Suche:lean year

Mikkel Rev returns to A Strangely Isolated Place with Evocation, his third full-length album shaped deep within the forests of Norway. 
Since Mikkel’s debut, The Art of Levitation first arrived on ASIP in 2023, Mikkel has been quietly building his own corner of the label’s catalog. Last year's Journey Beyond expanded that vision further, revealing an artist increasingly comfortable balancing the emotional pull of early trance with a more reflective, ambient-leaning approach. While his work elsewhere naturally gravitates towards the dance floor through his own collective, Ute Recordings and other club-focused outlets, his ASIP releases have always evolved differently. Beginning with a larger body of material that’s gradually shaped together, each album seeks to find a narrative without a dancefloor in place; one that moves naturally between momentum and stillness, carrying something of the spirit found in those early-'90s records that drifted effortlessly between peak-time energy and the quiet hours in room two. 
Long-form compositions like "Step Inside" and "MRI" favor gradual development over immediate impact, while "Dream Sand" introduces shimmering rhythms that subtly shift the album's momentum and pace. The piano-led "The Infinite" offers a definitive nod to the enduring emotional pull of classic trance before "Sanitorium" closes the record with one of Mikkel's most restrained and affecting pieces to date.
Evocation continues Mikkel Rev's remarkable run on ASIP, extending a catalog where echoes of trance's formative years find new expression through the communal energy and natural surroundings of the Nordic forest gatherings that have become an integral part of his world.
Ventral Is Golden returns on artwork duties, with Lupo handling the mastering and cut. Released on August 28th as a gatefold double LP on dusty purple smoke and digital.

Eighteen months on from the runaway success of The Only Place I Know — the debut that crashed in at #1 on the ARIA charts and #2 on the ARIA Vinyl Chart — Lake Macquarie's Surf Trash are back, and they're not watering it down. Their sophomore album No Chaser lands neat, on the rocks, no apologies: ten tracks of melodic surf-pop-punk hammered out by a band that has clearly spent the last year sharpening every edge.

It's a record you can hear the kilometres in. Between The Only Place I Know and now, Andrew Scott, Lachlan Jackson, Patrick Russell and Nick Scott have torn through a sold-out national run, criss-crossed the UK and Europe, and made a habit of leaving rooms louder than they found them. No Chaser carries the dust from all of it — bigger choruses, leaner production, a touch more bruise underneath the gloss. There's still that windows-down, salt-on-the-windscreen feel that made the debut impossible to ignore, but it's wired into songs that swing harder and cut deeper. Less wistful afternoon, more last-light drive home with the volume creeping up.

The four-piece make melodic surf-pop-punk that sounds great turned up loud — driving in your mate's car on the way back to the beach. Their debut, The Fire Note wrote, "delivers a dynamic debut… blending raw energy, introspective depth, and timeless indie rock flair." Manchester World called their first show on UK soil "epic… high energy and great song after great song," and the live reputation has only grown since: a band that's earned every inch of the ceiling it now hits.

No Chaser is the sound of them no longer waiting for permission. Singalong harmonies, fast tempo changes, good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll with a sense of urgency.

Bruno Silva returns under his Ondness moniker for his most personal album yet.

Recorded as an homage, a reference map, and a temporal slippage back to a transformative period of Bruno Silva's life, I Can Only Put So Much Into a Song conjures the threshold between his shoegaze-leaning teen years and a young adulthood defined by profound sonic landmarks: Iran’s The Moon Boys (whose cover serves as a key influence), The Microphones’ It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water, Fennesz’s Endless Summer, and the communal, tape- hiss maelstrom of the New Weird America underground—all underscored by a persistent Black Metal tension.

Taking its title from a lyric in Farrah Abraham’s masterpiece My Teenage Dream Ended, this new humble offering from Ondness drifts into the memory of song as half-remembered recollections, as if beamed from a recurring "now" of unfulfilled possibilities.

Collaborations have always been an aspect of music I enjoy a lot, it can bring out the best in both artists when done well. It's a privilege to return the favour for one of the most exciting producers around in my opinion and to put out some of our music on my label after I released 'Reflections' on his excellent Temple of Sound back in 2019.

Tom and I came up through similar circles of music, inevitably connecting. We started to chat online and send ideas back and forth, immediately finding a shared enthusiasm for production and music in general. With a similar ethos of DIY and letting the music speak for itself, this EP was formed from the track 20-25 aptly named due to the stems being bounced back in 2020 but it eventually came together in 2025. We exchanged a few ideas and quickly realized we had a pretty strong EP in the works combining the best of both our sounds.

The EP consists of 4 hypnotic & rolling bass music tracks around 130 BPM merging influences from broken & deep Techno styles, Breakbeat & House. Perfect for deep listening or wiggling air in the club.

20-25 is a crunchy broken beat roller with lush pad work, stabs and slinky grooves before dubbed out bongos crank the energy up a notch and solidify the groove. 5 years in the making, but definitely worth the wait!

Strings on the A2 leans heavier into repetition and hypnotic grooves with slinky synthetic percussion and cavernous atmospherics. The track gradually evolves with elements filtering in and out whilst the groove anchors the track before the breakbeat science and pitchy bass comes into play. It's low and slow, building the tension before weaving in the full power of the track with haunting dissonance and dark melodics.

The title track takes the EP in another direction with it's delicate melodies and vocal, ushering in thunderous kicks. Around 2 mins in, the full weight of the track is noticeable with the low sub bass and modulating percussion. The track slowly morphs into an insatiable groove with peaks and troughs before a full send on the 2nd drop with additional percussion, intensifying the energy and taking the track into more dancefloor territory.

Finally we have Depth Charge on the B2, eyes down, dubby with a wonkified groove. This one is a slow burner, coming in at over 8 mins long. The rhythmic prowess is on full display with counter balanced rhythms, an interesting bassline and dubby pads and stabs. The track has a noticeable energy shift around 3.30 with a key change, and the slow meshing of subtle elements culminate in an easeless hypnotism where 8 mins feels like a lot less, a perfect closer.

We hope you enjoy, keep it deep!

Collecting Orders for 2026 Repress

To mark 15 years of Butter Side Up, the label presents a special 2×vinyl compilation featuring eight brand-new cuts from artists who have been part of the BSU story over the years - a true family affair.

Contributions from Ron Obvious, Garrett David, DJ Pipe and a host of newer collaborators reflect the breadth of the label’s community. Each artist bringing their own flavour but all carrying the BSU spirit.

The first record leans into club‑focused cuts, while the second drifts deeper into housier, after‑hours territory. Something for everyone.

Featuring original illustrations and artwork by Yideah.

In a world currently defined by unrest, uncertainty, and cultural fracture, acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Isaiah Collier returns with Joy, a 5-track EP that reframes one of humanity’s most nuanced emotions both as a devotional grounding and political act.

Collier’s deeply personal compositions present joy as an act that isn’t rooted in escapism or abstraction, but rather, as something hard-won rooted in lived experience, shaped by transformation, and sustained through connection. Throughout the album’s five compositions, Collier positions joy as a guiding light during challenging times, an expression of challenging yourself to utilize your gifts, an affirmation of love and discovery, and as an affirmative source of reassurance.

“We are in a paradoxical time, where so much is being revealed to us,” Collier shares. “Everything feels political from every scope… our collective hearts feel the heaviness in the air. Yet I say to you all—don’t despair. For right now, the most political thing we can do is share joy.”

That ethos is made clear in the opening title track and lead single “Joy.” A pulsing rhythmic motif anchors the melody with a sense of both searching and certainty. Collier conceived the piece around 3 years ago reflecting on a time where many people in his life were experiencing loss of family and friends and experiencing profound life transitions. “Everything just felt like it was falling apart with no aim in sight,” he reflects. “Yet, there is a light at the end of it all.”

As he played the chords with a sense of urgency, he could feel the vibration of yellow in the piece. That initial triplet motif serves as the guiding light on the piano and the only word Collier could hear was Joy. In addition to Collier at the helm singing and playing piano and tenor sax on the track, it features an expansive 11-piece ensemble with a full horn and string section allowing Collier’s propensity for composition and arrangement to shine with an eclectic sonic palette.

“Landscape of Dreams” finds Collier serendipitously leaning into utilizing his gifts as a multi-instrumentalist. While he had a sketch of the piece going into the studio, a traffic delay caused musicians to be late arriving at the studio. Never one to waste time in the studio environment, Collier stepped into new creative territory and took up the challenge of executing playing all instruments himself as an act of trust and experimentation. “I’ve never done this before, and so it was a leap of faith for me,” he asserts. “I always dream of doing stuff like this, and being part of the small percentage of people who can do it like Prince, Steve Lacy, Frank Zappa, and Stevie Wonder. The end result finds Collier immersed in a hypnotic soundscape playing layered flutes, drums, Metatron, Wurlitzer, and auxiliary percussion.

Another layer of joy is revealed in “Where I’m Loved” that serves as a love letter and leaning into the process of stepping into the willingness to explore life and love with a partner. On the intimate meditation of vulnerability and connection, Collier's vocal prowess is on full display, exerting effortless falsetto reminiscent of D’Angelo over soulful Wurlitzer and guitar as he crosses over into more R&B-inspired realms. “I believe everyone deserves this feeling or to honor the memories of it. Furthermore, I believe you should also go where you’re celebrated and not tolerated.”

“When the Dust Settles” captures the electricity of live collaboration and Collier further steps out of being confined to any specific genre. He had just gotten a microKORG keyboard from co-producer Sonny Daze and was exploring the vast array of sounds on the instrument. Collier plays synth bass on the microKORG joined by the electrifying improvisation of Cole Runge on guitar and the combustible rhythm of his brother Jeremiah Collier on drums with additional post-production work from Sonny Daze.

The album’s final track “God’s By Your Side” reflects on perseverance and artistic legacy, directly inspired from the passing of D’Angelo, whose life’s work was a huge part of Collier’s childhood growing up in the late 90s and early 00s. With gospel flavor and direct influence both from D’Angelo’s vocal and instrumental arrangements, the track speaks to resilience and persistence in the face of obstacles—an affirmation of source and reassurance. “And what’s better than having God by your side, right?” asserts Collier.

Joy is a through-and-through expression of the arc of joy in its truest form. Joy transcends fleeting happiness and is conscious gratitude shaped by taking chances, leaning into your gifts, fostering community, and lived experiences.

“Joy is partially happiness,” Collier explains. “But to me it means happily being grateful for family, friends, lovers, teachers, and good times. These are the things that anchor us.”

The release of Joy comes off the heels of significant momentum for Collier, whose work continues to garner accolades and resonate across cultural spheres. He was featured on the cover of DownBeat’s April 2025 issue, where he was named “The Next Sax Giant,” and profiled on NPR’s Jazz Night in America for his ambitious 13-movement interdisciplinary suite The Story of 400 Years, that traces 400 years of Black American History. He released two full-length albums in 2024 with The World Is on Fire highlighted in The New York Times’ Fall Arts Preview and The Almighty named among the publication’s Best Jazz Albums of the year.

Beyond performance and recoding, Collier’s influence is recognized in broader cultural and intellectual spaces as he was the recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2025 Up and Coming Artist of the Year Award, the 2024 Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz, and was named a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow joining an elite cohort of the next generation of artistic visionaries through a yearlong program.

In addition to the release of Joy, Collier is touring his “Collier Plays Coltrane” program throughout 2026 in honor of John Coltrane’s centennial. Rather than presenting Coltrane’s expansive catalog as repertory, Collier approaches this music as something living, reshaping it in real-time with a sense of space and improvisational dialog reflecting both reverence to the past and present times.

After a year in the making, Laolu completes his Mascara EP with the release of its final single, ‘Mental'. A beautifully instinctive collaboration with Benni Ola that captures the magic of spontaneity and creative connection.

The foundations of the track were first laid in Bali, where Laolu began experimenting with a guitar recording from another project. Drawn to Benni Ola’s unmistakable vocal energy after repeatedly playing his music, the producer immediately felt a connection between the unfinished instrumental and Benni’s voice. Months later, the pair met during a writing camp in Portugal, instantly establishing a creative chemistry that would eventually lead them to Los Angeles, where Mental was recorded in a single, fluid session.

Built around intuition and emotion rather than overthinking, the collaboration unfolded almost effortlessly. What began as a loose idea quickly transformed into a record overflowing with memorable hooks, as both artists leaned fully into the moment and trusted the energy in the room. Benni Ola described the experience as feeling “electrified” from the instant the track played, recalling the session as something almost channelled rather than consciously written. One of those rare creative moments where everything simply falls into place.

That sense of immediacy and freedom runs throughout Mental. Warm, soulful, and emotionally charged, the track balances hypnotic grooves with expressive vocal delivery, creating a record that feels both intimate and euphoric.

Together with previous singles Mascara and Velvet Blooms featuring Paul Brenning, Mental completes the ‘Mascara' EP. A rich and deeply expressive body of work that highlights Laolu’s ability to fuse emotion, groove, and collaboration into something truly timeless.

As with all releases on Siembra, the single is tied to artwork inspired by Magic Carpet - a painting by Laolu’s late father, created in Nigeria in the early 1980s. It’s a personal and cultural thread running through each release, defining the visual identity of Siembra as the label evolves.

Music From Memory presents 'Mood Programs – Extended Play', a two-track release by LA MARR, a new project conceived by Ron Trent. Representing the first in an ongoing series of releases on Music From Memory, ‘Mood Programs - Extended Play’ opens a new chapter within Trent’s deep and continually evolving body of work, rooted in mood-driven composition, spatial depth and the emotional resonance of sound within physical space.

Influenced by ambient and environmental music, New Age, dub traditions, New Wave, Krautrock and HiFi sound system culture, LA MARR reflects many of the formative ideas that informed Trent’s evolving approach to sound and sonic architecture from the early 1980s onward. Rather than revisiting these influences nostalgically, the project recontextualises them through a contemporary production language, balancing analog warmth with precision and spatial depth.

Developed through years of sonic experimentation and research into the physical and psychological qualities of sound, LA MARR extends Ron Trent’s long-standing interest in the relationship between rhythm, acoustics and human connection. Built through a combination of analog processes and contemporary computer-assisted production, the project explores warmth, resonance, depth and sonic clarity through carefully sculpted environments of tone and texture.

Gently unfolding within a spacious, ambient-leaning framework, 'Mood Programs – Extended Play' moves beyond passive background listening toward something more intentional and immersive. Across both tracks, ‘Good Magic’ and ‘Clear’, layers of hypnotic synthesizer arpeggios and gently floating pads gradually unfold alongside organic percussion and subtle low-end movement, creating compositions that feel simultaneously meditative, physical and emotionally responsive. Sound is treated not simply as musical information, but as an environmental force capable of shaping perception, mood and awareness within a room.

'Mood Programs – Extended Play' will be released digitally and on vinyl through Music From Memory on July 15th. Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

Now marking eight years in the underground, Blur Records delivers a various artist collection that reflects its sound across always floor-facing cuts across a house and disco spectrum tinged with retro flair. 'Back To The Disco' by Hotmood opens with big loops and a hands in the air grove that is high on funky-disco vibes, while Delfonic keeps things tight on 'Let's Do The Magic' which centres a vocal hook and busy chords. Elsewhere, Crackazat's sultry rework of Scruscru's 'Just House' adds a jazz-leaning touch and 'Touch Me' shifts into a more restrained, late-night mood. Closing with the deep, plump drums of Sven Wegner's sexy, sax-laced 'Chuck The Boom', the collection stays consistently accessible and groovy throughout.

FLO are leading the modern revival of the British girl group — and doing so at a scale not seen in over two decades. With over half a billion global streams, the trio have delivered the highest-selling tour by a British girl group in more than 20 years, becoming the first since the Spice Girls to reach that milestone. They are also the first British girl group to receive a Grammy nomination in two decades, alongside three MOBO nominations in 2026, cementing their status as both a commercial and cultural force. Rather than simply revisiting the past, FLO are reshaping the possibilities for what a contemporary girl group can be.

Comprised of Renée Downer, Stella Quaresma and Jorja Douglas, FLO’s story is one of intention, craft and deep-rooted connection. The trio had long been aware of one another through theatre school circles, social media and shared creative worlds before coming together as a group in 2019. That early familiarity quickly grew into a sisterhood, shaped behind the scenes through years of studio work, vocal development and trust. Raised by strong single mothers and immersed in performance from a young age, each member brings resilience, emotional intelligence and discipline into the group — qualities that underpin both their sound and their dynamic.

Individually, FLO’s balance comes from contrast. Renée is the group’s compass: composed, business-minded and creatively precise, grounding the trio with clarity and vision. Stella is the spark and the glue — sociable, emotionally intuitive and collaborative — shaped by a childhood between England and Mozambique where music was communal, expressive and felt. Jorja is the fire: outspoken, instinctive and vocally commanding, with a natural ear for harmony and arrangement. Their roles shift and evolve, but together they form a unit built on mutual respect, honesty and shared authorship.

That chemistry is central to FLO’s music. Drawing from classic R&B and soul while pushing it forward through modern production, their sound centres vocal harmony, emotional nuance and storytelling that reflects the realities of young womanhood. FLO reject the idea that strength requires emotional distance; instead, they explore power through vulnerability, confidence and control. From independence and self-worth to intimacy and desire, their writing is direct and unapologetically theirs. As Jorja puts it, FLO are “the brains, the heart and the soul” behind everything they do.

The success of their debut album marked a defining moment — not only for FLO, but for British pop more broadly. It confirmed the appetite for harmony-led, female-fronted groups operating with creative agency, and propelled FLO onto global stages, from sold-out headline tours to major festivals and international television. Along the way they have earned respect from R&B legends and peers alike, performing during Grammy Week for icons including Mariah Carey, Brandy and Chaka Khan, and showcasing their vocal chemistry on NPR’s Tiny Desk — a moment that further underlined the trio’s technical precision and emotional depth.

With their next chapter, Therapy At The Club, FLO expand this emotional honesty into a fully realised creative universe. The concept reimagines the club not just as a place of nightlife, but as a site of release, confession and self-possession — encompassing the moments before, during and after the night out. From mirror affirmations and pre-game chaos, to late-night Uber conversations, dance-floor catharsis and the clarity of the morning after, Therapy At The Club captures how women process desire, heartbreak, confidence and healing in real time, together. It is both fantasy and reality: cinematic, fashion-led and emotionally raw, grounded in sisterhood as a form of survival.

Sonically, the new music leans into dark, euphoric R&B and pop with sharper edges, built on vocal mastery and diaristic storytelling. Lead single “Leak It” sets the tone for the era — playful, charged and unapologetically self-aware — exploring what happens when desire spills over, secrets surface and control is reclaimed. Across the new songs, FLO move fluidly between intimacy and euphoria, turning the club into a space where vulnerability is power and feeling everything is the point.

As a trio built on discipline, joy and deep creative trust, FLO represent a new model for the British girl group: one rooted in authorship, harmony and cultural impact. Balancing softness with strength and ambition with authenticity, they are shaping the future of R&B and pop on their own terms. FLO are not looking backwards — they are setting the standard for what comes next.

With Fuck, Marry, Kill, Tink delivers her most provocative and conceptually sharp body of work to date, firmly reclaiming her position as a premier storyteller in the modern R&B landscape. Moving beyond the diary-entry style of her earlier years, this project utilizes the titular game as a brutal yet honest framework for the complexities of modern intimacy. Tink navigates the chaos of the dating world with a dual-threat precision that few can match, seamlessly blending the grit of her Chicago rap roots with the velvet textures of contemporary soul. Under the executive production of Hitmaka, the album finds its heartbeat in the friction between high-gloss production and raw, unfiltered lyricism.

The album is meticulously structured to mirror the chaotic cycle of urban romance: the adrenaline of fleeting lust, the heavy stakes of long-term commitment, and the inevitable coldness of a bridge burned. In the "Fuck" segment, Tink radiates a lethal confidence, delivering anthems of autonomy and physical desire that demand space in the club and on the charts. As the project transitions into "Marry," she peels back the armor, offering a vulnerable look at the desire for stability and the terrifying leap of faith required to trust a partner. However, it is in the "Kill" section where Tink’s songwriting truly bites; here, she chronicles the aftermath of betrayal and the empowerment that comes from cutting ties, transforming her heartbreak into a weapon of self-preservation.

Ultimately, Fuck, Marry, Kill is a masterclass in "Toxic R&B" that refuses to settle for easy answers. Tink captures the specific anxiety of a generation trying to distinguish between a temporary thrill and a permanent soulmate, all while navigating a world of ghosting and digital infidelity. By leaning into her flaws and her triumphs with equal intensity, she creates a sonic space where listeners feel both seen and vindicated. This isn't just an album about love—it's a survival guide for the heart, narrated by an artist who has seen every side of the game and lived to write the definitive soundtrack for it.

"Paired Works is a double EP by Justine Perry and Paula Koski, developed in parallel within the same time and environment. Evolving through years of shared surroundings and creative exchange, the record emerges as a natural extension of that connection.
Produced separately, the tracks document two distinct inner worlds shaped through proximity. Justine Perry leans into deep, hypnotic forms, while Paula Koski moves through dubby and spacious structures driven by texture.
Across four sides, the record shifts between focused, forward-moving passages and more atmospheric moments, creating a subtle push and pull. Rather than settling into one singular moment on the dancefloor, it stretches across the shifting phases of a long club night.
Timeless and elegant in its approach, Paired Works marks the debut release on Ostgut Ton for both artists.“

At the age of 72, "Evil" Graham Lee, the legendary pedal steel pioneer and veteran of the iconic Australian band The Triffids, delivers his first ever album under his own name titled ‘I Think I’m Alone Now’. In addition to his work with The Triffids, Graham’s place in ambient history was cemented in 1990 when his evocative pedal steel became the soulful centerpiece of The KLF’s masterpiece, Chill Out (specifically on the highlight “Baltimore to Fair Play”).

I Think I’m Alone Now is a profound exploration of the instrument's emotional range, blending traditional country infused melodies with vast, reverb drenched ambient textures. The album spans six tracks, anchored by the Side B title track, a 15 minute textural piece that leans heavily into the ambient genre. From the delicate melancholy of "Seeking Beauty in Sadness" to the curious abstraction of "Nursery in the Beehive," Lee uses his pedal steel and an array of pedals to sculpt unique, haunting soundscapes that exist between tradition and the avant garde.

The connection is brought full circle with exclusive liner notes written by The KLF’s Bill Drummond. Reflecting on a forty year friendship that began when The Triffids served as the backing band for Drummond’s solo debut, The Man, Drummond provides a personal and poignant context for this long awaited solo bow.

A 180g pressing housed in a full sleeve designed by Bradley Pinkerton with metallic sticker and bespoke inner sleeve featuring liner notes signed by Bill Drummond.

Byard Lancaster released no less than 4 albums on the Palm Records, label in the 1970s: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib. On Exactement, Lancaster performs alone for the most part– swapping instruments and occasionally joined by percussionist Keno Speller.

At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.

In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of… Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again.

On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release no less than four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib. The recording of Exactement required two sessions in the studio: on the 1st February and the 18th May 1974 – in between the two dates, Lancaster recorded, alongside Clint Jackson, the excellent Mother Africa.

On the cover of Exactement, there are two names: Lancaster (Byard) and Speller (Keno). OK. But for what reason ‘Exactement’? Perhaps because Byard Lancaster wanted to be precise, moving regularly from one instrument to another: piano, to begin, which was the first instrument he learned. Sur "“Sweet Evil Miss Kisianga”", his inspiration is first and foremost Coltrane (even if leaning more towards Alice than John) but this announces the storm to follow.

It is Lancaster’s horn-playing which really stands out: on alto (the sound of which is transformed by an octavoice on one track, "Dr. Oliver W. Lancaster") or soprano saxophones, as well as on flute or bass clarinet, the musician walks a tightrope making the most of all the risks he takes. Using the full register of his instruments, he has fun with the possibilities.

Then, Lancaster invokes or evokes Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and even Prokofiev, before even going into a danse alongside Keno Speller on percussion. But above all he makes us aware of a unique sound. We can go on to say that on "Exactement", that perhaps Byard Lancaster, on whatever instrument and by continually seeking, ends up always hitting the right note… ends up by playing exactement the note he had to play.

CROWD welcomes Gina Demarchi with 'Other Side', a driving 4-track EP that adds a new voice to the label's growing roster. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Gina Demarchi has spent the last nine years refining her signature hypnotic blend of tribal-infused grooves, rolling percussion and emotionally charged energy, showcasing a sound rooted in 2000s techno and dubbed chords. As a resident at the event series Fungi and founder of her own label Seduction, she has built a strong reputation through performances all across South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and beyond. Opening track 'Never Enough' immediately sets the tone. Powered by a tom-driven bassline, huge open hats and uplifting chord melodies, it moves with a propulsive forward energy that plants the listener firmly on the dancefloor from the first bar. Next up on the A-side is 'I'm In Love', where endlessly echoing warm chords churn above a pulsing low end while marching claps and driving percussion lock the track into pure peak-time territory, serving as a reliable anchor for any uncompromising techno set. The title track 'Other Side' leans deeper and groovier, combining a gliding bassline with swinging chord stabs and crisp percussion that give full focus to the track's powerful low-end movement. Sitting somewhere between hypnotic and relentless, it is perhaps the clearest expression of what makes Gina Demarchi's sound so compelling. Closing cut 'Lonely' strips things back but lands with maximum impact: fast-paced chord repetitions, tight closed hats and sub-heavy drums generate a sense of momentum, creating a track that feels explosive and intense without relying on excessive speed. With 'Other Side', Gina Demarchi delivers a high-impact debut that reflects both the raw spirit of her unmistakable sound and the identity of the CROWD universe. The 11th release of the label is another statement from a label that has consistently refused to follow trends, instead carving out a singular identity rooted in raw energy. Join us for a high energy release party on July 5th 2026 al Le Sucre in Lyon!

Having built a reputation through an impressive run of standout releases on labels such as Life and Death, United Identities, HOME//GRXWN. and Berg Audio, coupled with an ever-growing presence behind the scenes, Dutch DJ/producer M-HIGH arrives on Up The Stuss for his label debut with ‘What’s Going On’ - a four-track collection that shifts shape as it moves.

A friendship dating back years, with Chris having been a key early supporter of M-HIGH’s productions, regularly digging through fresh sketches and unreleased ideas while both artists carved their own individual paths, that connection now comes full circle here with a heavily anticipated first outing on the label that has long felt inevitable - it was simply a case of when.

Never holding still in one form for too long, he plays with tension and release across the individual tracks, balancing airy, vocal-led moments with weightier, more grounded rhythms, allowing each idea room to unfold without losing momentum. There’s a constant sense of motion that runs through the record from the first minute to the last, yet it’s an EP that showcases distinct sides to his growing sound across each production. Melodic passages drift in and out of focus, giving way to tougher, more angular sections before circling back again.

Subtle nods to classic house touches, from organs to retro-leaning motifs, are reframed through a more off-center lens and direction, while flashes of electro influence and low-slung grooves keep things unpredictable for the later hours. It’s a record that feels built for both peak dancefloor use and also the in-between moments, when the energy shifts, the room resets, and the direction isn’t quite locked yet.

Brannten Schnüre is an experimental dark folk group out of Würzburg, Germany. Christian Schoppik composed and played all the music, Katie Rich whispers, recites and sings. Together they make astoundingly beautiful folk with a rich instrumentation leaning towards the atonal spectrum. Instrumental wanderings stand alongside Nico-esque poetry tales. Christian plays the accordeon and in some songs guitar and flute. Inspired by hierophants like Nový Svet and David Jackman, solemn song fragments (a lot of old greek rembetiko-recordings) are modified and looped, with additional instruments and voices being integrated later on. Their music has been described as 'surreal folkcollage' and 'german hauntology'.

With the emergence of Schoppik's second project, a dada cabaret called Agnes Beil in 2010, Brannten Schnüre moved closer to the song structures of its frivolous sibling. The songs of Schoppik's latest creation Sommer im Pfirsichhain are further accompanied by a female singing voice, lending the pieces the voluptuous quality of a stickily tense midsummer. Sommer Im Pfirsichhain (Summer In The Peachgrove) is the second part of a quartet of releases. The first being Aprilnacht which got released on Sic Sic Tapes last year. Part three Geträumt hab' ich vom Martinszug and part four will follow later.

Reference points are bands like Winter Family and Twinsistermoon. Music etched on folkloric, ritual elements transferred into the 21th century. Also worth mentioning is the hand-drawn artwork which is made by artist Gwénola Carrère.

Tywi steps forward on People & Places with Suspended Memories. Pulling together years of studio exploration, the four-track EP offers the most complete reflection of the Welsh producer’s sound to date.

Drawing on dub soundscapes and a spectrum of progressive influences, each track tells a different story. The title track, Suspended Memories, brings together murky atmospherics and an infectious bassline, drawing the listener deeper with an understated sense of tension. Off Axis leans into a more driving energy, offsetting the EP’s introspective core, while Night Seeker settles into a subtler groove, capturing those early dancefloor moments as tension begins to build. Closing track Onko adds weight and resolution, its name nodding to the Japanese concept of learning from the past – an idea that runs through the release as a whole.

First Word Records are proud to bring you the debut EP from papaya noon - ‘through the moods’.

papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott.

Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop & electronica.

The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown & the late great Fatman Scoop.

This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves & deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own.

All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn.

The future is NOW, as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world.

‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics.

Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation & layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic & futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap & neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both.

The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”.


From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ & EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.

Already hailed by some as “the Welsh Moonchild”, papaya noon were named as one of Clash Magazine’s “must-see” acts at FOCUS Wales in 2025, bringing their music to life on stage with their 5-piece live band, additionally performing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Inglefest, Nowadaze, Swn Festival & Good Vibrations Society, as well as NXNe and BreakOut West in Canada, and supporting the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band & Reel People.

With everything already pointing to the duo swiftly becoming one of the hottest new soul acts in Britain, this is only the beginning of the journey for papaya noon…

‘through the moods’ will be released on vinyl & all digital platforms on Fri 10th July.

Ever since the late 1950s bossa-nova revolution, Brazil’s influence on French music has been undeniable. Pierre Barouh, Georges Moustaki and a vast array of lesser known artists, all made the Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB) an axis of promotion at the service of a cool and metaphysical, modern and mixed Brazilian lifestyle. Some were seduced by the poetic languors of the bossa, some were looking for fun, and others just loved the American hybridization of jazz-bossa, jazz-samba.



What is bossa nova? One of its creators, Joao Gilberto said: "Its style, cadence, everything is samba. At the very start, we didn't call it bossa nova, we sang a little samba made up of a single note - Samba de uma nota so .... The discussion around the origins of bossa nova is therefore useless”. It is nevertheless useful to remember that these magnificent Brazilian songs, which the guitarist describes as samba, were shifted and balanced around improbable chords. "I like things that lean, the in-betweens that limp with grace," said Pierre Barrouh, quoting Jean Cocteau.



With emotion, arrangements for violin and supple guitar licks, bossa nova rapidly changed. A transformation that can be heard in the Tchic, tchic, French Bossa Nova 1963-1974 compilation, the result of a cultural reappropriation, which traveled through the United States and supplemented itself in France.

A musical revolution that has remained significant, bossa nova was born in Rio. From 1956 to 1961, Brazil lived through its golden years. In five years, the country had invented its modernist style. Elected president in 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, an elegant man with a broad forehead, brandished a promising slogan: "Fifty years of progress in five years". He quickly got to work. Not worried about increasing debt, he launched the project for a new federal capital, Brasilia, designed by the communist architect Oscar Niemeyer. Volkswagen opened state-of-the-art factories and created the “fusquinha”, the Beetle. In Rio, the Vespa made its first appearance. The Arpoador Surf Club crew run into the “girl” from Ipanema, Helô Pinheiro - the tanned garota ("chick"), between a flower and mermaid, who at 17 walked by the Veloso bar, where the fiery author and composer, Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, were getting drunk on whiskey. From then on, bossa symbolized cool.

In 1958, Joao Gilberto recorded Chega de Saudade, which the directors of Philips denied, calling it "music for fagots". The marketing director, who believed in it, secretly pressed 3000 78-inch vinyls and distributed them at schools around Rio, creating a tidal wave.

American jazzmen then took over. In particular, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and guitarist Charlie Byrd. In November 1962, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded a "Bossa-Nova" concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, inviting the genre’s pioneers. Unprepared, the show soon turned to disaster. But the troupe was invited to the White House by Jackie Kennedy. The first lady loved "the new beat" and in particular Maria Ninguem, a song by Carlos Lyra, later covered by Brigitte Bardot.

In Brazil, the 1964 military coup quickly ended this euphoria. The destructive atmosphere that ensued pushed many Brazilian musicians to leave, if not to exile. Thus, Tom Jobim, Sergio Mendes and Joao Gilberto arrived to the United States. In New York, Joao Gilberto met saxophonist Stan Getz. At the time, he was married to the Bahianese Astrud Weinert Gilberto, who had a German father. She had never sung before, but she knew how to speak English. Getz therefore asked her to replace her husband on The Girl From Ipanema. The Getz/Gilberto record with Tom Jobim on piano, was released in March 1964. Phil Ramone, the "pope of pop" was in charge of sound.

Bossa nova arrived in Paris through the classic “guitar-voice” channel (Pierre Barouh, Baden Powell, Moustaki…) But France loved jazz and Paris had already welcomed its American contributors. All these good people were to pass through Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The cabaret l'Escale became the Mecca of Latin American sound where one could find Pierre Barrouh and his friends, such as the Camara Trio, samba-jazz aces, whose only record was published by the Saravah label. With a band strangely called Les Masques (a band that included Nicole Croisille and Pierre Vassiliu, among others), the Camara Trio recorded an interesting Brazilian Sound, including the track Il faut tenir which is present on this tasty compilation of rarities.

Other enlightened musicians can also be found on the compilation, such as Jean-Pierre Sabar (songwriter for Hardy, Auffray, Leforestier ...) and the French pop rock organist Balthazar. In 1975, Sabar recorded Aurinkoinen Musiikkimatka on a Finnish label, which featured the crazy Vai, Vai, included on this record. We are now following the footsteps of Brazilian electronic musicians such as Sergio Mendes, Eumir Deodato or Marcos Valle who created funk and disco sounds on their keyboards and synthesizers. A style that influenced Véronique Sanson when she wrote Jusqu’à la Tombée de la nuit in 1969 for Isabelle de Funès, the niece of Louis and a great friend of Michel Berger - Sanson did end up singing this track on her 1992 Sans Regret record.


The pinnacle of exoticism and travel, Sylvia Fels’ Corto Maltese includes bongos, sea mist and ocean sounds. The title was taken from Jacky Chalard’s concept album written in 1974, Je suis vivant, mais j’ai peur (I am alive, but I am scared), based on Gilbert Deflez’s science fiction novel.


However, bossa nova extended the scope of popularity. "In the 1970s, I was a fan of Sergio Mendes, Getz / Gilberto. I fell in love with this music that I knew because I had been an orchestral singer, " explained Isabelle Aubret, who in 1971 delivered a composite record of covers by the very funky Jorge Ben, Orfeu Negro, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Morais and Jean Ferrat. "I recorded this album for Meys Records in Paris, far from Brazil, with wonderful musicians, François Raubert, Roland Vincent, Alain Goraguer...". The latter wrote the arrangements for Casa Forte, a very percussive title borrowed from Edu Lobo, one of the initiators of the bossa who spent time in California. "Jazz and bossa came together and produced very rhythmic music. I love singing, it allows me to dream, to have fun, to feel a high on stage, and these songs brought me joy, made me swing, my singing felt like a dance.”


The world tours of French singers and their desire for the tropics, often brought them to Rio with its hills, forests, caipirinhas and tanned bodies. There are surprises though, like this Iemenja (Iemenja is the goddess of the sea in the Afro-Brazilian candomblé religion). Not unlike the composer and musician Jean-Pierre Lang, based in Sao Paulo, Claire Chevalier taught Brazil to Brazil. In 1970, the singer and painter published a 45-inch vinyl, Mon mari et mes amants (My husband and my lovers), under the improbable pseudonym of Clarinha (little Claire). She was then living in Rio, with her husband, Joël Leibovitz, who founded a band called Azimuth, and who owned a record label specialized in "sambas enredos" songs for samba school parades.


For its B side, she asked Pierre Perret to come up with lyrics for a song composed by Carlos Imperial: "Oh goddess of the sea, o goddess Iemenja, I bring a white rose to adorn your long hair ..." . "Perret came to see us, and we had fun, remembers Joël Leibovitz. We wrote Lemenja for fun, we recorded it at the Havaí studio, behind the Central do Brasil the central station. Erlon Chaves, the arranger who worked with Elis Regina, joined us" adding his share of Afro-Brazilian percussions and funky brass to the mix.

There is a common misunderstanding in Franco-Brazilian history: that bossa, admittedly hedonistic, is perceived as funny, even though the poets who wrote the texts are often philosophizing on the human condition. Its French interpreters pull it towards a carnival inspired universe, far removed from its fundamental essence. Thus, Jean Constantin covered the famous Samba da minha terra, an ode to the art of samba written by the classic Bahian composer Dorival Caymmi, renaming it with the enticing title of Pas tant de tchi tchi pompon: "On your pier there is no tchi tchi / when you arch your back, you know everything is alright ”(lyrics by Gérard Calvi). This expedited bossa aims for the absurd, but retains a certain elegance.

Indeed, Jean Constantin was not an idiot, the rather large man had a huge mustache and liked fantasy, (Les pantoufles à papa, Le pacha, inspired by cha-cha-cha-cha, salsa and jazz) but he was also the lyricist of Mon manège à moi interpreted by Edith Piaf, the composer of Mon Truc en plume by Zizi Jeanmaire and the soundtrack of François Truffaut’s 400 Blows. Le Poulpe, published in 1970, from which this bossa is extract, was arranged by Jean-Claude Vannier, an accomplice of Serge Gainsbourg’s Melody Nelson. In short: "There is enough of samba / By looking at the parasol / Because my poor cabeza / Is going to die in the sun".

Even the American actress Marpessa Down, who was at the heart of the bossa nova revolution with her role as Euridyce in Marcel Camus’ film Orfeu Negro, winner of the 1959 Cannes Palme d'or, fed the clichée with Je voudrais parler au petit cuica - "Tell me how you manage to always make people want to dance / It's true, I must admit that I cannot resist your magic" - in consequence, once can hear the cuica, a little drum inherited from the Bantu.


But bossa nova had many angles. Societal, of course, pushing actresses who were symbols of women's liberation like Brigitte Bardot, Jeanne Moreau, or Sophia Loren to engage in the exercise of accelerated bossa. In February of 1963, Sophia Loren made a record in French in Rome, Je ne t'aime plus, featuring the song De jour en jour, a bossa written by two Italians, Armando Trovajoli and Tino Fornai, which was released a little later by Barclay. Bossa accompanied the 1960s, a decade of moral liberation. Ann Sorel, who interpreted La Poupée des favellas, caused a sensation with L’amour à plusieurs, a provocative song written by Frédéric Bottom and Jean-Claude Vannier. As for the actress Andrea Parisy, she displayed her bourgeois cheekiness in Marcel Carné's Les Tricheurs before interpreting Les mains qui font du bien. And Magalie Noël, the friend of Boris Vian, who sung Johnny fais-moi mal, was hired to sing Une énorme Samba, composed by Alain Goraguer (arranger to Gainsbourg, Bobby Lapointe and Jean Ferrat) with lyrics by Frédéric Botton.

But in the end, of what wood is bossa nova made of? The answer is given by Christianne Legrand, daughter of Raymond the conductor, and sister to Michel the composer: "With me, with jà" - jà means "immediately" in Portuguese. In 1972, the singer, an expert in vocal jazz and a member of the Double Six, published Le Brésil de Christianne Legrand. Two songs included on the Tchic Tchic compilation that demonstrate how bossa, jazz, funk, rock, etc. work like a swiss army knife: the music is used to denounce broken systems, or miracles, HLM et ciné roman, Cent mille poissons dans ton filet, two songs from the O Cafona soundtrack, a successful telenovela broadcast, at the time in black and white, on TV Globo. The first was adapted in French by the fighter and friend of the Legrand tribe, Agnès Varda. The second is content with a play on words, jostling them into a summer fun.



Véronique Mortaigne

Detroit Legend, Rick Wade joins Collect Records for the first time with Just Beneath EP. A key figure in Detroit's second generation of house producers and founder of Harmonie Park, Rick Wade delivers three deep and hypnotic cuts rooted in jazz, soul and classic machine funk. Warm, stripped-down and functional, with one acid-leaning track adding extra tension to the EP. Underground house music for late night hours. Collect Records operates from Collect, the Lisbon-based record shop and radio located in Cais do Sodre, a meeting point for DJs, collectors and the local underground scene.

The follow up to 2022’s ‘Return to the Island’ LP is a new 6 track EP influenced heavily by the evocative powers of incense and a deep sense of escapism. The EP has a more organic sound palette than its predecessor, from both the use of samples and appearance of various guest musicians. Lead track ‘Morning Star’ features long standing collaborator Mike Burn (Udaberri Blues & Mama Capes) who adds his trademark liquid gold lead and rhythm guitar lines with live bass from Fernando Pulichino.

The guest on ‘Savanna’ is frequent Jack J collaborator Linda Fox, who provides emotive and melancholy sax over a Dub House backing track with a particularly dreamy chord progression. The EP features Instrumental Dubs of both tracks, alongside two other new productions, the 80s leaning ‘Hands Across the Sea’ and ‘Wah Fix’, which rounds off the more Dub influenced B side with a 125 BPM bouncy Dub House excursion.

In 2026 the Jura Soundsystem project enters its 10th year and is the creative musical outlet of Isle of Jura founder Kevin Griffiths. All tracks produced at IOJ HQ in Moana, Adelaide between 2022 and 2025 with support from the incense gods of Cedarwood, Jasmine and Sandalwood. The 12” is housed in a 3mm spine full sleeve designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

Under the moniker Trace Mountains, Dave Benton writes music that asks large questions in quietly profound ways. On the project’s earliest release, the 2014 compilation Buttery Sprouts & Other Songs, these thoughts appeared as lo-fi scraps of wit andtenderness. But by the time A Partner to Lean On, Trace Mountains’ debut full-length, arrived in 2018, Benton’s perceptive indie rock had matured into more existential meditations about identity, existence, and finding sense in an increasingly chaotic world.
In the two years since A Partner to Lean On, Benton’s life has undergone several large changes, namely the dissolution of LVL UP, the indie rock quartet he co-founded in college, and a move to Kingston, a small city in New York’s Hudson Valley. Composed during—but not directly inspired by—this transition, Trace Mountains’ second record, Lost in the Country, reflects Benton’s need toreconnect with his inner world.

Prompted by an urge to access a more authentic voice, Lost in the Country finds Benton digging deeper into candid songwriting. “I wanted to open myself up and write lyrics that are a little bit more direct,” he explains. “I write a lot of songs that are about myself and a lot of songs that aren’t, but on this record, the focus is turned inward either way.” The result is Trace Mountains’ strongest and most assured record yet, 10 songs driven by a desire for introspection and self-discovery. The backdrop for this insularity is an expanse of wide blue skies, seas of trees, and winding roads, ideal locales for thoughts to blossom into greater reflections of the outer world. The slow-burning “Absurdity,” which Benton modestly says is about “hiking and standing in the country,” uses the sublimity of the wilderness to comment on technology’s inescapable presence. Similarly, the driving opener “Rock & Roll” transforms the premise of a “simple song about being a rocker” into a stream-of-consciousness, apocalyptic poem about delusions, regrets, and getting lost in your own limited perspective. This self-examination culminates with the record’s ambitious and anthemic title track. Channeling the cosmic sprawl of the War on Drugs or Kurt Vile, Benton recalls a moment of deep loneliness and depression outside a concert venue in the Netherlands, and how an unexpected moment of compassion led to a moment of awakening.
Despite its frequently bucolic setting, Lost in the Country’s underlying current is an urgent commitment to Trace Mountains and “finding a creative process that requires me to be honest with myself.” “I know I sing to forget, I sing to hold my breath, to feel the thumping in my chest,” Benton sings on “Cooper’s Dream.”This line is “rooted in the importance of music in my life, it’s definitely a reflection on that and how I can keep it in my life, because if I’m not careful and I don’t nurture it, I could lose it.” The self-imposed pressure has been empowering for Benton. “I really like having full control in making a record, deciding what songs are going to be on it, as well as shaping the vibe or narrative of the whole thing,” he says. “It brings a peace of mind knowing that I am responsible for just my voice.”

H- side is etched
The American cable-television industry exploded in the 1980s, pushing broadcasts of diverse programming and emissions of low-laying cultures into homes. Community stations piggybacked on the digital developments of the time, extending their existence through telephony and broadcast a iliates. For those growing up in this time, in locations such as New York City, the localized communications beamed into their homes exposed them to an impressionable array of disparate sounds and visions.
Move into the 1990s and New York was filled to the brim of emergent cultures drawing from this ebullition of communication. From Rammellzee’s shapeshifting to the late Judy Russell and Frank and Karen Mendez’s Nu Groove imprint fusing reggae, poetry and house, nascent ideas emanated from the city walls, from within stores such as Sonic Groove store and on VHS releases such as Stakker’s The Evil Acid Baron Show, a legendary technicolor psychedelic trip along the wildest frontiers of acid house. As scenes expanded and identities developed, such individuals weather the events of the visceral now, expressing themselves right into an unpredictable future.
Function’s long career has seen him uncover a vast range of sonic identities, a mainstay through house, techno and industrial with collaborations with the likes of Regis, Damon Wild alongside his highly influential Infrastructure imprint. With influences deeply tied to pop art, rave and gay scenes, and early memories of block-parties emitting Kraftwerk and Strafe, he found himself seeking out the undercover illegal nights of the 90s on a quest of sexual unearthing, mixing the ever-yearning escapology mission of disco with the influential DJ sets of Jeff Mills.
For his new album Existenz, he marks a clear step away from the corporeal techno of his recent releases. Pivoting around themes of religion, sexuality, trauma and healing, it is a work expansive and celebratory, a clear liberation from a deeply internalized past. Formed from a collection of recordings made in a period from late 2016 to mid 2019, Existenz takes the form of a creative outburst in reaction to a number of traumas - recent, childhood and throughout Function’s life. Life partner Stefanie Parnow assisted the production process in its entirety, providing inspiration, spiritual healing and featuring vocal contributions.
Cosmic synths soar and swoop in ‘Pleasure Discipline’ through towering stacks of rhythm that stutter and creak to a halt before rebooting, a firm robotic response to human intervention. ‘Zahlensender’ reflects a spatial tetris of urban life, as digitalization set within an XYZ matrix confronts the sprawling city. Constant arpeggiated meditations echo synaptic transmissions, e ecting a dissolution of boundaries. ’The Approach’ recalls the unification of the self, a state of delirium non-subjective and smooth, as all connections and functions give way to simple intensities of feeling, crossing the threshold into spirituality. ’Golden Dawn’, featuring Stefanie Parnow, marks a further elevation of dubbed-out euphoria, as once more positive rays emerge. His ode to the effortless short-trip urban navigation 'Kurzstrecke' finds Function in motion, upfront and bold, snapshots of conversation and flickers of light. 'Ertrinken' finds metallic bass jabs swamping snipped synthetic voices, with hidden stores of emotion set as a nod to the history of vocoders as a tool for encrypted military communication. House icon Robert Owens features on 'Growth Cycle' and 'Be', entrenching a celebratory atmosphere over Function's clubwise leanings. Closing track 'Downtown 161' reflects the unmistakeable filtered and squashed interjections of television, and sampled dance vocals - a sound for the curious, dreamers and dancers.
With Existenz, Function reveals an essential body of work, spread over 4LP - thought experiments on the role of identity and spirituality after a lifetime of upheaval and trauma. Leading up until the release date, Function will undertake an album promo tour with select dates - A/V shows at Berlin Atonal and Rural festival in Japan, and three dates as part of his Bassiani residency.

After a two-year pause, CHILDHOOD returns with a new 12", GROUND SUPPORT by REDUKS The release introduces REDUKS, a young Munich-based artist whose path crossed with Muallem through Blitz. What began as a working relationship quickly turned into a shared musical understanding. Despite the difference in generation, both are connected by a similar sensitivity: a deep respect for the past, an awareness of the present, and a clear instinct for what lies ahead. Sharing a studio, this connection naturally translated into music. REDUKS brings a rare combination of emotional intuition and technical precision -- a producer with a deep-rooted understanding of club music, yet unbound by formula. The result is a collection of four dub house cuts, each shaped for a different moment across the night. Timeless in character, the tracks lean into subtlety and function -- built for the dance floor, but never confined to it. This record also marks the beginning as the first release of an ongoing series.

Running Hot returns with the third release on his own imprint, delivering four more cuts aimed squarely at the dancefloor.

From the tribal-leaning, peak-time energy of “Body Language” to the deeper swing of “My Love” on the A-side, the record shifts gears into the sunlit grooves of “Horse Of The Year” and the percussive bounce of “Sambódromo”. Equally at home on the festival stage or in a sweat-soaked basement.

Originally self-released in 2023, Stella Kola, the debut album from Beverly Ketch (Jow Jow, Weeping Bong Band) and Robert Thomas (Sunburned Hand of the Man, Dalthom), now returns in a renewed edition—bringing wider attention to a record that already felt like a quietly essential artifact from the moment it first appeared.

Given the pair’s respective roots—and the presence of collaborators drawn from across the Northeast experimental underground—one might expect “a brutal blast of acid swirl.” Instead, what emerges is something far more unexpected. The album is “steeped, not in noise and dissonance, but in the fragrant, captivating folk of Linda Perhacs, Judee Sill, Karen Dalton, and Bridget St John.”

From the opening moments, especially on “Rosa,” the record reveals its core sensibility: “a ballad that digs deep into the psychedelic-folk tradition until it takes root in a freshly sporous permaculture.” What follows is a set of songs that feel both carefully assembled and organically grown—delicate structures held together by a wide circle of contributing musicians, including Wednesday Knudsen (flute), P.G. Six (harp, guitars, keys), Gary War (synth), Jen Gellineau (viola, violin), Willie Lane, L. Gray, and others.

Rather than functioning as studio additions, these collaborators form a genuine collective presence. “The family affair feeds into the album’s charms,” and the feeling is unmistakably communal. Like many of the ‘60s folk records it echoes, Stella Kola carries “the feeling of community and camaraderie” at its core, shaping a warmth that runs through the entire release.

The album’s emotional palette leans toward a quiet, persistent melancholy: “the best records from that era also carried with them an inherent sadness and Stella Kola’s songs wash over the listener with a beautiful woe.” Its sound edges into the terrain of Fairport Convention and Pentangle, with references to “Beggar’s, Kings, Dark Damsels, and Tarot,” yet never settles into revivalism. Instead, Ketch and Thomas extend the tradition outward, refracting it through their own distinctly American, underground language.

As one early description of the album notes, “the masterful restraint of ‘Rosa’ and the rest of Stella Kola’s shimmering debut evokes Anne Briggs, C.O.B., Pentangle and similar ancestors that knew the best way to honor traditions was to widen the heritage even further.”

Even among a prolific and unpredictable network of underground musicians, Stella Kola stands apart. “It’s early in the year, but it’s hard to see an album, especially a debut, capturing the heart as hard as this one.” With its return in reissue form, the album reasserts itself not just as a hidden gem, but as an essential document of contemporary folk experimentation—an intimate, collective work that continues to unfold with time.

Bill Withers was a modest, gentle, and yet towering musical figure responsible for some of the most important, universally known soul hits ever written. It’s no wonder that “Just the Two of Us” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” won him two Grammy awards and undoubtedly played a huge role in getting him inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Live at Carnegie Hall is Withers' only live album, recorded on October 6, 1973 but not released until April 21, 1973. The fact that Bill got to play his heartfelt and honest soul at one of the most prestigious venues for both classical and pop music speaks volumes: his first two records Just As I Am and Still Bill were really that influential.

Bill Withers' Live At Carnegie Hall was recorded more than 50 years ago on a rainy Friday evening, but it is still regarded as one of the best live performances in the history of Soul music. Withers appears on stage with an ensemble of only the best session musicians the 1970s had to offer: Melvin Dunlap, Ray Jackson, James Gadson, Benorce Blackmon, and Bobbye Hall, at the time one of the few female session percussionists. They all had worked together on Still Bill and had the knack for expanding Bill's intimate songs to fit a hall of that size and stature. And as far as the recording goes, no corners were cut; it really feels like you're up there with them.

The set features evergreens such as "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lean On Me", "Grandma's Hands", but also tunes that are only available as part of this live set, such as "World Keeps Going Around" and "I Can't Write Left-Handed".

Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall is available as a limited edition of 5000 individually numbered copies on magenta vinyl, and includes printed inner sleeves and a 4-page booklet featuring liner notes on Bill Withers written by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and reflections by Aloe Blacc.

Bristol-born, London-based DJ, producer, trailblazer and label head, Conducta announces his brand new EP, SOUNDBOY JOHNNY slated to drop on the 29th May via Up Ya Archives Records.

The new single sees Conducta link up with one of Jamaica’s most original and exciting artists, for a high-tempo cut that channels UK breakbeats into a bassy club roller. Built around an irresistible hook that sticks, ‘Low Can U Go’ sets the tone for the wider project, with BLVK H3RO’s vocal collaboration bringing a fresh edge to accompany the raw, driving intensity Conducta is known for.

The EP, SOUNDBOY JOHNNY sees Conducta lean further into the sounds shaping his recent DJ sets, channelling his long-standing love of jungle and breakbeat into a focused body of work. Across the project, he experiments with faster tempos and chopped breaks, stepping into new territory as a producer. As his first solo release of the year, it marks a confident return with a clear sense of direction, underlining his versatility across different sonic spaces.

Strut Records presents a brand new reissue of the 1975 Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express original album Reinforcements. A gem from the later years of the Oblivion Express band, Reinforcements sees Auger evolve from his early ‘70s jazz-rock fusions towards smoother jazz funk sophistication, continuing his journey from the previous year’s Straight Ahead.
With two former Oblivion Express drummers joining Average White Band, there are obvious comparisons to draw as several tracks lean into groove-driven arrangements and polished mid-’70s production.Never one to follow a predictable path, Auger crafts a steadfast, stylish album that captures the evolving sound of the era, offering a rich snapshot of mid-’70s British soul and jazz-funk.

A fan favourite, the album also marks the return of vocalist Alex Ligertwood (later of Santana), whose soulful delivery is a highlight of many Oblivion Express recordings.
He is joined by Jack Mills (guitar), Lennox Langton (percussion), Dave Dowle (drums), and new addition Clive Chaman (bass, flute) – a family affair with their various kids joining for the cover shoot, the full cast adorned in an array of fine mid-‘70s tank tops.

Album highlights include the heavy funk instrumental jam ‘Brain Damage,’ a dynamic, keyboard-driven showcase of Auger’s virtuosity alongside the burning latin jazz workout ‘Something Out of Nothing’ and soaring closer ‘Future Pilot’ taking us from our present day troubles to “thread the skies to a new location.”
‘Big Yin’ is a heartfelt tribute to former drummer Robbie McIntosh following his untimely death. As with all Auger albums, the energy is nothing but positive and soulful – his back cover quote states “May the love you bring to this world be reflected upon you.”
This new Strut reissue of Reinforcements is curated by Greg Boraman of Impressive Collective in collaboration with Brian and Karma Auger. Fully remastered from the original tapes by United Archiving’s Bill Smith, it is presented as a high-quality single LP replica edition.

Strut presents the second studio album from Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express and a firm favourite with Auger aficionados, the “little known masterpiece” A Better Land from 1971. Marking a clear evolution from their more jazz-rock leaning debut, the band shifts into a mellower direction on these tracks, echoing the feel of Befour released in the Trinity's later years. A Better Land embraces warmer, more melodic and understated compositions, primarily written by guitarist Jim Mullen. With its languid and spacious approach, the album brings an grounded message to make the most of the simple pleasures in life with a hopeful, but wary, eye to the future. Musically, Auger brings acoustic guitars, country rock melodies and three-part vocal harmonies into his musical palette. Key tracks include the groove-driven title track ‘A Better Land’, the sparse ‘Dawn of Another Day,’ (sampled by Air and Black Milk among others) while ‘Fill Your Head With Laughter’ returns to Auger's trademark driving Hammond-led sound, akin to early Traffic.

The record features the Brian Auger’s unique sound on organ and electric piano, joined by Jim Mullen on guitar, Barry Dean on bass and Robbie McIntosh on drums and percussion, with Auger, Mullen and Dean all contributing vocals. Mullen co-wrote seven of the album’s nine tracks, with additional contributions from Alan Gorrie (later of Average White Band). These songwriters should take immense pride in their work as Auger’s favourite singer of all time, Sarah Vaughan, recognised the quality of these compositions by covering three of them; ‘Trouble’, ‘On “Thinking It Over’, and ‘Tomorrow City’ for her 1972 album A Time in My Life. This new official Strut reissue is curated by Greg Boraman of Impressive Collective in collaboration with Brian and Karma Auger. Fully remastered by Cosmic Audio, it is presented as a high-quality single LP replica edition.

At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.

In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of... Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again. On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.

The recording of “Exactement” required two sessions in the studio: February 1st and May 18th 1974 – in between the two dates, Lancaster recorded, alongside Clint Jackson, the excellent Mother Africa. Two names appear on the cover of “Exactement”: Lancaster (Byard) and Speller (Keno). Byard Lancaster wanted to be precise, moving regularly from one instrument to another: first on piano, which was the first instrument he learned. On “Sweet Evil Miss Kisianga”, his inspiration is first and foremost Coltrane (even if leaning more towards Alice than John), this announces the storm to follow.

It is Lancaster’s horn-playing which really stands out: on alto (the sound of which is transformed by an octavoice on one track, "Dr. Oliver W. Lancaster") or soprano saxophones, as well as on flute or bass clarinet, the musician walks a tightrope making the most of all the risks he takes. Using the full register of his instruments, he has fun with the possibilities.

Then, Lancaster invokes or evokes Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and even Prokofiev, before going into a danse alongside Keno Speller on percussion. Above all, he has a unique sound. Byard Lancaster, on whatever instrument he plays and by continually seeking, always ends up hitting the right note... ends up by playing exactement the note he had to play.

‘Confession' is an album of quiet upheaval. An album about closeness that arrives late and unexpectedly. About stability rubbing up against desire. About the way friendship can suddenly tilt into something charged — and how that charge unsettles everything around it. Where earlier work often observed from a distance, Confession turns inward. The voice is closer, warmer, less shielded. “This wasn’t the album I intended to make,” says Carla dal Forno. “I originally wanted something veiled and abstract, but I realised I couldn’t hide behind abstraction — the songs only worked when I leaned into emotional truth.”

This is dal Forno’s fourth LP, written and recorded over several years in a small country town, in a studio housed inside a partially abandoned hospital. Long corridors, humming lights, emptied rooms — a place built for care and waiting, now quiet enough for thoughts to echo. That stillness shapes the record: intimate, watchful, unadorned. “I live in a small country town that offers a stillness my life didn’t previously have,” she explains. “In that quiet, feelings I might’ve ignored in a busy city grew loud.” Dal Forno sings plainly and conversationally, with an emotional precision that sharpens the everyday into something quietly unsettling.

The album moves through paired states: going out and staying in, wanting and withholding, devotion and distraction. Domestic calm set against private unrest. A long-held relationship offers safety and routine, while a newer connection opens emotional fault lines — longing, jealousy, fantasy, self-exposure. “At the heart of the album is a friendship that became emotionally charged in an unexpected way,” dal Forno says. “That shift brought daydreaming, jealousy, tenderness, confusion, self-awareness — and eventually acceptance.”

The drama here is internal, incremental, lived. Musically, Confession feels lighter on its feet than its subject matter suggests. Melodic basslines anchor the songs while guitars, harmonies, and gently off-kilter rhythms move around them. There’s a looseness, even a playfulness — “like the sensation of tension lifting once you finally admit something to yourself,” as dal Forno puts it. The album traces a subtle arc: attraction blooming where it shouldn’t; obsession quietly taking hold; fantasy overtaking reality; clarity arriving slowly, sometimes painfully. Visually and emotionally, Confession returns to modest spaces: backyards, beds, night streets, overgrown paths. “The record exists in that contrast,” dal Forno reflects. “Peaceful surroundings, unsettled interior.”

Like all of dal Forno’s work, Confession resists clean conclusions. It doesn’t moralise desire or romanticise restraint. Instead, it lingers in the in-between — where love is stable but not total, where yearning teaches as much as it hurts, where solitude becomes a form of care. Plain-spoken but emotionally complex. Rooted and restless. Held together by bass, breath, routine, weather. An album about admitting what you feel —and living with what that admission changes.

Strictly limited to 150 copies. DJ use only.

By popular demand, almost two years after its original release, we're finally pressing one of MM Discos' most iconic records to vinyl. A record that, in many ways, captures the label's vibe, spirituality, and sonic identity.
Daichi landed in 2024 with standout versatility, effortlessly pulling almost any genre into a balearic universe, bending it to his own language.
From the proto-tropical trance of "See of Cosmic" to the loose, hard-to-pin-down house of "Dampness," somewhere between Madchester moods and an Arthur Russell-esque swing. Late-night energy runs through "You Got Me" and "Aja Aja" - the former riding a garage swing, the latter drifting further into that signature cosmic space. To close it out and ease the tempo down, Daichi moves into more disco-leaning territory with a pair of understated but heavyweight edits.

Mana is the International Anthem debut by trombonist and composer Kalia Vandever. The collection carries the spirit of their first solo album, We Fell In Turn, while entering a new landscape of spacious songwriting. Mana, which in Hawaiian means "foundational, supernatural, or divine power and strength", reveals more of their voice and words, drawing from yearning, loss, and bewilderment. Vandever"s music has quickly and widely gained traction in the last few years despite the fact that their style has been consistently difficult to pin down, boasting a compositional scope ranging from the palatial modern jazz of their quartet work to the synthetic, gauze-like droning ambience of their solo material. Mana leans into the expansion of the latter: solo trombone filtered through a well-dialed pedalboard, manipulated live; spare piano à la the late-career work of Ryuichi Sakamoto; electroacoustic interplay simultaneously echoing and transforming the long-note melodicism of Vandever"s melancholic brass work; head-on, unambiguous, and deeply personal lyricism - a particularly fresh move for the composer... Appropriate for the early riser"s first step into the day or the night owl"s weary and quiet walk home.

After six years, Seahaven return with their long-awaited self-titled album, their first new full-length since 2020's Halo of Hurt. Formed in Torrance, CA in 2009, the band built a dedicated following with releases like Winter Forever, blending emotional songwriting with expansive alternative and indie-leaning rock. Their self-titled album marks the next chapter for the band, delivering a focused collection of songs that reflects their continued evolution.

Back in 2023, Bruce was approached by a band of young and ambitious lads, who wanted him to mix their debut album 'Nacre'. Being fans of his music, they hoped to utilise his renowned, club-informed and emotive sound design to add a shade of hypnotism and psychedelia to their singular strand of post-rock. The band of course were Quade, and the union proved to make perfect sense: Bruce excelled in gracefully fulfilling the band's vision, sealing their relationship for projects to come.

A couple years on, both Quade and Bruce had really proved the scope of their abilities: the sophomore album 'The Foel Tower' won the hearts of fans and critics across the board, who celebrated its "gorgeous" and "tender" sound to great acclaim. The world they had built clearly stood defined and dignified, though at the same time, Bruce couldn't help but wonder if there was more to be said. Besides, the sheer abundance of emotion and rich textures therein, suggested a great deal of potential for further exploring. So with the band’s blessing, he embarked on versioning the album.

Bruce was off the leash: total freedom leant him the ability to dub in wild style, weaving and wrestling with drum, bass et al, connecting to the arrangements' true feelings and expanding them to full frame. The "doomer sad boy, ambient-dub, folk, experimental post-rock" of the original, was blown into a whole new, hypnotic realm: through rattling analogue distortion and huge spaced out effects, Bruce's efforts stand as an exploding supernova of dub and noise, refracted through the band's themes of grief, beauty and the great British countryside.

To be released on his label Poorly Knit, this remix album once again proves Bruce's deft of touch and skill in reworking material. Maximising the sonic potential of such a promising and talented band he marks his personal contribution towards what will surely continue to be a fulfilling and illustrious musical journey for Quade.

Available digitally and on super limited cassette (50 copies)

Originally released in 2014 on cassette and digital only, Till Human Voices Wake Us was the first album by the Iranian artist on Umor Rex. It became a key work in our catalog, and now, 12 years later, it is available on vinyl for the first time. This is the first in a series of four special, limited reissues to be released in 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of Umor Rex.

Till Human Voices Wake Us comprises ten tracks with a clear and carefully structured script, based on poems by T.S. Eliot, highlighting Siavash Amini’s work as a composer for theater, film, and art exhibitions. His music deliberately leans toward ambient expressions, at times recalling Morricone’s Western film scores. The interplay between synthetic and digital elements, together with multilayered, soul-healing electric guitar passages, creates an opulent sonic texture that moves between dramatic and melancholic moments with a finely constructed, fluid dynamism.

There is an emotional depth in each piece, guided by tonal variations and shifting textures that turn the music into a mental journey, with landscapes, a sense of cold resolution, and the quiet inevitability of an ending. Till Human Voices Wake Us was Amini’s first album on a non-Iranian label. Following this release, he has also published work, in addition to Umor Rex, on labels such as Room40, Hallow Ground, and Opal Tapes, among others, and is now considered one of the most prominent figures in Iran’s experimental music scene.

All music by Siavash Amini. Original master by Nicholas Szczepanik. Remastered for vinyl by Rafael Anton Irisarri. Artwork by Daniel Castrejón.

"Already established within Iran’s music scene, Siavash Amini has crafted a powerful signature sound that blends meticulously assembled ambient synthesis with languid electric guitar melodies, recalling Lanois and Eno’s classic Apollo." — THE QUIETUS (Tristan Bath)

In an engrossing lattice of polyrhythmic beat science and deep atmospheric meditation, Samurai Music is thrilled to welcome Marco Shuttle to the fold for the Sumud EP.

Since his early years locked into the 00s London techno scene, Marco Sartorelli has developed as an artist entirely on his own terms. Through the rush of new ideas and cross-pollination that has characterised cutting-edge techno over the past 20-odd years, Sartorelli has travelled as Marco Shuttle from one considered stylistic concept to the next. On his own Eerie label and across expansive releases for respected outposts such as Spazio Disponibile, Incensio and Astral Industries, he's taken an exploratory approach to rhythm and spatial design while always drawing on intentional thematic frameworks, creating distinctive and immersive dance music in the process.

As Samurai Music continues to celebrate the rich seams of inspiration where deep techno and drum & bass intersect, Sartorelli's malleable, mysterious strain of drum work fits right in and sets a captivating tone for the label's operations in 2026. 'Sumud' is a steely drum mantra dealing in fractured patterns with the primal patina of the early Artificial Intelligence era, while 'Las Dunas de Taroa' leans on gently pulsing melancholia undulating at a half-time pace. 'Iso 50' taps into raw, analogue minimalism once more, evoking the sound of Roman Flugel's Ro70 records in their icy, alien formation. Completing the set, we're guided towards the tense electronica of 'Polylayering What I've Got', where uneasy melodic chimes interlock with intricately programmed drum machines.

There's a distinct sense of golden-era, mid-90s electronica coursing through Sumud EP, but Sartorelli shrouds the classic tools at his disposal in his subtle signature atmospherics, pushing towards a plain of expression that transcends time.

David Gray with The Best Of, a 16-track greatest hits collection featuring highlights from Draw The Line, 2011’s Foundling, and 2014’s Mutineers, alongside classic songs from David’s three #1 albums, including the Grammy-nominated White Ladder.