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“Tunggak Semi” is the third album from Indonesian musician and producer Bambang Pranoto. Originally released in 2000, it’s an exemplary slice of what has become his signature style, a dream-like meditation on aspects of nature, combining elements of accordion, acoustic guitar, flute and percussion. The compositions cross eastern and western notation to inhabit a world of their own, a world between worlds, where harmonies reflect the beauty and joy of nature.

Bambang had a rather atypical entry into music, and studied electronics and telecommunications, before he took advantage of the wave of computer software like Cubase and Protools in the 1990s that enabled him to set about recording his own compositions and soundscapes. After playing in groups, he developed his own approach to constructing his productions. He invites musicians to record interpretations of his themes, which he then pieces together in Protools like a jigsaw puzzle. “The musicians have never even met!” he chuckled on a Skype call.

“Tunggak Semi” refers to the giant trees that appear all over Bali, and their process of renewal and regeneration. “If you cut the tree, and leave the roots, they will grow again. Everytime we cut, they grow again. It’s limitless. This philosophy means there’s always something new coming, whether an idea or music, anything.” This approach has grown out of Bambang’s studies into meditation, including Indian and Chinese scriptures, also Balinese and Indonesian religions. Music, like meditation, is a daily practice, and acceptance of the music and its ‘unfinishedness’, forms a central part of the process.

“We must not just think, but we must also feel, and we must accept that feeling,” explains Bambang, and that’s a step of opening one’s mind to possibility. It seems in keeping with two of Bambang’s musical inspirations, namely Ryuichi Sakamoto and Peter Gabriel, both known for their love of world folk music, and fusion of musical traditions. That’s mirrored in Bambang’s own collage-like approach, recording elements and piecing them together to make something unimagined. While the acoustic sound palette for “Tunggak Semi” is rooted in live recordings, Bambang is not afraid to put the digital technology to good use.

“We have to use the computer as a tool in the best way we can,” Bambang says. “Sometimes people say music is made by people, not by the computer, but it’s just another piece of equipment. What can we compose from this equipment? It’s technology music!”

Written and produced by Bambang Pranoto at interactive garden studio, Depok, Bogor between September and December 2001. 2025 version remastered by Wouter Brandenburg at Brandenburg Mastering.

First time reissue of this French cold-wave / minimal-synth treasure.



November 1981 – In the heart of autumn, we set off in two cars along the Nationale 1 (!) to reach Choisy-le-Roi, where a 16-track studio was waiting for us—a place where, over the course of a weekend, we would finally be able to carve our own grooves into vinyl. We were quite nervous, as Guerre Froide had already been around for a year and a half. Our elders in Kas Product had already released two EPs—one with four tracks, the other with three—in 1980, even though they’d started only a few months before us. Admittedly, there wasn’t really a sense of urgency—some of us came from the punk movement, where the prevailing mood was still very much No Future, even if we’d long since stopped believing in it... And yet others had truly lost everything, like those from the generation before us. The reasons, ironically, were often the same: heroin and/or love—hard drugs, in both cases.

Speaking of which, I had a terrible stomach ache—due to nerves or some form of tension—which forced us to make a pit stop in the Oise region so I could rush to the toilet of a local café. That same stomach discomfort would hit me again once we arrived at the studio—whose name, incidentally, I’ve since forgotten...

We had gotten there thanks to the generous initiative of a friend, Sylvain S., known as “Perlin” (what a phonetic coincidence!?), who had specifically created the Stechak Products label to produce our record. Stechak because it was consistent with his earlier association called Tchernoziom, and Products as a plural tribute to the trailblazers from Nancy.

Guerre Froide originally consisted of four members: Fabrice Fruchart on guitar-synth (Korg MS-20), Patrick Mallet on bass, and Gilbert Deffais, known as “Bébert”, on Korg drum machine. At the time, I was already singing in a rock/post-punk band called Stress, and that’s how Guerre Froide picked up the bad habit of rehearsing in the same basement in Amiens as Stress. Within a month or two, we had half a dozen songs. We then had the opportunity to record a 4-track demo with a friend from Radio France Picardie, and to perform in October at a festival held at the Amiens municipal circus. Then came the now-legendary concert on November 11 at B.J.’s Club. After that, we self-produced and released 50 completely DIY copies of a cassette titled Cicatrice. A few concerts later—after Jean-Michel Bailleux had joined us on bass and Patrick had switched to guitar, which felt more natural to him—and with more concrete plans starting to take shape, we had to find a new rehearsal space and start renting a room.

Then came the moment when Fabrice told us he was leaving to go study in Lille... After the June 19, 1981 concert, which was naturally dubbed “Farewell to 2F,” Marie-José, Bébert’s wife, offered to take over on synth.

That’s when Perlin, who was a close friend of the Deffais couple and a great fan of our music, offered to fully finance the production of a 4-track 12-inch EP—covering the studio time, mastering, pressing, and artwork. What up-and-coming band would have turned that down? An improvised contract was signed with each member of Guerre Froide. The first step was choosing which four songs we would record. Berlin 81 was an obvious pick, having already become the group’s flagship track. We wanted to avoid reusing songs from Cicatrice, so the focus shifted to new material—some written before, some after Fabrice’s departure. Ersatz, for example, was his composition, but Mauve and Peine Perdue, which were also selected, were both written by Patrick.

Diese liebevoll zusammengestellte 2LP-Edition vereint die größten Erfolge von Charles Aznavour, einem der bedeutendsten Chansonniers des 20. Jahrhunderts. Mit Klassikern wie "Je M"voyais Déjà", "Tu T"laisses Aller", "Les Comédiens" und "L"Amour C"est Comme Un Jour" bietet dieses Album einen eindrucksvollen Querschnitt durch das Werk eines Ausnahmekünstlers. Auch in Deutschland war Aznavour über Jahrzehnte hinweg ein gefeierter Star. Seine poetischen Texte, seine charismatische Bühnenpräsenz und seine emotionale Tiefe machten ihn hierzulande zu einem festen Bestandteil der Musiklandschaft - im Radio, auf der Bühne und in den Herzen vieler Generationen. Die Doppel-LP erscheint in einer hochwertigen Pressung auf klassischem schwarzem Vinyl und überzeugt mit einem warmen, detailreichen Klangbild. Das stilvolle Klappcover wurde vom Künstler Adrian Keindorf gestaltet und verleiht der Edition eine besondere visuelle Note. Ob als Einstieg oder Wiederentdeckung - diese Sammlung ist ein Muss für alle, die französische Chansons und große Gefühle lieben.

West coast writer / producer George Semper recorded four sides on the Sherilles − a group led by Vessie Simmons, who had been lead singer for the Ribbons in the early 60s. She would go on to have a prolific solo career in the 70s, right through to the 90s. Ace sleuth Alec Palao found four Semper-produced sides on two DCT acetates and we licensed the rights from the Semper family.

These fully realised recordings are from 1968 when the group had to swiftly change their name from the attempted one of the Shirelles − which they had hoped to get away with, and presumably cash in on that outfit’s fame. A court injunction put paid to that plan and though the name change was only slight, it was never tested in court, as the tracks were never issued. ‘Nobody’s Gonna Love You’ is an excellent George Semper song and judging by the 100 Club’s audience reaction to recent plays will become a staple of forward-thinking club’s playlists.

‘Make It On My Own’ is in the same groove and not far short of the A side. Vessie would re-write and re- record it in 1975 as ‘I Can Make It On My Own’ for a solo release on her Simco label.

A photo in Rodney Stepp’s scrapbook sums this period in his life in music. It’s 1974, The Spinners were headliners at the “Zaire 74” music festival, a sideshow to Muhammad Ali’s fabled “Rumble in the Jungle” fight with George Foreman. Among the faded snapshots, there’s a picture of Stepp backstage posing arm in arm with Ali; another image shows The Greatest seated at Stepp’s Fender Rhodes alongside vocalist Etta James. It was all a dream for this Naptown wunderkind, who had previously recorded for Herb Miller’s LAMP Records as the Diplomatics and had issued the sweet soul killer “Young Girl” as Jazzie Cazzie and the Eight Sounds on a rare Knaptown 45. (These recordings have been documented on the Now-Again LAMP anthology and our Loving On The Flipside compilation.) But as exciting as his rise out of those local status was, as exciting as it was to headline festivals and arenas and appear on late night talk shows, Stepp grew restless with the mechanical routine of being a sideman. He grew tired of playing the same charts night after night. He was hungry for a creative outlet that mimicked his earliest days in recorded music. So, in 1978, Stepp left The Spinners and returned to Indianapolis, where he established an all-stargroup of musicians–including members of Jazzie Cazzie and the fabled Amnesty–and he named the band Rapture. They inspired countless others. They recorded an album’s worth of material. Now-Again’s Egon first got tapes from Stepp in 2002 and dutifully transferred them, but the time was not right for a foray into this wealth of material. Come 2025, and this is the first time it Rapture’s music is seeing the light of day, a triumphant, late career moment for Stepp and a cause for celebration of those intrigued by deep, sweet soul and disco funk

Released in 1996 at the height of Britpop’s cultural takeover, Free Peace Sweet saw Dodgy break into the mainstream with a sun-drenched sound that set them apart from their more angst-ridden peers. Bursting with optimism, melody, and a touch of psychedelic sparkle, the album became the band’s biggest commercial success. Its lead single, "Good Enough", was a bona fide anthem, climbing to No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart—Dodgy’s highest-charting track to date. Follow-ups "In a Room" and "If You're Thinking of Me" also struck a chord with listeners, hitting No. 12 and No. 11, respectively. Even "Found You", the album’s final single, secured a strong No. 19 spot, solidifying the band’s chart credentials. Free Peace Sweet reached No. 7 at the UK Albums Chart and later achieved certified platinum. Dodgy's Free Peace Sweet includes a 4-page booklet.

Anlässlich des 25-jährigen Jubiläums von Sailing To Philadelphia, dem zweiten Solo-Studioalbum des britischen Singer-Songwriters und Gitarristen Mark Knopfler, wird das Album erstmals als limitierte Crystal Clear
2LP veröffentlicht.
Das am 25. September 2000 veröffentlichte Album ist ein Fan-Favorit unter Marks Soloalben und enthält
die Lead-Single „What It Is“ sowie die Titel „Sailing To Philadelphia“ und „The Last Laugh“, bei denen
James Taylor, Van Morrison, Chris Difford und Glenn Tilbrook von Squeeze mitwirkten.
„Sailing to Philadelphia“ wurde in Nashville aufgenommen und von Knopfler und Chuck Ainlay produziert.
Es erreichte Platz eins der Albumcharts in Deutschland und wurde in Europa mit Doppelplatin ausgezeichnet.

Still staged in the gritty atmosphere and philosophical weight of post-metal, sludge, and ambient noise, `idsungwüssä' sees Abraham march even further into dissonant and defiant territory. "The three albums are clearly linked together thematically" comments the band, "although, rather than an additional chapter, idsungwüssä is more like a parallel narrative to 'Débris de mondes perdus'. The latter was a jump in time after 'Look, Here Comes the Dark!, whereas 'idsungwüssä' is a jump in space, a journey away from earth. It should be the final piece of this little jolly ride." This album isn't just heavy, it is absolutely drenched in delicious filth, and yet by embracing even more the melodic interludes and melancholic passages, they create a devastating contrast to the wall of power coming from stacked guitars, catastrophic drums and raging, sharp vocals - delivered in Swiss-German dialect. From the patient grandeur of coming extinction, to the chaos and fevered urgency of the aftermath, in `idsungwüssä' Abraham move forward from prophetic lamentation to an elegiac visceral response. The emotional closure of this expression is felt, something final that will leave you speechless and with only one real option; listen to it again.

Still staged in the gritty atmosphere and philosophical weight of post-metal, sludge, and ambient noise, `idsungwüssä' sees Abraham march even further into dissonant and defiant territory. "The three albums are clearly linked together thematically" comments the band, "although, rather than an additional chapter, idsungwüssä is more like a parallel narrative to 'Débris de mondes perdus'. The latter was a jump in time after 'Look, Here Comes the Dark!, whereas 'idsungwüssä' is a jump in space, a journey away from earth. It should be the final piece of this little jolly ride." This album isn't just heavy, it is absolutely drenched in delicious filth, and yet by embracing even more the melodic interludes and melancholic passages, they create a devastating contrast to the wall of power coming from stacked guitars, catastrophic drums and raging, sharp vocals - delivered in Swiss-German dialect. From the patient grandeur of coming extinction, to the chaos and fevered urgency of the aftermath, in `idsungwüssä' Abraham move forward from prophetic lamentation to an elegiac visceral response. The emotional closure of this expression is felt, something final that will leave you speechless and with only one real option; listen to it again.

"Alternative rock band Kanadia have announced their third album The Fire That’s Tearing Through Our Home for release on September 26th.
The album showcases an abundance of dreamlike rich soundscapes, massive hooks, and haunting melodies throughout its expansive 50-minute journey examining the fragility and beauty of human emotion.
The Fire That’s Tearing Through Our Home has been recorded at Evolution Recording Studios in their Oxford hometown, produced by Willie J. Healey guitarist Chris Barker and mixed by Tom Leach (Lewis Capaldi, Pa Salieu, Spiritualized) at Snap Studios, London. Kanadia have recently treated audiences to songs from the forthcoming album live on their recent UK tour with Black Foxxes. They now have a hometown album launch show announced at O2 Academy Oxford on September 5th with more live dates to follow soon"

The latest release from Berlin-based label PÚCA sounds is a double side fully equipped for the dancefloor, leaving room to explore across both tracks. Cola Ren’s remix of title track King Puck comes smooth and dubby into the chug, swelling with harmony between original percussions spun with Cola’s unmistakable touch.

Bleating is pushed through a late 90s/00s hall of mirrors, rolling with high energy glimmer in the hands of Tornado Wallace. Some ways towards spacey and ultra-danceable, this is a liquid gem of a B-side made to measure as it complements both tracks.

Pleasure Patterns has teamed up with the intricate minds of Ahni, INVERNO, No Police, & Submarine FM to produce a cunty cut of modern queer life which stays true to an undeniably classic sound. The record draws on Tunisian grooves, Reggae drum samples, & the energy of resistance.

Synthesised with field recordings from a kitchen, a jewellery box & an airport in Bengaluru, this 100% FLINTA* produced record is a truly trans-genre gem.

Inspired by the sounds & styles of Detroit Techno, Classic Deep House, & 90s Tribal Rhythms, Pleasure Pattern's debut release includes a tea-spoon of Acid, a pinch of Pop, & at least one cup of cunt.

Trailblazing outlet for forward-thinking Danish Jazz, April Records proudly presents the debut from trumpeter/composer Rolf Thofte; a vivid and personal record that blends lyrical melodies, inventive rhythms, and subtle harmonic exploration. Written while Thofte adjusted to fatherhood - the album captures moments of joy, reflection, and experimentation, brought to life by a handpicked quintet of Denmark"s most exciting young jazz talents. Martha"s Dance is set for release on September 19th, 2025 via April Records. The title track is a tribute to Thofte"s three-year-old daughter - a playful, clapping, goat-hoof-stomping tune in quirky 5/4 that channels the spirit of childhood joy and spontaneity. "It"s just a fun tune to play, and I feel like it really captures Martha"s spirit," says Thofte. "This band came together at a time when I was trying to get a foothold in a new life situation as a father, so it felt perfect to make this the title track." The album moves between moods and textures with elegance: from the rich harmonic language of "Vice Versa" - inspired by Wayne Shorter"s ability to cast simple melodies in shifting harmonic light - to the understated power of "Changing Tides," a piece about imperceptible gradual changes in our lives, nature, and politics. "Bendico," written in 15 minutes as a conservatory assignment, showcases Thofte"s gift for strong melodic statements, while "Dunkelflaute" evokes melancholic Nordic greyness through sparse, emotive phrasing. From the swaggering second-line feel of "The Big 5" to the hypnotic pulse of "All...", the album explores rhythm as both a driving force and a canvas for creative interplay. Throughout, Thofte"s trumpet and flugelhorn lead the ensemble with warmth and clarity. The quintet features some of Copenhagen"s top next-generation players: Andreas Toftemark (tenor saxophone), a powerhouse improviser and composer who brings NYC-honed energy and detail to the group dynamic. Rasmus Sorensen (piano), a rising star of the European scene, known for his sensitive, exploratory playing and fearless interaction. Jakob Roland (bass) and Henrik Holst (drums) - two of Thofte"s oldest musical collaborators - round out the rhythm section with deep swing, taste, and musical empathy.

2LP-Neuauflage des 2013er Albums mit Coversongs, mit besonderen Gästen wie Jello Biafra, Clem Burke, Mark Arm, JG Thirlwell und mehr.

Don your bandanas, leather jackets and distressed jeans, because heavy metal is about to shine brighter than ever as Swedish newcomers BOMBER bring back the hottest era in hard rock history. Asserting their own trademark blend of 70s and 80s inspired classic and hard rock with catchy hooks, top-notch guitar solos and a vibrant aesthetic, BOMBER brings you their debut album, Nocturnal Creatures, via Napalm Records! After explosive live shows in Sweden and a subsequent tour of Germany, the hard rockers prove that the glorious era of rock isn’t over and that they’re already setting the highest standards on Nocturnal Creatures. On ten powerful tracks, BOMBER turns the night into an intoxicating adventure that convinces both old and new fans of the prominent classic and hard rock genre. Album opener and title track “Nocturnal Creatures” opens the gates with epic storytelling and interludes the following passionate ride through “Zarathustra”. With fiery vocals, melodic guitars and untamable drum-play, the track gets the listener’s pulse pumping, while “Fever Eyes” ensnares with wistful weeping choirs and guarantees a quickly increasing temperature. “Black Pants Magic” emerges into an unforgettable high-class rock experience through its industrious and catchy hook, while songs like “A Walk Of Titans (Hearts Will Break)” and “You’ve Got Demons” surprise with dynamic melodies and Anton Sköld’s powerful voice. On “The Tiger”, BOMBER send their listeners right into the eye of a raging thunderstorm of riffs driven by brilliant grooves, while “Kassiopeia” sets the strings on fire with its marvelous solos. Bursting album closer “Aurora” presents Nocturnal Creatures’ crowning achievement, bringing the 40-minute escapade to the edge of the world. With their new studio album, Nocturnal Creatures, the rising stars of Sweden establish a milestone in the legacy of hard rock that leads the once so majestic genre to new glory – marked by their very own special vision!

Following some best-selling 12's on Manchester's Sperchen label, Psychederek returns with his latest EP 'Thinkin' Bout U', a four-part musical journey that blurs the boundaries between disco, new age, and Balearic bliss.

Across shimmering synthscapes, sun-drenched pads, and euphoric saxophone lines from collaborator Lewis Foster, the journey begins with Part 1 (Mercury) - an ambient opener evoking the late 80's Ibiza sound.
Part 2 (Venus) dives into the baggy-psych realm of Psychederek's sound, merging effects-drenched guitars with motorik drums in a swirling fusion of Madchester and Krautrock.
The energy picks up with Part 3 (Mars), a cosmic disco banger driven by the punchy snap of the LinnDrum, layered with analog warmth from the Prophet 6 and Moog Grandmother.
Closing out with Part 4 (Jupiter/Reprise), the EP circles back to its ambient roots...

Drawing inspiration from Manuel Gottsching and 808 State, this finale leans into improvisation, letting the saxophone, synth, and guitar weave freely into one expansive, hypnotic soundscape.

This debut on Psychederek's brand new label and event series Via Jupiter, 'Thinkin' Bout U' is a vibrant, genre-blurring statement limited to only 250 vinyl copies. Housed in a white card sleeve (every sleeve sprayed by hand so each sleeve is one of a kind) designed by Ben Brumpton.

It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.

Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.

Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs

Honour's debut album is a ligament stretching from Lagos to London and to New York, curling across the diaspora and brushing the darker hues of blues, hip-hop, free jazz, ambient, gospel with Christian mythology and Yoruba folklore. As cinematic as it is painterly, Alàáfíà is a meditation on themes of life, death and love that pulls inspiration from the unexpected poetic profundity of casual conversations, field recordings, literature, ephemera, or personal archives. The result is an impressionistic vision in Black and Blur that both exhausts and implicates language_substantiating a mythos proposed by Fred Moten that sublimates boundaries between everywhere and nowhere; history and the present; the individual and the universal. Alàáfíà delineates a gothic landscape cut by overdriven beats, swooping orchestral blasts, choral bursts and ear- splitting fuzz, where the fleshly and spiritual realms commune. Dedicated to Honour's late grandmother, the title track began to take form after their last embrace and remains steeped in her influence and spirit_a tape-saturated composition that starts in Lagos and ends in London's smoke-stained cityscape, the song's dream-like quality developed out of the artist's grief and PTSD coping with this loss. Beneath the stretched guitar drones and stuttering loops, their grandmother's shared faith bubbles to the surface. "When Angels Speak of Love," borrows its title from two works by Sun Ra and bell hooks, respectively. Sculpting echoes of praise music into disorienting spirals perforated with syrupy DJ Screw-inspired breaks and sharp splinters of melancholic guitar, "When Angels Speak of Love" engages a conceptual dialogue with the spirits of both late thinkers, folding them into Honour's pantheon of ancestral guides. The album's ninth track, "Giz Aard ($uckets)," is a dirge of regimented drums which anchor this somber melody as it whirls into a blizzard of heartache, uncertain if its consequence will be death or eternal joy. The album's sole lyrical offering, "Pistol Poem (Lead Belly)," begins with a darkly humorous bar, "He went thru hell and back/ came back/ 2 get the strap," that swells into a haunting allegory based on the life of Philip "Hot Sauce" Champion. A modern take on the Blues, Honour's lyrics reify the artist's status as a student of both literature and popular culture, crossbreeding the artist's clever wordplay with additional references to Richard Pryor, Robert Johnson, Kelly Rowland & Bryon Gysin. Setting core principles of hip-hop, R&B, jazz and gospel music to atemporal soundscapes and compositions, Honour crafts a record that marinates in its own knotty contradictions. The ghosts that sit on the artist's shoulders have never been more tangible than with this emotive debut.

Italian cinematic funk legends Calibro 35 continue their journey into the world of cinematic jazz-funk. "Exploration" marks their return to independent label Record Kicks after their last studio album "Nouvelle Aventures" released on Universal Music in 2023. The band picks up from their latest EP, "Jazzploitation," released on Record Kicks last October. "Exploration" is a deep dive into the universe of cinematic jazz-funk, showcasing both the band's reinterpretations of timeless classics such as Roy Ayers' "Coffy" or Bob James "Nautilus" and original compositions by the band such us the lead single "Reptile Strut", the jazz-funk stormer "The Twang" and the soulful cinematic number "Pied De Poule". An exploration and a new journey for the Milanese combo that a long its way pays homage to artists such as Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible), Italian Maestro Piero Umiliani (Discomania and Gassman Blues) and Herbie Hancock (Chamelon). Described by Rolling Stone as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years," Milan-based Calibro 35 enjoy a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent bands around. Active since 2007, during their long career, they have been sampled by Dr. Dre on Compton ("One Shot One Kill" feat. Snoop Dogg), Jay-Z ("Picasso Baby"), The Child of Lov & Damon Albarn ("One Day"), and Demigodz ("The Summer Of Sam"). They have played major venues and festivals all over Europe, and as unique musicians, they have collaborated with, among others, PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish, Stewart Copeland, and Rokia Traoré. FOR FANS OF... Piero Umiliani, El Michels Affair, Idris Muhammad, Surprise Chef, Nu Genea, Khruangbin, Snarky Puppy, The Cinematic Orchestra, Comet is Coming, Kamasi Washington

Annahstasia kündigt ihr Debütalbum „Tether“ an, das am 13. Juni über drink sum wtr erscheint. Gleichzeitig mit der Ankündigung veröffentlicht sie die neue Single „Villain“.

Annahstasia sagt über die neue Single: „Wir alle bestehen sowohl aus Schatten als auch aus Licht. Aus irgendeinem Blickwinkel sind wir alle der Bösewicht der Geschichte gewesen, wir versuchen alle unser Bestes und verhandeln ums Überleben.“ Die Single wird von einem atemberaubenden Musikvideo begleitet, bei dem Adam Davis Regie führte und in dem die schwarze Rodeo-Community in Tulsa, Oklahoma zu sehen ist.

„Meine Karriere war eine Lektion in Geduld“, sagt Annahstasia, die ihre musikalische Sprache zwischen den Flammen der Intimität und Unabhängigkeit über verschiedene Leben, Orte und Wiederholungen hinweg kultiviert hat, verlorene und gewonnene Lieben, Erwartungen, die sich entzogen und neu geschaffen wurden. Die Nähe der aufstrebenden Troubadourin zur Liebe für und von anderen, in der Gesellschaft im Allgemeinen und tief in sich selbst, leitet den Geist ihrer gefühlvollen, poetischen Folk-Songkunst. Die Liebe ist die elementare Konstante neben ihrer unverwechselbaren Stimme, die die Musik der Singer-Songwriterin seit ihren ersten autodidaktischen Aufnahmen prägt, als die damals 17-jährige Annahstasia Enuke entdeckt und in die Zwänge einer Industrie gedrängt wurde, die ihre größten Stärken beinahe erstickt hätte. Künstlerische Widerstandsfähigkeit, Dankbarkeit und Hingabe haben „Tether“ hervorgebracht, Annahstasias Debütalbum, das auf dem kunstorientierten Indie-Label drink sum wtr erscheint. „Tether“ ist eine Sammlung von strahlenden Torch Songs, orchestralen und astralen Hymnen, die sich wie gelebt anfühlen und aus der menschlichen Erfahrung und dem Spektrum der Liebe stammen. Annahstasia hat die Stücke von „Tether“ langsam und mit tiefer Absicht zusammengesetzt; sie hat diese Lieder mit auf Reisen genommen, sie für Freunde und Fremde gesungen und sie im Laufe der Zeit zusammen mit ihren persönlichen Offenbarungen weiterentwickelt. „Der Song ist geschrieben, und dann muss ich mit ihm leben und sehen, ob ich wirklich glaube, was ich sage“, erklärt sie. Sie brachte ihr Material zu den Sessions in den berühmten Valentine Studios in Los Angeles mit und wurde dabei von den Produzenten Jason Lader (ANOHNI and the Johnsons, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey), Andrew Lappin (Cassandra Jenkins, L'Rain, Luna Li), Aaron Liao (Liv.e, Moses Sumney, Raveena) und einer Reihe versierter Musiker unterstützt, darunter die Gäste Aja Monet und Obongjayar. Die Aufnahmen erfolgten instinktiv, nur in Live-Takes, um das Gefühl des Raums und die Gemeinschaft der Musik einzufangen. Das Sequencing war ebenso essenziell; sie kam zu einem Fluss mit wechselnden Energien und ergreifenden Bögen. Die Instrumentierung schwillt an, mal zurückhaltend, mal üppig, und durch jedes Arrangement klingt Annahstasias Stimme wahrhaftig, offenherzig und frei. Lyrisch umarmt Annahstasia die Nuancen der Poesie und lädt die Zuhörer ein, sich auf die bedeutungsvollen Worte einzulassen, ob sie nun über Romantik oder soziale Konstrukte sinnieren.



“A once-in-a-generation vocalist writing haunting love songs” – NME



“Annahstasia’s grace and wisdom promises to leave a lasting impression this year and beyond.” – Clash



“Her flawless voice draws you into a world of feeling, whilst her beautiful, naturalistic songwriting spellbinds you into staying.” – Wonderland

As Inagaki himself said, "I did black funk" by fusing the explosiveness of jazz rock that he had cultivated up until then with the tenacity and elasticity of black music, his musicality has leapt to another dimension. Combined with the ingenious arrangements of master Hiromasa Suzuki, the groove is polished, glossy, and shining mysteriously. All the songs are worth listening to, such as the dynamism and speed of "Painted Paradise" the coexistence of funkiness and mellowness of "Breeze" and the low-centered and sharp cover of Cool & the Gang's "Funky Stuff". It is now a definitive masterpiece that is in demand all over the world.

text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)

Mustard Yellow Vinyl. Eine der umfangreichsten Instrumental-Hip-Hop-Reihen aller Zeiten, MF DOOMs gefeierte Special Herbs"-Serie versammelt eine riesige Sammlung seiner Beats, von exklusiven Tracks bis hin zu leicht überarbeiteten Favoriten, die er für sich selbst und andere produziert hat. Unter dem Pseudonym Metal Fingers veröffentlicht, gelingt es Special Herbs", DOOMs äußerst einflussreichen Sound einzufangen, der immer wieder die Regeln des Spiels zugunsten des Super-Bösewichts bricht und neu interpretiert. Super-Villain. Die Welt ist eine Fundgrube für Sounds, und der Metal-Fingered DOOM kennt keine Grenzen: 70er-Jahre- Soul-/Funk-Klassiker, 80er-Jahre-R&B-Hits, Rap-Nostalgie und sogar Soundbites aus Kinderplatten und dem Fernsehen finden ihren Platz in den Zutaten, die er für seine perfekten Rezepte benötigt.

Exit were a five-piece ensemble of journeymen musicians from the lone star state of Texas who came together in the early 1980’s to record a handful of popular local 45’s including two Football-mania songs. The groups line-up consisted of lead guitarist and vocalist Clennis High, rhythm guitarist Lonnie Jones, his brother Johnny K. Jones the groups keyboardist, bassist Frank Houston Jr and George Oliver on Drums.

Clennis High, a promising Football player with a flair for playing the guitar began his early musical career while attending Wheatley High school. Aged 17, Clennis played on several Crazy Cajun, Huey P Meaux’s recording sessions for Eugene Gamble and Barbara Lynn. Further recording sessions on Roy Head followed before he accepted an invitation by his neighborhood friend Willie Parnell to play alongside a group of fellow students in a band called ‘The Drells’. ‘The Drells’ had been founded by Archie Bell in 1966 pulling together neighborhood friends James Wise, base singer Cornelius Fuller, Billy Butler, Willie Parnell joined later by Archie’s brother Lee Bell. Clennis would play with ‘Archie & The Drells’ through their time on Skipper Lee Frazier’s Ovide label often accompanied by the ‘Texas Southern University Toronadoes’ where they scored a hit with the dance instruction song “Tighten Up” which on the strength of Atlantic Records picked the group up. Clennis played on all 3 of the Drells studio albums “Tighten Up”, “I Can’t Stop Dancing” and There’s Gonna Be A Showdown” under Gamble and Huff’s tutelage before quitting to return home to complete his degree. He continued to play with several local Houston bands including the Cold Four who recorded the sort after “Love And Care/Low Riden” (Drells).

Clennis later formed ‘The Reality Band’ with his friend Jerald Grey which introduced him to George Oliver and Frank Houston Jr. Occasionally ‘The Reality Band’ played with other groups, one group in particular (which Jerald previously knew) being an outfit from Conroe, Texas called the ’58 Engineers.

‘The 58 Engineers’ were founded by Johnny and Lonnie Jones, taking their name from the Army unit Johnny served with during his time in the service. By 1973 having grown to 8 members the group entered the studio to record the highly collectable and popular funk outing “The Funky Fly (Part1 & 2)” on their own Bryant Records label (Bryant being the Jones brother’s mother’s maiden name).

As members of the ‘58 Engineers’ moved on, the Jones brothers found themselves working more and more with the ‘Reality Band’ so when Jerald Grey too later moved on the remaining ‘Reality Band’ members Clennis, George and Frank having grown fond of the two “Country Brothers from Conroe” as they affectionally called the Jones’s made the decision to continue working with them, which led to the foundation of the group, Exit.

During 1980 the recently formed Exit recorded the first of their two Football -mania songs but it is from the groups 1981 release “Success/One More Hour” (Dat-Tex 105) that Soul Junction have taken the splendid ballad “One More Hour” to pair with the flipside of the groups third release “The Little Green Monster” (Dal-Tex 106) which is now highly regarded and sort after by sweet soul/lowrider connoisseurs alike. Both of these songs have been put back-to-back to feature on Soul Junction’s forthcoming September 45 release.

The Mighty Diamonds are one of the most famous vocal groups to come out of the Jamaican Reggae scene.
Their perfect harmonies ride over the wholesome and Garveyite influenced lyrics to such great effect that they will always evoke memories of that time and place, but also like all great music never seems to date.

The Mighty Diamonds consist of Donald ‘Tappy’ Shaw (lead vocals) Fitzroy ‘Bunny’ Simpson and Lloyd ‘Judge’ Ferguson providing those fantastic harmonies.
They began their recording career working with producers Stranger Cole and Rupie Edwards but found their breakthrough success with producer Joseph ‘Joe Joe’ Hookim at the legendary Channel One Studios recording ‘Hey Girl’ and covering two foreign tunes namely ‘Country Living’ (The Stylistics) and ‘Stoned Out of Mind’ (The Chi-lites) which suited their vocal styles perfectly.

The vocal group also cut tracks with other famous producers of the time Joe Gibbs ,Gussie Clarke and Mr.Tappa Zukie of which we focus this release on.On listening, these tunes work perfectly with harmonies weaving together and lifting the songs to another level.
The group also leave some room for a history lesson in the shape of ‘Morgan the Pirate’ and the thought provoking ‘Do You Want to Spend Your Time Wasting Time’.
Well waste no more and enjoy this set by one of Jamaica’s finest vocal groups….

Jamie McCue is the man behind the Canadian label Silent Season and his newest concern, Moon Garden is fast becoming just as vital. This fantastic fourth outing comes from Transient Vessels, who McCue describes as "a local artist and good friend of mine." Opener 'Another Day' is a slow-motion motion dubbed-out melon twister that echoes the early Leftfield sound and is detailed with both textured synth leads and more introspective chords. 'Denihilism' is just as slow motion but deeply absorbing with plenty of wide open space for the pads to linger and the drums to churn and hypnotise.

Daniel Monaco Band is an international group led by Italian bassist Daniele Labbate. Blending jazz, funk, house and disco with live energy, their debut EP ‘Get Naked and Fly’ captures years of collaboration and experimentation. The result is a warm, analog-driven sound crafted by seasoned session musicians who’ve toured the world and are now channeling their creativity into original music as a group.

Lead track ‘Love Ago’ delivers modern disco with the authenticity of the golden era, ‘Mimouna’ has a psychedelic edge, with the WHODAMMANY remix taking the original into a more electronic direction. ‘The Devil Left Dancing’ takes a subtly off centre path, nodding to Brazilian influences, while the title track ‘Get Naked and Fly’ is raw and instinctive blending live instrumentation with electronic sensibilities.

The project is a testament to what happens when musicians trust each other enough to explore freely without chasing perfection. A live band speaking house, funk and jazz with one voice — analogue, soulful, and free.

Personnel : Percussion by Yannick Van Ter Beek, Drums by Robin van Rijn, Sax by Alessandro Russo, Guitar by Simone Cesarini and Bass by Daniele Labbate.

Designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

Human Leather have always been a ferocious live act, unbelievably loud for a 2 piece. Their gigs are often an overwhelming wall of sludge, howls and amphetamine-addled drums, with spectators flying joyously around the pit. Previous recordings did full justice to the impact of the live show; however, the second helping is something else. On Here Comes the Mind, There Goes the Body the sludge is still present, rising, and lapping at your ankles, but there's a new clarity showing off exactly how f*cking good those riffs are. There are ear worm riffs for days, shout along vocals that roar, shriek and reform into a Greek chorus, drums that thump you repeatedly in the chest and then the whole thing vanishes in just under 30 minutes, leaving you bruised, deafened and with Some Questions about your life. Squint your ears a bit and you'll hear the influences of bands like Karp, Torche and Big Business but they're thrown into a much crustier stew. The lyrics span a variety of political issues, not limited to the landed gentry, global warming and consumerist harbingers of doom. Importantly the songs are also not afraid to discuss class issues (unlike many political bands who you suspect have a much sturdier security net). While this could easily feel preachy, every line is delivered with the knowing wink of the underdog and good humour (I am going to smile every time I think of "clod damn" or "QVC Hands" staring up at me from the lyric sheet), and the vibes are as they've always been in difficult times - "we know we're fucked, tonight we mosh, tomorrow we march". And what is the point of a revolution you can't dance to? Speaking of dancing, the final track features an honest-to-god dance beat, acid squelches and disembodied vocal samples, pointing to an alternative universe in which Human Leather are a heavy electroclash band. Here comes the record of the year, bring what is left of your eardrums. You didn't need that body anyway

ANTAM takes a seat for its 11th release to enjoy a dessert in the milky way. A deep-space VA featuring Jamie Leather, Kiddy Castle, Antoine Sy, and Karaba. From sunrise grooves to disco-tinged machines and seductive after-hour vibes, each track offers a unique flavour of the label’s bleepy, groovy identity. Strictly vinyl, strictly dancefloor.

Freak Show is the second album by the popular Australian band Silverchair, which charted in different lists all over the world (US, UK, Australia, Canada and many more). After their debut Frogstomp they were fusing more elements together in their music. Freak Show contains a lot of strong hooks and the song writing skills increased. This post-grunge album is more versatile in comparison to their earlier work and it marks the beginning of the definitive band sound.

Silverchair were an Australian rock band formed in 1992, who have sold over 9 million albums worldwide. Their sounds evolved during the years from the grunge and alternative rock to pop and art rock. In 2011 they announced their “indefinite hibernation” and it is still unknown if they ever going to return on stage.

Freak Show is available as a limited edition of 5000 individually numbered copies on flaming (red & yellow swirled) vinyl.

If there is one person, who has been causing a stir on the international club circuit recently, it is Barcelona's John Talabot. Already his debut “My Old School“ (which is meant literally by the way) on Permanent Vacation in 2009 and shortly after that the single “ Sunshine”, which he put out on his own Hivern Disc imprint, made him one of the most promising musicians of the Spanish electronic scene. And those two releases also already set the mark for John Talabot’s unparalleled music: raw, loopy, heavy on the kick drum, sample based, moderate on the tempo, distorted on the drums and light years away from the clean and ever revolving house sound of today. This unique style which also blends influences from afro beat, Detroit techno, Chicago house and cosmic disco, but also northern soul or the energy of Flamenco, immediately turned some heads around. James Murphy, Âme and Aeroplane started including Talabot music in their sets like it was the most natural thing. However - and this is quite rare - he not only gained legions of fans in the house and disco community, but also amongst the leftfield pop and indie rock followers. NME and Resident Advisor both had “Breakthrough“ features on John Talabot and he can be proud of a “Best New Music“ dubbing on
Pitchfork. (Being rather elusive on showing his face in magazines or the web it also came to some funny rumors that John Talabot was the alter ego of a well-known techno producer from Detroit).
At the same time he drew the attention of like-minded artists like James Holden and Luke Abott from Border Community, Blondes or Delorean, which lead to a bunch of fertile collaborations: Luke Abbott and Blondes remixed Talabot’s “Sunshine“ single , John Talabot remixed a track by Delorean and vice versa Delorean’s Ekhi contributed vocals to the track “Journeys “ on John’s album). Another example is the Young Turks Label (home of Jamie XX, Holy Fuck, El Guincho or SBTRKT ) on which he released the “Families“ EP in 2010. It was praised beyond limits. Pitchfork for
instance hailed: “… where pop and house influences sweetly buffer up against one another to provide an unyielding sense of elation“ and even brought Talabot a comparison with artists like Four Tet or Caribou.
While staying true to his sound, John Talabot has nevertheless shown a constant evolution as a producer since his first release. He has traced a solid musical path that has turned him into one of the big references of European House and has made him also a highly in demand Remixer (for the likes of The XX, Francesco Tristano’s “Aufgang” project, Shit Robot on DFA, Thaiti 80, Joakim or Teengirl Fantasy to name just a few ).
A progression that now crystallizes in “ƒin”, his first full-length album for Permanent Vacation. A record, in which the Barcelona mastermind sets aside the danceable immediacy to expand his stylistic palette more than ever. For that purpose, Talabot melts all the elements that have constructed his distinctive sound until now and makes them emerge from a new perspective, in which the construction of complex song structures, intricate rhythms and superpositions of ever-evolving melodies and atmospheres pick up the baton of the “a kick-drum and a sampler” philosophy of his initial productions. The result brings us 11 tracks (we should call them songs really!) dominated by dark ambiances, gaseous textures and bittersweet moods that, above all, reveal a kind of vivacity that’s really hard to find in contemporary electronics. “Fin” is far from being a track collection. From the majestic opener “Depak Ine“ to it’s solemn ending with
“So Will Be Now“ , one of the two tracks that features Talabot’s soul and label mate Pional, each song traces an overall dialogue with the rest, culminating a highly emotional journey through Talabot’s always compelling and unique musical vision.

To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is the debut album by Vera Logdanidi - the
culmination of nearly two decades of musical evolution. Her journey began in the world of drum & bass and jungle, gradually expanding into deep explorations of house, dub techno, and techno. Over the years, Vera has performed on leading stages across Ukraine and internationally, while also mentoring a new generation of DJs and producers, hosting radio shows, and supporting the scene through her label and community work.

This album was written during a time of deep upheaval. The outbreak of full-scale war forced Vera to leave behind a well-established life and begin again on the international stage. While the music often feels dreamy and introspective, To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is a profoundly personal record - a sonic refuge shaped by grief, uncertainty, and resilience.

The album doesn't follow formulas; it's driven by intuition, texture, and a genuine connection to sound. It's rich, emotional, and occasionally unexpected. The tracks form the core of Vera's current live set, which has resonated at major festivals such as Draaimolen or Strichka - captivating audiences with its depth and subtle, immersive energy.

The cover art, created in close collaboration with Vera's longtime visual team, is a real
photograph - not a digital effect. It captures the tension between anxiety and hope: a glance back, and a step forward into the unknown. This visual metaphor reflects the emotional landscape of the album - the fragility of what's been lost, and the courage to embrace what lies ahead.

This release also marks a new chapter for Rhythm Buro Records - one that moves towards music that is more personal, intimate, and unconstrained by expectations.

To All That We Lose And All We Fight For is released alongside another important Rhythm Buro release: RB011 - Your Curves EP by Na Nich. Ukrainian producer Oleksandr Pavlenko, formerly known as Sunchase, returns to his roots in broken beats and bass music, blending them with house and techno sensibilities. The four-track EP ranges from deep grooves to melancholic late-night moods - a compelling counterpoint to Vera's album and a testament to the label's evolving identity.
Order RB012 n

múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.

For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.

On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.

Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.

Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.

múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.

For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.

On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.

Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.

Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.

múm are returning with a new album on Morr Music. »History of Silence« is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013's »Smilewound« and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group's continuous strive to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.

For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective's process. »History of Silence« leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.

On »History of Silence« time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. »Our Love is Distorting,« for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It's a perfect illustration of múm's general approach on this album. »Mild at Heart« turns this idea upside-down, flowing freely from start to finish with moments of silence sprinkled in—serving to emphasize the musical elements. The music on »History of Silence« moves like weather: unexpected, intimate, quietly detailed. Contrasted with vivid phrases, rhythmic shifts, and small hooks, the album offers a new angle of compositional clarity and vision.

Work on »History of Silence« began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs' fragility.

Contrary to what the album title suggests, »History of Silence« is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.