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With Dispersion, Loom & Thread return to the volatile architecture of the expanded piano trio - and quietly fracture it from within.

Daniel Klein (drums), Tobias Fröhlich (double bass) and Tom Schneider (keys, sampler) remain the sole agents on stage and in the final recording. The triangle holds. And yet, the field has expanded. For their second studio album, the trio fed their improvisations with the timbral signatures of guest saxophone and vibraphone players - not just as additional voices to be featured, but also as material to be absorbed, atomized and redistributed. The result is not augmentation but thorough refraction.

Where the debut album explored the recursive labyrinth of Schneider's live sampling of his own piano, Dispersion introduces an external grain into the feedback system. Breath and metal. Reed turbulence and struck resonance. The trio sampled extended improvisations by saxophone and vibes players: Victor Fox, Asger Nissen, Volker Heuken, and L&T's own Daniel Klein; dissected their attacks, overtones and decay curves, and integrated these fragments into the trio's internal circuitry. What emerges is a play of presences without bodies - instrumental ghosts circulating through the dense weave of rhythm and keys.

At first, one might hear the familiar relational tension: Klein's polyrhythmic elasticity interlocking with Fröhlich's tensile double bass figurations, Schneider poised at the hinge between tonal field and percussive impulse. But soon, the surface splinters - again. A vibraphone shimmer appears, yet no mallets are visible. A reed multiphonic surges through the texture, bending space between bass and drums. These events are neither quotations nor overlays; they are redistributed energies, dispersed across the trio's grammar. A digital multidimensional interplay ensues.

If the first album unfolded as a two-tiered game - live phrase and sampled reflection - Dispersion adds a further axis. The sampled materials from other improvisers are stripped of their erstwhile two-way interaction and reconstituted as malleable particles. Signifier detached from origin, resonance detached from gesture. The trio navigates a constantly shifting topology in which acoustic memory and electronic manipulation are indistinguishable.

Crucially, the album never abandons the physical urgency of three musicians reacting in real time. The additional timbral layers do not thicken the texture into opacity; rather, they introduce stark points and arrows of diffraction. Density opens into prismatic clarity. Lines splinter and regroup. What seems like a quartet or quintet collapses back into three bodies negotiating an expanded field.

Dispersion is not about addition but about distribution - of agency, of timbre, of temporal perspective. It is an album in which the trio setting becomes a site of multiplicity without surrendering its immediacy. A dissolution not only of the divide between present experience and memory, but between inside and outside, self and other.

Three musicians. Countless vectors. A music that fractures in order to cohere.

CREDITS:
Tom Schneider: piano & sampler
Tobi Fröhlich: double bass
Daniel Klein: drums & percussion

sample sources:
Victor Fox: tenor saxophone
Asger Nissen: alto saxophone
Volker Heuken: vibes
Daniel Klein: vibes

Recorded by Martin Dressler at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg.
Mixed & mastered by Martin Ruch.
Artwork by Viet Hoa Le.

White vinyl. Unmusique is a 17-track project from experimental rapper and producer Lucy Bedroque, released on DeadAir Records.

Black Salt is the second album from Kiiōtō (Mercury Music Prize nominated singer/songwriter Lou Rhodes, former lead vocalist and co-founder of Lamb and award-winning songwriter and pianist Rohan Heath). Their debut album, As Dust We Rise, was released in 2024 to critical acclaim.


Stylistically Black Salt leans further into Jazz, broken beat and soul textures than the debut,with references as diverse as Carole King, Khruangbin and Alice Coltrane. The resulting album is impossible to define by genre, but is fused by the unique interplay of Heath's melodic sensibilities and Rhodes inimitable voice.

Written primarily in Kiiōtō's home studio in North London, Black Salt features guest appearances from a melting pot of musicians, notably guitarist Hawi Gondwe (Amy Winehouse), double-bassist Andy Hamill (4 Hero, Carleen Anderson), drummer Mykey Wilson (Corrine Bailey Rae), and even some impromptu guitar by the one and only David Arnold.


BLACK SALT is out April 2026.

“III” is an intimate, cinematic and dream-like body of work — written, produced and mixed by Morita Vargas, and recorded in Buenos Aires between 2014 and 2025. The album was mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll Studio (NY), adding depth and clarity to its carefully built sonic landscape.

The visual world of the record is an essential part of the release. The cover artwork was crafted by Juliana Guglielmi, Ariadna Aylen Barrios, and Noelia Garreffa, whose combined vision creates a unified visual narrative that reflects the album’s emotional depth and atmospheric essence. The LP layout and full manufacturing realization were carefully executed by Ilja Tulit, translating the complex design ideas into their final tangible form of a vinyl release.

“III” marks a special release for Hidden Harmony Recordings. Morita Vargas was among the first artists released when the label began in 2020–2021, and her work played an important role in shaping the spirit and direction of Hidden Harmony.

A live document of the Melvins' performance of the experimental piece `Colossus of Destiny,' this release captures the band's avant-garde side at its most uncompromising. Consisting largely of feedback, drones, and noise improvisations with only a brief appearance of traditional rock structure, it highlights their willingness to blur the lines between rock concert and sound-art installation.

Geboren im Sommer '96/'97 - dem Jahr des Höllenschweins - brannten Mustang als soziales Experiment aus der Innenstadt Tasmaniens heraus. Sie kamen mit ziemlich viel davon, andere hätten für weniger wohl nicht mehr gleich ausgesehen.Sie sauf-ten, machten Sachen kaputt und brachten dieses Chaos in das Schreiben von Banger-Songs - während sie sich bei den ,Proben" XXX Ales reinzogen und bei sehr wichtigen ,Bandmeetings" Protokolle führten.Mustang schütteten Benzin über ihre tasmanische Ödnis, bevor sie 7,69 Millionen Quadratkilometer Landmasse der Erde in sich aufsogen und dort ,dominierten", auf die einzige Art, die sie kannten: laut, wütend und zu ihren eigenen Bedingungen - und nahmen dabei Horden williger Partygänger mit auf die Reise.Über drei Non-Studio-Alben und eine Handvoll kleiner Veröffentlichungen hinweg bauten Mustang einen Katalog auf, der von Bier, Speed und störrischer Unabhängigkeit geprägt war. Kein Glanz. Kein Trendgehechel. Kein Buckeln vor dem Mann. Sie ritten ein, tranken, was da war, und hinterließen klingelnde Köpfe.Cut Up Rough (2015) war ihr Schwanengesang - geboren in einer Heuscheune am ausgefransten Rand von Tasmaniens Rock-Hochburg. Aufgenommen über zwei schlaflose, bierselige Tage wurde das Album mit improvisierten Drum-Takes, aufgedrehten Gitarren und purem Instinkt in die Existenz gerissen. Die Band lebte während der Aufnahmen buchstäblich in der Scheune - schiss ins Gras, schlief zwischen leeren Dosen, und ließ Isolation und Absurdität direkt in billige Mikrofone bluten.

Analog Tara’s Life of the Mother is a sonic meditation on the depth, expansiveness, complexity, and power that this phrase holds. This album is made from layers of generative processes and interactions with them. Analog Tara uses a Zillion sequencer and Xone mixer as system guides, and sounds of the ARP 2500, Jealous Heart, Access Virus, Oberheim OB-6, Jomox XBase, Moog DFAM, and more to create a compelling electronic narrative.

Composed, recorded + mixed by Tara Rodgers. Mastered by Piper Payne, assisted by Colby Gustafson, at Neato Mastering in Nashville, TN. Art by Jackie Milad, She Goes Ancient, mixed media, 2019.

Sean Solomon had great expectations. But when his hopes for an abundant world crashed up against an unforgiving reality, he decided to feel nothing. For a time, the Los Angeles-born-and-raised singer/songwriter and cartoonist/animator gave into the void - an understandable impulse when the landscape is cluttered with social injustice and division, global atrocities, and devastating headlines. But artistic expression can be a release valve - a way to comprehend the world and build community, which is exactly what Sean does on his debut solo album, The World Is Not Good Enough, arriving April 17th, 2026 via his new label home of ANTI- Records.

Leading outlet for forward-thinking Scandinavian jazz, April Records, proudly presents the new album from Malmö-based quintet People In Orbit. A followup to their critically acclaimed 2023 release Close/Away (Naxos Prophone), the group continues to explore Scandinavia"s jazz tradition through a contemporary lens, blending acoustic interplay with electronics and a focus on collective improvisation. Led by trumpeter and composer Adam Sass, People In Orbit were formed in late 2020 with the intention of reimagining the classic jazz quintet with a contemporary edge. The group prioritises space, interaction, and ensemble balance, allowing composed material and collective responsiveness to shape the music. Alongside Sass, the band features Edvin Ekman (tenor saxophone, effects), Niklas Bergström (piano, Moog, keyboards), Edvin Elmersson (double bass), and Frank William Reis (drums). Viewpoint is a concept-driven album centred on perspective; how different viewpoints influence the way events are interpreted, and how perspective can foster connection or distance. Much of the album is built around Cycles, a four-part suite composed from a graphic score, with each section representing a different human life and its relationship to the surrounding world. The album moves through shifting emotional and psychological states, from curiosity and tension to reflection and release. Perspective is explored not only through human experience, but also via non-human viewpoints - including music inspired by deep-ocean communication between whales and slow, drifting motion. Musically, Viewpoint continues People In Orbit"s blend of modern jazz-rock and electronics, while drawing influence from the Scandinavian jazz quintet tradition of the 1960s. The music balances structured composition with openness, allowing individual voices to exist within a clearly defined collective sound. With Viewpoint, People In Orbit presents a focused and cohesive statement - an album shaped by shared intent, conceptual clarity, and a continued commitment to collective expression.

Reissue of the essential album by Granada's TNT. "Manifiesto Guernika" is an essential piece of Spanish punk & post-punk history, originally released in 1983 by the legendary DRO label. One of the pillars and most important records of Spanish punk, "Manifiesto Guernika" remains a fresh, powerful and intense classic of the genre. An exciting mix of '77 punk, post-punk and "Combat Rock"-era Clash with smart and profound lyrics that elevated them to cult status. Original artwork & insert and extra fold out insert.

Originally released in 2001, Once is the debut album by The Tyde and a quietly influential title from the late-'90s / early-2000s West Coast indie pop scene. Rooted in warm melodic guitars, subtle psychedelic textures, and introspective songwriting, the album occupies a distinctive space between indie pop, folk-rock, and California psychedelia. While never a mainstream release, Once steadily built a loyal following over the years, earning its reputation as a cult classic among fans and collectors. Its understated production, emotional restraint, and timeless melodies have allowed the album to age exceptionally well, making it as relevant today as it was upon release. This 25th anniversary reissue offers a strong opportunity to reintroduce an overlooked catalogue gem to both established fans and new listeners. With the continued demand for high-quality reissues and historically important indie titles, Once fits perfectly within current collector and indie-focused retail trends. The album's enduring appeal, combined with the anniversary context, gives it solid long-term catalogue value beyond initial release interest.

Concert at Prades-le-Lez marks the origins of the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. In 1974, François Tusques and his companions (Michel Marre, Jo Maka, Adolf Winkler and Guem), in the spirit of Don Cherry or Chris McGregor, playfully dismantle all borders and all styles of creative music.

On this second volume, the Intercommunal builds unprecedented soundscapes around a song of revolt, a dance tune, or a burst of dissonance. The journey is unforgettable, no question about it. On repeat listening, it even becomes… lunar!

“The music that we make is primarily meant to be listened to live,” warned a leaflet from the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. This is precisely why the (restored!) reissue of the two volumes of Concert at Prades-le-Lez, recorded on January 25 and 26, 1974 by François Tusques and his comrades, is such an important event.

In 1971, after recording a series of albums that would leave a lasting mark on French jazz (Free Jazz, of course, with Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin and Charles Saudrais, but also Le Nouveau Jazz with Barney Wilen, or the solo Piano Dazibao), François Tusques founded the Intercommunal—a grouping whose very name called for the fraternization of the various communities making up the country: Our music will help, we hope, to resolve the contradictions that exist between workers be longing to different communities, by breaking down various forms of national chauvinism, and more particularly the chauvinism of certain French people toward the cultures of Third World countries… Long live the friendship between the peoples of the whole world!

Among the great records made by the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra, the two volumes of Concert at Prades-le-Lez come first, before L’Inter Communal, Vol. 4, Le Musichien, and Après la marée noire (four titles already reissued by Souffle Continu). François Tusques and his companions (Michel Marre and Jo Maka on saxophones, Adolf Winkler on trombone, and Guem on percussion) performed on January 25 and 26, 1974 at the Moulin de Prades-le-Lez, a few kilometers from Montpellier. It was thus in the southern region of Occitanie that the first echoes of this musical vision of a borderless brotherhood were recorded.

“We’re not among the Colonels,” the Intercommunal reassures us right away, performing a stride piano tune carried by African winds that the audience cannot resist for long. The energy is already striking and it never lets up throughout these two recordings, from start to finish: jazz, blues, traditional music, minimalism, even funk… The musicians of the Intercommunal have heard a lot of great music and now delight in reinventing it by mixing it all together.

“We want the song form to take its place as a weapon in the struggle against capitalist exploitation and all those who oppress us morally and materially,” declared an Intercommunal leaflet, quoting Jean-Baptiste Clément, author of the lyrics to “Le Temps des cerises.” The struggle was therefore serious—but it did not prevent François Tusques and his group from waging it in a festive spirit: each piece on Concert at Prades-le- Lez sends out a call for love and fraternity. Fifty years later, the message remains as relevant as ever—and once again, it is François Tusques who makes it heard.

Concert at Prades-le-Lez marks the origins of the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. In 1974, François Tusques and his companions (Michel Marre, Jo Maka, Adolf Winkler and Guem), in the spirit of Don Cherry or Chris McGregor, playfully dismantle all borders and all styles of creative music.

On this first volume, the Intercommunal takes its audience from New Orleans to Brittany and on to North Africa. The journey was bold, without a doubt—and its memory remains unforgettable.

“The music that we make is primarily meant to be listened to live,” warned a leaflet from the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. This is precisely why the (restored!) reissue of the two volumes of Concert at Prades-le-Lez, recorded on January 25 and 26, 1974 by François Tusques and his comrades, is such an important event.

In 1971, after recording a series of albums that would leave a lasting mark on French jazz (Free Jazz, of course, with Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin and Charles Saudrais, but also Le Nouveau Jazz with Barney Wilen, or the solo Piano Dazibao), François Tusques founded the Intercommunal—a grouping whose very name called for the fraternization of the various communities making up the country: Our music will help, we hope, to resolve the contradictions that exist between workers be longing to different communities, by breaking down various forms of national chauvinism, and more particularly the chauvinism of certain French people toward the cultures of Third World countries… Long live the friendship between the peoples of the whole world!

Among the great records made by the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra, the two volumes of Concert at Prades-le-Lez come first, before L’Inter Communal, Vol. 4, Le Musichien, and Après la marée noire (four titles already reissued by Souffle Continu). François Tusques and his companions (Michel Marre and Jo Maka on saxophones, Adolf Winkler on trombone, and Guem on percussion) performed on January 25 and 26, 1974 at the Moulin de Prades-le-Lez, a few kilometers from Montpellier. It was thus in the southern region of Occitanie that the first echoes of this musical vision of a borderless brotherhood were recorded.

“We’re not among the Colonels,” the Intercommunal reassures us right away, performing a stride piano tune carried by African winds that the audience cannot resist for long. The energy is already striking and it never lets up throughout these two recordings, from start to finish: jazz, blues, traditional music, minimalism, even funk… The musicians of the Intercommunal have heard a lot of great music and now delight in reinventing it by mixing it all together.

“We want the song form to take its place as a weapon in the struggle against capitalist exploitation and all those who oppress us morally and materially,” declared an Intercommunal leaflet, quoting Jean-Baptiste Clément, author of the lyrics to “Le Temps des cerises.” The struggle was therefore serious—but it did not prevent François Tusques and his group from waging it in a festive spirit: each piece on Concert at Prades-le- Lez sends out a call for love and fraternity. Fifty years later, the message remains as relevant as ever—and once again, it is François Tusques who makes it heard.

Ste Cy, the latest studio offering from the trio of Jac Berrocal, Vincent Epplay, and Timo van Luijk, ripens like a forbidden fruit—born of an improvised instrumental session captured in the secluded hush of Kulta Saha by Timo van Luijk. These raw recordings were later reshaped into 12 songs by Vincent Epplay at Studio Villejuif in Paris. And over it all drifts the poetry of Jac Berrocal— sensual and incendiary, seeping into the music like spice into flesh.

Phil Berg is back on the label, with his highly anticipated return. Four tracks that
continue to pave the way he laid in 2023 with his Raid EP.

Titled Iso, the EP is a study in reduction and discipline. Phil builds each track around a single guiding tension, rhythmic loops that breathe and shift injecting different emotions as each sound passes.

Phil Berg first appeared on SK11 in late 2023 with Raid, one of his biggest and most accomplished releases to date, an EP that made an immediate impression across techno fans worldwide. Iso's four productions here, each with their own identity, each showcasing the same commitment to craft and precision that defined his introduction to the label.

The EP is a statement of intent for Phil in 2026 and one of SK11's strongest releases of the year.

Welcome to the mind-expanding 1968 jazz recording of Bill Plummer and The Cosmic Brotherhood—where Eastern and psychedelic influences meld together to produce one of the trippiest jazz albums on Impulse Records. This LP is a much-sought-after sonic travelogue, with the pop-psych spoken-word sitar freakout of “Journey To The East” to Bill Plummer’s swinging, rapid fire/cool jazz compositions, to his covers that go straight to the heart of any 60’s genre-crossing jazz fans. Featuring an incredible who's who of the high-caliber talent bubbling over in the Los Angeles music scene at the time: Carol Kaye (legendary bass player of The Wrecking Crew), Maurice Miller (drummer in The Jazz Corps), Dennis Budimir (guitarist with Chico Hamilton Quintet, Ravi Shankar & Frank Zappa), Mike Lang (Piano with Flamin’ Groovies & Hal Blaine), Tom Scott (Saxophone with Gabor Szabo & Thelonious Monk), Ray Neopolitan (Bass for The Doors & Leonard Cohen), Milt Holland (Percussionist with The Wrecking Crew &
Captain Beefheart), Bill Goodwin (Drums for Mose Allison & Tom Waits).
Housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with iconic liner notes by Frank Kofsky, who comes out swinging hard in favor of the album, while shaking the dust off any jazz snobs left in the '60s who still were not ready to embrace the future of jazz. Produced by Bob Thiele who produced everyone from John
Coltrane, Art Blakey to Charles Mingus, this sonic rarity is yet another impressive vinyl reissue from the folks at Jackpot Records.

"Weejuns is all about interplay,"erklärt Gitarristin Mollestad. ,Bitches Blues besteht aus sechs Instrumentalstücken oder Musikabschnitten mit einer extremen Bandbreite an Dynamik. Einige basieren auf kräftigen Beats, während andere Stücke weitaus lyrischer und rubato sind. Die Bandbreite reicht von riffbasierten rockigen Stücken über lautes Chaos bis hin zu melancholischen Balladen und sogar völlig freien Improvisationen." Mit einem kultivierten und dennoch erfrischend instinktiven Ansatz, Instrumente und Einflüsse miteinander zu verflechten, wechselt Bitches Blues (ein ironischer Verweis auf Miles Davis' Album Bitches Brew) unvorhersehbar zwischen langsamen und sanften, klar gegliederten Songs mit disziplinierten Akkordfolgen und explosiven Ausbrüchen kathartischer und komplexer Strukturen. Weejuns (eine Slang-Abkürzung für ,Norwegians") stellten sich 2023 mit einem selbstbetitelten Doppel-Live-Album vor. Ursprünglich von Mollestad für das Kongsberg Jazz Festival zusammengestellt, wo sie mit dem renommierten Musicians Prize ausgezeichnet wurde, hat sich die Chemie innerhalb von Weejuns als dauerhaft und verlockend erwiesen, auch als Gegenpol zum bisher härtesten Album des Hedvig Mollestad Trios, Bees in the Bonnet aus dem Jahr 2025. Mollestad hat mit ihrem gleichnamigen Trio acht gefeierte Alben veröffentlicht. Das Markenzeichen ihrer 15-jährigen Karriere ist die Verschmelzung von ernsthaftem Können mit einem offensichtlichen Fokus darauf, Spaß am Klang zu finden. Als Tochter eines Jazzmusikers vertiefte sie sich in dessen Plattensammlung und studierte klassische Werke von Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Joe Pass und Jim Hall, bevor sie in ihren 20ern Riff-gewaltige Titanen wie Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath und Mahavishnu Orchestra entdeckte. Dies führte zur Gründung des Hedvig Mollestad Trios, dessen unermüdlicher Aufnahme- und Tourneeplan seit Anfang der 2010er Jahre der Gitarristin eine Reihe von Auszeichnungen einbrachte, darunter zwei norwegische Grammys (Spellemannprisen) und die Ernennung durch das DownBeat-Magazin zu einer der 25 Künstlerinnen, die ,den Jazz für Jahrzehnte prägen könnten". Ståle Storlokken (Bass, Synths) ist Gründer und langjähriges Mitglied von Supersilent und Elephant9, seit Mitte der 90er Jahre die ,rechte Hand" von Terje Rypdal und hat mit Motorpsycho auf Platte und auf der Bühne sowie mit unzähligen anderen zusammengearbeitet. Ole Mofjell (Drums) ist das jüngste Mitglied und spielt bei Krokofant, Signe Emmeluths Amoeba und seinem eigenen Free-Jazz-Trio 3 Days Of Maceration.

"Weejuns is all about interplay,"erklärt Gitarristin Mollestad. ,Bitches Blues besteht aus sechs Instrumentalstücken oder Musikabschnitten mit einer extremen Bandbreite an Dynamik. Einige basieren auf kräftigen Beats, während andere Stücke weitaus lyrischer und rubato sind. Die Bandbreite reicht von riffbasierten rockigen Stücken über lautes Chaos bis hin zu melancholischen Balladen und sogar völlig freien Improvisationen." Mit einem kultivierten und dennoch erfrischend instinktiven Ansatz, Instrumente und Einflüsse miteinander zu verflechten, wechselt Bitches Blues (ein ironischer Verweis auf Miles Davis' Album Bitches Brew) unvorhersehbar zwischen langsamen und sanften, klar gegliederten Songs mit disziplinierten Akkordfolgen und explosiven Ausbrüchen kathartischer und komplexer Strukturen. Weejuns (eine Slang-Abkürzung für ,Norwegians") stellten sich 2023 mit einem selbstbetitelten Doppel-Live-Album vor. Ursprünglich von Mollestad für das Kongsberg Jazz Festival zusammengestellt, wo sie mit dem renommierten Musicians Prize ausgezeichnet wurde, hat sich die Chemie innerhalb von Weejuns als dauerhaft und verlockend erwiesen, auch als Gegenpol zum bisher härtesten Album des Hedvig Mollestad Trios, Bees in the Bonnet aus dem Jahr 2025. Mollestad hat mit ihrem gleichnamigen Trio acht gefeierte Alben veröffentlicht. Das Markenzeichen ihrer 15-jährigen Karriere ist die Verschmelzung von ernsthaftem Können mit einem offensichtlichen Fokus darauf, Spaß am Klang zu finden. Als Tochter eines Jazzmusikers vertiefte sie sich in dessen Plattensammlung und studierte klassische Werke von Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Joe Pass und Jim Hall, bevor sie in ihren 20ern Riff-gewaltige Titanen wie Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath und Mahavishnu Orchestra entdeckte. Dies führte zur Gründung des Hedvig Mollestad Trios, dessen unermüdlicher Aufnahme- und Tourneeplan seit Anfang der 2010er Jahre der Gitarristin eine Reihe von Auszeichnungen einbrachte, darunter zwei norwegische Grammys (Spellemannprisen) und die Ernennung durch das DownBeat-Magazin zu einer der 25 Künstlerinnen, die ,den Jazz für Jahrzehnte prägen könnten". Ståle Storlokken (Bass, Synths) ist Gründer und langjähriges Mitglied von Supersilent und Elephant9, seit Mitte der 90er Jahre die ,rechte Hand" von Terje Rypdal und hat mit Motorpsycho auf Platte und auf der Bühne sowie mit unzähligen anderen zusammengearbeitet. Ole Mofjell (Drums) ist das jüngste Mitglied und spielt bei Krokofant, Signe Emmeluths Amoeba und seinem eigenen Free-Jazz-Trio 3 Days Of Maceration.

»Vents d’aether« is the first collaborative album by sound artist Jérôme Bouve and composer-performer Delphine Dora. The six pieces are based on live improvisations on organ and harmonium. They were recorded in different churches on the Cotentin peninsula in France’s Normandy region and later enriched with additional field recordings by SA~RA. This adds an extra layer to compositions which were created both in and out of the moment and which quite literally resonate with the histories of the instruments and the buildings that were so integral to their emergence. »Vents d’aether« is to be understood as a dialogue between sound and space that takes place across time and place.

Bouve carried the idea of working with the organs and harmoniums that can be found in the churches and chapels in the Val de Saire in the Northeast of Cotentin around with him for years. When he got to know Dora, he found the perfect musical partner with whom to finally make a record »about the wind, the wood, the stones of the Val de Saire.« In September 2024, the duo embarked on a short but fruitful journey during which they stopped by at several different churches. They recorded hours-long improvised sessions dedicated to »capturing the moment, letting space and time shape gestures and sound, seizing fleeting epiphanies in their greatest simplicity,« as Dora notes in the album’s linernotes.

She took the lead behind the instruments, however Bouve assisted her on drawbars for the last two pieces on »Vents d’aether,« thus adding an even more unusual touch to the recordings. They formed the basis for an album that Dora calls »the testimony of a sensory quest, a collection of memories suspended in time.« Indeed, starting with the epic 20-minute-long titular piece up until the ringing of church bells near the end of the closing piece »Montfarville V,« this overwhelming yet intimate record blurs the boundaries between different times and spaces altogether.

Carve is the second full-length by Bay Area artist Kathryn Mohr. Written over the course of five years and recorded over several weeks in a rural singlewide in the Mojave Desert, the album centers on love experienced as a form of grief, not as an aftermath of loss, but as a condition of intimacy itself.

Mohr describes Carve as an album about how memory exists outside the body, embedded in places and landscapes. It is shaped by her first return to the American Southwest since a childhood road trip at age five, and by the experience of moving through terrain that holds emotional weight long after its origins fade. The record considers how intimacy feels after years of isolation, and what it takes to carve out a life that allows for trust, presence, and feeling rather than mere survival. The project took form after a difficult tour that ended in Joshua Tree. Mohr pointed her car into the desert and drove alone, crisscrossing the Mojave on dirt roads. Months later, she returned to record the album, working alone with an acoustic guitar, a field recorder, and limited supplies. Following that period, Mohr began to allow for intimacy and connection. The time she spent recording Carve in the desert did not create isolation so much as mirror it. Working alone out of an old, western-themed jail Airbnb, the physical enclosure reflected the emotional conditions under which much of the record had been written: distance, restraint, and long stretches of stillness. In that context, love was not experienced as escape, but as something inseparable from impermanence and the awareness of loss.

This tension between connection and inevitability sits at the center of Carve. Some of the album’s songs were written earlier, during a prolonged period marked by emotional distance and apathy. Over those four years, Mohr was working through unprocessed childhood memories and their long-term effects on her ability to connect with others. The work was slow and difficult, involving a fundamental reshaping of how she related to herself and to the world. Carve was mixed by Richard Chowenhill of Flenser labelmates Agriculture. Rather than offering resolution, the album documents the act of remaining present within tension. Carve is not about escaping grief, but about accepting it as inseparable from love itself. Kathryn Mohr’s previous effort “Waiting Room” received the coveted ‘Best New Music' designation and a score of 8.4 from Pitchfork.

Originally released in 1993 on Big Beat/Atlantic, MC Thick’s The Show Ain’t Over Till the Fatman Swings followed his 1991 underground single “Marrero (What the Fellas Be Yellin)” and marked a defining moment for the Marrero, Louisiana rapper. While early ’90s New Orleans was dominated by bounce, MC Thick stood apart with gritty, street-level storytelling and a raw, unapologetic voice.

Featuring “T.H.I.C.K.” and production work involving T-Ray (Todd Ray), known for his work with Cypress Hill, the album remains an important piece of Southern rap history.

Fully remastered and pressed on black vinyl, this is the first vinyl availability in decades. Housed in a full-color jacket with a printed insert and is limited to 500 copies worldwide.

"Brudna - Bielizna" is the second album by the boy band KOSMONAUCI. This album consists of original compositions by the band members, which were created over the past two years and evolved together with the artists during concerts. The Kosmonauts' music is rooted in jazz and improvisation, but over time, the musicians have developed many new paths and ways of drawing from many other, seemingly disparate musical genres. On the album "Brudna - Bielizna" the Kosmonauts continue to explore various genre and stylistic combinations. However, the second album is more focused and connected to the band members' jazz inspirations. KOSMONAUCI have been playing together since high school, and this is clearly audible.

***After very quick SOLD OUT of the U JAZZ ME vinyl - we are adding new version of the album - 200 copies extra of white and blue galaxy vinyl in collaborationn with U Know Me Records - 180g wax with insert ***

Bunker Intimations II by London-based anti-formalists Index For Working Musik is a sister record to their second album Which Direction Goes The Beam, originally issued as a limited edition cassette with early copies of the vinyl pressing of that record. The 50-minute long collection of recordings was made across an intense three day period in March ‘25 under the duress of a very strict deadline. All tracks were improvised and mixed-down on the spot, a genuine document of a moment in time. Some of us think that it’s better than the record that it was trying to sell. And so here it now stands for wider judgment. Bunker Intimations II is released digitally and on vinyl via Tough Love.

In a most original impetus this album traverses forty years of Italian new wave and singer-songwriter tradition. As in the desert where Infesta’s urge is to walk, we are ambushed by the most intense thermal and sonic difference.

It is from here that this important journey we mustn’t miss begins. It leads us eight thousand meters deep in the blue abyss. Not quite enough to come out the other side and, as a kite, bestow all the heights that I will reach. These depths are nevertheless necessary to adjust our eyes to the darkness that lives within us, as a machine to burst our hearts to which we can’t and won't be accomplices.

Machine against machine. The increasing pressure of the lashes of an incessant current, at times sweet and at times sour, on which all the courage is sung and yet is everywhere dispersed like thoughts on water and melodies to be lost at sea. Darkness persists: you said the world can be lived where all was taken. And it’s a crazy and estranging babbling that, stripped by a current, answers: never never never never, in no direction.

My companions, come back, the breaking point has been found, we sing together. Leaf after leaf the time has come: it is possible to destroy the Machine in a mad blinding light.

A new duo and record label based in Madrid lands on the underground techno scene, led by Mike Gómez and José Castillo, the latter known for his aliases Milford and UHF, and also the owner of the electro label Gladio Operations.

Diorama is born with the intention of recovering the soul and essence lost in electronic music, which for some time has become practically homogeneous and predictable. With a timeless, fresh, and warm sound, Diorama produce rhythms close to dub and Detroit techno, mainly influenced by Juan Atkins, UR, and Basic Channel, among others.

This EP, titled Pacific Trak, begins with a nod to the old Scottish school, where they revive a forgotten track by British producer Anthony Scott, adding its imposing main chord to a true sea of melodic textures, bathed in exquisite acid. Spanish techno master Tadeo gives us his vision of Pacific Trak, exploring dub territories that remind us of past pieces released under the incomparable Maurizio label.

The B-side opens with Soul Memories, a manifesto of resistance that vibrates with detuned harmonies and raw bass lines, recalling the origins of Detroit’s primitive sound. The package closes with Polymorphic, a progression of relentless aquatic chords, set among careful and precise minimalist rhythms that oscillate between high-dynamics tech and dub.

2026 Repress in generic white sleeve!

It's been quite a wait for new &ME material here on Keinemusik. But these two new cuts, adding to our catalogue number KM046, sure have been worth waiting for. The EP starts with „The Rapture Pt.II“ and as the title already suggests, it coherently takes up where his last original material had left us, in a stirred state of sweet, harmony-kissed affection. Known as a virtuoso of sound-details, &ME lives up to that reputation, implementing fine synth-elements and temperately rattling percussions, all conjoined by shimmering layers and, of course, an ultimately heart-melting Piano improvisation that at some point will play along to the rhythm of its synthetic brother to a finale that will leave no crowd untouched.

"Solaris" on the flipside adds indeed a futuristic note to the arrangement, opening up with a broken beat and propelling claps. A cut that, as much as its predecessor, is relying on flow and organic shifts rather than forced and peaktime formatted gimmickry, adding a synth arpeggio, white noise, vocal chants and
harmonies in a rather subtle way. Nevertheless, it unfolds a compelling strength to heat the dancefloor gradually through its playtime.

Karates trotziges und letztes Studioalbum rundet eine 12-jährige Diskografie ab, die von harDCore-artiger Katharsis bis hin zu feedbackgesättigten Improvisationen reicht. Dieser Klassiker aus dem Jahr 2004 verzichtete auf die Friendster-Migration zugunsten eines zurück zum Wesentlichen gerichteten Songwritings, das von Jazzphrasierungen und beatinspirierter Lyrik durchdrungen ist. Mit Chris Brokaw, dem Gitarristen von Codeine/Come, wurde ,Pockets" von den originalen Analogbändern neu gemastert und kommt in einer Deluxe-Hülle mit reproduzierten Songtexten.

mixed by aloisius

mastered by Amir Shoat

tracklist poem written by Isaiah Hull

releasing on digital + physical (Vinyl, CD & Cassette) 9th April 2026. Physical editions will feature a secret unlisted bonus track.

aloisius is a prolific, artist and producer, who recently produced a full length album for Pretty V, which released via life is beautiful records (and sold out at Big Love & Rough Trade). aloisius has also collaborated with artists such as: James Massiah, CTM, Nova Varnrable, DJ Spanish Fly, Cities Aviv, zukovstheworld, Kenichi Iwasa & many others.

‘vernacular’ is the debut studio album by improvisation-based artist, and founder of life beautiful, aloisius.

Built entirely from layers of improvised instrumentation recorded via laptop microphone, using various instruments such as guitar, piano, cello, trumpet, saxophone, drums & voice. vernacular is inspired by the spirit of collective improvisation, and embodies aloisius' instinctual & organic approach to musical composition.

Crafted solely by aloisius (except for track 6, which features a layer of piano by life is beautiful member, friend & collaborator Bianca Scout).

To celebrate the release of the album, a semi-improvised interpretation of the project will be performed live by ‘orchestra379’ (a collective improvisation project curated by aloisius, consisting of a fluctuating lineup that differs on each occasion of performance). Initially in London, then at a select few cities across Europe.

BCUC – Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness – have been channeling the spirit of Soweto for over twenty years. Indigenous funk, hip-hop consciousness, and punk rock energy fused into something utterly original and deeply rooted. Their mantra: Music for the people, by the people, with the people. From humble beginnings rehearsing in a shipping container, a stone's throw from the church where Desmond Tutu organized the escape of the most wanted anti-Apartheid activists, they kept believing in their dream of self-empowerment. Today they command festival stages worldwide: Glastonbury West Holts, Roskilde, Afropunk Brooklyn, WOMAD, Fusion, Sziget, FMM Sines, Beaches Brew, Boomtown, Colours of Ostrava, Couleur Café – to name just a few. In 2023, BCUC were honoured with the prestigious WOMEX Artist Award, an accolade usually reserved for more established artists, in recognition of their fearless work and transcendent live performances.

THE ROAD IS NEVER EASY

The Road Is Never Easy is BCUC's fifth album and their debut on Outhere Records. On this new offering, BCUC take listeners on another Afro-psychedelic journey into the soul of Soweto. It feels like a gospel sermon colliding with a punk concert, "guaranteed to touch untapped corners of your soul" (OkayAfrica). BCUC's music is deeply rooted in history and echoes the voices of the ones who came before. The road was never easy for the people of Soweto who originally came to work in the mines of Egoli, the City of Gold, Johannesburg. When apartheid finally ended after a long struggle, it was hoped that life would improve. But more than 30 years later, many of those initial hopes and dreams are still waiting to be fulfilled. This album is about that struggle. The album contains 10 brand new songs – a record for BCUC, whose previous albums featured an average of 3 songs. It represents the culmination of more than two decades of performing together and building a reputation as a powerful live act. These ten songs encapsulate that same live energy, each one building gradually and drawing you into BCUC's Afro-psychedelic stream of consciousness. It's a seismic tour de force through life in Soweto today. Songs like Amakhandela (Breaking All the Chains) connect history to daily life: "How is this precious metal inflicting so much pain in us," sing BCUC, "this government has been telling us we are free, but we don't benefit from being free." The album also talks about all the hopes and dreams that remain: "I have too many wishes and dreams in my head," BCUC sing in Um duma khanda, "I think I am losing my mind". The album ends with the soothing Matla a rona ke Bophelo, "our strength is life", praising the spirits and thanking the elders for protection. The Road Is Never Easy is about the harsh reality of life in Soweto, where "people always carry heavy loads". BCUC are street poets trying to deal with that burden: sometimes revolutionary, sometimes soothing, but always hopeful and compassionate. "When you are from Soweto you can't retreat nor surrender." (Sebenzela)

RECORDING

The album was largely recorded in Munich, Germany during tour breaks over two sessions, each three days long. It took place in a small studio located in a German WW II bunker converted into rehearsal spaces. The songs were recorded in one take altogether in one room, with only a few overdubs added, mainly backing vocals, by BCUC at Fourways studio in Johannesburg. BCUC have created their own distinctive way of writing, or rather, finding and creating their songs. The recording process is like an improvised live performance. They bring their ideas into a zone where the music, the rhythm and the spirits take over until the song starts to form. In this Afro-psychedelic zone BCUC create their unique poetry that feeds on the dreams still dreamt, the hopes, the fears and the temptations lingering everywhere. BCUC's songs need to breathe and time to build. The right take was the one when the song took over, and just like their live performances, no one knew beforehand where the song would take them. During the recording, BCUC just let it all flow out: inner turmoil, cries of rebellion, but also resilience and a search for healing, love, unity and compassion. You don't have to be from Soweto to feel the deep meaning and impact of this music. In these times of so much hate and division, BCUC are like a campfire for people to gather around.

PRODUCTION & ARTWORK

"BCUC have a unique magic," says Outhere's Jay Rutledge, who produced the album. "It blew our minds. It's like punk and pure gospel at the same time. Their music can make you dance and it can make you cry, all at the same time. And when the song is over, you feel you're not alone in this world anymore. We felt compelled to do this." The album cover is based on a matchbox design, matches being a common household item in South Africa even today. "These were the matches people used to burn government buildings and cars," explain BCUC. Little messages, addresses, or phone numbers used to be scribbled on the back of these boxes; each one a reminder of the strength, resilience, and resistance that once drove the struggle for freedom in Soweto. BCUC keep this flame burning. The Road Is Never Easy is a heavy spiritual road trip, a deep dive into the subconscious of Soweto and a quest for truth, justice and sanity in this crazy world. BCUC tackle the harsh realities of the voiceless, guided by the spirit world of their ancestors. Rather than reinforcing stereotypes of poverty, BCUC's portrayal of Africa is one rich in tradition, rituals and beliefs. "We bring fun and Afro-psychedelic fire from the hood," says vocalist Kgomotso Mokone.

“Black Jacket” is a love letter between two bands separated by continents but united by mutual admiration. Contriva, of Berlin, and Chessie of Washington, DC, first came together in 2001 when sharing a stage, sparking a deep connection over their respective takes on textural, emotive, and mostly instrumental music that merges post-rock, ambient, and experimental elements into unique visions. Fast forward two decades and many trips to their respective studios and we now have “Black Jacket”, a double LP of musical alchemy that builds upon the expressionistic, idiosyncratic sounds of these two groups. A new classic that proves far greater than the sum of its parts.

Begun in the mid 1990's, Washington DC's Chessie is Stephen Gardner (also of noisy shoegaze pioneers, Lorelei) and Ben Bailes, whose various LP's for Slumberland's Dropbeat imprint and Plug Research pair abstract electronics and melancholy post-rock in search of the sounds and feelings of railways and train travel.

Berlin's Contriva, (Monika Enterprises, Lok Musik, and Morr Music) features Masha Qrella (known for her solo works for Morr Music), Max Punktezahl (also of Munich indie legends the Notwist and Berlin's Jersey and Saroos), Hannes Lehmann and Rike Schuberty. For over a decade beginning in the mid-1990's, Contriva crafted compelling instrumentals, grafting experimental textures onto beautiful and complex indie songs.

Together, the six of them have created “Black Jacket.”

Afterimages is the debut vinyl LP from experimental musician Urner. Across ten compositions, the album unfolds as an adventurous ambient record, inventively constructed yet warmly immersive. Speculative pasts and emergent futures intertwine through gestural manipulation and improvisatory sampling. The sound sources of Afterimages include Sanukite lithophone tones, VGM soundfonts, uncanny PCM loops, modular synthesis, and the artist’s voice, all converging into a shifting, tactile sound world. In a thriving experimental scene filled with fresh voices, Urner’s world proves surprisingly addictive.

The LP is released by adventurous electronic music label topo2 on April 3, 2026. The record is pressed on 180 grams of ICCS-certified bio-vinyl and housed in a heavy full-colour sleeve. Mastering is done by Ike Zwanikken and artwork by Rohan Chaurasia.

SELF-iSH is a quick but intensely dramatic concept album with dark psychedelic themes and nonstop experimental energy. Will Wood and the Tapeworms quickly grabbed attention in the punk scene following "Everything is a Lot" due to Wood's unique writing and refusal to break character even backstage and the band's dangerously high-energy shows. Face paint, confetti, and on-stage violence became the project's calling card, making SELF-iSH's dark and intense drama an inevitable direction for Wood. Mere months after the debut, producer Kevin Antreassian offered Wood a deal on his follow-up but only had a narrow time window, so Wood improvised. Bringing together a new lineup and with the help of guitarist Mike Bottiglieri, Wood wove scraps of discarded or unfinished songs together and created a tight yet abstract psychedelic concept album with the intent of taking every risk and trying every off-kilter idea he had. SELF-iSH began its highly conceptual production process during the holiday season in 2015, and the studio became littered with notepads, graphic charts, and teeth. The result was a manic little album featuring screaming, theremin, kazoo, power drills, the sound of breaking furniture, and an almost heavy-metal twist on Wood's off-kilter vision. By the time the album was finished, the piano was bloody, and the studio was wrecked. The album became what Wood described as the "bastard child" of his discography. Will Wood's early career can be primarily defined by his experimental vocal delivery, honky-tonk piano smashing, and darkly edgy songwriting. While his stylings have matured and taken on a more precise approach, his refusal to conform to expectations and constant shifts in the genre have continued to be hallmarks of his songwriting and production. In his "Will Wood and the Tapeworms" releases (Everything Is A Lot in 2015, SELF-iSH in 2016), audiences can see the first glimpses into what would eventually become his signature style, presented in a uniquely raw and chaotic state of potential.

On 6th October, multi BRIT-nominated DJ/producer Joel Corry releases his debut album, ‘Another Friday Night’ via Asylum / Atlantic Records, with the pre-order going live on the 18th August.

To be released on both vinyl & CD, as well as via streaming/download, ‘Another Friday Night’ is a collection of Joel’s most iconic records of the last five years, including breakthrough hit ‘Sorry’, ‘Lonely’, multi-platinum UK #1 single ‘Head & Heart’ ft. MNEK, ‘BED’ w/ RAYE & David Guetta, ‘OUT OUT’ w/ Jax Jones, Charli XCX & Saweetie, plus fresh 2023 cuts like ‘Dance Around It’ with Caity Baser and the anthemic ‘0800 HEAVEN’ with Nathan Dawe & Ella Henderson, ‘Another Friday Night’ toasts a remarkable run of releases that’s seen Joel become one of the UK’s biggest and most impactful dance acts.

“My debut album ‘Another Friday Night’ is the biggest moment of my life”, says Joel Corry. “Everything I have dreamed about and worked so hard for has come together with the release of this record. It has been an incredible journey and I am so proud to have reached this moment in my career. I want the songs to make people feel good and bring happiness to their days, and the album includes everyone’s favourite bangers from over the years, as well as some really exciting new material. This is the ultimate Joel Corry playlist, perfect for Another Friday Night.”

Ahead of the release of ‘Another Friday Night’ on October 6th, Joel has also announced a special headline show at London’s Ministry Of Sound on Friday 29th September – his first London headline date since playing at former 5000-cap venue, Printworks, in autumn 2021.

Fans who pre-order ‘Another Friday Night’ will be granted early pre-sale access to tickets on August 24th, before general sale opens on August 25th

Mr Bongo proudly presents, ‘AFIM’, the second solo album by one of Brazil’s most exciting new talents, Zé Ibarra. You may be familiar with the hypnotic, entrancing tones of Ibarra’s vocals through his work with the Latin Grammy award-winning, four-piece, Bala Desejo and the band Dônica. He has also toured with the musical titan, Milton Nascimento, performing guitar and vocals, which is quite the honour and a testament to Ibarra's craft. As a solo artist, he has performed headline solo shows in Japan, Portugal and the US, as well as recently completing a support tour with the great, Seu Jorge.

‘AFIM’ is comprised of eight tracks, featuring Zé’s own compositions as well as cover versions of tracks by contemporaries and friends, Sophia Chablau, Tom Veloso, and Dora Morelenbaum. It combines elements of MPB, jazz, pop and progressive rock in a bold, authoritative style. The album represents the intersection between different facets of the artist, from the stripped-down, intimate, guitar singer-songwriter, to dense arrangements with sweeping strings sections. Writing this album allowed Ibarra "to explore sides of myself that had not yet been organized in an album: a certain darkness, a more cinematic musicality, a desire for new soundscapes.

The album features the single, 'Transe', a song with an instantly comforting tone reminiscent of classic Brazilian songs of the past (think Caetano Veloso). It is built on a rhythmic guitar that supports dynamic sound layers, opening space for Ibarra's intense interpretation. Cinematic atmospheres that lend an air of mystery come courtesy of string arrangements by Jaques Morelenbaum.

His unique cover version of Sophia Chablau's 'Segredo' is equally compelling, taking Sophia's punky-indie original in a different direction and making it feel like his own. 'Essa Confusão', a song celebrating the intensity of love and co-written by Dora Morelenbaum, is steered into epic, 70's AOR, singer-songwriter territory with wind arrangements by Ibarra, Jorge Continentino and strings by Jaques Morelenbaum.

The album is the result of the collaboration of experienced musicians and long-time partners of Ibarra. Fellow Bala Desejo and Dônica member Lucas Nunes co-produced the album. The core band featured on the record consists of Lucas Nunes on organs, Alberto Continentino on bass, Daniel Conceição and Thomas Harres on drums and percussion, Rodrigo Pacato on additional percussion, Chico Lira on Fender Rhodes and Guilherme Lírio on guitar.

The overall feel of the record is archetypically quintessential without slipping into retro mode. It is a stunning album from one of the finest musicians of his generation. A true star of Brazil’s blooming contemporary scene.

José González has delivered a new album, Against the Dying of the Light, a companion and further meditation on the themes of his critically acclaimed album, Local Valley. Where Local Valley turned inward toward place, language, and personal reflection, this new record widens its gaze, becoming an urgent call to preserve the light of humanity with all its flaws, at a moment when, technology increasingly shapes how we think, feel, and relate to one another.

While José has always embraced technological advancement, he questions the assumption that every new possibility must be pursued to its maximum potential, especially when progress comes at the expense of human flourishing, attention, and empathy.

Keeping in the tradition of folk music as protest, José’s new single — sharing its title with the forthcoming album — urges listeners to resist systems that dehumanize and divide: “Disconnect from every algorithm, every perverse incentive that drags you down. Let’s rebel against the replicators, against the dying of the light. Kill the codes that feed the hate, keep the codes that make you thrive, celebrate the **king fact that we’re alive.”

Across the album, González works within a deliberately minimal framework, pushing his familiar palette to new heights through subtle variation, restraint, and detail. Each song unfolds with its own distinct character, proving how much emotional and musical range can be achieved within self - imposed limitations. Written in English, Swedish, and Spanish, the record reflects his Swedish - Argentine roots and frames its humanist message as a global one rather than a purely personal or political statement.

José González is one of the most quietly influential artists of our generation. The Swedish - Argentine artist has built a singular musical world from hypnotic, minimal guitar work and his unmistakably gentle voice — a sound that has become deeply personal to millions of listeners worldwide. With billions of streams across platforms and hundreds of thousands of physical records sold, González’s songs often act as emotional landmarks. Ask almost anyone, and they can name at least one of his tracks tied to a defining moment in their lives.

Big Crown Records freut sich, das zweite Album von Les Imprimes, ,Fading Forward", zu präsentieren. Unter der Leitung des autodidaktischen Multi-Instrumentalisten und Produzenten Morten Martens beschäftigt sich dieses Album mit Sterblichkeit, Realitätsflucht und einer Vielzahl von Erfahrungen, die mit Liebe verbunden sind. Martens hinterließ mit seinem hochgelobten Debütalbum ,Rêverie" aus dem Jahr 2023 einen bleibenden Eindruck Rêverie einen enormen Eindruck und hat sich seitdem eine treue Fangemeinde aufgebaut, deren Demografie ebenso vielfältig ist wie die Einflüsse, die seine Musik prägen. Er mischt Klänge aus dem Soul der 60er und 70er Jahre mit Anspielungen auf Doo-Wop-Platten, übernimmt die Energie der Hip-Hop-Drums und überzieht das Ganze mit Gesangsstilen aus den 90ern und 2000ern . Aber es sind Martens' Texte, Emotionen und Darbietung, die wirklich alles zusammenbringen und ihm helfen, sich von seinen Kollegen abzuheben. Seine Texte sind ansteckend und poppig und werden mit höchster Klasse und Geschmack umgesetzt, was Les Imprimés die seltene Eigenschaft verleiht, sofort anzusprechen und mit jedem Hören noch besser zu werden. Der aus Kristiansand, Norwegen, stammende Martens spielt fast alle Instrumente auf Fading Forward, produziert und arrangiert das Album und singt natürlich auch. ,Es ist Soulmusik, aber ich habe nicht gerade eine Soulstimme", erklärt Morten bescheiden. ,Aber ich mache es auf meine eigene Art und Weise, auf eine Art, die mir eigen ist." Der Album-Opener ,You & I" ist Mortens Hommage an seine Partnerin, die ,durch das Chaos und die Fehler" mit ihm durchhält. Kraftvolle Drums und kaskadenartige Klaviere machen diesen Song zu einem richtigen Two-Stepper und einer Hymne für diejenigen, die das Glück haben, jemanden zu finden, der sie versteht und ihnen in den Bereichen des Lebens hilft, in denen sie es brauchen. ,Again & Again" verlangsamt das Tempo und beschäftigt sich mit der schwereren Seite der Liebe und des Lebens, während Martens seine Widerstandsfähigkeit angesichts der Missgeschicke, des Herzschmerzes und der Enttäuschungen gescheiterter Liebesbeziehungen bekundet. ,Untainted Love" rückt die süße Seite der neuen Liebe in den Mittelpunkt, mit einer Melodie, die auf den Titel des Klassikers von Gloria Jones anspielt. ,Get Lost" neigt zum Metaphysischen mit der Einladung, die Realität hinter sich zu lassen und Zeit mit Les Imprimés zu verbringen, wo es Raum zum Träumen gibt. ,Only Love" baut auf einem kraftvollen Drum-Break auf, mit einem Refrain, der einfach, aber tiefgründig ist, und das Arrangement verleiht ihm die Energie eines Mantras. Sie wenden sich dem Tanz ,Only Love" baut auf einem kraftvollen Drum-Break auf, mit einem Refrain, der einfach, aber tiefgründig ist, und das Arrangement verleiht ihm die Energie eines Mantras. Sie wenden sich dem Tanz zu in ,With You", einem schnellen, beschwingten Song über eine zufällige Begegnung, die Lust auf mehr macht. Martens sehnt sich nach ihr, aber freudig, als ob allein die Erinnerung daran, dass eine solche Verbindung möglich ist, genau das ist, was er wirklich braucht. ,Fading Forward" endet mit einer völlig düsteren Note mit ,Miss The Days", einer langsam brennenden Ballade, die an einfachere Zeiten erinnert, als die Liebe noch besser war. Martens wird von der Gastsängerin Ama Li in ,Miss The Days" begleitet, einer langsam brennenden Ballade , die an einfachere Zeiten erinnert, als die Liebe noch an einem besseren Ort war. Fading Forward endet mit einer ganz und gar düsteren Note mit ,Paradise", einem Lied, das einem verstorbenen Freund Freiheit und Frieden wünscht. In der kleinen Stadt Kristanland in Norwegen lebt ein großes Talent, das den größten Teil seines Lebens damit verbracht hat, sich zurückzuhalten und im Hintergrund zu bleiben. Der Vertrag mit dem New Yorker Label Big Crown Records inspirierte Morten Martens dazu, seine eigene Musik zu veröffentlichen. Die Reaktionen auf sein Debütalbum ,Rêverie" veranlassten ihn, das Studio zu verlassen und auf die Bühne zu gehen, und all dies diente ihm als Inspiration, um seine Kunstfertigkeit auf ein neues Niveau zu heben. Neue Höhen, die auf Fading Forward voll zur Geltung kommen.