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Confessor's genre defying album Unraveled reissued in January Confessor is a progressive doom metal band from North Carolina that made its mark on the underground metal scene in the late 80's by combining some of the genre's essential elements in a way that no band had attempted before. Once dubbed "the world's most obstinately technical metal band", Confessor's technically complex interpretation of traditional doom gained them a reputation also within the progressive metal circles. Their grand sophomore album Unraveled from 2005 will finally be reissued after two decades on January 16th via Svart Records. Following the release of their 1991 debut album, Condemned, Confessor disbanded in 1994 while they were already planning a second album. Sadly, in 2002 the band's guitarist Ivan Colon passed away, and in tribute to Ivan, the band re-formed in order to play a benefit show for him. Things went so well, that they decided to continue after almost a decade apart. Their second full length Unraveled followed in 2005; an immensely satisfying and unique blend of majestic Doom Metal raised to the next level.

Known for their exhilarating live-to-record albums such as last year's critically acclaimed Wood Blues and Giant Beauty, سماع Sama'a (Audition) is the first of two releases that will surface after أحمدAhmed’s first studio recording sessions at North London’s The Fish Factory in early 2025.

Since 2014, Ahmed أحمد have excavated and re-imagined the music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik, in an ever ongoing search for future music. Over a decade on, the group were given the opportunity to set up in the studio for the first time and, with the aid of meticulous engineer Benedic Lamdin, سماع Sama'a (Audition) is the quartet's most detailed work to date.

Fastidious fans may recognise the album's tracklisting as that of Ahmed Abdul-Malik’s Jazz Sahara. After his success collaborating with the pianists Thelonious Monk and Randy Weston, Jazz Sahara was the first record Abdul-Malik made as a leader and was released in 1958. It used the flame of late Fifties jazz to light the wick of North African folk music and acted as a reminder of the Arabic origins of jazz, creating a distinct, unique sound that was far beyond its time. In Malik’s Jazz Sahara, there is no piano. The ongoing work of each member of [Ahmed] then is to think differently, to wonder how the music will work and to take a risk on trying it out - an extraordinarily compelling feat of imagination. Using group improvisation strategies and recording in single takes, سماع [Sama'a] (Audition) tackled the full suite of Jazz Sahara in just one session, with ‘Ya Annas [Oh, People’] and ‘Isma'a [Listen’] being previously unrecorded. 'Farah 'Alaiyna’, also released on 2019’s Super Majnoon, sounds unrecognisable - the slow, heady stomp and repeated phrasing of 2019’s embryonic [Ahmed] having been blast furnaced and sped up four-fold. The result is four kaleidoscopic, relative miniatures that move, unfold and re-imagine at a very different scale and proportion than [Ahmed]’s previous records. It’s a dizzying, euphoric music and an extraordinary record of a group moving through space-time like no other.




[b] Isma'a [Listen]
[c] El Haris [Anxious]
[d] Farah 'Alaiyna [Joy Upon Us]


[b] b1 Isma'a [Listen]
[c] c1 El Haris [Anxious]
[d] d1 Farah 'Alaiyna [Joy Upon Us]


[b] b1 | Isma'a [Listen]
[c] c1 | El Haris [Anxious]
[d] d1 | Farah 'Alaiyna [Joy Upon Us]

Free Mousse is a Paris-based collective and festival. They have been spreading their signature “Mousse” across the capital over the past three years. This year, they’ve decided to share it with everyone by pressing it on wax. To make it happen Blinkduus Dischetto and Kiss The Future, rising talented producers and close friends of Mousse team joined forces on a unique EP born from their collaboration.

On the record, you’ll find:

A1 – a banger by Kiss that has been tearing up dancefloors for a year now

B1 – a tech-house weapon from Blinkduus bringing the heat every time it’s played

Finally, both artists’ identities come together on A2 & B2 in exclusive cuts that we invite you to uncover.

We deliver mousse <3

A true gem of French animated cinema, Sylvain Chomet's Les Triplettes de Belleville (2003) left a lasting impression with its quirky universe, tender humor, and unforgettable musical score.


Composed by Benoît Charest, this cult soundtrack blends retro swing, gypsy jazz, ramshackle brass bands, and cycling rhythms to create a unique atmosphere that is both nostalgic and fiercely modern.



This vinyl edition finally celebrates the soundscape of Belleville as it deserves to be celebrated: unusual percussion instruments made from bicycle parts, mischievous orchestrations, and the playful voice of the cult song “Belleville Rendez-vous,” performed by M - Matthieu Chedid in its French version.



Carefully remastered for analog format, the record captures all the warmth and vitality of this timeless music, a vibrant tribute to the creativity and audacity of the film.


A must-have for lovers of cinema, jazz, and beautiful vinyl editions.

MidnightRoba is the solo project of vocalist, songwriter and producer Roba El-Essawy. The voice of Attica Blues (Mo Wax 1997, Sony 2000), Raise A Symphony is MidnightRoba's second solo album. Her first album, Golden Seams, very much rooted in jazz, received support, airplay and features from DJs such as Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6), Tony Minvielle and China Moses (Jazz FM), Robert Elms (BBC London Live) and Kevin Le Gendre on J to Z (BBC Radio 3). Single releases from this second album have been played by Gilles Peterson (WorldWideFM & BBC Radio 6), Kate Hutchinson (Soho Radio), Marshmello (NTS), Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts), Kev Beadle, Patrick Steele, DJ Amazon, and more.

'Raise A Symphony' is music of our time. A 15-track electronic offering, it comments on topics ranging from colonialism to complicity of silence; from compromised politicians to the power of protest and gratitude to those on the frontlines of change; from displacement and sea migration to the desire to protect our loved ones and the need for kindness; to have faith in the future and the importance of searching for joy in the meantime. The self-produced album 'Raise A Symphony' sees contributions from Saul Williams, Deschanel Gordon, Michael King and Tony Kofi, amongst others. The album title takes it's name from Martin Luther King's 'I Have A Dream' speech where King calls for the nation to rise to gather together and form a 'beautiful symphony of brotherhood'.

"..in Raise A Symphony, Midnight Roba has transmuted talent into something more powerful, where bridges built from her exquisite, unique harmonies, soaring songs and percussive productions allow competing emotions to co-exist and feed into each other. This album itself is a form of community; voices in unison, reaching outwards and offering restoration and upliftment throughout this remarkable work of love and fury." Emma Warren



a 01: Joy (Reprise) [feat. Deschanel Gordon]

Leave it to Langhorne Slim - a pioneer of raw, rule-breaking Americana for more than two decades - to reach far beyond the genre he helped inspire.

The Dreamin' Kind finds the Nashville transplant strapping on an electric guitar and embracing his longtime love of larger-than-life rock & roll. With it's chugging power chords, 1970s-sized riffs, and richly layered arrangements, The Dreamin' Kind is fueled not only by sheer amplification, but by the soul-baring songwriting that's become Slim's calling card, too. Tucked between those anthems are acoustic-driven songs that skirt the outer orbits of folk music, from the bare-boned heartbreak of ''Stealin' Time'' to the organic, orchestral sweep of ''Dance On Thru.'' The result is the more explorative and expansive album of Slim's career: a record made for rock clubs, campfires, and garages alike, produced by Greta Van Fleet's Sam Kiszka, and anchored by a lifelong desire to break down new walls.

''It felt like I was blowing some old shit up so I could plant some new flowers,'' Slim says of the creation process. ''I love acoustic music. I love folk music. But those aren't my only loves. Rock & roll has always tickled the same place in my soul as great singer-songwriter music, and I wanted to explore those influences. Raw songs that make you feel something: that's the stuff I'm after.''

'Yamame' (the Japanese name for a kind of freshwater salmon) was recorded in 1962 and was Miyazawa’s first album, but the sharpness and avant-garde modernity of the music creates a completely timeless quality. Miyazawa is one of a group of musicians who laid the foundation of the Japanese jazz scene. He wanted to express his cultural heritage by doing something he felt “only someone Japanese” could do, and so he dedicated himself to a pursuit of “Japanese jazz”. Incidentally, the album was originally simply titled “Akira Miyazawa”, but perhaps due to the impression the cover art and the track titles made, it was reissued in 1977 as “Yamame”, and has gone by that title ever since. This is an historic masterpiece of Japanese jazz.

Tenor Saxophone – Akira Miyazawa
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Sadao Watanabe (tracks: B1 to B3)
Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet – Tadayuki Harada (tracks: B1 to B3)
Trombone – Mitsuhiko Matsumoto (tracks: B1 to B3), Yasuhiro Tomoto (tracks: B1 to B3)
Trumpet – Akira Nakano (tracks: B1 to B3)
Piano – Masahiko Sato
Bass – Masanaga Harada
Bass Trombone – Takeshi Aoki (tracks: B1 to B3)
Drums – Kanji Harada, Takeshi Inomata
Supervised By – Jiro Kubota

Clear Marble Vinyl

Clear Green Marble Vinyl

„Weihnachten ist wirklich die schönste Zeit des Jahres“! „Im Laufe der Jahre habe ich viele originelle Weihnachtslieder geschrieben und ich hatte das Gefühl, dass es jetzt an der Zeit ist, die besten davon auf einem Album zu bündeln. Und hier ist es: Ein wundervolles Weihnachtsalbum mit einer Vielzahl von Liedern, von denen jedes ein wesentliches Element der Weihnachtsstimmung enthält, jetzt in einer Deluxe-Edition. 15 Songs, die ich sorgfältig ausgewählt habe. Ich habe 9 der 11 Originale mit den Amerikanern Jeff Franzel und Maria Christensen geschrieben und die anderen 2 Originalsongs mit den niederländischen Songwritern Simon Gitsels und Karel Schepers. Die Cover auf diesem Album sind Songs, die ich so sehr liebe, dass ich ihnen meine eigene Note geben und ihnen einen Platz auf dem Album geben wollte.“ Vier erfolgreiche Studioalben, mehreren Theatertourneen in den Niederlanden und erste internationale Shows, die allesamt ausverkauft waren. Es folgten bereits zahlreiche Auszeichnungen, darunter eine Goldene Schallplatte und bereits zweimal der renommierte Edison Jazz Award (der Holländische Grammy). Keine alltägliche Errungenschaft im Jazzbereich oder wie „Crooner“ Dennis es lieber nennt, im Swing, einem Stil, der für ihn unvergleichlich ist.

London label Only Music Matters rolls out more mysterious goodness here from another unknown artist. On this evidence, they like the afters and the moments in the night when time and space dissolve and subtly rule. 'AAA001A' is an elastic, dubby minimal tech cut with liquid pads and trippy vocal twist while the next cut is speedier but no less supple. This cosmic odyssey is marbled with vocal fragments, prickly acid and deft percussion and it all weaves endlessly while hypnotising perfectly. 'BBB002B' is more sparse and roomy, with grubby bass ripples and glitchy electronics colouring the groove. Priku and Arapu have already dropped this one to great receptions at Sunwaves 36 so if it's good enough for them...

Benedikt Frey supplies the aid kit. Sonic remedies for the night.

4 transmissions for after-dark navigation. Remix from Carl Finlow.

For its third release, Club Blanco welcomes German producer Benedikt Frey. Aid Kit delivers three original pieces of shadowy club machinery - tense, wonky and charged with late-night atmosphere and rugged vocals. Electro veteran Carl Finlow reassembles the parts with clinical precision, crafting a remix that hums with circuitry and steel. Together they form four doses of deep club music.

A High-Energy Fusion of Past and Present
The collaboration between the Amsterdam and Berlinartists showcases their unique chemistry, blendingcutting-edge production techniques with a deepreverence for the genre's roots. Crafted in the shadows,Accelerate is a meeting of two minds from two citiesknown for their underground energy, each bringing theirunique influence to an exhilarating techno experience.
The reworked classics on Accelerate, which originallygraced some of the most renowned techno labelsbetween 2007 and 2012 on vinyl 12", are newly mixed,edited, and turbocharged, pushing the limits of eachtrack's original energy. All is recalibrated for a newgeneration of listeners-and they hit harder than ever.Alongside these revamped gems, Accelerate introduces
new and previously unreleased material that will takelisteners even further.
Accelerate is a relentless force that demands to be felt inall its depth.

Schwarze Vinyl LP Edition. Inklusive 7’’ Vinyl mit unveröffentlichten Bonus Tracks.

10-Jahre-Jubiläums-Reissue von Twit Ones wegweisendem Album „The Sit-In“ aus dem Jahr 2015. Von vielen Twit-Aficionados als eines seiner besten Werke gefeiert, unterschied sich „The Sit-In“ bei seinem Erscheinen deutlich von seinen vorherigen Alben – und Twits Musik war noch nie leicht vorhersehbar. „The Sit-In“ war die erste Twit-Platte, zu der man Räucherstäbchen anzünden kann, und auch zehn Jahre später hat sie nichts von ihrem Zauber verloren. Mit Sängerin May sowie den Poeten PB Louison und Imam Ally-Salaam. Artwork von Van Lagerstein und Robert Winter. Das 10-Jahres-Jubiläums-Reissue enthält außerdem eine Bonus 7"" mit vier neuen Tracks.

After the release of her highest charting album to date in 2024, Elles Bailey is back with brand new album "Can"t Take My Story Away". Fiercely independent, the British singer-songwriter has been steadily honing her craft for the better part of a decade. Her magnificent voice - instantly recognisable, full of grit - weaves stories of resilience and survival, of hope and new beginnings. In her music, we find liberation as she picks at the threads of human connection, carefully unravelling the truths we might not have realised about ourselves. Produced by Luke Potashnick and recorded with a stellar lineup of musicians separate from her live band, the eleven tracks of "Can"t Take My Story Away" tie together to form the album Elles has been destined to make. An honest and vulnerable glimpse into Elles" story, the record was created over a three year period, using songswhose origins can be traced back almost 10 years, "Can"t Take My Story Away" is Elles" life placed carefully together to form a dazzling, kaleidoscopic story.

After the release of her highest charting album to date in 2024, Elles Bailey is back with brand new album "Can"t Take My Story Away". Fiercely independent, the British singer-songwriter has been steadily honing her craft for the better part of a decade. Her magnificent voice - instantly recognisable, full of grit - weaves stories of resilience and survival, of hope and new beginnings. In her music, we find liberation as she picks at the threads of human connection, carefully unravelling the truths we might not have realised about ourselves. Produced by Luke Potashnick and recorded with a stellar lineup of musicians separate from her live band, the eleven tracks of "Can"t Take My Story Away" tie together to form the album Elles has been destined to make. An honest and vulnerable glimpse into Elles" story, the record was created over a three year period, using songswhose origins can be traced back almost 10 years, "Can"t Take My Story Away" is Elles" life placed carefully together to form a dazzling, kaleidoscopic story.

Das dritte Album von Jana Horn wurde in New York geschrieben und in der Wüste von Texas aufgenommen. Horn begab sich mit Jade Guterman (Bass) und Adam Jones (Schlagzeug) ins Sonic Ranch Studio, um ihr selbstbetiteltes Album aufzunehmen, das aus zehn Klanglandschaften besteht, die nicht wirklich so klingen, als kämen sie von irgendwoher. Frühere Vergleiche mit Yo La Tengo und Phil Elverum sind nach wie vor zutreffend für ,Love" und ,All in bet", während sparsame Post-Punk-Rhythmen ,Designer" und ,Don't Think" prägen. Im Jahr 2023 schrieb The New Yorker: ,Horns Werk reiht sich in eine Gemeinschaft der Einsamen ein, die Genregrenzen überschreitet: Spuren von Young Marble Giants, Syd Barrett und Broadcast schweben durch ihre Songs."

With WHERE IS MY HEAD?, his first full-length album since 2019, Indonesian-born artist Rich Brian redefines success on his own terms. No longer chasing hits, he turns inward — creating the most vulnerable and honest music of his career. The result is a cohesive, deeply personal body of work that strengthens his bond with an ever-growing fanbase. Brian handled most of the production himself, shaping an analog-forward sound rooted in his self-taught mastery of synthesizers and keyboards. He sings more than ever before, with a newfound confidence and maturity that signals real artistic growth. WHERE IS MY HEAD? isn’t just a return — it’s a revelation. Each track answers one central question: how can I make art that truly makes me happy? To visually explore this feeling of self-reflection, the album introduces two versions of Brian — a MAESTRO who scores music for the dreams of MOVIE BRIAN, who exists unaware inside the world the Maestro has created. This surreal, introspective concept is brought to life through a series of cinematic music videos and visualizers, all directed by Jared Hogan, expanding the depth of the album into a fully realized narrative world.

WARNING celebrates 20 years of their groundbreaking album Watching from a Distance with a deluxe gatefold 2xLP/CD. Led by guitarist and vocalist Patrick Walker, every moment of WARNING's Watching from a Distance feels monumental; the album is widely considered to be one of the most emotionally-driven and profoundly Doom Metal records. From the onset, the album's eponymous opener crawls with a sombre melody that carries the emotional heft of WARNING's musings on love and longing. The band's classic track "Footprints" showcases Walker's ability to match his colossal riffs with a visceral, gut-wrenching vulnerability that was previously unheard of. Walker ruminates about his weakest moments; his vocal deliveries ranging from dejection to despair. The end result is truly "heavy" in every sense of the word - and a timeless take on the genre with thundering drums, lead-pipe backing bass, and swirling guitars. Fast-forward to the present day, and WARNING's introspective sensibilities resonate as hard as they ever have. Watching from a Distance showcases a band and moment in time that honed in on what "Doom" could really be. "I leave behind me the ruins Of the fortress I swore to defend I leave behind me foundations, I'll leave you a man I'll need you to mend And through all the battles around me I never believed I would fight, Yet here I stand a broken soldier, Shivering, naked, in your winter light" Short: WARNING celebrates 20 years of their groundbreaking album Watching from a Distance with a deluxe gatefold 2xLP/CD. FFO: Yob, My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Candlemass, Pallbearer, Pagan Altar, Khemmis

The representative work of Khsuke Mine, the powerful album "Daguri," originally released in 1973, is reborn in January 2026!
Kosuke Mine, having gained recognition in the Masabumi Kikuchi Group, recorded this work with his regular ensemble. Featuring emerging musicians including
Fumio Itabashi,
the performances are both weighty and vibrant, with a momentum and clarity that suggest the dawn of a new age. During this period influenced by Coltrane, Mine’s
playing brims with insight and scale, delivering transcendent melodies in tracks like "Thirsty" and "Daguri." With its combination of dynamism, lyricism, and exoticism,
this is truly a work worthy of being called one of Mine’s masterpieces. All tracks are composed by Mine himself. Recorded in 1973.

Sassy 009 ist das wandelbare Projekt der in Oslo ansässigen Produzentin, Songwriterin und Sängerin Sunniva Lindgård. Dreamer+ ist ein Album, das Lindgård seit Jahren in Gedanken mit sich trägt: ein konzeptgetriebenes Werk, zusammengesetzt aus fast vier Jahren Studioarbeit – und ein ambitionierter Versuch, die volle Kontrolle über ihre Kunst auszuüben.
Gelenkt von frisch verzerrten Vocals und Elementen aus Grunge, Shoegaze, 90er-Beatronica und schimmerndem Hyperpop ist das Album zugleich ein Protokoll der Selbstentdeckung und Selbstaufgabe, durchzogen von Gastbeiträgen von Blood Orange, BEA1991 und Yunè Pinku.
Dreamer+ ist im Kern ein fiktionales Werk, ein düsteres Märchen, in dem Träume und Emotionen durch eine Landschaft von Gestaltwandlerfiguren, dunklen Kräften und moralischen Verantwortungen verarbeitet werden. Auf eine Mission in eine verlassene Stadt geschickt, wird Lindgård zur eigenen Hauptfigur, hineingestoßen in eine „magische, aber verzerrte traumähnliche Welt“ nach einer fatalen Begegnung: „Ihre Liebe zu Jakov ist absurd eng mit seinem Sterben verwoben; kein Weg könnte sie davon fortführen."

Vier Jahrzehnte nach ihrer Gründung schreiben Ian Astbury und Billy Duffy ein neues Kapitel in der Geschichte von The Cult. Gemeinsam mit John Tempesta (Bass) und Charlie Jones (Schlagzeug) ließen sie 2023 ihre legendäre Frühphase Death Cult für eine exklusive Konzertreihe wieder aufleben - eine Hommage an die Ursprünge einer der einflussreichsten britischen Rockbands der 1980er-Jahre. Das Ergebnis dieser intensiven Rückkehr erscheint am 16. Januar 2026 unter dem Titel "PARADISE LIVE" - ein 16 Songs starkes Live-Album, aufgenommen am 18. November 2023 in der ehrwürdigen Albert Hall in Duffys Heimatstadt Manchester. "PARADISE LIVE" erscheint als Doppel-LP im exklusiven "Black on White"-Splatter-Design, auf CD sowie digital. Das edle Artwork zeigt ein schwarz auf schwarz geprägtes Schmetterlingsmotiv - entworfen von Ian Astbury und kunstvoll neu interpretiert von Carter O"Sullivan (Beggars Art Department). Die Black-Splatter-Edition ist ausschließlich über den Band-Webshop erhältlich, während die White-Splatter-Edition im regulären Handel erscheint. Der Weg von The Cult begann 1981 mit Southern Death Cult, deren gleichnamiges Album posthum 1983 erschien. Noch im selben Jahr gründeten Astbury und Duffy Death Cult - der Beginn einer kreativen Partnerschaft, die seit über 40 Jahren Bestand hat. Bereits 1984 entwickelte sich daraus The Cult, die im selben Jahr ihr gefeiertes Debüt "Dreamtime" veröffentlichten. Mit "PARADISE LIVE" schließen Astbury und Duffy den Kreis - ein intensives, authentisches Live-Dokument, das Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft einer außergewöhnlichen Band miteinander verbindet.

Greywind is an Irish emo/alternative rock duo from Killarney, formed by siblings Steph and Paul O’Sullivan. Known for their atmospheric soundscapes, soaring melodies, and deeply emotive lyrics, the band first gained attention with their critically acclaimed debut album Afterthoughts in 2017. Blending post-hardcore energy with cinematic grandeur, Greywind quickly earned a devoted following, praised for their anthemic choruses and powerful emotional honesty. Their long-awaited sophomore album, Severed Heart City, was recorded in Los Angeles with acclaimed producer Sam Guaiana and is set for release via Frontiers Label Group in September 2025. The record showcases the band’s continued growth both sonically and thematically — evolving their signature blend of brooding textures and explosive hooks into something even more dynamic and expressive. From the haunting opener Acid Rain to the cathartic closer Cope in the Coma, Severed Heart City is a visceral, emotionally resonant journey. Themes of mental health, inner conflict, and fragile hope run throughout, elevated by Steph’s impassioned vocal delivery and Paul’s gripping guitar work. With Severed Heart City, Greywind cements their place as one of the most compelling and authentic voices in modern alt-rock. This is a band that turns vulnerability into power — and pain into unforgettable songs

Mit Framing Reality veröffentlichen The Livelines aus Osnabrück ihre neue EP - ein musikalisches Coming-of-Age-Tagebuch zwischen Selbstzweifel, Selbstbehauptung und dem Versuch, Kontrolle in einer sich ständig verändernden Welt zu finden. Die sechs Songs zeigen eine junge Band, die ihre Realität selbst in die Hand nimmt: ehrlich, direkt und mit einem Sound, der Pop-Melancholie mit tanzbarer Rock-Energie verbindet.
Nach über 60 Shows, zahlreichen Festivalauftritten, Supporttouren für Acts wie KAFFKIEZ, DAMONA und Hi! Spencer sowie ausverkauften Headline-Shows machen The Livelines klar, dass sie gekommen sind, um gehört zu werden. Framing Reality steht für den Versuch, das eigene Leben zu rahmen - zu entscheiden, wie man gesehen wird, wie man sich selbst sieht und was man aus den Dingen macht, die man nicht ändern kann.

„Deadline Season“ ist das Debütalbum von Lucy Liebe. Einigen könnte sie bereits als Gründungsmitglied von Bokoya sowie durch Konzerte mit douniah und Gianni Brezzo bekannt sein. Lucy ist Multiinstrumentalistin: Sie spielt Schlagzeug, Keys, Flöte, Trompete, Gitarre und Bass – und singt. Unterstützung erhält Lucy zudem von Sänger*innen AKA Kelzz, Coco Elane, garrrog, Giaa, Laíz und Rosa Landers sowie Trompeter Pachakuti.

Das Album entstand nach Lucys Umzug von Köln nach Berlin. „Ich war neu in der Stadt und wusste, dass ich nicht einfach weitermachen wollte wie zuvor", erinnert sie sich. „Also wurde ich sehr aktiv: habe Leute angeschrieben, Ordner mit Beats verschickt, Kontakte geknüpft. Parallel bewarb ich mich bei verschiedenen queeren Organisationen auf Forschungsstellen – ohne Erfolg. Was aber klappte, war eine Albumförderung. Und ich hatte ohnehin schon viel Material in Arbeit. Die meisten Songs sind während Sessions von Grund auf entstanden, mit Gästen, mit denen ich mich einfach treffen und gemeinsam etwas Neues schaffen wollte."

Musikalisch bewegt sich Deadline Season in viele Richtungen, bleibt dabei aber immer punktgenau und zu 100 Prozent Lucy Liebe. „Ich nenne es gerne Alternative R&B – vielleicht die 2025er-Version von Neo-Soul? Meine Jazz-Einflüsse sind auf jeden Fall noch da."

Die Jimi Barbiani Band ist das aktuelle Projekt des italienischen Blues-Rock-Slide-Gitarristen Jimi Barbiani, der zu den besten seines Fachs in Europa zählt. Sein Stil ist geprägt von den Einflüssen Jimi Hendrix", Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck, Free und Gov"t Mule. Die einzigartige Soundmischung der Band entsteht in der Wechselwirkung der unterschiedlichen Persönlichkeiten ihrer Mitglieder. Eine treibende Rhythmus-Sektion legt den Teppich für das fulminante und beeindruckende Gitarrenspiel des Maestros. Die drei Alben der Band ("Back On The Tracks", "Blue Side" und "Boogie Down The Road - Live!") verkauften sich nicht nur in seiner Heimat sehr gut, sondern fanden auch in den USA ihre Liebhaber. Videos von Jimi Barbiani erreichen mitunter Klickzahlen von über 500.000 Views. Bevor es im Winter/Frühjahr 2026 wieder auf Tournee durch Europa geht - es stehen auch einige Festivals an - erscheint mit "Still In Love" der neue Longplayer auf CD, Vinyl und natürlich digital. Kernstück des Albums ist die fast achtminütige Version von Prince" "Purple Rain". Hier zieht Barbiani alle Register - das Genie aus Minnesota hätte seine Freude daran gehabt. Der JBB beherrscht aber auch durchaus leisere und sanftere Töne, wie der verträumte akustische Instrumentaltrack "Little Martha" zeigt. Das anfänglich leicht schleppende "Spend Me Your Light" hingegen versprüht reichlich Southern-Feeling, während bei "We Must Dream" dem Boogie gehuldigt wird - irgendwo zwischen Canned Heat und ZZ Top. Wer auf bodenständigen, eingängigen Bluesrock steht, ist hier richtig.

ugne&maria is a collaboration between Marija Rasa Kudabaite and Ugnė Vyliaudaite, both residing in Belgium. Their musical style is characterised by a multilayered, down-tempo, yet danceable approach, incorporating violin, synthesizers and sampling techniques.

We were completely blown away by the duo’s live performance at Meakusma Festival in August 2024. It was one of those rare moments when time seemed to stand still: the music, the atmosphere and the audience merged into a single warm, smooth and radiant aura of positive energy and vibes. This experience made us want to share such exceptional talent on Hands in the Dark and we are over the moon to announce the release of ugne&maria’s new album ‘Zotasphere’, dropping on 16th January 2026.

The 8 songs featured on the record came together slowly, bit by bit. Diary-like, each track reflects on different moments and life events that have followed ugne&maria over the past couple of years. Layers of sound and layers of memory are interlaced into the album, an embodiment of all that feels distant, yet still present. Most of the tracks move around a steady, unhurried pulse, never faster than 120 bpm. Some tracks even ended up being intentionally slowed down, as if the music itself wished to breathe more, mirroring life’s natural pace, with elements stretching, shifting and decelerating. Focused on bass and rhythm, influenced by the depth and warmth of classic house and low-end music, ugne&maria let the sounds drift elsewhere. The violin became a voice, the voice became a texture.

To submit or to surrender? Robert Johnson resident Oskar Offermann doesn’t have the answers, and that’s kind of the point. Things change: one moment you’re touring the globe as a recognizable face of one of the greatest clubs in the world, the next you’ve started a new life as a teacher. How do you handle that shift? On this record, Offermann doesn’t offer solutions so much as trace his own way through it, reflecting the whole process in his music and creative work.

Whatever the story, whatever the case, Oskar Offermann can still produce some of the most emotive, bleepy, strange dance music out there and this 12 inch is the proof. Sonically and conceptually it leans into that precise, melancholic German school: at points drawing from 80s wave and experimental music, then flirting with trancey motifs and closing in divinely crafted breakbeat. In just four tracks it packs in a surprising amount of functional range, exactly what you’d expect from one of RJ’s longest-standing residents. The A- and B-sides mirror each other: they open at full intensity, tempos pushed well past the 130 BPM mark, easy to imagine ripping through a peak-time floor – and still both sides land on something far more personal and reflective.

Even inside a framework of high-intensity club tunes, Oskar’s character shines through loud and proud. Think the slightly disjarring yet melodically captivating winds in the middle of the B1 trance induced number “Accepting”, or the masterfully paced build of opener “Planet Interface”. The same goes for A2 “Televise Improvise” and B2 “Sei mal nur lieb”: on paper they should feel like breathers next to the two behemoths, but they don’t. Offermann crams so much substance and personality into them that they become quietly dangerous. There’s that magical mix of squelchy acid, rough low end and naturalistic melodies on B2, and the relentless emotional drive of A2 “Televise Improvise”. Oskar is really, really good at making dance music irresistible.

Character, skill and honesty in one record, meant for the attentive listener and the brave DJ. A rare combination nowadays, get it fast!

DJ Support - Alan Fitzpatrick, Ben Sims, Colin Dale, Dave Clarke, DJ Bone, Doc Scott, Dustin Zahn, Ellen Allien, Fear-E, Fixon, Gary Beck, James Ruskin, Laurent Garnier, Luke Slater, Misstress Barbara, Radio Slave, Rebecca Delle Piane, Remy Unger, Rodhad, Scuba, The Advent & Truncate

Hardgroove returns with three powerful new remixes from rising Greek talent ANNE, who twists label boss Sim’s Snapshot ‘99 into a trio of peak-time weapons. Marking her third release on the legendary label, ANNE builds on acclaimed work for Out Of Place, Soma, and Hardgroove sister label Symbolism, seeing her in heavy demand with a packed 2025 touring schedule across the EU and beyond.

"It’s an album where I’ve limited myself to using only two instruments—a metallophone and a four-track tape recorder. Explorations of the metallophone and tape sounds are deconstructed and reintegrated into tracks with cassette loops. This release is part of this year’s Muscut label series, dedicated not to electronic but to electro-acoustic music focusing on analog recording and production."
Taken from the Shape platform interview (March 2024)