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Mermaid Chunky. It's all in a name, sometimes. The danceable, costumed, curiosity rich duo of artists Freya Tate and Moina Moin are as imaginative as they profess. Or, to get more to the point, as we all need them to be. Freya and Moina are two visual artists and musicians from Stroud and South London, places where they importantly found communities (Stroud's SVA and the capital's Total Refreshment Centre) of like minded people just as willing to chase down an idea to its possibly illogical conclusion. And it is in the collective and the idea of participation that Mermaid Chunky really clicks. This is a party, a collective dance, made all the better with more: people, ideas, layers, kick drums, recorders, saxophones, frogs. To wit, the album's first track and first single, "Céilí," named after a traditional Scottish or Irish social gathering and dance, which builds from a simple recorder line into a swelling, warm burst of major chord dance music. Goosebumps or check your pulse. Further down the rabbit hole, "Chaperone" is almost boardwalk electro, like Fischerspooner on a ferris wheel; "Frogsporn" and "Nature Girl" are mucky, trippy dirges filled with stalactites of synth and squelch; "Tiny Gymnast" is a kaleidoscopic waltz into the night. Hold onto your seats, ladies and gentlemen. You might be wondering how we, DFA Records, all the way over in cynical Brooklyn, entered the picture. There was a day a few years ago, sun shining in full Springtime splendor, when James heard something while waiting for a coffee down the street from the office. It sounded simple yet deceptively complex: a dance track, but one where the one - that anchoring first beat in a measure - could be heard a thousand different ways. Frustrated and interested, he Shazamd the song, playing at the shop from an episode of Zakia's Questing show on NTS, and brought it back to the office, where we all listened to it about fifty times. (The song was "Friends," from Mermaid Chunky's VEST EP, released in 2020. It led to an invitation to open for LCD at Brixton Academy in 2022. Mermaid Chunky has also played live alongside The Comet Is Coming, Alabastair Deplume, Snapped Ankles, and many others.) Thus began our search for Mermaid Chunky. A quest it has been and a quest it will always be.

Daydream is super happy to welcome back the brilliant Nick Beringer more than 2 years after his last appearance on the label, with a new timeless classic. Modflow EP is the perfect combo between Nick and Daydream universes with 4 raw tracks full of groovy dubby sounds and deep classy vibe.

Through deep rhythmical mediations, Midge Thompson's first EP emerges on his own imprint Dance Protocol, crafted with the intent to enthrall the dance floor. The A-side unveils a relentless intensity, with sub-bass lines echoing the lost era of raves, each beat a testament to a harsher reality. Conversely, the B-side invites a party atmosphere, its bubbling bassline and dynamic drums offering an escape from the mundane. First you must open your mind then your body.

FRAGMENTS geht in die zweite Runde. Im Fokus steht dieses Mal die französische Komponistin Lili
Boulanger. Die mit dem Prix de Rome ausgezeichnete Multiinstrumentalistin schrieb Musik, die zwischen
Tradition und Avantgarde oszillierte. „Lili Boulanger war eines der größten musikalischen Talente ihrer
Zeit. … Ihr immenses Talent ermöglichte es ihr, sich mit Mut und Autorität einen Platz in einer damals
noch sehr männlichen Sphäre zu erkämpfen“, schreibt die renommierte Boulanger- Expertin Alexandra
Laederich vom Centre international Nadia et Lili Boulanger, aus deren Feder auch der Booklettext für das
Album stammt. 13 zeitgenössische MusikerInnen und Künstler-Duos haben Lilis Werke neubearbeitet u.a.
Niklas Paschburg, Rodriguez Jr., Joplyn und Anja Schneider. Das Ergebnis ist ein hochmodernes und
facettenreiches Album, das als CD und hochwertige 180gr. Vinyl-Pressung erscheint

Beloved Spanish indie rockers Hinds are back with their utterly triumphant fourth album, VIVA HINDS. Written by the band’s co-founders, co-vocalists, co-guitarists and co-songwriters Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote, it features their first-ever fully Spanish language songs, as well as first collaborations with the likes of Beck and Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten. Recorded in rural France, the album was produced by Pete Robertson (Beabadoobee), engineered by the GRAMMY-nominated Tom Roach, and mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Caesar Edmunds (The Killers, Wet Leg).

Shortly after the band made their debut ten years ago, they hit what felt like an insurmountable obstacle – they had to change their name from Deers to Hinds for legal reasons. But, as their fans began to greet them at shows by cheering “¡VIVA HINDS!”, the band soon realized that what initially felt like an ending was actually just the beginning. Fast forward to 2023, and VIVA HINDS was written by Cosials and Perrote after a series of endings. They hit a creative rut after releasing their 2020 album The Prettiest Curse, and their bassist and drummer devastatingly decided to leave the band. They also split with their management team, lost touring revenue due to lockdowns, and were without a label for the first time. But when Perrote and Cosials got together to write again it became clear that their connection, one so special that they call themselves “millionaires in friendship,” would be all they needed to get them through. VIVA HINDS – the most accomplished, sonically adventurous, honest and celebratory record of Hinds’ career – is only the beginning.

PRESS/ONLINE: “The track, though signaling a new era for Hinds, arrives rapturous and catchy, as Perrote and Cosials trade verses and riffs. ...'Coffee' is a sweeping first chapter of where the duo aims to
“‘Coffee’ is a a gorgeous punk-indie cross contamination, instantly memorable, grungy” - Wonderland


“They bring the energy of a thousand rock bands, entrancing the crowd with their searing indie riffs, the constant interlocking of guitars and smiles, and deeply charming banter” - Rolling Stone

“The Prettiest Curse is an evolution. It is striking, complex, uncompromising indie-pop. More than that, it makes a bold statement: it canonises Spanish indie-rock” – Loud and Quiet 9/10
“They’ve taken their sound and unashamedly experimented with it. They’re all the better for it” – NME 4/5

“The Spanish group’s second album displays the superior songcraft of the band, as vocalists Ana Perrote and Carlotta Cosials wade through love’s messy feelings with confidence and exuberance” - Pitchfork

Secretsundaze marks a new chapter in the institution’s storied history with the foundation of imprint 9FINITY. Stemming from founder James Priestley’s daughter Ludo’s toddler-speak of ‘9FINITY’ to define something massive or huge, the label aims to run with this descriptor through no-nonsense, discerning dance records from artists at the vanguard of modern club music.

The label makes a statement with its maiden release, a V/A compiled with the considered curation synonymous with the Secretsundaze name.

9FINITY001 brings together the talents of Eoin DJ, DJ Life, Luca Attanasio, Coffintexts and E-Talking across 5 tracks and digital bonus that act as a distillation of the label’s sonic vision.

The EP kicks off with Eoin DJ’s ‘Red Rubber Roses’ (Rhythm Dub). A deep, yet driving affair that melds a subtle break with an organ bass line. Think Junior Vasquez meets Radiant Love and you’re getting close. Joining Eoin DJ on the A-side is Naarm production wizard DJ Life with ‘Aberration’. A true headspinner, Life pulls out all the stops on this one, brooding D n’ B style low end, his trademark psychedelic flourishes and a mid-track pace change for good measure. A statement of intent for the imprint on its opening stanza.

The flip opens with exciting newcomer Luca Attanasio’s ‘I Like You Mind’. Straight up intelligent modern house music to kick start the B-side with moody keys and sensual vocal samples juxtaposing a rising bassline that emphasizes groove. Next is Coffintexts’ percussive ‘Make U Sweat’. Doing exactly what is says on the tin, a bold club track with a heavy Latinx vibe that implores the listener to move. Last but certainly not least, E-Talking closes out an impressive opening outing for 9FINITY with the balearic tinged, progressive ‘Party’.

The EP also has an exclusive, Bandcamp only digital bonus with Coffintexts providing a dub wise, 140 version of ‘Make U Sweat’.

Dark Entries returns to Mexico with Back Up Dos: Mexican Tecno Pop 1982-1989. Following 2021’s Back Up compilation, Back Up Dos delivers 10 more tracks of synth-pop and New Beat, 7 of which have never before appeared on vinyl. From mutant drum machine beats to irresistible synthesizer hooks, fans of the fringes of the 80s will find songs to stir their cold, dark hearts. But Back Up Dos does more than mine retro kitsch; it documents the development of a rich DIY music scene that is still underexplored. As affordable samplers and digital synths spread throughout the decade, post-punk and new wave gave way to more aggressive EBM and cyberpunk sounds. The scene also developed in opposition to the political climate of the times: the rise of the drug cartels and a reactionary turn in national politics. Using home recording techniques, these bands took cues from the electronic wizardry of the Human League and Wax Trax Records while reflecting the vibrant and chaotic Mexican cultural landscape of the era. On Back Up Dos, impeccable pop anthems from Casino Shanghai and Los Agentes Secretos sit alongside gnarled obscurities from Ford Proco and María Bonita, showcasing a decade of sly deviance and enthusiastic experimentation. This album comes housed in an 80s-inflected neon sleeve designed by Gwenael Rattke and includes a 12-page booklet with photographs, lyrics, and notes. Back Up Dos compiles synthetic music produced in Mexico at the crossroads from Tecno Pop to Post-Industrial, nourished by culture shock and stories of dystopian worlds.

Francesco Farias, DJ, musician and producer, began his artistic life with the group Jestofunk in 1991 together with Alessandro Staderini (aka Blade). Their first single, which also inaugurated their label Rec In Pause, was produced by Claudio Moz-art Rispoli who became the third full member of the group. They had several international successes with songs like I’m Gonna Love you, Say It Again and especially with Can We Live and Special Love, the latter two respectively sung by CeCe Rogers and Jocelyn Brown. Their first album entitled Love In A Black Dimension is still a best seller in the Funky House and Acid Jazz genre.

For the last years Jestofunk have not released new material and Francesco Farias has started to publish songs again on the label Rec In Pause. This first single printed on vinyl sees him in collaboration with Alen Sforzina in their personal Nu Funk version of Inner City Blues by Marvin Gaye where the echo of the Jestofunk project can be clearly heard. On the back an original piece by Farias contaminated as always by the Funky sound.

Mike Paradinas, veteran producer and Planet Mu label owner has written a new album called 'Grush' and it's full of weird bangers that reclaim the 'dance' part of the woeful term IDM. A back-to-first-principles record, inspired in part by the group of artists IDM was coined for; melodic dance music that didn't come out of urban scenes, but interpreted them from a distance. The tracks on 'Grush' are all road-tested live favorites developed with feedback from Mike's touring partner and visuals guy Mora (Jan Moravec). It's a detailed and energetic journey which replicates the flow of a live gig. A lot of the tracks have been made in hotel rooms in response to shows, 'Imperial Crescent' is named after a Japanese Hotel, as is 'Belvedere' in Prague, while some tracks such as 'Hyper Daddy' were created specifically to play live. Drums are confidently at the fore here and the album feels like it traces Mike's musical history and interests neatly around his sweetly nostalgic melodies, with atmospheres and structures which twist and turn with a charming softness which contrasts with the tension in the drums. Take 'Hyper Daddy's' spiralling notes and twinkling piano which remind one of early Black Dog or Omni Trio rushing alongside splashy jungle drums, or the aquatic acid footwork of the title track with its drums softly bubbling and kicking. Elsewhere there's territory which harks back to his Tusken Raiders pseudonym, like the heads down Drexciyan funk of 'Windsor Safari Park,' which transforms from moody electro into a sunny hardcore track midway. The album is interspersed with Reticulum A, B and C at the start middle and end of the album which suggest a theme which carries across the music in an effortless and joyful way. 'Grush' is a strong album that works both for listening and DJing and a great snapshot of where Mike Paradinas musical head is at in 2024.Tracklist Vinyl A: 1/Reticulum A 2/Hyper Daddy 3/Fogou B: 1/Magic Pony Ride (Pt.4) 2/Imperial Crescent 3/Reticulum B 4/Grush C: 1/Belvedere 2/Raver 3/Windsor Safari Park 4/Hastings D: 1/Manscape 2/Metaphonk 3/Reticulum C

They say you should never meet your heroes, but for Mike, meeting the legendary Adrian Sherwood has been a transformative experience, leading to creative collaborations that have benefited both of them.

Nearly 30 years after first being mesmerized by OnU Sound’s releases, a cheeky bit of radio ripping serendipitously led to Mike helping Pats Dokter, the label’s official archivist, with his work restoring master tapes, and eventually to him creating visual content for Adrian’s live shows.

A while after this collaboration began, Adrian offered to remix some of Mike’s music, either by his solo project @misledconvoy or our tunes, and it’s four cuts by us that grace this heavyweight platter.

From the dreamy dub of Transient Transmission to the rolling rhythms of A Doubtful Sound, our originals have been re-arranged and dubbed to $%># in Adrian’s signature style, with fluid melodies, pounding basslines and vocal samples awash in a wall of effects.

Trumpets by David “Ital Horns” Fullwood bookend the release, haunting in the first track and celebratory in the last, while Doug Wimbish (Tackhead) added an extra bassline to the heaving version of 1000 Mile Drift, which also features the voice of the iconic Lee “Scratch” Perry.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Mike says, “the whole experience has been slightly unreal, from working on Adrian’s videos to being in the OnU studio and watching him dub-mixing the tracks I’ve made, something I could never have imagined happening!”

Mike isn’t the only OnU fan, as a pivotal moment for Paddy was “watching Adrian mixing Tack>head at the Powerstation in 1995 and seeing the cause-and-effect of what he was doing and hearing the unbelievable sounds coming out of the speakers. It was the first time I’d ever seen somebody dub mix like that.”

The cover of Echoes of the Night is based upon an original artwork by Hamish Macaulay, while the vinyl has been pressed using a 100% recycled compound known as eco-mix, making each record totally unique as the colours subtly change across the pressing run.

As we get into the groove of the summer time; it comes with great pleasure to introduce the next release instalment that comes as a collaborative pressure of collectivity & quality musicianship to produce the EP that we had decided to title as the 'Forward On Riddim' which best describes the vast amount of works that has been going on with this link up between Ashanti Selah & Hark's riddim factory (many work in yet to be released in the pipeline!)

Featuring on the Forward On Riddim we have the vocal works of Zed Regal with a version called 'Magical Connection' which describes the deep sense of understanding and empathy between what would be seen as a search for the search of that divine soulmate.

Then leading into the next version on the riddim 'Overstand' with a message of upliftment for the good of Humanity to rise up and stand as one for the right cause in the spirit of Equal Rights & Justice for all Mankind - that is what we must overstand!

Last but not least we have the real deal artist Mad Sam with a track that he had voiced with no rehearsal fresh from the vibes of JA called 'Unbreakable' preaching words of wisdom to the youths of today to keep it firm and always show love & respect to receive it!

Hope you feel the vibe and message in the music as we bring you these heartikal sounds with an immense line up of top-class international musicians in what turned out to be the first collaborative project between Ashanti Selah and Zac Harkavy!
credits

After Prince Istari finished the Dub Encounter with Erik Satie, he
immediately set to work on expelling the evil curse of artificial intelligence. While the encounter with Satie was guided by the original
compositions, this album delves deeper into dub science.

The opening track is "Curse Of Machine Learning," a grinding cumbia dub track that sucks you into the curse of machine learning. It's followed by "Artificial Neural Network," arguably the album's most nerve-wracking track, with wild snare rolls colliding with offbeat echoed riddim sections. "Large Language Models" offers a more relaxed, arabesque one-drop riddim with speech synthesis vocals. "Fake Image" closes the first side with a full trombone solo contributed by Eugene Rosebud.

Side B starts with the one-drop killer tune "Haunted By Delusion,"
featuring an organ solo by Prince Istari. Drum and bass in your face.
"Evil Forces," on the other hand, is a fusion of jazz and dub; after the
brass section breakdown, it rolls into a crazy synth solo. Then next „I
Want Your Data" pulls your data into the AI's guts with a vibraphone.
This is maybe the ambitious tune on the record speaking of chord
progressions. The final track sees Eugene Rosebud return with a double trombone solo in "Transhuman Feedback Rock" assisted by a saz cooling the blues pattern with a hookline. Here we have beautifull springreverb and harmonizer dub effects on the snare twirrling around the trombone solos.

All tunes composed, arranged, conducted and engineered by Prince Istari and played by his house band The Virtualistics. Trombone Solos by Eugene Rosebud. Packaged in a nice cover drawn by Markus Schäfer and frequency shift and cut by LXC.

After the highly anticipated debut album “Sugar Honey Iced Tea!,” the dynamic NYC duo strikes once more with a double pack of alternate versions and remixes. Craig Handfield and Brandon Weems, better known as musclecars, have unveiled a dance music masterpiece, now graced by the touch of house music legends Louie Vega and Maurice Fulton.

This double pack showcases multiple versions of “Tonight,” remixed by dance music maestro Louie Vega, who momentarily stepped away from his Masters At Work ventures to infuse this project with his magic. The main remix unfolds like an epic journey adorned with orchestral elegance, while the dub versions range from festival anthems (NV South Jersey Mix) to tracks that echo the early Masters At Work essence (Louie Vega’s Bronx Dub).

Additionally, we are gifted a new version of “Hello?” reimagined by Maurice Fulton. In this version, Maurice’s signature live bass lines intertwine with exuberant, hard-hitting percussion, casting a whimsical light on the deep, introspective original.

Complementing the remixes from musclecars’ esteemed inspirations, we encounter two new versions of “Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)” and “Water,” both stripped of percussion to reveal the stunning arrangements, textures, and harmonies. These renditions are accompanied by a full side of musclecars’ dance odyssey “I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars.”

The Double Honey Pack is a tour de force. It’s a rarity to witness two legends unite to elevate an already stellar project, yet Vega and Fulton achieve just that. Meanwhile, Weems and Handfield meticulously peel back the layers, allowing the intricate details to shine. This promises to be the release of the summer!

Alice Taylor was a popular session singer who sang background vocals for several local Philly groups including The Delfonics during the height of the Philly Soul boom of the early to mid-1970’s.

In 1974 Alice under the auspice of producer Emanuel ‘Manny’ Campbell Jr and fellow Philadelphian musician/composer Charles R. Bowen entered the famed Sound Room Studios in Upper Dardy PA, to record a session of her own. This session yielded two songs. The more commercial pop soul orientated “(I’m In Love With A) Rock ‘n’ Roll Singin’ Superstar”. A song which took influences from other popular songs of the time that mentioned one’s love for Rock ‘n’ Roll singers and taking road trips to L.A (Los Angeles) in an attempt to cash in. Although the elongated song title may at first be a tad off-putting the recording showcases Alice’s vocal talents to the full and in itself is a very good record. The second song “Sounds Ridiculous” is based around the theme of a girl falling in love with a guy who spends most of his time daydreaming rather than getting a regular 9-5 job. An excellent record that should find favour with 70’s/crossover soul fans alike.



Manny Campbell Jr used some of Philadelphia’s finest musicians on Alice’s session, notably session drummer Earl Young, reputedly the first exponent of the hi-hat cymbal a style of drumming used extensively throughout the disco period. Young had honed his skills during the 1960’s with his band The Volcanos, recording sessions for the Arctic and Harthon Record Labels. The Volcanos later became The Moods before morphing into The Trammps who Young recorded on his Golden Fleece Label with the group recording several further disco hits for Buddah Records prior to their worldwide hit “Disco Inferno” for Atlantic Records. Young’s strumming can be found on many other Philadelphia International, Sal Soul and MFSB recordings. The string and horn arrangements on the session were provided by another MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother) pool of musician’s member, Don Renaldo.



“I’m In Love With A) Rock ’n’ Roll Superstar/Sounds Ridiculous” came out in November of 1975 as an initial pressing run of 500 copies for promotional use which sadly were not of the best quality with some background noise being present in the introduction on both sides of the single, a possible detrimental factor in the release gaining any significant airplay. It’s was the second and final release on Emandolynn Music’s short lived, Stage-Art label. The first release being another of Manny Campbell’s acts The Nu-Rons & Co “Disco Hustle/Can’t Do Enough Girl” (Stage-Art 1001). Sadly, Alice Taylor passed away sometime during the 1980’s. Soul Junction through its ongoing relationship with Emandolynn Music have taken the opportunity to license these now very sort after Alice Taylor songs, which have been remastered to remove the aforementioned sound problems present on the original release. Which are now presented to you as a 3 track EP which also includes a previously unissued alternative mix of “(I’m In Love With A) Rock ’n’ Roll Singin’ Superstar, a recent master tape discovery.

Right for the 30th anniversary of his Electro project Electro Nation, Thomas P. Heckmann returns with a brand new album on his mates label Activities Records from Brussels with a stunning album artwork by Elzo Durt ! Slave To The Machine is a full story throughout the album about an ordinary life that is down to all things being controlled by machines, internet and digits, just to escape and meet the machine at he end... And the end is obviously open."

Few jazz funk classics have been as iconic as 'Life On Mars' by keyboard legend, songwriter, producer and architect of the 'Philly Sound' Dexter Wansel. First released in 1976 it became an immediate fixture on the dance floor and remains an evergreen to this day with a generation of disco, soul and jazz funkateers.

Now comes an extremely special exclusive release for Record Store Day. This is the first ever remix of the track, all parts taken from the original masters tapes and added to courtesy of remixer Paul Simpson (Paul Simpson Connection, Serious Intention, Adeva etc). Dexter Wansel himself contributes on an exclusive extended mix of 'Theme From The Planets' which includes an extra monologue section with the man himself telling the story of these tracks.

This 12' released on original Philadelphia International Records label artwork through Expansion.

Bobo Integral Records announces the Deluxe Edition of "Dead Calm", the debut album by The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness, available September 13, 2024. This edition enriches the original tracks (now remastered), which were met with immediate success and critical acclaim, with new material and acoustic demos. Also incorporates an expected insert with all lyrics. Upon its initial release in 2019 by Pretty Olivia Records, "Dead Calm" was celebrated for its melodic craftsmanship. Purepopradio praised it asa "masterpiece of melody and harmony", Powerpopaholic rated it 9/10 and included it in their "best of 2019 list for best power pop this year", and Section 26 recommended it as "Presque indispensable". After two other records, "Songs From Another Life" and "The Third Wave Of_", that are now cult classics in the genre, it's the time to come back to the record that started it all. The Deluxe Edition offers fans an exclusive track from the original sessions, "Wouldn't Be Anywhere Else", and six acoustic demos that provide insight into the band's creative process. Reflecting their musical influences, such as The Byrds, R.E.M., Big Star, The Go-Betweens, Teenage Fanclub and the classic power pop era, the band's sound is a contemporary homage to these inspirations. Andrew Taylor is the leader and soul of Dropkick, a wonderful Scottish power pop group with touches of altcountry. Gonzalo Marcos is part of the cult Spanish indie pop group El Palacio de Linares and founder of the Bobo Integral Records label. The two forged a friendship during Dropkick's first tour of Spain and Dropkick ended up releasing a couple of albums on the label. "The most perfect voice in jangle/power-pop at present (sorry Teenage Fanclub fans!)" - Janglepophub

WE ARE WINTER'S BLUE AND RADIANT CHILDREN (WAWBARC) is the new quartet of Mat Ball (BIG|BRAVE), Efrim Manuel Menuck (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion), and Jonathan Downs and Patch (both Ada). On "NO MORE APOCALYPSE FATHER" they present six modal lullabies drenched in seared distortion, slathered across striding electronic pulses. Ball and Menuck began creating music in and for the bleakest moments of Montréal winters: "We're honoring that idea of winter, when you come inside and your house is warm, a place that only exists because of how cold it is outside," says Menuck. They later recruited Downs and Patch to flesh out their initial ideas. Menuck met them in 2015 when recording Ada's final album at Montréal's Hotel2Tango _ where they reconvened to make this record. "NO MORE APOCALYPSE FATHER" is an album about witnessing bleakness from a place of safety. Carrying newfound descriptive depth, thanks to the quartet's open-ended songs freeing him from writing in meter, Menuck likens his lyrics to photorealism. On opener `Rats and Roses' he sings of an unnamed city struck by an unknown cataclysm, but the details are local: specifically, his neighbors inadvertently poisoning birds when tackling a rat infestation. It's backed by blown out synths and guitars reaching a soaring crescendo. "Seeing things from a distance and not being able to intervene happens a lot on the record," Menuck explains. "If you're a feeling and thinking person, that's just part of the human condition. We watch horror unfolding from afar, unable to do anything concrete to change it." A powerless witness, able to describe but not intervene. `Dangling Blanket From A Balcony (White Phosphorous)' references Michael Jackson holding his child over a hotel balcony in 2002_the bizarre media spectacle still lodged in Menuck's psyche. This and the album's closing track also elegize white phosphorous, a technology of war designed to light up battlefields but capable of inflicting horrific burns on those it touches. Illumination and horror in one, here underpinning scenes picturesque and terrifying. "The last song `(Goodnight) White Phosphorous' is deliberately like a lullaby," says Menuck. "Written from the viewpoint of watching white phosphorous falling outside your window." Scorched and tarnished and laden with harrowing imagery, "NO MORE APOCALYPSE FATHER" is also a record bathed in light: the bewilderment of hopeful spirits witnessing despair, watching a blizzard of distress unfold outside from a place of relative shelter and comfort. You could call that emotional ambivalence, maybe numbness. But those words are too passive for the weight of conflicted feeling resonating through the album. "I never know how I feel on an overcast day when the sun is still bright despite the grayness and the light is very flat. The colours become more saturated, and you see a single flower, say a morning glory, whose colour is so vibrant beneath the gray, I don't know if that's a lovely sensation or a terrible sensation. It's both," says Menuck.

returning, dream’ is the second album from Paradise Cinema – the‘Fourth World’ inspired project led by multi-instrumentalist Jack Wyllie (Portico Quartet/Szun Waves). While Wyllie’s other projects move between tightknit electronica, widescreen minimalism and improvised ambient sounds, ‘returning, dream’ contains nods to Jon Hassell, Terry Riley, Don Cherry and Midori Takada as well as more contemporary electronic, ambient and non-western music and even draws inspiration from physics and science fiction.

The first, eponymous, Paradise Cinema record, released in 2020, was recorded in Dakar (Wyllie lived in Senegal for a while in the late 2010s) and featured the dense rhythms of Mbalax music combining with Wyllie’s textural saxophone and synth playing, but here he takes a step into the unknown:

The music is no longer built primarily around the rumbling
propulsiveness of Mbalax, but takes its inspiration from the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, which suggests that there are many different worlds that branch off from our own. Wyllie explains: “It is an imagining of what music could be like in a different time and space, ancient and futuristic from everywhere and nowhere at once. I was listening to a lot of physics podcasts when I created this record. I loved the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics; about the multiple paths we are taking each time a quantum decision is taken. The different worlds then splitting off like branches on a tree. I could imagine different histories and worlds and multiple versions of myself, others and even other societies existing. In this album I’ve dug into these ideas andattempted to make music that would come from those different spaces, trying to poke my finger through to the other selves and stories. Effectively a form of composed science fiction, the music is an idea of what might be occurring or have occurred on a branch of the tree in a different world. But I like to think the tracks might actually have been composed somewhere or sometime.”

Created in London by Jack Wyllie with additional recordings from Dakar and Sydney, ‘returning, dream’ blends sounds that do not typically live together. It features Khadim Mbaye (sabar drums) and Tons Sambe (tama drums) who provide the dense Sengalese rhythms, plus Szun Waves colleague Laurence Pike, also on drums.