Some of the finest contemporary electric artists come together on one compilation and given that unique Yage remix treatment under the direction of The Future Sound Of London, and including one track by FSOL themselves on this instalment.
Berlin's ://about blank club has long been a top hangout for the city's more discerning heads and this year it marks 15 years in the game. It does so with this tenth release on its label arm - a triple EP compilation that brings together 12 exclusive tracks from key artists tied to the venue and who reflect its adventurous musical identity. Kalipo's vocal-driven anthem 'My Heart Is A Hotel' kicks off with cold wave synth energy, then Lawrence's dreamy minimalism casts your mind adrift. There is also Alex.Do and Sylvie Maziarz deliver high-energy techno and rave, deeply cinematic cuts from Inigo Kennedy and Hagen Richter, while Rodmin and Ahu offer lush, hopeful house. The final slab offers moody hypnosis from Anja Zaube, Erik Jaahalli, Irakli and Fragen shuts down on a cosmic note. A great snapshot of ://about blank's sound.
Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at TreePeople is the first collaborative album from poet/vocalist Saul Williams and percussionist/producer Carlos Niño. The album was recorded live underneath black oak and walnut trees in Coldwater Canyon Park, Los Angeles, on December 18, 2024. The performance, which was organized by Noah Klein of Living Earth on the grounds of longstanding conservationist organization TreePeople, was the first of its kind for Williams and Niño, who have been friends since the late 1990s.
A coast-to-coast celebration of luxury, lessons, and longevity, Life Is Beautiful unites three generational talents at the height of their crafts: Larry June, 2 Chainz, and The Alchemist. Over a collection of Alchemist’s warm, soul-soaked loops and refined production, Larry and Chainz trade bars soaked in game, gratitude, and grown-man perspective. It’s a record that marries the smooth polish of West Coast cruising with the Southern charm and swagger of Atlanta, all anchored by the smoky jazz textures and dusty drums that only Alchemist can deliver.
Each track feels like a snapshot of abundance—not just in wealth, but in wisdom. Larry coasts with his usual calm confidence, finding beauty in health, hustle, and high-grade habits, while 2 Chainz brings his trademark charisma and wit, dropping gems with the precision of a seasoned vet. Together, they offer a version of success that’s intentional and introspective, as much about self-care and staying grounded as it is about stacking wins.
From introspective slow-burners to sunlit bangers, Life Is Beautiful is a rich, unhurried listen that reflects where these three icons are now: comfortable, focused, and fully in their bag. It's a toast to growth, guided by intention—and it sounds damn good on wax.
We Release JAZZ is honored to announce the release Shoals, a magnificent full-length album from Earth and Bones, the duo consisting of Liran Donin and Idris Rahman of acclaimed jazz outfit Ill Considered. Their majestic offering is available in an ultra limited edition 180g vinyl LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve with an original artwork by Dutch artist Vincent de Boer.
Carried by Liran Donin on double bass and shakers, and Idris Rahman on bass clarinet, tenor sax, shell, and Tibetan singing bowl, the 5-track album is a deeply entrancing meditative-shamanistic-ambient-jazz journey. The members of Earth and Bones poured their heart and beliefs into the project:
"From shamanic cultures and forgotten traditions, we delved deeper searching our ancient healers, exploring who they heal, what they heal, and how they do it. We wanted to focus on the poisonous human attributes that affect our animal kingdom, as well as how we can heal ourselves by balancing darkness and light. We express our forever gratitude to our community, tribe and animal kingdom.
Despite how governments and multinational corporations try to isolate us from one another, we can't make it alone without our shoal. To truly have a shoal, we need to accept each other for what we are."
Their friend, Vincent de Boer, delivers the visual side of Shoals:
"The living world and all its particular (eco)systems s increasingly a source of inspiration for my art process. When Idris and Liran showed me the new recording and the thoughts behind it, it immediately fell onto good grounds. A school of fish is eminently a metaphor for collective improvisation, something we are all engaged in on an artistic level. The group decisions go beyond causality, the energies provide a simultaneous awareness for choices of direction. The space between the entities thus form a new entity. Non-matter becomes matter and vice versa: an area where music and visual art meet.
I drew a school of fish and tried to make it look like a fixed entity, so that multiple lives become one collective. As a bird and perhaps as a rock or cave: outside becomes inside becomes outside: so that all domains of the living world are linked: the swimming, the crawling, the flying and the playing. The spiritual connection with the music of Idris and Liran is grand, the places it takes me are at once very distant and extremely close. From otherworldly to within the body: the opposites as well as the harmonies are of shamanistic proportions."
Points of interests
For fans of ambient-jazz, meditative music, shamanistic rituals, improvisational process, deep vibes, Ill Considered, Vincent de Boer, heartful connections, healers and healing, the body, the otherworld, life within and outside.
.Super limited edition vinyl of Earth and Bones' debut !
This limited edition of the album is on "galaxy" 180g vinyl and printed inner sleeve.
The third studio album from one of the most acclaimed electronic music projects in Poland.
The duo RYSY consists of Łukasz Stachurko (also known as Sonar Soul) and Wojtek Urbański. RYSY have been making music together since 2015, and the vinyl edition of 4GIVE marks exactly 10 years since the release of their debut LP, "Traveler."
The material encompasses genres such as techno, acid techno, trance, and tech house. Album is incredibly polished and full of danceable energy, satisfying the expectations of both fans of electronic sounds and enthusiasts of more melodic compositions.
The 4GIVE is released by Dyspensa Records with distribution support from U Know Me Records.
Retrospective of British mod / fReakBeat / pop-aRt heroes the eYes including all their cult classic 45s (“When the night falls”, “i’m RoWed out”, “MY degeneRation”...) plus cool rare tRacks souRced fRoM demos and acetates.
foRmed in london in 1964, the eYes took the earlY feedback experiments and pop aRt iMage of bands like the Who one step further. the band wore dyed parkas in various pastel colouRs and bRightly colouRed rugBY shiRts with huge eye symBols on the chest.
theiR raw, eneRgetic sound and distinctive stYle comBined aggRessive, fuzz-dRiven guitaR riffs with catchy melodies and a Youthful defiance that captuRed the eneRgy of the london mod scene. theiR music bRidged rawness fReakBeat with the eMeRging psYchedelic sound that would dominate the latteR half of the decade.
tracks like the feedback-laden “When the night falls” oR the fuzzed-out “you’re too Much” sounded YeaRs ahead of its time and they would influence the mod, garage revival and indie / shoegaze scene of the folloWing decades.
the eYes only released a handful of singles betWeen 1965 and 1966. theY disBanded in 1967 and unfortunatelY they never released a full album during their shoRt lifespan. heRe it is!
*ReMastered sound / *eight-page color insert with liner notes by paul “smiler” andeRson and rare photos / memorabilia / *doWnload card
Bruce Dickinson, More Balls To Picasso. Sein klassisches Album von 1994 neu interpretiert und neu
aufgelegt!
Bruce sagt dazu: „Während ich meinen gesamten Katalog in Dolby Atmos abmischte, verspürte ich den
brennenden Wunsch, die Platte neu zu interpretieren und neu zu erfinden. ‚More Balls To Picasso‘ war
eine Herzensangelegenheit. Natürlich haben wir die Gitarren verstärkt und sogar neue hinzugefügt. Der
brasilianische Komponist Antonio Teoli steuerte atemberaubende Orchesterarrangements bei und fügte – als
einzigartigen Beitrag – am Anfang von ‚Gods Of War‘ einheimische Instrumente aus dem Amazonasgebiet
hinzu (die er selbst aufgenommen hatte, als er dort lebte!).
‚Shoot All The Clowns‘ profitiert von einer Bläsersektion unter der Leitung von Professoren des Berkeley
College of Music, und die gesamte Platte profitiert vom Mix von Brendan Duffey (The Mandrake Project),
ergänzt durch Anmerkungen von Shay Baby, dem ursprünglichen Vater des Albums.
Enthält zwei bisher unveröffentlichte Live-Studio-Tracks: ‚Gods of War‘ und ‚Shoot All The Clowns‘.“
Acclaimed Swedish multimedia artist and electronic music visionary TOBIAS BERNSTRUP returns with his highly anticipated new 7th studio album, “Shadow Dancer”, on German indie label Nadanna Records.
Known for his fusion of visual art, retro-futuristic aesthetics, and Italo-inspired synthpop, BERNSTRUP’s latest offering dives deep into the shadows of the dancefloor—where desire, danger, and digital nostalgia collide. “Shadow Dancer” marks a bold evolution in BERNSTRUP’s sound, channeling pulsating analog synths, icy vocal hooks, and cinematic atmosphere into a darkly euphoric collection of tracks. The album explores themes of identity, transformation, and nocturnal seduction, blending BERNSTRUP’s signature 1980s stylings with a sharply contemporary edge.
“This album explores the tension between appearance and reality—how we perform identity, desire, and memory in a world flooded with simulation,” says BERNSTRUP. “It’s both a personal and cultural reflection, rooted in the shadowy edges of nightlife, surveillance, and performance.”
Standout single tracks like “Chiaroscuro”, “Legend”, “And The Smile” and “Jackie 60” showcase BERNSTRUP’s unique ability to fuse melancholic nostalgia with dancefloor-ready energy. The album’s visual aesthetic is just as striking, featuring dystopian glam imagery, gothic noir, and sleek, gender-fluid costuming.
Released in 1979, "Tutti Fluti" is undoubtedly one of Teddy Lasry’s most unique and poetic albums.
Entirely centered on flutes, of which he is an undisputed master, this record offers a dreamlike dive into
ethereal jazz, naturalistic ambient, and subtle electronic experimentation.
Teddy Lasry, an original member of Magma, is known for his distinctive approach to wind instruments
and synthesizers. As a composer, performer, and texture inventor, he builds here a delicate,
contemplative, and timeless sound world.
On Tutti Fluti, flutes become voices, breath, wind, and a call to the imagination. Accompanied by
luminous keyboards and subtle rhythms, they shape an organic, soft, and introspective music—perfect
for active meditation or immersive listening.
A rare and atypical album, Tutti Fluti now finds its place among the great classics of auteur library
music, between spiritual jazz and the imagined soundtrack of a film never made.
Limited edition – A precious reissue for collectors, dreamer flutists, and sonic explorers.
It was the 90s. Paris had the blues, French rap was beginning its slow rise, and a new musical genre was emerging: Acid Jazz. Imported from England by DJ Gilles Peterson, this groovy style blended 70s funk with a certain idea of jazz tailored for the dancefloor. Its heroes were Galliano, Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and the James Taylor Quartet. Jamiroquai topped the charts, MC Solaar recorded with Urban Species, and suddenly, France was swept up in the swing whirlwind. Starting in 1993, Parisian clubs embraced this union of jazz and groove, and in 1994, a compilation was released: Paris Groove Up. Around ten groups delivered the French version of this British style: Mellowman, Mad In Paris, Vercoquin, Ready Made... and Dis Bonjour À La Dame. The band wasn’t new—their roots went back to the late 80s, when bassist Marc Israël brought together a brass section and some seasoned musicians. But the real beginning of DBALD came in 1992 with the arrival of singer Sital. "Christophe Denis joined on guitar and songwriting. In 1993, we opened for Jamiroquai and Maceo Parker, and that’s when the major labels interested in the acid jazz market started noticing us," recalls Marc. Their track Chris’tal, the centerpiece of the compilation, was released as a single, and Dis Bonjour À La Dame's album began production in late 1994 in London, at Roundhouse Studio. “We must’ve been among the last sessions there—it was demolished shortly after. It was a very 70s studio, with old gear, a Fender Rhodes, everything was vintage! We recorded for a month, all playing together live, then added the brass and finally Sital’s vocals. We were lucky to have two exceptional backing singers, Sarah Brown and Mark Anthoni, who worked with Incognito and Urban Species.” The self-titled album came out in early 1995, and it had all the ingredients of a hidden funky gem from the 90s: Hey Mama with its ironclad groove, the irresistible instrumental Sheherazade Groove opening the record, Soul Body with its R\&B sensuality... The hip-hop touch came courtesy of Lee Rick’s, the MC from Mellowman, who laid down rhymes on Hall Blues. The brass section was on fire, the bass went wild, and Sital added a sensual spark to the whole thing. In short, a solid album produced by Fred Versailles (producer of NTM’s first album) and mixed by Paul Borg (Urban Species, UFO, -M-, Mory Kanté), a testament to a time when big funky bands made Paris groove—with Dis Bonjour À La Dame leading the charge. Nearly thirty years later, it’s time to (re)discover DBALD.
Cass McCombs kehrt zu Domino zurück mit einem neuen Album "Interior Live Oak"!
Am 15. August erscheint Cass McCombs' neues Album Interior Live Oak bei Domino. Es ist sein persönlichstes Werk - und gleichzeitig eine Rückbesinnung: reduziert, konzentriert, aber mit dem ganzen Gewicht von über zwanzig Jahren musikalischer Entwicklung. Der Impuls kam durch die Rückkehr zu Domino und die Auseinandersetzung mit frühen Arbeiten im Rahmen der Reissue-Kampagne und des Archivalbums Seed Cake on Leap Year. McCombs arbeitete dafür erneut mit langjährigen Weggefährten wie Jason Quever (Papercuts) und Chris Cohen in der Bay Area, später kamen in New York Beiträge von u.a. Matt Sweeney und Mike Bones dazu. Interior Live Oak verbindet neue Klarheit mit vertrauter Tiefe. Trotz dunkler Themen bleibt der Grundton hoffnungsvoll - als würde McCombs nicht nur von Extremen singen, sondern als jemand, der sie durchlebt hat.
An incredible journey through the dark and seductive soundtracks of the Italian nights, this compilation takes you deep into the after-hours soul of Rimini, Riccione, and Milan between the late 1980s and the early 1990s — a period of wild experimentation, underground parties, and sonic exploration. Eight rare and visionary tracks, all produced in the Belpaese, reflect a sound that was too ahead of its time to be fully appreciated back then, yet feels incredibly fresh and relevant today, as if they were made for the dancefloors of now.
In the middle of this evocative collection, a blasting remix by Milord stands out — a peak-time weapon that has already destroyed dozens of dancefloors with its hypnotic energy and raw power. Also featured is the stunning debut of Luca Sorrentini, who breathes new life into an obscure Italo-Arabic track originally composed by Ray Ridha
Credits.
Mr. Fiel returns with a new collection of introspective sounds on his own label, Faith In Truth. The release — available soon on vinyl and digitally — marks the imprint’s second vinyl outing, exploring deep house and ambient textures beyond the club floor. Dreamy, meditative and emotionally rich, these tracks invite the listener into a gentle inward journey.
Peaceful mind - a warm deep house journey built on deep bass, soft rhodes, and subtle background chords. Peaceful and immersive – a perfect track to slow down and reflect.
No life without dreams - driven by a heavy bassline and hypnotic synths and congas, this track is mainly made for the dancefloor. A surprising flute outro adds a delicate, uplifting twist to the groove.
Beautiful day - emotional deep house with a nostalgic touch, like flipping through old photographs. Warm textures and soft melodies evoke memories of brighter days.
Into the Galaxy - ambient meets electro in a cosmic exploration of NASA-inspired sounds and samples. A spacious and otherworldly piece – are you ready for a sonic spaceflight?
Eternal sunrise - slow-burning at 110 BPM, this track unfolds with deep basslines, ambient pads, and layered synths. Perfect for quiet moments or watching the sunrise in a reflective state of mind.
Echoes of the divine - thick pads and trippy acid tones collide with slow breakbeats and textured drums. A surreal ride into another dimension – hypnotic and unpredictable.
All tracks were written, produced, and mixed by Mr. Fiel between the summer of 2024 and the spring of 2025.
Just when you thought every holy grail must have been unearthed by now, here come Basic Unit with their deep cover late 90s masterpiece Timeline, the dankest darkcore-electronica-tech step album you've likely never heard.
Ben England and Rick Dallaway formed Basic Unit and debuted on Moving Shadow in 1997. They also moved on Nocturnal, a cult label that reached beyond D&B to platform some more experimental sounds. It was a short-lived label with some ominous footnotes — 'Several people involved with Nocturnal have vanished or are dead' reads the label's Discogs description. But in 1998 Nocturnal put out Timeline, a CD-only album from Basic Unit that cut a sharp, scathing figure against most D&B of the era. England and Dallaway embraced the album format as a chance to go deep, inhaling their inspiration from early days Autechre as much as Source Direct and boiling down the results to a steely, minimalist framework.
The likes of 'Resolution' are desolate, stark workouts that feel fractured and raw enough to align with early grime, complete with the strings, but the rhythms move in mysterious formations designed to confound like the most bloody minded electronica artists of the late 90s. Blown out bass and scattered flurries of machine gun breaks, squashed tundra drones that sound like they were pulled from 10th generation VHS b-movies and bit-crushed animal grunts fit for a Mega Drive beat 'em up. The sonics are redolent of the times, but Basic Unit chisel them mercilessly into their spartan vision, deploying brain-frying beat science with a stern restraint.
It's the kind of record that gives so much while holding so much back — a deadly tease that has flown under the radar for too long. This is the sort of shock reissue material that gets us gassed at Sneaker, and we're proud to be giving it a re-boost and a first ever outing on wax, all the better to shock you out.
Tom Jarmey returns with Daybreak, a widescreen second album weaving ambient textures, dusty drum breaks and hazy melodies into a deeply emotive listening experience. Known for his genre-blurring releases on Holding Hands and X-Kalay, the London-based producer continues to push his sound into bold new territory. Having clocked 20M+ streams and earned praise from DJ Mag, Mixmag, and Four Tet, Jarmey's second LP cements his place in the UK's new vanguard of genre-fluid electronic artists.
Pendulum, undoubtably one of the biggest electronic bands of all time, are back with Inertia, their first album in fifteen years. Produced by Rob Swire and Owen Charles and recorded at Pendulum’s London Studio, Inertia is a rampaging, 16-track emotional maelstrom and without doubt the band’s most personal work to date. Featuring collaborations with Bullet For My Valentine, Wargasm, AWOLNATION, Scarlxrd, Joey Valence & Brae and Hybrid Minds across the album’s tracklist, Inertia began to take shape in 2020 as Rob searched for what it is to be Pendulum in its current era. Stemming from 2021’s Elemental and 2023’s Anima EPs, which were the blueprint for the band’s future, the band found their new direction. Pendulum have 3 platinum albums to their name, including renowned debut Hold Your Colour and a UK #1 and #2 for Immersion and In Silico. The drum and bass/rock band from Perth, Australia have sold over a million albums in the UK alone, as well as selling out global arena tours and playing to thousands across main stage performances from Glastonbury and Download to Reading and Leeds on top of a headline slot at Ultra Miami in spring 2025.
Pendulum, undoubtably one of the biggest electronic bands of all time, are back with Inertia, their first album in fifteen years. Produced by Rob Swire and Owen Charles and recorded at Pendulum’s London Studio, Inertia is a rampaging, 16-track emotional maelstrom and without doubt the band’s most personal work to date. Featuring collaborations with Bullet For My Valentine, Wargasm, AWOLNATION, Scarlxrd, Joey Valence & Brae and Hybrid Minds across the album’s tracklist, Inertia began to take shape in 2020 as Rob searched for what it is to be Pendulum in its current era. Stemming from 2021’s Elemental and 2023’s Anima EPs, which were the blueprint for the band’s future, the band found their new direction. Pendulum have 3 platinum albums to their name, including renowned debut Hold Your Colour and a UK #1 and #2 for Immersion and In Silico. The drum and bass/rock band from Perth, Australia have sold over a million albums in the UK alone, as well as selling out global arena tours and playing to thousands across main stage performances from Glastonbury and Download to Reading and Leeds on top of a headline slot at Ultra Miami in spring 2025.
Die FETENHITS-Folge NDW Neue Deutsche Welle wurde neu aufgelegt - mit verändertem Tracklisting.
Einige Titel, die auf der früheren Folge fehlten, sind nun endlich mit dabei, wie z.B. ”Der Mussolini” und
”Als wär’s das letzte Mal” von DAF sowie ”Der Kommissar” von Falco. Des weiteren finden sich einige
tolle Raritäten von Michael Cretu, Alphaville und Thomas Anders wieder. Man darf gespannt bleiben...
Als 3CD & Download und im September dann auch als 4-fach Vinyl!
POP – the album that has become widely recognized as the defining moment in which Wolfgang Voigt brought us into a clearing of his deep, psychedelic forest. A landmark release in the GAS odyssey that drew international attention, POP was originally released in 2000 on the iconic Frankfurt imprint MILLE PLATEUX. POP was heralded by Pitchfork at the time of release as being “an exercise in sonic texture… pure sonic velvet, the layered drone radiating a palpable warmth.”
POP has since been reissued in 2016 as a part of GAS “BOX” (now out of print) and finally now, POP is released on KOMPAKT – for the first time in its original artwork. POP wird allgemein als das GAS Album angesehen, auf dem Wolfgang Voigt den Hörer auf eine kleine Lichtung inmitten seines undurchdringlichen, psychedelischen Waldes mitnahm. Ursprünglich im Jahr 2000 auf dem legendären Frankfurter Label Mille Plateaux veröffentlicht, gilt POP innerhalb der GAS Historie als Meilenstein, der international große Aufmerksamkeit erregte. Das renommierte amerikanische Musikmagazin Pitchfork nannte POP „eine Übung in sonischen Texturen … reiner, akustischer Samt; dicht übereinander geschichtete Drones, von denen eine tatsächlich spürbare Wärme ausgeht“.
Als Bestandteil der GAS „BOX“ (aktuell vergriffen) bereits 2016 neu aufgelegt, wird POP nun mit Original Artwork erstmals auf KOMPAKT veröffentlicht.
Norman Connors' Mr. C is a masterclass in sophisticated modern funk and boogie-infused soul that was way ahead of its time. Originally released in 1981, the album finds the renowned jazz drummer/producer at a creative crossroads, boldly diving deep into street-level boogie-funk without losing his soulful, jazzy touch. What once might have puzzled jazz purists now delights soul/funk aficionados; it has quietly become a cult favourite and now, nearly 45 years later, Mr. C sounds fresher than ever. Brimming with infectious heavy funk, lush arrangements and soul-stirring performances, it's an album that flirts with perfection, ensuring its enduring significance in the boogie/jazz-funk-soul canon.
From its opening moments, Mr. C makes one thing clear: this is Norman Connors at his funkiest. The majority of the album is a straight-up party: think dancefloor-ready beats complemented by punchy horn riffs and slick early-80s boogie vibes. There’s heavy use of synths and drum-machines, demonstrating Connors' gleeful embrace of contemporary funk trends. Each track shines in uniquely thrilling fashion, showcasing Connors’ versatility and happy knack for blending genres whilst crafting unforgettable melodies.
Irresistible thumper “She’s Gone” opens the album with a dyno-Rhodes electric piano groove and a seriously thick boogie-funk rhythm. Lush string accents and horn stabs weave through the funky bassline, while the vocals (handled by a young Beau Williams) soar with gospel-tinged emotion. Over four decades later, it endures as a masterpiece. Living up to its name, the shimmering “Party Town” brings deep Electro-Funk Energy by layering bubbling synth bass and shiny lead synth lines. The groove is downright addictive, a brisk, brass-kissed jam that implores you to move. Up next, the sophisticated funk of “Keep Doin’ It” is a low-slung post-disco glider, propelled by a sleek vibe, leaning into the late-night boogie sound. Funky guitar, tight drumming (with Connors’ jazz-honed chops in the pocket) and smooth vocals urge you to “keep doin'” whatever it is that's working. “Stay with Me” works a bit of island flavour into the mix, riding a thick Caribbean groove complete with tropical percussion and an upbeat tempo that could almost be calypsoul. The fusion of Caribbean rhythm elements into an R&B context demonstrates Connors’ willingness to experiment with global sounds while keeping things soulful and danceable.
Side B opens with the sassy funk-deluxe workout, "Anyway You Want" dripping with that soulful strut. Bringing a real quiet storm swagger, “Sing a Love Song” slows the tempo ever so slightly into a sexy, swaying jazz-funk gem, featuring a young Glenn Jones on lead vocals. The arrangement is elegant, built on warm keys and an undeniable groove. The celestial “Love’s In Your Corner” is all about soulful uplift. Featuring the legendary Jean Carn's powerhouse vocals soaring over a brass-kissed driving funk, it's an R&B burner. The refined, jazzy instrumental “Mr. C” is a slinky, smooth, funk-filled mid-tempo groove, with sax and warm keys gliding effortlessly. Connors combines jazzy arrangements into the post-disco/boogie framework one last time, and the result is sublime. It’s sophisticated and cool and, as a finale, “Mr. C” wraps up the album in classy style.
On release, Mr. C flew under the radar but time has been exceptionally kind to this record. DJs, collectors and soul connoisseurs alike have since rediscovered its magic. As ever, this crucial reissue has been lovingly remastered by Simon Francis, cut by engineer of the year Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios and pressed to perfection by Record Industry in Holland. Norman Connors was something truly extra. He was a visionary. And Mr. C is proof.
When billy woods released Today, I Wrote Nothing ten years ago, it was an unexpected departure from a rapper who was just starting to make waves in the indie rap scene. After spending the earlier part of his career in the wilderness, woods had managed to crawl out of obscurity with the minor success of 2012’s History Will Absolve Me. Dour Candy, 2013’s collaboration with underground legend Blockhead drew accolades, which only increased with Armand Hammer’s debut Race Music.
Then, woods dropped out of sight for two years before returning with Today, I Wrote Nothing, a record that deviated significantly from what had come before. Where Dour Candy had been concise and focused, TIWN was a sprawling 24 tracks. Where History Will Absolve Me was anchored by hard-hitting beats, anthemic songs, and a couple high powered features, TIWN was comprised of short vignettes, quietly eclectic production, and the only guests were his Backwoodz label-mates. Only one video was released; the claustrophobic “Flatlands”, shot on a shoestring budget in a Brooklyn housing project. Reviewers didn’t know quite what to make of the record, and in many cases, neither did fans.
As is often the case for woods’ albums, many perspectives shifted as the years passed. Listeners came to see the sad, quiet beauty of Today, I Wrote Nothing; a road trip album that doubles as a meditation on life’s journeys and death’s hiding places. The album’s power is in it’s intimacy, it’s insistence on holding your hand through the darkness. Now, TIWN is considered one of the more unique and vital records in woods catalogue. The dynamic woods created with TIWN vis-a-vis History Will Absolve Me and Dour Candy is one that would come to define his ouerve; constant experimentation, a refusal to be pigeonholed, and an unwavering search for the emotional heart of his subject. For us at Backwoodz, being able to repress this album on it’s ten year anniversary is especially sweet, because we remember how long it took us to sell that original run of 500. To everyone who copped one of those and helped us keep the lights on, this is for you too, we couldn’t have gotten here otherwise.
DIM KELLY unveils wondrous 9-Track Album Beau Rivage
Belgian electronic artist DIM KELLY returns to All Day I Dream with Beau Rivage, a stunning nine-track album shaped by solitude, reflection, and a renewed sense of creative purpose. The release finds KELLY channeling a winter spent building his new studio into an absorbent body of work and his most personal to date.
“Building tunes, one mistake at a time. This album is made to dance and to remember where it takes you.” – DIM KELLY
Electronic were Bernard Sumner (New Order) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths), who together produced critically-acclaimed alternative dance, and gave both Bernard and Johnny the creative freedom to fully express themselves.
Raise The Pressure will be out on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1996, as a 2LP for superior sound quality. Its original release was on 1LP.
This album had the added touch of Karl Bartos from Kraftwerk.
Electronic were Bernard Sumner (New Order) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths), who together produced critically-acclaimed alternative dance, and gave both Bernard and Johnny the creative freedom to fully express themselves.
Twisted Tenderness has never been released on vinyl and will also be released on 2LP.
The album was recorded alongside bassist Jimi Goodwin from Doves, and drummer Ged Lynch of Black Grape.
First LP in new series from Finland, this subdue jazz drone album has the quality of dusk, but is never darker than the Nordic summers. Atonal & forceful at times, still padded and invitingly warm, it has 4 classy pieces that enjoy being on the fringes while slowly capturing the ear when organs drone, the TR-808 thumps, the percussive double bass and the saxophone layers fog of melodic growing waves of groove.
Released during the late 1970's Disco era, Milton Wright's sophomore long player has always stood out as a singular, innovative example of the deepest, rarest grooves known to underground Soul lovers all over the globe. This often overlooked body of work has found a whole new audience who revisited the man's work retrospectively, pushing the LP into the domain of "holy grail" status amongst Black music lovers and Funk fanatics. "Spaced" has been at the top of the wants lists of serious music lovers for decades, often unattainable and commanding stellar collectors prices on-line, sometimes fetching amounts of upwards of £400. This unique LP could be perceived as being Wright's most personal work, tragically overshadowed by the burgeoning successes of his then label mates on Miami's Alston Records imprint. The sheer craftsmanship and songwriting prowess on show is undeniable, as is the top level musicianship and production, sounding ridiculously fresh almost some 40 years later. Above Board distribution has collaborated with Alston / TK Records to ensure the quality of this fully legitimate repress of this long lost Soul / Funk classic has been maintained. Remastered, reissued and represented with the full cooperation of the license holders for 2016. Do not pass up the chance to own a true gem, a pivotal, lost LP like "Spaced", now made available again to be enjoyed by all. "Magic Music".
Hommage is the 20th studio album from prolific Detroit rapper Boldy James. In following the formula that has brought him success, Hommage continues the series of full-length collaborative albums that his fans have come to love, and marks his first project with fellow Detroit producer, Antt Beatz (formerly of Team Eastside, production credits for Lil Baby, 42 Dugg, Eminem, Tee Grizzley). Steeped in the styles and sounds of Detroit, Hommage does exactly that – pays homage to the city that Boldy & Antt Beatz came up in. From the beats, to the tasteful features (all from fellow Detroit artists), to Boldy’s iconic style, it’s hard to come across an album that represents The Motor City better - polished and magnificent yet undeniably gritty and humbly hardworking. Previously released singles include “Super Mario,” “Dead Flowers,” & “Street Cred.”
Kerala Dusts großartiges neues Album 'An Echo of Love' ist ein Paradebeispiel dafür, niemals stillzustehen. Im Mittelpunkt seiner musikalischen Hybridität - wo Artrock auf innovative Elektronik trifft und die warme Umarmung der Tanzfläche Raum für weite Ausblicke auf Americana, Wüstenblues und dämmrige Fahrten durch eine neonbeleuchtete Stadt lässt - steht ein Album, das die Möglichkeiten des ständigen Wandels lebt.
Es ist ein wunderbar wandelbares Album; eine rastlose Fusion, deren Bedeutung eher in Fragmenten als in etwas Festem oder Statischem liegt. Kurz gesagt: Es dreht sich alles um Dynamik. Dieses Gefühl der ständigen Bewegung spiegelt sich nicht nur in der wechselnden Besetzung der Band wieder - Keyboarder Tim Gardner und Schlagzeuger Pascal Karier sind Neuzugänge und gesellen sich zu den langjährigen Mitgliedern Edmund Kenny (Gesang und Elektronik) und Lawrence Howarth (Gitarre) -, sondern auch in den Orten, an denen das Album geschrieben und aufgenommen wurde. Die Sessions fanden in der Toskana, Austin, Berlin, Zürich und schließlich Rom statt. Für Sänger Edmund "existiert das Album in gewisser Weise an all diesen Orten". Im Oktober und September ist die Band auf GSA-Tour!
Ruby is the first full-length studio album from artist, entrepreneur, and global superstar JENNIE, released in collaboration with ODDATELIER & Columbia Records. The carefully curated 15-song offering explores a variety of genres & showcases JENNIE truly stepping into her own. Including features from Childish Gambino, Doechii, Dominic Fike, Dua Lipa, FKJ, and Kali Uchis. Includes Opaque Red Vinyl, x 1 12x12” mini-poster, x 1 Exclusive Postcard.
Eddie Palmieri's The Sun Of Latin Music (1974) is a landmark album that pushed the boundaries of salsa and Afro-Caribbean jazz. With this record, Palmieri won the first-ever Grammy for Best Latin Recording, cementing his reputation as a bold innovator. The album features dense polyrhythms, blazing horn arrangements, and exploratory piano work that blurs the line between traditional Latin dance music and avant-garde jazz. It’s celebratory and deeply complex—an album as much for the head as for the hips.
Anchored by tracks like “Un Día Bonito” and “Nada de Ti,” the record showcases Palmieri's willingness to experiment with song structure and harmonic language while staying grounded in the groove. His band, including the powerhouse vocals of Lalo Rodríguez (just 16 at the time), delivers performances that are fiery and technically dazzling. The Sun Of Latin Music isn’t just a classic of salsa—it’s a daring artistic statement that redefined the possibilities of the genre.
Das Debütalbum des enigmatischen Kollektivs Danzón El Gato stellt einen faszinierenden Dialog zwischen Jazz, Funk und Roots-Musik her. Gegründet im Untergrund der Madrider Experimentalszene, gehen die Mitglieder vom Groove aus, um Traditionen zu erkunden. "El Sonido Bastardo" ist ein Kaleidoskop aus Rhythmen, Landschaften und Echos aus Nordafrika, den Tropen und Lateinamerika, verflochten mit einer rockigen Rhythmussektion, die gleichermaßen von 1970er Library Music wie dem Hip-Hop inspiriert ist. "El Sonido Bastardo" fängt die Essenz eines kulturellen Schmeltiegels im ständigen Wandel ein, dessen Musik in der Tradition verankert ist, aber gleichzeitig einen kosmopolitischen und überschwänglichen Look aufweist. Die beiden Kernmitglieder Javier Adán und Santiago Rapallo schrieben in der Vergangenheit experimentelle Stücke fürs Kino und das Prado-Museum.
Having carved out a place in the contemporary club scene with releases on Glitterbox/Defected, Boogie Angst & Lovemonk Records amongst others, Madrid's Casbah 73 recently shed his skin and is now ready to introduce The Jade, a live ensemble that prioritises emotion, excitement and the art of the song. Led by Oli Stewart (Casbah 73), the project brings together a remarkable group of players. At its core, this is about people: musicians in dialogue, shaping rhythms and melody, singing songs from the heart, that shared pulse based on a timeless musical vocabulary.
Opening with the exuberant 'Let The Light In', this is sizzling hi-jazz and sunny soul, shot through with a dose of funky Afro-Latin rhythms for good measure. Josh Hoyer leads the charge, delivering a powerhouse vocal performance, while Nia Martin and Deborah Ayo bring that gospel glow. As, indeed, they continue to do so throughout, especially on the deep, soulful standout 'When Love Left' or the shimmering, street soul meets Brit-funk feel of 'Change!' Experience the spontaneity and playful nature of tracks like 'Si No Me Quieres Esperar' (with Cuban maestro Ale Gutiérrez on vocals) infused with funky Latin and Brazilian rhythms, as well as sparkling, alien disco dub in the form of 'Space Lines'. There's no-holds, hands-in-the-air, fluid disco club grooves on 'What It Takes' and driving, riotous soul-jazz on 'Being Seen'. Just when you think you've got it figured out, the band change it up and stretch out with beautiful jazz-funk instrumentals like 'At The Queensboro' or lush sonic gem 'On That Strange', a track that feels like a long, blissful afternoon fading into evening, with things left unspoken in the air and mystery in its kinky grooves.
The Jade's sound is post-pout, studs up, raw soul, free from modern dancefloor tyranny.It's intimate disco, dead-selfie freedom, Afro-Latin jazz-dance and Iberian funk all rolled into one, rooted in emotion and shot through with a healthy dose of funky bad ass groovism. Genres that blend and bleed into each other following one simple idea: songs and the expressive power of live instrumentation.
Second album by influential British hard rock band Black Sabbath, originally released in 1970, containing some of the band’s most famous tracks such as War Pigs, Iron Man and the title track.
43°C, the debut LP by French electronic producer Basile3, is the result of a decade of cultivating a musical identity that focuses on hybridization, sonic recycling, and playfulness. The enigmatic title "43°C" signifies a haze of bliss (4+3=7, the producer's lucky number) backdropped by the ecological state of a world that’s grown slightly but surely warmer.
In this anticipation fiction, Basile3 offers a soundtrack that is an exploration of club music, electronica infused with r&b and ambient synths. The French producer warmly invites listeners to his state of mind, blooming with genre-bending floating soundscapes.
Featuring Telma Cappelo, Daisy Ray, Loydfears, Lucy Sissi Miller and Minor Science.
