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"The Sophs sind quasi aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht", sagen Rough-Trade-Mitgründer Geoff Travis und Jeannette Lee über ihr neuestes Signing: eine sechsköpfige Band aus L.A. mit dem feinsinnigen Namen The Sophs. Die kompromisslose Ehrlichkeit und der weite Soundkosmos der Band überzeugten sofort. Als Sänger Ethan Ramon ein Demo an seine Lieblingslabels schickte, rechnete er nicht mit einer Reaktion - doch schon am nächsten Tag meldete sich Rough Trade mit der Bitte um ein Gespräch. In den frühen Songs hörte das Label genau jene Kreativität, Vielseitigkeit und den draufgängerischen "Don"t expect me to act pretty"-Spirit, den The Sophs auf jede Bühne bringen: Ethan Ramon (Gesang), Sam Yuh (Keyboards), Austin Parker Jones (E-Gitarre), Seth Smades (Akustikgitarre), Devin Russ (Drums) und Cole Bobbitt (Bass). Die fünf Demo-Tracks bildeten die Blaupause für ihr Debütalbum "GOLDSTAR". Musikalisch bewegen sich The Sophs im Zickzack: Pop-Punk trifft auf Funk, Delta Blues auf ZZ Top. Ramons warme, kraftvolle Stimme wandert dabei wie ein vokales Chamäleon durch die Genres. "Wir versuchen nie, so vielseitig zu sein, wie wir am Ende klingen", sagt Ramon. Songwriting verstehen sie als Pop Art - ein spielerisches Zitieren, Verformen und Neuerschaffen. Oft entstehen Songs aus spontanen Ideen, die im Bandprozess eine völlig neue Richtung nehmen. Der Track "THE DOG DIES IN THE END" erinnert an 2000er-Pop-Punk, getragen von düsteren Gedankenspiralen und Akkordeon. "DEATH IN THE FAMILY" kombiniert sonnigen Rock mit bitterem Humor und der Sehnsucht nach Mitleid als Schutz vor Verantwortung. "GOLDSTAR" stellt dabei einfache, aber unbequeme Fragen nach Anerkennung und Moral. Weitere Highlights wie "SWEETIEPIE" und "BLITZED AGAIN" zeigen die Band zwischen Selbstentlarvung und euphorischer Energie - roh, lebendig und kompromisslos kreativ.

2026 Repress
Six years after the release of the "A Parade, In The Place I Sit, The Floating World (& All Its Pleasures)" EP on anno Records, Brian Leeds, aka Huerco S., returns to the Loidis project with his debut album "One Day" on Incienso.

Siren Selector presents the first voyage of Remy Solar, as the producer takes a break from composing sound system exclusive dubs to expand his horizons with this by-turns lush, textured, menacing and plaintive album.

‘Heavy Terrain’ emerges from the depths of a lifetime inside the dub fraternity: reared on a potent diet of Lee Scratch Perry and Augustus Pablo, The Disciples and Digital Mystikz, it’s an album which stuck its head in a bass bin in an abandoned bingo hall in north London before striking out on a musical road-trip to imbibe sounds and rhythms from further afield.

The album opens with the militant drums and ethereal pads of 'Sound in the East' before being bookended by two mixes of 'Star Trail', where unformed musical space and time cross uncharted distances to coalesce into the beginning of direction and rhythm. The lush deep house chords and drilling synths of 'Lila #3' summon ghostly presences, while in its counterpart 'Lila #7' layers of melody rise and hang like mist before dissipating in percussive heat. 'Dakhla's’ swelling and retreating drones fade into swirls of drums. In the eponymous 'Heavy Terrain', off-beat keyboard chops respond to each other from uncertain depths while electronic horns pulse across miles of open space. 'Empty City 'sees walls of sound coalesce and fragment, falling into bursts of white noise.

Remy Solar explores a deliberately constrained hardware set-up to create the primordial conditions of trance, locking down a rhythmic foundation while semi-improvised excursions form and reform above it. It’s an album that takes the listener on a journey between order and chaos, past and future, all the while underlaid by a counterpoint of cavernous bass lines and echoing percussion, yang and yin, shade and light.

Diagonale des Yeux is the new band formed by two of France’s admired and adventurous artists. Laurène Exposito, we know as EYE, our longest regular contributor to the label — and friend Théo Delaunay, member and producer of Parasite Jazz, panoptique, De Klok & Violent Quand On Aime.

In Knekelhuis we have a particular fondness for artistic outputs that resist easy categorisation, and Diagonale des Yeux inhabits precisely that kind of territory.

Every aspect of the project is DIY/homemade. Their world drifts along the fringes of cabaret, strange 1980s French underground pop music to contemporary lo-fi scene — evoking the spirit of Nini Raviolette and The Residents — while delivering beautifully written songs that lodge themselves in your head almost immediately like a Cindy Lee ballad.

The tracks on Madeleine squeak and creak, wobbling on fragile hinges before suddenly opening onto moments of pure beauty.

Drums and guitars follow up synths and electronic percussions captured on tape between living rooms, studios and a concert space.

The band has a kink for choirs and playfully uses diverse languages. Their lyrics emerge through a homemade, patented four-hands cadavre exquis (Exquisite Corpse) process, where chance and dialogue shape meaning as much as intention.

Diagonale des Yeux is a singular project — equally strange and irresistibly pop-leaning. Music like weeds pushing through pavement cracks and, against all odds, turning into flowers.

Der postklassische Komponist, Klangkünstler und Kurator Matthew Patton ist mit seinem zweiten Album als Those Who Walk Away zurück. "Afterlife Requiem" ist eine Elegie für seinen Freund und Kollegen Jóhann Jóhannsson. Drones, Elektroakustik und fast vollständige Stille, extrahiert aus unvollendeten Aufnahmen auf Jóhannssons Festplatten, bilden die Grundlage für zwei Streichquintette - Ghost Orchestra (Reykjavík) und Possible Orchestra (Winnipeg) -, die in einem traurigen, langatmigen Werk verarbeitet und ausgelöscht werden. Patton hat auch wieder mit Andy Rudolph (Guy Maddin) und Paul Corley (Sigur Rós, Ben Frost) an der Koproduktion und dem Sounddesign gearbeitet, um eine brodelnde Körperlichkeit zu schaffen, die brodelnde Tiefen mit eindringlichen Bewegungen gespenstischer Streicher kontrastiert. ,Alles, was ich je geschrieben habe, ist ein Requiem. Alles ist ein Ende. Der Tod ist überall in dieser Musik präsent. In meinen Werken geht es um das Verschwinden - der Gegenwart, der Vergangenheit, von allem. Afterlife Requiem wird im Laufe seiner Dauer immer langsamer, es ist ein einziges großes Ritardando, die Zeit verlangsamt sich nicht nur, sie verschwindet. Ohne dass ich darüber nachgedacht hätte, ereigneten sich zwei miteinander verbundene Tragödien, die während des Schreibens, Aufnehmens und Arbeitens organisch an die Oberfläche kamen: der Tod meiner Mutter und der Tod des Komponisten und Freundes Jóhann Jóhannsson. Wenn ich mit dem Schreiben anfange, denke ich an nichts Bestimmtes, ich schreibe einfach, komponiere, nehme auf und höre zu ... aber irgendwas macht sich immer auf unvorhergesehene Weise bemerkbar oder drängt sich in den Vordergrund. Nach dem medizinisch assistierten Tod meiner Mutter wurde mir beim Ausräumen ihrer Wohnung klar, dass ich auch die physische Manifestation ihrer Welt auslöschte - und dass ich genau dasselbe mit der Musik tat, die ich schrieb und aufnahm. Während dieser Zeit wurde mir auch Jóhanns Tod immer wieder bewusst. Für Afterlife Requiem habe ich kurze, verlassene Fragmente aus Jóhann Jóhannssons Festplatten genommen und diese körperlosen Audio-Geister abwechselnd in meine eigene Musik eingebaut, wobei ich sie unrein gelassen habe - und dabei die Grenze zwischen Schaffen und Zerstören verwischt habe. Nach seinem Tod hatte ich diese Festplatten aus Jóhannssons Berliner Studio zum Anhören bekommen. Diese Musik war aufgegeben worden, in verschiedenen Stadien der Entstehung und Auflösung: ein Verzeichnis zerfallener und toter Erinnerungen, vergessen und jetzt nur noch in einer Reihe ineinandergreifender mechanischer Teile vorhanden, die mit der Zeit selbst versagen und verschwinden werden, wie alles andere auch. Monatelang hörte ich mir diese Überreste von Jóhanns Musik obsessiv an und versuchte, Hinweise auf Jóhann vor seinem Tod zu finden. Oft stellte ich fest, dass er das Aufnahmegerät noch lange nach Ende der aufgenommenen Musik laufen gelassen hatte. Er schien nicht zu bemerken, dass die Musik aufgehört hatte, oder registrierte nicht, dass dies das Ende der Musik war, oder vielleicht war er durch etwas anderes abgelenkt. Aber ich fand diese langen Stillephasen zutiefst emotional und berührend. Die verschwindenden Elegien von Afterlife Requiem sind weniger Musik als vielmehr Überreste von Musik. Auf diese Weise arbeite ich immer auf die Subtraktion von Bedeutung hin. Die Musik ist fern und verschwommen, beschädigt, geisterhaft und gespenstisch und deutet nur wie eine halb vergessene Erinnerung an das, was einmal existierte, eine verdichtete Darstellung von Verfall und Auslöschung. Ich habe dieses neue Stück von Anfang bis Ende mit diesen körperlosen Stillephasen aus Jóhanns eigenem Werk, Raum und Zeit unterlegt. Jetzt für immer verschwunden, bleibt seine aufgezeichnete Stille zurück; eine monumentale Leere, die der Welt verloren gegangen ist. Im gesamten Stück, insbesondere in den Abschnitten ,Memorial Environment", habe ich auch unzählige Geräusche aus der Natur integriert, von vulkanischer Lava über Lastenaufzüge bis hin zum menschlichen Blutfluss, dem Zischen von Turbinen und Selbstmordinjektionen. Der Künstler Robert Smithson sagte vor Jahrzehnten: ,Es ist die Dimension der Abwesenheit, die es noch zu finden gilt." Für mich misst diese Musik auch, wie die Zeit abläuft. Tatsächlich ist die Zeit bereits abgelaufen. Die Ewigkeit hat bereits begonnen." - Matthew Patton (Those Who Walk Away)

Out of Baltimore, Maryland comes The S.E.T. who are crafting 100% unapologetic hardcore music. Formed between bassist Che (founder of Flatspot Records), guitarist Brady (formerly of Turnstile), and drummer Ryan (formerly of End It), the band started through jam sessions in early 2024. Before they knew it, they had instrumentals for seven songs written and were ready to put lyrics to the tracks, and the search for a vocalist began. Che spotted Tim hopping on stage and grabbing the microphone at Disturbin’ The Peace Festival, invited him to try out for vocalist, and The S.E.T. was then complete.
The S.E.T. will release their debut Self Evident Truth EP, on February 27th through Flatspot Records. It’s 15 minutes of fury and groove, taking cues from Baltimore acts such as Gut Instinct (whose Sebastian Gorgone features on “White Lies”) and Stout and the crossover sounds of New York like Leeway and Judge. Recorded and mixed by Justin Day at New Noise Recording and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, the tracks roar with thick bass lines, fast-paced drums, and rage fueled vocals. Lyrics come from a place of candor, expressing the basis of equal rights and defying the propaganda the current administration is spewing.
As The S.E.T. comes into fruition, the band wants to exist as a place to put words to action and come together as a community through both their music and live shows

Out of Baltimore, Maryland comes The S.E.T. who are crafting 100% unapologetic hardcore music. Formed between bassist Che (founder of Flatspot Records), guitarist Brady (formerly of Turnstile), and drummer Ryan (formerly of End It), the band started through jam sessions in early 2024. Before they knew it, they had instrumentals for seven songs written and were ready to put lyrics to the tracks, and the search for a vocalist began. Che spotted Tim hopping on stage and grabbing the microphone at Disturbin’ The Peace Festival, invited him to try out for vocalist, and The S.E.T. was then complete.
The S.E.T. will release their debut Self Evident Truth EP, on February 27th through Flatspot Records. It’s 15 minutes of fury and groove, taking cues from Baltimore acts such as Gut Instinct (whose Sebastian Gorgone features on “White Lies”) and Stout and the crossover sounds of New York like Leeway and Judge. Recorded and mixed by Justin Day at New Noise Recording and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, the tracks roar with thick bass lines, fast-paced drums, and rage fueled vocals. Lyrics come from a place of candor, expressing the basis of equal rights and defying the propaganda the current administration is spewing.
As The S.E.T. comes into fruition, the band wants to exist as a place to put words to action and come together as a community through both their music and live shows

Taking the exploratory spirit of groups like Polar Bear and Malija (both also featuring Mark Lockheart ) the trio move together through a common language of jazz, rock, classical and free improvisation exploring dark textures and dramatic musical shifts as they revel in the unexpected. High energy jazz improvising combined with spatial and ambient sounds gives this trio its unique and bold concept. The music shifts effortlessly moment to moment, gracefully and spontaneously stitching together sound landscapes and grooves. The subtle use of electronics (particularly on the saxophone), fat rich bass lines and tantalising drum rhythms give his band a unique sound that although firmly rooted in jazz has rock, folk and classical influences too. The album's specially commissioned artwork by Tim Edgar perfectly reflects the shifting shapes of Shapeshifter

2026 Repress


Another Thought was the first collection of Arthur Russell’s music to be released after his death in 1992. Released in 1993 on Point Music it marked the beginning of nearly 30 years of work to let the world hear the enormous archive of unreleased recordings Arthur left behind. Be With revisits this first compilation for a new gatefold double vinyl version and a triple-fold digipak CD reissue.

Both versions of Be With’s 2021 reissue of Another Thought have been mastered by Simon Francis and the vinyl cut by Pete Norman. The original artwork has been restored and tweaked at Be With HQ for the gatefold sleeve and the triple-fold digipak, with the essential help of Janette Beckman. Each version comes with an insert reproducing the liner notes and lyrics from the original CD release.

Together with Calling Out Of Context, Soul Jazz’s World of Arthur Russell, and much of the ongoing work of Audika, Another Thought is absolutely essential for even the most casual Arthur Russell collection. In fact we’d argue it’s essential for any fan of non-obvious pop music. This is the only place where you can hear some of Arthur’s most recognisable tunes and it’s an album that absolutely deserves to be kept in press.


We’ll assume that by now you’re all at least a little familiar with the story of Arthur Russell, the farm boy from Iowa who moved to 1970s New York. Arthur Russell the genuine musical genius who died just 40 years old, leaving behind a wealth of music that dwarfed the few 12"s and LPs that were released during his short life.

Although Arthur had been working on an album for Rough Trade during his last years, with the label no-longer operating it was Point Music (Philip Glass and Michael Riesman’s label set up together with Philips) who stepped in to help Arthur’s partner Tom Lee start working out exactly what Arthur had left behind.

Tom suggested that Arthur’s friend Mikel Rouse was the right person to make the first catalogue. Working in Tom and Arthur’s apartment he had only two weeks to go through what turned out to be around 800 tapes.

As Tom explained “at the end of each day he would generally wait for me to come home and I would, to the best of my knowledge, name and identify pieces in question from that day’s work. As he worked Mikel compiled about a dozen cassettes that he thought would present the most finished sounding songs for Don/Point to use. As Don listened he would then suggest and ask me and thus we collaborated on the choices.”

Don is Don Christensen, Another Thought’s producer. With a final selection of songs from recordings made between 1982 and 1990, including sessions with some of Arthur’s regular collaborators Peter Zummo, Steven Hall, Mustafa Ahmed, Elodie Lauten, Julius Eastman, Jennifer Warnes and Joyce Bowden, it was then Don’s job to turn these into a finished album.

Another Thought is a little different from the compilations of Arthur’s music that came out since. In our conversations with Steve Knutson (who founded Audika Records and who manages Arthur’s estate together with Tom), he explained that “more than any project released by Arthur during his lifetime or posthumously by Audika, ‘Another Thought’ is the most worked over. The material was significantly edited and rearranged from the original source tapes”.

If the aim was to release a comprehensive exploration of every facet of Arthur’s music, from the most avant-garde of his avant-garde compositions through to the most disco-not-disco of his disco-not-disco tunes then the project was a spectacular failure. But as a coherent album of non-obvious pop music Another Thought is wonderful.

Starting with the sparse voice-and-cello of the title track, A Little Lost adds some guitar along with the sneaking suspicion that we’re listening to something nowhere near as simple as it first sounds. By the time we get to This Is How We Walk On The Moon - it could be the moment you notice the congas, or the percussion that’s been building behind them, or maybe it’s that blast of trumpet and trombone - we realise we’ve gone from splashing around to being completely submerged in the musical world of Arthur Russell.

From here the album heads off on its journey around the sounds of the left-field contemporary classical music of the time, re-directed towards pop ears, with minor detours through the swirling woozy disco of the half-remembered night before on In The Light Of The Miracle and My Tiger, My Timing. Whether it’s just Arthur, his cello and some bleeps on Just A Blip, or whether he has some vocal help as he does on the bounding Keeping Up, this is difficult music made so, so easy. And through it all is Arthur’s voice and cello. Sometimes drowned in distortion and sometimes clear as a bell, but always there somewhere.

A Sudden Chill finally returns us to the calmer waters we started in and this last track closes the album with a melancholy that’s not surprising given how soon after Arthur’s death the album was put together.

Whilst Another Thought holds together with the consistency of a proper album, there’s still no getting away from the fact that this was put together from audio recorded in different ways, in different places, with different people at different times. Those with keen ears will hear traces of tape hiss, the occasional blown-out note and some digital fuzz, all fingerprints of those original recordings as well as of the 1990s digital equipment that was used to piece Another Thought together.

Add to this Arthur’s obvious pleasure in making music from the sort of sounds that can make microphones, speakers and ears uncomfortable, it’s no surprise that Another Thought isn’t glossy and pristine. Don Christensen’s productions have been careful to not scrub up those original recordings so much that they lose their original vibe, understandable given that Arthur wasn’t around as a guide. We’ve applied a similarly light touch with the mastering for these Be With versions, just working to make sure they sound like they should on both the vinyl and the CD.

Despite the Discogs rumours, Another Thought was never originally released as an LP. So when it came to the sleeve for this Be With vinyl version we took the original CD artwork as a starting point to come up with something that looks like it could have been in the record racks back in 1993.

We have to thank Janette Beckman for helping us reproduce her iconic photograph of Arthur in his newspaper boat hat. One of many photographs she took of Arthur, Janette shot this in her New York studio back in 1986 for a short article in the January ’87 issue of The Face Magazine. Those with eagle-eyes will notice we’ve used an ever-so-slightly different shot from the one that appeared in The Face and then again on the original cover of Another Thought. The original has long since been lost so we’ve worked with what is left in Janette’s archives. And we also have to thank Tom Lee for giving us permission to reproduce his liner notes from the original CD booklet, together with Arthur’s lyrics.

Clear Vinyl in limitierter Auflage von 1500 Stück. Die renommierte US-niederländische Gospel-Soul-Künstlerin Michelle David & The True-tones läuten mit ihrem neuen Album ,Soul Woman", das am 27. Februar 2026 bei Record Kicks erscheint, ein neues Kapitel ein. Aufbauend auf dem von Kritikern gefeierten Album ,Brothers & Sisters" aus dem Jahr 2024, das die Komplexität der Welt widerspiegelte, wendet sich die neue LP ,Soul Woman" nach innen - eine zutiefst persönliche Auseinandersetzung mit Identität, Heilung und spiritueller Widerstandsfähigkeit. ,Wie kann ich andere bitten, sich Zeit zu nehmen, um über ihr Leben nachzudenken, wenn ich das selbst nicht tue?", fragt Michelle David. Dieser Geist der Selbstreflexion und Erneuerung steht im Mittelpunkt von ,Soul Woman" - einem Album, das Verletzlichkeit zulässt und gleichzeitig Stärke ausstrahlt. Musikalisch verfeinert ,Soul Woman" die charakteristische Mischung der Band aus Gospel, Soul und Vintage-Rhythm & Blues und schöpft dabei aus einer breiteren Palette von Einflüssen. Anklänge an Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Womack und The Four Seasons pulsieren durch die Grooves, während das Gospel-Feuer der Blind Boys of Alabama und die fröhliche Ausstrahlung von Diana Ross & The Supremes dem Album sowohl Schwere als auch Glanz verleihen. Im Mittelpunkt steht Michelle Davids unverwechselbare Stimme - rau, warm und voller Entschlossenheit -, umhüllt von reichhaltigen, analog geprägten Arrangements ihrer langjährigen Mitstreiter Paul Willemsen (Gitarre, Bassgitarre), Onno Smit (Gitarre, Bassgitarre) und Bas Bouma (Schlagzeug). Gemeinsam stehen Michelle David & The True-tones an der Spitze der Retro-Soul-Szene - sie verbinden zeitlose Grooves mit moderner Dringlichkeit, unerschütterlicher Authentizität und herzlicher Leidenschaft. Eine Stimme, geboren in der Kirche, geschliffen auf der Straße. Michelle David wurde in New York geboren und wuchs in der Kirche auf. Mit nur vier Jahren begann sie zu singen und trat mit fünf Jahren ihrer ersten Gruppe, The Mission of Love, bei. Ihre kraftvolle Stimme führte sie um die ganze Welt, wo sie in gefeierten Broadway-Produktionen wie Mama, The Sound of Motown, Glory of Gospel und Mahalia mitwirkte und mit Legenden wie Diana Ross und Michael Bolton Aufnahmen machte - alles bevor sie ihre gefeierte Reise mit The True-tones begann. Gemeinsam haben Michelle David & The True-tones sieben von der Kritik gefeierte Alben veröffentlicht und die Bühnen Europas erobert, von Pinkpop über North Sea Jazz bis hin zum London Jazz Festival. Die Band ist bekannt für ihre mitreißenden Live-Auftritte, hat von Spanien bis Skandinavien Standing Ovations erhalten, ist in großen Fernseh- und Radiosendungen aufgetreten und hat sogar bei den Olympischen Winterspielen 2022 gespielt. Ihre Aufnahmen wurden ebenso gelobt: The Gospel Sessions wurde für einen Edison Award (das niederländische Pendant zum Grammy) nominiert, während Truth & Soul aus dem Jahr 2020 von Craig Charles' BBC Radio 6 Music zum Album des Jahres und von FIP (Radio France) zum Album des Monats gekürt wurde. Ihr jüngstes Album, Brothers & Sisters (2024), markierte ihr Debüt bei Record Kicks und wurde zu einem Durchbruch - gefeiert von Rolling Stone France, KEXP, Jazzthing Magazine (Deutschland), De Volkskrant (Niederlande) und BBC 6 Music. Ein Zeugnis der zeitlosen Kraft des Soul: Mit ,Soul Woman" bieten Michelle David & The True-tones mehr als nur eine neue Platte - es ist ein musikalisches Zeugnis der Widerstandsfähigkeit, eine Feier des spirituellen Wachstums und eine Bekräftigung der Fähigkeit der Soulmusik, zu heilen, zu verbinden und zu inspirieren. Gleichzeitig in klassischen Traditionen verwurzelt und neue Wege beschreitend, ist dies zeitgenössischer Soul vom Feinsten. Für Fans von Durand Jones & The Indications, Thee Sacred Souls, Jalen Ngonda, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Lee Fields, Mavis Staples.

Joe Holmes ist ein amerikanischer Hardrock- und Heavy-Metal-Musiker, der vor allem für seine Arbeit als Tournee-Gitarrist für David Lee Roth und Ozzy Osbourne bekannt ist. Er fing im Alter von 9 Jahren an, Gitarre zu spielen, und wurde später Schüler der Gitarrenlegende Randy Rhoads. Im Dezember 2024 brachte Holmes ,Cross Eyed Stare" raus, die erste Single aus seinem kommenden Album, das seinen Namen trägt. Die Platte, die Holmes zusammen mit Brent Hoffort geschrieben hat, zeigt seine musikalische Verbindung zu Robert Trujillo (Metallica) und Mike Bordin (Faith No More) von der Ozzy Osbourne Band, wobei Sänger Robert Locke die Gruppe komplettiert. Beide Soloalben von Holmes wurden zusammen mit Rich Mouser produziert und von Mouser im Mouse House in Altadena, Kalifornien, aufgenommen und gemischt.

Als Nachfolger von ,High Art Lite" ist ,Ruins" ein Album, das von Trauer, Reflexion und Transformation geprägt ist; eine Platte, die sowohl die Schwere des Verlusts als auch die seltsame Schönheit, die damit einhergeht, einfängt. Geschrieben nach einer selbst auferlegten Pause vom Songwriting, repräsentiert es eine Veränderung im Fokus und in der Perspektive von Joseph Oxley aka TVAM. ,Ich wollte mich von dem entfernen, was ich dachte, dass ich machen sollte", erklärt er. ,Der schlechteste Rat, den man geben kann, ist: ,Was nicht kaputt ist, muss man nicht reparieren.` Es ist immer kaputt. Es muss immer repariert werden." Im Kern beschäftigt sich ,Ruins" mit Verlust nicht als Leere, sondern als Präsenz, als etwas, das die Welt um einen herum neu gestaltet. Auf dem Album ringt Oxley mit den Dualitäten der menschlichen Erfahrung: der Spannung zwischen Gesagtem und Ungesagtem, zwischen Humanismus und Nihilismus, Öffentlichkeit und Privatsphäre, Verzweiflung und Akzeptanz. ,Hoffnung und Verzweiflung heben sich nicht gegenseitig auf", sagt er. ,Sie können nebeneinander existieren - das macht es real." Irgendwo inmitten eines Lebens voller Wiederholungen, Wiederaufführungen und Neustarts lebt TVAM und schafft Werke, die unsere Erinnerungen berühren und gleichzeitig mit unseren Ängsten spielen, und schafft eine Welt, in der Rundfunk zu Performance wird. Seit seinem Debütalbum ,Psychic Data", das aus einem kleinen Schlafzimmerstudio in Wigan hervorgegangen ist, hat TVAM den Sound und das Spektakel der Nostalgie im modernen Leben definiert, vom Slogan ,Porsche Majeure" bis zum Wahlkampf ,Semantics". Seine Musik wurde in die Tagesplaylist von BBC 6 Music aufgenommen und in Fernsehsendungen wie der bahnbrechenden Serie ,Succession" vorgestellt. Musikalisch ist ,Ruins" expansiv und immersiv. Dunkel, aber magisch, ist es voller hallgetränkter Synthesizer, zerbrochener Texturen und hämmernder Snares. Gitarren verweben sich mit neu entdeckter Zurückhaltung durch den Mix und schaffen Raum für Atmosphäre und Emotionen, die im Mittelpunkt stehen. ,Broken Reality"-Texturen kollidieren mit treibenden Rhythmen und erinnern an den cineastischen Puls von The Sisters of Mercy aus der ,Floodland"-Ära und die melodische Melancholie von The Cure aus der ,Disintegration"-Ära. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, das Schönheit in Dissonanzen und Licht in Trümmern findet.

Death Is Not The End reissue Mark Vernon's sought-after 2013 collection Sounds of a Modern Hospital on vinyl & cassette formats.

Whilst every effort has been made to record the subject in as great a degree of isolation as possible, the sound recordings you will hear on this record were made in a real working hospital and not under controlled conditions. Therefore, on occasion, you may hear some unavoidable background noise, conversations and other extraneous sounds.

All recordings were made by Mark Vernon at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert, Stirling Community Hospital and Falkirk Community Hospital between 2011 and 2013.

Brooklyn duo The Still Brothers is a musical project of childhood friends Evan Heinze (The Shacks/Big Crown) and Andrew LeCoche (Ula Ruth). Heinze has toured with the likes of Khraungbin, Lee Fields and Cut Chemist, while LeCoche’s old band once opened for Paul Simon and Edie Brickell. A former student of Madlib’s uncle Jon Faddis, LeCoche has scored music for Netflix and Patagonia and sound design for Twitter, Patron, and Marvel. Signing to Lewis Recordings in 2020 the band’s first single ‘The Deep’ was instantly picked up by Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music who regularly plays it to this day. ‘Wake Up’ featuring the vocals of Marina B. spent six weeks on the BBC 6 Music playlist gaining support from Lauren Laverne, Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Craig Charles, Huey Morgan, Cerys Matthews, Don Letts, Tom Ravenscroft and Guy Garvey. Lockdown didn’t slow down the band’s creativity with many tracks on their self-titled debut EP recorded remotely. Two such tracks were the collaborations with London based singer/songwriter Shauna Kelly aka Shoshy. ‘It’s Not Over’ and ‘Crazy’ were released on 7” and both received BBC radio support. Marina B stepped back on the mic with the upbeat hit ‘I Wanna Be With You’, a dancefloor filler mixed by St. Frances Hotel (producer for Michael Kiwanuka). The b-side ‘Sungalz’ is a hazy dream pop number that started life as an instrumental jam

L.A.-based soul singer Leela James started out singing backup vocals on Hip-Hop albums in the late 90s and early 2000s. In 2004, she recorded the song "No Tears" on Pete Rock's "Soul Survivor 2", shortly after she signed a deal with Warner Bros Records and released her debut album A Change is Gonna Come, named after her cover of the Sam Cooke song. A true soul singer, with a voice comparable to Mavis Staples and Betty Wright, Leela enlisted Commissioner Gordon to oversee production, which included tracks by Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Wyclef Jean, and Chucky Thompson. The lead single, "Music," is an ode to the soul singers of yesterday, with a Hip-Hop feel. She performs a soulful R&B cover of No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and alternates between funky uplifting tracks like "Good Time" and "Soul Food" with downtempo, soulful ballads like "When You Love Somebody" and "My Joy." Leela James departed from Warner after the release of her debut and went on to release seven more studio albums. It's been twenty years since A Change is Gonna Come was released in June of 2005, and Get On Down is proud to present this underrated gem for the first time on vinyl. The album is pressed on "Golden Pearl" colored vinyl and packaged in a gatefold jacket, limited to 1000 copies. It's been a long time coming, but this is a must-have for neo-soul and R&B music lovers.

Tori thanks: Mark & Tash, Mom, Dad & all the family, Irene. Mollie & Dave Ward & Arminda & Beene. Johnnie & Chelsea, Ahmet, Val, Ron, Craig. Vicky, Patti, Linda, Sharon, Laura, Andrea, Kris, Bonnie, Lee Anne, Danny, Jason, Rick, Steve, Andi, Bob, Nikke, Fran and all at Atlantic, Christian. Elyse, Matthew, Peter, Carla, Stella, Nisha & all at East West, Carol Kinzel at CAA, Mike Dewdney at ITB, Dave Brock at Rima Travel UK, Mog at Warners UK, Richard Bates, Tim Shaxon at HHB, Tony Larkin at TI. Audio, Steve Trim at Stirling Syco, John & Heather & all at SSE, Jason Ogarro at Macwarehouse, Neil at Neve, Su & Bruce at Digidesign US. John Philip Shenale - vintage keyboard finder, James Naylor at Corney & Barrow and a special thanks to David Slade. Hugs to Lesley Chilkes, Cim Mahoney & Bernice Brobbery - The Glam Squad. The Bude Contingent: Cliff "The Fish' Bowden, Super Debs & Adam at Martian, Thea & Dana, Hayley & Emily, Ros, The Falcon Hotel, Mick & Pearl and Phil and Jody, Stolichnaya & Van Nelle. And finally to all the musicians.

Macclesfield 3-piece Cassia make their extremely welcome return with the announcement of their most ambitious release yet in new studio album everyone, outside - out April 11th.

The album marks a bold new chapter, and recently served up a tropical-tinged first offering in ‘heat’ - with today serving a superb Round Two with the stomping, insatiable, hook-laden new single ‘friends’.

everyone, outside takes Cassia’s sound to new heights. Written fresh off the back of two years of relentless touring, the band channelled every ounce of their renowned live energy into the album, returning to a studio they built themselves in Macclesfield, after creating their previous album in Berlin. The journey provided an added twist, recording the majority of tracks live on TikTok, giving fans a unique, inclusive experience to be part of the process.

The album’s title is a metaphor for embracing your truest self and reflection of a band who are at their happiest outside. It’s a message that speaks to the idea of reconnecting with nature and Britain’s finest summers. As frontman Rob explains, “That title, ‘everyone, outside’ started as a song about how weird it is that we stay inside all the time when being out in nature always makes us feel better. Over time, it came to mean more than that - like a metaphor for being your truest, most natural self, unburdened, like when no one’s watching.”

Drawing influences from a host of genres and cultures, everyone, outside reveals Cassia’s venn diagram of global sounds and intimate storytelling. A trip to Mexico during the writing process injected the record with a new energy, while their time spent in their new space back home gave the band a freedom to try new instruments, new sounds, acquire new tools to hone their production skills - and to simply have fun and explore. “The time we spent in Berlin taught us so much, but coming back home to Macclesfield allowed us to really focus on making something that felt like it came from us. No distractions, just pure creativity,” says drummer Jacob Leff.

Cassia’s rise has been impressive. From their early days busking the streets of Cornwall to playing major festivals, touring the world and receiving critical acclaim from BBC Radio 1, Radio X, The Independent, Rolling Stone UK, Clash & many more, the band has carved out a unique niche. Their sound, influenced by the African music Rob’s father introduced him to, combined with the indie heritage of nearby Manchester, combines the positivity of bands like Foals and Vampire Weekend, with the jazz-tinged afrobeats of Fela Kuti and Ebo Taylor.

After signing to Distiller Records in 2018, the band gave up their full-time jobs and ventured to Bath to record their debut album, Replica. Tracks such as ‘Right There’, ‘Drifting’ & ‘100 Times Over’ have amassed millions of streams, seeing the band sell out multiple headline Tours both in the UK and Europe. Playing to a homecoming capacity crowd at Manchester’s O2 Ritz, as well as sold out headline shows at London’s KOKO & The Garage, the band have accrued a huge, loyal following and their live shows earned them a nomination for Best Live Act at the AIM Awards alongside Idles and DMA’s, as well as making them the winners of Reeperbahn’s Anchor Award in 2022.

Cassia will tour the UK in May 2025, playing songs from the new album and some of their biggest tracks - headlining Leeds, Bristol, a newly added night in Southampton, a special Manchester homecoming, Glasgow, Birmingham, & a huge show at London’s HERE @ Outernet - dates below & Tickets Here. The band will also take things Stateside this year for their first ever run of headline shows in the US & Mexico.

“Tubby did three original dub albums, ‘Dub From The Roots’. ‘The Roots of Dub’ and the third is ‘Brass Rockers’ with Tommy McCook ‘pon the flying cymbals. Where he mixed it with the horn going in and out in a dub way and one named ‘Shalom Dub’ you can call Tubby’s too because he mixed the versions as they were off forty fives’’

Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

King Tubby and Producer Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee are intertwined in the birth of Dub Music. After discovering a mistake that made a ‘serious joke’ (more of which later...) they went on to release the first pressings of this new musical genre namely ‘Dub Music’. Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard... the Remix / Version cuts to an existing vocal tune.

Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 28th January 1941 and grew up in the High Holborn Street area of downtown Kingston. He studied electronics at Kingston’s National Technical College and also on two correspondence courses from the U.S.A... When he had qualified Tubby began repairing radios and other electrical appliances in a shack in the back yard of his mother’s home. His work in the early days included winding transformers and building amplifiers for Kingston’s Sound Systems. Tubby built his first Sound System in 1957 playing jazz and Rhythm & Blues at local weddings and birthday parties. His reputation as a man who knew and understood both electronics and music grew steadily and as the sixties drew to a close. Tubby
purchased his own basic two track equipment. He installed this alongside his dub cutting machine, a home-made mixing console, and his impressive collection of jazz albums in the back bedroom of his home at 18 Dromilly Avenue which he christened his music room.

Tubby and Striker were at Treasure Isle Studio’s one day while Ruddy from Spanish Town was working with the engineer Byron Smith....

“Tubby and myself was talking when Ruddy was cutting some dub but Smithy (engineer) made a mistake through we were talking and forgot to put in the voice. It was two track recording in those days. Ruddy said ‘No Man! Make it stay! and so they cut the rhythm. When I went over to Ruddy’s that Saturday night a dance was in progress and when they played the vocal to the tune... then he said we’re going to play ‘Part Two’. They never called it ‘Version’..and then he played the rhythm track. The song was a catchy song and everybody started to sing along and the deejay started to toast so everything went down well. On Monday morning I went up and I said ‘Tubbs the mistake we made was a serious joke.It mash up Spanish Town! The people went wild. So you have to start to do that now ‘cause when the man put on the ‘Part Two’ everyone start singing this song. It played about twenty times. I said you try Tubbs!’...Well the next Saturday night now when Tubby strung up down the farm U Roy said he’s going to play ‘Part Two’ but Tubby did it different now. He started with the voice then dropped it out and let the rhythm run and then he brought in the voice in the middle and from there Tubby started to get really popular.’’
Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

Dynamic Sounds upgraded to sixteen track recording in 1972 and Tubby purchased, again with the help of a deal brokered by Bunny Lee. The old four track equipment and the MCI console from their Studio B. The four tracks now gave him far wider scope to work with and he began to create a new musical form where the bass and drum parts were brought up while the faders allowed Tubby to ease the vocal and rhythm in and out of the mix. It was only a matter of time before Tubby’s dub plate experiments began to make it on to vinyl and the first ever long-playing King Tubby releases would feature a collection of his mixes to a selection of Strikers rhythms. So please sit back and enjoy this historic set of sounds. Lovingly restored and with a few extra gems added to the CD Editions. These releases were the first to carry the name of King Tubby and the first to credit the great musicians that contributed so much to the rhythms that made these albums possible.

Reggae music in many ways reminds us of America’s Motown records. The music comes out of its stable fast and furious we tend to know the songs, the artists, the
studio but who? are the players. The unsung heroes that in many cases, cut most of our favourite tracks One such band this applies to in the Reggae field is the Soul Syndicate Band.

Each Jamaican record producer would have their favourite set of musicians they would use, availability permitting. Although several musicians crossed over into different named bands. For example, a set of players working with Producer Bunny 'Striker' Lee would go under the guise of The Aggrovators. The same group working with Producer Joe Gibbs would work under the name The Professionals. Soul Syndicate were the band of choice for Producer Niney the Observer, who used them for his own recordings and when you put that aside the other artists Niney produced, Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, Michael Rose, I Roy, The Ethiopians, Barry Brown, Gregory Issacs and Freddie McGregor.  To name a few and not necessary all, you begin to see the amount of material this set of musicians played on.

Built around the rhythm section of Calton 'Santa' Davis and George 'Fully' Fullwood, drums and bass respectfully. They were usually accompanied by Earl 'Chinna' Smith, Tony Chin on guitars, Keith Sterling, Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderstone, Bernard 'Touter' Harvey, organ/keyboards and Noel 'Skully' Simms, percussion. Niney's tracks tended to be rhythm heavy and thus Sound System favourites.But when brass was needed/called for ,this was provided by the likes of Tommy McCook, Bobby Ellis, Felix ' Deadley Headley' Bennett. Niney not having a studio of his own at the time used most of Kingston's studios, again availability and money providing. But most of these cuts
selected for this release were cut at Channel 1 and a few exceptions at Randy's Studio 17 and at Joe Gibbs studio at Burns Avenue.

Niney also worked closely with King Tubby on his dub plates, so tracks after the recording sessions were taken to King Tubbys for reconstruction and sometimes
re-voicing over an existing rhythm. These were then used as version sides to the vocal cuts, but most importantly used to nice up the dances, being played out on King Tubbys Hometown Hi-Fi Sound System. We have pulled together a selection of such dub plate specials cut by the Soul Syndicate band for this release. Dub sides that emphasise how well the band worked together, and with Niney at the reigns and the added bonus of some Tubby magic sprinkled on top. Please see our Niney the Observer at King Tubbys 1973-1975 (JRO11) for further examples of this work.

We at Jamaican Recordings hope we are not alone in saluting the musicians, that played such a big part in producing many of our favourite Reggae Sounds. Having released titles by The Revolutionaries (JR003), The Aggrovators (JR005), Sly and Robbie (JR006), we are now pleased to release a selection of rare Dub cuts by another one of Jamaica's finest, the Soul Syndicate band to our catalogue...

Respect Jah Floyd.

Inspired by the soundtrack from the motion picture American Graffiti, this 3LP collection captures the sound of late night cruising, jukebox romance and early rock ’n’ roll rebellion. Spanning doo wop, rockabilly and classic pop, the set brings together era defining hits from the mid 1950s to early 1960s, featuring timeless favourites by Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, Dion, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, The Platters and many more. Pressed across three vividly coloured vinyl records, red, blue and yellow, this set is both a nostalgic listening experience and a striking collector’s piece, celebrating the golden age of American rock and pop in authentic style.

Jackie Mittoo, organ and piano maestro, was also one of the founding members of Jamaica's top session band The Skatalites. Musical arranger for Studio One he provided the backbone to so many of Jamaica's finest tunes. The invention of Ska music and the sounds that rode through the Rocksteady and Reggae period all carry his stamp. Whether it be in his various incarnations, the aforementioned Skatalites, The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and the Sound Dimension or under his own name, his distinctive organ and piano sound and musical arrangements have all played a major part in Jamaica's musical history.

Jackie Mittoo (born 1948, Kingston, Jamaica) began playing musical instruments at a very early age. Taught piano by his grandmother he was performing live by the age of 10 and recording by the age of 15. Two Kingston bands that he played with the Rivals and the Sheiks brought him to the attention of Studio One's founder Coxsone Dodd. Who at the time was putting a group of musicians together to be his studio band. Impressed by his skills on both the organ and the piano, Jackie was asked to join in what would become Jamaica's foremost band The Skatalites. The fellow band members were Lloyd Brevett (bass), Lloyd Knibbs (drums), Don Drummond (trombone), Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso and Lester Sterling (Sax), Johnny Moore (trumpet), Jah Jerry (guitar) and Mr Mittoo (piano). This line up ruled the Jamaican scene between 1964 - 1965 as well as inventing the Ska sound, they also performed the backing duties for the other top labels of the time including Duke Reid's Treasure Isle and Justin Yap's Top Deck label.

1965 saw The Skatalites disband and Jackie Mittoo move on to his next musical project The Soul Brothers. Formed with fellow Skatalite Roland Alphonso, this band would back all the hits coming out of Studio One for the next three years with Jackie Mittoo working as band leader and musical arranger. Around this time Jackie also had his own single released, a Ska underground classic called 'Got My Bugaloo'. Rare, as it also features Jackie in the unusual role for him, as lead singer!!!!.

1966 saw the Ska sound evolve into Rocksteady, again with Jackie's band at the helm, and his first hit single the Rocksteady cut 'Ram Jam'. The success of which would lead to a solo career and album releases under his own name such as 'Now', 'Macka Fat', 'Evening Time', 'In London' and 'Keep on Dancing', to name but a few. In1967 the hits at Studio One were still flowing when The Soul Brothers morphed into The Soul Venders and began backing such luminaries as Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, The Cables, The Wailers and many other of the labels solo artists.

By 1968 Jamaican music was ready for another change and Rocksteady rolled into a slower groove soon to be called Reggae. Jackie Mittoo would be at the forefront with his latest band The Sound Dimension. A line up that included Leroy Sibbles (bass), Roland Alphonso and Cedric Brooks (saxophone), Eric Frater and Ernest Ranglin (guitar) and Bunny Williams (drums). Being the house band at Studio One they backed all the leading names of the time, John Holt, Horace Andy and Alton Ellis, all of Studio One's output carried his sound.

Jackie Mittoo emigrated in the late 60's to Canada, but travelled to Jamaica and London to record with many of the big new names, who were trying to redress Studio One's supremacy and needed his magic touch. Such Producers as Bunny Lee used Jackie Mittoo on many of his sessions, Sugar Minott among others were always glad of his services.

We have captured some fine 1970's cuts that feature Jackies numerous talents, showing his ability to embellish tracks with a feel that few could better, Musical arranger, band leader all round studio ace. We hope you enjoy the set and I'm sure you'll agree with us Jackie Mittoo does indeed Ride On.........

Jaco Pastorius was widely acknowledged for his skills as an electric bass player. This self-titled album was Pastorius' solo debut and was originally released in 1976. Featuring H. Hancock, W. Shorter, Sam & Dave, D. Sanborn & M. Brecker a.o.

For over a decade, Hyunhye Seo a core member of Xiu Xiu, in her solo work navigates the precarious edges where composition dissolves into pure gesture. Through ecstatic piano improvisations, restless percussive attacks and an expansive use of acoustic space, she constructs layered sonic environments that move across the boundaries of noise, avant-garde jazz, ambient and contemporary classical music. Her performances reveal an unfiltered process of listening and creation - a practice in which thinking becomes the enemy, and surrender the only viable strategy.

Continuation captures one such surrender. Recorded live at MAO - Museo d'Arte Orientale in Turin during the exhibition Rabbit Inhabits the Moon – The Art of Nam June Paik in the Mirror of Time, this cascading piano improvisation unfolds as a dialogue between performer, space and the particular acoustics of a museum built to house contemplative objects. Jamie Stewart processes the sound in real time; Giuseppe Ielasi shapes the final mix. What emerges is a work of charged immediacy - restless gestures giving way to passages of unexpected tenderness, noise and silence trading places in continuous exchange. The title is precise: this is music that refuses conclusion, that exists in a state of perpetual becoming. On Side B, Continuous Extension offers an unprecedented response. Phew - the pioneering figure of Japanese avant-garde music since the late 1970s - was invited by curators Chiara Lee and Freddie Murphy to reinterpret Seo's performance. Working with synthesizer and subtle processing, Phew distills the resonances of Continuation into a new electronic landscape - waves of abstraction that echo like reflections in sound, tracing the harmonic tensions of Seo's playing into territories she herself did not visit.

The accompanying booklet includes an essay by Bruno Lo Turco exploring the deep connections between improvisation and Buddhist thought, and a written reflection by Seo on her own practice of surrender and listening.

Continuation is released on Ubi Kū, the record label of the Unione Buddhista Italiana. The cover reproduces Avalokitesvara "Water and Moon" from the Museo d'Arte Orientale "E. Chiossone" in Genoa - the bodhisattva of compassion gazing at the reflection of the moon in water. Like that reflection, this music exists fully in the present, complete and unrepeatable.

Joe Allotta's solo project (drummer, composer, and singer) was born from his need for freedom of expression after numerous experiences
as a session musician for artists such as Davide Shorty, Johnny Marsiglia, Funk Shui Project, Mario Biondi, Leburn Maddox, Giles Robson,
Amy True, and Imaani (Incognito).
His compositions embody the desire to make jazz, in its various forms and influences, accessible to the widest possible audience without sacrificing the impact of an engaging and captivating live performance.
Joe Allotta blends hip hop, funk, and drum 'n' bass with contemporary jazz, perfectly blending vocals with his performances. He combines
his rhythmic exploration with a sweet and surprising voice, capable of lending further emotional depth to his music.
"Transition" is a musical journey that reflects a life in constant motion, where everything seems fleeting, fast, and fleeting, immersed in the
frenetic rhythms that surround us every day. The title also encompasses a more intimate dimension: the growth of his artistic identity. Joe is
no longer just a drummer and composer, but also a singer. His intense and surprising voice intertwines with his drumming in a continuous
dialogue, opening up new expressive possibilities and adding further depth to his musical language.
The album was produced in the studios of the Sghetto Club in Bologna, where Joe, together with his producer Jacopo Trapani, spent weeks
researching and experimenting: rehearsing, playing, processing and synthesizing sounds, developing and arranging ideas, thanks also to
the collaboration of extraordinary musicians. The result is a work that blends instinct and research, intimacy and openness, movement and
transformation: exactly what Transition aims to convey.
CREDITS
Giuseppe "Joe" Allotta: Compositions, Vocals, Drums, Bass, Keyboards
Jacopo Trapani: Compositions, Recording, Mixing
Chicco Allotta: Piano (Track 1)
Giovanni Galdo: Bass (Track 1)
Riccardo Dalle Vedove: Trombone (Track 1)
Piergiorgio Perrella: Guitar (Tracks 2, 5, 8, 9)
Elijah Lee Last Jacinto: Piano (Track 6)
Matteo Diego Scarcella: Sax (Track 6) Francesco Brini: Master

Category 1 Music Sampler - Vol. 4 represents a unique blend of contemporary house music’s most influential and respected personalities. “What I Want” showcases the remixing wizardry of Eric Kupper, who has worked with numerous superstars including Usher, Alicia Keys, Donna Summer & Miley Cyrus; along with the producing genius of Chicago’s great house trailblazer, Ron Carroll. “Call Me” showcases a multi continent contingent of musical talent from the UK, South Africa and the U.S. combining to deliver a soulful house gem that’s highlighted by Stacy Kidd’s distinctive Chicago influenced vibe. Joe Smooth, another Chicago house legend, lends his deep house sound to the appropriately titled, “Soul Deep”, featuring the classic vocals of Ed Ramsey coupled with Sweet Georgie’s impeccable production.

Concluding this house music journey is Ron Carroll’s “Underground”, a Garage banger that’s the creative concept of Marc Cotterell, 1 of the leaders of the U.S./UK Garage genre. “Underground” is the perfect way to end another Category 1 Music house excursion.

Colemine Records freut sich, eine spezielle 10-Jahres-Jubiläumsausgabe von ,Sound of Sinning", dem bahnbrechenden Studioalbum von Monophonics, zu präsentieren. Seit ihrer Gründung im April 2015 tragen Monophonics stolz die Fackel der reichen Musikgeschichte und -kultur San Franciscos durch die Generationen bis in die heutige Musiklandschaft. Sie halten an Traditionen fest, sind aber keineswegs Puristen, sondern spielen ihre eigene Musikrichtung, die als ,Psychedelic Soul" bekannt ist. Auf ihrem vorherigen Album ,In Your Brain" ließ sich die Band von Acts wie den frühen Funkadelic, Sly and The Family Stone und den von Norman Whitfield produzierten Platten der Temptations beeinflussen. ,Sound of Sinning" markierte den Beginn des Wachstums der Band in allen Bereichen. Mit Einflüssen aus Northern Soul, Doo-Wop, Rock ,n` Roll, Psych Pop und Filmmusik zeigen Monophonics ihre Vielseitigkeit, bleiben aber ihren Wurzeln treu. Insgesamt ist es herzliche Musik mit Old-School-Vibes, ohne dabei die Gegenwart aus den Augen zu verlieren. Diese Musik ist geprägt von dem zeitlosen Gefühl, als man noch Songs schreiben und produzieren konnte, die man sich immer wieder anhören konnte. ,Sound of Sinning" wurde von Kelly Finnigan & Ian McDonald produziert und auf einem alten Tascam-Acht-Spur-1/4-Zoll-Bandgerät in den Transistor Sound Studios in San Rafael, Kalifornien, aufgenommen. Seit ,Sound of Sinning" hat die Gruppe das von Kritikern hochgelobte Album ,It's Only Us" (2020) und das Konzeptalbum ,Sage Motel" (2023) veröffentlicht, das sich über 10.000 Mal verkauft hat. Die Band tourt weiter, hat kürzlich eine Reihe von Shows mit dem legendären Lee Fields absolviert und steht vor einer internationalen Tournee für 2025.

Für Mandy, Indiana, ist die Wahrheit der einzige Weg. Auf "URGH", ihrem ersten Album bei Sacred Bones präsentiert, sich das Quartett - bestehend aus Sängerin Valentine Caulfield, Gitarrist und Produzent Scott Fair, Synthesizer-Spieler Simon Catling und Schlagzeuger Alex Macdougall - als eine Kraft von unheimlicher Natur, die ein Album geschaffen hat, das ebenso sehr ein Aufruf zum Handeln ist wie eine Reise in die Vergessenheit und Transzendenz. In den zehn Tracks verwebt die Band ihre eigene unkonventionelle Sprache zu einem Mantra für Selbstbestimmung und Widerstandsfähigkeit und schafft so eine Vorlage für eine bessere Zukunft, bevor alles in Dunkelheit versinkt. Ein Großteil des Albums wurde während eines Aufenthalts in einem unheimlichen Studiohaus am Stadtrand von Leeds geschrieben und anschließend in Berlin und Greater Manchester aufgenommen. Es war eine intensive Umgebung, was zum Teil auf die gesundheitlichen Probleme zurückzuführen war, mit denen Caulfield und Macdougall während des Schreib- und Aufnahmeprozesses zu kämpfen hatten. Dennoch bleiben Mandy, Indiana kompromisslos. Caulfield setzt ihre Stimme als verzerrtes Instrument und Waffe ein, die zwischen verspielt und vernichtend oszilliert. Der pulsierende Sirenenton von ,Magazine" steht neben dem zerhackten Vocal Fry von ,try saying" und der sich wandelnden Wildheit von ,ist halt so", das die Dringlichkeit von Protestbewegungen kanalisiert, auf den Widerstand gegen den Völkermord in Gaza verweist und gleichzeitig allgemeinere Kämpfe thematisiert, während der letzte Track ,I'll Ask Her" eine bewusste Direktheit ist, die die toxische Boy-Club-Kultur anprangert, und eine hartnäckige Abrechnung, die über dem gesamten Album schwebt. Obwohl es immer noch unbestreitbare ,Knaller" gibt (wie der zerfetzte Rap von ,Sicko!" mit Billy Woods), wirkt "URGH" oft wie präzise geschnitztes Kino. Vom sprühenden Techno von ,Cursive" bis zu den dekonstruierten Feedback-Loops von ,Life Hex" bewegt sich das Album zwischen industrieller Katharsis und filmischer Unruhe und spinnt eine Spannung, die Fair als ,Remix seiner selbst" beschreibt. Diese kontrastreiche Palette ist sowohl ein notwendiger Aspekt des Albums als auch das zugrunde liegende Bindeglied. Obwohl "URGH" sehr persönlich ist, spiegelt es den gewalttätigen, zerbrochenen Zustand der Welt wider. Caulfields Texte setzen sich mit Gewalt, systemischer Gleichgültigkeit und der Allgegenwart von Schmerz auseinander, betonen aber auch Momente der Schönheit und Solidarität. URGH gehört in die physische Welt, und das Artwork von Carnovsky mit einer anatomischen Illustration von Andreas Vesalius unterstreicht die viszerale Auseinandersetzung des Albums mit dem Körper und seinen Grenzen. URGH ist sowohl jenseitig als auch physisch und kathartisch, sowohl ein erster Schritt zur Heilung als auch eine Weigerung, das Gespräch sterben zu lassen.

Blues, country and folk or funk, rock and soul – Broussard always gives his songs a very special touch; here he reaches his peak performance!

Acclaimed soul singer and songwriter Marc Broussard returns with his new studio album, "S.O.S. V: Songs Of The 50's," paying homage to the timeless classics of the 1950s. With his unmistakable, warm soul voice, Broussard interprets timeless songs by legends such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, and Fats Domino—complemented by his own original composition that fits seamlessly into the era. The album is the fifth installment in his successful S.O.S. (Save Our Soul) benefit series, with proceeds once again benefiting the non-profit organization Love Of People in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana. His latest charity album, "S.O.S. 4: Blues For Your Soul" (2023), a collaboration with blues icon Joe Bonamassa, benefited the Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation and the organization Guitars Over Guns – and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart.

“Recording this album felt like the crescendo of years of struggling to understand myself. It can get quite claustrophobic living inside my head.” ‘At Home in My Mind’ is an open invite into the world of Halifax indie artist, Ellur (Ella McNamara). The album is a journey around Ellur’s mind, it dips into different musical genres that have shaped her for the past 24 years – from the 90s indie rock she grew up with, to glitch-pop she discovered in her late teens to the alt-folk she cherishes now. Ellur has created a warm abode for her thoughts and experiences as a young woman growing up in Yorkshire’s Calderdale Valley and ‘At Home In My Mind’ beds them all in, safely together. ‘At Home In My Mind’ has been produced by Joel Johnston (Far Caspian) and recorded from his Leeds studio. Johnston and Ellur first worked together on her previous EP, ‘God Help Me Now’ – a stunning body of work that saw Ellur’s fanbase bloom and received praise from national press, radio and an impressive international artists. The buzz around Ellur has lead to a very busy live calendar throughout 2025, including debut festival slots in US and EU, over 14 Summer festival plays in UK (including Latitude, Truck, Big Feastival) and sold out headline shows across the UK. ‘At Home In My Mind’ expands on themes Ellur draws on in her ‘God Help Me Now EP’, particularly an overarching theme of connection. Ellur connecting with her childhood memories, listening to her honest feelings, but most importantly, Ellur wants ‘At Home In My Mind’ to be an arm extended out, looking for people who need a hand to hold.

With a career spanning over 50 years, Earl Sixteen is one of the major artists in the history of Jamaican music. He has been produced by some of the biggest names in the business, from Studio One to Jah Shaka, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Mad Professor. Earl Sixteen has always stood out for the accuracy of his performances and the smooth depth of his voice.

Today, in collaboration with Switzerland most active studio group of the last decade, The 18th Parallel, he presents his new single ‘My Son’, written by the genius lyricist Marc Ismail. The lyrics touch on the harsh reality of the younger generations in Jamaica who grow up in precarious conditions and, in some cases, have no choice but to turn to crime. Here, the elder's voice urges young listeners to take a hard look at themselves and weigh the consequences of their decisions.

The message is enhanced by Earl Sixteen's performance and the extraordinarily powerful rhythm section of The 18th Parallel. B side features a scorcher dub by Westfinga: 'Hear My Dub'. A masterpiece of contemporary roots reggae!

Für Mandy, Indiana, ist die Wahrheit der einzige Weg. Auf "URGH", ihrem ersten Album bei Sacred Bones präsentiert, sich das Quartett - bestehend aus Sängerin Valentine Caulfield, Gitarrist und Produzent Scott Fair, Synthesizer-Spieler Simon Catling und Schlagzeuger Alex Macdougall - als eine Kraft von unheimlicher Natur, die ein Album geschaffen hat, das ebenso sehr ein Aufruf zum Handeln ist wie eine Reise in die Vergessenheit und Transzendenz. In den zehn Tracks verwebt die Band ihre eigene unkonventionelle Sprache zu einem Mantra für Selbstbestimmung und Widerstandsfähigkeit und schafft so eine Vorlage für eine bessere Zukunft, bevor alles in Dunkelheit versinkt. Ein Großteil des Albums wurde während eines Aufenthalts in einem unheimlichen Studiohaus am Stadtrand von Leeds geschrieben und anschließend in Berlin und Greater Manchester aufgenommen. Es war eine intensive Umgebung, was zum Teil auf die gesundheitlichen Probleme zurückzuführen war, mit denen Caulfield und Macdougall während des Schreib- und Aufnahmeprozesses zu kämpfen hatten. Dennoch bleiben Mandy, Indiana kompromisslos. Caulfield setzt ihre Stimme als verzerrtes Instrument und Waffe ein, die zwischen verspielt und vernichtend oszilliert. Der pulsierende Sirenenton von ,Magazine" steht neben dem zerhackten Vocal Fry von ,try saying" und der sich wandelnden Wildheit von ,ist halt so", das die Dringlichkeit von Protestbewegungen kanalisiert, auf den Widerstand gegen den Völkermord in Gaza verweist und gleichzeitig allgemeinere Kämpfe thematisiert, während der letzte Track ,I'll Ask Her" eine bewusste Direktheit ist, die die toxische Boy-Club-Kultur anprangert, und eine hartnäckige Abrechnung, die über dem gesamten Album schwebt. Obwohl es immer noch unbestreitbare ,Knaller" gibt (wie der zerfetzte Rap von ,Sicko!" mit Billy Woods), wirkt "URGH" oft wie präzise geschnitztes Kino. Vom sprühenden Techno von ,Cursive" bis zu den dekonstruierten Feedback-Loops von ,Life Hex" bewegt sich das Album zwischen industrieller Katharsis und filmischer Unruhe und spinnt eine Spannung, die Fair als ,Remix seiner selbst" beschreibt. Diese kontrastreiche Palette ist sowohl ein notwendiger Aspekt des Albums als auch das zugrunde liegende Bindeglied. Obwohl "URGH" sehr persönlich ist, spiegelt es den gewalttätigen, zerbrochenen Zustand der Welt wider. Caulfields Texte setzen sich mit Gewalt, systemischer Gleichgültigkeit und der Allgegenwart von Schmerz auseinander, betonen aber auch Momente der Schönheit und Solidarität. URGH gehört in die physische Welt, und das Artwork von Carnovsky mit einer anatomischen Illustration von Andreas Vesalius unterstreicht die viszerale Auseinandersetzung des Albums mit dem Körper und seinen Grenzen. URGH ist sowohl jenseitig als auch physisch und kathartisch, sowohl ein erster Schritt zur Heilung als auch eine Weigerung, das Gespräch sterben zu lassen.

The only album by Descendants Of Mike and Phoebe, a family band made up of Bill Lee and his brothers, who are also known as the father of Spike Lee, the director of films such as 'Crooklyn' and 'Do The Right Thing'. A Sprit Speaks. The great song 'Coltrane' by Bill Lee, also famous for his performance of Clifford Jordan, is a miraculous balance of dignified and beautiful piano tones and a heavy waltz beat. M3 'Chick Chick', which seems to have been dedicated to Chick Corea, is an up-tempo, fast-moving song. From there to the last track, 'Too Little, Too Late', a beautiful, tear-jerking piece that conveys the depth and greatness of 70s spiritual jazz!

Only The Poets melden sich mit „And I’d Do It Again“ zurück, einem mitreißenden Album, das uns daran
erinnert, warum sie eine der vielversprechendsten neuen Popbands Großbritanniens sind. In 14 brillant
produzierten Songs beschäftigen sich die Bandmitglieder Tommy Longhurst, Andrew Burge, Clem Cherry
und Marcus Yates mit Themen wie Liebeskummer, Eifersucht, Reue und Hoffnung.
„Wir sind einfach so stolz auf dieses Album“, sagt Longhurst. „Es ist die bisher beste Darstellung unserer
Band – es steckt viel Selbstreflexion, Wachstum und Entdeckungen darin.“ Das Album enthält alle herausragenden Singles – „I Keep On Messing It Up“, „You Hate
That I’m In Love“, „Emotionally Hungover“ und „Saké“. Produziert wurde es von den Bandmitgliedern
Cherry und Yates zusammen mit DanDlion, gemischt von Lee Smith und gemastert von der Branchenlegende Chris Gehringer.

Auf ihrem Debütalbum ist eine lange Liste von Elite-Musikern aus der Daptone-Familie zu hören, die alle mit ihrem Talent dazu beigetragen haben, Pazners kreative Vision zu verwirklichen. Das Album wurde mit großem Beifall aufgenommen und erlangte schnell den Ruf als eines der besten Instrumental-Soul-Alben des Jahrzehnts – mit Rezensionen von Pitchfork, American Songwriter, Brooklyn Vegan, Rolling Stone u.v.a.. Im digitalen Bereich wurde das Projekt durch ein unglaublich starkes organisches Wachstum bei den DSPs unterstützt, wobei die Streaming-Zahlen alle Erwartungen übertrafen und es zu einem Durchbruchserfolg sowohl für Daptone als auch für Pazner machten. Nach dem Erfolg seines Debütalbums verbrachte Pazner die nächsten Jahre damit, den musikalischen Kosmos zu erkunden – er schrieb Songs mit Lee Fields und begleitete ihn als Keyboarder auf Tournee. In dieser Zeit gründete er auch eine Familie. Diese Reihe von einschneidenden Lebensereignissen bereitete den Boden für das kommende Album „In Search of a Revival“ (Daptone Records).
Dieses Mal, ganze 10 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung des selbstbetitelten Debütalbums, komponierte, arrangierte und produzierte Pazner das gesamte Album selbst. Mit einer Mischung aus Musikern, die bereits auf dem Debüt zu hören waren, sowie einer Handvoll Freunden und Mitwirkenden, die er auf seiner musikalischen Reise kennengelernt hat, bildete er ein 17-köpfiges Ensemble aus den besten Musikern der Szene. Während „The Olympians“ stark vom klassischen Soul-Stil von Curtis Mayfield und James Brown beeinflusst war, lehnt sich „In Search of a Revival“ an die goldene Ära der Wrecking Crew, die üppigen Texturen der Gold Star Studios, Vintage-Filmmusik und die eher unbekannten Ecken der cineastischen Klanglandschaften an. Von den kaskadenartigen Harfenklängen, die „Sirens of Jupiter“ eröffnen, bis hin zur treibenden Horns von „Sagittarius By Moonlight“ liefern The Olympians einen ganz eigenen neuen Sound: einen alten Traum vom fernen Griechenland, gemalt in üppigen, filmischen Arrangements über harten Rhythmen. In Search of a Revival ist auf dem besten Weg, ein weiterer Daptone-Klassiker zu werden – ein Album, das nicht nur die Traditionen des Instrumental-Soul würdigt, sondern auch einen kühnen neuen Standard für das Genre in den kommenden Jahren setzt.

Auf ihrem Debütalbum ist eine lange Liste von Elite-Musikern aus der Daptone-Familie zu hören, die alle mit ihrem Talent dazu beigetragen haben, Pazners kreative Vision zu verwirklichen. Das Album wurde mit großem Beifall aufgenommen und erlangte schnell den Ruf als eines der besten Instrumental-Soul-Alben des Jahrzehnts – mit Rezensionen von Pitchfork, American Songwriter, Brooklyn Vegan, Rolling Stone u.v.a.. Im digitalen Bereich wurde das Projekt durch ein unglaublich starkes organisches Wachstum bei den DSPs unterstützt, wobei die Streaming-Zahlen alle Erwartungen übertrafen und es zu einem Durchbruchserfolg sowohl für Daptone als auch für Pazner machten. Nach dem Erfolg seines Debütalbums verbrachte Pazner die nächsten Jahre damit, den musikalischen Kosmos zu erkunden – er schrieb Songs mit Lee Fields und begleitete ihn als Keyboarder auf Tournee. In dieser Zeit gründete er auch eine Familie. Diese Reihe von einschneidenden Lebensereignissen bereitete den Boden für das kommende Album „In Search of a Revival“ (Daptone Records).
Dieses Mal, ganze 10 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung des selbstbetitelten Debütalbums, komponierte, arrangierte und produzierte Pazner das gesamte Album selbst. Mit einer Mischung aus Musikern, die bereits auf dem Debüt zu hören waren, sowie einer Handvoll Freunden und Mitwirkenden, die er auf seiner musikalischen Reise kennengelernt hat, bildete er ein 17-köpfiges Ensemble aus den besten Musikern der Szene. Während „The Olympians“ stark vom klassischen Soul-Stil von Curtis Mayfield und James Brown beeinflusst war, lehnt sich „In Search of a Revival“ an die goldene Ära der Wrecking Crew, die üppigen Texturen der Gold Star Studios, Vintage-Filmmusik und die eher unbekannten Ecken der cineastischen Klanglandschaften an. Von den kaskadenartigen Harfenklängen, die „Sirens of Jupiter“ eröffnen, bis hin zur treibenden Horns von „Sagittarius By Moonlight“ liefern The Olympians einen ganz eigenen neuen Sound: einen alten Traum vom fernen Griechenland, gemalt in üppigen, filmischen Arrangements über harten Rhythmen. In Search of a Revival ist auf dem besten Weg, ein weiterer Daptone-Klassiker zu werden – ein Album, das nicht nur die Traditionen des Instrumental-Soul würdigt, sondern auch einen kühnen neuen Standard für das Genre in den kommenden Jahren setzt.

The Modern Sound Quartet represents one of the most treasured, yet least documented, outfits in the history of Italian library music. An exceptional studio band of session musicians with a formidable groove, they released only a handful of albums under this name in the second half of the 1970s. However, their sound indelibly shaped dozens of "invisible" soundtracks, often without ever receiving an official credit on the back sleeve.

Led by pianist and composer Oscar Rocchi, and featuring Andrea Surdi (drums), Luigi Cappellotto (bass), and Ernesto Verardi (guitar), the quartet embodies the more jazz-funk, cinematic, and irresistibly groovy side of the 1970s Milan scene. They established themselves as a compelling alternative to the already established groups operating primarily out of Rome, such as I Marc 4 or I Gres.

Juggling late-night club jam sessions, tours supporting Italian pop giants like Ornella Vanoni, and creating rhythmically intense library records, the Modern Sound Quartet forged a unique sonic aesthetic: sophisticated, electric, and profoundly metropolitan.

This boxset celebrates their funkiest side—an irresistible combination of incandescent drum breaks, tight grooves, and high-intensity fusion passages—bringing together some of the most sought-after tracks from legendary LPs like Erbe Selvatiche (1977), Floreama (1977), Horoscope (1978), and I Tarocchi (1980). The selection also delves further back to the roots of their sound, including two powerhouse tracks from Pop-Paraphrenia (1973), a project where Oscar Rocchi—backed by a young, lethal Tullio De Piscopo on drums—sowed many seeds that would fully blossom in the subsequent Modern Sound Quartet output.

Created with DJs, beatmakers, and collectors of Italian library music in mind, this boxset deliberately features tracks that were never previously released on 7 inch—an ideal format for maximizing the rhythmic punch of the quartet's sound.

Available in a limited worldwide edition (500 copies), enriched by iconic 70s-style artwork conceived and designed by Eric Adrian Lee.

ATA Records proudly present the latest release from The Flying Hats, Blender 7” Following the buzz surrounding their debut LP and the soft limited pre-release of Blender, anticipation for this single has been huge - and with good reason.
“I've never heard something so perfectly combine funk and reggae and do it in a way that is dancefloor gold”. - Monkeyboxing.
The Flying Hats - the Leeds quartet responsible for one of the standout albums of the year - return in phenomenal form with two previously unreleased cuts of the highest calibre. Both tracks strike hard somewhere between Kingston and New Orleans, as if The Meters were channelling Jackie Mittoo or Sound Dimension were jamming with Jimmy Smith.
Thick, funky-reggae organ leads the charge with killer breakbeats, bass pressure, and rhythm-section fire designed to light up any dancefloor worth its salt. Both sides are built for selectors, collectors and dance DJs alike.

The follow-up to 2024’s "Perpetual Eden" sees Bloody Head stretch out and capture the cosmic sprawl of their live gigs on record. Available on limited-edition LP with spot-varnished sleeve.
After finding their Perpetual Eden and then seeing it violently retrograde, Bloody Head return with a new transmission devoted to the pendulum’s swing and the big wheel’s turn.
The big wheel turns and the seasons turn and we turn and it all just keeps on spinning away… elliptic, off kilter, centres not holding, the whole merry-go-round whirling and dissolving and coagulating, perpetually.
The CHILDREN OF THE DUSK and the sundry weirdoes and creeps depicted on the cover painting, channelled by Danny Roberts 777, all spinning and singing and sinning as they rattle along… in some sort of strange, discordant VIBRATORY AFFINITY with themselves/each other/it all.
Stay a while and take the time to BEND DOWN AND KISS THE GROUND/smell the roses/find your Eden, in and amongst the nooks and cracks and crannies and in the thin, strange places.
TIME AS VEILED ETERNITY is a microcosm of the whole merry Shambala, pushing and pulling and coming together and falling apar
Recorded, mixed and mastered by James Atkinson at the Stationhouse, Leeds. The session almost kiboshed by Storm Éowyn. A sprawling mass/mess which oozes and lurches from bloody minded heaviness to meditative reflection to unsettling delirium and back again, ending in total sonic breakdown. More focused and restrained, more reckless and chaotic. There is No time, to every season some sort of purpose.