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GATEFOLD DOUBLE VINYL WITH SPOT UV FRONT COVER

Following the skewed-unself-help-brilliance of ‘Sus Dog’ (which marked his first full foray into songs, abetted by Thom Yorke), and its companion piece ‘Cave Dog’, Chris Clark returns to the dancefloor’s simple, but no less affecting pleasures, with ‘Steep Stims’.
“I found it hard to pull away from listening to this record, hard to stop making it, I had to remove myself from the Stims and stop enjoying it at some point. The album feels like nature to me. I love it when electronic music feels more naturalistic than acoustic music, more potent, that’s the devil’s trick, the promise of electronic music.” comments Chris.
“I used an old synth - the Virus on all of the tracks. I used it at Mess in Melbourne - run by my friend Robin Fox - I loved it so much I had to buy one when I got back to the UK, it took a while to find. They’re a bit clunky to program but make some of my most favourite sounds.”
‘Steep Stims’ marks a back-to-basics approach, invoking the early years of gung-ho creativity enforced by limitations in technology at the time. “Most of the tracks on this album capture the spirit of making music on old samplers, which don’t have much memory time”, explains Clark. “It reminds me of making ‘Clarence Park’, my first album, where I would have to finish tunes in the session, as they would be saved on floppy disks and I couldn’t easily go between tracks. This new record is just a few synths and a few choice sounds; the writing is the important thing.”
Made quickly, ‘Steep Stims’ reflects the immediate rave energy of his live show, but that’s not to say it’s basic floor fodder, as it’s rife with personality, synth magic, and knack for melody. Although swift and impressionistically captured rather than laboured over, it’s still formidably deft, with plenty of oddball weirdness lurking beneath the dancefloor.
Soft, orange, scorched, brutal, the opening track ‘Gift and Wound’ captures the classic dance music dread / awe / euphoria combo perfectly, before ‘Infinite Roller’ merges sparkly-minimalism with snarling bass and soft sines, which turn more dense and metallic as it progresses.
The melancholic smoke belch of ‘No Pills U’ gives strong classic vibrations, which is belied by its creation, made in just 20 minutes. “I love working quickly sometimes”, comments Clark. “Inspiration hits, rough and ready. It’s off the cuff but also screams ‘don’t gild the lily with nonsense, keep it simple keep it clean’”. Segueing into its elder brother, the piece becomes bigger and beatier on ‘Janus Modal’, where it permutates for over 7 minutes of fluttering, beatific club majesty.
At ‘18EDO Bailiff’ you inexplicably find yourself at a clearing, things have suddenly got much quieter. You enter a decrepit and eerie old house, and as you move through its unsettling interior, you arrive at ‘Globecore Flats’. A real piano tuned to 18 notes per octave gives the pair of tracks a haunted, olde worlde feel, which promptly gets eaten by a huge tech step tearout monster, birthing a strange but exotic beast.
The white hot ‘Blowtorch Thimble’ is all hooktasm-rave-hyper-amen-energy, whilst acidic flute leaps around like Ian Anderson on pingers throughout the catchily simple jump-up lurch of ‘Civilians’.
“‘In Patient’s Day Out’ is like some sort of Morricone-does-kraut-rock-with-drum-machines, but that’s probably just in my head” says Clark. “I made several versions of this then went with the early mix but cranked through some choice outboard because it just had something.”
Drumless, yet still full of exhilarating-big-trance-drama, ‘Who Booed The Goose’ flashes by in stroboscopic fast forward, then ‘5 Millionth Cave Painting’ gives a palate cleanser, letting “the virus with its delicious broken, luxurious reverb have a moment”, before ‘Negation Loop’ swoops down in all its glory, with Clark’s tweaked vocals leading deconstructed trance breakdowns, tape edits and brutal noisebursts.
An antidote to the bombast of its predecessor is ‘Micro Lyf’, which closes the set on a poignant note, of sorts. Muted staccato gives way to field recordings “that gradually put it in this outside space; alien in a meadow somewhere nameless. It feels like a sinkhole. The record kinda swallows itself up and then is gone”, ends Chris.

'Songs and Bodies' is best described as hypnagogic post-rock, an impressionistic blur of dissociated riffs, jazzy rhythms and half-heard voices that casts a beguiling digital silhouette of '90s indie music. The album began as a personal experiment, a question that emerged as Piotr Kurek cast his mind back to the era that birthed bands like Gastr del Sol, Bark Psychosis, Labradford and The Sea and Cake. Curious how this music might sound in today’s cultural climate, he started recording sketches at home on guitar and keyboard, applying the same advanced processing, editing and manipulation techniques that had nourished his last run of albums. Early on, he brought in drummer Mateusz Rychlicki and bassist Wojciech Traczyk, layering their performances into the evolving material. These ideas might have remained in that unvarnished state had Unsound not suggested a live performance of the work in October 2024. Spurred by the invitation, Kurek hardened his resolve, finishing a crumpled, uncanny set of half-songs that extend the chimerical sonic universe of the jazz-inspired 'Smartwoods' and its baroque predecessor 'Peach Blossom'.

Not an exercise in nostalgia, 'Songs and Bodies' is an examination of the '90s and '00s experimental rock canon that isolates its humanity as the world stares down a new technological dawn. At a glance, Kurek's songs are remarkably organic, diaphanous guitar-led meditations embellished with era-specific organ and electric piano vamps, cryptic vocal utterances and dusty drums, but it's all an illusion. Listen a little closer and the wrinkles appear—the robotic, garbled articulations, awkward tempo fluctuations and charming hiccups.

Kurek distills these vulnerabilities and blemishes to present a deeply personal but relatable abstraction of familiar sounds and gestures. It's the closest the composer has come to old-fashioned songwriting, but the end result is the same: an invitation to look beyond the frosted glass of an increasingly digital existence.

Die Kölner Emo-Pop-Band STILL TALK kündigt ihr zweites Studioalbum "Year of the Cat" an, das im November 2025 über das Kölner Indie-Label hithome erscheint. Seit dem Debütalbum "St. Banger" ist viel passiert, u.a. teilte sich die Band um Sängerin Tanja Kührer u.a. die Bühne mit Rise Against oder The Warning, und fand sich im Line Up von Festivals wie bei Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park, Rocco del Schlacko und vielen mehr.

Die Kölner Emo-Pop-Band STILL TALK kündigt ihr zweites Studioalbum "Year of the Cat" an, das im November 2025 über das Kölner Indie-Label hithome erscheint. Seit dem Debütalbum "St. Banger" ist viel passiert, u.a. teilte sich die Band um Sängerin Tanja Kührer u.a. die Bühne mit Rise Against oder The Warning, und fand sich im Line Up von Festivals wie bei Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park, Rocco del Schlacko und vielen mehr.

The Modern Soul Septet (later Modern Soul Band) was one of the hottest and most popular dance music groups in East Germany from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s.
In its early years, this band played a very unusual, raw, authentic, and freaky brand of funky Soul-Beat and Jazz-Rock for East Germany, which thrilled many music lovers and dance enthusiasts. The Modern Septett became one of the most booked dance bands in the country and recorded numerous outstanding tracks for the radio. Ahead of their time and too raw and hard for the state label, only two tracks were published in this first creative period. By the mid-70s, the Modern Soul Band had arrived in the midst of Fusion-Jazz and, thanks to their steadily growing popularity, finally received their first LP production in 1976. This album "Soul Komplex" fills a long-overdue gap in the band's discography and is an absolute must for any collector of East German Soul and Jazz.

Previously unreleased East German high class late 1960s and early 1970s funky Soul-Beat and raw Jazz-Rock titels.

From the humdrum to the huge; Tiia explores heartbreak, disappointment, climate change, and dying house plants. The record plays with contrasts, light and shadow, fizz and gloom. Keys melt into darker textures before guitars and drums lift them back into sparkle. It's heaviest moment is the title track, written in an airport bathroom after Tiia's father passed, yet even here, hope breaks through in irresistible vocal harmonies and inventive melodies. "To me, 'Kind Eyes' is a feelings record," Tiia says. "The grief for my dad passing sits at the centre and expands towards the edges, but there's a range of other feelings too. Sometimes they're hard to pin down and navigate but the songs are my map, trying to chart where you are and where you're going. And listeners should remember that sometimes X does mark the spot."

Lead single 'Healing' hits like a mascara- smeared midnight drive through Lynch's America. First sketched with Prince in mind, it finally found its teeth on a long, lonely walk in north-east London: a rock song hiding in plain sight. Tiia says "As soon as I had a rough idea for the driving beat, I knew I had to get Sean Berry (fellow bandmate from the once mighty Comet Sands) involved on the guitar, and the hooks all fell into place". Dusted with plush keys, on 'Numbers Game', Tiia leans into classic rock drama - warmth turning suddenly cold, the floor falling away from underneath you. "The lesson here is don't spy on your exes, but when you do, be prepared to write a song about it. It was the first track I asked Paul Rains (of Allo Darlin' fame) to play guitar on and he instantly got where I was trying to go with it. Now he's my partner, I have no idea how he feels about the lyrics!" Tiia laughs. Having also worked with Tiia's previous cult all-girl indie band The Minor Characters, Seb Kellig lent his trademark dub- inspired production influences at the legendary sonic heaven of Sausage Studios, east London, which Tiia calls "My happy place".

Tiia will again be playing keys for Allo Darlin's four UK tour dates this October followed by tour dates as Count Jaakola. 'Kind Eyes' is set for release 21st November 2025 via Tip Top Recordings (Mandrake Handshake, Japanese Television, Pearl & The Oysters, Golden Toad).

The smash hit album "Glass Heart" is now available as a limited edition vinyl record!

The Netflix series "Glass Heart" has just begun streaming worldwide. The band "TENBLANK," featured in this passionate youthful musical love story, has
released their debut album, "Glass Heart," in conjunction with the drama's release.
TENBLANK is a rock band formed by four members: the solitary genius musician Fujitani Naoki (played by Sato Takeru), college student drummer Saijo Akane
(played by Miyazaki Yu), hardworking and charismatic guitarist Takaoka Hisashi (played by Machida Keita), and music-obsessed pianist Sakamoto Kazushi
(played by Shison Jun).
The album was released digitally alongside the drama's release on July 31st, and was released on CD the following day, August 1st.
Glass Heart, which attracted attention thanks to the contributions of a stellar lineup of composers including Noda Yojiro (RADWIMPS) and Yaffle, has dominated
charts not only in Japan but also in other Asian countries, creating a global buzz.
Now, this smash hit album "Glass Heart" will be released as a limited edition vinyl record. Experience TENBLANK's music in a new way with the warm texture
and depth of sound that only analog can provide.

Wer auf Hardrock und traditionellen Heavy Metal steht, sollte sich den Namen Wings Of Steel genau merken. Die beiden ersten Alben der amerikanischen Band, »Gates Of Twilight« (2023) und »Winds Of Time« (2025), fanden in der Szene großen Widerhall.

Wings Of Steel nehmen ihren Anfang, als sich Sänger Leo Unnermark und Gitarrist/Bassist Parker Halub beim Musikstudium in Los Angeles über den Weg laufen. Beide verbindet dieselbe Vision und ähnliche musikalische Vorlieben. 2019 beginnen sie, gemeinsam Songs zu schreiben. 2022 erscheint die erste, selbstbetitelte EP von Wings Of Steel.

Wings Of Steel erhalten in der Fachpresse durchweg wohlwollende Kritiken, speziell in Kontinentaleuropa, wo das deutsche Rock Hard den Gesang von Leo Unnermark bewundernd als Kreuzung aus Geoff Tate und Bruce Dickinson beschreibt.

Über High Roller Records erscheint die ursprünglich von der Band in Eigenregie produzierte Debüt-EP mit den Songs „Stormchild“, „Wings Of Steel“, „Rhythm Of Desire“, „Khamsin Riders“ und „Black Out The Street“ nun zum ersten Mal offiziell als internationale Lizenzpressung.

Die ideale Gelegenheit also, um sich mit dem frühen Material dieser herausragenden neuen Band vertraut zu machen.

Blazing with raw energy and searing guitar riffs, the second album from Blues Creation—the legendary rock band led by guitarist Kazuo Takeda—is a cornerstone of Japan’s hard rock legacy. Drawing heavy inspiration from the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, this record delivers a powerful, riff-driven sound that helped shape the dawn of Japanese hard rock. What sets it apart is its hypnotic blend of British-style heavy rock with vocals sung in English tinged with a distinctly Japanese flavor—creating a one-of-a-kind psychedelic atmosphere that continues to mesmerize rock enthusiasts across the globe.

After completing his nationwide run with Ice Nine kills, the rocker has been hard at work prepping Cruel World. The collection of songs includes several notable features, including the likes of From First To Last, as well as Ice Nine Kills. The 9-song minialbum is chock full of TX2's well-known hard-hitting sinister sound, and he's bringing an added dose of heavy with these new songs as well. Fan-favorite track "MAD," which has seen 10,000+ video creates on TikTok and has created an unstoppable buzz around the project. Rising out of the shadows of a small town known for music, Fort Collins; TX2 brings an unmatchable intensity in his music through the form of powerful raw lyrics and explosive performances. After struggling for so many years as an artist, TX2 used his pain as fuel and finally found his sound. As a result, his music went viral on TikTok and he now has ~800K followers on the platform. TX2 has since begun a movement known among his fans known as the "X Movement", which is all about bringing awareness to mental health and creating a safe space for those in need to talk. The rules are simple, any member can vent and share how they are feeling, while other members are encouraged to push other members' self-esteem up. The movement is currently growing every day, providing a platform to speak about mental health, vent, and support one another. TX2 wants everyone to know they are not alone in their struggles. The nine rack minialbum is available on CD & LP!

Pelican has always been a band that's not just from Chicago, but distinctly of Chicago. Formed in 2000 by guitarists Trevor Shelley de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec alongside brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg on bass and drums respectively, Pelican's foundation was built upon the rule-free, genre-agnostic scene synonymous with the Fireside Bowl. "The `90s in Chicago was a free-for-all. Everyone was just coming from a place of pure creativity," says Shelley de Brauw. With Schroeder-Lebec returning to the band following Dallas Thomas' exit in 2022, this reunified version of Pelican allowed the band to tap back into those influences and build something distinctly new with Flickering Resonance. While longtime Pelican fans will find an updated version of the band's ethos_one that's been constantly evolving since their very first EP_their new partnership with Run For Cover Records emphasizes something that's always been implicit to the Pelican formula. These songs take as much inspiration from titanic `90s post-hardcore, space-rock, and emo as they do traditional metal, showing that though Godflesh and Goatsnake records occupied the shelves of Pelican's songwriters, so too did Quicksand, Christie Front Drive, and Hum. "A lot of people didn't hear it," says Schroeder-Lebec. "I was like, well, I guess the metal world is where we fit. But now, I'm willing to acknowledge all the suits we're wearing." On Flickering Resonance, Pelican allowed themselves to look at their music less as a means of hard-earned catharsis and more as an appreciation for the glimmers of joy that occur even in the bleakest landscapes.

Fresh from the success of 2024"s "Hombres", "Gun" continue their comeback with this revitalised edition of Swagger. Originally released in 1994, the album featured their hit single "Word Up", a cover of the Cameo"s pop song that they transformed into their own tongue-in-cheek hard rock banger which charted all over Europe and went to the top 10 in the UK. The Deluxe Double CD package contains a 24 page booklet with brand new liner notes written by Joel McIver featuring an interview with Dante (vocals) and Giuliani "Jools" Gizzi (guitar), plus archive photos from the original singles. The Green Vinyl version features renewed and replicated cover art, and contains an 8 page insert with brand new liner notes written by Joel McIver featuring an interview with Dante (vocals) and Giuliani "Jools" Gizzi (guitar), plus archive photos from the original singles.

One Vice at a Time is the sixth studio album by Swiss hard rock legends Krokus, originally released in 1982. Showcasing the band’s signature AC/DC-inspired hard rock sound, this album features hard-hitting tracks like “Long Stick Goes Boom” and “Bad Boys, Rag Dolls,” which helped Krokus break through to the American market and achieve gold certification in Switzerland. The album is celebrated for its polished production by Tony Platt and its riff-driven energy, capturing the raw power and catchy hooks that defined early 80s hard rock. One Vice at a Time remains a key milestone in Krokus’s enduring legacy. One Vice at a Time is available as a limited edition of 666 numbered copies on yellow coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

New Wave of Alternative Hardcore! 217's debut album ' In Your Gaze " is a combination of different Hardcore schools mixed with dreamy, dark and intense moments. This is a turning point. Drawing inspiration from American old-school hardcore (Negative Approach, Uniform Choice, Slapshot, Madball, Bad Brains, Chain of Strength, Growing Concern), mid-'90s new school (108, Have Heart, Snapcase, Abhinanda), as well as math rock, hardcore, and alternative dark rock (Melvins, Botch, Bauhaus, Fields of the Nephilim, Stone Temple Pilots, Killing Joke, The Doors), 217 now presents itself with a renewed and at times dreamlike musical and lyrical identity.

The Band Rotosphere has become a cornerstone of the Blues Festival Baden (Switzerland). Since 2005, led by guitarist and bandleader Nic Niedermann, they"ve been lighting up the festival"s legendary Late Night Jam Sessions. Over the years, they"ve shared the stage with blues icons such as Magic Slim, Susan Tedeschi, Coco Montoya, Justina Lee Brown and Chicago"s own blues harpist, Matthew Skoller. A truly magical moment unfolded in 2022 when Mark Slate took to the stage. The charismatic blues and soul singer captivated the audience from the first note with his powerful voice. Having spent years on the road with the "Joe Cocker Tribute Show", Slate embodies the raw and gritty essence of the blues. Now, performing alongside Rotosphere, they deliver original tracks brimming with energy, passion, and musical fire - an unforgettable experience for every listener!

Hüsker Dü. Live. 1985. Das transzendente Punk-Trio aus Minneapolis in seinem explosivsten Jahr, live aufgenommen auf der Bühne im First Avenue, in der vielleicht am besten klingenden Aufnahme der gefeierten SST-Ära der Band. Diese 4xLP/2xCD-Edition enthält Beau Sorensons Restaurierung der 21 Songs des gesamten Sets vom 30. Januar 1985, dazu 20 zusätzliche Live-Tracks aus dem weiteren Tourneeverlauf des Jahres und ein Deluxe-Booklet mit detaillierten Informationen zu den zwölf geschichtsträchtigen Monaten von Hüsker Dü. Wie klingt eine Legende, in dem Moment, wenn sie geschrieben wird? Betrachtet man das Jahr 1985 durch die dynamische Linse der Independent/DIY-Musik, so gab es Mitte des Jahrzehnts für Hüsker Dü einen kraftvollen und unbestreitbaren Sprint von der rauen Punk-Institution bei SST zur künstlerischen Empathie bei Warner Bros. Die New York Times bezeichnete die Band als "die beste, die aus der Hardcore-Szene hervorgegangen ist". Im Einklang mit diesem Lob zeigte Hüsker Dü ein kreatives Tempo, das in keiner anderen Musikära zuvor oder seitdem jemals erreicht wurde. Nachdem sie im Juli des Vorjahres mit dem Doppelalbum "Zen Arcade" die aufkeimende Alternative-Rock-Bewegung sprengte, veröffentlichte die Band nur sechs Monate später, am 14. Januar 1985, das epochale "New Day Rising" und hörte nie auf, dem Sonnenaufgang über dem Hidden Beach nachzujagen, der das Cover des Albums zierte. Am 30. Januar 1985 erreichte Minneapolis am Abend zum Zeitpunkt des Konzerts -11 °C, was einem gnadenlosen Temperatursturz von 19 Grad gegenüber dem Tageshöchstwert von 8 °C bedeutete. Die 1500 Besucher im First Avenue brauchten jedoch kein T-Shirt, geschweige denn eine Daunenjacke: Von den ersten blendenden Momenten von "New Day Rising" an war klar, dass Bob Mould, Grant Hart und Greg Norton fest entschlossen waren, jedes Molekül im Raum in Brand zu setzen. Ihre Setlist bot eine nächtliche Kaskade von Feuerbällen aus den Alben "Everything Falls Apart", "Metal Circus", "Zen Arcade" und "New Day Rising" sowie fünf neue Songs, die später auf "Flip Your Wig" wieder auftauchen sollten. Außerdem würdigten sie ihre rockigen Vorfahren: mit einer rasanten Version von "Eight Miles High" von The Byrds, einer turbulenten Interpretation von "Helter Skelter" von den Beatles mit Dave Pirner von Soul Asylum, einem Pop-Punk-Remake von "Ticket To Ride" ebenfalls von den Beatles und ihrem charakteristischen Cover von Sonny Curtis' Mary-Tyler-Moore-Titelsong "Love Is All Around" zum Abschluss. Die First-Avenue-Bänder von 1985 zeigen Hüsker Dü in Höchstform mit bereits beliebten Songs, ein paar Jahre bevor sie ihren Status als Blaupause für den kommenden Alternative-Rock-Boom endgültig gefestigt hatten. Dieses Box-Set feiert diese Aufnahmen, die vielleicht die besten Hüsker-Dü-Aufnahmen sind, die während der legendenhaften SST-Jahre der Band produziert wurden. "Wenn ich an diese Zeit zurückdenke", kommentiert Greg Norton, "waren das drei Jungs, die das taten, was sie liebten, Spaß hatten und im Grunde anderen Menschen zeigten, dass man sich selbst treu bleiben kann, seiner Musik treu bleiben kann und sich nicht der Mode oder den Erwartungen beugen muss, um etwas wirklich Großartiges zu schaffen."

Wiederveröffentlichung des Debutalbums 'Shadows Of The Dying Light' der schwedischen Cineastic Melodic Hard Rock Band Sarayasign. Mit Wurzeln im Gitarren Rock der späten 70er Jahren und dem Kinoerlebnis des 21. Jahrhunderts. Klingt wie Queensrÿche, Dio, Avantasia oder Allen/Lande. Jetzt erhältlich als Ltd. Col. 2LP!

Grim days call for fierce love. And Mavis Staples, one of the most enduring figures in American music, is laying it down. Sad And Beautiful World is the latest solo album from a national treasure and multigenerational talent. Produced by Brad Cook, Sad And Beautiful World spans seven decades of the American songbook - a range nearly as vast as Mavis" career - and includes reinventions of timeless songs by Tom Waits, Sparklehorse, Gillian Welch, Frank Ocean and more. Cook imagined an album in the tradition of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band"s Will the Circle Be Unbroken, a group of artists coming together to celebrate community - in this case, one centered on Mavis. Collaborators include Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Derek Trucks, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, and Justin Vernon. Inducted into several halls of fame (Blues, Rock, and Gospel), a Kennedy Center Honoree, a winner of multiple GRAMMYs (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), Mavis is musical history. She"s collaborated with nearly every major figure of her era(s), from Bob Dylan to Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Willie Nelson - not to mention countless stars from subsequent generations.

Grim days call for fierce love. And Mavis Staples, one of the most enduring figures in American music, is laying it down. Sad And Beautiful World is the latest solo album from a national treasure and multigenerational talent. Produced by Brad Cook, Sad And Beautiful World spans seven decades of the American songbook - a range nearly as vast as Mavis" career - and includes reinventions of timeless songs by Tom Waits, Sparklehorse, Gillian Welch, Frank Ocean and more. Cook imagined an album in the tradition of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band"s Will the Circle Be Unbroken, a group of artists coming together to celebrate community - in this case, one centered on Mavis. Collaborators include Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Derek Trucks, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, and Justin Vernon. Inducted into several halls of fame (Blues, Rock, and Gospel), a Kennedy Center Honoree, a winner of multiple GRAMMYs (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), Mavis is musical history. She"s collaborated with nearly every major figure of her era(s), from Bob Dylan to Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Willie Nelson - not to mention countless stars from subsequent generations.