Search:le

Space Afrika, das in Manchester und Berlin ansässige Duo aus Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang, schafft rohe, detailreiche und eindringliche Musik mit Anklängen an Ambient, Trip-Hop, Techno und moderne Klassik, wobei es aus den Konturen seiner Stadt weitläufige urbane Dub-Landschaften entwirft. ,Quiet Storm" erweitert ihren Klang und ihre Bandbreite zu einer weitläufigen, kollaborativen Vision, die mit tiefer Geduld und Absicht geformt wurde und ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte in eine bewegende Suite kathartischer Abstraktion einbettet. Die Songs spielen auf Spiritualität und die conditio humana an, auf die Spannung zwischen Kühnheit und Sanftheit, Ehrgeiz und hartnäckigen inneren Dämonen. ,Quiet Storm" ist eine Antwort auf den Werdegang des Duos seit der Veröffentlichung von ,Honest Labour" im Jahr 2021. ,Wir haben uns selbst und unsere eigenen Vorstellungen von Identität herausgefordert, insbesondere in Bezug auf Klasse und Diaspora, und wie dies in verschiedenen Musikgenres dargestellt wird. Wir wollten die Charakteristika unseres Projekts durch die Menschen zeigen, mit denen wir zusammenarbeiten wollten", sagt Reid. Inyang merkt an: ,Bei der Entstehung dieses Albums haben wir keine Kompromisse gemacht. Die Idee begann als eine Hommage an die Kunst der Schwarzen. Unsere Kooperationen waren sehr bewusst gewählt, als wir die Grundpfeiler der Geschichte entdeckten." Von der multidisziplinären Natur des Projekts zeugt die Beteiligung des gefeierten Künstlers Glenn Ligon, dessen Werk sich mit schwarzer Identität und Queerness befasst. Ligon, der zu Beginn der Aufnahmen eine zentrale Inspirationsquelle darstellte, stellte sein Werk ,Figure #30" (2009) für das Cover-Artwork zur Verfügung und erklärte sich nach Abschluss der Aufnahmen bereit, dem Projekt seinen Namen zu geben - eine beispiellose Geste dieses wegweisenden Künstlers. Beim Anhören der endgültigen Fassung dachte Ligon an ,Quiet Storm", das Radioformat der 1970er Jahre, das für seine sanfte Late-Night-Programmgestaltung mit Themen rund um Leben und Liebe bekannt war. ,Quiet Storm" führt den Hörer durch verschiedene Szenen, Zwischenspiele und Handlungsbögen, geprägt von dem Gefühl, dass seine Bewegung fließend und seine Figuren flüchtig sind. Monologe vor dem Spiegel setzen sich mit dem Existentiellen und dem Unmittelbaren auseinander: Überleben, Autonomie, Sinn. Das Album beginnt mit dem explosiven, von Streichern begleiteten ,Vanity", bei dem die Grammy-Preisträgerin Axelle Fanyo zu hören ist. Zunächst auf die Spalten eines stillen Raumes fixiert, entfaltet sich ,Vanity" unter Fanyos ausdrucksstarkem Sopran und durchläuft ein breites emotionales Spektrum von erhabener Kontemplation bis hin zu ergreifendem, herzzerreißendem Schmerz. Auf dem gesamten Album werden gesprochene und gesungene Worte sparsam eingesetzt, um eine kraftvolle Wirkung zu erzielen. Die Schönheit und Katharsis von ,MLN" ist ein kollektiver, langsamer Marsch, bei dem der britisch-nigerianische Künstler Tony Njoku mitwirkt, begleitet von Gabriel Evans an Gitarre und Lead-Bass, PIKE aus London am Schlagzeug und GB aus Kopenhagen an Keyboards und Streichern. Der letzte Satz verleiht ,Quiet Storm" seinen krönenden Höhepunkt. ,If This Is Hell" ist in einem einzigen Take als Bewusstseinsstrom des New Yorkers Deuén aufgenommen, dessen nachvollziehbare Spirale geistiger Aktivität von jazzigen, frenetischen Percussion-Klängen begleitet wird. Das Druckventil öffnet sich, als die phasenverschobenen Drums und die scharf beobachtenden, dialogartigen Phrasen abrupt nach der Zeile ,I wonder if that's what heaven's like?" abbrechen. Wir bleiben in der Behaglichkeit des Album-Closers ,Regards" zurück. Regentropfen treffen auf Orgel, Drone, Streicher und Keyboards, während das Nachladen von Waffen dem ruhigen Summen gegenübergestellt wird. Schwer und doch hoffnungsvoll erinnern Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang an ihre bisherige Reise. Als passend geheimnisvolles und mitreißendes Outro für ihr offenes Opus ist ,Quiet Storm" ein Meilenstein: selbst produziert, selbst finanziert und aus purer Tatkraft und Überzeugung entstanden. Durch verzerrte Zeit und schummrigen Dunst ist Space Afrika zweifellos angekommen

Space Afrika, das in Manchester und Berlin ansässige Duo aus Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang, schafft rohe, detailreiche und eindringliche Musik mit Anklängen an Ambient, Trip-Hop, Techno und moderne Klassik, wobei es aus den Konturen seiner Stadt weitläufige urbane Dub-Landschaften entwirft. ,Quiet Storm" erweitert ihren Klang und ihre Bandbreite zu einer weitläufigen, kollaborativen Vision, die mit tiefer Geduld und Absicht geformt wurde und ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte in eine bewegende Suite kathartischer Abstraktion einbettet. Die Songs spielen auf Spiritualität und die conditio humana an, auf die Spannung zwischen Kühnheit und Sanftheit, Ehrgeiz und hartnäckigen inneren Dämonen. ,Quiet Storm" ist eine Antwort auf den Werdegang des Duos seit der Veröffentlichung von ,Honest Labour" im Jahr 2021. ,Wir haben uns selbst und unsere eigenen Vorstellungen von Identität herausgefordert, insbesondere in Bezug auf Klasse und Diaspora, und wie dies in verschiedenen Musikgenres dargestellt wird. Wir wollten die Charakteristika unseres Projekts durch die Menschen zeigen, mit denen wir zusammenarbeiten wollten", sagt Reid. Inyang merkt an: ,Bei der Entstehung dieses Albums haben wir keine Kompromisse gemacht. Die Idee begann als eine Hommage an die Kunst der Schwarzen. Unsere Kooperationen waren sehr bewusst gewählt, als wir die Grundpfeiler der Geschichte entdeckten." Von der multidisziplinären Natur des Projekts zeugt die Beteiligung des gefeierten Künstlers Glenn Ligon, dessen Werk sich mit schwarzer Identität und Queerness befasst. Ligon, der zu Beginn der Aufnahmen eine zentrale Inspirationsquelle darstellte, stellte sein Werk ,Figure #30" (2009) für das Cover-Artwork zur Verfügung und erklärte sich nach Abschluss der Aufnahmen bereit, dem Projekt seinen Namen zu geben - eine beispiellose Geste dieses wegweisenden Künstlers. Beim Anhören der endgültigen Fassung dachte Ligon an ,Quiet Storm", das Radioformat der 1970er Jahre, das für seine sanfte Late-Night-Programmgestaltung mit Themen rund um Leben und Liebe bekannt war. ,Quiet Storm" führt den Hörer durch verschiedene Szenen, Zwischenspiele und Handlungsbögen, geprägt von dem Gefühl, dass seine Bewegung fließend und seine Figuren flüchtig sind. Monologe vor dem Spiegel setzen sich mit dem Existentiellen und dem Unmittelbaren auseinander: Überleben, Autonomie, Sinn. Das Album beginnt mit dem explosiven, von Streichern begleiteten ,Vanity", bei dem die Grammy-Preisträgerin Axelle Fanyo zu hören ist. Zunächst auf die Spalten eines stillen Raumes fixiert, entfaltet sich ,Vanity" unter Fanyos ausdrucksstarkem Sopran und durchläuft ein breites emotionales Spektrum von erhabener Kontemplation bis hin zu ergreifendem, herzzerreißendem Schmerz. Auf dem gesamten Album werden gesprochene und gesungene Worte sparsam eingesetzt, um eine kraftvolle Wirkung zu erzielen. Die Schönheit und Katharsis von ,MLN" ist ein kollektiver, langsamer Marsch, bei dem der britisch-nigerianische Künstler Tony Njoku mitwirkt, begleitet von Gabriel Evans an Gitarre und Lead-Bass, PIKE aus London am Schlagzeug und GB aus Kopenhagen an Keyboards und Streichern. Der letzte Satz verleiht ,Quiet Storm" seinen krönenden Höhepunkt. ,If This Is Hell" ist in einem einzigen Take als Bewusstseinsstrom des New Yorkers Deuén aufgenommen, dessen nachvollziehbare Spirale geistiger Aktivität von jazzigen, frenetischen Percussion-Klängen begleitet wird. Das Druckventil öffnet sich, als die phasenverschobenen Drums und die scharf beobachtenden, dialogartigen Phrasen abrupt nach der Zeile ,I wonder if that's what heaven's like?" abbrechen. Wir bleiben in der Behaglichkeit des Album-Closers ,Regards" zurück. Regentropfen treffen auf Orgel, Drone, Streicher und Keyboards, während das Nachladen von Waffen dem ruhigen Summen gegenübergestellt wird. Schwer und doch hoffnungsvoll erinnern Joshua Tarelle Reid und Joshua Inyang an ihre bisherige Reise. Als passend geheimnisvolles und mitreißendes Outro für ihr offenes Opus ist ,Quiet Storm" ein Meilenstein: selbst produziert, selbst finanziert und aus purer Tatkraft und Überzeugung entstanden. Durch verzerrte Zeit und schummrigen Dunst ist Space Afrika zweifellos angekommen

The Chromophore volume 2 is finally here. Slowly cooked during the past years and well rounded, following the formula of the first one: family members plus a couple of legends. Slow Life reprazent!

"Echtes Nu-Metal-Erbe auf Vinyl: eigenständige 1LP auf klassischem 140g Black Vinyl – das wegweisende 2010er Album, mit dem Korn zu ihren rohen Wurzeln zurückkehrten.


Legendäre Kollaboration mit Ross Robinson: Produziert vom Ur-Mastermind des Nu-Metal (u.a. Korn-Debüt, Life Is Peachy), eingefangen in schmutziger, ungeschönter Vintage-Produktionsweise ohne Pro-Tools-Politur.


Sammlerfreundliche Ausstattung: Hochwertiges Single-Pocket-Jacket mit 4/4-farbig bedruckter Innenhülle, Inlay-Design und exklusivem Marketing-Sticker direkt auf der Folie."

One more year and our annual compilation 'Hate & Tenderness' is back. This time in its fifth edition, where we have agreed a group with some of our favorite artists from the last years to create a wonderful compilation full of love.

Being faithful to our philosophy based on contrasts, legendary artists such as DJ Shufflemaster, Truncate or DJ Dextro join youngsters such as Gene Richards Jr, Phil Berg, Mathys Lenne, Kashpitzky, Nicolas Vogler or Damian Vargas to name a few, all of them accompanied by the label heads Fixon & Dig-It, to leave a release that moves us indescribably and that we want to share with everyone!
credits

Elderberry Jak was and is arguably the finest rock band to come out
West Virginia. It is certainly an arguable case if its single album is an accurate indicator, as the recording reveals a quartet as strong as any number of its more well-known, more commercially successful hard
rock contemporaries--bands such as Free, the James Gang, the
Guess Who, and Three Dog Night--all with which Elderberry Jak shared a variety of sonic attributes. The band came together in the fall of 1969, with bass player Dave Coombs and lead vocalist Joe Cerisano (Silver Condor, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) as its co-founders. The two had previously played together in Coombs' outfit J.B. and the Bonnevilles
. The Bonnevilles formed in 1965 and developed over the next few years into the most outstanding and popular group in the entire state of West Virginia. Upon the demise of J.B. and the Bonnevilles in 1969,
the duo formed a new unit called Kaboose, which lasted seven months. Then, with the addition of Tom Nicholas on guitar and Joe Hartman behind the drum kit, they became Elderberry Jak, named after the elderberry wine made by an uncle of Coombs. The quartet had soon become a powerful unit, mixing hard-driving rock with invigoratingly tight funk. The band traveled throughout their home states, Ohio and Pennsylvania, for performances, eventually earning a record deal with
Kenny's brother Leland Rogers in Memphis. The result was the first-
rate Long Overdue, released in 1970

Bloodstain gehört zu den vielversprechendsten jungen Heavy-Metal-Bands, die in den letzten Jahren aus Schweden hervorgegangen sind. Die Ende 2023 in Stockholm gegründete Band hat sich schnell einen Namen gemacht, indem sie die Grundlagen des klassischen Metal und Hard Rock mit der Dringlichkeit, dem Selbstbewusstsein und dem Bühneninstinkt einer modernen Live-Band verbindet. Anstatt sich auf einen eng gefassten Revivalismus zu verlassen, schöpft Bloodstain aus einer breiteren Heavy-Metal-Tradition – kraftvolle Riffs, einprägsame Hooks, dynamisches Songwriting und ein klares Verständnis dafür, wie Songs sowohl auf Platte als auch auf größeren Bühnen rüberkommen müssen.
Ihr selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum „Bloodstain“ ist das erste umfassende Statement zur Identität der Band. Es präsentiert eine junge Band mit klarer Ausrichtung: diszipliniertes Songwriting, ein unverwechselbares visuelles Profil und ein Ehrgeiz, der bereits über die Clubebene hinausreicht. Während das Material die Wucht und Direktheit klassischer Heavy-Musik in sich trägt, verleihen die Entscheidungen bei Produktion und Arrangement der Platte eine zeitgemäße Kraft, die sie fest in der Gegenwart und nicht in der Vergangenheit verankert.
Das von Alex Hellid, Per Aldeheim und der Band selbst produzierte Album erscheint mit einer Geschichte, die in Presse, Handel und Exportkanälen großen Anklang findet. Bloodstain ist nicht einfach nur eine Band mit starken Songs, sondern eine Band mit Schwung. Frühe Veröffentlichungen sorgten sofort für Aufmerksamkeit, ihre visuelle Identität ist bereits klar definiert, und ihre Live-Präsenz wächst durch immer präsentere Auftritte und strategisch gewählte Vorgruppen-Slots weiter. Beim Sweden Rock Festival und beim Hellfest reagierte das Publikum bereits auf unveröffentlichtes Material, was unterstreicht, dass die Musik der Band in Echtzeit ankommt und sich nicht allein auf ihre Positionierung verlässt.
Was Bloodstain in dieser Phase auszeichnet, ist die Kombination aus Jugend, Klarheit und Bereitschaft. Die Band wirkt frisch, agiert jedoch mit einem Maß an Organisation und Zielstrebigkeit, das das Vertrauen der Branche weckt. Es entwickelt sich bereits eine Sammlermentalität rund um das Projekt, ein wachsender Direktkanal zu den Fans und eine klare Fähigkeit, zu skalieren, ohne dabei die Identität zu verlieren.
Damit ist „Bloodstain“ nicht nur ein starkes künstlerisches Debüt, sondern auch ein strategisch bedeutendes Album, das ein Publikum aus den Bereichen Hard Rock, Heavy Metal und moderner, riffgetriebener Metal-Musik erreichen kann, ohne durch eine enge Genre-Schublade eingeschränkt zu sein.

Bloodstain gehört zu den vielversprechendsten jungen Heavy-Metal-Bands, die in den letzten Jahren aus Schweden hervorgegangen sind. Die Ende 2023 in Stockholm gegründete Band hat sich schnell einen Namen gemacht, indem sie die Grundlagen des klassischen Metal und Hard Rock mit der Dringlichkeit, dem Selbstbewusstsein und dem Bühneninstinkt einer modernen Live-Band verbindet. Anstatt sich auf einen eng gefassten Revivalismus zu verlassen, schöpft Bloodstain aus einer breiteren Heavy-Metal-Tradition – kraftvolle Riffs, einprägsame Hooks, dynamisches Songwriting und ein klares Verständnis dafür, wie Songs sowohl auf Platte als auch auf größeren Bühnen rüberkommen müssen.
Ihr selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum „Bloodstain“ ist das erste umfassende Statement zur Identität der Band. Es präsentiert eine junge Band mit klarer Ausrichtung: diszipliniertes Songwriting, ein unverwechselbares visuelles Profil und ein Ehrgeiz, der bereits über die Clubebene hinausreicht. Während das Material die Wucht und Direktheit klassischer Heavy-Musik in sich trägt, verleihen die Entscheidungen bei Produktion und Arrangement der Platte eine zeitgemäße Kraft, die sie fest in der Gegenwart und nicht in der Vergangenheit verankert.
Das von Alex Hellid, Per Aldeheim und der Band selbst produzierte Album erscheint mit einer Geschichte, die in Presse, Handel und Exportkanälen großen Anklang findet. Bloodstain ist nicht einfach nur eine Band mit starken Songs, sondern eine Band mit Schwung. Frühe Veröffentlichungen sorgten sofort für Aufmerksamkeit, ihre visuelle Identität ist bereits klar definiert, und ihre Live-Präsenz wächst durch immer präsentere Auftritte und strategisch gewählte Vorgruppen-Slots weiter. Beim Sweden Rock Festival und beim Hellfest reagierte das Publikum bereits auf unveröffentlichtes Material, was unterstreicht, dass die Musik der Band in Echtzeit ankommt und sich nicht allein auf ihre Positionierung verlässt.
Was Bloodstain in dieser Phase auszeichnet, ist die Kombination aus Jugend, Klarheit und Bereitschaft. Die Band wirkt frisch, agiert jedoch mit einem Maß an Organisation und Zielstrebigkeit, das das Vertrauen der Branche weckt. Es entwickelt sich bereits eine Sammlermentalität rund um das Projekt, ein wachsender Direktkanal zu den Fans und eine klare Fähigkeit, zu skalieren, ohne dabei die Identität zu verlieren.
Damit ist „Bloodstain“ nicht nur ein starkes künstlerisches Debüt, sondern auch ein strategisch bedeutendes Album, das ein Publikum aus den Bereichen Hard Rock, Heavy Metal und moderner, riffgetriebener Metal-Musik erreichen kann, ohne durch eine enge Genre-Schublade eingeschränkt zu sein.

2026 Repress

The late sixties and early seventies spectacle of Jamaican Deejays taking their live performances out of the dance halls and translating them into hit records, not only marked the beginning of forty years of dance hall driven music on the island but also provided the original inspiration and template for the global dominance of rap and hip hop.
The art of deejay was now rightly recognised and the toasters or talk over artists advanced from introductions and interjections to stringing complete sets of lyrics together and riding the rhythm for the entire length of the song.
Deejays including U Roy, I Roy, Dennis Alcapone, Big Joe ,Little Joe and Prince Jazzbo who built their reputations working live on sound systems,now went one step beyond and moved on to become recording deejays with entire catalogues of hit singles and albums to their credit.
Throughout the seventies a whole host of mic men followed in their wake including Dillinger,Dr.Alimando,Clint Eastwood and Jah Stitch.
Talking records were not new, but 'talk over' records were...the repercussions of this uniquely Jamaican phenomenon would go on to reverberate worldwide...

With Flow Tide, Artefakt returns to their trusted Delsin homebase and continues where they left off with their last Brain Dripper EP from 2022; a flawless fusion of melancholic electronica and impeccable techno grooves. The A-Side emphasizes organic and mysterious atmospheres, strengthened by the rippling rhythms of the sea. The B-Side picks up the pace and presents two excellent, reverberating techno trips. It's a well-rounded package from Artefakt, as we know it, comprising many moods and sounds, molding them into its own unique universe. Flow Tide also also marks a significant change in their long-standing recording career. Having produced and performed as a duo since 2012, this is the first EP produced solely by Nick Lapien, marking a new chapter for the project as he continues Artefakt's live performances as a solo artist.

Entre Nous is the debut album from Eden Aurelius. A beautifully poised collection for Short Span. A gorgeous showcase of her singular talent within a sparkling scene. Recorded in Brooklyn, NY, this is an innovative, and graceful body of music that feels truly contemporary.

This album felt important for us to have out in time for summer. Emerging out of the heat, a feeling brought alive with the sun. Music that evolves throughout seasons and carries a spectrum of emotional range.

Entre Nous is tight, but expansive. Its depth and complexity is languid but has gravitational pull. Like much of her work, this record feels so refreshing because its tracks are both sensory and illusory tones built in gossamer and transitory layers of satin. They have a remarkable sense of presence and pressure - floating rhythmically without sharp edges. There is guidance and gentle control that lead throughout the record.

The B side opens with “Ion” featuring Pontiac Streator. The song is formed out of a textural haze. A glistening, iridescent light appears, broken through fabric, projecting a blurred image onto the surface nearby. A hypnotic and evocative collaboration. The shared connection between the two artists’ command of rhythm and ambient language.

Mastered and cut by Mike Grinser at Manmade.

Art by Lucas Dupuy.

Following the successful return of Cyberfunk Records, Frequency Damage EP showcases four brand-new productions from DJ Quest, blending over 25 years of breakbeat experience with modern production techniques.
From old-school funk influences and rolling basslines to heavy club grooves and precision-engineered drums, the EP demonstrates the versatility that has made DJ Quest one of the pioneers of the Bassline Breaks movement.
Each track brings its own identity while remaining unmistakably Cyberfunk—music written for DJs, built for powerful sound systems and inspired by the underground dancefloors that shaped the label's legacy.

Pittsburgh Tracks presents the second Cheek Inc. record - “Next 2 U” - a catchy vocal house record for summer. The collaboration between longtime friends keeps going.
The A1: original mix features a bouncy groove where the infectious vocal hook and shuffly drums keep everyone dancing.
The A2 “bang mix” amps things up with pianos, an energetic 303 lead, a build up, and subs that drop for maximum impact.
The B1 “club mix” is as it says on the tin: plenty of energy with a manic bassline, tight, stripped down rhythms, and a top-line melody that emphasizes the vocals.
The B2 “bass mix” features Sleeve’s STRIPPERTM bringing the heat with staccato beats, a twisting midrange vortex of sound, and plenty of darkness with discordant pads, where the stripped-back vocal punctuates to bring a bit of air at the right moments.

Gi Gi describes his process as “dubwise sampledelia.” It begins with fragments and ends somewhere else entirely, destabilizing its source material until it stops pointing backward. A borrowed sound, looped and bent, eventually forgets where it came from; it stops referencing anything but itself.

This liquid sensibility shaped his earlier work, music that hovered between drift and propulsion, suggesting the dance floor without fully stepping onto it. Presence was implied, edges stayed soft. The center was always there, but diffused like mist on a screen.

With In Lieu, that center comes into focus. Half written in Texas, half in Australia, the shift isn’t simply geographic, but internal. The record moves with a coiled, anticipatory energy; the drums arrive with more force and the bass organizes the room instead of melting into it. It's dense with the feeling of more bodies in the frame. Textures still smear and refract, but they move around a clearer axis.

Where past records circled their core, these inhabit it, pulling closer to the body. “Some Of” and “Arque” lean into low-end pressure without abandoning his instinct for drift. "Pink Dirt" circles around mechanical drums and dizzying vocal chops, head-down and visceral. Elsewhere, voices gain newfound contour, materializing in “Downswept” with intimate musings and nearly forming a lead vocal on the title track before dissolving again.

In Lieu moves with a newfound confidence, compressing inward, sounding closer to the source of its own pulse.

Trance music fans, get ready to experience Push’s iconic anthem “Universal Nation” like never before with this exclusive 2 x 12" vinyl release repress.

Strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide, this special edition features a unique Inside Out cut pressed on stunning Starlight vinyl — black with striking coloured speckles, giving every copy its own distinctive look.

Featuring an array of incredible remixes, including Airwave’s Vocal Theatrical Version, James Harcourt’s remix, Gai Barone’s remix, and DJ Ghost & Danny C’s remix, this release is a must-have for any Push and trance collector.

Presented in it's original modern remastered artwork and pressed in the exclusive Starlight colour, this highly limited release offers a fresh way to rediscover the magic of “Universal Nation.”

Only 500 copies available — once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Pariter continues its acclaimed archive series with another essential London tech house reissue from the Strange Weather Studios catalogue. Produced by two of the scene's key figures, Timmy S and Justin Bailey, this release captures a defining moment in the evolution of the UK sound.

Originally released on Wiggle in 2001, the EP arrived during the golden era of Nathan Coles and Terry Francis's legendary Fabric residency, when Strange Weather was helping shape the future of London's underground tech house. More than twenty years on, these tracks have lost none of their impact.

Meticulously remastered from the original DAT masters, the EP features three deep, tripped-out, acid-tinged tech house cuts, now presented on heavyweight 180g vinyl for the first time. Gold.

harly Lownoise x Tommy Chaos x Lipstick – I’m A Raver

Now available on vinyl!

Pure rave nostalgia meets new hardcore energy.

These legends unite for a massive hardcore anthem pressed on wax.

Collectors, DJs, and ravers: this one’s built for your turntable.

2026 Repress

A well-timed remastered version of this killer jacking electro cut from Aaron Carl on the legendary Metroplex label, featuring none other than Juan "The Man" Atkins. The release includes four versions. Dirty, essential Detroit electro.

2026 Repress

Australian talent DJ Swella making his debut on the Clone Royal Oak series! Known for his warm, chord-driven house sound (highlighted on his Pleasure Trax releases). He continues the trajectory here: classic-leaning, groove-focused club music with that late-night energy.

First time re-issued on vinyl.

For its third release, Ambient Sans turns to one of the most quietly beloved works in Japanese ambient music.

Recorded at Biwa Studio in 1989, White Morning is the work of Fumio Miyashita — composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist whose output through the late 1980s and early 1990s occupies a singular space between healing music, environmental sound, and meditative ambient. Where his contemporaries were mapping the exterior world, Miyashita turned inward: his music was designed for the body as much as the ear, conceived explicitly for rest, focus, and presence.

White Morning distills that vision into its purest form. Two extended pieces — 目覚め (See The Light) and 朝の祈り (Morning Prayer) — built from soft synthesizer layers, delicate acoustic textures, and a stillness that feels less composed than discovered. Music that doesn't impose itself. Music that simply stays.

Originally released on CD in 1991 and circulated quietly ever since among devotees of kankyo ongaku and Japanese new age, White Morning has never appeared on vinyl — until now. Essential listening for anyone drawn to the environmental music of Hiroshi Yoshimura, the meditative depth of Satoshi Ashikawa, or the healing ambient of Klaus Wiese.

The inaugural release from the fabled Baby Blue Records, run by Chris Simmonds between 1990-1993. Almost impossible to find, these tunes have become a thing of discogs legend, with flavours of breakbeat, house and bleep techno.

Following their critically acclaimed debut album, released earlier this year on Sir Runnin’ Records, the extraterrestrial dub explorers return with another heavyweight release. Once again, UFO Collectivedelivers their unique blend of deep roots and heavy dub—this time in the form of a brandnew 7” record on BCSM.

If you’re searching for a roots tune with an otherworldly twist, “Desert Roots” is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Driven by a thunderous bassline and a rock-solid rhythm, the track rolls through an endless desert landscape in search of the next dub session. Deeply rooted in the traditions of classic soundsystem culture while reaching far beyond earthly boundaries, this production is made for selectors, soundsystems, and lovers of authentic dubwise music alike.

Prepare for another heavyweight submission as the infamous UFO Collective returns to lift you into higher dimensions. Buckle up, drop the needle, and let “Desert Roots” guide you on a cosmic dub journey.

Marcal has emerged as one of the most distinctive voices of a new generation of techno producers, combining rhythmic precision with an instinct for detail, tension and movement. On Four Small Escapes, he delivers four tracks built around subtle shifts and carefully placed moments of surprise, where intricate sound design and groove remain in constant dialogue. Opening with Smoke from Respawn, Marcal immediately establishes the record's character. Syncopated rhythms, intricate percussion work and subtle sound design details unfold within a streamlined framework, creating a groove that feels both spacious and forward-moving. Wooden rimshots and glassy textures interact across an open arrangement, giving the track a fluid and trippy quality. Arapuca shifts into darker territory while maintaining the same sense of control. Organic percussion, rolling low-end momentum and sharply placed accents continuously reshape the groove, creating a track that feels alive through movement rather than dramatic intervention. On Ultimamente, Marcal introduces one of the record's most immersive moments. Fleeting sonic details appear and disappear throughout the arrangement, while a carefully integrated vocal element adds depth and emotional weight without disrupting the flow. The result is a track that invites complete immersion while remaining firmly focused on the dancefloor. Closing the EP, The Surprise Test delivers its most direct statement. Rough and driving without leaning into industrial aesthetics, the track is powered by rolling energy, syncopated claps and a series of subtle electronic details that continuously animate its surface. The contrast between rawness and precision gives the record a powerful closing moment. Across all four tracks, Four Small Escapes highlights Marcal's ability to create tension through detail rather than excess. Reduced yet expressive, the EP balances functionality with a strong sense of character, allowing small gestures and unexpected shifts to leave a lasting impact.

Curses' dark, romantic take on electronic music is often linked to EBM, new beat, synth-pop, and the offshoots in between - but, as the artist states, it's feelings, not genres, that motivate his music. Especially the underground and its niche sounds, brimming with collective energy, drive and passion, make for a major impetus. It's no coincidence that he's drawn to the era when man turned to the machine, as a collaborative force, and a new kind of liveliness, timelessness, emerged. In Curses' practice, this synergy translates into an enticing mix of synthesisers and voices, electronic drums and guitars. Nostalgia operates as an influence rather than a motive, though: despite its affinities with the past, his music is stridently contemporary and idiosyncratic. On the "Perfect High" EP, this approach is rendered in a resolutely dancefloor-oriented selection. It's rich in detail and constantly evolving; each time a new element appears, it's treated with such delight and care that you could imagine the track to flit off and turn it into the main theme. This doesn't happen, however, as the sense of cohesion and momentum is paramount: there's a relentless forward drive that keeps engagement tight from start to finish. The detuned, chorus-heavy leads of title track "Perfect High" and the clockwork-tinged percussion of "Weapon Of Time" jell with lustrous hooks. The ominous choirs on "Dare To Dream" and the proto rolling-and-scratching squelches of "Killer Instinct" similarly fall into place. Bravado never stands in the way of flow. Everything is kept in check by gated R-50 rhythms, and in the vocal department, Curses finds the sweet spot between his own voice and a slew of off-kilter samples. On closer "Blasted" NYC royalty Andi joins for a slab of synth-driven groove. It's shiny and sensuous, like patent leather - a perfect distillation of club music channeled through pop aesthetics, and thus a right coda for ALT028.

After his contribution to Tangled Waves Vol. 2 with “Grit Wave”, Little Sea returns to Bosconi for his first solo EP.

A producer, vinyl collector and lifelong student of electronic music, Little Sea has spent over two decades refining a sound shaped by the Italian progressive and techno scene of the ’90s, filtered through a contemporary approach. In 2025 he launched his own imprint, Sea Horse Records, followed by the Mental Tools Series.

Ritmo Divino moves across progressive house, breaks and trance without leaning on nostalgia, drawing naturally from a musical language that still feels relevant today.

“Minx” opens the record with rolling grooves, hypnotic sequences and a powerful electro-tinged breakdown. “Vital” shifts into broken rhythms, combining UK-inspired breaks with spacious pads and uplifting progressive melodies.

On the flip, “Shields” explores darker territory through restrained percussion, deep basslines and whispered vocal textures, before the title track “Ritmo Divino” closes the EP with a warm, emotional take on late-’90s progressive—melodic, expansive and perfectly suited to the final moments of a set.

Four tracks that bridge classic influences and contemporary production, confirming Little Sea as a distinctive new voice within the Bosconi catalogue.

For the third instalment of our wax series, we welcome the regional talent Bood on board with a gorgeous four-tracker that perfectly defines our sound.

This EP was produced from the heart with some sounds from the analog and early era 16-bit digital domains, and a sprinkle of wild imagination.

In it are deeper house tones for a variety of dancefloors, and different times of the day.

For the second release on Diskclaimer* Records, we are committed to serve as a channel where driven and devoted artists such as Reformed Society can share their craft with complete honesty and freedom. Pluck & Growl EP is the result of an extensive selective process through the vast library of unreleased material from such a prolific artist, produced both in London and Barcelona between 2021 and 2025.

The final selection comes together as a well-rounded EP, flowing through different shades of house, from big room prog and tech house-leaning cuts to more laid-back, dreamy grooves. Guided by a deep intention throughout the four tracks that unfolds as a cohesive journey across both sides.
Limited to 300 copies.

Some recordings herald the future in ways that are impossible to see in real time. Teodros Makonnen With His Organ (ቴዎድሮስ መኮንን ከኦርጋኑ ጋር), by the artist Teodros Makonnen, also known as Teddy Mak, is one of those. Today, electronic sounds, synthesizers, and digital production are taken for granted in Ethiopian music, but in the early 1980s, they were novelties that polarized opinion. Even to this day, the story of Teodros Makonnen’s legacy has never been properly told. He played a decisive role in defining the sound of the digital era of Ethiopian music that emerged in the 1980s and beyond, both as a keyboard player and as a producer, songwriter, performer, and sound designer.

Ethiopian music was at a crossroads in the early 1980s. Much like music in the rest of the world, technology and automation heralded either a quantum leap in musical development or the annihilation of musicianship, depending on who you’d ask. The changes were incremental nonetheless, but with the benefit of hindsight one can clearly see that the changes meant different things in different contexts. Drum machines and electric organs came to replace many hotel bands because, all of a sudden, one musician could control drums, melody, and accompaniment. Teodros was one of the first musicians in Ethiopia to explore the possibilities this opened up.

Teodros’ father, Captain Makonnen Beri, was a chief pilot at Ethiopian Airlines and a music enthusiast at that. This would prove important to his development, as Makonnen brought back a piano from Germany, which would lead to the first steps in Teodros’ long musical career. Captain Makonnen’s work as Head of Flight Operations and as a pilot exposed him to the wider world that was far from commonplace for most Ethiopians. In a house where music captivated the whole family, the piano gave Teodros’ talent an outlet. Not only was a piano at home rare in Ethiopian households, his father also brought an Indian teacher to their home to teach Teodros and his brother, Captain Samuel Makonnen, music theory (solfeggio or ear training) and piano. Teodros and his youngest brother, the late great Dereje, a member of both the legendary Ibex Band and the Ethiopian reggae group Dallol, took up music from that point onward, with Teodros beginning to develop his proficiency at the age of eight. His father encouraged him to practice tirelessly at home, and Teodros later received musical schooling at the German School in Addis Ababa.

His obvious talent led to studies and formal education at the Yared School of Music, followed by continued studies in American jazz at Northern Virginia Community College in Virginia. Teodros cut his teeth professionally in his mid-teens, not only as a keyboardist, but also as an arranger for the Wabi Shebelle and Dahlak bands in the 1970s. He mastered electronic sequencing early, rising to prominence through the midnight recording sessions held during the military curfew. The pressures imposed by the curfew required precise and disciplined recordings, and Teodros delivered just that. This, in turn, led to collaborations with iconic artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Aster Aweke, Menelik Wossenachew, Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, and Alemayehu Eshete.

In those days, he sat in as a keyboardist with the Dahlak Band when Dawit Yifru took a hiatus to study in Russia, and also with the Ethiostar Band. He secured a residency at the Wabi Shebelle Hotel with the Shebele Band, together with Zelalem Tadese (drums), later succeeded by Elias Bekele, Mulugeta Hailu (bass), Teferi ‘Bibisha’ Mengesha (guitar), Kumelachew G/Selassie (trumpet), and Teshome Deneke (saxophone). A friendly competition developed between the bands associated with the Ras Hotel (the Ibex Band), Ghion Hotel (the Dahlak Band), and Wabi Shebelle Hotel (the Shebele Band). The music scene at Wabi Shebelle saw teenagers commanding the spotlight in an industry otherwise dominated by musicians of an older generation.

At the Wabi Shebelle Hotel, Teodros met a diplomat from Saudi Arabia and later visited him at his home in Addis Ababa, a meeting that had unexpected musical consequences. The man owned a Yamaha double-deck keyboard. That evening, they recorded Teodros Makonnen With His Organ (ቴዎድሮስ መኮንን ከኦርጋኑ ጋር) in one take. This recording, a cornerstone in the early digital sound of Ethiopian music, came about almost by chance, simply because Teodros got the opportunity. Traditional Ethiopian songs were cast in a wholly electronic style.

Once freed from backing duties, Teodros’ keyboards could explore dreamlike soundscapes that took Ethiopian music in new directions. Even though the cassette contained well-known Ethiopian songs, they were given highly original arrangements, performed on an electric organ with drum machine backing and rhythm patterns that left the listener with suggestive, lingering sounds. “Libesh Kabashen” (also known as “Anchi Bale Game”) and “Odu Gol Golesa” wrap you in the very stuff that dreams are made of.

Originally released on cassette only, this recording exudes a mystique that surpasses even some of the most obscure Ethiopian recordings of the day. It remained more or less unknown outside of Ethiopia until now. Some of the tracks, like “Addis Fikir,” are permeated with an almost naive buoyancy, free-floating sounds that lost contact with the ground the moment they were conceived. Others, like “Meche New Hageren Yemayew” and “Lelitu Alnega Alegn,” carry a moodier, quirkier timbre, with pulsating rhythms in the background. Yet even the darker pieces contain an unmistakable wave, something essentially Ethiopian. If most recordings of Teodros’s contemporaries at the time were teeming with atmosphere, his songs seem instead at home in the stratosphere, almost ethereal. Some of the music here could be filed under “lullabies,” were it not for the recurring, almost brooding feeling that engulfs the listener on the aforementioned tracks. You could easily be forgiven for drifting into a blissful haze as the music washes over you.

Up to the advent of electronic music production, Ethiopia was totally dominated by big bands on the one hand, and small groups on the other. The former were tied to large institutions such as the military, the latter emerged from the entertainment industry, in hotel bars and nightclubs. These groups were commercially driven, and bands ultimately had to foster a mercenary approach to employment, albeit not to the passion for music. In the light of this, Teodros’ musical legacy can be seen in two ways. On the one hand, he is a key player in Ethiopian music from the 1970s onwards, leaving an indelible mark through hundreds of compositions and arrangements, including soundtracks for numerous documentary films and advertisements for different companies. On the other hand, the way he and others employed electronics brought Ethiopian music onto a fork in the road.

The replacement of traditional instruments with electronic equipment was seen as impending doom by some. Others, like Teodros, saw new avenues for performance, production, and creativity. Just as later producers like Abegasu Shiota of Admas, Teodros was a trailblazer who opened paths that it took Ethiopian music as a whole more than a decade to rush into. The hotel scene had already been pushed toward electronic music by financial necessity and cost-cutting. Today’s revived global interest in Ethiopian music from the seventies and eighties, alongside a broader resurgence, has changed the reasons for using digital means of music production. They have become tools for musical dreaming. This is where the dreaming began.

It’s been a while! Six years after their last release on the best seller' Good Plus label, Les Yeux Orange return in full force with four tasty edits drawn from their ever-expanding record crates. A selection of obscure and rare French gems you’d never expect to find brought together on a single release. Expect some funky Balearic vibes, sleazy Italo, infectious disco, and lustful boogie… Each track has been carefully readjusted for the aural pleasure of devoted crate diggers and discerning collectors. Sacrebleu !

MYKI joins Craigie Knowes for his label debut ‘Legz & Soul’ EP. Moody and tense house-music mastery with the ghosts of garage-past blended seamlessly into the groove of title track ‘Legz & Soul’. The lead Vocal Mix is accompanied by a Dub Mix to round off the A-side giving DJs an alternative stripped back version should the night call for something a touch darker. ‘Get Out’ is a moulding and morphing dub-house outing that change endlessly on top of rolling and hypnotic drums to take the lead on the B-side. ‘Holy Stab’ continues in the same vein – rolling and shifting delay applied to beautiful bouncing dub stabs. A real masterclass in high quality house jams from start to finish with something for every dancefloor environment.

Two of the most prolific remixers in the world of Disco,Dave 'Love' Lee and John Moraleshave teamed up for one of their biggest projects to date - 'Mixed To The Maxxx'. After gaining access from the legendary original artists, the pair take the multi-track tapes of many classic Disco, Funk & Soul tracks and re-work them...to the Maxxx!

Where Remixed With Love stands as Dave Lee's own gold-standard body of work, Mixed To The Maxxx sets that legacy alongside Morales' own decades-deep M+M body of work: Lee brings his musically dense, groove-first touch to the likes of Harold Melvin, Syreeta, Lenny Williams and The Brand New Heavies, while Morales applies his extended, dancefloor-built M+M treatment and crushes the likes of Barry White, The Temptations and Loleatta Holloway, plus Dennis Coffey's breakbeat classic "Scorpio" for the DJs and collectors alike. Both work from original tapes, surfacing parts barely audible or entirely unheard in the source mixes, and both know when to let a classic breathe rather than bury it under modern production. It's a pairing a long time in the making. Lee and Morales first talked about working together around a decade ago, and getting Mixed To The Maxxx off the ground took five years of patient work: tracking down usable stems, securing approvals, and navigating a licensing landscape where much of the best material is now tied up with major labels increasingly cautious about clearing remixes. What's landed here is the product of that graft as much as the pair's shared ear for a great record, the sound of two people who know exactly what they're looking for and are willing to put in the time to find it.

A double 12" sampler in summer 2025 previewed the record's range. A bass-driven overhaul ofThe Brothers Johnson's "The Real Thing" and an extended mix of Philly legends Bell & James' "Livin' It Up (Friday Night)" showcased Lee's side, while an anthemic take on Inner Life's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and a tempo-lifted Light Of The World"London Town" flew the flag for Morales. Both drew strong early support ahead of the full LP.

BERG AUDIO is happy to welcome back one of our favorite producers, Havantepe. In the past few years, the Turkish artist’s output has become rare, greatly increasing our excitement to finally share these masterfully crafted pieces on the label. The release includes a superb collaboration with Christopher Ledger, and a remix from one of Romania’s key artists, Cristi Cons – Artwork by Juli Jah.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the underground music scene, few bands have made an impact quite like Selofan, an immensely talented duo of Joanna Pavlidou and Dimitris Pavlidis, has carved a niche for themselves within the international pantheon of darkwave, post-punk, and '80s synthpop, blending these influences to create a sound uniquely their own. Their journey, marked by a commitment to artistic integrity and evolution, has taken them from the cozy confines of local venues to the grand stages of international festivals, earning them a dedicated following and critical acclaim along the way. Their sixth album, Partners in Hell, released in October 2020, navigated the band through unprecedented times, testing their adaptability and resilience. Despite the hurdles to performing live and the global pandemic's challenges, Selofan emerged stronger, embarking on international tours with a newfound appreciation and connection with their global audience, during this period of introspection and isolation, Joanna Pavlidou embarked on a new venture, GIOVANNA, released under Selofan’s house label, Fabrika Records. GIOVANNA, which places Pavlidou at the helm of vocal and lyrical composition, represents a full on foray into synth-pop. showcasing a different facet of her artistic identity, with lyrics entirely in Greek. In 2023, Selofan hit the circuit hard, lighting up revered festivals with their presence. They stood shoulder to shoulder with heavy hitters like Molchat Doma and Lebanon Hanover at Grey Scale and performed with with the likes of The Sisters of Mercy, VNV Nation, and She Past Away at the Death Disco fest in their hometown of Athens. With each album they have released Selofan made significant strides in their evolution, deepening their engagement with their art. And their forthcoming seventh full length studio release, Animal Mentality, is poised to be their most compelling work yet. Animal Mentality unfolds as a labyrinthine journey through the elemental aspects of human emotion and experience, set against the backdrop of Selofan's signature darkwave sound. Each track on the album delves into different facets of the human condition, from the depths of desire to the pangs of isolation, encapsulating the duo's profound understanding of the intricate spectrum of human emotion and subjective experiences. The album kicks off with "Sticky Fingers," a track that melds cinematic scope with a haunting storyline, reminiscent of Jean-Michel Jarre's icy synths and a lyrical nod to Joy Division. This opening salvo revisits the tragic allure of classic car accident songs, weaving a tale of joy turned to sorrow amidst the snowy Alps. "Love's Secret Game" delves into the depths of forbidden desire, with vocals that echo the melancholy timbre of Xmal Deutschland, Lebanon Hanover, and Nico. It's a tale of passion and ephemeral connection, promising an enduring presence despite the inevitable fracture of time and distance. In "Lucille," sung by Dimitris Pavlidis, the plot is ensnared in the machinations of a tempestuous affair, with gothic undertones evoking the dramatic soundscapes of Ultravox and Clan of Xymox. The lyrics are steeped in danger and desire - a dance with the shadows. "Sacrifice Me" plunges into the abyss of despair, driven by a Bauhaus-esque bassline. It's a plea for release from the chains of alienation, a yearning for a final gesture of solace in the face of overwhelming darkness. "Bluebirds" offers a poignant reflection on solitude, with the fleeting imagery of bluebirds symbolizing the elusive quest for happiness. The song serves as a meditation on the internal struggle to maintain hope in a world shaded by sorrow. The narrative shifts with "Glassplitter," where German lyrics paint a portrait of deceptive allure and toxic entanglement. We are confronted with irresistible danger, masked by a veneer of beauty. "Ignoranz" continues the exploration in German, pondering the universality of misunderstanding. It's a reflection on the subjective nature of truth and the shared human experience of ignorance. "Behind My Eyelids" closes the odyssey, a contemplation on melancholy and metamorphosis. The phoenix rises from the ashes of betrayal to the brighter realm of renewal - a beautiful homage to the resilience of the human spirit amidst the often harrowing cycles of life. More than just an album, Animal Mentality is a milestone in Selofan's career, marking a decade of musical innovation and growth. It's a testament to their enduring spirit and a bold step into new realms of artistic expression. As Selofan continues to evolve, they remain at the forefront of their genre, pushing boundaries and exploring the depths of the human psyche through their haunting melodies and poignant lyrics.

The Bronx rapper Tim Dog released his 1991 debut Penicillin on Wax to a hostile audience. Ever a king of controversy, he made a million enemies with his provocative single "Fuck Compton," a shameless attention ploy dissing N.W.A., DJ Quik, and America's entire Pacific Coast. Penicillin on Wax contains more of the same, as Tim trashes everybody from Kwame to Michel'le to Eddie Murphy. The lyrical insults were arguably the opening salvo in what would later become the East Coast versus West Coast hip hop conflict.

There's no doubt that Penicillin On Wax remains one of the true hardcore hip hop classics and one of many landmarks in sounds from the Bronx. Produced by probably the best hip hop producers of the early 90s, the Ultramagnetic MC's, this album contains some of the most energetic tracks you'll ever hear. Guest appearances on the mic from Kool Keith and Ced-Gee also enhance the LP.

Penicillin On Wax is available on black vinyl and includes an insert.

Unncecessary is the first EP released on his own label by Nocturnerror, extremely appreciated by the Bass scene led by Zuli, who many times has played his tracks in Web Radios such as NTS, Rinse FM, etc..

“Unnecessary" is the title of the second release on A Flooded Need. Previously tangled in the most slippery meanders of electronic music with strong punk and wave reminiscences, 1/2 of Hyperlacrimae alongside 11xxx27, Nocturnerror approaches this work in a totally different way. The six tracks of the EP, in fact, represent a melting pot of hybrid influences between audacious bass music, cinematic and cacophonic IDM, totally deconstructed techno - stripped of its dance component - and dirty rave jungle.”
Insert — Web zine

'The Roundhouse Tapes' contains a captivating Opeth performance from
the Camden Roundhouse, London, UK, on November 9th, 2006 (a gig
which also featured Goth metal legends Paradise Lost), & sees mainman
Mikael Akerfeldt & co in scintillating form, churning out a selection of
classics from their illustrious career to date
Since their formation in 1990 in Sweden, Opeth has risen to the forefront of the
metal world over the years; bringing many aspects of progressive rock/metal to a
whole new audience by combining soft acoustic ambience with complex, melodic
& heavy guitar often familiar to forms of death/black metal, perfectly concocted
into a completely peerless sound. A constant factor of their success is that the
band have never been afraid to experiment with their song- writing, taking us
through some truly magical & hypnotic soundscapes from blackened death/prog
debut opus, 'Orchid' back in 1995, through to the highly accomplished prog/rock
outfit witnessed in recent years

Death Is Not The End present the first volume in a survey of a form of Brazilian country music known as música caipira ("hillbilly music") - a stripped-back forerunner to música sertaneja, the Brazilian equivalent to US country & western which in it's contemporary form has come to dominate the domestic music industry in recent decades. This collection covers some of the earliest recordings made by the pioneering folklorist Cornélio Pires at the end of the 1920s, through to records from the 30s, 40s & 50s and the beginning of the 60s.

Somewhat rooted in Portuguese troubadour folk traditions, música caipira is typically performed by a duo singing in parallel thirds and sixths, drawing upon a Portuguese-Brazilian style known as moda de viola - with the viola being the viola caipira, a Brazilian-style ten-string guitar that is the core instrument of the music. Born out of the "outback"-style region in north-eastern Brazil, these songs tell stories of pain, love, loss & betrayal - often backed by homemade guitars using invented tunings. Away from the polished pop country & western-stylings of the sertaneja, these recordings could be viewed as the Brazilian equivalent to the roots music of the American dustbowl or Appalachia.

Cello player and electronic artist Martina Bertoni returns with her 2nd album for Karl: Hypnagogia delivers six new, masterfully crafted tracks between experimental ambient, drone and modern composition.

Cellist and composer Martina Bertoni started playing the cello at a very young age. Classically trained, her career further developed around experimental and film music, for which her cello has been featured in numerous records, works and soundtracks for films and series. After two EPs and her debut full length All The Ghosts Are Gone (2020), Bertoni joined the Karl roster where she released Music For Empty Flats in January 2021 to critical acclaim (a.o. one of the Top Ten drone albums of 2021).

On her new album Hypnagogia she continues to explore the sonic possibilities of her cello which she uses as primary source for composition and sound processing through reverbs, feedbacks and sub-bass frequencies, thus crafting sonic sculptures, rich of atmospheres and frictions, fed by ambient as much as drone and modern composition.

In the words of Martina Bertoni:
"The six tracks that constitute Hypnagogia have been written during 2021 and partially inspired by the reading of Stanislaw Lem's book Solaris. The title refers to a transitional state of consciousness from wakefulness to sleep, during which one might experience sensorial hallucinations and lucid dreaming, and can tap into the pristine structures of the subconscious. Hypnagogia portraits an imaginary cosmic journey of the Self that crash ends into a blinding sun."

Tucked in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles, lies The Libra Hotel—the titular architecture of Nick Malkin's new album and site of his musical and psychogeographic exploration. Unlike most musical "site-specific" studies, Malkin remains wholly ambivalent to the documentarian approach, instead sharpening an auteur-like focus on the site as a conceptual and highly expressive backdrop. The Libra is musically explored as a space that houses a noir fragmentation of identity—the exhausted trope of a complicated protagonist walking through rain-soaked street corners and fumy neon lights—where an inner monologue is rendered in both miniature and at a cosmic scale. Casting aside stifling tropes around field recording, ambient, and improvised music, Malkin's work finds its own unique fidelity and emotional core through the assembly and reassembly of memory. Nearly every sound on the album—from frayed saxophones, lambent pianos, and dissected jazz drum kits—are multiplied, shattered, and reconstituted into shapes that adorn The Libra in a motion-blurred fog. The narrative of the Hotel suddenly appears as if out of the mist, with intersecting characters interacting within its walls by happenstance. Adminst the languid set pieces, wraith-like sonic grains gravitate around wide subbass beams that give structural form to The Libra, a narrative tension like when a scene is shot from hundreds of different perspectives: an image both luminous and veiled.

Much like Frank Sinatra's own spatial residency immortalized on "Live at The Sands," "At The Libra Hotel" showcases an exuberant view of entertainment, hospitality, and a form of masculinity, one that can quickly detourn into darkness. Knowing this, Malkin extracts a melancholic core out of The Libra locale. The flickering shadows of American decadence are shown in their ephemeral honesty, lines that trace how even in everyday life virtue is tested, sanity is tested, even reality is tested within the confines of desire, within the night. The album is draped in fleeting textures, carefully arranged with a trance-like microtonality, the faint inflections and articulations of a jazz band cascading into dissipated stillness. Voicemails about changed locations and covert eavesdropping on guests' whispered conversations provide an atmosphere of missed connection and voyeurism—a purloined letter of desire receding into a vanishing point. Like the music itself, The Hotel, a chapel perilous at the intersection of desolation row, the center of it all, yet simultaneously at the edge of town, becomes a structure between libidinous virtuality and actuality—our inevitable half-light.

Ultimately, the pensive atmosphere of "At The Libra Hotel," powerfully asserts a plea for the kinds of intimacy only possible in transient spaces. Here, memory cascades into a force that feels like something supernatural, perhaps even religious, yet always subject to the infidelity of our imagination. Here, the album opens into its primary psychodrama, the transient nature of subjectivity itself and how this becomes fractured in the tumult between our commitments and desires. Within this nocturnal space, to quote Louise Bourgeois, "you pile up associations the way you pile up bricks. Memory itself is a form of architecture."