Following on from Studiotek’s relaunch last year, the seminal UK tech-house label combines a repressed collaborative project between Dave Brennan and label owner, Darren Roach with two new and unreleased tracks on the other side.
Rolling, prime-time energy on the A side with more dubby, low-slung flavours in the form of ‘Let’s Search’ and ‘Kambo’. The original pressing of ‘Ride The Riddem’ (STUK002) has fetched a fair sum on Discogs and is now available for the first time again since 2004.
Automatic Writing is pleased to welcome Olivier Romero to the family. A longstanding figure in the Paris underground scene, Olivier has more recently gained international recognition through a series of solid releases supported by selectors such as Raresh, Dyed Soundorom, Cristi Cons, and Gene On Earth.
The Past Present Future EP showcases the breadth of his musical range—from hip-hop-tinged tech house to subtle, infectious deep house grooves. REFLEX BLUE contributes a more introspective, UK-flavoured take on the already timeless "The Past Future."
Nanook of the North is back with their second album, following the enthusiastically received 2018 debut "Nanook of the North," (Denovali) The duo of a composer and violinist Stefan Wesołowski and electronic producer Piotr Kaliński were acclaimed by Boiler Room, The Wire or NPR. Bob Boilen of Tiny Desk Concerts called Nanook of the North's performance "one of the wow moments of SXSW". Their new material is a raw and minimalist sonic landscape, practically devoid of percussive elements but featuring vocals by an acclaimed mezzo-soprano Margarita Slepakova. As with the debut, the music on "Heide" is rooted in nature and its primordiality. The title of the album alludes to wildness and untamedness, and the material was recorded last winter in a village located in the middle of forests in the northern Poland, which is clearly felt in the atmosphere of the 9 new tracks on "Heide".
Stefan Wesołowski is a Polish composer and violinist, author of critically acclaimed original albums and film music scores. Associated with publisher Mute Song and record labels like Important Records, Lakeshore Records, Ici D'ailleurs and Back Lot Music. He is an author of original soundtrack to „Listen to me Marlon” (Universal) - Oscar-shortlisted and BAFTA-nominated documentary on Marlon Brando directed by Stevan Riley and original soundtrack to Irish feature film by Nathalie Biancheri entitled „Wolf” (Focus Features), starring Lily-Rose Deep and George MacKay, premiered 2021 at Toronto Interational Film Festival.
Piotr Kaliński is na electronic music producer and guitarist. Based in Gdańsk, Poland. Associated with record labels like R&S Records and Instant Classic. Member of Hinode Tapes, Hatti Vatti and JANKA bands. One of the most active figures in Polish alternative scene - in last few years he performed live in many countries across Europe, Japan, Korea and United States. Kaliński is an author of original music for short films, fashion brands campaigns like Calvin Klein or Paul Smith and games (i.e. „Cyberpunk 2077”).
Margarita Slepakova is a coloratura mezzo-soprano specialized in the field of historical practices of early music. Based in Switzerland, she is a renowned opera, concert, and recital singer, collaborating with ensembles and orchestras all over Europe. Slepakova is a founder of Le Sommeil project, specializing in French music of the 17th century. She sang in many concert halls and opera houses including Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall during BBC Proms. Margarita also performs contemporary music and has premiered pieces written especially for her voic
Partisan’s stacked catalogue continues to evolve with another spaced out whirlwind. Heading up the release is jack-of-all-trades iO (Mulen), whose versatile sound and consistent craftsmanship have long defined his reputation for distinct, high-calibre production. His Hyperspace EP delivers four high-energy, acid-tinged cuts that pay testament to his trademark precision — modern in execution yet infused with a nostalgic rave soul. Leaning into techno, new beat, and gritty tech house with attitude, each track feels purpose-built for peak-time impact. It’s no surprise that a label as established as Partisan and a timeless producer like iO (Mulen) have crossed paths, exceeding the high expectations their names evoke.
Another essential addition to Anthea’s Partisan artillery.
TrioRox is a project born from the encounter between three leading figures on the Italian music scene (and beyond):
pianist Giovanni Guidi, bassist Joe Rehmer, and electronic musician DJ Rocca (Luca Roccatagliati).
Three individuals boast eclectic and impressive resumes. Guidi, a child prodigy of jazz piano, has released several
albums for the prestigious ECM label and has collaborated with top jazz and electronic musicians, from Enrico Rava
to Matthew Herbert, Joe Lovano, and Ricardo Villalobos. Joe Rehmer, an American living in Italy, is one of the most
sought-after bassists, sharing stages and recording studios with such luminaries as Bob Mintzer, James Moody, and
Danny Gottlieb. DJ Rocca has been a DJ and musician since the 1990s, boasting numerous albums, singles, and
remixes with and for key figures in the alternative dance scene (Andrew Weatherall, Dimitri From Paris, and Howie
B), as well as a stint in the jazz scene, releasing several albums with Franco D’Andrea.
The trio's music is a blend of electronic, dance, jazz, and pop, with hints of groove in house and techno, as well as
blends of electro, classical, and minimalism. A melting pot of styles between Keith Jarrett and Carl Craig. The album
will be released on IRMA Records in September 2024, featuring guests Luigi Di Nunzio, Gianluca Petrella, Dan
Kinzelman, and Jacopo Fagioli.
This EP of remixes is by:
Zed Bias: Manchester-based electronic musician, producer, and DJ in the Garage/2-step, Broken, and Funky
Breakbeat genres.
Alexander Robotnick: Italian record producer, DJ, and composer considered a cult figure in the New Wave and Italo
Disco scene.
Daniele Bladelli: One of the first and most important Italian DJs, famous for pioneering Afro and Cosmic music.
Bjorn Torske: Norwegian house and breakbeat producer. He has collaborated extensively with Röyksopp.
Especial is delighted to reprise the label’s relationship with Osaka’s acid master, Akio Nagase. Following his debut, Global Acid EP and follow up African Acid EP covered a range of influences, all with the heavy dose of Roland TR-303, here he completes a trilogy of EPs, culminating in a homage to his love of dub reggae.
Having made reggae influenced dance music under the Makedub alias for decades, here he takes it a step further, utilising a knack for catchy hooks and acid lines, while fusing reggae and live desk-dub mixing.
I Love Smoke, a chant, the stand-out, those classic vocals flowing in and out with a 3AM (Eternal) bump. Riotously expounding the virtues of smoking ’Mari Jane’, the hypnotic stoner vibes are wrapped around Nagase’s meditative and dancefloor heartbeat.
Night Time High Acid swings, the low-end rumble and kick build before the TR-303 and harmonica lead interweave, samples and sirens encase in an ethnic, tribal slo-mo dub flow.
Things shift with the 4/4 bump of Creation Dub. A call to rise wrapped in the warmth of Dub House beats. Melody and dub flow, no need for 303. Vox are space echo’d to the limit. Keys stab, horns call, slip side away.
To finish, Harmonica Dub is just that. Heavy mouth organ solo, the blues calling atop a dub-techno stepper beat. Rimshot, stabs, echo. All encompass that psychedelic flavour of Akio. Dub, Love and Respect. Thank you Mr Kikumoto for the acid, thank you Mr Nagase for beats
Includes demos of every track from the original album, stripped back to (mainly) guitar and voice. Originally a Norman Records exclusive, these are the last few copies available from a limited pressing of just 300. Mark Fry is a France- based, English singer- songwriter/ artist whose debut album, 'Dreaming With Alice,' released in Italy in 1971, became a much-bootlegged "acid-folk" classic three decades later. Fry returned to recording in 2008 and has since released 4 more acclaimed studio albums. These days, far less "acid" than in his youth, Fry still knows his way around a beautiful melody. This album of sketches is resplendent with love songs, the beauty of nature and the passing of time Fry is certainly no stranger to the preparatory sketch. An artist in the truest sense of the word, renowned equally for his decades- long career as a painter of vibrant abstracts and as a cult psychedelic minstrel turned intimate, evocative singersongwriter, his atelier, housed in a converted stable building at his Normandy home, literally doubles as his music studio. It was in this space that Mark's fifth solo album, 'Not On The Radar,' released back in May, was recorded in the summer of 2024, with the singer pushing back his easels to accommodate a four-piece live band and vanloads of miscellaneous accompanying paraphernalia.
Before that, the studio had been a considerably emptier space in which working versions of the album's ten languidly bucolic compositions were first demoed by the solitary songwriter (although some emergent tracks were also captured at Balintore - the home studio of Mark's regular guitarist, Iain Ross, housed on the latter's London-moored canal barge). With those sketches presented here in the same running order as on the mothership longplayer, this new album stands as a document of process - offering the opportunity for track- by- track comparison for those already familiar with Not On The Radar. Crucially, it also makes for a very fine standalone album in its own right, which, if nothing else, bears testament to the inherent robustness of Mark Fry's songwriting.
One of the last projects undertaken by the NETWORK label was the
60th Anniversary Blu-ray set for STINGRAY which was released in two versions - the Deluxe and Super Deluxe.
Each version was packed with extras but the Super Deluxe had a music item as part of the set – a 7” single of
Themes From Stingray containing cues for the original soundtrack as performed by Barry Gray.
But the 7” single was not included in the set, but to be posted separately to customers who had pre-ordered the Super Deluxe set.
When the single was manufactured, it was housed in a card envelope with a sticker placed on it with the title, catalogue number
and barcode so that all that needed adding was the address label before posting.
Although the Super Deluxe set sold out, there was some stock of the 7” single, still housed in its card envelope left
in the warehouse, NETWORK are no longer trading, and these singles have now been rescued from potential destruction!
The 14th release on Tooman Records is a Berlin-crafted record from Tanja, one half of the duo Quadrakey, stepping forward with an EP that reflects her personal musical language. Issued as a hand-stamped white label, it features four tracks of beautiful, emotional and groovy deep house. Warm atmospheres, subtle melodies and fluid yet driving rhythms define a sound that is both floor-focused and deeply rooted in the underground. House music with a deep passion.
Alex Rex, the project of acclaimed musician and former Trembling Bells bandleader Alex Neilson, is set to release his fourth and final studio album, The National Trust, on March 28th. Written in the wake of the sudden death of his younger brother, Alastair, the album is a poignant reflection on loss, love, and renewal, deeply rooted in the landscape of Carbeth—a cabin community in the Scottish countryside that Alastair called home. For Neilson, the cabin became both a physical and emotional project, a symbol of restoration and reconnection.
"For the first four years after Alastair died, his cabin lay empty and exposed to the remorseless Scottish weather. It came to look like a rotten tooth in a beautiful mouth. Cladding was dropping off its veneer, the ashen baubles of dead wasps nests clung to the rafters, all his possessions were just as he'd left them but eaten by mice, moths and time. Ashtrays still carried the crushed centimetres of his old tab ends. The cabins are so joyfully animated by their host's specific personality and this one looked like a haunted house. Guilt, unrealised hopes and encroaching nature yoked together in a wandering sadness. Combined with the fact that I didn't know the right way round to hold a hammer made the project of its restoration seem hopeless.”
Neilson, however, gradually began chipping away at the task, determined to transform the cabin into something he hoped would resemble “a National Trust site occupied by a psychopath,” with a little help from some friends, including Lavinia Blackwall and Marco Rea.
“They poured love into the cabin and helped restore Alastair's original vision. The project also helped restore my relationship with Lavinia which had fractured after Trembling Bells broke up in 2017. Alongside long-term Rex lieutenant Rory Haye, we applied the same intensity of dedication that we did in renovating the cabin, into creating The National Trust.”
As with Neilson’s previous albums, the recording process was intentionally unpolished, with songs presented in the studio with no rehearsals and captured in just a few takes. This raw, immediate approach amplifies the emotional weight of the album, which Neilson describes as being at a “personal apex of sour self-reflection, mock misanthropy, and self-exposure.” Longtime collaborators Lavinia Blackwall, Marco Rea, and Rory Haye return, alongside guest musicians like Jill O’Sullivan (Jill Lorean) and Trembling Bells guitarist Mike Hastings, to bring Neilson’s vision to life. The result is a deeply personal and multifaceted work, blending acid wit with haunting introspection.
The songs on The National Trust traverse a wide emotional and thematic range. The title track opens the album with a sharp and confessional edge, exploring love, loathing, and cultural critique with Neilson’s signature wit. “Boss Morris” pays tribute to the all-female Morris dancing troupe that reinvents British folk with vibrant energy, while “Two Kinds of Song” turns self-referential humour into an avalanche of remorse, culminating in the unforgettable chorus: “I’ve got two kinds of song. Which one will it be; one where I hate myself or one where you hate me?” Elsewhere, tracks like “Psychic Rome” draw from the decadence and hysteria of ancient Rome, while “The Coward in the Tower” breaks new ground as the only song Neilson has composed on an instrument before recording.
Throughout the album, Neilson’s lyricism is as vivid as ever, transforming personal tragedy into poignant and often darkly humorous art. Yet, there is a sense of finality to this work. "Songwriting has encouraged me to see the whole world as a resource. The things people say and throw away can be chiselled and polished and plopped into a lyric. It’s the same with building the cabin- scouring the edges of society for pallets, discarded wood, ornaments for the garden. But while song writing brings to life orphaned parts of my personality, the cabin is a synthesis of all my interests – nurturing my emotional health instead of exploiting it. With that in mind, I think this will be my last album as Alex Rex.”
With The National Trust, Neilson closes a significant chapter of his career, blending masterful musicianship with deeply personal storytelling. Known for his collaborations with artists such as Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Shirley Collins, and Current 93, as well as his decade-long tenure leading the psych-folk outfit Trembling Bells, Neilson has long been celebrated for his eclectic and uncompromising vision. This final album serves as a fitting culmination of his journey as Alex Rex, capturing the essence of his artistry while offering a profound exploration of loss, renewal, and the enduring power of love.
Finlay Shakespeare is an electronic musician working from the UK and across Europe. A childhood obsession with his parents’ record collection led him to both create his own music and build his own synthesizer equipment throughout his teenage years. After studying audio engineering, he was invited to become in-house engineer for the Moog Sound Lab UK, leading to collaborations with acts as diverse as Suicide, Charlemagne Palestine, The Grid and Mica Levi & Eliza McCarthy, both in live and studio environments. In 2017, Finlay began recording a series of monthly “Housediet'' releases - all improvised and captured at home utilising drum machines, modular synthesis and processed vocals. After several encounters with Peter Rehberg of Editions Mego, a compilation of the Housediet tracks was drawn up by Rehberg and Shakespeare, culminating in the release of “Domestic Economy” in early 2019. “Solemnities' ', a second album for Editions Mego appeared the following year. In the period since Rehberg’s untimely passing, Finlay has recorded for Superpang, Modulisme and his own GOTO Records imprint. “Illusion + Memory”, meanwhile, continues on from where “Solemnities” left off, with Finlay once again aiming to work at the fringes of electronic pop. Alter is proud to present “Illusion + Memory”, the third full length physical LP of Shakespeare’s utterly unique and sophisticated output. Shakespeare’s obsession and knowledge of late 70’s and early 80’s electronic pop music is once again at the forefront of this intense and dynamic release. Alas, this is not some retro throwback. Shakespeare’s deep understanding of his machines breathes new life into a genre of music once defunct. Supporting the likes of Blancmange bolstered his reputation for sublime synth hooks and dark lyrical content. Building on his previous work in the field “Illusion + Memory” is an unabashed pop record, as joyous as it is intense, moving from the brooding opening ballad “Your Side of the River” through the punchy “Theresa” which could be read as a love song to Throbbing Gristle’s United. Elsewhere “Climb” unleashes the opportunity to the dancefloor as wild electronics snake into all manner of schizophrenic shapes. There is a romantic side to this music. In its homage to electronic pop of the late 70’s and early 80’s but also in the emotional punch Shakespeare injects into every second of every track. Shakespeare’s reboot of these musical forms is technically impressive, one rich in feeling and deep in emotion, atmospherically and vocally. The two come together to create a unique visceral sonic experience… today!
In February 2025, more than 1,000 musicians came together to release a silent album protesting the UK government’s planned changes to copyright law, which would make it easier to train AI models on copyrighted work without a licence. The album, titled Is This What We Want?, featured recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, representing the impact on artists’ and music professionals’ livelihoods that is expected if the government does not change course.
The digital release in February 2025 reached no. 38 in the UK album charts. Now, it is being released on vinyl, with a bonus track - a recording of an empty studio - from Paul McCartney. The vinyl is being released by state51.
Under the heavily criticised proposals, UK copyright law would be upended to benefit global tech giants. AI companies would be free to use an artist’s work to train their AI models without permission or remuneration. The government’s proposed changes would require artists to proactively ‘opt-out’ from the theft of their work – reversing the very principle of copyright law. ‘Opt-out’ models are near impossible to enforce, have yet to be proven effective anywhere else in the world, and place enormous burdens on artists, particularly emerging talent.
Facing major backlash from the creative sector and beyond, the government has said its previous proposal is no longer its preferred option. However, it has not proposed an alternative, simply recommitting to its plan to “modernise the copyright legislation”. In the meantime, it has sent creatives a worrying signal, five times rejecting House of Lords amendments to the data bill that would have given rights holders visibility over when their work was being used against their wishes by AI companies.
The album’s track listing spells out a simple message: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.”
Ed Newton-Rex, the organiser of the album, said:
“The government must commit to not handing the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies for free. Doing so would be hugely damaging to our world-leading creative industries, and is totally unnecessary, only benefiting overseas."
Paul Sanders, founder of The state51 Conspiracy, said:
"When tech companies lobby governments to give them songs for free, it’s not so they can cure diseases, feed the hungry, or provide clean water where it is needed. It’s simply so they can make millions of fake songs and keep all the profits for themselves. As a company with a lifelong commitment to musicians The state51 Conspiracy was honoured to be asked to help get this message out on vinyl. All profits go to Help Musicians, which is what our politicians should be doing instead of sucking up to tech bros."
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Disclosure's sophomore studio album, Caracal.
This record features an eclectic lineup of vocal collaborations including The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Gregory Porter, Lorde, Jordan Rakei and many more. With a total of five singles, the acclaimed second single, 'Omen' featuring Sam Smith was the highest charting of the singles, peaking at No.13 in the UK charts, and has accumulated almost 1 billion global streams since release. The Lorde featured track 'Magnets' follows closely behind with just under 710 million streams since release. Caracal has sold over 135,000 physical copies worldwide since release and was Grammy nominated for The Best Dance/Electronic Album back in 2016.
The limited edition will be available for the first time on a 2LP Zoetrope, housed in a gatefold die cut sleeve. Each side of the vinyl is inspired by the original album artwork and campaign poster from the time, using the caracal cat and the featured vocalists illustrations to create animated movement across the discs as they spin.
Tokyo's Encryptnude label returns, with another carefully crafted Ryota OPP selection !
Following on from the shamanic feel of his previous work, this 12inch also exudes non-dance music psychedelia.
'African Chorus' and 'Kalimba Guitar' on side A create a melodic, spiritual, hi-life feel reminiscent of Wally Badarou.
'Bop' on side B, beautifully blends dub and free jazz, creating a leftfield dance sound reminiscent of African Head Charge, Claussell's Sacred Rhythm or Frank Zappa's 'Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution' turned Deep House. .
LIMITED EDITION (500 COPIES) 20TH ANNIVERSARY REMASTER, AVAILABLE ON VINYL (2LP) FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST TWO DECADES. HOUSED IN GORGEOUS GLOSSY GATEFOLD SLEEVE AND PRESSED ON RED & ORANGE VINYL TO COMPLIMENT THE ARTWORK
City Calls Revolution is our second full-length album, created as we absorbed the new wave revival and math rock movements that emerged in the early to mid-2000s, while simultaneously reconstructing elements of classic progressive rock, hard rock, and experimental music in our own way.
The album strongly reflects the attitude we cultivated as a live band—deeply influenced by the American and Japanese bands we shared stages with at the time—and embodies the punk spirit that shaped us.
Recorded and mixed in March 2005 at Headgear Studio in Brooklyn, New York, by Paul Mahajan (known for his work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, and others), the album was originally released in May of the same year on both LP and CD by Beta-lactam Ring Records, then based in Portland, Oregon. Long out of print, it now returns two decades later as a newly remastered edition to be released by Riot Season Records in the UK.
In 2026, GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE celebrates its 25th anniversary—and also marks 10 years since Damo joined as our current bassist. It is a joy and an honor to have this album, filled with songs we still play live today, reissued in such a milestone year.
Starting January 2026, we will bring this LP on tour across 27 shows in 11 European countries, including the UK. We look forward to seeing all of you at the venues.
/// 2026 Winter European Tour ///
The British electronic and sibling duo, Disclosure celebrate 5 years since the release of their third studio album ENERGY.
For this album Disclosure shifted towards a more rhythmic and percussion focused sound, taking influence from UK house, garage, hip hop and world music.
It showcases a diverse range of vocal collaborations including Kelis, Channel Tres, Mick Jenkins, Fatoumata Diawara, Blick Bassy, Kehlani, Syd, and Common.
ENERGY was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the single "My High" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 2021 Grammy Awards. It is BPI certified Silver in the UK.
This 5th anniversary 1LP will now be available for the first time on limited edition Zoetrope, housed in a single die cut sleeve. Designed by Drew Tetz, each side of the zoetrope is inspired by the original album artwork, using the water and the clouds imagery to create lifelike movement with these earth elements.
A unique collaboration between two of the most inquisitive and important artists in modern avant-garde electronic music.
Paper Masks marks a striking new collaboration between visionary Mute labelmates Phew and Danielle de Picciotto. Developed quietly over nearly five years, what began as an experiment between friends gradually evolved into a fulllength album. Phew composed and arranged all the music, weaving in dePicciotto’s voice and freely reshaping it to create something entirely new. Performed in both German and English, the result is an exploratory work that balances electronic minimalism with emotional immediacy.
Described by Pitchfork as “a Japanese underground legend”, Phew - former member of Osaka punk pioneers Aunt Sally - has forged a remarkable solo career, collaborating with Ryuichi Sakamoto, members of Can, and many others. In parallel, Danielle de Picciotto, an American-born interdisciplinary artist based in Berlin, co-founded the Berlin Love Parade and has performed internationally, working with Crime & the City Solution, Gudrun Gut, Space Cowboys, and her partner Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten and frequent Phew collaborator) in hackedepicciotto.
Paper Masks stands as a mesmerizing exchange between two singular voices in experimental music - an intimate dialogue across distance, language, and sound, and a compelling addition to both artists’ evolving legacies.
Available on limited edition jellyfish color vinyl, featuring lyrics and poetry, and on CD, housed in an eco card-pack with a lyrics and poetry booklet.
Kyoto-based Stones Taro is a producer and DJ who has established a unique standing within the global dance music scene. After operating the NC4K label since 2017, he embarks on a new challenge by launching his own self-release series.
The inaugural release, titled "Foglore," is characterized by its foggy sound design and timeless arrangements reminiscent of folk tales.
In this four-track release, Stones Taro explores a fresh interpretation of the fusion between Dub, Techno, and Deep House. These tracks capture the essence of contemporary music in intriguing ways, yet feel as familiar as if they have existed since ancient times.
