Suche:inspiration

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.

Killer Groove Records proudly presents "Keep Your Step", the explosive comeback by Italian rock steady & early reggae ambassadors The Appetizers, a soulful celebration of reggae's timeless spirit.


"Keep Your Step" marks the band's much-awaited return, landing April 10th on limited edition LP, CD digipack and digital format featuring two exclusive bonus tracks.

The Appetizers deliver a masterclass in roots reggae music with their highly anticipated second studio album, bridging Jamaica's golden age with contemporary relevance. "Keep Your Step" is a heartfelt sonic journey where the band blends rocksteady and early reggae with funk and soul influences to create a sound that's both genuine and refreshingly modern.

The fourteen tracks move fluidly between infectious dancefloor fillers and socially conscious lyrics. From the laid-back swing of "Feel Like Dancing" to the hypnotic rhythm of "Thicker Than Water", the band demonstrates their versatility while remaining true to the roots of Jamaican sound. "A Message from The Meters" pays tribute to the legendary funk pioneers, while the instrumental "Catch This" and "Make It Reggay" highlight the band's musical prowess and the deep connections between reggae and funk.

Meanwhile, tracks like "Fussy Girl" and "Behind My Shoulders" explore love's complexities with humor and soul. The album's heart lies in its social consciousness. "Cool and Deadly", "The Life", "Stormy Weather" and the album title track "Keep Your Step" tell stories of perseverance through life's struggles.

With the hopeful anthem "We Shall Overcome," The Appetizers deliver a timely message about genuine human connection in a social media-dominated era. The digital edition closes with "Get Some Rollin'" and "Swing and Sway," rounding out the journey with two additional gems.

"Keep Your Step" pays homage to Jamaican music legends, from Jackie Mittoo and Tommy McCook to Toots & the Maytals, while carving out The Appetizers' own distinctive sound. This is a groove made for both the dance floor and the soul, proving that reggae's power to inspire, unite, and uplift remains as vital as ever.

The production stays true to The Appetizers' signature sound: organic tones, deep groove, and that live-room vibe you only get when real musicians are locked in together. Luca Monza and Claudio Mambrini, the band's core members, handled the artistic production. Mastering came courtesy of the great JJ Golden (Black Pumas, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, The Frightnrs) at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California. JJ is one of the most trusted engineers working in this sound, ensuring every ounce of warmth and authenticity came through.

The Appetizers are a rocksteady and early reggae band formed in Milan in 2020 by musicians deeply embedded in the Italian and international reggae scene. Musicians from different paths united by a shared vision: recreating that vintage Caribbean and American sound with authenticity, respect and a forward-thinking edge.

Drawing inspiration from Jamaica's golden era and channeling the soul of Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis, the early Wailers, and The Upsetters, The Appetizers carry forward the essence of bass culture with a pure, fully organic approach.

Their debut album Listen Up! (2022), released via Belgian imprint Badasonic Records (home to The Slackers, The Aggrolites, David Hillyard & Victor Rice), featured ten original tracks and a dub cut by Victor Rice. Distributed across Europe, the UK, the US, and Japan, it quickly earned international recognition among reggae connoisseurs and selectors worldwide.

Following extensive touring, including shows with The Slackers, Black Uhuru, Skip Marley, and more, the band returned to the studio to record "Keep Your Step", their second album produced by Killer Groove Records. Here the band expands its musical language, weaving together the spirit of historic Jamaican labels like Studio One and Treasure Isle with '60s funk, arriving at a warm, organic, and timeless sound: soul, Jamaican roots, and modern sensibility in perfect balance. Their lyrics explore heartbreak, social issues, and reflections on life and music, performed with dedication and respect for tradition while always pushing forward.


If you're into The Skatalites, The Ethiopians, and those classic Caribbean rhythms, this one's for you.

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.

Marking twenty years since South African producer and DJ Esa Williams left Cape Town, Dala What We Must is a deeply personal and expansive debut LP, an exploration of movement, memory, and sound shaped by two decades of creative evolution.

Co-created with collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Robin G. Breeze, the album deftly combines field recordings, layered instrumentation, and emotionally resonant compositions into a nuanced, globally influenced body of work. It also stands as Esa’s most collaborative release to date, featuring contributions from musicians across London, Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Cape Town, each adding their own creative energy to a project built on openness, trust, and shared experience.

The album draws inspiration from Esa’s recent ventures into documentary scoring and soundtracking, with projects like Cursed (Audible) and The Invisible Hand teaching him to listen differently, to honour space, to serve the story. That sensibility permeates the album, resulting in music that breathes, lingers, and listens as much as it speaks.

The title, Dala What We Must, is a South African call to action: a reminder to do what’s necessary, even in uncertainty. Finalised in the months leading up to Esa’s transition into fatherhood, the record carries a sense of grounding, care, and quiet transformation.

Dala What We Must is a sonic reflection of journey and community, a deeply collaborative project rooted in connection and guided by intention.

Mit bisher über 30 Millionen Streams ihres Katalogs und einer Tournee-Geschichte, die das Download Festival, Graspop, Resurrection sowie Tourneen als Support für Electric Callboy und Bury Tomorrow umfasst, sind As Everything Unfolds sicherlich keine Neulinge in der Szene. Die Band, angeführt von der Powerfrau Charlie Rolfe, ist bekannt für ihre emotionsgeladene Musik sowie ihre dynamischen Live-Auftritte. Nun veröffentlicht die Band ihr drittes Album "DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE?" über Century Media Records. Das Album, benannt nach den Lyrics der Single "SET IN FLOW", zeichnet sich durch die bekannte und beliebte musikalische Intensität der Band aus, gepaart mit emotionalen Texten, mit denen sich Fans und neue Hörer gleichermaßen verbunden fühlen werden. Charlie, die sich nicht scheut, über die Inspiration hinter den Tracks zu sprechen, wechselt mühelos zwischen heavy Growls und klarem Gesang und lässt die Musik wie eine Achterbahnfahrt zwischen verschiedenen Genres wirken. Mit einem Feature von Dani Winter-Bates von Bury Tomorrow auf "WHAT YOU WANTED" würdigt die Band ihre Freundschaft und Tournee-Geschichte mit der britischen Metalcore-Band - ein Track, der sicherlich zu einem Fan-Favoriten werden wird. Nach dem Erscheinen des Albums müssen die Fans nicht allzu lange warten, um die neue Musik auch live zu erleben, denn die erste Festivalankündigung für den Sommer steht bereits fest.
Mit "DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE?" definieren sich As Everything Unfolds erneut als Band ohne Grenzen und als eine Gruppe, die man in der alternativen Musikszene im Auge behalten sollte - ihre größten Momente liegen vielleicht noch vor ihnen. Das Album wird als Standard-CD-Jewelcase, als trasparent-petrolgrüne LP sowie als digitales Album erhältlich sein.

Marking twenty years since South African producer and DJ Esa Williams left Cape Town, Dala What We Must is a deeply personal and expansive debut LP, an exploration of movement, memory, and sound shaped by two decades of creative evolution. Co-created with collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Robin G. Breeze, the album deftly combines field recordings, layered instrumentation, and emotionally resonant compositions into a nuanced, globally influenced body of work. It also stands as Esa’s most collaborative release to date, featuring contributions from musicians across London, Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Cape Town, each adding their own creative energy to a project built on openness, trust, and shared experience. The album draws inspiration from Esa’s recent ventures into documentary scoring and soundtracking, with projects like Cursed (Audible) and The Invisible Hand teaching him to listen differently, to honour space, to serve the story. That sensibility permeates the album, resulting in music that breathes, lingers, and listens as much as it speaks.

The title, Dala What We Must, is a South African call to action: a reminder to do what’s necessary, even in uncertainty. Finalised in the months leading up to Esa’s transition into fatherhood, the record carries a sense of grounding, care, and quiet transformation. Dala What We Must is a sonic reflection of journey and community, a deeply collaborative project rooted in connection and guided by intention.

Vivel is Alexander Eldefors’ second release under his own name. Built around eurorack and field recordings, many captured during still moments while traveling to visit family and friends. The album was created during a period of transition. It functions as an anchor in a time of change, representing a sense of home, safety, and stillness.

Alexander Eldefors is a producer, composer, and mixing engineer based in the countryside outside of Stockholm, Sweden. With a background as both a sound engineer and musician, he has spent years recording, mixing and playing in a wide range of bands and solo projects. In 2019, he consciously slowed down and returned to a more intimate and quiet musical expression, leading to the release of his debut album Bergen in 2020 under his own name. Bergen is the Swedish word for mountains and reflects the fact that Alexander grew up in the north of Sweden close to the mountains.

His music is minimalistic, melodic, and embracing, shaped by a deep connection to nature. Natural environments are a constant presence in his work, serving both as inspiration and as a sound source. Alongside this, he is drawn to the raw textures of everyday objects, working with foley sounds and field recordings. His arrangements unfold as organic sound collages, where elements blend freely and imperfections are preserved to maintain a natural, human feel.

Sonderausgabe auf türkisfarbenem Vinyl. Ursprünglich 2009 veröffentlicht und seit Jahren vergriffen. Seit ,Endless Summer" hat uns die Musik von Christian Fennesz fasziniert. Während viele Laptop-Künstler nicht über ein leeres elektronisches Rumpeln ohne Tiefe hinauskommen, schafft es Fennesz, eine Welt voller ungehörter und reichhaltiger neuer Klänge zu erschaffen. Christians Idee, mit Mark Linkous von Sparklehorse zusammenzuarbeiten, hat uns sofort begeistert. Die beiden Künstler waren schon ein paar Mal gemeinsam aufgetreten und hatten beide das Gefühl, dass in dieser Zusammenarbeit noch mehr Potenzial steckte. Nur zwei Tage im Dezember 2007 reichten aus, um über 40 Minuten der erhabenen Kombination aus Fennesz und Sparklehorse aufzunehmen. Vorbereitete Kuriositäten und jede Menge Inspiration machen diese Aufnahmen einzigartig in ihrem Stil und insbesondere in dieser Serie. Songs und Klanglandschaften von seltener Schönheit mit atemberaubender Atmosphäre, in denen abstrakte Klänge und gut ausgearbeitete traditionelle Songstrukturen aufeinandertreffen und akustische Instrumente und Elektronik ein herausragendes Ambiente schaffen.

Australian indie and garage-rock firebrand, GIMMY unveils her new EP Labour of Love — a raw, emotionally charged collection that fuses gritty indie rock, post-punk bite and tender poetic expression, all powered by Gemma Owens’ unmistakable vibrato and fiercely honest songwriting.

Where her 2024 debut Things Look Different Now was a slow-burn, two-to-three–year voyage of change and introspection, Labour of Love hits with an entirely new force: intuitive, immediate and deeply connected to Owens’ emotional world. Written over six months and captured in an intense 4–5 day studio burst with producer Sam Joseph (King Gizzard), the EP moves with the urgency of something that needed to be felt and heard, right away.

Across seven compelling tracks, GIMMY dives into social anxiety, grief, falling in love and the chaotic beauty of everyday life, with each song arriving “on its own terms” — born from late-night home writing sessions, snippets of inspiration while travelling and moments of full-band electricity. Sonically, Labour of Love nods to Soft Play, Nick Cave, Fontaines D.C., The Preatures and The Smiths, yet remains unmistakably GIMMY: expressive, gritty, vulnerable, cheeky and alive in every moment.

Ultimately, the EP is an unfiltered snapshot of emotional truth, celebrating life’s highs, lows and everything in between, and showcasing GIMMY at her most dynamic, powerful and compelling to date.

Australian indie and garage-rock firebrand, GIMMY unveils her new EP Labour of Love — a raw, emotionally charged collection that fuses gritty indie rock, post-punk bite and tender poetic expression, all powered by Gemma Owens’ unmistakable vibrato and fiercely honest songwriting.

Where her 2024 debut Things Look Different Now was a slow-burn, two-to-three–year voyage of change and introspection, Labour of Love hits with an entirely new force: intuitive, immediate and deeply connected to Owens’ emotional world. Written over six months and captured in an intense 4–5 day studio burst with producer Sam Joseph (King Gizzard), the EP moves with the urgency of something that needed to be felt and heard, right away.

Across seven compelling tracks, GIMMY dives into social anxiety, grief, falling in love and the chaotic beauty of everyday life, with each song arriving “on its own terms” — born from late-night home writing sessions, snippets of inspiration while travelling and moments of full-band electricity. Sonically, Labour of Love nods to Soft Play, Nick Cave, Fontaines D.C., The Preatures and The Smiths, yet remains unmistakably GIMMY: expressive, gritty, vulnerable, cheeky and alive in every moment.

Ultimately, the EP is an unfiltered snapshot of emotional truth, celebrating life’s highs, lows and everything in between, and showcasing GIMMY at her most dynamic, powerful and compelling to date.

Swedish visionary Boko Yout is releasing their long-awaited debut album GUSTO, out via Hoopdiggas Recordings.
GUSTO is Boko Yout’s debut album – a kaleidoscopic journey through memory, trauma, humour and healing. Framed as a fictional therapy programme led by the eccentric Dr. Gusto, each track represents a confrontation with a different shadow of the self: unspoken fears, inherited burdens, or unresolved inner conflicts. But GUSTO is not just about darkness – it’s also about hope, longing and the light that makes those shadows visible in the first place.
Boko Yout weaves together raw emotion, spiritual symbolism and bold experimentation. Referencing vodun philosophy, Jungian archetypes and post-genre production, they draws inspiration from artists like Yves Tumor, Odd Future and LCD Soundsystem. The result is a debut that feels more like a sonic manifesto – driven by love, intention and a deep commitment to artistic freedom.

Bristol's Tara Clerkin Trio return to World of Echo and the EP format for a five song collection of quixotic, emotional redolence. But do not mistake their absence for inertia. If their musical output has been a little sparse during those in-between years, limited to a few solo ventures and an astonishing ten minute long piece as a trio, their time has otherwise been richly spent: continuous writing and recording, extensive live performances across Europe and Japan, a cultivation of local and more far-flung artistic connections (musical and otherwise), and a monthly NTS show that, through the voice of others, speaks most obviously to their own unorthodox interests. It's the conflux of that winding activity that leads indirectly to On The Turning Ground, 26 minutes of probing, thoughtful composition that draws from no one specific source. Their inspirations might be centreless, but the trio still possess a very obvious anchor in the form of their hometown. Bristol stands as a city of multitudes, heterogenous and vibrant in such a way as to allow it to renew and remake time and again. Tara Clerkin Trio drink from that same well, duly reflecting a rich musical heritage built on fwd-facing electronic subcultures and experimental urges.

As such, On The Turning Ground finds them subject to their own subtle internal evolution, the pervasive sense that you've caught them mid-bloom, on their way to becoming but never anything but themselves. The two instrumental pieces that bookend the EP stand as a perfect case in point, displaying an increasing mastery of compositional space. Pensive and restrained, 'Brigstow' and 'Once Around' both emanate an interstitial quality that's not so much after- as in-between-hours, miniature dub-folk symphonies held together by the kind of tacit understanding that remains the preserve of only the closest of family units. If those two tracks are shaped by a sense of shifting temporality, then the three vocal-led pieces that comprise the record's core feel like a gentle ossifying of aesthetic into something approaching their own unique form of avant-pop. 'Pop' is, of course, a broadly subjective concept, but there's no avoiding the overt sparkling melodicism of songs like 'Marble Walls' and 'The Turning Ground', undeniable re-directions of that late 90s impulse to bend pop sensibilities into off-centre terrain, to render the familiar new again. This is what Tara Clerkin Trio do, gently pulling the ground from under your feet, turning you to face something you'd not quite seen before. To view the world as they do: sideways, sometimes, all of the time.

ZENA, the contemporary ethio-jazz duo from London comprised of producer, keyboardist

and synth player Yohan Kebede and bassist/producer Menelik, have announced the forthcoming release of their debut EP ‘TEMESGEN’; is a six-track aural odyssey that balances uncompromising experimentation with a deep sense of home, comfort, and exploration. In accordance with the duo’s mission, the project is seeking to redefine and reimagine Ethiopian music for a new generation.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the EP’s title, Yohan said: “‘TEMESGEN’ means “Thank God” in Amharic, and for me, I never heard my mother receive good news without saying it aloud. After the first couple gigs we did as ZENA, we saw how people reacted to our music and how it resonated with them. It spurred in us a feeling of overwhelming gratitude, after which the EP kind of named itself”

Born out of a mutual love and respect for the music of their shared Ethiopian heritage, ZENA are charting a new endeavour where Ethiopian musical traditions meet the future. Building upon the roots and foundations laid by legendary Ethiopian musicians Haliu Mergia, Alemayehu Eshete and Mulatu Astatke, ZENA fuses the haunting spirituality and earthiness of the ethio-jazz tradition with a modernity, sensuality and sense of disruption that is distinctly London.

Following three sold-out London headline shows, plus appearances at We Out Here Festival and on NTS Radio, ZENA arrive on Brownswood Recordings with a bold debut that’s equally at home across jazz-minded selectors and leftfield crate-diggers. The duo’s momentum is fuelled by Yohan Kebede’s landmark year with Kokoroko; from the release of Tuff Times Never Last to an NPR Tiny Desk, a North American tour, and their biggest headline show yet at O2 Academy Brixton, alongside Menelik’s quietly formidable reputation in London’s inner circle, shaped by time on the road and in the studio with Muva Of Earth and Bill Laurance.






d B1 IT'S YOU (ANTE NEH) ft. Meron T




d B1 IT'S YOU (ANTE NEH) ft. Meron T




[d] B1 IT'S YOU (ANTE NEH) [ft. Meron T]

*Kissa* is an immersive ambient electronic project crafted by Mathias, drawing inspiration from the serene and evocative atmosphere of Japanese jazz kissa cafés. These intimate spaces, known for their deep reverence for music, serve as the foundation for *Kissa’s* sonic landscape—where warm nostalgia and futuristic minimalism intertwine. Consisting of eight expansive compositions, *Kissa* abandons traditional rhythmic structures, allowing sound itself to guide the listener. Ethereal textures, evolving drones, and subtle harmonic shifts create a meditative experience that blurs the lines between memory and imagination. Each track is a portal—an invitation to lose oneself in sound, to explore the spaces between notes, and to embrace stillness as a form of movement. With *Kissa*, Mathias redefines the boundaries of electronic music, crafting an experience that is at once deeply personal and universally resonant. Whether serving as a soundtrack for introspection or a companion for late-night contemplation, *Kissa* embodies the essence of timeless listening—where music is felt, not just heard.

Limite is the genre-defying ensemble led by Brussels-based bassist Jordi Cassagne. Alongside him are several familiar faces from the W.E.R.F. Records family, including guitarist Benjamin Sauzereau (REMORQUE) and keyboardist Camille-Alban Spreng (ODIL).

Limite's music embodies a distinctive blend of alternative rock, no wave, and idiosyncratic folk, drawing inspiration from artists such as Blonde Redhead, Big Thief, Daniel Rossen, Joanna Newsom, Leonard Cohen, DavidBowie, Deerhoof, Sonic Youth, and Jim O'Rourke.

Longtime friend of the label Eraserhead returns after over a decade away from producing music due to his surreal MS Paint work as 'Jim'll Paint It' becoming an unexpected cultural phenomenon. With his debut full-length, 'Violence', Eraserhead presents a truly eclectic electronic LP featuring collaborations with established producers such as Om Unit, Enduser, and Brain Rays, as well as the vocal talents of Nadia Rose, Beans (of Antipop Consortium), and Cadence Weapon. An album held together by theme and tone rather than style or tempo, 'Violence' is the culmination of a bitter wave of inspiration, initially conceived in the wake of a personal tragedy that quickly grew into a broader polemic about the state of the world.

Originally linking up with Love Love in its breakcore netlabel infancy with his refined, breaks-heavy breakcore/gabba, Eraserhead's flair for tight, intricate productions was evident in his finely tuned tracks of controlled chaos. This time around, his work is a darker, more expansive evolution of his sound, with the scale upsized and the stylistic scope massively broadened, remaining unfaithful to any single genre, but with firm nods to Breakcore, Grime, Drum & Bass, Techno, Rave, Dubstep, and Footwork, all chewed up with a hard industrial edge and cinematically framed by a backdrop of apocalyptic synths.

Opening with the cold tech-noir of 'Shining Brainless Beacon' to set the tone, the album quickly locks in with the blistering spoken-word headrush of 'Hurricane With Teeth' alongside rapper Beans, before Om Unit lends his expertise on the sharp groove and clinical bass blasts of 'Operation Hardtack'. The album shifts and morphs constantly throughout the runtime, moving from the raw and urgent acid techno of 'Crowd Control' to the crunching military march of the Gore Tech collaboration 'No More Worlds' and the tribal sci-fi footwork of the Brain Rays collaboration 'Night Visions'. 'Monolith' provides a final burst of catharsis, channelling Underworld by way of Nine Inch Nails, complete with writhing screams from Amée Chanter of sludge-punk-noise-rock duo Human Leather, before the heart of the album is laid bare with the painfully bleak closing dirge of 'Animal'. In its final moments, 'Violence' leaves the listener suspended between devastation and awe - an unflinching portrait of an uncaring world.

Renowned producer, dj, artist and author Justin Robertson fresh from the success of his Five Green Moons project joins forces with composer and Stone Club co-founder Matthew Shaw on their tribute to mythical band MineralTail. An 11 track cosmic trip through krautrock, weird ambience and loose-limbed grooves that accompanies the story contained in Justin's new novel of the same name. Expect hypnotic electronics and ritualistic rhythms, swirling melodies and glorious riffs.

'Critics agree that the greatest album ever recorded is the self-titled debut by the MineralTail. Recorded after the extinction of humanity by the combination of a Megalithic stone and two dogs, the record remains peerless in its ingenuity, passion and inventiveness. An album that consistently remains at the top of all rankings and charts. Though all such accolades are meaningless, nonetheless its enduring appeal is obvious. Here, at last is the first reliable account of how that record was made. The recording techniques, the creative disputes, the true source of the sound. It is a story of sublime inspiration, skulduggery, time travel, beauty and conflict. But most importantly it is the story of music itself. Because held within the grooves of the MineralTail's breathtaking debut is the voice of God's most dazzling accident. Music.'

Chris Liebing's first full solo techno LP, 'Evolver' is released on 27th March 2026, via his own CLR imprint. The German techno don's LP features a host of collaborators across music, images, and artwork. Luke Slater, Charlotte De Witte, Speedy J, The Advent, Terence Fixmer, Pascal Gabriel, Daniel Miller contribute to the music, while long-time collaborators Studio Bergfors deliver design, and legendary photographer Anton Corbijn shot Liebing for the project.

The Evolver LP is the sum total of Chris Liebing's three decades at the beating heart of techno. It's the record only someone whose first break as a techno DJ was playing five hours at Sven Väth's infamous Omen in Frankfurt - and who has ridden out every twist and turn of life and subcultures since, while remaining rooted in the true school, dark, sweaty techno sweat pits of the world - could have made. It's the result of deep introspection, but it's about utter immediacy. It's the sound of someone previously driven along by compulsion and happenstance at last finding the confidence to be utterly intentional about their practice, allowing them to take the most classic, familiar, proven elements from the past and render them completely new.

Evolver is also Liebing's first completely solo album. There are collaborations, yes: with old friends from the OG techno generation, Luke Slater, Speedy J, and The Advent, all on uncompromising form, and with new generation figurehead Charlotte De Witte, who provides a thrilling narration of total surrender to the moment on acid clarion call "Symphonie des Seins". But unlike all Liebing's albums to date, there's no co-pilot. Every structure, every mixdown, every choice serves his singular vision of how his untold immersion in the surging currents of the world's greatest clubs should sound. The elements are all those forged in the white heat of Omen and Tresor in the mid 90s - brutal repetition, titanium kick drums, industrial atmospherics, but also dark rave euphoria, ever present surging acid lines just on the cusp of trance, and just enough human voices to remind you of bodies on the dance floor - but rendered with all the extraordinary accumulated skill and technological developments since then.

It's Chris's vision entirely, his musings on sound, technology, and life birthing tracks like "Roy Batty." Inspired by thoughts of AI becoming sentient and hungering for more life like Rutger Hauer's titular Blade Runner character, it was one of the first tracks to emerge and a foundation stone for the album. And in pursuit of that vision, it's built like a "proper album". The anticipation and menace of intro "Unfold" tip over into the glowing hot high drama psychedelia of "Symphonie…" then the breathless headlong rush of The Advent collab and on through an unfolding narrative that goes deep, goes dark, opens out into grand vistas, takes strange turns before finally landing on the alien landscape of… well… "Endtrack".

Not everything is pummelling on Evolver - the dazzling title track feels like you've been welcomed into the courtly dance of a higher dimension civilisation, and the audacious Speedy J collab "Shaping Frequencies" is a beatless flow that tests the boundaries between signal and noise. But for all its complexity, conceptualism, and stylistic branching out, every last part unmistakably powered by that dark techno-cavern energy above all else. All of it positively radiates the qualities of Liebing's greatest work and sets to date - but somehow even more so than before. Whether you're listening for aesthetic inspiration, cerebral stimulation or just that raw physical power, this album will sweep you up into its momentum and won't let go of you until it's done.

In his 1954 book The Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley theorized that every person lives and experiences life on their own island universe. We can try to explain our experience to others using language, symbols, and art, but we'll never be sure that we're feeling something precisely the same as anyone else. This line of thinking has become a source of inspiration for many prolific artists. Now, Cincinnati-based producer Jason Grimez is inviting us to hear what it sounds like on an island of his own creation. The Island of Dr. Bionic is the third installment in Dr. Bionic's Terrestrial Radio series. Due out 5/2/2025 on Chiefdom Records, it's a collection of instrumental fusion for fans of hip-hop, jazz, funk, and beyond. Grimez is the producer, mixer, and mastermind behind Dr. Bionic. He's a Cincinnati-based creator with a deep understanding of 90s hip-hop and DJ culture, and he draws inspiration from music of all kinds. Grimez' ever-growing catalog is best described as organic groove. He calls on a rotating cast of veteran musicians to join him at his home studio to write, record, and try out new ideas. Long-time listeners will find some familiar names in the liner notes, for good reason. 'Life Span' (track 14) features a head-bobbing beat from Marvin Hawkins. Nick Brown is responsible for the dreamy Rhodes performance on 'Shell Of The Soul' (track 11). If Charlie Suit's unforgettable sax performance on 'The Path Of Stars' (track 16) is stuck in your head for more than 3 days, please consult Dr. Bionic. Once the recording sessions are complete, the real production work begins. "We get together and record a ton of stuff, and then I'll go back and cut it and mix it together," Grimez explained. "It all finds a home over time."