quête:mercedes

Hey Mercedes, formed from members of Chicago's emo band Braid, included Bob Nanna, Todd Bell, Mark Dawursk, and Damon Atkinson. They debuted with a self-titled EP (Polyvinyl Records) in 2000 and followed up with extensive touring and two full-length albums: Everynight Fire Works (Vagrant Records) in 2001 and Loses Control (Vagrant Records) in 2003 along with two more EP's: The Weekend EP (Vagrant Records) in 2002 and Unorchestrated (Grand Theft Autumn) in 2004. Dawursk left at the end of 2001 and was replaced by Mike Shumaker. After 359 shows and several releases, the band disbanded in April 2005.They played a reunion show in 2007 and celebrated the 15th anniversary of Everynight Fire Works in 2016 with a remastered re-release and select live performances. In 2025, the band made their live comeback at Las Vegas's second annual Best Friends Forever Festival and will continue to play more shows in 2026. In March 2026, Polyvinyl Records will reissue the complete Hey Mercedes catalog. With several EPs and albums currently out of print, this release will provide Hey Mercedes fans with the opportunity to obtain every Hey Mercedes title on vinyl.

Hey Mercedes, formed from members of Chicago's emo band Braid, included Bob Nanna, Todd Bell, Mark Dawursk, and Damon Atkinson. They debuted with a self-titled EP (Polyvinyl Records) in 2000 and followed up with extensive touring and two full-length albums: Everynight Fire Works (Vagrant Records) in 2001 and Loses Control (Vagrant Records) in 2003 along with two more EP's: The Weekend EP (Vagrant Records) in 2002 and Unorchestrated (Grand Theft Autumn) in 2004. Dawursk left at the end of 2001 and was replaced by Mike Shumaker. After 359 shows and several releases, the band disbanded in April 2005.They played a reunion show in 2007 and celebrated the 15th anniversary of Everynight Fire Works in 2016 with a remastered re-release and select live performances. In 2025, the band made their live comeback at Las Vegas's second annual Best Friends Forever Festival and will continue to play more shows in 2026. In March 2026, Polyvinyl Records will reissue the complete Hey Mercedes catalog. With several EPs and albums currently out of print, this release will provide Hey Mercedes fans with the opportunity to obtain every Hey Mercedes title on vinyl. LP FORMAT DETAILS: Clear blue vinyl with download card in a gatefold jacket.

Hey Mercedes, formed from members of Chicago's emo band Braid, included Bob Nanna, Todd Bell, Mark Dawursk, and Damon Atkinson. They debuted with a self-titled EP (Polyvinyl Records) in 2000 and followed up with extensive touring and two full-length albums: Everynight Fire Works (Vagrant Records) in 2001 and Loses Control (Vagrant Records) in 2003 along with two more EP's: The Weekend EP (Vagrant Records) in 2002 and Unorchestrated (Grand Theft Autumn) in 2004. Dawursk left at the end of 2001 and was replaced by Mike Shumaker. After 359 shows and several releases, the band disbanded in April 2005. They played a reunion show in 2007 and celebrated the 15th anniversary of Everynight Fire Works in 2016 with a remastered re-release and select live performances. In 2025, the band made their live comeback at Las Vegas's second annual Best Friends Forever Festival and will continue to play more shows in 2026. In March 2026, Polyvinyl Records will reissue the complete Hey Mercedes catalog. With several EPs and albums currently out of print, this release will provide Hey Mercedes fans with the opportunity to obtain every Hey Mercedes title on vinyl.

Malvina Mercedes Meinier is an exception in the music industry: pianist, composer, arranger, producer, singer and pole dancer. The richness of her character and the multiplicity of her style, from pop ballads to the most extreme music, make her an ultra-contemporary heroine. She will be releasing a new album entitled "Mercedes" on May 3rd via Pop Noire Records.

Prince Fatty's 'Mercedes Benz' with Shniece and Horseman is a rub-a-dub version of a 1970s hit from Janice Joplin that now gets a very special and very limited edition pressing courtesy of Lovedub Limited. The A-side kicks off with the spine-tingling and epic original vocal before disappearing into a world of reverb.

At that point the dubby low end arrives and brings a different vibe to the stunning vocals but one that really makes a mark next to new bars from Horseman, police sirens and funky riffs. It's a tough sound system groove that is backed with a fine version and has been a firm fixture of Prince Fatty's record box for a while now.

"Mercedes' is Sarah Klang's first single of 2023, and also announces her upcoming album of the same title. Blending Alt Pop sounds with Americana influences, 'Mercedes' has a lushness that is reminiscent of Stevie Nicks and 'Rumours'. Shimmering synths underpin smooth rock and Sarah's soaring vocals.

Sarah Klang's upcoming album charts a very personal experience of her pregnancy, and title track 'Mercedes' encapsulates her hopes and dreams for her child. In her words, it is ”a letter to my daughter - this is the song I wrote when I was expecting her. A promise of eternal love. And that I will do my best.

Having worked with L.I.E.S, Technicolour, Resident Advisor and Dekmantel, Florian Kupfer is no newbie to the House and Techno heads.
Here he delivers a 4 track Ep for Axe On Wax sub-label Axe Traxx full of hypnotic, club ready dusty house tools!
One not to miss!

Ichisan has been coaxed back behind the velvet curtain of the Bordello, this time for eleven track trip into a land of funk filled machine music. Aperitiv cruises with no single style, instead this Slovenian synthesist glides and slides through a scatting of sounds. Cosmic. House. Disco. Wave. Italo. All are plundered to produce an album overflowing with good feeling. And these feelings are pretty damn good. The road bends- The course changes. Bubrling acid bliss, crisp beats and stunningly delicate key shifts characterise this collection. Inviting strings pull you ever deeper. A soundtrack to coast line journeys along the Gulf of Trieste in a top down convertible, late night romances and evenings of endless warmth. Allow yourself to be whisked off by Ichisan, a trip you won´t want to come back from.

2015 Vinyl reissue incl CD

Bassline brings together Russell Ruckman and Marcia Carr for a 12", which was originally part of a 2025 digital album, but now drops on wax and has been remastered for extra punch. Side A opens with the vinyl debut of Rani G & Raul Riena's 'Feels So Right' (World-Life-music Raw Teaser remix), which will soon transfix the floor while the driving groove of Hot Issue's 'Motion 96' is a cool vibe with wet clasp and dusty drums brought to life by cute little melodies and plenty of snap. Side B leans into deeper territory with Mercedes' Living For The Moment (Booker T remix)' and the uplifting dub energy of Never Gonna Give Up. If you like soulful house with a classic New York edge, this one bangs.

Seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2020 teilen Kino Motel ihre Zeit zwischen Melbourne und Berlin auf und haben ihren Sound verfeinert sowie einen ganz eigenen Stil entwickelt, den sie Beach Goth" nennen. Von Kritikern wird dieser als eine Kombination aus australischem Gothic, Slacker-Rock, Post-Punk und Cinematic Noir beschrieben. Das Duo, bestehend aus Ed Fraser und Rosa Mercedes, ist bereits ausgiebig in Europa und Australien aufgetreten und hat zahlreiche Singles veröffentlicht, bevor es 2024 sein gefeiertes Debütalbum Visions" herausbrachte. Kino Motel freut sich nun darauf, im Oktober 2026 sein zweites Album Symbolism" zu veröffentlichen. Symbolism" wurde in Melbourne aufgenommen und in Berlin produziert und läutet mit seinem düsteren, filmischen Flair eine neue Ära für Kino Motel ein. Das Album ist sonnendurchflutet, aber unruhig, romantisch, aber zerfranst, filmisch, aber bruchstückhaft. Während Visions" ihre Welt vorstellte, vertieft Symbolism" diese nun nicht als strenges Konzeptalbum, sondern als Sammlung von Momenten, die durch ihre Anhäufung an Kraft gewinnen. Jeder Song steht für sich allein, doch zusammen bilden sie eine Reihe von Zeichen, Fragmenten und emotionalen Codes.

Rosa Balisteri was one of the brightest stars on the Italian folk scene of the 1960s and 1970s, certainly far too little known given her talent and expressive power. Her life story is marked by a tormented nature, punctuated as it is by traumas, anguish, injustices, and wounds that forever scored her turbulent existence. Through her songs, Rosa relives the suffering and despair for the devastating challenges and trials of her harrowing life. The archaic and expressive power of her dialect stirs the emotions, exuding anger and pain, but also love and devotion. Through her, all of Sicily sings as well, that of the marginalized people, of peasant struggles, of miners, of cart drivers, and of war. The significance of her protest places her alongside the similar experiences of the historic voices of American blues, the great folk singers of the 1960s such as Odetta and Joan Baez, and the social commitment of two South American heroines like Violeta Parra and Mercedes Sosa. The edition includes a 20-page booklet that tells the story and features the lyrics.

Cuban virtuoso pianist Roberto Fonseca, former member of the Buena Vista Social Club, announces his new album "La Gran Diversión". A voyage into Cuba's roaring twenties, an invitation to party and dance, in a subtle blend of traditions drawn from his training with the greats, his incomparable talent, and wild modernity. "Together we'll laugh, cry and enjoy the mystery and magic of the rhythms and melodies I bring from my roots."

Balearische Grammophon is back with another EP featuring two previously unreleased remixes of one of Germany's biggest contributions to hairstyle and nylon sales.

To some less reputable musicologists these versions of "Brother Louie" are to the original version what AMG is to Mercedes Benz - pure performance.

B-side refutes any claims that Ketamine might have been less prevalent throughout German recreational circles during the 80s. If not in the streets, surely in the recording studios, whatever happened, this was not meant for radio play. For select dance floors only.

Aqua Viva is the second album by Francesco Fisotti, who returns to tell the exotic and mystical atmospheres of Puglia (Apulia), with a deep and italo house sound, jazzy and fonky, in which synths and drum machines are combined with arrangements by musicians, enriched by rap and sung.

Incl. featuring of Andrea Rossetti, Roberto Chiga, Maurizio Tomaselli, Michela Giannini, Karlino Princip, Neos, Done, Filippo Bubbico, Manu Funk, Max Ingrosso, Emiliano Roca, Marco Chiriatti, Giorgia Santoro, Alyona Tsarbell.

BRANDON MARKELL HOLMES brings more heat with remix version of his album "Try." 6 standout remixes from MOON BOOTS, AROOP ROY, BYRON THE AQUARIUS, 808 BEACH, AND BAD COLOURS crafted for peak-time sets and deep dancefloor Moments. Full pic sleeve.

T-Spoon is a Dutch Eurodance project founded in 1991 by rapper Shalamon Baskin (known as Shamrock) and producer Remy de Groot (known as Prince Peration). They had multiple hits in the UK, Australia, Canada, Israel, Ireland, Scandinavia, South America, and, of course, their home country, the Netherlands.

The group released its debut single, “No Time To Waste,” in 1993, which became a European top‑10 hit. In the years that followed, T‑Spoon scored a series of international successes with tracks such as “A Part of My Life,” “Where R U Now" and “Take Me 2 the Limit.”

In 1997, they became known for the summer hit "Sex on the Beach" which reached the charts in the Netherlands as well as Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.

This brand new Greatest Hits collection is now available on vinyl and features all of T‑Spoon’s biggest successes, plus an exclusive bonus mix of “Sex on the Beach.”

T-Spoon's Greatest Hits is available as a limited edition of 1000 copies on white marble vinyl.

On Y-3004, Solitary Dancer wade into the depths of their sonic palette for Y-3's Fall/Winter 2026 Presentation, an occasion marked by the sportswear label's turn into the world of motorsport, unveiling a partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Dark, moody, and measured, the score reflects on the early era of automotive industrialization. Inspired by the factories which captured the sounds of nascent processes operating at their own rhythm, the vast physical potential of the Palais d'Iena allowed the space to further explore such repetition. The composition proved a masterful exercise in tension & restraint, ascending from hypnotic, low-end pulsations to brightly shimmering, metallic delays and a decidedly techno finale.

Siren Selector launches its mixtape series with a companion release to Remy Solar’s - ‘Heavy Terrain’ cassette.

“Jamaican music grows in rings like an old tree. From a core of early riddims, the genius of Studio One, versions of original basslines and melodies evolve over time New releases of the same tune follow each other through the 70s, 80s, 90s, into this millennium. Generations of the same family. And then there’s the unreleased versions, the frontier dubs built strictly for sound systems, held close by those who got them and only gradually circulated into the wider audience of selectors and collectors. These are the ones where the bass is heavier, the echoes more mind- bending, the effects wilder and the drums harder. Older sound followers tell stories of how these dubs defined dances, flattened opponents in clashes, inspired a dozen rewinds. Younger followers remember these tales and pass them down. These dubs are folklore.

Who knows how many such versions there are in the vast worldwide archives of Jamaican music? Not me. But as a little taster of a lifetime’s musical journey you can open your ears right now to a few moments: Lacksley’s Castell’s “Unkind”, transported from the sprightly riddim which underpinned it on his Princess Lady album and reengineered into a thunderous version of Ras Michael’s None A Jah Jah Children; “Deceivers” by the Heptones, stripped back into something simultaneously ethereal and bathyspheric; Keith Hudson’s “I’m No Fool” emerging from a pressure cooker of bass and drum; Jah Lloyd’s “Black Moses”, busting down walls with its epic echo and siren opening.

I started collecting these dubs in the late 90s. We were going to Shaka at the Rocket, Aba Shanti in the Arches, then Imperial Gardens. Entebbe somewhere off Mare Street. Iration Steppas in Kingsland Road, Jah Tubby’s in the Rec. We were doing our own parties at the time in east London, Bohemia Place, then Trenz, Dungeons, the old social services office by London Fields. Building up a sound, taking it on the road, crew sitting on the speaker boxes in the back of a Mercedes 508. Under the stars or in warehouses with sweat dripping from the ceiling, lugging crates and amps across fields or up flights of stairs, stringing up boxes under bridges, in car parks or on roundabouts. Waiting for the moment to drop the dubs.

This tape is dedicated to my crew and all the music providers and anyone who also knew or wants to know these moments.“

Fifty Physical Copies - 60 mins - No digital

On their powerful new album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, Softcult (Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn) deliver their most unflinching and transformative work to date. Written during a period of personal upheaval and self-discovery, the record charts a journey through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment and eventual liberation. Musically, Softcult continue to expand their world of grunge, shoegaze and alt-rock textures, pairing fuzz-laden riffs and dreamy soundscapes with raw, confessional lyricism. The result is both intimate and universal: a record for anyone who has ever felt trapped or diminished by their surroundings and a rallying cry to nurture ourselves and each other in the pursuit of freedom and authenticity.

Jan Akkerman (b. 1946) stands apart as a singular figure in the realm of rock and beyond. A Dutch guitarist of unparalleled versatility, he earned international acclaim in 1973 when he topped the prestigious Melody Maker readers’ poll, surpassing icons like Eric Clapton (2nd), Jimmy Page (5th), and Carlos Santana (10th). His fame, however, has never defined his artistry. For Akkerman, it’s always been about the music—any genre, as long as it resonates. He’s a lifelong improviser who approaches each performance as a new adventure. Akkerman first rose to prominence with Focus, a band that embodied the grandiose instrumental rock spirit of the 1970s. Long compositions, dazzling technique, and adventurous arrangements made them a cornerstone of progressive rock. Despite the accolades, Akkerman remained true to his calling. When asked about his success, he has always brushed it aside, preferring to let his guitar do the talking. Side 1 of this record captures Akkerman’s stunning performance on July 10, 2011, at the Nile Hall in Rotterdam. Here, he showcases his ability to take listeners on a sonic journey. The mellow “Tranquilizer” offers a relaxed groove, followed by the heartfelt ballad “You Do Something to Me,” unfolding emotion without words. In “Piétons”—a gospel-tinged blues—trumpeter Eric Vloeimans delivers a fiery solo before the leader propels the piece into uncharted territory. Side 2 brings us back to an earlier moment, recorded in July 2005 at the Paul Acket Paviljoen in The Hague. “Streetwalker” delivers a funk-driven explosion featuring alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman, while “The Zebrah” sends Vloeimans soaring into the musical stratosphere, only to have Akkerman reignite the piece with blistering guitar lines, his band driving forward like a well-tuned Mercedes on an open highway. Akkerman’s live performances are as unpredictable as they are electrifying. Whether sharing the stage with legends or newcomers, his spontaneous creativity makes every concert unique—a master class in musical freedom. Jan Akkerman remains a touchstone for guitarists and fans alike, an authentic improviser whose name still elicits one universal response from any seasoned Dutch rock enthusiast: “He’s the best guitarist in the world.” The North Sea Jazz Concert Series includes officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper and printed on reversed board. The records are captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk. For all recordings it’s a first time ever release on vinyl!

Man-of-the-minute Jorg Kuning returns to Facta & K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint with ‘Elvers Pass’: a new 6-track exposition of his singular sound, and his most accomplished and comprehensive work to date. By now, the Jorg Kuning trademark is well established. Cherrypicking influences from the wiggiest ends of tech house, electro and bass music, his music is instantly set apart by his totally unique sound palette.

In fact, it’s hard to think of another club artist who has emerged with such a distinct and recognisable voice in recent years. Bubbling and funky with that unmistakable dose of wonk, you can tell a Jorg Kuning tune the minute it enters the mix. Since last appearing on Wisdom Teeth with 2022’s ‘Chosta-del-sol’ EP, the Welshpool-based artist has become a cult name on the global club and festival circuit - his must-see live set turning heads wherever he pitches up. Anybody who frequents the summer circuits around Freerotation, Love International, Gottwood and Dimensions will know exactly what we’re talking about. Along the way he has picked up a number of ardent and outspoken fans, including Lukas Wigflex and Koreless - the latter of whom tapped Jorg for a stellar remix on last year’s ‘Deceltica’ EP on Young. On ‘Elvers Pass’, Jorg manages to ring an exceptionally rich diversity of life from the circuitry of his modular machines.

The record’s melodies flutter and swirl like deep-sea creatures, and his synths ooze as if dredged from some primordial swamp. More so than ever, a host of otherworldly voices have begun to creep into his music: ‘Mercedes’ centres around a fluttering chorus of disembodied vocal chops, while ‘Synthetic Squashies’ rocks back and forth on a looping dialog between two AI chatbots. Across the record, synths mimic animal vocal tones, from the belching bass licks on ‘Skudde’ to the amphibious synth groans on ‘Teen Frogue’. Playful, oddball and in a class of its own, ‘Elvers Pass’ is a welcome New Year offering for ravers and club adventurers worldwide.

"Héctor Roberto Chavera (1908-1992) under his stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui is the most important Argentinian folk singer-songwriter. His father was a mestizo of Quechua and Basque ascendant who worked for the railroad company. The family moved to Tucumán, in the Argentinian northwest when he was nine years old. There Héctor adopted the stage name of Atahualpa Yupanqui in tribute to two legendary Incan kings. His quechua nickname can also be read as “he who came from afar to tell stories”.
In his youth, he travelede through the northwest of the country studying the indigenous cultures. He would get into politics joining the Argentinian Comunist Party and in 1931 took part in the failed Kennedy Brothers uprising against José Félix Uriburu coup d’êtat. when the uprising was defeated he had to seek refuge in Uruguay until 1934.
In his poems set to music, Yupanqui depicts scenes of his country¡s live and landscapes and has a very present commitment to the working class in a similar way to that of other famed singer-songrwriters, with the name of Woody Guthrie coming first to mind.
This compilation collects some of the best songs of his extensive discography in their original recordings. Many of them have been covered internationally by artists such as Daniel Viglietti, Mercedes Sosa, Facundo Cabral, Victor Jara, Los Albas, Marie Lafôret or Joan Manuel Serrat, among others."

Nachdem sie letztes Jahr die französischen Charts im Sturm erobert hat, ihr Debütalbum das meistverkaufte Jazz/World-Album des Jahres in Frankreich war und sie in mehreren Ländern wie Japan, Deutschland, Kanada und den USA, faszinierende Live-Auftritte hatte, meldet sich Gabi Hartmann nun mit ihrem neuen Album 'La femme aux yeux de sel' zurück. Auf den 13 Liedern, die größtenteils auf Englisch und Französisch gesungen werden, bewegt sie sich erneut zwischen verschiedensten Stilen und vermischt Jazz, Pop, Folk und Soul. Die Titel, manche melancholisch, manche farbenfroh und manche voller rhythmischer Energie kreieren eine ganz eigene Welt, in der man aber auch immer wieder die großen Vorbilder Mercedes Sosa oder Miriam Makeba entdecken kann. So hat Gabi Hartmann mit ihrem warmen, klaren Timbre ein sehr persönliches und facettenreiches Album geschaffen, das Grenzen und Stile vermischt und in Gabi Hartmanns eigene Traumwelt entführt.

PRESSED ON BLUE SPLASH COLORED VINYL!

Executive Producers: Benny the Butcher & ElCamino

Benny the Butcher Presents: The Outcome, the new compilation from B$F and Buffalo-based producer ILL Tone Beats, is now available on vinyl. The project boasts star-studded features from artists such as Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and Westside Gunn, who provide hard-hitting verses over Tone’s dynamic production. The album’s 14 tracks, produced entirely by ILL Tone, showcase the distinct sound of B$F that has drawn acclaim from critics and fans alike.

Panamá-born, Chicago-based drummer Daniel Villarreal is known to many for his work in Dos Santos, Wild Belle, The Los Sundowns, Valebol Rudy de Anda, and many more. He's one of the busiest players on the Chicago scene. If you're in the Windy City, find him almost any night of the week at a bar, club, or venue near you, either behind the drumkit or behind the turntables, donning a beaver skin stetson hat, with his baby blue vintage Mercedes parked out front. For his lead artist debut Panamá 77 he engages a diverse array of friends and collaborators - including Bardo Martinez (Chicano Batman), Jeff Parker (Tortoise), Marta Sofia Honer (Adrian Younge), Anna Butterss (Jenny Lewis), and Aquiles Navarro (Irreversible Entanglements) - to create a vibrant and verdant suite of multi-textural psychedelic instrumental folk-funk.

Mit ihren unberechenbaren Live-Auftritten und Songs wie "Zurück zum Beton" und "Industriemädchen" sorgten S.Y.P.H. Ende der 70er für Furore - als eine der Bands, die rund um Düsseldorfs Ratinger Hof begannen, deutschsprachig zu texten. Die Band brach von Beginn an mit genre-konformistischen Erwartungshaltungen und machte Musik, die sich bei Rock, Punk und Kraut genauso bediente wie bei der Zügellosigkeit des Dadaismus und der Realität des Tagesgeschehens. S.Y.P.H. entstand 1977 in Solingen und begann im nahen Düsseldorf Konzerte zu spielen. Anfangs deutlich am Punk angelehnt, entwickelte sich der Sound der Band schnell weiter und wurde zusehends schwerer einzuordnen. In intensiven Jahren entstanden Produktionen, bei denen immer wieder Gäste aus der Düsseldorfer Szene um den Ratinger Hof mitwirkten, aber auch Holger Czukay von der international bekannten experimentellen Rock-Band CAN, mit dem sie zwei Alben aufnahmen. Zunächst wird die erste Schaffensphase der Jahre 1977 bis 1982 aufbereitet. Die "Pure Freude Singles" inkl. bisher unveröffentlichter Songs und das selbstbetitelte Album "S.Y.P.H". Drei weitere Wiederveröffentlichungen, zwei davon produziert von CANs Holger Czukay, folgen in 2025. S.Y.P.H. - S.Y.P.H. Während sich um 1980 Punk und NDW als vermeintlich klare Begrifflichkeiten verfestigen, bezeugte S.Y.P.H.s Musik schon auf der ersten, selbstbetitelten LP die in Wahrheit verschwommeneren Genregrenzen: auf der A-Seite schmettert uns die Band kurze punkige Songs wie "Zurück zum Beton" und "Lachleute und Nettmenschen" entgegen, während die B-Seite mit über zehnminütigen Kraut-inspirierten Stücken überrascht.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco’s first collaboration on Vaya Records, the bestselling album Celia & Johnny, Craft Latino proudly presents this remastered reissue featuring (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Featuring massive hits such as “Quimbara,” “Toro Mata” and “Canto a La Habana,” the iconic album catapulted the legendary Cuban singer’s status as the “Queen of Salsa.”

Hot Piroski Records have been on something of a hiatus for the last year or so but now make a welcome return with a new EP series. This collaborative affair is the result of an epic journey in an old Mercedes from London to Gunjur and finds label head Robin 12Tree working with The Gambia and Bongo Koi as Gambian Disco Express. 'Enlightenment is Now' marks their first release on Hot Piroski Records and it comes with vocals from Gambian mystic Rev. Joseph N'Gole, recorded on the banks of the River Gambia. This one has already been hammered by Psychemagik, Pete Herbert, and Severino from Horse Meat Disco so it comes quality assured.

Beach Goth duo Kino Motel created their 10-track debut album Visions between the band's 2 homes: Melbourne and Berlin. Ed Fraser (Heads. / Cash Savage & The Last Drinks) and Rosa Mercedes (Josephine Foster Band) have created a unique and visionary album filled with space, mood, feeling and complexity. Heavily inspired by the spaces in which they travel, with Visions we see music videos shot by the band in Albania, Northern Ireland, and Australia. Ed and Rosa convey feelings and ideas of shifting landscapes and open-ended roads - "like a movie in your head" as described by Radioeins Berlin's Marion Brasch.

Janis Joplin wouldn't be denied on Pearl. The powerhouse vocalist had kicked her addictions, teamed with a stupendous band, and partnered with a producer that knew how to best showcase her voice on record. She came to the sessions with an armload of astonishing songs, and a burst of creative energy that mirrored her rejuvenated emotional state and undeniable spirit. You can hear it on every note of the 1971 record. Ranked #135 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, Pearl sold more than four million copies and stands as the first female rock superstar's definitive studio work.

Mastered from the original master tapes, cut at 45RPM, and pressed on dead-quiet vinyl at RTI, the iconic audiophile label's reissue takes Joplin and Co.'s stupendous performances to newly transcendent levels. Boasting a fidelity that further magnifies the singer's passion and producer Paul A. Rothchild's clear production, this pressing benefits from increased spaciousness, dynamics, and openness afforded by the wider grooves. Joplin's husky, strong, and penetrating singing has never sounded so vibrant or made deeper connections. Warm, organic, and free of any artificial ceilings, this version lets you step into Sunset Sound Recorders with the performers, such is the degree of realism and authenticity. Indeed, few, if any words, describe Joplin better than "authentic," and her spirit comes to life on this 2LP set in positively transcendent fashion. Like its headliner, this pressing leaves it all on the floor.

While Joplin's electrifying vocal prowess is universally lauded – she's recognized as the greatest white female blues singer the world has ever seen – her mix of compassion, confidence, and charm play as large a role in attracting listeners and keeping them ensnared more than four decades after her tragic death. And on Pearl, she burrows into deeper stylistic veins, teasing out sides of her persona and craft she'd never previously displayed. Her signature desperation, sadness, and vulnerability remain – the harrowing, lonely wail that begins her soul-ravishing take on Jerry Ragovoy's "Cry Baby," underlined with a Wall of Sound-like piano accompaniment, could only come from a person severely scarred by loss and disappointment – yet Joplin also reveals a sense of humour and beatnik innocence that helped propel the album to the top of the charts for nine straight weeks.

Playfully introduced as "a song of great social and political import," the acapella "Mercedes Benz" reflects Joplin's throaty timbre as well as her enhanced, sunnier mood. Similarly, her definitive read of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee" signals a laidback demeanour and a move into country strains, with the delivery as natural, carefree, and loving as any in the rock canon. As she does throughout the record, Joplin invests her all in the narrative so that there's no line between the performer and the song. She makes everything on Pearl feel autobiographical, and by extension, gut-wrenchingly honest, and devastatingly intimate. Joplin achieved these feats often during her brief career, yet there are differences on Pearl, chiefly among them her balance of impeccable timing and raw emotion. Heart-aching anthems such as "A Woman Left Lonely" offer both grit and control, subtlety and attack, resulting in cathartic releases distinguished with originality, personality, and instinctual passion.

Pearl remains Joplin's finest hour, with credit also owed to the Full Tilt Boogie Band – the only group she ever considered to be her own – as well as the Doors alum that sat behind the boards. Joplin and Rothchild both admitted to sharing a common bond and understanding, with the latter inheriting the role of teacher and Joplin, a willing student ready to discover how she could use her voice in new, more expressive ways. The fruits of the pair's labours fill Pearl, be it the guardedly optimistic "Get It While You Can" or assertive, fleet-footed "Move Over."

Experienced in the new light brought to fore by this definitive Mobile Fidelity edition, Joplin's swan song is no longer about a masterpiece that its creator never lived to see finished. Rather, it's about a once-in-a-lifetime vocalist realizing mammoth potential and wringing passion out of every note. It's not a tragedy, but a triumph. Get it while you can.

Toronto Producer Elaquent is back with an all-star lineup of underground bubblers inlcuding Ivan Ave, Chester Watson and Skyzoo. The new album is cosmopolitan jazz rap - smooth production with velvet lyricists from around the globe. Pressed on 180g black vinyl, this is for the audiophiles.

"Rediscovery" by Elaquent includes the following tracks: "Hoes Mad (feat. Brittney Carter & JazStarr)", "Lobster Spaghetti (feat. Brainorchestra)", "Tuscany", "Carnival (feat. Mathematik, Solar-C, Es)" and more.

Janis is an album by Janis Joplin, released in 2023. Janis includes a.o. the following tracks: “Mercedes Benz”, “Rap On "try"”, “Dick Cavett T.V. Interview (1970)”, “Piece Of My Heart” and more. The album is a Coloured Vinyl, High Quality, Insert rock 2-LP.

Impatiently returning to the golden age of Ecuadorian musica national, this second round of retrievals is more of a selectors’ affair: less reverent, more free-flowing, with more twists and turns. There is no let-up in musical quality, maintaining the same judicious, heart-piercing balance between emotional desolation and dignified endurance, the same bitter-sweet play between affective excess and musical sublimity.

This time around, the woman steal the show. Laura and Mercedes Suasti were child stars, with an exclusive Radio Quito contract. Unlike nearly all the men here, they lived long and prospered: Mercedes died last year, at the age of 93. Gladys Viera and Olga Gutierrez both came to Ecuador from Argentina. To start, Gladys plugged the scandalous new Monokini swimwear; Olga performed for visiting British royalty in 1962. Olga was glamorous but tough. She would make little of the amputation of one of her legs: ‘I don’t sing with my leg.’ She is accompanied on our opener by quintessentially reeling, sultry musica national: haunted-house organ, twinkling xylophone, Guillermo Rodriguez’ heart-plucking guitar-playing, and lilting, dance-to-keep-from-crying double-bass. ‘Sometimes I think that you will leave me with no memories,’ she sings, ‘that you hold only disappointments in store for me… In the future your love will search me out, full of regret. By then it will be too late, there will be no consolation, only disappointment awaiting you.’

Other highlights include the two contributions of Orquesta Nacional: Ponchito Al Hombro, like an off-the-wall forerunner of the Love Unlimited Orchestra, beamed into the tropics from an unknowable time and space; and the tone poem Atahualpa, a mystical yumbo invoking Quito’s most ancient inhabitants, the Kichwa. Also the tremulous, gypsy-flavoured violin-playing of Raul Emiliani, who arrived in Quito from Italy, suffering PTSD from the Second World War; the inscrutable, sardonic experimentalism of organist Lucho Munoz; and the mooing and whistling of Toro Barroso — school of Lee Perry — in which a muddy bull dashes home to his darling chola, fearless, full of desire.

Lavishly presented, with a full-size, full-colour booklet, with transporting art-work and expert notes. Luminous sound, by way of Abbey Road, D&M and Pallas.

Called a "slow-burning vocal-house juggernaut," and an "invigorating artist's artist," BRANDON has put together a collection of tracks featuring some of the genre's best producers, such as Chicago scene founders DERRICK CARTER & ANTHONY NICHOLSON.

The 16-track album opens with “War & Wonders'' as Smoke begins his journey foreshadowing an upcoming battle featuring impassioned flows and rhymes describing the violent challenges of urban living. The track opens with a storyline of Smoke getting knocked down from his ongoing battles and a woman calling his name to wake up. The narrative then progresses with latest singles “Shame On You” and “Common Sense” featuring SiR commenting on humanity’s unique simplicity and embracing our differences. At the core of the album, “Stay True” featuring John Legend accentuates the meaning of living your best life by staying true to your authentic self regardless of what life throws your way and the hardships you may face. Then “Good Thing” featuring Ty Dolla $ign offers an upbeat, positive track bringing light to companionship and finding joy in life through many avenues. Smoke wraps the project with rhythmic, jazz infused “Free Write” reflecting on the crusade of each track leading to the end of his battles, and bringing awareness to the grieving of his city from politics to systemic racism and his influence on making the situation better for future generations. War & Wonders spotlights poignant themes, necessary social commentary, and the hurdles we overcome in order to appreciate what we have in this life. For Smoke, he showcases Inglewood’s war on losing love, being in love, and battling himself as he is always being led in different directions. It is a continuous journey of learning, growing, self-discovery, and reinventing a better version of himself.

Re-released after being unavailable for 2+ years. Andrés Landero embodies like no other the spirit that made it possible to bring cumbia to the world. His legacy represents a creative pinnacle of tropical music and has influenced countless artists. This collection gathers tracks from 1966 to 1982, taken from his albums on Discos Fuentes and other labels. They all are extraordinary masterpieces of Colombian popular music. Includes liner notes by Carlos Mario Mojica (Don Alirio).
Andrés Gregorio Landero Guerra, born in 1931 in San Jacinto, Colombia, embodies like no other artist the spirit that made it possible to bring cumbia music to the world. Synonymous with the evolution of this musical genre, inevitably any selection of Landero's best songs cannot aspire to do him full justice.From the very first note he played, Landero managed to charm audiences through a complex weave of compositions, shot through with local nuances and diverse derivations from his native Caribbean province. A torrent of words and refreshingly original, he constantly sought to create his own language while remaining acutely alive to tradition. Driven by a strong personality and undeniable abilities, and solely governed by his desire to follow his musical vocation and write songs that faithfully reflect the stories of his pure native land, Landero left home at seventeen, manifesting his passion to take artistic creation to the limit while demonstrating his belief in freedom and communal living, expressed through the free rein he gives to transparent narratives in all of his songs.
Not one of the records released during Andrés Landero's career is bad, mediocre or dispensable. His coherent and constant efforts to build on the foundations of the cumbia tradition form an extraordinary legacy rich in masterpieces of Colombian popular music. Sixteen years after his death, he continues to be the creative summit of an entourage of names associated with the folk music of the tropics. He is the author of a polyphonic blossoming whose beats still sound fresh today and the outstanding figure through which to appreciate, from a historical perspective, the syncretism of indigenous and African slave music from the Caribbean coast, namely cumbia.