Buscar:hi dive

Lewis Fautzi's new alias, Space Program, debuts in the scene with a deep dive into the edge of his creative and artistic mind, where new visions and ideas have been boiling for so long. A futuristic and spacial sound, emerges from psychedelic soundscapes and places the audience in an expedition to unexplored galaxies and alternate realities.

Scientific Side EP is the first outcome of years and years of methodic experiences in his studio and awakens a profound sense of vitality that goes beyond the basic comprehension of music.

Since their debut album in 2005, Finnish post-rock cinematic epics, Oddarrang, have been captivating audiences with their unique blend of atmospheric, melodically infused, and harmonically rich music, woven around an uncommon combination of guitars, cello, and trombone. The term "odd arrangement," from which Oddarrang takes its name, perfectly describes their effortless merging of atmospheric charm with post-rock influences, tasteful synth production, and resonant brass. In 2024, Oddarrang is set to release their fifth and self-confessed final album, an album that many consider their magnum opus.

This highly anticipated release blends all the elements from their previous works, resulting in a highly compelling musical masterpiece. The anticipation for this album is at its peak, representing the culmination of their artistic growth over the years. As a collective group, Oddarrang is a melting pot of diverse musicians, each contributing their distinct style to the musical canvas. Their evocative compositions possess a cinematic quality, conjuring a plethora of emotions and vivid imagery in the minds of their listeners. This forthcoming album stands as a true testament to Oddarrang's unwavering dedication and artistic evolution. It is a reflection of their authentic connection to the music they create, inviting audiences to embark on a transformative and emotionally charged musical journey.

"Oddarrang" includes the following tracks: "Lull", "Mishkan", "White Wall pt. 2" and more and comes on orange vinyl.

"Direct from Sandy’s tape archive, these DIY bedroom demos feature his layered harmonies, harpsichord and guitar - all recorded during his time with the Millennium. Though unreleased and hidden away at the time they were recorded, these demos finally get their due on coloured vinyl! Includes new liner notes & photos! The CD has 7 bonus tracks!

Sandy seemed to be in the eye of the kaleidoscopic tornado that was swirling and twirling around L.A. … so why didn’t these songs surface all those years ago? It certainly wasn’t for lack of talent, nor was it disinterest. In fact, it was quite the opposite. While in the Millennium, Sandy continued to write and record his own songs. After signing a publishing deal with Four Star Music, his new publisher did place a few of his songs - “Rag Doll Boy,” recorded by Thee Prophets and The Naked Truth; Terry Black recorded a version of “Wishing Star,” and “These Are The Children” and “Goodbye Yesterday” made an appearance on Tommy Roe’s sixth album, Phantasy.

But for all of the songs he composed and recorded on his reel-to-reel tape machine in his small, Sunset Strip apartment, it seemed as if Four Star Music wasn’t truly interested in promoting his songs. But in truth, it was an under-the-table handshake between Curt Boettcher and Four Star Music that squashed all hope of other artists hearing and recording Sandy’s songs.

The songs on this album are a few of many compositions Sandy wrote and recorded between 1966 and 1968. With only one or two exceptions, every instrument, lead vocal and layered harmony is his, and as you will hear, it’s really no wonder that Curt had them hidden away. Taken from the original reel-to-reel tapes, dive into Sandy Salisbury’s sparkling world of sunshine pop."

Rebirth 10, a limited double CD released in 2016, celebrated the 10th anniversary of Rebirth Records. Curated by one of the greatest names in House Music, Larry Heard, aka Mr. Fingers, it featured key releases from the label's first decade. Now exclusively for Record Store Day 2024, it will be reissued for the first time on limited edition numbered double vinyl, showcasing sought-after tracks from the catalogue. Featuring original music and remixes from Larry Heard himself alongside further legends of the scene such as Motor City Drum Ensemble, Joe Clausell, Andres, Jamie 3:26, Ripperton, and Mr Fingers himself. This compilation shines a light on forgotten classics from one of House Music's most influential labels of the past 20 years. True house from THE house producer of the scene.

Twentysix artists, lots of wine and pizza, no agenda. This compilation is a collection of vibes and memories from our PLYGRND Beat Retreat in Tuscany, Italy, wrapped in songs. Featuring tracks by Kiefer, Sara Kawai, Flozigg, Adia, Kaelin Ellis, Molly McPhaul, Burrito Eats, DAO, Desh, Dhanya, Elaquent, Elijah Fox, Glimlip, Joe Bae, K Le Maestro, Louk, Mad Keys, miamore, Miri, Nokiaa, Paul Grant, DEOVI, Relyae, Saltyyyy V, Sebastian Kamae, and Tom Doolie. Driving up a hill lined with pine trees and grapevines, arriving at a beautiful arrangement of terracotta colored houses embedded in an unreal scenery made of grapevines and verdurous greens. Roaming this area, worrying about nothing but the day that lies ahead. Bumping into fellow creatives who share the same passion for music and art. Collaborative energy coming out of this; exploring new sounds with new souls. You capture yourself getting lucky, and think to yourself: Don’t take it too seriously, it’s not that deep. But also, make some beautiful stuff, if you can. This year's compilation is a testament to the rich diversity of talent on display. The PLYGRND Beat Retreat Compilation 2023 is not just a collection of tracks; it's a celebration of the artists who brought their A-game to our event. Get your hands on this exclusive gatefold-vinyl, and immerse yourself in the sounds that defined the PLYGRND Beat Retreat 2023. Limited edition, high-quality, and a must-have for any music enthusiast.

Having built a loyal local Antwerp following off of the success of their 2019 debut self released album, ‘Forgotten Kingdom’, and growing reputation for electrifying stage performances, Kolonel Djafaar achieved worldwide recognition in 2021 for the ‘Cold Heat’ EP on Batov Records, attracting praise from Music Is My Sanctuary (“triumphant), and support from Gideon Coe on BBC 6 Radio Music, and DJs across Worldwide FM, Soho Radio, Le Mellotron, and KEXP.

The group overcame busy schedules and frequent quarantine periods to hit the studio in February 2022 to lay down four tracks. However, the creative itch persisted, leading to an intense writing session in August, deep in the heart of a tranquil forest. From noon until midnight, the band immersed themselves in the creative process, embracing the freedom to make noise without restraint.

Fueled by hearty breakfasts, unwavering focus, and the ambient clucking of chickens roaming the studio, Kolonel Djafaar crafted the majority of ‘Getaway’. This period marked a pivotal shift as a number of new band members joined just in time for the August sessions.

Membership changes, including Emiel Lauryssen joining on trumpet, alongside guitarist Philip Matthhijnssens, the band's palette has broadened and new sounds are able to break through. From psychedelic rock and soul influence of the Daptone Records’ affiliated Budos Band, surf rock (“Urban Dweller”), Morricone Spaghetti Western guitar, and Afro Cuban (“Kelmendi”), alongside the brassy Afrobeat and Ethio jazz vibes the group have been known for.

The broader dynamics of ‘Getaway’, and the band’s more cinematic and experimental approach, is particularly apparent on "Siren’s Glitch" and "Phil’s First Tear". The latter, first conceived by drummer Anton Van Hove, features the lead guitar doubling up with the bass guitar for added impact. Whilst the origins of "Convoi Exceptionnel", a brass & synths stomper of a march, trace back to a jam session during the band's Hungarian tour, another vital period of prolonged time together, capturing the organic essence of their experiences on the road.

Each track on ‘Getaway’ holds a unique connection to at least one band member, and all benefit from a collaborative approach to songwriting. "Sparking Clover'', an Ethio-inspired psych & soul groover penned by tenor saxophonist Doyin Smith, carries a poignant undertone inspired by personal loss, while psych rock leaning tracks like "Apologies in Advance" showcase the band's evolution and increasing professionalism in crafting a distinct sonic experience.

The curious cover art depicts a lone individual heading down an empty city street towards a large mysterious glowing object, evoking the common emptiness and struggle of urban life, and the search for meaning or just something better. The band envision the object to represent this album, offering a beacon to like-minded listeners. Kolonel Djafaar invite music enthusiasts on an immersive journey, to ‘Getaway’ from the daily grind of life, on an album reflecting diverse influences and marking a new chapter in their musical exploration.

If 2022’s The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts. It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk.

A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. “It’s a more layered and diverse record” Paul mentions, “with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with”. It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion.

The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one.

Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’, features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants.

Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez, ‘Extra Nuit’ and ‘Entre chien et loup’. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late ’60s and early ’70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings.

The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on ‘Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)’.

Rounding off the record Paul’s daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track ‘Twilight’. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind.

Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul’s vivid and visceral, storytelling gift.

If 2022’s The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts. It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk.

A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. “It’s a more layered and diverse record” Paul mentions, “with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with”. It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion.

The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one.

Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’, features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants.

Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez, ‘Extra Nuit’ and ‘Entre chien et loup’. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late ’60s and early ’70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings.

The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on ‘Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)’.

Rounding off the record Paul’s daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track ‘Twilight’. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind.

Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul’s vivid and visceral, storytelling gift.

Mattias El Mansouri's second outing on Aniara further expands his undulating minimalism after last year's Tja, Hej, Salam. Sonic waves ripple throughout the atmospheric groover Time Dilation In Ultraviolet on the A-side, while on the flip side a 13 minute trip awaits; a deep, introspective dive into the self and out of the body.

Rethink human's dominion in "The Invincible": a story-driven adventure set in a hard sci-fi world by Stanis?aw Lem. Discover planet Regis III as scientist Yasna, use atompunk tools looking for a missing crew and face unforeseen threats. Make choices in a philosophical story that's driven by science. A major part of the brand-new video game hit "The Invincible" is the unique atmosphere. Apart from the outstanding visual effort, created by Starward Industries, there's also the capturing soundtrack by Brunon Lubas that draws the player into the game. Lubas describes his contribution to this journey into space the following: "Inspired equally by the early pioneers of electronic music, minimalism, lo-fi and modern experimental music, the soundtrack for 'The Invincible' consists of 13 diverse tracks. Digging deep into the emotional part of the game's narrative, it accommodates the feelings of melancholy, mystery, loss and hope all glued together with a distinct and consistent take on aural aesthetic and harmony."

Technically, Yeah. Detroit artists Eddie Logix and Jo Rad Silver alchemize sonic matter on Real, No. The EP emerges from years of creative collaboration and blends each of the artists’ strengths into a deep-house, hi tech jazz, dubby leftfield assemblage straight from the pulse of today’s Detroit.

Since 2017, the pair has been producing tracks and co-curating Technically, Yeah., an influential monthly happening that encourages (Live) electronic musical expression. The duo’s curation is grounded in community, widely genre-diverse and steadfast in commitment to technological experimentation. The Real, No. EP distills this ethos and puts it on wax.

While Jo Rad is known for techno leanings and Eddie for organic jams (recently on Rocksteady Disco,) the two transform beats into substance with a diverse and thoughtfully constructed release. Glued together with attuned mixing from Salar Ansari and cut loud at Archer Pressing in Detroit, the EP’s range puts deep grooves in the bag for every discerning DJ.

AKKA’s Side: “King David” sticks the synthy deep house groove right in gear with a driving, bubbling bassline and floating effervescent vocal chops from and for a special someone. “Mango Strut” offers a slight island twang and dives into a breaky depth of a bracing cathartic arpeggiated, hand drum ecstasy. A vitamin filled chugger.

BEEP’s Side: The duo recorded “June Buggy” the first time they jammed together on a borrowed Juno. This propulsive Italo-ish conga groover is a mechanical piece of action. The record ends by summoning the ancestry of “Callin’ Dybbs,” a textured hi-tech jazz heater. Kasan Belgrave, young-gun horn of known pedigree, lays down the sax. The sultry brass tones lock in with buxom stabs. For those who know and those who don’t yet. This one holds depths!

“Fierce jazz buggin futurism in outerspace” - Luke Una

“Driving and psychedelic and gorgeous hi-tech.” - Peter Croce

“Perfectly crunchy soul squeezed jams begging to be rinsed” - 2Lanes

“Funky, jackin’, atmospheric, groovy, ravey and ethereal”- Father Dukes

“I’m calling dibs on callin’ dybbs!” - DJ Etta

'Rebel Vibrations' ist ein seltenes Creation Rebel-Frühwerk, das seit Veröffentlichung 1979 auf dem Pre-On-U-Sound-Label Hitrun erstmals wieder nachgepresst wird. Entstanden aus einer der ersten Aufnahmesessions von Adrian Sherwood unter Teilnahme des jamaikanischen Top-Schlagzeugers Lincoln 'Style' Scott (Roots Radics) und Musikern wie Crucial Tony, Lizard Logan, Doctor Pablo und Clifton Morrison, ist das Ergebnis eine Reihe kompromissloser Dub-Tracks mit heavy Basslines und grossen Melodien. Neu geschnitten für maximale Dynamik, enthält die Reissue ausführliche Linernotes, Archivfotomaterial und DL-Card.

Two talents with careers spanning varying eras, yet artists positioned at the heart of Italy’s current house landscape, Alex Neri and Mennie are adding to their rich solo discographies with a series of selected works in partnership with one another. Tuscany’s Neri, co-owner of the iconic nightlife institution Tenax and label boss at Wildflower Records, stands as one of the legendary Italian names from the past 30 years, holding residencies at the likes of Pikes in Ibiza while releasing a long list of classic records since the early 90s under numerous aliases, including Kamasutra alongside Marco Baroni. A familiar name to FUSE fans, having released material via sister imprints LOCUS and INFUSE, Mennie has seen his career flourish of late, regularly touring Europe’s key venues while also holding a residency at the legendary Tenax. Here, the two build on their recent joint studio projects with a debut on FUSE for the third edition of the label’s collaborative X Series, unveiling a quartet of impactful house cuts in heavy rotation for label head honcho Siragusa.

Taking a deep dive amongst swirling synths and cosmic interludes, ‘Reality’ opens proceedings with a trippy and punchy lead cut as the duo introduce slick groove-laden drum arrangements to get things moving, while ‘Find Me’ keeps the pressure on with bumping low-ends, shuffling hats and a menacing yet captivating bass groove sure to keep dancers moving in lockstep. On the b-side, ‘Rockets’ brings luminous melodies amongst breaks-influenced percussion for a playful and dynamic production, before ‘Watch Me’ rounds things out with another all-action affair as acid-dipped and kinetically charged closer made for big moments.

Repress

Needing no introduction, The Chemical Brothers make a very special appearance on Phantasy with a limited-edition vinyl pressing of Erol Alkan’s triumphant remix of ‘Goodbye’, a highlight from their recent, Grammy-nominated album, ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’.

Masterfully bridging soulful vocals and widescreen techno with their typical psychedelic edge, Alkan’s interpretation demonstrates his unique brotherhood with Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Across a near ten-minute journey, Alkan pushes the Brothers’ irresistible synth line further into dissonant analogue bliss, which coupled with celestial breakdowns, already counts as a personal favourite in the London DJ and producer’s diverse, enviable back catalogue of reworks. The other side of the record includes Alkan's previously unreleased instrumental.

What I Breathe is the debut album from Mall Grab AKA Jordon Alexander. The Australia-born London-based powerhouse reaches within to create the most comprehensive demonstration of his style to date – loudly defining the raw energy that has become synonymous with the moniker.

“This album is deeply personal and an exploration of all influences, sounds and sides of the Mall Grab project. It follows my journey of the last 6 years from a university dropout in Newcastle (Australia), making music as a source of happiness and expression.”
While glances of what Jordon gravitates towards in dance music can be heard in the record label imprints he steers—Looking For Trouble and Steel City Dance Discs—it's with What I Breathe that he elaborates on and articulates his diverse ear for music. Through collaborations with Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Novelist, D Double E and Nia Archives, the Mall Grab repertoire of emotive electronics is used to traverse his love of hard-to-define energies that exist between genres like Hardcore, Hip-Hop and Soul.
“I have been lucky enough to work with some of my favourite artists which have really been the glue that keeps the project coherent. There are a lot of familiar sounds on this album that my listeners and followers have become accustomed to and joined me in the deep dive. Elements of emotional but hard and pumping club music are intertwined with House, Jungle, Rave and Grime. My adopted home city of London has been a huge inspiration to how my music has evolved and progressed, and on What I Breathe I wanted to create a body of work which not only had something for everyone who has been with me the past 6 years, but also those who aren’t yet aware of what I’m about or the music I make.”
Jordon’s long-standing penchant for all things DIY blossoms in tracks like Lost In Harajuku and Without The Sun which feature his own original lyrics and vocals. As the album twists and weaves from one song to the next, gleaming melodies flare up into club-ready anthems such as Metaphysical and Breathing. The kinetic flow of the music as a whole can be attributed to the many years of cutting his teeth as a DJ, a skill that can be testified by anyone who has witnessed a Mall Grab set.

“As I was a DJ for many years before I delved into producing electronic music, I had a wide appreciation and love for all types of music, predominantly gravitating towards ‘band' music when creating my own projects, before evolving into a fully-fledged electronic producer – however always retaining the influence and love for all things live and genre-fluid.”

Even with a stack of very well-received projects already under his belt, What I Breathe can be seen as the first deep breath in and a fierce declaration of what’s to come for Mall Grab.

“I’m grateful for everything and everyone in my life, those I love and those who support my music, through all the ups and downs. I live and breathe this shit. I cannot do anything else. I will continue until there is nothing left for me to say.”

King Of Blue by Yes Indeed sees Laurie Tompkins and Otto Wilberg take their eclectic stance on cosmic jazz and electronics to further uncharted and dreamlike territory, encompassing a unique logic of what is harmoniously absurdist.

King of Blue by Yes Indeed sees members Laurie Tompkins and Otto Willberg further dive into their melismatic take on cosmic jazz and new electronics, by way of their highly eclectic and at times nonsensically sensical modus operandi. Their work is defined by an eloquent flurry of ideas, spheres, and signifiers, creating a musical universe of surprising longevity and depth. Treating musical convention with gentle disdain, Yes Indeed take on a variety of genres and moods and switch them around into a beautifully melismatic and dreamlike state of being. King Of Blue is a mini- album of fragmented beauty and warmth. It puts the illogical center stage and gives space to abruptly miniaturist musical ideas, allowing them to take on a meaning bigger than one would expect. It is cosmic music for modern times. A brazen descent into the execution of a fundamentally diversified musical stance.

'Yes Indeed' are Laurie Tompkins & Otto Willberg. Live, they play keys, bouncy bass and sing over tactile, emotive samples. Their music is epic and also somehow wrong, with space for delicacy, straight-up joy and soaring licks. Since 2022’s ‘Rotten Luck’ - their first proper album, on Bison - YI have played across the UK and Europe. Solo, Laurie co-ran the Slip label and has put out CDs on Entr’acte, 33-33 and Hyperdelia. Otto is a roaming bassist in groups like Historically Fucked and Abstract Concrete and his LP of “wildly singular, wickedly trippy and sensual set of fusion jams” (Boomkat) was recently out on Black Truffle.

Recorded by award-winning mastering engineer Kevin Gray's record label, Anthony Wilson's Hackensack West is Cohearent Records' follow-up to Kirsten Edkins' Shapes & Sound album. Produced by Joe Harley and recorded all-analogue/all-tube at Gray's studio, Cohearent Recording, the AAA vinyl release is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI and housed in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket.

From the liner notes:

The week before these sessions in the summer of 2023, I sat down each morning with the goal of composing one new song by day's end. I knew I'd soon be in the room with my dear friends Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton, three musicians whom I trust the most, and with whom I've played the most over the last couple of decades. I tried to imagine themes that would feel natural to us, the kinds of songs we could simply dive into without much thinking. When we headed to Kevin Gray's studio to record, I brought seven new songs along with me. Five are included on this album.

"Daido" is dedicated to Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, who became known in the late 1960s for his grainy, sometimes blurry, high-contrast black and white images made throughout Japan. I love his pictures taken on the streets of various Tokyo neighbourhoods such as Shinjuku. His portrait of a menacing stray dong, from his series "A Hunter," is the kind of picture that, seen just once, is unforgettable. These days Daido is still out on the street making pictures, at the ripe young age of 85.

"Verdesse" has a sinuous, chorinho-like melody and rhythmic feel. The tune seems to weave and bob playfully in a space of brightness the way a grapevine seems to curl towards the sunlight. So I named it after a wine grape native to the pre-Alpine region of Isère, near Grenoble in eastern France, that makes a particularly delicious and drinkable white wine.

I wrote "Sunday," well...on Sunday. It unfolds slowly, like a good Sunday does when there's nothing to do, you can sleep in, you've got your person beside you, and you just relax into the day.

"The Lands" is dedicated to a family very dear to my heart: that of tenor saxophonist Harold Land. My mother met Harold when they were both teenagers growing up in San Diego, California. The two of them became lifelong friends, and a little later, Harold enjoyed a fruitful musical association and close friendship with my father, Gerald Wilson. Harold, his lovely wife Lydia, and their son Harold Jr. were extended family for us; they looked after me with love and care. Some of my first gigs ever as a young guitarist were with Harold's incredible band that included Oscar Brashear, Billy Higgins, Richard Reid, and Harold Land Jr.

I've loved Todd Rundgren's "Marlene" since I first heard it on his epic double-album Something/Anything. With its tender, well-contoured melody buoyed by a few special harmonic surprises, it almost seems like something from the pen of Burt Bacharach. It tells such a complete musical story. Rundgren's recorded version has a beautiful endlessly repeating tag. So we played the melody simply, and used the tag as a small staging area for a bit of improvising.

Hackensack West is our alias for engineer Kevin Gray's studio Cohearent Recording, a place inspired by Rudy Van Gelder's first studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. Located inside Van Gelder's parents' home, the musicians played in the living room! It was there, in 1954, that Thelonious Monk recorded his classic tune "Hackensack," a "contrafact" melody over the chord changes to the Gershwins' "Oh, Lady Be Good!" In contrafact-like fashion, my own bebop-spirited melody "Hackensack West" seems to nod toward the changes of a few recognizable standards, without corresponding to any particular one.

Out of print as a stand-alone release for decades since its original 1974 issue. Produced by George Harrison, Shankar Family & Friends is an almost-forgotten masterwork – an emotional and sonic pact between two like-minded souls to both advance their spiritually minded bond and unite musical styles, cultures, and sounds in wondrous fashion Contributions from Ringo Starr, David Bromberg, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, and a host of virtuosic Indian musicians add to a diverse album that melds Eastern and Western traditions; encompasses jazz, funk, bhajan, Indian, and pop; and represents the spirit and breadth of Harrison's Dark Horse Records imprint.

Memorable contributions from an A-list of American and English musicians — Ringo Starr (drums), David Bromberg (electric guitar), Billy Preston (organ), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Jim Keltner (drums), Klaus Voorman (bass), Robert Margouleff (Moog), Malcolm Cecil (Moog), Tom Scott (saxophone) included — add to the richness of a set that melds Eastern and Western traditions. These “names” mesh with a host of Indian virtuosos — Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Kamala Chakravarty, Hariprasad Chaurasia included — who turn Shankar Family & Friends into a journey laced with percussive, string, and vocal components that aren’t soon forgotten.

Throughout, Shankar Family & Friends remains true to its title — a mesmerizing record named to reflect the group participation approach of its creators. The idea started when Shankar told Harrison about a ballet he wrote. The Beatle, who first met Shankar in June 1966 — roughly a year after Harrison became interested in Indian music after overhearing it in a restaurant while filming Help! — immediately was convinced they needed to record it. Harrison’s staunch admiration of Shankar and serious approach to Eastern styles are reflected throughout the album.

Indeed, for Harrison, Shankar Family & Friends marks the culmination of a years-long effort to master the sitar, study Hinduism, and incorporate elements such as drones, unusual chords, and expressive picking into his own songs. The seeds of this unique collaboration can be heard in Beatles works such as “Norwegian Wood,” “Love to You,” and “Within You Without You.” Both musicians were also fresh from performing at the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh shows. Yet Shankar Family & Friends remains entirely unique in each visionary artist’s history — and ultimately, led to a collaborative tour Harrison and Shankar staged across North America.

Encompassing jazz, funk, bhajan, Indian, and pop, Shankar Family & Friends is thematically split into halves. Side One reveals Shankar’s uncanny ear for melody — even when applied to Western forms. The lead-off “I Am Missing You,” the first single ever released by Dark Horse Records and reportedly the first pop composition Shankar completed, underscores his skills as a composer and global ambassador. Beautifully sung across three octaves by his sister-in-law, Lakshmi Shankar, the devotional song features multiple drummers and production that mirrors Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound approach. Harrison plays autoharp and guitar; Starr sits in on drums; Scott handles flute and soprano saxophone. It’s the inviting start of a musical adventure teeming with color, majesty, and mysticism.

A second version of the track — designated with a “(Reprise)” tag — appears minutes later. Unfolding in different ways, it follows a folk ballad structure stitched together with Indian instrumentation. Here, according to Shankar, the musicians “attempted to convey the sounds and atmosphere of Vrindavan, the ancient holy place where Krishna grew up.” Both renditions speak to the cross-continental fusion that came so naturally to Harrison and Shankar, whose oversight on the side’s other vocal tracks ensures listeners familiar with Western methods gain easy access to the hypnotic allure of his native country’s music.

Nowhere is this more evident than on Dream, Nightmare & Dawn (Music for a Ballet), the side-long piece that served as the genesis for Shankar Family & Friends. Launched with an airy overture and unfolding across three movements, the mostly wordless suite features everything from call-and-response interplay and classical lyricism to uptempo dance figures, stacked rhythms, and intoxicating grooves. Blurring the lines between contemporary and traditional, and Western and Eastern, the inspirational work is the exclamation point on a record that defined “world music” well before the term became co-opted as a catch-all genre.

High Llamas present Hey Panda - a modern pop music/deep listening experience that could only issue forth from their personal quadrant of the galaxy. Hey Panda projects soulfully through an enervating abstract of today"s popular music; the sound of the Llamas" stately melodies and expressive ditties laid open - blissfully shattered - with drums and vocals hitting different, burning sounds and contemporary production twists pulling the ear at every turn. For the past few decades, High Llamas have trafficked in contemporary pop sounds directed toward the avant end of the spectrum as much as not. But here the message was clear. Llamas" composer-in-residence Sean O"Hagan was determined to let go. Hey Panda does just that, with a set of tunes reflecting on multiple levels how definitions change over the course of a lifetime, radiating an optimism derived from the diverse conundrums of today. Eight years since their last release, the pop musical Here Come The Rattling Trees, High Llamas have reinvented themselves again, mixing their peerless harmonic voice with what Sean regards as the "extraordinarily good" production sounds of today on Hey Panda. Choosing not to look backward to former golden ages celebrated in earlier Llamas eras, Sean"s instead found himself opened up by the sounds of music brought into the house by his adult children and the sounds encountered at sessions for which he"s recently written arrangements. In addition to the more traditional contributions he made to The Coral"s Sea of Mirrors album, plus his score for the Safdie brothers" 2022 film production, Funny Pages, Sean"s drawn great inspiration through working with Fryars, Rae Morris, King Krule, Pearl and The Oyster, while also soaking up the work of Tierra Whack and Chicago"s Pivot Gang, and being cheered on from a distance by longtime admirer Tyler The Creator. Thus, Sean"s producer procedural has evolved again, with upgrades first detected in his 2019 solo effort, Radum Calls, Radum Calls. With a cover of Billie Eilish"s "Wish You Were Gay" arranged for Bill Callahan and Bonnie Prince Billy"s Blind Date Party, along with his COVID-era solo single, "The Wild Are Welcome", Sean has leveled up again and again, leading to the delirious revelations of Hey Panda. Hey Panda"s wide reach is aided by two co-writes from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, (who bonded with Sean over a shared love of gospel soul during writing sessions), guest vocals from Rae Morris and Sean"s daughter Livvy, production twists from Fryars and the stalwart, flexible presence of High Llamas. For all of its sense of departure, Hey Panda is a movement in the High Llamas oeuvre that"s been a long time in development. Aspects of soul music were addressed at the time of Can Cladders; similarly, aspects of electronic dance music were in the mix in the late 90s, around the time of Cold and Bouncy. But nothing up to now has refocused the music of High Llamas so completely. Sharing the impulse of late-period Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, with further inspiration from Steve Lacy, SZA, Sault, No Name and Ezra Collective, among many others, Sean O"Hagan and High Llamas are living joyfully in the new and the now, with Hey Panda.

Los Angeles-based Fabiano Do Nascimento is a multi-string guitarist and songwriter who melds the traditional idioms of his native Brazil (i.e., samba, choro) with the more contemporary and experimental strains of jazz, pop, and electronic music. Das Nuvens (“The Clouds”), out July 2023 on Leaving Records, is a crisp, frequently blissful, and deceptively groove-oriented showcase from a consummate musician — a rich and varied collection of songs, all of which seem to prioritize, and thrive in, the soft and intentional spaces between notes.

Das Nuvens constitutes the free-form, exploratory work of a musician who, having mastered a distinct musical language, seeks to apply his skill towards broader, more experimental modes of expression. Fittingly, track one — built around a contemplative, pointillistic refrain— is titled “Babel,” a reference to the legend of man’s attempt to build a tower to heaven, and how God thwarted this alleged act of hubris by shattering man’s shared language, sowing chaos and confusion. Though a stern parable on its face, it is a myth that enshrines our world’s dizzying array of languages (of modes of being), and the subsequent beauty of cultural exchange through art. In this regard, it is a fitting opening statement for an album that collapses and collages not only contemporary and classical Brazilian and pop idioms, but also the diverse range of indigenous music that Nascimento has encountered and studied in his travels as a touring musician.

Auf BLIP teilt Rapper NAHreally witzige Alltagsbeobeachtungen zu luftig-melodischen Beats von The Expert. Für das originelle, unprätentiös unterhaltsame Album wird das Duo von Open Mike Eagle, Hemlock Ernst (aka Samuel T. Herring/Future Islands), Dillon (Full Plate) und Jesse The Tree (Strange Famous Rec.) begleitet. BLIP markiert einen Kollabo-Hattrick für The Expert. Das letztjährige RITUAL mit Stik Figa zählt zu den besten Hip-Hop Alben 2023 und erhielt auch Probs von Chuck D./Public Enemy. Davor begann The Expert mit Jermiside und THE OVERVIEW EFFECT eine Reihe psychedelischer Hip-Hop-Platten. Für Rapper NAHreally ist BLIP das Vinyldebüt nach diversen digitalen Tapes.

Blue curacao transparent vinyl repress!

As the title suggests 'On Flute' shows us how diverse Tenderlonious's musicianship is as he embellishes each song with his signature flute sound. 'Ghana' sets the pace of the record with up-tempo afro beats, complimented by keys, strings, a distinctive lead synth and of course a soaring flute solo. 'Autumn Leaves' follows with a more UK broken-beat flavour, revealing a darker sense of atmosphere. Side A closes with 'Oedo Bushi,' a comparatively stripped back tune, a simple conga rhythm with flute and xylophone solos weaving in and out as if in conversation with each other.

Side B starts strong and steady with 'Song For My Father', an upbeat number fusing funk and disco to create the perfect dance floor filler that builds to a climax with one of Tenderlonious's wild flute solos (one of my personal favourites!). 'In A Sentimental Mood' follows and, as the title suggests, shows the listener how this producer came by his name. Tender flute inflections and sensitive lead synths, backed by quiet whispers make this the perfect accompaniment to an intimate candle lit dinner. The EP finishes with 'Dale's Corner,' another broken feel on this one with delayed Rhodes supported by tasteful flute lines throughout - it leaves the listener feeling uplifted and wanting more.

The One & Only Scott H. Biram showcases the singer's signature unapologetic style. Tracks like "No Man's Land" describe the hazards of growing up poor in a small Texas town, breathing the fumes from oil wells and brush fires. "Inside a Bar" captures the feel of an empty saloon on a slow Monday night. "I was going for the sound of loneliness and alcoholism colliding."

"I view my albums as collages, combining elements from punk, metal, blues, country, and bluegrass. They reflect the diverse aspects of life - it's not a concept but an expression," explained Biram.

With The One & Only Scott H. Biram the singer once again proves to be an unstoppable force and demonstrates his unique ability to live up to the traditions of rough-hewn, individualistic Texas-borne music.

In 1999, Tex Mex rock legend Doug Sahm made the most personal musical statement of his wildly diverse career, this time going back to the country. Here's that album, his final recordings, finally available on glorious vinyl. This is the country record of a hippie refugee, with crying steel guitar and mournful Texas fiddle behind Doug's southern drawl.

Red Vinyl
Mandylion ist das klassische dritte Studioalbum der niederländischen Band The Gathering. Es wurde am 22. August 1995 von Century Media Records veröffentlicht. Es ist das erste Album der Band mit der Sängerin Anneke van Giersbergen. Mandylion ist das bis heute meistverkaufte Album von The Gathering. Strange Machines, eine unerwartete Hit-Single in den Niederlanden, wurde im holländischen Radio viel gespielt und ist immer noch oft in diversen All-Time-Listen zu finden. Das Album wurde zwischen dem 1. und 16. Juni 1995 in den Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Deutschland, aufgenommen und gemischt, und zwar unter der Leitung von Siggi Bemm und Waldemar Sorychta.

Im April 2023 gibt es nun eine neue Rote Vinylfarbe für den Handel!

On Rotation returns with the second instalment of its Genetic Memories V/A series, showcasing the diversity of the label’s sound through 4 floor-focused cuts from a spectrum of global talent.

Fresh from dropping an EP with our good friends space:lab, Rambal Cochet delivers a mind-melting A1 to start things off. Deep, tasteful and making full use of his trademark sound design, “Meteora” is one for the witching hour!

Bolam steps up next with the party-starting “Dream Machine”. Colourful synths sit atop driving breaks, with the peak-time energy dialled up to 11.

Flipping the record reveals a darker, hazier sound. Moisk’s “GooSE Attack” is reminiscent of long nights (and mornings, and afternoons) in the smoky clubs of Berlin and Amsterdam, while the dark, rolling tech house of “X-Stream” by Aussie heroes Primitive Needs is pure afters’ fodder - a real B2 killer for those who know.

On Rotation is a Leeds-based event & mix series turned label, with 6 genre-defining releases featuring scene stalwarts such as Adam Pits, Solar Suite, Anderson, Roza Terenzi and Hybrid Man, Jamie Leather & more.

"Rationalizing our place amongst the Stars is a referendum. A mandate in the scale of a space-time continuum, which is a task that might seem infinitely cavernous to most, but a lifelong mandate to others. As nature's allowance of time just isn't favorable to an average human lifespan of a 100 years, this task must be inherited and handed down in the method of an acoustical trust. Rhythm considered as a safe depository.

Neo Tantric Parts is about high premium thought processes about simplicity and oneness. Diagnostic in the way it blends time, rhythm and harmony together as a proposal to consider placement in this moment of time". - Millsart



Footnote translations:

"Rationalizing our place amongst the Stars is a referendum".

The human lineage only diverged from our most recent common ancestor about 5 million years ago; less than half of 1% of that time, and modern Homo sapiens is only between 200,000 and 50,000 years old, depending on your definition. Such vast spans of time are hard for us to comprehend.

"A mandate in the scale of a space-time continuum, which is a task that might seem infinitely cavernous to most,but a lifelong mandate to others".

The singularity had no dimensions and space and so it stands to reason that it had no dimension in time. In other words, there was no time so there was no such thing as "before". By that reasoning, time itself is the same age as the universe, which is about 13.8 billion years

"As nature's allowance of time just isn't favorable to an average human lifespan of a 85 years"

The world average age of death is a few years lower at 68.9 years for men and 73.9 years for women. Within the European Union, these are 77.7 and 83.3 years respectively.

"This task must be inherited and handed down in the method of an acoustical trust. Rhythm considered as a safe depository".

A legal arrangement or understanding by which a person or organization looks after money or property for somebody else until that person is old enough to control it.

FRN Dancehall might have emerged in Jamaica, but over the last few decades the popular genre's tendrils have stretched out across the globe. In Kampala, Ratigan Era is adding a distinct Ugandan twist to dancehall, fusing it with East African humor and hyper-melodic afrobeats elements imported from Ghana and Nigeria. The versatile MC grew up listening to Jamaican music like Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal and Mavado - in his hometown of Kawempe there was almost no way to avoid it - and it blurred into the background, blending with local church music, US hip-hop and radio pop. He developed this diverse range of influences into a completely unique Afro-dancehall flow that simmers between Luganda, patois, Spanish and English, reflecting the melting pot of cultures and dialects that characterizes contemporary Africa. Ratigan broke out with a memorable feature on Pallaso's Ugandan hit 'Nsaba', a track that echoed throughout the country booming from nightclubs, motorcycle loudspeakers or from convenience stores. Now he's assembled his first album "Era", a furiously inventive interweaving of rubbery vocals and memorable chants backed by futuristic beats from Hakuna Kulala's most boundary-pushing producers. Congolese producer Chrisman takes the reins on 'Gorilla Attack', providing a downtempo groove that echoes recent Jamaican chop deployments from breakthrough artists like Skillibeng and Skeng. For his part, Ratigan ducks and dives between Chrisman's gqom-inspired low end womps and corrosive synths, commanding attention with his smart, dextrous flow and tongue-twisting lyrics.The Modern Institute and Golden Teacher's Richard McMaster handles 'Top Strike Force' leaving space in his wiry, minimal beats for Ratigan to flit between anthemic repetitions and ice-cold AutoTuned wails. On stand-out track 'Badman Style', Ratigan's guttural patois is measured against a dizzy trap-dancehall hybrid beat from HHY & The Kampala Unit's Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, aka Lithium Beats, while on the surreal 'Drop it Down', Japanese mad scientist Scotch Rolex brings out Ratigan's cheeky sense of humor with toytown bleeps and laser zaps. MC Yallah collaborator Debmaster appears on 'Gan Dem', meeting Ratigan's double-time raps with soundsystem destroying rolling subs, and veteran US noisemaker Kush Aurora sprinkles magic dust on 'Cool and Deadly', galvanizing the link between global bass mutations, Jamaica and East Africa.And despite the grab-bag of producers and inspirations, "Ratigan" is a strikingly coherent listening experience that accurately snapshots Kampala's colorful froth of sounds and phrases. Ratigan's outsized personality is welcoming and captivating, providing the sights, sounds and smells of the city with a frenetic rhythm that's as intimate and local as it is far-reaching. It might just be the future we so desperately need.

Oftentimes in this busy and chaotic world it’s challenging to draw a parallel between two congruent events. In this case however, drawing its inspiration from Detroit’s recent meteoric rise from the ruins of the past, BerettaMusic a label founded in Detroit in 2002 continues to rise through a sea of noise with steady quality releases.

Widely seen as one of the premier house/techno labels from a bustling Detroit music scene, the label is continuing to make waves. This time with the re-launch of their highly respected Beretta Grey sub label. The same label that has launched the careers of artists like Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Luke Hess and many others is back again.

Asher Perkins is no stranger to the dance floor. When Richie Hawtin called him in 2015 and requested his music for Minus, he stepped up and delivered a quality release. Since then he has steadily been honing his craft and cutting his teeth in Detroit with his much sought after, late night, live techno sets.

Asher’s productions can range from deep dark banging techno to heady and psychedelic vibes, both of which he showcases on this release on Beretta Grey. For his faithful fans in Detroit and beyond, they may have caught a glimpse of his new moniker, Acid Perkins, where he takes the crowd on an even deeper dive into the absolute depths of trippy, bumping and bubbling psychedelic soundscapes that will have the listener yearning for more. BerettaMusic is very proud to announce the relaunch of the highly respected Beretta Grey imprint and showcase one of Detroit’s finest in the process, Asher Perkins.

Are you ready? Written and Produced by Asher Perkins Mastered by Brian Kage at the Bear Cave in Detroit, pressed at the world famous Archer Records in Detroit. Label art by Ryan Sadorus.

Hailing from Yerevan, Dave N.A. drops his 'Altura EP,' a seamless blend of jungle and deconstructed club. This marks his debut on no•id, the second release on the label. The four tracks showcase Dave N.A.'s nostalgic yet innovative sound, with sharply cut breaks, a lush palette, and vivid effects, solidifying his place in the label's diverse lineup. For the occasion, 'Pulse' and 'Novox' were co-produced with Belgium’s freq444. The DJ’s join forces around a sultry groove: it goes down smooth as cocoa on a freezing winter’s day.

Stop. Breathe. Reload. And dive into "El Paso, Elsewhere: The Album". Black Screen Records, Lost In Cult Records and Strange Scaffold are teaming up to bring the original songs of RJ Lake and LAKE SAVAGE to life on glorious vinyl. "El Paso, Elsewhere: The Album" takes aim at the key songs that punctuate the game's dark and introspective journey through haunted hallways - with heavy doses of hip-hop, electronica and Trace-Wave coalescing into a pellucid vision of influences and a deeply entrenched sense of identity, akin to the works of seminal hip-hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Open Mike Eagle. All tied together within the beautiful gold foil cover artwork by Bri Neumann. RJ Lake shared some of their thoughts going into the creation of this album: "Months before the first thing I ever started working on with Nelson Dog Airport Game (that's not the actual title, but it might as well be) even came out, he asked me if I knew anyone who could make a horror game. I knew a guy. A few months in, we did a touch-base about the music and mutually agreed that none of it at that point was totally working. It was good (look, I'm not going to put myself down here; even back in 2020, it kicked ass) but it wasn't RIGHT. He gave me a bunch of reference materials and kept pointing to them and saying: 'Okay, but these? These are RIGHT. These have the juice we want.' The thing every single song he showed me had in common, was that every one of them had vocals. After some back and forth, we both agreed: 'El Paso, Elsewhere' had to be a rap record as much as it had to be a game. So, three and a half years later, here we are. This is probably the most lavishly mixed thing I've ever made, full of weird, intricate beats, layered vocals from both myself and Nelson, lyrics that go everywhere from bleak to so-party-that-you'll-die to totally ridiculous, loads and loads of genre switch-ups, and absolutely zero subtlety. For 'El Paso, Elsewhere', I made a full score, but that's not what this is. This vinyl is a fucking album and it's sequenced like one. Play it loud!" Alongside the LP, explore what happens after the events of "El Paso, Elsewhere" within the diaries of James Savage - an exclusive in-world archive of the thoughts and feelings directly from the heart and soul of our protagonist within the liner notes. As well as a 5-page excerpt from the "El Paso, Elsewhere" original script and never before seen concept art by Demente Animation Studio.

2024 Repress

Perc Trax unleashes its first release of 2021 with the latest in its white label remix series which has already given us Tymon's thunderous remix of Perc's Hyperlink and the diverse remixes of RVDE's 90s Hammer. For this instalment Perc Trax favourites Ghost In The Machine, Scalameriya and Furfriend team up with debutant EAS and label boss Perc for three remixes that aim directly at the dance floor.

First up Perc shows his love of working with vocals taking a firm grip of Furfriend's infamous 'Fist Fuck' to serve up a sweaty 4/4 pounder.

Next Scalameriya moulds 'Zero', one of the highlights from Ghost In The Machines 2020 debut album, into a showcase of sound design and raw kick drum efficiency.

Lastly LA's EAS updates 'Dumpster' from Perc's breakout 2014 album 'The Power & The Glory', opening his Perc Trax account with a hard driving remix that has already been a key part of Perc's pre pandemic sets around the world.

Since 2011, For All We Know has been the side project of Ruud Jolie, known from Within Temptation. The debut album was released in the same year, followed by the second album called 'Take Me Home' in 2017. In 2023, both albums were released on vinyl via prog rock/metal label Construction Records.

The brand new third album, entitled 'By Design Or By Disaster', will also be released on CD and colored vinyl via Construction Records.

During the writing process, Jolie again worked closely with singer Wudstik, and the band consists of the same musicians who were featured on the first two albums: Léo Margarit (Pain of Salvation), Kristoffer Gildenlöw (ex Pain of Salvation), and Marco Kuypers (ex Cloud Machine). The 11 songs on the album were produced by Jolie herself and range from heavy, thrashy metal to calm melodies.

Compared to the previous two albums, 'By Design Or By Disaster' takes the listener to even more extreme corners, ranging from beautiful atmospheric strings to powerful rhythms and heavy guitars. Despite this diversity, Jolie continues to search for unexpected melodies and harmonies, where he is not afraid to go off the beaten path. There are also some 'Easter eggs' hidden for the attentive listener; melodies from the previous albums that return in an innovative way on this new album, making the first two albums together with this album a kind of trinity, which also applies to the artwork.

Since 2011, For All We Know has been the side project of Ruud Jolie, known from Within Temptation. The debut album was released in the same year, followed by the second album called 'Take Me Home' in 2017. In 2023, both albums were released on vinyl via prog rock/metal label Construction Records.

The brand new third album, entitled 'By Design Or By Disaster', will also be released on CD and colored vinyl via Construction Records.

During the writing process, Jolie again worked closely with singer Wudstik, and the band consists of the same musicians who were featured on the first two albums: Léo Margarit (Pain of Salvation), Kristoffer Gildenlöw (ex Pain of Salvation), and Marco Kuypers (ex Cloud Machine). The 11 songs on the album were produced by Jolie herself and range from heavy, thrashy metal to calm melodies.

Compared to the previous two albums, 'By Design Or By Disaster' takes the listener to even more extreme corners, ranging from beautiful atmospheric strings to powerful rhythms and heavy guitars. Despite this diversity, Jolie continues to search for unexpected melodies and harmonies, where he is not afraid to go off the beaten path. There are also some 'Easter eggs' hidden for the attentive listener; melodies from the previous albums that return in an innovative way on this new album, making the first two albums together with this album a kind of trinity, which also applies to the artwork.

Bahamadia’s 1996 debut album Kollage is rightly regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of the 1990s. For the first time ever, Be With present the definitive double LP version of this eternal hip-hop classic, including the legendary "Path To Rhythm" which never appeared on the original LP or on vinyl, anywhere. An indelible VIBE from start-to-finish, Kollage presents Bahamadia's swirling rhymes delivered with an irresistibly butter flow and razor-sharp assuredness over a steady slew of smoothed-out, jazzed-up, blunted beats. Achingly cool and effortlessly funky throughout, it's an absolute must for true 90s hip-hop fanatics.

The entire Kollage project was recorded at D&D Studios and the ties to Gang Starr are keenly felt, with DJ Premier producing five tracks in addition to the killer songs Guru had already produced with her. Working with the cream of the mid-90s East Coast sound, Kollage is, accordingly, a record that demonstrates a varied musical taste with disparate influences, as Bahamadia has previously stated: “The title Kollage was a reflection of my state of mind. I first got interested in music from playing my parents’ and grandparents’ records, as well what I heard on the radio. I wanted Kollage to reflect that diversity both lyrically and sonically."

With intelligent, poetic lyricism and a laconic verbal style bursting with both warm texture and deceptive energy, Bahamadia’s flow was as inspired by Aretha and Nancy Wilson as it was Q-Tip, Schoolly D and Lady B. Swaggering out the gate, "WordPlay" finds Bahamadia confidently showcasing her considerable old-school battle-rhyme skills over a Guru beat that utilises an infectiously bouncy bassline with splashes of sultry jazz horns and a Jeru vocal snatch for the hook. Up next, the quietly shimmering and ruggedly beautiful "Spontaneity" is one of the most alluring on the record, Da Beatminerz crafting a brilliantly soulful and jazzy soundscape for Bahamadia's effortless vocals to float across. It's followed by "Rugged Ruff", where the rapper carefully constructs a swift off-beat flow over Premier's raw jazzy fire.

With smooth spacey synth vibes overseen by former Geto Boys producer N.O. Joe, "I Confess" is, without question, a fly love song and soothing (p)-funk groove. "UKNOWHOWWEDU" is an airy, chilled tribute to her hometown. Produced by Ski Beatz & DJ Redhanded, it rides a gloriously mellow break. It's a true Philly anthem, shouting out a who’s who of the entire city’s scene. Early banger "Total Wreck" follows, presenting a murky Guru instrumental elevated by jazzy horns. Bahamadia invokes the title's suggestion, firing her brilliant bars more aggressively than we’re accustomed to. More Beatminerz-brilliance comes in the way of "Innovation", an opportunity for the MC to invoke Freestyle Fellowship in her forward-thinking and literary verses. "Da Jawn" features hometown buddies The Roots, with Black Thought gliding into a back-and-forth with Bahamadia over ?uestlove’s warm, snapping percussion. With the strut club banger "True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t)", DJ Premier provides some laidback vibrant boom bap for Bahamadia to share a wild, cautionary tale about a night out with her girl, Kia.

Fan favourite "3 Tha Hard Way" is a hypnotically sinister cut, with Bahamadia, K-Swift and Mecca Star taking star turns to coast over DJ Premier’s raw beat whilst the tender "Biggest Part Of Me" is a heartfelt stunner dedicated to her son. Incredibly, only the European and Japanese CD versions of Kollage was released with the brilliantly breezy “Path To Rhythm”, featuring Ursula Rucker. Whilst ostensibly a "bonus track", it's anything but, to our ears. Very much in sonic conversation with KRS-One's stretched-out sleeper classic "Higher Level", it's absolutely essential so we had to include it, appearing on wax for the first time here, exclusively. Quite a coup.

Somewhat predictably, whilst Kollage was released to significant critical acclaim, it suffered from disappointing sales. In the intervening years - and for far too long - it was a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We hope this double LP reissue - which looks and sounds amazing - will go some way to correct this. This 2024 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. It's too bold and beautiful to remain overlooked and underserved.

"Jolifanto" takes its name from the first verse of "Karawane", a seminal Dadaist phonetic poem by Hugo Ball. When Ball first recited it in 1916 at the Cabaret Voltaire, both the author and the audience embraced a trance that left Ball exhausted, requiring assistance off the stage as the audience claimed the spotlight.

Over a century later, by a series of fortuitous events, "Jolifanto" is also the title of an album featuring two powerful musical entities. Artists stemming from diverse backgrounds converge with a shared experimental spirit, curiosity and passion for exploration in their music.

"Jolifanto" is an unexpected explosion propelled by (poly)rhythm, expanding into seemingly distant territories under the influence of flamenco. The Dadaist spirit permeates the work, where a constant tension between the improvised and the meticulously planned is evident. ZA! and Perrate together form an organism traveling from the roots to the rave, with nothing sounding out of place because the place is yet to be defined.

Perrate witnessed ZA!'s concert in a festival he attended as part of the audience. The Catalans surprised him with a proposal that he found radical and unclassifiable. Later, after being invited to prepare a collaboration for the Música y Museos season in Seville, Perrate decided to move off the beaten path, approaching ZA!, who quickly embraced the proposal. Exchanges of ideas and audio tracks ensued in a short time and they quickly  found out that they were in the same wavelength. A week before the concert, they met in the same physical space for the first time, dedicating a couple of days to composition and preparing the gig at La Mina Studios in Seville. The concert took place, hailed as "the best concert most attendees had experienced in a long time", as reported by the Diario de Sevilla. That energy needed to be captured, and so it was, at the Happy Place studio in Seville, where the album was recorded between March 6th and 9th, 2023.

The Catalan duo ZA!, "the duo that mash up terrace-chant mayhem with... everything else" (The Wire #384), has operated independently and self-managed since their inception in 2004. They overlap genres and amalgamate sounds that move, with intensity, between wild jazz, post-rock and avant-garde electronics, among other influences. In their acclaimed latest work, they have revived the Phoenician language, exploring Mediterranean sounds alongside MegaCobla and Tarta Relena.

Perrate, active since the late 90s, explores the outer edges of flamenco without forsaking its profound essence rooted in lineage and tradition, evident in every note of his voice. His latest work, "Tres golpes" (Lovemonk/El Volcán, 2022), named flamenco album of the year by Babelia/El País, and one of the albums of the year for BBC3's Late Junction, reflects an innate curiosity, possibly the seed of all the fortuitous events leading to this album.

The encounter between Perrate and ZA! is the result of serendipitous events interwoven with the narrative of artists dedicated to experimentation and radicalism in all its forms.

More about the world has changed than not in the decade since dance production dyad Frank & Tony released their last full-length record, 2014’s You Go Girl. Despite, or perhaps in spite of, this shifting landscape, house music has managed to stay fundamentally reliable (either a bug or its greatest feature, depending on who you ask). Where previously, Frank & Tony have been celebrated for their contemplative, studious approach to the genre, with 2024’s Ethos, the Brooklyn/Biarritz-based duo return amidst metastatic cultural upheaval to prove out those scholarly credentials — with an album that serves to remind listeners why dancefloors and liberatory politics consistently share the language of movements and revolutions.
Undoubtedly, Ethos is tremendously influenced by the multitude of projects originating from, and supported by, the duo and their label in the decade since You Go Girl– releasing records from a vast diversity of artists (including Nadia Khan, Gry, Villete, Darand Land, Alex Albrecht, DJ Sprinkles and CCL), and Harris becoming curatorial voice of Brooklyn’s premiere venue for audiophiles, Public Records, where he continues to amplify work across a global diaspora (and where the duo maintain a residency of wide praise).

It is this bright energy and focus on the necessity of community and relationships that animates the aptly-titled Ethos. If past Frank & Tony releases have been lauded as ‘a coloring book in which someone has exclusively drawn inside the lines… with extreme precision,’ Ethos deviates by inviting friends in for a game of exquisite corpse. From singer and pianist Eliana Glass, whose androgynous, double-reeded voice freestyles across album opener Olympia, to distinct track features from fellow house masterminds DaRand Land, DJ Aakmael and Lawrence over half of the album’s nine tracks highlight artists in the larger Scissor & Thread circle.

When the grunge explosion of the early `90s elevated Seattle's flannel-clad misfits out of the divey clubs of downtown and into the mainstream, a new generation of restless artists filled the void left in the Pacific Northwest's underground music scene. The under-21 crowd making music in the wake of Nevermind seemed even less enamored with the slick production values, classic rock nods, and testosterone-fueled moshing culture that came with the Zeitgeist, favoring their own kind of Revolution Summer-style pivot away from the popular sounds of the era towards a more emotionally nuanced, melodic, and inclusive style of punk. The Puget Sound trio Lync perfectly captured the spirit of that era, blending the passionate chaos of the DC and San Diego scenes with the rough-hewn DIY pop sensibilities of Olympia's thriving indie community into one unified sound. Though they were only a band for two years, they helped define the next era of the Northwest underground, inspiring countless other artists and instigating the creation of beloved records from the region. After being out of print for over a decade, the band's sole LP These Are Not Fall Colors has been remastered and expanded into a 2xLP with the inclusion of "Can't Tie Yet"_a compilation track from the album's recording session_into a deluxe edition available courtesy of Suicide Squeeze Records. Originally released on K Records in the summer of '94 just a few months before the band called it quits, These Are Not Fall Colors is a boisterous collection of scrappy basement-show anthems played on duct-taped-together gear. Led by the off-kilter melodies of late singer/guitarist Sam Jayne and hammered into place by the driving bass of James Bertram and drum battery of David Schneider, the album's eleven songs channel that undefinable sound of the early `90s before descriptors like "post-hardcore" and "emo" became pejorative terms. Sure, you get a sense of the more sophisticated mid-tempo punk approach on songs like "B" and "Silverspoon Glasses," and maybe catch wind of wistful songwriting on "Pennies to Save" and "Cue Cards," but Lync seemed to cull their ideas from whatever bits of inspiration they could find in the gray gloom and geographic isolation of western Washington, absorbing it all and churning it together into a style uniquely their own. Despite Lync's short existence, modest aspirations, and DIY approach, their work had a ripple effect. Jayne would go on to make music under the moniker of Love As Laughter. Built to Spill's Doug Martsch was so enamored by the album that he enlisted Bertram and Schneider to serve as his rhythm section on the There's Nothing Wrong with Love tour. These Are Not Fall Colors engineer Phil Ek would go on to help record and produce records by Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, and The Shins. Early bassist Isaac Brock and These Are Not Fall Colors album art contributor Jeremiah Green would go on to form Modest Mouse. Bertram and Green would also go on to form the revered indie rock group Red Stars Theory. At times it feels like you could pick any major Northwest indie rock group from the `90s and `00s and trace their DNA back to Lync. The deluxe edition of These Are Not Fall Colors comes pressed on 180g vinyl and packaged in a gatefold cover with printed inner sleeves and expanded artwork by Jesse LeDoux. The 2xLP also features an 18x24 poster with extensive liner notes by Brian Cook. Altogether, this new version of These Are Not Fall Colors not only brings this celebrated classic back into analog libraries of old fans, it also provides new context and appreciation for Lync's ongoing impact on both a local and international level.

The Left Side is the latest body of work from the Iggy Pop-endorsed teens since the release of their acclaimed second EP We Aren’t Getting Out But Tonight We Might in summer 2022. With Saul at the creative helm, The Left Side is a mature and cerebral body of work with Saul once again writing and producing the entire EP (with co-production by Ali Chant (Yard Act, Katy J Pearson, Dry Cleaning) on ‘Conman’ and ‘ITSA’). Written in Saul’s bedroom, the EP is a retrospective insight into the young band’s journey so far as they tie up their teenage years.

A coming of age saga, the EP acts as a vehicle for Saul to dive into the psyche behind emotional evolution, and to unpack the complexities of maturity and the ability to say goodbye to the past. These themes present themselves not only in the songs, but right down to the title of the EP itself - which refers to the fact that the left side of the brain is responsible for comprehension.

Summarising the EP, Saul says: “It’s the closest we have been to knowing what picture we want to paint. It’s another window into the musical space we wish to explore, yet I think we’re closer to having our sound. I think the project signifies the end of a section in our lives, moving out from the haze of the moment and reflecting on our teenage years and all its chaos with more understanding.”

L’objectif have drawn instant acclaim across their two EPs to date with support coming from key tastemakers at 6 Music (where previous single ‘Feeling Down’ was daytime playlisted after being premiered by the station’s Steve Lamacq) such as Amy Lamé, Tom Robinson, and of course Iggy Pop, BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders (who made the band his Next Wave featured artist and featured

‘Burn Me Out’ and ‘Do It Again’ as Daily Delivery) and Gemma Bradley, Radio X’s John Kennedy, Apple Music 1’s Matt Wilkinson, and Australian national broadcaster triple j. The effervescent young band have already received ‘ones to watch’ tips from national media outlets NME (First On), The Line Of Best Fit (On The Rise), The Observer (One to watch), The Sunday Times Culture (Breaking Act), and more.

96kHz - 48-bit HD Audio with digital booklet including original photography by Christopher Kayfield and liner notes by Shaun Brady.

Pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Billy Hart reunite for a second, scintillating trio date, BRIDGES, featuring original compositions by Hays and Hart with classics by Wayne Shorter, Bill Frisell, The Beatles, and Milton Nascimento.

Hays Street Hart, the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and legendary drummer Billy Hart, recorded their acclaimed 2021 debut, ALL THINGS ARE, under less than optimal conditions. The album began life as a performance in honor of Hart’s 80th birthday in December 2020, live-streamed from an empty Smoke Jazz Club in the final weeks of that grueling pandemic year. Despite those adversities, the music they created that night was spectacular enough to convince all involved that it should be released.

Two years later, the trio has reconvened, this time fully cognizant that they were going to record an album at Sear Sound Studios in NYC. The captivating BRIDGES brilliantly spotlights the unique chemistry and shared spirit of exploration that emerged fully formed on that initial impromptu session. The title succinctly hints at some of the reasons why Hays, Street and Hart work so well together: this is a trio that bridges generations, certainly, as well as a wealth of diverse experience and inspiration. But it also sums up a mutual desire to bring people together through music.

“In this world that seems to be crumbling beneath our feet,” Hays explains, “we sense the need to make allies where there might be adversaries. On the most intimate level, interpersonally and inter-psychically we set out to overcome any number of misunderstandings and adversarial situations.”

Not that there was any antagonism to overcome within the trio itself. More than anything, Hays Street Hart is a mutual admiration society of the highest order. The esteem in which the pianist and bassist hold Billy Hart likely goes without saying. The drummer was ordained in 2022 as an NEA Jazz Master, just one of the many honors he has chalked up over a breathtaking career. He began his career with an apprenticeship under the revered vocalist Shirley Horn and went on to make notable music with such luminaries as Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Stan Getz, and as part of the quartet Quest featuring David Liebman and Richie Beirach.

But Hart is if anything, even more laudatory toward his younger bandmates. Street has been a member of the drummer’s stellar quartet for two decades, alongside pianist Ethan Iverson and saxophonist Mark Turner, a tenure that speaks for itself. As for Hays, Hart is quick to place the pianist in the exalted company of some of his iconic former collaborators.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to perform with Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner,” says Hart modestly. “Each generation presents their own equivalent, and Kevin is an example of the latest innovations. There was Herbie and McCoy, then it was Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, and then you have what's coming next. I think Kevin is definitely part of that continuum.”

Though Hays sticks strictly to the piano on BRIDGES, he is also an accomplished singer whose vocal instincts fuel his inventive and lyrical melodicism. Street points to those facets as key to the connection between the pianist and Hart, who has enjoyed several meaningful collaborations with vocalists.

“It always seems to me that Kevin has the capacity to sing in his mind and then accompany himself on the piano,” Street describes. “That makes for such a nice connection with Billy, who has played with and learned from so many singers. I don't even feel like we're playing as a piano trio most of the time; it feels more like a quartet.”

Those qualities are especially clear on Hays’ “Butterfly,” which opens the album. Though it’s performed here as an instrumental, the pianist has composed lyrics for the piece, and its gorgeous, song-like quality shines through. Hays also contributed the breathtaking ballad “Song for Peace,” highlighted by Hart’s gentle, embracing brushwork and Street’s sturdy, stentorian tone. The pianist’s third original, “Row Row Row,” is constructed on a twelve-tone row, but as the playful title suggests, it has none of the more stringent qualities of the serialist composers.

Hart’s stunning “Irah,” originally recorded on his quartet’s self-titled 2006 debut, is dedicated to the composer’s mother and was recorded at Street’s suggestion. The bassist also brought guitarist Bill Frisell’s reflective “Throughout” to the date, imagining Frisell’s Americana influences would resonate with the similarly inclined Hays, who approaches the tune with a harp-like beauty. Hays’ love of pop and rock music is also reflected by the inclusion of The Beatles classic “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

The trio pays tribute to the late, great Wayne Shorter with “Capricorn,” originally released on the composer’s 1969 Blue Note album SUPER NOVA and later included on the Miles Davis Quintet set WATER BABIES. Hart called Shorter one of a kind. I think of the many times I heard him excel – with the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, with Weather Report. And in each case, he was innovative.”

BRIDGES closes with the title track, a dazzling piece by the great Brazilian singer and songwriter Milton Nascimento, which Hays calls “one of my favorite compositions ever, by anybody.”

BRIDGES was recorded under ideal studio conditions by a now-established trio with a weeks-long European tour under their belts. Perhaps what’s most remarkable about the album is not that Hays, Street, and Hart play so masterfully together – with three artists of their caliber, who could expect any less? – but that this second outing maintains the bold spirit of inquisitiveness and spontaneity that its predecessor naturally possessed. Credit that to a trio perpetually determined to discover new bridges worth building.

'Moments Remixes' began from a conversation with Jlin. We did an interview together for Talkhouse in fall of 2019, in season with the original Moments release on Unseen Worlds. Her poignant and effusive dialogue sparked the inspiration for us to do a remix together. That organically evolved into a full project idea. Xiu Xiu did the second remix in January 2020, and before things continued further - the pandemic was upon us. During the course of the pandemic, it evolved more, and organically became a more focused project for the isolation and lack of in-person collaborative environments/performance halls. All of but one remix were completed by 2021, and then refined and curated further over the following (four) years. The highlighted dialogue across the album is how these sparse, melodic minimalism of piano and vibraphone could manifest in a diversity of experimental sub-genres: electronica, IDM, avant-rock, drone/ambient. The careful curation and illustrative collaborators elicit the transportive 'new moments' and permeable qualities of the core compositions, that discover uncharted life in this project. (Michael Vincent Waller, October 2023)

This is a repress of Tycho's second release with Ghostly International to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this masterpiece, while Ghostly International celebrates its 25th year anniversary. For nearly a decade, Tycho has been known as the musical alias of Scott Hansen, but with the release of Awake - his second LP for Ghostly International - the solo project evolved into a three-piece band. Relating closer to post-rock than ambient soundscapes, the record is situated in the present, sounding more like Hansen than drawing from his influences. This is, in many ways, the first true Tycho record. Following 2011's Dive LP, the San Francisco-based designer toured extensively, and with a full band on stage, his sound coalesced into a percussive, organic whole. Zac Brown (guitars, bass) rejoined Scott on the road for this tour, but it was the particular addition of Rory O'Connor's live drumming that ultimately sent Hansen back to the studio with a more precise vision. "After the tour, I decided that I wanted to capture the more energetic, driven sound of the live show on the next album," Hansen recalls. Bringing musicians into Tycho's creative process was a step towards expanding his own songwriting and advancing the project beyond its current sound. In a cabin near Tahoe last winter, Zac and Scott began fleshing out the structure of the new record, but it wasn't until they set up shop in the hills of Santa Cruz with Rory that it all fell into place. "It crystallized the vision of how the drums would come to the forefront on this record," says Hansen. The sound was much more stripped-down and concise with more organic instruments in the fold. Songs like "Montana" and "Awake" are a departure from Tycho's previous material - unique to the group effort poured into the songs on the new record - while "See" and "Dye" echo ideas from previous works, bridging a middle ground between the old and new. Working with Count Eldridge, who also engineered Dive, the team could fixate on the pulses that Tycho might previously layer under synthesizers and exhume them with distinct bass and guitar patterns. Also known for his design work as ISO50, Hansen's visual and sonic efforts have dovetailed throughout the course of his career. "This is the first time in my life I've dropped everything to focus on one artistic pursuit," notes Hansen. Previous Tycho releases came to fruition when an amalgam of songs were nearing completion, but Awake is where music becomes the focus and true expression becomes the result.

Aural architect Skygaze follows his 2022 ‘Astral Trip EP’ for Flumo Recordings, offering an advanced fusion of house, broken boogie, and future jazz, with five brand new reinterpretations from the extended Flumo family.

Skygaze’s diverse sound, breaking down barriers between house and techno, broken beat, jazz, ambient, hip hop, jungle, and even esoteric IDM, has been showcased across a growing catalogue of releases across Guayaba records, Riverette, Flumo and Thirty Three Circular, and remixes for Ed is Dead and Contours & Yadava; earning the producer support from the likes of Mr. Scruff, Simbad, k15, Bandcamp’s Andrew Jervis, and Gilles Peterson.

Feted singer, musician and producer Alysha Joy, rising producer Divorce From New York, ones-to-watch, Footnote and Karmasound, and Skygaze himself under his Jailed Jamie guise, joined by Lorenzo Soria, put a new spin on ‘Astral Trip’, whilst staying true to the originals’ spirit.

The multi-talented Allysha Joy, of 30/70 Collective & LCSM fame, remixes ‘’Night Heat’’, enhancing the groove with broken beats and her undeniable first-rate vocals.

Jailed Jamie & Lorenzo Soria, reshape ‘’Gimme Five’’ with rough synths and jacking bassline driven “Think” beats.

Divorce From New York boosts the tempo and infuses ‘’Wagwan’’ with Latin rhythms, perfectly balanced by high-energy synth lines.

Italian producers, Footnote and SofaTalk, delve deeper into ‘’Minor Mood’’, adding softer, retro-infused sound structures in a broken boogie mould.

Barcelona’s Karmasound explores the ruminating nature of ‘’City Cathedratics’’ and its counterbalance between broken beat and house.

The diverse but complementary set of remixes is sure to move bodies on sophisticated dance-floors this year and shed further light not only Skygaze’s production but also his talent for melody and song-writing. A feather in his and Flumo’s bow.

DJ Support:

Ashley Beedle (Back To The World Records)

Bolam (Lobster Theremin)

Crazy P (Hot Toddy / 2020 Vision)

Dan Curtin (Mobilee)

Fouk (Heist / Toy Tonics)

Joshua James (XOYO, Glorias, Rinse)

Laurent Garnier (F Communications)

Severino / Horse Meat Disco (Strut / !K7 Records)

Speaking Minds (Circoloco, Italy)

Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979 is Time Capsule’s continuation of the deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.

Vinyl LP with 4 page insert, original artwork and photos

The kaleidoscopic psychedelia of 1970s Japan captured a fragile and fertile moment as the country sought its future in funk grooves, heavy reverb and lyrical hallucinations.

The follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes myriad pathways into the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Finding their feet at home and looking for inspiration abroad, the musicians featured here were engaged in the communal soul-searching that followed the breakdown of the 1960s protest movements. Some made it big, others drifted into oblivion. The music they left behind shimmers with intensity.

At the core was Happy End, the first project of YMO’s Haroumi Hosono, whose distortion-heavy guitar and crisp back-beat laid the foundations for Japanese lyrics that flipped the paradigm of Japanese rock music on its head. With it came a new found sonic ambition, such as in the bold Philly-soul style arrangements of producer Yuji Ohno, whose work with occult wandered Yoshiko Sai shares some of the bittersweet grandeur of Rotary Connection or David Axelrod.

Then there was Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, whose debut album was a carnival of orchestral funk, euphoric horn lines and rich production, complete with soaring guitar solos, psychedelic organ and a truly cinematic finale. The first and only time Fukamachi would sing on record, ‘Omae’ rips like the ultimate end-of-nighter.

Influenced by giants of the US soul scene, maverick composer Hiroshi “Monsieur” Kamayatsu (otherwise known as ‘the Brian Wilson of Japan’) went one step further, enlisting Tower of Power to play on ‘Have You Smoked Gauloises?’ The B-side to Monsieur’s biggest-selling single, it coasts with sophisticated cool - a liquid bassline and suave keys comping under a roaring trademark ToP sax solo. No surprise it found favour once more on the Acid Jazz dance floors of ‘90s London.

Such was the spirit of experimentation that big studio productions and private press releases sat side-by-side, with the likes of Momotaro Pink and Kazushi Inamura, taking their hopes of success into their own hands with the resources available to them. More reflective but no less robust, theirs was a heavy, fat-backed drum sound, soaked in dramatic, soulful psychedelia.

If some were dreamers and others space cadets, none were further out than sci-fi writer, musician, activist and self-made scientist Tadashi Goino, who transformed his own fantasy novel Messenger from the Seventh Dimension into an operatic prog odyssey with few discernible musical reference points – a majestic and completely bonkers outlier even among company as strange and brilliant as that which is collected here.

Less a compilation of a scene, as a compilation of a sentiment, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is a wild ride from start to finish, shattering the narratives of the Japanese folk and rock tradition into a million tiny pieces.

Berlin, 20 August 2023 – In a world where music serves as a gateway to explore the intricate dance between reality and imagination, Shkoon, the innovative germany-syrian musical group, presents their newest single, "Al-Furat." This release is a captivating addition to their upcoming album, a collection that masterfully blurs the lines between the tangible and the ethereal. Its the first single of their 10 Track Album being released on 16st of November followed by a big concert tour.
"Al-Furat" is not merely a song; it's a satirical exploration of life's complex game. With a wink to the audience, the song invites listeners to look beyond its surface and decipher the layers of meaning hidden within. At the heart of it, "Al-Furat" beckons the audience to find what resonates with them, to uncover the deeper messages that lie beneath the harmonies and rhythms.
A Harmonious Blend of Emotions
Crafted with a touch of irony, "Al-Furat" humorously contrasts the declarations of love for one's homeland with the journey of Ameen, the protagonist, as he navigates the game-like challenges to reach France. It's a juxtaposition of joy and sorrow, presented through cheerful melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. This blend of emotions adds depth to the song, making it not just a musical piece but a thought-provoking experience.

Blurring the Boundaries
Shkoon doesn't stop at melodies and lyrics; they expertly play with boundaries. The video showcases Thorben crossing borders with a French baguette, a clever visual metaphor that challenges stereotypes. The inclusion of French demonstrations further blurs the lines between art and reality. It's a deliberate move that asks the audience to question their perceptions and assumptions.

Art with a Message
As with their previous works, Shkoon's "Al-Furat" carries a hidden message—a critique and commentary on societal norms and expectations. It's a call to look beyond the surface, to recognize the dual nature of art as both entertainment and a mirror to society. Shkoon's ability to weave such messages into their work is a testament to their artistry and depth.

The Album
After Rima (2019) some singles, EP’s and their touching live album “FIRAQ” (2022) Shkoon is coming up with another concept album “Masrahiya” which is arabic and stands for theater play. Shkoon created a strong message again, with a diverse piece of art combined with an album concert tour.

This play 'Masrahiya' delves deep into the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction, where the lines of truth and imagination intertwine like a mesmerizing dance. As the three captivating chapters unfold, tragedy, politics, and irony are seamlessly woven together, creating a tapestry of emotions that leaves the audience spellbound.5

As a composer Martijn Comes has a special interest in timbral music and various musical traditions, with an emphasis on the electro-acoustic history. His works for the carillon were performed live at festivals like Le Guess Who and Rewire. He also released several solo-albums and collaborated with a wide range of contemporary artists like Frans de Waard, Lukas Simonis, Nicoleta Chatzopoulou and Hessel Veldman, with whom he co-produced the album EPoX, published by Bedouin Records in 2020.

Veldman is a veteran of the Dutch musical avant-garde and published several legendary cassettes on his label EXART in the early 80’s. His experimental soundscapes are laced with industrial elements, creating a hypnotic, dark undercurrent of sounds. Besides operating under his moniker Y Create, he was a member of the improvisation group Gorgonzola Legs and kept working intensively with Fluxus artist and Dutch underground cult-figure Willem de Ridder. The home-taping era shaped his free approach to music. His diverse musical practices have been traversing several decades by now and he continues to play music according to his own insights and intuitions.

Because of the emotional and poetic weight of the pieces, reverend Tom de Haan was consulted for this collaborative album. It was the start of a musical exploration and a search for peace, balance and above all freedom. Reaching out to a distant world, a place to come to terms with ourselves. A journey full of obstacles and setbacks. Sometimes persistently moving forward, sometimes doubtful. 'Are there Gods among us or inside us?' The music as a manifest, the expression of an inner struggle.

Throughout the chapters of this album layers of sound and distant voices arise and seem to float on the surface before they disappear again. Swaying on the gentle waves, running ashore, we find ourselves in unknown places. Manifest Exodus is an album for deep listening in the vein of Lustmord, Lawrence English or Rafael Anton Irisarri. It contains 4 rich, immersive pieces with austere drones, ambience, intense sonic textures and an incredible sense of detail to create a multi-layered escape to a better world.

"Holiday for Skins Vol. 2" is a percussion-driven jazz album led by Art Blakey, recorded in 1958. Featuring master percussionists like Ray Barretto and Sabu Martinez, the album dives into Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms, interwoven with the Jazz Messengers' expertise. This captivating collection highlights Blakey's innovative exploration of diverse beats, creating a rhythmic feast that showcases his profound influence on the fusion of percussion and jazz.

"Holiday For Skins Vol. 2" by Art Blakey includes the following tracks: "Dinga" and more.

Steffi's fourth solo album, The Red Hunter gets remixed! This killer package with remixes by 9 artists close to Steffi's heart, represent her musical bandwidth with a very diverse mix from ambient, IDM, broken beat to electro, techno, and drum & bass! The special vinyl version opens with Convextion aka E.R.P who delivers his signature with a 10 minute ultra deep, beautiful, techno/electro journey. Italian talent Rosati drops a high energy chord techno monster and UK duo Tracing Xircles throw us in a deep trippy bath with their mixture of IDM with a lush broken beat banger!

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Roche Musique is unveiling its 3rd compilation "HOUSE OF GROOVE". 9 tracks featuring the label's long-standing artists FKJ, Darius, Kartell, Zimmer... and international guests from the emerging scene Enchantée Julia, Lossapardo, Flaurese, Barney Bones...

These new tracks, characteristic of Roche's groove, bring a richer electronic musical colour with diverse influences.

Respected Italian talent Francesco Tegazzin, also known as Distilled Noise, has emerged from years of self-exploration in the recording studio with a true passion for house and minimal grooves. His journey culminates in the release of his first Satya 12", "Evolution Of The Mind," a sonic testament to his current musical identity.

In crafting this opus, Distilled Noise immerses himself in experimentation. Reflecting his dynamic approach to music-making, each track on the record serves as a departure from the norm, with intentional alterations to his workflow for every new composition.

A defining hallmark of his artistry lies in the homage paid to his musical roots. Francesco seamlessly integrates guitar-like sounds, electric pianos, and funky basslines into each track, resulting in a unique fusion of diverse elements. His commitment to delivering more than mere utilitarian "tools" is unmistakable, as he endeavors to create compositions that etch a lasting imprint on the listener's mind.

Scheduled for release on March 15, 2024, the EP promises an exhilarating listening and dancing experience for aficionados of groove based house music.

The king of Colombian Bass is back on another low-end adventure!
In the vein of his previous work "Colombian Party", "Sendero" is another homage to the diversity of Colombia’s musical cultures and the artist's all-time favorite genres such as bass music, Hip-Hop and Dancehall. The album was entirely recorded between Bogotá and Sunka’s countryside farm, where the artist has been living for the past few years, growing all kinds of fruits and vegetables, Sunka’s new album “Sendero”, featuring Medellin-based hip-hop and reggae singer Raspapulaman, rising stars La Bembera and Zam El Caribean, Bogotá-based hip-hop and punk singer Jacob DMC, hip-hop maestros Kontent Thug and Santacruz Medina of Kartel Pacifico, is not your typical tropical album.
As accustomed , Sunka delivers a perfect blend of sub frequencies, heavy electronic drums and organic elements. Sweet and sharp at the same time,"Sendero" will make you
whine your waist at home and in the club, and will certainly go heavy on your speakers!

Maggie Lindemann's highly anticipated EP, "HEADSPLIT," is a captivating musical journey through a diverse soundscape, showcasing her evolution as an artist and her willingness to explore new boundaries. Building on her debut album, "SUCKERPUNCH," this EP demonstrates her growth and vulnerability in ways that listeners have never experienced before.

Rosenstolz – ein Name wie eine Botschaft. So ausdrucksvoll und bis heute eine Legende. Kaum eine
Gruppierung im deutschsprachigen Raum der Popmusik, versinnbildlicht die enorme Entwicklung und beeindruckende Geschichte der Beteiligten so sehr wie die, zur Zeit der deutschen Wiedervereinigung gegründeten, 2-Kopf Band. Beflügelt durch die ungewohnte neue Freiheit, beginnt sich in den 1990er Jahren in
Berlin-Friedrichshain etwas zu entwickeln, was der deutschen Musiklandschaft bis heute seinen Stempel
aufdrücken soll. Die gebürtige Ost-Berlinerin AnNa R. und der aus West-Deutschland stammende Peter Plate schlossen sich zusammen und starteten auf in eine Reise, welche bis hierhin kaum spannender
hätte sein können. Den Soundtrack dazu lieferten sie praktischerweise stets gleich mit. Anfangs noch mit
selbstproduzierten Demos und dem Keyboard auf dem eigenen Herd, über Konzerte in Szenekneipen, bis
später endlich auf die ganz großen Bühnen und Award Shows. Rosenstolz blickt mittlerweile zurück auf
eine faszinierende Bilanz von ein Dutzend Studioalben, 4 Live-Scheiben und darunter 7 mal Platz Eins der
Charts, des weiteren diverse Top 10-Singles, Millionen verkaufter Platten, zahlreiche Awards, ausverkaufte
Konzerte und Tourneen, und vor allem hunderttausende Fans. Die 2. Auflage, der von Rosenstolz selbst
kuratierten und zusammengestellten Kollektion ”Lass es Liebe sein”. Diese wunderbare Zeitreise erscheint
nun physisch erstmals auf farbigem Vinyl, im passenden roten Design.

THEODOR is a psychedelic sweet soul band formed by members with diverse musical backgrounds.

Whilst on a road trip to Italy Rob and Lui were listening to tapes of contemporary soul music. The idea was born to record an album channeling a moody and relaxed soundscape. „Right after our trip we called up our good friends Max and Greg, who were immediately on board. We wrote and recorded deep in the pandemic. Those weekend sessions captured this peaceful solitude“ The outcome was their self-titled debut album which will be released in February 2023 on the french label Broc Recordz.

The rich sonic texture and unconventional arrangements of their very first single SHEPARD’S LULLABY gives a hint on what is to be expected on their forthcoming LP. THEODOR created a perfect soundtrack for a hot and humid summer day having a magic dash in your twelve o’clock tea. Playful melodic bass lines and the soulful acoustic drums build the playground for the warm and dreamy keys such as farfisa organs, fender rhodes and 80's synths. The lush instrumentals are spiced by the very different yet complementary voices of Max and Lui.

Stunning outernational funk for the psych breaks dancefloor featuring the mesmerizing vocals of Ukrainian jazz singer Mona. Sung in her mother language, "Moya Vode" is about the "ancient ritual to put a spell on water and remove all negativity through its power".

Mona and MC Fame, a well-known Ukrainian hiphop producer and activist, both left their hometown Kyiv last year and found a new home in the Hammerbrook district of Hamburg, Germany, where they quickly connected with the lively funk scene of the city. Together with the Mocambo crew they set off to work out some magic by combining universal funk grooves and Ukrainian folklore.

Mona's mystical soulful vocals are backed by the "Hammerbrook Sound Machine", a group featuring members of Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and the Mighty Mocambos, with instruments like the Tsymbaly or Drymba added on top. The "folk-funk" continues more electronically on the instrumental flip side when MC Fame takes over the lead on Moog synthesizer. Dive into this spell!

“Though seeing they do not see, though hearing they do not hear or understand.”

NYC-based producer/visual artist Nathaniel Young returns with the sophomore 12” under their techno-focused alias, Guilt Attendant. “A Flower Wilts Under The Heat Of The Son” is cut from the same cloth as 2020’s “Suburban Scum” where Young delves into overtly religious motifs and ideological critique of their cult-like upbringing. Here, though, Young challenges themself and the listener to seek hope and resolve rather than hatred and contempt.

Considering its sometimes-monolithic sound palette, the timeless sub-genre of dub techno has long stood as a versatile vehicle for exploring and expressing a wide range of emotions. From mourning those we’ve lost, to somber reflection, to hope and celebration–all united by warmth, soul, and perhaps most importantly, groove. This versatility has underpinned Young’s affinity for the dub techno framework, and this collection of tracks is the culmination of material that they’ve long aspired to manifest. Atop this foundation, Young explores the place of acceptance and understanding that they’ve ultimately had to reach in relation to their religious upbringing and the inherent dualities that plague dogmatic religious circles and our beloved dance-floor communities alike.

“A Flower Wilts Under The Heat Of The Son” places a heavy emphasis on groove and swing while attempting to stretch the limits of classic dub techno tropes. Through creative melodic layering, swung low-end, and syncopation, these tracks hope to offer a fresh take on the sound while remaining solely devoted to the dancefloor.

Through their design work for Dais Records and Hospital Productions, Young had the pleasure of crossing paths with the recently departed Juan Mendez (Silent Servant), who graciously contributed a striking, cacophonous, and noise-laden remix. Given Mendez’s expansive and diverse body of work, as well as his own affinity for dub techno, Juan’s contribution could not be more harmonious. A singular talent and an extremely kind, generous soul, Juan will be dearly missed.

Rest in peace Juan Mendez, 1977-2024

Shay Hazan radiates with musical diversity on "Wusul", His second solo album on Batov Records. Acclaimed Tel Aviv bassist, band leader, composer and producer, Shay Hazan emerges into the limelight with his highly anticipated second solo album "Wusul". This groundbreaking musical odyssey artfully melds the enchanting sounds of Gnawa music, spiritual jazz, hip hop grooves, and electronic production, with a rich tapestry of Middle Eastern and African influences.

Bosconi Records is thrilled to announce a distinctive vinyl release that harks back to berlin 2000’s good old days
The featured track of this release unveils Console’s , known and active as Acid Pauli, reinterpretation of a track that gained fabio’s attention during his stay in Berlin in 2000. Fabio Della Torre, the owner and A&R of Bosconi Records, stumbled upon this hidden gem during his year in Berlin as many djs in the city were spinning it. Finally his quest to uncover the origins of this track led him to a CD release on the label of Angelika Köhlermann. The track in question is Console’s reimagining of “Let’s Rock Baby” a composition by the independent musician and video artist Anne Laplantine, who adopted the Japanese-sounding alias Michiko Kusaki. This version was originally released alongside a series of remixes by artists such as Dmx krew, Felix Kubin, and Adult, all featured on Angelika Köhlermann’s label.

Today, Bosconi Records is thrilled to bring this iconic track to light again on vinyl, accompanied by fresh interpretations. It’s important to note that these reinterpretations breathe life into Console’s work, not Laplantine’s original track, making Console’s version the centerpiece of this release. We have a banger version from German electro luminary The Exaltics which his typilcal electro techno trademark sound. The Exaltics had just released his new album on Clone and has been featured by Helena hauff in her Fabric Mix compilation. Italian producers Voodoos & Taboos, known for their homonymous label and with an recent “banger” on Bordello a Parigi with an electro playful version. The vibrant Queen of Coins have breathed new life into Console’s track, delivering a fresh new-beat acid ebm burner, giving the track a new and personal perspective.

This project mirrors Bosconi Records’ commitment to exploring diverse dimensions of electronic music and featuring compelling compositions. The release looks to resonate with DJs and electronic music enthusiasts, offering a contemporary perspective on a timeless track.

Behold the timeless, elegant, sophisticated man that is Donny Benet.

More than a decade since the world first fell for his charms, Donny Benet is taking charge of his destiny like never before. His new album, number six, is called Infinite Desires, and it’s his most complete musical statement yet.

Across eight tracks, Donny sets out a vision that embraces a diversity of experience, from elation to introspection, from disquiet to unbridled ecstasy. Take the brash slapped bass of the opening track, Multiply; or American Dream, his meditation on warped dreams and distractions; or the self-empowerment at the heart of So Long, an ode to stepping away from toxic relationships; or Wait Until it Rains Tomorrow, a moving, cathartic tale of acceptance folded within Donny’s trademark sound, a smooth wave of harmonies and rhythm that makes you feel like everything is going to be ok.

1975 was a banner year for superstar Alice Cooper with the release of the groundbreaking concept album Welcome To My Nightmare. This album showcases Cooper's theatricality, storytelling prowess, and ability to create an immersive world of horror and fantasy.

From the opening notes of the title track, "Welcome to My Nightmare," listeners are transported into a dark and twisted dreamscape. Cooper's signature blend of rock, glam, and theatricality shines throughout the album. His gritty yet melodic vocals, combined with a richly layered musical backdrop, create an atmosphere of eerie enchantment. The album's production incorporates haunting orchestral arrangements, catchy hooks, and powerful guitar riffs, crafting a sonically diverse and captivating listening experience.

Teaming up again with his longtime producer Bob Ezrin, the duo assembled some of the greatest music to go along with the David Winter-produced TV special, and in doing so, created some of his best known songs like the huge hit single "Only Women Bleed." This Top 5 single carried Welcome To My Nightmare into multiple platinum territory and forever etched the word superstar to the name of Alice Cooper.

All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savor: Mastered directly from the original master tape by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings and RTI, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

Almost two years to the date of the release of their breakthrough album, Citizen return with their highly anticipated follow-up full-length, Everybody is Going to Heaven. Haunting these ten songs is a foreboding, dark atmosphere masterfully crafted by producer Will Yip, and an immediate, intense energy is palpable from even the first grimy seconds of the opener, "Cement." As with every one of Citizen's releases, Mat Kerekes' signature vocal delivery here is a trademark feature, demonstrating the emotional tension that boils over on this release. As cathartic as ever, he duels between a soft croon and a haunting scream, confronting his demons on tracks like "My Favorite Color" echoing the tormented refrain, "my heart still beats for nothing". And while most of the record is an intense and noisy onslaught, songs like "Heaviside" and "Yellow Love" act as armistices, each aching in reverb-drenched consonance. Everybody is Going to Heaven is a turning point for Citizen: once regarded as newcomers with undeniable potential, the band shows here that they have matured both abruptly and uniquely, with no end to their upward trajectory in sight.

Kick starting 2024 with intent, Berlin’s Pure Hate Trax starts the year in style with a pure power 4 track EP by Tripped. Hailing from Belgium, Francis Jaques started his journey at the tender age of 15 and quickly become A key figure in the underground rave & hardcore scene and up to now has celebrated over two decades of relentless dedication to the industry. While deeply rooted in Hardcore Techno, Tripped style is not limited to a certain genre. Always staying true to his gut, he keeps innovating his sound by using both analog and digital techniques, often with a wink to the pure and raw sound of the 90’s, dark, moody and kick-drum heavy. His label Madback Records, an outlet for his own productions has also seen contributions from the likes of Slave To Society, The Outside Agency, KRTM, Waldhaus, Mickey Nox and Umwelt. Aside from the music he also creates abstract paintings and mixes graphic design to showcase a truly unique collaboration of both artwork and music. As a DJ Francis is considered one of the most diverse acts from Belgium. His raw and powerful sets range from Rave, Techno, Industrial, Acid to Gabber and Old School Terror has seen him perform all over the world and at major events such as Thunderdome, Masters Of Hardcore, Tomorrowland, Bangface, Defqon.1, Kompass Klub, Dominator, Astropolis, Decibel and many more.

"The 'Kashkaval EP' marks DJ 3000's fourth vinyl release, stemming from his acclaimed 'Mezë' album.

This EP encapsulates DJ 3000's evolution, weaving a narrative from his Albanian heritage to his current thriving career. 'Kashkaval EP' stands as his most intimate and comprehensive work to date, embodying a profound musical odyssey. It extends an invitation to all, urging them to partake in a celebration of diverse cultures and a symphony of sound that transcends geographical boundaries. Through meticulously crafted tracks, it guides listeners on a shared and cherished voyage, forging connections through the universal languages of music, culture, and food.”

Kashkaval - Is a cheese originating from the Balkans. When producing this electro track, it all came together quite swiftly, to be honest. I only needed one final element to complete it. Coincidentally, my dad was discussing this cheese at the time, so I recorded him talking about it on my phone and seamlessly integrated it into the track. I applied various effects and kept it subtle in the mix, making it almost unrecognizable in Albanian. The chords fell into place after that.

Constant Sorrow - This song took shape during the pandemic. I had nearly completed the concept, and for some time before that, I had been in conversation with producer and vocalist Keith Caden. I believed his vocal talents would be a perfect fit for this track. I shared the track and its title with him, and he subsequently wrote the vocals, even contributing harmonica and a few other embellishments. I'm particularly fond of this electro-style track, and Keith's vocals truly bring a unique and special dimension to it.

From The Ashes - Electro played a significant role in this album. When I mention electro, it's not the typical style of tracks but rather a more unique approach. The vocals on this album truly infuse profound meaning into the songs, and I have a deep appreciation for the way the chords resonate and create a dynamic bounce in the tracks.

Crown Royal - There's an amusing backstory to the essence of this track. "Crown Royal" harkens back to a liquor we used to enjoy back in the day. We'd have our Crown Royal and pair it with those Black & Mild cigars – quite the combo! This track was born from the memories of those late-night drives back home from the club.

Mano De Fuego land on Yaxteq with the mighty Fuerza EP. In 2022, los hermanos Cedillo also known as Soul of Hex launched their Mano De Fueogo alias from Underground Resistance headquarters in Detroit. Their debut for Yaxteq showcases their versatillity as producers. Sagrada is pure musical magic for the dancefloor with rising chord swells, relentless bass and strings that reach into the cosmos. Aztec Obelisk gives a latin flavor to the classic Detroit electro-bass blueprint. Fuerza dives deep into hi-tech jazz including an interstellar saxophone improvisation courtesy of Tijuana’s own Manuel Paez Armendariz. DJ Dex then takes the soul of Fuerza and remixes it with the concrete foundation of jaaackin US house music. All tracks were mixed and arranged at the Yaxteq studio in Los Angeles. Saludos!!

Double LP on Hibiscus & Butterfly Pea Tea Vinyl Dust off your coffee machine and prepare your warmest smile to meet your customers again in the second episode of the much-loved coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator - "Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly". You are a barista and your customers aren't always humans. Listen to their stories and influence their hearts with a warm cup of coffee or two. Introducing "Coffee Talk Episode 2" on vinyl. Dive into the soothing rhythms of this atmospheric lo-fi soundtrack, which captures the very essence of the Coffee Talk universe. Each groove transports you to that familiar coffee shop corner, where the patter of rain, heart-warming chatter and captivating melodies intertwine flawlessly. Presented in a stunning analogue format, the cover is drawn by Junkipatchi, Episode 2's lead writer and narrative designer. The tracks themselves have been handpicked by Andrew Jeremy, game producer and music composer, who has this to say: "The world is so chaotic that it can break you down. Just take your time to rest and re-energize with relaxing and chill music, before you start each day conquering the world once again." So, settle down with your favourite brew and let Coffee Talk Ep. 2 on vinyl guide you on a melancholic yet tranquil journey, evoking the Seattle from a parallel universe that you've come to know and love. Secure your auditory escape today and immerse yourself in an unmatched coffee shop ambiance.

Dust off your coffee machine and prepare your warmest smile to meet your customers again in the second episode of the much-loved coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator - "Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly". You are a barista and your customers aren't always humans. Listen to their stories and influence their hearts with a warm cup of coffee or two. Introducing "Coffee Talk Episode 2" on tape. Dive into the soothing rhythms of this atmospheric lo-fi soundtrack, which captures the very essence of the Coffee Talk universe. Each groove transports you to that familiar coffee shop corner, where the patter of rain, heart-warming chatter and captivating melodies intertwine flawlessly. Presented in a stunning analogue format, the cover is drawn by Junkipatchi, Episode 2's lead writer and narrative designer. The tracks themselves have been handpicked by Andrew Jeremy, game producer and music composer, who has this to say: "The world is so chaotic that it can break you down. Just take your time to rest and re-energize with relaxing and chill music, before you start each day conquering the world once again." So, settle down with your favourite brew and let Coffee Talk Ep. 2 on tape guide you on a melancholic yet tranquil journey, evoking the Seattle from a parallel universe that you've come to know and love. Secure your auditory escape today and immerse yourself in an unmatched coffee shop ambiance.

Dust off your coffee machine and prepare your warmest smile to meet your customers again in the second episode of the much-loved coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator - "Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly". You are a barista and your customers aren't always humans. Listen to their stories and influence their hearts with a warm cup of coffee or two. Introducing "Coffee Talk Episode 2" on tape. Dive into the soothing rhythms of this atmospheric lo-fi soundtrack, which captures the very essence of the Coffee Talk universe. Each groove transports you to that familiar coffee shop corner, where the patter of rain, heart-warming chatter and captivating melodies intertwine flawlessly. Presented in a stunning analogue format, the cover is drawn by Junkipatchi, Episode 2's lead writer and narrative designer. The tracks themselves have been handpicked by Andrew Jeremy, game producer and music composer, who has this to say: "The world is so chaotic that it can break you down. Just take your time to rest and re-energize with relaxing and chill music, before you start each day conquering the world once again." So, settle down with your favourite brew and let Coffee Talk Ep. 2 on tape guide you on a melancholic yet tranquil journey, evoking the Seattle from a parallel universe that you've come to know and love. Secure your auditory escape today and immerse yourself in an unmatched coffee shop ambiance.

As the developers at Relic Entertainment busily crafted the grand space strategy of 1999’s Homeworld, series composer Paul Ruskay was left largely to his own devices in crafting the now iconic score. He took diverse inspiration from Vangelis’ score for Blade Runner, Brian Eno, the sampling of traditional instruments from all over the globe by Algerian DJ Cheb i Sabbah, and ambient electronica duo Delirium. Homeworld’s score was born of limitations thanks to Ruskay’s “primitive setup” of synthesiser, sampler and sequencer — at the time his Studio X Labs were being built around him — and this forced him to produce instinctive, live mixes.

During the Homeworld Remastered Collection restoration process, Ruskay dug out the original music DAT tapes out of a shoe box, dusted off decade-old Pro Tool Studio sessions, and had uncompressed versions made of all tracks. Subtle, faithful musical elements were added to help widen the mixes of the first Homeworld, before it was then mindfully remixed and sequenced.

Returned to us from early 90s Japan are the holy holy sounds of Ghost. Their collective, clearly inspired by various forms of transcendental music throughout history, created a new syncretic psychedelia with these albums, mixing the texture and vibe of multinational forms of traditional music, with strummed antique stringed instruments and the haunting wail of a recorder on top of their heavy beats and guitars. The considerable depth of this approach was explored through 2014 over another five Ghost LPs, as well as the further explorations to the present day of leader Masaki Batoh, as a solo artist and with The Silence, Damon & Naomi, Helena Espvall and most recently, nehan. These first three Ghost titles were originally released by P.S.F. on CD in 1990, 1992 and 1994, respectively, radiating enigma and energy in palpable waves with their original sound. After the acclaim that greeted Drag City"s 1996 US release of Lama Rabi Rabi, we quickly reissued all three on vinyl - and they quickly went out of print! At which point, Ghost had Snuffbox Immanence and Free Tibet ready to go. And then, Hypnotic Underworld. And then, and then . . . . Now, it"s been 25 years since they were last offered on vinyl. In the twenty-year sweep of Ghost history, these first three releases qualify as primitive early Ghost - sort of like a German Os Mutantes (or perhaps a Brazilian Amon Düül). The subterranean presence of a diversity of progressive/avant classic rock influences (Pink Floyd, Incredible String Band, Captain Beefheart, Scott Walker, Led Zeppelin, Popol Vuh, Third Ear Band, to name but a few) provokes further synthesis, making for an entirely new meditation on the traditional order of psychedelic music. The first two studio albums, each one an iteration of Ghost"s unique lysergic folk music, were followed by the monolithic "live in various places" happening of Temple Stone, which raised the trippiness levels considerably. But this was only the end of the beginning . . .

Returned to us from early 90s Japan are the holy holy sounds of Ghost. Their collective, clearly inspired by various forms of transcendental music throughout history, created a new syncretic psychedelia with these albums, mixing the texture and vibe of multinational forms of traditional music, with strummed antique stringed instruments and the haunting wail of a recorder on top of their heavy beats and guitars. The considerable depth of this approach was explored through 2014 over another five Ghost LPs, as well as the further explorations to the present day of leader Masaki Batoh, as a solo artist and with The Silence, Damon & Naomi, Helena Espvall and most recently, nehan. These first three Ghost titles were originally released by P.S.F. on CD in 1990, 1992 and 1994, respectively, radiating enigma and energy in palpable waves with their original sound. After the acclaim that greeted Drag City"s 1996 US release of Lama Rabi Rabi, we quickly reissued all three on vinyl - and they quickly went out of print! At which point, Ghost had Snuffbox Immanence and Free Tibet ready to go. And then, Hypnotic Underworld. And then, and then . . . . Now, it"s been 25 years since they were last offered on vinyl. In the twenty-year sweep of Ghost history, these first three releases qualify as primitive early Ghost - sort of like a German Os Mutantes (or perhaps a Brazilian Amon Düül). The subterranean presence of a diversity of progressive/avant classic rock influences (Pink Floyd, Incredible String Band, Captain Beefheart, Scott Walker, Led Zeppelin, Popol Vuh, Third Ear Band, to name but a few) provokes further synthesis, making for an entirely new meditation on the traditional order of psychedelic music. The first two studio albums, each one an iteration of Ghost"s unique lysergic folk music, were followed by the monolithic "live in various places" happening of Temple Stone, which raised the trippiness levels considerably. But this was only the end of the beginning . . .

Neben ihrer Zusammenarbeit mit Modern Cosmology, dem unglaublichen What Will You Grow Now? aus dem letzten Jahr und ihren fortgesetzten Tourneen mit den neu formierten Stereolab ist Laetitia mit Rooting For Love solo plus The Choir zurück in der Welt und ruft uns erneut dazu auf, uns auf unsere innere Ausrichtung und unsere Herzenskraft zu besinnen, um besser gerüstet zu sein für das, was kommen wird. Das regelmäßige Auftauchen von The Choir während Rooting For Love erinnert daran, dass diese Musik von einem Volk in der kritischen Masse stammt, zusätzlich zu einer Entwicklung, die die reichen harmonischen Felder, in denen Laetitia spielt, weiter vertieft. Die diversen musikalischen Arrangements tragen dazu bei - Orgel, Synthesizern, Gitarre, Bass, Posaune, Schlagzeugprogrammierung, Vibraphon und Zither, die alle auf verschlungenen Pfaden von Akkord- und Tempowechseln arbeiten. Der melodische Funk des Bassisten Xavi Muñoz führt zu gelegentlichen Dancefloor-Vibes und No-Wave-Rockouts, während Hannes Plattemier und Emma Mario abwechselnd die Tracks abmischen und das Material mit Vibes, zusätzlichem Drum-Programming und Synthesizern zusammen mit einer talentierten Besetzung von Spielern und Sängern aus Laetitas Source Ensemble und darüber hinaus bereichern. Ob sie sich Laetitia Sadier nun von der eigenen Zen-Shiastu-Ausbildung oder von den Texten von Véronique Vincent (Texterin und Sängerin von Aksak Maboul und einst Leadsängerin der Honeymoon Killers) inspirieren lässt, immer stellt sie sich der Wahrheit, ohne mit der Wimper zu zucken. Die Schatten, aus welchem Stoff sie auch immer bestehen - individuelle und kollektive, gegenwärtige und uralte - müssen erkannt und anerkannt werden, denn je mehr wir in uns selbst heilen, desto ungeteilter werden wir angesichts der drohenden neofaschistischen/neoliberalen Narrative, die die inneren und äußeren Landschaften verschmutzen. Wie das Titelbild des Winterbaums, das sich in den Wortmustern von Rooting For Love widerspiegelt, behauptet Laetitia, dass die Art und Weise, wie wir die kommende Welt heilen, und was wir daraus machen, eine Ko-Kreation sein wird. Die Qualität unserer Vorstellungskraft, die Ausrichtung, die wir unseren Gedanken geben, und die Fähigkeit, uns selbst und der Welt Liebe zu bringen, sind ein erster Schritt.

Blessings of the Highest Order compiles all of Thou's Nirvana covers, originally recorded and released piecemeal on various EPs, splits, and tributes from 2009 - 2018. The songs feature guest appearances from Emily McWilliams (Silver Godling), Melissa Guion (MJ Guider), Rebecca Levy (Turboslut), Isidore Grisoli (High), and Jennifer Murphy (that one Thou tote). The record features artwork by New Orleans' underground, BDSM, xerox freakaleek "Trashboy.

White Vinyl

Blessings of the Highest Order compiles all of Thou's Nirvana covers, originally recorded and released piecemeal on various EPs, splits, and tributes from 2009 - 2018. The songs feature guest appearances from Emily McWilliams (Silver Godling), Melissa Guion (MJ Guider), Rebecca Levy (Turboslut), Isidore Grisoli (High), and Jennifer Murphy (that one Thou tote). The record features artwork by New Orleans' underground, BDSM, xerox freakaleek "Trashboy.

Returned to us from early 90s Japan are the holy holy sounds of Ghost. Their collective, clearly inspired by various forms of transcendental music throughout history, created a new syncretic psychedelia with these albums, mixing the texture and vibe of multinational forms of traditional music, with strummed antique stringed instruments and the haunting wail of a recorder on top of their heavy beats and guitars. The considerable depth of this approach was explored through 2014 over another five Ghost LPs, as well as the further explorations to the present day of leader Masaki Batoh, as a solo artist and with The Silence, Damon & Naomi, Helena Espvall and most recently, nehan. These first three Ghost titles were originally released by P.S.F. on CD in 1990, 1992 and 1994, respectively, radiating enigma and energy in palpable waves with their original sound. After the acclaim that greeted Drag City"s 1996 US release of Lama Rabi Rabi, we quickly reissued all three on vinyl - and they quickly went out of print! At which point, Ghost had Snuffbox Immanence and Free Tibet ready to go. And then, Hypnotic Underworld. And then, and then . . . . Now, it"s been 25 years since they were last offered on vinyl. In the twenty-year sweep of Ghost history, these first three releases qualify as primitive early Ghost - sort of like a German Os Mutantes (or perhaps a Brazilian Amon Düül). The subterranean presence of a diversity of progressive/avant classic rock influences (Pink Floyd, Incredible String Band, Captain Beefheart, Scott Walker, Led Zeppelin, Popol Vuh, Third Ear Band, to name but a few) provokes further synthesis, making for an entirely new meditation on the traditional order of psychedelic music. The first two studio albums, each one an iteration of Ghost"s unique lysergic folk music, were followed by the monolithic "live in various places" happening of Temple Stone, which raised the trippiness levels considerably. But this was only the end of the beginning . . .

marbled green vinyl

A1 - The Cartographer
JLM Productions opens the EP with an inspiring, uplifting intro leading wonderfully towards an intricate old school atmospheric drum loop, laden with sprightly deep bass tones with crisp, clear hats and cymbals. Luscious, long swaying strings weave their magic on the ears as catchy keys sneak around the movements of a cartographer far from silent, to create a composition which will rightly sit atop your playlist for some time to come.
A2 - Fata Morgana
Showcasing his diversity in the genre and an immense ability to seamlessly mix old school jungle sensibilities with a modern atmospheric twist, Fata Morgana sees JLM Productions fuse a medley of swirling, enveloping atmospheric pads and a tight two-step breaks to form a collage of inspired vibes which will fit perfectly within a synth wave-style dancefloor set - or a good old throwback jungle mix.
AA1 - The Navigator
Breaks are on the agenda immediately with The Navigator, bringing forth a myriad of fluid drum samples, filtered and chopped with old school sensibilities shining through. Tense pad work builds the vibe with washes of synths before the breaks switch up, throwing in more surprises to the mix alongside along early 90's jungle inspired melody. We are continually treated with layers of detail and intricacies with FX as the breaks reach their final form. A real treat.
AA2 - Aleya
Closing out the EP, we see JLM Productions deftly toying with the legendary Apache break, which features heavily in the varied cluster of classic jungle breaks on display. A diverse selection of pads and keys tint the engulfing atmospheric soundscape with a quiet Sci-Fi intensity, developing and
evolving towards a stunning breakdown before the breaks
return, eventually exhaling towards a fittingly epic outro.

Arkajo is back on his own label with two originals and two remixes by kindred spirits, Polygonia and Konduku. Starting with the warm Entwine, stepped-out beats laced with swirly stabs. Polygonia's finishes off the A-side with an organic and atmospheric rework; saturated in deep, trippy, rattling tonally percussive flows. Arkajo's Signature leads the B-side: broken drum patterns with whispers from the realm between where Sweden and the UK meet. Konduku settles the score with his dark and eerie 4x4 techno take. A diverse record to keep in the bag for both hazy basements and the upcoming summer season.

Following the huge succes of “Serious”, remixed by Michael Gray, we now dive into the enchanting world of “Joy & Pain,” a timeless masterpiece penned by the legendary Frankie Beverly of Maze-fame. The brilliant Donna Allen and expertly remixed by the maestro himself, Dr Packer. With his trademark nu disco groove, Dr Packer unleashes an irresistible sonic force, propelling you into a realm where Donna effortlessly takes the reins with her divine R&B prowess. Together, they embark on an awe-inspiring journey, catapulting you into the very heart of dance floor ecstasy. Dr Packer unveils a package of unparalleled excellence, breathing new life into this classic gem and ensuring its enduring legacy. Get ready to surrender to the irresistible allure of pure dance floor heaven!

"Days Gone By," the latest creation from Manuel Gonzales (MGUN), showcases his remarkable versatility inside of the contemporary musical landscape. This 9-track EP, released for 100 LIMOUSINES, is a vibrant mosaic of raw, gritty sounds that capture the quintessence of Detroit's musical heritage.

Each track on the album is an immersive experience that echoes the feel of street techno, rhythmic and driving. MGUN's ingenious use of the studio as an instrument is striking, as he shapes tracks that embody the essence of bedroom production. The album vibrates with deep sub-bass frequencies, eerie highs, and peculiar artifacts of found sound.

Gonzales, a name synonymous with raw and unadulterated music, brings his signature touch to the 100 LIMOUSINES catalog, a label rapidly gaining recognition for its bold defiance of genre constraints. "Days Gone By" is more than a mere collection of tracks; it's a deep dive into Gonzales' daily sonic experiments, a testament to his relentless pursuit of pushing the boundaries of techno music.

This album is an essential listen for those who value the fusion of Detroit's robust underground legacy with innovative, avant-garde electronic music. It's a journey designed for those who revel in the unrefined authenticity of analog production and the boundless potential of cross-genre exploration. "Days Gone By”, an absolute experimental body of music, a unique auditory adventure that defies convention.

For Listeners Who Enjoy: Rob Hood, A Guy Called Gerald, RZA, Autechre, UR

You just moved to the big city, you end up at a party where you don't know anyone and someone walks up to you and asks: "Hey, are you alone here?". That is exactly the feeling that Porcelain id describes on their debut album Bibi:1, short for the Arabic pet name Habibi. Porcelain id is the pseudonym under which Hubert Tuyishime (they/them/their) has been unleashing unique songs since 2020.

The album - inspired by their move from a quiet provincial town to Antwerp - is the soundtrack to walking into city traffic during rush hour and trusting to get out of the chaos in one piece. It is an ode to exciting encounters with complete strangers and to the friends you can come home to afterwards. A story about being a stranger in a city you've romanticized for so long, the rejection that comes with it, and the false nostalgia with which you look back on it all later on.

At first hearing, the completely English-language Bibi:1 may seem like a brusque farewell to the autobiographical intimacy and lo-fi singer-songwriter music on the previously released EPs Mango and Reprise, and especially on songs like Vlaanderen. But to Porcelain id it feels like an organic evolution. One towards more abstraction, experimentation and electronics, but never detached, and still building on the core of Porcelain id.

The new sound is the result of an intense collaboration with producer and partner in crime Youniss Ahamad, who, despite their different musical backgrounds, immediately felt challenged after Porcelain id's legendary elevator pitch: 'I want to make something that is situated between Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Yeezus by Kanye West'.

Together they drew the blueprint for Bibi:1 in Youniss' home studio. Track by track, without looking back. A sporadic, but rigid process that added to the intensity of the album. In the studio, the songs were taken to a higher level. The two invited a pack of talented friends and young musicians to the studio to add parts, a stark contrast to the solitary approach of previous EPs. Aram Abgaryan (recording engineer/synths/vocals), Nard Houdmeyers (guitar), Tim Caramin (drums), David Idrisov (bass), Alban Sarens (sax) and Emma Hessels (vocals) came by. Aram Santy was at the controls during the mixing sessions.

The result sounds like the ultimate symbiosis of Porcelain id and Youniss. Lofi, but ambitious. Fragile, but rough. Poppy, but disruptive. Sometimes challenging. Then welcoming again. Sometimes even danceable. Each song forms a small vignette that is part of a diverse, but coherent unity. Adam Coming Home and Low Poly are closest to the melancholy of Porcelain id's earlier work, while Lights! strikes a new path. First single Man Down, on the other hand, is inspired by the Antwerp students who drown every year and sounds like a wandering nightly stroll through the city. For Brilliant, David Idrisov was asked to 'play bass as if Chet Baker were not a trumpet player, but a bass player', a bizarre assignment that he accomplished with verve. And Cellophane flirts with emo trap and was sung with raspberries between the teeth, to simulate the effect of grills.

In 1994, UK ambient pioneers O Yuki Conjugate recorded their landmark Equator album. To mark the 30th anniversary of this musical milestone, many of the same personnel – Roger Horberry (co-founder of O Yuki Conjugate), Dan Mudford (ex-Sons of Silence and co-creator of the Shaun of the Dead soundtrack), Joe Lamb (ex-Sons of Silence) and Malcolm McGeorge – came together to make New Meridian, reflecting the range of influences they’ve picked up over the intervening years.

Generously described as “almost like normal music”, the eight tracks of New Meridian feature instrumentation ranging from classic analogue to actual wooden logs. The result takes you on a rain-drenched, open-top ride from Electronica Avenue to the drone caverns of Uranus, with various Fourth World ambi-dub diversions along the way. File under: duress.

lim. to 250 Copies ww!

"The world is rich, the world is colorful. So why not show it in all its complex diversity and contrasts? Why, when you go in one direction, do you have to follow it further and can't just go in all directions at once? These are all questions that Berlin-based Turkish singer Basak Yavuz may have asked herself when she began recording her new album "Raum 610."

Basak Yavuz doesn't take much time to get down to business. Right away in the opener "Promised Lands," different stylistic elements like jazz, rock, funk and hip-hop chase each other as if it were a matter of life and death. The message is unmistakable: this is about energy. The energy of the big city. Crowds on the sidewalk, congested streets, noise from construction sites, cyclists and drivers yelling at each other, barking dogs, screaming children, shattering glass, a new surprise around every corner. Basak Yavuz does not hide, but picks up the tempo of the Moloch and makes it her own pulse with all its fractures and border crossings. She is not afraid to overload her songs, but confidently juggles the explosiveness of creative oversaturation." (Wolf Kampmann)

Canadian artist Jay Tripwire delivers his new three-track EP ‘Gone Insane’ via Jamie Clarke’s Either imprint this February.

Vancouver, Canada’s Jay Tripwire has long been a beloved producer in the world of stripped back house and techno with releases dating back to the turn of the millennium on the likes of Steve Bug’s Pokerflat, D’Julz’ Bass Culture, Roger Gerressen’s Irenic and of course his own Witching Hour among many others. Here though, we see him joining the roster of Irish artist Jamie Clarke’s Either imprint which has played host to numerous releases from the label boss himself and featured remixes from Silverlining, Ryan Crosson, Barac and more.

Title track ‘Gone Insane’ opens the release and perfectly sets the tone with Tripwire’s signature murky atmospheric style, crisp driving rhythm, gritty bass and intricately programmed effects. ‘Workhorse’ follows next and diverges into haunting minimal realms with swirling synth textures, glitched out bass flutters and crunchy low-slung drums.

‘Still A Raver’ then rounds out the EP, shifting things back up a gear with bouncy, twitchy synth melodies, twisted vocal murmurs and pulsating subs all underpinned by heavily shuffled, raw percussion.