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After a health-induced hiatus, Popa Chubby, the legendary blues-rock guitarist, roars back with "I Love Freddie King," a heartfelt tribute album to the late great Texas Cannonball himself. Produced by Popa Chubby and Gulf Coast Records' executive producer Mike Zito, this 11-track masterpiece was recorded at G.B.'s Juke Joint and features contributions from an all-star roster of modern guitar heroes: Joe Bonamassa, Mike Zito, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Eric Gales, Albert Castiglia, Arthur Neilson, and V.D. King. Reflecting on the album, Popa Chubby calls Freddie King his lifelong muse, whose music "changed my soul forever." The album brings King's legacy roaring back to life, spanning his early instrumental hits, Shelter Records era, and more. With a core band of Mike Merritt (bass), Andrei Koribanics III (drums), and Mike DiMeo (keyboards), this record captures the sweat, soul, and unrelenting energy of Freddie King. Tracks like "I'm Going Down" (ft. Joe Bonamassa) and "Big Legged Woman" (ft. Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram) explode with fiery guitar work and passionate vocals. Other standouts include "She's A Burglar" (ft. Mike Zito) and "Hideaway" (ft. Arthur Neilson). Each collaboration brings something special to the table, making this album a must-listen for blues fans and guitar lovers alike. Despite battling a rare spinal disorder during production, Popa Chubby pressed on to create what he calls "a journey of love and homage." His raw determination, combined with the extraordinary talent of his guest musicians, resulted in a fitting tribute to Freddie King--the bridge between blues and rock, who forever altered the genre's course. The Texas Cannonball's legacy brought to life, grab your copy of "I Love Freddie King" today and let the blues thunder on!

Following the success of their Mercury-nominated debut album, Vehicles & Animals, Athlete reached new heights with Tourist, featuring the massive hit singles "Wires" and "Half Light". The album was both a critical and commercial triumph, climbing charts around the world and earning a #1 spot on the UK album chart. An evocative blend of atmospheric melodies and heartfelt lyricism, Tourist is rich in emotional depth and sonic grandeur. With its lush instrumentation, anthemic choruses, and tender moments of introspection, Tourist captures Athlete at their most expansive and vulnerable. A 2LP vinyl version is also available. Long out of print on vinyl (and now highly collectable), this special edition celebrates the album's 20th anniversary with new remastering by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering. Pressed on 140g black vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves and an obi strip

Following the success of their Mercury-nominated debut album, Vehicles & Animals, Athlete reached new heights with Tourist, featuring the massive hit singles "Wires" and "Half Light". The album was both a critical and commercial triumph, climbing charts around the world and earning a #1 spot on the UK album chart. An evocative blend of atmospheric melodies and heartfelt lyricism, Tourist is rich in emotional depth and sonic grandeur. With its lush instrumentation, anthemic choruses, and tender moments of introspection, Tourist captures Athlete at their most expansive and vulnerable. A 2LP vinyl version is also available. Long out of print on vinyl (and now highly collectable), this special edition celebrates the album's 20th anniversary with new remastering by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering. Pressed on 140g black vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves and an obi strip

“I saw a literal manifestation of the sacred feminine, and had this profound sense that I was meant to embody it,” recalls celebrated singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou after journeying through a hallucinogenic ritual that would inform the way she processed waves of grief in the sea of change ahead of her. The loss of her grandmother, the end of her marriage, and the overwhelming turmoil of the last few years found the Nashville-based artist on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and healing with this gift from the mystic swirl. On her new album Queen of Time (due September 29th from Kill Rock Stars), Lou explores that quest across ten tracks of tender, heartbreakingly beautiful music. Featuring a gamut of guests including GRAMMY® Award-winners Billy Strings and Jerry Douglas, Queen of Time celebrates love and loss, but above all, the art of living as an unattainably—a vibrant, powerful woman who can share herself with the world, and yet define a mighty sense of inner self as well.

Gyasi is a glam-rock triumph. – ROLLING STONE. This album is fu**ing BRILLIANT! – GOLDMINE. A party-hearty pretty boy who can rock as hard as you need him to. – CLASSIC ROCK. Groove and fizz with all the melodic energy of the ‘70s great. – SHINDIG! Born in the wilderness of a West Virginia holler and now making his mark in Nashville, Gyasi (yes, that's his actual name) is a dazzling singer, guitarist, and songwriter who is breathing fresh life into rock n' roll through his exciting blend of glitter and glam.

Dedicated to the power of pop music, Sobs are Singapore’s premier indiepop propagandists. After releasing a breakout bedroom pop EP Catflap and a dream-jangle LP Telltale Signs that brought international embrace, Sobs now assemble a front-to-back indiepop behemoth – Air Guitar – after a much anticipated three-year wait.

A thirty-minute trip for the post-Internet consumer, Air Guitar calibrates inventive pop hooks for the indie rock lover, instantly accessible yet intricately arranged. The album draws a line through the history of pop stylistics from 80s new wave ("Last Resort") and 90s power-pop ("Burn Book") to 00s sk8er punk and radio pop ("Air Guitar"). Further informed by the cosmopolitan, culturally astute ethos of PC Music – Sobs connects the uptempo of Shibuya’s Advantage Lucy ("Lucked Out"), heart-on-sleeve indie rock of Bettie Serveert and Big Star ("World Implode"), with the eclecticism of New York’s Darla Records ("Friday Night") to define the pulse of indiepop then and now.

Sunset edition - 300 copies

Driving is Sam Wilkes’ Indie Rock record. Iit is the first release on Wilkes Records, an imprint borne of the artist’s emergent need to self-release. The songs presented here exist comfortably within the ever-expanding Wilkesian cosmos, characterized as they are by virtuosity, torqued experimentalism, and collaboration with a range of talented musicians. But Driving’s influences, its sincerity, and its allegiance to a certain pop sensibility reflects a departure for an artist who has primarily staked his claim within the experimental jazz idiom.

Take the first track, “Folk Home,” which inaugurates the album’s fecundity—a bright, green, humid, summer feel. A swirling, freakout coda of reversed vocals gives way, in no short order, to a caterwaul of flute work that conjures Van Morrison’s (in)famous Astral Weeks sessions. Standing beside Morrison, the usual suspects are all present, if somewhat abstractedly. Dylan, The Dead, Joni, the Fab Four. Wilkes has developed a reputation as an experimental jazz luminary, but his deep affinity for the pop/rock/folk idiom of the latter twentieth century rings clear throughout Driving. More so than any Wilkes release to date, Driving is a collection guided by and dedicated to the man’s attention to songcraft.

Written and recorded during a period of rain-damage induced renter’s itinerance (and the attendant desire to produce a kind of therapeutic, self-soothing, home-feeling music), Driving loosely charts the trajectory/experience of “a protagonist,” both Wilkes and not, “who has figured out how to live an enlightened and fulfilled life, but is unable to do so because he thinks about it too much.” This friction is surely relatable — a symptom of our compulsively self-aware present. But Wilkes avoids the obvious pitfalls of public hand-wringing. Rather, Driving’s nine tracks evince a genuine, and mature searching-ness, both sonically and lyrically. The ending refrain of “Own” serves like something close to a thesis— “Letting go // isn’t a concept // it’s an action.” In an attempt to beat back ego, hyper-cogitation, language itself, Wilkes arrives at an axiom that feels so true and familiar, you’d swear you’d heard it one hundred times before.

Driving’s final third is, fittingly, its most emotive and cathartic. Tracks seven and eight, “Again, Again” and “And Again,” form a diptych, joined most obviously by the jangling, recursive grooves of guitarist Daryl Johns. Wilkes is said to have encouraged Johns to go “full Lindsey Buckingham” (clearly a welcome and resonant prompt), but one also catches stray Knopfler vibes, some intermittent Fripp, and (perhaps more-so in tone than technique) the spirit of DIY prophet and jangling man himself, Martin Newell (the Cleaners from Venus). Wilkes has stated that he finds joy in creating musical environments suitable to the contribution and flourishing of his favorite musicians. Throughout Driving, and in these two tracks especially, he has more than succeeded.

The record closes with the titular track: a story-song that, according to Wilkes, poured out of him (melody, composition, and lyrics) in a single sitting. The tale is told plainly, bravely, starkly; a mistake was made, regrets have been had, and all is wrapped up in the recollection of a deeply felt adolescent heartsickness—a time when the narrator was first afire with music and automotive freedom. The song captures the moment when meaning inexplicably falls into place, when a long-nagging memory suddenly assumes narrative form, and the subsequent sense of lightness and unburdening. It is fitting that Driving, a record conceived as a form of self-therapy, should culminate with a sense of humble revelation. That Wilkes is plainly eager to share the vulnerable fruits of this labor constitutes Driving’s joyful offering.

Words by Emmett Shoemaker

After a year-long creative process fueled by collective composition and live jam sessions, Gin Tonic Orchestra returns with "Let The Children House" on Floors Records. The EP is a testament to their ever-evolving sound, deeply rooted in live improvisation and the spirit of club music.

Recorded in the heart of the Alps at "Maison des Artistes" in Chamonix, the band surrounded themselves with legendary analog synthesizers—ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey, Clavinet D6, Fender Rhodes MKII, Jupiter 4, Jupiter 8, JX-8P, Korg M1, Moog Subsequent 37, OB-X, Oberheim SEM, Roland MV8000, Wurlitzer—to sculpt a sound pulsating with the hypnotic grooves, euphoric synths, and raw underground spirit of '90s house music. Each track was shaped with care, influenced by the group's diverse influences and their shared vision of an immersive dancefloor experience, embracing the hypnotic trance of repetitive music that blurs the line between consciousness and surrender.

Much like children lost in play, Gin Tonic Orchestra embraced chaos, letting their creativity flow freely, drawing inspiration from their mentors, and the stories passed down through club culture. The result is an EP that not only embodies their musical identity but also carries a bold statement: "Let The Children House" is a call to let artists create without constraints, a message of artistic freedom in an industry often driven by formulas.

With a background that includes a debut EP on Mother Tongue, a standout performance at Nuits Sonores ranked in Resident Advisor's Top 5, and collaborations with UK jazz-funk legend Kaidi Tatham, deep house master Ron Trent, and the H2H project led by Chez Damier & Ben Vedren, Gin Tonic Orchestra continues to push boundaries between live music and electronic culture. Their new release is both a tribute to the past and a step into the future—a journey where house music is not just played, but lived

Whipped up in the dust of Rene & Rene’s Tejano tornado “Angelito,” the Dynamic label was just one among San Antonio record and real estate mogul Abe Epstein’s enterprises. Dynamic’s flagship outfit, the Commands, marched “No Time For You” up to the middle of the charts in 1966 with performance chops honed jet-sharp by the demanding Air Force Base circuit. That take off paved a runway for 20 more soulful Dynamic singles over an impressive 30-month campaign. Epstein’s open-door policy brought a diverse cross-section of Texas talent into convergence within his General McMullan Drive studio, as whites, blacks, and Latinos alike suited up for service in whichever new group the call of duty called for. Epstein’s Alamo City melting pot is ladled out here in 21 (28 on the 2LP) of Dynamic’s most intriguing dishes by the Tonettes, Little Jr. Jesse & the Tear Drops, Don & the Doves, Willie Cooper & the Webs, Bobby Blackmon & His Soul Express, and Doc & Sal. Lone Star pic sleeves, full-color dancehall photography, and rich ephemera plant a new flag for soul in soil that’s seen its share of hoisted banners.

The Quireboys trafen 2022 auf ein kleines Orchester! Ein Abend, an dem klassischer Rock auf klassische Musik unter dem Dach des legendären O2 Forum Kentish Town traf. Bei diesem Meilenstein in der Geschichte der Quireboys wurde die Band von einem Streichquartett und einem Bläsertrio begleitet, die dem bewährten Sound der Gruppe eine neue Dimension verliehen. Gemeinsam interpretierte das erweiterte Ensemble der Quireboys Stücke aus dem umfangreichen Backkatalog der Band neu. Ein ziemlich einzigartiger Abend. Zum Glück haben The Quireboys die Erinnerung an dieses einzigartige Live-Erlebnis in ihrem neuen Konzertalbum mit dem Titel ,Orchestral Quireboys Live" festgehalten. Auf dem Album mit sechzehn Titeln spielt die fünfköpfige Band live Fan-Favoriten wie ,There She Goes Again", ,I Don't Love You Anymore" und ,7 O'Clock", aber auch versteckte Perlen aus dem Repertoire der Gruppe. Jeder der dargebotenen Songs wurde dank der Streicher und Bläser zu neuem Leben erweckt. Orchestral Quireboys Live funktioniert. 10-Song-Vinyl-LP & 14-Song-CD mit 16-Song DVD!

• Earliest known full concert recording of Buck and his Buckaroos!
• Mastered from the original tape by Grammy®-winning engineer Michael Graves.
• Extensive liner note from co-producer Scott B. Bomar.
• First pressing on Strawberry Jam-colored vinyl.

Buck Owens and his Buckaroos were a phenomenon when they burst onto the scene in the early 1960s. in 1963–1964, they had five #1 Country hits including “Act Naturally,” “Love’s Gonna Live Here,” “I Don’t Care (Just As Long As You Love Me),” and “My Heart Skips A Beat.”

Their live Carnegie Hall Concert release hit #1 in 1966, but how exciting they were onstage before that was largely unheard. Unless you were there. Until now. The Exciting Sounds Of Buck Owens And His Buckaroos Live From Richmond, Virginia, 1964 is the recently discovered, earliest full-concert recording of The Buckaroos onstage. The band, performing the aforementioned #1 hits and more, shows how their presence and performance in front of a live audience cemented their status as one of the greatest acts of all time—in person and on record.

Painstakingly restored and mastered by multiple Grammy-winning engineer Michael Graves, The Exciting Sounds Of Buck Owens And His Buckaroos Live From Richmond, Virginia, 1964 shows a band ready to take over the world. (Even showing appreciation to their new labelmates, The Beatles, with a cover of “Twist And Shout.”) With a first pressing on strawberry jam colored vinyl, The Exciting Sounds Of Buck Owens And His Buckaroos Live From Richmond, Virginia, 1964 looks and sounds like it could and should have appeared in 1964, but with 21st century style and technology.

So, head to Richmond and hear Buck Owens And His Buckaroos firing on all cylinders. It may have happened over six decades ago, but it sounds as vital and important to music history now as ever.

US indie-pop darling Chloe Moriondo announces new album oyster, out March 28th

Assembled with a close-knit team of cowriters and producers including Jonah Summerfield (Holly Humberstone, Tommy Lefroy), Chloe Kraemer (The Japanese House), AfterHrs, and more, oyster finds Moriondo pulling from all her musical palettes, delving into the depths of heartbreak and cataloguing the process of surfacing braver, wiser, and ready to dive back in. oyster is available for preorder now

Hailed as “one of indie pop’s brightest stars” (Teen Vogue), Chloe Moriondo's 2022 album SUCKERPUNCH marked a bold leap forward from the understated indie-pop and jittery pop-punk of her 2021 offering, Blood Bunny. The idiosyncratic artist has racked up critical praise from The New York Times, Billboard, NYLON, V Magazine, Consequence, UPROXX, PAPER, Alternative Press and more, with performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Now, she begins her next chapter with the wistful, pulsing single "shoreline," and more to come in 2025.

Mr. K with two slices of Philadelphia disco, from smooth and slinky on our A-side to all-out floor pounding disco madness on the B.

Janice McClain, rightly adored for her Garage classic “Smack Dab In The Middle” (feat. on MXMRK-2068) but her second single is a real under-the-radar treat. The comfortably laid back groove somewhere between a stepper and simmering midtempo disco, classy and danceable as the finest Philly soul. Originally on a small LA-based label in 1983 (and sounding like it could have come out a good five years earlier), written and produced by McClain’s uncle Milt Tennant and his writing partner Thom Page, the same team responsible for “Smack Dab” — all Philadelphia rooted, so the sound should come as no surprise. Add McClain’s heartfelt and uplifting vocal and we easily have a lost classic. Mr. K’s edit trims the rare 12-inch version down for maximum sonic fidelity for its first appearance in a 7-inch format.

The flip side vibe goes in a completely different direction, although once again has its roots in Philly. The disco remake of the standard “Brazil” was a massive hit for the Ritchie Family in 1975, topping Billboard’s dance charts and getting deep into the Top 20 on the Hot 100. The group itself was a studio concoction led by veteran producer Richie Rome, with legendary trio Sweethearts of Sigma handling vocals — you’ll recognize their trademark harmonies from other huge classics like “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” and “Love Is The Message", studious listeners will detect a lot of similarities in the vamp section of “Brazil” and “Love Is…” as the MFSB house band launches into their trademark groove. This vamp section is unfortunately truncated on the original 7-inch single, but the always-attentive ear of Mr. K picks this point to begin his edit, starting where the original single faded out and giving us a full four-plus minutes of galloping disco delight.

Two flavors, both as tasty as it gets, all on one compact piece of wax! Another essential addition to your collection.

Mit ihrem achten Studio Album präsentiert das von Journalisten oft als "Deutschlands unterbewertetste Punk-Rock Band" bezeichnete Berliner Trio ein Cover-Album das es in sich hat. Im klassischen "K-Tel" Gewand werden hier 12 Kracher der 50er, 60er, 70er und 80er Jahre abgeliefert. Allerdings nicht im üblichen, "wir spielen einfach mal alles doppelt so schnell-Hauruck Sound", nein, hier wurde mal richtig tief in die musikalische Trickkiste gegriffen. So kommen die ,Rubettes" im Gewand der ,Ramones" daher, ,Slade" im Sound der ,Stranglers" und ,Jimi Hendrix" sogar als waschechte Southern Rock Nummer a la ,Lynyrd Skynyrd". Von Uli Confidence dem Mastermind der Band und Betreiber des Berliner Kult-Clubs ,Wild At Heart" im hauseigenen Studio produziert, wird auf dieser Scheibe völlig ungeniert von klassischem Rock`n`Roll, über 70s Rock, Glam und sogar New Wave alles zelebriert, was der Kirche des Vertrauens lieb und heilig ist. Spaß-, Party-, und Unterhaltungsfaktor bis zum Anschlag auf Maximum gedreht, zündet hier ein Kracher nach dem anderen... 500 Stück weltweit, klassisch schwarzes Vinyl, durchnummeriert.

At the heart of Tuesday Night Music Club, Sheryl Crow’s impressive debut, is collaboration – the title comes from the shorthand used to describe the group of musicians who came together on Tuesdays to work on the project. Not released on vinyl in 1993, the album was remastered in 2023 and released as a 1LP. Now available on limited edition blue vinyl.

A Paradise In The Hold is an album of yearning. It’s about Ivor Novello Award winning Yazz Ahmed’s dual heritage, drawing on traditional music and folklore as well as her own personal experience as a British-Bahraini woman. A sweeping epic where tradition meets innovation, she melds ancient rhythms with contemporary musicianship. The record is a tribute to the sorrowful songs of Bahrain’s pearl divers, the strength of Arab women, and the celebratory rhythms of women's traditional drumming circles, while also telling the story of Yazz’s own decade-long voyage of selfdiscovery. The album also marks Yazz’s first foray into writing lyrics, in both English and Arabic, bringing a new dimension to her expansive sound. The project features an impressive roster of collaborators, including vocalists Natacha Atlas, Brigitte Beraha, and percussionist Corrina Silvester. With A Paradise In The Hold, Ahmed delivers a groundbreaking fusion of tradition and innovation, creating a contemporary jazz project that is set to make a lasting impact on the genre

13 years in the making, Mr Bongo proudly presents a new compilation of beloved Brazilian disco and boogie finds from the legendary London disco connoisseurs, Horse Meat Disco. A labour of love, it showcases a tantalising cross-section of disco, funk, boogie, samba and MPB, from past to present. Unearthing tracks from the seemingly endless gold mine of Brazilian gems, the compilation features legends such as Jorge Ben, Gretchen, Marcos Valle and Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti, alongside unsung heroes including Zé Carlos and Carlos Bivar.

Over 20 years ago, the Horse Meat Disco crew (James Hillard, Severino Panzetta, Jim Stanton and Luke Howard) began their weekly residency at Eagle London back in 2003. That same year, Luke made his first visit to Brazil, beginning a musical love affair that is still going strong.

“I had always wanted to go to Brazil since I was a kid, and when I finally had the opportunity to go with Princess Julia, I was just blown away. I’ve visited Rio every year since 2003, and in that time, I’ve learned Portuguese and tried to discover as much as I can about Brazilian music and popular culture. I learned to dance samba with the Paraiso School of Samba in London and paraded three times at Rio Carnival. Brazilian music was a brand-new world for me to explore and get excited about—a whole universe of genius musicians, singers, and styles.”

9 years later, Mr Bongo invited Luke down to their Brighton HQ for a listening session of some of his favourite Brazilian boogie and disco 7" finds. A compilation was green-lit, but multiple licensing delays and the release of other HMD compilations meant that it lay dormant for years.

Fast forward to 2024, and with the help of esteemed, Rio-based record collector Tee Cardaci, along with suggestions from HMD’s James Hillard, the dream of an HMD Brazilian compilation finally materialised. It’s a carefully curated collection that includes the electronic-boogie/italo-disco-esque 1984 groover 'Venha (Remix)' by the singer Źe Carlos, two cuts by Luiza Maura taken from her sought-after Deixa Girar 7", and Gretchen's sultry 'Ela Tem Raça, Charme, Talento E Gostosura' written by Jorge Ben.

At its core, this compilation captures the excitement and sense of discovery that won over Horse Meat Disco’s heart more than 20 years ago. A vibrant mix of feel-good flavours, it homes in on a sun-soaked strand of disco and boogie that has been enriched with the spirit of a nation where music serves as a central pillar of life.

»Shell I« is the second edition on Edições CN by Brussels sound artist Florence Cats. It is a magical collection of 23 edits for voice, field recordings, theremin, and piano. Cats’ recorded piano rehearsals and singing sketches reminds us of Cornelius Cardew works. They are at the heart of Edições CN, where a sketch or rehearsal holds as much, if not more, truth than a definitive composition.

A melody line from Debussy passes by. Waves crash in the distance. Sails and flagpoles are sounding by the winds. Florence singing a stream of consciousness poem next to a water stream. Track by track you dream deeper in this generous collection. While the album’s A Side is an aquatic storyboard, the B Side is the essence of storms and days spent in the forest.

Cats holds a singular position at the firmament of Belgian sound explorers. Her art, almost unspectacular, is an important voice in these algorithmic times.

Florence Cats (Be, 1985) is an experimental artist working somewhere between music, sound, visual art and acupuncture. In 2023, she was selected as an emerging sound artist by Stuk, Q-O2 and Musica. Her work is a needle or antenna, inspired by the vibrations of sound and light in nature, travel, telepathy and dreams. She plays the theremin in experimental ways, interacting with her body, voice, water, radio and various.

A multifaceted artist, who over his career has traversed between singer-songwriter, hit producer, DJ and curator, Ben Westbeech debuts on Glitterbox Recordings with a fully realised and fresh artistic vision, delivering ‘Times Are Changing’ featuring RAHH. A manifestation of Ben’s long-held career reputation as a magnet for talent, RAHH’s flawless vocal and the considered songwriting is ready to captivate listeners, creating an uplifting and anthemic quality with its jazzy bass with journey-like arrangement. The record has been committed to wax along with house legends Louie Vega and Josh Milan’s array of remixes and a Takin’ It Back Dub from Louie’s son Nico Vega. A 12” delivery already sought after by selectors of the highest order, this joyous soulful record is easily transformed into club-ready heat, without losing any of its heart across the mixes.

Produced by Grammy Nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Clairo). Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message. They refer to themselves as “outernational” over international as they say it suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” Derya, who sings and plays the bağlama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik and guitar/bass player Antonin Voyant are both French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions its rich heritage. Yarın Yoksa which translates to If There Is No Tomorrow delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The lyrics are poetic and rely heavily on symbolic language, metaphors, and storytelling while the music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on its own but work together perfectly as an album. “Cool Hand”, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and light-heartedness over a thoroughly infectious groove. The message is poetic and complicated, repeatedly declaring “I love you, I’m crazy about you” but ultimately finding a sense of peace through accepting a broken heart. “Direne Direne” is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. Derya’s lyrics soar over the psych-soul musical backdrop as her story of personal struggle transforms to a universal call for resilience and strength. The slow and weighty vibe of “Yakamoz” lets onto the meaning of the lyrics even to those who don’t understand Turkish. It is a deeply moving song that captures the profound emotions connected to displacement and loss without knowing if you will ever return. The steady groove of the band, along with the anguished vocals paint a vivid picture of the devastation experienced by the protagonist who ultimately realizes that her roots are within her and anywhere she goes is her home. Nine of the tunes on the album are original compositions but they also take on three Anatollian folk songs with their own inimitable approach. The acapella introduction of “Misket”, a folk song from Ankara/Türkiye, will stop you in your tracks. The tune deals with death and how the living cope and continue a relationship with those who have passed away. Another traditional tune from Sivas that they put their signature sound to is “Hop Bico”, a tune about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. The synth intro grabs your ear from the first note and the earworm chorus encouraging Bico to lead the group in celebration and embrace life through dance has the same effect on everyone who hears it. The band has taken a big step forward that you can hear on this record. Derya’s passion and authenticity is front and centre and the music is too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait till you hear them play it live… Upcoming Tour Dates (+More To Be Added): 18th March The Deaf Institute, Manchester / 19th The Jam Jar, Bristol / 20th Scala, London / 21st Norwich Arts Centre.

Produced by Grammy Nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Clairo). Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message. They refer to themselves as “outernational” over international as they say it suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” Derya, who sings and plays the bağlama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik and guitar/bass player Antonin Voyant are both French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions its rich heritage. Yarın Yoksa which translates to If There Is No Tomorrow delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The lyrics are poetic and rely heavily on symbolic language, metaphors, and storytelling while the music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on its own but work together perfectly as an album. “Cool Hand”, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and light-heartedness over a thoroughly infectious groove. The message is poetic and complicated, repeatedly declaring “I love you, I’m crazy about you” but ultimately finding a sense of peace through accepting a broken heart. “Direne Direne” is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. Derya’s lyrics soar over the psych-soul musical backdrop as her story of personal struggle transforms to a universal call for resilience and strength. The slow and weighty vibe of “Yakamoz” lets onto the meaning of the lyrics even to those who don’t understand Turkish. It is a deeply moving song that captures the profound emotions connected to displacement and loss without knowing if you will ever return. The steady groove of the band, along with the anguished vocals paint a vivid picture of the devastation experienced by the protagonist who ultimately realizes that her roots are within her and anywhere she goes is her home. Nine of the tunes on the album are original compositions but they also take on three Anatollian folk songs with their own inimitable approach. The acapella introduction of “Misket”, a folk song from Ankara/Türkiye, will stop you in your tracks. The tune deals with death and how the living cope and continue a relationship with those who have passed away. Another traditional tune from Sivas that they put their signature sound to is “Hop Bico”, a tune about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. The synth intro grabs your ear from the first note and the earworm chorus encouraging Bico to lead the group in celebration and embrace life through dance has the same effect on everyone who hears it. The band has taken a big step forward that you can hear on this record. Derya’s passion and authenticity is front and centre and the music is too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait till you hear them play it live… Upcoming Tour Dates (+More To Be Added): 18th March The Deaf Institute, Manchester / 19th The Jam Jar, Bristol / 20th Scala, London / 21st Norwich Arts Centre.

Steeped in classic dancefloor rhythms and sounds, ARTIFACTUAL RHYTHM presents a re-interpretation of club and DJ music through the lens of a live band with a jazz edge. Tapping into sounds of the 90s and 2000’s while keeping his foot very firmly in the now and beyond, Flood’s new body of work is both for the dancefloor and the listener.

Dubbed 'nu-jazz', 'jazztronica' and 'jazz house music', at its core Alex’s sound takes influence from house, UK garage, drum n’ bass, and broken beat. 'Artifactual' can be defined as 'made by human hands', and that’s exactly what Alex explores with this record; taking sounds and styles that are inherently electronic and giving them new life through the rawness of a live band underpinned by jazz and improvisational explorations. Music made by human hands.

Recorded live in a studio in Naarm / Melbourne and engineered, mixed, and co-produced by Lewis Moody (Energy Exchange Records), the album features a list of some of the finest players 'Down Under' including Erica Tucceri (flute), Finn Rees (keyboards), Dylan Paul (bass), as well as guest vocal features from the lyrical legend Cazeaux O.S.L.O on LIFE IS A RHYTHM, Kara Manasala on UK garage cut DON’T WAIT 4 ME, and New York soul queen Vivian Sessoms heating up some classic house energy on CAN’T GET ENOUGH.

Alexander Flood is one of Australia’s commanding beat-masters, possessing a unique and finessed arsenal of groove, power, and expertise on the drums. Leading his own band from the drum chair, Alex’s music pushes a fresh rhythmic and dynamic realm of live dance music leaning on nu-jazz, deep-house, broken beat, DnB, funk, and experimental sounds. The band has recently featured at Wellington Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, SXSW Sydney, WOMADelaide, JazzMontez Frankfurt and various clubs across Europe and Australia.

Winning Australia’s Best Up and Coming Drummer Competition in 2016 was just the beginning of Flood’s accelerating trajectory in music. After graduating top of his University jazz degree in 2017, Alex signed with US label Stretch Music to release his debut album HEARTBEAT, followed by his sophomore release The Space Between in 2022. Later that year Alex toured Europe with heavyweight 6x GRAMMY nominee Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s band. While in Berlin Flood recorded his third album 'Oscillate' with an all-star lineup including Horatio Luna and Abase, releasing via Jakarta Records in May 2023. In 2023 Alexander was also the recipient of the highly prestigious Young Achiever Award at the Ruby Awards, as well as receiving the Robert Stigwood Fellowship (Government of South Australia).

2024 sees Alex join forces with Atjazz Record Company to release new music from his forthcoming album ARTIFACTUAL RHYTHM, as well as touring his band across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK.

Some notable collaborators of Alex’s include Chief Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Abase, Horatio Luna, Atjazz, Vivian Sessoms, Cazeaux O.S.L.O, Nelson Dialect, the ASO, WASO, QSO, as well as working with brands including Red Bull Music and Istanbul Cymbals.

SATYA is thrilled to announce the next chapter in its vinyl-only catalog: an evocative EP by São Paulo-based producer Dru. Scheduled for release on March 21, 2025, this record captures the serene yet dynamic energies of Dru's distinctive sound, blending aquatic themes with dubby textures and grooves.

Dru is a producer and DJ with a passion for minimal and microhouse. He has steadily risen through the scene, earning the support of luminaries such as Mihai Pol, Arapu, and Barac. With previous releases on his own labels, Totoyov and Microdots, Dru has honed a sound that is both personal and universal, reflecting his unique journey.

Rooted in the calming beauty of Brazil’s pristine beaches, Dru explains that the EP emerged during a reflective chapter of his life. "I was looking to produce tracks on a more dubby vibe," he shares. "The aquatic and fresh feel of the tracks reflects my connection to the sea and the tranquility I find there." This theme flows through the EP, offering listeners a refreshing escape into soothing yet intricate soundscapes.

The EP comprises two standout originals:

"Lax" captures a serene moment in Dru’s life, characterized by personal harmony and simplicity. The title itself is an 
abbreviation for "Relax," reflecting the calm state of mind during its creation.

"Afterbreak" marks a transitional period post-breakup, yet the track maintains a composed energy, symbolizing growth, 
renewal, and forward momentum. 
Dru draws on a broad spectrum of influences for this EP, from the African-reggae-inspired percussive touches to the intricate dubby aesthetics of Andrey Pushkarev’s Luck of Access label. These elements intertwine with Dru’s Brazilian roots, creating a fusion of global sounds with a personal twist. 
One of the most exciting milestones during the production process was securing remixes from Nicolas Duvoisin and Superlounge, both of whom enthusiastically joined the project early on. With contributions from these respected artists, the EP transcends boundaries, bridging dubby minimalism and deep house groove.

The vinyl-only release marks an exciting new chapter for Dru and SATYA. With its aquatic themes, dubby energy, and heartfelt storytelling, this EP promises to captivate both seasoned collectors and fresh ears alike.

Kicking 2025 off with a NEW LIFE, Kito Jempere resumes operations retro-outfit shining, all machines blazing, pulling up with a boiling four-trackpackage bound to get dance floors quivering in excitement. A stick ofdynamite flung into the mouth of today's corporate dance music blandness, 'New Life' finds the Saint Petersburg producer spitting multi-strain madnesswith reckless fun and adventurous panache. Take New Order in theirTechnique days, sprinkle with early hip-hop breaks and finish it with a funk-savvy mix of acid, happy hardcore and ghetto tech jack, and you prettymuch have the opening track and lead-single 'New Life' capsulized to a tee.
A blissed-out, choppy ride spinning recklessly into dance-y abandon, 'LoveFilter' takes us on a heavy-lidded trip across dreamy electronic folds andonto vaporous apexes, where drum-heavy jolts and sliced vocals collidewith spacious pads from outer space. As hypnotic as it reveals hard-hitting, 'Killer Line De-Part' deploys a warped kaleidoscope of trancey shades,grunge-y grit and largely '80s informed analogue wizardry, convergingtowards the most hair-raising finale with your feet in the air and a dumbsmile across the face. Rounding off the record, 'Put Love Into Your Heart(Club Mix)' is a luminous slice of trippy, feelgood electronics engineered fordance floor communion and uplifting let-go. Fill your heart with love.

First time on vinyl! Unique duets album from country music greats Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis (under touring moniker 'Grits & Glamour'). The project features solo performances by Morgan and Tillis as well as fun collaborations and poignant duets. Highlights include original material written by Lorrie and Pam as well as songs penned by some of country music's most talented songwriters. With titles such as “That’s So Cool,” “Bless Their Hearts,” “I Am a Woman,” “I Know What You Did Last Night,” and “What Was I Thinkin’” (a Tillis/Morgan co-write), the 14-song collection is as diverse as the many moods of both women. It shows their remarkable range, showcasing everything from traditional country to cutting edge contemporary. Veteran recording artists and performers, they grace the country format with style, flair, and undeniable talent that is captivating and timeless. Their career highlights are numerous and varied. Combined, they have recorded 28 top 10 hits, more than 18 million records sold, and 12 number one songs. There have been Grammys, CMA Awards, movie credits, television appearances, and Broadway performances. They have rocked arenas, helmed world-class symphonies, and toured on almost every continent. “We've been called divas a time or two,” laughs Lorrie. “Now, I'm sure they meant it in the best sense of the word,” Pam responds. “As far as being 'divas', we share the title and the responsibility!” Striking a more serious note, they both recognize the importance of compromise in this unique and special relationship. They respect one another’s artistry, they respect each other as women, and they respect the fact that they’re carrying on the legacies of their fathers, late Opry star George Morgan and living legend Mel Tillis.

Francesco Sotgiu has forged a unique and very swinging project of songs. With a quintet consisting of Luigi Bonafede on piano, Emanuele Cisi and Riccardo Luppi on woodwinds, Salvatore Maiore on bass, Francesco on drums, and with special guest Paolo Fresu on trumpet to cap off this heartfelt collection. There is also a nice diversity of groups within this larger collection. A nice trio piece called “Calm” featuring Paolo Birro sitting in with Marco Micheli and Francesco. And one called “Lotus Blossom” where Francesco shows his considerable skills and soul on violin. But the bulk of the material is straight-ahead jazz and is totally swinging and soulful, proving that jazz has no borders and is a worldwide language to which Francesco has added to that tradition with this project and all the great voices he has included here. Bravo maestro.

This is the comment of Gil Goldstein, American accordion player who won 5 Grammys and collaborated with giants such as Gil Evans, Wayne Shorter, and Michel Petrucciani.

This record was recorded in the middle of the pandemic times, and most of the work for preparing this record took place via the telephone: the selection of the songs on paper, the exchange of ideas on arrangements, staff and instruments, a sort of “phone rehearsal” of the structure of the songs, with the choice of a solo; everything else, everything that will happen in the recording sessions, is the result of a controlled improvisation, a jam session masterfully captured in the studio through the use of well-positioned ribbon microphones.

This is why “Passing,” literally “passing” or “crossing”: because the musicians have gone through listening to these songs as teenagers, and find themselves today, as a mature meeting of old friends who create an informal game made of nostalgic fun, great personality, confrontation, and deep spirituality. In the classic “Caravan” by Ellington and Tizol or “Afro Blue” by Mongo Santamaria, Coltrane toning, the Latin accent of the rhythm section supports the interpretation of the theme and the interplay in the solos between the soprano and tenor saxophones by Cisi & Luppi, and the piano by Bonafede.

A certain elegance in the execution distinguishes pieces such as Duke Ellington’s “Sound of Love,” yet another tribute by Mingus to the Duke, with a calibrated solo on the double bass of Maiore and the flute by Luppi, the immortal “Take Five” by Paul Desmond, with the highlighted soprano by Cisi, “Wishes,” “7th Street,” and the eponymous “Passing,” all pieces composed by Sotgiu, characterized by the precise medium/fast drive of the drums and a certain “cinematic” taste of the main themes.

In songs such as “Black Bats and Poles,” composed by trumpeter Jack Walrath for the Mingus Orchestra, and in “Stranatole,” an original piece in which Sotgiu writes a theme of Monk’s influence and enjoys overturning the traditional “Anatole Jazz” structure, the quintet opts for an effective hard bop language, with exciting moments of dazzling virtuosity in Bonafede’s solo. While in Coltrane’s “Wise One” and McCoy Tyner’s “Ballad for Aisha,” we enter a modal, mystical, and ceremonial jazz, of a cosmic depth, which seems to hover in the sweet volume of the great hall of the recording studio. These are truly magnificent interpretations.

A special separate mention for two classics such as “My Foolish Heart” by Victor Young, performed in trio by Sotgiu, Maiore, and the unmistakable trumpet by Paolo Fresu, and the (unfortunately very short) “Lotus Blossom” by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, which in the piano-violin duo of Birro and Sotgiu, in a minute gives a suspended momentary magic, sums up the roots of African-American jazz music, and also referencing an old-fashioned Italian musical sensitivity, typical of Nino Rota’s music for Federico Fellini’s films.

On their latest album, XIXA leave the sunbaked desert behind, taking listeners on a journey through the underworld. Diving into the richness of folklore, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan, who share XIXA’s songwriting, lead vocals and lead guitars, expand on their mystic, psychedelic rock, reaching more into their Latin influences to create a musical and lyrical narrative for XOLO, an album exploring both a mythic journey and what messages it might have for today. XOLO (in both band name and album title, the x is pronounced like ch) refers to the breed of Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli. In Mayan and Aztec cultures, these dogs were held sacred and believed to have been guides through the underworld, Mictlán. The record loosely tells the story of a young girl, Arcoiris, who is guided through all nine levels of Mictlán by her sacred protector, El Xolo. The songs represent the various encounters El Xolo and Arcoiris experience while finding their way through a land of mystery and shadow. In a way, the idea of a Xolo-themed record pre-dates the band itself.

Kinky Friedman's final record (he passed away on June 27, 2024) Poet of Motel 6 is a moving collection of ten songs about love and loss. From his tribute to Billy Joe Shaver, The Poet of Motel 6, to his paean to the late, notorious mystery woman, Miranda Grosvenor, in “Whitney Walton Has Flown Away,” Kinky plumbs the depths of love and mortality on his final album. Joined by Texas royalty like Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Rick Trevino, Amy Nelson, Rodney Crowell, and produced by fellow Rolling Thunder Revue alumni David Mansfield, this record truly lays bare the heart of this Texas bard.

Midwest band Church Tongue have announced they have signed to Pure Noise Records and will release EP "You'll Know It Was Me" on 14th February 2025. The 6 track EP continues its complex, uncompromising and emotionally charged sound with guest features from Colin Young (Hardlore podcast), George Clarke (Deafheaven), and Crystal Pak (Initiate)​"You’ll Know It Was Me is a short record about love. Love looks like a lot of things, and each track touches on it in its own way." says Mike Sugars. "People close to me have heard about me wanting to make this kind of record for a long time. I just hadn’t grown enough to realise the dream of it, and I knew it had to be a Church Tongue record. I’ve been with this band, these guys, for the majority of my life now. I’ve made records with other bands, and so have the other guys, but this idea felt sacred to my beginnings. I knew this record was in us, was who we are, and I’m honoured to have made it with my brothers."

Who is Beatrice? Who is Melissa? Could they be one and the same?

This is the question at the heart of Secret, the duo’s debut album—or at least, that’s what the music seems to suggest. If sound is an extension of ourselves, it can also become a character we shape. The main character of Secret isn’t visible to the human eye, and yet they give off an androgynous and timeless energy, rooted in multiple languages and spaces. As the album unfolds, we sense the fusion of two distinct energies combined into a single, composite being. This constantly shifting, blurred identity comes to life in the album’s profusion of genres: club music, ambient, chanson, trip-hop, UK garage, and tech house. The tracks stretch and contract, following the trajectory of a dual voice.

Behind Secret lies a mélange of perspectives. Beatrice M., a Franco-British artist at the head of the label Bait, curates an innovative blend of syncopated UK club styles (mostly dubstep) and trancy techno grooves. Melissa Weikart, a French-American songwriter trained in classical piano with a deep passion for jazz, makes intimate avant-pop songs that embody her unique, hybrid approach to music-making. The diverse musical collaborations in Secret reinforce a dynamic that is central to both of their artistic journeys from the start, and these collaborations melt seamlessly into the album’s overall aesthetic. Despite a confluence of influences, the implied development of this obscure, extraterrestrial main character grounds us in a refreshing coherence. Secret is rich in variety and style, but above all, it diffuses a calm and serene atmosphere. Even when the BPM speeds up, we are carried along, suspended in Beatrice Melissa’s uncanny world.

Two Times Juno awards listed and 2 times Polaris price listed, Canadian Soul Star Tanika Charles unleash the new album "Reason To Stay that drops on May 16 via independent soul label Record Kicks. Reasons To Stay is Tanika Charles' fourth full-length album, and her most introspective to date. Where her songs have typically touched on romantic love and heartache, the core love and loss of this record is family focused. It has taken years for Tanika to be able to publicly reflect on the childhood trauma and family breakup that occurred during her teens. The majority of the album was composed by Tanika with the tight knit team of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Henry Nozuka), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee) and Chino de Villa (Jessie Reyez). Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics joined in to mix the bulk of the project and apply some trademark analogue grit to Tanika's sheen. Guests include Quebec-based Soulful singer/songwriter Clerel on the last track "Win", as well as Toronto soul artists Aphrose and Claire Davis providing additional vocals. "I love this album. I love singing these songs. I love that it's made me step outside of my comfort zone. It's forced me to face the root causes of my own insecurities that I carry to this day. Why am I striving so hard to seek validation, and why take it so personally when it doesn't come? That distortion has prevented me from celebrating my own successes at times. This album is me trying to change that." "I love the conversations that have begun with these songs. It's about childhood trauma, but it's not a victim story. I'm doing well, despite the baggage I carry. I want others to be able to carry theirs too." In the last few years, Canadian Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, cementing her status as a staple in the Canadian soul scene. Her previous studio albums - "Soul Run" (2017), "The Gumption" (2019), and "Papillon De Nuit" (2022) - have propelled her to international acclaim, earning her two JUNO nominations, two Polaris Prize listings, and a growing global fanbase. Extensive touring across North America and Europe has further solidified her reputation, with standout performances at festivals such as Trans Musicales in France, Fusion Festival in Germany, Mostly Funk & Soul Festival and Jazz Festival in the UK, Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain. She has also shared the stage Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bedouin Soundclash and Macy Gray. Tanika's meteoric rise and undeniable artistry have been widely championed by outlets such as KCRW, KEXP, BBC6 Music, Exclaim!, CBC Music, Uncut Mag, PopMatters, Albumism .. further solidifying her position as a global soul sensation.

"“It clicked for me one day, that the album was going to be about hornets,” explains Sputnik, the mononymous songwriter behind the noise-pop project Weatherday.

“It just made sense to me.” Hornet Disaster, Weatherday’s follow-up to their 2019 debut Come in, and spiritual successor to 2022’s collab release Weatherglow, is their most expansive work to date. In Weatherday’s initial bout of inspired writing and recording, they produced over 70 songs for the record, but not before they had a complete, overarching narrative that was coherently tied back to Sputnik’s previous work.

It’s a bustling record with disparate songs each vying for space like wasps in a swarm. It can inspire caution and chaos, but there’s wonder, purpose, and a certain familiarity there, too. Weatherday has extended the knotted, thrashing maximalism of Come in by doubling down with the uncompromised, no-stone-unturned nature of Hornet Disaster. Where Come in was the product of an artist searching for their voice, Hornet Disaster represents the joyful abandon that comes from having found it."

"“It clicked for me one day, that the album was going to be about hornets,” explains Sputnik, the mononymous songwriter behind the noise-pop project Weatherday.

“It just made sense to me.” Hornet Disaster, Weatherday’s follow-up to their 2019 debut Come in, and spiritual successor to 2022’s collab release Weatherglow, is their most expansive work to date. In Weatherday’s initial bout of inspired writing and recording, they produced over 70 songs for the record, but not before they had a complete, overarching narrative that was coherently tied back to Sputnik’s previous work.

It’s a bustling record with disparate songs each vying for space like wasps in a swarm. It can inspire caution and chaos, but there’s wonder, purpose, and a certain familiarity there, too. Weatherday has extended the knotted, thrashing maximalism of Come in by doubling down with the uncompromised, no-stone-unturned nature of Hornet Disaster. Where Come in was the product of an artist searching for their voice, Hornet Disaster represents the joyful abandon that comes from having found it."

Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital city of Canada, The Riptides have been cranking out high-energy blasts of melodic, poppy punk rock for over 25 years. With their new LP Burn After Listening, the band makes the move to Pirates Press Records, and are ready to bring their sound to an all new worldwide audience! Originally formed in 1998, the band wasted no time assembling their own studio and label, putting out their own records as well as their fellow Ottawa bands. Word spread quickly, and the band's notoriety grew, particularly in the US, and soon the band found that they enjoyed rising to the challenge of leaving home and recording at noted US studios, with Burn After Listening being no exception. This album was recorded at the legendary Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO, with Andrew Berlin at the helm for tracking and Jason Livermore in charge of the final master. These studio sessions included a cavalcade of friends & guest musicians, including members of Teenage Bottlerocket, All American Rejects, Screeching Weasel, and The Queers. A number of songs on the record also bear co-writing credits from fellow Pirates Press Records artist Matt DeeCRACK. Blending attitude-driven downstroke riffs with irresistible hooks and harmonies, combined with an aesthetic informed by everything from nerdy pop culture and surfing, they've already amassed quite the following across the decades, but this record stands poised to introduce them to many new fans.

Here is an expanded edition of one of Nurse With Wound's most intense and unique albums, so much so that for long-time fans, it was a strange, chaotic lounge oddity upon its release. For the first time, all four audio sides are complete (originally, there were only three sides).

To top it off, there is a stunning new cover by the great and talented Babs Santini, who is none other than Steven Stapleton using his artist pseudonym, continuing in the luxurious tradition of the "silver collection" at Rotorelief Records.

The album Huffin' Rag Blues by Nurse With Wound is unique in the NWW discography. Stapleton teams up with composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Liles, his co-creator of musical terrorism, to tackle the genres of exotica and lounge, crushed into a joyful cacophonic mess. Longtime NWW friends Colin Potter and Matt Waldron also join in.

Blues, jazz, cop movies, bachelor pads, and TV show music are treated, discarded, then chopped up and recycled into a mix that contains tons of space but also overflows with dynamic tension, hilarious asides, sexually suggestive poetry, and a certain rock & roll abandon. It's a very surprising album for long-time fans, like a soundtrack that could accompany a David Lynch film.

It's brilliant, exasperating, hilarious, and dark enough to earn a spot in any collection that appreciates a bit of weirdness and eccentricity.

Huffin' Rag Blues incorporates more familiar musical elements—including live-played instruments, rhythm, and vocals—than nearly any other Nurse With Wound album to date. As always, the album's main focus is to create environments for lucid dreaming rather than music per se.

Released in 1990, Permanent Damage is the fifth and final studio album by British alternative rock band The Icicle Works. Fronted by Ian McNabb, the album features the band’s signature blend of melodic songwriting and energetic rock. Tracks like "Motorcycle Rider" and "Melanie Still Hurts" highlight McNabb's evocative lyrics and strong vocal delivery, making the album a memorable conclusion to their career. Permanent Damage reflects the band's ability to evolve while staying true to their alternative rock roots. Although it marked the end of The Icicle Works' original run, the album holds a special place in the hearts of fans for its emotional depth and musical craftsmanship. For those exploring the band’s discography, Permanent Damage serves as a poignant farewell from one of Britain’s cherished alternative rock groups. Permanent Damage is available as a limited edition of 500 copies on translucent yellow coloured vinyl.

Don McLean's The Western Album is a 1973 release blends folk, rock, and country influences. The album features McLean's storytelling style, exploring themes like love, loss, and Americana, with a focus on Western imagery. It includes tracks like "The Good Old American Dream" and "The Legend of Andrew McCrew. The Western album remains notable for its introspective lyrics and rich sound.

CELTIC THUNDER Greatest Hits showcases decades of wonderful Irish music! Irish favorites include “Heartland," “Galway Girl” and “Whiskey in the Jar." On the spiritual side, the globally touring group sings “Hallelujah” and “Amazing Grace." Garnering hundreds of millions of streams and tickets sold, Celtic Thunder has been hailed as BILLBOARD’s Top World Music Artist.

Korean skate punk trio Drinking Boys and Girls Choir cover one of Japanese
punk band The Blue Hearts' most beloved songs, 'Linda Linda' in Japanese
and Korean versions
B side with their original ode to their hometown of Daegu 'BIG NINE', Let's Go'

Donny Benét is an adult Entertainer, Hit-Maker, Attentive Lover- and one of Australia’s most acclaimed- and experienced Jazz-Musicians. He has toured Europe- and the UK five times through 2017/2018, playing Festivals & Headline-Shows in 14 different Countries- and will be returning in 2020! The Don’s gigs are rammed with 20-somethings partying like a scene out of Miami Vice.

Recorded in the infamous Donnyland-Studios using the finest Japanese, American & Italian synthesizers, The Don speaks to the heart, promising love as soft as Italian leather. Donny’s immaculate Armani grooves hint at the dancefloor and the bedroom The Don is transportive. ‘Night In Rome’ opens the shutters of your hotel room onto a view of The Colosseum, ‘Reach The Top’ thrusts you on a frenzied race to success through the streets of NYC.

‘Working Out’ urges you to break a sweat wherever you may be. ‘Konichiwa,’ is a song assmooth as the silken tofu from whence the song’s spirit is inspired, and ‘Santorini,’ an ode to love worth fighting for along the crystal-waters of the Aegean Sea.

New album “Mr Experience” due for Release on 22nd May, 2020

Iconic British band McFly are celebrating their 21st anniversary with the
release of a special live album, marking over two decades of musical success
This landmark release, recorded at the McFly 21 Show at the London O2 Arena, parts
of which was recently broadcast on ITV, offers fans a unique opportunity to
experience the band's journey through their most beloved songs.
The album serves as a time capsule of McFly's evolution, blending their infectious
pop-rock sound with deeper, more mature moments. The tracklisting is packed with
crowd favourites, from early hits like "I Wanna Hold You" and "Bubblewrap" to later
tracks such as "Shine A Light" and "The Heart Never Lies." The band's musical range is
on full display, with upbeat tracks like "Broccoli" and "Party Girl," as well as
introspective songs like "Memory Lane" and "Forever's Not Enough." The anniversary
collection also includes the powerful "Transylvania" and fan-favourites like "Red" and
"I've Got You," showcasing McFly's versatility and timeless appeal.
The ITV broadcast and physical release offer an opportunity for fans to relive McFly's
greatest moments, both on stage and in the studio. This anniversary album is a
celebration of McFly's lasting legacy and their continued relevance in the pop music
world. With an impressive tracklist and the stunning ITV broadcast, this milestone
release is not to be missed.

"The Beatles spread the use of electric guitars all through the world, and Bolivia was no exception. “The British Invasion” hit a politically convulsed country, and it fell upon a rich multi-cultural scene that was further expanded when the psychedelic counterculture youth movements coming from San Francisco also took the hearts of the country’s youngsters.
It was a big mixture of influences thrown in a cauldron that saw a link between the LSD drenched hippie generation and the country’s native ancestors. Bolivians were not new to mind-expanding experiences, the acid experiences promoted in the USA by Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary found their local counterpart in the old indigenous traditions of using plants such as the ayahuasca to open their doors of perception.
On this compilation you will find some of the more interesting young bands from a 1960s Bolivia bringing the sounds of a new generation and marrying them with the rich musical background of the country. The garage-sounding psychedelic beat made by these young musicians would soon open new horizons, and Bolivia would soon see how traditional sounds, like their local version of the cumbia, would evolve in a similar way as it would do in the neighboring country of Perú."

"Encore Du Pain" by the legendary British punk band Buzzcocks, a rare live album that captures the raw energy and unapologetic spirit of one of punk rock's most influential acts. Recorded during their explosive European tour, this album brings fans into the heart of a live Buzzcocks show, where sharp guitar riffs, relentless rhythms, and unforgettable hooks define each track. Known for their groundbreaking approach to punk, Buzzcocks combined fast-paced, catchy melodies with lyrics that explored love, alienation, and the angst of youth. Fronted by the iconic Pete Shelley, whose distinctive voice and songwriting were complemented by the powerful guitar work of Steve Diggle, the band crafted a sound that was both gritty and emotionally resonant. This vinyl reissue allows both long-time fans and new listeners to experience "Encore Du Pain" in rich, analog sound, preserving the authentic live atmosphere that made Buzzcocks a defining voice in punk.

Presenting the vinyl reissue of "French" by the legendary Buzzcocks, an electrifying live album capturing the band’s dynamic performance during their iconic Paris show in 1995. Known for their pioneering sound that fused punk’s raw energy with melodic sensibilities, Buzzcocks deliver a setlist packed with fan favorites and deep cuts, showcasing their impact on generations of punk and alternative rock. This album captures the intensity of their live presence, with Pete Shelley's unmistakable voice delivering heartfelt lyrics on love, desire, and disillusionment, supported by Steve Diggle’s powerful guitar riffs and the tight rhythm section of bassist Tony Barber and drummer Phil Barker. Buzzcocks have long been celebrated for their emotionally charged songwriting and high-energy performances, making "French" an essential recording that preserves their legacy. This vinyl edition invites both long-time fans and newcomers to experience the unfiltered sound of a Buzzcocks concert in its raw, analog glory.

"Encore Du Pain" by the legendary British punk band Buzzcocks, a rare live album that captures the raw energy and unapologetic spirit of one of punk rock's most influential acts. Recorded during their explosive European tour, this album brings fans into the heart of a live Buzzcocks show, where sharp guitar riffs, relentless rhythms, and unforgettable hooks define each track. Known for their groundbreaking approach to punk, Buzzcocks combined fast-paced, catchy melodies with lyrics that explored love, alienation, and the angst of youth. Fronted by the iconic Pete Shelley, whose distinctive voice and songwriting were complemented by the powerful guitar work of Steve Diggle, the band crafted a sound that was both gritty and emotionally resonant. This vinyl reissue allows both long-time fans and new listeners to experience "Encore Du Pain" in rich, analog sound, preserving the authentic live atmosphere that made Buzzcocks a defining voice in punk.

Presenting the vinyl reissue of "French" by the legendary Buzzcocks, an electrifying live album capturing the band’s dynamic performance during their iconic Paris show in 1995. Known for their pioneering sound that fused punk’s raw energy with melodic sensibilities, Buzzcocks deliver a setlist packed with fan favorites and deep cuts, showcasing their impact on generations of punk and alternative rock. This album captures the intensity of their live presence, with Pete Shelley's unmistakable voice delivering heartfelt lyrics on love, desire, and disillusionment, supported by Steve Diggle’s powerful guitar riffs and the tight rhythm section of bassist Tony Barber and drummer Phil Barker. Buzzcocks have long been celebrated for their emotionally charged songwriting and high-energy performances, making "French" an essential recording that preserves their legacy. This vinyl edition invites both long-time fans and newcomers to experience the unfiltered sound of a Buzzcocks concert in its raw, analog glory.

A regular of Australia’s thriving musical circuit, Kane Dignum aka Little Fritter makes his debut on Hot Creations with Dub Riddem. The EP continues an impressive 2020, that has seen the Gold Coast native’s standout productions land on the likes of Desert Hearts and etcetc already this year.

Those aforementioned features are present right from the offset, as Dub Riddem leads proceedings. A reverberating vocal keeps us hooked, before hard-hitting drums combine with a shimmering cow-bell lead to form a real dancefloor weapon. Puff Puff comes next, with prominent kicks giving way to a chuggy, up-and-down bassline, whilst lyrical samples echo in the background to create a choppy, groove-lead atmosphere. How Lucky Should We Feel? rounds things off in a similarly club-ready vein, merging resonant vocal cuts with punchy drum patterns and bringing shimmering hi-hats in tow.

Little Fritter has been a regular on the electronic music circuit for more than a decade. Having had his first release back in 2008, few artists have stayed as relevant and cutting-edge as the Gold Coast mainstay. Performances at Berlin’s Club De Visionaire and Barcelona’s Off-Sonar cemented his reputation as a respected prospect in the scene.

»Playing with Kris always reminds me of doing expeditions in a lake. Some kind of under water sound fiction observing sonic creatures. This album is a live recording (28-01-2012, Kunstencentrum Belgie, Hasselt, Belgium) which to me always felt like one of the best concerts we did. As with our previous album »Arrêt au Lac Chimère« Vincent de Roguin put his heart in editing and mixing the recordings, extending the dimensions of exploration to the deep bottom of the lake.« – Timo Van Luijk

After a 5 years break, there are finally all new songs from ECHO WEST. On their 9th album they present 10 analog Minimal Wave / Electro tracks (incl. one bonustrack) in the style of early minimal electro heroes. During the creation of these songs, analog equipment was used consciously, in order to do justice to the spirit and feeling of their EBM idols THE KLINIK, VOMITO NEGRO and especially DAF.

A homage to the revolutionary “analog 80s” and a departure or breakout after the long Corona-forced break and the endless weeks in isolation. 10 songs to dance to and enjoy a new freedom.

Florence + The Machine feiert gemeinsam mit Jules Buckley und seinem Orchester Lungs, ihr mit dem
BRIT Award ausgezeichnetes Debütalbum, das vor 15 Jahren mit großem Erfolg veröffentlicht wurde. Am
11. September 2024 wurde Symphony of Lungs bei den BBC Proms mit einer herausragenden Performance von Florence + The Machine und Jules Buckley zum Leben erweckt, die das Album Lungs in seiner
Gesamtheit neu interpretierten. Dazu gehörten die meistverkauften und bei den Fans beliebten Singles
„Dog Days Are Over“, „You’ve Got The Love“ und „Cosmic Love“ sowie Raritäten, die Florence nach
eigenen Angaben seit mindestens 15 Jahren nicht mehr gespielt hatte, darunter „Bird Song“ und „Falling“.
Jules Buckley und sein Team von Arrangeuren verwandelten das bereits wunderschön produzierte Album
in ein orchestrales und chorisches Meisterwerk.
Zusätzlich zur Live-Übertragung der Aufführung auf BBC Radio 3 wird Universal Music Recordings in
Zusammenarbeit mit der BBC die Live-Aufnahme dieser Aufführung offziell veröffentlichen, zunächst auf
digitalen Streaming-Plattformen im Oktober 2024, gefolgt von 2LP schwarz, 2LP farbig und 2CD-Formaten
im März 2025. Die physischen Produkte enthalten atemberaubende Bilder des Auftritts sowie eine herzliche
persönliche Notiz von Florence selbst.

This anthology follows Now-Again's Loving On The Flipside, issued more than a decade ago. And that anthology itself got its start in a different time, a decade even earlier - the era in which Now-Again's Egon and his friends chased down funk 45s and the odd LP for their testosterone riddled, aggressive sound. Often times the funk song on one of their chosen is would be the throw-away b-side, the hasty afterthought the band cobbled together the night before hitting - or while in - the studio because they'd put all of their energies into writing the amazing ballad that would ensure their entry in soul's history books. Every once in a while, that funk song they coveted could have been - in an alternate universe - a ballad. The Third Guitar's "Baby Don't Cry," El Pooks* "I Could Do The Impossible" and Spider Harrison's "Beautiful Day" all fit into this category. That realization notwithstanding, more often than not they shined over the ballads to get to the tough stuff. Then they started flipping those funk records over to find some loving on the flip side. Some marvellous tunes were there to be found. This is the long awaited follow up. Contained within this anthology are some of the greatest soul ballads that go sweet with a beat - or, to follow our tagline, epitomize "sweet funk." Most of these songs have never been compiled. Some have never been issued in any form. Some, like the Ledgends entry here, were sampled to great success (in that case for Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's "Deeper"). Some haven't been sampled, but, like Herb Johnson's entry, are patiently awaiting their day. It should go without saying that we're proud to present this music in good conscience; with the full participation of everyone but the most obscure names contained within. And, for those who we've not yet been able to contact, this is our message: We've found your brethren, we've placed them beside you on an album that we hope you feel is befitting of your collective contributions to soul music and now we're just waiting for you. Though the music you recorded is from the years past, vour time is now.

Cut-Line Records proudly unveils its inaugural release, featuring a collection of euphoric, minimal, and
breaky tracks that resonate deeply within the realm of house music. Launched by lifelong mates and
production partners Maják and Diego Knows, this label aims to capture the essence of dancefloor
energy while pushing creative boundaries across an endless soundscape of alien vibes.
Setting the stage, Pedro Goya’s “Celeste” opens the EP with a euphoric minimal groove that perfectly
encapsulates the magic of house, taking you on an emotional journey that sweeps you away into
sound. Next, we dive headfirst into "Alien Vision" by Francula & St. Xose—a gritty, breaky banger
loaded with gnarly vocals and a tight groove, punctuated by an uplifting euphoric break that keeps the
energy flowing on the dancefloor.

At the heart of this release lies the highly anticipated "Warning Bells" from Digital Pimps, which opens
the B-side. This classic '90s break track, once long lost and now reborn, roars back to life thanks to a
brilliant remaster that is sure to evoke nostalgia. Collaborating with the original artist, New York local
Fonseca 72, we’ve breathed new life into this beloved classic, ensuring it grooves on vinyl for a whole
new generation of listeners.

To round off this sonic journey, our label heads deliver their own signature flavor on B2. Expect pure
pumping grooves with a dash of funk, wrapped in their iconic psychedelic minimal vibe that will keep
you hooked. With this debut, Cut-Line Records invites you to embark on a journey filled with rich
textures, infectious rhythms, and the vibrant spirit of house music. This EP is an absolute must-have!
Grab it before it's gone!

Quantize Recordings are thrilled to present a reimagined version of Evelyn 'Champagne' King's timeless classic, 'Love Come Down'. This iconic R&B anthem has been revamped for 2025 with a fresh collaboration featuring Evelyn, Ezel, and DJ Spen. Music lovers worldwide will delight in this renewed rendition, blending her authentic, powerful vocals with a track that is second to none.

Evelyn's newly delivered vocals shine with the same energy and emotion as her original 1982 performance, showcasing her enduring talent. This release holds a special place in our hearts, and we're honored to share it with the World.

NOW Music proudly presents NOW That’s What I Call Gold – The Ultimate Hits – this essential 3-LP set brings together 46 tracks by legendary artists with timeless anthems, celebrating some of the greatest hits of all time, including chart-topping classics and enduring favourites.



LP1 sets the stage with Queen’s electrifying ‘A Kind Of Magic’, followed by Philip Bailey & Phil Collins’ #1 ‘Easy Lover’. The Police feature with their #1 smash ‘Message In A Bottle’, while The Killers follow with their record-breaking anthem ‘Mr. Brightside’. The massive ‘Stick Season’ from Noah Kahan is up next before the first side finishes with Lana Del Rey’s stunning ‘Video Games’. Flip the LP over for contemporary classics from Coldplay and Duran Duran. Sinéad O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ still sounds raw and breath-taking and is followed by classics from the Pretenders, Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, and Soft Cell’s ‘Tainted Love’, one of the best-selling UK singles of the ‘80s, whilst another of those closes out the first LP: Ultravox with their masterpiece, ‘Vienna’.



LP2 delivers a legendary lineup, including Billy Joel with his Grammy-winning ‘Just The Way You Are’ and Céline Dion’s powerful version of ‘All By Myself’. John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ and Paul Simon’s groundbreaking ‘Graceland’ are featured along with the pop genius of Electric Light Orchestra with ‘Last Train To London’. While on the other side timeless ballads from Elton John with ‘Tiny Dancer’ and Lewis Capaldi’s ‘Someone You Loved’ come ahead of Wings, Simply Red and ‘60s gems from Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and the peerless ‘Walk On By’ from Dionne Warwick.



LP3 opens with Neil Diamond’s universally beloved singalong anthem, ‘Sweet Caroline’ and Cliff Richard’s mid-70s classic, ‘Devil Woman’. Disco legends Donna Summer (‘MacArthur Park’) and Gloria Gaynor (‘I Will Survive’), lead into Sophie Ellis Bextor’s ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ which became a smash for the second time recently. Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams had enduringly popular hits with ‘Galway Girl’ and ‘Happy’, and the side closes with the harmonic vocals of All-4-One and their beautiful signature song ‘I Swear’. The final side is packed with anthemic and uplifting classics kicking off with Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’, Survivor’s ‘Eye Of The Tiger’, and Take That’s soaring ‘Rule The World’. The remainder of the collection celebrates and showcases some of the ‘70s greatest tracks including Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Lost In France’, Marianne Faithfull’s poignant ‘The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan’ and Blondie’s era-defining and genre-defying #1 ‘Heart Of Glass’.



NOW That’s What I Call Gold is a must-have for all music lovers —packed with legendary artists, timeless hits, and unforgettable moments in pop. Don’t miss out on this golden treasure trove of musical brilliance!

After many years of artistic collaboration, the long-awaited album, KILLING TIME, bringing together London-based MC Killa P and Italian Bass music collective Numa Crew, has finally arrived.

Killa P, a name synonymous with potent lyricism and raw energy in the Grime scene, delivers a vocal masterclass throughout his debut long-player, soundtracked by the stellar production of the Numa Crew. Together they expertly navigate genres including dubstep, grime, dub, and jungle, while maintaining a distinct and cohesive musical identity.

Not simply a collection of individual tracks, Killing Time is a meticulously crafted journey through sound system music. There are no stylistic boundaries, as the long-player encompasses the entire musical spectrum that unites the Italian crew with the London-based MC, with Killa P free to showcase his evolution as an artist. Alongside them, the album also brings together a diverse cast of friends and collaborators, vocalists, and producers, each adding their own unique flavor.

From the pulsating dubstep-infused Boys in Blue, a searing commentary on social inequality, to the reggae-tinged steppa tune Love Inna We Heart featuring Charlie P and Long Range, a plea for unity and love, Killa P's lyrical dexterity shines.

Tracks such as Champion Sound, Badman City Pt.2 featuring the French Ragga legend Big Red, and No Laugh featuring Big Chain and Bristol’s Buggsy are a nod to Killa P's roots, beautifully showcasing his mastery of grime's signature sound, while the sped-up tempos of the Fleck collaboration Jungle Leng, and Can't Get Me Down featuring Ras Demo, inject a jolt of Junglist attitude. Different Life is a vibrant ‘carnival’ jam, that infuses grime and dancehall moods and sees the great Lady Lykez on the second verse.

The album wraps on a contemplative note with Dreaming, a collaboration with Abstract Sonance, and Heartless, featuring Killa’s son GK on production, revealing an introspective note that adds yet more depth to Killa P's artistry.

As the album’s second track, Family, proclaims: ‘man a deal with family, not friends’ - a fitting line to define the album as a whole… An ode to the unity and strength of family.

Zur Feier ihrer gemeinsamen ,Two Wrongs"-Europatour gibt es diese großartige Single mit je zwei Tracks von Cyanide Pills und Nasty Rumours! Die Punkband Cyanide Pills aus Leeds bietet mit "Falling For You" einen unveröffentlichten Track, den sie 2010 für ihr Debütalbum aufgenommen hatten. Außerdem ,I Don't Wanna Dance", das zur gleichen Zeit wie ihr letztes Album ,Soundtrack To The New Cold War" aufgenommen wurde. Die beste Punkband der Schweiz, Nasty Rumours, hat eigens für diese Single zwei neue Tracks aufgenommen - "My Final Heartbeat" und "Bury Me In My Leather Jacket". Es sind ,zwei neue Tracks über Leben und Sterben; über Elektroschocks und Lederjacken", sagt die Band. Wer wären wir, wenn wir widersprechen?!

Capturing phantom drones behind dusty beats and haunted twangs, Ellis Swan and James Schimpl return for their third album as Dead Bandit. Locked into a musical language unique to their collaboration, the duo once again put us out to pasture across broad sonic plains, drums flapping like loose fence panels in the prairie breeze and bass rumbling like distant thunder. True to their previous two records, Swan and Schimpl keep the strung out guitars at the front of what they do, whether playing a naked, desolate strum or running six strings through disruptive effects processing until they're barely recognisable.
But while there are details of disturbance when listening to Dead Bandit's self-titled record up close, the wider impression is a smoother, more direct affair that toys with post-rock complexity and matches it with the emotional weight of melodic simplicity, gentle grooves and conscious arrangements. 'Weeds' offsets its languid fuzz guitar with shimmering sustained notes before settling into a patient, heavy-hearted composition charged with heartbreak leads pealing out in the middle distance.
By comparison, 'Glass' has a smoky, half-hidden backroom quality. Its brushed whisper of a beat, lingering guitar drones and subtle sub bass come on like a dub wise flip of a sad-eyed country ballad. The mood maintains on 'Half Smoked Cigarette', which captures the grey sky sullenness of post-punk and reframes it in the seductive isolation of rural America. While there's a thickness to the sound on these most direct of tracks on the album, there's also fragility inherent to the sound world Dead Bandit have been shaping out over these past few years.
'Buttercup' swaps sadness for sinister undercurrents, once more drawing on fulsome low end to fill out the sparse threads of instrumentation up top. 'Pink' finds a steady momentum for its own brand of brooding mystery, the sharp end of the beat bringing focus to the many-layered approaches to the guitar which roundly define the Dead Bandit sound. There's an even clearer direction mapped out in the vintage drum machine pulse of 'Koyo', all the better to carry swirling effects treatments and moody melodic figures. Even in these ominous climes there's space for plaintive, endearing hooks which land as the most direct phrases in Dead Bandit's musical lexicon to date.
The fundamental sound across this album holds true, but Dead Bandit are never bound to a singular practice. 'Lucien's Bitters' strikes up a pronounced drum machine beat which comes on like 90s downtempo, and it feels like a natural vessel for the heavy, shoegaze tinted lament of the guitars. At every turn, Swan and Schimpl prove their affinity for all kinds of approaches, and yet the end product is a deeply cohesive, immediate listen that shows just how clear their creative vision really is.

Edwyn Collins ist zurück mit seinem 10. Soloalbum "Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation" und Reflektionen über den Zustand der Welt. Das 11-Track-Werk auf dem eigenen Label AED Records wurde in Edwyns Clashnarrow Studio in Helmsdale im Nordosten Schottlands aufgenommen und von ihm zusammen mit Sean Read und Jake Hutton produziert. "Knowledge", Albumopener und erste Single, wird von einem Video begleitet, das zwischen Weihnachten und Neujahr in Edwyns Heimatdorf Helmsdale gedreht wurde. Regie führte Delbert Anthonio Wright, ein talentierter junger Filmemacher, den Edwyn seit seiner Kindheit kennt.

T. Gowdy returns with a major statement and luminous stylistic expansion on his third album for Constellation. Trill Scan is an exquisite suite of songs literally and figuratively about alchemy, where Gowdy melds his background in choral and medieval music with his trademark analogue electronics. Following the acclaimed Miracles (Bleep Album of the Week / Albums of the Year 2022), Gowdy's bar-raising new LP centers human voice for the first time. Choral set-pieces and solo lead vocals, along with his own lute playing, are novel elements in Gowdy's work, and draw on strains of Middle Ages polyphony and the Baroque "broken style" to further distinguish Trill Scan from anything in his discography to date. Gowdy sees "the modal language of medieval Europe as a less distant cousin to indigenous traditional music practice" compared to a Classical-colonial "patriarchal order of tonality that honours a system of domination." The 12th century Notre Dame School of choral music and 17th century style brisé each carry tonal materiality, heterodox technique, and cultural-historical symbolism central to Trill Scan's conceptual and compositional alchemy. Gowdy coheres these beautifully into his palette of serpentine slowburn electronics, a minimal analogue-driven techno shaped by aleatory strategies and tinged with post-punk grit. Gowdy's sound has been aptly described as "gently transportative, flickering like a busted halogen lamp" and his overriding pursuit of psychoacoustic immanence likened to "getting your brain massaged" and praised as "blissful work that bristles with effervescent energy, like brain waves coming in and out of focus." Trill Scan expands this sonic sensibility with more conspicuous harmonic complexity, stylistic variety, and humanistic narrative arc. Alternately sacramental and intimately personal vocals, sometimes wordless and sometimes lyrical, are worked into superlative instrumental tracks, yielding a warmly immersive concept album that's equally Gowdy's most musical. Gowdy sings explicitly of alchemy on the hypnotic album centerpiece "Novus Lumen" with lyrics that gesture at these medieval processes of material investigation. The tension between the scientific and esoteric is crucial; the separation and synthesis of physical substances in medieval alchemy maps onto his fixation with the interplay between the materiality of sound and psychoacoustics. Gowdy follows the Jungian interpretation of classic alchemical texts as an historical bridge to theories of the psyche, where consciousness itself is treated as materiality and similarly subjected to methodical analysis and experimentation, to deconstruction, dissolution, transformation, reintegration, metamorphosis. Song titles like "Arislei Bone" and "Materiadiscipuli" further reference these mythopoetic throughlines from medieval alchemy to modern psychology. Gowdy chooses disruptive forms from the history of Western music that symbolize and prefigure the modern psychological subject and its struggle for/against order, even as they also evoke liturgy and the Renaissance court. The sacramental adds a potent dimension to his pursuit of psychoacoustic activation, meditation, and transcendence, as choral passages intersperse with electronic drone and pointillism throughout the album. His gorgeous Fennesz-meets-lute rendition of the Baroque composition "Courante" by François Dufault offers idiomatic salon-secular counterpoint. Album closer "Strewn" is bookended by a final recurrence of choral invocation, with pulsing earworm motorik techno in between, over which Gowdy whisper-sings a dreamlike vision quest of mythic-alchemical imagery: "as I washed my eyes they turned to metal / and the memories melted to the metal / the metal of my heart." A mesmerizing final song that explicitly invokes Gowdy's search for materialized abstraction and substantive musical immanence wrought from his own psycho-therapeutic subjectivity, and encapsulates the album's turn towards more harmonic, historicized, and humanistic elements. Trill Scan commingles empyrean and earthly electronic songcraft to genuinely original and absorbing effect. Thanks for listening. RIYL: Coil, Nicolás Jaar, Alessandro Cortini, Pantha Du Prince, Fennesz, Visible Cloaks, Actress,

Yore returns with Alfonso Bottone bringing it so Deep, it literally hurts.

This four track EP is by far the deepest shit we've heard in quite some time. Fans of the Deep4Life sound will love this. Deep, Bright and with so much warmth.

Strictly limited to 200 Copies worldwide (no repress). Grab yours while they last.

Bárbara Salazar aka Barbarelle is an experimental multidisciplinary artist from Buenos Aires, known for her conceptual work as a DJ, creative director, and curator.

‘Celesta’ marks Barbarelle first foray into composing and producing her own music; a debut that reveals the intimate, heartfelt territories of her creative universe. The culmination of years of composing for herself - ‘behind closed doors’ - ‘Celesta’ is a deeply personal, self-guided masterstroke of beguiling, free-flowing ambient soundscapes and DIY electronics. With ‘Celesta’, Barbarelle artfully transitions from ardent music aficionado to fully-fledged artist, unveiling an enchanting sonic world that has quietly matured over time.

‘Celesta’ is an exquisite odyssey of sound, assembled from fifteen tracks recorded between 2022 and 2024 in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles. Conceived as spontaneous and intuitive explorations, many of these tracks were recorded in one take without technically-minded premeditation. The product of organic experimentation rather than concrete intention, ‘Celesta’ is an authentic, candid record of emotions, memories, and profound interiorities.

Over time, the pieces in this tapestry found a common thread: a conversation with the ethereal, defined by emotional intensities and softly spoken utterances. ‘Celesta’ is an invitation to immerse yourself in soundscapes that merge to the point of dissolution, evoking the transparency of water and the lightness of a dreamlike world that transcends matter. Like the song of a siren, the voice becomes just another instrument, beyond language yet full of significance. A collection of songs that feels like opening a secret diary; a direct pathway to the centre of the heart.

In addition to her work as an artist, Barbarelle is the founder of Atlas, a platform dedicated to active listening through radio, live performances, listening sessions and more. She is also known for her radio show of the same name on Dublab, where she shares her unique approach to sound with eclectic selections and interviews with the likes of Air, BADBADNOTGOOD, Lucrecia Dalt, Juana Molina & more.

WHO IS ULTAN O’BRIEN? Ultan O’Brien is a fiddle player and composer from the wilds of County Clare in the West of Ireland. Ultan is a performer as well as a regular at sessions all of Ireland and can be found by chance in any pub in Dublin, Cork or some remote village on the edge of nowhere, flying jigs and reels around the room. Ultan was reared in the rich tradition of Irish music which is so commonly found and heard in Co Clare, but he also delves deep into sound art and experimental music. He has often been heard in the back of a car after a few pints quoting lines from Alvin Lucier or speaking at length about improvisation and its place in modern Irish music. Ultan O’Brien is a fresh and vital player who has much to offer with his unique approach and technique to a tradition so old and ever ready for a subtle change every 100 years or so. Ultan has played and recorded with people and bands such as Skipper’s Alley, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, John Francis Flynn, Slow Moving Clouds, Cuar, Laura Jurd, Martin Green, Natalia Beylis, Paul Roe and Nic Gareiss. ‘in its Ultan’s fiddle playing sincerity of tone it reminds me somewhat of those great caoineadh which were played with such elusive grandeur by Denis Murphy and Pádraig O’Keefe’ Adrian Scahill ‘lets the heart brighten and the feet tap’ Richard Hollingum -KlofMag


ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL ALBUM: ‘This album, Dancing the Line, is my first solo album of music played on an alternatively-tune alto fiddle. I found that the resonance and growl of this lower tuned instrument sat me perfectly into the sound-world I wanted to be in, giving vibrancy to my own compositions and nestling into the traditional music I grew up with.’

Endlich zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl erhältlich, die My First Holly Golightly Album CD Compilation von vor zwanzig Jahren! Eine 14-Track-Compilation, inspiriert von der damaligen Live-Show von Holly Golightly. Diese Zusammenstellung enthält Hollys Lieblingssongs von ihrem Debütalbum The Good Things aus dem Jahr 1995 bis hin zu ihrem Album Slowly but Surely von 2004. Außerdem enthält sie vier exklusive Tracks, die eigens für dieses Album aufgenommen wurden.

‘Moonlight Concessions’ goes back to basics, a return for Throwing Muses to their esoteric off-kilter best courtesy of Kristin’s pin-sharp sketches and their suitably abrasive musical arrangements. The album follows their acclaimed ‘Sun Racket’ from 2020, a heady set filled with tough and tender tales spiked with surreal imagery. Produced by Kristin Hersh at Steve Rizzo's Stable Sound Studio in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ is a collection of snippets from everyday life writ large - think Raymond Carver Short Cuts, overheard conversations, recounted happenings and telling one-liners, all sewed together to illustrate the times as they slowly mature, fully peppered with original Muses’ vim and vigour. ‘Drugstore Drastic’ is a kerbside soliloquy caught en route to a more alluring rendezvous. Built on a brisk acoustic strum with a guitar sub-melody underpinning proceedings, it’s an unfolding tale of social awareness from a blurred sub-conscious. ‘Summer Of Love’ began as a bet with a guy for a dollar that revolved around the idea that the seasons don’t change us. The album opener, it’s a haunting baroque overture, bowed and brooding. ‘Libretto’s strings offset the acoustic ambience, the hot and cold of longing at the very heart of it, a thematic driver filed with warmth in a safe haven lubricated by tequila. Written in the differing South Coast environs of The Gulf Of Mexico and Southern California, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ pulls from the star clusters that light both, generating optimism and hope in varying degrees. Hersh explains, “In New Orleans the stars look greenish-blue, as it’s below sea level and swamp-lit. But on Moonlight Beach, they glow icy white. All these songs were written in these two glowy places, which helped our sonic technique find itself.”

Fourth Page: Meaning of a Nest is the highly anticipated fourth studio album, and second with Edition Records, by renowned South Korean/ Amsterdam based drummer and visionary composer Sun-Mi Hong solidifying Hong’s position as one of the most inventive and creative drummers and musicians of her generation. Meaning of a Nest, embodies the album’s exploration of home and community, reflecting Hong’s decade-long journey from South Korea to Amsterdam and her efforts to build new networks and establish roots in a vibrant new environment.

Musically, Fourth Page: Meaning of a Nest offers an inventive and spacious soundscape, seamlessly blending meticulously crafted compositions with elements of improvisation. This fusion ensures each track resonates with authenticity and emotional depth. Hong’s unique approach grants her band members creative freedom within her structured frameworks, resulting in adynamic and genuine listening experience. Fourth Page: Meaning of a Nest stands as a testament to Sun-Mi Hong’s artistic evolution and unwavering commitment to artistic integrity, positioning her as a formidable presence in the European music scene and beyond.

Lee Hazlewood made his bones producing and cowriting with guitarist Duane Eddy during the ‘50s, and then cemented his immortality with the classic sides he produced for Nancy Sinatra during the ‘60s. Over the past few decades, though, attention has turned to Lee’s idiosyncratic solo work, the heart of which he recorded for the Reprise label and his own LHI Records. Issued in 1968,

Love and Other Crimes is one of his Reprise releases, and it’s one of the weirdest records in his entire catalog. Recorded in Paris with such legendary Wrecking Crew members as guitarist James Burton and drummer Hal Blaine, Hazlewood sounds every bit the bon vivant (read: half drunk) as he swings from country ballads to lightly psychedelic pop highlighted by his rockin’ cover of Bonnie Dobson’s “Morning Dew.” Other highlights include “Rosacoke Street,” which presents him at his most psychedelic lounge lizard-esque, (think a Hunter Thompson character from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and his moving “Wait and See,” an apology for bad behavior to an absent lover.

We’ve enlisted Mike Milchner to remaster this one for vinyl… don’t miss Lee’s stream-of-consciousness back cover notes, either. Pressed in sea blue vinyl limited to 1000 copies!

It’s been 20 years since Hinder’s major label debut Extreme Behavior was released, and we’re still not sure the music industry has recovered. Seldom have commercial and critical success been poles apart to this degree; this record went TRIPLE platinum and scored, what, four major hit singles (more if you count the international charts)?! Yet, critical scorn was unrelenting, one reviewer commenting Hinder “appeal not to fans of music, but fans of high fives.” Which is pretty funny…but this Oklahoma City band laughed all the way to the bank, as songs like “Get Stoned,” “Lips of an Angel” (#3 on the Hot 100), “How Long,” and “Better Than Me” were worldwide hits.

Part of this was due to the undeniable charisma of lead vocalist Austin John Winkler; producer Brian Howes also deserves credit for co-writing the songs. But a big part of Hinder’s allure (aside from the fetching cover photo taken straight from the cover of the book How to Tell a Naked Man What to Do: Sex Advice from a Woman Who Knows) was the band’s devil-may-care attitude. Fans of Jackass found their party-hearty soundtrack right here; Extreme Behavior is good, unclean fun. Remastered for its firstever vinyl reissue on its 20th birthday by Mike Milchner from Sonic Vision, and pressed in blackberry vinyl!

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

The late, great Calvin Keys’1971 debut album for the Black Jazz Records label announced the arrival of a new star in the jazz guitar firmament. Keys had spent the ‘60s backing up the crème de la crème of jazz organists—Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Richard “Groove” Holmes—but for his first record as a leader, he was eager to play with a piano player instead. So he recruited one of the best—Larry Nash, who, besides being a member of the L.A. Express, played with everybody from Eddie Harris to Bill Withers to Etta James. Bassist Lawrence Evans, drummer Bob Braye, and flautist-songwriter Owen Marshall rounded out the group on Shawn-Neeq, which might remind some of Pat Metheny’s early work (Metheny acknowledges Keys as an influence), or Grant Green.

But what gives Shawn-Neeq extra depth is that it comes from the heart; as Keys says in Pat Thomas’ liner notes, which feature an interview with the artist: “My thing was, I write about some of the experiences that I’ve had in my life.” Keys became a fixture in the Bay Area jazz scene before he passed in April 2024; this is the album that started his journey. Another gem from the celebrated Black Jazz catalog, pressed in blue with black swirl vinyl limited to 750 copies!

compiled by tsunaki kadowaki
artwork by yoshirotten
mastering by kuniyuki takahashi

Tsunaki Kadowaki, a staff member at Kyoto’s record store Meditations, the supervisor of "New Age Music Disc Guide", and the founder of Sad Disco, curates the fourth installment of "Midnight in Tokyo" themed around Ambient Kayō.

The Midnight in Tokyo series by Studio Mule focuses on Japanese music, serving as a soundtrack for Tokyo nights—whether for home listening, club play, or as a driving BGM, transcending location and space. After a six-year hiatus, the fourth volume takes "Ambient Kayō" as its new perspective, compiling genre-defying tracks released between 1977 and 1999 to explore the intersection of Japanese ambient and pop music.

For this long-awaited fourth installment, selections were made regardless of record label status (major or independent), era, format (vinyl or CD), original release price, or prior reissues. Instead, the focus was on music that deeply moves the listener, is open-minded and evocative, brims with inspiration and spiritual insight, and embodies the "utagokoro" (singing heart) of Japanese artists.

Opening the compilation is "Umi e Kinasai" by Yōsui Inoue, a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter whose works have recently gained renewed interest as hidden gems of Walearic and ambient pop

Composed and arranged by Katsu Hoshi—who is also known for his arrangements on Inoue’s masterpiece Ice World—the track features renowned players such as Masayoshi Takanaka, Hiroki Inui, and Shigeru Inoue. The song embodies a yearning for Balearic horizons, tinged with youthful vibrancy and sentimentality.

Next, "Oritatamu Umi", compiled from Keiko Nosaka, a 20-string koto player, and George Murasaki, a pioneer of Okinawan rock, is an instrumental track from their album "Niraikanai Requiem 1945". As the title suggests, it carries themes of requiem and remembrance, conveying poetic lyricism even without words. Blending Ryukyuan/Okinawan harmonies and indigenous elements, it unfolds as an intimate and nostalgic piece of progressive rock.

Also featured is "Natsu no Kowareru Koro" by Higurashi, a folk-rock band led by Seiichi Takeda, formerly a guitarist of The Remainders of The Clover, the predecessor of RC Succession. Like the opening track "Umi e Kinasai", this song was also produced by Katsu Hoshi. It stands as a folk/new music piece that takes a step into an "otherworldly" realm, recommended for fans of Twin Cosmos and Masumi Hara.

From the enigmatic Blue, the only work left by the mysterious composer S.R. Kinoshita, comes "Mangrove", a hidden treasure of Japan's ambient/new age scene from the CD era. With an oriental and enigmatic atmosphere, the track evokes a mystical world of deep, uncharted jungles, unfolding as an otherworldly New Age Kayō.

"Yaponesia Sakura", selected from Rehabilual’s sole album New Child, is a masterpiece of Japanese new age music. Produced by Swami Dhyan Akamo, a disciple of Indian meditation teacher Osho and a renowned balafon player, the track features Michio Ogawa (Chakra) and Atsuo Fujimoto (Colored Music). Their collective artistry creates an exquisite spiritual ambient pop sound.

"Asa no Hitoshizuku", the opening folk song from Sachiko Kanenobu’s album Sachiko, is also included. Known for her legendary folk album Misora, produced by Haruomi Hosono, Kanenobu’s fourth album after resuming her career was inspired by her experiences living in San Francisco and revolves around the theme of "love." This track carries the same intimate poetic world as Misora, imbued with a pure, crystalline innocence.

From the synth-pop band E.S. Island, known for the Haruomi Hosono-produced *Teku Teku Mami", comes "Yume Fūrin ", selected from their long-lost new age classic Nanpū from Hachijo. Created while the band’s core duo was living in Hachijō Island, the album aimed to sonically capture "the high and happy vibrations of everyday island life." This track offers a dynamic, tribal-infused New Age Kayō experience.

Dubbed "the world's first Min’yō House Mix" "Esashi Oiwake (Maeuta) " comes from Kanazawa Akiko HOUSE MIX Ⅰ, a collaboration between Japanese house music pioneer Soichi Terada and Akiko Kanazawa, a renowned min’yō singer. Through the prism of club music, Hokkaido's Esashi Oiwake, one of Japan’s most iconic folk songs, is transformed into a futuristic ambient pop piece with intricate sound design.

The compilation also includes "Sweet Ong Choh", a track from Voice From Asia, a group active between 1989 and 1992 featuring vocal artist Shizuru Ohtaka. Taken from their imaginative minimal work Voice From Asia, released under Aoyama Spiral’s music label Newsic, the song presents a tranquil, tribal-minimal soundscape enriched by ethnic instruments.

Hailed by Haruomi Hosono as having “a shaman residing in her voice,” singer-songwriter Nami Hōdatsu also appears in the selection. Known for her collaborations with Henry Kawahara, her debut album featured "Asa-Hikari-Ame-Yume", a track that now stands as a precursor to modern vocaloid/synthesized vocal music—a hidden gem of post-choir aesthetics that deserves rediscovery.

Likewise, "Tennessee Waltz", from Naomi Akimoto’s album One Night Stand, supported by members of Mariah, serves as another early prototype of vocaloid/synthesized vocal music. The track weaves fragmented vocal samples, pastoral yet sweetly minimal synth sounds, and mechanical beats into a strikingly unconventional piece in the history of Japanese music.

Closing the compilation is "Heaven Electric", a track from Nav Katze’s album Gentle & Elegance, which featured remixes by Autechre, Seefeel, and Sun Electric. Merging elements of IDM, ambient techno, and chillout, the song embodies an optimism reminiscent of space music while seamlessly blending a mystical Japanese aesthetic—an ambient pop masterpiece.

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The album presents 12 exquisite pop tracks infused with an ambient feeling, resonating deeply with the evolving landscape of the mid-2020s—a time of post-hyperpop and Y2K revival.

Tsunaki Kadowaki (Compiler)

Born in 1993 in Yonago, Tottori, Tsunaki Kadowaki is a staff member and buyer at Kyoto’s Meditations record store. He is the editor of New Age Music Disc Guide (DU BOOKS) and a contributor to Music Magazine, Record Collectors' Magazine, ele-king, and more. Kadowaki has written liner notes for multiple Japanese releases (Brian Eno, Masahiro Sugaya etc.) and runs the Sad Disco music label under Disk Union. He also curates Spotify’s official New Age Music playlist and performed as a DJ at YCAM’s Audio Base Camp #3 in 2024.

My Boy, the third solo record from New Zealand singer/ songwriter Marlon Williams, announces an artist emerging anew. Gone is the solemn, country-indebted crooner with the velvet voice - in his place comes a playful, shapeshifting creature. Following the release of his second album, 2018's Make Way For Love, Williams' toured the world, playing major festivals and collaborating with Lorde, Yo-Yo Ma and Florence Welch. He also forged a fledgling acting career with roles in films The True History of the Kelly Gang and Netflix series Sweet Tooth, as well as a cameo in Oscar winning film A Star Is Born. My Boy parlays this flush of worldly experience into a vivid record as spirited and kinetic as the unfolding life of its performer. "I've always explored different character elements in my music," says Williams. "And the more I get into acting, the more tricks I'm learning about representation and presentation. To get braver and bolder with exploring shifting contexts and new ways of doing things." As the pandemic paused global travel, Williams found himself at home in New Zealand, reconnecting with family and friends. Soon new demos and lyrical themes emerged: of self-identity and escapism; tribalism and a gnarled family tree; and ruminations on the role of masculinity and mateship. Co-produced with Tom Healy and recorded at Roundhead Studios in New Zealand, My Boy finds Williams' leading a new band through a set of genre-hopping tunes: from the cheery sway of `My Boy' and chugging `80s noir sheen of `Thinking Of Nina', to the charging synth of `River Rival', and the sultry pop jam `Don't Go Back.' All this sonic and emotional whiplash is intentional, and ultimately My Boy sees Williams having fun, even while interrogating the behaviors of himself and those around him.

My Boy, the third solo record from New Zealand singer/ songwriter Marlon Williams, announces an artist emerging anew. Gone is the solemn, country-indebted crooner with the velvet voice - in his place comes a playful, shapeshifting creature. Following the release of his second album, 2018's Make Way For Love, Williams' toured the world, playing major festivals and collaborating with Lorde, Yo-Yo Ma and Florence Welch. He also forged a fledgling acting career with roles in films The True History of the Kelly Gang and Netflix series Sweet Tooth, as well as a cameo in Oscar winning film A Star Is Born. My Boy parlays this flush of worldly experience into a vivid record as spirited and kinetic as the unfolding life of its performer. "I've always explored different character elements in my music," says Williams. "And the more I get into acting, the more tricks I'm learning about representation and presentation. To get braver and bolder with exploring shifting contexts and new ways of doing things." As the pandemic paused global travel, Williams found himself at home in New Zealand, reconnecting with family and friends. Soon new demos and lyrical themes emerged: of self-identity and escapism; tribalism and a gnarled family tree; and ruminations on the role of masculinity and mateship. Co-produced with Tom Healy and recorded at Roundhead Studios in New Zealand, My Boy finds Williams' leading a new band through a set of genre-hopping tunes: from the cheery sway of `My Boy' and chugging `80s noir sheen of `Thinking Of Nina', to the charging synth of `River Rival', and the sultry pop jam `Don't Go Back.' All this sonic and emotional whiplash is intentional, and ultimately My Boy sees Williams having fun, even while interrogating the behaviors of himself and those around him.

Red vinyl. Released in 1982, III Wishes marked a new chapter for Shooting Star, as it was their first album without founding keyboardist Bill Guffey. Despite the lineup change, the band continued to refine their signature blend of melodic rock and soaring instrumentation, further establishing themselves in the AOR scene. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still leading the charge, III Wishes showcased powerful hooks, tight musicianship, and the band's signature violin-infused rock sound. While it didn't achieve mainstream superstardom, the album reaffirmed Shooting Star's underrated brilliance and commitment to delivering heartfelt, high-energy rock.

Red/Black splatter vinyl. Released in 1982, III Wishes marked a new chapter for Shooting Star, as it was their first album without founding keyboardist Bill Guffey. Despite the lineup change, the band continued to refine their signature blend of melodic rock and soaring instrumentation, further establishing themselves in the AOR scene. With Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas still leading the charge, III Wishes showcased powerful hooks, tight musicianship, and the band's signature violin-infused rock sound. While it didn't achieve mainstream superstardom, the album reaffirmed Shooting Star's underrated brilliance and commitment to delivering heartfelt, high-energy rock.

Clear marble vinyl. Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Shooting Star made history as the first American band signed to Virgin Records. Their 1980 self-titled debut, produced by Gus Dudgeon (renowned for his work with Elton John), showcased a powerful blend of melodic rock, soaring harmonies, and violin-infused arrangements. Recorded in England in 1979, the album gained national attention with AOR radio staples like "You Got What I Need," "Bring It On," and "Tonight." However, it was "Last Chance" that truly stood out_later praised by AllMusic as "one of the finest songs ever." With a lineup featuring Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Bill Guffey, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas, Shooting Star blended classic rock with orchestral textures, crafting a unique and memorable sound. Though they never reached mainstream superstardom, their debut album remains a hidden gem of heartland rock, capturing the energy and ambition of a band on the rise.

Clear Vinyl. Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Shooting Star made history as the first American band signed to Virgin Records. Their 1980 self-titled debut, produced by Gus Dudgeon (renowned for his work with Elton John), showcased a powerful blend of melodic rock, soaring harmonies, and violin-infused arrangements. Recorded in England in 1979, the album gained national attention with AOR radio staples like "You Got What I Need," "Bring It On," and "Tonight." However, it was "Last Chance" that truly stood out_later praised by AllMusic as "one of the finest songs ever." With a lineup featuring Van McLain, Gary West, Charles Waltz, Bill Guffey, Ron Verlin, and Steve Thomas, Shooting Star blended classic rock with orchestral textures, crafting a unique and memorable sound. Though they never reached mainstream superstardom, their debut album remains a hidden gem of heartland rock, capturing the energy and ambition of a band on the rise.

Electronic pioneer Sasha links up with Artche for dramatic new single 'Hold On', Artche also provides his own version of the track.

Last Night on Earth founder Sasha sits in his own world after more than 30 years of innovation as a DJ and producer. His meticulously crafted sounds have constantly redefined the underground, and with this label, he has spearheaded the melodic movement with his own music and careful A&R of exceptional contemporary talents. This latest release finds him working again with Newcastle-based producer and vocalist Artche, who has already collaborated to great effect with the likes of Franky Wah and Cristoph on Eric Prydz's Pryda Presents and also released solo on SHÈN Recordings. His mix of deep house and techno has won fans like Pete Tong and Lane B, and he asserts his skills once more here. Says Artche of his return to LNOE.

The fantastic 'Hold On' is a dramatic ride lit up with sweeping, spine-tingling synths. It has a grand architecture and widescreen atmosphere with profound melodies and moody bass rolling down below. Angelic vocal sounds shimmer amongst the epic chords and the whole sophisticated track makes an inescapably emotional impact. The Artche Mix works the drums into airy, dusty broken beats that bring a different vibe while the original vocals and lush synths remain in place and tugging at the heartstrings.

This new record from Black Swan evokes a desolate post-collapse world that is detailed with haunting choirs, mangled tapes and distant industrial sounds. The album unfolds like a requiem by pulling beauty from the ruins of a collapsed society. With an hour-long narrative, it shifts between rippling hums and plaintive quivers of old cassettes, slowly revealing a heart that beats beneath the crimson haze. Tracks like 'Overture' and 'Back to Dust' offer cinematic grandeur and mournful exploration, while 'Pseudotruth' and 'New Gods' introduce eerie uncertainty. In the end, the album serves as a haunting meditation on loss, memory and the fragility of civilisation.

"The journey from Belfast to Los Angeles, entwined with a lifetime spent at the coalface of bona fide rock n roll, has made for a heady cocktail of creativity and popularity. Ricky Warwick, founder of The Almighty, Black Star Riders, The Fighting Hearts, acclaimed and respectful frontman of Thin Lizzy since 2011, remains unstoppable.
This time he’s on a solo run with the release of his new album Blood Ties. "