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Almost Starlight is the extraordinary new album by Jem Finer (hurdy-gurdy) and John Matthias (violin). Produced by Jay Auborn and recorded in a Medieval Church, deep in the Devon countryside, in the Summer of 2025, the music is suffused with light, heat and the natural acoustics of the space.

The album defies categorisation; forced to pigeon hole it the nearest approximation would be ‘modern-classical’ but this ignores its myriad influences and explorations which encompass inspiration from Arvo Pärt through Terry Riley to Can via Delius, Alice Coltrane and a subtle reimagining of electronic music played purely with acoustic instruments, bending and shaping their possibilities in surprising and unexpected directions.

Jay Auborn plays cello on a number of the compositions and his production opens up and expands the music through a skilled and imaginative use of space, paying homage to the atmosphere of the church; ‘the sound evolved… chasing the imagined acoustics of that church in my mind; a place for worshipping light with sound.’

Almost Starlight will be released on the 4th September by Touch, available as CD, vinyl, cassette and on streaming platforms.

BIOS OF THE ARTISTS

Jem Finer

Since studying computer science in the 1970s, Jem Finer has worked in various fields, including photography, film, experimental and popular music, sound recording, sculpture and installation.

Much of his work relates to systems, extended processes and extremes of scale and includes Longplayer, a musical composition repeating once every 1000 years, and the Gurdy and Hurdy stones, ancient rocks set upright in fields in East Sussex and Gloucestershire with Jimmy Cauty. Their work together includes a band, The Standing Stones, whose most recent release is Twa Sisters, featuring Iona Zajac and Daragh Lynch.

He was a founder member of The Pogues, with whom he has played, written and recorded since 1981.

Recent music revolves around a fascination with the hurdy-gurdy and includes hrdy-grdy, a cassette released by Benedict Drew’s Thanet Tape Centre. His latest collaboration, with John Matthias, Almost Starlight, will be released by Touch in September 2026.

John Matthias

Since studying Theoretical Physics in the late 1980s and 1990s, John has created music and sound in many forms, including for installation, popular music, music for film, for dance and orchestra.

Much of John’s work plays with the physics of complex systems but he is also greatly influenced by stories and song. John has collaborated with Matthew Herbert, Stanley Donwood, Jay Auborn, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Nick Ryan and many others to create music with a variety of textures and sonorities. He is particularly interested in simplicity and form and how context informs the way music sounds.

His latest collaboration, with Jem Finer, Almost Starlight, will be released by Touch in September 2026.

It is a real testament to the enduring quality of the early tech house blueprint laid down by Eddie Richards that whether he drops reissues of his early classics or more recent sounds, they always sell out. This EP arrived last summer and soon flew off the shelves os it is back once again on purple vinyl this time and sounding as fearsome as ever. 'Destiny' is roomy, with swung drums bringing a pendulous groove as twanging modulations and freaky vocals linger in the spaces. 'The Soul' is quicker and fleshes out with broad synth stokes and a bubbly low end. It's pure dancing tackle with a moody soul.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Comfort enters the double digits of its catalogue with the label’s most ambitious release to date by Saudi Arabian artist Noboot, titled “Call and Pulsate”.

Fluid in genre yet wholeheartedly electro in spirit, Noboot’s creative output shapeshifts across the record: from four-to-the-floor acid-tinged propulsion to time-freezing illuminations, with neon-coloured synths, body-twisting low ends and piercing drum hits mutating throughout the album, and often within the tracks themselves.

Noboot’s capacity for sonic manipulation is on full display here with the pieces moving with a captivating direction and command. Sometimes gentle, sometimes dramatic, but always carried with a particular elegance and poise. To listen to the record from start to finish is to step into Noboot’s own conceptual world, one in which the artist has the confidence to take floor-oriented dance music and elevate it both in spirit and form.

There is composure and ambition in this approach. Tracks move the listener from one emotional state to another in the span of six minutes: not merely teasing transformation, but by fully taking the listener there. To deliver on that ambition requires control and idiosyncratic intuition. If “Desolated Delay” and “Timer Set” are striking examples of Noboot’s capacity for propulsion, “Meter Tired” shows the other side of their talent: the ability to make time feel briefly suspended in a weightless flux of cybernetic psychedelia.

To achieve this once or twice would already be impressive. To sustain it across an album of this scale is rare in electronic dance music, and makes The Comfort’s tenth release a defining moment in the label’s catalogue.

Iris is back! This time with a brand-new long-player under the name Irisplus with many featured guests.

Lazy, stumbling slacker songs with multilingual vocals, expanding the melodic, riff-driven sound of previous Iris releases like “Surrender”. Watch out for the full-band live version!

Flute by Falyakon: Music/Ghost
Vox by TRii: Fog, Spoof, EG Land
Extra guitar/percussion by TRii: Deeds
Vox by Falyakon: يا ليل ,قرش و عتيق
Vox by Employee: Fernando, Crossings
Vox by Mo Chan: 今日も明日も

All songs written, produced, mixed and recorded by Iris. Mastered by The Bastard and Maximilian Schweizer. Graphics by Non-CN. Pressed by Disk Media Service.

Silver Vinyl
Simon Popp is back on Squama with his fourth album Trio.
At its heart, Trio is a work about collaboration, playfulness and unification. It is music as a means of coming together, a sonic equivalent to the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi, in which broken ceramics are repaired with a visible golden lacquer. Rather than hiding the breaks, Kintsugi embraces them, making them part of the story, a form of delicate transformation. Popp and his collaborators Flurin Mück and Sebastian Wolfgruber take a similar approach: three distinct drummers, three different temperaments, three personal styles. Fused together into a single expressive instrument.
The album is a celebration of timbre, texture, and touch, its sound palette drawn from across continents and traditions. Human beings at all points of time, across all cultures and continents have used music to celebrate, mourn, worship and bond. Along with our voices, creating rhythm with our bodies. Clapping, stomping, hitting with sticks. A celebration of rhythm as both a shared human memory and an audible expression of close bonds.
Trio is a reflection of the beauty of imperfection and the timeless pull of rhythm as a shared human force. The cracks are not hidden. They are filled with gold.

Northern Earth is Dean McPhee's sixth full-length album and the second release on his own label, Bass Ritual. Expanding on the low-end focus of 2024's Astral Gold and last year's The Bradford Boar on the Folklore Tapes label, Northern Earth integrates overdriven guitar, a wooden snare drum pedal and a powerful 18-inch subwoofer, pushing his sound further beyond the sparse fingerpicked solo guitar of his earlier releases. Drawing on influences from psychedelic rock, British folk, dub and underground electronic music, the album's three expansive compositions - including the side-long title track - were honed through live performance and recorded live with no overdubs at McPhee's home in Bradford. His solo setup - stacked valve amps, subwoofer, guitar, percussion pedals and expansive pedalboard - now functions as a single self-contained instrument, layering hypnotic basslines, ritualistic loops and fluid melodies with physical weight and a deep sense of space.

“At this point in his career, each new Dean McPhee release feels like a legitimate event” – Brainwashed

“There’s really no one else who can create (and sustain) the darkly seductive mood that’s embedded within his work.” - Aquarium Drunkard

“Dean McPhee stands out as a true one-off in a crowded field.” - Loud & Quiet

Petrozavodsk is a heavy drone trio based in Porto and Barcelona. They add dub, experimental and improvisational elements to a crushing, drone metal sound.
“Forest Fire” is the band’s vinyl debut, and is a more concentrated, expansive, and heavy offering following their debut tape “Winter War”.
Side A kicks off with “Forest I”, a collaboration with electronic artist Container AKA Ren Schofield (US/UK). The noise/rave veteran remixes the band’s guitars into a hot bubbling swampy mess that feels very alive, propulsive, punishing, yet fun – Container fans would know.
“Forest II” is all dubbed-out drone-rock, with blackened guitar, monotonous low thrusts, and a snare that is coming from an extremely far distance – everything echoing and shaking, dubwise almost-noise effects from the drum kit eroding in wide stereo.
Side B is one longform piece “Fire” with slow-motion guitar washes, and a bass that sounds like a high rise falling down. It nods to the genre’s touchstones (Boris’ “Amplifier Worship”, Sunn O)))) while carving its own path. A downtuned wall of heavy sound.
Recorded in Catalunya and Portugal, all amps turned up high. Mixed and mastered by Moa Pillar in London, with additional mixing on “Forest II” by the band’s guitarist Anton Vasin.
Guitar: Anton Vasin
Bass: Matvei Podgornov
Drums: Ivan Zoloto

2020 album from Colorado’s freewheelin’ melodist Josephine Foster. Revolving between her adopted Spain and her native American West, Josephine was stationed this spring in Nashville with maverick guitarist and comrade-in-arms Matthew Schneider. The result: ‘No Harm Done’, a spacious and enveloping love letter of an album. Eight new slow-burning songs branch forth from idiosyncratic country folk blues, sung with sibylline wit and a hint of the absurd, awash in sensually anachronic lyricism. “The Wheel of Fortune”, nearly a title track by virtue of its refrain: 'No harm will come/if there's no harm done', are words of a homebound wanderer finding refuge in healing stillness with her beloved, having 'time to kill' in the midst of 'hard times to feel at home'. All delivered with calm sagacity upon the pedestal of Mr. Schneider's pedal steel and underscored by a knowing trebled chorus in Foster's lower register. Going nowhere never felt like so righteous of a destination before. Devotion in all its permutations, spiritual to carnal, are seamlessly explored. In 'Conjugal Bliss', overtones of the 12-string and autoharp gently interplay, sounding like some unearthed Carter family wedding hymn (it bears the subversive subtitle '69' ) while 'How come, Honeycomb?' bounces low in the hips like a sultry old music hall number à la Harry Nilsson. The obliquely sapphic 'Leonine', it's unquiet harp scaling right out of ancient Lesbos, dreams of a kingless land; in 'Sure Am Devilish', a stargazer humbly confesses to a lowercase lord. 'Old Saw', the mesmeric album closer, is a medium's petition to cross the threshold and merge with the holy spirit. Josephine's enigmatic voice captured once more by frequent co-producer Andrija Tokic in his analog Bomb Shelter studio, where layers of her guitar, piano, organ entwine with Schneider's 12-string, pedal steel and electric bass to rouse a spectral yet full blooded band. The ensuing cycle of songs pulse and glow within the ruins and deep fundamental roots of American song. “Remarkable, ghostly music” The Guardian.

Es ist August 2021... Paula Hartmanns erste Single »Nie verliebt« erscheint und bildet den Auftakt für das gleichnamige, im Folgejahr erscheinende Album-Debüt. Fast forward 2023 und in der Rückschau wird klar: Paula Hartmann trat leise, aber mit Nachdruck ins Scheinwerferlicht der Musikwelt. Die Musik der 22-jährigen Berlinerin in ihrer Essenz zu erfassen, bedeutet, sie zu hören; zu vielschichtig und dicht erscheint das gewebte Netz von Geschichten aus der Großstadt. Und es ist diese Qualität, mit der sich ihre Musik Beschreibungen entzieht: Jedes Wort wohl überlegt, kein Ton zu viel, lässt man sich bereitwillig in das fein gesponnene Geflecht fallen und begleitet Paula Hartmann auf ihrer Odyssee durch den dunklen Westen von Berlin - denn wo noch Licht brennt, da tritt Paula Hartmann die Laternen aus. Mit »kleine Feuer« kündigt die Berlinerin nun ihr zweites Album an und bereits die ersten Singleauskopplungen lassen auf Großes hoffen im März des kommenden Jahres.

2026 Repress

Shep' is a new project from respected UK veteran Jay Shepheard. He debuted it with the inaugural release on his People Pleasers label last year and backs it up with more heady fusions of dub, minimal and house. 'Smiling Beaver' has tight drum patterns and dusty hi-hats but nice woozy vocal smears and jangling synths that keep things organic. 'Honey By The Pound' is a perfectly aged tech house cut that throws it back to the 90s and hits like Fresh & Low, while 'Fur Burger' gets a little more direct but keeps a playful charm with tin-pot percussion, cheeky whirring motifs, bleeps and balmy vocals. The closer, 'Good Schit,' is another colourfully infused late-night tech house sound that balances motion and emotion perfectly.

Continuing with the next installment Len Faki's Hardspace series, he breathes new life into four distinct tracks, re-imagining them through the signature Hardspace lens: heavy, thumping, and relentlessly propulsive. Spanning decades of sound, these reworks bridge the gap between nostalgic grit and future-facing intensity, proving once again that a strong is often the most effective tool in the bag.
DJ Sneak's 2009 cut Acido sits perfectly between acid-house and techno-leaning aesthetics-a natural fit for a Hardspace edit that amplifies its jacking, loopy groove. Staying closer to techno's roots is Like A Tim's warehouse classic Rashness; here, Faki channels the raw, frantic energy of the original, proving how nuanced changes can generate a completely different, captivating energy as he reshapes the track's dynamic impact and tightens the low-end.
The B-side takes two contemporary cuts further into the red: the Snuff Crew edit ramps up the intensity, stripping back Where's The Bad? to a singular, hypnotic loop for peak-time impact. Finally, Umfang's Complete Your Collection undergoes quite the transformation, adding layered, rhythmic complexity and shifting bass weight to create a trippy but floor-focused drive.

CULK um Sängerin und Songwriterin Sophie Löw (alias Sophia Blenda) sind zurück. Und wieder versucht die Wiener Band auf ihre ganz eigene Weise unsere Gegenwart in all ihren Ambivalenzen einzukreisen. Wie fühlt es sich an, heute als Mensch in dieser Welt mit den grenzenlosen Möglichkeiten, den Existenz- und Zukunftsängsten, Sinnsuchen und Identitätsfragen? Auf ihrem neuen, vierten Album tauchen CULK in einen Schwebezustand zwischen Euphorie und Überforderung ein. "smogstar" erzählt von dem pulsierenden Gefühl im Dazwischen. Alles so aufregend. Alles zu viel. Alles zugleich. Es geht um die endlosen Möglichkeiten, sich vermeintlich ständig neu erfinden zu können. Auch wenn man vielleicht immer noch nicht ganz genau weiß, wer man ist. "Ich wollte, dass die Texte leichtfüßiger sind und diesen speziellen Vibe ausstrahlen: zwischen Freiheit fühlen und lost sein", eine Stimmung, die sich auch in den urbanen Collagen und Zeichnungen des Artworks wiederfindet, die Sophie Löw im Stil einer Graphic Novel selbst gestaltet hat: die schwarzhaarige Protagonistin mit dem dunkel verschmierten Eyeliner auf dem Cover ist dabei so etwas wie die fiktive Titelheldin des Albums, die sich durch den Dunst und das schimmernde Versprechen der Großstadt schlägt. Denn wie der Albumtitel schon verrät: Der Smog und die Sterne liegen hier nah beieinander. Und überhaupt ist "smogstar" ein ausgesprochenes Stadt-Album geworden. CULK spielen hier freier auf als je zuvor. Die markante Stimme von Sophie steht immer noch im Mittelpunkt der hypnostischen Songs, aber diesmal klingen sie offener, reduzierter und weniger dark. Zu den musikalischen Referenzen gehört dieses Mal die kompromisslosere Soundästhetik von Noise-Rock-Bands der 80er und 90er, wie Swirlies, Sonic Youth und Unwound, oder auch aktuellere Bands wie Julie oder Blue Smiley. "Wir wollten, dass alles eher bare bones und roh und in your face klingt. Was können wir aus uns Vieren herausholen, in dem Moment, in dem wir gemeinsam spielen?" fragen (sich) Culk. Was wir darüber hinaus bereits wissen: So konsequent ausformuliert war der Popentwurf von CULK noch nie. "smogstar" ist ein wunderbar nervös flimmerndes Schlaglicht auf unsere Gegenwart.

CULK um Sängerin und Songwriterin Sophie Löw (alias Sophia Blenda) sind zurück. Und wieder versucht die Wiener Band auf ihre ganz eigene Weise unsere Gegenwart in all ihren Ambivalenzen einzukreisen. Wie fühlt es sich an, heute als Mensch in dieser Welt mit den grenzenlosen Möglichkeiten, den Existenz- und Zukunftsängsten, Sinnsuchen und Identitätsfragen? Auf ihrem neuen, vierten Album tauchen CULK in einen Schwebezustand zwischen Euphorie und Überforderung ein. "smogstar" erzählt von dem pulsierenden Gefühl im Dazwischen. Alles so aufregend. Alles zu viel. Alles zugleich. Es geht um die endlosen Möglichkeiten, sich vermeintlich ständig neu erfinden zu können. Auch wenn man vielleicht immer noch nicht ganz genau weiß, wer man ist. "Ich wollte, dass die Texte leichtfüßiger sind und diesen speziellen Vibe ausstrahlen: zwischen Freiheit fühlen und lost sein", eine Stimmung, die sich auch in den urbanen Collagen und Zeichnungen des Artworks wiederfindet, die Sophie Löw im Stil einer Graphic Novel selbst gestaltet hat: die schwarzhaarige Protagonistin mit dem dunkel verschmierten Eyeliner auf dem Cover ist dabei so etwas wie die fiktive Titelheldin des Albums, die sich durch den Dunst und das schimmernde Versprechen der Großstadt schlägt. Denn wie der Albumtitel schon verrät: Der Smog und die Sterne liegen hier nah beieinander. Und überhaupt ist "smogstar" ein ausgesprochenes Stadt-Album geworden. CULK spielen hier freier auf als je zuvor. Die markante Stimme von Sophie steht immer noch im Mittelpunkt der hypnostischen Songs, aber diesmal klingen sie offener, reduzierter und weniger dark. Zu den musikalischen Referenzen gehört dieses Mal die kompromisslosere Soundästhetik von Noise-Rock-Bands der 80er und 90er, wie Swirlies, Sonic Youth und Unwound, oder auch aktuellere Bands wie Julie oder Blue Smiley. "Wir wollten, dass alles eher bare bones und roh und in your face klingt. Was können wir aus uns Vieren herausholen, in dem Moment, in dem wir gemeinsam spielen?" fragen (sich) Culk. Was wir darüber hinaus bereits wissen: So konsequent ausformuliert war der Popentwurf von CULK noch nie. "smogstar" ist ein wunderbar nervös flimmerndes Schlaglicht auf unsere Gegenwart.

This is a concept record that reflects on events that have had a calculable effect on a generation:
‘’By 83 and 84, it felt that nuclear war was going to happen. Not could happen but was going to.’’
Stephen Brotherstone
"What would you do in the event of a Nuclear war?"
I remember having discussions about what we would do when we heard the four minute warning siren. We would raid the sweet shop. I was 8 or 9 years old. The absurdity of this vivid memory encapsulates the concept of the record. It would take at least four minutes to get to the shop!
The record starts with an early memory of circling a church on a Raleigh Budgie (the smaller lesser known iconic Chopper bicycle) in 1981 and ends with staring up at a clear sky on Oldham Lows in 1990.
The record identifies and plays with the effects of an underlying fear of oblivion on a generation of children, but also society as a whole: The pieces take in media and government propaganda. Machinery (nuclear submarines) and buildings (nuclear bunkers) but also everyday activities of the civilian population, activities such as shopping, clubbing and staring at the sky. Thematically, the record is made up of personal memories mixed with historical events.
Instruments are mainly from 1980s. DX7 and 808 feature predominantly. The pieces feature numerous melodic motifs that develop and intertwine underlying ideas of espionage and layers of secret messaging. It also mirrors the ways in which governments and civilians interact. Decisions being made in the name of defence whilst people go about their daily lives. I am exploring the everyday experiences of the masses whilst major political decisions are taking place. For example, shopping on a Saturday afternoon versus heated Cold War tensions in 1983.
Although taking place conceptually in the years 1979-1991, this record mirrors current events. History repeating. It also mirrors the helplessness or maybe some oblivious everyday normality state that we adopt as a community whilst major political decisions are being made.
The idea that life goes on oblivious to larger scale politics, or on the other hand, the idea that we are all very aware but in a state of unreal normality. Adam Curtis goes into great detail about such things in his film 'Hyper Normalisation'.

The acclaimed compilation series returns with volume 4! Fourteen tracks showcasing the most exciting emerging voices in Belgian jazz, ready to claim a permanent spot on your turntable.

The latest instalment in the celebrated compilation series once again shines a spotlight on the most adventurous and forward-thinking artists emerging from Belgium's jazz scene. Curated by Belgian tastemaker, DJ and broadcaster Lefto Early Bird, the collection continues a tradition of uncovering hidden gems and introducing them to a wider audience of dedicated diggers.

Over the years, the Jazz Cats series has become a trusted barometer of Belgium's ever-evolving jazz landscape. Long before many artists gained international recognition, they first appeared on these compilations, making the series both a discovery platform and a snapshot of one of Europe's most exciting musical ecosystems.

Jazz Cats Volume 4 captures a scene bursting with creativity, diversity and ambition. Across fourteen carefully selected tracks, the compilation explores the many directions contemporary Belgian jazz is taking today. Jazz, hip-hop, electronic music, afrobeat, spiritual jazz and experimental sounds coexist effortlessly throughout the collection.

The opening stretch of the compilation, led by Brussels-based Irreversible Entanglements band member Aquiles Navarro, Ola Tunji and HelenaCasella, offers an early glimpse into a scene that rarely stands still. Their music moves freely between traditions and contemporary influences, reflecting less concern with preserving genres than expanding them. Artists such as Lupo Spaccaro and Kunde, joined here by the raw soul voice of Fred Gata, draw inspiration from hip-hop and contemporary beat culture, yet neither approaches these influences in a conventional way. Instead, they reveal how naturally these sounds have become part of the vocabulary of a new generation of jazz musicians.

Experimentation emerges as another defining thread. KVR and BREAD FOR PIGEONS embrace unpredictability through unexpected textures, shifting atmospheres and confident compositional choices, creating music that constantly challenges expectations. Elsewhere, artists like Gaiko and VLIEGWERK favor immersive soundscapes that reward repeated listening. Whether there's a connection between musical adventurousness and a preference for capital letters remains a question for future research.

At the heart of the compilation lies a strong sense of movement and groove. Ragini Trio and Foutloos approach that rhythm from different angles, yet both build their music around powerful, pulsating foundations. Their tracks need close attention, revealing layers of detail and low-end richness that practically demand to be experienced on a proper sound system.

By the time it reaches its closing chapter, Lucid Lucia, SLAGADER and Kuna Maze bring the focus back to forward motion. Jazz and funk-infused grooves provide a fitting finale, reminding us that however far these artists push the jazz genre, they never lose sight of its ability to connect, uplift and move people.

The result is a body of work that feels remarkably cohesive despite its diversity: a portrait of a scene that continues to evolve through curiosity, collaborationand constant reinvention.

The late Matt Watts was an American songwriter/storyteller and performer from Montana residing in Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium. He ws the son of a catholic priest and mother with Cherokee roots in the Carolinas.

He first began using the electric organ to write songs and also recording them on cassettes when he was 11 years old. When he was 13 his mother bought him an electric guitar from a pawn shop in South Carolina. Using a karaoke machine as an amplifier, he began writing and performing and recorded his first album at age 15 in a small studio in Great Falls, Montana.In addition to writing and performing his own music, he began performing and touring with various local Punk & Noise bands.

In 2007 when he was 19, he moved to Antwerp, Belgium. Since his arrival he has worked and performed with Zita Swoon Group, become a member of Rudy Trouvé's I H8 Camera, translated Simon Allemeersch and Rudy Trouvé’s critically acclaimed piece SCREEN into English, formed The Calicos (now Humo’s Rock Rally winners under Quinten Vermaelen) as a one time backing band, worked with many artists and songwriters (including Emillina Torini & The Colorist, The Love Substitutes, ..) and toured and released various widely acclaimed solo albums and a duo album with Nicolas Rombouts on Starman Records.

Highlights for sure were “How Different It Was When You Were There” (2017 - **** De Standaard), produced by Nicolas Rombouts (ex-Dez Mona) and featured guest performances by Nathalie Delcroix and Bjorn Eriksson (Eriksson Delcroix) and Stef Kamil Carlens. Its excellent successor “Queens” (produced by Stef Kamil Carlens and Nicolas Rombouts) featured a.o. the late Sandy Dillon and Jim White.

Sadly Matt Watts passed away too soon in June 2024. “Restless Kind” is the final album readied shortly before his death in a production by Bai Kamara Jr. Another astonishing collection of intimate Americana songs with lyrics as fascinating miniature novels.

With S.I.K. (Sociedad Internacional de la Kumbia), Conjunto Media Luna maps a constellation of sounds, friendships, and underground connections stretching across Colombia, Mexico, the United States, and beyond.
Produced in Bogotá between 2024 and 2026 by Iván Medellín, the album draws energy from rebajada culture, low-end frequencies, vinyl obsession, rap, and the hypnotic pull of cumbia. Accordion melodies, sampled fragments, drum machines, and sound system pressure intertwine throughout the record, creating a world where tradition is constantly reimagined through contemporary urban culture.
Featuring contributions from artists such as La Gallo 3:20, Turbo Sonidero, Amantes del Futuro, Mextape, León Pardo, Mismo Perro, and Hito de Piedra, S.I.K. unfolds as a dialogue between scenes that have spent years exchanging records, ideas, aesthetics, and frequencies.
The artwork comes from Mateo Rivano, one of the key visual architects of Bogotá's experimental tropical underground, whose imagery perfectly captures the album's blend of street mythology, sonic futurism, and tropical psychedelia.
Part sound system manifesto, part love letter to the global kumbia underground, S.I.K. is dedicated to everyone expanding the culture from their own corner of the map, through music, dance, graphics, fashion, and noise.

Edition of 600 copies, not sealed

Made with Love by Little Beat More 2026
Published by Little Beat More

With S.I.K. (Sociedad Internacional de la Kumbia), Conjunto Media Luna maps a constellation of sounds, friendships, and underground connections stretching across Colombia, Mexico, the United States, and beyond.
Produced in Bogotá between 2024 and 2026 by Iván Medellín, the album draws energy from rebajada culture, low-end frequencies, vinyl obsession, rap, and the hypnotic pull of cumbia. Accordion melodies, sampled fragments, drum machines, and sound system pressure intertwine throughout the record, creating a world where tradition is constantly reimagined through contemporary urban culture.
Featuring contributions from artists such as La Gallo 3:20, Turbo Sonidero, Amantes del Futuro, Mextape, León Pardo, Mismo Perro, and Hito de Piedra, S.I.K. unfolds as a dialogue between scenes that have spent years exchanging records, ideas, aesthetics, and frequencies.
The artwork comes from Mateo Rivano, one of the key visual architects of Bogotá's experimental tropical underground, whose imagery perfectly captures the album's blend of street mythology, sonic futurism, and tropical psychedelia.
Part sound system manifesto, part love letter to the global kumbia underground, S.I.K. is dedicated to everyone expanding the culture from their own corner of the map, through music, dance, graphics, fashion, and noise.

Edition of 600 copies, not sealed

Made with Love by Little Beat More 2026
Published by Little Beat More

When one thinks of the terms “mass” and “massive” in music, especially contemporary music, perhaps certain aural images come to mind: generic metal heaviness; dynamics-bereft noise; ear-battering dance floor madness; the multitudinous forms of drone darkness. All of these are massive in their own fashion. However, this newstudio album from 7FO (pronounced “nana f o”), a composer-performer based in northern Osaka, investigates and inhabits a different aspect of the massive. A glorious combination: dense low frequencies; sculpturally condensed blocks of sound, subtly swinging gravitational fields ― and a surprising sense of rolling and rollicking joyfulness and play. “Massive” doesn’t have to mean “dark” ― consider the sun. This is the third 7FO release on EM Records, following the well-received Ryu no Nukegara (Dragon's Husk) (2018). On these 2024-25 recordings, 7FO focuses his drum machines, synths and musical vision into eight compact structures which were partially inspired by the intense essence of American pre-war blues and the shining soul of traditional Ethiopian music, especially the works related to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. While not obviously evident, the glowing core of these musics has been captured and condensed here; another inspiration is the massive sculptural 1980s works of Yoshi Wada ― although there are obvious differences, there is a similar material tangibility to the vibration of the air. The final piece, “Shirohebi”, is an update of the b-side of 7FO's 7-inch single "Healing Sword" (2023), featured on Henry Rollins’ radio program. We invite you to experience and enjoy these eight massive blocks of sound, imbued with 7FO’s heartfelt warmth and humour, dense but not dark; shifting, rolling, appearing and disappearing: 7FO once picked up a roadside stone, which split as it sat in his palm. This experience, referenced in the release’s title, hints at the metaphysical magic of music, a realm beyond mere coincidence: even the massive density of stone can split, and reveal the magic within. Available on CD, LP and digital download.

raum…musik welcomes Jaffa Surfa back for its 121st release with ‘Tribal Diesel EP’, a four-tracker moving through progressive techno, industrial-tinged minimal, house and broken beat. Rather than treating these as fixed genres, Surfa reshapes them into something uncanny and unmistakably tribal, while keeping the groove firmly at the centre.

That approach is clearest on the A-side. “Diggers Diesel” has a ritual pull and, as the EP’s title suggests, finds Jaffa Surfa at his most tribal. Processed drums and splintered voices gradually lock into a hook while murky synths shift beneath them. “Lidl Sin” takes a leaner, slightly industrial but definitely understated route. Its reduced arrangement leaves enough room for each detail to register, with drums, synth stabs and sequenced lines appearing to exist in a state of constant mutation. On the b-side, “NGLZ” is the EP’s most direct house cut, driven by heavy low end, syncopated rhythms and flashes of phased samples. Breakbeat accents and old-school vocal fragments nod towards US house, though the track’s restless movement keeps it from settling into anything conventional. “Upstarz Galeri” closes on a wider screen, carrying traces of krautrock and decades-old sci-fi and cyberpunk soundtracks without ever feeling nostalgic. Airy and expansive, it pairs breakbeats and growling basslines with densely layered samples, giving its machine funk an unexpectedly emotional charge.

'Tribal Diesel EP' never overstates the contrast between its parts. Jaffa Surfa holds everything together through texture, rhythm and an almost cybernetic atmosphere. It is clearly built for the club, but carries enough personality and ambiguity to reward closer listening.

After making waves in the underground with their first release, psychedelic techno explorations from Winkles, A Sky Full Of Numbers head to the shoreline with a five tracker of misty electronica from Japan’s The Rituals, the new collaboration between Tasoko and DOLTZ. Across acclaimed releases on Explore, Bitta, and Delsin, the duo have separately explored deep techno, ambient, acid house and IDM, showcasing innovative sound design and spacious, understated grooves. For AFSON, the duo apply their unique point of view at a lower tempo, pulling away from the peak time to deliver a shadowy journey through dewy electronics.
Opening transmission 503M feels like tuning into a damaged frequency somewhere beyond the cloud line. Misty lead synths slither through blown circuitry while buzzing sequences and short-circuiting percussion crackle against purring bass pressure below.
There’s an eerie electricity in the atmosphere, as if the track’s been exposed to too much heat and left glowing softly in the dark. From the opening bars, The Rituals instantly establish their ability to make techno feel both mechanical and hallucinatory.
Ugan sees the duo descend deeper into the haze. Reverb-drenched synth motifs hover like distant lights through thick fog while a propulsive dub bassline locks into loose electro-funk rhythms beneath. There are echoes of hauntological electronics and early IDM experiments here, but The Rituals avoid nostalgia entirely, steering the track instead towards something crepuscular and alive.
Stepping out of the shadows, Broken Frog Lamp pushes forward on a rolling rhythmic framework as melodies slowly force their way through layers of sea mist and static interference. Atmospheric without losing momentum, the track balances submerged emotional weight with hypnotic forward motion.
The mood softens but never dissipates on Salty Air, a damp and dewy excursion into dubbed-out psychedelia. Rainfall ambience, skittering stone percussion and swelling pads fold around sliding sub bass and filtered stabs, while jazzy cymbals and syncopated hats gently pull the track forward, as the condensation clings to the hardware.
Closing cut “Night, Castle, Reflection” drifts into darker territories, where redlining drums and pulsing low-end pressure throb beneath thick layers of saturated texture. Woozy synth work smears against tightly controlled rhythms, creating an immersive and slightly uneasy atmosphere that closes the EP at its most introspective point.
Taken as a whole, the EP transports you into the midnight hour, when the comforting embrace of stillness can easily nudge you towards hallucination, dissolving the boundaries between dream state and dancefloor hypnosis.

"The electroclash genre sure has been having a bit of a renaissance moment. During its first coming an odd 25 years ago the French act Sweetlight was a favorite over here. Originally active between 2002 and 2010, they quickly positioned themselves within a refined strand of the global underground scene: inspired by 90s acid house club culture, they rose to prominence by releasing a sparse selection of original tracks and a multitude of remixes that were both dancefloor-effective and immediately recognizable. After the EPs stopped coming, the project seemed to have faded. But their tracks never left our bag: they combined minimalism with ambiguous elegance and retained a distinct, timeless quality, easily transcending the turn-of-the-century style they were most closely associated with. We are delighted, in what we consider nothing less than a full-circle moment, to release "Selected Recordings: 2004 - 2006" and shed light on an underrated yet, in our eyes, absolutely essential project. ALT022 is an anthology release featuring four extensive, remastered cuts. Abusator, arguably the act's hallmark track and a crossover hit, kicks off the EP. It is joined by Mecaniques Remontees, which opened the milestone Suck My Deck mix by Ivan Smagghe, and Too Shy, both initially part of the same EP back in 2004. Noir Comme Le Beat, an unreleased curiosity from the same era, closes the record. You will find dark, endless, ever-modulating arpeggiator basses, Detroit-via-Paris chord progressions, and spartan drums. The work is, in the artists' own words, low-profile, detail-oriented, and built for late hours. It's an ideal compilation or - depending on the case - introduction, especially now that new work is rumored to be finally on its way."

NFY008 lands courtesy of label co-founders Jive Talk, serving up a two-track platter built for dancefloors and delectable dietary choices.

A1: Complimentary Dipping Waffles
A high-energy, bass-heavy peak-time weapon, loaded with shuffling garage hats, live percussion, and infectious vocal chops. Sweet, crispy, and dangerously moreish, it’s hard to believe the waffles haven’t been added to your bill!

B1: Snarah Connor (Dubment Day Mix)
Keeping the syrup flowing, the B-side takes a deeper route, cruising on a smooth, low-slung groove with skippy drums, hypnotic synth work, and a rolling low end. Equal parts heads-down and hands-up, it’s the kind of after-hours ammunition that would have Arnie saying, “I’ll be back” before the record’s even finished.

Dawuna’s latest mixtape is a muted hypnagogic R&B tour de force, pieced together while recovering from a traumatic head injury.

For »African Family Laptop Musick«, I was healing from a traumatic head injury that gave me a later amnesia diagnosis, so I don’t remember more than a couple small flashes of memory from the recording/construction of this project. I know I wanted to make a low-fidelity concept piece about my family life at the time, compositionally simple, but necessarily abstracted. This is the last lil offering from a very personal side of myself before I give y’all something big. Enjoy. – Dawuna

Tampa City launches as a new project from Toscal Records paying tribute to the breaks scene.

The first release comes from Ritacco & Igna as a personal take on that era — built around broken drums, low-end heat and straight-to-the-floor attitude.

The twelfth release on Early Morning is a collaboration between Fauxplay and Anthony Pappa, two producers whose shared roots in progressive house give the record its coherent, unhurried identity. Four tracks, nearly thirty minutes, built around a single piece and its transformations.

Forever Seeking is the foundation. A seven-minute arc that settles into its groove with patience, opens into a melodic break that creates genuine space, and returns with a drop that carries weight without force. The Ambient Mix closes the record as its quiet resolution - the same melody stripped of rhythm, allowed to exist on its own terms.

Between them, Simon Vuarambon contributes two interpretations. The Remix maintains the emotional core of the original while moving with greater urgency, cycling through two distinct breaks and drops across eight minutes. The Dub Mix takes a more stripped approach, emphasizing space and low-end, giving each element room to breathe.

This is music for the later hours, where the dancefloor and the inner world become the same place.

For this second EP, Void Control continues to explore the relationship between rhythm, space, and low-frequency energy. Each track is built around movement and atmosphere, combining organic percussion, spacious dub textures, and weighty sub frequencies.

Drawing influence from reggae sound system culture, tribal rhythms, dub techno, and contemporary bass music, the release exists at the intersection of multiple underground traditions. Rather than treating these influences as separate genres, Void Control allows them to interact naturally, creating a cross-pollination of sounds that feels both familiar and forward-thinking.

150 White coloured vinyl, hand stamped and stickered with inlay.

Bypass EP brings label friend Connor Wall to Stelus, his deepest body of work yet, pushing further into the core of his signature palette than anything before. The A-side sets a tone and holds it. 'Bypass' opens with melancholic ambience, patient and unhurried, establishing the mood that carries the release. 'Listen to Me Talk' follows with something stranger, crafted for late hours and darker moments. 'Maple Lok' closes the A-side as a slow burner, a long gurgling lead hook winding through textural restraint. The B-side opens at the release's peak. 'Infotrut' brings warm, powerful low end paired with swampy overtones, earning the spotlight without asking for it. 'Ocean Brain' closes in full turbine hypnosis, completing the picture and confirming the depth of Connor's sound. Depth has no shortcut.

One Oh Eight returns with two Lowslung hip house joints. Side A sees a classic nomadic riddim revisited with a surprise bpm transition. The B side is a smoothed out west coast classic with those stepper - four to the floor beats.

Die acht Jahre, die I've Missed You All These Years geprägt haben, waren von tiefgreifenden Veränderungen geprägt: Sera Cahoone verlor innerhalb kurzer Zeit ihre beste Freundin, ihren Vater und ihren Hund. Aber bei diesem Album geht es ganz und gar nicht um die Dunkelheit; es geht darum, was passiert, wenn der Sturm vorbei ist, um den Moment, in dem du nach einem dunklen Winter wieder in deinen Körper zurückfindest. Dieses Gefühl der Leichtigkeit kommt deutlich zum Ausdruck in dem Klavier und der E-Gitarre, die in ,Say Something" zum Leben erwachen, sowie in dem komplexen Porträt von ,Hits Right". I've Missed You All These Years fängt den Klang einer ekstatischen Zusammenarbeit zwischen außergewöhnlich talentierten Freunden ein. Man hört es im Barroom-Swing von ,Pulling Up Roots", im Seufzer einer Pedal Steel in ,Not How I Had Hoped", im luftigen Falsett von ,Say Something". Es ist ein Album darüber, Trost in der Gemeinschaft zu finden; darüber, sich selbst wiederzuentdecken, indem man sich mit den Menschen verbindet, die man liebt. Auf ihrem sechsten Album hat Cahoone ihre Kräfte voll im Griff. In seiner Fähigkeit, Verlust und Verbundenheit in einer Hand zu halten, ist I've Missed You All These Years triumphierend, eine Feier des Lebens, die in dem Wissen um dessen Vergänglichkeit verwurzelt ist. Als Ergebnis eines Lebens, das sie mit dem Aufführen und Produzieren von Musik verbracht hat, durchquert das Album Blues, Folk, Pop und Country und erinnert in einem Song an Loretta Lynn und im nächsten an Lucinda Williams. Es ist ein Zeugnis der Kraft, die Kreativität und Gemeinschaft mit sich bringen, ein Porträt einer Künstlerin, die sich selbst vollkommen kennt.

Broshuda returns on the newly born label Ballads Infinite with another array of absurdist vignettes, lowercase hi-tech ambience and textural degradations of radio transmissions from the bicameral mind. Weaving multiple sonic timelines into silky yet slippery articulations, he sculpts each sound with deliberate care making it breathe, slither and shimmer. Spells conjures a subterranean force through its vanishing presence, with the restraint in the sonic palette feeling utterly refreshing, as watering, drop by drop, a ghostly flower in the dromoscopic netscape of overreaching stimuli.

Deliriously patching fragments of unnoticed memories, gliding freely— slightly inebriated—through the ocean of sound: what does it take to capture the transitory entities inhabiting the latent space of this hyperconnected manifold? An assemblage of mechanical debris reduced to their bare-bone essentials; the Tao of discharge brings life to corrupted data, unpacked through textural ruminations.

Broshuda doesn’t just cast the spell, he patiently coils it around you, dissolving each and every thought in the hiss, manipulating subtle energies by making them move beyond and outward. What’s the sound of matter silently falling apart? The serpent sheds its subtle yet solid armor, revealing the space between each spire blooming with gentle eruptions of broken melodies. Where do we land now? What are we turning into? An ontological enigma still awaits to be solved.

Mastered by: Inner Lakes @ Tapewave Studio

The 2019-released label debut on Minor by Bristol-based producer Gordon Apps a.k.a. Relapse is another excellent showcase of how the long-standing underground imprint from Leipzig expands its sonic spectrum into dark and dubbed out Halftime Drum'n'Bass without losing its Industrial edge, providing a massive secret peak time weapon with the fluttering low end and seductive vocal snippets of the B-side tune „Multilingual Talk Channel“.
Never officially distributed before this is the first time ever this barely recognized underground gem is available to a wider audience, albeit in highly limited quantities. Limited pressing of 150 single copies on transclucent colour vinyl.

American experimental composer Stephen O’Malley releases Avaeken, two sides of immense, immersive, self-annihilating music via Dais Records.

The record preserves site-specific work: O’Malley installed Avaeken as part of Wish You Were Here, the exhibition by renowned American artist Banks Violette, underscoring the tension between presence and absence, life and loss.

O’Malley and Violette have developed a distinct language of sound, space, and sculpture over the past two decades, reverberating through the walls of world-class institutions from The Guggenheim and Centre Pompidou to prominent galleries such as Maureen Paley in London, Gladstone Gallery in NYC, and Antwerp’s TICK TACK, the brutalist space where Wish You Were Here unfolded in early 2026.

Emerging now as an LP, Avaeken presents power and phenomena: low-frequency vibrations, deep oscillations, and phase cancellations that translate as innately effective in any environment. Violette’s visual expression — the impossibility of locating yourself within the loss of a friend and the broader decay of culture — now fills the LP sleeve and feels inextricable from O’Malley’s sound, both still without resolution.

“Natural harmonic tone coloured by the valves of the amplification is the one desired characteristic,” reads the initial notes.

“At first I asked, why would I write for another guitar player?” he says. “I realized how amazing it is to be a listener on the other side of the music; together we were able to try all these precisions with intonation, harmonics, specific microtonal ideas.”

The quartet performed Avaeken several times before O’Malley joined them for a recording session at Muziekcentrum De Bijloke, a 13th-century former hospital with modern acoustics in Ghent.

Im Vorfeld des Pelagic Fest 2026 feiert das Label den Meilenstein uder 300. Veröffentlichung mit ,The Dungeon Tapes" - einer Zusammenstellung neuen und ubveröffentlichem Materials verschiedener Pelagic-Künstler, darunter The Ocean, Psychonaut, Lost In Kyiv, Pothamus, Gösta Berling's Saga, Telepathy, Spook The Horses, Arms and Sleepers, Johan G Winther, Thot, Barrens und The Answer Lies In The Black Void. Der Eröffnungstrack von Pelagic United and Friends verkörpert den Geist der Zusammenarbeit: Das Projekt vereint Mitglieder von Spotlights, Rosetta, Failure, Shy Low und Hiroe, die gemeinsam eine Version von My Bloody Valentines ,Soon" aufgenommen haben. Dieser Klassiker erfährt hier eine bemerkenswert direkte, düstere und emotional rohe Interpretation, bei der die Shoegaze-Ästhetik in weite Klangräume und ätherische Klänge in brutale Wucht verwandelt werden. Und danach gibt's noch 12 weitere, düstere Post Metal, Postrock, Post-Hardcore-Goodies! CD oder Doppel-Vinyl (schwarz oder farbig) mit Etching auf Seite D. Gatefold Sleeve mit Glanzlack-Coverart.

Im Vorfeld des Pelagic Fest 2026 feiert das Label den Meilenstein uder 300. Veröffentlichung mit ,The Dungeon Tapes" - einer Zusammenstellung neuen und ubveröffentlichem Materials verschiedener Pelagic-Künstler, darunter The Ocean, Psychonaut, Lost In Kyiv, Pothamus, Gösta Berling's Saga, Telepathy, Spook The Horses, Arms and Sleepers, Johan G Winther, Thot, Barrens und The Answer Lies In The Black Void. Der Eröffnungstrack von Pelagic United and Friends verkörpert den Geist der Zusammenarbeit: Das Projekt vereint Mitglieder von Spotlights, Rosetta, Failure, Shy Low und Hiroe, die gemeinsam eine Version von My Bloody Valentines ,Soon" aufgenommen haben. Dieser Klassiker erfährt hier eine bemerkenswert direkte, düstere und emotional rohe Interpretation, bei der die Shoegaze-Ästhetik in weite Klangräume und ätherische Klänge in brutale Wucht verwandelt werden. Und danach gibt's noch 12 weitere, düstere Post Metal, Postrock, Post-Hardcore-Goodies! CD oder Doppel-Vinyl (schwarz oder farbig) mit Etching auf Seite D. Gatefold Sleeve mit Glanzlack-Coverart.

What is Buck? Buck is a state of mind, a way of life, a demeanor that gets you through the good times and the bad. If you ask Brainstory, It is also the energy that permeates their debut album. Kevin, Tony, and Eric are a trio of brothers bounded by blood, fate, and a small town with nothing to do. Their story begins in the long lost lands of the San Bernardino Valley, in the twilight zone known as Rialto, California: An arid wasteland of boredom and empty lots. Through punk rock and skateboarding they found temporary liberation from the local monotony. However, it wouldn't be long before a hunger for more led them to explore musical realms beyond that of the hardcore punk they admired. After stints at music school and steady disappointment trying to navigate their local jazz scene they moved to Los Angeles and Brainstory was born. Through a introduction from Chicano Batman's bassist, Brainstory caught the ears of Big Crown head honchos Danny Akalepse and Leon Michels. Shortly thereafter they were on their way to Queens, to record at The Legendary Diamond Mine with Michels at the helm. An instant chemistry yielded 10 songs in 10 days and now Brainstory has gifted the world with one hell of an introduction to all things Buck. Highlights include the sublime slow burner, "Dead End" which was the A-side to their first 45 on Big Crown that sold out in a matter of days. With Kevin's sublime falsetto floating atop Tony and Eric's unflappable and unmistakable backbeat, this tune has become a favorite with the ballad heads, the low-riders, and the slowie collectors. "Breathe" showcases another side of their sound taking a page out of the Shuggie Otis playbook and flipping the script with some stoned out west coast swag. Kev and Tony's father, Big Tone, an accomplished performer himself, steps in on "Peter Pan" to sing lead vocals over a chorus of friends and family. Bassist extraordinaire, Tony, takes over lead vocal duties on "Sorry", a smoked out, G Funk groove that is just waiting to be sampled. These guys have come a long way from their self released EPs and opening tours with Chicano Batman. Their musical growth is undeniable, and taking their California sunshine vibes and mixing them with Michels' NYC aesthetic has proven to be an amazing combination. It's a debut record that pulls influences from so many genres seamlessly it's hard to nail down. Call it Funk, call it Rock, call it Soul, but over here at Big Crown HQ, we've decided to call it BUCK.

Big Crown Records is proud to present the debut full length offering from Les Imprimés, Rêverie. The stirring and ethereal sounds of Les Imprimés have been making fans of anyone who hears them since their first 7" single hit the speakers. Morten Martens is the man behind the band. Born, raised, and working in Kristiansand, Norway, he keeps a low prole while making his heart felt, highly infectious, and unique music. This album is a long time coming for Martens and it is sure to make him a name to be reckoned with. The first thing you notice listening to Les Imprimés is the high level of musician-ship. Martens plays nearly every instrument on the recordings and handles the production and arranging. He has been making records for decades, winning a Spellemann Award (aka, the Norwegian Grammy) in 2006 for producing a HipHop album as well as getting nominations across three other genres. While awards and accolades speak to the level of his talent, this new album really shows who he is an artist on his own terms. Moving away from being a hired gun on the touring scene naturally led him to start doing more studio work. Slowly collecting gear and getting more experi-ence behind the boards he built his own studio on the island of Odderoya and was making a living playing with and recording other people's music. As the story goes, after those sessions would end he would work on his own project into the wee hours of the night. From these late night sessions, Les Imprimés was born and Rêverie began to take shape. However, "it wasn't until COVID, when things locked down, that I was really able to nd the time to focus on Les Imprimés" Morten says about creating and leading his own solo project. "It was a scary time. But I knew I had to do something with it." He took the sum of his inuences, combined them with his own vibe and got busy writing the music, playing the instruments, and singing the songs. "It's soul music, but I don't exactly have the soul voice," Morten explains humbly. "But I do it my own way, in a way that's mine. "It is his sound, his fingerprint, his sensibility, that makes his music hard to put in a box. The album showcases both Martens' range and his ability to make a cohesive album. The lead single "Falling Away" starts with a raw drum break and turns into a lushly arranged tune that paints the picture of love when it slips away. On "Still Here" he professes his resilience through life's twists and turns over a thundering track that puts a new spin on the B side ballad genre. Songs like "You" and "Our Love" mix tones from 60s and 70s Soul with arrangement nods to Doo Wop records while Martens' lyrics and delivery leave you singing the melodies long after they finish. "Love & Flowers" finds Martens in a moment of clarity with a song that ts the niche sub genre of happy break up tunes, the four on the floor track will move the dancefloor or while the message will resonate with anyone who put too much effort into the wrong situation in their lives. However, it is songs like "Muse" and "Chess" that really encapsulate the uniqueness of Les Imprimés as they push the boundaries of genre, one a profession of love for music and the other a cover of an electronic record respectively. Martens' lyrics, emotion, and delivery truly make the whole thing come together and stand out from any of his peers. There's an infectiousness and a pop sensibility in the writing that is done with the utmost class and taste giving Les Imprimés the rare quality of immediate attraction that only deepens the more you listen.

Der finnische Sänger Bobby Oroza veröffentlicht sein Debütalbum This Love bei Big Crown Records. Das Label aus New York City ist bereits Heimat von Bands wie Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Shacks und El Michels Affair. Bobby ist in Helsinki geboren und in einer Musiker- und Künstlerfamilie aufgewachsen. Zu Bobbys Glück hatten seine Eltern eine große Plattensammlung mit frühem Jazz, Blues, Motown-Hits, Gospelchören und Doo-Wop-Gruppen wie The Drifters und The Clovers, aber auch Alben aus Brasilien und Afrika, Folksongs aus Nord- und Südamerika von Bobbys Mutter und Salsa-Musik aus New York. All diese Einflüsse sind heute in Bobbys Musik hör- und spürbar. Auf Kuba studierte er monatelang intensiv Schlagzeug und Gesang. Mit Cold Diamond & Mink, der Hausband von Timmion Records, bestehend aus Bandleader Jukka Sarapää, Sami Kantelinen und Gitarrist/Komponist Seppo Salmi, bildet er ein brillantes Quartett, mit dem er seine Vision in Musik umsetzt. CD&M liefern mit ihren LoFi-Instrumentals die perfekte Untermalung für Bobbys verrauchte Tenorstimme, die Herzen brechen und schmelzen lässt. Der bereits 2016 als 7" Single veröffentlichte Titelsong "This Love" ist längst zum Hit in Lowrider-Kreisen geworden und wurde auf "Hat Trick" von Odd Future Rapper Earl Sweatshirt gesamplet. Der Song ist mit seinen harten Drums, den wilden Riffs, dem vergrabenen Bass und Bobbys verhaltenem, aber intensivem Gesang ein Muss für Soul-Sammler und hat sich als 7? mehr als 3.000 Mal verkauft. Der Song "Your Love Is Too Cold" ist ein Stomper, der Soul-Grooves früher Motown-Stücke mit Gitarrenriffs aus einem Funk-Soundtrack von James Brown mischt und schon jetzt weltweit auf allen Soul-Partys schwer angesagt ist. Bobby hat einiges für die Tänzer im Publikum in petto: Stücke wie "Lonely Girl" und "Falling in Love" sind Verneigungen vor dem Northern Soul, "Keep On Believing" liefert Jazz-Funk wie aus den Siebzigern. Aber "This Love" wendet sich vor allem an die Balladenliebhaber, die voller Sehnsucht in die Nacht schauen. Mit Songs wie "Alone Again", "Down On My Knees" und "Deja Vu" beschwört er eine intensive, leicht abgründige Sinnlichkeit. Eine einzigartige Spielart von Soul, made in Finland.

Son Volt’s latest album, Sound Signal Serenades, will be released as a Record Store Day exclusive. Featuring twelve originals, Son Volt return to the elemental strengths that have long defined their sound—restless guitars, melodic clarity, and songs rooted in the lived experience of American landscapes. Anchored by Jay Farrar’s steady, unvarnished voice, the record balances reflection and resolve, drawing lines between personal memory and the wider currents of history, change, and endurance. The songs move fluidly between stripped-down intimacy and full-band drive, blending folk-rock, country, and electric grit with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who they are. There’s a sense of forward motion throughout the album—never nostalgic for its own sake, but deeply aware of where it’s been. Lyrically, Farrar explores themes of connection, resilience, and place, finding meaning in both the ordinary and the unsettled. This album stands as another chapter in Son Volt’s enduring catalog: honest, grounded, and quietly powerful, reaffirming their role as one of America’s most consistent and thoughtful rock bands.