Renowned London producer, DJ, and Apron Records founder Steven Julien taps into his alter-ego with his new album, 808 PRINCE out 16th October.
Written and produced around iconic drum machines, 808 Prince embraces raw drum programming,
analogue textures, and bass-heavy compositions.The record moves fluidly between peak-time club energy and experimental rhythm studies, exploring the shared languages of techno, house, acid house, grime, and electro. Rather than looking back, the album reimagines the influence of the 808 through Julien’s distinct production style, creating a body of work that is both timeless and forward-looking.
The album features a strong lineup of collaborators, including James Massiah, J. Caesar, Jarren, Touch Sensitive, and KIAH, expanding Julien’s sonic universe while remaining anchored in pure groove and movement. More than an album, 808 PRINCE marks a new chapter in Steven Julien’s artistic practice, bringing together decades of club music influence, hands-on studio craftsmanship, and a lifelong fascination with rhythm into a singular statement designed for dance floors worldwide.
Fila Brazillia is the name of the decidedly singular collaboration between Steve Cobby and David McSherry, born in the coastal town of Hull in the UK. Bending—and often outright breaking—more or less every rule in the book, they've been effortlessly blending deep house, downtempo, breaks, ambient, and wry humour, sampling anything they can get their hands on. Their first outing was the 1990 single-sided white label 12" Mermaids, an airy deep house tune featuring a cheeky sample taken from the theme from Robison Crusoe. Since then, they've released a boat load of singles, seven highly regarded full-lengths, and more than 60 remixes for artists such as Radiohead, Busta Rhymes, and Lamb.
Black Market Gardening is their third full-length and marks a creative high-point for the duo. Over nine tracks, Fila Brazillia guides you through hazy, bass-heavy trip hop, cosmic synth lines, brisk breakbeats, funky guitar riffs, and even touch of drum 'n bass (it's the mid-1990s after all...). There's just so much to take in, leaving the listener wondering where the samples end and the live instrumentation begins. Yes, Fila Brazillia's output fits squarely within the chill-out tradition prevalent in the UK at that point in time, but their unmatched creativity and boundless approach to the studio process makes their music truly timeless.
Black Market Gardening is available as a 30th anniversary edition for the first time since 2001.
The Crystal Teardrop's first album, THE CRYSTAL TEARDROP IS FORMING, came out on Rise Above Records' subsidiary Popclaw in May 2025. Steeped in classic psychedelic guitar pop and the Paisley Underground scene, not to mention the broader 60s cultural aesthetic, it has made them firm favourites with audiences in the UK and Europe. Now, barely a year later, comes its infectious follow-up, LOVE YOU MORE, also on Popclaw. The songs on LOVE YOU MORE are fundamentally upbeat, but there are hard edges, both musically (check out the guitar solo on It's Too Late!) and lyrically.
The new album is inspired by the simultaneously magical and insidious ways that advertising and name-brand technology wraps itself around our memories. It’s an ambivalent ode to the nostalgic pull of commercial jingles and proprietary start-up sounds. The best things in life may be free, but childhood and corporate entertainment products are completely intertwined. The obsession with advertising and consumer technology informs the sonic make-up of the music as a source of raw material out of which the foundations of the tracks were built. Speaking on this impetus for the album Robbie Chater says ““It seems to be bound up with the nature of sampling itself. Once we start digging through forgotten sounds and uncovering their meaning, almost inevitably you get sent down a path of discovery. Every forgotten sound opens another door. And that’s what I love - feeling like a kid again. Diving into this whole world of advertising, looking at how jingles get made, it’s the kind of thing that keeps me interested in sampling as a process, an art form.”
You've never played a game like Blippo+ before, and you've never heard a video game soundtrack quite like Greatest Hits from Planet Blip.
Composed by Rob Kieswetter and Jona Bechtolt from the LA-based trio YACHT, the soundtrack collects 71 tracks from the cult classic video game Blippo+, reworked and sequenced into a continuous listen for this special release —a TV static-speckled gatefold double LP, out Oct. 16 via Hologram Opera, marking the soundtrack’s physical debut.
Taking the form of a cable TV simulator, Blippo+ captures the magical feeling of seizing a mysterious signal from outer space and discovering the television programming of an alien culture. Soundtracking the game’s pastiche of programs is Rob and Jona’s genre-spanning score—synth-heavy, eccentrically electronic, with a skewed sensibility that pays homage to cable access, library music, video art, and the late-night margins of the 80s and 90s underground.
TV obsessives will find plenty to love in Greatest Hits from Planet Blip: with surreal theme songs, jangly jingles, zippystings, catchy kitsch, period-accurate menu music and even pop hits from the alien airwaves, this propulsively playful soundtrack will have channel-flippers tingling with nostalgia.
“Planet Blip is an alien planet where art and music are the only currency and ‘consciousness particles’ form the basis of all media. To capture the spirit of this world, we drew inspiration
from all the music we felt best embodied this ethos and ran it through our own utopian blender,” say Bechtolt and Kieswetter.
Blippo+ is an award-winning, experimental, live-action video game created by YACHT and Telefantasy Studios, along with developers Noble Robot and Dustin Mierau, and published by Panic Games. It was released for Steam, Playdate and Nintendo Switch in 2025 to widespread
critical acclaim and has earned a devoted fandom. A Mac version followed earlier this year, and was nominated for an Apple Design Award.
"Simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic, otherworldly yet
welcoming, Blippo+ is an absolute artistic triumph.
" —Deven McClure, Screen Rant
"Blippo+’s presentation might ape old traditions, but the collective impact of its content is richer, deeper, and more entertaining than any mere remembrance.
" —Garrett Martin, Paste/Endless Mode
"In the increasingly reactionary and prescriptive landscape of video games, it is remarkable to encounter something so distinctive, so hopeful, so celebratory, so devoted to expanding the possibility space of art beyond a single medium." —Sam Bodrojan
MEMORIALS jump off the waterslides and head above the clouds with their stunning second album, ‘All Clouds Bring Not Rain’. The duo of Verity Susman and Matthew Simms (formerly of Electrelane and WIRE) locked themselves away in a studio in a barn secluded deep in the woods in southwestern France and re-emerged with a beautiful, unusual record that is both melodic and unconventional. For such an ambitious album it’s striking that it was written, performed, recorded and mixed solely by the two of them. Sounding like an unearthed classic, MEMORIALS twist their influences into their own unmistakable sound. Imagine Nico singing with Can produced by David Axelrod and you’re somewhere in the right ballpark.
The record draws inspiration from a wide range of music including folk, dub, post punk, experimental tape music, 60s soul, garage rock, 70s spiritual jazz and Canterbury prog. This attention to detail in their sound meant finding several other studios to get what they needed to record with, including a harpsichord at 4AD’s studio in London and a vibraphone and vintage Leslie speaker in Stereolab drummer Andy Ramsay’s studio Press Play. Verity’s distinctive, unadorned singing is a focal point of the record, moving from tender to wild. Her vocal melodies quickly become earworms, providing the tuneful heart around which the songs’ more unorthodox elements are arranged, which is where Matthew’s unconventional approach to recording and production comes to the fore. With their adventurous arrangements, classic songwriting skills and innovative production techniques, MEMORIALS have created another mesmerising listen that’s accomplished and compelling in its unique approach yet remains dizzyingly immersive - just like their acclaimed live shows.
Standing up for joy and pain and all the messy, confusing, beautiful details that make life worth living. Soulful and timeless, her songs tell stories of the heart, finding universal truths in the honesty of personal experience. Released on UK label Mr Bongo and College of Knowledge in Australia and New Zealand, Triumph & Sadness is her most profound album yet - a powerful and unique record inspired by a classic sweet soul sound and rooted in the contemporary moment. Reaching out with vulnerability and poise, it is a plea for connection in a world gone numb. Recorded over four fruitful days at an all- analogue studio in the stunning natural surroundings of rural Victoria (with additional sessions for horns vocals and overdubs at Sound Park in Northcote), Triumph & Sadness was cut directto-tape with all the urgency and warmth of the iconic '60s and '70s sessions that first inspired her. Written alongside Liam McGorry (Temporary Blessings), featuring collaborators from bands Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo and mixed by Daptone and The Womack Sisters collaborator Wayne Gordon, it captures the live energy of a band at the top of their game.
Dire Straits' arresting self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk's reign but couldn't have been further removed from the era's slash-and-burn style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band's tasteful, jazz-inflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n' roll. Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet's stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, which has remained revered among audiophiles the world over – and which has never been better than on this meticulous pressing.
Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Dire Straits features natural tonalities, superb balances, you-are-there imaging, deep-black backgrounds, and pristine clarity. Even if you've heard this album hundreds of times before, you've never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This numbered-edition collector's set immerses you within the smoky, laidback atmospherics of every song. This is how all vinyl should sound.
Crucial to every arrangement, Mark Knopfler's winding guitar lines emerge with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. His intricate playing comes across as if it's being transmitted via his 60s-era Fender Vibrolux amplifier placed right before you. The cleanliness, dimensions, and live feel are that good. His bandmates, too, benefit from the extra groove space afforded by this 45RPM edition. Rhythms skate and swirl; percussive effects resonate with crispness and attack; the leading edges of notes naturally decay.
Dire Straits' strong, well-edited batch of original material further enhances the overall enjoyment and makes the record one whose pleasures go far beyond the organic sonics. Just as Knopfler's narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings – an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads – mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. The lyrics are equally captivating.
Drawing from his time as a youth in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, Knopfler invests tunes with an autobiographical slant and emotional connectivity that become obvious the moment he opens his mouth to sing. "Down to the Waterline," "Wild West End," and "Lions" all feature colloquial touches that add to their reach. By extension, "In the Gallery" functions as a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips (father of future Knoplfer collaborator, Steve Phillips) while the record's breakout smash, "Sultans of Swing," pays homage to struggling bar bands.
Through it all, Dire Straits performs with a subtle cool and clever poise that no band ever matched. Just how good is the chemistry? Bob Dylan heard the quartet and invited Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on Slow Train Coming. But even Dylan himself didn't hear Dire Straits sound this magnetic back in its original heyday. Now, everyone can.
Accomplished trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator, Kamal Abdul-Alim has been actively involved in creative music for decades. He has toured Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. He has recorded with all kinds of bands, large and small, and performed in festivals all over the world. “He takes the postbop of the 50s and free-form jazz of the 60s and turns it into an even balance of fine textures. Alim, who is highly underrated, has one of the most beautiful tones and concepts of jazz. A master of improvisation, he knows the art of weaving different ideas, whether they stem from Manhattan’s lower East Side or Europe” (Hugh Wyatt, New York Daily News). “Dance” was recorded in 1983 but first released on vinyl in 1987. Rhythm section includes drummer Idris Muhammad. Original pressings are extremely rare and expensive. “Brotherhood” is a much sought after track on the jazz dance scene. There is a high demand for this title again on vinyl and pressings are limited to 1000 copies, all individually hand numbered.
Follow up to Goodge's 2023 album Echoes Of Yesterday. Previous releases found on Hip Dozer and Cascade Records. Tracks found on the popular Spotify Mellow Beats playlist. 11th in 'Jet Set' Cold Busted series. Designed and manufactured similar to the vintage 60's style rice paper sleeves. In his latest EP, Sunday Soul, Goodge takes listeners on a four-track journey through the heart of funk, masterfully blending elements of R&B, jazz, and chilled lo-fi. Released as part of Cold Busted's Jet Set series, this four-song offering follows Goodge's 2023 album Echoes Of Yesterday and showcases his dedication to crafting timeless music. "Lights Out" kicks off the EP with heavy funk and stirring breakbeats, accompanied by a scratchy guitar that summons the revolutionary spirit of the '70s. Horns serve as a call to action, while a rollicking bass line and chunky electric piano might inspire listeners to go out and fight crime. "Promised Land" follows, featuring a formidable funk bass guitar and lead guitar chords that rhythmically play off the delightfully busy drums, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the city's bustle. The title track, "Sunday Soul," is a rowdy affair with a speech-over-beats leading to crispy snare rolls and chiming electric piano. Shaker magic, staccato horn bleats, and spiral flute bits combine to create a swirling vintage-hued photograph of sound. The EP concludes with "Within Myself," a spacier sonic experience that could serve as the soundtrack for chasing someone across rooftops. It's funk spelled with a capital K. Sunday Soul is a must-listen for fans of of the heavier side of funk, solidifying Goodge's position as a master of his craft, creating a nostalgic yet fresh soundscape that keeps listeners grooving back for more.
Italian cinematic funk heroes Calibro 35 announce a limited edition 45 rpm vinyl featuring two previously unreleased singles. The record is pressed on clear orange vinyl, limited to 600 copies, making it a must-have collector’s item.
On the A side, Calibro 35 reimagine Grover Washington Jr.’s jazz-funk classic “Mister Magic” with an ultra-groovy cinematic funk stormer, perfect for DJs and collectors alike. On the B side, the Milan-based combo revitalizes Can’s krautrock anthem “Vitamin C” with a fresh jazz-punk energy, a track recently brought back into the spotlight through Kanye West’s sampling. Both tracks are taken from the Deluxe Edition of their latest studio album Exploration, set for digital worldwide release on February 6th via Record Kicks.
Praised by Rolling Stone as “the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years,” Calibro 35 have built an international reputation as one of the coolest independent bands around. Their music has been sampled by Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and The Child of Lov (featuring Damon Albarn), and they’ve collaborated with icons such as PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, and Stewart Copeland, continuing to push their cinematic funk universe further.
To celebrate the release, Calibro 35 will hit the road starting mid-October, with two special U.S. shows in Miami and Los Angeles, followed by a European tour including Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, and London.
Zwölftes und finales Studioalbum der US-Rocklegenden erstmals wieder auf Vinyl. - Erstes Album seit 1984 mit Original-Sänger David Lee Roth. - Sieben unveröffentlichte Demos aus den 70er/80er-Jahren neu eingespielt. - Top-Chart-Erfolg: Platz 2 der Billboard 200 und Gold-Status. - Audiophiles Schwergewicht: Hochwertige 180g Doppel-Vinyl für Sammler.
80 g vinyl + 60 x 60 cm poster of original Big city life artwork)
Stirring the cauldron of sound. From the acclaimed album Big City Life, artists that Smerz admire put those songs through themselves, to become a friendly mirror and or an alternative documentation.
With Yrdloop, Astrid Sonne, NEW YORK, Haloplus+, Molina, Erika de Casier, Fine, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, MIKE, Zack Sekoff, Elias Rønnenfelt, Fousheé, ML Buch, Clarissa Connelly, Cezinando, Toxe, VVTZJ and Clairo.
Following the success of the inaugural all-Jiri Jiri edition, Batov Records returns with the second instalment of its Give Me Disco series, once again curated by label co-founder and globe-trotting selector DJ Kobayashi. Rather than revisiting familiar disco classics, Give Me Disco Vol. 02 digs deeper, bringing together four dancefloor discoveries from across Europe and Asia, including two previously unreleased tracks available here for the first time.
Spanning Portuguese jazz-funk, Norwegian cosmic oddities, Japanese-inspired psychedelic disco and cinematic groove, the EP reflects the breadth of Kobayashi's record bag - a carefully assembled selection of tracks that have soundtracked his DJ sets for years alongside exclusive material rescued from the vaults.
Opening the record is The Bam Jam Band's brilliantly understated "Theme", a soaring slice of jazz-infused disco from Portuguese musicians Sérgio Alves and Pedro Tenreiro. Originally released only as a now long-sold-out 7 inch on Mad About Records, the track has become one of Kobayashi's trusted secret weapons, championed by discerning selectors including Darryn Jones and Red Greg. Built around Alves' dazzling synthesiser work, "Theme" finally gets the wider audience it deserves. The EP's first exclusive arrives courtesy of D. Apal, instrumentalist and member of Norway's Flammer Dance Band. His only solo release, issued on the band's Lysketrekk Records, has become a cult favourite among adventurous record collectors. Batov now unveils the previously unreleased "60 Meter'n (Rytme)", an extended instrumental dub that strips away the vocals to let the handclaps, cavernous bassline, dub effects and wonderfully eccentric synthesisers breathe, transforming an underground favourite into an irresistible dancefloor weapon.
Side B opens with YĪN YĪN's "Tokyo Disco", taken from the band's acclaimed third album Mount Matsu on Glitterbeat Records. Long-time admirers of the Dutch quartet, Kobayashi has championed them since first hearing the breakthrough pairing of "Dis ̄ kô Dis ̄ kô" and "Dion Ysiusk" on Bongo Joe. Since then, he has hosted the band twice on Soho Radio and supported them live in London. "Tokyo Disco" perfectly captures YĪN YĪN's distinctive blend of Japanese-inspired psychedelia, Southeast Asian influences, post-punk funk and shimmering disco grooves, making it a natural fit for the Give Me Disco series.
Closing the EP is another exclusive from Jiri Jiri, whose contribution helped launch the series on Vol. 01. Ahead of their forthcoming album later this year, the duo unveil the previously unreleased "Spaghetti Western", a wonderfully off-kilter fusion of Morricone-esque cinematic atmosphere, taut funk rhythms and the soulful modern groove of SAULT. Equal parts soundtrack and dancefloor curveball, it provides a fitting finale while offering another tantalising glimpse of what's still to come. With two exclusive cuts sitting alongside two carefully chosen modern classics, Give Me Disco Vol. 02 is another lovingly curated snapshot of DJ Kobayashi's musical universe: borderless, groove-driven and unapologetically built for adventurous DJs, discerning collectors and open minded dancefloors alike.
Surprise Chef’s album Frogs In A Pond is an examination into, and an expression of, a shared human experience. Based in Australia, the quintet found inspiration from European film composers working in the late 60s and early 70s. The music expresses musical themes with a cinematic landscape of moods and feelings that evoke emotion without the listener having watched the film for which the music was composed, pushing boundaries that dictate a unique perspective to their music.
Surprise Chef’s album Frogs In A Pond is an examination into, and an expression of, a shared human experience. Based in Australia, the quintet found inspiration from European film composers working in the late 60s and early 70s. The music expresses musical themes with a cinematic landscape of moods and feelings that evoke emotion without the listener having watched the film for which the music was composed, pushing boundaries that dictate a unique perspective to their music.
Ever-evolving Amsterdam duo ANOTR continue their forward momentum with the release of their highly anticipated third studio album, ‘Withness’, out via their own imprint No Art. Rooted firmly in dance music, ‘Withness’ sees the pair refine their sound into their most dance-floor focused and cohesive project to date.
Born during their global tour, ‘Withness’ was shaped in real time: written, tested and refined on dancefloors across the world. Following the expansive, genre-blurring approach of their 2025 LP ‘On A Trip’, the duo felt a pull back toward the club - not as a limitation, but as a unifying space. “We really wanted to have a wide variety of songs that we can play out and create moments,” they explain. “Every track needed to make sense wherever people come together to dance.”
That intention sits at the heart of ‘Withness’. A title that reimagines the idea of “witnessing” into something more active and collective. ‘Withness’ is an album about experiencing life with others. It’s about the moments you share, the people who shape them, and the energy that becomes real only when you’re fully present. The album captures the collective high of friendship. Whether in a packed club, at a festival, or in a living room with friends, the album is designed to soundtrack moments of connection.
“The memories you make with people, they’re the witness of those moments. Withness is about being in it together.” - ANOTR
Sonically, the album marks a clear evolution. Drawing from their early club roots while building on the songwriting confidence developed on their previous records, classic drum machines and 909 samples sit alongside warm, 80s-tinged textures, layered vocals and modern production techniques, creating a sound that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
A key part of the process was spontaneity. The duo embraced a free-flowing, collaborative studio environment, often working with a rotating cast of contributors. Their now-signature “open mic” approach encouraged anyone in the room to experiment with melodies, lyrics and vocal ideas. This energy translates directly into the album’s standout moments. From the euphoric pull of ‘Withness’ to the groove-led ‘Do It With Ya’, the uplifting ‘Paradise’, each track is built to live beyond a single setting.
The LP comes at a timely moment, as their single ‘Talk To You ft. 54 Ultra’ has become the biggest global breakout dance single this year. Sitting firmly in Spotify’s Global Top 200, it has surpassed 175 million streams, and is currently No. 21 in the UK Singles Chart. Spotify have tipped it in their much-coveted global ‘Sound Of The Summer 2026’ list and other highlights include peaking at No. 7 in Shazam’s Global Chart, No.1 on Beatport Top 100 and gaining over 600M UGC views so far.
Erasmo Carlos’ Carlos, Erasmo is a landmark of early-’70s Brazilian rock, where Tropicalia, fuzzed-out psych, soul, funk and Brazilian pop meet in brilliantly adventurous form. Produced by Manoel Barenbein with arrangements by Rogério Duprat, it also features Os Mutantes players Sérgio Dias, Dinho Leme and Liminha, plus guitarist Lanny Gordin.
Opening with De Noite na Cama, written for Erasmo by Caetano Veloso, the album moves with real freedom between sensual pop, hard-edged psych and off-kilter grooves. Erasmo’s partnership with Roberto Carlos sits alongside songs by Jorge Ben and Marcos Valle, making this a genuine meeting point for some of Brazil’s most inventive voices.
Tracks like Maria Joana, Agora Ninguém Chora Mais, 26 Anos de Vida Normal, Ciça Cecília, Mundo Deserto, Sodoma e Gomorra and Masculino Feminino show just how wide Erasmo’s vision was: raw, playful, soulful and beautifully unruly.
Released by Polydor Records on April 1, 1972, Mandrill Is is the second album by Mandrill, the Brooklyn seven-piece led by brothers Carlos, Lou, and Ric Wilson.
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios during the winter of 1971?72, it finds the band refining the adventurous blend of funk, soul, jazz, rock, and Latin rhythms established on their acclaimed debut. With its powerful horn section, deep grooves, percussion-rich arrangements, and flashes of psychedelia and jazz-rock, Mandrill Is sounds both tighter and more ambitious than its predecessor. "Ape Is High" and the horn-driven "Git It All" deliver the album's most immediate funk, while "Cohelo" and "Kofijahm" explore Latin and Afro-diasporic rhythmic traditions. "Children of the Sun" and "Lord of the Golden Baboon" stretch further into expansive, progressive territory, revealing a band as interested in atmosphere, arrangement, and instrumental interplay as in the groove itself. The album's strength lies precisely in that refusal to settle into one category. Mandrill use funk as a foundation for moving freely between soul, jazz, rock, Latin music, and psychedelic textures, creating a sound that is unmistakably their own.
Mandrill Is captures the group at an important early peak: more focused and confident than their debut, yet still willing to follow the music wherever it leads. Pressed on 180g vinyl.
Willkommen zurück, The Charities eine süße, Soul-begeisterte 5-köpfige Band aus dem sonnigen Kalifornien. Sie sind mit ihrer zweiten 45er wieder bei Colemine vertreten, und es wird noch viel mehr folgen. Die A-Seite, Movin' on", ist ein Song, der von Anthony Masino, einem guten Freund der Band und Produzenten, geschrieben wurde. Der Song wurde bei Penrose Recorders in Riverside, Kalifornien, aufgenommen und abgemischt und ist ein echter Trennungs-Klassiker. Voller Soul ist er eine schonungslose Reflexion über die Entscheidungen im Leben. Ein kraftvoller Song, der direkt auf den Punkt kommt; klanglich sowohl traurig als auch triumphierend. Auf der B-Seite ist I'm Still Learning How". Stark inspiriert von vielen großartigen Songs der 60er Jahre mit zweistimmigen Harmonien, drückt der Song aus, dass Liebe ein Lernprozess ist. Nur weil es anfangs nicht klappt, heißt das nicht, dass man nicht wachsen und lernen kann.
Ibiza-based Jazz N Palms is back with more musical dispatches from the calmer side of the island that follow on from his Ses Rodes album in 2022. That record was focused on a double album assembled, as if over a Cartesian grid of space-time. While one record was about space/the environment, the other was following the times of the day. This 7" expands that with more music inspired by magical island spaces.
These tracks were recorded in Magrana Studio in Ibiza with three new musicians and, after the post-production, the mixing was made with the help of Ben Westbeech and his beautiful Unfairchild II, an amazing Californian reproduction of the holy grail of tube compressor that has been present in Abbey Road studios since the 60s.
Opener 'El Valle' ('the valley') captures the different shades of light that pass over Ibiza, from early spring light to the arrival of looming clouds and the first thunders of a summer storm. It is the organ which serves as the main character to convey those sensations and the passing from light to dark as a live, loose and dusty groove bounces below. On the flip side, 'La Costa' simulates cruising on the open sea, riding choppy swells as waves lap at the boat and you gaze at the passing landscapes. Only drums and bass have been used to convey the feeling, and the result is a wonderfully uneven, ever-evolving and funky groove full of life.
Originally released in 2014, Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles is now being reissued on limited-edition gold vinyl.
The album tells a story of the intersection of the material world and the world of the spirit. Includes fan favorites "I Never Wear White" and "Crack in the Wall,” plus "Song of the Stoic" and “Don't Uncork What You Can’t Contain,” and "Horizon", written for Vaclav Havel.
Produced and arranged by Gerry Leonard, the album features an illustrious group of musicians including longtime Vega bass player Mike Visceglia and drummer Doug Yowell, bass player Gail Ann Dorsey and drummer Zachary Alford (David Bowie), bass player Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), drummer Jay Bellerose (T-Bone Burnett), and Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan) who plays banjo, mandolin, and cymbal throughout the album. Additional contributions feature drummer Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, B52s) and Alison Balsom, the virtuoso principal trumpet for the London Chamber Orchestra. Catherine Russell, known for her work with David Bowie and Paul Simon, adds background vocals.
The strings were recorded in the Czech Republic with the Smichov Chamber Orchestra. The album was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Kevin Killen.
Eric Whitacre verbindet William Blakes Poesie mit Stimmen, Synthesizern, Streichern und Klavier.
Mit *Eternity in an Hour* präsentiert der Grammy-prämierte Komponist ein neues, rund 60-minütiges
Werk. Inspiriert wurde es von William Blakes Gedicht *Auguries of Innocence* und dessen berühmter
Anfangszeile „To see a world in a grain of sand“. Das Album markiert zugleich den Beginn einer erneuerten
Zusammenarbeit mit Decca Classics.
Whitacre dirigiert seine Eric Whitacre Singers sowie Streicher und verbindet ihren Klang mit elektronischen Texturen, Synthesizern und Klavier. Das Werk wurde 2024 bei den BBC Proms uraufgeführt.
Ausgangspunkt der Komposition ist die Granularsynthese: Für jeden Satz werden kleinste Ausschnitte aus
Blakes Versen herausgelöst und musikalisch neu zusammengesetzt.
Zum Einsatz kommen unter anderem ein Lyra-8-Synthesizer, ein Tascam-424-Tonbandgerät und der 125
Jahre alte Flügel von Whitacres Großmutter, dessen Klang ihn seit seiner Kindheit begleitet.
Die digitale Ausgabe und die CD ergänzen das Werk um *Auguries of Innocence*, eine Sammlung atmosphärischer Neubearbeitungen mit IDRA, Jess Gillam und Elin Piel.
Ein facettenreiches Album, das Whitacres musikalische Entwicklung in konzentrierter Form hörbar macht.
„Zarro“ war die erste Studioaufnahme des verstorbenen jamaikanischen Sängers Wayne Smith, der 1985 mit „Under Mi Sleng Teng“ zur Stimme der digitalen Revolution des Dancehall werden sollte. Diese Aufnahme aus dem Jahr 1980 für den Produzenten Prince Jammy, der auch „Sleng Teng“ produzierte, verwendet denselben Begleittrack wie Lacksley Castells „What A Great Day“, das ebenfalls auf 7-Zoll-Single (VPGS7107) erhältlich ist. Smiths Version wurde vor dieser 7-Zoll-45er-Single noch nie veröffentlicht und war nur gelegentlich auf Jammys Soundsystem in Jamaika zu hören. Der „Zarro“, auf den er sich bezieht, ist der TV-Selbstjustizler Zorro, ein maskierter Popkultur-Held aus den Disney-Western der 1950er und 60er Jahre, den Smith aus den „Spätabendfilmen“ zitiert. Neben dieser ersten Aufnahme und dem bekannteren „Under Mi Sleng Teng“ nahm Smith auch herausragende, aber wenig bekannte LPs für Jammy auf, darunter „Youthman Skanking“ aus dem Jahr 1982 (VPGSRL7098) und „Smoker Super“ aus dem Jahr 1985 (VP4269).
After the storm of their self-titled debut, Geneva duo Bound By Endogamy return to Pinkman with an album that trades brute force for precision. The rage remains, but it's sharpened, disciplined, and driven by melancholy rather than rupture. Their minimal synth and industrial instincts rise to the surface, carving out room for melody without softening their confrontational edge. Angular basslines coil beneath Kleio Thomaides' voice, at times detached and at times devastating, while Shlomo Balexert's drum programming and synth work build a taut metallic tension. The result is both intimate and mechanical: love songs for disenchanted souls, post-punk electronics stripped to the bare wire. Bound By Endogamy have always blurred the line between performance and survival, and here they do it with minimal gestures and maximum impact.
Wayne Shorter stepped out as a Blue Note artist on his masterful 1964 label debut Night Dreamer, a sublime set that signalled the arrival of one of the most important saxophonists and composers in jazz history. Timeless Shorter compositions are given transcendent performances by a quintet with Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Take a trip back to the golden age of popular music with Golden Oldies, a 2LP collection bringing together 40 timeless favourites from the 1950s and early ’60s. Featuring legendary artists including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, Etta James and Bobby Darin, this hit-packed set captures an unforgettable era of rock ’n’ roll, pop, soul and rhythm & blues. Highlights include Johnny B. Goode, Heartbreak Hotel, The Wanderer, Mack The Knife, Crying and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – classic recordings that still sound as good today as they ever did.
Foreigner – Head Games (Remixed) (1LP) Multi-Platin-Klassiker erstmals im neuen Studio-Sound auf Vinyl. - Neuer Studio-Remix auf 180g Vinyl - Inklusive der Megahits „Dirty White Boy“ & „Head Games“ - Mastering überwacht von Jeff Pilson - Limitierte Erstauflage für den Fachhandel
“Cue Blue”, the latest and fifth studio recording from Australian down under, gritty jazzfunk grooves ensemble Kerbside Collection sees a return to a more classic, stripped back, meat-and-potatoes, home-cooked, quartet formation sound of guitar, bass, drums and brass.
A sound formed on previous, recent recordings (incl. Golden Rules compilation tune “Fleet Streak” etc), seemingly harking back to the approach of the group’s first recordings (2013’s “Mind The Curb”, “Night in Tunisia” etc), whilst embodying inspirations from more ‘true school’, classic, bluesy New Orleans funk and soul groove flavours à la early Meters, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Melvin Sparks, Billy Butler etc. But it’s not all completely ‘retro’ and ‘looking back’, the album definitely taps into some of the current exponents and leaders of the contemporary deep funk sound – The Greyboy Allstars, Eddie Roberts, The New Mastersounds, The Mighty Mocambos, Breakestra and fellow Aussie funksters Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Lance Ferguson and The Bamboos etc.
The lead single and first tune “Shivers” gives us a clear, picture and definitive opening statement to the record with all the characteristics you’ve come to expect from the Kerbside gritty jazzfunk sound: silky guitar line phrasing, rubbery bass-lines, tight crusty drum breaks, and sweet brass arrangements. Then it’s straight into a frenetic, jangly, mod-funk workout complete with Northern Soul & Motown inflections in the surging B sections. “City Park Avenue” conjures up classic New Orleans funk flavours with its strutting brass, slinky guitar and swinging tambourine groove. There’s classic, b-boy funk territory covered in “Coffee Grinder” (a breakdance move) with its razor-sharp drum break groove and chunky riff complete with sizzling trombone solo. Before the pace of the record changes up with the finger-clicken’, hand-clappin’ boogaloo, reminiscent of early 60s Harlem x Puerto Rican Bronx sounds (à la Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto) loaded with a scintillating baritone sax solo from long standing part of the collection ‘Papa Joe’ Roberts.
“Sittin’ On The Porch” cools the temperature down even more, delving into slight Southern Louisiana Delta blues territory, while suggesting some of the hot and muggy atmosphere and imagery of their home town location in suburban Brisbane Australia, complete with kooky Casio percussion representing familiar yard sounds such as sprinklers (spinning lawn watering devices) and ‘mozzies’ (mosquitos), passing cars indicated by trombone, and guitarist TC Tyler, channelling some bluesy John Lee Hooker, R.L. Burnside guitar flavours - you can almost feel the humidity on your skin.
Then it’s time for a stroll down memory lane, with their version of a People Under The Stairs hip hop classic “San Francisco Knights”, bringing the tune full circle back into band mode, also with another tasty guitar solo. The album then enters its final stages with a mesmerising, soulful, jazz ballad “Shimmer”, complete with Elliott Parker’s sultry upright double bass, and trombone taking the melody for a gentle stroll down the street. The album finally closes and arrives at its title “Cue Blue”, a classic blue-eyed soul number (penned by bassist Parker), emitting the scent of true school, vintage R&B and soul (à la Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye).
An album of funky arrangements and refined compositions, mostly penned by recent new-ish member, guitarist Tyler (for fans of Tower of Power & John Scofield guitar playing) taking the ensemble through their paces with all the usual characteristics of the Kerbside sound, on top a groove that will take you round-the-block-and-back :P Gritty jazzfunk and rustic soul grooves with definite bluesy overtones, some classic 60s, 70s flourishes and down-home funk flavours.
Clara is the lead singer of Dakka Skanks, a Ska Punk band based in Brighton UK. Here she delivers two incredible new versions of Reggae classics from Brown Sugar & Rita Marley.
"I really like Clara’s voice, & this is the first of a series of releases from her on Soulside Productions. She is like my little sister; a strong woman who effortlessly captures the sound of the classic female vocalists from 60s & 70s Reggae" Marv Mack, Soulside Productions
Die 13-fache Grammy-Preisträgerin Lady Gaga veröffentlicht am 07. März ihr siebtes Studioalbum „MAYHEM“.
„MAYHEM“ ist eine triumphale Rückkehr zu Gagas Pop-Wurzeln und verbindet ihre eklektische Energie
mit einer furchtlosen künstlerischen Vision und erfindet ihren frühen Sound mit einem kaleidoskopischen
Ansatz neu.
Unter den 14 Tracks des Albums befinden sich die bereits veröffentlichten Hits „Disease“ und „Die With
a Smile“ mit Bruno Mars.
„Disease“ wurde von The Independent als ‚ihr bestes Stück seit langem‘ gefeiert, und The Guardian lobte
die ‚zischenden, verzerrten Synthies‘ und den ‚stampfenden, leicht industriellen Beat‘. Das von Tanu Muino
gedrehte Musikvideo zu „Disease“ wurde von der Vogue als „eines der besten Videos des Jahres“ gelobt.
„Die With a Smile“, Gagas chart-erobernde Zusammenarbeit mit Bruno Mars, hat sich zu einer weltweiten
Sensation entwickelt. Die Ballade, die sich derzeit in der dritten Woche auf Platz 1 der Billboard Hot 100
befindet, ist für 2 Grammy Awards dieses Jahr nominiert, darunter für den Song des Jahres und die beste
Pop-Duo-/Gruppen-Performance.
Zu den Produzenten des Albums gehören Gaga, Andrew Watt, Cirkut und Gesaffelstein.
