Search:kn

Jessica93, prodigal bastard of our glorious french squat scene, relocated on Born Bad : this is no picnic. Geoffroy Laporte, alone against all odds, alternates bass and guitar to build harsh loops with a drum machine spitting pre-Gulf War patterns. That’s where it gets tricky : every musical posse claims him. Grunge, sure, but Jessica doesn’t indulge in necrophilia. His circuit is punk, he doesn’t dress the part though. Cold wave, the atmosphere fits somehow, but the gear does not. The self-confident rock horde saw him playing with hair in his eyes… but he never joined the Party. Metal had something to say but sadly, nobody listened. Maybe it's time to give it a rest and let Jessica93 cook his great misery broth on her own, called « 666 tours de périph’ » (666 laps on the beltway). Witnessing Jessica93 live makes you dread that he'll get up the next morning, drive 200 miles and one nap later kick it again, when it takes us a good week to recover from the bad half of that same evening. Like so many other unknown soldiers during our very own world war of music, he patrols small venues relentlessly.



At the heart of this cultural pentacle painted by french weirdos Bryan's Magic Tears, and Carine Krinator, Jessica93 has built a sound validated by years of chosen vagrancy, birthing bands with joyously stupid monikers, in the humid jungle of small labels. Jessica93's debut album had a track celebrating Omar Little, HBO’s gay bandit from Baltimore. This story begins on the beltway, where Florence Rey, accidental copkiller turned to political icon of the 90’s. Geoffroy offers his brilliant analysis : " C’est la police qui nous tire d’ssus / C’est mon trou d’balle qui leur chie d’ssus « (Police shoots us down / my dripping asshole gets the job done).



A previous album was haunted by bedbugs, this one is essentially about love, a delicious scourge just as hard to eradicate. Two black diamonds peek out of the LP : ’’La colline du crack’’, heartbreak song about the ultimate temptation of violent delights, located on crackhead central in Paris. The brilliant chorus, ‘Take my hand and come with me to Crack Hill’ will put an end to the rumours, almost everything was really false. And Bébé Requin, alternative obituary that’ll make you shiver, where our nice couple states ‘’on kiffe la drogue dure et les ptits chiens’ (‘we love hard drugs and little dogs’). And that is the reason we face the wall of sound jostled by unnecessary shoulder thrusts: those nice fat chunks of charcoal poetry, hidden under light sarcasm.



The rest of the record demonstrates the know-how acquired in loop-by-loop construction of ruins that are pleasant to squat in together. There’s your classic doom delicatessen, with bits of heavy metal inside, crafted with the manic care typical of hard wankers. Arthur Satàn, who produced and mixed the album at home in Bordeaux, helped him get his head out of the reverb safe house. And Jessica93 took the opportunity to switch to the dark side of the language : french at last. Worth the wait ! Sing along : « nique sa mère / nique sa grosse mère » (translate that yourself).

After its original release in 2010, Walter Trout's Common Ground is back on vinyl, for the first time as a 2LP. The critically acclaimed album by the American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter reached #6 on the Billboard Blues chart and made waves in the UK charts as well. The album showcases a collection of powerful, emotionally charged songs including, amongst other, the tracks "Maybe A Fool", "Common Ground", and "Her Other Man"._x000d__x000a_Common Ground is produced by legendary producer and Grammy Award-winner John Porter, who is known for his work with blues icons B.B. King and Buddy Guy. The record features top-tier musicians Kenny Aronoff, James "Hutch" Hutchinson and Jon Cleary, all adding depth and expertise to the dynamic arrangements._x000d__x000a_Common Ground is available as a 15th anniversary edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on green, white & black marbled vinyl and includes an insert with lyrics.

Italian producer, musician, DJ, and groove architect Sam Ruffillo drops his long-awaited debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics – a sun-drenched, genre-blurring statement that blends classic house with Mediterranean flair, romantic funk, and tongue-in-cheek Italo vibes. Over 11 expertly crafted tracks, Ruffillo delivers a dancefloor-ready, emotionally rich LP that connects deep musicality with irresistible rhythm and light-hearted elegance.

After three acclaimed EPs and collaborations with revered artists such as Barbara Boeing, Kapote, and Fimiani, Ruffillo has firmly cemented himself as a core artist on the Berlin-based label. Known for his unmistakable signature sound — a warm mix of vintage disco, 90s house, and Italian vocals — Sam’s music has garnered widespread DJ support from tastemakers like Gerd Janson, Palms Trax, Seth Troxler, and DJ Tennis, while becoming a staple on Italian airwaves. His infectious summer anthems like Danza Organica and Perfetta Così have soundtracked countless club nights and festivals, creating a loyal following that eagerly awaited this full-length debut.

Tipo Così is the natural culmination of a musical journey that’s both playful and profound — a travel diary written in grooves, synth stabs, and melodies that feel like postcards from a parallel Mediterranean universe. The album expands and deepens Ruffillo’s world into a fully immersive experience: lush emotional chords meet tight syncopated grooves, vintage synth textures collide with irresistibly catchy pop refrains, and the boundary between sincerity and playful irony is exquisitely blurred.

Entirely written, produced, and recorded in Italy, in his beloved hometown of Bologna, the album finds Ruffillo at the helm on keys, drum machines, and production, supported by a talented cast of musicians contributing live bass, guitar, and other organic elements — further enriching his trademark fusion of electronic grooves and natural instrumentation. There’s a tactile warmth in these tracks, a hands-on feel that adds soul and depth to every beat.

This album also marks Ruffillo’s heartfelt return to singing in Italian, with standout tracks like House Tipo Così, Mi Fa Volare, Ancora, and Dentro Di Me, where romantic naïveté meets pulsing club energy in a way that feels both timeless and refreshingly new. The vocal performances add an intimate, human touch to the music, reinforcing the personal stories woven into each song. There’s poetry in the casual, a bittersweet elegance in the way the lyrics float over groove-heavy production.

Having toured extensively across Europe, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Mexico — with sets at iconic venues like Panorama Bar and festivals such as Sónar Barcelona — Ruffillo has fine-tuned much of this album in front of live audiences. The real-world testing ground infused the record with a dynamic energy and immediacy that only comes from genuine crowd interaction. These songs weren’t just made in the studio — they were lived on dancefloors around the world.

Tipo Così is not just a collection of tracks. It’s a philosophy — playful, stylish and unmistakably personal. A modern club album bursting with heartfelt emotion and sophistication. Music for dancers with taste; for lovers of beauty, rhythm, and the little imperfections that make things feel real.

But what exactly is Tipo Così? More than just a phrase, it’s a way of being. It’s about embracing elegance without effort, mixing irony with sincerity, and letting nostalgia slip into the room without taking over the party. It’s Sam Ruffillo’s signature language: relaxed, confident, meticulous yet never rigid — where a chord progression can say as much as a lyric, and every beat carries intention.

The album’s visual identity complements this vision perfectly. The artwork and promotional materials lovingly reference Italian design from the ’80s and ’90s, combining bold graphic elements with playful pop culture nods. This aesthetic mirrors Ruffillo’s music — a fusion of vintage warmth and contemporary freshness, delivered with authenticity and charm.

Sam Ruffillo belongs to a new generation of European artists who are reshaping electronic music by blending past and present, analog and digital, groove and emotion — without nostalgia or pose. His artistic universe is coherent, vibrant, and alive; a rich tapestry of sound, images, and stories that coexist with lightness, precision, and a distinctive voice.

Reflecting on his artistic journey, Sam describes music as a vital, deeply human impulse — a tribal connection to rhythm and body that has driven him since he was a teenager. His creative process balances meticulous planning with room for spontaneity, usually sparked by clear melodic ideas that evolve naturally. Collaborations with close friends, especially vocalists like Ninfa, add warmth and authenticity, exemplified in tracks like “House Tipo Così.” For Sam, music is honest self-expression — crafted for listeners who crave memorable melodies and rhythms imbued with genuine feeling.

While technical perfection is tempting, Sam prioritizes emotion, knowing that what truly resonates is the soul behind the sounds. His long-standing partnership with Toy Tonics has been key in nurturing his vision, offering a blend of creative freedom and professional support. Looking ahead, Sam Ruffillo is excited to broaden his live performances, and release new projects that continue to blend electronic grooves with organic, heartfelt sounds — maintaining the delicate balance between playful irony and sincere emotion that defines Tipo Così.




Kurzversion:
Italian DJ, producer and musician Sam Ruffillo drops his debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics - a sunny blend of house, funk, Italo and pop, full of groove and emotion. Written and recorded in Bologna with live instruments and Italian vocals, it’s a playful, elegant journey shaped on dancefloors worldwide. A stylish, sincere club album where nostalgia, irony and rhythm meet in perfect harmony.

- Mi Fa Volare
Road-tested across continents and now finally released, “Mi Fa Volare” channels 90s uplifting euphoria with big breakbeats, lush chords, and Italian vocals built to stick. Somewhere between balearic bliss and piano house nostalgia, it’s a feel-good club weapon made for peak-time moments - already sung back by crowds after just one listen.


- Ancora
“Ancora” is a vibrant hi-NRG track inspired by 80s Italo disco, sung entirely in Italian. It blends driving rhythms with dreamy melodies, capturing the radiant spirit of the decade. This fresh yet nostalgic song delivers euphoric vibes and timeless energy, making it a perfect fit for both dancefloors and reflective listening moments worldwide.


- Dentro Di Me
“Dentro Di Me” channels ‘90s sensuality through a fast-paced, UK house-inspired lens. Entirely in Italian, it’s a bold and contemporary dance track where hypnotic vocals meet high-energy grooves. Blending nostalgic textures with forward-thinking production, the result is a seductive and euphoric trip - equal parts emotional and club-ready.


- Amigo
“Amigo” blends Latin groove, acoustic guitar-driven rhythm, and Mediterranean flair into a warm, magnetic, cross-cultural dance anthem. Sung in Spanish and Italian, it celebrates connection, inclusivity, and the joy of moving together - whether stranger or friend. With its unstoppable rhythm and vibrant energy, it’s a feel-good track with a unifying spirit.


- Ma Sei Fuori
“Ma Sei Fuori” is a tongue-in-cheek dancefloor bomb blending raw house energy with catchy vocal phrases and a nod to classic French touch. Driven by hypnotic vocal lines and a playful attitude, it doesn’t take itself too seriously - while still proving serious club impact. Built for late-night moments, it’s bold, bouncy, and impossible to ignore.

The Sarge is back and Slicker than ever. Another 4 killer tracks spanning multiple genre's.

The Sarge knows what works on the dancefloor and these edits showcase that to a T. Featuring some of the biggest names around mixed for the floor, as always Buy or Cry.

Zurück zu den Anfängen. Sharp Pins' Nummer-1-Hit und Wendepunkt in der Jugendrevolution-Propaganda. Ein klarer Aufruf an alle Mods, die noch zu jung waren, um sich in der Quadrophenia Alley die Knie aufzuschürfen: Robinsons Garten auf dem Weg der neuen Welle.

Best known for his cinematic jungle excursions, Seb Uncles returns to Livity Sound for a second extended release of introspective electronics with a strong influence from mystical sources.

As Eusebeia, Uncles has developed a strong, independent presence in modern electronic music defined by a prolific run of deep-diving, breakbeat-driven albums and EPs. In 2022 he released Cosmos on Livity Sound, a mini-album that zoomed out to a more reflective strain of electronica shaped by atmospheric synth lines in the hauntological vein of Ghost Box, Pye Corner Audio et al.

The Wyrding Way finds Uncles delving even deeper into this area of his output, keeping drums to a bare minimum and focusing instead on powerful melodic lines. There are still considered soundsystem moments that connect with Livity's long-standing sonic focus, not least the subtle dub inflection of EP centrepiece 'By The Light Of The Moon'. Elsewhere Uncles leaves the melodic parts unaccompanied, letting the phrasing and emotional pull of the title track tell its own story.

Balancing light and dark elements and drawing inspiration from personal experiences and perspectives, combined with spiritual and existential observations, Uncles capitalises on the evocative streak in his studio practice to deliver a timeless, immersive experience unlike anything else in his considerable back catalogue.
Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.

The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions of Ike Quebec collects a phenomenal body of work produced between 1959–62 by a key player in the Blue Note Story. The saxophonist had recorded for Blue Note and served as a talent scout in the 1940s before personal problems forced him off the scene. Alfred Lion began to reintroduce Quebec’s music to jazz fans in 1959 with a series of 45 jukebox singles that were well received and revealed a formidable stylist very much at the top of his game with a full-throated yet relaxed sound ideally suited to a range of material from ballads to blues. The success of Quebec’s comeback inspired Lion to keep going, capturing four sessions of material with a revolving cast of musicians that yielded classic tracks.









i C1. Everything Happens To Me Short Version







[q] D4. Everything Happens To Me [Long Version]









[i] C1. Everything Happens To Me [Short Version]







[q] D4. Everything Happens To Me [Long Version]









[i] C1. Everything Happens To Me [Short Version]







[q] D4. Everything Happens To Me [Long Version]

‘When The 2000s Clashed: Machine Music For A New Millenium’ is the story of how, 25 years ago, a new form of electronic music – known as electroclash - reignited a tired clubland and gave the indie scene and mainstream pop a shot in the arm in the process. Over this 3LP highlights set, carefully curated from the 5CD box of the same name (also released, 3rd October) the collection showcases the back-to-basics electronic beats that heralded in a new generation of exciting and innovative new artists - Hot Chip, Peaches, LCD Soundystem, and Ladytron, to name a handful. It also shows how the sound and attitude of electroclash plugged into the decade’s cutting-edge indie bands, (Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party), and became intrinsic to the way chart pop would sound in the first decade of the 2000s (Kylie, Goldfrapp).

The collection also shows how the scene’s underground DIY ethos evolved and inspired the next generation of electronic buccaneers (Simian Mobile Disco, Justice Vs. Simian). ‘When The 2000s Clashed’ brings together a dazzling, diverse selection of artists, producers and remixers from right across the 2000s zeitgeist – from The Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk, from M.I.A. to Soulwax and many points in-between. For good measure, there’s also one side of LP3 given over to the original post punk and electronic sounds (including Kraftwerk, The Human League and Cabaret Voltaire) who’d played such a big influence on the electroclash sound. ‘

When The 2000s Clashed’ was compiled and sequenced for Demon / Edsel by Jonny Slut, founder of London’s electroclash citadel Nag Nag Nag. Established in 2002, in a small Soho venue called Ghetto, ‘Nag’ quickly became THE hottest club, first in London and then in the whole world. A glorious mess and hedonists’ hotspot, a night at ‘Nag Nag Nag’ (if you could get in!) saw the capital’s club kids, students and creatives rub up alongside names from the fashion and music worlds - Björk, Pet Shop Boys, Kate Moss, Boy George, Alexander McQueen, and Pam Hogg were among the regulars. Madonna visited, so did John Peel, Yoko Ono asked to perform and did, Throbbing Gristle’s Chris and Cosey DJ’d, so did Marc Almond, and Too Many DJ’s.

Justin Timberlake was refused entry (too many bodyguards)… even Cilla Black was spotted getting down! Jonny shares these reminisces – and many more - in the collection’s sleevenotes. Named after the 1979 Cabaret Voltaire classic, ‘Nag, Nag, Nag’ became the first place to hear the seemingly endless flow of thrilling new tunes coming from every direction during that decade of dance. Many of them are included on this collection.

Emily A. Sprague's Cloud Time traces an audio-spiritual journey through time and place, recorded across a long-awaited debut tour of Japan in the fall of 2024. Compiled from environmental improvisations captured in and for the moment, material at once welcoming, responsive, and inimitable, the album distills a voyage guided by psychic wayfaring, unbound presence, and activating performance for a reciprocal exchange with space, listener, and each fully engaged instant. The Japanese tour documented on Cloud Time held an almost mythic significance for Sprague, taking on properties of her own sonic white whale. After many near-departures and dropped plans to play in the country, "the empty spaces of cancelled trips and forgotten music turned into strange little misty spirits that I felt followed by," she says. "When I began preparing for the tour, I couldn't shake a sense that the invitation to Japan was more about opening myself up to this new place instead of bringing something into it tightly under my control. Improvisation has always been such a pillar in my music practice, and I really wanted to meet the country, spaces and people through that process." To amplify these intuitive whispers on-stage, Sprague reimagined her time-tested live rig, designed to be as free from error as possible, as a looser, more flexible set up that would allow her to interface with what was essentially a blank sonic canvas every night. Each performance became a collaboration between environment and instinct, Sprague processing the events, energies, and emotions informing the evening through her new sound ecosystem, and projecting an entirely present and unique version of herself to each open-eared and hearted crowd. "It was very much more than just an act of playing for me, but a total experience of time and place," she says. The seven long-form pieces that plot the course of Cloud Time, excerpted from over eight hours of recordings archived on the artist's on-stage recorder and generously shared on the album with no additional mixing and only minimal editing, invite listeners to become still in these deep-rooted moments of presence as the album moves from city to city, venue to venue. Cloud Time chronicles material recorded at each tour stop, Sprague selecting and sequencing the album around mood-based storytelling more so than linear chronology. "I tried to make the whole album flow in the way that any one of the complete live performances did," she explains, "while also keeping the spirit of the whole thing as a journey." The result is equal parts travelog, love letter, and impressionistic collage channeled from the potent ferment of a now encased in the glowing amber of memory. Intrinsically inspired by kankyo ongaku, an environmental music philosophy, known both in and widely outside of Japan that tunes into the similarly expansive ethos as Pauline Oliveros' deep listening practice and posits the listener as composer, Cloud Time is ambient music that seems to be listening right back, grounded in heartfelt synthesized frequencies that abundantly hold and heal. Pieces like "Nagoya," "Tokyo 1," and the ten minute "Matsumoto" in particular hum with the atomic resonance of gently tended landscapes, offering space for tuning way in and dropping far out from perspectives that stifle and bind. Cloud Time is an invitation to embrace each moment as both fleeting and eternal, floating by with nothing to grasp onto and absolutely everything to gain. The exercise in acceptance and letting go that Sprague practiced throughout the tour deeply impacted her understanding of self as both a guest and venerable performer. "The process of loving wherever I am, being present and focusing on a clear channel of communication for mind and emotion, rooted so deeply in respect for the space, those within it, and myself, ended up being profoundly healing," she says. "My vision and hope is that this album can be released as a gift back to anyone who either was or wasn't there. A cloud time of life passing by." Emily A. Sprague's Cloud Time will be released Friday, October 10th in vinyl, Japanese import CD (via Plancha), and digital editions.

Reggaedancehall icons Skarra Mucci and Manudigital are announcing the release of their joint EP Ragga Blasta, which will be followed by a European tour (France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria...) starting
in September 2025.

Skarra Mucci, the globally renowned Jamaican MC known as the Dancehall President, joins forces with Manudigital, one of Europe’s top digital reggae producers.

The duo will present six tracks oscillating between reggae-dancehall, dub and
hip-hop.

One of the songs will feature a guest appearance by acclaimed singer Queen Omega.

“Electronic / Funk Yacht Rock testament to the carefree teen spirit of the 80s”

In 1985, a young and ambitious Britt Cobble, fresh out of school, ventured to Florida to have his debut solo album Maiden Voyage mastered by none other than reggae legend Touter Harvey, known for his work with Bob Marley. The result is Spinnaker – Maiden Voyage, an Electronic / Funk Yacht Rock album infused with the carefree teen spirit of the 80s.

Anchored by its central motto, “Love the coast, it’s there for you,” the album captures the essence of youthful exploration and the allure of the open sea. With slick production and an undeniable air of nostalgia, Spinnaker invites listeners to escape into a world of sun-soaked coastlines and endless horizons. Britt elevates yacht rock to new heights, serving as both a testament to youthful ambition and a celebration of the era’s smooth, coastal vibes.

Auf 500 Stück limitierte 2025er Nachpressung vom 2024er La Luz Album auf gelbgrünem Vinyl. LA LUZ aus Kalifornien wird von Fans und der Presse gleichermaßen seit ihrem Gründungsjahr 2012 geliebt, da sie den Spagat zwischen Chaos und Bittersüße schaffen. Jede neue Platte ist ein weiterer Feinschliff an der Mischung aus schwülstigen Riffs und engelsgleichem Gesang, der an Pop und Folk angelehnt ist; eine Band, die so verlässlich großartig ist, dass sie den gewaltigen Schritt nach vorne in Sachen Selbstvertrauen und schierer Musikalität, den "News of the Universe" macht, umso beeindruckender macht. Cleveland, die auch schreibt und malt, hat sich zu einer wahrhaft originellen Songwriterin mit einem eigenen Kanon geisterhafter Psychedelik entwickelt, die sich in den letzten Jahren von der sich wandelnden Landschaft rund um ihr ländliches Zuhause in Kalifornien hat inspirieren lassen, vor allem auf dem von der Kritik gefeierten Soloalbum Manzanita, einer magisch-realistischen Dokumentation ihrer Schwangerschaft und frühen Mutterschaft, die auf vielen Jahresendlisten stand. Selbst wenn Cleveland jahrelang Songs über Geister geschrieben hat, so ist das, was in den Schatten von "News of the Universe" lauert, nichts weniger als der Tod selbst: "There are moments on this album that sound to me like the last frantic confession before an asteroid destroys the earth." Klanglich ist die Platte voller Dringlichkeit. Die Songs stolpern über sich selbst, als würden sie versuchen, der Apokalypse zu entkommen: das atemlose Prasseln der Toms in "Strange World", das fingerfertige Eröffnungsriff des Titeltracks, getränkt in Verzerrungen. Eine Atmosphäre des Untergangs schwebt über dem Sgt. Pepper-esken Barock-Pop-Song "Poppies", in dem Cleveland von einer schwankenden orangefarbenen Idylle singt, die von der Spätsommersonne in Flammen aufgehen wird. In dem ähnlich kaleidoskopischen "Dandelions" hält sie die gelben Blumen für ahnungslose "kleine Sonnen", die sich im Laufe der Saison in "Monde" verwandeln werden. Die synthetischen Klänge, die auf dem letzten Album "La Luz" von 2021, verwendet wurden, um das träge Summen und Knistern eines Sommertages auf dem Lande zu imitieren, wurden im Weltraum verstreut. Düster, verletzlich, weiblich und unbestreitbar triumphierend ist "News of the Universe" eine weitere umwerfende Platte einer Band, die so verlässlich gut ist, dass die Leute vielleicht übersehen haben, wie bahnbrechend LA LUZ wirklich sind: farbige Frauen in der Indie-Musik, die ihren eigenen Weg gehen, indem sie ihrem eigenen künstlerischen Stern in Galaxien jenseits der aktuellen musikalischen Trends folgen - immer geleitet von einem aufrichtigen Glauben an die kosmische Kraft der Liebe und eines großartigen Riffs. Niemals trifft das mehr zu als auf "News of the Universe", dem vielleicht brutalsten Album von LA LUZ, das aber auch das glücklichste ist.

Auf 500 Stück limitierte 2025er Nachpressung vom 2013er La Luz Debütalbum auf rotem Vinyl. LA LUZ aus Seattle sind cool. Doch ihre Art der Coolness hat nichts mit Distanz oder Arroganz zu tun; es ist eine Laune und irgendetwas in ihrer Musik passt zum düsteren, unwirklichen Duft sterbender Monde und Schatten. Diese Art von Coolness. Was LA LUZ da besonders macht, ist die Verkörperung des am wenigsten definierten Eckchens des menschlichen Daseins: Sehnsucht und die flüchtige Erleichterung, die mit tiefster Sehnsucht einhergeht. Auf Spanisch steht LA LUZ für ,Licht" und das ist der perfekte Ausblick, wenn die Songs der Band eigentlich in die gegenteilige Richtung streben. Doch wenn man die Texte ausblendet - eine gute Entschuldigung, den vierteiligen Harmonien noch mehr Gehör zu schenken - findet man die Unwegbarkeiten und Schmerzen von Liebe und Verlust und die Gewissheit, dass nichts im Leben für immer ist, vorgetragen mit einer perfekt ausbalancierten Heiterkeit, die fast den Eindruck entstehen lässt, dass am Ende doch alles Sinn macht. Im letzten Frühjahr begaben sich LA LUZ in einen dunstigen Trailerpark, um ,It's Alive" mit ihrem Freund und Toningenieur Johnny Goss aufzunehmen. Vom ersten Drumroll und den unheimlichen Akkorden von ,Sure A Spring" an - einem angekratzten Popjuwel, das das Album einläutet - bewegt sich das Album wie eine langsame Fahrt auf schwieriger Strecke, die sich schlängelt und abfällt, während sich das Terrain verändert. ,What Good Am I?" erinnert mit dem Leadgesang und den dazu passenden Harmonien an den Superhit von MAZZY STAR. Mittendrin findet sich der Titeltrack. ,It's Alive" ist ein klingender Rocker mit unheimlichem Refrain, einem großen Batzen ,ooohs" und einer umschweifigen Geschichte, die die vernebelte Logik vom Rest des Albums aufgreift. Zwei Instrumentalstrücke, ,Sunstroke" und ,Phantom Feeling" zeigen, dass die Band über den echten Surf Sound Bescheid weiß und passen perfekt zum unterkühlten Herzschmerz um sie herum.

Following the lush listening LP outing by KAMM, the EG team is back in fine floorrocking form, this time with both label operatives on the dials as Rodney joins Dave Aju for his debut co-production. And what a debut it is: Highly-potent, raw, swinging house music of the highest order, complete with knocking 909 kicks, thick slapping snares, and a hypnotic melodic call-and-response tonal section that keeps things properly lifted and moving throughout. The vox evoke label boss Aju’s earlier catalog work, and he’s in particularly pointed mode here, spitting fire spoken word lines calling out various questionable corners of the dance music scene and humanity on the whole. A bold light-shining display during notably dark times, defending the once-sacred underground dance space against runaway trends of ego-driven capitalism, online image over actual skill sets, and the beyond low-ball barrier of entry into the arena. But by the time the soulful chorus lines hit and rise us up and onward toward the blissful musical finish, it is clear that this is in fact a unifying floor anthem and that indeed despite our differences amidst disheartening global chaos, at least “We Still Dancin". As always with the seasoned DJ-focussed three-piece Elbow Grease EP offerings, here we have the full A-side OG Vocal Mix cut at a crispy and tight 45rpm, a deliciously stripped and leveled-up EG Dub Mix on the B1, and finally the uplifting B2 Vibe Mix which doubles-down as half ambient instrumental builder and essential acapellacapella

NYOS are a Finland-based instrumental band comprised of guitarist Tom Brooke and drummer Tuomas Kainulainen. Known for their immersive and often physically demanding live shows, NYOS create massive sonic worlds using Brooke's labyrinthine loops and atmospheric layering alongside Kainulainen's kinetic drumming, in music that is rhythmic, raw, and eclectic. Since their formation in 2014, NYOS have carved out a distinctive place within Europe's experimental and post-rock scenes, characterized by their relentless energy, polyrhythmic complexity, and hypnotic layering. While still rooted in their signature loop-based approach, new album `Growl' is "more ambitious with song soundscapes and compositions", says guitarist Tom Brooke, naturally embracing a denser, more textured sound with greater attention to atmosphere and tension. "`Growl' feels like the best we've managed to harness the dynamics, and maybe the one thing we did focus a bit on is finding new ways to create those dynamics and making sure they aren't too predictable - it's our longest record to date, and when producing it, we were very conscious to make sure it is an album that holds the listener" (Brooke) As eclectic and exciting as ever, NYOS are a band in continuous motion, unafraid to challenge themselves and their listeners with ever-expanding sonic vocabularies. `Growl' is an album that is both coherent and seamless in its movement, walking a tightrope between meticulous structure and explosive energy. FOR FANS OF Battles, And So I Watch You From Afar, Don Caballero, The Mars Volta, Lightning Bolt, Tortoise, Hella, Tiny Fingers, Death Grips, Zach Hill, Russian Circles, Explosions in the Sky, Tera Melos

NYOS are a Finland-based instrumental band comprised of guitarist Tom Brooke and drummer Tuomas Kainulainen. Known for their immersive and often physically demanding live shows, NYOS create massive sonic worlds using Brooke's labyrinthine loops and atmospheric layering alongside Kainulainen's kinetic drumming, in music that is rhythmic, raw, and eclectic. Since their formation in 2014, NYOS have carved out a distinctive place within Europe's experimental and post-rock scenes, characterized by their relentless energy, polyrhythmic complexity, and hypnotic layering. While still rooted in their signature loop-based approach, new album `Growl' is "more ambitious with song soundscapes and compositions", says guitarist Tom Brooke, naturally embracing a denser, more textured sound with greater attention to atmosphere and tension. "`Growl' feels like the best we've managed to harness the dynamics, and maybe the one thing we did focus a bit on is finding new ways to create those dynamics and making sure they aren't too predictable - it's our longest record to date, and when producing it, we were very conscious to make sure it is an album that holds the listener" (Brooke) As eclectic and exciting as ever, NYOS are a band in continuous motion, unafraid to challenge themselves and their listeners with ever-expanding sonic vocabularies. `Growl' is an album that is both coherent and seamless in its movement, walking a tightrope between meticulous structure and explosive energy. FOR FANS OF Battles, And So I Watch You From Afar, Don Caballero, The Mars Volta, Lightning Bolt, Tortoise, Hella, Tiny Fingers, Death Grips, Zach Hill, Russian Circles, Explosions in the Sky, Tera Melos

Das zehnjährige Jubiläum von FOALS' viertem Studioalbum „What Went Down“ wird mit einer neuen Pressung des Album gefeiert! Sie erscheint auf klarem, rauchigem Vinyl in der Farbe von Colaflaschen (Clear Coke Bottle Green & Smoke Vinyl). Das Cover ist mit dem Bandlogo und dem Albumtitel geprägt. TRACKLISTING Side A 01 What Went Down 02 Mountain At My Gates 03 Birch Tree 04 Give It All 05 Albatross Side B 01 Snake Oil 02 Night Swimmers 03 London Thunder 04 Lonely Hunter 05 A Knife In The Ocean

MJ Lenderman writes songs that are amorphous and elastic, rising to fill the venue they"re in, generous to accommodate the number of players on stage, less concerned with replicating the studio version than they are with meeting the crowd where they"re at. On And the Wind (Live and Loose!), the Asheville-based Lenderman handles most of the playing, but with The Wind, it"s a multi-headed beast. This live album is culled from sold-out summer 2023 shows on a brief headline run during what some might call a wild-*ss couple of months. It captures a near-euphoric moment in time - dizzying and exhausting and, most of all, having some real true-blue f**king fun with your best friends. It"s 90s college rock meets Americana hootenanny, an electrifying piece of the MJ Lenderman lore that needs to be experienced live with a light beer in-hand - but in the interim, And the Wind (Live and Loose!) does its best to commit the scene to tape.

An extremely rare Northern Soul 45 RPM single originally released in 1965 on the Holly label, Billy Arnell And The Sparkles "Tough Girl" was the product of two childhood friends that lived less than a block apart in suburban Fairlawn, New Jersey in the early 1960s - Billy Smith and Lou Hemsey.

Billy played guitar and sang; Lou played guitar and wrote songs, so they decided to form a band. They added friends Eddie Hoffman on organ and Jack Gullone on drums and began playing lots of gigs locally as Little Willie & The Sparkles. They were young, ambitious, and imagined themselves as the next Beatles. By a stroke of fate, they met Joe Martin of Apex-Martin Distributors in Newark, NJ, who caught the band's live show and was duly impressed. That meeting led to the recording session for the "Tough Girl" single. When they recorded the first version of the song, the producer wasn't happy, nor was Joe Martin - so he fired that producer and brought in the young, up and coming producer, George Kerr. Kerr didn't care much for the band, so they redid the entire thing without Hoffman and Guilone - with just Billy singing and Lou playing guitar.

The pair of old friends were buoyed by session aces Eric Gale on guitar, Bernard Purdie on drums, Bobbie Banks on organ, as well as a bass player whose name has been lost to time. In addition to those changes, they used the studio horn section that Hemsey arranged for, plus two trumpets, two saxes and two vibes players. The resulting single was an infectious amalgamation of rock and soul. Billy changed his surname to Arnell for the 45 release (because he thought it sounded more "show-biz") and the rest is pop history. Arnell later started a record company (Fire Sign Records) and purchased a recording studio (112 Greene Street Recording) in the trendy SoHo section of Manhattan with Steve Loeb.

As for the rest of The Sparkles, Hoffman became a teacher somewhere on Long Island, Guilone graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Massachusetts and ended up living in Northern New Jersey. Hemsey became a well-known recording engineer, composer (Lou was the one who wrote "Tough Girl"), guitarist, arranger, orchestrator, editor, film director and producer for records and commercials.

Produced by longtime collaborator Simon Dine, MKII captures a band reinvigorated, delivering their most confident and dynamic work to date. Sullivan"s sharp, incisive lyrics drivethe album"s freshsound and renewed energy. Frontman and founder Billy Sullivan sets the scene for the album by saying: "It sounds refreshed and confident, ballsy but doesn"t mind showing a softer side and being reflective too. For me it"s not a continuation of The Spitfires back catalogue, it"s very much the start of a new chapter. I"m incredibly proud, after all these years, to be talking about a new body of work which excitesme and inspires me more than ever." From the high-octane political pop of "The Great Divide!" to the moody intensity of "I"ll Never" and the reflective, Parisian- tinged "Grateful", MKII is a bold statement: The Spitfires are back-and stronger than ever.

Produced by longtime collaborator Simon Dine, MKII captures a band reinvigorated, delivering their most confident and dynamic work to date. Sullivan"s sharp, incisive lyrics drivethe album"s freshsound and renewed energy. Frontman and founder Billy Sullivan sets the scene for the album by saying: "It sounds refreshed and confident, ballsy but doesn"t mind showing a softer side and being reflective too. For me it"s not a continuation of The Spitfires back catalogue, it"s very much the start of a new chapter. I"m incredibly proud, after all these years, to be talking about a new body of work which excitesme and inspires me more than ever." From the high-octane political pop of "The Great Divide!" to the moody intensity of "I"ll Never" and the reflective, Parisian- tinged "Grateful", MKII is a bold statement: The Spitfires are back-and stronger than ever.

Mit seiner kraftvollen Stimme und seinem gefühlvollen Songwriting kreiert Calum Scott die Art von Songs,
die tief in uns nachhallen und die bedeutungsvollsten Momente in unserem Leben begleiten.
Seit seiner Single „You Are The Reason“ hat der in Großbritannien lebende Künstler von unzähligen Fans
auf der ganzen Welt gehört, die seine Musik als Soundtrack für wichtige Lebensereignisse oder als Trost
beim Ertragen von großem Herzschmerz und Verlust nutzen.
Sein drittes Album „Avenoir“ enthält die Singles „Roots“, ‚Lighthouse‘, „At Your Worst“, „My World“
und „God Knows“ - eine beeindruckende Sammlung von Songs, die ein herzliches Plädoyer dafür sind, das
Leben in vollen Zügen zu leben.

Heutzutage ist beinahe vergessen, dass im letzten Jahrhundert Jazzaufnahmen auch auf 45er-Singles erschienen, nicht zuletzt, um damit die populären Jukeboxen zu bestücken. Diese streng limitierte Sonderausgabe der Blue Note Tone Poet Serie versammelt alle Singles, mit denen Tenorsaxofonist Ike Quebec ab
1959 ein überwältigendes Comeback bei Blue Note Records feierte. Mit ihnen knüpfte Quebec an seine
Erfolge der Mittvierziger Jahre an, als er sich bei Blue Note den Ruf erwarb, der ”König der Jukebox-Hits”
zu sein.
Ausstattung LP: Das 3-LP-Set ist wie immer bei der Tone Poet Serie von Joe Harley produziert und
von Kevin Gray komplett analog und direkt von Rudy Van Gelders Original-Masterbändern geschnitten
worden. Die bei RTI auf 180-g-Vinyl gepressten LPs werden in einem luxuriösen Dreifach-Gatefold verpackt, das zudem ein Booklet mit unveröffentlichten Fotos von Francis Wolff und einem ausführlichen
Essay von Loren Schoenberg enthält.
Ausstattung CD: Doppel-CD in Jewelbox, Booklet mit gleichem Inhalt wie o.g

»I Feel Alive« ist das 2020 veröffentlichte vierte Studio-Album der aus der Indie-Szene Kanadas stammenden Tops. Der Tops-Sound mit grandiosen Melodien über federleichten Indie-Grooves und einem Hauch von 80er-Jahre-Sophisti-Pop klingt kühner und weitläufiger denn je und gilt inzwischen als unverkennbar. Neben den hochfliegenden Melodien und der knackigen Inszenierung setzt sich »I Feel Alive« inhaltlich mit der Qual auseinander, alte Dinge hinter sich zu lassen. Es ist eine introspektive Platte, zu der man tanzen kann, Musik die zuschlägt und wie die Erinnerung an eine perfekte und gleichzeitig dem Untergang geweihte Liebesbeziehung, samt all ihrer Freude und Schmerz, für immer ein Teil des Lebens wird. Das Artwork zu »I Feel Alive« gibt den Ton an! Inspiriert von der Arbeit des Fotografen Thomas Ruff, starrt die Tops-Sängerin Jane Penney mit bloßem Gesicht in die Linse - einfach und ungestellt, aber auffallend starr und verletzlich. Attribute die sich auch auf die Musik übertragen lassen.

"Bandleader Lina Langendorf has been known in Sweden for a long time as one of the most skilled and forward thinking saxophone players. She has been staying in both Mali and Ethopia for longer periods and has performed in concerts with legendary artists like Alemayehu Eshete, Vieux Farka Touré and...Mulatu Astatke who, at his club African Jazz Village (in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia), introduced Lina to people in the audience with the words: 'Amazing saxophone player, big respect! We should play together some day'. Some minutes later they go on stage together. Joined by the legendary piano player Dawit Yifru and the bass player from Roha Band, Giovanni Rico Bonsignori. 'Fantastic. You're so strong. Everybody loves you, they say you are ethio-jazz' was Mulatu's words after the jam session.
Lina has also been invited to the live club Le Hogon in Bamako numerous times for jam sessions and concerts with Toumani Diabaté and his band. And for Lina, these jam sessions in Addis and Bamako has been a crucial part of shaping (and sharpening) her musical vision. Last year she was also touring the UK as part of James Yorkston, Nina Persson and the second hand orchestra.
But it wasn't until feb 2023 we got to hear her own music. The debut album with her newly formed band Langendorf United was co-released between Italian label Black Sweat records and Swedish label Sing A Song Fighter and it immediately resonated with music lovers around the world (Radiohead drummer Philip Selway called it 'as if Tinariwen and Fela Kuti had a Blue Note session').
But the band is not just the composer/Saxophone star and band leader Lina Langendorf. Oh, no. The other four musicians are all highly praised musicians in various jazz bands in Sweden and Norway and together they form this sacred thythmic unity with the pulsating bass at the centre.
Langendorf United's music is vibrant and spiritual and on fire!"

Lina Langendorf - saxophone
Daniel Bingert (son of legendary South American musician Hector Bingert) - keys, guitars
Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Tonbruket) - keys, viola
Ole Morten Vågan (Trondheim Jazz Orchestra) - upright bass
Andreas Werliin (Fire!, Wildbirds & Peacedrums) - drums

"Feeling the Sea" 7-inch single from singer-songwriter HANAH SPRING, with a background in jazz and soul!

HANAH SPRING, who calls Shonan and Kamakura her home base and continues her musical career, is already known for her talent.
She also collaborates with a variety of artists, and her new song is the endlessly soothing lovers' reggae "Lovin' Me"
It's a positive tune that sends the message, "I'm me, let's sing love for myself"

The B-side includes a lovers' cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" This release is an exquisite pairing of the answer song "Lovin' Me," which pays
homage to the original, and the cover version of "Lovin' You"

This single is from "SALT... meets ISLAND CAFE -Sea of ​​Love 3-," a surf music compilation curated by "SALT...," a magazine that proposes new values ​
​for beach lifestyles and surf culture.

At the end of 2024, Elder looked back on an unusual period in their now near 20-year career. A few years ago, the band had dropped their most progressive record yet, 2022"s highly acclaimed Innate Passage, followed by the usual heavy touring schedule (including a 24-show arena tour supporting Tool). The band had then taken a year long sabbatical to recharge their creative batteries, which instead of rest culminated in the release of multiple albums by side-projects. Convening in winter of that year for a 2 week songwriting session at Big Snuff Studio in Berlin, the band set a goal of knocking off the rust and putting together some ideas for the next record. While combing through an archive of old sketches, they hit upon an outline of a song from somewhere between 2020"s Omens and its successor Innate Passage, abandoned then for reasons now inscrutable. Picking up the pieces with fresh ears, Elder fleshed out a new version of the track, which is firmly rooted between those two albums but with an identity of its own. Building on the song"s ending, a swirling tower of synthesizers, chugging guitars and almost tribal drumming was constructed in the course of lengthy in-studio jams. Liminality/Dream State Return can be seen as a bridge between eras in Elder"s creative universe; one foot is planted in the highly melodic and sometimes alternative/grunge tinged riffing of Omens, the other in Innate Passage"s dreamy prog soundscapes, and its head in the clouds looking toward Elder"s upcoming LP 7. The vinyl version comes as a one-sided, 180 gr. translucent LP with etching on the B side (including download).

Recorded during Zevon's second comeback in the years 1991-1995, Learning to Flinch (Live) features live versions of hits like Excitable Boy and Werewolves of London, with a more stripped-down sound. While Zevon wasn't known for extensive touring, this live album stands out as a rare recording of his stage presence and humor. This is the first worldwide stand-alone release on vinyl and is mastered directly from stereo analog tapes by Bernie Grundman.

"Dunya", der Titel von Mustafas meisterhaft ausgearbeitetem und atemberaubend zärtlichem Album, bedeutet aus dem Arabischen übersetzt so viel wie "die Welt mit all ihren Fehlern". Ein hochtrabendes Thema für einen jungen Songwriter, aber wie bei jedem Thema, das im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit des sudanesisch-kanadischen Künstlers steht - von religiöser Hingabe bis zu Kindheitstraumata, von Bandengewalt bis zu romantischer Intimität - nähert er sich durch eine persönliche Sichtweise. Er mischt Genres und Stimmungen, verwebt romanhafte Details in einprägsame Folksongs und hat ein Album geschaffen, das sich wie eine Reihe persönlicher Durchbrüche anfühlt, die einer nach dem anderen eintreffen. Was zuerst an Mustafas Musik auffällt, ist seine Art zu schreiben: ein einfacher, durchdringender Ton, der jede Geschichte so roh und ernsthaft wirken lässt wie die Worte eines Liebesliedes. Mit seinem leisen Vortrag, der seine Umgebung zum Schweigen bringen kann, entwickelte sich Mustafa schnell vom Wunderkind, das in seiner Heimatstadt Toronto Gedichte rezitierte, zu einer Kraft, die hinter den Liedern steht und Popsongs schreibt. Auf "Dunya" ist er zu einem eigenständigen Autoren gereift. "Ich versuche, das gewöhnliche Leben im Ghetto zu bewahren und zu feiern", beschreibt Mustafa seine lyrische Inspiration. Die Songs, in denen er sein Aufwachsen und seinen weiteren Lebensweg beschreibt, sind gleichermaßen entwaffnend in ihrer Einfachheit und vielschichtig in ihrer emotionalen Bandbreite. Durch die Zusammenarbeit mit Aaron Dessner, Rosalía, Clairo, Nicolas Jaar und anderen sowie Mustafas langjährigem kreativen Partner Simon Hessmann offenbart die Musik eine selbstbewusste, unverwechselbare Stimme, die noch nie so massenkompatibel geklungen hat.

Dub Versions zum legendären "Searching For The Jan Soul Rebels" Album von Jan Delay. Hier als Ltd Colored Vinyl LP Auflage (180g, nummeriert).

On his sixth studio release Roulette, the prolific producer, songwriter, pianist and MC Alfa Mist has created his own sci-fi universe - a vast dystopia where themes of revenge, forgiveness and redemption loom large.

Alfa Mist’s albums have always tackled big themes. This time, however, he explores an imagined near-future in which reincarnation is discovered to be a potent tool linking dreams and past lives. But with this discovery comes consequences: ethical, moral and philosophical. “If reincarnation is real, how does that shape society?” he explains. “If reincarnation means accumulation of knowledge, would you share it and enable everyone to understand more about the world? Or do you struggle for power? And do some people want to stop others from remembering who they were?”

Over 15 tracks, Alfa explores these ideas with heady potency. Each song is a spin of the wheel – a different song and character. The musician’s signature is still there – lambent keys, intuitive groove, free-flowing jazz improvisation – but Roulette is imbued with a smoky psychedelia. An immersive listen, this album is designed “to feel” on every level, says Alfa. It also contains some of his most impressive arrangements yet - see the eight-minute title track that effortlessly flips through time signatures – “because life’s like that,” says Mist; it’s not always linear.

Roulette underlines Alfa Mist as one of the most forward-thinking composers in UK music, with poignant, plaintive melodies that lodge deep in your psyche. “I’m exploring different parts of myself,” he says. “But obviously, as I grow, all of those parts change. Music is a constant; it’s my state of mind that I constantly chisel and work on and make sure that’s always growing and staying interested in new things. As long as I do that, it’ll come out in the music.”

Nigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, musician and producer Steven Bamidele presents his keenly anticipated sophomore album, 'THE CRASH!' – a sonically rich exploration of purpose, doubt and personal reckoning. Written against the backdrop of an ever-changing world, the album combines soul, rock, jazz, acoustic and electronic textures, along with daydream-esque storytelling for a thought-provoking journey in pursuit of something real in an age of hyper-curation and superficiality.
At its core, 'THE CRASH!' is a soulful meditation on the weight we place on relationships, the fundamental cost of growth, and the search for direction in an imperfect world. It's a deeply personal project, shaped by Steven's own journey through faith, disillusionment and self-discovery. Raised in a strictly Christian household, Steven's first crisis of belief came at 17, when he began questioning the very foundations of existence. As his faith unravelled, music became his new guiding force – a source of direction, discipline and identity. But as he turned 30, disillusionment crept in once again. The stark realities of the music industry, coupled with global uncertainty, reignited that same despondent weight he had battled in his youth.
"It was an intoxicating feeling when I was younger and had no responsibilities, to foolishly believe I was the first person in history who'd worked something out that no one else had. It gave me this twisted sense of power and was a big creative motivator. Where I'm at now, nihilism is debilitating, boring and unhelpful. I've worked to find a way to channel those feelings into this project. I'm really proud of it."– Steven Bamidele

In-Correcto 15–25 marks the first vinyl compilation by Bogotá’s independent label InCorrecto, created in collaboration with Austrian imprint discos elgozo. Celebrating ten years of sonic exploration and creative resistance from the Global South, this special edition brings together a vibrant constellation of artists that define the label’s sound: La Muchacha, Ana María Vahos, Felipe Orjuela, Mau Gatiyo, Conjunto Media Luna, Briela Ojeda, Zarigüeya, Buha 2030, and many more. Between mutant cumbia, Latin American folk, introspective electronics, and borderless sonic experiments, 15–25 is both a party and a statement: a manifesto of the in-correct as an artistic and collective force.

Since 2015, In-Correcto has grown from a cultural magazine into one of Latin America’s most vital independent hubs, operating as a record label, publishing house, and creative collective. With more than 160 releases ranging from punk and ambient to trip-hop and experimental cumbia, the label has supported a generation of artists whose work is as socially engaged as it is sonically daring. Through compilations, anniversary concerts, and political projects, In-Correcto has solidified its reputation as a catalyst for collaboration, solidarity, and cultural cross-pollination in Bogotá and beyond. Based in Vienna with roots on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, discos elgozo shares this vision. Founded in 2024, the label works with Colombian artists and their diaspora, releasing music that fuses ancestral knowledge, queer-feminist expression, sonic experimentation, and joy as a political force—as a way to resist cultural erasure, reactivate traditions, and recover collective vitality. Its catalog spans salsa brava, bullerengue, psychedelic cumbia, and experimental jazz, with a strong focus on vinyl as an act of listening, memory, and resistance.

Carefully pressed, In-Correcto 15–25 is more than a record: it is a bridge between Bogotá’s underground and a global network of listeners. A sonic archive and an invitation to dance, it reaffirms that joy, experimentation, and community remain powerful tools to imagine the world otherwise.

A Tekko Kagi is characterized by four iron blades like bear claws attached to a metal ring covering the userÕs knuckles. Worn over the hands, the claws can be used as an offensive weapon for slashing, striking and scraping the opponent and also for defensive purposes as the wielder can disarm or sunder swords or other slender-bladed weapons with natural hand motions.

Benjamin Hudson returns to Acroplane, following his last projects with us as Ebola (Wrong Music) and one half of Baconhead, with 'Slime'… and he's brought a load of his talented mates to collaborate with him.

Artwork by Everything Alllways

Mastering by James Forde Stewart @ Sorting Room Studios.

Brain Rays is part of queer collective, DOOMSCROLL, and Devon art & party crew, Bizarre Rituals. He is also a co-founder of Wrong Music alongside DJ Scotch Egg and Matt Lambert (Roger Species).

Known for his hectic, high pressure output with Quiet, and film soundtrack work (as part of Unknown Horrors) collaborating with director Dean Puckett (The Severed Sun, The Sermon, Satan's Bite) and Rhys Chapman (Wonderkid). As a DJ he has performed all over the world, including Transmediale Festival (Berlin), Today's Art (Den Haag) and Boomtown Fair, as well as two live sessions at Radio 1's legendary Maida Vale Studios. As a producer he has garnered support from the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs, ETCH, Huw Stephens, Drumskull, Annie Mac, and Nikki Nair.

Jackie Mittoo’s ‘Reggae Magic’ is a new collection from the great Jackie Mittoo. The album features a mixture of classic tunes and rarities from the period 1967-74, when Mittoo was at the height of his musical powers. Mittoo’s solo career began after the end of The Skatalites in 1965. He began pushing new musical boundaries, creating a uniquely identifiable organ-led funky reggae sound that owed as much to Booker T and The MGs, Jimmy Smith, Stax and Motown as to the post-ska and emergent rocksteady island rhythms of Kingston, Jamaica. His solo work at the legendary Studio One spanned seven albums and hundreds of singles.

Aside from producer and founder Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd, it’s hard to think of anyone more central to the sound and success of Studio One than Mittoo; keyboard player extraordinaire, songwriter, arranger, musician, truly the Keyboard King at Studio One. Jackie Mittoo had been the youngest founding member of The Skatalites (at age 16), probably the most important group in Jamaican music. After they split, he became leader of the three pivotal groups at Studio One – The Soul Brothers, The Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension. He also became musical director for Studio One, helping create countless hits for singers Ken Boothe, Bob Andy, The Wailers, John Holt, Delroy Wilson and more – unforgettable tunes like Alton Ellis’ ‘I’m Still in Love with You’, Marcia Griffiths’ ‘Feel Like Jumping’, The Heptones’ ‘Baby Why’ and others. Between 1965 and 1968, many of the tunes created at Studio One can be attributed to Mittoo – timeless instrumental tracks, recorded either under his own name or those of The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension, that have become the basis for literally 1000s and 1000s of Jamaican songs over many decades, giving the music an unsurpassed longevity.

The endurance of his music was as a direct result of significant developments in Jamaican music in the 1970s, namely the creation of three important new styles: Dub, Deejay and Dancehall. In the early 1970s Mittoo’s instrumental tracks were used as the musical source for a series of classic Studio One dub albums. At the same time Deejays at Studio One, including Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo and Dennis Alcapone, began toasting over these same popular rhythms to create their own new songs. In the mid-70s, a new generation of Studio One singers and deejays, including Sugar Minott, Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Michigan & Smiley and others, began once again creating new melodies over these original instrumentals, signalling the birth of a new Jamaican style that became known as ‘dancehall’.

As dancehall swept across the island, rival producers copied these now classic rhythms. These original Jackie Mittoo-driven tunes spread like a virus throughout Jamaican music; be they the instrumental cuts to tunes such as Alton Ellis’ ‘Mad Mad’ , ‘I’m Just A Guy’, Larry Marshall’s ‘Mean Girl’, Slim Smith’s ‘Rougher Yet’, and instrumentals such as Mittoo’s classic ‘Hot Milk’ or ‘One Step Beyond’, The Sound Dimension’s ‘Real Rock’, ‘Heavy Rock’, ‘Full Up’, ‘Drum Song’, ‘Rockfort Rock’ … and the list goes on. These tracks became a constant soundtrack to the island, emitting from the ever-present sound of speaker boxes strung up around dancehalls. This recycling travelled even farther afield; The Sound Dimension’s instrumental ‘Real Rock’, updated by Willie Williams on his classic ‘Armageddon Time’ was in turn covered by The Clash. Lily Allen sampled Mittoo’s debut solo single ‘Free Soul’ for number one hit ‘Smile’; Dawn Penn’s ‘You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)’, accompanied by The Soul Vendors, was revived by Penn and producers Steely & Cleevie in 1994, since covered by Rihanna, Ghostface Killah, Stephen Marley, Damian Marley and Beyonce. And so it goes; an endless time-leaping, continent-hopping diasporic musical map of the world with all roads essentially leading back to one man – Jackie Mittoo.

Cate Le Bons siebtes Album 'Michelangelo Dying', dessen Entstehung von purer Emotion geleitet wurde, hat das Album, das sie zu machen glaubte, verdrängt. Als Produkt eines alles verzehrenden Herzschmerzes überwanden ihre Gefühle ihren Widerwillen, ein Album über die Liebe zu schreiben, und wurden in diesem Prozess zu einer Art Exorzismus. Herausgekommen ist ein wunderbar schillernder Versuch, eine Wunde zu fotografieren, bevor sie sich schließt - und dabei auch in ihr zu stochern.

Musikalisch gibt es eine Fortsetzung und Erweiterung eines Sounds - eine Maschine mit Herz -, der auf ihren letzten beiden Platten 'Reward' (2019) und 'Pompeii' (2022) Gestalt angenommen hat, da Le Bon zunehmend selbst die Kontrolle über das Spielen und Produzieren übernommen hat. Wenn Gitarren und Saxophone durch Pedale gepresst und Perkussion und Stimmen durch Filter gejagt werden, entsteht ein schillernder, grüner und seidiger Sound, in dem die künstlerischen Eigenheiten von David Bowie, Nico, John McGeoch und Laurie Anderson aufblitzen und wieder verschwinden.

Was übrig bleibt, ist eine sich ständig verändernde, kontinuierliche Einheit, eine Art Songzyklus. Jede Iteration reflektiert die letzte und entwickelt sie weiter. „Jede ist eine Scherbe desselben zerbrochenen Spiegels“: Sie verschiebt sich, glitzert, verbirgt und enthüllt, je nachdem, wie sie im Licht gedreht wird. Letztendlich gibt es, so Cate, „keine Enthüllungen. Keine Schlussfolgerungen. Es gibt keinen Grund. Es gibt nur Wiederholungen und Chaos. Ich habe mir schließlich erlaubt, einen offenen Geist zu haben, um es ohne Widerstand zu erleben, ohne nach einer Offenbarung oder Ordnung zu suchen.“

'Michelangelo Dying' ist eine Übung in der Viszeralität des Lebens, der Liebe und der Menschlichkeit, sowohl für den Hörer als auch für die Künstlerin selbst, und es weiß, was es heißt Halt zu geben, gehalten zu werden aber auch sich ganz und gar allein zu fühlen. „Die Figuren sind austauschbar“, schließt Cate, „aber am Ende bin ich es, der sich selbst begegnet.“

- LP: (Vollfarbige Hülle, 140g schwarzes Vinyl, bedruckte Innenhülle und Download-Karte)

Soul Jazz Records delve into the vast vaults of Discos Fuentes, one of the oldest and largest record companies in Latin America, known as "the Motown of Colombia". Discos Fuentes played a major role in spreading Afro-Latin sounds both to Colombia and around the world and this album explores that legacy. Latin Fire! features legendary Colombian artists such as Fruko, The Latin Brothers, Michi Sarmiento, Afrosound, Pedro Laza, Wganda Kenya and more and showcases the wide-ranging variety of styles that Discos Fuentes made unique to their sound. The album features music from the golden era of Fuentes; from late 50s and 1960s Cumbia through to the emergence of heavyweight and hardcore salsa and Afro-funk in the 1970s and up to the early 1980s.

Filippo Diana's “The Haunted Palace” is the second album of unreleased tracks published by Musica Per Immagini, or a sort of soundtrack for an imaginary horror film set in a bloody past, ispired by the book “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” by Howard Phillips Lovecraft. The artist formerly known as Joe Drive used analog and digital synthesizers, as well as microphones and computers, to describe in notes the ancestral practices of resurrection of the dead accomplished by a shy and unsuspected character, who slowly transforms into an alien, inspiring both fright and terror.

I found something — I think it’s for you.

It followed me back from the Looping Fence… or maybe I followed it.

It gave off a warmth that didn’t belong to the weather.

I’ll leave it here. You’ll know what to do.

If it wiggles, just nod politely.

— P ꩜☍