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2025 Repress

Well there we are, we don't have to ask anybody else, we got that from the source!

You Are The Morning was formed amid personal upheaval in 2021. "I came out as trans to my nearest and dearest," she says, "Some did not accept me, but some did." Jasmine got divorced, and a difficult home life meant she was writing while experiencing homelessness and precarious housing, sleeping on friend's couches and relying on community support. Despite the pain of some of its background, the record is an uplifting look at t4t love. Jasmine describes her first trans romance as the first time she experienced joy in a deep sense, because of her experience of living as a woman. First single `Skin on Skin' explores the new joy of physical touch. Usually a quick writer, it's a rare song that grew over time, during which a close connection with a friend began to form. "Sticking to the physical boundaries we wanted to have with each other became increasingly difficult. We were spending lots of time together, then falling in love. This song became a celebration of healing and physical catharsis found through unrepressed queer love." The first UK signee on Saddest Factory Records, the album was produced by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Jasmine and her band travelled to L.A. to record at Sound City Studios. It was made across 12 days in a highly collaborative and emotional process, and because Jasmine sees her songs as fluid and ever-changing, the recordings carry that free and spontaneous spirit. jasmine.4.t is supported by an all-trans band, Phoenix Rousiamanis contributes piano and strings, with Eden O'Brien on drums and Emily Abbott on bass. With Jasmine's voice and songwriting at the centre, the record incorporates a wider cast of voices. `Best Friend's House' features a chorus including her bandmates, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus ("the girls and the boys"), Saddest Factory Records label-mate Claud, Becca Mancari and E.R. Fightmaster. The song carries the communal spirit of the record's creation. On the closing track, `Woman', she is backed by the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, a cross-generational group of trans singers who, like Jasmine, use their voice as a source of communal power. The song blossoms from solo performance to wider group catharsis. All the while, Jasmine sings unwaveringly about the power of knowing yourself at a core level: "I am, in my soul, a woman". The writing of You Are The Morning pulled from dark moments to tell its story. Surrounded by friends, the recording process was full of light. Through her performances, activism and artistry, jasmine.4.t is ushering in a new dawn.

The second release from the Manchester based label is delivering is the goods again. This time taking us on a nostalgic Tech House trip. An absolute DJ tool and a must have for any fan of the Genre.

Superb new Berlin Invasion anniversary album...
The meeting between many many oldschool superb artists in the middle of Tribe and Techno skillz... The exact rare speed (140/150 BPM) needed to complete the bridge between Techno and Tekno !

For a double pack we have here a perfect : all bombastic tunes !! wich is rare !!!

Happy birthday Berlin Inv' !

Bread and Butter Recordings are ready to close a successful year as they continue their tradition by compiling the most talented producers of house and minimal. For the upcoming record, 5 artists who have established a career through their innovative sound and firm perseverance in the scene.

To open the release, Alex Font and Aron team up on a track that perfectly combines soulful percussion and driving synths into a full journey. Next is Beiger with a magical track whose hypnotic groove adds an electrifying energy to the EP.

On the back side, 2 heavyweight Romanians leave their mark. Mihai Pol delivers a warm minimalistic that creates a lovely mood while Iuly.b closes out with a more bouncy and dynamic track.

The London label presents once more an epic release and establishes his versatile trademark on the 9th edition of the V.A. series.

For our first ever Vinyl release we are celebrating a one of a kind party that has been happening for the last three years in South of France. We teamed up with « L’archipel » and invited 4 Producer that have all been part of making this festival a formidable adventure between Trance, Techno and Electro.

Lombroso goes first with his sharp dark and religious atmosphere. A1, The Last Midnight, a slowly building Techno belter, not to remember his infamous project « La Decima Vittima » released on « La nota del diablo ».

A2, Delayscura takes you on a beautiful trance infused techno trip. Nativo grants us of his deep crazy synths that are progressively taking this beautiful ambiance to an all other level.

After two appearances on his own label, IVOE, Kamyar Keramati opens that side with an intense electro banger. B1, Elements of a Thread get more and more complex to finally unravel all his mysteries.

Tibahuult has been for the past two years traveling all around France with an unforgettable live act. He is also one of the founder of « L’archipel » where he played that live act for the first time. With B2, Feel some of my Jam, he delivers for us an incredible belter track that
kick with a sunny vibe only to unfold all the producer madness all along the track.

We’re excited to welcome the prolific MOYA81 to Keynote or our debut release. Having closely followed his trajectory, we’ve seen him carve out a sound that’s unmistakably his own. Rooted in a retro-synth aesthetic, he blends industrial textures with playful, off-kilter elements, all punctuated by his signature robotic vocals. The result is a record that’s not only primed for the club but packed with personality.

Ambient explorers SWIMS come up trumps with the debut record by London musician and visual artist Loz Keystone, and Glaswegian electronics tamperer and jazz trumpeter Christos Stylianides.

"Craobh Haven" is the dreamlike product of a week's residency in a little cabin in the Scottish village of the same name. Driving around the surrounding countryside each day to gather field recordings, evenings were spent by the duo assembling their findings into tape loops. These little rotating sculptures - containing stones and the rushing waters of the Craignish peninsula, the voices of locals and the cabin's oven timer - formed the basis for one track per night.

While Keystone's whirling touches of Moog, guitar and space echo suggest the murky, placid vastness of the record's setting, the pitch-shifted, probing trumpet of Stylianides soars and stacks countermelodies like vapour trails braided in the atmosphere.

For a record made out of loch water, Hebridean slate and mud - it is surprisingly tuneful and sometimes almost groovy. Recommended if you like Jon Hassell, Roméo Poirier, Spillage Fete.

Repress!

Next up on Accidental Jnr are 2 club ready tracks from Sydney producer Cassius Select that straddle genres somewhere between techno, bassline and hardcore. 90 is a gurgling brutal post-dubstep wobble fest at a house tempo whilst HERD offers up Select's trademark idiosyncratic vocal snippets wrapped up in most broken and shuffled of techno rhythm. Cassius Select lives in the undefined sonic boroughs of the hardcore continuum. His first EP explored the grittier end of techno under Australian label Hunter Gatherer followed by a 12" of unstable rhythm workouts under DJ Haus' UTTU label. The Toronto native is hell bent on inciting movement in the most unorthodox ways. Sonics crush genre-defining sounds into a pastiche of cryptic one liners and side eyes. Drums that invoke an impossible sense of swing and momentum. Most importantly Select's sound defines itself on the mission to deconstruct the world around him,to level out the playing field so everyone can have a bite. This year, Select joins with UK imprint Accidental Jr. to release a two-track fury of sound that snarls with every grimace.

Club U Nite Records presents a Split EP you don’t want to miss!

Two labels. One vinyl. Maximum vibes. Club U Nite Records (Cat. No. CUNT035) and Theory Of Swing come together for a split EP that’s dripping in deep, oldschool energy. Strictly for the heads, this limited-edition wax is pure heat – and it’s not gonna last long.

On the Theory Of Swing side, Italy’s rising DJ & Producer St. David sets the tone.
"Undagroov" is a secret weapon, ready to ignite any underground set with its deep female vocals and hypnotic house piano. It’s a straight-up vibe.
Follow it up with "Get On Dance" – a filthy swing groove with jazzy keys that keeps things raw and real. St. David doesn’t miss.

Flip to the Club U Nite side, and it’s all about Mellow Man.
"Club U Nite Is In The House" is a straight-up club slammer – dirty, heavy, and designed to make the system shake.
Then, Mellow closes things out with "Favourite Song" – another brilliant throwback to the golden era of house. Early ‘90s feels, soulful vox, and infectious piano riffs that will have the floor in a frenzy.

Don’t sleep on this one – this limited vinyl is flying fast!

Two global heavyweights collide in a proper showdown style. Having shared an admiration for each other’s music for some time, Batu and Nick León can now share four lethal cuts on this new EP entitled ‘Yiu’. The EP will see release on Batu’s A Long Strange Dream imprint.

‘Yiu’ is the work of two kindred spirits, brought together by a shared love for mutant bass artillery and galloping rhythms delivered with precision. Their pursuit of new futures for Latin and UK club sonics fuel each track on ‘Yiu,’ resulting in a slew of highly flammable, psychedelic charged club tracks.

If you know anything about me – as in Andrea, the record label’s head – you know I have a thing for Oi since I was a teenage skinhead.

And with Avant! being a coldwave/synthpop label, our next release couldn’t be more special. No Filter are three children of the French region of Dauphiné, active in the black metal scene for 20 years through different projects.

They created No Filter with the aim of exploring punk, Oi and coldwave sounds. They started by singing in English but after their first demo they decided to opt for French to improve their lyrics by singing in their own native language. Themes addressed in their songs are violence, hatred, party nights, the countryside, their roots and friendship. “Synth punk, bagarre et blousons noirs” in their own words. Musically speaking they somehow fit in the current Cold Oi French scene (Bromure, Syndrome 81, Cran, Kronstadt) but they exaggerate the synth/wave element ending up sounding like one unprecedented, fresh as hell mix between New Order and The 4 Skins.

If you think you’ve heard this one before it’s because one year ago they self-released a 10-track cassette called “Sans Filtre” which is exactly what we are pressing now on vinyl for the first time because this was simply too good to stay only on tape forever.

To make this even more special we have recruited Canadian multi-instrumentalist and artist Nakkabre (Conifère, Spleen, Vespéral, HazeHound) to do a brand new artwork and spice things up for the occasion!

Black vinyl LP edition limited to 400 is out 22 November.

Aventura is an American bachata group that broke into the mainstream with their 2002 hit "Obsesión (featuring Judy Santos)". With a line-up comprising Romeo Santos, Lenny Santos, Henry Santos and Max Agende Santos, they are regarded as one of the most influential Latin groups of all time. They have sold out many arenas including the world-famous Madison Square Garden. Aventura has been nominated for awards such as American Music Awards, the Latin Grammy Awards, Billboard Latin Music Awards, and Premio Lo Nuestro.

Nearly two decades after it was first released, Norken’s sleek cult classic album ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is being reissued on vinyl via Hydrogen Dukebox on 6th December 2024.

With its unique sonic blueprint of early 2000s electronica, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is a record that is at once both deeply reminiscent of a particular era and place, yet remains a timeless invocation of Norken’s idiosyncratic palette of minimal, techno, house and British IDM.

This vinyl reissue presents all 12 tracks from the original release, with the inclusion of 'Df23' and 'Flirt' making this the first time that ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is available on vinyl with the complete album tracklisting.

Norken is one of the many pseudonyms of Lee Norris, a producer who is considered by those in the know as one of the unsung heroes of UK electronica. With a slew of releases throughout the years as Man-Q-Neon, Nacht Plank, Norken, Tone Language and Metamatics, this reissue shines a light on his soulful, immersive output under the Norken name.

As Norris explains, “The release of ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ has a nostalgic, warm feeling for me. I made his album in a garden shed with a wood burner, an Atari computer and a few synths in the depths of an English winter. I still had the thought process of making emotional style techno that would warm any soul on a cold day.”

First released in 2005, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ carries the echoes of electronic luminaries such as the Detroit ambient techno of John Beltran, through to the immersive atmospherics of Biosphere and the innovative IDM of fellow British outfits Autechre and The Black Dog. Yet as Norken, Norris retains a distinctive musical voice that has continued to deepen in stature over the years since the album’s initial release.

Opening with the brief intro cut ‘Fern 2’, the album slides into the dreamlike groove of ‘Memories’, where rich, resonant chords wrap around cool, galactic-sounding synths and a compelling bass undertow.

On ‘It Might Have Been Rain’, that signature bass texture again propels a luxuriant mid-tempo rhythm, while Norken layers in hypnotic washes of string-like synths, gentle electronic pulses and the brief murmur of a vocal, across seven-plus immersive minutes.

Vocal textures, often subtly looped and distorted, also add a distinctive depth and personality to tracks like ‘Eastern Soul’ and ‘Here’. Throughout the album, there’s a feeling of intricate microcosms unfurling, as Norken coaxes a myriad of contemplative moods and emotions from his machines.

Whether shaping the smooth, lulling ambient gauze of ‘Ty Canol’, or letting the kaleidoscopic, dancefloor-leaning drive of ‘Audic Strable’ loose like a coiled spring, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ presents the singular voice of an artist whose innovative contribution to UK electronic music has only become heightened with the passing of time.

30D Records celebrates a decade of modern sonic exploration. Since its inception at the end of 2014, and initially taking inspiration from 40's & 50's science fiction culture, the label has been offering to listeners a vast array of genres, being experimental, creative and forward-thinking dance music its main mission.

For its 10th anniversary, the cutting-edge electronic music label very proudly announces five distinctive releases, each one across their respective sub-labels.

And he did it again! The talented Calum Lee AKA Paleman / Fresnel Lens, one of our favorite producers by far, is back after his acclaimed Exalted EP (2023). Although stylistically speaking 'a bit different' to the previous release (in his own words), our innovative sound designer delivers a sick collection of dark, abstract and experimental broken-beat tracks as only few artists can afford, where impossible percussive rhythms and tons of raw energy go hand in hand, challenging listener's perception and placing him at the forefront of electronic music. Another must have release.

Words from the label:

Re-issue label Sentinel Island Disco returns to the stage with their long-awaited soca compilation featuring highly sought after soca cuts, raw 90’s soca house and deep blends of reggae, calypso and disco.

Structured by a PARTY and a SOUL side, the compilation offers a snapshot of the 90s electronic soca scene in all its multifaceted glory. The party side serves up a selection of pulsating, feel-good party tracks that encapsulate the carefree spirit that is the very heartbeat of soca parties. While the soul side explores a more introspective soundscape, where soulful vocals and deep electronic beats merge to create a powerful emotional experience and where melodies linger long after the music stops.

Label owners Barney Graman and Coco Vink have spent the past 3 years on bringing these lost and obscured recordings back into the limelight, some of which now pressed on vinyl for the very first time. All tracks are carefully remastered and some have been edited or remixed for the modern dancefloor, while staying as close as possible to the original brilliance.

The result is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a celebration of soca’s rich heritage and its ability to unite both different cultures as well as divergent musical themes, from joyous celebration to soulful reflection. All in all, a must-have compilation for all the collectors and aficionados of the rich and uplifting music of the African diaspora, as well as DJ's, dancers and music lovers looking to spice up their collection with some incredible soca music!

Comes as a transparent colored vinyl, featuring a small booklet with artist and label pictures as well as full liner notes on the genre's history and introduction of the tracks.

Limited to 500 copies.

The Alarm 40th Anniversary release History Repeating is new Double CD and LP collection. The CD features 44 of The Alarm’s biggest singles and greatest songs and the double LP features 27.
Spanning all eras of The Alarm Timeline, History Repeating brings together all of the band’s ‘Crown Jewels’, including a brand new and previously unreleased recording of the title track.
History Repeating features all of the keynote tracks that have helped create The Alarm’s phenomenal and loyally dedicated following. The Double CD comes in a replica LP gatefold sleeve configuration and is the most comprehensive ‘Best Of’ ever released by the group since 1998’s Best of The Alarm and Mike Peters.
The Double LP comes in a gatefold configuration and is the first ‘Best Of’ compilation to appear on vinyl since 1990’s Standards. This is the record every single Alarm fan will want to own with its distinctive Red Poppy cover and beautiful depiction of The Alarm family across the inner gatefold.
Upon release, lead singer Mike Peters will be hosting a series of completely SOLD OUT Alarm Rock and Roll Staycations in the band’s hometown while telling the story of The Alarm through thealarms internet broadcast platform
The Big Night In, that will feature weekly shows dedicated to every single year of the band’s history.
In 2022, a major touring itinerary begins with the already SOLD OUT official 40th Anniversary Concert in St. David’s Hall, Cardiff Wales on January 21st 2022 followed by an international 40th Anniversary concert schedule all the way through to 2023.

In 2007, Anna Logue Records have already released this 7″EP from unsung UK minimal synth post-punk heroes CHAIN OF COMMAND.

While they would have deserved a vinyl release already back in the 80’s, there was only their contribution of the actual track “Some Aspects” to the brilliant and highly sought-after compilation LP “Subtle Hints” (UK 1983, Sane Records). They had recorded a couple of more tracks using Roland SH-09 and sequencer, Roland TR-808, Boss DR-55, Electro Harmonix DRM 32, a customised Ibanez Blazer Bass, Korg Micro Preset, Logan String Synth and Arp Axxe, which unfortunately didn’t make it onto any further release until the 7”EP was released.

All songs date back to 1982, recorded in Liverpool, UK, so if you’ve missed out on the first edition, then here’s your chance to grab a copy which now has a wonderful newly designed fold-out poster sleeve, as always by the great Steve Lippert!

7″EP features: limited 2nd edition of 117 copies, revised artwork, two-sided foldout poster sleeve, double-sided hand-numbered postcard, exclusive download for unreleased track “Three Intruders” (and maybe more).

Silvil is excited to announce its third vinyl release, featuring a standout new EP from the talented Brizman. This collection offers three finely tuned tracks that push the boundaries of minimal house.

Renowned for his intricate soundscapes and deep, hypnotic grooves, Brizman has earned a respected place in the underground scene. His latest EP highlights his skill in crafting immersive atmospheres and driving rhythms, seamlessly blending subtle textures with layered precision.

The release kicks off with “Extended Life”, a captivating journey through pulsating basslines, delicate percussion, and a vocal sample that’s sure to uplift any dancefloor. Next is “Milly”, a special collaboration with gifted bass guitarist Lea Hart. This heartfelt track serves as a love letter to Roy’s daughter, Milly, adding a personal touch to the EP.

The final track “Tokyo Nights” brings peak-time energy with dynamic shifts and an irresistible rhythm, designed to keep the crowd moving into the early hours.

This EP showcases Brizman’s knack for creating music that resonates both on and off the dancefloor, making it a must-have addition to Silvil’s growing catalog.

Hooj present Warehouse Tools EP with a spread of tempos, but keeping the energy levels up across the 4 tracks.

Fast rising Brighton bod Jamie Unknown takes Farayen & Liam Parkin's Where Do We Go ‘, and strips it all back into a big floor bassline banger.

Young South Wales / Valleys producer Dan Newman makes his debut with 'Moving' with it's rolling piano's, spacey pads and fat housey rhythms treading the line between Italo scream up and Dream-House journey. Early doors, or first light starting to appear through the cracks in the grimey Warehouse windows, we're here for it..

On the flip we have Dutch duo Dean & Di After’s ‘Wicked Dreams’ keeps it steady paced, subtly bouncy with a crafted, Italo '90 old school feel.

Rounding off the EP we have the South West’s premier MDMA Marxist, Shade Guevara goes mid tempo maximalist piano slammer on 'Ted or Dead'.

Repress!

Moby is a name synonymous with us all in the electronic music world and we are lucky enough to have been able to hand select some Drumcode artists to remix his work.This 9 track package included remixes from Enrico Sangiuliano, Dense & Pika, Bart Skils, Alan Fitzpatrick, Marco Faraone, Tiger Stripes, Manic Brothers and Luca Agnelli. Each one has been thought out and accomplished with precision using some of Moby's synonymous samples.

Moby is a name synonymous with us all in the electronic music world and we are lucky enough to have been able to hand select some Drumcode artists to remix his work.
This 9 track package included remixes from Enrico Sangiuliano, Dense & Pika, Bart Skils, Alan Fitzpatrick, Marco Faraone, Tiger Stripes, Manic Brothers and Luca Agnelli. Each one has been thought out and accomplished with precision using some of Moby's synonymous samples.

‘The Night of the Stars’ is the fantastic sixth album from Swedish dream pop favorites AZURE BLUE. The album pushes the quality to its peak, exhibiting a richer, clearer, and more luxurious approach to the patented AZURE BLUE sound across ten enticing tracks. Three of the songs generated significant buzz when released as singles. Album opener ‘Rise’ is a shimmering track with a rushing drumbeat topped by luxurious layers of analog synths and a Peter Hook-like bass. The song is a dream pop anthem featuring a timeless chorus and vocal harmonies from AZURE BLUE’s long time companion The Land Below.

The crystal-clear topline in ‘Three Times The Drama’ shines over electric guitars and analog synths to create an immediate pop song with great summer hit potential. The song is also a bittersweet dedication to Tobias Isaksson’s mother, who recently passed away, and its completion provided comfort following a period of unspeakable grief. The album also includes ‘Define Your Dreams’—a bright flare first previewed during the dark days of the pandemic with massive synth walls and lyrics that suggest that while difficult times have passed, more difficult ones may be coming. ‘Visions and Themes’ will have its premiere on October 25 when it is released as the fourth single from the album, while the remaining six tracks provide even further evidence of the brilliance of one of Sweden’s most internationally acclaimed indie artists.

Mixed by Tobias Isaksson and Ollie Olson. Mastered by Håkan Åkesson at Nutidstudio.
Artwork by Alexander Palmestål. Design by James Tassos and Steve Lippert.

12″LP features: limited edition of 300 copies, 140 grams crystal clear vinyl, hand-numbered double-sided postcard, download code.

Light Touches Records is devoted to shed new lights on hot rarities, unknown grooves as well as forgotten classics.

While the older numbers are much sought after on Discogs, Andrea Passenger digs deeper into the best shades of disco, afro, boogie and funk to deliver the 10th release on the highly revered Light Touches Records.
On A side, “Roots” is a relentless disco tune for incendiary peak times, while “Psych Afro Roller” keeps faith to the name going into crazier territories. On the flipside, “New Dance” adds some boogie tones and quirky synth arrangements, while “Feel The Feeling” rounds things up with its moody and deeper vibe.

All tracks have been carefully edited by Andrea Passenger without overdubs, in order to bring the spirit of classic disco manipulators to today’s dancefloors!

12” limited to 300 copies (no digital).

In our current perspective of dematerialization, where screens and chips have flooded the world, we find ourselves deprived of what makes us feel alive: physical connection.

Far from the ever intangible digital realm, people and records help us maintain this bond.

True to this philosophy, DiskCard was born and for the first release, Alich comes through with a perfectly matching aesthetic: five crunchy squashed and chippy infused tunes meticulously scraped out from small synths and pocket devices, giving his EP an undeniable character and setting the label's prime footprint.

For the music that matters, there is DiskCard.

Nitechord is an anonymous "ambient-tech duo" that impresses with this fine debut, Lume, which is a meditative exploration of the calmness and mystery of the night as distilled through mid-tempo rhythms and atmospheric whispers. These sounds were first submitted as a raw, uncredited cassette demo in 2002 and have hardly been changed from that state but for the mastering. Tracks like 'Reflect' and 'Near' blend shimmering guitar loops, sub-bass and subtle twangs over dancefloor beats. 'Dim' breathes with layered drones, while 'Absent' offers mournful serenity and last but not least, 'Carry' blossoms into orchestral harmony. A sublime soundscape.

Repress!

'Pacific Rhythm returns with a slight deviation from the Vancouver sound to explore transmissions from the Eastern corners of Canada. Four introspective yet club forward dance tracks from one of Canada's finest producers (and a remix from his flatmate) are the result. Have a listen, we think you'll like it!'

Repress!

Flørist returns to Pacific Rhythm with two versions of a track called DVOTE that have been circulating around the Canadian underground for quite some time. You'll know exactly what to do with it!

DJ Support: Dave Lee, Dimitri From Paris, The Shapeshifters, Tedd Patterson, Jimpster Kevin Yost, Hector Romero, CJ Mckintosh, Moodena, Marina Trench and more...

Italian Disco Veteran DJ Corrado Alunni provides an incredible Quality EP of Four Tracks. A superb blend Of Jazz Funk on 4/4 Beats; Horns, hammond organ and rhodes are the main ingredients of this beautiful 4-track Vinyl. A Must Have.

Santos’ first release for Matt Edwards’ Rekids imprint, the four-track ‘We Were All Kids Once’ EP, is a continuation of the experienced producer’s output on his own Let Me Understand Records, which has seen a staggering amount of support from DJs since it’s launch in 2018.

Traversing rugged, tracky, Relief-influenced House/Techno (‘One Day’), drummy grooves (‘Don’t Touch’ and ‘Rollercoaster’) and cosseting beat-down Deep House (‘Someone’), ‘We Were All Kids Once’ is one of those genuinely essential EPs that provides exceptionally consistent dancefloor ammunition across it’s breadth.

With the likes of Ryan Elliott, Honey Dijon, Ame, Raresh, Luke Slater, Enzo Siragusa, Ben Sims and more supporting his output over the past few years, Santos is in the form of his career. While releases like the breakthrough ‘Camels’ and the anthem ‘Hold Home’ mark Santos as a producer of note at the turn of the century, his four solo albums and, most recently, his Let Me Understand Records EPs have proved he’s an artist that is constantly pushing forward.

Santos’ EPs regularly fall into the ‘if you know, you know’ category of various tastemakers across Disco, House and Techno and ‘We Were All Kids Once’ neatly displays why.

Originally scheduled for release way back in March 1996, "The Raw Factor" by North Carolina native Omniscence is one of the last of the unreleased mid-90's albums to see the light of day. Despite being awarded The Source's coveted "Hip Hop Quotable" and dropping two well-received singles ("Amazin" and "Touch Y'all"), record label politics meant the full-length "The Raw Factor" album was never released and fans were left wondering what might have been.

28 years later, "The Raw Factor" is finally being released on vinyl, CD and digital stores. Featuring punchline-driven lyrics from Omniscence delivered in his unmistakable cadence, and backed by head-nodding production from Fanatic, the album is a must-own for fans of 90's Hip Hop.

Omniscence haunted the same early 90's cyphers and stages that many lyrical greats from the era had to cross. With a gruff delivery and equal adeptness with punchlines and metaphors, his high finish at the 1994 edition Battle For World Supremacy at the New Music Seminar assured heads across the culture were watching. After this, Omniscence locked in with producer Fanatic (who also laced tracks for Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e and Michael Jackson). The result was "The Raw Factor" album, fifteen plus tracks of jazzed out boom-bap, replete with crackin' drums.

Now Below System Records has not only given the album its first deluxe physical release (including 2xLP, CD and digital) as well as a slew of bonus/unreleased tracks.
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) [feat. Sadat X]

Fantastic Planet returns with its sixth release, "Survival Mode," a statement dedicated to the ongoing struggle for freedom in Georgia. This electrifying compilation brings together a diverse lineup of visionary artists, each channeling their own unique sound to amplify the message of resilience and resistance. Survival Mode - is a mindset, a relentless fight for existence when all other options have been stripped away. It's about the raw, primal instinct to keep moving forward, even when every door seems closed, and there's no way back. In this mode, every moment is a battle, a test of endurance and resilience. For the people fighting for freedom in Georgia, survival mode represents their unwavering determination to push through oppressive forces, refusing to be silenced or broken. It's the point where compromise is no longer an option, where you either rise or fall-but surrender is not part of the equation. This struggle is about more than just survival-it's about carving out a future, no matter the cost. Design Giorgi grdzelishvili

Limited Edition Grey vinyl repress!

Two certified anthems that have had heavy rotation with DJs like Cajmere, Grant Nelson, Sonny Fodera, Quentin Harris, Robert Owens, Tony Humphries, Danny Rampling, John Morales, Graeme Park, Pete Tong and still continue to get played the world over.


Good For You present a special Paradise Garage inspired 12 Inch sampler from the ‘Paradise Garage : Inspirations’ compilation, featuring two of Kenny Summit's collaborations with the Director's Cut duo, and Godfathers of House, Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper.

The A side houses the last ever Frankie Knuckles production, a project Frankie and Summit worked on with Eric Kupper - remixing 'You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine' by the legendary Lou Rawls – pure soulful house brilliance from the very first second. On the flip you’ll find a further Kenny collaboration with the dynamic duo entitled ‘Loving You’ – the trio teaming up to deliver a stunning Motown inspired dance floor stomper with an uplifting vocal by the one and only Yasmeen.

DJ Support: Enzo Siragusa, Chris Stussy, Toman, Mateo Dufour

In mid-2020, we proudly introduced Key Records, a platform for exceptional artists like Mennie, Mateo Dufour, Cosenza, Local Dub, Sidney Charles, Locklead, and Laidlaw, to name just a few who have been part of our journey.

With 25 digital releases under our belt, we’re now ready to embark on the next chapter. Our first vinyl release will feature Jesse Maas, alongside a remix by T. Jacques, the mastermind behind Nuances De Nuit.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Enjoy the music!

Forest Jams continues the journey into the great beyond with Mori Ra’s Mantra–an EP composed of four edits created for any inquisitive earthling and forest wanderer.

Mori Ra is a DJ based in Osaka, Japan his sets are a witches brew composed of balearic, cosmic, and electronic disco ingredients. He has released on other labels such as Rotating Souls, Macadam Mambo, Berceuse Heroique, MM Discos and more. In Mantra, Mori Ra acts as a mysterious wanderer who has stumbled upon the doors of our minds in the middle of the night. When we answer the door he is bearing gifts of creative glory and all we need to do is provide shelter in return. We invite him in so that he can rest, recharge, and continue his journey.

During his visit in our minds Mori Ra shares “Mantra” the secrets of the universe disguised as parables packaged neatly into four tracks. Catharsis begins the journey and immediately throws us into a sound that feels like we are driving a spaceship in Gran Turismo 37, the spaceship simulator. Now that we have successfully crossed the plane and have entered the digital unknown, Seinn O! becomes the story of communication. Seinn O! gave the smoke leaving my mouth color and the shamanistic chants placed me in an atmospheric state with the ability to cross over and communicate in the digital space. Then comes 孫行者 the Grandson Traveler, which embodies the story of the simulation. Imagine the sound of a bustling dystopian city in the matrix–neon signs, dancing billboards, talking vending machines, radioactive wildlife, and overgrown foliage leaking in from the jungle the city is carved into. Mori Ra seems to have melded all of those sounds together to create the soundtrack of the big city where everyone is lost. Finally, before leaving our minds Mori Ra offers the final parable, あの星 That Star. Which becomes the story of realization, the journey back home from the exploration of the mind. That Star brought me into a cave and I could see the opening at the end of it, all I had to do was walk towards it. However, I couldn’t walk. I could only galumph forward, while bouncing up and down to the beat. My arms slivered and guided my body forward as the vocals came in. As I moved forward the opening, the clearing, the destination remained the same distance away. The endless tunnel of the mind gave me a feeling of comfort because I did not want this journey to end.

The EP ends and we will never know who visited our minds that night, but we know we loved the journey. Mori Ra is the steward of our journey through consciousness, and the vessel is “Mantra”.

Always endeavoring to drop it a little way different, Ital Counselor Records once again stretch things in a forward direction while paying full and forceful tribute to that which has come before. This heartical 7" is a tribute to the late great Prince Lincoln Thompson in the form of a reimagined take on his composition "Kinky Money Game."

It is with great honor that ITAL COUNSELOR records has been able to work with two legends of the music business on this slab of plastic. Firstly, Jeb Loy Nichols comes with a storied history in music and the visual arts. He first came to ITAL COUNSELOR’s attention upon discovering the 1981 compilation, “Wild Paarty Sounds” via Cherry Red/On-U Sound. Later would be greater, with projects skirting the realms of country, soul, reggae, and leftfield. Bands like the Fellow Travelers, solo albums with Adrian Sherwood, and more recently writing songs for Horace Andy’s latest On-U album have all contributed to an impressive body of work.

Over the years when Jeb is not making music, he can be found writing books or churning out block prints of birds, leaves, pithy phrases, and the odd sleeve art for labels like Pressure Sounds, and, yes ITAL COUNSELOR. His sleeve work on this 7” indeed captures the essence of the music hiding under the cardboard exterior. Lo-fi, retro while poignantly on time. Social commentary manifested auditorily and visually.

Jeb’s reinterpretation of Thompson's original bubbles over a slow burning one drop built by none other than Studio One, Riz Records, and Tuff Scout Records alum Gil Cang. In yet another musical first brought to you by ITAL COUNSELOR, this piece of wax represents the only time Jeb and Gil have worked together. The results are a magical mix equally at home in the hands of a sound system operator unconstrained by the current ‘steppers’ norms as it is on a home stereo where one can deeply sit with the lyrics of depth and significance. An old time something feel for these nowadays times. An ITAL COUNSELOR Records essential.

Feel the vibes…

In the early 1980s, Britain had a vibrant cassette culture that now gets spotlighted through a limited edition 12" featuring multi-instrumentalist Kez Stone's project, Imago. He was a notable name in Cornwall and the West Country's music scenes with previous projects, Artistic Control and Aaah! which have come back via reissues many times in the last ten years. Imago was a new one-ff project that first emerged with one track on the Perfect Motion compilation curated by NTS Radio's Bruno and Flo Dill and now the full LP, originally released in 1985 on the local label A Real Kavoom, has been remastered and added to with three additional gems. Stone's teenage punk influences sit next to Imago's eclectic approach to sound that blends new wave and psychedelic elements into something irresistible.

Two decades in, one of dance music’s most celebrated DJs, producers, label owners, A&Rs, broadcasters, and tastemakers has big plans for this anniversary. In June, Anja Schneider will unveil an expansive rework and remix package on her benchmark-setting imprint, Sous Music, some of her best-loved tracks are there in less familiar forms. Expect fresh takes from Anja herself on seven of her favorite tracks plus a wealth of heavyweight remixers: Paramida & E-Talking, Radio Slave, Scuba, JakoJako, Julian Muller, Cassy, Deetron, Leafar Legov, Erobique, Jaymie Silk and Ackermann all being part of the impressive collection.
“The project includes new versions of my favourite tracks from the last 20 years and remixers who have accompanied, influenced, and currently impress me. Each artist holds a special connection for me,” says Anja in anticipation of this milestone release.

Vaudou Game is back with a Funky Afro Cumbia 7 inch release !
First single of their 5th album, the french afro funk band's influences have spread beyond the city and country limits, crossing the Atlantic to reach Colombia and the afro latin world.
« Afro Cumbia » is one of the new musical direction took by the band.On the track «Râler» helped by the brilliant voice of the Spanish-english singer Clara Serra López, you'll hear the funky fusion between high-life guitars and typical cumbia guiro and bass. An original soulful duo sharing Spanish and Mina lyrics.
Koliko is a tribute of the west African street food and specially the sweety donuts , you can find in the morning in Lomé or Cotonou. "Nana Benz du Togo" band are invited to sing the chorus on this funky highlife dj friendly anthem .
Recorded on analog equipment at Otodi Studio in Lomé (Togo)
From the album "Fintou" (out January 15 th 2025)

This compilation features tracks released between 1978 and 1988 in Western France.

Through this compilation, we strove to highlight a little-known regional scene, characteristic of the diverse and sometimes opposing music movements of the 80s. Through this musical journey across the Brittany, Normandy, and Pays-de-la-Loire regions, we sought to showcase a resolutely indie aesthetic, sometimes conceived in some of France’s most unusual studios, such as a bunker and a caravan.

We’ve found it difficult to make attribute an established, well-defined genre to some of the tracks featured on this compilation. They draw, each in their own way, from the rock scene that dominated the 80s in France, from countercultures, from American stars who shone on the country’s radio stations and in its record stores, and even from local folk music.

While one could hear an harmony across the tracks featured on Le Grand Ouest, channeling this manifold energy onto a record required extensive research through the Brittany, Normandy, and Pays de la Loire regions’ discographies. Over the three years since the release of Le Grand Sud-Est, we have meticulously researched the references of artists, musicians, studios, labels, and publishers from each region. We sought to trace each artist to identify and listen to all their works from that period, and, when possible, collect unreleased recordings, left as demo cassettes on the artists' dusty shelves.

The synthesis of this research, presented here under the title Le Grand Ouest, hopes to remind us of the timelessness of the indie scene in our country, through the lens of the 80s Western France’s scene. Whereas Le Grand Sud-Est exhibited the funkiest sides of the Provençale and Rhône-Alpes scene, Le Grand Ouest leans towards a more mellow, introverted music, an expression of groups of friends united by the joy of playing together.

The first 500 copies of the record come with an extensive booklet with unpublished photos, press clippings, and texts for each track.

“Raggamuffin Soldier” was recorded at Channel One Recording Studio in 1983 with Soldgie as engineer and a rhythm track played by Jolly Stewart and Daniel “Axeman” Thompson. Growing up in the Waterhouse neighborhood of Kingston, Jolly Stewart obviously developed this singing style and gave us a killer early digital dancehall missile with pure conscious lyrics “Raggamuffin soldier, big ina your area...me no deal with badness, me nah deal inna war, me is a raggamuffin soldier...mi raggamuffin ina foreign, raggamuffin sit down pon di riddim...how you know the raggamuffin? Me no wear no gold chain, me no wear no gold ring...”. “Raggamuffin Soldier” was produced by Fitzroy Peterkin who also produced the digital lover tune "Angie".
The Waterhouse style is a particular style of singing that emerged in the late seventies and early eighties within the Jamaican reggae scene. The Waterhouse style is commonly described as a plaintive, groaning and fluctuating vocal style, often nasal and strident, characteristics that will give it a sound that is distinct from the rest of the reggae singers. The commonly recognized founders of the Waterhouse style are the singers Michael "Mykal" Rose, Junior Reid and Don Carlos. The name derives from the famous neighborhood of the same name in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, the place where the three pioneers were born and emerged. The Waterhouse style influenced many dancehall reggae artists of the eightiesvsuch as Tenor Saw, Half Pint, Nitty Gritty, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Yami Bolo, Andrew Bees...
Vincent Stewart aka “Jolly Man” is a reggae singer from Kingston 11, born december 16 1960 at Hunts Bay Lane, 4 Miles, Jamaica. Jolly started singing at age 13, he was placed in an approve School for 3 years and at the age of 16 he was released.
He started his musical career in the late 70's with Ossie Thomas, Phllip Morgan and Tristan Palmer from Black Solidarity label. Jolly Stewart recorded his first song entitled "Money Pyaka" on the classic "Pretty Looks" riddim which was recorded for Oswald Thomas on Ganja Farm label and released in 1979. Tristan Palmer who has another tune "Disappointed Lover" on the same riddim backed by The Soul Syndicate made the link with Jolly Stewart because he liked his style of song writting.
Jolly Stewart wrote three songs for Black Solidarity label: "Collie Man", "Bad Minded" and "Symbol Of Justice". All three tracks were covered by Triston Palmer. As a song writter, Jolly Stewart is behind Yami Bolo's hit on Stalag riddim “When A Man Is In Love” released on Winston Riley's label Techniques.
Jolly Stewart then decided to move on with his singjay career. He ventured to Tuff Gong studio where he met two producers. One was Prince Jazzbo from Ujama label, and the other was John John who owned the Bun Fi Bun label. He recorded "Praise jah" for Ujama and "Poverty Rush" for Bun Fi Bun. Still not satisfied with how his career was heading, he moved on to Lannaman's Preparatory School. There he learned to play guitar from a man named Fred McMurray aka Faf and Donald Jackson. Later he learned to play the keyboards by watching other musicians.
In the late 80's and early 90's, Jolly Stewart recorded many songs for various labels such as “Do Me Like So” for Bunny Gemini's label “Bun Gem Records” in 1987, “Late Last Night” and “War” for producer Zelma Rust and his label Myotta Ruff.
He also recorded for Augustus Pablo on his label Rockers International just before he died in the late 90's but we never heard about this release so probably Addis Pablo have it on old master tapes in the Rockers International archives....only Jah knows!

“I've collaborated with Polychrome for quite some time. I performed at their one-year anniversary at Sexyland and, along with Eversines, played at their ADE 2022 party. Additionally, I contributed to their recent "Reflection EP." Throughout this collaboration, we became friends. Hervé, one of the core members of the group, asked me numerous times to create an EP together. It wasn't until his wedding that I finally said yes (how fitting!).

The first track of the EP is "Laak," a tune I created the day after playing at the club in Den Haag. I thoroughly enjoyed DJing at this venue with its impressive sound system. It inspired me to work on the low reese-bass that forms the core foundation of the track. Hervé and I decided to dedicate the entire A-side to this tune, as we had discussed how nice it would be to have a 45-side on this EP.

The second side focuses more on the emotional aspects we appreciate. "Underwater (Dream Mix)" opens this side with an uptempo techno-ish foundation and trancy melodies, fitting the label's aesthetic perfectly. The track's name stems from my unintentional creation of very "underwater" sounding pads during the recording session (note to self: next time double-check if the mix is alright). The EP concludes with "Reassociate," a tune heavily inspired by the early 2000s IDM gems we adore.”

Rein

Cameron Jack returns to Crosstown Rebels as he delivers his first EP on the label with ‘The Late Shift’. The release, set to drop on 6th December 2024, delivers a standout offering featuring two collaborations with vocalist Liz Cass and two solo productions from the fast-rising house music talent.

London-born, Ibiza-based DJ/producer Cameron Jack has quickly become a name on the up, having been championed heavily by Crosstown Rebels’ founder Damian Lazarus, as well Blond:ish and Lee Burridge. While still young in his musical journey, 2024 has seen him sharing stages with heavyweights such as Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones and DJ Tennis. His five-show residency at Hï Ibiza coupled with appearances at Extrema Outdoor, PHAEX Festival, Get Lost Mexico and Fabric London as well as an upcoming Asia tour to round off the year, has cemented his rise as one house music’s most in-demand up-and-comers. Having previously appeared on the label as part of Crosstown’s SPIRITS VA series, and adding to releases via Knee Deep In Sound, Abracadabra Music, and All Day I Dream, Cameron now returns to Lazarus’ brainchild with his first EP on the label as he unveils a refined exploration of his late-hours sound with ‘The Late Shift’.

The EP kicks off with two collaborations featuring singer/songwriter Liz Cass, whose vocal talents have graced tracks from Hot Since 82 to Nora En Pure. The opening track, ‘Dusk Till Dawn,’ pairs deep, rolling grooves with Liz's seductive spoken word vocals, setting the tone for the late-night atmospheres that define the release. ‘Move Your Body’ follows, with driving rhythms and infectious energy, inviting listeners to get lost in dancefloor moments. On the flip side, Cameron showcases his prowess further with ‘Get High And Dance’, bringing a captivating fusion of rolling percussion grooves and playful tones, before ‘Won’t You?’ rounds out the EP with another drum-led workout perfect for keeping dancers in motion.

Berlin-based truthspeaker returns with a full-length Album with 9 new tracks. With forcefully driven rhythms and mystifying atmospheres, they have made previous appearances on labels such as PUPPY, Post Hoc, Ectopic, and Massive Gain while also playing worldwide, from Berlin’s Berghain to touring the North American underground, making appearances throughout New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Providence, Portland, Richmond, Baltimore, and Nashville. The artist has built a reputation for delivering a transcending, occasionally unpredictable, yet intensely immediate listening experience for the dance floor. Citing previous experience in noise and experimental music, truthspeaker is establishing a functional yet disruptive sound, opening up obscure spaces within the confines of the harder edges of dance music.

(2LP gatefold vinyl, 21 unmixed tracks) Dimitri Vegas, half of the world-renowned DJ duo & brother pair Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, went “solo” at Tomorrowland last summer. He played an exceptional 'vinyl only' set there. It was greatly enjoyed, which is why Mostiko and Smash The House have teamed up and immortalized this historic set.

Twenty-four strikes on Exarde with Parchi Pubblici, the hardware analog act from Italy who records his songs in one take and have been laying it heavily and steadily for a while, henceforth we can hear the result of it with our own ears. The release consists of four original works by the man himself with first three ready for peak time club cuts with the help of roaring analog machines. They are produced to ready to sweat the dance floor, these stories are followed by a great outro track to conclude this EP. “Pressed Trouble” which is the name of this disc describes the content of it perfectly, because sure as hell this body of work is on the mission to create trouble and trouble sometimes needed to construct the top-level audio trips. Having produced digital contents for the respected labels that you can look up, this is a debut physical vinyl release by the artist and it is a great honour to host him on the label and hopefully to many more to come in the future.

The X-Static classic "Free" gets a remix work out with this EP. Each remixer brings their own style to the project, making for a diverse and exciting release.

Vinyl Junkie and Sanxion bring a mid 90's feel to their remix, making the older styled track into something that would have mixed with Kniteforce, Hectic and Impact back in the day. Meanwhile, Amaretto brings his classy old skool sound to his remix, with ice clean production and perfect execution. Al Storm and Euphony lean into their Bad Onion sound, a mixture of 1992 vibes and modern production, while Innercore does what only Innercore can do, giving his remix both a classic and brand new sound.

We are excited to announce the release of the Complete James Brown Christmas Collection, a three-LP set featuring music from 1966-1970.

You absolutely don’t need to be a holiday music lover to fall in love with the music spilling out over these James Brown records, as most of the tracks are original compositions that hold their own against many of the grooves that Brown was recording during this high-water mark of his career.

With bonus tracks galore and fantastic liner notes by Alan Leeds (former James Brown publicist and tour manager), and mastered/cut by legendary mastering engineer Kevin Gray, this is a must-have even if you have to give yourself a well-earned, early musical present this year!

Schlammpeiziger, who had previously only been known to us for his top hits and T-shirts, burst upon us like a wild boar in search of affection in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown. He nested in our fully vaccinated home, drank our Eversbusch, ate from our plates, slept in our bed (wait - wrong fairy tale) and repeatedly urged us to organise egg runs with his testicles (after some contortions, we gave up trying). Childish faecal humour, far-fetched obs(t)enities, juicing, a desire to dissolve, composting of thoughts. In excesses of lack of concentration, the chains of associations curled and meandered like Jo's famous curlicue drawings. Every evening, after we had forcibly levered him out of our flat, he would ‘walk’ home to put together very unique , dreamy pieces. In the blissful brainfog of those days, for example, ‘Handicapfalter’ was created, for which the congenial °Bär° made our flat into the corresponding video. Among other quirks of the little gut-breather, we were fascinated to observe his phobia of literature and books. Just hold a printed page in front of his face for a few seconds and he writhes on the floor crying. A level of phobia that only my own laughable disgust and fear of writing myself can compete with. Jo shudders at the thought of reading sentences that build on each other in a meaningful way, and I shudder at the thought of having to write them down because I have something ‘to say’. A certain affinity cannot be denied. We are much, much more pleased by snatched-up, misunderstood or misheard snippets, hollow but unforgettable phrases, the diamond stoner humour of our ancestors. ‘From one turn/ I stop/ to walk on/ in all directions’ (as it murmurs in “Selten Gesehenes”), describes the process quite nicely. After all, Jo is ahead of me in that he can simply break off every tedious sentence and let it fade into music. Back to the essentials. It's five to 12 for the Schlammpeitzger (scientifically Misgurnus). The shy goby is under threat from climate change, so perhaps this vinyl is the last expression of life of the specimen that we have been allowed to look after sporadically since the lockdown phase of the corona epidemic. And it's turned out pretty. Even the aesthetically gutted like me and my beloved husband can THINK about sex when they see these sublime, silvery fart bubbles! It's tender as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Do you have words. Do you have sounds. Impertinently harmless piano tinkling turns into tugging zounds of increasing severity. It is not dubbed (would be unethical) but dubbed. Sounds dubby, as you can imagine. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht: Possibly vaguely misogynistic. Could also be that there was simply no light in the hole. The sparse snippet of lyrics (‘du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht’) sounds like one of those stroppy Cologne replicas whose anti-charm is hard to resist. Buzzing and grooving.

Selten Gesehenes: Casual. Confident. Soft. Fragrant. Thoughtful but lively.

The Arabian Vietmanese (instrumental) is probably the food we trust in the case of the munchies we get when we watch other people smoking weed. Transcendental and psychedelic states casually permeate the humdrum of everyday life. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marches and floats at the same time. Klebt Runner: Soundtrack to the cult film of the same name. Tyrrell Corporation loosens up. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks somehow, because there is dangerous proximity to comprehensible and then also critical statements here. Instead, the sinister electronic cheapness of Carpenter soundtracks can be heard. Parzipan: Actually, the time of origin was not so roaringly funny and simple, but for Jo it was also a gruelling, slow letting go of his brother. Here he sends him off with a gentle nudge into the vastness of a hopefully happy beyond.

Clara Drechsler

Schlammpeiziger, der uns bislang nur durch seine Top-Hits und seine T-Shirts bekannt gewesen war, brach mitten im Corona-Lockdown über uns herein wie ein wilder Eber auf der Suche nach Zuwendung. Er nistete sich in unserem durchgeimpften Zuhause ein, trank unseren Eversbusch, aß von unseren Tellerchen, schlief in unserem Bettchen (Moment - falsches Märchen) drängte uns wiederholt dazu, mit seinen Hoden Eierlauf zu veranstalten (nach Verrenkungen gaben wir den Versuch auf). Kindischer Fäkalhumor, weit hergeholte Obs(t)zönitäten, Entsaftung, Auflösungswunsch, Gedankenkompostierung. In Exzessen der Konzentrationsschwäche ringelten, kringelten und schlängelten sich die Assoziationsketten wie bei Jos berühmten Kringel-Schlängel-Zeichnungen. Jeden Abend, nachdem wir ihn gewaltsam aus unserer Wohnung gehebelt hatten, „ging“ er dann heim, um dort sehr eigene, verträumte Stücke zusammenzubasteln. Im seligen Brainfog dieser Tage entstand z.B. „Handicapfalter“, für das der kongeniale °Bär° aus unserer Wohnung das entsprechende Video machte. Neben anderen Marotten des kleinen Darmatmers beobachteten wir fasziniert seine Literatur- bzw. Bücherphobie. Halt ihm nur sekundenlang eine bedruckte Seite vors Gesicht, und er windet sich weinend am Boden. Ein Grad an Phobizität, mit dem sich nur meine eigene lachhafte Abscheu und Angst vor dem Selberschreiben messen kann. Jo schaudert beim Gedanken, sinnvoll aufeinander aufbauende Sätze lesen, mir wiederum beim Gedanken, sie hinschreiben zu müssen, weil ich irgendetwas „zu sagen“ habe. Eine gewisse Verwandtschaft ist nicht zu leugnen. Viel, viel mehr freuen uns aufgeschnappte, falsch verstandene oder misshörte Fetzen, hohle, aber unvergessliche Phrasen, der diamantene Kifferhumor unserer Vorfahren. „Aus einer Drehung/bleibe ich stehen/ um in alle Richtungen/weiter zu gehen“ (wie es in „Selten Gesehenes“ raunt), beschreibt den Prozess schon ganz schön. Immerhin hat Jo mir voraus, dass er jeden leidigen Satz einfach abbrechen und in Musik ausplempern lassen darf. Zurück zum Wesentlichen. Es ist fünf vor 12 für den Schlammpeitziger (wissenschaftlich Misgurnus). Die scheue Grundel ist von Klimawandel bedroht, vielleicht haltet ihr mit diesem Vinyl also die letzte Lebensäußerung des Exemplars in Händen, das wir seit der Lockdownphase der Corona-Epidemie sporadisch betreuen durften. Und die ist hübsch geworden. Selbst aus ästhetischer Erwägungen Entdarmte wie ich und mein geliebter Mann, können bei diesen sublimen, silberhellen Pupsbläschen DENNOCH an Sex denken! It´s zart as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Hast du Worte. Hast du Töne. Impertinent harmloses Klavierplätschern geht über in ziepende Zounds von zunehmender Strenge. Es wird nicht domptiert (wäre unethisch) sondern dubtiert. Klingt dubtig, wie ihr euch vorstellen könnt. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht. Möglicherweise vage misogyn. Könnte auch sein, dass im Loch einfach kein Licht war. Das sparsame Textfetzchen („du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht“) klingt nach einer jener pampigen kölschen Repliken, deren Anticharme man sich schwer entziehen kann. Schwirrt und groovt.

Selten Gesehenes: Lässig. Souverän. Softig. Duftig. Nachdenklich aber beschwingt.

Beim Arabischen Vietmanesen (Instrumental) gibt es wahrscheinlich die Speise unseres Vertrauens im Falle der Munchies, die wir kriegen, wenn wir anderen Leuten beim Kiffen zusehen. Transzendentale und psychedelische Zustände durchziehen beiläufig den schnöden Alltag. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marschiert und schwebt zugleich.

Klebt Runner: Soundtrack zum gleichnamigen Kultfilm. Tyrrell Corporation macht sich locker. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks irgendwie, weil hier gefährliche Nähe zu nachvollziehbarer und dann auch noch kritischer Aussage gegeben ist. Dafür klingt die sinistre elektronische Billigkeit von Carpenter-Soundtracks an.

Parzipan: Eigentlich war die Entstehungszeit gar nicht so brüllend lustig und einfach, sondern für Jo auch ein zermürbendes, langsames Loslassen des Bruders. Hier schickt er ihn mit sanftem Schubs hinaus in die Weiten eines hoffentlich schönen Jenseits.

Clara Drechsler
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NOTON is pleased to announce the release of Xerrox Vol. 5, the final installment of Alva Noto’s Xerrox series.

For anyone who has been following the series since its inception in 2007, the concept of Xerrox no longer requires introduction. Originally, it aimed to create copies of images—both visual and acoustic—that are more memorable than the originals. The exploration of the relationship between the original and the copy, along with the invention of the copier, not only inspired the series name but also informed its underlying concept. In 2024, this series comes to an end, marking the culmination of a journey that began with the first recording in 2005/2006. Over nearly two decades, the five albums in this series have accompanied the artist's evolving perspective and conceptual approach.

Initially characterized by rawness and a conceptual focus on seeking resolution in white noise, the later works engage with themes of dissolution while shifting their emphasis toward acoustic particles. The copying process is now less visible through software manipulation; rather, it unfolds as the artist describes melodic and acoustic images that are then manipulated, copied, and transformed into new patterns during composition.

Nicolai describes this evolution as a journey encompassing buildup, exploration, and resolution, drawing parallels to the Odyssey and the stories of Jules Verne, particularly those featuring Captain Nemo.

The conclusion of this album holds a sense of finality for the artist. “I aimed to create a whole cycle of tracks that frame both the beginning and the end,” Nicolai explains. “The motif of the journey continues, but this time, the story reaches a dissolution through a conceptual object that embarks on its own journey into infinity. The word “dissolution” (“Auflösung” in German) is a wonderful concept. On one hand, you can solve a riddle, on the other hand, a pill can completely dissolve in water. Here, I am deliberately describing the process of dissolution.”
In crafting Volume 5, Nicolai has evolved his compositional process, eschewing samples in favor of original melodies. “This album probably took the longest to complete,” he reveals. “I first created melodic sketches, which became the foundation for the pieces. These recordings are created entirely from scratch. Based on these sketches, I constructed the process of copying, manipulating, and reshaping.”

Drawing from his recent experiences working with film and larger ensembles, Nicolai's approach to composition reflects a growing influence of classical instrumentation. “This experience of working with acoustic classical instruments has flowed into the compositional process for Xerrox Vol. 5. Certain instruments are designed with potential orchestral translation in mind.”

The sonic atmosphere of Xerrox Vol. 5 is one of profound dissolution. “I wasn’t initially interested in strong, emotional melodic aspects,” Nicolai shares, “but I realized that the fragment plays a central role.” This shift leads to an emotionally charged experience, imbued with melancholy and the bittersweet essence of farewell. The passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto, an admirer of the series, has further deepened the album’s emotional resonance.

“Xerrox Vol. 5 has a lot to do with farewell,” the artist explains. "Not only the farewell to the series itself, which I’ve nurtured for almost two decades, but also there have been many farewells to people who were close to me. I believe these people are recognizable in the music. It’s a very emotional, personal album.”

Listeners can expect a visual dimension to the music, though Nicolai intentionally leaves this open to interpretation. “I prefer to allow the music to evoke personal experiences and images rather than dictate a specific narrative,” he states. The result is a layered listening experience that invites tenderness and introspection.

As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.

Gospel melts into Soul in this dazzling collection of sides originally released by the Chess subsidiary.


Devised by the same team supporting the likes of Muddy Waters and Etta James at Chess, the vintage of Checker Gospel celebrated here is distinguished by its expertly raw, rugged, live feel — thumping bass and pounding drums, bluesy guitar and horns — and its keen engagement with contemporary realities and politics, with an underlying, unwavering commitment to the Civil Rights movement. Not forgetting its sheer, startling, richly diverse soulfulness.

Key architects of the Chicago Sound and Motown are amongst the scores of contributors: Charles Stepney, Gene Barge, Eddie Kendricks, and Leonard Caston Jr. are in the house… Morris Jennings, drummer on Curtis’ Superfly and Terry Callier’s What Color Is Love… Louis Satterfield from The Pharaohs and Earth Wind & Fire… Ramsey Lewis’ guitarist Byron Gregory… Phil Upchurch… Laura Lee…

Producer Monk Higgins joined Checker in 1967, bringing his experience of R&B and Gospel hit-making for the labels One-derful and Satellite, together with a loyal cohort of musicians. A protege of Willie Dixon, engineer Malcolm Chisholm set up the Ter Mar studio as if preparing for a live gig, carefully teasing measures of bleed into the microphones. With Ralph Bass from King Records running A&R, they knew exactly what they were after. ‘I’m using horns and an R&B sound in gospel recordings,’ said Bass. ‘We have no charts. All the musicians are given the chord changes. I want the cats to think when we’re cutting. I want spontaneity, and that’s what we’re getting.’ And: ‘There is more to gospel than just finding solace in the church. This follows the same message of Martin King, who was fighting for a new way of life. Kids are tired of hearing Jesus Give Us Help. They want a positive message.’

Focussed on the late sixties and early seventies, the twenty-five recordings here are all killer no filler, but try these four, random entry points: the heavy funk ostinato of the Violinaires’ Groovin’ With Jesus, working itself up into a post-James-Brown brass frenzy, sure to knock your socks off; Cleo Jackson Randle’s title track, for those who like their Gospel straight-up and hard-core; Eddie Kendricks’ achingly timely choral call-to-arms, Stand Up America, Don’t Be Afraid; the East St Louis Gospelettes’ heart-stopping, fathoms-deep rendition of Bobby Bland’s I’ll Take Care Of You.
A beautiful gatefold sleeve; a full-colour booklet with excellent notes by Robert Marovich; top-notch sound. Another knockout selection by Greg Belson and David Hill.

A shoo-in for soul compilation of the year.

Repress
Patience is a virtue well-rewarded in techno; finding the right groove to build on then holding your nerve long enough to pay off the wait at the optimum moment is a much more skillful endeavour than it would seem for such a minimalistic style. And few display this talent better than Detroit originals Scan 7. Part of the hallowed Underground Resistance family, Scan 7 first broke out in the mid-90s with a series of jacking machine funk 12”s that showcased their savvy for self-control - a faculty they have demonstrated in releases year-on-year since.
Highlighting this continuous font of vitality, Tresor Records has returned to the source and is proud to announce the reissue of Scan 7’s debut LP, Dark Territory. First unleashed on the label in 1996, the album has been remastered from the original DATs by Mike Grinser, augmenting already powerful tracks such as the snake-like, teasing Unusual Channel (mixed by the master Blake Baxter), and the harder-edged VII resulting in music that will, without doubt, provoke an enhanced response when the pressure is finally released.
Repressed on vinyl with updated artwork, these tracks still sound like a blueprint for the future, testament to the prescience and assurance Scan 7’s leader, Trackmaster Lou, clearly had when writing “I hope you enjoy my records in the phuture to come” in the sleeve notes nearly 30 years ago.

The edits project by T. Pianola presents four obscure absolute bangers every dj would love to have in the bag, just play and make people dance :)

The 1980s were an iconic era for electronic dance music, with each country delivering a wave of standout artists and producers whose names and music are now etched in music history. One of Germany’s notable figures in this scene was Mike Mareen, both a producer and performer, who also ran his own label, Night’n Day Records. Among the label’s successful releases was the now somewhat forgotten gem, Sammy Allen’s single “Slave To Love.”

Today, this record has become a sought-after item among collectors, leading to its reissue. The re-release not only brings back the original track but also includes a previously unreleased version from the original recording sessions, along with a special DJ Edit designed specifically for seamless mixing. This reissue is a must-have for both fans and DJs looking to revisit or rediscover a classic piece of German italo disco related music history.

After a two-year silence, the Russian imprint Goodbye Royalty returns with a 12-inch Line Conductors EP. The release is only for vinyl media and embodies the eclecticism of dance, creative minimalism, and the conceptual idea of the album is in a positive experience and purity of spirit. "Line Conductors" and "Topass" have a different set of sound solutions, but the psychedelic shades characteristic of Acusmouse are quite intelligent. Ab Show takes another step forward without departing from its usual sound, offering absolutely two different scenarios. With the frivolous, atmospheric "Antithese" and the deeper and hypnotic "Subminimal Message", where the protracted development of the composition allows you to immerse yourself in the associative images of the new time.

With Backhaus VA Vol. 2 we showcase artists that connect with our sound. Some are back on the label some have their first appearance. The VA features a wide range of sounds from dubby grooves to wide moody spaces.

Italian Spaghetti Disco Freak Vol 4 on Neptune’s Dispatch proves that Beppe Loda’s Italian disco kitchen serves the finest spaghetti on the planet. While other chefs—from Massimo Bottura to Wolfgang Puck—have tried to replicate his delights, none can match the Italo flavor that only the Italian Stallion brings. Beloved and revered by chefs of all cuisines worldwide, from Tokyo to Los Angeles, Beppe’s sound is a universal recipe, blending cosmic groove, bold beats, and Italian soul. Each track is an unexplored dimension for the palate, a five-course meal so perfectly crafted that it leaves every culinary maestro bowing to Loda’s disco genius. In Beppe ci fidiamo!

Roberto Musci, born in Milan in 1956, studied guitar, music and electronic instruments. From 1974 to 1985 he traveled the world studying African, Indian, Arabic and Oriental music, recording ethnic music “in the field,” studying and collecting ethnic musical instruments from all over the world. His self-produced debut album, “The Loa of Music,” is a seminal work of staggering originality and extraordinary beauty in which field recordings, musique concrète, electronics, synthesis and instrumentation are interwoven, drawing on the countless musics from around the world that he has recorded. The subsequent “Water messages on desert sand,” composed with Giovanni Venosta, was nominated for a Grammy in the UK in 1987. In the 1980s and 1990s he broadcast ethnic and electronic-experimental music from Rai and Radio Popolare radio stations. He has also composed and played music for videos, commercials, dance, poetry, theater, composed soundtracks and accompanied silent films live. From 1980 to the present, he has played with many Italian and European musicians: Giovanni Venosta, Claudio Gabbiani, Walter Prati, Giorgio Magnanensi, Massimo Cavallaro, Massimo Mariani, Moni Ovadia, Roberto Zorzi, Chris Cutler, Jon Rose David Moss, Steve Piccolo, Elliott Sharp, Keith Tippett and the Third Ear Band.

The theme of travel, ethnicities and mysticism are a pivotal point in this new album of his as well, demonstrating once again how music needs absolutely no sharp lines of demarcation. The music is one.

It goes from the search for deep meanings in a time spent in a Hindu monastery (Ashram) listening to mantras and studying Buddhist philosophy (The Principle Of Things) to space explorations and human settlements on the Moon or Mars wondering how man will live and what he will bring to the new worlds imagining that Sufism, an Islamic mystical religion, will accompany him in the discovery of new worlds (Derviches On Mars). In Goodbye Monsters, harmony and peace are sought. Memories Of A Piano Player is a tribute to Keith Tippett, a great pianist (King Crimson , Centipede, Mujician) with whom he played in several concerts and with whom I spent evenings talking about music, food and Italian wine. Quantum State focuses on how quantum mechanics is creating a revolution in the way of thinking and dividing reality into infinite Parallel Worlds. Panthalassa is the vast ocean that surrounded Pangea and blends South American marimba music and traditional Chinese music. Burn The Shadows is a tribute to the fascinating Indonesian shadow theater, from the stories told and the atmosphere created during the long plays told in the sacred Indian texts of Ramayana or Mahabharata. Shadows are also more or less pleasant memories to which one is attached, and to burn them is still to move on with one's life.

Torajan Funeral Chant: The Toraja are a people living in Sulawesi (Indonesia) who have a special worship of the dead. Funerals are festivals that last several days, the corpses are protected by Tau-Tau (small dolls that watch over cemeteries), and over the years, they exhume the corpses of their relatives and keep them in their homes with them for a time to remember them.

The experimentation goes all the way to modern Artificial Intelligence that 'interrogated' to create something new by inserting conflicting inputs joins them together but nonsensically creating interesting insights; hence A.I. In Confusion. Pangea, named after the continent that contained all the land that emerged between 540 and 200 million years ago, in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic periods, imagined as inhabited by man without divisions created by borders, wars, religions or ethnic groups, is also a tribute to Steve Reich, one of the fathers and a great musician of minimal music. Prophecies, a reading of sacred texts and religious songs from evangelical sects in the United States filtered into granular synthesis with percussion music from South India, closes.

This Summer The Florentian Cabaret showcases his sound once more as he explores new creative avenues with the launch of his own eponymous label. The label will give the thriving Italian talent a chance to showcase the full spectrum of his sound with no boundaries, sharing all of his refined tastes, and influences he has absorbed over the years. The “Space. Time. Gravity.” EP features four classy cuts, timeless trips inside the mind of The Florentian Cabaret.

Playful drum patterns lead the way in the title track, conversing in harmony with the nostalgic 80s synths, teasing you down an animated path of disco leaning house energy. Emotional textures crafted for the dance floor moments. “Stairs On Mars” is built upon an underground energy of time gone by, slick hi-hats drive the track in combination with a raw and rugged bass, nodding towards the heydays of rave. Distinct and progressive peak time movements steering the release into an alternative direction.
“Rocket’90 leads you down a pacey path of low end paradise, in combination with spaced infused acid tones. A transition track for when you want to switch things up, and steer the dance floor to new heights. Hypnotic as it moves, progressing into classy peak time action as the atmosphere continues to simmer. Next up we have the aptly named “Stars”, as this pulsating and driven track will take you exactly there. Nostalgic drums maintain a steady and transcending groove, conversing with the mechanical pads and synths which spiral around the heart of the track. Constructed for the rave, and the tastemakers of modern dance music!

Inedited tracks recorded at Kracklite Studio (Alessandria, IT) in 1998, without mistreating any DAW, only Macintosh and midi instruments mixed live.

Urbanatribù is a project born in 1994 by Flavio Gemma and Massimiliano Bocchio, both based in Alessandria (IT).
They started producing for the Minus Habens/Disturbance label in 1994/95, debuting in the compilation "Outer Space Communications V.3.01-T1". Their first self-titled album was released immediately after and in '96 "The Mix" with a remix by Francesco Zappalà. In the same year they were contacted by Digital Boy, releasing their second CD "Mondotondo". Also for D-Boy Records, two E.P.s were released under the name "Biomontana", dedicated only to DJs and fans of the goa genre. Since '97 they have been under SONY Edizioni, doing many gigs in that period in the best Italian clubs, including: Maffia, Lustando, Casalone, Leoncavallo, and remixing, together with Roberto Vernetti of Aereoplanitaliani, Elisa's first success "Labyrinth".
They continue to work on new unreleased songs, moving with Vernetti's mobile studio from London to Bologna with Maurizio Liguori of Technogod. In that period a song is released for Easy Tempo together with DJ Lele Sacchi. Their tour continues in 2001 performing live in historic clubs such as Cocoricó and Jaisse with their new project "Selenita", which sees them together with Francesco Zappalà. They also participated with him in "Planet Rock", RAI radio program with Luca De Gennaro.

Strut proudly present the brand-new studio album from Nubiyan Twist, 'Jungle Run'.

Now one of the leading lights in the UK's new generation of soulful, genre-fluid artists, the Leeds-born and now London-based 12-piece collective have created their finest recordings to date, effortlessly weaving together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and life-affirming music.

Recorded at the band's own self-built Henwood Studio in rural Oxfordshire, the album effortlessly moves through different voices from the band's circle. The inimitable, timeless vocals of Nubiya Brandon lead the way on the album's title track about breaking preconceptions and promoting equality, 'Where you from I'm from wherever I be.' Saxophonist Nick Richards vocals the killer first single from the album about inner turmoil and a search for the truth, 'Tell It To Me Slowly' while rising Ghanaian star K.O.G. appears on the Afro jams 'Basa Basa' and 'They Talk'. Percussionist Pilo Adami (Nina Miranda / Afrosamba) voices the infectious bossa-jazz jam 'Borders'. The band also draft in two African legends for guest duties with the original Afrobeat maestro Tony Allen on 'Ghosts' and Ethio jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke contributing vibes on the sinuous 'Addis To London'. 'The depth of talent and ideas that every member of this group has brought to the table for this album is incredible,'

says producer and orchestrator Tom Excell. 'Conceptually, 'Jungle Run' is all about connecting different people and cultures whilst exploring the journey of individuals. This album is the pinnacle of everything we have done to date and to collaborate with the godfathers of Afrobeat and Ethio Jazz and celebrate their music in a modern context was very humbling.'

The album is another landmark for a band that has been consistently developing their sound since their formation in 2015 at Leeds College Of Music. 'One of the biggest factors in our sound was the exciting music scene in Leeds,' explains saxman Joe Henwood. 'From a reggae night called 'Sub Dub' to venues playing whacked out experimental jazz.' Since then, the band's self-titled debut album (2015), EP 'Siren Song' (2016) and single 'Dance Inna London' (2017) have become classics in their own right and their live show has become an essential ticket; previous live highlights have included high profile slots at David Byrne's Meltdown at the South Bank and Glastonbury West Holts

'Jungle Run' is released on 15th February on CD, 2LP and digital. Cover artwork comes from acclaimed designer Marcus Davies and the album is mastered by The Carvery. Nubiyan Twist tour across Europe from November.

An appetite for the unknown" - Daniel Lanois

No collaboration is unlikely when the end goals are the same. A meeting of two artists who illustrate different corners of the musical landscape, come together to create a new statement that takes their collective strengths to higher elevations and encompasses new terrains.

So it is on the first collaborative journey of Canadian musicians Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois. What started as mutual respect for one another's work, led to several years of a creative germination resulting in an eight-track full-length exploration released May 4th on Timesig/Planet Mu.

The path began in 2014, after Lanois reached out to Venetian Snares (Aaron Funk) as a fan of his work. The project started to take root in Summer of 2016, after Funk hung around Toronto between shows. Taking his gear to Lanois' studio, the two began to play for the first time together in what would prove to be a formative moment in their creative journey together.

I love making music with Dan, he has a real understanding of how to create a world and build what may exist within that world. Bassdrums are trombones and they are a colossal whale which floats on clouds of leaves speaking to the blast furnace feeding the mammoth. A small painting of forest horses hangs in the cranium of the sea horse.' - Aaron Funk

Recorded live in a former Buddhist temple-turned-studio in Toronto,
'Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois' travels to new zones in what Lanois describes as a body of work driven by exploration'. Like all the best collaborations, it's brought something new out of both musicians. Equipped with their production acuity, they let their natural workflow guide them through uncharted waters. Funk laid the groundwork with drums while Lanois rode the pedal steel, weaving their sounds together in a new sonic tapestry. The two ultimately landed at their destination, their work ready to be shared with those willing to explore.

In Daniel Lanois 'own words:
"To come upon a new form reassures the head that frontier lives on The unlikely pairing of Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois may very well have provided us with a nice new pair of shoes to walk to new sonic frontier A melange of gospel and electronics As madness of the world trips over its heels these Canadian sonic innovators prepare for travel A body of work driven by exploration, brings to us in our modern times what we remember and admire from the Jazz explorations of the 50s A splintering An appetite for the unknown"

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Proudly presenting, ‘Калі ты запытаеш (If You Ask)’, a brand new, blissed-out pop production with a ‘70s AOR touch, by the ever-on-point SOYUZ (СОЮЗ). Coming at a period between albums, the single features guest appearances from the sensational musicians, Biel Basile (O Terno, Sessa) and Anthony Ferraro (Toro Y Moi, Astronauts, Etc.). Friends of the band, they add their signature touch on the drums and synth respectively. To complete the package, SOYUZ back the title track with a short but sweet, Wurlitzer-laden, MPB-tinged number, ‘Tenório’.

‘Калі ты запытаеш (If You Ask)’ tells the story of lost dreams. A track that can be interpreted either as a bittersweet longing for childhood times, or for a native place you can’t return to. For the writer Alex Chumak he suggests, "In my case, as in the case of many Belarusians, it’s both".

For this song, Alex chose to sing in his native Belarusian tongue. As he explains this language "to me feels underrepresented in pop music, also it’s a beautiful legacy and sonority that I wanted to share with the listeners of our project around the world". One of the key inspirations was a Belarusian band “Песняры” (“Pesniary”), who produced a host of great progressive folk, jazz fusion and AOR, from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, predominantly sung in Belarusian.

Another key influence was the music coming out of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais in the ‘70s, drawing inspiration from the sentimental and harmonious music of Beto Guedes, Lô Borges, Fernando Oly and Wagner Tiso.

Having parted ways with their drummer Anton, SOYUZ needed to find a new way to produce songs. The answer was to go remotely. Alex contacted the brilliant Biel Basile, who had recorded Sessa's contemporary classic ‘Estrela Acesa’, in which Alex also participated. Utilising Biel and Sessa’s newly built studio in São Paulo, SOYUZ had Biel record the drums directly to tape to get the rich sound they were after. Adding the final magic into the mix, California’s Anthony Ferraro provided a beautiful Solina String Ensemble synth arrangement, with drummer/recording engineer Albert Karch expertly assisting with the production.

To capture the essence of the single visually, Alex and the Brazilian one-man-industry visual artist Gabriel Rolim, spent a blazing sunny May day in Berlin shooting film and stills – one of which became the perfect cover image. We hope you enjoy this little nugget of SOYUZ mastery, a sweet taster to savour while the new album is recorded.

A 2020 cover by a UK soul/jazz unit is now available on a 7-inch record!

It is the first time released as a 45 single in analogue, it was on the compilation double album 『Soul Togethereness 2020』 on a (track 3 side D 33rpm) Expansion Records LP EXP 62.

The UK soul/jazz crossover unit, formed in 1993, has released a cover of Melba Moore's classic song, which was only available on CD and digital in 2019, for the first time on analog.

Paprika Soul, a unit by Alan Barnes and Andrew Spiller, who have left many great works in the UK soul/jazz scene, has welcomed female singer Jacqui Hicks. This cover, with its uplifting and beautiful melody, features a warm, lovely, and urban Side A, and a more beat-driven, refreshing Side B Disco House Mix that would lift the mood on the dance floor in the early morning. This release is another excellent cover work that lets you indulge in smooth and Balearic sounds.

Bicoastal disco aficionado, Super Elevation label/shop owner, and all-around legend of the scene, Tom Noble brings forth a sprawling project 15 years in the making with his House of Spirits full length LP on Razor-N-Tape.

Slow-cooked over more than a decade, the eight tracks that stretch across this double 12 inch pack are the realization of Tom’s unique vision of modern dancefloor soul, with lush live instrumentation and deviously catchy hooks. Boasting a near encyclopedic knowledge of decades of club music, Tom draws on influences like Patrick Adams & the Mizell Brothers to build a sound that’s both reverent to the past, but feels extremely fresh and immediately timeless.

The lead off singles ‘Times Are Changing’ and ‘Please Take Me There’ and respective remixes by Harvey Sutherland, Makez and Sizmo have already garnered huge support, and ‘Holding On’ the beloved original House Of Spirits single from 2020 appears with a shiny new mix. The album opens with ‘Love Trip,’ an uptempo invitation to the sonic world to follow, and moves through various moods, like the Brit-funk vibe of ‘Time Is Running Out,’ the mid-tempo groover ‘I Get Lifted’ and the downtempo R&B smoothness of ‘Diamond Eyes’ featuring dreamcastmoe on vocals.

The cheeky dollar bin artwork rounds out this package perfectly, and with the tracks mixed to perfection and cut tough for the floor, this is an essential record that will surely find a permanent home in the bag.

DJ Support - Wehbba, Ilario Alicante, Marco Faraone, Paco Osuna, Cristian Varela, Mauro Picotto, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, Luigi Madonna, Joseph Capriati, Eli Brown, Marco Carola and Charlotte de Witte.

Joseph & Indira's ‘Mantra’ is another testament to ARTCORE's ever-increasing weight in Techno and global electronic dance music and features a duo of racy cuts laden with signature sonics from both artists, kicking off with 'Ananda' and its potent classic Techno feel, with a prominent Capriati core of thumping kicks, crisp percussive drive and progressive energy shifts and playful twists, laced with Indira's hypnotic exotic vocal chops and gritty LFO shots.

'Mantra' rounds off the release with an inverted sound transition, leaning heavier into the 'Psy' sound that has seen Indira's notoriety skyrocket. Flooded with undulating low-end movement, creative off-beat flare, shifting rhythmic patterns and uplifting musicality, its immersive blend of darker sounds and spiritually utopian nuances makes for an undeniably unique statement track.

Whilst famed for his endless spree of unforgettable mainstage performances and international club shows, including standout residencies in Ibiza, Joseph Capriati's studio productions have been carefully selected and rare in recent years. With the emergence of their latest studio productions, Joseph and Indira's ‘Mantra’ release serves as a stamp of approval from one of Techno's most respected tastemakers and an insight into the potential of ARTCORE's indelible impact on global dance music.

“Reconnect”, a collaborative project between Italy’s Francesco Mami and France’s Julien Chaptal, is a musical exploration that originated during a unique period of global confinement, where creativity flourished in unexpected ways.

The genesis of "Reconnect" traces back to a time when the world was asked to pause and stay indoors. During the first 50 days of this period, Julien Chaptal found joy and inspiration in reconnecting with his instruments and the myriad of musical ideas that constantly filled his mind. Embracing the freedom to create without boundaries, he produced a track a day, amassing around 50 tracks, many of which remained unfinished.

A year later, a serendipitous meeting in Geneva with Francesco Mami over sake, good food, and music sparked the idea of collaboration. Julien sent some of his initial tracks to Francesco, who reworked them, adding his unique touch and bringing them to life. Their online exchange and collaborative efforts resulted in the tracks that now form the EP. Francesco, a true studio craftsman, expanded on Julien's original vision, creating a synergy that neither could have achieved alone.

The record encapsulates a theme of "Confined Freedom," a reflection of the period of its creation and draws from three decades of electronic music influences, a melting pot of inspiration that shaped its sound. The warmth of the gear used in the studio sessions provided a comforting contrast to the external circumstances. Various drum machines and synthesizers were employed, contributing to the unique sound of the EP, though no specific piece of equipment was highlighted as central to its creation. "Reconnect" is not just a collection of tracks; it is a testament to the resilience of creativity and the power of collaboration, even from a distance.

With remixes by masterminds Reboot and Johnny D, the vinyl dropping on the shelves December 6th, 2024, is set to catch the ears of many!

400,000+ creations on TikTok with 1 Billion+ views and 20 Million streams on Spotify. Sunship's remix of Friendly Pressure continues its resurgence. Radio One, Capital, Kiss FM in the UK as well as many top Dance stations around the world have been re supporting the record.

Now a brand new 2024 version is here with added bass and a new arangement that has been filling dance floors all summer.

DJ Support: Jimpster, Terry Farley (FAITH), Bill Brewster, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, Jazzanova

Fred Everything’s latest album, 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope', came out last May to critical acclaim, gaining support from various players such as Laurent Garnier, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Jimpster and Jazzanova to name but a few.

Not content with having an A-List cast of guests on the album (Stereo MC’s, Robert Owens, James Alexander Bright…) Fred also enlisted top Remixers for the singles. We decided to put 4 of the best ones on a Vinyl sampler for record lovers.

Osunlade leads the pack here with his Yoruba Soul remix of Never feat. Robert Owens, keeping things steady for the dancefloor with his signature sound. Waajeed takes the same track and flips it into a different territorry, both musically and sonically, with his Hi-Tech Jazz feel.

Next, we have the enigmatic Clive From Accounts, re-imagining Soul Love featuring Stereo MC’s, with his precise and soulful beats. And to close the EP, Rocco Rodamaal takes Breathe featuring James Alexander Bright and turns it into a solid floor burner.

E-bony returns to Distant Gaze with a full 6-track EP, diving deep into the unfiltered world of acid and Detroit, where roots meet modern.

This release delivers a range of moods and intensities through analog textures, heavy-hitting kicks, and gritty basslines that have become synonymous with E-bony’s distinct sound. As the EP unfolds, PRZ shifts gears into a futuristic electro soundscape, a glimpse into a sci-fi utopia. Clouzer wraps up the EP with a crushing rendition of ‘Let it Be’—a hard-hitting rave anthem.

Parsley Sounds was the glorious debut album for Mo Wax by Parsley Sound. The album was one of the iconic label’s final releases before it closed in 2003 and locating a clean copy has been extremely tricky of late, unless you're flush enough to drop 150 notes on it. Mercifully, the Be With reissue, put together with invaluable assistance from the group, should remedy this situation. It's a lo-fi, bass-heavy, blunted beat treat, warped with heat haze and dreamy soft-psych and has been criminally under-heard for far too long.

As with most cult-like records, Parsley Sounds has many influential fans, far and wide. From Four Tet and Caribou to NTS's modern day breakfast hero Flo Dill, its reputation has only grown in stature. At the time, the notoriously hard-to-please Pitchfork garlanded it with a scarcely achievable 8.8 whilst, just recently, the Numero Group's Rob Sevier described it as a "visionary bit of proto-Salvia Palth (or Steve Lacy)" via a Ghostly International missive.

Parsley Sound comprised super-talented duo Preston Mead and Dan Sargassa. They released an early single (the perfect "Twilight Mushrooms", featured here) on Warp Records as Slum, before signing to Mo Wax. Hidden behind a wall of sound - fuzzy layers of beats, bleeps and symphonic synths - they were convinced they made mainstream pop music. And, in many respects, Parsley Sounds really is a beautiful pop album. It overflows with memorable, gorgeous melodies and inspired songcraft. As the contemporaneous Pitchfork review correctly had it: "Parsley Sounds is one of those rare records that manage to sound modest while frequently pushing the sonic envelope."

Killer opener "Ease Yourself And Glide" is a thing of aching, soft-psych, wonky beat-beauty. A melodic masterpiece, part Crosby, Stills & Nash, part proto-Koushik, it presents a melancholy falsetto, surging bass and blunted lead guitar. As it climaxes, gorgeous strings are ushered in to see us out. Sublime. "Twilight Mushrooms" is up next and it's an acid-drenched, strung-out acoustic-led campfire wonder. Amid layers of tape-hiss and beautiful, sun-dappled strings, its understated vocal track provides a haze of wistful innocence.

The breezy "Spring's Near" is a krautrock-inspired chiming instrumental of heavenly excellence, its warm, skipping, motorik groove and dreamy synths completely infectious. Another total highlight, the technicolour "Yo Yo" initially presents itself as a more abstract, bleepy offering but as it organically swells into ever more beautiful places, with the addition of a choppy insistent drum loop, flute bursts, horns and sweeping strings, it puts one in mind of early Manitoba and Four Tet releases. Shimmering, blissed-out greatness.

The celestial harmonies and glistening harps of the wonderfully beatless, serenely sullen "Ocean House" are very much in conversation with late-60s meditative psych whilst, closing out Side A, the jaw-dropping, lushly experimental effort "Find The Heat" comes on like Arthur Russell meets Brian Wilson. Yep, *that* good.

Side B opens with the warped, bleepy "Stevie", a brief but beautifully wonky, soulful and intricate instrumental. The more upfront vocals that propel the fuzzy "Platonic Rate" have a refreshing swagger to them, the heavy bass and neck-snapping in-the-red beats too much for any system to deal with whilst the guitars and strings have a sweeping, cinematic feel which just beguiles. The slow, urbane soul of "Candlemice" will stop you in your tracks, no matter what you're doing. It carries a delicate sadness, as does much of the album in that classic "down lifting" style we so love here at Be With.

The fuzzing, buzzing "Templechurchmansions" is a searing, soulful dubwise detonation. Heavily stoned with slow-burning jazzy snatches and a tense, moody atmosphere, it's a Tricky-adjacent gem. The album rounds out brilliantly with the ominous instrumental "Neon Breeze" before giving way to the propulsive, almost incongruous punk-funk / disco-dub of secret "untitled" track "Caution", a scratchy, smacked-out groove-fuelled workout with a female vocal dripping with 'tude. Just sensational.

Under the watchful eye - and attentive ears! - of Parsley Sound themselves, the audio for Parsley Sounds has been carefully mastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, with a few much needed tweaks here and there, according to the artist's wishes. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at the always stellar Record Industry in Holland.

Preston and Dan always thought the colours on the first vinyl pressing looked a bit "washed out" vis-a-vis the original artwork which was way more vibrant. We feel we've got it popping back to the original intention with the restoration work here at Be With HQ. So with the audio and artwork now approaching completeness after 20 years, this long overdue re-issue could be considered its definitive vinyl release.

"Back in stock due to popular demand, the 11th release in our signature Brazil 45’s series came in the form of João Bosco - O Ronco Da Cuica and Antonio Adolfo E A Brazuca – Transamazônica. Two jewels from Brazil’s rich musical heritage.

On the A side, prolific guitarist João Bosco’s MPB masterpiece ‘O Ronco Da Cuica’. Originally appearing on his 1976 ‘Galos de Briga’ LP released on RCA Brazil, it had yet to have had an official 7” release. It’s an intoxicating blend of passionate vocals, feverish cuica and deftly picked acoustic guitar.

On the flip, Antonio Adolfo E A Brazuca’s track ‘Transamazonica’ is an all-time classic Brazilian jazz fusion gem. Taken from the hard-to-find 1971 self-titled LP on Odeon Brazil, it again had never been released on 7”. Adolfo was the founder of Trio 3-D and later played with Elis Regina."

Banoffee Pies Originals continue with the 26th release in the series. D. Tiffany returns to the imprint with another collab outing, this time partnering with Ciel as the duo combine under their Psychedelic Budz moniker. Two of Canadas finest deliver two dynamic, off kilter club hitters with a special appearance from Adam Pits under his Lil Mushroom alias. Heavy and versatile productions for dance floor rotation from artists who have carefully honed their craft.

Berlin based, D. Tiffany of Vancouver, is a DJ, Producer and label boss at Planet Euphorique. Now returning to the Banoffee imprint following their Plushmanagements inc insert with regularfantasy back in 2016. A welcomed entry from prog trance revivalist who’s essential output continues to blossom.

Toronto based multi disciplinary artist Ciel whose contributions to the music sphere remain committed to diversity, inclusivity & community with a prolific career as a producer, DJ, pianist & composer ++ They’ve found involvement across groundbreaking projects like Discwoman, co founded label Parallel Minds & released notable contributions to labels such as !K7, Peach Discs, Coastal Haze & UU, all while continuing their monthly position as a Rinse FM resident.

The world was a different place in June 2020. Most of us were coming out of a first lockdown and accepting limitations, new fears, and changes in our lives. There was some hope things were going to be better, optimism in the summer, a new beginning. For some, like Molero, it was. He released his first album in June 2020, one he had been working on over the previous years. “Ficciones Del Trópico” felt like a discovery, the synths approached a new world, raw, full of wonder, fresh. It was the sound we needed, the horizon we were longing for.

Four years have passed. Molero spent most of that time thinking about and creating the music for “Destellos Del Éxtasis”. If “Ficciones Del Trópico” lived in the depths of the Amazon jungle, “Destellos Del Éxtasis” releases itself from a physical location/idea and creates upon symbolism and the abstract. The more we listen to it, the more we get lost in how he created music that is shapeless, no angles, constantly morphing, transforming into something else.

Like magic, alchemy, but also like visions, hallucinatory visions, or dreams if dreams could step out into reality. And the more we get lost, the more we are convinced the music from “Destellos Del Éxtasis” is part of us, of our body, present as a permanently passing cloud. It gets into dark places, moving constantly into new ground, testing feelings, emotions and how they gravitate with sound. There’s something different in each track. Like magic. Not magical music (but there’s an argument for that). We prefer music for magic. Ritualistic, celebratory, transformative and increasingly visual. Close your eyes, it will open your perception. Follow the ecstasy, let yourself go. The reward is here.

Brian d’Souza, better known as Auntie Flo, delivers his brand-new fourth studio album, ‘In My Dreams (I’m A Bird and I’m Free)’, set for release on 21st November. The album, a rich blend of electronic music, live instrumentation, and global influences features collaborations with the likes of Nicola Cruz, Joshua Idehen, Shingai Shoniwa, Yohan Kebede (Kokoroko) and even his Goan Auntie Florie, where the Auntie Flo moniker is derived from. Each track on the album transports you to a different location: Goa, Istanbul, Nairobi, Mexico City, Waiheke Island, Rio De Janeiro, Havana, Seoul are all destinations to nest in across its ten tracks. It will be available in both digital and vinyl formats on his own label, A State of Flo Records.

Auntie Flo’s latest body of work is the culmination of a five-year journey that has seen d’Souza expand both personally and musically. Known for his unique ability to fuse electronic sounds with rhythms and influences from across the globe, d’Souza takes his craft to new heights in this album, offering listeners an intimate look into the experiences, places, and stories that have shaped his artistic evolution. The groundbreaking DJ and producer presents an expansive, deeply personal exploration of global sounds, collaboration, and migration.

Following the success of the Afro-disco single Green City—a dynamic tribute to the legendary Fela Kuti and Luke Una’s ‘track of the year’—In My Dreams (I’m A Bird and I’m Free) ventures further into uncharted musical territory. The album, however, is more than just a continuation of Auntie Flo’s signature sound. It is a reflection of d’Souza’s life and career, capturing his exploration of identity, migration, and cultural fusion. With tracks that draw inspiration from field recordings collected around the world, the album resonates with a profound sense of place and memory.

In My Dreams (I’m A Bird and I’m Free) is not only a reflection of d’Souza’s creative journey but also a commentary on migration—both human and musical. The album draws on the freedom of birds to migrate across borders as a metaphor for artistic and personal freedom, juxtaposed with the challenges that political barriers impose on human migration. As d’Souza explains, “Birds have the freedom to migrate wherever they choose, while humans face constant barriers”.

A State of Flo supports Earth Percent. 10% of the revenue generated from this release will be paid to environmental charities.