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Third album from North Carolina band who merges raw country with punk grit and pop sensibilities. "Straightforward, undiluted songs about shared hardships and unlikely victories that can bring even the most polarized people together. We are not responsible for other people’s behavior and sometimes we have more say in our own lives than we believe. The moment we realize this we start awkwardly constructing this cerebral bridge that's somewhat clunky and weird but it’s finally taking us in the direction we want to go. The songs on Nightroamer are beautiful, agonizing, magnetic, mischievous, indomitable pieces of the clunky and weird brain bridge to personal autonomy." —Sarah Shook

Escape Music are pleased to announce the release date for Lonerider’s second studio album titled “Sundown" with 500 limited edition Vinyl “Smokey” colour all will be numbered 1-500 and will include an exclusive hand signed postcard from all members of the band! (limited edition 500 units in “smokey” colour). The Band is: Steve Overland: Vocals / Simon Kirke: Drums / Steve Morris: Guitars, Keyboards and Hammond / Chris Childs: Bass - In 2019 the debut album “Attitude” by Lonerider was released, a band that not only features Steve Overland (FM, Solo, Shadowman), Steve Morris (Heartland, Shadowman) and Chris Childs (Thunder) but legendary drummer Simon Kirke of Free and Bad Company fame. The band come across like Bad Company mixed with Shadowman and their debut “Attitude” was loved by many. Lonerider have the feel of that classic Bad Company that we know and love, yet the songs are modern, fresh and vibrant. Since 2019 the band have been working on a new release and it will be available in early 2022, entitled “Sundown”. This new album boasts 12 new tracks of classic rock in the same vein as “Attitude”, well why change a winning formula? - The vinyl version is a numbered edition of 500 and to make it special it has two different tracks to the CD, namely “Love to Love” and “Long Time Gone”. A great start to 2022.

Omowale is the powerful new album from Wildchild, one third of the legendary Lootpack crew and a formidable solo artist who released many projects on the iconic Stones Throw Records. Across the 15 tracks, the Cali rapper deftly explores what it means to be a Black man in the U.S. today with timely, poignant lyrics. It’s a hard-hitting look at this country and its decades of wrongdoing, all with an air of optimism for the future. This album is Wildchild’s first solo release since 2016’s T.G.I.F., though he’s clearly kept busy in the interim by working on Omowale and making a number of standout guest appearances. Many of his past collaborators are returning the favor, as we’re treated to dope features from Posdnuos (of De La Soul), Big Daddy Kane, Guilty Simpson, Ras Kass, Murs, and more. Plus, there’s head-nodding production from Madlib, Nottz, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Mr. Brady, among others. They’re all bringing their A-game on Omowale, an impeccably produced album beyond its instrumentation and rhymes. Wildchild builds on the project’s narrative by incorporating audio from newscasts, protests, and other live events. He also brings that real-world feel to his lyrics, from joyful raps with his son (Black-ish actor/emcee Miles Brown) on the funky “G.O.A.T.” to raw rhymes about police brutality on “Breathe.”
When the album culminates with “Say Their Name”—a moving tribute to the rap legends we’ve lost over the years—Wildchild proves on Omowale that you can balance hope with the harsh, unjust realities of the world.

If Cannibale's members brought their breakfast back up when talking about 'Not Easy To Cook', their listeners would be surprised. There's a world of difference between the beginning of Cannibale's success story and this second album. The most surprising thing about 'Not Easy To Cook' is the sultriness that emerges. It's hard to sum it up other than by comparing these 10 songs with some pressure cooker in which bits of dancehall, London ska and Hawaiian dub would have cooked together. Here's the small miracle achieved by this LP recorded by the band in its remote French village: sounding French, but Polynesian French. A very psychedelic mixture of cumbia, African rhythms and garage music. Or, if you will, a kind of missing link between Fela Kuti, The Doors and The Seeds!

Kalita are excited to announce the first ever reissue of student medical group the IgG Band's highly sought-after 1980 soul, funk and disco grail 'Ultra/Sound'. Originally privately released in a small run on band member Clifford Becker's Infusion Records imprint, the album has since become a treasured prize of but a handful of die hard collectors and DJs as a result of both ist scarcity and quality. Now, in partnership with the band, Kalita shine a light on the album for the first time in over forty years, accompanied by never-before-seen archival photos and extensive interview-based liner notes.

Gold Vinyl

Madrid based artist _asstnt returns to his Opera 2000 label with a four tracks EP entitled "Love War" EP.

At the age of 14, _asstnt found in music a way to tell stories. In Madrid, his hometown, he discovered techno and embodied this musical genre to turn it into his own language. With his particular style, he bursts onto the scene again with this EP called "Love War". Love and war, two antonyms that end up merging through a mixture of romantic and melancholic sounds, along with the dirty roars characteristic of hardtechno. This trip through good lovin', a journey between heaven and hell, features the version of his admired partner, SlugoS, who adds the finishing touch on this four-track EP.

"Love War" delves into the origins of the artist and dares to mix flamenco rhythms with acid. The zapateado and the cajon, two of the most characteristic sounds of Spanish folklore, are presented in the song accompanied by an hypnotic vocal that is soaked in techno 303. The journey continues with "Catwoman Spotlight", which crosses a rainy and gray city with a seductive female voice as a guide. A sharp, and metallic snare takes over to give way to a warlike melancholy that takes us to heaven and gets broken by a stimulating and unsympathetic electric guitar.

The end of the celestial opens the gates of hell for us with "Track For The Apocalypse". The frenetic start is on a hard beat, a beastly crunch that progressively introduces us into the apocalyptic atmosphere with aggressive percussion. The atmosphere develops with a paralyzing break in which we can hear the passage of the riders threatening with the arrival of the end. The Berlinbased artist from Madrid, SlugoS, does a reading of the song at a 4/4 rhythm while offering a respite to the bass drum that maintains the crunch of _asstnt injecting his hard and raw style into the track.

Jesse B Weaver, since christened Schoolly D, is one of the most iconic
figures in rap music.
Within the hip-hop industry, Schoolly is considered to be the creator of
gangster rap via his globally acclaimed singles 'P.S.K.' and 'Gucci Time'
Schoolly D has transcended the boundaries of genre and created "rap" music that
has been integrated in films, animated series and sampled by some of the most
prolific acts in music including Beastie Boys, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Lil Wayne
and The Chemical Brothers.
Deemed a "pioneer" by Jay-Z (Decoded, 09) and credited by Ice-T as releasing the
first gangsta rap record (Props Magazine), Schoolly D's career has given
inspiration to countless musicians and fans alike. Songs like 'Gucci Time',
'Saturday Night' and 'P.S.K. What Does It Mean?' have become classics and
illustrate the uncompromising narrative that has become synonymous with the
hardcore gangsta rap of the eighties. His true-to-life lyrics give a snapshot of the
streets of his hometown, Philadelphia, and the influences that drugs and gang life
had on him as a young man. Today, Schoolly D has an almost cult-like following,
as his music continues to be referential. Even younger generations have been
turned onto him thanks to his work with Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
This release is Schoolly's 2021 album 'Cuz Schoolly D Is Crazy' and features a
remake of his classic 'P.S.K.' with appearances by B-Real from Cypress Hill and
Too Short. The album also features appearances by Chuck D and Ice- T. The
album was recorded using the same studio and production of his legendary first
three albums. It's reminiscent of his early work and showcases his rhythmic raps,
mastery of beats and sometimes-explicit lyrics, proving the lasting power of one
of rap's legendary b-boys.

As the tides change and the majesty of the moon once more begins to illuminate our forgotten domain, the hotly-tipped Incus has made the jump to hyperspace and determined that now is the time to unleash his neoteric creation into the macrocosm of music. At the behest of the sonic social masters, "INC.AUDIO" will be deemed a passion project, but in reality it will rip the very fabric of what it means to have a personal creative outlet, curtailing boundaries and expectations alike. Based on the creed of freedom of experimentation, the label will allow Incus and close friends within the industry to share their creative expressions within a familial and contemporary framework free from third-party limitation.

For now we start at the first chapter of the INC.AUDIO narrative, and the inaugural release which comes from the architect himself. His first solo EP contains 4 tracks conceived at home during lockdown, combining new sound design techniques developed through the mediums of trusty Korg Hardware and Ableton live. The end product is a consummate representation of the benefits of free time, reckless abandon and zero red tape.

Kicking off with "Design Your Mind", Incus draws on his longstanding influences collected via years of crate-digging and supporting underground idols in the UK and Ibiza. Shuffling percussion, jittering stabs and percolatin' chords wax and wane, submitting us to the will of its deep, minimal groove with a sultry sensibility. Next is "New Dog Old Tricks", the one with "that" bassline. No holding back from the get-go, the punching percussion is waylaid sporadically by erratic tones and steadied by placid, ambient chords. The charming breakdowns are peculiarized by a haunting saxophone sample, firmly establishing the clear-cut level of advancement and attention to detail achieved by the creator.

"Calm in the Chaos" steps back from straight-up grooving, inviting an equatorial temperature to come and play. Tantalising acid-inclined bass notes perforate the horizon, aiding the insistent percussion and creating a sunny, party-ready disposition infectious as they come. Feel like you're on a beach or in a rainforest? Snap. After the party we finish in the "Morning Haze". Alien-like frequencies and UFO bleepology steer the good ship Incus on this extra-terrestrial journey through the tech-house heavens to its final resting point. The seductive vocal cut adds a beautiful edge to the track, creating a minimal yet also expansive soundscape perfect for disembarkment. So, now you see what INC.AUDIO is all about, why wouldn't you stick around? Fight the bureaucracy and become who you need to be today, not tomorrow.

If you read the comment you will know that this record IS the record of the year to me thanks to the B side of the B record.
The records to Be with !

BLASTERS TUNES !

One side with 2 Minimal tribe bangers and one side with a massive acid hard techno Killer !

Total pityless hardfloor ! Restless banger of a kind. Full of psychedelism and surprises through. Just in between the progressive and the A2 from Dave LXR and the B1 from EkeAze... they are absolute killerz !!!

Superb EP briging some Acid techno, electric sounds !
and banging acidcore bloody tunes.

Enjoy that NeverGiveUp hardfloor tune from Back2Kick

Rapidly marking themselves out as one of the most abrasive, innovative artists to watch in 2022, Brighton-based feminist electropunk trio CLT DRP are delighted to kick off their year with new single ‘TORX’, out now on Small Pond Records.

The single will be available to purchase on a new limited edition 10” vinyl from Small Pond which features new track ‘TORX’, previous single ‘Ownership’ plus a remix from New York’s FLOSSING (Brace Yourself Records), and their cover of Dolly Parton’s track ‘Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That’.

Commenting on the track, CLT DRP vocalist Annie Dorrett says: "TORX is a hard-hitting non-stop racket. It was a stream of consciousness that stemmed from a very tired & frustrating day where I couldn't get my oven fixed in my flat because I didn't have the right screwdriver and I was dealing with a sort of post-break-up rant about somebody that caused me a lot of grief. It’s one of my favourites to play live now."

Modern Woman have announced details of their track ‘Juniper’ along with details of their debut EP ‘Dogs Fighting In My Dream’
out September 17th (digital, physical out Feb 25th) via End of the Road Records, the recently launched label arm of the British festival. The EP wasrecorded and mixed by Shuta Shinoda (Anna Meredith, Jehnny Beth, Hot Chip) and mastered by Jason Mitchell (PJ Harvey,Aldous Harding, Dry Cleaning).

London based Modern Woman began life as the songwriting project of Sophie Harris, a literature graduate who started playing
the songs solo at spoken word nights she ran. “I had a firm idea of the direction I wanted the project to go in, and I knew that
couldn’t be achieved without a full band.” Harris says speaking ofthe band’s beginnings. “It was important to me to keep the
tenderness and lyricism of folk music but blend this with heavier and weirder experimental elements.”

An introduction through a mutual friend led her to meeting David Denyer, an Anglo-German-Armenian composer by trade
whose interests include Merzbow records and building his own instruments and pedals. The two started playing together with
Denyer playing an array of homemade violins, synths, effects and percussion - including a battered wooden table with a metal
colander nailed into it and jagged remnants of cymbals that take a pummeling throughout the band’s live show. Explaining the
set up Denyer says; “We always talked about being influenced a lot by Tom Waits and there are lots of stories of him smashing
up doors and using it as percussion so we gave it a shot. Thecolander was Sophie’s idea. I love pasta though so it sits really
well with me.”

Life moves in cycles. As things change and morph over time, it circles back to key points and offers second chances. Volumes find themselves at such a point in 2020. After four years apart, the group—Myke Terry vocals, Raad Soudani [bass], and Nick Usich [drums]—reconvenes with original vocalist Michael Barr. In doing so, they perfect a boundary-breaking balance of guttural grooves, magnetic melodies, proficient metal, and unbridled hardcore. In essence, the guys pick right up with they left off in 2015…In 2010, Volumes burst out of the gate with The Concept of Dreaming EP. The hypnotic and hard-hitting Via [2011] and No Sleep [2014] inspired the enthusiasm of a diehard fan base. After parting ways with Barr during 2015, the band maintained its prolific output on Different Animals [2017] and the Coming Clean EP [2019]. Their total stream tally exceeded 40 million as they incited applause from Alternative Press, New Noise Magazine, Rock Sound, Metal Injection, and more.

‘Flashmob’ is the second studio album by French electronic music
artist Vitalic. 2022 sees a reissue of this seminal record on white
vinyl. While the electro foundations of his sound remain the same
after more than a decade, these tracks are sleek and innovative -
proving that Vitalic spent the years between his debut, ‘OK
Cowboy’, and this album uniting everything he’d learned from
making electrifying dance tracks since 2005. ‘Flashmob’ provides
cuts that are classic Vitalic, with massive synth lines and hardedged beats.

The STAR CREATURE vet returns for Part 1 of his 2022 Chicago/Cali/Minn/Moon combo venture this time around bringing MR. ZACKEY FORCE FUNK on vocals. This one spins round like the rings of Saturn. Intimate dancefloor funk. No matter how hard you throw it, it still comes back around.

JJ Tartaglia and Jonny Nesta (also band members of world-renowned
Skull Fist) have joined forces once again to form Thunderor, the latest
80s-infused heavy metal /hard rock sensation
The debut album 'Fire It Up' delivers hook-driven stadium caliber songs with an
untamed spirit. Thunderous drums, lightning hot guitar licks, dreamy synths, and
piercing vocals form the musical storm that is Thunderor. Complete with singalong choruses, drum solo breaks, ripping guitar leads, keytars, motorcycles, and
gongs, the Canadian trio will have you fueling up for adventure as you sail through
the 9- track album. For those who've ever felt a longing for escape, a thirst for
adventure, wrapped in romance and danger, Thunderor is your soundtrack!

But like a sunbeam peering through a haze of wildfire smoke, Early Eyes have
somehow persevered through dashed dreams, fractured relationships, historic
social justice uprisings in their own hometown, and a society tearing apart at the
seams to make an album that is both responsive to the chaos and wearily
optimistic."It almost feels like Look Alive! is a direct response to the pandemic,"
bandleader Jake Berglove reflects. "It was like, oh, my goodness, all of our
capitalist anxieties just came true! We took all of that anxiety and angry energy
and put it into making a really f***ed up album." Look Alive! vibrates with angst,
punctuated by computerized glitches and disintegrating threads of abandoned
melodies that echo in the distance before roaring back to life. With the assistance
of producers Caleb Hinz and Jake Luppen (of the band Hippo Campus), Early
Eyes felt more liberated stylistically, and Look Alive! looks ahead to a post-genre
future where emo, post- hardcore, Japanese city pop, and musical theater can
coexist peacefully on one album. "We ran with so many different influences," John
says. "I mean, like, half the songs on the album just sound like a completely
different band. We were just more unafraid to commit — like, alright, we're just
going to make a punk song right now."

Long time hard to find and long awaitedreissue of Chet Baker’s last studio album.
Lyrical, poignant, it shows Chet Baker at his best. Included the original version of Elvis Costello’s “Almost Blue”. Which has become
an all-time classic masterpiece in Chet’s repertoire, also heard on the “Let’s Get lost” soundtrack. HQ re-mastering

Purer, aggressiver traditioneller Metal, der den Geist von NWOBHM für das 21. Jahrhundert einfängt! Auf ihrem selbstbetitelten Album beleben Vancouvers Maule die Sounds der frühen 1980er mit einem frischen, energiegeladenen Twist und machen es zu einem der aufregendsten Debüts des Jahres! Mehr als vier Jahrzehnte nach ihrer Ankunft inspiriert die New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) weiterhin neue Musiker. Ihre erste Welle trug natürlich dazu bei, Thrash zu kreieren und legte den Grundstein für die europäische und US- Metalszene, die im folgenden Jahrzehnt Gestalt annehmen sollte. Und während Iron Maiden und Saxon als Speerspitzen des Stils auftauchten, etablierten sich auch Bands wie Angel Witch, Blitzkrieg, Diamond Head und Tygers of Pan Tang, die jetzt durch Bands einer weiteren Generation entfernt weiterleben, darunter Vancouvers Maule.
CD & LP (Black Vinyl + Inner Sleeve & Download Card)

"Astreines Futter für diejenigen unter euch, die gerne einen Ausflug zum Keep It True, Headbanger´s Open Air oder Muskelrock machen, erreicht uns diesen Monat (wie so oft) aus Kanada. MAULE konnten schon 2019 mit ihrem "From Hell"-Demo erste Wellen schlagen, jetzt steht der Release der Debüt-Langrille ins Haus. Erfreulicherweise hat sich musikalisch im Vergleich zum ohnehin schon sehr guten Demo nicht allzu viel verändert, MAULE setzen auch drei Jahre später auf Heavy Metal mit starker NWOBHM-Schlagseite. Vor allem Sänger Jakob Weel hat in der Zwischenzeit aber einen ordentlichen Zahn zugelegt, der Mann klingt deutlich versierter, klarer und druckvoller als auf "From Hell". Der Rest der Band tritt derweil gut aufs Gaspedal und klöppelt sich in weiten Zügen mit ordentlich Schmackes durch die neun kurzweiligen Tracks. Sehr schönes Ding!"
(Rock Hard Soundcheck # 3)

Sieben pragmatisch durchnummerierte Tracks hat Wallner komponiert und produziert, obwohl man Pragmatismus hier vergeblich sucht, denn die niemals überladene Opulenz ist ein fester Bestandteil seiner Musik. "Voices" ist natürlich in erster Linie ein Gitarrenalbum, hält aber nicht stumpf aneinander gereihte Griffbrett-Kabinettstücke parat, sondern folgt einem Narrativ, einer Art undertow unter, zwischen und hinter den Tracks: sie sind ineinander verwoben und miteinander verwandt und erzählen fortlaufend eine zusammenhängende Geschichte. Arpeggierte Synthie-Kaskaden und verdichtetes Riffing liefern hier die Staffelei für episch singende Soli, an denen Wallner hörbar Spaß hat. Allerdings hier wird nicht kopflos gegniedelt, man hört die Arbeit eines erfahrenen Komponisten und mehrere Themen und Motive ziehen sich wie Ariadnefäden durch die Tracks.
"Voices" wird höchsten audiophilen Ansprüchen gerecht und ist wie jede Produktion Wallners demanding listening, reife Kompositionen, in denen sich Herz und Hirn vertragen und ergänzen. Das Album illustriert den Jetzt-Zustand eines Musikers, der sich eine luxuriöse Position erarbeiten konnte, kompromisslos sein zu dürfen. Vielleicht sogar zu müssen. Sieht man sich die rund 26 Jahre seiner Diskographie an, war er das eigentlich schon immer und es sieht nicht so aus, als würde sich das jemals ändern.

Als Gäste sind mit an Bord: Arno Menses (Subsignal), TANYC, Yogi Lang (RPWL) sowie der renommierte Drummer Marco Minnemann.
Neben dem formschönen CD-Digipak wird es eine 180 Gr. Vinyl (Clear Vinyl) mit bedruckten Inner Sleeves geben.

Classic Rock: "…exzellentes musikalisches Gespür für Spannungsbögen, faszinierende Sounds und gekonntes Songwriting. … Dies ist eine Scheibe für Freunde des guten Geschmacks."

Rock It 8.5/10: "Musikalisch bewegt sich auch der Rest der Truppe auf höchstem Niveau, die Produktion ist druckvoll und klar und passt sehr gut ins stimmige Gesamtbild. Eine gelungene Reise durch progressive Musikwelten."

eclipsed 7.5/10: "Mucke für Fans zwischen David Gilmour, Maxxess und Joe Satriani und gerade unterm Kopfhörer ein spannendes audiophiles Erlebnis."

Guitar 5/5: "…spielt der Liebhaber hochwertiger Gitarrensounds, unterstützt durch Marco Minnemann am Schlagzeug, feinsten Prog mit atmosphärischer Dichte, tighten Riffs und sagenhaften Gitarrensoli."

Slam 8/10: "Vielfältig, stimmungsvoll und mit jeder Menge Melodie gerät "Voices" zum überaus gelungenen Werk, das vor allem durch sein farbenprächtiges und intelligentes Songwriting überzeugt."

Rock Hard 7.5/10: "Abwechslungsreichen, angenehm rockigen und zeitlosen Instrumental-Progrock zockt RPWL-Gitarrist KALLE WALLNER auf seinem vierten Soloalbum "Voices" (Gentle Art Of Music/Soulfood)."

Rocks 7/10: "Kalle Wallner, Gitarrist bei RPWL und Blind Ego, hat mit diesem Album ein kraftvolles Statement fast ohne Gesang aufgenommen. Die titellosen, durchnummerierten Tracks basieren vor allem auf massiven Riffs, die die Basis schaffen für stimmungsvolle solistische Ausflüge des Gitarristen. …Voices ist keines dieser aufregenden Gitarrenhexer-Alben, sondern eher lautstarke Kontemplation."

Break Out: "Die Stücke sind sehr spannend aufgebaut und in sich schlüssig. Oder wie es im Presseinfo steht: "reife Kompositionen, in denen sich Herz und Hirn vertragen und ergänzen." Dem ist nichts hinzuzufügen, nur dieses: beide Daumen hoch für dieses starke Soloalbum!"

Myrevelations.de 13/15: "Verdammt starke Platte, Prog, Instrumental- und Gitarrenfans, sowie Post Rock Anhänger werden begeistert sein!"

Darkstars.de 9/10: "…ähnlich wie bei David Gilmour schafft es Kalle Wallner seine Gitarre sprechen zu lassen und den Hörer mit auf eine Reise zu nehmen. Ganz großes Gitarrenkino und mit Marco Minnemann sitzt zudem ein echtes Ass auf dem Schlagzeug Hocker. Ein Album zum Entdecken…"

The first and truly stunning release on the new Deeptrax sub-label Chasing Sunsets is one that is hard to describe...

As an (electronic) multi-instrumentalist, ES has been making music on a daily base for more than 25 years but has not released anything meaningful to this day. When we asked for some demos, we were literally bombarded with hundreds of well-produced songs in a wide variety of styles.

ES is a very creative artist who, in addition to making (video) art, creates his own world with his music. He is a musician with a completely unique sound that sometimes evokes a strong association with other music or artists. It sounds familiar and is pleasant to listen to because all the sounds seem to fall into place perfectly. But at the same time, it's totally fresh and sounds like nothing else.

“I just want to make music and not worry about the hassle; you just have to do it for me...” was the answer to the question if we could talk about releasing some music on one of our labels. "Just pick the songs you like, releasing my music on vinyl would be great ..."

So that's what we did...

This first EP gives a nice overview of some of the many musical sides of ES. It's jazzy, funky, dubby and trippy electronica with bits of ambient, house, breakbeat, acid and many other weird ES sound mix-ups. The tracks are as they are, all recorded in one take/version. Unique songs with sharply programmed rhythm and bass complemented by brilliantly played guitar, piano and synth parts. It's a surprising debut from an artist who only shows a small part of his personality with this release.

Welcome to the world of ES....

Frenchcore produced by the Narkotek familly !

Limited 200 copies sound. With 4 noisy hardcore, pityless and sober. A dancefloor non stop kicker with a solid Base Mobile old school influence at his best.

Dark Hardcore privacy !

Superb acid mental sounds... Another dimension... Swinging and progressive, with new ideas (like this echo on the flip side reminding me the echo in that subversive wicked movie "Don't Look Up")...

Also to notice... Played at 33 RPM the A & B side tunes are absolutly great too (check our 2 last previews)... Someone at the shop were asking me for some 120 BPM mental acid techno... I think maybe the answer is here : play the 45 at 33... Like the Hardtek french movement was playing records 45 in the early 90's... But now playing 33 instead of 45... Turntablism is all about that I suppose :)

There seems to be something in the water down in Hastings as a veritable hive of electronic music artists have been busy making beats in ever growing numbers down there - including Kim Cosmik.

Kim's debut on 20/20 Vision is an impressive and highly original mix of techno, electro, broken beats and industrial sounds, destined to destroy the long-anticipated dance floor revival. Although overall the record is abrasive, hard-hitting and takes no prisoners - beneath the surface, in tracks like 'Drifting' we also find nuances of emotional musicality that shed vast streams of light on the proceedings. The record does indeed kick off with intent though with 'Night Flight' - a blistering techno workout that would resonate magnificently in the mighty Berghain hall. There's no holding back the menacing bass line, fortified tough jacking groove on this one as strong synth lines and strings embellish and complete the soundscape.Over to 'Ore' which cranks up the gears into an industrial techno slammer packed with abstract outer-planet sound design finished off with pounding overdriven drums programmed with military precision.

On the flip side is a gem called 'Nocturnal'- this is the cut that first really caught our attention at 20/20 Vision, with it's merciless industrial dubstep kick drums and brutal precision. It's a simple, stripped back workout held in place beautifully by a discordant string - there's just no escaping this fierce ruling diva. Not for the faint-hearted but those who dare will be rewarded.

Kim's final track 'Drifting' is the jewel in the crown that provides the light after the storm. It's a blissful, cosmic, jazz fused musical tapestry driven by break beats, while compassionate strings infused with Kim's own vocal harmonies and subtle piano motifs glisten and glide over the track adding soothing layers of harmonious quality. Drifting is the perfect close to a truly stunning debut EP.

C-L-A-S-S-I-C library breaks and beats set of super-heavyweight espionage-funk.

One of two Be With forays into the archives of revered British library institution Conroy, we present one of our favourites on the label - the super in-demand Background Action from Sammy Burdson, originally released in 1975. Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that rarely turns up on even the deepest dig.

Sammy Burdson was one of the many, many aliases of the mighty Austrian composer, arranger and conductor, Gerhard Narholz. Founder of adored library label Sonoton in 1965, and a classically trained composer, his work runs from easy listening through pop, jazz and electronic, to avant-garde.

Background Action’s first side is all Blaxploitation wah-wah, funky clav and heavy, heavy drums. It’s top-quality takes on the sort of hard-knocking psychedelic sleuth-funk that the library labels gave us in spades. However, we think the real killers are over on side B. Styles upon styles upon styles is what we have. The trio of swish “Water Pollution” variations are pure gold. The two-part mid-tempo b-boy drumathon “News Background” is nothing short of epic whilst the sensational “Kabul Trip A” and “Kabul Trip B” are two different takes on some tough funk, street jazz style with some dope organ, bass and drum sounds. In short, this is a must for both DJs and producers.

The British library label with those instantly recognisable “orangey-red” sleeves, Conroy began releasing production music in 1965. A sub-label of Berry Music Co, its catalogue typified the library industry’s strange mixture of tradition and experimentation from the start. Conroy’s early releases included work by big band stalwarts like Eddie Warner as well as early electronic recordings by the likes of Belgian experimental pioneer Arséne Souffriau. With Berry Music Co working as a distribution partner to the German library label Sonoton, it was through the Conroy that a great deal of German library music found its way into the UK market.

Conroy stopped putting out new music in the 1980s, but its history and its catalogue offer an excellent window into the trends and eccentricities of a highly unique industry at the height of its international appeal.

This re-issue of Background Action has been mastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson has handled reproducing the iconic, hypnotic original Conroy sleeve. Essential.

C-L-A-S-S-I-C library breaks and beats set of heavy drums and louche funk.

One of two Be With forays into the archives of revered British library institution Conroy, we present one of our favourites on the label - the super in-demand Dramatic Tempi / Larry Robbins Background Rhythms, originally released in 1975. Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that rarely turns up on even the deepest dig.

As a single LP, Dramatic Tempi / Larry Robbins Background Rhythms is two distinctly different collections of music. The first side, Dramatic Tempi, is made up of four tracks each from Sammy Burdson and Klaus Weiss.

Sammy Burdson was one of the many, many aliases of the mighty Austrian composer, arranger and conductor, Gerhard Narholz. Founder of adored library label Sonoton in 1965, and a classically trained composer, his work runs from easy listening through pop, jazz and electronic, to avant-garde.

About as cult as it gets when it comes to library music legends (German or otherwise) Klaus Weiss produced essential records on German library labels Coloursound, Selected Sound and Sonoton, as well as making two essential entries in the Conroy catalogue. Having started his career at the age of 16 as a jazz drummer, the Klaus Weiss trademark electronic sound is unsurprisingly built on top of sometimes funky, sometimes frenetic, but always hard-hitting drums.

The second side is both titled and also credited to Larry Robbins Background Rhythms. We have to admit to being stumped as to who Larry was, but we don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to assume it might well be yet another incarnation of Gerhard Narholz’s.

First up from Dramatic Tempi are the phased, gargantuan hip-hop beats of Sammy Burdson’s impeccable “Pop Waves”. This is otherworldly funk on a whole new level. Hearing is believing. The magnificently titled “Cyclodrom” is up next, a beast of booming bass and wah wah guitars over frenetic funk drums. “Devils Drive” is dramatic, blaxploitation street funk with rolling, pounding drums. “Crime Ways” is an acid-squelch, slow-pace neck-snapper.

Klaus Weiss starts by askings us “Is It Hip” and we can only answer “yes it is!” to the clean, skipping drums, booming bass and proto-hip-hop bells, layered beneath laconic and melodic guitar shredding. This is just horizontal soul perfection. “The Camp”, propelled by jazzy guitar à la Joe Pass over fast drum and conga breaks, gives way to the dark guitars and cymbal crashes of “Tomorrow”. It sounds like an early New Order jam session. Closing out a pretty startling side of library greatness, “Rhythm Trip” presents early stuttering funk before easin' on in to a jazzy, soulful groove; all breezy guitar and warm keys. Lush.

Larry Robbins Background Rhythms is a lighter, poppier affair, but it’s not without its drum-heavy bangers. “Vox Pop” and “Pop Phase” each have clean, open-ish drum breaks, ripe for sampling or more daring DJ sets. “Pop Twang” is a short and sweet beat-heavy number that gives way to the fantastically out-there “Canned Pop”. We‘d love to know if this was ever actually licensed for something! The final seven tracks are a set of 1-to-2 minute “Percussion Takes”. All compelling, and all equally useful for any number of production needs. Get sampling.

The British library label with those instantly recognisable “orangey-red” sleeves, Conroy began releasing production music in 1965. A sub-label of Berry Music Co, its catalogue typified the library industry’s strange mixture of tradition and experimentation from the start. Conroy’s early releases included work by big band stalwarts like Eddie Warner as well as early electronic recordings by the likes of Belgian experimental pioneer Arséne Souffriau. With Berry Music Co working as a distribution partner to the German library label Sonoton, it was through the Conroy that a great deal of German library music found its way into the UK market.

Conroy stopped putting out new music in the 1980s, but its history and its catalogue offer an excellent window into the trends and eccentricities of a highly unique industry at the height of its international appeal.

This re-issue of Dramatic Tempi / Larry Robbins Background Rhythms has been mastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson has handled reproducing the iconic, hypnotic original Conroy sleeve. Essential.

The second Be With foray into the archives of revered German library institution Selected Sound is one of our favourites, Sound Inventions from Klaus Weiss Rhythm And Sounds, originally released in 1979.

From the notoriously strong mind of Niagara drummer / library-funk overlord Klaus Weiss, Sound Inventions is loaded with tripped out studio funk-freakery, mad samples and swaggering abstract funk grooves. From dramatic deep disco with dark Italo/Moroder leanings to heavy German funk breaks, this is absolutely sensational. Absolute synth-and-string-drenched magic.

Born in 1942 in Gevelsberg, Germany, Klaus Weiss began his career as a jazz drummer at sixteen (with a group called the Jazzopators) before working with the internationally successful 60s groups the Klaus Doldinger Quartet and the Erwin Lehn Big Band. In 1965 he formed his own trio, the first of many groups to bear his name, and as his renown as a bandleader grew over the next decade it naturally lead to working in production music.

About as cult as it gets when it comes to library music legends (German or otherwise), he produced essential records on German library labels Coloursound, Selected Sound and Sonoton, as well as making two essential entries in the Conroy catalogue. Collections of music in the trademark Klaus Weiss sound of electronics unsurprisingly built on top of sometimes funky, sometimes frenetic, but always hard-hitting drums.

Sound Inventions is one of those library records with a hefty track list, 22 in total, but they’re all pretty stunning. That’s not something you can often say and picking out the highlights is almost impossible. If pushed, we’d steer you towards the tough teutonic funk of “Drumcrazy”, the by turns juddering and sweeping majesty of the title track “Sound Inventions”, the aquatic serenity of “Glide”, the elegant strut of “Greenwich Street”, the muted, eerie cosmic-funk of “Air Space”, the squelchy acid-clavs of “Rhythm Function”, the calming, melodic “Waves”, the stuttering proto-Timbaland sensation that is “Rainbows” and the percussive funk-fuelled workout of “A Few Cuts”. Phew. Heavy indeed!

Founded in the late 60s by German composer and musician Klaus Netzle, Selected Sound began as a production music company specialising in jazz, orchestral and electronic recordings. You can’t miss those early LPs in their iconic glossy metallic copper sleeves with minimal German typography. Serious, classy stuff.

This re-issue of Sound Inventions has been mastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis from audio from the original tapes. Richard Robinson has handled reproducing the glossy metallic (iconic) original Selected Sound sleeve. Essential.

Jack Wilson was a talented, jazz pianist. Wilson's music had elements of hard bop, swing, cool jazz and soul-jazz, and it was all tied together
by his tasteful playing and soulful appeal.
This album is an exceptional and fresh album by twoexceptional musicians.
Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers have an instinctive and uncomplicated sense of showmanship that goes hand with awareness appreciation for their audience, and an enthusiasm for their music.
It repays all the cents spent to buy this record.

Array expresses the experience of a remote Antarctic research station through the convergence of sound, site and performance. The result is an immersive and affective experience of the spaces, protocols and conditions comprising the bracing polar environment. Array is a companion piece to Polar Force, a performance-installation work by Philip Samartzis and Eugene Ughetti, presented by Speak Percussion.

Array features recordings of radar and scientific instrumentation used for upper atmospheric research and terrestrial communication. These sounds reveal the sophisticated technology and architecture used and heard within the Australian Antarctic Territory. Many of the recordings focus on the way the built environment is transformed through stress and fatigue caused by extreme climate and weather events including freezing temperatures and high velocity winds.

Together with the field recordings are layers of live performance using custom built instrumentation to produce a unique series of textures, rhythmic cycles, resonances and timbral phenomena. The application of tension and pressure upon the assorted instruments recalls the distressed state of highly specialised infrastructure found within the perimeters of a research station.

A polar research station comprises many types and volumes of prefabricated space. In dialogue with this are the unique spaces used to record the instrumental performance. By merging different spaces Array brings into focus various industrial resonances, spatial characteristics, timbres of metal and concrete, and sonic artefacts produced by hard and permeable materials and surfaces.

In three parts, Array presents Antarctica as a liminal space oscillating between representation and abstraction to challenge often repeated tropes. The intent is to blur the relationship between the recorded and performed to produce a hyper-realistic encounter of the powerful forces that operate at the margins of our planet. One hears the precariousness of a remote research station contorted by unrelenting stress, compressed air forced through waterborne fipples and the volatility of weather events.

Life on remote research stations is progressively resembling the broader contemporary experience, in which strict protocols are used to govern and preserve life. The resilient communities who live and work in these places have learnt how to co-exist with an increasingly hostile environment, along with its unknowns and necessity for hyper-vigilance. Rather than consider it as a place on the edge of elsewhere, Antarctica and its assemblage of durable, super modern colonies provides an archetype for an uncertain future in anticipation of the volatility that awaits.

Since their debut in 2017 and the highly acclaimed
latest album ‘No God? No Problem’ (released in
2019,’ Detroit freak rockers The Lucid Furs have
performed over 100 out of state shows, invading
music venues to wash minds with their heavy
blues rock concoctions.
 The band‘s live performances build up with a big,
head bang energy, winding down to sultry blues,
then blasting back into hard rock with a dash of
funk you can’t help but dance to.
 Their new album won’t make any exception. The
band’s heavily grooving talent and soul of the
blues is immediately evident, driven by a vibrant
70’s vintage vibe.
 Their songs embody a culmination of each
member’s early influences, ranging from rock
classics like Alice Cooper and Heart, to Chicago
blues like Howlin’ Wolf and Buddy Guy, to the era
of alternative rock groups like Soundgarden and
Queens Of The Stone Age.
 For fans of All Them Witches, Janis Joplin, Led
Zeppelin, Rival Sons, Cream, Queens Of The
Stone Age, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Pills.
 Red coloured vinyl LP.

Re-mastering by: Cicely Baston at Alchemy/Air Mastering

Recorded in 1986 in Paris and originally released only in France, Great Friends mines the John Coltrane spiritual legacy with fervent incantatory playing and an ecstatic charge. Not that alto saxophonist Fortune and tenor man Harper necessarily speak with Trane’s voice, but the intensity of their playing and their use of certain scales and modes produce a Tranelike atmosphere. Drummer Hart (who organized this band at the request of a Japanese promoter), bassist Workman and pianist Cowell form a hard-hitting team alongside the horns.

Things begin with “Cal Massey,” a tribute penned by Cowell. Harper sets the spiritual vibe in motion with a big-toned, take-no-prisoners solo. The Texas tenor man has the heaviest low-register sound in the business. On Workman’s “East Harlem Nostalgia,” he chomps into the low notes as a prelude to wailing runs into the upper register. Harper’s up tempo “Insight” is the album’s tour de force, with rippling solos and torrid exchanges between the saxophonists. Fortune’s searing tone is well suited to the exuberant joyride of this performance.

The rhythm section can be compared to the McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones triumvirate that backed Trane. Equally heavyweight and agile, it is relentless in its conviction and spiritual attitude.

"Black Truffle proudly presents The Refrain from Melbourne-based artist Francis Plagne, whose growing catalog of collaborative and solo releases range from song-based work to abstract audio collages.

Closely aligned with Plagne's Moss Trumpet LP (released by Penultimate Press in 2018), The Refrain’s two side-long tracks mix sounds of the mundane with the otherworldly; rising, receding and overlapping. The result feels like being led through a series of scenes devoid of context or direction. Furthermore, it’s hard to define the scenes as either inviting or disconcerting, as they’re often both at the same time. As the record progresses sounds reappear and are juxtaposed so as to only hint at the familiar. A hall of mirrors, perhaps?

Completed in 2020 using material recorded from 2012-2020, the record uses tapes of shelved, unfinished, and forgotten projects that featured field recordings from various locations, domestic sounds of plastic bottles, bubble wrap, creaking chairs, voice, and instrumental recordings, including an appearance from crys cole on Casio. These pieces were re-amped, processed and edited, then additional instrumental pieces featuring synths, guitars, plastic saxophone, melodica, and percussion were added, the results shaped into drifting, episodic assemblages.

Although essentially a tape piece, The Refrain presents as a crude, non-idiomatic composition that feels both timeless and transitory. It’s a million miles from the polish and rigour of GRM, perhaps more in line with Jacques Bekaert’s eponymous Igloo LP, or Costin Miereanu’s Luna Cinese. The Refrain could be read as a psychedelic Krapp’s Last Tape; one man’s response to listening through forgotten and discarded tapes, reflecting, reconciling, and forging a new path. A potent tonic for these absurd times."

-- Nick Hamilton, August 2021

BIOHAZARD formed in Brooklyn in 1988 and soon after released their first demo. The band consisted of founding members Billy Graziadei (vocals, guitar), Bobby Hambel (lead guitar) and Evan Seinfeld (vocals, bass). After the release of their second demo in 1989, drummer Anthony Meo left the band and drummer Danny Schuler replaced him. BIOHAZARD released their combined the urban sounds of hard-core, metal and rap with scorching lyrics describing the forces at work in our modern urban lives. With an impressive career spanning over 20 years with 10 albums (on both indie and major labels), the band sold over 5 million records. In 1990, Biohazard signed a recording contract with Maze Records. The band's self-titled debut album was poorly promoted by the label and sold approximately 40,000 copies. The album's subject matter revolved around Brooklyn, gang-wars, drugs, and violence.

In 1992, Biohazard signed with Roadrunner Records and released Urban Discipline, which gave the band national and worldwide attention in both the heavy metal and hardcore communities. The video for the song "Punishment" became the most played video in the history of MTV's Headbanger's Ball, and the album sold over one million copies. The band also began opening for larger acts such as Pantera, Suicidal Tendencies, House of Pain, Fishbone, and The Cro-Mags. In 1993, the hardcore rap group Onyx brought on Billy Graziadei for an alternate "Bionyx" version of their hit single "Slam" with Biohazard as their backup band. This led to a collaboration on the title track of the Judgment Night soundtrack. The soundtrack would go on to sell over two million copies in the United States. Months later, the band left Roadrunner Records and signed with Warner Bros. Records Inc. who released their third studio LP, State of the World Address. The album was produced by Ed Stasium in Los Angeles and contained the single "How It Is" featuring Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, for which a video was also shot. During their 1994 tour, the band made an appearance on the second stage at the Monsters of Rock festival held at Castle Donington. State of the World Address went on to sell over one million copies, and Rolling Stone magazine selected the Biohazard logo as the best logo of the year.

This was the last Biohazard album with Bobby Hambel, who left due to differences with the rest of the band. The band recorded their fourth studio album, Mata Leao, as a three piece in 1996. It was produced with the help of Dave Jerden. For the 1996-97 Mata Leao Tour, former Helmet guitarist Rob Echeverria joined the band. The band also played on the Ozzfest mainstage alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Danzig, Fear Factory, and Sepultura. While touring Europe in support of the Mata Leao album, the band recorded their Hamburg, Germany, show for their first live album, No Holds Barred (Live in Europe), which was released in 1997 through their former label, Roadrunner Records. The band signed to Mercury Records and released their fifth studio album, New World Disorder, in 1999, once again with Ed Stasium as a producer.

The relationship with Mercury Records soured quickly as the band felt betrayed and misunderstood by the label. They severed their ties with the label amidst the merger of Mercury Records, Island Records, Def Jam Records, and Polygram into the Universal Music Group. The following year, Biohazard signed two new record deals with SPV/Steamhammer in Europe and Sanctuary Records for the remainder of the world. Despite the new record deals, the band took some personal time in order to work on other projects. Graziadei and Schuler also collaborated in transforming the band's rehearsal Brooklyn studio into a digital recording studio, known as Rat Piss Studios and soon after changed the name to Underground Sound Studios. Re-investing into the band, Graziadei and Schuler honed their engineering and productions skills while recording and producing local acts and new Biohazard demos. The band then undertook the process of writing, recording, and producing their own music. Their studio work led to the band's sixth studio album, Uncivilization, released in September 2001.
The album featured several guest appearances by members of bands such as Agnostic Front, Hatebreed, Pantera, Slipknot, Sepultura, Cypress Hill, Skarhead, and Type O Negative. Shortly after the release of Uncivilization, guitarist Leo Curley left the band and was replaced by former Nucleus member Carmine Vincent, who had previously toured with Biohazard as part of their road crew. The band had to cancel scheduled European festival dates when Carmine Vincent underwent major surgery. The band did manage to find a temporary guitarist, Scott Roberts, formerly of the Cro-Mags and the Spudmonsters, in time to join the Eastpak Resistance Tour with Agnostic Front, Hatebreed, Discipline, Death Threat, Born From Pain and All Boro Kings. Biohazard completed their seventh studio album in seventeen days; Kill Or Be Killed was released in 2003. While touring North America with Kittie, Brand New Sin and Eighteen Visions, Biohazard announced that Roberts would remain as their permanent lead guitarist. The tour was curtailed when it was announced that Seinfeld had fallen ill. With more downtime due to Seinfeld's illness, Graziadei and Schuler collaborated to mix Life of Agony's live comeback album, River Runs Again: Live 2003. Once Seinfeld was healthy again, the band toured Japan and North America, headlining over bands such as Hatebreed, Agnostic Front, Throwdown, and Full Blown Chaos.

By the end of 2003, the band had begun recording its eighth studio album, Means To An End. The completed album was lost in a studio disaster, forcing the band to completely re-record the album, which was finally released in August 2005. In October 2004, Graziadei announced that Means To An End had been the final Biohazard album and that he would continue playing with his new band Suicide City as his main focus. One month later, on the Biohazard website, it was announced that there would in fact be a 2005 Biohazard tour. On December 15, 2005, Seinfeld and Graziadei participated in the Roadrunner United conglomerate event at the Nokia Theater in New York for an all-star event. The show opened with Biohazard's "Punishment," performed by Seinfeld, Graziadei, Sepultura's Andreas Kisser, former Fear Factory member Dino Cazares, and Slipknot's Joey Jordison. Graziadei and Schuler relocated their recording studio to South Amboy, New Jersey and renamed it Underground Sound Studios. The studio was renovated to include a live room with 20-foot (6.1 m) ceilings and 4,000 square feet (370 m2) of studio space. After Schuler's departure from the studio business, Graziadei relocated the studio to Los Angeles and changed the name to Firewater Studios. In January 2008, the classic lineup of Evan Seinfeld, Billy Graziadei, Danny Schuler and Bobby Hambel made the announcement that rehearsals had begun for a 2008 summer tour to commemorate the band's 20th anniversary. They toured Australia and New Zealand in April with Chimaira, Throwdown, Bloodsimple and headliners Korn to celebrate their newly declared reunion. The band also took part in Persistence Tour 2009, and announced at one of their shows that they were working on a new record. Biohazard brought in producer Toby Wright to work on the album and after several months at Graziadei's Firewater Studios in Los Angeles, the band completed their recording sessions. In June 2011, Biohazard announced that Evan Seinfeld had quit the band and Scott Roberts returned to replace Seinfeld for two UK dates but no decision regarding a permanent replacement was made. In January 2012, the band decided that Scott Roberts would remain with the band as a permanent member. The new album, Reborn In Defiance, was released worldwide, with the exception of North America, on January 20, 2012 through the Nuclear Blast label. In support of the album, Biohazard embarked on a short co-headlining tour of Europe with Suicidal Tendencies in the latter half of January 2012. After touring the world in support of Reborn in Defiance, the band entered the studio to work on a new release and after a falling out, Roberts departed the band.

Biohazard remains as it’s core founding members of Graziadei, Shuler and Hambel. Graziadei has since ventured off onto a solo career as BillyBio and teamed up with Cypress Hill frontman Sendog to start Powerflo. Both groups are working on their second releases due out late 2021 and early 2022.

Modern metallers DAGOBA are back! After putting their stamp on the metal scene with a unique blend of metal and neckbreaking grooves, relentlessly touring and sharing the stage with legendary acts like Metallica, Machine Head and In Flames, DAGOBA have signed with leading Austrian metal label Napalm Records and are prepared to hit the next level. The French four-piece returns with the band’s most ambitious material yet: punishing vocals, groove and modern metal infused guitars and hard-hitting production shows DAGOBA on top of their game, pushing boundaries and incorporating electronic elements seamlessly into a unique modern metal formula. Vocalist Shawter impresses with a high variety in his singing by covering a wide span from intense and deep growls, strong shouts and precise clean vocals. The album starts off with an electronic intro that bursts into the massive attack „The Hunt“, that has already been released in July 2021 as a standalone single and includes all the significant trademarks: melodic passages with clean vocals alter with intense breakdowns and all of this underlined with electronic elements. This mixture leads to a catchy sound as showcased on the dramatic „Bellflower Drive“ or the melodic „City Lights“. Furthermore the sound of DAGOBA stands out for dominant drumming that oscillates between double bass, blast beats and forward going up tempo drumming as it occurs on „The Last Crossing“ or „Sunfall“. Between all the action, there is also space for calmer parts such as the interlude „Break“ or the track „On the Run“ that begins with female vocals that gradually build up into another hymn lining up brilliantly with the other songs of the album. DAGOBA manages the balancing act between harsh breakdowns, dense soundwalls and grooving passages with ease. Even on its hardest passages, the album never gets too enigmatic - quite the opposite: One smashing track is followed by the next, the record just flies by and leaves no time to breathe. By Night is a beast of an album showcasing how far DAGOBA can take electronic influences on the upcoming material – a must-have for true fans of modern metal! alone!

'Dwell Time' focuses on the moments in between. Expanding on Satie's Furniture Music, which explores the role of music as a backdrop, Dwell Time explores the moments in between active and passive listening. A sound that maintains a unique balance of properties can start as an active relationship that slowly dissolves into the background and accompanies a listener over its course. The Dwell Time signal remains completely analog, utilizing homemade tape samples and hardware synthesizers to encourage the listener to move between the different states of listening. Produced by Rafael Anton Irisarri and Mastered by Taylor Deupree.

WHEN TWO LONDON HIP-HOP HEAVYWEIGHTS JOIN FORCES, IT’S GOING TO BE “STYLE SO INCREDIBLE” THE ENIGMA HOWARD STEVENS PRODUCES A HARD HITTING SLAB OF B-BOY
ROCKING HIP-HOP FEATURING THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN SOUND, LEWIS PARKER.

CONSCIOUS STREET LYRICS FLOW EFFORTLESSLY OVER THE UPTEMPO CLASSICALLY STYLED BEAT, WITH A FURIOUS FUNKY SCRATCH CHORUS & REMIX FROM PRODUCER/DJ JUICE. ADD A HOT VIDEO DIRECTED BY RINGZ OV SATURN AND THE
WHOLE HIP HOP PACKAGE IS IN ORDER.

Hardtek Tribe maybe have a new name... But the music is the same :)

EYA Records gets off to a strong start of 2022 by inviting ‘The Nothing Special’ producer Oli Silva and Argentinian hardware maestro Manuk for their 16th release.

A1 ‘ Mirage man’ by Manuk is a wonderful, expressive techno and trance infused number, while A2 ‘Mutant Mindset’ by Oli Silva has a raw breakbeat impact with classy eerie chords, haunting vocals, and a killer bassline.

B1 is the result of the joint effort by the two producers, ‘Multiple Minglings’ is a very impactful psychedelic journey. The EP is completed by a ‘Freestyle’ remix of B1 by UK legendary producer Dave Campbell aka HI-Ryze.

Arís (pronounced: ah-reesh) presents the first in a new series of 90’s/early 00’s Irish Dance reissues with ARIS01; 2 remastered tracks from Bumble’s 1992 EP ‘West In Motion’ b/w a new remix from Brame & Hamo to celebrate the release’s 30th anniversary.

They are here, all over: sudden, random molecular movements. Invisible and yet extremely effective. Perceptible only to those who turn on things from a peculiar outlook. Now Rio unfolds the second edition of “Risks Issues Opportunities”, bringing interstellar musical developments full of little, yet profound molecule advances. Eight mystical fate spinners, with the muscle to shed some light on unanswered questions, that will stay unanswered after all. Monolithic, yet deeply fragile compositions, made by terrestrials like Leipzig based producer Syncboy, Pannotia from Sydney, Italy based dusty drum machines lovers Twoonky, Charlotte Simon, known as one half of the art duo Le Trucs from Frankfurt, Berlin mystic’s like Airaboi or Nadia D'Alò of the duo INIT, Brooklyn based “The Thing” housekeeper Willie Burns and Vienna’s symbolist sound poet Bocksrucker. They all created electric signs for the above. Murky analogue prophesiers without prophecy, bringing headway music against the greedy frontier spirit. Hypnotic tones out of a hazy musical outer space. Like a dream that forgot to dream, they wave around with veiled frequencies full of ray, processed through analogue machine power. Music, that is able to in sight humans to an Atget photography. Able to transmit flashes to the firmament, to stars that wander darkling in eternal space. And yes: to some who listen a sudden physical movement might transpire, despite the fact that all was made without a particular practical value. Art for art's sake‍. In favor of an alternative to reality. Compellingly haunted by itself. Like stone, that awaits a random molecular movement.

More than anyone, Blind Willie Johnson embodies the archetype of the cursed bluesman. Despite the fact that his records have sold fairly well at his time, or that one of his ballads (Dark Was The Night, Cold as the Ground - that also gives the name to this compilation) was included on the Voyager disc launched into space in 1977, the American singer/preacher has lived his whole life in total misery. However, his powerful voice fascinates. His guitar style, a mixture of picking and slide, will influence several generations of musicians. And like many of his contemporaries, it was not until the 1960s that his talent would finally be recognized at its fair value (via the work of the brilliant Reverend Gary Davis).

The year is 2k22 and the mixtape vibe is still strong.
It's here. Finally. The 10th release since the label initially launched back in 2001 and therefore Intrauterin Tapes is proud to present „BOOTY.“ - the next instalment of the series put together by Intrauterin Recordings mastermind baze.djunkiii.

A frantic celebration of original DJ culture and a bass- and 808-heavy journey into the realm of dirty ghetto anthems, classic booty bangerz and hard hitting underground cuts covering a musical spectrum from Electro to GhettoBass and stripped down Chicago Basement tracks. 100% vinyl,

two decks and a classic battle mixer is all it needs to get things going. Resistance is futile. You will rave to this.

Ian Pooley returns to Radio Slave’s Rekids with Studio A Pt. 2 this February. The second entry in a three-part series of music based around his studio, Ian Pooley’s ‘Studio A Pt. 2’ for Radio Slave’s Rekids imprint sees the bonafide house legend deliver another choice selection of grooving
hardware productions.

Leading the A-side is the fluttering synths and warped vocal samples of ‘JV Organ & Matrix’, which twists and turns through delightful FX and rumbling bass. ‘Version 2’ of the track follows, contorting elements of the original into a heads-down groover, with washed-out processing and stereo wizardry meeting classic dub techniques.

On the flip, ‘Back Up’ keeps it live and direct with hard-hitting, chunky drums and menacing acid lines, with an additional stripped back digital ‘Beats Bass’ version included. Rounding out the 12” is 101202, a dreamy slice of razor-sharp house, with gorgeous, filtered pads drifting in tandem with strung out low end and skippy percussion.

Active since the early 90s, the German DJ/producer has released on the likes of Force Inc, V2 Records, and his own Pooledmusic, remixing for the likes of Deee-Lite, Carl Cox and many more, as well as being one of the few to be remixed by Daft Punk.

The new album by B.Visible is a distinctive studio work, which captures the state of mind of searching for something, without actually knowing what. The only thing you can make sense of is that you aren't currently satisfied, and you want a change in your life, even though you aren't exactly sure of where you belong. This music is a quest, a search for a greater range of self-expression. B.Visible captured this very thought-provoking concept by focusing on what really matters, musically, and conceptually alike. He stayed true to his feelings, regardless of judge-ment or other people's thoughts and opinions. In the end, it's all about fulfilling creativity and exploring feelings without boundaries.

"In Between Places", demonstrates his remarkable talent for extending varied elements across the whole spectrum, allowing a wide range of influences to inspire, entertain and captivate the audience in a very spe-cial way. What makes "In Between Places" stand out is the fact that it shows the artist's chops, without seeming to try to hard to do so. It's or-ganic and dynamic; technically accomplished, but also incredibly spon-taneous and one-of-a-kind in its execution. The instrumental is perfectly balanced, allowing B.Visible's expertly interwoven patterns of melody and rhythm to soar through the mix and come alive with raw and thrilling performance.

Ultimately, "In Between Places" is a truly special album, which is rich in terms of sound design and textures, tipping the hat off to artists such as Four Tet, Flying Lotus or Apparat, only to mention a few. This record is a musical journey with a unique twist.


Viennese producer B.Visible is always pushing his craft forward with each concept being an evolution. His music is mutating organically as each project brings novelty but always while blending sharp electronic components with dusty acoustic layers. That duality exists in every aspect of his creative journey with DJ sets revolving around second-hand records and modern-day productions but also his live project offering a whole new dimension and generosity to the audience. B.Visible melts the barrier between analog and digital in a such distinctive and elegant way that it feels natural.

Spoon’s tenth album, ‘Lucifer On The Sofa’, is the
band’s purest rock ’n’ roll record to date. Texasmade, it is the first set of songs that the quintet has
put to tape in its hometown of Austin in more than
a decade.
 Written and recorded over the last two years - both
in and out of lockdown - these songs mark a shift
toward something louder, wilder and more fullcolour.
 From the detuned guitars anchoring ‘The Hardest
Cut’ to the urgency of ‘Wild’, to the band’s blownout cover of the Smog classic ‘Held’, ‘Lucifer On
The Sofa’ bottles the physical thrill of a band
tearing up a packed room.
 ‘Lucifer On The Sofa’ is an album of intensity and
intimacy, where the music’s harshest edges feel as
vivid as the directions quietly murmured into the
mic on the first-take. According to frontman Britt
Daniel, “It’s the sound of classic rock as written by
a guy who never did get Eric Clapton.”

Staking their claim as the new heavyweights of rock & roll's modern-day renaissance, the Tennessee quartet Naked Gypsy Queens have
announced 'Georgiana,' their debut EP, out February 11th via Mascot
Records/Mascot Label Group.

Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, the 5 tracks will be on one side of the vinyl, and the B-side will be etched.Rooted in amplifed blues, hard-charging grooves, and dual lead guitars, the band builds upon the larger- than- life sound of their
heroes from the 1960s and '70s, keeping the fame burning for old-school hard
rock while using their own 21st century fuel. Formed while all four members were
still in high school, Naked Gypsy Queens built their audience the blue-collar way:
by plugging in, turning up, and playing out. They cut their teeth on the classics —
the Rolling Stones, MC5, the Allman Brothers — and funneled those infuences
into their own songs, creating an original sound that was loud, aggressive, and
flled with supersized hooks.With 'Georgiana,' the band confdently steps into the
international spotlight. These songs mix southern- fried swagger, electrifed
stomp, and sharp songwriting into fve unique anthems. With a sound that
reaches across generations, Naked Gypsy Queens bridge the divide between the
genre's past and future, creating timeless rock & roll for the modern world. Naked
Gypsy Queens are Rock Royalty in the making.

Stroboscopic Artefacts is proud to present the debut album of Malaysian born Bangkok based artist Wanton Witch.

Born in an isolated community of Borneo Island in 1993 Wanton Witch is a DJ and producer with a hyper-sensitive connection and approach to sound through performance. Coming of age in the relative isolation of island life, it wasn’t until relocating to Bangkok that she was able to access the different communities of musical genres that she would later travel between. With an early taste for trap and hip hop, she began working in the deconstructed club and techno scene where she found her musical voice, beginning her DJ career in 2018. Wanton is also a cofounder and original member of Queer underground creative collective ‘Non Non Non’ that has become a Bangkok nightlife staple.

Being an “outsider” musician and producer with no formal training, it was the fortuitous crossing of paths online that has sparked the creative collaboration between Wanton and label owner and creative director Lucy. Last year Stroboscopic Artefacts celebrated ten years established between experimental and dance floor spectres and this is the first record the label is releasing after one year break, marking the launch of a new chapter for the imprint. It is with releases like the eponymous debut album from Wanton Witch and the support given to emerging artists like her that the imprint continues to forge pathways within the industry.

Featuring 11 tracks, these recordings are the first body of work from the Bangkok producer, and include many different snapshots of electronic music genres from IDM and experimental to hardcore and rave, using caustic electronics to deconstruct traditional track conventions. This collection of cuts read more as a complete soundscape, like listening to a live set. The phrenetic jump from genre to genre, the mixing of diverse sound textures and landscapes reflect Wanton Witch’s own experience navigating a hostile world as a Queer trans woman in Malaysia. The intense energy with which each track is cut together reminds the listener of the nostalgia of mixtapes and a time in life when identity is being constructed.

Wanton Witch has created an album which feels like a reflection of the aggregation that already exists within musical internet sub-cultures and communities. A place where many diverse and contrasting sound palettes, textures, and structures can fit together to create a new different, Queer way of seeing the world.

Following up on Wanton’s LP, label head Lucy will also present an actual full length album named ‘Lucy Plays Wanton Witch’ featuring re-interpretations of the original material in a whole new body of work. This upcoming follow up release will not represent a mere remix edition, but a recreation from scratch and the rebirth of “one into another” so to say. Expect the quintessential Lucy treatment.

Garage rock supergroup The Surfing Magazines have announced Badgers of Wymeswold.

Consisting of one half of Slow Club and two thirds of The Wave Pictures, The Surfing Magazines’ primary influences are Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground and all the great surf guitar music of the 1960s. They burst onto the scene with their eponymous debut album in 2017, a lauded LP described by Record Collector Mag as “a vintage-yet-modern rock’n’roll classic”.

Mixing the noir surf textures of 1960s garage rock along with west coast sun beaten harmony pop, the 17-track Badgers of Wymeswold follows the acclaimed debut and is to be released July this year. The London based foursome recorded the album at Ranscomb Studio in Rochester in February last year before the start of the first UK lockdown.

Pushing their sound forward, the band utilise their garage rock ethic and have both Drummer Dominic Brider and Rhythm guitar player Charles Watso lead on vocals across multiple tracks. The album sees a return of free form saxophone parts, eerie violins and piano all appear, notably on tracks ‘Nostaw Boogie’ and ‘I’m Going Out Tonight To Play Some Pool’. The title track is drawn from David Tattersall’s nightmare vision about his home town's population of self-governing people, the album artwork was also made by Tattersall and depicts a collage of his referenced dreams. The extensive LP showcases their characteristic sound at their brightest, from softer ballads such as ‘Poppies’ and ‘Silver Breasts’, surf guitar rock anthem ‘Locomotive Cheer’, and to the six bar blues ‘Pink Ice Cream’.

The label owners NX1 team up with the British techno head Rommek to configure a pure class four tracks EP entitled "Foreign Bodies".

The A-side starts with "Foreign Bodies 1", a dense broken piece with fat bass, tense pads and layered whispers that trap you from the very beginning; next is "Foreign Bodies 2", pure, raw & incisive yet hypnotic with a reminiscent of a classic techno pad.

On the B-side "Foreign Bodies 3" keep the tension, ultra shape synths and percussions, simple and powerful with an industrial touch; last one "Foreign Bodies 4" is going even harder, a perfect "closing to the core" to finish this high voltage collaboration EP.

Following up on his highly acclaimed "The Forced Force Is Not The True Force", Mr. G is back on his own Phoenix G label delivering 3 big house cuts and a suspenseful tool.

Hangman's Chair, formed in 2005 in Paris, are one of the most unique sounding doom rock bands currently active. Through the years, they have found and fine-tuned their own sonic brand, somewhere at the crossroads between Type O Negative, Alice In Chains and Sisters of Mercy, to name a few, mixed with a certain street credibility connected to the group’s roots in hardcore, and even tinges of shoegaze. ‘Cold Doom’ as the band likes to call it.

Each album takes its strength and essence from the band members’s life experiences, which they portrait with unflinching honesty. Whether it is the loss of band members, drug overdoses or the hardships of living in suburban Paris, all those human emotions resonate within each of their songs as they embrace the darkness and transform it into something beautiful, heavy and melancholic.

After five studio albums and a handful of splits / EPs, Hangman's Chair is releasing their sixth studio album, "A Loner", their first record on Germany based, worldwide leading metal label Nuclear Blast. Telling tales about loneliness in all its forms, this record has all the trademarks that makes Hangman's Chair’s music so visceral, and will keep you in its tight grip from the very first listen.

Prong’s distinctive industrial Metal sound influenced subsequent bands such as Korn and Nine Inch Nails.

Former New York club CBGB’s soundman Tommy Victor founded Prong in 1987 as his outlet for sonic fury. Having their roots in the Thrash Metal and Hardcore scenes, Prong carved a niche for themselves - groovy, angry, massive; just perfect mosh music.

The trio wrecked stages and impressed audiences all over the world. They built on their signature sound with their 4th full length album Cleansing. Aptly titled, the album indeed cleansed their sound, resulting in 12 stripped down, highly effective musical precision bombs. The single “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” became one of their significant highlights.

Cleansing is produced by Terry Date and feat. ex-Killing Joke members Paul Raven and John Bechdel. Prong will be performing the album live around the globe in 2019.

This is a limited 25th anniversary edition of 666 individually numbered copies on silver & black marbled vinyl.

Prove You Wrong is the third studio album by Prong, released in 1991. The album turned heads worldwide with its more melodic approach to Prong’s formula of hardhitting industrial Hardcore Thrash Metal.

The album yielded two singles: “Unconditional” and “Pointless”. Surprising song on Prove You Wrong is the Stranglers’ cover Get A Grip (On Yourself) which is sung by new bassist Troy Gregory.

Available as a limited 30th anniversary edition of 666 individually numbered copies on silver & black marbled vinyl. The package includes an insert with lyrics.

Kapingbdi came together in Liberia, West Africa, during the late 1970’s and had their own unique style. This six to seven-piece band played original compositions in a vibrant mix of African Rhythms, Soul, Spiritual Jazz, Funk and Rock. Led by Kojo Samuels on sax, flute and vocals “Born in The Night” presents the essential tracks from their rare studio LPs produced between 1978-1981. The work has been carefully edited and remastered in 2019 for vinyl LP and a 6-Page Digipack CD, which includes two additional recordings. Kapingbdi toured through Europe and the U.S. and were the only Afro funk band to ever come out of Liberia.

Kapingbdi hail from Liberia, West Africa and have their own imitable style. They effortlessly combine traditional African music in a modern mix of Jazz, Funk, Soul and Rock. The band is a fusion of the old and the new.

The word "Kapingbdi" is taken from the Sierra Leone language Mende and means "born in the night". Kojo Samuels was given the name by his Latin teacher whilst attending high school in Freetown, They often meet and debate at night in the city and soon after Kojo is called Kapingbdi. The name serves as a description of his origin. Born In Lagos, Nigeria in 1943. The son of slave children. His mother from Nigeria and father from Sierra Leone who moved the family to Liberia, during the 1950’s.

Kojo has played music for as long as he can remember. He starts with the harmonica and later becomes a drummer and percussionist in his first band at school. During his art studies 1965-1972, he tours Germany and works as an art teacher in the USA. His band Kapingbdi is reorganized five times and consists of up to seven musicians. In a VW-Bulli he drives the group from concert to concert and if the drummer fails, he jumps in himself. Between 1978 and 1981 three Kapingbdi LPs are produced for the independent label Trikont, recorded in Hamburg and Munich. During this creative period, the band plays at festivals in Africa and Europe. In 1984, the band tours the United States and shortly after, they came to an end.

At their best, Kapingbdi would rouse the audience with original compositions like "Human Rights", justice for all, especially for South Africans, and "You Go Go You Go Come". The officials and employees in the government departments have no time for the common man, for any questions such as job search, scholarship or similar, he receives the answer "go, come back tomorrow" and the same thing the following day. Or "Now Is The Time For Cry For Love." Now it is time to scream for love and finally, time for humanity and justice. Despite immense difficulties, the musicians consciously live and work in Africa and are at home in Liberia.

On April 12, 1980, ordinary soldiers and non-commissioned officers organize a coup against the government. This is an attempt to put an end to a policy of exploitation of the Liberian people. Whilst efforts to eradicate poverty, lawlessness and illiteracy are obvious throughout the country, Liberia is still Americanized to a high degree. This is evident, as the radio programs of that time almost exclusively played American disco music. Under these conditions, the people seek a reconnection to their folk music, and Kapingbdi were aware of this. Kojo tried many times to come together with traditional Liberian musicians. This passion takes him north of the country. Meeting and playing with the old hornblowers and playing music on traditional instruments, such as the elephant tusk.

Kapingbdi make high quality tape copies of their own vinyl LPs and patiently try to displace all unauthorized tapes from the domestic "market". Nevertheless, it is hard to make a living through music in Liberia. Kapingbdi, is now celebrated. The radio plays are in abundance, but royalties are not forthcoming. Their musical link is the feeling of Afrobeat and Highlife, which is found in each of the many Kapingbdi pieces. They embody Jazz, which is understood to be the most refined example of black music outside of Africa. In Liberia, Jazz is virtually impossible to hear. Bright shining names such as John Coltrane, Charlie Parker or Miles Davis were widely unknown. Thus, the Black Jazz, including its Back-To-Africa movement of the 60’s and 70‘s, passes by without leaving a trace in Africa itself.

Kojo's claim at the time, was to make African music with the depth, sensitivity and the freedom of the technical level of Jazz. This makes Kapingbdi the torchbeares. The underpaid prophets in small Liberia. It is the passion with which the founder of the band continues to work on their music for years. Tirelessly, stimulating and encouraging his fellow musicians. This is ultimately responsible for the success of Kapingbdi in Liberia itself. The local audience seems to listen to the band in fascinated astonishment. One wonders about the ability to develop as demonstrated by Kapingbdi on the basis of their music. It is African and unusually jazzy, danceable and better than the American disco music heard on the radio.

Rather than chase the money and the job opportunities in Europe, Kapingbdi are firmly rooted in Africa. The musicians live in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, at the Kabingbdi workshop, located in the Congotown area on the eastern edge of the sprawling city. Kojo works here as a sculptor, painter, batik artist and musician. The sales revenue that his activities generate, gives him the opportunity to support the development of African Jazz music. The highest percentage of funds are from Germany and Kojo’s work ethic is “to work on your own thing“. The stance taken aims to support the welfare of Liberians and Africans. The other musicians of the group live in a second house that is nearby.

For the sake of consistency, Kapingbdi is a full-time band. However, the revenue, from all of the sources, could not keep them afloat. Equally, as important to the group are Kojos's knowledge of traditional African music and his sculpting skills. His knowledge is shared with others at the afternoon workshops. It is here that they discuss new lyrics, engage in political debate and the self-imposed task of improving conditions in Africa. At times the debate became heated, especially during rehearsals. This was regarded as good and integrative, sowing the seeds of innitiative to keep the band together.

From 1980 to 1985 Kojo also opened and ran the club "Panjebota", located on the grounds of the U.S. Consulate in Monrovia. Almost every evening Kapingbdi perform the song "Wrong Curfew Walk", whose lyrics lament the killing of citizens during the curfew imposed by the Liberian government. When the head of state Samuel Doe hears the song, he behaves agressively and forces Kojo to close the "Panjebota". Kojo had already moved on. Soonafter he meets Fela Kuti at the Africa-Festival and plays concerts in Germany with Cecil Taylor's workshop band.

Kapingbdi is for thinking, dreaming, dancing. What they sing about is what they have experienced. Kojo Samuels is 76 years old today and still follows his vocation as a critical musician, artist and activist.

Ekkehart Fleischhammer / Sonorama 2019 (with the help of original press sheets and the memories of Kojo Samuels)

Is there a better pairing of kindred spirits than a split seven-inch single featuring Le Butcherettes and Death Valley Girls? We're hard pressed to think of one. Sure, the interaction is fleeting, but damn is it satisfying. We've got Le Butcherettes on side A taking on one of Death Valley Girls' most cosmic numbers, the kaleidoscopic centerpiece off Under the Spell of Joy album, "The Universe." Le Butcherettes' fearless and charismatic mastermind Teri Gender Bender takes the tune into even trippier territories, replicating the original song's sonic tapestry of synth, sax, and guitars with layer upon layer of vocals. Only the sparse accompaniment of acoustic guitar and modest percussion keeps the song from being fully a capella. It's a perfect interpretation of Death Valley Girls' communal and choral aims. On side B, Death Valley Girls offer up a new tune - the deliciously ecstatic "When I'm Free." Like every great Death Valley Girls song, it's a celebration of life bolstered by fiery rock n' roll riffage, spiritual organ, dizzying sax, and Bonnie Bloomgarden's defiant and triumphant vocals. Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to offer up this meeting of mystical minds on vinyl and digital platforms on February 11, 2022.

TIME magazine counts Gifted Gab amongst the top female rappers in America. "Cause & Effect" is her vinyl debut, showing off Gab’s singular style, mixing complexity with wit, confidence with seduction, bars-upon bars of rapping with R&B melodies. Half of the album is hard-hitting gangsta murder music, while the flip side is effortlessly smooth. "It's for the after-party, the kickback. When you finally got the one you’ve been vibing with all night up close and personal,” as DJ Mike Ramos describes in the liner notes. Seattle underground hip-hop label Crane City Music is proud to release a special, limited-edition vinyl version of “Cause & Effect” on transparent red wax. The record is the color of blood and love, both appropriate analogies for its twin sides. It has been specially mastered by Adam Straney, has liner notes from DJ Mike Ramos, and is limited to 1,000 numbered copies.

“Da Qween can rap and sing with the best of them,” says Seattle radio station KEXP. “One listen to this album and you’ll experience freedom, rebellion, ingenuity, and unabashed self-love.” Da Qween is a self-described reefer-smoking, black, queer, non-binary, hard-femme, and "Renaissance Bitch" is their vinyl debut. This undefinable album from Seattle's queen of queer rap has been praised for both "quick wit bars that cut, and smooth soulful vocals that are sexy as fuck." Look no further than the second track, “When Worst Comes To Worst.” It's three-and-a-half minutes of unrelenting, baller versus that will bury your favorite rapper with nary a breath. Da Qween’s “Renaissance Bitch” is an expansive, ambitious, and theatrical listen, with anthems for the club, for playing Nintendo, and for celebrating 420. By the end of this record you too will be screaming, “All hail Da Qween!” Crane City Music is thrilled to release “Renaissance Bitch” on limited-edition, purple vinyl. Only 500 individually numbered copies have been pressed, with liner notes from Eva Walker of The Black Tones.

The Seattle Times declared “On The Quarner” as one of the best albums of 2020, saying that “Stas doesn’t so much rap over beats as aerate her misty tracks with the feeling of a dream you’re certain is real.” The title is a nod to "On The Corner," the 1972 jazz classic from trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. Stas chops up the source material, reimagining and recontextualizing it as a single 16-minute musical suite for these pandemic days indoors. Seattle radio station KEXP calls this record a “masterwork that warrants uninterrupted listens”, while describing the former THEESatisfaction member as "a sculpture artist, building statues out of every musical element possible, stacking rhyming sounds and pitch-shifted harmonies, unpacking complex thematic concepts, and rapping circles around even the best of her peers just for the hell of it.” Northwest underground hip-hop label Crane City Music is thrilled to release a deluxe vinyl edition of “On The Quarner” on red wax with an extra 22 minutes of exclusive instrumentals and bonus tracks. This deluxe edition also includes a full-color lyrics booklet and liner notes by Larry Mizell Jr. Only 500 individually numbered copies have been pressed.

Tripe. It’s what graces the cover of Cassels’ third album, A Gut Feeling. It looks gross. And Cassels are a rock band who’ve often sounded gross. You know the adjectives. ‘Discordant’. ‘Angular’. ‘Cynical’. Shellac quickly mentioned. I’ve done it already, see?Listening to A Gut Feeling, though, Cassels sound different. Not too different – the molten riff of advance single ‘Mr Henderson Coughs’ puts paid to the idea that the London-based duo have taken a hard 180. But instead of writing as quickly as possible, riding the churn forced on DIY bands by an indifferent ecosystem, the Covid-19 pandemic gave the brothers Beck (Jim, guitar/vocals, and Loz, drums/BVs) some time to mull things over. Instead of sticking with the stripped-back recording approach of previous LPs, Jim and Loz spent time at Tom Hill’s Bookhouse Studios in South London, considering tone, layering tracks, and bringing new instruments into the fold. Lyrically, the approach has changed too. Rather than presented as personal experience, Jim notes that his words this time around “are an intentionally muddy mix of experience, opinion, red herrings and fiction,” adding, “I found that setting myself the brief of writing character pieces offered a nice way of sneaking quite personal things into the songs without being explicitly autobiographical.” The result is the most satisfying and unexpected collection of songs in the Cassels catalogue. Instruments at turns razor-sharp and bludgeon-blunt provide the backing track to a savage, hilarious, and tender collection of short stories. Jim notes that “writing can be a great way of unearthing hang-ups and becoming acquainted with your own anxieties”. Hardly new ground for a rock band, but presented in this third person format – unbiased and filled to the brim with human warmth – these songs are more empathetic than anything the band have written before. You might have been Michael on his daily commute. Perhaps you’re Sarah, or have a mum like her. And many of us will recognise ourselves in the heart-breaking ‘Family Visits Relative’. It’s clear that the band still aren’t afraid to tackle weighty subjects too, with A Gut Feeling picking up where their previous album, The Perfect Ending, left off. ‘Charlie Goes Skiing’ pulls a similar trick to Future of the Left’s ‘Goals in Slow Motion’ – setting a screed against consumerism to one of the most propulsive, catchy tracks on the record. It’s followed by ‘Dog Drops Bone’, a rustling loop overlaid with sad, simple chords reminiscent of a Sparklehorse tune, which uses the internal monologue of a beloved canine companion to question the true depth and sincerity of human relationships. This kicks into the breakneck ‘Beth’s Recurring Dream’ – a track exploring a sexual identity crisis which owes as much to early Los Campesinos! as it does Steve Albini. Of ‘Your Humble Narrator’, the album’s punishing, pulsing opener and A Gut Feeling’s thematic frame, Jim explains: “I liked the idea of introducing an unreliable narrator who frames the album as an exercise in manipulation for personal gain. When a person engages with a piece of art they are invariably being manipulated by the artist to some degree – that’s part of the fun. The artist aims to elicit some sort of emotional response, the audience buys into the conceit at the promise of experiencing some form of escape.” as listeners, we experience that manipulation first-hand on A Gut Feeling. But the fact Cassels have packaged it up as offal feels like another bleak wink. This is far from a stinking by-product, salvaged and sold to maximise profit. It’s nothing less than the most complete, relatable, and fully realised piece of art the duo has produced to date. Emotional response elicited. Conceit embraced.

Pressed on pink marbled vinyl

Shall Not Fade's garage and breaks sublabel, Time is Now, has been a great success in its first year, and now starts 2021 with the first in a series of hand-stamped white label releases. London via Madrid up-and-comer Tower Block Dreams makes his debut for the label with five killer cuts, backed with a weighty remix from Manchester-based garage maestro and Time Is Now regular Interplanetary Criminal.

The A-side is all reliable garage bangers; the opener, "Wicked Ya No" is a rude wobbler for the early hours, with rave piano stabs and a dirty drop. Track two "Keep Coming" loses none of the pace, chopping up playful R'n'B diva vocals to a hard bassline; and the A-side ends with a sidewinding beast of a track in "Soundboy". Think retro synths paired with timestretched ragga vocals - it's unashamedly filthy.

Onto the B-side with gun fingers out for "Truss We", which plays again with ravey stabs and staccato female vocals for an instant dancefloor banger. Tower Block Dreams' last offering on the record is much darker; a forward stepper that cruises along at half-time, creating an ominous atmosphere on which to lead into Interplanetary Criminal's remix of "Wicked Ya Know". This one reimagines the record opener in the producer's trademark high-octane style, smattering hyper breakbeats across the track and turning up the wobble to end the record with a stinker

SweetSexySavage, the certified gold 2017 debut album from the Bay Area-born two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated multiplatinum songstress Kehlani, is out on vinyl on November 26th.

The 17-track, full-length debut, now available as a physical vinyl, includes the hugely popular tracks “Crzy”, “Distraction” and “Keep On”. It bowed at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and closed out the year on Pitchfork’s “The 50 Best Albums of 2017” and Rolling Stone’s “20 Best R&B Albums of 2017” before eventually going gold, accompanied by sold out dates on the SweetSexySavage World Tour.

Critically acclaimed R&B pop songstress Kehlani embodies the title of her 2017 full-length debut album, SweetSexySavage and is praised by Complex as “a special talent, making the kind of personal music that speaks to her fans as much as it functions as a therapeutic release for her”. It doesn’t really need an explanation – you know exactly what Kehlani means when she sings. Without sugarcoating or softening a word, she will drop a hard truth in one breath and flip a middle finger in the next. She may extend a seductive invitation or an empathetic plea before leaving you in your thoughts and feelings. Either way, she finds a way to consistently relate without filter and with each move she strengthens this connection to listeners everywhere.

While We Wait, the chart-topping 2019 mixtape from the Bay Area-born two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated multiplatinum songstress Kehlani, is out on vinyl on November 26th.

The 9-track mixtape, available as a physical vinyl, includes the hugely popular tracks “Nights Like These, “Nunya” and “Feels”, with appearances on the album from Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, 6lack and Musiq Soulchild.

Critically acclaimed R&B pop songstress Kehlani is praised by Complex as “a special talent, making the kind of personal music that speaks to her fans as much as it functions as a therapeutic release for her”. It doesn’t really need an explanation – you know exactly what Kehlani means when she sings. Without sugarcoating or softening a word, she will drop a hard truth in one breath and flip a middle finger in the next. She may extend a seductive invitation or an empathetic plea before leaving you in your thoughts and feelings. Either way, she finds a way to consistently relate without filter and with each move she strengthens this connection to listeners everywhere.

Maniacal Laughter quickly gives way to a non-stop onslaught of irresistible electronics and a ceaseless, pounding groove. Boom! You are embedded in Maedon’s world. Dark and futuristic, her album “Now I have Become Death” is another worthy addition to the Sonic Groove catalogue. This is music that works the body and captures the mind. It’s her 3rd release for the imprint, following up 2020’s “Escape to Berlin” and 2019’s “Against His Will” EP. Maedon crafts some very melodic jams, with refreshing song structure and storytelling trips achieved through excellent sample work and programming prowress. Make no mistake, this is fghting music. It’s blazing hard, with grueling energy, and a fair for the dramatic. Maedon likes relevant content, as tracks like “Rave-Act Never Forget” expose pathetic pledges from poser politicians who have dared to protest against the dance music scene in their past. You have been exposed Biden. The madness continues with the menacing “Destroyer of Worlds”, a massive rave jam with otherworldly synths based around the words of a certain man’s famously guilty post-atomic quote from the Hindu scripture known as the Bhagavad Gita. It’s a reminder of your sins, Oppenheimer. The selection continues to concoct clever experiments with pressure and feels at times like riding a roller coaster thru outer space “Destroy the Status Quo” with subtly pitch-shifting metallic highs and ravey tone-work captivates the mind as gravity drops jerk the body into uncontrollable motion. “Rudersdorf Trip” is a sick adventure into the darkness, with whispered vocals ‘this is what you want this what you need’ leading the charge of hypnotic, spiraling acid. “Childhood dreams” is an excellent ending to the LP, an innovative melodic charmer with nostalgic future vibes pumped up by a broken techno beat. In truth, all the tracks stand out; a solid efort from start to fnish. It serves as a lesson in production for her peers. She enjoys the process, creating a chance for all to dance away their pain. For Maedon, our ears are like trophies to collect. no one is safe.

The Unholy Return Of The Black Metal Gods: Dark, Merciless, Straight & Deadly Reunion album of the German Black Metal Gods Extreme Black Metal for fans of Marduk, Dark Funeral, Cradle Of Filth 8th studio album, the first one after 16 years Produced by Nils Lesser (Cypecore a.o.) Cover version of "Death Metal" by Possessed First single "Letters From The Devil" also available on 7inch Vinyl, limited to 666 copies ADS IN MUSIC MAGS: Rock Hard (D), Metal Hammer (D), Rock Hard (F), Sweden Rock (S), Scream (NO), Rock Hard (IT), Power (ES), Mystic Art (PL), Metal hammer (PL, Spark (CZ), Loud (PT), Aardschok (NL), Rock Tribune (B) CONFIRMED PRESS: Full servicing to national, regional, metal and lifestyle press outlets via …... publicity department "1. SINGLE - 19.11. Release first single & video „Letters From The Devil“ + Kick Off Album Pre Order " 2. SINGLE - 25.10.202107.01. Release second single & lyric video „Belial Is My Name“ 3. SINGLE - 04.02. Release third single & lyric video & focus track „Darkness In Flames“ FOCUS TRACK: Belial Is My Name

Central to the enveloping aural experience of Dooms Children is its live-off-the-floor recording and organic production style. The effort was co-produced with musical col-laborator Danial Romano, and Montreal guitarist Patrick Bennett. More information on the project will be available in the coming weeks. Since co-founding pioneering post-hardcore outfit Alexisonfire in the early 2000s, the Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and composer Wade MacNeil has lent his talents to numerous influential and impactful projects. He founded gritty punk outfit Black Lungs, fronts U.K. hardcore heroes Gallows, put fingerprints on recordings by the linkes of Anti-Flag, Cancer Bats, and Bedouin Soundclash, and scored a handful of successful feature films and video games. In 2017, Wade composed music for Jay Baruchel’s comedy Goon: Last of the Enforcers, and also scored Baruchel’s 2020 horror film Random Acts of Violence.

Former New York club CBGB’s soundman Tommy Victor founded Prong in 1987 as his outlet for sonic fury. Having their roots in the thrash metal and hardcore scenes, Prong carved a niche for themselves - groovy, angry, massive; just perfect mosh music. The trio wrecked stages and impressed audiences all over the world. Their first album on a major label, Beg To Differ, promised a bright future for industrial New York hardcore metal band Prong. Beg To Differ contains 10 hard-hitting tracks, of which the video for “Beg To Differ” got heavy rotation on MTV. The single “Lost And Found” was even used for commercial breaks of MTV’s Headbangers Ball in the early Nineties.

Magnum II is the eponymous second studio album by English hard rock band Magnum. Originally released in 1979, the album highlights the band’s trademark harmonies and punchy instrumentals. Magnum II is a diverse record, as it features ballads and adult contemporary rock, but also hints of prog rock and heavy metal. A track like “Great Adventure” contains catchy vocals, dynamic guitar riffs and inspired keyboards, while the acoustic “Reborn” showcases a more mellow side of the band. Magnum II was produced by Ten Years After bass player Leo Lyons.

Prong’s distinctive industrial metal sound influenced other bands such as Korn and Nine Inch Nails. Former New York club CBGB’s soundman Tommy Victor founded Prong in 1987 as his outlet for sonic fury. Having their roots in the thrash metal and hardcore scenes, Prong carved a niche for themselves - groovy, angry, massive; just perfect mosh music. The trio wrecked stages and impressed audiences all over the world.

Rude Awakening is Prong’s fifth album. Prong continued to refine their piercing attack on Rude Awakening, while simultaneously expanding their sonic vocabulary. Throughout the record, they continue to mix in industrial rhythms and effects - there are samples scattered all over the album - but the key to the success of Rude Awakening is the precise, drilling effect of the group’s jackhammer riffs.

Hitting hard with funk, rap, and soul, paired with powerful messages throughout, Lack of Afro's I'm Here Now (aka Adam Gibbons), his seventh studio album, continues his style of funky, bassline-rich tracks combined with perfectly chosen features and collaborations.

New school techno pioneer Avision will release his debut album ‘In My Mind’ on Ellum Audio this winter.

Avision grew up around the rich club culture of New York City and is now part of a new wave of artists defining the contemporary techno landscape. In just a couple of years, the American has become an absolute mainstay on labels like Drumcode, Machine, and We Are The Brave. His hard-hitting productions have found their way into the record bags of tastemakers like Adam Beyer, Maceo Plex and Chris Liebing. At the same time, he has been featured everywhere, from The Brooklyn Mirage and Time Warp in New York to festivals like Elrow, The BPM Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival and Dockyards. Now he offers up ‘In My Mind’, a widescreen artistic statement across 13 immersive tracks.

Says the artist, “I’m truly proud to share ‘In My Mind’ with the world, as I feel like this is another side of music that people haven’t heard from me. This album touches on a little bit of everything, and I wanted it to represent where I’m from. 90% of the album was written during the time we couldn’t be ourselves and do what we love, but I turned that frustration and disbelief into an album with emotion and meaning. I couldn’t be happier with the final outcome, and I hope everyone enjoys it.”

The LP kicks off with ‘Real Talk’, wasting no time getting going on a lush wave of Detroit-style techno full of hi-tek soul. 'Cut The Rope' features Robert Owens, the legendary house vocalist who lights up the deep, driving house drums with a typically impassioned vocal. The energy levels stay high on 'No Disco' with its oversized hi-hats, nimble bassline and chattery claps, while 'Baby' traps you in metallic techno loops with a playful vocal sample. After the bright lights of lead single 'Contrast,' and grinding peak time weapon 'In My Mind' is ‘Ground Rule’, an atmospheric spoken word interlude about NYC.

The album’s second half kicks off with the far-sighted cosmic pads of 'I'll Take You' with Xander and has you lost in another world. There is angst in the tense synth loops of interplanetary techno cut 'Your Soul' and hands-in-the-air trance energy on 'Where I Want To Be.' The monstrous 'All Night' is another wall of rich synth sound over big drums, and 'Lost Symmetry' then releases the pressure with a more dreamy melodic vibe built on tumbling breakbeats. 'In Your World' closes in an uplifting fashion across eight minutes of cantering techno and epic synth work.

‘In My Mind’ is an accomplished and adventurous album that takes melodic techno in bold new directions.

“One of the standout releases of the year” - The Times

“Lady Blackbird finds her calling with an extraordinary collection of songs and performances that burn deep into you” - The Guardian, 5*

The debut album Black Acid Soul from Lady Blackbird is one of the standouts for 2021. It's instant and within a minute you are hooked. Think Nina Simone, Hot Buttered Soul-era Isaac Hayes, Billie Holiday and Chaka Khan with critics drawing comparisons to Adele, Amy and Celeste, Lady Blackbird’s distinct and beguiling talent is not one to be missed. Gilles Peterson called her "the Grace Jones of Jazz".

With a voice that has stopped critics in their tracks, Lady Blackbird is a revelatory new talent with music that transcends the jazz scene through which the LA-based artist is rooted. Minimal yet rich, classic yet timely, the album connects backwards to Miles Davis (his pianist, Deron Johnson, plays Steinway Baby Grand, Mellotron and Casio Synth throughout) and forwards to Pete Tong (he made the Bruise mix of ‘Collage’ his Number Two Essential Selection tune of 2020).

It's 11 tracks have a sound, feeling and attitude that speak of Lady Blackbird's deep experiences in music, stretching all the way back to infancy. Standout tracks include the sad, elegantly simple tune, ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart’, plus two killer cuts written by Lady Blackbird and Seefried, ‘Fix It’ and ‘Five Feet Tall’. The former is an elegant piano ballad that sounds like a Great American Songbook standard sung by a woman on the side of the angels. Her ability to nail the song in the studio in minimal takes was clearly something to behold. The album also includes Wanted Dead or Alive, a rare groove classic recorded by funk/gospel collective Voices of East Harlem in 1973 and co-produced by Curtis Mayfield, an inspired reinvention on the aching 'It’ll Never Happen Again', written by Tim Hardin and a stunning take on Nina Simone's Blackbird.

Forenzics is an exciting new project from former Split Enz members Eddie Rayner and Tim Finn. The project saw two artistic endeavours meet in the middle and started like when Eddie and Tim had been revisiting some of their favorite sections from lesser-known Split Enz works, using them as inspiration and the basis for new songs.

Along with Tim Finn and Eddie Rayner, there are musical contributions from Noel Crombie of Split Enz, Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music, Harper Finn and Elliot Finn. (the latter 2 being Tim’s children). Noel Crombie and Phil Manzanera; both dialled their parts in during Covid lockdown. And even though Eddie and Tim live in the same city they followed the same process. Tim says: “I love working this way, sharing files. You work when you want to, and my singing has an unforced intimacy that is very hard to achieve when there is someone else in the room.”

The Forenzics repertoire, like paintings in an exhibition, is an album of individual works that together form an immersive and cohesive whole. It is a genuine sabbatical journey into the artistic unknown, mapped out by two artists at the height of their creative powers.