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Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

Introducing the debut release from Unreleased Sex Desire, the exciting new label crafted by Funksonik. Presenting USD001 - an EP showcasing the collaborative brilliance of Funksonik, also known as Niccolò Turini and Enrico Dragoni. This four-track compilation, infused with elements of house, deep house, jazz, and soul, guarantees an unparalleled musical experience. Standout features include a mesmerizing remix by Glenn Underground and a soulful vocal mix by the talented Javonntte. Don't miss out on this exceptional EP!"

Gary Beck returns to Mutual Rytm as he unveils a selection of impactful cuts across his debut 12'' on the label, 'Upside Criminal'.

Bek Audio boss and Glasgow techno mainstay Gary Beck has long been a key figure in the scene with a unique sound that has shaped a vast discography. One of the genre's best, with appearances across iconic institutions and collaborations with legendary talents, he is a definitive talent. Returning to SHDW's Mutual Rytm imprint, his new EP lands following his recent appearance on the label's 'Federation Of Rytm III' VA, with the tracks on the package proving as go-to favourites for the label boss over recent months.

''Mutual Rytm has been nothing short of inspirational to me over the last years. I've been playing almost
everything from the label, as the tracks really suited what I was selecting in my DJ sets. The high-quality output really got my juices going to create something for the label, and I was delighted when Marco liked what I sent. This EP signals exactly where I am musically. I'm an absolute sucker for tracks with relentless groovy energy and little breaks, so it felt like a perfect fit. Tracks from the EP have been an absolute joy to play in my sets recently,
and I'm so excited to deliver this EP on my current favourite label, Mutual Rytm.'' - Gary Beck.

The powerful 'Upside Criminal' kicks off with hammering drums and pounding hits that create an inescapable wall of sound that will dominate dance floors of any size. There is more loopy energy to 'Sambana' with its ever more jagged synth stabs and fizzing drum textures while 'Pepper Track' is a futuristic techno workout with rattling snares and mutant synth details peeling off the straight-up groove. 'Rejected' is built around trapped vocal fragments that swirl about the mix to a disorientating effect as the high-speed drums and sheet metal synths race onwards, 'while
Ghost' closes out with a subtle sense of uplifting celebration from the synths that rise up through rusty, rickety techno grooves. Digital Bonus 'Variation 6.1' offers another searing and funky techno stomp, once again providing an extra gem for digital purchasers.

Domenique Dumont’s fourth album, Deux Paradis, arrives like the three that came before it – with an air of mystery and wonder. This is dance music for inner worlds – rituals, revelations and reveries.
Deux Paradis is a ten-track song cycle that leads the listener through the rhythm of a day, the bloom and fade of a relationship, or even the stages of a life.

It begins with a song about waking up – the candy-striped dub of “Enchantia” – and traces the sun’s arc with the pixelated reggae of “La Vie Va” and the sensuous rush of “Amants Ennemis”. As night falls, the songs take on a twilight quality in the
shimmering pop of “The Order of Invisible Things” and the seductive pulse of “Visages Visages” (a subtle nod to the Desireless classic). There’s also the baroque swoon of “Deux Paradis” and the soft exotica of “Visiteur de la Nuit”. Bolder and richer than before, it’s vintage Domenique Dumont – timeless and romantic, yet laced with an unplaceable sense of longing, like in an Éric Rohmer film. After the instrumental film score People On Sunday (Leaf, 2020) – composed solo by Arturs Liepins – singer Anete Stuce returns to Domenique Dumont, bringing her inimitable joie de vivre. Deux Paradis completes a trilogy of releases alongside Comme Ça (2015) and Miniatures De Auto Rhythm (2018) on the Antinote label.

Deux Paradis was composed, arranged and between 2022 and the end of 2024 in studios in Riga and Paris, and on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa.

Repress!

The funky, atmospheric, evocative and sometimes downright weird output of companies such as DeWolfe, Cavendish, Burton and the ubiquitous KPM have always been a guiding inspiration for ATA Records, as evidenced in the spooky soundtrack works of The Sorcerers, the big band brass of The Yorkshire Film & Television Orchestra and even in the soul-jazz of The Lewis Express ('Theme From The Watcher').

It only seemed natural for the team at ATA Records to scratch their own Library itch and so last year's "The Library Archive Vol. 1" was born. Recorded over a series of sessions in the Alladins cave of vintage recording equipment that is ATA studios, it featured many of the stalwart musicians from the label who can also be found recording with The Sorcerers, Work Money Death and The Lewis Express.

Garnering praise from Library aficionado Shawn Lee("Holy F*$K this sounds great! ATA really smash the classic British Library sound. 10 out of 10") and the Don of British Library Music himsel fAlan Hawkshaw, "The Library Archive Vol. 1" was very well received and so a follow up was inevitable. Recorded during the Autumn of 2020, "The Library Archive Vol. 2" still has the golden age of European Library music squarely in it's sights, but this time the focus is drawn more to the wonky organ work of Italian quartet I Marc 4.

Each track has been lovingly crafted with a keen ear for authenticity and the same eye for detail shown on 'The Library Archive Vol. 1', recorded on the same instruments and equipment and with the same techniques as the music that inspired it.

The Library Archive is a labour of love for the label with more volumes planned.

From his early-’60s days as hip shaker Twistin’ Harvey to his late-’70s nights on the light up dance floor in search of a “Disco Lady,” Harvey Scales survived scrapes with the pop charts, bankrupt record companies, walk outs, sit ins, strikes, price hikes, lay offs, and under table payoffs over a 40 year career. Compiled here for the first time are Scales’ Cuca and Magic Touch recordings, 27 slabs of cracker jack R&B, stomping northern soul, divorce-ridden deep soul, feverish funk, and hustling disco spread across 2 LPs and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket.. Bill Dahl’s in depth notes document the entire sordid affair, with dozens of period photos and ephemeral bits illustrating the accompanying 20 page book. So necessary.

From his early-’60s days as hip shaker Twistin’ Harvey to his late-’70s nights on the light up dance floor in search of a “Disco Lady,” Harvey Scales survived scrapes with the pop charts, bankrupt record companies, walk outs, sit ins, strikes, price hikes, lay offs, and under table payoffs over a 40 year career. Compiled here for the first time are Scales’ Cuca and Magic Touch recordings, 27 slabs of cracker jack R&B, stomping northern soul, divorce-ridden deep soul, feverish funk, and hustling disco spread across 2 LPs and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket.. Bill Dahl’s in depth notes document the entire sordid affair, with dozens of period photos and ephemeral bits illustrating the accompanying 20 page book. So necessary.

Legendary artist, Raincoats co-founder, songwriter, filmmaker, and feminist icon Gina Birch has announced her eagerly awaited second solo album, Trouble, arriving via Third Man Records on Friday, July 11. Pre-orders are available now.

Trouble is heralded by today’s premiere of the album’s blistering centerpiece, “Causing Trouble Again,” available for streaming now. An official music video – directed by famed photographer/filmmaker Dean Chalkley and featuring an all-star collective of fellow female artists including Birch’s longtime friend and co-founder of The Raincoats, Ana da Silva, Neo Naturists co-founder Christine Binnie, singer-songwriter Amy Rigby, X-Ray Spex and Essential Logic co-founder Lora Logic, painter Daisy Parris, artist Georgina Starr, writer Jill Westwood, multi-disciplinary artist and activist Bobby Baker, award-winning costume designer Annie Symons, veteran photographer and Raincoats collaborator Shirley O’Loughlin, and many more – is streaming now on YouTube.

“For the ‘Causing Trouble Again’ video, after hearing Bob Dylan sing about a white ladder all covered with water, I became obsessed with white ladders,” Gina Birch says. “ I decided to use five white ladders, three with seven rungs…I realized later that this references Jacob’s Ladder and a connection from Earth to heaven, but I think I was thinking of ladders as a symbol of getting on, getting up. I wanted to have a choreographed movement with four of us with these ladders. How do we move with ladders? Do we move together, do we fight, do we dance? “I also wanted to reference the wind scene from the film, The Colour of Pomegranates, and to include as many artist women from the Women in Revolt exhibition as I could.

Berlin’s ZentaSkai continues his slew of limited-run 200-copy vinyl releases via his Mask Records this July, presenting the ‘JIMMY’ EP, and following up last year’s ‘Bob’ EP and two instalments from his Cuddling Monsters project with Laura Merino Allue.

Across the four tracks on ‘JIMMY’, ZentaSkai delves deep, placing mysterious, foreboding synths over crunchy taped drums and exploring a variety of tempos. Dub influences are rife, its elements echoing across carefully laid-out Techno grooves while minimal shifts subtly build the energy. With ‘JIMMY’, ZentaSkai once again offers a journey through sound already supported by Luke Slater, Blasha & Allatt, Truncate, Elisa Bee, and many more. ZentaSkai (aka No Mad Ronin, Matt Nowak, and MASK) is a German DJ and producer active since 1997. Based out of his studio in Berlin, ZentaSkai runs the Zaijenroots label and, since 2017, the Mask sub-label, which houses his stunning 2023 ‘Architecture of the Mind’ LP as well as his Cuddling Monsters alias - with other credits including a release on Jerome Sydenham’s Ibadan Records and support from the likes of Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, Marcel Dettmann, Luke Slater, Laurant Garnier, DVS1, Ben Sims and Radio Slave.

After the nostalgic disco album Lido Sirena and the spiritual housy Aqua Viva, Francesco Fisotti came back with his adriatic sound, this time inspired by the broken-beat scene from the 2000s accompanied by the young talented Italian singer Lauryyn, the musical genius Stefano De Santis and remixes by Steal Tapes and XL Regular. The sound from Apulia never been so bruk, blue and eclectic.

A1 - Sequence Array
Exquisitely filtered breaks open Sequence Array as Aural Imbalance opens the EP with a glorious intro capped off with a tight 808 bassline solo before the dependable, rapturous crunch of amens thrash their way into the mix. Programmed with dextrous skill allowing the crisp subtleties of the breaks to breathe among the layers upon layers of floral ambience, this one is an amen journey to remember.

A2 - In Formation
A more understated affair takes the stage as In Formation is introduced by airy pads and light DJ-friendly filtered breaks in the backdrop before a punchy yet delicate break pattern - high on the juddering snares and low on the kicks - ushers us along through plinky melodies and mood-elevating synthwork, completing a journey of reflective solitude from the master of ambient atmospherics.

AA1 - Voices From Neptune
Light keys and excitable, shimmering waves of ambience kick off the elegantly composed Voices from Neptune, setting a sumptuous tone before the uniquely constructed breakbeats commence. Kicks and energetic hi hats & snares are soon joined with a light Hot Pants break, crisp and complimentary in the mix as low pass melodies bask in the soothing swathes of exquisite synthwork.

AA2 - Decoded Message
Closing out the EP, Aural Imbalance sets free his Decoded Message, opening with a quietly suspense-fuelled intro flecked with light hi hats before a yearning, mournful melody intersects with a tapestry of ambient pads and effects. Swirling with an array of subtle jangling melodies to form a kaleidoscope of spine-tingling mood music, the compositions capped-off with old-school breakbeats riddled with analogue charm and earthy bass.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

The album opens with "Hypnagogia," an ode to the space between sleep and wakefulness where we are open to other realms of consciousness. The song slowly builds along a steady pulse provided by bassist Pickle (Nicole Smith) and drummer Rikki Styxx. Tripped out saxophone bleats from guest player Gabe Flores swirl on top of the organ drones laid out by guest keyboardist Gregg Foreman. The band's choral objectives for Under the Spell of Joy are established right off the bat, with Bonnie Bloomgarden's melodic invocations bolstered by a choir, giving the album a rich and vibrant wall-of-sound aesthetic. The song ominously builds on its hypnotic foundation until it opens up into a raucous revelry at the four-minute mark. The portentous simmer of the opening track yields to the ecstatic rocker "Hold My Hand," where verses reminiscent of Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting For The Man" explode into big triumphant choruses. From there the band launches into the title track, which marries the griminess of The Stooges with an innocence provided by a children's choir chanting the album's primary mantra "under the spell of joy / under the spell of love." Death Valley Girls have always vacillated between lightness and darkness, and on "Bliss Out" they demonstrate their current exuberant focus with a patina-hued pop song driven by an irrepressibly buoyant organ line laid down by keyboardist The Kid (Laura Kelsey). A similar cosmic euphoria is obtained on "The Universe," where alternating chords on the organ help elevate soaring saxophone and keyboard lines out beyond the stratosphere. If you're looking for transcendental rock music, look no further.

For her second full-length as Plume Girl, Sowmya Somanath crafts a space where boundaries of language, feeling, and sound start to dissolve. ‘Unnameable Glory’ ruminates on the limits of expression, and the luminous freedom that emerges when we let go of the need to name. Elaborating on the exploratory songs of her debut, Plume Girl continues to bring together Hindustani classical improvisation, ambient soundscapes, and experimental pop.

Somanath’s voice—from gentle murmur to radiant call—guides the listener through dreamlike arrangements: sunrise guitar arpeggios, humming choirs, heartbeat kickdrums, and synths tremble. Elsewhere field sounds and old family recordings are collaged, a woman’s giggle transposed into a piano melody, a sloshing body of water mirrored by synth bleeps. Plume Girl conjures moments of revelation, drawing from the natural beauty and intuition, that unnameable glory.

Is there a divinity or a wholeness that exists beyond language, belief, or tradition? Unnameable Glory both celebrates and gently challenges the notion: Can we honour the creative richness of culture while also seeing through the divisions it creates? Can we meet the world—and each other—without assumption, without fear, with eyes made new? In these songs, the sacred is found not in grand gestures, but in the anonymous freedom of simply being: the iridescence of oil and water on a street, the smile of a stranger, the hush that settles by a creek.

At the heart of the album is a sense of curiosity and surrender—a willingness to listen without judgment, to let the moment be unnameable, to allow wonder to arise and dissolve. And yet, as Somanath notes, there’s an impulse to capture that’s tough to ignore; a need to replicate and remember. Unnameable Glory dwells in this tension: between holding and letting go, between the urge to define and the beauty of what cannot be contained. There is a quiet, revolutionary joy in simply living and sensing together. Music becomes a meeting place for the whole, the holy, and the unnamable.

In 1995, when Cobweb-day was released, Fabrice Laureau was 24, Nicolas Laureau 21, Ludovic Morillon 22, and Quentin Rollet, who had just joined them on this new album, was 21. Prohibition, founded in 1989, had already released two albums: Turtle in 1993 and Nobodinside in 1994, on the Distorsion label. Cobweb-day, literally "Spider-web Day," is poetic, satirical, and libertarian. A title conceived by Nicolas to express all the feelings and themes explored on the album, this neologism also echoes the artwork on the cover. The lyrics describe, in vitriolic poetry and with a touch of self-deprecation, a world based on the powers of commodification and order, on submission to modern Molochs. Thirty years ago, it addressed themes such as the trade in minds and bodies, Kafkaesque justice, state violence, and Western blindness. Is this a coincidence that might raise a smile? Fabrice and Nicolas were both conscientious objectors at the time the album was written. The deceptively childish drawing that adorns the cover was created by Fabrice in 1989. It evokes African art and the skyscraper where the brothers grew up. Its title? "Glances on the Horizon." Yet, in these naive eyes, locked in a rhizomic matrix, there is the disturbing sensation of being observed, scrutinized, or perhaps imprisoned. This is Cobweb-day. During this period, the band spent its entire life touring with the British post-punk trio Headcleaner and the furious Lyon-based Condense. Their correspondence, followed by a meeting in 1994 with Guy Picciotto, singer-guitarist in Fugazi, led to a series of concerts with the Washington, DC quartet, around the time of the album's release in the spring of 1995. Quentin Rollet gradually joined the band, first on stage and then on the records. The concerts of this era often ended with long improvisations featuring saxophone, sitar, bass, and drums. Prohibition had emerged from the shadows, but chose to continue evolving underground, with the Laureau brothers creating their label Prohibited Records. Cobweb-day serves as the first reference. Thirty years ago, then. The album was recorded at Ark Studios near Paris in January 1995, along with eight other previously unreleased tracks. This new mix was created at Black Box Studios by Peter Deimel and Nicolas from 24-track analog tapes in August 1998, shortly before the release of 14 Ups & Downs, Prohibition's fifth and final album, and their US tour. All tracks were remastered by Fabrice and Nicolas Laureau in March/April 2025.

Primera referencia en formato 2 x 12" del sello Español X Erie.
Con artistas referentes del techno internacional como Steve Redhead, Eric Sneo, Axel Karakasis, Gary Beck, Filterheadz, Oscar Escapa y el comandante del sello
Horacio Cruz.

Una edición muy cuidada, con portada especial, llena de sonidos enérgicos que nos transportan a la época dorada del techno más pistero.

Incluye una remezcla del track "Despiertos" a cargo de Gary Beck y cerrando en la D1, una pista con ritmos rotos y melodías profundas a cargo de Horacio Cruz.

Un doble vinilo imprescindible para djs y coleccionistas del género.

Come Live With Me represents a creative peak that sounds fresher in 2025 than it may have in 1974. The first album on his Crossover label, it lives up to the label’s name by showcasing the man’s singular ability to cross over to any audience by making songs from any time or genre undeniably his own.

Each side of Come Live With Me sets a seamless mood: Side 1 is a romantic suite of lush, latenight ballads, while a non-stop soul party is cooking on side 2. This two-sides-of-a-Saturday-night concept lets Ray Charles blend modern sounds and timeless traditions in ways no other artist ever could.

Removed from the trappings and tropes of the mid-’70s music scene, and fully restored and remastered in cooperation with the Ray Charles Foundation, Come Live With Me is finally ready to be appreciated as the masterpiece it always was.

2025 Repress

This was one record that started the PPU label,.. 10+ years in the making, Ace and I finally bring you his underground 80s funk bomb. Written and recorded in Macon Georgia.

2025 Repress

It's rare that a certain sound is entirely an artist's own. Although undeniably a stew of impeccable influences - from blues to folk to Latin to dusty funk, soul and hip-hop - one cannot hear a Tommy Guerrero song without immediately recognising it as his - and his only.The cult skater from San Francisco is globally renowned as one of the original members of the legendary "Bones Brigade" team. And as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, his laid-back soul is beloved by all who've basked in its blissful glow.There's something elemental about this music that really stirs the soul. Strikingly beautiful and instantly addictive, it's a kind of funk-fuelled, melody-driven, groove-based magic. There's a serenity and heart in the playing that radiates warmth and splendour, as if crafted for endless sunsets. His albums that surfaced on Mo Wax at the turn of the century have been treasured since their release and it's two of his most vital LPs that we're honoured to reintroduce.The originals were quietly pressed on to a single piece of vinyl so we've worked closely with Tommy this year to bring you these fresh, limited editions. They have been lovingly remastered, cut nice and loud on to heavyweight double vinyl and presented in deluxe gatefold jackets.A Little Bit Of Somethin' is a quietly majestic gem. Brimming with Guerrero's horizontal "loose grooves", these brief but innovative instrumentals demonstrate a rich variety and, as such, comprise an LP that is aptly titled. An enchanting start-to-finish listen, it was instantly regarded as essential upon release via Mo Wax in 2000. It has aged remarkably well.Throughout this inspired collection, simplicity is key. In deploying it, Guerrero presents a beautifully crafted melodic soundscape. The distinctive, mellifluous approach of his guitar style, blending Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican, soul and jazz motifs, is at once startlingly new and tantalisingly familiar. Set against unrushed percussion, the music releases a crystal clear stream of healing frequencies to create a fragile, hypnotic atmosphere.Each track clocks in at around three minutes and, with a lack of studio polish or commitment to traditional song structure, it's a wonder how this enigmatic record demands your attention. However, through its gentle dynamism and impressive playing, it does just that. Whilst resolutely low-key, this lo-fi aesthetic feels genuinely organic and remarkably personal, its powerful intimacy truly connects. It's what makes this album so beloved of those lucky enough to be already familiar with it. From Margaret Kilgallen's truly iconic cover artwork to the music contained within, it's all brilliantly effortless.Guerrero's musical ideas are consistently compelling throughout, making it impossible to select highlights. The album's laconic drift touches upon jazz-fusion workouts and slow-mo hip-hop drums, Tortoise-style experimental post-rock and cinematic sound textures. It's at once hazy, light and bouncy yet sombre and bluesy. The Latin soul of El Chicano blends with the breezy jazz of Grant Green. By employing guitars and drum machines to create a stripped down rhythmic tapestry of spellbinding, addictive songs, there are even traces of The Durutti Column. A little bit of country, a little bit of rock & roll. A Little Bit Of Somethin', indeed.

* Speaker distressing early 1990s UK dub from The Disciples.
* `Chant of Freedom and `Armageddon' are dubplate cuts only ever heard before in sound system dances.
* The original versions of `Chant of Freedom' tracks appeared on 10' on the Boomshackalacka label in 1995, while `Armageddon' is previously unreleased on any format.
* Disciples, along with the likes of Sound Iration, Manasseh, Alpha and Omega and Conscious Sounds are the forerunners of what became known as the UK roots/dub scene.
* Highly regarded for their custom built dubplate cuts for Jah Shaka. Disciples have a sizable following worldwide, particularly in the UK, France, Germany and Japan.

2025 Repress
Yes! Tommy Guerrero’s much-loved 4th LP – the smooth West Coast classic From The Soil To The Soul - gets its first ever vinyl release. As the follow up to his revered Soul Food Taqueria, this album was originally released by Quannum Records 2006 but only on CD. Working with Tommy directly, the LP has been fully remastered, cut on to heavyweight wax, and comes with artwork freshly reworked by the man himself.
From The Soil To The Soul represents a continuation of Tommy’s blissful guitar-soul whilst demonstrating increasingly complex chops and a slightly darker side to his distinctive sound. His spare, effortless funk is blended here with elements of Americana, heavy psych, lo-fi fuzz and intoxicating Latin rhythms. Combined with his typically breezy, laid-back San Franciscan style, it’s a vibe from start to finish.
Recorded primarily in his home studio, Tommy wrote, arranged and played nearly all the instruments, including bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion and kalimba. Renowned street artist Barry McGee, aka Twist, designed the cover art which Tommy has now recast in a deep, deep red for the vinyl version.
As ever with Tommy, the highlights are many and memorable. From twinkling, sun-drenched opener “Hello Again” to the penultimate, punk-rocking track “Let Me In Let Me Out” (featuring the melodic yet fearsome rapping of Lyrics Born), the variety across the LP is relentless, but satisfying, and without once losing focus.
We’re treated to the gorgeous hip-hop blues of “The Under Dog”, Meters-style Hammond B-3 jams like “War No More” and “No Guns More Glory” and Balearic bangers like Bing Ji Ling’s star-turn on the sleazy “Don’t Fake It.”
Curumin’s soulful guest vocal elevates the already-great Brazilian lounge feels of “Salve” to hitherto unscaled heights and the heavy, driving basslines - funky and warm on “Badder Than Bullets”, sombre and intense in “Tomorrow’s Goodbye” and “Molotov Telegram” – never fail to move both body and soul.
But our favourite track is the beautiful breezy pop of “Just Ain’t Me”. A bittersweet, skipping ballad which boasts an incredibly rare instance of Tommy singing. “What you want from me, I can never give” he repeats throughout, lending the already-melancholic atmosphere greater poignancy. It would’ve been number 1 across the planet in a parallel universe.

Accomplished Polish beat-maker Emapea has made memorable appearances on many Cold Busted label compilations – such as in the IWYMI and Bust Free series – and has been selected for inclusion in Mark Farina’s next Mushroom Jazz installment. All this activity has mouths watering for the debut full length album from Emapea, and the appearance of Seeds, Roots & Fruits doesn’t disappoint one bit. Featuring sixteen exceptional tracks ranging from hip hop to acid jazz to psychedelic trip hop in the style of Mo’Wax, Emapea’s long player is indeed, as a wise man once said, “a journey into sound.” Seeds, Roots & Fruits rises above the average beats album to reveal the enduring depth of this young producer

Fresh from the lab, BLACK PRINT is finally here—a sonic formula meticulously crafted by Detroit’s SCAN 7 to awaken minds and ignite souls. This release delivers five distinct tracks, including a collaboration with acclaimed Detroit DJ/Producer AMX, aka The AM. Each track is a universe unto itself, bound together by rhythm and energy, guiding you toward a singular truth. To truly grasp the message, dive in. Listen deeply, surrender to the sound, and step into BLACK PRINT.

Barry Can't Swim veröffentlicht sein mit Spannung erwartetes neues Album, „Loner“ auf Ninja Tune!

In „Loner“ sehen wir Barry Can't Swim dabei zu, wie er die Welt, in der er sich befindet, erkundet. Geprägt vom überwältigenden Erfolg von Barry Can't Swims ausverkauften Liveshows auf der ganzen Welt, bleibt es seinen Wurzeln verhaftet, während er über Identität und Bodenständigkeit nachdenkt. Barry Can’t Swims hochgelobtes Debütalbum, „When Will We Land?“, das im Oktober 2023 veröffentlicht wurde und derzeit mehr als 100 Millionen Streams verzeichnet, erhielt unendlich viel Lob, darunter auch die Nominierung für den Mercury Music Prize 2024, neben Künstler:innen wie Charli xcx, Beth Gibbons, English Teacher, Ghetts und The Last Dinner Party. Barry Can’t Swim ist nun stolz darauf, neben Aphex Twin, Nia Archives, Burial, Jamie xx, Fred again.. oder Jon Hopkins als in die engere Auswahl für den prestigeträchtigen Preis gekommen zu sein - was als elektronischer Solokünstler eher seltener vorkommt. Darüber hinaus wurde er bei den BRIT Awards 2024 in der Kategorie „Dance Act“ nominiert und stand auf der Shortlist für das schottische Album des Jahres.

Barry Can't Swim veröffentlicht sein mit Spannung erwartetes neues Album, „Loner“ auf Ninja Tune!

In „Loner“ sehen wir Barry Can't Swim dabei zu, wie er die Welt, in der er sich befindet, erkundet. Geprägt vom überwältigenden Erfolg von Barry Can't Swims ausverkauften Liveshows auf der ganzen Welt, bleibt es seinen Wurzeln verhaftet, während er über Identität und Bodenständigkeit nachdenkt. Barry Can’t Swims hochgelobtes Debütalbum, „When Will We Land?“, das im Oktober 2023 veröffentlicht wurde und derzeit mehr als 100 Millionen Streams verzeichnet, erhielt unendlich viel Lob, darunter auch die Nominierung für den Mercury Music Prize 2024, neben Künstler:innen wie Charli xcx, Beth Gibbons, English Teacher, Ghetts und The Last Dinner Party. Barry Can’t Swim ist nun stolz darauf, neben Aphex Twin, Nia Archives, Burial, Jamie xx, Fred again.. oder Jon Hopkins als in die engere Auswahl für den prestigeträchtigen Preis gekommen zu sein - was als elektronischer Solokünstler eher seltener vorkommt. Darüber hinaus wurde er bei den BRIT Awards 2024 in der Kategorie „Dance Act“ nominiert und stand auf der Shortlist für das schottische Album des Jahres.

From the depths of personal reckoning to the forefront of the UK"s alternative scene, SPLIT CHAIN have spent the past two years transmuting raw emotion into sound. Their debut album, motionblur, out soon on Epitaph Records, is a thunderous statement of intent-an electrifying fusion of shoegaze, grunge, and nu-metal that surges with both nostalgia and forward momentum. Sonically, motionblur captures a distinctive aesthetic, steeped in the melancholic haze of early 2000s alt-rock yet sharpened by the intensity of modern hardcore. Guitars drenched in chorus and distortion crash into ethereal, hook-laden vocals, forging a sound that"s at once crushingly heavy and deeply immersive. Following a string of self-released singles that organically amassed millions of streams, SPLIT CHAIN"s signing with Epitaph catapulted them further into the spotlight. Their first label-backed single pushed their streaming numbers past the 15-million mark, earning them accolades as AltPress" Breakout Artist of the Month and Revolver"s "Badass Rising Band to Know." With nods from Stereogum, The Needle Drop, BrooklynVegan, and Metal Injection, the buzz around Split Chain is undeniable. With motionblur, SPLIT CHAIN aren"t just making an album-they"re making a moment. And if their trajectory so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.

From the depths of personal reckoning to the forefront of the UK"s alternative scene, SPLIT CHAIN have spent the past two years transmuting raw emotion into sound. Their debut album, motionblur, out soon on Epitaph Records, is a thunderous statement of intent-an electrifying fusion of shoegaze, grunge, and nu-metal that surges with both nostalgia and forward momentum. Sonically, motionblur captures a distinctive aesthetic, steeped in the melancholic haze of early 2000s alt-rock yet sharpened by the intensity of modern hardcore. Guitars drenched in chorus and distortion crash into ethereal, hook-laden vocals, forging a sound that"s at once crushingly heavy and deeply immersive. Following a string of self-released singles that organically amassed millions of streams, SPLIT CHAIN"s signing with Epitaph catapulted them further into the spotlight. Their first label-backed single pushed their streaming numbers past the 15-million mark, earning them accolades as AltPress" Breakout Artist of the Month and Revolver"s "Badass Rising Band to Know." With nods from Stereogum, The Needle Drop, BrooklynVegan, and Metal Injection, the buzz around Split Chain is undeniable. With motionblur, SPLIT CHAIN aren"t just making an album-they"re making a moment. And if their trajectory so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.

Ltd Edition!

'moisturizer' ist das mutige zweite Album von Wet Leg, der fünfköpfigen Band von der Isle of Wight, die von Rhian Teasdale und Hester Chambers gegründet wurde. Zusammen mit Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes und Joshua Mobaraki hat Wet Leg die letzten Jahre auf der Straße verbracht und sich zu einer wilden, elektrisierenden Live-Band entwickelt. Das neue Album fängt diese Energie ein und liefert einen Sound, der straffer, mutiger und selbstbewusster ist, aber immer noch vor dem gleichen schnellen Witz und der rohen, ungeschliffenen Energie strotzt.



Isoliert in einem abgelegenen Haus auf dem Lande entstand 'moisturizer' in einem kreativen Rausch, der sich mit Themen wie Besessenheit und alles verzehrender Liebe befasst. Während ihr Debüt aus dem Jahr 2022 mit zwei Grammys ausgezeichnet wurde und die Charts stürmte, bringt 'moisturizer' den nötigen Biss mit: schrille Gitarren, schwere Beats und eine furchtlose Hingabe, alles auf einmal zu fühlen.

Jessica Winters Debüt ist ein vollendetes, mutiges und hinterfragendes Album voller Persönlichkeit, das irgendwo zwischen Therapie und Tanzfläche angesiedelt ist. Musikalisch finden sich Anklänge an Kylie Minogue und dem Glanz der 80er-Jahre-Madonna, der Extravaganz von Prince und Queen, der Energie und des gelegentlichen Knurren des Punk und der verträumt hochgezogenen Augenbraue der Psychedelia. In einer Welt, in der maximalistischer Pop zurück ist und Therapie-Memes das Mass aller Dinge sind, ist "My First Album" der perfekte Soundtrack.

Jessica Winter ist eine britische Sängerin, Songwriterin und Produzentin, bekannt für ihre experimentelle Popmusik, die Elemente verschiedener Genres wie Pop, Industrial und Indie vereint. Bisher hat Jessica eine Reihe von EPs veröffentlicht, die ihre Fähigkeit, unkonventionelle Themen und introspektive Texte in Popsongstrukturen einfließen zu lassen, unter Beweis stellen. Zusätzlich zu ihrem Soloprojekt verfügt Winter über eine umfangreiche Liste an Referenzen als Co-Autorin und Produzentin, die mit Künstlern wie The Horrors, The Big Moon, Jazmin Bean, Phoebe Green, Lauren Auder, Pre Goblin, Sundara Karma, Walt Disco und Brodka zusammenarbeitete.

Jede Compilation-Serie hat ein Ende. Nach 10 grandiosen Ausgaben verabschieden wir uns nach diesem 11. Teil von der unter Sammlern und Musikliebhabern hoch geschätzten Praise Poems Reihe. Ganz bewusst wagen wir uns mit diesem letzten Teil an ein Genre heran welches wir bis dato nur in Ausnahmen mit einbezogen haben: Power Pop der späten 1970er und frühen 80er.

Los geht’s mit „Real Proof“, einem unveröffentlichten Song der ursprünglich aus Boulder, Colorado stammenden Band The Nails die einige Jahre später sogar unter Vertrag eines Major-Labels standen. Obwohl die Fingerprints ein ganzes Album aufgenommen haben hat es über 45 Jahre gedauert bis dieses schließlich 2022 veröffentlicht wurde. „Wasted On You“ stammt von einer der drei Singles die zwischen 1978 und 1980 veröffentlicht wurden. Ganz im Gegensatz zu den Fingerprints sind die Original-Singles von Naked Rush extrem selten. Dies ist wohl mit ein Grund warum keiner ihrer Songs bis dato auf einer Compilation zu finden ist. Schön, dass wir dies nun ändern. Dies gilt übrigens für die Mehrzahl der Songs auf diesem Album und generell für alle unserer Compilation-Alben. Fritz, Blue Rain, oder Holidaye machen hier keine Ausnahme. Speziell erwähnen möchten wir noch zwei Songs. Zum einen „Don’t Quit“ von The Scam der von William Garrett produziert wurde. Garrett war von 2016 bis 2023 bei Spotify als Senior Music Producer für die Einführung von Spotify Singles zuständig und hat in dieser Zeit mit Künstlern wie Elton John, Ed Sheeran, John Legend und vielen weiteren zusammengearbeitet. Zum anderen gibt’s eine tolle Geschichte zu Animal Logic. 1989 erfuhr die Band, dass Stuart Copeland von The Police eine neue Band gründete. Der Name? Animal Logic! Nachdem Bitten, den Namen nicht zu verwenden, ignoriert wurden, sahen sich die Jungs von Animal Logic gezwungen, die Angelegenheit vor Gericht zu bringen, und verkauften schließlich den Namen an Copeland. Noch viel mehr weitere, spannende Geschichten rund um die Bands gibt’s im Begleitheft der CD bzw. der LP-Beilage.

Mit “A journey into raw, energetic power pop from the 1980s” beenden wir nun unsere 10-jährige Entdeckungsreise durch die Musikgeschichte unter dem „Praise Poems“ Schirm. Wir hoffen sehr, dass euch unsere akribische Arbeit viel Freude bereitet hat. Geht eine Tür zu, geht eine andere auf. So wird es auch hier sein. Es gibt noch so unglaublich viel zu entdecken und so freuen wir uns jetzt schon auf viele weitere Veröffentlichungen!

Schweiengötter nehmen menschliche Gestalt an und veröffentlichen ,Debütalbum"? Wenn man in einer Kleinstadt aufwächst, muss man entweder seine Freizeit kreativ gestalten oder man radikalisiert sich im Internet. Über dem San Fernando Valley von Los Angeles erhebt sich der süße, schwüle Sound von The Toxhards. Mit halb Psych, halb Prog, halb Rocktheater und halb Indie (das sind vier Hälften) hauchen The Toxhards dem längst obsoleten Genre des ROCK 'n' Roll neues Leben ein. Von ,existenziellen Doom-Bops" bis zu mitreißenden Hymnen über Schweinegötter, bieten The Toxhards einen genreübergreifenden, elektrischen und exzentrischen neuen alternativen Sound. Ihre Musik wird bereits auf TikTok Reels millionenfach angeklickt, ihre unterhaltsamen Bits und Sketche millionenfach geschaut (135k Follower auf TikTok, 75k Follower auf Instagram und 13k auf YouTube). Im Laufe der zwölf Tracks plus vier Zwischenspielen folgt ,Your Neighborhood" dem Protagonisten Adam und seiner Unzufriedenheit mit dem Leben - er hat Freundin verloren, ihm fehlt der Mut, seinen Ambitionen zu folgen - und er beginnt, die schlimmste Version seiner selbst zu werden, die er nur sein kann: ein unsicheres, reaktionäres Individuum, das Trost darin findet, sich in dunklen Online-Ecken über ,andere" zu beschweren. Ursprünglich aus dem Midwestern, nun in der smoggefüllten Höllenlandschaft des San Fernando Valley von Los Angeles lebend, ist die Band auch für ihre unterhaltsamen und mitreißenden Live-Auftritte bekannt, bei denen sie aufblasbare Schweinekostüme tragen, T-Shirts verschenken, unveröffentlichte Songs präsentieren, Kaffeepausen einlegen, Instrumente tauschen und gelegentlich einer ausgedehnten Jam (oder zwei oder drei oder...) fröhnen. Mit jeder neuen Veröffentlichung und bei jeder Show beweisen sie, dass sie die Zukunft von was auch immer sind. The Toxhards haben uns viel zu erzählen und zu bieten. 2023 bei Hopeless Records unterschrieben und direkt ihre erste Single "(The) Coffee Song / October" veröffentlicht.2024 gab's die limitierte und aktuell ausverkaufte Vinyl-Compilation ihrer bisherigen Songs und Singles zwischen 2022 und 2024. Obwohl es sich um eine Zusammenstellung handelt, betrachtet die Band es als ihr "eigentliches Debütalbum", aber nun ist "Your Neighborhood" dran! Für Fans von Ween, Car Seat Headrest, White Reaper, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, symphonischen Weezer, Indie-Prog, Alterntive Pomp, Psychpunk....

Strut present the first international release in over 30 years by legendary Afro-jazz group Oneness Of Juju with their new album Made Through Ritual on 11th July 2025.

In 1975, the late DJ / producer and jazz distributor Jimmy Gray and James “Plunky” Branch joined a musical revolution, founding Black Fire Records and releasing the label’s debut album, the classic African Rhythms by Oneness of Juju. This July, Plunky brings this important musical relationship full circle with Made Through Ritual, produced by Plunky’s son Jamiah “Fire” Branch and Jimmy’s son Jamal Gray.

The album takes a novel approach to beat culture. Working from demos created by Jamal using a selection of original jazz samples, Plunky took the tracks, replayed and re-interpreted the arrangements using live musicians. “The album explores the art of deconstruction and reconstruction in music - sampling, sequencing, and live improvisation merge with multi-track recording to craft intricate harmonies and arrangements,” explains Plunky. “The process became a ritualistic expression of creativity and transformation.”

The resulting album is a fascinating listen. Opening with the meditative soul chant ‘Share This Love’ voiced by regular Oneness vocalist Charlayne “Chyp” Green, the album opens out into a series of jazz vignettes including the title track, ‘In Due Time’ and ‘Free Spirit’. The powerful album closer, ‘Children Of The Drum’ celebrates black culture and legacy through the poetry of Roscoe Burnem.

Released on 1LP and 1CD with specially commissioned cover artwork by contemporary Ivorian artist Maxime Manga, Made Through Ritual represents an important new chapter in the Oneness story. The album will be supported by a selection of European tour dates during Autumn and Winter 2025.

Murry Hammond (old 97s)’s 2025 release Trail Songs of the Deep is his greatest achievement, the perfect distillation of his grand vision, and conclusive evidence of his centrality to the last half-century of American music.

Supreme Italo boogie 2 sider, a double banger! Two faves from the long out of print “FALL IN THE GROOVE” LP, GIOVANNI DAMICO is officially out of hiding and back in the moonlight with his Chicago label team STAR CREATURE. The A Side gives us a slice of Psychedelic Boogie that is continentally agnostic. The B Side hits us with an Afro-Italo smacker that's already been known to fill dancefloors worldwide! Housed in a replica 7" Jacket and ready for trouble

Habibi Funk is more than happy to announce our 31st release which happens to be our 3rd various artists compilation. The album is dedicated to the cassette tape scene in Libya from the late 80s to early 2000s, from disco to reggae to pop. All songs previously unreleased outside of Libya and not available on any DSP platforms.

Recorded live in one session at age 18, this album helped launch Tania Maria's career as an acclaimed Brazilian jazz artist, celebrated for her virtuoso combination of piano and vocals. Produced by Romeo Nunes (Meirelles e Os Copa 5, Rio 65 Trio, Elis Regina, Elza Soares), the album features the pioneering Edison Machado, who transformed samba and was instrumental in the development of Bossa Nova through his groundbreaking "samba no prato" (samba on the cymbals) technique. His work helped shape the sounds of Jobim, Getz, and Milton Nascimento. On guitar is the legendary Neco, who played on over 500 albums. Initially self-taught, he later studied under maestros Guerra Peixe and Moacir Santos. He collaborated with icons like Elis Regina and Chico Buarque, and was a member of Os Ipanemas, Os Catedráticos, and Os Gatos. His solo work includes Velvet Bossa Nova (1966), which became an acid jazz favorite. The album features compositions by Caetano Veloso and Marcos Valle,alongside early samba classics.

Blending Brazilian rhythms with elements of samba, bossanova, and jazz fusion,it captures the early development of Tania Maria's signature style. Born in São Luís, Brazil in 1948,Tania Maria began playing piano at age seven. She learned samba, jazz, and chorinho through her father's weekend jam sessions. Leading her own band by age13, she performed across the region while collecting records from influential artists. Though she earned a law degree and started a family,her passion for musicu ltimately won out—she left law to pursue music full-time.

# 1st official vinyl reissue in over 30 years # sourced from tape # 8 page color bboklet with large-format hotos and full liner notes # band members' stories told at last // Universe was a Welsh rock band formed in the late 1960s, marrying progressive and blues musical elements with a powerful sound. Guitarist Steve Finn, bassist John Healen, and drummer Rob Reynolds formed the nucleus of the band, initially playing under the name Deep Blue Centre, then Spoonfull, rehearsing a set that included covers and originals influenced by acts like Cream, John Mayall, and Jimi Hendrix. By 1970, they had become Universe, the name reflecting the expansive ambition of their evolving music. Universe became known for their stellar live performances, playing countless gigs across Wales and well beyond. They shared stages with acts such as Jethro Tull, Yes, and Graham Bond, while also enduring a character-building but arduous tour of Hamburg and Norway. The constant touring polished their sound and inspired original material such as "Twilight Winter" and "A Woman's Shape." In 1971, the band recorded an album and a single, both self-titled, in Norway; these recordings later became prized finds among collectors. Though Universe's time was brief, their music endures as a fascinating chapter of the underground rock scene in Wales. With Steve Finn's ongoing solo work and the reissue of their recordings, Universe holds a unique place in early '70s rock history.