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The band The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies emerged in 1991 in the Nashville blues scene. With their jam-oriented style, they quickly made a name in the live circuit and attracted the attention of major labels and ended up in the Billboard charts.

In 1996, they released their second album Magnolia. It was produced by Michael Barbiero (The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler) and features a guest appearance by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule. The album became a fan favourite and had two singles that appeared on the US Rock chart. Now, 30 years later Magnolia remains a Southern Rock classic and will finally be available on vinyl.

Magnolia is available as a 30th anniversary edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on blue vinyl and includes an insert.

Bang! Records now brings Powerglide by The Hydromatics back to vinyl, giving this powerful and long-overdue album the format it deserves. A necessary reissue of a genuine cult favorite: wild, electric, and made by people who truly knew what this music was all about. In the early 2000s, The Hydromatics brought together three scenes, three cities, and one shared devotion to rock'n'roll: the fiery tradition of Detroit, the raw punch of Amsterdam, and the high-energy attitude of Scandinavia. Fronted by none other than Scott Morgan (Sonic's Rendezvous Band), one of the great voices of Detroit rock, and backed by Tony Slug (LOVESLUG) and a band built out of genuine love for the legacy of Sonic's Rendezvous Band, the result was Powerglide-a record that is tough, streetwise, soulful, elegant, and raw all at once. Originally released in 2001, Powerglide captures The Hydromatics in full flight. Original songs sit alongside explosive takes on material connected to the Sonic's Rendezvous universe, all delivered with nerve, conviction, and the kind of authority that simply cannot be faked. The guitars bite, the rhythm section drives relentlessly, and above all there is Scott Morgan's voice-capable of sounding fierce, wounded, and defiant within the very same line. Far from being a mere exercise in homage, Powerglide stands tall as a living, breathing record with a personality all its own: high-octane rock'n'roll fueled by rhythm & blues soul and steeped in the unmistakable spirit of Detroit. This is an album for those who understand that proto-punk, garage soul, and real rock'n'roll were never separated by any meaningful border in the first place.

Bun B and Statik Selektah are back with TrillStatik 5, the latest chapter in their annual live-recorded series. This time they’re setting up shop in Miami, building the album from the ground up right on the live stream, just like they do every year.

The formula stays true: Bun B’s classic Southern delivery over Statik’s signature boom-bap production, creating that easy, natural chemistry fans expect. As always, a lineup of guests will drop in throughout the session — no advance announcements, everyone gets revealed as they walk into the studio.

Simple, raw, and made in real time. TrillStatik 5 continues the tradition with a new city, new vibes, and the same spirit that makes these sessions special.

2026 Repress

Pioneering NYC house label Nu Groove Records is proud to unveil a four-track EP of originals from fellow NYC house legend Jovonn.

After nearly three decades without a release, the cult house label relaunched in 2021 spearheaded by none other than Jovonn with ‘Random / Get Over It’. Following his ‘Funn Houze EP’ released earlier in 2023, the Brooklyn native is back with his ‘Blaque Katt EP’, a masterful display of innate musicality combined with an affinity for roaring '90s-inspired club music.

For the lead, ‘The Piano Fix’, Jovonn creates a dichotomy between the delicate nature instrument and the heavy, sweaty feel of the dancefloor. This is followed by a harder pianistic technique in both ‘The Piano Fix Returns’ and ‘Let Me Tell You Somethin’, showcasing the producer’s flair for harmony and melody.

Closing the immersive collection is ‘Drop That Traxx’, a playful track featuring addictive, syncopated hooks over a pounding four-on-the-floor beat. Throughout the EP, Jovonn displays his talent for gritty, hard music made with tender care.

Fingier Records, released through Acid Jazz Records, has established itself in recent years as a distinctive voice in contemporary soul, drawing from Northern and Rare Soul, 60’s R&B and Raw Funk, Mod Jazz and Boogaloo, conceived by Argentinian producer Kevin Fingier.

‘Nothing Like Be Present’ is a new dancefloor-filler from Jo Ann Hamilton (USA), backed by The Kevin Fingier Collective. A powerful slice of Rare Soul tailor-made for Northern Soul all- nighters. Vibraphone, backing vocals and tight horn arrangements keep the energy locked on the dancefloor, while Hamilton’s voice takes the record to another level.

The instrumental was simply too strong to leave out, so it features on the B-side - a DJ-friendly cut that will feel right at home in many 7” boxes.

Since 2020, 12 Inch Lovers have been releasing new samplers every year, eagerly anticipated by collectors. These samplers have now become a staple and are easily added to vinyl collections across Europe. They offer timeless classics and rare tracks that are often hard to find elsewhere.

With Samplers 9 & 10, they surprise again with a mix of modern classics and tracks that have never been released on vinyl or are difficult to find. By adding unique and exclusive tracks, the 12 Inch Lovers samplers remain innovative and high-quality. They are a must-have for DJs, collectors, and fans of contemporary classics!

SAMPLER 10

A1) GusGus - Crossfade (Maceo Plex Remix) (Original Release 2014)

Released in 2014 on the German label KOMPAKT, this remix by Maceo Plex features Ten Walls-like horns, vocals, and pumping drums, making it a true Ibiza floorkiller. The vocals are by Konstantin Sibold. This remix was only released as a white label (Kompakt Exclusive) and has yet to have an official vinyl release. Despite this, it remains a favorite among DJs and clubbers worldwide, regularly played at festivals and clubs.

A2) Plaything - Into Space (Original Release 2001)

This groovy track, released in 2001, contains a sample from Sheila & B. Devotion's Spacer, with Nile Rodgers as one of the producers. The original trackSpacer is an iconic disco hit from the 1970s, and Plaything put a contemporary spin on this classic. The track was a hit in Belgian clubs in the early 2000s, often played by prominent DJs. It has since been released on various labels and remains a timeless favorite in the electronic music scene.

B1) Ion - W.B. (Original Release 2002)

This trance classic by DJ Ion was first released in 2002 on the Belgian label B². The track quickly became a beloved classic within the trance community. Danny Casseau, the producer behind this track, is also known for other legendary works, including the trance classic Ion 98 - Tructure, which had a significant impact on the trance scene. W.B. is a pure, old-school trance track, crafted in the way only tracks from that era were!

This vinyl is extremely rare and hard to find, making it a sought-after item for collectors and trance lovers. It is still played in the sets of DJs who cherish the older trance sound, and it fits perfectly in contemporary sets as well!

B2) Subaltern - Forever (Ledge Forever Remix) (Original Release 2007)

This club banger was released in 2007 on the French label Voices Records and was a popular track in well-known Belgian clubs like Illusion and La Rocca. The Ledge Remix added an energetic, infectious vibe that made it a true hit on the dancefloor. It received an official vinyl release in 2007, but it is now difficult to obtain. Subaltern's Forever remains an unforgettable club classic still appreciated by electronic music lovers.

C1) Lykke Li - No Rest For The Wicked (Joris Voorn Remix) (Original Release 2014)

Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li scored a worldwide hit with I Follow Rivers, but also had great success with the powerful track No Rest For The Wicked. The Dutch producer Joris Voorn gave his own tech-house spin to the track in his known style!

Voorn's remix keeps the atmospheric mood of the original but adds a new, dancefloor-friendly dynamic that makes it suitable for the electronic music world.

This is the first time this remix is being released on vinyl since the original release in 2014, making it a rare and desirable item for both collectors and DJs. Thanks to the powerful mix of melody and rhythm, this remix of No Rest For The Wicked remains a timeless favorite that has found its place both in clubs and in vinyl collections of music enthusiasts and DJs.

C2) The Roc Project feat. Tina Arena - Never (Filterheadz Luv Tina Remix) (Original Release 2002)

This Spanish dance track hit Europe in 2003, thanks in part to the legendary remix by the Belgian techno duo Filterheadz. Brothers Bert and Maarten Wilmaers, known for their distinctive techno sound, gave the track their own twist with strong beats and an uplifting bassline, creating a timeless club hit that was heard everywhere in the early 2000s.

The vocals by Tina Arena add an emotional layer, while the Filterheadz Luv Tina Remix has stood the test of time and still gets everyone moving. At 12 Inch Lovers parties, this track never goes unnoticed and often brings the night to a high point. This track is a must-have for both collectors and DJs who love a mix of emotion, energy, and a solid techno sound.

D1) Soul Syndicate - Inside Of Me (Steel Union Remix) (Original Release 1995)

Speaking of a trance classic, this one is a true gem! Inside Of Me was released in 1995 during the golden years of Belgian trance music on the legendary Belgian label Aquatic Records. The Steel Union Remix by Zzino is an absolute favorite among trance lovers.

With its iconic sound and unmatched energy, this track is a true ode to the Belgian trance scene. It remains an unadulterated classic that still makes an irresistible impact, not only at retro trance events but also in the sets of contemporary DJs. Since its release, this remix has been hard to find, making it an even rarer piece of trance history. A track that has stood the test of time and is a must-have for collectors and fans of old-school trance.

D2) Ken Laszlo vs. Disco Dice - Hey Hey Guy (House Dub) (Original Release 2003)

Ken Laszlo, the Italian singer who became globally famous in the 1980s with the iconic Italo-disco hit Hey Hey Guy, received a re-release in 2003 on the house label Dubmental. This version was reimagined by Disco Dice, who gave the track a fresh house vibe with a more modern sound. Belgian DJ Jean, known for his influence on the Belgian nightlife scene, introduced this track into the clubs and transformed it into a club classic.

This release, although released in 2003, is now very rare and hard to find on vinyl. It's a hidden gem that continues to withstand the test of time, making it a valuable collector's item for lovers of both Italo-disco and house.

D3) Icehouse - Hey Little Girl (Infusion Remix) (Original Release 2002)

The Australian band Icehouse released the iconic track Hey Little Girl in 1982 on the British label Chrysalis. This synth-pop track was a big hit and still remains one of the classics from the 1980s. The original track was later included in the remix album Meltdown in 2003, where the Australian duo Infusion created a contemporary electronic remix that gave the track a new dimension.

The Infusion Remix adds a modern, danceable twist to the original synth-pop sound. This version surprised both fans of the original hit and lovers of electronic music, remaining a sought-after track in DJ sets.

This track has been unavailable on vinyl since its original release in 2003, making it a rare collector's item.

Incl. Pryda, Dexter Connection, Superfunk feat. Ron Carroll, Dave Swayze, Chris Bangs feat. Rita Campbell, Hyper Pearl, Daniel Bovie & Roy Rox, The Disco Freaks, The Mackenzie feat. Jessy



Since 2020, 12 Inch Lovers have been releasing new samplers every year, eagerly anticipated by collectors. These samplers have now become a staple and are easily added to vinyl collections across Europe. They offer timeless classics and rare tracks that are often hard to find elsewhere.

With Samplers 9 & 10, they surprise again with a mix of modern classics and tracks that have never been released on vinyl or are difficult to find. By adding unique and exclusive tracks, the 12 Inch Lovers samplers remain innovative and high-quality. They are a must-have for DJs, collectors, and fans of contemporary classics!

SAMPLER 9

A1) Pryda - Allein (Original Release 2012)

Pryda, the legendary alter ego of Eric Prydz, has earned iconic status in the electronic music scene with his refined productions and epic tracks. Under this name, he has released several hits that have stood the test of time, including Allein. This track is a progressive house masterpiece built around a sample from Polarkreis 18's Allein Allein and is infused with the characteristic Pryda sound: grand, hypnotic, and emotionally powerful.

With its timeless and universal appeal, Pryda - Allein has captivated fans worldwide. The track is an absolute floor-filler that forms a highlight in any DJ set. Notably, this iconic track has never had a vinyl release, making this edition extra special for both collectors and lovers of true electronic music history.

A2) Dexter Connection - Baby Be Mine (Original Release 2003)

Released in 2003, this delightful groover samples Michael Jackson's Baby Be Mine and Brothers Johnson's Stomp. The track combines funky basslines with a tight, rhythmic groove that immediately invites dancing. The nostalgic vibes from the classic samples provide a familiar sound, while the modern production gives it a fresh, contemporary twist. Ideal for DJ sets where you want to get the crowd in the right mood.

A3) Superfunk feat. Ron Carroll - Lucky Star (Original Release 2000)

This track needs little introduction. Released in 2000, with soulful vocals from Ron Carroll, it quickly became an iconic hit within the house scene. Lucky Star was the breakthrough single of Superfunk, a French house group,and sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. The track reached number 42 on the UK Singles Chart and has since become a staple in house and dance sets.

With its funky basslines, catchy melody, and infectious groove, it's a perfect mix of disco, house, and soul. The track includes a sample from Chris Rea's Josephine, adding to the recognizable and nostalgic vibe. Lucky Star became not only a floor-filler but also an anthem of the French house movement, alongside acts like Daft Punk and Cassius who dominated the world in the same period.

B1) Dave Swayze - Goldwave (24K) (Original Release 1996)

This 1996 trance classic needs little introduction. Goldwave is a timeless track that continues to resonate with trance lovers, thanks to the unique combination of dreamy synths, hypnotic rhythms, and epic build-up. The track is a true ear-candy and touches anyone who hears it. Originally released in 1996 on Belgium's DiKi Records, it quickly became a classic in clubs like La Bush, Illusion, La Rocca, and many more.

To this day, Goldwave is still played in the sets of many DJs, and remains a favorite at retro trance events. The track has stood the test of time and remains a key track for fans of old-school trance. It's a piece of electronic music history that makes people dream on the dancefloor with its dreamy Goldwave.

B2) Chris Bangs feat. Rita Campbell - Warm Weather (Ibiza BeachBall Vocal Mix) (Original Release 2000)

Warm Weather by Chris Bangs feat. Rita Campbell is a summery, uplifting track that perfectly evokes the atmosphere of Ibiza. The song blends house and trance with the infectious vocals of Rita Campbell, creating a warm, relaxed vibe. The Ibiza BeachBall Vocal Mix adds a touch of Balearic energy, with a calm rhythm and melodies that immediately remind you of sunny beaches and carefree days. Originally released in 2000 on the UK label INCredible, it remains a hidden gem for many trance lovers.

C1) Hyper Pearl - Can You Feel The Pain (Up & Vox Version) (Original Release 1995)

This 1995 trance classic made a lot of noise in clubs like Illusion, La Bush, Lagoa, and At the Villa. Pure old-school trance with emotion and drive like only that era could produce. A fantastic track, produced by Carl Drake, Matt Spinner, and Zzino, originally released on Belgium's Aquatic label.

C2) Daniel Bovie & Roy Rox - Stop Playing With My Mind (Dub) (Original Release 2008)

Daniel Bovie (aka Danny Van Wouwe) is a versatile producer with dozens of tracks to his name, many of which are considered classics. This track is no exception. Originally released on the legendary Strictly Rhythm label, co-produced with Dutch producer Roy "Van Luffelen" Rox, this track quickly became a floor-filler and charted in Belgium and the Netherlands. The vocals wereprovided by the talented Nelson.

D1) The Disco Freaks - Make My Dreams Reality (Chord Memory Mix) (Original Release 1997)

Originally released on an EP by The Disco Freaks, the alter ego of producers Bart Grinaert and Lajos Meszaros. This mix, which is much stronger than the original, quickly became a club classic and was played extensively in clubs like Illusion, Carat, and Extreme. A delightful, groovy, and uplifting track that combines disco elements with house. The Chord Memory Mix adds a nostalgic touch by using warm chords, funky basslines, and uplifting percussion.

D2) The Mackenzie feat. Jessy - I Am Free (Marino Stephano Club Mix) (Original Release 1997)

I Am Free by The Mackenzie needs little introduction and is a must in every DJ and vinyl lover's collection. This mix, often played at our parties, is something special. The man behind many legendary trance classics, Marino Stephano (RIP), hasreworked this version in his unmistakable way. The remix has an energetic and captivating vibe, with deep, hypnotic beats and floating synths. A beautiful track in its original version, it continues to fascinate.

Atkinson first saw Les yeux sans visage when she was a teenager, around the turn of the century. The film made an impact for its iconic imagery and the way Franju draws on the aesthetics of early filmmaking, from its score that relies on stylistic markers typical of the 1940s or 50s to the decision to shoot in black and white. Even four decades after its first release, it was clear that this was a work that stood outside of the cultural moment that birthed it, speaking through time in ways that were uncanny, but profound.

A quarter-century later, Atkinson was approached by the Belgian cultural center VIERNULVIER to create a new score for Les yeux sans visage for its celebrated Videodroom series, which has seen artists like claire rousay, Mabe Fratti, Lee Renaldo, and many more create new original scores for cult classics and genre cinema. Atkinson's music, with its sublime meditations on space and proximity, its elusive sense of narrative development, mirrors the pacing and mystery at the heart of horror filmmaking. There is a shadow at the heart of her soundtrack to Les yeux sans visage, an ever-shifting wisp and an insinuation of encroaching transfiguration. Echoing a climactic moment in the film, the music obliquely points to "the Beyond," an impossible place of discovery and revelation.

Atkinson envisioned her music as something akin to the air moving throughout and beyond the many cages that appear in the film, unconstrained by the bars and with undefined borders. Those cages hold the victims of a madman surgeon, determined to graft a new face onto his daughter, the protagonist Christiane Génessier, who lost hers in a car accident while he was behind the wheel. Atkinson was reminded of her predecessors at the pioneering French studio the GRM, who approached sound in a less sinister, but similarly surgical manner, and took inspiration from their playful approach to cerebral soundmaking for the electroacoustic topography into which the piano is embedded. As such, Atkinson’s reactions to the larger themes and the minute-by-minute happenings onscreen are both audible simultaneously.

A film about a man who destroys the lives of young women marked by their beauty and similarity to his daughter in a shame-fueled rage has clear, continuous cultural resonance. "Through the music, I decided to bring back their empowerment despite what they endure," says Atkinson. "This is why the record is also dedicated to Gisèle Pelicot, whose trial happened while I was in the process of composing the music and kept thinking of her strength and her decision to share her trial in order to reverse the shame."

This recorded version of the soundtrack is a 34-minute synthesis of the full 90-minute score, presented on LP along with an essay by writer-musician Claire Cronin and drawings by Momo Gordon, together forming a complex reflection on the film's themes. If these sounds move as if the bars of cages are no barrier, they also intimate the freedom and power of those held behind them. Rather than simply mirroring the fear and confinement shown onscreen, Atkinson offers an elusive escape, a beacon for the characters, and the listener, to follow as they reckon with the narrative and move through it.

ALERT: BIG 90s ITALIAN RAVE COMP - a lot of very in demand tunes on here.

Navigators

Franco Falsini and the Interactive Test Universe

There are musicians who follow their time.

And then there are those who seem to move along a different trajectory—like navigators crossing sonic eras without ever truly belonging to any one of them. The story of Franco Falsini belongs to the latter. It is a story that begins long before raves, before techno, before the word “electronic” had even become a recognizable musical genre. A story that moves across continents, technologies, and sonic visions, eventually arriving at a small creative laboratory born in Italy in the early 1990s: Interactive Test. This compilation is a fragment of that universe. But as often happens with the hidden histories of music, understanding it requires going back. Far back.

The Beginning: Machines, Tape and Space

In the late 1960s Franco Falsini leaves Italy and moves to the United States. It is not merely a geographical journey—it is also a journey into a new idea of music. At the time, synthesizers are only just emerging from research laboratories. Multitrack tape recorders allow musicians to build entire sonic worlds on their own. Technology is still far from standardized: every studio is almost an experimental workshop. In Virginia, Falsini builds one of his own. Among cables, oscillators, electric guitars and reels of magnetic tape, a kind of music begins to take shape that resembles nothing else being made at the time. It is not simply rock, and it is not yet truly electronic. It moves somewhere in the space between the two. Out of these explorations emerges Sensations' Fix, the project through which Falsini releases a series of albums during the 1970s. Records that seem to come from a parallel dimension: cosmic landscapes, electronically treated guitars, synthesizers drifting like satellites. Many years later those albums would be rediscovered as visionary works. But at the time they were simply the result of relentless curiosity. A curiosity that would never fade.

The City That Never Sleeps

In the 1980s Falsini’s trajectory leads him to New York. The city is a sonic organism in constant transformation. In its clubs and recording studios something entirely new is beginning to take shape: music built from drum machines, sequencers, and samplers, created for the body before the living room. It is the dawn of modern dance culture. Falsini works as a sound engineer, producer and experimenter. From close range he observes electronic music transforming into a global language. Machines become more accessible, computers begin entering studios, and rhythm takes on an increasingly central role. Yet even in this phase Falsini does not simply follow what is happening. He absorbs. Observes. Reimagines. When he eventually returns to Italy, he brings back not only technical experience but also a clear vision: the conviction that electronic music is an open space, a territory still waiting to be explored.

Tuscany, Early 1990s

At the beginning of the 1990s something is happening in Italy as well. In clubs, abandoned industrial warehouses and clandestine parties, a new scene is beginning to form. It is rave culture: a spontaneous movement bringing together DJs, producers and listeners in a collective experience driven by rhythm, technology, and creative freedom. It is within this context that Franco Falsini, together with his brother Riccardo, creates Interactive Test.

The name almost sounds like a scientific experiment. In many ways, it is. Interactive Test does not emerge as a traditional record label. It begins as a laboratory—a place where ideas, sounds and musical identities can be tested and explored. Around the Falsini studio in Tuscany a small constellation of artists and DJs begins to gather, helping to shape the sound of Italy’s emerging electronic scene. Among them are Andrea Giuditta, Francesco Farfa, Gabry Fasano, Roby Mastelloni, Roby J and many others. Each brings a different musical sensibility. But they all share the same intuition: electronic music is not a genre. It is a language.

The Laboratory of Identities

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Interactive Test universe is its constant play with identity. Franco Falsini releases music under several different names: Open Space, Youth Wave, Agent Fylfoyt, Man Myth Magic. These are not simply pseudonyms.

They are different sonic perspectives, as if each project were a window opening onto a parallel musical universe. Open Space, for example, explores more atmospheric and visionary territories. Youth Wave moves between electronic groove and club-oriented rhythms. Other projects experiment with digital psychedelia or hypnotic techno textures. Interactive Test becomes something more than a label. it becomes an ecosystem.

Domestic Machines, Infinite Worlds

Looking back today at the technology used in those productions, one might almost smile. Many tracks were created on Amiga computers, MIDI sequencers and analog synthesizers wired together in home studios—tools that appear modest when compared to today’s digital possibilities.

Yet precisely these limitations became a creative force. Every sound had to be built, shaped and reinvented. Sequences developed slowly, almost like living organisms. The tracks did not always follow traditional dance music structures; often they felt like genuine sonic journeys. Music built from space.

A Hidden Constellation

Many of the records released by Interactive Test in the 1990s remained for years almost invisible objects, circulating quietly among DJs, collectors, and devoted listeners. Yet it is precisely this underground existence that helped preserve them. Listening again today, one perceives something rare: the feeling of music that does not fully belong to its own time. Music suspended between different eras. Perhaps because it comes from a vision that both precedes and transcends trends.

Continuing the Journey

Looking at Franco Falsini’s entire path—from the electronic psychedelia of Sensations’ Fix to the rave culture of the 1990s—a surprisingly coherent line emerges.

A line defined by exploration.

Each project, each pseudonym, each record appears as a new route within the same great sonic voyage.

Interactive Test was one of its stations.

A laboratory.
A community.
A creative platform.

This compilation gathers some of its traces.

Not as a simple archive of the past, but as a map of a musical territory that continues to expand even today.

Like all true sonic explorations.

Mucha, AKA Amanda Butterworth presents a stunning double header for Frequency Domain's tenth birthday release. But when up against one of the most thoughtful, precise, yet loose and rave inducing producers in the history of synthesisers, there was only ever going to be one opening point being made here. Surgeon's remix is typically essential for any techno fan. So while the original 'Skin' is this patient, rhythmic but beat-less slice of post- (or pre-)club stuff, full of ecstasy moods and comedown overtures, Surgeon's take refocuses us on the repetitive vocal patterns and slaps a wonderful compelling broken kick underneath to create a proper dancefloor builder. B-side 'You Make Me Go Under' goes for a neo-Bjork style IDM leaning piece, which then gets a moody, apocalyptic Datassette cut to top off an exceptionally strong package. Buy it. Buy it now.

We had a few Ellis Dee releases in the pipeline and thought it would be a nice nod of respect to the master don if we created a special sleeve that showed a snapshot of his history in the scene. Designed by Beagle (NARC) we asked Roy to share with us a bunch of his photos spanning all the way back to the start of the 90's. The sleeve is a specially made 7mm spine, full colour affair and we have only created 200 of them, so this will be a very limited and a future collectors piece.

Nobody knew. Not the crowd packed into Circolo Kessel that Sunday evening, not even the six musicians on stage. When Giardini di Mirò played on March 19, 2023, it was supposed to be just another homecoming show in Cavriago, the kind of night where you play for the people who’ve known you longest. Some were missing from the audience, though: “Our closest friends stayed home to watch the football match tonight,” Jukka quipped from the stage. “But that’s fine, we’ll deal with them tomorrow.” In hindsight, even Juventus fans who celebrated their 1–0 victory over Inter made the wrong choice.

Seventy minutes in, all the instruments converged into a one-chord riff, driven by the drums and punctuated by screaming guitars. A repetitive rhythm that paired brutal volume with hypnotic precision. Even those at the back of the room felt it: that trance-like state where sound becomes physical. Then the wall of sound collapsed. Guitar feedback lingered in the air for a few seconds before fading into nothing.

This was the last sound Giardini di Mirò made. They haven’t played since, and there are no plans to do so again. But in that moment, nobody knew.

The closing song that night was also the opener of their debut full-length, recorded more than two decades earlier. Its title, A New Start, carries an unintended irony the band would likely appreciate. It is also oddly fitting that their final show took place in the same building where they began. Circolo Kessel, previously known as Calamita, served as the band’s rehearsal space for many years. Yet since their rise to becoming one of Europe’s defining post-rock acts, they had never performed a concert there.

In a fortunate coincidence, Markus Mathis – a longtime fan who had recorded several of their shows before – also captured this final concert using two room microphones and a feed from the mixing desk.

Quasi Casa is the complete, unfiltered document of that night: an “official bootleg” spanning over 70 minutes of purely instrumental music, drawing on material from across their entire career, from the earliest releases to Del Tutto Illusorio. It captures, with striking clarity, the intensity that defined the band’s live performances.

Rather than simply uploading the recording and calling it a day, the band chose to assemble a physical release as a parting gift to their fans. The double LP includes a 16-page booklet with extensive liner notes and visual material.

Near the end of fifth grade, Eli Edwards’ mom gave him $20 and told him to go find a friend. His team had won its soccer game that day, so they were out celebrating at a local pizza parlor with games. But, more importantly, there had been one other Black kid that day on the pitch in Spanaway, WA, a Tacoma suburb and military-base town at the rainy northwest corner of the United States. That kid just happened to be Xayvien Young. An instant deep connection was formed between Edwards and Young—Eli and Xay, as they prefer to be called were inseparable— and now twelve years later they are the electrifying, boundary-skipping duo Casi.

Along the way, Eli had relocated to Los Angeles with the indie rock band Enumclaw he had helped found, but he found himself flying home maybe a little too much. He was ostensibly visiting his girlfriend, but he spent most of his time with Xay. They cut tracks in every bit of free time they found until they had an epiphany: Maybe this music they’d made together for a dozen years was actually something special. Casi’s 10-track, self-titled debut out on Carpark Records is the electrifying proof they needed.

On the record, they enthusiastically explore every musical interest they have ever had—explosive hip-hop and unbridled hardcore, high-gloss nü metal and a little bit of emo—as a pair. These songs don’t ignore genre lines; they delight in destroying them, in finding ways to slam hip-hop and hardcore, emo and nü metal together until it seems illogical that they were ever apart. Take “Jumper,” where heavy metal guitars and face-kicking drums stir the moshpit for rabid verses about crushing ICE and the lessons you learn riding the poverty line. And take closer “Bridges,” where the melodic imprint of Deftones meets the relentless confessions of Death Grips. Here are the hard, funny, and loud stories of two 23-year-olds, screaming about the world over a breathless composite of all the music they’ve ever loved.

When Eli was in Los Angeles, Xay missed his friend. But in his absence, he also felt the spark of inspiration. Music was something that had just been their childhood hobby, but now Eli was in a rock band that had press accolades and tours. He got serious about the craft. Eli would write about the dislocation and isolation he felt in California, while Xay would document the hardships of being a young Black man with a complicated family while working menial jobs in Spanaway.

This isn’t a coming-of-age album for Casi; it is, instead, a raw and riveting snapshot of that process, painful as it can be. “Eleven87” is a breakup song, a soul beat springing beneath arching emo vocals. And “Intrusive Thoughts” treats that topic like a punching bag, Eli and Xav fighting against the mental habits that keep them down. These 10 songs instantly close that gap.

Erased Tapes are proud to re-issue The Red Book by Penguin Cafe, with an expanded vinyl track list which now includes the CD and digital-only “And Yet…” plus two tracks from the limited-edition Umbrella EP. This new edition will be available on limited translucent vinyl and CD, both with updated art from Studio Torsten Posselt utilising the original drawing from renowned British sculptor and Simon Jeffes’ partner Emily Young.

Penguin Cafe was founded by Arthur Jeffes in 2009, bringing together a talented and disparate group of musicians initially to perform his father Simon Jeffes’ legacy of world-renowned Penguin Cafe Orchestra music, ten years after his untimely death in 1997. Following the release of A Matter of Life shortly after founding, The Red Book was released in 2014 to critical and fan acclaim.

“The name The Red Book comes from the book by Karl Jung of the same name. The book is about, among other things, the way our subconscious interacts with and intrudes into our daily lives. I thought this fitted what we were trying to achieve with the second album quite neatly — namely, exploring musical worlds that are at once both familiar and strange. There is another meaning which is that the main mastered disc you end up with, the one from which all other copies will be made, is called the Red Book Master — so somewhere at some point there will be a disc on which will be written “The Red Book — Red Book Master.”

The tracks on the album all fall on some point along a scale going from gently Apollonian at the one end to perhaps a bit more Dionysian at the other. For our purposes this would be the ‘spacey’ end — with tunes like 1420 and Aurora, and the ‘imaginary folk’ end — with tracks like Odeon, Radio Bemba and Black Hibiscus. The tracks between these extremes are, perhaps with Silent Sun in particular, an attempt to blend these two parts.”

The mighty Channel One Studios,Kingston, Jamaica, has its place set in Reggae's Musical History.Its distinctive sound the studio created on opening its doors in 1972 to its closure in the early 1980's made it the Producers, Singers and Musicians studio of choice during this furtive period. Achieving that vibe and clarity, separated it from the other Kingston establishments.

Run by the Hookim Family's four sons, Jo Jo the eldest followed by Paulie, Ernest and Kenneth. Their father originally came from China and married a Chinese Jamaican lady and settled in the St Andrews district before moving to Kingston Town itself. The family business was built on jukeboxes and one armed bandit machines in and around Kingston. A lucrative venture until the gaming laws changed in 1970, outlawing the gaming machines. So the music side of the business would have to be expanded. So it was decided to open a studio to make the music to supply their already established Jukebox enterprise. The four brothers opened Channel One Recording Studios in 1972 at 29 Maxfield Avenue, Kingston 13. Initially as we stated the purpose of the studio was for the brothers use only, but this would soon change when the various Producers all looking for that Channel One sound came asking for studio time.

The brothers had used the services of Bill Garnet a renowned and well respected technical engineer on setting up the studio. They spent a lot of time laying out the space to get the right acoustics and picking the right quipment. They went with a four track API desk and the best quality microphones such as Neuman, Sony and AKG, vital in obtaining the quality sound and track separation that would prove so worthwhile after the music was recorded to give the best flexibility on the final mix downs. Jo Jo would take over the production duties after the initial hiring of Syd Bucknor a producer who had worked closely with Coxonne Dodds Studio 1 stable. The first release on the Channel One label would be 'Don't Give Up The Fight' by Stranger Cole and Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson.The initial two thousand run being swallowed up by their Jukebox interests and so the steady flow of hits would run up to the brake through hit of 1975 'Right Time' by  the Mighty Diamonds.

1977 saw Jo Jo extending his stays in New York to a semipermanent status, returning mainly to oversee recording sessions and then taking the results back to America for worldwide distribution. His brother Paulies senseless killing in that year also added to Jo Jo's decision to spend more time with his Hit Bound Manufacturing set up in New York. The Channel One studio would be upgraded in 1979 to sixteen tracks and although Jo Jo and Ernest still covered the mixing and engineering duties Kenneth would now supervise sessions. An often untold part of Channel Ones history is the involvement of Producer Niney The Observer. The mid to late 1970's were heavy times both musically and politically and Maxfield Avenue was in the heart of this crossfire. Some artists and musicians were weary of using the establishment especially when sessions ended late at night and exiting the studio at these times could be somewhat dangerous. But Niney’s fearlessness seen him over running and in many cases running the all night sessions with his trusted set of musicians loosely called The Soul Syndicate. Having the run of the mighty Channel One studio's allowed Niney to build up and work on a stockpile of rhythms that he still has yet to unleash on the world. We have been lucky to select a bunch of material from Niney's vaults for this release. Some great unreleased rhythms and some different cuts to some tracks you might already know. Niney's work with Dennis Brown and his own distinctive heavy roots style productions have been documented and indeed his work on Channel Ones Yellowman releases stand tall also. We hope this fine set of Niney Productions set inside the hollowed walls of Channel One will sit beside them as they so richly deserve.

DJ Mart presents the new Dodge compilation *Dodge with Friends*. I am very proud of this exceptional compilation. *Dodge with Friends* reflects the musical and electronic diversity of my label Dodge, which I founded in Bochum in 1995 to promote electronic music from the Ruhr region. The new Dodge compilation *Dodge with Friends* features artists who have helped shape the evolution of music on Dodge and who are my friends—some of whom haven’t been able to release music on Dodge yet because they aren’t from the Ruhr region. All 16 of these artists have made a name for themselves in their respective fields over the years. You are the future with friends *

At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.

In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of... Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again.

On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.

“Funny Funky Rib Crib” is an unforgettable recording (made up of several sessions dating from the middle of 1974) of creative jazz overwhelmed by funk and soul.

If Lancaster had already made successful albums in the same genre – notably New Horizons, under the name Sounds Of Liberation which he co-led with Khan Jamal –, this one is an homage to James Brown and Sammy Davis enjoying the company of a host of guests including François Tusques (electric piano), Clint Jackson III (trumpet), François Nyombo (guitar), Joseph Traindl (trombone)...

Funny Funky Rib Crib’s cover is a three-quarter profile portrait of the saxophonist (who can also be heard on flute, piano and even vocals), however, on the record, it is the whole group, inspired and frenetic, that tests the melodies of “Just Test”, “Dogtown” or “Rib Crib” – the two versions of which display leader Lancaster’s art of nuance. On both sides of the album, the group also moves into a calmer groove, infused by blues and soul, “Work And Pray” and “Loving Kindness” are meditative tracks where listeners can lay back and relax before asking for more: Funny Funky Rib Crib

This new album compiles several songs made in the years following Black To Comm's classic "Alphabet 1968" album. Originally released on the seminal Type label in 2009 (and to be reissued on Cellule 75 this year) "Alphabet 1968" combined the sound of vintage shellac and vinyl loops with broken electronics and field recordings, the press release mentioning disparate influences "ranging from Moondog to Basic Channel by way of Bernard Herrmann". In a beautiful one-page review in The Wire magazine (later reprinted in his book Ghosts Of My Life) Mark Fisher compared Richter's music to JF Sebastian’s miniature automata in Blade Runner ("with their bizarre mixture of the clockwork and the computerised, the antique and the ultramodern, the playful and the sinister"), ETA Hoffmann's inventor-magicians and Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam's 1886 tale of Thomas Edison's (fictitious) construction of an artificial human.

Now titled "Coh Bâle" (inspired by a strange dream) these recordings were supposed to become a follow-up to said album but for reasons unknown it never materialized and the album seemed forever lost. At the time Richter started to dive deeper into several strains of (so-called) world music aka the folk music of Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe as well as liturgical and medieval music, the Kraut-Electronica of Harmonia and several certain Mediterranean experimentalists from the 1980's who started to merge their mostly electronic and field recording based compositions with traditional musics from all over the world by way of new sampling technology.

Many of the songs for the album were recorded while travelling and at various residencies around Europe: a detuned piano in a Thessaloniki basement (Richter played at a children's birthday party there), vintage synthesizers in the GRM studios in Paris, decaying acoustic instruments found in an old Black Forest mansion, childrens' voices at a workshop in Karlsruhe's ZKM Institute; then mixed on headphones in the ICE trains running between these places and his hometown Hamburg.

"Coh Bâle" is taking inspirations from old Nonesuch Explorer and Ocora LP's, Crammed Records, 80s Mediterranean Ambient (Nuno Canavarro, Roberto Musci) combined with the DIY spirit of Deux Filles and Flaming Tunes and the playfulness of Asa Chang & Junray. The songs are both mysterious and transparent, intricate and frugal, vibrant and patient. One of the album's unexpected climaxes is a gorgeous (artificial) berimbau version of the Welsh traditional "Iechyd o Gylch".

No two songs feature the same instrumentation and many acoustic sources (pianos, flutes, wood percussion, viola, tablas, autoharp) were disassembled and later coalesced into new configurations or used as virtual instruments; later combined with samples, field recordings, electronics and (on a few tracks) autotuned vocals reminding of recent works by the likes of Claire Rousay or More Eaze.

We had to wait for a worldwide pandemic for Richter to dig deep into the vaults and finally bring these recordings to light. This is the 2nd release from his archives after the "Diode, Triode" LP which presented Musique Concrète/Acousmatic recordings made at INA/GRM and ZKM. Another massive Double-CD (MM∞XX Vol. 1 & 2) was released last year featuring collaborations with 33 artists such as Andrew Pekler, Richard Youngs, Eric Chenaux, Maja Ratkje, Radwan Ghazi Moumneh of Jerusalem In my Heart, GRM boss François Bonnet (Kassel Jaeger), Felix Kubin, Timo van Luijk (In Camera, Af Ursin), Luke Fowler and many others, showing Richter's versatility and his willingness to reinvent himself for every new release.

Marc Richter is widely known under his Black To Comm moniker, having released (at least) 12 albums under this alias in the last 20 years. He is currently signed to the Thrill Jockey label. Richter composes soundtracks for film and has worked with visual artists such as Mike Kelley and Ho Tzu Nyen. He also records as Jemh Circs and Mouchoir Étanche for his own Cellule 75 label (named in tribute to the late Luc Ferrari).

Side A’s “Mysterious Vibes” comes from Action (1977), the later-era The Blackbyrds LP produced by Donald Byrd. By this point the group had fully locked into that hazy jazz-funk pocket—rhodes, bassline glide, & drums that feel tailor-made for loops. It’s been a quiet weapon for producers: Kurious (“I’m Kurious”), Paris (“The Days of Old”), plus later flips from Big K.R.I.T. & Dom Kennedy. The Jazz Dub leans into that—stretching the groove, letting the atmosphere breathe, keeping it playable.

Flip side is certified soul-collector territory. Tom Brock’s “When There’s Nothing Left…” is lifted from I Love You More and More (1974), produced by Barry White & Gene Page. Lush, aching, full orchestration—exactly why Just Blaze flipped it for Jay-Z’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” off The Blueprint. One of those samples that instantly connects eras.

This isn’t just a “nice edit” 45—it’s a bridge between jazz-funk heads, soul collectors & hip-hop producers. Both sides rooted in records that already did damage, now reworked for the floor.

The fourth instalment in the Hutson Sevens 7‑inch series finds Home of the Good Groove Records taking a slight detour away from the vaults of unreleased material this time, but back to a pivotal moment in LeRoy Hutson’s creative journey.

Fear not: more unheard gems are on the horizon. But for this chapter, the label rewinds to 1994, a year that marked a meaningful renaissance for the soul legend.

After years of legal battles and persistence, Hutson finally reclaimed partial ownership of his catalogue in 1989 — a hard‑won victory that opened the door to a new era. Though celebrated as a musician, composer, lyricist and performer, the world of publishing was uncharted territory for the musical legend. By 1994, Hutson stepped confidently into that new chapter, signing his first licensing agreement with a Japanese label and publisher.

From that landmark agreement come two recordings now making their debut on 7‑inch vinyl, presented with the care and reverence they deserve.

The A‑side brings us “Lucky Fellow (’94 Mix)”, a track with a storied lineage. First recorded by Maurice Jackson in 1971, it became one of Hutson’s signature moments when he released it on his 1975 album Hutson — a version that remains a fan favourite to this day.

Nearly two decades later, Hutson returned to the studio to revisit the song once more, applying his unmistakable production finesse to craft a fresh, radiant mix. Initially released in Japan on Lucky Fellow: The Best Vol. 2 and then later resurfacing on a Deepbeats Hutson compilation album in 1997.

Now, for the first time, this ’94 version arrives on 7‑inch vinyl — a lovingly curated snapshot of Hutson’s evolution, and a reminder of just how timeless his artistry remains.

Hutson’s “Lucky Fellow” gets a striking reimagining here, trading the warmth of the original for a brighter, crisp production, lifting the melody into sharper focus. While the added vocal riffs don’t just embellish the track — they give it a fresh, expressive identity.

Think of “Lucky Fellow (94 Mix)” as the cool cousin who shows up uninvited and immediately steals the spotlight. It tightens the groove, brightens the melody, and sprinkles in a handful of sly vocal riffs that flip the familiar tune into something delightful and freshly polished.


The flip side of this release digs a little deeper into Hutson’s 1994 chapter, bringing the track “Reality” to the 7‑inch format for the very first time — a moment many collectors and soul devotees have been waiting on.

Originally recorded in 1982, the track spent twelve quiet years on the shelf before finally surfacing on a 1994 P‑Vine CD Hutson compilation. It reappeared twice again on CD throughout the following years and made its first vinyl appearance on a Deepbeats Hutson compilation in 1998.

Nearly two decades later, in 2017, French record label Saph Records reintroduced the track to a new wave of listeners as part of its Unreleased Boogie Tracks 12‑inch series, cementing somewhat of a cult status among Hutson boogie fans.

Cut during the sessions for Hutson’s Paradise era, “Reality” carries the unmistakable sheen of early‑’80s soul — a buoyant, melodic groove wrapped in Huston’s recognisable warmth.
Now freshly remastered in 2026 by UK’s Phil Ward, the track gains an added depth and clarity that enhances its rhythmic glide without losing its vintage charm.
It’s a notable moment in Hutson’s catalogue and a killer selection to finally receive the 7‑inch treatment — a long‑overdue spotlight for a track that has spent far too long in the 7-inch shadows.

Following the underground cult success of Mystical Funk, Gerardo Frisina returns to the 7” format with a new double-sider aimed at dancefloors, collectors, and selectors with a taste for cinematic funk. A record that feels as though it emerged from a lost Afro-funk session, where cosmic funk and Afro-Latin grooves are filtered through a distinctly modern electronic sensibility.
On the A-side, “Duala”, inspired by the African city of Douala, pays tribute to Afro-funk in its most visionary era, evoking the unmistakable sound made famous by the great Manu Dibango. The track opens into a dense and hypnotic electronic funk journey: pulsating basslines, fluid guitars, psychedelic synthesizers, and a rhythmic tension that recalls the golden age of Afro-funk. A nocturnal voyage through rare groove and cinematic atmospheres, with the groove constantly remaining at the heart of the composition.
On the B-side, “Lindeza” is a tribute to the beauty and richness of Brazilian musical culture. A track that shifts perspective while keeping the temperature high: elegant, percussion-driven electronics with a Latin spirit, flowing at around 110 BPM. Warm and magnetic, the piece carries all the hallmarks of Gerardo Frisina’s sound, where futuristic jazz, tropical funk, batucada, and club culture meet in a refined production designed equally for deep listening and the dancefloor.

German-Turkish singer and composer Alev Lenz follows her self-released album 4 in a Cycle of Thirds (Jan 2026) with a complete, album length ambient rework by Simian Mobile Disco co-founder Jas Shaw. “The two records are very much intertwined," writes London-based German-Turkish singer and composer Alev Lenz. "I made 4 in a Cycle of Thirds with Jas in mind, inspired by a mix he created for my last album.” Lenz and Shaw have previously worked together on 2024 collaboration EP Bring Your Friends, as well as album mixes for Lenz' previous two solo records. Lenz' original album was created from a series of single-note drones, one for each note of the chromatic scale. "When I had this idea, I wanted Jas’ touch involved somehow. I asked him for drones on each note. He sent me 12 and I wrote most of the album listening to these drones. They eventually left the picture and were replaced by new drones I made, new sounds or vocals. But the memory of them lingers in the songs, like an imprint on the retina, an afterimage.

So naturally when the record was finished I sent the totality of it to Jas and said: here you go, make your versions!" 4 in a Cycle of Thirds in its original form touches on traditional folk musics, chamber music, contemporary composition, film score, and even interweaves subtle metal inflections, but now presented on double vinyl alongside Jas Shaw's versions as twin records, it has a newly foregrounded quietude, spectral and delicately nuanced. Through reduction, meticulous replacement, and sensitively applied edits, Shaw gently rebalances the light and shadow of the original pieces, coaxing new subtleties and harmonic resonance. "It occupies a space that is in-between the lines," describes Lenz. Shaw employs a "feedback system" he created for his piano, applied here to devastating effect. "Take the key bed off it and set up a resonators, mics and a mixer. Lots of gaffa tape, lots of precarious propping stuff open. You grub around on the floor and slowly the room fills with harmonics, it’s wonderful." And, on the relationship between the original record and these new versions, he explains "we could really let the songs drift into a different shape without worrying that we were missing elements that were great."

Alev Lenz is a singer, songwriter, composer, and producer born to a Turkish actor, activist, and artist mother and an Oscar-winning German engineer father. Alev’s creative foundation is as diverse as her musical output. Her solo discography includes three albums - Storytelling Piano Playing Fräulein (2009), Two-Headed Girl (2017), and 3 (2019). She has contributed vocals to scores by Oscar-winning composer Volker Bertelmann, including the US drama Conclave. She has collaborated with artists such as Anoushka Shankar, Jas Shaw (Simian Mobile Disco), Roomful of Teeth, and plenty more. Songwriter, composer, and producer Jas Shaw is best known for his work with Simian Mobile Disco, whom he co-founded in 2003. He mixed Alev Lenz' 2016 and 2019 albums Two-Headed Girl and 3, and also performs with Selling alongside Gold Panda, and Shaw & Grossfeldt with visual artist Bas Grossfeldt. Shaw and Lenz released the collaboration EP Bring Your Friends in 2024.

2x GRAMMY® Award winning R&B powerhouse Kehlani releases her highly anticipated self-titled fifth studio album, KEHLANI, today on her birthday, April 24, 2026. The project captures her at her most honest, blending soul-baring storytelling with the lush, genre-bending sound that has made her one of modern R&B’s most influential voices. The album was anchored by a trio of defining singles, beginning with “Folded,” a breakout anthem that has become one of the defining R&B records of the decade. “Folded” delivered major award recognition, including 2x GRAMMY® wins for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance, an iHeartRadio Music Award for R&B Song of the Year (where she made her debut award show performance), NAACP Image Awards nominations, and three American Music Award nominations, including Song of the Year. The momentum continued with “Out The Window,” which further showcased Kehlani’s emotional transparency and sonic direction. Most recently, Kehlani released “Back and Forth” featuring Missy Elliott. The track pairs Kehlani’s signature vulnerability with Missy Elliott’s unmistakable innovation and energy, serving as the final preview before the album’s release. Kehlani celebrates a landmark year of cultural impact, including a surprise appearance during Giveon’s mainstage set at Coachella in addition to her solo performance at Revolve Festival. With over 20 RIAA certifications, more than 5 billion global streams, and status as a 7x GRAMMY® nominated songwriter and artist, Kehlani continues to solidify her place as one of contemporary R&B’s most essential voices. This year she was also honored at the Femme It Forward 2025 “Give Her FlowHERS” Awards Gala, receiving the Alchemist Award, and recognized as an ASCAP Women Behind the Music Honoree. Kehlani will also be honored with the Impact Award at the upcoming Billboard Women in Music, where she will deliver a special performance in celebration of her influence on music and culture. Kehlani will bring the album to global stages with upcoming festival performances at Essence Festival, Afronation Portugal, Roots Picnic, and more

The Definite Article captures the Scientists "Weird Love" lineup (Kim Salmon, Boris Sujdovic, Tony Thewlis, Leanne Cowie) performing live at the peak of their powers at The Triffid in Brisbane on November 4, 2017. The Australian rock legends run through twenty of their best loved songs and captures them at their raucous, swampy, noisy best. The band were so happy with the performance and the recording that they decided to release it on cassette on Emmett Kelly’s Ha Ha label and sell it on tour. With the tape long sold out, In The Red is happy to bring this incredible performance to vinyl for the first time. “I love their records. They wrote fantastic singles and looked like they just crawled out of the ooze. What more could you ask for?” – Warren Ellis “The Scientists turned my head around and made a man out of me! They grew hair on my palms and made my socks stink.” – Jon Spencer “The Scientists proved to me that rock 'n' roll could be played by gentlemen in fine silk shirts half-unbuttoned and still dirty, cool and real.” – Thurston Moore

"raqs", which translates to the Dari noun for "dance" is written the same way like its Arabic original made of the three root letters: ra qa sa - to dance. under this premise of cultural kinship Afghan-German producer artist Farhot is about to addanother sonic layer to his discography, this time designed for the dance floor - a space, where culture can be shared by many, which invites movement and connection.while his earlier work was heavily influenced by the various traditions of hiphop, which later was enfused with sounds inspired by his Afghan roots, on "Raqs" he explores the vibrant musical heritage of mostly Arabic speaking regions from North Africa to West Asia, where as his fascination for Somali music also took him to East Africa. Like a well versed HipHop producer Farhot"s approach to "raqs" was guided by a virtual sampling journey which allowed him to connect and fuse sounds from Egypt, Lebanon or Somalia carefully woven into an EP that stands apart from his previous work but nevertheless carries his sonic signature: productions, that can sound as complex and immense as they sound playful and simple or creating intensity through unconventional ways of chopping and distorting vocals - amongst others one will find samples of Lebanese legend Fairuz dressed in an almost experimental uptempo production. Whoever followed Farhot"s work around the release of his sophomore LP Kabul Fire Vol. 2 via his own label Kabul Fire Records will know that he releases music intentionally alway ensuring a new quality to music, especially when he samples from cultures that are often times overshadowed by conflict or simply forgotten. With "raqs" he reminds us of the rich musical traditions that always existed beyond the west. he also reminds us of the ways that music can connect beyond borders, like an Afghan producer from Germany, who loves Somali music and Fairuz.

The Mamas & The Papas were formed by husband and wife John and Michelle Phillips, formerly of The New Journeymen, and Denny Doherty, formerly of The Mugwumps. The last member to join was Cass Elliot, Doherty's bandmate in The Mugwumps. The group considered calling itself The Magic Cyrcle before switching to The Mamas and the Papas as apparently inspired by the Hells Angels, whose female associates were called "mamas".

They released a total of five studio albums and seventeen singles over a four-year period, six of which made the Billboard top ten, and sold close to 40 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 for their contributions to the music industry.

The band’s first single, “Go Where You Wanna Go”, was released in 1965. The second single, “California Dreamin’”, was released later in 1965 and quickly peaked in the charts. The band’s album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears, was released in March 1966 and became the band’s only number 1 album on the Billboard 200. The third and final single from their debut was “Monday, Monday”, which became the band’s only US number 1 hit. The song brought the band international success.

Collected is a perfect overview of the multiple classic hits and tracks throughout the career of The Mamas & The Papas and complimented with several popular tracks by Mama Cass Elliot.

Music On Vinyl proudly presents a special edition of The Mamas & The Papas Collected compilation, which is available as a limited edition of 5.000 individually numbered copies on blue vinyl, and includes a booklet with liner notes.

Dirty Heads have built a career out of soundtracking the best moments of people's lives, and with '7 Seas' they're not slowing down. The RIAA Platinum Certified Southern California outfit returns with their much-anticipated ninth full-length album, building on their signature balance of carefree energy and reflective songwriting while inviting fans into their next chapter of freedom, positivity and forward motion. From sun-soaked, laid-back anthems made for a day at the beach to hard-hitting late-night bangers, the album moves fluidly across moods without ever losing the infectious Dirty Heads energy fans have come to love. With over 3 billion career streams worldwide and multiple #1 singles on alternative and rock radio, Dirty Heads have built a dedicated global following by seamlessly fusing reggae, hip-hop, alternative rock and pop.

Few artists arrive as compellingly yet elusively as did Stuart Moxham upon the startling debut of Young Marble Giant's sole studio album, Colossal Youth. Initial excitement was thrust upon the young Alison Statton, who sang songs written by Stuart with a couple of exceptions. The unaffected tone of her voice was in steep contrast to the typical goings-on in that still quite punky time, but it was what she sang that fully sold it. Moxham's lyrics were both intensely personal and woefully oblique. There seemed to be a sort of story in there. Confusingly, that story often felt like it was Alison's rather than the fellow who'd penned it. The unexpected miracle a deal with Rough Trade and the album's subsequent success had the band stymied for a second act and it wasn't long before the group disintegrated, although circumstances often brought members and a few of their peers - among them Debbie Pritchard, Spike Williams, and a third Moxham brother, Drew. - Phil Moxham was the band's bassist - together in odd combinations and pairings. None of the three YMG members have been especially prolific, but it's Stuart's career that has seemed the least straightforward, as if he'd wondered, "What to do when your debut is a nearly perfect artefact?" In the case of his first "solo" full-length in thirty years, Stuart took the unusual step of entering an alien studio with American producer Dave Trumfio (who's also the leader of Pulsars and bassist for Mekons) and allowing him to decide what tracks (of a large number submitted by Stuart) to record, and how they'd be orchestrated. Or not. In this case - save for the writing and composing - it's really Dave's album as much as Stuart's. The tracks went with Dave back to LA, where they were mixed, a few parts added (including subtle backing vocals from the incredible Linda Smith) . . . then later unmixed and reworked by John Henderson and Roni Ayala back in Valencia. Both versions will be made available, and both have a compelling cohesion missing from some of Stuart's work since YMG. Stuart's minimalism is quite intact, the range of emotions quite wide. There are few artists operating today like Stuart Moxham, a composer of the upper echelon of innate talent who combines avant-garde ideas with deceptively forthright personal lyrics, solid hooks, ambience and vaguely off-centre instrumentation which defies the casual marketplace as confoundingly as it ever did to the underground, whatever that is these days. His songs have been admired and / covered by everyone from Lush to Kurt Cobain, adaptations in Japanese and even a French-language hit by Etienne Daho, adaptations by Hole, Galaxie 500, Magnetic Fields, Belle And Sebastian and many others - but a new Stuart Moxham album is a special kind of joy.

‘Richness of tone; precision of articulation; ingenuity of timbre that, when Akinmusire pursues microtonal avenues, creates the sense that particular sounds are almost hermetically sealed before being slowly squeezed and pinched into the air. In other words there is a high degree of technical mastery, but, tellingly, it underpins a profound and often engrossing sense of narrative.’ - Jazzwise

‘Halvorson has formulated a guitar style with few precedents. One inspiration might be the painter George Seurat, whose Impressionist paintings of a hundred isolated dots cohere into a picture if one steps back from the canvas. Halvorson’s pointillist approach to the guitar works much the same way.’ - JazzTimes

Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings, the new album by trumpeter/composer Ambrose Akinmusire and guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson, features four new compositions by each musician as well as one collaboration. The duo, long admirers of each other’s musicianship, met at Halvorson’s Brooklyn apartment and began playing together periodically, going back as far as 2009. They rehearsed the music on Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings in January 2025, just before performing it at the New York City club The Stone; they recorded this album the next day at Sear Sound.

Akinmusire and Halvorson made two previous attempts at recording an album but felt that they got it right with this third session. Halvorson says of their rapport, which developed over those years of friendship and collaboration, “I think it’s partly a shared aesthetic and an ease of communication. I feel comfortable to try whatever.” Akinmusire concurs, “I think it’s rare to find an improviser that all goes and nothing has to go at all. It’s rare to feel like you don’t have to do anything and you can do anything. And that’s what I love about playing with Mary.”

Though Halvorson regularly uses effects pedals on her guitar, Akinmusire’s use of one on Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings is new. Having recently gotten an updated model of the Line 6, Halvorson was passing her old ones along to friends. “Ambrose was interested in trying a Line Six. I gave him one five minutes before the rehearsal and was amazed how quickly he was able to do incredible shit on it ... in literally five minutes,” she says.

“But I’ve been watching you, I’ve been watching Bill Frisell and other people use it for a long time,” Akinmusire says. “I approached it as if it were its own musician. I played and it would process the sound and then I would choose to react to that or not. The people like Mary that I love to listen to who use delay, I like being able to hear the process of the texture that’s being built. With some people, when they use it, you don’t really hear it. But with Mary, she’ll play a line and then she’ll react to that line and then react to that,” he continues. “It’s really cool to hear how something is being built. So I kind of stole that.”

Halvorson says, “I’ve never seen someone pick up a pedal and then immediately do something with it that felt like, ‘Oh, this is a sound,’ as opposed to just tinkering, you know? It felt like he was making music on it right away, and then also doing things that surprised me, like the vocalizing really surprised me. I wasn’t expecting that, and it was awesome.”

The early 80’s in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was hardly the place where music dreams came true. It had an amazing venue called Friars which was on the touring circuit, but very few local bands. There was the VICE CREEMS fronted by Kris Needs and there was the notorious yet terrible SORE WILLIES. EFFIGY came from the ashes of the SORE WILLIES and formed in 1983. EFFIGY came fully formed and instantly became popular in the local area, where they put on a weekly night at the Uptown Coffee Bar. The band hardly left Aylesbury though, and when they did it was to play in nearby High Wycombe and Bicester. They played bigger gigs with everyone from ALIEN SEX FIEND, BILLY BRAGG, UK DECAY, THE SCARS and SPIZZ. The band recorded one 5 track demo in October 1983 and it is simply unbelievable that it has never been re-released, but then again the bands legacy seems to have banished without a trace, with literally no mentions anywhere. Making their demo one of the hardest ones from 1983 to track down, or even hear, since it is not even uploaded on YouTube.

EFFIGY’s sound is so instant. It’s driving, tight female fronted post punk with hooks, style, and had it been released at the time would have made them a household name. Think a straight ahead version of SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, early X-MAL DEUTSCHLAND, THE A-HEADS or the SKELETAL FAMILY but with a more pop edge. The songs lyrically were around the obsession with paganism and old black and white horror films, the name EFFIGY was taken from a book Roger was trying to write about witchcraft and the Pendle witch trials called Effigy of Isobel, which was never completed (due to his very low attention span) but a song on this recording did emerge.
The release comes with a lyric sheet, a new interview with the band and as much archive as we could dig out, which in this case wasn’t much.

Although humankind has made it to the far side of the Moon and back, there is still more to discover. Strap in… Rex The Dog is taking us further out into the lesser-known realms of space disco.

‘Far Out!’ is a reinterpretation of an early breakbeat rave tune from 1991 by Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era. It’s a tribute to a simpler time when all you needed was a cascading piano riff played through a powerful sound system, with your best friend by your side.

In Rex’s version, the breakbeats and piano have been replaced with a punchy 4/4 beat and an arpeggiated synth workout that cuts through the air like a laser. Houston, we have a hit.

‘I Need Your Body’ showcases Rex The Dog’s more introspective side, with yearning vocals spread across a heavily bouncing rhythm track full of mind-boggling dub effects.

This new EP cements Rex The Dog’s status as a unique voice in today’s techno world, as well as an incredibly reliable purveyor of highly emotional dancefloor smash hits.
Obwohl die Menschheit es bereits bis zur Rückseite des Mondes und wieder zurück geschafft hat, gibt es noch immer Neues zu entdecken. Schnallt euch an … Rex The Dog entführt uns noch weiter in die weniger bekannten Gefilde des Space Disco.

„Far Out!“ ist eine Neuinterpretation eines frühen Breakbeat Rave Tracks aus dem Jahr 1991 von Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era. Es ist eine Hommage an eine einfachere Zeit, in der man nur ein kaskadenartiges Piano-Riff brauchte, abgespielt über ein kraftvolles Soundsystem, mit dem besten Freund an der Seite.

In Rex’ Version wurden die Breakbeats und das Piano durch einen druckvollen 4/4-Beat und ein arpeggiertes Synth-Riff ersetzt, das wie ein Laser durch die Luft schneidet. Houston, wir haben einen Hit.

„I Need Your Body“ zeigt die eher introspektive Seite von Rex The Dog, mit sehnsüchtigem Gesang, der sich über einen heftig bouncenden Rhythmus-Track voller verblüffender Dub-Effekte erstreckt.

Diese neue EP festigt Rex The Dogs Status als einzigartige Stimme in der heutigen Techno-Welt sowie als unglaublich zuverlässiger Lieferant hoch emotionaler Dancefloor Smash Hits.

#andifyouknowyourhistory#detroit#raresoul

We are talking Holy Grail territory…

Edwin Starr and JJ Barnes were two of the main stars at Ric-Tic, the legendary 1960s Detroit Soul label that ended up being purchased by Motown to take out the competition.

JJ Barnes REAL HUMDINGER Ric-Tic 45 is a standout gem from the Motor City’s Soul heyday years and an all time Northern Soul classic. Edwin’s Ric-Tic 45s and subsequent gems for Motown made him such a Northern Soul icon that he moved to live in England.

What Anglophile Edwin never revealed is that he actually recorded the first version of REAL HUMDINGER for Ric-Tic. It never got released and its’ very existence was unknown. After painstaking detective work WEST GRAND found about the recording and have now managed to licence it from Universal Music / Motown for its debut worldwide release News of the discovery has created huge interest amongst Soul fans globally, As a bonus the flip side is another “wow find” that had been stuck, also unknown and unloved, in the tape vaults for nearly 60 years. It is a preciously unused alternative take on SCOTT’S ON SWINGERS.

The track is in effect an extended jingle for Detroit back in the day star radio DJ Scott Regan based on Edwin’s smash S.O.S (Stop Her On Sight). The released take came out on a limited edition RIC-Tic giveaway single that now commands a £400 price tag.

The new recordings from The Dengie Hundred unfurl on Tain Records after a busy year releasing a solo tape on Sagome and a collaborative LP and tape with Japan Blues on Demdike Stare's DDS imprint.

Lammas Land is an album which meditates on the Walthamstow Marshes, an ever-changing watery landscape, rich with history and wildlife. The Dengie Hundred writes:

"I am sitting at my table overlooking the marshes listening to Lammas Land in November 2023, watching crows fight a never-ending aerial battle with the gulls. In summer, you can see bats from here every evening, fluttering around the windows as the light begins to fade, but today it is colder so there is smoke rising from the boats on the River Lea and the dog walkers are wrapped up tight against the wind.
Most of Lammas Land was made sitting right here, playing guitar and recording the sounds passing by. I would hang a microphone out of the window to capture the ‘putput’ boat which delivers provisions, or the trains that rattle along the tracks that cut across the marshes and up to Stanstead, carrying passengers to the airport and away.
I wonder what tourists make of the marshes as they cross them, the landscape opening up for a moment between the urban sprawl of the East End and the rampant development of Tottenham. They offer a jarring pause of green and sky. I feel very lucky to be living in that pause, a resident, for now…

The album contains a whole year of found sounds recorded from the window and while out walking. It is full of bird song and radio sounds, singing, life.

Many others have been inspired by this space, this pause. The author Esther Kinsky who wrote River, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions, captures this area so perfectly. I borrowed the two track names for this album from her book. I hope she doesn’t mind.

Also, the photographer Paul Fuller whose work reflects the atmosphere I feel here precisely. On hearing the music he wanted to collaborate on the Lammas Land project, He spent a year filming the marsh through the seasons. Some of his images are included with the vinyl release, and there is an accompanying film close to completion. I am so pleased this project is continuing in new forms.

The vinyl also contains a piece of writing, ‘Sound Fishing’, by Gemma Blackshaw, an author, art historian and curator who in a twist of fate also found herself spending time on the marshes, but that is her story, for another day."




The Dengie Hundred
Lammas Land
LP, with essay insert + five photographic prints
Cat No: TAIN02
Price: £14.49
Due next week

A: A hand full of ever thickening twilight
(Sample clips 1 / 2 / 3)

B: A string of pearls pulling
the night away
(Sample clips 1 / 2 / 3)

Soul Jazz Records’ long out of print classic ‘Studio One Funk’ collection is being re-released in three new one-off limited-edition coloured pressing 18th anniversary format editions!
Firstly, a heavyweight special limited edition one-pressing only red 2xLP vinyl + download. Secondly, there is also a new special limited-edition one-off pressing edition red-pressed CD enclosed in jewel case and slipcase. And thirdly there is a very limited unique new one-off pressing red-cased cassette format (200 copies only)! 18 years on from its original release Studio One Funk remains one of our Studio One releases most in-demand titles and like all our earlier special coloured editions is sure to sell out fast!
Studio One Funk is made up of rare and unreleased Reggae Funk from the vaults of Studio One. Ever since the birth of Funk in America, the sound has been an ever-present ingredient in the melting pot of Studio One’s musical output.
The music on this release is a combination of originals, US covers and versions of existing Studio One cuts. Jackie Mittoo shows his appreciation for Booker T and The MGs, the studio group at Memphis’ famous Stax Records with ‘Hang Em High’, itself a cover of a film soundtrack by Dominic Frontiere. Incredibly this version has never before been released. Booker T’s super-funky ‘Melting Pot’ is also covered by the little-known Underground Vegetables.
Other versions include Isaac Hayes’ classic Blaxploitation soundtrack ‘Shaft’ again by Cedric Im Brooks track - another unreleased gem, straight from the tape master. Motown gets a look in with Alton’s stripped-down version of the Spinners classic ‘It’s A Shame’, written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta.
James Brown is apparent in spirit with the JBs-inspired groove on the super rare cut “Now” by Lee Arab. Lloyd Williams similarly does a fine Kingston-style version of the hardest-working man in showbusiness on ‘Reggae Feet’.
Version-wise, we have ‘Idleberg’, Cedric Im Brooks tough instrumental cut on Horace Andy’s seminal ‘Skylarking’. The little-known Prince Moonie gives us a rare DJ cut of another Horace Andy classic, ‘See A Man’s Face’.
Pablove Black’s cut of Sidewalk Doctor (A/K/A Poco Tempo) is one of a handful of Studio One releases featuring Augustus Pablo’s trademark instrument, the melodica, played by Black himself.
Add to these original cuts from Studio One’s heavyweight session players including Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Eric Frater, Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace, Richard Ace, Vin Gordon and more and you have one of the finest selections of reggae and funk you will ever hear.







"This collection goes deep into the Brentford Road vaults and unearths a rake of previously unreleased gems alongside hard to find classics. Heavy and inspirational, totally unique and essentially timeless." Straight No Chaser
"An absolute treasure trove for the collector as well as being great for the ears and feet. Jackie Mittoo's 'Hang Em High' is worth the price of the album on its own." Echoes
"A superb collection that shows how much many Jamaican musicians were influenced by the heavy funk belting out of American studios from the early seventies onwards.” Touch
"The most satisfying listening experience so far in the Studio One series." The Wire
"Rare and unreleased grooves from Jamaica's house of excellence." Mojo

Bliss Point is proud to welcome the Bogotá born, New York based Matük to the label with Sendero, a collection dripping with life, with lust, with joy in the face of it all.

Birthed from weekend-long studio sessions in the heat of New York summer, Sendero is luscious and visceral party music, crackling with the spontaneous possibility that runs through city streets as temperatures peak, asses throw and emotions run high.

Hailing from Colombia and deeply immersed in the New York underground, Matük’s influences collide into an ecstatic tapestry on Sendero, blending the rich traditions of Afro-Caribbean musics with experimental and club sonics, long the sounds of joy as defiance from deep within the imperial core.

Many paths cross on Sendero. “Ricotta” features vocals from BRAVA, the Basque DJ and MC whose raw, infectious spirit has injected new energy into the international bass and footwork scene. She is joined by Argentinian-Colombian artist FEDRA on synth and vocals, transforming voice notes the trio sung into their phones over a long weekend of dancing into a party anthem of their own. “Lio”, the EP opener, pairs Mexico’s Renn Loop with Matük himself, trading sultry, heated frustrations over latinx futurist production. Things slow down on “De; Dioses y Pantallas”, a yearning, introspective plea to the night sky, before returning to the party with the bouncing, acid-fueled remix of “Ricotta” from Mexico City’s Soos.

Sendero is a snapshot of a scene in motion, a document of serendipity and collaboration, music made in the long tradition of enjoyment as a revolutionary act.

BEAR's sound is a calculated collision of technical precision and unfiltered aggression _ a modern strain of European metal that balances math-inflected complexity with visceral, live-wire intensity. At the core of their identity a combination of brains and brute force. With Anhedonia, Belgian heavyweights BEAR deliver five songs of pure adrenaline and unfiltered heaviness that capture a band confronting the strange emotional vacuum that can follow trauma. Anhedonia is both a battle cry and a confession; a visceral document of resilience carved from years marked by illness, loss, uncertainty, and hard-won perseverance. Musically, Anhedonia represents a sharpened evolution of BEAR's already formidable sound. Known for their intricate rhythms, punishing riffs, and explosive intensity, the band made a conscious decision this time to strip away excess and focus on the core of each song. There is no wasted movement on this EP. Every riff lands with purpose. Every rhythmic shift feels earned. The band trimmed the fat without sacrificing identity, creating space for dynamics and melody to cut deeper than ever before. "The songs are somewhat stripped back, allowing more space for Maarten's vocals to really shine this time around. I feel like we really hit a great balance of maintaining our signature complex sound while also allowing for more experimentation and melody." (James Falck) Anhedonia acknowledges numbness without glorifying it. It confronts pain without being consumed by it. And in doing so, it transforms heaviness into something connective. BEAR have always been a band driven by conviction, and here they stand at their most authentic, vulnerable and ferocious. Together, BEAR create music that feels alive _ tense, volatile, and emotionally charged _ where technicality enhances impact, and heaviness carries genuine vulnerability beneath its surface. FOR FANS OF The Dillinger Escape Plan * Every Time I Die * Botch * Converge * Norma Jean * Coalesce * Herod

BEAR's sound is a calculated collision of technical precision and unfiltered aggression _ a modern strain of European metal that balances math-inflected complexity with visceral, live-wire intensity. At the core of their identity a combination of brains and brute force. With Anhedonia, Belgian heavyweights BEAR deliver five songs of pure adrenaline and unfiltered heaviness that capture a band confronting the strange emotional vacuum that can follow trauma. Anhedonia is both a battle cry and a confession; a visceral document of resilience carved from years marked by illness, loss, uncertainty, and hard-won perseverance. Musically, Anhedonia represents a sharpened evolution of BEAR's already formidable sound. Known for their intricate rhythms, punishing riffs, and explosive intensity, the band made a conscious decision this time to strip away excess and focus on the core of each song. There is no wasted movement on this EP. Every riff lands with purpose. Every rhythmic shift feels earned. The band trimmed the fat without sacrificing identity, creating space for dynamics and melody to cut deeper than ever before. "The songs are somewhat stripped back, allowing more space for Maarten's vocals to really shine this time around. I feel like we really hit a great balance of maintaining our signature complex sound while also allowing for more experimentation and melody." (James Falck) Anhedonia acknowledges numbness without glorifying it. It confronts pain without being consumed by it. And in doing so, it transforms heaviness into something connective. BEAR have always been a band driven by conviction, and here they stand at their most authentic, vulnerable and ferocious. Together, BEAR create music that feels alive _ tense, volatile, and emotionally charged _ where technicality enhances impact, and heaviness carries genuine vulnerability beneath its surface. FOR FANS OF The Dillinger Escape Plan * Every Time I Die * Botch * Converge * Norma Jean * Coalesce * Herod

"I decided to just let myself go," Zzzahara says of their new record, 'Spiral Your Way Out' "I think I finally came to this acceptance that I don't have to be perfect. I want to be a good role model to my fans and stuff like that, but I also don't want to hide who I am." Zzzahara's music wades into the deep waters of love, lust, and self-discovery in a part of the world where artifice and authenticity co-exist. Emerging from the heart of LA's alternative music scene, their sound is raw in feeling and rebellious by nature.

Their 2022 debut album, Liminal Spaces, chronicles a coming- of- age in Highland Park, following painful childhood memories through to late- night, live- fast coping mechanisms, and the changes the neighbourhood has endured over the same period of time. Their 2023 follow- up, Tender, marked a period of slowing down, looking inward, and embracing a softer side of being. 'Spiral Your Way Out' sees Zzzahara evolve again. Emotionally, its foundations are built on scorched earth.

The album finds Zzzahara in the aftermath of a relationship spent trying to fit someone else's mould, being jerked around by indecision, and then hitting "emotional rock bottom." Made in a three-month burst that let all their pent-up frustrations loose, 'Spiral Your Way Out' is in part a work of self-reclamation, swapping there 2nd album Tender's meditative state for something fiery and more assertive. The new album marks another sonic evolution as much as an emotional one. Zzzahara's songs have always come wrapped in a warm glow that reflects how they were written -namely at home in their bedroom.

That glow remains on 'Spiral Your Way Out', but it also packs an ambitious streak and a gutsy punch. Taking a more collaborative approach than usual, Zzzahara worked with a range of producers including Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, No Joy, Sky Ferreira), Sarah Tudzin (boygenius / Cloud Nothings / The Armed), former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig (Jelani Aryeh / re6ce) and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid, who helped harness their intimate style of writing and blow it up into something more panoptic. After a year of upheaval, Zzzahara finally feels "calm." The musical equivalent to going several rounds on a punching bag, 'Spiral Your Way Out' finds solace between extremes. It licks its wounds in a place where pain and love, healing and abandon, sit side-by-side. If it has a message, it's one of standing tall in your own shoes - scuffs and all.

"I decided to just let myself go," Zzzahara says of their new record, 'Spiral Your Way Out' "I think I finally came to this acceptance that I don't have to be perfect. I want to be a good role model to my fans and stuff like that, but I also don't want to hide who I am." Zzzahara's music wades into the deep waters of love, lust, and self-discovery in a part of the world where artifice and authenticity co-exist. Emerging from the heart of LA's alternative music scene, their sound is raw in feeling and rebellious by nature.

Their 2022 debut album, Liminal Spaces, chronicles a coming- of- age in Highland Park, following painful childhood memories through to late- night, live- fast coping mechanisms, and the changes the neighbourhood has endured over the same period of time. Their 2023 follow- up, Tender, marked a period of slowing down, looking inward, and embracing a softer side of being. 'Spiral Your Way Out' sees Zzzahara evolve again. Emotionally, its foundations are built on scorched earth.

The album finds Zzzahara in the aftermath of a relationship spent trying to fit someone else's mould, being jerked around by indecision, and then hitting "emotional rock bottom." Made in a three-month burst that let all their pent-up frustrations loose, 'Spiral Your Way Out' is in part a work of self-reclamation, swapping there 2nd album Tender's meditative state for something fiery and more assertive. The new album marks another sonic evolution as much as an emotional one. Zzzahara's songs have always come wrapped in a warm glow that reflects how they were written -namely at home in their bedroom.

That glow remains on 'Spiral Your Way Out', but it also packs an ambitious streak and a gutsy punch. Taking a more collaborative approach than usual, Zzzahara worked with a range of producers including Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, No Joy, Sky Ferreira), Sarah Tudzin (boygenius / Cloud Nothings / The Armed), former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig (Jelani Aryeh / re6ce) and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid, who helped harness their intimate style of writing and blow it up into something more panoptic. After a year of upheaval, Zzzahara finally feels "calm." The musical equivalent to going several rounds on a punching bag, 'Spiral Your Way Out' finds solace between extremes. It licks its wounds in a place where pain and love, healing and abandon, sit side-by-side. If it has a message, it's one of standing tall in your own shoes - scuffs and all.

zzzahara is the solo moniker of Eyedress/Simps/guitarist Zahara Jaime. Zzzahara’s work ethic changed in the making of this album.
“I’m not one of those musicians who can slack off and then make a perfect record in, like, a week,” they say. “I need to be consistently playing, consistently trying to learn new techniques.” To make Tender, they locked themselves in their studio and subsisted on cold brew. This monastic experience gave Zzzahara a sense of total control over the output. “I think that’s what made the record what it is.” While Liminal Spaces was recorded at Stone’s Throw and Zzzahara had access to a range of instruments to make it, Tender thrives on the intimacy created in a home studio