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The project by Jens-Uwe Beyer and Thomas Venker boasts a remarkable origin story. In 2017, Venker, co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of Cologne’s Kaput magazine, hosted a gathering at Beyer's house, bringing together journalists, creatives, and musicians. To mark the occasion, the pair decided to join forces for an impromptu ambient-electronic performance, presenting themselves as a two-man band. That evening, donned in special costumes designed by artist Sarah Szczesny and fuelled by a generous amount of Japanese whisky, Hasan Poppu was born. Over the course of the pandemic, the duo thought about creating a record based on the live recording of their premiere show. However, the synergy of their collaborative creative energies led them in entirely novel directions. Their self-titled, double-sided album traverses a wild and raucous terrain, moving swiftly from hybrid noise-techno to giddy party ecstasy, to strange and shadowy atmospheres.

Including remixes by YPY, Hibotep, Lena Willikens, Efdemin and Barnt, the 11 tracks span a dizzying array of experimental dance-facing styles. 'Die-Biden' kicks off as a high-vibrational vocal experiment seemingly voiced by a sentient German vocoder. 'Kodō' follows, featuring Venker's playful mantra set against a stomping beat. Willikens' reimagining of 'Teiko' transports the track to obscure realms inhabited by strange creatures emitting ungodly sounds. Meanwhile, Efdemin's take on 'Ekusutashī' pulsates with a kinetic buzz. Flipping over to the B-side, 'Sakura' is a euphoric wall of drone punctuated by eerie whispers and mystical singing. Then, the second installment of 'Kodō' takes a fresh trajectory with a touch of Barnt’s electronic groove stylings. Finally, Hibotep's 'Shojo no yo ni flp' serves as the finsher – an unrepentant trance belter that disintegrates into sampled fragments. Loosely translating to "broken pop music," Hasan Poppu is informed by Beyer and Venker's shared love for Japan. The band takes their cues from the country’s rich sonic cultures while also drawing on Venker's wordsmith background and Beyer's flair for melding melodic tech-house with song-based synth-pop. Originally out on Beachcoma Recordings, Hasan Poppu’s debut album gets a new lease of life on Osàre! Editions with a digital and limited edition cassette tape release. Sarah Szczesny reprises her role in shaping the visual identity of Hasan Poppu by creating beautiful, painterly artwork for the record. words by Hannah Pezzack

Repress!

MIKE’s music carries age beyond his years. Born in New Jersey, he moved to London with his mother before eventually settling in The Bronx for the remainder of his teenage years. Renaissance Man was recorded between the two cities that shaped him, with both regions leaving a distinct mark on his sound. In London, he was immersed in grime and the music of King Krule, while in The Bronx, he gravitated toward the influences of Earl Sweatshirt and MF DOOM.Through his mixtapes Winter New York, Longest Day, Shortest Night, May God Bless Your Hustle, and his EP By The Water, he has made a definitive statement on the state of youth in New York. The releases turned heads outside of MIKE’s immediate community in the city, earning praise from The FADER, The New Yorker, and being selected as Best New Music by Pitchfork.MIKE raps over characteristically lo-fi, and soulfully hazy, self produced beats. Themes about the depression and anxiety that accompany being young and African American abound throughout his music, but a muted sense of hopefulness and certainty that he is moving towards ultimate triumph is the motor quietly propelling things forward.Renaissance Man follows his critically acclaimed Lex Records release, Black Soap

Australia's world-renowned cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef return with new album Superb. A record that represents a change in their creative approach and turns up the heat in their music. Trading in their meticulous writing and recording techniques for a looser and less planned approach with the intentions of bringing more levity to the process, and it comes through in spades. The high caliber musicianship is still front and center, but they push their sound into a more energetic and fun place on this album. Album opener "Sleep Dreams" is the closest thing to a Surprise Chef tune one would come to expect but then lead single "Bully Ball" comes on and you get the picture that they came to kick in the door on this one. The song's gritty drums thunder through the speakers and get covered with percussion, keys, bass, and guitar chanks that stay in the pocket and bring the funk with them. The band pushes the boundaries of arrangement with tunes like "Body Slam" that starts off like a sweet soul track then pulls a 180, turning dark and haunting, centering on a sound they created by tucking a timpani into a bathroom two doors down from the mixing board. That same sense of experimentation comes up again on "Fare Evader" where they pepper another neck breaking rhythm track with synth notes that sound like robot sound effects from a 70s sci-film. The fellas turn up the tempo for the dance with tunes like "Consulate Case" and "Tag Dag"; the former pulling influence from afro-funk and the latter from jazz-funk. They take us deep into the beautiful world of Surprise Chef ballads on "Websites" and double down on their abilities to make beautiful and ethereal tracks with "Dreamer's Disease". With their new album Superb, their new approach, and plans to tour the world, we are about to see Surprise Chef take the step from the underground's most beloved to a household name and we are definitely here for it.

Australia's world-renowned cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef return with new album Superb. A record that represents a change in their creative approach and turns up the heat in their music. Trading in their meticulous writing and recording techniques for a looser and less planned approach with the intentions of bringing more levity to the process, and it comes through in spades. The high caliber musicianship is still front and center, but they push their sound into a more energetic and fun place on this album. Album opener "Sleep Dreams" is the closest thing to a Surprise Chef tune one would come to expect but then lead single "Bully Ball" comes on and you get the picture that they came to kick in the door on this one. The song's gritty drums thunder through the speakers and get covered with percussion, keys, bass, and guitar chanks that stay in the pocket and bring the funk with them. The band pushes the boundaries of arrangement with tunes like "Body Slam" that starts off like a sweet soul track then pulls a 180, turning dark and haunting, centering on a sound they created by tucking a timpani into a bathroom two doors down from the mixing board. That same sense of experimentation comes up again on "Fare Evader" where they pepper another neck breaking rhythm track with synth notes that sound like robot sound effects from a 70s sci-film. The fellas turn up the tempo for the dance with tunes like "Consulate Case" and "Tag Dag"; the former pulling influence from afro-funk and the latter from jazz-funk. They take us deep into the beautiful world of Surprise Chef ballads on "Websites" and double down on their abilities to make beautiful and ethereal tracks with "Dreamer's Disease". With their new album Superb, their new approach, and plans to tour the world, we are about to see Surprise Chef take the step from the underground's most beloved to a household name and we are definitely here for it.

Quickly on the heels of their debut, Cuneiform Tabs return with Age, an LP that takes a massive leap forward in both melodic sensibilities and inventiveness. Bathed in late night psychedelia and the looping repetition of a drone sample, the group's experimental penchants remain, yet this time wrapped around tunes too sweet to be denied. In pulling back a little of the crackle and haze that made their first album so inviting, the Tabs have revealed more of their pop instincts. The overall effect is a perfect set of early Animal Collective demos or Syd Barrett attempting a Television Personalities cover at 3am.

The duo of Matt Bleyle and Sterling Mackinnon continue their system of trading 4-track tapes between the Bay Area and London, a furtive correspondence until sonic nuggets are fully formed. While these songs are very much the product of the Tascam and rudimentary software that is integral to the band, this album is truly the embrace of their songwriting talents – not unlike the recent breakthrough of labelmate Cindy Lee.

With the dream-like strum of "Ivy," slow shimmer of "Orbital Rings" and enchanting, madcap swirl of "Blended Medal," this is hypnagogic pop at its finest. Age is the record Bob Pollard hears in his head every time he steps down to the basement to pick up a guitar. This is the sound of riding in an elevator hearing McCartney singing "Blackbird" in the distance, only to have it draw closer and closer with each floor as you finally race down the hallway, putting your ear to each door searching for the source. This is Leonard Cohen smoking in the middle of the street outside a Suicide show. If all of this sounds phenomenal, it is.

A shift in perception, a rupture in the known-Isabel Soto carves a new space within the abyss with Habitat Alteration. Sine Space 7 is very proud to present the latest EP by Isabel Soto, reinforced with a remix by the fantastic Elisa Batti.
Available on vinyl and digital on the 17th of May. This latest EP is an exploration of tension, with the distinctive hypnotic pulses that are so characteristic of Soto.

With a meticulous blend of deep, rolling basslines and unsettling, high-pressure pad textures, Soto orchestrates an environment where time distorts and the senses unravel. The EP's sound design is razor-sharp, each element precisely
crafted to immerse the listener in a state of heightened awareness-dark, brooding, and unrelenting.

Elisa Batti steps in with a remix that tightens the grip, amplifying the tension while injecting more rawness into one of Soto's tracks. Sculpting the original's ghostly elements into an even sharper and hard-hitting framework, Batti's interpretation is a masterclass in controlled intensity, leaving no escape from the spiraling hypnosis. This is techno for those who seek the darkness, a sonic habitat where alteration is inevitable.

Sometimes records reflect life with an unsettling precision, your own breath sticking to a mirror, confounding or transforming reality. J.H. Guraj, real name Dominique Vaccaro, is back with ‘The Flip Side’, an accomplished work of grace and sprawling elegance documenting struggle and a near-death experience that summons ghosts of Western primitive masters, rollicking free folk, minimalist orchestrations, weeping guitars and smooth psychedelics.

Time stopped for J.H. Guraj in 2021 following a brush with mortality, extensive forced recovery and subsequent hints of depression after an almost fatal bike crash, leaving our wandering soul, once again, at the edges. While his previous record ‘Introspection / Migration’ hinted at Middle-Eastern influences and merged the artists’ Arbëreshë upbringing with stoic ecstasis, free-form structures and guitar wizardry under sepia tone curtains, ‘The Flip Side’ twists, turns, falls down and rises to new heights, the widescreen breadth of Dominique Vaccaro’s cinematic vision projects new colours, a stark contrast of pastoral emerald green and pitch black asphalt, urban decay and mercurial mystery.

Like passages from some archaic songbook what astonishes is how detailed the new compositions are, a warm embrace like ‘Way To Long Goodbye’, counterpoint pianos leading the way down a Gershwin avenue; ‘You Got It All Wrong So Did I’ with its Van Dyke Parks arrangement; the 9 minute epic ‘Us As Ghosts’ a haunting ballad that resolves into kosmische landscapes; the muted symphony of ‘Fake Af’ and the spectral disorientation of ‘Nothing I Can Do But Flow’. Gentle drumming from collaborator Gianluca Panici augment the eeriness of ‘The Flip Side’, motions that create a sense of suspension and yearning.

“In my category, I’m the one and only,” proclaimed Oakland legend Too $hort on his 1990 single “Short But Funky.” Few disagreed then, and even fewer would do so decades later. First appearing in the mid-1980s, slinging homemade tapes out of his car trunk, the man born Todd Shaw has always stayed true to himself. Although he is known more for the dirty side of his rap game, on “Short But Funky,” he also reminds listeners of an important fact: “There’s a serious side to everything I say.” Short Dog’s In The House, was $hort’s sixth studio album, and his second for the Jive label. By the time it hit, he was a West Coast legend, but his rep was growing Eastwards, as the rest of the country started opening its ears to new sounds. Peaking at #20 on the national Billboard 200 chart, the album was exactly what his dedicated fans expected funky, 70s drenched beats made for cars on the boulevard, and no nonsense lyrics that made more sense and dropped more knowledge than he was ever given credit for. For examples of his conscious side, look no further than the P-Funk fueled “It’s Your Life” or the album’s lead single, “The Ghetto.” The album’s second single “Short But Funky” landed somewhere in the middle of $hort and Todd Shaw, talking about where he was at as the new decade broke, and making it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. His mortality was mainly on his mind after rumors had surfaced the year before that he had died in a crack house. He speaks directly to this crazy episode on “Dead Or Alive.” And although it’s mostly a solo affair, he brings in some heavy artillery and a lot of not for the kids profanity on “Ain’t Nothin’ But A Word To Me,” featuring none other than Ice Cube In between, $hort distributed plenty of tales and charisma for fans to eat up, continuing to build his legendary status as one of the rap trailblazers of the era. Get On Down has repressed this 1990 Bay Area classic album on Blue and Ruby Color-In-Color vinyl

Soul Jazz Records’ new Secret Superstar Sounds brings together a wealth of incredibly catchy tunes from late-70s/early-80s British groups that you have probably never heard of! Powerpop mixed together a love of lyrical and melodically beautiful 60s pop and garage sounds, together with the energy and attitude of 70s punk. Almost completely out of kilter with the fashions of the day (punk, new wave and post-punk) these bands managed to fall between the musical cracks at almost every step of the way – leaving them practically unknown to all but a few.

Inspired by the D-I-Y messaging of bands like The Desperate Bicycles, Sniffing Glue fanzine and early UK punk labels like Stiff, Chiswick and Rough Trade, these bands chose mainly to go into a studio and make their own private press/D-I-Y records themselves – then try to work out everything else (promotion, marketing, etc) afterwards. As mainly outsiders to the mainstream music industry, and usually unable to make any inroads into it, save for sending their own record to John Peel, most of these bands fell at the first hurdle.

These records remain both beautifully crafted 3-minute musical gems, and long-lost micro-histories of an essentially hidden genre.
Featured bands here include The Squares, The Meanies, The Monitors, Plummet Airline, Tours, Gobblinz, Krypton Tunes and more. Most of these records were self-published D-I-Y releases made in very limited-editions and were often the only tracks ever released by these groups.

Canadian bowed guitarist and multi-instrumentalist C. Diab announces his fifth album Imerro, out February 16th, and presents the trip-infused lead single 'Lunar Barge'.

(Real name) Caton Diab creates soundscapes that evoke the spectacular wilderness of his childhood home in northern Vancouver Island. Incorporating experimental textures, folk overtones and tape manipulations, C. Diab uniquely finds the unseen spaces in-between, and fittingly dubs his creations "post-classical grunge". Imerro explores new sonic realms and is the culmination of a sound world that Diab has built up since the critically acclaimed 'No Perfect Wave' (2016, Injazero) and subsequent releases 'Exit Rumination' (2018), 'White Whale' (2020) and 'In Love & Fracture' (2021). The Wire calls it "ambient music in the best sense - music for living, which can be both non-invasive and immersive...epic"

Imerro was recorded in late July and August of 2021 at Risque Disque Studio in Cedar, BC, during the summer's unprecedented second "heat dome", which saw temperatures soaring to over 40 degrees. Recorded with regular collaborator and engineer Jonathan Paul Stewart, the pair journeyed by boat to the studio to a place with minimal distraction with a plan of "simple ecstatic improvisation." Diab explains: "I wanted to place myself in a space for creation with little thematic pretence, with the belief that music 'shows its face' as you move along. I would pick up an instrument, whether I had experience playing it or not, and make a sound. If it wanted to be played, it would play."

Spacey Jane are an Australian indie rock band formed in Fremantle in 2016. Following a year-long hiatus from live performances, Spacey Jane announced in January 2025 that their third studio album, If That Makes Sense, would be released in May. It was announced alongside the release of lead single "All the Noise". If That Makes Sense explores the difficulty and uncertainty that arises when articulating any feeling across the full spectrum of human emotion. Having total knowledge that nobody is able to truly comprehend the complexities that life has presented to you, but still trying to get the words out anyway. If That Makes Sense is an emotional flip book through time, a set of flashbacks and vignettes, an attempt to rearrange the disorder into something ordered. Where you are today is the result of all these fragments and experiences. -Caleb Harper

Little Blue, the latest album from Nashville artist Kristina Murray was recorded with producers Misa Arriaga and Rachael Moore. The collection grapples with loneliness, desperation, and existential crises through a series of cinematic snapshots of small-town burnouts and last call lovers. Murray is a country artist in the truest sense, a genuine craftswoman with a keen eye and ear for the little details that bring her working-class characters to life, and her delivery is timeless, blurring the lines between the old school honky-tonk, swampy Americana, and R&B-infused southern rock she grew up on in her home state of Georgia. If Murray sounds like a seasoned vet on Little Blue, that’s because she is. While the album marks her Normaltown debut, Murray’s spent the last decade since moving to Nashville paying her dues in an endless series of dive bars and juke joints, and the result is an electrifying introduction to an artist only just beginning to get the kind of wider recognition her talent has long warranted. “I’ve been to some pretty low places these last ten years,” Kristina Murray confesses. “Faced a lot of heartbreak and loss and grief, but you have to learn to live with those things if you’re going to survive. You have to persevere.” That spirit of perseverance forms the bedrock of Little Blue.

fabric Records has enlisted Turkish-Italian DJ and producer Carlita for the next instalment of its prestigious mix compilation series, ‘fabric presents’. Set for full release on April 11, fabric presents Carlita will showcase her meticulous curation, featuring two new original tracks.

The double vinyl sampler features eight full length tracks taken from Carlita’s mix. Her two exclusives ‘Raf’ and ‘Stop Now’ are cut to A1 and C1 respectively.
The two black vinyl plates are 140g and are packaged in black inners, inside a matt printed reverse board printed sleeve. The vinyl package accompanies the CD, digital download and streaming of fabric presents Carlita mixed compilation across all major platforms on 11th April 2025.

The announcement of Carlita’s mix arrives alongside the release of the first single, “Raf,” a collaboration with Toronto producer Andre Zimmer, out now via fabric Records. “Raf” is a high-energy fusion of classic house and rave influences, crafted with the dancefloor in mind. The track pairs infectious, soulful vocal elements with punchy synth stabs and rolling breakbeats, all anchored by a deep, groovy tech-house bassline. “Raf,” along with an additional original from Carlita, “Stop Now,” is nestled among storied house and techno juggernauts such as Butch, Alex Metric, and Paco Osuna, as well as rising underground producers Prunk, Toman, Alinka, and more.

Beyond the club and festival circuit, Carlita is a leading figure at the intersection of music and fashion. She’s been featured in British Vogue and on the cover of Vogue Italia, performed at exclusive events for Louis Vuitton, Versace, and Fendi, and curated performances featuring The Blessed Madonna and Heron Preston at her own multi-sensory Senza Fine parties. Most recently, she collaborated with Audemars Piguet to mark the release of her debut album, Sentimental.

Carlita (real name Carla Frayman) comes from a background of musical mastery, having played classical cello for the Royal Academy of Music in London in her earlier years (after learning to play piano at age 3). Since her earliest memories, Frayman has never stopped developing her musical talent, picking up more instruments, learning music theory, and after university, saving up enough money to pursue it full time. She hasn’t stopped chasing her dreams and is now playing high-profile DJ slots (check out her Cercle set at Cinecittà in Rome), and has quickly risen as a producer with her phenomenal debut album Sentimental on Ninja Tune last year, as well as remixes for Disclosure and RÜFÜS DU SOL.

Coming up, Carlita be performing at festivals and clubs in Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Germany, and many more. On April 12, celebrating her fabric presents release, Carlita will be taking over Room 2 at fabric alongside Jennifer Loveless, Tommy Gold, and Pedrose.

12" EP. Azmari is thrilled to announce the release of their fourth opus, 5-track EP 'In Oculis'. The EP is a reflection of the band's collective desire to reinvent themselves. With a more minimalistic approach, the four musicians have created an eclectic, intense, and vibrant body of work, recorded during various residencies in Belgium and abroad. The result is a fusion of genres that range from powerful grooves to cinematic jazz, from floating melodies to entrancing soundscapes.

For this new project, Azmari teamed up with a long-time collaborator, Guillaume Souffrice (alias Mosso Mosso), who had already been Azmari's guitarist in the band's early days. Souffrice's expertise as a music therapist and multi-instrumentalist, combined with his passion for cross-cultural rhythms and melodies, adds a new depth and dimension to the band's sound.

Souffrice's extensive travels have taken him from Iranian Kurdistan, where he studied the daf (a large frame drum used in Sufi ceremonies), to northern India, where he immersed himself in the modal subtleties of the shehnai (Indian oboe). His love for psychedelic guitar tones and the classic wha-wha pedal remains at the heart of his musical approach, creating a fusion of tradition and experimentation.

The EP opens with 'Night Plants Can Run,' a track that starts with a rhythmic loop on the Berimbau, a Brazilian percussion instrument traditionally used in Capoeira. The song offers a steady, groovy journey between Rio de Janeiro and Sarajevo, with a guitar theme doubled by the saxophone, all underpinned by a deep 4/4 groove. The middle part of the track introduces a lot of percussion (an Azmari signature move) that gives a sense of urgency and chase, inspired by the band's experience playing the track in the studio, imagining a pursuit through the depths of the Amazon.

Next, 'Disassembling the Matrix' takes listeners on a 9/4 march that feels both elusive and powerful. Born from a jam session where an arpeggiator loop wouldn't stop, the band decided to continue with it, highlighting the beauty of a spontaneous creation once again. 'Lizzard's Dream' is a guitar-driven trip that gradually intensifies in energy. The song surprises with a sudden groovy break - a moment that was initially the core of the track - before returning to its soft and introspective theme, closing out the A-side of the vinyl.

The fourth track, 'Eyelights,' was born from the shores of Vevey Lake in Switzerland. It reflects the result of a long period of mental observation and rhythmic exploration. Three different time signatures were used to create the song's intro, which comes together as they go along. The melody loops with a peaceful and nostalgic vibe, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Under the direction of Frederik Segers, who produced the EP, 'Eyelights' takes on a cinematic feel, with classical upright piano sounds that are a first for Azmari.

The EP closes with "17th Tiger Print," which takes us to the banks of the Ganges. Souffrice's shehnai leads the track into a hypnotic, hallucinatory dimension, where the interplay between his instrument and the baritone saxophone creates a textured, mystical atmosphere. This track encapsulates the essence of Azmari, a sound that bridges cultures and emotions in a minimalist yet highly effective way.

'In Oculis' marks another milestone in Azmari's musical evolution, blending the band's signature style with new influences and experimentation. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to their sound, this EP promisesto take you on another ride around the world.

Transversales Disques proudly presents the first official LP reissue of "Deserted Palace", studio album written & performed by Jean Michel Jarre in 1972, during his work experience at G.R.M. (Groupe de Recherches Musicales).

In 1971, an order was placed with producer Francis Dreyfus to provide sound for public places such as airports and libraries. He decided to pass the project on to Jean-Michel, who had recently been signed by his record company.

These fifteen tracks are made with only two synthesizers (EMS VCS3 & Farfisa organ) in an experimental and very minimal style.

"It was a crazy album, totally homemade, with rhythms that I made in my student room, with a minimum of equipment and at the same time electronic sounds that I stole from the GRM where I went at night after stealing the keys to the studios. It is a pirate record, in every sense of the word, in which we find what I did afterwards.” JMJ

Audio restored & remastered

Psycho Bummer is thrilled to present our latest release from QUAAD, a leading figure in Seattle’s emerging jungle scene and, in our opinion, one of the finest tracker enthusiasts out there.

Made on an Amiga 1200 with Octamed, QUAAD's “PAULA EP” is a nod to the Amiga's revolutionary sound chip of the same name, as well as a love letter to the primitive sampling techniques and demoscene aesthetics that the Amiga is famous for.

PAULA’s characteristic grime and grit is evident on tracks like EP opener “King Russ”, which cuts up a gorgeously degraded smooth-jazz sample across lethal amen chops and brutal subs. Likewise, the absurdly heavy drop of “Gone Postal” is offset by QUAAD’s particular sense of humor, striking a balance between caricature and dancefloor devastation. “Erb Man Dub” and “Van Nuys Crew” round out the EP, the later switching up the intensity for a more laid back R&B vibe, hinting at QUAAD’s versatility.

»Carpet Of Fallen Leaves« is an introduction to the folk-pop world of Eddie Marcon. It follows in the footsteps of other collections of Japanese artists on Morr Music, such as yumbo, Andersens, and the »Minna Miteru« compilations. »Carpet Of Fallen Leaves« draws together songs from Eddie Marcon’s twenty-two-year history, including fragile, yet rich in melody material, collected from a prodigious run of limited edition, self-released CD-Rs.

Eddie Marcon is the project of Eddie Corman and Jules Marcon, who met through their involvement in Japan’s underground music scene. Eddie was a member of noise-rock duo Coa, while both Eddie and Marcon were part of psych-rock collective LSD-March. Forming in 2001, Eddie Marcon’s sound is markedly different from these groups, though they do, at times, share a sense of psychedelic dislocation, through the gentle, limpid pace of their songs. But with Eddie Marcon, melody and gentleness is at the music’s core.

They’ve long marked out their own, unique territory within a worldwide community of psych-folk and folk-pop artists; sharing their music through a subterranean network of colleagues and friends, they count groups like The Pastels and The Notwist as their fans, and Eddie has collaborated with the likes of Shintaro Sakamoto, and Aki Tsuyuko (in Tondekebana, and with Marcon and Ippei Matsui in the quartet Wasurerogusa). Eddie Marcon have also recently worked with drummer Ikuro Takahashi, who’s played with groups such as Fushitsusha, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, and Nagisa Ni Te.

Across the songs on »Carpet Of Fallen Leaves«, Eddie Marcon’s songs are performed by Eddie on guitar, organ and vocals, and Marcon on bass; they’re variously joined by Takahashi, Yojiro Tatekawa (drums), Tomoko Kageyama (vibraphone), Yasuhisa Mizutani (flute), Madoka Asakura (vocals), and Ztom Motoyama (pedal steel). The arrangements are pared back to best serve the core of each song, and the playing is gorgeous – fluent but not showy; capable of great intricacy, but aware that simplicity is key to direct communication.

Songs like »Mayonaka No Ongaku« stretch their limbs languidly, the music shivering with beauty as guitar and cymbal drift across Eddie’s poised vocal delivery. »Tora To Lion« began as an improvisation, but it’s become a firm favourite of the group’s fans: as Eddie says, »it has become a very important song for us, to the extent that it can be said to be our representative song.«

Perhaps the most moving thing about »Carpet Of Fallen Leaves«, though, is the way it captures the subtle yet significant moments of everydayness that ask for our attention. »Shoujo«, a song for a beloved cat who passed away, possesses rare emotional resonance. »At the end of the song,« Eddie remembers, »I wanted to have her throat rumbling endlessly.« When the song was cut, a television voice appeared behind the purring, saying ›thank you‹. »For us, it felt like words from Poco-chan, and tears came to our eyes.«

Following the hyperactive “Blood Karaoke” (2022, Reading Group), “Performing Belief” builds rhythmic thickets from gathered sounds interwoven with synths, drum machines and other samples. Having built these rhythmic nests, Krivchenia then called on two contemporary mages of the low end: electric bassist and fellow Angeleno Sam Wilkes (Wilkes/Gendel) and double bassist/multi-instrumentalist from Krivchenia’s native Chicago, Joshua Abrams (Natural Information Society). Wilkes and Abrams bring the presence of a grounding human witness to the rhythmic undergrowth, providing a centering and even at times melodic voice to the gathering. This alchemy carries a profoundly fresh sense of time, blurring the edges of the quantized grid and the generic boundaries of electronic music.

The core of the album is a lush, opulent matrix of percussion ranging from the familiar—hand claps and drum machines—to the mysteriously verdant, sampled largely from Krivchenia’s own performed field recorded collection. For years, he would record any and all of his musical encounters with natural objects: performing on a particularly resonant log on a hike, throwing rocks into a pristine pond, tap dancing in the mud. This archive of “natural” sounds became the fertile soil out of which the tracks on “Performing Belief” grew. What is gained in the process is not just a novel set of sounds, but a new rhythmic language. The particular give, the anticipatory rustle, the extra breath of a hollow log when functioning as a kickdrum provides a greenness that overtakes the rhythmic grid, giving this music a peculiar kind of stickiness. This rhythmic language, set in Krivchenia’s long-fermenting electronic musical palate, feels like a revelation, even while it calls back not only to his wonderfully elastic timekeeping behind the kit with his beloved band Big Thief, but also to his prior work in computer music as well as his deep study and love of the vast human archive of drumming. “Performing Belief” is in good company in the rank and file of the legendary Planet Mu label. From the foundational early releases of the likes of Jega and Venetian Snares, to the contemporary envelope-warping work of Jlin and hundreds of brilliant releases in between, Planet Mu has been a beacon of forward-thinking rhythmic music for decades, informing Krivchenia’s own sense of the weird metaphysics of musical time since he was a kid. Krivchenia’s contribution to this history calls to mind the principle of organic danceability that subtends Mu’s whole catalogue, while bending our sense of rhythm in new and gracious dimensions. Krivchenia brings out the loamy complexity of natural rhythms, a clearing as generous as it is inviting. Let the drummer give you some.

Hi-Tide presents the Exciting! Spectacular! new EP from Messer Chups! Fantastic sounds leap at you in stereophonic 3-DIMENSION, recorded by Evan Foster from The Boss Martians. PLUS! Amazing visuals the human eye has never before seen by Travis Knight. Official music video launching the day of digital release, 7" vinyl in stores May 2 and the band will tour with USA with Electric Six in May! Targets: "Modern Psychedelia" "Dark and Gothic" "Rockabilly" "Surf Rock Sunshine" "Rockabilly Mania" & similar

Roberta’s latest missive showcases her ability to craft a more immersive and jazz-forward EP while staying true to her reliable leaning towards a more heady sound. Each track is an exercise in balancing the interplay between those two spaces. Your Power reveals a new complexity to her sound while evoking the sentimentality of her earlier productions. The EP closes out with a slow jam house groove that elevates as much as it captivates with its emotional melody and winding synths creating the perfect outro to her latest work, which implies her evolution as an artist is still slowly revealing itself.

The Crippled Flower was a post-punk band from Düsseldorf - and they arrived late. However, unlike many young, unsuspecting, hairsprayed hopefuls from that time, in 1985 they could sense that the end of their era was approaching. They knew too much to want to take the world by storm. They were four individualists searching their own way. Each of the band members only found their calling after the time that they had spent together – but that's exactly what makes The Crippled Flower still seem really interesting today, this static energy that does not discharge, but is simply there.

Searching dreamers should sound like that and that's what they were. Singer Phil Elston, for example, had brought his love of Kraftwerk from England to Düsseldorf. Even his bandmates found this strange, but they were also entangled in their own longings. This is because the times were still so crazy and these searchers were "on fire". A fire that glows in the band's recordings.

Listening to the songs today, The Crippled Flower sound like they are hugely at the height of their game; think of Wire, Felt, Scritti Politti or Minimal Compact. The variety of musical themes, as well as different soundscapes, which the band created can only be listened to in amazement. Often, it is only Phil Elston's Sprechgesang that confirms that this is really the same band. However, it was back in 1985 when, importantly, the catalyst that brought the musicians together - the short lived eclectic record store "Heartbeat" in Düsseldorf Bilk - occured. It was there where post-industrial and pop, melodic minimal music and sound attacks awaited those who wanted to discover music by artists and bands they did not yet know.

Cassette releases. All recorded on 4-Track. The Crippled Flower succeeded in this medium. Firstly, with a cassette just entited The Crippled Flower, working from project-like studio recorded sketches. Four more tracks from the short-lived band appeared in 1986 on "A Heartbeat Rendezvous“. A demo tape submitted to Les Disques du Crépuscule, however, did not lead to a worldwide career and so, unfortunately, it was soon over.

Stefan Krausen moved on to the follow-up project Deux Baleines Blanches with Stefan Schneider, which, in 1994, gave rise to the band Kreidler. Krausen was already drumming with the I-Burnettes on AtaTak and much later he studied painting in Munich. Nina Ahlers moved from Düsseldorf to Paris to study art, because in the 80s it was still the case that Paris was the destination of choice for those really wanting to become an artist – and that's what she did. Her work is characterized by a non-academic minimalism focusing on everyday objects. Stefan Schneider remained connected to music. Only Phil Elston, who helped sabotage fox hunts in England and wrote these observant lyrics about environmental destruction and time travel, seems to have escaped the social-media world. Whether he found Kraftwerk-fulfilment in Düsseldorf or moved on disillusioned remains a mystery to us. And somehow this also fits in with that peculiar, special band. - Oliver Tepel, Köln 2025 (Translation by Philipp Elston)

Z.I.P.P.O returns to SK11 with his second EP 'Eleven', a collection of four tracks that defy formula while remaining anchored to the roots of techno. Boldly unconventional yet highly functional, each piece serves as a passage: a shift in tempo, tone, or texture, shaped by a deeply personal sonic vision. Rather than offering a fixed narrative, the record encourages fluid movement - between genres, emotional states, and sonic architectures. Eleven is a finely tuned exercise in tension, groove, and release a thoughtful and uncompromising work from one of Italy's most singular voices.

The EP kicks off with the title track "Eleven", which carries the weight of a timeless hymn - balancing melancholy and release through an impactful lead motif, anchored by a heavy, hypnotic kick. "Hypernova" dives into submerged territory, where swinging percussions, chopped vocals, and aquatic atmospheres unfold with eerie precision on its 909 workout. On the B side, "Kaus" moves in a state of continuous evolution: elegant and deep, driven by tribal rhythms and swelling chords that glide into trance-like dimensions. "Replication" closes the cycle with relentless pressure: twisted sound design, full-bodied groove, and a sense of motion that refuses to resolve.

Dateline: April 10, 1970. Setting: The storied Fillmore West in San Francisco, CA. Context: Miles Davis, three days removed from his first session for Jack Johnson and, with newly recruited soprano saxophonist Steve Grossman in tow, opening shows for countercultural heroes the Grateful Dead on the latter’s home turf. Result: The initial rumblings of a thrilling era in which Davis and his cohorts would again upend jazz and popular conceptions of the genre with music steeped in groove, improvisation, and hang-on-for-your-life adventurousness. All captured on Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West.

Mastered at MoFi’s California studio, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g 33RPM 2LP set helps bring what went down that spring evening in Bill Graham’s venue to your listening room with exceptional clarity, balance, and presence. Originally only released in Japan in 1973 and unavailable in the United States until the late ‘90s on compact disc, this marks the first time Black Beauty has been issued on domestic vinyl. The wait is worth it.

Benefitting from quiet surfaces and excellent definition, these LPs present the band’s livewire energy and torrential storm of notes with captivating dynamics, pacing, and fullness. At its core, this audiophile reissue takes you into the walls of sound erected by a band learning on-the-fly the sheer power, will, and breadth of the electric jazz Davis was orchestrating and realizing, on the spot, would reach rock audiences that until that point had only a faint awareness of his mad-scientist experimentation. The sense of release and reach conveyed by these carefully restored records make it clear the veteran bandleader was in the process of a permanent shift that he’d chase for the next five years.

Given Davis was only a few months away from releasing the pioneering double album Bitches Brew, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that much of the fare here adheres to similar explorative approaches. Turbulent rhythms, provocative trumpet passages, and rich, saturated tonal colors that seemingly splash against a blank canvas take precedence over any traditional attempts at organization and melody. Davis and Co. intentionally play everything on a line with the bandleader signaling changes with his horn via coded phrases. The group speaks a common language — with each member having gone to achieve iconic status for their career contributions and technical prowess.

In the company of Grossman, Chick Corea (piano), Dave Holland (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums), and Airto Moreira (percussion), Davis constructs themes around “Directions,” “Miles Runs the Voodoo Down,” “It’s About That Time,” the title track to Bitches Brew, and more from his then most-recent studio works and the in-progress Jack Johnson. His farewell to the popular standards that for nearly two decades remained a part of his repertoire arrive via a brief dalliance with “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” a shortened albeit aggressive “Masqualero,” and the “Theme” finale of “Spanish Key.” Initially, Black Beauty lacked specific track listings due to Davis’ increasing frustration with listeners over-analyzing his music.

In retrospect, it’s difficult to blame anyone for wanting to view what’s on display here with the aural equivalent of a magnifying glass. Leaning in rock directions, yet maintaining an ear for spaciousness and solos, Black Beauty survives as a snapshot of a thrilling moment amid a transitory period in which evolution came fast and furious. Just two months later, Davis would add another instrumentalist to the lineup in the form of organist Keith Jarrett, and the perpetually restless visionary would blast off to a more atmospheric and arguably more chaotic universe.

Consider, then, this live document a bridge to that galaxy and a breathtaking example of the possibilities of jazz itself.

The annual Bonkers Music compilation returns, delivering another round of high-energy bangers. This year, the release explores a slightly evolved musical style while staying true to its signature sound. Celebrating its sixth edition, “Year VI” will be available on 12” vinyl, accompanied by a few exciting surprises.

A1. Neskeh’s “106 Cabrel” revolves around a melodic yet hypnotically repetitive lead sequence, crafted to evoke a trance-like state on the dance floor and radiate positive energy. The foundation of big, punchy kicks and a robust bassline gives it a quintessential club vibe.

A percussive break in the middle shifts the mood entirely, paying homage to Goa rhythms and shamanic rituals, immersing listeners in a more primal atmosphere. The drop reignites the momentum, enhanced by the warm tones of the beloved Minilogue, adding an almost epic dimension to the journey.

A2. Berlin’s Mike Sacchetti and Madrid’s David Meyer unite on “Agria Pachanga,” a dance energy piece that pulses with percussive drive and a subtle touch of Latin identity.

Acid-inspired arrangements swirl around classic drum machine sounds. The syncopated rhythms and pumping basslines push the track towards an agitated club atmosphere, building this song into a bold declaration of fiesta.

A3. Two friends from Guadalajara, Mexico, Leonor & Ludviq, now living in different European cities, (Barcelona & Lyon) join forces to bring you Capybara Trance, This electrifying track combines dark, driving energy with intricately sequenced melodies, a hard-hitting chugging bassline, and the unique touch of capybara-inspired sounds. Anchored by a commanding kick drum that sets an unrelenting tempo.

B1. “Nebula” is a deep, atmospheric journey through cosmic sounds and pulsating rhythms. The track blends hypnotic melodies with dark synthetic textures, evoking a sense of drifting through endless galaxies. With a strong groove and intricate arrangements, it delivers energy that fits perfectly in both morning sets and more conceptual playlists. The collaboration between Radial Gaze, Ducati Flux, and Persona RS captures the spirit of exploration, creating a versatile track that can be the highlight of any set

B2. Intruso hailing from Bogota, now based in Barcelona brings “Somos Acido” this track draws inspiration from the early 2000’s House and Trance, capturing the nostalgia and emotional resonance of his first experiences with electronic music as a child. A driving Acid bassline injects dynamic energy, making it perfectly suited for the dance floor.

B3. Argentinian born, Australia based producer Poulper teams up with Mexican maestro Hugo Vallejo to kick off this intergalactic adventure. This track weaves together acid-laced elements and an infectious rhythm, layered with haunting post-dark vocals that narrate the fiery, cosmic tale of love burning in the vast expanse of space. A bold and immersive journey into the unknown, perfect for this stellar compilation.

Jan Jelinek plays The Carpenters, concert by Jan Jelinek for four loudspeakers, 20th July 2022 at Uferstudio 1, Berlin.

For this live performance, Jelinek used a sample from the song “’ * ***” by The Carpenters. Towards the end of the 1st half, the original source sample emerges from the dense arrangement of processed loops and reveals its identity, a moment that recalls awakening from deep hypnosis. The 2nd half of the performance zooms in further on the source material, leading to a complete dissolution of any referentiality.

faitiche edition is a series of concerts on tape cassette. The recordings are NOT available digitally. Buyers/owners of the tape can send a photo of their cassette by email to info@faitiche.de (Subject: “das digitale Konzert”) to receive a Bandcamp download code free of charge.

The concert was part of “TetraTon - A concert evening in quadraphonic”. The same evening, there was also a concert by Liz Allbee & Sabine Ercklentz entitled “Close-Up”. The event received support from the Initiative Neue Musik Berlin.

sound recording: Jan Jelinek
drawings: Vincent Klingelhöfer
photo: Udo Siegfriedt
layout: Tim Tetzner

Repress!

Emotional Rescue and Utopia Originals join forces to release the pop, new wave, funk of Obscure Desire, a one-off project and EP from effervescent 80s Auckland, New Zealand that saw three friends come together to make a perfect piece of club pop history.

Revolving around the musical talent of Andrew Waldergrave, a trained pianist, music degree drop-out, who moved to the island’s cultural centre of Auckland and emersed himself in the arts and nightlife scene the city had to offer.

Working at Obscure Desire, a Fashion Boutique meets Salon, he became friends with Grant Mitchell and Giselle Trezevant, together forming not a band, but as they saw it, a project to make a record for their scene and beyond.

Coming from outside of the established band route of endless rehearsals, local gigs, growing a fan base and home recordings, they fell did not have the support network of indigenous New Zealand labels. As so often the case in unearthing these lost reissue gems, the artists took matters into their own hands, seeking to write, record and release themselves.

After meeting Trevor Reekie, head of the local Pagan Records label, he took on production duties. Collating the necessary musicians, the project grew from the one song to become a full EP, recording between a home 16 track studio and a full 24 track desk at Harlequin Studios.

Centred around the title song, it is a perfect pop moment. Waldergrave’s piano leads into an infectious groove of slap bass, gated drums, Reekie’s acoustic guitar and cut vocals, before Trezevant’s vocals propel the song to an 80s swing out vibrations. Coming in Extended, Harlequin and Instrumental (digital only) mixes, this was an overload of White Funk.

Here reduced to the best two versions, more room is given to let the other recordings breathe, first the gloriously anthemic instrumental Bullet. Intricate programming and production, lead into the pop sensibility of I Wonder, some kind of wonderful antipodean reimagining of Chris & Cosey finest pop moments, an optimistic paene that permeates the whole EP. Closing 4A, espouses the Jazz Funk, with Trezevant’s simple French lyrics telling of dreams of a lover’s image.

Released in 1986 with no local support from radio and TV, it became something of a “hit” record in New Zealand’s more discerning clubs, however the members soon moved to London and the project remained a one-off moment. Over time the EP has gained cult status to become globally desired that sees copies of the original 12” selling for $000s. Now at last available for a global reach, while remaining a personal, uplifting moment of time.

In the year since it was first released on Hell Yeah, Aura Safari and Jimi Tenor's Sensory Blending has become a cult modern classic. To celebrate its conquering of Balearic heads and jazz funk hearts everywhere, it now arrives on green transparent vinyl.

The album came about after a chance meeting when Finnish musician Jimi Tenor was playing a Hell Yeah party in Perugia. He had some free time so was hooked up with local collective Aura Safari. It was the first time they had ever met but that didn't stop magic from happening in the studio and giving rise to this lush, rich, life-affirming album.

Tenor is no stranger to collaboration. He has previously worked with Japanese master Calm, regularly plays with Cold Diamond & Mink and has explored psychedelic space-jazz-funk fusion over more than 25 albums and 45 EPs. Right now he is in a rich vein of form, continuing to tour the world and drop cosmic soul voyages on a regal basis.

A year on this album still stands up and has crossed over int several different scenes thanks to high profile plays from plenty of tastemakers. Aura Safari musicians Lorenzo Francioli, Ruggero Bonucci, Nicola Pitassio and the production team were all on top form and truly cemented their reputation as a collective to watch.

'Bodily Synesthesia' is the seductive opener with steamy sax notes and gentle grooves that are topped by aloof vocal whispers. 'Lunar Wind' is another slow and steamy mix of jazzy keys and soulful vocal hooks, 'Bewitched By The Sea' is a more tropical and percussive number with majestic melodies and 'My Bluebell' picks up the pace with jazz-funk grooves and hustling chords. 'Last Waltz In Perugia' has freeform sax lines soaring over meticulous drums that ebb and flow and 'Gimlet' brings a playful, samba-tinged rhythm and sunny flute leads straight from South America. There's a laidback, carefree mood to 'It's Too Easy To Love You' while 'Your Magic Touch' is a dancey number that exudes melodic joy, and 'Indigo' closes in dramatic fashion with a conversational sax that sticks long in the memory.

Sensory Blending is the soundtrack to a steamy summer vacation up amongst the stars.

Norman Westberg (guitar), Giridhar Udupa (ghatam, konnakol, khanjira, percussion) and Jacek Mazurkiewicz (double bass, electronics)An extraordinary meeting of three artists from three different musical worlds and three different continents. Norman Westberg (ex-Swans) and Jacek Mazurkiewicz have already released one album together "First Man In The Moon" in 2021 (published by the Swiss label Hallow Ground).In the new project, they are accompanied by Giridhar Udupa, an Indian master of ghatam (a clay percussion instrument that looks like a jug). The album will feature 3 long trance compositions, referring to ambient, krautrock, free jazz and Indian music.Jacek Mazurkiewicz describes the creation of this album as follows:"I met Norman Westberg while supporting the Swans tour in Poland as 3FoNIA. A few years later, during Norman's tour with Gira, we recorded a duet.The trio session took place similarly to the previous duet session during Norman's solo concert in Warsaw on the Swans tour.Recorded with Adam Toczko, a quick meeting on a day off from work.I invited Giridhar Udupa to the trio, whom I had met earlier during the period when I co-founded the band Limboski. I once invited Wacek Zimpel to play a few concerts with Giridhar. Wacek later created Saagara and I was wondering about some unusual musical context in which I would find myself with Giridhar. I was looking for an interesting sound configuration, but also a cultural one, with a different approach to creating music. I got the impression that for both Norman and Giridhar it was a fairly fresh meeting, not obvious. And on the other hand, ordinary - everyone did their own thing."Detroit guitarist Norman Westberg moved to New York in 1980 and became a part of the experimental music scene that was experiencing its golden age. Westberg himself became a permanent fixture when he joined the iconic avant-rock band Swans in 1983, and was the only member other than frontman Michael Gira to play with them for most of the band's run, both until their 1997 disbandment and his return in 2010. Westberg has also been involved with other legendary New York noise-rock acts, including Jim Thirlwell's Foetus and the post-Swans Heroine Sheiks, in which he played with Cows frontman Shannon Selberg; and in 2014, he joined the noise-rock supergroup Hidden Rifles, whose members included Mike Watt of Minutemen and Mark Shippy of U.S. Maple. Westberg's solo compositions, most often for solo guitar and a set of effects, draw on drone and post-minimalism, bringing to mind dark ambient passages from Swans albums.Giridhar Udupa is an extremely valued teacher and world-renowned artist, an Indian master of ghatam (a clay percussion instrument that looks like a jug). He was born into a family with long musical traditions. He began learning to play at the age of four, guided by his father. At the age of twelve, he already had his first performances behind him. He currently gives concerts alongside the greatest masters. He has received many prestigious awards. He performs in the USA, Spain, Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany, Oman and Kuwait. Giridhar Udupa is a member of the band of the Indian vocalist Bombay Jayashri, nominated for an Oscar for the best song for the film Life of Pi. He is one of the founders of the Layatharanga band. He also plays virtuoso other traditional instruments of South India, such as mridangam and kanjira, and is excellent at using the konnakol technique (a type of rhythmic vocalization).For three decades, the artist has been a global ambassador and icon of Carnatic music. He is the founder of The Udupa Foundation, a charity organization established in 2015 to promote Indian music, performing arts and culture. He has participated in recording dozens of albums. He is also well-known in our country thanks to his cooperation with Polish performers, which resulted in excellent artistic effects, such as the famous Indialucia - Michał Czachowski's group / project or the Saagara formation, led by Wacław Zimpel. Udupa also played on the album Lechoechoplexita, released by Leszek Hefi Wiśniewski, and on the album of the band Layatharanga, released in our country.Jacek Mazurkiewicz is interested in music in the broad sense. He puts his sounds together based on emotional impressions and pulse. Combining acoustics with electronics, he is constantly looking for a new sound. Solo as 3FoNIA, in a duet with Mikołaj Trzaska or Tomek Dąbrowski, the JMB trio with Wojtek Jachna and Jacek Buhl, in the Modular String Trio quartet, the Afrobeat quintet Faso Tamala are just some of his musical incarnations. With Patryk Zakrocki, as part of an audio mission, he massaged hundreds of pairs of ears in the Inner Ear Massage Office. He also deals with sound design, composing and producing music for films and theatre performances. He collaborated with many Polish and foreign artists.

Jan Akkerman (b. 1946) stands apart as a singular figure in the realm of rock and beyond. A Dutch guitarist of unparalleled versatility, he earned international acclaim in 1973 when he topped the prestigious Melody Maker readers’ poll, surpassing icons like Eric Clapton (2nd), Jimmy Page (5th), and Carlos Santana (10th). His fame, however, has never defined his artistry. For Akkerman, it’s always been about the music—any genre, as long as it resonates. He’s a lifelong improviser who approaches each performance as a new adventure. Akkerman first rose to prominence with Focus, a band that embodied the grandiose instrumental rock spirit of the 1970s. Long compositions, dazzling technique, and adventurous arrangements made them a cornerstone of progressive rock. Despite the accolades, Akkerman remained true to his calling. When asked about his success, he has always brushed it aside, preferring to let his guitar do the talking. Side 1 of this record captures Akkerman’s stunning performance on July 10, 2011, at the Nile Hall in Rotterdam. Here, he showcases his ability to take listeners on a sonic journey. The mellow “Tranquilizer” offers a relaxed groove, followed by the heartfelt ballad “You Do Something to Me,” unfolding emotion without words. In “Piétons”—a gospel-tinged blues—trumpeter Eric Vloeimans delivers a fiery solo before the leader propels the piece into uncharted territory. Side 2 brings us back to an earlier moment, recorded in July 2005 at the Paul Acket Paviljoen in The Hague. “Streetwalker” delivers a funk-driven explosion featuring alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman, while “The Zebrah” sends Vloeimans soaring into the musical stratosphere, only to have Akkerman reignite the piece with blistering guitar lines, his band driving forward like a well-tuned Mercedes on an open highway. Akkerman’s live performances are as unpredictable as they are electrifying. Whether sharing the stage with legends or newcomers, his spontaneous creativity makes every concert unique—a master class in musical freedom. Jan Akkerman remains a touchstone for guitarists and fans alike, an authentic improviser whose name still elicits one universal response from any seasoned Dutch rock enthusiast: “He’s the best guitarist in the world.” The North Sea Jazz Concert Series includes officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper and printed on reversed board. The records are captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk. For all recordings it’s a first time ever release on vinyl!

'Sexy Tears' is a bold departure from Tristanne's (fka Tristan) critically acclaimed pop-jazz debut Wellif and lets you veer into uncharted territory, from the first tone, the bittersweet and haunting violin tones fade in on opener 'Steady Mouth'. In a split second, Tristanne lets you vanish in a dazzling matrix deep down a rabbit hole, a place where Piero Umiliani's 70s sleazy giallo era sensually resonates with Oneothrix Point Never goldwave frequencies. With a whisper of panting tension, her soothing voice and sonic subliminal temptation she unravels her own lush love secret domain, unlocking deeply hidden lost emotions and mutated feelings.

While mellifluous harp chords in 'If Only' set a scene for a tantalizing new world utopia the percussive clutter of 'Whordus' syncopes and mutate this future dream with a chiastic slide into a videodrome for a jilted generation.

With the help from her musician friends Elisabeth Klinck (violin), Indr? Jurgelevi?i?t? (kanklès), Kaat Vanstralen (flute) and Gert Malfliet (drums), Tristanne's 'Sexy Tears' will hit you straight in the heart, like a modern-day Cupido with a well aimed dazzling sonic arrow. Ready to stay there forever.

Under her stage name Tristanne (formerly known as Tristan), Isolde Van den Bulcke makes music she defines as sitting in a 'grey zone'. By valorizing self-reliance and learning as much as possible from the get-go, the musician and producer hasn't let hardship nor pursuing a niche genre hold her back. She studied jazz vocals for 8 years, released 2 ep's before her debut album 'Wellif' in 2022.

Recommended if you like Piero Umiliani on a Sunday morning, Broadcast on the beach, Oneohtrix Point Never in a romantic mood, Autechre on Ice, Ennio Morricone on LSD, and Pierro Piccioni popping perks.

Lean back on the beat. Inhale, exhale. A new voice from an old soul. Kick drum rolls deep with Fender Rhodes. Charlotte Day Wilson sparking up a blunt, skateboarding at midnight with Brittany from Alabama Shakes. Jazzy intonation on a funky tip. Utterly confident in its own sense of time. Just in time. 

You may not have heard of GC O'Connor before, but ask any working musician in Sydney and they know her name. A stalwart of the scene, multi-instrumentalist and composer O'Connor has been putting in the work for years, quietly dropping gems as she readies her debut EP, a self-described 'bedroom soundtrack'. Soul Lament is the kind of assured, accomplished record we delight in putting out into the world. It's representative of a fertile scene in Australian music that deserves celebrating. 

Includes an individually-numbered, specially-designed obi strip.

WRWTFWW Records is happy to announce its fourth collaboration with New York ambient / jazz / downtempo musician Danny Scott Lane with the release of his newest full-length Songs For Sex. The seductive 11-track album is available as a limited edition LP (500 copies worldwide) housed in a shiny 350gsm silver cardboard sleeve. It is also available digitally.

Danny Scott Lane returns with Songs For Sex, a sultry funk, jazz, and ambient exploration inspired by candid conversations about intimacy. Smooth yet messy, uplifting yet off-kilter, this album captures every mood. It’s sensual furniture (leather sofa) music, deep passion minimalism, hedonistic downtempo, glossy and warm soul electronica.

The velvety sonic affair features the lush sounds of Joseph Shabson, David Lackner, and Simon Herody on flutes and saxophones, making it an irresistible modern brand of smooth jazz, the ideal soundtrack for your favorite pastime.

Songs For Sex follows the release of Danny Scott Lane’s chillout masterpieces Home Decor, Shower, and Caput, all available on WRWTFWW Records. Complete the funky collection now!

Signs & Gestures is a various artists limited vinyl pressing which will be available digitally later this year. The vinyl version was mastered by Todd Mariana at Chicago's newest cutting studio, Deep Grooves Mastering.

The compilation features four tracks. Longtime friends Awoke (aka John Griffin) and Jack Buser write the two cuts on the A-side. These guys have known each other for many years and the complimentary nature of their tracks echo their years long relationship. Both use analog gear in their productions. In fact, that is an understatement as both are engineers by day and admitted audio gear junkies by night. Awoke's Untitled #2843 is a quirky drama builder throwing the In My House vocal over squelches and acid lines. Buser's Midi Boson is a classic exercise in simplicity. Drums from an MPC and a lead from Elektron's Monomachine are all it takes for this groove to rattle the dance floor.

Side B is also the work of two close friends. Nathan Drew Larsen remixes Little Turtles by Souls Found. Mazi edits Nathan's remix (released earlier on Fresh Meat's When Bad People Cook Good Food Volume 3) to 6 minutes, removing the atmospheric outro and reducing some of the extended sections. What remains is an energetic workout that is uncommonly melodic and emotional. As Audio Soul Project, Mazi's remix 3 of Sentimental Love combines sections from the first two of his remixes of this song released on Vizual Records back in 2011. This new version will hopefully express the care and love that went into preserving the message of Joshua Iz and Chez Damier's original.

Almost Like You Could ignites its art punk fire with Lucy Alexander proclaiming, “Everyone wants something to talk about / But not a minute to spare, so be brief.” Not surprising from a song that’s 1:54 (‘Higher’), but the raw honesty in her lyrics ring far after the music ends. Alexander, along with bandmate Luke Cartledge, place the propulsive power of their beliefs at the core of their debut full-length album, and their guiding motivation towards social justice is as fierce as it is welcoming. “Living as part of the queer community, and being queer myself, leads me towards supporting every person’s truth,” Alexander says. Scrounge’s songs skip to a fast beat, electrifying the entire album with a sense of empowerment. Their approach is OG punk: they make music for their peers and themselves. Only now, with a world of connections possible, they’re able to open arms wide for a far-reaching embrace. Alexander’s rich vocals give their sound its central force, anchoring the songs with confessional lines (“If this is the pinnacle, then I need a miracle/ Cause everyone’s laughing at me,” “There’s not much left/ this corpse I have to keep/ Above board.”). They sing about economic inequality, political corruption, environmental destruction, and collective change. “We’re inspired by those around us, and we write about what we care about. Art has always existed for us as a means of catharsis, a way of expressing something we might not be able to otherwise, and we hope our music can be that for other people too,” says Alexander. “I think I’ve actually written a filthy banger,” she states while re-listening to “Buzz/Cut”, a grunge-honoring hammer of a song that takes a journey from disappointment, to self-realization, to release. Alexander and Cartledge’s gratification in making an album they’re proud of mirrors the empowerment conveyed in their lyrics. A follow-up to debut mini-album Sugar, Daddy (Fierce Panda, 2022), Almost Like You Could came together over 18 months, in between “teaching, touring, graduation, and a wedding”, as Lucy explains, for the band always has a handful of shows coming up. It’s a strange outcome for a duo who first bonded over their mutual love of SOPHIE. “She radicalized the structure of sound, and revealed herself through it,” Cartledge explains. “That was a massive inspiration when we started playing together, stripping everything away to open up new possibilities as artists and as people." Having already toured Europe and the States, Scrounge is preparing to be on the road throughout 2025. In a world where the idea of true community is ephemeral, Lucy and Luke seek to foster it everywhere they play. And their belief in change is ultimately buoyed by hope. “I know that it’s never been this good,” they sing.

Imagine having a song go viral for 17 years - without even knowing it. That's exactly what happened to the German 1980s band FEX. And this isn't just any song - it's The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet, a track that puzzled music detectives for decades before finally being identified in November 2024. Now, it has been officially released - twice.

The Story in Brief:
Sometime around 1984, a song was broadcasted on NDR Radio. The name of the song was Subways Of Your Mind - only found out 40 years later in November 2024. Back then, a listener recorded the NDR show on cassette, a common practice at the time. Decades later, the tape resurfaced, but while most songs from the recording were identified, one remained an enigma. On March 18, 2007, the track was uploaded to the internet in an attempt to uncover its origins. Due to its now-iconic opening lyric, it was tentatively titled Like The Wind. Over time, the mystery deepened, and the song was given a nickname: The Most Mysterious Song - or simply TMMS.

Starting in 2019, a dedicated Reddit group, TheMysteriousSong, now boasting over 63,000 members, took up the search. They meticulously documented every lead, hoping to solve the riddle of the song's origins. Then, in 2024, the breakthrough: Reddit user marjin1412 reached out to musician Michael Hädrich after discovering a reference to his band FEX in an old newspaper article. Hädrich, FEX's keyboardist, provided a recording from an old demo cassette which included an alternative version of the song. On November 4, 2024, the mystery was officially solved: FEX was the band, Subways Of Your Mind was the title.

What Happened Next:
Since then, FEX has released two singles - both featuring Subways Of Your Mind - through the Berlin-based independent label The Outer Edge. First, the demo cassette version was pressed onto vinyl, as the original NDR radio recording remained lost (see EDGE-028). The Remastered Demo Mix single instantly topped Bandcamp's global charts, holding the #1 spot for several days. By then, it was clear: this was more than just an internet curiosity. A real fanbase had formed. Enthusiastic comments on the sales page ranged from "best post-punk song to ever exist" to "FEX themselves (are) perhaps the most underrated musicians of all time."

But the story didn't end there. A higher-quality version of the NDR radio recording was rediscovered in late december, remastered, and now sent for a second vinyl pressing: the TMMS Version. This new vinyl 7" is backed with Talking Hands another great and unissued song that was found on the demo cassette.

Fame Comes with a Price
Suddenly, time isn't standing still for FEX. The band had to come to terms with the fact that they had become Lostwave super stars. A FEX fan club quickly formed on Reddit, fan-hosted FEX parties are popping up, and the internet is demanding more - an album, merchandise, live performances. But how does a band prepare for a comeback after a 40-year hiatus?

For now, FEX is carefully considering their next steps. Their demo cassette contains six songs - and a few other recordings have resurfaced which probably could be restored and compiled. But foremost, a brand new re-recording of Subways Of Your Mind is in progress.

One thing is certain: The Most Mysterious Song will continue its unstoppable journey around the world. Don't miss this (second) chance to own a piece of music history!

Authentic group soul harmony that is guaranteed to appeal to fans of downtempo soul ballads. Accompanied with an instrumental version, where the flute plays the lead vocal melody. A recognizable continuation to the previous collaboration between the singers and the Cold Diamond & Mink band. If there’s a group in this age that faithfully carries the torch of real group soul harmony, it must be these three cats from the US west coast by the name of Thee Baby Cuffs. Currently composed of Joe Narvaez and Reality Jonez, the trio prances on the stage with their new song “There Ain’t Enough Roses”. Produced together with the Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink, these gentlemen lay down pure soulful romantics enough to fill a jacuzzi. Even though they seem to be walking out from the candy and flower shop empty handed to meet their lover, they are equipped with lyrics and falsetto flows that can melt any heart. Continuing with their tried and tested downtempo ballad style, Thee Baby Cuffs deliver a soul boulder just as potent as their previous Timmion releases “My My Baby” and “You’re My Reason”, not to forget the brilliant work that they have put out on the Raza Del Soul label from California. So hop on in the passenger’s seat and let Thee Baby Cuffs serenade you all the way to the sunset. In case you’re more for the instrumentals, flip the single over to reveal the flute-led version that’ll send you to that sweet Steve Parks lowrider territory in no time.

Authentic group soul harmony that is guaranteed to appeal to fans of downtempo soul ballads. Accompanied with an instrumental version, where the flute plays the lead vocal melody. A recognizable continuation to the previous collaboration between the singers and the Cold Diamond & Mink band. If there’s a group in this age that faithfully carries the torch of real group soul harmony, it must be these three cats from the US west coast by the name of Thee Baby Cuffs. Currently composed of Joe Narvaez and Reality Jonez, the trio prances on the stage with their new song “There Ain’t Enough Roses”. Produced together with the Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink, these gentlemen lay down pure soulful romantics enough to fill a jacuzzi. Even though they seem to be walking out from the candy and flower shop empty handed to meet their lover, they are equipped with lyrics and falsetto flows that can melt any heart. Continuing with their tried and tested downtempo ballad style, Thee Baby Cuffs deliver a soul boulder just as potent as their previous Timmion releases “My My Baby” and “You’re My Reason”, not to forget the brilliant work that they have put out on the Raza Del Soul label from California. So hop on in the passenger’s seat and let Thee Baby Cuffs serenade you all the way to the sunset. In case you’re more for the instrumentals, flip the single over to reveal the flute-led version that’ll send you to that sweet Steve Parks lowrider territory in no time.

Jess Sah Bi is well-known as half of the legendary duo Jess Sah Bi & Peter One who brought homegrown Country-Americana to the West African masses with their smash debut Our Garden Needs Its Flowers in the mid-1980s. Touring stadiums and reaching listeners worldwide, their music has racked up millions of spins on YouTube and remains imprinted in the hearts of Ivorians of a certain age. ATFA reissued their album in 2018, garnering critical acclaim from publications including Pitchfork and Rolling Stone and reaching a new generation of listeners outside Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire). Sometime in the early 90s, Die Sahbi - or Jesse, as he known to friends-became gravely ill with an unknown ailment and almost died. He visited various doctors and all kinds of religious healers and nothing helped. One day he went down to an Evangelical Christian revival in his neighborhood. They prayed over him and he was delivered. He says, "Their prayers helped chase out whatever demons and unhealthy spirits were inside me. After that my illness went away. When I went to the United States a few months later on an exchange program I wanted to make music to thank God because I was saved." He recorded an album of music praising God in order to honor a promise he made to himself at the depths of his desperation in the hospital. The album Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas Jesus Christ Does Not Let Us Down came out in 1991 and sold around 3000 cassettes in Ivory Coast. The master tape was lost along the way so the recording has never been on digital platforms until now. Jesse didn't have much time to record while visiting South Carolina, hence the relatively short album, 6 songs including two reprises for filler. A local pastor connected him with a studio and some American musicians (Robert Fortner and Gary Davis) to help. They added acoustic guitar, percussion and keyboard accompaniment to Jesse's soaring French and Gouro vocals, harmonica and finger-picked acoustic. The resulting recording is deeply soothing and contemplative music that perfectly compliments the songs already embraced by millions. But he had to find the rest of the studio expenses-$600 total-which he secured drawing cartoons for UNICEF. Jesse is Ivory Coast's first political cartoonist, a vocation for which he was widely celebrated at the time. It also made him a few enemies which lead to him leaving the country permanently a few years later. Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas is Jess Sah Bi's first and only gospel album. Fortunately, fans responded with enthusiasm: widespread radio airplay and concerts followed, along with a growing solo profile in the country. The first big gospel artists in Ivory Coast were the duo Mathieu et Constance, who emerged in 1989. There was a bigger gospel music movement in English-speaking counties like Ghana and Nigeria (Christians make up roughly 40% of the population in Ivory Coast, slightly less than Muslims). Jesse didn't have any intention of working in Christian music but he realized, "You don't make music to make money-you want to send a message." In the years since Jesus-Christ's release, gospel music in Ivory Coast has grown to become a key part of music culture in the country. Spiritual music appears in community actives across the public and private spectrum from religious gatherings and parties to television broadcasts and music festivals. And, as it has evolved and indigenized locally, gospel music has picked up elements of traditional Ivorian music, reggae and soul. The album ultimately precipitated the demise of the duo, who were soon separated geographically as Peter One relocated to Nashville. He went on to become a nurse and release a successful solo album on Verve following the ATFA collaboration. Nowadays Jesse lives in the Bay Area and continues to record and perform music wherever and whenever he has the chance. He is publishing a new book of humorous cartoons in 2025 and his most recent album Never Give Up came out in 2020

The Delights formerly unissued recording “Listen To Me Girl” first made it’s vinyl debut during 2017 when released back to back with Tearra’s modern soul anthem “Just Loving You” (SJ1008). Having sold out very quickly this release now commands a price of £60.00 a copy. So, with demand still high we have decided to release “Listen To Me Girl” for a second time with the addition of two recently found unissued master tape tracks, which make their vinyl debut as part of this 3 track EP.

The Delights story began in the early 1960’s while as a children’s group from Chester PA. known as ‘The Twilights’ they began entering local talent shows which culminated in a performance at Philadelphia’s prestigious ‘Uptown Theatre’ during 1963. ‘The Twilights’ made their professional recording debut in 1964 for Weldon McDougal III, Johnny Stiles and Luther Randolph’s Harthon Production’s label with “It’s Been So Long/She Put Me Down” (TW-34). A second Twilights 45 came in 1967 “Shipwreck/For The First Time” (TW-35) which sold sufficiently well to be picked up for national distribution by Cameo Parkway. The group consisted of four male vocalists, brothers Kemp “Toppy” Hill, Ellis “Butch” Hill (the eldest) and Jaime “Peanut” Hill and their friend Raymond, plus lead singer and only female member Brandi ‘Peaches’ Wells (born Marquerite J. Pinder) who was only 9 years old when she sang on the group’s first Harthon 45, (Jaime Hill reputedly never featured on either of the two Harthon 45 recordings).

The Hill Brothers were cousins of Manny Campbell and it’s through this family connection that the group came to Emandolynn Productions initially as backing singers before being persuaded by Manny to drop their former performing name of ‘The Twilights’, to become ‘The Delights’. Under Manny and fellow Philadelphian Charles J. Bowen’s tutelage they recorded the delightful crossover dance track “Listen To Me Girl” during the months of July and August of 1968. Recent unearthed master tape finds from these early sessions have since yielded the featured “Come And Rejoice” an energetic subtle gospel influenced dance track which Manny wrote and produced on them in the hope of giving them a wider body of work and appeal as he shopped their demos around local record companies. The original backing track to “Listen To Me” is also featured on this release.

During the mid-1970’s ‘The Delights’ under the tutelage of respected Philly producer, arranger and songwriter Morris Bailey Jr recorded two 45 releases for the Jamie/Guyden distributed Phil-L.A Of Soul label “It’s As Simple As That/I’ve Got Enough Sense” (PH-374) and “Face The Music/Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” (PH-379). Brandi Wells had left the group prior to the Phil-L.A Of Soul releases to firstly join Major Harris’s backing singers ‘Brown Sugar’ before forming the group ‘Breeze’ who backed fellow WMOT label stable mates Billy Paul, Fat Larry & Philly Cream (a.k.a Ingram). Breeze later evolved into the group Slick who recorded the self-named album which produced the chart hits “Space Bass” and “Sexy Cream”. In 1981 Brandi recorded her first solo debut album ‘Watch Out’ which reached #37 on the Billboard R&B Chart, her second solo album entitled “20TH Century Fox” followed in 1985 for the Omni label. She recorded the Butch Ingram penned “I Love You” 12” single for Butch’s Society Hill records in 1992. Sadly, Brandi Wells passed away in 2003 at the age of 47.

All Portrait, No Chorus is the new album from indie rap pioneer doseone and NYC producer Steel Tipped Dove. Together, these two artists have crafted an uncompromising masterpiece. Knowing the caliber of MC he is paired with, dove skillfully paints with every color on the palette, and doseone skates effortlessly on every track, whether skating languid figure 8s or landing lyrical triple axels. Somehow the veteran sounds sharper than ever and the songs are lean and hungry, cut to the quick. It is no accident that this project is released under the Backwoodz Studioz imprint; the road that leads to this collaboration starts with, of all things, a ShrapKnel demo. Here is how dose explains it: "I have been inspired by Backwoodz for a while, in many ways, but the most potent being all these distinct pens. September 2023, I had heard a nearly done version of ShrapKnel's latest record, and something snapped in me. Hearing that perfectly hungry, inspired rapping turned my power back on. For me, being inspired warrants telling those who are inspiring you, so once I heard Decay I reached out and sent Fatboi Sharif and Dove some kind words about that record. The rest is history." At the end of December 2023 Dove sent dose the first beat pack. Somewhere around the second week of January 2024 dose already had five songs written and recorded. By the middle of March, a rough album framework was essentially done, and they brought on Minneapolis producer Andrew Broder to freak the turntables across the whole project. Then, as a final piece, dose and dove added select collaborations from some of their favorite rappers. By the end of April it was done. "I'm not really a features guy, but to align with and connect with those who inspire me, I called in some beautiful humans I had never worked with but always meant to: Open Mike Eagle, M.Sayyid, billy woods, Fatboi Sharif, and Myka 9 connect eras, artists, and styles of unconventional rap I hold incredibly dear," doseone explains. Listening to All Portrait, No Chorus you can hear the battery in doseone's back as he pythons his way through each instrumental. For his part, Steel Tipped Dove_a prolific producer over the last two years_delivers some of the most diverse work of his career. The result is a dynamic, propulsive listen that casts its crackling energy in every direction except backwards.