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Koma Saxo, the explosive quintet led by Berlin-based Swedish bassist/producer Petter Eldh, returns on We Jazz Records with their new album, cut live at We Jazz Festival in Helsinki, December 2019. Whereas their lauded debut was a triumph of remapping the goal posts for an acoustic jazz combo for the 2020's, "LIVE" takes you right to the heart of the actual ensemble sound, with 5 musicians tearing the place down, no post production. From the fiery opening sequence kicking off with "Euro Koma", on to the much calmer beauty of "Waltz Me, Waltz Me Baby, All Night Long" and the first single "Fiskeskärsmelodin", the 8-song set is pure fire, never failing to convey the extraordinary intensity of the group: Eldh on bass, Otis Sandsjö (Y-OTIS), Jonas Kullhammar and Mikko Innanen on saxes, and Christian Lillinger on drums.

An excerpt of liner notes by Peter Margasak:

"When I first saw Petter Eldh's quintet Koma Saxo in Berlin in September of 2019 I was floored. The raw, sprinting energy of the band was both infectious and astonishing, but what I most remember was a sense of cognitive dissonance. Was this the same combo that recorded a fantastic eponymous 2019 studio album that represented one of the most convincing, pleasurable, and driving hybrid's of searing post-bop and the production ethos of hip-hop? There have been endless stabs by producers trying to remap the machinations of an organic, all-acoustic jazz band with electronic post-production, but Eldh, channeling a sonic language heavily informed by J Dilla, nailed it in a way I'd never experienced before. Having the trust of his three imaginative, high-octane saxophonists—Jonas Kullhammar, Otis Sandsjö, and Mikko Innanen—he used their grainy sound as raw material, smudging and smearing it like a painter creating new hues on a palette, and then extending, editing, and powering it up within the imperturbable grooves meted out by he and drummer Christian Lillinger. He didn't really alter the essential core of the band's performances. There's no question that a seriously burning quintet had laid the tracks down, even if the performances reflected the kind of concision many jazz groups adapt for a studio endeavor. But the way his jacked-up bass lines and Lillinger's impossibly peripatetic, stuttering rhythms buffeted the massed saxophones elevated Koma Saxo to plane all its own, and I repeatedly returned to that place—half the time trying to figure out what the hell Eldh had done, and the other half lost in giddy ecstasy.

The live show, on the other hand, featured the band without any production tricks. Its soaring, pithy repertoire came alive in a different way, and this excellent live recording from the 2019 We Jazz Festival, has reminded me of how fun and visceral that experience was."

Koma Saxo "LIVE" is released by We Jazz Records on 30 April 2021 on two vinyl editions (silver + black), as a bundle with an unreleased 7" (+ silver vinyl edition), on CD and digitally. The vinyl versions plus the CD come complete with silver embossed lettering. The vinyl is delivered on heavy-duty tip-on sleeve, complete with an insert featuring liner notes by Peter Margasak, Andreas Müller, Matti Nives and Petter Eldh.

a 01: Euro Koma (Live) feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger
b 02: Puls Koma (Live) feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger
c 03: Fanfarum for Komarum III (Live) feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger
d 04: Waltz Me Baby, Waltz Me All Night Long (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[e] 05: Otis and Christian (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö & Christian Lillinger]
[f] 06: Blumer (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[g] 07: Fiskeskärsmelodin (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]

[a] 01: Euro Koma (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[b] 02: Puls Koma (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[c] 03: Fanfarum for Komarum III (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[d] 04: Waltz Me Baby, Waltz Me All Night Long (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[e] 05: Otis and Christian (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö & Christian Lillinger]
[f] 06: Blumer (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[g] 07: Fiskeskärsmelodin (Live) [feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]
[feat. Otis Sandsjö, Jonas Kullhammar, Mikko Innanen & Christian Lillinger]

Guitars On Life solves a nagging mystery about the fate of a musician who stood out as a singularly spectacular bloom even in the verdant creative fields of the San Francisco Bay Area at the turn of the century. After more than two decades of recording silence and about a dozen years away from the bandstand, Jack West is back, still immediately recognizable as a guitarist and composer but miles from the last stop on his ongoing musical journey. There’s poetic symmetry in discovering that his detour from life as a performing musician involved fruitful work devising innovative solar technologies, as he had similarly distinguished himself as an inveterately inventive musician. When we last heard from West he’d carved out a vibrant niche as a guitarist with a percussive attack and lustrous group sound. Wielding a custom-built eight-string acoustic guitar with uncommon rhythmic dexterity, he released six albums featuring his original tunes, mostly recording with his band Curvature (though he also played mesmerizing solo recitals). West’s knack for crafting glistening, minutely detailed soundscapes full of surprising twists and oddly inviting textures prompted NPR to describe his work as “a whole new sub- genre of jazz.” Drawn back to performing in recent years, West saw guitarist Walter Strauss at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage in 2022 and suspected he’d found a kindred spirit. Intrigued by Strauss’s unusual approach to guitar, West “wondered what a musical conversation might sound like between two guitarists who had developed such uniquely different ways of playing the instrument.” An invitation to play together led to them writing the tune ‘More Guitar,’ the bravura opening track that launches Guitars On Life. Several months later they spent a week in Florida together writing intensively, resulting in most of the material for this consistently thrilling project.

Emerging from the Ukrainian darkness in 2011, Kaosophia blend the raw energy of black metal with dissonant tones and emotionally resonant melodics. Their music is a sonic tapestry woven with intricate guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and haunting arrangements.
The band recorded their first demo “Towards The End” which was self-released by them in 2012 on a limited edition cassette.

2013 saw their first album “The Origins of Extinction” released on CD and cassette and the band followed up with many shows across Europe. 2017 saw Kaosophia expand and deepen their abyssal sounds even further with the monumental “Serpenti Vortex”, with lavish cover art produced by occult master artist Dávid Glomba, it rose Kaosophia to the upper echelons and forged their name as one the best and most formidable black metal acts in the scene at the time.

After a long period of silence, bloodletting and transformation, Kaosophia return with their darkest, most mature and powerful work to date. 2025 sees the return of Kaosophia with their new album “Beyond The Black Horizon”.
A dark and malevolent opus that explores themes of darkness, existentialism and the human condition. Delving deep into the complexities of the mind, the fragility of existence and Death itself.
Kaosophia preach orthodox ideas of Satanism in the most straightforward and ruthless form - total unconditional worship. Self-destruction as the overcoming of human essence and the cognition of pain to gain access to another level of reality's perception.
It is time to enter the end of days and venture beyond the Black Horizon…

Pure feel-good club energy from Italian producer Niccolo Turini, landing on 4lux with a killer slice of classic-inspired house magic! Think warm MPC grooves, rolling basslines, dusty chords and that unmistakable 90s US vibe -- deep, soulful and built for sweaty late-night floors. Essential material for true house lovers!

British techno veteran Justin Berkovi joins Somov with three timeless recordings that bridge pounding minimalism and emotive ambience. Cemented in the 90s history books Berkovi's sound lives on as always with timeless energy and emotive power. Adding to the release, Ignez contributes a remix of 'Step Up'.

British techno veteran Justin Berkovi joins Somov with three timeless recordings that bridge pounding minimalism and emotive ambience. Cemented in the 90s history books Berkovi's sound lives on as always with timeless energy and emotive power. Adding to the release, Ignez contributes a remix of 'Step Up'.




c B1 Ethereal (Ø Phase remix)



c B1 Ethereal (Ø Phase remix)

Repress!

4 To The Floor are committed to delivering seminal house music to wax, making sought after heritage tracks readily available on vinyl for crate diggers to add to their collections. On Volume 1’s A-Side you’ll find a track with one of the most famous lyrics from house music history MD X-Spress’ ‘God Made Me Phunky’, the record has inspired countless producers to sample and remix it, but this 90’s gem still sounds amazing in its original glory. On the flip are two mixes of a Three Kings classic, ‘Shake Dat Booty’. The A Pal Joey Interpretation matches looped vocals with harmonious keys that perfectly complement each other, while the Wahoo Main Mix utilises energetic drums and techy synths to up the ante.

2LP Repress!

The legendary partnership of NYC's Disco godfather Tom Moulton and Philadelphia International Records has long been documented.
A truly explosive collaboration that yielded endless classic tracks for dancers and deep listeners alike, Moulton seemed to be totally in tune with the labels output and the direction it should go in. Luckily we've been enjoying the fruits of this labour for the last 30+ years with a lot of these PIR classics becoming ingrained in the psyche of the modern day music fan as the building blocks of House music.

Another stellar volume of what is an essential purchase for any Disco lover. Featuring a host of legends from the height of the Philly era and beyond - Archie Bell & The Drells, People's Choice, Lou Rawls & Teddy Pendergrass are all graced by Tom Moulton's supreme ear on this special PIR reissue 2 x 12" that see's some all-time classics from the aforementioned artists in their full, unabridged, unedited Disco glory. The selections on this EP are absolutely top-shelf, flawless in fact. One could argue that these are the 'definitive' versions of these anthems. Pure Disco gold essentials. Anyone with even a passing interest in Disco will most certainly need this record in their possession, the 2012 pressing of this EP is super in demand among those in the know and it can change hands for big money in the used record world, time, undoubtedly, for a repress.

These tracks are fully licensed and reissued in conjunction with Tom Moulton and PIR and all relevant rights holders. Remastered from original source materials to the highest spec and pressed onto top quality vinyl, courtesy of Above Board distribution for 2019.

We have sourced a whole bunch of original stock from Charles Webster's very tidy Miso label. This is one of them from 20 years ago, but the sounds still have a future edge. It's deep, dubby, minimal, but with meaningful and intricately crafted melodies that bring astral energies. Lo Rise's 'Life Goes On' is the source material for a quartet of tasty remixes. Charles Webster & Martin Iveson mix it into a fleshy, techy dub with a jazzy vocal, Dean DeCosta brings more bump to the drum and glitch to the texture, and Markus Enochson strides into classic 00s tech house. Jimpster shuts down with a sparkling and jazz-inflected dub.

Rekids begins 2016 with the launch of an exciting new talent. South Korea-born DJ and producer Peggy Gou has been honing her production skills since her days in London. Having moved to the UK capital at age 14, she began producing tracks at a prodigious rate while studying university, honing her sound and refining her skills with advice from some of the city's most renowned DJs and producers until she had crafted an initial selection that will form her debut EP, set for release Rekids in January 2016.

Now based in Berlin, Gou has drawn on her years of DJing to help shape a sound that draws on Detroit & NYC house, as well as the African rhythmic sensibility and boogie funk influences she shares with Early Sounds duo Nu Guinea, with whom she had piano lessons and sought production advice from as her music took shape. In addition to her work as a stylist and fashion producer, Gou has also drawn on her art & design abilities to create the EP artwork.

The Art of War 12" includes two original productions plus a remix from White Material's Galcher Lustwerk. The original mix of Troop centres on a funk bassline which propels its dream-like tropical groove, while Lustwerk's remix re-purposes the track as a Fred P-esque jazz-infused star-gazer. The EP's other original production, In Sum, again asserts Gou's talent for raw, propulsive rhythms and subtle melodies.

For two decades, Hudd Traxx has stood as a pillar of underground house music – a label defined by longevity, taste, and its ability to bridge the old school with the new. To mark its twentieth anniversary, the revered UK imprint presents ‘20 Traxx From The Hudd’, a specially curated, all-new twenty-track compilation handpicked by label founder Eddie Leader.

The compilation brings together a global, star-studded lineup of artists who embody the Hudd Traxx ethos: soulful, inventive, and uncompromisingly underground. Contributions come from Groove Armada, Seven Davis Jr., Chez Damier, Cinthie, Jovonn, Oliver Dollar and others, offering a snapshot of the label’s wide-ranging influence. From the silky deep house depths of Black Loops’ opener ‘Soul to Soul Communication’, to the unmistakable analog warmth across Cinthie’s ‘Hudd House’, to the raw, stripped-back energy of Seven Davis Jr.’s ‘Infrasound’, the collection captures the many deeper shades of house Hudd Traxx has championed for twenty years.

Founded in 2005, Hudd Traxx has served as a trusted home for pioneering artists such as Nightmares On Wax and Matthew Herbert, guided by Eddie Leader’s consistent curatorial vision and unwavering commitment to craft. As a producer, his releases on Classic, Robsoul, and Balance Alliance have been supported by Laurent Garnier, Josh Wink, Disclosure, and many more. ‘20 Traxx From The Hudd’ isn’t just a celebration of the past; it’s a fervent reminder that Hudd Traxx remains as relevant and vital as ever.

This record is like the lost crown jewels of House Music with a story that spans decades. Originally programmed in 1998 on an Akai S3000XL, this was meant to be released on Bjørn Torske's Footnotes in 2001. Unfortunately the original matrix and the master DAT tapes got lost under crazy circumstances. Yet several years later the tapes were found by Sex Tags Mania in the studio of mastering engineer Helmut Erler and the record eventually got issued in 2009 when a totally different House sound was "en vogue." Then due to some unfortunate coincidences most of the records ended up in far flung Japan, and so this record stayed totally underground. Yet it became a cult hit when House Music and later Disco got a proper revival around 2010/11. So over the years prices for this rarity were rising and rising... Then fast forward to 2025: after a sunny day off Berlin's modular synthesizer show "Superbooth" ATJ boss Mr. Fonk and Doc L. Junior teamed up to finally reissue this gem with new masters by Andreas Kauffelt of "Schnittstelle" / Berlin. On this 12“ Norwegian Disco and Balearic sounds meet: funky but deep to the core, playful but hypnotic, stripped down but with baroque details. Truly one of House Music's greatest productions.

Repress!

The legendary partnership of NYC's Disco godfather Tom Moulton and Philadelphia International Records has long been documented. A truly explosive collaboration that yielded endless classic tracks for dancers and deep listeners alike, Moulton seemed to be totally in tune with the labels output and the direction it should go in. Luckily we've been enjoying the fruits of this labour for the last 30+ years with a lot of these PIR classics becoming ingrained in the psyche of the modern day music fan as the building blocks of House music.

The names alone fill one with awe, The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Archie Bell & The Drells and Lou Rawls. All of these artists were, and still are, huge stars. Turning in classic after classic, and with Moulton's supreme ear assisting, this special PIR reissue 12" see's some all-time classics from the aforementioned artists in their full, unabridged, unedited Disco glory. The selections on this EP are absolutely top-shelf, flawless in fact. One could argue that these are the 'definitive' versions of these anthems. Pure Disco gold essentials. Anyone with even a passing interest in Disco will most certainly need this record in their possession, the 2012 pressing of this EP changes hands for £100+ second hand, so a repress was desperately needed.

These tracks are fully licensed and reissued in conjunction with Tom Moulton and PIR and all relevant rights holders. Remastered from original source materials to the highest spec and pressed onto top quality vinyl, courtesy of Above Board distribution for 2019.

2026 Repress

When Guy J launched his new label, Early Morning, it was clear each release would carry his signature intensity. Now, with this third release, Guy J continues to prove that Early Morning is an intimately personal venture.

Comprising nearly 15 minutes of music, the material presents a hypnotic experience through two meticulously crafted tracks. The opener, Silver Lake, showcases the hallmarks of his style, building layer upon layer until the arrangement transforms into a dynamic fusion of deep emotion and unbridled energy. With a controlled balance of musical motifs, frequency shifts, and refined arrangements, the track oscillates between moods, culminating in an exhilarating high made to ignite the dance floor.

The second track, Evo, opens with a melody-infused bassline that nods to the 1980s, interwoven with synths reminiscent of early Frankfurt's electronic scene. Overlaid with vocal elements evoking meditative depth, Guy J uses every technique in his repertoire, shifting unexpectedly between structured sequencing and bursts of psychedelia. The track takes listeners on an immersive, unexpected journey.

This third release from Early Morning solidifies the label's vision, promising a bright future for dance floors worldwide.

In 2017, at Documenta Kassel (but in Athens), I invited José Jiménez Bobote, a remarkable gitano artist from the Tres Mil Viviendas neighbourhood in Seville, to record a series of actions in specific locations in the Greek capital. Ancient Greece and modern Greece. I wanted him to draw sound from the city, to strike it as only a flamenco artist can, with his feet. To hit the ground and make it moan, ring out with noises evoking significant moments in history: from Diogenes the Cynic and the Apostle Paul’s sermon at the Areopagus to Rosa Eskenazi’s resistance to the Nazi-German occupation, and the ups and downs of police Inspector Costas Haritos’s survival at the European Bank during the PIGS crisis. Bobote struck the ground and Athens responded, sending back echoes of the past, in an exceptional anachronistic exercise. In flamenco it is possible for several times to sound simultaneously.

We took seventeen hours of footage, and water from many wells.

I then shut away producer, musician, and friend Raül Refree with this material so that he could take the long titles and use them as scores, turning them into mere songs. It was very important to think in terms of songs. The tracks had to have the capacity to be songs, the kind of thing one whistles while absent-mindedly walking down the street. Generally speaking, the scores—that is, the texts—defended the use and abuse of the loose coins that people carry around in their pockets. Loose change as a kind of everyday fetishism against big financial capital. Pistis! Refree managed to coax that distinctive unity of songs, their bright catchiness, from the amalgamation of sounds that would, in other hands, end up being labelled concrete music. Peter Szendy would be pleased and grateful. Being able to sing under one’s breath something that others consider simply noise.

Seven songs, yes. And if you get the chance, take a stroll through Athens with them: the locations are clearly defined. If not, then let Athens fill your home with all its ancient wisdom, boring into your ears like worms, making holes in history.

Listen, and, as people used to say, turn up the volume!

Pedro G. Romero, Santa Marta, Colombia, November 2025

Comes with booklet with song lyrics written by Pedro G. Romero. Limited edition of 250 vinyl records.

Blu:sh back in Kalahari orbit for a third bite of the cherry.

This one’s dark and dank, with sultriness off the scales. The antithesis of the Frenchman’s output as Terra Utopia, it’s everything we’ve come to love from the project in 6 deadly traxxx.

Moody but never unruly. Taught, tough and rendered in the same seductive, turbulent vortex that’s defined all the Blush material to date.

Strapping earworm grooves set pace, as is tradition with these records. Not sparing on the menace either. Some of it sounds like Blu:sh on a villain arc. Whether you’re a cut-throat stalking the backstreets or looking for a mean streak of pure sci-fi dystopia, we got you covered.

Proper late nite hedonism. Oscillating between sensuous clubland fantasy and a volatile astral kinda flex, the sense of impending danger is unabating.

A1 | Carlos Native – Be Yourself
Andalusian producer Carlos Native unfolds an almost cinematic sensibility: a slow, introspective piece where a hypnotic bassline and wide, horizontal backgrounds build an inner journey rather than a track aimed at immediate impact.

A2 | Slit Observers – Synthmek
The Galician duo present a hard, high-energy work. Industrial-driven drums demand movement, while an aggressive, sharp arpeggiated bass defines a sonic identity with no concessions.

A3 | Negocius Man – 8N8
The Madrid-based veteran constructs 8N8 with modular precision: each sound falls into place with an almost architectural logic. The result is a synthetic, measured and structured piece shaped by years of experience.

B1 | Allumynd – Chestcollider
Making their debut on the electro scene, Allumynd delivers an original and daring track. An otherworldly snare and a woven vocal structure turn this piece into a clear example of new-generation electro: atmospheric and bold.

B2 | Komatssu – Non Servian
The Asturian producer, under his Komatssu alias, opts for continuous evolution without a kick drum as support. The track works like an organism that grows and transforms as it progresses, generating a hypnotic and mature effect.

B3 | Irrational Language feat. Lucky – We Are Comming Back
Irrational Language dives into braindance with meticulous technical production: drums filled with micro-artifacts, luminous synthesizers, and Lucky’s vocals processed and spatialized to reinforce a narrative of rebirth and emerging from darkness.

Techno pioneer Robert Hood debuts on Rekids with a blistering release entitled ‘Nothing Stops Detroit’ ahead of an album this winter.

Over the last three decades the Underground Resistance alum has continually been at the forefront of the techno genre whilst releasing on many of electronic music’s finest labels to boot. In recent years his solo outings have appeared on a select few labels such as Dekmantel, Music Man Records, not to mention his very own M-Plant. Having made appearances on Rekids in the past remixing label boss Radio Slave - both as Robert Hood (‘Don’t Stop No Sleep’) and Floorplan (‘Feel The Same’) - the Detroit originator now drops a four track release in his official debut on the label.

With its machine aesthetic, ‘Nothing Stops Detroit’ is unmistakably Hood from start to finish. Precision kick drums propel the title track forward as stuttering effects and deep stabs work alongside a march band rhythm. ‘7 Mile Dog’ is next with its grainy synths and scintillating pads, making way for the meandering bassline, rattling atmospherics and trippy, oscillating top line of ‘Ignite A War’. Finally, ‘The Cure’ is a cacophony of twisted percussion and rumbling low-end that energetically concludes matters.

Part two of the FOX FIRE series is here, with more killer 1970's roots from Clive Matthews and Trevor Byfield. 'My Girl Has Gone' is Clive Matthews' first recording, originally released in the mid '70s on the Percival label, and recorded at Dynamic Sound with the Now Generation Band.

Part two of the FOX FIRE series is here, with more killer 1970's roots from Clive Matthews and Trevor Byfield. 'Am Going Home', is the third and final cut on the legendary rhythm also employed for Clive's 'Apology' and Trevor's 'Tell Me That You Love Me', both of which were released in our first and previous set of FOX FIRE tunes. 'Am Going Home' is just as killer as those two, and has its own unique dub side, different to either of the others.

Kashyyyk was originally released in late 1995. Each copy was recorded onto a blank cassette, almost never new. We'd find boxes of tapes at flea markets and dub the demo over one side of them. Never knew what was on the other side. The collage on the cover evolved over time. Early copies had a sparse cover and later copies had a cover collages like this one. The text also changed over time. Edits were made, the thanks list grew, and the address changed. The text on this rereleases is the same as the last copies made in the '90s, with only tiny changes. Three of these songs were recorded in August of 1995 and originally released as the 8D8 demo. We made an unknown number of copies before we recorded again with Matt on guitar. We added our three new songs to the old and named the demo demo after Chewbacca's home planet. The other collages were put together specifically for this 30th anniversary release. Bonus track: Gage recorded January 19, 1996. This is the original version with Matt on vocals. Gary re-recorded the vocals before it was released on Cry Now Cry Later vol. 4.”—Noothgrush

'Vintage Violence' is John Cale's first post-Velvet Underground album and was originally released in 1970. Cale's signature sound with the Velvets was purposefully rough and aurally challenging, but 'Vintage Violence' is a startlingly user-friendly piece of mature, intelligent pop with a smooth, satin finish. The Welsh rocker shows a pop craftsman at work on ten tracks that reference everything from Country Rock to Beach Boys harmonies to The Band-style Americana and beyond.

A1 Hello, There
A2 Gideon's Bible
A3 Adelaide
A4 Big White Cloud
A5 Cleo
A6 Please

B1 Charlemagne
B2 Bring It On Up
B3 Amsterdam
B4 Ghost Story
B5 Fairweather Friend

Not of This Earth is the first studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani. Originally released in 1986, this all-instrumental album was making ripples in the guitar-playing community not long after it was issued. It’s easy to see why: superior compositions, a signature style, a unique tone, and playing that’s out of this world. The fiery sound of “Not of This Earth” and “Hordes of Locusts” is tempered by the cool, dark tone of “Driving at Night”. There isn’t a weak track on this disc, even though the world’s most commercially successful solo guitar performer was still maturing when he released it.

Available as a limited edition of 1500 numbered copies on transparent blue vinyl.

Noctourniquet And then everything went black, at least for a while, at least for The Mars Volta. In the months and years following their fifth full-length, Octahedron, Omar kept on at his usual fearsome creative pace. In fact, he ramped up his output considerably, starting up his own Rodriguez Lopez Productions label and releasing a slew of solo albums. It was a practice he’d begun shortly after De-Loused’s release, with his solo debut A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One, but as the decade reached its close, Omar grew to rely upon his solo recordings as an outlet for his prolific creativity, these albums often exploring musical pastures far beyond even The Mars Volta’s wide-ranging parameters. Before choosing to release music under his own name, Omar would always play it to Cedric first, to see if the frontman thought it had potential to become Mars Volta music. Shortly after Octahedron’s completion, Cedric flagged one batch of tracks Omar had cut with Deantoni Parks, a brilliant drummer and composer who’d briefly occupied the Mars Volta drumstool in-between Jon Theodore and Thomas Pridgen’s tenures, and whose volcanic creativity and unique, unpredictable approach to rhythm and composition had quickly made him one of Omar’s favourite artistic foils.

As with the music that made up Octahedron, the new tracks Cedric had optioned for The Mars Volta often veered far from the riotous, Grand Guignol visions of their earlier releases. It possessed the punchy, song-based focus of Octahedron, though this was a considerably darker, more menacing strain of pop, with synthesisers figuring heavily in the productions. Cedric took the tracks in 2009 and set about writing songs to the music. But no more new Mars Volta music would be heard until 2012. The years that passed in-between were nonetheless momentous, and busy, witnessing an unexpected reunion of the members of At The Drive-In, and Cedric joining his own side-project, Anywhere. But there wasn’t any sign of life within the Mars Volta until Omar, Cedric and their bandmates took to the road for a series of live shows in the spring of 2011, billed as The Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, debuting the songs that would become Noctourniquet. The album followed the next year, and it remains one of The Mars Volta’s finest, its electronic textures staking out unfamiliar but fertile new ground.

An unsettling, subtly turbulent listen, Noctourniquet found Cedric sketching out a story about “some sort of device that stops the darkness from bleeding”, drawing influence variously from the nursery rhyme Solomon Grundy, the Greek myth of Hyacinthus and the song Birth, School, Work, Death by British underground rockers The Godfathers. It was an album of dystopian futurism, signalled by the paranoid cyber-rock of opener The Whip Hand and its unnerving chorus, “That’s when I disconnect from you”. But it was also an album of inspired, unexpected moves and uncanny invention, like how Dyslexicon seemed to eerily evoke Blondie’s Rapture, before rushing headlong into its bruising chorus, tempos shifting restlessly throughout like quaking earth beneath the listener’s feet, or how Aegis put a brave new spin on The Mars Volta’s trademark rewiring of salsa’s overdriven passions, or how Cedric had never sounded as scary as he did on The Malkin Jewel’s mutant burlesque shuffle. Tracks like Molochwalker were sleek and concise in a way The Mars Volta had never really attempted before – which was all part of Omar’s plan.

“It had all been guitar, guitar, guitar, overdubs, everything fighting for space in the same frequency,” he explains. “So for Noctourniquet, it was all about subtracting elements, of sticking to how I made demos.” Deantoni’s presence helped revivify the group, playing against cliché and expectation, and taking each song in unexpected directions. “I’d beatbox a rhythm for him to play, to go with my guitar part, and he’d come back with three or four alternate options. It was so great.” Similarly, Cedric had never sung better than on Noctourniquet, staking out a fearsome spectrum from the chilling Tom Waitsian growl of The Malkin Jewel to the keening, beautiful vocalisation on Vedamalady, rising to match some of Omar’s most deft, most immediately effective and melodic songs yet. Indeed, Noctourniquet is the sound of a band discovering new ways to do familiar things, renewing their commitment to their mission, finding fresh inspiration a decade in, and shaking off any complacency that might have come with ten years of acclaim and success.

Following our first LP of Tom Jones’s finest soulful performances on the radio, “Soul Man”, we present a second album of soul songs that we think he should have released but never did. This time we concentrate on his TV performances, the bulk of which come from 1969 and reflect his personal preference for covering Stax, Atlantic and Motown material. So put aside your preconceptions if you have any and listen to his collaborations with Aretha, Smokey, Janis, Cher, Dusty and don’t forget that Wicked Wicked Pickett. With a tight, funky band led by Herbie Flowers, this is Big Band Soul at its very best.

2026 Repress

Written and produced by Kieran Hebden. Photography by Jason Evans. Design by Jason Evans and Matthew Cooper.

Tiger Stripes debuts on Rekids with ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’.

Stockholm’s Tiger Stripes appears on Matt Edwards’ Rekids for the first time with the ‘I Heard It Through The Bassline’ two-tracker. The EP starts with the aptly named title track, defined by its deeply infectious bass, which propels forward along tight house grooves and classy gospel vocals. ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’ is followed by Tiger Stripes’ ‘Everybody’s Doing It’, a stylish, low-slung people mover with the air of a vibey, dim-lit establishment or introspective late-night journey through the city.

Strange Idols label founder Tiger Stripes is a prolific producer, remixer, and DJ who has been active since the early 2000s. He’s collaborated with artists like Kerri Chandler and Jerome Sydenham and released music via heavyweight underground imprints, including Hot Creations, Get Physical, and Sydenham’s Ibadan. Now, he moves the needle again with the ‘I Heard It Through the Bassline’ EP on Rekids.

British singer-songwriter Lucy Kitt unveils her highly anticipated second album, Telling Me, a deeply personal collection that shifts focus from introspection to storytelling, capturing the lives and struggles of those closest to her. Drawing from her love of 70’s Laurel Canyon folk, 90’s indie rock, and country music, Kitt crafts narratives that blend her own experiences with compassionate observations of loved ones. Based on a raw acoustic “three chords and the truth” style of songwriting that ripples throughout, the album expands with full-band arrangements that give a huge range and richness to the sound.

Though influenced by American musical traditions, the Essex-native maintains her distinctive voice and authenticity, ensuring the music remains unmistakably her own. Following her 2018 debut Stand By, this new record represents a more mature approach to songwriting, written during her early 30s and completed in the 2021 lockdown – a storybook of songs capturing that moment in time.

Musically, Telling Me showcases Kitt's stripped-down acoustic foundations, while incorporating fuller arrangements that blend her love of Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, with music she loved as a teenager such as The Lemonheads and Veruca Salt. The album features collaborations with an impressive roster of musicians, including Jay Starkey on drums, Nashville-based pedal steel virtuoso Spencer Cullum, Treetop Flyer’s Sam Beer and longtime collaborator Pat Kenneally on drums and piano.

Recorded between 2021-2023 at London's Lightship 95 studio at Trinity Buoy Wharf, the album was co-produced and engineered by Dave Holmes, with some musicians contributing remotely from Nashville and London.

Kitt's commitment to authenticity extends to every aspect of the album, from the down-to-earth, home-based album artwork which represents her life right now as a musician and a working mum, with all the wonderful chaos that comes along with it. Also her decision to maintain her natural accent throughout her vocals. "I have always retained my authentic self in my songs," she explains. "Always singing with my own accent, despite the influences of all the bands and artists over the years."

Kitt has been songwriting and performing for over 20 years, starting in a riot grrl band in her teens in her hometown of Romford, Essex, before evolving into the thoughtful folk storyteller she is today. A semi-finalist at the BBC Young Folk Awards in the early 2000s, she has performed at major festivals including Glastonbury and Cambridge Folk Festival, building a reputation for intimate, lyrically-focused performances.

Telling Me is a resplendent collection of songs, capturing the human experience with great empathy, honesty and musical sophistication that has become Lucy Kitt's signature.

Joyce Manor are California pop-punk legends and I Used To Go To This Bar is this epochal band operating at the top of their game. They continue to deliver relentlessly satisfying rock music in a manner that makes it look simply effortless. The Torrance, California-hailing trio of Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert are at a point in their career where their position as one of the most beloved rock bands is a foregone conclusion. Their seventh album finds the group continuing to find rich new veins to tap in their short-and sweet songcraft without losing an ounce of bite that gained them such repute in the first place. I Used To Go To This Bar further situates Joyce Manor in the rich lineage of their influences and inspirations. Think AFI"s rapid-fire burn, Weezer"s indelible power-pop acumen, and the dusky emotionalism of The Smiths while further establishing them as leading lights in the current rock landscape. The fresh burst of inspiration that fuels I Used To Go To This Bar proves that Joyce Manor are far from content to rest on such laurels, moving forward with their sound and style in a way that reminds you of how they got to this point in the first place. Catch them live at Coachella 2026.

Mit Lucky Now präsentiert Lande Hekt ihr bislang persönlichstes und musikalisch ausgereiftestes Album. Die britische Indie-Songwriterin, bekannt für ihre ehrlichen Texte und ihren warmen Gitarrensound, verarbeitet Themen wie queere Identität, Hoffnung, Rückkehr und politisches Erwachen. Produziert wurde das Album von Matthew Simms (Wire, It Hugs Back), was dem Sound eine neue Tiefe verleiht - zwischen 80s Twee-Pop, Jangle-Gitarren und modernen Indie-Vibes. Die Songs erzählen von Liebe im Alltag ("Kitchen ii"), Sommernächten voller Hoffnung ("Rabbits") und dem Glück, sich selbst wiederzufinden ("Middle of the Night"). Politisch wird es auf "Circular" und "A Million Broken Hearts", wo Hekt klare Haltung zeigt. Lucky Now ist ein Album über Rückkehr - zu Orten, zu Menschen, zu sich selbst.

“’Death & Connection’ is a body of work born from the absence of the people who no longer hold space in our lives”, comments the band. “This record was created from a necessity to express and soothe our deepest losses; however, that was never the intention — we simply set out to make an album we wanted to hear.” With “Death & Connection”, Shields invite the audience to experience the next evolution of their sound – mature, refined and fearless. Throughout the band’s career Shields toured with bands such as Ice Nine Kills, Born Of Osiris, Chelsea Grin, Veil Of Maya, Escape the Fate or Loathe.

Two years have passed since haruka nakamura released the “Light years” series, a four-part project created in collaboration with THE NORTH FACE Sphere,
tracing the cycle of the seasons. During the two years that followed, he continued to produce beat-based sketches — melodies and fragments born in daily life,
films, and other creative projects — sampling and reworking his own material as an ongoing personal practice.

These works now come together as the culmination of his collaboration with THE NORTH FACE Sphere: the twin albums “ALL DAY” and “ALL RAY,” featuring
sixteen tracks in total.
Compared to his previous works, the melodies and rhythms here resonate more vividly and memorably. Both albums gaze toward the light of the seasons,
yet each expresses a distinct tone and atmosphere.

As a prelude to these albums, eight singles will be released consecutively over eight weeks.
The artwork combines photographs taken by haruka nakamura with watercolor-inspired designs by suzuki takahisa (16 design institute).
Together, the eight singles and two albums create a cohesive visual and sonic world through ten unified jacket artworks.