Cerca:lo max

LA-based producer Real Bad Man and Michigan rapper Willie the Kid release their new collaborative album, Midnight, via the producer’s own Real Bad Man Records label. The album, which marks the producer’s second collaborative project of the year following Dear Psilocybin with ZelooperZ, includes guest appearances from UK rapper Sonnyjim, New York’s Lord Sko and frequent RBM collaborator Boldy James, who will be releasing his own Real Bad Man-produced album in May.

The album came together naturally for the pair, letting each new song inform the identity of the project as a whole. Speaking about how they identified that central theme of the album, Willie says, “I think where Adam and I agreed upon is that the stand out records were all themes for the night, late night drive, after hours dinners, shopping, private rooftop hotel suites, it’s a thinking album, a cruising album preferably enjoyed at night…midnight””

Midnight marks the early stages of what’s shaping up to be a prolific run of collaborations for Real Bad Man in 2025. His second album of the year builds off of the momentum he sparked last month with his first full-length album with ZelooperZ, Dear Psilocybin, which The FADER called “clear-eyed and focused in its own fantastical way”. Working as a duo with the dynamic lyricism of Willie the Kid after the psychedelic sounds of Dear Psilocybin, Real Bad Man returns to the essential underground beatmaking that he first emerged onto the scene with through his On High Alert series. His crackling, lo-fi production pairs perfectly with Willie’s gritty delivery, laying a foundation for the longtime lyrical stylist who has worked alongside some of the genre’s modern heroes including Nas, Lil Wayne, The Alchemist, Roc Marciano, Curren$y and more.

Listen to Midnight above, see below for more details on Midnight and stay tuned for more from Real Bad Man coming soon

Victor Démé loved life, music, friends, his hometown of Bobo Dioulasso, and above all, his family — by blood and by heart. Jovial and generous, he would have been delighted to see his world gathered once again in celebration: with concerts, unreleased tracks, live recordings, and a podcast retracing his finest musical years. Ten years after his sudden passing, this album carries the simple ambition of honoring his music and memory.

Victor passed away on September 21, 2015, in Bobo Dioulasso, during the coup d’État in Burkina Faso. The hospital he rushed to for malaria treatment was closed… His third album was due to be released just days later, but he never had the chance to sing it on stage.

A prolific and unique songwriter, Victor often revived songs he had composed in his youth during sessions at the OuagaJungle studio. With his guitar, he would breathe new life into them, refining them with his musicians — making the final choices sometimes difficult. Among the previously unreleased tracks on this record are Djilon, a reggae piece from Abidjan; Sira, a radiant yet solitary blues; Ambideu, a crooner-style ballad reimagined as an elegant cello-and-voice duet; Mousso mina mousso, a love song meant for a djandjoba celebration; and Bara, a heartfelt choral tribute to the workers of Burkina Faso.

These songs remained in the studio after Victor’s passing and have now been brought to life by the talented musicians Clément Petit, Alex Finkin, and Max “Blundetto” Guiguet. On Side B, the album captures the energy and sincerity of Victor and his band live on stage, with recordings from the May 19, 2009 concert at Théâtre de la Ville in Rouen. The performance opens with Labanko — a song never recorded in studio — followed by several classics, including the iconic Djon Maya, delivered here in its most blues-infused version, carried by Issouf Diabaté’s magical guitar.

Unforgettable memories for his musicians and for all who had the chance to applaud him live. We can only hope that, wherever he is, Victor is smiling and dancing as we celebrate him once more through music.

Our second vinyl release comes from within the house. Juan Ferreyra, co-founder of Easy Latino Records, drops his debut EP on the label: I didn’t buy my Dr Märtens.

True to his style, Juan doesn’t take production or himself too seriously — and that playfulness shines through these four tracks. Playful vocals, deep grooves, heavy bass lines and timeless melodies come together in lighthearted, summer-ready cuts made for the dancefloor. Pure fun, no pretension. Run fast, they won’t last.

Ramirez returns with THA PLAYA$ MANUAL II, the long-awaited sequel to his cult classic that helped solidify his place as one of underground rap’s most distinctive voices. Steeped in Southern-fried funk, Bay Area swagger, and Memphis-style menace, this new chapter finds Ramirez sharper, smoother, and more seasoned—delivering game like a streetwise sage with a gold grill grin.

Where the original Playa$ Manual was gritty and raw, THA PLAYA$ MANUAL II sounds like a player who's leveled up. The beats knock harder, the flows glide slicker, and the game is deeper. Ramirez weaves tales of betrayal, come-ups, late-night drives, and cold-hearted reality with the same charismatic cool that made him a standout in the $uicideboy$-adjacent G59 movement—but this time with a more refined, cinematic approach.

From trunk-rattling bangers to syrupy smooth cuts that soundtrack late-night escapades, THA PLAYA$ MANUAL II feels like a ride through Ramirez’s world with tinted windows up and the bass on max. It’s a record for the hustlers, the heartbreakers, the loners, and the legends in the making.

This is more than a sequel—it’s a statement: the playa’s still active, and the manual’s been updated.

Ostinato as resistance: Rafael Anton Irisarri’s landmark work reimagined. Marking the tenth anniversary of the American composer’s critically acclaimed album 'A Fragile Geography', this new edition arrives renewed, both sonically and visually.

First released in 2015 (Room40) during a period of personal upheaval and creative reinvention, it endures as a testament to resilience, transformation, and the connection we hold with the places that shape us.

Written in the aftermath of a devastating theft, A Fragile Geography was born out of loss. Just days before a cross-country move to New York, Irisarri’s entire Seattle-based studio was wiped out. Instruments. Recordings. Archives. Gone without a trace. He arrived on the East Coast to an empty room and the daunting task of starting over.

“This album wasn’t just a record; it was a lifeline,” Irisarri reflects. “It became a way to process the emotional chaos that followed: uprooting, instability, and ultimately, the slow, intuitive rebuilding of a life.”

Composed and recorded in the rural woods of the Hudson Valley, the album took shape in seclusion, surrounded by nature, and through a process guided by improvisation. Embracing limitations, Irisarri wove textural layers of field recordings with half-remembered melodies from his Seattle years, piecing them together like fragments of memory. Tracks like “Displacement,” “Hiatus,” and “Persistence” juxtaposed haunting stillness with restless momentum, mapping an inner terrain of grief, catharsis, and rebirth.

Among its defining sounds is “Empire Systems,” a monumental centerpiece built around a simple four-chord progression, organ textures, and guitar drones. Gradually, the track expands into layers of immersive loops and thick, enveloping distortion that wash over the listener like a rolling wave. Often cited as the album’s most majestic passage, it captures Irisarri at his most sonically ambitious. With a harmonically saturated structure crafted from restraint and repetition, it remains one of his most recognizable compositions: an exercise in the art of maximal minimalism.

From the outset, “Reprisal” received praise from BBC’s Mary Anne Hobbs, who championed the track on her radio show. Her support played a key role in introducing Irisarri’s work to wider audiences and solidifying his place within the lineage of electronic, drone, and experimental sound artists. A slow-burning elegy, the piece emerges from a haze of distortion and sub-bass, with dense, unrelenting drones carrying a sense of mounting tension. Just as it seems to collapse under its own weight, flickers of guitar emerge like distant light through fog. It’s a meditation on dissonance, resolve, and the elusive possibility of release.

The closing track, “Secretly Wishing for Rain,” is steeped in saudade: a longing for Seattle’s dour grey skies, lush green landscapes, and desaturated sunsets. Through it, Irisarri mourns a vanished chapter of life bound to the city, a time documented in scattered mementos and cherished collections, now permanently gone. A reflection on what could never be recovered: an era lost to time. Julia Kent’s looped cello motifs added a melancholic warmth to the track, marking the first collaboration between the two artists and sparking a musical dialogue that would keep growing in the years that followed.

More than a career highlight, A Fragile Geography has laid the foundation for Black Knoll studio, which Irisarri rebuilt from the ground up. The studio has since grown into a creative hub for countless projects, with Irisarri engineering records for iconic music figures like Terry Riley, Ryuichi Sakamoto, William Basinski, MONO, Devendra Banhart, Grouper, Emeralds, Steve Hauschildt, Julianna Barwick, and many others. Carried by its lasting influence, the album has quietly captured the ear of a younger generation, its sound and emotional arc finding new listeners in unexpected corners.

The album’s new visual language was reimagined in collaboration with Mexico City–based designer Daniel Castrejón. Irisarri captured ghostly images at Gaztelugatxeko Doniene, a historic coastal site in Bermeo, Euskal Herria. Castrejón then treated the photographs with distressed textures and spectral overlays. The final artwork channels the rugged, elemental forces that shaped both the music and Irisarri’s aesthetic, renewing his ties to ancestral ground inspired by the Basque homeland of his bloodline.

Mastered by Stephan Mathieu with exceptional attention to detail, this anniversary edition uncovers every nuance in the sound design, enhancing clarity and presence. With each listen, new elements emerge, inviting discovery and reconnection.

“I don’t experience this album as a document of grief anymore,” says Irisarri. “I hear adaptation and I'm reminded that when everything falls apart, something meaningful, maybe even beautiful, can emerge.”

Ostinato as resistance: Rafael Anton Irisarri’s landmark work reimagined. Marking the tenth anniversary of the American composer’s critically acclaimed album 'A Fragile Geography', this new edition arrives renewed, both sonically and visually.

First released in 2015 (Room40) during a period of personal upheaval and creative reinvention, it endures as a testament to resilience, transformation, and the connection we hold with the places that shape us.

Written in the aftermath of a devastating theft, A Fragile Geography was born out of loss. Just days before a cross-country move to New York, Irisarri’s entire Seattle-based studio was wiped out. Instruments. Recordings. Archives. Gone without a trace. He arrived on the East Coast to an empty room and the daunting task of starting over.

“This album wasn’t just a record; it was a lifeline,” Irisarri reflects. “It became a way to process the emotional chaos that followed: uprooting, instability, and ultimately, the slow, intuitive rebuilding of a life.”

Composed and recorded in the rural woods of the Hudson Valley, the album took shape in seclusion, surrounded by nature, and through a process guided by improvisation. Embracing limitations, Irisarri wove textural layers of field recordings with half-remembered melodies from his Seattle years, piecing them together like fragments of memory. Tracks like “Displacement,” “Hiatus,” and “Persistence” juxtaposed haunting stillness with restless momentum, mapping an inner terrain of grief, catharsis, and rebirth.

Among its defining sounds is “Empire Systems,” a monumental centerpiece built around a simple four-chord progression, organ textures, and guitar drones. Gradually, the track expands into layers of immersive loops and thick, enveloping distortion that wash over the listener like a rolling wave. Often cited as the album’s most majestic passage, it captures Irisarri at his most sonically ambitious. With a harmonically saturated structure crafted from restraint and repetition, it remains one of his most recognizable compositions: an exercise in the art of maximal minimalism.

From the outset, “Reprisal” received praise from BBC’s Mary Anne Hobbs, who championed the track on her radio show. Her support played a key role in introducing Irisarri’s work to wider audiences and solidifying his place within the lineage of electronic, drone, and experimental sound artists. A slow-burning elegy, the piece emerges from a haze of distortion and sub-bass, with dense, unrelenting drones carrying a sense of mounting tension. Just as it seems to collapse under its own weight, flickers of guitar emerge like distant light through fog. It’s a meditation on dissonance, resolve, and the elusive possibility of release.

The closing track, “Secretly Wishing for Rain,” is steeped in saudade: a longing for Seattle’s dour grey skies, lush green landscapes, and desaturated sunsets. Through it, Irisarri mourns a vanished chapter of life bound to the city, a time documented in scattered mementos and cherished collections, now permanently gone. A reflection on what could never be recovered: an era lost to time. Julia Kent’s looped cello motifs added a melancholic warmth to the track, marking the first collaboration between the two artists and sparking a musical dialogue that would keep growing in the years that followed.

More than a career highlight, A Fragile Geography has laid the foundation for Black Knoll studio, which Irisarri rebuilt from the ground up. The studio has since grown into a creative hub for countless projects, with Irisarri engineering records for iconic music figures like Terry Riley, Ryuichi Sakamoto, William Basinski, MONO, Devendra Banhart, Grouper, Emeralds, Steve Hauschildt, Julianna Barwick, and many others. Carried by its lasting influence, the album has quietly captured the ear of a younger generation, its sound and emotional arc finding new listeners in unexpected corners.

The album’s new visual language was reimagined in collaboration with Mexico City–based designer Daniel Castrejón. Irisarri captured ghostly images at Gaztelugatxeko Doniene, a historic coastal site in Bermeo, Euskal Herria. Castrejón then treated the photographs with distressed textures and spectral overlays. The final artwork channels the rugged, elemental forces that shaped both the music and Irisarri’s aesthetic, renewing his ties to ancestral ground inspired by the Basque homeland of his bloodline.

Mastered by Stephan Mathieu with exceptional attention to detail, this anniversary edition uncovers every nuance in the sound design, enhancing clarity and presence. With each listen, new elements emerge, inviting discovery and reconnection.

“I don’t experience this album as a document of grief anymore,” says Irisarri. “I hear adaptation and I'm reminded that when everything falls apart, something meaningful, maybe even beautiful, can emerge.”

Als Crushed machen die Musiker Bre Morell und Shaun Durkan maximalistische Dream-Pop-Musik für sich selbst. Sie nehmen in verschiedenen Wohnungen auf, ohne an einen bestimmten Ort gebunden zu sein (Morell aus Texas, jetzt in Los Angeles, und Durkan in Portland, Oregon), schreiben sie die Songs, die sie hören wollen, und stimmen sich dabei auf ihren gemeinsamen Geschmack (für Trip-Hop, Britpop, Electronica und den Kanon des alternativen Radios der 90er Jahre), ihr Verlangen nach Emotionalität und ihr Gespür dafür, wann es richtig und ehrlich klingt, ab; wann es für sie etwas Echtes bedeutet . Ihr Debütalbum verkörpert ihr Vertrauen zueinander und in ihr Handwerk. Ein ,No Scope"-Kill im Videospiel-Jargon wird erreicht, indem man aus nächster Nähe mit einem Scharfschützengewehr schießt, ohne das Ziel anzuvisieren - eine treffende Metapher für zwei Künstler, die ihren Pop-Impulsen folgen und aus der Hüfte schießen, aber mit Präzision. ,Es könnte auch bedeuten, keine Zukunft zu haben", scherzt Morell, ,vom Leben ohne Zielfernrohr getroffen zu werden." Die Realität des Scheiterns schwebt über den meisten kreativen Unternehmungen, vielleicht umso ausgeprägter, je weiter man in seinem Fachgebiet voranschreitet. Mehrere musikalische Leben und nächtliche Übertragungen haben Morell und Durkan zu diesem Projekt geführt. Und auf dem triumphalen ,no scope" nehmen sie die besten Schläge des Lebens mit ihrem stärksten Werk auf und setzen melodische, offenherzige Hooks in einem Labyrinth aus Breakbeats und gespleißtem Sounddesign mit beispielloser Unmittelbarkeit und Klarheit ein. Die nächste Stufe ist erreicht. no scope folgt auf ,extra life", die EP aus dem Jahr 2023, die eine Welle der Unterstützung auslöste und frühe Fans bei Pitchfork (,müheloser, großformatiger Dream Pop, der ruhig ist, ohne sentimental zu sein"), NPR (,...eine Gruppe, deren Musik, obwohl sie nur eine EP veröffentlicht hat, ein tiefes Gefühl für Ort und Zeit vermittelt") und Ghostly International, die die Band unter Vertrag nahmen und ,extra life" 2024 in einer erweiterten physischen Version zusammen mit Remixen der Bandfavoriten Real Lies und DJ Python veröffentlichten.

"Later Than You Think" erscheint bei seinem neuen Label YOUNG und beschäftigt sich mit Themen wie Trauer, Gerechtigkeit, Wiedergeburt, Transformation und spirituellem Kampf. Es ist ein Werk von Bekenntnis und Konfrontation, für das sich Affekt, Intellekt und Geist auf der Suche nach dem Schönen, der Wahrheit und dem Realen zusammenschließen. Entstanden ist das Album in den Ozarks von Missouri. Die 16 Tracks vereinen Elemente und Gegensätze wie Üppigkeit und rohe Reduziertheit, das Heilige und das Profane, minimalistische Disziplin und maximale Schwelgerei, Kontrapunkt und simple Popharmonien. Im Kern unterstreicht das Album aber vor allem Maus" Hingabe an radikale Aufrichtigkeit und emotionale Wahrhaftigkeit in einem Zeitalter der Entfremdung - angetrieben von Konfrontation, Glauben und der tiefen Überzeugung, dass Sinn und Bedeutung noch immer etwas meinen. Maus, der einen Abschluss in Experimental Music und einen Doktortitel in Politikwissenschaft hat, wurde für die Art und Weise, auf die er akademische Sorgfalt und Lo-Fi Synthpop-Ästhetik verbindet, mal als "philosopher pop star" mal als "analog futurist" bezeichnet. Sein Wirken zieht sich dabei quer durch die Popkultur - von der Grime-Ikone Skepta, der seinen Track "I"m Only Human" sampelte bis zum Gen-Z-Rapper nettspend, von Filmemacher Josh Safdie ("Uncut Gems") bis zum Fotografen Wolfgang Tillmans. Sein Track "Cop Killer" ist im 2025er Film "Friendship" mit Tim Robinson und Paul Rudd enthalten. Mit exzessiven Liveshows und seinen bislang erschienenen Alben, auf denen Ironie, Trauer, Freude und Absurdität stets dicht beieinander liegen, hat Maus einen einzigartigen Weg beschritten und sich eine ergebene Fanbase erspielt.

1982 was a decisive year for The Fall. Their critically acclaimed album ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ was released in March on Kamera Records, closely followed by ‘Room To Live’ in September of that year. ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ was the fourth studio album by The Fall, building on their lo-fi production and featuring a two-drummer line-up. The album was recorded in Reykjavik, Iceland and Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Featuring the classic line-up of Mark E. Smith alongside Steve Hanley (bass), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Karl Burns (drums), Paul Hanley (drums) and Marc Riley (guitar). This is another fine addition to Cherry Red’s series of deluxe Fall re-issues – “Fall Sound Archive”. ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ and ‘Room to Live’ are also available on a 7-CD boxset – “1982” Founded by its only constant member, Mark E. Smith, The Fall formed in Manchester in 1976 and were one of the most prominent post-punk groups in the world. Musically, there may have been several stylistic changes over the years, but it was often characterised by an abrasive guitar-driven sound and frequent use of repetition, always underpinned by Smith's distinctive vocals and often cryptic lyrics. “They are always different; they are always the same.” John Pee

Studio Batsumi Returns with Ya Hu Ra — A Deep Listening Journey Through Analog Soundscapes.

London-based label Studio Batsumi returns with its second release, Ya Hu Ra, a four-track EP. Blending analog warmth with organic textures, the record includes four raw cuts that moves from broken beats and hypnotic melodic house on the A-side to downtempo, tribal rhythms and ambient soundscapes on the B-side.

Written and recorded between London and Paris from 2020 to 2025 by Federico Bigonzetti and Maxime Obadia, the project also features Cameron Cullen and DJ Himitsu (Enharmonics) on Kirtan (A2). The EP blends field recordings from Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, crafting a sound that feels both intimate and vast.

The concept behind Ya Hu Ra was developed by label cofounder Marta Paccagnella, a study in sound archetypes where each track represents a different symbolic state: initiation, movement, trance, return. Whether on the dancefloor or in a living room, this release offers a rich and immersive listening experience, balancing club instincts with introspective detail.

12 Bob Dylan classics produced and arranged by Steve Howe (Yes/Asia), features guest vocalists Jon Anderson, PP Arnold, Max Bacon, Allan Clark, Dean Dyson, Annie Haslam, Phoebe Snow and Keith West, first time on ltd. 2LP available (red vinyl, 300 ww copies, etched d-side).

Tyler Bates' original score for MaXXXine and selected songs from the film, pressed on sparkly red carpet glitter vinyl.

Bereit für den Sound des Universums? Mit der „ZYX Italo Disco Spacesynth Box“ bekommst du eine einmalige Zeitreise zurück in die goldene Ära der 1980er Jahre, als Synthesizer den Kosmos eroberten. Diese exklusive Sammlerbox enthält drei LPs, vollgepackt mit ikonischen Tracks der größten Spacesynth-Legenden – Laserdance, Koto, Hypnosis, Cyber People und vielen mehr.

Ob pulsierende Basslines, galaktische Melodien oder futuristische Klanglandschaften – dieses Box-Set feiert den unverkennbaren Sound, der einst Tanzflächen, Videospiele und Science-Fiction-Träume gleichermaßen beherrschte.

Formed in the early 1980s, Primal Scream paid their indie rock dues and experimented with their sound for almost a decade before finding their feet with the era-defining dance/rock hybrid Screamadelica album. It spawned their first hit singles, ‘Loaded’, ‘Come Together’ and ‘Movin’ On Up’, after which they became a chart regulars for over a decade. This carefully curated 17-track collection, first issued in 2019, covers their fascinating journey from 1986 to 2000, taking in their most successful period but also detailing the evolution of their sound before they broke into the mainstream.

Since 2006, listeners have been curious about the origin of the label name Italians Do It Better. Some say it's an homage to Italo Disco, others guess it's related to ancestry, but in fact it's a nod to the iconic T-shirt Madonna wears in the "Papa Don't Preach" video circa 1986.
Fast forward to a world pandemic... To encourage creativity & lift spirits, Italians Do It Better President, Megan Louise asked every artist “If you could cover your favourite Madonna song…What would it be?”

As a tribute to their label muse & the impact Madonna’s music has had on the world around us, Italians Do It Better are sharing a compilation of covers simply titled “Italians Do It Better”. One of the tracks (“Lucky Star” by Club Intl) is even produced by Max Kamins, the son of Mark Kamins, the New York DJ who helped break Madonna in the early 1980's. From the experience he says “Dance music was the soundtrack of my early childhood. Working on "Lucky Star" reconnected me not only to my father, but also reminded me that a good song is timeless".

Executive produced by Johnny Jewel, the compilation is a passport to 20 covers from the bedrooms of 19 artists across 10 different countries.

Limited first pressing on silver vinyl. Flying Horseman returns with their first new album in five years. Experience their renewed but signature sound with a fresh line-up.



Flying Horseman is back! After a five year hiatus and with a new line-up, the band is ready to once again captivate headphone junkies and live audiences alike with Anaesthesia, their seventh album. It's an urgent and passionate work of intelligent rock'n roll, hazy psychedelia and cosmic folk. Anaesthesia is brooding, angry and dark but at the same time full of life, wonder and sophistication. It's an invigorating, fascinating, electric brew.



Flying Horseman is still centered around the intensely personal song writing, singing and guitar playing of Bert Dockx. The band's line-up has changed,with Louis Evrard (Pruillip, Ottla, Grid Ravage) and Maximilian Dobbertin (Calicos, Frankie Fame) replacing drummer Alfredo Bravo and bassist Mattias Cré. Bravo and Cré were long-standing members, beloved by fans and fellow musicians alike, and they have played an important part in establishing Flying Horseman's musical identity. Today Evrard and Dobbertin are adding a fresh and personal twist to the idiosyncratic sound of Flying Horseman: their groove, their intuition and sensibility, their soul.



Then there's Loesje and Martha Maieu, who have been part of the group for almost as long as its frontman has, and who offer essential ingredients to bring about Flying Horseman's signature flavour, their haunting vocals and atmospheric electronics contrasting beautifully with Dockx' more earthy vocal delivery and his restless, fiery plucking of the guitar strings.



The whole record is fiery, alternately smouldering and violently burning. These are musical sounds capable of setting the listener's heart and mind ablaze. Anaesthesia is very consciously, a political record born out of Dockx and his friends' bafflement at the state of the world, the new rise of fascism, the onslaught of injustice, barbarism and stupidity which we, inhabitants of planet earth, are witnessing day in day out.



How to guard one's sanity in such a crazy world? How to maintain one's dignity? How to feel useful and joyful when surrounded by confusion and hate? These are the questions Flying Horseman is struggling with, as are so many of us today. But there is joy and purpose in the asking; in the struggling; in staying critical of dominant systems of oppression; in thinking or saying: "I don't agree, this is not how it's supposed to be"; in coming together and connecting, sharing, mourning and dreaming. Joy and purpose; questions and confusion; burning hearts and tarnished dreams: it's allhere, in the transportive sound world of Flying Horseman.



Anaesthesia was recorded in Antwerp by Joris Caluwaerts (keyboardist of the inimitable avant-jazz group .STUFF) and mixed by Yves De Mey (one of Belgium's most prominent & avant-garde electronic wizards), two experienced collaborators who know a thing or two about capturing sound and transforming it into a rewarding listening experience. With their help, Flying Horseman has crafted a tight collection of eight art-rock tunes with a clear identity, a rich sound, an original vision and a joyful purpose in the face of encroaching sinister forces.

Hinter dem gefeierten Indie-Folk-Künstler FRUIT BATS verbirgt sich der GRAMMY-nominierte Singer/Songwriter Eric D. Johnson aus Nashville, Tennessee. Mit "Baby Man" hat Johnson ein Album geschaffen, das sich von allen anderen FRUIT BATS-Alben abhebt. "Baby Man" setzt sich aus zehn fesselnden Solodarbietungen mit minimalistischer Instrumentierung (Gitarre, Klavier und gelegentlich Synthesizer) und maximaler Ausführung zusammen und Johnsons Raumnutzung auf dem gesamten Album ist oft ebenso bezaubernd wie die Musik und seine stets bemerkenswerte Stimme. Für die Produktion von "Baby Man" hatte sich Johnson wieder mit Thom Monahan zusammengetan. Das Ergebnis dieser Zusammenarbeit ist das intimste Werk, das FRUIT BATS bisher aufgenommen hat. "Baby Man" überrascht mit einigen der rauesten Stücke, die bisher unter dem Pseudonym FRUIT BATS entstanden sind. Monahan hat die Vocals im Mix nach vorne geschoben, was sowohl die Souveränität als auch die Verletzlichkeit jeder Darbietung hervorhebt. Zwischen der Substanz und dem Klang ist das Hören von "Baby Man" eine kraftvolle und gefühlvolle Erfahrung. Das spürt man gleich beim Album-Opener "Let You People Down" und auch beim nachdenklichen Titeltrack. Johnson ehrt den kürzlichen Verlust eines besonderen Freundes in dem wunderschönen "Creature From The Wild", einer zu Herzen gehenden Hommage, mit der sich leidenschaftliche Hundeliebhaber sofort identifizieren werden. Das philosophische "Building A Cathedral" stellt die Frage, was einem im Leben wirklich wichtig ist und was nicht, während der letzte Song "Year Of The Crow" mit einer stimmungsvollen, bluesigen Klaviereinleitung daherkommt und das Album schmerzhaft und gefühlvoll abschließt. Der Song ist ein passendes Finale eines bemerkenswerten Albums eines geliebten und verehrten Künstlers, der weiterhin Musik konzipiert, Emotionen vermittelt und Verbindungen auf sinnvolle Weise herstellt. "Baby Man" ist der Nachfolger des von der Kritik hochgelobten Albums "A River Running to Your Heart" aus dem Jahr 2023. Johnson ist auch Mitglied des GRAMMY-nominierten Indie-Trios Bonny Light Horseman.

- Originally released in 1993, 'The Brown Album' marked a significant evolution in Orbital's sound - and was met with widespread critical acclaim. NME awarded it 9/10 in their review, and it was chosen as one of Mixmag's best albums of all time.


- Standout track, "Halcyon + On + On", became an instant classic, known for its ethereal atmosphere and haunting vocal sample from Opus III's It's a Fine Day. The track's dreamy progression and uplifting yet melancholic tone made it a staple in film soundtracks and DJ sets, embodying the emotional depth electronic music could achieve. "Impact (The Earth Is Burning)" is another defining moment, an evolving journey of layered breakbeats and dynamic synth arrangements, reflecting the duo's ability to create both club-ready and introspective music. Meanwhile, "Lush 3-1" and "Lush 3-2" demonstrate Orbital's knack for crafting intricate, evolving grooves, balancing pulsating rhythms with melodic flourishes that keep the listener engaged.


- 'The Brown Album' 2LP reissue has been cut at half speed, to ensure maximum audio fidelity for this landmark release, and is the first time the album has been pressed on vinyl for over ten year

- The Brown Album' 2CD includes a 2nd disc of rarities, including the full 11:09 version of Halycon and the 13-minute Underworld mix of Lush.

Unmistakable are the sonic experiments of Spanish alchemist ORBE; with this fresh release on Token. ORBE's iconically viscous textures and impactful percussion weasel their way into 'Ascender' for a deeper release on Kr!z's label. Thick, brooding atmospheres drive these tracks into stories of pursuit and escape throughout its four tracks.

A slick, pulsating low end in 'Flashback' stands out as a first impression for an imposing EP. Electric leads zip by for maximum psychosis; he's known for his uncompromising dissonance and drive. A staple of the Spanish scene, ORBE bites down hard on deep and hypnotic techno to resonate through concrete warehouses. This jagged edge to club music continues through 'W9Y' - a more drum-forward cut with noisy transitions and breathable synthwork. Sharper stabs occupy this space as opposed to the track's predecessor and tension is maintained with a lingering pad in the background. A meditative conclusion for the A side, ORBE quickly shifts his attention in the titletrack 'Ascender'. Emphasizing tone and tune on the kick, the lead comes with confrontation. Rolling through shifting hats, the producer brings boiling tension through minimal arrangement and the weight of his sound design - a skillset only the most seasoned artists can claim. To close things out, 'Break Nation' does just that - cutting off the traditional four/four rhythm and instead presenting itself as a bass stepper. With ORBE's classic unison packed synths, this dweller presents a whole other perspective on 'Ascender'. A hybrid of influences and yet still destined for the techno dancefloor, this breath of fresh air serves as deep dive into the subconscious for an eyes-closed experience.