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*Brand new Emika LP ‘Fountain’

* Part of the Kickstarter campaign ´´How To Make Music Immersive``

*Intimate lyrical songs with piano and synths, the blueprint for a follow-up immersive album in Q4 2026.

*Moody Electronic heavier songs in between the piano.

*For listeners who are tired of presets.

*Handmade, hand-played, honest-craft, 40 year old grown-up Emika. A mother of two, who lost her mother in 2025.

*Grief as a train on the way to the station of understanding love. A record written about the artist's personal life (Not a genre sound).

*If you like number drawings, you can draw on the artwork.

Dudley Perkins, aka Declaime, is a visionary wordsmith and sonic architect who has been a pivotal figure in the underground hip-hop scene since the mid-90s. Renowned for his introspective lyricism, intricate rhyme patterns, and innovative production techniques, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of the genre. Declaime's music is a fusion of soulful samples, jazzy undertones, and raw, unfiltered emotion.

His ability to seamlessly blend intricate beats with thought-provoking verses has earned him a dedicated following and critical acclaim. Throughout his career, Declaime has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Madlib, Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Flying Lotus, knxwledge, Aloe Blacc, Kankick, Saul Williams, Latoya Williams, Hudson Mohawk, Casual and many other notable names. His solo projects and collaborative efforts have left an enduring impact on the hip-hop landscape, inspiring countless artists and shaping the sound of future generations.Dudley has unveiled his latest 9-track album titled "Flatulent," set to be released on the esteemed Urbnet label. The album, produced by German beat maker and producer Der Brxwnsxn, highlights Declaime's signature blend of intricate rhythms, haunting samples, and ethereal melodies.

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

As Selofan's fifth studio album, Vitrioli, from 2018, is a testament to the tragedy of life. The Greek duo, Joanna Pavlidou and Dimitris Pavlidis, who recorded the album in the Fabrika Records home studio, continue on in their poetic, but heartbreaking, music set to a dance beat. Between languages (Greek, English, German, and Spanish), Selofan feels on the brink of mania with Vitroli. However, the madness is controlled, the songs are restrained hysterics that culminate into the alchemic perfection of the band's specific moody sound.
From synthpop to synthpunk elements, the twelve-track LP leads listeners through dark corridors and into haunted, empty beds. There is a resignation to a doomed destiny with Vitroli—a trait that connects all Selofan releases—as a bitter pain and loneliness that cannot, or will not, subside.

The album begins with "Give Me a Reason" whose lyrics feel universal in this day and age: Give me a reason, to get out of bed / I could just watch the ceiling instead. Its heartbreak is profound as bells and voice pads echo under Joanna's voice. The adjacent music video for the song was directed by Dimitris Chaz Lee, and the band describes the video as "depicting the fragile nature, conflicts, emotional demands, and vulnerability of each person in a relationship."
"Billie Was a Vampire" is a story about an undead creature who works at a nightclub followed by the urgency of "Black Box." Brass sounds moan against the fast beat and suggest a frenzied need to escape.

"I'm Addicted" became the second single for the LP. I am addicted, you are mine, Joanna demands of the lover. The music video, also directed by Dimitris Chaz Lee, depicts a clean, white photoshoot primed for the most beautiful creatures of the Athenian wave scene. Alex Macharias, from the legendary Greek band In Trance 95, acts as the photographer for the session, as the models pose and flail under the bright bulbs. The director states: "Addiction is a mental state, something inside all of us. It altered our perception and created a parallel world of avant-garde beings and flashy lights making us part of this everlasting bond."

As Selofan's fifth studio album, Vitrioli, from 2018, is a testament to the tragedy of life. The Greek duo, Joanna Pavlidou and Dimitris Pavlidis, who recorded the album in the Fabrika Records home studio, continue on in their poetic, but heartbreaking, music set to a dance beat. Between languages (Greek, English, German, and Spanish), Selofan feels on the brink of mania with Vitroli. However, the madness is controlled, the songs are restrained hysterics that culminate into the alchemic perfection of the band's specific moody sound.
From synthpop to synthpunk elements, the twelve-track LP leads listeners through dark corridors and into haunted, empty beds. There is a resignation to a doomed destiny with Vitroli—a trait that connects all Selofan releases—as a bitter pain and loneliness that cannot, or will not, subside.

The album begins with "Give Me a Reason" whose lyrics feel universal in this day and age: Give me a reason, to get out of bed / I could just watch the ceiling instead. Its heartbreak is profound as bells and voice pads echo under Joanna's voice. The adjacent music video for the song was directed by Dimitris Chaz Lee, and the band describes the video as "depicting the fragile nature, conflicts, emotional demands, and vulnerability of each person in a relationship."
"Billie Was a Vampire" is a story about an undead creature who works at a nightclub followed by the urgency of "Black Box." Brass sounds moan against the fast beat and suggest a frenzied need to escape.

"I'm Addicted" became the second single for the LP. I am addicted, you are mine, Joanna demands of the lover. The music video, also directed by Dimitris Chaz Lee, depicts a clean, white photoshoot primed for the most beautiful creatures of the Athenian wave scene. Alex Macharias, from the legendary Greek band In Trance 95, acts as the photographer for the session, as the models pose and flail under the bright bulbs. The director states: "Addiction is a mental state, something inside all of us. It altered our perception and created a parallel world of avant-garde beings and flashy lights making us part of this everlasting bond."

Like its cover, Nicolas Remondino's Hìeratico plays in the rich shades of crepuscular spaces. A night-tuned, percussion led album where prepared drums are accompanied by flickers of spoken word, acoustic instruments and muted electronics,

The title translates to 'hieratic', for Remondino a "black and gold" term laden with dualities and complex connotations. A sense of teetering between sparkling light and richly coloured darkness imbues the music, the compositions simulating a sense of heightened acuity as they convey us through a spooky elemental soundworld. The opening title track begins with a metallic shimmer, a drum skin activated in a way that sounds like it's being smelted. A cushioned rhythm enters, a smothered timbre akin to hearing something lurking around the garden. On "litho non-danse", percussion cracks like branches and dried foliage under foot.

Remondino recorded initial outlines for the pieces at Giuseppe Ielasi's studio in Milan, before fleshing out these ideas with his own additional instrumentation and contributions from a globe-spanning network of collaborators. On "blue hymne", chiming percussion equal parts jubilant and sinister heralds spoken word from Limpe Fuchs. "Tombal" opens with Massimo Silverio whispering in the Carnic dialect, a minority language from the Carnic Alps. Around, Marco Baldini, Pierre Bastien and Remondino construct a somber soundscape that cranks and sighs in the crevices.

Hìeratico is an album of hybrids. Diverse voices, accents and dialects deliver its lyrics, the instrumentation underpinning it crosses idioms. The drumkit at its core is modified to amplify its resonant tones and harmonics. Inspired by natural substances and phenomena: stone, wood, wind, earth, metal, grass, rain, clouds and bark, Remondino explores how percussion could evoke their materiality, treating drums as lucid textural instruments as much as rhythmic timekeepers. It gives the album a finely shaded depth and clarity as it conjures the vibrancies that reside in darkened corners. Hìeratico dwells in a sensation that crosses borders, the speckles of light in the oblique night sky. Listening is an aural equivalent to stepping into a pitch black forest and waiting for your eyes to adjust, a lightless void turning into a spectacular tableau of shadows and glows. Daryl Worthington

For vinyl enthusiasts and music lovers alike, this 7" release is an inspired pairing that bridges generations and genres. The A-side is Rock & Smooth’s masterful blend of soulful production and heartfelt lyricism. The iconic saxophone sample and poignant verses have solidified it as a timeless classic. On the flip we have The Beginning of the End's 1971 “When She Made Me Promise”, a vibrant funk track that exudes a breezy, carefree vibe. Its infectious groove and lively melody have made it a favourite for sampling by various hip-hop artists over the years

Focus Track: Bear Hill Album Description: Raekwon’s The Emperor’s New Clothes is a sharp return to form, showcasing the Wu-Tang veteran’s lyrical precision and timeless street wisdom. The album is powerful with equal parts - high-quality bars and carefully sculpted production. Raekwon recruits a stacked lineup of guests, including Nas, Griselda, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, and Ghostface Killah, injecting the project with gritty energy and legacy chemistry. Marsha Ambrosius and Stacy Barthe provide smooth, soulful hooks, adding emotional layers to the hard-edged verses. Production comes courtesy of Nottz, Swizz Beatz J.U.S.T.I.C.E League and more. The LP is a reminder of Raekwon’s enduring power as a lyricist and curator. A veteran artist showing that mastery doesn’t need excess. The Emperor’s New Clothes is regal, streetwise, and sharply tailored for those who value craft.

Courtney Marie Andrews has long been celebrated as an artist who challenges herself, and who finds new interplays of Folk and Americana.. Also a vivid poet and accomplished painter, she brings a multidisciplinary richness to her work that shines throughout her 9th studio album, Valentine. Co-produced with Jerry Bernhardt and recorded almost entirely to tape, the album features complete in-studio performances that prize raw performance rather than perfection. It is Andrews’s most sonically explorative record thus far – she plays flute, high strung guitars, myriad synths, and draws heavy inspiration from her art outside of music. Her voice is gorgeous and acrobatic always, but on Valentine it finds a new depth, an assertiveness that brings new dimension to its biggest anthems and its softest moments. Written during a period of profound endings and new beginnings, Valentine is a vulnerable exploration of love vs. limerence. While anticipating the imminent loss of a loved one who would eventually recover, a new but uncertain romance began to develop. Rather than lift her up, the two emotional poles seemed to bleed into each other to sow doubt, trouble, even obsession. But through her own exploration of music and art, Andrews found a way to grow stronger inside this feeling. “I didn’t want to slink into my pain, I wanted to embrace it, own it” she says. The songs that emerged are devotional in their lyrics but defiant in their energy; it’s the very sound of a woman standing in her first wisdom. With Valentine, Andrews rejects the objectification of love, the love filled with gestures and objects instead of trust, mess, and growth. In doing so, she delivers her most beautiful and loving album to date.

For his new full-length on Second End Records, Lyon-based artist Jonnnah turns deeply inward. Conceived as a form of therapy, as much as a reflection and a testimony, the record retraces a process of introspection and confrontation with one’s own history, looking back at origins, DNA, and the invisible ties that connect us to our ancestors, while opening paths toward new connections.

The double-sided structure of the album makes this journey tangible. The first side lingers in uncertainty : opaque atmospheres, fragmented rhythms, and restless textures mirror the doubts, questions, and fragile states of self-analysis. The second side, in contrast, embraces clarity and resolution, dense yet luminous soundscapes where reconciliation and acceptance take shape, culminating in The Blue Comet, a piece charged with finality and revelation.

Opening with the multipart suite N-zero, symbolizing the beginning of therapy, and closing with O-one, evoking the soul’s original purity, the record traces a complete emotional and spiritual cycle. Between them, the third edition of Insomnia Never Ends once again portrays the struggle between sleep and the irresistible pull of musical distraction, a fragile tension that runs through the album as a whole.

The record condenses Jonnnah’s language into something rawer and more direct. Layers of dub and dub sonic resonate against ethereal ambient passages, while techno impulses maintain tension and forward motion. Each piece feels at once intimate and expansive, designed as much for solitary listening as for collective experience.

A new chapter in Jonnnah’s trajectory, the album is a document of transformation : from shadow to light, from questioning to acceptance.

Glasgow reggae collective Mungo’s HiFi celebrate 25 years of pulsating music with a follow-up to game-changing second studio album Soundsystem Champions. Released in 2008, the original Sound System Champions became an instant 21st century classic - thanks to its industrial strength basslines, blazing horns and lineup of scorching microphone talent. To commemorate a quarter century of rocking dances and building rhythms, Mungo’s have created Soundsystem Champions 2. They’ve lovingly assembled some of their biggest dubplates, previously only heard in a soundsystem situation, now available to the world. Fans of the first Sound System Champions will hear musical echoes in the new version. Irrepressible Junglist General Levy rides the Belly Ska riddim that kicked off the 2008 edition, with the militant Gideon Boot. Italy’s Marina P returns to the new record on the expansive Searching, as does Kenny Knots, closing the track list with heartfelt roots anthem Rise and Gravitate. For Soundsystem Champions 2, Mungo’s have invited many more voices from their epic journey. Bristol’s Eva Lazarus revisits Althea and Donna’s immortal Uptown Top Ranking. Reading’s Solo Banton turns his lyrical versatility to hip hop banger Bubble N Wine. The beautiful grainy tones of Ireland’s Cian Finn reimagine the Wailers’ Rainbow Country. With this historic sequel album, Mungo’s look back while going forward, the exclusive becomes the inclusive, and the Sound System comes to you!

The Fall were an English post-punk band, formed in Manchester in 1976. The band existed in some form ever since, and was essentially built around its founder and only constant member Mark E. Smith. Initially associated with the punk movement of the late 1970s, the group's music went through several stylistic changes over the years, but is often characterised by an abrasive guitar-driven sound and frequent use of repetition, and was always underpinned by Smith's distinctive vocals and often cryptic lyrics. The band was noted for its prolific output: and released over 25 studio albums, and more than triple that counting live albums and other releases. They have never achieved widespread public success beyond a handful of minor hit singles in the late 1980s, but maintained a strong cult following. The band were long-associated with BBC disc jockey John Peel, who championed them from early on in their career and cited The Fall as his favourite band, famously explaining, "They are always different; they are always the same.

Rami Gabriels zweites Album ,Tunderizer" bringt den harten Experimentalismus des Post-Punk-Industrial in die gemütliche Atmosphäre von zu Hause. Wie Schatten, die durch Spiegel huschen, verdeckt ein Mix aus Lo-Fi-Noise-Art und Feldaufnahmen das super abgestimmte Songwriting. ,Tunderizer" rockt in allen Bereichen, von mitreißenden Melodien bis hin zu dekonstruktivem Rauschen, von Country bis Tarab, von Skronk bis Delta Blues. Der in Beirut geborene Rami Gabriel ist Komponist und Songwriter und spielt Oud, Buzuq und Gitarre. Er lernte Blues und Jazz, indem er mit legendären Musikern aus Chicago auftrat und diese Musikstile mit arabischen Traditionen verband. Rami tritt häufig in Nordamerika und international auf, unter anderem in Europa, Indien, der Türkei, dem Libanon und Ghana. Kürzlich spielte er beim Portland Jazz Festival, dem NYC Arab Festival und dem Festival International De Louisiane. Rami leitet die in Chicago beliebten Bands The Arab Blues und das R&B-Quartett Rami & the Reliables. Er stand schon mit Größen wie Buddy Guy, Zakir Hussein, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyers und Rakesh Chaurasia auf der Bühne. Er war Vorband für den britischen Songwriter Nick Lowe und nimmt regelmäßig mit Mitgliedern der amerikanischen Rocklegenden NRBQ auf. Außerdem stand er schon mit Prostitute, Marvin Tate und anderen Punk- und Noise-Künstlern auf der Bühne. Seine Musik wurde von experimentellen Künstlern wie Fire-Toolz, Beau Wanzer, Sen Morimoto, Lynyn, k-rAd und Alex Hall von Reliable Recorders aus Chicago remixt.

This album brings together key tracks from Doug Carn recorded for Black Jazz Records in the 1970s.

Doug Carn is one of the most-important (and least-recognised) forces in the creation of the canon of 'deep and spiritual jazz music' - full of powerfully emotive intensity, consciously-uplifting lyricism and addictively beautiful melodies.

All of his LPs during this period have since achieved cult classic status including 'Infant Eyes', 'Adam's Apple', 'Spirit of the New Land' and 'Revelation'.

Aside from his songwriting and keyboard skills, many of the tracks here feature the stunning and powerful 5-octave range vocals of Jean Carn (later Carne), his wife at the time.

Musicians featured on this album include Alphonse Mouzon, Charles Tolliver, Henry Franklin, Michael Carvin, Walter Booker, Ronnie Laws and others. Aside from Carn’s compositions there are also striking interpretations of music by Lee Morgan, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson and Wayne Shorter.

Black Jazz became one of the defining labels of independent and conscious jazz music in the 1970s alongside other important labels such as Strata-East and Tribe Records. As well as this Best of Doug Carn release, Soul Jazz Records are also releasing a Best of Black Jazz Records collection at the same time.

High Roller Records, reissue 2022, black vinyl, ltd 250, lyric sheet printed on uncoated paper

As a torchbearer of gritty lyricism and unapologetic authenticity, Conway The Machine takes the helm to introduce the world to the burgeoning talents that make up the Drumwork roster, a powerhouse assembly of artists ready to reshape the landscape of rap music.

At the forefront of the album stands Conway The Machine, delivering blistering verses and commanding attention with his trademark grit and authenticity. But "Drumwork Collective" is more than just a solo endeavor; it's a collaborative effort featuring guest appearances by Rome Streetz, Benny The Butcher, 38 Spesh, and others. Each artist brings their unique perspective to the table, adding layers of depth and complexity to the project.

Behind the boards, producers like Beat Butcha, Graymatter, Trizzy Williams, and more craft a sonic landscape that's as gritty as it is innovative. From soulful samples to hard-hitting drums, the production on this compilation sets the stage for the lyrical onslaught that follows, blending traditional boom-bap aesthetics with a modern edge. Together, these elements form a cohesive tapestry that captures the essence of hip-hop's underground renaissance, proving that the beat truly does strike back.

"Lost in the spinning sound" is the 12th studio album by The Dining Rooms (Stefano Ghittoni and Cesare Malfatti) who, over the years, have delved into an original style that balances cinematic atmospheres with funk, dub and ambient music. Here they have invited just one vocal guest, Chiara Castello from I'm Not a Blonde, for a collaboration that delivers a slow, nocturnal, orchestral, very minimalist album, oscillating between folk and blues, with deeply meaningful lyrics that explore the intricate nature of interpersonal relationships. The album cover, an illustration by Sara Vivan, conveys the idea of metamorphosis and invites us to dive into the sounds that surround and protect us. This is also the main message of the album: losing ourselves in order to protect ourselves a little. Drifting along and finding new, safer and more peaceful shores.

Paper Crown release their third album Letters - an ambitious and playful record that marks a clear new chapter for the duo, brimming with confidence, nostalgia and new horizons. Letters is the result of a long and meticulous creative process, with guitarist, producer and songwriter Ornulv Snortheim and vocalist and lyricist Johanne Kippersund (MEER) working closely, patiently and with great attention to detail. The album was recorded and produced at Snortheim's own Dakkota Studio in Hamar, Norway. Drummer Borre Flyen contributes throughout the record, and violinist Aud Ingebjorg Barstad adds beautiful string textures on selected tracks. Musically, Letters draws inspiration from the organic warmth of 1970s recordings - featuring spacious arrangements and live, breathing instrumentation - while also clearly nodding to alternative 1990s pop- rock, with strong melodies, distinctive guitar lines, raw energy and a spirit of exploration. The result is a sound that feels both nostalgic and contemporary, making Letters the duo's most complete release to date.

"Saint Cloud" von Katie Crutchfield alias Waxahatchee ist das fünfte Album der Indie-Songschreiberin und wurde im Sommer 2019 auf der texanischen Sonic Ranch in Tornillo und Long Pond in Stuyvesant, NY, aufgenommen und von Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Big Red Machine) produziert. Mit unerschütterlicher Ehrlichkeit unterzieht sich Crutchfield auf "Saint Cloud" einer offenen Selbstprüfung. Das Album entstand nach Crutchfields Entschluss Alkohol und Drogen hinter sich zu lassen, entsprechend widmet sie sich lyrisch dem Thema Sucht. Das schlägt sich auch klanglich in einer klareren und traditionelleren Ausrichtung des Albums nieder: "I think all of my records are turbulent and emotional, but this one feels like it has a little dose of enlightenment. It feels a little more calm and less reckless." gibt die Musikerin zu Protokoll. Auch musikalisch beschreitet Crutchfield neues Terrain, während die letzten beiden gefeierten Alben "Out In The Storm" (2017) und "Ivy Tripp" (2015) noch von lärmenden Gitarren bestimmt waren, streift "Saint Cloud" diese Wall of Sound Schicht für Schicht ab, um Platz für Crutchfields Stimme und Texte zu schaffen. Das Ergebnis ist ein Album geworden, das von klassischen Americana-Sounds durchwoben ist, aber mit einem modernen Touch. Auf "Saint Cloud" präsentiert sich Crutchfield erneut als eine der talentiertesten Geschichtenerzählerinnen der Gegenwart und sitzt so selbstsicher im Songwriter-Sattel wie noch nie zuvor.

Tom Misch’s long-awaited sophomore album Full Circle finds the London-based artist, songwriter, and producer at his most personal and honest. Exploring the moments that have shaped him over the last four years: family, friendships, nature, and celebrates the work of finding his way back to himself. Made during his time spent between London, Cornwall, Portugal, and Nashville with a focus on classic songwriting, honing a collection of eleven timeless songs including the previously released singles ‘Old Man’ and ‘Red Moon’. While Full Circle contends with some of quieter moments of the last four years, it remains optimistic and effortlessly listenable, anchored by unadorned vocals and a warm, analogue sound. And the beauty of Full Circle lies in the universality of its lyrics, inviting listeners to inhabit Tom’s world or trace their own path within it. Full Circle stands as both a reflection of his journey and a statement of ongoing evolution.

Pariah’s cult album re-issued! “Blaze of Obscurity” brings you pure Thrash Metal fury! Satan changed their name to Pariah in 1988-1989. There’s Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, the list seems almost endless. Sub-genres are important in metal and bands are quickly classified and labeled. Pariah (the last re-incarnation of Satan) is one of few bands that are difficult if not impossible to classify. Is it Heavy metal? NWOBHM? Thrash Metal? Pariah did not make it easy to describe their sound. It might be too sophisticated to simply label it Heavy Metal, which in its infancy was a rather simple affair.

They don’t sound like any Metal band out there, perhaps discounting some of the more aggressive and technical ones, and then the signature NWOBHM sound is added. The guitar playing by Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey is undeniably what defines Pariah as well as Satan in the past. Undeniably, Satan has gone a long way; from humble NWOBHM beginnings, to Experimental/Melodic Mettal (in Blind Fury) and something that could be described as a NWOBHM/Thrash Metal hybrid (“The Kindred”). It’s as if they’ve been experimenting trying to find their identity, and theyfinally found it. Stylistically, “Blaze of Obscurity” could be seen a step back to “Suspended Sentence”, but this time around they got everything right, down to the last note. Those who have heard Satan know what to expect: great guitar playing.

And sure enough, “Blaze of Obscurity” is a demonstration of guitar mastery and is overall a very guitar-driven album, with plenty of mind-boggling riffs and solos are all over the place, but more importantly, it’s a demonstration of some amazing songwriting as well. This is easily Pariah/Satan’s creative peak and one of the most consistent albums I’ve ever heard, featuring eight great and conceptually perfect songs with lyrics that come across as sophisticated and thought-provoking. It is not fair to put the entire spotlight on Tippins and Ramsey though since the drumming and bass work from Sean Taylor and Graham English really shines. The rhythm is fast and tight, keeping it focused, aggressive and intense till the end. Vocalist Michael Jackson (yes, that’s his name) has to be commended too as this is easily his careers best performance.

The verdict: “Blaze of Obscurity”: the level of musical genius expressed here, along with near flawless songwriting, is more than enough to skyrocket it to heights reserved only for classics. Probably not your choice for some light listening those quiet Sunday evenings, but those who take a more serious, intellectual approach when selecting their music will find very much to appreciate here.
Tracklisting

Following the digital release of the single “Meu Canto” in early February 2026, Gerardo Frisina and singer Luzia Dvorek return to Brazilian music with a new and compelling interpretation of a timeless classic, “A Lenda do Abaeté” by Dorival Caymmi; the release of this 45rpm single brings to a close a special project entirely dedicated to Bahia, the beating heart and symbol of Brazilian culture.

“Meu Canto” takes shape from an original composition by Gerardo Frisina, who signs both music and production, crafting a soundscape that is suspended between delicacy and depth upon which Luzia Dvorek - joined by songwriter Toco, whose refined backing vocals further enrich the song’s emotional dialogue - has drawn the melodic line and written the lyrics. A journey into roots and origins that tells the story of Luzia’s family, deeply embedded in the warm, fertile land of northeastern Brazil. “Meu Canto” sees also the participation of Alfonso Deidda on flute, whose airy timbre introduces new shades of color to the composition.

In “A Lenda do Abaeté”, the 45rpm B-side, Gerardo Frisina weaves an elegant and immersive rhythmic framework, evoking soundscapes that feel both deep-rooted and timeless. Within this setting, Luzia Dvorek’s voice unfolds with emotional intensity, balancing expressive strength and subtle delicacy as it narrates the ancient legend of the Abaeté lagoon. A place steeped in charm and mystery, suspended between myth and reality, whose stories have been passed down through generations in Salvador, in Brazil’s north-eastern region.

The project is further enriched by the acoustic guitar of Francesco Borrelli - who also took care of the tracks mixing and mastering - and Toco’s distinctive vocal contributions, which add depth and nuance to the overall sound.

Mit der neuen Ausgabe der Vintage Sounds Vinyl Collection kehrt ein echter musikalischer Schatz zurück - diesmal ganz im Zeichen der Bossa Nova. Diese liebevoll kuratierte Zusammenstellung präsentiert 16 zeitlose Klassiker, die den unverwechselbaren Klang Brasiliens geprägt haben und bis heute weltweit für entspannten Groove und federleichte Eleganz stehen. Auf dem Album versammeln sich die wichtigsten Künstler einer Ära, die Musikgeschichte geschrieben hat: Joao Gilberto, Baden Powell, Silvia Telles, Quincy Jones und natürlich Antônio Carlos Jobim, dessen Kompositionen bis heute als Herzstück des Genres gelten. Freuen Sie sich auf unvergängliche Perlen wie "Chega De Saudade", "Garota De Ipanema", "Desafinado", "Corcovado", "A Felicidade", "Soul Bossa Nova", "O Barquinho" oder "Meditaçao" - alle sorgfältig ausgewählt und auf hochwertigem Vinyl neu erlebbar gemacht.

Lush in strings and pedal steel, the nine-track 'How I Became A Wave' album features contributions from some of Ireland's most accomplished musicians, headed up by Pat Carey, and featuring string and piano arrangements by Cormac McCarthy (RT Concert Orchestra). 'How I Became A Wave' will be available as a limited edition 12" gatefold vinyl that brings together music and visual art, featuring cover artwork based on the original oil painting 'Towards Pabaigh' by Scottish artist Ellis O'Connor, design by West Cork creative Megan Clancy, insert image by Cork- based artist Leslie Allen Spillane, and handwritten liner notes and lyrics from Pat Carey, who steers How I Became A Wave as a collaborative, multidisciplinary project. Pat Carey says: "At the heart of How I Became A Wave is a sense of collaboration - of connection between artists. Inviting artists of different disciplines into the creative process has been key to the journey. Understanding how other people see, hear and feel my work has been enlightening, affirming and vital, making sure that what we have created is a living body of work that I hope will continue to be expressed in changing ways."

Step back into the irresistible world of Dutch pop legends Gruppo Sportivo with Vinylly! (Selected Songs '78-'91). a vibrant, limitededition celebration of the band's most iconic tracks. This double LP is the ultimate collector's item for fans of clever pop, quirky humor, and timeless hooks.

Featuring standout songs like ''Beep Beep Love,'' ''My Old Cortina,'' ''Up to Date,'' and cult favorites from The Buddy Odor Stop, Vinylly! captures the band's golden era with crisp remastered sound and a beautifully designed sleeve and 4-page booklet. A complete overview of a group that defined an era with their playful lyrics, sharp arrangements, and unmistakable charm.

The band is touring throughout 2026 to celebrate the 50th birthday of Gruppo Sportivo.

Emerging from the sun-drenched haze of their previous releases, the Belgo-Italian duo descend into the shadows with Trabajando El Flex, their third record to date. This is their gloomiest strike yet, a mutant wave manifesto built on a raw DIY ethos. Imagine pulsing basslines and ghostly vocals soundtracking your deepest, most illicit desires. Channeling the spirit of a major influence which is Coil, this album could have been called "Music to Play in the Dark(rooms)." It's a lethal fusion where New Beat, EBM, Dub, Italo, and New Wave lock into a singular, hypnotic atmosphere. Their world is a wild ride from Bear-Santa Claus Fantasms to Burning Churches and Amphetamine rooms, reflected in both their playful - not-to-be-taken-seriously - lyrics and a genre-shattering sound. Their debut was a a lost reel; their second, a dream, Trabajando El Flex is the raw, slow-burning, and beautifully unclean night that consumes both. It's a flawless fit for the after-hours ruin of the Pinkman universe.

35 Years of PROJECT PITCHFORK – The legendary debut ‘Dhyani’ returns! There are albums that make music history. And then there is ‘Dhyani’. For the 35th anniversary of PROJECT PITCHFORK, the debut album of the German electro-industrial pioneers is celebrating its triumphant re-release. Back in 1991, ‘Dhyani’ marked a milestone: a work full of energy, innovation, and dark beauty that revolutionized the scene and forever shaped the sound of PROJECT PITCHFORK. With this album, band founder, creative engine, and visionary Peter Spilles proved impressively that electronic music can be far more than dance beats. It can tell stories, unleash emotions, and connect generations. Now, 35 years later, ‘Dhyani’ returns in new splendor. For this special anniversary, the album has been carefully and expertly remastered by none other than Robin Schmidt (24-96 Mastering). Every tone, every nuance has been meticulously refined to preserve the timeless character of the songs while revealing fresh details that make the album feel even more powerful and vibrant today. ‘Dhyani’ is more than a debut. It is a testament to Peter Spilles’ creative force—an album that created sonic landscapes still captivating to this day. For fans, collectors, and new listeners alike, this re-release is a unique opportunity to experience a piece of music history in its purest form. Immerse yourself in the world of ‘Dhyani’ and feel the power that began 35 years ago and remains unbroken to this day. - Classy black vinyl - 2x180g 12” vinyl - All discs newly remastered for vinyl - Audiophile vinyl – German pressing - Sturdy cardboard sleeve - Printed inner sleeves containing all lyrics

High Roller Records, reissue 2026, galaxy vinyl, ltd 250, lyric sheet printed on uncoated paper

DJ Support: Garnier, Opolopo, Worldwide FM, Marcia Carr, Bill Brewster, Timeout Moscow, Craig Smith, Delfonic, Tony Nwachukwu, Marcel Dettmann, DJ Rocca, Shuya Okino, Borrowed Identity, Titonton Duvante, Alex Attias, Rainer Truby, Sol Power All-Stars, Kyri R2, Robert Luis, Severino Panzetta, Lars Behrenroth, Kassian, Alkalino, Getdown Edits, Moodymanc, Gerd, Lea Lisa, Young Pulse, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mark Grusane, Alex Barck….

International dance music heavyweight, producer and DJ Alexander Lay-Far returns with a powerful new chapter - Lay-Far Dance Orchestra (LFDO) - a fully-fledged live band project that reconnects him with his jazz-funk and fusion DNA while pushing dance music forward with unmistakable groove, musicianship and emotional weight. Formed in early 2024, LFDO is no nostalgia exercise. With Lay-Far at the helm as bassist, bandleader, composer, arranger and sound engineer, the orchestra has already been turning heads with explosive live performances, reinventing classic Lay-Far cuts, and now unveil their first album “Skybreak” with all new and original material written and produced by Lay-Far together with his bandmates and star guests, including Lipelis, Antoha MC and Seven Davis Jr. This work shows the departure from the predominantly electronic sound of Lay-Far's previous solo albums in favour of live instrumentation recorded to analogue tape and effortlessly bridging the gap between Jazz, Library Music, Disco-Funk, House, Broken Beat and Drum’n’Bass. “Skybreak” is dynamic, passionate, spiritual, cinematic, playful, heartfelt, life-affirming, dreamy and deeply romantic. Ultimately, there’s something profoundly romantic in recording and releasing such music in this day and age!


“Take Flight (Part 1)” is opening the album with style. It takes us on a beautifully orchestrated journey, blending the sensuality of Library Music with high-octane Jazz-Funk and raw b-boy breaks, propelled by breathtaking flute and Rhodes solos of Timur Nekrasov and Maxim Glonti. This aural symbiosis of “beauty and the beats” will become more and more prominent as the album unfolds.



It’s time for “Aquarius Love” created with the inimitable artist and vocalist Seven Davis Jr. (Secret Angels, Ninja Tune). In this composition cinematic soul and heavy jazz meet the restless energy of live drum & bass with deep and heartfelt vocals - timeless sound combined with a timeless message about love and life!



Next is “Head In The Clouds” - a theme for an imaginary rom-com, an ode to all the dreamers - sweet, light, naive and heartwarming. Space-Disco-Funk at its best!

“Where You From” is a fiery Soulful House number with heavy Afro-Latin influences recorded in collaboration with Lipelis. It’s full of Sun, joy and passion. Its irresistible rhythm is emphasised by funky octave bass, wah-wah guitar, catchy piano riffs, guitar solo by Lipelis and seemingly light conscious message delivered by Lay-Far and Maryag. Summer is here!

Now the album takes an unexpected twist in the form of “The Harp of Boom” which at first glance appears to be a classic-sounding Boom-Bap banger. Yes, It’s loud, raw, and gritty, yet it gradually evolves into something delicately-touching and deeply-soulful thanks to a memorable flute melody and lush string arrangement. Definitely recorded with tongue in cheek.


Next is “Feel The Moment” a remarkable collaboration with one of the most recognisable and distinctive Russian artists, singer, trumpeter and cultural icon Antoha MC. It’s a feel-good song, hopeful, life-affirming and bittersweet. A stylish excursion into Brit-Funk and Soviet Jazz-Fusion sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Atmosfear, Light Of The World or Soviet Jazz bands like Allegro and Arsenal, but reimagining the influences through the modern West London broken beat lens.


The spectacular music journey continuous with “Take Flight (Part 2)” - it’s all about the deep infectious jazz-funk groove, heavy beats, rolling percussion and the glory of the soloing instruments - saxophone and flute by Timur Nekrasov, demonstrating the wide range of emotions from thoughtful and lyrical to restless and borderline vicious. One for freestyle dancing!

As the album draws to an end a vibrant musical triptych “Soul Constant” awaits, mixing together the deep and sensual mood of spiritual jazz with heavy syncopated drum’n’bass rhythms by Michail Fotchenkov, lush orchestration, expressive saxophone solos and the ending which can simply be described as “aural bliss”. It’s breath-taking!

A pleasant bonus is the exclusive version of “Where You From” by Lipelis himself, who is taking it into dub territories, further enhancing the rhythm section and enriching the song with his trademark playful synth flourishes and dreamy guitar solos for maximum effect (and appeal).

The album “Skybreak” by Lay-Far Dance Orchestra is the work of real artistry and craftsmanship with timeless sound that’s not only deeply-rooted but also forward-thinking.

Somewhere long ago in a vinyl galaxy near you We Play House Recordings released an E.P. called ‘This Is Still Belgium Vol 1’. The release was called like that because the music on it could only have been made by Belgians. Vol 2 never happened…until now. Label boss Red D has always been inspired by the rich Belgian club music of the 90’s and inevitably those influences have sneaked into his own productions, but never as clear as on the three tracks you are reading about now.

And so the original WPH series has been revived with WPH 024.5, aptly called ‘This Is Still Belgium Vol 2’. The music is situated somewhere between house, progressive house and early trance music, basically club music with soul & melody at its core.

On the A-side we find Red D teaming up with his friend Mona Lee, a soul sister who has been making waves in recent years in soulful house circles and who comes up with the vocal prowess to match Red D’s emotional trip of a track and heartfelt lyrics. Can you handle the break?

The B-side opens up with ‘Tides’, a deep hypnotic builder for late night eyes-closed dance floors and closes with ‘Papillon’, a track that came to life long ago in the minds of Telepaticos (Marcos Salon & Sandro Valcke). When Red D heard a demo version of this one the melody got stuck in his head and never really left him. Many moons later he rediscovered the parts of this one on a hard drive and got to work on his interpretation that features on this E.P. Safe to say the track holds a special place in Red D’s heart and we’re sure you’ll feel it as well!

Formed in Taipei in 2013, Scattered Purgatory (破地獄) has occupied a liminal space between drone, ambient, psychedelic folk and ritualistic kosmiche experimentation. Their early work, including ‘Lost Ethnography of the Miscanthus Ocean’ (2014) and ‘God of Silver Grass’ (2016), blended dense instrumental drones, improvisational guitar, and ambient textures rooted in the heat, humidity, and urban pulse of Taiwan. Over the years, the duo-turned-band has drawn on Krautrock, minimalist electronic music, and heavy drone traditions while remaining firmly grounded in Taiwanese geography and culture.

‘Post Purgatory’ emerges after a three-year hiatus following the pandemic, a period the band describes as pivotal to the album’s conception. “The feeling of loss and uncertainty has later become the inspiration of this record, and ‘time’ is the main theme – it can heal or it can destroy,” they explain. Musically and lyrically, the record traverses Taiwanese, traditional Chinese, and English, reflecting the multilingual fabric of Taipei life. While there isn’t a linear storyline, metaphor and poetry imbue the lyrics with reflections on love, loss, and the human experience, interlaced with influences of Hokkien and Mando pop and traces of trip-hop.

Recorded half in their home and half at the studio where they composed their first album, ‘Post Purgatory' integrates precision, clarity, and digital production techniques. Guest contributions—from White Wu’s dynamic drumming to Minyen Hsieh’s tenor saxophone and dotzio’s sci-fi-infused vocals—expand the band’s sonic palette, creating a doom metal record shaped by electronic sensibilities.

‘Post Purgatory’ is a statement of loss and re-empowerment, a bridge between their past and present. Through it, Scattered Purgatory reclaim their distinctive voice, presenting a sound that is at once rooted in Taiwan, informed by global musical traditions, and unflinchingly forward-looking.
credits

illo.trio are representatives of the contemporary jazz scene who have already made their mark on numerous stages through other the world. Seamlessly blending elements of different styles, the musicians reinterpret familiar forms in fresh ways, filling them with unconventional meanings and stepping beyond the boundaries of expectation.

The new album is titled Wandering. It brings together 10 compositions that invite each listener to embark on a search for meaning and answers to essential questions.

This is a multifaceted journey where dramatic episodes coexist with retro-wave vibes, intimate chamber lyricism shifts into psychedelic phantasmagorias, and the trio's concise acoustic sound is interwoven with rich electronic textures and experimental effects.

In a sharp-angled, fiercely inventive reflection on the nature of club culture and digital fatigue, Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy reunite to deliver their new album, Dying is the internet, to Dekmantel's UFO series.

French producer Simo Cell has blazed a singular path from his dubstep-influenced origins to become a leading light in contemporary leftfield club music, twisting up adventurous rhythms and flamboyant production in pursuit of a perpetual freshness for the floor. Egyptian singer, poet, producer and composer Abdullah Miniawy has become equally omnipresent in the past 10 years, straddling the arts world and leading with his piercing Arabic lyricism while maintaining an eternally curious spirit that leads into open-ended, experimental music from the abstract to the propulsive.

Following up on their 2020 EP for BFDM, Kill Me Or Negotiate, Miniawy describes their sharply focused new album as "a playful prophecy about the triggers of a new global revolution." Cell considers the title, Dying is the internet, to be a mantra about "how the internet lost its soul," becoming "less about sharing ideas and more about surviving in a digital business ecosystem." Deliberately at odds with the reel-ready two-minute attention span of the average social media surfer (i.e. everyone), the pair set out to make an album that takes its time to reveal nuanced ideas and expressions. Rather than one-note despair for the modern malaise, Cell and Miniawy offer a philosophical reminder that this present moment in the human experience is a temporary phase, no matter how overwhelming it feels.

Dying is the internet finds Miniawy experimenting with auto-tune across the record, while Cell has developed his voice design chops and compositional instincts, moving closer to fully realised song structures without losing the fundamental 'clubbiness' of each track. The result is a cohesive, wildly original kind of heavyweight dance music that slings out hooks left right and centre, from Miniawy's laconic trumpet looming through low-slung 'Reels in 360' and 'Travelling In BCC' to the persistent handclaps that bring 'Living Emojis' to life. Miniawy's poetry explores the power of insistent, repeated phrases in a break from his more typically structured form.

Kenyan powerhouse Lord Spikeheart adds extra snarl to stripped-back, slow-burn opener 'I See The Stadium', but otherwise Dying is the internet is purely the work of Miniawy and Cell casting their considerable chops out into unexplored territory. The results are electric, bound together by a consistent economy of sound that burrows into a shroud of bass-heavy minimalism barely masking Cell's incredibly detailed studio flex. Even the beatless flourish of the Miniawy-produced 'Tear Chime' comes loaded with physicality — a sensory rush at the mid-section of the album bookended by some of the most idiosyncratic club music in recent memory.

Both Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy have already proved themselves as fearless innovators across different fields. The strength of their partnership lies in their ability to make space for each other while letting their distinctive sonic identities ring loud and true. Dying is the internet has immediacy and physicality to translate over a soundsystem, but its intricacies are purpose-built for repeat visits and contemplation, unveiling hidden dimensions the deeper you dive into it.

2026 Repress!

(Long awaited 2026 repress, Black vinyl) While the original, 2013 version of Robert and Lyric Hood's bittersweet banger had already managed to leave tear stains on dancefloors across the globe, the 2014-released “Re-Plant” of 'Never Grow Old' has undeniably lived up to its name. As likely to be rolled out by Carl Cox as Ricardo Villalobos, 'Never Grow Old''s quickening synth stabs and piercing symbols wrap tenderly around a heart-wrenching vocal to make up a track that is both poignant and euphoric. It's the ultimate crying in the club track, the cheat code to getting crowds to embrace each other, and the track you'll probably want to ring your loved ones to tell them about, all wrapped into one.

Internal Battle sees Indra MC and Jman united over the riddim, each bringing their own unmistakable lyrical fire to the table. This is a heavyweight steppa built for the soundsystem!

Opening with an epic, cinematic intro that builds tension bar by bar before dropping into a thunderous steppa style and pattern. Deep subs, militant drums, and razor sharp flows collide as both vocalists dive into both the chaos and clarity of the mind’s internal war.

Internal Battle captures that raw clash between doubt and determination, shadow and strength. Crafted for late night sessions, stacked speaker boxes, and conscious crowds, this one hits with purpose and power.

"Frank Virgilio is a Neapolitan DJ who, since 1978, has performed exclusively with vinyl records, a format that has never replaced by other technologies CDs, USB sticks. His career began almost 50 years ago in a small private club in Parco Margherita, Naples, has expanded beyond his hometown to stunning places: Capri, Ischia, Porto Cervo, at the legendary "Music on the Rocks" in Positano, as well as abroad. Today, Frank is also an acclaimed record producer and DJ-remixer, collaborating with several European labels, where he has earned the nickname of "Visionary Remixer". This album, released later than expected, conveys profound emotions. Among the 7 tracks, fully remastered by the ever-present and historic Dom Scuteri, are some sumptuous covers that are absolute dance floor fillers, and thus a slice of Frank Virgilio' s musical paradise, beautifully represented by Gianni Somma's artwork."

For the first time in more than a decade, Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) presents a solo album – 100% Tiki.

Over his 30-plus year career, St. Hilaire has become one of dance music’s quietly legendary figures. Born and raised in Dominica, he moved to Berlin in 1994 and has lent both his voice and his musicianship to some of the most iconic electronic music from the German capital – and beyond. Renowned for his collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (AKA Rhythm & Sound), he has also appeared on records with Deadbeat, Rhauder, Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers and Stereotyp (G-Stone Recordings), amongst others.

However, few know the extent of St. Hilaire’s compositional and technical mastery. From his home studio in Kreuzberg, which includes an extensive collection of vintage hardware, self-built instruments and notebooks scribbled with endless lyrics, he has created a vast archive of material spanning ambient dub, avant-jazz, lush techno and lovers rock.

Tikiman Vol. 1 is a heady, downtempo tour de force of patois metaphors on education, displacement and personal vs. global histories, as is evident on slippy album opener “Bedroom in My Bag”: Mister, mister / Where are you going? / I’m heading for a faraway land / What are you having in the bag in your hand? / Help us to understand / He said, I’ve got my bedroom in my bag.

Overall, the album’s lyrics reflect on life between Berlin and Dominica, specifically St. Hilaire’s hometown of Grand Bay, where he has worked with various musicians famous for the island’s different genres of carnival music. St. Hilaire himself always favoured the island’s more “discrete” music, developing a sonic synergy between two different geographical strains of groove and minimalism, and combining them with foundational Caribbean mixing techniques, which provide the basis for his songwriting and distinct
baritone.

Tikiman Vol.1 offers a rare insight into St. Hilaire’s complex artistry, from the eyes-down grooves of “Little Way” and the guitar-heavy digi dancehall experiment “Keep Safe,” to the subtle hypnosis of “Ten to One” and the softly crashing synth waves of closer “Three And A Half”, evoking not only beaches but also coasts and borders. It’s a fitting expression of both the breadth of St. Hilaire’s work, as well as his history as one of the few black, Berlin-based artists who, despite remaining largely overlooked, has influenced the city’s electronic music culture since its beginnings.


Credits
Written & Produced by Paul St. Hilaire
Mastered by Stefan Betke
Artwork by Grant Gibson

Kynant Records was founded in 2015 by Richard Akingbehin, a British-Nigerian radio programmer (Refuge Worldwide), music writer and DJ. Originally specialising in deep techno and featuring artists such as Cio D’Or, Terrence Dixon and Donato Dozzy, Kynant has since launched a sub-label Kynant EX which focuses on ambient, dub and experimental electronics.

Doubting all the time. Fearing all the time. Our Darkness descends upon Dark Entries with a reissue of Anne Clark’s epochal proto-house masterpiece from 1984. As a young poet, Clark found herself drawn to London’s emerging punk scene. She became acquainted with Psychic TV affiliate David Harrow, with whom she would collaborate on 1983’s Changing Places and 1984’s Joined Up Writing. “Our Darkness,” off the latter album, was released as a single on Ink Records that same year, and became an underground club hit. It’s a singular piece of music: Clark’s lyrics, delivered with equal parts muscular confidence and unease, speak of urban alienation and heartbreak, while Harrow’s production pummels the listener with hydraulic beats and gloom-laced arpeggios. The song’s spirit would prove influential on both the early Chicago house and Detroit techno scenes, where mechanistic funk and existential despair could catalyse dancefloor mayhem. This reissue offers three versions of “Our Darkness”: the original 12” remix, the Razormaid mix, and a previously unreleased dub version uncovered by David Harrow. Also included is the extended mix of “Sleeper in Metropolis,” another dancefloor hit of Clark’s, as well as the elegiac “Poem for a Nuclear Romance.” The record includes an insert with liner notes and lyrics. “Our Darkness” channels timeless longing and contemporary dismay, a classic overdue for a little light shed upon it.