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Singer-songwriter Dora Morelenbaum is one of the stunning voices at the forefront of Brazil’s exciting new musical wave. Her sublime 'Vento De Beirada' EP takes you on a trip into the sensuous sounds of Dora's world. On first hearing her music, we were reminded of the transformational moment when we first discovered the Brazilian singer-songwriter, Joyce. The music is completely new to you, yet instantly familiar, like rediscovering a past love.

Dora is a member of the Brazilian Latin-Grammy-winning superstar quartet Bala Desejo; a trailblazing light opening up Brazilian music to a whole new audience outside of the country. 'Vento De Beirada' EP showcases a different sound to the riotous, joyful, avant-garde Tropicália sound of Bala Desejo. This solo set takes a more dream-like, downbeat, MPB stance. It is firmly contemporary, yet you can also trace the lines of influence back to idols such as Gal Costa and Maria Bethânia.

The EP is comprised of four tracks that have already garnered critical acclaim following their digital release. It starts with the tender and gentle 'Japão', which was inspired by the melodies of the legendary Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sakamoto once collaborated with Dora's musician parents, Paula and Jaques Morelenbaum, when she was young. 'Dó a Dó' is drenched in lush, sweeping strings that were arranged by her father himself, and is co-written by Dora and Tom Veloso of the band, Dônica. There’s further collaboration on the EP, including production from one of the lynchpins and stars of the current Rio scene, Ana Frango Elétrico. Fellow Bala Desejo band member, Lucas Nunes, contributes towards the production, writing, and guitar with Guilherme Lírio also on production, guitar, and bass. Whilst Bala Desejo’s Zé Ibarra penned the song 'Vento De Beirada' with Lucas and Victor Vasconcellos.

The four-track EP has been cut to 12" and mastered for vinyl by Joker (Liam McLean). With crystalline beauty and a breezy sense of ease and serenity, sounding classic yet contemporary. This release serves as the perfect introduction to an extraordinary talent.

The Athenian producer Aggelos Baltas alias Anatolian Weapons captures on the album Earth the feeling of an optimistic future that grows on the soil of the sweet bitterness of the present and the past.

Under his pseudonym Anatolian Weapons, Baltas combines polyrhythmic percussion and wailing tones of Greek folk music with a thrilling and open Krautrock attitude. The album Earth takes us on a mystical journey through the northern Greek highlands, backed by Baltas’ unique machine-assisted folk, infused with psychedelic drones and exuding an aura that is neither then nor now, neither there nor here. Instead, it exists in a small pocket of its own cosmos. A crossroads of dimensions. A mystical offering to nature and the divinities.

Baltas has explored and reframed various Greek scenes of yesteryear in the past, such as with his Fantastikoi Hxoi project, which created Krautrock mutations from 60s and 70s pop, but Earth is an even more far-reaching expedition. It is a folk reckoning with ancient Greek musical traditions with a modern upgrade. The album reconstructs a sonic narrative of ancient traditions, enhanced with psychedelic and space-rock elements. In the reverb cycle, one hears a certain agrarian reinterpretation of the world, filled with harvest rituals and celestial incantations.

It is with great pleasure to welcome Anatolian Weapons to the label. During a longer stay in Athens, a friendship developed that led to a variety of musical projects and ideas. One of them is the release of the album Earth.

In the late 1980s, Disco was taking a backseat to the burgeoning psychedelic scene in San Francisco, marking a pivotal shift in musical culture. A dynamic transformation was underway as the younger generation sought a fresh auditory adventure, all while the devastating AIDS epidemic cast a somber pall over the city's nightlife. Amidst this evolving backdrop, a subtle yet distinct sonic movement quietly emerged within the confines of San Francisco’s vibrant club scene, often referred to as "The Beat." Although Hip-Hop, New Wave, Gothic, Punk, and the burgeoning Modern Rock genre held considerable sway, the pre-RAVE clubs in SF witnessed the fusion of these genres into a unique amalgam of sound that insiders dubbed “The Beat.” This musical tapestry encompassed everything from Hip-Hop and Freestyle to Industrial, New Wave, Boogie, Miami Bass, and Techno – the unifying thread being the distinctive vibe that characterised this eclectic mix.

As House, Techno, and Raving gradually gained prominence along the West Coast, a distinctive interpretation of these evolving sounds took root. Drawing inspiration from influential hubs like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Europe, and notably the UK, which saw a wave of talented young DJs migrate to California, San Francisco became the backdrop for its own version of the second Summer of Love. While the exact chronology might spark debate – some recalling '92, while others leaning towards '93 – what remains indisputable is the era spanning from 1990 to 1994, an unparalleled epoch of exuberant dancefloor revelry on the western shores.

In the face of limited backing from major labels or established independent dance music entities of the time, a grassroots movement of labels and producers emerged organically, ardently championing this distinct sound and catapulting it onto the global stage. This sonic identity was deeply influenced by “the Beat,” acting as a creative wellspring that informed the musical landscape. While the tracks compiled in these volumes might not encompass the entirety of this transformative musical epoch, they offer a vivid snapshot of the melodious tapestry that coloured San Francisco and the broader West Coast during that era. Each track featured stands as a 100% Sure Shot that was played heavily by DJ Spun back in those very heady days.

Finally, but by no means least, we unveil the third and concluding volume of this extensive, impeccably curated chronicle of San Francisco's underground rave scene and its unique soundscape. Mirroring the same fervour and meticulous track selection as the first two volumes, 'The Beat By Spun' is nothing less than indispensable for any dedicated music enthusiast, DJ, or dancer. Once again, this collection showcases an outstanding array of tracks, featuring music from talents like Mattski, Bass Kittens, Hawke, and Deep2, all maintaining the high standards set by the previous volumes. It's a blend of rarities, classics, and obscurities, combining to deliver an exhilarating, almost transcendental experience to those who dare to immerse themselves in the sonics!

Slave To Society pays homage to the legendary cultural theorist and philosopher, Mark Fisher. Diving into some of the conceptual ideas of Fisher’s literature and philosophy, you'll feel like you're wandering through a post-apocalyptic landscape in the future with this hard hitting, haunting and atmospheric piece.

‘The Future That Never Arrived’ experience the paranoia and anxiety of the digital age with this gritty and dissonant track. Fisher's ideas about technology's impact on society come to life in a sonic onslaught.
‘Cyberspace’ exploration of desire and its endless repetition. The frenetic energy of this track mirrors the insatiable hunger of consumer culture.
’Is There No Alternative’ the title track offers a sense of reflection and departure. It echoes Fisher's thoughts on escaping the boundaries of the present moment.
‘Ghosts Of My Life’ this track encapsulates Fisher's critique of our modern capitalist society. The heavy beats mirror the relentless grind of capitalism, while the haunting melodies reflect the loss of authentic experiences.

The six-track release is the band in their early raw form. Their sound developed over their illustrious 25-year career, but ‘Captain’ is a reflection of a band who, at the time, were disrupting a thriving indie scene with a unique edgier, more angular sound. Their live reputation preceded them, never failing to impress the fast-expanding fanbase. 'Captain' was recorded in October 1997 and was initially released on Deceptive Records in January 1998. The band signed to EMI shortly before the release of 'Captain'.

We are back with the second part of our series „Quantum Spits“ to highlight the unique qualities of sub-genres and showcase the incredible talent within the house music universe.

Nandu joined forces with the Danish pop-vocalist Ida Corr to present a blend of deep, soulful, and rhythmic house music. Drawing inspiration from rhythms and distinctive sounds that defined the era of the 90s and early 2000s — think the vibes of producers like Kerri Chandler and Denis Ferrer — Nandu and Ida skillfully infused their own signature touch, creating a stellar Release.

"Tell Me" and "Around" are without doubt the lead tracks and the centerpieces of the release. Two perfect blends of what we love about house music, hunting instrumentals highlighted by standout vocal performances from Ida Corr. Both tunes take center stage in Dixon's sets in 2023. Aligned by Dixon’s Re-structure Edit of “Around” and the track “Wasted”, the EP is one of our highlights of the year.

“Tell me if it’s real”

If you were to ask for a defining Habibi Funk track, there are a few that come to mind: from Fadoul’s “Sid Redad,” Dalton’s “Soul Brother” to Ahmed Malek’s “Omar Gatlato.” However, none are as widely connected with us at this point as Hamid Al Shaeri’s “Ayonha.” We heard the track for the first time when we were working on selecting tracks for your first compilation and we instantly loved it. We obviously had heard of Hamid El Shaeri’s music before, but only material from his Al Jeel phase when he was already the full-blown
superstar he is now.

Listening to his releases from the early 1980’s opened a whole new door for us. At the time, Hamid had just left Libya to pursue his career in Egypt via a detour in London, where he recorded his first album. Hamid’s distinct sound of the sound is quintessentially reliant on heavy synths and so it was particularly important to purchase these synths in a timely manner. “Whenever a new one synthesizer would come out, we would have to buy it immediately, otherwise someone else would get their hands on that sound.” London also played an important role for Hamid as a musical epicenter.

He fondly reminisces about the many live shows he attended there, including some of the biggest international musicians like Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. After returning to Cairo where he also recorded his following albums, he connected with SLAM! for the
release of his debut, laying the foundation of a collaboration that lasted for 5 albums. Luckily, we were able to connect with Hamid through our friend Youssra El Hawary, whose extensive network has opened many doors for us within the Egyptian music scene. We met Hamid for the first time probably in 2016 at his office / rehearsal studio in the outskirts Cairo. We were expecting a larger-than-life
character in-line with his status as a certified superstar, yet the actual person turned out to be very approachable and super easy to connect with. He liked the idea of an effort to amplify his early works again,
which, when originally released, were far from an economic success.

While he was down to assist with an interview and his blessing for the project he also told us that for any license we needed to speak with the original label SLAM! who released these songs, still held the rights and also remained in business over the decades though they didn’t actively release any new music. Hany Sabet had started SLAM! records in the early 1980s and focused on cassette tape releases, the
format that expedited the success of a new generation of record labels in Egypt. By the mid 1980’s, SLAM! had become one of the most successful and economically dominant record labels in Egypt, with Hamid El Shaeri being just one of their key artists, alongside Mohamed Mounir, Hanan, Hakim, Mustafa Amar and many more. Luckily, Hany Sabet turned out to be a friend of our colleague Malak Makar’s father, which probably helped to warm him to the idea of licen- sing “Ayonha” to this - in the scale of his world - tiny label
from Germany. Eventually “Ayonha” ended up becoming a widely successful release and either Hany or we brought up the idea of a full album dedicated to Hamid El Shaeri’s work on SLAM!.


"Maktoub Aleina” is the first single and will be released January 14th. Following the massive success of "Ayonha,” “Maktoub Aleina” is another mid-tempo groover with a beautiful, synth-forward melody, that brings together a lovely combination of soul, disco and Arabic pop music of the highest order, giving a taste of full album. The second single, “Yekfini Nesma Sotak” will be released January 28th and combines Hamid’s unique formula of soul and pop, held together by a catchy synth melody. “Yekfini Nesma Sotak” picks up the
pace a bit, making the uplifting mood of the track even more powerful. Third single, arriving February 11th, is “Dari Demou’ek,” one of the stand out tracks of Hamid’s early recordings done for SLAM! in the early 1980s. Dominated by a disco infused bassline, the track offers a lot of space of the funky production to shine while Hamid inserts his vocals at all the right moments. A masterpiece of disco touched by Arabic pop music.

Full album arrives February 25th. This release is dedicated to Hany Sabet, the founder of SLAM! and his wife Rosemary Jane Sabet (who
took the photos we used for the cover and the booklet), who sadly passed away during the time it took us to prepare the release.
Vinyl comes with an extensive booklet with an interview with Hamid as well as unseen photos

HAVEN is proud to present another new catalogue number with the first full EP on the label from London-based Greek producer of hard-edged speedy techno MarcelDune, following on from their contribution to the Sardonic Tonality Vol. 4 VA compilation.

The A1 kicks off with 'I Am Looking For Date Ideas' - a hectic 4-4 dance-floor assault with chugging synths, hardcore kicks, overdriven percussion and cheeky vocals loops. This is followed by 'Final Loose' with its addictive vocal hooks, charging drum patterns and playful melodies. The A-side is closed with 'The Scene' with rolling bass-lines, bubbling synth sounds and distorted vocal breaks.

On the B-side 'Independence Creating Distance' hits us with hypnotic vocal loops and ear-worm synth patterns amongst its speedy drum patterns sure to get feet moving. HAVEN main-stays New Frames close out the record with their remix of the B1, with their usual heavy drum programming interplaying with dubbed out synth work creating another club killer to end another dance-floor focused record from the imprint.

ODESZA veröffentlichen eine gemeinsame EP mit dem Yellow House, dem Songwriter, Produzenten und Instrumentalisten Emile van Dango aus Kapstadt in Südafrika. Die verträumte „Flaws In Our Design“-EP wird ab dem 29. September 2023 auf himmelblau-transparentem Vinyl erhältlich sein.

„‚Heavier‘ war eine Zusammenarbeit, die vor fünf Jahren begann.“, so Harrison Mills & Clayton Knight von ODESZA. „Wir entdeckten Emile/ Yellow House auf Soundcloud und waren sofort von seiner Stimme und seiner Performance angetan! Nachdem wir erfolgreich ein paar Demos produziert hatten, flogen wir ihn aus Südafrika ein, um mit uns in unserem Studio in Seattle zu arbeiten.

Die Musik hatte von Anfang an diese unverwechselbare Energie, als hätten wir etwas Besonderes entdeckt. Wir fühlten uns zu einer einzigartigen Mischung aus elektronischer Produktion und Emiles unglaublicher Fähigkeit, nostalgische Melodien und erzählende Texte zu kreieren, hingezogen.“ Emile van Dango/ Yellow House sagte über „Heavier“, dass der Track „die Idee war, die vor fünf Jahren den Anstoß für die gesamte Zusammenarbeit gab. Von Anfang an hatte der Track diese unverwechselbare Energie, etwas Besonderes entdeckt zu haben. Er fängt genau den Moment ein, in dem sich unsere beiden Welten trafen."

In 2019 BC (Before Covid) Discharge frontman Jeff Janiak reached out to longtime friend and musician JP Parsons to assist on a new project. The pair wrote and recorded various ideas before reaching out to Amebix guitarist Stig.C.Miller who joined them in the midst of the global pandemic. The trio utilized this new creative climate of physical restriction and went on to set the foundations for their first album, via file sharing home recordings, which would be arranged and produced by Stig. It was several months later when he would call upon Nausea, Ministry and former Amebix drummer Roy Mayorga to complete the line up. Roy went onto record drums, mix and produce the band's debut album 'LET THEM EAT FAKE'.

In these unprecedented times of global restriction, fear and the everlasting lack of faith in the hierarchy 'False Fed' has cultivated a heavy sound that is drenched in melody, aggression and shrouded in darkness. It is not bound by genre, yet still offers subtle hints to the creators lineage. 

False Fed are:
Jeff (JJ) Janiak - Vocals 
Stig.C.Miller - Guitar 
JP Parsons - Bass Guitar 
Roy Mayorga - Drums 

Kollabo Album von elo (ehemals Eloquent) und Produzent Wun Two !

Part Two of the Album "Let Me Dance"

Oliver Marquardt aka Dj Jauche, one of the avant-gardists and pioneers of the Berlin techno and house scene, releases his new album "Let Me Dance".

During the last 3 years, he has incorporated influences and experiences from over 35 years - as a DJ, event organiser and clubber - into his album.

The idea to produce this album was born in the lock-down and with it the desire to make people dance again - house music, in all its facets.

Die zweite LP des Duos und Internetphänomens THE FRENCH MADEMOISELLES aka Mademoiselle KT (Katia) und Mademoiselle L (Lexie) wurde mit Chansons von Annie Philippe, Jacqueline Taïeb, Katty Line und Liz Brady vervollständigt. Eine musikalische Momentaufnahme des Swingin' Paris für Liebhaber von süßem Pop und wilden Idioten. Lilafarbiges Vinyl.

As a songwriter and a performer, he played a vital role in the development of the idiom.

Growing up in central Texas, he was impacted by a wide range of musical influences, such as the Texas honky- tonk of Ernest Tubb, the western swing of Bob Wills, and even the polka bands of German-American.

He had begun writing songs as a child and by the time he reached adulthood was starting to turn out fully realized masterpieces such as Night Life and Misery Mansion.

This release presents Nelson's underrated debut LP, ...And Then I Wrote, originally issued in 1962 on the Liberty label.

Beograd (Belgrade in Serbian) is a four-piece Serbian electronic band, formed in the capital of the former Yugoslavia in 1980. Influenced by bands such as Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Ultravox and Human League, it played a role pioneer on the Yugoslav synth-pop scene. Their first studio album, Remek Depo, was released in late 1982 on cassette and early 1983 on vinyl by public label PGP RTB. It was a huge media success, released at the time of the effervescence of Belgrade's alternative scene, a vibrant underground movement of avant-garde artists and musicians that included leading bands such as Sarlo Akrobata, Ekatarina Velika, Idoli, Electricni Orgazam, etc. Unfortunately, the band disbanded shortly after the album's release. The album contains politically provocative lyrics for the time. Produced by Saša Habić, it stands out for the quality of its guest musicians - timpanist Borislav "Bora Longa" Pavićević, avant-garde saxophonist Paul Pignon and veteran jazz trumpeter Stjepko Gut - who contributed to its soulful side. , creating a unique combination of hot and cold.

Cybotron has re-emerged in our contemporary cybercultural age when artifactual futures begin a transition into a new era of "Meta".

By combining their knowledge of philosophy, science fiction, and mechanical engineering, at a time when electronic instrument companies were only just beginning to distribute their products to the masses, two prosumer audio technicians named Juan Atkins and Rik Davis were able to re-engineer Cybotron – a combination of the words “Cyborg” and “Cyclotron” (an atomic particle accelerator) – to be used as a home studio performance music that would change the course of independently produced and distributed electronic music.

Dissolving the boundary between singer, songwriter, and producer, Juan Atkins named Cybotron’s future forward funkadelic sound “techno” in reference to Alvin Toffler’s concept of unlikely “techno rebels” against technocracy. Techno is music that sounds like technology, and its purpose was to help society survive our collision with a universally felt “future shock” by inserting an audio virus into the cultural matrix.

Techno’s blueprint spread across the Detroit-Berlin Axis between Metroplex and Tresor. As human society began its transition from a post-industrial to an information-based market economy, Cybotron enabled a thorough system override of the human senses towards a tangible man-machine hybridity and showed the world how to channel their emotions and imaginations into new sound technologies and create new ‘sonic’ spatialities where listeners can transport themselves out of the physical world into the future. The cover of their debut album Enter (1983) transmitted a fragmented view of a body in motion being digitized mid-stride, dissolving physical and virtual reality into sonic fiction.

Today, the man-machine hybridity of Cybotron is still the truest form of techno, coevolving in conversation with the technological music they created and inspired. The latest data disk marks a new chapter that reflects a techgnostic musical expression of the knowledge acquired during their decades-long hiatus. Unlike the dance music industrial replications of the Model 500 formula, acknowledging the content marketing expectations that segments music into specific, sellable genres, this techno music is self-aware. Cybotron processes dance music tropes spawned from its very own blueprint with a meta-tactical precision out of sync with our current rave new world.

Cybotron’s return demonstrates a studied engagement with what techno was and should be with a peerless update of Juan Atkins’ initial inventive idea of do-it-yourself electrically reengineered music xeroxed onto both sides of the 12” – uploaded directly into the alleys of your mind.
- The Rhythmanalyst

Fantastic Twins, the ongoing project of Julienne Dessagne, is a sonic exploration of dual characters born from one distinct perspective. A producer, songwriter, and acclaimed live performer, Dessagne has spent the last decade sculpting a unique world.

On an ambitious new album entitled ‘Two Is Not a Number’, Dessagne immerses herself more fully than ever in the concept that inspired her artist name, exploring the entwined lives and fates of her imaginary twins, their schizophrenic dreams, small dramas, and big tragedies - a metaphor for our own psyche, our inner conflicts, and our relationship to others and otherness. These musings on the psychological, emotional, biological, and metaphysical qualities of Twins are expressed with assured clarity, using a palate of icy deep techno, eerie atmospheric soundtracks, tranced-out dark wave, and synth pop-noir. Whether through airborne dancefloor ascension, diamond hard rhythms, electronic thundercracks, or empathy drenched vocals and the palpable sense of unease, this standout album brings Dessagne’s powerful, affecting art into sharp focus.

I Was First takes listeners to the Fantastic Twins’ origin, a vocal transmission from within a sonic womb, as our protagonists prepare to emerge. Sisters at Odds sees our siblings emerge incongruous and freshly awoken to life’s absurdities in slow-motion. Suspensefully, the percussive heartbeat of Land of Pleasure Hi Fi wrings tension from numerology, blossoming into a scorched industrial ballet, a mirage of multiplicity.

Following the gothic connection of Master & Disciple, Silver Moon Dial incants a trance-like state that captures the physical energy of Dessagne’s live show, as Fantastic Twins take advantage of ‘putting the moon on speed dial.’ Euphoria soon splinters into tragedy with Twins Can’t Love, extracting unexpected melody and melancholy in brittle, IDM tinged electronics, beautifully tangled with Dessagne’s longing intonations.

From Above sees Dessagne’s vocals once again shift into a new form for a haunting interpretation of something approaching a ballad, echoing around a chamber from which the Twins have seemingly disappeared. Ultimately All of This is Resolved, both in title and form, within this album’s cathartic yet uneasy conclusion. Dessagne sends the siblings home at last... But what will we find if we follow?

Mit ausladenden Studioalben und fesselnden Live-Shows haben Spurv in den letzten zehn Jahren einen unauslöschlichen Eindruck in der internationalen Post-Rock-Szene hinterlassen. Das norwegische Sextett hat bisher drei herausragende Alben veröffentlicht, aber ihr neues Album Brefjære eröffnet eine völlig neue Dimension in Bezug auf Komposition, Musikalität, Umfang und Produktion. Brefjære verbindet die orchestrale Erhabenheit von MONO mit den wehmütigen Texturen von This Will Destroy You und der skandinavischen Mystik von Sigur Ro's. Ein Oratorium für eine verzweifelte Welt, mit dem Spurv die Grenzen von Symphonic Rock und Post-Rock neu definieren und Schönheit und Trost in der Schnittmenge von Zeit, Natur, Geschichte und Menschlichkeit finden.Als Sammlung von vier Monologen ist Brefjære weniger eine Konversation im Sinne eines Satzaustauschs als vielmehr eine Konversation im akademischen Sinne, bei der das Gespräch im Austausch von Ideen stattfindet. In acht Liedern halten die vier Figuren, die von Chören oder Solisten dargestellt werden, jeweils einen eigenen Monolog in norwegischer Sprache, in dem sie in reicher Poesie sowohl ihre eigene Realität als auch ihre wechselseitigen Beziehungen kommentieren. Von der Zerbrechlichkeit der Motte, die mit dem Wind tanzt, bis zur Birke, die ihren Durst in den Tiefen des Berges löscht, wird ein dynamisches Gefühl für sich verändernde Zeitskalen und Beziehungen vermittelt, das sich in der Musik widerspiegelt.Von seiner makellosen Konzeption während eines ahnungslosen Blicks aus dem Fenster bis hin zum umfassenden Entstehungsprozess ist Brefjære ein Kunstwerk, das das Zeitliche und das Ewige sowohl in der Musik als auch in der Poesie zusammenbringt und die universelle Wahrheit offenbart, dass wir alle gleichermaßen ewig und ebenso vergänglich sind. Von den bescheidenen Solo-Gesangsdarbietungen gegen die riesigen dröhnenden Noten von "Under himmelhelvingen" und "A° vente er a° endre" bis zu den herrlichen himmlischen Melodien von "Som skyer" und "Til en ny va°r" berührt Brefjære flüchtig und ewig jene unvergängliche Qualität, die Spurv mit ihrer Musik unbedingt erreichen wollen. Eine klangliche Saga für die Ewigkeit. Ltd Single Gold Colour (XXI Edition), Gatefold sleeve printed on mat all black-died special fibrous paper with a gold foil embossing.

Works for the Ever Present Orchestra Vol. II continues Black Truffle’s documentation of the late work of legendary American experimental composer Alvin Lucier, who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 90. Like the first volume of the series, the two works recorded here were written for The Ever Present Orchestra, an ensemble founded in Zürich in 2016 to perform Lucier’s work exclusively. At the core of the music Lucier wrote for the ensemble is the electric guitar, an instrument he began to explore in 2013. Played with e-bows, in these works electric lap steel guitars take on roles akin to the slow sweep pure wave oscillators heard in many of Lucier’s works since the early 1980s. This strikingly elegant pair of compositions would serve as an ideal introduction to Lucier’s late music for a listener as yet unfamiliar with its graceful exploration of beating patterns and other acoustic phenomenon.

The two pieces have quite different characters, exemplifying Lucier’s ability to harvest a remarkable range of musical results from closely related compositional procedures and concerns. In Arrigoni Bridge (2019), Lucier uses a technique familiar from earlier works such as Still Lives (1995), where sine waves traced the shapes of household objects. Here, three lap steel electric guitars (played by Oren Ambarchi, Bernhard Rietbrock, and Jan Thoben) follow the form of the Arrigoni Bridge that connects Middletown and Portland, Connecticut. The bridge’s two enormous steel arcs become slowly sweeping pitches, alongside which alto saxophone (Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos), violin (Rebecca Thies) and cello (Lucy Railton) sustain long tones, creating a variety of audible beating patterns depending on their distance from or proximity to the guitars. With its stately pacing, warm middle register tones, and rich timbral variety in the sustaining instruments, Arrigoni Bridge is a beautiful example of compositional reduction producing immersive results. Flips (2020), on the other hand, is more austere. Scored for two lap steel electric guitars (Rietbock and Thoben), double bass (Ross Wightman) and glockenspiel (Trevor Saint), the two acoustic instruments played with bows, the piece zooms in on the range of a major second (two semitones). The two guitars sweep in opposite directions within the range, crossing every four minutes; the double bass and glockenspiel sustain long tones, producing beats of different speeds determined by their distance from the guitar tones. This limitation of the tonal range means the music is often dissonant and forces the phenomenon of audible beating to the surface, resulting in a paradoxical music composed entirely of long tones yet alive with pulsating rhythm. Exemplifying Lucier’s ability to uncover near-infinite complexity within seemingly simple materials, Works for the Ever Present Orchestra Vol. II is a fitting tribute to one of the major figures of the experimental music tradition and a testament to the continuing power of his work.

New The Hague based recordlabel Otherminds is landing with their first ever release ’Symbolic Language’, from local cosmox.

From day one OTM witnessed his obsession for electronics. Manifested by throwing countless raves, playing otherworldly dj-sets, co-running an atomic studio bunker & label and making mind-bending music. Now it’s time for his solo vinyl debut.

The 5-track EP is a blend between IDM, ambient and techno influenced pieces. A story which symbolizes a deeply shared connection and a transformative period in which the producer expands his palette further into the sonic realm.

Have you heard of the Nurse With Wound List? If you are a fan of creative-experimental-unlikely music, certainly. You would therefore be aware that amongst the recommendations that Steven Stapleton slipped into the first album of his group Nurse With Wound, were to be found a few restless frogs: Jef Gilson, Luc Ferrari, Jacques Thollot, Urban Sax, Horde Catalytique and last but not least Jean-Jacques Birgé and Francis Gorgé. Stapleton admired their album Défense de. The two Frenchmen just had to conceive of a fabulous precursor to the channel tunnel (check out the inside of the record, you’ll see) to enable Stapleton to come to France in 1980. The Englishman was looking for contributions to a compilation to be released on his United Dairies label that he had created with John Fothergill, and he naturally called on Birgé and Gorgé, who were then playing with Bernard Vitet in ‘Un drame musical instantané’.

It was a done deal and the compilation would be named In Fractured Silence. Alongside Nurse With Wound and Un drame musical instantané, could be heard Hélène Sage (whom Birgé introduced to Stapleton) and Sema, a project from the experimental British musician Robert Haigh who had participated in key records in the Nurse With Wound discography, such as Homotopy to Marie and Spiral Insana.

The curtain is raised and it is Un drame musical instantané who start the ball rolling. Mystery abounds; synthesisers lurk, percussion clatters and the sounds (creaks, whistles, vocal insertions...) fire in all directions. For the piano, it’s a debacle, the Drame won, Hélène Sage can take over. Heading up a quintette including Gorgé and Vitet, she creates a cushioned chamber music with strings and many silences.

On the B side, it’s the other side of the channel. Sema’s piano first off, which dares everything, even melody, before spilling out its darkest ideas in a raucous requiem. Finally, Stapleton appears, delving into his collection of female voices to devote himself to an iconoclastic transformation and concoct a song which collapses under the assault like Marianne at Agincourt. After having listened to In Fractured Silence, you will simply have to choose sides.

Have you heard of the Nurse With Wound List? If you are a fan of creative-experimental-unlikely music, certainly. You would therefore be aware that amongst the recommendations that Steven Stapleton slipped into the first album of his group Nurse With Wound, were to be found a few restless frogs: Jef Gilson, Luc Ferrari, Jacques Thollot, Urban Sax, Horde Catalytique and last but not least Jean-Jacques Birgé and Francis Gorgé. Stapleton admired their album Défense de. The two Frenchmen just had to conceive of a fabulous precursor to the channel tunnel (check out the inside of the record, you’ll see) to enable Stapleton to come to France in 1980. The Englishman was looking for contributions to a compilation to be released on his United Dairies label that he had created with John Fothergill, and he naturally called on Birgé and Gorgé, who were then playing with Bernard Vitet in ‘Un drame musical instantané’.

It was a done deal and the compilation would be named In Fractured Silence. Alongside Nurse With Wound and Un drame musical instantané, could be heard Hélène Sage (whom Birgé introduced to Stapleton) and Sema, a project from the experimental British musician Robert Haigh who had participated in key records in the Nurse With Wound discography, such as Homotopy to Marie and Spiral Insana.

The curtain is raised and it is Un drame musical instantané who start the ball rolling. Mystery abounds; synthesisers lurk, percussion clatters and the sounds (creaks, whistles, vocal insertions...) fire in all directions. For the piano, it’s a debacle, the Drame won, Hélène Sage can take over. Heading up a quintette including Gorgé and Vitet, she creates a cushioned chamber music with strings and many silences.

On the B side, it’s the other side of the channel. Sema’s piano first off, which dares everything, even melody, before spilling out its darkest ideas in a raucous requiem. Finally, Stapleton appears, delving into his collection of female voices to devote himself to an iconoclastic transformation and concoct a song which collapses under the assault like Marianne at Agincourt. After having listened to In Fractured Silence, you will simply have to choose sides.

After releasing their debut album Red Forest in 2022, a stint at the Trans Musicales in Rennes and on legendary American radio station

KEXP confirmed the delicious identity of a corrosive sound that has hypnotised many. Sarakiniko is his name. It's both the name of a lunar-like beach in Greece and, without realising it, the translation of buckwheat, the emblematic plant of Brittany, where he comes from. Sarakiniko is a man, Yann Canevet (Venera 4, Future, Maria False), who writes, composes and records the music that comes from his dreams and his aesthetic vision of a magnificent world in disuse. Having first transported us into the deep forests of her heart-rending, sentimental music, Sarakiniko now unfurls her roots in an even more personal soundscape. Sophisticated, demanding music carved out of a tree trunk with chisels and chisels. A slightly grimy, slightly disturbing pop that he himself describes as "mud-pop", but which ultimately comes across as fearsomely massive shoegaze, with delightful echoes of Andrew Weatherall's productions. His second album, Dehors, takes us back to an inner child overwhelmed by his own élan vital. A naïve child who justly cries out upon his arrival on Earth. Tender, luminous and terribly fatalistic, this new stage in Sarakiniko's journey leaves us hanging in poetic and abrupt lyrics inherchildhoodlanguage,toresonateevenmoreprimal.Powerfulwords,headyrefrainstobesunguntiltheendoftime.

The best I can tell, we thought we'd get this album done in 2016. Roughly (not exaggerating) 60-70 songs later, we've whittled and worked and reworked the songs into 'After the Gold Rush Party.' Danny and I started this album while we lived in different cities (I was in DC and Danny was in OKC), then wrote some of them in the same city (OKC), and then the rest of them in different cities (I was in OKC and Danny was in Costa Rica and then Seattle). And weirdly, some of our most generative times happened when we weren't living in the same city. We've both grown up quite a bit and have real life jobs and families. In these songs we were grappling with trying to be punk rock (which we've never really been) while putting on a suit for work (hence, the Mr. Downtown character). But at the same time, punk rock has all but disappeared as a thing that exists - where are the punks, anyway? (See: Speed Racer). The songs read a bit like a travel guide. Part of the growing up process is coming to terms with one's own escapist tendencies - or embracing them, as you'd hear in a track like "Mexico" or "Culebra". Other times, the escapist themes come out musically, not lyrically, like in "She's a Betty" or "Tijuanarevor" maybe. Other times, we play around with just the idea that people are entitled to anything at all (Ms. Universe). And while Danny mixed most of the album, we have much to thank Chad Copelin for - he mixed four of these tracks, and we learned a ton from getting to spend time working with the man who recorded and mixed BRONCHO, Sufjan, Sports, and others. The time last summer we spent honing those four tracks were kind of the catapult for finishing up the rest of the tracks. So, to conclude, After the Gold Rush Party kind of represents us at this phase of the creative process. Big dreams, absurdly ambitious timelines, put into contradiction with the realities of family life, the challenges of the everyday, the mundanity of the workweek. "After the Gold Rush Party" is a nonsensical phrase, but it's exactly what we wanted to name the album. A frenzy of ambition, and then, the lull that lingers afterward.

Die britische Singer-Songwriterin Holly Humberstone veröffentlicht ihr Album ”Paint My Bedroom Black”!

Das Album ist geprägt von der lyrischen und klanglichen Dualität einer Künstlerin, die zu neuen Erfahrungen und wechselnden Identitäten aufbricht.

Humberstone, die bereits für zwei Ivor Novellos nominiert wurde, 2022 den BRIT Rising Star gewann und beim BBC Sound Of 2021 den zweiten Platz belegte, ist das Herzstück ihres Handwerks, das Geschichtenerzählen. Sie ist zu einer der beliebtesten Künstlerinnen geworden, die mit ihrer unverwechselbaren Stimme und ihrem bemerkenswerten Songwriting letztes Jahr vor 5000 Fans ihre Headline-Tournee in Großbritannien beendete. Fanfavoriten wie „Scarlett“ und „Overkill“ wurden bereits über 242 Millionen Mal global gestreamt.

Das Album wird als 12” Vinyl und als CD erhältlich sein.

Standard LP on 180g clear vinyl, printed inner-sleeve, download card included. 'Interiors' is the fifth studio album by Brooklyn-based minimalist post-punk/synth-pop duo The Vacant Lots. The 8 songs on 'Interiors' synthesise all of the band's past work while pushing forward into the future. It's Jared Artaud and Brian MacFadyen's darkest and most visionary work yet. Ethereal metallic synths and blistering electronics are driven by disco-on-downers dance beats lashed with gutter-rock guitar riffs and icy detached vocals with evocatively concise and lacerating lyrics. Recorded over many sleepless nights and amphetamine-fueled mornings in the project's isolated Brooklyn bunker home studios, the album follows the band's minimal is maximal aesthetic coalescing into dark bedroom anthems for loners and lovers with nods to 70s/80s punk and nightclub music ala Joy Division, Iggy Pop's The Idiot, Depeche Mode, and New Order. On the lead single "Amnesia," Jared Artaud says "It's about dealing with duality and integrating the conflicting feelings within a relationship. It's about feeling dissociative and getting burned by the fire. Then coping with how this inevitably leads to the dissolution of the relationship. This is a mantra for all the songs on the album.

Ein Jahr nach Veröffentlichung des letzten GOAT-Albums "Oh Death" kündigen die maskierten Schwed*innen nun den Nachfolger "Medicine" an, der am 13. Oktober auf Rocket Recordings erscheint. In der ersten Single "Unemployment Office" ergänzen sie ihren Psych-Rock um Elemente aus dem 70s-Progressive. Nicht nur die neue Single, sondern auch das gesamte Album hat eine durchgängig zurückhaltendere, warme Ausstrahlung, und die Band deutet an, dass das übergreifende Thema des Albums die Vergänglichkeit im Leben ist - in all seinen verschiedenen Facetten: "It's about the impermanence of life in different ways: sickness, relationships,love, death and how our time is finite." Es ist schwer zu sagen, wie oft die Mythologie und das Geheimnis von GOATs Hintergrundgeschichte neugeschrieben werden kann, aber das neue Album macht Schluss, nur in der Vergangenheit zu schwelgen, und präsentiert einem etwas sanfteren Psych-Folk-Sound, der immer noch Goat ist. Die einzelnen Identitäten, die an den drei Alben der Band beteiligt sind, bleiben geheimnisumwittert: GOAT-Sprecher behaupten, dass die Gruppe lediglich ein fortlaufendes Mehrgenerationen-Kollektiv von Musiker*innen aus dem isolierten schwedischen Ort Korpilombolo ist. Nördlich des Polarkreises gelegen, ist die Stadt ein Knotenpunkt zwischen samischen Ureinwohnern, skandinavischen Siedlern und dem seltenen Eindringen von Wanderern von außerhalb. Darüber hinaus geben GOAT nur sehr wenig preis. Die Geheimhaltung der einzelnen Mitglieder und der Mangel an Informationen über Korpilombolo tragen wenig dazu bei, die Behauptungen von GOAT zu untermauern oder zu widerlegen. So "unnahbar" auch ihre Gerschichte klingt, so mysterös beschreib die Band auch ihre Musik: "We often talk about how all music is world music and all other genres are old fashioned. All you can hear is the universal similarity between all music. The music from some old cult in northern Sweden can be the same as the music from wherever." Der Sound des neuen Albums ist die klangliche Manifestation aus nigerianischen Afrobeat, deutschen Krautrocks, Funk und düsteren, halluzinatorischen Rock. Passend zum Titel "Medicine" muss dieses Medikament also sehr stark sein. Unabhängig von Dosierung und Art der "Medicine" - es ist Zeit sie jetzt einzunehmen. Limitiertes Wavy Cap Colour Vinyl-LP (Purple-Clear Colour-In-Colour)

More Than A Whisper: Celebrating The Music Of Nanci Griffith is an all-star tribute to the legacy of the GRAMMY award-winning singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Featured artists include Brandy Clark, Shawn Colvin, Iris Dement, Steve Earle, Mary Gauthier, Emmylou Harris, Sarah Jarosz, Lyle Lovett and Kathy Mattea, Ida Mae, John Prine and Kelsey Waldon, Todd Snider, Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and The War And Treaty covering some of Griffith’s most notable releases. ★★★★ - MOJO “More Than A Whisper is Olympic standard” 9/10 Americana UK

Even as a little boy, Johnny Cash has a feeling he was going to be famous one day. It wasn’t the kind of premonition he could go about telling people. They’d have thought dreams of fame and riches pretty far removed from the Cash’s barely-productive 40-acre cotton farm in Arkansas. Especially since Johnny had no idea how he was going to make his mark.

Johnny left the farm to go into the Air Force — and in his travels he acquired first, a wife — and secondly, a guitar. Assigned to Germany and forced to leave his wife behind, Johnny found a faithful companion in his guitar. The boys in his barracks seem to like his “pickin’ and singin'” and gradually the plan for a career began to take shape. He would be a singer — a country singer.

When he got back from service, Johnny was not so modest about his plans for the future. He let his Memphis friends know he was going to be a singer — a good singer, a famous singer — a singer who would revolutionize country music. No matter how long it took — he was determined!

As it happened, Lady Luck inclined her face toward Johnny almost immediately. His releases on the Sun label were instantly acclaimed, and in 1956, one year after Johnny Cash launched his recording career, he was named the most promising country and western artist of the year in four separate polls.

After the success of “I Walk the Line” as a simultaneous C & W and popular hit, it was indicated the course Johnny’s career should take. Though always identifying himself as a singer for the country fans — a favorite entertainer on the Grand Ole Opry — Johnny Cash with “Ballad of a Teen-Age Queen” came to be a top selling artist in the pop recording field.

Almost reluctantly, Johnny evolved a pop-county style in arrangement and instrumentation, evident in such hits as “Guess Things Happen That Way” and “The Ways of a Woman in Love” to supply the demand for Cash records by fans of both types of music. It is ironic that Johnny Cash caused more of a revolution in pop music than in country music, as was his aim, by being one of the first C & W artists exposed on national “general entertainment” TV shows; and the first C & W artist to capture the LP market with one great release (Sun 1220).

Johnny Cash — in his voice, looks and demeanor — carries a certain aura of “specialness.” He is a very dramatic figure — tall, muscular, with blue-black hair. He looks the part of a folk singer — a 20th century wandering minstrel. And his fatalistic style, both in composing and singing, has a quality of monotone, but of “emotional monotone” that defies analysis, but which is genuinely powerful.

Johnny Cash is one of those persons endowed with an exceptional talent which has to express itself. And being expressed, his talent has been uniquely recognized and applauded by many loyal fans, who will enjoy this reminiscent album of the songs which to date are landmarks in the career of the one and only Johnny Cash.

Includes an alternate take of 'Looking Good tonight ' appearing for the first time ever on vinyl.

"Blues for a Reason stands out from much of the work of the period." - The Penguin Guide to Jazz

"It's strange to think that two of the greatest stars of "cool jazz," Chet Baker and Warne Mash, would never record together, given that they were nearly the same age, and that they both rose to fame in Los Angeles around the same period.

However, that would have been the case if Gerry Teekens, founder of the Criss Cross label, had never had the bright idea of bringing them together in 1984.

Surprisingly, they would end up cutting their only collaborative album, Blues for a Reason, in Monster, The Netherlands!" - **** AllMusic

Together, they veer from pummelling odd time signatures and downtuned riffs into ascendant, widescreen climaxes that subvert tired black metal tropes.

Ballantyne is an in-demand performer, playing guitar for DEBBY FRIDAY's breakout album GOOD LUCK (Sub Pop), writing and performing electronic music as City, and performing endurance performance art with Chinese collective TRANCE. The result is an ideological and sonic crystallization that pushes Anti- God Hand's cosmic black metal into something still more emphatic, distinctive, dynamic.

Agnetha Fältskog, weltbekannte Sängerin, Songschreiberin, Mitglied der Kultgruppe ABBA und eine der bekanntesten Stimmen der Musikgeschichte, hat 'A+' angekündigt, eine neu aufgenommene Version ihres gefeierten Solo-Albums "A" aus dem Jahr 2013, das am 13. Oktober 2023 über BMG veröffentlicht wird.

Das Originalalbum erschien vor 10 Jahren und wurde nun für das Jahr 2023 komplett neu aufgelegt. Neben der Albumankündigung hat Agnetha auch die atemberaubende Single 'Where Do We Go From Here?" in diesem Jahr neu aufgenommen; einen brandneuen Song, der dem Album hinzugefügt wurde und damit die erste neue Musik seit 10 Jahren von Agnetha als Solokünstlerin darstellt.

Das Album wurde speziell für sie von dem gefeierten Songwriter und Produzenten Jörgen Elofsson geschrieben.

Im Vorfeld des 10-jährigen Jubiläums des Albums diskutierten Agnetha und Jörgen darüber, wie das wie das Album klingen würde, wenn es im Jahr 2023 entstanden wäre, und beschlossen, diese Idee gemeinsam zu verfolgen. Sie arbeiteten mit ihrem Produzenten Anton 'Hybrid' Mårtensson zusammen und überarbeiteten das Album, jeden einzelnen Song, wobei sie den Originalgesang von 2013 beibehielten, die alte Musik wegwarfen und für 2023 völlig neue Produktionen und damit auch eine neue Tracklist schufen.

Das 2013 erschienene "A" war Agnethas erstes Album seit ihrem 2004 erschienenen Coveralbum "My Colouring Book" und das erste Originalmaterial seit "Stand Alone" von 1987.

Agnetha Fältskog, weltbekannte Sängerin, Songschreiberin, Mitglied der Kultgruppe ABBA und eine der bekanntesten Stimmen der Musikgeschichte, hat 'A+' angekündigt, eine neu aufgenommene Version ihres gefeierten Solo-Albums "A" aus dem Jahr 2013, das am 13. Oktober 2023 über BMG veröffentlicht wird.

Das Originalalbum erschien vor 10 Jahren und wurde nun für das Jahr 2023 komplett neu aufgelegt. Neben der Albumankündigung hat Agnetha auch die atemberaubende Single 'Where Do We Go From Here?" in diesem Jahr neu aufgenommen; einen brandneuen Song, der dem Album hinzugefügt wurde und damit die erste neue Musik seit 10 Jahren von Agnetha als Solokünstlerin darstellt.

Das Album wurde speziell für sie von dem gefeierten Songwriter und Produzenten Jörgen Elofsson geschrieben.

Im Vorfeld des 10-jährigen Jubiläums des Albums diskutierten Agnetha und Jörgen darüber, wie das wie das Album klingen würde, wenn es im Jahr 2023 entstanden wäre, und beschlossen, diese Idee gemeinsam zu verfolgen. Sie arbeiteten mit ihrem Produzenten Anton 'Hybrid' Mårtensson zusammen und überarbeiteten das Album, jeden einzelnen Song, wobei sie den Originalgesang von 2013 beibehielten, die alte Musik wegwarfen und für 2023 völlig neue Produktionen und damit auch eine neue Tracklist schufen.

Das 2013 erschienene "A" war Agnethas erstes Album seit ihrem 2004 erschienenen Coveralbum "My Colouring Book" und das erste Originalmaterial seit "Stand Alone" von 1987.

Der kanadische Sänger/Gitarrist JW-Jones, Billboard Top 10 Blues Artist, IBC-Gewinner 2020 und JUNO-Nominierter, ist mit seiner 12. Veröffentlichung zurück. Nachdem er bei der International Blues Challenge 2020 in Memphis als „Bester Gitarrist“ ausgezeichnet wurde, begann Jones mit der Arbeit an „Everything Now“, einem reinen Originalprojekt mit Special Guest Jimmie Vaughan und einer Produktion von Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar). "Lieder! Es dreht sich alles um die Songs!“ sagte der von JUNO nominierte Jones, dessen sengende Kunstfertigkeit in den letzten Jahren von den legendären Blueskünstlern Buddy Guy und Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones) gelobt wurde. „Während es viele brennende Leadgitarrensoli gibt, wollte ich mich öffnen und mit den Texten persönlicher denn je werden. Von der wahren Geschichte „Papa’s in the Pen“ bis „When You Left“, die ich mit Tränen über den Tod meiner Mutter gesungen habe, sind dies Geschichten, die ich endlich durch meine Musik teilen
kann.“

2nd installment in RZA's brandnew 2022 Bobby Digital Trilogy on Electric Blue vinyl! Rza returns with the second of his three record Bobby Digital Trilogy, coming on the heels of his critically acclaimed first installment "Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theatre Rza vs Bobby Digital, Produced by DJ Scratch! The album is also the soundtrack and addition to the new Bobby Digital comic of the same name. "Dating back to the 1990's RZA has been using Bobby Digital as a pseudonym for various solo projects. These are not strictly outside of the Wu-Tang Clan diaspora as various members make cameos or co-produce, but they've allowed Diggs to explore musical and lyrical ideas that fight better with his alter ego. Bobby Digital can be considered a comic book superhero, fighting evil in both the physical realm and the virtual world of cyberspace, achieving a "meta" reality long before Facebook thought to trademark the term." - rap revies 2022 2022 release. The founding member of the multimedia supergroup, The Wu-Tang Clan, introduced the world to his alter-ego in his 1998 album Bobby Digital in Stereo. With lush digital orchestral sounds and inventive beats, he was putting the love of comic books on full display through it's concept and execution. Now, exactly 23 years since it's original release, RZA announces a partnership with Z2 Comics to give the character a story in the medium which inspired his creation! Bobby Digital: Pit Full of Snake pairs RZA with White Noise Studios member Ryan O'Sullivan, whose last collaboration with Poppy was widely celebrated by fans and critics alike, with Sound & Fury artist Vasilis Lolos rounding out the team to bring the world of Bobby Digital to life.

Drose is an experimental rock band from Columbus, Ohio, featuring the songwriting and voice of Dustin Rose. Their fevered, nihilistic new release, boy man machine+, combines their 2016 album of the same name with their debut 7", "a voice", and an assemblage of unreleased tracks — all freshly remastered by veteran engineer Carl Saff.

Dustin Rose calls boy man machine+ "an indictment of human consciousness." The music explores the torments of sentience through the sound of machines across the album, featuring slashing lines from guitarist Gregory Packet and bizarre drum patterns from John Mengerink. The results are harsh, bewildering and strangelybeautiful.

2023 Repress

Artefakt dives deeper into their electronic universe with a worthy follow-up on their Days Bygone LP on the Delsin Interstellar series from early 2021. 'Brain Dripper' EP explores adventurous paths in dreamy electronics, experimenting with emotive melodies and floating chords rendered into immersive idm and ambient pieces. On the flip the pair fuses their trademark deep techno jams with stepping electro brain workouts.

In our little history, the number 7, besides a kind of esoteric fascination, has marked important milestones in our evolutionary journey. This is why Raw Culture has decided to pay homage in grand style to its seventh year as an independent sound guarantor. To do so, it weaves a co-production with Oderso Rubini, historical memory of the Italian New Wave and head of Italian Records in the 80s. Out of this synergy comes our 24th release, Ping Pong, a dancefloor of dissonant bounces, where free-form suggestions, electronics and rhythmic improvisation find synthesis in a high-intensity competitive match. Starting from the sampling of Korean ping pong matches and the voices of the speakers, Renzini and Passini build a framework where the sound or voice of the electronically harmonised hoover amalgamates with powerful and syncopated drumming, a sound experiment poised between improvisational heavy jazz and Korean-style electronics.

The record is ideally divided into two converging visions highlighting the duplicity of the game, side A or Master Ping collects the first improvisations made by the duo in 2018 leaving almost unchanged the improvisational spirit close to a kind of degenerate free jazz. Side B or Master Pong made later explores more musical forms, with influences of the krautrock and electronic disco matrix, and sees the collaboration with other musicians from Bologna’s historic rock scene such as Gianluca Patini (Surprize, Slava Trudu, Volkwerk Folletto) on guitars, Giorgio Lavagna on vocals (Gaznevada, Stupid Set) and Enrico Serotti on electronic samples (Confusional Quartet, Stupid Set).

Didattica is the first album from Zetas, a female rap duo coming straight out of the city of Salerno, on the south west coast ofItaly. Entirely produced by beatmaker, rapper and DJ/producer Tonico 70, a true veteran of Southern Italian hip-hop,the full-lengthdebut isreleased on DJ's Choice, a partner label of Four Flies Records.

Born between the 90s and 2000s, rappers Annarella and Miriade were exposed to the world of underground hip-hop from an early age, jamming and freestyling. Rather than going for the sounds of trap and auto-tune that are so popular in their age group, however, they immediately embraced the spirit of old school rap, withitsboom bap vibes. As suggested by the album's title itself (which translates as 'teaching' or 'learning') they view of rap as a school – that is, as an art form where constant training is key if you want to stay true to your values and identity.

With the help of producer Tonico 70, Zetas have created a record that is fresh and contemporary, while paying tribute to the past.They rap about everyday urban life in the exuberant dialect and slang of their native city, delivering raw rhymes with a tightand very expressiveflow, while Tonico70 uses a classic sampling approach but also incorporates real instruments into his beats–Antonio D'Apolito's guitar, Peppe Maiellano's keyboards, Giuseppe Desiderio's bass and Giuseppe Limpido's drums.

The result is an excitingcombination of funk, soul, dub, R'N'B, reggae, and even electronic influences,one where deep bass and syncopated rhythms blend wonderfully with the melody, urgency and authenticity of dialect rhymes.

Mistaken Identity is the second studio album by Australian singer Delta Goodrem. It was a huge success in Australia, peaking at #1 on the country’s album chart and achieving a certification of five times Platinum. The album was also very well received in New Zealand, UK, and several European countries. Delta’s second number one album can be described as more classically piano driven, venturing into pop rock and pop jazz. The album features five singles, including “Almost Here (feat. Brian McFadden)”, “Out Of The Blue”, “Mistaken Identity”, “A Little Too Late” and “Be Strong”.

Mistaken Identity is available on vinyl for the first time as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes an insert with lyrics.

If you were to ask for a defining Habibi Funk track, there are a few that come to mind: from Fadoul’s “Sid Redad,” Dalton’s “Soul Brother” to Ahmed Malek’s “Omar Gatlato.” However, none are as widely connected with us at this point as Hamid Al Shaeri’s “Ayonha.” We heard the track for the first time when we were working on selecting tracks for your first compilation and we instantly loved it. We obviously had heard of Hamid El Shaeri’s music before, but only material from his Al Jeel phase when he was already the full-blown
superstar he is now.

Listening to his releases from the early 1980’s opened a whole new door for us. At the time, Hamid had just left Libya to pursue his career in Egypt via a detour in London, where he recorded his
first album. Hamid’s distinct sound of the sound is quintessentially reliant on heavy synths and so it was particularly important to purchase these synths in a timely manner. “Whenever a new one synthesizer would come out, we would have to buy it immediately, otherwise someone else would get their hands on that sound.” London also played an important role for Hamid as a musical epicenter.

He fondly reminisces about the many live shows he attended there, including some of the biggest international musicians like Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. After returning to Cairo where he also recorded his following albums, he connected with SLAM! for the
release of his debut, laying the foundation of a collaboration that lasted for 5 albums. Luckily, we were able to connect with Hamid through our friend Youssra El Hawary, whose extensive network has opened many doors for us within the Egyptian music scene. We met Hamid for the first time probably in 2016 at his office / rehearsal studio in the outskirts Cairo. We were expecting a larger-than-life
character in-line with his status as a certified superstar, yet the actual person turned out to be very approachable and super easy to connect with. He liked the idea of an effort to amplify his early works again,
which, when originally released, were far from an economic success.

While he was down to assist with an interview and his blessing for the project he also told us that for any license we needed to speak with the original label SLAM! who released these songs, still held the rights and also remained in business over the decades though they didn’t actively release any new music. Hany Sabet had started SLAM! records in the early 1980s and focused on cassette tape releases, the
format that expedited the success of a new generation of record labels in Egypt. By the mid 1980’s, SLAM! had become one of the most successful and economically dominant record labels in Egypt, with Hamid El Shaeri being just one of their key artists, alongside Mohamed Mounir, Hanan, Hakim, Mustafa Amar and many more. Luckily, Hany Sabet turned out to be a friend of our colleague Malak Makar’s father, which probably helped to warm him to the idea of licen- sing “Ayonha” to this - in the scale of his world - tiny label
from Germany. Eventually “Ayonha” ended up becoming a widely successful release and either Hany or we brought up the idea of a full album dedicated to Hamid El Shaeri’s work on SLAM!.


"Maktoub Aleina” is the first single and will be released January 14th. Following the massive success of "Ayonha,” “Maktoub Aleina” is another mid-tempo groover with a beautiful, synth-forward melody, that brings together a lovely combination of soul, disco and Arabic pop music of the highest order, giving a taste of full album. The second single, “Yekfini Nesma Sotak” will be released January 28th and combines Hamid’s unique formula of soul and pop, held together by a catchy synth melody. “Yekfini Nesma Sotak” picks up the
pace a bit, making the uplifting mood of the track even more powerful. Third single, arriving February 11th, is “Dari Demou’ek,” one of the stand out tracks of Hamid’s early recordings done for SLAM! in the early 1980s. Dominated by a disco infused bassline, the track offers a lot of space of the funky production to shine while Hamid inserts his vocals at all the right moments. A masterpiece of disco touched by Arabic pop music.

Full album arrives February 25th. This release is dedicated to Hany Sabet, the founder of SLAM! and his wife Rosemary Jane Sabet (who
took the photos we used for the cover and the booklet), who sadly passed away during the time it took us to prepare the release.
Vinyl comes with an extensive booklet with an interview with Hamid as well as unseen photos

Repress!

gold glitter embossed sleeve with 18 different artwork variation inserts.

Hayfitz' erzählt auf seinem zweiten Album 'Everything Else' einfühlsam von seinem Coming Out
Hayfitz nimmt uns mit auf die Reise seiner queeren Selbsterfahrung. Die Entstehung des Albums selbst spielt darin eine entscheidende Rolle, war es doch die unerwiderte Liebe zu seinem Mitproduzenten Sam Cope, die den ganzen Prozess erst in Gang gesetzt hat. 'Everything Else' sind 11 Tracks voller intimer Geschichten über queere Identität, die beizeiten an Sufjan Stevens, Adrianne Lenker oder Nick Drake erinnern.

Die multidimensionalen Künstler:innen und Produzent:innen yeule kündigen ihr neues Album, „softscars“, an, das am 22. September 2023 über Ninja Tune erscheinen wird. „softscars“ repräsentiert eine neue Richtung für yeule, da sie weichere Texturen und körperlose Arrangements erforschen, die ihre ätherischen Vocals in den Vordergrund stellen. Das Projekt untersucht die Anatomie ihrer lang gehegten emotionalen Wunden für ihr bisher verletzlichstes Werk. Obwohl die Thematik schwer und geheimnisvoll ist, strahlt das Projekt, das von yeule und ihren Kolleg:innen Kin Leonn geschrieben und produziert wurde, mit zusätzlicher Produktion von Mura Masa und Chris Greatti (Yves Tumor, Willow Smith) ein Gefühl der freudigen Katharsis aus. Angetrieben wird das Album von yeules sich verändernden Vocals, die mit all ihren Ecken und Kanten und ihrem eindringlichen Flüstern sicherer denn je klingen und den unvollkommenen Prozess der Heilung widerspiegeln.
Das neue Album folgt auf das von der Kritik gefeiertes Album, „Glitch Princess“, aus dem Jahr 2022, das von Pitchfork mit dem Prädikat „Best New Music“ ausgezeichnet wurde und auch hierzulande sehr wohlwollend abgefeiert wurde, u.a. mit 5 von 6 Sternen im Musikexpress, mit 4 von 5 Punkten bei laut.de und 8 von 10 Punkten bei Plattentests. yeule machen sowohl Musik als auch visuelle Kunst, das Projekt wurde ins Leben gerufen, um als Portal oder Spalt zu fungieren, der es ihnen ermöglicht, ihre Kunst der Außenwelt mitzuteilen, während sie gleichzeitig in ihrer inneren Hülle geschützt sind. yeule wurde als Manifest ihrer eigenen Identitäten konstruiert, in denen sie immer Zugang zu multiplen Avataren und der Freiheit hatten, sich nach Belieben zu verändern oder zu verformen - Trost durch die Verkörperung von wandelbaren, chamäleonartigen Vielfältigkeiten.

Carole Kings klassisches Weihnachtsalbum "A Holiday Carole" erschien 2011. Die 12 Songs des von ihrer Tochter Louise Goffin produzierten Albums vereinen kunstvoll das Spirituelle und das Weltliche mit einer bunten Mischung aus Christmas-Klassikern und neu geschriebenen Songs. Goffin hat drei Titel des Albums mitgeschrieben, darunter "Christmas in Paradise", bei dem sie mit den Grammy-Preisträgern George Noriega und Jodi Marr zusammengearbeitet hat, die erhabene Goffin/Marr-Komposition "Christmas In The Air" und das tief bewegende "New Year's Day", das sie gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Songschreiber Guy Chambers geschrieben hat. "Als erfahrene Produzentin", erinnert sich King, "war Louises erste Frage an mich als Künstlerin: 'Welche Songs magst du?'" Nachdem sie eine Liste ihrer Favoriten zusammengestellt hatte, machte sich Goffin auf die Suche nach ungewöhnlicheren Stücken und stieß dabei auf Stücke wie den Stax-Klassiker Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" von William Bell & Booker T. Jones. King drückt der Musik ihren eigenen, unverwechselbaren Stempel auf und verleiht ihr ein weihnachtliches Flair. Für King ist der emotionale Höhepunkt des Albums zweifellos "Chanukah Prayer". "Louise hatte die brillante Idee, das Chanukka-Gebet zu nehmen, das ich von meinen Eltern gelernt habe und sie von ihren Eltern, und zwar über Generationen hinweg", erklärt sie. "Sie sagte: 'Ich möchte dich aufnehmen, wie du das singst, und ich werde einen Song darum herum komponieren.'" Das Ergebnis ist ein warmes, von Jazz geprägtes Stück, das drei Generationen gesanglich vereint: King, ihre Tochter und ihren Enkelsohn.

Vielleicht ist es Dir gar nicht bewusst, aber irgendwann, an einem beliebigen Tag, in einer beliebigen Woche oder in einem beliebigen Monat, hast Du die Musik von Trevor Rabin gehört. Vielleicht war es im Radio, als einer der größten Rockhits aller Zeiten, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" von Yes, gespielt wurde, oder auf einem seiner mehr als 100 Film- oder TV-Soundtracks, oder sogar als Titelmelodie für NBA-Basketball auf TNT. Jetzt kehrt er mit "Rio" zurück, seinem ersten Soloalbum mit Gesang seit "Can't Look Away" von 1989. Es ist ein Meisterwerk der Ideenfindung in Kombination mit unbändigem musikalischem Können, und Rabins Fähigkeiten als musikalischer Geschichtenerzähler sind allgegenwärtig. Es ist ein Album voller Überraschungen, großartiger Melodien, dramatischer Veränderungen und unglaublicher Musikalität.Erhältlich als Ltd CD+Blu-ray Mediabook & Ltd Deluxe Gatefold Red 180g 2LP + Blu-ray (inklusive 8-seitigem LP-Booklet), beide mit Bonusmaterial, 5.1 Surround Sound & Liner Notes. Auch erhältlich als Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Black 2LP+LP-Booklet, Ltd Gatefold Transparent Sun Yellow 180g 2LP+LP-Booklet und als Digital Album.

- Ltd. LP: (Goldglitzernde, gestanzte Gatefold-Hülle mit austauschbarem Albumartwork / 8 doppelseitige Einleger mit 16 Original-Kunstdrucken aus der Joy as an Act of Resistance-Ausstellung / Gepresst auf schwarzem 180g-Vinyl / Inklusive digitaler Download-Karte)

Vielleicht ist es Dir gar nicht bewusst, aber irgendwann, an einem beliebigen Tag, in einer beliebigen Woche oder in einem beliebigen Monat, hast Du die Musik von Trevor Rabin gehört. Vielleicht war es im Radio, als einer der größten Rockhits aller Zeiten, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" von Yes, gespielt wurde, oder auf einem seiner mehr als 100 Film- oder TV-Soundtracks, oder sogar als Titelmelodie für NBA-Basketball auf TNT. Jetzt kehrt er mit "Rio" zurück, seinem ersten Soloalbum mit Gesang seit "Can't Look Away" von 1989. Es ist ein Meisterwerk der Ideenfindung in Kombination mit unbändigem musikalischem Können, und Rabins Fähigkeiten als musikalischer Geschichtenerzähler sind allgegenwärtig. Es ist ein Album voller Überraschungen, großartiger Melodien, dramatischer Veränderungen und unglaublicher Musikalität.Erhältlich als Ltd CD+Blu-ray Mediabook & Ltd Deluxe Gatefold Red 180g 2LP + Blu-ray (inklusive 8-seitigem LP-Booklet), beide mit Bonusmaterial, 5.1 Surround Sound & Liner Notes. Auch erhältlich als Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Black 2LP+LP-Booklet, Ltd Gatefold Transparent Sun Yellow 180g 2LP+LP-Booklet und als Digital Album.

Vielleicht ist es Dir gar nicht bewusst, aber irgendwann, an einem beliebigen Tag, in einer beliebigen Woche oder in einem beliebigen Monat, hast Du die Musik von Trevor Rabin gehört. Vielleicht war es im Radio, als einer der größten Rockhits aller Zeiten, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" von Yes, gespielt wurde, oder auf einem seiner mehr als 100 Film- oder TV-Soundtracks, oder sogar als Titelmelodie für NBA-Basketball auf TNT. Jetzt kehrt er mit "Rio" zurück, seinem ersten Soloalbum mit Gesang seit "Can't Look Away" von 1989. Es ist ein Meisterwerk der Ideenfindung in Kombination mit unbändigem musikalischem Können, und Rabins Fähigkeiten als musikalischer Geschichtenerzähler sind allgegenwärtig. Es ist ein Album voller Überraschungen, großartiger Melodien, dramatischer Veränderungen und unglaublicher Musikalität.Erhältlich als Ltd CD+Blu-ray Mediabook & Ltd Deluxe Gatefold Red 180g 2LP + Blu-ray (inklusive 8-seitigem LP-Booklet), beide mit Bonusmaterial, 5.1 Surround Sound & Liner Notes. Auch erhältlich als Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Black 2LP+LP-Booklet, Ltd Gatefold Transparent Sun Yellow 180g 2LP+LP-Booklet und als Digital Album.

“coming of age” motif flows freely through She’s In Parties’ debut EP, End Scene. The four piece wanted to construct a record that’s influenced by the idea of a final, reflective monologue scene in a movie, and would fit nicely in an 80’s coming of age film like The Breakfast Club, but with their own generational twist to it. The listener can expect quintessential developmental milestones interwoven throughout the listening experience, with themes centering platonic and romantic relationships, mental health battles, illicit substance experimentation and more.

“We’re coming of age ourselves - apart from Granddaddy Matt,” the members joke, with 3⁄4 of the band having just begun their journey into their 20’s. “It’s something we relate to and, whether we like it or not, reflects itself in our music writing".

Another dream coming true! One of Giuliano Sorgini's finest and most sought-after titles is finally available as an official LP reissue – the first ever – remastered from the original tapes.

Originally released in 1971on the small library music imprint FAMA, which operated as a sub-label of RCA Italy, the record contains the original music written for Scappo per cantare, a small, pseudo-psychedelic 'musicarello' (musical comedy film) broadcast on RAI television and starring, among others, Italian singers Gianni Morandi and Mauro Lusini.

The only credited album artist is Sorgini, but it's impossible not to perceive, in this record, the hand of his close friend and colleague Alessandro Alessandroni.

This should not come as a surprise. In the early 70s, the two composers and multi-instrumentalists had a fruitful collaboration that saw them, under the monikers Braen (Alessandroni) and Raskovich (Sorgini), produce an abundance of works together, most of which have now gained the recognition they deserve. These include, among others, two 7" singles from their band The Pawnshop, three records in the series Alle sorgenti delle civiltà (Folkmusic), the crime/noir library albums Quarta pagina (Usignolo) and Inchiesta giudiziaria (Octopus Records), as well as the LP Tempo Libero (Panda Records), which was released shortly after the record presented here and in some ways drew rhythmic inspiration from it.

While their collaboration remained unacknowledged on the original release of Scappo per cantare (this was not uncommon at the time, especially in the field of library music), the record sounds perfectly in line with other works composed by Alessandroni in the early 70s, such as Complesso Gisteri's Mostra Collettiva (co-written with Oronzo De Filippi), or even a landmark album like Spontaneous, where Sorgini contributed to a handful of tracks.

So, yes, the sheer beauty of Scappo per cantare is the result of an incredible synergy between two heavyweights of Italian library music! Airy and sweeping melodies à la Zoo Folle, psychedelia à la Under Pompelmo, and various percussion instruments played by Sorgini seamlessly blend and fuse with elements and touches provided by Alessandroni.

More specifically, we find Alessandroni's signature, melancholy whistle in "Desolazione"; the peaceful and dreamy sound of his 12-string guitar in "Scogliere" and "Con Amore"; the trademark harmonies of his vocal ensemble Cantori Moderni in the last two tracks mentioned and in "Per cantare"; and his ingenious use of distortion on his Fender Stratocaster in the suspenseful transitions "Concentrazione" and "Fantocci", as well as in the frantic/hypnotic hippie numbers "Mordente" and "Fendente" (as a side note, it is worth remembering that Alessandroni experimented extensively with distortion in the rock-infused album Underground, co-written with De Filippi and released in 1971 under the moniker Braen's Machine, probably a reference to British psychedelic band Soft Machine).

The creative relationship between Sorgini and Alessandroni was so symbiotic that it would be useless to try to identify in more detail their respective contributions to the sound of Scappo per cantare. The alchemy between these two musical geniuses is the key to the album's exquisitely Italian mixture of cheerful lounge, sweet psychedelia and smooth easy listening.

To do justice to the quality of the music, this remastered reissue is enriched by a new artwork by Eric Adrian Lee, who drew inspiration from the psychedelic visual culture of the period in which the album was written and recorded.

Quartabê’s identity was built upon the metaphor of the classroom: the group sees itself as a school class, which chooses its own teachers from among great masters of Brazilian music. Assuming that the learning and creative processes have in common experimentation and play, the quartet is characterized by its bold versions coupled with irreverent performance.


In addition woto its sound, marked by the group’s various music references - from the São Paulo avant-garde movement to the free improvisation, passing through pop and electronic music - Quartabê also stands out for the formation composed mostly of women who, besides instrumentalists are also arrangers, composers, singers and improvisers - which is unusual in Brazil and it has high political relevance in a music scene where positions of creation and power are still held disproportionately by men. The band started its studies by recording a first album about the work of maestro Moacir Santos, “Lição # 1: Moacir” (2015). After performing this show in Brazil and Europe, the group took a break to record ‘Depê’ (2017), also dedicated to the oeuvre of Santos. In 2018 Quartabê released their third album, starting new studies: “Lição # 2: Dorival”, which was released by the Natura Musical / label RISCO

Rarely could a project be called such a culmination point of a career as what Kris Defoort presents with Pieces of Peace. Just about all the backgrounds, influences and acquaintances the iconic Belgian composer and improvising pianist collected throughout his long career come together in this distinct and original musical adventure.

Together with vocal artist Veronika Harcsa and three fellow musicians, he forms a chamber orchestra in the strict sense of the word, although they are by no means restricted to that one idiom. As an experienced opera and classical composer, Kris Defoort dribbles the timbres, harmonies, dynamics and, if you like, drama of a complete (opera) orchestra through these compositions, supplemented by an inescapable layer of jazz, obviously the other form of music that remains continuously prominent in Kris' life and DNA.

As always in his work, also improvisation is added as a core element, not least thanks to the voice and inventive personality of Hungarian vocalist Veronika Harcsa, a true European reference in this field. This duo has worked together regularly over the past decade, including for Diving Poet Society (2017, W.E.R.F.148) and in DUET: pure vocal and piano improvisations, on poems by Theodor Roethke, Peter Verhelst and William Blake.

Those musical ideas formed the framework when composing the final new song cycle Pieces of Peace. The duet was then quickly expanded into a quintet, with Lode Vercampt on cello, Jean-Philippe Poncin on clarinets and Benjamin Sauzereau on electric guitar. These three musicians are as well compagnons de route of Kris has since many years, allowing him to incorporate each one's own playing style in a special way throughout these compositions: therefore, the entire orchestral spectrum (woodwinds, strings, percussion) is thus prominently represented through these five instruments.

Intimate and joyful, playful and complex, lyrical and rhythmic, ... and layered and full of detail, each track on the eponymous record unfolds like a story in itself. They are all states of emotions, impressions from real life - another reference to opera. They are also an ode to the voice, the human instrument par excellence. As improvised compositions (or composed improvisations?), Pieces of Peace represents a constant evolution that offers hope, softness and inspiration in times when all this sometimes dares to be lacking.

Moments of eternity: the first plucks at the strings, a bass note cementing the drift into place a little more than a minute in. The organ drones, iterating unrelivable ancient history, a chiming note of the church. Guitars strings, climbing that stairway to heaven. Gossamer-light when viewed from a distance; up close, the gears grind with a visceral physicality. With BCMC, Cooper Crain and Bill MacKay unite to create Foreign Smokes: provocalogues, equal parts avant-garde noir and fire-and-icy jams to recall bright shades and warm stretches of infinity drawn through the buzzy overdrive of this side of life"s strange and sunny days. Cooper"s organ and synths and Bill"s guitar draw songs from spontaneous statements and elegiac scraps, floating closer, then farther, and closer again to the sounds of the other. Starting with a melody, as set of progressions or even as little as a scale or just a key, gives room for either one of "em to take the lead, depending on where they are or are going at any given time. The reigning motif most often seems to be, to melt and wind around each other"s sound, part of a singular undulation, handed back and forth, a slowly emerging trip up into and through an ideal of exuberance.

Glasser, the elevated electronic project from Cameron
Mesirow, releases her anticipated third album, ‘crux’, via
One Little Independent Records.
 ‘crux’ takes Glasser’s entrancing blend of dreamy
experimental pop and layered electronics to explore
themes of personal identity, emotional vulnerability, and
the human experience. The album maps journeys of selfdiscovery as she unpacks intimate experiences with a
maturity and cathartic outlook. Specifically, the tracks on
‘crux’ discuss the death of an old friend, her meditations
on the fragility of life and the delicacy of relationships in
times of uncertainty.
 More than anything it’s about the importance of creativity
and writing while healing, and on an individual level,
looking inward and the examination of one’s grief, anxiety,
and insecurities. Musically it searches outward, it includes
the use of traditional folk, Celtic to communicate her
Scottish roots, and Eastern-European styles, all introduced
to her lush, atmospheric production, intricate vocal
harmonies, and complex rhythms.
 “Soaring vocals with free-flowing, rhythm-obsessed
eclecticism that make for a notably welcoming collection of
atmospheric, electronics-brushed pop” - Pitchfork
 “It’s Glasser’s sonic constructions which holds our interest
first and foremost; a bolder and more up-front sound” -
The Line of Best Fit
 “Potent, sexually charged and teeming with life. Make no
mistake, this isn’t sex as male-gaze-pandering titillation,
packaged in clichéd, chart-friendly couplets, but sex from a
singular female perspective: intimate, all-encompassing,
ecstatic. This is pop for consenting adults: music for awake
minds” - Dazed

Out on 6 October, the music for Certainty of Tides was initially recorded with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra with Nils Petter Molvaer as a soloist in 2020. He had asked several wonderful Norwegian composers to arrange a set of music from his back catalogue. “Have a listen to the recordings I did with the orchestra and tell me what you think” he told Norwegian composer, musician, and producer Jan Bang. Since the original recording was close mic’ed for broadcasting purposes, Bang saw an unfulfilled potential in the material due to lack of space in the initial recordings.
Bang came up with the idea of re-amping the mixes playing the music through speakers in a concert house followed by re-recording of the result through distant microphones. With 76 speakers (one per instrument) carefully placed exactly like the orchestra would have been seated onstage, Certainty of Tides was recorded from microphones strategically placed in the large hall of Kilden Concert House with phenomenal acoustics.
The re-amping and re-recording produced astonishing results. Some of the pieces needed additional color. Bang invited two of his highly talented electronic music students at the University of Agder (Kristian Isachsen and Even Sefenias Sigurdsen Frodesønn Røsstad). Both given freedoms to create their own sound based on their own personal taste.
The final mixes were put together by Øyvind Kurszus at Kilden Studios supervised by both students, Molvaer and Bang. Helge Steen has mastered the recording. Knut Sævik has re-sampled the drum track (played by Peter Baden) on “Simply so” and mixed the Song as well.

Die schwedische Band Samling wird im Herbst 2023 ihr viertes Album mit dem Titel "Autisten" auf dem Berliner Label Robotor Records der deutschen Rockband Kadavar veröffentlichen. Das Album verspricht eine Fülle abwechslungsreicher Tracks voller Melodien und Hooklines.
Samling ist die Idee des Singer-Songwriters Max Groundstroem, dessen Mix aus Pop, Rock und schwedischer Neo-Psychedelia ihnen einen Platz in der skandinavischen Musikszene eingebracht hat. Die Musik ist für ihre großartigen Hooklines, Melodien und Grooves bekannt und nutzt oft Humor, um Gefühle der Isolation und Entfremdung lyrisch auszudrücken.
Das neue Album "Autisten" wurde über einen Zeitraum von fünf Jahren produziert, was einen starken Einfluss auf den Gesamtklang und das Feeling der Platte hatte. Mit der Zeit kommen auch Veränderungen und neue Erfahrungen, die verwirrend sein können, wenn das Ziel ein klanglich und textlich konsistentes Album ist. Doch durch die Erkenntnis, dass die Songs ihre eigene Persönlichkeit haben werden, entstand ein Gefühl der Befreiung, das es Max ermöglichte, ein breiteres Spektrum an Songs und Genres kreativ zu erkunden.

- Ltd. Col. LP: (Colour In Colour Blue Transparent Vinyl)

Experimental Rock / Abstract Hip-Hop / Post Industrial music Pascal Bouaziz used to be the singer and leader of French rock band Mendelson, and "Bruit Noir" (Black Noise) is his side project. This is a completely new venture, a departure from everything he's done over the last 20 years, bringing together hard-hitting lyrics and biting sounds. Boaziz has improvised lyrics over music by drummer Jean-Michel Pirès, who has played with Bed and Married Monk, a blend of the stripped-down clarity of Pérec's A Man Asleep and the stormy punk of Suicide. Crossing the boundaries of the politically incorrect, Bruit Noir offers a raw, hard-hitting album, where the sincerity of the words blends with the intensity of the compositions.

Sechs lange Jahre mussten Fans auf ein neues Album der amerikanischen Metal-Band Prong warten. Die Gründe: die Pandemie mit all ihren Unsicherheiten und Verwerfungen, aber auch erfreuliche Ereignisse im Privatleben von Sänger und Gitarrist Tommy Victor.

Doch nun sind Prong zurück, und zwar mit einem wahren Paukenschlag: ‚State Of Emergency‘ ist das erhofft fesselnde Werk geworden, mit der gewohnt unbändigen Energie einer Gruppe, die bereits seit Mitte der Achtziger an vorderster Front agiert. Und mit einem Ideenreichtum, wie er typischer für diese Band kaum sein könnte: „Es ist ein echtes Prong-Album. Es ignoriert nicht nur jedes Genre, sondern auch das, was heutzutage da draußen vor sich geht“, umreißt Bandgründer Victor die stilistische Ausrichtung der elf Songs.

Über seinen künstlerischen Ansatz sagt er: „Ich mag alle Arten von Musik. Diese Platte passt dazu, da sie viele Facetten abdeckt.

Gleichzeitig ist ‚State Of Emergency‘ sehr gitarrenorientiert und ein gutes Beispiel für meinen Stil aus Punk, Metal, Post-Punk-Lärm, etwas Doom, Blues und Thrash, mit einem ziemlich geradlinigen Gesang. Insgesamt herrscht auf dem Album ein aggressives Ostküsten-Flair.“

Zudem gibt es im August und November große Europatourneen.

Zwei Millionen Umsatz mit einer einfachen Idee – das war der Plan beim Debüt der Kölner Rockband The Screenshots. Die Bilanz Chartplatz 45, Pandemie und Plus-Minus-Null. Zeit für ein neues Kapitel, das sich nicht mit Umsätzen, sondern dem Menschen beschäftigt. Mit viel Spielfreude, Leichtigkeit und einer neuen Direktheit: Herzlich willkommen im Wunderwerk Mensch!

Und so macht die latente Dauerironie der ersten Jahre Platz für eine andere Form von Wahrhaftigkeit. Von reinen Akustiksongs wie dem Opener “Wunderwerk Mensch” oder dem Closer “Großeltern” über Pop-Nummern im engeren Sinne, von “Wie es vorher war” bis zum licht- und chorusdurchfluteten “Die Sonne scheint”. Der energetische Screenshots-Sound, der mit der ersten EP “Ein starkes Team” etabliert wurde, wird in “DIN A8” wieder aufgegriffen; ein Song, in dem mehr oder weniger alles aufgezählt wird, worauf es im Leben ankommt.

Endlich ist es soweit, Torstens lang ersehntes 7. Studio Album “Soul Searching” wird bei Membran Records erscheinen. Nach 8 Jahren Pause, persönlichen Krisen und schweren Zeiten, danach viel Songwriting und Reflektion, wird dies ein sehr persönlicher Tonträger, wie Torsten findet.

Horros, the third album by Finnish sonic voyagers Virta, is issued in September 2023. With Horros, Virta build on and take into new terrain the questing, jazz-tinged electroacoustic adventures of their last album, December 2016’s Hurmos, and its predecessor, their November 2012 debut Tales From Deep Waters. Still recognisable as who they were, the Virta of 2023 now delves further than ever before into their inner world to craft their most affecting, most atmospheric and most cinematic music to date. Even so, Horros does not need to be accompanied by images – it envelops so much that signposts are unnecessary. The music itself is the guide through this sound world. The creators of this environment are Antti Hevosmaa (electronics, flugelhorn, trumpet, vocals), Erik Fräki (electronics, drums, percussion, vocals) and Heikki Selamo (bass, electronics, guitar, lap steel, vocals). Together as Virta – which translates from Finnish as electricity, energy or stream – the trio were acclaimed as a “cornerstone of Finnish experimental music” by Finnish daily by newspaper Savon Sanomat in 2016. Horros will ensure this status becomes the case internationally. Beyond Finland, Virta already have dedicated listeners in Canada, France, Germany, Poland, the United States and the UK. Reflecting on Horros, Antti says “We’ve always made music we want to listen to ourselves. We’ve asked what is the sound we want to listen to? We are digging deeper now, with new elements – more vocals. Lyrics too, which we haven’t done before.” Without sacrificing who they are, Virta now have a wider scope than ever. “A key idea with Virta is to make the music you hear in your head and share it with people,” adds Heikki. “Yes, to share what is in our heads,” agrees Erik. “But also, it becomes live music, that’s the point

Formed in the spring of 2020, Los Angeles-based Sacred Skin is the creative duo of Brian DaMert and Brian Tarney. In short order, the pair has shown a nearly unmatched ability to create anthemic pop music steeped in romanticism and melancholy and drenched in layers upon layers of new wave nostalgia. Backed by an impressive string of singles throughout 2021 and into the following year, the band released their highly anticipated full-length debut, The Decline of Pleasure, in May of 2022 to much fanfare. Armed with vintage gear such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet-VS & E-mu Emulator II and buoyed by strong songwriting, expert production work, and DaMert’s emotionally-charged vocals, Sacred Skin has delivered a modern masterpiece of an album that belongs as much to the ‘80s as it does the present day. An album worthy of standing next to the strongest efforts of idols like Duran Duran, INXS, Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode, and New Order. An album that has captured the hearts of so many already and will no doubt continue to do so for years to come.

Midnight Mannequin Records is proud to present this deluxe reissue of The Decline of Pleasure, pressed for the first time on 2xLP colored vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket complete with OBI strip. Newly remastered and cut at 45 rpm for exceptional sound quality, this is Decline like you’ve never heard it before. Featuring the bonus tracks Killer’s Mind and a remix of fan favorite Earthbound by fellow synth pop disciples Nuovo Testamento.

Hans Hulbækmo, a driving force in the groups Moskus, Skadedyr, Flukten and Reolo, and a prominent member of bands like Atomic, Hanna Paulsberg Concept, Broen and Hulbækmo & Jacobsen Familieorkester, is now ready with his first solo album - "Tilfeldig Næpe".Hulbækmo was born into a musical family, where both his mother Tone Hulbækmo, and father Hans Fredrik Jacobsen, were active musicians within Norwegian Folk Music. Hans and his brother Alf were taken on tours around the world from an early age. His upbringing has shaped his identity as a musician and has made music a natural part of everyday life. His versatile musicality makes it as natural for him to express himself through the drum set as through other instruments. On "Tilfeldig Næpe" he explores a variety of instruments that form an "expanded drum kit".Throughout the album, the listener is introduced to Hulbækmo's passion for Dadaism and European improvisational music, while also finding inspiration in the everyday and in Norwegian traditional and functional music. Each track is improvised and showcases his unique musicality, strongly characteristic playing style, and ability for spontaneous composition. The love for interaction, communal improvisation, and the social aspect of music has always been essential to Hulbækmo. On his first solo album, he has found ways to play with or against himself, both in the spontaneous creation and in the process of putting the album together as a whole. At times, he plays several different instruments simultaneously. This framework creates both opportunities and limitations. "Tilfeldig Næpe" draws the listener into Hans Hulbækmo's creative world, a world full of coincidences and exciting compositions

Never Before Reissued On Vinyl! After the smash success of Deee-lite's debut record World Clique, and their now-iconic dance club hit "Groove Is In The Heart", anticipation was high for a follow-up from the New York-based dance music trio of vocalist Miss Lady Kier, and producers DJ Towa Tei and Super DJ Dmitri.

For their sophomore record Infinity Within, Deee-Lite opted to venture in a different direction of sorts. The club-embracing disco-funk sounds and groovy vibes of World Clique were everpresent, but while that record contained themes of global togetherness, Infinity Within took a more socially aware route, with politically charged themes of environmentalism, (To show their bonafidese, Infinity Within was one of the first titles to be issued in an ecologically friendly Eco-pak.) sexual liberation, voting rights, and critique of the juidicial system.

Taking major inspiration from the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching, Miss Lady Kier would later explain that Infinity Within was a natural progression for the group, not a departure. Elaborating in an interview with Reflex Magazine, she remarked: "The reason why we titled this new album Infinity Within to balance out World Clique’s idea of looking outward and thinking about unity is if you look outward, you should look inward to see what you’re doing as an individual.

Because people seem to be so passive I’d like to see people turn their TV sets off and start protesting." Infinity Within was not the overwhelming commercial success that World Clique was, but it's tracks shined on the Billboard Dance Club charts, with it's lead single "Runaway" reaching #1 on the chart, bolstered by a Gus Van Sant-directed music video.

The record also featured a slew of top-tier collaborators, including Parliament veterans Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins (Returning from their appearances on World Clique) as well as Bootsy's brother Catfish Collins, legendary house DJ Statoshi Tomiie, and rap verses from Michael Franti, Jamal-Ski, and a pre-"Tennessee" Arrested Development.

Even though critical reaction at the time was cooler than their debut, over the years Infinity Within has been considered an underrated
gem of 90's dance, a classic of early club and house music, and a remarkable follow-up for Deee-Lite.

Errare Humanum Est comes from the Latin proverb "To err is human" as a musician and a human-being, you are constantly facing "mistakes" on your compositional work and your instrumental interpretation, Felipe Gordon presents his second conceptual album under this premise, you should accept and make mistakes as a crucial part of art and life. During late 2022 and beginning of 2023, the musician and producer worked on a new long play in his home studio "El Dorado" in Bogot?, Colombia. Trying to create a whole new concept and universe he re-visited some forgotten musical sketches, going from breakbeats, synthesis, boom bap, deep acid and house music Felipe presents us his new album, a melting pot of musical ideas, again not trying to achieve a club track filled long play but a whole listening experience, not focusing only on dancing matters but also on every day musical enjoyment. With the forward-thinking distribution and collaboration from the Rotterdam based power house, Clone Records and looking for a way to create a more independent environment for his releases, Felipe is creating his own "Wide Awake", a new record label focused only on sharing and creating a platform for his constant output. As in "A Landscape Onomatopeya" (Felipe's first LP) Primer Ocaso took over the editorial design on their talented hands, creating an amazing Gatefold 2X12'' - 140 Gr Solid White Album edition

JIN enters autumn with a familiar yet evolving sound. For our eighth release (JIN08), we are delighted to have Tokyo's house wizard, Gonno, make his long-awaited return to JIN with a full EP, after the still talked about JIN01 quintessential remix of Initials B.B.'s "Paradise Patterns".

For this release, Gonno delivers 3 astonishing tracks. A1 features Gonno’s trademark melodic house bomb. B1 is an instantly mind-blowing IDM 2-1-2 floor shaker. Then for B2, he brilliantly closes out the EP with a floating ambient tune.

Rounding out this release on A2 is Gonno's dear friend from Paris, synth specialist Voiski, with a 4/4 remix that takes you on a uniquely classy trip.

Ein außergewöhnliches Album und eine geradezu bewusstseinserweiternde Klang-Erfahrung. Zwei Jahre nach seinem großen Erfolg "Persona" aus 2018 kehrt der Londoner Elektro-Musiker und Produzent Rival Consoles endlich mit dem rundum überzeugenden "Articulation" zurück Das Album entstand als konzeptionelles Experiment, das erforschen will, inwieweit visualisierte Strukturen sich musikalisch umsetzen und hörbar machen lassen. Während des Schreibprozesses zeichnete Ryan Lee West (aka Rival Consoles) also konkrete Formen und Muster von Hand, um zu versuchen dem Entstehungsprozess elektronischer Musik eine haptisch erfahrbare und vom Computer vollständig losgekoppelte Grundstruktur zu geben. Dazu passend wurde der Albumtitel gewählt, der sich auf ein Stück des zeitgenössischen Avantgarde-Komponisten Györgi Ligeti bezieht, weil dieses eine ganz ungewöhnliche grafische Partitur hat. Die Idee, analoge Zeichnungen und Werkzeuge zur Entwicklung digitaler Kreationen zu verwenden, ist deutlich hörbar: Auf "Articulation" beschwören grüblerischen Techno-Nummern, nostalgische Ambient-Meditation, pulsierende Soundscapes traumwandlerische Stimmungen herauf. Die Zeichnung wird zu Klang und Rhythmus und diese zur frei fließenden Energie.

In a realm where the threads of fate intertwined with the tapestry of existence, there existed a timeless construct we call “MENG”. This transcendental domain pushed a sanctuary where an unholy wisdom was safeguarded. Within its twenty-two walls, the experiences of countless sages and seekers resided, forming a reservoir of enlightenment, of vision and of identity.

Among the enigmatic texts that adorned the shelves of The Memory Palace, one stood out—the "Tubular Heaven," a chapter that held the essence of the universe's patterns and transformations. The book we speak of is the Book of Change - I Ching. Legend has it that the Memory Palace embodied the vibrations of those who sought its wisdom, guiding them to the Slow-Chain’s pages where hexagrams unveiled the secrets of existence.

Amidst this cosmic dance of knowledge, there lived a young wanderer whose name we do not say out loud. Driven by a deep yearning for understanding, this Warrior ventured into the city of Tanoy. With every step, he felt the resonance of centuries long gone, as if the walls whispered to him the essence of reality itself - “you may fall as long as you stand up again. Repeat this 1000 times and you will understand me. Only then can we control the sound.” As he reached for the illuminated Book of Change, a light was cast onto a newly fabricated realm of questions.

One hexagram, in particular, was essential. The cryptic symbolism was perplexing. Upon meditation, we slowly begin to realize that life is indeed a tapestry of imperfections, yet from these glitches we arise with profound growth and transformation.

As our curiosity spikes, we delve into the pages that follow, discovering an unexpected connection between I Ching and the world of Jeans, no denim. In ancient times, the craft of weaving denim mirrored the wisdom of these hexagrams. Just as threads interwove to create a durable fabric, I Ching reveals how life's experiences intertwine to form a meaningful existence. Denim, like life, is sturdy yet adaptable - a true testament to the harmonious balance between falling and standing.

As this journey comes to a gentle end, we must stress that hexagrams prove that other divination systems exist. It has become clear that the patterns hitherto observed are not confined to one culture, tradition, mind or body. Instead, they echo throughout history, manifesting in various divination systems across our globe. Hexagrams are a universal language, transcending boundaries and demonstrating the interconnectedness of humanity's pursuit of higher understanding.

We can now truly emerge from the Memory Palace, carrying the wisdom of everything above us. It’s time to Drag A Friend into this Made Up Reality. Or is it? We now understand that life's glitches are the catalysts for growth and that just as threads wove together to create denim, experiences wove together to create a meaningful existence.
As we walk beneath the open sky, we whisper into the wind, "Hexagrams are the echoes of universal truths, proving that the search for wisdom knows no bounds."

The chimes tingle in the deep subset of your imagination. As the pages of the Book of Change unfurl one last time, the shimmering tapestry of our shallow minds unravels.

We have revealed the kaleidoscopic corridors where perceptions dance in hallucinogenic symphony to the hymns of our rich minds.

Nach dem Erfolg der ersten beiden TechnoBase.FM-LP‘s schickt ZYX Music nun die dritte Ausgabe ins Rennen, um die Herzen der Musikliebhaber des HandsUp-Genres zu erobern. Auch dieses Mal begeistert die Doppel-Vinyl mit vielen Hits und Ohrwürmern. Diesmal animieren Songs wie zum Beispiel „Drop The Bass“ von Rocco., „My Life Is A Party“ von ItaloBrothers, sowie „Come With Me“ von Special D. (u.v.m), zur idealen HandsUp-Party. Mit insgesamt 14 HandsUp-Songs eine starke Vinyl-Edition des Webradiosenders TechnoBase. FM!

Lower-case and higher-vibes, loket is the saxophonic alias of Tahl Klainman, a versatile presence in Berlin’s alternative and underground scene, whose diverse productions have traversed ambient, trance, techno and jazz on labels such as Mama Told Ya, Hot Concept and Tax Free Records. More recently loket also guested on Massimiliano Pagliara’s LP ‘See You In Paradise’, which received the 2023 German Record Critics’ Award, as well as establishing Klainman as one of the few saxophonists to have jammed live to a peak-time Panorama Bar dancefloor.

Reigniting the languid futurism of trip-hop and downtempo, ‘All Ages’ ably delivers the most inclusive distillation of loket’s sound thus far, paying respect to the influences such as William Orbit and Moby, as well as fourth-world innovator Jon Hassell’s philosophy of blending traditional instrumentation with contemporary electronic experimentalism. Mixed in collaboration with Angus Finlayson, aka Minor Science, each of ‘All Ages’ four pieces transmit the wonder and free-spirited optimism reflected on photographer Jordan Kirk’s wide-eyed cover art.

Title track ‘All Ages’ prizes open a saxophonic wormhole to beckon an infectiously baggy groove, unexpectedly referencing the optimistic rhythm of acid-house inflected Madchester, only with gnarlier guitars to contrast a seriously insistent bassline. ‘Afternoon at Bärenquell’ boldly teases out sonic pleasure from even more idiosyncratic means, melding baroque strings and twinkling new-age melodies to loket’s emotive brass, culminating in a neo-classical finale that seems to suspend itself mid-air.

‘Sanders Groove’ sees loket’s sax step back on a bed of soft, jazz-inflected percussion and unpredictable electronics, melting as one into a slow-motion riff that’s equal parts indie jam and musique concrete. Finally, ‘Soft as Moonlight’ makes good on its romantic namesake with a swelling arrangement that free floats into deft percussion, dreaming and teeming with positive energy.

Social Resilience’ is the first release on !mage Recordings. A brand new label from the UK with 4 fresh tracks from techno producer ‘Other’.

The idea comes from looking at the state of society at this current time and how everyone is dealing with social pressures. The tracks have a more tribal, hypnotic vibe to them, taking you away from all the madness going on around us. The more you move into the jungle, the more you get away from the stresses of life..

I was always someone that loved getting lost in the music on the dance floor… The darker the better… Sweat dripping off the ceiling, smoke blurring your vision, no lights apart from one strobe occasionally flashing in the dance….This is not a photo opportunity so just let the music take you away to areas of your mind you don’t usually visit..

This Vinyl Release is limited to 200 only so grab a copy before they’re all gone!

As every year anniversary, Bonkers has the tradition of the special annual compilation, bringing a bunch of new extraordinary artists to the label. This VA is the sound that Bonkers represents, a sound to trip, to listen, to dance and to enjoy, now for year IV we have on board: Sobek, Colossio Feat Animales Nocturnos, Ludviq & Radial Gaze, Moisees & ZEA, ID_UA and Oblako Maranta.

For the first track of the VA, debuting on the label, the Hungarian producer Sobek ,named after the Egyptian crocodile god, resident of Aether club, with releases on TAU, Get Physical, Borders of Light, and owner of Complaint Kulture.“Conscious Raveness” is a harsh and enjoyable journey, with a rough bass and drilling mind synths, his sound simple has no boundaries.

Talking about sick collabs, “Retaliation” definitely is one of them, also is the first collab between the head of the label, Luis(Ludviq) and Andrey (Radial Gaze), this track has a great power in it, with a lot of trippy Fx, home-made recorded percs, mind-blowing leads and a massive bass line. Just listen and enjoy the ride.

Igor Dyeyev mostly known as ID_UA, is an Ukrainian producer, with releases on labels like Calypso and Duro, now debuting on the label with “Crucial Moment”.

This track was made during the escalation of tension on the borders of Ukraine, what happened next is known to the whole world.

With releases on Exit Strategy, Duro and Scatcity Fernando Luna aka Colossio, presents his track “Reflejos” featuring Animales Nocturnos, is inspired by the Spanish electro-trash scene where the beat and the lyrics evoke the most hidden and dark feelings that spring up at night, inviting you to enter the trance that provokes the dance.

For the first time have the pleasure to have one of the Duro Label bosses Moisees, joining forces with ZEA with “Recuerdo Futuro” is a flash of the forgotten rave parties of the nineties, the nostalgia of a past that was not lived.

To close this VA we have the honor to have, a new fresh and visionary project called Oblako Maranta, is the fusion project between the Italian Producer A-Tweed and the Russian producer Radial Gaze. “Viper Attack” is special track ,weird, slow and raver, with psychedelic nuances, definitely a trippy journey.

Explorations was born from the inquisitive spirit that Hypnotica Colectiva has always had for the world of experimental music. We can classify it as an ambitious project, based on the fact that it is the first official sub-label of HC Records, but also pointing to the musical section both on the publishing side and on the live art side. The main objective is not to adhere to any pigeonhole, seeking to cover a wide range of unconventional sounds and rhythms without straying too far from recognizable and danceable patterns. That is why we want to create space for this project on and off the track, without barriers, and with our eyes mainly set on the future.

To kickstart the project, we look within for answers, paying attention to our mother label. John and Paul Healy hide under the name of Somatic Responses, two Welsh brothers with a long and proven career in intelligent music. We won't say that they are pioneers, but they did manage to forge a characteristic sound and style that has accompanied them since they began their career in the mid-90s.

EXPLORATIONS 01 was not conceived as an LP is usually made. When contacting the artists, they sent us a large number of tracks that they thought would fit the label's preferences. From here, the Explorations team selected the 13 tracks that now come to you, trying to find the balance between the three main styles we bet on for this first release: IDM, Ambient and Drone.

"HC Records is expanding its horizons with a new parallel yet ambitious project. In an effort to broaden its recording legacy from an evolutionary perspective, the Valencian label is venturing into the field of experimental sound. This new direction signifies a rejuvenation and adaptation to a new era, where music fragments and expands towards infinite horizons. Complex compositions, abstract designs, and extreme sound treatments define this innovative approach, pushing music beyond its limits and sacrificing some of its essential properties in the process."

Ximo Noguera @Industrial Complexx

If the name of this collection of traxxx offends you, move on — there’s no hope for you here. If, on the other hand, Toribio’s salacious fun-pun cracked your cool exterior, here’s an introduction to a set of bangers that helps exemplify New York’s increasingly exuberant dancefloor, and what producer/DJ Cesar Toribio brings to it. His is a ribald, rhythmic take on dance music, neither for the weak of musical character (purists need not apply) nor for the weak of ass (-shaking). In fact, the proof is right there, in Toribio’s label’s and monthly party’s name: Bring Dat Ass. This command is not optional, but *the* key ingredient for a good time.

The five songs Toribio has created for “Tongue In Cheeks,” BDA’s first release, comprise a horny melting pot of tribal house and Linn-drum plug-ins, minimalist synth textures and basslines, hi-hats reminiscent of electro and freestyle classics, some of which are infused with New York’s Latin club history and futures. The lead-off track, “No Pare,” is based on the producer’s 808-driven reinvention of the call-and-response hook from Proyecto Uno’s 1993 merengue-house smash “El Tiburón,” marking the first time the group has ever cleared a sample of this Nuyodominican classic. We predict that “No Pare” will be a Fall 2023 monster.

Guest vocal appearances by The Illustrious Blacks and Maluca, cornerstones of different dance-floor scenes in a city currently hitting peak-energy levels, show the breadth of Toribio’s regard for community: There is a lot of crossover to how the punky Dominicana MC from Washington Heights chooses to slang-tastically “Werk It Out,” and how the Neo-Afro-Futuristic-Psychedelic-Surrealistic-Hippys Monstah Black and Manchildblack infuse a dollop of booty into “Work Dat Shit.” And the two different metallic beats point at seemingly separate parts of Toribio’s musical heritage uniting. There’s no formula, but if there was, it would be: Make it sexy. Make it (consensually) grindy. Make it funny to the point of ridiculous but so funky that the laughter becomes more fuel to the joyous momentum propelling the movement. Then make it home — or try to.

Cesar Toribio’s home is, originally Tampa — and the DR, where he’d spend summers with family. He was a drum-corps prodigy who went to Berklee to become a jazz drummer and be like Gil Evans. He idolized Miles’ orchestral arranger’s work as much as Dilla’s beats, but then discovered house music, so it was a wrap. The 2021 band album Toribio made under the name Conclave — which included his sister Sharin and musicians from such great projects as Standing On the Corner, No Regular Play and Irreversible Entanglements — unearthed the work of a singer-songwriter-arranger-producer of immeasurably nuanced, soulful jazz-house music. But when Toribio started DJing more and more, he decided to listen to the devil on his shoulder who told him to Bring Dat Ass. As Cesar damn-well knows, it’s the devil who has the better jokes and holds the better parties, so his ears perked up. “Tongue in Cheeks” is the music Toribio says he made to play at these parties, because he can’t find it anywhere else. It’s hard to disagree.

UK drummer and sound artist Cameron Graham dances between EDM, joyous calypso colour, cellular Glassian minimalism, and hyperrealist AI on debut album Becoming a Beach Angel, evoking a SNES world of blissful vibrancy.

Creating his dizzying, dayglo MIDI explorations with drumkit triggers, UK musician Cameron Graham conjures a multitude of soundworlds from dense compositional structures. The music of debut album Becoming a Beach Angel touches on neon, videogame digitisation, the finessed, mechanical precision of IDM, even the rhythmic intensity of gamelan, whilst retaining a thrilling and wholly singular energy. The record is an electrifying experience, full of colour.

Becoming a Beach Angel flips and trips through headspinning, hyperspeed effervescence, like an entire rave condensed into a moment. Instantly joyful, its textures - formed in wavetable synthesis triggered by live-performed percussion pads - thread and bob through hyperreal abstract space, millisecond snippets of organ chords and steel pans zooming like stars in a galaxy rocketed past at

lightspeed. “It’s about grabbing and holding a close person going through depression or self-doubt, taking them out the door,” Cameron explains. “Dance music for that moment you need only to find a way to move forward.”