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"After being praised as one of the best releases of 2025 by multiple platforms, the highly praised debut album from Obeka lands on vinyl via YUKU.

The rhythmic dynamics and emotive attitudes of A World No More captures the density of soundsystem culture in Obeka's ancestral roots. YUKU presents the Bermudians debut album capturing a Neo-Colonial dystopia, protest and Afro-Futurism hyperextended through decaying sonic structures of a dark past and its grievances which very much exist today.

Growing into adulthood within the walls of British and European Colonial systems meant the disconnection and lostness in a new country hid me from the world at a young age. Unlike London's vast and culturally engaging migrant communities, the industrial milling town of Stockport introduced a coldness towards people from other countries I experienced in my first year after relocating from Bermuda. I couldn't understand why. Whether cold words thrown towards me or actions upon other people who look like me, it has shown to be a dooming societal virus with no cure. The most comfort was found through what was familiar - drums and rhythmic spirituality of my homeland. It was a safe-haven, a place to empty the anger and confusion. It's been 15 years since relocating and as my sound evolved, it seems classism, racism, oppression and civil control of ethnic peoples has become worse - even now more legalised and normalised. Ogun (a powerful Yoruba deity associated with anger, justice and war) acts as the opening sequence of the record and its symbolism. Using distorted bass frequencies and dissected Regga-Dub immersed in live-sampled ghostly voices of the lost ones. This sonic exercising is also applied in Drillaman - a stampede of industrial framework and metallic instruments wielded over moody Dancehall MC'ing, magnifying two parallel worlds in cocooned evolution. The resurrection of Transatlantic African cultures and identity have never been silenced, rather carried elsewhere through trade routes of enslavement, which was pivotal when composing and completing the album upon returning home to the Caribbean for the first time ever. After reconnecting with my heritage my blurred vision of what's wrong in the world became so clear. Guidance in empty plains seek truth throughout the pain - A statement of finding oneself expressed on the poetic closing track A World No More.

On Fawohodie (A West African Adinkra symbol that represents independence, freedom, and emancipation stamped on the album cover) the motive and atmosphere begins to change. Afro-Caribbean idealism which refers to the philosophical concept that emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and the importance of community, often contrasting with Western individualism, begins to take shape in a new universe. We can co-exist. The track framework uses machine-led software forming frequencies we have no control over, then manipulated through decomposing soundscapes, scattered hand-drums and human-made weapons of control - exposing the hidden disparity that's been carried over generations whilst balancing hopeful and musical foundations towards equality and peace. On Pressure and Kuduro! the writing direction attempts to wake people up. Not settling for a composed approach like in past projects, quite the opposite. A call for native sonic awareness, dismantled vocals of protests, eroded percussion using chains, gears and motorised harmonies sculpted in challenging abstract behaviors far outside my comfort zone. A direct abrasiveness and weight I want people to feel, whilst finding hope and solace through enchanting choirs and hypnotic basslines in complete synchrony.

"Purity in sound manifests when you least expect it. The smallest memory or feeling grows from a seed into a sonic language that you, and only you can interpret and release back into the world." "

Born and raised in the birthplace of House Music, Paul Johnson was known for his raw, soulful, and infectious sound, that helped shape Chicago's house scene and inspired generations of DJs worldwide in particular he was a massive inspiration to Daft Punk and the 'French Touch' scene.
Releasing a vast amount of music throughout the 1990s for some of the most consistently underground dance labels including legendary Chicago imprints Cajual, Relief and Dance Mania he finally gained global fame with his 1999 hit “Get Get Down,” a dancefloor anthem that topped charts across Europe. Despite facing physical challenges, including losing both legs in accidents, he remained an unstoppable force in music—touring, producing, and uplifting others with his resilient spirit and signature groove.
Re-pressed for our 35th anniversary, Paul Johnson’s classic 1995 debut album on Peacefrog, Bump Talkin is a timeless showcase of Paul’s signature deep, soulful house sound, blending irresistible peak-time, piano-driven anthems with a playful touch of bouncy Ghetto House energy.
They dont make em like this anymore...
RIP Paul Johnson.

Devoting an album entirely to the Persian poetry of Jami, aluminary of the Sufi tradition, was one of Haji Ghulam Farid Sabri"s cherished ambitions for a long time. This dream came true for the Qawwali icon when he visited Berlin in July 1991 at the invitation of the Heimatklänge ("Home Soundsfrom Home Planet Earth") festival, accompanied by his 14-year-old son Amjad. After Ghulam Sabri"s untimely death on the 5th of April 1994, Amjad Sabri became his musical successor, thereby passing on the Sufi Qawwali mastership of the Sabri family to the next generation. This all came to an end when Amjad was murdered for his Sufi beliefs in the streets of Karachi on the 22nd of June 2016. Thus, Jami is not only a memorial to the Sufi Muslim tradition and the Persian poet but also to Ghulam Farid Sabri and Amjad Sabri. It remains their only record in Farsi.

Hiroshi Sato's masterpiece “Awakening” has been reissued for the fourth time in a new color “Pastel Blue Vinyl”. The album was cut by world-renowned engineer Bernie Grundman based on high-spec sound data digitally converted to 96KHz/24bit from the original master tapes. The pressing was done at Sony Music's factory in Japan. This is Hiroshi Sato's fourth original album released in June 1982 after his career in Los Angeles, and his first album for Alpha Records. Featuring Canadian female vocalist Wendy Matthews and using the most advanced drum machine at the time, “LinnDrum,” this mellow and soulful album is a perfect fusion of Sato's sound sense and the atmosphere of American West Coast, and has transcended generations, continues to influence many musicians. Guest guitarists include Tatsuro Yamashita, Tsunehide Matsuki, and Yuji Toriyama! Limited edition.

For vinyl enthusiasts and music lovers alike, this 7" release is an inspired pairing that bridges generations and genres. The A-side is Rock & Smooth’s masterful blend of soulful production and heartfelt lyricism. The iconic saxophone sample and poignant verses have solidified it as a timeless classic. On the flip we have The Beginning of the End's 1971 “When She Made Me Promise”, a vibrant funk track that exudes a breezy, carefree vibe. Its infectious groove and lively melody have made it a favourite for sampling by various hip-hop artists over the years

New single by Romperayo on 7-inch vinyl spinning at 45 rpm, released by the Austrian label discos
elgozo.
This record is a tribute to the sound of Cumbia Sabanera de Acordeón from Colombia, in dialogue with
Mexico’s Cumbia Sonidera. It also pays homage to the melodic line of the first generation of
Colombian accordion masters of Cumbia Sabanera such as Joaquín Betín, Emiro Caicedo, and
Policarpo Calle.

The two tracks are built on a solid rhythmic foundation of bass and percussion, accompanying a
melodic interplay between accordion and analog synthesizer.Mixed and produced by Pedro Ojeda Acosta at Romperayo Studios, both songs were recorded live, in
quartet format, at Mambo Negro Studios in Bogotá, Colombia, by Daniel Michel, featuring Iván
Medellín on accordion, Nicolás Eckardt on electric bass, Juan Manuel Toro on analog synth, and Pedro
Ojeda on percussion.
This single offers a first taste of Romperayo’s upcoming LP, set for release in early 2026 — once again
on discos elgozo.

Released in the winter of 1995, Dah Shinin’ introduced Smif-N-Wessun as torchbearers of the gritty, sample-driven East Coast sound that defined a generation. Backed by Da Beatminerz’ haunting, jazz-laced production and supported by their Boot Camp Clik brethren, Tek and Steele delivered a debut that was as raw as it was revolutionary — capturing the essence of mid-90s Brooklyn.
Now, 30 years later, Dah Shinin’ returns in its most complete form. The 30th Anniversary Definitive Deluxe Edition brings together for the first time in one place, the full original album, two essential remixes "Wrekonize" and "Sound Bwoy Bureill" and rare material, including the long-unreleased “Nuttin’ Move But Da Money,” finally available officially after years on white label.
Pressed across three LPs and housed in a premium tri-fold jacket featuring original artwork, newly commissioned liner notes, period photography, and archival content, this expanded edition stands as a tribute to the album’s creation and legacy. From the underground anthem “Bucktown” to the crew showcase “Cession At Da Doghillee,” every track celebrates the timeless sound that made Dah Shinin’ a classic.

2026 Repress

35th Anniversary Edition of Peacefrog - 2LP Smokey Vinyl

Born and raised in the birthplace of House Music, Paul Johnson was known for his raw, soulful, and infectious sound, that helped shape Chicago's house scene and inspired generations of DJs worldwide in particular he was a massive inspiration to Daft Punk and the 'French Touch' scene. Releasing a vast amount of music throughout the 1990s for some of the most consistently underground dance labels including legendary Chicago imprints Cajual, Relief and Dance Mania he finally gained global fame with his 1999 hit “Get Get Down,” a dancefloor anthem that topped charts across Europe. Despite facing physical challenges, including losing both legs in accidents, he remained an unstoppable force in music—touring, producing, and uplifting others with his resilient spirit and signature groove.
Originally released in 1996 Feel The Music was Paul's second album for Peacefrog Records. Containing some of the classiest house music to hail from the Windy City. Classics such A Little Suntin Suntin , Summer Heat and I Wonder Why will have you smiling while you’re jackin’ and the irresistible and infectious Hear The Music was fthe opening track for Daft Punks legendary Radio 1 Essential Mix.

Siren Selector launches its mixtape series with a companion release to Remy Solar’s - ‘Heavy Terrain’ cassette.

“Jamaican music grows in rings like an old tree. From a core of early riddims, the genius of Studio One, versions of original basslines and melodies evolve over time New releases of the same tune follow each other through the 70s, 80s, 90s, into this millennium. Generations of the same family. And then there’s the unreleased versions, the frontier dubs built strictly for sound systems, held close by those who got them and only gradually circulated into the wider audience of selectors and collectors. These are the ones where the bass is heavier, the echoes more mind- bending, the effects wilder and the drums harder. Older sound followers tell stories of how these dubs defined dances, flattened opponents in clashes, inspired a dozen rewinds. Younger followers remember these tales and pass them down. These dubs are folklore.

Who knows how many such versions there are in the vast worldwide archives of Jamaican music? Not me. But as a little taster of a lifetime’s musical journey you can open your ears right now to a few moments: Lacksley’s Castell’s “Unkind”, transported from the sprightly riddim which underpinned it on his Princess Lady album and reengineered into a thunderous version of Ras Michael’s None A Jah Jah Children; “Deceivers” by the Heptones, stripped back into something simultaneously ethereal and bathyspheric; Keith Hudson’s “I’m No Fool” emerging from a pressure cooker of bass and drum; Jah Lloyd’s “Black Moses”, busting down walls with its epic echo and siren opening.

I started collecting these dubs in the late 90s. We were going to Shaka at the Rocket, Aba Shanti in the Arches, then Imperial Gardens. Entebbe somewhere off Mare Street. Iration Steppas in Kingsland Road, Jah Tubby’s in the Rec. We were doing our own parties at the time in east London, Bohemia Place, then Trenz, Dungeons, the old social services office by London Fields. Building up a sound, taking it on the road, crew sitting on the speaker boxes in the back of a Mercedes 508. Under the stars or in warehouses with sweat dripping from the ceiling, lugging crates and amps across fields or up flights of stairs, stringing up boxes under bridges, in car parks or on roundabouts. Waiting for the moment to drop the dubs.

This tape is dedicated to my crew and all the music providers and anyone who also knew or wants to know these moments.“

Fifty Physical Copies - 60 mins - No digital

Especial welcomes the return of Akio Nagase, Osaka's own 303 specialist, with a second EP of acid infused world music. After the success of his Asia orientated EP, here his ethno-inspired dance comes to and from Africa, the mother.

With a history of making reggae influenced electronics under the Makedub alias, his development to acid master continues to showcase a skill at fusing samples, effects and found sound in a dub-desk mix that is body moving and catchy at the same time.

With a mission to bring the music of the world closer, Acid Maasai Collecthiv sets the scene with TB 303 weaving around dub heavy bass, crossing the Athi river, seeking spirits to bind. Countries and continents are tribes and with a reopening world, the dance can encompass all; open minds to bring unity.

This is exemplified on the ethereal Morisyen Acid. Sound design, Mauritian samples and creole vibrate perfectly with Akio's acid work and simple but effective "predominately" repetitive beats to uplift like the Tamarind sunrise.

Acid mantra as mind-gateway continues with Serengeti Summer. An heir to Whoktish, this is Not Reggae, the 808 and 303 in harmony; a jam of man, machine and samples to bring today's ethno-blue storytelling through consciousness.

Closing is Jua, interweaving the fabric of life, passing down from generations the primal with the psychedelic beat to communal gathering, Akio presents the music with love and respect.

Fast-rising pianist and producer Yoni Mayraz presents his debut LP ‘Dybbuk Tse!’ revealing the story of a malicious possession that is taking over one’s body and soul.

Dybbuk, known from Jewish folklore, is a malevolent wandering spirit that enters and possesses the body of a living person. It’s a cursed soul of a dead one that wanders tirelessly for sins committed during their life. The most vulnerable victims are the young and the sinful. Possession can be taken literally or as an analogy to the burden that young people carry generations back, which they have no influence on, and which they have to accept. Dybbuk can only be removed by exorcism. The titular ‘Dybbuk Tse!’ is a command to remove the spirit from the possessed body. The album is a story about possession but also about exorcism through music.

Recorded live with his band over the course of a spring week last year, ‘Dybbuk Tse!’ is indeed experimenting with the ‘darker side of things’, but yet with a somewhat lighthearted approach which is so typical of Yoni’s work. He easily combines jazz with the sound of 90’s New York hip hop and raw old school breakbeat. The album interweaves unique Middle Eastern melodies, sophisticated structures and sounds, and beautifully crafted solos played by some of the promising talents on the scene.

London based Israeli born pianist and producer Yoni Mayraz has set foot in the instrumental music scene with his EP ‘Rough Cuts’ released in 2020. Since then, Yoni and his band have been playing major venues and festivals around the world including the legendary Ronnie Scott’s and The Jazz Cafe, to name a few, bringing raw energy to stage with live versions of the studio materials, and stretching the melodies and structures into a Dancefloor-focused take on jazz.

In discotheques and dark rooms across Europe, Boys’ Shorts have earned the trust of the queer and wider clubbing communities as generous stewards of a timeless sound that, like themselves, never stops moving forward. The duo of Vangelis and Tareq initially met at an underground club in their native Greece. Sensing a rare sonic connection, the pair became friends, forming Boys’ Shorts to meet again and again, travelling from their adopted cities of Thessaloniki and London to appear as far afield as Berlin’s Panorama Bar and New York’s Le Bain, as well as supporting Goldfrapp and Hot Chip on tour. Their motivation? In their own words, “we make people dance!”

Following years of gradual, thoughtful studio sessions, and EP releases on tastemaking electronic labels including Phantasy Sound and Live At Robert Johnson, Boys’ Shorts establish their own imprint, ALL SORTS, in order to deliver a fantastically ambitious debut album, ‘What Does It Take To Make These Men Happy?’

The LP opens with the grandiose, cosmic vista of ‘The Space Between Us’, a classic passage of strings and synthesis, before the shared Boys’ Shorts vision falls back to earthier territory with deep groove of ‘Let’s Fall In Love’, mixing universal sentiment with a patient vision of human potential and the voice of Greek electronic pioneer, K.BHTA. ‘Come’ aligns with NYC’s Michael Cignarale, offering an excitable invitation to the mind and body sculpted by the way of a throbbing, warehouse-sized statement of nineties house sensuality. Channeling heroes Lowe and Tennant at their most introspective, ‘Short Life’ maintains the dance, yet dares to ask, “what if the parties aren’t enough anymore… Can you ask for something more?”

Out of the pet shop and straight into the strobe lights, ‘Disco Romantica’ makes true on the promise of its title, a lovelorn monologue giving way and slipping into rave stabs and whirring synthesis that looks forward to a memorable, emotionally-charged night ahead. Underpinning this feeling of anticipation, ‘Going Out Hoping To See You’ introduces the voice of Justin Strauss to Boys’ Shorts' musical world. A certified icon of club culture, spinning from The Mudd Club to modern day DJ booths, Strauss’s generation spanning experience of nightlife leans into the fundamentals of human connection and the pleasure of musical discovery, wrapped in irresistible chug.

Another transformative figure in club music, Fischerspooner’s own Casey Spooner dips into French for the Motorik cyber sleaze of ‘MECANIMAUX’, their own vocals pitching up and down with playful EBM abandon. ‘Montage’ offers a different kind of composition, conjuring an ecstatic club banger that finds inspiration in nineties indie rock motifs alongside the rave scene, while ‘Run’ promises to blow out sound systems before its weighty electro bassline succumbs to waves of glistening synths.

Such bombast into beauty perfectly sets up the record’s blissful conclusion; ‘The Stars Are Out For You’ is electro-pop so delicate as to heal aching feet (and mend broken hearts), while offering the final tender moments of the album as a form of tribute on ‘Untitled (For Mitsi)’. It’s a thoughtful ending to a thrilling trip through a shared passion for electronic and pop music in all its glorious potential. What does it take to make these men happy? It’s a pleasure to find out.

Toneblind returns with its second release, welcoming 26-year-old Catania native Edo Ecker and his new EP, “Fall In Love.”

With one full EP already behind him, Edo steps confidently into his next chapter, presenting a sound that bridges eras with effortless ease. Rooted in the golden age of Italian house music yet
sharpened by a modern edge, Fall In Love blends Italo and Euro house influences with his distinctive melodic touch.

Warm, romantic synth lines meet crisp, contemporary production, while subtle Mediterranean nuances nod to his heritage — adding depth and character without overpowering the groove. The
result is a record that feels nostalgic yet current, intimate yet undeniably dancefloor-driven. With its second chapter, Toneblind continues to define its path — honouring timeless influences while spotlighting a new generation shaping what comes next.

Little Beat More welcomes a new 7” from Conjunto Media Luna, a release that moves along the deep axis connecting Colombia and Mexico where cumbia mutates, and projects itself into new dimensions.
On the A-side, “Kumbia Tequendama” sees the group joined by rebajada pioneer Amantes del Futuro, a key figure in shaping the futuristic vision of cumbia across generations and geographies. Born between Mérida, Medellín, and the legendary Mambo Negro studios in Bogotá, the track reflects years of friendship and shared sonic research. Hypnotic accordion lines intertwine with dense low-end pressure, channeling an energy rooted in tradition but fully tuned to the present, built for dancefloors, sound systems, and the growing decentralized community of modern cumbia.
On the flip side, French producer La Dame reshapes “No es Moda”, originally featuring La Terrorista del Sabor, into a forward-leaning DnB and Future Bass reinterpretation. Faster, sharper, and more weightless, the remix opens a new perspective on the original while preserving its nocturnal spirit and emotional depth.
The artwork is signed by Bogotá’s own Mateo Rivano, whose unmistakable visual language has defined the aesthetic of some of the most visionary projects in contemporary cumbia.
Part of the wider sonic universe of Sociedad Internacional de la Kumbia, Conjunto Media Luna’s upcoming album, this 7” captures the group’s ongoing exploration of cumbia as a shared space, where distance disappears, traditions remain in motion, and new frequencies emerge from collective memory.


Made with Love by Little Beat More 2026
“We Dance We Think”

“One of Berghain’s longest-serving residents, Luke Slater has been defining bleepy, polyrhythmic, industrial-strength techno as Planetary Assault Systems since the mid-nineties. P.A.S albums tend to come together in their own time:

“External signals and signs combine until the recipe feels right, both musically and from being ‘out there’,” Slater adds. “10 years since I released Arc Angel on Ostgut Ton, and it’s a fitting pleasure to combine live show ideas and studio work for the new album, served up with raw energy” That patience runs through his whole Ostgut catalogue; since Temporary Suspension brought its machine-tooled weight and alien feeling to the label in 2009, each P.A.S. release on Ostgut Ton has been its own quest for discovery, from The Messenger’s search for sounds not yet present in club music to Arc Angel’s focus on melody to the deep hypnosis of Plantae.

His new album, Planetary People has the deliberate imagination and depth of a record that took its time, shaped as much by live rooms and crowds as by the studio.

“Into The Night” creates a haunting, dystopic environment of corroded acid saturated in echo, absorbing from the first second. “Labyrinth” breaks into buoyant tribal percussion, modulated chirps trading off over propulsive drums. “Quadrant 10” is clean, delay-drenched techno, buzzing with noise splatters over saturated thuds. “Sermon Of The Light Tides” scrambles metallic bell sequences that distort and evolve throughout, reminiscent of a dial-up modem crossed with a game of Frogger, squelching between percussive bursts and stripped-back kicks. “Brave Cosmo” is tormentingly menacing, eerie synths panning around buried vocal fragments over frantic percussion. “Retina Burn” rolls on fierce, cement-mixer 909 cycles, rave stabs over a ride that locks you in, the whole track stuttering and repeating before stripping back to a bare echoing kick and building itself again. “Thunder Major” barrels on open hats and reverb-drenched claps ricocheting through twisting wreaths of delay, mesmeric and relentless. “Beton Brut” marches juggernaut percussion stamping through hall reverb so vast you can visualise the room, the darkest and most unrelenting track on the record. “No Ninja” crunches in metallic and immediate, a wiry plucked lead threading through glitch with the bass held low and deep, mixed so precisely you can see every layer stacked in your mind’s eye. “Ha Jam” is danceable techno with plenty of funk and a sophisticated looseness, a vocal laugh bouncing off clanging metal blocks and rave stabs. “Lynx” lowpasses its rave stabs and crystalline beeps, chirpy hats ticking, cold metal repeats, old school and mesmeric. “Generation Slip” closes everything out, ominous and churning, skittering percussion and electrical sparks rattling through steel, a freight train barrelling on into oblivion.

• “Guerrilla Girls!”, Ace Records’ much-anticipated first release of 2023, takes us on a thrilling ride from punk’s mid-70s origins, via the left-field post-punk groups, jangly female combos, grunge bands and vigilante Riot Grrrls of the 80s and 90s, to the she-punk bands of recent years – a five-decade alternative to the macho hegemony of rock.

• The collection highlights songs that emerged out of a dynamic underculture of female creative expression. What unites the featured artists is a healthy disregard for the way the music industry ties up its female performers into pretty, neo-liberal packages. From Patti Smith, universal mother of the punk movement, to the Bags, Bikini Kill and Skinny Girl Diet, this music is anti-A&R. Including lesser-known names such as San Francisco street punk Mary Monday and London-based experimentalists pragVec, it shows that, rather than being a few novelty bands existing on the margins, these performers represent a stronger, more three-dimensional version of the female experience.

• Glorious resistance was on display in the first wave of UK female-fronted punk bands. Poly Styrene’s charged vocals on X-Ray Spex’s ‘Iama Poseur’, for instance, were a deliberate refusal to be a pretty punkette. With 15 year-old Lora Logic on saxophone, X-Ray Spex epitomised a fearless, self-defined agency that was at odds with the pastel shades and flowery, submissive Laura Ashley version of 1970s girlhood. By the early 80s, there was a hugely vibrant scene propelled by the diverse rhythms and voices of post-punk feminism. Lora Logic had left X-Ray Spex to form the interweaving textures of Essential Logic, the Mo-dettes mangled ska and off-kilter pop, and Birmingham band Au Pairs sliced political rigour into their lyrics and funky guitar work.

• Some female artists took that elemental energy into pop, creating pop-punk with a twist. We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It!! made a statement on music technology and female power with a cheeky play on words. Their song ‘Rules And Regulations’ shows that what Guerrilla Girls do well is debunking – taking genres of popular song and turning them inside out – like the way the Pandoras and the Pussywillows would amp up the driving beat and high vocals of the 60s girl group style, and subvert it with a DIY garage element.

• In its fanzine culture, use of montage and DIY music, 90s Riot Grrrl bands such as Bikini Kill and Bratmobile drew direct inspiration from 70s punk, articulated through the prism of Third Wave feminism. Too often, Riot Grrrl gigs were invaded by men intent on heckling “the enemy”. Liz Naylor, manager of British Riot Grrrl band Huggy Bear, says that their concerts became war zones. From the US grunge and Riot Grrrl scenes emerged more female instrumentalists, with bands such as L7 and Babes In Toyland proving that it was possible to recruit cutting-edge drummers, bass players and guitarists. Lori Barbero, whose relentless power drumming is a major element of Babes In Toyland, took the one instrument that has been a staple of male rock’n’roll and made it her muse.

• In the 2000s a new generation of girl-punk bands drew on the Riot Grrrl underculture to form their own sound. London trio the Tuts refashioned C86, Riot Grrrl and lush dream pop on songs like the ironically titled ‘Let Go Of The Past’, while the Regrettes injected shots of ska and doo wop into their explosive West Coast pop-punk. What began with Patti Smith and 70s punk has grown into a vast, spikey infrastructure of girl music. Many take inspiration from their foremothers, like Skinny Girl Diet whose vigilante feminism and punk distortion has been championed in return by Viv Albertine of the Slits. As long as these female artists stay aware of their musical vision and what they are trying to express – in a sense, A&R themselves – the underculture will continue to grow and flower. And this “Guerrilla Girls!” compilation is a celebration of that power.


• The back sleeve of the release features a scene-setting introductory essay by Lucy O’Brien (author of She Bop: The Definitive History Of Women In Popular Music). Each of the two discs come in a swanky inner bag containing a track commentary by compiler Mick Patrick (Ace Records’ long-serving champion of female artists of all persuasions) and exclusive interviews with many of the featured artists by Vim Renault and Lene Cortina (founders of the Punk Girl Diaries webzine).

,Paradessence", das dritte Album von Visible Cloaks, ist ein Werk der Entstehung und Illusion. Die vierzehn Songs des Albums verschieben, heben und schimmern vor einem schwach leuchtenden Hintergrund der Nacht, einem höhlenartigen Raum, der durch spärliche hyperreale Darstellungen der natürlichen Welt geformt wird. Die Arrangements sind gleichzeitig grandios und zerbrechlich, sowohl eine Umkehrung als auch eine Kulmination dessen, was zuvor kam, und so abenteuerlich wie alles, was sie bisher produziert haben. Seit ihrer Umwandlung von Cloaks zu Visible Cloaks im Jahr 2014 haben Spencer Doran und Ryan Carlile eine komplexe Matrix gegensätzlicher Konzepte entworfen: organisch und künstlich, zufällig und bewusst, authentisch und repliziert. Der Albumtitel, der aus dem satirischen Portmanteau des Autors Alex Shakar aus ,paradox" und ,essence" stammt, spiegelt diese Spannungen direkt wider: Die Paradessence von Konsumgütern ist der ,schismatische Kern", der ihre Attraktivität ausmacht (in Shakars Beispiel ist Kaffee begehrt, weil er gleichzeitig entspannend und anregend wirkt). Der Balanceakt von Paradessence verleiht diesen Spannungen eine größere Dringlichkeit, da das Leben im 21. Jahrhundert durch eben diese Spannungen neu geordnet wird. Stille ist ein wichtiger Charakter in Paradessence, der nicht nur in der Gestaltung des Klangs zu spüren ist, sondern auch in dem Druck, den er auf alles und alles, was entsteht, ausübt. Die Gruppe ließ sich vom Konzept des ,positiven Raums" des Architekturtheoretikers Christopher Alexander beeinflussen, einer Idee, dass der Form der Leere um ein Objekt herum die gleiche Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt werden kann wie der Konstruktion des Objekts selbst. Wir hören, wie Klänge ihre eigene Stille in sich tragen, zwischen Existenz und Nicht-Existenz oszillieren und wie Mikroorganismen Lebenszyklen durchlaufen. Die Instrumente, die Paradessence untermauern, haben etwas Kollektives an sich. Sie bewegen sich wie eine Herde, so wie wenn der Wind über ein Feld voller Blätter weht und die Luft in der Abwesenheit von Bewegung sichtbar wird; mehrere Arten leben in derselben Melodie zusammen, treten hervor, ziehen sich zurück und verwandeln sich im Laufe von mehreren Minuten. ,Anstatt Stücke zu schaffen, die horizontal als Umgebungen funktionieren", sagt Doran, ,wollten wir sie als lebendes Material konzipieren, das sich im Raum verändert und ständig im Fluss ist." Die Songformen entfernen sich von der Atmosphäre und tendieren zur reinen Abstraktion. Utopismus schwebt am Rande; eine Beziehung zu imaginären Zukünften, die weder naiv, zynisch noch nostalgisch ist. Die Welt, die Visible Cloaks im Laufe der Zeit aufgebaut haben, wird oft von Mitwirkenden physisch umgesetzt, von denen eine vertraute Besetzung für Paradessence zurückkehrt. Motion Graphics (Joe Williams) ist auf ,synthetic woodwinds" zu hören und hat das Album mitgemischt, wobei er ihm mit seinem charakteristischen Glanz Kontur verliehen hat. Die miteinander verbundenen Stücke ,Shapes" und ,Thinking" wurden zusammen mit den Innovatoren der Umweltmusik Yoshio Ojima und Satsuki Shibano entwickelt, die auch mit dem Duo an der generationsübergreifenden FRKWYS-Kollaboration serenitatem gearbeitet haben. Das letztere Stück enthält einen von Ojima verfassten gesprochenen Text, der von Shibano auf Japanisch und von der Komponistin und langjährigen Freundin Félicia Atkinson auf Französisch gelesen wird. Das Componium Ensemble, Dorans Projekt für ,unbestimmte Kammermusik" mit selbstspielenden Software-Instrumenten, bildet die Grundlage für ,System" in einem Moment von Pessoa-scher Heteronymie. Auf dem Album ist auch Ioana Selaru zu hören, eine rumänische Komponistin und Violinistin, die ,Intarsia" mit ihrer Stimme und ihrem Streicherspiel bereichert. Doran beschreibt ihre Zusammenarbeit als ,eine Übung in illusorischer Präsenz", die sie gemeinsam aus ,der Idee entwickelt haben, ihr reales Instrumentenspiel virtuellen Instrumenten gegenüberzustellen, um die Grenzen zwischen synthetischen Streichinstrumenten und denen, die in der Realität existieren, zu verwischen". Selarus energiegeladene Darbietung in ,Intarsia" ist ein deutlicher Beweis für den dramatischen Kern von Paradessence: ein dringliches skulpturales Unterfangen, ein Instrument und eine menschliche Stimme, moduliert von einem Meer synthetischen Wachstums. Doran beschreibt, wie für ihn ,dieses Verschieben zwischen dem Realen und dem Virtuellen etwas ganz anderes einfängt, etwas Seltsames und Unbeschreibliches, das ein fester Bestandteil des Lebens in der digitalen Moderne ist, sowohl online als auch im realen Leben". Es ist elektronische Musik, die nicht nur durch ihre wechselnden Formen eine abstrakte Darstellung unserer aktuellen Traumrealität heraufbeschwört, sondern auch imaginäre Räume schafft, die emotional nuanciert sind und zu Momenten der Anmut führen.

,Paradessence", das dritte Album von Visible Cloaks, ist ein Werk der Entstehung und Illusion. Die vierzehn Songs des Albums verschieben, heben und schimmern vor einem schwach leuchtenden Hintergrund der Nacht, einem höhlenartigen Raum, der durch spärliche hyperreale Darstellungen der natürlichen Welt geformt wird. Die Arrangements sind gleichzeitig grandios und zerbrechlich, sowohl eine Umkehrung als auch eine Kulmination dessen, was zuvor kam, und so abenteuerlich wie alles, was sie bisher produziert haben. Seit ihrer Umwandlung von Cloaks zu Visible Cloaks im Jahr 2014 haben Spencer Doran und Ryan Carlile eine komplexe Matrix gegensätzlicher Konzepte entworfen: organisch und künstlich, zufällig und bewusst, authentisch und repliziert. Der Albumtitel, der aus dem satirischen Portmanteau des Autors Alex Shakar aus ,paradox" und ,essence" stammt, spiegelt diese Spannungen direkt wider: Die Paradessence von Konsumgütern ist der ,schismatische Kern", der ihre Attraktivität ausmacht (in Shakars Beispiel ist Kaffee begehrt, weil er gleichzeitig entspannend und anregend wirkt). Der Balanceakt von Paradessence verleiht diesen Spannungen eine größere Dringlichkeit, da das Leben im 21. Jahrhundert durch eben diese Spannungen neu geordnet wird. Stille ist ein wichtiger Charakter in Paradessence, der nicht nur in der Gestaltung des Klangs zu spüren ist, sondern auch in dem Druck, den er auf alles und alles, was entsteht, ausübt. Die Gruppe ließ sich vom Konzept des ,positiven Raums" des Architekturtheoretikers Christopher Alexander beeinflussen, einer Idee, dass der Form der Leere um ein Objekt herum die gleiche Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt werden kann wie der Konstruktion des Objekts selbst. Wir hören, wie Klänge ihre eigene Stille in sich tragen, zwischen Existenz und Nicht-Existenz oszillieren und wie Mikroorganismen Lebenszyklen durchlaufen. Die Instrumente, die Paradessence untermauern, haben etwas Kollektives an sich. Sie bewegen sich wie eine Herde, so wie wenn der Wind über ein Feld voller Blätter weht und die Luft in der Abwesenheit von Bewegung sichtbar wird; mehrere Arten leben in derselben Melodie zusammen, treten hervor, ziehen sich zurück und verwandeln sich im Laufe von mehreren Minuten. ,Anstatt Stücke zu schaffen, die horizontal als Umgebungen funktionieren", sagt Doran, ,wollten wir sie als lebendes Material konzipieren, das sich im Raum verändert und ständig im Fluss ist." Die Songformen entfernen sich von der Atmosphäre und tendieren zur reinen Abstraktion. Utopismus schwebt am Rande; eine Beziehung zu imaginären Zukünften, die weder naiv, zynisch noch nostalgisch ist. Die Welt, die Visible Cloaks im Laufe der Zeit aufgebaut haben, wird oft von Mitwirkenden physisch umgesetzt, von denen eine vertraute Besetzung für Paradessence zurückkehrt. Motion Graphics (Joe Williams) ist auf ,synthetic woodwinds" zu hören und hat das Album mitgemischt, wobei er ihm mit seinem charakteristischen Glanz Kontur verliehen hat. Die miteinander verbundenen Stücke ,Shapes" und ,Thinking" wurden zusammen mit den Innovatoren der Umweltmusik Yoshio Ojima und Satsuki Shibano entwickelt, die auch mit dem Duo an der generationsübergreifenden FRKWYS-Kollaboration serenitatem gearbeitet haben. Das letztere Stück enthält einen von Ojima verfassten gesprochenen Text, der von Shibano auf Japanisch und von der Komponistin und langjährigen Freundin Félicia Atkinson auf Französisch gelesen wird. Das Componium Ensemble, Dorans Projekt für ,unbestimmte Kammermusik" mit selbstspielenden Software-Instrumenten, bildet die Grundlage für ,System" in einem Moment von Pessoa-scher Heteronymie. Auf dem Album ist auch Ioana Selaru zu hören, eine rumänische Komponistin und Violinistin, die ,Intarsia" mit ihrer Stimme und ihrem Streicherspiel bereichert. Doran beschreibt ihre Zusammenarbeit als ,eine Übung in illusorischer Präsenz", die sie gemeinsam aus ,der Idee entwickelt haben, ihr reales Instrumentenspiel virtuellen Instrumenten gegenüberzustellen, um die Grenzen zwischen synthetischen Streichinstrumenten und denen, die in der Realität existieren, zu verwischen". Selarus energiegeladene Darbietung in ,Intarsia" ist ein deutlicher Beweis für den dramatischen Kern von Paradessence: ein dringliches skulpturales Unterfangen, ein Instrument und eine menschliche Stimme, moduliert von einem Meer synthetischen Wachstums. Doran beschreibt, wie für ihn ,dieses Verschieben zwischen dem Realen und dem Virtuellen etwas ganz anderes einfängt, etwas Seltsames und Unbeschreibliches, das ein fester Bestandteil des Lebens in der digitalen Moderne ist, sowohl online als auch im realen Leben". Es ist elektronische Musik, die nicht nur durch ihre wechselnden Formen eine abstrakte Darstellung unserer aktuellen Traumrealität heraufbeschwört, sondern auch imaginäre Räume schafft, die emotional nuanciert sind und zu Momenten der Anmut führen.

Seit über 30 Jahren ist Simon Joyner eine Ausnahmeerscheinung - ein vollkommen unabhängiger Künstler, der sich ganz auf sein Handwerk konzentriert. Der in Omaha lebende Singer-Songwriter veröffentlichte Anfang der 90er Jahre erstmals Musik und ist seitdem seinem Weg treu geblieben. Joyners Songs voller stiller Freude und Herzschmerz haben verschiedene Generationen von Künstlerkollegen geprägt und zeigen sich als offensichtlicher Einfluss bei Acts wie Bright Eyes oder Kevin Morby sowie als Anklänge gemeinsamer Perspektiven bei den nachfolgenden Lenkers, Oldhams und Molinas. "Tough Love", Joyners 19. Studioalbum, setzt diesen Aufwärtstrend fort. Obwohl es untrennbar mit der persönlichen Trauer von "Coyote Butterfly" aus dem Jahr 2024 verbunden ist - dem autobiografischen Album, das Joyner nach dem Tod seines Sohnes aufgenommen hat - erforscht dieses neue Album das Konzept der ,tough love" als Dichotomie, die auf verschiedene fiktive Beziehungen angewendet wird, darunter romantische, familiäre und politische. Dieser Balanceakt zeigt sich in lebhaften Schilderungen alltäglicher Herzensschmerzen und in der Auseinandersetzung mit politischer Wut und dem Verrat am amerikanischen Traum. Eines der Wunder von Joyners Werk ist, dass sich seine Muster nicht wiederholen, sondern wandeln. Anspielungen auf Cohen, Dylan und die Velvets sind seit den frühen Lo-Fi-Tagen Teil seines Songwritings, doch die Art und Weise, wie diese Vorbilder einfließen, verändert sich ständig. Während Joyners raue Akustiksongs im Rampenlicht stehen, werden sie von E-Gitarren angestachelt und sind von experimentellen Tendenzen durchdrungen. Die Rocksongs bilden einen Mittelweg zwischen minimalistischen Grooves, die von Velvet Underground der Loaded-Ära übernommen wurden, und der ekstatischen rhythmischen Verrücktheit von Can. Wenn wir beim vorletzten Track, ,Anniversary Song", angelangt sind, haben die geisterhaften Vocals und die Scratches des mikrotonalen Synthesizers die Grenzen zwischen Joyners Folk-Sänger-Herz und seinem Avantgarde-Geist verwischt. All das mündet in den 20-minütigen Titeltrack, der "Tough Love" abschließt - ein erschütternder Sturz in einen scheinbar bodenlosen Abgrund aus Reue, Überlebensschuld und unverblümter Trauer. Er leiht sich eine repetitive Struktur aus Lou Reeds erzählter Suite ,Street Hassle" und kombiniert sie mit dem seitenfüllenden Zeugnis von Dylans ,Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands", Joyner erzählt dazu aus der Perspektive seines verstorbenen Sohnes, der zu seinem Vater spricht, all seine Fehler darlegt und schonungslos hervorhebt, dass nichts davon rückgängig gemacht werden kann. Bald jedoch öffnet sich diese Qual zu etwas Transzendentem, sowohl in ihrer eleganten Bildsprache als auch in ihrer ätherischen Atmosphäre. Die letzten Momente des Albums gewähren die Erlaubnis zur Selbstvergebung und hoffentlich eines Tages auch zum Verständnis. Dieses kathartische Ende bringt all die verworrenen Gefühle, die sich durch "Tough Love" ziehen, auf den Punkt. So wie Joyner das Songwriting aus ungewöhnlichen Blickwinkeln angegangen ist, die sich jedes Mal ändern, wenn er zur Gitarre greift, um ein neues Album aufzunehmen, so verändert sich auch auf "Tough Love" seine Beziehung zu Trauer, den alltäglichen Kämpfen und dem ewigen Streben nach etwas Besserem.

Robert Johnson was an American blues musician whose 1936 and 1937 recordings heavily influenced many, many future generations of artists. Despite the fact his recording career spanned a mere seven months, he is universally recognized as a master of the Delta blues style, one of the earliest-known styles of blues emerging from the Mississippi delta in the early twentieth century.

This second compilation of the King of the Delta Blues collects sixteen recordings previously available on the 78 rpm format and includes recordings of two Johnson songs that have since become blues standards: "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." In contrast to the deeply emotive songs released on the 1961 album, many of the tracks on this volume display Johnson's lighter side. In 2003 the record was ranked #424 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Whether he really needed to sell his soul to the devil at the crossroads to reach these great heights, we'll never know...

King Of The Delta Blues Singers, Vol.2 is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on yellow vinyl and includes an insert with liner notes by Pete Welding.