Cerca:han solo

‘In Virus Times’ is an acoustic instrumental piece by Lee Ranaldo.
Composed during the pandemic, ‘In Virus Times’ is released as a onesided LP with an etching on Side B. The cover is a beautiful photo by
Lee’s friend, the great Brazilian photographer Anna Paula Bogaciovas.
 Originally released as one track as part of a collaboration with Lucien
Jean for Le Presses du Reel, the music was featured on a mini CD that
accompanied a book that featured two short stories.
 ‘In Virus Times’, released by Mute, sees the track transformed into 4
pieces and is available on transparent turquoise vinyl with digital
download and an exclusive poster, designed, signed and individually
numbered by Lee Ranaldo. The poster design is based on an electron
microscope photo of the COVID-19 molecule.
 Lee has written some of his own ‘loner notes’ for the release:
 “This recording began on an evening in September 2020, stuck at home
in lower Manhattan during the dark days of the Covid-19 pandemic as
we came out of a deadly summer. A heightened sense of anxiety
stemming from the then-upcoming US Presidential elections as well as
the virus seemed to pervade all aspects of life, for myself and everyone I
knew. Its minimal quality reflects the sense of ‘motionless time’ that
many of us felt. I set up some microphones in our darkened living room
(studios being closed due to Covid restrictions), coaxing out one simple,
repetitive phrase, and then another, sounding them out into the air. The
casual home ambience - a siren or truck rumbling down the street out
the window; someone talking around the table in another part of the loft;
water running - intrudes at points. I worked to develop a few simple
thematic elements, but mostly I wanted to hear the notes and chords
ringing out, hanging in the air for a long time on that evening when the
world seemed close to stopped on its axis.
 “I’d been listening closely to Morton Feldman’s catalog throughout the
pandemic. His sparse, long-duration music could often be heard playing
on repeat as we spent endless days locked inside. His willingness to do
very little, with very simple elements, and to such profound effect, has
been inspirational. I found the vast open spaces in his works thrilling,
miraculous, and comforting in those empty times. Additionally, the Drop
D guitar tuning used here has prompted my own variations on Bach’s
works for solo cello, open strings droning against melodic lines, so
simple and perfect…” - Lee Ranaldo, New York City, August 2021

BOX + 12” + 7” (shrink-wrapped)

12”s in the box:

"Cakiente" by Jay Santos — a massive top-3 summer hit from 2012 in Spain, France, Italy, the Benelux, etc.; never before released on 12” vinyl.
"Troubles In My Mind" by Antwerp-based DJ/producer Merdan Taplak — a European club hit from 2014, available for the first time on 12” vinyl.
Remady "No Superstar" — gold in France and Denmark, platinum in Switzerland, a club hit across Europe and number 2 in Ultratop Wallonia. First time on 12” vinyl.
DJ Antoine "This Time" — not DJ Antoine’s biggest commercial hit but a huge club hit across Europe with chart positions in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, etc. First time on 12” vinyl.

The 7” in the box features four tracks close to the heart of La Musique Du Beau Monde founder Hansbert Vanhove:

DJ Peter Project’s “2 New York” was a track he A&R’d and promoted in the early days of his career as a junior A&R/label manager at BYTE Records.
Dirrrty Dirk – “Organ Seduction” was produced by Hansbert Vanhove and became his biggest solo record under the alias Dirrrty Dirk.
Out Of Grace’s “Anglia” was the first record he signed as A&R for the commercial imprints of Bonzai Records.
“Hey Hey Hey (Pop Another Bottle)” by Laurent Wery feat. Swift K.I.D. & Dev is the biggest hit in La Musique Du Beau Monde’s catalog, originating from Belgium. The track went five times platinum in Australia, gold in the Benelux, reached No. 1 in Poland and Spain, No. 11 in Germany, and hit the top 40 in a dozen countries

The album opens with the ominous guitar-driven Hollow Sky, accompanied by its haunting music video's verdant vistas. The song, with Iceglass ghostly vocals, shimmers with that sounds like an Omnichord flittering like sonic firefly lights and brooding bass. This perfectly scores the less traveled wanderings through the dark wooden path of Dante's perdition, leading to the titular well that graces the album cover. The Crater opens with an unsettling riff and bass, with low, repetitive frequencies on the synth create a sense of unease. Here, Iceglass recounts a fatalistic requiem for the king of romance that is cataclysmic and leaves a scar upon the earth. With Fall Industrial Wall, once again, Iceglass channels a silky and Nico-like emotive deadpan; against a dirgelike melody backed by minimal synth, bass, and drum. Almost medieval and plaintive, with its folk droning horns, deep and shallow in their resonance. This song is anachronistic, setting the scene of ruins centuries-old with crumbling edifices strewn about like memories lost in time. With the poetic lyrics of The Chamber do we find the eponymous abyss. Here, dualities are laid bare; besides love, there is heartbreak, and without this sorrow, what meaning would there be to love if one knows not what it is to lose? This song encapsulates the idea that love is heartbreak, and love lost is reaching the deepest chamber of the heart. This is carried through a sombre horn, minimalist drum machine, and deliberate bassline overlaid with Iceglass german and english lyrics. The Well is led in with a softly distorted bassline overlaid with eerie banshee howls give way to Iceglass otherworld vocal refrain, echoing through time as if emanating from a hole in the ground, and encircling that hole is a garden of woe and despair. The sinfully seductive song The Moor features a captivating SAX SOLO courtesy of Perseas; a welcome shift in tone, juxtaposed well with the intensity of Iceglass tenebrous vocal purr. This hitherto unexplored foray into dark sensuality takes the song into sordid mid 80s territory, bringing to mind a dusky drive along a serpentine road, with equally haunting instrumentations straddling time with icy fire. Broken Characters is an acoustic folk interlude featuring Selofan's Dimitris Pavlidis on guitar. Here we find a more gentle approach with its earnest and romantic lyrics. The song's melodic hook is a soft caress along with the forlorn horn elements highlighting Iceglass at her most Nico-sounding vocal yet, singing the sorrowful truth that most artists are indeed broken characters. Chimerical opens with dirgelike synth organs. The chill of winter has befallen the lamentations sung by Iceglass carried by haunting chord progressions and minimal percussion, plaintively beseeching the song's subject to remain elusive, idealistic, and a dreamer. After an album highlighting more Jill than Jack, our male protagonist finally makes his ascent in the sonorous and breathtaking Dark Hill, a masterful march of sweeping synth horns, and trepidatious drum machine with William Maybelline's bellowing voice cracking like thunder, rattling the atmosphere like his heart against his ribs. Spirals swirls in a cautionary knell of cathedral-esque droning synth dirge, with Icarian lyrics shining like a sombre ray of hope; like the sun's rays creeping into the darkest of places. The song, minimalist in its tight percussion, echoes with the solace of Larissa Iceglass vocal litany; invoking elements of the supernatural, almost like a Casio preset sequenced to the beating of an angel's wings.

Live at Café Oto is a journey into Ainu music as ancient vocal chants move into intense mouth-harp acapellas as meditative solo tonkori pieces morph into psychedelic dub-heavy work-outs.

The album follows the critical acclaim for Tonkori in the Moonlight,Mais Um's 2022 compilation of OKI's early work that was chosen as one of the best folk albums of 2022 by The Guardian.

Live at Café Oto features mostly unheard repertoire from OKI and family, recorded in Mais Um's favourite venue in London on a sold out night as part of a captivating European tour - when we heard the recording we knew we had to release it.

A DJ, producer and significant figure in contemporary electronic music, Marcel Dettmann steps forward to contribute to Running Back’s ongoing Mastermix series. Whereas previous editions of Mastermix have taken an ear to the sound of lapsed, legendary clubs such as Wild Pitch and Front, Dettmann’s curation deftly captures the man himself in ongoing perpetual motion, raiding the vault for his own precision-tooled edits, long-employed on dancefloors to devastating effect. Alongside a continuous mix, this release arrives as a 3LP gatefold, and as a limited edition cassette.

Closely associated with Berlin’s techno landscape, Dettmann was born and raised in the former GDR, then later immersed in the bleary-eyed counter cultural landscape of post-unification Berlin. Initially oriented by post-punk, industrial and new-wave music, Dettmann has been DJing since 1993, always expanding and perfecting his repertoire. He later began working behind the counter at the city’s tastemaking rave boutique Hard Wax, and a decade after he first dropped a needle, became (and remains) resident at notable local nightspot Berghain/Panorama Bar, where his instincts have helped sculpt the signature sound of both main dancefloors.

Of course, you’re probably not asking, “Who is Marcel Dettmann?” More importantly, you might want to know; just what treats has he gifted us here? The trip begins with a simple pitch-shift skywards, transforming Identified Patient’s creeping ‘The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania’ into a peak-time freakout, before an alternate take on Toctronic’s ‘Bis uns das Licht vertreibt’ emerges from the vaults for the first time. Dating from 1995, and one of Dettmann’s all-time favourites, Cristian Vogel’s ‘Untitled’ clambers back into the box with respectable cuts, while John Bender’s ‘Victims of A Victimless Crime’ kicks off the flip sporting a new arrangement, transporting us back to the foundations of a confident, stripped-back sound.

A few subtle edits to Clark’s perilously funky ‘Dirty Pixie’ takes us to Dettmann’s remix of Junior Boys. Produced in 2010, it transposes the Canadian duo’s sophisticated pop with our curator in his minimal prime, and has since become an irresistible prize for high-minded diggers. The same can be said for Experimental Products’ explosive proto-electro anthem ‘Who Is Kip Jones?’, empowered from pricey Discogs purgatory with just the slightest of tweaks. It’s deservedly sandwiched between the guiding influences of Chicago and Detroit in the form of Mutant Beat Dance’s raw ‘The Human Factor’ and a shimmering new version of previous solo production ‘Water’, featuring close friend and Ostgut Ton ally, Ryan Elliot.

The second half of the Mastermix seamlessly connects the mechanical past and digital present of EBM and industrial in the dance, with Dettmann’s instincts as a guiding hand. Severed Heads’ iconic ‘We Have Come To Bless This House’ emerges with mere nips and tucks, while Nitzer Ebb’s ‘Shame’ is significantly reimagined as a highwire act of rhythm and tension, setting up a sensual second take on a 2017 remix of ‘Limbo’ from Swiss synth heroes, Yello.

Core musical memories are shaken and stirred with a context-shifting take on Frank Duval’s emotional classic ‘Ogon’, while Ian North’s ‘Sex Lust You’ and Ford Proco’s notable Coil collaboration ‘Expansion Naranja’ effectively throb with only minor adjustments, respectfully imagined as “shadow versions”. Meanwhile, a simple breakbeat lifts Albert Kuningas’s ‘Astraalprojektio’ in the direction of wide-eyed dancefloors, while a fresh take on K-Alexi Shelby’s ‘Season of The Real’ inexplicably emerges somehow even funkier than before.

The conclusion of the compilation leads back to Das Tier from the prolific experimentalist Conrad Schnitzler, whose swirling synths and hypnotic vocals are duly tightened by Dettmann, but only as he puts it, “in conversation with the original.” Concluding three discs and thirty years of commitment to the dancefloor, this Mastermix not only offers us the opportunity to eavesdrop on this endless exchange, but to gain some sought-after material for our own record collections.

Dread Spectre Council is Kenneth Amundsen"s solo-moniker compiling years of archival demos reimagined and re-recorded. First presented through the debut EP "Dystopia/Eons" (2024) feat. Dale Crover (Melvins/Nirvana/Redd Kross) on drums. Connected to bands like Mindy Misty, Le Corbeau and Izakaya Heartbeat, - He has sneaked around the Norwegian indie scene for the past two decades. On Thetans Kenneth plays all instruments, records and mixes himself in a solitary catharsis. Bringing emotive confessionals, barn-burners and sect nodding psychedelics together in a melancholy-stroked indie rock epos, "unshakably human" as described by Last Day Deaf . A gang of co-conspirators is lurking to join for future releases and tours.

Dread Spectre Council is Kenneth Amundsen"s solo-moniker compiling years of archival demos reimagined and re-recorded. First presented through the debut EP "Dystopia/Eons" (2024) feat. Dale Crover (Melvins/Nirvana/Redd Kross) on drums. Connected to bands like Mindy Misty, Le Corbeau and Izakaya Heartbeat, - He has sneaked around the Norwegian indie scene for the past two decades. On Thetans Kenneth plays all instruments, records and mixes himself in a solitary catharsis. Bringing emotive confessionals, barn-burners and sect nodding psychedelics together in a melancholy-stroked indie rock epos, "unshakably human" as described by Last Day Deaf . A gang of co-conspirators is lurking to join for future releases and tours.

SY3 (pronounced ‘sigh’) is a new project from LA-based Chinese-American artists Kelly Guan, Alex Ho, and Phil Cho. The trio started working on music together in 2023 after connecting over a shared love of Hong Kong New Wave cinema, Cantonese pop songs, r&b, and melody-driven dance music. Singer Kelly Guan aka Jia Pet has been independently releasing ‘bubbly’ pop music since 2022, and recently toured with the genre-bending indie artist Sasami. Multi-instrumentalists Ho (keyboards, saxophone) and Cho (guitar, bass) have collaborated frequently over the past decade, most notably on Ho’s 2021 debut album 'Move Through It' for Music From Memory.

Lead single ‘Tell Me,’ the track that initially caught the ears of MFM's Jamie Tiller and Tako, nods to the hazy downtempo explored by Chinese pop stars like Faye Wong and Zhou Xun in the ‘00s, while also recalling Japanese producer Yoshinori Sunahara’s iconic album 'Lovebeat'. Beyond musical influences, SY3’s neon-drenched pop songs draw from a cinematic language, particularly y2k-era films like Made in Hong Kong and Suzhou River, which speak to a generation of disillusioned youth in an increasingly fast-paced world. Guan’s lyrics depict characters caught in bittersweet love affairs (‘dial tone, when I’m alone, you promised we’ll be in touch') forever looking towards an escape from their current realities (‘I know the walls are high, these graceless hands are slipping’). Title track ‘梦游 Sleepwalker’ features a Cantonese spoken-word story about a sleepwalking young girl who sits alone on a balcony wondering where she might have gone the night before. The drifting ambient production loosely references a traditional Chinese folk melody, and closes out the EP with a delicate, layered saxophone solo from Ho.

Balancing intimacy with a wider emotional and visual language, SY3’s debut unfolds as a series of nocturnal pop vignettes shaped by memory, cinema, and place. Released digitally and on vinyl through Music From Memory on March 25th. Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

,Stürmische und kathartische Dark-Pop-Perlen", schrieb Gorilla vs Bear über Jessica Weiss' frühe Soloarbeiten. Die Sängerin und Songwriterin von Fear of Men bringt dieselbe lyrische Präzision und emotionale Intensität in ihr Soloprojekt New German Cinema ein. Es hat fünf Jahre gedauert, zwischen London und LA, aufgebaut aus nächtlichen Dateien, langen Stillephasen und der stillen Beharrlichkeit zweier Menschen, die versuchen, etwas Schönes von entgegengesetzten Enden der Welt aus zu vollenden. Produziert mit Alex DeGroot (Zola Jesus, Cate Le Bon), wirkt es sowohl forensisch als auch hingebungsvoll, das Produkt von jemandem, der die Katharsis nicht überstürzt. Pain Will Polish Me präsentiert sich sowohl einsam als auch verbindend, als wäre es aus Fernübertragungen zwischen zwei Traumzuständen entstanden. Weiss nennt es eine Meditation über Pop und den europäischen Arthouse-Autoren Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Es verfolgt, wie Intimität und Kontrolle ineinander übergehen, bis es unmöglich ist zu sagen, wo das eine endet. Die Songs handeln von den Teilen von dir selbst, die sich in der Liebe auflösen, und von den kleinen Gewalttaten, die damit einhergehen, wenn man bekannt ist. Sie bewegen sich durch klaustrophobische Beziehungen, Obsession, Hingabe, Zyklen des Leidens, die sich allmählich wie Hingabe anfühlen. Die Sprache ist Pop, aber das Gefühl ist etwas Fremderes, Kälteres, Innerlicheres. Die Songs bewegen sich im Schatten. Es ist ein Album darüber, sich selbst zu verlieren, um zu sehen, was übrig bleibt. Ein Dokument der Liebe als Besessenheit, Wiederholung, Überleben. Eine Meditation über die Liebe als Spiegel und Untergang, in Fragmenten gestaltet und dann zu einem Ganzen zusammengefügt.

Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP

The Snatch! Records boss follows up 2022’s appearance on the label with Mark Broom as Star B.

Italian producer and DJ Riva Starr returns to Rekids with the ‘Shine A Light’ EP, arriving 27th March 2026. It marks his solo debut for Radio Slave’s flagship label, succeeding his ‘Love Will Remain’ EP together with Mark Broom as Star B in 2022. Active for more than two decades, Starr has been a consistent force within House music, known for building infectious loops, weighty basslines, and hook-led vocals into timeless club records. His catalogue spans his own Snatch! Records alongside labels such as Hot Creations, Cajual, Crosstown Rebels, and Factory 93, with releases regularly topping digital charts.

Riva Starr’s ‘Shine A Light’ EP starts with 'Can't Stop The Feeling’, setting the tone with a bold, elastic House groove, driven by funky bass, smart filter work, and diva-style vocal stabs designed to lift the room. ‘Shine A Light (On Me)’ follows with even greater impact, pairing wall-rattling drums with belting vocals that bring gospel intensity to a hands-in-the-air anthem. ‘Tryin’’ digs deeper, keeping the pressure on with a sleazier bassline underpinning male vocal cries and smooth choral touches built for peak-time reactions. Closing things out, ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling (Beat-A-Pella)’ strips the groove back, rounding off a high-impact, emotionally charged EP of modern house craftsmanship.

"I got to know visual artist, musician, and producer Guido Erfen and sound engineer, acoustic artist, and percussionist Michael Springer as part of a group of five by the name of SHM1. The members of the group organised concerts at Rhenania, a disused grain silo, where I performed with The Absurd in 1988 and 1989. The band was also featured on one of Erfen's tape releases. Erfen and Springer met when they were still at the same secondary school and soon became close friends and musical allies. With the other members of SHM they built an independent network for creating and distributing music beyond the mainstream in Cologne. Rent at Rhenania was incredibly low, allowing a recording studio to be established there.

The first traces of the Ukrainian Underground arrived at Erfen's door via a cassette tape with three bands from Kharkiv and Kyiv, the package including a long essay which detailed the rock scene in the two cities by Sergey Myasoyedow. In 1986, Myasoyedow, together with Sasha Panchenko, had founded the “Novaya Scena“ rock club in Kharkiv, presenting bands inspired by punk, the avant-garde, dadaism, and even medieval melodies. If Erfen hadn't been part of the independent mail-art scene, he wouldn't have had the chance to discover this unorthodox music. It was the summer of 1990, shortly before the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine became an independent state the following year.

In 1991, singer and keyboard player Soloveyka from Kharkiv arrived in Cologne and gave Erfen half a dozen cassettes with underground bands from Ukraine and a handful with bands from the Soviet Union. Intrigued by the original music of many of the acts, he visited Ukraine twice, made friends there, compiled a tape with his favourite tracks and finally succeeded in convincing Hamburg label boss Alfred Hilsberg to present underground music from Ukraine on the CD “Novaya Scena“ via his label What's So Funny About (the original home of Einstürzende Neubauten).
The album compiled 20 tracks recorded between 1986 and 1992 by 14 bands out of Kharkiv and Kyiv– music beyond the usual Perestroika records, often with jarring dissonances over grooves that fans of Captain Beefheart or The Fall would certainly enjoy.

On the other hand, there are tracks featuring flute and trumpet that seem inspired by folk, classical music, and punk. Ghostly chamber prog miniatures by Cukor Belaya Smert (lit. Sugar White Death) from Kyiv featuring, among others, the classically trained pianist and singer Svitlana Nianio (née Ochrimenko) and guitarist, visual artist, and spokesman Yewgeny "Yenia" Taran. Nianio sang in her native Ukrainian, as did two more of the bands. Today, this seems more relevant than ever, more culturally and historically significant from a Ukrainian point of view than it was even in 1993. Young Ukrainians were amazed at that time that rock music sung in their native tongue could work!

It is in the aftermath of the “Novaya Scena“ album that the music on this LP was created. About a year after the release of the CD in August 1993, Nianio and Taran came to Cologne to work on music for the dance production "Transilvania Smile" by the dance theatre ensemble Pentamonia2.
The seeds for the Traces of Ukrainian Underground in Cologne were sown. Starting in 1994, a series of informal recording sessions took place at Michael Springer’s Phanton Studio and at SHM studio in Rhenania. Together, these sessions formed the basis of the four different incarnations of the Ukraine-Cologne connection heard on STROOMS’s compilation.

For the first time in more than a decade, Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) presents a solo album – 100% Tiki.

Over his 30-plus year career, St. Hilaire has become one of dance music’s quietly legendary figures. Born and raised in Dominica, he moved to Berlin in 1994 and has lent both his voice and his musicianship to some of the most iconic electronic music from the German capital – and beyond. Renowned for his collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (AKA Rhythm & Sound), he has also appeared on records with Deadbeat, Rhauder, Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers and Stereotyp (G-Stone Recordings), amongst others.

However, few know the extent of St. Hilaire’s compositional and technical mastery. From his home studio in Kreuzberg, which includes an extensive collection of vintage hardware, self-built instruments and notebooks scribbled with endless lyrics, he has created a vast archive of material spanning ambient dub, avant-jazz, lush techno and lovers rock.

Tikiman Vol. 1 is a heady, downtempo tour de force of patois metaphors on education, displacement and personal vs. global histories, as is evident on slippy album opener “Bedroom in My Bag”: Mister, mister / Where are you going? / I’m heading for a faraway land / What are you having in the bag in your hand? / Help us to understand / He said, I’ve got my bedroom in my bag.

Overall, the album’s lyrics reflect on life between Berlin and Dominica, specifically St. Hilaire’s hometown of Grand Bay, where he has worked with various musicians famous for the island’s different genres of carnival music. St. Hilaire himself always favoured the island’s more “discrete” music, developing a sonic synergy between two different geographical strains of groove and minimalism, and combining them with foundational Caribbean mixing techniques, which provide the basis for his songwriting and distinct
baritone.

Tikiman Vol.1 offers a rare insight into St. Hilaire’s complex artistry, from the eyes-down grooves of “Little Way” and the guitar-heavy digi dancehall experiment “Keep Safe,” to the subtle hypnosis of “Ten to One” and the softly crashing synth waves of closer “Three And A Half”, evoking not only beaches but also coasts and borders. It’s a fitting expression of both the breadth of St. Hilaire’s work, as well as his history as one of the few black, Berlin-based artists who, despite remaining largely overlooked, has influenced the city’s electronic music culture since its beginnings.


Credits
Written & Produced by Paul St. Hilaire
Mastered by Stefan Betke
Artwork by Grant Gibson

Kynant Records was founded in 2015 by Richard Akingbehin, a British-Nigerian radio programmer (Refuge Worldwide), music writer and DJ. Originally specialising in deep techno and featuring artists such as Cio D’Or, Terrence Dixon and Donato Dozzy, Kynant has since launched a sub-label Kynant EX which focuses on ambient, dub and experimental electronics.

,Fragments" ist das Debütalbum von Billy Fuller, Mitbegründer von Beak>. Obwohl es sich um ein Soloalbum handelt, ist es kein Soloalbum im herkömmlichen Sinne, das die Gedanken und Gefühle eines Künstlers während eines bestimmten Zeitraums widerspiegelt. Es ist ein Album, das einen längeren Zeitraum umfasst, da es Fragmente von Billys Schaffen in seinem Heimstudio aus den letzten Jahren zusammenfasst. Beim Anhören entsteht der Eindruck von Kunst, die manchmal eine bestimmte Vision verfolgt und manchmal einfach nur das Ergebnis von jemandem ist, der den Schaffensprozess im Moment genießt. Während der Pause von Beak> Anfang 2025 hat Billy seine gesammelten Kompositionen erneut angehört und festgestellt, dass sie einen gemeinsamen roten Faden und eine einheitliche Atmosphäre aufweisen. Jeder einzelne Track auf diesem Album wurde von Billy allein geschaffen, und seine Persönlichkeit zieht sich wie ein roter Faden durch die 16 Tracks. Er vergleicht den Prozess der Zusammenstellung der Tracks mit dem Erstellen einer Kassettenkompilation für einen Freund, als er noch ein Kind war. Fragments ist stimmungsvoll, immersiv und völlig ungebunden. Auf dem gesamten Album spielt kosmisch angehauchte, hauntologische Electronica frei mit Melodien und findet emotionale Resonanz für unsere unvorhersehbaren Zeiten. Neu-artige Wiederholungen und motorische Grooves pulsieren unter verzerrten Electro-Texturen, und gelegentliche Spoken-Word-Passagen driften wie Übertragungen aus einer unbekannten Sendung herein und wieder hinaus. Gelegentliche Einblendungen psychedelischer Prog-Gitarren durchbrechen die dunstige Atmosphäre und bringen den Sound weiter in Richtung Fullers eigener Art von hypnagogischem Pop, der seltsam und doch zutiefst menschlich ist. ,Fragments" ist kein Album über Singles oder Trends. Es ist Musik aus Liebe zum Musikmachen, von einem Musiker, der seit über 25 Jahren ununterbrochen neue Musik produziert und veröffentlicht. Es ist ein selbstloser Triumph der musikalischen Freiheit. Billy Fuller ist vor allem als Gründungsmitglied, Songwriter und Bassist der Band Beak> bekannt. In den letzten 16 Jahren haben er und seine Bandkollegen vier Alben, zahlreiche Einzel-Singles, EPs und Soundtracks veröffentlicht, wobei Fullers Bass stets die treibende Kraft in ihren Kompositionen war und Beak> seinen charakteristischen Sound verlieh, der wie immer auf dem Bass aufbaut. Fuller hat im Laufe der Zeit auch an vielen anderen Projekten mitgewirkt. Im Jahr 2003 begann er seine 17-jährige Tätigkeit als Bassist von Robert Plant, spielte Bass auf dem Album ,Heligoland" von Massive Attack, wirkte an vier Alben von Baxter Dury mit und arbeitete außerdem mit Alicia Keys, Billy Nomates, Rachid Taha, Anika, Lucrecia Dalt, Tottenham Hotspur FC und vielen anderen zusammen.

DJ Support: Damian Lazarus, James Zabiela, Chloé Caillet, Luke Slater, Solomun, Huxley, Peggy Gou, Alan Fitzpatrick, TSHA, Mat.Joe, Eliza Rose.

It’s been a standout year for X & Ivy following the release of “Let The Bass Kick” on Forever Days. The duo have earned support from heavyweights including Peggy Gou, Todd Edwards and DJ Tennis, with their Chic-sampling club weapon lighting up dancefloors worldwide all summer.

Now, they hand the reins to DJ/producer Jennifer Loveless, who flips “Let The Bass Kick” into a fresh, forward-thinking rework built for the dancefloor.

Solid Red Vinyl Edition - 10@ Mini album. Originally release in 2025 in a painfully limited 2x7" + Book edition.

"Dream of the Egg" is the debut solo album by Tomo Katsurada, known for his work with the Japanese psychedelic band Kikagaku Moyo. This project is a unique fusion of music and visual art, inspired by the Japanese 1920s children's book “Yume No Tamago (Dream of the Egg)”. It reveals a deeply personal journey, reflecting Tomo's dreams and the numerous rebirths experienced in 2024—a year marked by profound new beginnings in every facet of his life.

This mini album was driven by a passion for raw and immediate expression. Every song was crafted and recorded with only the materials available to him at the time, embracing an organic and handmade atmosphere. By eschewing rhythm clicks and standard instrumental tunings, a spontaneous sound emerged, capturing the essence of both uncertainty and immediacy. Adding to this distinctive sonic landscape, guest musician Jonny Nash (UK) contributed ethereal guitar sounds on the first and final tracks, enriching the record's dream-like quality.

The journey begins with the opening track, "Moshimo," which means "If..." in Japanese. Here, Jonny's guitar weaves seamlessly with the vocal melody, creating a harmonious dialogue. The first half of the album concludes with "Zen Bungalow" a cover of Gabriel Yared's “Bungalow Zen” from the soundtrack of the film “Betty Blue 37°2 Le Matin”. This particular track is his partner’s favourite song to listen to every morning and left a profound impression on him. One day, he heard a song in his dream that combined both of these tracks and loved how they blended together. This experience inspired him to create a new arrangement, "Zen Bungalow," which has become a central piece of the “Dream of the Egg” album.

The third track serves as an interlude, printed on a flexi disk attached to the middle of a picture book. This interlude transitions the listener into"Inner Garden," a bittersweet folk song that explores themes of love. The EP's narrative spans 20 minutes, culminating in the final title track “Dream of the Egg”. This piece features a delicate session between Tomo & Jonny, combining cello and guitar to create a spectrum of tones that evoke the imagery of a rainbow. The focus on smooth dynamics and meticulous play reflects an intent to convey a sense of physical trembling. This track sounds like the beginning of a new dream; as if the egg of one’s dream is about to hatch, bringing a sense of anticipation and wonder to the listener. Throughout the album, a variety of instruments come into play, drifting between notes and embracing the beauty of imperfection. By incorporating free-form sounds in a highly technological age, the record aims to reconnect listeners with the tangible, human-made quality of sound.

Special Thanks
Jonny Nash – Guitar

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce Dalbergia Retusa, an extensive double LP selection of the solo guitar music of Hans Reichel, compiled by Oren Ambarchi. Last heard on Black Truffle as one quarter of the joyously anarchic Bergisch-Brandenburgisches Quartett, Hans Reichel (1949-2011) is one of the great figures of experimental guitar music. Though perhaps lesser known than peers like Derek Bailey, Fred Frith and Keith Rowe, Reichel’s rethinking of the instrument was in some ways the most radical of all. Early on, he dispensed with existing guitars to build a series of his own that explored the use of additional strings and fretboards, moveable pickups, extra bridges, special capos, and other innovations documented in the extensive booklet accompanying this release.

Reichel was a long-term resident of Wuppertal, the small Western Germany city that became an unlikely centre of European free jazz in the late 1960s, also home to Peter Brötzmann and Peter Kowald. His solo debut Wichlinghauser Blues was an early entry into the FMP discography and began a relationship with the label that stretched into the 1990s; all the solo performances heard here were first released on FMP. As Reichel says in the charming archival interview with Markus Müller included here, he was ‘always a cuckoo’s egg at FMP’, a label that began as an outlet for roaring European free jazz. What strikes the listener right from the opening selection on Dalbergia Retusa—‘Return of the Knödler show’, from 1987’s The Dawn of Dachsman—is the extraordinary beauty of Reichel’s music, at once alien in the shimmering sonorities and unconventional pitch relationships made possible by his invented instruments, and deeply lyrical, even romantic in its harmonic content. Growing up in West Germany in the 1960s, Reichel’s formative influences were mainly British and American rock bands, a background that shines through in many of the pieces included here: ‘An old friend passes by’ is haunted by the ghost of Hendrix’s rhythm guitar, and the wild closer ‘Heimkehr der Holzböcke’, taken from a rare 1975 7” and the only piece to use overdubbing, layers errant hammer-on and slide tones over a Canned Heat boogie chug.

Reichel was an important source for the development of Oren Ambarchi’s own extended approach to the electric guitar. Appropriately enough, his selection opens with the very first piece by Reichel he ever heard, on a flexidisc included with a 1989 issue of Guitar Player magazine. Though Reichel collaborated with others extensively in many settings and also performed on violin and his other major contribution to instrument invention, the daxophone, his music for solo guitar remains at the core of his oeuvre. Focusing exclusively on solo pieces recorded between 1973 and 1988, the 23 pieces on Dalbergia Retusa showcase the range and consistency of Reichel’s work, allowing the listener to see how his performances developed hand-in-hand with his instrumental inventions. On a piece from his very first LP, played on an 11-string instrument (partly strung with piano strings and using a schnapps glass a slide), we hear his intensive exploration of fret-hammering to create zither-like, chiming tone, which Reichel would hone further in later years with a double fretboard guitar specifically designed to be hammered rather than fretted and picked. On a piece from 1979’s Death of the Rare Bird Ymir, Reichel uses two steel-string acoustic guitars at once, with beautiful results: ‘some even say too beautiful’, he jokes in the interview included here. Many of the pieces from the 1980s make use of varieties of the ‘pick behind the bridge guitar’, instruments of uncanny harmonic richness primarily designed to be played on the ‘wrong’ side of the bridge. At times the unexpected behaviour of attacks, resonance, and decay can almost seem electronic, conjuring up the technology-assisted work of Henry Kaiser or even Fennesz, but realised solely through Reichel’s unorthodox techniques on his invented instruments. Extensively illustrated with photos and Reichel’s own plans and drawings of his instruments, Dalbergia Retusa is an essential introduction to the unique world of Hans Reichel. Rarely has music been at once so strange and so beautiful.

Kim Gordon hat Kunst und Noise über Jahrzehnte immer wieder neu gedacht - und dabei nie an Schärfe verloren. Vierzig Jahre nach ihren Anfängen wirkt ihre Vision noch immer provokant. Dieses Abenteuer setzt sie mit ihrem dritten Soloalbum "PLAY ME" fort, das am 13. März bei Matador Records erscheint. Mit der Ankündigung erscheint die erste Single "NOT TODAY", begleitet von einem Kurzfilm der Modedesignerinnen und Filmemacherinnen Kate und Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte). Gordon trägt darin ein eigens für sie gefertigtes, handgefärbtes Seidentüllkleid. Der Song offenbart eine neue, fast poetische Spannung in ihrer Stimme: "Da kam eine andere Stimme zum Vorschein", so Gordon. "PLAY ME" ist ein konzentriertes, direktes Album, das ihren Sound um melodischere Beats und den motorischen Drive des Krautrock erweitert. Entstanden ist es erneut mit Produzent Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Sky Ferreira, Yves Tumor). Die Songs sind kurz, prägnant und stark rhythmusorientiert - fokussierter und selbstbewusster als zuvor. Nach "No Home Record" (2019) und "The Collective" (2024, zwei Grammy-Nominierungen) richtet Gordon den Blick auf die Gegenwart: Tech-Macht, KI-getriebene Kulturverflachung, den Abbau demokratischer Strukturen und den absurden Alltag des Spätkapitalismus. Trotz dieser Themen ist "PLAY ME" ein nach innen gewandtes, geradezu körperliches und ebenso emotionales Album. Mit verzerrten Stimmen und schroffen Beats legen Songs wie "Square Jaw", "Dirty Tech" oder "Busy Bee" gesellschaftliche Realitäten frei. Der Titeltrack entlarvt die Logik einer durchkuratierten Komfortkultur. "PLAY ME" ist radikal gegenwärtig, widerständig und kompromisslos eigenständig.

“One foot out the door, another in the otherworld…”
So begins Hannah Lew’s debut, self-titled solo record, soaked in imperious, wide-eyed pop songwriting and a girl-group/post punk aesthetic that belies the artist’s history in the U.S. underground. A towering, hook-laden album, it’s infused with an optimism and surrealism that conversely deals with the times we find ourselves in.

Recorded at home in Richmond, CA and in The Best House studio with Maryam Qudus in Oakland CA, with the assistance of a crack team of West Coast musicians, this album sees Hannah Lew stepping out from behind the legacy of her two groups Grass Widow and Cold Beat. While musically bearing similarities with her previous work, “Hannah Lew” is a bold leap into direct pop territory, making ample use of a vocal style that teases out the inherent melancholy in her melodies. Mastered by Sarah Register, each song is a perfectly honed nugget that frequently pulls the heart in two directions at once.

Themes of change, breaking up, shattering old ways of being are shot through the record. For the front cover, a photograph of the artist’s face was printed, ripped up and re-assembled, resembling the creative process embarked upon by Lew for her first “solo” material. The album feels instinctual, almost dream-like in its assemblage of sweeping synths and pulsating, propulsive drum machine beat patterns with Lew’s vocal performances sensitive and caressing over the top. Increasingly relying on the subconscious and dreams to guide her creative process, Hannah Lew frequently abandons literal interpretations or linear narratives, the songs seeming to exist in a swooning, effortless flow-state while remaining emotionally hard hitting.

On an album where every song could be a single, there are kaleidoscopic shades and varying emotional tones in abundance. First single Another Twilight is carried along a pumping, Italo-disco-style 4/4 beat and mono-synth bass line, the low end pulling at the heart and body. Lew’s vocal melody teases the track before swan-diving into a gorgeous chorus as she sings “it’s all over baby and I don’t mind… in decline, I take my time…” The album is suffused with moments like this. On slow builder Damaged Melody, an arpeggiated synth elongates the verse before a cascading synth showers down melodic glitter. The stunning Replica uses dual swirling synth patterns before a driving, synthpop chorus for the ages carries Hannah Lew’s vocal into the stereo field, sailing in on a high register singed with the embers of a break up.

In a departure from previous groups, her solo songs are guided by dreams and free association inspired by Dada and the Surrealist movement and sculpted afterwards. As such, the songs reveal themselves on repeated listens, revealing traces of heartbreak inspired by both personal and global elements - Hannah Lew regards the album “a wartime album.” On Move In Silence, Lew intones “there’s a war outside, just out of view,” revealing the dichotomy at play throughout. With the songs evolving naturally and in a flow state, the pressures and sadnesses of the modern age bleed through, mixed in with Lew’s inherent love, sensitivity and fractured-but-intact optimism. On the swooning, sublime Sunday layers of Numanoid synths open up for the commanding vocal performance pontificating on grief, love, pain as she “feels the ache on Sunday…” As the chorus builds and Lew’s call-and-response vocal adds to the emotional tension, it almost feels like too much to take.

Elsewhere, there are echoes of Hannah Lew’s previous work. On Time Wasted a bass guitar comes in with a heavy, punk attack before the synths and vocal harmonies reminiscent of later Cold Beat elevate everything. The glassy, sweetly resigned closer The Clock sounds like so classic it could be cover, a sweetened Jesus & Mary Chain tune perhaps, before it erupts into volcanic chorus that could only come from Hannah Lew in 2026.

“Black Jacket” is a love letter between two bands separated by continents but united by mutual admiration. Contriva, of Berlin, and Chessie of Washington, DC, first came together in 2001 when sharing a stage, sparking a deep connection over their respective takes on textural, emotive, and mostly instrumental music that merges post-rock, ambient, and experimental elements into unique visions. Fast forward two decades and many trips to their respective studios and we now have “Black Jacket”, a double LP of musical alchemy that builds upon the expressionistic, idiosyncratic sounds of these two groups. A new classic that proves far greater than the sum of its parts.

Begun in the mid 1990's, Washington DC's Chessie is Stephen Gardner (also of noisy shoegaze pioneers, Lorelei) and Ben Bailes, whose various LP's for Slumberland's Dropbeat imprint and Plug Research pair abstract electronics and melancholy post-rock in search of the sounds and feelings of railways and train travel.

Berlin's Contriva, (Monika Enterprises, Lok Musik, and Morr Music) features Masha Qrella (known for her solo works for Morr Music), Max Punktezahl (also of Munich indie legends the Notwist and Berlin's Jersey and Saroos), Hannes Lehmann and Rike Schuberty. For over a decade beginning in the mid-1990's, Contriva crafted compelling instrumentals, grafting experimental textures onto beautiful and complex indie songs.

Together, the six of them have created “Black Jacket.”

Amulets is the solo project of Portland-based audio and visual artist Randall Taylor. Amulets employs handmade cassette tape loops and live processed guitar loops to create live, lush soundscapes and immersive drones. Through the recontextualisation of cassettes, sampling, field recording, and looping, these long-form compositions blur the genres of ambient, drone, noise, and electronic music. Amulets has steadily built a catalog defined by tactile intimacy and patient exploration. Deeply immersive, the album navigates the dreamy boundaries between the tangible and the ethereal, where sound behaves as memory itself: unstable, layered, and quietly transformative. Known for his ability to weave soundscapes that evoke powerful emotions with minimalistic instrumentation, Taylor's newest project is a masterful exploration of mood, atmosphere, and texture.Throughout the ambient soundscapes is introspection, melancholy, and an almost hypnotic calm. The album resists forward motion, instead inviting the listener to linger inside its evolving textures, to sit with what's left behind rather than rush toward resolution. Central to Amulets' identity is Taylor's insistence on working, quite literally, outside the box. While many contemporary experimental artists rely heavily on software, Taylor's process remains rooted in physical interaction with sound. "This album differs from previous albums because it's a lot of found sounds, song fragments, and other samples that I have that I wanted to fuse together. I also heavily relied on a lot of ambient guitar and live guitar recording to marry all the sounds together." (Randall Taylor) FOR FANS OF Tim Hecker * Ben Frost * Lawrence English * Alessandro Cortini * This Will Destroy You * Mono * Windy & Carl

Amulets is the solo project of Portland-based audio and visual artist Randall Taylor. Amulets employs handmade cassette tape loops and live processed guitar loops to create live, lush soundscapes and immersive drones. Through the recontextualisation of cassettes, sampling, field recording, and looping, these long-form compositions blur the genres of ambient, drone, noise, and electronic music. Amulets has steadily built a catalog defined by tactile intimacy and patient exploration. Deeply immersive, the album navigates the dreamy boundaries between the tangible and the ethereal, where sound behaves as memory itself: unstable, layered, and quietly transformative. Known for his ability to weave soundscapes that evoke powerful emotions with minimalistic instrumentation, Taylor's newest project is a masterful exploration of mood, atmosphere, and texture.Throughout the ambient soundscapes is introspection, melancholy, and an almost hypnotic calm. The album resists forward motion, instead inviting the listener to linger inside its evolving textures, to sit with what's left behind rather than rush toward resolution. Central to Amulets' identity is Taylor's insistence on working, quite literally, outside the box. While many contemporary experimental artists rely heavily on software, Taylor's process remains rooted in physical interaction with sound. "This album differs from previous albums because it's a lot of found sounds, song fragments, and other samples that I have that I wanted to fuse together. I also heavily relied on a lot of ambient guitar and live guitar recording to marry all the sounds together." (Randall Taylor) FOR FANS OF Tim Hecker * Ben Frost * Lawrence English * Alessandro Cortini * This Will Destroy You * Mono * Windy & Carl The single colour edition comes as Lavender vinyl!

Mit seinem neuen Solo-Projekt „NEOCORTEX“ präsentiert Thomas D ein Werk, dessen Entstehungsprozess teilweise über ein Jahrzehnt zurückreicht. Abseits der großen Stadion-Produktionen der Fantastischen Vier liegt der Fokus hier auf einer persönlichen und inhaltlich dichten Auseinandersetzung mit dem menschlichen Sein. Im Gegensatz zu den vorangegangenen Veröffentlichungen mit der Hamburger Band The KBCS handelt es sich bei den zwölf Titeln ausschließlich um neues Material und keine Remakes.

Musikalisch setzt Thomas D erneut auf die Zusammenarbeit mit den KBCS, die für einen organischen und geerdeten Sound sorgen. Ergänzt wird das Album durch Kollaborationen mit dem Künstler Gu sowie der Liedermacher-Legende Reinhard Mey.

„NEOCORTEX“ dokumentiert eine über 13 Jahre gereifte künstlerische Entwicklung und zeigt Thomas D als Songwriter, der sich direkter und lebensnäher als in bisherigen Solo-Arbeiten positioniert.

In the vibrant, post-millennial landscape of independent hip-hop, few collective names commanded as much respect as the Living Legends. A monumental alliance of some of the West Coast's most respected solo artists—including Murs, The Grouch, Eligh, Aesop, Bicasso, Luckyiam, Sunspot Jonz, and Arata—the crew's 2008 album, The Gathering, served as a powerful declaration of their unity and enduring relevance.

The Gathering was a snapshot of a legendary crew working at the peak of their collaborative power. The project masterfully weaves together the diverse styles of its eight members, moving effortlessly from the conscious storytelling of Murs to the soulful, introspective flow of The Grouch and Eligh, and the abstract lyrical dexterity of Aesop. The production, handled largely within the collective, provides a lush, sample-heavy, and distinctly West Coast soundscape that perfectly complements the lyrical fireworks. Tracks like the anthemic title track "The Gathering" and the legendary posse cut "After Hours" showcase the organic chemistry that made the Living Legends a seminal force in underground music.

For the first time ever, this pivotal album is being officially pressed on vinyl. This highly anticipated Record Store Day 2026 release finally delivers The Gathering to the format its rich, soulful production has always deserved. This limited edition pressing is presented on striking Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl, a perfect visual complement to the album's crisp, refreshing sound.

A crucial artifact of independent hip-hop history, The Gathering on vinyl is an essential addition for fans who have supported the Living Legends for decades and a must-have for vinyl collectors looking to own a tangible piece of the era's best crew collaborations. Don't miss the chance to own this definitive, first-ever vinyl pressing of a true underground classic.

From 1971 to 1977, Peter Baumann was a member of the legendary Berlin band TANGERINE DREAM. The group were pioneers of the so called Berliner Schule (Berlin School) which had such a profound impact on electronic music. He produced a number of momentous albums at his Paragon Studio (by the likes of Conrad Schnitzler, Cluster, Hans-Joachim Roedelius) and also enjoyed success as a solo artist. The influence of Tangerine Dream can clearly be heard on "Romance 76", although the arrangements are comparatively minimalist-a state of affairs for which David Bowie can be held partially responsible.

M.C.’s/How Many Miles? is the follow-up solo single and arrival proper of MC D. With DJ Fusion once again handling production and scratch duties, this extended player is no less uncompromising than its predecessor. Benefitting a full release with the now iconic Mendoza green labels, it cemented the young MC in the annals of UK rap history. MC D (aka Darren James) cut one more record for Mendoza as part of his Silent Eclipse project before moving on to future collaborations with the likes of The Principle (Caveman), Deckwrecka, Rodney P and Skinnyman. M.C.’s/How Many Miles? is ranked amongst Mark McDonald’s Top 100 UK rap records in the essential Megablast book published in 2024.

Paul Weller releases Weller At The BBC (Vol.2) on Friday 24th April.

This second BBC outing gathers live session and live in concert performances, including intimate stripped back acoustic versions and re-workings of tracks across The Jam, The Style Council and Paul’s extensive solo career.

From timeless classics such as Start!, Shout To The Top and Wild Wood, to deep cuts and covers, like The Zombies’ Time Of The Season and Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For?

The album also features some beautifully orchestrated tracks with the London Metropolitan Orchestra, arranged and conducted by Hannah Peel, including Aspects, Boy About Town and Have You Ever Had It Blue.

5th solo-album from former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist! 1st album release in over 5 years. Guest appearances from Doro, Matt Barlow, Ronnie Romero & Dino Jelusick. Gus. G. will be touring extensively all over the world during 2026. Gus G. is featured as a playable character in the mobile-game Rock Kommander. The game has a global reach with hundreds of thousands of downloads, and will be promoting Gus G. and Firewind extensively throughout 2026.

Das fünfte Soloalbum des ehemaligen Ozzy Osbourne-Gitarristen! Das erste Album seit über fünf Jahren. Mit Gastauftritten von Doro, Matt Barlow, Ronnie Romero und Dino Jelusick. Gus G. wird 2026 ausgiebig auf Welttournee gehen. Gus G. ist als spielbarer Charakter im Handyspiel Rock Kommander vertreten. Das Spiel hat eine globale Reichweite mit Hunderttausenden von Downloads und wird Gus G. und Firewind im Laufe des Jahres 2026 ausgiebig promoten.

5th solo-album from former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist! 1st album release in over 5 years. Guest appearances from Doro, Matt Barlow, Ronnie Romero & Dino Jelusick. Gus. G. will be touring extensively all over the world during 2026. Gus G. is featured as a playable character in the mobile-game Rock Kommander. The game has a global reach with hundreds of thousands of downloads, and will be promoting Gus G. and Firewind extensively throughout 2026.

Das fünfte Soloalbum des ehemaligen Ozzy Osbourne-Gitarristen! Das erste Album seit über fünf Jahren. Mit Gastauftritten von Doro, Matt Barlow, Ronnie Romero und Dino Jelusick. Gus G. wird 2026 ausgiebig auf Welttournee gehen. Gus G. ist als spielbarer Charakter im Handyspiel Rock Kommander vertreten. Das Spiel hat eine globale Reichweite mit Hunderttausenden von Downloads und wird Gus G. und Firewind im Laufe des Jahres 2026 ausgiebig promoten.

Nur wenige Alben haben eine Ära und eine Generation von Popmusik so sehr geprägt wie "Faith", George Michaels bahnbrechendes Solo-Debütalbum von 1987. Fast vollständig von George selbst geschrieben, arrangiert, produziert und interpretiert, enthält es die Hitsingles "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try" und "Monkey". Diese Neun-Track-Version ist nun erstmals seit über einem Jahrzehnt wieder auf Vinyl erhältlich und eine originalgetreue Nachbildung des Albums.

2026 Repress

Anenon's tenor saxophone breathes an emotive contemplation on loss, meshed with sustained piano and field recordings. 'Moons Melt Milk Light' is a hyper-personal statement contained in a visceral beauty.

LA native Anenon returns with a highly anticipated new album 'Moons Melt Milk Light' on Tonal Union, bearing his most personal, expressive, and arresting works to date. Anenon is the ongoing solo studio and live project of Brian Allen Simon, whom since 2010 has released multiple albums and EPs to critical acclaim, including the highly revered 'Tongue' (2018) and 'Petrol' (2016).

'Moons Melt Milk Light' is direct, efficient, and unwavering in its immediacy. Anenon departs from the electronics of previous works, and embarks on a reductive, almost entirely acoustic approach consisting of piano, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and field recordings. All of the music was improvised with everything recorded as either a first or second take with no edits. Any layering happened fast and in the moment, and yet the sonic architecture of the whole feels both planned and refined.

"I feel a kinetic and messy honesty that doesn't exist in any of the other music I've ever made. There is also a sense of being settled, of calm. There is no faking it here."

Gap Mangione's monumentally influential Diana In The Autumn Wind. AKA BEWITH200LP. And, without question, Be With's White Whale.

They said it could never be done. And with good reason.

We've spent the past 12 years trying to license this legendary 1968 recording from Gap and, after much work, it's finally here. Remarkably, this is the first ever vinyl reissue of Gap Mangione's Diana In The Autumn Wind, produced with the full and extensive participation of Gap. An exceedingly rare album, it's been coveted by funk, soul, jazz and hip-hop sample fiends for decades.

It's unarguably *the* most sought after album for J Dilla / Madlib sample collectors. It has also been brilliantly sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, Large Professor, Ghostface Killah, Kendrick Lamar and Talib Kweli.

But this record is so much more than a sample-spotters curio. It's solid gold throughout. Bursting with killer funky-jazz grooves and tracks adorned with warm electric piano, the release is notable for featuring some extremely significant players at the very outset of their careers; Tony Levin, at 21, whose superb playing on both acoustic and electric bass was the harmonic mainstay of the trio and Steve Gadd, at 23, one of the greatest drummers of his generation.

With acceptable copies of this holy grail changing hands for $400, to call this reissue "much-needed" underplays just how vital it is. Gap's story is told in his words alongside rare photos across a sumptuously designed 2-page insert and, to augment this deluxe edition further, its all wrapped up in a beautiful, no-expense-spared luxury tip-on sleeve, as per the original hens-teeth release. And, while we're talking packaging, just take a look at that cover - a work of art in and of itself.

The tracks are short but complex, with that extraordinary rhythm section backing the beautiful piano, organ and electric piano work of Gap. It's like the best ever library funk breaks record you never heard - but all your favourite golden age rap producers were all over it, long ago. It's a stunning blend of the vibrant, driving music of the Gap Mangione Trio coupled with the sensitive composition and superb orchestration of Gap's legendary brother, Chuck Mangione, who helmed an amalgam of seemingly disparate elements – rock, big band jazz, solo improvisation and "classical" music - into a spectacularly cohesive whole that has aged wonderfully well. As Gap himself notes in the liners, "with this group I was able to explore and add new and exciting elements from rock, Brazilian and then-current pop music."

Opener "Boy With Toys" triumphantly swaggers out the gate, all big band horns, flutes and dextrous organ work. The synthesis of everything going on is nothing short of stunning. When one wise YouTube commentator called this tune "old school superhero music", Gap agreed. Rap luminaries did, too, amongst them Talib Kweli, who rapped over DJ Scratch's chopped up intro for "Shock Body" on his Quality album back in 2002.

You've barely recovered from that incredibly affecting opener when you get hit over the head with the exquisite title-track. And now you see how two of the greatest beats of all time emerged from one single track produced nearly 50 years earlier. Unforgettably utilised by Dilla for Slum Village's heartbreakingly good "Fall In Love" and then Madlib for his "Official" beat for Dilla to rap over, on the Jaylib record. Regardless of the records it went on to spawn, this is just a staggering tune in its own right. Be beguiled by the flutes and the flutter tonguing, the counter-melody from the trombones, the soprano sax solo. All of it. Simply beautiful.

The questing organ and horn workout "Long Hair Soulful" deserves a lot more attention, overshadowed somewhat by the opening two monsters but no less fantastic. It swings, it grooves and Gadd and Levin truly cook. Up next, Gap's wonderfully percussive, mellifluously piano-heavy cover of "Yesterday" by some fellas called The Beatles. It's a subtly arresting gem. "The XIth Commandment" is damn fine, with thick, gorgeous electric piano and snappy drum work underpinning chaotic soundtracky horns. To close out the side, "St. Thomas" showcases the "fourth" member of the Gap Mangione Trio, conga drummer Dhui Mandingo. Having performed with the Trio since 1965, Dhui‘s African-based and jazz-latin-influenced style amazed listeners and its way to hear why.

Opening the B-Side, standard "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You" breezes along in the late-night jazz club fashion before things get super deep with the outstanding and - up to now - un-sampled "Pond With Swans". It's simply heavenly, and how its moody, melancholic intro has yet to be pilfered is anybody's guess. It oscillates between gentle, sombre movements and bombastic grooves, equally hypnotic and joyous. The rendition of "You Are My Sunshine" is yet another showcase for Gap's virtuoso playing and Gadd's mastery of the pocket. Indeed Gadd's drumming on "Free Again" is nothing short of neck-SNAPPING! Ghostface took it for not one but two "Iron's Theme" tracks across his seminal Supreme Clientele. It's got that Galt MacDermot "Coffee Cold" feel. Suuuuuper cool. The frantic "Dream On Little Dreamer" hurtles along and must've surely had the whole room absolutely swinging from the chandeliers back in Rochester in the late 60s. The album closes with the magnificent Graduate Medley, featuring memorable renditions of "Scarborough Fair", "The Sounds of Silence" and "Mrs. Robinson". The warm electric piano lines of the former were sampled by The Ummah (Dilla again!) for Tribe's "Pad & Pen" from their reappraised final album, The Love Movement, as well as by Large Professor on his much-loved "The LP (For My People)".

Under the watchful eye - and extremely attentive ears - of Gap Mangione himself, the audio for Diana In The Autumn Wind has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, with a few much needed tweaks here and there, according to the artist's wishes. At the prestigious Abbey Road Studios, 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 the always stellar Record Industry in Holland. The artwork restoration has taken place here at Be With HQ and has that drop-dead gorgeous cover artwork popping like new. Buy on sight!

This perfectly formed EP brings together Dutch duo Fouk with a selection of collaborators across four groove-led cuts blending house, disco, and nu-disco influences.

The title track sees Fouk teaming up with The Phenomenal Handclap Band, delivering a vibrant vocal cut driven by warm basslines, uplifting melodies, and classic disco instrumentation. Importantly, both the vocal and instrumental versions appear here as extended mixes exclusive to the vinyl release.

Further collaborations with Archil & Leon and 79.5 continue the EP’s groove-heavy approach, combining soulful vocals, live instrumentation, and dancefloor-ready arrangements.

Already receiving strong support across radio, DJs, and streaming platforms, including plays from Bill Brewster (NTS Radio), Colleen Cosmo Murphy, Dom Servini, Francois K, Graeme Park, Hot Toddy, Massimiliano Pagliara, Pete Herbert, Slothboogie, Tim Zawada / Star Creature Universal Vibrations, Dave Pezzner, Nadiem Shah, Luxxury, Dj Supermarkt, Luke Solomon, Seamus Haji, Sophie Lloyd, J-Kriv, DJ Rocca, Faze Action.

The release has also landed #1 placements on Spotify’s Nu Disco editorial playlist.

With warm grooves, uplifting vocals and strong crossover appeal between disco, house and nu-disco scenes, this EP offers high playability for DJs and strong appeal for modern disco and house collectors.

After a longtime interest in the beguiling music of Nathan Dawidowicz, Hell Yeah now hooks up with the leftfield downtempo producer for their second full-length album, FLUFF. The immersive record features three long, winding and mystical soundscapes that blend trance and experimental into spiritual and ritualistic escapes.

Dawidowicz was born in Milan to a Polish-Lithuanian mother and a Cameroonian father, but grew up in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem. Because of that, their sound is deeply rooted in childhood experiences playing the piano at religious ceremonies, as well as taking inspiration from their father’s DJing throughout the '80s and '90s. Now based in Berlin, Dawidowicz has explored expression through music on labels like Luspoderosa, where they released their debut solo album, Sanctuary of Ideas.

It was when Calm and David Holmes started playing the epic, 23-minute 'Capricorn Rising Over Jerusalemite Temple' from that album that Hell Yeah founder Marco was encouraged to get in touch with Dawidowicz. A few months later, talk turned to releasing this new album, which comes with artwork by Spain's Alicia Carrera.

'Skeptic Afro Jr.' kicks off and soon sinks you into slinky, ever-evolving rhythms. It's a slowly evolving work of sound where the focus shifts from snaking basslines to lumpy drums, cosmic leads to life-affirming chords. 'Scintilla (Feat. Hannah Schraven)' is a deep and downtempo trip into dub and techno, with undulating drums and exotic melodies that escort you into otherworldly realms of spiritualism. Last of all are 'Deep Fluff' and a hidden track (Feat. Leo Börger), two cinematic explorations of deep space where acoustic frequencies and molten synths rewire your brain and connect you to a higher power.

FLUFF is another deeply personal and inward journey packed with transcendental experiences.

DJ FEEDBACK:

"That's such an outstanding piece of work - played two at the beginning on Saturday. Probably my favourite release of the year so far!" Sean Johnston ALFOS

"this is great! 3rd repeat. It’s so nice" Vladimir Ivkovic

"Just listened to Nathan's record and it really sounds amazing... Probably the best thing you've put out to my ears ;-) I love the way he bridges the sounds of the past with contemporary storytelling, taking you on a very long trip which you never want to leave!" Alexis Le Tan

"yeah Fluff is a wonderful weird one!" Axel Boman

"I love him" David Holmes

Childish Gambino is (and isn't) Donald Glover, a recording artist, writer, actor, director, producer and comic who was gifted his alias by an online Wu Tang-Clan name-generator. Originally hailing from Stone Mountain, Georgia - his Mum was a daycare provider and his Dad a postal worker, where TV was banned in the house - Glover first entered the spotlight as a member of sketch-troupe Derrick Comedy, via a stint working on The Daily Show and the invitation to join the '30 Rock' writing staff by Tina Fey before he'd even graduated from NYU. A succession of mini-albums and mixtapes surrounded all of this, parallel to acting roles ranging from The Muppets to NBC's cult hit comedy 'Community'. It was 2011's debut album 'Camp' - his first since signing to Glassnote Records - which marked a breakthrough for Childish Gambino, whose music explores everything from identity, race, and technology to hip-hop culture, class, and family. Follow-up 'because the internet' went top 10 on the Billboard chart, was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards and further assimilated Gambino's multiple disciplines (it was accompanied, for instance, by two films and a standalone 72-page screenplay). Around this time - and between roles in HBO's 'Girls' and movies like 'The Martian' - Glover also announced that he was working on his own TV show: a comedy-drama which he would star in, write and direct, 'Atlanta' premiered on FX this autumn to significant critical acclaim (it's already been described as "Twin Peaks with rappers"). The show was launched alongside the third Childish Gambino, 'Awaken, My Love!', this summer at 'Pharos', a series of secretive, audio-visual live performances which took place in a custom-designed dome in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree. A second series of 'Atlanta' has already been commissioned, whilst Glover has recently been cast in the forthcoming Spider Man movie and has also been confirmed to play the iconic role of Lando Calrissian in the next Star Wars film (a Han Solo spin-off). His most vital artistic statement to date, Childish Gambino is expected to unveil further music from 'Awaken, My Love!' in the coming weeks. 

2025 REPRESS ON TRANSPARENT GREEN VINYL


Compiled by Philip King “And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.” NICK KENT, NME. All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop Glam Discotheque), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze paints a picture of beautiful failure. Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids.. was created in bedrooms, ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels jumping to capitalise on the success of The Sex Pistols, The Clash (both on major labels, of course) these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother of invention. At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon.. the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16 year old Andreas Dorau used it to write and record (with his female classmates on vocals) a global smash in Fred Vom Jupiter (later licensed to Mute Records). The hard-to-find English version (Fred From Jupiter, natch) is included here. Many artists with alreadystoried careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never-smashed I’m On A Rocket. Similarly, Ian North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a tape machine to record We’re Not Lonely, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. We’re Not Lonely also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased track You Will See, released April 12th 2025. There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk / underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy The Unknown fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now. Dream Unit’s A Drop In The Ocean is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division instrumentation, previously only released on a long-forgotten and super rare, self-released EP. Incandescent Luminaire’s Famous Names belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track I Am A Time Bomb by performance artist Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7” and lost until now. The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with Woman, released by a major label, a lurching new wave track built on the Louie Louie rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reedstyle sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s My Life is truly epic, with doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least 3 different songs in the course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to the main refrain. The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s Premonition and Vision’s Lucifer’s Friend are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well loved but given a new lease of life here. The Warlord’s The Ultimate Warlord was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco Volante’s No Motion was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive, robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented I Am Your Master demands the listener to “come to paradise!” In a frankly terrifying manner. All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced Science Fiction here) was a plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?

■ Human is a deeply “human” cover album by Gota Nishidera (NONA REEVES), focusing on the world of 80s–90s Japanese kayokyoku and new music.
Following his well received 2023 solo cover album Sunset Rain, this new release features an unprecedentedly wide ranging selection of songs spanning works
by Kyohei Tsutsumi, Reiko Yugawa, and Eiichi Ohtaki, all of whom Nishidera either learned from directly or profoundly respects for their devotion to the study and
practice of pop music.

■ After experiencing major success across Asia including two China tours with NONA REEVES and solo performances in Taiwan Gota Nishidera revisited the essence
of Japanese pop music from a renewed perspective. The result is a meticulously crafted collection of eight ultimate tracks, tightly packed with the charm of Japanese
pop. Born in 1973, Nishidera absorbed the new wave of Japanese music that began in 1980 in real time, and here he updates that experience for the present day.
With arrangements and vocals filled with deep affection for the originals, he offers a modern and fresh reinterpretation of these classics.

■ The album is produced by long time collaborators Yuzuru Tomita, Tomoya Yamagata, and rising talent Yudai Ohi. On the track “Woman (from W’s Tragedy)”,
Nishidera performs a duet with Megumi Mashiro of Hicksville, a vocalist he has worked with for many years on NONA REEVES recordings and live shows.

■ Mastering is handled by ambient/balearic maestro Calm, delivering a stunning final sound.

■ The jacket design is created by Keita Fukumi, producer of the YouTube channel Gota Nishidera Channel NGC. Shot at Nishidera’s local barbershop in Sangenjaya
during his usual haircut, the artwork vividly captures the “human” essence at the heart of this project."

This holiday season, global hip-hop icon Ice Cube makes a powerful return with Man Up — a brand-new album from a cultural trailblazer whose influence spans music, film, and activism. With over 10 million albums sold and six Platinum plaques, Cube’s legacy is undisputed, from his revolutionary work with N.W.A. to timeless solo anthems like “It Was a Good Day.” Now, sharper and more unapologetic than ever, he’s back to deliver a project that fuses his raw lyrical power with a message rooted in resilience and authenticity.
To mark the release, Man Up will be available exclusively as an ultra-limited vinyl drop this holiday season. Each record features a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted cover — a unique blend of artisanal design and proprietary technology (created without A.I.) — alongside city- and country-specific sleeves that pay homage to Cube’s global impact in places like LA, Tokyo, London, and France. The campaign will be amplified through a global social media rollout, city-focused influencer activations, and Ice Cube’s upcoming North American tour. Major press coverage and podcast appearances will further elevate the conversation, making Man Up not just an album, but a collector’s piece and cultural moment fans won’t want to miss.

For his sixth solo album, Ezéchiel Pailhès returns with a new collection of songs infused by a sunny wandering spirit.
Within each of the twelve songs on SOL is a thread of melancholic happiness that has permeated much of Pailhès’ music and songwriting. He addresses love, the passing of time, hope, lost illusions, fleeting moments of grace, the temptation of forgetting, a need to escape, and desire. All this is
insulated by understated orchestrations that blend acoustic and electronic instrumentation with deft confidence.
The Portuguese and Brazilian concept of saudade—a form of melancholic longing and nostalgia— pervades, thanks in part to Pailhès decision to record the album in Rio de Janiero and to reinterpret some of the finest works of Música Popular Brasileira (MPB). In particular, he revisits a handful of
lesser known classics from the mid-century samba and bossa nova era—originally written or performed by talents including Vinícius de Moraes, João Gilberto, Tom Zé, Dorival Caymmi, João Donato, Os Tincoãs, and Ataulfo Alves.
The shift from Brazilian Portuguese to French and the decision to adapt rather than perform a straightforward cover versions, allows Pailhès to invent a form of prosody and euphony (the musicality and harmonious combination of words) that feels vibrant and unlike anything else in today’s French
chanson landscape.
“Some lyrics are simple translations from Portuguese, in what I’d call an expanded version. For others, I started from a single word or a single phrase and embroidered an entirely new text that carried me elsewhere,” explains Pailhès. “I allowed myself great interpretive freedom, while preserving the humanist dimension of the original songs. I’ve always been deeply moved by the way Brazilians transfigure reality through heightened emotion. I love this visceral and spontaneous country, which always seems to live through emotion. And above all, I love its music both popular and unifying,
bringing together all social classes. In that sense, it’s very political music, but even more so utopian, made by the people and for the people.”
On this new album, however, the French artist was keen to avoid cliché. Each song is therefore built around a carefully balanced interplay between Pailhès’ piano and synthesizers, alongside restrained arrangements of percussion, brass, bass, and cavaquinho (a small four-string plucked guitar). These parts were recorded in Rio de Janeiro with two musicians who regularly perform alongside the legendary Caetano Veloso—Kainã Do Jêje and Alberto Continentino—joined by Thomas Harres, Antônio Neves, Eduardo Neves, and Gabriel Loddo.
Since the 1960s, France and Brazil have shared a long-standing cultural and musical relationship. Some Brazilian artists, most famously Gilberto Gil, took refuge in France during the dictatorship years (1964–1985). But above all, French chanson quickly fell in love with the richness and ingenuity of
bossa nova and samba, translating and reinventing them in the language of Molière. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, albums and hits by Henri Salvador, Georges Moustaki, Pierre Barouh, Pierre Vassiliu, and Claude Nougaro all drew from the MPB repertoire.
Fifty years later, with SOL, Ezéchiel Pailhès reinvents this rich Franco-Brazilian musical legacy, bringing to it a personality and modernity that stand confidently alongside those of his forbears.