There’s no direct English translation for the word “hiraeth”. In the Welsh language, it describes a form of longing for an intangible something, somewhere or someone that no longer exists. Sofie Birch and Antonina Nowacka draw on the concept to guide their second collaborative album, a suite of vulnerable, open-hearted improvisations and reflections that attempt to grasp an image of the past that’s chimeric, dissolving almost as soon as it materializes. The duo’s process follows the same distant beacon; unlike Languoria, their critically acclaimed debut, Hiraeth is, at heart, an acoustic record, informed by in-person improvisations with voices and string instruments that gesture to an era before computers, AI and DAWs. It’s just as lush, but Hiraeth is warmer and more muted than its predecessor.
Nowacka and Birch conceived the album in the wake of a slew of collaborative live concerts, spurred on by serendipitous improvisations and an interest in paring down their setup. Unsound arranged a retreat in Sokołowsko, an idyllic village nestled in the verdant hills of Southern Poland, close to the Czech border. Sokołowsko surrounds a large ruined sanatorium that’s rumored to have inspired Thomas Mann’s 1924 novel The Magic Mountain, and has long been a magnet for artists. The two took the opportunity to rethink their approach completely, arriving with just a guitar, a zither and a portable Nagra reel-to-reel machine. Recording directly to tape, they sketched out ideas with just their voices and instruments, reflecting their surroundings without being distracted or mediated by modern technology.
“We wanted to get away from screens as much as possible,” says Birch, “to bring to the world something vulnerable and honest. Without advance preparation, every day we went out into the open air, finding places to sit, during sunset or the midday sun. We discovered new tunings on our instruments, picked up a melody, and started the machine, playing over
and over till we got a take.” In the autumn, they met again in a Copenhagen studio, sparingly and carefully layering old synths and organs to add more depth without muddying the mix.
Both Nowacka and Birch sing throughout, their voices threading the acoustic instruments and tangling with each other, almost becoming one. But it’s the environment of Sokołowsko, “the birds and the light, even the wind playing against the harps,” that’s woven into the music’s lining. Affected by time spent meditating and in nature, as well as the fact that Birch was pregnant whilst recording, the album feels alive and remarkably present. Even the sound quality of the tape machine gives Hiraeth a tactile, organic quality, as Nowacka puts it, “like being in a warm bath.”
They still have the raw recordings from Sokołowsko on old reels, physical souvenirs of their time spent making music in a “habitat for intuitive songs, a little ecosystem, alive and spirited.” The outmoded gear and remote setting helped the duo disengage from the modern world for a few moments and imagine an existence that’s been lost to time and nominal progress. With digital technology receding into the background, Nowacka and Birch had space to make “intuitive connections with frequencies and people,” as Birch explains. Hiraeth is a testament not to nostalgia, but to the power of kinship.
Cerca:mod r
The new label R.I.T.M.O. launches its journey with a clear statement of intent: VOID RIFT QUANTUM, a six-episode cosmic voyage by WHITE SOLAR DOG, complemented by two premium remixes from UNIVAC and PROMISING YOUNGSTER. The EP opens with “VOID RIFT QUANTUM” a dark, expansive electro exercise where crushing basslines, syncopated rhythms, and a dialogue between vocoders and acid lines evoke an interplanetary landscape. On “I.N.S.I.D.E.” the intensity ramps up through driving percussion, tribal voices, razor-sharp breaks, and an almost ritual force that propels the body into physical and mental trance.
UNIVAC’s reinterpretation of the title track unleashes his full arsenal: a steely remix of relentless energy that pushes the original into a hard-edged industrial realm, stamped with the unmistakable signature of the Catalan producer. “MOVE YOUR BODY” showcases WHITE SOLAR DOG’s most direct side: classic electro with heavy bass, pads, and bright melodies, where the machine calls the dancefloor to action without compromise. The journey reaches its most ethereal point with “SING TO ME” where a female vocal intertwines with broken rhythms, crystalline atmospheres, and fresh acid incursions—cementing WSD’s personal hallmark: equal parts intensity and spirituality. The release closes with Promising Youngster’s remix, which takes the vocal elements of “SING TO ME” and guides them into a hypnotic state, suspended between the dreamlike and the club. With VOID RIFT QUANTUM, R.I.T.M.O. presents its inaugural catalog, distilling the power of contemporary electro and the otherworldly vision of WHITE SOLAR DOG. A debut that clearly establishes its coordinates: impact, exploration, and progressiveness, introduces itself to the world through an inaugural catalogue that distills the present and future of electro: mysticism, power, and precision.
All covers are handmade. They feature a fluorescent strip along the sides for easy identification, and under black light, the Spanish version of the cover is visible. Each disc contains three handmade inserts: a pop-up of R.I.T.M.O., a template, and a paper synthesizer model based on the actual synthesizers used to create the album (a different one on each disc). Each disc comes in a plastic sleeve.
All covers are handmade. They feature a fluorescent strip along the sides for easy identification, and under black light, the Spanish version of the cover is visible. Each disc contains three handmade inserts: a pop-up of R.I.T.M.O., a template, and a paper synthesizer model based on the actual synthesizers used to create the album (a different one on each disc). Each disc comes in a plastic sleeve.
- A1: Horse Steppin' - Sun Araw
- A2: Paris - M.o.o.n
- A3: Miami Disco - Perturbator
- B1: Knock Knock - Scattle
- B2: Hotline - Jasper Byrne
- B3: Crystals - M.o.o.n
- B4: Vengeance (The Return Of The Night Driving Avenger) - Perturbator
- B5: Musikk Per Automatikk - Elliott Berlin
- C1: Silver Lights - Coconuts
- C2: Hydrogen - M.o.o.n
- C3: Daisuke - El Huervo (Feat Shelby Cinca)
- C4: It's Safe Now - Scattle
- C5: A New Morning - Eirik Suhrke
- D1: Flatline - Scattle
- D2: Release - M.o.o.n
- D3: Turf - El Huervo
- D4: To The To - Scattle
- D5: Miami - Jasper Byrne
- E1: Deep Cover - Sun Araw
- E2: Inner Animal - Scattle
- E3: Crush - El Huervo
- E4: Electric Dreams - Perturbator
- F1: Rust (El Huervo Remix) - El Huervo
- F2: Subbygroove - M.o.o.n
- G1: Untitled 2 - The Green Kingdom
- G2: Detection - Prey Growl
- G3: Blizzard - Light Club
- G4: Voyager - Jasper Byrne
- G5: She Meditates - Light Club
- G6: Guided Meditation - Old Future Fox Gang
- H1: Dust - M.o.o.n
- H2: Disturbance - Endless
- H3: Technoir (Feat. Noir Deco) - Perturbator
- H4: Divide (Miami Edit) - Magna
- H5: Simma Hem - Riddarna
- I1: Hollywood Heights - Mitch Murder
- I2: Richard - Life Companions
- I3: Chamber Of Reflections - Sjellos
- I4: Decade Dance - Jasper Byrne
- I5: Interlude - Chromacle
- J1: New Wave Hookers - Vestron Vulture
- J2: Around - Modulogeek
- J3: In The Face Of Evil - Magic Sword
- J4: The Winding Theme #1 - Dag Unenge
- J5: Remorse - Scattle
- K1: Frantic Aerobics - Mitch Murder
- K2: Sexualizer (Feat. Flash Arnold) - Perturbator
- K3: Java - Old Future Fox Gang
- K4: Rust - El Huervo
- K5: We’re Sorry - Life Companions
- F3: Hotline (Analogue Mix) - Jasper Byrne
- K6: Loodline - Scattle
- L1: Delay - M.o.o.n
- L2: Roller Mobster -Carpenter Brut
- L3: Keep Calm - Endless
- L4: Run - Iamthekidyouknowwhatimean
- M1: Ghost - El Huervo
- M2: Hotline Miami Theme - Benny Smiles
- M3: Quixotic - M.o.o.n
- M4: The Way Home - Magic Sword
- M5: Richard Theme - Dubmoo
- N1: Narc - Mega Drive
- N2: The Rumble - Cinimod
- N3: Le Perv - Carpenter Brut
- N4: Ms Minnie - Auto Delta Time
- O1: She Swallowed Burning Coals - El Tigr3
- O2: Acid Spit - Mega Drive
- O3: Slum Lord - Mega Drive
- O4: Future Club - Perturbator
- P1: Fahkeet - Light Club
- P2: Abyss - Lippi Sound
- P3: Abyss Intro - Lippi Sound
- P4: Black Tar - Nounverber
- P5: Escape From Midwich Valley - Carpenter Brut
- P6: You Are The Blood - Castanets
- F4: Angel Dust – Perturbator
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iconically brutal-yet-stylish Hotline Miami, the head honchos at Devolver Digital, Dennaton Games and Laced Records picked up the phone and made the call to bring back two killer soundtracks to vinyl.
This Standard Edition of the Hotline Miami 1 & 2: The Complete Collection 8LP box set includes traditional black vinyl.
Every in-game track from Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is present and correct, including Castanets’ “You Are The Blood” (not previously available via the HM2 Steam soundtrack release.) 76 tracks remastered for vinyl will be pressed to heavyweight LPs that come in spined inner sleeves, contained in a rigid board lift-off lid box with spot UV highlight.
Also included in the box are two 12” art prints of the front and back cover pieces, and a 50 Blessings symbol felt slipmat and metallic sticker.
The box set features brand new eye-exploding artwork by long-time Dennaton collaborator Niklas Åkerblad — aka El Huervo aka Beard — alongside illustrator -IZMA-. El Huervo’s grisly covers depict contradictory accounts of a berserk face-off between Jacket and Biker, replete with entrails. -IZMA-’s disc sleeves explore scenes from the series’ lore, tapping into the violence, psychedelia and nihilism that pervade its characters and themes.
10 years on, neon-soaked indie hit Hotline Miami has become a cultural touchstone in a way that few video games ever achieve — and the electronic soundtracks for both series titles are held up as modern classics that have transcended gaming. At turns brutal and laid-back, pulsating and aimless, coked-up and checked-out, these two ultracool compilations were at the heart of the retro-’80s synthwave scene that swept the Internet over the 2010s.
Blue Vinyl
Das irische Rockduo Dea Matrona der beiden Belfaster Schulfreundinnen Mollie McGinn und Orlaith Forsythe hat mit knallharten Riffs und musikalischer Intensität einen seltenen, sensationellen Sound etabliert – düster und echt, aber voller Melodien und Stil. Ihr Debütalbum 'For Your Sins' ist eine mitreißende Mischung aus Indiepop, Hardrock, hervorragender Raffinesse und Einflüssen von Fleetwood Mac, HAIM, The White Stripes und Arctic Monkeys. Krachende Basslines und schwere Instrumental-Grooves zeugen von einem kühnen, sensationellen Rockethos mit modernem Touch.
Rose Connolly has a beautiful voice with a wide melodic range, which she bends, twists, strains and warps through both her physical exertions and a sample-based granular synthesiser. The results recall both the Gaelic tradition of séan-nos singing, and the work of experimental artists such as Meredith Monk, Yoko Ono and Hatis Noit, while the beats meld folk with gothic, 4AD-era soundscapes unmatched since the glory days of This Mortal Coil.” – The Guardian (10 Best Folk Albums of 2024) “RÓIS is a composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic artist from Fermanagh, whose songs breathe new life into a forgotten Ireland. Self-released, written and produced by RÓIS with additional production from John Spud Murphy (OXN/Lankum), 'MO LÉAN' is a concept album, taking the listener through the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss brings, to the intense emotional outpourings and finally, a cathartic release.
‘MO LÉAN' features several new original recordings and reworks of songs and hymns based around the concept of death, life, mourning and catharsis. RÓIS re-imagines the tradition of 'keening' in Ireland that goes back to pre-christian times, a practice in which women would 'keen' a lamenting wail at the side of a coffin during a wake. After discovering the last two recordings of keening songs, RÓIS was inspired by their ethereal melodies to give them a modern reworking yet honouring the original women by sampling them in her adaption. 'Keeners', through their voices, movements and laments, conveyed the communal expression of grief and allowed those suffering a way to release their sorrow and loss. RÓIS aspires to do the same with 'MO LÉAN', by expressing the power of the voice to transcend death and help us relinquish our fear of it
When a Russian missile struck the ground not far from my studio in Kyiv, I vividly remember how my body reacted to the explosion, milliseconds before my mind did. That traumatic explosion reduced my essence to a primal state. There existed nothing but dread—the kind that, in scripture, accompanies the appearance of angels announcing, ’Be not afraid’.
The visions of Abbess, composer and mystic Hildegard von Bingen were preceded by bright, excruciating flashes of light. Modern medicine reduces them to cluster migraines, one symptom of which is the retinal aura, often accompanied by blurred vision and blind spots. Hildegard’s music can place great demands on the bodies of its performers, emphasizing uncomfortable intervals and the wide distance between the lowest and highest pitch. In comparison, Gregorian chant, the liturgical standard of the time, represents a tempered attempt to grasp God intellectually; indeed, Hildegard’s music was once described as a stick of dynamite thrown into a Gregorian chant.
This album is not a historically informed performance. Hildegard’s persona and music are a starting point—a distant mirror, akin to the shield of Perseus, used to reflect Medusa. It allows us to reflect, comprehend, externalise, and transcend traumatic wartime experience, reinstating the embodied origins of Christianity, which contained suffering but also offered the promise of transcendence. Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko emphasises this physical aspect of Hildegard’s music by drawing on authentic Ukrainian folk singing, a form that survived despite efforts by the Soviet occupation to replace it with a simulacrum that is naive, harmless, and devoid of contradictions—an attempt to ‘civilise’ the body by disembodying it.
The musical approach is also informed by my ongoing practice of reimagining early music in modular synthesis. I accompany Andriana-Yaroslava’s fiery singing with drones—extended sounds that also occurred in medieval music. The drones alternate with improvisations, one taking its starting point in medieval polyphony, the other working with the concept of the interchangeability of sound and light, referring both to Hildegard’s visions and the space in which we recorded the album: the Cistercian abbey of Sylvanès in Occitania, known for contemporary stained glass windows whose patterns reference the dispersion of acoustic waves inside the church.
The album features two compositions by Hildegard von Bingen: O Ignis Spiritus Paracliti (O Fire of the Spirit and Defender), dedicated to the Holy Spirit, and O Tu Suavissima Virga (O Sweetest Branch), in honour of the Virgin Mary. Both pieces are performed radically slower than usual, expanding in time and space. On vinyl, the compositions are designed to reflect one another and can be listened to in either order. In the digital edition, there is a bonus track titled Zelenaia Dubrovonka (The Green Oak Grove). Based on a Ukrainian folk song from the Polissia region, Andriana Yaroslava adapted the lyrics to reflect our contemporary reality. The green oak grove does not rustle with the wind; instead, it resonates with a different sound—perhaps the missile that struck near my Kyiv studio.
Skymark is back with a new album recorded in 2025 with his electric pianos and analog synthetisers. The vibes is very similar to his previous albums, a fusion of Spiritual Jazz, Soul, Brazilian music and Disco. As always influenced by his 70´s and 80´s favorite musicians but with a touch of contemporary soulful music. This is a very limited vinyl edition mastered by Jose Rico (Madrid) and pressed by Mad Vinyl music (Madrid).
Over a decade has passed since this was released, and it has truly aged like fine wine. This release features 2 timeless cuts from the mind and soul of intrusion, mixed and recorded near the heart of Detroit. This was beautifully remastered by dub innovator and pioneer, Stefan Betke POLE @ scape mastering in Berlin, DE. The recordings were pulled from the session masters conducted by Bazza @ Alchemy Mastering in London to ensure a perfectly balanced mix and preserving the soul and spirit of the original tape master. The first incarnation of "A Gentle Embrace" came in the form of three extended reshapes from cv313 & variant and now we're proud to offer the original work on beautiful crystal/silver mixed clear 150 gram wax! :)
On side A the most pristine of dub techno is on offer here, this is Detroit techno stripped down to its most minimal core. A gorgeous subtle ambient soundscape exploring the deepest end of dub and house with gentle surges of organic elements, field recordings and modular movements simply out of this world. The "Reduction" mix on side B captures those chilling glacial soundscapes, trademark basslines and mesmerizing gaseous atmospheres subtly layer into the mix. Otherworldly to say the very least, this is music to swim in, breathe in and to pray to - for the spirit and the soul. Essential!
Over a decade has past since this was released, and it has truly aged like fine wine. This release features 2 timeless cuts from the mind and soul of cv313 mixed and recorded near the heart of Detroit. This was beautifully remastered by dub innovator and pioneer, Stefan Betke POLE @ scape mastering in Berlin, DE. The recordings were pulled from the session masters conducted by Bazza @ Alchemy Mastering in London to ensure a perfectly balanced mix and preserving the soul and spirit of the original tape masters. This EP features two equally seductive cuts opening with "Fading Lights" which finds its pulse in the rhythmic elements while floating in a world of vaporous mist and resynthesized stardust. On the B side "Magenta" fills the space with ghostly apparitions and a rather hypnotic hook; pushing the boundaries of the spiritual principles found in the power of repetition. Close your eyes and drift into 14 minutes of endless flotation as modulating low frequencies massage your brain and mind, dive deep into a fathomless analogue world!
Over a decade has passed since this 12" was released, and it has truly aged like fine wine. This release features 2 timeless cuts from the mind and soul of cv313 mixed and recorded near the heart of Detroit. This was beautifully remastered by dub innovator and pioneer, Stefan Betke POLE @ scape mastering in Berlin, DE. The recordings were pulled from the session masters conducted by Bazza @ Alchemy Mastering in London to ensure a perfectly balanced mix and preserving the soul and spirit of the original tape masters while focusing on enriching every finite detail. While listening to these remasters you can feel the analog warmth of the original tape recordings, with a low end rumble in a way only POLE could pull off! On the A side we have cv313's classic "Lost Sequence" culled from the celebrated Japan exclusive "live" double CD album released back in 2009. On the B side there's a rare live version performed by intrusion at a loft event put on by the good folks over @ Little White Earbuds. This rare recording was reduced and stripped down, core traces of the original swim inside oceanic bass and modulated high end frequencies creating an atmosphere all of its own. This is one for the heads and a true lesson in space and bass!
Presenting the 2nd in the series of Persian remix EPs, following the bumping Dub House remakes from Picasso, the label is joined by Yorkshire’s own young electronic folklore master, a fast-rising name, Miles J Paralysis.
Whereas Picasso took the first Dubplate ‘Space Within Art’, here Miles J delves in to the follow up ‘Smoke Dub’, turning out a selection of dubwise cuts that build on the dark electronics of his excellent debut releases for his Crying Outcast label.
Yorkshire born and based, with a love for the Moors, as well as the teachings of lore, magick and mysticism, this young producer has been emersed in music since a young age, with a penchant of Dub, Hip Hop and Reggae.
Starting with Survival Dub, the anthemic Ragga Dub original morphs into 2 parts, first heading down Paralysis’s alley of dark and brooding production marrying perfect touches of the vocal samples, before the amen break builds the track to the light.
Smoke Mari follows, the languid Digibreaks chugger, utilizing Linval Thompson’s iconic vocals, now comes as a deep meditative Dub excursion. Stripped back to a raw essence, the vocals whirl, while hypnotic keys and dub bass complete the psychedelic mosaic.
There Is No Love is modern dub style, off beat syncopation, reverb, tape delays and heavy vocal sampling all in the mix. The breakbeats of the original are jettisoned for a Dub (Drug) Chug, the atmospherics seeking the dark corners. “These are the last days; can’t you see the sunshine…”
Zatoichi’s Troubles ends the pack, the trip hop, Depth Charge dub bass cut transforms at the mixing desk of Miles J in to Dub Techno territory, haunting, melodic. Miles J’s love of the deeper side of electronic music expanded. Club music but not produced for clubs. Made for the discerning.
Paralysis the Mystery.
2026 Repress
Laster Records launches with a powerful VA featuring Alarico, Yanamaste, Chontane and
Roll Dann
Spanish's techno movement force Laster expands its vision with the launch of Laster Records, inaugurating the label with a fierce various artists EP forged for peak-time madness and emotional depth. The debut release, Laster Records VA001, brings together four essential voices in modern techno: Alarico, Yanamaste, Chontane and Roll Dann, each contributing a distinctive cut to a shared narrative of intensity and evolution.
The A-side opens with Alarico's "Of Which Sugars", a gritty, percussive storm of fast-paced
techno, where tension builds through syncopated rhythms and distorted grooves. Following is
Yanamaste's "Disconnection", a cerebral track infused with cold atmospheres, broken patterns and a sense of controlled chaos - reflecting the Georgian artist's unmistakable mental approach.
On the flip, Chontane delivers "Palindrome", a futuristic and dynamic tool with flickering synth stabs and machine funk energy. The EP closes with Roll Dann's "The Red House", a cinematic and melancholic trip through layered textures and deep basslines, paying homage to the label's own mythology.
Laster Records VA001 sets the tone for a label that, like its club roots, is raw, inclusive, and
uncompromising.
See you under the red light.
Music From Memory presents inrain, a collaborative project by Rudy Tambala of A.R. Kane and Alison Shaw of Cranes, originally recorded in the early 1990s.
inrain brought together two artists who were at the time shaping distinct yet quietly influential currents within alternative music. Through A.R. Kane, Tambala had helped redefine the possibilities of guitar music, placing atmosphere, abstraction, and emotional ambiguity at its centre in ways that would later resonate across dream pop, shoegaze, trip hop and experimental pop. At the same time, Shaw’s work with Cranes was establishing a singular vocal presence and a deeply intuitive approach to mood and space. inrain emerged at the intersection of these sensibilities.
The project began after Tambala was introduced to Shaw by Geoff Travis, leading to sessions at H.Ark! Studios in Stratford, East London. Working outside the expectations of their primary bands, the pair recorded informally over several months, building songs from minimal foundations. Early sampling technology, drum machines, acoustic guitar, and voice were used sparingly, with arrangements left open and space treated as an active element within the music. Vocals were often improvised, first takes preserved, and the atmosphere of the studio — calm, unhurried — became part of the sound itself.
Originally released in limited form during the early 1990s, the recordings carried subtle traces of the surrounding musical landscape: the low-end experimentation of emerging jungle, dub-influenced rhythmic structures, and a restrained melodic sensibility shaped as much by classical textures as by contemporary underground culture. Though modest in scale, the music feels quietly expansive — intimate, patient, and emotionally direct.
For this release, all tracks have been newly remastered from the original DAT tapes. This edition also includes the additional track 'Biology', written and recorded in 2012
Glasgow’s Fortified Audio returns after at least a ten years long hiatus (No pun intended) and now returns to the world of bass with a full length album from local music firestarter Ten Years Lost. Modern day trap instrumentals at its core whilst sub-consciously giving hints of Drexciya, Moroder and the Memphis & Croydon bass music regions alongside some real deft sampling but still remains Glasgow at its core!
- 1: Die For Allah
- 2: Deathwish
- 3: What?S The News
- 4: Life Inside Iran
- 5: Iranians On Bikes
- 6: Simple Life
- 7: Fifh
- 8: Blow Up The Embassy
- 9: Theme
- 10: Iranian Klan
- 11: Ultraviolence
- 12: Chant
- 13: Land Of The Free
The classic Fearless Iranians From Hell Die For Allah LP is now back in print after a twenty-five year hiatus. Remastered and repressed on nuclear green vinyl, this hardcore punk arsenal also includes all tracks from their literally explosive Blow Up The Embassy 7-inch debut. FIFH was a mysterious Texan monstrosity formed in 1983 by Iranian expat (and modern day hashashin) Amir Mamori, who gathered to his side various mutants and apocalyptic freaks from the San Antonio punk rock blast zone, even throwing in two Butthole Surfers rejects for good measure (including none other than the notorious Anus Presley himself). The subsequent recording sessions were a chaotic affair, as guitars were rarely in tune and the drums were seemingly scavenged from the trash. It was all directed by Amir who, with fanatical focus, would inspire the band on to victory from behind a stupifying cloud of hash smoke. The resulting releases were widely praised; from places like Maximum Rock n Roll and the Village Voice in the US, to Sounds and New Musical Express in the UK. They were even cited as forerunners of the musical genre known as Taqwacore. After touring the US in the late ’80s—and leaving in their wake crowd turbulence, police intimidation, and even bounties being place on the heads of the members—the band disbanded in 1989 upon the death of the Ayatollah Khomeini (may Allah have mercy on him). “We’re stoned as shit, and we’re ready to roll.” - F.I.F.H. ’87
In discotheques and dark rooms across Europe, Boys’ Shorts have earned the trust of the queer and wider clubbing communities as generous stewards of a timeless sound that, like themselves, never stops moving forward. The duo of Vangelis and Tareq initially met at an underground club in their native Greece. Sensing a rare sonic connection, the pair became friends, forming Boys’ Shorts to meet again and again, travelling from their adopted cities of Thessaloniki and London to appear as far afield as Berlin’s Panorama Bar and New York’s Le Bain, as well as supporting Goldfrapp and Hot Chip on tour. Their motivation? In their own words, “we make people dance!”
Following years of gradual, thoughtful studio sessions, and EP releases on tastemaking electronic labels including Phantasy Sound and Live At Robert Johnson, Boys’ Shorts establish their own imprint, ALL SORTS, in order to deliver a fantastically ambitious debut album, ‘What Does It Take To Make These Men Happy?’
The LP opens with the grandiose, cosmic vista of ‘The Space Between Us’, a classic passage of strings and synthesis, before the shared Boys’ Shorts vision falls back to earthier territory with deep groove of ‘Let’s Fall In Love’, mixing universal sentiment with a patient vision of human potential and the voice of Greek electronic pioneer, K.BHTA. ‘Come’ aligns with NYC’s Michael Cignarale, offering an excitable invitation to the mind and body sculpted by the way of a throbbing, warehouse-sized statement of nineties house sensuality. Channeling heroes Lowe and Tennant at their most introspective, ‘Short Life’ maintains the dance, yet dares to ask, “what if the parties aren’t enough anymore… Can you ask for something more?”
Out of the pet shop and straight into the strobe lights, ‘Disco Romantica’ makes true on the promise of its title, a lovelorn monologue giving way and slipping into rave stabs and whirring synthesis that looks forward to a memorable, emotionally-charged night ahead. Underpinning this feeling of anticipation, ‘Going Out Hoping To See You’ introduces the voice of Justin Strauss to Boys’ Shorts' musical world. A certified icon of club culture, spinning from The Mudd Club to modern day DJ booths, Strauss’s generation spanning experience of nightlife leans into the fundamentals of human connection and the pleasure of musical discovery, wrapped in irresistible chug.
Another transformative figure in club music, Fischerspooner’s own Casey Spooner dips into French for the Motorik cyber sleaze of ‘MECANIMAUX’, their own vocals pitching up and down with playful EBM abandon. ‘Montage’ offers a different kind of composition, conjuring an ecstatic club banger that finds inspiration in nineties indie rock motifs alongside the rave scene, while ‘Run’ promises to blow out sound systems before its weighty electro bassline succumbs to waves of glistening synths.
Such bombast into beauty perfectly sets up the record’s blissful conclusion; ‘The Stars Are Out For You’ is electro-pop so delicate as to heal aching feet (and mend broken hearts), while offering the final tender moments of the album as a form of tribute on ‘Untitled (For Mitsi)’. It’s a thoughtful ending to a thrilling trip through a shared passion for electronic and pop music in all its glorious potential. What does it take to make these men happy? It’s a pleasure to find out.
Phantasy transports back to 1982 for a faithful reissue of the highly sought after ‘Fools Are Friendly’ from Xclusiv, carefully re-mastered from the original tapes.
The alias of sisters Karen and Maxine Berlinski, Xclusiv emerged inconspicuously from the London borough of Croydon with a sophisticated vision of cosmic disco pop, linking the suburbs with Soho’s neon-tinted nightlife. Decades later, and in close collaboration with the sisters, this highly sought-after record arrives lovingly reissued by Phantasy in its original, sensuous form.
Originally self-released on Le Maitre Music, a record label spun-off from their family-run fireworks and pyrotechnics company, ‘Fools Are Friendly’ has the irresistible sense of a radio hit that never was. A brilliant DIY reflection of the disco and soul that dominated the charts of the time, its glossy, primitive electronics echo the synth experiments of Giorgio Moroder or Didier Marouani, pioneers that were transforming pop music.
The extended mix provides an overture to the sisters’ twinned vocals, unfolding with delectable disco drama. In contrast, the Instrumental Mix lets the record’s blend of elements truly breathe, a synthesised version of Xclusiv’s irresistible vocal hook holding court between timeless arpeggios and subtle modulation.
2026 Repress
Producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett presents ‘Tresilian Bay’, a new project that draws from artists such as Tim Maia, Augustus Pablo and Idris Muhammed as much as the jazz scene and community he has found in south-east London. The languid, sultry sound fuses both modern and vintage, travelling from South London electronica, to Brazillian groove, Nigerian Afrobeat and Ghanaian Highlife along with a streak of Welsh psychedelia.
‘Tresilian Bay’ is a nod to hedonistic summer nights, whether spent on the Glamorgan coast or the hot Lewisham streets. The album is titled in honour of the bay near where Huw grew up, an area steeped in stories of ancient Welsh royalty, smugglers and pirates.
The album started out as a lost live session recorded at the Total Refreshment Centre studios, featuring Chelsea Carmichael (sax), Rosie Turton (trombone), Shirley Tetteh (guitar) and Jake Long (drums) with Huw at the helm on bass and compositions. With glorious vocal contributions from Miryam Solomon; Huw utilised his human style of production and multi instrumentality heard in his Susso project (Soundway Records, 2016) to mold these recordings into this mature and emotional debut.
The album was mixed and mastered by Albert's Favourites co-founder Adam Scrimshire with artwork by Jonny Drop.










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