quête:miam 1

A cult album by Belgian songwriter and producer Benjamin Schoos, aka Miam Monster Miam, Soleil Noir (2005) celebrates its 20th anniversary with an exclusive vinyl reissue.A haunting album at the crossroads of British folk, cinematic blues, and introspective French chanson. Evoking Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Léo Ferré, and Ry Cooder, it unfolds a melancholic poetry elevated by the words of filmmaker Olivier Smolders and lush orchestrations, featuring the Liège Philharmonic Orchestra and the intricate fingerpicking guitar work of Jacques Stotzem.A nocturnal and spellbinding record, where narrative tension and raw emotion intertwine.

21st anniversary of Hey Tank, Miam Monster Miam's second album in limited vinyl edition. A absurd and poetic piece of music from the indie belgium lofi scene of the 90's. The Sleeve note are written by Dogbowl.

This is France in the Mitterrand years: fashions fleet as fast as governments. In the early eighties, the happy-go-lucky gather the nectar of each and every new release.
Believing in a bright future for videotex, and loosened up by the sexy talks broadcasted on the budding pirate radios, the new generation dreams of dance floors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams.

What the web now refers to as French Boogie is some synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when nothing was impossible, or so it seemed. Its syncopated flow heralded the dawning of French rap. Often considered as some kind of post-disco, inspired as much by black music as by new wave, this carefree pop music with bawdy lyrics indulged in simple pleasures: holidays, swank and sun were recurrent themes. Totally in tune with its time, it incidentally glorified luxury, success, and a certain consumerism embodied, for instance, in Bernard Tapie.

In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil, or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois - where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks - an enthusiastic audience discovered this new sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by Sugar Hill Gang or Kurtis Blow. The artists who first launched the movement engaged in it wholeheartedly, but as often the case with new music trends in France, humour and casualness quickly became a decoy to impose a new style. This explosive mixture, in which startling and typically Frenchy French lyrics go along New-York-style tunes, is sometimes reminiscent of the kinky comedies directed by Max Pécas or Claude Zidi. On this prolific scene, partly originating from the Jewish community, everybody was looking for success, trying to hit the jackpot with what was to hand. Famous media personalities, one-hit wonders or John Does in quest of fame, all had a go at French Boogie - more or less successfully. Apart from « Vacances j'oublie tout » by Elégance, « Un fait divers et rien de plus » by Le Club, or « Chacun fait ce qui lui plaît » by Chagrin d'amour (produced by Patrick Bruel), very few songs became hits: the story of funk in France is that of a half-baked robbery.

In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh and hybrid style. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), or Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Scratch Band, Mandrake, Scratch Man...) added an eccentric touch to this sound-wave, making it often entertaining, and sometimes showy.

Capture d'écran 2015-10-26 à 12.55.43Singers like Agathe (the author of 'La Fourmi' and of the hit song 'Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule') were far more than just window dressing. They even tried to give an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. The very vindictive rebel Gérard Vincent shared in this spirit, but as a whole, French Boogie became associated with nonchalance and sauciness. Thus, Stéphane Collaro, Gérard Jugnot, Alain Gillot Pétré and other TV clowns would clumsily contribute to this French variation on funky sounds. In a few but intense years, French Boogie gave all the tips to party with style.

If some hits made it possible for the happy few to get a real house under truly exotic palm trees, the wave actually ebbed away very quickly, leaving quite a few musicians stranded on the shore. Whether they were sincerely motivated, or simply opportunistic, they had failed. In 1984, French Boogie was already breathless, and got merged with other genres: on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Sydney's show, H.I.P.H.O.P, and Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova; on the other, italo, new beat and house began to rule over dance floors, even more strongly asserting the will to develop music for clubs.

Squeezed in between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French Boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless bass lines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French Boogie is what you need to party.

Once I Was Young and The Airplane Album find the producer taking yet another sonic right turn. "These records were made in the same year with a very similar creative process. I moved almost completely away from sampling, experimented more than ever with ambient and techno elements and used the album format as a way to tell a story about moments in my life." Once I Was Young is a storytelling work that journeys through analogue synth-pop, modulated techno and raw, dusty drums with otherworldly melodies. Moments of beauty come through escapist, naturalistic ambient tracks and fusions of Kraftwerkian sequencing with more classical piano, while stark, clubready grooves keep things moving. Airplane contrasts similar shades of light and dark, synthetic and organic, rough and smooth. Glitchy, imperfect analogue sounds, knackered drum machine grooves and eerie synth phrasing evoke a post-human world with icy atmospheres. Elsewhere, warmth comes from bittersweet melodies and loose, funky drums that ooze retro-future charm.
Once I Was Young and The Airplane Album show a diff erent side to Escobar, one that embraces introspection and experimentation while exploring a whole other world of meaningful machine soul

For its 9th release after its relaunch, Apnea Records proudly presents another ERP record, this time in the form of a 2x12" Album "Faded Caprice" is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of summer's fading glow. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, each track is a sonic tableau, capturing the essence of hot afternoons and wistful sunsets. E.R.P.'s signature blend of deep, cosmic funky electro gems resonates with emotional depth, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its hypnotic embrace. From the pulsating rhythms of "Miami Nice" to the introspective melodies of "Cape Earl "Faded Caprice" is a testament to E.R.P.'s artistry and vision. A testament to Gerard Hanson's music landscape, offering audiences a glimpse into the boundless possibilities of sound and emotion.

Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman kehren mit dem neuesten Teil ihrer fortlaufenden Lice-Reihe zurück: Miami Lice: Season 4. Dieses Mal übernimmt Aesop Rock die gesamte Produktion und schafft eine Balance zwischen stimmungsvollen Synthesizern und Drums, die von karg und schwer bis hin zu Wohlfühl-Vibes mit einem Hauch von Schwung reichen. Der Eröffnungstrack ,Who Sent You" ist ein hervorragendes Beispiel für Letzteres und dient als hervorragende Vorahnung dessen, was auf der EP zu erwarten ist: eine Mischung aus Humor, cleveren Texten und einer Fülle von Stilelementen - Eigenschaften, die Der Eröffnungstrack ,Who Sent You" ist ein hervorragendes Beispiel für Letzteres und dient als ausgezeichnete Vorahnung dessen, was auf der EP zu erwarten ist: eine Mischung aus Humor, cleveren Texten und einer Fülle von Stilen - Qualitäten, die ihren Höhepunkt erreichen, wenn die beiden in dem herausragenden Track ,Burnt Mauve" die Zeilen hin und her werfen. Im Laufe der acht Songs beweist dieses Projekt erneut, dass Aesop und Sandman zusammen immer natürlicher klingen und ein großartiges Paar bilden. Schalten Sie ein für Staffel 4, Lice ist zurück!

Fresh from releasing projects on Method 808 and Future Classic, landing a huge collaboration with Chloé Caillet, and delivering an official remix for Fatboy Slim, PPJ are entering a new chapter in full force. Their expansive take on global street sounds, ranging from neoperreo to Miami bass, gets a cool re-coating.

Led by the magnetic vocalist Páula, with production from Povoa (individually supported by Four Tet, Ben UFO, and Barry Can't Swim, with recent releases on Live From Earth), the duo operates in maximalist mode: playful, sensual, and slightly unhinged.PPJ’s new era, JOKER, embraces a figure that appears everywhere from card decks to carnival culture as a symbol that mirrors their own DNA: funny, eerie, seductive, unpredictable. The EP leans further into club territory, but rather than polishing their edges, PPJ amplify them.

At the emotional core of the record sits “Coeur,” co-produced with Chloé Caillet. It begins with an MPB-tinged foundation flirting with bossa nova. It’s unmistakably Brazilian, bathed in sunset hues before being sped up and twisted into a dance-floor-ready electronic form. The groove shimmers with tension: warm percussion, elastic basslines, and Páula’s voice hovering between intimacy and tease. It feels like a remix of itself, romantic, but slightly untrustworthy.

If “Coeur” glows, “To Nem Ai” is a slow burner. A very deep and downtempo house cut, it unfolds slowly, almost luxuriously, guided by sensual vocals that feel whispered directly into the ear of the listener. A hypnotizing piano sample that feels like a late-night confession. It’s the kind of record that transforms a dancefloor into something tactile.

Elsewhere, “Me Pega” is a high-energy reinterpretation of the tech-house sounds from Santa Catarina, one of southern Brazil’s most feverish party states, twisted and accelerated for ferocious impact. Drawing direct inspiration from Sarro, a raw and vibrant Brazilian street dance, the track captures physical intensity in its purest form: sweat, bass pressure, collective release.

Its counterpart, “Tem Carnaval” channels Páula’s vivid storytelling into a thunderous ode to Rio’s carnival spirit, euphoric, chaotic, cinematic landed just in time for this year’s celebrations.

On “Sexy Doce,” rugged electroclash melodies collide with unexpected references. “It was inspired by Budots, which is dance music from the streets in the Philippines,” Povoa explains. “Then we mixed it with Páula’s Brazilian vocals. Baile funk is similarly from the streets, so there is a connection.” The result is raw yet futuristic, a cross-continental flirtation that feels both underground and explosive.

With this new EP, PPJ make music like they’re tuning into a dozen pirate frequencies at once. Pirate radio from Rio to Berlin to Manila intercepting fragments of street culture, sensuality, and chaos, and stitching them into something deliriously cohesive.
JOKER doesn’t just nod to club culture. It challenges it, twists expectation and leaves a lasting impression.

They Came Like Swallows is the first album-length collaboration between Thurston Moore and Kramer (now officially Bonner Kramer), two giants of alternative/ experimental music. The accomplishments and influence of these two artists in the world of independent music cannot be overstated and the result of their artistic union is a startlingly cohesive statement that burns through landscapes of primitive outsider rock, avant-garde composition, progressive ambient and further locales boldly and beautifully unnamable. “Kramer and I reconnected in Miami, Florida, a few years back, many many years after each of us had departed NYC on separate life adventures. It was only a matter of time before Kramer and I started making plans to record together and with his irrepressible due diligence he quickly set up a mobile recording contraption in the pad I was decamped in, the Florida sunshine flowing through the palm leaves, lithe lizards skittering across the windowsills, and we just went for it.

Kramer had the idea to cover a Joy Division tune, a left turn from the improvisations we had been tracking, though wholly in keeping with both our sensibilities of light and dark unifying in transcendent songwriting, both of us devotees of 'the song' as well as 'the freedom.’ What transpired is They Came Like Swallows, a session we immediately felt should exist as a prayer to the war-torn souls of the families of Palestine continually decimated by the brutality of genocide. We agreed beyond words to offer our music as a sonic activism and as a beneficent energy. This album is our duo exchange for human dignity, it is our soul music for any semblance of a peaceful planet.” ~ Thurston Moore “For the first time in our nearly 45 years of friendship, we had identical time windows open to make a record together,” recounts Kramer. After all this time not a moment is wasted as the duo immediately taps into the heightened core of improvisational tension across these seven offerings. Volcanic opener “Urn Burial” notches a similar historic union (John Cale and Terry Riley) to meet the circumstances of the moment, with swirling mists of organ and pounding toms over guitar that thickens the atmosphere with jagged, grimy dissonance.

Solemn strings open the second track, “The Redness In The West,” with Kramer’s cello and viola in dueling bow beneath the high tension drive and sustain of Thurston’s electric guitar, tapping out a Morse code of tension that mounts endlessly into a fog of inevitable war by the end. Moore and Kramer’s sense of experimentalism is in free and full grandeur throughout They Came Like Swallows, though the duo keep a strong and constant sideways eye on melody, composition and architecture, to the ends that any strict lines between song and improvisation are blurred beyond qualification.

As if to punctuate this point, Swallows closes with a nightwork cover of Joy Division’s “Insight,” a doleful coda that breathes out with a solemn inner grace under Thurston’s instantly stylistically recognizable guitar melodies as they weave into he and Kramer’s unison voices. As the lone vocal piece and only traditional ‘song’ form on the album, “Insight” is unique to this set and as a closing statement draws connective lines back to the kind of dynamic, electrified melodicism that wove deep, melancholy patterns into the untamed fire of Sonic Youth’s Sister and Daydream Nation. In the album’s final moments, the two voices repeat the lyric “I’m not afraid anymore” as mantra, underscoring the heavy, unsettled themes and methods that preceded it. Kramer describes the creative process of They Came Like Swallows: “I had composed and recorded a few pieces at my home studio over the course of a couple weeks. Thurston was spending the winter in South Florida, so I flew down and spent a few days recording his guitar parts in his home there. Watching him spontaneously compose his parts was pretty astonishing, to say the least. Once we'd finished working on those pieces, we began improvising and following wherever the music pointed us, and another few pieces were born. We got straight to it, without anything driving us other than the joy of finally working together.

My personal goal was to remain present and catch as many surprises as I could from Thurston's guitar work, and there were plenty during those few days. We had a fucking blast.” Thurston’s contributions here will be readily familiar to any acolytes of his other works, the through-line between his inspired playing, cradled in Kramer’s meticulous, solid arrangements. “If I had to make this record again, I'd do it all exactly the same way,” Kramer says. “It’s like jazz, you don't think about it. You just do it. It was miraculous, and you don't fuck with a miracle.”

They Came Like Swallows is the first album-length collaboration between Thurston Moore and Kramer (now officially Bonner Kramer), two giants of alternative/ experimental music. The accomplishments and influence of these two artists in the world of independent music cannot be overstated and the result of their artistic union is a startlingly cohesive statement that burns through landscapes of primitive outsider rock, avant-garde composition, progressive ambient and further locales boldly and beautifully unnamable. “Kramer and I reconnected in Miami, Florida, a few years back, many many years after each of us had departed NYC on separate life adventures. It was only a matter of time before Kramer and I started making plans to record together and with his irrepressible due diligence he quickly set up a mobile recording contraption in the pad I was decamped in, the Florida sunshine flowing through the palm leaves, lithe lizards skittering across the windowsills, and we just went for it.

Kramer had the idea to cover a Joy Division tune, a left turn from the improvisations we had been tracking, though wholly in keeping with both our sensibilities of light and dark unifying in transcendent songwriting, both of us devotees of 'the song' as well as 'the freedom.’ What transpired is They Came Like Swallows, a session we immediately felt should exist as a prayer to the war-torn souls of the families of Palestine continually decimated by the brutality of genocide. We agreed beyond words to offer our music as a sonic activism and as a beneficent energy. This album is our duo exchange for human dignity, it is our soul music for any semblance of a peaceful planet.” ~ Thurston Moore “For the first time in our nearly 45 years of friendship, we had identical time windows open to make a record together,” recounts Kramer. After all this time not a moment is wasted as the duo immediately taps into the heightened core of improvisational tension across these seven offerings. Volcanic opener “Urn Burial” notches a similar historic union (John Cale and Terry Riley) to meet the circumstances of the moment, with swirling mists of organ and pounding toms over guitar that thickens the atmosphere with jagged, grimy dissonance.

Solemn strings open the second track, “The Redness In The West,” with Kramer’s cello and viola in dueling bow beneath the high tension drive and sustain of Thurston’s electric guitar, tapping out a Morse code of tension that mounts endlessly into a fog of inevitable war by the end. Moore and Kramer’s sense of experimentalism is in free and full grandeur throughout They Came Like Swallows, though the duo keep a strong and constant sideways eye on melody, composition and architecture, to the ends that any strict lines between song and improvisation are blurred beyond qualification.

As if to punctuate this point, Swallows closes with a nightwork cover of Joy Division’s “Insight,” a doleful coda that breathes out with a solemn inner grace under Thurston’s instantly stylistically recognizable guitar melodies as they weave into he and Kramer’s unison voices. As the lone vocal piece and only traditional ‘song’ form on the album, “Insight” is unique to this set and as a closing statement draws connective lines back to the kind of dynamic, electrified melodicism that wove deep, melancholy patterns into the untamed fire of Sonic Youth’s Sister and Daydream Nation. In the album’s final moments, the two voices repeat the lyric “I’m not afraid anymore” as mantra, underscoring the heavy, unsettled themes and methods that preceded it. Kramer describes the creative process of They Came Like Swallows: “I had composed and recorded a few pieces at my home studio over the course of a couple weeks. Thurston was spending the winter in South Florida, so I flew down and spent a few days recording his guitar parts in his home there. Watching him spontaneously compose his parts was pretty astonishing, to say the least. Once we'd finished working on those pieces, we began improvising and following wherever the music pointed us, and another few pieces were born. We got straight to it, without anything driving us other than the joy of finally working together.

My personal goal was to remain present and catch as many surprises as I could from Thurston's guitar work, and there were plenty during those few days. We had a fucking blast.” Thurston’s contributions here will be readily familiar to any acolytes of his other works, the through-line between his inspired playing, cradled in Kramer’s meticulous, solid arrangements. “If I had to make this record again, I'd do it all exactly the same way,” Kramer says. “It’s like jazz, you don't think about it. You just do it. It was miraculous, and you don't fuck with a miracle.”

‘Black Butterfly’ is Brooklyn Funk Essentials eighth studio album and includes the bands recent hits ‘Never Give Up’, ‘Bust The Bus Stop’ and ‘Life During Wartime’. Playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM and supported by Craig Charles and Cerys Matthews at 6 Music as well as many stations across Europe and the Americas. The album was produced and co-written by bassist Lati Kronlund and features Alison Limerick, Ebba Åsman and Desmond Foster on vocals.

Kronlund and Limerick have been enjoying the recent renewed interest in ‘Where Love Lives’. Kronlund wrote and produced it for Limerick in 1990, it was remixed by Frankie Knuckles and David Morales and became a club classic and was featured in this year’s John Lewis Christmas TV Ad. Arthur Baker heard the original in a club in 1991 that he contacted Kronlund about working together and they then formed Brooklyn Funk Essentials.

Since then, Brooklyn Funk Essentials have built a devoted international following and notched up over 100 million streams. Fusing Soul, Hip Hop, Spoken Word, Jazz, Latin, and, of course,
Funk, the band’s journey began experimenting with drum machines and loops in Baker’s Shakedown Sound Studio in Jersey City—hunting for that perfect beat. The early recordings featured greats such as Maceo Parker, Lenny Pickett, Tower of Power Horns, Michigan & Smiley, and Dizzy Gillespie, leading to the acclaimed debut ‘Cool & Steady & Easy’ (1994). Fast-forward to April 2024, when Kronlund reunited with Baker in Miami, rediscovering recordings featuring percussion prodigy Bashiri Johnson, which inspired new creative sparks for the next chapter of Brooklyn Funk Essentials.

The Scythe is a collective of rappers united around commonality in sound and skills as MCs, headed by ringleader Denzel Curry and including familiar collaborators A$AP Ferg, Tia Corine, Bktherula, & Key Nyata. Comprised of its five members and rooted within a budding scene of modern and cross generational hip-hop, The Scythe picks up the banded spirit of Denzel's foundational Raider Klan days while continuing his futuristic takes on old school regional rap (Memphis, Houston, Miami), heard most recently on King of the Mischievous South. Combining Denzel's energetic style with classically gritty, southern sounds, the project centers hip-hop's core across eras, paying homage yet ushering in a rising new guard.



a 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)
b 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700
c 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)
d 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] 1. THE SCYTHE | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] 2. LIT EFFECT | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] 3. PHONY | Denzel Curry [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] 4. MUTT THAT BIH | Denzel Curry [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] 5. HOOPTY | Denzel Curry [Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] 6. YOU AINT GOTTA LIE | Denzel Curry [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] 7. TAN | Denzel Curry [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] 8. UP | Denzel Curry [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] a1 | THE SCYTHE [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] a2 | LIT EFFECT [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] a3 | PHONY [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] a4 | MUTT THAT BIH [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] b1 | HOOPTY[Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] b2 | YOU AINT GOTTA LIE [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] b3 | TAN [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] b4 | UP [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] a1 | THE SCYTHE [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] a2 | LIT EFFECT [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] a3 | PHONY [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] a4 | MUTT THAT BIH [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] b1 | HOOPTY[Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] b2 | YOU AINT GOTTA LIE [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] b3 | TAN [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] b4 | UP [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

[a] a1 | THE SCYTHE [Feat. TiaCorine, FERG (II)]
[b] a2 | LIT EFFECT [Feat. Bktherula, LAZER DIM 700]
[c] a3 | PHONY [Feat. Juicy J, Key Nyata, FERG (II)]
[d] a4 | MUTT THAT BIH [Feat. 1900Rugrat, Key Nyata]
[e] b1 | HOOPTY[Feat. TiaCorine, Smino]
[f] b2 | YOU AINT GOTTA LIE [Feat. 454, Luh Tyler]
[g] b3 | TAN [Feat. Bktherula, TiaCorine]
[h] b4 | UP [Feat. Rich The Kid, FERG (II), SadBoi]

Fantastic Friends Recordings drops a new 12” bringing together long-time label pillars Daniel Meister and Brizman, alongside first-time vinyl appearances on the label from Ilario Liburni (Italy/Belgium) and San Dee (Miami). Moving across deep house, minimal, subtle techno and electro influences, each artist delivers a distinct sonic identity while contributing to a cohesive overall vision. The EP reflects the collaborative and eclectic spirit that has defined Fantastic Friends since its early days, with tracks built around groove, tension and durability on the dancefloor. A timeless vinyl EP for lovers of deep, minimal and forward-thinking club music.

Battle tool repress taken from DJ Junk's infamous Second To None label.

2026 Repress

Ten years after it was first released, the eponymous debut EP by M.O.O.N gets a re-release in the much sought-after picture sleeve alongside the follow-up collections, Particles EP and Day/Night EP.

The EP has found fans in DJs such as Andrew Weatherall, Peggy Gou, and Jacques Renault, whilst the appearance of all four tracks on the soundtrack for cult game Hotline Miami the EP ensured a cult following, racking up millions of plays on streaming sites.

All tracks have been remastered by Brendan Zacharias aka Assembler Code giving the EP a new level of punch in the club and on home hi-fi.

Ten years after it was first released, the eponymous debut EP by M.O.O.N gets a re-release in the much sought-after picture sleeve alongside the follow-up collections, Particles EP and Day/Night EP.

The EP has found fans in DJs such as Andrew Weatherall, Peggy Gou, and Jacques Renault, whilst the appearance of all four tracks on the soundtrack for cult game Hotline Miami the EP ensured a cult following, racking up millions of plays on streaming sites.

All tracks have been remastered by Brendan Zacharias aka Assembler Code giving the EP a new level of punch in the club and on home hi-fi.

"Over the past three decades, Philipp Lauer has produced an incredible body of work, deploying a myriad of aliases, both as a solo artist and as a part of collaborative projects. From his hardware-steeped Frankfurt studio Pyramide 2, he has built this catalogue through original material and remix commissions, taking on the full spectrum of electronic music while retaining an unmistakable signature. He combines a hands-on approach to rhythm and composition with a DIY MO and a love of big hooks. The level of expertise at hand seems to facilitate a playfulness that subtly permeates all layers of his work. He's a pop melody natural who just so happens to love fiddling with synthesizers, drum machines, and effects an equal amount. All of these qualities are exemplified on "Embalmed In Martino": Lauer's four-track ode to the Belgian Martino sauce, a spicy tomato-based condiment, and arguably the essential ingredient to top off the namesake raw meat sandwich. On "Embalmed", which makes use of instrumentation that would fit right in on an early eighties Manchester cut, and "Martino", where a sturdy, electroclash flavored arp bass provides the stamina, a slew of big and small riffs easily work their way in, thirsting for our ears. On the other side, "Transactional" combines Miami basslines and similarly electro-fundamental twinkling synth work with a flanger-laced 4/4 beat, while "Don't You Know" features soaring synthwave patterns and the only vocal samples on the EP. Both sport rich arrangements as well, right down to the cowbell overdubs. Lauer's often lauded for his "summery sound". In this light ALT026 lands right on time - yet we might disagree here, as it's suited for all seasons, and all terrains, both the shiny festival grounds and the dim-lit club floors."

Spider Taylor crawls over to Dark Entries with Surge Studio Music, an album of archival gay pornographic soundtracks. James Allan Taylor was born into a working-class family in Los Angeles in 1951. Nicknamed “Spider” by his father due to his frantic energy, Taylor was a natural-born guitarist, gifted with perfect pitch and a voracious musical appetite.

Throughout the 70s, he expanded his musical repertoire, playing in bands ranging from country to post-punk, like his outfit Red Wedding, while always looking for new sounds and styles to explore. During this period, Taylor also partnered with his soulmate and musical collaborator, Michael Ely. They were part of a wave of bold, young, gay couples living openly together in the years immediately following the Stonewall Riots. In the early 80s, while working at the West Hollywood gay sex club Basic Plumbing, Taylor met Al Parker, the legendary pornographic actor and director, who recruited Taylor to produce the soundtrack for a film he was working on. Parker’s partnership with Steve Scott running Surge Studios produced some of the most popular all-male films of the era. Spider’s music was a natural fit for Surge, and throughout 1985 and 1986, he composed the soundtracks for five films produced by the iconic studio. Assisted by engineer Steve Conrad and armed with a drum machine and some synths, Spider’s compositions for film veer from the expansive, reverb-drenched “Rainforest” to the Miami Vice-esque chugger “Tech.”

While Spider thought of this work as little more than a gig, tangential to his real craft, enthusiasts of VHS-era nostalgia and vintage erotica will be brought to bliss. Surge Studio Music will be available on both LP and CD, the latter of which includes a 20-minute version of “Strange Places…Strange Things!” as a bonus track. The album’s cover art was designed by Gwenael Rattke, and features stylish images from Surge Studios releases. Also included is an insert featuring liner notes by Will Lewis, a longtime friend of Spider. The music is released from Spider’s estate by Michael Ely, Spider’s partner of 43 years. The shadow of AIDS lingered over Surge; Steve Scott passed from AIDS-related illness in 1987, and Al Parker succumbed in 1992. In 2014, when it became legal for same-sex couples to marry in Arizona, Spider and Michael finally became wedded. Spider would pass away from liver cancer six months later.