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WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THE NEXT RELEASE ON THE NORTHSIDE LABEL, COURTESY OF MELBOURNE HIP HOP / AFROBEAT GROUP : COOL OUT SUN.

Melbourne's Afro Hip Hop veterans, Cool Out Sun are releasing their sophomore LP 'A LION IS A LION' October 4th.

Spearheaded by the duo of Nfa Jones and Sensible J (known for their work across 1200 Techniques, REMi, Sampa The Great & solo projects) are joined by a star studded line up of guests. These include Sampa The Great, Lamine Sonko, Immy Owusu, Vida Sunshyne, Bilalli and more as COS aim to shine light on on their local circle of creatives and inspirations.

Cool Out Sun creates music bridging the traditions of classic Hip Hop with the traditions of Afrobeat, Afro soul & roots music blending West African language and culture with modern sonics that jump out the speakers. Beats are built on the MPC & refined with all live instrumentation & vocals recorded in their lofi indie label, House of Beige studio in the middle of nowhere.

The group's explosive live show has them performing consistently, and their music has been getting a lot of Australian airplay as well as spins across the US, EU and the UK radio.

Cool Out Sun songs go deep into social subjects and storytelling with historical and cultural messaging hidden in catchy hooks and heavy grooves. This collection of songs continues this theme while leaning into the more vibrant side of what Cool Out Sun cooked up in the studio in the creation of this album, 'A LION IS A LION.

To order copies at the WHOLESALE RATE of $25 comes with a minimum of 3 units with each order. Shipping can be arranged and also records can be picked up from here in Fitzroy at Northide.

Crafted from solo recordings of 42 top-notch improviser musicians mostly drawn from Berlin’s multi-layered experimental scene, the monumental Phantom Orchestra project by Raed Yassin is finally getting released on Morphine Records. More than 1000 minutes of source material, recorded at the Morphine Raum during the fall of 2021, is distilled into a cogent work marked by a dazzling display of editing and blending, and packed into a double LP containing 7 “movements” of the Phantom Orchestra composition.

Crafted from solo recordings of 42 top-notch improviser musicians mostly drawn from Berlin’s multi-layered experimental scene, the monumental Phantom Orchestra project by Raed Yassin is finally getting released on Morphine Records. More than 1000 minutes of source material, recorded at the Morphine Raum during the fall of 2021, is distilled into a cogent work marked by a dazzling display of editing and blending, and packed into a double LP containing 7 “movements” of the Phantom Orchestra composition.

The Lebanese composer, musician and visual artist Raed Yassin has built a career straddling artistic mediums and communities, his devotion to improvisation, his connection to experimental electronic music, and his interest in the archive distinguishing a progressive impulse rooted in historic exploration. In 2020 Morphine Records released his wildly ambitious Live in Sharjah, made by a kaleidoscopic expansion of Praed, his duo with clarinetist Paed Conca. He resumes his interest in large-scale projects with Phantom Orchestra, conceived during the pandemic when most European improvisers were forced to redirect their energies into solo work,

Each set of the Phantom Orchestra’s solos was cut on a Dubplate, ready to be performed on 12 turntables routed to a six-channel setup, to create a unified and breathtaking composition from the spontaneous material. The resulting material was then edited and prepared to be cut on a Double LP format, marshalling a staggering variety of improvised footage into an air-tight collage that locates abstract consonance, stunning sonic rhymes, and unusual harmonies without shutting out the sort of exhilarating collisions and fraught tensions inherent in collaborative improvisations. With this final stage of the composition, Yassin offers a vibrant testimony to the diversity of Berlin’s community of improvisers, to say nothing of his own refined artistic sensibility in achieving such a remarkable feat of blending so many contrasting voices into a truly unified piece of music. “For me it's about how to learn to be a community again,” he says. “And how to live in a world together again, which is a very difficult question for me.”

“This Album was published with the support of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture – AFAC”

Punk Slime Recordings are proud to present a new double A-sided split 7" which features the return of two of Sweden's most exciting acts Stockholm slacker pop project Magic Potion and Nora Karlsson's acclaimed lo-fi pop project Boys. The 7" features first tastes of both bands' upcoming records with Magic Potion contributing "Rest Yr Skull", their first piece of new music since last year's acclaimed debut lp Pink Gum, and Boys showcases their first ever studio recording from the long-awaited debut lp which is set to be released early next year.The split 7" is due on October 20, but expect to hear music sooner than that with "Rest Yr Skull" arriving in early September ahead of Magic Potion's EU tour supporting Chastity Belt.

"There is great power in secrecy. Detached from the world, brewed under a strict code of confidentiality, a new lifeform came into existence. Led by none other than Sonata Arctica frontman Tony Kakko, this new beast of his gained momentum in the massive shadow of his wildly successful power metal superheroes, slowly, steadily, biding its time, waiting for the right moment. This moment is now: With his self-titled debut, Tony Kakko opens the curtains into this strange new world of his just enough to take a first peek – and instantly hunger for more. A master story teller and a wizard of conjuring musical emotions, Himmelkraft stages Kakkos trademark talents in a wholly new, unexpected and thrilling way. To him, the sky truly is the limit, bestowing upon us an album that sounds like nothing else out there – brooding and dark, menacing and eerie, stomping and monumental.




This project sees Tony Kakko enter a fascinating new era. Much like the legendary Elven smiths of old, forging away in solemn silence, Kakko has stopped the wheel of time to reinvent himself and his bold musical vision. Shrouded in mystery, a new being appears in the fog, barely discernible and yet distinct the very moment Tony Kakko starts to sing.

Yet, everything else remains just what it was from the very start – a mystery. Call them songs for a dying world or songs for a world reborn – either way, you will be intrigued how this extraordinary project will develop. And that’s a promise
"

MICHAEL GREGORY JACKSON 'FREQUENCY EQUILIBRIUM KOAN' EXPANDED!

DOUBLE VINYL LP & CD + 2 UNRELEASED TRACKS

Michael Gregory Jackson released "FREQUENCY EQUILIBRIUM KOAN" as a 4 track digital release in 2021. We got in contact with him to make an LP copy, as historic loft jazz recordings like this don't crop up every day, and this recording with Julius Hemphill, Abdul Wadud and Pheeroan aKLaff deserves physical form.

To make it even more irresistable a project, Michael said he had 2 more tracks from the same session that we could add to the collection, making this our first Moved-by-Sound double vinyl release, and our first record that's not a reissue.

The LP is limited to just 500 copies

How many artists can boast that their music is played by Aphex Twin, Richie Hawtin and Surgeon alike? Celebrating 25 years of the Gunjack project, the launch of the HOUSE OF JACK imprint is here with a 6 track LP on 180 gram vinyl and mastered by Simon at The Exchange. Featuring new and never before heard versions of Gunjack classics, plus a remix of Ritual48 by Japanese techno icon DJ Shufflemaster, this record is an essential ride down a futuristic lane carved out by the Jack himself ... from relentless and funky, to deep and spacey, and all stops between, over the course of six tracks the album showcases a diversity found only in the hands of mastery and dedication. Commemorating 25 years of Gunjack and tipping off the 3rd season of the House of Jack show on youtube, this is a limited edition, colored 200gr 6 track LP - full of must have tunes for any serious DJ or collector of quality electronic music.

If the sanguine cedar scent of Cosmic Americana and the bright jingle jangle of Neo-Psych Rock has led you through the last couple of years, then chances are good you’ve had a brush with Silver Synthetic. The members of the New Orleans band ditched the dirtier riffs of their past projects (Jeff The Brotherhood, Bottomfeeders) for a West Coast curl that balanced country twang and honeyed harmonies with a rhythmic stomp that fishtailed through the speakers with glee.

An eponymous full length on Third Man fully distilled the scope of their sound, turning stage-battered ballads and barroom burners into one of 2021’s most promising debuts. They return for a second salvo, honed with a tour-tight symbiosis and some ace drop-ins from southern slingers Luke Schneider (pedal steel) and Rex Gregory (sax, flute). Rosalie finds Silver Synthetic refining their sound, softening their approach, and letting a breeze of ‘70s AOR weave among the country swagger. Between the tanned riffs, the band also balances societal burnout with sunshine, transforming scoffs and sneers into smoke-curled sighs draped in a windows-down aura.

They make their way to Curation Records for the new outing, a welcome home for the band’s sun-streaked Americana, turning ‘Preflyte’ Byrds, JJ grooves, beach-bound Neil, and ‘Water of Love’-era Dire Straits into an album that smooths the seams and steers the listener towards new horizons.

If the sanguine cedar scent of Cosmic Americana and the bright jingle jangle of Neo-Psych Rock has led you through the last couple of years, then chances are good you’ve had a brush with Silver Synthetic. The members of the New Orleans band ditched the dirtier riffs of their past projects (Jeff The Brotherhood, Bottomfeeders) for a West Coast curl that balanced country twang and honeyed harmonies with a rhythmic stomp that fishtailed through the speakers with glee.

An eponymous full length on Third Man fully distilled the scope of their sound, turning stage-battered ballads and barroom burners into one of 2021’s most promising debuts. They return for a second salvo, honed with a tour-tight symbiosis and some ace drop-ins from southern slingers Luke Schneider (pedal steel) and Rex Gregory (sax, flute). Rosalie finds Silver Synthetic refining their sound, softening their approach, and letting a breeze of ‘70s AOR weave among the country swagger. Between the tanned riffs, the band also balances societal burnout with sunshine, transforming scoffs and sneers into smoke-curled sighs draped in a windows-down aura.

They make their way to Curation Records for the new outing, a welcome home for the band’s sun-streaked Americana, turning ‘Preflyte’ Byrds, JJ grooves, beach-bound Neil, and ‘Water of Love’-era Dire Straits into an album that smooths the seams and steers the listener towards new horizons.

Ajay Saggar is BHAJAN BHOY. "With BHAJAN BHOY, Saggar synthesizes all of the stylistic approaches he’s explored over the years, swirling them into an intoxicating musical blend, with an earthy spirituality. Even the project’s name reflects the dual aspects of Saggar’s upbringing coming together in harmony. In Hindi, a “bhajan” is a devotional song, sung in the mandir, or temple, while “bhoy” is a Scottish and Irish derivation for a young man. There’s a searching quality to Bhajan Bhoy, as if Saggar is still hunting for transcendence with each track, whether through an expansive drone, an orchestral facility on the piano, or an electronics-augmented raga that threatens to dip into noise” (Erick Bradshaw / writer and WFMU DJ). This album presents a rich and varied set of compositions that showcase Saggar’s skills as an incredibly talented and accomplished composer and musician. With each and every Bhajan Bhoy LP, you are are carried to a higher place. With ‘Bhoy On The Wire’, the 35 minutes laid out unfolds like a cosmic tapestry, an extraordinary exploration that shimmers and reverberates with newfound vibrancy. The songs were broadcast as part of a session on Steve Barker’s “On The Wire” radio show in April 2024. They were a gift to Steve and his team for 40 years of broadcasting. “On The Wire” is simply the greatest radio show in the world. As Ajay explains in his own words : “In September 1984, I started a degree course at the University of Lancaster. On a wet and soggy Sunday afternoon towards the end of September, I sat in my room staring out at the grey Lancashire landscape, and decided to alleviate the boredom by seeing if there was anything to listen to on the radio. Most of the stations I tuned into were as dull as the weather outside. However, as I neared the end of the FM dial (and was about to give up hope), I chanced upon a station where I was taken by the music being played. That show was “On The Wire”, introduced by Steve Barker. From there on in, every Sunday, between 2-5pm, I tuned into Radio Lancashire to listen. Steve’s shows had an incredible and wide reaching selection of music and genres, that thrilled your ears and left you wanting more. Tied to that, his deep knowledge of the material he played helped the listener dig into the sounds even more, and also left you in admiration of this trait. In 1985, I started putting on DIY shows in Lancaster (inviting the likes of Bog-Shed, bIG fLAME, The Membranes, The Wedding Present, etc etc) and Steve was kind enough to mention the shows on-air, which helped in getting people from different parts of the county to come to the shows. At the tail-end of 1985, he invited me to the studio to come and hang out. When in 1988, the group I was in, Dandelion Adventure, released our first (demo) cassette, it was Steve, who not only played tracks off it, but invited the group to the studio for an interview. Now if you’re a young band, that is a massive thrill! And in 1990, when Dandelion Adventure did a John Peel session, I actually used “On The Wire” jingles (that Steve had put on a cassette and given to me a few years before) on the track “All the World’s A Lounge”. Since then, the show has been a mainstay for me, and so many others around the world, to get turned onto incredible sounds from around the world. And over the course of 40 years, Steve has always supported my music. These six tracks are a 40th birthday gift to the “On The Wire” team (Steve, Michael “Fenny” Fenton (an absolutely critical part of the show), and Jim Ingham (engineer who keeps the technical side of things going)) for sharing so much amazing music, and making the world a better place. They were originally broadcast as an exclusive session in April 2024 on “On The Wire", and are here for your listening pleasure. Music like shower”. Artwork by Jake Blanchard

Sopa Boba is a Belgian-Dutch electronic, modern classical project. The idea behind the form is a so-called Oratorio from the present age which unfolds a dramatc tale within a sociopolitcal framework. The compositons incorporate a neo-classical style string quartet, harsh modular sytnhs and spoken word vocals. It features Pavel Tchikov (Ogives) and G.W. Sok (The Ex, Oiseaux-Tempête).

That Moment is an adaptation of the eponymous text by Moldavian writer Nicola Esinencu. The starting point of That Moment takes place in a real fact, which happened in present-time Moldavia, where a father cut his son's finger with an axe, as a punishment for stealing a bit ofmoney from the father's wallet. From there the author combines the tale and its reality with a caustic irony, interrogating an unbridled capitalist society, where everything and everyone is for sale. The total playing-tme is 55 minutes, somewhere in between a hybrid electronic - modern classical oratorio and a concept album, with seven tracks that serve as seven chapters of an ironic and satiric story about the downward spiral of the capitalist society.

In a bold step! Myles Sanko has taken full creative charge over every element of this project—from writing, composing, arranging, recording, mixing and producing to distribution through his own label, 213 Music.

"Let It Unfold" represents a pivotal moment in Sanko's musical journey, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to his artistic vision as an independent artist and visionary. The album provides listeners with a deeply intimate musical exploration, serving as a form of therapy that addresses past childhood traumas and empowers future dreams, all while radiating a hopeful energy.

Inspired by his love for soul, jazz, and hip-hop, and rhythmic influences from his Ghanaian roots, Sanko delicately blends these musical styles to create a unique contemporary sound. His distinct approach to songwriting enriches each track with emotional depth and authenticity, presenting a new level of artistic expression.

The album's theme of self-acceptance and self-love is encapsulated in its title, symbolising the gradual process of personal growth and healing. The creation of this album has been a therapeutic endeavour for Sanko, helping him embrace his vulnerabilities and celebrate his strengths.

The 299 Game is the debut lp from 299, a collection of ten songs with an overarching sense of Lynchian weirdness is offset by songs that ring with crisp melodies and compositional nous. 299 is the solo recording project of Welsh multi-instrumentalist and producer Gavin Fitzjohn (who has worked with the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Gruff Rhys, James Dean Bradfield, Paolo Nutini and more), with 299 coming to life a few years ago while Fitzjohn was making his way across the US. Intoxicating, dangerous in its allure, there are flecks of '60s vocal groups and Tom Waits-style melancholia tied up in Fitzjohn's deliberate American drawl.

200 copies only. 10 track LP....

GLOW WORLD is Rod Modell's new project resulting from his collaboration with Taka Noda. The duo delivers what could be an example of perfect elegance and musical refinement, but the resulting sounds are once again dirtied, ruined and ravaged by a noise capable of deafening us, sounds that come from afar, that seem to fade away but suddenly illuminate the world around us, which lands on us and which no longer belongs to us, leaving us lost in an infinite melancholy.

GLOW WORLD is a work characterized by buoyant ambient sounds from which delicate rhythmic textures emerge, and never speeding up they run along the routes of an electronic music that surely knows how to be as minimal and suffused as it is distressing. Touches of piano, slow pulsations of bass lines and constantly disturbed sounds that nevertheless almost lull the listener into listening to this timeless music, perfect for letting go, observing time inexorably slipping out of our hands forever.

Sounds that are timeless, it was said. Rod Modell and Taka Noda are visionaries, and GLOW WORLD is a rare gem. Simply another masterpiece.

The second part in the series looking at the works of the Beninoise super group T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and the compositions of bandleader Clément Melome. The title song, "Unité Africaine" was originally released domestically in 1977 on the LP, "T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Benin - Melome Clement, Chef d'Orchestre" and celebrates a message of unity across the African nations.

The single focuses on the modern interpretations for which Canopy again enlists the skills of Jose Marquez & Sol Power All-Stars.

Jose Marquez builds around the core elements of "Unité Africaine", deepening the mood with characteristic production prowess. Recruiting precise musicians who add live bass, percussion and synthesizer, Jose delivers an adaptation which effortlessly compliments the original arrangement and feeling with a thoughtfully executed sensibility.

Sol Power All-Stars step up with a sincere rendition of "Unité Africaine". No strangers to the work of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, (having released a dynamite remix EP of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo on their own imprint "Sol Power Sound"), they were a natural fit for this project. The version presented here is respectful to the original, adding live drums, light disco FX and new arrangements to gently enhance the original composition, adding just the right amount of seasoning to their mix to bring it to a joyful and tasty simmer.

Mannequin Records proudly presents the debut release from Children Of The Night, a dynamic duo whose music is rooted in cinematic soundscapes. The project brings together Mexican techno producer Alejandro Barba, also known as Dellarge, and French documentary/film producer Pierre Labret, forging a distinctive creative partnership. Their collaboration masterfully combines dark, atmospheric elements with driving electronic rhythms, drawing heavily from the worlds of classic horror and psychological thrillers. The result is a collection of soundscapes that are as eerie as they are captivating, creating an immersive and haunting listening experience.



This album stands as an unconventional horror soundtrack for a film that never came to be—a tribute to the legendary Spanish filmmaker Jess Franco, known for his prolific work in the exploitation and horror genres. Born out of the quiet chaos of the pandemic, this project was originally intended to accompany a slasher film that was halted due to financial constraints. Despite the film’s cancellation, the duo pressed forward, turning the unfinished narrative into an imaginative auditory experience. The soundtrack will serve not only as a homage to Franco but also as a nod to Juan Mendez, better known by his alias Silent Servant, whose dark, minimalist electronic productions have left a deep mark on the underground music scene.

Dellarge and Labret’s creative process is shaped by an eclectic array of inspirations, pulling from both literature and cinema. They’ve cited films such as Franco’s "Paroxismus," "Gritos," and "Faceless" as vital to their sonic direction, as well as the eerie black-and-white imagery of F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu." Additionally, the duo draws on the disturbing psychological tension of Stephen King’s "Carrie" and "Misery," and the surreal dystopian world of Stanislaw Lem's "Congreso de Futurología." The giallo horror aesthetics of Dario Argento's "Deep Red" also serve as a significant influence, merging surreal visuals with nerve-racking, visceral soundtracks—elements mirrored in Dellarge and Labret's own compositions.



The LP is not only rich with atmospheric storytelling but also boasts a range of remarkable remixes by prominent artists in the electronic music scene. Contributions from Alessandro Adriani, David Carretta, Legowelt, and Broken English Club inject new life into the original tracks, offering reinterpretations that span from industrial techno to Italo disco, further enhancing the project’s depth and versatility. Each remix complements the overarching horror theme while adding a modern, avant-garde twist to the duo’s work.



This debut album promises to be more than just a musical release—it's a vivid exploration of the horror genre through sound, creating a sensory experience that brings forgotten films, unrealized visions, and nightmarish stories to life through music. As the lines between fiction and reality blur, Dellarge and Labret invite listeners into a world where the echoes of lost films can finally be heard.

VENTILATEUR is an instrumental project combining sounds from the vivid worlds of contemporary jazz and postpunk. The three-piece band, consisting of Iben Stalpaert on drums, Jasper Hollevoet on bass and Daan Soenens on guitar, uses angular rhythms and flowing melodies to construct compositions that embody both contrast and cohesion. Originally from Bruges, the band currently has Ghent as its homebase.

The trio released its self-titled debut EP on 22 March 2019. VENTILATEUR won awards at Fresh Fish, Red Rock Rally and Burgrock that same year and was one of the laureates of the then brand new Sound Track. Thanks to Sound Track 2020, the band received a residency at Het Entrepot in Bruges and a year of professional coaching from VI.BE and other national players in the music landscape.

In 2020, VENTILATEUR joined forces with young Ghent theatre collective Camping Sunset for the performance Happiness. The band composed the soundtrack for the play and also performed it live during the five-week run of the production. The music was subsequently recorded and released under the title A Soundtrack For Happiness at the Brussels label Sentimental.

In 2022, VENTILATEUR released its first full-length album with W.E.R.F. Records. Hoofdplaat, titled after the village near the manor house that served as its recording location, is the result of a long process of purification. VENTILATEUR presents the essence of their sound, stripped from all ballast.

VENTILATEUR balances on the border between the ‘niche’ world of instrumental jazz and the accessible world of the pop-rock circuit. From this position, the band aims to bring instrumental music to a wider audience. Apart from being purely intrinsically artistic, the trio's ambition is to excite a new audience for cultural participation and specifically the rich genre of jazz. Through their choice of accessibility within the experimental, the band aims to form a bridge between a wider audience and a musical world still too often labelled as ‘niche’. The musicians not only focus on the club and festival circuit, but have already written soundtracks for some short film projects and are also reaching out to the theatre world.

In its early years, VENTILATEUR was mainly known within the Flemish arts landscape on the Bruges-Ghent-Brussels axis. A soundtrack for Happiness and Hoofdplaat introduced VENTILATEUR to a new audience. Songs from the albums got airtime from Radio 1, Klara and other stations, and singles appeared in national playlists. The band’s music was also picked up by VRT, which used the single Nectar during several programs. In 2023, the band scored their biggest gig yet: Ghent Jazz on a podium curated by their label, W.E.R.F. Records.

VENTILATEUR as a project can count on the support of organisations such as W.E.R.F. Records, Cactus Music Centre, Het Entrepot and VI.BE. The band also has close ties with theatre companies such as Camping Sunset, Compagnie Cecilia and Ontroerend Goed and, of course, numerous connections within the Flemish and Brussels music scene.

Somehow familiar yet strange and uncharted too; you, infinite is a project born of a creative friendship spanning three decades, newly rekindled to produce a record of breathtaking majesty that speaks of lived experience and exciting potential. you, infinite reunites Jeremy Galindo and Raymond Brown, founders of acclaimed instrumental outfit This Will Destroy You, in a new collaborative project.

Somehow familiar yet strange and uncharted too; you, infinite is a project born of a creative friendship spanning three decades, newly rekindled to produce a record of breathtaking majesty that speaks of lived experience and exciting potential. you, infinite reunites Jeremy Galindo and Raymond Brown, founders of acclaimed instrumental outfit This Will Destroy You, in a new collaborative project.

2025 Repress
Anenon's tenor saxophone breathes an emotive contemplation on loss, meshed with sustained piano and field recordings. 'Moons Melt Milk Light' is a hyper-personal statement contained in a visceral beauty.

LA native Anenon returns with a highly anticipated new album 'Moons Melt Milk Light' on Tonal Union, bearing his most personal, expressive, and arresting works to date. Anenon is the ongoing solo studio and live project of Brian Allen Simon, whom since 2010 has released multiple albums and EPs to critical acclaim, including the highly revered 'Tongue' (2018) and 'Petrol' (2016).

'Moons Melt Milk Light' is direct, efficient, and unwavering in its immediacy. Anenon departs from the electronics of previous works, and embarks on a reductive, almost entirely acoustic approach consisting of piano, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and field recordings. All of the music was improvised with everything recorded as either a first or second take with no edits. Any layering happened fast and in the moment, and yet the sonic architecture of the whole feels both planned and refined.

"I feel a kinetic and messy honesty that doesn't exist in any of the other music I've ever made. There is also a sense of being settled, of calm. There is no faking it here."

Where to begin with a figure like Simon Fisher Turner? From teenage stage and screen star to illustrious recording artist for Creation and Mute and score composer of Caravaggio, Blue and The Epic of Everest - via a stint with The The and collaborations with Derek Jarman, David Lynch and Tilda Swinton - Turner embodies a distinctly British sensibility and boundless curiosity for sound. For A Colourful Storm, discovering Deux Filles, his mysterious project with Colin Lloyd-Tucker that has since been reissued by Dark Entries, was a significant moment in shaping their identity.

In August 2023, A Colourful Storm presented Simon Fisher Turner and Time is Away at Spanners, London. Performed at the tail end of Blue Now, a series of events celebrating Derek Jarman's last feature film, Blue, the recording reveals a lifetime of significant events and influences. Terre Thaemlitz's remix of Turner's Shishapangma (Comatonse Recordings, 2015) is reworked and appears on vinyl only, Jarman is privately recorded reading White Lies, Bertrand Russell is sampled, and Turner records his brother practising the Great Rissington organ for their father's funeral.

"My wife and I lived in Brixton, near the venue, on Coldharbour Lane, 20 years ago. We were above a takeaway shop. The air extractor was a nightmare and the flat smelled of grease. The market was a great place to buy fish. We adopted a giant snail, who we called Ayrton. I used to take him all over town and he loved lettuce and tomatoes. There was a wonderful small pizza shop too, which was so delicious. But back to the music. Brixton is music and I'm a lucky man."

Mike Montgomery’s lifelong fascination with music began as a solitary endeavor. After secretly mining his dad’s record collection of golden 60s and 70s icons and tumbling headlong into 80s skateboard culture and its thrilling soundtrack, Mike learned guitar and started amassing songs on his Tascam Porta-Studio, chronicling hushed bedroom melodies with each new chord he discovered. Soon, he founded thistle, a wonderfully self-sufficient power trio that served as a rich opportunity to tinker with every stage of the music-making process. Through four LPs and two EPs between 1992-2013 and countless thistle shows criss-crossing North America, Mike discovered how to book a tour, repair equipment, run live sound, manage a label, build a studio, and foster a community of collaborators.

Inspired by R.Ring’s looseness and a growing confidence in spartan songwriting, Montgomery’s latest project - under the Nervous Verbs moniker - further peels back the layers of production and fussiness that might accompany access to a fully appointed studio. Instead of ensconcing himself in Candyland with limitless options, Montgomery treated his latest batch of songs as field recordings, often using phone memos to document melodies and entire performances at their inception, where and whenever they might materialize. He realized “there was something about the idea of noticing I had captured something of myself that I couldn’t recreate on subsequent attempts.” As he collected these home sketches, he shared them with friends (including Kelley Deal, Lori Goldston, Devin Ocampo, Joe Suer, Kate Wakefield, Rick McCarty, Adam Nurre, Matt Hart, Dan Dorff Jr., and Alexis Marsh) who responded with supportive contributions, fostering the initial sparks. “All of the extra tracks people sent me that I dressed the songs up with showed me that these were sturdy enough to hold those layers.”

As one of the brightest and most prolific new songwriters to emerge from the Birmingham music scene over the past few years, Will Stewart has made a name for himself as both an imaginative storyteller and six string gunslinger whose detailed accounts of life around the Deep South seem to capture the essence of not just the humid, kudzu-covered environs they come out of, but also the creative cultural milieu that makes such narratives possible in the first place. Taking cues from everyone from Big Star and R.E.M., to Phosphorescent and the Drive-By Truckers, and even classic Southern literary figures like Eudora Welty and Barry Hannah, Stewart has managed to carve out a place for himself as a conjurer of time, place and characters— and the stories that swirl around them— in a way that’s simultaneously reflective, empathetic and unapologetic in their presentation.

Now on his fourth solo LP, over his past three studio efforts Stewart has shown a deft touch for not just engaging character arcs and succinct studies in the human condition, but also a range of musical modes that span everything from quiet dissertations on love and loss, to brash rockers and moody explorations of the complicated nature of modern Southern living. As someone who also wears the hat of a highly sought after sideman who lends his talents to friends and fellow travelers like Birmingham locals The Blips, Terry Ohms and Sarah Lee Langford, there are few sonic spaces that Stewart’s hands haven’t touched in some way.

Stewart’s newest offering sees him poised to deliver his most ambitious project yet, with a 10-track song cycle centered around the iconic, and now defunct, Moon Winx Lodge in Tuscaloosa, AL, and some of the characters and scenarios that have played themselves out there over the years.

"Thin Peaks" is the sixth album by the microtonal tuba trio Microtub, featuring Robin Hayward (UK/DE), Peder Simonsen (NO), and Martin Taxt (NO). Initially developed during an artist residency in Andersabo, Sweden, the two pieces "Thin Peaks" and "Andersabo” underwent several adaptations before being recorded in 2022. The pieces draw on the acoustic phenomena of half-valve combinations, creating distinctive timbres and harmonic spectra based on the unique half-valve signature of each tuba. Whilst "Thin Peaks" hockets between the pitches arising from a single half-valve combination, each of the four movements of "Andersabo""results from a different half-valve combination, sometimes resulting in surprisingly consonant harmonies.

Formed in 2010, Microtub have performed at prestigious festivals such as Sonic Acts in Amsterdam, MaerzMusik in Berlin, Wien Modern, FIMAV in Victoriaville, and Intonal in Malmö. Their music works particularly well in reverberant spaces. Some of the most memorable venues have been the Ex Teresa Cathedral in Mexico City, Brønshøy Water Tower in Copenhagen and Wasserspeicher in Berlin. Their latest performance in Sweden was at Lumen Projects in the Eric Ericson Hall in March 2024, where they also collaborated with Paris-based Egyptian singer Abdullah Miniawy. While Microtub primarily perform their own compositions, often in Just Intonation using the Hayward Tuning Vine software, they also frequently collaborate with composers such as Ellen Arkbro and Catherine Lamb. At the Ultima Festival in Oslo in September 2024, they will premiere seven new works by emerging composers from Norway, Poland, Iran, and the USA.

The band members are all very active in the experimental music scene worldwide. Hayward has collaborated with legends such as Eliane Radigue, Alvin Lucier and Christian Wolff, Taxt has performed with Verdensteateret, Tetuzi Akiyama and Toshimaru Nakumura, and Peder Simonsen has worked with Jo David Meyer Lysne and Bendik Giske.

‘Colours Revisited’, a revision of Adam F’s MOBO Award-winning 1997 debut album is a story of musical rebirth and passion. Adam F, realising that ‘Colours’ had found a new audience—partly thanks to artists like PinkPantheress—decided to recreate the album. Instead of simply remastering the tracks, Adam went all in. Over two years, he meticulously reworked the original music, from restoring vintage instruments like his Fender Rhodes piano to enlisting UK jazz legends like Julian Joseph. Vocalists including Kirsty Hawkshaw and the late MC Conrad re-recorded their parts, while new solos from world-class musicians added fresh life to the tracks.

“Colours holds a special place in my heart because it was not only my first solo album, but also because I had the opportunity to collaborate with diverse talents,” says the seminal producer on his ground-breaking album. “Musicians of a calibre such as Dave Ital (Guitars), The Jazz Great Julian Joseph (Keyboards and Fender Rhodes), MC Conrad (MC/Artist), Roni Jordan (Jazz a guitarist who had a hit with Miles Davis’ “So What”), Tim Philbert/Tim the Bass (Bass), Greg Leicester (Bass), Maurice Capillaire/MC MC (Live MC)…”

Adam continues “We were honoured to be nominated for MOBO “Best album of the year” alongside renowned acts of that time, including Hinda Hicks, Des’ree, Lighthouse Family, and Massive Attack. In fact, I was so convinced that we wouldn't win that I didn't prepare a speech, and that definitely showed in my genuine surprise. Colours also went on to be a top 20 UK National Chart hit which lead to Metropolis winning Tune of the Year at the Underground Awards. Music In My Mind from the same album was inspired from Herbie Hancock ‘Rocket’ and ‘I Thought It Was You’.

“Fast forward to 2020, I never thought of ever revisiting ‘Colours’. But it seems that time has come round full circle, the interest is there.” The revisited album deftly weaves together the energy of new live instrumentation with the 80’s British electronica and jazz fusion inspired sounds of the original.
The result is a project which not only brings the album into the glistening present but somehow manages to add further depth and sense of understanding of the original ‘Colours’, the influences latent within it and how and why it has gone on to influence so many others since it’s inception throughout the world. This is a must have album which pays homage to what has become a cornerstone of British electronic music history.

Shards is a collection of pieces originally written for various film and TV soundtracks
Tim Hecker has scored over the last half decade.

These compositions were originally written for scoring projects including Infinity Pool, The North Water, Luzifer, and La Tour.

Press quotes for No Highs (2023):

"Tim Hecker has become one of the most pre-eminent and nuanced electronic producers of his
generation." New York Times

"Hecker pairs expansive and bright songs with more repetitive compositions, capturing the beauty in uneasiness and vice versa…” Resident Advisor

“It's somewhere between a replenishing bath and an out-of-body experience.” All Music

"The shapes it makes in the air are often wounding, but also graceful. And like all of his work, it is
devastating in the best way possible.” The Quietus

"The love of creation seems to be what drives him and that’s a special thing to be cherished.” New Noise Magazine

“To his credit, Hecker isn't just good at this stuff - he helped write the playbook.” Boomkat

In 2016, Universal Music and The Walt Disney Company France presented ‘Jazz Loves Disney’, followed in 2017 by ‘Jazz Loves Disney 2 – A Kind of Magic’, as part of the We Love Disney series.

Produced by Jay Newland, arranged and directed by Rob Mousey, the project brought together talented and renowned artists to pay tribute to the most beautiful and symbolic tunes of Walt Disney’s magic world and render exclusive jazz versions.

The remarkable cast includes Gregory Porter, Melody Gardot, Stacey Kent, George Benson, Madeleine Peyroux, Laura Mvula, Jacob Collier, Bebel Gilberto, Jamie Callum and Eric Cantona.

Finnish-born producer and pianist Idealism (800K Spotify Monthly Listeners) and French transplant Lucid Green (175k SML) are no strangers to each other’s subtle, yet potent productions. Having worked together on „Untold“ their Sophomore, fully collaborative LP “Unsaid” is a natural journey into the beautiful ambient, downtempo, lo-fi worlds they’ve each created. Through visits to Lucid’s flat in Paris and ideas being exchanged remotely, the duo experimented with different sounds, instruments and aural environments, in the process crafting a natural partnership that sits in a comfortable, melancholic pocket.

With lulling guitar and poignant piano progressions that provide a pillow to rest your ears, and downtempo percussions that keeps you ebbing and flowing along on a subtle current, unsure where one wave ends and the next begins, only the albums progressions dictate the head-nod. The album soars, reminiscent of life’s simple, yet wholly memorable moments.

As with all 823 releases, the project is a visual one as much as it is a musical project. The first singles visualizers are a fusion of Hopes & Dreams Club & 823’s design aesthetics with personal super8 footage captured by Idealism & Lucid Green, beautifully expressed from Hopes & Dreams Club membersi. Each visualizer and single art will easily stand on its own, transporting you to worlds familiar, yet undeniably groovy and sonically comfortable.

823 is a multifaceted Perth-based record label, fashion brand, and artistic community, founded by Australian producer and all-around creative, Ta-ku (630 SML). With an astute attention to detail and an ethos that appreciates the everyday things in life, 823 doesn’t stick to any particular genre. Past 823 releases include “So Far To Go” EP via Cabu (500k SML), Ta-ku and matt mcwaters’s duo project “Black and White,” featuring Masego collaboration “Flight 99” (38mil streams on Spotify), the “All Things Considered” compilations, a curated, collaborative series featuring both budding and well-established artists around the world and have included Idealism, Wun Two, pastels, L.Dre, Flobama, SwuM, Jinsang, Tenderlonious, among a host of others, as well as multiple sold out clothing capsules.

When Apollo Brown and Crimeapple connect, it’s like old film grain under a projector— gritty, timeless. This album isn’t just boom-bap nostalgia; it’s a rebirth of smoke-stained bars, where Crimeapple plays both poet and philosopher, flipping bilingual manteca rhymes with a chef’s precision, stirring up the street grime and serving it with a side of sharp wit. Apollo Brown, as always, builds his beats like ancient architecture—dusty, soulful, and heavy with forgotten stories. These tracks sound like the cracks in the sidewalk talking back, the perfect companion for long nights and even longer thoughts. It’s a sonic novel, a street sermon, and Crimeapple’s wordplay dances through it like grease sizzling in a pan, a reminder that even in decay, there’s beauty. This, Is Not That.

Maud the moth, the solo project of Spanish-born and Scotland-based pianist, singer and songwriter Amaya Lopez-Carromero announces her new album, The Distaff, to be released via The Larvarium (digital +CD) and La Rubia Producciones (vinyl) Amaya has long used the mantle of Maud the moth as an alter-ego, a séance-like conduit to explore themes of rootlessness, identity and trauma. The Distaff in particular refers to the stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning, and an object which has historically been used across multiple cultures as a symbol wielded by the “virtuous woman”, an authoritarian ideal around which much of the trauma surrounding the feminine coalesces. The album takes the form of a sort of self reflective and surreal autobiography. It was in part inspired by the poem of the same name written by the Greek poet Erinna, as she mourns her friend's loss of individuality and agency in exchange for marriage - and therefore safety and acceptance in the eyes of society. The album exists in an ethereal but violent world of aesthetic overlaps where time stands still and fictional and reimagined folk sits at the table with Maud the moth’s usual sonic menagerie. It is the result of a lifetime of obsession with sound and music, where glimpses of musical genre offer insight into Amaya’s artistic interests and her participation in the underground European scene for many years, in bands such as healthyliving. Heavier, darker, and more exposed than any of her previous works it features some highly accomplished artists, such as Seb Rochford (Patti Smith, Polar Bear, Sons of Kemet, Pulled by magnets, etc.) on drums, Alison Chesley (Helen Money) on cello, Fay Guiffo on violin and Scott McLean (Ashenspire, healthyliving, Falloch) on guitar, saxophone and synthesiser. Maud the moth shares the video for "Siphonophores". About the track, Maud the moth says; I wrote "Siphonophores" on guitar, during the first lockdown, a period where I was kind of trapped between an almost empty flat in Edinburgh and Dresden. It was an incredibly harrowing time, but also one of hope and where important new things were being birthed. I felt incredibly sensitive to everything, almost like life was happening in slow motion. I´m not a confident guitarist since I am completely self-taught, but, probably because of this, I feel that this instrument allows me to focus on aspects of the songwriting that I normally overlook when writing on piano, and I think it was a necessary step for this song to exist. Something else which I've been really exploiting lately and features strongly in the album is the percussive capabilities of the piano, and in particular, of the sustain pedal when mic'd up. This can be heard very clearly at the beginning of "Siphonophores". Written and arranged by Amaya, with some contributions in the later role from the aforementioned collaborators, the album presents nine tracks originally written entirely on acoustic piano as accompanied voice pieces, in pure singer-songwriter fashion. The album was co-produced and recorded by Scott and Amaya in different studios across the UK between January and July of 2024, in a process that started shortly after the 2020 pandemic and finished alongside the album recordings in a detailed, organic and at times obsessive process aimed primarily at capturing the natural dynamics and expression of free performance. The Distaff was mixed in its entirety by Scott and mastered at Abbey Road by Alex Wharton (Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Aurora, Kathryn Joseph etc.) Despite being born of a very personal point of view, the album lacks a specific narrator and was conceived almost as a sonic trousseau, where the needle point, silks and other family heirlooms have been swapped for out-of-the-corner-of-the-eye memories of rural Spain by the vineyards, family disputes, old tales of wartime pains, generational breaches and finally the conflict of migration and estrangement. The songs paint dystopian pastoral scenes which evolve throughout the span of one fictional day outside of time and coherent locations and where imagination (often the only account surviving from traumatic events and gaslighting) has become indistinguishable from fact. The Distaff attempts to acknowledge past trauma, comprehend and process some of the more difficult aspects which have contributed to our darker self and offer closure and solace through creative catharsis.

Maud the moth, the solo project of Spanish-born and Scotland-based pianist, singer and songwriter Amaya Lopez-Carromero announces her new album, The Distaff, to be released via The Larvarium (digital +CD) and La Rubia Producciones (vinyl) Amaya has long used the mantle of Maud the moth as an alter-ego, a séance-like conduit to explore themes of rootlessness, identity and trauma. The Distaff in particular refers to the stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning, and an object which has historically been used across multiple cultures as a symbol wielded by the “virtuous woman”, an authoritarian ideal around which much of the trauma surrounding the feminine coalesces. The album takes the form of a sort of self reflective and surreal autobiography. It was in part inspired by the poem of the same name written by the Greek poet Erinna, as she mourns her friend's loss of individuality and agency in exchange for marriage - and therefore safety and acceptance in the eyes of society. The album exists in an ethereal but violent world of aesthetic overlaps where time stands still and fictional and reimagined folk sits at the table with Maud the moth’s usual sonic menagerie. It is the result of a lifetime of obsession with sound and music, where glimpses of musical genre offer insight into Amaya’s artistic interests and her participation in the underground European scene for many years, in bands such as healthyliving. Heavier, darker, and more exposed than any of her previous works it features some highly accomplished artists, such as Seb Rochford (Patti Smith, Polar Bear, Sons of Kemet, Pulled by magnets, etc.) on drums, Alison Chesley (Helen Money) on cello, Fay Guiffo on violin and Scott McLean (Ashenspire, healthyliving, Falloch) on guitar, saxophone and synthesiser. Maud the moth shares the video for "Siphonophores". About the track, Maud the moth says; I wrote "Siphonophores" on guitar, during the first lockdown, a period where I was kind of trapped between an almost empty flat in Edinburgh and Dresden. It was an incredibly harrowing time, but also one of hope and where important new things were being birthed. I felt incredibly sensitive to everything, almost like life was happening in slow motion. I´m not a confident guitarist since I am completely self-taught, but, probably because of this, I feel that this instrument allows me to focus on aspects of the songwriting that I normally overlook when writing on piano, and I think it was a necessary step for this song to exist. Something else which I've been really exploiting lately and features strongly in the album is the percussive capabilities of the piano, and in particular, of the sustain pedal when mic'd up. This can be heard very clearly at the beginning of "Siphonophores". Written and arranged by Amaya, with some contributions in the later role from the aforementioned collaborators, the album presents nine tracks originally written entirely on acoustic piano as accompanied voice pieces, in pure singer-songwriter fashion. The album was co-produced and recorded by Scott and Amaya in different studios across the UK between January and July of 2024, in a process that started shortly after the 2020 pandemic and finished alongside the album recordings in a detailed, organic and at times obsessive process aimed primarily at capturing the natural dynamics and expression of free performance. The Distaff was mixed in its entirety by Scott and mastered at Abbey Road by Alex Wharton (Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Aurora, Kathryn Joseph etc.) Despite being born of a very personal point of view, the album lacks a specific narrator and was conceived almost as a sonic trousseau, where the needle point, silks and other family heirlooms have been swapped for out-of-the-corner-of-the-eye memories of rural Spain by the vineyards, family disputes, old tales of wartime pains, generational breaches and finally the conflict of migration and estrangement. The songs paint dystopian pastoral scenes which evolve throughout the span of one fictional day outside of time and coherent locations and where imagination (often the only account surviving from traumatic events and gaslighting) has become indistinguishable from fact. The Distaff attempts to acknowledge past trauma, comprehend and process some of the more difficult aspects which have contributed to our darker self and offer closure and solace through creative catharsis.

Album features and was co-produced by Joseph Shabason. String arrangements by Owen Pallett. Thom Gill has written songs for Chaka Khan, in addition to contributing to albums by The Mountain Goats, Owen Pallett, Joseph Shabason, Bernice, and many others. Way Through is a collaborative album by Toronto musicians Chris Cummings, Joseph Shabason, and Thom Gill (as Cici Arthur). Inspired by moments of discovery in familiar places, the album's title reflects the feeling of uncovering hidden paths in life. Musically, it blends mid-century influences like Jobim and Sinatra, with producer-instrumentalists Shabason and Gill crafting lush, expansive soundscapes. Featuring a 30-piece orchestra led by Owen Pallett, the album brings a grand scale to Cummings' intimate, reflective lyrics. The project began in 2020 when Cummings lost his job and turned to full-time music for the first time in his life. His collaborators tailored the arrangements to showcase his understated vocal delivery against sweeping orchestral backdrops. Songs like 'Cartwheels for Coins' and 'Prior Times' explore themes of regret and emotional complexity, contrasting the grandeur of the music with Cummings' quiet introspection. Tracks like 'Damaged Goods' provide upbeat moments with doo-wop harmonies, while the cinematic closer 'No Fight Or Flight' emphasizes the filmic quality of the album. Through its orchestral richness and deeply personal lyrics, Way Through captures the tension between ambition and realism, offering a poignant reflection on life's unpredictable journey

Five Leaves Left - Echoes on Solo Pianois the new project from pianist and composer Demian Dorelli, a tribute to Nick Drake's debut album

Next on Coming from... Returning to... DIN - Fantastic Planet. Originally released on DOVe records in 1992 gets it’s long awaited reissue.

“Fantastic Planet represents the first international release by DIN, the disko project of Pupka Frey, formed in 1987. Inspired by the surreal Czech animated film. Fantastic Planet is an artificial soundtrack to a space-horror fantasy. Albeit predictably, the music is completely electronic, with emphasis on analog textures reminiscent of the 70’s electronic movement. New elements have been added, most notably the very fashionable tekno sound. “

Loyle Carner will release his highly anticipated sophomore record, 'Not Waving, But Drowning' on 19 April via AMF Records.

'Not Waving, But Drowning' follows Loyle's BRIT (Best Male, Best Newcomer) and Mercury Prize nominated, top 20 debut 'Yesterday's Gone'. The bedrock of honest and raw sentimentality that you heard on 'Yesterday's Gone' left an inextinguishable mark on music in general and UK Hip Hop in particular, standing out as an ageless, bulletproof debut.

'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's new album, gives yet more evidence - as if it were needed - of his razor-sharp flow and his unique storytelling ability. Yes, he can rap, but he allies that with the sensitivity of a poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, 'a woman from the skies', and he's moving out.

It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator.

Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. 'Ottolenghi' the first single from the album was featured on the BBC Radio 1 B-list, BBC 6 Music A-list and has already been streamed over 5 million times.

Loyle refers to real life for everything, the title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving, But Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend Rebel Kleff after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead.

Loyle also has his own personal black consciousness movement. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). With no real emotional ties to his biological father, but a deep connection with a deceased step-father, where does a young child turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain on 'Looking Back'.

An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Kwes, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place.
Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or a society that lets so many down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. Loyle's 2019 Spring tour - which includes London's Roundhouse - sold out within 20 minutes of being on sale.

Not Waving, But Drowning



A rapper that raps about family is hard to find. The boys in the 'hood' tend not to be that interested in how much a 'brother' loves his mother, or how much he misses his dad, or even how much he misses his best friend. The boys in the 'hood' tend to be obsessed with the size of their cars, girls, bank accounts, and other personal 'possessions'. Loyle Carner's Mercury and BRIT Prize nominated debut 'Yesterday's Gone' (Released 2017), made it clear that he wasn't that kind of rapper. In fact, every time I talk to him about his work we talk about the world, and we tended to confuse ourselves by calling his work rap, poems, or songs, sometimes in the same sentence. They are in truth all of these things.



Here's some poetry.



Honestly I need them.

I hate them but I grieve them

I think I've finally found the reason

Trust

Like the fire needs the air.

I won't burn unless you're there.





'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's forthcoming new album, gives us yet more evidence, (if it were needed), that he still has what rappers call, flow, but he hasn't lost any of his story telling qualities. Yes, the boy can rap, but a rapper with the sensitivity of a true poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, (a woman from the skies), and he's moving out. He really loves the woman from the skies, but he still loves his mum, and so he reassures her that there is no competition, and tells her that 'She's not behind me or behind you, but beside we and beside two', his words. Or to put it another way, moving out without moving out. My words.



It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator. He says finding his own voice was something he always found easy. Although young, (in terms of a musical career), he has confidence in his own words and his own voice, and has never been tempted to sound like he's been hanging out in the USA, or rolling in 'Grime' on the mean streets of East London. And so when it comes to the creative process he doesn't simply find a beat to jump on and ride. Beats are important, but they are tenderly layered with samples, keyboards, or live drums, all imaginatively assembled for the laying on of words. Some tracks start with the idea, some with poetry, and some with a verse from a singer or some other melodic inspiration, but there is no formula.



Here's some poetry.



Don't hold any memories of us

Rather hold you everyday until the memories are dust

Yo we only caught the train

Cos you know I hate the bus





A prolific reader, who has dyslexia is hard to find. Add ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to that and life should become even more difficult. To deal with your difficulties you devise coping strategies, which can differ from person to person. Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. Loyle describes himself as 'weird' because he is happy to read a cookbook as if he was reading a novel or a book of poetry. He has opened a cookery school for young adults not just because he loves food and wants to make more of it, but because it is one of the few things that can focus the ADHD mind. And when it comes to his other love, football, his approach is the same. Focus. He wanted to be a striker he says, up front scoring goals, but found his best position was in midfield because he was able to focus, check options, and see passes ahead of time, providing passes for other players just when they needed them. He says, 'You don't grow out of ADHD, you grow into it.' Loyle is also working with Levi's® on their music project where he is mentoring young musicians over a six month period, culminating at Liverpool Sound City festival.



More poetry.



When the going is tough

I wait till it falls on deaf ears

Hearsay

Without the boundaries of love



He also said, 'Ask most people and they will say that they love their mothers, but most are not going to rap about her'. On his first album Loyle's mum Jean wrote about the 'scribble of a boy' that growing up would take things apart to see how they worked. On this album she speaks with pride about a man who has found his place in the world.



Yes, poetry.



I'm still looking for the answers

Trying to find the right questions

Still waiting for my fathers

But can't break them in to sections



This poetry is serious. Loyle has his own personal black consciousness movement. He told me that he always felt safe at home, and being the darkest one in the family never meant a thing, but then when he had to face the outside world he felt hostility. It shook him up. Now he had to start asking questions, but what were the questions. This is serious. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the verse above taken from the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). So to whom would a young black (or mixed race) kid turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain when he says, 'My great grandfather could of owned my other one.' We are a people descended from enslaved people on one hand, and enslavers on the other, something we are still struggling to come to terms with, and this can be apparent in one family. A big book could have told you that, but here we get it in one line on the track, Looking Back.





Loyle refers to real life for everything. The album is peppered with captured moments that he records on his phone. These moments can range from conversations with taxi drivers, to capturing the moment when England scores a goal in the world cup. The title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving but Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead. Yes people, this is real.



An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit, this is an album for those who have, (I'm sorry, I'm going to say it), emotional intelligence. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place. Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or the society that has let him down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. His first album worked, and this second album is a continuation of that work. Not creating a form, but being formless, as someone like Bruce Lee once said.

And here's some poetry from mum.



We talked long in to the darkest hours

Until we saw the burnished sky

And our eyes stung

As our words blurred and became thoughts

As we were silenced by the dawn

We clung to each other like sailors in a storm

"In a reality where the sun is neon and the streets are lit with lasers...where the message of love is communicated through soaring synths and haunting vocals, you'll find the music of Causeway"

American synth-wave project, Causeway, is the brainchild of Marshall Watson and Allison Rae.
Through sophisticated downbeat melodrama, lyrical motifs of isolation, and an ultra-vivid wall of sound, the two bring a sizzling synth-laden take on the dream wave genre.

Coming to the fore with support from Italians Do It Better, Causeway released their first full length album 'We Were Never Lost' to immediate acclaim, soon landing spots in tv shows Never Have I Ever, and Riverdale.

Fast forward to the here & now and they've returned with an updated sound and a new label relationship with Manchester's Sprechen, on which their new album 'Anywhere' is welcomed to the fold.

The enigmatic duo has brought forth a reverb drenched cosmic journey across 10 tracks. Where narratives of dark & light are conveyed via emotional synthesizer soundscapes alongside captive melodies and ethereal vocals to take you on a diverse and cinematic listening experience.

Hints of post punk, new wave and 80's noir run throughout the album where influences such as The Cure, Cocteau Twins, OMD and New Order are embraced by Causeway's own unique sonic stylings of electronic music neatly wrapped around each track.

As the first decade of the 21st century came to a close, a new generation of hip-hop artists began to emerge, leveraging the power of digital mixtapes to capture the attention of listeners around the globe. With deceptively intricate flows bringing smoke-filled visions to life, two of the leading lights in this rap renaissance were Smoke DZA and Curren$y. These talented artists both released breakthrough projects in 2009 before ascending to even greater heights, including Billboard-charting albums, high-profile collaborations, extensive touring, and joint projects alongside Wiz Khalifa, The Alchemist, Pete Rock, Big K.R.I.T., Freddie Gibbs, Benny The Butcher, Styles P, Harry Fraud, and more. In 2019, Smoke DZA and Curren$y finally linked for a full-length release, entitled Prestige Worldwide. The two longtime collaborators bring out the best in each other on the acclaimed collection, with inspired rhymes and trunk-ratting beats reverberating from Harlem to New Orleans. Featuring appearances by Styles P and Dave East, Prestige Worldwide is now receiving a new vinyl release via GoodTalk and Nature Sounds after years out of print.

Back in the day, when he was the drummer for Poni Hoax, Vincent Taeger would sing in French whatever came to his mind backstage after concerts, just for fun, to amuse his friend the late Nicolas Ker. Since then, time has flown by, undoubtedly bringing its share of ups and downs. Nonetheless, today, this artist with a long career is finally releasing his debut album as a singer, OK Crooner. It's indeed an album for a singer, but also one for a musician. For this part, Taeger doesn't come alone; he brings along the Jazz Kamasutra, a sexy sextet that knows how to play everything and will later accompany him on stage. To get to this point, Vincent Taeger had to stop playing around with big names like Air, Damon Albarn, Justice, Lenny Kravitz, Skepta, Tony Allen, Oumou Sangaré, Jeff Mills, Archie Shepp, Sampa the Great, Andrea Laszlo de Simone... More than half of the major artists with whom he once collaborated, contributing to their albums or simply laying down a drum, bass, or any other heavy instrument line. Before OK Crooner, he also transformed into Tiger Tigre. This roaring alias was used for a first solo album, instrumental and so deep that one might have thought the ghost of François de Roubaix had taken shape. But that was before, before this exceptional musician decided to dive into the vast ocean of French variety to give a sequel, a culmination to this project. During COVID, Vincent Taeger started frantically listening to Souchon, Chamfort, Gotainer, and Christophe. Inspired by his elders, while not renouncing his attachment to the meticulous arrangements reminiscent of Alain Goraguer's soundtracks, he picked up a pen to jot down snippets of songs to accompany his increasingly sophisticated compositions. And the worst part is that he enjoyed it! Coming from rap, he has a knack for punchlines. Throughout the album, he delivers just as many harsh or soft words as good ones, alternating between risqué humor, Gaulish wit, and poetry. Partially recorded at Studio Ferber, but mainly at home with his partner, known by the alias La Plongée, who co-produced the album for the occasion, OK Crooner is a key album in Vincent Taeger's discography. Besides being the one where he finally unveils his voice to the public, without pretense as it is prominently featured and minimally, if at all, retouched, Taeger also offers music that suits him perfectly. Sharp yet accessible, jazz, pop, baroque, classical, modern, and resolutely marked by Tony Allen's legacy, which he daringly mixes with Beethoven in the Fifth Symphony. His alter ego, Vincent Taurelle, with whom he has produced many albums, took care of mixing this one.

In Todmorden, the oddly-named market border town in West Yorkshire with a habit for embracing the weird and wonderful, a burst of sunshine is a precious thing. Through the thick of Winter, through every season in fact, the town’s folk are used to the wind and rain, fog and mist. As much a part of the town as the trademark deep valley it sits in, here the lay of the land invites the weather in, just as it does the many musicians, artists, and unique characters that have come to call the place home over the centuries.
Bridget Hayden is one such soul who found a home among these hills. The experimental musician, who invites the ghosts in for the classic folk songs that make up her stunning new album, knows only too well about such weather, how rare and treasured the breaks from it are. Her favourite thing to do in the valley, she says, is “to make the most of every tiny minute of sunshine.”
Such aspirations nearly derailed the recording of Cold Blows the Rain, her new eight-song collection released via the Todmorden- based label Basin Rock. Having hired the town’s Oddfellow’s Hall to record these new songs in the late summer of 2022, Hayden says the weather was so good she ended up basking in every second of it, only moving inside to begin recording when the sun was setting, working deep into the night to make up the time.
There’s a good chance, however, that it had to be this way. The songs that make up Cold Blows the Rain are not made for the sunlight. They come, instead, wrapped in mist and coated with drizzle, those elements shaping the album as much as the voice and the instruments held within, as real but ambiguous as the ghosts that linger in the shadows. The sound of the dark valley floor.
Mostly centred around meditative and experimental improvisation, Bridget’s work to-date has seen her spend more than two decades recording and performing on the underground music scene. She’s also toured internationally both as a solo artist and as part of bands such as Schisms and The Telescopes, while working on various side-projects with the likes of Folklore Tapes.
For all of this sonic exploration, so much of her work has been formed around elements of traditional folk aesthetics and, over time, she began to piece together a collection of reinterpreted traditional songs that she absorbed as a child from her mother: through The Dubliners and Muddy Waters, to Bessie Smith and The Leadbelly Songbook. Harvesting her love for Nina Simone, Karen Dalton, Margaret Barry, and more, Bridget takes these traditional songs and transforms them into something uniquely evocative
"It goes back to the womb,” Bridget says of that connection. “I would not call it a memory as it is so deep within my blood and bones. My mum was the source, she sang all the time, as part of life. So it was a very lulling and natural introduction. It seemed common to hear her singing – unbeknownst to her – in time with a raindrop dripping at the window,” Bridget continues. “I’ve always wanted to do a folk record as I love these songs so much. It comes much more naturally to me to sing other people’s words, especially when they’re as beautiful as these old verses.”
Underpinned by waves of analogue reverb, and led by Bridget’s stirring and weather-beaten voice, the songs on Cold Blows the Rain drift and crawl like low heavy clouds on flat-top hills, shaped by the land. The backdrop is equally as arresting, all subtle gloom cast in shadow, a gentle but pronounced swirling of textures, crafted from harmonium and violin courtesy of The Apparitions (Sam Mcloughlin and Dan Bridgewood-Hill).
“The weather speaks the most eloquently about human loss,” Bridget says, articulating such sentiments. “It’s good to feel enveloped by something so much vaster than ourselves. The rain and the tears all become one.”

As Jess Sylvester finished his Hardly Art debut as Marinero in the fall of 2020, he realized it was time for a change. Sylvester grew up in Marin County, on the doorstep of San Francisco. It was a nurturing community for a high-school punk with a pompadour and, later, for a sober songwriter with a proclivity for moody psychedelia. But he wanted to be challenged and inspired by a new setting and scenario around strangers who prompted him to approach his music in unexpected ways. So in September 2020, as the world continued to reel in lockdown, Sylvester headed several hours south to Los Angeles, a city that, despite the relative proximity, the film buff knew largely from classic and cult films situated there. When he arrived, he kept digging into that cinematic past-Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye, with John Williams' classic theme, or classic 90s movies about East LA, many featuring Edward James Olmos. They shaped his understanding of his new town just as it began to open. This is one pillar of the multivalent and endlessly lush La La La, Marinero's new album about sobriety, identity, and fantasy that is playfully named both for the city that helped shape it and the sophisticated pop it contains. Sylvester wrote about characters outside of himself, whether considering the heroine reckoning with her own version of keeping clean or the screenwriters whose work was deemed communist simply as a political convenience. He linked those songs with motivational anthems about self-acceptance and playful numbers about flirting through food, shaping a 12-song set rich with humor, empathy, and encouragement. Sure, La La La is a continuation of the slippery genre play Sylvester started with 2021's Hella Love, 2019's Trópico de Cáncer, or even before that. But it also feels like a fresh beginning for Marinero, as Sylvester realizes how boundless this project can be. He began to think about the music of his childhood, how his mother is from San Francisco with Mexican roots, and how he'd heard so much salsa growing up as an impetuous teenager. So he wrote "Taquero," a red-hot salsa tune that uses tacos and their trappings as a source of endless metaphors for come-ons. And then there was the Ray Barreto or Santana-inspired "Pocha Pachanga," with organ gliding and percussion pulsing beneath his yearning vocals, warped as if by desert winds. In Los Angeles, he found a wealth of players who spoke this music like language itself (including Chicano Batman's Eduardo Arenas), all ready to play with and push these familiar forms. Sylvester has also been sober for 21 years, since a cross-country sojourn to attend college in Boston ended in a chemical haze. Today, he sees friends facing the same decisions he made two decades ago, and he brings bits of that experience to bear in songs that feel like self-help anthems. Recorded with a musical hero (and labelmate) of his, Chris Cohen, "Sea Changes" feels like sunshine breaking through dark clouds, as Sylvester acknowledges the newfound confidence and clarity in a friend who has stepped away from destructive habits. In the past, Sylvester has been intractably linked to his identity as a Mexican-American, born to parents from Mexico and Irish- American descent who settled in San Francisco. That can be limiting, of course, tying him to notions of sound and style that aren't always correct. On La La La, he simultaneously steps into and out of those preconceptions, singing tracks above salsa in joyous Spanish or pondering the dynamics of the Hollywood Ten and blacklists above mysterious lap steel and teasing trumpet. His identity, then, should now be clear: He is a Californian, making music shaped by the diversity of encounters and experiences that are a central part of that state's fabric. Never before has he presented himself so fully and unabashedly on tape as with La La La, an album Sylvester built with new inspirations to deliver new charms.

Released via RCA Records - "Jupiter" is the fourth studio album from critically acclaimed London singer-songwriter Nao. The highly anticipated project features the new singles “Wildflowers” and “Elevate, and delves into profound emotional and spiritual themes, marking a new chapter in her artistry. Ltd Red LP Vinyl & standard CD formats. Extensive promo & marketing activity across all media outlets.