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On his brand new studio effort Styles P proves his key to success has always been consistency. The born in Corona, raised in Yonkers, NY native has really worked harder than most to earn the name GOAT, and by naming his album “S.P. The GOAT: Ghost Of All Time” you know he’s not bragging about it, in fact he’s getting his flowers while he’s alive from Hip Hop connoisseurs who know fire bars when they hear them. With productions by Vinny Idol, Termanology, Dayzel the Machine, and Noah Idol among others and guest appearances by Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Nino Man, Fame of M.O.P, Whispers and Cris Streetz, the legendary LOX and D-Block member proves once again he’s aging like fine wine.

On his brand new studio effort Styles P proves his key to success has always been consistency. The born in Corona, raised in Yonkers, NY native has really worked harder than most to earn the name GOAT, and by naming his album “S.P. The GOAT: Ghost Of All Time” you know he’s not bragging about it, in fact he’s getting his flowers while he’s alive from Hip Hop connoisseurs who know fire bars when they hear them. With productions by Vinny Idol, Termanology, Dayzel the Machine, and Noah Idol among others and guest appearances by Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Nino Man, Fame of M.O.P, Whispers and Cris Streetz, the legendary LOX and D-Block member proves once again he’s aging like fine wine.

Each Mod Revival has a key album that brings an underground scene into the public domain. 'Scene 26' is the next logical step in showcasing the raw energy that Mod brings to music - established Heavy Soul Records acts SHARP CLASS, THE HORNETS and CIAN DOWNING rub shoulders with many first time on vinyl bands including THE XLNTS with a new anthem, and THE KOPPERS, SCARLETT FEVER and SOUTH STREET keeping the Mod Revival sound going. VELVET TUXEDO bring a 60s edge to proceedings before MODERN SYNDICATE and THE LAST ORDERS show how diverse the Mod sound is. Volume Two coming soon too....

Hip-hop royalty returns—Bun B and Statik Selektah team up once again for the fourth chapter of their blazing collabo-rative saga: TrillStatik 4. Recorded in real-time with that unmistakable underground urgency, this album is a master-class in modern rap chemistry, blending Bun B’s Southern grit with Statik’s boom-bap precision.

The guest lineup is nothing short of legendary. From DJ Premier setting the tone on “Live From Houston,” to Griselda heavyweights Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Boldy James blessing “Trillselda 2,” every track hits with purpose. Regional flair runs deep, too—Paul Wall, Maxo Kream, and Lil’ Keke represent H-Town with pride, while East Coast lyricists like Termanology and Tek bring bar-for-bar fire.

This is more than a record—it’s a cipher of cultures, connecting street narratives, soul-drenched beats, and coast-to-coast talent.

Acclaimed harpist and songwriter Mikaela Davis’ new album, Graceland Way (due TK via Kill Rock Stars), builds an expansive, kaleidoscopic neo-western dystopia from the cozy origin point—that duality compounded by a subtle exploration of light and dark, grace and struggle, rose and thorn, as well as the mystical power found at their meeting points. The “canyon country” epic born of that work is indebted to the titular street in Chevy Chase Canyon where she recorded the album, the lineage of Laurel Canyon, the mythos of Elvis’s Graceland, and Paul Simon’s restless reinvention. “At the end of the journey, the place you were destined for all along isn’t even a place, it’s a state of mind: Graceland Way,” Davis says. Featuring an unreleased Cass McCombs track (Mizmoon) as well as contributions from Karley Hartzman (Wednesday), Tim Heidecker, Madison Cunningham, Neal Francis, James Felice (The Felice Brothers), Clay Finch (Mapache) & Hannah Read.

"Cinematic Visionaries Calibro 35 and Noir Master James Ellroy Pay Homage to L.A. with a Pure Crime-Funk Original Soundtrack. Out October 9" There are collaborations that feel inevitable like they were waiting to happen in some shadowed corner of culture. The union between Italian cinematic funk visionaries Calibro 35 and internationally acclaimed master of noir fiction and New York Times bestselling author James Ellroy is undoubtedly one of them. When Calibro 35 were invited to compose the original soundtrack for Francesco Zippel's documentary Ellroy vs L.A., they didn't simply write music for film. They stepped directly into Ellroy's universe the most dangerous corners of American crime fiction and discovered, to no one's surprise, that its darkness felt strangely familiar. The result is Ellroy vs L.A., the band's new album out October 9 on Record Kicks. Twelve brand new tracks of cinematic crime funk, psychedelia, and hypnotic groove that don't accompany Ellroy's world so much as inhabit it. The soundtrack's move through Ellroy's fictional and real-world mythologies with deliberate precision. Stylistically, the album finds Calibro 35 in their most natural yet most cinematic state: crime funk, psychedelia, and hypnotic groove pushed into darker, more narrative-driven territory by the weight of Ellroy's world. From the gloomy, suspense-laden groove of the opener Black Dahlia to the evocative closing piece Moonlight Sonative, the album unfolds as a complete cinematic arc, showcasing Calibro 35 at their very best. L.A. Confidential delivers a super-suspenseful, thrilling tension that feels like a chase through neon-lit streets, while Riots erupts into explosive cinematic funk, capturing chaos and urban unrest in full force. LSD on Sunset Boulevard drifts into a hazy, instrumental soul journey psychedelic, warm, and disorienting, like a late-night hallucination of the city itself. The Big Nowhere (Part I & II) expands the narrative into a slow-burning, atmospheric descent, unfolding like a two-act crime saga. Welcome to the Land of Vacation and Probation hits with kick-ass, uptempo crime-funk madness, urgent and relentless in its propulsion, while White Jazz is a mood of suspended, noir-infused jazz tension cool, shadowy, and unresolved. Together, the tracks map Los Angeles as a fractured yet hypnotic landscape suspended between glamour and violence, beauty and decay, myth and reality Born in Milan in 2007 with the mission of excavating the golden age of Italian film music Morricone, Piccioni, Trovajoli, Calibro 35 have spent nearly two decades transforming that initial obsession into a singular artistic language. Their work bridges vintage Italian soundtracks with contemporary jazz and cinematic funk, earning them a global following rare for an Italian instrumental act. Their music has been sampled by Dr. Dre (Compton, "One Shot One Kill" feat. Snoop Dogg), Jay-Z ("Picasso Baby"), and Damon Albarn's The Child of Lov. Rolling Stone described them as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years," while Far Out Magazine called them "one of the most skilful and innovative instrumental outfits on the planet right now." The band (Enrico Gabrielli, Massimo Martellotta, Fabio Rondanini, and Tommaso Colliva) continue to evolve without losing their core identity. In 2025 they released the critically acclaimed Exploration, further expanding their sonic universe, and were invited to perform at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games at the Arena di Verona, confirming their growing international stature. With Ellroy vs L.A., Calibro 35 don't just compose a soundtrack they translate a mythology into rhythm, tension, and groove. Between fiction and reality, they find a city that never truly sleeps, only pulses in darkness. Press play, and Los Angeles begins to unfold in sound.

2024 feiern die Broilers ihren runden Geburtstag: 1994 - 2024, 30 Jahre Broilers. 30 gemeinsame Jahre bedeuten Wachsen und Zusammenwachsen. Auch miteinander streiten und zusammen streiten – für die gute Sache. Zusammen feiern und zusammenstehen, in den Besten aller Zeiten und den Schlechtesten aller Zeiten. Und weil es für jede gute Geburtstagsparty auch die passende Musik geben muss, hat die Band zum ersten Mal alle ihre Hits und Lieblingslieder auf einem Album versammelt. Und nicht nur das, die Broilers machen sich selbst ein Geschenk: Zehn der 22 enthaltenen Songs, nämlich alle, die vor 2011 eingespielt wurden, haben sie noch einmal komplett neu aufgenommen. So erstrahlen legendäre Broilers-Klassiker in zeitgemäßem Glanz, ohne ihre Wurzeln zu verleugnen. Die Broilers sind ein Phänomen: Seit über einem Jahrzehnt gehören sie konstant zu den erfolgreichsten Rockbands im deutschsprachigen Raum. Millionen verkaufter Konzertkarten, Nummer- 1-Charts-Platzierungen, Edelmetallauszeichnungen in Folge, kaum ein Superlativ, den die Gruppe sich noch nicht zu eigen gemacht hätte. Ein paar Schulfreunde aus den Vierteln am Stadtrand von Düsseldorf gründeten 1994 eine Band, die sich am ruppigen Sound einer Streetpunk-Variante orientierte, der schon Anfang der 80er-Jahre unter der Bezeichnung „Oi!“ auf der britischen Insel das Licht der Welt erblickte. Die bedingungslose Liebe, die ihnen bis heute von vielen ihrer Anhängerschaft entgegengebracht wird, hat ihren Ursprung in dieser Zeit. Neben den Liedern, mit denen sie über die Jahre ihren Hörern stets aufs Neue aus dem Herzen sprachen, führte aber auch die Kombination der individuellen Charaktere der einzelnen Musiker an die Spitze: Wie fünf Superhelden aus einer Comicserie bündeln sie als Team ihre Kräfte, begeistern so die Fans und können aus dieser Unterschiedlichkeit Kraft schöpfen und spenden. Die Broilers haben keine Angst vor Pathos, Emotionen und Kontrasten: In ihrer Musik sind wuchtige Bläsersätze, Offbeats, da ist Soul und Rocksteady, da sind Flirts mit Power-Pop und Kitsch und das alles, als wäre es das Logischste und Normalste auf der Welt. Diese eklektische Mischung trauen sich nicht viele. Die Broilers wollen es sich anders gar nicht mehr vorstellen. »Jolly Good Fellas – Best of Broilers 1994 - 2024« legt davon eindrucksvoll Zeugnis ab!

V Don and Da$h are not strangers to each other. Connecting in the past for memorable tracks like “Glad Bag”, “Redrum”, and “Now or Never”. They picked right up where they left off with a menacing five track EP back in July. “5 Deadly Venoms” put V Don’s expert production and the many flows of Da$h on front street. A duo that has always held themselves to high standards.

A space is often described by its dimensions. The height of the ceiling, the expanse between walls. Division into functional elements of varying density follows. We have ideas of how such dimensions should be balanced to work well for sound — the classical concert hall, a Northward mastering room.

It’s tempting to try and use this idea of space to understand Space the group (Lisa Ullén, Elsa Bergman, Anna Lund). To calculate their cartesian co-ordinates: dynamics that run from whisper soft to punishing, shaking force; Ullén’s piano running the full expanse of the frequency spectrum; the mix of sudden, surprising and suggested variations in density (the space) that generates their musical structures.

But (a) space is a social phenomenon where meaning is accumulated and possibilities created by and through a constantly shifting set of social relations and their histories and entanglement inside and beyond the physical structures of a room or building. Reduced to its raw dimensions, Cafe OTO shouldn’t sound good: the low ceiling, the hollow void underneath the stage-not-stage, the hard glass windows out onto the street. But OTO as a social space — for gathering close to listen; the serious pursuit of a convivial good time (its productive mythology that an OTO audience is both up for it but also expects more); and then the idea of all that has happened before and what will come; that this is also part of ‘the music’ and changes what sounds to the point that none of those cartesian co-ordinates matter.**

It’s less of shock that Space sound good. Lisa Ullén is easily the most singular pianist in Sweden right now and Elsa and Anna’s ability to reroute in realtime reaffirms just how well they function as a group. The trio might have got their shit together holding down the rhythm section for the first incarnation of Anna Högberg Attack — but much like Högberg’s ongoing pursuit of artistic renewal, the trio avoid being shackled to any ideas about what a piano trio should be and there is something that happens (happened) in that room, on that night, with those people that made for something beyond just good.

It’s a gift that the sound of every concert at OTO gets recorded. A choice handful of these transcend their decoupling from that social space and radiate the room’s attendant energies. This record is one of them.

** See Jack Halberstam in Fred Moten & Stefano Harney, The Undercommons (2013): “…we must refuse the idea that music happens only when the musician enters and picks up an instrument; music is also the anticipation of the performance and the noises of appreciation it generates and the speaking that happens through and around it, making it and loving it, being in it while listening."

* Previously unreleased bonus tracks

West Coast luxury rap meets corner-store nostalgia on Two4Two, Jay Worthy's ode to late-night cruises and 40oz street dreams. Wrapped in artwork inspired by stacks of classic malt liquor bottles, the project captures the unmistakable G-funk-infused atmosphere that has made Worthy one of the most authentic voices in modern West Coast hip-hop.

For the very first time, Two4Two arrives on vinyl in a deluxe collector’s edition, including an exclusive liquid-filled pressing as bold and distinctive as the project itself.

This first-ever physical release also includes 2 previously unreleased bonus tracks, making this a definitive edition of Two4Two and an essential piece for Jay Worthy collectors.

ERSTMALS AUF VINYL! Ursprüngliche 2-CD-Veröffentlichung: 1995. 32 Improvisations- und Dub-Tracks von The Ex! Die Verbindungen zwischen einer Punkband und improvisierter Musik liegen also auf der Hand: Ablehnung von Autorität, Hinterfragung traditionell gepriesener Maßstäbe, Erforschung von Kreativität jenseits der Zwänge kommerzieller Verkäuflichkeit. Kein Instantkaffee, kein Instant-Frühstück, kein Instant-Geld - INSTANTS, DIE BEWIRKEN. Momente, die bekräftigen: ,Das ist jetzt; hier sind wir, das tun wir." Auch improvisierte Musik braucht so einen Energieschub, um nicht engstirnig, verfestigt, elitär, kleinlich oder elitär zu werden. Wie Misha Mengeberg sagte: ,Ich bin im Moment sehr weit davon entfernt, Aussagen zu treffen wie ,Komposition sollte so oder so sein` oder ,Improvisation war bisher so und so`. Das hebe ich mir für den Moment auf, in dem ich tatsächlich in eine musikalische Aktion einsteige. In solchen Momenten habe ich vielleicht ein paar Definitionen. Aber jetzt noch nicht." - John Corbett ,32 Miniaturen. Manche sind ehrlich gesagt faszinierend, andere auf jeden Fall umwerfend. Aber es wird nie langweilig oder glatt. Praktisch ohne Gesang reisen The Ex durch eine Traumwelt, in der Überraschungen sich gegenseitig überraschen und in der sich neue und bisher verborgene Welten offenbaren." - The Wire THE EX: Terrie, Luc, Andy, Katrin, Han Buhrs, G.W.Sok & Gäste: Ab Baars, Wolter Wierbos, Han Bennink, Dolf, Tristan Honsinger, Michael Vatcher.

Thursday, 2025. Philadelphia. South Philly, to be precise. A basement, to be even more precise. And not just any basement, but the subterranean headquarters of Zillas On Acid.

Which is where Roman Flügel found himself, presumably with good intentions. Some time before that, he had decided to wake Sister Midnight from its slumber.
But rather than simply carrying on where things had left off, a new idea was needed. Enter Sister Midnight Special Products: a new series dedicated to collaborations, chance encounters and other musical situations that deserve to become records.

No grand manifesto, no five-year plan. Just making music with people you like, in places you happen to find yourself, and seeing what happens. Special Product 01 is “Conga Dream,” born from a basement jam with Zillas On Acid and apparently unwilling to behave itself ever since.

Three musical free spirits meet somewhere between the basement, the dancefloor and the more pleasantly confused corners of the mind. Club music is involved, certainly, but functionality has been politely asked to wait outside. Instead: pocketprotector synthesizers, a little E-mu Proteus 3, assorted electronic activity and, as advertised, congas.

The result is less a tool than a small trip. Or perhaps a tool for taking small trips.
Either way, it works.

Zillas On Acid put it like this:
“A basement jam deep beneath the streets of Zilladelphia yields surprising results: pocket protector synths, a dash of E-mu Proteus 3, and yes of course the aforementioned congas.”

And with that, Sister Midnight Special Products is officially open for business.

Dream on.

Mastered by Mike Grinser at Man Made Mastering.

Artwork by Saskia Randt.

V Don and Da$h are not strangers to each other. Connecting in the past for memorable tracks like “Glad Bag”, “Redrum”, and “Now or Never”. They picked right up where they left off with a menacing five track EP back in July. “5 Deadly Venoms” put V Don’s expert production and the many flows of Da$h on front street. A duo that has always held themselves to high standards.

It’s safe to say that Rochester, NY rapper of Italian descent Pounds’ work ethic is unmatched: he’s constantly on the grind, loud in the lab but quiet on the outside, he wastes no time unlike many other big mouthed rappers these days and then, all of a sudden, he drops a bomb on you. To kick off 2018 in the best of ways, he released a 4-tracks collaboration EP with West Coast producer , 1/2 of Gangrene, Oh No entitled “Borgata”. The record opens up with “Last Supper” and with a clear statement of intent: “Run for your life, my cousin brought a drum and a knife, break my hand on your face I need a bucket of ice” just so you understand where this project is headed since the first song. His style is always direct, without any frills, with his trademark voice spitting gritty crime-themed bars that revolve around drug and the street life that raised him. A “borgata” in Italy is a “hood”, and Pounds, being the definition of an artist that talks the talk and walks the walk, couldn’t pick a better title for this project.

Limited edition vinyl release of 500 hand-numbered copies with etched B-side, black vinyl.

Their music draws from old folk sources, but it sounds vibrantly alive. On Our Lady of the Tall Trees , their sophomore release, the duo builds on the sensitive folk of their debut and shows why they are some of the finest roots songwriting of their generation. Now, more than a decade later, these beloved recordings are finally being pressed on vinyl for the very first time in special limited- edition releases. Together, Cahalen and Eli tap the root of the old country and bluegrass duets. As the sparse landscapes of Cahalen's vocals reflect the warm glow of Eli's voice, it's clear that this duo was made to sing together.

Dich lieb ich, Erde! trauerst du doch mit mir! Und unsre Trauer wandelt wie Kinderschmerz In Schlummer sich und wie die Winde Flattern und flüstern im Saitenspiele

The third stanza of Friedrich Hölderlin’s poem ‘Dem sonnengott’ evokes a narrator who is tortured by Spleen until slumber makes his childlike gloom disappear with music. Although today’s readers might judge these nineteenth century musings of the Imagination as mere stylistic platitudes, they also still speak beyond the grave as universal truths. A mere two hundred years later similar anxieties and hopes are still channeled through various art forms, with changing success and reverberation. Brannten Schnüre are one of those neo-romantic music experimentalists who add to a long tradition of celebrating folk tale and exoticism. Their meticulously crafted loops, hesitant melodies and heavily nostalgic lyricism could easily be translated to what the late philosopher and music critic Mark Fisher called ‘hauntology’, a postmodern longing for a lost future. To describe the beauty of ‘Geträumt hab’ ich vom Martinszug’, however, the term seems somewhat dissatisfying. Romanticism is a hard nut to crack in the Anthropocene, and Brannten Schnüre’s realms of the cerebral are too deeply ingrained in a German tradition of story telling to define them within popular paradigm.

‘Geträumt hab’ ich vom Martinszug’ was recorded in 2014 in Würzburg and functions as the autumn part of the band’s seasonal cycle quadrilogy (the other segments being ‘Aprilnacht’ (SicSic), ‘Sommer im Pfirsichhain’ (Aguirre) and ‘Durch unser zugedecktes Tal’ (Youdonthavetocallitmusic)). It deals with the Saint Martin’s parade, a mostly European tradition to celebrate the medieval spirit of Saint Martin of Tours, friend of children and patron of the poor. Around 11 November children come out on the streets with lanterns and sing ancient songs in exchange for sweets. It’s a period of snugness and expectation, of yearning and dreaming, and therefore a consummate subject for the duo to scrutinize.

To the adult’s ear the dream of the Saint Martin’s parade isn’t all that consolatory. The dark and slow loops of Christian Schoppik rather sound like motifs for a welcome paralysis. Sometimes as a gentle backdrop for vocals by Katie Rich and Schoppik himself, the repetitive structures serve as tricksters that trade innocence for the uncanny. The dream becomes a fever dream which quickly absorbs the listener into a vacuum, an eternal post-panic attack semi-relief. Maybe that’s the amazing paradox of Brannten Schnüre. The space they occupy is never comforting – as if being locked up inside a Carl Grossberg painting – but it’s also a subliminal aural zone you do not want to leave. It’s music as being, as a stream, devoid of climax or catharsis. And because it is flux and being, and exists to be taken, it speaks in art’s purest form. ‘In place of a hermeneutics we need an erotics of art’ Susan Sontag famously concluded her essay ‘Against Interpretation’ with. Well, look no further …

For our 30th anniversary, we drive back into the catalog to shine a light on two essential releases: Street Knowledge (log55) and Dial (log59) by Tobias.

Originally released during a time when groove, hypnotic repetition and sonic depth mattered more than formats or trends, these two EPs perfectly embody the label’s timeless aesthetic: functional yet subtle music, made for both the dancefloor and deep listening.

For this special reissue, we carefully selected the four strongest tracks from the two EPs. Four cuts that capture the core of the Tobias. sound: organic rhythms, soul-infused minimal house, raw yet elegant textures, and an unmistakable sense of groove that has aged flawlessly. A timeless classic…

Sonor Music Editions proudly presents "A TEMPO DI JAZZ" by Maestro Piero Umiliani. This lost gem captures the formative years of Modern Jazz in late 1950s Italy - alongside the legendary Basso-Valdambrini recordings in the early 1960s, as well as the early years of Piero Umiliani's long and prolific career as a composer with over 190 soundtracks, 40 library albums, and 35 TV title themes recorded.

A TEMPO DI JAZZ includes seven original compositions by Piero Umiliani recorded in 1959. Here, at the age of 33, he lays a perfect ground with himself as a pianist, accompanied by some of the best Italian soloists at the time: Marcello Boschi on alto saxophone and flute, Ivan Vandor on tenor saxophone, Peppe Carta on bass, and the American trombonist Bill Gilmore. With plenty of room for improvisation, the sextet fuses Big Band moods with West Coast experimentation of Latin American rhythms and Modern Jazz ballads that sit perfectly between his soundtracks for the films "I Soliti Ignoti" (Big Deal on Madonna Street) from the same year that attained him international recognition, and his masterpiece "Smog" (featuring Chet Baker and Helen Merrill) from 1962.

Five compositions are outtakes from Piero Umiliani's mega-rarity "Tempo Jazz", released on RCA Custom in 1960, while 'Tema In Blues' has been published on the two - impossible to obtain - 45 releases "Moderato Swing" (RCA Camden 45CP 112) and "Tema In Blues" (RCA Custom 45 R3) from 1960 as well as the previously unreleased track 'Mezza Cottura.'

The music has been transferred and remastered from the original master tapes and lacquer cut in MONO, preserving the original sound of the recordings.

Mysticisms’ explores the previously unknown Dub House, Digidub and electronic Street Soul of Manchester émigré Andrew Fitzgerald aka Atone on a 6 track EP, shape shifting from dark basements to summer fields, the music is wide-screen dreams, mixing psychedelic temperaments with ecstatic memories.

Dub Dats is a compendium of a life around or making music, beats, dubs; menageries of sound that encompass a love of reggae mixed with the influences of youth. Growing up in Thatcher’s then declining Manchester housing estates, Fitzgerald found escape first as a young roadie, just aged 15, sorting ‘cigarettes and alcohol’ for visiting bands. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of The Buzzcocks, Ian Dury and The Slits, was a great way to learn the ropes, while avoiding becoming another juvenile delinquent.

A love of Bowie, Kraftwerk, Motown, film scores and the emerging electronic and industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle led to a first studio, featuring the unique and faithful DR-55 Dr. Rhythm, soon followed by Sequential Circuits Pro One, Juno 60, Roland 303 (x 2), Roland 808 and Space Echo.

Working on music solidly, a release finally appearing on Robs Records, before losing all the equipment in a robbery. Manchester was shifting, gangs and “Gunchester” meant it was time to move on and when ‘an out’ appeared, Fitzgerald was landing in Sydney and settling into a new life.

Hooking up with Ali Omar, who he’d met while doing a stint in Brixton, London; the two worked solidly on music, gigging continuously, hanging with the likes Severed Heads and living a good life of that post acid-house party era. The loss of Ali to cancer, still young, hit hard and period “quite liked the madness” ensued. Rehab and starting again, Atone has been gaining some interest.

With 2 EPs of early works recently released on Tonal Oceans, Dub Dats looks deeper, with the dubbed house grooves of title cut, Dats and, the intriguingly named, Somewhere In France With Eric Random. Complimented by the electronic dub of Keep On, the soulful, slow breaks torch song, I Be There, the sample heavy Sound Of Soul and closing, trippy Unlike You, this is a multi-genre producer of considerable capability and talents.

Finally getting his due, Dub Dats perfectly fits the Dubplate Series, broadening its soundscape, while also standing out as its own, sonic release.

Atone the mystery.

Music from Tokyo / New York serves as the 2024 sequel to his previous release, Music for Joshua Tree. This conceptual album is divided into Side A (Tokyo) and Side B (New York), utilizing field recordings captured in each location. The ceramic images featured on LP jacket is the work of Namiko Ishikawa (NamipotNYC).

On this record, he incorporates Ambient, Downtempo, Trip-hop, and Dub—bringing to life the specific sounds currently resonating in his mind and his original roots.

Since the pandemic, he has been traveling and capturing "environmental sounds" through field recordings, which served as the primary inspiration for this record. Side A features tracks inspired by the atmosphere of Tokyo, including recordings from streets, parks near his home in Japan. Side B explores New York, incorporating the sounds of Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well as the chirping of insects recorded in the New York mountains.

While the album remains centered on analog synthesizers and vinyl samples, he has introduced analog drum machines and glitch noise to craft the groove. Unlike his previous work, this release brings prominent bass lines and added more Dub elements to the forefront. His primary focus for this project was expressing a sense of "space" and "air" through the meticulous use of reverb and delay.

Throughout the album, he invites the listener to imagine the unique "local atmosphere" he experienced during his travels.

Charlotte de Witte now unleashes her slamming three-track EP ‘The Resistance’, featuring Theo Nasa and XSALT, out on KNTXT. It follows the astonishing summer tour of her new audiovisual show ‘The Resistance’, including a spectacular ‘XXL’ version at Belgium’s Rock Werchter in July, for a 40,000 audience watching from inside and outside the tent.

World #1 techno artist Charlotte de Witte’s new show continues a standout year of experimental ventures and celebrations, global pop-up shows, monster street parties, incredible new music (EPs and Deluxe LP)… and most recently ‘The Resistance’ AV show world premier at UNVRS Ibiza and the EU tour. The new ‘The Resistance’ EP is hard, fast, and uncompromising. It features Theo Nasa, whose raw, deep techno EP ‘Lifeline’ was released on her KNTXT label; vocal artist / longtime collaborator XSALT, (previously on ‘No Division’, ‘Overdrive’, ‘Roar’, ‘How You Move’); and Charlotte’s own vocals on a personal track ten years in the making.

‘The Resistance’ EP title track feat. Theo Nasa is urgent, demanding, unapologetic. Juddering main theme, rattling hyperspeed beat, spacey hoover swoops form a matrix for the deep, amused authoritative voice of Nasa – ‘we are unity, we are techno’. The brief ‘The Resistance (Intro Version)’ opens with futuristic FX and Nasa’s voice to the fore introducing the techno credo.

‘Never have I ever teased a track this much as I teased ‘The Resistance’. From the moment the track was being made in the studio, I knew this was going to be a special one. Theo Nasa captures the spirit of the underground and guides you through the essence of club culture like no one did before. An entire A/V show grew out of this feeling, this philosophy. It’s one of the biggest tracks I’ve ever made.’ Charlotte de Witte

‘See Through The Lies’ feat. XSALT: futuristic FX, fast stabby synth theme, and XSALT intoning ‘see through the lies. It’s time to take control’. A message of defiance. ‘XSALT delivers again on ‘See Through The Lies’, offering his own take on the EP's theme. Open your eyes. Break the illusion, see through the lies. Release the pressure. It’s time to take control!’ de Witte says.

‘Another Place’ has relentless pace, twanging pizzicato synth, and de Witte’s whispered phrases becoming full voice. ‘’Another Place’ has been in the making for over a decade. It saw the light of day in Brussels, where the lyrics took shape together with my friend One Track Brain. The track was forgotten and resurfaced years later, leading to an entirely new track created around that magical vocal from all those years ago. This is an EP very close to my heart.’

At the heart of ‘The Resistance’ EP and AV show is a message central to de Witte’s work: Protect Club Culture and the communities that sustain it. That’s why de Witte is donating all proceeds from The Resistance EP to The Nighttime Foundation, a global nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding and shaping the future of nightlife, empowering grassroots communities and promoting nightlife as a vital form of culture worldwide.

Colours, to the mast, well and truly nailed.

A raw, groove-driven selection of previously overlooked 1990s recordings by legendary Turkish jazz impresario Okay Temiz, compiled here for the first time.



As the story goes, throughout the 1990s, Okay Temiz roamed the nights of İstanbul in search of rhythm — moving through its far corners, from the seedy underbelly to gypsy neighborhoods, from the outskirts of the city to smoke-filled taverns where cigarette haze turns into a living cloud atlas — capturing a largely unknown and maverick period of his work.



Compiled by long-time producers Haluk Damar and Erinç Güzel, the album brings together Turkish folk textures, İstanbul tavern sound, spiritual jazz, raw street groove, and flashes of Turkish psychedelia — with moments shaped by Temiz’s own distinctive vocals. The result is a deep, percussive, and highly playable set.



Positioned between global jazz, rare groove, and dancefloor material, İstanbul Groove is a strong crossover release with appeal across both listening and DJ set contexts.

The Saint Wax label branches out with a new series of edits from founder Eduardo Barbi aka Gledd, who traverses funk, disco and soul across five irresistible cuts. 'Street Preacher' has a spoken word that reminds of early rap days paired with a rousing choral backing, then 'Stevie's Word' turns up the funk with a chunky bassline. 'Do It For Me' is another gospel-fuelled pumper with big stabs ramping up the intensity and then 'Under The Moonlight' is a classy disco stomper lead by florid and chunky funk in the drums. 'Your Love' is an excitable finish with big horns, bigger chords and even bigger vocals. It's big, basically.

Reissue of Rudimentary Peni’s stunning debut 12-song 7”. Recorded in 1981 at Street Level Studios and originally released on their own Outer Himalayan label. From the first track Rudimentary Peni pull you in and aurally assault your ears. It’s abrasive, sharp with supreme musicianship. They created a perfect, demented universe of twisted, poetic and needle in the red punk that has never been bettered. This reissue comes with a fold out replica sleeve with the iconic Blinko foetus artwork and booklet.

A phenomenon involving audio messages transmitted through underground virtual communities from a city called BARKI. Soundtracks of a lost but never forgotten town

Welcome Tori Kudo back to A Colourful Storm with a new edition of Maher Shalal Hash Baz's Faux Départ, a document of a stateside tour that culminated in a recording session at the legendary Dub Narcotic Studio with a one-time ensemble of Greg Saunier and Chris Cohen (Deerhoof), Andrew Maxwell, McCloud Zicmuse, Arrington de Dionyso, Takashi Ueno, Saya Ueno, Naoki Otani, Akiko Hotaka, Masaaki Endo and Naoki Otani. Always spontaneous, never rehearsed. Music in and of this world, seemingly teetering on the verge of collapse.

"We flew to the US for a show with Red Crayola in Los Angeles and initially stayed at Rick Potts' house. There, I met up with The Curtains and hit the road in their car. We headed north, writing down every melody that came to mind. I slept in the gap between the wall and the sofa and got interrupted by a herd of cows along the way, but I finally arrived in Olympia and recorded all the melodies I'd written down, which became Faux Depart. There, I found McCloud, a noble beggar who was sleeping in the studio and playing the bassoon on the street." - Tori Kudo, 2026

"Chris Cohen, who played in Deerhoof from 2001-2006 or so, was an obsessive Maher fan. When our other band, The Curtains, was given a chance to support Maher on a West Coast tour, we got to see up close how Tori leads - often by not leading. He is an unpredictable, wild musical genius and card-carrying eccentric." - Greg Saunier, 2026

* long version / previously unreleased on vinyl
** exclusive / previously unreleased
Felix Laband's highly acclaimed electronica masterpiece album "Dark Days Exit" (2005) is now available as an Extended Version 2LP vinyl. Originally planned for last year's 20th anniversary, this special edition features a new design by Felix Laband and includes a double-sided DIN A2 art print. Dark Days Exit features four exclusive tracks, alongside five vinyl-only tracks available for the first time in their original long versions. Listening to the key track, Sleeping Household, on Dark Days Exit is unsettling: like being an impostor rambling around an uncanny house, a Lynchian leitmotif in the form of a young girl divulging secrets that you probably shouldn't hear. Dark Days Exit is an album that paints an interior landscape, an invitation to transgress private thresholds. Made with old-school production tools that require hands-on application, Dark Days Exit is a sound-production tour de force. The music is as wide as the savannah and microscopic at the same time, a lesson in what can be achieved when 'music' is placed on an equal footing with sound as a phenomenon, by an artist who decides to apply themselves without reserve. The masterful manipulation of reverb and delays and hyper-detail was a generation ahead of its time, and Dark Days Exit is preferred by audiophiles for testing their systems. Dark Days Exit is intimate, demanding, and a masterclass in tension, and Laband's ability to use all sound without hierarchy to paint a detailed personal vision — one that is less overtly political and streetwise than on subsequent albums — is unsurpassed. Most discerning listeners are into music because, in the hands of a master, it can manipulate our mood and transport us. Felix Laband opens with a sonic portrait of spring happiness and gradually dismantles the atmosphere in front of our ears, as epitomised by the haunting track Black Shoes. No sooner are we afraid than the artist drops us off where we started. In many ways, the intimacy derives from the tight group of friends and believers whom Laband corralled as contributors: Mark van Niekerk (xylophone, "Miss Teardrop"), Jane Rademeyer (clarinet, "Black Shoes," "Radio Right Now"), Brendon Bussy (mandolin, "Black Shoes"), and Derek Gripper (sampled violin, used throughout) and Alex van Heerden on Minka. The difficulty in categorising Dark Days Exit is probably due to Laband listening mostly to ambient and classical music at the time, and consequently registering the album at the lush, cinematic end of the electronic spectrum. There is poise and restraint in the spare use of beats, and when they do appear, they hit hard. Forged in the optimistic post-apartheid years, Dark Days Exit is music about life and death, spanning hope, despair, terror, tension, with humour and empathy. Twenty one years on, the album's gravity endures, due to its almost perverse authenticity, its timeless themes of hope and despair, and its apex level of technical mastery. The additional, immaculately produced tracks add new rooms to the uncanny house we are invited into.

GERBlair / Huber - ECLIPSE ist das eindrucksvolle Debut eines der spannendsten neuen Jazz-Duos Europas. Der preisgekronte Frankfurter Saxophonist Darius Blair und Gitarrist Niko Huber entwickeln in reduzierter Besetzung einen eigenstandigen, modernen Sound zwischen Jazz, Hip-Hop-Asthetik und improvisierter Musik. Entstanden aus ihrer langjahrigen Freundschaft und intensiven Zusammenarbeit seit der Pandemie, lebt das Album von intuitiver Interaktion, klanglicher Prazision und emotionaler Tiefe. Die neun kompakten Stucke verbinden subtile Grooves, atmospharische Weite und starke melodische Ideen. Aufgenommen im Berliner Funkhaus mit einem Grammy-pramierten Produktionsteam, steht ECLIPSE fur die kraftvolle Verschmelzung zweier musikalischer Personlichkeiten - reduziert, innovativ und zeitlos.ENGBlair / Huber - ECLIPSE marks the striking debut of one of Europe's most exciting emerging jazz duos. Award-winning Frankfurt saxophonist Darius Blair and guitarist Niko Huber craft a distinctive and modern sound from a minimalist setup, blending jazz, hip-hop influences, and improvisation. Rooted in a long-standing musical partnership, the album thrives on intuitive interplay, sonic clarity, and emotional depth. Across nine concise tracks, the duo balances subtle grooves, open textures, and strong melodic ideas. Recorded at Berlin's renowned Funkhaus with a Grammy-winning production team, ECLIPSE captures the powerful alignment of two artistic voices-refined, innovative, and timeless.

Without turning anything upside down, the trio has released their second album, gracefully deepening the unique path they have carved out for themselves. It is an album that already stands in stark contrast to the attention-deficit culture of our times. Indeed, whilst music sometimes seeks to concentrate the intensity of its references and artefacts, the trio takes a step back, deploying an intensity that is subtly distributed. Thanks to their progressive instrumental tracks blending elements inherited from dub, jazz, folk and even musique concrète, the trio has never allowed the quality of their music to suffer from their experimentation; at the same time, they have never been afraid to venture off the beaten track to achieve the sound they desire. Every single track of this album cast like fragile bridges over various landscapes that explore cycles and the natural rhythm within. It is up to the listener to tread carefully and not lose their footing and embrace the cinematic movement of this music. The three artists have indeed achieved a musical expression so free that it possesses the power of illusion. We are suddenly swept up in all these illusions, to the point where our memories are in flux. Both haunting and in motion, this trio’s music offers an impregnable mental retreat and an invitation to dance. This album conveys a dreamlike conviction that time, in its relentless flight, might—if only for a moment—be brought to a halt. A halt that awaits you.

Words by Carl Åhnebrink

Mit Music From The Films Of Francis Ford Coppola erscheint eine sorgfaltig kuratierte Doppel-LP, die die unverwechselbare Klangwelt eines der einflussreichsten Regisseure des modernen Kinos wurdigt. Von Der Pate uber Apocalypse Now bis hin zu The Conversation und The Outsiders vereint diese Sammlung Musik aus Filmen, die das amerikanische Kino seit den 1970er Jahren nachhaltig gepragt haben. Die Zusammenstellung zeigt eindrucksvoll, wie entscheidend Musik fur die emotionale Wirkung von Coppolas Filmen war. Neben den Kompositionen von Carmine Coppola finden sich Aufnahmen von Kunstlern wie Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley oder Richard Wagner. Die Doppel-LP beleuchtet das Zusammenspiel von Bild und Ton und richtet sich gleichermaßen an Filmfans, Soundtrack-Sammler und Liebhaber klassischer Filmmusik.

DJ Support: Glenn Underground, Leo Mas, Sean Johnston / ALFOS, Massimiliano Pagliara / Panorama Bar, Al Mackenzie / Field of Dreams, Shane Johnson / Fish Go Deep, Flash Atkins / Paper Recordings, Pete Gooding, Mark Broadbent, Max Essa and plenty more.

2026 has been a particularly busy year for Visions of Light, the Balearic/ambient/dub trio founded by Freebooter Records’ Simon Sheldon alongside Muzka and Dan Dub Lounge. Following the Dedications EP – their warmly received collection of Balearic dub reinterpretations of White Isle-friendly club classics – the trio return with ‘Mycelium Bloom’, the follow-up to their 2025 debut LP The Mandela Vortex. Mycelium Bloom sees Visions of Light expand their signature sound, blending downtempo dub grooves and sunbaked Balearic soundscapes with hallucinatory electronics and psychedelic touches. Layered guitars, deep bass, immersive textures and dreamlike melodies run throughout an album designed for both sunset listening and deeper late-night excursions.

Opener Split The Scene sets the tone with acidic electronics circling languid beats, heavy bass and spacious pads, while All The Best Thing taps into the spirit of early ’90s chill-out rooms, adding desert blues influences to its hazy, enveloping atmosphere. Holding Jupiter pushes further into psychedelic territory, built around low-tempo rhythmic drift, effects-laden guitars and expansive chords. Elsewhere, the trio reconnect with their rootsier dub foundations. B Town delivers a warm, summery skank, while Radiant Flux shifts towards Balearic dub dancefloor territory. Perfect You, featuring words written and performed by Richard Dormer alongside flute from Luis Vilca, is a gorgeous sunset-ready highlight, while Let Go closes in on pure Balearic bliss through gentle melodies and slow-burning atmosphere.

Houston’s premier street griot is stepping into his most profound chapter yet with his highly anticipated upcoming album, O.Y.N. Throughout a decorated career that spans over 1.2 billion global streams and a fiercely loyal fanbase, Maxo Kream—born Emekwane Ogugua Biosah, Jr.—has established himself as one of rap’s most authentic, uncompromising storytellers. From the raw trenches of Alief to the critically acclaimed triumphs of Punken, Brandon Banks, Weight of the World, and his triumphant 2024 independent pivot Personification, Maxo has long been celebrated by Pitchfork, NPR, and Complex for his cinematic, hyper-detailed world-building. Now, O.Y.N. finds the Houston icon turning his gaze inward, pairing his signature Texas grit with an expansive, global perspective that redefines his artistic boundaries.

If his previous work was about Maxo taking full creative control as an independent force, O.Y.N. is about him uncovering who he is at his core. Following the passing of his father, Maxo found himself searching deeper for his family origins, leading to a pivotal moment of artistic and personal rebirth. For the first time in his life, Maxo traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, anchoring his new music in a profound celebration of his Nigerian heritage. The emotional centerpiece of this journey is the JPEGMAFIA-produced single “Time Out,” an introspective track that moves away from the frantic energy of his past releases to offer a stripped-back look at love, loss, and legacy. Featuring a heavy, resonant drum presence on the outro, the song’s accompanying music video was filmed on location in Lagos, capturing Maxo navigating his ancestral roots in real-time.

While O.Y.N. reaches new emotional depths, it doesn't sacrifice the hard-hitting, volatile street persona that made Maxo a star. The album expertly balances soul-baring vulnerability with cutting-edge hip-hop experimentation, showcasing elite chemistry with some of the genre's most forward-thinking visionaries. Look no further than “Fake Jeezy,” a collaborative explosion featuring Denzel Curry and masterminded by JPEGMAFIA. The track is a masterclass in industrial chaos, combining sharp lyricism and early-2000s trap imagery with cold, surreal visual aesthetics. This duality highlights Maxo's unique positioning in the culture as a trusted street general who can effortlessly trade bars with rap's avant-garde elite.

From his early days flipping Kendrick Lamar's “Rigamortis” to sharing marquee tracks with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, and Tyler, The Creator on hits like “Big Persona,” “Cracc Era,” and “Cracc At 15,” Maxo Kream has always been a rapper's rapper. O.Y.N. represents the ultimate synthesis of this incredible journey. It is an album born from the soil of Alief but elevated by the spirit of Lagos—a raw, beautiful, and heavy-hitting testament to an artist who has survived his past, honored his losses, and fully embraced his destiny.

Over the last decade and a half, Rotation Sound System’s annual gathering in the Staffordshire countryside has become one of underground dance music culture’s true success stories – an intimate gathering of like-minded friends and partygoers, powered by a custom-built six-way sound system, with music provided by a carefully curated line-up of dusty-fingered diggers, selectors and hand-picked live performers.

At the heart of the collective’s unique and much-loved approach lies a dedication to finding and sharing lesser-known gems and audio obscurities – fantastic records whose charm and quality has long been overlooked.

Last year, the core members of the crew – founders Dean Meredith and Ben Shenton (renowned for their productions as Mind Fair), and Wrekin’ Havoc trio Rob J, Stuart Robinson and Rich Hall – offered a snapshot of their unique musical approach via debut compilation Everything You Are About To Hear Is True, Volume 1, in the process introducing a global audience to some of the countless unknown mid-tempo classics nestled in their collections.

Fresh from another sold out edition of their acclaimed micro-festival, they’re back with volume two, another must-have collection of slept-on classics, loved-up shufflers and wide-eyed Balearic beats, all of which have played a part in Rotation’s story over the last 13 years.

Appearing on gatefold double vinyl with extensive liner notes telling the stories behind the tracks, Everything You’re About To Hear Is True, Volume 2 is full to bursting with music that sounds mind-blowing on the crew’s high-end sound system.

For proof, check the analogue-rich intergalactic shuffle of Paul Atreides’ 2015 jam ‘Arrakis Walk’, the relaxed boogie-soul of Rocky Winters’ Chaz Jankel produced ‘Vicious Circle’, the easy-listening-jazz-rock bliss of Vincent Maclin’s ‘Should’ve Took a Chance’, the 80s soul squelch of ‘Ecstasy (Centurion Mix)’ by Endgames and the immersive British dub drift of Sigma’s ‘Remember (Dub Style)’.

Everywhere you look, you’ll find eye-opening and ear-pleasing delights. There’s Pinky’s lightly acid-flecked, breakbeat-fuelled, acid house-era street soul classic ‘I Wanna Be The One (Instrumental Groove)’, the 1992 new age downtempo seduction of Linda Myers (‘Shine On Me’), the Clavinet-and-synth sporting jazz-rock/space-rock fusion of Wolfhound (1984 gem ‘Another Moon Song’), the Gallic colour of Buzy’s ‘Keep Cool (Version Maxi)’ and the guitar solo-laden electrofunk explorations of mid-80s UK act Lifesighs (‘Get Serious’, here presented in its extended instrumental form).

Bill Beau was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but was raised in the western provinces, finishing high school in Edmonton, Alberta. It was while in high school that the "righteous rays" via radio struck Beau in the form of Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons at the height of the Boogie Woogie rage. It was while in high school that Bill got his first gig. He played piano and worked with Wilf Harper, a guitarist of local renown. Beau played on weekends and during the week worked as a clothing salesman, stock clerk, refinery worker, service station attendant and freight checker. He travelled all across Canada, and finally landed in Los Angeles, California.

In 1958 his love of music compelled him to direct all of his energy toward the perfection of his musical talent, so he decided to settle permanently in Los Angeles. Beau first worked there as a vibraphonist, gigging with such stars as Ben Webster, Rex Stewart, Pete Fountain, and Stuff Smith. Once, when his regular organist failed to show up for a date, Beau ended up on the Hammond. Beau then formed his own group, and the trio got a standing date at the Blue Port Lounge. The other two members of the trio are Jo Stafford on guitar, Lorenzo Green on drums, plus the pretty and petite vocalist with the group, Chi Chi.

"Live at the Blueport Lounge" by the Bill Beau Trio is mod-soul-jazz at its very best! A stunning treasure rarely to be found - unless it's on Mo-Jazz!

One of the most popular and notorious of all British hardcore acts, the Exploited were formed on a dire Edinburgh council estate in 1978 by singer Terry Buchan and guitarist Stevie Ross, although Buchan’s brother Wattie would soon become leader and the lineup seldom stayed stable. Influenced by the Pistols, they built their large working class and skinhead following through an aggressive, fast-paced, and uncensored hardcore style. Gathering singles from their street punk days and the best tracks from their first three albums, Totally Exploited was the band’s first compilation and it remains the best by far. Essential Exploited!

Scorpion is the second studio album by Eve. It was by Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Interscope Records on released 6th March, 2001. The album’s title is a reference to Eve’s zodiac sign, Scorpio. It features the Grammy-winning hit single, “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”, a duet with Gwen Stefani, winning their first Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, a new category at the time.

Scorpion was a critical and commercial success, debuting at number four on the US Billboard 200 and became her second consecutive number-one album on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Scorpion was later certified Platinum by the RIAA on 10th May, 2001. Scorpion was also nominated for Best Rap Album at the 44th Grammy Awards in 2002

Scorpion will release on 16th April in 2LP 180 gram black vinyl.

Often credited as the father of multi-media theatre, Alwin Nikolais (1910-1993) took complete creative control over his productions - including cutting-edge approaches to lighting and costume that transformed human bodies into shifting sculptural shapes, while also composing wildly innovative electro-acoustic and synth-based audio as accompaniment.

After initially experimenting with musique concrète and tape manipulation (as demonstrated on the 1959 LP Choreosonic Music of the New Dance Theatre of Alwin Nikolais) Nikolais became the first owner of Robert Moog's synthesizer at the Audio Engineering Society convention in New York in late 1964. Relying heavily on the Moog and later the Synclavier synth/sampler, these 21 tracks document Nikolais' highly-prescient compositions across the mid 1960s through to the late 1980s - existing not only as extensions of his other-worldly choreographic productions, but standalone pieces of foundational mid-century American electronic and experimental music.

"Born in Southington, Connecticut in 1910, Nikolais’s early years and early career were in acting, music and puppetry. It was not until the late 1930s that he began his work as dancer/choreographer in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was commissioned by the Avery Memorial Theatre, a part of the Wadsworth Atheneum, to create an evening-length work to the music of Ernst Krenek. Previously his work and study as a pianist-organist found him accompanying silent films. This sort of accompaniment required from the musician not only a playing skill but also a versatility in improvisation, matching movement to sound, and evoking mood to situation.

Nik was drawn initially to dance by his involvement with the percussion scores used by the illustrious early twentieth century German dancer Mary Wigman. In trying to learn more about percussion, he was lured into dance class and thus his career began. His development of music and dance occurred simultaneously. His introduction to the twelve-tone technique opened his mind to the expanding areas of atonal music, and his dealing with music as sound per se. In 1948, after being appointed director of the Henry Street Playhouse in New York, Nikolais formed the Playhouse Dance Company, later known as the Nikolais Dance Theater, and began his aesthetic orientation toward dance as a study of motion. By the 1950s, he had ceased creating literal dances and began his explorations and eventual milieu as an abstractionist.

Sound became an important part of his abstract theatre. For his first dances, which involved his new thinking of dance as both a visual and kinetic art, he used live percussion scores in which he directed his dancers to play instruments of all nature. There was a combination of children’s toy instruments as well as harsh and resonant automobile brake drums, and other pitched auto parts which he also used to accompany classes. Once he installed his own tape recording machines, he quickly used the limited range these instruments provided in a new way, slowing and increasing speed and reversing sound. He also made the sounds adhere to the choreographic structure (not the other way around), thereby giving the dance its independence from the musical phrasing. But the real need remained: the search for new sound. Nik made a sound library, recording noises and percussion and vocal sounds, which the French aptly called musique concrète. Needless to say, he became a master at splicing bits and pieces.

From 1956 to 1962 Nikolais composed eleven major scores for his theatre pieces using such techniques. In 1963, James Seawright, who at the time was assisting Nik in his productions and also working at the Columbia-Princeton Center for Electronic Music, recorded a sound bank for the production Imago (1963). With this material, Nikolais created his first synthesizer score. Imago won the Paris Grand Prix in 1968 and launched the Nikolais Dance Theatre towards its national and primarily international acclaim.

During the same period, Seawright came to Nik and told him of a young man who had invented and constructed a simplified synthesizer and insisted that Nik visit the electronic fair currently being held in New York. Nik did so and met Robert Moog. He was completely taken by the new machine and after making some suggestions to Moog, (which Moog made), Nik bought the inventor’s first machine with the aid of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Moog himself was astonished by what his machine could produce for Nik. This machine was later acquired by the Museum of Musical Instruments at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as the first Moog synthesizer. The Synclavier was Nik’s next source of sound and since the mid-1970s remained the major instrument in the Nikolais soundroom.

Alwin Nikolais has been honored and awarded throughout the world. He has received the French Legion of Honor, the Kennedy Center Honors, National Medal of the Arts, two Guggenheim Fellowships, as well as Mellon, Ford, and Rockefeller grants. He has been a recipient of NEA grants since 1966, been awarded five honorary doctorates, all for his remarkable achievements in Dance Theater. His genius has influenced several generations of artists."
—Murray Louis