Search:lea

Geoff Kirkwood (Man Power)

I’dgained some notoriety as a music producer and DJ but I hit a horrible case of writers block around 2018.

The problem I was finding was that I was trying to shoe horn every smart arsed clever dick musical reference I had into the music I was making, but the function of dance music is to make people dance, not to show people who broad your musical references are, so I was making pretty shitty music that landed in the middle and didn’t achieve either aim.

To tackle this I ended up committing to just trying to make the most expressive and wanky experimental stuff I could. I was immersed in club culture at the time so the whole enterprise started as a joke, hence the name “Bed Wetter”. However when I fully submitted to just naked exploration the really unexpected thing that happened was that I found myself unavoidably having to deal with a lot of my own bullshit. That bullshit turned into the “Billy Mill is Dead” album, which was essentially the sound of me excavating my own life and looking at how I felt about where I was from, where I was headed, my family, my history, my region and all of the things i have conflicting feelings about.

It was partially catharsis and also a bit of deprogramming around being able to call myself an artist after being raised to believe that wasn’t an option for me.

I self released Billy Mill is Dead in the months before the pandemic and it found it’s fair share of love in the places I hoped would connect with it, and just the right amount of being ignored by people who I’m pleased didn’t feel it. This all lead to me being emboldened enough to apply for an artist in residence position at a big regional opera house months later in the middle of lockdown.

My feeling was that if my DJ career was potentially over for the remainder of my lifetime then there was no harm in exploring this alternative method of expression to see where it could take me.

I submitted a ridiculously ambitious plan for what I would like to do as a project, and to my absolute shock I was selected for the position.

I was 40 years old and from a scarcity background so I had a potentially unique response to that kind of validation for the first time and what followed next was a process of me just coming back with bigger and more ridiculous ideas just to find out at whatstage they’d tell me to stop.

The thing is, nobody did. I got as far as suggesting writing a full symphony to be performed by an orchestra before my own nerve gave out and I decided that was probably as far as I should push things.

The problem with people giving you permission to do things is that you then need to go out and figure out how to do those things.

The biggest issue for me, beyond raising the money to pay for everything, was how does a person actually write a symphony?

I was introduced to Fiona Brice, a multi instrumentalist and orchestral arranger. She’s also a recording artist who releases on Bella Union. On top of that she’s a violinist who used to be part of the band Placebo and who used to appear regularly playing for other bands on things like Top of the Pops.

Not only was Fiona uniquely placed to not look down on the strange provenance of someone from an Acid House background wanting to write a symphony, but more to the point we really hit it off from day one.

Fiona coached me in the essentials of writing for an Orchestra, and then I went off and wrote the 8 movements.

I’d love to say I laboured for years over this bit, but it took about 2 weeks in total. I’d also love to say what I wrote was a complete symphony, but the version of this which is solely me feels like looking at something without your glasses on. The shape,feel and borders were all there, but the definition was absent. Fiona taught me the broad language of a symphony, but without her it would have lacked all intonation, nuance and detail. Where I had shaped ideas with a hammer, she brought out my meaning with precision using a scalpel.

I think the prodigiously quick turnaround for the music is as much proof of how conceptually and musically aligned Fiona and I are. I know we’re both incredibly proud of what we’ve created.

It took nearly 2 more years to stage the debut performance in what was potentially the most traumatic period of my life which saw me embroiled in an international crisis with my own family and the death of my father, all with the backdrop of COVID.

The work itself is inspired by the working class experience, but it’s also a comment on how we get to decide what we are and how we’re defined, and we get to choose what we do to prove these things.

The original recording was contractually impossible to ever share again, so we re-recorded it in a working men’s club with jobbing (albeit world class) players. In many ways it’s a record that feels like it shouldn’t exist, which is why we’re all so happy that it does.

“An amazing new project…” Tony Minvielle, Jazz FM

“A lush, heatwave-friendly piece of dancefloor innovation…” Clash Magazine


First Word Records is delighted to bring you the debut EP from Ships of the Pharaohs.


Ships of the Pharaohs are a London-based collective led by producer Last Nubian, who’s had releases in his own right on labels like CoOp Presents, Eglo Records & Touching Bass. Blending jazz, soul, bossa nova, d&b and house-influenced grooves, the band also consists of vocalist Achanté, keys player Goldbar & bassist, Dougan.

The 7-track EP kicks off with the high-energy, vitamin D-saturated lead single ‘Sun is Rising’, featuring the guest vocals of brilliant Berlin-based singer Red Bird, who appears on three tracks on this project (‘For You’ and ‘Seasons’). ‘Can’t Quit’ follows on a smooth soulful house/bruk tempo, and invites in the thought-provoking spoken word prose of AKEEM. ‘Seasons’, ‘For You’ and recent single ‘Joys’ add another element to the band’s eclectic take on fusion, leaning heavily into the bossa side of the quartet’s influences. The latter track sees Achanté’s soulful harmonies gracefully float across a warm bed of keys, percussion, guitar picks & synth strings. We take a short jazzy breather on the ‘Interlude’ cut, featuring the resplendent sax of multi-talented Norwegian artist, Bror Havnes, who also features on the outro cut ‘One’ - this one seeing the crew ride out with a sonic salute to jungle/d&b, closing this first opus from the group with the energy levels remaining high.

Tre Wright (aka Last Nubian) explains “Our debut EP is a reflection of who we are, both individually and as a collective. Drawing inspiration from jazz, jungle, bossa nova, house, r&b and the music that's shaped us, we've explored our own interpretation of these sounds and how they come together in a way that feels true to us. It gave us the space to experiment without boundaries, trust our instincts, and create something that genuinely reflects where we are creatively right now.”


Originally conceived to perform Last Nubian material live for a Touching Bass showcase at We Out Here festival in 2023, the project soon took on a life of its own, as the group effort unleashed a unique chemistry & sound of its own merit. Thereafter followed numerous sessions in a studio-converted bedroom of a Brixton flat, developing this new sound. The finishing touches were taken care of at the infamous Total Refreshment Centre in North London, resulting in the formation of captivating new original material, which appears across this first extended release.

Ships of the Pharaohs have additionally performed live across London at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, House of KOKO, Jazz on Wick Festival, Peckham Levels, 91 Living Room & GROW in Hackney. Developing their powerful stage presence has gone hand in hand with the creation of their own material.

The initial singles from this project received praise & support from a variety of DJs, press outlets & tastemakers from the worlds of jazz, soul and clubland, including Shy One (NTS), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Rohan Rakhit (Worldwide FM), Somewhere Soul & Clash Magazine to name a few.


With sonics somewhat reminiscent of Acid Jazz legends Incognito, merged with the class of Nuyorican Soul, and the dynamic fluidity of 4Hero, the 4-piece have cooked up a set of style & flavours uniquely their own, fresh for modern dances, incorporating organic improvisation with more contemporary club sounds.

The Ships of the Pharaohs are about to set sail for what is sure to be an exciting journey ahead.

‘Part 1’ will be released on 12” vinyl & all digital platforms on September 18th 2026.

Lovemonk and Barcelona’s Marula Café bring back their Marula Soulfood 7" series with two standout tracks taken from The Jade’s debut album, "Love Harder". Behind The Jade is Oli Stewart, aka Casbah 73, leading a transatlantic ensemble of top-tier musicians equipped with heart and heat, bridging worlds while remaining firmly centered around home base Madrid.

‘Let The light In’ is a radiant burst of sunshine and a riotous cross-pollination of sounds. Nebraska’s Josh Hoyer delivers a powerhouse vocal performance, soaring over exuberant rhythms and fluid grooves that feel right at home in sweat-filled basement clubs or an open-air set as the sun dips low over the horizon. On the flip, ‘At The Queensboro’ is a beautiful jazz-funk instrumental that stretches out with elegance, giving its wonderful groove plenty of room to breathe. It was highlighted as one of BBC 6 Craig Charles’ favourite tracks of 2025.

Sarah de Scisciolo, known as the Brutalist Poet, presents a new project born from her collabora%on with
Alex Neri, long%me member of Planet Funk and a leading figure in the Italian electronic music scene.
Produced by Alex Neri and released on vinyl, the single emerges from the encounter between Sarah’s
poetry and performa%ve dimension and Neri’s electronic research. The project blends spoken word, vocals
and electronic music, transforming words into sound and crea%ng an original dialogue between
performance and club culture.

This collabora%on brings Sarah de Scisciolo’s poe%c language into the world of electronic music and vinyl,
shaping a release conceived for both audiences and professionals within the contemporary music scene.
PRODUCED BY ALEX NERI AND MANNIE FOR TENAX RECORDINGS

"Originally released in 1979 on Sly & Robbie's Taxi label, this album was Black Uhuru's second LP. Recorded at Channel One it set forth a new sound in recorded music technology. The songs blend into dub versions and the mixing is simply stunning. The track Shine Eye Gal also features guitarist Keith Richards"
(but hey, nobody's perfect).

"Hear the meticulous song writing of Michael Rose, joined by Puma Jones & Duckie Simpson, to complete the vocal line-up.

Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang created a sublime sonic masterpiece at Channel One studio in Jamaica. They were at their absolute peak of their powers, before being launched as global superstars with Grace Jones.

Black Uhuru went on to be an extremely popular live outfit, touring endlessly around the world, breaking down barriers and making new inroads to territories previously unknown to Jamaican artists.

This Classic reissue is a must for all reggae collectors."

Product Text:

When we go searching for a Black avant-garde, we have to be prepared to look in unexpected places. The route to a Black avant-garde involves walking down – what some might consider – peculiar highways. Where they see strangeness, a road leading them nowhere, we see nothing but beauty. The paths Darren Cunningham went down, the highways he took to make Actress, are a chapter in the story of the Black avant-garde. Cunningham the footballer. Cunningham the Wulfrunian. Cunningham the ex-footballer. Cunningham the DJ. Cunningham the Londoner. Cunningham the producer. Cunningham the painter. Cunningham the writer. Cunningham the composer. This is where the Black avant-garde in Britain is made. This is where you have to go to find it.

Across an expansive discography of more than ten LPs, Actress has created his own arcane language of hermetic references and inter-dimensional electronic composition.

Radical Frame arrives 18 years since debut album Hazyville, and it feels like an apotheosis. The image realised. We get the full gamut of Actress signatures. Short bursts of broken down music. Tiny sketches of zoomed-in sound. Refracted dance floor heat. And we get more.

Perhaps Radical Frame is a container for everything that Cunningham has built so far. A frame he is handing over to the next in line. The next artist to make their own way in the Black British avant-garde.



Wenn wir nach einer schwarzen Avantgarde suchen, müssen wir bereit sein, an unerwarteten Orten zu suchen. Der Weg zu einer schwarzen Avantgarde führt - wie manche finden mögen - über ungewöhnliche Pfade: wo sie Fremdheit sehen, einem Weg, der nirgendwohin führt, sehen wir nichts als Schönheit. Die Wege, die Darren Cunningham beschritt, die Highways, die er befuhr, um Actress zu erschaffen, sind ein Kapitel in der Geschichte der schwarzen Avantgarde. Cunningham, der Fußballer. Cunningham, der Wulfrunianer (Anm.: Einwohner von Wolverhampton). Cunningham, der Ex-Fußballer. Cunningham, der DJ. Cunningham, der Londoner. Cunningham, der Produzent. Cunningham, der Maler. Cunningham, der Schriftsteller. Cunningham, der Komponist. Hier entsteht die schwarze Avantgarde in Großbritannien. Hier muss man hingehen, um sie zu finden.

In einer umfangreichen Diskografie von mehr als zehn Alben hat Actress seine eigene, geheimnisvolle Sprache aus hermetischen Referenzen und interdimensionalen elektronischen Kompositionen geschaffen.

„Radical Frame” erscheint 18 Jahre nach seinem Debütalbum, „Hazyville”, und fühlt sich wie eine Apotheose an: das Bild ist vollendet. Wir bekommen die ganze Bandbreite von Actress' Markenzeichen zu hören: Kurze Ausbrüche reduzierter Musik, winzige Skizzen von vergrößertem Klang.

Vielleicht ist „Radical Frame“ ein Gefäß für all das, was Cunningham bisher geschaffen hat. Ein Rahmen, den er an den Nächsten weitergibt. An die nächsten Künstler:innen, die seinen eigenen Weg in der britischen Avantgarde der Schwarz.

Product Text:

When we go searching for a Black avant-garde, we have to be prepared to look in unexpected places. The route to a Black avant-garde involves walking down – what some might consider – peculiar highways. Where they see strangeness, a road leading them nowhere, we see nothing but beauty. The paths Darren Cunningham went down, the highways he took to make Actress, are a chapter in the story of the Black avant-garde. Cunningham the footballer. Cunningham the Wulfrunian. Cunningham the ex-footballer. Cunningham the DJ. Cunningham the Londoner. Cunningham the producer. Cunningham the painter. Cunningham the writer. Cunningham the composer. This is where the Black avant-garde in Britain is made. This is where you have to go to find it.

Across an expansive discography of more than ten LPs, Actress has created his own arcane language of hermetic references and inter-dimensional electronic composition.

Radical Frame arrives 18 years since debut album Hazyville, and it feels like an apotheosis. The image realised. We get the full gamut of Actress signatures. Short bursts of broken down music. Tiny sketches of zoomed-in sound. Refracted dance floor heat. And we get more.

Perhaps Radical Frame is a container for everything that Cunningham has built so far. A frame he is handing over to the next in line. The next artist to make their own way in the Black British avant-garde.



Wenn wir nach einer schwarzen Avantgarde suchen, müssen wir bereit sein, an unerwarteten Orten zu suchen. Der Weg zu einer schwarzen Avantgarde führt - wie manche finden mögen - über ungewöhnliche Pfade: wo sie Fremdheit sehen, einem Weg, der nirgendwohin führt, sehen wir nichts als Schönheit. Die Wege, die Darren Cunningham beschritt, die Highways, die er befuhr, um Actress zu erschaffen, sind ein Kapitel in der Geschichte der schwarzen Avantgarde. Cunningham, der Fußballer. Cunningham, der Wulfrunianer (Anm.: Einwohner von Wolverhampton). Cunningham, der Ex-Fußballer. Cunningham, der DJ. Cunningham, der Londoner. Cunningham, der Produzent. Cunningham, der Maler. Cunningham, der Schriftsteller. Cunningham, der Komponist. Hier entsteht die schwarze Avantgarde in Großbritannien. Hier muss man hingehen, um sie zu finden.

In einer umfangreichen Diskografie von mehr als zehn Alben hat Actress seine eigene, geheimnisvolle Sprache aus hermetischen Referenzen und interdimensionalen elektronischen Kompositionen geschaffen.

„Radical Frame” erscheint 18 Jahre nach seinem Debütalbum, „Hazyville”, und fühlt sich wie eine Apotheose an: das Bild ist vollendet. Wir bekommen die ganze Bandbreite von Actress' Markenzeichen zu hören: Kurze Ausbrüche reduzierter Musik, winzige Skizzen von vergrößertem Klang.

Vielleicht ist „Radical Frame“ ein Gefäß für all das, was Cunningham bisher geschaffen hat. Ein Rahmen, den er an den Nächsten weitergibt. An die nächsten Künstler:innen, die seinen eigenen Weg in der britischen Avantgarde der Schwarz.

A very classic, auditorily both honest and skillful, techno mini-album by US producers D-Knox and Tim Xavier of Black Nation, 773 Tekno, Limited 400serie, and Sonic Mind fame. The duo's six-tracker nods to old-school US 'multitrack' underground techno EPs, but is bombastically engineered for club systems. Stunningly starting with "Soul Kraft Intro", a hymn for the Detroit techno legacy, only to slip into the tracky club rider "Stream Of Consciousness" with short stabs and alarming strings. Ripping acidic riffs and multifaceted hi-hat programming are signatures throughout, particularly highlighted by the teeth-grinding Chicago-styled (almost 'French Touch' compressed) "Dead Star Grinder", and not the least by the ultimately classic "Tomorrow Is A Rainy Day" with its broken beat and deep-standing forward-driving chordal beauty.

This is the 12" already immortalized by Gilles Peterson! Dub Souljah, with its classic Roots Reggae/Dub-styled horns and brilliant lead and backing vocals, comes in two versions when Ekowmania meets DJ Sotofett. The first version, in 1970s tradition, is a rocking dancefloor Disco Dub with extended and highlighted percussion parts. Then there's the Ultra Dub – a severely deep and reduced dub where horns and vocals surface only intermittently through constant echoed kicks, minimal hi-hats, and a two-tone bassline. The title track is from Ekowmania's Dr. Afrodub album, produced by Jimi Tenor, but this 12" also includes two non-album cuts: the psychedelic Afro twist of Afrolistic Rock & Roll, and the cosmic Latin-styled Kuusikasi Funk, featuring beautiful saxophone and flute by Jimi Tenor. THIS 12" IS CUT WITH LOUD VOLUME FOR EXCELLENT CLUB USE!

Archimboldos have clawed their way out of the starcaves of their primordial past and into the tranquil light of a coral garden on their third full length album, Crusta Arcana, a gumbo stewpot of transcendent electronica suffused with tribal rhythms and liquid ambience. Across a stereo field smeared with tolling bells, post-industrial folk percussion, and tinkling keys, Archimboldos soundtrack a science fictional journey, not into the depths of space, but deep beneath the waves.

In the past the Chilean duo of Nicolás Carcavilla and Felipe Crocco have described their music as “liminal shrimp folk.” Here they continue this strange exploration when they visit the court of the prawns, producing stately electronic chamber orchestrations. Perhaps these are the frequencies used for ritual dream initiation into the mystery schools of drowned Atlantis. Weaving an ancient sacred science, Archimboldos take listeners on a mystic vovage into their singular crustacean mythology, the crusta of their hidden arcana.

Archimbolodos are masters of conjoining cyclonic and centrifugal lines of electricity into spellbinding incantations. These deep-sea transmissions envelope the listener into aquamarine forcefields that are as hallucinatory as they are hypnotic. Navigating these strange fantasias could lead one to getting lost at sea, but the work is buoyed by the somnolent melodies of lonely harpsichords and swelling synth pads whose sustained tones reach towards distant shores. Sailing across a vast expanse of oceanic harmonies and percolating percussion, these pieces are as precise as the hand of a sailor on the rudder, moving with the tide.

Casting their net wide across eight pieces, Archimboldos have made a big catch. From the emotive electronic counterpoint found on “Bursting Armor” to the blocks of seaweed tangled sonic sculpture trawled up from the ocean floor on “Aphelion IX.” Other songs are like samples of biological ambience collected from luminous tide pools: resplendent tones placed into a Petri dish of sound, swirled, cultured and fermented until it undulates with the rhythmic movement of microscopic lifeforms. Alternating between rippling minimalist sonority and pounding, progressive, synth-heavy entrancement, Crusta Arcana charts its own idiosyncratic itinerary of instrumental invention.

All the while light is down streaming from the heavens to pierce the waters, here calm, there choppy. The intrepid musical captains commanding Archimboldos have laid a course for new archipelagos of the imagination, guided by heavenly constellations.

-Justin Patrick Moore, author of The Radio Phonics Laboratory, Telecommunications, Speech Synthesis and the Birth of Electronic Music

Get On Your Knees' (1968) was the global hit recorded by the Spanish band Canarios, a true anthem that took the British soul scene by storm and still today gets regular plays at '60s clubs. 'To Be A Man,' on the b-side, is a rare gem by Camilo Sesto, packed with fuzz bass guitar and sophisticated arrangements, making it perfect for the dance floor. Canarios, the band led by Teddy Bautista, was one of the first Spanish groups to incorporate the sounds of emerging musical trends-primarily from the English-speaking world-into its repertoire. It was also one of the first Spanish bands to tour the States (they even recorded an album there under the name The Canaries). In 1968, 'Get On Your Knees' was released, a stunning soul track recorded by Swiss producer Alain Milhaud that quickly climbed the charts in numerous countries. Its appeal remains undiminished, and it still gets regular spins in the 60s scene today. 'To Be A Man' is something of a rarity in the discography of Spanish singer Camilo Sesto, whose songs typically lean toward straightforward melodic pop and ballads. Surrounded by an international team of collaborators under the direction of former Brincos member Juan Pardo as producer, he recorded this psychedelic-tinged pop song. Its sophisticated arrangements and sinuous fuzz-laden bass line create an effective and irresistible dancefloor-filler that was released as a 7" single in several countries but, curiously, not in Spain. First-ever single reissue of both songs.

Jonathan Kaspar returns to Crosstown Rebels with an eclectic four-tracker that shows his stylistic range. The EP features his own vocals, as well as some long-time personal secret weapons.

After an intense touring summer with acclaimed gigs, including Fusion Festival, Fabric London, Else Berlin or Woodstock 69 Bloemendaal, Jonathan Kaspar lands back on Crosstown Rebels. After remixing CRM head Damian Lazarus with two different versions in 2025 and his last massive "We Come EP” to the label in 2024, Jonathan is in a purple patch right now with upcoming remixes for the likes of Âme and Acid Pauli. This upcoming release reveals different sides to his sound while still feeling connected as one body of work.

Opener 'Take Control' will be familiar to fans who have seen Kaspar play recently - it's stripped back but tense, with a searching lead synth and tight, dusty tech drums that grip you and never let up. 'The Reason Why' came to life when Bákayan's incredible vocals were added to the deep, dreamy groove, bringing a smoky soul and human warmth that tugs at the heart. 'Play With Me' and 'I Love Your Voice' both feature Kaspar's own vocals: the former is a subtle, late-night grower that unfolds with trippy synth details and sci-fi motifs. The closer is a deeply immersive and widescreen mid-tempo sound that carries a heartfelt reminder to hold on to the voices of the people who love you when everything else gets loud.

A deep cut from the extensive back catalogue of South African group Splash, significant artists in the narrative of the country’s fiercely independent Gallo Record Company, CWPT presents two uplifting mixes of 1990’s ‘An Eye For An Eye’, arranged by a modern day hero of the craft, Lipelis.

Originally released in parallel with the official beginning of the end of South Africa’s decades-long Apartheid, lead vocalist Daniel Tshanda dispels the philosophy of the track’s title, instead offering a still poignant call for unity; “An eye for an eye is no good… Let’s live together as one.”

Lipelis’s carefully crafted take retains this sentiment front and centre, while nudging the arrangement toward contemporary dancefloors, enriching a steady and bubbling mix of colourful keys, bubblegum percussion and a lifting backing chorus that includes another Gallo sensation, Dalom Kids.

These same voices form the spiritual centre of Lipelis’s 12” dub version, which further demonstrates the track’s irresistible rhythm, making space for complimentary piano melodies from Lipelis, alongside collaborator Eugene Piankov. Here, sunsetting piano lines dance with the analogue techniques of Lipelis’s own production instincts, forging a blissful tribute to a potent moment in South African musical history.

Originally released in 2012, 1999 is the definitive debut mixtape from Brooklyn MC Joey Bada$$ that helped reshape the modern underground rap landscape. Leaning heavily into the golden era sound, a 17-year-old Joey earned instant critical acclaim by paying flawless homage to the 90s. Beyond timeless standout tracks like “Waves,” “Survival Tactics,” and “Snakes,” the 15-track mixtape boasts production from icons like Chuck Strangers, Lord Finesse, MF DOOM, and J Dilla. It remains a crucial time capsule for the Pro Era collective, featuring memorable verses from Kirk Knight, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution, Rokamouth, Dessy Hinds, Dyemond Lewis, T’nah Apex, and the late Capital STEEZ. A classic that still sounds as fresh today as it did a decade ago. Pro Era Forever.

With Foreverglades, Miami’s independent rap cornerstone Pouya delivers a cohesive, highly anticipated body of work that serves as a gritty love letter to the Sunshine State. Moving away from the claustrophobic trap beats that defined the early SoundCloud era, Pouya steps fully into his veteran status by embracing a distinctly rich and organic Southern sonic palette. The album's title plays heavily on the Florida Everglades, signaling a destination that is both a permanent state of mind and a humid, unforgiving landscape where only the strongest survive. Over the course of 12 tracks, the project balances hazy nostalgia with modern underground rap execution, highlighting Pouya's sharp technical growth and deep roots in his hometown culture.

The production on Foreverglades is remarkably cohesive, leaning into thick basslines, melting instrumentation, and classic Southern rap influences that give the tracks a heavy, atmospheric depth. Behind the boards, the album leans on a talented collective of underground producers—including Alexis Martin, Boohmii, Esthetic Gloom, and Oleg—who construct a soundscape that is both menacingly smooth and psychedelic. Rather than relying on the frantic tempos of his early catalog, the backdrops here allow Pouya to showcase his immense vocal versatility. He flows effortlessly, seamlessly shifting from his signature rapid-fire, triplet-flow delivery to a more grounded, melodic cadence that mirrors the thick humidity of the Florida landscape.

Lyrically, Foreverglades is a self-reflective journey that finds Pouya confronting the psychological realities of a decade-long independent career. While his trademark dark humor and raw bravado remain intact, they are balanced by a vulnerable perspective on success, mortal anxieties, and the paranoia that comes with staying independent in a shifting industry. The tracklist is meticulously curated, anchored by atmospheric standouts like "Found You," "Florida Baby," "In My City," and the Rocci-assisted "Burnt Down." By anchoring the project with raw storytelling and a distinct sonic identity, Foreverglades stands as a defining moment in Pouya's discography—a project best experienced with the bass turned all the way up and the windows rolled down.

1xLP, pressed on Whirlpool colored vinyl, includes 12x12 double-sided insert.

Windy & Carl Meet Optigan Conservatory is a purposefully misleading title for the first collaborative work from four friends who met close to thirty years prior. All active participants in Michigan independent music circles since the early ’90s, Windy & Carl are well-known for their foundational contributions to drift and guitar-born ambient sounds, with songs characterized by deep connections to the natural world and a hard to pin down yet impossible to miss emotional vulnerability.

Optigan Conservatory is another duo, made up of Frank Rotondo (leader of Detroit area free music ensemble Laughing Gas) and Fred Thomas (songwriter and producer most often associated with his band Saturday Looks Good To Me), who have been making minimalistic and time-defiant electro-acoustic sounds since 2016. The album came together almost effortlessly in a very short timeframe, but the idea had been building steam for many a year.

In the last days of 2024, Windy & Carl and Optigan Conservatory got together, falling into a mode of sound creation that was almost hyper-natural. Without any discussion outside of the usual stream of jokes and chatter, the quartet set up and started communicating. Added to Windy & Carl’s hovering augmented chord voicings and vaporous guitar drones were electric piano and synth bedding from Frank & Fred. After the initial sessions, all involved parties took time to consider what they’d made, adding new layers and editing the pieces into more definitive articulations.

A beautiful and hermetic energy larger than the sum of its parts is captured in the process. There are echoes of the earliest releases from Windy & Carl as well as refractions of the same opacity that surfaced in the early kranky catalogue.

Originally released on the legendary Rat Records in 2000, Old Skool quickly established itself as one of the defining records of the emerging Bassline Breaks movement. Now, over 25 years later, it returns fully remastered on Cyberfunk Records, bringing this underground classic back to a new generation of DJs and listeners.
Produced by DJ Quest and Kalibre, Old Skool perfectly captures the raw energy of the era, combining infectious vocal hooks, rolling breakbeats and heavyweight basslines that still sound as fresh today as they did on its original release.
A landmark release that bridged the worlds of UK Garage and Breakbeat, Old Skool helped shape the Cyberfunk sound that would follow. This remastered edition preserves all the character and atmosphere of the original while delivering the power and clarity expected on modern sound systems.
Tracklisting
A. Old Skool (2001 Original Mix)
The original version that helped establish DJ Quest as one of the pioneers of the emerging Bassline Breaks sound. Fusing infectious old-school vocal samples, rolling breakbeats and heavyweight basslines, this timeless underground anthem perfectly captured the crossover between UK Garage and Breakbeat. More than two decades on, its unmistakable groove and dancefloor energy continue to make it a favourite with DJs and fans around the world.
AA. Old Skool (Paket Remix)
Spanish breakbeat heavyweight Paket delivers a fresh interpretation for today's dancefloors, retaining the iconic vocal hooks and recognisable feel of the original while introducing tighter drums, modern production and his trademark bass-driven energy. Respectful of the source material yet built for contemporary sound systems, Paket's remix gives this classic a powerful new lease of life.
——

Intriguing Siberian B-Boy roots informed Anton LTF's first solo album last year and its mix of funk, hip-hop and early turntablism influences really worked. He's back now with a tidy two-tracker on Soul Service Sabrosura that leans into Latin funk. It's raw, direct and charged up tackle for once again getting under the skin of b-boys and girls thanks to the killer breaks. 'Garra' is lit up with shuffling percussive keys and rhythms and big brass horns, while 'Aroma Sunset' is more pared back and loose. There's a celebratory vibe that's smoother and more languorous, with sunny flutes leading the way and irresistible Latin charm in the ways the keys dance.

It's time for no.7 in the Disco Combine vinyl only series, with two heavy hitters re-worked and re-mixed from the tapes by Dave 'Love' Lee. On the A is 'Not This Time (Baby) (Give Me Some Moore Mix)' a much loved slice of Philly Disco,Aabsolutely bursting with lush orchestral arrangements. This classic jam has been given a noticeably different refresh, with a show-stopping acapella intro and more of the less heard instrumental passages. Speaking of classic, on the B is 'Jammin' Up In Smoke (Ready Steady Eddie Mix)' a Harris Machine, gospel charged chuggerAwhich is given a more groove based mix, which builds up instrumentally before hitting some falsetto vocals half way through, leading to a big hands in the air finale. Stay still if you can!!

Kraak & Smaak formed in Leiden in pursuit of a particular blend of funk, disco and electronic soul, and over two decades and seven albums, Oscar de Jong, Wim Plug and Mark Kneppers have sharpened a sound that's unmistakably their own: warm, analogue, and always twisting old soul into something new. That sound has carried them from small European clubs to Coachella and American late night TV.
Their 2025 album Velvet Seas was written between Leiden and Los Angeles, and it shows: Californian light and a touch of psychedelia sit easily alongside deep funk and a cinematic reach. The record leaned on a wide circle of guests, among them IVAR, Berenice van Leer, Izo FitzRoy, Butter Bath, The Undercover Dream Lovers, iogi, Kosta G and Kainalu.

Velvet Seas Remixed hands the album's best moments to a curated set of international producers. British disco heritage, classic French touch, Brazilian disco funk, Melbourne club music and homegrown Dutch groove all take a turn, with each producer bending a familiar song toward their own instincts while keeping the album's character intact. Longer, extended versions and alternate mixes round out the full release, letting several of these tracks land in more than one form.




a 01: Nothing Is Forever (Yuksek Remix) [feat. Kosta G]
[b] 02: Travel Light (Diogo Strausz Remix) [feat. Ivar]
[c] 03: Velvet Seas (Ray Mang Remix) [feat. Izo FitzRoy]
[d] 04: Heat (Anoraak Remix) [feat. Butter Bath]
[e] 05: Real Love (Harvey Sutherland Remix) [feat. Kainalu]
[f] 06: Tracel Light (Sound Support Remix) [feat. Ivar]
[g] 07: Heat (Stirmouth Remix) [feat. Butter Bath]

[a] A1 | Nothing Is Forever (Yuksek Remix) [feat Kosta G]
[b] A2 | Travel Light (Diogo Strausz Remix) [feat Ivar]
[c] A3 | Velvet Seas (Ray Mang Remix) [feat Izo FitzRoy]
[d] B1 | Heat (Anoraak Remix) [feat Butter Bath]
[e] B2 | Real Love (Harvey Sutherland Remix) [feat Kainalu]
[f] B3 | Tracel Light (Sound Support Remix) [feat Ivar]
[g] B4 | Heat (Stirmouth Remix) [feat Butter Bath]

Mr Bongo proudly presents a first-time worldwide vinyl and CD issue of Rubel’s debut album Pearl. Self-released on YouTube in 2013, the album quietly became a huge hit in Brazil with the lead single and accompanying video for ‘Quando Bate Aquela Saudade’ amassing over 85 million views to date. Pearl laid the foundations for Rubel’s path to greatness - a first glimpse into the brilliance of a modern-day troubadour and ever-evolving Brazilian artist who deftly mixes classic and contemporary influences. Fusing MPB, folk, pop, and indie, it charts Rubel at his purest and most personal.

The journey of Pearl begins with Rubel in his early 20’s studying film in Austin, Texas. Immersing himself in the city’s vibrant DIY music scene and surrounded by countless musicians who he shared a large house with, he set up a home studio with an assortment of rented gear and recorded the album without any expectations. It was inspired by an environment of youth, music and experimentation Rubel found himself within. The seven songs are an attempt to record and take with him a little of what he lived and learned whilst there. He uploaded the album to YouTube, didn’t think much of it and continued to pursue a career in film in LA. Over the next few years however it became a viral hit in Brazil, with a subsequent Brazil only vinyl and CD issue, drawing him both back to Rio and a trajectory to musical stardom.

Oscar Later is the solo project of one half of Once Twice, formerly known as Parallels. The EP takes its premise from the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which ruled that no nation could claim ownership of the Moon or any other celestial body. Across six tracks, that idea of ownership, distance and free imagination runs through the record, which combines breakbeat and shimmering synths with processed vocals and clips from vintage ads and obscure films.

"I wanted the record to feel like public-domain myths, commercial promises and space-age optimism all colliding," Oscar says, "blurring the line between memory and fantasy."

Opener 'Air Time for Andre' channels chopped-up breaks reminiscent of Skee Mask, combined with processed found audio. 'Wenlocked', named after the East London street where it was written, develops from a downtempo sketch into a heavier club track as the bassline builds, inspired by releases on Voam and Floating Points' live sets. 'It Never Made Sense' steps away from the dancefloor, built around a granulated Orion Sun vocal that, as Oscar puts it, "ties the track into quite a surreal space," leaning towards Burial, Overmono and Radiohead.

The title track, 'The Moon Belongs to You', runs a vocoded 90s ad through a detuned one-note synth. It's the track Oscar says "best encapsulates the intention of the EP as a whole: surreal, wacky and clubby." 'Yaya' keeps the energy up as a straight techno cut, its gated bassline locking in around a chopped vocal and pitched samples. Closer 'That's Quite A Lot Of Zeroes!' expands from a stripped-back Buchla line into something huge, driven by chopped samples and inspired by sci-fi scores like Dune and Annihilation.

The cover is designed by art director Will Millner with designer Josh Lowe, a homage to space food and 80s industrial design geared to survive life on the moon. It's available as a limited vacuum-packed 12" record.

The EP launches alongside a music video for 'It Never Made Sense', directed by Louis Mackay, telling the story of a group of kids who steal the moon for themselves.

UK underground heavyweight Ploy unleashes his second release on Dekmantel with a brand new four track EP. The release sees the dynamic producer continue to push the envelope with his own flavour of driving, sexy, Ploy house. Putting every ounce of his production prowess on show while proving yet again that Ploy is a force to be reckoned with both in the studio alike. Making tracks for DJs has always been the source of inspiration for Ploy and this is no different with each offering carrying its weight and then some. Straight up, no frills house music that oozes quality by doing the simple things well.

Kicking off the record is title track 'Glizzy', an arpeggiated tech house tool built for the hours that you lose yourself on the dancefloor. From the off Ploy puts his ear for percussive dynamism on show with the understated subtleties of this opener. Thematic sampling, nuanced arrangement and odd ball melodies combine to set Glizzy apart with a gentle nod to hot dog lovers worldwide.

The EP follows suit with A2 'Global Underground'. A contemporary progressive house roller, which rips through the atmosphere with melodic blasts, unrelenting groove, and a powerful bassline.

Offering an equally effective double B-side, B1 is 'Yesterday Now Tomorrow', which sees Ploy lean on his production mastery with entangled percussion and expertly dosed sampling. The result is a swinging heavy house burner that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

Lastly on the EP is ‘SlowanDip’. A heavily swung, percussive chugger to warm up a dancefloor, paired with a bassline to test the system, this B2 closes out a stellar second showing on Dekmantel for Ploy.

The record arrives at the crest of festival season and is primed to soundtrack dancefloors around the world under the glistening Summer sun. Ploy has quickly carved out a reputation for his unmistakable, drum driven take on house music, and Glizzy only sharpens that identity further. Focused, effective and built with DJs firmly in mind, the EP captures an artist operating with total confidence, delivering four tracks that prove Ploy isn’t just part of the conversation, he’s pushing it forward.

Precious Bloom producer Dea returns on the Rush Hour Store Jams imprint with a fresh four tracker... tip!

The idea for Fairlight began shortly after Aradea Barandana purchased a Yamaha DX1 synthesizer. While exploring its presets, one sound in particular—called Fairlight sparked the initial concept for the EP. From there came the desire to create an Italo wave inspired track that would feel fresh to contemporary ears while still referencing the character of early electronic music.

Rather than following the traditional structure of dance music where drum machines and synthesizers lock into repetitive synchronized patterns the EP approaches composition more like a narrative. The music gradually unfolds, allowing melodies and harmonies to evolve so the listener is encouraged to stay with the piece from beginning to end.

Some of the harmonic ideas draw inspiration from Baroque music, particularly chromatic ascending progressions and voice-leading techniques. In contrast, other moments introduce playful bubblegum-inspired synth lines, adding lightness and color to the overall sound.

The result is a small collection of tracks that sit between nostalgia and experimentation where vintage synthesizers meet a compositional approach that values movement, surprise, and a sense of musical journey.

Two deep, meditative house tracks built on warmth and repetition. Comes with insert in a silver sleeve.

On “Ritual of Dance,” Nhojj’s voice guides the listener onto a (makeshift) dance floor, as the track builds in intensity, mirroring the rising energy of a dance session. On the flip, “Groove Extracts” leans further into a stripped, hypnotic space. Driven by percussion, bass, and a wandering key solo. It draws you inward towards the more meditative side of losing yourself in the groove. Inviting the body to take over where the mind dissolves.

Ritual of Dance EP is about the journey of dancing alone or together.

Faith and Fate, Destiny and Devotion, Dark Nights and Dazed Illuminations. Josephine raises a stained-glass lamp and shepherds us spelunking the depths of spirit in this four-part double album. Following the fame of her voice are choruses of winged entities (and a space shuttle) that ascend and descend a maze of spirituals: ritual prayers, blues laments, vestal hymns and jubilant benedictions. The edges of the natural world are revolving backdrops from which our narrator perches upon symbolic precipice or saunters desolate snow-blanched forest, exploring eternal themes of mortality and morality, beneath the moon and in occasional dialogue with a mysterious lord of love, an ambiguous mystical figure. Accompanying herself on guitar, piano, organ, harp & autoharp, this cycle of 18 new songs hearken back to various facets of Foster's anachronic oeuvre (the esoteric balladry of This Coming Gladness, native rhythms of Blood Rushing, somnambulist waltzes of I'm a Dreamer, the Shaker primitivism of Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead you). Celestial humor and devastating innocence are delivered with contributions from Victor Herrero (lead guitars), Gyða Valtýsdóttir (cello), Chris Scruggs (pedal steel), Jon Estes (bass), as well as cameos by members of The Cherry Blossoms and others. Recorded, engineered and mixed by Andrija Tokic at his Nashville Bomb Shelter Studio, mastered by John Baldwin, and produced by Josephine herself.

Faith and Fate, Destiny and Devotion, Dark Nights and Dazed Illuminations. Josephine raises a stained-glass lamp and shepherds us spelunking the depths of spirit in this four-part double album. Following the fame of her voice are choruses of winged entities (and a space shuttle) that ascend and descend a maze of spirituals: ritual prayers, blues laments, vestal hymns and jubilant benedictions. The edges of the natural world are revolving backdrops from which our narrator perches upon symbolic precipice or saunters desolate snow-blanched forest, exploring eternal themes of mortality and morality, beneath the moon and in occasional dialogue with a mysterious lord of love, an ambiguous mystical figure. Accompanying herself on guitar, piano, organ, harp & autoharp, this cycle of 18 new songs hearken back to various facets of Foster's anachronic oeuvre (the esoteric balladry of This Coming Gladness, native rhythms of Blood Rushing, somnambulist waltzes of I'm a Dreamer, the Shaker primitivism of Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead you). Celestial humor and devastating innocence are delivered with contributions from Victor Herrero (lead guitars), Gyða Valtýsdóttir (cello), Chris Scruggs (pedal steel), Jon Estes (bass), as well as cameos by members of The Cherry Blossoms and others. Recorded, engineered and mixed by Andrija Tokic at his Nashville Bomb Shelter Studio, mastered by John Baldwin, and produced by Josephine herself.

Bei ihrer Ankunft in den USA anlässlich der ersten landesweiten Tournee von The Tubs sagte Frontmann Owen Williams gegenüber dem ,New Yorker": ,Wir sind hier, um das Land zu vereinen. Wir werden so etwa dreimal kommen. Bis dann, denke ich, wird dieser Ort anfangen zu heilen." Und genau das taten sie dann auch voller Freude: Sie quetschten sich in einen Transporter und durchquerten die Vereinigten Staaten kreuz und quer, um den Massen ihren literarischen, verschlafenen, lebensmüden, ,Nacht-deines-Lebens`- Hochseilakt zu präsentieren, als dieser am dringendsten gebraucht wurde. Den Tubs hat es nie an Ehrgeiz gefehlt - auf ,Hard Life" geht es ihnen darum, das ,Tub-ullar"-Erlebnis zu verkomplizieren. Nachdem sie ihre Chemie über zwei vorherige Alben, Hunderte von Auftritten und ein ständig wachsendes Universum von Bands aus dem Londoner Gob Nation Collective (The TSG, Sniffany & The Nits, Spike und Garden Centre) perfektioniert haben, dringt die in London ansässige keltische Jangle-Boyband - Williams (Gesang, Gitarre, Keyboards, Bass), Dan Lucas (Gitarre), Taylor Stewart (Schlagzeug) und Max Warren (Bass) - dringen noch tiefer in das schillernde Herz des virtuosen Indie-Rocks vor. Zu ihnen gesellen sich die regelmäßigen Mitstreiter Lan McArdle (Gesang), George Nicholls (Gitarre) und Rachel Kenedy (Keyboards), die alle schon seit den Tagen von Joanna Gruesome an verschiedenen Projekten im Umfeld von ,The Tubs" mitgewirkt haben; doch das Geheimnis der Üppigkeit von ,Hard Life" ist die Mitwirkung des Geigers Chris Haigh, eines Musiklehrers und Session-Musikers, der mit dem Steps-Hit ,5, 6, 7, 8" unauslöschliche Spuren im britischen Pop hinterlassen hat. In Anlehnung an Williams' Einsatz von Trillern in den Gesangsmelodien untermalt Haighs Geige den wehmütigen Gesang des Sängers wie ein blauer Fleck. Bei ,Stoop to Me", dem folkigsten und klimperndsten Popsong des Albums, ergänzen Haighs Licks Williams in seinen selbstironischsten Momenten - das schiefe Lächeln eines Mannes, der versucht, nicht zu zeigen, wie sehr ihn die unerwiderte Liebe verletzt. Beim Album-Opener und Titelsong ,Hard Life" ist es die Süße der aufsteigenden Geigenlinien im Mix, die die Härte von Williams' Texten mit den mitreißenden Hymnen von The Tubs verbindet. Die harte Linie, die Williams hier und an anderen Stellen auf ,Hard Life" einschlägt, stellt die Vorstellung vom typischen Tubs-Song weiter auf den Kopf. Die Figur, die den Hörern von ,Cotton Crown" und ,Dead Meat" vertraut ist - um Williams: ,die Nabelschau über romantische Erniedrigung, Londoner Elend und die Demütigungen von Trauer und Zwangsstörungen" - ist nach wie vor präsent, doch ebenso gibt es eine zweite Stimme, die härter und erfahrener ist. ,Die zweite Figur hat nicht viel Zeit für die erste", erklärt Williams, ,und hält ihm oft seine Selbstgefälligkeit und Unreife vor; manchmal zu Recht, manchmal zu Unrecht." Es ist dieser Nörgler, der auf der Lead-Single ,Who's Gonna Love You Now?" im Mittelpunkt steht. Seine Fragen - von der im Titel genannten bis hin zu konkreteren Sorgen wie ,Wer bezahlt die Miete?" - stehen in spöttischem Gegensatz zu Ideen wie dem Umzug in die Stadt und dem Beginn eines wirklich erfüllten Lebens. Obwohl Williams den Griesgram spielt, ist der Song ein echter Raver, bei dem Gitarren über einem von Orgelklängen erhellten Horizont erklingen. ,Es ist dein Leben", singt Williams, während das Leben unter ihm vor sich hin tuckert und dabei außerordentlich lebhaft klingt. Er hätte wohl wenig Mitgefühl für den liebeskranken Williams aus ,If You Don't Love Me" - verdammt, seine gesamte Existenz wirkt wie eine Warnung, dass die Art von romantischen Verstrickungen, unter denen man in jungen Jahren leidet, in Einsamkeit, Scheitern und einem Posteingang enden wird, der mit ungelesenen Substacks überfüllt ist. Auf ,Hard Life" streiten diese Stimmen, bedrängen sich gegenseitig, verschmelzen miteinander und lösen sich wieder voneinander, manchmal sogar im Laufe eines einzigen Songs. Sie sind zwei Seiten derselben Medaille, Menschen, die Trauer, Enttäuschung, Reue und Scham erlebt haben und als veränderte Menschen aus den Trümmern hervorgehen. ,Mich interessiert, wie Mitgefühl und Geduld für jemanden, der leidet, immer irgendwann zu Ende gehen", sagt Williams. ,Wie das sowohl etwas Gutes und Befreiendes als auch etwas Trauriges und Brutales sein kann. Aber im Grunde sind es einfach nur Popsongs." Exquisite, unwiderstehliche Popsongs. Man höre sie sich so lange an, bis die Heilung beginnt, und dann noch einmal.

Bei ihrer Ankunft in den USA anlässlich der ersten landesweiten Tournee von The Tubs sagte Frontmann Owen Williams gegenüber dem ,New Yorker": ,Wir sind hier, um das Land zu vereinen. Wir werden so etwa dreimal kommen. Bis dann, denke ich, wird dieser Ort anfangen zu heilen." Und genau das taten sie dann auch voller Freude: Sie quetschten sich in einen Transporter und durchquerten die Vereinigten Staaten kreuz und quer, um den Massen ihren literarischen, verschlafenen, lebensmüden, ,Nacht-deines-Lebens`- Hochseilakt zu präsentieren, als dieser am dringendsten gebraucht wurde. Den Tubs hat es nie an Ehrgeiz gefehlt - auf ,Hard Life" geht es ihnen darum, das ,Tub-ullar"-Erlebnis zu verkomplizieren. Nachdem sie ihre Chemie über zwei vorherige Alben, Hunderte von Auftritten und ein ständig wachsendes Universum von Bands aus dem Londoner Gob Nation Collective (The TSG, Sniffany & The Nits, Spike und Garden Centre) perfektioniert haben, dringt die in London ansässige keltische Jangle-Boyband - Williams (Gesang, Gitarre, Keyboards, Bass), Dan Lucas (Gitarre), Taylor Stewart (Schlagzeug) und Max Warren (Bass) - dringen noch tiefer in das schillernde Herz des virtuosen Indie-Rocks vor. Zu ihnen gesellen sich die regelmäßigen Mitstreiter Lan McArdle (Gesang), George Nicholls (Gitarre) und Rachel Kenedy (Keyboards), die alle schon seit den Tagen von Joanna Gruesome an verschiedenen Projekten im Umfeld von ,The Tubs" mitgewirkt haben; doch das Geheimnis der Üppigkeit von ,Hard Life" ist die Mitwirkung des Geigers Chris Haigh, eines Musiklehrers und Session-Musikers, der mit dem Steps-Hit ,5, 6, 7, 8" unauslöschliche Spuren im britischen Pop hinterlassen hat. In Anlehnung an Williams' Einsatz von Trillern in den Gesangsmelodien untermalt Haighs Geige den wehmütigen Gesang des Sängers wie ein blauer Fleck. Bei ,Stoop to Me", dem folkigsten und klimperndsten Popsong des Albums, ergänzen Haighs Licks Williams in seinen selbstironischsten Momenten - das schiefe Lächeln eines Mannes, der versucht, nicht zu zeigen, wie sehr ihn die unerwiderte Liebe verletzt. Beim Album-Opener und Titelsong ,Hard Life" ist es die Süße der aufsteigenden Geigenlinien im Mix, die die Härte von Williams' Texten mit den mitreißenden Hymnen von The Tubs verbindet. Die harte Linie, die Williams hier und an anderen Stellen auf ,Hard Life" einschlägt, stellt die Vorstellung vom typischen Tubs-Song weiter auf den Kopf. Die Figur, die den Hörern von ,Cotton Crown" und ,Dead Meat" vertraut ist - um Williams: ,die Nabelschau über romantische Erniedrigung, Londoner Elend und die Demütigungen von Trauer und Zwangsstörungen" - ist nach wie vor präsent, doch ebenso gibt es eine zweite Stimme, die härter und erfahrener ist. ,Die zweite Figur hat nicht viel Zeit für die erste", erklärt Williams, ,und hält ihm oft seine Selbstgefälligkeit und Unreife vor; manchmal zu Recht, manchmal zu Unrecht." Es ist dieser Nörgler, der auf der Lead-Single ,Who's Gonna Love You Now?" im Mittelpunkt steht. Seine Fragen - von der im Titel genannten bis hin zu konkreteren Sorgen wie ,Wer bezahlt die Miete?" - stehen in spöttischem Gegensatz zu Ideen wie dem Umzug in die Stadt und dem Beginn eines wirklich erfüllten Lebens. Obwohl Williams den Griesgram spielt, ist der Song ein echter Raver, bei dem Gitarren über einem von Orgelklängen erhellten Horizont erklingen. ,Es ist dein Leben", singt Williams, während das Leben unter ihm vor sich hin tuckert und dabei außerordentlich lebhaft klingt. Er hätte wohl wenig Mitgefühl für den liebeskranken Williams aus ,If You Don't Love Me" - verdammt, seine gesamte Existenz wirkt wie eine Warnung, dass die Art von romantischen Verstrickungen, unter denen man in jungen Jahren leidet, in Einsamkeit, Scheitern und einem Posteingang enden wird, der mit ungelesenen Substacks überfüllt ist. Auf ,Hard Life" streiten diese Stimmen, bedrängen sich gegenseitig, verschmelzen miteinander und lösen sich wieder voneinander, manchmal sogar im Laufe eines einzigen Songs. Sie sind zwei Seiten derselben Medaille, Menschen, die Trauer, Enttäuschung, Reue und Scham erlebt haben und als veränderte Menschen aus den Trümmern hervorgehen. ,Mich interessiert, wie Mitgefühl und Geduld für jemanden, der leidet, immer irgendwann zu Ende gehen", sagt Williams. ,Wie das sowohl etwas Gutes und Befreiendes als auch etwas Trauriges und Brutales sein kann. Aber im Grunde sind es einfach nur Popsongs." Exquisite, unwiderstehliche Popsongs. Man höre sie sich so lange an, bis die Heilung beginnt, und dann noch einmal.

HINÜBER machen Musik über das, was bleibt, wenn man aufgehört hat, so zu tun als ob. Über die kleinen Erschöpfungen, die sich nicht dramatisieren lassen. Über Zustände, nicht Ereignisse. Ihr Debütalbum HAPPY PICTURES erscheint auf Flight 13 / Rookie Records - und es klingt genau so: präzise unscharf, melodisch zermürbt, irgendwo zwischen Aufbegehren und Resignation, ohne sich für eines von beiden zu entscheiden. Die Band - vorbelastet durch Ex-Bands wie NEIN NEIN NEIN und KOETER, verteilt zwischen Köln, Bielefeld und Mönchengladbach - hat lange genug gewartet, um zu wissen, was sie sagen will. HAPPY PICTURES ist kein Ausbruch. Es ist die Bestandsaufnahme danach. Dreizehn Songs, die keinen Ausweg versprechen, aber auch keinen brauchen. Punk mit Post-Punk- und Emo-Einflüssen - Schubladen, die passen und gleichzeitig nicht reichen. Der Begriff, der wirklich zutrifft, wurde von der Band selbst geprägt: Zustands-Pop. HAPPY PICTURES: dreizehn Songs über das, was innen brennt und außen nicht aufhört. Wo das eine endet und das andere anfängt - lassen HINÜBER offen.

An emotional transmission wrought with the persistence of existence. Anasisana returns to Noir Age for his third release with the label. For Self Exploration, the Tunisian artist is focused here on existential alchemy; processing grief, encountering the unknown, and (possibly) experiencing growth through his simplistic and downtrodden approach to sound composition.

Anasisana constructs a plaintive sonic trajectory; leading in with harsher passages before settling into the restrained yet powerful ambient approach that we have come to love about Anas’ work. A skeletal, leftfield grunge deconstruction, echoing the corridors of HTRK’s darkest secrets crossed with the perpetual bliss of Isorinne, Canadian Rifles, or the warped dementia of The Caretaker.

A palindrome hypnotic.

Anasisana’s music has been published by labels such as Vaagner, Casement Exchange, Perfect Aesthetics, Trust Collective & Amulet of Tears.

Limited edition cassette with Rispgraph cover and newsprint insert.

Tommy McCook was not only a founding member of the legendary Jamaican Ska group The Skatalites, but also a brilliant musical arranger. His informed understanding of Jazz, R&B and in fact most music styles would always add another layer to any song put his way. This made him the go to guy for most of the Jamaican producers, who would use his arrangement skills to pepper up their latest tunes.

Tommy McCook, (b1927, Havana, Cuba) came to Jamaica with his mother from Cuba aged 11 and entered renowned Alpha Boys School for underprivileged children, a school that placed great emphasis on musical tuition. At the tender of 14, such was his talent he has left to join Eric Deans Orchestra and took on stints with other bands led by Don Hinchman and Roy Coburn. All the bands played in the Swing and Jazz style of the times. He relocated to the Bahamas in 1954 where he further developed his Jazz technique and upon his return to Jamaica in 1962 began working Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One and became involved in the development of Ska. His knowledge of Jazz, R& B and Jamaican musical forms helped set the tone for the group of musicians he was working with and would name the Skatalites. The group, consisting of Don Drummond (Trombone), Roland Alphonso (Tenor Saxophone), Jackie Mitoo (Piano), Lloyd Brevett (Bass), Lloyd Knibbs (Drums), alongside Tommy himself on Tenor Saxophone. The group would back all the major Ska vocalists pf the day and would also go on to cut a catalogue of instrumental music. The Skatalites split up in 1965 and Tommy McCook moved over to work with Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle Studios where he formed The Supersonics. A set of musicians under his guidance that consisted of Lynn Tait and Ernest Ranglin (Guitar), Neville Hinds and Winston Wright (Organ), Gladstone “Gladdy” Anderson (Piano), Hugh Malcolm and Arkland “Drumbago” Parks (Drums), Clifton “Jackie” Jackson (Bass), and Tommy and Hernon Marquis (Saxophone). The more laid back sounds from 1966-1968 would be given the name Rocksteady of which again McCook was at the forefront. The top producers like Bunny Lee would use the musicianship of Tommy McCook and his arrangement skills to enhance this new sound.

We have compiled a great selection of rhythms that featured McCook blowing over tracks stripped of their vocals and replaced with some fantastic lead lines played by Tommy and some of his fellow horns men.
We hope you agree like we do that they do this in fine style.

The Rascals are a British indie rock trio formed in 2006 by Miles Kane (guitar and vocals), Joe Edwards (bass) and Greg Mighall (drums), hailing from The Wirral on Merseyside. Before becoming The Rascals, all three members spent their formative years playing together in The Little Flames, gaining valuable experience touring with prominent contemporaries such as The Coral, The Zutons and, most significantly, Arctic Monkeys. It was while supporting Arctic Monkeys—drawing inspiration from their fiercely independent, DIY ethos and refusal to compromise—that the trio decided to trust their instincts and strike out on their own.

In September 2006, Kane, Edwards and Mighall began writing and jamming as a three-piece, giving birth to The Rascals. The band quickly developed a sound rooted in strong pop melodies and psychedelic flourishes, but distinguished by a darker, more introspective undercurrent. Influenced by artists such as Scott Walker, their music carries a sweeping, epic quality, while their lyrics often evoke a David Lynch–like atmosphere. As Kane explains, The Rascals were never content with skimming the surface, instead preferring to explore subtler, shadowy themes that reveal themselves over time.
Released on Deltasonic Records, Rascalize showcases clear influences from labelmates and peers such as The Coral, as well as echoes of bands like The Inspiral Carpets. Standout tracks including “The Glorified Collector,” “Does Your Husband Know That You’re On The Run?” and lead single “Freakbeat Phantom” highlight the band’s knack for catchy hooks, layered guitar effects and driving rhythms.

Mit der auf Metalville erschienenen LP "Godslave Limited Clear W Orangegreen Marble Vinyl Edition" präsentiert Godslave das nächste Level seiner Kreativität, bleibt aber im Großen und Ganzen seinem Stil treu. Godslave sind eine deutsche Thrash‑Metal‑Band, die sich durch geradlinige, riffgetriebene Kompositionen und eine ausgeprägte Nähe zur klassischen Teutonen‑Thrash‑Tradition auszeichnet; prägnante Lead‑Parts, treibende Rhythmusgitarren und rauer Gesang prägen das Klangbild. Die Arrangements setzen auf klare Strukturen, schnelle Tempiwechsel und gezielte melodische Einsprengsel, wodurch die Stücke zugleich eingängig und kraftvoll wirken. Live hat die Gruppe einen Ruf für energetische Auftritte, die die rohe Aggressivität der Studioaufnahmen unmittelbar transportieren. Auf ihren Veröffentlichungen bei Metalville zeigt die Band immer wieder, wie sich traditioneller Thrashsound mit moderner Produktion verbinden lässt, ohne die ursprüngliche Direktheit zu verwässern. Diese Edition wendet sich an Hörer/innen, die Wert auf handfeste Gitarrenarbeit und unverblümte Songstruktur legen.

180g 2LP im Gatefold mit 40 Seiten Booklet & 3 neuen Tracks

1976 und 1977 waren zwei sehr entscheidende Jahre im Leben von Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Die Band wechselte mehrere Bandmitglieder in der Mitte einer erfolgreichen Fünf-Alben-Abfolge, während sie mit ihrer einzigartigen Mischung aus Progressive Rock, Jazz und Bluesmusik eine unglaubliche Anhängerschaft in der ganzen Welt aufbaute. Obwohl Manfred selbst mit früheren Erfolgen in den Pop-Charts vertraut war, verschaffte The Roaring Silence Manfred Mann's Earth Band eine ganz neue Ebene des Ruhms, da dieses Album 1977 die Spitze der Charts erklomm.

Natürlich hatte Bruce Springsteens »Blinded By The Light« alle Voraussetzungen für einen Hit, aber es muss sowohl die Band als auch Springsteen überrascht haben, denn es war für beide die erste Nummer-Eins-Platte. Dieser Titel wurde von einer ganz neuen Legion von Mann-Fanatikern beklatscht, da die erfrischende Kombination aus dem Leadgesang des neu hinzugekommenen Chris Thompson und Manns vertrauten Keyboard-Phrasierungen diesen Titel zu einem modernen Classic-Rock-Standard machten. Auch heute noch ist dies einer der meistgespielten Songs der klassischen Rockgeschichte.

Limitiertes 180g Doppelvinyl im Gatefold mit Hängetaschen plus 40 Seiten Booklet mit ausführlichen Infos und Interviews!

Im Jahr 2026 jährt sich die Veröffentlichung des legendären Albums »The Roaring Silence« von Manfred Mann's Earth Band zum 50. Mal. Das Album, auf dem auch der US Nummer-1-Hit »Blinded By The Light« zu finden ist, stürmte weltweit die Charts. Diese Jubiläumsausgabe enthält das Originalalbum sowie ein exklusives Bonusalbum mit drei brandneuen Tracks der Band und Live-Versionen von Albumtiteln, sowohl aus der Zeit der Veröffentlichung als auch von aktuellen Konzerten. n

Donkey Inching', the Cellophane Suckers' ninth studio album, is set for release in September 2026. Unwavering and stubborn as a donkey, the Cellophane Suckers follow their very own path at their very own pace. The band, decried as "lead-swallowing" high-speed rock 'n' rollers, stoically let chords linger and celebrate feedback, reducing rather than harmonising, then picking up the speed when you least expect it and slowing down shortly afterwards to roll on in a Dadaist fashion the drums become a machine, the guitars increasingly embodying yin and yang. With "Execution Day", they pay tribute to Spencer P Jones, whom one might well cite as a musical influence, and Neil Young is also honoured, whose Wall of Sound goes down well with the Suckers. The fact that a text by Charles Bukowski is also "set to music" may be down to their love for red wine "Donkey Inching"... creeps stoically and stubbornly, like a donkey, into your ears. In July 2026, the Cellophane Suckers will once again be touring Brittany, and in September they'll be hosting a release party at the Sonic Ballroom in Cologne. Further concert weekends are planned for autumn/winter 2026...

Addictive and super-catchy classic Studio One instrumental cut led by the great saxophonist Lester Sterling, a founding member of The Skatalites. Sterling recorded extensively for Clement Dodd and this single was released in 1969 with The Paragon"s killer rocksteady "My Satisfaction" on the flip. The song "Afrikaan Beat" was originally recorded by the German orchestra leader Bert Kaempfert and was based on South African Kwela style of music. "Afrikaan Beat" featured on Soul Jazz Records" Studio One Scorcher.

Brian Fallon reunites with producer Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Fall Out Boy, Green Day) for Not Bad for New Jersey, his first collection of original solo songs since 2020's Local Honey. Fallon is best known as the frontman of The Gaslight Anthem (The '59 Sound, Handwritten). Featuring Brandon Flowers (The Killers), Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Lori McKenna, Donovan Woods, and guitarist Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant). Out September 10, 2026. Eleven tracks of high-energy, power-pop-leaning rock about underdogs turning setbacks into rocket fuel.

MEMPHIS, TN — Fat Possum Records and Hi Records are proud to announce the first vinyl pressing in half a century of Ann Peebles' 1975 album Tellin' It, fully remastered and recovered from the Hi Records vault, where it had sat untouched for decades. Available on vinyl in stores September 11, 2026 and can be pre-ordered now and also available streaming everywhere now. 
Peebles was at the height of her career when she recorded Tellin' It — coming off her biggest hit, "I Can't Stand the Rain," the year before. Produced by Willie Mitchell at Royal Studios in Memphis, with the grooves that defined the label's sound, backed by Howard Grimes' drumming and the Memphis Horns. 

"Peebles and Mitchell don't just recast "Rain" 10 different times—instead, they lean into the supple support laid down by the Hi Rhythm Section, who have plenty more uptempo grooves to offer." Andy Beta, Bandcamp
The original master tapes were sent to John Nicholson at Nashville Tape Transfer for their first listen in fifty years. From there, the project stayed close to home: remastered by Clay Jones in Taylor, MS, then back to Memphis for lacquers cuts by Jeff Powell (Take Out Vinyl), and was pressed & plated at Memphis Record Pressing.