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12" EP. Azmari is thrilled to announce the release of their fourth opus, 5-track EP 'In Oculis'. The EP is a reflection of the band's collective desire to reinvent themselves. With a more minimalistic approach, the four musicians have created an eclectic, intense, and vibrant body of work, recorded during various residencies in Belgium and abroad. The result is a fusion of genres that range from powerful grooves to cinematic jazz, from floating melodies to entrancing soundscapes.

For this new project, Azmari teamed up with a long-time collaborator, Guillaume Souffrice (alias Mosso Mosso), who had already been Azmari's guitarist in the band's early days. Souffrice's expertise as a music therapist and multi-instrumentalist, combined with his passion for cross-cultural rhythms and melodies, adds a new depth and dimension to the band's sound.

Souffrice's extensive travels have taken him from Iranian Kurdistan, where he studied the daf (a large frame drum used in Sufi ceremonies), to northern India, where he immersed himself in the modal subtleties of the shehnai (Indian oboe). His love for psychedelic guitar tones and the classic wha-wha pedal remains at the heart of his musical approach, creating a fusion of tradition and experimentation.

The EP opens with 'Night Plants Can Run,' a track that starts with a rhythmic loop on the Berimbau, a Brazilian percussion instrument traditionally used in Capoeira. The song offers a steady, groovy journey between Rio de Janeiro and Sarajevo, with a guitar theme doubled by the saxophone, all underpinned by a deep 4/4 groove. The middle part of the track introduces a lot of percussion (an Azmari signature move) that gives a sense of urgency and chase, inspired by the band's experience playing the track in the studio, imagining a pursuit through the depths of the Amazon.

Next, 'Disassembling the Matrix' takes listeners on a 9/4 march that feels both elusive and powerful. Born from a jam session where an arpeggiator loop wouldn't stop, the band decided to continue with it, highlighting the beauty of a spontaneous creation once again. 'Lizzard's Dream' is a guitar-driven trip that gradually intensifies in energy. The song surprises with a sudden groovy break - a moment that was initially the core of the track - before returning to its soft and introspective theme, closing out the A-side of the vinyl.

The fourth track, 'Eyelights,' was born from the shores of Vevey Lake in Switzerland. It reflects the result of a long period of mental observation and rhythmic exploration. Three different time signatures were used to create the song's intro, which comes together as they go along. The melody loops with a peaceful and nostalgic vibe, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Under the direction of Frederik Segers, who produced the EP, 'Eyelights' takes on a cinematic feel, with classical upright piano sounds that are a first for Azmari.

The EP closes with "17th Tiger Print," which takes us to the banks of the Ganges. Souffrice's shehnai leads the track into a hypnotic, hallucinatory dimension, where the interplay between his instrument and the baritone saxophone creates a textured, mystical atmosphere. This track encapsulates the essence of Azmari, a sound that bridges cultures and emotions in a minimalist yet highly effective way.

'In Oculis' marks another milestone in Azmari's musical evolution, blending the band's signature style with new influences and experimentation. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to their sound, this EP promisesto take you on another ride around the world.

In the depths of the underground, where the beat pulses through the concrete veins of the city and the soundscape echoes the soul of a movement, Infinity Plus One delivers the Reflexion EP – a raw and unapologetic nod to the gritty, underground roots of ‘90s techno and electro. Drawing inspiration from late-night warehouse parties, the machine-driven rhythms, and the futuristic sounds that emerged from the Motor City’s pioneers, Reflexion carries the essence of that golden era while pushing forward into new realms of sonic exploration. These four tracks, composed with deep grooves and dark, hypnotic sequences, offer a hard-hitting blend of electro-funk and house that will resonate with fans of both vintage and contemporary styles.

On Innocent Beginnings we find a bass-heavy, bouncy house rhythm mesh with haunting synth melodies, setting the tone for a journey through forward-looking machine soul. Next we have Dusk And Darkness which layers a breakbeat on an 808 electro groove to form a darker, ravey feel where all the emphasis is placed on the rolling beats and bassline. Flipping over we have Stand For Love which takes us on a deep house journey, showing a more sensitive and heartfelt side of the Infinity Plus One sound. Closing out this heavyweight four tracker you’ll find Ubiquity with its deep, atmospheric mood built around a snaking bassline whilst big synth stabs add an intensity to this club-ready groove.

Each track here is a manifesto, a declaration of sonic freedom, engineered for the DJs who understand the pulse of the underground. This is the music you feel in your chest, not just hear in your ears.

Bristol beat miners The Allergies are back in business with this serious soul stomper of a single.
The boys rework insanely rare wax finds from the deepest Philly funk crates. Bolting on high octane drum breaks, re-sampled vinyl vocals, and live booty-shaking bass.
'Bye Bye Baby' is built for those that like to let loose to uptempo vintage sounds, brought back to life with that modern twist.
This limited 7" single also features 'Heartbreaker' on the B-side – One of The Allergies most requested (and long out of print) 45s. Alright!

In case you didn't know, Reliance is yet another label from man like Burnksi, the UK powerhouse who is almost single-handedly spearheading a sound that fuses garage, house and tech into something irresistible for the club. He invites Job de Jong to step up for the label's second outing and 'Dub House' is a great opener with just the right amount of bounce, melody and heart. Kepler remixes it into a percussive stomper with siren stabs and dusty perc. 'Emergency' is a trippy melodic workout that bends space and time and 'Don't Wanna Stop, Dub Stop' chucks a killer vocal into the mix over sleazy drums and garage drums that are always going to get big reactions.

To celebrate the label's 10th & 11th release, Soul Quest Records have curated a family type affair that sees faces both new and old for the label. An encapsulation of the sound that the label has been pushing since its inception back in 2023, the VA contains a wide reaching spread of house orientated cuts that showcases the labels musical personality and depth - and is reflective of the supreme talents behind the music.
The A side opens proceedings with three emotive house numbers, with label co-founder Max Sinàl and King Crowney’s track ‘Intentions’ landing first. A smooth, soul-laden progression, with subtly placed muted trumpet throughout. From the ethereal vocal lines of Liv East through to the gentle breeze of thechords, this one is Soul Quest to its core. Co-founder SIxm Sol lands next with ’NYBB’, a percussive groover that once again demonstrates a deft level of subtle interplay within the melodic layers. Dreamy vocal lines hit all the right notes alongside a blend of atmospheric pads and tinkling jazzy notes. Wrapping up the A side, Hitch 93 presents ‘Uno, Dos, Tres, Four’, which features an ear worm of a chord progression weaves its way around a rock solid percussive foundation, as the vocals chime out through the middle that helps craft a deeply hypnotic atmosphere.
The B Side opens up with Rob Redford and his track ‘Garden Party’. This track focuses around an inspired ‘everybody loves the sunshine’ sample, and exudes big level, blue sky energy, with hands in the air feels throughout as the dance shifts with smiles all round.

Two prime house steppers land next, with ‘The Blues Kitchen’ by Soul Groove presenting a top quality drum pattern that entices whilst the vocal lines and engrossing melodic section wrapping the dance around its little finger; and finally, ‘Edith’ by Flying Moth may be short but its ever so sweet - skipping stepped grooves interlaced with a bass line that thuds to the rhythms of the heart, whilst the melodies atop stir the emotions ever so delicately.

Trambeat are an original soul band from Croydon, South London, formed in 2012 by songwriting duo guitarist Graham Potter and drummer Des James. The two played together in various bands over the years, eventually bringing together like-minded musicians from the Croydon music scene to form Trambeat. The name "Trambeat" derives from the where the band call home, with all band members living along the tram line that runs through the heart of Croydon. Initially the band operated as a loose collective, recording music and self-releasing it online and on CD. But following the 2013 release of their debut vinyl single, "Walk a Mile In My Shoes", and debut album "Tales From the Comprehensives" on Berlin labels Firestation Records and Sundae Soul Records, things began to move fast. With regular airplay by Gary Crowley on Radio London, offers of gigs began to roll in and they quickly morphed into a tight and exciting live band. Trambeat have supported the likes of Ranking Roger's The Beat, Geno Washington, The Four Aces (Desmond Dekker), Shakatak, The Flatmates and The Popguns and have featured at festivals right across the UK and Germany. Trambeat's debut release with LRK Records in 2023, the uptempo funk/soul crossover song "Don't Hold Back", proved popular at both Northern Soul and Funk clubs and was championed by "Northern Soul Girl" Levanna McLean who released a widely viewed clip dancing to the record. Indeed it became a staple at her very own Bristol Northern Soul Club and Funk Addict nights. The new single, "All Killer, No Filler", builds around a sultry, strutting bass riff bolstered by jazzy horns and a funky Nile Rogers influenced guitar. Vocalist Aimee lays down her manifesto for love without compromise, before building to an anthemic chorus you can't help singing along to.

THE CHESTNUT BROTHERS

IZIPHO SOUL is thrilled to announce that the soulful gospel anthem TRAVELIN’ ON is coming your way on a 7” single - for the first time!

There are not enough superlatives to describe this transcendent piece of music - it’s significance within the U.K. modern soul scene should not be overlooked; cited by many as the track they want played at their funeral - a morbid request? Certainly not, more like a song that has resonated in hearts and minds, seen as a celebration and empowerment of travelin’ to a better place

Presented on vinyl are both the radio edit and LP version, which is cut at 33RPM for a full six and a half minutes of heavenly bliss.

Combines Northern Soul, Psychedelia, 90s Indie Rock and an orchestral soundtrack feel into a homogenous, convincing work that looks promising and feels damn good in a not so rosy time.

The fourth album by the Frank Popp Ensemble, will be released on Unique Records. Written. recorded and produced in Spain in 2024. As with the predecessor ,Shifting", various guest singers can be heard on the lI brand new tracks.

Gerry Love, once the lead singer of the legendary Teenage Fanclub, who, according to Popp, wrote and sang almost al of the Glasgow cult band's favorite songs. lends his captivating voice to an orchestral, soulful version of "Save", a rather unknown but brilliant piece that Love wrote for the Scots in 2004. Gerard Love already contributed a cover of Frank Popp's "The World Is Waiting" to the "Under Covers" compilation and has now done another wonderful job on Waves.
Another hero from Popp's record collection is Nicke Andersson. Formerly a drummer with the death &rollers Entombed. then singer of the incomparable Hellacopters and mastermind behind other top bands such as The Solution, Imperial State Electric, Lucifer, etc., can be heard on "Caught In AWeb". A Northern Soul stomper in classic "Magic Touch" mania.
Emma Noble, an up-and-coming soul singer from London sings on the girl-groupish soul anthem "Unstoppable". The second single from the album has what it takes to be the next UK floor filler and was already played and praised on Craig Charles' Soul Show on BBC a t the end of 2024.
An absolutely exceptional artist is J Mahon, who can be heard on 5 tracks on the album and contributed significantly to the album. His sweet voice works on his songs as well as on "Going Going Gone", which is the first single release and is reminiscent of certain young Motown artists in the early 70s with its catchy brass hooks and j's androgynous soul vocals.
Audrey Ollesen from Cologne, an old buddy from the Rhineland mod scene, joined by chance after Popp became aware of her singing skills through private recordings. On "Common Stranger" Audrey can be heard on a recording for the first time.
On "Waves" Frank Popp combines Northern Soul, Psychedelia, 90s Indie Rock and an orchestral soundtrack feel into a homogenous, convincing work that looks promising and feels damn good in a not so rosy time. We are all excited...






f Heartbreak (In A Really Good Way) [feat. J Mahon]






[f] Heartbreak (In A Really Good Way) [feat. J Mahon]

The Crippled Flower was a post-punk band from Düsseldorf - and they arrived late. However, unlike many young, unsuspecting, hairsprayed hopefuls from that time, in 1985 they could sense that the end of their era was approaching. They knew too much to want to take the world by storm. They were four individualists searching their own way. Each of the band members only found their calling after the time that they had spent together – but that's exactly what makes The Crippled Flower still seem really interesting today, this static energy that does not discharge, but is simply there.

Searching dreamers should sound like that and that's what they were. Singer Phil Elston, for example, had brought his love of Kraftwerk from England to Düsseldorf. Even his bandmates found this strange, but they were also entangled in their own longings. This is because the times were still so crazy and these searchers were "on fire". A fire that glows in the band's recordings.

Listening to the songs today, The Crippled Flower sound like they are hugely at the height of their game; think of Wire, Felt, Scritti Politti or Minimal Compact. The variety of musical themes, as well as different soundscapes, which the band created can only be listened to in amazement. Often, it is only Phil Elston's Sprechgesang that confirms that this is really the same band. However, it was back in 1985 when, importantly, the catalyst that brought the musicians together - the short lived eclectic record store "Heartbeat" in Düsseldorf Bilk - occured. It was there where post-industrial and pop, melodic minimal music and sound attacks awaited those who wanted to discover music by artists and bands they did not yet know.

Cassette releases. All recorded on 4-Track. The Crippled Flower succeeded in this medium. Firstly, with a cassette just entited The Crippled Flower, working from project-like studio recorded sketches. Four more tracks from the short-lived band appeared in 1986 on "A Heartbeat Rendezvous“. A demo tape submitted to Les Disques du Crépuscule, however, did not lead to a worldwide career and so, unfortunately, it was soon over.

Stefan Krausen moved on to the follow-up project Deux Baleines Blanches with Stefan Schneider, which, in 1994, gave rise to the band Kreidler. Krausen was already drumming with the I-Burnettes on AtaTak and much later he studied painting in Munich. Nina Ahlers moved from Düsseldorf to Paris to study art, because in the 80s it was still the case that Paris was the destination of choice for those really wanting to become an artist – and that's what she did. Her work is characterized by a non-academic minimalism focusing on everyday objects. Stefan Schneider remained connected to music. Only Phil Elston, who helped sabotage fox hunts in England and wrote these observant lyrics about environmental destruction and time travel, seems to have escaped the social-media world. Whether he found Kraftwerk-fulfilment in Düsseldorf or moved on disillusioned remains a mystery to us. And somehow this also fits in with that peculiar, special band. - Oliver Tepel, Köln 2025 (Translation by Philipp Elston)

Mit 'Ten Crowns' schlägt Andy Bell (Erasure) ein neues Kapitel auf - kraftvoll, verspielt und zutiefst persönlich. Das Soloalbum umfasst zehn brandneue Songs, in denen Bell seine Liebe zu tanzbarem, emotionalem Pop voll auslebt. Gospel-Vibes treffen auf Dancefloor-Glitzer, mitreißende Hooks auf feinfühlige Melodien - eine berauschende Mischung, die sich gleichzeitig frisch und vertraut anfühlt.

Produziert vom Grammy-prämierten DJ, Remixer und Produzenten Dave Audé (u. a. Beyoncé, Lady Gaga), entfaltet 'Ten Crowns' eine strahlende Klangwelt, die Andy Bells Stimme in all ihrer emotionalen Bandbreite glänzen lässt. Audé war dabei nicht nur für den Sound verantwortlich, sondern auch als Co-Autor tief in den kreativen Prozess eingebunden.

Ein besonderes Highlight: Die Kollaboration mit Andy Bells langjährigem Idol Debbie Harry - ein generationsübergreifendes Pop-Treffen mit Gänsehautmomenten.

Andy Bell ist seit Jahrzehnten eine der markantesten Stimmen des internationalen Pop. Mit Erasure, einem der erfolgreichsten und einflussreichsten Synthpop-Duos aller Zeiten, hat er Musikgeschichte geschrieben. Über 25 Alben, unzählige Hits wie 'A Little Respect', 'Always' oder 'Love To Hate You' - und ein 40-jähriges Bandjubiläum, das 2026 gefeiert wird. Mit 'Ten Crowns' beweist Bell nun erneut, dass große Popmusik keine Frage des Alters, sondern der Haltung ist.

Heated compilation of 81-1990 rarities.

"Club Méduse’s Charles Bals joins forces with Norman Gervais of Bayetë fame to deliver a 10-track melange of languorous seaside serenades and beach-kissed AOR slow burners/bangers.

Each song evokes wave glimmer and synthetic textures on this first drop by Beirut-via-Saint Tropez label Pocket of Light, one for the listener that’s crossed the last frontier of the registry and needs just a little more.

Is it the Baleares or the Caribbean? Is it hopeful anguish or mature happiness? And with captains like this, does it matter at all…?”

"A powder keg of bangers primed to shake the rat race to its core" - The Guardian Australia (Best of 2023) "Simultaneously chaotic and precise, no matter whether the palette is fierce rap, punk energy or slinking beats." - Rolling Stone Australia (Best of 2023) London/Melbourne rap duo Teether & Kuya Neil release their long-awaited debut album YEARN IV. YEARN IV captures the brooding and vivid world of two musical outsiders. Raised by the internet, the pair find their voice amid a sea of clashing cultural experiences and sonic histories, finding solace in the isolation of contemporary urban Australia. Recorded in Melbourne and completed in London, the album captures the duo's hyper local yet globally influenced rap sound at its core. Kuya Neil's drum heavy production collides with Teether's surreal and immersive storytelling, blending thrash metal and club music aesthetics with the echoes of the early internet. Lead single `ZOO' plays with the silent throes of cultural diversity over a paranoid trap instrumental, 'BLUSH' is a blissed out digital love letter wuth shimmering autotuned hooks and rave inspired breaks. `CHANEL' (featuring Indigenous Australian songwriter Alice Skye) is a guitar driven lament for Australia's myopic cultural landscape, fading out with "I'll never reach my full potential here". Teether & Kuya Neil released their first mixtape GLYPH via Chapter in 2021, receiving airplay from NTS, Dublab and Australian radio, plus writeups via Brooklyn Vegan and NME. Four tracks from `GLYPH' were featured in the iconic Australian Netflix series 'Heartbreak High' the following year. 2023 mixtape STRESSOR charted in the Australian Independent Top 10 and made it into end of year best of lists for The Guardian, Rolling Stone and NME Australia. The mixtape was nominated for Best Hip Hop Album at the 2024 Australian Independent Music Awards and named Album of the Week by 3RRR and fBI Radio. Teether & Kuya Neil have performed around Australia and New Zealand. They have played alongside international peers MC Yallah & Debmaster and They Hate Change as well as supported veteran alt-rap outfit Shabazz Palaces and Chicago Footwork pioneer RP Boo. As a solo artist, Teether has collaborated with New York rapper Billy Woods and toured with his outfit Armand Hammer in Australia in 2022. In 2024, he opened for the legendary Kim Gordon. Kuya Neil is an active producer in underground dance music, releasing tracks on UK labels Chinabot and Moveltraxx and has toured South East Asia as a DJ and promoter.

Wallis is back with a very heartfelt EP. Her goodbyes to the city she called home for the better part of the last decade. Many people move to Berlin, many people get stuck there and wonder where the time went. This EP talks about the unhealthy relationship she had with the city. It's about being stuck somewhere you no longer want to be but somehow cannot leave. The music is stripped down to its bare elements with moody vocals, unique drums patterns and intertwined baseline and melodies that somehow feel familiar. It's melancholic. It feels grey. Sad yet hopeful. Berlin. But tomorrow is another day.

traverse is proud to announce the release of its first record - a compilation of six tracks from various artists, inspired by Pembroke King’s poem moving silhouettes, written for this occasion.

As the fourth volume of the compilation series “traversée”, moving silhouettes encourages artists to explore all corners of listening music and creative avenues that aren’t tied to any one convention.

Pembroke King’s poem sheds light on the mood of the compilation, and even though each artist brings its own interpretation of it, there is a beautiful harmony of it all - from Kate Miller’s atmospheric sounds to Teqmun’s drums-made-of-rain-drop-recordings or Ghjuliú’s nostalgic melodies, the listener travels around Pembroke’s words with each track.

As our first physical release, we feel honoured to collaborate with artists who have been involved in a way or another on traverse before such as Officium, Mika Oki and Alohn, but Kate Miller, Teqmun, and Ghjuliú, that we’ve been keeping close to our heart for a long time already.

Credits:
artwork: Gabriel Sauvageot
tracks produced and mixed by (in order of appearance): Alexis Tytelman, Tijmen Blokzijl, Alban Mercier and Yolek, Kate Miller, Ghjuliú, Mika Oki
mastered & cut: Marco Pellegrini at Analogcut
digital master: Umvral
distribution: Kuroneko

Basing himself off the works of Cuban guitarist-composers José Angel Navarro and Hector Angulo, Italian guitarist Walter Zanetti intimately recreates sacred Afro-Cuban batá drum songs on guitar. Santería draws heavily on music for its ceremonies. This Afro-Cuban syncretic religion, sometimes called La Regla de Ocha, saw the Orisha deities of the West African Yoruba peoples codified with Catholic saints. Yoruba practitioners, brought by force to the West, continued to worship their gods under the nose of those who sought to dehumanize them by adopting their spiritual language. The chants that became Santería’s prayers were often accompanied by the beat of the batá drum. This heartbeat runs through every invocation, through every sacred song. In the same way that the shuffling chains on the feet of enslaved African peoples dancing defiantly in Colombia birthed the distinctive rhythm of cumbia, syncretism has been present in music as much as it has in religion. It has always been about challenging the odds, about creation, creativity, and heart.

Emerged from the heart of Japan’s underground scene, SCHEDARS is an incredible five piece band with an explosive sound rooted in the Post-Punk-No-Wave aesthetic. Previously self-released and now reissued on a world-wide scale, this is their first full album. A hyper-active blend of sharp singing, psychotic guitars and organs, snaky saxes, infectious bass lines and nervous drums beats.

Fans of bands like D.N.A, The Contortions, Phew or early The Ex will find themselves enthralled by SCHEDARS’ uncompromising, high-intensity approach. With this first full-length release now reaching a global audience, SCHEDARS is set to carve out a space in the international post-punk landscape, proving that the underground still has plenty of room for raw, visceral, and boundary-pushing sounds.Get ready to experience schedars—where controlled chaos meets razor-sharp musical precision.

 HOME?' is a heartfelt tribute to what Wretch 32 calls home, exploring the complexities, questions, and deep connections that come with it. The artwork, shot at the heart of his origins the very Tiverton estate where it all began - paints a rich tapestry of the inspiration taken from his Caribbean roots and the Windrush Scandal, encapsulating a raw slice of the Black British experience. Centering on belonging, place and identity as well as themes of love, life and loss, the album features words from his father and uncle who became community activists after the Tottenham Riots.

Zoe Heselton is a British-born poet and musician based in Strasbourg, France. Alone with her Telecaster guitar, she channels her multiple and influences into flamenco-folk-blues fingerpicking techniques, carrying her voice into the strings as she spits out rhymes about change and desire. For this first album, she gathered her beloved and talented friendships around her to sing from places of tenderness and anger, balancing melodies with the band's arrangements and dissonance. Since her songs are stories, spells, poems and prayers, there additional personalities give a crafted power to regenerate from the limbs, surrounded by caretaking souls and generous love-spreading hearts. These musical gems are sea-shanties for sadness, litanies for survival, spoken word bangers for dancing our way through the darkness.

Nothing is lost on Cash Langdon. It’s something you can hear in the observational lyrics of his last record, 2022’s Sinister Feeling; but on its follow-up, Dogs, you can also hear it in the camaraderie he cultivates playing live with his band Meadow Dust, a sonic energy that gives off the heat of his native Birmingham. The trio’s fuzzy take on heavy country rock has a worn-in no-fussiness that recalls Neil Young & Crazy
Horse – nothing overthought, nothing understated. And like Young, Langdon’s voice is simultaneously earnest and world-weary – but there’s a sense of humor, too, and a resignation to keeping on (“Dogs,” “Magic Again”). Recorded at Portside Studios (the former location of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound) in just two days, engineer Brad Timko (Dan Sartain, St. Paul and The Broken Bones) captured Langdon and Meadow Dust at their fiercest yet. The title track “Dogs” and side B heater “Dead Dogs” both take inspiration from the wild dogs Langdon encountered in his neighborhood at the time of writing the record, where he wondered about the sick twist of fate that renders one dog a pet and another a threat. Across songs, he examines how oppressive cycles overlap, intersecting the personal and the societal at all times. The heavy yet melodic “Lilac Whiskey Noise” is the heartbeat of the record, written following an active shooter event that Langdon witnessed at work in 2016. It’s an indictment – not of the perpetrator – but of the systems of power that enable such an act. It’s a microcosm for all of the themes on the album, too: the ongoing violence of simply being awake to the world around you, and the resolve to stay awake anyway.
On the crunchy album-closer “Nothing’s Good Anymore,” Langdon sings about overhearing someone say just that – and you can tell he’s tempted to agree. He’s going to find what kernel of beauty he can. Dogs is a sonic map for finding that beauty in just about anything.

Rotes Vinyl. Vier Jahre nach "Golden Staples" erscheint das dritte Album der Franzosen, diesmal als Kooperation von Kicking Records (F), Kidnap Music und Rookie Records. "Staring at the Sun" ist eine Ode an die Melodien des New Wave, eine Hommage an The Cure und Killing Joke, der Eckpfeiler einer Band, die mit halsbrecherischer Geschwindigkeit auf dem Highway der Unberechenbarkeit fährt. "Like Gods We Feast" oder "Secrets" fassen den fantastischen Wechsel der Gangwechsel: Hinzufügen von Loops und Synthesizern, Beharrlichkeit einer unverwüstlichen Bass/Schlagzeug-Kombination, eine Fülle kristalliner und kraftvoller Gitarren, eine Menge eindringlicher Vocals. Diese Jungs wissen, wie man gute Songs schreibt, das ist eine Tatsache. Und sie wissen auch, wie man sie zu spielen hat. Aber vor allem wissen sie, wie man ihnen eine Seele gibt, indem sie die Kraft der Klänge mit der Unmittelbarkeit von raffinierten Texten versehen. Die Texte mit klaren und kraftvollen Bildern, die sich mit radikalen Themen wie Scheitern, Einsamkeit, Isolation oder Geisteskrankheit befassen. Ein Alltag, der alles andere als einfach ist, mit einer Botschaft der Hoffnung. Wenn man Ed Scientist fragt, ob dieses Album die perfekte Mischung aus den ersten beiden Alben sein könnte, teilt der Gitarrist/Sänger diesen Standpunkt nicht: "Das würde ich nicht sagen. Ich betrachte Staring at the Sun als eine echte Weiterentwicklung unseres Stils. Mit der Hilfe von (Produzent) Santi, der eine echte Meisterleistung vollbracht hat, haben wir Dinge gewagt, die wir nie zuvor ausprobiert haben".