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Death Is Not The End present a further volume of Arja Kastinen's eerie amalgamations of 110 year old wax cylinders with her own meticulously transcribed takes, this time focussing in on Armas Otto Väisänen's field recordings of kantele player Iivana Mišukka (b. 1861 d.1919).

"Ivana Mišukka (1861–1919) was one of the Karelian kantele players recorded by the folk music researcher Armas Otto Väisänen on wax cylinders in 1916 and 1917. In the early 20th century, the remote areas of Border Karelia were undergoing the final phase of a transformation in musical culture, with the ancient runo song tradition giving way to newer forms of music. This transition is reflected in Mišukka's repertoire and choice of instrument. The ancient small kantele, hollowed out of a single piece of wood, was already rare at the turn of the century. Mišukka's kantele was a new type of instrument with 26 strings, constructed of several parts, but he played it using the traditional plucking technique. Like other Border Karelian kantele players, his repertoire consisted of music rooted in runosong culture, as well as newer dances and songs from the east and west. Most of the recorded material falls into the latter category.

Ivan Bogdanov Mišukka was born out of wedlock in Suursara village, Suistamo, on 1 May 1861. He began playing the kantele at the age of five or six, quickly mastering the instrument. In adulthood, he was considered one of the area's best master players. Mišukka was landless for most of his life and lived in different parts of the Suistamo parish. His first wife, Tekla Markintytär, died in 1897 at the age of 40, and his second wife, Jevdokia Filipintytär Jeminen, died in 1907 at the age of 50. Seven children were born from the first marriage, two of whom died young. The third wife, Maria Ignatintytär Gurnan (Kuurnanen), was a well-known master of lamentations. Together with Maria, Iivana Mišukka worked as a tenant farmer in the village of Suursara. Mišukka suffered from rheumatism, which prevented him from participating in physical work like Maria. This was apparently partly the reason why Iivana Mišukka went to earn extra money by playing the kantele on gig trips. He often had other traditional artists from Suistamo as his travelling companions, such as the runosingers Konstantin Kuokka and Iivana Onoila. Iivana Mišukka died in Leppäsyrjä village, Suistamo, on 18 May 1919 at the age of 58, and his kantele was donated to Teppana Jänis.

Mišukka only used 14 of the 26 strings on his kantele, playing the same tunes either a fourth higher or lower. He tuned his kantele to the major scale using fifths, except for a low seventh scale degree on the upper strings, but not below the fundamental. Since he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all, he could use the major scale both lower and a fourth higher with this tuning. According to Mišukka, the sound of higher, or 'finer', strings is 'more beautiful', while that of lower ones is 'greater'. Among runosingers, the size of the thirds varied, ranging from major to minor to neutral. A similar phenomenon can be observed in kantele tunings, where the third, sixth and seventh scale degrees vary in a comparable way.

During a meeting, Väisänen suggested that Mišukka play the smaller kantele belonging to Konstantin Kuokka. The idea was to bring it closer to the horn to improve the recording quality. However, the kantele was completely out of tune, and now Mišukka tuned it to the Lydian scale (track 18).

Using the old plucking technique, Mišukka placed his right middle finger on the fundamental tone, his right index finger on the second scale degree, his left middle finger on the third scale degree and his left index finger on the fourth scale degree, and his right thumb on the fifth. The thumb also played the notes above the fifth note of the scale. As Mišukka remarked to Väisänen: 'Peigaloll' tuloo enemb ruadoa' (the thumb has to do more work). However, he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all. Below the fundamental note, he played the seventh and sixth notes of the scale with his right middle finger of and the fifth note of the scale with his right ring finger. This fifth scale degree below the fundamental is almost always used as a drone. Sometimes, when the melody required it, Mišukka, like other players, also varied the fingering. He would also occasionally strike the same string with the side of his fingernail after plucking it.

The wax cylinder recordings of Karelian kantele players are kept in the archives of the Finnish Literature Society in Helsinki, Finland. Copies were made of them onto reel-to-reel tapes in both the 1960s and 1980s. The 1960s copies are mono and the 1980s copies are stereo. However, not all kantele recordings from these decades have survived.

The sound of the kantele is difficult to hear in wax cylinder recordings due to its low volume, and it occasionally becomes completely obscured by noise. During the copying process, the cylinder sometimes rotates unevenly, resulting in breaks or jumps in the music. Additionally, the rotation speed of the cylinder in the copies does not correspond to the performance speed of the original music, which alters the pitch. However, since Väisänen's precise notes are available in the archive, it is possible to deduce the melodies, their speed, and the tuning level of the kantele in the recordings. Of the copies of the original recordings from the 1960s and 1980s, I have selected the one that best met the requirements of this publication and adjusted the speed of the recording to align with Väisänen's notes. To enhance the listening experience, I have replayed the songs, which now partly overlap the old recordings on this release."

— Arja Kastinen

Death Is Not The End present a further volume of Arja Kastinen's eerie amalgamations of 110 year old wax cylinders with her own meticulously transcribed takes, this time focussing in on Armas Otto Väisänen's field recordings of kantele player Iivana Mišukka (b. 1861 d.1919).

"Ivana Mišukka (1861–1919) was one of the Karelian kantele players recorded by the folk music researcher Armas Otto Väisänen on wax cylinders in 1916 and 1917. In the early 20th century, the remote areas of Border Karelia were undergoing the final phase of a transformation in musical culture, with the ancient runo song tradition giving way to newer forms of music. This transition is reflected in Mišukka's repertoire and choice of instrument. The ancient small kantele, hollowed out of a single piece of wood, was already rare at the turn of the century. Mišukka's kantele was a new type of instrument with 26 strings, constructed of several parts, but he played it using the traditional plucking technique. Like other Border Karelian kantele players, his repertoire consisted of music rooted in runosong culture, as well as newer dances and songs from the east and west. Most of the recorded material falls into the latter category.

Ivan Bogdanov Mišukka was born out of wedlock in Suursara village, Suistamo, on 1 May 1861. He began playing the kantele at the age of five or six, quickly mastering the instrument. In adulthood, he was considered one of the area's best master players. Mišukka was landless for most of his life and lived in different parts of the Suistamo parish. His first wife, Tekla Markintytär, died in 1897 at the age of 40, and his second wife, Jevdokia Filipintytär Jeminen, died in 1907 at the age of 50. Seven children were born from the first marriage, two of whom died young. The third wife, Maria Ignatintytär Gurnan (Kuurnanen), was a well-known master of lamentations. Together with Maria, Iivana Mišukka worked as a tenant farmer in the village of Suursara. Mišukka suffered from rheumatism, which prevented him from participating in physical work like Maria. This was apparently partly the reason why Iivana Mišukka went to earn extra money by playing the kantele on gig trips. He often had other traditional artists from Suistamo as his travelling companions, such as the runosingers Konstantin Kuokka and Iivana Onoila. Iivana Mišukka died in Leppäsyrjä village, Suistamo, on 18 May 1919 at the age of 58, and his kantele was donated to Teppana Jänis.

Mišukka only used 14 of the 26 strings on his kantele, playing the same tunes either a fourth higher or lower. He tuned his kantele to the major scale using fifths, except for a low seventh scale degree on the upper strings, but not below the fundamental. Since he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all, he could use the major scale both lower and a fourth higher with this tuning. According to Mišukka, the sound of higher, or 'finer', strings is 'more beautiful', while that of lower ones is 'greater'. Among runosingers, the size of the thirds varied, ranging from major to minor to neutral. A similar phenomenon can be observed in kantele tunings, where the third, sixth and seventh scale degrees vary in a comparable way.

During a meeting, Väisänen suggested that Mišukka play the smaller kantele belonging to Konstantin Kuokka. The idea was to bring it closer to the horn to improve the recording quality. However, the kantele was completely out of tune, and now Mišukka tuned it to the Lydian scale (track 18).

Using the old plucking technique, Mišukka placed his right middle finger on the fundamental tone, his right index finger on the second scale degree, his left middle finger on the third scale degree and his left index finger on the fourth scale degree, and his right thumb on the fifth. The thumb also played the notes above the fifth note of the scale. As Mišukka remarked to Väisänen: 'Peigaloll' tuloo enemb ruadoa' (the thumb has to do more work). However, he did not use the seventh note of the scale on the upper strings at all. Below the fundamental note, he played the seventh and sixth notes of the scale with his right middle finger of and the fifth note of the scale with his right ring finger. This fifth scale degree below the fundamental is almost always used as a drone. Sometimes, when the melody required it, Mišukka, like other players, also varied the fingering. He would also occasionally strike the same string with the side of his fingernail after plucking it.

The wax cylinder recordings of Karelian kantele players are kept in the archives of the Finnish Literature Society in Helsinki, Finland. Copies were made of them onto reel-to-reel tapes in both the 1960s and 1980s. The 1960s copies are mono and the 1980s copies are stereo. However, not all kantele recordings from these decades have survived.

The sound of the kantele is difficult to hear in wax cylinder recordings due to its low volume, and it occasionally becomes completely obscured by noise. During the copying process, the cylinder sometimes rotates unevenly, resulting in breaks or jumps in the music. Additionally, the rotation speed of the cylinder in the copies does not correspond to the performance speed of the original music, which alters the pitch. However, since Väisänen's precise notes are available in the archive, it is possible to deduce the melodies, their speed, and the tuning level of the kantele in the recordings. Of the copies of the original recordings from the 1960s and 1980s, I have selected the one that best met the requirements of this publication and adjusted the speed of the recording to align with Väisänen's notes. To enhance the listening experience, I have replayed the songs, which now partly overlap the old recordings on this release."

— Arja Kastinen

Backyard Babies was formed in 1987 in Nässjö and can by rights be called Sweden’s most influential glam punk act. Between 1994 and 2019 they released eight studio albums of which Stockholm Syndrome is their fifth. Here we have another collection of bangers brought to you by the babies with reckless abandon. This time they invited a whole slew of guest musicians such as the Ramones, Danko Jones, The Cardigans, Turbonegro, and The Hellacopters, elevating the whole affair to another level with no signs of stopping. This is the first time the album is available again on vinyl since ten years and features the songs "Minus Celsius", "A Song for the Outcast", and "Everybody Ready?!". Stockholm Syndrome is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on crystal clear & black marbled vinyl and includes a 4-page booklet with lyrics.

PET NEEDS return with their fourth studio album ‘ELBOWS OUT! THIS IS CAPITALISM’ to be released on Xtra Mile Recordings on 27th March 2026. Recorded by George Perks (Enter Shikari, You Me At Six, Mogwai, Skindred) it follows the release of their Top 20 album ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ in February 2024. The album charts the exploits of the band buying a second-hand punk rock career at auction and trying (and failing) to make it work.

Over the course of the genre-spanning 12 tracks, the story unfolds with a mix of frenetic punk rock defiance; reflective melodic introspective and beat heavy party anthems as well as guest appearance by CJ Ramone, legendary auctioneer Eric Olson and friends The Whops and Jess Guise who help the story develop. The album is a satirical look at the pitfalls of trying to make it as a DIY punk band, delivered by a band at their most creative and bold as they continue on their own ascension of success.

PET NEEDS are a punk fuelled melodic rock fourpiece from Colchester who have toured the world since they signed with Xtra Mile in 2020. Their past three albums have helped catapult the band to the rising stars they are today. They regularly headline tours in UK, Europe and in America as well as huge support tours with Laura Jane Grace, Art Brut, Frank Turner, Flogging Molly, Skinny Lister, Bouncing Souls, NOFX, The Hives. The Lottery Winners, Spike & The Gimmie Gimmies and The Levellers. In the lead up to the album release the band will tour the UK’s regional towns giving fans exclusive listens to some of the new songs. And throughout week of release will perform instores and outstores to push for a high chart position.

British rock singer Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” — an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower. Once again written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production. The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.

From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave — she’s leading it. If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right — bold, catchy, and undeniably alive. Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable.

British rock singer Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” — an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower. Once again written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production. The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.

From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave — she’s leading it. If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right — bold, catchy, and undeniably alive. Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable.

Pariah’s cult album re-issued! “Blaze of Obscurity” brings you pure Thrash Metal fury! Satan changed their name to Pariah in 1988-1989. There’s Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, the list seems almost endless. Sub-genres are important in metal and bands are quickly classified and labeled. Pariah (the last re-incarnation of Satan) is one of few bands that are difficult if not impossible to classify. Is it Heavy metal? NWOBHM? Thrash Metal? Pariah did not make it easy to describe their sound. It might be too sophisticated to simply label it Heavy Metal, which in its infancy was a rather simple affair.

They don’t sound like any Metal band out there, perhaps discounting some of the more aggressive and technical ones, and then the signature NWOBHM sound is added. The guitar playing by Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey is undeniably what defines Pariah as well as Satan in the past. Undeniably, Satan has gone a long way; from humble NWOBHM beginnings, to Experimental/Melodic Mettal (in Blind Fury) and something that could be described as a NWOBHM/Thrash Metal hybrid (“The Kindred”). It’s as if they’ve been experimenting trying to find their identity, and theyfinally found it. Stylistically, “Blaze of Obscurity” could be seen a step back to “Suspended Sentence”, but this time around they got everything right, down to the last note. Those who have heard Satan know what to expect: great guitar playing.

And sure enough, “Blaze of Obscurity” is a demonstration of guitar mastery and is overall a very guitar-driven album, with plenty of mind-boggling riffs and solos are all over the place, but more importantly, it’s a demonstration of some amazing songwriting as well. This is easily Pariah/Satan’s creative peak and one of the most consistent albums I’ve ever heard, featuring eight great and conceptually perfect songs with lyrics that come across as sophisticated and thought-provoking. It is not fair to put the entire spotlight on Tippins and Ramsey though since the drumming and bass work from Sean Taylor and Graham English really shines. The rhythm is fast and tight, keeping it focused, aggressive and intense till the end. Vocalist Michael Jackson (yes, that’s his name) has to be commended too as this is easily his careers best performance.

The verdict: “Blaze of Obscurity”: the level of musical genius expressed here, along with near flawless songwriting, is more than enough to skyrocket it to heights reserved only for classics. Probably not your choice for some light listening those quiet Sunday evenings, but those who take a more serious, intellectual approach when selecting their music will find very much to appreciate here.
Tracklisting

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.

Three next level remixes with corresponding instrumentals all done by the legendary PREFUSE 73: "BUTTERFLIES" feat. STEVE SPACEK, "BLAMO!" feat. COL RED, and "GO TO SLEEP" feat. COL RED. Vocals on the A-side, instrumental mixes on the B-side. Custom die cut sleeve.

Seit nun fast drei Jahrzehnten erfindet die Amsterdam Klezmer Band Klezmer-Musik von Grund auf neu und verbindet Tradition mit frischer und verspielter Energie. Mit ihrem neuesten Album "Diaspora" kehrt die Band zu ihren akustischen Wurzeln zurück, formt diese jedoch subtil um und fängt die Musik in ihrer unmittelbarsten und fröhlichsten Form ein, wobei Schlagzeuger Mischa Porte eine neue herausragende Rolle einnimmt. Das Album wurde fast vollständig in einer einzigen Aufnahme in der Singelkerk in Amsterdam am 26. November 2025 aufgenommen und strahlt die rohe Energie einer authentischen Live-Performance aus. Keine Overdubs, keine Elektronik und keine Tricks: nur die Band, ihre Instrumente und die Spannung des Augenblicks. Das Ergebnis ist warm und lebendig, ein Sound, der die Amsterdam Klezmer Band wieder mit den Roots der Klezmer-Musik verbindet und befreienden Raum für Improvisation und Entdeckungen lässt. Rumänische und türkische Rhythmen verflechten Klezmer-Songs und Originalkompositionen und schaffen eine musikalische Reise, die sich sowohl geerdet als auch expansiv anfühlt. Diaspora markiert auch einen bewegenden Moment in der Geschichte der Band: Es ist die letzte Aufnahme mit dem Trompeter und Mitbegründer Gijs Levelt, dessen Klang und musikalische Vision die Amsterdam Klezmer Band fast 28 Jahre lang geprägt haben. Auf Diaspora fließen traditionelle Melodien und Eigenkompositionen nahtlos ineinander, geprägt von den unterschiedlichen Stimmen innerhalb der Band. Düstere, melancholische Tänze stehen neben treibenden Sirba- und Cocek-Rhythmen, von Motown inspirierten Grooves, türkischen 9/8-Impulsen und jazzigen Improvisationen. Spoken Word und Rap-Momente sind eine Anspielung auf die Badchen Tradition, während unerwartete Instrumentierungen wie Gitarre-Banjo, die eine traditionelle Melodie anführen, für eine frische Textur sorgen. Jedes Originalstück trägt die Handschrift seines Komponisten, doch alle dienen dem gleichen Zweck: Körper in Bewegung zu bringen, Verbindungen zu schaffen und Klezmer als lebendige, atmende Gemeinschaftssprache zu erhalten. Diaspora ist kein nostalgischer Rückblick, sondern eine lebendige Momentaufnahme dessen, wo die Amsterdam Klezmer Band heute steht: verwurzelt, rastlos und unwiderstehlich lebendig!

The Buenos Aires–based producer’s second album on Umor Rex can be read on at least two levels. The most direct traces its origin to the influence of environmental music, as well as to some pioneers of electronic music. The album was recorded in a single session, making extensive use of loops that were later edited and condensed into the six pieces that make up Pequeño clima doméstico. This working method responds to a playful approach that runs through Entidad Animada’s musical intentions, which often start from a specific genre or aesthetic and then filter it through his own language.

From a more conceptual perspective, the record proposes music as a tool capable of modifying the perception of a moment. Rather than closed songs, the album functions as a device that allows one to tune a state, transform a space, or alter a mood. In this sense, it engages with the idea of functional music not as a utilitarian background, but as a means to equalize time, slow the pace, and reconfigure the listener’s emotional climate.

All songs written and performed by Entidad Animada. Recorded in August 2025 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Field recordings and processed textures by Guazuncho.
Mastered by José D’Agostino at Moloko Estudio, Frankfurt, Germany. Cover photo by Diego Berruecos. Layout by Daniel Castrejón.

Fuzzy Bears offers a forward-thinking and immersive listening experience that pushes the boundaries of jazz and electronics — equal parts experimental laboratory and live concert. On stage, the adventure takes its most daring form. Instead of relying on the original vintage synths, the trio reinterprets the studio’s electronic textures with a streamlined setup designed for live performances.

The songs of this exciting experiment are collected on a self-titled album, to be released on March 20th 2026 via Marcel Records. First single 'The Happy Are Being Born' is out on January 8th.

credits
Fulco Ottervanger: Synths, Piano - Harmonic and Melodic info
Lieven Van Pée: Synths, Bass - Low-end info, Mastering
Simon Segers: Synths, Percussion - Rhythmical info
Peter Desmedt: Serge Patching & Sound processing, Recording & Mixing
Special Thanks: Rikkert Brok & Hans Kulk
Recorded at Willem Twee Studios, ‘s Hertogenbosch
Mixed at Studio Ledeberg, Gent

Ten years after their last collaboration, Jacques Duvall and Benjamin Schoos return with Plein Sommeil, a duo album that is at once melancholic, ironic, and tender—a poetic mirror of the fatigue of the modern world.

The legendary lyricist for Lio, Chamfort, and Daho meets the indie pop producer and sonic adventurer of Freaksville, in a generational union as improbable as it is natural.
Between Brussels and Paris, they weave songs about slowness, worn-out love, and resistance through gentleness.

Blending original compositions and delicate covers (The Kinks, Higelin, Daho), the album evokes a sensual and lucid refuge amid the overheating of everyday life.
Recorded with Bertrand Burgalat, The Loved Drones, and lush string arrangements, Plein Sommeil embraces a handcrafted, timeless aesthetic.

Its motto: “Slow business” — a manifesto against the speed and emptiness of contemporary times.

Each song, balancing irony and elegance, celebrates fragility and humanity.

Against all odds, a devout audience has ridden shotgun and grown with them every step of the way. This symbiotic relationship speaks to the band's quiet impact with over 167 million streams in the United States alone, widespread acclaim, and sold-out shows. They loudly carved out their own corner of heavy music with an inimitable hybrid of head-crushing polyrhythmic prog-spiked metal, hardcore spirit, and unbridled attitude.

They have assuredly leveled up over the course of albums such as Via 2011, No Sleep [2014], Different Animals [2017], and Happier? [2021]. Kerrang! hailed the latter as "an album that gives a nod to the band's past while still bringing in new ideas." Meanwhile, the group shared stages on tour with everyone from Ice Nine Kills and Born of Osiris to Dance Gavin Dance and Counterparts.

GAEREA ist nichts weniger als ein fantastisches Rätsel, tief verwurzelt in Extremen und leidenschaftlicher Hingabe. In weniger als einem Jahrzehnt hat das maskierte Kollektiv, das in der portugiesischen Stadt Porto gegründet wurde, unzählige dunkle Facetten des Metal getestet und präsentiert nun mit "Loss" sein fünftes Album sowie Debüt bei Century Media Records.
"Wir haben das getan, was wir immer getan haben - wir sind unserem Instinkt gefolgt", sagt der anonyme Sänger von GAEREA. "Doch etwas sagt mir, dass dieses neue Album Elemente hat, die sowohl unsere neuen als auch unsere alten Fans lieben werden - aber es ist nicht gerade genau das, was sie von uns erwarten."
"Loss" definiert GAEREA neu und verquickt Elemente aus ihrer Post-Black-Metal Vergangenheit mit eindringlichen Melodien zu raffinierten Klanglandschaften. Dabei schlüpft die Band aus dem kreativen Kokon, um sich in etwas ebenso Mitreißendes wie Unerwartetes zu verwandeln: Es gibt Klargesang. Es gibt Refrains, die so eingängig und leidenschaftlich sind wie die besten Rock- und Metal-Songs. Und doch ist es unverkennbar GAEREA.
Die maskierte und ritualisierte Bühnenpräsenz der Band ist nicht nur Teil einer Show, sondern ein integraler Bestandteil von GAEREA, der ihre musikalische Extremität auf ein philosophisches, avantgardistisches Level hebt. Ihre Uniformen bieten dabei eine gesichtslose und androgyne Leinwand, die es ihnen erlaubt, sich in vollkommen in ihre Performance zu stürzen, die nicht zuletzt durch eine gewisse Körperlichkeit in ihren Bann zieht. Trotz ihrer dunklen Präsenz versprüht die Band stets einen Hauch von Transzendenz und Positivität. Mit "Loss" verschmelzen GAEREA die Ästhetik des Extreme Metal, die Offenheit des Post-Rock und einen freigelegten, emotionalen Nerv zu einem neuen musikalischen Paradigma.
Das ist GAEREA.
"Loss" ist erhältlich als: Ltd. CD Digipak in O-Card, LP, Digital Album

Palmier is producer and rapper Rocé's new album. At the crossroads of Sade and Rakim, the album unfolds an impeccable flow over gentle melodies, the mellow sound of the saxophone softening the sharpness of the spoken truths. Rocé delivers a melody of hope, and appreciation of determination in the face of the impossible. "La Voie Lactée" features the captivating voice of Natacha Atlas and the sublime orchestrated violins of Samy Bishaï, the whole thing wrapped up in the style reminiscent of Isaac Hayes' soul and Portishead's trip-hop. "Laisse les enfants courir" reveals a soulful hip-hop, between powerful groove and relentless flow, where Rocé blends political lucidity and poetic verse while Cisko's subtle arrangements sculpt an organic, sensitive landscape, poised between tension and serenity. On "Lunaire", Rocé surprises us right away, with a sharp and melodic flow. Driven by powerful imagery and sharp lyrics, the track transforms anger into creative energy. It portrays an artist outside the mainstream, aware of the world's failings but determined to create his own haven. Palmier embodies themelancholy of unfinished struggles, perseverance, and the promise of a brighter dawn.FEAT. NATACHA ATLAS & LE VIOLONISTE SAMY BISHAI

In 2023, Wood secretly worked with producer Kevin Antreassian on a new mix of his top-selling release "The Normal Album." Digging into the original 2019 recordings for more muscular takes, smoother edits, and a more nuanced and balanced mix, Antreassian and Wood created a version of the fan favorite that is one of the rare cases where a new mix is widely considered to improve on the original noticeably. "The Normal Album" is yet another turn in Wood's discography, sardonically playing with Americana and doo-wop sounds, strategically restrained but still highly emotive vocals, and lyrics densely packed with scientific and philosophical references. The dark mania of Wood's prior 2016 release, "SELF-iSH," continues on some tracks but is arranged with greater precision with a new band at his command. Like his 2015 debut "Everything is a Lot," the songs whiplash tonally but are brought together through intertwined themes and recurrent musical motifs and an undercurrent of simultaneous obtuseness and vulnerability. After the original mix of "The Normal Album" was released, a live version of the 4th track on the LP, "I/Me/Myself," had an unexpected viral moment, which brought attention to many other songs on the LP. Songs like "2econd 2ight 2eer" and "Laplace's Angel" continued to attract new fans with their dense wordplay and high-energy attitude, and the album became Wood's first major break into larger notoriety, proving that his sudden burst of popularity was not just a fleeting trend. After taking some time away from the public, Wood began to revisit the album with the intent of giving it the production that he had originally envisioned for it. Wood's top-selling album re-edited for a fuller sound and clearer instrumentation, bringing the album to a new level: new Modern Stereo Mix - 2023 Edit

Eine Stadt voller Flimmern. Ein Herz voller Sehnsucht. Und ein Sound, der sich weigert zu verschwinden. Nachdem Andreas Kraemer mit seinen Synthpop-Versionen von Nightshift und See My Dream sowie dem gefeierten Remix zu PLEXIPHONES – In The Unreal die Radiostationen im Sturm erobert hat, meldet sich sein Synthwave-Projekt AuraWave zurück – und erhebt sich mit RISE auf ein neues, strahlendes Level!

Dies ist kein Album - Dies ist ein Aufbruch! Zehn Tracks, pulsierend wie Neonadern, schimmernd wie die Nächte einer Stadt, die niemals schläft. Zwischen Melancholie, futuristischem Glanz und der unendlichen Suche nach Licht im Dunkel. Vom aufsteigenden Titeltrack Rise, über das treibende Run Into the Dark,die verregnete Großstadtromantik von Whispers in the Rain,bis hin zur hypnotischen Tiefe von Ghosts Never Sleep und der verführerischen Dunkelheit von Poison Lips – jeder Song erzählt einen eigenen Moment eines Films, der sich direkt in dein Gedächtnis einbrennt. Synths schweben, Drums pulsieren, und irgendwo zwischen Erinnerung und Zukunft öffnet sich ein neonfarbenes Tor in eine andere Welt

Wenn der Toifel (Berliner Weisse) mal alleine!!! Mit VÖ Nummer 50 beschert uns Smith & Miller Records den Toifel solo! "Für immer euer Feind" - eine Platte, wie sie ehrlicher nicht sein könnte. Hart, kompromisslos und ähnliche Floskeln stehen bei den meisten Auskopplungen in der Beschreibung, doch wenn man dann reinhört ist alles mehr Schein als sein. Toifel's Solo Debüt allerdings könnte ehrlicher und direkter nicht sein. Ein aggressiver Faustschlag gegen geheuchelte Freundschaften, Respektlosigkeit und Arroganz der Gesellschaft. Klare, deutliche Worte ohne Maulkorb direkt vom Herz auf die Zunge, wird diese Platte das Genre Streetpunk auf ein ganz neues Level heben. Lieder die im ersten Moment frustrieren aber im Nachgang Hoffnung machen und dem Hörer die Hand reichen,die dunkelsten Zeiten durchzustehen. 12 mitsingtaugliche Hymnen wie sie von Vielen lange ersehnt wurden. Fans von Berliner Weiße, OXO 86, Biertoifel, Loikaemie, 4 Promille, Gumbles, Stomper 98... werden sich froien! Zwölf Songs auf 180gr neon green/ black marbled Vinyl, limitiert, handnummerierte 1.000 Stück mit Insert oder als Digipac-CD mit Booklet.

Norwegian hard rock band Gjenferd returns with their second album, Black Smoke Rising. Black Smoke Rising takes the band to a new level, building on the strengths of their debut while pushing the sound in a more direct and accessible direction. The album delivers stronger songs, sharper hooks and a tighter overall approach, without losing the darker edge that has defined Gjenferd from the start. Guitars and organ are at the core of the sound, driving solid riffs and catchy vocal lines with a clear pop sensibility beneath the heaviness. The band's debut album received strong reviews both nationally and internationally, including 4. place on Doom Charts in May 2024. Gjenferd draws inspiration from classic heavy rock acts such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, combined with a modern hard rock approach influenced by Ghost and Hällas. They're known for energetic live performances, including appearances at festivals such as Desertfest Oslo.

On his new album, the Ivorian balafon virtuoso Aly Keïta explores new horizons for his instrument in improvised music. Together with his Berlin-based trio, he conquers the peaks of balafon possibilities one by one, wandering between groovy African rhythms, spectacular polyphony and elements of jazz, and combining them into a fusion that is both futuristic and deeply in roots. In Balafon Evolution, Keïta establishes a new level of balafon artistry, creating universal, contemporary soundscapes that transcend cultural boundaries. The Aly Keïta Trio embodies the pulsating spirit of the Berlin jazz scene. Coming from different cultural backgrounds, the three musicians found a common language on stage as they explored the metropole, one of the most active, buzzing jazz hubs of Europe. Aly Keïta and the Dutch drummer Marcel van Cleef, began playing together in 2008, forming the core of the trio"s future "groove machine". As a part of the "Aly Keïta and Magic Balafon" formation, they shared a prize of the Global music contest "Creole" in 2009. Recognised as one of the most intriguing and innovative bass players among the new generation, the Italian bass player Roberto Badoglio, joined trio in 2014, becoming a true "fusion reactor" of the band.

For the ninth installment of his Hardspace series, Len Faki once again dives into his personal vault to present four reworks that bridge the gap between raw funk and modern, high-impact club dynamics. True to the project's ethos, Faki has selected tracks that have been reshaped through his specific sonic signature to maximize their energy on today's dancefloors.
A1. DJ Assault - U Can't See Me (Hardspace Mix) The release opens with a relentless edit of Detroit legend DJ Assault. Faki takes the raw Ghetto-tech energy of the original and embeds it into a massive, modern framework. While the iconic vocal hook retains its street-level grit, the Hardspace update provides a significantly tighter groove and a powerful low-end presence, propelling the track from the warehouse straight into the present.
A2. Myles Sergé - Trans Milenio (Hardspace Mix) With Myles Sergé, Faki explores more hypnotic territory. He extracts the driving, repetitive elements of the original and sharpens the rhythmic angles. The result is a prime example of the Hardspace sound: a deep, almost meditative loop that gains entirely new spatial depth through subtle filter movements and a crystal-clear percussion layer.
B1. Jad & The - Deep Dark Grimey Dancefloor Moment (Hardspace Mix) On the flip side, Faki leans into the brooding atmosphere of Jad & The. As the name suggests, this mix is crafted for the "wee hours". Faki amplifies the "grimey" textures and contrasts them with a stoic, forceful beat. The trippy, almost menacing synth elements are rearranged within the stereo field, creating an immersive pull that is impossible to escape.
B2. Deepchild - Baller (Hardspace Mix) To close out the EP, Faki brings the jacking spirit of Deepchild's "Baller" back into the ring. Through meticulous re-arrangement and quantization, he gives the track the "tightness" essential for a modern DJ set. The playful, bouncing synths remain, but are now grounded by a heavy-duty beat foundation.
H009 is a hand-picked collection that demonstrates how Len Faki unites diverse musical personalities and eras under the Hardspace umbrella. Whether it's raw ghetto vibes or hypnotic deepness, every track has been transformed with technical precision and deep respect for the original to meet the demands of global dancefloors.

This is the debut release on Superflux — a label out of New York run by DJ Brisket and Tamahori. It’s a dubby, pad-driven, deep house EP from four artists who all lived in the Midwest before landing in Brooklyn.

A1 – “Slow String (original mix)” is a straight-ahead deep house groover from Daniel Chavez, who has releases on Deep Club, Muted Noise, and Sole Aspect. Floaty pads, intricate drums and smart bass programming make for a warm and chunky tune. For fans of Brawther, Alton Miller, Ron Trent

A2 – “Slow String (Adam Raphael Dub)” is a remix from Chavez’s longtime friend and collaborator, Adam Raphael. He injects a heavy dose of West Coast tech-house into the original, like a combination of Bluem, Grayhound, and Tweekin’ for a 2025 audience

B1 – “The Blue Line (fleet.dreams remix)” is from the Mansions resident who also helms his own vinyl label, Vinezza. He takes a really driving and lush focus on this remix which evokes styles of Dana Kelley, Eddie Richards and Terry Francis Jr. He secured the coveted Hardwax “tip” on his solo EP last year, and delivers that level of discerning taste and skill here.

B2 – “The Blue Line (original mix)” is the track from IT-XPO that has anchored the release since day one. A thoughtful way to start the night, or for a soft landing in the morning sun. Heavy Shinichi Atobe and DJ Sprinkles influence here.

Sundays is the debut full length from Oakland-based Tanukichan, aka multi-instrumentalist Hannah van Loon. At surface level, the album sounds just how the title describes: hazy, dreamy, reflective, just like a lazy Sunday afternoon. Upon second and third listens, the dreamy music unveils a deeper world: an ever present sense of longing, an endless state of summer and a period of instability that plagues us all at one point or another in our lives.
Raised in San Francisco, van Loon started out making classical, bluegrass and jazz music as well as playing in numerous bands in the area before deciding to make something more personal. What started with a few unfocused demos, with van Loon playing all the instruments herself in her house, became a studio experience and viable collection of music after her friend Anthony Ferraro of Astronauts, Etc. introduced her to Company Records founder Chaz Bear (Toro Y Moi, Les Sins). After collaborating on her 2016 EP Radiolove, van Loon and Bear set out to make a much more sonically cohesive release, with both the producer and artist playing all the instruments on the record. The result is a slice of dream pop that could only come from the combination of the laid back atmosphere of California and the nostalgic and often difficult memories that are generally associated with coming of age.
To van Loon, the tracks of Sundays are a form of contemplation and approaching life’s issues from a different and less complicated perspective. “Sometimes for me, it feels easier to write songs about things than to talk. A lot of things in life are layered and paradoxical, but with songs it always seems simpler.”
Opening track “Lazy Love” sets the stage, sonically and lyrically, for the rest of the album, combining vulnerable lyrics with gorgeous, fuzzy tones. Above pummeling synths and guitar tones, van Loon sings “you know I'd do anything/don't you know I try my best/if I could wake up when the sun is rising” showing the album’s constant theme of balancing always wanting to be the best person you can be, while also feeling a low level joy at letting life play out as it wants to. “Natural” is a track that feels perfect for a road trip, a track that hums away with a driving beat, culminating in the sheer excitement of finally having a night alone with someone you’ve loved for a while, among many highs and lows: “a window too bright/it's natural sunlight/grey fades to white lie/kiss you tonight/it's natural delight/help me feel right.” The tracks collectively address a deep rooted sense of yearning for someone, something new, while also feeling content with your life; a realization that maybe the places you’ve always belonged aren’t where you should be anymore, that suddenly you might be looking for something completely different.
“I settled on the name Sundays as the title of the record because it encapsulated how the record felt to me,“ van Loon says. “I was thinking about the laziness, and dreamy clarity that you can feel after a late night, waking up having to face the world with a new perspective.” Sundays encapsulates this feeling, a nostalgic way of looking at the world, waking up feeling like a slightly different person than before, looking back on life, not sure if you can tackle what’s next, but doing your best, day in and day out

Mute welcomes German synthesizer and producer duo Felsmann + Tiley to the roster with the release of their new album Protomensch. Out February 13, 2026 on limited edition black vinyl packaged in a special gatefold sleeve featuring a mirror foil lamination on the inner panel revealing a ‘self-portrait of the protomensch.’

On Protomensch (German for “proto-human”), Felsmann + Tiley blend shimmering synthwave, pounding trance, and introspective IDM with synth-pop-infused tracks featuring guest vocalists including London’s Pet Deaths and Australian artists The Kite String Tangle, Woodes, and Laius.

This juxtaposition between sentient beings and machines permeates the whole album – right from the duo’s manifesto introducing us the highly intelligent yet irrevocably shortsighted and downright tragic character of Protomensch – the cover artwork featuring turtleneck wearing chimpanzee, futuristic music videos, and stark social media aesthetics to seated, next-level live-shows involving collaboration with dozens of visual artists.

Despite their online ubiquity, sparked in part by their viral reinterpretation of label-mate M83’s “Solitude,” which has been used over 1 million times on TikTok and high-profile syncs on shows including Young Royals (season two), the BAFTA-winning crime thriller Top Boy (season three), and Amazon’s The Better Sister, Felsmann + Tiley have lingered largely on the periphery, their origins cloaked in quiet anonymity, until now. With the release of Protomensch, Felsmann + Tiley present their fully realized artistic vision and step into the spotlight.

Joel Hoekstra’s 13 returns with its fourth studio album, “From the Fade” — a dynamic collection of 10 brand-new tracks that combine soaring melodies, thunderous riffs, and the high-level musicianship fans have come to expect. Once again, guitarist and composer Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) is joined by an elite cast of rock veterans: powerhouse drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), legendary bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), virtuoso keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo), and rising vocal sensation Girish Pradhan (Girish and The Chronicles, The Nail). “From the Fade” delivers a blend of classic hard rock and modern melodic metal, characterized by tight arrangements, technical precision, and emotionally charged performances. Each track reflects Hoekstra’s signature songwriting — rooted in tradition but pushing the genre forward with a fresh and contemporary sound. This is more than just a studio project; it’s a statement of intent from one of rock’s most respected guitarists and his band of world-class collaborators.

Die genreübergreifende Instrumentalband Polyphia besteht aus den Gitarristen Tim Henson und Scott
LePage, Bassist Clay Gober und Schlagzeuger Clay Aeschliman. Seit ihrer Gründung 2010 in Plano,
Texas, hat sich Polyphia einen Namen gemacht, indem sie komplexe Gitarrenriffs mit Hip-Hop-Rhythmen,
basslastigem Trap und Einflüssen aus Progressive Metal und Rock verbindet. Die Band hat bisher drei
Studioalben veröffentlicht – „Muse“ (2014), „Renaissance“ (2016) und „New Levels New Devils“ (2018)
– sowie zwei EPs und einige Singles. Ihr beeindruckender Katalog hat ihnen über 400 Millionen Streams
weltweit, über 140 Millionen YouTube-Aufrufe und internationale Anerkennung eingebracht.

This is Jah Wobble"s first post punk LP in recent years following travel and dub records. The brash guitar driven tracks reflect his continuing preoccupation with the declining state of the nation. Driven by his experience working each week at a music based community project in Merton, with Jon Klein, it is reminiscent of Mark Stewart. Angry in an empathetic, constructive way it resolved with the beautiful instrumental "Brockwell Lido". Like much of his work these days, much of the lyrical content comes while traversing London"s transport system. Jah Wobble, is an English bass guitarist and singer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s; he left the band after two albums. Following his departure from PiL, he developed a solo career. In 2012, he reunited with fellow PiL guitarist Keith Levene for Metal Box in Dub and the album Yin & Yang. Since 2013, he has been one of the featured pundits on Sunday morning"s The Virtual Jukebox segment of BBC Radio 5 Live"s Up All Night with Dotun Adebayo. His autobiography, Memoirs of a Geezer, was published in 2009. Jon Klein Is an English guitarist and producer, best known for being a member of Siouxsie and the Banshees for seven years, from 1987 until 1994. He also founded Specimen and The Batcave nightclub. Klein has worked for other artists including Talvin Singh and Sinéad O"Connor. More recently he has worked as a co-producer and guitarist with Jah Wobble.

Repress!

180 gram coloured vinyl now at new price. Spacemen 3's debut album "Sound Of Confusion", released in 1986, was a blistering affair - establishing their love of the two-chord song and also expressing their admiration for the likes of MC5, The 13th Floor Elevators and The Stooges. Sound of Confusion was 7 tracks of overdriven assault, with a strange bleakness and despair creeping through the hypnotic sprawl. R Hunter Gibson would later say: "It boosts the value of unlit rooms, unpaid debts and unfeigned terror and it would rather tackle the gradients than settle for level best. New digipack. Tracks : 1 Loosing Touch With Your Mind  2 2.35, 3 Little Doll, 4 MaryAnne, 5 Roller coaster, 6 Hey Man, 7 OD Catastophe.

Dream Select is the sequel to Pizza Hotline’s 2022 genre-defining album Level Select, continuing his signature blend of nostalgic, video game-inspired drum & bass with a melodic and uplifting edge.

The album continues the UK based producer's journey into the fusion of Y2K video game aesthetics with modern breakbeat music. As the name suggests, DREAM SELECT is a collection of dreamy, hypnotic, and emotionally-charged tracks — built to feel like they’re from a forgotten 2000s video game that never existed. It draws heavily on the sound and spirit of the PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, and N64 eras and games such as Wipeout and Ape Escape.

Pizza Hotline wrote and produced the album throughout 2024 in his North London studio, with just a computer and a few 90s outboard synths and samplers. The sound relies on obscure and dated 90s sample CDs, as well as hunting through ROMplers and digital synths of the era to find crystalline, artificial, and precise sounds that have come to define Pizza hotline's sound. The result is a focused, minimalistic, and deeply nostalgic record — one that balances texture, emotion, and groove in equal measure.

FRQNCY LDN, the new project from Alex Lavery and James Ford (producer du jour and one half of Simian Mobile Disco), are releasing their debut album ‘The White Edition’ on 5 September via PRAH Recordings. Alongside the news of their debut album, the duo are sharing the first taste in ‘Matthias’ Wajd’, which they describe as “a rousing, instrumental piece from the middle of the set where the whole ensemble became balanced providing moments where Raven played violin with haunting yet uplifting melodies within the cavernous reverb of the church. Interestingly, at this moment, most of the audience who had been laying down rose to watch the performance like a gig, like an awakening.”

Initially conceived as a live project with earlier performances at churches in London and at Glastonbury, FRQNCY LDN’s music is a mix of strings, gongs, oscillators, FX, and spoken word, and the result is a musical experience unlike any other. Now that immersive magic has been captured on their debut release through Prah Recordings.

The music that FRQNCY LDN are releasing as their debut album is from an extraordinary live take from a performance at St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington last year, and thanks in no small part to the serendipitous bunch of musicians they assembled: composer and violinist Raven Bush, clarinettist Arun Ghosh, cellist Satin Beige Chousmer, and harpist Chloe Chousmer-Kerr. Alongside Lavery and Ford and assisted by engineer Animesh Ravel, they were able to capture the music to a world class level.

FRQNCY LDN has its roots in a supermoon that occurred three summers ago, after the hottest day of the year. Two of Lavery’s friends gave a sound bath that evening. “I’m not overly into astronomy or anything but the experience was nuts,” he says. “I had to find out what had just happened. What felt like forty minutes was actually two and a half hours. We were all out. It was so profound that I was hooked.”

He immediately signed up for a sound therapy course where he learned about what he calls a “brain hack” to meditation. “The thing about sound therapy is there’s a lot that’s meditation-based, and I find meditation really difficult. I’ve got a very busy brain. What was alluring about this process of sound immersion, a sound bath, whatever you want to call it, is it’s basically a hack to making your brain get into a meditative state.”

FRQNCY LDN’s early shows crystallised their ideas into a project, and Lavery brought poet Nikita Gill on board as a vocalist. “One of the first poems she gave to me, ‘Unwitches’ was in response to me explaining that I’d love this project to be perceived as something anyone could access. It’s not just for the sound meditation or the yoga, or the mushroom crowd. No one should be turned off by connotations from where the music comes from, I love music but I’d never be into that because it’s too woo-woo. Nikita said she’d had this poem for a long time but she’d never found the right home for it.”

And in an increasingly busy and fraught world, the need to tune out for an hour or so, and maybe tune in to something more profound, is only going to get bigger.

‘Moonlight Concessions’ goes back to basics, a return for Throwing Muses to their esoteric off-kilter best courtesy of Kristin’s pin-sharp sketches and their suitably abrasive musical arrangements. The album follows their acclaimed ‘Sun Racket’ from 2020, a heady set filled with tough and tender tales spiked with surreal imagery. Produced by Kristin Hersh at Steve Rizzo's Stable Sound Studio in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ is a collection of snippets from everyday life writ large - think Raymond Carver Short Cuts, overheard conversations, recounted happenings and telling one-liners, all sewed together to illustrate the times as they slowly mature, fully peppered with original Muses’ vim and vigour. ‘Drugstore Drastic’ is a kerbside soliloquy caught en route to a more alluring rendezvous. Built on a brisk acoustic strum with a guitar sub-melody underpinning proceedings, it’s an unfolding tale of social awareness from a blurred sub-conscious. ‘Summer Of Love’ began as a bet with a guy for a dollar that revolved around the idea that the seasons don’t change us. The album opener, it’s a haunting baroque overture, bowed and brooding. ‘Libretto’s strings offset the acoustic ambience, the hot and cold of longing at the very heart of it, a thematic driver filed with warmth in a safe haven lubricated by tequila. Written in the differing South Coast environs of The Gulf Of Mexico and Southern California, ‘Moonlight Concessions’ pulls from the star clusters that light both, generating optimism and hope in varying degrees. Hersh explains, “In New Orleans the stars look greenish-blue, as it’s below sea level and swamp-lit. But on Moonlight Beach, they glow icy white. All these songs were written in these two glowy places, which helped our sonic technique find itself.”

Un-easy listening from »anti-singer« and improviser Sofia Jernberg, a celebration of the voice in its rawest, most malleable form. Jernberg was born in Ethiopia and grew up in Vietnam and Sweden, so one can only imagine these diverse languages opened up a wealth of phonetic possibilities before she entered academia to study jazz and composition. If you dive into her catalogue you’ll clock her startling range – working as a jazz soprano and as an improviser, collaborating with everyone from Stefan Schneider to Mats Gustafsson, as well as appearances on the stage and screen, most notably in Matthew Barney, Erna Ómarsdóttir, and Valdimar Jóhannsson’s »Union of the North«.

On »Voice«, Jernberg provides a ground-level entry point to her work, meticulously running through a litany of unconventional techniques (non-verbal vocalisation, split tones, toneless singing, and distortion) without any effects, just pure batshit sonics designed to show off the voice’s scope as an experimental instrument. On »Mouth Synthesizer« she purses her lips to make ratcheting pops like some analog oscillator, hoarsely mimicking the sort of blustery, Merzbow-coded distortions you might get if you patched a RAT pedal into a broken guitar amp. It isn’t an act of caricature, it’s Jernberg’s way of demonstrating that expensive modular rigs aren’t an essential tool for experimental music, before throwing a side-eye to the field recording industrial complex on »Birds«, transforming her vocal chords into a nightmare aviary. But it’s Jernberg’s startling »multiphonic« experiments that hit hardest. The album opens on »Multiphonic I«, and it’s difficult to tell that you’re listening to a human voice at first – you could just as well be on Colin Stetson’s overblown sax airstreams. Jernberg creates a captivating spiral of crooked, phased tones and hoarse, guttural croaks that she develops over three movements. On »Multiphonic II«, her voice is turned into a storm of pained shrieks, and on the third and final segment, it almost resembles Arve Henriksen or Jon Hassell’s muted brass curlicues. Each track pulls a different musical muscle, whether it’s »One Pitch« with its unsettling yodel-like quivering drones or »Gurgle«, sounding like a close mic-ed recording of a small pot gently simmering.

Mit dem BIPPP Sampler bringt uns das in Frankreich ansässige Label Born Bad ein Stück französischer 80s Untergrundmusikgeschichte für das manche Leute töten würden wenn sie die Originalaufnahmen in die Hände bekommen würden!

Die Compilation ist vollgestopft mit extrem raren französischen Minimal-, Synth- & Coldwave. Der Großteil der Songs von u.a.: A Trois Dans Le Wc, Act, Les Visiteurs Du soir, Vox Dei, Comix, Tgv, Mary Moor, Ruth, Visible, Casino Music sind dabei wohl auch nur dem engeren Kreis der Minimalsammler bekannt, können hier aber dankenswerter Weise auch endlich einem (etwas) größerem Publikum präsentiert werden. Wer frühe Soft Cell, Silicon Teens, Grauzone, Nouvelle Vague die von Martin Hannett produzierten belgischen Names oder ähnliches mag kommt hier wirklich nicht dran vorbei. Großer Tip für alle die auf schrägen 80s Epop, Postpunk und Minimalelektronik stehen, inkl. tollen beiheft- leider nur auf französisch!

When you listen to birds, they usually talk about food, sex/family, or anxiety. If they knew about the true nature of humanity's cruel and exploitative relationship with birds, they would be discussing rebellion. Humanity's current trajectory about birds is to cause the extinction of one-third of all bird species by the end of this century.

This record crystallises the borders between memory, beauty, and anxiety. At the core is an amalgam of all the birds we have met and heard, their sounds synthesised from a blend of memories. Esthetically it simulates the qualities of bird sounds, hitting similar frequential sweet spots. There is a great variety of birds captured here, from high to low frequencies, from solo voices to groups, from birds standing on their own to complex world-building, where the bird voices are part of an ecosystem, becoming one of the instruments.

You could stop there, enjoying this record on a musical level, but it invites us to do one step further, to consider reconfiguring our relationship with the Earth and its inhabitants. To question our impact, and to ask why we need synthetic bird music. Is it just a visionary endeavour or is it because we are failing at fostering a world in which organic birds and other creatures can thrive?

32 artists from the whole world, including our favourite artists from Eastern Europe, have contributed to this compilation both with new and previously released music. Their music is ordered from dawn to dusk and into the night. For many of the artists it's their first time on mappa, but some have previously released an album with us.

Two of the most respected voices in the underground connect for a heavyweight collaboration that's been a long time coming — BULLETPROOF CHICKEN is out now!

CRIMEAPPLE, the bilingual New Jersey spitter known for razor-sharp wordplay and a steady run of cult-favorite projects like Aguardiente and his collaborations with DJ Muggs, cementing his spot as a force in modern hip-hop.

On the boards, V DON has become a staple for his signature dark, cinematic production style. From Harlem to the world, he’s laced tracks for the likes of Boldy James, Estee Nack, A$AP Rocky, Dave East, Benny The Butcher among several otehrs, while also building his own lane with the underground classics like Omerta and his Deutsche Marks and Blue Note series with Willie The Kid. His beats balance grit and atmosphere, making him one of the most sought-after producers in the underground and beyond.

With BULLETPROOF CHICKEN, the two bring their worlds together — sharp rhymes, moody textures, and guest appearances from T.F, Bruiser Wolf, and Primo Profit only add more weight. This album is a testament to where both artists are right now, rising higher with every drop, carrying the underground to new levels.

Stoop Kid is the jangly indie rock project of Diest-born Jens Rubens. After Camp Careful (2021) and Mount Cope (2023), Stoop Kid returns with his third full-length album Office Overdue, a ten-song collection that captures the quiet fatigue, flickering humor, and
fragile hope of keeping it together in a world that won't slow down.

'Office Overdue' is a collection of songs Jens made at home in his modest home studio. For this album, he wanted to let go of pressure and expectations more than ever, and only work on music when he genuinely felt like it.No fancy studio, no producer, just walking upstairs and messing around. The result doesn't always sound perfectly polished: the drums are sometimes clumsily programmed and more than a few wrong notes made it onto the record. The guitars were allowed to hit a bit harder this time, with the '90s slacker vibes coming through more prominently. The result is a record that feels raw and honest, and above all, was made purely out of enthusiasm.

Office Overdue explores the attempt to keep functioning in everyday life while the world around us feels on the verge of collapse. The songs move between mental exhaustion and self-reflection, carried by a dry, sometimes bitter humour that helps lighten the weight. The album focuses on repetition and routine, and on the tension between wanting to care for others and being trapped inside one's own head. Themes of anxiety, guilt and dissociation recur throughout, but are always accompanied by small moments of connection, gentle resistance and acceptance. Office Overdue embraces the mess, the doubt and the false notes, without drawing grand conclusions. Not everything is resolved, but the persistence remains.

Sabine McCalla creates her own version of multi-cultural American roots music. It's a sound that crosses borderlines, pulling everything from Brazilian samba to southern soul to British rock & roll into its orbit. On Don't Call Me Baby, Sabine filters those influences through the lens of her Haitian heritage and her music community of New Orleans, creating a debut album that's every bit as multi-faceted as the woman who wrote its songs.

The daughter of first-generation Haitian immigrants, Sabine was raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she grew up alongside her sister Leyla McCalla (Sons of Our Native Daughters, Carolina Chocolate Drops). Introduced to chamber music at an early age, Sabine began playing classical violin in orchestras, music camps, and conservatory classes as an 8 year old. Back at home, she filled her head with Motown classics, girl group hits, Bob Marley albums, Beatles standards, and Haitian folk music. It was a wide constellation of sound that spanned more than a half century, and Sabine made it all her own, drawn to the connections binding everything together.

Don't Call Me Baby shines a light on those connections. The follow-up to her critically-acclaimed Folk EP, whose pre-war sound earned her a slot at the Newport Folk Festival in 2019, the album transcends genre and generation, creating a raw, rich mix of country, R&B, folk, and soul that exists on its own timeline. Co-produced by Sam Doores of the Deslondes and featuring a cast of New Orleans’ most spirited and gifted (including guest vocals from Riley Downing, Leyla McCalla, and The Lostines), Sabine McCalla reaches beyond her beloved New Orleans Americana scene with Don't Call Me Baby, building a bridge between the world-spanning sounds that have captured her attention.