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Outernational Sounds very proudly Presents The Mallory-Hall Band "Song of Soweto" & "The Last Special".
Limited, fully licensed digital and vinyl reissues of two crucial South African sessions led by Charles Mallory and Al Hall, Jnr., featuring Kirk Lightsey, Marshall Royal, Rudolph Johnson, Billy Brooks and more! Essential companion pieces to Kirk Lightsey’s legendary ‘Habiba’.
Featuring tracks:
Song Of Soweto: Side A – ‘Song of Soweto’, ‘Hamba Samba’; Side B – ‘Cape Town Blues’, ‘Moroka Rock’, ‘The African Night’
The Last Special: Side A - ‘The Last Special’, ‘Princess of Joh’Burg’; Side B - ‘Amafu (Clouds)’, ‘Blue Mabone’
Never released outside South Africa, and out of print since 1974, Outernational Sounds presents two long-lost Johannesburg sessions from the Mallory-Hall Band – an all-star review of West Coast jazz stars who toured apartheid South Africa in the mid-1970s.
Sanifu Al Hall, Jnr. is a musician’s musician. During a storied career stretching across six decades, Hall has recorded with the greats of the music including Freddie Hubbard, Doug Carn, and Johnny Hammond, and leads his own Cosmos Dwellerz Arkestra. But until recent years, the only records on which he had appeared as leader were a brace of rich, funky LPs, Song Of Soweto and The Last Special, issued only in South Africa under the moniker of The Mallory-Hall Band (named for Hall and his co-leader, guitarist Charles Mallory – musical director for Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Mallory was conductor for Dusty Springfield touring bands, and had worked with John Lee Hooker, Stevie Wonder, and many others). Neither LP had any wider release, and both have remained out of print since 1974. How did a young stalwart of the Los Angeles jazz scene end up in a recording studio in apartheid South Africa?
Al Hall, Jnr. and Charles Mallory had arrived in South Africa as part of the touring band for the singer Lovelace Watkins. Sometimes billed as ‘the Black Sinatra’, the Detroit-born Watkins sang standards and ballroom classics on the Las Vegas circuit. He never made it big in the US, but in his 1970s heyday he was a huge star in southern Africa, and 1974 he hired a jazz big band to accompany him on a tour of South Africa – Hall and Mallory were part of the line-up, alongside Mastersounds bassist Monk Montgomery, pianist Kirk Lightsey, tenorist Rudolph Johnson, drummer Billy Brooks, and Marshall Royal, musical director of the Count Basie band. The tour was a huge success, and during downtime from performing, members of the group managed to independently record no fewer than three albums. Lightsey and Johnson’s stunning Habiba was the first (reissued as Outernational Sounds OTR.013), and it was followed by two crucial sessions led by Hall and Mallory – Song of Soweto and The Last Special, issued on the local IRC imprint.
Visiting apartheid South Africa in 1974 was a controversial choice for any artist. Numerous artistic and cultural bodies around the world had already announced that their members would boycott the country in solidarity with the struggle against apartheid, and working in South Africa was severely frowned on by anti-apartheid activists everywhere. For a Black band, touring the country to play to mostly white audiences could have been seen by many both inside and outside South Africa as a questionable decision. ‘It was a batch of mixed reactions when I choose to visit South Africa whilst apartheid policies were in place,’ Hall recalls. ‘To me the choice was a simple one – “I wanna see for myself!” I also wanted to be a part of breaking down racial barriers, having been down some of the same roads in my own country.’
The albums were recorded by a twelve-piece band at Johannesburg’s Video Sounds Studios in December 1974, and feature the legendary pianist Kirk Lightsey, Black Jazz recording artist Rudolph Johnson, and the rest of the touring band. Both records are superbly arranged slabs of peak 1970s funky big band soul jazz, with tasteful Latin inflections and more than a nod to South Africa’s upful township jazz sound. They are the sonic traces left by a seasoned African American band who were touring South Africa in the depths of the apartheid era, and who immediately moved beyond the segregated hotels and ballrooms to build links with local South African players and audiences.
Never previously available outside South Africa, Outernational Sounds’ new editions of Song of Soweto and The Last Special (alongside our edition of Kirk Lightsey’s Habiba) represents the first time these albums have been in print for nearly fifty years. Fully licensed from Gallo Records and pressed at Pallas in Germany from Gallo’s original masters, they feature new sleeve notes from Francis Gooding (The Wire) based on interviews with Al Hall, Jnr., and a reminiscence from pianist Kirk Lightsey.

There is nothing quite like an evening under the rhythmic spell of the legendary David Morales. Stepping on the dancefloor while he's behind the decks requires full trust and surrender. You agree to hand the reins of your mind, body, and spirit to his intuition and ability to guide you to where you need to be at all times. It will occasionally be cathartic and intense. It will often make the hairs on your body stand on end, and make you sweat more than you ever have before. The endorphin release will be powerful. You will feel like you can touch joy and euphoria it in the air around you. As he gently brings you back down to reality, you will feel renewed and ready for anything life brings your way. This is more than a night of dancing. This is an experience at the hands of a magical maestro of music. How is this possible from a night on the dancefloor? Well, it begins with the brilliant mind of an artist at the peak of his creative power, imbued with the empathy necessary to connect with what has become a global legion of fans. "If there is any secret, it's really simple: I love what I do with all of my heart," Morales says. "I'm a DJ first. I thrive on human interaction. I am always adjusting my sets based on what the people in the room need. Each night, we form an emotional connection that inspires the music as it comes."

For Morales, "working in the studio is important, but it exists as a way of supporting the DJing experience. It's all to inform how it will work on the dancefloor."

To that end, you're reading these words as you dive into a new collection of Morales classics. Ever the collaborator, he has enlisted the input of a wide range of voices and talent. There is the diva power of fellow legend Ultra Nate, who brings her signature sass to "I Can Dream," while Michele Perera's explosive chemistry with David is all over the inspiring "Life is a Song" and "Never Give Up", as well as the impassioned "Addicted."

Morales reminds the listener of his ever-evolving musical scope in collaborations with blondewearingblack ("What Can I Do"), Lea Lorien ("Never Looking Back"), and Blakkat ("Can't Get Enough"). There's the clubland supergroup of David with Mr. V, Scotty P. and DJ Rae on "The Feels." Rounding out the set is a reunion with longtime muses Elle Cato ("I Feel Love") and British soul icon Joe Roberts ("Easy"). Just be sure to listen closely, because there's bound to be a surprise tucked between these grooves to tickle your ears and move your body.

The beauty of this sparkling new foray into electronic music is the heightened intimacy between Morales and the music. What you are hearing here is almost exclusively from the man's own fingertips. "The technology has evolved in the most extraordinary and liberating ways," he says, adding that he is now able to be far more directly hands-on during the building of each track. "Back in the '90s, I had to have more people involved, With the changes and growth in technology, I can now do it, myself. I don't even have to be in the studio anymore. It's smart, financially, but it's also way more fun and creative."

David adds, "I don't have to wait to manifest an idea anymore. I can just build my ideas as they come to me." In fact, he reveals that many of these new tracks were born in unique places, like planes, cars, his bedroom, and a host of other settings. "Music is always spinning around my mind. I no longer worry about losing an idea."

Surviving the highs and lows of an ever-changing world has also brought Morales back to the basic essentials of life and music. "The pandemic has brought things full circle for me," he says. "I love what I do and I still have the passion of a kid who is just getting started"

Yet, we know that Morales has been in the game for longer than a minute. He's a Grammy award-winning producer, remixer, and songwriter. He has lent his skill to countless of records by icons that include Mariah Carey, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, Seal, and Jamiroquai. As a turntable artist originally from New York City, he earned his bones of credibility back in the '80s and '90s in clubs like the Paradise Garage, Red Zone, Tunnel, and Club USA. He initiated the concept of DJs touring beyond their hometowns with countless, wildly successful treks that have taken him the farthest-reaching corners of the world. As electronic music thrives on pop radium, David tops the list of every young artist and DJ as a primary influence.

Even with such a staggering legacy, Morales never looks over his shoulder.

"That is how you stumble and fall," he says. "If you get all caught up in the past, you're going to lose sight of what is right in front of you. You lose the excitement of discovery. That is what gets me off; taking what I know and combining it with what I don't know as I learn it. There is nothing better than experiencing how it all comes together. It's different every time."

And that is the ultimate secret to that extraordinary spell that David Morales casts over us all every single time.

It’s been ten years since Sadie Dupuis recorded the first Speedy Ortiz songs, a solo experiment that quickly became her full-time band. Since then, Speedy has produced an expansive and critically revered discography, toured worldwide, and inspired next generations of bands with inventive songwriting and advocacy to better the music industry. But in 2011, the younger Dupuis was struggling through concurrent traumas: heartbreak from first love, leaving her hometown of New York for Massachusetts, and the grief of losing several young friends. Speedy’s first songs glowed within the contrast of noisiness and intimacy, raw sonic elements that came with closely processing vulnerabilities and Dupuis’ insistence on performing and recording each instrument alone. As the new project fielded show offers from favorite show spaces like Death By Audio and Shea Stadium, these early tracks became the springboard for the playfully melodic and cleverly distorted style for which Speedy Ortiz as a full band is celebrated. Now, ten years later, Speedy’s first self-released collections will be widely available for the first time and reissued as a double LP The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever, alongside previously unreleased tracks, reflective liner notes penned by Dupuis, and unearthed photos and journal scans from that era.

The tracks on The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever were written after student-created prompts while Dupuis was teaching a songwriting class at the same summer camp where she’d first learned guitar. "Hexxy Sadie” was written in an hour, like the rest of the songs, and on Dupuis’ twenty-third birthday; using explosive riffs and distorted harmonies, she explores her uncertain yearning as a twinless twin. "Frankenweenie" came from the prompt “dog,” and over brooding piano, spry tambourine, and eruptive snare, Dupuis sings from the perspective of a dead childhood pet about forgiveness. “Cutco,” which navigates tricky chord changes with deft guitar passages and ironic deadpan, grins at the bitterness of friendships gone awry. These early songs highlighted Dupuis’ remarkable talent at dissecting specific emotions and moments, analyzing the many ways the pieces fit together, and scrutinizing the places where they don’t.

During the recording process, Dupuis was inspired by the impulsive DIY methods of artists like Elliott Smith and Sparklehorse; a mixing note from September 2011 read, “It's important for the 'concept' of this 'album' that I don't redo anything.” The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever still holds onto the magic immediacy of lo-fi recordings, but this reissue is helped by the technical know-how gained through Dupuis’ solo production work as Sad13 (Lizzo, Backxwash). Remixing in 2021, Dupuis cleaned up edits on her triple-tracked drums, made space for instrumental flourishes performed on eclectic instruments like cello, banjo and timpani, and rewired digital sounds to warm up the layers of intersecting guitars. Co-mixer Justin Pizzoferrato (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh), who worked with Speedy on Sports EP, Major Arcana, and Real Hair, further clarified the mix with analog compressors, and mastering engineer Emily Lazar (Liz Phair, HAIM) added a glossy sheen to the stratified bombast.

As Dupuis’ cult-beloved early material finally re-enters the world in a substantive way, The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever is a seamless fit to the Speedy Ortiz discography that succeeded it, and evidence that Speedy’s biting lyrics, intricate compositions, and daring performances have been inherent to the project since its outset.

Black Flower is a vibrant, hypnotic mix of Ethio jazz, afrobeat, psychedelia and oriental influences, inspired by Mulatu Astatke, Fela Kuti and varied western musical traditions.

Limited version on smokey coloured vinyl.Black Flower is a vibrant, hypnotic mix of Ethio jazz, afrobeat, psychedelia and oriental influences, inspired by Mulatu Astatke, Fela Kuti and varied western musical traditions.

Recorded in 2012 following their breakthrough LPs for Freestyle Records - and stored in The Apples vault maturing ever since!
It seemed like the band were a ways past due a return to the label, and what better way could there be than to release this powerful, uplifting & headbanging Blur cover.

Wherever you are and whoever you're with, whenever you feel like screaming on the edge of a cliff or to simply dance like the end of the world is coming (all imminently possible!) this one is for you. Backed up with the irresistible klezmer-funk energy of The Apples' 2009's take on The Power, because we just couldn't resist giving it another blast on wax.

Produced By Yonadav Halevy
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered By Uri "MIXMONSTER" Wertheim
Executive Producer: Erez Todres
Arthur Krasnobaev – Trumpet
Yaron Ouzana – Trombone
Oleg Naiman – Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Yakir Sasson – Baritone Saxophone
Erez Todres – Turntables
Ofer Tal – Turntables
Alon Carmely – Double Bass
Yonadav Halevy – Drums
Uri "MIXMONSTER" Wertheim – Sound Console, Tapes, Effects
Recorded At Luna Studios, Tel Aviv With Roy Nadel, 2012.
Art by The Bitterman Sisters. Thanks To Fada Zach Bar.

Futuro Antico, released just on tape in 1980, this record contains the hypnotic session of Walter Maioli (Aktuala) and Riccardo Sinigaglia. Analog and warm sounds, a perfect mix of drone synth and ancient flutes (found in oriental countries) gives you the idea to fly on a spaceship towards some exotic sites. This records terribly remember the astonishing live Köln jam of Terry Riley and Don Cherry, the comparison fits!This reissue maintains the first tape artwork + info and photos in the innerfolder.

'No Beauty In The World' is a reflection of how in a world so cruel we can find beauty, with its music bouncing between beautiful ambience and piano loops, modular synth melodies to darker textural and feedback driven drones. Unlike other wounds records where the fluidity of the entire album tells a story, 'No Beauty In The World' explore various sonic possibilities and territories. This is a culmination of over 2 years of writing and recording, constantly driven by the uncertainty and darkness in the world that we live in. Despite it all, the sonic arc of the album gives us something to hope for, maybe there is beauty in the end. The record was engineered and mixed by Diogo Strausz (Far Out Recordings) in France and mastered (digital and vinyl) by Lawrence English (Room40). The record features collaborations from guitarist Carlos Ferreira and drummer / synthesist Phillip Stosberg.

'No Beauty In The World' is a reflection of how in a world so cruel we can find beauty, with its music bouncing between beautiful ambience and piano loops, modular synth melodies to darker textural and feedback driven drones. Unlike other wounds records where the fluidity of the entire album tells a story, 'No Beauty In The World' explore various sonic possibilities and territories. This is a culmination of over 2 years of writing and recording, constantly driven by the uncertainty and darkness in the world that we live in. Despite it all, the sonic arc of the album gives us something to hope for, maybe there is beauty in the end. The record was engineered and mixed by Diogo Strausz (Far Out Recordings) in France and mastered (digital and vinyl) by Lawrence English (Room40). The record features collaborations from guitarist Carlos Ferreira and drummer / synthesist Phillip Stosberg.

Malta-based stoner and grunge rock act A Broken
Design gear up for the vinyl-release of their latest
album, ‘Another Day In Hell’, via Argonauta
Records.
 The band’s much acclaimed debut album was
originally self-released in the middle of the
pandemic in October 2020, but will be now
reissued, for the first time ever, on vinyl.
 A Broken Design were formed in 2014 and feature
former band members of sludge metal
heavyweights Slit, doomsters Nomad Son and
electro rockers Kill The Action.
 With a mix of various alternative and heavy rock
influences, their 2017 debut EP ‘Halo Of Flies’
already showcased A Broken Design’s passion,
drive and skills to write catchy songs that deliver a
heavy dose of flat out grooves with a nostalgic oldschool grungy touch in a raw and rough sound.
 Their album ‘Another Day In Hell’ marks the band‘s
most mature and emotional record to date, delving
deep into a personal catharsis while the four-piece
broadens its sound to further sonic templates.
 For fans of Soundgarden, Los Natas, Life Of
Agony, Stone Temple Pilots, Queens Of The Stone
Age, Alice In Chains, I Mother Earth, Pist.On,
Mother Love Bone, Kyuss, Gruntruck.

After a busy, successful and critically acclaimed
year Matt Berry offers one final salvo to his fans. A
unique 12” single featuring his two collaborations
with Sean Ono Lennon.
 Sean worked on two tracks from ‘The Blue
Elephant’ album and applied his mind to give us
distinctive re-interpretations of ‘Summer Sun’ and
‘Like Stone’. Psychedelics mixed with a stomping
beat for ‘Summer Sun’ and something a little bit
weird and reflective for ‘Like Stone’.
 The 12” comes housed in a sleeve designed for
the occasion by Matt.
 The original versions of both tracks are taken from
Matt’s 2021 psychedelic masterpiece ‘The Blue
Elephant’.
 “‘The Blue Elephant’ is a sonic odyssey.” - Uncut
(8/10)
 “A remarkable record that is, in many ways, the
culmination of all the directions Berry’s music has
taken over the years” - David Quantick, Record
Collector

NYC-based collective MICHELLE release their debut album,
‘AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS’, via Transgressive
Records.
 MICHELLE recently announced new 2022 US tour dates with
Mitski. The band also toured with Arlo Parks and followed with a
string of dates with Gus Dapperton in November and a UK and
European headline tour in February.
 Born-and-bred New Yorkers, MICHELLE formed in 2018 and
are comprised of Sofia D’Angelo, Julian Kaufman, Charlie
Kilgore, Layla Ku, Emma Lee and Jamee Lockard. The
predominantly POC and queer collective mix and match the
writing and production groups amongst the six of them.
 The hallmarks of MICHELLE’s music - layered vocal harmonies,
analogue synthesizers, vibrant percussion, smouldering hooks -
dominate the sonic landscape of their upcoming album, with the
four female vocalists pushing the boundaries of their
considerable singing talents while Charlie and Julian fine tune
the production. Despite all the tinkering elsewhere, it is
important to note that the vocals remain largely untouched and
appear in their organic state.
 Songs hop across genres, from funky R&B to bedroom slow
jams to amped-upbeat-heavy anthems and more. The
songwriting on ‘AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS’ has been
elevated, as there is a depth and prowess at work that makes
good on the promise of the band’s early songs, something they
admit was learned by reflecting and allowing room for artistic
growth.
 “crisp R&B with a bright indie flourish… musical serotonin you’ll
want to bathe in for hours” - NME
 “A formidable new collective with a genre-bending approach to
songwriting” - The Line of Best Fit
 “like an aural hit of Vitamin D” - DIY
 “we can’t get enough” - Gay Times
 LP pressed on Ocean Blue vinyl.

Pinegrove’s new album, ‘11:11’, is an unqualified triumph, an
album that seizes listeners with hook-filled songs imbuing
feelings of warmth, urgency and poetic beauty, even as it
asks some of life’s big and difficult questions.
 On previous Pinegrove recordings, band member Sam
Skinner usually oversees mixing duties, but this time out,
noted producer and former Death Cab for Cutie member
Chris Walla has assumed the role. Calling previous album
‘Marigold’’s production “crisp and contained,” Hall, who coproduced ‘11:11’ with Sam, sought more of a “messier” feel
for these new songs. Most of the recording took place at two
Hudson Valley facilities (Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock
and The Building in Marlboro) with the final touches done
side by side with Walla in Seattle.
 ‘11:11’ features lush soundscapes, organs, Megan
Benavente’s melodic and adventurous bass playing, Josh
Marre’s signature guitar work and a special guest - Doug
Hall, Evan’s father- playing piano on many tracks. The record
sounds intimate, yet expansive.
 “It spends equal time on optimism, community, reaffirming
what we are and how it’s our duty to look out for one
another,” says singer Evan Stephens Hall. “There’s anger,
love, hope and grief. The record has all of that.”
 The opening mini epic track, ‘Habitat’, is a two-part
masterpiece of texturalism, brimming with robust, percussive
guitars and driven by unsettling shifts. Another key track is
‘Alaska’, a happy-go-lucky romp of dense, bracing guitar
rock, lurching out of the gate with tectonic force and boasting
hooks at every turn. Later, the breezy, pastoral folk-tinged
‘Iodine’ glistens with exquisite vocal harmonies, and ‘Flora’ is
a beautifully appointed apology to nature, its luxurious
country rock feels connected to past masters like the Flying
Burrito Brothers or early Wilco.

Debut gospel album from Georgia singer-songwriter Brent Cobb. 8 traditional gospel songs and one new original song (When It's My Time), incorporating multiple genres - country, Southern rock, blues, folk, soul. Produced, engineered, and mixed by six-time GRAMMY-winning producer Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton) at RCA Studio A in Nashville, TN.

With a decade between releases, VILDHJARTA remain as inscrutable and as close to anonymity as a band can be. Their down-tuned, staccato riffs and pulverizing grooves are the sound of music stripped to its essence. Formed in 2005 in Hudiksvall, Sweden, VILDHJARTA has become an institution of omission. From their origins, they were unafraid to embrace the untraditional. Since dropping a minute of new live music in 2016, the band's focus has almost entirely been on the new album, “måsstaden under vatten” that was finally released October 15th, 2021, with drummer and now noted producer, Buster Odeholm (also known for his work with Born of Osiris, Shadow of Intent and guitar for Humanity’s Last Breath amongst others) heavily involved in the production, mixing and mastering of the music. While working on “måsstaden under vatten” the band also revamped their two first releases. Buster Odeholm comments: "Before I joined VILDHJARTA they were my favourite band. However, I always felt the production could be a lot better and serve the songs a lot more. After joining I asked for the files from those albums to be able to try my own approach. I’ve re-programmed/produced bass and drums from scratch. For producing the drums on ‘Thousands of Evils (forte)’ I got some help from Chris George from Sworn In. I've also remixed and remastered both albums. This has been going on a long time and a lot of remixing has been done as the years have gone by, but now it’s finally time to release it.". Don’t miss the chance to check out classic VILDHJARTA tunes in all their up to date glory, now entitled ”måsstaden (forte)” and “Thousands of Evils (forte)”. Both are available as Ltd. Gatefold marbled LP, Ltd. CD Edition and Digital Album.

Grammy-nominated band TRIVIUM — Matt Heafy vocals, guitar, Corey Beaulieu [guitar], Paolo Gregoletto [bass], and Alex Bent [drums] — has announced that it will release its latest tenth album, In The Court of The Dragon, on vinyl on 28th January via longtime label Roadrunner Records. The album will be available on 2LP Transparent Yellow Vinyl. The record was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur and recorded in the Fall of 2020 at Full Sail University in Orlando.

The album cover is an original oil painting by French artist Mathieu Nozieres (@mathieunozieres on Instagram)

"While the music of In The Court Of The Dragon was taking shape, we knew we needed epic artwork of the type that you might see on the wall of an important museum from a long dead renaissance master," says Heafy. "After extensive research, we found one of the few living artists who is capable of creating artwork like Caravaggio and Gentileschi — painter Mathieu Nozieres. Mathieu took our song title and created an original oil painting on canvas unlike anything we could have ever imagined. It's so staggeringly breathtaking and epic and it looks like what the song and album sounds like."

38 Baby 2, the 17-song sequel to the 2016 breakout mixtape, 38 Baby, from the still rising, Multi-Platinum rap superstar YoungBoy Never Broke Again and featuring the hit tracks ‘Ten Talk’, ‘Thug Of Spades (feat. DaBaby)’ & ‘Nawfside’, is out on vinyl on January 28th 2022.

With 76 total RIAA certifications and over 72.5M certified units under his belt thus far, YoungBoy Never Broke Again is without question among the landmark hip-hop artists of this or any era. 2020 and 2021 have both seen him become America’s #1 most video on demand streamed artist of any genre. His second studio Album, Top, is officially platinum certified after an explosive debut at #1 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 upon its September 2020 release. YoungBoy was also last year’s #3 most audio on demand streamed artist industrywide and is currently #5 for 2021 thus far and it serves as a testament to his remarkable talent and versatility, showcasing the Baton Rouge, LA-native’s true heart & soul.

Watford quartet The Spitfires are extremely pleased to announce that their second album ‘A Thousand Times’ will be released on 26th August 2016 via Catch 22 Records. The album is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut ‘Response’ which saw the band enter high in the UK Album Charts and reach #6 in both the independent and vinyl charts, with their recent single ‘So Long’ charting at #1 in UK Vinyl Singles Chart. Building on the success they’ve managed to establish so far, ‘A Thousand Times’ looks certain to cement their reputation as one of the most vital young bands of their generation. Their work ethic and powerful song-writing mixed with their acute social commentary and lack of mainstream industry support has made this fiercely independent band one of the most popular underground success stories in the UK today. This DIY attitude and independent spirit has earned them a dedicated following and sold out shows across the whole of the UK and Europe. Across the 10 tracks on ‘A Thousand Times’ it’s possible to detect a sharper, deeper vision for the band and a more honed song-writing craft than we’ve previously seen.

Young LA star, Justin Jay, has already caught the ears of DJs and fans worldwide and released on the likes of dirtybird and Culprit. Last year, Jay shared an EP of deep house gold on Shall Not Fade sister label Lost Palms. Now he returns on their bass-oriented sublabel Time Is Now.

Hypnotized EP is a fun, breaks heavy romp featuring rave powerhouse trio Denham Audio and a remix by jungle mainstay Tim Reaper. From the off the energy is high, the title track rolling out pitched vocals and dramatic drops. "I Know" is ever more frenetic, breaks cascading over one another to a fever pitch, while Denham Audio collab "Swarm" brings out 303s and dramatic sub bass wobbles for a tour-de-force of hardcore dance vibes. Rising lofi house producer Angelo Jsn gives a euphoric, breathless edge to "Burgundy", an emotive space age trance number. Tim Reaper's untameable refix of "Swarm" keeps the heart racing to the end.

Take the freaked-out punked up soul of The Stooges and MC5 mix that with 60s garage trash, blend in Sabbath, AC/DC and heavy rock n roll and then hot wire that sound to a handful of freaks located in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Here it is that The Angered Wrecks were located - in an old Victorian style house in downtown Fredericton. It was here they set up a permanent rehearsal space on the main floor taking up the dining room and living room area with a full P.A. system and the long parties would begin as the Angered Wrecks cranked out an unholy primal serving of mind-numbing, eyeball-popping guttural pure rock and roll.

Lucky for us the Angered Wrecks had a primitive DIY recording set up as they recorded live off the floor with one cardioid mic taped to the ceiling to capture the entire room sound and straight into a cheap Alpine cassette deck. The results of these previously unheard recordings capture the essence of trashy rock’n roll at it’s finest, delivered with pure dereliction, and always a side of extra sleaze.
Keeping warm in the winter at another old salt box style house they would later rehearse and play gigs in, a large circle was cut in the floor so that the rising heat from the pottery kiln downstairs would (along with the right mixture of beer and ‘Purple Jesus’, weed and often speed and hot dogs) keep these boys fuelled long enough in sub zero temperatures to keep pumping out the rock’n roll savagery.
The last show they played was in the fall of ’81 at the Bug Shack after the household was served an eviction noticed with the house to be entirely demolished (just like Stooge Manor aka The Fun House).

They got a gig together the weekend before demolition, packed the bottom floor and played a blazing set. At the very end, walls were kicked apart, old cans of paint strewn about, general wanton destruction to furniture, doors, windows etc…insane. The bug shack had come to an end and shortly thereafter, The Angered Wrecks.
That these tapes have survived to this day is all thanks to John Westhaver’s archival hoarding (even though the loss of a 90 minute session of the Angered Wrecks still haunts John to this day).
So CRANK these tracks as loud as you can – these audio tapes are not for the faint of heart

Pure product of the Neapolitan scene, Fabrizio Fattore turns up on Cosmocities Records with his third solo effort. Comprised of two originals on the A-side, and two bespoke revamps from Vince Watson on the flip, this new EP from Fattore draws a direct bridge betwixt the idyllic coastal flow of Italian boogie and straight out pulsating alien disco, sure to keep galaxies bouncing in good order.

Clocking in first is the vibey, otherworldly 'Lyle' - a cross-pollinated ode to the healing power of laid-back, 80s-informed house, bristling with shimmering Casio synthlines and Cuban jazz-friendly pianos and drums. Heliotropic by nature, Fattore's sound sits half-way loungey summer atmospherics and trailblazing post-kosmische jaunts. Then comes 'Island Goddess', casting more of a Sino-Caribbean flavoured spin on the dance floor with its obsessive miss-mash of processed chimes and prismatic webwork of steel pans.

On the B-side dwell two versions of 'Lyle' by true house legend Vince Watson, each of which deliver in their own right. If you’re after a proper classy, straightforward roller, bound to take dancers into a ravishingly deep but rousing trip, then the 'Watson Reshape' fits the bill like a glove, whereas the 'Balearic mix' does exactly what's written on the tin - ushering you into a sense-soothing haven, where keyboard-laden escapism and Afro-style rhythms meet the elegance of muted chamber music.

Combining our favourite tracks from Situationism Records latest 2 part compilation, where ‘2UP 2DOWN’ met the 'In The Bag' series, we are releasing a special 12" vinyl sampler of only previously digitally released grooves…

Javonntte 'Soul People' – released digitally earlier this year on his 'JMarsFrank EP' is an Amp Fiddler style groove of pure soulful underground Detroit badness …enough said!

Laroye’s 'Best Girlfriends' (Soulful mix) - released digitally last year - is a lovely Rhodes laden bumping kinda groove. Nice and heavy organ driven chunkiness, bringing an infectious swing around those urgent vocal samples. Some pretty tasty synth solos in there too.

BRS 'Night To Remember' - released digitally as a single last year, is a classic BRS house groover, with deep chords over an irresistible 4/4 shuffle with rhythm guitar, meandering flute and boogie bass, building and keeping you locked until that vocal bursts through to finish the job.

Mike 'Agent X' Clark’s 'Journey Thru Afroism' was an exclusive for the compilation and is as the title suggests a true journey into Mike’s world of Afroism with cleverly hypnotic sampled chants over a deep tribal style groove and soaring synths and hints of jazz.

Aleksandir's debut album on Omena, Skin, was both musically and conceptually, a truly personal and expressive record.
Here we have three tracks from the album in glorious remix form.

Tom VR has managed to carve out a unique sound with his music, released on labels such as All My Thoughts, Intergraded, Lionoil Industries and Valby Rotary.
He delivers a dreamy, lucid and melodic take on 'Skin & Mind' and makes an already beautiful track almost implausibly wide-eyed

After several stunning and diverse releases, we had to get Ikonika on board to remix 'I Used To Dream'. Her take on the track is a futuristic electronic beat construction, polished with class and driven by weighty production.
John Dunk launched the Cameo Blush project in 2019 with the 'Murky Waters' EP on Nick Hoppner's Touch From A Distance label and released a follow-up 'Lucky', earlier this Spring on Ross From Friends' Scarlet Tiger label.
Both showcase his inventive rhythms and sunrise-ready melodies. His remix of Prado is both colourful and vibrant, a melting pot of swirling sounds that gives the original new life...

2024 Repress

Cool - gelassen - überraschend: Volume 15 dieser superlativen Serie wurde wieder von Compost’s Mentor Michael Reinboth zusammengestellt. Das pralle Paket birgt 21 Tracks, davon 8 exklusive unveröffentlichte Delikatessen und gibt es als 4-LP / 2xCD. Viel Vergnügen.

Die exklusiven Tracks kommen von: Area (schätze, man kennt seine brillianten Innervisions Veröffentlichungen), Arnau Obiols & KAYYAK (schwer von Gilles Peterson gefeatured, ihre EP “Chang‘an” war in seiner 2021 top 5 Liste), Ron Deacon (gehört zur Workshop-Crew mit Move D, Even Tuell and Kassem Mosse), Class Compliance, oh man was für ein Hammer Track, Mille & Hirsch (Operatoren des feinen Polish Records - Labels), All Is Well (dahinter steckt natürlich Fred Everything), Ben Sturm (ein neues Talent aus Leipzig’s viraler Underground Szene) und Oliver Kieser (bestens bekannt als Teil von Kieser & Velten mit einigen Platten auf G-Stone).

Gut, schön, wie immer, fast alle Tracks sind wunderbare Hybride, perfekt für jedes eklektische Set, aber auch für den entspannten Genuss von Wein, Bier, härterem oder grünem Zeug. Vielleicht besonders zu erwähnen wäre der Esa Williams Remix von Bantu Clan Vs Sarabi and Kevin Yost’s Original Mix von “Another World”, die gab es so in den Versionen bisher nicht auf Vinyl.

Diverse Magazine haben die Future Sounds Of Jazz als eine der besten Compilation - Serien aller Zeiten gewählt. Wir sind geschmeichelt. Mit dem Start der Reihe 1995 wurde das Genre Future Jazz quasi aus der Taufe gehoben, unetabliert.

"Emotional Rescue presents the first ever reissue of Sugar Minott’s rare 12” of I Remember Mama. Recorded in Soho in mid-80s London, the Boogie meets Reggae song comes in vocal and instrumental mixes, as well as a wonderfully teasing long Discomix by NAD aka Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys).

Having grown up and become a star out of Kingston, JA, with over 50 albums and hundreds of singles for the likes of Studio One and Black Roots labels, the legendary vocalist was a pioneer of the Dancehall and then later Lovers Rock sounds.

Based in London for much of the 1980s, a chance meeting in the Wackies offices he met producer Steve Parr, who had recently opened the Sound Design Studio next door.

Hatching the idea to create a label to showcase their capabilities, Parr played all the instruments except the distinctive sax by friend Andy MacDonald, while Minott’s delivery is at his prime, storytelling in the Jamaica tradition of hardship and praise.

Released on 7” and 12”, they have striking differences. The “Sound Design” instrumental / version sees the studio team craft a disco meets reggae in a cod-style to wonderful, almost Balearic effect.

The collaboration with Dan Tyler continues, as he again works his desk dubbing magic. Extending and editing between the two mixes, teasing the instrumental before finally bringing the sax and vocals together for a ‘discodub’ finale. "

Feel-good funk and hip-hop duo, The Allergies, offer up one last ray of audio sunshine from their smash hit album, Promised Land.

Featuring the unmistakable voice of Bay Area luminary, Lyrics Born, 'Going to The Party' is the ultimate celebration of good times, good friends, and good music. Throwback raps weave wickedly with infectious grooves and a sing-a-long chorus, making this the perfect soundtrack for all your get-togethers and funky affairs. And now, the limited edition vinyl release offers up an extended version, with extra house-party warming verses from L.B!

And, that's not all. As, taking B-Side Banger status on the 45 is 'Utility Man', featuring the dynamite mic prowess of L.A rap hero, Andy Cooper. Riding a super slick double bass groove and neck snapping drums, the L.A. hip-hop legend flips fearsome rap styles, pitching his case as the ultimate go-to gun-for-hire M.C.

And who are we to argue? It's two serious sides of funky rap goodness. Or, as Andy puts it, "The beats bang and the music's timeless". Indeed.

a a1: Going to the Party (Extended Mix) feat. Lyrics Born

From his early days in 90s collective KMD to his reinvention as a masked supervillain leading the indie hip-hop revolution, MF DOOM has consistently pushed the boundaries of hip-hop in new and unexpected directions. While DOOM's lyrical genius is well documented, he has quietly become an important figure behind the boards as well. DOOM has always produced his own music, and in the early 2000s he released the acclaimed ten-part Special Herbs instrumental series, introducing the world to the dusty, lo-fi loops that define his production aesthetic. In the years since, DOOM has supplied soundscapes for Ghostface Killah's classic Fishscale album, produced an entire album for Masta Ace, and witnessed a new generation of emcees (including Joey Bada$$, Capital STEEZ, and Bishop Nehru) using Special Herbs beats on their breakthrough mixtapes. Now, the villain is putting the spotlight back on his production with the official vinyl release of Special Blends, Vol. 1 & 2. Originally self-released in extremely limited quantities back in 2004, Special Blends Vol. 1 & 2 pairs vintage DOOM-produced Special Herbs instrumentals with classic hip-hop and R&B vocals. Mixed by DOOM himself, this collection incorporates vocals from a wide range of iconic records. Special Blends Vol. 1 & 2 is available in standard 2XLP vinyl format, as well as a deluxe version inside a custom-printed burlap bag.

Clear Vinyl Repress

After the unbridled success of her eponymous debut album, and the subsequent relentless touring schedule that took her to all corners of the earth, Nina Kraviz has finally found the time to get back in the studio and has bestowed another gift of musical material to the Rekids catalogue. 'Mr Jones' is a neat, 6-track package featuring Nina's first original output since her 2012 LP, which has since been pulled apart, re-imagined and remixed by the likes of Steve Rachmad, KiNK, Marcellus Pittman, Fred P, DVS1, DJ Qu and Radio Slave to name but a few. Now it's Nina's turn to get back behind the mixing desk, and fans of her slightly lesser-known B-side 'Tanya' will be pleased to hear the release kick off with 'Desire' - as Nina's seductive voice surges in and out over a hypnotically dissonant groove with slightly menacing undertones, much like her aforementioned track. On title track 'Mr Jones' Nina's voice is very much the star of the show - musing on the mysterious man himself, while a constant 'oom-pah' backbeat props up ticks and whirling textures generated by Nina's own vocal chords. Detroit's Luke Hess joins the fold on 'Remember', and certainly brings the flavour of his hometown, as the track builds in intensity with battering ram percussion and siren-like bleeps that are sure to land this one straight in Jeff Mills' record bag. Next up, it's back to House on the spicy 'Black White', where enchanted melodic cross-rhythms filter in and out through an Afro-Caribbean bounce, while Nina chants and calls over the top. 'So Wrong' is a more solemn affair, reminiscent of the more melancholic yet danceable tracks from her much lauded album, and 'Sheer' ends the release much like it starts, unnerving whistles and warbling textures combine to disorienting effect over a steady kick drum pulse.

AVA. Records celebrates its 10th anniversary with 52 artists. “10 Yahre” is a 4LP compilation housing 22 tracks, a printed 30 pages magazin and a mixed CD. All wrapped in a custom made silkscreen sleeve, also including a textile keychain and stickers. Sonically spanning from ambient to techno, 10 Yahre carries new and exclusive material, all woven around the label’s decade focus on dance floor culture, started 2011 in Cologne, Germany.

The 4LP vinyl includes music by: Am Kinem, Andy Hart, Axel Boman, Cinthie, Damiano von Erckert, Dman, Dogpatrol, форм, Jürgen Ratan, Jus-Ed, Lauer, Lowtec, Move D, Paingel, Paradise Grey, Retrogott, Robi, Ron Trent, Sinoesin, Tito Wun, U-I, Will Saul and Wolfey.

The mixed version of the entire compilation is contributed by Sally C.

The full color magazin and video includes works by: Alina Bader, Andy Kassier, Angel, Anna Beil, Ata Macias, Bailey Keogh, Damiano von Erckert, Dirk Jeans & Lou de Bètoly, Funkycan, Guido, Jana Marei, Jana Maria Dohmann, Joana Pratschke, Johannes Wohnseifer, Juri Bader, Kuchenbaum, Manuel Fischer, Maria Sécio, Martin Fengel & Public Possession, Mathias Schmitt, Maximilian Schweizer, Michael Satter, Naum Hirsl, Nicolas Wenz, Peter Wolff, Rein Vollenga, Rucksack Leer, Stelan Mergenthaler, Suzanne Caroline de Carrasco, Twit One and Yves Taron Harouche.

Compiled by Juri Bader and Damiano von Erckert, mastered by Enyang Urbiks. Design and concept by DVE 1989.

'The second pressing of Mountain Caller's debut album 'Chronicle I: The Truthseeker' is limited to 500 copies, cream vinyl housed in a single sleeve with printed inner, plus a full download.' Mountain Caller are ready to engage hyper-drive and launch their debut album into the riff time continuum. Mountain Caller are El, Claire and Max and hail from London. They describe themselves as a heavy progressive instrumental three-piece, who are driven to tell stories with music and want listeners to conjure up cinematic scenes in their minds. And that they do … in spades. If one needs a sonic ballpark, think the infectious jamming of Elder and the dynamic cinema-scapes of Mogwai, underpinned by the mantric riffs of Sleep. A rich amalgam of Progressive Rock, Post Metal and Doom. Nevertheless, Mountain Caller do succeed in weaving their own unique spell. The band are already buzzing, pricking up the ears of those in the know, and now after two years honing their chops with a clutch of immersive live performances under their belts (including a slot at Desertfest) Mountain Caller are ready to bring you their debut album. Chronicle I: The Truthseeker. Recorded in January of 2020 at No Studio in Manchester by producer Joe Clayton of Pijn, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg of ‘Cult Of Luna’. For the band, it’s a labour of love; the fruit of three years of jamming, crafting, and conceptualising; a collaborative piece, where each instrument takes centre stage, within a heady mix of chasmic riffs and panoramic, reflective soundscapes. Chronicle I: The Truthseeker is a feminist allegory created in tandem with the music. As the band describe it … In The Truthseeker, we join The Protagonist at the edge of the Twilight Desert, compelled by an indefinable but urgent need to set forth on an Odyssean journey to rediscover her memory and her voice. Over the course of 42 minutes, we travel from barren wastelands to mysterious cities, encountering trials of both body and spirit. It is indeed a 6 track instrumental journey. Full of winding roads, brooding valleys and strange encounters, all vividly evoked by a canny grasp of dynamics, melody and heavy, but hooky riffs, executed with peerless playing. 'Journey Through The Twilight Desert' opens the album in soundtrack mode, and develops in weight and riff (as if Goblin have taken up the baton) and closes in a full wide screen Mogwai trip .... and that's just the opening track. Elsewhere Mountain Caller pushes to noisier, heavier groovier places. Whether it’s the chiming guitars on the Krautrock/post-rock groove of 'I remember Everything' or 'Trial by Combat' and its doom meets Deftones vibe. To album closer 'Dreamspirals' with its melodic hooks and huge earworm riffs, it’s an album that more than stands up to listening on repeat as there plenty to discover.

Just a few months after releasing their acclaimed second album Still Life, Los Angeles indie-pop band Massage returns with Lane Lines a six-track EP out in early 2022 on Mt. St. Mtn. (Cindy, Flowertown, Blues Lawyer) that finds the quintet expanding on their Sarah-meets-Creation Records sound with new touches of soft psychedelia, Feelies-ish frenzy and Haçienda-era escapism. The band didn’t plan to follow Still Lines so quickly. But after the pandemic further delayed that multi-year project, Alex Naidus (guitar, vocals, former Pains of Being Pure at Heart), Andrew Romano (guitar, vocals), Gabrielle Ferrer (keyboards, percussion, vocals), David Rager (bass) and Natalie de Almeida (drums) leapt at the chance to make music together again in real life and started gathering on random summer evenings in the tiny rehearsal-space studio of producer-composer Andrew Brassell (Susanna Hoffs) with no clear goal in mind. Lane Lines is the surprise product of those informal sessions — a flash of pent-up creative energy that serves as both a companion piece to Still Life and an exploration of textures and influences that didn’t quite fit the full-length but have always been deeply embedded in the band’s DNA, with new echoes of 1980s artists that sought to refract the 1960s through their own skewed prisms: Flying Nun, the Paisley Underground, The Feelies covering The Beatles, “Second Summer of Love” New Order. “The songs on Still Life and Lane Lines seem to straddle the line between indie and pop without exactly being ‘indie pop,’” Romano says. “To me they feel more like descendents of ‘college rock’ a moment that lasted from about 1986 to 1991, right before the underground and the mainstream converged, when it seemed like any scrappy indie band might stumble across a hit.” The EP begins with the new single version of Still Life standout “In Gray & Blue,” which along with previous singles “Half a Feeling” and “Made of Moods” is part of a trio of songs written during the first days of lockdown and later added to the album. But while brief lulls in the pandemic allowed Massage to record the other lockdown tracks in the studio, the LP version of “In Gray & Blue” was entirely DIY a GarageBand demo emailed around for overdubs and ultimately “mixed” by Romano himself.

Created on the western edges of the infinite plains and prairies of coldest Canada, Edmonton, Alberta's HOME FRONT dance freely and madly along the edges of time and create their own moment amongst the revered and long frozen reserves of THE CURE, SUICIDE, ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN, "Second Empire Justice" era BLITZ, and NEW ORDER. A record bubbling over with analog synth, guitar loops, slammed 808 drums, and anthemic vocal pushes tugging at the great moment in-between the “death” of punk and the “birth” of new wave, pulling fresh sounds into their punk roots and shoving a studded leather jacket around a silk robe. Justice, violence, doubt and uncertainty a la Gary Numan narrating a Warren Miller Extreme Ski Special on the set of TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA: this is HOME FRONT. Recorded by HOME FRONT in an unheated plywood box in some semblance of fading daylight. Produced and mixed in the darkest depths of lockdown by Jonah Falco on a boat moored outside an isolated estate along the A40 in between sets of "The Evil Russian Pushup Challenge" and icy walks to Lidl

BARRERA follows up the NUEVO SONIDO BALEAR path started by ORDEN MUNDIAL, POU and PENA MÁXIMA with a debut release filled to the rim with lust, sex, power and distortion. Their songs are slow and acidic, with a tortured tone that would make GLOOM or BRAINBOMBS cry. The seven songs on “Visiones Nocturnas” are themed around the death of romantic love and are not afraid to look at the darkest side of life with a nihilistic conviction. Musically the record follows the path laid by STICKMEN WITH RAYGUNS or FLIPPER but are firmly rooted in Spanish Punk with DESECHABLES as a clear point of reference, both aesthetically and sonically. Although BARRERA occupy their own space with a sound that is clearly their own nightmare. Recorded and mixed by Chano Morales at Impala Uno Studio, Mallorca. Mastered by Shigenori Kobayashi at Noise Room, Tokyo. Artwork by Barrera.

Finally! "Hidden In Eternity" and "Eraser III" are put to the perfect format and classed up nicely by some of the finest design work Ryan Tong has ever done. Taking the path of 2018's bulldozing "What Do You Stand For?" LP, S.H.I.T. cranked out 2 perfect tracks of hyped-up hardcore bombfall with the signature snarl that you've come to know and love. Perfect music. Written and performed by S.H.I.T. Recorded by Dylan Frankland at Palace Studios. Mixing and additional recording by Jonah Falco. Mastered by Arthur Rizk. Artwork by Ryan Tong. European version available through La Vida Es Un Mus. North American version available through Iron Lung Records.

"We all know what teenagers are like. Bratty little gobshites. Moody shits. Forever toeing the line between cocky arrogance and whiny self-doubt, and to hell with anyone who gets caught in the crossfire. And this old fucker should know; he was really good at all of the above (still keeping on top of the ‘gobshite’ part, you’ll notice). For some reason, the entirety of rock’n’roll is predicated on music made for and about these states of mind - well, I guess if you mix ‘em all together, they can make for one helluva sense of reckless abandon. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Melbourne quartet Mr Teenage sound exactly like their name suggests: chaotic, raw, emotionally volatile… and of course they bind all this together with their own brand of heroically melodic garage rock. Produced by Billy Gardener (of Ausmuteants, Smarts, Cereal Killer and god knows how many other vital Aus-punx), this debut EP snarls, spits and swaggers with all the glorious self-belief of a drunken 4am stumble to the petrol station to buy a pack of skins. And the songs are fucking great too. Title track ‘Automatic Love’ expertly showcases the combined sounds of their cited influences (Thin Lizzy, Dictators, Martha Reeves, etc), with frontman Nic Imfeld’s voice at times edging close to the sandpaper soul of their countryman Shogun (ex-Royal Headache). Meanwhile ‘Waste Of Time’ sees him blending their garage licks with Joey Ramone bubblegum, just as ‘The Loser’ fashions a delightfully adolescent chorus of ‘the loser says what?’ from an airy melody that either The Shangri-Las or Del Shannon would be proud of. They wrap things up with another slab of pure punk/pub rock genius called ‘Kids’ that’ll get the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end, as you fight the urge to crank-call your former school teachers and blame the kid who used to take your lunch money. Of course, singing about ‘kids these days’ marks Mr Teenage out as being older than their name suggests, and sure enough their name comes from an old wrestler rather than identifying with an age bracket they’ve outgrown. But with tunes like this… honestly, who gives a fuck what they’re called? This record is perfect." Will Fitzpatrick.

"Three years on from Lucky Shiner and following his DJ-Kicks set, the new EP from Gold Panda finds him refining his approach and exploring familiar themes, mixing bell-like textures, slow-mo house, and foggy drone." - PITCHFORK Gold Panda is the moniker of English electronic record producer and songwriter Derwin Schlecker. He released several small-issue 7" records and singles in 2009, and in 2010 he signed with Ghostly International to release his debut full-length Lucky Shiner. In 2013, Gold Panda started the year releasing the EP Trust. His second album, Half of Where You Live, followed six months later.

Nervous Records, the iconic label synonymous with the rise of house from the streets of New York City, will mark 30 years in the music industry by releasing the celebratory compilation LP ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ on October 1st (Part 1) and October 15th (Part 2).

Featuring original mixes of the label’s biggest tracks, plus remixes by some of its most celebrated acts, ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ is both a celebration of the past and of the future. Featuring a who’s who of electronic dance music, the long player sees names including Louie Vega, David Morales Darius Syrossian, Tensnake, Monki, Franky Rizardo, Danny Howard and more take on iconic Nervous cuts: ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’, ‘Treat Me Right’, ‘Future Groove’, ‘Feel Like Singing’, ‘Get Up Everybody’, ‘Break You’, ‘Hot’, ‘End This Hate’, ‘Unspeakable Joy’, ‘Can Ya Tell Me’, ‘Jerk It’, ‘The Anthem’, ‘It Makes A Difference’, ‘Learn 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t You Ever Give Up’.

The album marks one of the most enduring, extraordinary legacies to grace America’s illustrious music history, not just in electronica but far beyond. Founded in 1991 by Michael and his father Sam Weiss, and recognizable immediately by its distinctive character logo, the label grew rapidly, in no small part due to Michael Weiss’ practically unmatched passion for discovering new music.

“Louie Vega and Kenny Dope woke me at 4am on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning from their studio telling me they had something really different that I needed to hear,” Michael recollects. “I asked if they could play it over the phone. They said if I wanted to hear it I had to come to the studio. So of course I got myself up, got dressed and went there. That “really different track” ended up being ‘The Nervous Track’, a tune that became our signature release and was also highly instrumental in the emergency of London’s ‘Broken Beat’ movement.”

The label’s willingness to take chances on fresh sounds and innovative concepts rising up from the melting pot sidewalks of NYC ensured a body of work that has become a living musical history of the city. House cuts ‘Unspeakable Joy’ and ‘Nitelife’ (Kim English), ‘Get Up (Everybody)’ (Byron Stingily) and ‘Feel Like Singing’ (Sandy B) bump up against hip-hop anthems like ‘Who Got Da Props’ (Black Moon) and “Bucktown” (Smif-n-Wessun) and reggae cut ‘Take It Easy’ (Mad Lion); soulful flows from Mood II Swing (Kim English ‘Learn 2 Luv’, Loni Clark “Rushing”), Armand Van Helden (‘The Anthem’) and Nuyorican Soul (‘Mind Fluid’) sit alongside seminal techno singles like Winx’ ‘Don’t Laugh’. The young artists and producers who joined the Nervous Records’ family have gone on to become some of the most hallowed and celebrated dance acts of all time: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Kerri Chandler, Kim English, Byron Stingily, Josh Wink, to name just a handful.

“We did a release with Josh Wink under his Winx alias entitled ‘Nervous Build-Up’,” Michael said. “It did well and it was obvious how talented Josh was. Subsequent to that release I was pretty persistent in asking him to continue to play me his new demos. During one phone conversation he said, “Mike I’m gonna play you something over the phone but don’t laugh when you hear it.” That demo ended up being ‘Don’t Laugh’, which became one of our biggest international hits and still to this day is one of America’s earliest and most impactful techno hits.”

As much a celebration of the label’s future as it is of their past, Nervous Records: 30 Years is but a marker in the imprints’ history, a clear sign of where they’ve been and also where they’re going. With 30 years behind them, the label’s determination to unearth new raw diamonds in the rough is as unwavering as ever.

“I’ve always been one to look at what others are doing (the industry at large) and think, “ok, are they doing this specific thing for a reason, or doing it because everyone else is doing the same thing” and make my decision based on that,” says Nervous Records’ General Manager Andrew Salsano. “In an age where data metrics and analytics reign supreme, I remain steadfast that they should be complementary to your decision and not the sole indicator to make one. So many songs today are written with 15 second hooks in mind for social media, and while there’s nothing wrong with that business model you will always be chasing the wave instead of carving out your own path and identity.

“My primary focus for the sound of the label has and will continue to revolve around signing good songs and music that has the ability to react at the street level first. The best results come from artists that are firstly given a bit of local love that grows into a global impact. Fresh ideas that express child-like curiosity and artists showing vulnerability in their music are also something I look for, artists and producers that are not making music with certain markets in mind, but rather their own style and signature that is unique but able to straddle the fine line of underground and overground.”

Still as raw, as underground and as finely tuned to the dance floor as they ever have been, perhaps the secret to the success - and the longevity - of Nervous Records has something to do with that hard, dogged, no-holds-barred NYC edge that runs through the veins of the label. With the next generation of producers rising from the clubs of New York, one thing is certain; Nervous Records will be there to find them, nurture them and bring them to the world at large, over the next decade and beyond.

IDLES return with their new album, ‘CRAWLER’, an album of reflection and healing
amid a worldwide pandemic that stretched the planet’s collective mental and physical
health to the breaking point.
 Frontman Joe Talbot says: “We want people who’ve gone through trauma,
heartbreak, and loss to feel like they’re not alone, and also how it is possible to
reclaim joy from those experiences.” IDLES albums have always been anchored by
these overarching themes, but the ability of the band to juxtapose beauty and rage
with humour and drama has never felt more satisfying than on ‘CRAWLER’.
 These stories are vividly brought to life through IDLES’ most soul-stirring music to
date, recorded with co-producers Kenny Beats (Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs) and
IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen.
 Previous album ‘Ultra Mono’ was Number 1 album in the UK, with over 35k sales
week one.
 Huge 2022 January UK tour including five Brixton Academy dates, three at Glasgow
Barrowlands, two at Manchester Warehouse and more. Over 20k UK tickets sold in
the first hour of release.
 Three high budget music videos, written and directed by LOOSE (Lucy Hickling,
Stink Films).
 CD in digipak packaging.
 Deluxe LP mastered at half-speed (45rpm), pressed on deluxe heavyweight 180g
black double vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket with printed inner sleeves.
 Eco-Mix coloured vinyl LP housed in a single-sleeve jacket and printed inner sleeve.
Eco-Mix vinyl production uses leftover wax that’s already in the factory, meaning
each record is different and the colour is completely random and unique.
 Standard black vinyl LP housed in a single-sleeve jacket and printed inner sleeve.

Freestyle Records run off a gem of 45 with two tracks from their recent Bunny Scott reissue project, showcasing the early-Black Ark debut LP of Scott (aka Bunny Rugs, later of Third World).

The Blaxploitation-influenced funk track 'Kinky Fly' features members of The Chi-Lites' backing band (passing through the infamous studio whilst in Jamaica for a series of shows) - their horn section and Chinna Smith's wah-wah guitar shine through with synth overdubs adding to the mood, underpinned by the ghostly click tracks of the Conn Rhythm Unit (constituting one of Scratch's earliest experiments with drum machines). On the flip, the upbeat 'Sweet Loving Love' boasts a jaunty synthline high up in the mix and a stellar rhythm section augmenting Bunny's soulful tenor.

Emigrate. The one-time project has become more than that. Much more. The three studio albums, EMIGRATE (2007), SILENT SO LONG (2014) and A MILLION DEGREES (2018), prove that squarely behind Emigrate stands Richard Zven Kruspe – an extremely creative mind who needs the freedom to explore his music and his vision in ways outside of Rammstein. With Emigrate there are no limits, no barriers. Everything is possible, nothing held back, and it’s this ethos that underlines THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY, the new studio album, set for release on November 5th. THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY is a special jewel indeed, with the nine featured songs bringing together ideas that Richard has collected across the last two decades. Industrial Rock, Rock with electronic elements, however you choose to describe it, there’s no question that the songs here always contain a strong sense of melody, as rousing as they are deep. At one stage, it seemed that the tracks might be part of a bigger project – a vinyl box set of the first three albums with an additional LP included. On this bonus LP would be a selection of unreleased songs dating from 2001 right through to 2018. In the end, however, this material was considered too precious to sit beneath the ‘bonus’ heading, so THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY was born... Richard reacquainted himself with his hard drives, coming across ideas, songs and lyrics that deserved to be brought into the light, material too good to remain in the archives. He threw himself fully into the task at hand, as he always does, working on the basis that "A good idea remains a good idea”, and if he felt that there was more to be gained he was open to taking another look at the arrangements and the lyrics; new parts were also recorded here an’ there, after which the entire mix was given a fresh polish, ensuring that the nine songs have a contemporary yet timeless coat of paint. This time, Richard tried to keep things as simple as possible, allowing the creativity to flow, keeping his sights firmly set on pure, raw Emigrate songs. Says Richard: "These songs were created at a certain point in my life, but ideas don't have an expiration date. Sounds, lyrics and themes, on the other hand, do." "Freeze My Mind", for example, is one of the first Emigrate songs ever written, going right back to 2001. Now, 20 years later, it sounds fresh, of the moment, yet Emigrate through & through, something that is true of the album as a whole. Some of the elements are forged in a familiar heat, but these are married to new ways of working, new influences and challenges.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce For McCoy, a new work by Eiko Ishibashi dedicated to the widely loved character of Jack McCoy, portrayed by Sam Waterston in Law & Order. Following on from Hyakki Yagyō (BT064), For McCoy finds Ishibashi further exploring the unique space she has carved out in recent years, bringing together musique concrète techniques, ECM-inspired jazz, lush layers of synths and hints of pop into immersive and affecting structures crafted in her home studio, aided by a group of close collaborators.

Beginning with overlapping layers of descending flute lines, the expansive ‘I Can Feel Guilty About Anything’ (whose two parts stretch out over more than thirty minutes) unfolds with a free-associative logic, embracing dreamlike transitions and unexpected cinematic cuts. As a hovering cloud of synthetic tones and multi-tracked voices fans out from the spare opening moments, Joe Talia’s skittering cymbals settle into a gently propulsive groove, soon joined by melodic fragments performed by Daisuke Fujiwara on multi-tracked saxophone. As the drums cede to field recordings and ominous synth figures, the uncommon meeting of saxophone and electroacoustic techniques call to mind the more spacious moments of Michel Redolfi and André Jaume’s Synclavier-propelled oddity Hardscore or the early work of Gilbert Artman’s Urban Sax. As the piece continues on the LP’s second side, distant dialogue rumbles beneath a surface of processed flutes, blurring into a cavernously reverberant backdrop for stark ascending lines performed by MIO.O on violin. Eventually, the piece settles into a gorgeous passage of abstracted dream pop, where Ishibashi’s multitracked vocal harmonies glide atop synth chords, errant pings and snatches of outdoor sound.

Fragments of melodic material reappear throughout the spacious opening piece, finally stepping to the forefront on the closing track, ‘Ask Me How I Sleep at Night’. Here, over a shuffling groove supplied by Jim O’Rourke on double bass and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto on drums, layers of flutes, saxophones and guitars sound out melodies whose combination of twisting irregularity and soulful immediacy calls up prime Keith Jarrett, while their closely voiced harmonies suggest Kenny Wheeler or even Wayne Shorter’s Atlantis. In a classical gesture of closure, the web of melodic lines eventually leads back to the descending flute figures with which the record began. Presented in an immersive, impeccably detailed mix by Jim O’Rourke and arriving in a sleeve featuring Ishibashi’s beautiful drawings of Jack McCoy, For McCoy is an essential release for anyone following the enchanted and unique path being forged by Eiko Ishibashi.

Over the last twenty years Comeback Kid have been hailed as one of the major counterparts when it has come to shaping and pioneering both the Canadian and international modern punk and hardcore sound and scene alike.
After having released their first demo in 2002, before quickly drawing the attention of Facedown Records for the release of their debut, Turn It Around, the last twenty-one years have seen the band produce some of the most acclaimed records within the genre. Signing to Victory Records (Thursday, Refused) for 2005’s career defining records, Wake The Dead and Broadcasting, the five piece have undoubtedly over the years been able to balance a DIY ethos and dependability, with that of a humanitarian ethos, and genre defining musicianship which has broken down the boundaries of hardcore, and transcended the genre onto a global stage. With a back catalogue that would produce some of the most seismic and influential anthems to transverse across both punk and hardcore, 2017’s signing to Nuclear Blast Records (Hatebreed, Madball, Slayer) saw the release of powerhouse heavy hitter, Outsider.
Arguably noted as a record and turning point in both sound and the band’s career, this release would be a definitive moment in pioneering a new path of which an entire generation of new artists within the genre would follow, thus solidifying Comeback Kid next to the likes of NOFX, Terror, and Converge as both major headliners, and forefathers to set the course for what it means to be one of the most adverse punk bands of the 21st century. “We’re a hardcore band, but we don’t feel like we belong to any particular sect of that,” states Neufeld alongside band members, Jeremy Hiebert (guitar), Stu Ross (guitar), Chase Brenneman (bass), and Loren Legare (drums). “We don’t want to be limited in any sense and prefer to work on our own terms.”
Now one of the most volatile leaders within the global heavy music community and continuing to break down boundaries and champion new territories, Comeback Kid’s seventh studio album, Heavy Steps is solidifying the band’s revolutionary status.
Returning to their roots, literally, by recording in Winnipeg and co-producing with John Paul Peters (Cancer Bats, Propagandhi) as well as collaboration with prominent mixer Will Putney (Knocked Loose, Every Time I Die, Four Year Strong), Heavy Steps is no longer a prerequisite to realizing Comeback Kid’s influence on modern punk, but a delivery of pure anthemic chaos, sheer speed and force. It is a statement of intent. “It’s about hitting the ground running, not knowing when or where the ground could break from underneath you.” summarizes Neufeld. “It's heavy steps on thin ice. Heavy steps on hollow ground.”

"With a unique trademark sound that is instantly recognizable even through a massive block of ice, Finnish melodic power metal overlords Sonata Arctica never fail to enthrall their audience with captivating hymns of Nordic splendor and magic. Graced by the aurora borealis, they’ve released ten studio albums thus far, taking us into their world since the majestic tunes of their long-fabled debut, “Ecliptica.” Now, however, the band is about to start a whole new chapter. Aptly titled “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One,” Sonata Arctica carefully strip their sound of all things metal only to reveal precious, stunningly beautiful acoustic songs that still capture the heart, spirit and very essence of this band. After Sonata Arctica hit the road in 2016 to premiere their marvelously crafted acoustic set to a stunned audience and then again in 2019, the idea was born to immortalize these intimate, pure, and heartfelt renditions of their iconic catalog on two acoustic albums, the second of which will follow in close succession. “The fans truly seemed to enjoy this side of the band quite much so there was clearly a demand to record these versions of our music.” Having said that, such a release was only a matter of time, anyway: At the very heart of every Sonata Arctica song lies a sublime melody, wreathed in melancholy. “We originally planned to record these songs in Los Angeles at a friends’ studio but since most of our touring seized we decided to do the recordings a bit sooner,” remembers Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg. “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One” was recorded during summer 2020, with mixing and mastering following suite. Even though the songwriting material is so strong in this band -- you could hear it played on a triangle or a saxophone and still get goosebumps -- some songs proved to be trickier than others. “Not all of the stuff we tried worked out which is why some songs were not recorded,” Henkka says. “Luckily we have quite a large collection to choose from so there’s really no shortage of material.” It’s no exaggeration. The band has over one-hundred songs to choose from, which is a rather fortunate situation. What’s typically Sonata Arctica about all this is that they not only replaced electric with acoustic guitars. Instead, they didn’t shy away from writing whole new arrangements. “Thus, a lot of the songs sound quite different from the original versions.” Starting with the songs they already performed during the “Acoustic Adventures” tours, they added some personal favorites or gems to the mix after that and recorded the whole bunch live! Opening with the mesmerizing “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me” and going via the banjo and organ infused (!) “A Little Less Understanding” to the heartbreaking ballad “Tonight I Dance Alone,” it becomes clear that Sonata Arctica have found solace and a home in these tender versions. One song especially proved to be a challenge for Henkka. “‘Wolf & Raven’ was quite the thing to play on acoustic piano,” he laughs, “but the whole session was a big challenge for everyone. On top of doing it all live, we also didn’t use a click track or metronome so you had to be really alert and make sure the songs stayed in tempo. I think ‘For The Sake Of Revenge’ is still is my favorite. It turned out really special and so different from the original. We also didn’t play the acoustic version live so nobody has heard it.” Yet, he means. The next acoustic tour is around the corner. Singles & Videos: 03.12 „The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me“ Sigle & Lyric Video 14.01 „For The Sake Of Revenge“ Single & Video // Focus Track"

"With a unique trademark sound that is instantly recognizable even through a massive block of ice, Finnish melodic power metal overlords Sonata Arctica never fail to enthrall their audience with captivating hymns of Nordic splendor and magic. Graced by the aurora borealis, they’ve released ten studio albums thus far, taking us into their world since the majestic tunes of their long-fabled debut, “Ecliptica.” Now, however, the band is about to start a whole new chapter. Aptly titled “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One,” Sonata Arctica carefully strip their sound of all things metal only to reveal precious, stunningly beautiful acoustic songs that still capture the heart, spirit and very essence of this band. After Sonata Arctica hit the road in 2016 to premiere their marvelously crafted acoustic set to a stunned audience and then again in 2019, the idea was born to immortalize these intimate, pure, and heartfelt renditions of their iconic catalog on two acoustic albums, the second of which will follow in close succession. “The fans truly seemed to enjoy this side of the band quite much so there was clearly a demand to record these versions of our music.” Having said that, such a release was only a matter of time, anyway: At the very heart of every Sonata Arctica song lies a sublime melody, wreathed in melancholy. “We originally planned to record these songs in Los Angeles at a friends’ studio but since most of our touring seized we decided to do the recordings a bit sooner,” remembers Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg. “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One” was recorded during summer 2020, with mixing and mastering following suite. Even though the songwriting material is so strong in this band -- you could hear it played on a triangle or a saxophone and still get goosebumps -- some songs proved to be trickier than others. “Not all of the stuff we tried worked out which is why some songs were not recorded,” Henkka says. “Luckily we have quite a large collection to choose from so there’s really no shortage of material.” It’s no exaggeration. The band has over one-hundred songs to choose from, which is a rather fortunate situation. What’s typically Sonata Arctica about all this is that they not only replaced electric with acoustic guitars. Instead, they didn’t shy away from writing whole new arrangements. “Thus, a lot of the songs sound quite different from the original versions.” Starting with the songs they already performed during the “Acoustic Adventures” tours, they added some personal favorites or gems to the mix after that and recorded the whole bunch live! Opening with the mesmerizing “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me” and going via the banjo and organ infused (!) “A Little Less Understanding” to the heartbreaking ballad “Tonight I Dance Alone,” it becomes clear that Sonata Arctica have found solace and a home in these tender versions. One song especially proved to be a challenge for Henkka. “‘Wolf & Raven’ was quite the thing to play on acoustic piano,” he laughs, “but the whole session was a big challenge for everyone. On top of doing it all live, we also didn’t use a click track or metronome so you had to be really alert and make sure the songs stayed in tempo. I think ‘For The Sake Of Revenge’ is still is my favorite. It turned out really special and so different from the original. We also didn’t play the acoustic version live so nobody has heard it.” Yet, he means. The next acoustic tour is around the corner. Singles & Videos: 03.12 „The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me“ Sigle & Lyric Video 14.01 „For The Sake Of Revenge“ Single & Video // Focus Track"

"With a unique trademark sound that is instantly recognizable even through a massive block of ice, Finnish melodic power metal overlords Sonata Arctica never fail to enthrall their audience with captivating hymns of Nordic splendor and magic. Graced by the aurora borealis, they’ve released ten studio albums thus far, taking us into their world since the majestic tunes of their long-fabled debut, “Ecliptica.” Now, however, the band is about to start a whole new chapter. Aptly titled “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One,” Sonata Arctica carefully strip their sound of all things metal only to reveal precious, stunningly beautiful acoustic songs that still capture the heart, spirit and very essence of this band. After Sonata Arctica hit the road in 2016 to premiere their marvelously crafted acoustic set to a stunned audience and then again in 2019, the idea was born to immortalize these intimate, pure, and heartfelt renditions of their iconic catalog on two acoustic albums, the second of which will follow in close succession. “The fans truly seemed to enjoy this side of the band quite much so there was clearly a demand to record these versions of our music.” Having said that, such a release was only a matter of time, anyway: At the very heart of every Sonata Arctica song lies a sublime melody, wreathed in melancholy. “We originally planned to record these songs in Los Angeles at a friends’ studio but since most of our touring seized we decided to do the recordings a bit sooner,” remembers Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg. “Acoustic Adventures – Volume One” was recorded during summer 2020, with mixing and mastering following suite. Even though the songwriting material is so strong in this band -- you could hear it played on a triangle or a saxophone and still get goosebumps -- some songs proved to be trickier than others. “Not all of the stuff we tried worked out which is why some songs were not recorded,” Henkka says. “Luckily we have quite a large collection to choose from so there’s really no shortage of material.” It’s no exaggeration. The band has over one-hundred songs to choose from, which is a rather fortunate situation. What’s typically Sonata Arctica about all this is that they not only replaced electric with acoustic guitars. Instead, they didn’t shy away from writing whole new arrangements. “Thus, a lot of the songs sound quite different from the original versions.” Starting with the songs they already performed during the “Acoustic Adventures” tours, they added some personal favorites or gems to the mix after that and recorded the whole bunch live! Opening with the mesmerizing “The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me” and going via the banjo and organ infused (!) “A Little Less Understanding” to the heartbreaking ballad “Tonight I Dance Alone,” it becomes clear that Sonata Arctica have found solace and a home in these tender versions. One song especially proved to be a challenge for Henkka. “‘Wolf & Raven’ was quite the thing to play on acoustic piano,” he laughs, “but the whole session was a big challenge for everyone. On top of doing it all live, we also didn’t use a click track or metronome so you had to be really alert and make sure the songs stayed in tempo. I think ‘For The Sake Of Revenge’ is still is my favorite. It turned out really special and so different from the original. We also didn’t play the acoustic version live so nobody has heard it.” Yet, he means. The next acoustic tour is around the corner. Singles & Videos: 03.12 „The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me“ Sigle & Lyric Video 14.01 „For The Sake Of Revenge“ Single & Video // Focus Track"

The highly anticipated debut album from Franco American conductor/composer/arranger. Uèle Lamore specializes mixing orchestral and acoustic textures with modular, electronic and synthetic elements. Not just affiliated to classical music, she likes to dive into the fields of composition and arranging through many musical styles: electro, new wave, rock, techno, minimal, neo-soul and many more that are left to explore leaving an infinite range of possibilities. The ten album tracks were composed and produced by Uèle Lamore herself and include 3 features from English speaking artists including Gracy Hopkins, who featured on the critically acclaimed The First Tree. Previous collaborations include Radiohead, Frank Ocean, Jonny Greenwood, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Thom Yorke, Mica Levi, Beck and many more. Promo/marketing activity.

EXTLP ist stark im bombastischen Rave-Sound verwurzelt, aber es gibt viel mehr als nur rasenden Techno und halsbrecherische Breakbeats auf diesem Album. Auf den 15 Tracks reissen Modeselektor durch mutierende Crunk-Verzerrungen, glitchige Dub-Meditationen und Neon-Synthie-Pop. EXTLP wartet mit einem Staraufgebot an Gästen aus der ganzen Welt auf, darunter Dub-Veteran Paul St. Hilaire, die britische Rapperin Flohio, die Avant-Pop-Regelbrecherin Catnapp und der legendäre Einstürzende Neubauten-Frontmann Blixa Bargeld. Nach dem Mixtape "Extended" und den drei darauf folgenden EPs ist EXTLP der letzte Teil der vielleicht produktivsten Phase von Modeselektors gesamter Karriere.

»Infuso Giallo aka Philipp Carbotta originally hails from rural Western Germany, first cut his teeth in the music scene of nearby Cologne and conducts a host of activities in Berlin for a couple of years now – co-running the label Kame House, designing graphics and producing and playing leftfield electronic music. His debut LP Ocular Soda presents an intersection of these activities – self-released, self-designed and of course self-produced. Even before the first synth chords and reverse atmospheres of the two-part opener 'Every Waking Hour' tickle the ear, it is the eye that is drawn to the bright, cut-out style cover art – itself made up of two eyes on the front and what seem to be their rough shapes or discarded counterparts on the back.
To stay within that metaphor, Infuso Giallo's music is indeed of a reflective and calm nature, taking cues from Berlin School, library and New Age musics from roughly the 1970s to the 1990s – steadily repeating and slowly evolving ostinatos, lush digital pads, quirky filtered toplines and electronic percussion that mostly eschews four-four monotony in favor of much more subtle syncopations. Balearic bomb 'The Big Rip' with its big drums and acid bass turns the energy level up a notch while retaining the somnambulistic, lingering quality that makes Ocular Soda such a coherent listening experience – music on the sheath of waking and dreaming, both worlds and their inherent logics freely bleeding into each other. There are moments of great expanse, such as in 'Mole Gaze' – I couldn't help but see myself hovering somewhere in mid-air while the music unfolds as if on a great deserted plane below me. Maybe this is what it sounds like once the mole leaves his tunnels and takes in the sound of the world overground. 'Hello World', indeed, in its multitude of information to eye and ear, in its gently overwhelming quality. The title track 'Ocular Soda' closes the proceedings with a whimsical nod to 1970s botany-centered library music, its brooding chord sequence and sweet lead lines gradually fading in the distance. A fitting ending to an impressive LP of highly evocative, at times sombre and at times blissfully naive pieces that leave me yearning for more.«

Written, recorded & produced by Infuso Giallo in 2020 & 2021 in Berlin. Mixed by Philipp Janzen & Sebastian Blume at Dumbo Studios, Cologne. Mastered by Sam Irl in Vienna. Design by Infuso Giallo.

Ambassador's Reception head-honcho Stevie Kotey has started sorting out his archives. Relaunching the label and assuming the pseudonym Steamy Windows he's been dusting off and souping up crowd-pleasing cuts by the score. The first fruits of this labour to be made public will be One Of Those Nights – a collaboration with cool Californian dude, Woolfy – King Of The Sun-Baked Balearic Boogie. The two of them turning in a breathless bedroom berserka of balmy, heat-stroked, blue-eyed electro street soul – suitable for fans of Apiento, Harriett Brown and Lexx' Cosmic Shift long-player. Its bass bumping bionically, keys and guitar blown in like a breeze.

Percussion-like seashells gently washed and made to shine by the tide. While Woolfy's whispers are the male equivalent of Brenda Ray's intimate coo. I've been privy to six mixes that range from a beatless ambient calm – showing off the electric axe work and celestial synthetic flute – to bottom-end bolstered dub. L.U.C.A's Quirky Version puts the beat right up front – big snares behind treated vocal fragments. Gating everything for a trippy, serenely stoned glide. Taken altogether this sextet forms a kind of suite, finally refocusing on the love song at its root.

Dr.Rob (Ban Ban Ton Ton)


b 02: One of Those Nights (Beach Hotdog) feat. Woolfy
c 03: One of Those Nights (No Vox) feat. Woolfy
d 04: One of Those Nights (L.u.c.a Quirky Version) [feat. Woolfy & L.u.c.a]
[e] 05: One of Those Nights (Green Mix) [feat. Woolfy]
[feat. Woolfy]

Yellow Marbled Vinyl

A Franco-Italian production of the latest vinyl de-luxe of Ryan Paris, recently released in a strictly limited edition in three colors (yellow, spottled, fuchsia). On the side A of the EP we find ''Tarzan Boy'' (Baltimora) which peaked at # 2 for 5 weeks in Musicbox live France and the 80's remake of ''Always On My Mind'' (Pet Shop Boys). On the flip side the Club Mix Version and the 80s disco-club remake of ''Dream'' by P. Lion (# 8 also in Musicbox live France)- The release also contains the autographed postcard of the Italo-disco icon Ryan Paris (Dolce Vita) for all the aficionados of the fantastic music of the 80s.

repressed !

Strong contender for dance record of the year- Red Rack'em's incredibly wonderful and fantastically wonky, Disco Banger, was rereleased on Classic this year.
After a few months of slowly embedding itself in people subconscious, it returns with new mixes.
First up in the marvellously talented KiNK - Strahil is no stranger to Classic, having made a stamp on the label many years ago with his remix 3rd Face. He's gone from strength to strength with his productions which have been accompanied by his glorious live performances. Kink goes in, heads down with some proper techno Wonk. This is indeed a beast.
On the flip Luke Solomon joins forces with Bristol's very own Eats Everything and Lord Leopard, creating a Bristol 'Circle of Three.' The Luke Eats Leopard edit adds a slight bit of conformity to the drums and the arrangement, without taking out too much of the Wonk but taking it ever so slightly into 'house ' territory.
Overall this is a monstrously Wonky package - and just in time for Xmas too.

Collaboration between Live At Robert Johnson & Public Possession, both selecting some key label artists to remix “Gingko” a track taken from “Aksel & Aino”s debut Album “Lullabies for Insomniacs”. Including Mixes by Gerd Janson, Lauer, DJ City & Nice Girl ranging from Big Room Balearic Pop to tripped out Techno and classic house.

What is techno if not a powerful conduit for energy? The movement of a sequence, the surge of an effects rush, the respondent reaction in every individual dancer and the moving mass of the crowd as a whole. Whether the frequencies transmit directly into the brain through the intimacy of a headphone reverie, reverberate through the architecture of a space or fill the formless void of the open air, techno’s potency to initiate and stimulate energetic events is profound. This is something Pfirter understands intimately, having spent more than 15 years exploring ways of manipulating the energy on a dancefloor.

Of course, energy is not just about volume and aggression. Tonality, spatial processing and composition can have just as profound an effect as the thump of the kick drum. On his new album Altered States, Pfirter proves that point by zeroing in on the cerebral, psychedelic elements of his craft across 10 incisive tracks. The Argentine producer consciously approached his second album (following 2019’s The Empty Space) with a minimal mindset, using a very focused set of drum machines and synths to achieve a consistency across the record. Captured over a short burst of creativity, it’s the sound of an artist pushing a limited array of tools as far as possible. Despite this concise palette, it’s not an album that repeats itself, but rather an extended trip that flows from one detailed, textured immersion to the next.

The dense, febrile waves of hard-oscillating ripples in ‘A Future In Chaos’ and the sparkling, off-key chimes adorning ‘Yearn’ all speak to Pfirter’s gift for extravagant, surrealist expression within his tracks. ‘Altered States’, by way of contrast, succeeds in its absolute immediacy – a piledriving statement of bleep-driven intent. ‘Boiler’ and ‘Convergence’ land somewhere in between, coiling around kinked rhythmic incantations which still push forwards with precision while offering a different angle from which to approach the dancefloor. Cementing the idea of the whole album as a listening experience, Altered States is bookended by ‘Venus’ and ‘Dissolution’, two minimal exercises in drone-oriented mood setting.

Pfirter understands the role of his music, and his own instincts as a performing artist. It’s crafted to be captivating for DJs as much as the attentive listener. Spanning linear rhythms and broken beats, moments of calm and writhing intensity, Altered States offers a multitude of energetic possibilities in the mix or as a standalone piece of music. Ultimately, it’s a masterful return from a leading light of the contemporary techno scene.

This is MindTrip!

This release is a special one; a moment where the two halves of the Mr Bongo record label unite, our heritage re-issues and our contemporary artists roster.

Minoru Muraoka’s 'The Positive and the Negative’ is a firm favourite at Mr Bongo. It sees a master of the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo Japanese flute, flex his prodigious skill resulting in a unique mix of breakbeat jazz and Japanese folkloric music. 'The Positive and the Negative’ featured on the 1970 'Bamboo’ album, which Mr Bongo reissued in 2019. Heralded by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Egon, and many others. The record’s cult status had us thinking how could we pay further homage to a sublime track such as this. The opportunity came to us in an email from Melbourne’s Surprise Chef with a link to the fabulous reinterpretation of the track which they had just recorded.

"Minoru Muraoka’s ‘Bamboo’ LP has long been a fixture in our record bags, mostly for the killer shakuhachi funk cut The Positive and The Negative. The record is possibly our favourite from Mr Bongo’s extensive catalogue of reissues, and certainly the most influential to Surprise Chef; The Positive and the Negative’s cinematic atmosphere paired with the wonky drum feels and dramatic performance makes it a near-perfect amalgamation of what we try to capture on Surprise Chef records. We’ve borrowed an element or two from the tune over the last few albums (such as the percussion on ‘The Limp’), so it felt right to go head first into reinterpreting the entire track for ourselves. We recorded the tune in Karate Boogaloo’s attic studio with our man Henry Jenkins at the controls and Hudson Whitlock on percussion. We spent an entire day trying to get the take; we felt such a deep responsibility to capture the intensity of the original, we must have done 20 or 30 takes before we were finally happy. We stuck a fork in it late into the night, satisfied that we’d had our best crack at paying homage to a masterpiece by the great Minoru Muraoka.” - Surprise Chef

Forged in their signature sound, "The Chef" have made 'The Positive and the Negative' their own whilst simultaneously treating the original with utmost respect. The shakuhachi and koto have been replaced by synths and guitars, but the breakbeat psychedelic vein flows richly through both instruments

The 7" vinyl format was the right fit for this release, so the original Minoru Muraoka recording which clocks in over nine minutes has been edited into a 7” version to accompany Surprise Chef’s new take.

What If It Works’ first release, minimum wage maximum joy arrives by way of newcomer 11:68PM. Produced in Berlin in the winter of 2020 and mixed & mastered at the newly minted Brewery Studios, minimum wage maximum joy’s five tracks are precision-tooled for the club, showcasing 11:68PM’s veneration for UK-leaning house and techno.

11:68PM’s moniker, as well as the EP title minimum wage maximum joy draws on the artist’s experience of balancing the grind of the 9-5 with dreams of realizing his creative vision. The skittish breaks on “Bluff Mind State” and “Sway”’s glitchy “Call Mohandes Dub” reveal this state of mind, while “Vertical Mobility” reveals a playful side with its irresistible acid bassline and soaring synths.

In 11:68PM’s words: “Writing the record in the evenings in my bedroom on one of the loudest streets of Neukölln, after I had clocked out from work, I found myself in the ever-present struggle of being artistically active while making ends meet. In making this EP, I decided to prioritize my own desires and not wait for some hypothetical moment to pursue this project that might never arrive.”

Visually, this is underscored by Philipp Pess’ striking artwork, depicting the gaunt face of a man whose tired eyes hint at a lifetime spent in front of a screen.

With minimum wage maximum joy, 11:68PM offers a compelling glimpse into a new generation of Berlin’s left-of-centre club producers.

Radiation Roots continues its exploration of Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label with the releases of this sought after and rare early dancehall album. Recorded at the legendary Channel One Studio, Osbourne and Palmer are two sublime vocalists and they are backed here by The Roots Radics, with Scientist on the mix.

Hector Oaks and Coco-Paloma bring forth a unique collaboration. Different backgrounds but a shared love for electronic music. With the help of CLUBQU, an innovative Label born in Berlin during the first lockdown, their paths crossed at a music studio in what once was Berlins airport.

As the daughter of an opera singer Coco-Paloma grew up internationally, amidst chaos and music. Her lyrics reflect existentialism and a bittersweet melancholy. Dramatic, yet always a hint of hope.

Defiant of any genre, Hector Oaks daring production breaks boundaries. Showcasing a variety of rhythms, tempos and intensities that converges with Coco-Paloma's poetry, into the future without forgetting lessons of the past.

If there is no tomorrow, why would you act the same?

Repress

The third installment of Hypnus' Serum-series introduces two wonderfully swirling deep techno cuts from Swedish producer Hardstedt Under Molnet with interpretations by Hypnus adepts Luigi Tozzi and Ntogn.

The record will be pressed in 180 gram marbled vinyl (transparent blue and white); sheathed inside a hand-stamped and undyed inner sleeve. It will be limited to 300 copies and released under the July full moon.

Early support from Claudio PRC, Deepbass, Ness, Svreca, Slam, Patrick Siech, TM404, Etapp Kyle and Iori to name a few.

Written & Produced by Karl O'Connor (Regis) & Simon Shreeve (Kryptic Minds). Recorded & Mixed at DNS Essex.

A variety of ambient and experimental cuts to be found here. A re-release of sorts, all original tracks were done by Enitokwa (Takashi Hasegawa) as rehearsal for a live performance at Tokyo - Batofar Festival in Paris in 2001 and were released on a limited CDR "promo." in 2002. All 8 tracks were recorded and mixed live in one sitting, and have been remastered, given names and pressed on heavy vinyl with a beautiful cover design by Berlin artist Nik Patrick.

The sample sources were largely inspired by records that Takashi listened to in High School - and feature two hugely well known British hands (one of whom have just reformed and have a new album out…), some old Jazz, Bossa Nova and Hawaiian records, as well as samples from ambient legends Deep Forest and Brian Eno. The result is an earthly nostalgic feel with deep moods to match the times we are living in.

The first track ‘Pop’ bursts into life with an etherial presence. ‘Ssab’ and ‘Chinese Girl Goes to Hawaiii’ have a rather filmic quality to them, whilst ‘Resonating’ seems to float over the wreckage of human activity, a post apocalyptic vision of Planet Earth. ‘Liquid Sky’ is a minimal groove which could be a sonic report from an eerie space station, which is itself a remix of Dub Sonic aka Takehito Nakazeto’s ‘Donigma Dub’.

‘Hope on Hop’ will appeal to today’s generation with its Techno and D’n’B influences, and features voices taken from Wim Wender’s ‘Paris Texas’. Track 7, ‘Mingos’ turns Gal Costa’s voice into a soaring atmospheric haze of digital memory, and the track ‘Holy Spiral’ is a combination of this one and ‘Resonating’, an ascendent 12 minute march to the release’s final close.



Takashi Hasegawa is a respected DJ, producer and live performer who plays live electronic and DJ sets regularly today in venues and festivals across Japan. He has been producing house, techno, experimental and ambient music since the 90’s - spending some of that time in the United States, including working in the music scene in the New York, before returning to Japan working as a sound engineer, A&R and producer for the famous Tokyo-based record label Club Yellow. Now based in Osaka-Fukuoka, Takashi’s music is still resonating with fellow music lovers around the world.



Now, 20 years on from its creation, this music is rediscovered and given a wider audience. The sound on ’Re-Promo’ interestingly gives an insight into the music Enitokwa is currently working on - reflecting the cyclical nature of creative output - and represents a slight departure from the swirling delicate ambient textures that you can hear in o.n.s.a and on the intricate and more musical 2069, released in 2017 and 2016 respectively.



Each track has a video accompaniment to be released in various media outlets, the label head Tom Ransom having partnered with diverse artists in Colombia, Denmark, Japan, Poland, France, Britain and China to create a wide range of visual outputs.



The release also sees two digital only remixes, one coming from London and Wigan’s enigmatic Isherwood (Edward Regan), and the other from Mat Fink - a unique DJ and up and coming producer raised in Pittsburgh and Berlin. Watch out for these…



Machines used:



Yamaha SU700

Sequential Circuits Pro One

Roland TR909

Roland TR808,

TC Electric D-Two

MAM RS3

Pedals



Remastering and additional audio treatment by Kabamix (LMD) on Dec.4.2017.

Dedicated to Takehito Nakazato (SONIC PLATE)

”Brightside” heißt das 4. Album von Wesley Schultz und Jeremiah Fraites, alias The Lumineers. Produziert wurde es von den längjährigen Partnern in Crime Simone Felice (The Felice Brothers) und David
Baron, der auch für Engeneering und Mixing zuständig war. Das Album präsentiert die erste neue Musik
der Lumineers nach mehr als 2 Jahren. Nach dem sehr düsteren und sehr konzeptionellen Vorgängeralbum
wird schon durch den Titel klar, dass es sich hier um ein sehr frohes und spontanes Album handelt. Die 9
Songs-Collection spielten Schultz und Fraites zusammen mit Baron in dessen Studio in New York ein und
wurden dabei u.a. bei den Backing Vocals von Simone Felices’ Tourmitgliedern Byron Isaacs und Lauren
Jacobson, Cindy Mizelle (Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band), James Felice (The Felice Brothers)
und Singer-Songwriter Diana DeMuth unterstützt.

A mandatory disc for those who loved Europe and Fair Warning, but highly recommended for those who love good music of those years.“ METAL HAMMER (IT), Andrea Lami „OUT OF THIS WORLD has it all. An album and musicians who will give you total happiness!“ METAL INTEGRAL (F), Laudrome „This album was just sheer enjoyment from start to finish“ METAL TEMPLE (ISR), Will Travers "1988 saw the release of Swedish hard rock superstars EUROPE‘s fourth album entitled “Out Of This World”, which has sold over 3 million units to date and contains hits such as “Open Your Heart”, “Superstitious” and “Let The Good Times Rock” . Ex-EUROPE guitarist Kee Marcello intends to tie in with that era’s style with his new formation that he recruited the perfect companion for: FAIR WARNING-vocalist Tommy Heart. Their self-titled debut album was mixed by Ron Nevison (KISS, OZZY OSBOURNE), who had also refined the aforementioned EUROPE classics in 1988. So they connected all of the obvious dots, with a neverending list of renowened musicians joining in on the recordings. Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE) contributed the keyboards on four songs, while the rhythm section is complemented by Darby Todd (GARY MOORE, THE DARKNESS) and Ken Sandin (ALIEN). Every track of their debut work deserves undivided attention, be it the anthemic “Twilight”, the gripping “Lightning Up My Dark”, the timeless “Warrior” or the amazing ballad “Only You Can Teach Me How To Love Again”. This epic piece makes melodic rock dreams come true and sounds modern while traditional at the same time. Kee Marcello is a genius in his field and carries that certain something in his blood, so wonderfully and emotionally implented by Tommy Heart‘s vocals. OUT OF THIS WORLD is the new star in Melodic Rock heaven, a liaison that has yet a lot left in store. "

The Wombats kick off the most exciting phase of their constantly evolving success story today with the announcement of their fifth studio album Fix Yourself, Not The World, due for release on 7th January 2022 via AWAL. Alongside this, the indie heroes have revealed plans for a five date headline UK arena tour in April 2022, playing massive nights in Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff and Liverpool, as well as their biggest ever headline show at The O2, London on 15th April. Tickets will go on sale from 9am BST on 20th August.

The announcement comes accompanied by a brand new single ‘If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You’, which is BBC Radio 1’s Future Sounds Hottest Record In The World.

Recording remotely over the past year from their respective homes, the band have been working hard to produce some of the most captivating, inventive and forward-thinking music of their career to date. With frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy in Los Angeles, bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen in Oslo and drummer Dan Haggis in London, they discussed each day’s plan via Zoom, then recorded separately, sending individual files to producers Jacknife Lee (U2, The Killers), Gabe Simon (Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey), Paul Meaney (Twenty One Pilots, Nothing But Thieves), Mark Crew (Bastille, Rag‘n’Bone Man) and Mike Crossey (The 1975, The War on Drugs, Yungblud) to mix into the finished tracks. “It was pure madness, to be honest,” explains Murph.

“We’re so excited for people to hear this new album! We’ve explored new genres and pushed ourselves further than ever musically. It will always stand out for us in our memories from our other albums as we recorded it across three cities during lockdown, and we weren’t all in the same room at the same time!” says Dan Haggis.

The Wombats kick off the most exciting phase of their constantly evolving success story today with the announcement of their fifth studio album Fix Yourself, Not The World, due for release on 7th January 2022 via AWAL. Alongside this, the indie heroes have revealed plans for a five date headline UK arena tour in April 2022, playing massive nights in Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff and Liverpool, as well as their biggest ever headline show at The O2, London on 15th April. Tickets will go on sale from 9am BST on 20th August.

The announcement comes accompanied by a brand new single ‘If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You’, which is BBC Radio 1’s Future Sounds Hottest Record In The World.

Recording remotely over the past year from their respective homes, the band have been working hard to produce some of the most captivating, inventive and forward-thinking music of their career to date. With frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy in Los Angeles, bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen in Oslo and drummer Dan Haggis in London, they discussed each day’s plan via Zoom, then recorded separately, sending individual files to producers Jacknife Lee (U2, The Killers), Gabe Simon (Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey), Paul Meaney (Twenty One Pilots, Nothing But Thieves), Mark Crew (Bastille, Rag‘n’Bone Man) and Mike Crossey (The 1975, The War on Drugs, Yungblud) to mix into the finished tracks. “It was pure madness, to be honest,” explains Murph.

“We’re so excited for people to hear this new album! We’ve explored new genres and pushed ourselves further than ever musically. It will always stand out for us in our memories from our other albums as we recorded it across three cities during lockdown, and we weren’t all in the same room at the same time!” says Dan Haggis.

This is the repress of celebrated American rock band Against Me!'s album 'Shape Shift With Me' on blue double vinyl. Originally released back in 2016, it has been out of stock on vinyl since 2018. It is the follow up album to the band’s critically acclaimed studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, and came out at the same time as frontwoman Laura Jane Grace announced her memoir titled TRANNY: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout. Recorded, mixed and engineered by Marc Jacob Hudson (Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day) at Rancho Recordo, ‘Shape Shift With Me’, Against Me!’s seventh full length album, has the distinction of the first album frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has written truly from the heart, with no metaphorical cloaks cast over the lyrics. It’s an album about love, that deceptively complex emotion we all struggle with yet has somehow eluded most of Grace’s songwriting for the past 20 years. In a career already full of classic punk records, Shape Shift With Me feels like the definitive Against Me! album—it’s poppy and catchy (“Rebecca,” “Suicide Bomber”), aggressive and in-your-face (“ProVision L-3,” “Dead Rats”), sentimental and longing Crash,” “All This (And More”). Moreover, it’s the culmination of four years of existence as Laura Jane Grace—there’s no going back now, so she might as well embrace it.

The seminal follow up to 2020 debut 'In the Wake Ov Sol' sees the Massachusetts Blackened Death maestros up the ante. Creating a truly terrifying hybrid of Modern Deathcore and Symphonic Black Metal, WORM SHEPHERD's new offering also features a stellar mix and master from Cody Stewart (Machine Gun Kelly, Winds of Plague, Falling in Reverse).

The seminal follow up to 2020 debut 'In the Wake Ov Sol' sees the Massachusetts Blackened Death maestros up the ante. Creating a truly terrifying hybrid of Modern Deathcore and Symphonic Black Metal, WORM SHEPHERD's new offering also features a stellar mix and master from Cody Stewart (Machine Gun Kelly, Winds of Plague, Falling in Reverse).

Grey Marbled Vinyl
Mit unerschütterlicher Hartnäckigkeit hat die undurchdringliche Schwermetall-Hartkernfabrik HATEBREED eine weitere eiserne Guss- und Schallwaffe mit dem Gewicht des falschen Selbst hervorgebracht. Es ist keine Überraschung, dass ihr achtes, abendfüllendes Album das Ergebnis des üblichen Schweißes und Blutes ist, das HATEBREEDs einzigartige Nische in der Musikwelt seit über zwei Jahrzehnten zementiert hat. Bekannt für ihre Fähigkeit, ihren Fans eine intensive und kathartische Veröffentlichung zu bieten, haben HATEBREED ihren Schreibstil durch diesen Albumzyklus herausgefordert, um Material zu produzieren, das in einer zeitgenössischen Welt, die von Überreizung, emotionaler Dämpfung und mangelnder sozialer Geduld überflutet ist, außergewöhnlich gut zu vergleichen ist. "Weight Of The False Self' ist eine perfekte Darstellung von HATEBREED im Jahr 2020, ein frischer Ansturm von baldigen Klassikern mit all den Elementen, die Sie vom ersten Tag an hierher geführt haben", erklärt Gitarrist Frank Novinec. Fast jedes Individuum trägt ein metaphorisches Gewicht in Bezug auf sein emotionales Konstrukt. Unsere Erfahrungen prägen, wer wir werden, und im Laufe der Zeit entsteht allmählich eine schwere Last, die wir immer weiter mitschleppen. Für viele von uns wird die Last so groß, dass wir uns schwer tun, von unten herauszukommen, geschweige denn uns zu bewegen.

Es sind diese Kämpfe, die sich durch das Gewicht des falschen Selbst übersetzen lassen. "Ob man es sieht oder nicht, jeder trägt eine Last. Die Musik, die wir lieben, hilft uns, diese Last zu tragen", erklärt Sänger Jamey Jasta. Stücke wie "Cling To Life" liefern ein Wortspiel, das normalerweise bedeutet, sich verzweifelt an die letzten Atemzüge zu klammern, aber hier zeigen diese Worte, dass es nach wahrem Verlust und Trauer aufrichtige Erleichterung bringen kann, sich an die Idee von Glück und Zukunft zu klammern. Am anderen Ende des philosophischen Spektrums präsentiert die erste Single "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" nicht nur ein neues Vokabular-Wort, sondern schreit auch nach der Kraft, die von unseren Verteidigungsmechanismen ausgeht, wenn wir in eine Ecke gedrängt werden. Wenn jemand von seiner Vergangenheit verfolgt wird, von einer anderen Person, oder wenn er nur sein eigenes Territorium verteidigt, ist es nur eine Frage der Zeit und der Entfernung, bis er zu einer wilden, ursprünglichen Bestie explodieren kann. "Es sollte verboten sein, ein so schweres Lied zu machen", beschreibt Bassist Chris Beattie. Das Lied "Wings Of The Vulture" ist eine Metapher für all die negativen Kräfte der Natur, des Schicksals und der Menschheit, die hoffen, uns in einigen unserer schwächsten Momente zu erbeuten, indem sie auf den Tod von etwas Sinnvollem warten. "A Stroke Of Red" berührt, entgegen dem, was auf den ersten Blick scheint, das Konzept, die Wahl zu haben, sich selbst oder anderen zu schaden. "Auge um Auge, aber das macht jeden blind. Wenn man einmal diesen dunklen, gewalttätigen Weg gegangen ist, gibt es kein Zurück mehr.

Dieses Lied ist eine dunkle Leinwand; ich verlasse meinen Körper, um schreckliche Dinge auf einer anderen Ebene zu tun, und komme zu mir selbst zurück, um daraus zu lernen, so dass man diesem dunklen, fleischlichen Verlangen niemals nachgibt", erklärt Jasta. Das Album-Artwork des renommierten Heavy-Metal-Künstlers Eliran Kantor zeigt einen Mann, der an der massiven Skulptur einer Steinbüste herummeißelt. In Kantors klassischem Malstil, der durch den Lehm von Aufruhr und Traurigkeit bricht, beginnt ein Licht durch den Fels zu scheinen, während der Bildhauer sein Gesicht von den blendenden Strahlen der Heilung abwendet. Das Bild kombiniert visuell die Themen des Albums, nämlich den emotionalen Kampf und die Überwindung des Schmerzes, nachdem Schichten von Depression, Angst, Verrat und Herzschmerz die Seele eines Menschen verhärtet haben. Im Laufe von mehr als 20 Jahren und 8 Alben ist der Schreibprozess für eine Band wie HATEBREED in ihren Wurzeln sicher geblieben, aber dennoch hat sie sich nach knackigen und überzeugenden Stücken mit progressivem Sound umgeschaut, die dem Mix hinzugefügt werden sollen. Es gibt Wellen von frischen Klängen, während das massive Fundament, auf dem HATEBREED stehen, weiterhin stark gehalten wird. "Auf diesem Album habe ich mich wirklich angestrengt und mich dazu gebracht, die Dinge umzuschreiben, bis sie besser waren, bis es klickte. Ich habe mich aus dieser Komfortzone herausgerissen. Im Zeitalter der Altlasten, in dem die Bands so viele Hits aus ihrem Katalog bei Shows spielen müssen, hören wir gerne, dass die Fans neue Songs verlangen, wenn wir live spielen", erklärt Jasta, "wir haben mit diesem Album wirklich unsere Stärken ausgenutzt". "An fleischigen Rippen und adrenalingeladenen Trommeln mangelt es auf dieser Platte nicht. Ich bin stolz darauf, dass wir durchweg einen Soundtrack liefern, zu dem man in seinem Wohnzimmer moshen und seine Wohnung zerstören kann", erklärt Schlagzeuger Matt Byrne. Bei der erneuten Aufnahme des Albums mit Hilfe von ZEUSS erlebte die Band ein Gefühl der Herausforderung und des Durchbruchs, das es ihr ermöglichte, eine neue Ebene des Klangs zu erreichen.

Nachdem er mehrere Jahre lang mit der Band gearbeitet hat und während er normalerweise seine Zeit mit Bands verbringt, die einen ziemlich anderen Sound haben, ist Zeuss in der Lage, HATEBREED zu testen und ihre bereits berüchtigte Schwingung zu erweitern. "Es war wirklich großartig, wieder mit Zeuss an diesem Projekt zu arbeiten. Ich liebe die Art und Weise, wie die Gitarren klingen", kommentiert Gitarrist Wayne Lozinak. Im Laufe der Zeit scheint die Qualität der Produktionstechnologie immer besser zu werden und ein sicheres und produktives Nest zu schaffen, in dem das Album

Following on last year’s standout 7” release from Diogo Strausz, RNT now reveals the incredible extended mixes of the original pair of tunes, along with a strikingly beautiful remix of the title track by the inimitable Ron Trent. Originally conceived by the Brazilian producer to be long form songs that showcased the deep musicianship of Strausz and his cohorts, extended organ and piano solos and instrumentation now stretch out in all their jazzy glory across one side of a heavyweight 180g 12”.

On the the A-side, Ron Trent takes Emancipação positively interstellar, with added instrumentation and mounting percussion that builds toward a soulful and hypnotic peak, the way only he can do!


Emancipação:
Drums by Patrick Laplan. Moog, organ, electric piano by Rafael Vernet. Sequences and bass by Diogo Strausz. Mixed by Fred Deces.

50 Anos Em:
Grand piano by Rafael Vernet. Sequences, bass, congas, wurlitzer by Diogo Strausz. Additional production by Antoine Gaillet. Mixed by Diogo Strausz and Fred Deces.

Remix and additional production by Ron Trent.

Sudi Wachspress returns to Tartelet Records with Dance Planet, a third LP of emotionally-charged house music to welcome us back to the dancefloor. The spirit of true house runs deep in the sound of Space Ghost. Oakland native Sudi Wachspress is intuitively plugged into the romantic, mystical energy of 4/4 club music as a unifying force of empowerment and liberation, carrying the torch from vital forebears like Larry Heard, Alton Miller, and Blaze.

His new album, Dance Planet, carries a greater responsibility to spread spiritual affirmations. As the global dancefloor community emerges from a mentally-taxing recess and confronts their social self like it’s the first day of school, Space Ghost’s message couldn’t be more supportive.

“Don’t be afraid to be yourself, don’t be afraid to let go,” he intones on “Be Yourself.” More than just a beat and a hook, his music is pointedly created to heal and energize. “I’m a big fan of old-school house vocals that have a positive message,” says Space Ghost, “tracks that can perhaps enhance your mood or strengthen your confidence in yourself.”

Wachspress has always represented a beacon of musical uplift, both on his previous Endless Light and Aquarium Nightclub LPs for Tartelet and on his swathes of self-released music and last year’s Free 2 B on Apron. Compared to most house-oriented artists, he places emphasis on the long-player format to create an encircling experience for the listener, smoothing out psychic wrinkles and massaging areas of tension for a fully holistic hit.

Round two of Rebirth’s bonus EP series that follows on from the massively popular Ciao Italia. Generazioni Underground compilation – digging deep to reissue some of the most treasured Italian dream house tracks out there.

Highly sought after and hard to get your hands on EP Due includes another four tracks that are cemented in many a wantlist including one of the standout cuts from Green Baize’s beloved 1992 LP Game Of Chance, Don Carlos – I Believe In Heaven, the extended mix of Stage 28’s - Feel The Night and a white label gem in the form of Cirillo & Leo Young Pres. Brother’s Brigade - They Couldn’t Resist.

Debütalbum des US-Musikers Bobby Vickery aka Syst3m Glitch, der 20 Jahre lang als Produzent, Tontechniker und Studiomusiker in Florida arbeitete (u.a. für Christina Aguilera) und als Sieger eines Remix-Contents zur Synthwave-Szene fand. Nachdem der Schalter umgelegt war, gewann Syst3m Glitch umgehend den 'Best Newcomer' Award der Forever Synth-Radioshow/Podcast. Sämtliche seiner Releases fanden seitdem den Weg in die einschlägigen Radioshows, Twitch-Livestreams und YouTube-Mixe. Syst3m Glitch erzählt auf 'Beyond Stars' seine persönliche, kraftvolle Geschichte über Angst, Verlust, Mut und eine Liebe, die sich weigert, aufzugeben. LP auf 180g purplefarbenem Vinyl.

“Bad Weather (STR4TA Remix)” is the latest release from future soul and electronic duo Anushka. The 12” will be released on limited 500 press DJ promo style vinyl and features the STR4TA remix, STR4TA remix instrumental and original album track. Taken from the band’s LP ‘Yemaya’ – named after the Goddess of the Sea, protector of women and the Eternal Mother in the Santeria/Yoruba religion – the original of “Bad Weather” was inspired by the life-giving essence of water, referencing the guidance and support Yemaya offers her children, helping them to grow. Transforming the track with their iconic Brit-funk style, Gilles Peterson and Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick AKA STR4TA immerse Anushka’s vocals in a dancefloor groove tinged with explorative electronic melodies and lively instrumentation. “Bad Weather (STR4TA Remix)” is thefirst exclusive remix from STR4TA following the release of their album ‘Aspects’ which saw support pour in from the likes of The Guardian, Jazz FM, Mixmag, The Independent, Echoes, BBC 6Music and Clash Magazine.

Parlophone Records/ISO Records are proud to announce TOY:BOX. The previously unreleased TOY album will be released on 7th January 2022, the day before David Bowie’s birthday. Available in six 10” vinyl versions, TOY:BOX is a special edition of the TOY album. The ‘capture the moment’ approach of the recording sessions are extended to the sleeve artwork designed by Bowie featuring a photo of him as a baby with a contemporary face. The package also contains a 16-page full-colour book featuring previously unseen photographs by Frank Ockenfels 3.

TOY was recorded following David's triumphant Glastonbury 2000 performance. Bowie entered the studio with his band, Mark Plati, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer and Emm Gryner, to record new interpretations of songs he’d first recorded from 1964-1971. David planned to record the album ‘old school’ with the band playing live, choose the best takes and then release it as soon as humanly possible in a remarkably prescient manner. Unfortunately, in 2001 the concept of the ‘surprise drop’ album release and the technology to support it were still quite a few years off, making it impossible to release TOY, as the album was now named, out to fans as instantly as David wanted. In the interim, David did what he did best; he moved on to something new, which began with a handful of new songs from the same sessions and ultimately became the album HEATHEN, released in 2002 and now acknowledged as one of his finest moments.