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- 2025 Repress
- Black Bio vinyl
- Cut at 45RPM for optimum sound
- Printed on heavyweight board outer sleeve
- Vinyl comes in black poly-lined protective bag
- Housed in a heavyweight PVC protective outer sleeve
- Hype front sticker

Blue Lake's new offering 'Weft' sees its creator Jason Dungan unearth new musical terrain
with a mini-album which presents the projects evolution. Finding inspiration in the craft of weaving and embracing a collective spirit as a band leader, all while readying a new studio album expected later in 2025.

It follows the lauded album 'Sun Arcs' (2023) with Pitchfork naming it (Best New Music, 8.3), amongst numerous other accolades. Blue Lake is the ongoing musical project of American born, Copenhagen based musician Jason Dungan which serves as his artistic platform as composer and collaborator. Developed over the period of 2024 and witnessed at live performances across a swath of European cosmopolitan cities and festivals, the project stands at a new creative juncture. The earthy title track 'Weft' emerges with a sense of ease and familiarity as looping guitar riffs in open tunings bed in around a warm cello pulse that provides the essential heartbeat. These interlinking parts align to create his most explicit version yet of an American writing country music in Scandinavia. Dungan named the release 'Weft' as a reference to the weaving practice of his partner, Danish visual artist Maria Zahle, whose work "Torso" is featured on the album's cover. With her works providing a constant source of inspiration to his music and practice as an instrument-builder, Dungan found a symbiotic connection between their mediums, which is reflected in the music on 'Weft'.

'Weft' is a collection of new works that casts a net into new sound territories with distinctive timbres yet always channelled through the refined lens of Dungan's prism. Infused with an ongoing connection to nature, it furthermore expands his unique meld of off-kilter folk, jazz, country and left-field experimental ambience. 'Weft' then is an accomplishment of growth, of bolder objectives and of collaboration with like minds. The Blue Lake project takes a dynamic step forward venturing into new creative spaces while leaving some clues along the way.

2014 erschien es erstmals und hat sich seitdem zum Dauerbrenner entwickelt: das Album “Convergence”
von Malia und Boris Blank. Die Soul-Jazz-Sängerin und der Sound-Tüftler von Yello bringen ihre jeweils
ganz eigenen Klangwelten in das Album ein, dessen Titel man mit „Annäherung“ übersetzen kann.
Die Musik ist eindeutig elektronisch, die Stimme organisch, der Klang ausgefeilt. “Vielleicht ist es Soul,
in dem Sinne, dass diese Musik aus der Seele kommt”, sagt Malia. “Für mich gehen die Wurzeln dieser
Stücke sogar noch weiter zurück, zu Gospel und Blues – sie sind ebenso direkt wie ehrlich.”
Als schwarze Scheibe dreht sich „Convergence“ schon auf vielen Plattentellern, die LIMITED CLEAR
VINYL EDITION (180g-Optimal-Pressung) macht das Album jetzt zusätzlich auch zum optischen Erlebnis.

--The fourth outing on Spray’s Punctuality imprint comes in the form of the much anticipated Ode to Beachball EP by Eoin DJ. The release is a fully realised vision of moods and grooves inspired by Nalin & Kane’s 1997 chart topper ‘Beachball’.

Sparse, organic percussion, simple basslines and lush atmospherics form the bedrock of the EP, placing it firmly at the intersection of starry-eyed euphoria and heads-down club-stomp, lending the tracks a timeless but contemporary feel.

Those with their ears to the ground will know that the title number has been somewhat of a sleeper hit for the past two summers. Ode to Beachall’s understated stabs, rolling bass and transcendental vocals have soundtracked many sunsets and have bore the brunt of numerous failed shazam attempts via spins in mixes by trendsetting auteurs like Job Jobse, Sally C and label head Spray.

Bliss Inc’s remix turns up the energy dial with a club-focussed remix of Ode To Beachball, adding extra dynamics to the rhythm and low end, propelling the original into a modern hard-house roller complete with big-room breakdowns and euro-centric stabs, firmly aimed at the dancefloor.

On the flip both Infinite Well and On Lilac Skies stick to the beachball brief- swung bongos and congas, undulating low end and mercurial vocal chops add to the balearic beach techno mood of the entire EP. Both tracks are exemplary practices in dancefloor restraint and are sure to be staples in bags and sticks of discerning DJs for many summers ahead. Another stellar release from Irish atlantean Eoin DJ.

Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile is an intense and haunting masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of industrial rock. The album, released in 1999, showcases Trent Reznor's raw and emotional songwriting, exploring themes of isolation, anxiety, and self-destruction. The tracks range from aggressive and chaotic to delicate and introspective, creating a dynamic and immersive listening experience. With its intricate layers of electronic beats, distorted guitar riffs, and haunting vocals, The Fragile is a powerful and thought-provoking album that solidified Nine Inch Nails' status as one of the most influential and innovative bands in the industrial rock genre.

War Head Constriction, a trio that defined an uncompromising afro psych-rock sound, began by playing shows that combined dark proto-metal influences from Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with afro-rhythmic elements. Their raw energy caught the attention of Afrodisia, a progressive record label, which signed them to release a single in 1973: "Graceful Bird" b/w "Shower of Stone." Unfortunately, the record was too experimental for mainstream audiences and quickly faded, leading to the band's breakup. Despite this, they played their biggest show opening for Fela & the Afrika 70 at the National Stadium in Lagos before disbanding. However, the members quickly moved on, continuing to form new groups.

Amenechi recalls jamming with Soga Benson, his cousin Skid, and Ben Bruce at St. Gregory’s, where they wrote and performed together. Benson, who had previously been in rival groups, became close with Amenechi once he joined Greg’s. Benson, a talented guitarist, joined Ofege for their second and third albums in 1975 and 1977. Despite this, his main group, Grotto, had yet to record. That changed when EMI Records, the leading afro-rock label, took interest in Grotto in 1977.

Odion Iruoje, A&R manager at EMI Nigeria, recalls his first encounter with Grotto, noting their cocky attitude and raw material. He sought to help them find an authentic sound, avoiding the typical influences of British rock or groups like Ofege. Iruoje was passionate about youth bands, seeing them as a fresh opportunity to experiment and create something unique. Despite skepticism from EMI Nigeria about the youth market, Iruoje felt confident that Grotto’s originality would shine through.

An Avrin returns to Scuffed Recordings with four new originals and a remix from Sonia Calico.

An Avrin has been a firm favourite of the UK label since his 2019 appearance on the Scuffed Presents Vol.3 compilation with the track ‘Cave People’, which saw heavy rotation from DJs like Ross From Friends and rRoxymore. Returning to Scuffed the following year with the ‘Clodhopper’ EP, the London-based producer further developed his wobbly, esoteric sound, which draws extensively from a range of electronic influences.

Since then, An Avrin’s catalogue has become a go-to for under-the-radar club heat, with a string of self-released EPs and an appearance on Bristol’s Slippery Sounds marking him out as a vital name to watch.

The ‘Parisian Pitstop’ EP is his second release on Scuffed, and sees An Avrin building on his previous work while also expanding his horizons into different tempos and styles.

The A-side opens with the one-two of the title track - which is as good a primer on An Avrin’s sound as it’s possible to have - and ‘Stumbler’, both high-impact tracks with raucous breaks bouncing off warped vocals and relentless bass.

On the B-side is ‘Plata’, which builds tension with more melodic elements, before crashing into thunderous kicks and glitchy grooves. An Avrin ups the ante on ‘Is It?’, the last of the four originals on the EP, and the highest tempo of the bunch.

Taiwan-based producer Sonia Calico rounds off the release with her remix of ‘Plata’, a rowdy rework that pits grimey bass up against intense, rolling percussion.

Early DJ support has come from Surgeon, Emerald, Naina, Ciel, and Louise Chen.

63 Jahre setzte dieser bisher unveröffentlichte Soundtrack im Archiv von Lou-Mood Pictures Staub an. Mit dem hochtönigen Timbre und dem hochprozentigen Swoon des Pop der Nachkriegsjahre ist "Call Me Old Fashioned" ein 40-minütiges Stereo-Klangabenteuer für 7 & 7 Spionage-Film-Fanatiker, das zuckersüße Diven, fassgelagerte Big Bands und "zoo be zoo be zoo"-Schwung mit einem Latin-Jazz-Luxardo zum Garnieren vereint.

63 Jahre setzte dieser bisher unveröffentlichte Soundtrack im Archiv von Lou-Mood Pictures Staub an. Mit dem hochtönigen Timbre und dem hochprozentigen Swoon des Pop der Nachkriegsjahre ist "Call Me Old Fashioned" ein 40-minütiges Stereo-Klangabenteuer für 7 & 7 Spionage-Film-Fanatiker, das zuckersüße Diven, fassgelagerte Big Bands und "zoo be zoo be zoo"-Schwung mit einem Latin-Jazz-Luxardo zum Garnieren vereint.

Limited edition collector's item. Only 500 pressed for WW – Limited for UK. Artist is constantly touring –playing both internationally and domestically– across his personal project, A-Trak, as well as Duck Sauce and The Brothers Macklovitch. 2 prior installments of the 10 seconds project with the same iconic red vinyl. A-Trak cooked up another batch of raw SP1200 bangers and this 3rd installment of his 10 Seconds series is extra crunchy. Using the vintage sampler that helped define the sound of Todd Terry, Stardust and Kenny Dope, and working within the confines of its extremely short sample time, Trizzy went to work and concocted some gold. Whether it’s the insanely funky bassline of Like I Said, the hardgroove chugging of JustCantLive or the surprising techno bump of Jyeah, this EP is full of weapons. It’s obvious that A-Trak had a smirk on his face when he was cutting up those kicks and hats.

Rhythm Section International, the impossible-to-define label founded in South East London by Bradley Zero in 2014 has reached the ripe old age of 10 years.Spanning 6 discs and 30 tracks, the compilation begins by taking us on a walk down memory lane and presenting one track from each year of the labels output

Rhythm Section International, the impossible-to-define label founded in South East London by Bradley Zero in 2014 has reached the ripe old age of 10 years. Funny thing is, it feels like it could have been almost double that. It’s hard to imagine the Landscape of the London music scene without this foundational force whose influence is felt more than ever.

With this special anniversary release, the label takes stock at this milestone to present a compilation in 3 parts: PAST, RE-IMAGINED AND FUTURE: honouring the labels tradition of always paying homage to what has come before while setting sights firmly forwards.

With 100-odd releases in their extended back catalogue covering every imaginable style and boasting influence in every inhabited continent on earth, it’s been quite a decade for the independent label, which began on a shoestring budget with funds made via the now legendary Rhythm Section pool hall parties in Peckham.

From humble beginnings to an era defining output - few would have predicted the slow and steady rise of the imprint and the impact it has had on generations of Dj’s, musicians and listeners - at home and abroad.

Spanning 6 discs and 30 tracks, the compilation begins by taking us on a walk down memory lane and presenting one track from each year of the labels output - highlighting some forgotten classics from the archives over the first 2 discs. For discs 3 & 4, the label invited it’s stable of artists to pick a track from the back catalogue to re-imagine in their own style. This process resulted in some incredibly playful contributions from the likes of Ruf Dug, Session Victim and Private Joy - whose playful reinterpretations add new depth to old material.

Finally, the last 2 discs are entirely new material for 2024, carrying the torch of the previous SHOUTS compilations - whose sole aim is to shine light on new music from emerging artists

Today, the Toronto-born-and-raised singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson announces her highly-anticipated sophomore album Cyan Blue out May 3rd via Stone Woman Music / XL Recordings

Along with the announcement of her new album comes the release of first single, "I Don"t Love You", a stark and devastatingly beautiful confessional, highlighting Wilson"s immaculate production skills and chill inducing vocals laid atop smooth groove piano chords and soft drums. The track also arrives with a visual directed by Dani Aphrodite featuring layered low fi footage of the artist and producer performing at home, living every day life and having moments of solitude in her car, a theme that comes up throughout the album. Cyan Blue finds Wilson crafting a smoothly woven cyan tapestry of her eternal influences; thumping gospel piano, warm soul basslines, atmospheric electronics, and penetrating R&B melodies. Yet, it possesses a sense of vastness that rings in a new era for Wilson, one in which she"s embracing collaboration and newfound creative openness tinged with wistfulness and yearning and a reflection on youthful innocence. "I want to look through the unjaded eyes of my younger self again," Wilson explains of making Cyan Blue. "Before there wasn"t as much baggage, before so much life was lived. But I also wish that my younger self could see where I am now. It would be nice to be able to impart some of the wisdom and clarity that I have now onto her.

" Working with producers like Leon Thomas (SZA, Ariana Grande, Post Malone), and Jack Rochon (HE.R, Daniel Caesar), Cyan Blue demonstrates Wilson´s sonic expertise while also showcasing the next evolution of her time-bending songwriting. Through 13 hypnotizing tracks, she continues to use music as a vessel for unpacking relationships, which in turn allows her to meet and understand herself in life-spanning, panoramic focus.

But, on Cyan Blue, she challenged herself to kick her perfectionist tendencies. "Before, I was extremely intentional about creating music with a strong foundation, a bed of artistic integrity," Wilson reflects. "But that was a bit stifling, like, "Let me just make a great piece of art that will stand the test of time, no pressure." Now, I think I"m getting out of this frozen state of needing everything to be perfect. I"m more interested in capturing feelings in the moment as they happen and leaving them in that moment."

While this is only her second album, Wilson"s influence in music has made a major mainstream impact. Wilson broke out in 2016 with her critically acclaimed EP, CDW, followed by 2018"s Stone Woman and made her debut studio album an official coming out moment in 2021 with the critically acclaimed, self-released Alpha.

Over the past decade, she´s been sampled by Drake, John Mayer, and James Blake, while Patti Smith has recently praised and covered Wilson´s 2016 breakout single "Work." Additionally, she´s collaborated with artists like Kaytranada, BADBADNOTGOOD, and SG Lewis, demonstrating that there´s no sound Wilson can´t adapt to and sprinkle her cyan-colored magic over.

Whitey Morgan & The 78’s make it to the top shelf of Bloodshot’s bar. NPR may not be the first place you’d think to go for snarling, blood-on-the-tele country music, but they sure got it right when faced with Whitey Morgan & The 78’s: “Staying close to the sound and subject matter of classic outlaw artists like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and David Allan Coe, Morgan is poised to lead this hard-worn brand of country to the next generation.” More than a decade after we let this record loose, millions of Yellowstone viewers heard “Bad News” as delivered by Whitey Morgan & The 78’s from this here album.

We suspect more than a few of those folks will be compelled to drink straight from the source and hear more of what they love. It’s also not a stretch to say the rest of country has caught up with what Whitey Morgan was puttin’ down in 2010. Anyone listening to Chris Stapleton and Jamey Johnson will find a familiar friend right here. As for us, we like to think of their Bloodshot debut as the birth of Altlaw Country and 15 years later it’s earned the Barrel Select designation as one of the best damn records we’ve got. As such, this new pressing is on Bloodshot-red vinyl and now includes a replica of the Whitey Morgan & The 78’s Holiday Whiskey Extravaganza gig at Chicago’s Cobra Lounge

Barreling straight into song after song, Boston Massachusetts outfit Superdown live each note like there is no tomorrow. Vocals move from gentle to guttural at a moment's notice. The music heightens and breaks into a driving force that feels like it is carrying you to shore through a violent sea. If Samiam and Hot Water Music had the sensibility of The Gaslight Anthem, the result would be Superdown.

In 2019, Resistencia Sonora was launched as a collaborative project where urban resistances and ethnic-peasant rural resistances converge in the greater area of Montes de Maria, situated in Colombia's western Caribbean region. This initiative originates in one of the musical epicenters of ancestral sounds that have fostered a now global recognition for styles such as gaita, cumbia, bullerengue, son palenque and son de negro, as well as Sabanero accordion music like porros and pajaritos.

The aim of this extensive project has been to serve as a rare living archive of festive gatherings, conversations, knowledge exchange, and co-creative processes that have spawned specifically from the municipality of Ovejas, which sits in the Sucre Department of Montes de Maria. Resistencia Sonora's documentation in Ovejas is more than just a musical recording, rather an all-encompassing snapshot of a very real folkloric life within neighborhoods such as El Bolsillo, El Corea and La Ciudadela. The initial inspiration of the project can be credited to a specific call to arms from composer Andrés Narváez, who expressed the dream to record his own original compositions set amongst this region's local history. Andrés, like many leaders from the old sabanas beyond Montes de Maria, is a social leader and land-rights activist. He proposed not only to record his songs but also to invite other musicians and composers to take part in this documentation, an extended hand to uphold the legacies, knowledge, and traditions of the region's elders.

All songs recorded between 2022-23 on location in Ovejas and Bogotá, Colombia. Mixed in Brooklyn by Names You Can Trust and mastered by Frank Meritt at The Carvery, London. Limited Edition 250 vinyl press with included 12-page booklet and liner notes in English and Spanish.

The Swiss trio divr debuts on We Jazz on 2 February with their new album "Is This Water". divr is Philipp Eden on keys, Jonas Ruther on drums and Raphael Walser on bass, and they play largely acoustic improvisations which loops without ever quite repeating. Their music swings, but never feels like it’s doing so in response to a fixed, single pulse. The new album is mixed & post-produced by Dan Nicholls (of Y-OTIS).

“We play in multi-directional time. You could hear three different timings, but on the other hand it’s together. We land in the same place. It’s not done with maths, it’s more about entering a flow”, say the band members, based in Basel (Eden) and Zurich (Ruther, Walser), the city where they all met more than 15 years ago.

“It’s a free approach to playing time. We don’t refer to a straight metre. But play around it. We never repeat something exactly, it develops with every turn, there’s always a small difference.”

Homer Steinweiss has an incredibly storied career in music that started when he was just a teenager. He's drummed for nearly every "retro soul" group that mattered and his distinctive stickwork helped blend the raw-but-receptive soul sound back into the mainstream via the likes of Amy Winehouse & Sharon Jones. He's now one of the most in demand drummers in the world, playing with Jonas Brothers, Clairo, Solange, Adele, and Bruno Mars to name a few.

With his debut solo release Ensatina, Homer is stepping to the forefront as both musician and producer. His new record is a re­ection of who he is now and a testament to how struggle often brings about a needed change. In 2020 Homer had to reckon with considerable emotional turbulence; at the same time that his band Holy Hive broke up, a personal relationship of 20+ years fell apart putting Homer in an uncertain place mentally. The fallout was signi‑cant enough for him to seek professional help. "I was going through these super manic highs and then very depressive lows," Homer describes. "And being in all that, it's just so tough to imagine that the other side is there, that it'll be ok." But, with time, professional help, and support from friends and family, Homer made it through and has been forever changed. This album is a product of that period of his life. The ‑rst song from these sessions, "Now That It's Over" perfectly sums up Homer's triumph through those tough times. It's a song of changing perspective and contemplation with haunting vocals from Hether and Flikka. "Paul (Castelluzzo_ aka, Hether), as a friend, saw me through these highs and lows," Homer points out. "I only had the one line, 'Now that it's over, I'm alright,' but he felt that lyric so much that he wrote all these sections and lyrics and basically completed the song. It was like he was writing to me." Hether also features on album standouts "Deep Sea", a modern love song, "Start Select", a juxtaposition of inspiration and melancholy, and "Forever and Ever and Ever and Ever" which is an incredible contemporary take on the B side soul ballad. Homer uses his innate gift for bringing seemingly opposing energies together on "Racecar Driver", pairing the vocals of Hether & long time friend and collaborator KIRBY to make a genre challenging banger. KIRBY also graces the album opener "Rollin'", an airy, warm-weather invoking song that her raspy voice perfectly compliments. He puts his drumming front and center on "So Get Up!", a bottom heavy infectious track that MINOVA's vocals turn into an instant hit that is sure to smash speakers. On "Wishing Well" & "Hide It Behind the Light I'm Shining Through" Homer is joined by girl named GOLDEN, who's unique voice effortlessly ‑nds the pocket in each tune. The man on trumpet, and fellow Big Crown label mate Dave Guy, puts his incomparable playing on the album closer "Goldie" which Homer says is the part of the movie where the credits roll.

Making this album was a refuge for Homer and it put him back on track. Ensatina is a glimpse into the different energies and in­uences that make Homer tick. To say he was always much more than a drummer would be an understatement, and this ‑rst solo offering is just the beginning of his next chapter.

"Wanted Dread & Alive" released in 1981 is now available on 1LP Yellow Recycled, is an album that underscores Peter Tosh's status as a reggae icon and a vocal critic of social injustices. The album's title reflects Tosh's rebellious spirit and his fight against systemic oppression. Tracks like "Coming in Hot" and "Rastafari Is" showcase his fiery lyricism and commitment to Rastafarian principles.

Lungu Boy is the third studio album from global superstar and Nigerian singer/songwriter, Asake. The album promises to captivate fans with its vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and poignant lyrics that reflect Asake's unique artistry and cultural roots. Lungo Boy showcases Asake's signature blend of Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, and highlife, creating a rich tapestry of sound that is both innovative and deeply rooted in African musical traditions. Each track on the album tells a story, weaving personal experiences with universal themes of love, struggle, and triumph. The album features collaborations with some of the biggest names in the music industry, like Travis Scott, WizKid, Central Cee, Stormzy, and LUDMILLA – adding exciting dynamics to Asake's already impressive sound.

Produced by a team of top-notch producers, Lungo Boy is a testament to Asake's commitment to quality and his relentless pursuit of musical excellence. The album also narrates the transition of Asake growing up on the streets of Lagos to becoming a global icon and living life in urban cities around the world. It identifies with the sights and sounds of Lagos (Eko, Lagos Island, Idumota Street), London (Hackney, Shoreditch, Brixton, Peckham), and New York (Brooklyn, Harlem).

"Vangelis (29/3/1943 –17/5/2022) was a Greek musician, composer, and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He composed the Academy Award-winning score to Chariots of Fire (1981), as well as for the films Blade Runner (1982), Missing (1982), Antarctica (1983), The Bounty (1984), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), and Alexander (2004), and the 1980 PBS documentary series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan. Vangelis started writing music when he was 4 and performed his first live concert at age 6. He started his career as a member of The Forminx. In the sixties, he was a founding member of Aphrodite's Child along with Demis Roussos and Lucas Sideras. He also enjoyed succes as part of Jon & Vangelis early in the eighties. The Best Of Vangelis from 1993 is an absolute classic. It contains Vangelis classics like “Alpha”, “To The Unknown Man”, “Pulstar (Audio)”, “Spiral” and “So Long Ago, So Clear” featuring Jon Anderson from Yes. Now for the first time available on vinyl as a Limited Edition 2LP set, on white coloured vinyl.
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With the release of Love (the) Ominous World, Blu & Exile have returned with an album that brilliantly builds on their soulful, reflective foundation with stunning musicality and sharp songwriting. Their shared history as one of hip-hop’s best duos continues to grow, especially as they venture into new territory while embracing and refining what made them special.

“This album is our most unique work to date,” Blu says. “We took a different approach with the direction while still staying true to the culture our music has built with our fan base.” That direction is one that finds the two California natives crafting records that would sound right at home on the radio and hip-hop charts. Like “Suga & Butta,” for example, which features recent Def Jam signee Rae Khalil and rising star Ahmad Anwar. Every element of the track is as sweet and smooth as its namesake, from the lyrics to the production. There’s also the raw G-funk banger “Chucks,” a snarling collaboration with West Coast stalwarts KXNG Crooked and Kurupt.

The Leaves’ sophomore album weaves blues, folk and garage together through kaleidoscopic shards of psychedelia to bring listeners All The Good That’s Happening. On translucent chlorophyll green vinyl! Fired by youthful exuberance and a well-rounded repertoire of musical fashions, The Leaves, by all rights, should have turned into major stars. Despite the fact the band’s second and final album, “All The Good That’s Happening,” parented no winning singles and isn’t quite as potent as the first disc, the platter remains terribly underappreciated. Tracks such as the moody stupor of “On The Plane” and the ping-pong pulsations of “Lemmon Princess,” which carries a chaotic circus-like air, are decorated in psychedelic decals, while “Twilight Sanctuary” features some hard-driving harmonica blowing chained tight against giddy blues rock jamming.

The band’s blues influences additionally prevail on honest recyclings of Jimmy Reed’s raspy-throated “Let’s Get Together” and Buffy Sainte-Marie’s candidly cryptic “Codine,” along with “Flashback (The Rhythm Thing),” a retooling of John Lee Hooker’s “Crawling King Snake” that morphs into an intense boogie woogie instrumental. A copy of Manfred Mann’s “The One In The Middle” weighs in as another blues based item, and “To Try For The Sun” is a stark and haunting folk ballad. Snapping guitars, compounded by strong and solid harmonies give the album a strutting garage rock edge, where smatterings of offbeat arrangements and curious effects zone in on the freakier side of The Leaves. To call the album trailblazing would be stretching the truth, but there are enough amusing and exciting ideas to keep listeners awake and interested. Personnel issues, paired with lack of promotion prevented “All The Good That’s Happening” to be heard, resulting in the end of a band that died on the vine (pun intended) way too soon.

The SteelDrivers are more than the launching pad of Chris Stapleton’s career and the home-base to the multi-talented musician and songwriter Tammy Rogers. They’re an ever-evolving group of seasoned veterans who have reinvigorated bluegrass by mixing in their individual influences and histories. Stirring Southern soul, Nashville country, deep blues, and wooden-church gospel into bluegrass, The SteelDrivers created a hybrid old as the hills and fresh as morning dew. Or, as a slack-jawed Vince Gill described their sound more directly, “an incredible combination.” Over the past 20 years, The SteelDrivers have become one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass. After four Grammy nominations, the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year and IBMA’s 2009 Emerging Artist of The Year, The Muscle Shoals Recordings took them to the next level, winning the band their first Grammy Award and landing them another #1 Bluegrass album. In every way, The Muscle Shoals Recordings was a major step forward for the group. Former bandmember Chris Stapleton contributed a new song, “Drinkin’ Alone,” and longtime fan Jason Isbell shows up on a few tracks as co-producer and guitarist. The core of the SteelDrivers stepped up as well, with even richer and more evocative songs and performances that cut deeper than ever. It sounds like an album that should have always existed on vinyl but somehow never was. Until now. Vinyl debut of the Billboard #1 Bluegrass Album & Best Bluegrass Album Grammy winner Featuring production & guitar by Jason Isbell Includes "Drinkin' Alone," written by former SteelDriver Chris Stapleton "Their playing is magnetic" —NPR "The group has rarely sounded more focused or passionate

Stick To Your Guns hold a mirror up to society’s ills without blurring its ugliness. In an attempt to unapologetically trumpet real change, the Southern California quintet—Jesse Barnett vocals,Andrew Rose [bass],Adam Galindo[drums], Chris Rawson [guitar], and Josh James [guitar]—never shy away from speaking or screaming unpopular truths from the purest place. Founded in2003, Stick To Your Guns have always written and performed with a sense of urgency, their socially conscious message hitting as hard as their signature hybrid of hardcore, punk, and metal. Over the course of their career, they’ve amassed over 50 million total streams, performed on four continents, and shared stages with the likes of Parkway Drive, Architects, and Every Time I Die. Most recently, Alternative Press praised 2017’s True View as “the result of a long time spent on self-reflection and realization.” The band’s latest release ‘Invisible Rain’ incorporates two new songs that remain quintessentially Stick To Your Guns while incorporating fresh elements. The band’s relentless pursuit of a better world and their critique of societal injustices continues to drive their music and message. In 2024, Stick To Your Guns signed with SharpTone Records, marking a new chapter in their storied career. This partnership promises to bring their potent blend of activism and music to an even broader audience, amplifying their call for change and social justice.

On (ii), London & Vienna-based duo Bara & Isa present their singular version of devotional music. After meeting at an experimental choir in Café OTO, the duo started collaborating, mostly by exchanging files (initially during the pandemic and now between London and Vienna). (ii) is their debut album which follows a handful of self-released singles and an EP.

Described by the duo as a "sort of document of personal development, and also the struggles of everyday motions", this is music which embraces contradictions. Themes of reflection, acceptance and care sit side by side with notions of spiralling and falling, as Bara & Isa explore the nuances and complexities of quotidian life. Working with a rich sound palette of organ pipes, electric organ, voice notes, field recordings, vocals, harp, chimes, tuning forks, singing bowls, bells and flute, the duo slow-cooked and composed these beautiful songs between 2021 and 2024, mostly by exchanging files. And that's exactly what this music sounds like: a digital call with a loved one, glitching, slowed down, disembodied, yet heartwarming and comforting. Mesmerizing, inviting and bewildering all at once.

“Their music toys with proximity and intimacy, it carries a romanticism which feels forged from a struggle for connection in an isolating world. Tender, precarious folk ballads for a time which struggles to stay in sync.”
Daryl Worthington — The Quietus

“Late Junction 3 airplay”
Jennifer Lucy Allan — BBC Radio 3

"I decided to just let myself go," Zzzahara says of their new record, 'Spiral Your Way Out' "I think I finally came to this acceptance that I don't have to be perfect. I want to be a good role model to my fans and stuff like that, but I also don't want to hide who I am." Zzzahara's music wades into the deep waters of love, lust, and self-discovery in a part of the world where artifice and authenticity co-exist. Emerging from the heart of LA's alternative music scene, their sound is raw in feeling and rebellious by nature.

Their 2022 debut album, Liminal Spaces, chronicles a coming- of- age in Highland Park, following painful childhood memories through to late- night, live- fast coping mechanisms, and the changes the neighbourhood has endured over the same period of time. Their 2023 follow- up, Tender, marked a period of slowing down, looking inward, and embracing a softer side of being. 'Spiral Your Way Out' sees Zzzahara evolve again. Emotionally, its foundations are built on scorched earth.

The album finds Zzzahara in the aftermath of a relationship spent trying to fit someone else's mould, being jerked around by indecision, and then hitting "emotional rock bottom." Made in a three-month burst that let all their pent-up frustrations loose, 'Spiral Your Way Out' is in part a work of self-reclamation, swapping there 2nd album Tender's meditative state for something fiery and more assertive. The new album marks another sonic evolution as much as an emotional one. Zzzahara's songs have always come wrapped in a warm glow that reflects how they were written -namely at home in their bedroom.

That glow remains on 'Spiral Your Way Out', but it also packs an ambitious streak and a gutsy punch. Taking a more collaborative approach than usual, Zzzahara worked with a range of producers including Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, No Joy, Sky Ferreira), Sarah Tudzin (boygenius / Cloud Nothings / The Armed), former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig (Jelani Aryeh / re6ce) and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid, who helped harness their intimate style of writing and blow it up into something more panoptic. After a year of upheaval, Zzzahara finally feels "calm." The musical equivalent to going several rounds on a punching bag, 'Spiral Your Way Out' finds solace between extremes. It licks its wounds in a place where pain and love, healing and abandon, sit side-by-side. If it has a message, it's one of standing tall in your own shoes - scuffs and all.

"I decided to just let myself go," Zzzahara says of their new record, 'Spiral Your Way Out' "I think I finally came to this acceptance that I don't have to be perfect. I want to be a good role model to my fans and stuff like that, but I also don't want to hide who I am." Zzzahara's music wades into the deep waters of love, lust, and self-discovery in a part of the world where artifice and authenticity co-exist. Emerging from the heart of LA's alternative music scene, their sound is raw in feeling and rebellious by nature.

Their 2022 debut album, Liminal Spaces, chronicles a coming- of- age in Highland Park, following painful childhood memories through to late- night, live- fast coping mechanisms, and the changes the neighbourhood has endured over the same period of time. Their 2023 follow- up, Tender, marked a period of slowing down, looking inward, and embracing a softer side of being. 'Spiral Your Way Out' sees Zzzahara evolve again. Emotionally, its foundations are built on scorched earth.

The album finds Zzzahara in the aftermath of a relationship spent trying to fit someone else's mould, being jerked around by indecision, and then hitting "emotional rock bottom." Made in a three-month burst that let all their pent-up frustrations loose, 'Spiral Your Way Out' is in part a work of self-reclamation, swapping there 2nd album Tender's meditative state for something fiery and more assertive. The new album marks another sonic evolution as much as an emotional one. Zzzahara's songs have always come wrapped in a warm glow that reflects how they were written -namely at home in their bedroom.

That glow remains on 'Spiral Your Way Out', but it also packs an ambitious streak and a gutsy punch. Taking a more collaborative approach than usual, Zzzahara worked with a range of producers including Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, No Joy, Sky Ferreira), Sarah Tudzin (boygenius / Cloud Nothings / The Armed), former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig (Jelani Aryeh / re6ce) and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid, who helped harness their intimate style of writing and blow it up into something more panoptic. After a year of upheaval, Zzzahara finally feels "calm." The musical equivalent to going several rounds on a punching bag, 'Spiral Your Way Out' finds solace between extremes. It licks its wounds in a place where pain and love, healing and abandon, sit side-by-side. If it has a message, it's one of standing tall in your own shoes - scuffs and all.

"Color LP" is pressed on gold vinyl. Black Up is the new sonic move from Shabazz Palaces. Like rich velvet hijabs or gold threaded abayas. Luxury as understood by the modest. Shabazz Palaces. If Bedouins herded beats instead of goats and settled in Seattle instead of the Atlas Mountains, this would be their album. Forward thinkers but nostalgic for a sparer time when ancient astronomers only recognized five planets. Hip hop. Black light uses electromagnetic radiation to eradicate microorganisms, but shabazz didn't come to kill a sound, just to shine their own incandescent lamp on this. Hear. Hard and clear. Fifty thousand years in the making. Honorable._palaceer pink gators. Produced by Knife Knights.plcrs at Gunbeat Serenade Studio in Outplace Palacelands. It was recorded and mixed in Lixx-alog by Blood.

This record _produced by Bomp's Greg Shaw_ is the result of pure teenage exuberance!! Garage punk at its best that transports you back to either 1984 or 1966! Produced by Greg Shaw, "All Black and Hairy" was originally released in 1984 on his label Bomp!, resulting the only LP ever recorded by the band in their short career. Unavailable for over a decade now we are thrilled to reissue this essential `80s garage gem as part of a series of releases celebrating Bomp! 50th anniversary. Includes a booklet with notes by band member John Hanrattie and rare photos.

This Is DJs Choice Vol. 4 brings you a great selection of Funk, Soul, Latin and Hip Hop.

Five years after the last installment of the series, Volume 4 is compiled by Gu, a long-time friend and DJ partner of Unique label founder Henry Storch, and the tracks represent the two decades they have known each other and played records together, as well as the music they enjoyed.

All choices are originally 7 Inch records from Gu's crates put together like a DJ-Set for you to enjoy: The Soul of The Sweet Vandals and Carlton Jumel Smith, the Deep Funk of Naomi Davis & The Knights Of Forty First Street, The Supersonics and Sharon Jackson & The Soul Destroyers, the Latin sounds of Diesler and Eli Goulart E Banda Do Mato and the Hip Hop grooves of Jay Are (aka J.Rawls and John Robinson), The Bamboos featuring Ohmega Watts and Daddy-O of Stetsasonic.

This compilation is a celebration of music from beginning to end.

About This Is DJs Choice:

The series started as a friendship project by Henry Storch, who wanted to immortalise friends and allies from the DJ scene, who picked vinyl as their format of choice. The genre didn't matter, as long as the vibe was right. In 2008 Vol. 1 featured a selection of organic Club Sounds and Break Beats put together by Soulinus & Pun, followed by Keb Darge & Lucinda Slim and their favorite Rhythm & Blues, Rockabilly and 60s Soul tunes on Vol. 2 in 2009. In 2019 Les Intouchables aka Marc Hype and DJ Suspect presented a variety of funky and soulful music with an addition of the occasional Boogie, Reggae and Hip Hop track.

About Gu:

Gu is a DJ, musician, label owner, producer, writer and producer from Northern Germany. His dedication to music started in his pre-teens in the late eighties and he is playing vinyl ever since. Over the years he has worked with a number of his favorite DJs and artists like Keb Darge, Andy Smith, Snowboy, The New Mastersounds, Osaka Monaurail, The Sweet Vandals, The Allergies, Andy Cooper of Ugly Duckling, Daddy-O of Stetsasonic and Chuck D of Public Enemy to name a few. His DJ career took him all over Europe again and again.

In 2005 he started Our Label Records with his brother Tom to release new Funk music on 7 Inch vinyl and added the Hip Hop 45 imprint Origu in 2015. Since 2009 and he is on air every week with his radioshow Home Diggin', which was also picked up by Chuck D's Rapstation in 2019. Additionally he is lead singer/rapper for the Songcore duo Sorry We're Closed and the Hip Hop outfit Alder Ego. He also does readings of his book of one-liners and competing on Slam Poetry stages.

MANOWAR is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the band is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology . The band is also known for a Loud and Bombastic sound. In 1984 the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. MANOWAR have also been known for their slogan "Death to false metal » and have maintained a very strong following with dedicated fans worldwide as referred to by the band as "Metal Warriors", "Manowarriors", "Immortals" or "Brothers of Metal". The band signed with Atlantic Records in 1987. Via Atlantic, they released 'Fighting the World', which enjoyed more extensive distribution and increased the band's prominence in the international heavy metal scene. Album art was designed by Ken Kelly. In 1988, MANOWAR released the album 'Kings of Meta’l, which is the band's best known work. Songs like "Heart of Steel", "Kings of Metal" and "Hail and Kill" are performed regularly in concerts. 'Kings of Metal' is MANOWAR's highest-selling album worldwide. A new musical unit after the recent changes, MANOWAR released The Triumph of Steel in 1992. It gained some great success and was particularly famous for the presence of a suite lasting no less than 28 minutes entitled "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts", inspired by the events of the Iliad and the hero Achilles. After this release, the band went on a world tour for two years. Those MANOWAR’s album have become legendary and are still must have in any metal fan record collection . Vinyls formats Having been very rare and reaching high prices online, those three albums are now being made available again in quality coloured vinyls; Grab them now while you can !!

Pink Vinyl

Drifting on oceans of thunderous stillness, carried away by endless currents, whipped up by waves of darkness devouring you until you see the light. The first album from Platoo, a collaboration between Michelle Samba and Phil Mills, has an unrelenting cadence that grabs you and refuses to let go. A distinctive combination of calming soundscapes and highly-charged energy fitting any occasion, from dancing like lost souls in the empty halls of ancient barracks to ecstatically tripping on a distant desert planet.

To Phil and Michelle creating Platoo was about being given a sense of freedom and exploration, at once shaking off habits and rediscovering forgotten values. Phil's love of the mesh of ''real'' sounds and electronics, and quest to establish a balance where both would feed off each other saw him abandon convention and standard structures, deviate from the beaten path and let things come to life. Michelle's quest to create, to inspire and be inspired, to draw her conclusions from serendipitous events allowed her to break things open and be at ease with letting herself go to create the breathing space needed for this new sound.

What makes their symbiosis fruitful is a common yearning for the unknown, a search for what works without exactly fathoming why it works. The result is something that indeed meets those needs, a strange and beautiful musical exploration.

Over 19 tracks, Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music mines gold from dollar bin country-rock detritus to reconstruct events as seen from the genre's wild west - Americana's vast private press substructure. As progenitor and contemptuous poster boy for the music that came to be Cosmic American, Gram Parsons found himself mired in a recording career spent mostly in scouting the perimeters of chart success. "He hated country-rock," Parsons collaborator Emmylou Harris would later reflect. "He thought that bands like the Eagles were pretty much missing the point." Parsons had been orbiting the idea of Cosmic American Music for some time. In 1968 he'd parted ways with the Byrds and was looking to take air with a new project. "It's basically a Southern soul group playing country and gospel-oriented music with a steel guitar" he told Melody Maker, on the subject of The Flying Burrito Brothers. So it was that when A&M's Burrito Brothers debut The Gilded Palace of Sin made it to shelves in February of 1969, early adherents to the Cosmic American gospel were already echoing its message from areas flanking Gram Parsons' Southern California hills and canyons. There was F.J. McMahon in coastal Santa Barbara, Mistress Mary further inland in Hacienda Heights, and Plain Jane of Albuquerque, New Mexico, each responding by committing their own private readings to tape before day one of the 1970s. Parsons himself might've disdained them, had he even been aware of such minor ripples, shimmering at the edges of his desert oasis. But these were true believers all the same, given over fully to his roots music concept, each filling vinyl grooves with non-rock instrumentation like fiddle, banjo, and pedal steel guitar, the last undoubtedly Cosmic American Music's most distinguishing stringed signifier. Only too predictably, big labels did the grunt work of confining and defining the movement, as ABC, United Artists, RCA, and more played catch-up with Asylum's raptor rock juggernaut, via backwoods crossover also-rans with names like Gladstone, American Flyer, and Silverado. Twang reigned, the shitkickers kicked shit, and the vaguely western-sounding guitar records piled up. Country-rock became "the dominant American rock style of the 1970s," as Peter Doggett's comprehensive Are You Ready for the Country put it much later. Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music picks up and dusts off golden ingots from the dollar-bin detritus of that domination, to reconstruct events as seen from the genre's real Wild West-America's one-off private press label substructure.

While she was waiting for her last album 'Pripyat' to be released, Catalan composer and producer Marina Herlop was restless. She was concerned about her (by then) uncertain music career, and felt emotionally unmoored. "Some days I used to sit on the balcony of my flat to catch some sun," she explains, "I would close my eyes and start visualizing myself as a gardener, pulling out purple weeds from the soil, every bad memory or emotion I wanted to expulse being one of the plants." As the days dragged on, the fantasy deepened, and Herlop discovered that parts of the garden was withering; the energy she had been putting into the non-musical side of her life had seeped into her creative pasture and poisoned it. She knew what she needed to do to overcome the blight: plant some seeds and tend to her art to help it blossom and bloom once again. 'Nekkuja' is a place for Herlop's warmest, sweetest sentiments to rise to the surface and crack through the topsoil. She describes the record as a way for her to seek and affirm inner light, and it's undoubtedly her brightest, poppiest statement to date. The forward-thinking, experimental touches that nourished 'Pripyat' are still present, but blessed with a level of positivity that's rare to find in a scene so entranced by darkness and melancholy. Skittering fragments of ornate acoustic instrumentation provide a serene welcome to 'Busa', punctuated by precise electronic processes that shuttle the sound towards abstraction and fantasy. Herlop's voice grows over the tangle of sounds from a childish giggle into a layered, matted mantra, sounding passionate, hopeful and full of energy. The vitality spills over into 'Cosset', where she wraps powerful motifs around ricocheting beats and dramatic piano rolls. Herlop's garden opens up dramatically on 'Karada' when bucolic field recordings crack like sunlight over harp plucks and willowy vocals. Her voice seems to bend around the whooshing streams and chittering of birds as if she's singing to the manicured land itself - a utopian paradise that Herlop employs as a metaphor for the creative process. In contrast to the view that an artist is an isolated genius or an idol to be worshipped, Herlop believes that the garden helps us see the process as closer to devotion or perseverance. A gardener brings order to the wild chaos of the outdoors, collaborating with nature to arrange something vibrant and enduring. Blending familiar sounds with fanciful concepts, Herlop traces an imaginary garden, imploring us to wander and wonder. And by the album's billowing final track 'Babel', it's flowered into a flush of pruned vocal phrases and delicately groomed orchestral rushes, painted in orange, green, blue and red.

46 tracks on a 3-LP collection – including: Adam & The Ants, Kate Bush, The Jam, Madness, Diana Ross, Lipps Inc, Paul McCartney, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark,

Spandau Ballet, Ramones, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Odyssey, Kool & The Gang…

Repress!

Code 718 aka iconic NYC DJ Danny Tenaglia dropped this 'E2-E4' riffing classic back in the mists of 1992. Manuel Göttsching's original track would have been a staple of NYC clubs back then and would have featured in the warm up sets of jocks like Tenaglia who favoured the longer, deeper sets as well as on the play-lists of institutional night-spots such as the Loft and the Garage. The track's influence on a whole era of DJ's and producers that followed is immeasurable and across 3 sublime mixes Tenaglia distills the magic of the original into something totally NYC and club-friendly without losing any of the Göttsching magic, even managing to sprinkle a little Grace Jones in the mix with her fabulous 'I floated on a cloud' vocal sample liberally applied. 'Equinox' takes us on a trip that is emotive, uplifting and warm. This is how House music is meant to sound, respectfully steeped in what preceded it yet moving forward in a fresh direction. Another example of how on the money Strictly Rhythm were in their early days, classic after classic rolled out of the labels' offices and us, the record buying legions, were / are better off for it! This one's a tasty 2017 reissue and remaster, featuring all 3 mixes, unedited, as per the original release way back when. Do not sleep.

The much-anticipated fifth studio album from Rufus Du Sol, known for blending organic and electronic sounds, sees the Grammy-winning trio once again delving into familiar themes like love, heartbreak and euphoria across 15 tracks. This new record, featuring previously released singles 'Lately' and 'Music Is Better', marks the band's first new material in three years. Their latest single, 'Break My Love', shows the band's signature style, where smooth vocals from Tyrone Lindqvist weave into a hypnotic electronic backdrop. The track evokes hope and emotional depth while maintaining the group's dreamy, electronic soundscape. The accompanying retro-inspired music video, directed by longtime collaborator Katzki, adds a playful twist with a heist-themed storyline, reflecting the band's creative evolution. Inhale / Exhale represents a new creative phase for the trio, who describe this era as focusing on the joy of creation in the present moment. Fans can expect a mature sonic journey that carries forward the emotional highs and lows that have made RUFUS DU SOL a beloved force in the global electronic scene.

Mary Coughlan, oft beschrieben als die grösste Sängerin, die Irland je hervorgebracht hat, feiert ihr 40-jähriges Jubiläum mit einem neuen Album. Coughlan verbindet whiskyverhangene, rauchig-heisere Töne mit dem lakonischen Witz von Billie Holiday und Peggy Lee, und den deepen, düster-schmutzigen Blues von Bessie Smith mit Edith Piafs sarkastischem Trotz und bittersüsser Verzweiflung. All das mit ihrem köstlich-kompromisslos-irischen Akzent: skeptisch, reumütig, traurig, schmelzend und glühend nach Liebe. "Repeat Rewind" ist ein gelungenes, gefühlvolles Album, ehrlich, offen und introspektiv, scharfsinnig und doch humorvoll. U.a. mit einem exzellenten Cover des Beach Boys-Klassikers "God Only Knows".

The Mommyheads will release "One Eyed Band" digital on 9th November 2024. The vinyl will be available WW in the beginning och 2025. After delving into the realm of concept records with last year's "Coney Island Kid", Mommyheads have returned to push the boundaries once again, while still sounding like they're having a great time. Without the slightest concern for genre or categorisation. They've now released seven LPs in six years! Well-crafted songs, deft musicianship and progressive arrangements keep them sounding fresh and relevant after 37 years together.

"We are delighted to be able to bring you these gorgeous field recordings from the Sumedang Province of West Java which, over their 50 minutes, present two distinct sides of Sundanese musical and devotional culture.

Although West Java is a Muslim country, these recordings highlight currents of pre-Islamic animist beliefs and practices that continue to flourish in the small towns and villages of the highlands of West Java. The recordings showcase two forms of trance music that are essential to the spiritual life of the Sundanese people in the highland regions.

Tarawangsa trance music is a traditional ceremonial genre known for its deep spiritual and hypnotic qualities. This music is made using only two instruments, the tarawangsa, a two-stringed fiddle, accompanied by the jentreng, a seven-stringed zither, creating a unique blend of resonant, droning sounds. Historically, tarawangsa music has been performed as part of sacred rituals and agricultural celebrations to honor local deities and ancestors, particularly associated with the Sunda culture. The minimalist, repetitive melodies gradually build, guiding participants and listeners into a meditative, trance-like state, during which dancers can be possessed by the spirits of ancestors or deities from the spirit realm, the music serving as a link between the two worlds.

In stark contrast to the calm, medititive sound of tarawangsa, we also present here two long pieces from Panca Buana Reak Group. Sundanese Reak trance music is like the punk rock of Sunda folk music, combining powerful and driving rhythms played on a number of hand drums and percussion instruments with the buzzing sound of the tarompet, a double reed wind instrument often amplified through whatever mobile speaker system might be at hand. Sometimes the group will play gamelan gongs, as heard on the first piece on the album, although this remains a music that is popular mainly with the working class youth of the rural villages, many of whom will also be fans of Indonesia's burgeoning metal and punk scenes. Reak performances are often wild, anarchic events that feature masked dancers, costumes, public trancing and spirit possession.

These recordings were made by Xenia At during her travels through West Java earlier this year. The tarawangsa recordings were made in a home in the village of Rancakalong on the evening of 17th January 2024, while Panca Buana Reak Group were recorded during rehersals in the village of Cinunuk on 19th and 20th January 2024."

Limited edition of 100 copies.

The musicians:
Overture (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Rian Hidayat, Daffa, Rendi, Haswa, Doni, Aconk, Bayu, Zidan, Iwan Uwak, ⁠Mahadewa Sehu, ⁠Bebet, Adi, Bebet).
Reundeu - Master Yayat (kacapi), Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Degung - Master Yayat (kacapi), Teguh Permana (tarawangsa).
Pamapag__Gelar Mataram__Panimang__Limbangan - Akbar Nendi (kacapi) & Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Reak Lugay Pusaka Pajajaran (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Aconk (tong), Rendi (brung), Hendrik (tarompet), Ade (kecrek), Riki (bedug), Doni (talingtit), Adi (badublag).

Xenia would like to extend gratitude to:
Master Yayat, Tedi Kurniadi, Akbar Nendi, and Teguh Permana for their incredible talent that turned this recording into a magical experience.
Ibrahim Adi Surya for technical support.
The Juarta Putra and Panca Buana Reak groups for explaining the cultural significance of local traditions.
Anggun Tresnasari for sharing her deep knowledge of regional music traditions.
Igor Moskalenko, Kate Snap, Stasya Frolova, Roman Gold, Misha Maltsev, Ilona Popychko, Galih Muhammad, Wildan Wiliansyah, Rizalu Ramadhan, Rahi Rahmat, Fahmi Solihin and Muhammad Ismael whose unwavering belief made this project possible.

Hive Mind would like to thank Luigi Monteanni (Artetetra) and Palmer Keen (Aural Archipelago) for their invaluable work and research in this region.

The Ghentian skyline has low peaks and hides its horrors in full view ~ walk streamside and you’ll quickly be confronted with façades that leer with their tales and secrets, the angels and demons that built this city holding up its mortar and stone in an inextricable embrace. It is within this incongruous backdrop that Benoît Monsieurs has fostered the Venediktos Tempelboom persona. Using the 12-string guitar as his main instrument, the self-taught musician creates passages that take fingerpicking Americana and Eastern transcendence into the Flanders fields, with winding compositions that distill the essence of giants like John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Jack Rose and folds them into the dark drone melancholia of Funeral Folk/KRAAK stalwarts like Silvester Anfang, Helvete and Ignatz. The results are ringing meditations of awe and terror, flamboyant and grotesque yet utterly mesmerizing in their unrooted sonic imagery.

In his debut LP, Syne Vuyle Hoeck, the Tempelboom amalgamates his influences - East, West and deep Flanders alike - into a flurry of acid-drenched tracks that spread out into a distinctive musical iconography. Each composition carries a facet, highlighting angel and demon in equal measure: the solemn opener “De woelige rit op een roze wolkje” is a threading of melodies that carry pensive heft and hopeful asides, as hints of ragtime buoyancy lead into sullen ruminations in a fully lucid change of course; “Ocharme Ochgod” is a sober penitence, slowly and almost imperceptibly building up into a tangle of lines that inexorably coil back into their brooding backbone; the echoing tape loop of “In Flock” reverberates and torments, steel sharpness and frayed magnetic disintegration finding improbable common ground; “El Contrario” swerves unforgivingly in an Eastern-infused openness reminiscent of Six Organs’ rawer days and unnervingly giving way to a forceful - dare we say upbeat - conclusion. And so one treks into the depths of the Tempelboomian universe, a place of high drama and low morals inhabited by a prankster creator who deploys euphoria and distress in equal measure. Just as the strings of his guitar are left to echo like sparkles in the dark, so his music lingers in the soil of our humanity, redolent of the kind of peace one can only make with the demons of the self.

2024 Repress ON BLACK VINYL

The album and single news follows closely on the heels of Daudi’s recent tracks “oMo” and “Fool Me As Many Times As You Like” which have received high praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson on Worldwide FM and BBC 6 Music as well as Lauren Laverne, and have been featured in several Spotify editorial playlists including The Most Beautiful Songs in the World, The Other list, The Listening Post, and Fresh Finds. Having released just two independent EPs – “A Brief Introduction to Failure” and “The Lingering Effects of Disconnection” – to date, Daudi has toured with GoGo Penguin, Keaton Henson, and Portico Quartet, whilst also being a participant of the Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal 2016. He also received a standing ovation at this years The Great Escape Festival, and plays as a member of Do Nothing’s live band, who he is currently on tour with. Through his unique brand of modern albeit reverent folk, Daudi continues to offer his listeners a space for understanding and introspection. Deft, melancholic picking reminiscent of Nick Drake is tempered by contemporary percussion and instrumentation. Matsiko’s vocals derive their strength from their seeming fragility. With every song, his confessional lyrics cut to the marrow.

eve is the debut collaboration between Past Inside the Present label head zake and Benoît Pioulard captures the serene magic of a quiet December night. Spanning four side-length tracks, the album grew from a decade of sound fragments all layered up "like family album photos." zake shaped the sonic base while Pioulard added textures with guitar, voice, dulcimer, melodica and synths. The title track evokes a wintry stillness with low swells and turntable crackles, while 'Frost' drifts on reverent vocals and shimmering drones. 'Pine' conveys forest mystery and 'Slept' closes with haunting loops and a delicate resolution like snowfall on an open field.

Swiss label Acquit welcomes back D'Funk for more of their no-frills techno. It's seductive stuff from the off with the opener 'In Your Hood' layers up mind-melting synth sequences with sleek beats. "Let's Play' is a more bulky cut with slamming drums and subtle percussive details then 'My Next Turn' pairs things back to rubbery drum loops and dubby chords that sound all gooey and gloopy. 'Glitch My Funk' picks things up with more taught kick drums that compel you to dance as the delicate cosmic vibes permeate the groove. 'Killing Me Deeply' is a nice raw analogue deep house closer that kicks like a mule.

Moody cacophonies, sonic dispatches from Japan, crystalline breakbeats that are more environment than rhythm: Jake Muir’s enmixed, described by Muir as a “(re)mixtape,” is a mind-bending deep dive into the enmossed archive. Besides reflecting the history of the label, Muir’s mix is a production in its own right. A Los Angeles native based in Berlin, Muir is a DJ and field recordist who “sees mixes as a vehicle to explore narratives outside of the album format.”

In Bathhouse Blues (2023), where Muir sampled various sources to explore gay cruising culture and sensuality, his more expansive, conceptual approach to the form is illuminated. Mixes are not just a linear succession of tracks with transitions—they’re excavations that also result in the creation of new audio artifacts. Inspired by the psychedelic impulses of illbient, Muir uses DJ and sound engineering techniques to melt down genre distinctions and create alien atmospheres.

From the enmossed community, Muir pulls from artists like bad lsd trips, Angelo Harmsworth, Nick Klein, Tetsuya Nakayama, and Patrick Gallagher to coalesce a super-compendium of the global sonic underground, all viewed through his own unique lens. Muir takes major liberties with processing and effects automation to carve new worlds from the soil of these preexisting works. Some of the tracks and material on enmixed are heavily edited, emphasizing specific harmonics or bass frequencies, and some portions contain three or four layers, putting artists in direct conversation with each other.

This heady approach—using the tools of both mixtape and remix—results in a super textual and dense palimpsest of the enmossed catalog. “Because mixes are more open- source,” Muir says, “it’s easier to express some ideas since there is more material to pull from.”

- Rob Goyanes

Silver foil printed j-cards on heavyweight iridescent ('Lapis Lazuli') recycled paper Duplicated at a carbon-neutral facility

“My introduction to “noise” came from a record shop in Lake Worth, Florida ran by a musician named Kenny 5. Kenny had left Detroit sometime in the mid nineties and had begun selling used records and CD’s from the downtown strip of this tiny southern Florida city in a humble shop sandwiched between a deli and a dog grooming business. Kenny previously was on labels like Amphetamine Reptile and timeSTEREO, and the records and videotapes that would be on repeat at his shop were a vast sonic expanse that spoke to the eclecticism of his experience as a touring musician participating and adjacent to American noise culture through the early to late 90’s. In 1998, I was eleven years old and I would order a pizza with him and watch VHS tapes of Japanese noise and deathmatch bootlegs, as well as any other sonic and subcultural rarities that far outstripped my age to comprehend (notably the RRR “Journey Into Pain” compilation and various Vanilla Tapes videos). This widecast net of information formed an introduction to a reality that did not fall deaf on me, but it took many years later for me to reorient the specific freedoms of what this dense and cathartic sound culture had imparted on my life and would continue onward to.

What does this have to do with this selection of choice recordings from the Secret Boyfriend catalog for the enmossed label? For the uninitiated, Secret Boyfriend is the long running moniker of Ryan Martin, North Carolina musician and label proprietor of the Hot Releases imprint. For over a decade from this writing I have watched Secret Boyfriend, and Hot Releases by extension as a curatorial and archival effort, embodying the multiplanal capacity that noise loosely functions from as an umbrella ideology and formalist avenue for sound creation. For anecdotal purposes, from (before) 2006 until roughly 2023 the East Coast of the United States showcased a vibrant network of eclectic regional festivals that saw wide swaths of artists addressing and negotiating the notion of what qualified “noise” from a conceptual and ideological perspective. Some festivals honed in on particularities in aesthetics and tropes, and others had a kind of “catch-all” implementation that allowed for a salvation of the sort of alienated and singular artistry that was amassing throughout these territories. While clear guidelines had been set from regional predecessors as to how noise with a capital “N” should maneuver, Secret Boyfriend is emblematic in the spirit of fluidity that was either implicitly coupled to the notion of the genre, or grew to evolve towards or devolve from.

Within Secret Boyfriend performances, I have seen and admired a mirroring from a ravenous appreciator of this culture at large back towards itself. Typical of a Secret Boyfriend set is an interchangeable narrative arc wherein blistering feedback laden scrap metal improvisations are forayed into naive ambient or “pop” songs, or skipping CDs, or mixer feedback play, or delayed Roland 707 drum workouts all at once and in a unique hegemony. Secret Boyfriend's stylistic mastery of each endeavor is at once an homage to a history of loving listening and enacting, while a brave step into the realm of actualizing the unique fluidity of his own practice. In performance and the action of network engagement, Secret Boyfriend operates a survey of that which he sought to hear and that which he cultivates around his work. His operations are mirrors, and the project (alongside his other peers) is a reflection on the ethos of his time.

Conversely his recording practice narrows in on these moments and allows for a different kind of intimacy or alienation for the non live listener. This record of selected “pop songs” (let's call them that) is particularly poignant at a time when the culture Martin mirrors is at a strange crossroads with itself. The aforementioned festival networks necessarily change and shift. The onlookers become the artists, the artists find new horizons, and the spaces for these cycles fade into locales of a distant memory. It seems, from my perspective, that audiences currently yearn for a more bottlenecked experience, searching for some ontologically vetted manifestation of an idea, of a sound and less for an experience that functions in opposition to our collective banalities. This makes sense in the face of general global catastrophism that plagues us. We need certainty of what something is somewhere, don’t we? Noise as an idea has expanded and contracted to so many iterations of itself it is hard to tell what it even is, and it is particularly difficult to identify in the absence of solid network activations a moment to reflect on its own complexities and nuances. In the face of so much change, I argue that the language of noise culture at large has on one hand become increasingly didactic and predictable, and laughably inclusive and non linear on the other. Probably has always been this way, but now we are in the midst of a moment of extreme access and indexicality, which somehow cauterizes expansion and naivety and chance.

This record highlights the Secret Boyfriend that obscures didacticism by highlighting output that opens up for more challenging catharsis and emotive signal processing. It provides an entry to the materialism of a cultural field full of ecstatic complexity and beautiful inconsistency. In these muted moments Secret Boyfriend has given us over his career we have an argument for evolving languages that further challenge our notions of what is supposed to happen and how it is supposed to be presented. In his more song oriented expansiveness, we can punctuate the ability to think in new modalities. Listening to these recordings reminds me of the polarity of sitting in the record store as a kid and understanding that His Name Is Alive is on 4AD and (gasp!) timeSTEREO. This trite early impression that nothing is really as different as our imaginations might want them to be, and that we can do whatever we want mostly within the creative realms we work through is an important filter to look through Secret Boyfriend as a project and a vessel. If we can achieve abandon and vulnerability through our artistic endeavors, then we have a sound model for, maybe, new potentialities. If that’s too much projection, or just complete liberal bullshit, I am fine with that. Secret Boyfriend's oeuvre at best offers us moments of reprieve to ponder these complexities, or at least a moment to zone out on a drive through North Carolina Highway 54.

You have one pocket of life that you must do whatever you want to inside of. Secret Boyfriend does it affectionately, in a variety of forms, and always with deep sentimentality. These recordings are a wonderful set of songs to begin further investigation from. Thank you Ryan for allowing as many avenues as possible to continue a broad cultural exchange and conversation that intersect and refract while being the kind of artist that is brave enough to not phone in the effort.”

- Nick Klein , May 2024

Visioni Fuggitive” is an unconventional project by Alien Alien and Foresta, influenced by Sergei Prokofiev’s “Visions fugitives, Op. 22.” The composition reimagines Prokofiev’s piano miniatures using electroacoustic music, combining various elements like piano fragments, electronic sounds, and field recordings. The result is a 45-minute immersive and emotive piece that beautifully evolves and shifts throughout. Alien Alien and Foresta successfully draw inspiration from classical music history, bringing Prokofiev’s work into a new age and context.

"Atria" is an exceptionally deep, easy-to-play-on-repeat work from Denver-based FOANS, a continuity of heartbreaking melodic interludes and nostalgic, otherworldly softness. Originally self-released in 2014, "Atria", comprised of 9 tracks simply titled "Diorama", is a plunge into dubby textures, meditative rhythmic cadence, lamenting chords, and shimmering neon pads. While growing to become a household name, especially for fans of 100% SILK and the now sadly defunct Danish label Speaker Footage, FOANS has offered numerous beloved releases over the last decade, showing listeners who stumble across his artistic microcosm that he has his own trademark sound, one that is often very recognizable even in a crowded space; a remnant from his early years as a bedroom producer, Atria shows us that FOANS’ sound has always shimmered, has always moved through heavy emotions and uneasy silliness. It will likely continue to do so for years to come.

Perfect Location Records is honored to commit this stunning work to vinyl for the first time, with a digital remaster for digital collectors as well. The record will be packaged in a black die-cut jacket and include a download code along with a small matte print of the acrylic-on-canvas cover art by painter Andrea Willems.

Limited run of 200 physical copies.

BACK IN PRINT ON BLACK VINYL

“To understand the significance of the word ‘featuring’ on Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold, consider how infrequently Sun Ra used it and the exact way it had been used.
“The October Revolution in Jazz, organized by Bill Dixon in the West Village in 1964, presented a vivid cross section of approaches to the new music, including a sextet led by Ra. For the October Revolution’s continuation, titled Four Days in December, held at nearby Judson Hall on the last days of 1964, the Arkestra performance presented Pharoah Sanders as well as a flautist (who was and remained obscure thereafter) named Harold Murray, nicknamed Black Harold.
“It wasn’t until long after Sanders had achieved worldwide acclaim with John Coltrane that Ra and manager Alton Abraham decided to issue the music they’d recorded at Judson Hall. After its first release in plain or hand-decorated covers in 1976, Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold remained an exceptionally rare item in the El Saturn discography, known to a few lucky collectors.
“We’re lucky to have this glimpse of what Sanders sounded like in such a different context, galvanizing the large group and in turn being inspired to make his first significant contribution on record.”
—John Corbett (excerpt from the liner notes)

IT DEEL is the multi-year project of the Kleefstra Bros together with Popfabryk; production house for Frisian pop culture.

For IT DEEL III the Kleefstra Bros have entered into a collaboration with the Belgian multi-instrumentalist Karen Willems. Together they worked in the Thomaskerk in Katlijk on new material that was released on vinyl by Moving Furniture Records.

The Kleefstra Bros are poet Jan Kleefstra and guitarist Romke Kleefstra, both also members of Piiptsjilling, The Alvaret Ensemble, CMKK, Tsjinlûd and Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra. Based on a deeply felt mission, the makers want to create awareness of the universal connection between people and nature and use the means available to them to this end: poetry and music.

The Belgian multi-instrumentalist Karen Willems is active in various fields. Started as a drummer in rock and pop groups such as Zita Swoon Group, Jan Swerts, Pascal Deweze, Yuko, Novastar, Mauro Pawlowski and others. With a number of musicians she built a tradition in improvised music and sound art. Just like the Kleefstra Bros, Karen Willems is intrigued by the forests, landscapes and nature that can be heard in her work.

Jack Adkins, the creative force behind the moniker Jamin’ Jack, has a multifaceted musical journey that began in the mid-'60s in Cincinnati. Initially cutting his musical teeth in garage bands like the Coachmen, Adkins would later embark on a decade-long journey as Jamin’ Jack, the One Man Band, from 1983 to 1993. A pivotal moment unfolded in the early '80s when, at the age of 36, Adkins walked into London Music studio in Tampa to record his debut LP, 'American Sunset.' This album, distinguished by its evocative portrayal of the West's decline, emerged as a defining piece in Adkins's musical repertoire. Its sonic landscape, characterized by guitars and drum machines, resonates with a familiar and poignant atmosphere. The subsequent decade witnessed Adkins assuming the persona of Jamin’ Jack, the One Man Band, embarking on an extensive ten-year tour. Adapting to a corporate presentation style, he not only refined his musical craft but also mastered the art of bantering and entertaining, overcoming his initial shyness. During this nomadic period, Adkins carried the master tapes of 'American Sunset' with him on the road. In a poetic expression of his transient lifestyle, he pressed LPs and tapes in Houston, selling them directly at various venues. The album, at its zenith, serves as a sonic backdrop to the lonesome and transient life on the road, encapsulating the essence of a nation seemingly heading into the sunset. 'American Sunset' stands as a must-listen for enthusiasts of Trans-era Neil Young and the dystopian vibes reminiscent of Repo Man, offering a captivating musical narrative that echoes the spirit of its time. Neofolk electronica? we're not sure, but its just amazing! Only 500 units of this 'sunset' coloured vinyl will ever exist. You waited 40 years for this anniversary meeting, so don't blow it, buy it!

There’s something so magically transportive about the music of the holidays, and here at iam8bit, one of our beloved favorites is The Muppet Christmas Carol. It’s one of the best holiday films of all-time, so in collaboration with our friends at Muppet Studios and Walt Disney Records, we’re so very excited to bring you an exclusively remastered revival of the classic soundtrack, breathing new life into the legendary songs and score by Paul Williams and Miles Goodman, respectively.

On October 18th, Nicolas Michaux will release his third album, titled Vitalisme. This album consists of twelve recordings made over the years on the Danish island of Samsø and at the Free House, the studio of Capitane Records in Brussels. Much like in his previous album Amour Colère, Michaux navigates between polarities in Vitalisme : dawn and dusk, birth and destruction, hope and cold lucidity, past and future. However, this time it is less about exploring the different poles of human experience and more about bringing them together at a precise point where life unfolds. Armed with impeccable writing in both French and English, Michaux traverses the familiar lands of inspired songwriters, addressing grand themes of timeless poetry as well as the empirical realities of the contemporary world: love, illness, war, wisdom, resurrection; but also climate change and class war

Over the past couple of years Acid Jazz have been re-issuing releases from the enigmatic 'Albarika Store' label, a goldmine in Afro cuts from Benin, West Africa. The latest instalment is the ultra-rare 'Ogassa Original (Vol. 1), the first LP from obscure but ultimately brilliant Porto Novo group, Ogassa from 1978. Like many Albarika releases, it was recorded at EMI Lagos, giving a depth and fidelity that stands out in the realm of Afro rarities. Reissued in full with the original artwork for the very first time, a must have for Afro collectors and completists alike.

A secret love letter concerning the new Bambounou and Priori collaboration has been delivered...

“Darling,

I’ve been thinking about how beautifully our love has come together, like a song crafted with care and passion. It reminds me of a melody written by Jeremy Guindo and Francis Latreille, every moment we share feels like it was meant to be, perfectly aligned, just like their music.

From the moment we met, you’ve been my crush, the one who makes my heart race and my world brighter. Our love is full of tenderness and understanding, much like the way each song was carefully mixed at Jump Source Studios. Every word we say, every look we exchange, blends together to create something truly special.

Like a song polished by Nik Kozub, our love has grown stronger and clearer with time, resonating in my heart with pure, unwavering devotion. And just like an art piece, our journey together has been beautifully designed, every detail carefully shaped by the hands of fate, much like the work of Dimitri Erhard and Janic Fotsch.
You are my melody, my rhythm, my everything. With you, life is a beautiful serenade, and I can’t wait to keep writing it. I love you more than words can express, and I always will.

Yours forever,

Crush"

It starts of with jacking proto ACID house song called Delayed Attraction. A song that would have made the kids crazy at the Music Box in the mid 80's. And are still as uplifting for all us house heds. The second song Tear Gas takes us back to Europe, with a slow Belgian beat that moves like a train and hits you straight in the chest, and on top of this a monotom synth pad on top of that it gives the song a some what a scary dream feeling. The third song Nasjiga is taking us further in to the complex dream but packaged in a Detroit electro vibe with sounds that makes me think of a hospital hart beat monitor but then mixed up with bit-crushd lo-fi dragon covers in a dubby inferno that keeps on building up without coming to a climax (in a good way). The forth song Verfolgung is a 8 minute stomping song that's starts of in a Burzum sounding flute but the quickly goes over to a freaky baseline that's sounds like its made out of a congas patch and a detuned bass on top of that. On top of that they put a march bands drum pattern that gives this song a freaky tivoli vibe and would be such a banger a the right time of a DJ set. /Jens W Limited numbered to 200x * Delayed Attraction - With a bumpy baseline that grooves, hard hits on the drum machine, this is are both funky and hypnotic. * Tear-Gas - A mid-tempo acid journey that blends funky drum patterns with psychedelic trance strings. Typical FRAK's acid-outed sound, with a hypnotic and thumping beat and bassline. * Nasjiga - The B-side kicks off with a deeply dubby and tribal vibe, with splashing hi-hats and echoed percussions. like the heartbeat of an underground train going of the rails. * Verfolgung - This track kicks hard with a marching beat that builds into a funky disco. It's playful yet progressive energy leaves you with a smile on your face and your feet moving on the dance floor. Honk Honk! // Dj Jespha Galore

Detroit's stalwart Kyle Hall is back on Apnea Records with "Crimson Clouds," his second release for the label following the acclaimed "Cosmic Touch." This acid-infused record is a tribute to Detroit's electronic legacy, drawing inspiration from the 90s sound of labels like Matrix and Underground Resistance, all while injecting Hall's unmistakable modern flair. Tracks like "Acid Tea" showcase Hall's acid-driven approach, delivering a dancefloor twister that's pure bliss. Meanwhile, "Nimbus" stands out with its syncopated rhythms and soulful synth lines, and "Told Them Before" brings raw, head-spinning techno energy to the forefront. With "Crimson Clouds," Kyle Hall delivers another essential record that bridges classic Detroit sounds with his unique modern twist. A must.

For ALT014, Altered Circuits presents its first Various Artists release. In addition to the label's co-founder, three friends of the label appear on this heterogeneous, club-oriented 12''. Portal, with its breakbeat layered drum section and spartan bass hook, sounds like classic Innershades from the start. When the angular leads and slowly phased, ominous chords hit, we are reminded of the artist's fondness for the new beat genre and his ability to translate its tropes and conventions to the present. On Show You Love, Mr. Ho combines skippy two-step drums with an MS20 type of flat bass. After introducing a one-bar mid-bass arpeggiator, gently swelling pads, leisurely spread side riffs and reverb-drenched musings join, calibrating the vibe to lush and groovy. On the other side, Oshana treats groove as the focal point with her Hey Kiss Kiss contribution. Over its 6-minute course, the snappy 909 kick rarely relents while a bunch of often short, many a time looped sequences emerge and disappear, unfolding a hypnotic tapestry of textures. Rising talent Salomee closes the VA with Late Night Summer, a track capable of setting the floor in motion at any moment. It revolves around a portamento-heavy, neon-tinged lead that lingers long after the track ends and a sturdy, efficient one-note bass pulse.

Lost Control 2097 present the long awaited follow up to last years debut Hydro-Trip Vol. 1 EP from Berlin based producer Black Eyes who's fresh off releases on Upstairs Asylum and Rawax.

Hydro-Trip Vol. 2 is a mixture of warm rugged soulful house drawing inspirations from the oceans wildly flowing life. A combination of subterranean chord rawness, crunchy drum workouts, sleazy basement vox and a very dope remix from Detroit myth-like producer 'Walt J' round off an EP constructed for the real deep house katz. As per usual, scuba gear is heavily encouraged.

Let's keep it REAL deep!

Model 500's "Deep Space," released in 1995, is a landmark album in electronic and techno music, crafted by Detroit pioneer Juan Atkins. This work seamlessly combines atmospheric textures with pulsating beats, reflecting the innovative spirit of the Detroit techno scene. With tracks like "The Chase" and "No UFOs," "Deep Space" captivates listeners through its hypnotic melodies and complex rhythms, creating an immersive experience that feels both expansive and futuristic. The album is revered for its groundbreaking sound and continues to inspire artists and fans alike in the electronic music landscape. This new pressing has been carefully remastered and re-cut from original sources to achieve The best sonic experience possible.

Following up on the Hayal EP in 2023, Dutch techno refractor Konduku makes a welcome return to Bitta with another four cuts of prismatic club fuel. Throughout his consistent output Ruben Uvez applies non-standard ideas to the techno formula, toying with rhythm and eliciting transcendental atmospheres from unusual patterns. This mode of exploration continues unabated on Gazoz, with the title track in particular leaning on a full-frequency, one-note synth pulse which dominates the mix and becomes truly hypnotic in its relentless presence. In the wrong hands it would come off garish, but ?vez knows how to weave subtlety around such forthright sonics to create a sublime sonic experience. 'Mikros' aligns with Konduku's more recognisable palette -- taut, bell-like rhythmic threads that balance delicacy and impact while tunnelling into mysterious, introspective zones. Aimed squarely at the heads-down section of the night, 'Luna' strides forth with a decisive dub techno palette and finds space for expression and progression in the most linear of arrangements. In true B2 style, 'Inici' rounds the EP out with a more fractured approach centred on reversed kicks and psychoactive arps riding wide and slow pitch bends for a mind-melting finish running at a formidable pace. As well as showcasing Konduku at his best, the sound on Gazoz serves as an extension of Bitta boss DJ Nobu's own particular tastes in techno -- brain-tweaking machine music crafted from supple parts, honed for the club without being limited by it.

For the first time on vinyl, a great Australian High Energy classic from Brother Brick, led by Stew Cunningham, one of the best guitarists to emerge from the antipodes. On the same level as other classics such as Bored!, Asteroid B612, New Christs... A gem of OZ rock. Attention all rock enthusiasts and vinyl collectors! The wait is finally over. For the first time ever, Brother Brick's legendary 1997 album A Portable Altamont is being released on vinyl, fully remastered to capture the raw power and energy that defined their high-octane sound. This release showcases the band's gritty fusion of blistering guitar riffs, pounding rhythms, and unforgettable melodies--reminiscent of Detroit's finest like The Stooges and MC5, but with that unmistakable Aussie edge. Led by the iconic Stewart Cunningham, known for his work with other influential projects like Proton Energy Pills, Leadfinger, Asteroid B612, and The Yes-Men, Brother Brick carved out their own space in the '90s Australian rock scene. A Portable Altamont is a testament to their uncompromising spirit, packed with all the attitude and authenticity that made them a standout in the Sydney underground. Originally only available on CD, A Portable Altamont is a high-energy masterpiece of Australian rock, packed with blistering guitars and melodies that have been screaming to be heard on the rich, warm tones of vinyl. This remastered edition brings new life to tracks that defined a generation of raw, unapologetic rock. If you're a fan of loud guitars, powerful melodies, and pure rock 'n' roll attitude, this is the vinyl you've been waiting for. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of rock history--A Portable Altamont is now available in a limited edition vinyl pressing! TRACKLIST SIDE A A1 The Same A2 Chip On My Shoulder A3 Beyond My Hands A4 Chokito Bar A5 Derelict Eyes A6 No Turning Back SIDE B B1 Rock'n'Roll Marie B2 Feel Strung Out B3 Drives Me wild B4 Help Yourself B5 We're Not Like You B6 Rock Action

Hip-hop legend Rakim is breaking new ground with his upcoming studio album, G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH), by flexing his skills both on the mic and behind the boards. Widely lauded as the best lyricist of all time, The God MC himself is blessing the culture with the next step in his historic career.

“I feel like the battery in my back has been reenergized,” Rakim said about his new album, which arrives nearly four decades after the release of his classic debut with Eric B., Paid In Full. Since then, he’s continued to shape the landscape and culture of hip-hop as we know it, inspiring rising artists with his hype live shows and incredible studio albums. And while he’s produced some of his previous work—notably “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” “Juice (Know The Ledge),” and “Paid In Full”—this feels like new territory for the 18th Letter, whose production and scratching talents are nothing short of remarkable.

G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH) is proof that Rakim is truly one of the most special artists we’ve known not just in hip-hop, but all of music. You can tell he feels that level of praise when speaking about the genesis of the album. “Having the ability to showcase my talents behind the boards coupled with the elite lyricism the world already knows and gives me infinite praise for alongside some of the best talents to ever do it is truly a blessing and for that I am humbled,” he said.

Rakim is more than an official triple-threat as an artist, because he’s also showing off skills as a curator. On this album’s seven tracks, he enlists a who’s-who of top hip-hop talent, including the dearly departed Nipsey Hussle, Fred the Godson, DMX, and Prodigy (of Mobb Deep). Rakim also linked with many of his contemporaries, such as Snoop Dogg, Method Man, KXNG Crooked, B.G., and Kool G. Rap, among others.

The album’s first single, “Be Ill,” is the perfect introduction, as it pairs Rakim’s raw rhymes and head-nodding production with slick guest features from Kurupt and Masta Killa. Elsewhere, Rakim slows it down for the soulful “Love Is The Message,” which features Nipsey Hussle, Planet Asia, Louis King, Snoop Dogg, Sally Green, Kobe Honeycutt, and the LA Grand Choir. And then there’s the chest-thumping “International,” a straight-up slapper with hard-hitting rhymes from Kool G. Rap, Tristate, and Joell Ortiz.

For fans of hip-hop, and especially of Rakim’s storied discography, there is so much to love on this record. You can hear his hunger as an emcee and producer on every track, as well as his desire to collaborate with so many respected artists. Despite having decades in the game and many classics to his name, it feels like Rakim is just getting started.

While the world awaits the July 26th release date, fans can catch Rakim performing live throughout the US from now until the end of year in support of G.O.D.S Network (REB7RTH). In addition to debuting new material, he’ll be performing all the classics from his beloved catalog.

Hip-hop legend Rakim is breaking new ground with his upcoming studio album, G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH), by flexing his skills both on the mic and behind the boards. Widely lauded as the best lyricist of all time, The God MC himself is blessing the culture with the next step in his historic career.

“I feel like the battery in my back has been reenergized,” Rakim said about his new album, which arrives nearly four decades after the release of his classic debut with Eric B., Paid In Full. Since then, he’s continued to shape the landscape and culture of hip-hop as we know it, inspiring rising artists with his hype live shows and incredible studio albums. And while he’s produced some of his previous work—notably “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” “Juice (Know The Ledge),” and “Paid In Full”—this feels like new territory for the 18th Letter, whose production and scratching talents are nothing short of remarkable.

G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH) is proof that Rakim is truly one of the most special artists we’ve known not just in hip-hop, but all of music. You can tell he feels that level of praise when speaking about the genesis of the album. “Having the ability to showcase my talents behind the boards coupled with the elite lyricism the world already knows and gives me infinite praise for alongside some of the best talents to ever do it is truly a blessing and for that I am humbled,” he said.

Rakim is more than an official triple-threat as an artist, because he’s also showing off skills as a curator. On this album’s seven tracks, he enlists a who’s-who of top hip-hop talent, including the dearly departed Nipsey Hussle, Fred the Godson, DMX, and Prodigy (of Mobb Deep). Rakim also linked with many of his contemporaries, such as Snoop Dogg, Method Man, KXNG Crooked, B.G., and Kool G. Rap, among others.

The album’s first single, “Be Ill,” is the perfect introduction, as it pairs Rakim’s raw rhymes and head-nodding production with slick guest features from Kurupt and Masta Killa. Elsewhere, Rakim slows it down for the soulful “Love Is The Message,” which features Nipsey Hussle, Planet Asia, Louis King, Snoop Dogg, Sally Green, Kobe Honeycutt, and the LA Grand Choir. And then there’s the chest-thumping “International,” a straight-up slapper with hard-hitting rhymes from Kool G. Rap, Tristate, and Joell Ortiz.

For fans of hip-hop, and especially of Rakim’s storied discography, there is so much to love on this record. You can hear his hunger as an emcee and producer on every track, as well as his desire to collaborate with so many respected artists. Despite having decades in the game and many classics to his name, it feels like Rakim is just getting started.

While the world awaits the July 26th release date, fans can catch Rakim performing live throughout the US from now until the end of year in support of G.O.D.S Network (REB7RTH). In addition to debuting new material, he’ll be performing all the classics from his beloved catalog.

After high demand, Fred again.. releases a repress of Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022) on March 31st after almost immediately selling out of vinyl copies upon the original release. the third in his series of Actual Life albums.

Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022) is the third in his series of Actual Life albums, which saw Fred again.. resume his diary-esque approach to production using intimate use of voice notes from friends,
videos found whilst scrolling on Instagram and samples from important records in his life. It was an autobiographical
chapter of work that pushed forward the heritage of UK electronic music while standing as testament to the power of music in facilitating catharsis, healing and celebrating the realities of friendship, love and life. The album was
instrumental in his breakthrough as a global artist and debuted at #4 in the UK album charts, becoming the highest-
streaming new release globally on Spotify on its first weekend.

The album features his hit singles Danielle (smile on my face), Delilah (pull me out of this), Kammy (like i do) and Bleu (better with time). The repress remains on a clear vinyl, but this time round the vinyl comes in a black inner bag and the tracklist now mirrors the digital tracklist.

Fred has quickly become one of the most talked about live acts as he transformed his Actual Life records into an immersive, communal real-life experience for the first time, selling out shows across the UK and USA. Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet recently did a series of pop up events across New York, culminating in a record breaking sold out, 5 hour b2b set at Madison Square Garden. Also been announced that Fred will be performing the penultimate slot at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Fred’s recent Boiler Room performance remains one of the most viewed Boiler Rooms to date, surpassing over 16 million views.

For Fans Of... Monophonics, David Axelrod, The Rugged Nuggets, Adrian Quesada. Debut LP from The Ironsides. Founded and produced by Monophonics member Max Ramey. Featuring members of Monophonics, including Kelly Finnigan. Reminiscent of a cinematic soundtrack from a 60s European film. The Ironsides have arrived. Changing Light is the first full-length effort from this masterful group of Bay Area musicians. It melds classic psych-soul sounds with sweeping orchestral arrangements – reminiscent of a cinematic soundtrack from a 60s European film. The Changing Light evokes strong imagery of an open road, a breathtaking view, and scenes of a vast landscape begging to be explored. Cruise up the coast, where sweeping orchestral arrangements rise and fall with the tide. As you head North, the countryside opens to an undeniable groove. Tremolo-soaked guitar tones grow on the vines, and timeless, soulful bass lines flow like wine. In higher altitudes, French horns and trumpets soar like eagles. A river below carries bellowing cello tones through a mountain pass into an expansive canyon. Down in the desert, fuzzed-out electric guitar cuts through the dry heat and leaves the listener thirsty for more. Plot a course, or just turn on the car and drive. Max recommends the latter. "The songs are inspired by landscapes - Each one could mean something to someone and create a completely different meaning for someone else." At the end of a long road, The Ironsides have found the perfect place to begin. Also Available From The Ironsides: Changing Light 7", The Raven / Song For Adrian 7"

Dark Entries celebrates its 15th anniversary with legendary synth-punk deviants Crash Course in Science. Dale Feliciello, Mallory Yago, and Michael Zodorozny formed CCIS in 1979 after meeting at art school in Philadelphia. As a gesture born of equal parts punk irreverence and brute necessity, the band incorporated toy instruments and kitchen appliances into their aggressive, angular sound. Their anthems “Cardboard Lamb” and “Flying Turns” from 1981’s Signals From Pier Thirteen EP have been staples in adventurous DJ sets for over 40 years - yet some of their finest work is to be found on Near Marineland, a full-length LP recorded in 1981 but remained unreleased in its time. Near Marineland shows the band moving into more diverse and polished territory (although it’s still as abrasive as sandpaper). Tracks like “No More Hollow Doors” and “Jump Over Barrels” highlight CCIS’s singular knack for embedding infectiously monotone hooks in their stiff-yet-funky grooves. Elsewhere we see CCIS going fully unhinged, like on the searing “Someone Reads” or the demented “Pompeii Spared”, where a spray of honks is barely glued together by a frantic synthetic pulse. While this masterwork of malfunctioning analog electronics has surfaced on a few occasions - this first time stand alone remaster includes four never-before-released bonus tracks and includes a lyric sheet. Near Marineland is crucial listening for all devotees of synth-punk and minimal electronics.

Jacob Long’s fourth full-length for Kranky began as a notion to reimagine Earthen Sea as a “piano trio,” inspired by a year-long immersion in the ECM label catalog, but the compositions soon grew more complex.

Elements were chopped and resampled, then layered with bass, drums, percussion, and additional keys. The result is a fusion of live band acoustics and downtempo loops, sculpted into nine smoke-and-mirror dubs of fractured jazz, soft-focus noir, and trip-hop dust: Recollection.

Like the title implies, Long’s playing and production share a mood of pensive movement, shuffling and rippling like uncertain memories at strange hours.

From looming fog (“Present Day,” “Neon Ruins”) and shadowy breaks (“Another Space,” “Cloudy Vagueness”) to rosy glows (“Clear Photograph”) and smeared reverie (“White Sky”), Recollection deftly wields its palette of gradient color and subdued states of beauty.

His is a music of reduction and reflection, kinetic but oblique, attuned to the silhouettes of sound.

Written and recorded in a firestorm of creativity during the mastering phase of Lukah's upcoming double LP with Real Bad Man, Permanent Blackface is a monstrous vignette displaying the true power of Lukah's songwriting and the technical brilliance of his team. The album flashes before you like a lightning strike illuminating a barren cityscape.

Introducing himself as Mr. Blackface, Lukah identifies the true artist's responsibility to hold a mirror to the listener in order to confront and disarm taboos. In both content and music, the record balances vulgarity and introspection, the horror of silence, and the comfort of colossal, discordant sound. Over 12 songs the celestial, often blood-soaked color palette of soul and R&B that gave emotional weight to Why Look Up and Raw Extractions has been scraped away like a charred skeleton. With a small cast of voices consisting entirely of Lukah's immediate family, and production duties handled in-house by WALZ, Deener, Hollow Sol, Cities Aviv, SB11, and Lukah himself, the record has the intimacy of a theater production. The only voices present are Lukah, joined by his mother providing scat vocals, and his grandfather discussing the Jungian self-hatred of the colonial project and its terrifying repercussions for contemporary Black Amer-icans, with a fitting invocation of Dr. Frankenstein's monster. The beats here are reminiscent of noir, 78rpm swing and big band, evoking the underlying horror of a pre-Civil Rights movement America, where segregational binaries invert-ed folk tales through the white terror of ghosts, the black "spook", and mythic themes of fate and free will. The whip-lash of shifting perspectives keeps your head on a swivel in way only Lukah's superior pen can elucidate. Will it trigger anger that first voice you hear on Permanent Blackface is Judy Garland singing "Sweet Chariot"? But isn't this just Lukah speaking through her, announcing he's got "The Southin his mouth"? As the internet endlessly debates intention and appropriation in our artistic history, the insignificance of this small sample is put into perspective: another white pebble in a black ocean of Lukah's creation. "If the sun don't shine today / pray the sun come out tomorrow...pray the sun pierce through the sorrow"

The album introduces an unnamed character beset by disposition. As the story's scope increases, the gaze of the mir-ror shifts. How would white society feel if historical roles were reversed? How does a presumed white listener experi-ence the trauma of interacting with police?

Introducing "Royal Blu," the highly-anticipated collaborative EP by Blu and Roy Royal. Bursting onto the scene with undeniable chemistry, the dynamic duo from the heart of California delivers an electrifying fusion of boom-bap beats and soulful samples that redefine the essence of West Coast hip-hop.

From the moment you hit play, "Royal Blu" captivates with standout tracks like 'The Same OG', 'LA Blue', and the mes-merizing 'The Priceless' featuring Cashus King. Each song showcases Blu's unparalleled lyricism and Roy Royal's masterful production, creating an immersive journey through LA and beyond.

Following Blu's acclaimed projects in 2023, including the collaborations with Real Bad Man and Nottz, "Royal Blu" marks a triumphant return to his roots, solidifying his status as one of the West Coast's finest MCs. With Roy Royal's soulful chops and Blu's unwavering conviction, every track feels like a passionate ode to their beloved city.

Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric is the third LP by RUDIMENTARY PENI. Recorded in 1992 but not released until 1995, it was the first music the band recorded after their already leftfield Cacophony album. It is an underrated and difficult masterpiece of truly outsider music. Full of harrowing and morbid songs based on repetition, repetition and repetition, pushing the listener into a trance like mood. Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric shows the most experimental side of RUDIMENTARY PENI testing the punk song concept, turning it into a mantra chant at times while sounding like only RUDIMENTARY PENI could. The album opens with lead track 'Pogo Pope', which sets the tone, with Blinko repeatedly singing 'Pogo Pope' ad nauseam, and the whole of the album has a continual loop of the phrase 'Popus Adrianus' running through its entirety. At the time Nick Blinko was experiencing severe delusions and believed that he was Pope Adrian the 37th and was detained in a psychiatric hospital under Section 3 of the 1983 Mental Health Act. The album is unhinged and challenging but 100% pure and idiosyncratic. This official reissue comes on a single sleeve with printed inner and 16 page booklet with Nick Blinko artwork and has been remastered from the original tapes by Arthur Rizk. Genre: Alternative / Punk

G. Love & Special Sauce’s legendary self-titled debut album has been remastered and newly expanded for its 30th anniversary. Along with the classic x14 trk original album, this expanded edition boasts a fourth side of rare versions & live tracks on Light Blue x2 LP Vinyl for the first time.

Kiss Each Other Clean, Iron and Wine’s fourth full-length record, was originally released in 2011 and came three years after his biggest selling record up to that point, The Shepherd’s Dog. The bands two earlier albums had been sparse, intimate solo affairs that offered no hint of the direction he would take with records three and four. Like The Shepherd’s Dog, Kiss Each Other Clean is layered with textures, poly-rhythmic sounds and a more is more approach.

The album's 10 tracks were recorded in Chicago and Beam's hometown of Austin and produced by Brian Deck and sounds like the music people heard in their parent's car growing up. clarinet and saxophone on the album comes courtesy of Dave Sitek collaborator Stuart Bogie. Beam has also experimented with other genres on the record as well as classic AOR. There are straight-up jazz, blues, and african elements.

KNTXT, Charlotte de Witte’s label imprint, has the pleasure to introduce Alignment’s upcoming Time EP that will be released in April. After Monoloc’s “Left The Planet EP”, Alignment is the third artist to appear on the label aside Charlotte de Witte, that debuted with the Chris Liebing collaboration EP “Liquid Slow”.

“Alignment is easily one of the most promising artists that I’ve encountered in a long time, so it feels incredibly good to welcome him to the KNTXT family!” de Witte says. KNTXT has always aimed to be a breeding ground and safe haven for the unique talent’s that it loves and respects. With this upcoming Alignment release, we hope to further introduce the world to this unique talent and create a platform for his boundless creativity.

“Charlotte started supporting my music from very early on, so it feels great to be making my debut on KNTXT so early on.” Fancesco Pierfelici a.k.a Alignment says. “It took me some time to find the right spin on these tracks, but now I feel really confident about the result.”

“With the this EP I wanted to make recordings on the subject of time and space” Alignment explains. “I’m a firm supporter of Alignment’s unique ravey sound, flanked by deep bass lines and pumping kicks. We’re very eager to share this upcoming release with you all, feel like this is going to be a big one!” - Charlotte concludes

Repress!

Compilation of 80s Turkish-Swiss band Café Türk, featuring selected works from their discography as well as previously unreleased recordings!

Café Türk's unrestrained sonic palette explores new wave, psych, disco and reggae with influences from Anatolia and Azerbaijan.2xLP includes a 4-page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

Café Türk are an inimitable Turkish-Swiss band formed in the 1980s, whose genre-bending sonic palette draws from Anatolia, the Caucasus and Western Europe. The group’s frantic trajectory connects Switzerland and the Turkish city of Kars with a background story as rich and unexpected as their sound. After three decades since they disbanded, Zel Zele Records have collaborated with Turkish crate-digger Grup Ses to give the music of Café Türk a new lease of life. This eponym compilation features original album tracks, singles and previously unreleased takes that trace the outline of the group’s history. From the rolling disco of the group’s debut recording “Haydi Yallah”; to the previously unreleased kosmiche of “Yıldızlar”, “Ali Baba From Istanbul”s Azeri grooves and German language vocals, to the psyched-out interpretation of Causaccian folk tune “Şamil”, Café Türk showcases the endless stream of ideas the band had during their time together between 1983 and 1989. Tracks come with an unrestrained spirit, weaving in the crackling energy of new wave, rock, disco and reggae with influences from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

This fascination in pulling different worlds together goes right back to the formative days of Metin Demiral, founder of Café Türk. Metin grew up in Kars, a provincial town in the Northeastern part of Turkey. Kars was once known for its multicultural communities; where you could hear locals speaking a range of languages, from Turkish to Azeri, Russian and Kurdish. In 1983 Café Türk won a contest set for Turkish groups based in Europe, organised by the label Türküola, home to Turkish stars like Cem Karaca, Selda Bağcan and Barış Manço. The resultant recording sessions gave birth to his new band and debut LP, Pizza Funghi. But Metin turned down Türküola’s offer to put the record out and instead self-pressed 1000 copies on his own Sound Concept label - driving as far as Berlin to sell them face-to-face to record shops. The record was picked up by a member of the German city of Nuremburg’s Cultural Department and soon Café Türk were invited to play for the local workers’ unions, many of whom represented immigrants from Turkey. These events only grew in popularity, the group ultimately spending five years touring similar shows in Europe, alongside more conventional tours and festivals. Metin had hoped to bring his new record to audiences in Turkey again, however, he found it impossible to get any of his songs played on state-sponsored radio, something he attributed to the infamously strict supervisory board of TRT, Turkey’s state-funded broadcaster. TRT tended to not accept songs that blended both western and traditional Turkish music in order to avoid “degenerating” Turkish folk music. Cafe Türk tried to fight this conservative mindset, but progressively resigned themselves to the political restrictions of the time

Village Of The Sun return today with the announcement of their highly anticipated debut LP “First Light”. Due out 4th November on heavyweight vinyl via London analogue specialists Gearbox Records, the record follows their widely acclaimed double A-side single “Village Of The Sun / “Ted”. Village Of The Sun is an enigmatic collaboration between UK jazz virtuosos Binker Golding & Moses Boyd and electronic music legend Simon Ratcliffe of Basement Jaxx fame. Born out of a shared passion for improvised instrumental music, the new project sees all three of the artists steps into relatively new territory, combining their respective sensibilities to create something all at once atmospheric and danceable. Evocative of some of Simon’s inspirations such as Alice Coltrane, Airto Moreira and Masters at Work, Village Of The Sun embodies a hybrid of electronic beats, heady jazz improvisation, and sheer, raw energy, breaking ground between pseudo-Samba rhythms, dreamy ambient textures, and explosive sax and percussion. The new single “The Spanish Master” is a total embodiment of what Village Of The Sun is at it’s heart. Combining atmospheric synth lines with percussive electronics, which gently ebb around Boyd’s intricate drumming and Golding’s expressive sax. With tension building around every element the track careens into a movement of frenetic drumming, electronic idiosyncrasies, and fervent sax breakouts, which find the trio performing at their energetic, adrenaline-fuelled best. The album is truly a project of passion and exploration, and one that refuses to follow just one path. Tracks such as “Cesca” and “Tigris” emphasise Ratcliffe’s ability to weave shapeshifting keys and electronics around Golding and Boyd’s interplay, changing the mood and direction of the track at a moment’s notice. Whereas the title track “First Light” channels the sound of the current UK jazz scene with Ratcliffe imbuing a sense of dramatic tension and release with electronic atmospherics and keys that ferment alongside the almost shamanic, semi-free sax lines and uncomprimising drums. As part of one of British dance music’s biggest ever acts, Basement Jaxx, Ratcliffe and collaborator Felix Buxton led the progressive house sound in the 90s/00s with ground-breaking albums Remedy and Rooty, and by releasing a string of Top 10 singles including Red Alert, Rendez-Vu, Romeo, and Where’s Your Head At?. Ratcliffe’s own solo work includes the 1995 EP City Dreams and the 2011 EP Dorus Rijkers - both releases prove his musical versatility and virtuosity. Speaking about the Village of the Sun collaboration, Simon says, “I’ve always liked improvised instrumental music. It has this intensity and eccentricity that takes me places.

Zel Zele are thrilled to announce the debut album of silhouwaves. "ripples" is a solo project of London based Turkish multi-instrumentalist and producer Bora Dayanikli. Ripples is a DIY, guitar led album performed using a combination of pedals, drum samples and Bora"s elevating poetic vocals. At its core silhouwaves loops his guitar into infinity and creates a sentimental space echoing the mysteries of space and time. Ripples is inspired by 70s kraut, prog and psychedelic music. There are surprising eastern riffs throughout the album with kozmiche effects. Loops to ponder, edgy drum samples and perfectly produced modern vocal lines bring in a wow factor to the album. It feels like an old recording with a modern vocal edge.