quête:kin

Transparent purple vinyl, limited to 200 copies. REPRESS of The Cosmic Dead sophomore album.

Swiss powerhouse The 18th Parallel presents another slice of fine modern roots reggae! All Fruits Ripe is a heavyweight showcase album rooted in the foundations of reggae while firmly anchored in the present. Recorded between 2015 and 2025, the project brings together a powerful lineup of Jamaican vocalists — Micah Shemaiah, Keith Rowe (from rocksteady duet Keith & Tex), Rod Taylor, Var (Inna De Yard, Pentateuch), Hezron, and Itral Ites — each representing a different generation of conscious reggae music.

The album features six vocal cuts and five dub versions, highlighting both lyrical strength and sound system culture. Carefully mixed by master engineer Roberto Sánchez, All Fruits Ripe stands as a transnational reggae statement: Jamaican voices carried by a European band deeply connected to the roots with a profound respect for the culture that gave birth to reggae and dub. It features legendary guest Jamaican musicians Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace, Scully Simms, Dalton Browne, or Errol ‘Blacksteel’ Nicholson.

A mature and carefully crafted release where every track feels essential — like fruit finally ready to be harvested.

On "Enduring Sonance," saxophonist and flutist Steve Wilson reflects on a lifetime of lyrical, deeply felt songs drawn from jazz, pop, and film—brought to life by an all-star ensemble featuring Renee Rosnes, Joe Locke, Jay Anderson, and Kendrick Scott. *** Certain songs have a way of lingering in the imagination—resonating long after we’ve last heard them, sometimes for a lifetime. On his breathtaking new album "Enduring Sonance," veteran saxophonist and flutist Steve Wilson celebrates the music that has left the deepest imprint on his musical life. “Some of the tunes on this record have stayed with me for, in some cases, over 50 years from the time that I first heard them,” Wilson says. “I wanted to put some music out there that people can connect with, no matter what kind of music they like.” Originally conceived as a ballads project, Enduring Sonance evolved into something broader and more personal. Rather than focusing on tempo or style, Wilson gravitated toward a sense of lyricism—music whose emotional clarity and melodic resonance endure across genres, decades, and listening habits.

To realize this vision, Wilson assembled a deeply intuitive ensemble featuring pianist and arranger Renee Rosnes, vibraphonist Joe Locke, bassist Jay Anderson, and drummer Kendrick Scott, with special guest Kevin Newton (French horn, Imani Winds) appearing on two tracks. Each musician brings a rare sensitivity to melody, texture, and space, allowing the material to unfold with warmth, restraint, and quiet authority. The repertoire draws from a wide musical landscape, including works by close collaborators and modern jazz masters Billy Childs and George Cables, alongside enduring songs by Michel Legrand, Quincy Jones, Milton Nascimento, Gino Vannelli, Bill Lee, and Eliane Elias. These are not standards in the traditional sense, but deeply personal selections—songs that have accompanied Wilson through different chapters of his life. The album opens with Childs’ “Quiet Girl,” its subtle rhythmic motion enhanced by Newton’s luminous French horn, and travels through cinematic ballads, soulful grooves, and reflective lyricism. The title Enduring Sonance speaks both to the lasting resonance of these songs and to Wilson’s enduring musical relationships—most notably with Rosnes, whom he has known for nearly four decades and whose sensitive arrangements help unify the album’s diverse repertoire. “These songs are the soundtrack of my life,” Wilson says. “I’d love it if listeners came away from this album with the same kind of enduring sound and feeling.”

Lo Recordings is proud to present a brand new compilation by Russian electronic producer/composer OID, spanning 25 years of music that blends in and out of focus, inhabiting styles from dub techno to ambient, vaporwave, space gamelan, electronica and beyond. The album is both a retrospective and a celebration, a journey into a singular world that exists only in OID’s imagination, available digitally and on Ltd cassette from 24th April 2026.

“I first met OID in an illicit ‘Sky High’ bar in Moscow. It was a club for people who liked to jump from high buildings. OID played the piano whilst a tea ceremony took place. It was all like some kind of strange dream. The music he creates sounds like that kind of dream. Some of the tracks are reminiscent of the music released by ALEXANDROID on the ‘False Starts’ album way back in 2003 - a legendary album, in our minds at least. Alex tragically passed away in 2009, leaving only OID.

The music on this album is a testament to the beauty of friendship, the everlasting meaning of music and the light that shines forever.” -
Jon Tye, Lo Recordings

Strong acidic electro mayhem!

Some words from Nat about the music – “For this recording I composed some songs using more “exotic” (for want of a better word) modes,
which I have always meant to explore in more depth but never really got around to very much. The first song for instance, Red, Gold & Green, uses an Ethiopian scale.
The title comes from the colours of the Ethiopian flag, which is also symbolic in Rastafari so has a kind of double meaning, like a lot of my songs.The title track, Path of Enlightenment, uses several modes,
starting in a major key then moving to the Phrygian mode, then to a minor key. The piano solo is in a 28 bar minor blues form. Menat is based on a mode of the Byzantine scale,
I’m not sure if it has a particular name or not. Amenhotep was the name of several Egyptian pharaohs,
Amenhotep IV being the original given name of Akhenaten.When I was writing this song it put me in mind of my song, Akhenaten, simply because they are both in 5/4 time,
so I decided to give this one a pharaonic name too. Spheshile is a Zulu word (and sometimes name) that means “beautiful gift”, the title was suggested by a friend from South Africa.
All this means nothing of course if the music doesn’t tell a story, I think the unfamiliar modes allowed us to speak of interesting things that may not have come to us otherwise.
Finally, I chose to use the quartet format for this recording because it occurred to me that it tends to make for a more cohesive group sound, and it had been a while since we recorded this way.”

2026 Repress

It’s rare that a certain sound is entirely an artist’s own. Although undeniably a stew of impeccable influences – from blues to folk to Latin to dusty funk, soul and hip-hop – one cannot hear a Tommy Guerrero song without immediately recognising it as his - and his only.
The cult skater from San Francisco is globally renowned as one of the original members of the legendary “Bones Brigade” team. And as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, his laid-back soul is beloved by all who’ve basked in its blissful glow.
There’s something elemental about this music that really stirs the soul. Strikingly beautiful and instantly addictive, it’s a kind of funk-fuelled, melody-driven, groove-based magic. There’s a serenity and heart in the playing that radiates warmth and splendour, as if crafted for endless sunsets. His albums that surfaced on Mo Wax at the turn of the century have been treasured since their release and it’s two of his most vital LPs that we’re honoured to reintroduce.
The originals were quietly pressed on to a single piece of vinyl so we’ve worked closely with Tommy this year to bring you these fresh, limited editions. They have been lovingly remastered, cut nice and loud on to heavyweight double vinyl and presented in deluxe gatefold jackets.
Soul Food Taqueria continued Guerrero’s guitar soul but represented a step forward with its polished production and greater complexity of instrumentation. Denied the promotion it deserved upon release, it flew under the radar. It is now the most wanted record of his wondrous back catalogue.
Guerrero’s atmospheric touch and subtle guitar provide lush, glimmering pieces of musical texture. Within his spacious compositions, uniquely arranged instruments flourish alongside each other to create a languid soundtrack for halcyon days.
As ever, the diversity on display is beguiling. From bossa nova, samba and cumbia rhythms to understated folk, funk and soul grooves, this is another exotic set of mellow gold; perfectly represented by ESPO’s memorable artwork. Furthermore, the title’s hybridity reflects the intoxicating sweep of stylistic flavours served up, reminding us that, however tricky it is to categorise Guerrero’s special blend, it’s always a pleasure to indulge in something so creative and adventurous.
Dubby, bass-heavy instrumentals give way to moody folk-soul – witness “It Gets Heavy”, featuring melancholic vocals from Gresham Taylor – whilst “Thank You MK” is a gentle ode to the tropics, featuring ethereal instrumentation, bright bass and warm, jazzy guitars. The second half in particular contains a number of stunning ambient tracks – check “Lost Unfound”, “Another Brother Gone” and “Broken Blood” - built around minimalist, laid-back grooves and detailed guitar orchestrations which wouldn’t be out of place on the latest Jonny Nash release.
Guerrero closes this flawless set with a moment of true beauty. Restrained and graceful, “Falling Awake” is a pared back piece containing meditative guitar melodies set against melancholic piano arrangements. It brings proceedings to the most peaceful close. Seductively good, it reminds you just how great simplicity can sound.

Auf ihrem neuen Album ,Delusion" begibt sich Tempers - das musikalische Pseudonym der in New York lebenden Künstlerin Jasmine Golestaneh - auf eine nichtlineare Reise der Heilung und des Werdens. In zehn Tracks navigiert sie durch stürmische emotionale Gezeiten und tastet sich durch einen Fiebertraum aus Gewitterwolken und Sonnenstrahlen hin zu seelischer Klarheit, wobei sie einen Soundtrack für "diejenigen, die zu sehr lieben, zu tief fallen und zu lebhaft träumen" kreiert. "Delusion" bewegt sich fließend zwischen verschiedenen Genres, von Art-Pop bis Techno, Grunge bis Metal, mit epischen balladischen Momenten, die überall verstreut sind. Das Album wurde von Golestaneh und Jorge Elbrecht (Sky Ferreira, Crushed, Wild Nothing) co-produziert und enthält Kollaborationen mit Camille Henrot, Estelle Hoy und Sandra Mujinga. Das mit Spannung erwartete neue Album von Tempers folgt auf das Debütalbum "Services" aus dem Jahr 2015, das den Underground-Dance-Hit ,Strange Harvest" enthielt. Im Jahr 2019 veröffentlichten Tempers das Album "Private Life", das einen eher introspektiven Sound präsentierte, gefolgt von "New Meaning" im Jahr 2022, das von einem Buch mit Golestanehs originellen Collagen begleitet wurde, die von dem Album inspiriert waren. Die Neigung von Tempers zur Kunstwelt hat zu einzigartigen Kooperationen geführt, darunter Auftritte in Museen, Galerien und O-Spaces, eine EP (Fundamental Fantasy aus dem Jahr 2017), die aus einer Künstlerresidenz bei The Vinyl Factory hervorgegangen ist, und die Veröffentlichung von Junkspace feat. Rem Koolhaas im Jahr 2018.

Auf ihrem neuen Album ,Delusion" begibt sich Tempers - das musikalische Pseudonym der in New York lebenden Künstlerin Jasmine Golestaneh - auf eine nichtlineare Reise der Heilung und des Werdens. In zehn Tracks navigiert sie durch stürmische emotionale Gezeiten und tastet sich durch einen Fiebertraum aus Gewitterwolken und Sonnenstrahlen hin zu seelischer Klarheit, wobei sie einen Soundtrack für "diejenigen, die zu sehr lieben, zu tief fallen und zu lebhaft träumen" kreiert. "Delusion" bewegt sich fließend zwischen verschiedenen Genres, von Art-Pop bis Techno, Grunge bis Metal, mit epischen balladischen Momenten, die überall verstreut sind. Das Album wurde von Golestaneh und Jorge Elbrecht (Sky Ferreira, Crushed, Wild Nothing) co-produziert und enthält Kollaborationen mit Camille Henrot, Estelle Hoy und Sandra Mujinga. Das mit Spannung erwartete neue Album von Tempers folgt auf das Debütalbum "Services" aus dem Jahr 2015, das den Underground-Dance-Hit ,Strange Harvest" enthielt. Im Jahr 2019 veröffentlichten Tempers das Album "Private Life", das einen eher introspektiven Sound präsentierte, gefolgt von "New Meaning" im Jahr 2022, das von einem Buch mit Golestanehs originellen Collagen begleitet wurde, die von dem Album inspiriert waren. Die Neigung von Tempers zur Kunstwelt hat zu einzigartigen Kooperationen geführt, darunter Auftritte in Museen, Galerien und O-Spaces, eine EP (Fundamental Fantasy aus dem Jahr 2017), die aus einer Künstlerresidenz bei The Vinyl Factory hervorgegangen ist, und die Veröffentlichung von Junkspace feat. Rem Koolhaas im Jahr 2018.

Julia Cumming’s solo debut Julia opens with an unadorned declaration of independence: her voice and a piano uniting for a liberating proclamation of self that rejects doubt, misogyny, and the notion of being “too much.” Julia unlocks a creative door years in the making for the New York–born multi-instrumentalist and Sunflower Bean bassist, culminating after nearly two decades of bands, releases, labels, and relentless touring. As Sunflower Bean’s Headful of Sugar era ended in 2023, Cumming decamped to Los Angeles, where a two-year, deeply healing collaboration with producer Brian Robert Jones — her “second artistic puberty” — took shape. Drawing freely from formative influences: Burt Bacharach, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and Brian Wilson. Julia emerges as a joyful, anti-cool coming-out: a celebration of the dorks, the misfits, and the enduring truth of being enough.

Julia Cumming’s solo debut Julia opens with an unadorned declaration of independence: her voice and a piano uniting for a liberating proclamation of self that rejects doubt, misogyny, and the notion of being “too much.” Julia unlocks a creative door years in the making for the New York–born multi-instrumentalist and Sunflower Bean bassist, culminating after nearly two decades of bands, releases, labels, and relentless touring. As Sunflower Bean’s Headful of Sugar era ended in 2023, Cumming decamped to Los Angeles, where a two-year, deeply healing collaboration with producer Brian Robert Jones — her “second artistic puberty” — took shape. Drawing freely from formative influences: Burt Bacharach, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and Brian Wilson. Julia emerges as a joyful, anti-cool coming-out: a celebration of the dorks, the misfits, and the enduring truth of being enough.

In discotheques and dark rooms across Europe, Boys’ Shorts have earned the trust of the queer and wider clubbing communities as generous stewards of a timeless sound that, like themselves, never stops moving forward. The duo of Vangelis and Tareq initially met at an underground club in their native Greece. Sensing a rare sonic connection, the pair became friends, forming Boys’ Shorts to meet again and again, travelling from their adopted cities of Thessaloniki and London to appear as far afield as Berlin’s Panorama Bar and New York’s Le Bain, as well as supporting Goldfrapp and Hot Chip on tour. Their motivation? In their own words, “we make people dance!”

Following years of gradual, thoughtful studio sessions, and EP releases on tastemaking electronic labels including Phantasy Sound and Live At Robert Johnson, Boys’ Shorts establish their own imprint, ALL SORTS, in order to deliver a fantastically ambitious debut album, ‘What Does It Take To Make These Men Happy?’

The LP opens with the grandiose, cosmic vista of ‘The Space Between Us’, a classic passage of strings and synthesis, before the shared Boys’ Shorts vision falls back to earthier territory with deep groove of ‘Let’s Fall In Love’, mixing universal sentiment with a patient vision of human potential and the voice of Greek electronic pioneer, K.BHTA. ‘Come’ aligns with NYC’s Michael Cignarale, offering an excitable invitation to the mind and body sculpted by the way of a throbbing, warehouse-sized statement of nineties house sensuality. Channeling heroes Lowe and Tennant at their most introspective, ‘Short Life’ maintains the dance, yet dares to ask, “what if the parties aren’t enough anymore… Can you ask for something more?”

Out of the pet shop and straight into the strobe lights, ‘Disco Romantica’ makes true on the promise of its title, a lovelorn monologue giving way and slipping into rave stabs and whirring synthesis that looks forward to a memorable, emotionally-charged night ahead. Underpinning this feeling of anticipation, ‘Going Out Hoping To See You’ introduces the voice of Justin Strauss to Boys’ Shorts' musical world. A certified icon of club culture, spinning from The Mudd Club to modern day DJ booths, Strauss’s generation spanning experience of nightlife leans into the fundamentals of human connection and the pleasure of musical discovery, wrapped in irresistible chug.

Another transformative figure in club music, Fischerspooner’s own Casey Spooner dips into French for the Motorik cyber sleaze of ‘MECANIMAUX’, their own vocals pitching up and down with playful EBM abandon. ‘Montage’ offers a different kind of composition, conjuring an ecstatic club banger that finds inspiration in nineties indie rock motifs alongside the rave scene, while ‘Run’ promises to blow out sound systems before its weighty electro bassline succumbs to waves of glistening synths.

Such bombast into beauty perfectly sets up the record’s blissful conclusion; ‘The Stars Are Out For You’ is electro-pop so delicate as to heal aching feet (and mend broken hearts), while offering the final tender moments of the album as a form of tribute on ‘Untitled (For Mitsi)’. It’s a thoughtful ending to a thrilling trip through a shared passion for electronic and pop music in all its glorious potential. What does it take to make these men happy? It’s a pleasure to find out.

Angelo De Augustine kehrt mit ,Angel in Plainclothes" zurück, seinem fünften Album und bisher inspiriertesten Werk - eine tief empfundene Darstellung seiner mehrjährigen Reise der Heilung und Erneuerung. Das Album präsentiert De Augustines kraftvolle Melodien und ergreifende Texte in Titeln wie der eindringlichen Elegie ,Empty Shell", dem hoffnungsvollen ,Spirit of the Unknown" und dem herausragenden psychedelischen Country-Stück ,Mirror Mirror". Die Themen befassen sich mit der Zerbrechlichkeit des Lebens, zweiten Chancen und dem Wiederaufbauen seines Lebens, nachdem eine nicht diagnostizierte Krankheit ihn zwang, grundlegende Fähigkeiten neu zu erlernen: ,Ich versuche herauszufinden, wer ich jetzt bin", sagt De Augustine. ,Ich habe das Gefühl, dass mir eine zweite Chance im Leben gegeben wurde, und ich möchte sie leben." Das Album wurde vom Künstler in seinem Aufnahmestudio ,A Secret Place" in Südkalifornien geschrieben, aufgenommen, arrangiert, produziert und gemischt. Es ist das erste Mal seit Jahren, dass er wieder mit anderen Künstlern zusammengearbeitet hat, darunter der Streicharrangeur Oliver Hill (Kevin Morby, Helado Negro), den Harfenisten Leng Bian, die Backgroundsängerin/Percussionistin Wendy Fraser, den Produzenten Thomas Bartlett (der De Augustines ,Tomb" sowie St. Vincent und Bebel Gilberto produziert hat) und den Co-Produzenten Jonathan Wilson (Angel Oisen, Father John Misty) bei ,The Cure". Das Ergebnis ist ein kraftvolles Statement der Hoffnung: ,Eine der größten Hilfen, die mich am Leben gehalten haben, waren die Menschen in meinem Leben, die mir gesagt haben, dass letztendlich alles gut werden würde. Ich hoffe, dass diese Songs die gleiche Wirkung auf die Menschen da draußen haben und ihnen helfen zu erkennen, dass Wunder möglich sind."

Elegy for Gaza, die erste Veröffentlichung von Barbez seit sechs Jahren, ist ein Aufruf zum Frieden und eine Klage für die Opfer des Krieges in Gaza. ,Unsere Musik hat sich oft von historischen Ereignissen, Kämpfen für Menschenrechte und Poesie inspirieren lassen", sagte Dan Kaufman, der Hauptsongwriter der Band. ,All diese Elemente sind in diesem Stück miteinander verwoben. Wir sehen diese Musik als eine kleine Geste der Solidarität mit den Bürgern von Gaza, vor allem mit den Kindern." Das Cover, gestaltet vom bildenden Künstler Adam O'Neal, basiert auf einem Bild des palästinensischen Fotojournalisten Said Khatib, der seine Zustimmung zu dieser Umsetzung gegeben hat. Die arabische Kalligraphie stammt vom libanesischen Modedesigner Gabi Asfour (threeASFOUR), und das arabische Gedicht auf der A-Seite wurde von seiner Schwester Nana Asfour, einer Journalistin und Redakteurin, übersetzt. Das Artwork wurde von Heung-Heung Chin, dem Designer für John Zorns Label Tzadik, gestaltet. Die Musik wurde von Martin Bisi im B.C. Studio in Brooklyn aufgenommen und gemischt und von Fred Kevorkian bei Kevorkian Mastering in Brooklyn gemastert. ,Neben dem Beitrag zur Ernährung der Menschen in Gaza kann es eine großartige Möglichkeit sein, sich die Zeit zu nehmen, sich mit dem Titel auseinanderzusetzen und von Herzen zu beten, um die Hoffnung auf Frieden, die wir alle teilen, am Leben zu erhalten", sagte die Thereministin der Gruppe, Pamelia Khadijah Stickney. Der Erlös aus der Aufnahme kommt World Central Kitchen und dem Palestinian Children's Relief Fund zugute.

Anlässlich des 20-jährigen Jubiläums im Jahr 2025 ist das gleichnamige Debütalbum der besten Band aus Staten Island endlich wieder erhältlich! Mit einem luxuriösen Cover im „old style“ und einer vollständig analogen (AAA) Remastering-Version der Originalbänder – von Ryan Smith (Sterling Sound) – sieht diese legendäre LP besser aus und klingt besser denn je. Mit „Up From the South” und „Ghost Walk” ist dieses Album ein Muss für Fans von Daptone und den Budos!

Swedish producer Robert Leiner’s landmark 1994 album ‘Visions Of The Past’ finally gets a vinyl LP reissue on Apollo, the ‘ambient division’ of R&S Records. Long regarded as one of the pivotal ambient/electronic long players, the album has stood the test of time and serves as a reminder on how potent the early ambient techno releases were.

Leiner was a central figure in the early European techno and ambient landscape, carving out a distinctive sound that bridged atmospheric depth and rhythmic intensity. Known for his releases as The Source Experience and contributions to the R&S/Apollo catalogue, as a producer and engineer, Leiner’s work resonated across the underground, earning him a reputation for visionary, emotionally charged productions that stood apart from his contemporaries.

'Visions Of The Past’ captures this duality perfectly with expansive ambient passages that drift into hypnotic techno, while layers of intricate sound design and pulsating low end create a timeless and immersive listening experience. Tracks unfold with patience and precision, like the 12-minute-long marine epic ‘Aqua Viva’, balancing introspection with kinetic dance energy, and the new age ambience of ‘Dream Or Reality’ and ‘Northern Dark’ embodying the forward-thinking ethos that defined Apollo’s golden era.

Three decades on, this long out of print album finally returns on vinyl format, freshly remastered and restored, reaffirming its status as an essential document of electronic music’s evolution and Robert Leiner’s enduring influence.

‘Visions Of The Past’ by Robert Leiner is available on Apollo Records from 7th November 2025.

“duo,” a collaboration between norwegian jazz heavyweight bugge wesseltoft and german house visionary henrik schwarz, is finally being reissued. it stands as one of the finest albums in the history of club music to so beautifully fuse jazz and electronic music. deep and experimental yet irresistibly melodic, this gem of a record possesses a captivating sensibility that draws in listeners of every kind. newly remastered by kuniyuki, this long-awaited reissue comes pressed on 180g vinyl. the refreshed artwork has been created by emerging japanese artist joji nakamura

happy 15th anniversary!

„Duo“, eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem norwegischen Jazz-Schwergewicht Bugge Wesseltoft und dem deutschen House-Visionär Henrik Schwarz, wird endlich neu aufgelegt. Es gilt als eines der besten Alben in der Geschichte der Clubmusik, das Jazz und elektronische Musik so wunderschön miteinander verbindet. Tiefgründig und experimentell, aber dennoch unwiderstehlich melodisch, besitzt dieses Juwel von einem Album eine fesselnde Sensibilität, die Zuhörer aller Art in ihren Bann zieht. Neu gemastert von Kuniyuki, erscheint diese lang erwartete Neuauflage auf 180-Gramm-Vinyl. Das überarbeitete Artwork stammt vom aufstrebenden japanischen Künstler Joji Nakamura.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum 15-jährigen Jubiläum!

Derailed Records x Planet Rhythm return with a focused new EP from Milo Raad, hailing from Belgrade.

This release sees Derailed adding its own VVS edge to the vinyl saga. Tougher, more direct, and forward thinking. The tracks are stripped back but intentional, designed to lock you in rather than overwhelm. Don't get it twisted though: there's still plenty of depth here, the kind you can lose yourself in if you let it run.

'' I Want VVS's More Than Ever ''

Artwork: Studio ANTM
Mastering: Audiosculpture
Distribution: Triple Vision

After Maghreb K7 Club – Synth Raï, Chaoui & Staïfi (1985-1997) and Maghreb K7 Club Disco Singles Volume 1, 2, and 3, Sofa Records and Les Disques Bongo Joe team up again for a new project exploring funky, synth-driven tape music from the Maghreb.

This compilation brings together eight songs —delivering a Saharan pop sound melted with reggae, dub, new-wave and funk — by Yassine (Ahl) Nana, the iconic figure of Mauritanian pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. Yassine and his band recorded songs between Nouakchott, Paris, and Rabat, resulting in only a pair of rare cassette tapes. This music was definitively part of the vibrant wave of African sounds sweeping across the continent at the time, from Abidjan to Oran and Kinshasa.

This compilation features previously unreleased recordings, along with liner notes, interviews, and exclusive iconography.

Back in 2022, Is It Balearic? Recordings founders Coyote (AKA long-serving producers Richard Hampson aka Ampo and Timm Sure) took time out from releasing music on their own labels to deliver a near perfect mini-album on Phil Cooper’s similarly mind-ed NuNorthern Soul imprint, Everything Moves, Nothing Rests.

A superb exploration of their trademark sound, where gentle downtempo rhythms and nods to dub came cloaked in colourful ambient chords, sun-bright melodic motifs, organic instrumenta-tion and quirky spoken word samples, Everything Moves, Nothing Rests deserved a sequel. So, three and a half years on, the duo has delivered just that: a fine six-track EP that offers an even deeper and more atmospheric exploration of their signature sound.

It is a sonic approach that should now be familiar to Balearic en-thusiasts the world over. Aside from delivering a steady stream of singles, albums and remixes on their own imprint, Hampson and Sure have also showcased their skills and loved-up musical mis-sives on International Feel, Music For Dreams, Needwant, MM Discos and Citizens of Vice.

The Higher The Sky, The Deeper The Ocean, their hotly anticipated NuNorthern Soul return, is named in honour of a quote from Ped-ro Alonso’s documentary series On the Ship of Enchantment, an extended voyage in which the Money Heist movie star meets healers and masters of ancestral medicine across his native Mexi-co.

There’s naturally a meditative and slightly psychedelic sound to much of The Higher The Sky, The Deeper The Ocean, which offers a subtly varied exploration of Coyote’s style and influence. Yearning, soft-focus opener ‘Muted Beauty’ – the kind of immersive, effects-laden and sample-sporting ambient bliss found nestling on Fila Brazillia albums of the mid 1990s – is followed by the similarly gentle ‘Go All The Way’, where delay-laden acoustic guitars, spo-ken word snippets and gaseous chords stretch out atop a languid, slow-motion groove.

‘A Drop in the Ocean’ picks up the pace a little via a glorious hat-tip to turn of the 90s ambient house – all dub-wise bass, heady deep house sonics, spaced-out chords and half-buried references to sunrise-ready Balearic synth-pop records of the late 1980s. Late psychedelic guru Terrence McKenna appears in sampled form on ‘Dolce Far Niente’, a tabla-driven drift and musical hallucination which conjures mental images of lying in the Mexican desert, gazing intently at a starry sky.

In contrast, ‘Riviera Sound’ is a chunkier, brighter and more sun-splashed affair – all deep, dubby bass, sustained piano parts, punchy downtempo breaks and the duo’s trademark ambient pads – while superb closing cut ‘No Coincidences’ fixes jazzy double bass samples, twinkling keyboard motifs, subtle acid lines and Latin-laced percussion to a street soul-adjacent beat.

Heady, impeccably crafted and thoroughly enveloping, The Higher The Sky, The Deeper The Ocean is Coyote at their dazzling best. It marks another significant chapter in their ever-evolving musical journey.

King Street Remixed – Dam Swindle revisits classic material from the legendary King Street Sounds catalogue, with Dutch duo Dam Swindle delivering three fresh interpretations of timeless house cuts.

Featuring vocals and productions from house mainstays Arnold Jarvis, DJ Pierre and 95 North, the EP blends classic King Street with Dam Swindle’s signature deep house sound.

Warm basslines, musical chords and groove-driven drums give these remixes strong crossover appeal between soulful house fans and modern deep house DJs, with all three cuts built for dancefloor play.

Importantly, this marks the first time these Dam Swindle remixes have been available on vinyl, making the release appealing for both DJs and collectors of the King Street catalogue.

For if their first album ALLOMBON could be seen as the opening of a secret passage, this second record, FLOWERS TOO, is something else entirely: no longer the discovery of a world, but its methodical exploration, its feverish mapping, its deepening down to the underground layers. At a time when contemporary psychedelia seems at a standstill, when ecstasy has lost its effect, when the vast territories of the imagination have been parceled out, signposted, monetized they keep digging. And deeper still. Esoteric pop the noblest, the most dangerous kind is no longer practiced on the surface. It has abandoned the grand avenues to retreat into hidden laboratories, mental back rooms, basements more deeply buried than those of garage, punk, or black metal. It is there that the secret society Dorian Pimpernel has been working for years, with a stubbornness that feels less like a career than a calling.

After their recent LP Mirages (Kraak Records, 2025) with French turntablist Guilhem’All, the group continues to explore collaborations with artists and instruments from diverse musical traditions. Building on decades of uncompromising acoustic exploration, Razen delves deeper into their practice with five improvisational pieces that unfold slowly in time and space. The duo’s radical core - Brecht Ameel and Kim Delcour - finds in Van der Harst a longtime kindred spirit, united by the impact of sound, intonation, and the sheer joy of playing.

To be released on April 24 via VIERNULVIER Records, the artwork for Stained Glass Starling was created by American visual artist Robert Beatty (Oneohtrix Point Never, Christina Vantzou, The Weeknd, Tame Impala). The physical release comes with a 16-page booklet including artwork and an interview.

A long-standing artistic kinship lies at the heart of this project, with first encounters dating back to the early 2000s in Belgian musical improv theatre. Van der Harst’s lifelong experience in improvised music and music theatre, spanning back to the 1980s, combined with a vast arsenal of rare and historical instruments, opens new tonal territories within the Razen universe.

These explorations are not incidental: his family roots in the former Dutch East Indies — through his great-grandfather — provide a quiet backdrop to his enduring affinity for Asian musical traditions. Instruments such as erhu, Javanese kacapi, and others introduce timbres
that bring the music its most pronounced Asian inflections to date.

Yet despite this shift in colour, the underlying ethos remains unmistakably Razen. Working from sound rather than form, the ensemble approaches music as painters approach a canvas: adding layers, contrasts and shades with care. There is no soloist’s ego here; all voices are equal, echoing principles found in gamelan traditions.

Over the decades, Razen and Dick Van der Harst have crossed paths repeatedly, notably through cult theatre productions by Belgian theatre maker Eric De Volder, including Zwarte vogels in de bomen (2002) and Huis der Verborgen Muziekjes I–II (2000–2006). Recording an albumtogether had long been a shared aspiration — a wish that crystallised after a 2024 concert at Concertzaal Miry in Ghent, part of the Ruiskamer series by VIERNULVIER Art Centre.

Backwoodz Studioz is excited to announce the release of Crayola Circles, a collaboration between rapper Fatboi Sharif and producer Child Actor. While both artists have long standing connections to Backwoodz, this album marks their first collaboration of any kind and breaks new artistic ground for all parties.


Sharif’s previous album, Decay, released on Backwoodz in 2023, was a haunting experimental rap masterpiece, an acid trip in a mental hospital. On Crayola Circles Sharif trades menacing psychedelia for a simmering stew of blacklight expressionism, his verses slipping effortlessly through the swells and tides of Child Actor’s masterful production. No matter how uneasy the waves grow, Sharif is at ease, a truth teller whispering anti-riddles in your ear. This album feels like a new chamber for Child Actor, as well. The producer has been on an impressive run since dropping CINE- a collaboration with rapper Cavalier- on Backwoodz in late 2024. Child Actor has shown up in the liner notes of everyone from Navy Blue (The Sword & The Soaring) to Earl Sweatshirt (Live, Laugh, Love) to ELUCID (Revelator) to Open Mike Eagle (Neighborhood Gods Unlimited), to Ghais Guevara (A Quest to Self-Mythologize), amongst others. On Crayola Circles Child Actor’s production is dynamic, shifting and sliding into new phases and movements in an instant. The beats are full and knotty, leaning into jazz and folk, while remaining tethered to the tender minimalism that is his signature. It’s a difficult balance for any producer, and here it is executed perfectly, placing us in a world of wood and brass, cowhide and undersea piano. On any other record, this soundscape would steal the show — and it very nearly does — but Sharif’s command never wavers, ever in control; a lucid dreamer in an induced coma.
There are no guests, no skits, and no interludes. There might not even be songs, instead Crayola Circles seems akin to a great river; singular, traversing forest and jungle, mountain and valley, running from mouth to endless sea.

Backwoodz Studioz is excited to announce the release of Crayola Circles, a collaboration between rapper Fatboi Sharif and producer Child Actor. While both artists have long standing connections to Backwoodz, this album marks their first collaboration of any kind and breaks new artistic ground for all parties.


Sharif’s previous album, Decay, released on Backwoodz in 2023, was a haunting experimental rap masterpiece, an acid trip in a mental hospital. On Crayola Circles Sharif trades menacing psychedelia for a simmering stew of blacklight expressionism, his verses slipping effortlessly through the swells and tides of Child Actor’s masterful production. No matter how uneasy the waves grow, Sharif is at ease, a truth teller whispering anti-riddles in your ear. This album feels like a new chamber for Child Actor, as well. The producer has been on an impressive run since dropping CINE- a collaboration with rapper Cavalier- on Backwoodz in late 2024. Child Actor has shown up in the liner notes of everyone from Navy Blue (The Sword & The Soaring) to Earl Sweatshirt (Live, Laugh, Love) to ELUCID (Revelator) to Open Mike Eagle (Neighborhood Gods Unlimited), to Ghais Guevara (A Quest to Self-Mythologize), amongst others. On Crayola Circles Child Actor’s production is dynamic, shifting and sliding into new phases and movements in an instant. The beats are full and knotty, leaning into jazz and folk, while remaining tethered to the tender minimalism that is his signature. It’s a difficult balance for any producer, and here it is executed perfectly, placing us in a world of wood and brass, cowhide and undersea piano. On any other record, this soundscape would steal the show — and it very nearly does — but Sharif’s command never wavers, ever in control; a lucid dreamer in an induced coma.
There are no guests, no skits, and no interludes. There might not even be songs, instead Crayola Circles seems akin to a great river; singular, traversing forest and jungle, mountain and valley, running from mouth to endless sea.

Fresh from releasing projects on Method 808 and Future Classic, landing a huge collaboration with Chloé Caillet, and delivering an official remix for Fatboy Slim, PPJ are entering a new chapter in full force. Their expansive take on global street sounds, ranging from neoperreo to Miami bass, gets a cool re-coating.

Led by the magnetic vocalist Páula, with production from Povoa (individually supported by Four Tet, Ben UFO, and Barry Can't Swim, with recent releases on Live From Earth), the duo operates in maximalist mode: playful, sensual, and slightly unhinged.PPJ’s new era, JOKER, embraces a figure that appears everywhere from card decks to carnival culture as a symbol that mirrors their own DNA: funny, eerie, seductive, unpredictable. The EP leans further into club territory, but rather than polishing their edges, PPJ amplify them.

At the emotional core of the record sits “Coeur,” co-produced with Chloé Caillet. It begins with an MPB-tinged foundation flirting with bossa nova. It’s unmistakably Brazilian, bathed in sunset hues before being sped up and twisted into a dance-floor-ready electronic form. The groove shimmers with tension: warm percussion, elastic basslines, and Páula’s voice hovering between intimacy and tease. It feels like a remix of itself, romantic, but slightly untrustworthy.

If “Coeur” glows, “To Nem Ai” is a slow burner. A very deep and downtempo house cut, it unfolds slowly, almost luxuriously, guided by sensual vocals that feel whispered directly into the ear of the listener. A hypnotizing piano sample that feels like a late-night confession. It’s the kind of record that transforms a dancefloor into something tactile.

Elsewhere, “Me Pega” is a high-energy reinterpretation of the tech-house sounds from Santa Catarina, one of southern Brazil’s most feverish party states, twisted and accelerated for ferocious impact. Drawing direct inspiration from Sarro, a raw and vibrant Brazilian street dance, the track captures physical intensity in its purest form: sweat, bass pressure, collective release.

Its counterpart, “Tem Carnaval” channels Páula’s vivid storytelling into a thunderous ode to Rio’s carnival spirit, euphoric, chaotic, cinematic landed just in time for this year’s celebrations.

On “Sexy Doce,” rugged electroclash melodies collide with unexpected references. “It was inspired by Budots, which is dance music from the streets in the Philippines,” Povoa explains. “Then we mixed it with Páula’s Brazilian vocals. Baile funk is similarly from the streets, so there is a connection.” The result is raw yet futuristic, a cross-continental flirtation that feels both underground and explosive.

With this new EP, PPJ make music like they’re tuning into a dozen pirate frequencies at once. Pirate radio from Rio to Berlin to Manila intercepting fragments of street culture, sensuality, and chaos, and stitching them into something deliriously cohesive.
JOKER doesn’t just nod to club culture. It challenges it, twists expectation and leaves a lasting impression.

Titans of the jungle world collide for the latest Over/Shadow boxset. 4 x OG Black vinyl presented in a stunning de-bossed box set.

Gute Neuigkeiten für Good Riddance-Fans! Nach sehr limitierter Verfügbarkeit der Erstauflage (schwarzes Vinyl) gibt es noch eine Nachpressung. Die zweitauflage kommt als Apple Red Vinyl. Die aus Santa Cruz, Kalifornien, stammende Band ist eine feste Größe in der Punkszene und bekannt dafür, die Lücke zwischen rasantem Skate-Punk und der rohen Intensität des Hardcore zu schließen. Sie werden für ihre ,intellektuelle Aggression" gefeiert, einen einzigartigen Sound, der rasante Drum-Geschwindigkeiten und scharfe Gitarrenriffs mit überraschend eingängigen Melodien verbindet. Für neue Hörer repräsentiert die Band den Goldstandard des Genres und beweist, dass Punk unglaublich schnell und aggressiv sein kann, während er gleichzeitig musikalisch ausgefeilt und technisch präzise bleibt. Über ihre klangliche Strahlkraft hinaus dient die Band als wichtige Einführung in die aktivistischen Wurzeln des Punkrocks. Unter der Leitung von Sänger Russ Rankin tauchen ihre Texte tief in Themen wie soziale Gerechtigkeit, Tierrechte und politische Kritik ein und bieten eine viel tiefgründigere Perspektive als typischer Alternative Rock. Durch die Auseinandersetzung mit klassischen Alben wie "A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion" können Fans genau hören, wie Punk als kraftvolle Stimme für Marginalisierte und als engagierte Plattform für die Infragestellung des Status quo dient. Die Relevanz der Band ist nach wie vor ungebrochen, seit 2015 ungebrochen zurück, das letzte Album kam 2019, 2024 veröffentlichten sie "No More System to Believe In", eine melodische Punk-Hymne, die moderne Desillusionierung in einen kraftvollen Aufruf zum Handeln kanalisiert. Nach einem strapaziösen Tourplan für 2025, bei dem sie neben ausverkauften Clubkonzerten in Europa und Nordamerika auch auf großen Festivals wie dem Hellfest und der Warped Tour Orlando auftraten, zeigen sie keine Anzeichen einer Verlangsamung. Im Jahr 2026 wird Good Riddance diese globale Dynamik mit umfangreichen Auftritten auf Festivals in der EU und insbesondere in Deutschland fortsetzen. Aufgenommen mit Bill Stevenson (Descendents) im The Blasting Room.

The North Carolina trio Setting brings together their substantial collective skills as musicians and their collaborative mindset to bear in their inventive and rich improvisations. Known for work in Mind Over Mirrors, Califone, Black Twig Pickers, Pelt, Peeesseye, Sylvan Esso, and Jake Xerxes Fussell, multi- instrumentalists Jaime Fennelly, Nathan Bowles and Joe Westerlund subvert expectations while creating a sense of wonderment. Their intricate interplay of synthesizers, cassette loops, banjo, keyboards, electronics, zithers, and a litany of percussive instruments form a tactile amalgam of celestial transcendence and terrestrial rhythm, a loamy pulse fluidly guiding every minute fluctuation in feel. Setting"s self-titled album is a definitive statement of their improvisational acumen meeting compositional rigor, a robust wellspring of hypnagogic grooves and mosaiced textures. The eponymous album from Setting is the product of three intuitive players and deep listeners, artists who use those skills to create transformative music. The trio shirk any broader categorizations, as their unique dynamic pieces are alight with arrangements urgent and smoldering, patient and emotive.

The North Carolina trio Setting brings together their substantial collective skills as musicians and their collaborative mindset to bear in their inventive and rich improvisations. Known for work in Mind Over Mirrors, Califone, Black Twig Pickers, Pelt, Peeesseye, Sylvan Esso, and Jake Xerxes Fussell, multi- instrumentalists Jaime Fennelly, Nathan Bowles and Joe Westerlund subvert expectations while creating a sense of wonderment. Their intricate interplay of synthesizers, cassette loops, banjo, keyboards, electronics, zithers, and a litany of percussive instruments form a tactile amalgam of celestial transcendence and terrestrial rhythm, a loamy pulse fluidly guiding every minute fluctuation in feel. Setting"s self-titled album is a definitive statement of their improvisational acumen meeting compositional rigor, a robust wellspring of hypnagogic grooves and mosaiced textures. The eponymous album from Setting is the product of three intuitive players and deep listeners, artists who use those skills to create transformative music. The trio shirk any broader categorizations, as their unique dynamic pieces are alight with arrangements urgent and smoldering, patient and emotive.

Through her compositions, Oonagh Haines explores nocturnal atmospheres where contemporary electronic music, underground aesthetics and deconstructed pop forms intersect.

Her music is built on a play of opposites: a modified voice performs its antipodal double, while avant-garde techno and sentimentalism coexist, carried by a certain nonchalance and a restrained posture that is not without recalling Anika.

Not Not Pretending is her first album. It will be released by moli del tro on 24 April 2026.

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present WHIRLWIND’s highly anticipated second album, 1640, on CD and vinyl LP formats. WHIRLWIND was originally conceived as a studio-project by Mark Wild, from Körgull The Exterminator among other extreme metal bands, to satisfy his will to make a classic heavy metal album, a style that changed his life during his childhood – influenced mostly by ‘80s German metal bands like early Running Wild, early Helloween, Accept, Heaven’s Gate, Gravestone, Tyrant, Grave Digger, Steeler, and Stormwitch among others, but also all kinds of classic heavy metal like Mercyful Fate, Manowar, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. In 2022, WHIRLWIND released their debut album, 1714, marking the band’s beginning. WHIRLWIND also established a live lineup to bring their songs to life onstage, with musicians from other known bands, like Redshark, joining as permanent members of the band. The album immediately generated a big buzz in the underground scene and led them to perform at some of the best-known festivals in Spain like Pounding Metal Fest and Skulls of Metal, alongside such bands as Visigoth, Attic, Omen, Tentation, Mindless Sinner, Witchtower, IRON CURTAIN, and Phantom Spell. Now arrives WHIRLWIND’s second album, 1640. Like its predecessor, the album is focused on historical and epic episodes of their homeland; specifically, this album revolves around the Thirty Years War that took place around Europe and the inner conflicts within Spain.

Musically, WHIRLWIND deliver a masterclass in cruising, classy Teutonic metal, running from more traditional-minded mid-tempo stompers to surging, up-tempo gallops of glory. Riff and lead form a lethal tandem, balancing both energy and color, while the rhythm section stays locked in no matter the dynamic. The production, too, of 1640 honors the mid ‘80s with authenticity – underground in spirit, Big League in execution. All told, the album is true heavy metal for true heavy metal people: no more, but definitely no less. By the blood in their veins, WHIRLWIND are marching to victory, ready to explode!

Dancing Waters is a musical fusion where the Mediterranean soul meets the deep-rooted mysticism of Cental Asia. Inspired by the surprising resonance between the work melodies of Balearic Islands and Pitiüses Islands and the haunting beauty of Persian and Byzantine melodies. QANAT weaves together the rich traditions of the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, and Persia. The project blends old Balearic work songs with the modal textures of Middle Eastern and Central Asian music -including influences from Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, and the ancient region of Khorasan. At the heart of the project is the remarkable melodic kinship between Balearic field songs-once sung during rural labor-and the ancient echoes of Byzantine chant. QANAT bridges these traditions, crafting new musical landscapes through original compositions, instrumental dialogues, and vocal ornamentations that celebrate the shared soul of these distant-yet-connected cultures.

Risk/Reward’s third installment comes from Brooklyn-based California native Chuwee, a rising star with records in the bags of the scenes most discerning selectors. Teaming up with homies Sasta, Seb Hall and Gaspar Muniz to form the Wizards on Waverly, they deliver a wildly creative and versatile collection of funk-drenched floor fillers.

On the a side: 4TJADEN combines crunchy electro house drums with a twisting, monstrous analog bass lead and 80s synth pop strings, before euphoric chords and a killer acid line send this one in to the cosmos!

Let’s Talk About Sex is a big, bad, booty bouncing slice of West Coast electro funk. An ultra groovy and addictive bass line, naughty vocals, spooky synth lines and rays of acid sunshine straight from California, make for an infectious party cut that gets the floor rocking every time.

On to the b-side: Slippy Jim’s is a laid back, dubwise, chugger, perfect for warming up, day time sessions or late in the afters. Crunchy analog drums patter over a warm, playful bass groove, speckled with dubby stabs, an imposing synth lead and vintage Jamaican spoken word vocals transport you to Kingston after party where the rum and vibes flow in equal measure.

Pioneer of the dub tech house sound Grant Dell delivers a gargantuan remix, with enough weight to break even the sturdiest of scales. Chunky yet detailed drums, a sub-heavy & driving bass line, acid squelchs and dubbed out stabs create an absolute weapon of a track, with a truly epic breakdown featuring a legendary vocal that gets right under your skin and stays there.

Heavy support from Enzo Siragusa, Harry McCanna, Bushwacka!, Dyed Soundorom, Anna Wall, CHKLTE and more.

Der Film "The Moment" ist eine Mockumentary über Charli xcx mit Charli xcx und über die Höhen und Tiefen des Erfolgs. Charli xcx kämpft mit immensen Erwartungen - mit denen von außen, aber auch mit ihren eigenen. Regisseur Aidan Zamiri präsentiert die Musikerin in ihrer bisher persönlichsten Rolle, basierend auf einem Drehbuch nach einer Idee von Charli xcx. Die Hauptrollen spielen Charli xcx, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell und Alexander Skarsgård. Am 23. Januar 2026 feierte "The Moment" beim Sundance Film Festival 2026 seine Weltpremiere. Die internationale Premiere findet ab dem 12.02.2026 im Rahmen der Sektion "Panorama" der 76. Internationalen Filmfestspiele Berlin statt. Der Film ist ab dem 19 Februar in deutschen Kinos zu sehen. A. G. Cook, der schon zuvor mit Charli XCX zusammengearbeitet hat, hat die Musik für den Film gemacht. Am 12. Dezember 2025 wurde "Dread" als erste Single aus dem Soundtrack veröffentlicht. Der Song enthält viele Samples aus Charli XCXs Single "I Love It" von 2012. Die zweite Single, "Offscreen", kam am 15. Januar 2026 raus. Die dritte Single, "Residue", erschien am 27. Januar 2026 mit einem Musikvideo, in dem Charli XCX, Kylie Jenner und "Legionen von Charli's Klonen" mitspielen. Der komplette Soundtrack wurde am 30. Januar 2026 über A24 Music digital veröffentlicht.

In Gianfranco Rosi’s portrait of Naples, Sotto le Nuvole, the ground shakes periodically. Between Mount Vesuvius and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the fumaroles of the Phlegraean Fields hiss volcanic gas and steam. Below the sleeping volcano, modern day Naples emerges in black and white and fills with voices, with lives. From the traces of history and the concerns of the present, Rosi documents a city immersed in its continuous past, with Daniel Blumberg’s minimal soundscape hovering in a sonic space between liquid and air.
Tasked with creating a soundscape that would suspend space within Rosi’s film, Blumberg called upon the extended technique of saxophonists Seymour Wright and John Butcher to create a gossamer fabric of traces and sounds abstracted from their instruments. Having transitioned from theoretical physics to the saxophone, John Butcher has always deeply considered space in the context of his playing. His concerns are with flow, density and how the saxophone is situated in the living world. Zeroing in on the core sonic properties of the mechanical and acoustic components of the saxophone, Seymour Wright has integrated its every breath, reed vibration, keypad clatter and hissed microtone of his alto into his own, unique improvisational language. In his work with these two seminal players, Blumberg makes his most concentrated soundtrack to date - reinforcing the film's sense of overlapping time and space, and pushing at the limits of experimentation.

Initially recorded in Daniel’s flat in London, Butcher and Wright centre themselves around long, consistent tones, so soft that it seems breath is being gently pulled from the saxophone's bell by an invisible hand. Blumberg himself adds haunting bass harmonica, and recordings of Wright’s launeddas - a traditional and ancient triple pipe polyphonic reed instrument from Sardinia, Italy. Blumberg then travelled to the volcanic region of Baia, next to Pompeii. Once a flourishing classical Roman city loved by Nero, Baia slowly sank under hydrothermal pressure, leaving the city in a kind of geological purgatory. Using specialised geophones and hydrophones, Blumberg took those initial recordings and amplified them underwater, sending them calling out across the ruins of Baia’s mosaics, Nymphaeum statues and villas.

“It was important to me that the music was whispered in the same landscape that Gianfranco has worked for the past three years, so that you can hear the volcanic air gulping, the lapping of the waves, the steam and bubbles popping against John and Seymour’s saxophone breaths – an echo from a suspended time.”
What emerges is deeply melancholic, tender, subtle and right at the edges of audio technology. Submerged in an aquarian mausoleum, the mysterious vibrations of the saxophone and its bell become an echo of an echo, wading from the future into the past. ‘Sotto le Nuvole’ is less a soundtrack than a process of aeration - a sonic puncture in the material of the film which allows its central message to breathe, and a remarkable experiment at the limits of the saxophone’s possibility.