Cerca:neon

Starting in 2021 the critically acclaimed Next Wave Acid Punx series has seen Luca Venezia, aka Curses, celebrate the music that has shaped both his life and career. Across the first two compilations Luca took us from the industrial and post-punk sounds of the late 70s,through the emergence of EBM, new beat and freestyle in the 1980s and onto the music he both makes and plays himself in clubs today. Bringing the series to a close Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS sees the Berlin-based musician and DJ return full circle, this time exploring the sounds that first initiated him into Brooklyn's rave scene and the music that, in some way, continues to embody its eclectic spirit today.

Spread across three 2LPs and 3CDs Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS captures a moment whose influence can still be heard reverberating around clubland today. With the nascent rave scene obliterating boundaries, this was a moment where the darker, harder industrial electronic sounds of the mid 1980s were crashing headfirst into the ecstatic wave that was washing over clubland creating thrilling juxtapositions. Whether in the clubs and warehouses of New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and beyond, electronic music would never be the same again as countless new genres we take for granted today were born from the chaos and energy that had been unleashed.

Featuring 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks, Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS both documents that fertile period and shows how, despite rumours to the contrary, that early anarchic spirit can still be found today. From the Detroit Techno of Model 500 to Nitzer Ebb's EBM and the proto-Trance of Age of Love and onto brand new tracks from some of today's best producers such as Zaatar, Italo Deviance and Leona Jacewska, this compilation closes out a series that has to date revelled in exploring the darker corners of clubland in uplifting style.

This is Chapter 3.







[f] B2. Javi Redondo - HALT [Process]

WRWTFWW Records is pleased to announce its fifth collaboration with NY-LA ambient / jazz / downtempo musician Danny Scott Lane with the first ever vinyl release of his 2022 full-length album Holy Goodnight, available on limited edition LP (500 copies worldwide) housed in a heavyweight sleeve.
After Home Decor, Shower, Caput, and Songs For Sex, here’s another Danny Scott Lane classic. On Holy Goodnight, he handles synths, keyboards, bass, guitar, percussion, and field recordings for a smooth nightride through city pop, contemplative jazz, vaporwave, slow funk, cozy ambient, library music vibes, and relaxed moods.
Holy Goodnight feels like cruising through a half-asleep city with the windows down and the radio low—lush harmonies and soft grooves guiding the way. It’s warm and hazy music for late hours and early mornings, introspective, comforting, cinematic, intimate…
Following the release of chillout staples on WRWTFWW, Danny Scott Lane further cements his unmistakable sonic universe. Complete the collection and sink deeper into the night.
Points of interest
For fans of ambient jazz, city pop, downtempo, smooth funk, vaporwave, library music, night drives, neon lights, quiet introspection, cozy late hours, and peaceful goodnights.
Super limited edition vinyl (500 copies worldwide) of Danny Scott Lane’s Holy Goodnight, available on vinyl for the first time ever.

Nach den kurz nacheinander erschienenen Alben ,Everything Must Go" und ,Chain Yer Dragon" im Jahr 2025 kehren Goose mit ,BIG MODERN!" zurück - einem energiegeladenen neuen Kapitel, das den charakteristischen Indie-Rock-Sound der Band um neonbeleuchtete Synthesizer, treibende Rhythmen und mitreißende, hymnische Hooks erweitert. Neue Tracks wie ,Good2B" und ,Good Times // End Times" erscheinen neben den Fan-Favoriten ,Big Modern" und ,Torero" und fangen den Abenteuergeist von Goose ein, während sie gleichzeitig einige ihrer bisher kühnsten und dynamischsten Studioaufnahmen liefern.

Jhobei has been on a constant ascent in the last couple of years, and he's worked with some of the most credible labels in the game in that time, from Fuse to Picnic to Semi Delicious. Now he steps up to Burnski's Pilot with four absolute nuggets. 'Pulse Reflex' is amped right up and ready to go - tightly circling synths, buoyant beats, garage shuffle and slick fills that all demand you bust out some moves. 'Believe' dials things back into a more heady, deeper dub tech vibe and 'Cannei Getcha (To Feel)' brings crispy electronic synths and pensive pads to a future groove before 'Synthetic Symphony' closes with buffed neon pads and smooth progressive chords that ride clean, meticulous drums.

WRWTFWW Records is extremely excited to announce Hot-N-Ready Remixes Delivered by Pizza Hotline In 20 Minutes or Less, the brand new remix album from Pizza Hotline, landing hot and fast on a limited edition Neon Arcade Arctic Pearl Colored Vinyl Double LP, cut at 45rpm and housed in a heavyweight sleeve with artwork by Equip Studio.
From the high-octane mind of PIZZA HOTLINE - the man behind cult classics that helped redefine liquid drum & bass through a Y2K, console-era lens - comes a full-throttle remix album that feels like a secret bonus disc unlocked after beating the game, a portal into a parallel universe of rave-powered nostalgia and pixel-perfect bliss. Warp-speed liquid DNB, atmospheric jungle, and dancefloor-crushing remixes of legendary tracks extracted from the greatest video games ever made collide in a sensory overload of pure arcade euphoria. Soaring pads, breakbeats that ricochet like laser fire, deep-space subs, and rhythms that feel like drifting through a cyber-city at 3AM with only a CRT glow to guide you.
The album plays like a late-night arcade run fueled by muscle memory and emotion: PlayStation futurism meets WipeEout velocities, Donkey Kong adventure grit, GoldenEye stealth tension, and Sega Saturn dream-logic. It's fast, melodic, immersive, and deeply cinematic - a love letter to video game soundtracks, club culture, and the spaces where the two collide.
This release marks the fifth Pizza Hotline collaboration with WRWTFWW, following the ultra-classic Level Select, its brilliant follow-up Polygon Island, the collaborative smash Anti Gravity Tournament with Mitch Murder, and the Low Poly Breaks cassette series.

Signaling their long-anticipated debut on ICONYC, the label welcomes acclaimed Italian duo Glowal with their Future Faces EP. Uncompromising in its intent, this two-track capsule extends the duo’s emotional vocabulary, threading new ideas through their unmistakable sonic lens for a release that underscores the expressive precision at the heart of their craft.

Casting their gaze forward on “Future Faces”, Fabio Giannelli and Alessandro Gasperini open proceedings with a fractured rhythmic chassis driven by a throbbing low-end pulse that warps with each passing beat. Heavy percussive strikes carve their path into the night before a disarming female vocal emerges from the shadows, injecting a sense of yearning and fragile wonder into the piece. A sudden brake—like tires skidding across rain-slick asphalt—ushers in laser-etched synth lines that cry out with an anthemic resolve, while iridescent sequences bubble to the surface, sealing a striking first statement on the label.

Turning the corner, Glowal unveil the esoteric “Desert Soul,” a slow-burning reverie that expands on the EP’s emotional terrain. Patiently unfolding over fragmented rhythms and a meandering bassline, neon traces guide us toward a robotic vocal presence that introduces a subtle human-machine tension. Stripped to a minimal core yet rich in sentiment, “Desert Soul” resonates with quiet introspection—an understated meditation on self-discovery that lingers well beyond its final echo.

Frenchman Franck Roger is as consistent as any of the deep house greats we have all loved and appreciated for many years. He returns to Seasons Limited with another EP of perfectly timeless sounds to back that up. Opening up this latest gem is 'Don't Make Me Wait', which is shimmering and candlelit, with wispy pads and aching vocal cries occasionally bursting out of the mix. 'The Number Track' has a more pronounced groove with lumpy kicks and this time neon chords bubble through nicely for zoned-out late-night hypnosis. 'Fast Lane' closes with a more insular and dark feel that takes you back to the early days of Chicago house with a devastating synth conveying great loneliness

Lodig / Dibek re-emerge with a new 12”, expertly delivering that analogue machine funk.
On the A-side, Glass Echoes, features two cuts between techno and electro, navigating between darkness and light, rawness and polished brilliance.
Neon Drive comes in two variations on the flip – dark and extra funky electro driven by conversing baselines, followed by a dubbed-out version designed for those moody late-night moments.

State of Minds compilation features Finnish artists working across house, electro, and techno. Industry veterans Freestyle Man (Sasse), Ender, and Phonogenic, along with label co-founder RV820, highlight a range of sounds from hypnotic house to Detroit techno, reflecting the diversity and depth of Finland’s electronic scene. Four tracks of the highest quality, this album sampler from Meltdown Deejays is not to be missed!

Auf "What's This?" liefern CS Cleaners 11 Tracks verzerrten, neonfarbenen Art-Punk, der gegen die Absurdität des modernen Lebens wettert. Die Band ist beeinflusst von der Downtown-Musik New Yorks von der ersten vielfältigen Welle des CBGB über die Mutationen und Dekonstruktionen des No-Wave. Doch auch wenn der Sound von CS Cleaners in einer Musik verwurzelt ist, die manchmal ziemlich hart sein kann, nehmen sie sich selbst keineswegs ernst: "What's This?" ist in erster Linie Tanzmusik, wenn auch in einer Form, die wild genug für diese extremen Zeiten ist. Die Charaktere, die auf What's This?" porträtiert werden, sind oft in Momenten der Selbstzweifel und Panik gefangen. Wie der narzisstische Musiker auf der Vorab-Single "Come & Go", der total ausflippt, weil er befürchtet, das Rampenlicht zu verlieren. Ben Petrosor vermittelt Pathos in Zeilen wie "if I swallow my pride, I'll split in two", die Mitgefühl für einen unsympathischen Charakter in einer nachvollziehbaren Situation wecken. Wir erleben eine Vielzahl solcher Panikattacken auf "What's This?". Sie entspringen dem Überwachungsstaat der sozialen Medien, dem Druck, in einer zunehmend feindseligen Stadt zu leben, und natürlich der Überlastung.

2026 Repress

To enter the world of Sally Townes and Roberta Vandervort is to be swept away into a dimension of unique sound. Embellishments of smoldering jazz funk, seductive soft rock, breezy AOR, and misty folk, all paint a picture of the worlds which they inhabited; from the endless flat expanse of Dallas, the hot and humid bustle of a Bourbon Street night club, to the late night buzz of a Los Angeles studio session.
While Sally Townes and Roberta Vandervort never crossed paths in our reality, their supernatural union on this compilation feels like the meeting of old, yet familiar friends, set in a parallel dimension with lives intertwined. The songs feel like old friends, too — a comforting time capsule of the popular sounds of the era, yet offering something completely new. Bridged by the striking similarities in their musical confidence, vocal conviction, and boundless creativity, both women encapsulate an uncompromising passion for living, loving, and creating on their own terms.

Trippy Journey presents Night Club EP the next chapter in the cosmic saga of Dollar the cat. Continuing his interstellar quest for sound, Dollar now finds himself drifting into the neon haze of a galactic nightclub, where the spirit of the 2000s meets futuristic frequencies.

A Side 'Night Club' fuses trippy tech energy with a garage-style bassline, acid-infused details, and a hypnotic cut built for deep late-night floors. The release also includes a huge remix from Liquid Earth, an artist who needs little introduction. His interpretation elevates the original with driving momentum, injects high-octane energy and experimental textures, pushing the original into new cosmic trip.

B Side 'Grand Hotel' delivers a darker minimal house mood a tight and built around classic synth tones that echo the essence of Trippy Cat’s sound. The EP is completed by a remix from Lisbon-based Nebulaee, who transforms it into a raw, atmospheric trip filled with experimental elements and deep textures.

Trippy Cat Wax continues to expand the sonic journey of Dollar the cat exploring the hidden corners of the universe where past, present, and future meet with new galactic sounds.

Mastered At Time Item Studio

Reliance is one of the many millions (ish) of labels that UK powerhouse Burnski heads up. This one has a focus on UKG vibes and Skeptic fits right in. His EPs are so inherently playable that they always fly off the shelves and straight into sets all across Europe. This one opens with 'Swing It', a nice sleek swinger with muted vocals and neon pads. 'Funky Flava' has more grit and bite to it with some sharp percussion and rude boy vocal stabs, then 'Steppa' is all bubbly and vibey with a smooth flow and the sort of bass that will get lips curled in mock disgust. 'Lose Control' shuts down and might be the best of the lot - gloopy bass and nice round kicks with liquid melodies and a late night warmth. Pure fire.

BICEP – das nordirische Duo Andy Ferguson und Matt McBriar – kündigt „CHROMA 000“ an, eine limitierte Sammler-Vinyl-Edition mit einer Sonderverpackung, die Tracks ihres Labels CHROMA zum Abschluss der Serie zusammenfasst und zwei neue Bonusversionen enthält. Sie umfasst zwei Schwarze Schallplatten (140g) mit maßgeschneiderten „Terrain6“-6-Wege-Hyperfarbdruck-Außenhüllen. Jede Einheit enthält außerdem eine 12-Zoll-Neon-Acrylplatte mit Lasergravur (eine von vier einzigartigen Versionen, die zufällig mit jedem Produkt geliefert werden), die alle in einer durchsichtigen braunen Mylar-Hülle mit Pantone-Siebdruck untergebracht sind. Wie bei allen visuellen Produkten von CHROMA basiert das Design des Boxsets auf der einzigartigen und unverwechselbaren visuellen Identität von CHROMA, die in Zusammenarbeit mit David Rudnick und seinem Terrain Studio entstanden ist. Diese basiert auf einem maßgeschneiderten visuellen System und einer Typografie, die sich durch alle Aspekte des CHROMA-Projekts ziehen, vom Artwork über die Pressefotos bis hin zu den visuellen Elementen, die von Zak Norman, dem visuellen Partner von BICEP LIVE, entwickelt wurden und die er in die unglaubliche CHROMA AV-, Licht- und Lasershow integriert hat. Die Veröffentlichung von „CHROMA 000“ bildet nur einen Teil des ehrgeizigen, weitreichenden CHROMA-Projekts von BICEP, das sich über fast zwei Jahre hinweg über ihr eigenes CHROMA-Plattenlabel, eine Reihe kuratierter Veranstaltungen und eine sich ständig weiterentwickelnde hybride DJ/ Live-CHROMA-AV-Show entwickelt hat, die rund um den Globus getourt ist und über 70 Shows vor mehr als 500.000 Menschen gespielt hat, darunter Prime-Slots bei legendären Festivals wie Glastonbury, Parklife und Coachella sowie zwei ausverkaufte Takeovers im Londoner Finsbury Park, Brighton Beach und aufeinanderfolgende jährliche Takeovers im Londoner Drumsheds mit einer Kapazität von 15.000 Besuchern.

2026 Repress


DJ Koze's 2013 album opus Amygdala has continued to bewitch all who encounter it since its release. Tipped as his own personal Sgt. Pepper, the sublime long-player revealed a fully-realised and personal body of work, complete with a classic songwriting at its core, House in its heart, and veins coursing with psychedelic color. La Duquesa' was the album's dreamy single standout, a journey into deep, tropical ecstasy. XTC' begins in the same spirit, and captures the all the blissful allusions of its name, but its initial gentility belies the deep intensity to come. Floating pads glow with celestial ambience as a kick drum is gradually coaxed into solid form, and the introduction of spoken text begins the second act. Many people are experimenting with the drug Ecstasy,' it says, ...is the drug like the lie and meditation the truth Or am I missing something that could really help me". XTC' then transforms: sweetly imploring tones become demanding, gentle gradients between chords turn hard-edged, and sharp hi-hats cut through the haze. Complete with Koze's signature percussive quirks, it drives towards the track's final pay off: an undeniable, all-consuming, irresistible high. Knee On Belly' recalls Koze at his most tongue-in-cheek and overt, it is bright, bold and literally brassy, using cut-up horns of all shapes and sizes to patchwork together his own unique arrangement. With the highs and mid ranges accounted for, Koze adds in a swollen, thrumming bass line to mix to bring this floor-filler to life. Knee on Belly' recalls a raw, filtered and funky approach to groove, with a nod to disco house and the art of artful sampling, as it orbits between its own neon highs and simmering lows.

Imagine it’s 1987.

The neon is glowing, the lasers are cutting through the smoke, and space synth is ruling the dancefloors. Laserdance just dropped their groundbreaking album “Future Generation.” Tracks like “Power Run” and “Humanoid Invasion” are setting clubs on fire, and every bedroom producer dreams of reaching that cosmic perfection.

And in this athmosphere Spacehawk appears shining like an alien spaceship.

Behind the name Spacehawk stands Swedish producer Anton Eriksson, a modern-day craftsman of analog dreams. In his vast studio, packed with vintage synths and drum machines, Anton creates electronic masterpieces so authentic, so rich in melody and power, that even Michiel van der Kuy himself, the godfather of the genre, decided to collaborate with him.

The result? “Space Patrol” – a landmark single that bridges generations of synth lovers.

On the A-side, you’ll find Anton’s stunning original version, pulsating, melodic, and bursting with energy. Flip it over, and you get a remix by Michiel van der Kuy that feels like a time warp straight back to the golden age of Italo-space glory.

“Space Patrol” has it all: soaring melodies, driving basslines, hypnotic rhythm, and that unmistakable intergalactic energy that makes you feel like you’re racing through the stars.

Fans of Laserdance, Rygar, Koto, Syntech, and all things van der Kuy will instantly recognize the DNA of true space synth excellence here.

To top it all off the single comes on a bright yellow vinyl, housed in a stunning retro-futuristic sleeve that looks like it beamed in straight from 1980s sci-fi.

It’s not just a release. It’s a revival.

And if space synth runs through your veins, this is one you simply can’t ignore.

Das Beste Aus Hagen Redux is an icy transmission from the early circuitry of European minimalism. A revives the pulse of proto-electro with surgical precision—pure voltage, no excess. Cold synth lines snake through monochrome rhythms, delivering drama without decadence. It’s music for neon-lit silence and synthetic nostalgia, built from tape hiss, static tension, and analog dreams. Minimal synth stripped to the bone—resistant, elegant, and eternal. Presented in ONE- OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid WHITE vinyl. All tracks have been specially remastered for vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios (Germany).

Die Welt wird immer verrückter. Gut, dass es Musik gibt, die uns in eine positive, optimistische Welt gleiten lässt. SCHILLER präsentiert mit dem neuen Studioalbum "Euphoria" ein kraftvolles musikalisches Gegengewicht zur Unberechenbarkeit unserer Zeit: voller Energie, positiver Schwingungen und cineastischer Klangwelten. Musik zum Abschalten, Auftanken - und zum Eintauchen in eine hypnotische Atmosphäre.
Die limitierte Color Vinyl im Gatefold beinhaltet das "Euphoria"-Album auf 2 audiophilen 180g Vinyls in den Farben Neonpink und Carouso - jeweils in einer gepolsterten Innentasche verpackt
"Euphoria" ist ein mitreißendes Klangabenteuer - episch, bildgewaltig und berührend.

About SCHILLER
Hinter SCHILLER steht der deutsche Elektronik-Künstler Christopher von Deylen, der seit über zwei Jahrzehnten internationale Maßstäbe in der elektronischen Musik setzt. Seine Werke verbinden elektronische Sounds mit orchestralen Elementen, packenden Rhythmen und atmosphärischer Tiefe. SCHILLER ist weltweit bekannt für ausverkaufte Live-Tourneen, hohe Chartplatzierungen und musikalische Kooperationen mit internationalen Top-Künstlern.
Mit zahlreichen Gold- und Platinauszeichnungen sowie unzähligen Nummer-1-Erfolgen gilt SCHILLER als einer der erfolgreichsten deutschen Elektronik-Acts - und als musikalischer Grenzgänger zwischen Pop, Ambient, Klassik und Klangkunst.

Influences and inspirations come from far and wide. Sometimes they can be household names or pioneers. Other times, they can be lesser-known outfits; less known, but no less influential. Futuro belong to the latter category for Italo Moderni.

Javier and Raúl are two Spanish synthesizer sorcerers who are steeped in the traditions of italo disco and the analogue sounds of the 1980s. While Italo Moderni was still in its infancy, Futuro were a shining light with a young upstart by the name of Adrian Marth even making videos for their tracks. From these beginnings, a mutual respect and friendship developed. Now, the circle is complete with the six tracks making their way onto Accidenti; an EP that marks Futuro’s debut on Italo Moderni.

The collection showcases the breadth of Futuro’s sound. With all instrumentation played through classic analogue machines, the six works journey through neon-streaked city nights, deep uncharted jungle and sun-kissed beaches. Drawing on the music of Rimini, silver screen soundtracks and arcade innocence, this is an EP that remembers and reimagines the 1980s. Intent is immediately set, with the tense and textured “L’assalto” delivering movie score synth stabs alongside crisp percussion. “Matador” is pure elegance, panpipe playfulness countered by glacial refrains and shimmering key shifts. “Iguazu” transports the listener to the wildlife and wilderness of the Amazon; cascading chords glisten as the canopy sings. Futuro takes to the skies with the sonorous swoops of “Il sogno dell’aviatore” before the lovelorn landing of “Fantasma d’amore”, a sumptuous synthesizer serenade of unrequited romance. To close, we’re firmly on the ground for “Sotto le stelle.” Under these sparkling stars, glimmering notes glow with warmth in a finale fitting for such an EP.

And, it is fitting to finally have Futuro on Italo Moderni. A group that has inspired and will continue to do so well into the future. An accidental discovery, mutual respect and a partnership rooted in a love of synthesizers has brought Accidenti into being.

Chet Fakers Debütalbum 'Built On Glass' (2014) neu aufgelegt auf crystal clear Doppelvinyl!

Das Album ist eine atmosphärische Mischung aus elektronischer Musik, Soul und Downtempo-Indie. Mit seiner rauchigen Stimme und minimalistischen Produktion erschafft der australische Musiker intime Klangwelten, die zwischen melancholischer Reflexion und sanftem Groove schwanken. Das Album fühlt sich wie eine nächtliche Autofahrt durch neonbeleuchtete Straßen an – introspektiv, aber voller Rhythmus. Ein Meilenstein des modernen Electro-Soul.

- Ltd. Col. 2LP: (Crystal Clear Vinyl)

The neon "pdqb Arcade" sign in Port Astra flickered with the same chaotic energy it had decades ago. Six men, now with more gray hair and worries than they once had, stood at the entrance. They were the "Lucky Six," reunited after years of scattered lives and separate paths.

"I can't believe this place is still here" said Noise, who had flown in from Tokyo. "It hasn't changed 8 bits, haha". CEM, now a father of 3340 synthesizers from Bari, replied with a grin. "We have. Look at Galaxian, he's unrecognizable!"

Each of them held a single, precious coin. Their plan, born of a wave of nostalgia and the understanding that they couldn't stay forever, was simple: one coin, one game, one last chance to be a legend. Each man would choose the game that meant the most to him and play the round of his life…

At the end, pdqb, the arcade owner, came up to the guys. "Don't be sad", he said. "Even if it was your last credit, there's always one more somewhere in some game". He then walked through the arcade and played four different machines that just happened to have an extra credit on them. "See?", he said.

Synaptic Cliffs proudly presents pdqb together with six black belt gamers (PRZ, Noise&Noise, Galaxian, CEM3340, Dark Vektor, Mesak), each a legend in their own right. They don't just replay pdqb's 8 1/2 Bit album; they become it. Together, they embark on a journey through legendary worlds, creating a place filled with soundscapes and challenges that blur the line between music and game. They move with the rhythm of the music and face the challenges within, weaving their own stories into the fabric of the iconic work.

Quadratschulz returns to Clone / Dub Recordings with a sonic ode to Tokyo - ??six beautifully crafted tracks inspired by the neon-lit nights and electric pulse of the city. Drawing from the spirit of Japanese electronics, arcade culture, and city pop nostalgia, he blends crisp rhythms with emotive melodies and playful synth work. It'??s a journey through dreamy downtowns and rain-soaked alleyways, full of warmth, precision, and imagination. Of course, Japanese electronics play a key role - ??led by the unmistakable playful sound of the Roland TB-303 weaving through the tracks like a main character. Braindance for the dancefloor - ??Quadratschulz in top form. First limited press on opaque red vinyl.




b 02 The Garden of Evermod Shoseien Version

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

DJ Support: Axel Boman, Coyote, Rune Lindbaek, Dr Rob (Ban Ban Ton Ton), Lefto, Johan Blende, Feel Fly, Marco Gallerani and many more

Secret Soul Society, aka South Wales's Cal Gibson, continues his red-hot streak of form with four original jams for Hell Yeah that effortlessly weave decades of influences into intimate, unusual sounds that go from Balearic daydreams to after-hours soul burners.

Gibson was one-half of Nottingham's deep house and downtempo outfit Neon Heights back in the 2000s, a collective that label head Marco has long admired. He has landed here before with the superb Keep The Mystique in 2023, a 15-track collection of brand new curveball cuts built from lovingly sourced samples. Since then, he has continued to collide jazz, funk, Afro, beats, dub, soul and reggae on Paper Wave and Magic Wand.

'To Be Happy' opens with gentle, sun-soaked grooves, swirling keys and dreamy pads that evoke a hazy Mediterranean sunset. Nostalgic soul samples tug at the heart while the track’s laid-back vibe is perfect for golden-hour moments. 'Orange Surprise' is a magical slice of downtempo bliss with hints of romantic vocals. It's built on soft broken rhythms and drifts between ambient soul and laid-back electronica, perfect for introspective moments or late-night winding down.

'Keep On Trying' flips the script with more texture. The synths are crystalline, the pads are sugary, and the meandering bassline unfolds in wonky fashion while soft male vocals bring a steamy edge. Last but not least, 'What You Do To Me' is funky and slow motion disco with 80s synths and reverb that drowns you in good vibes.

This EP is Secret Soul Society at his most expressive and emotive.

Arriving two years after the first chapter, Absurd Matter 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s an evolution, redrawing the boundaries established by its acclaimed predecessor. The Berlin-based Italian producer tempers his confrontational sonics with rare moments of introspection, shifting seamlessly between blown-out noise, warped hip-hop, mutant club experimentation, and weightless ambience. Textures disintegrate and reassemble, rhythms flex and crumble, and every detail balances on the edge of fantasy. It’s a poetic, layered response to Nino Pedone’s changing physical reality: the gradual hearing loss and perceptual renegotiation triggered by Ménière’s disease, which struck him in 2022. At first, the experience felt like betrayal, a brutal disconnection from the very sense that had shaped his life. But over time, the disorientation turned into a strange kind of focus. The silence between sounds became as expressive as the sounds themselves.
The first Absurd Matter was a visceral reaction to trauma; the second is more reflective – an ambiguous chronicle of sensory recalibration. Pedone doesn’t represent his altered inner reality through extremes, but through depth, zooming in on illusory distortions, tense rhythmic fluctuations, and fragmented sonics. Dense, immersive, and mystical, the album mirrors Pedone’s evolving relationship with perception itself.
Tinnitus-like feedback wails and noir-ish strings introduce “Repeater”, making it immediately clear that Pedone is painting a more delicately finessed image this time around. Fleshed out by raps from cult MCs billy woods and E L U C I D, the track is marked by subtle, sophisticated contrasts: the blurred, inverted rhythms that couch Armand Hammer’s haunted back-and-forth, and the glitchy interference that offsets the lavish orchestral phrases. Backwoodz associate Fatboi Sharif lends his Lynchian drawl to “Bandage Chipped Wings”, grounding Pedone’s lysergic rhythmic distortions with syrupy, horror-inspired couplets. Pedone also invites discomfort into “Crash Landing”, with droning, metallic tones that contradict South Central rapper ICECOLDBISHOP’s elastic flow. “Bitch, I don't give a fuck about anybody,” he squawks over Pedone’s incongruous rasping textures and time-warped beats, “cash out at any party.” Working alongside London’s Loraine James on production, Pedone reunites with Moor Mother on “I Saw The Light”, blending James’ soft-focus atmospherics with soundsystem-damaging, overdriven bass hits and rusted percussive snips. Moor Mother’s assertive words hover over the wreckage, tightening Pedone’s themes of overstimulation and altered awareness as they stutter and veer off course, vanishing into the backdrop.
Contrasting his more pensive experiments, Pedone’s dancefloor deviations are more concentrated on Absurd Matter 2 than ever before. He torches a stuttering dembow structure on “X”, obfuscating the rhythm’s familiar energy with disturbing audio hallucinations. On “Splintered”, he reunites with Kenyan prodigy Slikback, mangling neon-lit trance arpeggios with dissociated trap rhythms. He sharpens his skills to a fine point on “Oblivion Step”, observing 2- step through a lens of distortion and personal abstraction, shaking blipping synth leads over neck-snapping drums and counteracting the momentum with airless sci-fi soundscapes.
Perhaps the album’s most surprising moment arrives with “Viel”, which features vocals from Los Angeles-based composer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Together, Pedone and Smith chance upon their notion of dub techno, fogging synth stabs and ghostly vocal traces into eerie harmonic distortions. On some level, it’s almost pop music, a far cry from the bleak dissonance of Absurd Matter and a hopeful way to reframe turbulence as transformation. Absurd Matter 2 doesn’t simply document a process; it enacts one. It doesn’t offer clarity; it invites disorientation. It’s not a map of the labyrinth, but a foghorn piercing the darkness.

ZYX Italo Disco New Generation – Limited 5LP Box

Ein echtes Sammlerstück für alle Italo Disco Fans!

Diese streng limitierte 5 LP Box vereint gleich fünf Alben aus der erfolgreichen „ZYX Italo Disco New Generation Vinyl Serie“ – erstmals als exklusives Box-Set erhältlich. Auf insgesamt 5 hochwertigen Vinyl erwartet dich eine einmalige Zusammenstellung von Klassikern und modernen Hymnen im typischen Italo-Disco-Sound, der weltweit Fans begeistert. Tauche ein in die Welt des Italo Disco – mit dieser Box sicherst du dir ein Stück Musikgeschichte zum unschlagbaren Preis!

The black and white hoverbike flew out of the fog at breakneck speed and raced through the neon-lit urban jungle of the Havan metropolis. It manoeuvred steadily between the skyscrapers, trying to throw off the tail of the corporal's convoy, which was getting closer by the moment, preventing it from sneaking away with the seemingly easy-to-get Zero-G prototype. This weapon could create an anti-gravity field with a single shot and disable even the largest battle cruiser. That's why an elite squad of cyber-soldiers equipped with modified implants and gadgets was sent in pursuit not to allow them to ease off for a second.


With a sharp steering wheel jerk, Spacelunch turned off the main street and into a narrow alley. "Your turn!" – He shouted insistently over the engine's roar. Cat rose from the back seat, took aim, and deftly fired his blaster. In a pall of sparks and smoke, the pursuer's hoverbike spun out of control and crashed into the building. Gritting their teeth, the friends raced through the winding maze of obstacles and tight turns. All senses were heightened with excitement. They could see a gap ahead and a way out into the slums.


Suddenly, a heavily armed police drone blocked the road, aiming its red gun lights at them. Spacelunch decisively grabbed Cat and jumped into the so-fortunately spotted sewer manhole, barely managing to dodge the gunfire barrage. After landing in a pitch-dark narrow tunnel, they moved on, with every step feeling the growing tension in the air and realizing that they could be found out at any moment. The darkness seemed endless. The only consolation was that they had the prototype in their hands, and now all they had to do was get to the spaceship and get off this freaking planet.

With shimmering synths, driving basslines, and cosmic rhythms, each track becomes a time machine—rooted in retro aesthetics, yet engineered for tomorrow’s dancefloors. The result is a sonic experience that’s as cinematic as it is danceable, channeling the spirit of neon-drenched nights and digital utopias alike.

10 years ago in 2015, The Golden Lion in Todmorden opened its doors under the guidance of Gig & Waka, Cloudwater brewed their first ever beers, the dance floors of Manchester got introduced to the world of Supernature Disco and from his spare room at home in Bolton Chris Massey started Sprechen.

What followed over the next decade has been a wild ride of amazing people, memorable (though fuzzy!) parties, creativity, art, expression, performance and at the centre of it all of course, the music.
Sprechen has never been one style or sound. A reflection of varied musical tastes without any limitations of style or genres, just a passion to share good music.
Over the last decade, Sprechen has been lucky enough to both work with and meet many like-minded cosmic creatives that share this mindset and that have all played a major role in the story.

Ein Null is a collection of original tracks from some of Sprechen's nearest & dearest who, for the last 10 years, have helped shaped the label via releases, remixes or performing at events.
It's wonky & weird, banging & beautiful, cosmic & consciousness-expanding and it continues to connect the invisible dots of club music and more abstract listening experiences.

From basements & beyond to sunsets & psychedelic socials...we are pleased to present this electronically charged selection of soundscapes courtesy of like-minded musical humans including; The Utopia Strong, A Certain Ratio, Lena C., Gina Breeze, Low Pulse, Psychederek, Lindstrøm, Supernature Disco, PBR Streetgang and of course Chris Massey.

Limited to a run of 300 vinyl with double-sided screen-printed sleeve.

The magic of A Vision of Panorama returns with the new album Serene Architect — a meditative yet rhythmic journey through luminous musical structures. This is a record about space: physical, internal, emotional.

Known for his soft Balearic touch, coastal synths, and an almost telepathic sense of groove, A Vision of Panorama offers something more here — a designed world where every sound functions as a piece of sonic architecture.

The album features tracks previously released on the legendary Café del Mar — On Avance, Baby Konyawa, Rumbabuena, Golden Sand, Neon Whispers - now reimagined in exclusive versions created specifically for vinyl. These new interpretations sound deeper and more expansive, subtly reinforcing the album’s architectural concept: to renew the familiar without destroying its essence. Architecture of calm, harmony in motion - Serene Architect designs sound for open skies and slow dances beneath the sun.

Jazz pianist, composer and electronic music producer, Alessandro Deledda returns with ISLA CHROMATICA, a new project released exclusively on vinyl.
Blending retrosynth textures, Balearic electronics and touches of classic Italo disco, the record unfolds as a colorful sonic journey between analog atmospheres, dreamy grooves and Mediterranean-inspired moods. Drawing from his background in jazz and his experience releasing on several international labels, Deledda crafts a sound that is both nostalgic and forward-looking, where warm synthesizers, rhythm machines and melodic sensibility meet on an imaginary island of sound.

The formative years of Hunter Thompson’s music as Akasha System were seeded and shaped by the shrouded meadows and wet woodlands of the Pacific Northwest: Sea Glass, Shadow Self, Echo Earth, Geomind. But pandemic flux flipped the script, prompting a migration to the monsoon tropics of Tampa. Heliocene ushers in a fresh chapter in the Akashic record, recasting the project’s precision synergy of cellular melody, holographic pads, spiral tribalism, and eco-futurist swing for a new solar age.

The album’s eight songs were recorded across 2023 and 2024, inspired by explorations of the many sanctuaries hidden in Florida’s ragged paradise: singing towers, ancient grottoes, emerald lagoons. From vortex house (“Purity Vector,” “Sun Particle”) to mirage electronica (“Haunted Planet,” “Soma Totem”) to hand drum divination (“Terraform Dream”), the sides flow, glow, and gleam, dialed in but dreaming out, tracing radiant waves of the eternal now.

“This album is a meditation to experience where and when you are, fully and wholly, regardless of where the path leads.”

An elusive and quiet figure amidst the Portuguese electronic scene, Timóteo Azevedo aka Random Gods releases his debut album on Discrepant's sub label Souk after his killer appearance in the long sold out 'Antologia de Música Atípica Portuguesa Vol. 2' compilation back in 2019.
With two previous EPs on Danse Noire and ZABRA, Random Gods' futurist visions project themselves through a scavenger-like body music assembled from the hopes and debris of these uncertain and dread-inducing times. Rituals conjured from metal shards, blunted kickdrums, submerged basslines, reverberating textures, cut up vocals and lazer guided melodies.

The orchestral runs of opener 'Abertura' as a glimmer of nervous light into the deep end bass weight meditations on syncopated kicks and grimey synth stabs of 'Somatiga'. Slow burner 'Pneuma' conjures neon synth lines into its halfstep flow, while 'Acervo' complicates the rhythm further with its profusion of crumbling kickdrums, tossed off claps and tonal percussion. 'Prumoo' dwells deeper into post-industrial ardkore nuum with its merciless drum patterns and molten basslines and 'Alvoro' feels like footwork taken into those same wastelands, with a nervous percussive backbone from some ancient future - take that as you will. Closer 'Ex.Tejo' brims with a certain sunrise melancholy among the storm as if there's still some hope after all.

Let's hold on to it.

London-based producer, vocalist, and DJ System Olympia is set to unveil her latest project, M3 Opera,
a five-track EP that fuses her signature sensual synth soundscapes with a bold conceptual twist.

Dropping on April 25th 2025 via her own Okay Nature Records, the EP features a unique collaboration with five distinct female vocalists, each lending their voice to a standalone "act" in this sonic drama.

Inspired by the sleek power of the BMW M3 and the theatrical grandeur of opera, M3 Opera reimagines the EP format as a multi-act narrative.
Each song accelerates through a different emotional gear—romance, tension, liberation—while the lush pads, gritty drums, and dreamy melodies System Olympia is known for provide the horsepower. "This is about motion and drama," System Olympia explains. "The M3 is that late-night drive, the pulse of the road. The opera is the story unfolding with every voice, every act."

The EP showcases an all-female lineup of vocalists, each bringing their own flavour to the journey. From sultry confessions to soaring crescendos, the tracks weave together a tapestry of feminine energy that’s both intimate and expansive—think *Delta of Venus* meets horsepower under green neon lights.

Following the success of 2024’s *Sanctified* EP with Working Men’s Club and her acclaimed NTS Radio residency, M3 Opera solidifies System Olympia’s reputation as a visionary who blends retro-futuristic
sounds with raw emotion. The EP promises to be a ride worth taking, whether cruising the streets or losing yourself on the dance floor.

Produced by French duo Froid Dub who here step out of their digi-dub groove to slip into the synthetic post-punk colors of FOTOGENICO, the film by Marcia Romano and Benoît Sabatier, which follows the wanderings of a father in search of the story of his deceased daughter, with only the music she recorded as a clue. Featuring covers of tracks by The Field Mice, Luna and 1000 Ohm, this soundtrack is a pivotal element of the movie.

"Quit to Play Chess" is the final studio album of Cola Boyy, who tragically passed away in March 2024 after winning the hearts of neo-disco and funk enthusiasts, from Los Angeles to Paris, from Coachella to London.


After a critically acclaimed EP (Black Boogie Neon, 2018), a debut album (Prosthetic Boombox, 2021), and collaborations with the likes of MGMT, Benny Sings and The Avalanches, the self-proclaimed Disabled Disco Innovator was able to finish his new album, groovier than ever.


Without boundaries of styles, tinted with hiphop, R'n'B and drum & bass, and faithful to his very unique flow, Cola Boyy offers one last record in his image: 12 generous, inventive, psychedelic and passionate tracks. An album painting a nuanced yet lyrical portrait of its era, drawing on the diversity of the contemporary world to offer anthems for those who are in lack of them.


The album is a work of goldsmith on the production side, with music craftsmen like Andrew VanWyngarden (MGMT), Jared Solomon (producer of SZA, Lola Young, Remi Wolf, Fousheé...), Nate Fox (Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne) and Lewis OfMan, who build "Quit to Play Chess" as the most current and genuine project of its author...

"Bordeaux-based emerging talent Salomee deals in menacing and moody atmospheres, drawing on a range of techno, electro, house, and the ill-lit corners in between. Hypnotizing and neon-tinged melodies drive her tracks: these are bare bones, high on repetition, and very compelling. They come backed by elaborate and agile drum rhythms, composed with a rawness that references the most seasoned inspirations. The Before Time Began EP sees the artist further develop her sangfroid aesthetics with four tracks that assuredly reach beyond bunkers and basements. On Sacred Gatherings, several entrancing, alternating arpeggios work up a spark against a backdrop of tightly choreographed kicks and SH101 patterns. When the cut rises to a peak, a salvo of vocal chops drops - a rare event in Salomee's discography, even though the samples are rearranged beyond recognition. Before Time Began utilizes a similar palette, but this time, an undercurrent of melancholy seems to propel the track. A leisurely modulated, dubby sub segment amplifies the theme. By The Sea combines dark bass sequences and strings as gloomy as a fog horn with vivid 909 drums. The highs of the lavishly programmed hats and claps and the intense lead provide a slug of energy. It is a rendition of trance, manipulating both the genre's and the artist's signifiers. On Love Prevails, a slowly filtered, heavily delayed lead is spread atop a Bristol techno style beat. An array of cinematographic chords and subtly mixed gasps inject this closing track with a precarious balance, one that explores the tension between yearning and relief."

Azzurro 80's new album—his first ever on LP—is a beautifully faded Polaroid that, like a true flashback, plunges listeners into the heart of the 1980s. It's a sonic journey that captures the essence of a decade, distant yet vividly etched in our collective memory.

The Roman producer unleashes his sonic vision with even greater intensity than before, weaving through dreamy italo-disco, electric atmospheres, soundtrack-worthy synth-pop, and boogie-funk grooves.

Each track opens a window onto an era the artist experienced only fleetingly as a child, yet he evokes it with a powerful and refreshingly original touch. Much like a classic library music record, these tracks conjure a wealth of images, scenes, and visual sequences—perfect soundtracks for imagined films or evocative advertising campaigns: as seductive as a perfume ad, as desirable as a car commercial, and brimming with the bright future the 80s promised.

It's no surprise that cinematic references spring to mind even before musical ones. The album echoes the dreamy atmospheres of early 80s Italian cinema, particularly films like Carlo Verdone's "Acqua e Sapone" (1983) and Carlo Vanzina's "Amarsi Un Po'" (1984). Meanwhile, flashes of New Romantic aesthetics and hints of electro-funk transport you to a neon-lit dance floor where a DJ is spinning the vinyl copy of Flashback.

Azzurro 80's new album is a vibrant, energetic work, balancing groove and emotion in equal measure and infused with a sense of nostalgia that feels remarkably contemporary.

Available May 9th on LP and Digital from Four Flies Records!

This 59 minute piece was conceived as part of a total environment for the exhibition Deus Ex Machina.



The project as a whole seeks to define and articulate the emotional, cultural and aesthetic manifestations of man’s uneasy relationship with technology. The music takes the form of a film score complete with stylized dialogue and actions.



During the 59 minutes four basic layers repeat in various configurations.The effect is to provide a template of narrative in which the pieces exhibited may become protagonists, situated in hypothetical scenarios which illustrate the contentions of Deus Ex Machina and the transmission of information.



Review:“Paul Schütze’s debut album from 1989 sets his stall out from the start; with a cyber update on Jon Hassell’s notion of ‘Fourth World Music”. Schütze’s music always sounds like it could be an alternative soundtrack to ‘Blade Runner’ (be aware fellow purists, I did state “alternative”), and this album is probably the perfect candidate if in some other dimension the Vangelis OST was no longer deemed satisfactory (such a dimension surely cannot exist). The listener feels like they’re walking through the rain soaked, neon-lit streets of a future LA with Deckard.” – Jay Harper

Daniel Monaco and John Noseda join forces for Alektra, a new project born out of a deep love for Hi-NRG and raw 808 sounds. Renowned for their dj sets, trips that delve into tropical obscurities, Chicago jack and Rimini romances, the pair have channelled a unique blend of untamed house and shimmering italo melodies into pure dancefloor euphoria. Their debut release, “Shake Your Body,” drops on Bordello A Parigi. Neon synthwork is punctured by clean punches of percussion, scaling melodies set firmly in the golden analogue era. Key stabs drive the track with Only Bee’s honeyed lyrics pushing the energy levels higher. In true 1980s anthem form, the flip is dedicated to the instrumental with the synthesizers and their hypnotic melodies taking centre stage: Alektra’s machines smouldering with fiery intensity. That same intensity closes, Only Bee’s mellifluous vocals given the limelight for the acapella close. Dancefloor definitions redefined. Welcome to Alektra.

We’re back! With two heavyweight artists of Spanish Electro: Dark Vektor and Robert Cosmic. Four tracks (two each) delivering pure electro with a sharp, energetic edge—exploring aliens, neons, and conspiracies.

It has been less than a year since the dreamy 'Words of Love' single, yet Mystic Jungle is back with a new album of free-spirited forays into solar-sonic fantasy.

Despite the short time between releases, Dario di Pace’s third LP, 'Sunset Breaker', has been in gestation for a long while and reflects an arduous journey through studio closures and multiple recording locations. It also shows the stylistic variety that results when a set of songs develops over several years. Despite this difficult journey, Mystic Jungle has produced a rich and multi-colored display of sounds and styles, resulting in his most diverse and adventurous musical narrative thus far.

Standout dance tracks like “Secrets” and “Some Lovin'” feature disco beats and body-moving grooves, with searing guitars, sultry saxophones, and layers of loved-up lyrics and call-and-response vocals that add to the magical motion. Meanwhile, “Innervision” and “Twilight” draw inspiration from lovers rock and neon new-wave dub pop, where yearning vocals, ecstatic pixie hooks, and liquid fuzz leads intertwine with fantasy synths and exotic string instruments from faraway lands. On sunbaked, stoner tracks like “The Road” and “Get Me Higher”, Mystic Jungle blends harmonizing passages of 60s psychedelia, radiant summer soul, and low-down zoner jamming.

Single Sided Vinyl

Meet Camy Huot: a French performance artist, music producer, and DJ currently based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Known for driving the pulse of the underground scene via her events, radio shows and DJ sets at live shows & festivals (e.g. Best Kept Secret, Gothic Pogo and Grauzone)

The night stretches elastic, twisted. You’re a hostage to the rhythm, riding the edge of something primal and broken. Neon shadows flinch and fold into your peripheral vision. A voice, your own maybe, says you don’t have to worry about it. The night insists. The echoes pile up in your skull, turning themselves inside out. –It’s boring here, and I don’t wanna go home–

For her debut EP “Echoes in my Room”, Camy Huot set out to write about what she knows, channeling a primal collection of fucked up thoughts through an invigorating, brutally honest clash of feverish noise, cavernous textures and arpeggiated beats.

For fans of Sexy Sushi, L.F.T.

CINEMATIC VOYAGE THROUGH COSMIC RITUAL AND ETERNAL SOUND - a work that exists outside time—equally at home in the temples of antiquity and the neon-lit voids of speculative futures, merging ceremonial percussion, interstellar synthwaves, and wordless incantations into a 31-minute ritual for the infinite. Born from a three-year metamorphosis between studio and stage and rooted in a Takhmira (a Zar ritual poem), Ninety Nine Eyes channels the archetypal quest—a search for the “land where light is seated.” Its soundscapes evoke the grandeur of forgotten civilizations and the hum of celestial machinery: droning mizmar lines and drowning tombak and duff rhythms dissolve into maximalist synth storms; choirs of phantom voices rise like starlight through the static of ages. - Sound: Structured like a Sufi Hadra, the LP’s undulating peaks pull at old ways of communing with the divine - Part I builds tension, a breath before the storm, while Part II erupts into unfettered synth-drenched trance, gates flung open - only the listener can close the circle through their own interpretation.- For fans of Vangelis’ Blade Runner, Jon Hassell’s Fourth World, Alice Coltrane’s spiritual jazz, Autechre’s glitch rituals, and Pauline Oliveros’ deep listening.- Production: Mixed by VII, mastered by Heba Kadry (Björk, Ryuichi Sakamoto).- Artwork: Features a portrait of Yunis by Cairo underground photographer Kafrawy and hand-sewn costume design by Alaa Eideh, with graphic design by Giovanni Murolo (Countersubject). EU Tour spring 25

Daryl Systems: The Wall Street Investor Turned Synth Maestro_
Daryl Systems, a former Wall Street stockbroker, found his true calling in music after a successful career in finance. Born and raised in the heart of New York City, Daryl made his fortune in the high-stakes world of stocks during the booming 90s. By the mid-90s, he had amassed significant wealth, allowing him to retire early and turn his attention to his lifelong passion: music.
Daryl relocated to Sweden, a country known for its rich history of electronic music, and began amassing a vast collection of vintage synthesizers. Inspired by the analog sounds of 70s and 80s synth music, Daryl became deeply immersed in the world of electronic production, creating lush, nostalgic melodies with a modern edge. His music blends the warmth of classic synths with innovative soundscapes, capturing a sense of retro-futurism.
Daryl's work is rooted in the tradition of vintage synth music, drawing influences from early electronic pioneers, while adding his own contemporary twist. He quickly gained a reputation within the underground scene for his impeccable taste in synthesizers and his ability to weave intricate, atmospheric tracks. His unique background and sound have made him a sought-after producer within the global electronic music community.

Mr. Fantasy: The Latin Italo Lover and Synth Collector
Mr. Fantasy is a true embodiment of the Italo disco movement, with a deep love for the genre and a keen passion for synthesizers. Hailing from Latin origins, Mr. Fantasy’s music is a vibrant tribute to the golden era of 80s Italo disco, blending nostalgic melodies with rich, rhythmic layers. With a particular obsession for collecting vintage synthesizers, Mr. Fantasy's music brings the analog warmth of the past into the present, creating a captivating blend of melodic hooks and captivating synths.
He grew up listening to the Italo disco classics, developing a fascination for the genre's distinctive sound, which he now incorporates into his music. Mr. Fantasy’s tracks are filled with pulsating beats, dreamy synths, and smooth basslines, all influenced by the golden age of Italian disco and electronic music.
His passion for synthesizers is matched only by his dedication to creating the perfect track. By blending his Latin roots with the shimmering sounds of Italo disco and the energy of modern electronic dance music, Mr. Fantasy has carved a niche for himself in the underground electronic scene.

The Collaboration: "Sensazione Elettronica" EP
In a highly anticipated collaboration, Daryl Systems and Mr. Fantasy have teamed up to release a new EP for the Italian record label Maledetta Discoteca. This collaboration brings together their shared love for vintage synthesizers, the Italo disco influence, and a passion for deep, atmospheric electronics.
Sensazione Elettronica features four electrifying tracks that blend retro vibes with fresh, forward-thinking production. Drawing from their unique backgrounds—Daryl's transition from the world of finance to full-time music production, and Mr. Fantasy’s deep connection to Italo disco—they have created a sound that is both nostalgic and innovative.
The EP showcases their mastery of classic synthesizers, with catchy melodies, driving basslines, and smooth, atmospheric textures that transport listeners to a world of neon-lit discos and timeless electronic rhythms. It’s an exhilarating project that marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in both of their musical journeys.

For the second vinyl release of GNC Records we got five tracks meant for a dark night at the club, produced straight out of the Patagonia by argentine heavyweight Saigg. This EP has four Electro Techno cuts and it also includes a killer remix by argentine EBM live duo KRSSV. Throughout the release, playful basslines interact with arpeggiated synthesizers generating a fun climate that becomes more and more tense while reverberant atmospheres bring the night to its climax. On the side A, we can appreciate how sharp drums build up intensity on the dancefloor in order to leave everything on point for side B, where breakbeats and diffused vocals transport the listener to an induced psychedelic state, a dystopic void representative of the producer and his sonic quest.

Googling “paradise house”, the first results to pop up are an endless list of European b&b’s with whitewashed lime façades, all of them promising “…an unmatched travel experience a few steps from the sea”. Next, a little further down, are the institutional websites of a few select semi-luxury retirement homes (no photos shown, but lots of stock images of smiling nurses with reassuring looks). To find the “paradise house” we’re after, we have to scroll even further down. Much further down.

It feels like yesterday, and at the same time it seems like a million years ago. The Eighties had just ended, and it was still unclear what to expect from the Nineties. Mobile phones that were not the size of a briefcase and did not cost as much as a car? A frightening economic crisis? The guitar-rock revival?! Certainly, the best place to observe that moment of transition was the dancefloor. Truly epochal transformations were happening there. From America, within a short distance one from the other, two revolutionary new musical styles had arrived: the first one sounded a bit like an “on a budget” version of the best Seventies disco-music – Philly sound made with a set of piano-bar keyboards! – the other was even more sparse, futuristic and extraterrestrial. It was a music with a quite distinct “physical” component, which at the same time, to be fully grasped, seemed to call for the knotty theories of certain French post-modern philosophers: Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Paul Virilio... Both those genres – we would learn shortly after – were born in the black communities of Chicago and Detroit, although listening to those vinyl 12” (often wrapped in generic white covers, and with little indication in the label) you could not easily guess whether behind them there was a black boy from somewhere in the Usa, or a girl from Berlin, or a pale kid from a Cornish coastal town.

Quickly, similar sounds began to show up from all corners of Europe. A thousand variations of the same intuition: leaner, less lean, happier, slightly less intoxicated, more broken, slower, faster, much faster... Boom! From the dancefloors – the London ones at least, whose chronicles we eagerly read every month in the pages of The Face and i-D – came tales of a new generation of clubbers who had completely stopped “dressing up” to go dancing; of hot tempered hooligans bursting into tears and hugging everyone under the strobe lights as the notes of Strings of Life rose up through the fumes of dry ice (certain “smiling” pills were also involved, sure). At this point, however, we must move on to Switzerland.

In Switzerland, in the quiet and diligent town of Lugano, between the 1980s and 1990s there was a club called “Morandi”. Its hot night was on Wednesdays, when the audience also came from Milan, Como, Varese and Zurich. Legend goes that, one night, none less than Prince and Sheila E were spotted hiding among the sofas, on a day-off of the Italian dates of the Nude Tour… The Wednesday resident and superstar was an Italian dj with an exotic name: Don Carlos. The soundtrack he devised was a mixture of Chicago, Detroit, the most progressive R&B and certain forgotten classics of old disco music: practically, what the Paradise Garage in New York might have sounded like had it not closed in 1987. In between, Don Carlos also managed to squeeze in some tracks he had worked on in his studio on Lago Maggiore. One in particular: a track that was rather slow compared to the BPM in fashion at the time, but which was a perfect bridge between house and R&B. The title was Alone: Don Carlos would explain years later that it had to be intended both in the English meaning of “by itself” and like the Italian word meaning “halo”. That wasn’t the only double entendre about the song, anyway. Its own very deep nature was, indeed, double. On the one hand, Alone was built around an angelic keyboard pattern and a romantic piano riff that took you straight to heaven; on the other, it showcased enough electronic squelches (plus a sax part that sounded like it had been dissolved by acid rain) to pigeonhole the tune into the “junk modernity” section, aka the hallmark of all the most innovative sounds of the time: music that sounded like it was hand-crafted from the scraps of glittering overground pop.

No one knows who was the first to call it “paradise house”, nor when it happened. Alternative definitions on the same topic one happened to hear included “ambient house”, “dream house”, “Mediterranean progressive”… but of course none were as good (and alluring) as “paradise house”. What is certain is that such inclination for sounds that were in equal measure angelic and neurotic, romantic and unaffective, quickly became the trademark of the second generation of Italian house. Music that seemed shyly equidistant from all the rhythmic and electronic revolutions that had happened up to that moment (“Music perfectly adept at going nowhere slowly” as noted by English journalist Craig McLean in a legendary field report for Blah Blah Blah magazine). Music that to a inattentive ear might have sounded as anonymous as a snapshot of a random group of passers-by at 10AM in the centre of any major city, but perfectly described the (slow) awakening in the real world after the universal love binge of the so-called Second Summer of Love.

For a brief but unforgettable season, in Italy “paradise house” was the official soundtrack of interminable weekends spent inside the car, darting from one club to another, cutting the peninsula from North to centre, from East to West coast in pursuit of the latest after-hours disco, trading kilometres per hour with beats per minute: practically, a new New Year’s Eve every Friday and Saturday night. This too was no small transformation, as well as a shock for an adult Italy that was encountering for the first time – thanks to its sons and daughters – the wild side of industrial modernity. The clubbers of the so-called “fuoriorario” scene were the balls gone mad in the pinball machine most feared by newspapers, magazines and TV pundits. What they did each and every weekend, apart from going crazy to the sound of the current white labels, was linking distant geographical points and non-places (thank you Marc Augé!) – old dance halls, farmhouses and business centres – transformed for one night into house music heaven. As Marco D’Eramo wrote in his 1995 essay on Chicago, Il maiale e il grattacielo: “Four-wheeled capitalism distorts our age-old image of the city, it allows the suburbs to be connected to each other, whereas before they were connected only by the centre (…) It makes possible a metropolitan area without a metropolis, without a city centre, without downtown. The periphery is no longer a periphery of any centre, but is self-centred”.

“Paradise house” perfectly understood all of this and turned it into a sort of cyber-blues that didn’t even need words, and unexpectedly brought back a drop of melancholic (post?)-humanity within a world that by then – as we would wholly realise in the decades to come – was fully inhuman and heartless. A world where we were all alone, and surrounded by a sinister yellowish halo, like a neon at the end of its life cycle. But, for one night at least, happy."

Oversized custom cut LP jackets (13” / 33.02 cm width)
Silkscreened with bespoke iridescent citrus green ink by Mark Rice
Short story by Natalia Zuluaga

Flexi 7”:
steaming mescaline (extended mix by bad lsd trips)
Citrus green metallic foil stamp
Pressed in full stereo
Edition of 150

I.

bad lsd trips is the collaborative duo of makers doris dana and domingo castillo flores. Respectively the two have fostered practices that have sprawled out through various approaches and, whether in the lanes of the musical or the contemporary arts, the phenomenology of the social and inclusive prevails. On ultrafest, this motif continues through the psychedelia of its eight time-defying recordings, welcoming the listener into an open temporal architecture of the stereo field as a signifier of environment. It is worth noting that the group began collaborating in Miami, Florida with longer form improvisations recorded to a stereo cassette deck. In these recordings, the paved geographical sprawl and oceanic view permeated the approach to amassing long swaths of sound material. Listening back on that work at the time of this writing, each track feels as though one is walking into an active space, arriving to an event already in full swing and finding your place inside of it. On ultrafest (this album) something different occurs. The space and events are built around you as you move through the record.

II.

The name of the album is ultrafest, which should effectively provoke your mind's eye the imagery of young people dancing, salivating, grinding, and imbibing chemical compounds to the perversely formalized musical genres of “Electronic Dance Music” and latter-era Dubstep often heard in European Uber rides and energy drink commercials. A far distance from the icy and machinic reverie of Techno’s finest rave eras or the notable historical contributions of Miami’s cerebral producers to IDM’s global output, ultrafest is a libidinal catharsis as festival scaled to a multinational corporation of hedonistic excess. The festival has been a hallmark of Miami cultural industry production and optical enticement for tourism, purportedly bringing in nearly a billion dollars in revenue to the city since 2012. Scores of documentation exist wherein this decadent escapism leaves the concertgoer, usually in some neon garment on a near nude body potentially adorned with fluffy faux fur leg warmers, facing a comedown from the combination of volume, sun, dehydration, and methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine. This MDMA experience characterizes an aspect of the way bad lsd trips employs vocals and pitch on this album. The detached, high octaved longing of a high pitched vocal is decoupled from its typical auditory body of song. High-pass clicks and pops touch the (h)air on the back of the neck, promising goosebumps and teasing towards euphoric rushes of dopamine, yet also exist decoupled from the body of song. As the dopamine depletes and the sun imposes itself, Miami’s downtown of skeleton real estate is your company as you meander towards your parked vehicle to rest your fatigued senses, elevated heart rate, and quench the need for air conditioning on your skin. The immediacy of bombastic social immersion to architectural alienation palpable here.

III...

- Nick Klein

In this electrifying 2024, Flexi is still spinning, louder and prouder, as it marks 40 years of igniting dancefloors and fueling underground happiness. From its humble beginnings as a haven for vinyl enthusiasts to a cultural stronghold amidst the turbulent waves of the music industry, Flexi has become a name synonymous with passion, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of quality sound. To honor this milestone, Flexi’s indie label, Flexi Cuts, is dropping a second, limited-edition compilation. Aptly named "Musica Solida," this collection is spread across three or possibly four lush 12-inch samplers, each showcasing a handpicked selection of tracks from Flexi's cherished circle of artists and producers. This release is more than just a celebration; it’s a declaration—a call to arms to keep the spirit of the scene alive and thriving in Italy and beyond, against all odds.

"Musica Solida #2" doesn't just hold tracks—it’s got stories, moments, and grooves that demand movement. Each cut is a slice of that raw, unpolished energy that Flexi has championed for four decades.

Featured Artists on Musica Solida #2

Minimono: The powerhouse duo of Fabio Della Torre (founder of Bosconi Records) and Ennio Colaci take us on a hypnotic journey with their floor-filling "Before Morning." It’s the kind of track that keeps the dancefloor alive until the break of dawn.

DJ Rou: Going minimal yet impactful, DJ Rou delivers "Elastic Body," a dancefloor-ready cut that blends a stripped-back groove with robotic vocals—a futuristic twist that keeps things unpredictable.

Relative: Flexi’s proud owner kicks things off with an electro track that was conceived, birthed, and brought to life in a single whirlwind afternoon—an anthem for those who live for the moment.

Delphi: One half of the renowned Tiger & Woods, Delphi isn’t afraid to dive deep with a heavy-hitting house track, loaded with acid stabs and thick, pulsating basslines. A track that’s both a nod to the past and a push towards the future.

The record will be released in about 200 vinyl copies no more.

Packaged in the classic discobag 2- holes, with a distinctive letterpress print in a beautiful red cover.

Quinoa Cuts proudly presents its 4th release: Marvin's 'Sweet Analog Memories' EP

This record is a sonic journey that bridges past and present, blending nostalgic analog warmth with a modern edge. A message that resonates loud and clear as you dive into both sides of this vinyl opus.

Side A opens with two tracks that deliver a lush, analog-driven soundscape, evocative of the iconic synth-wave movement of the ‘80s. These compositions are delicately interwoven with electro-inspired nuances, creating a bittersweet atmosphere that dances between melancholy and romance. It’s music that strikes deep emotional chords while transporting you to a dreamlike, neon-lit past.

Side B takes a darker turn, shifting the narrative entirely. While the golden-era analog textures remain present, these tracks explore a more progressive, shadowy, and haunting realm. They generate an intense sense of entropy, awakening the psyche and stirring emotions in unexpected ways. This side is a deep dive into a more introspective and visceral space, one that challenges the listener to confront their inner world.

Marvin’s EP is a record that demands to be felt as much as it is heard. Whether you’re a synth-wave enthusiast, an electro explorer, or simply a lover of forward-thinking electronic music, this release will resonate with you.

New full-length LP from Toronto producer, DJ and recording artist Tony Price on his Maximum Exposure label. Tony Price is a multi-time Juno and Polaris Prize nominated producer, having worked on a wide variety of records on labels like 4AD, DFA, Slumberland and more. Host of “The Maximum Exposure Power Hour” on NTS Radio

“Requiem For The Ontario Science Centre” is Tony’s ninth full-length LP since 2017, following a series of acclaimed records on labels like L.I.E.S. Records and Telephone Explosion which received coverage and reviews from established outlets like Pitchfork and Resident Advisor. “Requiem For The Ontario Science Centre” pays homage to the beloved 1960’s Canadian landmark and renowned brutalist architectural marvel, which was abruptly closed in the summer of 2024.

The album features longtime collaborator and Caribou touring band member Colin Fisher on Saxophone. The music is Rich with kaleidoscopic saxophone loops, surrealist sound collages, and retro-futuristic synthesizer mirages and will surely resonate with fans of Boards of Canada, Terry Riley and Don Cherry’s “Brown Rice”

The multi-faceted and multi-talented Alberto Melloni returns once more to Bordello A Parigi to unveil his musical multi-verse. “Lago Lungo”, the title piece, sets the tone for the quartet of tracks. Steady kicks thud next fizzing hi-hats as a rich and full-bodied piano melody takes hold, Melloni’s instrumentation creating sheer peaks and creamy amber plains. “Promised Land” offers a different audio topography. Key stabs are bolstered by incising beats as a late-night italo infused romp undulates from speaker cones. Underscoring the EP are influences from both disco and house, sun-kissed chords countered by textured percussion. These twin inspirations combine in the groove laden “Paradise Pie”. Clean notes are refracted in neon, undercurrents of acid lurking just below the vibrating hardwood floor. The mirrorball takes the limelight for the finale. Breathy, smokey vocals orbit funk dipped lines of “Only You”, warbling vocoders dancing under the glittering beams to the close.

This 12" contains the first sounds from EDM Z album, which will complete Jodey's 'Electric Dance Music' series. Very limited strictly no repress handstamped piece of Braindance. In the realms of imagination and creativity, there exists a man whose life is as diverse and eclectic as the beats he now produces. Born in the picturesque landscapes of Cornwall in 1953, Jodey Kendrick's journey began with the wind-swept cliffs as his backdrop and the crashing waves as his symphony. As a young lad, Jodey was drawn to the world of cinema. Inspired by the likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, he found solace in the art of martial arts and action-packed storytelling. With determination in his heart and a fire in his eyes, Jodey ventured into the realm of acting, honing his skills on the stages of local theaters before making his mark in the bustling streets of Hong Kong. It was in the neon-lit alleys of Hong Kong that Jodey Kendrick found his true calling. Embracing the vibrant energy of the city, he immersed himself in the world of Hong Kong action films, earning acclaim for his daring stunts and charismatic performances. With each role, he etched his name deeper into the annals of cinematic history, becoming a beloved figure in the hearts of moviegoers across the globe. But as the years passed and the reels of film kept spinning, Jodey felt the stirrings of a new passion within him. Beyond the glitz and glamour of the silver screen, there lay a world of pulsating rhythms and electronic melodies, waiting to be explored. Intrigued by the allure of electronic music, Jodey embarked on a new chapter in his life, one that would see him swap his martial arts moves for the dancefloor beats of Jungle Tekno and Drum and Bass. In the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong, Jodey found himself amidst a thriving music scene, where the streets throbbed with the rhythms of the underground. Fuelled by his love for music and driven by a desire to create, he immersed himself in the world of music production, crafting beats that reverberated through the city's concrete jungle. Today, Jodey Kendrick stands as a testament to the power of reinvention and the boundless possibilities of passion. From the silver screen to the dancefloor, his journey has been one of constant evolution and exploration. With each beat he creates, he pays homage to the winding path that brought him here, a path that weaves together the worlds of cinema and music into a tapestry of creativity and inspiration.

Nearly two decades after it was first released, Norken’s sleek cult classic album ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is being reissued on vinyl via Hydrogen Dukebox on 6th December 2024.

With its unique sonic blueprint of early 2000s electronica, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is a record that is at once both deeply reminiscent of a particular era and place, yet remains a timeless invocation of Norken’s idiosyncratic palette of minimal, techno, house and British IDM.

This vinyl reissue presents all 12 tracks from the original release, with the inclusion of 'Df23' and 'Flirt' making this the first time that ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ is available on vinyl with the complete album tracklisting.

Norken is one of the many pseudonyms of Lee Norris, a producer who is considered by those in the know as one of the unsung heroes of UK electronica. With a slew of releases throughout the years as Man-Q-Neon, Nacht Plank, Norken, Tone Language and Metamatics, this reissue shines a light on his soulful, immersive output under the Norken name.

As Norris explains, “The release of ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ has a nostalgic, warm feeling for me. I made his album in a garden shed with a wood burner, an Atari computer and a few synths in the depths of an English winter. I still had the thought process of making emotional style techno that would warm any soul on a cold day.”

First released in 2005, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ carries the echoes of electronic luminaries such as the Detroit ambient techno of John Beltran, through to the immersive atmospherics of Biosphere and the innovative IDM of fellow British outfits Autechre and The Black Dog. Yet as Norken, Norris retains a distinctive musical voice that has continued to deepen in stature over the years since the album’s initial release.

Opening with the brief intro cut ‘Fern 2’, the album slides into the dreamlike groove of ‘Memories’, where rich, resonant chords wrap around cool, galactic-sounding synths and a compelling bass undertow.

On ‘It Might Have Been Rain’, that signature bass texture again propels a luxuriant mid-tempo rhythm, while Norken layers in hypnotic washes of string-like synths, gentle electronic pulses and the brief murmur of a vocal, across seven-plus immersive minutes.

Vocal textures, often subtly looped and distorted, also add a distinctive depth and personality to tracks like ‘Eastern Soul’ and ‘Here’. Throughout the album, there’s a feeling of intricate microcosms unfurling, as Norken coaxes a myriad of contemplative moods and emotions from his machines.

Whether shaping the smooth, lulling ambient gauze of ‘Ty Canol’, or letting the kaleidoscopic, dancefloor-leaning drive of ‘Audic Strable’ loose like a coiled spring, ‘Our Memories Of Winter’ presents the singular voice of an artist whose innovative contribution to UK electronic music has only become heightened with the passing of time.

For ALT014, Altered Circuits presents its first Various Artists release. In addition to the label's co-founder, three friends of the label appear on this heterogeneous, club-oriented 12''. Portal, with its breakbeat layered drum section and spartan bass hook, sounds like classic Innershades from the start. When the angular leads and slowly phased, ominous chords hit, we are reminded of the artist's fondness for the new beat genre and his ability to translate its tropes and conventions to the present. On Show You Love, Mr. Ho combines skippy two-step drums with an MS20 type of flat bass. After introducing a one-bar mid-bass arpeggiator, gently swelling pads, leisurely spread side riffs and reverb-drenched musings join, calibrating the vibe to lush and groovy. On the other side, Oshana treats groove as the focal point with her Hey Kiss Kiss contribution. Over its 6-minute course, the snappy 909 kick rarely relents while a bunch of often short, many a time looped sequences emerge and disappear, unfolding a hypnotic tapestry of textures. Rising talent Salomee closes the VA with Late Night Summer, a track capable of setting the floor in motion at any moment. It revolves around a portamento-heavy, neon-tinged lead that lingers long after the track ends and a sturdy, efficient one-note bass pulse.

Forest Jams continues the journey into the great beyond with Mori Ra’s Mantra–an EP composed of four edits created for any inquisitive earthling and forest wanderer.

Mori Ra is a DJ based in Osaka, Japan his sets are a witches brew composed of balearic, cosmic, and electronic disco ingredients. He has released on other labels such as Rotating Souls, Macadam Mambo, Berceuse Heroique, MM Discos and more. In Mantra, Mori Ra acts as a mysterious wanderer who has stumbled upon the doors of our minds in the middle of the night. When we answer the door he is bearing gifts of creative glory and all we need to do is provide shelter in return. We invite him in so that he can rest, recharge, and continue his journey.

During his visit in our minds Mori Ra shares “Mantra” the secrets of the universe disguised as parables packaged neatly into four tracks. Catharsis begins the journey and immediately throws us into a sound that feels like we are driving a spaceship in Gran Turismo 37, the spaceship simulator. Now that we have successfully crossed the plane and have entered the digital unknown, Seinn O! becomes the story of communication. Seinn O! gave the smoke leaving my mouth color and the shamanistic chants placed me in an atmospheric state with the ability to cross over and communicate in the digital space. Then comes 孫行者 the Grandson Traveler, which embodies the story of the simulation. Imagine the sound of a bustling dystopian city in the matrix–neon signs, dancing billboards, talking vending machines, radioactive wildlife, and overgrown foliage leaking in from the jungle the city is carved into. Mori Ra seems to have melded all of those sounds together to create the soundtrack of the big city where everyone is lost. Finally, before leaving our minds Mori Ra offers the final parable, あの星 That Star. Which becomes the story of realization, the journey back home from the exploration of the mind. That Star brought me into a cave and I could see the opening at the end of it, all I had to do was walk towards it. However, I couldn’t walk. I could only galumph forward, while bouncing up and down to the beat. My arms slivered and guided my body forward as the vocals came in. As I moved forward the opening, the clearing, the destination remained the same distance away. The endless tunnel of the mind gave me a feeling of comfort because I did not want this journey to end.

The EP ends and we will never know who visited our minds that night, but we know we loved the journey. Mori Ra is the steward of our journey through consciousness, and the vessel is “Mantra”.

As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.

In the intricate maze of Tokyos neon heartbeat, Yuki Takasaki, known as Altone, creates a world where time and sound dissolves into dub techno. Altones work, steeped with an old-school sonic palette, is a symphony of resonating bass lines, rustic layers and delicate synths, crafting a port rait that connects the fleeting with the timeless. Altones music t ranscends mere sound, offering an invitation to explore the shadowy corridors of consciousness and minimal dub aesthetics. Each original track unfolds like a tranquil journey through an urban nocturne, haunting and beautiful in its harmony. Brendon Moeller, a master of dub techno, reimagines Altones >Self Replication< In two distinct yet sonic territories. The first remix pulses with a futuristic rhythm, its syncopated beats dancing on the edge of awareness. The dub remix, by cont rast, plunges into a vortex where liquid acid intertwines with hypnotic bass lines, conjuring a dreamscape infused with laser guided drums and crystalline texture. Through these remixes, Moeller crafts a sonic voyage that weaves through the complex tapestry of the dub landscape and keeps reminding us that the territory is still vastly unexplored.

Parsley Sounds was the glorious debut album for Mo Wax by Parsley Sound. The album was one of the iconic label’s final releases before it closed in 2003 and locating a clean copy has been extremely tricky of late, unless you're flush enough to drop 150 notes on it. Mercifully, the Be With reissue, put together with invaluable assistance from the group, should remedy this situation. It's a lo-fi, bass-heavy, blunted beat treat, warped with heat haze and dreamy soft-psych and has been criminally under-heard for far too long.

As with most cult-like records, Parsley Sounds has many influential fans, far and wide. From Four Tet and Caribou to NTS's modern day breakfast hero Flo Dill, its reputation has only grown in stature. At the time, the notoriously hard-to-please Pitchfork garlanded it with a scarcely achievable 8.8 whilst, just recently, the Numero Group's Rob Sevier described it as a "visionary bit of proto-Salvia Palth (or Steve Lacy)" via a Ghostly International missive.

Parsley Sound comprised super-talented duo Preston Mead and Dan Sargassa. They released an early single (the perfect "Twilight Mushrooms", featured here) on Warp Records as Slum, before signing to Mo Wax. Hidden behind a wall of sound - fuzzy layers of beats, bleeps and symphonic synths - they were convinced they made mainstream pop music. And, in many respects, Parsley Sounds really is a beautiful pop album. It overflows with memorable, gorgeous melodies and inspired songcraft. As the contemporaneous Pitchfork review correctly had it: "Parsley Sounds is one of those rare records that manage to sound modest while frequently pushing the sonic envelope."

Killer opener "Ease Yourself And Glide" is a thing of aching, soft-psych, wonky beat-beauty. A melodic masterpiece, part Crosby, Stills & Nash, part proto-Koushik, it presents a melancholy falsetto, surging bass and blunted lead guitar. As it climaxes, gorgeous strings are ushered in to see us out. Sublime. "Twilight Mushrooms" is up next and it's an acid-drenched, strung-out acoustic-led campfire wonder. Amid layers of tape-hiss and beautiful, sun-dappled strings, its understated vocal track provides a haze of wistful innocence.

The breezy "Spring's Near" is a krautrock-inspired chiming instrumental of heavenly excellence, its warm, skipping, motorik groove and dreamy synths completely infectious. Another total highlight, the technicolour "Yo Yo" initially presents itself as a more abstract, bleepy offering but as it organically swells into ever more beautiful places, with the addition of a choppy insistent drum loop, flute bursts, horns and sweeping strings, it puts one in mind of early Manitoba and Four Tet releases. Shimmering, blissed-out greatness.

The celestial harmonies and glistening harps of the wonderfully beatless, serenely sullen "Ocean House" are very much in conversation with late-60s meditative psych whilst, closing out Side A, the jaw-dropping, lushly experimental effort "Find The Heat" comes on like Arthur Russell meets Brian Wilson. Yep, *that* good.

Side B opens with the warped, bleepy "Stevie", a brief but beautifully wonky, soulful and intricate instrumental. The more upfront vocals that propel the fuzzy "Platonic Rate" have a refreshing swagger to them, the heavy bass and neck-snapping in-the-red beats too much for any system to deal with whilst the guitars and strings have a sweeping, cinematic feel which just beguiles. The slow, urbane soul of "Candlemice" will stop you in your tracks, no matter what you're doing. It carries a delicate sadness, as does much of the album in that classic "down lifting" style we so love here at Be With.

The fuzzing, buzzing "Templechurchmansions" is a searing, soulful dubwise detonation. Heavily stoned with slow-burning jazzy snatches and a tense, moody atmosphere, it's a Tricky-adjacent gem. The album rounds out brilliantly with the ominous instrumental "Neon Breeze" before giving way to the propulsive, almost incongruous punk-funk / disco-dub of secret "untitled" track "Caution", a scratchy, smacked-out groove-fuelled workout with a female vocal dripping with 'tude. Just sensational.

Under the watchful eye - and attentive ears! - of Parsley Sound themselves, the audio for Parsley Sounds has been carefully mastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, with a few much needed tweaks here and there, according to the artist's wishes. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at the always stellar Record Industry in Holland.

Preston and Dan always thought the colours on the first vinyl pressing looked a bit "washed out" vis-a-vis the original artwork which was way more vibrant. We feel we've got it popping back to the original intention with the restoration work here at Be With HQ. So with the audio and artwork now approaching completeness after 20 years, this long overdue re-issue could be considered its definitive vinyl release.

A sonic portal to a parallel universe where neon-soaked dreamscapes transform the stark realities of a post-pandemic world. Music for a forgotten future, where echoes of the 80s cast long, enigmatic shadows through a rich tapestry of emotion that charts a journey from isolation and fear towards healing and hope. This is the journey of Season One and Season Two, the debut companion albums for the solo project of Italian composer Battaglia, both out this fall on Four Flies Records.

In 2020, as the world retreated onto itself due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Battaglia entered the recording studio. Driven by a desire for experimentation, she decided to focus on the classic synths that have made history to create a sonic and emotional alchemy that reimagines the 80s to resonate with our current experiences and sensibilities.

Drawing inspiration from the cinematic magic of iconic early-80s films, and especially the haunting soundtracks of Tangerine Dream and John Carpenter, she crafted a soundscape that goes beyond nostalgia to capture the spirit of a generation navigating uncertain times.

Season One and Season Two explore the complexities of a world grappling with lethal pandemics, climate catastrophes, and nuclear disasters through themes such as longing, fear, and hope, set against a scenario that blends elements of dystopian and post-apocalyptic science fiction and, at times, horror.

Season One delves deeper into the darker aspects of this new reality, evoking a sense of unease and uncertainty, occasionally interspersed with soothing flashes of light. In Season Two, while darkness still lingers, the sonic landscape is infused with a sense of optimism and determination, offering glimpses of a possible salvation.

With Battaglia's signature blend of dark wave, synth-pop, suspenseful electronica, and cinematic vibes, Season One and Season Two create a sonic world that is at once hauntingly familiar and utterly captivating -- the perfect soundtrack, one is tempted to say, for the countless sci-fi/horror-fantasy series that have been flooding streaming platforms in the last decade.

The covers of both albums were designed by Eric Adrian Lee, who conceived them as two sides of the same image, two versions of a world in crisis but whose ruins contain the potential for rebirth.

Battaglia's Season One and Season Two will be available on black vinyl LP starting from October 25th. Digital versions of both albums will also be released on the same date, featuring five bonus tracks (two on Season One and three on Season Two).

A sonic portal to a parallel universe where neon-soaked dreamscapes transform the stark realities of a post-pandemic world. Music for a forgotten future, where echoes of the 80s cast long, enigmatic shadows through a rich tapestry of emotion that charts a journey from isolation and fear towards healing and hope. This is the journey of Season One and Season Two, the debut companion albums for the solo project of Italian composer Battaglia, both out this fall on Four Flies Records.

In 2020, as the world retreated onto itself due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Battaglia entered the recording studio. Driven by a desire for experimentation, she decided to focus on the classic synths that have made history to create a sonic and emotional alchemy that reimagines the 80s to resonate with our current experiences and sensibilities.

Drawing inspiration from the cinematic magic of iconic early-80s films, and especially the haunting soundtracks of Tangerine Dream and John Carpenter, she crafted a soundscape that goes beyond nostalgia to capture the spirit of a generation navigating uncertain times.

Season One and Season Two explore the complexities of a world grappling with lethal pandemics, climate catastrophes, and nuclear disasters through themes such as longing, fear, and hope, set against a scenario that blends elements of dystopian and post-apocalyptic science fiction and, at times, horror.

Season One delves deeper into the darker aspects of this new reality, evoking a sense of unease and uncertainty, occasionally interspersed with soothing flashes of light. In Season Two, while darkness still lingers, the sonic landscape is infused with a sense of optimism and determination, offering glimpses of a possible salvation.

With Battaglia's signature blend of dark wave, synth-pop, suspenseful electronica, and cinematic vibes, Season One and Season Two create a sonic world that is at once hauntingly familiar and utterly captivating -- the perfect soundtrack, one is tempted to say, for the countless sci-fi/horror-fantasy series that have been flooding streaming platforms in the last decade.

The covers of both albums were designed by Eric Adrian Lee, who conceived them as two sides of the same image, two versions of a world in crisis but whose ruins contain the potential for rebirth.

Battaglia's Season One and Season Two will be available on black vinyl LP starting from October 25th. Digital versions of both albums will also be released on the same date, featuring five bonus tracks (two on Season One and three on Season Two).

Wellington, New Zealand-based producer, drummer and band leader Cory Champion aka Borrowed CS delivers his second release on Planet Trip Records ~ Rise N Shine EP, expanding the infectious outsider boogie sound he explored on ‘Mystic Shuffle’ (off 2020’s Balance/Ascend EP) into a six-song suite of neon-lit machine funk, mutant post-disco and uptempo future soul. Draped in synthesisers that sparkle and glitter like summer sunlight hitting the harbour waters, the programmed Roland TR-606 drums and keyboard bass on these club tracks absolutely snap, wobble and groove.

From the space-aged melodies and throwback electro bounce of ‘All My People’ (featuring the pioneering British electronic soul vocalist Steve Spacek) to the dialled-in dancefloor weaponry of the title track and ‘Potplant’, the A-side of Rise n Shine unfolds like Friday night at a 1980s roller disco. On the flip, Champion reconnects with the idiosyncratic Māori singer-songwriter Mara TK to pen another golden-voiced chapter in the hi-tek South Pacific future soul story with ‘Hearsay’ before diving into some deep mid-tempo body music on ‘Subsonix’ and ‘Mystic Dream’. One for the dancefloor dreamers, Rise n Shine, will be available in 12” vinyl (limited to 300 copies) and digital versions.

DJ support: Tim Sweeney, Make A Dance, Parris, Pleasure Voyage, Camillo Miranda

Back yard - Back yard is the first single from the new Teen Daze album, Elegant rhythms, and features singer-songwriter Andy Shauf on drums, and LA jazz staple, Sam Wilkes, on bass. This is a stark change in sound for Teen Daze, who’s last album Interior was an exploration of neon-lit House music. Back yard is a mellow groover, conjuring up images of Laurel Canyon in the 70s, yet still with its flourishes of contemporary sounds.

We’re out of phase again - We’re out of phase again is another vulnerable glimpse into the inner world of Teen Daze, and marks the release of his most personal album to date, Elegant rhythms. In contrast to the synthesized, digital world of his prior album, Interior, here we’ve been brought into a lush, organic arrangement, brought to you in large part to the stunning bass playing by Sam Wilkes. While the verses pulse forward, the chorus slows things down, and evokes the sophisti-pop sounds of The Blue Nile. This track is a stunning showcase of the world of Elegant rhythms.

Nothing’s gonna change my love - Teen Daze returns with his second single of the year, Nothing’s gonna change my love. The stark change in sound, as heard on previous single Back yard, is on display here again: a smouldering, 2 and a half minutes of slow jazz-pop, indebted to the great Sade, or perhaps the feeling of leaving downtown LA at 2 AM. Lyrically, we hear a story of a love, challenged by the unpredictable nature of our lives. This may be Teen Daze’s smoothest song to date.

Neighbourhood - Neighbourhood is the third single from the recently announced LP from Teen Daze, Elegant Rhythms. Along with Andy Shauf on the drums, and Sam Wilkes on the bass, Teen Daze gives us a languid tour of his quiet neighbourhood. The sun has set on the pleasant, tree-lined streets, and a stranger, more surreal environment presents itself. The song plods forward at an extremely comfortable pace, held down by the paradoxically loose-yet-tight rhythm section. Lyrically, we walk around the Neighbourhood at night, and while the chorus reveals a type of sobriety, the vibe of the song makes it easy to feel a little…effected.

Fade away - Fade away sets the tone for Elegant Rhythm’s side B: a deeply personal, though somewhat veiled, confession of loss. How does it feel to grieve something that was never really here? A smouldering, slowly progressing first half erupts in synthetic noise, and then fades into the ether with it’s repeating refrain, “I can feel you / feel you fade away / when there’s nothing / nothing left to say”.

Fall ahead - A sweet piano tune which serves as a quiet break in the record, intended to help the listener reflect and take a moment of pause before we reach the final two songs on the album.

HST underwater - The penultimate track on the record tells a story where the narrator finds themself in an alien, yet oddly familiar place. Arpeggios soaked in crystal blue water flow through the stereo field, while the narrator, vocoded and drenched in autotune, searches for meaning and purpose in a confusing world. This is one of Teen Daze’s most cinematic, emotional songs yet.

In the rain - It’s never really made explicitly clear on this record, but a lot of these songs find Teen Daze wrestling with life as a new father, and this song, the final on the album, expresses the fears of generational trauma. A touching, tender ode to his children, we hear Teen Daze at his most personal and vulnerable. The falling rain surrounds some absolutely breathtaking bass playing from Sam Wilkes, and Teen Daze’s signature ambient keyboard sounds.

Radio Support: Ruf Dug (Soup To Nuts on NTS)

repressed !

Introducing the inaugural release from "Vorm", "Vorm Series: One," a compelling compilation showcasing five tracks from a lineup of esteemed and emerging producers. This release marks the beginning for the young record label "Vorm", setting a high standard with its diverse and dynamic sounds.

From the producer and "Newrhythmic Records" founder, "Joton", comes "Neon Dystopia." This opener track of the release plunges into a hard hitting soundscape, blending pulsating basslines with highly pitched atmo surfaces. "Mineral" by Kon Janson dives into a mineral-rich sonic experience, where intricate rhythms meet hypnotic textures. This subterranean grooves is exactly the addition that the A-side needs and rounds off the whole thing as powerfully as possible.

"Ricardo Garduno" delivers "They're Between Us." This starter track on the B-side is a dark, spacious force of cavernous beats and atmospheres, perfect for those moments of peak-time intensity. Founder "Maasym" presents "Raeder," a sophisticated blend of a industrial trippy synth line and highly dense effective elements.

The track evolves with mechanical precision, emphasizing and focusing on the minimalist effects, percussions and drums. Closing out the release is Berlin-based rising producer & live artist "Peryl" with "Melting Room." This track is a melting pot of raw-high energy and experimental tones, pushing boundaries with its innovative, detailed sound design.

Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.

From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.

Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.

As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.

Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.

With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.

LA goddess Angelyne’s neon-draped sophomore LP Driven to Fantasy steers its way to Dark Entries as part of the ongoing celebration of our 15th anniversary! "Who is Angelyne? Angelyne is a voluptuous, blonde, self-made star who drives a hot pink Corvette; wears her clothes short and tight, and is influenced by Barbie and Marilyn Monroe.” In 1984, a series of billboards popped up in the LA area featuring the lone word “Angelyne” along with a mysterious woman posing provocatively. The campaign created an instant stir, making her one of the first icons who was "famous for being famous", and it led to the recording of her second solo LP. Released in 1986, Driven to Fantasy features 8 tracks of bubblegum-hued new wave with a distinctly LA flavor. On sassy titles like “Sex Goddess”, “Skin Tight”, and “Flirt”, Angelyne fused the glam and grit of southern Californian punk with flashy synth-pop style. This will be the first time that this cult record will be in print since its original release, and comes on pink Corvette-colored vinyl with a 2-sided poster featuring lyrics. Angelyne is more than just a billboard or a rock star; she’s been an actress, a visual artist, and even a political candidate. Celebrate a true Hollywood legend with this historic reissue.

Contains a third track that remains secret :p.

Dive into the electrifying world of Jellyfish with the latest release from BUD Records,"Je Series 5." Prepare to be transported to the neon-lit dance floors of the 80s with this infectious Italo Disco anthem. With pulsating rhythms and catchy melodies, "Musikman" is a testament to Jellyfish's mastery of the genre.

The party continues on the B-side with "Musik," a modern take on disco infused with elements of nu- disco. Groove-inducing basslines and funky guitar riffs converge to create a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and fresh. Prepare to be amazed as Jellyfish takes you on an unexpected sonic journey.

But be careful, it may not end there...you might even find a special surprise, a hidden gem, an incredible track that defies expectations and pushes the boundaries of conventional disco.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

London producer Kel McKeown celebrates the release of his tenth album as Kelpe, with a vinyl edition of uncategorisable dance music on Kit Records.

Kelpe's work combines live drumming with synthesis and guitars. Like the nine records that came before it, LP10 treads the line between gauzy melancholia and bustling, dancefloor-ready energy.

Listening to Kelpe's music can feel like fluttering through a photo album at speed. Familiar faces and locations are revealed, nostalgic scenes assembled then scattered by unruly rhythms and samples.

Analogue percussion takes centre stage on LP10. This restless drumming - gear-shifting from hip-hop through to jungle - showcases McKeown's chops as an instrumentalist, while harking back to the scrambled beats that were a hallmark of his early releases.

Kelpe has worked closely with the visual artist Nikita Iziev on this record. Inspired by pioneering film director John Schlesinger, the serendipitous geometry of new wave cinema is mapped out in fractured moments across the music and artwork.

While the track 'Schlesinger' echoes the bouncing unpredictability of the sleeve, 'The Palace Guard Loop' pours neon fertiliser over fender rhodes jazz keys. Adrenalin reaches a zenith on 'Events Proved Me Wrong', as Kelpe hits his stride for a homespun drum and bass workout.

LP10 will be the final full length Kelpe album.

Brownswood Recordings releases the 7th edition of their Future Bubblers Compilation. An expansion of Gilles Peterson's network supported by Arts Council England, the ongoing talent discovery and artist development scheme focuses on developing unsigned talent and building audiences for new left-field music. With support from PRS Foundation as Talent Development Partners, the professional recording, manufacturing and physical release of Future Bubblers 7.0 is made possible. Unlike any other initiatives within music, the compilation acts as a springboard for the musician's careers, with the cooperative model providing direct revenue to the artists by a share of the profits, resulting in a sustainable income to work from. Previous Future Bubblers include artists such as Yazmin Lacey, KinKai, MC Snowy, Forest Law, Victoria Jane, NeOne The Wonderer and Kayla Painter, to name a few.

The 8-track compilation is a musically diverse collection of tracks, fusing genres across Alt-R&B, Dance, Electronic, Jazz, Rap and Trip-Hop. Opening the project, ROMY NOVA flaunts her hypnotic harmonies on a tender offering, 'The Way', whilst Sheffield-born Jackie Moonbather delivers a Funk performance on 'Separate Ways'. Up next, Ney Liqa's 'Blomster' captures a blend of Trip-Hop and Swedish-Pop, fusing her earliest musical influences before Birmingham's very own Landel's cloud-Rap excellence on '2 Many'. Maintaining the ethereal sonic, Petrelli Purple's 'Brisk' is reflective of his ability to curate a "miscellaneous north" sound, followed by MARYSIA OSU's 'Stryder' that highlights her self-coined "harps, beats, and dreams" ethos. Michael Diamond showcases his ability to float between jazz and electronic landscapes on 'Aether' before COEX rounds off the project nicely with 'Reflections'.

Inherently dark but aflush with pop sensibility, Constellations is the 2014 full-length debut from synthpop duo Dead Astronauts (Jared Kyle and Hayley Stewart). The follow-up to 2013’s eponymous EP, it’s an album full of post-punk and new wave inspiration, sure to please fans of Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Depeche Mode.

Midnight Mannequin Records is proud to present this deluxe reissue of Constellations, on vinyl for the very first time. A nearly decade-old synthwave classic is now poised to become a modern darkwave hit. Dead Astronauts has always had one foot firmly on synthwave ground, but the band’s willingness to eschew genre limitations and explore the vast spaces of darkwave, goth and everything in between is one of the main reasons Constellations still feels so fresh and unique. An album way ahead of its time. An album that sees two artists at the top of their game who complement each other perfectly. When Kyle’s deep baritone meets Stewart’s ethereal, subdued delivery, the results are magic. A timeless album now in a timeless format; that magic captured and preserved, tactile and eternal

Limited edition on 2xLP transparent neon pink vinyl, housed in a gatefold jacket. Includes OBI strip.

Adam Beyer re-links with Green Velvet for their first collaboration in five years, as the muscular ‘Simulator’ takes effect.

Hot off the back of ‘Legend’, an early 2023 highlight, the boss continues his inspired form streak. ‘Simulator’ sees Beyer and Chicago legend Green Velvet re-unite for their first musical outing since ‘Space Date’ in 2018, produced with Layton Giordani. The title track stands as one of the most beloved Drumcode releases of the last decade and reinforces the special musical synergy between Beyer and the Cajual Records founder.

Their latest union is no less memorable. A rugged techno beast, it’s characterised by a distinctive industrial groove, brain melting oscillating effects and one of Green Velvet’s deft vocal lines - ‘constant stimulation inside the simulation’ - which speak fittingly of our times.

A mammoth track that’s been doing the business everywhere from the Ultra events in Miami, Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi, to Awakenings.

Pressed on Limited Edition NEON Green Vinyl with its own Sleeve.

ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of : The ultimate new vinyl compilation series
dedicated to our Italo Disco fans around the globe enters its 5th
round.

Of course, also this edition is released as a 2LP set on colored
vinyl.

Dance and sing along to 14 unforgettable hits and rarities from the
80s in best sound quality.

Enjoy songs like Valerie Dore - King Arthur / Savage - So Close
/ Ken Laszlo - Don‘t Cry / Radiorama - Chance To Desire and
many more.

Four Flies Records is proud to present its brand new imprint Edizioni Della Notte, which expands the label's musical range. The sound of Edizioni Della Notte is a sound of twilight atmospheres and moonlit nights, traversing genres from disco-funk to soft rock, jazz-fusion and city pop. It's the music that creeps out of smoky nightclubs and car cassette radios, breaking the silence of empty streets and offering an escape from metropolitan reality into cosmic-exotic dreamlands.

Quite fittingly, the first official release on Edizioni Della Notte is called By Night. It's the debut EP of Scerida, a solo project of musician and singer-songwriter Daniela Resconi, and a perfect match for the sound that the new imprint intends to represent.

Its four tracks explore the idea of night as a time of ecstasy and torment, as a land of freedom and imagination but also of delusion, as an accomplice, a friend and an enemy described through feelings and mental states that range from expectation and euphoria to disillusionment and resignation.

Resconi, who hails from Brescia, northern Italy, formerly released music under the moniker Cara and as part of the duo The Loud Vice. Her new alias Scerida, which combines the French term chérie with the Spanish word querida, signals both a revolution and an evolution. "Scerida is a dive into the exotic side of my imagination, into mischevious thoughts, into a crazy night where I lost and found myself again," she explains. "She is still me, Daniela, but she keeps her eyes wide open on this restless, troubled world to write songs that try to ward off the horror vacui of everyday life."

By Night celebrates the dark hours as magical and mesmerizing, even when mysterious or dangerous. It evokes images and scenarios cinematically – a taxi passing by and fading into the distance, ice-cold Martinis during a party, whirlwinds of emotion, psychedelic sunrises and neon sunsets – through a stream of consciousness filled with noir-inflected pop, lo-fi vibes, slow hypnotic rhythms, suspended grooves and swelling atmospheres.