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Knapp drei Jahre war es still um die selbsternannten Söldner
von Funker Vogt. Nach dem Ausscheiden von Chris L. im
Sommer 2021 hat man zunächst eine einjährige
Schaffenspause eingelegt, bevor Gerrit Thomas und René
Dornbusch den Sänger und Shouter Bastian Polak zum
vollständigen Trio rekrutieren konnten. Der „Neue“ am Mikro
dürfte vielen bereits durch das Duo Intent:Outtake bekannt
sein. Da Komponist und Produzent Gerrit Thomas bereits für
diese Formation Gesangsaufnahmen sowie Mix & Master
getätigt hat und man sich daher schon kennen und schätzen
lernte, war es für einige Fans sicher keine große
Überraschung, dass Bastian Polak für Funker Vogt angeheuert
wurde.

Der Sound auf „Final Construct“ dürfte reichlich Epos mit sich
bringen, da sich die Band stark auf das Songwriting konzentriert und den hymnischen Charakter mehr denn je in den Fokus gesetzt hat. Nahezu jeder der insgesamt 19 neu komponierten Titel hat den sogenannten Single-Charakter. Herr Polak beweist auf allen Songs dieses Albums und dessen

In 1984, Jasper Van’t Hof, a prominent European jazz pianist, propelled to fame with the energetic ‘Pili Pili’ a 15-minute trance collaboration with Guinea's Isaac Tagul Group. Inspired by a fiery red pepperoni, the track sold over 100,000 copies, leading the group to adopt the name Pili Pili, becoming a hit in the club and disco scene.

Pili Pili's musical roots trace back to Van’t Hof's 1982-83 tour in Central Africa, where he discovered a love for African music. The band embraced authenticity by collaborating with diverse African musicians from Mali, Congo, Senegal, and Guinea. In 2000, Van’t Hof initiat-ed a project with the young Zulu choir Phikelela Sakhu-la from Durban, South Africa.
Pili Pili's style, described as experimental fusion, blends intricate African rhythms with jazz, fusion, funk, and dance. Van’t Hof emphasized the importance of groove over complex solos, stating that intellectual approaches are lost in their music.

The band's performances, marked by their energetic fusion of jazz and African rhythms, gained acclaim across Europe. Regular tours and festival appearances, such as the Jazz Festival of Montreux, solidified Pili Pili's reputation as an excellent live band. Reviews praised the band's dynamic and explosive music, turn-ing every performance into a rhythmic and fiery expe-rience.

Backwater Collage ist das erste Soloalbum von James Hoare, das er unter dem Namen Penny Arcade veröffentlicht. Dem ein oder anderen wird er als Musiker/Songwriter bei Bands wie Veronica Falls, The Proper Ornaments oder Ultimate Painting bereits über den Weg gelaufen sein. Backwater Collage ist in der Tat ein Album bei dem die Gesamtheit der Songs als Ganzes wirken und nicht einzelne Songs die anderen überstrahlen oder ausblenden. Vom ersten bis zum letzten Ton hält die Stimmung und begleitet den Hörer auf seiner ganz persönlichen Reise. Die elf vertraut klingenden Songs, die das Album ausmachen, sind in bester Homerecording-Tradition entstanden, aber dennoch (behutsam) produziert. James entwickelt und entfaltet reine, unaufgeregte Melodien, in denen sich seine sanfte, melancholische Stimme mit dem weichen, warmen Gesang von Nathalia Bruno vermischt. Angedeutete Gitarrensoli unterbrechen manchmal die klare, ungeschliffene musikalische Linie. Der langjährige Freund Max Claps hat Keyboard-Parts beigesteuert, die die minimale Nostalgie der Tracks aufgreift und dabei jeglichem tränenreichen Pathos entgegenwirken. Um diesen homogenen Sound, diese Sounddichte zu erreichen hat James sich Zeit gelassen. Das er seine Songs aus verschiedenen Aufnahmesessions retten musste, die von einer Reihe von Missgeschicken geprägt waren, an die er, wie er amüsiert zugibt, gewöhnt ist: kaputte Multitracks, versagende Tonbandmaschinen oder selten verfügbare Schlagzeuger, die in der Hauptstadt leben, kam ihm dabei sicherlich zu Hilfe. Ähnlich wie Jack Name oder Syd Barrett - nur weniger psychedelisch - sitzt Hoare auf dem schwarz-weißen Sofa von Velvet Underground und verleiht seinem Album eine unterirdische Note. Zeitweise unruhig, aber leichtfüßig, ohne unnötige Effekte, tritt die Platte in die Fußstapfen einer weniger lauten, aber ebenso rohen und schmucklosen Jesus and Mary Chain. Mit Backwater Collage, allein am Ruder unter einem stürmischen Himmel, lädt James Hoare seine Hörer ein, es sich bei einer Tasse Tee gemütlich zu machen.

Backwater Collage ist das erste Soloalbum von James Hoare, das er unter dem Namen Penny Arcade veröffentlicht. Dem ein oder anderen wird er als Musiker/Songwriter bei Bands wie Veronica Falls, The Proper Ornaments oder Ultimate Painting bereits über den Weg gelaufen sein. Backwater Collage ist in der Tat ein Album bei dem die Gesamtheit der Songs als Ganzes wirken und nicht einzelne Songs die anderen überstrahlen oder ausblenden. Vom ersten bis zum letzten Ton hält die Stimmung und begleitet den Hörer auf seiner ganz persönlichen Reise. Die elf vertraut klingenden Songs, die das Album ausmachen, sind in bester Homerecording-Tradition entstanden, aber dennoch (behutsam) produziert. James entwickelt und entfaltet reine, unaufgeregte Melodien, in denen sich seine sanfte, melancholische Stimme mit dem weichen, warmen Gesang von Nathalia Bruno vermischt. Angedeutete Gitarrensoli unterbrechen manchmal die klare, ungeschliffene musikalische Linie. Der langjährige Freund Max Claps hat Keyboard-Parts beigesteuert, die die minimale Nostalgie der Tracks aufgreift und dabei jeglichem tränenreichen Pathos entgegenwirken. Um diesen homogenen Sound, diese Sounddichte zu erreichen hat James sich Zeit gelassen. Das er seine Songs aus verschiedenen Aufnahmesessions retten musste, die von einer Reihe von Missgeschicken geprägt waren, an die er, wie er amüsiert zugibt, gewöhnt ist: kaputte Multitracks, versagende Tonbandmaschinen oder selten verfügbare Schlagzeuger, die in der Hauptstadt leben, kam ihm dabei sicherlich zu Hilfe. Ähnlich wie Jack Name oder Syd Barrett - nur weniger psychedelisch - sitzt Hoare auf dem schwarz-weißen Sofa von Velvet Underground und verleiht seinem Album eine unterirdische Note. Zeitweise unruhig, aber leichtfüßig, ohne unnötige Effekte, tritt die Platte in die Fußstapfen einer weniger lauten, aber ebenso rohen und schmucklosen Jesus and Mary Chain. Mit Backwater Collage, allein am Ruder unter einem stürmischen Himmel, lädt James Hoare seine Hörer ein, es sich bei einer Tasse Tee gemütlich zu machen.

The title track of Unklevon’s ‘UN1C’ album starts with a steady snare-heavy beat, foreboding atmospherics and a futuristic vocal. It introduces the France-based producer’s Detroit-inspired electro LP and also marks his debut full-length, landing on Boysnoize Records, a label Unklevon’s been affiliated with since 2022.

For the second track on Unklevon’s ‘UN1C’ LP, the International Chrome & Nechto artist is joined by Maral for ‘Bag Secured’, adding her sensual vocals to a raw cut featuring rough synthlines and racing rhythm. ‘Science Club’ then continues with infectious and hypnotic energy driven by a deep, earworm vocal before ‘Speed Chains’ picks up pace with speedy basslines and rhythms shot through with bleeps.

Ukranian singer Alina Pash infuses Unklevon’s ‘High Key’ with fantastic modern hip-hop flair, with ‘All 4 Homies’ returning to the club with cut-up sampling and tripped-out electro sonics. Boysnoize Records’ Boys Noize also teams up with Unklevon for ‘Spa8cid’, a menacing dancefloor heavy-hitter which eases into the acid madness of ‘Miami South Express’ which follows.

Next up, Unklevon and Vel drop the aptly named ‘Transed About U’, a true peak-time roller boasting hypnotic trance-like gated vocals, with German electro superstar DJ MELL G joining him for ‘Wizard Snakes’, taking a more classical approach with rich synth lines and crisp drum work. Closing out this fantastic first album from a promising name in the global electro spheres is ‘Call Me Von’, another amped-up, bass-laden track ready to rock the warehouse.

Der Schweizer Sänger, Musiker, Songwriter und Produzent Dino Brandão veröffentlicht sein lang erwartetes Debütalbum 'Self-Inclusion'!

Dino Brandão ist gefühlt schon seit Jahren präsent, hat längst nicht nur in der Schweiz umjubelte Konzerte gespielt.
Bis 2019 war er Sänger und Gitarrist der Band Frank Powers, 2020 kam die schweizerdeutsche Liebeserklärung 'Ich liebe dich' mit Faber und Sophie Hunger, und die Debüt-EP 'Bouncy Castle' hat inzwischen auch schon über zwei Jahre auf dem Buckel.
Aber wie heisst es so schön im vergnüglich klingenden, aber lyrisch tiefschürfenden Titeltrack der EP: 'Life’s a bouncy castle / Filled with tears and laughter'.
Das trifft im Falle von Dino Brandão umso mehr zu. Er hatte in den letzten Jahren, in denen er sein Solodebüt aufnehmen wollte, nicht nur mit der Pandemie zu kämpfen wie wir alle, sondern musste sich auch einer Multiple-Sklerose-Diagnose stellen und verbrachte einige Zeit in einer psychiatrischen Einrichtung.
Dass sein Debütalbum 'Self-Inclusion' nun mit einem Song namens 'Sweet Madness' beginnt und mit der Aussenseiter:innen-Hymne 'Loser' endet, die ebenfalls in einer solchen Klinik spielt, ist also kein Zufall.
Was hier jetzt nach einem ziemlichen Brocken klingt, musikalisch erstaunlicherweise aber dermassen leicht in die Füsse, die Hüfte, das Herz und dann eben auch in den Kopf geht, dass man Dino Brandão geradezu diabolische, oder vielleicht gar sirenen-artige Kräfte zu schreiben könnte.
Dino Brandão sagt selbst: 'Ich habe früh für mich entschieden, da ganz offen zu sein und alles, was mich umtreibt, zu erzählen. Vielleicht hilft es auch ein wenig, das zu entstigmatisieren. Ich hoffe nur, dass ich nicht immer auf diese Themen reduziert werde.'
Das dürfte sein tolles Debütalbum 'Self-Inclusion' zu vermeiden wissen.

Live recording of the final show of SANAM's debut European 2023 tour at London's home for experiemntal music, Cafe Oto.

Beirut's SANAM burst on the scene in 2023 with their debut album Aykathani Malakon, chosen by The Guardian as one of their 5-star albums from 2023: "Aykathani Malakon thoroughly embodies their originating influences, whipping up kosmische, post-punk, psych rock, free jazz and Levantine folklore into an alchemical tour de force delivered with a defiant, DIY disposition".

Under difficult conditions, the band took to the road for a European tour in November 2023 with the final show at Café Oto. From their incendiary European debut earlier that month at LeGuessWho then rapturous, sold out shows in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and the UK, spirits for the Cafe Oto gig were high and it was destined to be a tour highlight. 'Live at Café Oto' captures the intensity of the shows, a ritual where improvised rock, free jazz and noise underscored an exorcism of traditional Egyptian song and Arabic poetry.

Drummer Pascal Semerdjian adds: "On this tour, I felt the album evolve from being a set of improvised tracks captured spontaneously, into ripe solid songs. Playing these shows back-to-back, our chemistry kept growing, we got closer, and our live sets, at least to me, were an embodiment of this evolution. In a way, this was the real birth of the band"

Vocalist Sandy Chamoun: "We started the tour with a great push at LeGuessWho, and we kept this energy throughout the whole tour. Every gig felt like I was playing the songs for the first time, providing a new and fresh experience for me. We finished the tour with an emotionally intense gig at Cafe Oto, a dream venue. The audience was incredible, as if we had known each other for a long time and the energy was intense and intimate at the same time; it felt like we were in a small circle of fire together, both us and the audience."

"There was definitely magic in the air for our show at cafe oto - an iconic, humble and warm venue and the last show of the tour – it felt like everything was in the right place. It was my favourite show by far, specially that we were also comfortably able to talk about Palestine, the atrocity we have to live with and can't ignore." Pascal Semerdjian

The opening line of Emily Dickinson’s short poem ‘‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers’ inspired the central image of Emily Barker’s new single ‘Feathered Thing’, written while she navigated cumulative grief.

When Barker was first introduced to producer Luke Potashnick (Gabrielle Aplin, Jack Savoretti, Katie Melua) in May 2022, she brought with her a full album’s worth of songs. But after visiting Potashnick’s storied studio, The Wool Hall and hearing his ambitious production ideas, she was inspired to write one more song.

“I also needed to process some heavy news” she comments. Barker and her husband Lukas Drinkwater had been trying to start a family. Following a couple of failed IVF cycles (and other “starts that we’d lost”), they investigated adoption and had decided to relocate to Australia to be closer to Barker’s family.

“It felt like we couldn’t work out what we wanted, but we finally reached a point where we both felt at peace with not having kids,” Barker recalls. “It had been an incredibly intense time, coinciding with a house move and the pandemic.”

And then Barker found she was pregnant. “We’d done all these things to try to make it happen, and then it happened naturally (and against all biological odds). Having previously navigated losses throughout our pregnancy journey, we now had to get our heads around what having this new person in our lives might look like - emotionally and practically.”

Soon after work began on the album, Barker had a miscarriage.

“Songwriting has always been a way of processing throughout my life.” Barker reveals how the new song came quickly as she sat at her piano at home. She shared an early version with Potashnick and remembers him politely asking, “Do you mind telling me what this is about?”

“I think I’d left it too abstract, initially,” she reflects. “It was difficult to open up about the miscarriage, but Luke was very supportive and encouraged me to dig a little deeper without necessarily being specific. I revisited the lyrics, and the result is much stronger.”

“I went to the burnt-out woods/ A tourist with some damaged goods/ Remembered how the trees withstood fires before…”

“The opening line is a metaphor for knowing that I’ll get through this,” Barker clarifies. “It’s about recovery and hope, allowing yourself both the space to grieve and permission to move on”. But Barker’s optimism is never misplaced – she knows the imprint of imagined futures and lost children are carried in hearts and minds forever:

“It’s so hard to let go, wanted to know wanted to know you …”

“I think that it's important to share and normalise these stories, which are all too common, yet not openly spoken about. People hide their pain and don’t want to burden friends and family. I think behind all this anguish, there’s a deep, often untold story.”

Now that Barker is settled back in Western Australia, she’s embracing being an auntie. “I’ve got three younger siblings over here who I’m close to, and they all have kids,” she enthuses. “I look after my brother's kids, aged two and five, one morning a week.”

Recorded - along with the entirety of the new album - at The Wool Hall, ‘Feathered Thing’ begins gently, with oscillating piano and distant drums, until the arrangement gradually transforms into an instrumental dervish of vibrant strings, bass drones and cymbal crashes. Throughout, Barker’s vocals float tantalisingly like a slipstreaming feather.

Watch the video, filmed at The Wool Hall here. The Wool Hall is a studio in Beckington, Somerset, set up by Tears for Fears in the 1980s and used by artists including The Smiths, Pretenders, Joni Mitchell and many more.

Emily Barker is an award-winning singer-songwriter, best known as the writer and performer of the theme to the hugely successful BBC crime drama ‘Wallander’ starring Kenneth Branagh.

Her last album, 2020's ‘A Dark Murmuration of Words’, was produced by Greg Freeman and recorded at StudiOwz, a converted chapel in the Welsh countryside. Lyrically probing, by turns both dark and optimistic, Barker searches for meaning through the deafening clamour of fake news and algorithmically filtered conversation, delivering a timely exploration of the grand themes of our age. It garnered widespread acclaim, with Uncut calling it “…a kind of Australian equivalent of PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake”.

Barker has released music and toured as a solo artist as well as with various bands and collaborations, most notably her long association with Frank Turner, and has written for TV and film, including composing the soundtrack for Jake Gavin’s lauded debut feature ‘Hector’ starring Peter Mullan and Keith Allen.

‘Fragile as Humans’ is scheduled for release on May 3rd 2024 through Everyone Sang/Kartel Music Group. The album will also feature earlier singles: the vast, cinematic ‘Wild to be Sharing This Moment’ and the meditative, crestfallen ‘Loneliness’.

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary jazz, Scottish pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie has carved a remarkable niche. Since 2021, his career has skyrocketed, marked by two acclaimed album releases that propelled him into the limelight – shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and clinching the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) for "Forest Floor." His debut with Edition Records, "Cairn" (2021), set the stage for a journey deeply rooted in natural themes. McCreadie's latest venture, "Stream," continues this intriguing exploration, this time delving into the essence of water. Accompanied by his long-standing comrades, David Bowden and Stephen Henderson, the album flows with the fluidity of its namesake. It's a musical stream that flows through the rich landscapes of Scottish folklore and the sophisticated avenues of contemporary jazz, blending them seamlessly. The album's narrative is a testament to the trio's evolving musical identity, meticulously crafted to mirror a journey from darkness to light. McCreadie shares, "What I like most about this album is that it evolves from dark to light as the album goes on. It's a sort of cloudy skies to sunnier skies journey, quite different from previous albums where the track sequence was more arbitrary." Their sound, a nuanced tapestry woven with delicate touches and bold strokes, speaks of their confidence and exuberance in forging a distinct path. "Stream" is an exploration of shared passions and expressions, pushing the boundaries of their musical language and vocabulary to new depths. With "Stream," Fergus McCreadie, Bowden, and Henderson offer a refreshing antidote to the predictable. Their music is a celebration of individuality, a journey that resonates with the trio's unique voice. It's an invitation to listeners to immerse themselves in a soundscape that's both familiar in its Scottish roots and revolutionary in its jazz execution – a goal every artist aspires to achieve. "Stream" is a musical narrative that flows like water – sometimes calm, sometimes tempestuous, but always moving forward. For those seeking a fresh, engaging, and authentic musical journey, Fergus McCreadie's "Stream" is a listening adventure not to be missed.

Stream by Fergus Mccreadie, released 3 May 2024, includes the following tracks: "Driftwood", "Sun Pillars", "Stony Gate", "Coastline" and more.

The Los Angeles-based indie-dance duo is comprised of Australian-born Jordan Feller and Southern California native Marc Gilfry. Their sophomore studio album, It’s All A Bit Fuzzy, comes packed with new, epic collabs and sets the stage for their riveting live show.

Swedish jazz phenomon Nils Berg Cinemasocpe is back with their sixth album. The music on this album is based on field recordings of musicians, singers and sounds from the streets and countryside of Punjab, India. Nils Berg Cinemacope is a group of highly acclaimed Swedish jazz musicians that has toured all continents and collaborated with musicians and dancers in Italy, Cuba, Japan and more

Chris Whitley was an artist with his feet planted in two very different worlds. On one side was a guitarist/ songwriter who grew up with the Delta and Chicago blues of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, with some Bob Dylan thrown in. But at the same time, he was hanging out with NYC Lower East Side avant-gardeists like Arto Lindsey and Michael Beinhorn during his early ‘80s formative years. And it is precisely that tension between tradition and experimentation that makes his music so interesting and unique among “roots rock” artists. That tension is palpable on 1995’s Din of Ecstasy, his second record; Whitley abandons the acoustic blues-rock of his Living with the Law debut in favor of an album, that at first listen, owes a lot to the early-‘90s grunge movement. But Din of Ecstasy is hardly a johnny-come-lately to that sound; those are some truly weird tunings and chords being played by Whitley. It’s almost like he’s reinventing grunge in his own fashion, soaking it in blues and seasoning it with dissonance and feedback. Add some dark, druggy lyrics to the mix and Din of Ecstasy takes its place as one of the decade’s most adventurous albums, a cult classic way overdue for a vinyl release. Limited edition “clear smoke” vinyl, nestled inside a printed inner sleeve. Don’t sleep on this one

Brazilian singer and composer Arthur Melo turns to the ‘70s & ‘80s, to the musical greats like Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento, channelling his love of director Brian de Palma and old detective films, and positioning himself amongst a new generation of contemporary musicians

Arthur Melo, a young Brazilian composer, guitarist and singer returns to releasing music, with his second single after a 3 year break, with a new album Mirantes Emocionais, set for release on British label Wonderfulsound. Backed by his band O Ministério da Consciência it’s a work that pays homage to Arthur’s heroes of Brazilian music from the ‘70s and ‘80s yet goes much beyond throwback. Like his previous post-tropicalia, psychedelic and percussive material, it honours Brazil’s divergent musical history but always looking forward, treading new paths and placing Arthur in a venerable category of explorative, young Brazilian artists alongside the likes of Sessa & Ana Frango Elétrico.

Da ist der TCM Heaviness-Hattrick! Nach Phantom Winter und Park+Riot walzen nun G i f t aus Leipzig alles platt und liefern mit RUPTURES einen echten Kieferbrecher im Hause TCM ab. Chaotisch und groovig, vertrackt und schmissig, düster und rollend, Old Man Gloom treffen auf Ken Mode, oder schwerere Botch auf Deadguy. So oder so, glaubt mir, das geht vortrefflich gut in den Nacken. Für die geneigten Beobachter*innen finden sich im Line-Up alte Bekannte aus der deutschen DIY-Szene: The Tidal Sleep, Throwers, Trainwreck, Glasses, Dezefra Ridge und Quallus sind die Bands aus denen sich die Personen in G i f t speisen und dieses Spektrum ist auch ein Fingerzeig hinsichtlich der musikalischen Breite der Band. G i f t arbeiten diese auf RUPTURES in einen ultraschweren, alles umschlingenden Sound - ihr dürft gespannt sein, hier werden richtig dicke Bretter gebohrt.

Nach zwei von der Kritik hochgelobten Alben, zahlreichen Mini-LPs, EPs und Singles kehrt das Londoner Trio Girls In Synthesis mit seinem neuen Statement, dem dritten Album "Sublimation", zurück. Wenn du dachtest, du kennst GIS bereits, dann irrst Du Dich diesmal vielleicht.GIS gehen weiter und haben eine düstere und intensive, aber dennoch melodische Sammlung von Tracks erschaffen, ihre Interpretation einer kantigen Pop-Platte. Der Opener 'Lights Out' besteht aus zwei Teilen; der erste ist ein Barrett-eskes Gesangs- und Gitarren-Lamento über Schlafmangel, das über eine von 'Faust Tapes' beeinflusste Freeform-Noise-Sektion in einen stampfenden, hochintensiven Showdown übergeht. In Songs wie "Deceit", "We Are Here" und "Picking Things Out Of The Air" zeigt sich die Gruppe von ihrer melodischsten Seite, indem sie einige der chaotischen Noise-Elemente ihres charakteristischen Sounds auf ein Minimum reduziert und leidenschaftliche, schwebende Vocals und Keyboard-Melodien in den Vordergrund stellt. Ihr Markenzeichen, das treibende Schlagzeug und der Bass, ist besonders bei den Stücken "I Judge Myself" und "Corrupting Memories" zu hören, wird aber durch intensive, vom frühen Gothic beeinflusste Keyboardlinien ergänzt, die Einflüsse aus den späten 1970ern/frühen 1980ern mit der zeitgenössischen GIS-Intensität in Einklang bringen. Die langsam sich steigernden Tracks 'I Was Never There' und 'The Prefix' bauen mit spärlichen Arrangements und kreisenden, spiralförmigen Outros Spannung und Atmosphäre auf, während die Band im abschließenden 'A Damning Lesson' zu ihrer intensiven, knüppelnden Soundwand zurückkehrt, nur um sie in eine verschwommene, hallende Drum-Machine zu schicken, die an die frühen Arbeiten von Cabaret Voltaire erinnert. Nächstes Kapitel, nächstes Level für GIS!

Nach zwei von der Kritik hochgelobten Alben, zahlreichen Mini-LPs, EPs und Singles kehrt das Londoner Trio Girls In Synthesis mit seinem neuen Statement, dem dritten Album "Sublimation", zurück. Wenn du dachtest, du kennst GIS bereits, dann irrst Du Dich diesmal vielleicht.GIS gehen weiter und haben eine düstere und intensive, aber dennoch melodische Sammlung von Tracks erschaffen, ihre Interpretation einer kantigen Pop-Platte. Der Opener 'Lights Out' besteht aus zwei Teilen; der erste ist ein Barrett-eskes Gesangs- und Gitarren-Lamento über Schlafmangel, das über eine von 'Faust Tapes' beeinflusste Freeform-Noise-Sektion in einen stampfenden, hochintensiven Showdown übergeht. In Songs wie "Deceit", "We Are Here" und "Picking Things Out Of The Air" zeigt sich die Gruppe von ihrer melodischsten Seite, indem sie einige der chaotischen Noise-Elemente ihres charakteristischen Sounds auf ein Minimum reduziert und leidenschaftliche, schwebende Vocals und Keyboard-Melodien in den Vordergrund stellt. Ihr Markenzeichen, das treibende Schlagzeug und der Bass, ist besonders bei den Stücken "I Judge Myself" und "Corrupting Memories" zu hören, wird aber durch intensive, vom frühen Gothic beeinflusste Keyboardlinien ergänzt, die Einflüsse aus den späten 1970ern/frühen 1980ern mit der zeitgenössischen GIS-Intensität in Einklang bringen. Die langsam sich steigernden Tracks 'I Was Never There' und 'The Prefix' bauen mit spärlichen Arrangements und kreisenden, spiralförmigen Outros Spannung und Atmosphäre auf, während die Band im abschließenden 'A Damning Lesson' zu ihrer intensiven, knüppelnden Soundwand zurückkehrt, nur um sie in eine verschwommene, hallende Drum-Machine zu schicken, die an die frühen Arbeiten von Cabaret Voltaire erinnert. Nächstes Kapitel, nächstes Level für GIS!

"Rantanplan" sind seit fast 30 Jahren eine feste Institution und das schon lange nicht mehr "nur" innerhalb der Subkulturen, haben mit ihrem letzten Album "AHOI" 2023 nur knapp die Top Ten verfehlt (Platz 11 / 03.03.2023). Mit dem unveröffentlichten und exklusiv auf Vinyl erhältlichen Song "Am Meer" meldet die Band sich auf Sunny Bastards Records zurück. "Am Meer" ist genau der richtige Ohrwurm "um am Strand zwischen 3 Elementen zu liegen" und gut gelaunt den Sommer mit einem kühlen Bier zu genießen! Extrem tanzbarer Ska-Punk und klarer Hit von der Waterkant! Die B-Seite "Sand am Meer" greift nur vordergründig das unbeschwingte Sommergefühl auf, denn Rantanplan waren schon immer mehr als nur eine Spaßkapelle und verpacken ihre gesellschaftspolitischen Botschaften subtil statt plakativ in ihre Musik. "Idioten gibt's wie Sand am Meer"_wer will da schon widersprechen? Bislang nur online aus "Ahoi"-Sessions als Single Digital 2021 veröffentlicht, gibt es den Song jetzt endlich auch erstmals auf Vinyl! Streng limitiert auf insgesamt 500 Exemplare erscheint die 7" im Hardcover in bunter Vielfalt als red'n'white inside out und clear with blue & black splatter vinyl (je 200 copies ww). Für Puristen natürlich auch als black vinyl (100 copies ww) erhältlich.

"Rantanplan" sind seit fast 30 Jahren eine feste Institution und das schon lange nicht mehr "nur" innerhalb der Subkulturen, haben mit ihrem letzten Album "AHOI" 2023 nur knapp die Top Ten verfehlt (Platz 11 / 03.03.2023). Mit dem unveröffentlichten und exklusiv auf Vinyl erhältlichen Song "Am Meer" meldet die Band sich auf Sunny Bastards Records zurück. "Am Meer" ist genau der richtige Ohrwurm "um am Strand zwischen 3 Elementen zu liegen" und gut gelaunt den Sommer mit einem kühlen Bier zu genießen! Extrem tanzbarer Ska-Punk und klarer Hit von der Waterkant! Die B-Seite "Sand am Meer" greift nur vordergründig das unbeschwingte Sommergefühl auf, denn Rantanplan waren schon immer mehr als nur eine Spaßkapelle und verpacken ihre gesellschaftspolitischen Botschaften subtil statt plakativ in ihre Musik. "Idioten gibt's wie Sand am Meer"_wer will da schon widersprechen? Bislang nur online aus "Ahoi"-Sessions als Single Digital 2021 veröffentlicht, gibt es den Song jetzt endlich auch erstmals auf Vinyl! Streng limitiert auf insgesamt 500 Exemplare erscheint die 7" im Hardcover in bunter Vielfalt als red'n'white inside out und clear with blue & black splatter vinyl (je 200 copies ww). Für Puristen natürlich auch als black vinyl (100 copies ww) erhältlich.

"Rantanplan" sind seit fast 30 Jahren eine feste Institution und das schon lange nicht mehr "nur" innerhalb der Subkulturen, haben mit ihrem letzten Album "AHOI" 2023 nur knapp die Top Ten verfehlt (Platz 11 / 03.03.2023). Mit dem unveröffentlichten und exklusiv auf Vinyl erhältlichen Song "Am Meer" meldet die Band sich auf Sunny Bastards Records zurück. "Am Meer" ist genau der richtige Ohrwurm "um am Strand zwischen 3 Elementen zu liegen" und gut gelaunt den Sommer mit einem kühlen Bier zu genießen! Extrem tanzbarer Ska-Punk und klarer Hit von der Waterkant! Die B-Seite "Sand am Meer" greift nur vordergründig das unbeschwingte Sommergefühl auf, denn Rantanplan waren schon immer mehr als nur eine Spaßkapelle und verpacken ihre gesellschaftspolitischen Botschaften subtil statt plakativ in ihre Musik. "Idioten gibt's wie Sand am Meer"_wer will da schon widersprechen? Bislang nur online aus "Ahoi"-Sessions als Single Digital 2021 veröffentlicht, gibt es den Song jetzt endlich auch erstmals auf Vinyl! Streng limitiert auf insgesamt 500 Exemplare erscheint die 7" im Hardcover in bunter Vielfalt als red'n'white inside out und clear with blue & black splatter vinyl (je 200 copies ww). Für Puristen natürlich auch als black vinyl (100 copies ww) erhältlich.

„The Cycle" ist Laura Carbones viertes Album und ein geradezu erlesenes Werk, das von furchtloser weiblicher Reife, Mystik und einer ungeheuren Kraft zeugt. Das insgesamt 13 Songs umfassende Album lässt den Hörer tief in den Soundtrack einer Metamorphose eintauchen, die letzten Endes eine vollkommen neue, verkörperte Perspektive der Fülle und Souveränität hervorbringt, die seine Protagonistin in einer nach Heilung rufenden Welt erlebt. Es zeigt die Schönheit des Prozesses, scheut sich jedoch auch nicht davor, die Blessuren und Narben preiszugeben, die zu seiner Entstehung führten.

Longtime music activists Rawmance and Asymmetrical from Rome have joined forces to create new music under the name 'La Nuit Je Mens'. Their debut work, titled 'Les Nuits Magnétiques', features two
of their songs on a hand-stamped 7" vinyl. Utilizing a bass guitar, analog synthesizers and vintage drum machines, their music is infused with French vocals, lending it a cinematic touch and a sense of depth.
While strongly inspired by the sound of the 80s, this record establishes its own unique identity, offering something new and refreshing.

a1. Do One Feat. Donots
b1. All Night Crew

Frank Turner kündigt mit "Undefeated" das zehnte Album seiner Solo-Karriere an. Der britische Punkrock-Singer/Songwriter hat immer noch viel zusagen, und tut dies auch.
Zu seiner ersten Single erzählt er: "Do One" ist der letzte Song, den ich für das neue Album geschrieben habe, und der erste Song auf dem Album,sowie die erste Single. Es ist also eine Zusammenfassung dessen, was ich mit diesem Album sagen will, ein Album über das Überleben und den Trotz,aber auch ein Album mit einem Sinn für Spaß und Selbstironie. Nach 19 Jahren Solokarriere stehe ich immer noch auf und bringe einige meinerbesten Arbeiten heraus. Das fühlt sich gut an."
Für deutsche Fans gibt es ein spezielles Feature: Die Single "Do One" erscheint als Version mit den Donots.

Whether you’re on a journey towards self acceptance, or locking yourself away for days, it’s safe to say the human experience can be an emotional rollercoaster; GAMI GANG explores the highs and lows, and all the twists and turns in between. In similar fashion, joyous and anthemic tunes find themselves winding their way into their somber and soft spoken counterparts, swerving through explosive bridges along the journey. Throughout manic momentum shifts, the ride slows down to make way for moments of clarity. Happiness and innocence are sprinkled in with displays of darkness or arrogance, and most of the time we exist in the middle. However, those unexpected jumps of adrenaline are what make this ride enticing. It’s human nature to get back on, and feel that rush one more time.













[m] 13. [spoons rattling]

The Cat's Miaow return to World Of Echo with Skipping Stones: The Cassette Years '92-'93, their second compilation for the imprint, and the fourth in a loosely defined series of reissues associated with the group (also including The Shapiros' Gone By Fall: The Collected Works of The Shapiros and Hydroplane's Selected Songs 1997-2003). It's a smart selection of songs by one of Australia's finest independent pop music groups, whose initial run, across the nineties, was as mysterious as it was bewitching. A generous double album featuring thirty-five songs drawn from The Cat's Miaow's history, Skipping Stones lets listeners in on a bunch more secrets. The four cassettes that Skipping Stones draws from - Little Baby Sour Puss, Pet Sounds (both 1992), From My Window, and How Did Everything Get So Fucked Up (both 1993) - were released or assisted by Toytown, a Melbourne cassette label of rare taste, savvy and intelligence. Diving into that two-year period, Skipping Stones is full of surprises, rich with unexpected and inspired detours, while reminding everyone just how clear and distinct The Cat's Miaow's music was from the very start. Looking in from the outside, they always felt like a group that knew just what they were doing, but intuitive as they are, they weren't forcing anything: these songs always sound exactly what they need to be, rough edges, playful moments and all. The Cat's Miaow may have been bedroom dreamers, but their songs were richly informed, with the sweetest of girl-pop moves sashaying into walls of tremolo-d and distorted guitar, jangling six strings tangling with melodic bass that's pure Peter Hook/Naomi Yang, while the gentle trickle of a drum machine or the earthy twitch of brushes on drum skins provided the spine for Kerrie's and Bart's lovely, unforced singing. This double LP on World Of Echo feels like the very core of the thing - some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful, effortlessly lush and deeply moving pop music you're likely to hear. RIYL: Hydroplane, The Cannanes, Magnetic Fields, Belle and Sebastian, Jesus and Mary Chain

Much-anticipated debut album from Leeds post-punk power-trio and 6Music favourites Objections. Optimistic Sizing is comprised of ten kitchen-sink dramas, ten miniature worlds to lose yourself in. The key topics are covered: performative royal mourning, ill-suited sexual relationships, coastal gentrification, motormouth bigots and - of course - snogging. Objections formed in the post-lockdown period after drummer Neil and guitarist Joe's former band (and cult favourites) Bilge Pump slowed to an amicable halt. They wanted to continue the musical dialogue they had built up over decades and turned to Claire Adams (Nape Neck, Beards) to start something new and Objections was born. The 3 members have also played in/with: Polaris, Yann Tiersen, HiM, Enablers, Felix and Damo Suzuki (among others). Objections released their debut 7" - BSA Day/Better Luck Next Time on Wrong Speed in 2023 and have recorded two Marc Riley / Gideon Coe BBC 6Music sessions. At Wrong Speed we are not fond of genres, we are here to release music we love not tell you how to file it. But Optimistic Sizing is genuinely post-punk in the literal sense of the term. Objections take the freedom and anyone-can-do-it promise of punk and run somewhere new and adventurous with it, creating a vibrant and living musical language with which to communicate their own unique world view. As a result, Optimistic Sizing is not only a classic debut album but a timeless one. "We like to think we know what we're talking about....believe us when we say, Objections are a band to watch" - Louder Than War

Laufey ist eine in Los Angeles lebende Sängerin, Komponistin, Produzentin und Multiinstrumentalistin, deren Jazzsongs von junger Liebe und Selbstfindung handeln. Aufgewachsen zwischen Reykjavik und Washington, D.C. mit jährlichen Besuchen in Peking, wuchs die isländisch-chinesische Künstlerin mit Cello und Klavier auf und wurde süchtig nach den Jazzstandards von Ella Fitzgerald, nachdem sie die Plattensammlung ihres Vaters durchstöbert hatte. "Typical of Me" ist Laufeys Debüt-EP, die auch ihre Debüt-Single "Street by Street" enthält.

Ineinander verwobene Hammondorgel-Riffs, schwere E-Gitarren und melodische Basslinien machen Nucleus zu einem besonderen Erlebnis - die ungewöhnlichen Taktarten machen es zu einer akustischen Lobotomie! Gepresst auf weißem Vinyl! Die Ursprünge von Nucleus liegen in der Torontoer Combo The Lords Of London aus den späten 60er Jahren. Sie waren eine beliebte Live-Attraktion und traten bei der Canadian National Exhibition neben The Guess Who und Kensington Market sowie US-Bands wie Moby Grape auf. Obwohl sie kleinere kanadische Hits hatten, gelang ihnen der Durchbruch in den USA nicht, und im September 1968 entwickelten sie sich zu einer anderen Art von Band. Sie änderten ihren Namen in Nucleus und nahmen in tagelangen Proben einen jazzigeren, improvisierteren Ansatz auf, um ihre einzige LP mit ausschließlich eigenen Songs aufzunehmen. Ihr Sound reicht vom verrückten "Jenny Wakes Up" bis zum intensiven "Communication". Das Album wurde im April 1969 veröffentlicht (die Veröffentlichung wurde kurzzeitig durch eine "technische Komplikation" verzögert, wie Billboard es nannte) und erregte beträchtliches Kultinteresse, wobei die Single-Version von "Communication" im Untergrund viel gespielt wurde.

Steph Richards has already made quite a name for herself in the worlds of avant garde music and creative jazz - She has recorded for Relative Pitch and Northern Spy, worked with Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton and Ravi Coltrane and studied with Wadada Leo Smith - As co-producer of the FONT Music Festival, Richards worked for years alongside fellow trumpeter Dave Douglas. Her records have been praised for displaying her evident virtuosity and inventiveness, the New York Times calling Richards "boldly inventive." NPR's Nate Chinen says Richards is "ingenious" and Downbeat insisted that she is "the latest figure of note" in jazz while All About Jazz cuts to the chase, saying simply, that Richards "kicks ass." It's an impressive history and litany of praise for a young trumpeter, but with her latest full-length for Northern Spy, Power Vibe, Richards pushes even further, marrying avant garde and cinematic moods with a kind of infectious and patently pleasing tunefulness that is certain to expand her dedicated audience even further. The addition of "sensory electronics" -- subtle but compelling textures and tactile rhythms which are physically triggered by drum-mounted sensors -- compels fascination here, interweaving a kind of aural hyper-lucidity throughout the record. Though boldly original, this music strides surefootedly alongside the work of contemporaries like Nicole Mitchell and Rob Mazurek and the late jaimie branch

A leading Norwegian bassist for over 30 years, ECM legend Arild Andersen forges promising relation-ships with two rising stars - Daniel Sommer (drums) and Rob Luft (guitar) in an expansive, playful exploration of song and collective improvisation. As Time Passes " is set to release on April 26th on April Records. Led by Sommer, the release signifies the first chapter of the drummers much much-anticipated Nordic trilogy on April Records, aiming to capture and document Nordic improvisation and composition across three carefully curated ensembles. Bassist Arild Andersens storied career stretches back to the 1970"s as one of ECM s first recording artists, collaborating with household names of the genre including Jan Garbarek, Don Cherry, Bill Frisell, John Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, and the list goes on. Welcoming the opportunity to work with and nurture younger artists, the ensemble was born when Daniel Sommer selected Andersen for a project during his studies at the Danish National Academy of Music. Later, impressed by Luft s performances in Ireland and Norway, Andersen suggested expanding the pair into a trio. A transcendent musical voyage, As Time Passes " blurs the lines of conventional trio roles, and celebrates the evolution of jazz as a fluid, versatile form of expression. By providing each musician the freedom of becoming a key contributor in the melodic discourse, the trio channels the spirit of jazz veterans such as the Bill Evans Trio and free free-jazz ensemble Air, while echoing the sounds and innovations of pan pan-European contemporary jazz. Mixing pensive rubato ambience with energetic grooves, instrumental dexterity, a modern ECM ECM-esque sound and folk undertones, the record s compositional clarity combined with the spontaneity of a live performance flows across and between genres, borders and generations alike. Luft s intricately over-dubbed layers of acoustic guitars, vast reverbs, and contrapuntal melodies expand the sound of the three piece into an immersive world of textures. Rendered in the stark beauty of Andersen"s bass lines, the nuanced strokes of Sommer"s drums, and capped with the lush, expansive timbres of Luft"s guitar, "As Time Passes" is a testament to enduring and ever ever-evolving wonder of Jazz.

DEATH LENS relentlessly seeks a place in your consciousness, a persistent presence whispering in your ear. Concealing ferocity beneath a stylish veneer, their live shows unleash energy and chaos, leaving spectators disarmed and forever transformed. After successful tours with Militarie Gun and Together Pangea and hometown support, DEATH LENS is poised to release their latest album, Cold World, on May 3rd, through Epitaph Records. In recordings, DEATH LENS forges unyielding rock, blending West Coast surf punk with Britrock"s tight, bouncy rhythms. Despite their deceptive chill and vibe-focused portrayal, live performances brim with hardcore intensity. Rooted in slick guitar sonics and sugary backing vocal harmonies, reminiscent of indie punk and shoegaze, DEATH LENS channels the energy of bands like Turnstile and Militarie Gun on stage, creating soundtracks for indelible memories of high-energy, sweat-soaked singalongs. Hailing from La Puente, the self-described "five Brown boys" transition from showcasing explosive energy in recordings to embodying a refined representation of hard work and early influences gaining traction in their scene. Growing up as minorities east of Los Angeles amidst police harassment and gang violence, DEATH LENS faced risk factors that could have led them astray. Evolving from a party garage punk band, they now serve as a platform addressing life in heavily policed and immigrant-dominant areas, advocating for immigration reforms, and utilizing resources to support their community. Their experiences form a powerful narrative within their music.

Leading Danish trombonist Lis Wessberg is grounded by the concept that a strong melody, and a rich sound are the two most important elements in composition and performance.A continuation of the refined contemporary answer to the"Cool Jazz" sound she"s been cultivating for the past 30 years, her sophomore album"Twain Walking" is set to release on April 12th onApril Records. With more than50 album credits to her name, and having performed and toured with renowned artists including Marilyn Mazur, Fredrik Lundin, Joyce Moreno, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band feat. Randy Brecker, and more, 2021 saw the release of her debut album "Yellow Maps"to critical acclaim from all around Europe. Diving deep into the personal exploration of her creative roots, "Twain Walking"hails from the warm vitality of New Orleans jazz, to the reflective hum of the ECM sound, and the boundary pushing songwriting of Radiohead. With a respectful nod to her influences such as Miles Davis, Curtis Fuller, Danish Erling Kroner, and Palle Mikkelborg, Wessberg operates within thetraditions they established. However, resisting producing a mere echo of the past, she cultivates her owndistinctaesthetic inspired in equal parts by her heroes as well as contemporary zeitgeist. Led by Wessberg"s dynamic trombone playing, her breathlike approach to the instrument mimics a lamenting human voice singing intricately lyrical melodies. Rock inspired drum grooves, thick synth timbres, and cavernous reverbs craft an expansive and dream-like contemporary soundworld in which Wessberg"s thoughtfully crafted compositions can unfold. From spacious,Nordic ballads todance floor psychedelia, the ensemble tackle all ten varied compositions with confidence, maturity, and a dedicated sense of self-expression. Featuring Estonian rising star Karmen Roivassepp on vocals, her effortless soloisticcontributions explore lyrical themes of recognising the beauty in love in life, elevating the record"s melancholic and reflective tone.

Finland's UNEARTHLY RITES are preparing to release their debut album. On Ecdysis UNEARTHLY RITES' potent old school death metal songwriting offers a rallying cry against corporate greed and environmental negligence, with a scathing rebuke of those culpable of ecocide and climate destruction. At the beating heart of Ecdysis lies UNEARTHLY RITES' insistence for a better world, with the perilous effects of capitalist interests taking precedence over nature and human life at the core of the group's concerns. Through their collective work in environmental activism, including anti-mining campaigns in the arctic north that focuses on the challenges faced by the indigenous Sámi peoples, Ecdysis is less a despairing cry as it is a plea for change. The band's caustic approach to extreme metal and punk adds a feverish urgency to proceedings, with the rhythm section of bassist Vikman and guitarists Simo Perkiömäki and Santtu Markko evoking the genre's most brutish traits against Sisli Piisilä's visceral vocal delivery. Despite their rage and despondency at institutional apathy on the title track and the harrowingly doomy highlight cut Sacrifice Zones, album closer Doomed shuns inaction and resigned complicitly by directly challenging the listener to choose their side for humanity's sake and future.

Culled from three 1985 gigs in the UK during a transitional and transcendent time in the band's story, Sonic Youth's `Walls Have Ears' appeared as a 2LP set in 1986, not just a live album but an artful tapestry full of live experimentation with songs, between-song tape segues, darkness, humor and audio verité on par with elements of side B of `Master Dik' to come later. With a bit of complexity to the situation of the release itself. But that's a different story. Deleted as quickly as it appeared then, it's now issued for the first time officially under the band's auspices. In this 2LP set brimming with primitive classics like "The Burning Spear", "I Love Her All The Time", "Death Valley 69" and "I'm Insane" (uncredited on sleeve), segues and live guitar changes ooze together threaded by Madonna tapes and vocal loops off the board. The first two sides of `Walls' are massive, cavernous, with newly-drafted drummer Steve Shelley in tow taking on past tunes and unveiling "Expressway To Yr Skull" in glorious form. They tear it up especially on one trash-fi excerpt of "Blood On Brighton Beach" (actually "Making the Nature Scene") from a legendary outdoor gig November 8th where Moore, Gordon and Ranaldo's guitars treble-blast dissonant shockwaves over the black-stoned beach of Quadrophenia fame. The record's second slab spotlights an April 1985 pre-Shelley gig supporting Nick Cave at London's Hammersmith Palais and was one of the final appearances live of Bob Bert, again featuring some molten takes on "Brother James", "Kill Yr Idols", "Flower" (Iisted as "The Word (E.V.O.L.)"), "Ghost Bitch" and others. The emergence of the Jesus and Mary Chain in the world gave Brit scribes a lazy and easy parallel, addressed here with a wink with the inclusion of "Speed JAMC", another offstage tape interlude playfully scrolling through one of that band's songs at fast-forward. This document remains an essential representation of some lean and mean years of the quartet's throttling march out into the world in the mid eighties. Coloured vinyl, one red, one yellow LP.

[j] How Deep is the Ocean? [Alt Tk]

This record is part of "Be The Change", a project conceived and developed by Rude Cares, aiming at raising awareness towards climate change and environmental impact within the Music Community. We envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good.

And we are on a mission to make our Earth a better place through music! We’ve selected Artists who share this vision, and we designed exclusive and limited ecofriendly variants of one of their records to offer to fans globally.

For each release, a donation to Green Future Project will be made, and 100 new trees will be planted. 2 LP Printed on eco-friendly LP, sustainable production process. Hand-numbered. Exclusive
gatefold w/ varnish inserts. INDIE ONLY!

New Wave/Postpunk-Klassiker! Nachpressung auf schwarzem Vinyl! Re-release des ersten Studioalbums von PERE UBU. Heute ist das Album noch immer so direkt und kraftvoll wie damals beim ersten Hören. Verrückte Sounds, manische Rock'n'Roll Riffs, comicmäßiger Gesang und ein typischen Garage Sound machen das Album zu einem Meilenstein experimenteller Rockmusik. Mit einem Sound, der sich irgendwo zwischen VELVET UNDERGROUND, den SEX PISTOLS und THE RESIDENTS einpendelt, sorgt diese durchgedrehte ,Art-Punk" Band für ein wahrhaft außerirdisches Hörvergnügen. Für diese Edition hat Paul Hamann von Suma die ursprünglichen analogen Bänder vom Zweispurgerät auf höchste digitale Auslösung hochgezogen, die mindestens vier Mal besser als die des Originals ist. Die Tracks wurden sorgfältig vom Soundarchitekten Brian Pyle neu gemastert, um die einzigartigen versteckten Qualitäten weiter herauszuarbeiten.

20204 Reissue

Nach Acid Kings hochgelobtem 2023er Album Beyond Vision, das weltweit große Aufmerksamkeit erregte und sogar in die Billboard Top 100 Albums Charts einstieg, präsentiert Blues Funeral eine brandneue, aktualisierte Ausgabe des 2015er Werks der Band. Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere, das von vielen als Acid Kings bestes Werk angesehen wird, wurde auf seinem ursprünglichen Label nur in begrenzter Auflage veröffentlicht und ist seit geraumer Zeit vergriffen. Zur Feier des 30-jährigen Bestehens einer der kultigsten Bands des Heavy Undergrounds präsentiert diese neue Blues Funeral Edition das bahnbrechende Doppelalbum mit aktualisiertem Artwork und einer exklusiven mehrfarbigen Vinyl-Konfiguration speziell für den Record Store Day. Gatefold 2xLP mit siebbedruckter Seite D. Aktualisiertes Cover-Artwork, Siebdruck auf Seite D und neue exklusive, mehrfarbige Vinyl-Editionen für jedes RSD-Gebiet! Die Vinylfarbe für RSD GER & EU ist Orange mit weißem Galaxy/Mamor-Effekt, limitiert auf 500 Stück.

Packaging: 2LP | printed inner sleeve / liner notes

The Path is the latest album from Belbury Poly (aka Ghost Box records founder Jim Jupp). This time round Jupp has recruited a full band roster to expand his own unique electronica. He is joined by occasional Belbury Poly collaborator Christopher Budd on Bass and Guitar, Jesse Chandler (of Midlake, Mercury Rev & Pneumatic Tubes) on flute, clarinet and keyboards, Max Saidi on drums plus narration from author and poet, Justin Hopper.

Musically it takes as its starting point a particular moment of early 1970s British film soundtracks by the likes of Roy Budd and Roger Webb; a soundworld of easy-going jazz and funky rhythms gently coloured with pastoral strings and flutes. The Path, however, is unmoored from time or place thanks to Hopper’s narrative style, Chandler’s rustic flutes and keys, Budd’s soulful psychedelic guitars and Jupp’s production and electronics. The co-writers were all chosen for their unique abilities and an
intuitive understanding of the ongoing Belbury Poly project. The spoken word elements form a loose, open-ended narrative; very much an album with spoken word rather than a spoken word album.

The Band and Album Recording:
Christopher Budd: Electric Bass, Double Bass, Guitars, Electric Sitar
Jesse Chandler: Piano, Synths, Mellotron, Flute, Clarinet
Justin Hopper: Narration
Jim Jupp: Electric Piano, Synths, Mellotron, Percussion, Sound Effects
Max Saidi: Drums, Percussion

The project came together over two years, beginning with a conversation between Hopper and Jupp during a walk on the Sussex South Downs. Originally, it was to tell the tale of an American academic unravelling while adrift in an alienating English landscape. From the beginning, the pair wanted on a narration integrated lyrically into the piece, rather than dropped on top. The words gradually became more film-noir and open to interpretation; occasionally a little tongue-in-cheek. The final
texts explore a folklore of alienation; the way we impact the landscape and it impacts us.

Belbury Poly:
Jim Jupp has released EPs, singles and seven albums on Ghost Box as Belbury Poly. It’s generally a solo project, but he calls on a floating roster of like-minded musicians to extend the sound beyond studio based electronica. He is also one half of The Belbury Circle along with Cate Brooks (of The Advisory Circle) - occasional collaborators with John Foxx. He has recorded library tracks for KPM, BMG and Lo-Editions. He’s remixed tracks for several artists including Beautify Junkyards,
John Foxx and Bill Ryder-Jones (The Coral) and co-written a song with Paul Weller for his 2020 album On Sunset.

2026 Repress

The incomparable Deepchord is back on Soma and drops the first single from forthcoming album, Auratones due in October. As is expected from the Detroit based sound designer, the Campfire EP is everything we have come to know and admire about his productions, from the spaced out, ambient sound fields to classic Dub Techno.

Perfumes Of A Spring Mist delicately opens this latest EP with entrancing, processed soundscapes, beautifully haunting melody and simple rhythmic elements than seem to evolve naturally allowing you to get lost in the sea of vibrations. Xpan leans on the more classic Dub Techno sound from Deepchord of years passed. Sub heavy beats and jagged yet tranquil synths sweep across the palette as Deepchord plays with constantly fluctuating chords, bringing the quintessential 90s Deep Techno into his more modern, processed sound. Title track Campfire brings ambience to the forefront to close out the EP. Melancholic synth elements drift across an expanse of refined and uniquely crafted field recordings, offering an insight into the areas from which Deepchord draws his inspiration.

Once again Deepchord proves to be one of the most visionary artists the electronic world has seen.

Black Vinyl 2024 Repress

Polygonia & MTRL - Division / Taris EP incl. Remixes by Claudio PRC and Mary Yuzovskaya

A1. Polygonia - Division
Right from the start the listener is cast into orbit with driving percussion and abstract sound effects. Soon they are followed with a morphing bass sound and cymbals which lock the groove into place, cranking the drive to the max. As the track progresses the landscape of sound reveals its nature with metallic quality, like schrapnel from a barren city. Truly a Deep Techno banger which will without a doubt fill a dance floor.

A2. MTRL - Taris
The listener is slowly submerged into the waves of percussive bass sounds and menacing sweeps of noise which remind of a storm in a desert, the horizon only slightly glimmering behind the veil of sand. Soon the listener is introduced with a pounding kick drum, almost making the landscape seem even more ruthless as the track progresses.
Quality, heady Deep Techno.

B1. Polygonia - Division Claudio PRC Remix
The hypnotic Techno maestro Claudio PRC twists the idea of the original track into a mind explorative voyage with a triplet feel. The remix is shrouded in melancholy with distant pad sounds, which add a nice tension to the track. As usual, a brilliant remix from Claudio PRC.

B2. MTRL - Taris Mary Yuzovskaya Remix
On the remix the Berlin based producer is molding the source material into a driving and psychedelic track, functional yet synapse tingling. Now the bass has a bit more liquid-like quality and the overall soundscape is more abstract. Hallucinatory effects of noise are filling the spaces between the sounds, almost like being surrounded with faint whispers. Driving and psychedelic Deep Techno done with finesse.

Words by Latmos

Cate Brooks is back with her seventh release for Clay Pipe Music. Never one to stand still, ‘Easel Studies’ finds her pushing the boundaries of sound synthesis and experimentation on the Buchla Music Easel while still sounding beautifully beguiling and hypnotically melodic.

"On this day in 2015, at exactly Midday, I took delivery of a wildly exotic musical instrument. To call it a synthesizer would be a misrepresentation; it’s really more of a tactile, living, breathing entity than anything else. It had originally supposed to have been delivered on the day before, but had somehow been mislaid in the labyrinths of the Royal Mail sorting office at Elephant and Castle.

I sat patiently and quietly all morning, waiting for its imminent arrival. I had already read through the ‘manual’, which is more of a concept / design for living, written by synthesis legend Allen Strange.

With Noon approaching, I became a little anxious- my local postie, Barrie, was usually here by about 10:30am and there was no sign of him.

At 11:58, Barrie walked past, completely ignoring my house. Obviously concerned, I stood at the door and waited for him to walk back toward his van. As he came back, he smiled and I called out, quizzically “Barrie?”. His reply was “Yes I have!” and walked back to his van, collecting a large box and bringing it to my door. I remember the weather was muggy and my neighbour was attending to her rose bushes, as the cheery and helpful postie deftly navigated around her busy secateurs.

I took the box inside, opened the top and just looked at the inner box for a while. I took a photo of it, which I still have. It felt like quite a momentous occasion, because I felt that this instrument would take me to different sonic spaces than I was used to. It wasn’t my first experience with Don Buchla’s instruments by any means, as I’d learned to use his 200e system. But this was quite a different beast.

My cat Brillo came to inspect the box and I set the Music Easel up on the floor and plugged it in. The result of that very first experiment became “Pendula”.

In the following days and weeks of that summer, I created many more experiments on the Easel, quite often with Brillo either sat on me as I played, or trying to climb up on the instrument itself, attempting to move the faders and switches himself.

By the end of August, I had amassed some thirty-something pieces, which I put aside for future reference. I had learned a lot about this instrument, its idiosyncrasies, subtleties and ways of working.

Sadly, Brillo died in September of 2015. I like to think that his last summer with me was a comforting experience, curling up and listening to the sonic experiments taking place, as he regularly did for the sixteen years he was with me. The first track on the album, “Con Brillo” is my little tribute to him.

Fast forward to 2021 and I rediscovered all of these experiments. Some were almost unlistenable, but some had a beguiling charm about them- perhaps the sound of someone not really knowing what they’re getting into. They needed mixing and balancing, so I set to work. I also wrote a new piece, with exactly the same recording chain, in the same way, in the same room. This became the suitably titled final track “Hindsight”.

The Music Easel has remained a constant source of sonic worlds for me to explore. It because the main instrument on the album Agri Montana, for example and has cropped up on many other records I’ve made since.

I would especially like to thank David at Postmodular for selling the Music Easel to me, after phoning him and disturbing his Sunday afternoon outing to Hyde Park (sorry about that David). I always promised I would send him a copy of something I had produced on it, so hopefully he will enjoy Easel Studies."

As I finish writing this, I notice that it is, once more, exactly Midday.

I hope you enjoy Easel Studies too.

Cate Brooks (21st of May, 2023).

Yellow Vinyl

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, die mysteriöse Steel Pan Band aus Hamburg, hat sich weltweit einen Kultstatus erspielt. Mit einer Reihe von klassischen 7" Singles und drei hochgelobten Alben haben sie die Messlatte für sich selbst hoch gelegt, die sie mit diesem neuen Werk noch weiter nach oben schieben wollen. Auf ihrem vierten Album BRSB sind Bacao zurück mit mehr vom Gleichen, aber mehr vom Gleichen ist bei ihnen von Natur aus anders. Sie covern Songs aus verschiedenen Genres, von Megahits bis hin zu Underground-Songs, und machen sie sich mit ihrer einzigartigen Herangehensweise an die traditionellen Steel Pans aus Trinidad und Tobago zu eigen. Während ein Teil des Reizes eines neuen Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band-Albums darin besteht, herauszufinden, welche Songs sie covern, ist es ebenso faszinierend zu sehen, welche originellen Melodien sie ausgeheckt haben – denn dieses Album ist ebenso voller herausragender Originale. Der Opener des Albums, "In The Crosshairs", ist ein rauer und harter Midtempo-Kopfnicker, während "Grilled" und "Treasure Quest" das Tempo mit starken afrikanischen Funk-Einflüssen anziehen. Bacao geht mit "Hazy Memories", einem basslastigen Slowburner, der zwischen Hypnose und Hype wandelt, in die Tiefe. Diese Originale sind ein Beweis dafür, dass der Begriff "Coverband" ein Schuh ist, der niemals zu Bacao passen könnte. Und doch gibt es auch dieses Mal in der Tradition der Steel-Pan-Musik eine Reihe Coverversionen. Der große West Coast Hip Hop Einfluss wird offenbar mit Covers von Game & 50 Cent's "How We Do", Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg's "Nuthin But A G Thang" und Tupac's "Got My Mind Made Up”, die alle eine neue Energie bekommen und sich für die BRSB Stahlbehandlung eignen. Mit ihrem Covern von Claudja Barrys Disco-Klassiker "Love For The Sake Of Love", die sie in eine synchronisierte Version umwandeln und sogar den Titel in "Love For The Sake Of Dub" ändern, fügen Bacao ihrem Lebenslauf einen weiteren zertifizierten Dance-Floor-Filler hinzu. Aus dem Bereich der zeitgenössischen Smash-Hits covern sie Drakes "Hotline Bling" und "Love$ick" von Mura Masa & A$AP Rocky. Dann gehen sie mit dem "Stranger Things Theme" einen sehr unerwarteten Weg, indem sie den Synthie-lastigen Titelsong der Hit-Show nehmen und ihm einen hypnotischeren Ton geben als dem Original. Wenn BRSB fertig ist, hat die Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band den Hörer auf eine Reise mitgenommen, die eine Vielzahl von Energien, Tempi und Stimmungen umfasst, aber alles unter einem Dach hält.

Sheherazaad ist eine US-amerikanische Komponistin und Sängerin, derenzeitgenössische Folk-Pop-Synthese, produziertvon Arooj Aftab, einer neuen Welle der klanglichen Innovation aus der Diaspora Teil wird. In der modernen Welt ist Migration omnipräsent. Sie durchzieht sämtliche Lebens- und Alltagsbereiche, steckt oftmals verschlüsselt in unseren Gewohnheiten. Während unzählige Menschen sowohl mental als auch körperlich mit nie da gewesener Aggressivität die Globalisierung vorantreiben, werden einst stabile "Genres" und Identitäten jeder Art zerlegt - aufgespalten und abgeschafft, überflüssig gemacht und wieder neu geboren. Alles migriert, alles ist in Bewegung. In genau diesem fluktuierenden Feld findet Sheherazaad Inspirationen für ihre Songs. Ihr Minialbum Qasr entstand während einer Phase der familiären Entfremdung. Auch die Trauer über einen Todesfall in der Familie und die rassistische Polarisierung ihres Landes, das plötzlich kaum wieder zu erkennen war, prägten die Aufnahmen. Der Titel des Albums bedeutet auf Urdu (der Nationalsprache in Pakistan und einigen indischen Bundesstaaten) so viel wie "Burg" oder "Festung". Und tatsächlich ist Qasr ein Monument: Es verkörpert die Last der Vertreibung, die widersprüchlichen Sog- und Anziehungskräfte der Diaspora - und das schreckliche Problem der Auslöschung, des Vergessens der eigenen Wurzeln. Um genau diese Art der Erfahrung geht es, um die Gewalt, die Hysterie, auch um die Romantisierungen, die damit einhergehen, wenn Sheherazaad klanglich eintaucht in jenes In-Between - ins Reich des Dazwischen. Die Aufnahmen fanden im Herzen von Brooklyn im Glass Wall Studio statt. Die unbeschreibliche Energie der nächtlichen Sessions speiste sich dabei vor allem aus der einzigartigen (und einzigartig internationalen) Konstellation der Mitwirkenden: u.a. mit dabei waren auch Basma Edrees (Ägypten), Gilbert Mansour (Libanon) und Firas Zreik (Palästina); gemastert von Heba Kadry (Björk, Ryuichi Sakamoto). Auf Qasr lädt uns Sheherazaad in eine betörende und vollkommen neue Klangwelt ein: in ein Reich der Musik, das genau genommen noch gar nicht von dieser Welt zu sein scheint. Zugleich lässt sie die Fackel der nomadischen Erfahrung auflodern, gibt auch diesem Feuer einen sehr viel prominenteren Platz. Insgesamt entwirft die Künstlerin mit diesem betörenden Album ihre eigene Festung. Denn sie will auch uns dazu ermutigen, unsere eigenen Festungen, unsere eigenen klanglichen König:innen-Reiche und unmöglichen Traumwelten zu entwerfen

Pull the Rope, the new record by Ibibio Sound Machine, casts the Eno Williams and Max Grunhard-led outfit in a new light. The hope, joy, and sexiness of their music remain, but, further honing the edge of their acclaimed 2022 album Electricity, the connection they aim to foster has shifted venues from the sunny buoyancy of a sunlit festival to a sweat-soaked, all-night dance club. Williams and Grunhard attribute this shift to a matter of collaborators, recording Pull the Rope with Sheffield-based producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A.) over the course of two weeks. The way the pair wrote songs changed significantly_rather than Eno penning lyrics to music generated by Max and company's jamming, Orton started with Eno and Max writing together before adding the band. With less time in the studio and a new way of considering how they built songs, the duo found making decisions about Pull the Rope's sound quicker and more instinctual than before. "Ross is from Sheffield, which has an edgier, more industrial vibe than London," Grunhard explains. "He hears things differently than us, is more grounded in rave and grungier sounds, and knew when to add drums or push the instrumentation more. It was very different for us, but it lends itself to where Ibibio Sound Machine is going." In melding their songwriting process, Grunhard and Williams have, impossibly, pulled the trick of making Ibibio Sound Machine a tighter band than ever before, building out from their core in a way that highlights the electrifying group of musicians they play with. Rather than recording with the full band in the room, Pull the Rope was sculpted, elements added and shaped by Grunhard, Williams, and Orton along the way. As a result, Pull the Rope is a nimble, sleek machine that's thrilling from the first note of the opening title track, Eno's otherworldly voice and PK Ambrose's throbbing bass driving through a kaleidoscopic array of house, post-punk, funk, Afrobeat and disco, bangers and ballads, making an argument for unity that begins on the dancefloor. "We are the places we grew up, the places we've been, and the people we've met along the way," Williams says. "Hopping around the globe, we've found that people are fundamentally the same_they're people. Opposing sides push and pull, but there is an alternative to war, violence, and suffering." Lead single "Got to Be Who U Are" literally globetrots, name checking locales across the world that would feel disparate were it not for how well-traveled they are. Eno growing up in the musical melting pot of the Ibibio region of Nigeria and Max being a conservatory-trained musician from Australia, one could call their meeting in London and formation of Ibibio Sound Machine predestined. "Mama Say" and "Let My Yes Be Yes" touch themes of female empowerment. They're indicative of the band's depth as they push further into the electronic; "Mama Say" hits notes of electropop while "Let My Yes Be Yes" fuses electro to Afrobeat. Ibibio Sound Machine have always imbued their music with political consciousness, and the light that shines through in Williams' vocals and voice has never felt more necessary. The sound of Pull the Rope, then, is hope in darkness, bliss in spite of bleakness. Once again, Ibibio Sound Machine are here to provide the soundtrack to the best night of your life, and the better world to come.

Tanz ist das zentrale Thema des fünften Studioalbums "Fearless Movement" von Kamasi Washington. Dass er sich dem Tanz zuwendet und das Publikum mitnimmt, ist eine natürliche Weiterentwicklung von Washingtons fortwährender Beschäftigung mit Musik als Mittel der zwischenmenschlichen Verbindung. "The Epic" von 2015 und "Heaven and Earth" von 2018 waren Alben, die Genregrenzen überwunden haben und eine neue Generation in die Jazz Musik einführte. Beide Platten waren musikalischen Epen mit viel Chor und Streichern, "Fearless Movement" hingegen bietet etwas anderes. Es klingt immer noch gewaltig, aber rhythmischer - denn dieses Mal hat er den Rap in seinen musikalischen Kosmos geholt. "Die Welt ist stehen geblieben, aber ich habe definitiv nicht aufgehört", sagt Washington. "Fearless Movement" begann in den Tagen der globalen Pandemie. "Meine Tochter wurde genau in der Mitte davon geboren. Das sind zwei ziemlich große und monumentale Dinge, die gleichzeitig passieren". Das Elternsein hat Washington ein neues Gefühl der Dankbarkeit gegeben. Während die Tourneen pausierten, verbrachten sie die ersten Jahre damit, gemeinsam Washingtons Lieblingsplatten von John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman und Eric Dolphy zu hören. "Ich wollte ihr all die beste Musik zeigen", sagt er. Und eines Tages, als sie knapp zwei Jahre alt war, fiel ihr eine Melodie ein. "Wir spielten auf dem Klavier, und sie spielte sie einfach immer wieder", sagt er. Aus dieser Melodie wurde der Song "Asha The First". Washington und seine langjährigen Bandmitglieder nahmen die Melodie auf und ließen einige Lücken offen, die ein potenzieller Gast füllen sollte. " In Leimert Park, wo ich aufgewachsen bin, ist die Schnittmenge zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop sehr groß". Also zog er Taj und Ras Austin hinzu, das Rap-Duo Coast Contra und Söhne des L.A.-Rappers Ras Kass, die er beim Herumstöbern auf YouTube entdeckt hatte. Washingtons langjähriger Freund und Kollaborateur Thundercat ist ebenfalls auf "Asha The First" zu hören. Washington ist nicht der Einzige, der auf "Fearless Movement" mit den Konventionen bricht. Andre 3000, der vielleicht beste Stilist des Rap, spielt sein allererstes Flötenfeature auf "Dream State". "Fearless Movement" vermittelt ein Gefühl der Verbundenheit, das Washingtons Arbeit über die Zeit hinweg mit der Black Music in L.A. verbindet - von der Vergangenheit über die Gegenwart bis zur Zukunft. Auf dem entspannten und funkigen "Get Lit", bei dem es darum geht, das Licht in jedem von uns zu nutzen, um unsere Gemeinschaften aufzubauen, bringt Washington den legendären Bandleader George Clinton und den Rapper D Smoke für einen der coolsten Tracks des Albums zusammen. Dieses Ethos der Elastizität und der Möglichkeiten erstreckt sich auch auf die Mitglieder von Washingtons Band, von denen einige auf dem Album zu hören sind. Unter ihnen auch Sängerin Patrice Quinn, Saxophonist Terrace Martin, Bassist Thundercat und Schlagzeuger Ronald Bruner Jr., DJ Battlecat und BJ The Chicago Kid. Die stetige Bewegung und Flexibiltät verleiht den neuen Songs eine gewisse Geschmeidigkeit, sowohl thematisch als auch musikalisch.

Tanz ist das zentrale Thema des fünften Studioalbums "Fearless Movement" von Kamasi Washington. Dass er sich dem Tanz zuwendet und das Publikum mitnimmt, ist eine natürliche Weiterentwicklung von Washingtons fortwährender Beschäftigung mit Musik als Mittel der zwischenmenschlichen Verbindung. "The Epic" von 2015 und "Heaven and Earth" von 2018 waren Alben, die Genregrenzen überwunden haben und eine neue Generation in die Jazz Musik einführte. Beide Platten waren musikalischen Epen mit viel Chor und Streichern, "Fearless Movement" hingegen bietet etwas anderes. Es klingt immer noch gewaltig, aber rhythmischer - denn dieses Mal hat er den Rap in seinen musikalischen Kosmos geholt. "Die Welt ist stehen geblieben, aber ich habe definitiv nicht aufgehört", sagt Washington. "Fearless Movement" begann in den Tagen der globalen Pandemie. "Meine Tochter wurde genau in der Mitte davon geboren. Das sind zwei ziemlich große und monumentale Dinge, die gleichzeitig passieren". Das Elternsein hat Washington ein neues Gefühl der Dankbarkeit gegeben. Während die Tourneen pausierten, verbrachten sie die ersten Jahre damit, gemeinsam Washingtons Lieblingsplatten von John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman und Eric Dolphy zu hören. "Ich wollte ihr all die beste Musik zeigen", sagt er. Und eines Tages, als sie knapp zwei Jahre alt war, fiel ihr eine Melodie ein. "Wir spielten auf dem Klavier, und sie spielte sie einfach immer wieder", sagt er. Aus dieser Melodie wurde der Song "Asha The First". Washington und seine langjährigen Bandmitglieder nahmen die Melodie auf und ließen einige Lücken offen, die ein potenzieller Gast füllen sollte. " In Leimert Park, wo ich aufgewachsen bin, ist die Schnittmenge zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop sehr groß". Also zog er Taj und Ras Austin hinzu, das Rap-Duo Coast Contra und Söhne des L.A.-Rappers Ras Kass, die er beim Herumstöbern auf YouTube entdeckt hatte. Washingtons langjähriger Freund und Kollaborateur Thundercat ist ebenfalls auf "Asha The First" zu hören. Washington ist nicht der Einzige, der auf "Fearless Movement" mit den Konventionen bricht. Andre 3000, der vielleicht beste Stilist des Rap, spielt sein allererstes Flötenfeature auf "Dream State". "Fearless Movement" vermittelt ein Gefühl der Verbundenheit, das Washingtons Arbeit über die Zeit hinweg mit der Black Music in L.A. verbindet - von der Vergangenheit über die Gegenwart bis zur Zukunft. Auf dem entspannten und funkigen "Get Lit", bei dem es darum geht, das Licht in jedem von uns zu nutzen, um unsere Gemeinschaften aufzubauen, bringt Washington den legendären Bandleader George Clinton und den Rapper D Smoke für einen der coolsten Tracks des Albums zusammen. Dieses Ethos der Elastizität und der Möglichkeiten erstreckt sich auch auf die Mitglieder von Washingtons Band, von denen einige auf dem Album zu hören sind. Unter ihnen auch Sängerin Patrice Quinn, Saxophonist Terrace Martin, Bassist Thundercat und Schlagzeuger Ronald Bruner Jr., DJ Battlecat und BJ The Chicago Kid. Die stetige Bewegung und Flexibiltät verleiht den neuen Songs eine gewisse Geschmeidigkeit, sowohl thematisch als auch musikalisch.

Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti is an Amsterdam-based mutli-medium artist who has worked as a performer, theatre maker, vocalist, visual artist, musician and teacher. Raised in Bolivia within Bolivian and Brazilian families. Her notable musical collaborators include: Alabaster DePlume, jaimie branch, Ab Baars, Wilbert de Joode, Eric Boeren, Mary Oliver, Paul Koek, and The Paper Ensemble. Frank Rosaly is a Puerto Rican drummer, composer, and sound designer with several decades of touring, performing, recording, and creating to his name. Born and raised in Arizona, Rosaly was known for his fifteen years of creative work on the Chicago jazz and improvised music scene, before moving to his current residence in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in 2016.

Nach ihrem im Jahr 2022 erschienenen Album “Midnights“ veröffentlicht Taylor Swift mit „The Tortured Poets Department“ jetzt ihr 11tes Studioalbum. Bereits im letzten Jahr hat sie die Neuaufnahmen (Taylor’s Version) ihrer Alben „Speak Now“ und „1989“ mit ihren Fans geteilt. Die 14-fache Grammy-Gewinnerin hat ihr neues Album "The Tortured Poets Department" angekündigt, während sie bei der Grammy-Verleihung den Preis für das beste Pop-Gesangsalbum entgegennahm. Sie bezeichnet das Album “The Tortured Poets Department“ als ihren “Rettungsanker“, der sie daran erinnert hat, warum das Songwriting für sie so wichtig ist. Swift arbeitet seit über zwei Jahren an dem Album, in dem sie ihre einzigartigen Fähigkeiten zum Songwriting und Storytelling unter Beweis stellt. Sie sagte selbst über das Album während ihrer Show in Melbourne: "I've never had an album where I needed songwriting more than I needed it on 'Tortured Poets." Das Album besteht aus 16 Tracks + Bonus Track “The Manuscript” und ist erhältlich als CD und Ivory Doppelvinyl.

Let's celebrate 20 years of WeMe records!

In the dimly lit corners of a nondescript basement party, amidst the cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses, a pulsating beat cuts through the haze of alcohol-induced euphoria. It's a track that none have heard before, yet it feels instantly familiar, echoing the electrifying energy of Underworld's iconic 'Born Slippy'. The song, discovered by accident during a drunken deep-dive into the depths of an online music platform, becomes the unexpected anthem of the night. Titled "Macht over het Stuur", this track is an odyssey of sound, blending relentless techno rhythms with haunting, ethereal vocals that seem to drift in from another world. The opening notes are a siren call, drawing listeners into a whirlpool of synths and beats that mimic the heartbeat of the city at night. It's music that doesn't just want to be heard; it demands to be felt, pulsating through the veins and igniting a fire in the soul. As "Macht over het Stuur" unfolds, it weaves a narrative without words, telling tales of fleeting connections, electric glances, and the raw, unfiltered essence of human emotion. It captures the spirit of those who chase the dawn, those who find beauty in the blur of lights as they speed past on their way to nowhere. The track is a paradox, both a celebration of the present moment and a longing for something just out of reach, a sound that encapsulates the feeling of being utterly lost yet exactly where you're supposed to be. The discovery of "Macht over het Stuur" on that drunken night feels like unearthing a treasure, a secret shared among friends that would soon ripple out to captivate a wider audience. As word of the track spreads, it becomes more than just a song; it's a movement, a collective memory etched into the minds of those who experienced it firsthand. It stands as a testament to the power of music to unite, to transform an ordinary night into something magical, a reminder that sometimes, the most unforgettable moments are those we never see coming.

»Therapie ist ist kein Zeichen von Schwäche, es ist ein Zeichen von Stärke«, so Marie, die Frontfrau und Songwriterin von Cosby, die die letzten Jahre durch extreme Höhen und Tiefen gegangen ist. Alles spitzt sich irgendwann zu, bis es schließlich nicht mehr geht.

»Loved For Who I Am« ist ein Album, das eine persönliche Geschichte in einzelnen Kapiteln erzählt. Kapitel, die aufeinander aufbauen und vieles nach und nach sinnig erscheinen lassen. Kapitel, die – ganz wie ein Prequel – nicht etwa Handlungen fortführen, sondern einen Teil der Vorgeschichte erzählen. Um somit ein großes Ganzes entstehen zu lassen. Ein Ganzes, das sich Leben nennt. Und zeigt, dass jede(r) von uns nur gestärkter und im Reinen mit sich selbst aus Herausforderungen hervortreten kann. Für all das steht der Longplayer. Für all das stehen Cosby. Robin, Kilian, Dave und Marie. »Loved For Who I Am«.

Die Symphonic-Heavy-Metal-Band Evolucija präsentiert ihr lang erwartetes Album „The World is Full of Wrath“. Produziert von Metal-Veteran Marko „Wolfy“ Vuckovic, gemischt und gemastert im Fascination Street Studios in Schweden von Linus Corneliusson und Jens Bogren, verspricht das Album mit kraftvollen Riffs und mitreißenden Melodien ein symphonisches Heavy-Metal-Erlebnis. Im Osten Europas gehören die Fünf zu den großen Bands und teilten die Bühnen mit den größten Namen der Metal-Szene wie Paradise Lost, Doro Pesch, Children Of Bodom, Tyr und Pestilence.

'One Deep River' is Mark's sixth consecutive studio album to be recorded at his British Grove Studios and his first since 2018's 'Down The Road Wherever.' When Covid restrictions eased, Mark reconvened at BG with longtime band members and collaborators such as Guy Fletcher, Danny Cummings, Richard Bennett, Glenn Worf, Jim Cox and others, with the addition of first-time contributor Greg Leisz on pedal and lap steel and acoustic guitar.

Says Mark of the new album, which he co-produced with longtime confidant Fletcher: "It was back to the old-fashioned idea of a band making a record together in the room, which maybe in the more youth-oriented side of the industry has become quite rare, because everyone uses loads of technology. We do too, but what we do is we combine the old and the new. If it works, I use it.

"With these songs, you can see them coming together very quickly, with a band like this. You're in a game where you're making the thing and it's happening whether you like it or not. You could push the pace, but I try and give myself a little bit more breathing room. The fatal thing a lot of the time would be to want to rush everything. Something creative always happens by not panicking."

Of the track 'Ahead Of The Game,' Mark adds: "That all goes back to bands playing live. In some way, I was thinking about Nashville, because when I first went out there, it must have been in the early '80s and all the bands in the bars downtown were playing the hits. And that's fine. What I was trying to say is that's an achievement to actually get to a place where you've got employment, and you've got yourself a gig. I mean, statistically, what are the odds of making it? If you stopped to think about that, you'd hardly take a step further, would you?"

'One Deep River' is Mark's sixth consecutive studio album to be recorded at his British Grove Studios and his first since 2018's 'Down The Road Wherever.' When Covid restrictions eased, Mark reconvened at BG with longtime band members and collaborators such as Guy Fletcher, Danny Cummings, Richard Bennett, Glenn Worf, Jim Cox and others, with the addition of first-time contributor Greg Leisz on pedal and lap steel and acoustic guitar.

Says Mark of the new album, which he co-produced with longtime confidant Fletcher: "It was back to the old-fashioned idea of a band making a record together in the room, which maybe in the more youth-oriented side of the industry has become quite rare, because everyone uses loads of technology. We do too, but what we do is we combine the old and the new. If it works, I use it.

"With these songs, you can see them coming together very quickly, with a band like this. You're in a game where you're making the thing and it's happening whether you like it or not. You could push the pace, but I try and give myself a little bit more breathing room. The fatal thing a lot of the time would be to want to rush everything. Something creative always happens by not panicking."

Of the track 'Ahead Of The Game,' Mark adds: "That all goes back to bands playing live. In some way, I was thinking about Nashville, because when I first went out there, it must have been in the early '80s and all the bands in the bars downtown were playing the hits. And that's fine. What I was trying to say is that's an achievement to actually get to a place where you've got employment, and you've got yourself a gig. I mean, statistically, what are the odds of making it? If you stopped to think about that, you'd hardly take a step further, would you?"

The infamous and legendary "Jah Life in Dub" LP, finally released. Originally slated for release in late '80/early '81, this was to be Jah Life's first dub LP, featuring all exclusive mixes to now-classic Barrington Levy tunes. For one reason or another, the LP was never released. To confuse matters, a couple years later, some of the unused jackets were given to Germain to house an untitled dub LP of his productions. Naturally, we needed to rectify this situation. So here it is, finally released 34 years later! Featuring ten killer dubs to Barrington Levy tunes, ALL MIXED BY SCIENTIST AT KING TUBBY'S. Six out of the ten tracks are previously unreleased mixes, including a dub to the song "Jah Life" which has never been available anywhere before. As an added bonus, the first pressing of this LP will come housed in the original jackets from 1980, which features killer artwork by Oneil Nanco.

Auch nach über 35 Jahren ist die Kreativität des norwegischen Duos ungebremst, und auf den 7 neuen Tracks loten Fenriz und Nocturno Culto die Grenzen ihres Black MetalKosmos erneut aus. Ein herausforderndes und abwechslungsreiches Set zeitloser Hymnen - von melodisch über düster und atmosphärisch bis hin zu schwarzen Klageliedern, die von Darkthrones unverkennbarem Riffi ng leben. Eine Verneigung vor den alten Idolen Celtic Frost darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen.

Auch nach über 35 Jahren ist die Kreativität des norwegischen Duos ungebremst, und auf den 7 neuen Tracks loten Fenriz und Nocturno Culto die Grenzen ihres Black MetalKosmos erneut aus. Ein herausforderndes und abwechslungsreiches Set zeitloser Hymnen - von melodisch über düster und atmosphärisch bis hin zu schwarzen Klageliedern, die von Darkthrones unverkennbarem Riffi ng leben. Eine Verneigung vor den alten Idolen Celtic Frost darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen.

T Bone Burnett back to R’n’B! Nach seinen beiden elektronisch geprägten, düsteren Alben „The Invisible Light” Vol. 1 + 2 zeigt Grammyund Oscar-Gewinner T Bone Burnett auf seinem neuen Album ”The Other Side” genau das: seine andere Seite, mit zugänglicheren, rockigen Blues-Songs und Gast-Sänger/innen wie Rosanne Cash, Weyes Blood und Lucius. Bei seinen hintergründigen Texten lohnt sich allerdings erneut das genaue Hinhören

Kid Cudis neues Album „INSANO” ist ab dem 15.09. auf CD und Vinyl erhältlich!

Als einer der einflussreichsten Rapper und Produzenten des letzten Jahrzehntes, beeinflusste er nachhaltig eine Generation an Rappern wie Travis Scott, Juice WRLD, Drake und Kanye West. Mit seinem 9. Album liefert der 2-fache Grammy-Gewinner beeindruckende 21 Tracks ab und beginnt somit nach Abschluss der ”Man On The Moon”-Trilogy und seinem letzten Album ”Entergalactic”, dem Soundtrack zur gleichnamigen Netflix-Serie, eine neue musikalische Era!

Auch nach über 35 Jahren ist die Kreativität des norwegischen Duos ungebremst, und auf den 7 neuen Tracks loten Fenriz und Nocturno Culto die Grenzen ihres Black MetalKosmos erneut aus. Ein herausforderndes und abwechslungsreiches Set zeitloser Hymnen - von melodisch über düster und atmosphärisch bis hin zu schwarzen Klageliedern, die von Darkthrones unverkennbarem Riffi ng leben. Eine Verneigung vor den alten Idolen Celtic Frost darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen.

Auch nach über 35 Jahren ist die Kreativität des norwegischen Duos ungebremst, und auf den 7 neuen Tracks loten Fenriz und Nocturno Culto die Grenzen ihres Black MetalKosmos erneut aus. Ein herausforderndes und abwechslungsreiches Set zeitloser Hymnen - von melodisch über düster und atmosphärisch bis hin zu schwarzen Klageliedern, die von Darkthrones unverkennbarem Riffi ng leben. Eine Verneigung vor den alten Idolen Celtic Frost darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen.

An essential figure in the fusion between jazz and bossa nova, pianist and composer Sérgio Mendes has over 55 releases under his own name. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2012 for "Real in Rio" from the animated film Rio. This release presents the complete original album In the Brazilian Bag!, which finds him on piano in the company of American alto sax player Bud Shank, guitarist Rosinha de Valença, Sebastião Neto on bass, and Chico Batera on drums. Singer Wanda de Sah contributes her vocals on a few songs

Auch nach über 35 Jahren ist die Kreativität des norwegischen Duos ungebremst, und auf den 7 neuen Tracks loten Fenriz und Nocturno Culto die Grenzen ihres Black MetalKosmos erneut aus. Ein herausforderndes und abwechslungsreiches Set zeitloser Hymnen - von melodisch über düster und atmosphärisch bis hin zu schwarzen Klageliedern, die von Darkthrones unverkennbarem Riffi ng leben. Eine Verneigung vor den alten Idolen Celtic Frost darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen.

Repress!

The ethos behind the Major Keys label is take that originally accomplished Album masterpice and give said slice of jazz brilliance its own side of a vinyl…so following the well recived maiden release of Herbie Hancock's Chameleon/Watermelon Man, what better way than to follow up with THE king 'Trane' himself, and his seminal cut "Naima" backed with My Favourite things. Exclusively on 180g for RSD.

Sundub Society - featuring Josephine Nightingale, Ally Garrido, Tiago Saga, Naomi Falcon, Cutty Wren, Hedvig Larsson. The Bahama Soul Club are a German-based group whose unique blend of soul, jazz, funk, blues, bossa nova, afro and Caribbean influences has firmly put them on the map as one of the most exciting contemporary outfits of the black music scene. Inspired by the blissful energies of the sun drenched coast and the multicultural verve of tattooed wave riders, spiritual seekers, rainbow healers, mystic maidens and dreadlocked beauties, .... and of course the funky smell of sandy flip flops. Lush arrangements painted with sun-soaked brushes, captivating hangout vibes, shuffling bits of Reggae, woven threads of 70s roots, traditional rhythms and beats and sounds of the South Western Algarve. Sincere, artistic, full of spirit and definitely unique. No striving for the worldly charts. An album recorded mainly with the local legends. Stoned troubadoures, poetic pirates, authentic rebels. The songs were born from a vague idea after the release of "Bohemia After Dawn", the last album on which a few artist friends from the Algarve had already contributed. There is always a special magic in the neighborhood when sunny midday jams morph to sundown sessions to party-till-dawn skanks. We then just put those jams on tape. So, ten sundubby love songs to 'Oh, those sandy beaches'!

METAL HAMMER - 8/10 review. FOR FANS OF : Lustmord, Om, Sunn O))) . “An exercise in freeform ambience, ritualistic repetition and the rapturous, womb-like power of bass…strange and affecting. We remain lucky to share in the great man’s vision.”

It’s a dream diary narrating a passage through Summer Isle where Flying Saucer Attack are wafting out of a window, a distant Fairport Convention are being remixed by dub master Adrian Sherwood, celestial scanners Tangerine Dream are trying to drown out Bert Jansch and Hawkwind are playing Steeleye Span covers, all prised out of time yet bound to its singularity.

Released periodically on three of 2024’s full moons – April 23rd’s Pink Moon, July 21st’s Buck Moon and October 17th’s Hunter Moon – the three-album cycle, “Triptych”, is (Steve Von Till from Neurosis) Harvestman’s most ambitious undertaking yet.

Guest musicians including Al Cisneros of Sleep / OM who plays bass on one track for each LP, of which he will also mix a dub version on the B-Side of each LP. Dave French of Yob, Sanford Parker and Wayne from Petbrick all make appearances.


Released periodically on three of 2024’s full moons – April 23rd’s Pink Moon, July 21st’s Buck Moon and October 17th’s Hunter Moon – the three-album cycle, “Triptych”, is (Steve Von Till from Neurosis) Harvestman’s most ambitious undertaking yet.

Guest musicians including Al Cisneros of Sleep / OM who plays bass on one track for each LP, of which he will also mix a dub version on the B-Side of each LP. Dave French of Yob, Sanford Parker and Wayne from Petbrick all make appearances.

It’s a dream diary narrating a passage through Summer Isle where Flying Saucer Attack are wafting out of a window, a distant Fairport Convention are being remixed by dub master Adrian Sherwood, celestial scanners Tangerine Dream are trying to drown out Bert Jansch and Hawkwind are playing Steeleye Span covers, all prised out of time yet bound to its singularity.

Bone White opaque + Black Galaxy effect vinyl in dub style jacket (jacket sleeve with centre hole cut out so label shows throug
Drawn to the megaliths, ruins and ancient sites mapped out along the British and European mainland’s geographical and psychic landscapes, the folklore and apocrypha forever resurfacing as portals from a rational world, “Triptych” is a meditation forged from traces and residues, and an hallucinatory recollection of artists who have tapped into that enduring otherworldliness embedded within us all.

Woven together from home studio recordings that span two decades, this fifth outing as Harvestman finds parallels with nature’s cycles not just in its release dates but in the repeated structure that binds each album, like an imprint refracted though three separate strata. “Part One”, as with the forthcoming Parts Two and Three, starts on a collaboration with Om bassist and long-term friend of Steve’s, Al Cisneros, with a dub take opening the B-Side. Here, the opening track “Psilosynth" orbits a grandfather-clock mechanism passing through a nebula haze, all waved on by an acid-fried deity. From there on, “Part One” journeys through the elegiac “Give Your Heart To The Hawk”, with the sampled poetry like a documentary retrieved from a long-lost world, Philip Glass wistfully attending a rescue beacon from the far corner of the universe on Coma, as well as percussion recordings performed by Steve and friend Dave French (drummer of Yob) on a rusted torn open stock tank outside Steve’s barn, treated bagpipes and old reel-to-reel recordings, all reiterated across the next volumes in ever more out-there contexts.

If “Triptych” is a multi- and extra-sensory experience, it extends to the remarkable glyph-style artwork of Henry Hablak, a map of correspondences from a long-forgotten ancient and advanced civilization. As with “Triptych” itself, it’s an echo from another time, an act of binding, a guide to be endlessly reinterpreted, and a signpost to the sacred that might not indicate where to look, but how.

After the introduction that was their debut EP 'Hello, My Name Is', Currls now extend the invitation to explore their world even further with a 6 track EP that will leave you feeling empowered and wanting revolution.

Recorded in their hometown of Brighton, at Metway Studios, with finishing touches layed down at Bella Union's studio, this project has been long in the works and shows the direction in which Currls are rapidly paving, with a mighty thud every step of the way. The name of the EP comes from the idea that when we have nothing to talk about or when we think theres no common ground, we talk about the weather. Sometimes theres too much going on in our lives and in the world that talking about the weather can be our way of preventing the conversation from expanding; 'Let's Talk About The Weather' is the idea that we don't talk anymore, but there's also hope that we will; It's from the standpoint of our inner voices and collective surroundings, we experience so many heightened emotions. "Our blood, sweat and tears have went into getting this EP completed", describes Holly, "We spent so many hours tweaking it, listening to it, sitting in the garage in the freezing cold editing, we just wanted to get this into peoples ears". "We were so excited, confused and amazed that we had... mehr

Type-303 returns to ProForm Series with a blast! This four tracker offers something for everyone. A-side starts with a solid acid banger named “Abso-Funking-Lutely!”. Second take on A-side is “Bad Moms”, a nice percussive track to make every dancefloor to jack. On B-side the mood goes to late 80’s/early 90’s italohouse-balearic-flute-Ibiza style with a track named “Midnight Sun”. This is pure niceness with everything essential in right place showcasing the talent of Type-303. The record ends with Kalle Karvanen remix of “Midnight Sun” which replaces flutes with saxophones and adds more acid into mix. Limited to 200pcs handnumbered copies as always. No digital, no represses, so buy it now or regret when it’s gone.

Warehouse Find!

Zepp001 returns to Delusions for our first release of 2011 and what a way to start the new year! The Seattle based disco obsessive has been holed up in his recently completed studio in Delphia (a city located on Antarctica's southern shore) and its easy to hear the influence this strange and otherworldly place has had on the two original tracks here on this release.

Warehouse Find!

It always gives us an extra little buzz to bring you a debut release from a new artist, especially when you know it’s going to be the launch pad for someone that is going to grow to become a heavyweight player. Parisian Larry Quest has been slowly but surely paying his dues, promoting, DJing and generally immersing himself in the underground House Music scenes of Paris and then London after moving to Hackney eight years ago. Growing up playing in punk bands, then studying Jazz at music college has given him the attitude as well as the skillset to create music which is both intensely raw and rugged whilst still being musical and deep. For his debut EP he delivers four drumheavy cuts which bring together elements of Detroit techno and house to form a forward-looking sound which will make an impact wherever you play them.

Opener Conun Drums packs a serious punch with simple synth line sitting on top of a lo-slung bumpy groove. Perfectly timed synth stabs bring a touch of light to the thumping bass and metallic percussion and already we get a sense that we’re in safe hands with Larry Quest at the controls.

Red C Mellow D follows, treading similar water with live drums laying the foundation and touches of colour coming from echoing synth lines and an acidic bassline.

Flip over for the curiously titled A Frog Rovin’, which is about as quirky and off-kilter as the name suggests. The major tonality brings an optimistic vibe which sits in contrast to the thundering saturated 909 drums and speakerwobbling low-end.

Closing out this brilliant release we have Solar Assailer which plays with our sense of time as drums and filtering stabs dance around the beat completely throwing us off the scent of where the one is. Finally the elements fall into place and lock into the groove which is underpinned by the pulsing throb of the bassline. Larry’s jazz background rears it’s head now and then, coming out in the little flourishes of fusion-era chord sequences and moogy lead lines. What a debut, we hope you agree!

Recorded across three sessions over the last three years, ‘Behold’ is a testament to Parsnip at their most creative, catchy and collaborative. This album showcases the multi-talents of all four members, with spirited performances adding dazzle to the thirteen tracks.
Paris Richens lets the bass playfully roam. Carolyn Hawkins tumbles feeling into the drum rumble. Stella Rennex’s guitar soars alongside her saxophone work, whilst a sprightly keyboard is tenderly attended by Rebecca Liston. Everyone sings amidst this lush canopy.
Patience, environmental cues and internal signals are integral for a garden to flourish. The same can be said of the conditions necessary for ‘Behold’ to emerge. It is an album gleeful in reassessment, changed priorities and anticipation. The roots are deeply anchored to mystery, drinking up a hidden wonderment that lies within. ‘Monument’ is a twist of melody and mania, “For what am I? But a channel of light” they attest amongst the whoops and hollers. ‘The Babble’ sounds like Ray Davies playing Wordle for enlightenment. In fact most of these songs are pointing the way towards growth and understanding. ‘Turn to Love’ is mesmeric and timeless, thoroughly serene and perfectly judged. Parsnip write songs as a form of communion with the intangible in our increasingly delusory world, but there is always a gentle reminder; don’t take anything too seriously! “My head is gonna split in two, fix it with flour and glue” they demand on ultimate bop ‘Papier-Mâché’, this juxtaposition of mature resolve with childlike astonishment packs a more powerful punch.
On ‘Behold’, Parsnip explore both the inner and outer realms of consciousness with quick wits and some seriously quality jangle and jolt. ‘The Light’ is a whip smart workout, sprouting naturally from the propulsive nature of their debut album ‘When the Tree Bears Fruit’ (2019). ‘Placeholder’ is also devastatingly honest and channels The Field Mice as it buries itself like an arrow into your heart.
Anti Fade Records and Upset The Rhythm proudly present Parsnip’s first album in five years, ‘Behold’. Available in all good record stores April 26th.

Based in Paris, exciting producer and live act Vitess is part of the new generation of house talent emerging from France, gaining support from global heavyweights while establishing and shaping his take on the genre. Having released his breakthrough ‘Red World’ EP via Chris Stussy’s Up The Stuss imprint in 2022 alongside further material via the likes of LOCUS, Shall Not Fade, and Phonogramme, to name just a few, plus his own Retro Futura imprint, he now becomes the second guest invited to Rossi.’surgeoning HOMEGROWN. imprint as he unveils his five-track ‘Visions’ EP.

A staple of label boss Rossi.’s sets, with additional heavy support from Enzo Siragusa and Chris Stussy, A1 ‘Blue Vision’ has quickly become one of the scene’s most-requested track IDs of late, bringing a slice of synth-fuelled house music to kick off proceedings.

Fusing resonant leads and skippy percussion with the track’s warped vocals, it’s a perfect peak-time anthem set for big moments in the months ahead. Next, ‘Drive Me Crazy’ ups the tempo and launches into playful, driving realms, while B1 ‘First Night’ opens the flip of the record with a sun-soaked slice of electronic funk.

Vinyl exclusive ‘Jammi Rocaille’ strips things back and tumbles into a classy, jazz and disco-tinged journey, before the all-action and zipping ‘Big Sound’ ups the energy levels as the Frenchman launches back into the peak time and beyond to close the show with authority.

Starting out as the Masterettes, a girl group formed by high school friends Brenda Reid, Carol Johnson, Lillian Walker and Sylvia Wilbur, the group switched focus and changed name after Wilbur was replaced by Brenda Reid’s husband, Herb Rooney, their breakthrough hit ‘Tell Him’ appearing in 1963 after Leiber & Stoller took charge. 1971’s Black Beauty, produced by Rooney, continued the post-L&S journey via the group’s own take of funky and melodic soul, approaching the style of the Staples Singers with plenty of emotive harmonies. If you like your soul switched on, hard-hitting and individual, you need Black Beauty in your collection.

Subb-an joins the Semi Delicious family for their 17th edition with the aptly named ‘Wobble’ EP, complete with a remix from label head Demi Riquísimo. The release marks another progression in the label’s sonic development as Subb-an contributes a heady, all killer no filler collection of tracks that fit snugly in the diverse, forward thinking back catalog of the imprint. ‘Liquid Sun’ kicks off the release. A subtle, chugging track that utilises a classic organ with a bass acid lines to get rolling. A low end heavy ‘Contact’ is next bringing with it a deep brooding tone and housy shuffling drums. The A-side wraps up with ‘Balance’ a more ethereal track that uses classic deep house motifs whilst remaining inherently modern. The title track ‘Wobble’ opens up the B-side doing exactly what it says on the tin and the EP closes out with the main man, Demi on remix duties putting his own imitable spin on the aforementioned track.

Toaster Jah Thomas began his career on the west Kingston sound systems of the mid-1970s, making a massive splash with ‘Midnight Rock’ in 1976. After a debut LP for Channel One, his self-produced Dance On The Corner raised the bar several levels. Voiced at King Tubby’s studio, mixed by Tubby, Jammy and Scientist and edited by the King himself, the album has Thomas chatting over hard Roots Radics rhythms earlier used by Barrington Levy – the perfect platform for Thomas’ relaxed chants, vexed rants, and commentaries on Jamaican life. This is Jah Thomas at his best – a must for all fans of reggae, dub, deejay, and dancehall!

UK SKA CLASSIC ORIGINALLY ON THE UNICORN LABEL FROM 1988. FINALLY REISSUED THANKS TO MAD BUTCHER!

Babe Ruth originally named 'Shacklock' was formed in 1971 by Alan Shacklock.

Québec's own CANTIQUE LÉPREUX are back with their third full-length album "Le bannissement". It is a tale of self-initiation, a rejection of society, and a glorification of nature - manifested in their signature style of swirling tremolo-guitar-riffs, tortured screams, and elaborate melodicism. Over the recent years they have established themselves as an essential act of the Métal Noir Québécois scene. They channel the evocative power of Black Metal, carrying vast forests, desolate landscapes, impassable mountains, and cosmic torment. The band members are also associated with Mêlée des Aurores, Chasse-Galerie, Acédia, Manière Noire, Chaos Catharsis, Forteresse, Délétère and Au-delà des ruines.

"Le bannissement" tells the abduction of a young girl and the sickness that is forced into her. Tainted, and rejected by those who should have protected her, she flees to wild and unexplored land, where she shatters and mends herself continuously. In these countless battles, she severs her bond to reality, subverts the sickness, and overthrows those who had seized her innermost Dream. Through banishment, liberation.

The album presents a raging and hypnotic narrative. Fast-paced songs drag the listener in a wild hunt, rushing towards self-annihilation. It was interpreted with the band's live line-up and equipment to preserve the fierceness of the mindset it was composed. This raging maelstrom, built on alluring melodies, shows guitarists Blanc Feu and Ascèse's fascination for music history and musicology. The album's emotional power stems not only from black metal's common genre tropes but also from the austere grandeur of early music.

"A spiraling and winding descent into arcane black metal pandemonium! Sounding both modern and timeless at the same time, they unleash some serious throwback Celtic Frost/Darkthrone/early Mayhem vibes while projecting its hideous aura straight into the future with a shape-shifting approach to songwriting that can’t be called anything different but “prog”, while also throwing in the mix some unexpected ambient passages and improvisational liturgic abstractions ( that yield a result of constant motion and disorienting unpredictability, as if we were facing a European version of Negative Plane or a more experimental reinterpretation of the arcane mysticism of Mortuary Drape.

All in all if you are looking for black metal with a touch of timelessness and with classic heavy metal influences mixed with a keen sense of experimentalism then KVELGEYST definitely represents one of the strongest expressions of this school of thought in black metal that’s been seen in a long time." ~ CVLT NATION

Producer extraordinaire and Italo legend Don Carlos, along with cherished London clubland phenomenon Gareth Cooke combined in 1997 to deliver two timeless HOUSE classics on one record that seen copies changing hands for £50 on a one-off label that totally makes sense when you hear them. Now on reissue label, NATSUKASHII, (a Japanese word that means happy nostalgia), you can get these ageless underground classics. Limited to 300 units.

Following the force of their introductory singles 'Tabernacl' and 'St Agatha', the band return with an invitation to explore their landscape of violent poetry and gothic propulsion to the fullest extent yet. Prepare to be lulled under their spell once more with the slow-burn of forerunning single, 'Remoter Heaven'.

Produced by long-time collaborator Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard's Tom Rees. It begins in a dream state of hypnotic repetition that mounts in intensity, with vocalist Jack Shephard presiding over it all with his distinctive, poetic drawl. His protagonist is revisiting a memory of the pain inflicted by a thorn as a child; "I was awake with feeling", he confesses, before the song takes on the momentum that feels like a triumph over the numbness attendant to adulthood.

Of the track, Shephard shares: "I liked the idea of writing a very simple narrative to a big, epic song - something as modest as the story of a child playing in some flowers and then bursting into tears when a thorn pricks their leg. The words are an ode to that sensitivity we embrace when we are young. Then, when we become adults, we insist on subjugating all of that wonderful, absurd rage."

'Remoter Heaven' follows on from 'Tabernacl' and 'St Agatha' which earned Slate rave write-ups and support from publications including NME, CLASH, So Young, DIY, Buzz Magazine, The Most Radicalist and more, as well as early radio plays from the likes of Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq on BBC 6Music, Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1, John Kennedy on Radio X and Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1.

Olsdchool feeling here.
Sweet pumpin minimal tunes, groovy !