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After finding fame with the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, expatriate Englishman turned West Coast rock icon Graham Nash made an auspicious solo debut on this 1971 disc. It's an exemplary singer-songwriter effort, striking a vital balance between graceful introspection and political fervor — and while it's deeply personal, it still carries the harmonies, heart and politics that made CSN(Y) so essential.

With assistance from the likes of David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, and Dave Mason, highlights include the sensitive internal explorations "I Used to Be a King" and "Man in the Mirror" and the impassioned protest anthems "Chicago" and "Military Madness."

If Déjà Vu was a wild canyon party with four competing egos, Songs for Beginners is Nash's introspective morning after — a mix of heartbreak, hope, and a little bit of righteous protest. He recorded it while reeling from his split with Joni Mitchell, and you can feel that melancholy seeping through the grooves.

But don't mistake this for a wallowing breakup album — it's also a call to action, packed with the kind of folk-rock anthems that made Nash an indispensable voice of his era. If you love CSN's folk-rock harmonies but also crave a more personal, raw touch, this is a must-listen.

This Analogue Productions (Atlantic Series) reissue of Pain in My Heart is a standout for your collection. First, we turned to Bernie Grundman to cut lacquers from the original master tape. Pressing on 180-gram vinyl is by Quality Record Pressings, and the album is housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing.

Babylon, der über zwei Stunden Originalmusik enthält, ist ein originelles Epos, das im Los Angeles der 1920er Jahre spielt, mit Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie und Diego Calva in den Hauptrollen und einem Ensemble mit Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li und Jean Smart. Der Film ist eine Geschichte von übergroßem Ehrgeiz und unverschämten Exzessen, die den Aufstieg und Fall zahlreicher Charaktere in einer Ära ungezügelter Dekadenz und Verderbtheit im frühen Hollywood nachzeichnet. Der Soundtrack besteht aus 48 Musikstücken von Oscar-Preisträger Justin Hurwitz (La La Land).

In the summer of 2021, Brighton-based, Scottish-Thai songwriter Helen Ganya's grandmother passed away

The grief hit the artist hard, not only because it marked the loss of her last remaining grandparent, but also because it felt like her links to being half- Thai were disintegrating, roots quaking and shifting in uncharted territories. Ganya grew up in Singapore, but spent her summers in the northeast of Thailand where her mum's side of the family is from, visiting her grandmother. Where would all those memories go now that the person at the centre of them was gone? What was her relationship to this place without that glue? And so, in an attempt to process it all, Ganya began to write. "I got my diary and wrote every single memory of my time as a child in Thailand, spending time with her, my grandad, my aunts and cousins and everything," she explains, "I had these snapshots of memories that I just wrote down because I just suddenly panicked: it was like, who am I, then?" It was for this reason that, while Helen Ganya was waiting for her acclaimed 2022 album, polish the machine, to come out, she was already working on what would become her arresting new record, Share Your Care. Ganya has been releasing music since 2015 (formerly under the moniker Dog in the Snow). In the records she's put out over the years, she's shown a proclivity towards dark and artful rock and off- kilter sounds, garnering praise from the likes of the Sunday Times, Uncut, Clash, Loud & Quiet and more. But Share Your Caremarks a new era, building on Ganya's past sonic worlds and interspersing them with traditional Thai instrumentation, resulting in a plush, luminous, psych-tinged affair that is full of feeling. The result is a triumphant, abundant record, teeming with heart and cinematic warmth.

The Germany-based band Rikas' new album, "Soundtrack For A Movie That Has Not Been Written Yet," promises to be their most cohesive and contemplative project to date

Comprising 11 brisk yet beautiful tracks, the album showcases the band's tight tempos and mellow delivery. "We started this record just to have fun. It's not been that easy, because so much change has happened," guitarist and keyboardist Sascha Scherer reflects. "We've had to learn to adapt... This record is more inward-looking. We were reflecting. " Scherer further explains, "I think a lot of bands have trouble staying still. When you stop touring and moving to a new city each day, you feel lost. I feel like our new album is capturing that feeling of go, go, go." This feeling of inertia contains layers: there's a sense of restlessness, but also brotherhood and camaraderie-- feelings Rikas aim to depict in each of the album's videos. "For our sophomore album, we wanted to create a very homogeneous one," Scherer continues. "Which was not easy to achieve because we have made the experience that throughout all of our records every song differs from each other. We have four songwriters who happen to be also multi-instrumentalists in our band, and that's why we don't have to put much effort into diverse record making. Instead, we had to put pressure on ourselves to make something consistent. But we also didn't want to make every song sound the same. So the concept of the album lays in its topics."The songs for "Soundtrack For A Movie That Has Not Been Written Yet" were written over the past year, adapting and shaping old snippets and ideas, as well as creating songs completely from scratch. "For some reason, when we started writing and listening back to the songs, they all shared a similar feeling of cruising, traveling, being in motion," Scherer says. "This wasn't intentional at first, but felt more and more suiting as we proceeded with the writing. We found we'd enjoy the songs most while driving in our van, looking out the window, seeing the landscapes passing by. This has something very meditating to itself already, amplified even more by a suiting soundtrack. This is the soundtrack we tried to write. The album in its entirety is supposed to feel warm, hugging, like 'being bedded in cotton.'" For the visual content of the album, the band decided to travel to San Remo, northern Italy, to capture some of the late November sun. "In a way, you could say we tried to film the first part of the movie whose soundtrack we had just written," Scherer concludes. "Soundtrack For A Movie That Has Not Been Written Yet" is a testament to Rikas' ability to adapt and reflect on their journey, offering listeners a meditative and immersive experience that captures the essence of being in motion.

The complete album - limited edition pressing on 180g crystal clear vinyl

Although both Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong had met and performed and recorded a number of singles together during 1940s for Decca, they wouldn't be heard on LP together until 1956 when producer Norman Granz paired the two for this first album session, Ella & Louis, which became an immediate hit. Two further sessions under Granz, followed, Ella & Louis Again, and Porgy & Bess. All three albumswere both critically acclaimed and commercial successes - appealing to audiences in and beyond the confines of jazz per se. Ella & Louis features the incredible Oscar Peterson Trio plus legendary drummer Buddy Rich. As one of the most iconic and fascinating jazz albums ever produced, its appeal and commercial sales haven't waned during the sixty-nine years since its first release. "Ella & Louis is one of the very, very few albums to have been issued in this era of the LP flood that is sure to endure for decades." - ***** Nat Hentoff, DownBeat

More Tea Chest treasures, this time all girl bands, with Joe Meek at the controls

This series of releases has been a huge seller as the quality is superb and there are unreleased tracks, alternate takes and studio chat.

Rakkit Records is a brand new label that specialises in darkside jungle techno.

Heading in a different direction to Radman's older releases, this EP is inspired by two of his young loves: London squat parties and militant EA raves. That darkside hardcore sound you'd hear in the morning at the squats, with the energy of the main event at a Thetford Forest party. Dark, stompin', and drenched in 303s.

It's dedicated to one of his partners in crime of the time, Phil Sayer, who introduced him to much of the above and always pushed Radman to keep releasing tunes, with his support and brutal critique. Radman took samples of one of Phil's original poems for the track ACAB, from his performance in his old living room. Phil loved vinyl, 303s, darkside and hardcore, so we think he woulda been chuffed.

Just 150 copies getting pressed. Once they're gone, they're gone.

The capstone of Miles Davis’ electric period, Agharta reigns as a funk-rock fireball — a blazing comet streaked energy and elan, a fearless organism feasting on adventure and freedom, a seven-headed Godzilla stomping its way through Osaka, Japan. Recorded on February 1, 1975 at Osaka Festival Hall at the first of a two-show stand, the double album offers an endless abundance of surprises and shifts — as well as a road-proven ensemble whose chemistry and abilities equal that of any of Davis’ celebrated bands. If the true measure of jazz is the capacity to adapt to the moment and challenge perception, Agharta is consummate.

Sourced from the original master tapes, housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, and pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 33RPM 2LP set of this epic live release presents it in audiophile sound on a domestic pressing for the first time. Offering greater degrees of separation, detail, and richness than the compressed CD editions and more clarity, openness, and presence than older vinyl copies, this version of the 1975 release helps bring the concert stage to your home. Just make sure your turntable and speakers are up to the challenge of Davis and Co.’s explosive performances — and producing the decibels they demand.

Teeming with vibrant colors, tones, and pace, Mobile Fidelity’s reissue captures the hear-it-to-believe-it flow, sweep, and moodiness of the music. Though the group honors looseness and freedom with religious verve, the specificity and scale rendered by this remaster allows you to detect methods behind the alleged madness that are often otherwise harder to discern. This insight extends to the understated changes in volume, harmonics, and phrasings. In many ways, you can listen as Davis himself did that early February evening as he helped coordinate the overall direction and decided on whether to blow his wah-wah-wired trumpet or take a turn on the organ.

Tellingly, Agharta would likely never have been made if not for Davis’ ventures overseas and, specifically, to the Land of the Rising Sun. Having for years faced a backlash on his native soil for his choices to experiment and blow past all known borders, Davis was welcomed with open arms in Japan. The concert documented on Agharta — as well as the day’s later show, captured on the equally exciting Pangea — stemmed from a sold-out three-week tour that would ultimately mark Davis’ final public appearances for years, as he soon settled into semi-retirement and nursed the wounds connected to an unprecedented stretch of restless and relentless output.

For all the band-fueled merit of Agharta — and there’s plenty, given the cast of saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Michael Henderson, drummer Al Foster, percussionist James Mtume, and guitarists Reggie Lucas and Pete Cosey seemingly blasts off to outer space and travels distant galaxies by the time this minimally edited record runs its course — Davis’ own playing often remains overlooked. As critics Richard Cook and Brian Morton observed, it is “often fantastically subtle, creating surges and ebbs in a harmonically static line, allowing him to build huge melismatic variations on a single note.” He attacks like a man on a mission, out to prove naysayers wrong and bent on trailblazing another new path forward. Convention and skeptics be damned.

Noisy and furious, dark and discordant, abstract and off-balance, radical and intense, abrasive and atmospheric, strangely beautiful and hypnotically eccentric: Agharta evades simple description, and refuses to be pinned down in any established category — rock, jazz, punk, ambient, prog, avante-garde, or otherwise. Shot through with trench-deep grooves, screaming riffs, scalding solos, and free-improv leads, its cosmic thrust comes on as the equivalent of an animated pointillist painting comprised of millions of textured dots, dashes, and dabs that hold your attention so raptly you want to revisit the ideas again and again.

Always steps ahead of everyone else, Davis knew what he was doing even when Agharta debuted in Japan before later hitting U.S. markets. Though “Maiysha” and “Theme from Jack Johnson” are identified in the track listing, the record contains a number of uncredited references to other Davis works, including a nod to “So What.” This decision to bypass labels only adds to the art of the reveal — the rare black magic in which Agharta expertly deals.

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records! Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums 265/500 for 2012 180-gram 45 RPM double LP Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing The Genius of Ray Charles, his sixth studio album, released in 1959 by Atlantic Records, eschewed the the soul sound of his 1950s recordings, which fused jazz, gospel, and blues, for swinging pop with big band arrangements.

Charles is joined bymany ringers from the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands for the first half of this program, featuring Charles belting out six songs arranged by Quincy Jones. "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Deed I Do" are highlights, and there are solos by tenorman David "Fathead" Newman, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, and (on "Two Years of Torture") tenor Paul Gonsalves. The remaining six numbers are ballads, with Charles backed by a string orchestra arranged by Ralph Burns (including "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'"). Charles' voice is heard throughout in peak form, giving soul to even the veteran standards. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing.

Supergroups existed before Emerson, Lake & Palmer formed in 1970. And, as we all know well, many came after. But few, if any, matched the English trio’s chemistry and its elevated combination of virtuosity, vision, and verve. Having influenced a multitude of followers, ELP’s prowess was obvious from the start. The band’s self-titled debut stands as a towering statement of creative imagination, execution, and discipline more than five decades after its original release.

Mastered at MoFi’s California studio, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 33RPM LP of Emerson, Lake & Palmer presents the benchmark album in audiophile sound. Clear, dynamic, and balanced, this collectible edition honors the perfectionist approaches that both informed the playing and recording of the record.

Distinguished with black backgrounds, this reissue brings to light the epic scope, tonal depth, and mind-bending degrees of musicianship on display. Aspects — textures, nuances, effects, melodies, tempo changes — that go hand-in-hand with the trio’s compositions and interplay are rendered amid broad soundstages and delivered with pinpoint detail. Whether you’ve owned multiple copies of this touchstone or seeking out your first version, you’ll relish the presence, separation, imaging, and crispness that help make every song come across as if the group has set up shop in your listening space.

Opening the door to the seemingly infinite possibilities of progressive rock while steering clear of excess, Emerson, Lake & Palmer achieved a rare feat in that its complex, cerebral music didn’t prevent it from attaining mainstream success. The gold-certified effort launched the career of a band that would sell tens of millions of records. It also landed a Top 50 single in the form of the ballad “Lucky Man,” whose vocal harmonies, folksy strumming, multi-tracked instrumentation, and breakthrough Moog solo almost feel quaint in the face of the other fare on the album.

Comprised of genre-defying originals and hybrid arrangements of two classical pieces, the album Rolling Stone originally and rightly said is “best heard as a whole” matches outrageous ambition with the otherworldly skills of three musicians who remain among the finest to ever pick up their respective instruments. While Emerson soon drew the lion’s share of headlines for his ability on keys — clavinet, Moog, piano, Hammond organ, and pipe organ included — Greg Lake’s aptitude on guitar and bass, along with well as Carl Palmer’s monster talents behind the kit, created a three-headed hydra that devoured everything in front of it.

That extends to the radical reinterpretation of Bela Bartok’s “The Barbarian” that begins the LP, a performance that in less than four-and-a-half minutes runs the gamut from distorted to churchy to angular and blustery. More classical flourishes, keyboard wizardry, hard-rock heaviness, and gothic signatures emerge throughout “Knife-Edge,” which reimagines music by Leos Janacek and J.S. Bach — and ultimately invites you to explore a cathedral of sound teeming with separate bursts of keys and percussion.

And did someone say “drumming”? Check out Palmer’s monster salvo on “Tank,” a rhythmic showcase that marches out with knee-bent notes and mirror-reflected passages. Or dive into the mythological suite “The Three Fates.” Replete with three parts and Emerson playing the pipe organ at Royal Festival Hall, it shoots off sonic fireworks via sophisticated arpeggios, jazz improvisations, dancing counter-meters, sizzling chords, and a few explosions. Please don’t hold anyone at MoFi responsible if your system cannot handle it; this is heady stuff.

Indeed, everything on Emerson, Lake & Palmer is there for a purpose. Whether you aim to attempt to dissect all of the notes, shifts, and polyrhythmic bluster or just want to absorb this album as one living, breathing organism, this version invites you to do both as many times as you desire.

The notion of home isn’t precise, even a dictionary will offer multiple definitions. A home can be a place where you live, a place where you belong, where you originate from or a place where you’re given care; it can be a physical space, a land, a people or even a person. The concept isn’t completely universal, but everyone possesses a unique idea of what home means to them. On her fifth album, Ziúr considers not just what home symbolizes from her perspective, but the word’s resonance to the diverse community that surrounds her, and how their stories have impacted her over the years. Indeed, it’s the first time she’s felt it necessary to examine her own nationality. In the past, she’s deliberately avoided labelling herself as German, feeling disconnected from her country’s politics, culture and even the German language itself. In 2025, the idea of Germanness is in flux and progressives are under attack from all sides. The country’s politics aren’t only being turned inward by the growing throng of far-right voices, but by scared moderates, opportunists and those blinded by comfort, willing to ignore hatred to maintain their privilege. Stepping up to provide a different narrative, Ziúr scours her soul, writing and singing in German for the first time and proposing growth and evolution, not fear and regression. “I never considered being part of Germany,” she explains. “But I am.”

A solemn mood permeates the album’s opening track ‘Brown is the Color’, and Ziúr sings in measured, slow-motion breaths over noisy synth oscillations and doomed piano flourishes. Already, it’s a significant departure from her last run of releases, veering away from the frenetic, satirical chaos of 2023’s Hakuna Kulala-released ‘Eyeroll’ or its fantastical, dubby predecessor ‘Antifate’. Ziúr pulls on real world insights here, tracing her oldest, dearest musical inspirations to present her origins to anybody who might be listening. “Cold world is holding up,” she laments with a metallic crunch. “To let go of your heart, let me go.” And her voice emerges from the shadows completely on ‘Tame’; unprocessed, Ziúr sounds naked and vulnerable on ‘Tame’, curving her precise words around broken, lopsided rhythms and jangling new wave guitars. It’s pop music in its own way, inverted and reconstructed to fit snugly into her well-established sonic landscape. On ‘No Yawn’, brittle, downsampled hi-hats and industrial scrapes ping-pong around distorted riffs, provided by James Ó Ceallaigh aka WIFE; “You fail to sugarcoat your half-ass attempt,” she deadpans, “to build your promised wonderland on quicksand.” Even the beatless ‘All Odds No Chants’, a collaboration with Elvin Brandhi and Sara Persico, reveals another room in Ziúr’s autobiographical suite, mirroring György Ligeti’s enduringly influential choral works with its gnarled, dissonant vocal harmonies.

Brixton Heights Records proudly presents the brand new single ‘Am I the Same Man?’, a soulful roots-reggae gem featuring a heavyweight all-star lineup including: Mafia & Fluxy on drum and bass respectively, the Ital Horns on brass, Gussie Clarke on mastering and Gaudi on falsetto vocals + BVs, dub mixing, piano and co-production alongside The Brixton Heights Orchestra.

Drawing inspiration from the timeless instrumental groove ‘Soulful Strut’ by Young-Holt Unlimited, the track channels vintage soul through a deep lovers-rock lens. A fresh and earnest reinterpretation of Barbara Acklin’s 1968 classic ‘Am I the Same Girl?’, this version flips the narrative with an adaptation on the lyrics voiced by none other than Gaudi singing in falsetto, resulting with a smooth, dub-infused love song that combines classic soul and international reggae into a modern masterpiece.
Gaudi is not stranger to falsetto-singing and backing vocals, in fact he has lent his distinctive vocal talent to albums by reggae giants such as Steel Pulse, Horace Andy, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Don Letts, Johnny Clarke, Mad Professor, Hollie Cook, Michael Rose, Creation Rebel, Africa Unite, Awa Fall, African Head Charge, Lion D & Capleton.

Mixed and co-produced by Gaudi at his Metatron Studio in London UK and mastered by Gussie Clarke at Anchor Studios in Kingston Jamaica, ‘Am I the Same Man?’ is more than a cover version, it’s a heartfelt transformation that captures the emotional core of the original song while creating a whole new vibe that speaks to today’s lovers and soul seekers alike.

The B-side presents a meticulously crafted dub version by Gaudi, produced exclusively with analogue equipment and vintage studio hardware. The mix brings forward the intricacies of the original instrumentation and enhances the lyrical elements through spacious delays and warm, analogue textures. Last but not least, in order to maintain the highest level of authenticity and an organic sonic texture, all recordings were done at 432Hz, tuned to resonate naturally.

Stank In Here
Have no fear, the stank is here! Temu & Mofak are bringing it with their new single “Stank In Here”. Serving as a long-awaited follow-up to their first collaboration back in 2015, “On the Come Up”, the duo returns with an even smoother, soulful yet futuristic dance smash meticulously composed by Mofak for people of all ages to enjoy. Meanwhile, Temu addresses the listeners directly with a message of love and togetherness while echoing back to the era of EWF, Kool & The Gang, Zapp & Roger, and The Gap Band.

Heralds of the Stank
Temu is back on the scene with his new solo single “Heralds Of The Stank”. Temu recalls the first moments when the stank hit him personally and credits the ones who introduced him as its heralds — his parents — in an infectious funky tribute song. (Ever heard something so good it made you frown and pucker your lips while nodding your head? That’s the stank face!) Standing ten toes firm on his Funk roots, Temu both lyrically and musically draws inspiration from George Clinton, Sly & the Family Stone, Jackson 5, Prince, and James Brown. Be on the lookout for his upcoming album titled “HERALDS”.

American Nightmare's "Year One" collection on 180 gram vinyl for its 25th anniversary. Available again for the first time in decades. Originally released in 2001, the Boston hardcore band’s 25th anniversary release of "Year One" pays tribute to their formative years. This collection unites their first two 7”s, originally released by Bridge 9 Records founder and then-roommate Chris Wrenn, on a 180-gram LP, with all tracks recorded by Kurt Ballou at God City. Originally designed by Jake Bannon (Converge), this edition has been reimagined by Del Jae (Futurismo Records) and singer Wesley Eisold, and comes packaged in a gatefold with an insert of handwritten lyrics and collaged images. "Year One" doesn’t just celebrate a milestone; it reaffirms American Nightmare’s enduring legacy. Their music raised the bar for emotional depth in hardcore, adding a distinctly poetic and existential lyrical approach that set them apart and changed the rules of the scene, paving the way for countless bands that followed

A true double-sider of soulful excellence, Mr. Soul (aka Al Scott) delivers pure magic on Genuine Records with “You’re Too Good” and “What Happened to Yesterday.” On “You’re Too Good,” Scott’s smooth, honeyed vocals glide over a mid-tempo groove, blending elements of sweet soul and crossover with effortless style. The lush instrumentation, crisp rhythm section, and irresistible melody make this a standout for DJs looking to work deeper cuts into a set or collectors seeking that perfect soulful gem for their box.

Flip it over and you’re treated to “What Happened to Yesterday,” a deeply emotive ballad rich with longing and heartache. Scott’s vocal performance is drenched in feeling, perfectly supported by subtle strings and understated arrangements that let the song’s emotional weight shine through. Released on the much-loved Genuine Records imprint, this rare 45 has long been a favourite among serious soul heads, with both sides offering something special—whether for the dance floor or reflective late-night listening. A must-have for any serious soul collector.

Hercules & Love Affair music has always been about folding past, present and future together – and never more so than in the latest phase, encapsulated by the track that launches things, “Someone Else is Calling.”

If the song-first, ultra-gothic mind-movie of the last H&LA album In Amber was partly motivated by Andy Butler falling out of love with dance culture, this new body of work – an EP titled Someone Else Is Calling – is an unabashed resurgence of the love affair. A co-production with London underground veteran and inspiration to Butler, Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London and Decius, the lead single is a surging, tactile acid track woven around the vocal of Icelandic icon Hips & Lips aka Elín Ey – who hits that new wave disco sweet spot between Grace Jones and Yazoo era Alison Moyet.

Elín’s lyrics work perfectly with the bodily momentum of the sounds, circling around themes of self-possession and the urge to move on to the next experience, the next sensation: hunger for reality. And this taps into Andy’s feelings on escaping New York and moving to Belgium, discovering that dance culture was anything but the hollowed-out, identikit-festival-lineup conveyor belt he’d feared, and still had plenty of outposts where it was still – as he’d first experience it as a teen – about the hot, sweaty reality of diverse people seeking communion, communication and heightened ways of being in the here and now.

The video, filmed by Tatsumi Milori couldn’t be a better expression of exactly this. A love letter to the strange and glorious party scene of Mexico City, it captures people who are both tapping into the eternal verities of those magical dancefloor communions, and thrilling – against all the odds of oppressive forces – at the sense of possibility in the flow of gender and sexuality in the present moment. It’s powered by innocence and experience as intertwined forces, and it amplifies the heartbeat of the song a thousandfold. There will be more, much more, to follow from the partnership of Andy, Elín and Quinn. It digs deeper still into the decades of dance and other underground cultures that feed into this modern moment – but this shining beacon should give you a pretty good hint.

Someone Else Is Calling will arrive on one of Los Angeles’s most exciting new independent labels and creative hubs, StrataSonic, on December 14. The lead single of the same name, along with the music video directed by Tatsumi Milori, is out now. This marks the first collaboration between Hercules & Love Affair and Stratasonic.

Follow up to last years 12" on Voyage Direct from this active Amsterdam DJ/Producer. TIP!
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" Back in December 2014, Elias Mazian debuted on Voyage Direct with a 12' that perfectly encapsulated his open-minded but interconnected approach to electronic music. He'd already showcased this ability to blend sounds and styles by becoming one of the most talked-about DJs on the Amsterdam scene. With Future Times' (and its superb flipside, They Don't Know'), Mazian gave notice of his undeniable production credentials.

Fast forward to the summer of 2017, and Mazian is ready to drop an EP that not only confirms his status as a rising star of Dutch dance music, but also showcases a newfound ability to combine a finely-tuned sense of what works on the dancefloor with the kind of compositional skills that can take a lifetime to perfect.

The Duplicate EP is an altogether more mature proposition than his debut 12', but retains many of the sounds and influences that marked out his first appearance on Voyage Direct - not least his love of spacey electronics, mood-enhancing chord progressions and sparkling synthesizer motifs.

This can be heard in particular on the title track, an ear-catching club jam that wraps chiming melodies, Mazian's own rapped vocal refrains and electro-era synths around a gently jacking, Chicago style house groove. It's deep, poignant and attractive, with subtle nods to the dreamy Windy City deep house of Larry Heard, the retro-futurist boogie business of Moon B and Dam Funk, and the kaleidoscopic electronic funk of Parliament.

Further proof of Mazian's increased musical maturity can be heard in the breathtaking Dream Mix' of Duplicate'. Featuring a yearning, almost melancholic vocal from the producer himself, the remix offers an analogue style deep house interpretation bristling with cascading melody lines, classic Chicago house bass and bubbly, deep space electronics.

The EP closes with superb bonus cut Ride That Shit Baby', an expansive chunk of mind-altering analogue deep house full of restless ride cymbals, crunchy drum machine hits, starburst electronics, delay-laden organ lines and swirling chord progressions. It's as intricately programmed and produced as anything Mazian has released to date, and twice as emotion-rich. In some ways, it's the perfect end to an EP in which Mazian brilliantly showcases the depth and breadth of his emerging talent."

It's rare to hear a debut 12' single that really blows you away. That's hardly a controversial statement; in truth, most producers take time to find their feet, developing a distinct style over a period of years, rather than months.
Magnesii, then, is something special. Currently based in Amsterdam. The previously unheard of producer has delivered a stunning debut 12' for Tom Trago's Voyage
Direct label. R Raw, fuzzy and in turns melancholic, spellbinding and intense, its' three tracks bubble and hiss to the distinct sound of vintage analogue hardware.

You see, the young Dutch producer tends to avoid modern computers. 'I often feel like those screens suck my soul away,' he says. Instead, he jams out tunes on a tasteful selection of analogue gear, sequencing with either the Alesis MMT-8 or the Akai MPC2000 - a favourite toy of many of the Netherlands' best electronic producers - and adding basslines, beats, acid lines and melodies on obscure synths and drumcomputers'. His creations are then bounced down straight to 1/4" tape or cassette.

Some of these resultant jams, as showcased on this impressive debut, are nothing less than inspired. Acid lines rise and fall, machine drums rattle, and distinctive synth
lines weave in and out of the mix. These are raw tracks for the dancefloor blessed with all the colour and warmth associated with vintage hardware.

'RZTB Tantra' sets the tone, layering bubbling acid lines and dreamy chords over a relentlessly nagging bassline and punchy, scattergun drum machine percussion. 'Lava Jam' is decidedly deeper, with woozy, emotive melodies and alien electronics tumbling over a dusty rhythm pattern and tactile acid bass.

Magnesii completes a sterling debut with 'Van Dyke Island Jam', whose squidgy bassline and long, drawn-out M1 chords work in complete harmony with the crispy rhythm track and densely building percussion hits. Like its' predecessor, it too seems to be tinged with sadness, as if Magnesii's machines are shedding a tear for glories past.

Clearly, Magnesii is a name to look out for in future. For the time being, we'll have to make do with one of the most impressive debut 12' singles of 2014 to date.

Cloud Clear Vinyl

GoldFord schreibt Soulmusik, die in der Wahrheit verwurzelt ist. Seine rauen, ungeschminkten Songs – zu gleichen Teilen Introspektion und Katharsis – setzen sich mit Herzschmerz, Heilung und den stillen Erkenntnissen auseinander, die mit Wachstum und Reife einhergehen. Seine neueste EP "Space Of The Heart" enthält seine jüngsten 2025er Singles "Got Your Right" und "Easy Does It", die mit 13(!) bzw. 16(!) Millionen Spotify-Streams schnell Anklang bei den Hörern fanden. Cloudy Clear Vinyl.

Agathe Plaisance, a self-taught visual artist and musician, creates a universe where the softness of folk origins gradually metamorphoses, giving way to sonic explorations that push the door open to other worlds. Her light-and-dark electronic pop plunges us into her inner world, with deeply intimate lyrics about illness, addiction, the relationship with oneself and with others. The Lynchian atmosphere created by the synth layers surround an ethereal voice, echoing the work of artists such as Cat Power and Mazzy Star. Through a live performance of continuous tension, the woman in the making explores herself and seeks to transcend her pain in order to reinvent herself. With this new album, Agathe Plaisance delivers an intense and introspective work, born from a period of deep depression. She explores with honesty her anger, losses, fears, and addictions, while also casting a clear-eyed gaze on those of others. Despite the darkness that runs through the record, glimpses of hope, love, and light begin to surface, offering a path toward healing. Deep Rest is more than just a title - it's a metaphor, a play of shadow and light at the heart of the project. The artist transforms pain into a tool for reinvention. Her folk beginnings gradually give way to more electronic and experimental sounds - a shift that mirrors her personal rebirth.

Deey, a native of Futenma, Okinawa, is one of the most popular artists today, known for his collaboration with Leo Iwamura on "Deep Blue," and EVO, who has
made a name for himself with The Anthem, hosted by IMUHA BLACK, and is attracting attention. This LP features a remarkable album by three artists at the forefront
of Japan's underground hip-hop scene, all produced by MrRn, whose popularity is rapidly rising in the Kansai region.

"Working with these three artists, I was able to bring out the best in myself and express my passion for swaying, nodding, and communicating. "Sunshin" in particular
is a song I want everyone to listen to and feel for its vibe and message!" -- Deey

"The album title, 'Amon', literally means 'Gate of Asia.' When we listen to music, we're usually drawn to the sound and groove first, so we created a record that
will resonate worldwide, regardless of the current domestic scene. I'm not really into forming and organizing a crew, so I'd like to continue working with friends
who share Amon's concept, not just in music, but in other areas as well." -- EVO

"When you hear it, it'll hit you like lightning. Creating it with my friends, supporting each other, learning from each other, I've managed to express myself more

authentically than any other production I've ever done." – MrRn

The pinnacle of total art pop, "yes, mama ok?", celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The album includes a 14-track best-of LP featuring a comprehensive selection of tracks released between 1995 and 2000 on labels like LD&K, Nippon Columbia,
and Etiquette Recordings; a 26-track cassette tape featuring more best selections; a 7-inch single featuring the band's best killer tunes; and a long-awaited
two-disc CD featuring the works of legendary songwriter Takeshi Kongochi. These four titles, overseen by Takeshi Kongochi and Wataru Sawabe (Skirt), who
self-proclaims himself the world's biggest fan, are officially released in celebration of the band's 30th anniversary.

The long-awaited "yes, mama ok?" best-of album, a 14-track vinyl LP, is now available!

This is the ultimate mini-album that can proudly be called LIP CREAM! “9 SHOCKS TERROR” has remained timeless since its original release in 1986, embodying incomparable speed and a level of perfection that defines Japanese hardcore. Opening with ‘TERROR,’ which goes straight into reverse audio and needle skips, the song structure charges forward relentlessly, shaking off the catchy, humorous, and approachable vibe that had previously defined LIP CREAM. Naoki's noisy yet melodic guitar, Pill's wild drums, Minoru's heavy yet high-speed bass, and JhaJha's intense shouts that still allow the lyrics to be clearly heard—all these elements fuse together to create powerful tracks that have reached an unprecedented sound. Recorded at Shinjuku JAM Studio, ‘9 SHOCKS TERROR’ was composed primarily by Minoru and Naoki, with lyrics and artwork by JhaJha. JhaJha's hand-drawn jacket illustration was a parody of THE FUZZTONES' album “Cinderella”. Additionally, an English translation of the lyrics is included for this RELAPSE release, helping English-speaking listeners understand the unique world of LIP CREAM. Interestingly, the title “9 SHOCKS TERROR” was revised to “9 SHOCKING TERROR” on the 2007 CD reissue by ONI Label. This revision was made after illustrator PUSHEAD, who has a long-standing relationship with LIP CREAM, pointed out a grammar error. However, the original title has been restored out of respect for the original work for this RELAPSE reissue. Following the release of this album, LIP CREAM launched their self-managed national tour “BLOODY SUMMER TOUR,” and fans who bought the album rushed to the gig. Additionally, during a show at Doshisha University in Kansai in the autumn of the same year, torches were brought onto the stage and Jha Jha set them ablaze, causing absolute chaos (footage of this incident can be viewed in the video “LIP CREAM ONLY”).

Midnight Oils Kultalbum "Diesel and Dust" ist zurück und jetzt erstmals seit Jahren wieder auf Vinyl außerhalb Australiens erhältlich!
Neu gemastert, auf schwarzem Biovinyl und nachhaltig verpackt, bringt das Album seine kraftvolle Botschaft über soziale Gerechtigkeit und Umwelt neu zum Klingen.Ein Meilenstein der Rockgeschichte, ausgezeichnet von Rolling Stone und als bestes australisches Album gelistet.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Summer of Love, originally a Bandcamp-exclusive, Torus released it on all streaming platforms in September. The limited edition vinyl is now available for preorder. The 12'' double-sided black vinyl is packaged in a double-holed front sleeve and complemented by a custom orange inner sleeve, paying homage to the double sun motif featured on the digital cover. The A-side displays a printed tracklist in the center label area, while the B-side is marked by a unique hand-drawn, hand-cut design made by the cutter.

Spandau20 delivers its eleventh various artists release, a sonically rich and future-facing blend of broken grooves, spatial moods and modern Detroit romanticism. Four tracks, four new angles on the dancefloor. ANNA Z sets the tone with 'Kabeljau', an eclectic, IDM-flirting workout. On the opening track, elastic rhythms stretch and snap while ethereal pads drift overhead, punctured by sudden turns and glitchy surprises. Moody, weird and beautifully unpredictable. Dajusch continues with 'Fallout', diving into shimmering Detroit-inspired chords and pristine production. Clean yet full of soul, its dreamy propulsion moves with effortless optimism. It's a track that lifts heads and hearts without ever losing its club focus. Flip the record and FJAAK welcome you into a breakbeat-infused haze. 'Your Time' pairs groovy percussion and airy atmospheres with those unmistakable powerhouse vocal chops, a warehouse anthem with a gentle cosmic touch, driving yet deeply emotional. Closing the EP, Claus accelerates the pulse. 'Moist Logic' is a faster, more urgent exploration of the techno continuum. Machine funk encoded into a forward-thrusting groove, a sleek atmosphere swirling around a sharp, kinetic core. With SPANDAU20 011, the West-Berlin collective celebrates a hybrid future that is rhythmically adventurous, melodically rich and rooted in the love for the dancefloor. This record combines Berlin grit with dream-state techno, balancing rough energy and refined emotion across four cuts that leave their mark on the floor.

Faellesskab reveals their most critical and emotionally charged work to date, a deeply personal voyage into the heart of Nordic black metal, where raw emotion and melodic depth keep reveling in sorrow and longing beauty. Translating to "Community", Faellesskab's six tracks weave a strong musical oeuvre within the Afsky canon; their walls of haunting melancholia, interwoven with vital intensity, have never been more powerful. Yet, this new work also sees the band at its sharpest in social criticism, as Ole Luk of Afsky notes: Faellesskab - Overture to the Downfall. Here, community is praised like herd animals fleeing responsibility.

A parade of moral superiority, where truth is trampled in the name of consensus. Where unity means silence, and doubt is a crime. Six songs of shame disguised as care, of freedom suffocated, and of the solitary few who still dare to question. A chorus of hollow words, where silence screams the loudest. Welcome to the celebration - the curtain hasn't just risen, it's been torn away! Afsky will mark the release with a special show in Copenhagen on October 17, graced by a full European album release tour kicking off the following week. Two singles are set to be unveiled in the lead-up to the release. While Afsky continues to refine their signature sound, this release is set to be another landmark in the band's uncompromising discography.

Occupying a unique space where folk, rock, pop, country, and jazz elements intermingle, Kenny Rankin (1940-2009) - whose golden voice was once described by jazz saxophonist Stan Getz as "a horn with a heartbeat" - was a genre-blurring singer whose soulful sound defied categorization.

“Godzilla just walked into the room. People just stood there with their eyes and mouths wide open.” To hear Randy Holden describe the audience’s reaction in 1969 to his solo debut performing with a teeth-rattling phalanx of 16 (sixteen!) 200 watt Sunn amps is about as close as one will get to truly experience the moment heavy metal music morphed into existence. However, at last Riding Easy have unearthed the proper fossil record. Population II, the now legendary, extremely rare album by guitarist / vocalist Holden and drummer / keyboardist Chris Lockheed is considered to be one of the earliest examples of doom metal.

Though its original release was a very limited in number and distribution, like all great records, its impact over time has continued to grow. In 1969, Holden, fresh off his tenure with proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer (appearing on one side of the New! Improved! Blue Cheer album and touring for the better part of a year in the group), aimed for more control over his band. Thus, Randy Holden - Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present. “I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before,” Holden explains. “I was interested in discordant sounds that could be melodic but gigantically huge. I rented an Opera house for rehearsal, set up with 16 Sunn amps. That’s what I was going for, way over the top.” And over the top it is. The six-song album delves into leaden sludge, lumbering doom and epic soaring riffs that sound free from all constraints of the era. It’s incredibly heavy, but infused with a melodic, albeit mechanistic, sensibility.

Troubles with the album’s release bankrupted Holden, who subsequently left music for over two decades. It was bootlegged several times over the years, but until now hasn’t seen a proper remaster and has yet to be available on digital platforms. “The original mastering just destroyed the dynamics of it,” Holden says. “They flattened it out. Now we got a really nice remaster that should be the closest thing to the original recording.”

“Are You Lonely?” by Hipnotic is a smooth and emotive modern soul gem that oozes timeless class and subtle groove. Rich with layered
harmonies, warm keys, and a subtly striding rhythm section, the track sits comfortably among the finest in sophisticated late-night soul. Hipnotic
deliver a heartfelt vocal performance that echoes the vulnerability and depth found in the best 70s and 80s soul cuts, making this a must-have
for collectors of sweet soul and rare groove.

Hot on the heels of Luv (LuvLuv) comes a sublime new Drum Chums from midland's madlads Wrekin Havoc.
Over the years we've shared great tunes, fun times and A-grade dance floor debauchery with these permanent party people (our first encounter almost exactly like that Spiderman pointing meme) so it made more sense than we usually do to invite them aboard the V*nga bus for some Balearic-Disco edit excellence.

Things kick off with the sexy throb of 'Shine A Light', a stonewashed funk workout complete with Paisley guitars, Troutman bass grunts and some big time blue-eyed soul vocals. It's a bit like an extended and unheard collaboration between George Michael and Tears For Fears recorded immediately after a particularly heavy night at Future. Unsurprising perhaps that this one's been getting a whole lot of love from DJ Harvey.

'Mars Bar Party' grabs you by the hips from the first bar of its swaying Mediterranean house rhythm, then tugs at every single one of your heartstrings with melancholic pads and a silken vocal croon. Fuuuuuuckin' hell! Sorry, was totally bewitched by the primal power of piano house magic - it's like John Rocca was in the room for a second. Armed with an awesome arrangement and clocking in at ten massive minutes, this may be the ultimate Balearic house journey.

If all this wasn't enough to have you stocking up on 5-HTP and sinus rinse, those crafty cats close the set out with the shimmering disco euphoria of 'Leccy Meet Her'. The bottom end pulses endlessly, Cowley synths trill and a crystal clear Vox soar above, sending us far off into mirrorball orbit. If this isn't a hit at Horse Meat, we'll neck a bottle of poppers and never eat a tomato again.

Each and every track Wrekin Havoc touch is a pearler, but we're particularly chuffed with ourselves for snapping this top trio up.

100% Drum Fun Guaranteed. .

Following the acclaimed reissue of Sa Discossa earlier this year, Jo Tongo's third solo album Those Flowers returns to the spotlight.

Originally released just a year and a half after Sa Discossa, this 1982 gem came out on the small Context label and, in Tongo's own words, the two records are "like twins." Recorded with many of the same musicians, Those Flowers continues the vibrant fusion of disco-funk and reggae - this time dedicating one side to each, leaning slightly more into his Western influences.

But there's more than groove beneath the surface. Tracks like "People Need Peace" and "We Human Beings" channel his enduring themes of resistance, identity, and freedom. The synthesizer at the beginning of the song mimics the ominous drone of warplanes, and lyrics speak directly to global struggles - reminders that his music is both deeply personal and powerfully political. "I paid for these ideals in my career," Tongo reflects, alluding to the personal costs of his outspoken stance against colonialism and injustice.

Still, Those Flowers carries joy at its heart. Songs like "Ain't No Man Like A Real Friend" celebrate trust and loyalty, while the title track offers a tender ode to love and kindness - "picking flowers from the soul," as Tongo puts it. These songs reveal the inner world of a man who has always viewed music as a mirror of life.

This reissue marks the second installment in the African Edge series from The Outer Edge label. Fully restored and remastered, Those Flowers is now set to bloom again - another vital chapter in the legacy of Jo Tongo.

After years of shaping the UK underground from behind the scenes, Alex Nut steps out with his first official solo EP, serving up an intoxicating blend of Spiritual Jazz, Deep House, Dub, Hip Hop and analog electronics. The Present Under Construction EP is rooted in a deep musical language and future-facing energy, it captures a moment of creative transformation and exploration.
Built up over a few years from rough sketches made on an old MPC2000XL, the tracks were revisited, reshaped and eventually brought to life in the studio with longtime friend and collaborator Sam Crowe (Cleo Sol, Lianne La Havas). Together, they added a range of analogue sounds using the Dave Smith Prophet Rev 2, a Fender Rhodes, and a Moog Sub 37. Those recordings were then chopped, resampled, and restructured into the versions you hear on the record today. The records lead track 'andthenitstarted' features saxophonist James Mollison (Ezra Collective, Nala Sinephro) and includes remixes from Detroit House legend Patrice Scott and fellow Eglo Records alumni Last Nubian.

Best known as a DJ, broadcaster, curator and co-founder of Eglo Records, Alex has spent over a decade championing soulful underground music, through fabled Radio shows to legendary club nights, his fingerprints are all over a scene that continues to evolve. Initially making noise alongside the likes of Floating Points, Steven Julien, and Fatima, Alex Nut has long been a cornerstone of the UK's soulful underground. His work continues to champion the evolution of Jazz, Soul, House, and Broken Beat — nurturing a generation of artists now reshaping the global soundscape.

In November 2023, I played an event in Stockholm, put on by Bojan aka Boj Lucki, who runs a label called Bukva Sound, which I had done a remix for earlier that year. DJ Sofa was also on the lineup with me, as well as someone I had never heard of called Gustav Ejstes.

A lot of people I was talking to at the event and on the day were telling me about Gustav and how much of a spectacle it was that he would be DJing tonight, and explaining about a band he is a part of called Dungen (pronounced Doon-yen) which is very well known & respected in psychedelic rock.

I checked his set out and was very impressed by how confident he was with his vinyl mixing & selection, as well as some of the tracks on digital he was playing that I'd never heard before. I told him afterwards how much I enjoyed his set and he seemed quite happy about that, because he had been a long time vinyl buyer of my music & other releases on Future Retro London.

The day after, Bojan took me & DJ Sofa to meet Gustav at his home & we got to chat with him about music, see his record collection & hear some jungle/hardcore tracks that he had been making. Turns out a lot of the tracks I liked from his set that I'd not recognised were ones that he made!

I thought it'd be really cool to be able to release some of them as he's never put anything out like this & since he's a fan of the label, so I asked if he'd up for it and here we are!

Big thanks to Gustav for the wicked music, his manager Oskar for his co-operation in helping to put his release together, to Bojan for introducing me to Gustav's work & to The Tribes for doing the artwork.

Capcom and Laced Records invite you to return to a world of Reploids and cyber-elves, betrayal and Bio-Metals...

Thoughtfully sequenced with a disc covering each of the Mega Man Zero games, and a fifth covering ZX and ZX Advent, this box set will allow fans to fully ensconce themselves in the series.

ultimatemaverickx returns as sleeve artist, producing lore-faithful, vibrantly colorful panels depicting memorable story moments and highlighting major characters in iconic poses.

The Mega Man Zero/ZX soundtracks' glorious mix of urgent acid house, ambient, face-melting metal, and even soaring pop feel downright prophetic in the modern music landscape. Transported from their '00s hardware origins to your turntable come the sounds of our present, broadcast from the past - and it rips.

2025 Repress

In 2013 Voyage Direct released Tom Trago’s ‘Hidden Heart of Gold’, an expansive trip into intergalactic deep house territory that ranks as one of his most emotionally charged moments to date.

Hidden Heart Of Gold is undeniably special. A typically spacey and quietly soulful dancefloor epic that stretches out majestically over 13 spellbinding minutes. It was a highlight in many of Trago’s club sets for the best part of 12 months prior to release..

Virtual waves of ambient chords shimmer between the speakers, rising and falling as if drifting through time and space. Meanwhile, eyes-closed melodies reminiscent of classic stargazing techno and disembodied vocal samples ride a tough but unfussy machine drum rhythm and addictive bassline. There are well-timed breakdowns and a gradual, enveloping build towards a heart-breaking climax. Many listeners may feel contrasting emotions; a sense of undiluted joy while dancing, perhaps, but also the odd pang of melancholy when listening on headphones. It's that kind of record.

The tracks intergalactic, emotion-rich inspirations are explored further on the flipside Ambient Mix, a winding, beatless excursion brimming with hazy, late night beauty. Gentle and immersive, it offers a grandiose, never-ending world in which to shed your inhibitions. Shorn of the originals dancefloor paraphernalia, Tom's emotive, wide-eyed vision comes to the fore ¿ all sensual chords, far-sighted pads and gentle, outer-space melodies. Like the A-side club version, it may just take your breath away.

This is the first 7-inch vinyl release from THE BLUE HEARTS' 2016 album "30th Anniversary THE BLUE HEARTS Re-mix 're-spect'," which features collaborations
with renowned artists based on their original recordings!

10-FEET's "TRAIN-TRAIN," which replaces the instrumental parts with their own and retains some of the original vocals, is incredibly fast-paced!

The B-side features a lyricistic new interpretation of "Aozora" by Hiroshi Fujiwara.

The BLUE HEARTS tribute album, "THE BLUE HEARTS TRIBUTE HIP HOP ALBUM Owaranai Uta," originally released on May 30, 2018, is now available in limited edition clear vinyl!

Popular hip hop artists, including PUNPEE, NORIKIYO, Yakenohara, and Tagaru, have sampled the original tracks and released them as new tracks filled with
passion and respect! The packaging is designed for DJs, evoking the image of American hip hop vinyl promo discs.