We are excited to welcome Rill for the fourth installment on our label!
Rill's sound is rooted in a deep appreciation for early-2010s techno aesthetics: atmospheric yet driving, detailed but never overstated.
His tracks merge spatial textures, rolling percussion, and carefully sculpted synth work - creating an immersive flow that balances hypnotic rhythm with creative, futuristic sound design.
Vesu's goes dub!
Vesa-Matti Kivioja, aka Vesu's aka Torolf Stendik has been making waves as an integral part of the multi-faceted Ljudverket & Meltdown Deejays crews in his native Finland for many years. He is perhaps most recognised for his "List of Lizards" saga which began in 2019 on Brian Not Brian's Going Good imprint.
Tokage No Risuto, the third instalment in the lizard saga, sees Vesu's migrate deeper into the dub tradition. The beats have slowed down; the atmospheres thickened. Downtempo rhythms, ambient drifts, and dub-infused echoes weave through the landscape, joined at times by guest voices that shimmer and dissolve into the mix.
The 12-track album is available on a special edition cassette with a vibrantly riso-printed card housed inside a laser printed case, with a striking green cassette. Mastered for tape by Giuseppe Ielasi.
Tokage No Risuto has a number of guest appearances, most notably the legendary musical pioneer and woodwind instrumentalist Tapani Rinne of RinneRadio.
Over two years in the making, and many more in the two musician’s shared dream, ‘Real Thing’ unites longtime collaborators Michael Collins (Drugdealer) and Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood). Recorded across continents, ‘Real Thing’ is a return, a refinement and a reminder of the deep connection that has bound these two titans of song over multiple collaborations. The journey of ‘Real Thing’ began when Collins, while on a European sojourn, crossed paths with Parisian producer Max Baby. As one does while in Paris, they found themselves in a studio owned by a member of the 1970s French prog rock band Magma. There, a chord progression long-gestating in Collins’ brain blossomed into a bonafide demo.
Collins recalls, “I realized immediately that it was the perfect thing to show Nat, who I had been wanting to collaborate with again for years.” The connection and musical camaraderie between Collins and Mering dates back to 2014 in Oakland, where a chance meeting and studio session marked the genesis of their enduring partnership. Collins reflects, “Since then, I’ve felt like she’s my musical family. I can’t really ask for more in terms of someone who inspired me to even get to this place in my songwriting.” On the B-side is ‘The News’, Drugdealer’s first collaboration with Robbie Chemical. What began as a simple harmony grew into a panoramic partnership, the musician’s voices effortlessly entwined, and a pop paragon envisioned. Inspired by generational conversations on chaos, change and connection, the track opens a new chapter - topical, personal and unmistakably Drugdealer. As Drugdealer, Michael Collins has crafted a career that blends introspective songwriting with a reverence for classic pop and R&B. A native of the East Coast, Collins’ musical adventure began with the experimental pop collages of Run DMT and Salvia Plath before evolving into the more melodic, refined songwriting heard in Drugdealer’s acclaimed albums ‘Raw Honey’ and ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’. Natalie Mering, better known as Weyes Blood, has similarly forged a path of emotive, transcendental folk-pop that delves into themes of myth, love and existential longing.
Known for her ethereal voice and evocative lyrics, Mering’s latest works, ‘Titanic Rising’ and ‘And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow’, are nothing short of modern classics, though also feel like just the start of this artist’s undeniable ascent. “For both artists, this is their first song since their respective 2022 albums, and what a way to come back. ‘Real Thing’ feels like uncovering a forgotten ’70s disco duet” - PASTE “A lush and insistent folk-pop jam” - Stereogum For fans of Mac Demarco, Kate Bollinger, Men I Trust, Toro y Moi, TOPS, Alice Phoebe Lou, Tame Impala, Thee Sacred Souls, Vacations, Allah-Las, Kurt Vile, Beach Fossils, Slow Pulp, Foxygen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Hand Habits, Father John Misty, Oracle Sisters, Whitney, The Lemon Twigs, Mild High Club, Khruangbin, Angel Olsen.
FONTINE’s debut full-length Good Buddy arrives October 7, 2025, marking a gritty, heartfelt turn from her folk-leaning EP. Recorded live to tape with her road-tested band, the album captures the loose, unfiltered energy of her live shows, pairing raw instrumentation with FONTINE’s powerhouse vocals and emotionally rich songwriting. It’s a rock record with a sensitive core — scrappy, cathartic, and full of heart. The title track, “Good Buddy,” uses CB radio slang for queer love as a playful, anthemic entry point into a record about identity, connection, and vulnerability. FONTINE, who identifies as Indigenous and queer, brings humour, honesty, and a deep sense of place to her writing. From personal struggle to activist fire, her lyrics are grounded and bold, wrapped in a sound that blurs the lines between alt-rock, Americana, and indie folk. With over a million streams, national CBC radio support, and a growing live presence across Canada, FONTINE is emerging as one of the most vital new voices in Canadian roots music. Her breakout charisma, fearless storytelling, and genre-fluid style make Good Buddy a debut worth turning up loud.
2025 Repress
DJ Support: Kerri Chandler, Chris Stussy, Archie Hamilton, Fabe, Groovesh, Vlad Caia, Andrey P Ush Krav, Thor, Masimillano Pagliara, Dubtil, Reboot, East End Dubs, IULY.B, Josh Wink
Chris Stussy ‘A Glimmer Of Hope’ EP in now being re-issued due to demand on LTD edition transparent red vinyl.
Amsterdam based producer and DJ Chris Stussy has become one of the most eminent figures in the contemporary house scene of the Netherlands and across the globe over the past 10 years, racking up releases on the likes of Eastenderz, Moscow, PIV, Contstant Sound and most recently his own Up The Stuss imprint.
Leading the release is ‘Central Frenzy’, laid out across six and a half minutes with skippy percussion, a snaking bass groove, intricate synth sequences and sweeping vocal chants. ‘Riva De Biasio’ follows and tips the focus over to airy atmospherics a jazz-tinged bass groove and squelchy acid licks atop swinging drums.
‘Deviant Shadow’ opens the flip-side and merges an amalgamation of expansive dub chords and bouncy sub bass tones with a robust 4/4 rhythm. Lastly to round things out is title-cut ‘A Glimmer Of Hope’, wrapping up the release on a deeper tip courtesy of ethereal pad swells, metallic synth licks and shuffled drums.
Meltdown Deejays Recordings welcomes Finnish producer Båssanova with Warrior, a 12" that blends deep techno energy, classic house drive and breakbeat motion.
Heavy basslines, dub textures and crisp percussion form the backbone of this record, powerful, hypnotic and built for big systems.
Each version takes the theme a little further, from straight club pressure to more spaced-out territory. A versatile and timeless EP for DJs who like their tracks raw and direct.
Strolling through the world by Biboul Darouiche & The Bantu Jazz Connection marks the first vinyl release on Crispy Water and is a vibrant fusion of African rhythms, jazz improvisation, and soulful storytelling, blending ancestral rhythm with contemporary jazz expression. Recorded with an ensemble of outstanding musicians, the album moves effortlessly between groove, spirit, and freedom — connecting continents through sound.
BIBOUL DAROUICHE is a singer, percussionist, composer and head of the ensemble. By playing the conga, djembe, calimba and - the African treetrunk drum (also called nkul or tam-tam, which by the way should not be missing at any concert!) Darouiche brings a very special color to his music. He works mainly in Europe, but his engagements also take him to the Middle East, the countries of the CIS, Brazil and the USA. Since1995 he has been a member of Klaus Doldinger's Passport. He has also worked with musicians such as Al Di Meola, Pee Wee Ellis, Roy Ayers, Graham Haynes, Paquito D'Rivera and the Jazz Baltica Ensemble.
The Austrian multi-instrumentalist and producer MICHAEL HORNEK, who is part of the permanent cast of Klaus Doldinger's Passport as a keyboardist, plays keyboards, percussion and sings. His free-jazzy percussive playing inspires every listener. Hornek's keyboard skills can be heard on over 750 music productions, and the trend is of course increasing!
Mauritian bassist LINLEY MARTHE is one of the world's best bassists. He was a long time permanent member of the band Joe Zawinul Syndicate,worked with musicians like Dave Liebmann, Richard Galliano, Omar Hakimand many more. Zawinul said of Linley Marthe in an interview: “Linley is a phenomenon. I don't know if anyone can match him in terms of bass playing."
ROGER BIWANDU, french musician born and raised in Bordeaux/France, with roots from Congo (DRC) is an artist resident at l'Apollo bar in Bordeaux since june 1997, he plays there one time per month. He played with a lot of great musicians all over the world, with some heavy weights too, like Joe Zawinul, Salif Keita, Marcus Miller, Lee Ritenour, John Beasley, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Franck McComb, to name a few.
Whilst Caribou tour the globe throughout 2012 in support of Radiohead, Dan Snaith has fallen deeper into his love affair with the dancefloor, to bring us a full length release as Daphni. The first Daphni album of shape-shifting works is JIAOLONG (pron. Jow-long), to be released on his own imprint in the UK, and on Merge in North America on 8/9 October respectively.
Alongside Caribou's ongoing world tour schedule, Dan concurrently hits club nights in each city, DJing into the wee hours, searching for that sweet spot.DJs have the potential to blindside you,' Snaith says. 'During the time I was making the Caribou album Swim, I'd fallen back in love with moments in small, dark clubs when a DJ puts on a piece of music that not only can you not identify, but that until you heard it, you could not have conceived of existing.
Ston Elaióna is John Also Bennett’s first album for Shelter Press since his 2019 solo debut Erg Herbe. The American born, Athens, Greece, based flautist, synthesist, and composer weaves a strikingly singular electroacoustic excursion for bass flute and Yamaha DX7ii, largely recorded in the golden haze of the early morning hours - bending time at the otherworldly juncture of consciousness and place. Translating from Greek as “in the olive grove”, Ston Elaióna is permeated with the ambiences of the ancient and present world, guided into form by a playfully rigorous approach to sound.
Initially emerging during the mid 2000s as part of Columbus, Ohio’s noise scene, before relocating to NYC around 2010, Bennett’s diverse activities picked up an increasing sense of pace over the following decade - performing and recording as a solo artist (JAB), with the trio Forma and with CV &JAB, his prolific duo with his partner Christina Vantzou, as well as playing in Jon Gibson’s ensemble among many other multifaceted collaborations. However, since 2020 the flautist and electroacoustic composer has existed in a semi nomadic state: drifting between Brooklyn, Brussels, extensive tours, and Greece, where he finally came to rest in Athens last year.
Drawing upon a carefully honed attentiveness to the environments and experiences of everyday life, Ston Elaióna is a suite of nine pieces (with an additional track exclusive to physical formats), many of them composed and played live as the early morning sun touched the Parthenon, in full view from Bennett’s studio window in Athens. Bennett’s refinement and restraint, honed over his years adrift, led him to adopt a limited palette focused on his primary instrument, the bass flute, and a Yamaha DX7ii synthesizer tuned to just intonation scales. Alongside a handful of other keyboards, digital oscillators triggered by his flute, and occasional field recordings, this simple palette is reflected by the deeply emotive sense of minimalism that permeates the album’s two sides. Following two solo albums defined by outward facing temperaments - 2022’s Out there in the middle of nowhere (Poole Music), which used a lap steel guitar and generative oscillators to evoke the surreal landscapes of the South Dakota badlands, and the largely synthetic atmospheres of the 2024 anthology Music For Save Rooms 1 & 2 (Editions Basilic) - the shift in Bennett’s worldly circumstances offered an intuitive return to the calm, inward states of creative exploration that have historically defined JAB’s sound. In parallel, context provided clear sources of inspiration for many of the album’s themes, as well as sources for some of its sounds. The aura of Greece, from the ancient to the present, from its stones and olive groves to its traffic, figures heavily across Ston Elaióna’s two sides. John Also Bennett’s Ston Elaióna forms an elegantly rigorous world of electroacoustic sonority, bridging the expanse of time with the immediacies of environment and happening in the here and now: a profound sonic mediation on the countless dimensions unlocked by life in Greece.
2025 Repress
Repress of original 1996 classic which has built up over recent years to be a cult house classic with select headsy DJs and players, especially championed by Chris Stussy whose set spins have pushed copies up to £100 on Discogs, support from Saint Lukez on his Instagram channel who now offers an exclusive bonus edit. This will be strictly limited with pre-sales essential. Buy of cry.
'The creation of the band African Fiesta, founded in 1963 by three well-known musicians, Nicolas Kasanda, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Roger Izeidi, and the contributions of the VITA label, established by Roger Izeidi, occupy an exciting chapter in the history of Congolese popular music. During the mid-1960s, African Fiesta consistently reached the top of the hit parade. The band, which back in the day positioned itself as a competitor to a current called ‘Fiesta Cubana’, breathed new life into Congolese Rumba, continuing the tradition of the African Jazz school started by Joseph Kabasele.
'The VITA label, with African Fiesta as their sole provider, besides four songs of Eduardo De Veracruz Vinagre et Son Orchestre, ran between May 1963 and early 1966. It created a spectacular legacy and back catalog full of tasteful sentiments and sensual melodies, deeply rooted in the Afro-Latin sound.
'This new compilation offers a few of the classic African Fiesta songs and complements them with an eclectic and original selection, divided into four thematic sides: Showcase, Rumba Lingala, Cha Cha Cha & Bolero. This double LP album comes with a 16-page booklet featuring the history of VITA and African Fiesta, song commentary by Congolese journalist Herman Bangi Bayo, and a written catalog of the VITA label. The heirs of Roger Izeidi kindly gave permission in Kinshasa to release this album of African Fiesta on Planet Ilunga.'
When the ghost in the machine meets the breath in the reed, expect sparks. Electronic sound artist Robin Rimbaud – Scanner joins forces with acclaimed British bass clarinetist Gareth Davis to create an album where circuitry hums, wood vibrates, and the air between notes crackles with possibility.
This is no polite meeting of minds — it’s an elegant collision. Scanner’s intricate electronic textures weave around Davis’s deep, resonant tones, blurring the boundary between acoustic breath and digital pulse. The result is a sound world that’s at once intimate and expansive, familiar yet thrillingly unpredictable.
Think late-night conversations in abandoned buildings. Think fog rolling over neon. Think sound that slips through your fingers even as it takes hold of you.
The songlines in question , memories and distorted images of travels across various continents, form an imagined biography of places that might or might not have been but somehow seem to exist . Landscapes of blurred statements , lost words and echoes of meandering structures.
"If Miles Davis had been raised on shortwave radio static and midnight phone calls, it might have sounded like this."
Composed by John Williams for George Lucas’s 2005 film "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," this soundtrack captures the tragic
fall of Anakin Skywalker—his fear of losing Padmé, his desire for recognition, and his growing arrogance lead him down the dark path to
become Darth Vader, an agent of fear across the galaxy. Yet, even within the darkness, traces of light remain. Alongside the series’ iconic themes,
Williams introduces powerful new compositions such as "Battle of the Heroes" and "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan." The album concludes by returning to
the beginning of the saga with "A New Hope and End Credits."
Joel Shearer’s Listening Immerses Itself in Ambient Guitar, Restraint, and the Beauty of Repetition
With guitarist and ambient composer Joel Shearer’s new album, Listening, he took the path of repetition, subtle movement, and pure sound rather than conventional songwriting. What began as a disciplined experiment — limiting himself to just electric guitar — soon expanded. At various points, he introduced piano, cello, and trumpet, allowing the record to evolve organically. "I didn’t know I was making another record,” Shearer says. “I was experimenting, wanting to do something beyond just the electric guitar. So, I started these other tracks, and that’s how Listening came about.”
Unlike albums built around hooks or dramatic shifts, Listening unfolds gradually, moving with patience and restraint. There are no choruses, no obvious climaxes — just sound evolving over time. “Instead of a traditional song structure with a verse, chorus, or B section, it’s one continuous movement that grows and dissolves,” Shearer explains. “It’s not about anticipating the next moment—it’s about sitting inside the sound, getting comfortable with patience.” A Topanga-based session musician, composer, and producer, Shearer’s previous solo albums, Morning Loops and Hours, explored the manipulation of only the electric guitar, using texture and repetition to push beyond conventions. Listening continues that journey, offering music that resists distraction and rewards deep attention.
Shearer recorded Listening without a click track, working in long, freeform takes. His shimmering, clean guitar tones—often unrecognizable, processed through looping pedals and effects—became a foundation, with layers of sound building around it. “I love making the guitar sound like anything but a guitar,” he says. “I might play for just a minute, but once the sound enters the effects chain, it takes on a life of its own. The music keeps evolving, stretching time in ways I couldn’t predict.”
The opening piece, “Big Sur,” is an 11-minute meditation that drifts in slow, hypnotic waves, its layered guitar textures sparkling like light over water. The piece moves without urgency, subtly transforming as it pulls the listener deeper into its atmosphere. “Threshold” features a delicate piano melody that gradually unfurls, allowing its essence to fully settle before the next emerges. Subtle layers of ambient guitar weave around the piano, stretching and dissolving into the background, creating a sense of stillness and slow expansion.
At nearly 15-minutes, “The Clear Light of the Void” is a slow-burning study in sustain and resonance. Layers of guitar stretch and dissolve into an open, drifting soundscape, each note lingering and shifting like a breath held in suspension. Subtle tonal variations emerge over time, creating a sense of vastness—an expanse where sound is less about movement and more about presence.
“The world is noisy—so much information, so much distraction,” Shearer says. “I wanted to create something that allows people to just be present with the sound, without expectation.” It’s an album that demands nothing from the listener but offers space — to focus, to drift, to listen without waiting for what comes next.
Activity FM returns with AFM002, a high-impact VA exploring the outer edges of electro and breaks. On the A-side, two US heavyweights lead the charge: Detroit’s AMX kicks off with Out My Mind, a sleek and soulful cut with razor-sharp bass and icy vocals, followed by Florida’s Exzakt, a true legend, who drops Fvck That Sh1t - a no-holds-barred club weapon full of pressure and punch.
On the flip, Venezuelan pioneers step in: ARA-U (London-based), head of No Static / Automatic, delivers Feels Like Dancing, a gritty analog heater dripping with machine funk, while Barcelona’s Phran, co-founder of ACA and Vimana, closes with Archivo Criminal, a playful yet driving track built for deep, late-night moments.
Izil Recordings returns with its second statement of intent, bridging continents and sounds with Moroccan visionary Mr. ID at the controls. The IDK EP unfolds as a ritual of rhythm, hypnotic, tribal, and deeply human - where North African heritage meets the pulse of the modern club. The original track, “IDK,” is a driving blend of raw percussion, ancient chants, and forward-thinking groove design. It’s music that feels both ancestral and futuristic, a sonic journey through heat, dust, and night. Remix duties come from Floyd Lavine, who injects his signature Afro-tech elegance, expanding the horizon with rolling basslines and fluid tension. Amine K and Dilby then reimagine IDK for late-night dancefloors, weaving melody and groove into a transcendent neo-trance narrative.
A powerful record that connects roots and movement - Morocco to the world.
During the 35 years of making music, Dave Lee has constantly been searching for new singers and writers to work with. A search that’s ended up with many fantastic collaborations and releases with the likes of Thelma Houston, Taka Boom, Dianne Charlemagne and Seal. More recently this quest led him to Maurissa Rose and the creation of their album ‘London / Detroit’. After hearing Maurissa's voice on a Theo Parrish record Dave reached out to her and after a few long phone conversations and mp3 swaps they both agreed a visit to London would be much more fun than trying to work together remotely. Maurissa made the journey from her home in Detroit to write and record an album with Dave at his studio in March 2022 - as they both feel that creating music together in the same room is always better. The fruits of their labour yielded 11 brand new songs (and 1 cover) tapping into their collective love of Soul, Disco and R&B, with a sprinkle of Soulful House. This album is a special one for Dave Lee as it’s the first time in his career he’s recorded an entire album with same singer on every track.
In the album’s liner notes Dave talks of how Maurissa is a naturally creative person, full of ideas, warm & unpretentious which is reflected in her vocal performances throughout ‘London / Detroit’. Dave’s expertly crafted music is backed up with a deeply passionate yet effortless delivery from the Detroiter, a marker of someone who has honed and perfected their art. When it comes to the music side of this LP, Dave Lee is once again proving he’s still at the top of his game and shows no sign of relenting. Drawing from his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Soul/Funk/Disco, we are treated to a range of styles, BPMs and influences from 95bpm street soul to more uptempo disco and boogie flavours. Be it the rippling synth voyage opener of ‘You Decide’, taking the Johnnie Taylor classic ‘What About My Love’ into a modern Boogie realm, upping the tempo on the soulful houser ‘I Feel the Sun” or bringing the tempo back down to the bassy acidic chug of ‘You’re Giving Me Life’. Mr Lee is truly adept at creating a modern disco soul sound without the usage of samples.
London and Detroit might be two very different cities on opposite sides of the Atlantic but this album is proof that creative synergy knows no distance.
Out everywhere on Feb 28th on Gatefold Vinyl, CD and Digital/Streaming.
With Laser Cut, Berlin duo BAUGRUPPE90 opens a new chapter - not just musically, but structurally. It's the debut release on their self-built imprint, MONTAGE, and it sounds exactly like that: raw materials, tightly assembled, no unnecessary ornamentation.
Across four tracks, the duo approaches rhythm with the mindset of architects working with form - intentional, pressurised, and precise. The opener, Laser Cut, slices through the mix with minimalist aggression. Torque Motion grinds forward with mechanical force, while Ground Lift burrows deep into sub-frequency foundations. The closer, Boss (Hard Mix), drops like a slab of reinforced concrete-dense, heavy, and unyielding.
This is club music stripped to its essentials: functional, grounded, and precise. With Laser Cut, BAUGRUPPE90 constructs sonic architecture.
