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Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Enlace Funk magazine, they present the world's first Flamenco-Jazz compilation, featuring 16 tracks from between 1978 to 2025, released on vinyl for the first time. A musical dialogue between Flamenco and Jazz, unique in the world, a journey through some of the most important artists of this style, starting with the seminal work of the group Dolores in 1978, and continuing to examples of the current sound of this exciting fusion. Includes tracks never before released on vinyl by artists such as Jorge Pardo, Chano Dominguez, Pedro Ojesto, and Marc Miralta. The first volume of Flamenco-Jazz aims to showcase this unique style that has proven to be a bridge of communication and dialogue between flamenco and jazz musicians, creating an inimitable sound that is constantly evolving and transcending barriers. We take as our starting point a 1978 recording by Dolores, featuring Paco de Lucía, which later led to the formation of her legendary sextet with musicians who had participated in this recording. Of course, this first volume wouldn't be complete without other masters like Josemi Carmona, Pedro Ojesto, and Marc Miralta. And of course, a new generation of names that have elevated the genre to its current status, such as flautists Trinidad Jiménez and Sergio De Lope, Juanfe Pérez and Juan Pérez Rodríguez from Huelva, Pablo Martín Caminero from Vitoria, and Miquel Alvarez from Valencia. Not forgetting innovators like Antonio Lizana and Enriquito, who are crossing borders and sharing their unique style. Ltd ed.classic black vinyl double LP in gatefold sleeve

Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set including main album and Bonus Cassette with unique download cards


AE Productions in association with Sure Shot Recordings and In Effect Recordings are pleased to announce a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of the critically acclaimed Phill Most Chill and Paul Nice album as the Fabreeze Brothers.

The hugely successful first edition which was pressed on colour vinyl and supplied in double fold out sleeve sold out in only 2 weeks from release date and then the 2nd pressing black vinyl edition sold out a little while later but has for years been out of print but is increasingly requested by shops, via email, social media, AE Productions website back in stock requests, etc…

As it has been 10 years since original release back in 2015 at the time of proceeding with manufacturing, it was the perfect opportunity to do a 3rd pressing to mark the anniversary but we had to pull out all the stops for a 3rd run of this incredible album and also make it subtly different again in packaging design from the 1st and 2nd pressings so that each has it’s own particular feel and quality.

With help from the original designer and all-round vinyl artwork supremo Mr Krum we have found some nice adjustments for the gatefold sleeve where the detail from the insert sheet found in the original issues is incorporated into the inside panels of the sleeve. We have also tweaked the hype sticker to mark the 10th Anniversary Edition and updated the vinyl labels so as to work better with the new Splatter vinyl which follows the original red and yellow vinyl but each splattered with the opposite colour.

For something a little extra we have compiled a Limited Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set that includes the original album and also a ‘Bonus Tape’ which features all of the remixes, alternate versions, Original Versions of album cuts and bonus tracks found on B-sides of the array of singles and we included for good measure 2 tracks that only appeared on the promotional only LP sampler that ended up being different on the final release. This is limited to cassette just for the non-vinyl heads as all of these tracks already appear on vinyl. The outer box is A5 card in black with gold foil Fabreeze Brothers logo and comes with discography booklet.

‘The Bonus Tape’ from the box set is also available as a standalone cassette release with alternate j-card art work so that it has it’s own flavour and so that anyone that purchased one of the original run of cassettes that sold out before we could even ship any copies, did not need to purchase the main album again unnecessarily and to make it noticeable from the Expanded Edition Box Set version.

This version also has an alternate shell design in keeping with the clear shell with dark liner that was commonplace back in the 90’s and the cassette geeks may note the red text on the spine as was also a common design back then – giving this a pseudonym of ‘the 90’s tape’ during the design process.

We couldn’t stop there so we also have an extremely low quantity Limited Edition Mini Disc version which is the main album plus 8 of the bonus tracks from The Bonus Tape – only missing the 2 least significant alternate versions but clocking in at just a few seconds under 80 minutes – the absolute maximum for the format! Mini Disc???!!! You’re probably asking – yes!

While looking into the cassette duplication options we realised that the duplicator also offers Mini Disc production so we thought that it may be worth doing a very small run just because not only are professionally manufactured Mini Disc’s rare in Hip Hop, they are rare within the entire music industry as they never really took off as a medium to purchase music but ended up as the choice for home recorded Walkman and car use. Indeed, AE boss Mr Fantastic still has his main machine, portable and old discs. Amazingly also, the sleeve artwork transferred brilliantly to the Mini Disc template. They are manufactured using high quality Sony discs using ATRAC 4.5 codec.

All releases are supplied with unique free download codes on cards that are included inside the packaging but also with the Expanded Edition cassette and Mini Disc having 2 cards – 1 for the main album and a 2nd card for ‘The Bonus Tape’. The free downloads are supplied direct from Phill Most Chill’s Bandcamp page keeping it independent.

Dudley Perkins, aka Declaime, is a visionary wordsmith and sonic architect who has been a pivotal figure in the underground hip-hop scene since the mid-90s. Renowned for his introspective lyricism, intricate rhyme patterns, and innovative production techniques, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of the genre. Declaime's music is a fusion of soulful samples, jazzy undertones, and raw, unfiltered emotion.

His ability to seamlessly blend intricate beats with thought-provoking verses has earned him a dedicated following and critical acclaim. Throughout his career, Declaime has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Madlib, Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Flying Lotus, knxwledge, Aloe Blacc, Kankick, Saul Williams, Latoya Williams, Hudson Mohawk, Casual and many other notable names. His solo projects and collaborative efforts have left an enduring impact on the hip-hop landscape, inspiring countless artists and shaping the sound of future generations.Dudley has unveiled his latest 9-track album titled "Flatulent," set to be released on the esteemed Urbnet label. The album, produced by German beat maker and producer Der Brxwnsxn, highlights Declaime's signature blend of intricate rhythms, haunting samples, and ethereal melodies.

Jeb Loy Nichols is at it again with a brand new 7” that pairs two sides of his soulful storytelling. On the A-side, the exclusive cut “Do The Get Together” makes its debut – a slow-burning southern soul dancer that gently calls people closer, both on the dancefloor and beyond it. With warmth, patience, and a steady groove, Nichols invites connection without force, offering a quiet reminder that togetherness can still feel natural and unpretentious.

Driven by Cold Diamond & Mink’s deep-pocket rhythm and understated analog textures, “Do The Get Together” unfolds with ease. The groove never rushes, allowing Jeb’s voice to guide the message with soft authority and lived-in wisdom. It’s a song that feels tailor-made for late-night spins, where movement and meaning find common ground.
On the flip, “First Night Away From Home” brings listeners back to the opening chapter of Nichols’ latest album This House is Empty Without You. Warm, melodic, and intimate, the track captures that mix of vulnerability and quiet resolve that defines Jeb’s songwriting. Together, these two sides form a perfect 7” pairing, pressed for those who value soul that speaks gently but stays with you

As collaborative projects often do, 33 has in time found a more fixed form, a kind of structure that turned it from a loose collection of collaborators gravitating around founders Bill John Bultheel and Alexander Iezzi into something resembling more of a traditional band. Not that there is anything conventional in their creative process tho, nor in the music itself… Nontheless Tripolar - their second album and first for Haunter - seems to take them closer to song territory than ever before.

The (progressive) graduation of multi-instrumentalist Cem Dukkha and vocalist/clarinet player Ivan Cheng from collaborators to full-time members has brought 33 to a more refined awareness of their possibilities as a creative unit, although their compositional process has retained a high level of spontaneity and musical madness. Tripolar was in fact assembled by editing hours of improvisation that Bultheel, Iezzi and Dukkah recorded with no specific endgame in mind. The sessions saw them exchange a variety of acoustic, electronic and electric musical instruments: percussions, guitars, strings, piano, hurdy gurdy, synthesizers and even CDJs as a tool of live sampling manipulation.

By molding the pieces into what they are now, the band managed to concoct some beautiful vignettes of contradictory mental and emotional states, as sonically playful as a renaissance fair happening within a broken timestream. Cheng’s lyrical and vocal contributions helped them coalesce even further into proper songs, adding a melodic presence that’s at once seductive and uncanny. But vocal duties are often ceded to guests, namely Danish pop-neoclassicist Astrid Sonne, Kenyan metal guru Lord Spikeheart, Irish goth raconteur Olan Monk and Japanese body-poet Golin.The amount of different sounds arranged into each of the tracks produces a unique sense of awe and bewilderment, a testament to the incredible talent and craft the musicians have employed into putting together such a broad range of influences and approaches into a coherent and extremely effective musical journey.

An equally erratic thematic thread seems to run through all the tracks, one ultimately preoccupied with mental health and its ramifications. Without turning the project into a concept album, 33 and their collaborators have sprinkled it with references to personality disorders and mental conditions that are all too relevant to the contemporary age, reflecting on the lineage of human inner life. A wide display of lyrical and musical tools is employed to explore these themes, ranging from Sonne’s expressionist depiction of ADHD in the opener, to Cheng’s queer-themed reinvention of an Irish murder ballad in closing track ‘Babymusicc’. Tracing lateral trajectories for introspection, Tripolar is not only highly captivating, but it ultimately sounds esoteric in the best possible way: progressively revealing layer after layer of incredible aural magic, its true meaning living in the form and in its manic scope of energies.

While many have tried to emulate the ancient German (black)thrash sound, CRUEL FORCE brimmed with an authenticity that could not be denied, as well as songwriting that added to that noble tradition rather than lazily picking at its corpse. Their two successive albums, 2010's The Rise of Satanic Might and 2011's Under the Sign of the Moon, made CRUEL FORCE a certifiably CULT name in the international metal underground. Sadly, the band fell into a hiatus following that second album, but returned reinvigorated with the comeback 7" EP Across the Styx in 2022 and, a year later, the glorious full- length Dawn of the Axe at the hands of new label home SHADOW KINGDOM. Continuing to make up for lost time, CRUEL FORCE storm back with swords gleaming high on their fourth full- length, Haneda.

Where a line could be drawn between the band's "first era" of The Rise of Satanic Might / Under the Sign of the Moon, so continues this Second Era that began with Dawn of the Axe - one that harkens to the "Jurassic period" of heavy metal, when everything was rawer, less polished, and more energetic and powerful. As displayed by that pivotal predecessor, Haneda further proves that CRUEL FORCE are more so an old-style speed metal band, largely bereft of that blackened edge during their First Era. The tradeoff is that there's a prominent mysticism coursing through that speed, and the blue-collared aspect of Dawn of the Axe is now spit-shined to a lethal slickness that makes Haneda hit that much harder.

However, it must be stressed that, while it follows logically from Dawn of the Axe, Haneda is very much its own headspace, its own continuation of a still-vital aesthetic. At times more epic, exuding both more and different atmospheres, CRUEL FORCE here take the listener on a journey from old temples to desert planes, from deep jungles to mountain tops, and other mysterious locales beyond; indeed, the whole record is like a journey through mystical realms. Although no concept album, Haneda is very conceptual in its aesthetics, even down to its production: BIG and naturaltoned, from the guitars to especially the drums, everything here is as '80s and authentic as possible, underlining

Step back into the irresistible world of Dutch pop legends Gruppo Sportivo with Vinylly! (Selected Songs '78-'91). a vibrant, limitededition celebration of the band's most iconic tracks. This double LP is the ultimate collector's item for fans of clever pop, quirky humor, and timeless hooks.

Featuring standout songs like ''Beep Beep Love,'' ''My Old Cortina,'' ''Up to Date,'' and cult favorites from The Buddy Odor Stop, Vinylly! captures the band's golden era with crisp remastered sound and a beautifully designed sleeve and 4-page booklet. A complete overview of a group that defined an era with their playful lyrics, sharp arrangements, and unmistakable charm.

The band is touring throughout 2026 to celebrate the 50th birthday of Gruppo Sportivo.

For more than 25 years, Black Label Society has stood as one of heavy music’s most unshakeable pillars, delivering album after album of blues-soaked grooves, hard-hitting riffs, and soul-baring ballads. “Engines of Demolition” makes no exception to the steady rule of unrelenting commitment to pure, uncompromising, hard rock.



In 2022, Wylde was invited to honor his fallen brothers, the late great Dimebag Darrell Abbott and his brother Vinnie Paul, as part of Pantera Celebration. Writing and recording with Black Label Society over these last four years is when Engines of Demolition was born. Engines of Demolition follows the release of four singles, “The Gallows” (2024), "Lord Humungus" (2025), “Broken and Blind” (2025) and “Name In Blood” (2026), and marks the first full-length album release since Doom Crew Inc. (2021).



Black Label Society is the pure expression of the paradox of Zakk Wylde’s darkest, loudest riffs and softest soul crushing ballads. BLS is a relentless heavy, bluesy, unhinged hard-rock-metal circus quartet summoning caffeine-fueled cacophony on records and the stage. BLS songs are odes to celebration and mourning from the darkest depths to the highest of highs.



A charismatic hard rock and metal marauder recognized as a living legend and guitar icon, Wylde rose to prominence when Ozzy Osbourne chose him as his loyal axe man. Multi platinum albums, countless guitar magazine covers, Worldwide sold out tours, his own guitar and coffee brands add to Wylde’s ever-growing legacy. He gets as much joy from fronting his Black Label Society as he did playing on stage with his hero, Ozzy Osbourne, to his Black Sabbath cover band, Zakk Sabbath.


Seit mehr als 25 Jahren ist Black Label Society eine der unerschütterlichsten Säulen der Heavy-Musik und liefert Album um Album bluesgetränkte Grooves, knallharte Riffs und gefühlvolle Balladen. „Engines of Demolition“ fügt sich nahtlos ein in das unerbittliche Bekenntnis der Band zu purem, kompromisslosem Hardrock.



Im Jahr 2022 wurde Wylde eingeladen, im Rahmen der Pantera Celebration seine verstorbenen Brüder, den großartigen Dimebag Darrell Abbott und seinen Bruder Vinnie Paul, zu ehren. Während er in den letzten vier Jahren mit Black Label Society Songs schrieb und aufnahm, entstand „Engines of Demolition“. Das Album folgt auf die Veröffentlichung von vier Singles, „The Gallows“ (2024), „Lord Humungus“ (2025), „Broken and Blind“ (2025) und „Name In Blood“ (2026) - und ist das erste Studio-Album seit Doom Crew Inc. (2021).



Black Label Society ist der pure Ausdruck des Paradoxons von Zakk Wyldes dunkelsten, lautesten Riffs und sanftesten, herzzerreißenden Balladen. BLS ist ein unerbittliches, bluesiges, verstörendes Hardrock-Metal-Zirkusquartett, das auf Platten und auf der Bühne eine koffeinhaltige Kakophonie hervorruft. BLS-Songs sind Oden an das Feiern und Trauern, von den dunkelsten Tiefen bis zu den höchsten Höhen.



Wylde, ein charismatischer Hardrock- und Metal-Musiker, der als lebende Legende und Gitarrenikone gilt, wurde bekannt, als Ozzy Osbourne ihn zu seinem treuen Gitarristen machte. Multi-Platin-Alben, unzählige Titelseiten von Gitarrenmagazinen, weltweit ausverkaufte Tourneen, seine eigene Gitarren- und Kaffeemarke tragen zu Wyldes ständig wachsendem Vermächtnis bei. Er hat genauso viel Freude daran, seine Black Label Society zu leiten, wie er sie hatte, als er mit seinem Helden Ozzy Osbourne auf der Bühne stand oder mit seiner Black Sabbath-Coverband Zakk Sabbath spielte.

Ruff Kutz presents 'Found Sound', a debut solo album by Pugilist.

At a time where art has become readily reproduced and seemingly disposable, I have made something longer-form to be enjoyed as a complete piece, rather than it's single elements.

Found Sound delves into my internal monologue, which I hope results in a personal and introspective listening experience. Building on my previous discography - you can expect versatile sounds and tempos, with a washy dub-wise feel, intoxicating atmospherics, all in a genre-free structure. The album is floaty, euphoric and perhaps a surprisingly light listen compared to my normal output, but with notably huge bass and intricate percussion throughout.

The album taps into nostalgic reference points without leaning on retrograde tropes. While sculpted by contemporary production and FX, the sound remains raw and not overly polished. The album is best described as a collage of sounds that I have steadily collected over the last decade, which have inspired me, some very cheeky sampling and many a late night working on my studio tan. It is a tribute to the music I grew up with and love the most, from past to the present. It is fitting that this release marks the 10 years since I started the Pugilist alias.

This wouldn't have been possible without Umeya, who the album is dedicated to.

From the minds of Steingold & Brian Kage comes a late-night creature feature for the dancefloor, it's the Gremlins EP. Bursting out of the speakers like an 80s summer blockbuster, the Original Mix crashes UK Garage vibes into raw techno energy, channeling the spirit of Armand Van Helden, Josh Wink, and Daft Punk into one unstoppable acid-laden groove. The Electro Mix rewires the track with neon circuitry and robotic funk that'll make even Gizmo get down, while the Dub Tech Mix dives deep into hypnotic Detroit-style classic machine soul. Three mixes, one monster release...press play after midnight but don’t feed the Gremlins.

Internal Battle sees Indra MC and Jman united over the riddim, each bringing their own unmistakable lyrical fire to the table. This is a heavyweight steppa built for the soundsystem!

Opening with an epic, cinematic intro that builds tension bar by bar before dropping into a thunderous steppa style and pattern. Deep subs, militant drums, and razor sharp flows collide as both vocalists dive into both the chaos and clarity of the mind’s internal war.

Internal Battle captures that raw clash between doubt and determination, shadow and strength. Crafted for late night sessions, stacked speaker boxes, and conscious crowds, this one hits with purpose and power.

In many ways, OLDE OUTLIER rise from the legacy of Australia’s late Innsmouth — a cult band whose 2014 debut Consumed by Elder Sign endures as an underground classic. The connection is more than symbolic: guitarist Askew, vocalist Appleton, and bassist Greenbank all passed through Innsmouth’s ranks, while Beau Dyer now leads this new incarnation after years spent shaping the sound of Innsmouth and the earlier project Grenade.

From Shallow Lives to Shallow Graves marks OLDE OUTLIER’s recorded debut, a four-track, thirty-five-minute descent into their own cavernous realm. While faint echoes of Innsmouth’s inspirations — Armoured Angel and early Samael — linger, the band draw from a broader and far more obscure constellation. Shades of Amon Goeth, Martyrium, Head of the Demon, and Florida’s Equinox collide with the spectral drift of Ophthalamia and early Katatonia and Tiamat, all eroded and blackened into something untraceable.

Despite these depths, OLDE OUTLIER avoid any sense of technical indulgence. Their sound carries a rough, deliberate simplicity — a raw and smoky power that pushes each of the four long tracks forward with unhurried certainty. The songwriting unfolds through patient repetition and subtle shifts, allowing motifs to seep into place and gradually hypnotise. Appleton’s low gutturals bring a grim, expressive edge reminiscent of early Septic Flesh or Thou Art Lord, while the more open, lead-driven riffing imparts a distinctly archaic heavy metal aura that separates this band from their origins.

At many moments, that union of grit and atmosphere surpasses even Innsmouth’s achievements. Accented by well-placed clean and chorused guitar lines, From Shallow Lives to Shallow Graves becomes an immersive and strangely timeless work — a glimpse into an ancient, dimly lit world where OLDE OUTLIER feel less like a new formation and more like something unearthed from a forgotten past.

Daniel Steinberg debuts on Rekids the Berlin-based Arms & Legs boss drops the ‘Free Living’ EP

Berlin-based producer and DJ Daniel Steinberg lands on Rekids for the fi rst time with the ‘Free Living’ EP, 13th March 2026. Active for over two decades and emerging at the height of the stripped-back, funkier end of minimal house, Steinberg has built a reputation for pairing infectious hooks with tightly programmed grooves, and has ploughed his path via his label, Arms & Legs Records, as well as labels like NuGroove, Front Room, and Southern Fried.

The title track of Daniel Steinberg’s ‘Free Living’ EP sets the tone with slow-slung, dusty House pressure, where restraint and subtlety shape a deep, immersive groove. Blues-tinged vocal fragments sit low in the mix alongside understated trumpet motifs and tender chords, forming a warm-up cut that gradually raises the energy. ‘Concrete Master’ shifts gear entirely, delivering raw, in-your-face house driven by sleazy rap snippets and snarling hits, built for peak-time impact. ‘Seven Sense’ follows with turbo-charged momentum, pairing vamping piano lines with gospel-leaning vocal stabs for hands-in-the-air release, before ‘Perfect Catch’ closes the EP with loopy chords, chopped grooves, and a playful, party-starting sensibility, delivered with characteristic precision. Founded in 2006, Radio Slave’s Rekids expanded with the techno-focused Rekids Special Projects in 2017 and its latest sublabel, REK’D, in 2024. With Matt Edwards as sole A&R, Rekids continues to champion emerging and established artists alike, remaining a trusted home for house and related sounds, with recent releases from DJ Minx, Echonomist, Tal Fussman, and more.

2026 Repress

Berlin's Scheermann debuts on Mutual Rytm with deeply personal EP, 'Viciosa'.

Scheermann is at the heart of the Berlin underground as a DJ/producer, but also working behind the scenes at the Intakt Berlin vinyl pressing plant, where he first met Mutual Rytm founder SHDW. As a resident of the Lorem Ipsum party series, he delivers cultured and compelling grooves, and is also an active member of the Wesertekk collective - supporting and pushing club culture to the forefront in more rural areas. His music comes from a deeply personal place, never chasing hype or headlines, and is usually found at home on his own imprint, SAMMLER. This new EP marks his first appearance away from the label as he unveils a collection of records crafted over five years, with each track representing different moments in his life.

'Viciosa' kicks off with paranoid vocals panning about as swinging, warehouse-ready drums pound heavily below. The gritty synth craft adds plenty of texture as filters build the vibe. 'Placid Sin' is even more intense with unresolved synths tripping you in a loopy state while coarse percussion and cantering drums march on. 'Don't Care' is a rave-ready cut that injects your soul with urgent synth energy over more minimal and moody drums. 'Kano' brings a more elastic rhythm with dubby undercurrents and sleek sonar pulses infusing it with mystery, while 'Reika' is a nimble cut with icy hi hats and curious synth notes layering in late night suspense. First digital bonus 'Resoclap' is a heavyweight swinger with dark, groaning voices, before the second digital bonus 'Mizu' provides a speedy and supple workout for body and mind.

Scheermann 'Viciosa' lands on Mutual Rytm on 22nd August 2025.

Getting back to simple things, Homemade EP is an allegory of a DIY mentality in an era filled with complexity and uncertainty.

The A-side leans into early-2000s electro and house, with tight drums and functional grooves.
"Rue des Loubards" (A1) kicks off as a groovy cut, filled with mysterious chords and sensual French vocals, layered with tight, driving drums. "Dreams" (A2) follows as an electro piece with aggressive synth riffs and cinematic vocals.

The B-side drifts toward a late-80s palette, with warmer tones and nostalgic feelings. "Godspeed" (B1) cleverly mixes Italo and new beat elements for a chiaroscuro effect. "Antwerp" (B2) closes the EP with a true journey, starting with trancey textures and skillfully drifting toward a synthpop conclusion.

The ‘Haris – Fourtrack EP’ marks the debut release from Shimmy, a new reissue label with a sharp ear for overlooked gems. Originally released 25 years ago and long coveted on Discogs, this sought-after EP finally returns to the shelves, breathing new life into a classic of the tech house underground.

Haris made his mark in the late ’90s and early 2000s with releases on iconic labels like Oblong and his own imprint, Laus Records, collaborating with scene heavyweight, Terry Francis. Renowned for his mastery of rolling, groove-led tech house, Haris crafted a sound that remains timeless and endlessly playable.

Each of the four tracks delivers a distinct flavour for different dancefloor moments, offering real depth and versatility across the EP. Expect snappy tribal percussion, eerie synths, haunting vocals and deep, driving basslines - all the essential ingredients for a late-night shimmy.

Celebrated guitar virtuoso and composer Pat Metheny returns with Side-Eye III+, a new 8 song jazz project with his latest group, featuring Chris Fishman on piano and keyboards, Joe Dyson on drums, and Jermaine Paul on bass. In partnership with Green Hill Music, the 20-time Grammy award winner launches his own label imprint, Uniquity Music, and embarks on an extensive world tour with his new ensemble. The all-original album includes “In On It”, “Don’t Look Down”, and “Make a New World”.

Undun is the story of a man, Redford Stevens, dying in reverse, rewinding from the moment he became a statistic and hitting the points in his life where he's at his most self-aware. That he's a criminal who got caught up in the familiar street-hustle trappings that the modern media's documented countless times is a pivotal detail-- it's hit at an angle that seems to emphasize the futile inevitability of it all. His life could be any number of misdirected narratives that ends with a toe tag, and what details listeners learn about him are hazy, buried under archetypal turns of fate and decisive struggles. That this protagonist is a fictionalized composite of a handful of real people, filtered through a matter-of-fact narrative that splits character ambivalence with journalistic impartiality, only makes his lack of direction and the failure of any real closure stand out even more. "Lotta niggas go to prison," Dice Raw states on "Tip the Scale", "how many come out Malcolm X?"

So the Roots' latest album isn't a sprawling, rise-and-fall crime story, not a condemnation or a veneration of a man living outside the law, not a bullet-riddled grand guignol heavy on explicit details of soldiers getting cut down. It's a character study of a man whose existential crisis ends only with his death-- a death gone largely unspecified, the glamor and tragedy washed over with a doomed resignation. That's a hard thing to pull off, even for a band as given to deep-thinking concepts as the Roots are. And when your main lyrical catalyst is Black Thought-- a man more given to allusions than direct statements-- it's likely that it'll take a while for the full scope of Undun to really sink in.

If and when it does, it might strike listeners as a bit skeletal: omit the mood-setting instrumental bookends, including a brief, four-part orchestral suite that builds off Sufjan Stevens' "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)", and you've got maybe a half hour's worth of material. By ?uestlove's accounts, writing Redford's story introduced the headaches and challenges that come with scriptwriting into their songwriting, and what's left on Undun is the end result of frequent revisions and rewrites that attempt to reconcile character, theme, and continuity. If it comes at the expense of nuance, it's not always obvious: There's an easy-to-trace narrative line from Redford's acceptance of his fate ("Sleep") to his acknowledgement of how close it's approaching ("Make My"), back through declarations of aggravated toughness ("One Time"), and celebratory fatalism ("Kool On"), along ups and downs that juxtapose motivation ("Stomp") and helplessness ("Lighthouse"). When the vocal portion of the album ends with two of the bleakest sets of verses in the Roots discography, peaking with the estrangement of "I Remember" and the desperation of "Tip the Scale", Undun reveals itself as a story where a man's actual death isn't quite as tragic as the circumstances that pushed him to it.

&Co. debut on A Quiet Village. The US-based trio drop the third release on Quiet Village’s eponymous imprint March 20th. &Co. Is a project from multi-hyphenate and Bianca Chandon founder, Alex Olson, pianist, composer and producer Alberto Bof (known for his work on ®Oscar ®Bafta ®Golden Globe and ®Grammy award winning ’A Star is Born’) and DJ/fashion luminary, Paul Takahashi. The trio’s second release, ‘Staycation’ follows 2015’s ‘Best of Friends’, and sees these rare talents create a two-tracker that explores a uniquely evocative, cinematic and dubby Balearic aesthetic. ‘Staycation began as a follow-up to the first EP, Best Friends.

As a result, ‘Staycation’ came together in fragments. The first track was built over a handful of short studio sessions, each only about an hour long, driven by brainstorming and reworking ideas. With Alex away, Alberto and I continued refining the piece in Los Angeles, sharing updates for Alex’s approval until it was completed. The track remained unmastered and was quietly circulated to a small circle as a promotional piece. The second track, “Lean Like a Cello,” was initially conceptualized together. However, with Alex now based in New York and less available, we completed the arrangement in Los Angeles, sending versions back and forth for Alex’s input and feedback. Nearly a decade later, the idea resurfaced, and the recordings were finally mastered and released. A friend, Justin Van Der Volgen, handled the mastering. What began as a plan to give the tracks away as a promo evolved when Justin encouraged the group to shop the release. With help from Eric Duncan of Rub N Tug, the music reached Matt (Edwards, aka Radio Slave/ 1/2 of Quiet Village).

Ten years after the first sessions, Staycation arrives as a document of distance, collaboration, and time. A project shaped as much by separation as by shared intention.’ (Paul Takahashi, Feb 2026)
A piece of art from a powerhouse creative team operating at the intersection of skate culture, music, design and fashion, ‘Staycation’ by &Co. Arrives on The Quiet Village 12” and digital/streaming on March 20th.

Some tracks have a lot of history to them. Some are just one of life's mysteries.

TEDI seems to have been a work in progress with New York producers Greg Carmichael and Mitch Braithwaite.

The body of work being recorded during the late 1970's and early 1980's was a daily procedure with many people passing through. Over time Greg had no recollection of the recording and neither did his good friend Leroy Burgess. Sadly Mitch Braithwaite is no longer with us. But his music lives on with this boogie soul record with those stabbing piano keys , synth and reverbs. Topped with some growling vocals. The singer sounds familiar but I haven't a clue who it is? Tedi someone!!