Cerca:la rock

Am 20. Februar 2026 erscheint GLENs viertes Studioalbum - ein fünf Tracks umfassendes, instrumentales Statement aus noisegetriebener Energie und eklektischer, frei formulierter Experimentierlust. Benannt nach dem ersten Satz aus George Orwells 1984, entfaltet sich das Album als hypnotische Kraft strukturierter Chaoszustände: viszeral, im besten Sinne verstörend und mit absoluter Überzeugung vorgetragen.Das grenzüberschreitende Quartett aus Berlin - bekannt für seine intensive Verbindung aus Art Rock, Post-Rock und freier Improvisation - erweitert seine klassische Besetzung aus zwei Gitarren (Wilhelm Stegmeier, Eleni Ampelakiotou), Bass (Roland Feinäugle) und Schlagzeug (Achim Faerber) um Gastmusiker*innen und ein erweitertes Instrumentarium, das von Clavinet bis Synthesizer reicht. So entstehen immersive, dichte und langsam brennende Klangarchitekturen.Geprägt von Wiederholung, Spannung und ständiger Transformation bewegen sich die transluzenten Soundlandschaften zwischen explosiver Energie, struktureller Präzision und freiem Fluss der Improvisation. Körperlich, atmosphärisch und kompromisslos oszilliert GLEN zwischen Minimalismus und Eruption. Roh und zugleich bewusst kontrolliert - ein gelenktes Chaos, angetrieben von Reibung, Wiederkehr und gradueller Metamorphose.

The Gun were a late 1960s British rock guitar trio who had a single British Top Ten hit, “Race with the Devil”. Brothers Adrian (guitar) and Paul (bass) Gurvitz teamed up with drummer Louis Farrell to create some energetic music. They founded a crossroads between blues rock, progressive and metal. The power trio created one of the best kept secrets from the sixties.

2026 Repress

DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. As Quik explains, “the name Rhythm-Al-Ism alone tells you what I was doing. I was mixing up rhythms. I was meshing R&B with hip-hop and jazz. And a little bit of comedy”. It’s absolutely sensational and as with a lot of mid-90s albums those original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue.

A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.

Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a commercial splash. “You’z A Ganxta” and “Hand in Hand” made radio waves across the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like “Medley For A ‘V’” were bumping out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party. Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Music for gliding, for skating, for time with your people and your poison. Sunshine. No cares. BBQs. Heavy smoke in the air. Dripping with wit and good humour. A real swing to the vibe.

The album opens with Quik setting out his mission statement with “Rhythm-Al-Ism (Intro)”, telling us what this is all about before the self-explanatory “We Still Party” rocks the spot. It’s definitely all about the party here, complete with Quik’s signature head-nod/body-moving beat. Next up, the undeniable laidback funk and dripping swing of groove-laden “So Many Wayz”. This positively slaps.

Then we get to the three huge singles. The R&B-tinged radio-friendly minor-hit “Hand In Hand” closes the first side only for the flip to get straight into the rolling and scratching of bleepy computer-funk banger “Down, Down, Down” (featuring a particularly nice use of Howard Johnson’s epochal “So Fine”). The effortlessly smooth, flute and guitar-laced “You’z A Ganxta” completes the trio. Next up the fast-paced, vocoder-enhanced, woulda-beena-global-hit “I Useta Know Her”. This coulda (shoulda) been a single too. Head-nod funk workout “No Doubt”, with its ace sample of Prince's “Sexy Dancer”, closes out the second side.

“Speed” races out the gate on the second disc, sampling Edwin Birdsong’s “Rapper Dapper Snapper” in a harder, better, faster, stronger way than those daft Parisian punks. Amphetamine-swift raps over soaring, string-drenched b-boy beats. A total anthem. Up next, the staggering, near 8-minute laconic, lounge-y sax-rap of “Whateva U Do” cools things down and smooths things out with its flute wrapping around a sample of Smokey Robinson’s “So In Love” and some oh-so-classy lounge-piano tinkling. And speaking of smooth, things don’t get much smoother than the blissfully melodic glider-anthem “Thinkin’ ’Bout U” riding that ace flip of SWV’s “Use Your Heart”. Exceptional.

The exquisite funky-flute-slapper “Medley for a ‘V’ (The P***Y Medley)” opens the fourth and final side, with star turns from Snoop Dogg and a typically suave Nate Dogg. It’s followed by the supremely skanked-out “Bombudd II”, a beautifully sweet reggae-fuelled ode to the herb. “Get 2Getha Again” is slick funk. Stunning.

This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Rhythm-Al-Ism was originally pressed as a double and we’ve reproduced the original LA vibe picture sleeve and insert to match.

As that original front cover says, this is “over 70 minutes of commercial free music” and it’s absolutely perfect from start to finish. There are no stand-out tracks here. It’s all gold.
: Rhythm-al-ism (2LP)

Don Leisure has cemented his name as one of the most forward-thinking and experimental beatmakers & producers within the current musical ecosystem. As well as being 50% of Darkhouse Family (alongside Earl Jeffers) he has collaborated with the likes of Angel Bat Dawid, Gruff Rhys, DJ Spinna and First Word label-mates Amanda Whiting & Tyler Daley (Children of Zeus). Garnering serious support from Lauren Laverne, Tom Ravenscroft, Huw Stephens, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, The Vinyl Factory, Clash, Uncut and many more. Following the release of ‘Cynnau Tân (feat. Carywyn Ellis)’ (which gained support across BBC Radio from Tom Ravenscroft, Zakia & Huw Stephens) Welsh beatmaker Don Leisure announces the release of a new album ‘Tyrchu Sain’) as he returns with a new single ‘Tyrchu’ due for release on 22nd January 2025. ‘Tyrchu’ features the soft-spoken vocal stylings of Gruff Rhys over a gently rolling, tape saturated and expertly chopped instrumental, creating (in Gruff’s own words) ‘Shiny new beat-treasures with ghostly reflections of Welsh pop’s past - skillfully dug from Sain Records’ deepest veins’

A dedicated student of music, over the years, Don has amassed a vast encyclopaedic knowledge of music genres and subcultures, including a fascination with Welsh psychedelic folk music from the mid-20th century. This introduction was made by respected musician, producer & selector Andy Votel’s 2005 two-part compilation series ‘Welsh Rare Beat’ (in collaboration with Gruff Rhys and Don Thomas), comprising twenty-five tracks from Sain Records’ back catalogue. Now the oldest independent record label in Wales, Sain is a wildly influential bastion of home-grown Welsh talent, co-founded by Welsh-language folk singer Dafydd Iwan, whose music has seen a cultural resurgence in recent years with his 1983 song Yma o Hyd (We’re Still Here) becoming a huge anthem for Wales football fans. Set up in the Welsh capital, many of Sain’s early releases were recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, but in the early 1970s the record company moved to the Caernarfon area and opened their first recording studio in 1974 near Llandwrog. Announcing a huge digitisation project throughout 2024, Sain Records took on the mammoth task of painstakingly digitising their entire back catalogue spanning 55 years, working in partnership with the National Library of Wales the resulting archive then be submitted for to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, preserving them for future generations to enjoy. Taking this period of rediscovery as an opportunity to reimagine their impressive inventory, Sain invited Don Leisure to dig into their musical treasure chest, creating a sprawling sonic tapestry from the dusty gems within. On this exhilarating excursion, Sain Records founder Dafydd Iwan explains: ‘Imagine someone gave you access to over 50 years of Welsh popular music – almost all of it unknown to you before. It would be a strange experience of discovery, an unknown territory which could baffle and excite. This happened to Jamal (Don Leisure) – and he was captivated by a world of music he barely knew existed, and when he was asked to distill the experience into one album, he immediately warmed to the idea. And this is the result – a kaleidoscope of sounds to encapsulate a half century of Welsh music. To call it unique would be superfluous: no-one could ever recreate this album. Listen, and enjoy.’.

The resulting product is ‘Tyrchu Sain' (translating to ‘Digging Sain’), a fearless and exploratory album, which sees Don put his signature unparalleled and unpredictable skills to work, weaving together moments of forgotten beauty into celestial and otherworldly compositions. The record features appearances by artists from Wales who have a similar obsession as Don Leisure in these classic Welsh rarities including Gruff Rhys, Carwyn Ellis, Earl Jeffers Amanda Whiting and Boy Azooga. A shimmering patchwork quilt of sound, ‘Tychru Sain’ traverses a shifting landscape of acid folk, eerie vocal melodies and interstellar soundscapes, propelled forth by crisp, head nod-inducing drums and grainy textures. Breathing new life into compositions lost to time, and paving a path for new listeners to discover the magic that lies within.

This compilation brings together some of the best recordings by Los Indios from Bolivia, recorded during their brief time as a band, pioneers in blending beat sounds with garage rawness through a repertoire packed with covers of artists such as Deep Purple, Wilson Pickett, Eduardo Araujo (via Los Iracundos)_ The birth of Los Indios took place at a key moment for Bolivian music, in May 1968, during the "Festival de la Canción" held at the Félix Capriles Stadium. This event was a milestone for the so-called Bolivian new wave, featuring various groups from all over the country. A month later, Jorge Filipo Dalence, in association with Freddy Valdivieso, decided to launch their own band, Los Indios, ready to make their mark on the music scene. Their discography includes one LP and a handful of EPs released on the Caracol and Imperio labels. Their album not only showcases their musical talent but also represents an important moment in the evolution of rock in Bolivia. The combination of their unique style helped open new doors for other artists in the country's music scene. By 1969, the group was enjoying overwhelming success and widespread popularity. This is a joint release with the Peruvian label Rey Record and includes an insert with notes on the band's history

Während das musikalische Fundament die Einflüsse aus Nordamerikanischem Pop-Punk aufnimmt und zu einem eigenen Sound weiterentwickelt, stechen insbesondere die klare Haltung und tiefe persönliche Momente in den Texten heraus. Entstanden ist ein Punk/Rock Album, das nicht nach 20ern und Jugendbewegung klingt, sondern nach neuen Perspektiven, nach späten 30ern - menschlich und politisch. Seit Erscheinen des BLAUFUCHS Debüt-Albums vor rund 4 Jahren hat sich in der Welt viel verändert und wenig verbessert. Diese traurige Abwärtsspirale findet sich – mal drastisch und direkt, mal dezent akzentuiert – in allen Texten von „Bis jetzt ging alles gut“ wieder, das trotz Anflügen von Resignation auch stets einen Funken Hoffnung auf Besserung vermittelt. Blaufuchs betrachten nicht nur den gesellschaftlichen Wandel – sie sind selbst auch einer ständigen Veränderung ausgesetzt. Ihr zweites Album ist ein Stück weit auch ein Neubeginn mit einigen Neubesetzungen im Verlauf der letzten Monate. Hale Winter übernahm den Bass von Marisa, Jan Schlagowski das Schlagzeug von Alex Veth und mit Jan Jurat stieß ein weiterer Gitarrist zur Band. Den Blaufuchs Sound verändern die neuen Einflüsse nicht gravierend, die Drums werden ein Stück härter, die Gitarren etwas filigraner, aber die Handschrift von Hauptsongwriter John Hofmeister verbindet nach wie vor den amerikanischen Gesamtsound mit den deutschen Texten von Johannes König. Dennoch verzögerte sich die Entstehung des Albums durch die Umbesetzungen um mehrere Monate, was laut Johannes König auch nötig war: „Mir und John war extrem wichtig, dass auf dem Album auch Einflüsse unserer „Neuen“ zu hören sind, die uns live teilweise schon seit Jahren unterstützen.“ Aufgenommen wurde „Bis jetzt ging alles gut“ in den Limetree Studios in Ilsede und produziert von Sören Kucz und Gitarrist John Hofmeister. Mit „Fertig“ setzt die Platte einen extrem persönlichen Schlusspunkt und König wird hier deutlich direkter: „Den Druck, der mit der Verantwortung in der eigenen Familie, im Job und auch in der Band zusammenkommt, trifft im Alltag oft auf ein Männlichkeitsbild, in dem wider besseres Wissen versucht wird, Dinge alleine zu regeln.“

In der Welt von MX LONELY sind Monster echt vielschichtige Dinger. Das sind die Wesen, die wir uns als Kinder vorgestellt haben und die im Dunkeln lauern; die allzu realen Bösewichte, die ihre Macht missbrauchen oder sich mit dem Leid anderer die Taschen füllen; die Laster und Fehler, mit denen wir unser ganzes Leben lang kämpfen, und das, was wir werden können, wenn wir in ihrem Griff sind. Auf ihrem ersten Album ALL MONSTERS sucht die in Brooklyn ansässige Band in dunklen Ecken, bricht Türen auf und exhumiert diese Monster mit einem schweren, düsteren Alternative-Rock-Sound, der gleichzeitig von Schönheit durchzogen ist. Als ihre erste komplett selbst aufgenommene Veröffentlichung zeigt ALL MONSTERS die Band - Synthesizer/Sänger Rae Haas, Gitarrist Jake Harms, Bassist Gabriel Garman und Schlagzeuger Andy Rapp - wie sie einen lebendigen, unmittelbaren, analogen Sound einfangen, der das Gefühl ihrer Live-Show verkörpert und gleichzeitig ein längeres und nuancierteres Erlebnis schafft als je zuvor. Für die Zukunft wollen sie weiter auf Tour gehen und eine Community aufbauen, die auf gegenseitiger Katharsis basiert. ,Ich denke, das ist sozusagen die Manifestation oder das Gebet darin, dass jeder den Raum und die Werkzeuge hat, um seine eigenen Monster zu bewältigen", sagt Haas. Obwohl sie sich der Selbstreflexion verschrieben haben, wollen MX LONELY letztendlich andere in ihre Welt einbeziehen.

In der Welt von MX LONELY sind Monster echt vielschichtige Dinger. Das sind die Wesen, die wir uns als Kinder vorgestellt haben und die im Dunkeln lauern; die allzu realen Bösewichte, die ihre Macht missbrauchen oder sich mit dem Leid anderer die Taschen füllen; die Laster und Fehler, mit denen wir unser ganzes Leben lang kämpfen, und das, was wir werden können, wenn wir in ihrem Griff sind. Auf ihrem ersten Album ALL MONSTERS sucht die in Brooklyn ansässige Band in dunklen Ecken, bricht Türen auf und exhumiert diese Monster mit einem schweren, düsteren Alternative-Rock-Sound, der gleichzeitig von Schönheit durchzogen ist. Als ihre erste komplett selbst aufgenommene Veröffentlichung zeigt ALL MONSTERS die Band - Synthesizer/Sänger Rae Haas, Gitarrist Jake Harms, Bassist Gabriel Garman und Schlagzeuger Andy Rapp - wie sie einen lebendigen, unmittelbaren, analogen Sound einfangen, der das Gefühl ihrer Live-Show verkörpert und gleichzeitig ein längeres und nuancierteres Erlebnis schafft als je zuvor. Für die Zukunft wollen sie weiter auf Tour gehen und eine Community aufbauen, die auf gegenseitiger Katharsis basiert. ,Ich denke, das ist sozusagen die Manifestation oder das Gebet darin, dass jeder den Raum und die Werkzeuge hat, um seine eigenen Monster zu bewältigen", sagt Haas. Obwohl sie sich der Selbstreflexion verschrieben haben, wollen MX LONELY letztendlich andere in ihre Welt einbeziehen.

In der Welt von MX LONELY sind Monster echt vielschichtige Dinger. Das sind die Wesen, die wir uns als Kinder vorgestellt haben und die im Dunkeln lauern; die allzu realen Bösewichte, die ihre Macht missbrauchen oder sich mit dem Leid anderer die Taschen füllen; die Laster und Fehler, mit denen wir unser ganzes Leben lang kämpfen, und das, was wir werden können, wenn wir in ihrem Griff sind. Auf ihrem ersten Album ALL MONSTERS sucht die in Brooklyn ansässige Band in dunklen Ecken, bricht Türen auf und exhumiert diese Monster mit einem schweren, düsteren Alternative-Rock-Sound, der gleichzeitig von Schönheit durchzogen ist. Als ihre erste komplett selbst aufgenommene Veröffentlichung zeigt ALL MONSTERS die Band - Synthesizer/Sänger Rae Haas, Gitarrist Jake Harms, Bassist Gabriel Garman und Schlagzeuger Andy Rapp - wie sie einen lebendigen, unmittelbaren, analogen Sound einfangen, der das Gefühl ihrer Live-Show verkörpert und gleichzeitig ein längeres und nuancierteres Erlebnis schafft als je zuvor. Für die Zukunft wollen sie weiter auf Tour gehen und eine Community aufbauen, die auf gegenseitiger Katharsis basiert. ,Ich denke, das ist sozusagen die Manifestation oder das Gebet darin, dass jeder den Raum und die Werkzeuge hat, um seine eigenen Monster zu bewältigen", sagt Haas. Obwohl sie sich der Selbstreflexion verschrieben haben, wollen MX LONELY letztendlich andere in ihre Welt einbeziehen.

Zweite Vinyl-Nachpressung auf red, black and white 3-way color merge vinyl (Phoenix II Edition). Das Fantasy-Mittelalter-Metal-Phänomen CASTLE RAT präsentiert sein zweites Album! Castle Rat ist die NY Fantasy-Heavy-Metal-Band, die von der Rat Queen angeführt wird, welche die Mission verfolgt, ihr Refugium gegen diejenigen zu verteidigen, die es zerstören wollen. Ihr zur Seite stehen The Count, The Plague Doctor und The All-Seeing Druid. Gemeinsam stellen sie sich mit Heavy Magie dem unerbittlichen Zorn ihrer Erzfeindin - dem Tod in Form von The Rat Reaperess. The Bestiary ist ein riffgeladenes Kompendium mystischer Kreaturen und vorwarnender Erzählungen aus einer vergessenen Welt. Es erzählt 13 allegorische Geschichten von mythischen Bestien und dem Zauberer, der sie beschwört, und verwebt kraftvolle Heavy-Hymnen und dunkle Verzückungen zu einer betörenden und unvergesslichen Heavy-Metal-Odyssee. Als ob Grace Slick mit Black Sabbath ca. 1200 A.D. auf einem Kiss-Konzert Liebe macht. Aufgenommen von Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) und gemischt von Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), bietet das Album episches Heavy-Gemetzel und doomy Hard Rock. Hervorgegangen aus New Yorks abscheulichem, kreaturenverseuchtem Untergrund, schlugen die Fantasy-Heavy-Metaller zunächst mit ihren Live-Auftritten und später mit ihrem Debütalbum "Into The Realm" im Jahr 2024 große Wellen. Seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2019 haben CASTLE RAT ein lebendiges Labyrinth aus Erzählungen und Mythen geschaffen, welches sie nun rund um die Welt führt. The Bestiary auf CD (aufklappbares Digipak), MC (mit gefaltetem Inlay) und auf LP (farbiges Vinyl, inklusive ausklappbarem Lyrics-Insert)!

10" EP + DIY Fanzine Schwedens enthusiastischste Katastrophentouristen, The Sensitives, sind zurück mit einer neuen 10" EP, Ride It Like You Stole It - fünf Songs und eine Mischung aus Punkrock, Ska, Rock'n'Roll und Folk, die einen Optimismus versprühen, den man nur bekommt, wenn man zu viele Tourneen überlebt hat. Auf jedem der Tracks sind Gastmusiker*innen zu hören, welche die Band irgendwo auf ihrem langen, chaotischen Weg getroffen haben. Diese Freund*innen aus verschiedenen Szenen und Ländern verwandeln die EP in eine laute Feier der Gemeinschaft, der Zusammenarbeit und der Magie, sich gegenseitig zu helfen, anstatt so zu tun, als hätte man alles im Griff. Die EP kommt zusammen mit einem von der Band erstellten Fanzine, welches Songtexte, Akkorde und Geschichten aus dem DIY Alltag der Band enthält. So geht es um lange Nächte, gerissenen Saiten und immer wieder um kaputte Transporter. Trotz des Chaos ist es eine unmissverständliche Liebeserklärung an das Selbermachen. Aufgenommen, gemischt und gemastert wurde die EP von der Band zusammen mit ihrem Tour-Tontechniker Mattias. Das Fanzine wurde von Johanna gestaltet, die schon seit Ewigkeiten mit The Sensitives auf Tour ist - sie verkauft Merchandise, spielt und singt auf der Bühne und im Studio, macht Fotos und Videos und tausend andere Dinge. Ihr wisst schon... DIY: Wenn etwas zu tun ist, hat es wahrscheinlich schon jemand mit Klebeband und Kaffee erledigt....

Kommt in einer auf 2.500 Exemplare limitierten und nummerierten, farbigen Edition auf rotem 180g-Vinyl -inklusive dem Bonustrack 'Don't hold your breath' und eingefasst ein einer Deluxe-Hülle mit Leder-Laminat-Oberfläche sowie plus Lyric-Insert!

Mit ihrem einzigartigen Stil, der vom Klang der Hammond-Orgel, markanten Gitarrenriffs, Improvisation und treibender Rhythmusarbeit geprägt ist, zählen Deep Purple zu den ersten und einflussreichsten Vertretern des Hard Rock und Heavy Metal. In ihrer bislang 45-jährigen Bandgeschichte schrieben sie zahllose Hits wie "Highway Star", "Child In Time" und "Smoke On The Water". Nun erscheint die Wiederveröffentlichung des Deep Purple-Klassikers "Purpendicular" aus dem Jahr 1996. Die damalige Bandbesetzung bestand aus Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover und Steve Morse. Inklusive der Hits "Vavoom: Ted The Mechanic", "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" und zwei zusätzlicher Bonus Tracks. Ein Muss für alle Deep Purple-Fans!

Als direkte Folge des großen Interesses der Beatles an experimenteller Musik und anderen avantgardistischen
Kunstformen gründete Apple Records im Februar 1969 das kurzlebige Tochterlabel Zapple. Es sollte ein Forum für ungezügelte Klangexperimente bieten, oder, wie es damals hieß, für „noch abgefahrenere Sounds“.
Georges „Electronic Sound“ und John Lennons und Yoko Onos „Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With the
Lions“, beide im Mai 1969 erschienen, waren Zapples einzige Veröffentlichungen vor der Schließung des
Labels. Das von George gemalte Cover von „Electronic Sound“ zeigt seinen Moog IIIp (der später von den
Beatles auf vier Stücken ihres Albums „Abbey Road“ verwendet wurde) mit den vier Modulen, aus denen
der Klang synthetisiert wurde. Jede Seite der LP „Electronic Sound“ enthielt ein experimentelles, längeres
Werk.
George Harrisons „Wonderwall Music“, erschienen im November 1968, war das erste Soloalbum eines
Beatles-Mitglieds und die erste LP, die von Apple Records veröffentlicht wurde. Der Soundtrack zu Joe
Massots Spielfilmdebüt „Wonderwall“ ist ein überwiegend instrumentales Album, das einen komplexen und
lebendigen Klangteppich aus westlicher Rockmusik und Kompositionen im Stil der indischen Klassik bildet.
1992 erinnerte sich George: „Ich entschied mich für eine Art Mini-Anthologie indischer Musik, weil ich die
Öffentlichkeit für indische Musik begeistern wollte.“

Als direkte Folge des großen Interesses der Beatles an experimenteller Musik und anderen avantgardistischen
Kunstformen gründete Apple Records im Februar 1969 das kurzlebige Tochterlabel Zapple. Es sollte ein Forum für ungezügelte Klangexperimente bieten, oder, wie es damals hieß, für „noch abgefahrenere Sounds“.
Georges „Electronic Sound“ und John Lennons und Yoko Onos „Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With the
Lions“, beide im Mai 1969 erschienen, waren Zapples einzige Veröffentlichungen vor der Schließung des
Labels. Das von George gemalte Cover von „Electronic Sound“ zeigt seinen Moog IIIp (der später von den
Beatles auf vier Stücken ihres Albums „Abbey Road“ verwendet wurde) mit den vier Modulen, aus denen
der Klang synthetisiert wurde. Jede Seite der LP „Electronic Sound“ enthielt ein experimentelles, längeres
Werk.
George Harrisons „Wonderwall Music“, erschienen im November 1968, war das erste Soloalbum eines
Beatles-Mitglieds und die erste LP, die von Apple Records veröffentlicht wurde. Der Soundtrack zu Joe
Massots Spielfilmdebüt „Wonderwall“ ist ein überwiegend instrumentales Album, das einen komplexen und
lebendigen Klangteppich aus westlicher Rockmusik und Kompositionen im Stil der indischen Klassik bildet.
1992 erinnerte sich George: „Ich entschied mich für eine Art Mini-Anthologie indischer Musik, weil ich die
Öffentlichkeit für indische Musik begeistern wollte.“

A high-energy dance music genre that blends elements of pop, electro, hip-hop, and Latin rhythms, freestyle creates an irresistible urge to dance. It's characterized by fast tempos, complex drum machine patterns, and prominent synthesizers and often explores themes of love, heartbreak, and relationships. On this brand- new compilation, we celebrate the best of Tommy Boy and Easy Street's contributions to freestyle culture. This collection brings together hits from TKA, Jocelyn Enriquez, Information Society, K7, Jasmine and more.

L.A.-based soul singer Leela James started out singing backup vocals on Hip-Hop albums in the late 90s and early 2000s. In 2004, she recorded the song "No Tears" on Pete Rock's "Soul Survivor 2", shortly after she signed a deal with Warner Bros Records and released her debut album A Change is Gonna Come, named after her cover of the Sam Cooke song. A true soul singer, with a voice comparable to Mavis Staples and Betty Wright, Leela enlisted Commissioner Gordon to oversee production, which included tracks by Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Wyclef Jean, and Chucky Thompson. The lead single, "Music," is an ode to the soul singers of yesterday, with a Hip-Hop feel. She performs a soulful R&B cover of No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and alternates between funky uplifting tracks like "Good Time" and "Soul Food" with downtempo, soulful ballads like "When You Love Somebody" and "My Joy." Leela James departed from Warner after the release of her debut and went on to release seven more studio albums. It's been twenty years since A Change is Gonna Come was released in June of 2005, and Get On Down is proud to present this underrated gem for the first time on vinyl. The album is pressed on "Golden Pearl" colored vinyl and packaged in a gatefold jacket, limited to 1000 copies. It's been a long time coming, but this is a must-have for neo-soul and R&B music lovers.

Malena Zavala is an Argentinian-born, London-based artist, producer, and filmmaker, known for crafting ethereal, genre-blending music that navigates the space between her Latin heritage and her British upbringing. With the forthcoming album If This Life Could Start Again set for release on 30 January 2026 on Paraná Records, Zavala presents her most intimate, cohesive, and accomplished work to date, marking a significant evolution in her artistic journey.
With her new album, Malena creates an atmospheric dream pop world, weaving singer-songwriter intimacy with synth pop, Argentine folk, indiepop, rock and experimental music, threaded together by her blissful vocals and dreamy guitar work. Gorgeously warm and vivid, If This Life Could Start Again charts the journey from pain to acceptance, mapping out the non-linear nature of healing through a sonic landscape. Each song embodies a distinct emotion within that journey, from grief and chaos to feeling lost, seeking refuge, finding confidence, and finally acceptance and letting go. Drawing on her Argentinian roots, Malena uses the Andes mountains as both a visual and thematic anchor – the difficult climb towards higher ground becomes a metaphor for healing, whilst being lost at rock bottom reflects the darkest moments of the journey. 
Completely composed and performed by Malena herself, the album was recorded in Girona’s L’Empordà countryside in Spain with producer Luke Smith. As a professional producer and audio engineer, this was Malena’s first time relinquishing production control – an intimate creative shift that allowed their shared vision to shape the album’s rich, enveloping sound. 
However, Zavala’s career to date has been a testament to self-sufficient artistry. Her critically acclaimed debut, Aliso (2018), was written, recorded, and produced alone in her parents’ garage, which honed her dreamy bedroom pop sound. The album, praised by The Guardian for its “gently warped and beguilingly melancholy guitar pop,” ****, immediately catapulted her from DIY beginnings to prestigious stages, supporting acts like Lord Huron at London’s Roundhouse and Men I Trust at Village Underground and subsequently continuing on their UK/EU tours. Later with standout performances at Latitude, Green Man, and All Points East. Her consistent radio support from key influencers including BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1's Huw Stephens, and Steve Lamacq has solidified her presence on the airwaves.
Her second album, La Yarará (2020), saw Zavala delve deeper into her roots, exploring Latin traditions like Cumbia and Bolero. This exploration of identity continues powerfully on the new album, but with a newfound lyrical depth and sonic confidence. The new album, If This Life Could Start Again, is a raw and transformative eight-track journey that maps the emotional landscape of healing. Written after a period of personal upheaval, the album traverses themes of grief, hereditary trauma, and self-discovery. The record’s narrative is structured like a mountain ascent. A challenging climb through varied emotional terrain, posing the central question: “Will you join the journey?” Sonically, this journey mirrors the non-linear path to acceptance, evolving from acoustic folk and synth-pop to funk-infused rhythms and rock anthems.
As a formidable live performer, Zavala has built a robust touring profile across the UK and Europe. She will embark on an extensive tour in February and March 2026 to support the album, with dates spanning major cities from London and Glasgow to Berlin, Paris, and Barcelona.
With If This Life Could Start Again, Malena Zavala fully realizes her artistic vision as a self-taught producer to an autonomous artist commanding her career through Paraná Records whilst reflecting the vast landscapes of her heritage and affirming her place as a compelling and evolving voice in contemporary music.

The Meth Lab returns for its third instalment with “Meth Lab Season 3: The Rehab,” a sharp, hard-hitting chapter that cements Method Man’s place as one of hip-hop’s most consistent and enduring voices. Executive produced by longtime collaborator Handz On, this project finds the Wu-Tang legend in rare form—polished, precise, and laser-focused.

“The Rehab” pulls listeners back into the world Meth has been building since the first Meth Lab sessions: a mixtape-style showcase blending razor-sharp lyricism with streetwise storytelling, packed with energy and attitude. Method Man’s flow remains timeless, weaving between gritty boom-bap, polished modern production, and the unmistakable Wu-Tang aesthetic. A strong lineup of guests brings extra fire to the set—Cappadonna, RJ Payne, Redman, KRS-One, JoJo Pellegrino, Jadakiss, Carlton Fisk, Hanz On, Intell, Iron Mic, 5th Pxwer, Chunk Bizza, Eddie I, Cortez, and more—each stepping into Meth’s world with their own hard-edged energy. Behind the boards, producers like P. Version, Rockwilder, Eric Sermon, Adam McLeer, Daniel C. Wells, Darnell Norman McConnell, and Joshua D. Zimmerman craft a gritty yet refined sonic framework that elevates every performance.

More than just another chapter, Season 3: The Rehab feels like a victory lap: a culmination of decades of craft, a celebration of the Staten Island movement, and a reminder that Method Man still out-rhymes rappers half his age. It’s a must-own for Wu-Tang fans, East Coast purists, and anyone who appreciates sharp writing and decades-deep mastery.

“Tubby did three original dub albums, ‘Dub From The Roots’. ‘The Roots of Dub’ and the third is ‘Brass Rockers’ with Tommy McCook ‘pon the flying cymbals. Where he mixed it with the horn going in and out in a dub way and one named ‘Shalom Dub’ you can call Tubby’s too because he mixed the versions as they were off forty fives’’

Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

King Tubby and Producer Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee are intertwined in the birth of Dub Music. After discovering a mistake that made a ‘serious joke’ (more of which later...) they went on to release the first pressings of this new musical genre namely ‘Dub Music’. Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard... the Remix / Version cuts to an existing vocal tune.

Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 28th January 1941 and grew up in the High Holborn Street area of downtown Kingston. He studied electronics at Kingston’s National Technical College and also on two correspondence courses from the U.S.A... When he had qualified Tubby began repairing radios and other electrical appliances in a shack in the back yard of his mother’s home. His work in the early days included winding transformers and building amplifiers for Kingston’s Sound Systems. Tubby built his first Sound System in 1957 playing jazz and Rhythm & Blues at local weddings and birthday parties. His reputation as a man who knew and understood both electronics and music grew steadily and as the sixties drew to a close. Tubby
purchased his own basic two track equipment. He installed this alongside his dub cutting machine, a home-made mixing console, and his impressive collection of jazz albums in the back bedroom of his home at 18 Dromilly Avenue which he christened his music room.

Tubby and Striker were at Treasure Isle Studio’s one day while Ruddy from Spanish Town was working with the engineer Byron Smith....

“Tubby and myself was talking when Ruddy was cutting some dub but Smithy (engineer) made a mistake through we were talking and forgot to put in the voice. It was two track recording in those days. Ruddy said ‘No Man! Make it stay! and so they cut the rhythm. When I went over to Ruddy’s that Saturday night a dance was in progress and when they played the vocal to the tune... then he said we’re going to play ‘Part Two’. They never called it ‘Version’..and then he played the rhythm track. The song was a catchy song and everybody started to sing along and the deejay started to toast so everything went down well. On Monday morning I went up and I said ‘Tubbs the mistake we made was a serious joke.It mash up Spanish Town! The people went wild. So you have to start to do that now ‘cause when the man put on the ‘Part Two’ everyone start singing this song. It played about twenty times. I said you try Tubbs!’...Well the next Saturday night now when Tubby strung up down the farm U Roy said he’s going to play ‘Part Two’ but Tubby did it different now. He started with the voice then dropped it out and let the rhythm run and then he brought in the voice in the middle and from there Tubby started to get really popular.’’
Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

Dynamic Sounds upgraded to sixteen track recording in 1972 and Tubby purchased, again with the help of a deal brokered by Bunny Lee. The old four track equipment and the MCI console from their Studio B. The four tracks now gave him far wider scope to work with and he began to create a new musical form where the bass and drum parts were brought up while the faders allowed Tubby to ease the vocal and rhythm in and out of the mix. It was only a matter of time before Tubby’s dub plate experiments began to make it on to vinyl and the first ever long-playing King Tubby releases would feature a collection of his mixes to a selection of Strikers rhythms. So please sit back and enjoy this historic set of sounds. Lovingly restored and with a few extra gems added to the CD Editions. These releases were the first to carry the name of King Tubby and the first to credit the great musicians that contributed so much to the rhythms that made these albums possible.

At the start of this summer, following a three-year hiatus for Daphni (punctuated only by his first ever collaborative Daphni track ‘Unidos’ alongside Sofia Kourtesis), he dropped ‘Sad Piano House’. The track represented something of a continuation in the Daphni catalogue, its roots growing from Cherry’s ‘Cloudy’ and its subsequent Kelbin remix, something in that song’s makeup having a profound effect when played on dancefloors by Snaith and countless others. ‘Sad Piano House’ deployed more intangibly irresistible bendy piano to equally satisfying effect and continues to achieve similarly rhapsodic dancefloor saturation.
Though a sizeable gap for Daphni releases, between Cherry and Butterfly however of course sits Honey, the latest Caribou album and one that saw the more instantaneous and dancefloor leaning traits of Daphni peaking through the cracks more than ever before. This blurring of the lines leads to an intriguing collaboration in Butterfly’s lead single ‘Waiting So Long (feat. Caribou)’. An unlikely duo - in that both artists are the same man, Dan Snaith - ‘Waiting So Long’ is not so much an identity crisis, ego trip, or the result of a chemical spill in the Snaith laboratory. It’s simply a track that Snaith felt for the first time belongs to both aliases, and might appeal to fans of both. He has never sung on a Daphni track before, and did not set out with the intention to do so this time, and yet this strange billing was born.

Daphni music has always been Snaith’s way of hitting directly to the core of the dancefloors he spends so much of his time playing to, and those dancefloors have been steadily expanding as his name grows, with the music following suit. This album however also draws from further back with a definite kinship to the very first Daphni album, the invigorating bag of ideas that was Jiaolong.
Butterfly is a showcase of the wonderful variety and surprising twists and turns that made that album such an exciting new prospect and that still to this day make Snaith such an intriguing DJ. There are more heavy hitters here, tracks that fill those dancefloors better than anyone, like ‘Clap Your Hands’ which picks up the energy of ‘Sad Piano House’ and flips it, exposing the gritty and intoxicating underbelly of Snaith’s hitmaking side, while retaining the playful urgency that runs through all of his work of late. Meanwhile ‘Hang’’s comic-strip horns are unpinned by gleeful force, unrelenting and thrillingly unshakeable. Elsewhere though comes a clutch of other tunes that might creep out somewhere more off the beaten path, a path Snaith has never stopped seeking in amongst his larger billings. ‘Lucky’ is squirmy and elusively intoxicating, ‘Invention’ skitters down meandering, inviting corridors, ‘Talk To Me’ grumbles and broods in the murk, and ‘Miles Smiles’ could roll on endlessly, so confident in its groove. There are no obvious peaks in these tracks or unifying moments, in fact many of them really have no business being on the dancefloor at all, and yet in the right setting, they could be the most fun to be had all night.

One such club is a good microcosm for the ethos of Butterfly as a whole. “Around the time I was finishing up this album I played a long set in a club called Open Ground in Wuppertal, Germany.” Snaith recalls, “It’s kind of, in one sense, the platonic ideal of the kind of club I’d want to play in. Every single decision has been taken, at great expense, with the aim of making the perfect sounding medium sized club room. But on top of it being the perfect acoustic environment it also is run by an amazing collection of people in a way that gives it a sense of community that dance music at its best provides. It is an absolute pleasure to play in that room to a crowd of people who come from all over. Playing in there you feel like you can play anything, and I played works in progress of pretty much every track on this album in my set there. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing a short set at a festival or in a more raw warehouse kind of club where you bang it out and only really functional music works but on record I guess the point of these Daphni records is to keep in mind a more expansive idea of dance music where the parameters are broad and the church is broad. I think that actually, putting really functional stuff next to weirder tracks (both on an album and in a dj set) might be the thing that’s still most interesting to me.”
This is the feeling that’s most palpable on Butterfly, and in every single time you see Snaith DJ. Right from the inception of the Daphni alias - and even before that – the thrill of trying stuff out, pushing at the boundaries has always been there and on Butterfly is present in all its twists and turns. It leaps all over the place and yet it hangs together, never feeling like a grab bag of dancefloor utilities but rather a distillation of all the strings to Snaith’s bow, exhilaratingly human and unified by one singular concept – simple and joyful exploration.