Following the release of Electric Rescue's new album, "Different Horizons", Laurent Garnier's COD3 QR returns to its signature various artists format for a new vinyl-only release featuring six new tracks, by WheelUP, Rapson & Kathy Brown, Mirko Loko, Costello, Jules Wells, Rod20 and James Warburton.
WheelUP is West London producer and DJ Danny Wheeler who's released music on CoOperation Records, Jamz Supernova’s Future Bounce and his long-time home Tru Thoughts. After appearing on COD3 QR in July with a track alongside Blu James, he now teams up with regular collaborator, music producer, DJ and keys player, Rapson, alongside acclaimed US vocalist Kathy Brown for the intensely soulful "Music".
Mirko Loko is a prominent Swiss talent, known for his work as resident DJ at Couleur 3 and Loft Electroclub, artistic director of Polaris festival and releases on Planet E, Border Community, Cocoon and Visionquest returns once again to COD3 QR with the Detroit-influenced "Silent Failure".
French electronic DJ and music producer, Costello returns for his sixth track on COD3 QR, having also released on Solomun's Diynamic, Chloé's Lumière Noire and most recently Maceo Plex's Ellum Audio. His bright Techno groover, "Cocotte" closes the A-side.
Another COD3 QR regular, Jules Wells opens the B-side. Influenced by the Motor City, Jules has released on labels like Electrofunk, Submerge, Twilight 76, KMS, Planet E, Brique Rouge and Logos. Here, he takes the EP into atmospheric territory with "The Rooster".
Benny Rodrigues has previously delivered tracks for COD3 QR as The Lost Souldancer. But now he reprises his Rod20 alias with "Stars Of Bethlehem". Rod20 is the dedicated hardware-only techno project he began in 2020, which prior to its standalone vinyl imprint, launched with a self-released compilation, followed by a dual-part album on Jeff Mills' legendary Axis Records.
To close the EP is the experimental ambient work of "You Are Carried On Waves Of Endless Love" by James Warburton. James is a composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work has appeared on TV and film including Netflix’s "Squid Games", HBO’s "Succession", the title music for Channel 4’s "Manhunt" and the original score for Endemolshine/Banijay’s hit TV series "Murdertown" and NBC Universal’s "Faceless" podcast.
Eve 6 is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Eve 6, originally released in 1998. The lead single and popular song "Inside Out" became a hit and reached #1 on the Modern Rock charts. Other singles include "Leech", "Superhero Girl", "Open Road Song" and "Tongue Tied", all contributing to the album's wide recognition.
The album was produced by Don Gilmore, known for his work with Linkin Park and Good Charlotte. Eve 6 became certified Platinum, selling over one million copies in the United States and achieved high positions on the Billboard charts, making it a hugely successful rock debut.
Eve 6 is available as a limited edition of 1500 numbered copies on yellow & white marble vinyl. The record comes in a deluxe sleeve finished with leather laminate and includes an insert with lyrics and liner notes.
Oráculo Records joins forces once again with Unknown Pleasures Records under the banner of “The Black Alliance” to celebrate one of electronic music’s most influential acts: SUICIDE. Widely regarded as pioneers whose radical approach helped lay the foundations of minimal synth and darkwave, Alan Vega and Martin Rev receive a tribute from artists who carried their influence into new territories. Absolute Body Control, Gabi Delgado of DAF, Patrick Codenys and Richard 23 of Front 242, and Dirk Da Davo of The Neon Judgement appear alongside some of the most compelling contemporary projects in the international dark music underground. Spread across two records, this collection of cover versions also features SUICIDE songs revisited by Alan Vega himself with Marc Hurtado, presented on vinyl for the first time. Their presence creates a direct connection between the original voice of SUICIDE and the generations shaped by the duo’s uncompromising vision. An instant classic in spirit and scope, “SUICIDE Pioneers’ Celebration” honours a legacy that continues to resonate across the underground. Produced in a one-off pressing of just 500 copies, this is a collector’s edition to discover, play and treasure for years to come.
Step back to the mid-1960s with NOW Yearbook Presents – The 60s – Volume 3: 1965–1966, featuring 54 essential tracks across a 3LP set, pressed on beautiful blue vinyl.
LP1 opens with some of the decade’s most iconic vocal performances; Dusty Springfield leads with ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’, a UK No.1 hit that also reached the US Top 5, followed by The Righteous Brothers’ classic ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’, a chart-topper in both the UK and US. The Walker Brothers’ ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ was a UK Top 3 hit, while The Beach Boys follow with ‘God Only Knows’, widely regarded as one of their finest moments. Huge chart hits from The Moody Blues, Manfred Mann, Small Faces, The Kinks and The Animals with ‘We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ completes the first side…and flip the LP over for The Mamas & The Papas with ‘California Dreamin’, a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic and The Byrds and capturing the rise of folk-rock with ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, another US No.1. Cher announced one of the most successful and enduring careers in music with ‘I Got You Babe’ – a #1 duet with Sonny, and is followed by the pop brilliance of Sandie Shaw with ‘Long Live Love’. Following The Mindbenders and The Fortunes, LP1 closes with a pair of soul standards: ‘My Girl’ from The Temptations was a US No.1(and eventually a UK #2 in 1992), and Percy Sledge’s ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, another US chart-topper and a UK Top 5 hit in 1987 when it featured in a TV ad campaign.
LP2 opens with the explosive sound of 60s soul and crossover pop. Ike & Tina Turner kick us off with the timeless ‘River Deep – Mountain High’, a UK Top 3 hit. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons had a huge hit with ‘Let’s Hang On’ and Motown is strongly represented with The Four Tops, whose ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’ hit the US No.1 spot, alongside The Supremes, who scored another US chart-topper with ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’, plus Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and a future Northern Soul Classic from Gloria Jones. Following James Brown, the side closes with the enduring soul classic ‘What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted’ from Jimmy Ruffin… while over on the other side Horst Jankowski’s instrumental smash ‘A Walk In The Black Forest’ leads in to pop classics from Tom Jones with ‘It’s Not Unusual’, a UK No.1, alongside Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames’ UK chart-topper ‘Yeh Yeh’ and Chris Montez with ‘The More I See You’. Sophisticated easy listening pop from Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra’s iconic ‘Strangers In The Night’ come ahead of Elvis Presley’s ‘Crying In The Chapel’, with LP2’s closer’s coming from Roy Orbison and Roger Miller, with the essential ‘King Of The Road’.
The Righteous Brothers’ undeniable ‘Unchained Melody’, a hit on release and a #1 in 1990 following it’s feature in the film ‘Ghost’ opens LP3 ahead of a wealth of huge pop hits from The Walker Brothers, Cilla Black and Cher – and rock oriented chart-toppers from The Troggs with ‘Wild Thing’ and The Spencer Davis Group with ‘Keep On Running’. The Everly Brothers’ ‘The Price Of Love’ leads into era-defining hits from Barry McGuire and Bob Dylan’s hugely influential ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ reflecting the growing social awareness and changing approach to songwriting…and over to the final side opened by The Supremes with ‘Stop! In The Name Of Love’ ahead of The Toys with ‘A Lover’s Concerto’ and The Shangri-Las’ legendary ‘Leader Of The Pack’. Classic singles from Marianne Faithfull, Petula Clark and Sandie Shaw feature before the collection closes with a trio of timeless tracks: The trans-Atlantic top 5 ‘Sloop John B’ from the Beach Boys is alongside The Mamas & The Papas’ ‘Monday, Monday’ (a US No.1 and UK Top 5), whilst the aptly titled ‘Homeward Bound’ from Simon & Garfunkel – their first UK hit - signs off this superb collection.
NOW Yearbook Presents – The 60s – Volume 3: 1965–1966 – a snapshot of a rapidly evolving pop era where pure pop, soul, rock, beat, easy listening and songwriting sophistication converged.
Consummate selector DJ Sundae returns to Efficient Space with Nothing Ever Was, an immaculate compendium of phantom independent melancholia spanning '60s/'70s village green folk, outsider shoegaze and new millennium domestic pop. Each recording an emotional exorcism, Sundae breathes oxygen into music that was barely there in its own time, made in quiet places and crawl spaces, shared only with a precious few via private presses, hobby labels and now-decaying CD-Rs.
Free of any prescribed epoch, continent, scene or rarity, Noughties homemade indie pop opens both sides with the 4-track wonders of The Motifs and Betelmire, unlinked contemporaries finding their place alongside Andrew Jay's Crazy Horse rust, the regional-garage adolescence of Pauline Scribner and the anaesthetised Mancunian guitar-poetry of the late Quigley.
The remaining coordinates zigzag between the UK and US. Folk wayfarers John Strang & Valentine Lewis Lloyd, Virgin Insanity, Kusudo & Worth and Penny Wager's spartan Garden of Eden acoustica find their mirror in Empress and Slumber's close-quarters indie pangs. Chicago power pop fixture Phil Angotti is caught at his most tender, while Teri Rini takes the final bow with her universe-stopping hotel lounge torch song.
A deeper, more personal exploration of Sky Girl's sentimental songwriting, Sundae found himself amassing a cache of tracks too undeniable to remain confined to his anonymous mixtapes for TTT, P.A.M. and Good Morning Tapes, or bi-monthly hour on NTS Radio. Again his emotional sorcery draws together an unlikely cast, their unwritten narrative assembled from fragmented memories of past lives left behind by future horse trainers, ketamine therapists and Fab Four cover band careerists.
With not a second squandered across 1LP, it took a village to bring this new companion into being, with David Bergot's forensic audio restoration, dreamlike imagery from Matthieu Crozier, Ivan Liechti's elegant design and a perceptive foreword by kindred spirit Jessica Pratt.
Sometimes the most interesting stories in 80s dance music are hidden on the B-sides.
This one begins in Munich with two men: Manfred Alois Segieth, better known as Fancy („Slice Me Nice” and „Flames Of Love”), in the production credits he frequently appeared as Tess; Alfons Weindorf, musician, composer and producer, member of Zara-Thustra and part of the Munich studio environment surrounding the Weindorf family and Weryton Studios. For his electronic dance productions he used the names Elvin and Elvine. In the second half of the 1980s, Tess and Weindorf became part of an extremely productive Munich circle that also involved names such as Linda Jo Rizzo, Grant Miller, Sabrina Lorenz or Charlie Glass. Together in various combinations, they created original productions, songs and remixes that today form an unmistakable chapter of German Euro Disco. ZYX Records regularly called on this production world for new mixes and additional material and this is where our story becomes particularly interesting.
In 1986 ZYX decided to release „Tribal Stomp (Cherokee Nation)” by Psychic Interface in Germany. Psychic Interface was actually an American project by Jim Callon. But turn the German 12-inch over and things suddenly become much more German. The B-side, „Dancin’ In The Night”, was credited to Psychic Interface as well, yet the music itself came from an entirely different world. Written and produced by Elvine and Tess it was essentially a Munich production. The synths, the bassline, the melodies, the arrangement and that unmistakable mid-80s German Euro Disco character all point directly towards the creative partnership that would become associated with The Hurricanes.Around the same period another piece of the puzzle appeared. ZYX decided to bring back Den Harrow’s 1983 debut single „To Meet Me”, taking advantage of the enormous popularity Den Harrow had achieved by 1986. The new German release featured the „Hurricane Hit Mix”. And on the other side was something completely different – „Tropical Nights”. An instrumental written and produced by Elvine and Tess and this time officially credited to The Hurricanes. There was a logical reason for that. Putting an original composition on the reverse of a licensed or remixed single meant that the creators were not only remixers or producers. Their own composition was now part of the record as well, generating its own publishing and mechanical rights. It was a clever piece of 1980s record business. Two years later, in 1988, The Hurricanes would return with the much better known „Only One Night”, one of the finest examples of the Elvine & Tess Euro Disco sound.
Now Vintage Pleasure Boutique goes back to that earlier chapter. We bring together „Tropical Nights” and „Dancin’ In The Night”, two productions born from the same Munich team, and give each of them a new DJ-friendly interpretation. The originals retain everything that makes them special: crisp electronic drums, driving sequencers, huge synth melodies and that wonderfully unmistakable German take on Italo Disco. The new remixes take the same DNA onto today’s dancefloor. Longer builds, stronger transitions, more room for mixing and a subtle touch of contemporary italowave production, without losing the melodies, atmosphere or character of the originals.
Two hidden pieces of Munich Euro Disco history, taken out of the B-side shadows and finally given the dancefloor space they deserve. Two originals. Two new remixes. One fascinating piece of The Hurricanes story.
Four years after its original release, Mochakk's breakout anthem 'Da Fonk' featuring Joni continues to define a generation of house music. Originally released via Nervous Records in 2022, the record has surpassed 60 million Spotify streams alone, becoming Mochakk's signature track and one of the most recognizable records in modern dance music.
Fronted by fellow Brazilian artist Joni's soulful vocals, "Da Fonk" bridges classic house and contemporary club energy. Its stripped-back bassline and timeless groove have made it a fixture on stages and dancefloors around the world, while also marking a turning point for Mochakk, who has since become one of electronic music's defining artists, widely praised for his vibrant live sets in which "Da Fonk" has remained a staple. To celebrate the track's continued success, Nervous Records releases the 'Da Fonk' Remix Pack today across all streaming platforms, alongside a limited edition three-vinyl release available during Mochakk's long-awaited New York City takeover from August 28, 29 and 30.
Spanning three parts, the remix pack brings together a wide range of artists, each offering a different take on one of house music's most enduring records of recent years.
The first vinyl features Mochakk’s Original Mix and OG Dub of “Da Fonk”, in addition to a new Bass Mix from Marco Carola, whose signature rolling grooves and understated approach bring fresh weight to the original without losing its unmistakable feel. The second vinyl moves across a broad spectrum of club sounds. Australian duo Confidence Man inject their playful, high-energy style into the track, while Berlin's DJ Gigola delivers a sleek, club-focused interpretation. Cinthie, known for her deep-rooted house sound and analogue production style, offers a warm and driving remix, with Brazil’s Bronka rounding out the record on a fresh, contemporary rework. The third vinyl shines a light on Brazil's electronic music scene with an all-Brazilian lineup. Solarce Brothers contribute a soulful reinterpretation that nods to the original's house roots, alongside remixes from DJ Fuzil, Classmatic, and Deekapz & kLap, each bringing their own perspective to one of Brazil's all-time most influential electronic releases on global stages.
Celebrating 30 years since ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ was released, this classic will be made available on limited edition pearl vinyl and features the remastered audio and bonus tracks released as part of the album’s 25th Anniversary in 2021.
Masterminded by the trio of Cuban bandleader Juan de Marcos González, American producer and guitarist Ry Cooder, and British producer and label owner Nick Gold, 'Buena Vista Social Club’ is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album they recorded in just seven days in 1996 in Havana’s 1950s vintage EGREM studios. It was clear from the atmosphere of the recording sessions that something very special was taking place. However, no one could have predicted that Buena Vista Social Club would become a worldwide phenomenon – awarded a Grammy in 1997 and, at over 8 million copies, outselling any other record in the same genre.
The acclaim of the original album elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Eliades Ochoa, Compay Segundo and Omara Portuondo) to superstar status, inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders, a Tony Award-Winning Broadway Musical and contributed to popularising Cuba’s rich musical heritage. Produced by Ry Cooder and Executive Produced by Nick Gold for World Circuit, the timeless quality of the music and the sheer verve of the veteran performers have ensured that this album will go down as one of the landmark recordings of the 20th century.
From spearheading France’s jazz-house and electronica scenes, to amassing millions of streams for lauded tracks such as Ode To Love, Manhattan To Brooklyn and Artifice, Tour-Maubourg is a flag bearer…
Am National Album Day (NAD), der nun schon zum sechsten Mal stattfindet, kommt die UK-Musikszene jedes Jahr zusammen, um die Albumkultur zu feiern und zu fördern. Das diesjährige Thema der 90er Jahre soll ein Licht auf ein äußerst reichhaltiges Musikjahrzehnt werfen, das sich zwischen Pop, Trip Hop und Hip Hop bewegte: NAD-Release: Nas "It Was Written" - gold & black marbled Vinyl. "It Was Written" war Nas' zweites Album, das 1996 veröffentlicht wurde. Es war ein sehr erfolgreiches, millionenfach verkauftes Album mit Beteiligung von Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre, Foxy Brown und Mobb Deep. Seit seiner Veröffentlichung war es außerhalb der USA nicht auf Vinyl erhältlich.
Between 2024 and 2025, Tour-Maubourg launched his Ensemble live formation alongside saxophonist Ismael Ndir and drummer Fréjus Méa. Fresh from Panorama Studio in Brussels, they unveiled two EPs featuring live reworks and exclusive tracks, a project that has already gathered millions of streams and led the trio to perform in some of Europe's most exciting venues.
Between 2024 and 2025, Tour-Maubourg launched his Ensemble live formation alongside saxophonist Ismael Ndir and drummer Fréjus Méa. Fresh from Panorama Studio in Brussels, they unveiled two EPs featuring live reworks and exclusive tracks, a project that has already gathered millions of streams and led the trio to perform in some of Europe's most exciting venues.
BEAT'EM ALL is french hip-hop/jazz instrumental trio SHIBUUYA!'s latest LP release. A blend of nu-jazz, fusion, hip-hop and future beats, all in original compisitions from the band's keyboardist and drummer, the album goes against the polished image we usually have of jazz music to deliver a raspy, energic and groovy sound that shakes the listener instead of nurturing him. With prestigious featurings such as CHiLi GiRL aka Shinobu Kawasihma, a Tokyo-raised Shamisen (a traditional japanese guitar) player, Melbourne rapper Nelson Dialect, french virtuoso saxophonist Hugo Afettouche, or the "french problem kid of jazz" trumpetist Daoud, SHIBUUYA! pushes forward its identity with references to japanese pop-culture through anime samples, powerful hip-hop beats, progressive broken-beat grooves and crazy deliveries on all three instruments (keys, drums and bass), all of it served by an original manga-inspired cover art by the band's keyboardist and leader. A reference to the japan-popular videogame genre (Shibuya being a neighborhood of tokyo centered around fashion and pop culture), BEAT'EM ALL tries to beat the odds on what we expect from a jazz album and to make it sound more like a garage-produced LP rather than a million-dollar studio album, to make as authentic and as generational as possible, a true product of today's young jazz scene.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe" is re-issued in a variety of different formats including as a picture disc LP. The Alan Parsons Project debut studio album was originally released in June 1976. The lyrical and musical themes of the album are retellings of horror stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe.
Musicians featured on the album include vocalists Arthur Brown of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown on 'The Tell Tale Heart', John Miles on 'The Cask of Amontillado' and '(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether', and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies on 'To One in Paradise'. The complete line-up of bands Ambrosia and Pilot play on the record, along with keyboardist Francis Monkman of Curved Air and Sky.
The album was a worldwide hit selling almost a million copies and achieving platinum status in a number of territories including Germany and Canada.
About The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a progressive rock music entity comprised of engineer/ producer Alan Parsons and songwriter, musician and manager Eric Woolfson. They released 10 concept albums which focused on subject matter such as science fiction, supernatural, literary and sociological themes between 1976 – 1987 and have sold in excess of 55 million albums world-wide.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe" is re-issued in a variety of different formats including as a picture disc LP. The Alan Parsons Project debut studio album was originally released in June 1976. The lyrical and musical themes of the album are retellings of horror stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe.
Musicians featured on the album include vocalists Arthur Brown of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown on 'The Tell Tale Heart', John Miles on 'The Cask of Amontillado' and '(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether', and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies on 'To One in Paradise'. The complete line-up of bands Ambrosia and Pilot play on the record, along with keyboardist Francis Monkman of Curved Air and Sky.
The album was a worldwide hit selling almost a million copies and achieving platinum status in a number of territories including Germany and Canada.
About The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a progressive rock music entity comprised of engineer/ producer Alan Parsons and songwriter, musician and manager Eric Woolfson. They released 10 concept albums which focused on subject matter such as science fiction, supernatural, literary and sociological themes between 1976 – 1987 and have sold in excess of 55 million albums world-wide.
COEO are back on Toy Tonics! After uninterrupted touring around the globe, followed by a short creative break the guys come back with an even stronger sound. With the new EP they go more underground again. Its addressed to the clubs and night owls out there, who turn night into day and won't stop dancing!
The sound is based on classic house patterns and includes a lot of cool saxophones, big piano stabs & rhythmic piano solos. They even go tribal, use arpeggios and switch into breakbeat heaven. The four Originals are a great next step in the COEO evolution. The unique warm, catchy atmosphere of the tracks can create that special COEO euphoria which made them a lot of fans. From Moodymann to Disclosure, Mall Grab to Kenny Dope, the list is long.
It’s fantastic to see how popular they became over the last couple of years. The last COEO vinyl sold over 2500 copies and some of their tracks have millions of Spotify plays. It’s DJ FOOD. Pure bliss!
2 x 12" LP with bonus tracks & printed innersleeves
Idealism Forever is the reissue of Digitalism's genre defining debut studio album from 2007. After the 2024 release of the limited remastered 3 LP set which is sold out completely, this new version is on 2LPs but still has all bonus tracks from the 2024 release. The analogue master of the album shows the songs in their best outfit and the bonus material, which originally was recorded while making the album back in the days, breath the energy of the original recordings. To date the album tracks have been used in numerous games and commercials. They have been sampled and used in new song interpretations all around the world. The songs have millions of streams over the different platforms and never lost their appeal.
The songs of I Love You Dude have millions of streams over the different platforms and never lost their appeal. Songs like Miami Showdown, Circles or 2 Hearts still belong to the most streamed tracks of Digitalism's catalogue. To date the album tracks have been used in numerous games and commercials. The band just released their highly acclaimed new album Optimism alongside a European tour in November. This 2026 re-issue is the first edition since the album release in 2011. The LP was sold out for years and now it's back limited to 300 copies on sky blue vinyl.
Humpty Dumpty LSD erschien ursprünglich 2002 und versammelt seltene Aufnahmen, alternative Versionen und weitere Raritäten aus der besonders kreativen Schaffensphase der Butthole Surfers Mitte der 1980er Jahre. Die insgesamt 19 Stücke dokumentieren eine Band auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer experimentellen Kraft und zeigen eindrucksvoll, warum die Texaner zu den einflussreichsten Underground-Acts ihrer Generation zählen. Zwischen Psychedelic Rock, Punk, Noise und surrealem Humor entfaltet sich ein Klangkosmos, der ebenso chaotisch wie faszinierend wirkt. Die Songs spiegeln die kompromisslose Herangehensweise von Gibby Haynes, Paul Leary und ihren Mitstreitern wider und bieten einen tiefen Einblick in die Entwicklung ihres unverwechselbaren Sounds. Besonders bemerkenswert ist "Sherman (Backass Alt.)", eine frühe Version eines Titels, der später für Hairway to Steven überarbeitet wurde und hier erstmals digital verfügbar ist. Humpty Dumpty LSD ist weit mehr als eine Sammlung von Archivmaterial: Es ist ein spannendes Zeitdokument, das die kreative Wildheit und grenzenlose Experimentierfreude der Butthole Surfers in ihrer legendären Frühphase eindrucksvoll festhält.
New Darius album, featuring Wayne Snow, Kadhja Bonet, Benny Sings...
After the release of his last EP "OASIS (Prelude) on Roche Musique, Parisian producer Darius reveals his second album "OASIS" with the powerful track "EASE YOUR MIND". A groovy dancing track reminiscing of his early trademark electro dance sounds with catchy R&B lead from Devin Tracy. The acclaimed and certified artist is now ready to unveil his new project, teased since the release of the +10 Million streams "EQUILIBRIUM" in 2020.
In 1979, Neil Fraser (artistically known as Mad Professor) founded Ariwa Sounds, the longest-serving and one of the most influential independently owned Reggae studios and record labels in the UK. From humble beginnings set up in the front room of Neil's home in South London recording on 4-track and homemade equipment, Ariwa would go on to record and release over 300 albums including works from some of the most impactful and storied artists of their time in the genres of Reggae, Dub, and Lovers Rock
Whilst our previous release in collaboration with Ariwa captured the label's early sound, a shared performance with Neil in Osaka and regular visits to his South London studio inspired us to assemble this 15-track compilation, showcasing the label's output across 45 years. Our release emphasizes some of the label's greatest vocalists: Johnny Clarke, Sandra Cross, Kofi, U Roy, Sister Nancy, Queen Omega, Aisha, Garnett Cross, Abel Miller, Horace Andy and more — presenting the Motown and Stax influences in the Lovers Rock, but also provides a glimpse into the dubbier and more experimental side of the label, showcasing Ariwa's commitment to quality but also their personality, philosophy and their humour. Love songs, break-up songs, socially engaged songs, dub experimentations — this compilation is not a "best of" Ariwa but a diverse and honest celebration of the label through the lens of Melodies International.
The compilation will be out in July in vinyl 2xLP, CD, digital formats, mastered from the original tapes by Frank Merritt (the Carvery), pressed at Optimal, artwork created by Jason Evans with design and assembly contributions from Nevil Bernard and Will Sweeney, animated teaser by Nevil Bernard and Melozine designed by Mafalda Meireles.
More than two decades after its original release, "Just the Way You Are" is experiencing a remarkable global resurgence. With over 13 million monthly Spotify listeners for the original recording alone, becoming a radio and stadium anthem in new heights! To celebrate its enduring popularity, the track is returning to vinyl with an exclusive limited-edition tricolour pressing, with the added bonus of 2026 remixes.
Originally released in August 2002. While the track did not chart in the band's native Italy, it became an international hit, reaching No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart and securing Top 30 positions in Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Romania. In the United States, the song made history as the first official No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Radio Airplay chart, having already topped the chart during its unpublished testing phase.
The song's revival gained significant momentum in 2026 following a viral remix by Australian DJ Mall Grab, which introduced the track to a new generation of listeners and sparked widespread streaming growth and social media engagement. The renewed interest was further amplified by a series of high-profile remixes from Australian electronic duo Pnau, Austrian producer Ely Oaks, and French superstar DJ David Guetta. Together, these releases have cemented "Just the Way You Are" as a cross-generational dance anthem, reaffirming its lasting influence and global appeal more than 20 years after its debut.
Take That, eine der erfolgreichsten Bands Großbritanniens, veröffentlicht ihr neuntes Studioalbum „This Life“. Nach 45 Millionen verkauften Alben, 12 UK #1 Singles und insgesamt 2,5 Milliarden Streams über alle Streaming Dienste kehren die britischen Pop-Royals mit diesem Album zurück. „Windows“, die brandneue Single von Take That, kennzeichnet die erste Eigenkomposition der Band seit über fünf Jahren.
Take That sind bekannt für ihre großen Produktionen und unglaublichen Liveshows. Im Jahr 2019 feierte die Band ihr 30-jähriges Bestehen mit der ausverkauften Odyssey-Tour. Die musikalische Ausgestaltung des Albums ”This Life” ist geprägt von wunderschönen Melodien, eingängigen Refrains und eleganten Harmonien, die die Stimmen des Trios wunderbar miteinander verbinden. „Windows“ und das kommende Album „This Life“ setzen somit das Erbe einer der talentiertesten Bands der britischen Chartgeschichte fort
Roland Leesker Remixes Inner City Classic ‘Pennies From Heaven’
Definitive Recordings presents a powerful new remix by Roland Leesker of ‘Pennies From Heaven’, the timeless house classic by Inner City, originally released in 1992.
Founded by Kevin Saunderson, one of the legendary Belleville Three and a key architect of Detroit techno, Inner City shaped the sound of electronic music with global hits like ‘Big Fun’ and ‘Good Life’. With over six million records sold and decades of influence, their catalogue remains a cornerstone of dance music culture.
On his remix, Roland Leesker transforms ‘Pennies From Heaven’ into a driving, floor-focused house weapon. Built around a heavy, straight TR-909 groove, the track gradually introduces elements from the original in a layered, loop-based arrangement.
The remix reaches its peak in a powerful breakdown, where the full main theme and vocals unfold, creating a classic hands-inthe-air moment before dropping back into the stomping groove. The result is a modern interpretation that stays true to the spirit of the original while delivering maximum impact on today’s dancefloors.
Roland Leesker, a long-standing figure in house music, has been active since the late 80s, with roots in Frankfurt’s club scene and later key roles in New York, Berlin, and the global music industry. From his early days at Delirium Records to his work with Get Physical Music and beyond, Leesker has consistently contributed to shaping electronic music culture.
This remix brings past and present together, offering a respectful reimagining of a classic for today’s house music dancefloors. The vinyl release is completed by an additional Acapella Tool on the B-side, offering DJs a stripped-back version focused on the iconic vocal elements of the track — perfect for creative mixing and extended club moments.
This compilation album JOIA Presents Breakout is more than just a collection of tracks, it is a celebration of the signature sound of the DJs who later came together to form the Swedish House Mafia, who were on the brink of their global breakthrough. at the beginning of this millennium.
The compilation features tracks and remixes by Eric Prydz, Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello, Axwell, and John Dahlbäck and comes as a Limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on light blue marble vinyl.
Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979 is Time Capsule’s continuation of the deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.
Vinyl LP with 4 page insert, original artwork and photos
The kaleidoscopic psychedelia of 1970s Japan captured a fragile and fertile moment as the country sought its future in funk grooves, heavy reverb and lyrical hallucinations.
The follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes myriad pathways into the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Finding their feet at home and looking for inspiration abroad, the musicians featured here were engaged in the communal soul-searching that followed the breakdown of the 1960s protest movements. Some made it big, others drifted into oblivion. The music they left behind shimmers with intensity.
At the core was Happy End, the first project of YMO’s Haroumi Hosono, whose distortion-heavy guitar and crisp back-beat laid the foundations for Japanese lyrics that flipped the paradigm of Japanese rock music on its head. With it came a new found sonic ambition, such as in the bold Philly-soul style arrangements of producer Yuji Ohno, whose work with occult wandered Yoshiko Sai shares some of the bittersweet grandeur of Rotary Connection or David Axelrod.
Then there was Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, whose debut album was a carnival of orchestral funk, euphoric horn lines and rich production, complete with soaring guitar solos, psychedelic organ and a truly cinematic finale. The first and only time Fukamachi would sing on record, ‘Omae’ rips like the ultimate end-of-nighter.
Influenced by giants of the US soul scene, maverick composer Hiroshi “Monsieur” Kamayatsu (otherwise known as ‘the Brian Wilson of Japan’) went one step further, enlisting Tower of Power to play on ‘Have You Smoked Gauloises?’ The B-side to Monsieur’s biggest-selling single, it coasts with sophisticated cool - a liquid bassline and suave keys comping under a roaring trademark ToP sax solo. No surprise it found favour once more on the Acid Jazz dance floors of ‘90s London.
Such was the spirit of experimentation that big studio productions and private press releases sat side-by-side, with the likes of Momotaro Pink and Kazushi Inamura, taking their hopes of success into their own hands with the resources available to them. More reflective but no less robust, theirs was a heavy, fat-backed drum sound, soaked in dramatic, soulful psychedelia.
If some were dreamers and others space cadets, none were further out than sci-fi writer, musician, activist and self-made scientist Tadashi Goino, who transformed his own fantasy novel Messenger from the Seventh Dimension into an operatic prog odyssey with few discernible musical reference points – a majestic and completely bonkers outlier even among company as strange and brilliant as that which is collected here.
Less a compilation of a scene, as a compilation of a sentiment, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is a wild ride from start to finish, shattering the narratives of the Japanese folk and rock tradition into a million tiny pieces.
Common Language is a project of the Community Library label. We started it as a way to reconnect with the ideas that drove ComLib’s inaugural releases back in 2005, uncompromising and eclectic DJ 12’s. We’ll be focused on this imprint for a while, and near-term, putting the emphasis on releases by label cofounders and our closest friends.
On CLANG02, the Middlemarch 12” EP, Solenoid transmutes his signature buoyant syncopated acid, electro, and mutant techno into moodier, reverberant territory. If you previously knew Solenoid for his restless, sophisticated Braindance-adjacent stuff, this EP is totally consistent with his long discography. Here though, he gets into a dreamier, and also bassier zone that is equally rewarding either in the innerspace immersion of headphones or in the warmth of your favorite local underground club’s sound system--lots of detail and atmosphere to sink into.
“Middlemarch” is moody deep techno-- a clatter of distant percussion encircles eerie pads and an extra-bassy, double-filtered TB303 bassline. “Ways and Means” rotates perplexing polyrhythmic patterns driven by bright, elasticchords that keep it moving (reminding me of The Martian’s stuff on Red Planet a bit). “A Winter Walk” offers a skeletal, skittering rhythm that wouldn’t be out of place next to a Livity Sound track; and the closer, “Dvv Waltz” reserves a 3/4-time experiment for the bravest / most inquisitive DJs.
Edition of 300 vinyl copies includes special full- color insert
Mastered by Dietrich Schoenemann
About Solenoid
Solenoid is the primary musical vehicle of David Chandler, a lifer underground producer, musician, and visual artist. As a lone electronic voice in the wilderness of early-90s Portland (which was at the time a grunge-saturated third backwater) he started out releasing adventurous, now- unobtainium tapes on his DIY Pharmacy label. Solenoid then became known internationally at the turn of the millennium as one of Portland’s persistent ambassadors for underground crossover electro and techno, releasing on labels like Outward Music Company, Emanate, Orac, and many others (most recently, on the Paris label Partout). He’s a real legend honestly--doggedly clocking in almost 40 years of uncompromising experimentalism with a signature sound and vision running all the way through.
-- Paul Dickow (Strategy)
Mit englischem Charme, ausnehmendem Talent und kreativer Offenheit begeistert die junge britische Musikerin Anna Lapwood nicht nur die Kritiker*Innen, sondern ein Millionen-Publikum bei Social Media. Auf ihrem Sony Classical Debüt-Album "Luna" gibt sie einen Einblick in ihren umfassenden musikalischen Kosmos. Die fünfzehn Titel des Albums beleuchten ihre Vielseitigkeit und verbinden traditionelles Repertoire von Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy und Philip Glass mit zeitgenössischen Kompositionen von Max Richter, Ludovico Einaudi und Hans Zimmer. Auf "Luna" ist Anna Lapwood in erster Linie als Organistin zu erleben, aber auch andere Facetten ihres musikalischen Lebens kommen zur Geltung, wenn sie den Pembroke College Chapel Choir bei zwei Titeln dirigiert. Anna Lapwood spielt Orgel, Geige und Harfe und ist als Dirigentin und Orchester-Leiterin aktiv. 1995 in der Grafschaft Oxfordshire geboren, erhielt sie als erste Frau in der Geschichte des Magdalen College Oxford ein Orgelstipendium. 2016 wurde sie die jüngste musikalische Direktorin in Cambridge und leitet seitdem die Chöre und Ensembles des Pembroke College. Nach Feierabend und bei Einbruch der Dunkelheit erhält sie als Associate Artist der Royal Albert Hall besonderen Zugang zu dem majestätischen Instrument in der Royal Albert Hall. Dies hat zu einigen spektakulären Kollaborationen geführt. Die berühmteste davon mit dem Elektronik-Musiker Bonobo. Auf TikTok erreicht sie mit solchen gleichermaßen lockeren wie spektakulären musikalischen Ausflügen mehr als 550.000 Follower.
Backing it up can mean so many things. According to the urban dictionary, it means to carry on drinking the next day in spite of a rather large one the night before. According to Apple, it means to take your I-phone and attach it to an I-pad or Apple Mac - and copy the information to the cloud. Or the device. But in music.....what we mean is basically this....."Damn......that was a big hit......how the hell are they going to emulate that success on the next one."And it's hard for so many reasons. Was it luck Timing That one in a million sample With all the pressure, soon the artist can start second guessing themselves........and that's when backing it up becomes a real problem.But not for our boy PURPLE DISCO MACHINE. If BODY FUNK, his last outing on CLUB SWEAT, wasn't one of THE biggest songs of last year, from Ibiza to Miami and back again.....played by every single DJ under the sun, from BLACK MADONNA to JAMIE JONES to your mama......then I'm not sitting at my lap top writing this shpeel....which I'm very sure I am. AND I'm going to back myself (see what I did there) - and say that DISHED (MALE STRIPPER) is the best way to back up a hit ever. With another hit. Doesn't sound the same....doesn't worry about what the last one did...just does what it does.....which to be honest - is GO OFF!!!! It builds and builds and builds and......In the same way that BODY FUNK masterly made the sum of 2 disco songs bigger than their parts had ever been, this time PDM takes some Italo Disco from MAN TO MAN MEET MAN PARRISH's MALE STRIPPER and mashes it with the aptly named ELLIS D's DISHAPELLA to create a 12/10. Back it up PDM - you are a legend!!!!
Kirk Degiorgio’s influence on electronic music cannot be overstated, having been responsible for producing some of the most emotive and soulful machine music dating right back to the early 90’s. As a leading figure in UK techno his As One, Elegy and Future/Past output on labels such as B12, R&S and his own Applied Rhythmic Technology (A.R.T.) have rightly become revered classics and helped shape ambient techno and what would come to be known as IDM/Future Electronica. His connection with Cyphon co-founder Jamie Odell also dates back to the turn of the millennium when Kirk invited Jamie to play keys on his 21st Century Soul LP released on Ubiquity and subsequently releasing an EP together under the name Super Aloof on Exceptional.
The moment the instantly recognizable intertwined guitar passage on the title track to the Eagles' Hotel California begins, the record's genius becomes obvious all over again. Ranked the 118th Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone, certified by RIAA as the third best-selling LP in history, and considered the foundation on which the Golden State's mid-‘70s music scene was built, the 1976 landmark is a music staple immune to shifts in trends, eras, and styles. Fearlessly addressing the chaos and consequences of American life, its songs remain strikingly prescient and gain creedence with each passing day.
Mastered from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, and limited to 17,500 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP vinyl box set ensures you will want to permanently check into and never leave this particular Hotel California. Up to the herculean task of standing head and shoulders above all prior reissues, this collectible edition plays with extreme clarity, organic richness, tube-like warmth, massive dynamics, and microscopic levels of detail. You'll be able to practically smell the colitas and feel the breeze in your hair. Songs come across with an epic sweep and feature immersive, front-to-back soundstages that allow the music unprecedented air, roominess, and separation. As for the noise floor? It's basically as invisible as the spirits that waft in the corridors of the unforgettable title song.
Aesthetically, the premium packaging and presentation of the UD1S Hotel California pressing befit its esteemed status. Housed in a deluxe box, it features gorgeous foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording. From every angle, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artefact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the renowned cover art to the meticulous finishes.
Indeed, the opportunity to zero in on all the particulars of the 26-million-selling Eagles record dubbed "a legitimate rock masterpiece" by vaunted Los Angeles Times scribe Robert Hilburn has never been better. A global phenomenon that marked the band debut of guitarist-singer Joe Walsh, Hotel California continues to resonate and connect with listeners of all generations taken by its narrative depth, stark directness, picturesque melodies, daring majesty, and ardent emotionalism. Adorned with a breathtaking exterior photograph of the Beverly Hills Hotel that serves as the simultaneously haunting and alluring cover art, and rounded out by a rear-cover shot of the Lido Hotel lobby that reinforces a notion that teeters between permanence and transience, Hotel California is brilliantly tied to a specific place that functions as a universally understood metaphor for the American Dream.
Confronting the darker undercurrents and oft-ignored constructs attached to that romantic notion, the record's songs revolve around a host of shared themes: excess, mobility, stability, illusion, fame, destruction, and idealism included. Notably, Hotel California appeared at a crucial junction in American history: During the country's bicentennial and amid escalating controversies related to the Vietnam War, energy crisis, and governmental corruption. That the Eagles manage to channel such cultural, social, and economical matters into a cohesive, stately, big-picture statement is alone a stupendous feat. That the album's reach, boldness, vitality, accessibility, and understated intensity have never waned make it a marvel.
Reflecting on Hotel California 40 years after its original release, and indirectly explaining its enduring appeal and increasing relevance, singer-songwriter Don Henley confirmed the record pertains to the "loss of innocence, the cost of naiveté...the difficulties of balancing loving relationships and work, trying to square the conflicting relationship between business and art; the corruption in politics, the fading away of the Sixties dream of ‘peace, love and understanding.'"
It can be argued that Henley and company squarely hit on and drove home those ideas in the surreal title track, chart-topping "Life in the Fast Lane," and grand "The Last Resort" alone. But that would miss the forest for the trees. Experienced as an unbroken whole, complete with the pristinely shot imagery and physical grooves, Hotel California unfolds like a geography-conscious saga by James Michener and plays like colour-saturated movie shot on 70mm film by Martin Scorsese. It's about our collective and individual decisions – and the shape of our past, present, and future. And, just like that conjured by our imaginations, Hotel California continues to take on a life of its own.
More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called "converts") are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.
MoFi SuperVinyl
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analogue lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.
Looking back on her career in the early 90s, Stevie Nicks described the first track of Rock a Little as “the most exciting song that I had ever heard.” This coming from a superstar who was already closely affiliated with several bajillion-selling Fleetwood Mac albums — to say nothing of her own benchmark solo debut. Her remarks attest to the enthusiasm and effort she invested in her third record, a 1985 work that quickly furthered Nicks’ profile and cemented itself as a piece of 80s pop lore.
Mastered at MoFi’s California studio, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set presents Rock a Little in audiophile sound for its 40th anniversary. Helmed by a cadre of producers and engineers, and recorded for a reported one million dollars, the platinum-certified album teems with a head-spinning array of colors, tones, dreamscapes, and accents. This reference-grade reissue marks the first time they are all brought to light and conveyed with proper balance, dimensionality, and positioning.
Though Rock a Little doubtlessly has period characteristics of a mid-80s LP, Nicks and company spare no expense when it comes to distinguishing the music with expansive sonics distinguished with lush melodies, high-tech percussion, echoing vocals, sampled keyboards, and layers of sophisticated accents. The degrees of spaciousness, headroom, and dynamics are nothing less than inspiring, while the newly enhanced detail, texture, and clarity make the songs sing like never before. As for Nicks’ voice? Wait ’til you experience the transparency and depth.
Those advantages extend, of course, to the aforementioned “I Can’t Wait,” a statement-making opener shot through with modulating synthesizers, splashy drums, metallic guitars, and serious drama. Holed up in a massive studio, Nicks required just one take to nail her part, which she called “magic and simply not able to beat.” The singer-songwriter also distilled the reverberating emotional essence of the Top 20 tune, stating “when I hear it on the radio, this incredible feeling comes over me, like something really incredible is about to happen.”
The same can be said for nearly all of Rock a Little. Crafted by the likes of Songwriters Hall of Fame multi-instrumentalist/producer Rick Nowels, Heartbreakers organist Benmont Tench, bassist Bob Glaub, jack-of-all-trades Greg Phillinganes, and session-pro guitarists Waddy Watchel, Les Dudek, and Danny Kortchmar — along with another two dozen or so participants — the record spills with diverse ideas, shapes, and moods. Everything is in the right place, as evidenced by the swirling glide and sensual undertow of the slightly funky title track to the snapping rhythmic pace and big hooks of “Imperial Hotel,” one of Nicks’ standout moments.
“What was it she wanted?” Nicks queries on “No Spoken Word,” continuing a theme of contemplation that runs through the narratives. Nicks never lands on a definite answer, but hearing her explore loneliness, love, and the secrets we keep to ourselves proves continuously rewarding. Take her passionate performance on a cover of Chas Sanford’s “Talk to Me,” a Top 5 smash furthered by tasteful saxophone lines and understated folk elements. Immersive yourself in the grand sonic corridors of “If I Were You,” laden with Nicks’ signature mysticism.
Moreover, surrender to the gravitas of the closing “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You,” a piano ballad composed about the death of Joe Walsh’s three-year-old daughter. As Nicks asserts earlier on the album, she sings for things money can’t buy.
So, rock a little, yes, but dare to feel even more.
There was nothing in contemporary music like Chris Isaak’s Heart Shaped World when it hit shelves in June 1989. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique — and claims a backstory nearly as fascinating as the retro-leaning material and standout performances that propelled it to sales of more than 2.5 million copies. Home to the Top 10 smash “Wicked Game,” the set remains a masterful mood piece that invites you to pour a late-night drink, sit in a dimmed room, and relish Isaak’s elegant albeit raw ruminations on love, relationships, and questionable decisions.
Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and featuring the bonus track “Diddley Daddy,” Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set of Heart Shaped World unearths the staggering inner details, saturated tones, and brilliant atmospherics of the crisp production. It brings you up close and personal with Isaak’s spectacular singing — impeccably controlled, tense, brooding, steamy, smoldering, haunted — situated amidst stripped-down backdrops that allow every note to fully bloom and decay.
While Isaak’s ever-steady baritone remains the anchor, the contributions of his trusty backing band, the aptly named Silvertone, come across with just as much cool, command, and realism. The indispensable playing of guitarist James Calvin Wilsey particularly emerges with superb clarity and dimensionality. The character of his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, shivering twang of his spring-coiled fills, and his signature use of reverb, delay, and vibrato seamlessly match Isaak's patient deliveries and the band’s unhurried rhythms. Experienced on UD1S with ultra-black backgrounds and a nearly invisible noise floor, Heart Shaped World is in every regard a demonstration disc.
The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its elevated status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, this reissue is for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, not the least of which is the cover art depicting a lost-in-thought Isaak staring ahead and sitting in what appears to be an efficiency apartment. The image epitomizes the record’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes.
Of course, if not for director David Lynch hand-picking two cuts from Heart Shaped World for his 1990 film Wild at Heart, the record would’ve probably suffered the same fate as Isaak’s prior efforts and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Despite receiving raves from outlets such as NME, Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, the album stalled in the lower quadrants of the Billboard charts and, after a few weeks, dropped off.
Cue the ear of Lee Chesnut. Then the music director for a large Atlanta radio station, Chesnut heard the instrumental version of “Wicked Game” on Lynch’s soundtrack and started airing the album rendition at all hours of the day. Aided by a sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, the song found its way into the public consciousness by early ‘91 and helped make Isaak a most unlikely mainstream star in an era where his techniques had little to nothing in common with popular tastes.
Despite its vintage vibes and shared DNA with legends such as Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, Heart Shaped World transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and throwback tropes. For all the melodrama and sadness at hand, Isaak’s gorgeously transparent singing dives deep underneath emotional surfaces. He mines subtleties that indicate his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, and occasionally suggest frustration, menace, and anger. You can hear it in his quivering falsetto, and the slow and methodical ways he allows delicate whispers to break into shadowy phrasing that crosses over to the darker sides of romance and desire.
That approach bolsters the title track, which suggests calm yet moves on ominous currents — its simmering pace and snare-drum snappiness foreshadowing Isaak raising the volume and urgency during the coda. The southwestern-tinged “Wrong to Love You” plays with similar concepts of hesitation, unease, and discord, Isaak careful never to fully erupt and give anything away. His poised deliveries offer a master class in the art of insinuation and hurt on “Nothing’s Changed,” sent up with a wordless backing chorus and crackling guitar lines straight out of a Memphis blues joint.
Heart Shaped World further boosts its merit via its abundant stylistic variations, from the upbeat country-and-western trot of “I’m Not Waiting” and Spanish acoustic shimmer of the jazz-based ballad “Blue Spanish Sky” to the swinging horn-accompanied grooves of “Don’t Make Me Love You” and desert smokiness of the understated “Kings of the Highway.” On the latter, Isaak comes across as resigned and absolute. His singing and pain worm their way into your soul, and echo akin to the way the music prepares to strike when you least expect.
“Trouble going 'round,” Isaak croons right as the album begins. “Trouble going down.” Damn straight.
The Seasons Recordings vaults have been dug into once more for a new reissue of some classic tackle from Natural Rhythm aka original house duo Thomas White and Pete Williams, who began working together in 1998. This EP originally dropped in 2000 but eschews the turn of the millennium trend towards prog and trance and stays nice and deep, from the dusty loops and cowbells of 'Fundamental' to the hefty, dubby kicks and sparse arrangement of 'Growth'. 'Zen' picks up the pace with tumbling toms that drag you forwards into nice introspective synth work, and 'Theory' is a dark ambient soundscape to close.
Mit "Tourist History" veröffentlicht die britisch-irische Indieband Two Door Cinema Club eines der einflussreichsten Debütalben der 2010er Jahre in einer besonderen 15th Anniversary Edition. Das Album, das 2010 erschien, gewann den Choice Music Prize als Irish Album of the Year und markierte den Start einer Weltkarriere, die von Festival-Headliner-Shows bis zu über 1 Milliarde Streams von "What You Know" führte.
Zur Feier des Jubiläums erscheint Tourist History in drei liebevoll gestalteten Formaten - inklusive bisher unveröffentlichter Remixe und Raritäten.
Seit dem Garageprojekt in Bangor haben Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday und Kevin Baird eine beeindruckende Karriere hingelegt - mit Top-10-Alben wie Beacon, Gameshow, False Alarm und Keep On Smiling und ausverkauften Touren weltweit. Diese Jubiläumsausgabe ist ein Muss für Indie-Fans und Sammler - ein Meilenstein moderner Gitarrenmusik.
Released in Nottingham at the turn of the millennium, when the city was at the heart of an exciting underground scene, Lounging sits between trip-hop's slowed breaks and deep house's low-end drive. Drum programming is loose but controlled, with swung rhythms underpinning warm basslines and restrained chord patterns. Tracks alternate between vocal cuts featuring Gea Russell and Isi Samuel, and instrumental pieces built on short sampled phrases and repeating hooks. It's a perfect record for either pre-club or post-rave, especially on warmer days, and this anniversary edition has been remastered by Shawn Joseph. A welcome return for a low key classic.
Reliance is one of the many millions (ish) of labels that UK powerhouse Burnski heads up. This one has a focus on UKG vibes and Skeptic fits right in. His EPs are so inherently playable that they always fly off the shelves and straight into sets all across Europe. This one opens with 'Swing It', a nice sleek swinger with muted vocals and neon pads. 'Funky Flava' has more grit and bite to it with some sharp percussion and rude boy vocal stabs, then 'Steppa' is all bubbly and vibey with a smooth flow and the sort of bass that will get lips curled in mock disgust. 'Lose Control' shuts down and might be the best of the lot - gloopy bass and nice round kicks with liquid melodies and a late night warmth. Pure fire.
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