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2026 Repress

Even if Ancient Greek isn’t part of general knowledge anymore, the word mega is. Hence, you might admire our modesty to say that Roman Flügel’s first outing on Running Back in 2022 is perfectly headed. Greta, large, mighty and somewhat the love- or brainchild of his earlier Garden Party and the previous D.I.S.C.O., Mega pulls out all the stops: hi-nrg melodies, circus bells, cowboy funk and honey hooks at 140 beats per minute. While it is nearly impossible not to take this bait or decorate it with the Bobby-O medal of honor, Roman proves one more that you can be catchy and classy at the same time.
Rules on the other hand, puts some of these stylistic devices in reverse or down-tempo mode and feels like brushing your teeth after an extended feast or the perfect hors d’oeuvre.
Completing the picture with Film 1, Film 2 and Film 3, Flügel flexes his freethinking muscles and lands in-between art school new wave bands and soundscape science. Music that is masterly made, magical in its impact and perfectly described with a misquoted line from Get The Balance Right: it’s never predictable.

Originally released by Umor Rex on cassette in 2015, NK012 documents the first-ever musical meeting of Berlin-based musicians Aidan Baker (Nadja, Canada), Andrea Belfi (Italy), and Erik Skodvin (Svarte Greiner / Deaf Center, Norway). Now, more than a decade later, the album is available on vinyl for the first time, newly remastered for the format by Rafael Anton Irisarri. This marks the third release in a series of four special, limited reissues to be released in 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of Umor Rex.

Recorded with nothing more than a stereo microphone placed in the middle of the room, NK012 captures the trio in their first session together, with the simple intention of improvising. Instrumentation builds in gradual crescendos, shifting textures between passages as looped incarnations of earlier motifs accumulate into all-consuming drones. The five pieces that make up NK012 already set the foundations for the trio’s subsequent work. Across the album, guitars, an array of effects pedals, percussion, and synthesizers merge into a raw and highly intuitive sound world. Vibrant and intense, the pieces move freely between forms and genres, driven by the immediacy of live performance and spontaneous composition.

Recordings on ECM vereint, wie Pitchfork es formuliert hat, „einige der herausragendsten Werke des
Minimalismus-Komponisten Steve Reich, darunter die maßgebliche Aufnahme seines unbestrittenen Meisterwerks Music for 18 Musicians“. Die Sammlung umfasst die drei Steve-Reich-Alben, die zwischen 1978
und 1982 auf dem Label veröffentlicht wurden. Sie erscheinen als originalgetreue Faksimile-Ausgaben in
einem hochwertigen Kartonschuber mit einem Booklet, das Fotos aus dem Archiv sowie Manuskriptseiten
und Liner Notes von Paul Griffths enthält. Direkt von den originalen analogen Masterbändern gefertigt
(AAA) lassen die drei Vinyl-Ausgaben diese wegweisenden Aufnahmen, die längst zum Kanon der zeitgenössischen Musik gehören, in ihrer ursprünglichen Klangqualität neu strahlen. Die drei Alben enthalten
die Werke Music for 18 Musicians, Octet, Music for a Large Ensemble, Violin Phase und Tehillim und
dokumentieren somit die einflussreiche frühe Schaffensphase des Komponisten sowie seine künstlerische
Entwicklung über einen Zeitraum von fünfzehn Jahren. Die Box erscheint anlässlich des 90. Geburtstags
von Steve Reich im Oktober 2026.
“About the famed ECM Recordings, much has already been written. Suffce to say that they confirm
that Reich could convey the pulse and spirit of American urban life as brilliantly as Gershwin did 30 years
earlier. Even the unity that arises from out of phase quasi-chaos is revelatory. Recorded 1976–1981, the
works’ emphasis on percussive sounds makes for anything but soothing background listening. It’s all fabulous stuff. Although listening to multiple works in one sitting could possibly induce numbness – taken one
at a time, they are as exhilarating as they are essential.” – Jason Victor Serinus, Stereophile Magazine

Greg Freeman was barely done making his breakthrough album, Burnover, which was released to wide critical praise and landed in The New York Times Best Albums of 2025 list and received the coveted 'Best New Album' distinction from Pitchfork, when he started writing his new record All Set The Bone On All Set The Bone, he embraces friction instead of refusing it, using scant rehearsal times and urgent, self- appointed deadlines, which was finished quickly, in a real Hollywood studio with one of rock's best modern architects, John Congleton.

Greg Freeman was barely done making his breakthrough album, Burnover, which was released to wide critical praise and landed in The New York Times Best Albums of 2025 list and received the coveted 'Best New Album' distinction from Pitchfork, when he started writing his new record All Set The Bone On All Set The Bone, he embraces friction instead of refusing it, using scant rehearsal times and urgent, self- appointed deadlines, which was finished quickly, in a real Hollywood studio with one of rock's best modern architects, John Congleton.

Nicola Conte & Gianluca Petrella’s 2021 brilliant collaborative jazz dance album People Need People channelled a vision of togetherness and used the universal language of music to elevate our spirit during these trying times. This vision can’t be more relevant today and the album’s legacy is kept alive with the same spirit of collaboration that distinguished the project.

“Inner Light” - featuring Raashan Ahmad on vocals - is the first song from the album chosen for a series of reinterpretations of the project that will be released throughout 2022. Joaquin Joe Claussell needs no introduction, the Body & Soul founder and Sacred Rhythm label honcho is a true legend and purveyor of spirituality – a cosmic messenger that brings us two versions of “Inner Light”; his work here is not to be solely intended as a remix but, as the title suggests, delivers two new proper versions of the original song.

This EP is the first in a trilogy of 12” releases that will also feature further reinterpretations of tracks taken from the “People Need People” album, by none less than Anthony Nicholson, DJ Spinna and Tall Black Guy!

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

Indroducing our new vinyl collaboration, a fusion of talents by Eafhm and our Co-Founder Nils Edte. Exploring the theme of "Glossolalia" or speaking in unknown tongues, they treat music as its own language. Featuring stunning remixes by MTRL & Laima Adelaide, the vinyl is not just an auditory experience but a visual one too. The cover artwork, a joint effort by Nils Edte and painter Mariano Fernandez, adorns the limited edition of 200 records. Each cover is a unique piece of the painting, making this release a truly exclusive collector's item. Immerse yourself in this blend of art and music, where sound and visuals unite in a captivating collaboration.

* 2026 REPRESS *
Ashanti Selah – Musician & Dub Producer hailing from the UK, is the eldest son of the world-renowned soundman, Aba Shanti-I. Ashanti's musical journey began at a tender young age, during his formative years of soundsystem exposure through his father's musical infrastructure he learned the art of the Dub. His education continued as he attended his father’s long-standing annual sessions at the Notting Hill Carnival and traveled the globe as a crew member and diligent student. Via his Steppas Records imprint, Alpha Steppa, son and nephew of pioneering dub-duo Alpha & Omega presents a unique collaboration between two second generation Dub / Reggae producers. 'Ashanti Selah Meets Alpha Steppa' is a testament to their teachers and the product of a life spent in dub. Steppas Records delivers four unique cuts of the long-time Aba Shanti-I exclusive 'Violin Step', featuring the uplifting and transcendental strings of Ras Divarius. New generation soundsystem music with a deep roots foundation.

Musique Pour La Danse presents a raw, euphoric, and totally essential document of British rave history. LIVE IN MANCHESTER captures like nothing else the pure energy and essence of an era.

Featuring the unstoppable duo Mark Franklin and Nigel Champion, and vocalist Saffron, this legendary 1992 live set delivers iconic tracks like "Anthem", "Adrenaline", and "Malfunction" in their most ecstatic form and many exclusive tracks.
Often copied and sampled, never surpassed, because it simply can't be. If you're only owning one rave record, this is the one.

Includes liner notes by Matt Anniss, re-designed in Büro Destruct with an historical collectible flyers poster 12"x36", with the help of Phatmedia.
Newly mastered and cut at Transition Studios for maximum impact. Simply the best thing for your warehouse soundsystem.

Listen to the full recording

IVM Trio is made up of percussionist & composer Sébastien Forrester, producer & visual artist Mika Oki, and artist & producer Apulati Bien. All three sit within the French-Brussels axis, united by a shared love of free improvisation, sparse atmospherics and rapturous club mutations. Inner Voice Movement is a genuinely exploratory record — abstraction and contemplation sit side by side, as the trio dives into the micro-precision of computer music while mirroring organic, environmental schemes. These have long been persistent points of study for all three artists.

Arriving on Accidental Meetings, their debut album has been a long time coming, and it features three outstanding vocalists. South Korean artist bela brings the depth and range of their guttural vocals; Bristol-based Grove, a leading voice in punk-dancehall crossover, pulls things back with a spoken-word feature; and Naples sound artist Sara Persico rounds things off with a stunning excerpt of storytelling.

Es handelt sich um einen Vermerk, den der Dark-Ambient-/Industrial-Titan Lustmord beinahe in die Liner Notes seiner neuen Zusammenarbeit mit der Schlagzeuglegende Dave Lombardo aufgenommen hätte. Bei ihrer ersten Zusammenarbeit loten sie die Tiefen des ursprünglichen Industrial und Dark Ambient aus und schaffen dabei etwas, das über die reine Musik hinausgeht. Dave Lombardo bedarf keiner Vorstellung. Sein Ruf als innovativer Schlagzeuger und musikalischer Vorreiter ist unübertroffen. Ob es nun seine jahrzehntelange Tätigkeit bei den Thrash-Metal-Giganten Slayer, seine vier Alben umfassende Zusammenarbeit mit den einflussreichen Experimentalisten Fantômas oder seine Arbeit mit dem renommierten Komponisten und Saxophonisten John Zorn war - Lombardos Leidenschaft für den Klang und seine spirituelle Verbindung dazu überschreiten alle Grenzen Lustmord ist der walisische Musiker, der weithin als Begründer der Dark-Ambient-Musik gilt. Er war zunächst in den frühen 80er Jahren als Mitglied von SPK mit der Industrial-Szene verbunden, bevor er seinen charakteristischen Sound mit Veröffentlichungen wie ,Paradise Disowned" aus dem Jahr 1986 etablierte. Über sein Solowerk hinaus hat Lustmord eine umfangreiche Karriere als Kooperationspartner und Film- sowie Spielekomponist aufgebaut, wobei er mit Bands wie den Melvins, Tool, Nurse With Wound und Wes Borland zusammengearbeitet hat; zudem hat er zu über vierzig Kinofilmen beigetragen, darunter ,First Reformed", ,The Crow" und ,Underworld".

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Now It’s Overhead is the acclaimed indie rock band fronted by Andy LeMaster. Emerging in the early 2000s alongside the era-defining Saddle Creek scene, LeMaster collaborated with artists including Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Orenda Fink (Azure Ray), and Maria Taylor (Azure Ray).

During this period, Now It’s Overhead released three acclaimed full-length albums: Now It’s Overhead (2001), Fall Back Open (2004), and Dark Light Daybreak (2006). Available on vinyl for the first time, these long-awaited editions are essential for listeners and collectors exploring the indie rock landscape of the early 2000s. All three albums have been newly remastered by Andy LeMaster—musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, and visual artist.

The Associated Press described Now It’s Overhead as “a unique brand of organic and synthetic dark pop—made possible by LeMaster’s studio prowess—that remains distinctive even when Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe briefly stop by.”

Accompanying these reissues, Now It’s Overhead is also releasing new music for the first time in nearly twenty years. The five-song EP, in the beginning, arrives digitally on September 18, 2026.

Living Weapon returns with Death In The Family, a full-length that confronts mortality, meaninglessness, and the aftermath of existence. The release broken down over 23 minutes toward an unresolved end — life examined at its start and its finish, with the universe indifferent to either. Recorded, produced, and engineered by Jeremy Martin over fall 2025 into spring 2026 — the band's first time tracking a full album internally. Mixing handled by Taylor Young of The Pit Recording Studio and Mastering by Nick Townsend. The album is introduced with "The Leaving Process” laying out the album's core idea: life as connection, not permanence — matter created and destroyed, briefly aware of itself in between.

GEORG DANZER - "JAHRESZEITEN" - Das Beste aus fünf Jahrzehnten Anlässlich des 80. Geburtstags des großen österreichischen Liedermachers GEORG DANZER veröffentlicht Sony Music eine von Georg Danzers langjährigem Wegbegleiter und Manager Franz Christian Schwarz liebevoll kompilierte Best Of mit dem Titel "Jahreszeiten". Das auf farbiger 2LP sowie auf 1CD erhältliche Album umfasst Lieder aus jeder Schaffensphase des 2007 verstorbenen Künstlers, dessen musikalisches Erbe die österreichische Musik nachhaltig prägte. Das Albumcover setzt sich aus vier Portraits Georg Danzers zusammen, die von Nina Maron, Tochter des unvergessenen Sigi Maron, gemalt wurden. Franz Christian Schwarz beschreibt die Zusammenstellung der Best Of mit folgenden Worten: "Alle meine Lieder sind wie Sonne Mond & Sterne" ist der Beginn eines Liedes auf der CD-Single "Sonne, Mond & Sterne", die anlässlich der gleichnamigen DVD-Veröffentlichung von Georg Danzer erschienen ist. Diese Liedzeile gab auch den Ausschlag, die vorliegende Doppel-LP "Jahreszeiten" zu nennen, um die Bandbreite von Danzers musikalischer Vielfalt unter Beweis zu stellen. Danzer schaffte es wie kaum ein anderer Beobachtungen, Erzählungen, Gedanken und Emotionen in Worte und Melodien zu fassen. Mit über fünfhundert veröffentlichten Liedern für sich selbst und andere Interpretinnen und Interpreten zählt Danzer zu den produktivsten Liederschreibern des Landes. Einige seiner Lieder hielten auch in Schul- und Notenheften Einzug. Die vorliegende Doppel-Vinyl und die um einen Titel verkürzte CD-Version wurden eine spezielle Zusammenstellung, auf der neben bekannten Liedern auch solche zu hören sind, die entweder bisher unbekannt oder dem Zuhörer nicht so geläufig sind, aber das musikalische Spektrum des großartigen Poppoeten widerspiegeln. Sie dient zur Auffrischung von Erinnerungen ebenso wie als Anreiz, sich mit dem Werk Danzers vertraut zu machen oder es neu zu entdecken. Der Frühling ist für viele Menschen ein Zeichen dafür, das

Tenorsaxofonist Booker Ervin (1930-1970) wurde in den späten 1950er Jahren durch seine seine Zusammenarbeit mit Charles Mingus bekannt. Er war ein unverwechselbarer Solist mit einem kraftvollen Klang
und einer von Blues und Gospel geprägten Phrasierung. Eines seiner besten Werke als Bandleader war
das Album “Structurally Sound”, das er im Dezember 1966 mit einem Quintett engagierter Modernisten -
darunter der junge Trompeter Charles Tolliver- für das Label Pacific Jazz aufnahm. Es entstand bei einer
seiner letzten Aufnahmesessions und ist ein eindrucksvoller Beweis dafür, wie er seinen Stil in den Jahren
vor seinem viel zu frühen Tod weiterentwickelt hatte.

Eine neue, transparent blaue 2LP-Variante dieses legendären Soundtracks anlässlich des 30-jährigen Jubiläums von Danny Elfmans Filmmusik zum Blockbuster „Mission: Impossible“ aus dem Jahr 1996.
Sie enthält das unverkennbare „Mission: Impossible“-Thema, das ursprünglich von Lalo Schifrin für die
Fernsehserie aus den 1960er Jahren komponiert und von Elfman für den ersten Film der Action-Reihe
mit Tom Cruise neu arrangiert wurde. Das Thema ist bekannt für seinen spannungsgeladenen Rhythmus
mit einer ungewöhnlichen 5/4-Taktart und das berühmte Vier-Noten-Motiv, das das Stück eröffnet: eine
musikalische Anspielung auf das Morsecode-Muster für die Buchstaben M.I. (‐‐ ··). Diese raffnierte Verschlüsselung verbindet das Thema nicht nur direkt mit dem Titel, sondern verstärkt auch die Atmosphäre
aus geheimer Kommunikation, verdeckten Operationen und Rätseln, die die Welt von „Mission: Impossible“
prägt

LUMINA marks a new chapter in C"mon Tigre"s evolution, where electronic music moves from the background to the core of the band"s sound. Across thirteen interconnected tracks, synthesizers, arpeggiators and club-inspired rhythms merge seamlessly with acoustic instruments such as oud, cello,vibraphone and percussion, creating an immersive, continuous listening experience. Rather than opposing tradition and innovation, LUMINA embraces their constant coexistence. The album explores how technology is reshaping not only the way music is created, but also how we experience sound, time and physical presence. Inspired by the rave as a space of collective ritual and temporary freedom, it treats repetition and rhythm as tools for communion rather than escapism, turning listening into a deeply physical experience. The music was first developed and tested live at Robot Festival (Bologna) and JazzMi (Milan) in late 2025. Those performances became a laboratory where the interaction between the music and the audienceultimately shaped the final record.

Die schwedischen Metalcore-Visionäre Imminence kündigen ihr sechstes Studioalbum „Axis Mundi“ an, das am 2. Oktober über Sumerian Records erscheint. Mit den beiden neuen Singles „False Light“ und „Crestfallen“ gibt die Band einen ersten Einblick in das Album und dessen zentrale Dualität zwischen brutaler Härte und atmosphärischer Weite.

„False Light“ zählt zu den härtesten Songs des Albums und verbindet wuchtige Growls, schwere Gitarren und intensive Percussion mit kurzen, ruhigen Violinen- und Gesangspassagen. „Crestfallen“ zeigt dagegen die emotionale, atmosphärische Seite von Axis Mundi – getragen von elektronischen Texturen, Orchestrierung und Eddie Bergs klarem Gesang.

Mit „Axis Mundi“ verfeinern Imminence ihre Mischung aus Metalcore, orchestralen Elementen und cineastischem Storytelling. Produziert wurde das Album von der Band selbst, gemeinsam mit Henrik Udd (Architects, Bring Me The Horizon) und Drew Fulk (Twenty One Pilots, Knocked Loose). Inhaltlich erzählt das Werk eine mythologische Reise zwischen Leben und Tod und beschäftigt sich mit Themen wie Leid, Erlösung und Hoffnung.

Pablo Sánchez´s new solo album “Archipiélago” is out now. The new long player, a follow-up to his “Nocturnal” album as Basic Need will be released on Sisternoise Records and is a 42 minute voyage sailing through uncharted waters.

Every archipelago is a constellation of islands, distinct yet bound by invisible tides. Archipiélago, the latest work from Pablo Sánchez, follows this same geography of sound and memory. Its islands are not of sand and rock, but of places which inspired the artist throughout his life; Buenos Aires, Caracas, Puerto Rico, New York, Madrid, Berlin, and Barcelona. Each city has left a trace, a shoreline carved into Sánchez’s musical journey and left a distinctive musical mark.

The ten songs gathered here are like sovereign entities, each with its own character, its own rhythm, its own language. Together they form a single territory, a map drawn by musical experience, longing, and imagination. They are ports of call, but also fragments of a larger voyage, where tradition and experimentation, nostalgia and discovery, coexist to create a common territory. Along the way guest magicians Animal Feelings and Salomeya add their vocal sparks to the voyage.

Archipiélago is not a destination but a map of crossings, a territory of sound where the journey itself becomes home.

Ashley Beedle’s remix of "Unmask Me" by MAMA is a masterpiece of deep, atmospheric house music. Characterized by shimmering chords and shuffling percussion, Beedle transforms the original into a sunlit, Balearic-tinged gem. It famously became a signature track for the late DJ Andrew Weatherall, he notoriously played and closed his set with it at his Convenanza Festival in September 2017. Where a now trended meme video of The Guvnor vibing to the gem, whist the crowd was in absolute euphoria to the magic being made.

Now released on purple vinyl, with all profits donated to our friend Mr Beedle and his ongoing care.

You need this in your life.

Release description Chesster lands on Rutilance Recordings with a four-track EP rooted in classic deep house. Blending old-school influences with a modern touch, the project captures the essence of his sound: groove-led, warm, and true to its foundations. Originally from Italy and now based in Los Angeles, Chesster has been building strong momentum across the global house scene, with a run of standout releases and defining moments over the past year. This EP marks an important step in that journey - not only as his first on the label, but also as a more personal statement. After a run of highenergy, peak-time records, the project sees him step into a deeper, more refined lane. The EP also features a special contribution from Rutilance boss DJ Steaw, adding an extra layer of character and tying it closely to the label’s identity.

After a quarter-century hiatus, the legendary jungle artist M-Beat has resurfaced with Mekatune, his newly established label. Mekatune serves as a platform for unveiling not only his extensive back catalog but also fresh, innovative material from himself and other luminaries of the jungle music scene.

This exclusive boxset comprises five vinyl records, each elegantly housed in a black paper sleeve ensconced within a high-quality, 3mm-spined card housebag. Renowned DJ Mag designer Martin Brown has lent his artistic touch to each housebag, featuring a captivating montage of M-Beat's illustrious history spanning three decades. The reverse side of these housebags reveals an in-depth interview conducted by Dave Jenkins, delving into M-Beat's origins, his prolific career, and the enigmatic disappearance that kept fans in suspense for so long. The five housebags nestle snugly within a beautifully crafted card slipcase, forming a stunning piece of jungle and drum & bass history.

Moreover, each track in this boxset has undergone meticulous remastering by Dapz at Compound Audio and precision vinyl cutting by Beau at Ten Eight Seven Mastering, ensuring an unparalleled audio experience. These 20 handpicked gems represent the pinnacle of M-Beat's discography, each highly sought after and commanding a premium on Discogs. With a limited run of just 500 units, the majority of which have already been claimed through pre-sale, this is a rare opportunity to own a piece of music history. Once sold out, there are no plans for a repress, making it an essential addition for collectors and jungle music enthusiasts alike.

The first ever full official release of Orbital's legendary Glastonbury 1994 performance !
Originally performed and broadcast to a generation discovering electronic music in real time, Orbital's set at Glastonbury '94 became a defining cultural moment - not only for the band, but for dance music itself. At a time when electronic acts were still fighting for recognition on major festival stages, Orbital proved that dance music could be as emotional, cinematic, and powerful as any headline rock performance. The iconic headtorches, the energy of the crowd, and the sheer ambition of the performance helped cement the set as one of the most important live electronic shows ever witnessed. A gamechanger for the dance music scence.
Although the performance has long circulated online and remained a fan favourite for decades, there has always been overwhelming demand for an official release.

The first ever full official release of Orbital's legendary Glastonbury 1994 performance !
Originally performed and broadcast to a generation discovering electronic music in real time, Orbital's set at Glastonbury '94 became a defining cultural moment - not only for the band, but for dance music itself. At a time when electronic acts were still fighting for recognition on major festival stages, Orbital proved that dance music could be as emotional, cinematic, and powerful as any headline rock performance. The iconic headtorches, the energy of the crowd, and the sheer ambition of the performance helped cement the set as one of the most important live electronic shows ever witnessed. A gamechanger for the dance music scence.
Although the performance has long circulated online and remained a fan favourite for decades, there has always been overwhelming demand for an official release.

“What do you mean? Not everyone sees music in colors?” Paula whispered.
She froze. Tears filled her eyes and trickled down her cheeks as she realized the rainbow symphonies she had always thought were universal had belonged to her alone.
The song was blue, purple, and yellow.

Impossibly rare slab: a capital-C-cult bit of millennial business from perhaps the most enigmatic member of the Gush Collective crew, who in the early 00s not so much redefined, but refined UKG… and then some. Alongside folks like Herb-LF and Lorenzo, Yoshino was a stalwart: releasing and remixing on the legendary but somewhat overlooked German labels Draft Recordings and Gush. It was here these cats smoothed out the UKG sound with a spliffed out vibe that fucked with the raw warm herby sounds of Tyree Cooper and QX-1; Yoshino, more than most though, flirted with sounds you wouldn’t expect to find in the UKG realm: think ethereally stuff man, I’m talking Placid Angels with the pseudo Japanese pop sensibilities of Faye Wong - but when when the cards fall down, his productions equally bang. So: splice in a bit of Serious Danger and Makesome Breaksome, light a phat one or zwei… & welcome to the wheelhouse.

‘Back to Basics' is a celebration of Yoshino as an artist: featuring a repress from our favourite Gush Collective stash (which is now so dear it makes me wish I’d better taken care of my records at after parties); three first time cuts of his on wax that we’ve curated from over the years that feature appearances from Peaky Beats and Miss Angel - and of course, there’s a killer remix from deep digging DJ and producer, Enchanted Rhythms (whose Youtube archive is packed to the veritable rafters with the most overlooked gems and updated with such frequency that it is hard to keep up). Apart from being a head’s head, Rich is also part of the Pace familia, so we're happy to welcome him to the catalogon a terrain he has endlessly kept fresh since day dot - he knows his shit here, and of course, he taps into that Yoshino flava big time.

Recut and repressed

Every now and then, there are tracks that stand the test of time. Tracks that are more than just another DJ-tool. Tracks to remember. When „Fom Within“ was released 13 years ago. the track found its way into almost every DJ-Case that summer, and to this day, people playit out at special moments. When Gregor Tresher started to mix Celeda´s „Music Is the Answer“ Acapella over it, inofficial remixes popped up everywhere. We decided to actually never release that version, as we believe some things should be in the DJ´s hands, as there´s nothing quite magic as if a DJ-Mix creates something new. We are happy to give to you an official repress of one of the strongest tracks from our label´s history. Play it out and let it work it´s magic.

Often credited as the father of multi-media theatre, Alwin Nikolais (1910-1993) took complete creative control over his productions - including cutting-edge approaches to lighting and costume that transformed human bodies into shifting sculptural shapes, while also composing wildly innovative electro-acoustic and synth-based audio as accompaniment.

After initially experimenting with musique concrète and tape manipulation (as demonstrated on the 1959 LP Choreosonic Music of the New Dance Theatre of Alwin Nikolais) Nikolais became the first owner of Robert Moog's synthesizer at the Audio Engineering Society convention in New York in late 1964. Relying heavily on the Moog and later the Synclavier synth/sampler, these 21 tracks document Nikolais' highly-prescient compositions across the mid 1960s through to the late 1980s - existing not only as extensions of his other-worldly choreographic productions, but standalone pieces of foundational mid-century American electronic and experimental music.

"Born in Southington, Connecticut in 1910, Nikolais’s early years and early career were in acting, music and puppetry. It was not until the late 1930s that he began his work as dancer/choreographer in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was commissioned by the Avery Memorial Theatre, a part of the Wadsworth Atheneum, to create an evening-length work to the music of Ernst Krenek. Previously his work and study as a pianist-organist found him accompanying silent films. This sort of accompaniment required from the musician not only a playing skill but also a versatility in improvisation, matching movement to sound, and evoking mood to situation.

Nik was drawn initially to dance by his involvement with the percussion scores used by the illustrious early twentieth century German dancer Mary Wigman. In trying to learn more about percussion, he was lured into dance class and thus his career began. His development of music and dance occurred simultaneously. His introduction to the twelve-tone technique opened his mind to the expanding areas of atonal music, and his dealing with music as sound per se. In 1948, after being appointed director of the Henry Street Playhouse in New York, Nikolais formed the Playhouse Dance Company, later known as the Nikolais Dance Theater, and began his aesthetic orientation toward dance as a study of motion. By the 1950s, he had ceased creating literal dances and began his explorations and eventual milieu as an abstractionist.

Sound became an important part of his abstract theatre. For his first dances, which involved his new thinking of dance as both a visual and kinetic art, he used live percussion scores in which he directed his dancers to play instruments of all nature. There was a combination of children’s toy instruments as well as harsh and resonant automobile brake drums, and other pitched auto parts which he also used to accompany classes. Once he installed his own tape recording machines, he quickly used the limited range these instruments provided in a new way, slowing and increasing speed and reversing sound. He also made the sounds adhere to the choreographic structure (not the other way around), thereby giving the dance its independence from the musical phrasing. But the real need remained: the search for new sound. Nik made a sound library, recording noises and percussion and vocal sounds, which the French aptly called musique concrète. Needless to say, he became a master at splicing bits and pieces.

From 1956 to 1962 Nikolais composed eleven major scores for his theatre pieces using such techniques. In 1963, James Seawright, who at the time was assisting Nik in his productions and also working at the Columbia-Princeton Center for Electronic Music, recorded a sound bank for the production Imago (1963). With this material, Nikolais created his first synthesizer score. Imago won the Paris Grand Prix in 1968 and launched the Nikolais Dance Theatre towards its national and primarily international acclaim.

During the same period, Seawright came to Nik and told him of a young man who had invented and constructed a simplified synthesizer and insisted that Nik visit the electronic fair currently being held in New York. Nik did so and met Robert Moog. He was completely taken by the new machine and after making some suggestions to Moog, (which Moog made), Nik bought the inventor’s first machine with the aid of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Moog himself was astonished by what his machine could produce for Nik. This machine was later acquired by the Museum of Musical Instruments at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as the first Moog synthesizer. The Synclavier was Nik’s next source of sound and since the mid-1970s remained the major instrument in the Nikolais soundroom.

Alwin Nikolais has been honored and awarded throughout the world. He has received the French Legion of Honor, the Kennedy Center Honors, National Medal of the Arts, two Guggenheim Fellowships, as well as Mellon, Ford, and Rockefeller grants. He has been a recipient of NEA grants since 1966, been awarded five honorary doctorates, all for his remarkable achievements in Dance Theater. His genius has influenced several generations of artists."
—Murray Louis

180g Heavy double vinyl LP with liner notes by Tyran Grillo. Limited Japanese Obi for the first pressing. Original artwork by Russell Mills and photography by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

The third Time Capsule is a body of dub reinterpretations by celebrated producer Bill Laswell of Ethiopian singer Gigi. Curated by Tokyo record collector, music researcher and seasoned reissue supervisor Ken Hidaka, it is the first time Illuminated Audio is pressed to vinyl after its CD release in 2003.

Ejigayehu Shibabaw was born in 1974 in Chagni, northwestern Ethiopia and by pursuing a career as a singer, went against her father’s strict, traditional gender roles. As Gigi, she embraced the same musical freedom she had strived for in her personal life, incorporating the Ethiopian church, funk, hip-hop, West and South African music into her work. She first settled in Nairobi, then Addis Ababa, where she quickly established herself as one of the city’s leading singers. A move to San Francisco in 1998 led to a long and fruitful creative partnership with bassist and producer Bill Laswell.

Around the same time, Chris Blackwell had stepped away from Island Records to start the art house film company and label Palm Pictures. He took an interest in Gigi and together with Laswell, pulled together an all-star cast of musicians for her self-titled US debut album, including Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Sanders and Wayne Shorter. It won international critical acclaim, not just for its musicianship but for making Gigi a “defining voice for the Ethiopian expatriate community”, as journalist Tyran Grillo praises in his Time Capsule liner notes. From the nation-defining 1896 victory over Italian invaders to the quiet revolutionaries who wear simple shemma garments, Grillo believes the themes in Gigi make it “a shower of sunlight on her homeland for those ignorant of its struggles.”

After its success, Blackwell encouraged them to go back into the studio to rethink the album and Illuminated Audio was born. “Anyone can make a voice sound worldly”, Grillo remarks, “but rare are those who can make one sound inner-worldly.” Gigi was clear with Laswell to give her vocals a minor role “because it’s already been done.” Instead her Amharic verse is fleeting, exhaling through the textures like ghostly fragments; soaring yet muted. Yet the album is still titled under her name, an assertion by Laswell of her central role in the album’s creation. Not only was it a fully endorsed project by Gigi, but she would be present throughout its development, giving feedback on half-finished ideas as Laswell played them back in the studio. “It works perfectly”, she reflected after the album’s release. “We wanted to capture the whole spirit of each track, and Bill’s remixes create a different music language that really puts you in a pleasant place”.

This new vocabulary takes its lead from a technical approach that Laswell had been perfecting during a furtive creative period at the turn of the millennium. Much like his ambient interpretations of Miles Davis (Panthalassa, 1998), Bob Marley (Dreams of Freedom, 1997), and Carlos Santana (Divine Light, 2001), Laswell approached Illuminated Audio by returning to the original multitrack masters. Gigi wasn’t just reworked, but recomposed into an expansive lattice of instruments, submerged in a watery ambience of dub and trance undercurrents.

Sonically, this new language that Gigi refers to, is manifested by the original album’s more understated parts being pushed to the fore. Explaining his contrasting methods, Laswell saw Gigi as being “put together in a way that fits”. Contrastingly, in Illuminated Audio, “a lot of things that I featured in the remix weren’t as audible in the original.” Instrumentation laying near-dormant, deep in the mix, are brought to the fore: the acid rock guitar and Wayne Shorter’s saxophone on ‘Tew Ante Sew’, Graham Haynes’ flugelhorn on ‘Nafekeñ’, Laswell’s bass on ‘Kahn’, the melodica in Mengedegna or the floating synths and talking drums in ‘Gud Fella’.

Brought to his attention by mentor DJ Nori, Hidaka describes Illuminated Audio as a “masterful sonic exploration into ethereal ambience and dub” and made sure this reissue also contained a full remaster to give its “deep musicality” much better dynamics and density in the overall sound. Hidaka admits that Laswell's music “is sometimes so out-there, it is often misunderstood” and, indeed, to dub album non-believers this might seem like a prolific producer imposing himself on another artist’s work; eternally developing rearrangements that never quite get to its destination. But that’s missing its true power and triumph. This is more than the reissue of a remix, but “a wholly unique musical entity”, as Hidaka describes. Illuminated Audio refers to the illuminated manuscripts that comprise the major part of Ethiopian art and its new compositions stand in proud solitude as a rare body of reworks that both informs and enhances their originals.

The process of making this mini-album “anaiis & Grupo Cosmo” was truly life-altering for me. It changed my approach to making music and really brought me back to the roots of what creation is about. I went to Salvador for a month-long artist residency in February 2020 and during that time, I not only fell in love with Brasil’s culture and music, but I also wrote “Toda Cor” with the wonderful Luedji Luna. A few years later, I reached out Biel who’d co-produced “Estrela Acesa” with Sessa to see if they’d be interested in re-developing “Toda Cor” with me. They were enthusiastic and we fully reproduced the record in December, remotely. The connection between us all was electric and it felt like there was a collective enthusiasm for creating more together so I flew out to Brasil in April 2023 to continue this exploration. The beauty behind this record really lies in the experience of making it. We all stayed together in Biel’s house in Ilhabela for a week with Cabral, who co-produced the record with us and plays bass. We would go to the beach, eat communally, share stories, be around the kids, but then spend most of the days creating and jamming together. Each day we would record our songs live to tape, not a computer in the room. By the end of the week we had this album. It was refreshing to make music in this way. The music and approach really held us in that moment and gave us a chance to create freely, in a big moment of transition in our lives in a way that truly embraces imperfection, spontaneity, just very human.

Slacker and Seth Troxler presents He Ain’t Here. 15 tracks by Slackers for Slackers. All exclusives.

Featuring exclusive music from: Seth Troxler, O.bee & Tomas Station, Audion, Jonny Rock, Dr Dunks, Krystal Klear, Marc Houle, Hiroko Yamamura and more. This is our dysfunctional family – and this will get weird.

Seth Troxler:

"When I created Slacker I wanted to make something to remind me of my youth in the ’90s. Being born in ’85, the ’90s was a decade that defined me. Culturally America was at a pivotal point. Post Reaganism of the ’80s, the ’90s was defined by the anti-hero. The idea that we had had enough. From grunge to hip hop, house and techno.

"This was the time of independence and indie music. Life without boundaries. A world where everything felt possible and a belief that the future was coming. Home game consoles, futuristic new sports like the X Games. It was about being radical. Living life on the edge and turning away from the imaginary cookie cutter American dream.

"I feel we are in similar times. The future we were promised every day seems more like a nightmare than a utopian dream. And all we have left are our minds and bodies, but who knows how long our freedom to be an individual will exist.

"This compilation is protest – from fight songs to moments of joy. It’s about living, dancing and being. It’s for the freaks, perverts, for the rebels, for those who forever were other, and dared the impossible to just be themselves in a world where everyone wants to be the same. The revolution will not be televised because it’s within ourselves. It’s about being unapologetically individual.

"Freedom is a state of mind as well as a state of being. Being a slacker is as much about pushing, as it is about being. Not giving a f#ck about the rules and making your own. I’m a slacker, you’re a slacker, a loser and nobody. History will forget me, history forgot Elvis.

"The world is about to change. Might as well have a bit of fun while it burns. Welcome to our dysfunctional family. Join us for the bonfire, I promise you things are going to get weird, in the best possible way. HE AIN’T HERE."

Joe Fujinoki centered the compositions of his latest album Glass Torso round the idea of the fragility of the human body. Fujinoki described the narrative thread of the album as that of “holding the shape of a human body as if it might shatter like glass”. The precariousness of the body, the essence of the body as defined by Fujinoki as the torso, and the object relations between the boundaries of dialectical exercises pack themselves into his creative process.

Fujinoki recorded Glass Torso exclusively with analog synthesizers, stumbling in and out of structural loops to find space for accidental discoveries. The ten pieces of recorded material feel somewhere on the edge of typified form, feeling like a vascular system pumping in and out its undulating liquidities. Maybe this is the hollowed space held together by Fujinoki’s notion of the torso where you hear a microscopic world, dubby and generative. Fujinoki is adept at organizing this realm of subtle sound sources, giving proper considerations of shared tonal space. Seemingly, this handling of the precarity of sonic material elucidates Fujinoki’s mature attention to detail.

Ambient music genre tropes often affirm the listeners vessel for escape and dissociation. It provides an intoxicating allure by respite from an overwhelming exterior reality far outside the listeners controls. Here this space becomes apolitical, or its protest vocabulary softer and subtle. Fujinoki does not aim to tackle hyperobject topics on how to course correct the world, but he does something increasingly rarer to come across. On Glass Torso an alternative space is created not as shelter, but as a meditation on negotiation and compromise. This twenty eight minutes of audio lays down a foundation for imagination, for imagining how to negotiate the fragility of the self. Zoomed out, the implications of his negotiative sonics can be a playground for broader reflections on distributive care and attention.

Fujinoki says he feels “alert” to his physicality and placement in the world amidst vast digital cultures creating impositions on him and his surroundings. On Glass Torso he creates a concretized space on a vinyl record, where the virtual and the tangible antagonize one another that create the spectacle of the listening experience. This spectacle is a soft one, a considered one, and an utmost enjoyable one. Fujinoki juggles opposing forces brilliantly, and formulates an exquisite palette of soft passing music so he can also help the listener with the exquisite burden of their own Glass Torso.”

- Nick Klein, January 2026

MEMORIALS jump off the waterslides and head above the clouds with their stunning second album, ‘All Clouds Bring Not Rain’. The duo of Verity Susman and Matthew Simms (formerly of Electrelane and WIRE) locked themselves away in a studio in a barn secluded deep in the woods in southwestern France and re-emerged with a beautiful, unusual record that is both melodic and unconventional. For such an ambitious album it’s striking that it was written, performed, recorded and mixed solely by the two of them. Sounding like an unearthed classic, MEMORIALS twist their influences into their own unmistakable sound. Imagine Nico singing with Can produced by David Axelrod and you’re somewhere in the right ballpark.

The record draws inspiration from a wide range of music including folk, dub, post punk, experimental tape music, 60s soul, garage rock, 70s spiritual jazz and Canterbury prog. This attention to detail in their sound meant finding several other studios to get what they needed to record with, including a harpsichord at 4AD’s studio in London and a vibraphone and vintage Leslie speaker in Stereolab drummer Andy Ramsay’s studio Press Play. Verity’s distinctive, unadorned singing is a focal point of the record, moving from tender to wild. Her vocal melodies quickly become earworms, providing the tuneful heart around which the songs’ more unorthodox elements are arranged, which is where Matthew’s unconventional approach to recording and production comes to the fore. With their adventurous arrangements, classic songwriting skills and innovative production techniques, MEMORIALS have created another mesmerising listen that’s accomplished and compelling in its unique approach yet remains dizzyingly immersive - just like their acclaimed live shows.

Vinyl Packaging: Gatefold LP + download card. Indie Exclusive Transparent Orange vinyl in gatefold jacket Limited to 1000. CD 6 panel Digipak. Gnosis is the highly anticipated 8th full length from Russian Circles. Across the span of their previous seven studio albums, Chicago-based instrumental trio Russian Circles traversed a diverse topography of sounds, moods, and approaches with their limited armory of drums, bass, and guitar. It’s difficult to chart an evolution in their sound when their records have always felt like well-curated playlists. It wasn’t uncommon to hear drone-heavy meditations, dazzling prog exercises, knuckle-dragging riff-fests, haunting folk ballads, and tension-baiting noise rock all within the span of one album. Still, it’s difficult to ignore the progression from the pensive and intricate melodies of Enter (2006) to the layered distorted dirges of Blood Year (2019). It’s been a gradual sonic shift owing to the band’s rigorous tour schedule and a predilection towards playing their more authoritative material on stage. But with their latest album, Gnosis, Russian Circles eschew the varied terrain of their past work and bulldoze a path through the most tumultuous and harrowing territory of their sound. As was the case for so many artists in the age of COVID, the obstacles of geography and isolation forced Russian Circles to reevaluate their writing process. Rather than crafting songs out of fragmented ideas in the practice room, full songs were written and recorded independently before being shared with other members, so that their initial vision was retained. While these demos spanned the full breadth of the band’s varied styles, the more cinematic compositions were ultimately excised in favor of the physically cathartic pieces. Gnosis was engineered and mixed by Kurt Ballou. Drums and bass were tracked at Electrical Audio in Chicago to maximize the natural room sounds of the rhythm section. Guitar and synth overdubs were conducted at God City in Salem, MA to take advantage of Ballou’s vast inventory of amps and effects pedals. Despite the entirety of the album being written remotely, the songs were recorded with the full band playing together to retain the live feel of the material. Owing to the climate of the times and a new writing method, Russian Circles created their most fuming and focused work to date—an album that favors the exorcism of two years’ worth of tension over the melancholy and restraint that often colored their past endeavors. European Co-Headline tour with Cult of Luna slated for Marc 2023 (Dates TBA). Russian Circles have received coverage from most notable press including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, FADER, AV Club, Consequence, Decibel, Revolver and much more.

Dire Straits' arresting self-titled debut arrived in the midst of punk's reign but couldn't have been further removed from the era's slash-and-burn style. Recorded in West London in February 1978, the band's tasteful, jazz-inflected set embraces folk, blues, and pub rock while also tracing a direct line back to the beat-oriented sound of early rock n' roll. Country and roots accents further distinguish the British quartet's stripped-down music from any 1970s peers, as does the transparent production, which has remained revered among audiophiles the world over – and which has never been better than on this meticulous pressing.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Dire Straits features natural tonalities, superb balances, you-are-there imaging, deep-black backgrounds, and pristine clarity. Even if you've heard this album hundreds of times before, you've never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This numbered-edition collector's set immerses you within the smoky, laidback atmospherics of every song. This is how all vinyl should sound.

Crucial to every arrangement, Mark Knopfler's winding guitar lines emerge with supreme transparency and multi-hued textural detail. His intricate playing comes across as if it's being transmitted via his 60s-era Fender Vibrolux amplifier placed right before you. The cleanliness, dimensions, and live feel are that good. His bandmates, too, benefit from the extra groove space afforded by this 45RPM edition. Rhythms skate and swirl; percussive effects resonate with crispness and attack; the leading edges of notes naturally decay.

Dire Straits' strong, well-edited batch of original material further enhances the overall enjoyment and makes the record one whose pleasures go far beyond the organic sonics. Just as Knopfler's narratives pour forth with poetic and surrealist texts, the musical settings – an intoxicating combination of easygoing shuffles, back-hall boogies, and pop-honed ballads – mirror the old-fashioned soulfulness inherent in the classic recordings of the late 50s and early 60s. The lyrics are equally captivating.

Drawing from his time as a youth in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, Knopfler invests tunes with an autobiographical slant and emotional connectivity that become obvious the moment he opens his mouth to sing. "Down to the Waterline," "Wild West End," and "Lions" all feature colloquial touches that add to their reach. By extension, "In the Gallery" functions as a tribute to Leeds sculptor Harry Phillips (father of future Knoplfer collaborator, Steve Phillips) while the record's breakout smash, "Sultans of Swing," pays homage to struggling bar bands.


Through it all, Dire Straits performs with a subtle cool and clever poise that no band ever matched. Just how good is the chemistry? Bob Dylan heard the quartet and invited Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on Slow Train Coming. But even Dylan himself didn't hear Dire Straits sound this magnetic back in its original heyday. Now, everyone can.

You wake up abruptly on cold floorboards, your body aching as if from a great fall. White light floods your vision. Where are you? Last thing you can remember you were hurtling through the Genesis Domain at breakneck speed, but this is definitely somewhere different. As your eyes come into focus you see the hall is grand, intimidatingly opulent. A full house of seated onlookers peers at you expectantly. You’re on a stage, you realize. Flames creep up the walls, engulfing the room and lighting the faces in the audience; the heat is oppressive, but nobody seems to notice. A voice booms out.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Presenting: a performer of great renown all across the land, yours for one night only… introducing—”

Tiny bells jangle around your head as you shift your weight, obscuring whatever name the announcer just called out. You try to sit up. The jester’s hat tumbles off with a clatter. Not this again, you groan. Your head spins with vertigo. You grimace, trying to remember something. You had just gleaned an urgent and existential truth in the Genesis Domain, but it’s slipping away now… what was it?

Off to your left, a whip cracks. The impresario glares at you from the wings, fist clenched around a diamond-encrusted whip, mouthing at you to get up.

You try to run, but the weight of an incorporeal authority bears down upon you. The impresario cracks his whip again, an impish smirk forming on his lips.

With resignation, you begin to work the room. What else can you do? Tendrils of giggling and gossip creep through your periphery. The heat is suffocating and the smoke stings your eyes, but the show goes on. Remembering your bag of tricks as if from a dream, you raise your hands in the air, invoking the universal call to audience participation. The crowd goes wild. You feel the rush of a familiar thrill. Being the Fool comes naturally to you, you realize, as the palace burns around you.