swirl of melodic and harmonic invention, with Mike’s keening, languorous bowing leading the way through multiple moods and sounds.

2024 was a big year for Regulate Recordings and their sister club night “Shake Your Rump”. DJ Deviant’s “The Rhythm” & “Make Em Bounce” burned up dance floors in spring, “Summer Jam” saw Atomphunk & Deviant team up with Seattle MCs Mugs and Pockets to devastating effect. “Summer Jam” lit up the second half of the year with support from the Allergies, Boca45 and 6 Music and was included in Craig Charles’s “Funkiest Tracks of 2024”.

Regulate move into the new year by setting off two certified bangers. Master of the decks DJ Deviant is back on production duties; lead track “Get On The Floor” sees him once again collaborating with Swamburger (Mugs and Pockets) for a full force party starter. The production pulls influences from the earliest days when hip hop and disco were joined at the hip, with nods to The Sugar Hill Gang and The Furious Five, as well as the Golden Age and artists like Chubb Rock and Big Daddy Kane. Swamburger’s machine gun delivery and Deviant’s sharp cuts pull the track right into 2025 for maximum impact.

Flip side “Where’s The Party Clap” is a big trunk of cut and paste funk with a popping bass line, horns, claps, cuts and a groove that just doesn’t quit.

Hooray for Boobies ist das dritte Studioalbum der Bloodhound Gang.
Zur Feier des25-jährigen Jubiläums des Albums wird es auf 180g-Vinyl in Splatter-Optik neu aufgelegt.
Das Album war ein großer kommerzieller Erfolg und hat sich weltweit über 4 Millionen Mal verkauft.
Das Album erreichte Platz 14 in den US Billboard 200 Charts und wurde in Deutschland, Australien und
Österreich zur Nummer eins.
Hooray For Boobies enthält fünf Singles: „Along Comes Mary“, ‚The Bad Touch‘, ‚The Ballad of Chasey
Lain‘, ‚Mope‘, und ‚The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope‘. „The Bad Touch“ war ein großer
internationaler Hit, der in fünf Ländern die Nummer eins und in weiteren 10 Ländern die Top 20 erreichte.
Das Album enthält verschiedene Sketche zwischen den Songs. Der erste dieser Sketche mit dem Titel
„Mama’s Boy“ ist ein improvisiertes Telefongespräch zwischen Jimmy Pop und seiner Mutter. In „That
Cough Came With A Prize“ wird 15 Sekunden lang gehustet. „This Is Stupid“ ist ein willkürlicher Track,
der von dem Gesangsduo vorgetragen wird, das auch in ‚Right Turn Clyde‘ zu hören ist. „R.S.V.P.“ enthält
einen kurzen Monolog der erwachsenen Schauspielerin Chasey Lain. Und „The Ten Coolest Things About
New Jersey“ schließlich besteht einfach aus zehn Sekunden Stille!
Die Jubiläums-Trackliste enthält auch drei seltene Remixe: The Bad Touch (Eiffel 65 Remix), The Ballad
Of Chasey Lain (The Flirt Mix), Mope (The Pet Shop Boys Extended Remix).

46 tracks on a 3-LP collection – including: Adam & The Ants, Kate Bush, The Jam, Madness, Diana Ross, Lipps Inc, Paul McCartney, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark,

Spandau Ballet, Ramones, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Odyssey, Kool & The Gang…

46 tracks on a 3-LP collection – including: Adam & The Ants, Kate Bush, The Jam, Madness, Diana Ross, Lipps Inc, Paul McCartney, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark,

Spandau Ballet, Ramones, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Odyssey, Kool & The Gang…

The newest single from Whodamanny’s Biloba sublabel of Periodica Records is “Volveràn,” a dark and delirious saxophonic strut given four different variations. In the Club version, gang vocals chant to the sky, pads hover like neon mist, and technoid synths twinkle through moonlit boulevards as basslines clad in black leather stomp over a futuristic disco dance. The Radio mix distills these characteristics into sorcerous display of pop songcraft, whereas the Dub goes elsewhere, omitting the sax completely in favor of delayed drum dynamics, cosmic chords climaxes, sunbaked guitar jangles, and vocals shrouded in a hallucinatory haze. And in a bold display of disco house minimalism, the Sax Only cut strips down to saxophone, bass, and drums, with accents of guitar and synth providing subtle pops of color.

xd H2 Rockers Revenge - Walking On Sunshine feat. Donnie Calvin (12" Version)

Parisian production duo Radio Cargo steamroll onto Shall Not Fade with the killer 'Like You Move' EP!

Like You Move EP showcases why the Paris duo are one of the most exciting names to watch in the current French dance music scene, their debut for Shall Not Fade is a luscious blend of groovy breaks, dreamy synths and warm basslines, all merging together to create a stunning body of work.

Black vinyl 180g made only in 100 numbered copies.

This record is different. It is different from what might be expected of Jan Emil Mlynarski by those who know him, from sold-out shows and platinum albums of his bands – Jazz Band Młynarski – Masecki and Warsaw Dance Combo, as an old-timer, curator and reenactor of pre-World War II Warsaw's plush dancehalls and backyards folklore. Quite likely they may not recognize him until the last song, when he removes his shaman mask and bows down: Yeah, that's really me, folks, your good ol' Jan Emil, the entertainer. They might not have even known that he ever played drums because in his flagship bands, clad in a white tux in the former or in a Peaky Blinder hat in the latter, he sings and plays mandolin banjo. In fact, Młynarski has been a drummer for a lot longer than a singer. He stands clear of the jazz mainstream but is active on the progressive scene. A record he contributed to, trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski's 2022 release The Individual Beings, was recognized by Downbeat magazine as "excellent" and awarded the highest rating of five stars.

However, this is the first instrumental record to bear his name. As an album by a drummer, it stands out from other records, especially as it features drums as the principal content rather than the performance by a band with a drummer as the leader. It's all about drums, there is neither an articulate melody – because the melodies that are there are only micro-linesencased in ostinato modules – nor is harmony as an intentional chord progression – because whatever harmony-wise there is, is rather a product of the counterpoint of overlapping voices. All sounds other than the drums make only a riverbed through which runs a raging stream of rhythms. And indeed, this record took off just with this stream. At first all the drums were recorded live onto an analog tape, all at once, without overdubs or editing. After that, synthesizer riffs were added, and the record was ultimately assembled on tape without the use of computers or complex postproduction, which sets it apart from most releases today.

Młynarski the drummer acknowledges that he follows the trail beaten by Art Blakey, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, and Billy Higgins, but he walks it in his own strides. He treats the jazz drumming with specific reversed engineering by decompiling the jazz drum kit originally compiled by the pioneer jazz drummers from an array of instruments that had made their way from a jungle to New Orleans, first to Congo Square and then to street brass bands.

This takes him back to the jungle, his drums don't sound like jazz drums, the snare is rare, and the hi-hat and ride aren't there at all. Instead, there are drums and bells from Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire. He doesn't sound like a jazz drummer either, but like a gang of drummers, each playing their own rhythm, and it's hard to believe that all this is the work of one man.

Not only his drumware comes from the jungle, but also the software – his approach to rhythm and time. Its essence is polyrhythm and ostinato. The polyrhythmic matters were unveiled to Młynarski and Piotr Zabrodzki, his creative partner in many projects and co-composer/producer of this album, by the legendary eccentric veteran-drummer Władysław Jagiełło, who introduced them, aged thirteen, to his concept and practice of "17 Latino rhythms at once". Ostinato, an obstinate repetition of a phrase or rhythm, "arrests" time, turning its linear course into cyclical in-place rotations. This is specific not only to African music but also to cultural music of other regions and differs from Western artistic music in that it does not "run" to fulfil an aesthetic intention but "stays" to provide the framework for recurrent routines of communal proceedings.

So, this record is different. And, if you are different too, this is the record for you.

Mariano Melo, also known as Marian Sarine, is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist based in Sao Paulo, specialising in percussion and drums. His latest album, Asas Terenas, is his first under this name and started with organ recordings made with Felipe Pato in late 2019 and was completed with additional instruments added in the years that followed. Asas Terenas features a mix of rhythmic improvisations built on modal scales, combining dynamic interplay between notes and percussion. Drawing inspiration from artists like Charanjit Singh, who merged traditional North-Indian ragas with electronic music, and African organists like Hailu Mergia, it combines old and new sounds, merging spiritual elements with energetic rhythms. As Sarine himself says, Asas Terenas is a sonic mixture that moves the feet and lifts the soul, creating an experience that is both pristine in sound and transcendental on the dancefloor.

2024 Repress

at mule musiq, we've focused on shining light on the many aspects of what electronic music can be, putting out house, techno and ambient releases on our main label, while releasing alternative-leaning dance music through our endless flight imprint. but with the launch of our new label, studio mule, we are stepping away from electronic club music for a bit. the label will not be tied to a specific genre, as we will instead focus on releasing any kind of music that we feel is a little bit different and interesting, but somehow make sense in this day and age. for our first batch of releases, we will be focusing on japanese music.
to be honest, i have been watching the recent rise of global interest in japanese music with a skeptical eye, not sure of how to feel about all these labels overseas licensing great albums that were birthed in our country. but then, i was told by somebody i greatly respect that i should do something similar with mule, and put our own spin on it, which sounded like a good idea to me. after a period of procrastination, i finally got around to doing it. we are starting things off with a compilation of japanese disco, boogie and soul music that we selected from a modern dance music perspective — the kind of songs that we feel would intrigue music fans across the world.
at first, i started seeking authentic-sounding disco that sound like it could have been recorded in the states, but after struggling to get licensing rights for many of those tracks, i started to wonder if that was really the direction we should be going in. when we start new labels or projects, we often come up with the title or artwork first, before deciding on the actual music. we came up with the title midnight in tokyo first, which dictated that we needed to find music that would be a perfect soundtrack to listen to at night in tokyo. we ended up compiling a selection of tracks that you could both listen to at home, and play in clubs at certain time slots. the compilation also ended up sounding a lot more pop than we initially imagined...
during the selection process, we did not care whether the tracks have been reissued already or not, and how rare the original copies of the records were. our sole purpose was to gather a handful of songs from across labels, major or otherwise, that we felt could be listened to for many years to come — even after this whole japanese music trend dies down. although we put together this release mainly for listeners outside of japan, the compilation can also be a chance for japanese music lovers to rediscover the greatness of domestic music, as we did during the process.
the compilation starts off with the afro disco classic 'mi mi africa' by harmonica player nobuo yagi, which was also included in the compilation mastercuts.
'silver top' is a jazzy fusion disco taken from composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist nobuyuki shimizu's first album, which he released when he was 19. the track features singer epo, whom he worked with many times over the years as an arranger.
'samba night' is by vocalist keisuke yamamoto and his band piper, from their masterpiece second album summer breeze. a delightful city pop number that should appeal to tatsuro yamashita fans.
'akogareno sundown' is a japanese soul classic, sang by singer haruko kuwana (the sister of well-known musi-cian masahiro kuwana). recorded in hawaii and produced by mackey feary band, known for the soulful classic 'a million stars.'
'koiwa saiko (i'm in love)' is a mellow and groovy track by singer aru takamura, the great-grandchild of sculptor kouun takamura, whose son kotaro takamura is a famed poet and sculptor. can be thought of as japan's answer to cheryl lynn's 'got to be real.'
'what the magic is to try' is a cult electropop track by honma express, a project helmed by producer kanji honma. hailed as japan's trevor horn, he is also known as the producer of legendary techno pop band tpo.
'colored music' is a song by colored music, a duo of pianist ichiko hashimoto and her partner atsuo fujimoto, who have gone on tour with ymo. taken from colored music's sole album, the japanese rare groove treasure is a mesh of new wave, synth pop and jazz influences.
the dubby electronic new wave disco 'electric city' is a b side of pop idol group shohjo-tai's debut 12' single, but the girls aren't actually singing on it, making the instrumental one of japan's greatest '80s dance tracks.
'love is the competition' is a breezy disco jam by okinawa-born bilingual artist hitomi tohyama. featured on her album next door, the song's melody seems like an interpolation of the whispers' 'it's a love thing.'
taken from mariah project's diva yumi murata's first album, 'krishna' is a funky and soulful rockin' disco cut.reminiscent of chaka khan's 'i know you, i live you,' 'live hard, live free' is a song by jazz vocalist eri ohno who is known for her work with dj krush and singing on the soundtrack to anime rupin the third.
'rocket 88' is a melancholic disco number by singer minnie. though the track was released through sapporo's independent label paradise records, the superb production quality suggests otherwise.
closing out the 13-track compilation is japanese disco staple 'tokyo melody,' sang by half african and half swedish american singer shoody and backed by tetsuji hayashi's disco band the eastern gang.

Out of print for 15 years, Soul Jazz Records’ “Do It Yourself” features a host of postpunk, punk, punk funk/dance and electronic experimentation from UK bands in
the late 70s and 80s that all arrived in the aftermath of punk. As well as loads of
great music, the album also charts the rise of the independent music industry in
Britain that similarly thrived during this time.
Featuring classic groups such as The Buzzcocks, A Certain Ratio, The Fire Engines,
Glaxo Babies and a host of lesser known, rare and obscure tracks and artists, this
new 2024 edition comes as a limited edition special coloured version double vinyl
pressing, complete with deluxe gatefold sleeve with two unique inner sleeves.
This fully remastered album comes with extensive sleevenotes and photography
as well as interviews with key behind-the-scene players – including studios,
cutting rooms, print works – that together bring a fantastic insight into the DIY
music and culture of this period and the explosion in the independent music
industry after punk.

In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.

Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”




c MANIAC ft. Princess Rani

e WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE ft. Bugle Boy



c MANIAC ft. Princess Rani

[e] WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]



[c] MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]

[e] WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]

48 tracks on a 3-LP collection – including: Queen, The Police, Blondie, Abba, Elton John, Donna Summer, Chic, The Boomtown Rats, The Clash, Meat Loaf, Pretenders, Billy Joel,

Electric Light Orchestra, The Specials, The Selecter, Gary Numan, The Buggles…

Arbes’ long-awaited debut album, "Counterways", exists on the cusp between the ethereal and the more attention-seeking concerns of pop. The record invites listeners into an unusual sonic world of atmospheric depth. Comparisons can be drawn to New York post-punk of a more colourful bent, running Blondie all the way through to Gang Gang Dance. The album's dream-pop dimension brings to mind Cocteau Twins, while its grittier, art-rock moments, coloured with ambience feels akin to Deerhunter. Glimmering flashes of psychedelia channels the likes of Melody's Echo Chamber.

The ten track album explores romantic dreaming and the struggle to (not) understand and to be understood. It memorialises glimmers of connection, discontentment and longing. Front woman Jess Zanoni’s soulful, oracular voice is anchored by the earthbound brambles of prickly guitar and brushstroke percussion, where all is tethered to a surface of unearthly detail and resonance. Written and recorded over a five year period (2017-2022), Arbes eke out every possible ounce of emotionality from their songs. Not to sedate, but to guide listeners somewhere unexpected, at the song or album's conclusion.