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Slip is Paul Abbott’s response to his 3 day residency at OTO in 2023. It’s a continued exploration of the acoustic-digital hybrid drum setup Abbott has been developing for some time, which involves drum kit and synthetic sounds combined closely—through an entanglement of limbs and cables—in an intimate but strange relationship with each other.

Paul Abbott hasn’t had any formal musical training, but has a long history of making music, having collaborated for years with Seymour Wright, Pat Thomas, Michael Speers, Cara Tolmie, Anne Gillis and many others. Eventually, led by a profound suspicion of what is fixed or limited, Abbott began finding other ways to organise sound - or what he calls ‘material’:

“I wanted a way to 'persuade' or guide the possibility of something happening - my activity or the events of an algorithmic composition - for example, but without certainty or formalism. It felt to me, during playing, that certain ideas had a particular sort of shape, but more than the form of a line. I began to write alongside (before/after) playing the drums, and ‘characters’ began to enter the scene as a more wobbly, and therefore appropriate option to notation. Working with these characters allowed me to simultaneously approach body, imagination, language and music: without dividing things up or separating these aspects from each other. It allowed me to leave things messy and entangled, whilst trying to deal with form and specificity: wanting to have some things feel or respond differently to other things at other times.”

In approaching his residency, Abbott developed a fixed cast of characters - crystal, lleaf, reiy.F, reiy.C, strike, nee, qosel, sphu and aahn. They each communicate using different kinds of movement and drum kit/s, and Abbott choreographed them as ‘dances’ based on different feelings, or outlines of behaviours suggestive of ways of moving (body, drums, sounds). He then arranged these characters into ‘compositions’: one for each performance day, with each composition featuring multi-layered activity - options for behaviours, ways to move around the rooms, play drums, develop synthetic sounds, change the lights or re-distribute the sound in the space.

After the performances, Abbott took home 9 hours of recordings split into up to 28 multitrack channels for each day, and re-organised his cast once more into a performance for 2LP, CD and digital. It’s an enormous amount of work - but Abbott is activated by the process. For him, the pleasure of unstable edges, possibilities, slippages, is the vital attraction. Like all living organisms, Abbott’s characters have malleability and responsivity. They stimulate a bundle of possible behaviours, a tendency to act a certain way, a temperament, a boundary of respective limits or affordances.

It’s an affective way of working, inclusive of Roscoe Mitchell, Sun Ra, Nathaniel Mackey and Milford Graves. In ‘Pulseology’(2022), Milford Graves reminds us, ‘Breath varies, so cardiac rhythm never has that (metronomic) tempo. It’s always changing. All the alignments of the heart are determined based on the needs of the cells, specifically tissues and organs. The heart knows if it needs to speed up.’ In Slip, to slip, in a heartbeat, is to descend not into the grid of the even metre accorded to the heartbeat, but into a play of mutability and modality. To change is the condition of the heart.

Just one year and 13 days after their critically acclaimed debut Colorful White Lies, Bergen- based rock band Electric High return with their second album Free to Go. While the debut was a manifestation of the band's first five years of existence, Free to Go is quite the opposite: written, rehearsed and recorded at breakneck speed, the album bursts with freshness, spontaneity and raw energy. Ahead of the release, Electric High have already dropped three singles - Thick as Thieves, Ain't Got Nothing But Time (watch music video) and the title track Free to Go - each showcasing different sides of the record, from singalong anthems to heavier, more hard-hitting rock. Free to Go expands on the band's signature sound: an explosive blend of classic and modern rock. Expect infectious choruses inspired by Aerosmith, Whitesnake and AC/DC, dark riffs echoing Black Sabbath, a touch of 70s glam and punk attitude - along with flavours of contemporary rock à la Arctic Monkeys and Royal Blood. The result is an album that feels both timeless and fresh, balancing melody with sheer power.

Smashed Sunset Vinyl, limitiert auf 400 Exemplare. Energiegeladen - so lässt sich The Birch am besten beschreiben. Treffende Riffs, druckvolle Rhythmen und alles eingebettet in psychedelische Klangfarben - so erschaffen sie eine Atmosphäre purer Ekstase. Vicious Mind ist ein Abstieg in die moderne Psych-Rock-Welt. Mit seinen sieben Tracks zeigt es auf Seite A eine eher düstere Facette der Band, die sich auf Seite B in eine weichere, mehr Rock'n'Roll-geprägte Stimmung auflöst. Mit einer Reise ins Ausland verschlug es The Birch nach Miami Beach, wo sie ihr zweites Studioalbum aufnahmen - ein Aufenthalt, der dem Album durch die Eindrücke aus dem ,Land of the Free" eine neue Note verlieh. Twangy Gitarren und eine geradeaus treibende Rhythmussektion führen den Hörer in psychedelische Klanglandschaften, die durch einen konstanten Beat lebendig gehalten werden, der einen durch die 30 Minuten von Vicious Mind begleitet.

Apex Ten, a Belgian trio hovering in Space Rock, Desert/ stoner Rock and Psychedelic, mainly instrumental, offers a unique experience at each appearance. Fans of bands such as Electric Moon, Ecstatic Vision, Colour Haze, Kyuss or Hawkwind will be able to relate to them during the spacial, strange and contemplative atmospheres they develop. The sound is based on the energetic and powerful bass sound, paired with catchy and energetic drum lines. On top of it, the guitar melodies enable the crowd to travel and dissociate. In addition, the powerful vocal accompanies the listener and becomes the leader of this cathartic experience. On stage, Apex Ten brings their music to life with captivating performances that transport audiences into their expansive sonic world. Their ability to seamlessly transition between delicate, introspective moments and thunderous crescendos makes each show a mesmerizing experience. With a growing reputation for their innovative approach and dedication to their craft, Apex Ten is carving out a distinctive place in the modern rock landscape. For those seeking music that challenges convention and stirs the soul, Apex Ten is a band that stands at the forefront of creative exploration

Renegade Methodz continues its forward drive into deep, uncompromising techno with the arrival of Alexey Dunchyk and his striking new release, 'Passion/Aggression'. Known for his refined yet forceful productions, Dunchyk brings a new dimension of raw and unapologetic depth to the label's expanding catalogue of international talent.

The result is a record that cuts through the noise of modern techno, built for DJs who care about substance not hype and shaped with the kind of lasting weight that keeps the true spirit of this music alive.

Winter Sessions in Courchevel - compiled by DJ Ravin Bereit für den Winter? Mit Winter Sessions in Courchevel präsentiert der legendäre DJ Ravin eine exklusive Doppel-Compilation, die den Soundtrack für stilvolle Höhenflüge liefert - von glamourösen Nächten in den Alpen bis zu entspannten Après-Ski-Momenten. Die Auswahl vereint feinste World Lounge, Electro-Chill und festliche Deep Vibes - perfekt abgestimmt auf die Atmosphäre des Luxus-Skiorts Courchevel. Mit dabei sind renommierte Buddha-Bar-Künstler wie Majnoon, VS Prjct, DJ Phellix, Souhail Artwork, Omary, Carlos Campos und viele mehr. Ob auf exklusiven Partys oder in ruhigen Stunden am Kamin - diese Musik schafft Räume für Emotion, Eleganz und Eskapismus. Jeder Track ist ein Fenster in eine Welt zwischen Tradition und Moderne, zwischen globaler Klangästhetik und alpinem Chic.

"On the Huh" is taken from the deepest UK slang term 'on the huh' meaning: Not level, crooked or wonky. Comprised of singer Sloss (Braindance), guitarist Chris (Infa Riot), bassist Dave (Special Duties) and drummer Tom (Infa Riot), "ON THE HUH" from Norwich have taken the scene by storm with their first album "Bit on the side", which was sold out in a few weeks. Now it's time for their new album "Second Time Around"! The 12 new songs are a perfect match of glam, brickwall, and streetpunk with strong Oi! and rock and roll influences. "On the Huh" are "on our own way" and what really sets this record miles apart, however, is the sense for catchy songwriting and the fun and authenticity they convey with every chord. "Class of 65" is a melodic homage to the original Mods from the 1960s and the youth cult that like rock and roll, influenced rebels and subcultures from Punk, Oi to Brit-Pop and beyond. Society is changing, but good old British punk rock will never go out of style. Songs like "Generation apart" or "Spirit unbroken" hit the bullseye. When you sit at the bar in an English pub after work, watching the guys at the dartboard, 'On the Huh' could be sitting at the next table. From the jukebox, 'Sussed Out' and 'Don't Wanna Be Like You' are blasting. You take a big sip of your pint, smile quietly to yourself, and nod. Outside, the world keeps spinning rapidly and has forgotten what really matters. "'Second time around' is like an old friend to you_ `Is there a more beautiful compliment for a band and their music?

"On the Huh" is taken from the deepest UK slang term 'on the huh' meaning: Not level, crooked or wonky. Comprised of singer Sloss (Braindance), guitarist Chris (Infa Riot), bassist Dave (Special Duties) and drummer Tom (Infa Riot), "ON THE HUH" from Norwich have taken the scene by storm with their first album "Bit on the side", which was sold out in a few weeks. Now it's time for their new album "Second Time Around"! The 12 new songs are a perfect match of glam, brickwall, and streetpunk with strong Oi! and rock and roll influences. "On the Huh" are "on our own way" and what really sets this record miles apart, however, is the sense for catchy songwriting and the fun and authenticity they convey with every chord. "Class of 65" is a melodic homage to the original Mods from the 1960s and the youth cult that like rock and roll, influenced rebels and subcultures from Punk, Oi to Brit-Pop and beyond. Society is changing, but good old British punk rock will never go out of style. Songs like "Generation apart" or "Spirit unbroken" hit the bullseye. When you sit at the bar in an English pub after work, watching the guys at the dartboard, 'On the Huh' could be sitting at the next table. From the jukebox, 'Sussed Out' and 'Don't Wanna Be Like You' are blasting. You take a big sip of your pint, smile quietly to yourself, and nod. Outside, the world keeps spinning rapidly and has forgotten what really matters. "'Second time around' is like an old friend to you_ `Is there a more beautiful compliment for a band and their music?

"On the Huh" is taken from the deepest UK slang term 'on the huh' meaning: Not level, crooked or wonky. Comprised of singer Sloss (Braindance), guitarist Chris (Infa Riot), bassist Dave (Special Duties) and drummer Tom (Infa Riot), "ON THE HUH" from Norwich have taken the scene by storm with their first album "Bit on the side", which was sold out in a few weeks. Now it's time for their new album "Second Time Around"! The 12 new songs are a perfect match of glam, brickwall, and streetpunk with strong Oi! and rock and roll influences. "On the Huh" are "on our own way" and what really sets this record miles apart, however, is the sense for catchy songwriting and the fun and authenticity they convey with every chord. "Class of 65" is a melodic homage to the original Mods from the 1960s and the youth cult that like rock and roll, influenced rebels and subcultures from Punk, Oi to Brit-Pop and beyond. Society is changing, but good old British punk rock will never go out of style. Songs like "Generation apart" or "Spirit unbroken" hit the bullseye. When you sit at the bar in an English pub after work, watching the guys at the dartboard, 'On the Huh' could be sitting at the next table. From the jukebox, 'Sussed Out' and 'Don't Wanna Be Like You' are blasting. You take a big sip of your pint, smile quietly to yourself, and nod. Outside, the world keeps spinning rapidly and has forgotten what really matters. "'Second time around' is like an old friend to you_ `Is there a more beautiful compliment for a band and their music?

Utilizing only guitar, bass and drums, Papir conjure vast and melodic soundscapes while still maintaining a krautrock drive. One of the most unique bands in the modern European psych rock scene, they continue to innovate as they refine their sound with each album. Copenhagen"s foremost aural travelers are back and bearing new music. True to their distinct sound, Papir return with another chapter in their ongoing sonic journey. Terms like post-rock, ambient rock, psychedelia, and krautrock may circle their sound, but none quite capture its shimmering, elusive magic. IX is a wide-open record in every sense. From the flowing compositions - which linger but never overstay, jam and unfold organically - to the wonderful airy production, you get the sense of being both in studio with the band and simultaneously on the beach with wind blowing through your hair. In addition to the ever free-flowing nature of the band"s live recordings, additions such as synthesizer or extra percussion appear always tastefully right when needed, adding the perfect seasoning on top.

Recorded in concert at the University of Sheffield in March 2025, Reality Is Not A Theory is the first collaboration between Mark Fell and Pat Thomas. Major figures in British experimental music since the 1990s, Fell and Thomas have developed their rigorous practices from radically different backgrounds and perspectives: where Fell’s singular take on synthetic abstraction emerged from Sheffield’s electronic underground, Thomas is a virtuoso improvising pianist steeped in jazz and modernist art music who has simultaneously worked with sampler-based electronics for decades. As the record’s wonderfully academic subtitle explains, we are presented here with two sides of ‘algorithmic and improvised music for computer and piano’, exemplifying both players’ insatiable search for new (and sometimes uncomfortable) playing situations.

The performance begins with Fell’s electronics close to the timbres of acoustic percussion, attacks that suggest wood, metal or glass threaded along a rapid pulse while Thomas focuses on the lowest registers of the piano, deadening the strings. As Fell’s electronics start to ring out and occupy more harmonic space, Thomas turns to wide, repeated clusters, which slowly expand into patterns of chords. Like in his recent solo recordings and his trio work with Joel Grip and Anton Gerbal, Thomas’ playing combines extreme dissonance with a deep lyrical sense. Fell’s work gradually shifts its focus toward drum sounds, drawing on the microtemporal processes that have characterized his practice in recent decades. Heard together with Thomas’ probing piano, the computer sounds call up unexpected associations with the klangfarben antics of improv drummers like Paul Lovens or Tony Oxley. Throughout its second half, the music grows increasingly frenetic, as Thomas sounds out rapid, irregularly repeated figures and beautifully sour chords in the upper register, while Fell’s percussion develops into angular pan-pipe-like feedback and waves of glissandi.

With great confidence and patience, Fell and Thomas often let their individual contributions remain rhythmically distinct and unsynchronised, allowing unexpected correspondence and coincidence to guide the music’s development. Recorded in a hall named after Sheffield steel manufacturer and Master Cutler Mark Firth, the location might suggest a model for understanding how Fell and Thomas interact here: two workers in the same workshop, each immersed in their own part of the production process. Arriving in a striking sleeve designed by Mark Fell, with liner notes by Francis Plagne, Reality Is Not A Theory is an invigorating document of the meeting of two mavericks of contemporary music.

The project is co-led by Copenhagen-born saxophonist Andreas Toftemark, a European Jazz Master and recipient of the Bent Jædig Prize, whose career has taken him from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam to The New School in New York. He is joined by Benny Benack III, the multi-award winning Emmy-nominated trumpeter and vocalist lauded for his charismatic performances with the likes of Christian McBride, Chad Lefkovitz-Brown, Peter Bernstein and more. Rasmus Sorensen adds a vital piano voice, fresh from winning a Danish Music Award in 2024 and releasing Balancing Act (2024) featuring modern drum icon Kendrick Scott. On bass, Finnish talent Kaisa Mäensivu - leader of her own project Kaisa"s Machine - brings international credentials shaped at the Sibelius Academy, Manhattan School of Music, and festivals including Pori Jazz. Completing the lineup is New York drummer Joe Peri, a Grammy-winning artist featured on Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga"s Love for Sale and a familiar face at Birdland, Mezzrow, and other NYC institutions. Together, they craft Roadmap - a set of originals born from tours around the Copenhagen Jazz Festival and honed on the road. Each member contributes compositions: from Toftemark"s modal-driven title track and brisk swinger What Gets You to Peri"s hard-hitting opener Icebreaker, Mäensivu"s funk-tinged The Lemur, and Sorensen"s harmonically dense New York Attitude. The quintet also delivers moments of intimacy, with Again - a co-write between Toftemark and Benack - adding lyrics penned on tour and sung with understated warmth. As Benack reflects: "When I play with Andreas, I"m thinking of Joe Henderson and Kenny Dorham, of Clifford Brown and Harold Land. But this isn"t just a revival of a classic hard bop record-the heart and soul of it is the Copenhagen-New York connection."

Talk Show is a new duo collaboration featuring Steph Richards on trumpets and resonating surfaces and Qasim Naqvi on drums, almglocken bells and modular synthesizer. Having worked together on other projects for almost two decades, Miss America, released by We Jazz Records, marks their first, pure duo collaboration - a space to engage with a sonic language they"ve been cultivating together for years. The album was recorded live, with Qasim crafting real-time electronics and drum set work, and Steph using trumpets and resonating percussion to summon sympathetic vibrations and otherworldly sounds through timpani, snare and water. The trumpet sounds electronically processed, though every sound is acoustic. Both artists wanted to retain the live nature of their process, so what you hear is virtually untouched.

Mit "Al Mast" legt Adir Jan sein zweites Album vor - fünf Jahre nach dem gefeierten Debüt "Leyla". Der Berliner Singer-Songwriter mit kurdischen Wurzeln bleibt seinem Stil treu: "Cosmopolitan Kurdesque" nennt er die einzigartige Mischung aus orientalischer Tradition, psychedelischem Rock, Indie-Pop und poetischer Bardenkultur. Seine Lieder - gesungen in Zaza, Kurmancî, Türkisch und weiteren Sprachen - erzählen von queerer Liebe, Schmerz, Lust und gesellschaftlicher Rebellion. "Al Mast" ist ein musikalischer Aufschrei gegen Homophobie, Rassismus und Krieg - getragen von Adir Jans klarer Stimme und begleitet von Instrumenten wie Tembûr, Violine, Kanun und E-Gitarre. Die Songs sind bittersüß, treibend und melancholisch - eine Einladung zum Träumen, Tanzen und Nachdenken. Adir Jan schafft mit "Al Mast" ein transkulturelles Klanguniversum, das Brücken schlägt zwischen Morgenland und Abendland, zwischen Tradition und Moderne, zwischen Herzen und Seelen.

Johnny Marr, einer der einflussreichsten Gitarristen seiner Generation, wagte 2013 mit seinem Debütalbum
„The Messenger“ den Schritt in die Solo-Karriere und erreichte damit die Top 10 der britischen Albumcharts. Nun erscheint dieses bahnbrechende Soloalbum in einer exklusiven, limitierten Vinyl-Edition mit
dem stilvollen „Messenger Marble“-Design – ein absolutes Muss für Fans und Sammler. „The Messenger“
markierte einen entscheidenden Wendepunkt in der Karriere des Kultgitarristen und festigte seinen Status
als Solokünstler nach Jahren erfolgreicher Kollaborationen. Das Album zeigt Marrs Songwriting-Talent und
seinen unverwechselbaren musikalischen Stil, der über seine Arbeit mit The Smiths hinausreicht. Von der
energiegeladenen Hymne des Titelsongs und „Upstarts“ bis zur introspektiven Schönheit von „New Town
Velocity“ entführt das Album den Hörer in Marrs vielfältige musikalische Welt.
Die unvergleichliche Klangqualität des Albums, aufgenommen in Großbritannien und Berlin und gemischt
in den legendären Abbey Road Studios, wird in dieser Sammleredition perfekt wiedergegeben. Ob Sie das
Album zum ersten Mal hören oder es erneut entdecken – „The Messenger“ ist ein Beweis für Johnny Marrs
außergewöhnliches Talent und ein Meilenstein der modernen Gitarrenmusik.
Erleben Sie „The Messenger“ in diesem besonderen neuen Format: Die Neuauflage auf der exklusiven
„Messenger Marble“-Vinyl ist ab dem 21. November 2025 erhältlich.

Spite verbindet Außenseiter mit einer hypnotischen, harten Rache, die an Thrash-Komplexität und DeathcoreIntimität grenzt. Die Bereitschaft der Gruppe, Grenzen zu überschreiten, machte sie still und leise zu einer
der mächtigsten Kräfte der modernen Heavy-Musik. Mit dem gefühlsbetonten „New World Killer“ kehrt
die Band zurück und ist bereit, die Extreme-Metal-Szene zu dominieren. Produziert von Will Putney und
mit den Singles „Lights Out“, „New World Killer“, „Looking Glass“ und „Shedding Skin“, präsentiert sie
sich auf dem Album in ihrer bisher dominantesten und vollendetsten Form.

Aldean feiert seine beispiellose Erfolgsgeschichte in den Musikcharts mit der Veröffentlichung von „Jason
Aldean – 30 Number One Hits“. Diese umfassende Sammlung vereint all seine Nummer-1-Hits und bietet
Fans den ultimativen Soundtrack der letzten zwei Jahrzehnte der Country-Musik. Von seinem sensationellen
Debütalbum von 2005 bis hin zu seinen jüngsten Charttoppern – diese definitive Veröffentlichung dokumentiert die Karriere eines modernen Musikstars, dessen Musik bis heute den Sound der Country-Musik prägt.
Ob Sie ein treuer Fan sind oder seine Musik erst jetzt entdecken: „30 Number One Hits“ ist eine Hommage
an Aldeans unübertroffene Erfolgsgeschichte und ein absolutes Muss für jede Country-Musik-Sammlung.

Im Juli 1955 reiste der damals 19-jährige Luciano Pavarotti zusammen mit seinem Vater und einem Chor aus
Modena nach Wales, um am Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod teilzunehmen. Dort gewannen sie
den Wettbewerb der Männerstimmen mit großem Abstand. Dieser besondere Moment inspirierte Pavarotti,
professioneller Sänger zu werden. 40 Jahre später, im Jahr 1995, kehrte er zurück, um während der
Eisteddfod-Woche ein besonderes Konzert im Pavillon zu geben. Diese Aufnahme dokumentiert das bisher
unveröffentlichte, historische Konzert. Zu der versammelten Menge im Pavillon sagte Pavarotti: „40 Jahre,
mein Gott, es fühlt sich an, als wäre es gestern gewesen. Ich habe so viele Dinge getan. Wenn Journalisten
mich fragen, welcher Tag in meinem Leben besonders war, dann sage ich, es war der Tag, an dem ich
diesen Wettbewerb gewann, weil ich mit all meinen Freunden zusammen war.“
Die Sammlung präsentiert ein Programm voller Arien aus Cavalleria rusticana, Il trovatore und Macbeth
sowie bekannte neapolitanische Lieder. Sie enthält außerdem zwei Tracks aus dem Jahr 1955, die als die
ältesten Aufnahmen von Luciano Pavarotti gelten. Das beiliegende, 100 Seiten starke Buch bietet einen
lesenswerten Essay von Maestro Mark Wilkinson über dieses historische Konzert sowie seltene historische
Fotos aus dem Llangollen-Archiv. Die SACDs in dieser Box sind hybrid und verfügen über eine PCM-AudioEbene, die auch auf Standard-CD-Playern abgespielt werden kann, sowie über eine DSD-Ebene.

'Mauricio and Horns' by Bossa Nova legend and harmonica master Mauricio
Einhorn is produced by Jacques Muyal, with the Idriss Boudrioua Orechestra
arranged by Rafael Rocha and with guest artists Paquito D'Rivera and Lula
Galvao
In jazz, we all know the harmonica master, Mr. "Baron" Toots Thielemans, but we are
equaly fortunate to have our "Prince", Mauricio Einhorn. His early contributions in the
1950s to the birth of the Samba Jazz movement in Brazil played a pivotal role in the
creation of Bossa Nova, a genre that quickly became an integral part of the jazz world.
The influence of jazz on Brazilian music - exemplified by the great Carlos Lyra in
"Influencia Do Jazz" - was so profound that local musicians embraced it to forge a
new musical identity. Many of Einhorn's compositions have become timeless
standards performed worldwide since the early 1950s and '60s.
Together with another giant of the scene, alto saxophonist Idriss Boudrioua,
Mauricio's music gets an even grander presentation than ever before. This time, he
teamed up with an exceptionally talented young musician: a big band arranger and
trombonist named Rafael Rocha, who wrote all the arrangements and conducted the
recordings. Rafael's arrangements are nothing short of magical. They are never
overdone, always respecting the beauty of the original harmonies while infusing them
with his deep passion for jazz. His trombone solos recall the phrasing of Frank
Rosolino, and he modulates the pieces with swirling harmonies that evoke the very
roots of Brazilian jazz. In every track, Rafael enhances Mauricio's elegant and
expressive phrases without ever overpowering the artist, creating a "wall of sound"
that gracefully floats alongside Mauricio.

EPICA’s seventh full-length studio effort “The Holographic Principle” signified a significant upping of the musical ante for this most adventurous of modern bands. Recorded once with esteemed producer Joost van den Broek at the controls, “The Holographic Principle” represents the most impressive and powerful expression of EPICA’s boldly inventive sound yet. One listen to thunderous songs like ‘Edge Of The Blade’ and ‘Universal Death Squad’ will confirm that “The Holographic Principle” is EPICA’s heaviest album to date. Meanwhile, the shimmering soundscapes and multi-layered melodrama of ‘Once Upon A Nightmare’ and the towering 11-minute title track confirm that “The Holographic Principle” is also the band’s most musically extravagant and daring release so far. With lashings of sumptuous orchestration and a never-ending stream of ingenious but brutal metal riffs and propulsive rhythms underpinning the whole explosive enterprise, this is an album that raises the bar for the entire symphonic metal genre.

"PROG-ROCK LEGENDS SPOCK’S BEARD ARRIVE ON MADFISH WITH NEW ALBUM THE ARCHAEOPTIMIST. GATEFOLD 2LP VERSION, PRESSED ON RED VINYL. “mad time signatures, impossible harmonies, intense arrangements…sensational”
THE PROG REPORT “a true heir of the legacy of bands as Yes, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd & old Genesis…a truly fascinating voyage.” METAL TEMPLE If Spock’s Beard have taught us anything over their 30+ years in the business, it’s that they have no interest in becoming their own tribute act. The Archaeoptimist - their latest offering & first release on Madfish - is not a retreat into old habits, but a recalibration. Just when you think they’re settling in, they kick the walls out instead. At the centre of this particular storm is Ryo Okumoto, whose fingerprints are all over the album - not just as a performer, but as a driving creative force. Teaming up with co-writer Michael Whiteman (I Am the Manic Whale) & longstanding bandmembers Alan Morse & Ted Leonard, Ryo has helped shape an album that is undeniably Spock’s Beard with a characteristic wry smile to boot. The album was produced by Okumoto & recorded at each band member’s respective home studios. Esteemed producer Rich Mouser (Dream Theater/Weezer) takes up the mixing & mastering duties. Over more than 30 years, Spock’s Beard have established themselves as one of modern progressive music’s most exciting & consistent acts, with live shows as renowned as their studio work & tours that draw sold-out audiences across the globe. Their albums regularly chart worldwide, with 2018’s Noise Floor reaching #3 on the UK Official Rock & Metal Chart & #6 on the Official Progressive Albums Chart.

I first heard about this incredible record from my friend and renowned collector Ian Wright back in the mid-2000s. Ian may well have been the first to feature it on a mixtape around that time.

He originally found his copy on eBay without a sound clip calling the seller to listen over the phone before taking a chance on it.

A true San Diego masterpiece, now highly sought after within the Modern Soul scene. Beyond that dedicated circle, it has remained largely unknown, due to its insane rarity.

Although Glen is sadly no longer with us, his legacy lives on through this stunning piece of music, which will finally get the attention it deserves on dancefloors all over the world.

Special thanks to the ever-dapper James Pogson for his invaluable help with securing the licence x

Altsaxofonist Zbigniew Namysłowski (1939-2022) wird wird oft als der ”John Coltrane Polens” bezeichnet,
so wichtig war er für die Entwicklung des modernen Jazz in seiner Heimat. Sein 1964 veröffentlichtes
Debütalbum “Lola” war zugleich das erste Album einer polnischen Band, das nicht hinter dem “Eisernen
Vorhang”, sondern in den Decca Studios in London aufgenommen wurde. Mit seinem Modern Jazz Quartet stellte Namysłowski auf dem Album sieben teils von polnischer Folklore inspirierte Originale sowie eine
Interpretation des Standards “Ol’ Man River” vor.
Produziert wurden die Aufnahmen von Mike Vernon, der später unter anderem mit Fleetwood Mac, David
Bowie und John Mayall arbeitete. 60 Jahre nach Erstveröffentlichung erscheint dieses für die europäische
Jazzszene eminent wichtige Album in der Reihe “British Jazz Explosion” erstmals wieder auf Vinyl. Gemastert von den originalen analogen Stereobändern von David Turner bei 360 Mastering, geschnitten bei Curve
Pusher, Hastings, East Sussex. Eine Beilage enthält Fotos der originalen Masterbänder und neue Liner
Notes des bekannten Autors, Compilers und Dokumentarfilmers Tony Higgins, der auch als ausführender
Produzent für Deccas „British Jazz Explosion“-Reihe fungiert.

Hector Lavoe's "Alejate" (Joe Claussell Mix) Extremely Limited yellow Vinyl repress 12” of the timeless Joe Claussell remixes of the Fania Records masterpiece.

Legendary New York DJ, producer and soul magician Joe Claussell delivers yet another of his stunning reworks of one of Hector Lavoe's Iconic Songs the classic "Alejate." Taken from him universally praised Hammock House Remix produced for the Iconic Fania Records Label. As usual, he brings his signature touch while honoring the original's spirit and with great respect for its Latin roots. Claussell still manages to breathe new life into the track by mixing up organic rhythms and
percussive flair to create a version tailor-made for any dance floor. There is a Dance Dub with a heavier low end and plenty of jazzy expression before the Alt instrumental shuts down. This is a 12" that bridges tradition and modernity with care and creativity.

The seventh release in the Punctuality canon lands hot with a peak-time four-tracker from Persian-Swedish DJ and producer Mohajer based in Berlin. All In is a bold statement of intent—the music glistens with sleek, modern production aesthetics, drawing from UK-tinged breaks, pumping ’90s house, and sultry, timeless trance moods, perfect for big rigs and intimate dancefloors alike. Like her DJ sets, the tracks are scintillating and high-throttle, twisting and turning through unexpected paths while maintaining a steady dancefloor focus throughout.
“Intake” sets the tone for the EP. The A1 is a high-octane collage of lustrous, contemporary house, where playful, bouncy low-end slips and skips around glitched-out atmospherics, sleazy tech synths, and earworm organs. The arrangement careens and veers without relenting, driven by pumping amens and provocative vox chops fluttering in and around the bass.

A2, “i c u” keeps things heated with rolling breaks and ultrabright melodies that ignite the track with dazzling intensity. A sultry take on UK soundsystem music, its undulating wubs and flirtatious vocals are anchored by a dub sensibility that keeps the groove low, slung, and sexy. Think smoke machines, red lights, and smoldering sexual tension.
Luscious, trancey, and dripping with percussive sensuality, “You Wannabe” carries the sensuous mood to the flip. The track unfolds like the arc of a DJ set, teasing moments of magic amid layers of atmospheric pads, FX, and a pulsing bassline that grounds the arrangement from start to finish. The vibe is sweltering, cosmic, and irresistibly sultry—drawing from many directions but always locked into the groove, built for DJs and dancers alike.
The EP closes with “Backseat,” a hypnotic journey through swirling synthetic flourishes, rumbling subs, and psyched-up lead lines. It expertly builds tension and release, flipping halfway into bright flashes of euphoria and light. The result: a mysterious, sensual number that captures the ephemeral magic of the dancefloor and showcases the expert production skills of Mohajer.

This is buy-on-sight material from start to finish—don’t sleep.

Secretsundaze’s recently minted 9FINITY continues its stellar run of explorations into the outer regions of modern club music with an imprint debut from fast-rising talent Milès Borghese.

Borrowing elements from early Detroit techno, and Perlonized minimal, the ‘Antic Drive’ EP distills the German-born, Austria-based producer’s broad spectrum of influences into a highly functional, club-ready collection of tracks that perfectly fits the imprint’s modus operandi.

The A-side kicks off with ‘Do You Ever Fantasize’, a deep club tool built around the vocal sample of the title and punctuated by building drums, alien sonics at every turn, and a mean, highly danceable bassline to boot. The peak time worthy ‘Sustain’ follows an impressive opening, as an incessant mind-looping hypnotic groover aimed straight at the floor.

The EP’s title track ‘Antic Drive’ opens up the flip. Leaning on subtle textures and almost off kilter percussion, minimal broody deepness is the motive here. Borghese’s impressive first outing wraps up with ‘Mateo Does’, a driving rhythm-heavy track built for late nights and early mornings.

DarkSonicTales is a project by Rolf Gisler and his eponymous album his first for Hallow Ground. Having been granted an artist residency by the label in a 300 year-old farm house in the Swiss countryside in autumn 2019, the Lucerne-based musician and sound artist explored the peculiar sonic environment of the building and its surroundings through the use of field recordings, modular synthesizers, guitar, bass, kalimbas, a singing saw as well as self-built instruments. "DarkSonicTales" starts with kalimba sounds and field recordings, setting the stage for "Sonic Darkness"- a self-referential spoken word piece whose sinister jazz-like sound calls to mind Bohren & der Club of Gore. The following "Spring Feelings" contrasts insect sounds with harsh noise elements, elegiac drones and a throbbing rhythm. It's not quite what you'd expect from a piece with such a title, but the stories that Gisler tells throughout the record are more concerned with uncovering the hidden histories underneath what meets the eyes than (re-)creating idylls. The nine minute-long "I Still Believe" further underlines that by bringing together glistening synthesizer notes with industrial-like drones and field recordings that give it a palpable effect before Gisler unexpectedly changes course and quite literally bursts into song. Towards the end of "DarkSonicTales," the music becomes notably more minimalistic. Gisler experiments with the dynamics of modular drones on "Kind of Restless," juxtaposing birdsong and ominous electronic noises on "Best Buddies" before a mid-tempo beat emerges, making the record close on a decidedly hopeful note. These dark sonic tales, they have a happy ending. "DarkSonicTales" is an organic album in more than one sense of the word. Reacting to and reflecting the world around him as well as expressing his inner one, Gisler gives the sounds at the core of his multifaceted compositions space and lets them breathe. Working along stark contrasts and with surprising twists, he also shines a light on the atmospheric and emotional ambiguity of the world he encountered during his solitary artist residency-unearthing the hidden layers underneath what is perceivable.

Spulenmusik proudly presents its debut release SPL001 – Spule/Eins. A deep dive into modular techno crafted by Idu Berg, Ranya Hilgert and Franco Rossi, three artists united by their fascination for raw voltage and hypnotic repetition. Driven by analog circuitry and precision sequencing, Spule/Eins unfolds as a sonic sculpture of tension, groove, and pulse. From warehouse floors to late-night sessions, this record embodies the pure essence of modular techno: stripped, dynamic, and alive. Spulenmusik, handcrafted frequencies for the underground.

Mit Communication veröffentlicht Karl Bartos sein visionäres Soloalbum aus dem Jahr 2003 erneut - und trifft damit den Nerv der Zeit. Als prägendes Mitglied von Kraftwerk war Bartos maßgeblich an Klassikern wie "The Model", "The Robots" und "Numbers" beteiligt. Nach seinem Ausstieg 1990 setzte er mit Communication seine musikalische Reise fort - nun mit einem kritischen Blick auf die digitale Medienwelt. Das Album ist eine klanglich präzise und inhaltlich scharfsinnige Auseinandersetzung mit Themen wie Bildüberflutung, Identitätskonstruktion und der Fragmentierung von Realität. Was damals wie ein Blick in die Zukunft wirkte, ist heute aktueller denn je: Smartphones, soziale Medien und algorithmische Manipulation bestimmen unseren Alltag. Bartos gelingt es, elektronische Popmusik mit gesellschaftlicher Reflexion zu verbinden - ein seltenes Zusammenspiel von Klangfreude und Medienkritik. Die Neuauflage auf Bureau B ist keine nostalgische Rückschau, sondern ein Statement zur Gegenwart. "Wir leben in einer Zeit massiver Verhaltensmanipulation", sagt Bartos. "Kybernetik, künstliche Intelligenz - das ist eine große Herausforderung für die Menschheit."

Welcome to the colourful world of Tiombé Lockhart, where post-modern soul meets dub lullabies and much more. In this second album for Mother Tongue she explores more experimental sides of her sophisticated musical palette. Opening track Kali Ma bursts with heavy drums and Tiombé’s signature vocal layers, setting the tone with energy and distinction. Previous single An Osirian Dream is paired with another collaboration with Georgia Anne Muldrow, Strange Things, where dub tones collide with a melancholic soul narrative. The futuristic R’n’B of I Divine meets the head-nodding paradise of Be Good To Me, sewing a rich tapestry of exquisite vocal layers. Get lost in this accomplished voyage into the mind, heart, and spirit of a truly unique artist.

It's time to set those jaws to wobble mode as this funky favourite label is back with more serious sounds for the disco, this time from Hysteric. 'Italo Mystery Theme' is a brilliant timewarp to the 80s with its overtly streamy and seductive vocals over neat guitars and stepping disco drums with lush chords. 'After Dark' is more breezy and hip-swinging with its airy vocals and wet claps, then 'Sugar Daddy Again' brings rugged analogue bass sounds and snappy drums under some erotic vocal work. 'All Right' shuts down with a UK street soul-cum-disco groover that's lit up with nice neon chords.

"Tranquilizer is, Ambience by force" - Oneohtrix Point Never

"Tranquilizer" klingt nicht nach Beruhigung, sondern nach Wiederauftauchen. Daniel Lopatin verurteilt nicht unser Bedürfnis nach Flucht, sondern erkundet vielmehr, was danach passiert. Sein neues Album zeichnet eine Bewegung von schwereloser Ruhe hin zu etwas Bodenständigerem nach – keine Heldenreise, sondern der notwendige Kreislauf von Rückzug und Rückkehr, der uns in einer ebenso überwältigenden wie banalen Welt den Verstand bewahrt.

Wir stürzen aus der triefenden Glückseligkeit von "Lifeworld" in die traurige Melancholie von "Cherry Blue" und die spastischen Grooves von "Rodl Glide". Wie immer bei OPN kollidiert das Reale mit dem Unwirklichen. Wer genau hinhört, hört das Kratzen von Fingern auf einem Griffbrett, einen Stein, der über einen Kerkerboden gleitet, das Quietschen einer sich öffnenden Tür. Lopatins Musik war nie ein abstraktes Farbfeld; sie hat Gewicht, Kanten, Schatten. Während "R Plus Seven" nur aus kristallinen Arpeggiatoren bestand und "Garden Of Delete" ein fieberhaftes Erbrechen gurgelnder Synthesizer war, fühlt sich "Tranquilizer" an, als würde man aus einem Traum fallen, den man noch berühren kann.

BRIDGE - WAITING PATIENTLY b/w LOVE’S IN YOUR CORNER

Paul Tillman Smith is a significant figure within in the music community of The San Francisco Bay Area, California. His connections and collaborations read like a who’s who of famous musicians.

As leader of 70s Buddah Records group VITAMIN E and then BRIDGE, the subsequent band cut an album in 1981 for the CBS distributed Bang label that never saw the light of day.

It was released by First Experience Records as a double LP and CD in 1999 and is recognised as being one of the finest unreleased discoveries within its genre.

IZIPHO SOUL revisit the album and release two gems from this magnificent body of work.

WAITING PATIENTLY - Modern Soul with all the right ingredients - lead vocal Derick Hughes, backing vocals courtesy of The Satin Shadows, driven along by Butch Haynes’ conga playing. Presented here as an extended version crafted by Phil Ward.

On the flip - LOVE’S IN YOUR CORNER (Remastered) featuring the supreme voice of Debravon Lewis (RIP) and Larry Sampson. There’s importance in documenting this great song, as this demo paved the way for the Norman Connors’ version.

“9:30 PM” is the musical autobiography of Queralt Lahoz. An emotional and chronological journey where the artist explores her roots, memories, and deepest emotions. Through genres that blend tradition and modernity, Queralt speaks to us of grief, empowerment, desire, and struggle. An album born from her story and transformed into art, guided by family, resistance, and passion. Her voice, her truth, her origin: everything begins at 9:30 PM.

An enthralling weave of cathartic, introspective spirituality and thrumming, industrial darkness; The Wounded Healer is the first full-length from PREYRS, the new incarnation of Irish singer-songwriter Amy Montgomery and her band as one formidable entity. From the fourpiece's new janiform name; a twisting, conflicting play on the tenderness and innocence of prayer and the deadly dance of prey and predator to the band's fiercely independent journey, PREYRS is a project already steeped in story. After breathtaking album opener `Humble Eyes', lead single `Wave of Wisdom' immediately lays this concept bare as Amy's incandescent delivery of uncertainty, "lesson learned / don't know how / but here I am again / stronger than before", soars over a defiantly discordant clash of alt-folk slide guitar and Mormecha's pummeling industrial percussion. Elsewhere, the high-octane `Zeros, Ones & Lies' wrestles with the spiritual toll of being fed constant footage of atrocity and catastrophe by a media that accepts no responsibility for their part in the global race to the bottom. As such, the track bursts into furious life with urgent, double-time drums met by guitars distorted to the brink of destruction before the song all but caves in on itself as Amy quietly asks of us "Can you feel it? / like a river / it flows so silently / it flows so violently". By contrast, `Bring Ur Bruises' radiates resplendent, self-empowering positivity. Centred once again on the concept of the wounded healer, `Bring Ur Bruises' implores the listener to welcome their trauma in, to own it and wear it as a paradoxical means of ultimately letting it go as triumphant, reverb-soaked guitars soar ever higher. If it wasn't already clear, PREYRS are no strangers to doing things differently and, across every iteration, the band have always taken a DIY approach to every aspect of their existence. From covering themselves in paint and rolling over every single early album cover to, until recently, booking all of their own shows and festivals as diverse as Glastonbury, Green Man (UK), Blizzarrrd Rock (GER) and Bloodstock (UK), last year the band found themselves touring the UK as Amy Montgomery in support of musical heroes and British post-punk legends New Model Army. In November 2025 they will be joining New Model Army again on tour across Europe, but this time as PREYRS performing tracks from The Wounded Healer, the same four people but an entirely different beast. FOR FANS OF Nine Inch Nails, Chelsea Wolfe, Sonic Youth, Julie Christmas, Alanis Morissette, My Bloody Valentine, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Melvins

An enthralling weave of cathartic, introspective spirituality and thrumming, industrial darkness; The Wounded Healer is the first full-length from PREYRS, the new incarnation of Irish singer-songwriter Amy Montgomery and her band as one formidable entity. From the fourpiece's new janiform name; a twisting, conflicting play on the tenderness and innocence of prayer and the deadly dance of prey and predator to the band's fiercely independent journey, PREYRS is a project already steeped in story. After breathtaking album opener `Humble Eyes', lead single `Wave of Wisdom' immediately lays this concept bare as Amy's incandescent delivery of uncertainty, "lesson learned / don't know how / but here I am again / stronger than before", soars over a defiantly discordant clash of alt-folk slide guitar and Mormecha's pummeling industrial percussion. Elsewhere, the high-octane `Zeros, Ones & Lies' wrestles with the spiritual toll of being fed constant footage of atrocity and catastrophe by a media that accepts no responsibility for their part in the global race to the bottom. As such, the track bursts into furious life with urgent, double-time drums met by guitars distorted to the brink of destruction before the song all but caves in on itself as Amy quietly asks of us "Can you feel it? / like a river / it flows so silently / it flows so violently". By contrast, `Bring Ur Bruises' radiates resplendent, self-empowering positivity. Centred once again on the concept of the wounded healer, `Bring Ur Bruises' implores the listener to welcome their trauma in, to own it and wear it as a paradoxical means of ultimately letting it go as triumphant, reverb-soaked guitars soar ever higher. If it wasn't already clear, PREYRS are no strangers to doing things differently and, across every iteration, the band have always taken a DIY approach to every aspect of their existence. From covering themselves in paint and rolling over every single early album cover to, until recently, booking all of their own shows and festivals as diverse as Glastonbury, Green Man (UK), Blizzarrrd Rock (GER) and Bloodstock (UK), last year the band found themselves touring the UK as Amy Montgomery in support of musical heroes and British post-punk legends New Model Army. In November 2025 they will be joining New Model Army again on tour across Europe, but this time as PREYRS performing tracks from The Wounded Healer, the same four people but an entirely different beast. FOR FANS OF Nine Inch Nails, Chelsea Wolfe, Sonic Youth, Julie Christmas, Alanis Morissette, My Bloody Valentine, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Melvins

In den späten 1980er Jahren veröffentlichten der Sänger Bizimungu Dieudonne, seine Frau Agnes Umbibizi und eine Begleitband aus Familienmitgliedern und Freunden in Eigenregie eine visionäre Kassette mit stotternden E-Gitarren, hüpfenden Basslinien und Call-and-Response-Gesang. Ihre Kombination aus 80er-Jahre-Studio-Zauberei und traditionellen ruandischen Lobgesängen führte zu hypnotischen, ausgedehnten Jams, die zu dieser Zeit in Ostafrika einzigartig waren. Die Texte priesen die Schönheit der Landschaft und die Heldentaten der alten Götter. In klagenden Akustikstücken, die zwischen den elektrischen Knallern eingestreut waren, riefen Bizimungu und Agnes zur Einheit in der gespaltenen Nation auf. Ihre Botschaft war eine unheimliche Vorahnung des bevorstehenden Völkermords in Ruanda, der tragischerweise allen Mitgliedern der Gruppe das Leben kostete. Bizimungu und Agnes wurden 1994 von Hutu-Milizen getötet. Ihre Musik, die in der gesamten Region beliebt war, geriet in den folgenden Jahrzehnten weitgehend in Vergessenheit. Wir hörten dieses Album zum ersten Mal 2018 durch den Musikwissenschaftler Matthew Lavoie und verbrachten Jahre damit, nach überlebenden Mitgliedern der Band zu suchen. Letztes Jahr fand der Co-Produzent und Moderator von Voice of America, Jackson Mvunganyi, Bizimungu und Agnes' Tochter Noella in Kigali. Zum Zeitpunkt des Todes ihrer Eltern war sie erst acht Jahre alt und hatte es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, das Werk ihrer Eltern einer neuen Generation in Ruanda näherzubringen. Obwohl ihre Familie bei dem Völkermord fast alles verloren hatte, blieb Noella auf wundersame Weise eine CD mit den Originalaufnahmen von Inzovu Y'imirindi erhalten. Es ist überwältigend, diese Musik endlich in ihrer ganzen Fülle und Unmittelbarkeit zu hören, wunderschön remastered in den Osiris Studios und auf höchstem Qualitätsniveau auf Vinyl gepresst bei David Rawlings' Paramount Press. Nun kann die wichtige Musik und Botschaft von Bizimungu und Agnes mit der Welt geteilt werden.