quête:ki

When Paul Murphy released his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Claremont 56, in 2006, many thought it would be the first of many. In a way, it was, as in the years since he’s released a string of collaborative sets alongside Benjamin J Smith (as Smith & Mudd), and as part of underground ‘supergroups’ Paqua, Bison and Hillside. But that second solo album? Well, it just had to wait. In early 2023, Murphy finally decided to scratch that itch, roping in some of his most trusted collaborators (keyboardist and bassist Michele Chiavarini, percussionist Patrick Dawes, guitarist Dave Noble and HF International’s Kashif included) to lay down a sumptuous set of tracks that not only showcases his now familiar (bit hard to pigeonhole) neo-Balearic sound, but also proves how much he has matured as a writer and producer since 2006.

In The Garden of Mindfulness is richly musically detailed, expertly arranged and full to bursting with fluid instrumental solos, with Murphy and his collaborators serving up tracks that brilliantly blur the boundaries between languid jazz-funk, downtempo, vintage synth-laden krautrock, dubby grooves and sun-splashed soundscapes. It simply sparkles from the moment that opener ‘Eighty Three’ slowly rises like the morning sun, with gentle, undulating synth sounds ushering in a slow-motion jazz-funk excursion rich in twinkling electronics, spacey pads and warming bass. Recent single ‘Katanaboy’, a lusciously layered dub disco-infused dancefloor excursion in Murphy’s familiar style, raises the temperature a touch, before ‘Bonne Anse’ and the sublime ‘Unka Paw’ (whose combination of evocative fretless bass, extended electric piano solos, Clavinet licks and acoustic guitars is genuinely spellbinding) invite a combination of wavy shuffling and flat-on-the-back, eyes-closed appreciation.

And so it continues, with gorgeous title track ‘In The Garden of Mindfulness’ making way for the boogie-influenced, Japanese-British brilliance of ‘Hangsang’ (check the jaunty pianos, yearning breakdown and exotic melodies). Murphy’s long held love of warm, weighty bass, hypnotic disco grooves, colourful analogue synth sounds and jazzy guitars once again comes to the fore on ‘Way Of The Hollow’ before the album reaches a fittingly triumphant conclusion with ‘Late In March’.

A neat sonic summary of all that makes the set such a rewarding and entertaining experience, repeat listens reveals a wealth of musical details, from off-kilter triple-time drums and surprise bass guitar solos, to impeccable piano solos (provided by the immensely talented Chiavarini), fizzing jazz-funk synth doodles and stirring synth-strings. It’s a breathlessly brilliant way to end an album that was genuinely worth waiting for.

Clear Vinyl

Blue Lake is the musical moniker of American born, Copenhagen based multidisciplinary artist and musician Jason Dungan, who signs to the Tonal Union imprint for the release of his new longform album ‘Sun Arcs’. It follows 2022’s release ‘Stikling’, earning a nomination for ‘Album of the Year’ at the Danish Music Awards plus warm praise from The Hum blog and musicians and DJs alike including Jack Rollo (Time is Away/NTS) and Carla dal Forno. A self taught player, Dungan began freely experimenting with self-built multi-string instruments, preferring to build his own hybrid 48-string zither and working in the realms of left-field ambient music, off kilter folk and improvised acoustic minimalism.

The starting point of ‘Sun Arcs’ saw Jason travel for a week alone to Andersabo, a cabin set in the idyllic Swedish woods just outside of Unnaryd, known also as the music project, festival and residency space which has been run by Dungan since 2016, hosting artists like Sofie Birch, Johan Carøe and Ellen Arkbro. Whilst writing 1-2 pieces per day, a conscious decision was made to leave behind everyday distractions and shut out the outside world to instead focus on the natural passage of time as Dungan recalls: “My only sense of time came from these daily walks out in the woods with my dog, and an awareness of the sun’s path as it moved across the sky each day.”

The album’s immersive world unfolds with the opener ‘Dallas’, an ode to his home state and a musical synthesis of these two disparate spaces (Texas and Denmark), the touchstones of Dungan’s life. A folk-esque single acoustic builds to a flowing arrangement of clarinets, organ and cello drones coupled with percussion. ‘Green-Yellow Field’ chimes in as the first of two solo oriented zither recordings twinned with the dreamlike title track ‘Sun Arcs’, both densely rich as cascading and overlapping harmonic tones resound. ‘Bloom’ emerges with a krautrock psyche before an eruption of cello drones, slide guitar and free-ranging zither playing, ushering in the anticipation of spring. With half of the recordings conceived in Andersabo, Jason returned to Copenhagen to form the album's centre piece ‘Rain Cycle’ which features a tempered Roland drum machine alongside shifting zither improvisations. ‘Writing’ explores the shimmering harp-like qualities of sweeping playing figurations with Dungan mapping out adjusted tuning “zones” on the zither for unconventional but creatively liberating effects. ‘Fur’ captures the feeling of openness and the momentum of time, seeing Dungan perform waves of solo clarinet, often in one takes and embellished with textural drones, a zither solo, and layers of guitar. ‘Wavelength’ the album's closer is fondly inspired by the film works of Michael Snow and Don Cherry’s seminal live album ‘Blue Lake’ (1974), as it builds out from a drone-generated zither chord and features an alto recorder solo. Dungan found a deep connection to Cherry’s stripped back performance ethos, focusing on the core beauty of minimal instrumentation creating a genre-less meeting between folk and jazz. A dialogue is formed between the solo and the bandlike performances, interlinked in a geographical duality with all finding a sense of commonplace as musical sketches of visited landscapes. The bountiful instrumentation ebbs and flows as further layers emerge with Dungan constructing his material much like an artist would, recording and reviewing, adding and subtracting.

Musically it portrays a form of double life led by an American-identifying person living in Scandinavia, and a new found presence in Denmark, seeking out underdeveloped marshlands and barren stretches of beach adrift from other rhythms and distractions. Highlighting their individual and potent importance Dungan concludes: “Both places feel like “me”, I think on some level the music is always some kind of self-portrait.” ‘Sun Arcs’ depicts the intricate balance of nature’s cycles and the paths outlined by the seasons, from a winter dormancy to a warm sun drenched scene. The album scales new glorying heights and further defines Dungan’s musical narrative, inhabiting a unique space in left-field, improvised and experimental music, borning his most accomplished compositions to date. A singular and visionary expression, drawing on an array of instruments and sound worlds with a renewed sense of joy and discovery.

The album's rich tapestry was mixed by Jeff Zeigler (Laraaji, Mary Lattimore, Kurt Vile /Steve Gunn) and mastered by Stephan Mathieu (Kali Malone, KMRU, Félicia Atkinson).

Vladislav Delay presents the fifth and last EP in his "Hide Behind The Silence" series. Intuitive and raw music, momentary and reflective, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

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Stillness is a myth. Consider concepts such as ”still water”, or ”still air” for that matter. Go to a restaurant, ask them for a glass of still water, hold it against the light and see where we’re at. Even though the water itself has been captured and imprisoned in the glass, it never stops breathing. It’s filled with tiny particles, dancing. Everything can be explained on a molecular level, but since we’re not scientists – and even if you happen to be – it’s the natural world of perception that moves me.
Still air is very similar. A hot summer’s day with zero wind feels completely still. It’s the closest I have felt to complete stillness. Or for a more urban adaptation, imagine the same vibe inside a normal apartment. In those moments, revelations and mind- blowing experiences can be had with experiments in stillness.
Try this: Just sit down for a minute on a sunny day, making sure there’s enough natural light. Do absolutely nothing. Try not to breathe for a bit. (If you need a mental anchor, you can play Cage’s 4’33” in your head but nothing else.) Watch the tiny dots of dust dancing :..’ ̈.:; ́ ́*°.,’:,. ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈:,.’
The movement is crazy, but the feeling of stillness comes from witnessing how subtle it is. In (perceived) complete stillness, every act of microscopic mobility seems to speak volumes. Yet, it feels both reassuring and oddly threatening that the stillness is never complete. What if we would need absolute stillness? Or is it just enough that we can perceive something as such? Extremes attract, so for both water and air, extraordinary movement is equally fascinating. That is also a luxury item of sorts. For us to enjoy a very ”loud” body of water or air, we need to be safe, in enough control of the situation. So when you are, it’s worthwhile to pay attention and take it all in.
A rapid flowing free with extreme strength and just barely in control. Look at that water go! No still water on this one, only ”sparkling”. A windy day when birds seem surprised how hard it is to fly, but in the end they make it. Trees bend but don’t break. The wind shows you its movement but doesn’t hurt you. It feels friendly, like a big clumsy dog that doesn’t quite understand its size.
It’s beautiful to be a guest of the elements, but not at the mercy of them. A new kind of dialogue forms.

After almost 6 years of silence since “Akelarre”, Synths Versus Me, the personal musical project of Nico Cabañas, co- founder of Oráculo Records alongside the young Italian promise India Nardone. Recorded analogically in just 2 months, fluctuates in a futuristic way between different kinds of unusual dark sub styles such as industrial noise, proto- tribal, synthpunk or krautwork, and, of course, among other dance-oriented such as EBM, new beat, synthwave, electro/breakbeat or trance. Presented in ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid BLACK vinyl. All tracks have been specially mastered for vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios (Germany).

White vinyl, limited to 500 copies. Liam Cromby, known for his work as the lead singer and songwriter of We Are The Ocean until 2017, has today announced his forthcoming debut solo album What Can I Trust, If I Can't Trust True Love, due for release on December 1st 2023, also sharing the title track, available to stream/download worldwide now. "Drawing from my own experiences, this song is a testament to those early, fragile moments of a relationship_where every misstep feels like a fall and every kind gesture feels like flying," he explains. "Choosing to name the album after this song was instinctive, given that it was among the final tracks to be crafted. Even though it came later in the creative journey, it perfectly embodies the central theme of the album." Since revealing the first taste of new music in March, with the release of `Here I Am' - accompanied only by a contemplative, artful film featuring an elaborate dance between two performers - followed by `Breakdown', and last month, `At This Table', this new phase of his career is already off to an impressive start. With early airplay from BBC Introducing and Absolute Radio Country among others, an appearance at The Great Escape festival and sold-out headline shows across the country, Cromby was invited to play at the prestigious Black Deer Festival of Americana, and along with a full-band set, joined Brandy Clark, Drake White, Elles Bailey and Bella White for a Songwriter Session. Although recorded in a matter of days, the project was at least five years in the making.

The Technarchist returns to the label with a 2 track 7” of chunky dancefloor Weirdo Techno Funk, overflowing with humour and all the zaps, wobbles and basslines that we love !!

These tracks return to the core sound that defined the label in its earlier years. For fans of Dance Mania, Luke’s Anger, Relief, Sativae and of course, Don’t. Some of you will know The Technarchist from his amazing track ‘Danse Macabre’ on the Don’t compilation album a few years back.

Killer mid '80s 'live digital' tune made at Aquarius Studio, released for the first time ever. A rarity to get Dunkley on this type of rhythm, this one was great to unearth.

Brasilian Producer Apoena kicks off 2024 in style for Hudd Traxx following an impressive back catalogue of releases on labels like Jimpster's Freerange and Jus Ed's Underground Quality.

Pure Feeling opens up proceedings in a deep and hypnotic style reminiscent of Ron Trent and Chez Damier's early releases on Prescription. Rico Balanço follows in a similar vain oozing with raw Berlin vibes, which is where Apoena currently resides.

The B side features In between the beat and the title track Mystic which are melodic trippy groovers for early hour vibes. 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for Hudd Traxx keep em' peeled.

Hail the sonic mayhem as we commemorate two decades of groundbreaking beats! Bong-Ra's iconic masterpiece, 'Bikini Bandits Kill! Kill! Kill!,' is set to make its vinyl debut on Rotterdam's Redrum Recordz. This record is a genre breaking fusion of breakcore, jungle and experimental electronic sounds that define Bong-Ra's visionary work. Safe to say; a classic! With guest appearances of The Dirty Dred (Skindred / Dub War), Mike Redman (Deformer) and Lolita Storm. In homage to the album's relentless energy and fiery spirit, the 20th-anniversary edition comes in striking red double vinyl. Order now to ensure you don't miss out on this limited release.

Christmas comes early, at least for Wu-Tang fans! Vinyl version of 2022s Killah Christmas! Wu-Tang Clan legend Ghostface Killah released his first-ever Christmas album digitally two Christmas' ago. The project features six exclusive tracks with guest appearances from longtime partner-in-rhyme Raekwon, as well as Reek Da Villain, Nizzle Man and Billy Ski-Mask.Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flowand his emotional stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs. In 2006, MTV included him as an "honourable mention" on their list of the "Greatest MCs of All Time",while the editors of About com placed him on their list of the "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987-2007)", calling him "one of the most imaginative storytellers of our time." Q magazine called him "rap's finest storyteller." Pitchfork Media has stated that "Ghostface has unparalleled storytelling instincts; he might be the best, most colorful storyteller rap has ever seen." NPR has called him "a compulsive storyteller", and asserts that "his fiction is painterly." "Ghostface Killah is spreading Christmas cheer to his fans with a new holiday-themed album that comes with some perks" _ Mark Elibert, Hip-hop DX

Mondo, in partnership with Universal Pictures, are proud to present the premiere physical release of the stunning and deeply emotional soundtrack to Christopher Nolan’s epic Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer is the IMAX-shot epic from the mind of acclaimed director and writer, Christopher Nolan. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film tells the story of the enigmatic man who led the Manhattan Project and helped create the first nuclear weapons.

Composed by Ludwig Göransson

Die britische Indieband My Life Story kündigt ihr fünftes Studioalbum 'Loving You Is Killing Me' mit den Singles 'Numb Numb Numb', 'Tits & Attitude' und 'I'm A God' sowie sieben brandneuen Tracks an, abgemischt von Ben Hillier (Depeche Mode, Blur, Patrick Wolf, Nadine Shah, Peter Perrett). Laut Sänger Jake Shillingford ist das Werk das Gegenteil eines Konzeptalbums, eine vielseitige Mischung herausragender Songs voller Frische und Emotionen, mit dem übermütigen Geist der Gründungszeit der Band im Jahr 1985 spontan und ohne grossen Plan im Vorfeld aufgenommen.

Run DMC haben 1992 (fast) alles hinter sich gelassen, um einen zeitgemäßeren Sound zu kreieren. Dies gelang mit der Unterstützung von Produzent Jermaine Dupri und den Featurings Q Tip (A Tribe Called Quest), Naughty By Nature, Pete Rock usw... Erhältlich als Doppel-LP auf weissem Vinyl im Gatefold

Specimen Records will kick off with "Zero Plague" January 2024 after a long hiatus from 2022 through to 2024. Specimen are now proud to present such a prolific artist as MANASYt whose level production has reached so many labels, along with extensive Dj work throughout Europe.

Zero Plague - another neurovision broadcast by replicant agent MANASYt. The opener - is a dystopian death march anthem, guided by a rolling snare, thick kick and throbbing bass. Arpeggios sounding like wasps on acid hover in the background, adding to the atmosphere of imminent danger!
Angellust - a hectic breathless industrial electro monster. Fuzzy distorted bass is driving us through a dark desolate territory. Complete with chaotic claps, minor synth stabs, a siren-like clinical pad and Petar's hopeless vocals (reminiscent of his days fronting metal bands).

Next is the Pestilent Mix for SNS Sensation new wave masterpiece "Mirror Radio". Sebastian is also the voice of UK duo Heartbreak (with synth wizard Ali Renault). Petar says : "It's a very impulsive work that sounds nothing like the original! Blending two different beats, mangled voices and psychotic off-kilter leads. Total madness."

First on the flip is the Novichok Mix for Poladroid. Petar and Vadim go way back to Roulette Rekordz in 2003, so this colab is natural, to say the least. It's the only time where the tempo slows down a bit on this EP. Bubbling worm-like bass, metallic percussion, cold windy pads and a classic electro lead take you on a journey to a soulless barren planet.

At last "In Deep Tongues". A heady schizophrenic exercise. A commanding beat, a grotesque polka bass followed by a paranoid synth lead pull you through a darkened maze with no exit. Underwater gurgles and fearsome corroded effects fill the air, no escape!

After 20 years, MANASYt hasn't slowed down or mellowed his intense immoderate sound one bit! And "Zero Plague" is undoubtedly a true testament to that!

He is an artist who couldn't care less about trends or hype, and whose main driving forces authenticate passion for this genre. Some of his tunes resemble future horror movie soundtrack, others a visit to a mental clinic, but most sound like what hostile aliens would listen to while attacking Earth.

Bulgarian dark mastermind Petar Tassev Manayst has been rocking his brand of Nuroelktro since 2003. He is responsible for a vast array of menacing titles on labels such as Touching' Bass, Kommando 6, Musar, and the infamous Bunker, along with 40 others.
MANASYt is currently based in Xiamen, China.

White Vinyl

Soon after the release in 2022 of a triple album dedicated to electronic language, Principles of Geometry continues their orbiting journey that began exactly 20 years ago with "Penta," a Maxi composed of five electro-geometric vignettes that confirm what we already knew: the discreet French duo pilots one of the most underestimated projects in European IDM.

By returning just one year after a massive fifth album (26 tracks), Principles of Geometry makes a clear artistic move: shifting from electronic language unfolded on ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ to gesture, as one would associate intellect with manual, actions with words. On "Penta," to be visualized as the five fingers of a hand sketching the immediate and spontaneous pleasure of a hand pressing a chord, Guillaume Grosso and Jeremy Duval thus combine two essential concepts of their electronic music: the need to make the listener dance with their brains, and to touch with their mental images.

With nods to the godfathers of the genre (Autechre and Boards of Canada) or crossing paths with Aphex Twin in a Michael Mann film, "Penta" is therefore a beauty of gesture first conceived with the fingers, and without the need for words to evoke either the romance or the violence of a chord on a Roland Juno 60.

Mastered by the legend Noel Summerville (Boards of Canada, Kraftwerk, My Bloody Valentine) and designed by Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic (responsible for the graphics of the cult WipEout and many collaborations with the Warp label), this Maxi is therefore listened to as much as a recreational return to the future of the 90s as it is a concise summary of the equilateral career of Principles of Geometry; equally distant between pure emotion and the need to ponder the notes played in this very special ship.

Lo-fi, low budget, and low key, The American Analog Set's suite of hypnotic, neo-psychedelic, Texas sloth-kraut LPs appeared briefly on Austin's Emperor Jones label and slunk quietly into the sprawling indie underground as the old millennium crested. Gathered here are "The Fun Of Watching Fireworks", "From Our Living Room To Yours", and "The Golden Band" albums, garnished with period b-sides, outtakes, and demos. Remastered from the original analog tapes,this early-career spanning 5xLP box includes lyrics, photos, and ephemera from the before times.

Lo-fi, low budget, and low key, The American Analog Set's suite of hypnotic, neo-psychedelic, Texas sloth-kraut LPs appeared briefly on Austin's Emperor Jones label and slunk quietly into the sprawling indie underground as the old millennium crested. Gathered here are "The Fun Of Watching Fireworks", "From Our Living Room To Yours", and "The Golden Band" albums, garnished with period b-sides, outtakes, and demos. Remastered from the original analog tapes,this early-career spanning 5xLP box includes lyrics, photos, and ephemera from the before times.

Culled from three 1985 gigs in the UK during a transitional and transcendent time in the band’s story, Sonic Youth’s The Walls Have Ears appeared / disappeared as a 2LP set in 1986, not just a live album but an artful tapestry full of live experimentation with songs, between-song tape segues, darkness, humor and audio verité. It’s now issued for the first time officially under the band’s auspices.

The ’85 shows were the second time the band appeared on UK soil, Brits now getting juiced to the mythos of the emerging guitar-slinging American independent underground; an art / punk band from NYC sporting casual attitudes and tees sporting Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, and Prince made some good press copy on top of their bludgeoning stage appearance. Paul Smith of the newly-founded Blast First label acted as an overseas diplomatic envoy for Sonic Youth through their SST years as well as issuing their classic 1988 Daydream Nation outside the USA. However the Smith-produced ‘bootleg’ of their ’85 UK gigs surfaced much to everyone’s surprise, just before EVOL was to be released. It turned out to be a marker of the group’s dissatisfaction that ultimately led to the release’s deletion, and the band and Smith parting ways after Daydream.

In this 2LP set brimming with primitive classics like ‘The Burning Spear,’ ‘Death Valley 69,’ and ‘I’m Insane’ (uncredited on sleeve), segues and live guitar changes ooze together threaded by Madonna tapes and vocal loops off the board (somewhat a necessity for distraction until the band had a full fledged stage crew to prepare guitars). The first two sides of Walls are massive, cavernous, with newly-drafted drummer Steve Shelley. SY tear it up especially on one trash-fi excerpt of ‘Blood On Brighton Beach’ (actually ‘Making The Nature Scene’) from a legendary outdoor gig November 8th where Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo’s guitars treble-blast dissonant shockwaves over the black-stoned beach of Quadrophenia fame.

The record’s second slab spotlights an April 1985 at London’s Hammersmith Palais and was one of the final appearances live of Bob Bert on drums, again featuring some molten takes on ‘Brother James,’ ‘Flower’ (listed as ‘The Word (E.V.O.L.)’), and others. This document remains an essential representation of some lean and mean years of the quartet’s throttling march out into the world. (by Brian Turner)

Culled from three 1985 gigs in the UK during a transitional and transcendent time in the band’s story, Sonic Youth’s The Walls Have Ears appeared / disappeared as a 2LP set in 1986, not just a live album but an artful tapestry full of live experimentation with songs, between-song tape segues, darkness, humor and audio verité. It’s now issued for the first time officially under the band’s auspices.

The ’85 shows were the second time the band appeared on UK soil, Brits now getting juiced to the mythos of the emerging guitar-slinging American independent underground; an art / punk band from NYC sporting casual attitudes and tees sporting Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, and Prince made some good press copy on top of their bludgeoning stage appearance. Paul Smith of the newly-founded Blast First label acted as an overseas diplomatic envoy for Sonic Youth through their SST years as well as issuing their classic 1988 Daydream Nation outside the USA. However the Smith-produced ‘bootleg’ of their ’85 UK gigs surfaced much to everyone’s surprise, just before EVOL was to be released. It turned out to be a marker of the group’s dissatisfaction that ultimately led to the release’s deletion, and the band and Smith parting ways after Daydream.

In this 2LP set brimming with primitive classics like ‘The Burning Spear,’ ‘Death Valley 69,’ and ‘I’m Insane’ (uncredited on sleeve), segues and live guitar changes ooze together threaded by Madonna tapes and vocal loops off the board (somewhat a necessity for distraction until the band had a full fledged stage crew to prepare guitars). The first two sides of Walls are massive, cavernous, with newly-drafted drummer Steve Shelley. SY tear it up especially on one trash-fi excerpt of ‘Blood On Brighton Beach’ (actually ‘Making The Nature Scene’) from a legendary outdoor gig November 8th where Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo’s guitars treble-blast dissonant shockwaves over the black-stoned beach of Quadrophenia fame.

The record’s second slab spotlights an April 1985 at London’s Hammersmith Palais and was one of the final appearances live of Bob Bert on drums, again featuring some molten takes on ‘Brother James,’ ‘Flower’ (listed as ‘The Word (E.V.O.L.)’), and others. This document remains an essential representation of some lean and mean years of the quartet’s throttling march out into the world. (by Brian Turner)

Soundway presents a long-awaited remaster and re-cut of the 1976 album ‘Ifetayo’ by Black Truth Rhythm Band, an important and overlooked chapter in Trinidad’s rich musical history that blends West African influences with jazz, funk and the social commentary of the calypso tradition.

Led by the charismatic Oluko Imo, the group drew on the strong connections to Yoruba culture and Orisa traditions in Trinidad, looking to Africa for inspiration and reflecting the burgeoning Black Power movement of the time.

High Roller Records, slipcase Es ist durchaus eine kleine Sensation, dass dieser Tage ein weiteres MORBID SAINT-Album erscheint, also mehr als 30 Jahre, nachdem ihre zweite LP „Destruction System“ aufgenommen, aber bis zu ihrer offiziellen Veröffentlichung vor kurzem nicht fertiggestellt worden war. Allerdings war die Aussicht, neue Musik in ihrem einzigartigen Death/Thrash-Metal-Stil zu schreiben, einer der Hauptgründe dafür, dass sich die Kernmitglieder 2010 überhaupt wieder vereinten. Während ihrer ersten aktiven Phase von 1984 bis ’94 konnte die Band ihr Potenzial längst nicht ausschöpfen, insbesondere im Hinblick auf ihre bahnbrechende erste Platte „Spectrum of Death“ (1990). Das neue Werk entstand im kreativen Fernaustausch, wobei sich alle Mitglieder gegenseitig Ideen zuspielten, um ein Breitseite aus zehn Extrem-Metal-Tracks abzufeuern, wie man sie heute kaum mehr hört – absolut verheerend und doch musikalisch anspruchsvoll, Grenzen überschreitend, aber nicht auf Teufel komm raus, und abgerundet von einem Artwork des legendären Ed Repka (Death, Megadeth). „Swallowed By Hell“ wurde von Chris Djuricic (Num Skull, Disinter) im The Belle City Sound Company aufgenommen und erhielt den letzten Schliff von Scott Elliott in den Chernobyl Studios. Es riecht nach alter Schule, steht aber mit beiden Beinen im Hier und Jetzt. „Eine bessere Besetzung könnte man sich nicht wünschen“, sagt Gitarrist und Mitbegründer Jim Fergades. „Wir freuen uns jetzt über alle Möglichkeiten, und je nachdem, welche sich uns bieten, kann eine Menge passieren.“

"The Riot City Years" reissued on STUNNING YELLOW VINYL! Bristol's own Vice Squad were one of the earliest UK punk groups with a female lead vocalist. Beki Bondage was a heartthrob to any British lad of a certain age and her dynamic stage presence and vocal prowess made Vice Squad one of the most popular acts of the second wave of British punk. This killer collection features tracks from the Riot City singles plus demos. Another essential UK punk compilation from one of the greatest singles bands of the early 80's scene.

While most of the Norwegian movers and shakers of their generation eventually moved to Oslo, Israelvis stuck it out in their native Trondheim. “Albino Blue” was recorded by the classic trio line-up consisting of Viggo, Jens-Petter and drummer Gillo, and has all the ingredients that made Israelvis such an exceptional band, brilliant tongue in cheek lyrics, crunching guitars and fantastic songs!

Dutch synth-wizard Nadia Struiwigh brings her eclectic live approach to Blueprint Records.á On the "Voxis Ohlun EP", Struiwigh reflects her profound command over synthesis and sequencing, crafting upfront techno with a vigorous, nostalgic feel.

Nadia Struiwigh, the Dutch artist rooted in Rotterdam and currently based in Berlin, has carved a unique niche in the electronic music scene.á Her genre-defying compositions, blending ambient, techno and electro, exhibit her signature ethereal and melodious production style, with a discography gracing acclaimed labels like Central Processing Unit, Nous'klaer, Dekmantel, Clone and InFinÒ.á Inspired by the Warp school of electronica, her live performances (ranging from immersive ambient to kinetic techno) are a testament to her technical prowess and emotional connection with her audience.á A versatile DJ and live act, she graces both concert halls and strobe-lit club sessions, curating sets that span from driving techno to deeper, emotive realms, earning her residencies at venues like Tresor.á Her versatile expertise extends beyond music; she collaborates with pioneering music brands such as Roland, Korg, Teenage Engineering, Arturia and others, embodying her reputation as a leading tech enthusiast within the industry.á Her contributions to esteemed platforms like Resident Advisor, Phantasy, Bleep, Slam Radio and Red Light Radio underscore her adaptability and prowess across a wide spectrum of electronic music, further solidifying her multifaceted presence in the field.

"Voxis Ohlun" invites you into a mesmerizing journey through the enchanting landscapes of the '90s, blending diverse musical influences seamlessly.á The focus here is on 4x4 dancefloor music, adorned with a tantalizing hint of breaks and pulsating rhythms, and a sprinkle of fairyland allure.á Crafted using only hardware, predominantly the beloved Korg Electribe MX, the sounds resonate with the essence of that era.á Each track unfolds like a chapter in a wondrous tale, interweaving nostalgia with a contemporary energy, ensuring an immersive experience.

He's back - again! Years after the end of the Heisei era, the big G came back to film in 1999 with the first of a new era: GODZILLA 2000: MILLENNIUM. Directed by Takao Okawara (GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH), a new look Godzilla is still harassing Tokyo, with the Godzilla Prediction Network out there trying to figure out where he'll show up next. To make matters worse, the government's Crisis Control Intelligence care more about firing missiles, but everything changes when they discover a mysterious meteor has a UFO inside. All of this results in Orga, a kaiju made from Godzilla's DNA, and of course it's up to the Big G to kick its ass back to space. Scoring GODZILLA 2000 was Takayuki Hattori, who had previously composed 1994's GODZILLA VS. SPACEGODZILLA. Hattori's music is very much about mood; the composer brings a sense of lyricism to proceedings, but of course, he also knows how to get us excited for Godzilla's appearances. Hattori does that with a spectacular new theme for the Big G that perfectly captures the creature's grandeur and immense power. There's also a fantastic piece for the UFO that has a wonderfully primevil beat, and of course, Akira Ifukube's classic theme for Godzilla returns in a big way. A perfect start to the Millennium era! (Charlie Brigden)



Artwork by Matt Ryan Tobin

2X 140gram Eco-Vinyl

The long lost 1968 debut album by singer-songwriter, Scott Fagan, once tipped to be bigger than Elvis, is set for release on 9th February 2024 via Earth Recordings. 'South Atlantic Blues' will be reissued for the first time in its original artwork, with an iconic portrait of Fagan by famed rock photographer, Joel Brodsky, following a widely celebrated 2015 release. Revisiting his mystical, mythical, and deeply soulful masterpiece, this psych-folk gem doffs a Tropicalia hat direct from downtown New York. "His songs embrace a broad sonic fantasia, swirling in '60s New York R&B and '40s jazz, as well as the Caribbean rhythms of calypso, meringue and Pachanga." New York Times Scott Fagan's story is worthy of a movie in itself. A swinging hipster who landed in 60s Greenwich folk scene, escaping the abject poverty of his U.S. Virgin Islands upbringing, Fagan found himself mentored by the Brill Building's Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and feted as the next big thing. "Forget Rodriguez, forget Searching for Sugar Man," says Sharyn Felder, daughter of the late Doc Pomus, the legendary songwriter who signed Fagan to management in 1964. "Scott was so much more. He was cut from a different cloth." 'South Atlantic Blues' is the perfect soundtrack to this tale, an epic song cycle wrapped around an impassioned love story, driven by Fagan's dense, allusive lyrics, and production by Elmer Jared Gordon (Pearls Before Swine) and rich arrangements by Horace Ott (Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, The Shirelles). The Earth Recordings reissue coincides with a resurgence in activity for Fagan, with a new album in the works - the never-recorded soundtrack to 'Soon', the 1971 Broadway rock musical he co-wrote and starred in - and a documentary 'Soon: the Story of Scott Fagan' currently filming through Scissor Kick Films, from director Marah Strauch, writer Chris Campion (who rediscovered the singer-songwriter in 2015), and producer Eric Bruggeman. Classic Black Vinyl + DLC

One of Europe's most popular alternative / dark wave bands. Lebanon Hanover have over one million monthly listeners on Spotify. Following their first US tour in over a decade, Lebanon Hanover returns with a soul-stirring double A-side single release, marking their first new material since the captivating 2020 album, 'Sci-Fi Sky.' Now, the enigmatic duo of William Maybelline and Larissa Iceglass beckons listeners into unventured sonic domains, intricately weaving folk-driven acoustic dream pop with the vulnerable essence of post-punk in a contemplative exploration of life's ephemeral yet profound nature. Embarking on a Cure-like sonic voyage reminiscent of the 'Head on the Door' and the 'Kiss Me' era, title track 'Better Than Going Under' manifests as a romantic, sombre daydream. William Maybelline's brooding baritone intertwines with sighing back vocals, narrating an ode to life's fleeting yet boundless vistas. The acoustic strums initiate a folk-driven narrative which, when coupled with a celestial choir, crafts a contemplative soundscape of cautious optimism, reminiscent of Echo and the Bunnymen or The Church.. KYIV: Bearing the name of Ukraine's capital, 'KYIV,' voiced by Larissa Iceglass, delves into a narrative reflective of the sorrow and despair entwined within war-torn regions like Ukraine and beyond. The acoustic guitar and drum machine create a Cocteau Twins' 'Treasure'-esque soundscape, evoking a melancholic yet beautiful auditory journey. Iceglass's voice, transitioning from her husky baritone to a more resigned lament, embodies a poignant reflection on the harsh realities faced by those embroiled in conflict-ridden landscap

Limited to 1000 copies worldwide

Charlotte de Witte Kicks Off 2024 With a New Label and Rework of One Of Techno’s Most Iconic Tracks


January 15,2024 - Today, techno force of nature Charlotte de Witte unveils a two-part homage to an iconic era of Belgium’s underground club scene with the debut of an archival label within her KNTXT imprint and a rework of one of the most anthemic techno tracks of all time. Appropriately titled Époque, this sonic time capsule aims to simultaneously preserve and reimagine the spirit, sounds and discotheque culture of the late 90’s and early 2000’s for a new generation. As head of the label, de Witte will kick off its release on February 9 with her own spin on the Belgian techno classic, “Universal Nation” by M.I.K.E Push.



Released in 1998 and originally written by M.I.K.E. Push as a B side for a different project, “Universal Nation” quickly solidified its reputation at the turn of the century as an iconic and defining track of this era in electronic music history. Reimagined through de Witte’s high-energy lens, this rework is an ode to one of her favorite classics.

NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and the second to celebrate the ‘90s, NOW – Yearbook 1990; 79 tracks from a fantastic year in Pop! Available on 4CD deluxe book format with 79 tracks , 4CD std digi with 79 tracks and 44 tracks from a fantastic year in Pop, pressed on gorgeous translucent triple orange vinyl. Disc One includes #1s from New Order, New Kids On The Block, Steve Miller Band, and The Beautiful South, as well as Pop smashes from The KLF, The B-52’s, Kylie Minogue, Whitney Houston Kim Appleby, and concluding with the theme from Twin Peaks, Julee Cruise’s ‘Falling’, Chris Isaak with ‘Wicked Game’ and Pet Shop Boys defining ‘Being Boring’. Dance floor-fillers kick off Disc 2 from Deee-Lite with ‘Groove Is In The Heart’, #1s from SNAP!, and from Adamski & Seal plus club classics from Bass-O-Matic and Adventures Of Stevie V with ‘Dirty Cash (Money Talks)’, plus the unexpected collaboration between DNA & Suzanne Vega. Disc 3 opens with the still-breathtaking interpretation of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ from Sinéad O'Connor. Up next are film related hits; Maria McKee’s ‘Show Me Heaven’, from the ‘Days Of Thunder’ soundtrack, and the ‘Young Guns II’ track ‘Blaze Of Glory’ from Jon Bon Jovi

Meltheads have been spreading wildfire on stages in Belgium and The Netherlands for a good while now, driven by the metronomically tight rhythm section of Tim Pensaert (bass) and Simon de Geus (drums), and fuelled by the razor-sharp and skilful guitar of Yunas de Proost. And then there’s frontman Sietse Willems, a man born to be on stage, like Morrison, Plant and Iggy Pop in one brutal and gnarly package. On 9 February they will be releasing the long-awaited debut album ‘Decent Sex’. The album kicks off with the title track, linking Stooges to The Doors, and not beating about the bush: it’s going to be at breakneck speed, and it’s going to be loud. Just 30 minutes later, once the final notes of fever dream Melvin have died out, ‘Decent Sex’ leaves you knocked out on the floor after an insane trip along blaring post punk, visceral noise, sweeping psych and good old rock ‘n’ roll. Part of the world is already turning its head, as renowned radio stations like KEXP and Radio X Manchester are picking up songs like I Want It All and Theodore, and fellow Antwerp based rock legends dEUS took them on tour, even as far as London’s Electric Brixton. Influential music magazines like Visions (DE), Clash and DIY (UK) dug up superlatives – and comparisons to The Birthday Party – for Theodore, a song about looking for (self) love, but also about the mess drug use can lead to. All not very uplifting, and most themes return in several songs, like the dark side to relationships and sex (White Lies, Decent Sex), or toxic masculinity (Vegan Leather Boots, Theodore again) and even politics (No One Is Innocent, Arbeit). Pretty heavy stuff, but wrapped in the highly infectious and piercing guitar rock Meltheads are serving, it’s going like a bomb. Decent Sex is out on 9 February, followed by release shows in Belgium, The Netherlands and Paris. At the end of January, Meltheads will vigorously kick off the year with a show at the highly influential ESNS showcase festival, where the part of the world that is still in blissful ignorance will get to know the brute force of Meltheads.

Decent Sex by Meltheads, released 9 February 2024, includes the following tracks: "Vegan Leather Boots ", "White Lies ", "No One Is Innocent ", "Gear " and more.

Pelvis Wrestley's sophomore LP, ANDY, or: the Four Horsegirls of the Apocalypse, is a fantastical meditation on impermanence through the lens of missing persons, and people we miss. Written in the back-and-forth days of unclear pandemic guidelines, the songs are informed by the diasporas of 2020, where so many people relocated without even the suggestion of a goodbye party. The record is named for a previous Benjamin Violet project, ANDY, which saw its members relocate during lockdown. As Pelvis Wrestley, Violet repurposes the mythology of the titular demigod for a new era. Following the release of their debut record, "Vortexas Forever", the Austin-based group gained notoriety for their unique blend of Americana, baroque pop and 70s glam, reminiscent of Of Montreal, Sparklehorse and Arcade Fire. They garnered support from Kishi Bashi, The Austin Chronicle, Under The Radar, and was named NPR affiliate KUTX's artist of the month in June 2023.

Currently celebrating ten years of releasing music on vinyl & cassette and following hype for recent releases from Moscow (via Tallinn)’s Galun (glagol album) and Osaka's Kiji Suedo (Hosek EP & Riot album), Edinburgh's Hobbes Music label continues to mine a leftfield seam with this brand new album from singer/songwriter George Demure (Tirk, Output) aka DJ/producer George T (Greco Roman, Optimo), better known as George Thomson to his mum. And it’s another absolute peach if you have a taste for post-club sounds of a more leftfield persuasion.

This is the follow-up to his 'The Record Store' EP which came out via George's own All Noise imprint in 2021. He has also released the Roll On, King's Cross single via Hobbes Music under his George T moniker last November (plus various bits for the Paradise Palms and Ramrock labels in the interim).

“It all began with the Record Store EP in 2021,” explains George. “Limit my options. No samples, one drum machine, two analog synths (mono and poly), computer simply to record. I was so happy with the results I began with what you hear today. Same drums, same machines (or lack thereof) maybe some real percussion and melodica but hey, I only answer to me.”

Imagine, if you will, Scott Walker jamming with Kruder & Dorfmeister in a very small studio…

Bonus Album ‘Dandy In Dub’ features dubs, instrumentals and bonus tracks, with yet more regular flashes of pure brilliance. Be sure to check out opener 'After' and closer 'Blue Lou', which sound like George might well have sound-tracked some French 80s flick of the 'cinema du look' period (Betty Blue, Diva et al) in another life. Plus ‘Mr Minilogue’ with its clarinet-like synth.... Does it really get any better than this?!!

Sleeve art by the amazingly talented Bernie Reid, another local legend.

Feedback/Reviews to date:

'He's so talented!' JD TWITCH (Optimo)
'Love the LP. Sounds really together, production is awesome. I love the aesthetic. Vocal tracks sit nicely with instrumentals. Vocals sound light-hearted' THE MAGHREBAN
"On a bobbled and float-y, light sunbeam dappled vapor of deep house, garage, electro, kosmische, leftfield pop electronica, dub and new wave (both the German and UK’s), the Edinburgh DJ/producer and singer-songwriter George Thomson continues the good work he laid down on the last EP... It’s a most lovely, swimmingly blend of motivations, feels and deep grooves that effortlessly comes together in a generous offering of electronic music: the very epitome of the Hobbes label’s remit in delivering leftfield unique visions of now techno, house and club sounds." MONOLITH COCKTAIL
‘I love the album’ LEO MAS
‘Lovely stuff’ S/A/M (Music For Dreams/DK, Cafe Del Mar, Pikes, Playasol Radio and many more, Ibiza)
Plus play/s from Andy Wilson on ‘Balearia’ Ibiza Sonica Radio
+ DJ Dribbler (Pikes, Ibiza // Paradise Lost, Red Light Radio, Pure)

The latest release on An’archives, Suikyō, documents a first-time meeting between three Japanese improvisers: Takashi Masubuchi on guitar and harmonica; Ayami Suzuki on voice and electronics; and Tomo on hurdy-gurdy. Recorded at Permian on the 29th of January, 2023, it’s a stunning, forty-minute long improvisation of rare artistic sympathy. Notably, it was the first time the trio had performed together, though Masubuchi and Suzuki have prior form as a duo; on the evening itself, the trio performance was preceded by solo sets from Suzuki and Tomo, which served as a kind of introduction, of sorts, to the broader aesthetic visions of two of the musicians on Suikyō.

Masubuchi, Suzuki and Tomo make for a fascinating trio, not only due to the shared musical sympathy that’s clear from their performance, but also due to their histories, and the way these dovetail on the music you hear on Suikyō. Masubuchi has recorded a number of stunning solo albums for guitar and has also improvised with a number of musicians: you can hear his responsiveness and thoughtful playing on albums alongside Suzuki, Taku Sugimoto, Straytone, Shizuo Uchida, Takahiro Kawaguchi, and more. Suzuki’s work for voice has been documented on several solo cassette releases, and in consort with Tetuzi Akiyama, Rob Noyes, Leo Okagawa, Aidan Baker and Tobias Humble. And Tomo’s music can be heard on a small clutch of solo CDs, as a member of Tetragrammaton and Archeus, and in collaboration with Junzo Suzuki.

The way their instrumental voices meld together on Suikyō, though, is evidence of a capacity both to draw from these histories, and to take these collective knowledges to new places. And sometimes, unexpectedly old places: Masubuchi notes that his guitar on this set took him back to the rock and blues he used to play, perhaps in earlier groups like Pelktopia, which he suggests contributes to “the psychedelic mood” of Suikyō. Tomo’s hurdy gurdy matches this by pulling drones out of the air or allowing melodies to slowly morph and envelop the listener – their development, at times, reminds me of troubadour music from Occitanie.

Suzuki’s presence is equally compelling and curious. Her voice is an eternally flexible instrument, and whether it sits unadorned within the soundworld magic’d into space by Masubuchi and Tomo, or slips between the cracks thanks to subtle use of electronic effects, it has a quality about it that is both otherworldly – at times, the voice soars and pirouettes – and thoroughly, deeply grounded, of this earth, a most human and intimate encounter. There is a lovely consort between Suzuki and Tomo, the voice and hurdy-gurdy shadowing each other: as Tomo notes, “the hurdy gurdy has been an instrument played to accompany singing since the Middle Ages.” For Suzuki, the performance was “psychedelic and hedonistic in a good way,” but it wasn’t simply given in to that experience: “we were at the same time looking at it from an objective point of view.”

That feels like the right way to approach Suikyō: as a performance that both sets the mind and ears spinning, but with a careful, thoughtful, and considerate objectivity to its moment-by-moment development. It’s also incredibly gorgeous. As a first encounter, it’s surprising in both its comfort and its challenge: and as Masubuchi says, the playing together feels just the way it had to be: “instinctive, unintentional, and inevitable.”

yellow vinyl / incl. dl codes

Modern techno is fast-paced and borrows elements from mid 90s trance records. This record is not that.

Green Vinyl

A bass rumble seems to rearrange your organs like a spiritual doctor, fast techno kicks and a funky as hell percussion line emerge - it's the lucky 13th release on Lisbon's Para?so, this time by local mainstays Shcuro and Vil - the first, label co-founder, the second a longtime friend and impeccable DJ with a range that runs from dubstep to the hardest strains of techno and beyond. The opener track 'Rumble The Funk' evolves with infectious stabs and cut-up vocal and our legs can't seem to stand still. The groove continues on with the A2 'Recoil', a soulful, dubby, relentless ode to techno that feels authentic and purposeful. Emotional tones find their way in via a mysterious, melodic string, introduced in the breakdown. Dubbed out motifs, delay + feedback strokes make a welcome return on the appropriately titled 'Chime Dub' that opens the B side of the record: skippy rhythmic layers and a warm bassline complete the picture, string flourishes give us glimpses of radiant dancefloor revelations. On the B2 the duo's opener track gets the remix treatment by another exciting duo: Blasha & Allatt, who are the women behind the iconic queer techno raves Meat Free. They flip the original's melody into a rapid, dreamy affair, conveying an optimism that perfectly wraps up this solid record by continuing the celebration of collaborative work.

The first release of the newly founded Label by Sven Eickhoff and Markus Suckut kicks off with a Various Artists focused on timeless Techno.

Everybody Trance is more than proud to crash onto labels bubble, with the first episode: Various Vol. 1., illustrating our bash vision with a frenetic and hypnotic grooves tour. Dense, knotty and intoxicating tracks, overflowing with finesse, display all over this EP, including Maelita & Kick 21, Botwin, Gogo Gadgeto, Subsism and Ekzander, mastered by Alden Tyrell and designed by Jimmy Premier.

Part two of the retrofuturistic 12’’ compilation series introduced by To Pikap Records. LEGACY inaugurates the release with an acid JeffMillsian ode to Detroit’s techno-electro sound, Future Draft takes us back to Europe with a euphoric broken house, while The Jaffa Kid concludes side A with a number of quirky melodies floating over Autechre’s (or Aphex Twin’s) memories of the genre previously known as idm. On side B, Odpein updates the Drexciyan electro palette slipping in elements of Chicago’s footwork combined with heavy acid bass, subsequently Dj Tsoug’s misty atmosphere crawls over some dry city bringing catharsis with its most anticipated drops of acid and finally happy99 enforces us to open up our eyes with a stripped and muffled techno-acid anthem of the future. It’s a must have till the next one!

Italian born, London-based soundsmith Andrea Ottomani dons his Big Hands moniker for an excursion in modern dub on the burgeoning Teeth label. Ottomani is the artist behind the label Baroque Sunburst, which he runs with Soreab, and he also forms half of jazz techno unit Ottomani Parker with Abraham Parker.

The Vulgarity Of Snow is Ottomani’s woozy, lilting soundwalk through techno, experimental electronics and scorched earth acid. The untitled tracks are less like distinct entities and give way to a larger, conjoined pair of triptychs spread out over two sides of wax. They feel like a paean to the format, which no doubt comes from Ottomani’s time spent working at one of London’s most revered record shops. As a longer, more probing piece, it’s anathema to talk about The Vulgarity Of Snow in terms of bpms and sub-genres, and arguably it owes as much to free jazz and psych-rock as it does to more leaden styles such as dub and roots. At times it pays tribute to the work of acts like Basic Channel and Random Trio, deploying dub electronics in novel ways, but it is also broader in its choice of sounds. On B2, for example, Mino Carbone, the artist’s uncle and an Italian anarchist from the same lineage as artists like Dario Fo, plays a song from that tradition. It’s not a chaotic piece, but it’s not heavily constrained.

Teeth is an ideal home for Ottomani’s freeform work, following contributions to Beat Machine, Blank Mind and Oscilla. The label is the brainchild of Jojo Mathiszig, who also runs Farringdon record shop and radio station Kindred. Slade graduate and Kindred co-founder, Scarlet Griffiths, supplies the artwork following on from her recent exhibition at Dinner Party Gallery.

The by-now seminal Is It Balearic label welcomes long-time Balearic boss Max Essa for another superbly horizontal offering that will take you to the beach no matter where you are. He is a regular on this label who has been serving up top tunes and compiling superb collections like 2016's 10-Year Anniversary comp for ages, and the quality levels never dip. This fresh four-tracker traverses gently breaking synth waves, undulating dubby undercurrents and gloriously sun-kissed synth work all in a soothing and meditative style.

The last of the Konduko series from Emotional Rescue arrives now and quite possibly it is the best of the lot from Noel Williams. His 'Fantasy' saw him work with Larry Dermer aka Der Mer on what is an effective and catchy electro jam that operates at the higher end of the tempo chart with some classic vocoder vocal action to really make it pop. Despite being released originally in 1984 this one still bangs with its emulated TR-808 beats and nagging melodies. The instrumental heightens that and then the Jonny Rock Discomix shuts down with long-form rework that shows why the DJ, editor and all-round amiable bloke is so well regarded.

Bassmæssage is the heaviest and most consistent bass music night out of Leipzig, operating way over 30 low frequency terrapeutic events since 2007.

Hosting ventral vibrations by the likes of Mungo's Hifi, Moonshine, Rupture, Hardwax and the homies of Jahtari, maintaining strong relations within the local soundsystem culture like Zoumo and Plug Dub and pushing a ton of grass-roots DJs and visual artists, out of doubt it is a sure shot for all who like it low and want it vibrant.

2015 saw the release of the "Volume One" vinyl, blending all kinds of styles and tempi by artists who had played at a Bassmæssage. Dub met Dubstep, Footwork went along some Snailfunk Drum'n'Bass and even Skweee had a cameo. And all this happened on one plate with a warm vibe from start to finish.

It is about time to revive the label with a new vinyl compilation named "Second Drop", following the tradition of a nice roundup across various bass music tearitorries. One side pumps at uplifting 160 BPM, while the flipside is shifting down to relaxing 135 and even 120 speeds.


Nuphlo and Bukkha team up for the energetic modern halftime piece "Drip". Nuphlo might ring a bell as part of The Nasha Experience from London and Leeds, connecting asian roots with nowadays UK bass sounds. Bukkha is state-side born and has recently emigrated to Spain, from where this worldwide touring DJ machine is firing a plethora of bass music styles on renowned labels like Moonshine, System and Innamind.

DjBadshape passes the breakbeat driven torch with handsome melodies and subby kickbass on "Drift" to reflect Leipzig's well various scenes. While checking her tracks on Defrostatica and Human, one may also find artworks for Bassmæssage and more.

Sun People is closing the 160 side with the deep but dirty retro 90s jungle bit "Rise Up". Combining Techno, Footwork and UK Hardcore Breakbeats, the Graz based bass buab made it to releases on Exit, Rua and Alphacut.

Flipping sides, Dub Across Borders redefines steppers dub into the dreamy yet rolling "Bass Tree Dream". The project was found by a Copenhagen dubber when living in Colombia, fusing the rural folklore with soundsystem energy into a world-bass music. This can be heard on labels like Basscomesaveme, Translation and 45Seven and is best to be experienced in its live dubbing appearance which premiered at a Bassmæssage in 2015.

Paranoid One grabs these feelings and drops them a bit more sinister, "Glimp" manages to hide a playful 4 to the floor kick as well beyond its smooth soundscapes and percussions. As Paranoid Society these split personalities from Tallinn were delivering to Modern Urban Jazz and Alphacut already since a decade at least.

bhed finishes with the slow far-away dubsteppish "Minerva". Make sure to not only check the releases on Row and Trusik but also the freshly baked Neuburg based live act in between cosy ambient and lush bass music at the next Bassmæssage on 18th November in LeipZig!

It's not often we say amazing, but there really are no other words for the response received for ESC & MINERAL's 'Satellite EP'!! The long-standing production duo has found a way of combining many different vibes into one stone cold EP and the results are stunning.

SATELLITE kicks off the proceedings with a sound that could have grown out from that certain basement on Hoxton Square. Fresh & updated to 2020s, this one’s for the original headz.

AURAL DESTINATION First surfacing on Loxy's seminal Applied Science Division mix late 2021, Mineral's atmospheric breakbeat is blended with a fat bassline - giving the track a classic end of the night vibe.

VORTEX A tech stepper from outer space, channeling the vibes of ‘97/’98.

PHASES OF CHARON Esc digs deep into the vaults of No U Turn & co. with a menacing dark workout.

Berlin-based label Distant Gaze unveils their highly anticipated second EP, a Various Artist compilation crafted as a collaboration among Clouzer’s circle of friends. This collection features four cosmic tracks designed for full throttle dance-floor journey. Embracing analogue bass-lines and a captivating soundscape, this EP promises an unparalleled auditory adventure.

Highlights include the extraterrestrial Dark Disco piece, a collaboration by Clouzer and Radondo “Time Warp”, alongside the monumental dance-floor killer – EBM remix by E-bony. Notably, Clouzer’s remix of Kollmorgen’s “Escape,” originally from the renowned Kompakt Records, delivers an immersive 8-minute late-night experience – a powerful fusion of Dark Disco and Progressive spirit.

The EP concludes with Clouzer’s futuristic broken beat composition, “Goodbye,” leaving listeners in a cosmic nostalgic state.

After a brief hiatus, Late Night Burners re-enters the party with a fresh reissue in the Still Burning series, the first of a few that will drop throughout 2024. And again, the adventure was found close by.

Roland Klinkenberg operates under many clever aliases (Simsalabim!) but arguably his biggest moment as a producer was the progressive trance tune “Inner Laugh”, which was remixed by none other than Border Community founder James Holden. And when those kinds of tunes get cross-bred with uptempo house and menacing techno, you get “SIM 01 / Trance Textures 2”. Originally released as the first record on his own Sim label in 1995, these tunes were part of the beginning of Roland’s long and illustrious career. You’ll understand it when you hear it. No remixes this time, just the four OG cuts remastered from the DAT tapes with love, respect, and tenderness.

DNO welcomes two new signees, Slovenian producer Marka San and UK rapper Axel Holy, for one of the label’s darkest releases yet. The ‘Hidden Knowledge’ EP presents five tracks of dread bass and bad-trip sonics, as the Bristolian MC delivers cut-throat bars with the kind of calm, looming menace of a tomcat toying with its prey.

It was DEDW8, Axel’s horror-touched collab with Split Prophets’ Blanka, that first made him known in Slovenia, prompting Marka San to get in touch about working together. The same sinister vibe that drives that project has spread its tendrils right through the ‘Hidden Knowledge’ EP, from the twisted brass and squirming bass of ‘Where Did You Go’, which drags its feet like some zombified blues track as Axel repeats the titular phrase in his husky drawl, to the equally chilling ‘Classics’— all eerie samples and abyssal lows, with a pitched-down hook and braggadocious bars.

On ‘Patterns’, Axel goes to war, attacking the creeping beat with vicious battle bars and stories of the hustle, while ‘Hidden Knowledge’ sees him flex his vocabulary to take swipes at the powerful, and ‘Robert Downey’ makes his unswerving determination clear over grungy guitar.

Deliciously macabre, with intricate layers and lyrics that’ll have you spotting something new on every listen, yet still heavyweight enough for the dance, this is a match made in the nine circles and we can’t get enough of it.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

Banging tribe UK style with a Raggatek solid influence... Defenitly a masterpiece refreshing the style

Record Producer/ DJ / Record Plugger and Record Shop Owner Herman Chin-Lay operated out of his Aquarius Record shop at Half Way Three ,Kingston ,Jamaica.
It is from this base that he started his recording studio where he not only put out the first ever Dub album 'Aquarius Dub' but was also responsible for naming future artist Horace Swaby.
By allowing him to use his exotic fictitious working name 'Augustus Pablo' for his own recording career.
Although called 'Aquarius Dub' the tacks that make up this album were cut at Dynamic Sounds, Harry J's and Randy's Studio 17.
It was not long after this release that Herman opened the first ever twenty four track studio Aquarius Studios.
We have compiled this set of Dub tracks that were worked on at Aquarius studio's itself.
Using the legendary studio for some of the recordings and/or it's mixing and voicing facilites.
Hope you enjoy the set...Dubbing at Aquarius Sounds...

Repress!

Our next Toolroom 4-track vinyl sampler offers some of our biggest recent releases including none other, than the boss man himself, Mark Knight who is joined by James Hurr & Cari Golden with their club focused record, 'You Are A God'. In demand Italian DJ & Producer Qubiko also returns to the label with 'Talking To Myself', whilst key members of the Toolroom family, Leftwing : Kody go back to their clubbier roots on 'Mallet'.

Last but not least fast-rising, star-in-the-making, ESSEL who is set to drop a slice of Summer with 'Try', a Piano House focused record in the classiest of fashions, akin to a classic Dusky sound. Four killer cuts that you will not want to miss this summer season!

Oldschool hardcore moda killa.
2023 Gold color repress !

Australian Import.

LTD

ENJOY !

Massive reworking in a killer Digi style of Jah Screechy’s 1984 classic Walk & Skank. Widely known for the SL2 sampling ‘On A Ragga Tip’. This one rerecorded and blessed by the man himself.

DJ Support:
-Sub Dub
-Outlook

333 reissues a massive sought-after and obscure Jazzbo-produced 45 from Stanford Shirley. The System was recorded at Harry J's studio and released in 1987 on the late Linval Carter's Ujama label. Though one of the lesser known cuts from Jazzbo's late 80s production stable, it is surely up there with one of the best. Killer archetypal digi business.

Bristolian producer Claude Cooper returns with hot new single ‘Stay A While’, inspired by the vinyl discoveries made from months of digging and cataloguing the bulging inventory of Bedminster’s Friendly Records record shop.

‘Stay A While’ introduces some delightful twists to Cooper’s psychedelic-funk sound. Blurring the lines between sampling and performance, lush string flourishes are sliced with 6Ts girl-group vocals and rollicking piano chords resulting in a dreamy, end of night, lights up anthem in-the-making. The track is backed with the insistent ‘Dance Tonight’, a ragged bass-boogie surf-rocker that doesn’t take no for an answer.

Cooper’s irrepressible debut album ‘Myriad Sounds' (Jan ‘22) caught the attention of the UK's press and radio alike. Mojo's four star review described it as “Bristol’s beat scene backdrops late night jams”, Uncut enjoyed the "rugged psych-funk romp" and Louder than War declared "it’s vital and vibrant and exactly what we need to kick start the year”. BBC radio DJs including Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe, Huw Stephens, Jamie Cullum, Lauren Laverne, Stuart Maconie, Tom Ravenscroft rinsed the singles, with Huey Morgan inviting Cooper to contribute a Block Party Mix for his show.

Bonus round 'More Myriad Sounds' (Apr ‘23) added Brooklyn vocalist Brain Fog to the melange with a bounty of pyretic vocal performances. DJ Mag called it “A fierce, kaleidoscopic trip” while Bandcamp Daily said “This album of cross-genre influences is as likely to get it included in any number of best-of columns, with the theme of serious fun as their common element”.

Behind the release is Friendly Records, the best little record shop in Bristol and now a burgeoning record label. Opened by Tom Friend on North Street in 2016, it’s gone on to become a hub of the local musical community. As well as Claude Cooper, the label has reissued two of Alison Cotton’s albums, 'The Twenty-Three Views' by outernational ambient jazz project Floating World Pictures, and Christian Madden & The Enemy Chorus’s organ heavy ‘The Extra Weight’.

Claude Cooper will return with a new album on Friendly Recordings this year.

Jamie 3:26 presents Dancefloor Damage Vol.1! Personal exclusives from his collection, these have damaged dancefloors around the world for years and are now available on vinyl for the first time ever. From the Southside of Chicago to the world. Two killer disco classics re-worked by a legend. Buy or cry.

Sharpshooters is the long-awaited collaborative album from Destruct & DJ Zole. The two Natives from Southern California who have been true contributors to the Los Angeles Hip-Hop scene for over a decade now. Sharpshooters showcases a vast arrangement of styles blended into one solid LP with a hint of nostalgia hence the title of the project.

Sharpshooters while paying homage to the golden era of Hip-Hop also has a fresh perspective on how the culture sounds today and at the same time inspired one of the greatest wrestlers, Bret Hart.

In a refreshing way it all culminates into a unique experience for the listener with amazing guest features to back it, at the end of the day Sharpshooters represents two genuine and diverse artists entering their prime and creating a timeless piece of art appropriately named after a legend’s finishing move.

Sharpshooters is released on vinyl by the label Mind The Wax as of March 8th, 2024 and includes 11 tracks.
Destruct has been in the music scene and has released over 30 studio albums including two with his live band "Inner City Soul". He has been blessed as well to run his own studio "Area 52" where he provides recording and executive producer services. He also has a film production company now called “The Resident People” where he has directed and filmed several music videos and short films with much more to come.

By today, Destruct has rocked hundreds of shows with legends like KRS-One, Slum Village, Dilated Peoples, Rakim, Psycho Realm, Method Man from Wu-Tang & more. He has also collaborated with artists such as Grammy award-winning Sirah, Sean Price, Kev Brown, Blu and Exile to just name a few.

All and all Destruct is here to be much more than your everyday Hip Hop artist, but a true contributor to the culture and lifestyle, progressing the movement forward. Destruct is here for a legacy, not a trend.

DJ Zole is a DJ/Producer from Southern California. He gained his experience coming up as a touring HipHop DJ and Producer/ Turntablist who has been a DJ for major acts ranging from Sage Francis (Strange Famous Records), Atmosphere, Abstract Rude, Project Blowed, 2Mex, and many others.

Since 2004, DJ Zole has travelled the globe performing and creating. He's a highly decorated engineer and producer with his degree in Audio Engineering Mixing and Mastering Certified through Musicians Institute Hollywood.

The third and final EP from the ten year anniversary series by French label D3 Elements is another one that offers a wide range of excellent grooves. To kick off, Jason Hogans takes us into woozy late night territory with muffled leads and lazy breaks, then Zopelar heads for the cosmos on his radiant synth laced house offering 'Resolution.'

Malik Hendricks keeps it low key and slow with his intimate basement sounds on 'Green Mango' then Meftah rebuilds on a dusty Theo Parrish tip with 'Maha Shatki.' Damar Davis offers pure cosmic deep house lushness on closer 'Kiss In The Dark.'

Optimo (Espacio) started life as a weekly club night. It was born at The Sub Club in Glasgow on a wet, windy, wintry November Sunday night in 1997. Run by JD Twitch and partner in crime Jonnie Wilkes. Optimo was a reaction against what felt like an increasingly conservative musical soundtrack in clubs here at that time. Clubland felt as if it had become very bland and a bit too serious; it was the era of the dawn of the Superstar DJ. Clubs often felt like bastions of male energy. It seemed dance music and culture was going somewhere far, far away from where it was meant to be. The notion of fun had got lost.

It was no longer the world they had devoted ten years of their lives to already, and lots of their friends felt the same. When the opportunity came up to do a Sunday night at The Sub Club it felt like the perfect opportunity to rip it all up and start again. So they did. There was nothing in the city (or possibly anywhere) like it. As the club believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing, there was no pressure from The Sub Club to fill the club. So, they embraced the freedom. Groups of people who had never been in the same room at the same time before came together. A community of kindred spirits started to emerge.

Word spread, slowly. Lots of people checked it out. Many loved it, some hated it. The core of the Optimo idea was to embrace music they loved that might work on the dancefloor from whatever era or genre they thought felt right. It might not seem very radical now but at that time it was revolutionary.

After about a year and a half, the club went from having 100 people attending most nights to suddenly one week having 500 people turn up. It was very weird. It was as if a collective light bulb went off in people’s heads in Glasgow. From that week on, until the very last weekly Sunday night at the Sub Club, in 2010, over a decade later, it was packed.

There were 550 Sunday Optimo nights. A LOT of music was played. So, what was the music? People often find it hard to pin down exactly what Optimo is. This has been a positive but also a negative as we live in a world where people want easily defined “brand identities”. The simplest definition of the music played is “music for dancing”, which of course is a very broad definition. Even better than trying to define it in words, we have these 2 volumes of music that give a hint of what that might be.

This is not a “Best of Optimo” or a “Greatest Hits of Optimo” compilation. For people who come to, or used to come to the nights there are of course “Greatest Hits”. But, over such a long timespan they are “hits” belonging to a certain moment in time and space. Someone who came to Optimo in 1997 would have a completely different notion of the big tracks at the club to someone coming in 2003, or 2010, or today. This compilation is just a snap shot missing several genres that might make up the DNA of Optimo. There is though a broad sweep through lots of music Optimo loves, that they believe is amazing. Music that they know will rock a dancefloor, that they have played between 1997 and 2023. Of course Optimo nights were not all about rocking the dancefloor. The first hour was always a time for them to play music they loved that often was far removed from the dance. Side 1, Volume 1 of this compilation is the kind of music one might hear at the very start of an Optimo night.

Optimo have always loved a good slogan. The most long lived, and fitting Optimo slogan is "We Love Your Ears", which is in essence what it is all about to them.

Optimo (Espacio) started life as a weekly club night. It was born at The Sub Club in Glasgow on a wet, windy, wintry November Sunday night in 1997. Run by JD Twitch and partner in crime Jonnie Wilkes. Optimo was a reaction against what felt like an increasingly conservative musical soundtrack in clubs here at that time. Clubland felt as if it had become very bland and a bit too serious; it was the era of the dawn of the Superstar DJ. Clubs often felt like bastions of male energy. It seemed dance music and culture was going somewhere far, far away from where it was meant to be. The notion of fun had got lost.

It was no longer the world they had devoted ten years of their lives to already, and lots of their friends felt the same. When the opportunity came up to do a Sunday night at The Sub Club it felt like the perfect opportunity to rip it all up and start again. So they did. There was nothing in the city (or possibly anywhere) like it. As the club believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing, there was no pressure from The Sub Club to fill the club. So, they embraced the freedom. Groups of people who had never been in the same room at the same time before came together. A community of kindred spirits started to emerge.

Word spread, slowly. Lots of people checked it out. Many loved it, some hated it. The core of the Optimo idea was to embrace music they loved that might work on the dancefloor from whatever era or genre they thought felt right. It might not seem very radical now but at that time it was revolutionary.

After about a year and a half, the club went from having 100 people attending most nights to suddenly one week having 500 people turn up. It was very weird. It was as if a collective light bulb went off in people’s heads in Glasgow. From that week on, until the very last weekly Sunday night at the Sub Club, in 2010, over a decade later, it was packed.

There were 550 Sunday Optimo nights. A LOT of music was played. So, what was the music? People often find it hard to pin down exactly what Optimo is. This has been a positive but also a negative as we live in a world where people want easily defined “brand identities”. The simplest definition of the music played is “music for dancing”, which of course is a very broad definition. Even better than trying to define it in words, we have these 2 volumes of music that give a hint of what that might be.

This is not a “Best of Optimo” or a “Greatest Hits of Optimo” compilation. For people who come to, or used to come to the nights there are of course “Greatest Hits”. But, over such a long timespan they are “hits” belonging to a certain moment in time and space. Someone who came to Optimo in 1997 would have a completely different notion of the big tracks at the club to someone coming in 2003, or 2010, or today. This compilation is just a snap shot missing several genres that might make up the DNA of Optimo. There is though a broad sweep through lots of music Optimo loves, that they believe is amazing. Music that they know will rock a dancefloor, that they have played between 1997 and 2023. Of course Optimo nights were not all about rocking the dancefloor. The first hour was always a time for them to play music they loved that often was far removed from the dance. Side 1, Volume 1 of this compilation is the kind of music one might hear at the very start of an Optimo night.

Optimo have always loved a good slogan. The most long lived, and fitting Optimo slogan is "We Love Your Ears", which is in essence what it is all about to them.

***After birthing Street Riffs, their hi-definition, hi-energy, statement from 2020, CCR Headcleaner turned inward. The retreat from the pro-studio to the home studio was partially by design and partially decided by global events. Cleaner is very much a pandemic album, more of a homespun head trip than its predecessors. At the same time guitarist, songwriter and spiritual center of the group, Lacey Emmanuel, left the Bay for the shores of Lake Michigan. By most accounts an apocalyptic live-band became by and large a home recording animal. This is most apparent when Headcleaner turns up the balladry. “Don’t Feel the End” is a proto-metal campfire anthem, and “Everyday” hovers somewhere between keyboard misfit John Bender and the White Album. Make no mistake, the record will still be filed under “Punk” at your local record shop. It kicks off with “the brining pt. 2” the hottest slice of Funhouse free-rock that the band has committed to record. “Too Much” gives us its jail abolition rap over a two chord hardcore stomp. In a town (San Francisco) that is experiencing something of a DIY pop renaissance, Headcleaner has always fought to establish the fact that they have actual songs. This is no 70s throwback, but instead an attempt to up the ante. Without all the rock histrionics, technical arrogance and misogyny can the rock riff deliver on its ultimate promise: heavy music for total liberation. All tracks were mixed and lovingly fucked with by none other than Eric Bauer at his Bauer Mansion (RIP) Chinatown SF.

The Bony King of Nowhere is the artistic alias of Belgian artist Bram Vanparys. He made a mark in 2018 with the release of his critically acclaimed album Silent Days. The record received consistent 4- and 5-star press reviews and was hailed as his best album to date. It also earned Vanparys a Music Industry Award (BE) for 'best author-composer'. Silent Days revealed the full potential of the singer-songwriter and his commitment to never repeat himself and keep surpassing his creative abilities.

The new album, entitled Everybody Knows, has been a long time coming, partly due to Vanparys' aforementioned pledge to artistic evolution. The first two tracks he unveiled give a definite hint of what to expect from this album. 'Are You Still Alive' and 'Almost Invisible' carry the quality mark, known colour scheme and scent of The Bony King of Nowhere, but add many more hues and details. The new record showcases the new league Vanparys is playing in. Themes like rusted patterns in society, the obedience of the everyday man, the structural false ignorance of big shots, the toxicity of online communication and other very recognisable but not always pleasant subjects. Inspired by the observations of many sociologists, Vanparys dissects our society, the loneliest ever. This album is not just disconcerting though, in its strength lies a sense of hope and vigour.

The first singles promise a new album with lots of punch and energy, while Vanparys is unveiling the complete complexion of his voice whilst remaining vulnerable and honest. On the album, he is accompanied by multi-talent guitarist Vitja Pauwels (Naima Joris), pianist Hendrik Lasure (Tamino, Bombataz), drummer Simon Segers (Sylvie Kreusch, Stadt) and bass player Jasper Hautekiet.

While the songwriting legends, particularly Neil Young and Bob Dylan, have always kept Bram company, his latest compositions also draw inspiration from more contemporary artists. The influence of PJ Harvey, Blur and Nick Cave are unmistakable when you listen to his music. While staying true to his heartfelt songwriting style and captivating voice, The Bony King Of Nowhere embarks on a journey into uncharted musical and thematic realms.

The last time this band was on tour in support of 'Silent Days', they took a big leap forward while touring 75 shows across renowned venues and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and France, with a packed Ancienne Belgique in Brussels as one of the highlights. Now the five-man-band, consisting of Jasper Hautekiet, Simon Segers, Thijs Troch (Nordmann), Gertjan Van Hellemont (Douglas Firs), will start this tour with shows in Ekko, Utrecht on March 6 and Ancienne Belgique, Brussels on March 8.4

The Bony King of Nowhere is the artistic alias of Belgian artist Bram Vanparys. He made a mark in 2018 with the release of his critically acclaimed album Silent Days. The record received consistent 4- and 5-star press reviews and was hailed as his best album to date. It also earned Vanparys a Music Industry Award (BE) for 'best author-composer'. Silent Days revealed the full potential of the singer-songwriter and his commitment to never repeat himself and keep surpassing his creative abilities.

The new album, entitled Everybody Knows, has been a long time coming, partly due to Vanparys' aforementioned pledge to artistic evolution. The first two tracks he unveiled give a definite hint of what to expect from this album. 'Are You Still Alive' and 'Almost Invisible' carry the quality mark, known colour scheme and scent of The Bony King of Nowhere, but add many more hues and details. The new record showcases the new league Vanparys is playing in. Themes like rusted patterns in society, the obedience of the everyday man, the structural false ignorance of big shots, the toxicity of online communication and other very recognisable but not always pleasant subjects. Inspired by the observations of many sociologists, Vanparys dissects our society, the loneliest ever. This album is not just disconcerting though, in its strength lies a sense of hope and vigour.

The first singles promise a new album with lots of punch and energy, while Vanparys is unveiling the complete complexion of his voice whilst remaining vulnerable and honest. On the album, he is accompanied by multi-talent guitarist Vitja Pauwels (Naima Joris), pianist Hendrik Lasure (Tamino, Bombataz), drummer Simon Segers (Sylvie Kreusch, Stadt) and bass player Jasper Hautekiet.

While the songwriting legends, particularly Neil Young and Bob Dylan, have always kept Bram company, his latest compositions also draw inspiration from more contemporary artists. The influence of PJ Harvey, Blur and Nick Cave are unmistakable when you listen to his music. While staying true to his heartfelt songwriting style and captivating voice, The Bony King Of Nowhere embarks on a journey into uncharted musical and thematic realms.

The last time this band was on tour in support of 'Silent Days', they took a big leap forward while touring 75 shows across renowned venues and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and France, with a packed Ancienne Belgique in Brussels as one of the highlights. Now the five-man-band, consisting of Jasper Hautekiet, Simon Segers, Thijs Troch (Nordmann), Gertjan Van Hellemont (Douglas Firs), will start this tour with shows in Ekko, Utrecht on March 6 and Ancienne Belgique, Brussels on March 8.4

Marking 25 years since the Curb Records re-release of Sixpence None The Richer's GRAMMY-nominated self-titled effort, the Deluxe Anniversary Edition honors the landmark recording, "Kiss Me", a bona fide worldwide hit plus four bonus tracks complementing the Platinum- certified LP's 13 original selections.

"Sixpence None The Richer" includes next to the Mega-Hit "Kiss Me" the following tracks: "The Waiting Room", "Easy To Ignore", "I Can't Catch You", "Sister, Mother" and more.

Dog Eat Dog is an American band founded in Bergen County, New Jersey. All Boro Kings is their first full-length album, released in 1994. It is the first time they brought their trademark saxophone sound to the foreground on singles like “If These Are Good Times, “Who’s The King” and “No Fronts”, of which the latter two became their biggest hits and received heavy rotation on MTV. The band were even voted Breakthrough Artists of the Year at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Dog Eat Dog became highly popular, especially in Europe, where they played large festivals and arena-sized shows. The songs released from All Boro Kings also charted on Europe's top forty heavy metal charts.

The album is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on gold coloured vinyl, and contains an insert.

Many More was born Junior Morrison in Kingston Jamaica on November 26, 1976 to parents Francis and Millicent Morrison. Originally living in Duhaney Park, Kingston, they moved around Jamaica to Manchester, Portmore and by the time Junior was 10 years old began splitting time between New York and Jamaica.

In the realm of modern reggae music, few labels have left an indelible mark quite like Irie Ites. With more than two decades of relentless dedication to the genre, they have steadily climbed the ranks to become one of the leading international record labels. Their latest offering, "Cream of the Crop 2023" is not just an album; it's a testament to their legacy of excellence.

Daniel Land's new album, "Out of Season", is his most ambitious record to date, a series of reflections on history, memory, and post-Brexit Britain, which was inspired by his return to the landscapes of his youth – the rugged, underpopulated west coast of Somerset. The album was written and partly recorded in Daniel’s studio in a static caravan, overlooking the coast, during the period when the UK was tearing itself apart over its relationship to Europe. "I didn't set out to write about Brexit", Daniel says, "I have a kind of horror of political music. But I couldn’t escape the atmosphere of the time – this strange, distorted version of ‘Englishness’ in the national psyche. I’ve always been interested in memory and nostalgia; Brexit illustrates the dangers of taking seductive, possibly false memories at face value”. Songs like “White Chalk”, “Island of Ghosts”, and the album’s title track, represent a series of attempts to reclaim an older, more peculiar idea of England which, Daniel says has been “Lost in the nationalist mythmaking of the past decades” – the island of misfits and outsiders exemplified by the works of Derek Jarman, for example, whom Daniel was rediscovering while working on the album. “I must have read 'Modern Nature' ten times over the years”, Daniel says. “What I love about Jarman is that he had a deep, abiding love for England, but it was a very complicated, critical and a very queer kind of love. That was very much my mood, going into the making of this album”. Like Jarman’s work, "Out of Season" probes national identity whilst also displaying resolutely queer themes throughout. Daniel’s voice – once described by The Guardian as "The spawn of Elizabeth Fraser and Anthony Hegarty” – is less heavily reverbed than before, bringing to the fore his often-confessional lyrics, inspired by the frankness of modern queer poets like Andrew McMillan, Seán Hewitt, and Ocean Vuong. A lyrical highlight is the gorgeous “Southern Soul”, a deceptively straightforward recounting of a decades-old hookup with a closeted guy from his hometown which, Daniel says, “Serves as a metaphor for everything I’m talking about in the album”. And in keeping with the album’s nods to the heroes of gay literature, Daniel’s self-styling of the album as a “Dream Pop Album on National Themes” deliberately references the full title of Tony Kushner’s era-defining play "Angels in America", whose central character is namechecked in the hook-laden “Lemon Boy” – a song which must surely stand as Daniel’s most deliciously pop moment yet. Lauded by Mark Radcliffe, Guy Garvey, Tom Robinson, and many others, Daniel Land makes music that, in the words of BBC Radio 1, "You can't help but think the late John Peel would have loved".

Rizzwax returns again for solo release number 3 by JJ Fortune. 4 Dancefloor tracks designed to tear open air venues apart. If you're into Organs, Open hats, Big kicks, Electro, Techno, human claps, snappy snares, Spooked out themes and all things haunted, this is a must hear. As always, limited vinyl only and no repress.

A counterculture movement united by an expansive, experimental and deeply soulful sensibility, Japan’s rebel protest music challenged the status quo and changed the country’s music industry in the process.
The birth of Japan’s nascent acid folk scene was rooted in the messy and invigorating political climate of the late 1960s. It is a story of Dadaists, communists, pharmacists and cult leaders, led by a young generation of upstart students, artists and dreamers hellbent on turning their world upside down.

Born on the campuses of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and centred around newly formed independent label and left-wing stronghold URC, this uniquely Japanese form of folk expression provided an outlet for musicians who were tired of aping Western sounds and instead found ways to sing in Japanese and integrate traditional forms in new ways.

At the forefront of this movement was Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Haroumi Hosono, a polymath innovator whose band Happy End released the first Japanese language rock album, and whose influence would go on to be felt across Japanese music for decades. Alongside, and informed by the Kansai scene’s Takashi Nishioka and Happy End collaborator Ken Narita, they experimented with cadences and accents of the Japanese language to open the door for others to experiment with their own forms of psychedelic folk too.

Some, like Nishioka, were more inspired by Dadaism than drugs, while others, like Kazuhisa Okubo, would ultimately find work as a chemist, having founded two further folk groups that flirted with varying levels of success. Obstinately uncommercial, relentlessly creative, the music featured on Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk represents a broad church of influences.

Perhaps the wildest addition to this congregation however was Hiroki Tamaki, a classically-trained violinist and committed iconoclast, whose synth-prog odysseys hinted at his obsession with the divine. Subsumed by the teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, he penned an album in praise of the infamous religious leader of which two superbly mind-bending tracks are featured on this compilation.

Charting the decade from 1970 to 1980 as the dreams of political and spiritual liberation seeded in the ‘60s turned to dust, Nippon Acid Folk surveys a little explored corner of Japanese music history, but one which ultimately laid the foundations for an independent music industry, launching the careers of Hosono and others in the process.

Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980 is pressed on 12” vinyl and represents the start of Time Capsule’s deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.

Widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands, the now legendary Average White Band tore-up
the rule book and conquered the US, UK & International charts with a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980.
AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration and influence for many R&B acts and they are one of the most sampled
bands in history, remaining relevant today, continuing to reach new generations of younger audiences.
•Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube, Puff Daddy, TLC, Rick Ross, will.i.am and Mark Ronson amongst countless others, have
all borrowed sections of their grooves.
AWB’ (aka ‘The White Album’) is the 2nd album by AWB and their first for Atlantic Records produced by the legendary Arif
Mardin, originally released in 1974. The album reached #6 in the UK Albums Chart and #1 in the USA.
‘AWB’ includes the ground-breaking classic ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, also reaching #6 in the UK, as well as the coveted #1 spot
in the USA.
AWB are touring the UK in April and May 2024, “taking the album on the road”
This 50th Anniversary celebratory half-speed master version has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade, and expertly cut
using transfers of the original audio tapes using precision half-speed mastering by Barry Grint at AIR Mastering, London
and is pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, with a 4-page insert.

What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "J's week beats your year." What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. "When I'm writing for the band," he says, "I'm always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I'm thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it's just what happened." Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of the B52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, "Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I'm really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it's kind of limiting. laughs Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it's harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones." Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on "I Can't Find You," where he is Jack Nitzsche to J's Neil Young, creating one of the album's loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew "Doc" Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn's steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc's great 2022 Sub Pop single, "Your Feel," he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads. What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they're presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he'll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won't be putting a band together. And I'm sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis' instantly Recognizable approach to making music. So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him. - Byron Coley

What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "J's week beats your year." What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. "When I'm writing for the band," he says, "I'm always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I'm thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it's just what happened." Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of the B52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, "Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I'm really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it's kind of limiting. laughs Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it's harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones." Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on "I Can't Find You," where he is Jack Nitzsche to J's Neil Young, creating one of the album's loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew "Doc" Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn's steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc's great 2022 Sub Pop single, "Your Feel," he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads. What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they're presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he'll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won't be putting a band together. And I'm sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis' instantly Recognizable approach to making music. So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him. - Byron Coley

PHILIPP ROLLER produced his album, "Sommer 97," back in 1996 during his student days in his small home studio. Drawing inspiration from acts like Kraftwerk, Orbital, various artists on Warp Records, and computer game music, Roller crafted a unique sonic experience. Initially released on cassette, the album was unveiled to an intimate audience at Künstlerhaus Stuttgart in February 1997. Following the initial release, Roller had the opportunity to sign with a small British label. Unfortunately, circumstances led to the label's dissolution before the record could see the light of day. Despite efforts to secure a new label, "Sommer 97" remained confined to DAT tapes and hard drives for years. Fast forward to 2020 when Michael Kübler and Daniel Varga (Rework) joined forces to establish EXLOVE Records. Recognizing the album's potential, they decided to bring "Sommer 97" out of obscurity and into the world. Philipp Roller, now residing in Berlin and working as a freelance interface designer for music software, has had an illustrious past creating a lot of music not only on his own but even for fashion shows, art and image films, and contributing ideas to Rework's debut track "Anyway I Know You" on Playhouse. In August 2021, Roller released his first single, "Kiss & Tell / Roller Disco," on Exlove Records. Finally, after a remarkable 26-year journey, Roller's legendary "Sommer 97" tape is set to be released as a double album on vinyl.

toechter is an all-female trio operating from Berlin. toechter’s 2nd full-length album »Epic Wonder« sees its classically trained members blend elaborate string arrangements with ethereal indie pop and delicate rhythms. Katrine Grarup Elbo, Lisa Marie Vogel and Marie-Claire Schlameus exclusively use analogue sound sources (such as violin, viola, cello, and their voices), which were then electronically processed.

Named after the Greek god of the wind, toechters 2022 album »Zephyr« exhaled deeply with concurrently invigorating and confusing sounds. »Epic Wonder«, their second album, was created in the spring and summer of 2023. Playing with forms and contours, the music sounds like the awakening of something new. One seems to be listening to an ongoing conversation, an exchange about what music could be, where it wants to go and how it contributes to our view of life. It all rests on a simple premise:

»Every sound you hear in our universe comes from us. The string trio is the core of toechter, the starting point of all our work.«

Those looking for new worlds of sound can find them in the work of this classically- trained musicians. Whether they add voices or percussive instruments, sample the sounds, or manipulate them electronically; ultimately they are exploring the string trio's place in a world shaped by the digital.

»Prelude« opens the album, seemingly a conversation, yet not only between humans. We catch the word ›love‹ which soon morphs into pure sound images, while a violin theme tentatively takes over. Is it the dawning of a new day? The chorus of sound transforms into a fascinating rhythmic figure, creating a club-like experience that fades out in delicate structures. A perpetual transformation.

According to toechter, »Epic Wonder« is all about making connections. Connections between people, animals, plants, fungi, rocks, soils, oceans, ice caps, stars, and planets. One imagines oneself in a folk-pop song of the 60s, or even blown around by Morricone's desert wind:

»The world as we see it is in desperate need for a deeper understanding; for compassion, for empathy. We have to understand that we are all part of the same organism. Epic Wonder is a dream, a wish, a longing for kinship between all species that share the world - all that is alive.«

The acoustic throbbing and knocking in »Sea Of Serenity« makes you think of encounters with mythical creatures or planetary oceanography; and out of the mechanically clacking groove of »Shift Souls« a gentle, but steady movement awakens with voices that seem to sound from the depths of the sea. Everything is in flux, floating in and out of dimensions and elements.

The album ends with »Mercury«, spherically elegant and almost science fiction-like. Here, a pizzicato melody leads us back to the baroque, simultaneously representing a detail of intertwined sonic worlds, while the steady, housy baseline develops its driving theme.

»Creating the music for the album, we allowed ourselves to waft away with the aspiration that connections are possible. Sometimes dwelling on subtle, yet marveling phenomena like the evening fog covering a valley on Midsummer, sometimes on grandiose splendors like the genesis of mountains or the birth of a child - letting interactions and encounters with other beings float through the musical universe as drips of emotional perceptivity.«

For the visual manifestation of »Epic Wonder«, toechter has engaged with Finish up-and-coming lens-based artist Aino Kontinen. Her work will grace both the cover art of the album and accompany the first single and video as an ephemeral tale in motion.

Arto Lindsay's 7 Types of Ambiguity - A Parade is a stereo mix of an original sound installation that was installed at ECAL / University of Arts and Design, Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2022 as part of a research project led by Thibault Walter and Stéphane Kropf called Phantom Power. The idea was simple, and yet the process and level of collaborative work implied was enormous: how to recreate a carnival parade -of the kind Arto had witnessed in the streets of Bahia in Brazil numerous times- inside a white cube and using only sound. How to replicate the complex intrications of those stories, heard or fantasized, the smaller blocos of musicians crossing the path of blasting sound systems mounted on trucks, those religious rythmes mingling with popular traditions, class and race struggle at street level " prime example of the proximity of sexuality and religion, of tradition and novelty and a place for true social innovation " and the effect it all has on the bystanders that are completely part, or even become the subjects of the whole?
Arto went to Salvador de Bahia with a narrative of a parade in his mind, and recorded excerpts in a terreiro, a temple of Afro-Brazilian religion, with four musicians leader of blocos, three of which he had previously worked with. Those mixed tracks were crafted into a sound sculpture directly in the room in Lausanne on a 27 channels immersive installation, adding layers of meaning within the room itself, hallucinations, weather patterns or places, like when the parade stops during a rain shower or gets so close to the ocean as to lose the sound of the percussions in waves.
This 26'30'' composition was later remixed, the spiral of speakers on the floor of the room engraved on a vinyl, and the position of the listener defined for your experience of this record, Arto Lindsay 7 Types of Ambiguity - A Parade, out on February 2nd 2024 on No Salad Records.

Back in Your Life was released in 1979 under the Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers moniker, but only half the album featured the backup band. The other half of the album features Richman as a solo artist. The Modern Lovers were formed by Richman and included Leroy Radcliffe on guitar, Asa Brebner on bass and Denotra ‘D’ Sharpe on drums. Occasionally, they were joined by Richman’s friend and The Real Kids’ band leader John Felice.

Back in Your Life is available on black vinyl.

First volume of the Extreme Years serie (1990-1994) of the prolific artist - all released for the first time on vinyl. The three other titles will be released every 2 months starting March.

Intifaxa is the first part in a series of 4 outstanding double vinyl albums with bonus songs, previously released on CD between 1990 and 1994 on the Australian cult label Extreme Music.

Intifaxa is full of heavy percussion fire with deep tribal grooves, embedded in modulated field recordings. The album is a transcendental journey into Eastern soundscapes and a secret weapon for DJs who enjoy to tear down the borders of tribal underground house and psychedelic trance music.

The original tracks were perfectly remastered for this first time ever vinyl release and the new masters received high praise from the Extreme Music owner Roger Richards.

New sleeve designs were created by Oleg Galay, who is famous for his artworks for many Muslimgauze reissues.

All 4 album covers are made from extra heavy cardboard with deluxe spot UV finish and inside print.

Der Soundtrack von Carlos Rafael Rivera zur neuen Netflix-Miniserie GRISELDA, die am 25. Januar 2024 startet. Die Kolumbianerin Griselda Blanco ('The Godmother') gründet ein eigenes Kartell und hebt die männlich dominierte Welt des Drogenbusiness aus den Angeln. Mit Sofia Vergara in der Hauptrolle.