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Every mother has a unique story. One thing is true for every mother, though: There’s no deadline quite like a pregnancy.

Award-winning Toronto singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell was pregnant with her first child when she booked studio time on Vancouver Island to make an album about motherhood. The nine songs on Shadow Child — one for each month of gestation — had to be ready before then, and her return flight was booked on the last day she could safely fly in her third trimester.

Working with producer Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, Black Mountain), Lapell finished her songs in the studio and on rural walks beside the Pacific Ocean. She enlisted some of her favourite singers, all British Columbians, all mothers: Frazey Ford, Jill Barber, Pharis Romero. “They’re all people with unique, distinctive voices,” she says, “which is what I’m drawn to.”

Musically, Lapell was looking for a stark, acoustic sound, as opposed to 2024’s Juno Award-nominated Anniversary (recorded in Niagara with Great Lake Swimmers’ Tony Dekker) and 2022’s acclaimed Stolen Time (recorded in Montreal with Howard Bilerman, featuring E Street Band saxophonist Jake Clemons).

Lapell’s road to motherhood was fraught, involving years of IVF and a 2023 miscarriage — that she experienced on stage while on tour. (She finished her set.) Her son was born in November 2024. The song cycle of Shadow Child covers joy and loss, using metaphors from Maritime tragedy, “little cannibals,” reproductive health, acquiring language, and lives altered by the arrival of a newborn. The title track refers to ultrasound imaging of “a liminal person that doesn’t quite exist yet,” says Lapell. “Their status is ontologically blurry.”

Repress!

OUTTA SIGHT, in association with Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd., present two Modern Soul Monsters back-to-back.
JEFF PERRY (aka Jeffree) was born into rare soul royalty, the nephew of Robert Bateman, a pioneer of the Detroit sound, and brother of Greg Perry with whom he would co-write and produce for Holland/Dozier/Holland scoring hits for the Honey Cone, Chairman of the Board, Freda Payne and Jeff’s own group 100 Proof Aged In Soul.
“”Love Don’t Come No Stronger…” has transcended its Modern Soul status to become a mainstay of the 21st Century Northern Soul Weekender scene, an essential 45 for any discerning DJ wanting a guaranteed floor-filler.
MANDRILL were formed in New York in the late Sixties by the Wilson brothers, originally from Panama. They were joined over the years by a succession of accomplished musicians who honed their unique Latin-tinged sound that attracted, first Polydor, then United Artists and Arista, who signed them in 1977. “Too Late” was released in ’78 and helped define the “crossover” sound of the Northern Soul scene. It remains an anthemic and sought after 45 guaranteed to pack the floor.

Nico Gomez, a Belgian orchestra leader of Dutch roots, has long been a favourite with Latin fans, record diggers, DJs, and collectors alike. His blend of bossanova, latin jazz, and easy listening always turns up a few choice nuggets and surprises; what is perhaps most remarkable is that it was recorded in Europe.


Back in 2013, Mr Bongo re-issued Nico Gomez's sought-after 'Ritual' album from 1971, and now we follow it up with another jewel from his catalogue his 1972 album 'Soul Of Samba'. For this re-issue, we have opted to present it with the cover art originally used on the Trio Records version released in Japan. In the Netherlands and Belgium, the album was released with different cover art under the title 'Bossa Nova’, on Omega International and International Bestseller Company records, respectively. We loved the beautiful psychedelic design of the Japanese version and wanted to use it for this re-issue.

'Soul Of Samba' features several euro-bossa-jazz favourites such as the catchy 'Rio'; which was a firm DJ choice cut at jazz dance nights, including Brighton's 'Jazz Rooms' in the 90s. It also featured in Rainer Trüby's classic ‘Glücklich' compilation series which explored European-Brazilian-inspired music. The beguiling ‘Aquarela', with its engaging latin shuffle, entices feet to the dancefloor and is not one to miss. 'Agua’ has a lazy-quirky latin-funk feel with breathy-stoned vocals floating in the background. The album additionally features numerous breezy latin, Brazilian, and easy listening joints, some of which are ripe for sampling.

First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome back Kaidi Tatham, with a brand new 12-track album entitled 'Don't Rush The Process'.

This is Kaidi's 4th solo album under his own name, following on from 'An Insight To All Minds' (2021), 'It's A World Before You' (2018), and 'In Search Of Hope' (re-pressed in 2020), all released on First Word, along with several EPs from 2017 onwards.

To bring you up to speed, Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Once dubbed "the UK's Herbie Hancock" by Benji B, he's a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound. Over the years his musical prowess has blessed numerous projects, recently with the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Andrew Ashong and with longtime accomplice, Dego. This in addition to session and remix work for artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Slum Village, Marcos Valle, Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Nubya Garcia, Rosie Frater-Taylor and Leroy Burgess, along with First Word label mates Eric Lau, Children of Zeus, Allysha Joy and Darkhouse Family. Kaidi is also a revered DJ known for rocking parties globally, whilst his solo catalogue spans tons of EPs and releases for labels such as Dego's 2000 Black, Alex Nut's Eglo Records and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature.

This new album 'Don't Rush The Process' opens with an intro of sweet strings on 'Mystery Solved', ahead of lead title track, which is on a mid-tempo boom bap vibe, before switching to a more uptempo boogie vein, with the assistance of The Easy Access Orchestra, who also appear on 'We Chillin' Out', which is on a similar boogie tip. 'All I Need' is some gospel flavoured hip hop, whilst 'Knocknee Donkey' steps things up in a jazz-funk fashion. The second half of the album takes on a very Brazilian flavoured stance, with a set of delicious latin flavoured grooves on 'Any Flavour', 'Runnin' Tru', 'What A Dream' and 'Sooretama', the latter featuring the additional prowess of pianist Robert Mitchell. There's a touch more of the hip hop beats thrown in via 'Funky Fool' and the album closes out in inimitable Kaidi style with a short message: 'Mind Yourself'.

A hugely prolific artist, here he adds to an already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes a diverse set of peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement"), K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration") and Kyle Hall.

'Don't Rush The Process' is released on vinyl & digital worldwide, July 2022 via First Word Records.

Baby‘s Gang - Happy Song, der Italo-Disco-Hit aus dem Jahr 1983 ist stilvoll zurück auf farbiger Maxi-Vinyl.

Auf Seite A befinden sich die Original Versionen und auf Seite B gibt es zwei exklusive, neue Remixe von Pulsedriver und BK Duke – perfekt für Sammler und DJs, die den RetroSound mit frischem Drive schätzen.

Budapest-based concept label, Blue Sun is launching their new line of vinyl focused releases, aimed primarily on DJs and collectors: the Blue Series. A counterpart to the Orange Series launched last year that showcases a more upbeat side of the label, the new collection presents a darker, more experimental, and introspective musical vision.

The first release in the Blue Series is a six-track EP by Budapest based multimedia artist, Virág Réti. Choosing her legal name as her artist persona (“Flower of the Meadow" in Hungarian) also with the track titles capturing the folk names of local fauna, Peremidő evokes the artist's innate connection to nature as a place of refuge from the noise of Eastern European urban life.

The EP’s motifs point back to early memories of sitting by a river, simply observing time flowing by. The arc of the songs follow the passage of a day, beginning with the hesitant sounds of early morning, gradually moving on toward more defined, rhythm-driven forms. As the airy textures slowly give way to structure and percussion comes to the forefront, the sense of direction becomes clearer, letting moments of gentle disorder and unexpected sounds to surface.

Virág previously appeared on the label’s Blue Sun VA II compilation with her track Bíbic. Since launching her ambient music project in the fall of 2024, she has become one of the promising newcomers in the Hungarian experimental electronic music scene. Her debut EP, Minden Ami Megmaradt (All That Remains), was released last November as the final offering of temporary nites label (2023–2025). She is also the founder and organizer of the Budapest-based experimental electronic event series Still Places.

The third release on Children of the Sun welcomes Argentinian mastermind Dani Labb.

We are delighted to present this EP, a body of work that perfectly captures Dani Labb’s sonic wizardry. Through a collection of versatile tracks that engage the mind while retaining a deep emotional undercurrent, the record resonates deeply with the ethos behind the COTS aesthetic.

Each piece unfolds with its own character, blending hypnotic rhythms and emotive textures into a journey that reflects both the artist’s vision and the spirit of the label.

A new release curated by Mystic Jungle, founder of Periodica Records, who - together with a small group of artists - has spent the past decade shaping a distinctive sound in his recording studio based in one of the most remote areas of Napoli.

This second release on the West Hill Music catalogue features the voice of American singer Roxana, alongside guitar contributions by Yugoslavian musician Igor Sekulović.

The A-side, "Can’t Make You Out", unfolds as a crepuscular track with a laid-back, exotic atmosphere, marked by subtle funk-rock influences. On the B-side, a stripped-down mutant-funk track built around electronic drums and a repeated vocal chorus leaves space for minimal arrangements and textured guitar lines to emerge.

Limited vinyl-only release.

2026 Repress

SK_eleven celebrates a decade of sonic exploration with a 13-track compilation showcasing its signature tension, technical discipline, and stylistic spectrum. Reuniting a tight circle of artists whose contributions have helped shape the label, the release offers an unrelenting sequence of pressure, mental twists, and textural collisions; a multifaceted snapshot of techno's enduring capacity to evolve, disturb, and seduce.

The compilation resists uniformity. Instead, it thrives on contrast: tension versus release, density against spaciousness, rhythm in all its permutations. From high-energy metallic openers and dub-inflected body rollers, to disorienting, delay-heavy experiments and stripped-back percussive tools, each contribution reveals a unique grip on groove and detail. Some tracks move like engineered machines: sharp, robotic, and syncopated to surgical precision. Others embrace sensuality and unpredictability, exploring spatial motion, layered harmonic friction, and states of controlled chaos. Each piece acts as a structural component in a larger sonic architecture, where tension is built, collapsed, and rebuilt. Friction becomes a form of choreography. Across the record, a shifting palette of emotional mechanisms takes form; granular and magnetic, haunting and quietly forceful, restrained, then disruptive.

More than a retrospective, SK_eleven's first compilation becomes a collective gesture toward techno's unresolved possibilities: its ability to hold contradiction, remain in flux, and mutate without conclusion.

A deep and sophisticated addition to the catalogue of one of Germany’s oldest House labels. With Rhythm Puzzle, Bass Cab returns to Cabinet Records, one of Germany’s longest-standing and most respected House labels, continuing a legacy that has shaped underground dance music with quiet confidence and unmistakable identity for decades. Few labels have managed to preserve such a clear artistic vision over such a long period of time. Cabinet Records has always stood for depth over trends, substance over spectacle, and a deeply rooted connection to the essence of House music.

Timeless and built by one of the legends who helped define the language of house music. Huge support by Ricardo Villalobos. KBMV001 is not just a debut catalogue number on Shelby own label, it is a foundation stone. Authentic, timeless and built by one of the legends who helped define the language of house music. Klassik Blueprint Muzic opens its catalogue with a statement. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Chicago house sound, Shelby?s history reaches back to the formative years of the culture, with early milestones including ?Essence Of A Dream? under his Risqué III alias in 1987 and ?All For Lee-Sah? on Derrick May?s Transmat in 1989.

That legacy is exactly what gives ?OMG (Oh My God)? / ?Who Wants It DEEP?? its force. This is not nostalgia packaged as heritage, it is a living connection to the raw machinery, groove science and emotional depth that made Chicago house a global language in the first place. Shelby has long been associated not only with classic Chicago house, but also with the tougher edges where acid, techno and Detroit-inspired futurism meet, a cross-current reflected throughout his discography and in the way later reissue culture continues to treat his catalogue as foundational. Pressed on 180g vinyl and coming straight from Chicago, USA, this is a release that connects past, present and future in one gesture: authentic house music from a genuine architect, still speaking with authority.

Rooted in dubwise textures, subtle groove architecture, and warm analog sensibilities, this record unfolds with elegance, restraint, and a strong sense of atmosphere. With Echoform, the label once again underlines its refined aesthetic and deep understanding of timeless underground music.

Rooted in the deeper corners of minimal house and micro-driven grooves. UTROWAX001 marks the first wax chapter from Utro Records with Hive Minded EP, a refined and elegant three-track selection by Peter Zherebtsov, Vid, and Herck. Rooted in the deeper corners of minimal house and micro-driven grooves, this release brings together subtle textures, reduced rhythms, and a strong sense of late-night atmosphere. Wrapped in beautiful artwork and backed by a great minimal track selection, UTROWAX001 is a tasteful debut that captures the essence of understated dancefloor functionality and timeless after-hours appeal.

There is a strong sense of craftsmanship throughout this release, hardware-driven, deeply textured, and full of character. MS14 brings together Myles Serge and Jamie Bissmire for a powerful journey into wonderfully raw, analog-rooted techno. And When the Sky Was Open captures the spirit of classic Detroit-infused machine music while pushing it forward with depth, soul, and precision. The record feels both timeless and immediate, balancing driving rhythm structures with a spacious, atmospheric edge that gives it a distinctive emotional weight. Rather than relying on sterile functionality, these cuts breathe with warmth, movement, and a human touch, making the record equally effective for deep listening and focused dancefloor moments. It is techno with substance: hypnotic, elegant, and uncompromising.

A truly outstanding dub release and another beautiful chapter in the sound of Etui Records.With Early Reflections Pt. 1, Insect O. delivers a remarkably deep and elegant statement that moves effortlessly between Dub Techno, Dub House and Deep House. Released on the ever-reliable Etui Records, this three-track EP is a masterclass in subtle tension, warm textures and hypnotic groove, understated, immersive and incredibly effective.

This is hypnotic music in the purest sense: elegant, fluid, and deeply immersive, built on patience, precision, and a rare understanding of tension. Rather than forcing impact, the EP unfolds with quiet authority, drawing the listener deeper with every cycle and every subtle shift. Romanian producer Barac has long been regarded as one of the key figures in the country’s minimal and microhouse continuum, known for his hypnotic, deeply detailed sound and for shaping a distinctive artistic identity around rhythm, space, and subtle emotional tension. What makes this release so special is its balance of restraint and depth. The grooves are understated but powerful, the atmospheres weightless yet emotionally charged, and the overall flow simply brilliant. It is exactly the kind of record that shows why Barac remains such an important name in contemporary minimal and deep club music: few artists can create this level of hypnosis with such finesse. Look at the cross is a genius release, sophisticated, timeless, and absolutely captivating from start to finish.

Firstly, there is also a new special limited-edition one-off pressing edition orange-pressed CD enclosed in jewel case and slipcase. 18 years on from its original release Studio One Dub remains super-hard hitting featuring classic + rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available on vinyl for the first time in over thirty years.

Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”, John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks.

The album also comes with two rare interviews - one with Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd about dub and dubplates and one with the sound engineer Sylvan Morris, talking about his groundbreaking period at Studio One and his many innovations that he evolved there.
In short, this is a 100% essential album!



"Almighty slab of dub featuring loads of rare and classic dub versions of Studio One's foundation tracks." Rough Trade

“Quite a treat awaiting here for the unsuspecting reggae faithful – as always with Soul jazz chock full of a bunch of big tunes – but here in version form lies some of the freshest rhythms and most radical revisions of some of the greatest Studio One music. The darkest and the absolute deepest in the series – naturally essential.” Boomkat

"Continuing the Studio 1 Series this album features classic and rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available for the first time in over thirty years. Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”,
John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby
Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks. In short, this is an essential album!" Wax Museum

Morcheeba unveil Remix The Chaos: Volume 1, the first instalment in a three-part remix series drawn from their 11th studio album, Escape The Chaos (2025).

Spanning four tracks per volume, the project brings together an eclectic, global roster of electronic producers, each offering a distinct reimagining of Morcheeba’s unmistakable sound. Multi-genre and far-reaching, the series expands further into the rich sonic world the band have built over the past few decades, pushing their music into bold, contemporary electronic territory. Volume 1 features remixes from Paula Tape, the Chilean superstar producer, recent Mixmag cover star and one of electronic music’s most exciting names heading into 2026; Trance Wax (a.k.a. Ejeca), the prolific Belfast producer specialising in high-energy breakbeat and trance-leaning remixes; Frazer Ray, the London-based underground force known for UK bass, breaks and garage; and Brothers Counsell, a side project from the formidable Joy Anonymous.

Together, the tracks form a journey of dancefloor-ready hard hitters, powered by Morcheeba’s iconic vocals and signature guitar lines. Pressed on limited edition traffic light red vinyl, Remix The Chaos: Volume 1 comes with deep-cut grooves designed to hit just as hard on a club sound system as they do from the comfort of your living room.

Strut proudly presents Nuclear War, a powerful collaboration between UK collective The Heliocentrics, Sun Ra Arkestra legends Marshal Alen and Knoel Scott, and vocalist Bilal - issued on limited-edition “hazardous” orange and yellow vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day 2026.

The Nuclear War recordings stem from a rare session at Malcolm Catto’s Quatermass Sound Lab in January 2015. The group had assembled in London to rehearse for their performance at Giles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards, where Alen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Catto the John Peel Award. With The Heliocentrics’ trademark raw, psychedelic energy as the backbone, the ensemble captured a series of reimagined Sun Ra classics in a spontaneous, one-off studio moment, and these tapes that have remained unheard in Catto’s archive until now.

The 4-track EP features a sinuous take on Ronnie Boykins’ ‘Angels And Demons At Play’, originally recorded in 1960, a strident version of ‘Where Pathways Meet’ which was originally created for the much-loved Sun Ra Lanquidity album in 1978, and a dense and deep re work of 1972’s ‘Astro Black’ featuring Bilal’s incredible otherworldly vocals. The title track ‘Nuclear War’ is re-worked into a cavernous groove featuring Heliocentrics vocalist Barbora Patkova. Nuclear War is mixed by Malcolm Catto, mastered and cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, and designed by Alex Evans of Reason For Being Studio.