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Der düstere Zauber von Ritual Howls sechstem Album ,Ruin" entfaltet sich bereits in den ersten Momenten der ersten Single ,Follow the Sun", wenn der klare Ruf von Paul Bancells hallender Gitarre von Chris Samuels pulsierendem Kick und flirrenden Drum-Programmierung sowie dem knurrenden, verzerrten Bassgroove von Ben Saginaw untermalt wird. Mehr als ein Jahrzehnt nach ihrer Gründung verfeinert das Trio seine nuancierte Mischung aus Industrial, Goth und Post-Punk auf ein neues Niveau vollendeter Fülle, und die Ergebnisse verkörpern mehr denn je die Gegensätze, die sie ausmachen. Mit ,Ruin" kehren Ritual Howls zurück zu ihren düsteren Wurzeln. Mehr als ein Jahrzehnt nach ihrer Gründung verfeinert das Trio weiterhin seine nuancierte Mischung aus Industrial, Goth und Post-Punk zu einer neuen Ebene von alles verzehrender Fülle, und mehr denn je verkörpern die Ergebnisse die Kontraste, für die sie bekannt geworden sind: auf einmal eindringlich düster, aber kinetisch eingängig, intim roh, aber verlockend geheimnisvoll. Seit ihrer Gründung in Detroit hat die Band immer lose Elemente der Old-School-Rave-Kultur in ihre Arbeit einfließen lassen, was zu einer zutiefst physischen Erfahrung ihrer schweren, düsteren, melodischen und akribischen Konstruktionen führt. Nach ihrem letzten Album (Virtue Falters, 2023) zog Bancell nach Los Angeles, und ein Großteil von Ruin entstand über das Internet, gipfelnd in einer Reihe intensiver Aufnahmesessions mit dem langjährigen Toningenieur Adam Cox in Michigan. ,Es begann damit, dass Chris musikalische Ideen präsentierte - Beats, Melodien, Sounds, Riffs - und ein paar fertige Tracks; er und Ben trafen sich zum Jammen, und ich steuerte aus der Ferne einige Gitarrenparts bei ", erzählt er. Von der Entfernung grundlegend unbeeindruckt, funktioniert Ritual Howls als echte kollaborative Einheit, und Ruin ist ein reichhaltiger, unbestreitbarer Beweis dafür, dass sie weiterhin an der Spitze ihrer Kunst stehen.

A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is the new album by Australian atmospheric pop trio Hydroplane, the storied 'offshoot' formed by three quarters of independent pop group, The Cat's Miaow. On this, their first music after two decades plus of radio silence, Andrew Withycombe, Kerrie Bolton and Bart Cummings return to the gentle, close-quarters musical world they shared around the turn of the century.

Recorded during 2024 in Melbourne and Ballarat, A Place In My Memory… picks up the thread Hydroplane set down with its precursor, 2001's The Sound Of Changing Places, though you can hear echoes of their other releases, too, with Withycombe noting a through-line from the group's 1998 "Failed Adventure" single. There's little quite like A Place In My Memory…, then or now, though. Maybe you can draw some connections between Hydroplane and their sister group, The Cat's Miaow, while fellow travellers might include Empress, The Ah Club, and further back, Young Marble Giants, Veronique Vincent (the muffled, ticking drum machine also makes me think of Robin Gibb's Robin's Reign).

There's also an umbilical to the bedroom-crafted electronica doing the rounds in the late nineties and early noughties. Hydroplane hint at this through their approach to songwriting, which often builds creatively around loops as structural devices. Through all this, the trio achieve an effortless, organic weightlessness across these nine lovely songs. Many feature Bolton's clear singing voice, drifting along, while guitars, keyboards, drum machines and loops tickertape away. The constituent parts fit together, but they also have a curiously detached quality - think of abstract cloud formations sharing the same sky.

Hydroplane and The Cat's Miaow often dealt in emotional ambiguity and uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the nostalgic. This was always one of the most appealing facets of their music, and A Place In My Memory… is thus named perfectly. I couldn't dream up a better title for the album and its reflections on history, lived experience, and the inevitable tangle between these two phenomena. These reflections variously address such concerns as human cruelty, flight, space travel, adventurism and spiritualism. There's also "To the Lighthouse", not a direct reference to the Virginia Woolf book, but a great title, nonetheless. (They've always had excellent titles, often borrowed, for songs and albums.)

A beautiful collection of drowsy, sleepy pop, humble and quiet, but resolute in its craft, A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is dream work in practice; a lovely reintroduction. Welcome back, then.

Nach zwei gefeierten experimentellen Instrumentalalben, Feral Hymns (2021) und Acts of Light (2023), kehrt Hilary Woods auf ihrer neuen LP Night CRIU zur Songform und vor allem zu ihrer Stimme zurück. Sie lernt erneut, wie sie ihre Stimme einsetzen kann, und komponiert Songs, die sich um sie drehen. Das intime Ökosystem von Night CRIU mit sieben Songs nutzt Vokalharmonien und die Aussprache der Texte als Mittel, um wieder in den Körper einzutreten, mit dem Unbewussten zu sprechen und es bewusst zu machen. Night CRIU ist eine Zeremonie aus Licht und Schatten, ein Album, das sich gegen die erdrückende Monokultur auflehnt, indem es gleichzeitig verlorene Unschuld zurückerobert und betrauert. Woods' Klangpalette ist dynamisch und verletzlich zugleich, in ihrem Bestreben, verlorene und zersplitterte Teile des Ganzen zu integrieren. Losgelöste Klangfäden erinnern an die Risse, Ränder, vergessenen Handlungsmöglichkeiten und vielschichtigen, schlummernden Persönlichkeiten, die nachts an die Oberfläche kommen und darauf warten, bei Tageslicht wiedergefunden und integriert zu werden. Inspiriert und beflügelt von vielen Dingen, darunter die Wiederbelebung indigener Sprachen, persönliche Erfahrungen mit Paraden und Prozessionen, frühe irische Musik, die Freude am Northern Soul-Tanzen, Aspekte des tschechischen und frühen italienischen Kinos, die Unmittelbarkeit des Klangs und das Aufbegehren einer Gegenwartskollektivität, die sich mit ihrer Stimme und ihrem Eintreten für das Menschsein angesichts von Tyrannei und Unterdrückung zu Wort meldet. Night CRIU wurde zwischen 2023 und Januar 2025 an der Westküste Irlands, in Dublin, London und teilweise in Lettland aufgenommen. Diese Lieder für Gesang, Blechblasinstrumente, Streicher, Elektronik, Feldaufnahmen, Texturen, Synthesizer und Klavier wurden aus vielen frühen Heimaufnahmen ausgewählt, die Woods als Spiegelbilder einander gegenüberstellte. Night CRIU wurde von Hilary Woods geschrieben und produziert, von Dean Hurley gemischt, mit zusätzlicher Produktion von Dean Hurley und Oliver Turvey, gemastert von Brian Lucey und mit Beiträgen von Hannah Fallon, Hangleton Brass Band, Gabriel Ferrandini und Ajo Gonsenica. ,Jede Platte ist eine Rettungsboje, eine Momentaufnahme, eine Markierung im Sand, ein Termin, den ich einhalten muss", so Woods. ,Ein Floß, das gleichzeitig kathartisch, schwimmfähig und verspielt ist - Platten aufzunehmen ist eine Art zu sein."

Retinal Rivalry ist der Soundtrack zu Cyprien Gaillards neuem stereoskopischen Film Retinal Rivalry (2024). ,Es ist eine faszinierende Reise durch die deutsche Stadtlandschaft und ihre vielschichtige historische und soziale Bedeutung. Aufbauend auf seiner früheren Erforschung der skulpturalen Qualitäten dreidimensionaler bewegter Bilder geht das Werk über die Grenzen der Leinwand hinaus. Durch die Ausschöpfung des vollen Potenzials modernster Technologie bietet Gaillard eine erweiterte, geschärfte und tief bewegende neue Sicht auf die Welt um uns herum. Retinal Rivalry ist nach dem Phänomen der visuellen Wahrnehmung benannt, das auftritt, wenn das Gehirn zwei widersprüchliche Bilder gleichzeitig empfängt. Anstatt zu einem 3D-Bild zu verschmelzen, wechselt das neuronale System zwischen der Priorisierung des einen Bildes und der Unterdrückung des anderen, was beim Betrachter Verwirrung und Unbehagen hervorruft. Gaillards Film setzt sich mit diesen Komplexitäten der visuellen Verarbeitung und den Grenzen der Technologie auseinander und sammelt visuelle Informationen durch außergewöhnliche, oft augenzwinkernde Aufnahmen, die das Innere und das Äußere, das Eingeschlossene und das Verstreute sowie das Natürliche und das Gebaute miteinander verflechten. Seine Kamera nimmt ungewöhnliche Blickwinkel ein, wechselt von sanften Luftperspektiven zu einem niedrigen Blickwinkel aus der Perspektive eines Nagetiers, zu schwindelerregenden Ein- und Ausblendungen auf der knolligen Nase einer Skulptur oder zu einer langen Einstellung eines Zuges, der durch eine Landschaft fährt, und zieht uns in eine vielschichtige Erfahrung hinein, die zwischen einem schlechten Trip und unerwarteter Schönheit, die Trost spendet, schwankt. In ,Retinal Rivalry" deuten verschiedene Treppen, Spiralen und Aufzüge auf einen Zustand des ständigen Auf- und Abstiegs hin und betonen das Wechselspiel zwischen Distanz und Nähe, abgrundtiefer Tiefe und lebendiger skulpturaler Darstellung. Der Film pulsiert rhythmisch mit Bildern, die anschwellen und sich zusammenziehen, sich aufblähen und entleeren. Er manipuliert das Gefühl der Zuschauer für Tiefe, Maßstab und Textur und lässt vertraute Materialien und Orte unheimlich erscheinen, wobei er die inhärenten Ungenauigkeiten und Verzerrungen der Darstellung hervorhebt. ,Retinal Rivalry" zeichnet die gewöhnliche Welt in großartigen Details auf und versucht dabei, unter die Oberfläche der Dinge zu blicken. Der Film ist eine Darstellung von Raum und Zeit, die Darstellungsweisen destabilisiert und eine neue Hyper-Vision-Version der Realität bietet. Mit 120 Bildern pro Sekunde aufgenommen und mit derselben Geschwindigkeit projiziert - fünfmal so schnell wie im Kino üblich - fängt Gaillard mehr ein, als das menschliche Auge natürlich wahrnehmen kann. Die Filmmusik greift auf verschiedene klangliche Elemente zurück und unterstreicht so die Erforschung von Dissonanz und Synchronität. Indonesische Instrumentalmusik wird überarbeitet und mit Feldaufnahmen von rumpelnden schweren Maschinen und seltsam melodischem Würgen kombiniert. Der Soundtrack enthält auch die ersten Zeilen aus Werner Herzogs Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972) sowie die dazugehörige Ouvertüre der deutschen Band Popol Vuh. Die Klanglandschaft von Retinal Rivalry steht im Kontrast zu den Bildern - was wir sehen, steht oft im Widerspruch zu dem, was wir hören. Nur in einem Abschnitt verschmelzen Ton und Bild: Ein gebrochenes Bein betätigt das Pedal einer interaktiven Orgel, um ein Stück von Johann Sebastian Bach zu spielen, das immer wieder ins Stocken gerät.

Enter the world of Stereocolor, the long-awaited new album from Dutch singer-songwriter Mercy John. On October 31, 2025,
Mercy John invites you to escape the grayness of everyday life and immerse yourself in a spectrum of vibrant emotions,
melodies, and colors. Songs about love, loss, and self-discovery—all wrapped in a captivating musical package that is both
intimate and grand. Expect an unmistakable blend of warm vocals, catchy choruses, and a sound that exudes authenticity. This
is music that will make you see colors—sometimes soft and whispering, sometimes powerful and starkly contrasting.

Friend Of A Phantom is the third studio album by the Danish progressive metal band Vola, released under Mascot Label Group. This highly anticipated album showcases Vola's signature blend of intricate rhythms, soaring melodies, and thought-provoking lyrics.

With tracks like "Straight Lines" and "These Black Claws," Friend Of A Phantom takes listeners on a musical journey that seamlessly combines heavy riffs with electronic elements, creating a dynamic sound that is both captivating and innovative.

Vola's musicianship shines through in every song, from the complex drum patterns to the mesmerizing guitar solos. The band's ability to craft intricate arrangements while maintaining a strong sense of melody sets them apart in the progressive metal scene.

The production quality of Friend Of A Phantom is top-notch, allowing each instrument to shine through while still blending together to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. The album's rich textures and layers reveal new details with each listen, making it a rewarding choice for fans of progressive music.

Overall, Friend Of A Phantom is a must-have for any music lover looking for an album that pushes boundaries and challenges traditional genre conventions. Vola's unique sound and innovative approach make this album a standout release in their discography.

A psych-pop cult classic tracks.
The Orange Bicycle blends Beatles/Beach Boys‑inspired psychedelic-pop style and sun-drenched melodies.
The Orange Bicycle captures the kaleidoscopic charm of late-’60s British psychedelia. Featuring lush arrangements, sitar-laced textures, and soaring vocal harmonies, this LP is a must for fans of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Zombies, Tomorrow, or early Pink Floyd.

Eines der größten Talente der britischen Blues-Szene. Er wurde bei den UK Blues Awards in den letzten drei Jahren in Folge (2020, 2021, 2022) zum „Young Artist of the Year” gewählt. 
Als Teenager verschlang er die Musik von Eric Clapton und Ray Charles – „Ray hat mich als Person und meine Einstellung zur Musik völlig verändert.” Von alten Delta-Platten über Soul-Künstler wie Sam Cooke, Bill Withers und den Stax-Sound bis hin zu Jazz-Sängern wie Billie Holiday und Frank Sinatra sowie Singer-Songwritern wie Van Morrison, Townes van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake und zeitgenössischen Künstlern wie Ray LaMontagne, Norah Jones und Foy Vance.
Seine Musik hat eine zeitlose melancholische Qualität. Mit seiner Ehrlichkeit und Offenheit, die jeden ansprechen, schöpft er aus Angst und Verletzlichkeit, vermittelt dies jedoch mit einer weltgewandten Eleganz. Für Connor Selby sind keine Grenzen gesetzt. Das ist leicht zu verstehen, wenn man seine gefühlvolle Mischung aus Blues und seinen emotional introspektiven Songtexten betrachtet, die sein beeindruckendes Gitarrenspiel ergänzen. Die Songs auf „Connor Selby“ sind kleine Vignetten der verschiedenen Musikstile, die ihn inspirieren.

Peace and love in late 60s America did not come without parallel feelings of fear and confusion about the social situation – specifically about Vietnam. “Safe In My Garden” is the latest Ace compilation in an acclaimed series compiled by Bob Stanley – it’s a companion piece to the much-praised “State Of The Union (The American Dream In Crisis 1967 – 1973)” Ace CDCHD 1533/XXQLP2 057 2018).

The music on “Safe In My Garden” is harmony-laden, beautifully produced soft rock. Sunshine pop, even - a melodic, innovative style of American music that grew in the mid-60s out of the folk and surf scenes, exemplified by the Beach Boys and the Mamas and Papas. You will hear orchestral arrangements, and soft boy-girl vocals. But it wasn’t made in isolation from what was going on in the outside world. There are clouds and minor chords, plenty of melancholy in those harmonies.

“Safe In My Garden” includes songs of escape (Mark Eric’s ‘Move With The Dawn’, the Groop’s ‘A Famous Myth’), loss (the Eighth Day’s ‘How Can I Stop Loving You’, the New Colony Six’s ‘Prairie Grey’), dreamscapes (Tommy James and the Shondells’ ‘She’, Nancy Priddy’s ‘Christina’s World’), rebirth (Smokey and his Sister’s ‘Creators Of Rain’), a simpler world (the Free Design’s ‘My Brother Woody’) and a philosophically sounder future (Chad & Jeremy’s ‘The Ark’, Best of Friends’ ‘Summer Sound’).

It contains some surprisingly dark messages paired with beautiful melodies, as well as songs of hope. Thousands of young musicians in cities, suburbs and small towns across the States from the mid to late 60s spent their mornings hiding from the mailman, dreading the draft. This is the Sound of Young America in the late 60s, keeping its fingers crossed.

Shell Company featuring Richie Culver, LINTD, Older Brother. Full artwork sleeves & label design by Ciaran Birch ///

Hazy & dark contemporary pop from Shell Company, drenched in spoken word dreamscapes...

Manchester / Glasgow trio Shell Company debut on Accidental Meetings with a record of dark hued, noise pop adjacent pieces. The trio is spearheaded by poet Rosabella Allen, whose misted balladry pierces through the textured backdrops of Chris and Rob Banks, all three complimenting and melding perfectly.

Following stand out releases for Glasgow imprint Numbers, and Rainy Miller's Fixed Abode, Locket sees the band push the boat out for AM which sees them unite with fellow collaborators Richie Culver & LINTD on the project. A deeply personal record that fuses fractured electronics, post-rock and spoken word, with the end product being a damp, noir masterpiece.

REISSUE of the legendary debut album. Delmar is the debut album of Argentine stoner rock band, Los Natas, released in 1998 under the legendary Man's Ruin Records. This material was first released in 1996, on cassette, an independent edition the band put out containing eight tracks. It's a highly regarded stoner rock album, a masterpiece within the genre. It's praised for its heavy riffs, beautiful melodies, and overall atmosphere. Fans appreciate its calming, meditative qualities, making it a great choice for relaxation and reflection.

Orange vinyl, limited to 250 copies. REISSUE of the legendary debut album. Delmar is the debut album of Argentine stoner rock band, Los Natas, released in 1998 under the legendary Man's Ruin Records. This material was first released in 1996, on cassette, an independent edition the band put out containing eight tracks. It's a highly regarded stoner rock album, a masterpiece within the genre. It's praised for its heavy riffs, beautiful melodies, and overall atmosphere. Fans appreciate its calming, meditative qualities, making it a great choice for relaxation and reflection.

Autodidactic musicologist and sample collagist U turned his archival eye on the melting pot of ‘80s post-punk with his debut ‘Life Isn’t A Fountain?’ EP for Lex. He follows up with an experimental exploration of regional identity with ARCHENFIELD, a deeply personal collection of ambient music and found sound that examines the relationship between geographical space and aural histories.

To construct this record U mined a wealth of recorded material relevant to the area. With a nod to traditional music, he takes samples from these records and creates beautifully atmospheric sound pieces that are often mixed with painstakingly researched snippets to create a stirring reflection on local history and broader themes of how we interact, or even fail to interact, with English folklore today.

Pressed on 180g vinyl, the album comes with a 24-page visual companion that expands on its themes and folk stories through imagery and narrative, echoing the album’s soundscape. : The Caretaker, Oneohtrix Point Never, JG Bie1berkopf, Maxime Denuc, Leon Vynehall

‘A Tremendous debut. Skilfully blending folk, country and other styles, Woof’s eponymous debut album features thoughtful songwriting, adroit musicianship and her remarkable, crystalline vocals’ - 4/5 RECORD COLLECTOR

‘Enchanting. Whether playing almost solo or with a full band arrangement, Wooff is never less than mesmerising’ - 4/5 SHINDIG!

‘Her spectral voice and acoustic guitar lead abstract stories of loss, yearning and self-exploration, nimbly embellished with pedal steel, organ and strings. ‘The Waltz Of Winter Hey’ and ‘Lefty’s Motel Room’, with its allusive nod to Townes Van Zandt, are outstanding’ - 8/10 UNCUT

‘Launching herself fully onto the scene, she beguiles with tales of love, loss, hope and womanhood, wrapped up in a beautifully strange gothic romanticism’ - FOR FOLK’S SAKE

‘The beauty in the record is not merely based on Toria’s melancholic melodicism and rich delivery. It can be enjoyed in the juxtaposition between the singer’s darker, more eerily gothic instincts and the soothing, reassuring presence of instruments like pedal steel and cellos.’ - KLOF

SDP melden sich mit ihrem elften Studioalbum „Die Wollen Nur Spielen“ zurück. Der Titel ist Programm:
Ob auf der Bühne vor Tausenden von Konzertbesuchern oder im Studio - Vincent und Dag haben ihre
Spielfreude auch nach 25 Jahren Bandgeschichte behalten und beweisen dies immer wieder - nun auch mit
diesem Album.
„Die Wollen Nur Spielen“ - das wissen auch die knapp 300.000 Konzertbesucher ihrer letzten Open-Air-Tour.
Ihre Musikvideos zählen knapp eine Milliarde Views auf YouTube, SDP spielen unzählige Headliner-Slots
auf allen großen Festivals und halten den Status, als eine der erfolgreichsten deutschen Bands im Streamingbereich. Viele ihrer Alben sind vergoldet und diverse Singles haben Gold- und Platin-Status erreicht.

GRAMMY-Gewinner, Multi-Platin-Künstler & Visionär Kid Cudi meldet sich eindrucksvoll mit seinem 10.
Studioalbum „Free“ zurück. Die ersten Vorboten des Albums „Neverland“ und „Grave“ geben den Fans
von Cudder einen Vorgeschmack auf seinen neuen Stil und überzeugen mit eindrucksvollen Lyrics und
eingängigem Sound.
Cudi baute sich während seiner Musikkarriere eine beeindruckende Diskographie auf und hat sich durch
Songs wie „Day ‘n’Night“, „Pursuit Of Happiness“ oder „Memories“ auf der ganzen Welt einen Namen
gemacht.
Mit diesem Album betritt der Künstler eine neue Ära in seiner Musikkarriere und wird sich auch in der
Pop-Szene einen Namen machen.

A samba funk essential. This debut album from Jorge Ben's iconic backing band blends Brazilian rhythms, soulful vocals, and American funk energy into one unforgettable groove. Includes the hit single 'Coqueiro Verde' along with standout tracks like 'Meu País,' 'Aleluia, Aleluia,' and 'O Canto da Ema.' A timeless gem for fans of Brazilian soul, vintage funk, or global grooves. Trio Mocotó is best known for being the powerhouse backing band behind Brazilian legend Jorge Ben during the height of his creative explosion in the early 1970s. But their contribution to music goes far beyond the supporting role-they were instrumental in shaping what would become known as samba funk, a vibrant fusion of traditional Brazilian rhythms with the groove and energy of American soul and funk music. Formed in Sao Paulo's iconic Jogral nightclub, Trio Mocotó-featuring Fritz Escovao, Joaozinho Parahyba, and Nereu Gargalo-began their musical journey as resident musicians, providing live accompaniment for a rotating cast of performers. It was here that Jorge Ben first encountered their raw talent and unmistakable chemistry, ultimately inviting them to join his band. The collaboration would go on to define an era. In 1971, Trio Mocotó stepped into the spotlight with their debut solo album, "Muita Zorra! (...Sao Coisas Que Glorificam a Sensibilidade Atual)." The record made an immediate impact, climbing the charts with the infectious single 'Coqueiro Verde' and marking the start of a prolific period in the group's career. "Muita Zorra!" is a dazzling blend of styles-mixing the baroque funk and melodic sophistication of artists like Marcos Valle with the soulful spirit of Jorge Ben. Layered with elements of American funk, the album delivers a dynamic, rhythm-driven sound that still feels fresh today. The trio's vocal harmonies are front and center, weaving through each track with warmth and richness, creating a captivating sonic tapestry that energizes every beat. This album isn't just a snapshot of a musical moment-it's a cornerstone of Brazilian soul. A must-listen for fans of global grooves, vintage funk, and timeless Brazilian music, "Muita Zorra!" is once again available and ready to take its well-deserved place in your collection. First time official reissue.

Denmarks leading outlet for fresh, forward forward-thinking jazz, April Records, proudly presents the debut release from award award-winning Danish vibraphonist Viktoria Sondergaard. With wide ranging influences from jazz, chamber music, cabaret, pop, rap and SukumaSukuma-inspired grooves, as well as the hymns and melodies of the Danish Hojskolesangbog traditional/folk songbook, the music is grounded in collective expression and responsibility. The album s bold, boundary boundary-pushing sound was built on a strong sense of musical community, as well as Sondergaard s desire to integrate spoken word and lyrics into her practice to convey her thoughts and feelings on the world around her on a deeper, more personal level. Composing with her four collaborators in mind, Viktoria imagined her quintet playing each note as she composed, making the music inseparable from their presence. The album integrates spoken word, rap, singing, screaming, and whispering - a shared sonic tapestry that expresses joy, wonder, questioning and celebration. It s a band built on inspiration, joy, dreams and love, Viktoria says. For me, one of the most beautiful things in art is that we have a platform to say something about the society and world around us. This album is an attempt to do just this. this." Balancing warmth and intimacy with tension and exploration, the music weaves rich instrumental textures and spacious soundscapes with intricate vocal arrangements - intertwining voices that move between comforting folk folk-like harmonies and angular, avant avant-garde expression. The quartet s deep listening and intuitive interplay are evident throughout, shifting fluidly from open, exploratory passages to tightly locked grooves. The result is a sound that feels both grounded and searching: a sonic conversation inviting the listener into a space of vulnerability, curiosity, and connection. With a sparkling tone, emotive improvisation and refined control over her instrument Viktoria is recognised as a fearless explorer and bold musical voice. A recipient of the Aarhus Jazz Talent Prize, Tivoli Jazz Prize and the 2025 Carl Prize Honorary Award presented by Marilyn Mazur, she balances adventurous writing and collective invention with melodic immediacy and emotional power.

LP&DL Im Jahr 2023 erschien das Debütalbum der Wiener Band Bad Ida, das einen durchaus bemerkenswerten musikalischen Stil repräsentiert: eine explosive Mischung aus Soul, Funk, R'N'B traditioneller Spielart und dem absolut Besten was man aus dem guten, alten Bluesrock herausholen kann. Das klang im positivsten Sinne gewohnt und auch wieder ganz neu und heiß und dann war da ja noch eine Stimme, die besagte brandgefährliche Mixtur mit dem ersten Atemhauch zum Bersten brachte. Die Melodien - pure Ohrwürmer - und der rhythmische Drive hinterließen bei vielen geneigten Hörer:innen erstaunt-ekstatische Blicke und nur noch ein einzelnes, rudimentäres Wort im auf der Tanzfläche leergefegten Gehirn: WOW! Was tun nach so einem runden und rundum gelungenen Anfang? Easy: einfach weitermachen, wenn sich der perfekte Flow schon so schön zur groove-orientierten Spielfreude verdichtet hat. Nun startet also mit Ending Things der zweite Anlauf, um Hörnerven und Tanzbeine ordentlich auf Schiene zu bringen. Und es geht wieder aus dem Stand auf 180: angereichert mit einem dezenten Schuss Pop nistet sich hier ein weiteres großartiges Album konsequent auf dem Plattenteller ein. Die Lyrics von Ines Dallaji behandeln wieder die ganz großen, nicht immer ganz glücklichen Gefühle - die wiederum von einer richtig gut aufeinander eingespielten Band sehr zum Glück des Publikums intensiv zum Leben erweckt werden. Themen wie Umweltzerstörung ("Red Flags"), der Druck sozialer Medien ("Age of Likes"), Trauer ("I Still Miss You"), Angstbewältigung ("Fear") und toxische Beziehungen ("Remember My Love For You", "Leave Me Alone") verleihen dem perfekten Pop-Sound tiefgründige Strahlkraft: Bad Ida ist weit mehr als die oberflächliche Eleganz und der reizvolle Glamour, mit denen man das Genre Soul ja oft verbindet.

Cornel Wilczek (Talk To Me, Bring Her Back) crafts an incredible score for this body horror future classic from director Michael Shanks, blending the organic and synthetic, merging them to create something new, mesmerising, calm, eerie yet beautiful and oddly melodic. Disembodied voices flow in and out of soundscapes made up of traditional acoustic instruments, strings, and synthesisers. At first listen, the score seems very minimalist, but with repeated listening, it reveals these amazing earworms that stick in your mind. It’s a truly lovely, otherworldly listen, ideal for late nights and headphones.

Deep black, with ghostly glimmers of an old car melting into the tarmac: the cover of Never En-ding Rodeo sets the tone. This isn't just a late-night drive, but a controlled skid across the borders of Post-Rock, Noise and Psych. The engine roars, the ground shakes, the white lines blur. Six years after the release of Ain't That Mayhem, the Lyon-based band returns with a dense, smoke-veiled record. Never Ending Rodeo: a deceptively playful, almost cartoonish title for such an intense album. As if, after circling endlessly around dust, bucking, and stampedes, Zëro had carved out its own orbit. Unstable, inevitably. But magnetic. Éric Aldéa (guitar, vocals), Franck Laurino (drums), Ivan Chiossone (Persephone, synths), and now Varou Jan (guitar, bass) - (Le Peuple de l'Herbe, Condense) - have lost none of their bite. Better still: this new album marks a turning point in production quality, thanks in particular to the mixing work of Niko Matagrin. The sound is broader, more inhabited. Every snare crack, every synth layer sits precisely in a meticulously sculpted space. "As if Tom Waits had collided with Nine Inch Nails. Before a frightening modernity hurled this so-nic convoy into a headlong rush." ~ Indiepoprock "You don't simply pass through Never Ending Rodeo: you step inside, you lock yourself in, drawn irresistibly by its magnetism." ~ Solénopole

The most inspiring bands are the ones that can create a world around themselves that is about far more than just the music. The artwork, lyrics, sounds and ethos all merge together perfectly to create its own universe, a secret club. The Lovely Eggs are one such band. And against all the odds, 2025 sees them celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band! Stubbornly and heroically independent, The Lovely Eggs have forged their own path and have achieved mainstream success without ever compromising their DIY ethics. Released on their own label Egg Records, with eye watering artwork by Casey Raymond and hand packed in a black plastic bin bag on neon toxic slime green vinyl, this is yet another collectible release from a band who care as much about the art and ideas in their records as they do about the sound. "We had all these spare songs after we released our last album Eggsistentialism and we didn't really know what to do with them," explained Holly. "They just didn't seem to fit in with the vibe of Eggsistentialism but we'd recorded them and wanted to get them out there." "They're kind of a sketchbook of songs," added David. "They're not polished or laboured over but we thought it would be interesting to release them. It's why we called the record Bin Juice. These were songs we had thrown away. But hopefully people like going through bins collecting trash."

"The Bad Seeds and Zakary Thaks were mid ‘60s Texas garage rock bands formed in the wake of the British Invasion, influenced by The Rolling Stones, Kinks, Yardbirds and others, becoming top local live attractions at a time when the 13th Floor Elevators and Moving Sidewalks were leading the way into psychedelia. In late 1966 Rod Prince on guitar and Roy Cox on bass from Bad Seeds joined up with David Fore from Zakary Thaks on drums to create a new band out of San Antonio featuring two lead guitarists. Todd Potter filled out the quartet on second guitar and they chose the name Bubble Puppy, taken from Aldous Huxley’s 1932 dystopian novel Brave New World. Huxley was an early advocate of LSD, appropriately. In 1969 Bubble Puppy scored a top 20 hit single with “Hot Smoke & Sasafrass” which led to their LP “A Gathering Of Promises”. International Artists, the legendary Texas label that previously had unleashed mind expanding classics by the Elevators, Red Crayola, Golden Dawn and others was a perfect fit. After the LP and additional 45s didn’t repeat the success of “Hot Smoke & Sasafrass” the band hooked up with Nick St. Nicholas of Steppenwolf as their new manager and moved to Los Angeles. A new band name was in order, Nick St. Nicholas chose Demian, title of the 1919 novel by Herman Hesse. His books were popular with the counterculture at the time and had provided Steppenwolf with their new name after they changed it from the Sparrow and hit it big. Demian recorded the LP live in the studio at the Record Plant in one midnight to six session. They had their arrangements fully realized, allowing them to combine live show energy and economy with to-the-point delivery suitable for repeated listening. No doubt they were aiming for pop hit success, using proto hard rock skills in a radio friendly way without compromising the heavy guitar moves. The vocals have echoes of the earlier Bubble Puppy style in spots but are more melodic with vibrant harmonies reminiscent of Moby Grape, Buffalo Springfield, James Gang… at times flashing on Steve Stills/Richie Furay westcoast without being too sweet about it. It works terrifically when the radio friendly voices top off killer hard guitar ensemble action. Early hard rock that is too bluesy flashy can get tiresome with repeat listening, especially if overdosing on guitar solos with the band relegated to the background… Demian keep it interesting with inventive song structures allowing all four players to integrate constantly into an ever changing but focused whole. This LP is a grower, despite the basic two guitars, bass and drums lineup and no frills production you reach a lot of different places during the ride. Demian is deadly hard rock, a perfectly organized vibe straddling live energy and crafted itinerary, amongst the first obscure major label killers that commanded premium $$ with collectors even way back in the late ‘70s. It gets you there every time, even half a century later!"

Chris Menist pares his sound right back for A book of imaginary beings, his fourth Awkward Corners outing with a project of electronic and abstracted global grooves. Experimenting with simple melodies and uncluttered arrangements, as well as taking inspiration from the Borges' short stories alluded to in the title, the project took shape in the early part of 2025, in the shorter days and dark evenings of January.

The initial challenge was to knock a basic track into shape each evening after work, then refine it later. There's a melancholy in the air in late winter, compounded by the creeping threat of national and geopolitical instability. Ulla, Natural Information Society, Jabu, Torso and Dawuna formed some of the background soundtrack as each tune took shape.

The track titles came after sitting with the sounds for a while, giving shape to images of people, creatures and their stories for a book that is yet to be written.

Two former friends sets the tone for the album perfectly as a minimal electronic piece with a slowly simmering synth bassline underpinning the groove whilst the trademark Awkward sound of the Shahi Baaja enters drenched in effects. It's the first demonstration of Chris' unique ability to create a world from apparently very little.

Dance of the silver beetles is completely unique in that we can hear chopped up Illimba samples seemingly playing backwards and forewords sometimes alone, sometimes together in duet with Chris' conga rhythms. Add to that a more conventional Illimba melody and added shaker percussion and you have one of A book of imaginary beings most curious chapters.

Anxious shadow puppets is closer to the Awkward Corners sound from previous albums as electronic pulses move around the arrangement with the urgency that the track title suggests. Chris' percussive roots move to the fore with the congas that tie down the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band's sound. Here, the bassline is more playful and works together with one of Chris' many African Illimbas.

Fans of Chris' adventures on his Roland 808 will dig A leopard with no spots, although the minimal mood continues to flow through on this track. The lolloping, but hard-hitting rhythm track provides the grounding for strange and twisting feedback-sounding tones to work the soundscape.

Abandoned boy (left in charge of the family business) is Awkward Corners at his atmospheric best. Drift off to the sublime sounds of Chris exploring the Shahi Baaja, whilst a soft, repetitive synth line and abstracted pads give the listener that feeling of meditation and peace.

Flamingo with bandaged neck is A book of imaginary beings' perfect coda and is exclusively Shahi Baaja draped in reverbs and delays. It feels like the resolution and the closing of a book that – as of yet – remains unwritten.

Awkward Corners is Chris Menist, a musician, DJ and writer. It started life as a small project in Islamabad, where Chris was living at the time. Initial recordings were made with local musicians in Pakistan and then subsequently in Thailand. This culminated in the Sweet Decay LP that came out on Finders Keepers' Disposable Music in 2014, and in turn led to a limited tape release on Boomkat/Reel Torque of original compositions and re-edits of Thai 45s the same year. Chris released – Dislocation Songs – his second LP proper with Shapes of Rhythm in May 2020, collaborating on many of the tracks with award-winning performer Sarathy Korwar. The LP was picked up by many radio stations including NTS, Resonance FM, BBC 6 Music, Balamii and many more. It made Tom Ravenscroft's LPs of 2020. Amateur Dramatics, Chris' second LP arrived just a year later in 2021 and was a more ambitious project featuring more jazz-focussed compositions and featuring Tamar Osborn and Kitty Whitelaw. Shortly after that came another pivot with the heavier, dancefloor-friendly EP Somebody Somewhere. Somebody Somewhere is Dancing in a Field brought the House (yes House!) vibes, whilst Hector Plimmer turned in a remix of No Words in the same club mood.

As one of NTS Radio's longest-standing presenters, Chris continues to hold down the Paradise Bangkok show. Playing drums and percussion since he was a kid, Chris is the percussionist for The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band as well as co-founding the record label of the same name. Chris has curated compilations for labels such as Finders Keepers, Soundway and Dust-To-Digital. He has been featured on the Boiler Room, Vinyl Factory Collections, played at the Four Tet curated Nuits Sonores festival, and has put together an edition of Volumes which featured unreleased Awkward Corners compositions.






[d] 04: All the Goodbyes (You Tried to Defer) [Original]





[j] 10: Abandoned Boy (Left in Charge of the Family Business) [Original]

The mythical Full Bass label returns for its 17th opus.
This time featuring Akouphen, a long-standing member of the Vital prod team, Melly and his explosive style! Sergio from the french FeePT crew and the 2 BeBert Brothers! Freetekno is perfectly represented on this record, which will appeal to fans of the style.

The mythical Full Bass label returns for its 17th opus.
This time featuring Akouphen, a long-standing member of the Vital prod team, Melly and his explosive style! Sergio from the french FeePT crew and the 2 BeBert Brothers! Freetekno is perfectly represented on this record, which will appeal to fans of the style.

New single by Romperayo on 7-inch vinyl spinning at 45 rpm, released by the Austrian label discos
elgozo.
This record is a tribute to the sound of Cumbia Sabanera de Acordeón from Colombia, in dialogue with
Mexico’s Cumbia Sonidera. It also pays homage to the melodic line of the first generation of
Colombian accordion masters of Cumbia Sabanera such as Joaquín Betín, Emiro Caicedo, and
Policarpo Calle.

The two tracks are built on a solid rhythmic foundation of bass and percussion, accompanying a
melodic interplay between accordion and analog synthesizer.Mixed and produced by Pedro Ojeda Acosta at Romperayo Studios, both songs were recorded live, in
quartet format, at Mambo Negro Studios in Bogotá, Colombia, by Daniel Michel, featuring Iván
Medellín on accordion, Nicolás Eckardt on electric bass, Juan Manuel Toro on analog synth, and Pedro
Ojeda on percussion.
This single offers a first taste of Romperayo’s upcoming LP, set for release in early 2026 — once again
on discos elgozo.

Neuestes Signing bei Blue Note Records ist der in Houston geborene und in Los Angeles lebende Pianist
und Komponist Paul Cornish. Derzeit ist er auch Mitglied von Joshua Redmans Band, tourte im vergangenen Jahr mit dem Saxophonisten um die Welt und brilliert auf seinem aktuellen Album „Words Fall Short“.
“You’re Exaggerating!” heißt Cornishs Debütalbum, auf dem er neun kompositorisch hochspannende Originale präsentiert. Im Trio mit Bassist Joshua Crumbly und Drummer Jonathan Pinson erweist er sich
zudem als Pianist von ungewöhnlicher Klasse. Das Album vermag gleichzeitig durch die melodisch ausgefeilten Kompositionen als auch die mal verhaltene, mal rasante Spielweise der drei Musiker zu überzeugen.
Paul Cornish machte seinen Master-Abschluss am angesehenen Herbie Hancock Institute an der UCLA
und ist neben Joshua Redman mit so namhaften Künstlern wie Louis Cole, Mark Guiliana, HAIM, Snoh
Aalegra, Terrace Martin, Kanye West und anderen zu hören gewesen.

Originally recorded in the Dutch towns of Ureterp and Groningen between 2003 and 2005, 'Through Friendly Waters' marks a pivotal moment in Reimer Eising’s —better known as Kettel— journey through melodic braindance and ambient electronica. With his classical training on piano and a refined sensibility for gentle electronic textures, Kettel weaves together shimmering piano motifs, warm ambient textures, playful breakbeats, and pastoral atmospheres that shimmer with emotional resonance.

First released in 2005 via his own label Sending Orbs, the album soon achieved cult status among IDM fans, celebrated for balancing playful compositional elegance with heartfelt sonic depth. TFW still remains as a timeless soundtrack that perfectly encapsulates why Kettel remains a key figure of electronic music enthusiasts two decades on.

To honour its twentieth anniversary, Lapsus Records presents 'Through Friendly Waters (20th Anniversary Edition)', marking the album’s debut on vinyl within the Perennial Series. This edition has been remastered by Alex Ferrer and redesigned by Basora, resulting in a deluxe version that also includes the tracks "Unistar" and "Toen", which were originally released only on CD by the Timothy Really label back in 2007.

Verve // Remixed Holiday returns this season with a fresh spin on timeless cheer. Inspired by the beloved 2008 release, this vibrant reimagining of classic holiday tracks from Verve Records’ legendary catalog features five brand new remixes from a cutting-edge lineup of DJs and producers: Ginton, Bolden., Tourist, Two Another, and DARGZ. Their genre-blurring interpretations bring new life to beloved recordings, fusing modern electronic textures and grooves with jazz, soul, and holiday nostalgia.

This release offers a renewed celebration of the season—where vintage vocals meet forward-thinking production. From cozy fireside vibes to festive dance-floor energy, Verve // Remixed Holiday bridges generations of sound and spirit.

Pressed on “Crystal Clear” vinyl, this is a must-have for collectors and a holiday essential you will putting on all year long.

"Imagine More is the follow-up to Lophae's acclaimed debut Perfect Strangers (January 2025).
Recorded live to 2-inch,16-track analogue tape with the band all in one room, engineered and mixed by Benedic Lamdin (Nostalgia 77), and mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones (Gearbox Studios), this second offering from guitarist and composer Greg Sanders' quartet ventures deeper into their distinctive blend of modern jazz, psychedelic exploration, and world music flourishes.
Four gifted improvisers navigate Sanders' compositions with mercurial dialogue and musical communion, weaving melodic elegance with rhythmic complexity, creating sound-worlds that echo Jeff Parker, Joao Gilberto, and Blake Mills while channeling the sophistication of Stan Getz, Bill Frisell, and Edu Lobo.
Fizzing electric guitar, flowing saxophone lines, and skittering rhythmic interplay transport listeners from north-west London's Fish Factory recording studio to the musical capitals of New York, New Orleans, Rio De Janeiro, Bamako, and Johannesburg - anchored by Sanders' unmistakable compositional voice and the quartet's intuitive sensitivity."

A selecta ogf Hard tunes, 180 / 200 Hardflor plus plus... Kind of Hardcore tribe, progressives and Banging !

Enjoy !

Belgian pop superstar Max Colombie, aka Oscar and the Wolf, announces new
album ‘The Shimmr’, on PIAS Recordings.
Enter Colombie’s world and you’ll discover a uniquely dazzling and shimmering
fusion of contemporary R&B and a more European electro-pop sensibility, uniting
shivery melody, shifting beats and vocals steeped in drama, sensuality and yearning.
Colombie hears, “a twilight zone where it doesn’t sound dark nor happy. It’s like the
name Oscar and the Wolf; it’s a balance between light and dark, this perfect
combination between the sun and the moon. It’s beautiful and scary at the same
time.”
Oscar and the Wolf’s official debut, the 2012 EP ‘Summer Skin’, showed his gifts
arrived virtually fully formed, but he truly came of age in 2014 with his debut album
‘Entity’. Balanced between dancefloor anthems and slow jams, ‘Entity’ went 4 times
Platinum in his native Belgium and quickly jettisoned Colombie to superstar status.
He sold out arenas in Belgium and the Netherlands, taking the penultimate
headlining slot (behind Muse) at 2016’s Lowlands festival before headlining
Belgium’s Pukkelpop festival, sharing the bill with Rihanna and LCD Soundsystem.
Released in 2017, the second Oscar and the Wolf album, ‘Infinity’, went Platinum at
home, whilst amassing a huge Middle Eastern fanbase across Turkey (where his
2018 tour sold out in minutes), Egypt, Israel and Iran. On stage, Colombie cut a
commanding and lithe performer, often garbed in shimmering outfits that interacted
with the dynamic lighting.
The new Oscar and the Wolf album, ‘The Shimmer’, distils the essence of Colombie’s
sound and vision in its title and the image of Colombie on the album cover, bathed in
starry light. The album is a benchmark of his transformation on record; whereas
‘Entity’ was recorded in a barn, “very lo-fi with no access to gear,” he recalls.
‘The Shimmer’’s bold, rich and layered dynamics were captured at ICP Studios in
Brussels, home to, “one of the best live rooms in Europe, with all this vintage gear.”
More intimate moments were added at Colombie’s house outside the city, “those
magic takes we made just after we’d written something, which are so hard to capture
again.”
By ‘we’, Colombie includes producer Jeroen De Pessemier and multi-instrumentalist
Ozan Bozdag, who had both worked on ‘Infinity’ (and Bozdag on ‘Entity’ too). “It’s a
magical trio,” Colombie says. “Everyone is allowed to be themselves, and to explore
themselves. I’m really happy with ‘The Shimmer’ because I hear a more mature
version of myself. I always want things to grow, and I’m proud that I allowed myself to
not follow people’s expectations and reproduce what had been successful before.
There are no four-to-the-floor clubby pop songs this time.”
Instead, ‘The Shimmer’ more accurately reflects Colombie’s personality. “My
emotions run from super-happy to super-melancholic in a split second,” he says. “To
me, ‘The Shimmer’ feels like the soundtrack to a blockbuster, with many types of
tracks and themes. It’s always changing."

Patami isn't a judo mat, an animal defense association or a kind of sausage. Patami is a concept unique to each individual and, above all, unique to singer Stanislas. Patami is a friend to all children. He's at their service, but he's also their king. For the audience, it's whatever they want it to be, as long as it's comforting! Patami is Astéréotypie's third album, an extraordinary musical adventure featuring post- punk, noise and electro sounds. There are also some lovely melodies. Patami will shake your heart with the myths, memories, concepts and rants of the four star MCs: Claire, Stan, Yohann and Aurélien, the greatest songwriters of the moment (a few guests are also expected)! In short, Patami is like nothing you've ever heard before, and what's more, it's a real comfort. Their previous record, Aucun mec ne ressemble à Brad Pitt dans la Drôme, released in the spring of 2022, was warmly received by the public and achieved great critical success. Since then, Astéréotypie has been playing headline shows and festivals all over France. The band's singularity has left its mark. After 10 years of existence, the collective has finally found its audience.

Since its formation in 1969, Soul Media had been advocating a fusion of jazz and rock. The next step along that line was this album, “In the Groove,” recorded in 1973.

The sharpness of jazz is brought to the forefront, with rock melting in to give it an edge, and funk injected to imbue it with power and resilience. The result was a strong, sophisticated, and simply “cool music” that could not be categorized within existing genres such as jazz rock, jazz funk, or fusion.

This work is also described as a response to The Crusaders, a group that Jiro Inagaki was paying attention to at the time. His aim was right on target. With this album, Soul Media acquired a “sophisticated black feeling” and headed for their final destination, “Funky Stuff.”

Words by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds).