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Of the countless accolades and analyses that surround Blue, no point is more significant than the fact that the 1971 Joni Mitchell album continues to become more popular, revered, referenced, and relevant with each passing day. Such vitality is not only extremely singular; it is the ultimate measure of great art and, in the context of Blue, indisputable proof of the record's accessibility, integrity, and timelessness. If the most brilliant and everlasting music seeks to find truths shared by all of humanity, Blue can be said to be universal doctrine.

Sourced from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 12,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set presents the landmark album with reference-grade detail, tonality, and directness. Marking the first time the beloved LP has received audiophile-quality treatment, it's one of six iconic 1970s Mitchell records Mobile Fidelity is reissuing on definitive-sounding vinyl and SACD sets.

Everything about Blue sounds more intimate, involving, and inescapable on this transparent pressing, which benefits from a virtually non-existent noise floor and superior groove definition. Mitchell's voice, positioned front and center, and primarily accompanied by minimalist acoustic guitar, piano, and dulcimer playing, comes across clearly and prominently. Suspended notes and radiant chords double as question marks, commas, and phrases. The in-the-room presence and spatial dimensionality make absolute the full-range spectrum of introspective emotions — hurt and distress, self-awareness and joy, difficulty and uncertainty, warmth and desire — Mitchell navigates, queries, and contemplates throughout the record. The defencelessness the singer once spoke about is laid bare here like never before.

The packaging of the Blue UD1S set complements its distinguished status. Housed in a deluxe box, both LPs come in special foil-stamped jackets with faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. This UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artifact for listeners who prize sound quality and production, and who desire to engage themselves in everything involved with the album, including the unforgettable cover photograph of a ruminative Mitchell shot by Tim Considine.

Deemed the third Greatest Album of All Time by Rolling Stone; universally celebrated by critics, fans, artists, and educators; and defined by a spell of disarmingly vulnerable songs that are at once confessional, intense, spare, honest, painful, hopeful, and exquisite, Blue charts love, spiritualism, independence, and loss like no record before or since. Widely considered the album that established the singer-songwriter template, the largely autobiographical LP changed everything shortly after its original release in June 1971. Amazingly, it continues to do so more than five decades later.

An incalculable influence on generations of artists, it stands as the through-line from Carole King, Elton John, James Taylor, Joan Armatrading, and Leonard Cohen to Patti Smith, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, and Rosanne Cash to 21st century contemporaries like Brandi Carlile, Taylor Swift, Sharon Van Etten, and Courtney Barnett. Teetering between agony and optimism, it is — to borrow a phrase from Mitchell's eternal "A Case of You" — a bottomless "box of paints."

The beauty of the stripped-down arrangements, intoxicating melodies, and Mitchell's wisdom on Blue didn't go unnoticed. Critical acclaim, coupled with the depth of the material and Mitchell's reputation, propelled the album into the Top 20 in the U.S. and Top 10 in the U.K. Yet while so much pop music diminishes with age, Blue has defied norms and headed in the opposite direction. Its 50th anniversary year witnessed an outpouring of tributes, reflections, and testimonials that helped frame the record's escalating importance and symbolism — apt in an age in which women have become the prominent trailblazers in rock, R&B, and hip-hop.

Perhaps most succinctly, in a 2021 article celebrating the LP, the Los Angeles Times declared: "In 1971, nothing sounded like Joni Mitchell's Blue. 50 years later, it's still a miracle." Nothing, indeed. Yet "miracle" suggests Blue partially owes to a divine agent or inexplicable circumstance. And though Mitchell's bracing conviction and forthright sincerity can appear otherworldly, her musical approach and lyrical storytelling is nothing if not personal and human. What we hear is pure truth — no matter how aching, complicated, or stark.

Much has been written about the circumstances that inspired the songs on Blue: Mitchell's romances; her time overseas; her disdain for celebrity; her lingering sense of loss at having given up her daughter for adoption; her treatment by the very same industry that her music made uncomfortable; her prolonged search for resolution. These situations and experiences pushed Mitchell to question everything — especially big-picture concepts that have always obsessed mankind: fulfilment, autonomy, love, honesty, being.

"I wanna make you feel free," Mitchell sings on the record-opening "All I Want." Mission accomplished. Blue is liberation — and the start of a freedom that continues to impact music, culture, and identity today.

More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called "converts") are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.

Dire Straits never made a big to-do about its final run. In classic understated British fashion, the band simply let its music speak for itself. And how. Originally released in September 1991, On Every Street became the group's swan song – a lasting testament to the influence, musicianship, and integrity of an ensemble whose merit has never been tainted by cash-grab reunions or farewell treks. It remains an essential part of the Dire Straits catalog and a blueprint of the distinctive U.K. roots rock the collective played for its 15-year career.

Sourced from the original master tapes, housed in gatefold packaging, and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP set of On Every Street presents the album like it has always been meant to be experienced: in reference-grade audiophile sound. Recorded at AIR Studios in London and produced by Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler, it features all of the band's sonic hallmarks – wide instrumental separation, visceral textures, seemingly limitless air, broad soundstages, atmospherics that you can almost reach out and feel. Each element is made more vibrant, physical, and lifelike on this collectible reissue, which marks the first time this 60-minute work has been available at 45RPM speed.

Afforded generous groove space and black backgrounds, the songs from On Every Street burst with nuanced details and vibrant colors. Dire Straits' playing appears to float, their intricate performances organized amid hypnotic, fluid, three-dimensional arrangements. Mobile Fidelity's definitive-sounding set also brings into transparent view Knopfler's finely sculpted guitar lines, expressive tones, and laid-back vocals – as well as the balanced accompaniment from his band mates. Here's a record on which you can hear the full blossom and decay of individual notes, and imagine the size and shape of the studio. It is in every regard a demonstration disc. And it happens to be filled with timeless fare.

Remarkably, On Every Street almost never came to light. Dire Straits initially dissolved in September 1988 after touring behind its blockbuster Brothers in Arms and suffering the departure of two members. At the time, Knopfler professed his desire to work on solo material; bassist John Illsley also explored side projects. But Knopfler's decision in 1989 to form the country-leaning Notting Hillbillies reignited a spark to reconvene his primary band and craft a fresh batch of songs. Six years removed from Brothers in Arms, Knopfler, Illsley, keyboardist Alan Clark, and keyboardist Guy Fletcher teamed with A-list session pros – steel guitarist Paul Franklin, percussionist Danny Cummings, saxophonist Chris White, guitarist Phil Palmer included – to create what still stands as an unforgettable farewell.

The platinum record brings the band full circle in that it returns Dire Straits to a quartet formation; finds the group refreshingly out of step with the era's prevailing trends; and sees Knopfler and Co. knocking out song after song with the deceptive ease of a punter tossing back a pint at a pub. That subtle cool, clever poise, and innate control – signature traits that no other band ever matched – dominate On Every Street. Knopfler's clean, virtuosic six-string escapades unfurl with dizzying melodicism and economical efficiency. Led by his winding fills and focused solos, Dire Straits traverse a hybrid landscape of rock, jazz, country, boogie, blues, and pop strains with near-faultless prowess.

More than any other entry in the group's oeuvre, On Every Street welcomes quick detours down back alleys and into the depths of human souls. What makes it more brilliant is its staunch refusal to cater to commercial expectations or take advantage of prior successes; every passage feels true, every measure echoed in the service of song. It's evident in the humorous satire of "Heavy Fuel," closeted desperation of the witty "Calling Elvis," and shake-and-bake bounce of "The Bug." It pours from the album's darker corners, as on the high-and-lonesome melancholy of the title track and bruised emotionalism of "When It Comes to You."

Hinting at the open-minded approaches and boundless curiosity he'd embrace as a solo artist, Knopfler doesn't limit himself when it comes to style or subject matter. Look no further than "You and Your Friend," a shuffle whose all-inclusive lyrics encourage an array of interpretative meanings. Another of the album's deep cuts, "Iron Hand," comes on as one of the band's most memorable moments – the narrative addressing the abuses of power at the 1984 Battle of Orgreave during the U.K. miners' strike. Given cinematic heft by the expert production, the true-fiction account puts into perspective the richness, poetry, and depth of On Every Street.

"Every victory has a taste that's bittersweet," sings Knopfler on the title track. At least that bittersweetness seldom sounded so damn good on record.

The music Charles Mingus and his group recorded during his landmark 1960 sessions for Candid Records produced three of the most revered jazz albums of the era. INCARNATIONS is a new masterpiece thoughtfully assembled from rare and unreleased material from those sessions that stands proudly in the Mingus canon of masterworks. All but one of the tracks here are from the November 11th, 1960 sessions Mingus and producer Nate Hentoff put together. The date was split into two halves: one a pure Mingus-led date, featuring a six-piece band that expanded into an octet for two additional tunes, and another, a partial reunion of a collective that had assembled in opposition against George Wein’s Newport Jazz Festival that past July. (That collective, calling themselves The Jazz Artist Guild, would release the album Newport Rebels, on Candid in 1961.) Of special note here is the one track recorded during the Mingus October 20th 1960 sessions. It is a previously unreleased track titled “All The Things You Are (All.)” Found on a tape that contained material from both of these fall 1960 dates, the piece has its roots in an Art Tatum rendition of “All the Things You Are,” which Mingus had recorded before in various settings. Featuring Booker Ervin, Eric Dolphy, Charles McPherson, Ted Curson Lonnie Hillyer, Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Knepper, Britt Woodman, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Bley, Dannie Richmond and Jo Jones. With audio restored and remastered by Bernie Grundman, and liner notes by Pitchfork and New York Times contributor Hank Shteamer, this album is a must have for any Mingus fan.

An avant-garde masterpiece, a vocal-instrumental suite, a work of collective improvisation, directly addressing the racial and political issues of it’s day, We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite is one of the most important artistic statements of Civil Rights Movement and one of the most groundbreaking jazz albums of all time. Max Roach was already almost a decade into his career as one of the most influential jazz drummers and composers when he teamed up with lyricist Oscar Brown Jr. to collaborate on a piece they planned to perform at the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1963. Recorded just months after the February 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, the album stands as an early musical testament to the burgeoning rage, anger and passion that would take the Civil Rights Movement from its early victory in Montgomery in 1955 into a future that would dramatically alter race relations in the United States. The second release from the newly launched New York City based jazz label Candid Records, and produced by label co-founder, famed music critic and social activist, Nat Hentoff, the album is a bold statement, focused on civil injustices in black history ranging from slavery to contemporary racial prejudices, and featuring some of the finest jazz musicians ever, including Abbey Lincoln, Coleman Hawkins, Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, and Michael Babatunde Olatunji. The five movements of the work are organized as a historical progression through African-American history, a shape similar to the one in Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige. The Freedom Now Suite moves from slavery to Emancipation Day to the contemporary civil-rights struggle and African independence. The LP includes extraordinary liner notes written by Hentoff himself, giving a context and insight that adds to the experience of hearing these magnificent performances.

Kane Pour is a songwriter and multimedia artist who lives in Gainesville, FL, and has been making loop and guitar-based electronic music since 2004. His work often leans into the subtle and murky emotions that dwell beneath the surface, calling forth themes of care, sadness, and tenderness of the human soul. With a wide sonic palette and sense of humor, he puts his love of harmony and space first, slowly dimming through soft landscapes of various textures. The Last Wave is a spiritual successor to Sun People Sleepwalker, an album Kane Pour released as Pospulenn in 2010. The album is a series of ambient guitar meditations on reconciling painful memories, growing, and reclaiming identity. The Last Wave was recorded at the onset of the Covid pandemic when Pour was home isolating. He put together the songs and walked around at night listening to them, feeling intense loneliness in the present, but finding comfort in having time to reflect on his past. The tone and aesthetic of the album evolved over time but Pour named it The Last Wave because he thought it might be his last album or the last living remnant of his soul left after the world fell apart.

Iterum Nata ventures deeper into the abyss with “From the Infinite Light”, melding folk serenity with black metal mysticism. Under Jesse Heikkinen’s (The Abbey, Henget, ex-Hexvessel) craft, each note harbours both hope and despair. With guest apparitions by Matron Thorn and Rob Coffinshaker – plus the arcane lore of Richard Kaczynski – it is a concept album narrating a soul's desperate quest into the recesses of the human psyche. This is Iterum Nata's heaviest, most ambitious odyssey yet.

Jazz snare & ride cymbal meet classical Indian tabla & pakhawaj! What happens when one of the best jazz drummers of all time combines efforts with one of India’s most renowned tabla players? Voilà! Rich À La Rakha. Calypso-flavored compositions, spontaneous jams, and a genuine instrumental dialogue between the two greats truly makes this a one-of-a-kind listen. Cut all analog and pressed on colored vinyl!

"For a long time, I'd come across these discs without really understanding what connected them, apart from a button and that famous logo designed by René Dessirier. Then, with a little more digging, I discovered the "self-production" link. For choirs, schools, folk singers, young pop groups, popular homes and even great composers who engraved unique copies of certain recording sessions...

The French equivalent of the English "Derby Service", the Kiosque d'Orphée, formerly at 7 Rue Grégoire de Tours in the 6th arrondissement, was taken over by Georges Batard in 1967 and moved to 20 Rue des Tournelles in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The adventure lasted until 1991. Georges Batard was a sound engineer who used a Neumann tube engraver to engrave acetates from the tapes he received, before printing the precious vinyls in the press factories of the day, where he was able to produce very small runs of between 50 and 500 copies.

Of course, there were other structures for releasing his records, such as Voxigrave or, later, FLVM, but none of them had so many records in their catalog. Le Kiosque d'Orphée was neither a label nor a publisher, but a structure that allowed you to press your own vinyl, at a time when it was quite an adventure to get your first 45 rpm or 33 rpm album released!

Georges Batard was described as passionate and conscientious. His son, bassist Didier Batard, wrote of him:
"Georges was passionate about recording and reproducing the stereo sound of his great passion, music. He paid close attention to distortion rates, signal-to-noise ratios, response curves, rise times and other damping factors in audio equipment. He was looking for the exact reproduction of concert hall sound in his living room (with the same sound level, if possible...). In the late '50s/early '60s, he found other sound enthusiasts in AFDERS (Association Française pour le Développement de l'Enregistrement et de la Reproduction Sonores). He became its honorary president. Every Saturday afternoon, its members met to test au- dio equipment. Their opinions were published in the monthly Revue du Son.

All you had to do was send in your tapes and choose the number of record copies you'd like to take home with you, so you could finally share your creations and, in a way, exist. You could opt for a generic sleeve, available in several colors, directly customizable with your name and credits, or you could design your dream sleeve yourself in your living room or at a printer's.

This "Do It Yourself" temple gave birth to some superb pouches. Stencilled, hand-written, illustrated with paintings, drawings, illustrations by friends or girlfriends of the time, photo prints hastily stuck in the middle of a blank, white sleeve, on which the traces of time would leave their imprints, so that collectors and the curious would come and buy them decades later, with the promise of a musical discovery, unfortunately not always fulfilled...

What most of these records have in common is the youth of their songwriters, whether or not they've had a career. Stories of buddies, of getting by and dreams of glory made up this catalog. Most of them were amateur productions, both in terms of the level of the musicians and the quality of the recordings, made on a two-track or, the ultimate luxury, a 4-track in a teenager's bedroom or parents' living room.

It was the beginning of the home studio, thanks to the advent of the Revox portable tape recorder. A bit of a shaky DIY system, but, in return, the luxury of setting no limits: one-sided tracks, no outside censorship, no artistic director, no manager, no Barclay or EMI/Pathé Marconi logos...

When you finally had your own record, you could give it away or sell it to friends, family or after concerts. You could also drop it off at the nearest record shop, with undisguised pride.

It was also a calling card that could be sent to radio stations or music labels, in the hope of launching a career...

Many of the protagonists in this story tried to sign with labels, but in those days, bridges were not so easy to build between one's hometown, or even one's village, and the major or more specialized label that might have released these records. At the time, the advertisements published in the press by the Kiosque d'Orphée opened up the field of possibilities for provincial composers. It was now possible to make their own record, without having to go through the process of signing with a label.

Some of the composers who have gone on to make a career have used this channel to release their first record or parallel projects (Claude Engel, Dominique A, Andy Emler, Michel Deneuve, Claude Mairet, Mick Piellard, Tristan Mu- rail...) and sometimes even single or very limited pressings of work or promotional copies (Bernard Parmegiani, Jef Gilson...).

This album is the conclusion of a long investigation, begun six years ago. It took a long time to find the records, scattered all over the place, in the homes of collectors and sometimes the musicians themselves, and then to listen to them, sometimes painstakingly, to unearth these moments of grace.

From this work, 23 tracks remain, but there are dozens of others that could have been included, so we had to choose, and the choice had to be as universal as possible. This selection is obviously not objective, but I hope you'll like it.

Today's music is raw, touching and powerful. "

Jean-Baptiste Guillot - Born Bad Records

Introducing, the experimental violinist and performer Vanessa Bedoret.

The London-based French musician today announces that she’ll be joining, Scenic Route, a label renowned for selecting and nourishing rising stars for the release of her debut album, Eyes, due out on 8th of March 2024. Launching with a taste of what’s to come, today she also shares single “1/2”, a textural track that tells of the dichotomy between those who are selfless and those who are self-centred, and their need to merge as one. This duality is reflected in the industrial metallic echoes under Vanessa’s soaring vocals and the piercing strings of her chosen instrument, the violin.

Treating songwriting as an instinctive process, Bedoret transforms her deeply personal experiences into pure emotion. Not following any set narrative, Eyes takes the listener on a journey via their own experiences, prompting introspection through Bedoret’s hypnotic melodies.

Through the album, she awakens the audience's imagination, to open up their emotional response. On “Ballad”, a vague, loving lyrical letter to someone close, Bedoret’s heartbreakingly soft lament is barely audible over the dramatic atonal strings. She flips her narrative again in the titular track, “Eyes”, so the listener empathises through her isolated violin, and takes on her anguish, not needing to understand the full story.

Bedoret began her classical training at age 6 and on completion at 18 she embraced the thrill of playing guitar in punk bands, and like many at the turn of adulthood, was quickly captured by the allure of the dancefloor. Her far-reaching taste doesn’t stop there, she also counts black metal to opera and from eurodance to IDM as inspiration. Her deep understanding of musical form elevates her experimentation to a truly unique sonic experience, one that never strays too far from her original love of classical music.

With only a string of releases under her belt via independent labels like Laura Lies In and Archaic Vaults, her refined skillset has meant she’s been in high demand for both solo shows and collaborations. These accolades include playing violin with New York avant garde collective Standing On The Corner at The Serpentine, as well as a part of Kahil El’Zabar conducts MOKI at the ICA, and Linder: Another Music in a Different Arcadia at the Design Museum alongside artist Linder Sterling, Naima Cherry, Maxwell Sterling, Kenichi Iwasa & Ella Frears.

For her solo performances, she’s shared stages with Standing on the Corner, Ekaterina Bazhenova-Yamasaki, Philomème Pirecki, John T. Gast and Nexcyia to name a few. She’s also performed as a duo alongside musician Severin Black in support of their collaborative EP release, First Passage / Excommunicated.

Through the lens of a life lived to it’s fullest and one that does not shy from experiencing the rawest of emotions, it’s clear that Bedoret has a nack for translating personal observations into cinematic crescendoes. The field recordings throughout only heighten this feeling adding both a grounding and other worldy sensibility. Lyrically, she allows you to peek into her private world and for a fleeting moment letting you lock eyes with hers, asking what do you see?

This debut is a glowing experimental work that purrs with a distinctive narrative. Vanessa Bedoret is a promising new act, ready to take 2024 by storm.

In 2005, an 18-year-old Raphael Gimenes left the sunny shores of Brazil behind, embarking on a journey to a distant and wintry land. "Dinamarca," the Portuguese name for Denmark, became his new home, where he has lived for almost two decades. Today, he presents his third album, a deep exploration of his life in Scandinavia. Rather than being a nationalistic tribute, "DINAMARCA" tells chapters from Gimenes" life story as a Brazilian living in the northern corners of the world. It guides us through the enchanting nordic woods, the vast fields stretching to the horizon, and the timeless sea resting beneath an endless sky. The melodies of blackbirds, the dances of red deer, and the whispers of ancient oaks form the backdrop for his musical stories. Within his songs, we experience moments of deep solitude and boundless inspiration, moments where reflection and creative passion intertwine. Gimenes skillfully turns the power of love into harmonies, dedicating songs to both his companion and his closest friends. Beyond these experiences, he leads us on journeys to Denmark"s neighboring lands, Norway and Sweden, where revelations and encounters with the mystical found their way into the lyrical fabric of his songs. The album"s orchestration includes Gimenes" vocals and the resonant chords of his classical guitar. Accompanying him throughout the album are Jan Kadereit"s multilayered percussion, and Lucas Delacroix"s bass synth, who also plays the electric guitar at times. The music further unfolds with the nuances of a string quartet, and a brass quintet, both recorded in the tropical highlands of Minas Gerais. Other guest musicians feature on individual songs, such as pianist Sebastian Macchi, flautist Flavia Huarachi, cellist Lucas Almeida, and singers Gaby Echevarria, Cecilia Pahl, and Cris Ferro. Gimenes has garnered acclaim and accolades across continents. His debut release, "Raphael Gimenes & As Montanhas de Som," delved deep into the rhythms and traditions of Brazil. It rose to prominence as the top Brazilian release in 2016 in Holland and was hailed as a "conceptual masterpiece" in Japan. His second album, "A Tongue Full of Suns," co-produced with Faroese multi-artist Teitur, ventured into the English language, blending Gimenes" inspirations from the world of prog-rock. Danish rock legend TimChristensen praised it as "top-shelf neo-folk," while Brazilian website80minutos described it as "hypnotizing." The music within "DINAMARCA" delves deep into the soul of a man who embraced a new land with open arms, while staying true to his roots. It unites elements from both of Gimenes" prior works, embarking on a journey across new musical horizons. The result is music that transcends borders, weaving itself into an intricately beautiful tapestry - a soul that has learned to harmonize with two worlds.

Im nächsten Krisenjahr erzählt Das Feuilleton von düsteren Zeiten. ,Ab morgen bin ich unpolitisch" Post-Punk, der mit Gitarren und zäh durch hübsche Abgründe driftet. Das Debut in Session auf Tape (Bandmaschine von Mario Thaler/The Notwist aus Weilheim dafür ausgeliehen) von Tobias Siebert aufgenommen, legen die neun Stücke hypnotische Teppiche unter deutschsprachige Texte. Musikalisch wird gependelt zwischen Indiepop und Post-Punk. Avantgardistische Drums, völlig enthemmte Gitarren und unverstellte Vocals. Es werden Perspektiven eingenommen, Grenzen ausgelotet und es wird pointiert. Politik ist dabei nur eine Randnotiz, deren Auswirkungen auf das Handeln und die Vorstellung der Protagonisten gewaltig erscheint. Das Feuilleton knüpfen in vielerlei Hinsicht an die wieder in Mode kommenden 90er Jahre an. Energetische Gitarrenmusik in Dreierbesetzung. Stark komprimierte, vieldeutige Texte, mit deutlich lyrischem Anspruch. Zeitlos, gewagt und dabei kantig bis schroff. Irgendwo zwischen Fabel und Parole. Neu auf WINDIG (auch Klez.e, Cave To Cosmos etc.)!

Real groups like Empirical are a rarity in contemporary jazz, where musicians so often come together for single projects then disperse again once they are done: groups that endure for fifteen years, without slackening in their quest for the new and the fresh, are all but unheard of. Having started their journey in 2007, Empirical now makes a triumphant return, re-taking their rightful place at the centre of the UK scene with "Wonder is the Beginning". Their first full-length album since 2016, is a mature musical statement that shows the band"s fire is still undimmed and their commitment to maintaining the legacy while forging their own unique path is as strong as ever.

Hinter dem Bandnamen Potato Beach versteckt sich ein Wiener Indie-Surf Kollektiv rund um Mastermind Jannik Rieß. Bislang gab es eine EP, die als Tape erschienen ist. Der Strand ist für alle da! "Back on the road, driving slowly, sipping coke" - Mit den ersten Zeilen auf "DIP IN" legt Jannik Rieß direkt ein Geständnis ab. Der deutsche Wahlwiener und Multiinstrumentalist hinter dem Musikprojekt Potato Beach, bekennt sich mit seinem Debüt zum Softdrink bei Einhalten des Tempolimits - und damit zur eigenen Kartoffeligkeit. Sympathisch! Potato Beach's durchaus nostalgischer Garage-Rock versucht gar nicht erst, dem Bravado und Machismo alter (The Kinks) oder neuer (Foxygen) Inspirationen nachzueifern. Rieß erzählt lieber seine eigenen Geschichten in der lähmenden Sommerhitze Wiens, irgendwo zwischen zu lang jung bleiben und zu früh alt werden. Die Platte braucht keine waghalsigen Salti vom Zehner schlagen, um in die Tiefe zu gehen. Vielmehr lädt sie uns dazu ein, mit baumelnden Füßen am Beckenrand tief ins Rot-Weiß der Freibadpommes zu tauchen. Schmeckt vertraut - und ziemlich lecker. So wabern simple, aber sorgfältig arrangierte Vintage-Riffs und schrullige Orgeln wie Hitzeschlieren am Horizont, wenn Rieß "Why are we feeling guilty for not doing anything?" oder "How can anyone go to work?" die blöden Fragen stellt, über die wir alle rätseln. Potato Beach's Selbstreflexionen sind am Puls der Zeit getaktet und sprechen dabei ganz ungezwungen 0,5 bis 2,5 Kartoffelgenerationen von der Pelle. So handeln sie nicht etwa von Heroin und Manic Pixie Dream Girls, sondern von Ghosting, Fernbeziehungen oder dem Gefühl der Einsamkeit unter Vielen. Potato Beach befreit den Küstenrock der 60er vom alten Rost und verleiht ihm mit ehrlichen, nachdenklichen und bodenständigen Anekdoten einen zeitgenössischen Anstrich. Dass Potato Beach mit "DIP IN" nicht dem Mackertum seiner Blaupausen folgt, ist kein Zufall. Nachdem Rieß' musikalische Vorbilder durch ihren Sexismus unhörbar wurden, sah er sich gezwungen, seine Lieblingsmusik selbst neu zu schreiben. Dass er das komplette Instrumentarium und den Gesang der 11 Tracks im Alleingang aufgenommen hat, zeigt: Dem ist das wirklich wichtig. Hingabe, Leidenschaft und Weltschmerz hallen jedenfalls deutlich hörbar aus dem Röhrenverstärker. Nur vereinzelt tauchen Vertraute Musiker:innen der Schwesterbands Peter the Human Boy oder Gardens auf, um ein Cello hier oder ein Keyboard dort einzuspielen. Die sind auch dabei, wenn die Freibäder Wiens warm genug werden, um die Platte live zu performen. Bis dahin sorgt "DIP IN" mit seiner warmen Melancholie für süße Tagträume vom Sehnsuchtsort Strand. "DIP IN" erinnert uns: Ob Potaetoe oder Potahtoh, every Body is a Beach Body!

In Berlin geboren, aber in der Kleinstadt Bad Salzuflen aufgewachsen, pendelt Mina zwischen den Welten und entdeckt in der CD-Sammlung ihrer Tante Schätze wie Joan As Police Woman und Nina Simone. Soul und Blues, die Hip-Hop-Kultur und die Revolte der großen Singer-Songwriterinnen stehen Pate, als sie an ihrer Debüt-EP ,Jaywalker" (2022) arbeitet, mit der sie als beste Newcomerin für den PopNRW Preis nominiert wird. Von ihrem Vater ,aus Versehen" zur Feministin erzogen - wie sie es einmal in einem ,Zeit"-Interview formulierte - bediente sie sich für ihren Künstlerinnennamen beim berühmten Cher-Zitat ,Mom, I am a rich man". Ihr Solidaritäts-Song ,Baba Said" geht während der Revolution im Iran schlagartig viral und verschafft der Sängerin über Nacht auf dem ganzen Globus Aufmerksamkeit. Das Musikalische mit dem Gesellschaftlichen zu verbinden war ihr schon immer ein Anliegen. Mit renommierten Festivalslots bei dem New Fall, Herzberg und Reeperbahn Festival und Supportshows für Maxim, Anna Calvi und Alice Merton zeigt Mina, dass sie ,mit 25 Jahren schon eine ganz schöne Powerfrau ist." (WDR 5, 2022) Mit ihrem Debütalbum ,Grown Up" stellt sich Mina Richman nun dem Erwachsenwerden. Mit schonungsloser Ehrlichkeit kehrt sie in ihre Kindheit zurück und verarbeitet streitende Eltern, kulturelle Entwurzelung und den gesellschaftlichen, wie auch ihren persönlichen Umgang mit ihrem Körper. Ehrlich. Queer. Selbstbestimmt. Auch musikalisch ist Mina gereift und stellt einen Sound mit Einflüssen aus Soul, Folk, Indie und HipHop vor, zeigt dass Amy Winehouse, Ronda oder die Alabama Shakes nicht spurlos an ihr vorbei gegangen sind, beleuchtet die schönen Seiten des Erwachsenwerdens: Mut und liebe Menschen, die einen begleiten. Das Album ,Grown Up" wird am 15. März 2024 über Windig erscheinen und anschließend auf einer großen Release Tournee vorgestellt.

Der Dark-Ambient-Pionier, die stygische Drone-Legende und das fast schon mythische Wesen LUSTMORD durchstößt mit "Much Unseen Is Also Here" einmal mehr den Schleier - die neueste Solo-Veröffentlichung des Künstlers in einer beeindruckenden, 40-jährigen kreativen Karriere an der Spitze der Industrial-Musik. Auf Drängen von Cosey Fanni Tutti und Chris Carter von Throbbing Gristle, Musik zu machen, die seine unverwechselbare Aura einfängt, übernahm Brian Williams 1980 Lustmord und begann mit Sounds zu arbeiten, weil die Musik, die er hören wollte, einfach nicht existierte. Lustmord veröffentlichte 1989 sein drittes Album "Heresy", das zu einem Meilenstein in der Industrial-Szene wurde und heute allgemein als Ursprung des Dark-Ambient-Genres gilt. 35 Jahre später führt Much Unseen Is Also Here" das Vermächtnis von Heresy" fort und knüpft an dessen fesselnden Erzählbogen an. "Much Unseen Is Also Here" besteht aus drei verschiedenen Teilen und ist dazu gedacht, in einer einzigen, ununterbrochenen Durchgang angehört zu werden; es entführt den Hörer in eine kompromisslose Parallelwelt, die nur in der Musik existiert, bevor es ihn am Ende für immer verändert wieder hinauswirft. Lustmord, der seit 1994 in L.A. lebt, hat auch als Komponist und Sounddesigner an der Musik für ikonische Film- und Fernsehproduktionen mitgewirkt, darunter "The Crow", "Strange Days", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Underworld" und in jüngerer Zeit die FX-Serien "Fear The Walking Dead" und "First Reformed"von "Taxi Driver"-Autor Paul Schrader aus dem Jahr 2017. Immer noch entschlossen, die Grenzen von Sound, Genre und Medien zu erweitern, hat Lustmord auch zu den Soundlandschaften von Videospielen wie Assassin's Creed, League of Legends und, passenderweise, dem von H.R. Geiger inspirierten Survival-Horror-Spiel Scorn von 2022 beigetragen. Other Woes Are Yet To Come Edition (single colored (pink) vinyl, ltd to 220 copies ww)

Gut Ding will Weile haben und das trifft auch auf ATROPHY zu, die nun endlich ihr neues Album "Asylum" veröffentlichen!
"Asylum" ist der nächste Meilenstein in der Geschichte von ATROPHY.
Unter Beibehaltung des Tempos von "Socialized Hate" und des Grooves von "Violent By Nature" enthält das Album eine große Portion Heaviness, die dafür sorgt, dass das Album einem befriedigenden akustischen Tritt in die Fresse gleicht.
Der lyrische Fokus liegt nach wie vor auf den gesellschaftlichen Missständen, vom Aufstand bis hin zur Gehirnwäsche durch die großen Nachrichtensender und den offensichtlichen Folgen für die Menschen, die einfach nur um ihr Leben kämpfen.

Deer Jade – Jukurpa

Tired of grey skies and long faces? We’ve got a serious dose of musical vitamin D for you! Deer Jade is hailing from the picturesque Lake of Geneva, an area about which the late Jean Paul Belmondo had to say a thing or two. Her infectious smile and uplifting energy behind the decks already made her a household name in clubs and festivals around the globe. This solo debut is an expression of her strong self confidence and in-syncness with the world surrounding her. “Jukurpa” might be just one of the most flamboyant house tunes you’ll come across this year, readymade for swaying to on an early summer morning dancefloor. “Cosmic Dream” is of a more introspective nature, putting gentle psychedelic synth movements to good use. There’s a lot of heart in Deer Jade’s music. We’re happy to give it a home.

David Hasert & Niconé – Wasting My Time With You

Tired of grey skies and long faces? We’ve got a serious dose of musical vitamin D for you! ?This Cologne – Berlin joint venture is shedding rays of sun galore with this lost in reverie deep house jam. Built around a catchy as hell soul vocal and occasional piano outbursts “Wasting My Time With You” will certainly be one of our favorite tunes to waste our time to in 2024.

Deer Jade – Jukurpa

Hast Du genug von grauem Himmel und langen Gesichtern? Wir haben eine ordentliche Dosis musikalisches Vitamin D für Dich! Deer Jade stammt vom pittoresken Genfer See, einer Gegend, über die der unvergessliche Jean Paul Belmondo so einiges zu sagen hatte. Ihr ansteckendes Lächeln und ihre mitreissende Energie hinter den Decks haben sie bereits zum gerne gesehenen Gast in Clubs und auf Festivals rund um den Globus gemacht. Dieses Solo-Debüt ist Ausdruck ihres starken Selbstbewusstseins und ihrer Verbundenheit mit der Welt, die sie umgibt. “Jukurpa” ist vielleicht einer der extravagantesten House-Tunes, die man in diesem Jahr zu hören bekommt, wie geschaffen zum Mitschunkeln an einem frühen Sommermorgen. “Cosmic Dream” ist von eher introspektiver Natur und holt uns mit sanften psychedelischen Synthesizer-Bewegungen ab. In der Musik von Deer Jade steckt eine Menge Herzblut. Wir freuen uns, dass sie es bei uns verschüttet.

David Hasert & Niconé – Wasting My Time With You

Hast Du genug von grauem Himmel und langen Gesichtern? Wir haben eine ordentliche Dosis musikalisches Vitamin D für Dich! Das Köln-Berliner Joint Venture versprüht mit diesem verträumten Deep-House-Jam jede Menge Sonnenstrahlen. ?”Wasting My Time With You” ist mit seinen ?catchy Soul-? Vocals und gelegentlichen Klavier?-?Kaskaden sicherlich einer unserer Lieblingssongs, mit dem wir im Jahr 2024 unsere Zeit verschwenden werden.

Introducing "Solace", a captivating 6-track EP by dubstep virtuoso Bukkha.
Crafted amidst the stillness of 2020's turmoil, far from all the noise pollution of everyday life, each track is like an unique demonstration of Bukkha's emotional state throughout these tumultuous times. "What came out was not forced and was just a very natural and fluid process" said Bukkha about working on this EP.
"Solace" also features an exclusive collaboration with soulful Drum & Bass artist Redeyes.
Embark on this heartfelt musical journey where Bukkha's passion and authenticity resonate through every note. As Bukkha eloquently puts it, ''I have always found comfort in music. I hope that the people listening to this record will find solace in it as well.''

The elusive gemstone of 1970s Harlem soul and funk from the Ray Alexander Technique, officially reissued with bonus tracks. Renowned for its enviable combination of musical muscle and malleability, guitarist/songwriter Raymond Alexander Jenkins’ tight four-piece unit was so revered on the uptown club circuit that it was offered the opportunity to serve as the Apollo Theater house band. Jenkins demurred, hopeful and confident in his groupís chances at making it on its own, and Let’s Talk is the sublime result of their hard work. Independently released and recorded with a distinctly lo-fi charm, it is a collection of unabashedly sincere songs that perfectly encapsulates the era’s heady milieu of Black pride and cultural awareness, and the plaintive emotion of struggling to realize dreams whilst navigating a city and neighborhood in decline. Personal tragedy coupled with Jenkins’ inability to gain traction as a musician, would haunt him for years. But Let‘s Talk’s reputation would eventually spread via word-of-mouth praise amongst soul and funk connoisseurs and record collectors. Now elevated to exalted status, it may finally be more widely appreciated as a testament to Jenkins’ gifts. The main album is augmented by two songs by Ray Alexander Technique with Chris Bartley, not available on the original album.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



HIGH VOLTAGE – Das internationale Debüt-Album enthielt Tracks der ersten beiden in Australien erschienenen LPs.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP – Dieser Longplayer war fünf Jahre lang nicht in den USA erhältlich. Als er dort schließlich auf den Markt kam, kletterte er auf Platz 3 der Billboard Charts und verkaufte sich mehr als 6 Millionen Mal.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



POWERAGE stammt aus dem Jahr 1976. Hier ist mit ‘Rock And Roll Damnation’ der erste Hit zu hören, den AC/DC in Europa landen konnten.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



HIGHWAY TO HELL erschien im Jahr 1980 und war das erste US-Hitalbum der Band.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



BACK IN BLACK ist das meistverkaufte von einer Band eingespielte Studioalbum aller Zeiten. Es featurt die Songs ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’, ‘Shoot To Thrill’ und natürlich den legendären Titeltrack.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



Welcher Rockfan kennt es nicht, das ikonische Cover zu FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK (WE SALUTE YOU)? Die mächtige ‘Twelve-Pound-Cannon’ aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, die darauf zu sehen ist, ist bis heute fester, ohrenbetäubender Bestandteil der AC/DC-Liveshows.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



Wer THE RAZORS EDGE sagt, denkt natürlich zuerst an die Single ‘Thunderstruck’. Das Video zum Track wurde auf YouTube über eine Milliarde Mal aufgerufen.

Am 31. Dezember 1973 spielten AC/DC ihre erste Show im Chequers Nightclub in Sydney. Heute, 50 Jahre nach diesem Gig, sind sie veritable Rocklegenden, die Millionen von Tonträgern verkauft haben, aber nicht im Entferntesten daran denken, sich aufs Altenteil zurückzuziehen. Erst vor kurzem hat die Band ihre unzähligen Fans mit der Ankündigung der ‘POWER UP’-Tour, die sie im Sommer 2024 durch Europa führen wird, wieder in einen Freudentaumel versetzt.

Um das 50-jährige Thronjubiläum der Rock’n’Roll-Könige angemessen zu feiern, veröffentlicht Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings den Backkatalog der Band in wahrlich royaler Ausstattung: als goldene, limitierte Vinyl-Edition. Jeder LP dieser Sonderedition liegt ein Druck (30cm*30 cm) mit brandneuem AC/DC-Jubiläums-Artwork bei.



WHO MADE WHO – Dieses Album ist der offizielle Soundtrack zur Stephen-King-Verfilmung ‘Es begann ohne Warnung’ (OT ‘Maximum Overdrive)’. Es enthält neben Songs früherer AC/DC-LPs auch drei brandneue Tracks, darunter den Titelsong.

One of the most successful and enjoyable debuts in history, The Cars' self-titled album doubles as a greatest-hits collection. That's because not one song here is unrecognized or unknown. A huge reason why the Boston quintet became America's most popular new-wave band, The Cars launched eight tracks still regularly heard on radio stations everywhere. Consider the hit list: "You're All I've Got Tonight." "Good Times Roll." "Just What I Needed." "Moving in Stereo." "My Best Friend's Girl." "Don't Cha Stop." If you're a fan of pop music, this album is mandatory. Just call it the best new-wave rock album ever made.

And now, The Cars sounds better than it has in any previous incarnation. Mastered from the original analogue tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition LP allows the music's oscillating rhythms, futuristic keyboard passages, panned stereo images, and rippling textures to be experienced like never before. The songs take on a surreal quality, the Cars manipulating the vibrant music at will to mesmerize the listeners' senses and hold them at bay. Mobile Fidelity's pressing epitomizes the sensation of "moving in stereo."

Led by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr, the Cars managed to unite then-disparate styles: bubblegum pop melodies, angular art rock, progressive arrangements, and terse minimalism. Orr's low, understated singing and Ocasek's cool, detached vocals lend shades of doubt and double meaning to the lyrics, which are further counterbalanced by orchestral keyboard flourishes and electronic beats. The brilliant arrangements also benefit from a laidback cool and understated irony that remain uncommon in the over-the-top world of mainstream music. Obsessed with incorporating the latest technologies and sounds into its palette, the band spiced its tunes with delightfully quirky accents — country-tinged guitar fills, echoing Syndrums, reggae splashes, hard-rock tones, robotic pulses.

The results are the sounds of a creative landmark. At once accessible and eccentric, edgy and catchy, The Cars explodes with emotion, energy, and hooks. It's impossible not to get caught up humming and singing along to every song, an appeal that comes courtesy of Roy Thomas Baker's stellar production. The legendary producer, best known for his work with Queen, ensured that the record seamlessly packed a smooth midrange, spacious imaging, and call-and-answer choruses in one tight package. Baker's trademark touches with harmony vocals abound.

"The MoFi disc is much better than the original in every way. It's more dynamic, much more natural on top, and all three dimensions have a lot bigger space. This disc is great from start to finish, but "Moving in Stereo" will blow you away on a great system in a big room."
—Jeff Dorgay, TONEAudio

Most audiophiles know Alan Parsons Project's I Robot by heart. Engineered by Parsons after he performed the same duties on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, the 1977 record reigns as a disc whose taut bass, crisp highs, clean production, and seemingly limitless dynamic range are matched only by the sensational prog-rock fare helmed by the keyboardist and his creative partner, Eric Woolfson. Not surprisingly, it's been issued myriad times. Can it be improved? Relish Mobile Fidelity's stupendous UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM box set and the question becomes moot.


Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI on MoFi SuperVinyl, I Robot comes to life with reference-setting realism on this numbered, limited-edition reissue. Boasting immaculate highs and lows, generous spaciousness, and see-through transparency that takes you into the studio with Parsons and Woolfson at Abbey Road, this definitive edition is designed to demonstrate the full-range capabilities of the world's best stereo systems while offering listeners the convenience of having all the music on one LP.

Featuring a nearly inaudible noise floor, this transcendent UD1S edition functions as a repeat invitation to savor reference-grade soundstages, immersive smoothness, sought-after instrumental separation, three-dimensional imaging, and consummate tonal balances. Able to be played back at high volumes without compromise or fatigue, it is a demonstration record for the ages – the likes of which are no longer being made. This is the very reason you own and invest in high-end audio gear.

The special characteristics of this UD1S version extend to the premium packaging. Housed in an elegant slipcase, the reissue features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics. Aurally and visually, it is made for discerning listeners who prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in everything about this conceptual landmark. The Alan Parsons Project's most famous record deserves nothing less.

Inspired by and loosely based around the Isaac Asimov stories of the same name, I Robot delves into themes of artificial intelligence and technological dominance that make the record extremely relevant in the 21st century. Indeed, Parsons and Woolfson's pinnacle creation dovetailed with the ascendency of Star Wars, which itself is experiencing a rebirth in an age of self-driving cars, smart devices, and mindless automation. Lyrically, songs such as "The Voice" call into question human behavior – and their relationship to increasing robotic supremacy – in everyday life. Parsons and Woolfson reflect the associated paranoia, dichotomy, and transformation via shifting sci-fi arrangements steeped in drama and moodiness.

The absorbing tunes on I Robot also continue to fascinate due to their perfectionism and innovation. Borrowing from Pink Floyd's strategies, Parsons and Woolfson utilize a looped sequence on the title track to create new downbeats. "Some Other Time" employs two different lead vocalists and yet gives the illusion that only one is involved. Captivating strings, a piccolo trumpet, and bona fide pipe organ grace "Don't Let It Show." The origins of "Nucleus" stem from a unique analog keyboard concoction dubbed "the Projectron," devised by Parsons and electronic engineer Keith Johnson. Andrew Powell's orchestral and choral arrangements top it all off, with "Total Eclipse" arriving as a frightening track that presages the climactic "Genesis Ch. 1 V. 32."

Does man or machine win in the end? Decide as you get lost in Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc 180g 33RPM LP pressing. Secure your numbered copy today!

More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called "converts") are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.

MoFi SuperVinyl

Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analogue lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.

Tierra Whack veröffentlicht ihr mit Spannung erwartetes Debütalbum ”WORLD WIDE WHACK”, dem Nachfolger der von Kritikern hochgelobten Visual EP ”Whack World”. Die Rapperin, Musikerin und visuelle Künstlerin, ist dank Kollaborationen mit Beyoncé, Alicia Keys und Lil Yachty und vielen mehr zu einer festen Größe in der Popkultur geworden. Die Visuals, das Artwork und die kreativen Elemente des Albums sind in der Zusammenarbeit mit dem aus Philadelphia stammenden Konzeptkünstler Alex Da Corte entstanden. WORLD WIDE WHACK ist ab dem 15.03.2024 erhältlich.

Der Soundtrack zum Kult-Animationsfilm „Blue Giant“ kommt nach Deutschland - als limitierte blaue Doppel-LP! Der erfolgreiche Film basiert auf dem gleichnamigen auch in Deutschland erschienenen Manga-Comic, der weltweit über 11 Millionen Mal verkauft wurde. Er erzählt auf mitreißende Art die Geschichte eines jungen japanischen Saxofonisten und seinem steinigen, aber letztendlich erfolgreichen Weg in die internationale Jazz-Szene. Der Film war in Asien ein großer Kinoerfolg und wird ab Juni dieses Jahres erstmals auch in Deutschland im Heimkino zu sehen sein (Blu-ray bei PLAION). Die Musik zu „Blue Giant“ stammt von der Grammy-ausgezeichneten japanischen Pianistin und Komponistin Hiromi und ist mit seinen packenden Jazz- und Funk-Sounds integraler Bestandteil des „Blue Giant“-Erfolges.

Mit dem Album „Nina’s Back“, das erstmals 1985 erschien, macht Verve Records nach „Fodder On My Wings“ von 1982 ein zweites ungewöhnliches Nina-Simone-Album aus den 1980er Jahren wieder erhältlich. „Nina’s Back“ ist Nina Simones Pop-orientiertestes Album, mit Black Music, World Music und sogar Disco-Einflüssen. Bei Puristen hat es daher lange Zeit unterschiedlichen Ruf genossen. Mit heutigen Ohren gehört, ist „Nina’s Back“ jedoch ein packendes Werk, das es vierdient hat wiederentdeckt zu werden, nicht zuletzt wegen einiger großartiger Songs aus der Feder der Musikerin.

50 years after the genre turned the music world upside-down, GRADE 2 bring the raw power of old school punk to a new generation. Their second release on Tim Armstrong"s legendary Hellcat Records is a thumping 15 track tour de force melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity and frustrations of Gen-Z youth, authentically told by three lads with punk coursing through their veins. Formed on their native Isle of Wight when they were just 14 years old, Jack Chatfield (guitar & vocals), Jacob Hull (drums) and Sid Ryan (bass & vocals) honed their craft covering punk pioneers before creating a sound uniquely theirs: ten years on, the eponymous Grade 2 is their magnum opus. The new album was produced by the band along with Tim Timebomb (Armstrong) and T.J. Rivers at Armstrong"s Ship Rec Studio in Los Angeles. "Returning to Ship Rec Studio resparked that magic dynamic" says guitarist Jack Chatfield. "When we"re in there I feel like we reach our full potential. Tim would offer tweaks and tips for some songs, while others he"d compliment as finished first time we played them." "We worked flat-out recording this record," says drummer Jacob Hull, "but we never felt pressured, Tim keeping us in the zone to make the best tunes of our li ves.

Das zweite Album der Alternative-Pop-Band MUNA wurde bei seinem Erscheinen 2019 nur in den USA als sehr limitierte farbige Vinyl-LP veröffentlicht, was es zu einer begehrten Rarität macht. Das Album «Saves The World» enthält auch ihren erfolgreichsten Track «Number One Fan» und erhielt bei seiner Veröffentlichung begeisterte Kritiken, u. a. 4 und 5 Sterne von Rolling Stone, The Independent und Pitchfork, und wurde in vielen Listen der besten Alben des Jahres 2019 aufgeführt, darunter Billboard und The Guardian. Die Band, bestehend aus Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin und Naomi McPherson, ist nun bei Phoebe Bridgers Label (Saddest Factory) unter Vertrag und tourt weiter, zuletzt als Support für Harry Styles, The 1975 und Taylor Swift, sowie als Headliner bei eigenen Konzerten in den USA und Europa.

PELIGRE is back on Saike with his most anticipated "BRB Crying" EP.
After releasing ''Welcome To The Sal'' in 2022, it was natural for him to get back to the mothership with this second establishment that has been already destroying the dance floors these past months. With 5 tracks ranging from pure Hard Techno to Neo Trance sounds, the rave just keeps on giving and the energy has never been so high.

Das Album ist nachdenklicher, ruhiger und wenn man es so will auch erwachsener. Die Musik wurde übermüdet und gestresst im stillen Kämmerlein geschrieben, als die Kids endlich im Bett waren. Die Texte unter dem Eindruck wochenlanger Selbstisolation. Da war einfach kein Platz mehr für überschwängliche Wut. Dafür aber für Melancholie ("Denken & Danken"), ein Lächeln ("Gesichtsmuskelzerrung") oder Selbstreflektion ("Ernährungsberatung")

"Es war ein langes Jahr, weil ich so langsam war" lautet der Einstieg zum neuen Album "endlich Wienerlieder". (Release 15.03.2024, Medienmanufaktur Wien). Das Album ist Ninos Großvater Rudolf Mandl gewidmet, einem Wienerlied-Sänger. Für Nino eine "Hommage an meine familiäre Verbindung zur Wiener Musiktradition." Ob Nino nun von Heurigen zu Heurigen ziehen wird, um den lustigen Gesellschaften seine Liedkunst zu schenken, kann man nicht versprechen. Was man definitiv bekommt, ist eine tiefe Auseinandersetzung des Künstlers mit seinem Lebensmittelpunkt, aus verschiedenen Lebensepochen. Damit besteht eine gewisse Verwandtschaft zu Ninos "Kochbuch Take 16". Spezialgäste sind mit dabei am Album. So singt er gemeinsam mit Ernst Molden bei seiner Version von "La Paloma" eine Ode an die Wiener und Wienerinnen.