Buscar:in vain

WRWTFWW Records proudly announces the release of sfs/in vain (selected tracks) by UK jungle heavyweight and Future Retro London founder Tim Reaper, a limited-edition 3LP bringing together selected tracks from two previously digital-only albums, sfs and in vain.
An insane collection of slower 140 BPM wonders, sfs/in vain explores jungle, dubstep, UK garage, R'n'B, grime, liquid D&B and broken beats through Tim Reaper's fresh and informed approach. Deconstructed and reconstructed club music, rooted in tradition but looking forward, these tracks reveal another side of one of the key figures in the modern jungle revival.
The selection comes from 2 albums. sfs collects a body of slower material Tim Reaper worked on throughout 2025, stretching across various genres of UK electronic music. in vain comes from a much more personal place. Written during a period of instability, heartbreak, financial and professional uncertainty, the album became a way for Tim Reaper to process what was happening around him and find some kind of escape. The tracks were made at a point when the effort he had put into rebuilding his life felt as though it had all been "in vain" - hence the title. The result is warm, melancholic, soulful, simply very human.
Together, these selected tracks highlight the incredible range of Tim Reaper's production, proving that his understanding of jungle extends far beyond the traditional boundaries of the genre. From heavyweight bass music to delicate melodic passages, sfs/in vain (selected tracks) is a beautifully varied snapshot of an artist constantly pushing UK club music into new territories.
Tim Reaper has been leading the resurgence of jungle for years, with releases on AKO, Skeleton Recordings, 7th Storey Projects, Green Bay Wax, Dalston Chillies, Parallax, Myor Massiv, V Recordings, Deep Jungle and many more. He is also the founder of Future Retro London, one of the most respected labels and platforms in the contemporary jungle scene.

- Austrian / Italian vintage rocksteady

- The band performed together with legendary reggae artists like Dave Barker, Rico Rodriguez, Derrick Morgan and The Pioneers.

- The new album features guest lead vocals by Boss Capone (The Upsessions)

Die Formation ist seit 2003 eine Pionierkraft im norwegischen Progressive-Extrem-Metal. Die von Gitarrist Johnar Haaland und Sänger Andreas Frigstad gegründete Band zeichnete sich schon früh durch ihren melodischen Extreme-Metal-Sound aus.
Im Jahr 2018 erschien mit 'Currents' ein gefeiertes Album, das sich mit zeitgenössischen, gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen beschäftigt. Es erhielt in verschiedenen Veröffentlichungen weltweit top Bewertungen, darunter 10/10-Bewertungen von Metal Temple (UK), Metal Only (GER) oder HeavyMetal.de (GER), um nur einige zu nennen. Mit vielen Live-Auftritten u.a. mit Solefald, Borknagar, Vreid und Keep of Kalessin untermauern die Norweger immer wieder ihre wuchtige Bühnen-Präsenz.
In Vain bleiben ein Kraftpaket im Extrem-Metal, das mit seinen dynamischen Kompositionen fesselt, und seinen Ruf als treibende Kraft im progressiven Extrem-Metal weiter verankert. Die Fähigkeit der Band, progressiven Drive, Verspieltheit, berührenden Gesang und metallische Härte nahtlos miteinander zu verbinden, beweist auch das brandneue 'Solemn' auf Indie Recordings (u.a. Kvelertak). 'Solemn' stellt auf ganzer Linie außergewöhnliche Musikalität unter Beweis und dies wird untermauert mit einer mächtigen, aber organischen Produktion für die Jens Bogren (Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Katatonia, Devin Townsend, Kreator u.s.w.) verantwortlich war.

Die Formation ist seit 2003 eine Pionierkraft im norwegischen Progressive-Extrem-Metal. Die von Gitarrist Johnar Haaland und Sänger Andreas Frigstad gegründete Band zeichnete sich schon früh durch ihren melodischen Extreme-Metal-Sound aus.
Im Jahr 2018 erschien mit 'Currents' ein gefeiertes Album, das sich mit zeitgenössischen, gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen beschäftigt. Es erhielt in verschiedenen Veröffentlichungen weltweit top Bewertungen, darunter 10/10-Bewertungen von Metal Temple (UK), Metal Only (GER) oder HeavyMetal.de (GER), um nur einige zu nennen. Mit vielen Live-Auftritten u.a. mit Solefald, Borknagar, Vreid und Keep of Kalessin untermauern die Norweger immer wieder ihre wuchtige Bühnen-Präsenz.
In Vain bleiben ein Kraftpaket im Extrem-Metal, das mit seinen dynamischen Kompositionen fesselt, und seinen Ruf als treibende Kraft im progressiven Extrem-Metal weiter verankert. Die Fähigkeit der Band, progressiven Drive, Verspieltheit, berührenden Gesang und metallische Härte nahtlos miteinander zu verbinden, beweist auch das brandneue 'Solemn' auf Indie Recordings (u.a. Kvelertak). 'Solemn' stellt auf ganzer Linie außergewöhnliche Musikalität unter Beweis und dies wird untermauert mit einer mächtigen, aber organischen Produktion für die Jens Bogren (Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Katatonia, Devin Townsend, Kreator u.s.w.) verantwortlich war.

Death Drives A Cadillac was Spike In Vain’s second
album, never officially released and unheard in its final
form until now. Like many hardcore bands circa ’84 and
’85, the group was ready to further expand its palette and
ease off the thrash tempos. Recorded roughly a year after
Disease Is Relative with a bigger budget, the album is even
more wide-ranging, and the songs are more fleshed out.
“Despair grew inside her, I grew inside her. She named
me Spirit Death, and this is my song” sings Chris Marec,
the vocalist on half of this LP. Though less “young” than
their debut, that album’s darkness lingers, but here has a
more removed, observational quality, with many songs
sung in character or in the third person, along with a
tendency for anthropomorphic allegory. It has a bit less to
do with screaming for death to come than with a growing
resignation to being the other, a recognition of inescapable
alienation and its relation to childhood trauma. —all with
a heaping side of absurdity and a sense of wonder at the
gradually unfolding endtimes.
That said, many of the tracks wouldn’t be out of place
on the debut, and some feature exotic tunings. Bits of roots
music come into play as well—gospel, blues, and country
figure to some extent in a third of the songs, sometimes
in convoluted, Beefheart-esque ways, and at other times
toying with genre archetypes as a cat does a mouse.

everything one needs to know about this album: a misshapen,
CHUD-like figure wanders in a graveyard bearing a cross,
while a mutated fish flops in a polluted ditch and a clutch
of factories belch their smoke above it all. The message of
the illustration is not to frighten or warn, but to celebrate
and admire.
Originally released in January of 1984, Disease Is Relative
is an unapologetic and wholesale embrace of death,
disease, and dystopia, with liberal doses of absurdism
and an unrelenting devotion to anything unexpected,
chromatic, or evil sounding. Sporting influences as
diverse as no wave, death rock, funk, post-punk, hardcore,
metal, and prog rock, this music somehow happened in the
midst of a first wave hardcore scene, before there was a
“post-” to be “post” of. Less surprising is that this happened
in Cleveland, which also inspired a desire to recreate the
feeling of the city’s post-industrial desolation in sound.
There’s also some epic screaming and crazy guitar playing.
The album features three songwriters (brothers Andrew
& Chris Marec, Robert Griffin), who also divide guitar,
bass, and vocals equally between themselves here.
Drummer Bruce Allen is the secret weapon, and provides
a clue to what a young Bill Bruford might have done in a
band like this. And yet, beyond all odds, the end result is
cohesive, cathartic, and utterly idiomatic. The distinct vibe
of the album, and its sheer quantity of killer riffs, songs
and performances have made it an album that people have
championed over time, while others have come to know it
through the interwebs as a result.

everything one needs to know about this album: a misshapen,
CHUD-like figure wanders in a graveyard bearing a cross,
while a mutated fish flops in a polluted ditch and a clutch
of factories belch their smoke above it all. The message of
the illustration is not to frighten or warn, but to celebrate
and admire.
Originally released in January of 1984, Disease Is Relative
is an unapologetic and wholesale embrace of death,
disease, and dystopia, with liberal doses of absurdism
and an unrelenting devotion to anything unexpected,
chromatic, or evil sounding. Sporting influences as
diverse as no wave, death rock, funk, post-punk, hardcore,
metal, and prog rock, this music somehow happened in the
midst of a first wave hardcore scene, before there was a
“post-” to be “post” of. Less surprising is that this happened
in Cleveland, which also inspired a desire to recreate the
feeling of the city’s post-industrial desolation in sound.
There’s also some epic screaming and crazy guitar playing.
The album features three songwriters (brothers Andrew
& Chris Marec, Robert Griffin), who also divide guitar,
bass, and vocals equally between themselves here.
Drummer Bruce Allen is the secret weapon, and provides
a clue to what a young Bill Bruford might have done in a
band like this. And yet, beyond all odds, the end result is
cohesive, cathartic, and utterly idiomatic. The distinct vibe
of the album, and its sheer quantity of killer riffs, songs
and performances have made it an album that people have
championed over time, while others have come to know it
through the interwebs as a result.

Im September 2017 haben der DIY-Tausendsassa Angela Aux alias Florian Kreier und der Downbeat-Slacker Leroy Miller eine Kassette mit dem Titel "Grain In Vain" veröffentlicht. Nun, nur wenige Monate später, schiebt das Label Schamoni Musik die gleichnamige LP der Supergroup der Münchner Subkultur hinterher. Leroy kennt man zum Beispiel aus den Bands Das Hobos und Chat Group sowie solo als DJ und Produzent. Angela Aux ist Teil von Aloa Input, veröffentlicht als Heiner Hendrix Kurzgeschichten sowie Gedichte und organisiert das multimediale Kulturfestival Panama Plus. "Grain In Vain" zelebriert mit knisternden Gitarrenakkorden und analogen Beats anrüchige Lo-fi-Hymnen auf das Leben zwischen Grundeinkommen und Überschwang. Das Ganze siedelt mit Mut zur Lücke irgendwo zwischen Blues, Americana, Folk und Indiepop einerseits sowie Freak Brothers und Donald Duck andererseits. Dem Vernehmen nach verbrachten die beiden Künstler nur zwei Stunden im Studio, um so den berühmten Moment auch wirklich einzufangen. Das Experiment scheint geglückt.

On 30thMarch, Wah Wah 45s will release ORANGE WHIP, the new album by their latest signing, Honeyfeet. The outfit, who have received praise from the likes of The Guardian, have also set festivals alight up and down the country with their unique melange of sounds.

For the last couple of years the Honeyfeet (who name from a line in the Blues Brothers film) have been a conduit for the ideas and expressions of an exotic mixture of Manchester based musicians. This genre-defying band incorporate styles including jazz, folk and hip hop into their music. Someone once called it Folk-Hop and Barrelhouse-pop, and that's just vague enough to make sense.

The band are fronted by Ríoghnach Connolly - also known for her work with Real World artists Afro Celt Sound System and The Breath - "a remarkable singer and flautist who...can ease from Irish traditional influences to soul" (The Guardian). The line up is completed by Rik Warren (vocals/harmonica), Gus Fairbairn (tenor sax), Biff Roxby (trombone/vocals), Ellis Davies (guitar), Lorien Edwards (bass guitar), John Ellis (keyboards) and David Schlechtriemen (drums).

ORANGE WHIP finds the band at their most incredibly diverse. Opening with recent single Sinner (received radio play from the likes of 6 Music and BBC Manchester), which showcases Ríoghnach's extraordinary agile and emotive voice, the album moves with dizzying swagger on songs covering a wide range of subjects. Quickball tells the story of being so infatuated with someone you want to eat them, while Whatever You Do addresses the fear-mongering of the press over folk-hop and oom-pah, and Demons deals with love and redemption on a blast of harmonica-driven country, sung by Rik Warren.

Rik also takes lead vocal on a re-working of Robert Johnson's Love in Vain, a song showing Honeyfeet's more reflective side, his Skip James-esque drawl bringing an eerie quality to the lyrics about a doomed relationship. The band reshape the progression too, swinging the tune slowly and creating a little underground blues club in the midst of the recording.

Elsewhere the band go all New Orleanian on Colonel Hathi's Trunk Juice, a sinister tale inspired by trombonist Biff Roxby's horn riff recalling one of the elephants of The Jungle Book. Further showcasing their virtuosity, on one of the album's best moments - especially the nuanced vocal performance by Ríoghnach, who was raised on Irish folk - on Hunt and Gather the band do their own take on prog-folk, with a flute and cello melody running alongside a brass counterpoint.

Ríoghnach turns in another incredible vocal on the album's final track - future single Meet Me On The Corner. With a pounding beat, it is one of the album's main highlights. Guitar and brass propels Ríoghnach to sing lyrics that could be straight out of the playground, but suggest something deeper, possibly mystical even, in it's demands for a dalliance on the street. It closes the album on a high note, for a band who have that rare ability to distil all their disparate influences, while always sounding like their unique selves.

ORANGE WHIP heralds the sound of a remarkable band going overground.

"In Dub Vol.1" ist die erste Collection einer Serie mit raren, klassischen und neuen Dub Exkursionen des Bob Marley & The Wailers Kataloges. Sie beinhaltet 10 Dub Remixe und die neu angefertigte Dub Version von "Lively Up Yourself" als
"Lively Up Your Dub".

John Coffey built a reputation as one of the most explosive live bands in Europe - even becoming an internet sensation with the legendary “beer catch”. From Graspop to Sziget, Wacken to Pinkpop, Vainstream to Jera On Air, 2000trees and Hurricane/Southside - the Dutch group has played several of the biggest festivals, sold out the Melkweg in Amsterdam and even launched their own punk rock festival - Coffey Fest - to celebrate community and uncompromising music. Never shying away from the world around them, John Coffey actively uses their platform to speak out on social justice and political urgency. The new studio album "Not Alone" is about the power of connection. About discovering that there are other people who feel what you feel. Whether you find that connection through a partner, a friend, a helpline, or a room full of people feeling the same music. Talking helps. Singing helps. Screaming along helps. Armed with new music, a fierce activist ethos, and upcoming European tour dates, the band proves that engagement and heavy rock ’n roll are a perfect match.

The third chapter of The Third Room's curator-led series is shaped by Verraco, one of the key voices behind a new generation of artists reshaping contemporary club music. Through his productions, DJ sets and his work with TraTraTrax, he has helped define a sound where hybrid forms, rhythmic experimentation and cross-cultural influences are pushing the genre into new territory. Structured across two distinct sides, the release draws a clear connection between past and present. The A-side leans into a deeper, more classic space, while the B-side moves towards a more forward-facing, hybrid sound. It opens with Libration (Stone Version) by Substance & Vainqueur, a revisiting of their landmark 2007 release, a track that helped define the language of Dub Techno as it is understood today. Reduced, deep and spatially precise, it established a blueprint for how rhythm, delay and tone could function together. It's presence here acts less as a nod to the past and more as a reminder of a foundation that continues to shape the genre. Skee Mask's Clear Sky 909 continues this thread, softening the edges without losing depth. Warm, enveloping textures and fluid movement give the track a sense of openness, balancing clarity with emotional weight. The B-side shifts perspective. On Untitled (Teamgeist Mix), Verraco, joined by Tils, delivers the record's defining moment - a dense, intricately designed piece built on a driving low-end and evolving rhythmic patterns. Elements from Techno, Bass and Leftfield House converge into a detailed, forward-moving structure that actively bridges cultural contexts. It results in a form of dance music shaped by technical precision, but drive.n by a clear sense of intent, marking a distinct expression of Verraco's current sound. Untitled by 1morning introduces a rolling, tribal-infused groove with a strong sense of depth, while PatumPa by Regal86 closes the record with a bright, loop-driven energy that leans into pure motion. Across both sides, the release moves between reference and progression. Rather than separating old and new, Verraco connects them - tracing a line from foundational Dub Techno to a more fluid, contemporary club language. Copyright 2026 The Third Room A1 Written and Produced by Peter Kuschnereit & Rene Loewe | A2 Written and Produced by Bryan Mueller | B1 Written and Produced by JP Lopez & Jakob Ferdinand Tils and mixed by Lurka | B2 Written and Produced by 1morning | B3 Written and Produced by Regal86 Mastered by Andreas Kauffelt (Schnittstelle Berlin) Artwork by Charlotte Ernst Design by Daniel Bornmann (STUEDIO.XYZ) Distribution by Clone Pressing by Matter Of Fact

The next WOLF Music EP is here, and once again it comes courtesy of a new addition to the label roster. New York-based DJ and producer DJ Alone Again is a natural fit for what we do at WOLF, delivering a sound that hits that sweet spot where deep meets soulful, with the raw, understated energy of the authentic New York underground running through every track.

With a growing catalogue of original productions and edits, DJ Alone Again has released music through labels including YORE Records, House Salad Music, Dobro, Fantin Zoo Records, and Dealt With Records. His musical roots extend beyond house, too. Earlier work with the band Vain Pursuit, alongside a wealth of SoundCloud mixes and underground edits, reveals an artist with a deep appreciation for melody, songwriting and the emotional side of dance music.

Opening the EP is ‘Freedom of House’, a sublime take on the classic NYC-meets-Chicago deep house sound. Warm, soulful and hypnotic chords sit at the heart of the track, surrounded by intricate, skippy percussion and a deep, driving bassline. Carefully placed female vocal snippets drift in and out of the groove, while a spoken-word ode to the freedom and self-expression that house music offers provides the track with its emotional centre. It’s a celebration of movement, individuality and that unspoken connection forged on the dancefloor.

On the A2, ‘State of Flux’ keeps those warm, evocative chords front and centre, building an infectious groove around an instantly memorable melody courtesy of the vibes. Subtle synth strings add depth and atmosphere, bringing a touch of late-night melancholy to the arrangement, while the rhythm rolls steadily underneath. Everything is expertly layered without ever feeling crowded, giving the chords, melody and percussion room to breathe whilst pulling the listener deeper into the track.

‘Horizontal Patterns’ takes the winning formula of ‘State of Flux’, adding a beautifully understated vocal hook that sums this track up perfectly: deep in the groove.

Closing out the EP is ‘In Your Orbit’, a serene, dream house number with a deeply hypnotic edge. Ethereal flute lines drift through the arrangement, weaving around vocal phrases that seem to lift the consciousness somewhere beyond the dancefloor. There’s a sense of weightlessness and escape in the arrangement, but the dance floor pulse courtesy of the warm chord stabs never lets you float too far away. Dreamy yet deeply rooted, it’s a meeting point between introspection and movement; music to lose yourself in.

If this EP had landed on Guidance 30 years ago, it would probably be changing hands for a small fortune on Discogs by now.

Instant classic material.

Celebrate the incredible music from the first half of the 70s with this brand-new 2LP collection packed with the era’s most iconic hits.

LP1 kicks off with Queen’s ‘Killer Queen’, followed by Elton John’s timeless ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ and Mott The Hoople’s anthemic ‘All The Young Dudes’. Glam-rock favourites from Sweet, Mud and Wizzard sit alongside Pilot’s feel-good ‘Magic’ and David Essex’s distinctive ‘Rock On’. Side Two turns up the guitars with Rod Stewart’s ‘You Wear It Well’, Free’s legendary ‘All Right Now’ and Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet’. Alice Cooper’s rebellious ‘School’s Out’, Status Quo’s ‘Down Down’ and Thin Lizzy’s ‘Whisky In The Jar’ continue an incredible run of rock classics before Bob Dylan closes the LP with ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’.

LP2 opens with Paul McCartney & Wings’ epic ‘Band On The Run’, before Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ showcase some of the decade’s finest songwriting. Harry Nilsson’s unforgettable ‘Without You’ and Terry Jacks’ ‘Seasons In The Sun’ lead into soulful classics from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Side Two opens with Neil Diamond’s enduring ‘Sweet Caroline’ and Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, before Diana Ross’ ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours’ launch an irresistible run of soul and dancefloor favourites. Barry White’s ‘You’re The First, The Last, My Everything’, George McCrae’s ‘Rock Your Baby’ and The Three Degrees’ ‘When Will I See You Again?’ lead into Michael Jackson’s beautiful ‘Ben’, bringing this celebration of 1970–1974 to a memorable close.

Carly Simon’s No. 1 smash “You’re So Vain” lingers as one of the most clever and famous songs ever recorded. The subject of mass speculation ever since its release, soon after which it occupied the top spot on multiple Billboard charts for weeks, the anthem kept a captive public guessing at the identity of its smug subject for decades. The question surrounding the protagonist’s identity remained perhaps the only mystery on the otherwise sexually open and autobiographically daring No Secrets, Simon’s commercial breakthrough and ‘70s singer-songwriter staple.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set affords the platinum-certified 1972 effort the finest sonic treatment it’s received on vinyl. Helmed by Richard Perry and recorded at London’s Trident Studios — where Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John captured landmark LPs — No Secrets touts exceptional production qualities highlighted by this restorative reissue.

Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time No Secrets has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces pay instant dividends. Simple, elegant, and disarming, songs seemingly float amid wide, deep soundstages. Simon’s voice takes on a confident, assertive tenor that emerges with accurate imaging, balanced tonality, and palpable presence. String arrangements and backing vocals come through with similar realism.

Enhanced by an all-star cast — Simon’s then-husband James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Bonnie Bramlett are among the renowned musicians who lend a hand — No Secrets advances Simon’s themes of personal introspectiveness, no-holds-barred reflectiveness, and feminist-inspired boldness. She makes every moment of No Secrets worth savoring. Simon invests her all in the songs, handling beautiful ballads, sassy folk-rock numbers, and bluesy fare with calm, composure, and candor.

While acknowledging her own regrets (“You’re So Vain”) and loss (“The Carter Family”), Simon champions the highs (“The Right Thing to Do”) and pains (“His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin”) of love in a sincere manner indicative of her maturity as both an artist and singer. The New York native distinguishes “When You Close Your Eyes” with deep-rooted spirituality, recalls childhood joys via charming sentimentality on “It Was So Easy,” and and takes ownership of her persona on a cover of Taylor’s “Night Owl.”

“We have no secrets
/We tell each other everything,” Simon sings at the record’s midpoint, encapsulating both the themes and bravura of an effort that was nominated for four Grammy Awards and saw her write or co-write every song but one. Combined with Perry’s savvy instrumental arrangements, her self-assured performances and forthright lyrics grant No Secrets an edginess and relevance immune to the ravages of time.

"I have two new records, just full of smells. "
from Scanners Live in Vain by Cordwainer Smith

Lutto Lento's new 2568 E.P. is an album in 7-inch single form. Lutto, real name Lubomir Grzelak, has for years been one of the most acclaimed sonic storytellers around. His first outing on Meakusma is another trip beyond the constraints of musical logic, interweaving elements from industrial music, early avant-garde influences, post-club tendencies, and more, conjuring up a mini-album of huge scope.

Not unlike The Residents, 2568 E.P. touches upon stories from the deep, with an absurdist touch that is at the same time forgiving and inviting. It has a hauntological feel to it, but contradicts it at the same time. It is purring and cold, whispering and layered. Beatific and up close. There is a space ship in the swimming pool, but the cocktail party goes on, kind of. On the edge of industrial music, with a choir thrown in for good measure. On the fringes of club music. Toss the wire-sphere into the air and pay the price for space. Fake composure and dive in.

Lutto Lento is Lubomir Grzelak, a sound artist, composer, music producer, and DJ. Known for his idiosyncratic productions and eclectic sets that break barriers between genres, he has steadily built a reputation for adventurous electronic music that resists easy categorization. Beyond records, he composes for theatre, film, and contemporary dance, weaving diverse influences into a distinctive sonic language.

The record ‘Rīgas Elektromašīnbūves Rūpnīca (RER)’ has many distinctive characteristics. I would like to draw listeners’ attention to the fact that the recording was made with 16 microphones in an abandoned factory in Sarkandaugava (Rīga, Latvia). Over two days, KODEK recorded how the music sounds specifically in this vast space – how the window panes vibrate, how the metal lockers rattle, and how the sound waves propagate uniquely. This created a special and unparalleled musical sound. In this record, KODEK not only plays musical instruments but also the space itself, resulting in an added value or a new chapter in the history of world music – The Sound of Sarkandaugava. – Kaspars Rolšteins Artist bio: Musician Raivo Vainovskis, widely known as KODEK represents a narrow nonacademic electronic music genre while having proven his excellence and gained international recognition performing in countless electronic and experimental music festivals like CTM Festival in Berlin, Amsterdam Dance Event in Amsterdam, Cynetart Festival in Dresden, MUTEK festival in Montreal among others. KODEK is a core figure behind the globally acclaimed Latvian electronic music instrument manufacturer Erica Synths and often uses their synthesizers in his work. Since 2011 he co-organizes experimental music mini-festival Brīnumu Nakts in his native city of Madona which is one of the rare occurrences of such events outside the Latvian capital Riga. Since 2005 both in his releases and live performances he challenges his audiences with his unique stage presence and sonic aesthetic that is rooted in the spirit of truly independent music and art. KODEK has been nominated (and has won) The Annual Latvian Music Recording Award in the category ‘’The best electronic music album’’ for his ‘’Flavours From The Future’’ LP in 2012.

Recommended for everyone who is into uncompromising dance music devoid of emotional signifiers and willing to catch a brief glimpse into the chaotic dimensions of a cold urban environment. credits releases September 1, 2023 Recorded and mixed by Low Order Mastered by Daniele Antezza at Dadub Mastering Artwork by Misha Brin Layout by Anna Haleta

""Röntgen" is Ø's (aka Mika Vainio) subliminal, minimal techno classic, and was featured on the first Sähkö Recordings release in 1993. Spatial, silvery-sharp, and reduced yet frenetic, it's a blueprint of drum machine and synth work that helped redefine an era in techno. This special-edition 12" also features a full-side cut of a previously unreleased Ø track from 1995. The untitled B-side carries the same approach as the title track—minimal TR-808 and acidic synthesis—but in contrast to the hard-edged A-side, this track features a subtle, warm melody towards the end, a melodic approach also heard on later Ø productions. THIS 12" IS CUT WITH LOUD VOLUME FOR EXCELLENT CLUB USE!

With Foreverglades, Miami’s independent rap cornerstone Pouya delivers a cohesive, highly anticipated body of work that serves as a gritty love letter to the Sunshine State. Moving away from the claustrophobic trap beats that defined the early SoundCloud era, Pouya steps fully into his veteran status by embracing a distinctly rich and organic Southern sonic palette. The album's title plays heavily on the Florida Everglades, signaling a destination that is both a permanent state of mind and a humid, unforgiving landscape where only the strongest survive. Over the course of 12 tracks, the project balances hazy nostalgia with modern underground rap execution, highlighting Pouya's sharp technical growth and deep roots in his hometown culture.

The production on Foreverglades is remarkably cohesive, leaning into thick basslines, melting instrumentation, and classic Southern rap influences that give the tracks a heavy, atmospheric depth. Behind the boards, the album leans on a talented collective of underground producers—including Alexis Martin, Boohmii, Esthetic Gloom, and Oleg—who construct a soundscape that is both menacingly smooth and psychedelic. Rather than relying on the frantic tempos of his early catalog, the backdrops here allow Pouya to showcase his immense vocal versatility. He flows effortlessly, seamlessly shifting from his signature rapid-fire, triplet-flow delivery to a more grounded, melodic cadence that mirrors the thick humidity of the Florida landscape.

Lyrically, Foreverglades is a self-reflective journey that finds Pouya confronting the psychological realities of a decade-long independent career. While his trademark dark humor and raw bravado remain intact, they are balanced by a vulnerable perspective on success, mortal anxieties, and the paranoia that comes with staying independent in a shifting industry. The tracklist is meticulously curated, anchored by atmospheric standouts like "Found You," "Florida Baby," "In My City," and the Rocci-assisted "Burnt Down." By anchoring the project with raw storytelling and a distinct sonic identity, Foreverglades stands as a defining moment in Pouya's discography—a project best experienced with the bass turned all the way up and the windows rolled down.

1xLP, pressed on Whirlpool colored vinyl, includes 12x12 double-sided insert.

The darkest, filthiest alleys of old Philadelphia, DEVIL MASTER arise once more to corrupt the children of light. Between tours and festival appearances, the masters of devilry wrote their third full-length, Bloody Dreams. Punkier, with a psychedelic lean, yet festooned with a feral black metal aura, the album gleams from the abyss. Engineered by Davis M. Shubs and Grammy-nominated engineer Eric Bogacz, Bloody Dreams dances darkly. Tracks “You Worms' Vain Delusions” to “Death Anthem,” “Sex with Succubus,” and the decaying bonnet of “Farewell Waltz to Unfortune's Palace” lead the charge, while guests include Mirai Kawashima (Sigh), former drummer Chris Ulsh (Power Trip), and Ur Èmdr Œrvn (Arkha Sva) enhance DEVIL MASTER's supernatural power. There is no shadow without light...Bloody Dreams invites you into and out of the abyss. Short: The darkest, filthiest alleys of old Philadelphia, DEVIL MASTER arise once more to corrupt the children of light with their new album, Bloody Dreams. FFO: Venom, GISM, Celtic Frost, Midnight, Discharge, Christian Death

Reissue. This is MEPHISTOFELES at their druggiest best - you can practically hear the sizzle of something brown cooking on its grooves - and thankfully, they've kept their doom locked in the garage. Mephistofeles continue to maximize the ROCK aspect of their sound over the doom here, with their swagger truly something to behold as those solos just soar downward into the abyss and the rhythm section push and pull right behind. If anything, Violent Theatre is a sterling example of true ensemble playing. Mephistofeles are nothing if not dependable, but just check out the 14-minute epic "Communion of the Vile" for the band really going for it. No other words needed: MEPHISTOFELES are cult for a reason, and Violent Theatre simply proves it further.

Reissue. Violet vinyl, limited to 350 copies. This is MEPHISTOFELES at their druggiest best - you can practically hear the sizzle of something brown cooking on its grooves - and thankfully, they've kept their doom locked in the garage. Mephistofeles continue to maximize the ROCK aspect of their sound over the doom here, with their swagger truly something to behold as those solos just soar downward into the abyss and the rhythm section push and pull right behind. If anything, Violent Theatre is a sterling example of true ensemble playing. Mephistofeles are nothing if not dependable, but just check out the 14-minute epic "Communion of the Vile" for the band really going for it. No other words needed: MEPHISTOFELES are cult for a reason, and Violent Theatre simply proves it further.

2026 Repress

A (new) vinyl version for one of our favourite Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic) albums; originally recorded between 1999–2004 and issued on CD only under his revered Ø alias for Finland’s Sähkö Recordings in 2005.

»Kantamoinen« is perhaps the most intimately beautiful yet little-known LP in the Ø canon, bridging the gap between his classic ’90s minimal techno productions and the project’s subsequent turn to more ambient, kosmic, and dubwise dimensions in the coolly brilliant »Oleva« and »Konstellaatio« albums.

Dedicated to Mika’s grandma, Laina Vainio (1913–1991), and adorned with a cover image of her garden in Artjärvi, Finland, the 16-part 2LP is the closest you’ll get to a type of nostalgia in Mika’s catalogue.

Whilst recorded 1999–2004 at an early crest of his game-changing work with Pan Sonic, the album clearly manifests a quieter space for Mika to emote far more nuanced feels, from the wide-eyed vastness of »Galaxy« to a breathtaking »Sound Picture«, transitioning from Hans-Ulrich Obrist’s snippet of Oskar Sala into icy bliss, and the rosy warmth of »Summerland« clearly dedicated to his nan’s garden. The rest is better defined as ephemeral snapshots adding up to a broader picture, like a mind’s eye filling gaps in the memory from illusive vapours and sensations, generating all-time gems in the steepled choral synth voice of »In Wind«, or a sense of magic realism in the swaying organ of »Antenna-ant«, with the blooz folk wheeze of closer »To Home« that could feasibly score the most haunting moments of a Béla Tarr flick.

Robert Johnson , the legendary blues guitarist, sold his soul at the crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi, for musical greatness. Ryan Coogler's latest film, Sinners , resonates with that story, exploring ambition and sacrifice. His 'King of the Delta Blues Singers' LP epitomises that story

[a] Cross Road Blues [aka Crossroads]

Robert Johnson was an American blues musician whose 1936 and 1937 recordings heavily influenced many, many future generations of artists. Despite the fact his recording career spanned a mere seven months, he is universally recognized as a master of the Delta blues style, one of the earliest-known styles of blues emerging from the Mississippi delta in the early twentieth century.

This second compilation of the King of the Delta Blues collects sixteen recordings previously available on the 78 rpm format and includes recordings of two Johnson songs that have since become blues standards: "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." In contrast to the deeply emotive songs released on the 1961 album, many of the tracks on this volume display Johnson's lighter side. In 2003 the record was ranked #424 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Whether he really needed to sell his soul to the devil at the crossroads to reach these great heights, we'll never know...

King Of The Delta Blues Singers, Vol.2 is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on yellow vinyl and includes an insert with liner notes by Pete Welding.

Acknowledge Kindness expands San Francisco based The Reds, Pinks And Purples' distinctive brand of emotional pop, music built for the quiet hours and the restless mind. Evolving naturally from the heavier, melancholic indie rock of previous releases, the mood here feels more exposed and reflective, blossoming into lush dreamscapes that recall the bittersweet sorrow of The Cure or the tenderly gloomy transcendence of California by American Music Club. Created from a new headspace, the album finds main man Glenn Donaldson observing both the present and the weight of what came before it. Songs lean into a deeper sense of nostalgia, allowing him to look back with intent and revisit moments that once carried a sting. Donaldson's vocals are captured in high fidelity, raw and immediate, with lyrical abstraction underpinned by chiming acoustic guitars and achingly beautiful piano. Across its 11 tracks, Acknowledge Kindness expands The Reds, Pinks And Purples' emotional and sonic panorama, with Donaldson's ongoing world-building remaining both warmly nostalgic and strikingly original. "Donaldson's best work hides allure within a bigger picture, like a jangle-pop egg hunt" Pitchfork FFO The Smiths, Guided By Voices, The Chills, Leonard Cohen, The Go-Betweens, Robert Wyatt, Twee-, Jangle- & Sophisticated Guitar Pop. Coloured vinyl LP versions and digisleeve CD available

Carlos Giffoni reconnects with Thurston Moore for two sides of loose-limbed axe noise, oscillator worship and hard-phased, Spacemen 3-style feedback.

Giffoni’s been on a roll recently. Since the No Fun founder returned to the scene with »Vain¡, a genius set of synth mutations that appeared in iDEAL back in 2018, he’s been slowly ramping up the activity, dropping the celestial »Dream Walker« on Stephen O’Malley’s Ideologic Organ in 2024 and following it with »Pendulum«, a bumper compendium of collaborations, just a few weeks back. For those who remember Giffoni’s first trip round the block, he was always able to hold his own chopping it up in person, not just by mail.

Just scrub through his early catalog and you’ll see collabs with Nels Cline and Chris Corsano, Merzbow, Jim O’Rourke and Lasse Marhaug, and of course, Thurston Moore. The two rekindle their thing on »IGUANA’« picking up where 2001’s fabled »4 Guitars Live« performance left off. Here, Giffoni straddles a tabletop synth and FX while Moore attacks his signature Jazzmaster with a drumstick and a screwdriver – vibes fully intact.

Moore is on blistering form, sounding as if he’s taken a step back to refresh his approach since the early ‘00s when he could be spotted moonlighting on any number of basement-adjacent noise sides. Sawing at his strings and turning the guitar into a shrieking resonator, he leaves only faint vapours of the classic Sonic Youth sound as opiating accents on his animalistic wails and rumbles. On the opening half, his whammy – assisted shreds are balanced out by Giffoni’s off-world whirrs and airlocked vibrations, building a dense wall of noise towards an unexpectedly elegiac conclusion. At some point, Giffoni’s rasping churr transforms into a simmering shudder and Moore’s into hymnal drones – squint a bit and you could almost call it pretty.

Of course, they ramp things up on the flip, dissolving the melancholia with smokey white noise and twangy, post-Derek Bailey chimes that Giffoni accompanies with aggy oscillations. Like every great taped noise set, the recording quality is crucial - »IGUANA« was captured from the pit by Guillermo Hernandez Avendano, the dad of Lia Miranda who provides the cover photo. It’s that kinda show.

The “5” Royales were the most enduring and influential of all the 1950s proto-soul groups. In a very crowded market, their success was remarkable. The Royales were the first African American group to introduce gospel based vocal styles into the rhythm and blues format. This gave an intensity to their recordings and live performances that no other combo could get near, thanks to the passion and power that lead singer Johnny Tanner generated. Furthermore, the group possessed in Lowman Pauling a songwriter of genius and a guitarist, who invented an exciting style of playing that linked stinging solos with rhythmic accompaniment. The Harbingers Of Soul is a mouth-watering overview featuring the best of the King era and the most soulful sides from their stay at Home Of The Blues. 180gsm vinyl. Sleeve notes by John Ridley.

Rather than yielding to despair in these troubled times and offering listeners a rope to hang themselves, Zimmermann (trombonist for Claude Nougaro, Manu Dibango, and Tony Allen) playfully grants them another option - a humorous sarcasm! He mocks the vain shelters of the powerful with the tune "My Little Sweet NZ Bunker", denounces the manufacture of one- track minds with "Les maximiseurs de PI", and escapism with the classic satirical Mose Allison's song "Stop This World (let me off" (translated and sung in French) In more tender moments, he reflects on the intimate consequences of this global unraveling.

Daniel Zimmerman's style, both as a composer and soloist, is that of a melodist above all else; disregarding concepts, he sings and seeks to go straight to the heart. He was voted 'Trombonist of the Year' by Jazz Magazine (Frances most influential jazz publication) in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The name Ran is a new one to us and seemingly remains, for now at least, cloaked in secrecy, but when we see their influences range from Loefah, Photek and Carrier to Source Direct, Regis and Mika Vainio, we were instantly hooked. To this new EP on Gelassenheit, then, which speaks to a producer with a rough and tough analogue sound and love of bass-driven techno. 'Violence' is gritty and heavy as it pounds out a groove with eerie pads in the distance, 'Minus' has punchy broken beats that come at you through a murky fog, and 'Closure ' then ducks and dives with a post-dubstep nimbleness as spooky background details suggest there is an oncoming threat. 'Manoeuvres' is a sparse, heavyweight and soot-black dub with crispy hits that demand a physical response. Early support from Carrier!

Taupe’s latest album release, waxing | waning delivers jazz experimentalism, ‘skronk’, avant-rock, and electronics, by the Glasgow-based trio, due out via Minority Records. Across its seven tracks, waxing | waning captures Taupe’s approach – bold and boundary pushing – shaped by a fresh shift in the band’s dynamic and compositional approach.

Taupe’s waxing | waning, co-composed and realised by its players in a studio that was once an undertaker’s premises in Glasgow, is an absolutely affirmative album, an act of cultural defiance in desperate times.

Comprising Mike Parr-Burman (guitar, bass guitar, electronics), Jamie Stockbridge (alto and baritone saxophones) and Alex Palmer (drum kit, percussion), Taupe work up a storm of skronk, free jazz and harmolodic frenzy whose closest relations include Zu, Melt Banana and John Zorn. However, waxing | waning is from its opening, stuttering blasts, an exercise in seeking out and claiming new territory, finding unique and novel permutations in which jazz, rock, electronics interbreed at breakneck pace. Here is a group determined to say and do things they don’t get to say and do elsewhere in their musical lives.

‘Lemonade Tycoon’ hits the ground skronking. It’s cubistic jazz, cumulative in its impact, avoiding the white lines of the conventional freeway, bridling, bustling, coming at you from all angles – a three way conversation of astonishing rapidity, fast track, telepathic communication – everyone from James Chance to Albert Ayler coming at you at once, before morphing in to a spidery scrawl of electronics and furious percussion. ‘Anti-Bird-Spike BirdNest’s‘ title somehow sums up the sort of mental images evoked by the music – its sheer creative disobedience, as if being chased in vain, like a delivery rider evading capture by ICE agents -– shapeshifting, assuming different shades, sprouting metal quills and, in its midsection, seeming almost to swallow itself alive, before regurgitating itself in a sublime mess.

‘Interlude (Stride)’ is not exactly ambient, more a horizontal enmeshment of percussion, drones, reverberant noise, electronics, a sonic mulch. ‘allcapsallbold' reminds of early Aksak Maboul, in its playfulness, a haywire series of short phrases, subject to mechanical interference, a complex weave of irregular rhythms, increasingly eloquent sax phraseology and caustic guitars, which land heavier and heavier. ‘Pet Boss' is the new jazz equivalent of a highly evolved, mature conversation among brilliant equals, sharp, empathetic, complementary, rising to a collective, joyful noise. On the title track, electronics descend like a shower of bright particles, intensifying in their luminosity, whitening the skies, as sax and drums kick up a tempestuous, spontaneously sculpted noise that summons the ghosts of the great free jazz players, before a dark calm descends slowly. Finally, ‘Turn Push Kick’, a burgeoning chatterstorm of electronics, before the group kicks in, at angles to one another, led by abrasive guitars, reminiscent of Sunn O))) in their ritualistic concussion, riffing, digging deep amid squealing sax and piledriving percussion.