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Derya Yildirim ist so vieles: Begnadete Sängerin, Baglama-Virtuosin, Underground-Star, Botschafterin des reichen musikalischen Erbes in der Türkei, Erneuerin und Bewahrerin dieser Musiktradition und einfach eine verdammt gute Interpretin. Sie hat Groove, sie ist mit der Anadolu-Soul-Band Grup Simsek genauso großartig wie mit dem Kammermusik-Orchester Ensemble Resonanz. Sie bringt den Saal zum Toben, egal ob es die Elbphilharmonie oder ein kleiner Club ist. Gemeinsam mit dem französischen Keyboarder und Produzenten Graham Mushnik hat sie ein Kinderalbum gemacht: Hey Dostum, Çak! übersetzt: "Give me five!" Was für eine tolle Idee! Viele der Lieder kennt die Hamburgerin Derya Yildirim aus ihrer Kindheit: Es sind Wiegenlieder, Volkslieder, die ihr Vater auf der Baglama gespielt, oder die sie im Türkischunterricht gesungen hat, die auf Kassetten ihrer Großeltern zu hören waren, oder die der Baglama Lehrer ihr beigebracht, der sie und andere türkischsprachige Kids im Stadtteilladen in Hamburg-Veddel unterrichtet hat.

Guilherme Granado makes his first solo appearance on the Keroxen label under the guise of his Goat Unity project, the result of a plethora of collaborations with musician friends and foes.

A São Paulo native, Guilherme has been quietly building a reputation for being the go-to guy for loop based beats and groovy basslines. He has played and recorded with Mauricio Takara in Hurtmold (4 albums) and he’s also part of São Paulo Underground (also with Takara and Rob Mazurek). He also performs, produces, and records under the name Bodes & Elefantes and has toured extensively through South America, US and Europe with São Paulo Underground, Prefuse 73 et al. With Ghost Parades Guilherme goes deep into his beat based deviations whilst somehow managing to connect the dots between the Wu-Tang Clan and the Sun Ra Arkestra, adding an healthy dose of tropicalismo for good measure.

Guilherme’s Ghost Parades does an impeccable job at showcasing the multi instrumentalist composition skills filled with dubby rhythms, addictive bass lines along with celestial and hazy chants. Its a smooth journey to take here, avoiding all the obvious pit holes of the genre and keeping the listener guessing where we’re going at every turn. A spacious, open ended listening experience where loops effortlessly intertwine with live jam instrumentation.

Organic, natural beats for atypical people.

Genre-bending Seven Davis Jr. returns with a hybrid sound infused with Electronica, 90's House, Disco, Indie Dance, Soul and Black Techno.

Lion_and the mean ecstasy of "You've Got A Woman," the B-side to their sole release_comprise a rare burst of psychedelic-Western soul from two names best known for Dutch progressive rock and new wave. Drummer Peter de Leeuwe, departing from the symphonic leanings of Dutch prog-fixtures Ekseption, penned it in 1975, layering syncopated explosions of hand-claps, vibraslap and slick drumwork with neutron-star density, with super-producer Hans van Hemert nearly bursting Glenn Robles' vocals through the fore. The "Shoes Subtle Edit" provides exactly that, gently teasing the organ- and requinto-hinted contours of the track to better suit the treasure within. Chicago-based septet Whitney have brought some attention to "You've Got A Woman" with a recent cover, and the faith with which they recreate much of the original instrumentation proves the extent of Lion's accomplishment.

"Petrol", one of Manu Kenton's most iconic tracks, makes its highly anticipated return in a limited edition that will appeal to both collectors and techno enthusiasts. This special version features not only the original track, but also exclusive remixes that reinterpret the piece from different angles, offering a diverse and exciting sonic palette.

Manu Kenton, staying true to his creative genius, revisits his own track by adding an energetic and catchy vocal, bringing a fresh new dynamic to the already electrifying atmosphere of the original.
The Gregor Size remix is a true powerhouse: dynamic, industrial, and powerful, it transforms "Petrol" into a heavy, punchy piece, with dark textures and irresistible rhythms that leave a lasting impression.
Greg Denbosa, on the other hand, delivers a progressive techno remix, with a dynamic and repetitive beat that builds tension, creating a hypnotic experience perfectly suited for the dancefloor.
Finally, Bestien offers a nervous, straight, and punchy version, ideal for the peak moments of a night. His explosive remix ramps up the intensity on the dancefloors, with raw energy and power that demands attention.

Visually, this vinyl stands out with its "Yolk" effect, a unique blend of white and white with luminous accents, creating a striking and modern design that will enhance any collection.

Français

"Petrol", l'un des morceaux les plus emblématiques de Manu Kenton, fait son grand retour dans une édition limitée qui séduira aussi bien les collectionneurs que les passionnés de techno. Cette version spéciale inclut non seulement la version originale du titre, mais aussi des remixes inédits qui réinterprètent le morceau sous des angles différents, offrant ainsi une palette sonore variée et excitante.

Manu Kenton, fidèle à son génie créatif, revisite son propre morceau en y ajoutant un vocal énergique et entraînant, donnant une nouvelle dynamique à l'atmosphère déjà électrisante de l'original.
Le remix de Gregor Size est un véritable tour de force : très dynamique, industriel et puissant, il transforme "Petrol" en une œuvre lourde et percutante, avec des textures sombres et des rythmes irrésistibles qui marquent les esprits.
Greg Denbosa, quant à lui, propose un remix techno progressif, avec un beat dynamique et répétitif qui crée une tension croissante, offrant une expérience hypnotique et parfaitement calibrée pour les sets dansants.
Enfin, Bestien livre une version nerveuse, droite et percutante, idéale pour les moments intenses d'une soirée. Son remix explosif fait monter l’intensité sur les dancefloors, avec une énergie brute et une puissance qui ne laisse personne indifférent.

Visuellement, ce vinyle se distingue par un effet "Yolk", un mélange unique de blanc et de rouge lumineux, créant un visuel frappant et moderne qui enrichira toute collection.

15 Iconic David Meiser's tracks boosted & remastered celebrating 15
years of career (2010 - 2025).
3 x 12" Special Edition Vinyl Box Set. (Only 100 copies).

One of the most iconic labels in house music made a major return in 2024. King Street Sounds is celebrating its legacy with a series of re-releases that dive into its extensive back catalogue, showcasing some of its biggest releases. One of these being Dennis Ferrer’s iconic debut solo album The World As I See It from 2006. A body of work that sounds as good today as it did 19 years ago and, in that time, has gone on to become one of the greatest house music albums of the last 25 years. This release will be the first time all ten tracks from the album have been included in one vinyl package, and will include a frameable, double sided record sleeve sized poster. With copies of previous editions of the album costing close to £100 on the second-hand market, this limited sky blue vinyl edition will give a new generation of house & electronic music fans an opportunity to own this piece of dance music history.

Next up in the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics series is an outing by the mighty Juan Pablo Torres from 1978. Released on Cuba’s state-owned Areito imprint, Algo Nuevo showcases trombonist, bandleader, arranger and producer Juan Pablo Torres' unique scope of sound. A melting pot of an album that weaves together jazz-funk and traditional Afro-Cuban genres with tripped-out synth touches and dancefloor grooves.

The opener 'Pan Caliente' is a fiery celebration, combining a driving groove with Latin percussion, feverish horns and infectious “la-la-la” vocals. The wild, squelching cosmic synthlines give an otherworldly touch to proceedings that sit nicely on a modern dancefloor. 'Guajira 2001' is perhaps Juan's future-focussed take on the vibrant style of Cuban dance-led music called guajira. Blistering bongos, congas and claves moving together with trumpets, trombones and twanging acoustic guitars that you can’t help but bounce to.

Other highlights include, 'Cacao', a Cuban cosmic funk strutter that places the claves upfront, with a scatting vocal line and percussive climax reminiscent of George Kranz electronic disco anthem 'Din Daa Daa' from 1983. Elsewhere, 'Elvira' further showcases the psychedelic essence of many of the album’s tracks. A deep Latin workout where tasty percussive breaks and scorching keys blend with trippy vocals and rumbling synths.

A varied album encompassing a variety of Afro-Cuban genres and rhythms entwined with flashes of mind-bending cosmic influence. Algo Nuevo is a further jewel in Cuba’s musical crown of riches, with plenty of dancefloor treats and downtempo numbers held within

Soul Jazz Records journey into early 1990s ragga, drum & bass and jungle. The album features all-time classic jungle anthems such as General Levy’s ‘Incredible’ alongside some serious Ragga heavyweight tunes like Cutty Ranks ‘Limb By Limb’ and Congo Natty’s classic re-make of Barrington Levy’s Under Me Sensi’.
The renowned album tells the story of how Jungle developed out of acid house but with its roots in the UK Dancehall scene of the 1980s and comes with extensive sleevenotes, exclusive interviews and photography.

Presenting an official reissue of Coke’s audacious, engrossing self-titled album from 1972, originally released on Manuel J. Mato’s collectible Sound Triangle Records imprint. It’s a heavy hit of Miami Latin-funk, dosed up with psychedelic garage rock and gritty soul excellence, making for an intoxicating blend of styles and genres on this highly sought-after LP.

Predominately sung in English, Coke’s only album under this moniker is a sumptuous melting pot of influences, tied together with bright funk drumming, flavourful organs and zesty horns. With a garage band attitude and sensibility, the lineup consisted of Paul Garcia on guitar, Ariel Hernandez on bass, Ruben Perez on drums, Jose Rubio on the keys, a host of guest horn players and Peter Fernandez on vocals, whose tone and delivery was often mistaken for that of a woman.

Produced by Mato, the record and band were well-received in Miami and Southern Florida at the time. Due to a lack of promotion outside of Florida and the threat of a lawsuit from the Coca-Cola corporation for usage of their name, the band fell into relative obscurity, becoming Opus following the dispute.

They say the cream always rises to the top though, with Coke being rediscovered by diggers and collectors searching for a rare groove. One of the standout cuts on the album 'Na Na' was recently featured on the soundtrack to the Netflix drama 'Griselda' (a biopic of Miami/Cuban crime boss Griselda Blanco). Other highlights include the crooner-jazz-rock ‘Got to Touch Your Face’, the psych ballad 'You Turn Me On' with a guitar line reminiscent of The Doors, and the Latin-rock groover, 'Te Amo Mas'.

Coke is a sensational crossover record, that draws from a sea of different influences. Fans of early Santana, garage-pysch, Nu Yorican and Latin-funk productions should all investigate this cherished album - it will have something for you.

Enigmatic producer ANiML returns to the freeform Los Angeles-based label StrataSonic to release a six-track mini album, Star Walk. The new body of work, which comes alongside a new music video for “Bruv” (directed by Spanish visual artist YZA Voku), is out now.

Picking up where ANiML left off with “Breather” and “Bruv,” Star Walk elaborates further on that woozy-yet-sophisticated psychedelia, materializing as cinematic trip-hop, cavernous dub, and other unique genre concoctions across its six tracks. “Cherry,” with its free-spirited, delay-soaked guitar riffs, depicts a colorful, post-rock-inspired soundscape. “BabyD,” in step with “Bruv,” features a mischievous marimba melody among ghostly vocal samples, a punchy drumkit, and a slackened bassline.

These scenes are brought to life thanks to YZA Voku, a groundbreaking visual artist who is at the forefront of AI-assisted filmmaking in the animation space (see his work for The Weeknd, Swedish House Mafia, Hï Ibiza, and XG). The new music video for “Bruv,” out today, unfolds in stark black, white, and red, evoking a noir-inspired aesthetic steeped in mystery and intrigue. Shadowy figures move rhythmically through dimly lit alleys and smoke-filled ballrooms, blending calculated steps with hypnotic dance sequences.

The production blended real-life recordings with digital effects like blur, negatives, masks, analog textures, and AI-driven transformations using Runway’s video-to-video tools. AI-generated sequences created with Midjourney and Runway were merged to contrast real footage with synthetic imagery. This type of work is a rejection that AI is simply used as a shortcut in art and comes at a time when musicians are beginning to embrace such tools for the visual components of their products.

Portland's Paul Dickow, the man behind the Strategy alias, is back with a new album that has been created with a 1989 model sampling keyboard. Exploring its limitations, he plays the sampler by hand and abandons sequencers for a more organic approach which apes a guitarist's connection to their instrument. The record delves into glacial, pensive soundscapes where experimental, ambient and dance music elements all come together with deliberate intention. Though Dickow crafts a sound rooted in ambient techno futurism it is one open to serendipitous, experimental outcomes which makes it a gently unpredictable listen and otherworldly charmer.

Black Vinyl

“Sometimes They Come Back” is not just the title of a horror movie based on a macabre tale by Stephen King, it is also a summary of what happened to UK death etal veterans BENEDICTION, yet you might ke to add a “better than ever before”. While never officially disbanded, 2020’s Scriptures, the group’s eighth studio album achieved what is usually not an easy feat. It connected well with classics like Transcend the Rubicon (1993) and its immediate and memorable songwriting, the heavy-as-a-brick Grind Bastard (1998), and also saw legendary vocalist Dave Ingram return with his merciless roar and knack for morbid, twisted lyrics. After two albums with Dave Hunt on vocals, Scriptures was BENEDICTION’s first record in over a decade impressing with aggressive up-tempo attacks like ‘Iterations of I’ and ‘Rabid Carnality’ or the neck-breaking mid-tempo barrage of ‘Stormcrow’, songs that became live staples alongside ‘evergreens’ such as ‘I Bow to None’, ‘Magnificat’, ‘Subconscious Terror’ or ‘Vision in the Shroud’ in no time. With Scriptures, BENEDICTION even almost cracked Germany’s top ten by entering at a phenomenal #11 of the Official German Charts showing that the death metal veterans founded 1989 in Birmingham, England, offered an extremely well received sonic catharsis when due to the pandemic, people were locked down and pissed off.
When the shroud of Covid-19 lifted, the quintet finally could start to promote the album onstage with numerous festival gigs including Summer Breeze (DE), Copenhell (DK), Mystic Festival (PL), UK Deathfest, Alcatraz (BE), Party.San (DE), Obscene Extreme (CZ), Eindhoven Metal Meeting (NL) and Rock Hard (DE) to name but a few, played triumphant shows in South and Middle America as well as in their home country and all over Europe.
Kicking in the door without further warning, fast paced opener ‘A Carrion Harvest’ that mounts in a vicious Slayer-style break, starts with Ingram growling ‘Brace for impact, go!’ giving an unmistakable hint at what to expect during the following 47 minutes and 11 songs. With tremolo riffs and hammering grooves in spades, tracks like ‘Engines of War’, ‘Genesis Chamber’, ‘Crawling over Corpses’, ‘In the Dread of the Night’, and ‘Psychosister’ show a remarkable consistency and Scott Atkins, who produced the record at Grindstone Studio once again, ensures with a crisp and massive sound that the aforementioned impact leaves no bone unshattered. Garnered with artwork by Wolven Claws Artist, Ravage Of Empires continues BENEDICTION’s flawless discography on Premier League level and promises to become one of 2025’s undisputable old school death metal highlights!
With their brilliant new record in tow, founding members and guitarists Darren Brookes and Peter Rew, longtime vocalist Dave Ingram, drummer Giovanni Durst, and Nik Sampson (bass) will travel far and wide once more. Already confirmed are the Tales of the Triple Death Tour with Jungle Rot and Master kicking off on album release date as well as confirmed appearances at Wacken Open Air and Maryland Deathfest. More to be announced soon!

Petrol Green Vinyl

“Sometimes They Come Back” is not just the title of a horror movie based on a macabre tale by Stephen King, it is also a summary of what happened to UK death etal veterans BENEDICTION, yet you might ke to add a “better than ever before”. While never officially disbanded, 2020’s Scriptures, the group’s eighth studio album achieved what is usually not an easy feat. It connected well with classics like Transcend the Rubicon (1993) and its immediate and memorable songwriting, the heavy-as-a-brick Grind Bastard (1998), and also saw legendary vocalist Dave Ingram return with his merciless roar and knack for morbid, twisted lyrics. After two albums with Dave Hunt on vocals, Scriptures was BENEDICTION’s first record in over a decade impressing with aggressive up-tempo attacks like ‘Iterations of I’ and ‘Rabid Carnality’ or the neck-breaking mid-tempo barrage of ‘Stormcrow’, songs that became live staples alongside ‘evergreens’ such as ‘I Bow to None’, ‘Magnificat’, ‘Subconscious Terror’ or ‘Vision in the Shroud’ in no time. With Scriptures, BENEDICTION even almost cracked Germany’s top ten by entering at a phenomenal #11 of the Official German Charts showing that the death metal veterans founded 1989 in Birmingham, England, offered an extremely well received sonic catharsis when due to the pandemic, people were locked down and pissed off.
When the shroud of Covid-19 lifted, the quintet finally could start to promote the album onstage with numerous festival gigs including Summer Breeze (DE), Copenhell (DK), Mystic Festival (PL), UK Deathfest, Alcatraz (BE), Party.San (DE), Obscene Extreme (CZ), Eindhoven Metal Meeting (NL) and Rock Hard (DE) to name but a few, played triumphant shows in South and Middle America as well as in their home country and all over Europe.
Kicking in the door without further warning, fast paced opener ‘A Carrion Harvest’ that mounts in a vicious Slayer-style break, starts with Ingram growling ‘Brace for impact, go!’ giving an unmistakable hint at what to expect during the following 47 minutes and 11 songs. With tremolo riffs and hammering grooves in spades, tracks like ‘Engines of War’, ‘Genesis Chamber’, ‘Crawling over Corpses’, ‘In the Dread of the Night’, and ‘Psychosister’ show a remarkable consistency and Scott Atkins, who produced the record at Grindstone Studio once again, ensures with a crisp and massive sound that the aforementioned impact leaves no bone unshattered. Garnered with artwork by Wolven Claws Artist, Ravage Of Empires continues BENEDICTION’s flawless discography on Premier League level and promises to become one of 2025’s undisputable old school death metal highlights!
With their brilliant new record in tow, founding members and guitarists Darren Brookes and Peter Rew, longtime vocalist Dave Ingram, drummer Giovanni Durst, and Nik Sampson (bass) will travel far and wide once more. Already confirmed are the Tales of the Triple Death Tour with Jungle Rot and Master kicking off on album release date as well as confirmed appearances at Wacken Open Air and Maryland Deathfest. More to be announced soon!

Mechanisms of Omniscience - a brutal and unrelenting journey through technical death metal, returns to the market as a special vinyl reissue, brought to you by our newly established record label. Originally released by Abnormality in 2016, this album has left a lasting mark on the genre with its punishing riffs, precise technicality, and intense lyrical content. Abnormality explores profound and provocative themes in every track, addressing existentialism, corruption, and the darker side of human nature. This is an album that defies genre expectations, marrying complex arrangements with raw aggression. Abnormality, a force hailing from Massachusetts, has carved a niche within extreme metal for its signature blend of technical prowess and relentless heaviness. Led by the fierce vocals of Mallika Sundaramurthy, the band is complemented by the exceptional talents of guitarist Jeremy Henry, bassist Josh Staples, and drummer Jay Blaisdell. Together, they create a sound that is as precise as it is punishing, offering fans a visceral experience in each performance. This reissue celebrates the lasting impact of Mechanisms of Omniscience while paying homage to Abnormality’s powerful contribution to metal.

Mechanisms of Omniscience - a brutal and unrelenting journey through technical death metal, returns to the market as a special vinyl reissue, brought to you by our newly established record label. Originally released by Abnormality in 2016, this album has left a lasting mark on the genre with its punishing riffs, precise technicality, and intense lyrical content. Abnormality explores profound and provocative themes in every track, addressing existentialism, corruption, and the darker side of human nature. This is an album that defies genre expectations, marrying complex arrangements with raw aggression. Abnormality, a force hailing from Massachusetts, has carved a niche within extreme metal for its signature blend of technical prowess and relentless heaviness. Led by the fierce vocals of Mallika Sundaramurthy, the band is complemented by the exceptional talents of guitarist Jeremy Henry, bassist Josh Staples, and drummer Jay Blaisdell. Together, they create a sound that is as precise as it is punishing, offering fans a visceral experience in each performance. This reissue celebrates the lasting impact of Mechanisms of Omniscience while paying homage to Abnormality’s powerful contribution to metal.

Archival reissue of the garage-psych Zamrock masterpiece (1974)

PRESSED ON OPAQUE RED VINYL

“Electrified by a diet of James Brown, the Stones and Deep Purple,
WITCH were the stadium-filling kings of 70' Zamrock." - MOJO

Our comprehensive overview of Zambia’s premier garage-, psych-, prog-, funk-,afro-rock ensemble WITCH, We Intend To Cause Havoc!, is now sold out in its 6LP box set form. So we are making the first four WITCH albums available in archival reissue form. As with our box set, the audio is nigh-perfect - restored and remastered from the original master tapes. WITCH’s musical arc is contained to a five year span and, in retrospect, is a logical one. The band’s first two, self-produced albums - released in unison with the birth of the commercial Zambian recording industry – are exuberant experiments in garage rock, and are as influenced by the Rolling Stones as they are James Brown. Thus Introduction, their first, is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in delving into the WITCH band, or Zamrock in general.

“On course towards future raucous, beer-soaked headline festival
sets.” - NME
“Screw-you power, relentless motorik rhythms and impressively large
choruses.” - The Guardian
“Unrelenting, gritty energy” - Daily Star
Sprints unearth their frenzied new EP, ‘Manifesto’, out via Nice Swan
Records.
Produced by Daniel Fox of Girl Band - Dublin’s answer to Steve Albini
- the four tracks make for a hard-hitting gloom-punk journey you
can’t miss. Like the Irish guitar acts who have paved the way for
them - Fontaines D.C., Silverbacks and Girl Band - Sprints sound
urgent and vital at every turn.
‘Swimming’ is a confluence of rabble-rousing stadium rock, sleazy
garage rock and Sonic Youth experimentation. Lyrically, there’s a lot
to hang on to too, which is unsurprising given how topical the band
are: ‘Drones’ took on imposter syndrome; ‘Manifesto’ tackled
homophobia.
‘Swimming’ scorns on the increasing lack of opportunity after
following prescribed paths to become society’s idea of a ‘success’.
Sprints singer Karla Chubb explains: “While the homeless crisis
worsens, the city is sinking in debt and everyone can barely keep
their heads above water, you see an article stating that a new €25
million white water rafting centre is being developed after approval
by Dublin City Council. Sometimes you’d just rather drown.”
Sprints have hit a nerve. The velocity of this argument comes from
personal anguish but will chime with a generation. And with such
honesty running through their core it’s no wonder The Guardian,
NME and BBC Radio 1 and 6Music have tipped them for big things.
Tourdates - October 7 Roisin Dubh Galway, 8 Kasbah Limerick, 9 The
Grand Social Dublin, 21 The Waiting Room London, 23 Heartbreakers
Southampton, 26 Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh, 27 The Attic Glasgow, 28 The
Castle Manchester, 30 The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham, 31 Bootleg Social
Blackpool, November 2 Surf Cafe Newcastle, 3 Sidney & Matilda Sheffield, 6
Mutations Festival Brighton, 7 Festival of Voice Cardiff, 9 The Shipping
Forecast Liverpool, 10 Oporto Leeds.

Halo Studios und Laced Records haben sich zusammengetan, um die ikonische Musik der ursprünglichen Halo-Trilogie zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl zu veröffentlichen.

Diese Box enthält 83 Titel aus den ersten drei Halo-Alben, die speziell für Vinyl neu gemastert und auf acht heavyweight LPs gepresst wurden. Jeder Soundtrack befindet sich in einer breitrandige Außenhülle und einer bedruckten Innenhülle. Diese wiederum befinden sich in einer stabilen Sammlerbox aus Karton mit silbernem Laminatüberzug und geprägtem Halo-Logo.

Das Original-Cover-Artwork stammt von Art Director und Concept Artist Isaac Hannaford (alias Rhizus / Space Ship Guru), dem ehemaligen Lead Concept Artist und Mitwirkenden an Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST und Halo Reach. Das zusätzliche Artwork der Box wurde von der Grafikdesignerin Maren Landsnes erstellt.

Halo: Combat Evolved war der Inbegriff des Konsolen-Ego-Shooters und sein Soundtrack legte den Grundstein für den legendären Sound der Serie. Der Soundtrack ist von verschiedenen Genres inspiriert und kombiniert schwungvolle Orchesterklänge mit marschierenden Militär-Snares, Prog-Rock-Percussion und - wer könnte den gregorianischen Mönchsgesang vergessen?

Für Halo 2 taten sich die Komponisten mit hochkarätigen Musikern zusammen und verpassten dem Halo-Thema mit dem neuen „Mjolnir Mix“ ein Heavy-Metal-Makeover. Es war der erste Videospiel-Soundtrack, der es in die Billboard 200 schaffte.

Halo 3 zeichnete sich durch Tribal-Drums und Prog-Rock-Refrains aus, während Klaviermelodien, begleitet von einem 60-köpfigen Orchester und einem 24-stimmigen Chor, dem Soundtrack emotionale Tiefe verliehen.

- 83 Tracks aus Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 und Halo 3
- Speziell für Vinyl neu gemastert
- Cover-Artwork von Isaac Hannaford (ehemaliger Lead Concept Artist, Bungie)

Halo Studios und Laced Records haben sich zusammengetan, um die ikonische Musik der ursprünglichen Halo-Trilogie zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl zu veröffentlichen.

Dieses Doppel-LP-Set enthält die Musik aus dem Spiel, mit dem alles begann, speziell für Vinyl neu gemastert und auf heavyweight LPs gepresst. Die Schallplatten befinden sich in einer breitrandigen Außenhülle und zwei bedruckten Innenhüllen.

Das Original-Cover-Artwork stammt von Art Director und Concept Artist Isaac Hannaford (alias Rhizus / Space Ship Guru), dem ehemaligen Lead Concept Artist und Mitwirkenden an Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST und Halo Reach. Das zusätzliche Artwork des Sets wurde von der Grafikdesignerin Maren Landsnes erstellt.

Halo: Combat Evolved war der Inbegriff des Konsolen-Ego-Shooters und sein Soundtrack legte den Grundstein für den legendären Sound der Serie. Der Soundtrack ist von verschiedenen Genres inspiriert und kombiniert schwungvolle Orchesterklänge mit marschierenden Militär-Snares, Prog-Rock-Percussion und - wer könnte den gregorianischen Mönchsgesang vergessen?

- 26 speziell remasterte Titel aus dem Spiel von 2001
- Cover-Artwork von Isaac Hannaford (ehemaliger Lead Concept Artist bei Bungie)

Yann Tiersen veröffentlicht sein mit Spannung erwarteten neuen Albums 'Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour' am 4. April 2025 auf Vinyl, CD und digital via Mute.

'Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour' ist ein Album, das in zwei unterschiedliche, jedoch miteinander verbundene Teile gegliedert ist, die jeweils ihre eigenen klanglichen Merkmale aufweisen: 'Rathlin from a Distance' besteht aus acht vornehmlich instrumentalen, introspektiven Klavierstücken, 'The Liquid Hour' dagegen ist ein ausgedehnter, genreübergreifender Hybrid aus elektronischen Klängen und psychedelischen Rhythmen.

Kaum hatte Stella Chronopoulou mit dem Schreiben von Adagio, ihrem fünften Album als Σtella, begonnen, wusste sie, dass die Zeit endlich gekommen war, um in ihrer Muttersprache Griechisch zu singen. Es wäre eine Premiere. Sie begann mit dem Album fast zufällig im Jahr 2019, während einer 11-stündigen Bootsfahrt zur Insel Anafi. Σtella hatte kürzlich eine persönliche Krise durchgemacht und brauchte eine Pause von zu Hause. Auf der Fähre zückte sie ihr Handy, während das Boot durch das Mittelmeer glitt, und begann mit einer einfachen Melodie, aus der sie nach und nach ein grobes Instrumentalstück zusammensetzte.

Als psychedelische Keyboards über stakkatohaften Drums flimmerten und schwankten, suggerierte der Track ein tiefes Ausatmen, als ob Σtella lange überflüssigen Ballast loslassen würde. Für eine Weile legte sie das Instrumentalstück beiseite. Sie war noch nicht so weit und hatte es auch nicht eilig. ?tella ist schließlich in einer langsamen Umgebung aufgewachsen. In ihrer Jugend in einem relativ ländlichen Vorort von Athen, Griechenland, spielten sie und ihre Freunde ungehindert auf leeren Straßen, machten sich keine Gedanken über Autos oder Genehmigungen, und das Leben fühlte sich einfach an. Doch in den letzten zehn Jahren ist das Leben von Σtella, die jetzt im Herzen von Athen lebt, immer geschäftiger geworden. Mit drei anspruchsvollen, verspielten und mit internationalem Elan vorgetragenen Pop-Alben ist sie zu einem der beliebtesten Musikexporte des modernen Griechenlands geworden.

Nach ihrem Sub Pop-Debüt Up and Away im Jahr 2022 überschritt sie die Marke von drei Millionen monatlichen Spotify-Hörern. Dieser Erfolg war ein Segen, aber Σtella sehnte sich manchmal nach dem langsameren Tempo ihrer Jugend. Diese Sehnsucht ist der rote Faden, der ihr fünftes Album, das bezaubernde Adagio, locker zusammenhält. Der Name leitet sich von dem Begriff für Musik ab, die langsam gespielt werden soll, Adagio ist dabei ein Pop-Album, das sich wie eine warme Decke anfühlt; es umhüllt seine Hörer mit nylonbesaiteten Gitarren, federleichter Percussion, psychedelischen Keyboards und Stakkato-Schlagzeug.

Geschrieben und aufgenommen über einen Zeitraum von fünf Jahren mit einem Konsortium von internationalen Kollaborateuren, darunter Rafael Cohen von !!! und der britische Songwriter Gabriel Stebbing, ist Adagio eine 27-minütige Meditation über Liebe und Sehnsucht, Ruhe und Zeit. Obwohl der Großteil des Albums auf Englisch gesungen ist, wie alle ihre Alben, wartet Σtella auch mit ihren ersten beiden Songs auf Griechisch auf: „Omorfo Mou“ und eine Coverversion eines griechischen Kultklassikers von 1969, „Ta Vimata“ von Litsa Sakellariou. Es ist ein Zeichen des Selbstbewusstseins, das diese zarten und verliebten kleinen Stücke ausstrahlen. Von Anfang bis Ende klingt Σtella auf Adagio entspannter und wohler als je zuvor. Diese bezaubernden Songs werden ihre Karriere nicht bremsen oder ihr den Wunsch des Titeltracks erfüllen, aber für eine halbe Stunde lockert die Zeit ihren Griff, auch auch wenn sie nicht langsamer wird.

We are beyond excited to release new remixes of an absolute classic tune by none other than Aural Float, the legendary collaboration between Pascal FEOS, Gabriel Le Mar and Alex Azary. Originally released on their debut album „Introspectives“ on the mighty Elektrolux records back in 1995, „South Of The Clouds Pt.2“ quickly became the standout track of the longplayer and an absoute fan favorite as it encapsuled the very essence of the no nonsense hypnotic sound of Frankfurt at the time. On the A-Side, label head honcho Gregor Tresher presents an epic 11-minute journey that pays homage to the timeless original while updating it for the modern day dancefloor. Through layers and layers of subtle percussion lines, Gregor´s remix builds up over time, with bold breakdowns that gives the distinctive melody line time to breathe, only to eventually culminate in bringing the massive beat back to take things to the next sonic level. On the flip, our good friends Extrawelt deliver another outstanding production once again, that has their signature sound written all over it. The boys respectfully incorporate the original melody line, while perfecting their remix by adding their unmistakeable trademark sound and sophisticated beat structures. Aural Float, we salute you and are forever grateful for this seminal piece of music, that easily stood the test of time and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Wie Hip-Hop nach Hamburg kam
Die Compilation ist als Zeitreise zu den Anfängen der Hamburger Hip-Hop-Kultur konzipiert und umfasst über 100 weitgehend unveröffentlichte Songs und Skits. Begleitet wird das Triple-Vinyl von einem 96-seitigen Booklet, das von den frühen Jahren von Hip-Hop, Rap und DJing in Hamburg erzählt. Präsentiert wird das Werk von den Herausgebern des Buchs und den Kuratoren der Museumsausstellung EINE STADT WIRD BUNT.

Kennt eigentlich noch jemand Easy Business? Was wie ein Ratgeber Video auf YouTube klingt, ist der Name einer der ersten Hamburger Rap-Gruppen. Die vierköpfige Formation aus Steilshoop gründete sich schon in den späten 1980er Jahren und begann bald erste englischsprachige Texte zu schreiben. 1989 nahmen sie gemeinsam mit Mario von Hacht den Song „Money“ in einem Jenfelder Jugendzentrum auf.
Als House-Produzent verfügte Von Hacht über ein vergleichsweise schon recht ansehnliches Produktions-Equipment. Selbst die legendäre Roland TR-808, analoger Drumcomputer und Allzweckwaffe von Hip-Hop-Produzenten, war bereits 1989 Teil seines Maschinenparks. Nur hatte er sie eben nicht für Rap genutzt – bis Easy Business anklopften. Und so öffnete ein Musik-Nerd und Technik-Freak dem Hip-Hop eine Tür in Hamburg. Von Hachts Offenheit für den neuen Musikstil sollte sich auszahlen: 1995 produzierte er mit „Nordisch by Nature“ den ersten Chartstürmer von Fettes Brot.

Es sind Geschichten wie diese aus der Gründerzeit des Rap in Hamburg, um die sich die 3-Vinyl-Compilation EINE STADT WIRD BUNT dreht. Unter den über 100 Songs und Skits aus den frühen Jahren des Rap in Hamburg finden sich neben dem Song „Money“ von Easy Business auch ein Mitschnitt eines Auftritts der Gruppe in der Fabrik im Mai 1991.
Von frühen Aufnahmen von MC Africa True, der später unter dem Namen Nana einige Hits landen würde, bis zu den Britcore-Veteranen von Readykill, von 2 Ruff, deren Mitglied Simple Simon zu den ersten Hip-Hop-Produzenten der Stadt gehörte, bis zu den Reim Banditen, die als eine der ersten hiesigen Bands mit einem Majorlabel-Vertrag als Hamburger Antwort auf die Fantastischen Vier positioniert werden sollten, vereint das Triple-Vinyl eine einzigartige Sammlung musikhistorischer Zeitdokumente. In Kombination mit dem begleitenden Booklet vermitteln sie ein authentisches – und überaus unterhaltsames – Bild von den Anfängen des Rap in Hamburg.

Nach dem preisgekrönten, 2021 erschienenen Buch „EINE STADT WIRD BUNT. Hamburg Graffiti History 1980-1999“ und der gleichnamigen Ausstellung, die bis Anfang Januar 2024, als eine der erfolgreichsten aller Zeiten, im Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte gezeigt wurde, folgt mit der Compilation nun also eine weitere Dokumentation Hamburger Subkultur Geschichte der 1980er und 1990er Jahre. Im Fokus diesmal: die Pioniere des Rap in der Hansestadt.
Zum Team hinter dem Triple-Vinyl gehören neben den vier Herausgebern von EINE STADT WIRD BUNT. Oliver Nebel, Frank Petering, Mirko Reisser und Andreas Timm drei ausgewiesene Kenner der deutschen Hip-Hop-Szene. Oliver Herbst, einst DJ der Hip-Hop-Band City Nord, betreibt heute ein Musiklabel, auf dem die Platte erscheint, und konnte im Zuge der Recherche an viele alte Kontakte anknüpfen. Ebenfalls mit an Bord: der langjährige Chefredakteur des Hip-Hop-Magazins Backspin Dennis Kraus und der Musikjournalist und Moderator Falk Schacht.
Über einen Zeitraum von über zwei Jahren hinweg hat sich das Team auf Recherche begeben. Sie nahmen Kontakt zu Bands, Rapper*innen, DJs und Produzenten auf, die in den 1980er und 1990er Jahren in und um Hamburg aktiv waren. Sie sichteten und archivierten unzählige Stunden von Radio-Shows, Tapes, Demo-DATs und Live-Mitschnitten und führten Interviews mit Hip-Hop-Pionieren aus der Hansestadt. „Unser Ziel war es, ein kaum beleuchtetes Kapitel Hamburger Subkulturgeschichte zu erzählen“, sagt Mirko Reisser.
Begleitet werden die Platten deshalb von einem rund 80-seitigen, reich bebilderten Booklet im Vinyl-Format, das in aufwändig recherchierten Texten nachzeichnet, wie der neue Musikstil ab Mitte der 1980er Jahre in Hamburg langsam heimisch wurde. Zu den zentralen Themen dieser Erzählung gehört die Abwesenheit von technischem Equipment – und der Umgang der jungen Szene mit diesem Mangel.
Ein Vierspur Kassettenrekorder musste für die ersten Aufnahmen im Kinderzimmer reichen. Und wer DJ werden wollte, übte Scratchen mit dem Plattenspieler der Eltern. Anders als heute, wo man mit einem Smartphone in der Hand theoretisch ein Millionenpublikum erreichen kann, stellte die Aufnahmetechnik damals eine große Hürde dar. Wer jedoch über die technischen Voraussetzungen verfügte, Songs aufzunehmen, wurde schnell zur Anlaufstelle für die junge Rap-Szene.
Parallel zu dieser Ära der Technik-Autodidakten, öffneten die Rapper*innen der frühen 1990er Jahre ebenfalls ein Fenster in eine neue Welt: Indem sie anfingen, auf Deutsch zu rappen, grenzten sie sich bewusst von den amerikanischen Vorbildern ab und schufen ein ganz neues Selbstbewusstsein der jungen Subkultur. Und ganz nebenbei auch ein ganz neues Bewusstsein für die Möglichkeiten der deutschen Sprache. „Hier wurde etwas gänzlich Neues erschaffen“, sagt Oliver Herbst.

Viele Künstler, die auf der Compilation vertreten sind, dürften heute nur noch echten Hip-Hop-Nerds bekannt sein. Doch es finden sich auch bekannte Namen auf der Tracklist. Jan Eißfeldt etwa, der heute solo als Jan Delay oder als Teil der Beginner Konzerthallen füllt. Oder Fettes Brot, die von einem Hip-Hop-Trio aus dem Hamburger Umland zu einer der erfolgreichsten deutschen Popbands der Gegenwart heranwuchsen. Oder Deichkind, die zu einem massentauglichen Universal Kunstprojekt avanciert sind.

Wie schon das gleichnamige Buch und die Museumsausstellung, so blickt auch die Compilation EINE STADT WIRD BUNT. hinter die Kulissen einer jungen Subkultur – und erzählt parallel spannende Kapitel Musik-, Technik- und Stadtgeschichte aus der Hip-Hop-Hochburg an der Elbe.

INTERPRETEN
Fettes Brot, Absolute Beginner, Deichkind, Das Bo, Ferris MC, Mr. Schnabel, Sleepwalker, Kastrierte Philosophen, Mellow Mark, David Fascher, Easy Business, Reim Banditen, Readykill, TobiTob, I.L.L. Will, City Nord, MK Cram (Poets of Peeze), Dialektik, 2 Ruff, Nina, Flashmaster Ray, Dennis Deutschland, 2BIAS, MC Africa True alias Nana, Vers Chaoten, Die Erstausgabe, THC (Ter Hartchor), R.A.F. (Reimende Antifaschisten), Direkt Aktion, Fogmoor, Syren, Mental Disorda (Crime Code Barets), Dennis the Menace, Selma, 08/15, Hamburg Royal, Skunk Funk, B-Low, Gizmo, AJ, SMG, Phantom Black, Leon Le Pro alias EL’OMC, Paolo 77, Monti, Hanseknaller, Schlechta Umgang u.v.a.

ZITATE VON
André Luth, Jan Eißfeldt, Mathias Arfmann, Ale Dumbsky, David Fascher, Fatih Akin, Carsten Bohn, Schiffmeister (Björn Beton), Pasha Kamber (DJ MPK), Boris Ekambi, Sleepwalker, Mr. Schnabel, Nana Abrokwa, Simon Vegas u.a.

PRODUCER
Mario von Hacht (Super Mario), Sleepwalker, B-Base, Bubblez, TobiTob, X-Ray, Simple Simon

Produziert von Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, Mannequin Pussy, etc.), der auch schon an der 2023er "Psychic Dance Routine" EP der Hardcore-Band Scowl aus Santa Cruz mitgewirkt hat, findet man auf "Are We All Angels" die giftige und antagonistische Band, die ihre Aggression durch eine expansivere Version ihrer selbst leitet. Das Album wurde von Rich Costey (Fiona Apple, My Chemical Romance, Vampire Weekend, etc.) gemischt. "Are We All Angels" ist geprägt von Entfremdung, Trauer und Kontrollverlust, und setzt sich größtenteils mit ihrem neu gefundenen Platz in der Hardcore-Szene auseinander, einer Gemeinschaft, die die Band in den letzten Jahren sowohl umarmt als auch zu einer Art Blitzableiter gemacht hat. Auf "Are We All Angels" erkunden Scowl auf Schritt und Tritt ehrgeizige neue Richtungen und verbiegen Genre-Normen. Sängerin Kat Moss macht die am unmittelbarsten erkennbare Entwicklung, indem sie einen strukturierteren und manchmal zarten Ansatz wählt. Sie spielt mit Harmonien und melodischem Feingefühl, das selbst die eingefleischtesten Scowl-Fans überraschen dürfte. Moss nennt eine breite Palette von Einflüssen außerhalb des harten Rock - alles von Billie Eilish bis Radiohead, Car Seat Headrest bis Julien Baker. "Die meisten von uns waren wirklich keine geübten Musiker, als die Band begann", gibt sie zu. "Es war in dieser Hinsicht sehr Germs-esque, wie die erste Hardcore-Band eines Babys, was großartig ist. Jetzt wissen wir vielleicht immer noch nicht, was wir tun, aber wir haben eine bessere Vorstellung davon, was wir tun wollen." Instrumental gibt die Band Einflüsse von Negative Approach, Bad Brains, Hole, Mudhoney, Garbage, Ramones, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Rocket From The Crypt und anderen an. Bassist Bailey Lupo merkt an: "Das Songwriting für die neue Platte war das bisher kollaborativste in der Geschichte von Scowl. Jeder hat so viele Ideen eingebracht, und wir konnten sie alle in Ruhe analysieren und uns Zeit nehmen. Wir haben alle so unterschiedliche Geschmäcker, Einflüsse und Persönlichkeiten, und das kann man auf diesem Album wirklich in jeder Ecke hören." Selbst durch diesen eklektischen Ansatz verlieren Scowl nichts von ihrer Schärfe und schaffen es immer noch, die Wut und Frustration zu vermitteln, die dahinter steckt. Sie sind zutiefst dem Ethos des Punk und seinem Gemeinschaftssinn verpflichtet. "Hardcore und Punk haben uns geprägt, wie wir arbeiten, was wir als Band tun wollen und wie wir uns beteiligen", sagt Greene. "Im Kern sind wir eine Punk- und Hardcore-Band, unabhängig davon, wie sich der Song verändert." Das Album wird von dem bereits veröffentlichten "Special" eröffnet, einen Song mit großer, hymnischer Energie, der die rohe Intensität von Scowl beibehält. Scowl haben sich schnell als einer der dynamischsten und fleißigsten Acts in der Rockszene etabliert und ausgiebig in den USA und international mit Bands wie Limp Bizkit, Destroy Boys, The Bronx, Militarie Gun, Show Me The Body, Zulu, Touche Amore, A Day To Remember, Speed, Sunami und vielen anderen getourt, sowie Festivalauftritte beim Coachella, Reading & Leeds, No Values, Outbreak, Primavera und Sick New World, um nur einige zu nennen, absolviert. Die Band - Malachi Greene (Gitarre), Bailey Lupo (Bass), Cole Gilbert (Schlagzeug), Mikey Bifolco (Gitarre) und Kat Moss (Gesang) - gründete sich 2019 und feierte 2021 mit ihrem Debütalbum "How Flowers Grow" ihren Durchbruch. Seitdem sind sie unaufhaltsam auf dem Vormarsch.

Inspiriert vom Leben und Mythos des Schauspielers Dennis Hopper haben Mike Scott und The Waterboys - die schottische Rockband bekannt für ihre Hits 'The Whole Of The Moon' und 'The Big Music' - dieses umfangreiche Album als Hommage an eine der faszinierendsten Persönlichkeiten der amerikanischen Popkultur geschaffen. Das Album mit ausschließlich eigenen Songs ist sehr konzeptionell angelegt und bringt hochkarätige Künstler wie Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple und Steve Earle zusammen, um Hoppers Leben musikalisch zu durchdringen, einschließlich eines Songs für jede seiner Ehefrauen.

- Die Verpackung enthält Fotos aus dem Archiv von Dennis Hopper

- Col. 2LP: (Burnt Colored Vinyl in Gatefold-Hülle mit bedruckten Innentaschen)

Inspiriert vom Leben und Mythos des Schauspielers Dennis Hopper haben Mike Scott und The Waterboys - die schottische Rockband bekannt für ihre Hits 'The Whole Of The Moon' und 'The Big Music' - dieses umfangreiche Album als Hommage an eine der faszinierendsten Persönlichkeiten der amerikanischen Popkultur geschaffen. Das Album mit ausschließlich eigenen Songs ist sehr konzeptionell angelegt und bringt hochkarätige Künstler wie Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple und Steve Earle zusammen, um Hoppers Leben musikalisch zu durchdringen, einschließlich eines Songs für jede seiner Ehefrauen.

- Die Verpackung enthält Fotos aus dem Archiv von Dennis Hopper

- Ltd. Col. 2LP: (Psychedelic Waves Colored Vinyl in Gatefold-Hülle mit bedruckten Innentaschen)

Wenn sie nicht gerade aus dem Fenster auf die stürmische Skyline von Manhattan blickte, verbrachte Margo Guryan ihre dreißiger Jahre damit, Ohrwürmer für Leute wie Bobbie Gentry, Jackie DeShannon, Claudine Longet, Carmen McCrae und Julie London bei CBS's April Blackwood Music zu schreiben. Guryans zeitlose Gedanken über Liebe, Sonntage, Erdbeben, Weinen und Jungs namens Timothy haben unzählige Filme und virale Videos unterlegt. Meisterwerke aus früheren Zeiten. 28 ihrer Songwriting-Demos aus den 60er und 70er Jahren sind auf dieser 25-jährigen Jubiläums-Doppelalbum-Edition.

MACROCOSM is BALTHVS' first LP.

The name implies the diverse nature of the music, the substantial genre blending throughout, and the general psychedelic vibe of the songs.

It's a cross-continental trip across time, styles, languages, and rhythms.

In just five years, BALTHVS has carved out a unique space in the global music scene, emerging as Colombia’s most prominent alternative international act. Blending psychedelic grooves with hypnotic funk, the band has captivated audiences across three continents, performing in 56 cities throughout 19 countries. Their ever-expanding reach is backed by over 45 million streams, 10,000 vinyl records sold, and a relentless touring schedule that has seen them grace stages at premier festivals such as Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Electric Forest, and SXSW Sydney. As three-time SXSW alumni, they’ve cemented their presence in Austin’s thriving music circuit while remaining a staple at Colombia’s top festivals, including Rock al Parque and Estéreo Picnic. With critically acclaimed releases and appearances on influential platforms like KEXP, Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Café, and the BBC, BALTHVS continues to redefine modern psychedelic music with a sound that is both immersive and irresistibly groovy.

Anika kanalisiert ihre Frustration, Wut und Verwirrung über die Welt in ihrem dritten Album "Abyss". Das Album wurde live in den legendären Hansa Studios in Berlin aufgenommen und fängt die rohe Energie mit minimalen Overdubs ein. Das Ergebnis ist eine eindringliche und dringende 10-Track-Reise, die von intensiven Emotionen angetrieben wird. Der Aufnahmeprozess, der in nur wenigen Tagen mit einer Live-Band stattfand, unterstreicht die Unmittelbarkeit und bietet einen Sound, der sowohl physisch als auch direkt ist. "Abyss" spiegelt Anikas Wunsch wider, einen Raum zu schaffen, in dem sich Menschen vereinen und frei fühlen können, um sich inmitten des Chaos der Welt auszudrücken. Mit Einflüssen, die von 90er Grunge und Courtney Love bis hin zu Patti Smith und Genesis P-Orridge reichen, wird das Album von einem rebellischen Geist getragen. Tracks wie "One Way Ticket" kritisieren den Aufstieg des Faschismus, während "Hearsay" sich mit der Spaltung durch Fake News auseinandersetzt und Anikas Entschlossenheit offenbart, sich mit den komplexen Gegebenheiten unserer Zeit auseinanderzusetzen. Die rohe, emotionale Kraft des Albums wird durch seine Körperlichkeit ergänzt. Anikas Ziel ist es, die Hörer aus ihren Köpfen heraus und zurück in ihre Körper zu holen und ihnen durch die Musik und die Live-Performances eine Befreiung zu bieten. Dies ist ein Raum, um die Verbindung zwischen Geist und Körper wiederherzustellen - etwas, das ihrer Meinung nach in der heutigen Welt zunehmend verloren geht. Ihr Wunsch, diese Energie auf der Bühne zu erzeugen, spiegelt sich in den dichten, stampfenden Rhythmen von "Abyss" wider, die auf der Energie des Alt-Rock der 90er Jahre aufbauen. "Abyss" befasst sich auch mit den intensiven Spannungen zwischen der Linken und der Rechten in der heutigen Gesellschaft und erforscht die Komplexität menschlicher Unvollkommenheit und gesunder Debatten. Von der stürmischen Intensität von "Oxygen" bis zum melancholischen "Buttercups" weigert sich das Album, vor unbequemen Wahrheiten zurückzuschrecken. Anika stellt sich mutig ihren eigenen rohen Emotionen, wie in den offenen Texten von "Walk Away", wo sie über ihre Unzufriedenheit mit sich selbst und der Welt nachdenkt. Mit "Abyss" lädt Anika die Hörer in einen Raum der Befreiung, der Rebellion und der Ehrlichkeit ein und schafft ein Album, das den Aufruhr unserer Zeit anspricht und gleichzeitig ein emotionales Ventil bietet. Wie sie es ausdrückt: "Dies ist ein Raum für dich".

Anika kanalisiert ihre Frustration, Wut und Verwirrung über die Welt in ihrem dritten Album "Abyss". Das Album wurde live in den legendären Hansa Studios in Berlin aufgenommen und fängt die rohe Energie mit minimalen Overdubs ein. Das Ergebnis ist eine eindringliche und dringende 10-Track-Reise, die von intensiven Emotionen angetrieben wird. Der Aufnahmeprozess, der in nur wenigen Tagen mit einer Live-Band stattfand, unterstreicht die Unmittelbarkeit und bietet einen Sound, der sowohl physisch als auch direkt ist. "Abyss" spiegelt Anikas Wunsch wider, einen Raum zu schaffen, in dem sich Menschen vereinen und frei fühlen können, um sich inmitten des Chaos der Welt auszudrücken. Mit Einflüssen, die von 90er Grunge und Courtney Love bis hin zu Patti Smith und Genesis P-Orridge reichen, wird das Album von einem rebellischen Geist getragen. Tracks wie "One Way Ticket" kritisieren den Aufstieg des Faschismus, während "Hearsay" sich mit der Spaltung durch Fake News auseinandersetzt und Anikas Entschlossenheit offenbart, sich mit den komplexen Gegebenheiten unserer Zeit auseinanderzusetzen. Die rohe, emotionale Kraft des Albums wird durch seine Körperlichkeit ergänzt. Anikas Ziel ist es, die Hörer aus ihren Köpfen heraus und zurück in ihre Körper zu holen und ihnen durch die Musik und die Live-Performances eine Befreiung zu bieten. Dies ist ein Raum, um die Verbindung zwischen Geist und Körper wiederherzustellen - etwas, das ihrer Meinung nach in der heutigen Welt zunehmend verloren geht. Ihr Wunsch, diese Energie auf der Bühne zu erzeugen, spiegelt sich in den dichten, stampfenden Rhythmen von "Abyss" wider, die auf der Energie des Alt-Rock der 90er Jahre aufbauen. "Abyss" befasst sich auch mit den intensiven Spannungen zwischen der Linken und der Rechten in der heutigen Gesellschaft und erforscht die Komplexität menschlicher Unvollkommenheit und gesunder Debatten. Von der stürmischen Intensität von "Oxygen" bis zum melancholischen "Buttercups" weigert sich das Album, vor unbequemen Wahrheiten zurückzuschrecken. Anika stellt sich mutig ihren eigenen rohen Emotionen, wie in den offenen Texten von "Walk Away", wo sie über ihre Unzufriedenheit mit sich selbst und der Welt nachdenkt. Mit "Abyss" lädt Anika die Hörer in einen Raum der Befreiung, der Rebellion und der Ehrlichkeit ein und schafft ein Album, das den Aufruhr unserer Zeit anspricht und gleichzeitig ein emotionales Ventil bietet. Wie sie es ausdrückt: "Dies ist ein Raum für dich".

Entering its 26th year of activity, the morphing, Los Angeles based experimental outfit, Sissy Spacek, joins Shelter Press with Entrance, among the project's most captivating outings to date. Encountering the duo of John Wiese and Charlie Mumma joined in various configurations by an incredible cast of collaborators - Tim Barnes, Marco Fusinato, Aaron Hemphill, Brad Laner, Katsura Mouri, Ralf Wehowsky, and C Spencer Yeh - collectively transformed into a series a deeply intimate and delicate gestures of musique concrète, Entrance radically repositions the possibilities presented by group improvisation outside of time and place. Founded at the end of the last millennium, the Los Angeles based project, Sissy Spacek, initially emerged from the knotted, fiery context 1990s American noise and grindcore, producing sheets of visceral sonority that quickly set the scene on its head. Going through numerous evolutions, before eventually settling as a duo of John Wiese and Charlie Mumma - joined by a rotating and often recurring cast collaborators - over the last 25 years the band has continuously entered states of evolution that have defied the expectations of its own context, seeding the sonic extremes noise with subtle and sophisticated approaches to free improvisation and musique concrète. Fiercely positioning its efforts within the outer reaches of contemporary experimental music, while resisting the constraints of a singular sound or proximity, Wiese regards Sissy Spacek as being primarily centred around the practice of musique concrète and the pursuit of extremes. From its earliest releases - collage treatments of material gathered from the band's full throttle practice sessions - the project's conceptual framework has continuously evolved within a deeply engaged process of experimentation, not only reworking tactical approaches, but also definitions and perception regarding the location and action of their work. In recent years, this has led to an increasingly varied and diverse output. Percolating within, is a thread marked by a striking sense of delicacy and intimacy, driving forward while doubling as an unexpected challenge, in real time, to perceptions connected to the band's past. Entrance is the most recent of these. Embarking upon the four compositions that comprise the finalized four sides of Entrance, Wiese and Mumma enlisted longstanding collaborators, Tim Barnes, Marco Fusinato, Aaron Hemphill, Brad Laner, Katsura Mouri, and C Spencer Yeh, as well as new initiate, Ralf Wehowsky (of the seminal German electronic noise collective P16.D4), requesting a contribution of sounds from each, determined by a general set guidelines that dictated certain qualities the given sonorities, while allowing for the expression of each player's distinct creative voice. The sets of resulting recordings were then chopped, harvested, manipulated, and reassembled as the four tape compositions that make up the album - Web Of Unfolding Appearance, Figure Of Reflected Light, Trancher And The Inheritors, True Dimension (From The Opaque - Spike) - each blurring the lines of authorship and clear creative proximity in remarkable ways. Where historical gestures of musique concrète tend to draw upon non-instrumental sound sources - regarding its sonorous material as raw elements, unburdened by inherent meaning or association, to be transformed and imbued with musicality - Sissy Spacek turns this position on its head. Entrance comprises works of musique concrète that not only draw upon instrumental sound sources, with all their possible meanings or associations, but also individual characters and personalities of their players, crediting each resulting piece to its respective configuration of contributors. As such, Entrance is an effort of sound collage defined by a rare sense of intimacy and humanity: four pieces that often take on the resemblance of group improvisation, but have, in fact, been assembled outside of time and place. Bent under the ever-present hand of Wiese's tape treatments and manipulation, each of the album's four compositions unfurl startling states of sonic abstraction and percolating texture, marked by a striking sense of hard-shifting structure, that culminate as tense, driven manifestations of ambient music: scrapes, squeals, rattles feedback, rolling drums, bouncing tones, whispers, bent electronics, electric artefacts, and seemingly everything else under the sun, configured into immersive, sublime mediations in sound from the most improbable events.

Every so often an album of such deceptive genius, of such aesthetic clarity, comes across our desk and transfixes us. Thought Leadership's III Of Pentacles is one such work of art. It's an instant classic and glides into the pantheon of timeless guitar-soul totems. Originally out on cassette only, we present the first ever vinyl issue. It's a hideously limited pressing of 300 for the world, so don't sleep on this.

Thought Leadership has already garnered big support from such tastemakers as Ruf Dug, Jason Boardman, Nathan Gregory Wilkins, J Walk, Evan Woodward, Justin Robertson and Heavenly's Jeff Barrett. The first time we heard III Of Pentacles, we nearly wept at the thought that something so beautiful, so bursting with real hope, could even exist in this brutal world. To quote the Quietus, "imagine if Stockport was situated somewhere along the Pacific Coast Highway rather than the M60, and you’ll have some idea of the coordinates to the post-industrial, sunburnt dream space opened up here."

So, who is Thought Leadership? What do we know about them? They reside in Stockport and are obsessed with ethereal guitar records. That’s about it. That and these X ideas shared with you, the listener.

Captured on a multitrack recorder in a terraced house in Stockport, this is as DIY as it gets. Glaringly obvious is a love for classic Factory and early 4AD. Perhaps it is the proximity to the River Mersey where the ideas arrived, and there being but three miles between where this and the Durutti Column’s classic “LC” was recorded, as the two operate across a familiar aural plain. Be it geographic or otherwise, limited by a true economy of means, namely guitar, pedals and drum machine, the fruit borne from these humble tools has been indelibly shaped by the perma-gloom that hangs low over the Manchester and Stockport environs.

Ushered in on 808 kicks, “I” opens the record as a beautiful Sketch for Stockport; a chiming maj7 chord dripping in chorus and delay sets us on our way. The Vini Reilly comparisons are unavoidable. “II” is all John McGeoch, with its trippy goth-psyche arpeggiated pattern cascading across the stereo image. Do those drums swing? But goths don’t swing?! They do here. We’re treated to a bit of crunch on the lead guitar part and some really lush reverb. We even step forth into shoegaze territory, albeit briefly, for the middle eight. “III”, a firm Be With favourite, continues the dreamy psyche leanings of the previous track, with an even bigger melody this time. We’re hearing The Teardrop Explodes on quaaludes here. A proto-dream pop cut soaked in melancholy. But watch out! The coda finds Johnny Marr has gotten into the ‘ludes and gatecrashed the final bars with some incredibly ignorant B minor pentatonic noodling.

“IV” ditches the drum machine for the first in a suite of three beatless electric guitar duets. The first of these semi-improvised rubato ideas is a striking departure from the earlier playful pieces, coming over emo and moody. Greyscale sulking for Stratocaster. Sign us up. “V” contains some really lyrical phrasing; a gorgeous conversation between two guitars. Real Stopfordian Primitive; meditative, crude, rain-soaked. We cycle through the same feels, then end on an alluring chord that breaks the pattern. Sometimes thoughts are like this. “VI” creeps in all plaintive, then a huge reverberating descending guitar line comes tumbling in like something off those classic Dif Juz 12”s. There’s some Maurice Deebank in there too, for sure, and the coda nods to early Meat Puppets.

“VII” rounds out the A Side, and succinctly presents a summary of all ideas explored thus far on our journey. The drum machine is back, this time with some wispy delay, before both guitars enter together playing interlocking lines. As we start, we end, with the delayed 808 guiding us out.

Opening Side B, “VIII” sees us embark on the other side of our journey as we slow down and space out. The drum machine is here, but the guitars are different now. Think Sensations Fix or Göttsching at his most peeled out. Drones, ambient drifts of broken chords and distorted lead lines all swirl round the mix. Side B is one for headphones for sure. “IX” is almost too exquisite for words. A New Age Mixolydian voyage through the cosmos. If you’re unmoved by the end you’ve probably got no pulse. We were left blunted ineffable by this one, such is the smudged elegance radiating from this idea. All hail the Thought Leader.

“X” is a full circle moment, and a fitting end. If you’ve not already elsewhere across the platter, you will be getting heavy Robin Guthrie vibes from this piece. Like the rest of Side B, this improvised jam sticks within a framework of related chords but the celestial energies channelled might invite us to wander “outside”, especially when the Tubescreamer is engaged.

RIYL Durutti Coulmn, Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz, Sensations Fix, Spike and adjacent guitar musicks – but, ultimately, this is just its own thing; such is the strength of ideas presented. "It’s good music to chill out to." (??)

Be With is honoured to present the first ever vinyl release of III Of Pentacles, carefully remastered by Be With's engineer Simon Francisco to ensure it sounds better than ever after its initial tape release. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry, in Holland. The original tape cover artwork, so crucial to Thought Leadership's striking visual aesthetic, has been rejigged for vinyl issue here at Be With. Its stark presentation befits the music contained within. They inform us that they shuffled their tarot deck to ask what the album should be called and the card you see on the cover popped out. The III Of Pentacles tarot card represents teamwork, shared vision and the ability to achieve goals through collaboration. We like to think Thought Leadership and Be With have nailed this one.

Rosettes are finally here with their debut album on Timmion Records, Lifestyles, a compelling journey into psychedelic soul, jazzy funk, and introspective grooves. For the listener, it creates an experience that manages to be both sophisticated and raw to the bone. Expanding on the sound they refined with their previous singles, this 10-track album captures the group in top form while crafting intoxicating sonic potions that pull you in. Featuring standout tracks like the soulful opener "The Call," the Isaac Hayes-inspired title track "Lifestyles," and the introspective groover "Spirals," the album weaves together cinematic instrumentals, intricate horn arrangements, and deeply personal storytelling, courtesy of lead singer Tytti Roto. Drawing inspiration from a range of vintage and contemporary masters_Cymande, SAULT, and Sade, to name a few_the rest of the eight-piece group doesn't linger in the shadows. Instead, they make it their mission to position the groove front and center. The album closes with "The Queen," the sole instrumental track, which evokes the spirit of 1970s blaxploitation soundtracks with its wah-wah and fuzz guitars and jazzy changes. Every track on Lifestyles is a testament to the Rosettes' ability to craft genre-blending masterpieces that are as emotionally gripping as they are musically intricate. For fans of adventurous soul and funk, this album offers a rich and rewarding journey.

Mit ihren unberechenbaren Live-Auftritten und Songs wie "Zurück zum Beton" und "Industriemädchen" sorgten S.Y.P.H. Ende der 70er für Furore - als eine der Bands, die rund um Düsseldorfs Ratinger Hof begannen, deutschsprachig zu texten. Die Band brach von Beginn an mit genre-konformistischen Erwartungshaltungen und machte Musik, die sich bei Rock, Punk und Kraut genauso bediente wie bei der Zügellosigkeit des Dadaismus und der Realität des Tagesgeschehens. Nach dem ersten Album und mehreren Singles (wiederveröffentlicht bei Tapete Records im Dezember 2024) produzierte die Band zwei weitere Alben - Pst und S.Y.P.H. (Album 4) - gemeinsam mit CANs Holger Czukay. Von 1978 bis 1981 entstanden neben Tapete Records veröffentlicht beide Alben gemeinsam mit einer Sammlung zuvor unveröffentlichter Raritäten - Punkraut 1978-1981. Auf dieser Compilation wurden rare und zuvor unveröffentlichte Aufnahmen aus den ersten drei Jahren der Bandgeschichte zusammengestellt: Die Songs "Blech" und "Mondpogo", 1978 live performt bei S.Y.P.H.s erstem Konzert im Düsseldorfer Carsch-Haus und fünf Aufnahmen, die zwischen 1978 und 1979 in Solingen entstanden. Außerdem gibt es drei Studio-Aufnahmen aus den Hamburger Container-Studios im Dezember 1981 - Aufnahmen aus einer Zeit, in der "sich die Band sowohl endgültig vom Punk als Musikrichtung verabschiedet hatte, als auch vom Einfluss des zwischenzeitlichen Produzenten Holger Czukay und einen völlig eigenen Stil gefunden hatte." (Kurt Dahlke, DAF)

FALKENBACH waren ursprünglich ein von Vratyas Vakyas konzipiertes Soloprojekt und wurden offiziell erstmals im Jahr 1995 mit dem Demo "Læknishendr" aktiv. Sein im Jahr 1998 erschienenes zweites Album " ...Magni blandinn ok megintíri..." lässt sich als eine gereifte, melodischere Fortsetzung des Debüts " ...En their medh riki fara..." (1996) einordnen. Dessen angeschwärzter Pagan Metal Stil mit Einflüsse sowohl von Bathory als auch der zweiten nordischen Black Metal Welle blieb der Multiinstrumentalist erfolgreich treu. "...Magni blandinn ok megintíri..." gilt zu Recht weiterhin als ein wichtiger Meilenstein des Genres.

Brand new repress of the Gentlemans Pistols legendary album. Hustler's Row is Gentlemans Pistols third album after the self-titled Gentlemans Pistols (2007) and the critically acclaimed At Her Majesty's Pleasure (2011). Hustler's Row is a solid melodic hard rock release with a strong 70's classic rock vibe and we would definitely recommend it to the fans of the genre.

Brand new repress of the Gentlemans Pistols legendary album. Hustler's Row is Gentlemans Pistols third album after the self-titled Gentlemans Pistols (2007) and the critically acclaimed At Her Majesty's Pleasure (2011). Hustler's Row is a solid melodic hard rock release with a strong 70's classic rock vibe and we would definitely recommend it to the fans of the genre.

Star Trek – „30th Anniversary Vol. 1“: Der Original Soundtrack auf Vinyl für alle Trekkies! Für alle Star Trek-Fans und Vinyl-Liebhaber gibt es jetzt ein ganz besonderes Highlight: Der „30th Anniversary Vol. 1“ Soundtrack entführt die Fans erneut in die unendlichen Weiten des Weltalls. Das besondere Vinyl-Release feiert die große musikalische Erbschaft, die Star Trek über Jahrzehnte hinweg mit seiner kraftvollen und atmosphärischen Musik begleitet hat. Auf „30th Anniversary Vol. 1“ finden sich einige der berühmtesten Tracks aus der ersten Serie, die das Gefühl von Abenteuer und Entdeckung im All perfekt transportieren. Das knisternde, warme Klangbild der Vinyl sorgt zudem für ein authentisches Retro-Erlebnis, das Fans der ersten Stunde genauso begeistern wird wie die neue Generation von Trekkies.

-sechstes Album der traditionellen Heavy- und Epic Metal Band -spezielles Vinylmastering, bedruckter Einleger -handgemaltes Coverartwork, authentische und druckvolle Produktion -Europatour im April 2025 Das neue Album der serbischen Band Claymorean mit dem Titel „Eternal Curse“ wird weltweit am 4. April über Golden Core/ZYX Records als LP erscheinen.

Es wurde zwischen Oktober 2024 und Januar 2025 von Claymorean und Boris urlan (Midnight Studio, Lazarevac) aufgenommen und produziert. Das atemberaubende Artwork wurde meisterhaft von Anton Atanasov (OldSchool Crew) handgemalt. Das neue Album stellt eine Zusammenarbeit der gesamten Band beim Songwriting, bei den Aufnahmen und beim Arrangieren dar - ein Meilenstein, der Vladimir Garčević, Gitarrist und Bandleader, ein Lächeln ins Gesicht zaubert: „Wir haben versucht, die Essenz unserer Live-Auftritte (unter anderem beim Keep It True Rising und Headbangers Open Air) einzufangen, und Boris hat uns wirklich hervorragend dabei geholfen, den Sound zu erreichen, den wir uns für dieses Album vorgestellt haben.“ Jeder Song auf „Eternal Curse“ fühlt sich an wie eine triumphale Kampfhymne für den Metal des 21. Jahrhunderts, geschaffen mit Überzeugung, Ehrlichkeit und Leidenschaft. “Wir feiern den Heavy Metal und die LP ist auch ein Tribut an unsere Helden und Fans dieses unsterblichen Genres.“ Vlad fügt hinzu: Wir haben es geschafft, auf jeder unserer Platten einen einzigartigen und unverwechselbaren Sound zu kreieren, während wir unserer Identität und künstlerischen Integrität treu geblieben sind. Keine Kompromisse!

Electronic music at its best offers a tantalising glimpse of the future, capturing the moment of conception where new worlds and genres are brought into being. Amsterdam-via-Berlin label Q1E2 (standing for “quality first, ego second”) embodies this expansive promise on their new various-artists compilation, a thrilling speed-run through the cosmic outer-reaches of contemporary club sounds that highlights the work of essential emerging producers from around the globe.

Milan producer Jack Bags opens the proceedings with “Natural Thing”, an astral deep-dance immersion with zero-gravity synthesizer pads and skeletal dub percussion that echo out through the void, sensuous vocal samples arriving like scattered transmissions from the stereo of some long-lost spacecraft. datSIM’s “Influx” races through kaleidoscopic sci-fi spacescapes, presenting a futuristic reimagining of UK bass sounds with dextrous organ melodics and widescreen atmospherics. Mike Riviera and Marco Ohboy bring us back down for a more earthly kind of ecstatic experience, cranking up the humidity and coaxing out the endorphins with the appropriately-titled “Euphoria” - a rugged, rave-adjacent heater that cleverly rearranges elements of classic house and garage into a decidedly modern club workout.

Elsewhere there’s a distinctive undercurrent of jazz flowing through the compilation, mapping out thrilling new evolutions of the music on and off the dancefloor. Dr Sud’s mesmeric rhythm excursion “Zaffiro” unfurls like the coils of a cosmic serpent, tessellating percussion and slinking subs tracing intricate beat geometries. A Soft Mist Production’s “Upside Down Rainbows” settles in for the afters with smoked-out soulful atmospherics, syrupy vocals curling and turning in the air like smoke vapors from the last vestiges of a still-lit cigarette. The Rabbit Hole’s “Tail Groove” closes out the proceedings with a surprising bait-and-switch - opening on lustrous lounge piano that could have been comped straight from a Bill Evans record, the track quickly gives way to interstellar bass ‘n’ breaks. The producer’s canny use of cello licks adds a grounded, organic feel, jazz futurism that recalls Photek or LTJ Bukem’s sampling experiments.

Taken together, the label’s new compilation provides a snapshot of a scene in constant evolution, taking the temperature of the modern electronic scene and finding it to be in rude health.

Written by Matthew Fidler

SYML is the solo venture of artist Brian Fennell. Welsh for “simple”—he makes music that taps into the instincts that drive us to places of sanctuary, whether that be a place or a person. Born and raised in Seattle, Fennell studied piano and became a self-taught producer, programmer, and guitarist. Says Fennell about his album Nobody Lives Here, "We change, the world changes, and there is so much unknown. About a year ago I started writing songs that represent the change that is happening in front of my face, a group that have emerged to become the third SYML album. Many of these songs are about getting older, and the intimate, and sometimes frightening, passing of time. Some are about how getting older revolves around looking forward to things happening, and when they don’t happen, or they feel different than anticipated, we can be left with surprise and sadness. I’m actually reminded of this watching my 2 year old! We learn to live with disappointment. I recorded some of these songs with kids and dogs making noise in the background, and others in silent studios with musicians I’ve listened to and admired for many years. These songs are meant to be pieces of clothing to wear as you need (or I need). Some are bright and bold and others are gentle, but they were all made with a sense of comfort in mind, even when things feel bleak. My wife jokes that when our friends hear some of these songs, they might think we are not “ok”. Thankfully, putting myself inside a sad song is still a good place to feel happy. There's this generally unspoken feeling that musicians don’t listen to their own music. That isn’t true for me. I love living with my songs because their meaning changes as I change. There is as much fear and beauty in the big questions as there is wonder and possibility in the simple, everyday shit we live through.”

On April 4th, Brighton-based Australian vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes will release her fifth full-length album ‘A Requiem’. It comes alongside news of her signing to London imprint, One Little Independent Records. ‘A Requiem’ collects ten haunting, ambient soundscapes - incantations of dreams and nightmares, of death and grief, as well as power and autonomy. Carnal, transcendent cello drones are used to exorcise historical and generational traumas in an evocative and macabre piece of gothic experimentalism.

Seeking solitude for what she knew would be an intense and cathartic writing experience, Trappes travelled to Scotland and isolated completely. Amidst meditative and psychedelic states, she channeled demons and accessed parts of herself she’d long desired to cleanse. During candle-lit recording sessions she found herself drawn to cello, an instrument she has no formal training in, she explains, “I always felt an affinity toward the cello, I embraced it, held it, and became one with it as a way to accompany my voice. The nerve-like strings of the cello became external chords of my vocal folds… I scratched on them, leaned into them, and conjured all of the textures I could muster”.

‘A Requiem’ is a musical service in honour of the dead, a sanctuary Trappes built for herself to explore familial chaos and history. “I was looking for an equilibrium between a ‘heaven' and a ‘hell’” she explains, “screaming out to the wisdom of our foremothers - surfacing and leading me into true strength and beauty. I listened to the sorrow closely. Death is a part of our reality. Inevitable. Omnipresent. But nightmares can be beautiful”.

She continues, “This album is my personal requiem for my parents, my ties to the land where I was born, along with all of my epigenetically connected ancestors before them. The songs helped me summon up the strength to move through my own awareness of mortality, death, and impending loss. This album is a living funeral. It’s a ceremonial collection of music. It’s an externalising of the power and strength to fight the generations of abuse and darkness that my parents self-admittedly played out in their parenting and to keep it away from my own social patterns and my psyche. It’s not an uncommon thing in the world and this lamented warcry goes out to everyone to help exorcise patriarchal, political, and religious systems of abuses of power”.

Mit ihren unberechenbaren Live-Auftritten und Songs wie "Zurück zum Beton" und "Industriemädchen" sorgten S.Y.P.H. Ende der 70er für Furore - als eine der Bands, die rund um Düsseldorfs Ratinger Hof begannen, deutschsprachig zu texten. Die Band brach von Beginn an mit genre-konformistischen Erwartungshaltungen und machte Musik, die sich bei Rock, Punk und Kraut genauso bediente wie bei der Zügellosigkeit des Dadaismus und der Realität des Tagesgeschehens. Nach dem ersten Album und mehreren Singles (wiederveröffentlicht bei Tapete Records im Dezember 2024) produzierte die Band zwei weitere Alben - Pst und S.Y.P.H. (Album 4) - gemeinsam mit CANs Holger Czukay. Tapete Records veröffentlicht beide Alben gemeinsam mit einer Sammlung zuvor unveröffentlichter Raritäten - Punkraut 1978-1981.

Mit ihren unberechenbaren Live-Auftritten und Songs wie "Zurück zum Beton" und "Industriemädchen" sorgten S.Y.P.H. Ende der 70er für Furore - als eine der Bands, die rund um Düsseldorfs Ratinger Hof begannen, deutschsprachig zu texten. Die Band brach von Beginn an mit genre-konformistischen Erwartungshaltungen und machte Musik, die sich bei Rock, Punk und Kraut genauso bediente wie bei der Zügellosigkeit des Dadaismus und der Realität des Tagesgeschehens. Nach dem ersten Album und mehreren Singles (wiederveröffentlicht bei Tapete Records im Dezember 2024) produzierte die Band zwei weitere Alben - Pst und S.Y.P.H. (Album 4) - gemeinsam mit CANs Holger Czukay. Tapete Records veröffentlicht beide Alben gemeinsam mit einer Sammlung zuvor unveröffentlichter Raritäten - Punkraut 1978-1981.

Das fünfte, den Durchbruch für Evan Dando bringende, Lemonheads-Album 'It's A Shame About Ray', wird zum 33-jährigen Jubiläum wieder als Single Vinyl in klassisch schwarz mit der Original-Tracklist nachgepresst (mit Download Card für die zusätzlichen Bonustracks der Deluxe Edition von 2022). Beschrieben von Musikjournalist und Autor Everett True als "Ein 30-minütiger Einblick in das, was es heißt, hart und schnell und locker und glücklich mit gleichgesinnten Kumpels zu leben, angetrieben von einer gemeinsamen Liebe zu ähnlichen Bands und Drogen und Alkohol und Freiheit". It's A Shame About Ray" hatte in jenen berauschenden, sorglosen Tagen des Jahres '92 eine beträchtliche Wirkung. Die Platte fängt perfekt Dandos Fähigkeit ein, die Sehnsucht und Lust der Teenager mühelos in einem zweiminütigen Popsong zu verpacken. Singles wie "My Drug Buddy" und der luftig-perfekte Pop des Titeltracks mögen herausstechen, aber die eigentliche Stärke des Albums liegt in den Tracks dazwischen; das wirklich fantastische 'Confetti' (über die Scheidung von Evans Eltern) und die atemberaubend lässige Akustik-Coverversion von 'Frank Mills' (aus dem Hippie-Musical Hair), eine Version, in der jedes Quäntchen Pathos und Gefühl für die verlorene Generation der 1960er mitzuschwingen scheint. Wenn Evan Dando Zeilen wie "I love him/but it embarrasses me/To walk down the street with him/He lives in Brooklyn somewhere/And he wears his white crash helmet" singt, weiß man erst richtig zu schätzen, wie wunderbar und verlockend Popmusik sein kann. Und dann gibt es da noch den Ansturm von Aufsässigkeit und Unverfrorenheit im wunderbar verkürzten 'Bit Part'; das aufgedrehte 'Ceiling Fan In My Spoon'... das war Jungs/Teenager-Popmusik mit Stil auf einem Niveau mit The Kinks, den frühen Undertones und den Wipers. "Ray sounds revelatory in its restlessness, mixing college pop with country flair and relocating Gus Van Sant's Portland atmosphere to New England." Pitchfork *****½ (Download only adiitional extras: 1 Mrs Robinson 2 Shakey Ground 3 My Drug Buddy (KCRW Session, 1992) 4 Knowing Me, Knowing You (Acoustic) 5 Confetti (Acoustic) 6 Alison's Starting To Happen (Acoustic) 7 Divan. Demo Recordings - Download only. 8 It's A Shame About Ray (Demo) 9 Rockin' Stroll (Demo) 10 My Drug Buddy (Demo) 11 Hannah & Gabi (Demo) 12 Kitchen (Demo) 13 Bit Part (Demo) 14 Rudderless (Demo) 15 Ceiling Fan In My Spoon (Demo) 16 Confetti (Demo))

THE NIGHTINGALES veröffentlichen ihr erstes Studioalbum seit dem viel gelobten Vorgänger "The Last Laugh" von 2022. Ihr neues Album "The Awful Truth", das am 4. April bei Fire Records erscheint, ist eine moderne Music-Hall-Interpretation mit Popsongs und 80er Nostalgie. Gefeiert in dem exzellenten, von Stewart Lee erzählten Film "King Rocker of 2020", in dem der Vorhang für die Magie des "altgedienten Punk/Alternative-Rock-Freiwilligen" (The Quietus) Robert Lloyd gelüftet wurde, sind THE NIGHTINGALES so aktuell wie eh und je, denn sie veröffentlichen eine scharfes Statement-Album auf die moderne Zeit, die zu Recht als "The Awful Truth" betitelt wird. Das Eröffnungsstück "The New Emperor's New Clothes" ist ein beschwingter, mitreißender Ausbruch mit einem dröhnenden Klavier, das den Song einleitend begleitet und dann in wilder, improvisierter Popmusik endet. Die Band über den Track: "A stream of consciousness. Initially inspired by the tawdry but tractable trend of the vacant, voluntarily egged on by ego hungry politicians, pop stars, beauties, ballers, ingrowing haters and hard-nosed influencers. One hundred percent on point with the nonsense of neo populism and savagely edited to fit the music, it is far from silky, it is futile and silly. Real rock 'n' roll." In den frühen 80er Jahren genossen sie Kultstatus als Lieblinge der glaubwürdigen Musikszene und wurden von John Peel angepriesen, der über sie sagte: ,Ihre Auftritte werden dazu dienen, ihre Exzellenz zu bestätigen, wenn wir weit genug von den 1980er Jahren entfernt sind, um diese Zeit rational zu betrachten, und andere, unendlich viel bekanntere Bands als Scharlatane entlarvt werden." Ihre Zeit ist in der Tat gekommen. The Nightingales sind Robert Lloyd, Andreas Schmid (Faust) am Bass, Fliss Kitson (Violet Violet) am Schlagzeug und Gitarrist James Smith (Damo Suzuki). "They genuinely sound more vital than ever." Uncut - "One of rock's unsung heroes" Esquire - "Still stunningly relevant" London Evening Standard - "Lloyd is the most underestimated songwriter of his generation" The Independent

Long coveted by diggers, connoisseurs and beat makers, here we have the first-ever reissue of Amedeo Tommasi's "Industria 2000", released in 1974 via RCA's "Original Cast" series under his Jarrell alias. These 12 sonic experiments - totally devoted to synthesizers - offer tense tonalities, dissonant ambiences, complex textures, white noise rides and muted rhythms that can easily be seen as cornerstones of what would become later known as Industrial Music, also anticipating the sonic landscapes found in some of the early Warp Records releases.
Comprising 12 tracks entirely devoted to synthesizers, Industria 2000 explores a range of stark, tense tonalities and dissonant atmospheres. The album’s complex textures, white noise swells, and muted rhythms can be seen as precursors to industrial music, anticipating the aggressive, abrasive soundscapes that would later come to define the genre. It is clear that Tommasi's work was not only ahead of its time, but was also laying the foundations for the sound realms explored in the early days by major electronic record labels of the 1990s and future electronic pioneers.

'Wherever You Are' is a new solo piano album, played and composed by John Foxx. Most of the recordings were made at home and in the early hours of morning in the weeks following his rare live performance at Kings Place, London in October 2023, as part of the BBC Radio 3 'Night Tracks' event. 'Around dawn is the best time to play piano,' says Foxx. 'Self-critical mechanisms mostly dormant, so I'm free to invent and enjoy for a while. The piano faces a window overlooking a valley surrounded by hills, where the sun comes up. There's often an early mist in the valley - and quite often, it rains. Some notes and sounds resonate with remembered experiences and you get glimpses of times and people. It's valuable. Quiet. Free association, myriad moments orbiting - and off you go.' He adds: 'Lately I'm realising how we get formed by other people. Everyone we know or knew, who affects the way we think and the way we see things - even in a small way, has a voice, and all those voices remain in a sort of lifelong conversation. I hear them all the time. It's not at all frantic, it's more oceanic - calm and pleasant and it eventually makes us the way we are. Luckily, I seem to have met - and meet - mostly good, generous, bright people and I'm still learning a great deal from all of them. They give you the touchstones, the maps, the weather. It's how we find our way. So - simply, thanks. Wherever you are.'

Perlenfarbenes Vinyl. Die in Berlin ansässige Songwriterin und Produzentin Neva Demure präsentiert ihr Debütalbum Antidote. Antidote zeigt Nevas Entwicklung von experimentellen elektronischen Klängen zu einer reichen Vielfalt an Genres und verbindet Elemente, die sowohl Nostalgie als auch Neuheit hervorrufen. Das Album behandelt Themen wie Liebe, Identität und innere Konflikte und spiegelt Nevas persönliche Reise der Selbstfindung wider.

Los Angeles-born music producer, artist, and DJ DF Tram is thrilled to announce the release of his highly anticipated new album, Bittersweet Afternoon on Orbscure Records. Orbscure Records, founded by Alex Paterson of the legendary electronic act The Orb, continues its tradition of championing innovative and boundary-pushing artists with this remarkable release. DF Tram is a leading figure in the global downtempo electronic scene, celebrated for his meticulously crafted audio-visual performances and immersive storytelling through sound. His work seamlessly blends ambient, sampling, spoken word, vocals, and psychedelia into genre-defying sonic journeys, offering listeners a unique and transformative experience.

Legendary producer Ant, best known for his work with Atmosphere, proves once again how irreplaceable he is with Collection of Sounds: Vol. 4. This latest release showcases the lifetime of dedication behind his craft, blending his unparalleled skills with a fresh, expanded vision. With previous volumes in the Collection of Sounds series, Ant has traced his musical evolution, spanning hip-hop, funk, reggae and more, all influenced and inspired by extensive travel dating back to his youth. Vol. 4 deepens this exploration, introducing rock-inspired elements—guitars that wail, gnaw, and groove—while maintaining his signature sound.

Despite these genre experiments, Vol. 4 is firmly grounded in hip-hop. The opening track, “Hearing In Dark Colors,” sets the tone, evoking long drives up desolate highways in the dead of night. Tracks like “Created With a Heavy Brush” and “Just Another Three A.M.” reveal a mastery of diverse soundscapes, while the triumphant “Day After 2010" takes listeners on an unexpected journey. As the album circles back to hip-hop on tracks like “A Pinch Brighter” and “Prelude Revisited,” it leaves listeners transformed, further solidifying Ant’s status as a visionary artist.

An'archives are proud to announce the release of the debut album by Tête de Chou, the trio of Mark Anderson, Kurumi Kido, and Arlo Wynks. Some may know Anderson for his membership of Greymouth, Mysteries Of Love, and Suishou No Fune; Kido and Wynks have more personal musical histories, which informs the intimacy and gently exploratory nature of the eight pieces contained here.

The term Miao is a very ancient Chinese misleading pseudo-ethnic categorisation, what we call the Hmong in western languages, a term recognised by colonial French Indochina. Miao became a generic term which does not reveal the diversity of 38 subgroups or 9 million people, mostly in Southern China Guizhou Province.

China having moved towards the market economy, a large number of minority regions have marketed a commodity available only to them: their ethnicity itself. Ethnic tourism has developed in a big way in China since the 1990s for Chinese and foreign tourists, and is often promoted as the way to create income in those areas for development. I usually stay away from ethnotouristic shows and try to get music which is not a commodity! I was based in Dali, Yunnan, China between 2006 and 2013.

Following the success of their 2023 release "Stockholm Kobenhavn", two of Denmark"s most celebrated musicians in multi-instrumentalist Gustaf Ljunggren and drummer Emil de Waal present their fourth collaborative album. Expanding on their growing reputation for crafting songs and sounds with masterful senses of subtlety, narrative and capacity to form meaningful connections with their collaborators and audiences alike, "Mikroklima" is set to release on February 7th on April Records. Emil de Waal has been one of Denmark"s leading drummers for three decades, best known for his work leading the band Kalaha and his collaborations with Elith "Nulle" Nykjær, as well as performing alongside most of the finest names in modern Scandinavian jazz. Gustaf Ljunggren initially studied the saxophone at the Rhythmic Conservatory of Copenhagen, where whispers spread throughout the school that he was the best saxophone player in town and yet never practiced. His career has seen him prove that he can bring grace, musicality and heart to any instrument he touches, from the pedal steel guitar, to the bass, piano, and more. "Mikroklima" is a testament to and celebration of musical growth, community, and the joy of musical gathering. One element that truly sets this album apart, is the bold move of inviting a group of 12 year old school children from a music class into the studio to record alongside Gustaf and Emil. Drawing from years of experience leading music workshops with young musicians, on Mikroklima Ljunggren and de Waal wanted to capture the sound of musicians from different generations and experiences coming together to contribute their ideas to their compositions. Showcasing Ljunggren"s colorful, comforting, folk-influenced approach to harmony and songwriting alongside de Waal"s distinctive touch on the drums, crafting simplistic yet creative grooves that feel as pleasing and refreshing as they do restrained and purposeful. As each piece unfolds, it becomes more and more apparent how present and communicative the duo are, playing only what the music needs and placing more weight on texture and feeling than soloistic flair. "Mikroklima" is an organic, generous offering that shows Gustaf Ljunggren and Emil de Waal doing what they do best: connecting with music.

Danish drummer Daniel Sommer completes his internationally acclaimed Nordic Trilogy (featured in Stereogum, Downbeat Magazine, Bandcamp"s Best of Jazz and more...) with the release of Lost Threads on March 21st, 2025, via April Records. Following As Time Passes and Sounds & Sequences, the highly anticipated third chapter features Finnish pianist Artturi Rönkä and Swedish bassist Thommy Andersson. Together, the trio embarks on a deeply introspective exploration of time, space, and their shared Nordic spirit of improvisation. Described by Sommer as "a process-oriented project prioritizing musical risk and flow," the Nordic Trilogy has sought to illuminate Nordic approaches to composition and improvisation across generational and stylistic divides. With Lost Threads, this vision culminates in a collection of music that embraces vulnerability, spontaneity, and togetherness. "Most of the music emerged as Daniel and I improvised in my living room in Helsinki," Rönkä recalls. "Later, when Thommy joined us for a couple of concerts and recording sessions... his highly personal way of playing the bass inspired Daniel and me to try to develop the music in further, unexpected directions." The result is a dynamic and emotionally resonant album, recorded live in a Helsinki studio with all three musicians in the same room, without headphones or edits whatsoever. The title track and Den ensommes dans pulse with energetic groove and rhythm, while pieces like Meditation, Silent Steps, and Forgotten Song float with a haunting, rubato lyricism. With influences ranging from Nordic folk, Western Classical music and the jazz tradition, Lost Threads continues the trilogy"s history of blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation. The trio"s collective sound-anchored by Rönkä"s nuanced piano, Andersson"s deeply personal bass tones, and Sommer"s textural drumming-creates a sonic landscape both timeless and contemporary. As the trilogy closes, Lost Threads invites listeners into a contemplative space where silence and sound intertwine, offering a balm for the modern world"s relentless pace. True to the spirit of the Nordic Trilogy, it stands as both a conclusion and a testament to the boundless possibilities of collective improvisation.

Ein argentinisch-baskischer Grrrl-Powerpunkpop-Split! LAS VIN UP wurden 2008 im Süden von Buenos Aires gegründet. Die Band besteht aus drei Frauen und einem Gitarristen. Die Musik ist ein melodischer Mix aus RAMONES und MUFFS-Parts die Songs sind Ohrwürmer von den man nicht genug bekommen kann. Die Band ist ein fester Bestandteil der Buenos Aires-Punkszene, ihre Konzerte werden frenetisch vom Publikum gefeiert. LARRU BELTZAK kommen aus Onati, einer kleinen Stadt im Baskenland in Spanien. Die Band wurde 2020 gegründet, aber alle Musiker haben vorher schon in diversen Bands gespielt. Die Musikstil ist Punk mit unglaublichen melodischen Gitarren, dazu ein sehr ausdrucksstarker Gesang von Sängerin Naiara. Die Band singt auf baskisch. Die beiden CDs, die die Band bisher veröffentlicht hat, genießen Kultstatus in Spanien Die LP kommt eingeschweißt mit Einleger und vielen Infos. Pop Punkrock/Punkrock für Fans von RAMONES/RAMONAS, MUFFS, 77er Powerpop/Punkrock

Eine spezielle Trojan Records-Veröffentlichung für 420-Vibes, sorgfältig zusammengestellt von Ras Jammy
von Suns of Dub. Die Verbindung zwischen Dub-Musik und Cannabis/420 hat tiefe kulturelle und historische Wurzeln und ist größtenteils mit der jamaikanischen Musikszene und dem Rastafariismus verbunden – zwei großen Einflüssen auf die Entwicklung von Dub. Dieses Album enthält die Werke einiger der
wichtigsten Pioniere des Genres, darunter King Tubby, Scientist, Dennis Bovell und Roots Radics.

Genau genommen stammt die Idee zu Who Believes In Angels? von drei befreundeten Musiker:innen:
Neben Elton John und der 11-fachen GRAMMY-Gewinnerin Brandi Carlile aus dem US-Staat Washington
war auch der vielfach preisgekrönte US-Produzent und Songwriter Andrew Watt (zweifacher GRAMMYGewinner) von Anfang an am kreativen Prozess beteiligt. Ihre Vision war eine echte Zusammenarbeit: Sie
wollten einen Longplayer aufnehmen, der ein echtes Gemeinschaftsprojekt ist, der durch und durch auf den
Faktor Kollaboration setzt. Konkret schwebte ihnen ein Mix aus Stücken vor, bei denen mal Elton, mal
Brandi am Mikrofon den Ton angeben sollte, wobei die Songtexte sowohl von Brandi als auch von Eltons
angestammtem Kreativpartner Bernie Taupin stammen sollten. Als Produzent und Co-Songwriter kam
obendrein Andrew Watt ins Spiel, dem als kreatives Bindeglied und Vermittler eine zentrale Rolle zukam.
Schon im Oktober 2023 kamen sie alle in den Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles zusammen, und nach 20
Tagen war schließlich alles im Kasten. Unterstützung bekamen sie dabei von weiteren Weltklasse-Musikern
– u.a. von Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pino Palladino (Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, David
Gilmour) und Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam, Beck).
Erhältlich als CD I LP I CD Box (CD & DVD & Aufklappbare Box)

Experience the long-awaited reissue of „The Guardian Of Forever“ the cult album from spacesynth pioneers Laserdance!

Originally released in 1995, this masterpiece proves once again why Laserdance remains one of the most influential acts in the genre. These tracks transport listeners to another dimension – with epic synth melodies and that unmistakable, spacey touch that made Laserdance legendary.

Let the iconic sounds of Laserdance take you on a journey through the endless cosmos!

*180g virgin leaded vinyl in a deluxe textured heavy gatefold cover, with paste-on artwork and special anti-static innersleeve.* Note: The pressing is absolute on point!!!!

Vincent Gallo and Harper Simon with a beautifully recorded suite of songs and instrumentals.

" More than two decades since he blew minds with a suite of brilliant releases on Warp, Vincent Gallo returns to the world of music at long last in Butterfly, his duo with Harper Simon, with the project’s full-length debut, “The Music of Butterfly”. A gesture of gentle, DIY / bedroom left-field pop, falling within the rough territory for which Gallo became renowned during the late '90s and early 2000s, while interweaving fascinating flirtations with minimalism and experimentalism, it’s a truly captivating piece of work that’s hard to get off the turntable after the first needle drop.

In the arts, the lines between genius and madness, as well as fact and fiction, often blur. Such, it seems, has always been the life of the artist, filmmaker, actor, musician, and composer Vincent Gallo. A cult figure and a member of various creative undergrounds for the better part of half a century, Gallo has courted controversy, ruffled feathers, and made some of the most singular statements to flirt at the outer edges of popular culture that can be called to mind. Arguably most well known for his work in film, during the late '90s and early 2000s - notably with his soundtrack for “Buffalo 66” and a suite of releases on Warp - Gallo became something of a sensation in the world of independent music for a visionary, incredibly unique and sensitive approach to sonority. For a time, the world was abuzz, waiting on bated breath for more, and yet time passed. Bar a few fragments, appearing here and there, almost nothing has been heard from Gallo, within the world of music, for more than 20 years. That is, until now, with the release of “The Music of Butterfly”, the debut full-length of Butterfly, his duo with Harper Simon: beautifully produced and issued by Family Friend Records - Gallo’s own label, founded in 1981 - in a deluxe edition that simply left us speechless: 180g vinyl in textured heavy gatefold cover with paste-on artwork and thick anti-static innersleeve. More or less picking up from where we last encountered him, spinning captivating melodies and gentle song-craft within the quieter temperaments of DIY, left-field pop, once again, and at long last, Vincent Gallo, encountered in an incredibly successful collaboration with Harper Simon as Butterfly, reminds us that he’s as much a force within the realm of music as he is within film. Not to be missed. This one isn’t going to sit around for long.

Vincent Gallo’s biography reads like the stuff of blaring beauty: a figure of moderate fame in his own right, who has remained at the centre of cultural ferment as the decades have rolled by. Born in 1961, in Buffalo, New York, as the story goes he ran away to New York City at the age of 16 and fell into the brewing counterculture of the Downtown scene, William Burroughs and John Giorno, in addition to the cream of his own peers, and began making paintings, music, and experimenting with film. In addition to being a member of the now legendary band Gray, with the artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and the filmmaker, Michael Holman, Gallo appeared in the cult 1981 film “Downtown 81”, before slowly beginning a career as an actor and catching the eye of Claire Denis, who brought his talents into the broader cultural gaze. Catapulted into the public by his own subsequent career as a filmmaker with “Buffalo '66” (1998) and “The Brown Bunny” (2003), both of which were marked by controversy and praise, Gallo further captivated the public with a partially brilliant, if not relatively brief, flurry of activity in the realms of music.

While Gallo had already been making music for roughly two decades at the time of his release of the “Brown Bunny” soundtrack, and the four release issued by Warp in rapid succession between 2001 and 2002 - “When”, “Honey Bunny”, “So Sad”, and “Recordings of Music for Film” - the almost fanatical fandom reached a fever pitch at the moment, allowing him, for some, to be regarded as much, if not more, as a musical artist than an actor and filmmaker. Anyway you cut it, in a few short years, he proved himself to be a polymath of rare talent. Somewhere along the way, while both were working as members of Yoko Ono's Plastic One Band, Gallo met the New York based, highly regarded singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer, Harper Simon, who also happens to be the son of Paul Simon. The pair fell into an incredibly fruitful duo collaboration, which came to be called Butterfly, and “The Music of Butterfly” being their debut full-length release.

Written, performed, and recorded by Vincent Gallo and Harper Simon in New York City between the winter of 2018 and the spring of 2019, the ten tracks comprising “The Music of Butterfly” are cumulatively a gesture of gentle, DIY / bedroom left-field pop, falling within the rough territory for which Gallo became renowned during the late '90s and early 2000s, making one feel like barely a moment had passed since we’d encountered his graceful hand at song-craft. Stripped back and raw, while retaining a sense of warmth and intimacy, across the length of “The Music of Butterfly” the duo of Gallo and Simon weave something completely captivating at the juncture of minimalism, experimentalism, and pop: meandering moments of texture and tone, slowly forming toward flirtations of melody that flower into song and back again. Somehow playful and light, while also remarkably emotive and personal, it’s almost as though each of these tracks crystallised out the air, unlabored and exactly as they should be without a note or beat more.

An engrossing immersion into both Gallo and Simon’s remarkably accomplished minds, having followed the path toward one another after radically different experiences and careers, “The Music of Butterfly” is one of those records that’ll be hard to get off the turntable after that first needle drop, and rarely leave the listening pile for some time to come. Issued by Family Friend Records in a beautiful deluxe edition that is unmatched even among the most stunning recent productions we can call to mind - 180g vinyl in textured heavy gatefold cover with paste-on artwork and thick anti-static innersleeve - it’s lovely to have Gallo back in the musical mix after so many years. "

Liz Stringer has been a steadfast and captivating feature of the Australian musical landscape over a six album career. Venerated by her musical peers and devoted fanbase alike, Stringer's world-class vocals, multi-instrumental prowess, notoriously powerful live performances and story-rich, genre-defying songs place her among the most important songwriters of her era. Mirroring the scope and complexity of Stringer's sensibilities and accomplishment as an artist, The Second High draws from Stringer's wider influences of jazz, funk and soul, and takes her ability to dissect the minutiae of the human condition through song - and connect with her audience - to a new level. The album is redolent with motifs of self-actualisation, lessons learned, sharp and ever-relevant commentary on social issues, and a strong and consistent focus on justice and equality. Fuelled by keys-driven grooves ranging from poignant grand piano lamentations (When You Met Me), the Rhodes-led jazz odyssey of On the Level, hip-hop flavoured keys brightening the bottom-heavy and deeply funky The Second High, to virtuosic keys that dance between strings and soaring multi-layered vocals in To Survive, Stringer's seventh studio album is a fresh and engaging ride to a destination yet uncharted, even by Stringer's standards - thrilling, stark and transformative. If 2021's First Time Really Feeling was an excavation, The Second High is an exorcism.

Kneading dough is tricky – you should know how it’s supposed to feel. If you try too hard you could make it worse. It’s a beautiful practice – creation with a gentle touch, to work at something so it can be left alone. “If it’s too drawn out it’s awful. It’s easy to give too much.” Dance in the mirror. Contemplate your veiny hands. Who do they remind you of?

You begin by mixing flour and water. “What happens when your people die? Why’d they move the rock to the other side of Ulster Park?” Eliza Niemi asks two seemingly unrelated questions in a rising melody with guitar accompaniment, like fingers playing spider up to the nape of your neck. Gentle pressure. Strands of gluten form to bind the mix. A new question lingers in the binding. When she admits “but I don’t know how to tell if I’m feeling it or not,” that question surfaces through the text. It is reiterated throughout the album. When I’m working with dough I think the same thing to myself.

On Progress Bakery, her second album as a solo artist, Eliza knows to leave some questions alone – to let juxtaposition and tension be the proof. It doesn’t have to be hard. The feelings and revelations they provoke rise in the heat. The smell is sweet. Crispy on the outside and soft all the way through. She playfully slip-slides through words and sounds and images, delighting in surprise, skimming ideas like stones cast across clear water, touching down briefly with uncommon grace.

The question provoked between those opening lines resurfaces in the strands between songs – “Do U FM” is fully formed and beautifully layered, while “Novelist Sad Face” is a short, acapella rendering of gentle curiosity. What is holding these ideas together? Some songs demand more, seem to carry a whole load – eventually the skipping stone will halt to sink and resume its idle duty – while others drift in and out of focus, the way thoughts and dreams become interwoven before the mind is sunk into true sleep.

Music and words don’t always have to interact. Where she decides to keep them apart gives a new contour to where and how she puts them together. The kind of thing you’re supposed to take for granted with songs and their singers comes alive in Eliza’s hands – the little miracle of mixing, kneading, stretching, and stopping.

So often on Progress Bakery, Eliza teases out truth and meaning by asking questions. “Do I wanna be crying?” “Do you want me good or do you want me bad?” “Do I need an eye test?” “I’m writing songs in my head while you’re going over stuff with me — is that cruel??” In “Pocky” Eliza ends with a question that feels to me like the actual biography, succinct and revealing:

I don’t wanna be made to see
I just wanna ask “what’s that?”

Grace that ought to be rare, but in its care and precision is offered humbly, with great generosity, and without announcing itself. Eliza’s simple, miraculous music is given further form and shape by a group of collaborators – invaluable guest musicians Jeremy Ray, Evan Cartwright, Steven McPhail, Kenny Boothby, Ed Squires, Carolina Chauffe, Dorothea Paas, Louie Short, and Avalon Tassonyi. Together with Louie Short, who recorded, mixed, and produced the album along with Jeremy Ray and Lukas Cheung, Eliza has cultivated a richness in sound and texture that prods and provokes the ticklish ear. Barely audible guitar tinkering, a brief lo-fi field recording of trumpets, the harmonic clicking of a looped synthesizer, a flourish of reeds, a child’s conversation, each uncanny sound perfectly placed, rippling out under a soft breeze.

Lay in bed alone at night and ask aloud to the stillness,

“What were you doing at the Albuquerque Airport?
What were you doing there??”

And hear your question answered by a dream of swelling, undulating cellos. Try to grasp at the melody and structure. It’s not an answer (if there could be one), but it moves deeper, closer to the weird layer of fleeting moments and disconnected images, barely perceptible at its core. Wait for the dream reel to click into place.

Eliza took me for a ride in Nicole (her beloved Dodge Grand Caravan) and told me she’d been thinking of the album as an embodiment of transition – and I think every transition, known or unknown, carries the weight of new meaning, skittering off the surface tension of life as you know it, creating ripples, sometimes bouncing off and sometimes breaking through. There is a trick you can use to tell if a dough is glutinous enough. You’re supposed to stretch it out as thin as you can without breaking it and hold it up to the light. If you can see through, even if it renders the world murky and uncertain, you should leave it alone. I love this trick. It’s one that Eliza seems to know intuitively: work gently and ask questions and don’t always expect answers, and when you can, take a glimpse at something new, and then leave.

Kneading dough is tricky – you should know how it’s supposed to feel. If you try too hard you could make it worse. It’s a beautiful practice – creation with a gentle touch, to work at something so it can be left alone. “If it’s too drawn out it’s awful. It’s easy to give too much.” Dance in the mirror. Contemplate your veiny hands. Who do they remind you of?

You begin by mixing flour and water. “What happens when your people die? Why’d they move the rock to the other side of Ulster Park?” Eliza Niemi asks two seemingly unrelated questions in a rising melody with guitar accompaniment, like fingers playing spider up to the nape of your neck. Gentle pressure. Strands of gluten form to bind the mix. A new question lingers in the binding. When she admits “but I don’t know how to tell if I’m feeling it or not,” that question surfaces through the text. It is reiterated throughout the album. When I’m working with dough I think the same thing to myself.

On Progress Bakery, her second album as a solo artist, Eliza knows to leave some questions alone – to let juxtaposition and tension be the proof. It doesn’t have to be hard. The feelings and revelations they provoke rise in the heat. The smell is sweet. Crispy on the outside and soft all the way through. She playfully slip-slides through words and sounds and images, delighting in surprise, skimming ideas like stones cast across clear water, touching down briefly with uncommon grace.

The question provoked between those opening lines resurfaces in the strands between songs – “Do U FM” is fully formed and beautifully layered, while “Novelist Sad Face” is a short, acapella rendering of gentle curiosity. What is holding these ideas together? Some songs demand more, seem to carry a whole load – eventually the skipping stone will halt to sink and resume its idle duty – while others drift in and out of focus, the way thoughts and dreams become interwoven before the mind is sunk into true sleep.

Music and words don’t always have to interact. Where she decides to keep them apart gives a new contour to where and how she puts them together. The kind of thing you’re supposed to take for granted with songs and their singers comes alive in Eliza’s hands – the little miracle of mixing, kneading, stretching, and stopping.

So often on Progress Bakery, Eliza teases out truth and meaning by asking questions. “Do I wanna be crying?” “Do you want me good or do you want me bad?” “Do I need an eye test?” “I’m writing songs in my head while you’re going over stuff with me — is that cruel??” In “Pocky” Eliza ends with a question that feels to me like the actual biography, succinct and revealing:

I don’t wanna be made to see
I just wanna ask “what’s that?”

Grace that ought to be rare, but in its care and precision is offered humbly, with great generosity, and without announcing itself. Eliza’s simple, miraculous music is given further form and shape by a group of collaborators – invaluable guest musicians Jeremy Ray, Evan Cartwright, Steven McPhail, Kenny Boothby, Ed Squires, Carolina Chauffe, Dorothea Paas, Louie Short, and Avalon Tassonyi. Together with Louie Short, who recorded, mixed, and produced the album along with Jeremy Ray and Lukas Cheung, Eliza has cultivated a richness in sound and texture that prods and provokes the ticklish ear. Barely audible guitar tinkering, a brief lo-fi field recording of trumpets, the harmonic clicking of a looped synthesizer, a flourish of reeds, a child’s conversation, each uncanny sound perfectly placed, rippling out under a soft breeze.

Lay in bed alone at night and ask aloud to the stillness,

“What were you doing at the Albuquerque Airport?
What were you doing there??”

And hear your question answered by a dream of swelling, undulating cellos. Try to grasp at the melody and structure. It’s not an answer (if there could be one), but it moves deeper, closer to the weird layer of fleeting moments and disconnected images, barely perceptible at its core. Wait for the dream reel to click into place.

Eliza took me for a ride in Nicole (her beloved Dodge Grand Caravan) and told me she’d been thinking of the album as an embodiment of transition – and I think every transition, known or unknown, carries the weight of new meaning, skittering off the surface tension of life as you know it, creating ripples, sometimes bouncing off and sometimes breaking through. There is a trick you can use to tell if a dough is glutinous enough. You’re supposed to stretch it out as thin as you can without breaking it and hold it up to the light. If you can see through, even if it renders the world murky and uncertain, you should leave it alone. I love this trick. It’s one that Eliza seems to know intuitively: work gently and ask questions and don’t always expect answers, and when you can, take a glimpse at something new, and then leave.

Scowl is a band that sounds exactly like their name implies. Venomous, fierce, antagonistic. A sneer not to be crossed. Over the last five years, the Santa Cruz, California, band has firmly planted their flag in the hardcore scene with their vicious sound and ripping live show, sharing stages around the world with Circle Jerks, Touché Amoré, and Limp Bizkit, and filling slots at prominent festivals like Coachella, Sick New World, and Reading and Leeds. But with their new album, Are We All Angels (Dead Oceans), Scowl is aiming to funnel all that aggression through a more expansive version of themselves. Much of Are We All Angels grapples with Scowl’s newfound place in the hardcore scene, a community which has both embraced the band and made them something of a lightning rod over the past few years. Standout single “Not Hell, Not Heaven” outright rejects the narratives cast onto them by outsiders. “It’s about feeling victimized and being a victim, but not wanting to identify with being a victim,” explains vocalist Kat Moss. “It’s trying to find grace in the fact that I have my power. I live in my reality. You have to deal with whatever you're dealing with, and it ain’t working for me.” The band breaks from a sense of disassociation to seek deeper connections on “Fantasy.” “It’s incredibly challenging to try to balance my love for the scene while also feeling, in some spaces, extremely alienated and hated,” Moss says. “‘Fantasy’ is about feeling like I don't know how to connect with these people anymore, because I have shelled myself away so hard.” The album ends in a philosophical place on the closing, titular track, “Are We All Angels,” asking questions like, “Is this all there is?” and ultimately putting it on the listener to decide. “It’s about the personal struggle between good and evil. It doesn’t matter how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ you are, there are systems that will try to rewrite your narrative no matter what you actually do,” explains Moss, noting that punctuation on “Are We All Angels” has been deliberately omitted in an attempt to leave the statement open-ended. Are We All Angels is the highly anticipated follow-up to Scowl’s debut, 2021’s How Flowers Grow, a 16-minute primal scream over punishing riffs. But amidst the pounding chaos, it was the record’s sonic outlier, a cleaner interlude called “Seeds to Sow,” that, true to its name, planted the seed for what was to come for the band. “It kind of laid out this destiny for us, and I feel like now we’re fulfilling that,” says drummer Cole Gilbert. The band continued to expand their sound on 2023’s widely acclaimed Psychic Dance Routine EP, incorporating more pop hooks and favoring gentler singing over heavy screaming, paving the way for what would come next. Scowl’s growth got a huge boost from producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, Code Orange, Balance and Composure), who broadened the band’s scope. “Will would say, ‘Everything you have here is correct, but it’s in the wrong place,’” says Gilbert. Moss adds: “Will really helped restructure a lot of the material. Some songs he tore apart to make more space for the really good hooks and choruses.” But even through this more eclectic approach, Scowl loses none of their edge, and still manages to convey the anger and frustration that lies underneath. They are deeply committed to carrying the ethos of punk and its sense of community. “Hardcore and punk have sculpted how we operate, what we want to do as a band, and how we participate,” says guitarist Malachi Greene. “At our core, we are a punk and a hardcore band, regardless of how the song shifts and changes.

Scowl is a band that sounds exactly like their name implies. Venomous, fierce, antagonistic. A sneer not to be crossed. Over the last five years, the Santa Cruz, California, band has firmly planted their flag in the hardcore scene with their vicious sound and ripping live show, sharing stages around the world with Circle Jerks, Touché Amoré, and Limp Bizkit, and filling slots at prominent festivals like Coachella, Sick New World, and Reading and Leeds. But with their new album, Are We All Angels (Dead Oceans), Scowl is aiming to funnel all that aggression through a more expansive version of themselves. Much of Are We All Angels grapples with Scowl’s newfound place in the hardcore scene, a community which has both embraced the band and made them something of a lightning rod over the past few years. Standout single “Not Hell, Not Heaven” outright rejects the narratives cast onto them by outsiders. “It’s about feeling victimized and being a victim, but not wanting to identify with being a victim,” explains vocalist Kat Moss. “It’s trying to find grace in the fact that I have my power. I live in my reality. You have to deal with whatever you're dealing with, and it ain’t working for me.” The band breaks from a sense of disassociation to seek deeper connections on “Fantasy.” “It’s incredibly challenging to try to balance my love for the scene while also feeling, in some spaces, extremely alienated and hated,” Moss says. “‘Fantasy’ is about feeling like I don't know how to connect with these people anymore, because I have shelled myself away so hard.” The album ends in a philosophical place on the closing, titular track, “Are We All Angels,” asking questions like, “Is this all there is?” and ultimately putting it on the listener to decide. “It’s about the personal struggle between good and evil. It doesn’t matter how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ you are, there are systems that will try to rewrite your narrative no matter what you actually do,” explains Moss, noting that punctuation on “Are We All Angels” has been deliberately omitted in an attempt to leave the statement open-ended. Are We All Angels is the highly anticipated follow-up to Scowl’s debut, 2021’s How Flowers Grow, a 16-minute primal scream over punishing riffs. But amidst the pounding chaos, it was the record’s sonic outlier, a cleaner interlude called “Seeds to Sow,” that, true to its name, planted the seed for what was to come for the band. “It kind of laid out this destiny for us, and I feel like now we’re fulfilling that,” says drummer Cole Gilbert. The band continued to expand their sound on 2023’s widely acclaimed Psychic Dance Routine EP, incorporating more pop hooks and favoring gentler singing over heavy screaming, paving the way for what would come next. Scowl’s growth got a huge boost from producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, Code Orange, Balance and Composure), who broadened the band’s scope. “Will would say, ‘Everything you have here is correct, but it’s in the wrong place,’” says Gilbert. Moss adds: “Will really helped restructure a lot of the material. Some songs he tore apart to make more space for the really good hooks and choruses.” But even through this more eclectic approach, Scowl loses none of their edge, and still manages to convey the anger and frustration that lies underneath. They are deeply committed to carrying the ethos of punk and its sense of community. “Hardcore and punk have sculpted how we operate, what we want to do as a band, and how we participate,” says guitarist Malachi Greene. “At our core, we are a punk and a hardcore band, regardless of how the song shifts and changes.

Kommt mit Stickerbogen, um das Frontcover selbst zu designen. Mit 'Es schmeckt wieder' präsentieren die LimboBoys ihr lang erwartetes Debütalbum. Die zehn Songs vereinen rohe Punkenergie mit Einflüssen verschiedenster Genres zu einem explosiven Cocktail.

The Forlorn Divide by Accuser is back on vinyl, and it’s more intense than ever! Released by the German thrash metal legends, this 2016 album marked a triumphant return to their raw, relentless roots. Known for their blistering riffs, sharp precision, and aggressive vocals, Accuser captures the gritty essence of thrash metal with a modern edge, making this release essential for any fan of the genre. The Forlorn Divide dives deep into themes of alienation, societal decay, and inner turmoil, resonating with listeners through both its lyrical content and powerful instrumentation. The album’s standout tracks, including "Lust for Vengeance" and "Impending Doom," showcase Accuser’s refined songwriting and fierce musicianship, driving their iconic sound forward. With founding member Frank Thoms leading on guitar and vocals, supported by Dennis Rybakowski on guitar, Frank Kimpel on bass, and Olli Fechner on drums, Accuser creates a wall of sound that’s as intricate as it is unyielding. This reissue offers a chance to own a vital piece of thrash metal history perfect for collectors and metalheads everywhere.

The Forlorn Divide by Accuser is back on vinyl, and it’s more intense than ever! Released by the German thrash metal legends, this 2016 album marked a triumphant return to their raw, relentless roots. Known for their blistering riffs, sharp precision, and aggressive vocals, Accuser captures the gritty essence of thrash metal with a modern edge, making this release essential for any fan of the genre. The Forlorn Divide dives deep into themes of alienation, societal decay, and inner turmoil, resonating with listeners through both its lyrical content and powerful instrumentation. The album’s standout tracks, including "Lust for Vengeance" and "Impending Doom," showcase Accuser’s refined songwriting and fierce musicianship, driving their iconic sound forward. With founding member Frank Thoms leading on guitar and vocals, supported by Dennis Rybakowski on guitar, Frank Kimpel on bass, and Olli Fechner on drums, Accuser creates a wall of sound that’s as intricate as it is unyielding. This reissue offers a chance to own a vital piece of thrash metal history perfect for collectors and metalheads everywhere.

Path of Fire by Aeon returns to the market on vinyl, a fierce and unforgiving blast of death metal that pushes boundaries with its intense riffs and powerful lyrics. Originally released in 2010, this album cemented Aeon’s reputation for brutal, precision-driven death metal, infused with dark themes of anti-religion, rebellion, and defiance. Path of Fire brings an unfiltered, visceral approach to the genre, making it essential listening for die-hard metal fans and collectors. Tracks like "Forgiveness Denied" and "Kill Them All" capture the essence of Aeon’s style: rapid-fire guitar riffs, thunderous drumming, and an unrelenting vocal performance by frontman Tommy Dahlström. With Zeb Nilsson and Daniel Dlimi delivering searing guitar work, Marcus Edvardsson on bass, and Arttu Malkki on drums, the band crafts a soundscape that is both relentless and intricate. Every song on Path of Fire is a journey through extreme metal, marked by high-octane aggression and skilled musicianship.

Path of Fire by Aeon returns to the market on vinyl, a fierce and unforgiving blast of death metal that pushes boundaries with its intense riffs and powerful lyrics. Originally released in 2010, this album cemented Aeon’s reputation for brutal, precision-driven death metal, infused with dark themes of anti-religion, rebellion, and defiance. Path of Fire brings an unfiltered, visceral approach to the genre, making it essential listening for die-hard metal fans and collectors. Tracks like "Forgiveness Denied" and "Kill Them All" capture the essence of Aeon’s style: rapid-fire guitar riffs, thunderous drumming, and an unrelenting vocal performance by frontman Tommy Dahlström. With Zeb Nilsson and Daniel Dlimi delivering searing guitar work, Marcus Edvardsson on bass, and Arttu Malkki on drums, the band crafts a soundscape that is both relentless and intricate. Every song on Path of Fire is a journey through extreme metal, marked by high-octane aggression and skilled musicianship.

This is a recorded document performed by Mark Holub, Johanna Pärli and Sofía Salvo.

As a trio, they had not met until sound-checking for their gig at Berlin’s Cashmere Radio on September 1, 2023 — a fact that may be concealed by their immediate understanding as a musical entity but is obvious by their artistic freedom and curiosity towards each hoc encounters, flexible and steadfast in its performance, and that culminated in an experience that shook the floor of the radio station’s headquarters.

The day after, Sofía, Johanna and Mark gathered in Adam Asnan’s studio and deepened their quest for a communal language. They ignored any musical fetters or conventions, enjoyed the possibilities of a wider time frame without a live audience — and exceeded all hopes of what three personalities can achieve when they are given the space and time to experiment, detached from any restrictions.

Mark Holub is a drummer of outstanding versatility and responsiveness, full of ideas and quick on his feet. Through his playing as well as his experience as a band-leader and composer he is able to steer this coequal group towards thundering crescendo, but sits equally comfortable in the centre of complex and fine rhythm probing in response to impulses thrown in by his companions.

Johanna Pärli makes use of her double bass’s entire body, extracting an armada of multi- layered sounds with an immensely high sonic spectrum that is also reflected in the diversity of her musical projects. She is both patient and wildly adventurous in her performance, and in this trio her contribution wanders from considerate bow work to brisk fingerpicking, gnarly string strikes and pedal use to startling effects.

Sofía Salvo unleashes the full unbounded potential of her voice by taking advantage of her baritone saxophone’s broad range of possibilities. She is one of Berlin’s most singular musicians and her widely proven capabilities cover gentle additions to support and underline pulsive interplay just as masterfully as rapid licks and roaring bursts of noise, spurring the collective to unpredictable intensity.

If music of this particular kind often gives the impression of a constant search, this international trio certainly managed to find common ground and capture a special moment in time for listeners to (re-)discover. Contrary to what frequent misconception sometimes suggests, it’s also tremendous fun.

NERR — Filling Open Spaces was instantly composed and performed live in studio by Mark Holub on drums, Johanna Pärli on double bass and Sofía Salvo on baritone saxophone, recorded in Berlin on September 2, 2023 and mixed by Adam Asnan. Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker, vinyl pressed at Pallas. Artwork and design by Stefan Lingg, produced by Christoph Berg and Stefan Lingg.

»Even The Horizon Knows Its Bounds« explores sound’s relationship with architecture, inspired by the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery of NSW. Created from sound prompts responded to by artists like Jim O’Rourke and claire rousay, the work reflects on space, collaboration, and the fluid nature of sonic environments.

I like to think that sound haunts architecture.

It’s one of the truly magical interactions afforded by sound’s immateriality. It’s also something that has captivated us from the earliest times. It’s not difficult to imagine the exhilaration of our early ancestors calling to one another in the dark cathedral like caves which held wonder, and security, for them.

Today the ways in which sound occupies space, the so-called liquid architecture, holds just as much wonder, albeit one that is often dominated by functionality and form. Beyond those constraints however, how sound operates in the material world is something that exists at the fundament of our understanding of music, and moreover within the broad church we know as the canon of sound arts.

Even The Horizon Knows Its Bounds is a record born out of these relations. In a direct sense, the record is the product of an invitation by curator Jonathan Wilson to create a sound environment, reflecting on the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery Of NSW. The building’s name, which translates from the Gadigal language to ‘seeing water’, was opened in 2022 and this piece was offered as an atmospheric tint to visitors walking through the building throughout the year following its opening.

It’s also a record born out of a recognition for the porousness sound affords, especially as a device for collaborative endeavour. This composition is one born out of generosity and acoustic solidarity. Even The Horizon Knows Its Bounds is comprised not just of my sounds, but also that of an incredible array of artists who have also operated in the orbit of the Art Gallery Of NSW. The players include Amby Downs, Chris Abrahams, Chuck Johnson, Claire Rousay, Dean Hurley, Jim O’Rourke, JW Paton, Madeleine Cocolas, Norman Westberg, Stephen Vitiello and Vanessa Tomlinson.

The piece was constructed around two long form sound prompts that each musician responded and contributed to. These materials there when digested into the final piece you hear. The work could not exist without the substantial offerings these artists made, and I am immensely grateful to each of them.

I’ll finish with a little note that appears on the LP itself.

Place is an evolving, subjective experience of space. Spaces hold the opportunity for place, which we create moment to moment, shaped by our ways of sense-making.

Whilst the architectural and material features of space might remain somewhat constant, the people, objects, atmospheres, and encounters that fill them are forever collapsing into memory.

Lawrence English
Performed by Amby Downs, Chris Abrahams, Chuck Johnson, Claire Rousay, Dean Hurley, Jim O’Rourke, JW Paton, Madeleine Cocolas, Norman Westberg, Stephen Vitiello, Vanessa Tomlinson

1000 pressed. Ltd Orange Vinyl, DL card. The seminal album from Half Japanese featuring updated artwork and liner notes from Jad Fair and producer Kramer. This is the Zen of Half Japanese, of prolific songwriter Jad Fair; wide-eyed crooner, humorous raconteur and spontaneous storyteller. A genre-bending romp through the mind of the man, originally released in 1989 in a purple patch for the group, preceded by 'Music To Strip By' and 'Charmed Life'. "Half Japanese were a song machine," attested Pitchfork, while AllMusic saw this album as a collection of "humorous lo-fi rock 'n' roll hit singles." Previously released on black vinyl a decade ago.

Genau genommen stammt die Idee zu Who Believes In Angels? von drei befreundeten Musiker:innen:
Neben Elton John und der 11-fachen GRAMMY-Gewinnerin Brandi Carlile aus dem US-Staat Washington
war auch der vielfach preisgekrönte US-Produzent und Songwriter Andrew Watt (zweifacher GRAMMYGewinner) von Anfang an am kreativen Prozess beteiligt. Ihre Vision war eine echte Zusammenarbeit: Sie
wollten einen Longplayer aufnehmen, der ein echtes Gemeinschaftsprojekt ist, der durch und durch auf den
Faktor Kollaboration setzt. Konkret schwebte ihnen ein Mix aus Stücken vor, bei denen mal Elton, mal
Brandi am Mikrofon den Ton angeben sollte, wobei die Songtexte sowohl von Brandi als auch von Eltons
angestammtem Kreativpartner Bernie Taupin stammen sollten. Als Produzent und Co-Songwriter kam
obendrein Andrew Watt ins Spiel, dem als kreatives Bindeglied und Vermittler eine zentrale Rolle zukam.
Schon im Oktober 2023 kamen sie alle in den Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles zusammen, und nach 20
Tagen war schließlich alles im Kasten. Unterstützung bekamen sie dabei von weiteren Weltklasse-Musikern
– u.a. von Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Pino Palladino (Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, David
Gilmour) und Josh Klinghoffer (Pearl Jam, Beck).
Erhältlich als CD I LP I CD Box (CD & DVD & Aufklappbare Box)

"1984 was a truly incredible year in pop music, and we have included a fabulous selection of tracks on the 1984 Yearbook and the 80-84 Final Chapter as part of our appreciation of the year.
Those tracks were generally the bigger hits of the year, with their chart achievement a factor in their inclusion. However, that’s not the whole singles story of the year, and our celebration of 1984 wouldn’t be complete without shining a light on some of the years’ singles that have been compiled much less frequently over the past 40 years…Welcome to THE VAULT for 1984… Some of the tracks included were Top 40 hits, some missed the chart completely. Some were representative of massive selling albums, and some were big hits in the U.S. and not in the U.K…. but all are part of the wonderful pop story of 1984. Released on a LTD edition pressing of a stunning 3LP transparent blue vinyl with 45 tracks.