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Just as you were getting your head straight coming off the 21st Trip … Brown Acid dose # 22 drops, continuing to fry your mind in a revolving trap-door Twilight Zone alternate world of early hard rock… populated by real life characters so far out they can look like a cheesy wedding band but sound like Blue Cheer! Uncanny! This music comes at you from many angles. Teens in a garage colliding with booze, drugs and girls for the first time, lounge lizard hustlers with snazzy stage clothes and fuzz boxes… gnarly backwoods troublemakers meet blow dried glam rock wannabes here, seamlessly clobbering your head with sound rather than each other! An electric post-psychedelic bar brawl for your mind awaits, unfasten your seat belt, crank it up and fly! Sounds Synonymous "Babylon" out of Flint, Michigan 1969 rip the devastating Blue Cheer classic a new one, immediately swarming you with organ swells and distortion before collapsing into a tuff funk groove, a psychedelic James Brown vibe shot through with dirty howling fuzz guitar, vocals nailing the messed up but confident relaxed sneering attitude of the original Cheer eruption. The Bumps "Shining" from Seattle 1969 resides right at the transition of ‘60s psych into early prog, well constructed, no diluting things artsy fartsy style, a compelling heavy riff, spacious vocal harmony hook floating above a turbulent take on getting your shit together and shining like a star. Fat chance, but you can dream, the band did and their dreams kick ass across time to right now or you wouldn’t be here.

Coulda been a hit back then, definitely a hit now. Riverside "Farmer" explodes out of Austin, Texas 1974, economical but brilliantly structured riffs and power chords, intense dynamic tension/release, fantastic screaming leads over shifting angles of attack during the middle break… it’s all here with a detached confidence in the vocal that swaggers back in time to the late ‘60s in its proto-heavy psych adjacent assault. Cincinnati Joe & Mad Lydia "Get It Together" for real in Cincinnati, Ohio 1970. The song says everything you need to know: “You may think that you’re the very best, miles and miles ahead of the rest, but be sure when you’re put to the test you get it together!” These words are deployed in a manner similar to Peter Green’s “Oh Well”, intermittently stated between killer gnarly guitar and gushy organ attacks. Bar band heaven and hell rolled up into one big ball, the vocals get all the way out there! Straight Up "Fire" takes the monster 1968 Crazy World Of Arthur Brown hit into faithfully executed but surreally minimalist territory, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1974. Genius version of a key song that presciently cuts to the chase regarding Brown Acid’s incinerations of psychedelic idealism, you’re gonna burn, burn, burn… as that moment climaxes you can gawk at their preposterous flashy lounge band stage outfits and realize side one must end because everything is totally scorched into eternity. Scrap Iron "Poopsie" is a primitive two chord stomper with spiraling fuzz and organ riffs, singer marking his territory caveman style. “Poopsie, you’re my woman” he commands, but gets weirdly insecure she’ll blow him off at the altar by the end of each verse. Snarly wah-wah ices this toxic cake out of Carteret, New Jersey 1973. Focused delivery so single-mindedly crude it creates an inescapable instant brain-worm. Lady "Live Show Tigers" is amongst the most potently life affirming trash rockers you’ll ever hear, one outrageously triumphant but fiercely sloppy anthem about living it up like a star, strutting the stage glammed up New York Dolls drag style but with a Dictators sense of humor. Tasty slightly off kilter guitar leads all through, going serendipitously berserk on the fade. Picture disc single out of L.A. 1980. Fantastic fun rock star rock at a very raw local street level where any time is party time.

Killer Frog "Hard Times" on Masochist Records from Chicago, Illinois 1972 takes less than two minutes, an action packed James Gang style bar band rocker with a bit of punky sneer in the face of misfortune. These guys never even heard of flower power. They are killer frogs. Good Humore "Killer" does kill in stripped down hard rock trio style, Warren, Michigan 1976. No frills guitar, bass and drums groove tight, snaky primordial riff, snarly licks. “She’s a killer of a woman, knows just what she’s doing…” The singer knows she’s a femme-fatale roadhouse predator but she’s so hot the inevitable wreckage seems a bargain. Ride it out like the extended jam on the fade knowing she’ll be back for more! Sarawest "Space Rider" winds up the 22nd Trip lost in a twisted two chord space adventure from the point of view of an alien visiting our planet seeking knowledge but finding out we are stupidly destroying ourselves, so he gotta split sneering back at us like we wasted his time “I got no time for loving… I wanna be a space rider, space rider”. Toronto, Canada 1974, a vibe lurking in some strange but funny void between late ‘60s outsider garage psychedelic rock complete with reverb-y acid guitar leads and late ‘70s retro-futuristic D.I.Y wisecracking from inner space… taking the piss out of outer space!

Lee Humphreys and Evasive head honcho Rob Pearson returned to the imprint for their 2nd EP together as Lovable Rogues. This followed on from their first collaboration which launched Evasive Records : Look Into Your Eyes / Chica / Twilight Manouvres (EVA001)

For this Ep Rob travelled out to work with Lee in the depths of the German countryside at Lee’s Tofu Studios. EVA003 delivered 3 more tasty underground cuts for main floors and urban warehouse spaces and pleased all the right DJ movers and shakers in the year 2000. It now finds favour in 2024 with Tech House connoisseurs hungry for that early South London Tech sound.

Time Zones delivers some peak time twisted year 2k Tech. Swirling ear candy synths and tripped out almost acidic twangs are the order of the day. A head nodding bass combines with the filtered and sample triggered vocal phrase ‘Eternal Energy Music’. As if the production pair were indeed clairvoyants able to look ahead and prophesize the future state of underground dance floors some 20 years later! This cut has since become a classic requested early noughties gem for those in the know.

On ‘Integer’ Lee Humphreys rides solo to showcase his unique talent and slick production sound. Driving filtered percussion elements and an infectious bass combine with ‘Body Grooving’ vocal cuts and eerie reverse synths and sounds. Lee basically hit this track out of the park here so Rob had no choice but to request this cut and it was snapped up for the EP.

‘Thursday’ see’s Rob & Lee back on the joint production for some Tech Funk shenanigans that are ‘sure to get you high’. Not sure what Mr Humphreys was on to allow Rob to play the lead keyboard solo on this funk fuelled excursion but it stills sounds fresh over 2 decades later.! A very different vibe that has not been equalled or surpassed on Evasive since.

Despite its tragic breakup, Yugoslavia as a political, social and cultural phenomenon still inspires generations, especially those who were born or lived at the time of this utopian land of South Slavs. Those who didn’t enjoy the privilege are still amazed by its 1970s and ’80s music scene and the number of very modern, high quality acts that were so often ahead of their time. Two such acts were Data and The Master Scratch Band, both founded by Zoran Jevtic and Zoran Vracevic, who introduced synth-pop, breakbeat, and hip-hop music in Yugoslavia in 1984 with their releases: SP Neka Ti Se Dese Prave Stvari/Ne Zovi To Ljubavlju and miniLP Deogut (Jugoton). Our latest release, “It Was Ridiculous, It Was Amazing!” gathers their earliest unreleased material from 1981-1983, showcasing a broader range of genres – alongside synth-pop and breakbeat/hip-hop, they also experimented with industrial, EBM, minimal synth, and electro-funk!

The whole record is divided into two parts: on A side there are 7 previously unpublished songs by group DATA, and on B side there are 4 previously unreleased recordings by The Master Scratch Band.

The Data side opens with two unexpected “shocker” tracks: Ja Nisam Kao Ti” (eng. I am Not Like You) and “Izumi” (eng. “Inventions”) from 1981, where they sound like early Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft with unusual vocal pan sound effects on Serbian lyrics and uncompromising synth-based sound. Equally unpredictable are the next two songs: atmospheric “España” and dusty “Damage In My Head,” where Zoran Jevtić boldly steps into the lead vocal role. But the surprises don’t end there. The next two songs, France and Strahovi (eng. “Fears”), bring a mysterious and nostalgic atmosphere, elevated by the irreplaceable sound of the modular Roland System-100M. At the end comes the greatest surprise of all: Data covers YMO-Ballet in a song called Ne Zelim Da Tako Zive (eng, I Don’t Want Them Living Like That) and puts some extra energy in rhythm without losing the original song’s sensibility. Like in the original, the lyrics are tender and yet mysterious and provocative.

The Master Scratch Band side contains the very first versions of the songs Break War, Jailbreak, and Computer Break, originally recorded in studio Druga Maca in Belgrade in 1983. These versions were not released on their mini-LP album Dégout (Jugoton, 1984), and they are actually the first ever hip-hop/Breakbeat recordings in Yugoslavia. With great enthusiasm, every sound was uniquely crafted from scratch using the finest analog gear available in the early ’80s. The two young artists, aiming for international success, chose to write their lyrics in English. The album’s final track, “Mad Scratch,” showcases their talent for creating impressive sound effects, which would be a delight for contemporary DJs and producers who specialize in sampling and scratching old-school hip-hop.

This release is truly a “100% digger’s gem” – 11 previously unreleased tracks from legendary pioneers of electronic, hip-hop, and breakbeat. A collection to discover, enjoy, play, and treasure forever!

The crew behind the freshly minted Secret Vault imprint are keeping their cards close to their chests, with the accompanying press release loosely explaining their desire to prioritise dancefloor "heat" over spoon-feeding information to buyers (and in this case, Juno reviewers). The secrecy makes sense, though, because these uncredited cuts are heavyweight disco edits - and fantastic ones at that. Our shadowy heroes first extend and (we think) lightly speed up a slap-bass-sporting slab of disco-soul gorgeousness full of dewy-eyed female lead vocals, extended breakdowns, glistening guitar solos and punchy. Over on the flip, our scalpel-wielding fiends turn their attention to a bouncy, energetic and infectious disco-funk gem topped off by expressive male lead vocals.

Biz has some serious techno credentials, having landed on esteemed labels like Transmat and Acquit Records before now, and here he is back on his Subjekt label with a third outing in his limited series. This is cerebral techno steeped in Detroit style but looking to the future. 'No Pain, No Gain' is awash with crystalline pads over a surging groove, 'Monozukuri' gets more prickly with metallic percussive textures and a forlorn lead. 'Manipulate' unhinges from reality with trippy synth cascades that remind of 8bit video games and the flip then has a more introverted sound across three minimalistic, deep rhythmic excursions.

Mysticisms’ Dubplate series reaches number 10 with the first in a series of specials, taking the genre blurring music of Persian and presenting updated remixes and versions by up-and-coming producers, as well as friends and family of the label.

Started as a sporadic offshoot of Mysticisms’ main releases, with the idea to highlight the wonderful sounds of dub influenced dance music, Dubplate has now become an integral part of the mission.

To start, South London’s Picasso joins the label, showcasing his declared abstract grooves and an EP of Dub and Tech House movers. While his productions aim for the dance floor, they are often characterized by complex rhythms and unconventional structures, prioritizing atmosphere and texture over traditional melodies.

Drawing inspiration from ambient, jazz, experimental influences and the heavy hand of dub, Sam “Andrews” McKay has crafted an EP of immersive “soundscapes”. Joining the legendary Persian (Peter Reilly) as co-selector, his retakes are all warped grooves, wide bass and dubby atmospherics.

Opening with Space Within Art, the street soul meets reggae rhythms are jettisoned, and a Dub House swing drives the track. The love, homage and vibration for Sound System culture remains, enchanting trippy reggae sampledelic vocals weaving in the brain.

Dunya 2 sees a shift, minds expanding. A jazz influenced breakbeat, harp, strings, building to a psychedelic swirl, driven by a dub bass in a clash, morph and glow.

The deep Digi Dub of D Dub Twist grows, warping the ‘JA riddim meets English hedonism’ in true Soundclash style. Touches of drone underlay, highlighting Sam’s experimental leaning, utilising Persian’s love of Eastern mystical samples to marry perfectly for a deep dub excursion.

The self-prescribed “odd-fellow” completes his versions, exploring his love of depth and abstract sound in closer, Jacob’s Dub. The warm roots vibrations in original form develop into a scatter gun House bumper. Dubwise, Lovers, Stepper, all merge around shuffling, trippy beats and skippy hats, Picasso’s groove is laid bare, driving the EP to finale.

Abstract the Mystery.

Different strokes for different folks. The celebrative 11-track 'xoxo' compilation, originally pressed as a 3xLP, is now also available as three separate EPs. No pussyfootin' on EP 2. M.S.L.'s Hydrolic brings Canadian electro with a pinch of Dutch Westcoast salt. RAFF takes the wheel on Radiant and drifts between break-y, 4x4 and IDM. Percussion connaisseur Tala Drum Corps delivers a well-deserved breather on Gargoyle, with basslines that leap like frogs. As we lose track of time, GEN-Y's SkyStalker shows how a midnight-minded groove gets pulled along by lush progressions.

Having tirelessly contributed to shaping the UK dance music over the past decades, Special Request needs no introduction. From the underground and resurgences of Jungle all the way through to major Pop music projects, this man can do it all. Timedance welcomes Paul Woolford's infamous alias for the first time here, unleashing the devastating “Uncanny Valley”. Woolford combines his signature comb filter rave synths alongside cavernous breaks for ultimate mindf*ck peak time energy, anticipation has been huge for this one since Paul showcased the track on his social media last year to a huge response.

Alongside the original “Uncanny Valley” comes alongside remixes from two of maddest breaks scientists in our address book. Timedance stalwart Metrist nods to his love of hi-tech neurofunk with devestating technicality and flair, whilst gyrofield adds a more hypnotic and psychedelic angle, leaning into the eeriness of the original.

Proper dancefloor wreckage here from a real power trio.

With a soaring, emotionally-charged sonic signature all his own, Sam Goku returns to Dekmantel for his latest four-track EP, Bliss Drift.

As Sam Goku, over the past few years Robin Wang has edged into the beating heart of the contemporary house and techno scene with a rejuvenating sound that reaches from peak time maximalism to immersive introspection. Across a run of acclaimed albums and EPs — including 2024's Radiants on Dekmantel — he's balanced the heavyweight impact of his rhythms with mesmerising melodies and swirling atmospheres. It's precisely this blend he brings to Bliss Drift, writing and recording from the heart and accurately capturing what he describes as a sense of blossoming — "a renaissance into something new yet familiar."

Make no mistake, this is music to make you move. 'Rhythm Drift' and 'Bliss Drift' lead on rock-solid rhythms as springboards for Goku's ascendant tones. Airy, mysterious pads and sampled choral voices meet with glistening chimes that soften the tough edges of the drums — a quintessential demonstration of how to make a tender banger. 'Warm Soils' strikes a deeper, more meditative note enriched with haunting flutes and a heads-down roll to the percussion, while 'Infinity Keys (Sina's Song)' lets rich layers of melodic sequencing dictate the pace in a poised demonstration of techno composition at its most expressive.

Catching the mood as the Northern Hemisphere heads out of the winter months, Goku's unique energy hails a return to the light via four distinct twists on the house and techno tradition.

Parris returns to his and Call Super’s can you feel the sun imprint with Drippin’. A four-track love letter to the amber-lit glow of communal field maneuvers in the dusk on his most house-focused and personal release yet.

Continuing the themes explored on 2024’s Passionfruit EP, Parris embarks further down his unparalleled sound path on Drippin’. His latest solo outing draws inspiration from vivid memories of yesteryear, particularly experiences at Watching Trees Festival and various trips to Amsterdam, and subsequently constructed with friends in mind to play out. The resulting four tracks encompasses some of his most intimate material to date.

The title track bursts with measured fervour and a raptor-like throb, percussive configurations in tight pistons which induce rave friction hysterics across the dancefloor melee. Got Me Feelin’ dramatically switches tact, a sentimental roller entangled in swooning pads and R’n’B vocals while swigging lovingly from the ecky spring. True Vargo stomps further with acute hedonism, a sun-descending swooner that flows effortlessly in melodic serenity. Closer Crooning In The Trees leans most wayward, an evolving scene architected by Parris’ uncanny samples and disassociated groove that purrs with wide-eyed wonder. Another stand-out release from one of UK club’s most unique voices.

A guitar stands alone in Wedding, that metropolitan biotope in the western center of Berlin, caught in constant transformation between idyll and abyss. It lets its gaze wander, unsettled, almost shy, until it encounters a trumpet, with which it begins a cautious, then ever more intimate pas de deux.
Welcome to the second studio album by the Berlin-based band Conic Rose.
The album title Wedding is no coincidence. The story of Conic Rose is closely intertwined with the Berlin neighborhood that gives the record its name. The band's studio is located here, and both studio albums were created in the immediate vicinity of the small river Panke. This place settles over the music like a warming patina. The album feels as though the musicians and the neighborhood have invited one another to get to know each other. Not least because Wedding also means marriage. These marriages between a band and an urban landscape, a fading past and an emerging future, fear and hope - unfold in every single song on Wedding.
For their second album, Conic Rose repositioned themselves completely. Not in terms of personnel, but in the question of how to move forward. Conic Rose still sound like Conic Rose; their distinctive blend of cinematic jazz, ambient textures and guitar-led contemporary music remains untouched. And yet Wedding is, in many ways, the conceptual counterpart to their debut album Heller Tag. Where the debut documented movement within an urban setting, Wedding describes a state of being. Behind every piece seems to hover a large question mark.The group opens up its palette, allowing more influences, becoming at once more subtle, more profound, more filigree. It is less about definition than about the spaces in between. The most immediately striking difference from the previous album is the strong presence of the guitar. In Bertram Burkert's playing, many voices seem to converge. His yearning openness forms an equal counterpoint to Döben's trumpet and flugelhorn. Blurred and layered sounds occasionally make the ground seem to slip away beneath one's feet, while Döben's gliding lines create both closeness and distance. Together, the band express in a deeply subtle way a sense of life that corresponds precisely to our time. Something lurks in the background, omnipresent yet still unnameable. Conic Rose need no words to convey this feeling of uncertainty with remarkable eloquence. Perhaps this has something to do with Wedding being a place of confrontational introspection, but Conic Rose confront the escape from escape itself. With the recording and release of Wedding, this process is far from complete. The seed only begins to grow in the listener's ear. With every listen and the echo it leaves behind in memory, the studio bud continues to bloom. The album is merely the point of departure. What ultimately matters is what it sets in motion within those who encounter it.

This relatively new Stockholm duo have been making waves with their latest vinyl output. This EP conveys their love for the disco house sounds of Chicago, spearheaded by the likes of DJ Sneak. ‘Spoon Bait’ leads the way using an almost dreamlike vocal hook over a deep bass led groove with dub effects to boot. ‘Tuborg Translate’ picks up the tempo, chopping up a Philly style hook, underpinned by crisp beats and otherworldly space effects. Title track ‘Silja Line Superstar’ keeps the peak-time action going utilising warm emotive strings and brass whilst ‘Kenneth Knaster’ bounces along on a sublime disco ride bringing the EP to a close.

Outstanding Dub! Subset returns to Primary Colours with Gathering The Threads, a record that feels reflective rather than declarative. Following recent work with Echo Inspectors on “Youthman” and the measured pulse of “Impedance” from the Antipodean Dubs compilation, this release settles into its own pace. There is no sense of urgency here, only continuation. Across four originals and a remix from Pugilist, the collection leans into low frequency weight and spatial awareness. The grooves are patient. The arrangements are economical. Each element is given room to sit in the mix without excess.

White Vinyl

The fringes of the desert have a way of changing a man, but the high-altitude chill of the Sierras will strip him down to his soul.

Following the gritty, neon-soaked introduction of his debut, Red Leather returns with his sophomore studio album, TAHOE. If his first record was a desperate sprint through the dark alleys of the soul, TAHOE is the cold morning after—a cinematic, sweeping exploration of isolation, clarity, and the jagged edges of recovery.

Named after the alpine lake that serves as both a sanctuary and a graveyard for secrets, the album navigates the duality of the landscape.

The songwriting dives deep into the "blue" period of his life—tackling themes of sobriety, the weight of sudden fame, and the ghosts of past versions of himself. It is an album about the silence that follows the storm, and the realization that the higher you climb, the thinner the air becomes.

Nico Gomez, a Belgian orchestra leader of Dutch roots, has long been a favourite with Latin fans, record diggers, DJs, and collectors alike. His blend of bossanova, latin jazz, and easy listening always turns up a few choice nuggets and surprises; what is perhaps most remarkable is that it was recorded in Europe.


Back in 2013, Mr Bongo re-issued Nico Gomez's sought-after 'Ritual' album from 1971, and now we follow it up with another jewel from his catalogue his 1972 album 'Soul Of Samba'. For this re-issue, we have opted to present it with the cover art originally used on the Trio Records version released in Japan. In the Netherlands and Belgium, the album was released with different cover art under the title 'Bossa Nova’, on Omega International and International Bestseller Company records, respectively. We loved the beautiful psychedelic design of the Japanese version and wanted to use it for this re-issue.

'Soul Of Samba' features several euro-bossa-jazz favourites such as the catchy 'Rio'; which was a firm DJ choice cut at jazz dance nights, including Brighton's 'Jazz Rooms' in the 90s. It also featured in Rainer Trüby's classic ‘Glücklich' compilation series which explored European-Brazilian-inspired music. The beguiling ‘Aquarela', with its engaging latin shuffle, entices feet to the dancefloor and is not one to miss. 'Agua’ has a lazy-quirky latin-funk feel with breathy-stoned vocals floating in the background. The album additionally features numerous breezy latin, Brazilian, and easy listening joints, some of which are ripe for sampling.

First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome back Kaidi Tatham, with a brand new 12-track album entitled 'Don't Rush The Process'.

This is Kaidi's 4th solo album under his own name, following on from 'An Insight To All Minds' (2021), 'It's A World Before You' (2018), and 'In Search Of Hope' (re-pressed in 2020), all released on First Word, along with several EPs from 2017 onwards.

To bring you up to speed, Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Once dubbed "the UK's Herbie Hancock" by Benji B, he's a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound. Over the years his musical prowess has blessed numerous projects, recently with the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Andrew Ashong and with longtime accomplice, Dego. This in addition to session and remix work for artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Slum Village, Marcos Valle, Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Nubya Garcia, Rosie Frater-Taylor and Leroy Burgess, along with First Word label mates Eric Lau, Children of Zeus, Allysha Joy and Darkhouse Family. Kaidi is also a revered DJ known for rocking parties globally, whilst his solo catalogue spans tons of EPs and releases for labels such as Dego's 2000 Black, Alex Nut's Eglo Records and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature.

This new album 'Don't Rush The Process' opens with an intro of sweet strings on 'Mystery Solved', ahead of lead title track, which is on a mid-tempo boom bap vibe, before switching to a more uptempo boogie vein, with the assistance of The Easy Access Orchestra, who also appear on 'We Chillin' Out', which is on a similar boogie tip. 'All I Need' is some gospel flavoured hip hop, whilst 'Knocknee Donkey' steps things up in a jazz-funk fashion. The second half of the album takes on a very Brazilian flavoured stance, with a set of delicious latin flavoured grooves on 'Any Flavour', 'Runnin' Tru', 'What A Dream' and 'Sooretama', the latter featuring the additional prowess of pianist Robert Mitchell. There's a touch more of the hip hop beats thrown in via 'Funky Fool' and the album closes out in inimitable Kaidi style with a short message: 'Mind Yourself'.

A hugely prolific artist, here he adds to an already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes a diverse set of peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement"), K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration") and Kyle Hall.

'Don't Rush The Process' is released on vinyl & digital worldwide, July 2022 via First Word Records.

Ten years ago, Anderson .Paak didn't just release an album; he staged a full-scale takeover of the soul and hip-hop landscape. Released on January 15, 2016, Malibu served as the definitive arrival of an artist who had spent years grinding in the underground before a star-making turn on Dr. Dre’s Compton. While his previous work hinted at his potential, Malibu was the moment the world met the "Cheeky Andy" persona in full—a virtuosic drummer, a raspy-voiced crooner, and a sharp-witted rapper all rolled into one. The album is a sprawling, sun-drenched journey through the Southern California coast, blending 1970s funk, church-reared gospel, and gritty boom-bap into something that feels both nostalgic and entirely futuristic. With a heavyweight production lineup including 9th Wonder, Madlib, Kaytranada, and Hi-Tek, the record maintains a warm, analog texture that was a breath of fresh air in an increasingly digital era. It’s an album that breathes, full of intentional imperfections and the kind of "in-the-pocket" groove that can only come from a seasoned live performer. Beyond the infectious, dance-floor-ready energy of tracks like "Am I Wrong" and "Come Down," the album is a deeply autobiographical masterwork. .Paak uses the 65-minute runtime to unpack his life story with startling clarity, touching on his mother’s gambling addiction, his father’s incarceration, and his own brushes with homelessness with a sense of resilience that never feels heavy-handed. He weaves these heavy themes through a lens of triumph, grounded by vintage surfing documentary samples that give the project its cinematic, coastal atmosphere. It’s a celebratory record born out of struggle, anchored by his impeccable technicality on the drums and a guest list—featuring ScHoolboy Q, Rapsody, and The Game—that feels hand-picked to complement his specific brand of West Coast swagger. A decade later, Malibu stands as a modern classic and the blueprint for the soulful revivalism that would eventually lead .Paak to global superstardom and Grammy-winning heights. It remains a testament to the idea that the most profound music often comes from the most personal places, proving ten years on that the best way to move forward is to stay rooted in the groove.

Die Reise von MUNA war schon immer davon geprägt, Raum für die komplexen, chaotischen und ekstatischen Realitäten des Lebens zu schaffen, und mit ihrem vierten Album "Dancing On The Wall" sind sie so prägnant, düster und mitreißend wie nie zuvor. Ausgehend von den funkelnden, mit Konfetti übersäten Höhen ihres selbstbetitelten Albums aus dem Jahr 2022 kanalisieren sie nun die ängstliche, unsichere Energie des Lebens in einem Los Angeles, das von politischen Spannungen, Umweltzerstörung und dem stillen Druck der Prekarität der Millennials geprägt ist. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das sich sowohl intim als auch spektakulär anfühlt, eine Popwelt, die mit Biss, Witz und emotionaler Resonanz aufgebaut ist, ein Soundtrack für Herzen, die gleichzeitig in Flammen stehen und das Chaos um sie herum beobachten. Auf dem gesamten Album erkundet MUNA Sehnsucht, Intimität und Verbundenheit vor dem Hintergrund einer Welt im Wandel. Es gibt eine stille Auseinandersetzung damit, wie man weiterleben, lieben und sich gegenseitig erreichen kann, während man Zeuge politischer Brutalität und systemischer Gewalt wird, und wie Freude ohne Verleugnung überleben kann. Tracks wie "Wannabeher" fangen den schwindelerregenden Nervenkitzel ein, sich vollständig in die Fantasie eines anderen zu begeben, während "Why Do I Get A Good Feeling" noch lange nach dem Ende des Beats nachhallt, eine Meditation über flüchtige Freude und ausgesetzte Möglichkeiten. Das Album schließt mit "Buzzkiller", einer schonungslosen Auseinandersetzung mit Sehnsüchten und ihren Folgen, dem Schmerz, etwas erreicht zu haben, nur um festzustellen, dass neue Fragen, Zweifel und Sehnsüchte zurückbleiben. "Dancing On The Wall" wurde von Naomi McPherson produziert, wobei ihre charakteristische Liebe zum Detail mühelos mit der ausgefeilten Pop-Technik ihrer Bandkollegin Josette Maskin hinter den Kulissen verschmilzt, um lebendige, atmende Welten für die prägnanten Texte und die unverwechselbare Stimme der Leadsängerin Katie Gavin zu schaffen. "Dancing On The Wall" verbindet euphorische Klanglandschaften mit prägnanten, menschlichen Geschichten. Das Album spiegelt einen intensiven, selbstgesteuerten kreativen Prozess wider, der von Instinkt, Vertrauen und vollständiger künstlerischer Kontrolle geprägt ist. Es wirkt lebendig, eindringlich und filmisch und spiegelt eine Generation wider, die sich durch Unsicherheit navigiert und sich dennoch nicht von ihrer Freude abbringen lässt. Mit diesem Album beweisen MUNA erneut, dass Pop gewagt, intim und sozialbewusst zugleich sein kann: ein Album, das nicht nur den Moment einfängt, sondern ihn zu einer Welt destilliert, in der man leben möchte.

Die Reise von MUNA war schon immer davon geprägt, Raum für die komplexen, chaotischen und ekstatischen Realitäten des Lebens zu schaffen, und mit ihrem vierten Album "Dancing On The Wall" sind sie so prägnant, düster und mitreißend wie nie zuvor. Ausgehend von den funkelnden, mit Konfetti übersäten Höhen ihres selbstbetitelten Albums aus dem Jahr 2022 kanalisieren sie nun die ängstliche, unsichere Energie des Lebens in einem Los Angeles, das von politischen Spannungen, Umweltzerstörung und dem stillen Druck der Prekarität der Millennials geprägt ist. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das sich sowohl intim als auch spektakulär anfühlt, eine Popwelt, die mit Biss, Witz und emotionaler Resonanz aufgebaut ist, ein Soundtrack für Herzen, die gleichzeitig in Flammen stehen und das Chaos um sie herum beobachten. Auf dem gesamten Album erkundet MUNA Sehnsucht, Intimität und Verbundenheit vor dem Hintergrund einer Welt im Wandel. Es gibt eine stille Auseinandersetzung damit, wie man weiterleben, lieben und sich gegenseitig erreichen kann, während man Zeuge politischer Brutalität und systemischer Gewalt wird, und wie Freude ohne Verleugnung überleben kann. Tracks wie "Wannabeher" fangen den schwindelerregenden Nervenkitzel ein, sich vollständig in die Fantasie eines anderen zu begeben, während "Why Do I Get A Good Feeling" noch lange nach dem Ende des Beats nachhallt, eine Meditation über flüchtige Freude und ausgesetzte Möglichkeiten. Das Album schließt mit "Buzzkiller", einer schonungslosen Auseinandersetzung mit Sehnsüchten und ihren Folgen, dem Schmerz, etwas erreicht zu haben, nur um festzustellen, dass neue Fragen, Zweifel und Sehnsüchte zurückbleiben. "Dancing On The Wall" wurde von Naomi McPherson produziert, wobei ihre charakteristische Liebe zum Detail mühelos mit der ausgefeilten Pop-Technik ihrer Bandkollegin Josette Maskin hinter den Kulissen verschmilzt, um lebendige, atmende Welten für die prägnanten Texte und die unverwechselbare Stimme der Leadsängerin Katie Gavin zu schaffen. "Dancing On The Wall" verbindet euphorische Klanglandschaften mit prägnanten, menschlichen Geschichten. Das Album spiegelt einen intensiven, selbstgesteuerten kreativen Prozess wider, der von Instinkt, Vertrauen und vollständiger künstlerischer Kontrolle geprägt ist. Es wirkt lebendig, eindringlich und filmisch und spiegelt eine Generation wider, die sich durch Unsicherheit navigiert und sich dennoch nicht von ihrer Freude abbringen lässt. Mit diesem Album beweisen MUNA erneut, dass Pop gewagt, intim und sozialbewusst zugleich sein kann: ein Album, das nicht nur den Moment einfängt, sondern ihn zu einer Welt destilliert, in der man leben möchte.