Cerca:i love
Since debuting in the mid-1990s, Kurt Spichiger aka Shaka has released rather a lot of high-quality deep house, in the process notching up appearances on the likes of Local Talk, Traxx Underground, Yore, Housewax and, most recently, Mate. Here he evokes the atmosphere of a 'smoky' basement club via a three-track Seasons Limited label debut. Title track 'Smoky Club' is undeniably classy and carefully crafted, with starry electronic motifs, dreamy pads and jammed-out Wurlitzer organ motifs rising above a languid, leisurely deep house groove. Spichiger's love of jazz comes to the fore on the even warmer and more seductive 'City Park' - all sampled disco drums, smooth jazz-funk bass and extended electric piano solos - while 'The World Goes Oriental' sounds like vintage Larry Heard mixed with the afterglow of late night lovin'.
The new PST release on B?rft rec is a dance groove oriented record with a twist. 3 bangers on the A-side and a surprising ambient work on the B-side. Here is nice house music & techno beats with a sniff of 90's with rolling bass, vocal hooks and driving hihats giving you the night that never will ends... Classic and old school from deep house to Chicago house, heavy claps pumping bass, moody accords... 124 - 127 - 139 BPM on A-side while no BPM on the B-side. For the club or the Yoga lesson. Review by Jesper Rydberg
2026 Repress
Houseworx is back with VOL.9 of the"Lost Housetracks" mini compilation series.
This time we present tracks from long time fellows Amaury Trevino on A1 with a peaktime summer house anthem and Franco Strato feat. Ale Castro on A2 with a perfect matching house tool for club entertainment.
On B side we welcome 2 new faces to the Label: Lucia Scholtus originally from Argentina now based in Hamburg / Berlin with a funky oldskool flavoured tune and Sebastian Habben from the cologne collective and Label I'm in Love with a deep house mover called "Neighbors" that perfectly rounds up the ep.
House music all night long!
Selection of IKIGAI Album by Nadia Struiwigh. IKIGAI was born in the quiet space between grief and remembering... Made entirely on hardware, from my living room in Berlin near Hermannplatz (my dad's name is Herman -- the odds), in the months my father passed away. Every sound, every sequence, every texture carries his fingerprint. Not because he made music, but because he made me love gadgets. Circuits, signals, blinking lights. He was the man who opened me up to machines and taught me how, eventually, to listen to them and use them for my craft. The name IKIGAI, a Japanese word for ''reason for being,'' found me when I was at a crossroads. The kind where you ask yourself: Why am I still here? What am I still creating for? What part of me still believes in beauty when everything feels like it's falling apart? These pieces came through slowly, on Japanese gear like Yamaha SEQTRAK, KORG, Roland -- like threads weaving a tapestry I didn't know I was making. Each track is a kind of purge... to him, to myself, to the listeners who find themselves in the in-between. The space where you're not who you were, and not yet who you're becoming. I found myself back into soundscapes and Ambient with a touch of Electronica. I weaved in sounds I captured from daily life, memories -- like the laugh of my sister. I built in silence and let the machines cry for me and let them tell the story I couldn't find the words for. IKIGAI is spacious. It's not trying to impress anyone. It's trying to just be, and hold space for all kinds of emotions. It moves like memory... slow, sacred, shifting. This release needs to be close to home, and will be released on my own imprint Distorted Waves, on the day 11.11 -- which refers to my first album that my dad had hanging up in his shed. For my father. Nadia
Pete Blaker returns to RNT with 2 glorious long-play sides of edit mastery. On side A, Miami Sax is a bit of funky 80s fusion for the jazz Uncs, teased out and looped up to dizzying perfection, with the blissful soul of Must Be Love on the flip, for the disco spinners . Both extended loopy journeys of dancefloor euphoria, already getting big support from Harvey, Hunee and company!
- 2026 repress -
Planet Rhythm proudly kicks off its brand new ORIGINALS series with a heavyweight reissue of classic DJ Misjah cuts - essential gems that shaped the hard-edged techno sound of the mid-90s. Remastered with care and pressed on high-quality vinyl, these tracks capture the raw energy and relentless groove that made DJ Misjah a household name in underground techno circles. An unmissable chance for collectors and fans of authentic underground techno to own a piece of techno history, fully restored and ready to devastate dancefloors once again.
DJ Misjah & Groovehead presents Digital Express
Acid Energy EP
Wilt returns with a new deep house EP on his own label, Thé Chaud Records. The French DJ and producer delivers a twosided release showcasing his dual approach to club music.
On the A-side, Wilt settles into a deep, late-night groove with two carefully crafted cuts built for the floor. Crisp drums and warm, rolling basslines drive a steady pulse, with subtle arrangements that let the tracks breathe. The B-side highlights his love for old-school sampling, blending warm textures and nostalgic touches into a more intimate, soulful atmosphere. A concise yet balanced EP, moving between refined club functionality and timeless deep house depth.
We’re very happy to share this one with you and humbly present our first release on Sentiment by head honcho Asphalt DJ. Four stripped-down, tension-building club tracks built to go deep and in the body. Sentiment is a label born from admiration for those who came long before us, who were driven by curiosity and experimented with early machinery. We want to create a home for music that carries that same spirit. A home founded on the bricks of house and techno and built together with artists who inspire us. Feel free to join building. Much Love
Loud Ambient 2 picks up directly from where Loud Ambient left off. After picking the drum machines back up, we returned to the colourfield ideas that shaped the first record. Rothko remained a key reference, along- side a strong recommendation to spend time with the work of Josef Albers. We did exactly that, and it paid off.
Alongside the music, we created 50 new pieces of artwork for Loud Ambient 2. These became tools rather than decorations. Working this way felt open and rewarding, and brought a real sense of play back into the process. We already understood what a Loud Ambient track could be, so slipping back into that headspace felt natural. The tracks came together quickly, full of energy, movement and that familiar noodle quality.
The creative side landed easily this time. There is some- thing about working with colourfields that frees you up and pushes you further into abstraction. It removes hesitation and keeps the focus on instinct and response.
With the drum machines and synths loaded, we kept our heads down and made the kind of music we want to hear on a dance floor. Loud Ambient 2 is the result.
Coming in hot on Berlin's Toy Tonics label: a new EP by the talented duo ALMA NEGRA!
Founded in 2013, Alma Negra is a Swiss collective centered around the brother duo Dersu and Diego Figueira, whose diverse roots in Switzerland and Cape Verde inform their sound. The project was launched with the ambitious vision to explore the world's diverse rhythms and drive musical innovation by mixing different styles. Their work is anchored in a process of digging and sampling, skillfully blending traditional sounds-from Fela Kuti-influenced Nigerian afrobeat and Angolan Lamento to Caribbean Zouk and the Maloya sound of Réunion-into a contemporary dance music context.
The Figueira brothers' eclectic DJ sets embody this ethos, peppering disco and house with salsa, samba, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean carnival rhythms, all under their guiding motto: "As long as it's Funky."
Since 2014, Alma Negra has made an important contribution to intercultural exchange in their hometown of Basel. Their international presence began in 2015 with their first shows abroad in countries like France, the Netherlands, and Portugal. From 2016 to 2019, their reach expanded significantly, with performances in major hubs like London, Paris, and Berlin, as well as Istanbul, Tel Aviv, and Tunisia. Highlights from this period include sets at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Dimensions Croatia, and Fuse Club in Brussels. Their standing is further cemented by releases on respected labels like Heist Recordings, Sofrito, and Basic Fingers, alongside remixes from an elite group of peers, including Soulphiction, Kuniyuki, and Yuksek.
Parallel to their studio and DJ work, the project expanded into the Alma Negra Live Band, formed with jazz musicians from Basel. While the band is currently on hiatus, this collaboration made live instrumentation increasingly central to their productions, creating a dynamic they feel is essential for any dancefloor. The live band has performed in cities like London and Hamburg and has led to collaborations with artists such as French singer Pat Kalla and jazz trumpeter Bodo Maier.
- A1: Stay With Me (Feat Stephen Day) 03 40
- A2: Afterglow (Feat Elysia Biro, Ellis, Alex Bone 03 10
- A3: Better Than This (Feat Cody Fry) 04 03
- A4: Tongue Tied (Feat Stephen Day) 03 12
- A5: Blame It On The Moon (Feat Magic City Hippies) 03 00
- A6: The Big Payoff (Feat Ellis) 05 25
- B1: One Way Road (Feat Yam Haus) 03 39
- B2: All Night, Alright (Feat Taylor Hanson) 03 32
- B3: Lisa Never Wanted To Be Famous (Feat Theo Katzman) 04 37
- B4: Lost In The Wonder (Feat Benny Sings) 02 30
- B5: Roses Fade (Feat Devon Gilfillian) 05 23
- B6: From Now On (Feat Louis Cato) 03 46
CW06LIWRT[22,65 €]
Cory Wong's eagerly awaited new studio album, Lost In The Wonder! The collection spotlights Wong's remarkable gifts as a producer, writer, arranger, band leader, and master of modern pop craftsmanship, while of course never losing sight of his trademark guitar virtuosity. Lost In The Wonder further affirms Wong's enduring love of musical collaboration, boasting a truly eclectic range of guest artists that includes Taylor Hanson, Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day, Cody Fry, Yam Haus, Louis Cato, Ellis, Elysia Biro, Benny Sings, Theo Katzman, and Magic City Hippies.
French deep house royalty Franck Roger makes another tasteful return to Seasons Limited with more of his timeless sounds for real heads only. 'It's Time To Care' captures a sweet spot between dreamy depths and dancefloor drive, with a nagging vocal hook and bubbly bass working in union to capture body and mind. 'The Magic Of Love' is a roomy groove peppered with gentle percussion and soft toms as chords infuse it with the glow of late-night romance. Last of all is 'They Comin'' which brings the EP to a close with more stripped back, finessed synth work that has you lost in reverie.
We are excited to continue our work with Art P / Art Programming by finally offering the first full-length work from this Bremen-based electronic group. Originally released only on cassette in 1983, the self-titled album has now been fully restored and remastered, complete with bonus tracks and unreleased mixes unearthed from a rare demo.
The LP opens with "Wesen vom anderen Stern" ("Beings from Another Planet"), a downtempo, 808-driven electro synth wave track with German lyrics telling a story of aliens capturing earth, becoming the new "Herren" (lords), while humans are reduced to mere "objects." Art Programming founding member Jens-Markus Wegener notes that this track has always been a favorite during live performances, and it's easy to imagine how the futuristic sounds would have blown people away at the time.
Next is the electro/proto-techno title track "Art Programming," which we previously issued on a limited 12" in its full-length form. With its straightforward Roland 808 rhythms, catchy synth lines, and vocoder vocals, it's a classic example of German electro, and one of the earliest proto-techno tracks - long before Cybotron claimed the techno mantle. Its extensive break and electronic twist make it an early precursor to the genre. Wegener recalls that this track was created exclusively by him and Grotelüschen, with Grotelüschen contributing most of the melodic elements, while Wegener focused on drum machine programming and vocoder vocals.
On "That's Me," the album welcomes back singer Claudia Roebke. Although it's an electronic composition, Roebke adds a rock-infused, almost psychedelic vibe to the song. The lyrics, written by Wegener, depict a person obsessed with their appearance, using irony to critique societal beauty norms, questioning the obsession with perfection and attraction.
The album continues with a series of uptempo electro tracks: "Videoscreen," "La Gare," and "Genscher Pull 'N' Push." The first two feature slightly different mixes from an earlier demo that we personally prefered over the versions that were available on the final cassette release. "Videoscreen" expands on the theme of social isolation, with lyrics reflecting on a world obsessed with watching video all day - a topic that resonates strongly with today's culture of doom scrolling and social media addiction.
Next up, "Genscher Pull 'N' Push" is an incredible electro/wave/proto-techno track recorded in October 1982 with a political edge. Originally omitted from the album, it was only available on the demo cassette we mentioned earlier. The song takes aim at German politics, with lyrics that shout "bitte geh nach links / bitte geh nach rechts" ("please go to the left" and "please go to the right"), referencing the shifting political allegiances during the 1982 coalition change, when Genscher's party, the FDP, left the Helmut Schmidt cabinet to join the CDU/CSU opposition. The track was never released as the political topic had become outdated just a few months later.
The album closes with "Light and Fire," which originally served as the album's opening track. Its quirky, upbeat vibe now makes for a fitting outro.
The gear used on this album reads like a dream list for early 80s electronic music production: Roland Jupiter 4, TR 808, TB 303, System 100, SVC 350, Korg Mono/Poly, Moog Prodigy, FRICKE-Sequenzer, Roland CSQ-100 Sequenzer, Coron DS-8, MM 12/2, Sony TC 399, TEAC-244 Portastudio, Ibanez DM 1000, EH-Electric Mistress, EV-Micro. This unique lineup of equipment sets the album apart from NDW releases of the era, lending it a distinct sound with heavy proto-techno leanings and that straightforward electro vibe we all love.
The album is being released as a very limited edition of 300 copies on transparent red vinyl, complete with a full picture sleeve and lyrics inlay. This is yet another rediscovered and restored 80s gem on our label that you definitely don't want to miss!
- A1: Bwi-Bwi - Nu Sides
- A2: Ayo B - Impact
- A3: Nico Belic - La Discoteca
- B1: Joziciu - Teknik
- B2: Prince De Takicardie - Free Love (Take Off 1 Mix)
- B3: Tibahuult - Alone With Me
- C1: Lamalice - Fiction
- C2: Dynasty Of Dreams - Syunik Horizons
- D1: Man/Ipulate - Voidance
- D2: Curtis Od - Electrical Energy
- D3: Djon Bull - Tidal Wave
11 artists. 11 tracks. 1 city.
From the heart of the most vibrant French city, Marseille, comes a project that redefines the enthusiasm, energy and growing talents around the underground music scene.
Consisting of eleven djs/producers bound to the Phocaean city, this 2x12LP is not just an ordinary album: It is a cultural marker in a city deeply rooted in urban music, reasserting its young and strongly emerging electronic landscape. It is a celebration of Marseille’s musical identity through house, techno and electro.
Originally a record shop, Mindtrip has been promoting and advocating for the electronic movement for 4 years. Olivier aka HI.lo now invites you to deep dive into Marseille’s sonic uproar with his new born label, an extension of the music he has been playing and representing through his shop, putting marseille on the map with an essential first release gathering the city’s finest: MAN/IPULATE, TIBAHUULT, LAMALICE, PRINCE DE TAKICARDIE, JO’Z, CURTIS OD, DJONN BULL, BWI-BWI, DYNASTY OF DREAMS, NICO BELIC & AYO’B.
- 1: Bruce Springsteen - My Hometown
- 2: Bryan Ferry - Windswept
- 3: Sting - Love Is The Seventh Wave
- 4: Go West – Eye To Eye
- 5: Scritti Politti - Perfect Way
- 6: Abc - Be Near Me
- 7: Heaven 1 - …(And That’s No Lie)
- 8: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - La Femme Accident
- 1: Adam Ant - Vive Le Rock
- 2: Thompson Twins - Revolution
- 3: Midge Ure - That Certain Smile
- 4: Blancmange - What’s Your Problem
- 5: Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Good-Bye Bad Times
- 6: The Style Council - Come To Milton Keynes
- 7: Simply Red - Come To My Aid
- 8: Fine Young Cannibals - Blue
- 1: Cocteau Twins - Aikea-Guinea
- 2: The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
- 3: The Dream Academy - The Love Parade
- 4: Brilliant - It's A Man's Man's Man's World
- 5: Matt Bianco - More Than I Can Bear
- 6: The Colourfield - Castles In The Air
- 7: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Green Shirt
- 8: The Clash - This Is England
- 1: Sheryl Lee Ralph - In The Evening
- 2: Barbara Pennington - On A Crowded Street
- 3: Miquel Brown - Close To Perfection
- 4: Hazell Dean - They Say It's Gonna Rain
- 5: Laura Branigan - Spanish Eddie
- 6: Divine - Twistin’ The Night Away
- 7: Eddie Murphy - Party All The Time
- 1: Billy Joel - You're Only Human (Second Wind)
- 2: John Mellencamp - Small Town
- 3: Bon Jovi - In And Out Of Love
- 4: Pat Benatar - Invincible
- 5: The Power Station - Communication
- 6: Chris Rea - Stainsby Girls
- 7: Marillion - Heart Of Lothian
- 1: Elton John & Millie Jackson - Act Of War (Part )
- 2: Patti Labelle - New Attitude
- 3: Tina Turner – Show Some Respect
- 4: Michael Mcdonald - No Lookin' Back
- 5: Daryl Hall & John Oates - Method Of Modern Love
- 6: Chaka Khan - Through The Fire
- 7: Whitney Houston - You Give Good Love
Welcome to THE VAULT for 1985. A collection that digs deeper into the year’s musical landscape – uncovering singles that may not have always reached the highest chart positions but remain essential to the rich and diverse pop story of 1985. Some were overshadowed at the time, some were highlights from albums that had already sold huge amounts, some found greater success internationally – but all deserve their place in this continued celebration of 80s pop.
45 tracks across 3-LPs – pressed in gorgeous green vinyl – NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985.
LP1 opens with a trio of tracks from huge-selling albums:- Bruce Springsteen’s ‘My Hometown’, the sixth single in the UK from ‘Born in the U.S.A’ - one of the best-selling albums of the decade, followed by Bryan Ferry with the stunning ‘Windswept’ from ‘Boys And Girls’ and Sting’s ‘Love Is The Seventh Wave’, taken from his solo debut ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles’. Next up, Go West with a U.S single release ‘Eye To Eye’, Scritti Politti with ‘Perfect Way’ – their biggest hit in America, and ABC with ‘Be Near Me’. The first side closes with two established bands; Heaven 17 and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark… Flip the LP over for Adam Ant with ‘Vive Le Rock’, Midge Ure, Blancmange and the second collaboration between Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder with ‘Good-Bye Bad Times’. The Style Council’s ‘Welcome To Milton Keynes’ leads to LP1’s closer’s from Simply Red and Fine Young Cannibals who followed their debut ‘Johnny Come Home’ with ‘Blue’.
LP2 opens with Cocteau Twins and the dream-pop atmospherics of ‘Aikea-Guinea’, ahead of The Jesus And Mary Chain with ‘Just Like Honey’, and The Dream Academy with ‘The Love Parade’.
Brilliant with their cover of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World’ and jazz-influenced pop from Matt Bianco are up next ahead of the sublime ‘Castles In The Air’ from The Colourfield and Elvis Costello & The Attractions, who released the 1979 track ‘Green Shirt’ to promote their ‘Best Of’ collection … and the side closes with The Clash’s ‘This Is England’ which would become their last originally released hit…whilst on the other side…celebrate the dancefloor, with a vibrant mix of Hi-NRG, soul, electro and club-influenced pop:- Opening with Sheryl Lee Ralph’s ‘In The Evening’ and Barbara Pennington’s equally superb ‘On A Crowded Street’, the hi-energy continues with Miquel Brown and Hazell Dean ahead of a US hit from Laura Branigan (‘Spanish Eddie’) and Divine’s cover of ‘Twistin’ The Night Away’. LP2 finishes with a massive U.S. dancefloor smash for Eddie Murphy with ‘Party All The Time’.
The final LP kicks off with a bunch of singles that achieved bigger hit status in the US than here and opens with Billy Joel’s ‘You’re Only Human (Second Wind)’, a track written exclusively for his ‘Greatest Hits – Volume I & II’ compilation, ahead of pop-rock from John Mellencamp plus an anthemic smash from Bon Jovi. Pat Benatar’s ‘Invincible’ features ahead of The Power Station’s third US Top 40 hit…whilst back in the UK Chris Rea enjoyed his biggest chart hit to date with ‘Stainsby Girls’ and the side is completed by Marillion with ‘Heart Of Lothian’ the third hit from their huge ‘Misplaced Childhood’ album… Flip to the final side for the stellar vocals on ‘Act Of War’, the huge collaboration between Elton John & Millie Jackson ahead of dancefloor smash ‘New Attitude’ from Patti Labelle and ‘Show Some Respect’ a U.S. single from Tina Turner. Sophisticated pop-R&B from Michael McDonald and Daryl Hall & John Oates come ahead of the collection’s closers- and two outstanding vocal performances: Chaka Khan’s ‘Through The Fire’ and the U.S. breakthrough hit from Whitney Houston with ‘You Give Good Love’ – signalling the arrival of one of the decade’s brightest new stars.
NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985 – A deeper dive into an unforgettable year in pop.
- A1: Mary Janes
- A2: Audrey Hepburn
- A3: Say My Name In Your Sleep
- A4: Old Fashioned
- A5: Houses
- A6: Kingmaker (With Julia Michaels)
- A7: Vampire Time
- A8: My Regards
- B1: You You You
- B2: If You Let Me (With Marcus Mumford)
- B3: Flat Earther
- B4: Questions
- B5: Girl’s Just Flying
- B6: You Then Me Now
- B7: Nothing Like Being In Love
Chart topping British singer-songwriter Maisie Peters returns with much anticipated third studio album ‘Florescence’, co-produced with 2x Grammy Winner Ian Fitchuck with collaborators including Marcus Mumford and Julia Michaels. Florescence reflects on how the right love can help heal the wrong ones. It’s an album about perspective, self-realisation, healing, and ultimately, learning how to flourish. This lands as Maisie’s first new LP since she became the youngest solo British female artist in almost a decade to land a UK No.1 album with ‘The Good Witch’ back in 2023. Since then, she’s had the A-list co-signs via Phoebe Bridgers, Sam Smith and Olivia Rodrigo. She’s had a fiercely devoted fandom flock to headline tours around the world. And she’s played shows from Wembley Arena, to Glastonbury, to stadium slots with Taylor Swift and Coldplay.
“Florescence means ‘the process of flowering, of developing richly and fully’ and to me, this album describes exactly that. These 15 tracks depict a blossoming of myself from ages 23 to 25 and a blossoming of a true real love that anchors both me and this record. It tells the story of the last few long winters, with all of their villains and thorns, heartbreaks and rains, and it leads you, by the end, into a perfect English spring, into the hope and catharsis that comes when the first wildflower blooms. It’s a true representation of healing, of finding hope and peace and strength not just in somebody else, but in yourself. It is clear skies, cherry pits on the grass, windows flung open - it is Sussex country roads and London corner shop wine that leaves a stain when you kiss. It is the feeling of flying, then falling, then flying again. It is knowing that there was a point to all the sadness of before, and the point is the woman you see in this mirror now, and the person you see by her side. Love is weaved into every strand of every song on this album and for good reason - love is timeless, love is pure, love is organic and simple and effortless and real. I hope you find this album to be that as well.”
- 1: John Holt - You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (3.48)
- 2: Cornell Campbell - Be Thankful (3.58)
- 3: Elizabeth Archer & The Equators - Feel Like Making Love (.4)
- 4: The Chosen Few - People Make The World Go Round (3.22)
- 5: Dave & Ansel Collins - Single Barrel (3.17)
- 6: The Now Generation - Shaft (3.19)
- 7: The Marvels - Some Day We’ll Be Together (3.05)
- 8: The Darker Shades Of Black - War (2.41)
- 9: Winston Curtis - Private Number (3.42)
- 10: Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Bathroom Skank (4.30)
- 11: Slim Smith - Watch This Sound (2.43)
- 12: Winston Francis - Sitting In The Park (3.29)
- 13: The Sensations - If I Don’t Watch Out (2.57)
- 14: Carl Bert & The Cimarons - Slipping Into Darkness (3.04)
- 15: The Darker Shades Of Black - Ball Of Confusion (3.10)
- 16: Jah Youth - Ain’t No Sunshine (2.35)
Sixteen killer 70s reggae funk and soul cuts from the likes of John Holt, Lee Perry, Cornel Campbell, The Cimarons, The Chosen Few and more featuring superb reggae takes on songs by artists including The Jackson 5, William DeVaughn, Diana Ross and The Supremes, War, The Temptations, Roberta Flack, The Stylistics and others!
Well-documented is the influence of American black music on Jamaican styles of the 1960s – from the birth of ska music, when The Skatalites ska-ified the jump-up southern USA rhythm and blues music of Rosco Gordon, Louis Jordan and Fats Domino, through to the creation of rocksteady when Jamaican artists like The Techniques, The Paragons, Alton Ellis and The Melodians turned to the slower rhythms and soulful harmonies of groups such as The Impressions and The Drifters for inspiration.
Less-well established is that in the 1970s Jamaicans didn’t (shock!) stop listening to American black music styles, with many 70s reggae artists as invested in soul, funk and the proto-disco sounds of Philadelphia, as was the case with rhythm and blues in the previous decade. In the 1970s, while Jamaica promoted its own roots reggae styles around the world, powerhouse USA soul labels such as Motown, Philadelphia International and Stax Records were at the same time all popular on the island.
This interaction between American and Jamaican music was not limited to Jamaica. In Britain, first-generation Caribbean-émigré children in the 1960s and early 70s grew up with an equal love of both soul and reggae, which manifested itself in the home-grown arrival of lovers rock in the mid-1970s.
Soul Jazz Records’ new ‘Reggae Island Soul’ tells this story of how soul and funk-infused reggae in the 1970s united the sounds of Jamaica, USA and the UK into a highly addictive cultural hybrid of styles.
- A1: Outro
- A2: Les Monstres
- A3: La Fenêtre
- A4: Être Une Fille
- A5: Sidequest Feat. Asfar Shamsi
- B1: Avec Ça
- B2: Bonhomme De Neige
- B3: Vivant
- B4: Les Rois
- C1: Cowgirl Feat. Tuerie
- C2: Eh Le Reuf
- C3: Kodak Blue
- C4: Vol De Nuit Feat. Jazzy Bazz
- D1: L'école Primaire Feat. Chilly Gonzales
New album by french rapper Sheldon, including featurings with Chilly Gonzales, Jazzy Bazz, Tuerie, Asfar Shamsi...
Monsters are never where we expect them to be. They take shape in silences, in vague fears, in the baggage we carry without always understanding it. Sometimes, we also encounter them along the course of a life. On this new album, Sheldon chooses to dance with them, to tame them with wit, grace, and a sense of peace.
Following a powerful return with Grünt 75, an iconic format to which the 75e Session collective brought particularly ambitious visual staging, Sheldon unveils a fourth album that unfolds across fourteen tracks like a chiaroscuro landscape, revealing the full depth of his emotional and musical range. Through intimate narratives, the record explores identity (Être une fille), family and fatherhood (La Fenêtre and Les Monstres, the title track), as well as friendship (Eh le reuf). These are themes that run through all of us, approached here with writing that is vivid, demanding, and deeply sensitive.
Driven by a strong narrative arc, the album features songs like Être une fille, which challenges and questions us. On it, Sheldon reflects on his relationship to gender, his doubts and discomfort with the codes of masculinity, and the idea that he has sometimes imagined himself elsewhere. Tracks like La Fenêtre and Avec ça illuminate the album like moments of communion, sincere, warm, and unifying, carried by a childlike lightness that makes tomorrow disappear.
True to his open minded and ever curious artistic approach, Sheldon draws from a wide range of musical genres while keeping rap as the album’s guiding thread, giving each song its own singular identity and contributing to the balance of the whole. To shape the project, Sheldon surrounded himself with a new generation of musicians and beatmakers whose influences span rap, indie rock, pop, and experimental music. Among them are Johnny Ola, who has notably composed for Zamdane, Jazzy Bazz, and Edge, Rodolphe Babignan, Carbonne’s flamenco guitarist, and Jeune Oji, an artist signed to Friends of Friends Music. Together, they bring melodic and acoustic richness, as well as a collective generosity that deepens the album’s intimacy.
This new album also opens the door to new collaborations.
On L’école primaire, Chilly Gonzales joins Sheldon for an unconventional piano and vocals piece, driven by cinematic, deeply intimate storytelling. Using his primary school as a point of reference, Sheldon retraces his path from childhood to adulthood, somewhere between nostalgia and serenity.
On Cowgirl, Tuerie joins Sheldon for a soft, melodic ballad with an 80s tint, capturing the weightlessness of a sunlit summer.
On Sidequest, Sheldon reunites with Asfar Shamsi, who had already appeared on his Grünt. Over a delicate cloud trap production, the two artists open up about everyday pain, finding in introspection a way to put things into perspective.
Finally, Vol de nuit brings Jazzy Bazz and Sheldon together for an intimate exchange over an ethereal, mysterious production, as both artists look back on their journeys with calm and clarity.
Conceived alongside Sheldon’s closest circle, the project celebrates family, friendship, and love as its founding pillars. Sheldon chooses to step away from the images, allowing his story to be embodied instead through the faces and gestures of those around him. This approach runs through all of the project’s visuals. Rejecting the excess of spectacular image making, he chose instead to hand a camera to his loved ones so they could offer their own vision of a song from the album. By opening a small window onto his intimacy, and that of the people closest to him, Sheldon finds a way to say a great deal with very little, turning deeply personal trajectories into something universal.
Like the music videos, the album cover is rooted in a deliberately simple approach, where the fantasy of childhood disrupts reality. Designed by Tenzin, the graphic designer behind Sheldon’s recent projects, Ptite Sœur, and also work for Jul, it is based on an archival photograph taken during a traditional carnival in Tenzin’s native village. With no staging involved, the image captures children in costume mid parade, caught in a spontaneous burst of movement, embodying the free innocence of childhood.
Les Monstres marks a new chapter in Sheldon’s journey. Like a rainbow after the storm, this fourth album reveals new colours in the artist’s discography, as he delivers a record that is both demanding and accessible, intimate and open, one in which music becomes a love letter to friendship and to love itself. Set for release on April 24, 2026, the album will be followed by a tour culminating at La Cigale in Paris on December 3, 2026.




















