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Ukraine's living house legend, SE62, returns with his latest EP Moon Light Dance, marking the eighth release on Raw Soul. Known for his iconic 2013 track "True Force" on My Love Is Underground, SE62 has continued to evolve his sound, combining his love for raw, e-mu sp1200 driven music with a modern edge.
SE62 regularly plays in Belgium and its surroundings, solidifying his presence in the European underground. Moon Light Dance showcases his refined approach to timeless house music, blending heavy, groovy basslines with emotional depth and modern flair.
The A-side opens with "Fantasy" (A1), a track powered by a driving kick and lush piano chords, elevated by the soulful vocals of singer, producer, and DJ Javonntte. The second track (A2) is an uplifting house anthem, featuring a hypnotic saxophone hook and a deep, bumping bassline, guaranteed to give you goosebumps.
The B-side takes a more stripped-down, slightly faster approach, offering a modern vision of deep house music without losing its soul. It's raw, dynamic, and perfect for those deeper moments on the dance floor.
With a history of standout releases on Hot Haus and SlapFunk, SE62 continues to push boundaries while staying true to his roots. Moon Light Dance is a must-have 12" for any house music enthusiast.

"The BBC Collection’ is an all-encompassing collection of the many recorded performances of Rory Gallagher at the BBC. Featuring eighteen CDs worth of radio concerts and sessions from 1971 to 1986, roughly 75% of this material has not been officially released before. Also included is two Blu Ray discs of BBC TV concerts and studio performances from 1973 to 1984, all of which has not been officially released previously.
Amassed from the BBC archives and Rory Gallagher’s own transcription discs and off-air cassette recordings, the boxset spans 16 years of his career (1971-1986), taking in highlights such as the 1977 dual television and radio broadcast Sight & Sound concert, Rory’s headlining set at the Reading Festival in 1980 to the emotional ‘At Midnight’ concert live from the Ulster Hall in Belfast, 1984.
A ‘best of’ from this collection will be available on 2CD and 3LP, titled “The Best of Rory Gallagher at the BBC”
These releases celebrate the importance of the artist Rory Gallagher, who was possibly the most recorded musician of the 1970s by the BBC.
“(‘Tore Down’) That was the first song I ever heard played…It’s a BBC recording of Rory Gallagher playing at the Paris Theatre in London in July 1972. And I was in the audience, aged 15, and those opening bars were enough to make me realise that this was something I wanted to do again and again… ‘Tore Down’ was my introduction to live, loud, amplified blues and when Gallagher had finished, my 15-year-old self could not contain his excitement. He ran down to the front to shake Rory’s hand…When the BBC did eventually broadcast the concert, I taped it by leaning the microphone from my clunky cassette recorder against the speaker of our old transistor radio and I listened to that tape over and over again” Nick Hornby, Author"

Paula counted down as time cracked open. Thoughts bled colors. Reality flickered, then vanished.

To coincide with the 2024 ‘Just Something’ album tour, Acid Jazz present this special edition 12” EP from Dee C Lee – ‘Extended Versions’, featuring alternate extended cuts from the album. While the conciseness of the track-listing works wonderfully on the album, this is a great opportunity to showcase the featured musicians and collaborators on the record, stretching out and inhabiting the songs on these special extended versions put together by producer Tristan Longworth. Musicians include the late Pat West, who shines on ‘Anything’, and Nigel Price, who plays the stunning guitar intro on ‘Don’t Forget About Love’ . Elsewhere, the backing vocals and Mick Talbot’s gospel-tinged organ provide an ecstatic closing to Leah Weller’s ‘Everyday Summer’ , while the Lee-Talbot co-write ‘Walk Away’ has an extended play-out to once again highlight Nigel’s classy, jazzy playing. Presented on a beautiful picture sleeve, following on from the design layout of the album. Vinyl/EP.

"Waxwork Records is honored to present the release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to George A. Romero’s horror classic, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Written, filmed, and released in 1968 by a rag tag group of Pittsburgh based misfits, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is an American independent horror film that follows the story of seven people trapped in a rural farmhouse that is besieged by a large and growing group of living dead ghouls. The film is regarded as a cult classic by critics, film scholars, and fans and has garnered critical acclaim. The film has been selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry and is deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.

Filmed and released on a shoestring budget, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD became a smashing success earning over 250 times its budget. The film is a first of its kind and ushered in a new way of writing, directing, and filming horror films. The overused script of romantic, fantastical tales of otherworldly monsters and creatures was completely flipped and tossed aside by visionary George A. Romero. As the film’s writer and director, Romero created a new, obvious threat, and one that is universally recognizable - Our very own neighbors. Due to an unseen force beyond man’s control, the recently deceased arise from the dead in seek of living human victims. These ghouls kill and feast upon the flesh of their victims, and the only way of stopping them is by destroying their brains.

From 2015 to 2018, Waxwork Records worked closely with the remaining members of the independent production company that made NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, Image Ten, to produce a definitive soundtrack album featuring all music from the film. Much of the film’s music was thought to be lost or destroyed but was located in its entirety and faithfully restored and re-mastered for vinyl. This special release of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD features the complete soundtrack, double LP “Black & White Hand Poured” colored vinyl, all new artwork by Robert Sammelin, a booklet featuring never before seen production photos, liner notes by Daniel Kraus (co-author of THE SHAPE OF WATER with Guillermo Del Toro), liner notes by Night Of The Living Dead’s dialogue recorder and sound engineer, Gary Streiner, and deluxe packaging."

Following a run of chamber recordings, Samuel Reinhard returns with a suite of electroacoustic collages.

"Movement", the New York–based composer’s latest offering, is built from notes softly held. In his ongoing investigation of musical duration, perception, and attention, Reinhard deemphasizes progress through an embrace of repetition and negative space, inviting listeners to linger in time. Instrumental recordings are arranged according to a predetermined system, iterating fragments of sound in overlapping intervals of various sizes. Delicately layered snippets of decaying piano are joined by cello (Leila Bordreuil), bass flute (John Also Bennett), double bass (Vincent Yuen Ruiz), baritone sax (Michael Biel), and harp (Shelley Burgon). This breadth of instrumentation, arriving as individual notes stretched and overlapped, is treated not as an opportunity for immersive coalescence, but rather a gentle augmentation of texture, free-floating counterpoint. Notes are accompanied by the traces of the bodies and actions that produce them: a hand pressing a key or an arm keeping a bow aloft; breath filling an instrument’s body or glancing off its surface; a string vibrating and then softening to stillness. In sum, we hear resonance in the process of being sustained, as well as in the release that follows.

Limitierte Edition: weisses Doppel-Vinyl im Klappcover! Leidenschaftlich, anglophil, anachronistisch, maximalistisch und barock, "La Vita Nuova" wurde als eine Elegie der Begierde geschrieben. Nach ihrer Fertigstellung wurde sie zu einer Beschwörung. Aufrichtig und leidenschaftlich hat Maria McKee ganz einfach ein seligmachendes Erwachen erlebt, und in einem Crescendo der Prosa erschließt ihr neues Album "La Vita Nuova" diese Geschichte und skizziert eine bedeutsame und transformative Zeit in ihrem Leben, die vor Jahrzehnten begann, als sie in ihrem Wohnzimmer vorm Kamin mit ihrem älteren Bruder, dem verstorbenen, großen musikalischen Erneuerer Bryan MacLean, Mitbegründer der bahnbrechenden LA-Band Love, sang. Auf dem Weg dorthin war sie Leadsängerin der bahnbrechenden Americana-Band Lone Justice, veröffentlichte eine Reihe stimmungsvoller und eklektischer Solo-Platten, schrieb Chart-Hits, die die Charts toppten, und inspirierte die Hingabe einer treuen kultischen Fangemeinde, bevor sie scheinbar verschwand. Ihr letztes Studioalbum "Late December" wurde 2007 veröffentlicht, seitdem sind dreizehn Jahre vergangen. "La Vita Nuova" ist eine Hommage an Dantes Werk über die unerwiderte Liebe. Obwohl der unbewusste Impuls für die Entstehung dieses Albums darin bestand, den Schock einer der bisher größten persönlichen Herausforderungen für McKee, der Auflösung und Neuerfindung ihrer Ehe, zu verarbeiten, sind die Lieder progressiv und lyrisch dicht. Die Produktion ist orchestral und opernhaft und orientiert sich an McKees Lexikon der Ikonen - John Cale, Scott Walker und David Bowie. Es handelt sich also um ein Werk, das ein hohes Maß an Konzentration erfordert. Man muss vielleicht mehr als einmal zuhören, um sich mit der konfessionellen Erzählung zu verbinden, die im Subtext gehalten wird, und um zu verstehen, dass die "Muse", oder "Beatrice" des Albums innerhalb der Prosazeilen auch ein herzzerreißendes Phantom von McKees jüngerem, idealistischem Selbst ist. Und eine Metapher für die Jugend im Allgemeinen. Das spiegelt sich in den eindringlichen, kaskadenartigen melodischen Klängen der Joni Mitchell, die "I Should Have Looked Away" andeuten, und in der ergreifenden, nostalgischen Wehmut des Titels "Effigy of Salt" wider. McKee ist inzwischen nach London umgezogen. Die Orchesterarrangements des Albums wurden von McKee komponiert und arrangiert, die keine formale klassische Ausbildung hat und keine einzige Note liest. Aber genau das ist die Natur der kreativen Katharsis, die im Allgemeinen mit einem eigenen Willen arbeitet.

Londoner Jeigo has always had a knack for intricate and melancholic production. His emotive sounds span breaks, garage and dub and gave rise to a superb album Cerulean back in 2022. This new outing on Air Miles is another sophisticated one that shows some different sides. 'Fig' is a dusty and lo-fi mix of knocking, woody broken beat patterns and pitched-up vocal snippets that bring a sense of pain. 'Act Like You're Strong' is heads down, lip-curling UKG with shuffling and weighty drums and naughty bass. '3-5 Working Days' is somewhere in between - both club-ready but also with post-Burial vocals that tug at the heartstrings. There is a blissed-out feel to the optimistic melodic bubbles and angelic vocals of 'Found Me' that means the EP closes in lush fashion.

Courtesy Of Balance is the tasteful house label run by Brawther and it was back in 2019 in Lviv during an underground warehouse party that he first made contact with Laconica label founders Ocean and Sasha Pervukhin. They all hit it off and so were invited to showcase the deeper side of the house sounds of Western Ukraine, and the results make up this new EP with the artists taking one side each. Ocean T's opener is a psychedelic, trance-infused cosmic trip while 'What If' rides on crisp beats with some lush dubbed-out synths. On the flip, Pervukhin's 'I Hate This DJ' is balmy, heady deep house from up amongst the stars and 'TR 18 Blues' is a nice kinetic, lithe minimal house cut.

This is the very first reissue of the much in demand double sided killer single released in 1970 on the Upsetter label. Both tracks were produced by Lee Perry.

The A side is a beautiful yet wicked cover of LET IT BE by the Beatles, produced by Lee Perry and performed by the Soulettes.
The B side is BIG DOG BLOXIE, an even whackier version of the A side by Lee Perry.

ABOUT THE SOULETTES:
The Soulettes initially comprised Alpharita Anderson, born in Cuba, her male cousin Constantine Walker and her school friend Marlene Gifford and started recording as backing vocalists at Studio One from 1964 including the first Wailing Wailers’ hit “Simmer Down”. They also backed Lee Perry on a series of dirty songs such as ‘Rub & Squeeze’ and ‘Doctor Dick’. Under their own name The Soulettes were moderately successful have a string of minor hits such as ‘Opportunity Knocks’ and the lovely ‘Friends And Lovers’. Alpharita married Marley in in 1966 and the Soulettes disbanded. In 1969, Rita Marley re-formed the Soulettes with Nora Dean (later replaced by Hortense Lewis) and Cecile Campbell, Cornel’s sister.
The new line-up with Nora Dean and Cecile Cornell started working Lee Scratch Perry for a couple of songs including the outstanding cover of the Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ which became their main hit in 1970. Following the group’s demise around 1973, Rita joined Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt to form the I-Threes whom became the de facto female backing trio for Bob Marley…

Readers of encyclopedic tomes are obviously familiar with exploding animals – there are numerous reports of torn-apart toads (even in Hamburg, Germany!), actual ants exploding altruistically – but humans that decide to jointly detonate, and with no harm done, that’s rare: Kobe’s own o'summer vacation are unique (and volatile) like that, and they’re back to light the fuse for the second time, presenting 13 more musical quarter sticks that have already blown up venues in Europe and Japan.

“Keep it lean, keep it mean,” they say, and that’s what this band loves to take to the extreme: breakneck concision and collective combustion meet freeform noise punk hazards on o'summer vacation's second (not quite) full-length – as the Kobe-based three-piece’s “Electronic Eye” is set to arrive on October 11, 2024. Following a bunch of trips to Berlin, Munich etc., the Japanese fire starters have found a new home with Alien Transistor, and it’s the perfect launch pad for their latest set of guitarless pyrotechnics. Going right for max q (maximum dynamic pressure), “Electronic Eye” is (unlike those Starships) actually supposed to explode right after lift-off ;)

Even though there have been some line-up changes since the group recorded its sophomore album, the energy caught by producer Shinji Masuko (DMBQ, Boredoms) is still unmatched: a very physical and hard-knocking barrage of mosh-inducing madness that leaves you speechless + inevitably twitching towards the pit. Mastering was done by Masaki Oshima aka Watchman (Melt-Banana).

Opening with sizzling hi-hats and heavy ripples of breathless bass, singer Ami presents a non-sequitur kind of lullaby over the math rock-style interlocutions of “宿痾 (Shuku - A)” – which at 6+ minutes makes up more than a quarter of the album. A shapeshifting frenzy of voice (Ami), unbridled, pedal-powered bassline insanity (Mikkki, formerly Mikiiiii), and hot-blooded drums (Manu, meanwhile replaced by Karry), the album features mosh-inducing blows (previously released “Luna,” “Anti Christ 大体 Super Star”), 30-sec mini noise punk anthems (“竦(shou)”, “Days Go By Fast”), and continues to surf at breakneck pace up and down scales (“@ The”), which often feels like catharsis served with a hammer (“Ultra”). Whereas some tracks are bigger more song-y than others (“Song#2,” that full-throttle “Poodle”), “Vs I” is on time like Tierra Whack (exactly 60 seconds of pick-grinding action), and “Rage” indeed feels like Zack is about to join the party – only to see Ami wipe the floor with pure onomatopoetic fire. Finally, “Aloooooone” and “Humming” (that opening lilt!) are sure going to be live favorites, shifting up and down via hardcore speeds and various break-downs.

Quite hotheaded and terminating things on a high note, o'summer vacation point out that the quick-fire lyrics of their “songs have no meaning. It’s called onomatopoeia in English. Ami, our vocalist, does not like to communicate her thoughts through her music.” Although she considers her contribution “a part of the instrumentation,” they still have strong messages and concerns (unrest, discontent, willingness to shake, wake up, enliven anyone near the audible bomb crater): “That doesn’t mean we don’t have a point of view, but we choose to express ourselves through sound rather than words. Generally, but not exclusively, we are anti-racism, anti-war, gender-free, angry at the companies we work for and their bosses, etc., which are very common sentiments held by so-called rock bands.”

It’s only three ingredients, just like sonic gunpowder: bass, drums, voice – but they tend to explode a few bars into each new track. In a perfect world, there’d be giant colorful clouds of dust gracing the sky over each venue they descend upon.

»Chromacolor« is one of those records that immediately feels like home even though it is hard to locate stylistically. Written and recorded by Hanno Leichtmann in Berlin and Madeira between 2020 and 2022, it draws on rhythmic minimalism as a guiding principle and might call to mind organic, instrument-based ambient music, but also incorporates jazzy moments as well as Annie Garlids multi-layered vocals that permeate through these nine pieces.

The foundation for Leichtmann’s Chromacolor project was laid when the prolific Berlin-based producer, musician, and drummer borrowed a vibraphone and a Fender Rhodes from two friends. Combining their unique sonic affordances with those of a Guitaret, an electric lamellophone, he further expanded his sound palette by inviting other musicians—Anthea Caddy, Sabine Vogel, Tobias Delius, Els Vandeweyer, Sabine Ercklentz, Mike Majkowski, Andrei Ladeishchikov, Oona Farchy, Gonçalo Caboz as well as Rafael and Hugo Andrade—to play small but vital parts in the production of the album.

The opener »Kisses and Wine« masterfully sets the tone for an album that is as inviting as it is challenging. Working with relaxed repetitive rhythms, Garlid’s anthemic vocals and a sprinkle of saxophone and flute tones courtesy of Delius and Vogel, respectively, as well as tender piano notes played by Leichtmann, it evokes a lot with only few means: a certain melancholy, but also an elevated atmosphere that feels both exuberant and restrained.

Leichtmann’s elegant study of the power of repetition, minute rhythmic shifts and subtle use of melodic and harmonic elements creates ambiguities and polyvalences like these throughout the entire record, up until its understated finale, aptly titled »A Beautiful Day«—a drone-jazz piece, if you will, both longing and joyful.

As an album, »Chromacolor« is hard to pigeonhole, but rich and rewarding. All it takes is immersing yourself in it.

Mighty Vertebrate is the International Anthem debut from Anna Butterss. The Adelaide born bassist / composer has been a first call for LA tour and studio work since relocating there in 2014 – racking up credits with notables across the experimental, jazz, and pop worlds alike – but their most notable contributions to the burgeoning LA scene have been as a member of both Jeff Parker’s ETA IVtet and rising proto-trance supergroup SML, who Pitchfork says “represents the thrilling next phase of a vibrant L.A. community.”

“I had just gotten off of a bunch of touring at the end of 2022 and just wanted to write music,” says Butterss. “The best way for me to do that, I’ve found, is to set myself a discreet and focused task."

I’m going to make a song where the bass doesn’t function in the role of a bass.
I’m going to work on this for an hour and then I’m going to stop.
I’m going to make a song that uses groups of three-bar phrasing.
I want to sample something and make it into a song.
I’m going to start with a drum machine.

The music itself reflects that structure beautifully, with the material being tightly
composed and melodically realized by Butterss well in advance of production concerns. Here they reconvene a group of trusted longtime collaborators to bring their compositions to fruition: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (sax), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), plus a smoking guest appearance from Jeff Parker. The breadth and scope of the results might have been difficult to achieve otherwise. From the Robbie-Shakespeare-in-groove-mode intro to the album opener “Bishop” to the spacious cinematic doom of “Seeing You”, there is a lot to wrangle into one cohesive concept. On Mighty Vertebrate, Butterss and crew do just that.

To mark the 10th anniversary of Gidge's landmark album Autumn Bells on Atomnation, the label has assembled a brand new box-
set reissue. This deluxe and expanded edition features a 58-page photo book, poster, the original double album plus a nine-track bonus vinyl with alternative edits and demo tracks from the time, all on transparent wax. The exclusive, limited edition boxset comes first on September 27, then all tracks come digitally in mid-November.

Gidge is the Swedish duo of Jonatan Nilsson and Ludvig Stolterman, who has also taken all of the photos in the booklet. As
friends since high school, they have a deep connection, a great understanding of one another and a shared love of Nordic
woodlands. The spirit of the northeastern forests they grew up around has always coloured their music and lent it an organic,
ethereally, otherworldly edge that conveys feelings of inner peace.

Their brilliant debut album Autumn Bells captured all that in nine accomplished tracks that picked up critical praise from the music
media and millions of online streams. More importantly, it also won them a dedicated fan base who appreciate the art of Gidge's
craft and the sensitivity of their sound. Despite the early success of the album and the three more that have followed since, this
humble pair have chosen to remain low-key. They play only a few shows a year and consciously haven't chased wider commercial
acclaim.

Xylitol is the alias of Catherine Backhouse, producer and DJ under the name DJ Bunnyhausen. She was a resident DJ at Kosmische, the now dormant Krautrock club and is a fan of jungle and hardcore. She currently co-hosts the radio show Slav To The Rhythm, which focuses on vintage central and eastern European pop and electronica and she's also co-writing a book on Yugoslavian pop culture. 'Anemones' is a total project from the cover to the music. Backhouse is fascinated by early botanical illustrations of anemones and other aquatic fauna, and how the act of taxonomy reveals as much about human psychology, desire and sublimation as it does about the organic specimen as a thing in itself. Each track is a microcosm of this 'other life', an allegory for the extraordinary potential latent within bodies that the dancefloor has the power to activate. Using early jungle and garage as starting points to connect dots and open up contrasts between dance music and vintage electronics, Backhouse finds a sweet spot which, in her words "feels like something that's simultaneously still and ancient yet propulsive and ecstatic." Not afraid of letting the the hiss and flutter of the music show, 'Anemones' holds attention with ancient bubbling synths and gracefully drifting arpeggiations, occasionally brought to heel by charming melodies, all accompanied by breakbeats that explode like fireworks. 'Anemones' has a lively and unpolished aesthetic that's a kindred spirit to Nondi_'s 2023 album of smeary, water-damaged footwork, 'Flood City Trax'. 'Moebius' pits the spaced out neon chords of the track's namesake against absolutely tearing breaks, allowing time for this almost overwhelming combination to become near enough transcendental, while the bleeping melody and sad slavic chorus motif in 'Okko' feels like an artifact from an alternative future. The Drexciya meets 2-step garage of 'Dobro Jutro' creates a welcome respite at the album's midpoint before the flow builds up again to 'Daša' with its glassy sounds from a lost radiophonic workshop miniature meeting bruising kicks and snares. Meanwhile 'Iskria' has purring synth chords and 8-bit melodies evoking the cosmonaut age. The subliminal influence of the Yugo era is felt in DIY synthesis and Mitteleuropean melody and seen in song titles such as 'Jelena', 'Miha', 'Daša' (named after novelist Daša Drndič) and 'Iskria' (taken from the fictitious Balkan region in Ottessa Moshfegh's bleak fable 'Lapvona'). 'Anemones' very effectively folds experimental genres from different times and places into a very enjoyable new sound.

Monsieur Van Pratt is well known to anyone who likes their disco on the hot side. He heads up the Super Spicy Records label and is now back with a new entry into the Super Spicy Recipe series alongside plenty of other top names. He opens up the EP with a groovy masterpiece featuring a powerful bassline and captivating vocals. Hotmood's 'Like That' showcases the energetic prowess of the Mexican then Julps, from Mexico City's Departamento, debuts with a hypnotic deep cut. On the flipside, Groovy Kds keep the party alive with 'Get Down,' while The Magic Track delivers pure dancefloor magic. Closing out the 12", The Velvet Stripes serve up a super funky and potent finale.

“Worldwide Heavy Industries Vol.1: A Bold New Vinyl Release fromFlux Musical Art and Brutal Forms Flux Musical Art and Brutal Forms have teamed up to release Worldwide Heavy Industries Vol.1, a groundbreaking vinyl that promises to push the boundaries of industrial and rhythmic music. This limited edition release, available in just 300 copies, offers an immersive exploration of mechanized soundscapes and futuristic themes. An Industrial Sonic Journey The album presents a compelling journey through industrial rhythms and dystopian landscapes, with each track showcasing a unique interpretation of the genre. On side A, Dominik Müller opens with “Too Many Posers,” delivering an intricate and immersive soundscape characterized by his signature depth and complexity. Following this, Ryuji Takeuchi’s “In Your Mind” introduces innovative rhythmic structures, adding a fresh and dynamic dimension to the release. The B-side features a powerful collaboration: 6SISS and Hypnoskull’s “Losss” combines intense rhythms with a raw, industrial edge, creating a track that is both abrasive and compelling. Low Order’s “Taste My Venom” delves into the darker and more experimental aspects of industrial music, bringing a raw, experimental touch. Closing the release is Skumring’s “CorpseRidden,” which blends precise rhythms with expansive sound design, offering a rich atmospheric quality that reflects his role as co-founder of Brutal Forms. With only 300 copies available, this limited edition vinyl is a coveted collector’s item. Each record features bespoke artwork that complements the album’s industrial theme. *Worldwide Heavy Industries Vol.1* is set to reach a global audience of dedicated collectors and fans. This release is more than just a vinyl; it’s a journey into a futuristic world through the lens of industrial music. For further details on track listings and purchasing options, visit Flux Webzine or the official websites of Flux Musical Art and Brutal Forms. Dive into this cutting-edge release and experience the forefront of industrial music with Worldwide Heavy Industries Vol.1.”
Hardware Emotions

On their third full-length album, 'The Signal', the Compact Disk Dummies keep a few interesting balls in the air. They play with the opinions and expectations of the outside world, while also confronting their own desires and doubts. This is aptly depicted on the cover with a table, a bell, two brothers and an impatient crowd: who is waiting for whom? The album is as diverse as its cover is surprising. In a mix of styles and influences ranging from retro house to funk, Lennert and Janus Coorevits demonstrate their versatility. Following their scintillating performances at Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop, and the success of the radio hits 'There's No Sex Without You' and 'fomo', 'The Signal' marks the start of a new era for the Dummies.

Lennert notes, "Pfff, I would think about everything indefinitely. And I'm not the only one, I notice. Stuck in a kind of limbo, a state of uncertainty, surrounded by signals, but still feeling a certain fear of following the signal."

On 'The Signal', 'fomo' dissects human desire, reaching for the unattainable. 'Where We Go (Calypso)' is like the shipwreck no one wants. And in the title track, the female lead character finds herself in a toxic relationship, the signs of which are obvious, at least to the outside world. While the content of 'The Signal' revolves around doubt, contemplation and acting or not acting, the musical interpretation is in direct opposition to that. The Compact Disk Dummies do not doubt; they hold their heads up and their chests out. With certainty, they mix everything that excites them musically into the blender, without grinding the identity of the Dummies themselves; actually enriching it instead. The retro house of 'Solàr' (a song about Louis the Fourteenth? Why not) flows into the rampant funk of 'Ballet Dancer' before expanding into 'Underwater'. In every track, you sense the long road the Coorevits brothers have travelled since their breakthrough - and their then angular electro-punk. This third album is Lennert and Janus' most sophisticated work in the expanding universe of the Compact Disk Dummies.

In addition to being a mix of styles, 'The Signal' is also a mix of collaborations. There is the French touch of mixer Michael Declerck and mastering engineer Alex Gopher. There is the Dutch input of Wieger Hoogendorp (Goldband) and Jens Van Der Meij (Froukje). Beautiful string sections are provided by Wietse Meys and Reinhard Vanbergen, bass licks by Boris Van Overschee and backing vocals by Isolde Lasoen and Judith Okon, among others. Producer Jasper Maekelberg always kept an eye on things. And again, for the third album in a row, after 'Mess With Us' (2013) and 'Neon Fever Dream' (2020), artist Athos Burez also provided the artwork for 'The Signal'.

But however international the music sounds, however great the contributions from other top artists, 'The Signal' remains largely the work of the Dummies, with Lennert as vocalist, lyricist and multi-instrumentalist, and Janus as engineer, producer and all-around tech wizard. The album was not made in New York, Tokyo or Berlin, but in Desselgem. Studio 87, the Coorevits family's garage converted into a studio, remains Ali Baba's cave for the Compact Disk Dummies. In their studio crammed with synths, percussion and guitars, Lennert and Janus could not ignore the signal: time to smash it!

Speckled Dragon Egg Color Vinyl. Being Dead knows how to make an entrance - within the first several seconds of EELS, the duo's new record, the bright, hard-strummed guitar line on "Godzilla Rises" conjures cinematic immediacy, a creature emerging from the depths of the ocean in campy, freaky stop motion, fittingly so. Being Dead's records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead's psyche, it is, most importantly, in the year of our lord 2024, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next: a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil' house in the heart of Austin, Texas. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome - a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Ricky Motto (who is immortalized finally on record here, particularly in the giggles on "Rock n' Roll Hurts") The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within, but it's also a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There's heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing - we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don't. From the pummeling garage rock distortion of "Firefighters" to "Dragons II," which appears in its demo form taped on a hand recorder, it's unexpected but intuitive, and, most importantly, singularly Being Dead. Like its animal namesake suggests, the songs on EELS are malleable, the record like slithering through murky waters or strange half dreams, mysterious and beautiful in how it moves, reflective in a wavering sheen. Dipping into each song feels like uncovering a new cavern, plunging into depths unknown but fully open to what will be revealed. On the album artwork, an illustration by the artist Julia Soboleva, there are some weird disparate spectral creatures, a stark glimmer against a cloudy darkness. It's a fitting encapsulation of Being Dead, exuding a welcoming, playful energy even if something foreboding lurks just beyond the pale - more out of frame that's left to uncover, no path unexplored, strange and beautiful in the light.

After recent explorations into ambient and pop under his full name, Sacha Renkas switches back to his Antenna moniker for ALT013. The Kiev-born, longtime Rotterdam-based artist uses a rough-around-the-edges, hiss-laden palette to construct his intricate, pensive club tracks. Often recording on the fly, he embraces the limitations and quirks of the hardware he works with, curating the happy accidents that come with them and that help make his music feel as alive as it does. It is emotional and imaginative in spirit, yet raw, almost instinctive in its rendering. Renkas cites the new wave and synth-pop from his youth and the sounds coming from Chicago and Detroit, as well as the Dutch West Coast he encountered later on, as inspirations. The sensitivity and hands-on approach associated with these are also tenets throughout his work. The ''Another Wave EP,'' a selection of tracks created over nearly a decade, further substantiates this approach. Made on multiple MPCs, Juno synthesizers, and an Akai S900, and mixed on a Mackie 16-channel mixer, it blends, among others, elements of first-wave techno and European proto-trance. Opener ''Alisa'' stacks angular sine melodies and formant basslines one upon another yet flows like silk, its balance immaculately kept in check. On ''Everyone M1,'' the bass organ patch from which the track derives its title finds itself amidst a lo-fi flux of capricious arpeggiators, ethereal pads, and decocted drums. ''Another Wave'' is a carefully sculpted slow burner, collected in its unfolding. Wisps of melody, gated pads, and whisper seem to wind between its drum patterns; the tension looming beneath this patchwork never entirely reveals itself. ''Quasar'' blends signature dramatic chords and off-rhythm bells with a creeping acid bassline and more kaleidoscopic drum patterns. It closes an EP distilled in its form, confident in its intent, and nowhere too bothered by genre boundaries or other formal constraints.

Maggot Mass, the fifth full-length album by Pharmakon on Sacred Bones Records, marks the project's return after a five-year hiatus. This album signifies a departure from the original rules and structures established by Margaret Chardiet for Pharmakon, evolving into a new form. It retains the project's experimental roots in power electronics and noise while incorporating industrial and punk influences. The album stems from a profound disgust with humanity's dysfunctional relationship with the environment and other life forms. It explores the loneliness resulting from this broken bond and challenges us to acknowledge our personal and systemic responsibility. What peace can we make with privilege when the true cost of our comfort is not measured in dollars but in death? How can we reconcile with death when we impose the same hierarchical structures on it that we do in life? Is life worth living in the isolation of this self-imposed species loneliness? Humans often measure worth by accumulation _ money, assets, objects _ mistaking this for power and influence. Western heritage dictates a hierarchy, placing humans at the top, separate from the natural world. This delusion turns bodies into objects, land into property, and people into expendable tools. If our value were instead determined by our contribution to the ecosystem, who could claim that a human is more valuable than a maggot? Maggots recycle death into life, breaking down matter and nourishing new growth. They transform into flies, pollinating plants and sustaining the Earth's flora. In contrast, humans pollute rather than pollinate, with a select few profiting from exploitation at the expense of biodiversity and the well-being of many. In grappling with grief and loss on both personal and global scales, Margaret sought solace in the idea of rebirth through death, celebrating the beauty of regeneration through decay. However, she had to confront the stark reality of the disconnection from the earth under oppressive systems. Pharmakon is here imagining a path where the final act is to give back what was received from creation, offering our lives and deaths to sustain existence. once I slough off this human skin I will find my home and ancestral kin_ in the coffin-birth of my cadaver's ecosystem

Dialling up the needlepoint rhythmic science and deadly restraint we hold so dear, SPD debuts on Sneaker Social Club with a taut four-tracker built for smashing systems with measured flair. It's no surprise to learn Will Sheppard has graced labels like Keysound, EC2A and Roska Kicks + Snares in recent times, given his sound taps into the UK bassweight lineage while maintaining a necessary futuristic tilt.

'Genbu' deals in the kind of stripped back, snaking sequences that keep a body of people rolling deep into the dance, powered by sounds so crisp you'd think they'd slipped out of a trouser press. Maintaining this sonic poise, 'Systema' is a lean, bleep-speckled roller with a firm grip on the square wave snarls lurking below the midrange.

'Willman' rides a choppier groove, but still Sheppard holds down the dance with a monk-like patience, finding power in the art of holding back before opening out into the subtly emotional swathes of 'OK' to round the record out. The devil is in the detail, and there are deep-diving layers to the sound of SPD, but this is a specific angle on club music that prizes subtlety and meditation over brash arrangement swerves and bait hype trysts. For selectors seeking sublime set builders, SPD has got you.

2024 Repress

'Solar Nights' is the long awaited second album from German nu-disco star Tim Bernhardt, aka Satin Jackets. Released on Eskimo Recordings this April, 'Solar Nights' follows on from Bernhardt's critically acclaimed, and Gold certified, debut LP 'Panorama Pacifico' and features 14 tracks of smooth disco and leftfield pop sounds with guest appearances from the likes of Future Classic's Panama, David Harks, Niya Wells, Emma Brammer and Anduze.

The global success of 'Panorama Pacifico' has seen Bernhardt coaxed out from his remote studio in one of Germany's ancient forests to play to fans across the world, from South Korea to Mexico and beyond, experiences that inspired both the album itself and its title, 'Solar Nights'.

"In recent years the world's become smaller, a more inter-connected place. It can be dark and cold here, with snow all around, and the next day I can be playing to people on a beach. Somewhere on the planet it's always daytime or summer, but beyond that day and night just blend into each other these days," Tim explains. "We have daytime discos so you can go and party while the sun is still high in the sky, and you can go and hit the gym at night. Beit day or night, Satin Jackets is your soundtrack."

And what a soundtrack it is, from the first chords of opening 'Welcome Back' it's clear we're in safe hands here, the warm pads, delicate guitars and pianos providing the perfect introduction to the album. Whether it's the slow burning seductive pop of tracks like 'Just Like You', piano led house tracks like 'String It Again', the Balearic haze of 'All For You' or bonafide hits like the Nordic inspired 'Northern Lights' and 'Mirage' that between them have already scored well over 10 million streams across streaming platforms, 'Solar Nights' takes everything we loved from 'Panorama Pacifico' and polishes it to an ultra high sheen.

And in an age when rough and raw production is seen as an easy shorthand for authenticity, Tim's love of über-smooth production has made him an unlikely iconoclast, "I had always been fascinated by how glossy people like Nile Rodgers made their music," he reveals. "It always sounded like the musical equivalent of a fashion magazine's cover. I'd been making more underground music for a while but really wanted to go in totally the other direction and instead create a really smooth, polished sound."

That obsession with sonic fidelity shines through across every track on 'Solar Nights', and the years since his debut was released have been well spent perfecting his craft. "Even in just the last couple of years I've made some big changes in how I produce music. Compared to my debut, everything under the hood has changed here," he explains. "Every day, with every production, I'm learning new things and when I listen to these new tracks, the depth in the mixes, the clarity, I like to think of 'Solar Nights' as Satin Jackets but in 3D."

From wanting to recreate the sound of magazine covers to appearing on them, the past few years has been quite some journey for the still enigmatic producer. The man behind the golden mask may prefer to stay out of sight but 'Solar Nights' reveals him to be fully in control, producing music that reflects the glamour and glitz of 70s Manhattan, artfully updated for the 21st century.

The ever-evolving beat maker and jazz aficionado Shatter Hands audibly took space to grow for his 5th album, amounting to his most versatile body of work yet. His all new approach of recording and sampling musicians around him results in a wild yet super coherent ride through ambient jazz, afro-influenced drum work and stinky basslines that will make you want to get sum. "A Show Of Hands Vol. 1" is packed with knowledge from years of digging and beat making, yet super open and fresh towards the future side of sound.

SUNANDBASS ambassador FD returns for his latest EP to guide you back to the familiar shores of our annual celebration in Sardinia. Rich and expressive music that works on the dancefloor can be hard to find but FD brings the goodness once again, with this diverse three-tracker.

“All Yours” hits the sweet spot straight away, with dusky vocals and tight beats. Deft guitar licks keep the funk fluid, wrapping around an essential groove, whilst crystal keys shimmer in the heat haze. An ace opener to any set, this track strikes a rare balance between rhythm and elegance.

Flipping the script with an ice-cold intro, “Second Villain” creeps up close and personal before dropping a murderous bassline on your chest. Produced alongside one of Switzerland’s most respected DJs, Ryck, the ‘Villain’ encompasses and embraces influences from Jungle and Drum & Bass alike.

Finalising the ninth release on SUNANDBASS Recordings is “Wah Wah Track”, which puts the music first to prove that the medium really is the message here. Melodic layers rise and fall like waves on this classy and uplifting piece of future soul music.

The musical odyssey of the mighty Ketiov continues as he returns for the fifth edition of his self titled
label with the ‘F/G’ EP. In contrast to his well received ambient and downbeat ‘King Of Hypocrisy' LP
released back in spring 2019 Ketiov is right back on the dance floor bringing a broad range of tempos
and styles, demonstrating yet again his ability to effortlessly blend his unique sound and production
style into many genres.
From the quick-paced loose percussive disco grooves of ‘Another Mindset’ to ‘Loca’ taking us back to
the electro-house era in its finest days and to the lazy mid tempo gem of ‘Number One’ this EP is once
again packed with musical goodness for the discerning dance floor and home listener alike...
Meanwhile outside the studio Ketiov has also been hard at work on another project and making a mark
on the Madrid club scene with his night CARBS, as you would expect from Ketiov delivering an
eclectic range of music including disco, boogie, funk, house and modern electronic in an open-minded
‘label free’ space for the LGBTQ+ crowd and anyone else who loves good music. As the man himself
puts it, “you do you, we do the rest…”

The Finns have crafted a top-notch piece of powerful heavy metal with the incomparably strong roars of frontbeast Noora Louhimo, catchy keyboards and earworm invasions. From the opening classical up-tempo opening track, 'Straight To The Heart,' to the last note of the closing ballad 'Far From Heaven,' BATTLE BEAST’s new opus is full of heaviness and emotions. Recorded and produced at JKB Studios by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, the album was also mixed by him alongside Viktor Gullichsen and Mikko Karmila, while mastering was done by Mika Jussila at the world famous Finnvox Studios. “Bombastic and brilliant heavy metal with a killer singer! »Bringer Of Pain« is gigantic!” MYROCK (F) “BATTLE BEAST at their best - majestically melodic and 'Straight To The Heart'!” ROCK IT! (D)

A1 - Desire
Opening the EP in quietly epic fashion, Desire begins with a delightful beat pattern with adistinctive cymbal hit set over warm bass tones and whale song samples. A smooth, thoughtful bass melody is introduced which joyfully intersects with gorgeous piano keys while swirling strings and atmospheric vibes layer and recede like tides of the ocean, creating a truly unique journey of a track that will linger anywhere it may be heard.

A2 - Voidscaping
Instantly setting the scene with crisp, striking breaks, Voidscaping is an atmospheric treatfor the senses with serene throwback pads reminiscent of the halcyon days of Good Looking. Bringing the piece up to date for the Spatial era is the typically intricate blending of reflection and intrigue ASC conjures with his sampling and reverb work, effortlessly thickening the soundscape with memories old and new.

AA1 - Let Go
Opening with the vibrant sounds of twilight nature and metallic bongos, ASC sparinglydeploys a glorious choral vocal before the breaks take off with an energetic pattern drivenby constant, playful hi hats. As the track develops, questions are asked of the listener bythe curious atmosphere, gradually unraveling with strings, synths and trademark vocalusage, offering a new perspective with each listen.

AA2 - Meltdown
A darkly, anxious undertone floods the mix as Meltdown grips the listener from the first barwith skillfully sequenced minimal breaks, hi hats that whoosh in and out like evening crickets you can't quite track, and intense ambient padwork. A longing female vocal occasionally yearns over the various melodies which enter at will, discreetly developing the mood with purpose, unfurling a stream of aural consciousness from this incredible producer.
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

It is summer dawn . . . and you are alone. Here is music for your strange mood. The piano starts the first track, slow tempo beat, a strict beat, a swinging beat. Lillemor—here minor harmonies give the tune a rural, romantic feeling of some place in Spain or France. The tempo changes to medium fast—the flute solos. Light phrasing contrasts beautifully to the earthy, swinging beat of the rhythm section and the repeating piano figures. The trombone adds a new color, a counterpoint of sound and phrasing, backed by the pulsating beat of this wonderful rhythm and the driving piano. Summer dawn . . . This music has more to offer, because it shows the personality of Sahib Shihab at its best. Sahib is a universal musician who reflects musical experiences in jazz since the end of the thirties. He lived through the important periods of modern jazz with his heart and mind wide open toward everything that was good music, regardless of being termed "Mainstream", "Bop", "Cool", "Westcoast", "Eastcoast", "Hard Bop'', et cetera. When you listen closely to his music, you will find traces of all these, but they are immersed in his deep musicianship and his true jazz personality. Sahib Shihab's background reads like the record of a master of advanced studies. Furthermore he played and collaborated with the coolest jazz musician of that period. Above all let's name Budd Johnson, Theolonius Monk, Tadd Dameron, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jaquet, Elmer Snowden, Luther Henderson, Larry Noble, Fletcher Henderson, Roy Eldridge. In his early professional years, Sahib was heard mostly on alto sax; later, more often on baritone sax and flute. Today, his name is inseparably connected with these two instruments. The unity of his jazz performances is not alone bound up with the com¬positions and the arrangements of Sahib Shihab, though in their understated simplicity they have a melodic beauty that is seldom found in jazz of today. The rhythmical subtleties add to the overall qualities of being relaxed vehicles for free-blowing, but there is an immediacy that you hear and feel every moment when listening which defies analysis. The playing of the rhythm section helps greatly to promote the sense of flux and contrasting constant renewal that makes listening to this record so invigorating an experience. Well, this is no surprise, with Kenny Clarke as the nucleus of the rhythm group. Kenny 'Klook' Clarke is a major figure and contributor in jazz, one of the founders of modern jazz, and is ranked as one of the all-time great drummers. He influenced a whole generation of musicians with his playing, though living in Paris since the middle of the fifties somewhat dimmed his name to the general American public. Nevertheless, his name alone will assure a connoisseur to expect top class musical experiences. Talking of the rhythm section we have to name Jimmy Woode's bass, which together with Kenny's drumming, is the driving force for the group and the reliable harmonic anchor for the improvisors. By the way, Jimmy has been with the Duke quite a while, and this alone is an award for extraordinary craftsmanship and artistry. The good sounding rhythm with its full-bodied color is also a result of the added bongos of Joe Harris, who manages to stay out of the way of the players—a quality not often found with drummers—but his playing is felt through the set. There are two members of the group not yet mentioned. Two Europeans, pianist-composer-arranger Francy Boland from Belgium, and trombonist Ake Persson from Sweden. Francy Boland this time is a sideman, though normally he is a leader of recording sessions, both as composer-arranger and as musical director of the band. In the fifties he was in the States writing arrangements for different name-bands, such as Basie and Goodman. In Europe, he is famous for his swinging modern big band arrangements; and his inventiveness as a writer is reflected in his piano playing. He has the talent of using the right dynamic approach every moment, thus making his playing helpful to soloists and interesting for listeners as well. Ake Persson has been Scandinavia's out-standing trombone player for about ten years. There are only a few trombonists in Europe who might match his talents at times, but they lack the consistency of his playing. He is impressive, whether playing in a big band, or whether main soloist in his own small groups. American musicians love the sound of his slide trombone and his easily flowing romantic improvisations, so he often joins American name-bands as they travel in Europe. The music speaks alone . . . , we said it before. You have your soul to feel the beauty, to follow lines and structure, and to enjoy the spiritual excitement. Whether you enjoy the flowing, easy sounding theme of "Please Don't Leave Me", or the climaxing piano solo in the same piece—the bass solo in "Waltz For Seth" or the swinging baritone sax—listen to the first bars of this solo and pay attention to Kenny. Whether you listen to "Campi's Idea", (named after Gigi Campi, the well known Cologne jazz enthusiast who organized this recording) with the romantic flute solo of Sahib, the interesting tempo changes, the piano comping, the moving trombone solo; or to the up-tempo "Herr Fixit", with the cooking Kenny and humorous, driving flute solo, you know that these six musicians where in the right mood, in the right stimulating surroundings to feel what we all feel when it's: SUMMER DAWN.

The Congos were formed by Cedric Myton (born 1947 St Catherine, Jamaica) and Roydel ‘Roy’ Johnson (born 1943 Hanover, Jamaica), around the mid-seventies, a time when the Rasta message coming out of Kingston and other pockets of the Jamaican Island was at its most prominent. Cedric Myton’s singing career began back in the rocksteady era in Reggae’s musical story.

He formed the ‘Tartans’ group taking lead vocal duties alongside Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson and Lindbergh Lewis. They cut ‘Dance All Night’ (1967) and ‘Coming On Strong’ (1968). The line-up reduced to a two piece, Cedric and Devon Russell, when tracks like ‘What a Sin Thing’ and ‘Short Up Dress’ were cut. This line-up became the Royal Rasses, Cedric formed The Congos, on meeting Roydel Johnson. Roydel previously sang as a member of Ras Michael and the Sons of Negas, cutting such tracks as ’Go To Zion’ (1973). As we can see Cedric’s and Roydel’s Rasta roots were firmly in place by the time they had formed The Congos sometimes called ‘The Congoes’.

The Congos possess what all bands look for,that unique sound that draws the listener to them.Lead singer Cedric Myton’s style and phasing, with his distinctive Falsetto voice makes this just the case.Built on a foundation of classic rhythms and with the aid of then Producer, Lee Perry, the groups statement of intent was laid down with one succinct message. The Congos mighty 1977 ‘Heart of the Congos’ album, is quite simply one of the best reggae albums ever recorded.

Producer Lee Perry had wanted to record a classic Jamaican vocal group in his newly built Black Ark Studio. The voice of Watty Burnett was added at the time to cover baritone vocal duties. The studio after various changes in equipment etc. was finally finding its way. A sound built in Lee Perry’s back yard in Cardiff Crescent, Washington Gardens, Kingston, but existing until then in Mr Lee Perry’s mind. The album they cut would be the defining group release to come out of The Black Ark studios, when the vital elements, vibes, musicians, songs and singing would gel to form ‘Heart Of The Congos’. Come the time of it’s release 1977, Lee Perry was in dispute with Island Records and opted to release the record on his own ‘Black Art’ label. Without the high-profile push of a major label, the record undersold and caused a split between producer and band. Under different circumstances maybe this album would be sitting in thousands of homes alongside the Bob Marley, Culture, Burning Spear releases. Cedric Myton went on to release albums with the French arm of the CBS label and Roy Johnson records and tours as Congo Ashanti Roy.

Cedric Myton the central force carries on the mantle of the Congos and we at Kingston Sounds are proud to pick up the story with another set of vocal statements, which sees Cedric cut some of his finest tunes. Helped along by another reggae legend Brent Dowe, lead singer of the Melodians (Rivers of Babylon), over some classic 1970’s rhythms. Yet again we find that magic formula of strong statements working alongside classic rhythms making the balance work. The Rasta message is still strong on modern classics like ‘King Rastafari Is His Name’, ‘Rasta Congo Man’ and the injustices of the world dissected in tunes ‘Some A Thief’, ‘Watch & Pray’ and the prophetical, ‘Citizen Of The World’.

Once touched by magic it does not fade away, but resurfaces as it has with what we believe to be some of the Congos most heartfelt and meaningful set of songs ...... Let the feast begin.

Following the recent vinyl reissue of Manuel Tur's cinematic downtempo album "Intertextural", originally self-released during the Covid 19 pandemic, comes this package of fresh remixes featuring interpretations of four standout tracks from the record by DJ Counselling, All Is Well and Yuu Udagawa.

London-based DJ Counselling opens the EP with his energetic version of "Omina", raising tempo and hands with an expertly executed arrangement, while the newly added filtered synth chords echo some of Tur's best-known releases of the late noughties. Next up is Montreal's Frédéric Blais aka All Is Well, who after his recent LP success on Drumpoet and another brand-new album under his main moniker Fred Everything just released, turns "Flakon" into a head-nodding groove masterpiece that recalls the subtle 90s trip-hop flavor of the original version. On the B-side, Tokyo native Yuu Udagawa, who has collaborated with Tur on several occasions, unleashes two beautiful and ethereal remixes of "Slow White" and "Shadowgraph" that let us float through her signature sparkling sound.

The highly anticipated follow-up to Thee Sacred Souls's breakout 2022 self-titled debut, Got A Story To Tell, features 12 all original new songs, a soaring statement of exquisite craftsmanship from this young band from San Diego whose story grows bigger by the day. Recorded and produced by Gabriel Roth at Penrose Recorders, in Daptone’s Riverside, CA studio, and written in the throes of supporting their 2022 album, which was met with significant excitement and major touring that brought them across the world. What swirls together on Got A Story To Tell is an appreciation of decades of soul music, and beyond - a sound and feel that is timeless, lived in, and very much in the now. Album opener “Lucid Girl” champions independent women, set to some of the toughest sounding drums and bass the band has yet to put to tape. “Waiting On The Right Time” slinks with a touch of slow-burning psychedelia. A plea for empathy punctuates “One and the Same,” with Lane singing: “We’re one and the same, I feel one day / We learn to live with each other / In love, not fear / Just for a moment, why can’t we be together.” “On My Mind” is a sweeping orchestration, with Lane navigating the complexities of finding happiness while balancing the good with the bad. The album is punctuated with strings and squelching guitar, trundling piano, pops of conga, horns - it makes for a thrilling, layered listen that rewards with multiple spins.

Old-School-Heavy-Metal der epischen Art! Phaëthon bringt auf ihrem ersten Album monumentalen klassischen Metal hervor, eine Meisterklasse in Sachen Metal. 'Wielder Of The Steel' ist ein acht Songs umfassendes Werk, das Fans von Manowar, Mercyful Fate oder Bathory zweifellos ansprechen wird. Phaëthon wurde 2020 in London gegründet und tauchte im Metal-Untergrund mit der Mini-LP 'Sacrifice Doth Call' auf, die später über Gates of Hell Records auf Vinyl veröffentlicht wurde.
Die Nummern auf dem Album haben einen gemeinsamen thematischen Faden, in dessen Mittelpunkt die warnende Geschichte von Phaëthon steht. Die Songs befassen sich mit den tiefgreifenden Auswirkungen von Erzählungen auf die Menschheit - seien es Götter, Aberglaube oder glatte Lügen -, die über die Grenzen der griechischen Mythologie hinausgehen. Es ist passender Textstoff für ein Album, das auf brillante Weise eine klangliche und erzählerische Reise durch Epochen der Tapferkeit und des Konflikts, verloren gegangene Imperien und epische Geschichten von Trotz und Ehrgeiz webt und dabei den ewigen Gegensatz zwischen der Hybris der Menschheit und ihrem unbezwingbaren Geist offenlegt.

Rock Hard (8,5 Pkt.)
"Vom Bandnamen und den Albumtitel über das Coverartwork und die Produktion bis zu den Songtiteln und den Synonymen, die sich die Mucker gegeben haben: Mehr Heavy Metal geht nicht - und das meine ich im wirklich allerbesten Sinne. PHAËTHON zocken Musik für Fans von (alten) Manowar, Atlantean Kodex, Scald, Visigoth und Eternal Champion; Musik für Menschen, die lieber zum Keep It True, Headbangers Open Air oder Trveheim als zum Wacken oder Summer Breeze pilgern. Der aus London stammende Vierer macht bereits seit Anfang des aktuellen Jahrzehnts mit diversen Veröffentlichungen (ein Demo, eine EP und ein Beitrag für eine Compilation) von sich reden und knüpft mit dem Debütalbum nun nahtlos an sein bisheriges Schaffen an. "Wielder Of The Steel" wirkt nicht zuletzt aufgrund seiner Produktion von vorne bis hinten absolut authentisch; die extrem live klingenden und stark komponierten Songs scheppern, dass es eine wahre Freude ist. Ein extrem guter Einstand - wer´s nicht glaubt, zieht sich als "Appetithappen" den fast zehnminütigen Titeltrack rein."

Tamil Rogeon, the Melbourne based multifaceted jazz, classical and electronic violin & viola player firmly cemented his reputation with the critical success of his 2021 album Son Of Nyx which was released on Soul Bank Music, Impressive Collective head honcho Greg Boraman's previous label. Lauded as a modal and spiritual jazz fusion opus, Son Of Nyx found favour with Gilles Peterson, Laurent Garnier, Rebecca Vasmant, BBC6 Music's' Cerys Matthews and Deb Grant, was a Jazz FM’ Album of the Week. Building upon that highly original sound concept, Wave Theory draws from the jazz fusion movements of the 70s and 80s and conjures up textured soundscapes rich with cosmic synths, soaring vocals and deep jazz funk, and sees Tamil once again joining forces with Son of Nyx contributors Rita Satch and Daniel Mougerman, plus new collaborators and special guests including Lance Ferguson and celebrated trumpeter, friend Audrey Powne. Listeners can expect the same modal experiments, driving percussion and cosmic synths of Son of Nyx as well as new and exhilarating experiments in electric string instrumentation. Across all 6 tracks the highlights are numerous, but of particular note are the album opener "Ascend it!"; a fusion masterpiece that seamlessly blends psychedelic elements, funk grooves, intricate melodies, and improvisation. When "Doom Date" takes flight we are transported to Mahavishnu Orchestra-like territory, before finishing with an angular melody that is pure jazz-fusion inventiveness. The irresistibly funky 'Gift Of The Gab” is built upon a hypnotic bass line over drum and percussion. Laden with synth and retro keyboards reminiscent of the deep funk of Herbie Hancock’s late 70s period. "Mountain Bug' alternates between minor and major keys, a hallucinatory violin solo is followed by a dazzling trumpet improvisation. A restatement of the melody accompanied by the gunfire of the drum set and percussion. Tamil says of Wave Theory “Sometimes themes reveal themselves through creative encounters and through life experience. I wrote and recorded the album in six months. A lot happened to me and my friends during that time so, for me, ‘Wave Theory’ is like a musical snapshot of life’s relentless ebbs and flows. It’s about the sadness and thrills of endless transformation and the power of creative connection".

John Davis is a sound artist and filmmaker based in the Bay Area. Active since the mid-aughts, he has published recordings on labels such as Root Strata and Digitalis, as well as on his own Bimodal Press imprint. “Landlines” sees a return to the SOD catalog for Davis, following a full-length release in 2013, and may be seen as somewhat of a spiritual successor to that album. In all of Davis’ work, there is a specific pastoral sensibility that feels firmly rooted in the forests and coasts of Northern California, moving with the delicate and erratic cadence of dust motes rendered visible in bright sunlight. Opening track “Verichrome” articulates the soundscape wonderfully, stitching together Music Mouse-esque formant synthesis and meditative vocal sampling with an exquisite minimalist suite for prepared piano. Of these recordings, Davis himself writes, “In a general sense the conceit here is nostalgia, a desire to reflect on the importance of connection – to ourselves and to the world around us. The title is, of course, a euphemism for the telephone, but I am also considering landscape, horizons, and infrastructure, as well as the invisible lines that connect us, the threads that bind us, and the communities that form us.”

Four years after their Discrepant debut - 'OOOO' -, Lisbon-based travellers Jibóia return to the fold with another offering of globetrotting psychedelia with 'Salar'. With the core trio of Óscar Silva, Ricardo Martins and Mestre André augmented by a stellar parade of collaborators on various roles, 'Salar' further expands on the transglobal visions by now pretty trademarked by the band. Intersped among shorter vignettes for drums, saxophone and bass, each of the more fully fleshed tracks casts a guest to elevate Jibóia's music to uncharted realms - both in a mystical and geographical sense.

Opener 'Selar' summons the cello of songstress Joana Guerra for a skewed dialogue with Silva's guitar, propelled by Martins' drums and percussion and André's electronic textures into 4 minutes and 20 seconds that feel epic - if there was any psychedelic numerological symbolism needed. On 'Solar', Silva's non-western plucking rides on for Yaw Tembe's trumpet to veer in a multitude in directions, while the mysterious 'Sitar' conjures the voice of moroccan musician Ayoub El Ayadi for a contemplative nighttime prayer. Elsewhere, guitarist Rui Carvalho aka Filho da Mãe injects dissonant guitar lines unto 'Sarar's pummelling dance and Pedro Augusto's electronics hover below the shapeshifting dynamics of 'Sonar', among mesmerising keyboard lines. 'Salir' featuring Daiyen Jone enchanted flute brings the album to a close at its most reflective, all crepuscular synth lines and reverbed handclaps.

Ten years after the release of his last project, Jaco returns with a 12-track solo album, signed to Stone Milk Records. Reflecting his last five years of travel and creation, this album bears witness to major transitions. A Brazilian singer-songwriter, Jaco offers a collection of nuanced, musically rich songs, where his poetry takes us into a gentle dream world. Imbued with a certain melancholy, we also find the joyful aesthetic influences of his world music project La Macchina Volante. Triste Alegre echoes the paradoxesoftheworldandofeachindividual,asoothingandoriginaljourneyofferedbythisartist-philosopherfullofmythsandtangents.

This release documents the coming together of two fallible musical instrument systems and their creator-operators. In June 2023, Graham Dunning's Mechanical Techno and Sam Underwood's Acoustic Modular System took a train journey to Galerie Paradise in Nantes, France. Following a period of exploration, points of cohesion, jeopardy and happenstance were exploited to create these nine unruly pieces that appeared initially on the ultra-limited vinyl release on the gallery’s record label. Now they celebrate a new pressing of Beaux Timbres on Accidental.

Using innovative methods, they create abstract, rhythmical and textural experimental soundscapes. Graham uses an extended turntable: a regular DJ turntable with numerous sensors, modified vinyl records and synthesizers creating irregular rhythmic patterns. Sam presents his Acoustic Modular System: a device for creating acoustic sounds with bellows, feedback and chaotic sequencers.

The sophomore effort from Gray/Smith refines their petroleum-based, hard-lullaby sound with a decidedly dusty precision. To call this pair's brand of country-rock détournement "cosmic" would be too breezy: L. Gray and Rob Smith prefer to stare into sunken depths, channeling their recondite affections for lay-by mauve zones and red-dirt guitar wanderings. Formed in the outer-edges of Kings and Richmond counties circa 2020, Gray/Smith is something of an East-Coast involution. L. Gray (guitar and vocals) and Rob Smith (drums, guitar and vocals) are both trusty veterans of "band's bands" like Pigeons (Soft Abuse), No-Neck Blues Band (Revenant, Locust), Rhyton (Thrill Jockey), and The Suntanama (Drag City), freewheeling groups known for mining from polyglot sources: rough-hewn folk and the spiritual avant-garde, bargain-bin hard rock and and collector's-choice psychedelia alike. On their first, self-released LP Gray/Smith, serendipitously recorded at Gary's Electric at the top of 2021, the pair trained their assured chops onto the great American song-form, honing a murky but tight approach that variously cribs "urban cowboy" and finger-picked primitivism. A string of cryptic appearances soon followed, including a short-lived residency at a now-shuttered vodka dive; a micro-tour with Coloradan songstress Josephine Foster; and a series of backyard and barroom gigs sharing stages with compatriots like Stella Kola, Blues Ambush, Samara Lubelski, and Wednesday Knudsen. Heels in the Aisle is the slipshod, burnt-out, mid-'70s unter-prog comedown to their debut's backwoods, bushy-tailed, early-'70s, country-rock meanderings_expect more unrestrained riffs, artful studio wizardry, and worn-down introspection. Joining the ranks of bloodshot-eyed, blues-rock medleys à la Canned Heat's "Parthenogenesis" and Grand Funk's "Into The Sun," "The SDSPS" is the nearly side-length opening cut, an expanded song-cycle condensing and riffing on the themes of their debut. "Help Me" ventriloquizes Pomona College outlaw Kris Kristofferson's slow-roaring ballad of libidinal woe. On the flip side, "Verrazano Tile" and the title track pay heed to lower bays of Staten Island, while their arrangement of the traditional Zimbabwean tune "Guabi Guabi" is a bright Dead/Feat-like jaunt with blissed-out wah-wah pay-off. "Gaslight Boulevard" is lean, mean, and eight-beers-in space rock, and the closing track "Kekule's Ring" is a slack-jawed, wistful crash back down to earth. All this, packaged in a luxe, expertly-printed sleeve photographed by downtown artist Lary 7 and designed by Eric Wrenn (Sophie's Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides).

with you in spirit, the fourth Balance and Composure LP, is an arresting, atmospheric collection of melodic post-punk and towering rock. Due out October 4 on long-time collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip’s Memory Music, it’s the band’s first LP in eight years, and a thrilling full-length comeback after their four-year hiatus. It thunders and stirs, dipping between beautiful, crystalline arrangements and punishing, earth-shaking climaxes; in between all, a gripping, near-physical tension crackles and growls and grooves, waiting to rip open.

with you in spirit, the fourth Balance and Composure LP, is an arresting, atmospheric collection of melodic post-punk and towering rock. Due out October 4 on long-time collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip’s Memory Music, it’s the band’s first LP in eight years, and a thrilling full-length comeback after their four-year hiatus. It thunders and stirs, dipping between beautiful, crystalline arrangements and punishing, earth-shaking climaxes; in between all, a gripping, near-physical tension crackles and growls and grooves, waiting to rip open.

Cloudy Baby Blue Vinyl. with you in spirit, the fourth Balance and Composure LP, is an arresting, atmospheric collection of melodic post-punk and towering rock. Due out October 4 on long-time collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip's Memory Music, it's the band's first LP in eight years, and a thrilling full-length comeback after their four-year hiatus. It thunders and stirs, dipping between beautiful, crystalline arrangements and punishing, earth-shaking climaxes; in between all, a gripping, near-physical tension crackles and growls and grooves, waiting to rip open. It's an intensely self-reflective record for vocalist and guitarist Jon Simmons, an uprooting and examination of the supports on which a life is built. Preemptive grief, wrestling with god and faith, familial responsibility, familial mortality_these are the things Simmons was carrying while writing this material. They're also things he was trying, for better and worse, to avoid_ hence the record's title. with you in spirit feels like the work of songwriters reaching new heights, exploring new depths. Sometimes, the record itself feels like a band grappling with its own avoidance, its own mortality, and deciding to face these things the only way they know how. Balance and Composure are with us in spirit, yes, but in the flesh, too, for now.

Twenty years ago, mclusky released their third album, The Difference Between Me and You Is That I"m Not On Fire via Too Pure. In the years since, their legend has only grown, proved by their recent sold-out tour dates. Alternative Press described them as "a smash up between the scabrous rock noise of the Jesus Lizard and the jagged rhythms and open spaces of Gang Of Four". Originally produced by the late, great Steve Albini, this reissue has been remastered by his close friend and Shellac bandmate, Bob Weston and is pressed on 180gram black vinyl.

Originally released September 29, 2009, Skyzoo’s first official full-length LP “The Salvation” is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this fall, via Duck Down Records. The Brooklyn-raised emcee first came to prominence on various Mix CD releases at the peak of hip hop’s blog era, but the album firmly established him as a major talent to be reckoned with, reminding hip hop fans that the hip hop music can still be true to life and heartfelt. An all-star roster of producers contributed beats to the project, including Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Nottz, Illmind, Black Milk, and Needlz. The 15th Anniversary vinyl will be pressed on a limited edition Navy Blue and White marbled vinyl, matching the colors of the most famous fitted cap from New York.

Three years after appearing on Doom Sessions Vol 5 split, High Reeper are back with their most ambitious album yet,"Renewed By Death". A true heavy metal assault of eight tracks that take you on a journey to the darkest depths and leave you there to rot. Featuring monolithic riffs that pummel you from the opening of the album to the close, guitar solos reminiscent of George Lynch and Dave Navarro, and powerful vocals that deliver a knockout blow. This album showcases the band's desire to keep evolving and exploring new sounds and ideas. "Renewed By Death" was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble at the band's brand new studio Sletner Sound, in Wilmington Delaware with Justin Di Pinto also engineering. The cover was done by Solomacello and photos of the band were done by Drew Wiedemann.

Neon yellow vinyl, limited to 350 copies. Three years after appearing on Doom Sessions Vol 5 split, High Reeper are back with their most ambitious album yet,"Renewed By Death". A true heavy metal assault of eight tracks that take you on a journey to the darkest depths and leave you there to rot. Featuring monolithic riffs that pummel you from the opening of the album to the close, guitar solos reminiscent of George Lynch and Dave Navarro, and powerful vocals that deliver a knockout blow. This album showcases the band's desire to keep evolving and exploring new sounds and ideas. "Renewed By Death" was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble at the band's brand new studio Sletner Sound, in Wilmington Delaware with Justin Di Pinto also engineering. The cover was done by Solomacello and photos of the band were done by Drew Wiedemann.

Doppel LP, limitiert auf 500 Exemplare. Handnummeriert! Inkl. Downloadcode! Draggo wird nachts im Hauptquartier überfallen. Doch nicht nur die Platten seiner Lieblingsband sind verschwunden, schnell wird klar: Es geht um mehr. Viel mehr. Eine ägyptische Gottheit, eine historische Rede, ein archäologischer Geheimbund und der ewige Erzfeind Klöten Klaus. Das neue Abenteur von L.B. Steel und seiner Brigade Steelforce. Metal, Alter... METAL! mit: Reiner Schöne, Bernd Egger, Steffen Lehmann, Björn Jung, Patrick Winczewski, Josephine Hochbruck Special Guest: Andreas "Gerre" Geremia & Tommi Piper

with you in spirit, the fourth Balance and Composure LP, is an arresting, atmospheric collection of melodic post-punk and towering rock. Due out October 4 on long-time collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip's Memory Music, it's the band's first LP in eight years, and a thrilling full-length comeback after their four-year hiatus. It thunders and stirs, dipping between beautiful, crystalline arrangements and punishing, earth-shaking climaxes; in between all, a gripping, near-physical tension crackles and growls and grooves, waiting to rip open.It's an intensely self-reflective record for vocalist and guitarist Jon Simmons, an uprooting and examination of the supports on which a life is built. Preemptive grief, wrestling with god and faith, familial responsibility, familial mortality_these are the things Simmons was carrying while writing this material. They're also things he was trying, for better and worse, to avoid_hence the record's title.with you in spirit feels like the work of songwriters reaching new heights, exploring new depths. Sometimes, the record itself feels like a band grappling with its own avoidance, its own mortality, and deciding to face these things the only way they know how. Balance and Composure are with us in spirit, yes, but in the flesh, too, for now.

Deranged Particles by Felix Henkelhausen, released 4 October 2024.

This version of Deranged Particles comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a opaque disc.

Following up on last years debut release, Chontane returns with Manx, the second EP on his label, TANE. This five-track collection continues his exploration of sound design, moving into fresh territory while retaining the distinctive energy that marked TANE001.

With TANE002, Chontane invites listeners into a diverse sonic landscape, emphasizing mood, texture, and the subtle intricacies of rhythm.
Manx marks a significant progression in Chontanes artistry, expanding on the
foundation set by TANE001, which echoed the nostalgia of 90s and early 2000s rave culture. While his first EP blended old-school, rave-inspired techno, atmospheric tracks, and a touch of jungle, TANE002 boldly ventures into new, uncharted territories. It challenges traditional genre boundaries, delving deep into the potential of sound design, and offering a forward-thinking perspective that feels attuned to the future.

The EP highlights Chontanes dedication to capturing a wide spectrum of moods and textures within a single record. The title track, Manx sets the stage with a dark, hypnotic presence. Rich in layered textures and atmospheric undertones, the track fuses a powerful kick with resonant toms, deep subs, and eerie pads. Haunting, glitchy vocal snippets add an extra dimension, making Manx a compelling, immersive experience.

On Gazebo, the EPs A2 track, Chontane shifts the energy, delivering a composition that balances driving rhythms with a melodic core. The combination of dynamic drums with an epic, mystical theme creates a piece thats both uplifting and introspective, standing out for its ability to evoke grandeur while maintaining a sense of optimism.

The B-side leans into a more shadowy atmosphere, with Oolean blending metallic
percussion and a throbbing bassline. The tracks ominous pads and powerful kick drum propel it forward, creating a narrative thats intense and captivating.
B2 offers a fitting conclusion to the vinyl release, presenting a track that blends dreamy, atmospheric melodies with a robust kick and driving sub-line. The mystical qualities of this composition make it an evocative and memorable closer.
The digital-only track, Thumb Print, rounds out the EP with a relentless, peak-time experience. Its hypnotic rhythm and expansive sense of scale make it a standout track, perfect for igniting dance floors and capturing listeners attention.

2025 Repress

For Fuse's fifth release, Brussels' Altinbas returns for a whirlwind of meditative and harmonious techno. Solidifying his identity of focused yet vibrant club music, the Fuse resident and label co-curator offers his second contribution 'Sustain' as a dancefloor-enveloping take on modern techno. Known for rich chords, whipping pads, and dry percussion, Altinbas proves once again that his touch as a producer revolves around balance and calculated effect.

'Trail of' kick starts the EP with flourishing synthwork and a taste of dub as has become the Belgian artist's signature. Dotting toms as rhythmic accents and a low to the ground shaker make for a swaying introduction with an infectious groove. Breaking things up in the second track, 'Life Force' presents Detroit style chord stabs and playful rhythmic work. With a mental synth at the foundation, the track presents 909 drums to reinvigorate atmospheric synths that make 'Life Force' a subtle hybrid of classic club genres. With a wink at Fuse's heritage and a peak into its future, Altinbas' focus on enduring music can be felt throughout 'Sustain' and truly understood in the Brussels club. As a fitting follow up, 'Purpose' opens the B-side with illuminating chords and rounded sound design and a pulsating low-end. With almost a lighthearted tone, the record fits across genres and rooms, claiming movement instead of mood as its sole medium. The title track 'Sustain' proves just that - a melodic sequence and progressive arrangement make for an intensely euphoric closing. Evolving melodies, opening filters, and big but calculated buildups sum up Altinbas's work for Fuse's fifth release on the new label. The record brims with warmth and yet it finds its way on darker dance floors with ease, providing a refined style of music that belongs only to him across the international scene.

Der 10fache Grammy-Preisträger, Musiker, Songwriter und Produzent FINNEAS veröffentlicht am 4. Oktober sein zweites Studioalbum „For Cryin’ Out Loud!“. Der 27-Jährige ist einer der derzeit gefragtesten
Produzenten weltweit und hat u.a. bereits mit Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez und Tove Lo
zusammengearbeitet.
Die gleichnamige Single, welche am 08. August veröffentlicht wurde, schafft den Auftakt und eröffnete den
Vorverkauf für sein bald zu erwartendes Studioalbum. Dieses entstand aus einer Reihe von Live-StudioJams mit einigen seiner engsten Freunde und Kollegen.
Im Gegensatz zu seinem Debütalbum ”Optimist”, das ausschließlich von ihm selbst geschriebene und
gespielte Stücke enthielt, erweitert FINNEAS auf „For Cryin’ Out Loud!“ seinen kreativen Horizont: Weg
von der Schlafzimmer-Produzenten-Mentalität hin zu einer klassischen Studio-/Band-Umgebung.
„For Cryin Out Loud“ folgt auf die Albumveröffentlichung seiner Schwester Billie Eilish „HIT ME HARD
AND SOFT“, welches er ebenfalls mit ihr produzierte. Seine musikalischen Werke, vor allem mit Billie
Eilish, etablierten ihn als einen von der Kritik am meisten gefeierten und preisgekrönten Produzenten und
Songwriter seiner Generation.

Pierce The Veil haben ihr ganzes musikalisches Können in die Waagschale geworfen und mit „Collide
With The Sky“ ein Top-20-Album in den US Billboard 200 veröffentlicht. Das dritte Album der Band
ist eine akustische Entdeckungsreise, die den einzigartigen Gesangsstil des Sängers Vic Fuentes, feurige
Gitarrenlinien und aufsteigende Melodien miteinander verbindet. Das Album wurde in den USA mit Gold
und in Großbritannien mit Silber ausgezeichnet und enthält den viralen Hit „King For A Day“. Erstmals
gepresst auf einer neuen Opaque Navy Blue Farbe, die nur außerhalb Nordamerikas erhältlich ist.

"OneDa's story is so clearly mirrored in her music: a sprightly flow preaching a message of empowerment, enveloped in a dark, raucous soundscape…interlacing vibrant, punchy lyrics with that classic drum & bass sound has given OneDa a new lease of life." – DJ MAG

“OneDa is solidifying her position as one of the UK’s most thrilling hip-hop artists. With poignant lyrics and charisma that is off the charts, she dives deep into the complexities of life, love, and liberation.” – DIVA

Manchester rapper and poet OneDa is set to soar with the release of her debut album, 'Formula OneDa', on October 4th via Heavenly Recordings. Featuring the singles 'Major Pay' and 'Set It Off.'

On the ethos behind the album, OneDa says:

“In early 2023, while listening to my mixtape demos, the line ‘had to step away, get the levels up fast, Formula OneDa never come last' from my song ‘Off My Light’ stood out. We decided to name my album 'Formula Oneda'. Coincidentally, I discovered that the F1 Academy had just started, aligning perfectly with my album’s vision. For the first time in over 30 years, Formula 1 has created a platform to inspire and support young girls and women. Previously indifferent to Formula 1, I am now excited by the progress these women are making in the male-dominated racing circuit. While becoming a racing driver was never my goal, the F1 Academy metaphor fits my journey from a backmarker to a leader. This year, I plan to support these inspiring women as they drive with Pussy Power to take pole position in motorsports.”

Having supported Kneecap and Baxter Dury, and with standout performances at The Great Escape, OneDa is establishing herself as one of the UK’s most dynamic hip-hop artists. Her music transcends genres, blending hip-hop, drum and bass, afro-trap, and afrobeats, reflecting her Nigerian heritage and Manchester roots. Known for her dexterous wordplay and poetic verses, OneDa's voice is a unique force in the evolving drum and bass scene. Her boundless linguistic talent and poetic verses set her apart. Named by The Face as a key MC in the drum ‘n’ bass renaissance, OneDa is dedicated to empowering others.
Her live performance credits include headlining with Angélique Kidjo at Aviva Studios' launch in Manchester and leading performances at Manchester Pride 2023. She continues to gain acclaim from BBC Radio 6, DJ Mag, The Face, NTS, Wonderland, UKF, and The Line of Best Fit.

Beyond her music, OneDa is dedicated to community initiatives, leading hip-hop therapy for Manchester youth and championing projects like Herchester, which amplifies marginalized voices in music. Her vision extends beyond chart success; she aims to establish a hip-hop therapy school for all ages, showcasing music's potential for positive change. Her drive and authenticity inspire others to embrace their true selves.

Citing 'empowerment' as her greatest inspiration, OneDa channels her struggle with acceptance of her queerness into her music, promoting a message of self-love and freedom: “When you truly love yourself, that overpowers anyone else’s opinion.” Although she only began producing music two years ago, OneDa’s debut LP showcases her mastery across multiple genres. Collaborations with artists like Sam Binga, Songer, Devilman, and Mr. Scruff highlight her versatility. Her standout verse on Vibe Chemistry’s 'Ballin’', with over 35 million streams, further cemented her reputation. Her first fully produced track, 'Rude Girl Flex', earned her a spot on the BBC 6 Music playlist and an appearance at the BBC 6 Music Festival.

"Once more with attitude: April Art have set out to do nothing less than change the world. That may seem bold, true, but you know what: They have the songs to back this attitude. It’s a modern metal sensation like no other, emerging from the underground and led by sparkling frontwoman Lisa-Marie Watz. In, fact, April Art have risen so rapidly in recent years that it could make you feel dizzy just by watching them. Now, however, the time has come for the big leap, for their breakthrough: their third album “Rodeo” unapologetically changes into the fast lane, speeding away from everyone else with huge hits, a brutal bite and peerless power.

Trigger warning: a German band hasn’t sounded this explosive, this hungry, this insatiable for a very long time. “Our music stands for hope,” says the German band. “We want to give strength and courage to believe in yourself and in life. The more people realise that they can take their lives into their own hands, the less room there is for hatred and envy.”


April Art deliver this important message in the best possible way – with uplifting, electrifying, euphoric music somewhere between modern metal and alternative rock. The band are just as averse to blinkers as they are to racism, homophobia or division, spicing up their energising brew with flavours ranging from pop to rap and electro. “Rodeo” gives us all wings. Let’s soar together. In 2022 and 2023 alone, April Art earned two million streams on Spotify, appeared on WDR Rockpalast and will be on stage at the legendary Wacken Open Air this year. "

"In July of 2023, Neil Young released the OFFICIAL RELEASE SERIES VOLUME 5, a stunning collection comprised of four classic albums that begins with the exciting renaissance that came with the release of FREEDOM in 1989, and continues on the unequaled exploration of collections RAGGED GLORY (1990), WELD (1991) and ARC (1991). In many ways, it is a musical travelogue of how Young saw the future and opened up creative worlds for the use of sound and originality which had not been used before.

Now, each of these titles from ORS 5 will become available once again as stand-alone albums on both
vinyl and CD. When these four albums were released in the box set last July, it was the first time they had
been remastered for vinyl."

"In July of 2023, Neil Young released the OFFICIAL RELEASE SERIES VOLUME 5, a stunning collection comprised of four classic albums that begins with the exciting renaissance that came with the release of FREEDOM in 1989, and continues on the unequaled exploration of collections RAGGED GLORY (1990), WELD (1991) and ARC (1991). In many ways, it is a musical travelogue of how Young saw the future and opened up creative worlds for the use of sound and originality which had not been used before.

Now, each of these titles from ORS 5 will become available once again as stand-alone albums on both
vinyl and CD. When these four albums were released in the box set last July, it was the first time they had
been remastered for vinyl."

"In July of 2023, Neil Young released the OFFICIAL RELEASE SERIES VOLUME 5, a stunning collection comprised of four classic albums that begins with the exciting renaissance that came with the release of FREEDOM in 1989, and continues on the unequaled exploration of collections RAGGED GLORY (1990), WELD (1991) and ARC (1991). In many ways, it is a musical travelogue of how Young saw the future and opened up creative worlds for the use of sound and originality which had not been used before.

Now, each of these titles from ORS 5 will become available once again as stand-alone albums on both
vinyl and CD. When these four albums were released in the box set last July, it was the first time they had
been remastered for vinyl."

Amputechture Beneath the technical flash, the fury, the fearless creative brinkmanship of the first two Mars Volta albums lay a potent seam of the blues, an existential vexation that powered every twist and turn of Omar and Cedric’s imaginations. That mournful vibe would come to the surface of the group’s third full-length Amputechture, a simmering/blistering set that was unquestionably the group’s darkest yet. There was no overarching theme here, no interlinking concept binding the songs together, though Cedric concedes that, lyrically, the album was influenced “by a lot of stuff I was going through, a really bad break-up and a lot of other crazy stuff, and trying to put that feeling into the record.” But Amputechture – its name another of the late Jeremy Michael Ward’s invented words – was no downbeat bummer. Opener Vicarious Atonement might’ve been a deliciously gloomy, slow-burning thing, capturing Cedric in delirious duet with Omar’s swooning guitar lines, accompanied by squalling saxophone by Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales and dream-frequency fuckery by the group’s new sonic manipulator, former At The Drive- In member Paul Hinojos. But second track Tetragrammaton swiftly set pulses racing, an epic-in-miniature and containing more ideas within its 16 minutes than most bands manage over an entire career, its proggy, complex guitar figures tessellating in infinite configurations and converging as if conforming to mathematical formulae from another reality. The raw material Amputechture was hewn from started life on the road. Omar now travelled with his own mobile recording studio – a little Neve ten-channel tape recorder and an array of microphones – and was able to work on new ideas on tourbuses, in hotel rooms and during soundcheck (and, occasionally, after the show was done). After touring for Frances The Mute was complete, Omar relocated to Amsterdam, staying with his photographer friend Danielle Van Ark and her partner, Nils Post. It’s here that he demoed Amputechture, flying in engineer Jon DeBaun, drummer Jon Theodore and his brother, Chino, to work on these raw sketches. He later returned to Los Angeles, where the album was finally recorded. Omar ceded guitar duties to his dear friend and kindred spirit John Frusciante, instead assuming the role of musical director. “I wanted to hear the sound of the band,” he says. “I thought, I’ll be able to sit at the console, feel the air of the speakers moving, the unified sound of everything, and not feel distant from it. It was fun, but it was also challenging.” Part of Omar’s new method was to teach the musicians their parts only moments before the tapes rolled. “To keep things fresh, and to keep everyone on edge,” he says, before chuckling. “No, not on edge – on their toes. Amputechture would prove The Mars Volta’s most diverse set yet, drawing into the group’s tornado of influences moments of fiery jazz spirituality and esoteric folk introspection, finding space for passages of devastating subtlety and also their most fierce and full-on moments to date. The aforementioned Vicarious Atonement found its meditative mood echoed by Asilos Magdalena, an intimate, acoustic piece that invoked traditional Latin folk music, as Cedric sang in Spanish a sorrowful tale of a lost soul’s quest for sanctuary within a Magdalen Asylum, a refuge set up by the Catholic church for “fallen women”. The shadowy, sinister closer El Ciervo Vulnerado, meanwhile, tapped into the darker side of spiritual jazz to further explore the album’s themes of redemption and religious myth and magick. Elsewhere, the interplay between guitar and clarinet on Viscera Eyes created complex, unsettling counter-melodies, while the coiling, ornate Meccamputechture – Cedric’s wild fusion of sacred texts, occultism and dystopian science fiction – proved a great showcase for Ikey Owens’ swarming, infernal organ runs, in concert with Frusciante’s arcane guitar-play. But it was Day Of The Baphomets that would prove Amputechture’s most ambitious and most defining epic. Cedric’s lyrics tore into the hypocrisy of religious cant and myths of sin and punishment. “I wanted to make a song that was like the movie The Believers, where this cabal stole kids and did some occult shit with them,” he explains. “But I wanted it to be like, ‘What if the people you hire to do jobs you don’t wanna do rise up one day and then pull some shit like that?’ Like it was the guerrilla warfare, them taking over – wouldn’t that be some fucked up shit? And the music just lent itself to that – the big intro, the bass solo, and all of the ruckus that occurs.” That ruckus was some of the most thrilling Mars Volta music yet, as Omar directed his musicians to rumble through fiery modes of wild tribal groove, ransack-the-palaces riot- rock and supreme progressive experimentalism. Amputechture, then, is the sound of The Mars Volta in imperial mode: fearless, insatiable, unstoppable.

A1 - Deep Sea
Hefty jungle breaks shudder and thud as Aural Imbalance chartsa path through the depths with a shimmering backdrop of glorious synths and padwork that dance gleefully around asymphony of gentle rhythms. An over-arching earworm melody develops and rises above the mix, intersecting with the break pattern which gradually adds to its own character and texture with muffled breaks beneath, all combining to create this superb EP opener.

A2 - Echoes In Time
Flexing his breakbeat skillset in style, Aural Imbalance cuts andchops fine analogue jungle breaks effortlessly as Echoes In Time showcases his ever evolving production talents on Spatial.Wisps of airy pads are floated in the mix that slowly rise around the listener, somber in tone with delicate keys, bells and micro-melodies that build the atmosphere with a wondrous clarity feware capable of achieving.

AA1 - Sense of Space
A DJ-friendly intro opens with a plinky melody and hi hats asserene pads slowly usher in rumbling, weighty amen breaks, edited to perfection as is fast becoming trademark for Aural Imbalance's breakwork on the label. As the soundscape develops, a softly, hopeful xylophone melody innocently shuffles around subtle keys and synths to cap off a tale of two vibes effortlessly moulded into another sublime atmospheric collage.

AA2 - Regolith
Closing the EP with a stunning analogue break-laden workout, Regolith sees Aural Imbalance delve deeper still into the oldschool brand new vibes of Spatial with a beat pattern that immediately makes an impression. Scattered and flecked across the mix, the edits juggle restless snares and hats with a dense kickdrum and subtle 808 bass, while a tranquil blend of ambient atmospherics circle inquisitively above.
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

A1 - Consensus Reality
JLM opens another stellar EP for Spatial with Consensus Reality, acheery, optimistic track which opens with lush keys, and filtered breaks. Soon we are treated to long synths brimming with optimism while melodies are formed from a slew of elements entangled in joyous harmony. This is a special track before we even mention the amazingly crisp apache breaks which are introduced and toyed with to the conclusion in JLM's inimitable style.

A2 - Salva Veritate
An eerie vibe immediately grips the listener for a remarkably intense atmospheric journey in the shape of Salva Veritate. Whooshing, reverberating synths punctuate a dense soundscape laced with tensionand intrigue. The hefty Hot Pants breaks drive the track perfectly with atuneful 808 rumbling below, as blippy sub-melodies and keys add further texture to the mix to complete an immensely memorable production from JLM.

AA1 - Hotspot
Mellow keys with a hint of jazz open Hotspot, as JLM adds further flex tohis repertoire in another impressively detailed journey through sumptuous atmospherics. The track quickly bursts into life in full flow with chunky breaks driven by juddering snares nestling over smooth 808 basslines andswathes of strings & pads that swoop across the mix to create a dreamy paradox of lively calm.

AA2 - Nova
A soothing way to close the EP as JLM opens Nova with long, relaxing synthwork before the delicate beat patterns begin with a symphony offiltered effects and soft notes punctuating the soundscape. Extended reverse cymbals and subtly used reverberating vocal samples add textureto proceedings as the cosmic breaks flow, as we have become accustomed to from JLM's exceptional output on Spatial.
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Born and raised in Sicily but now based in Berlin, SLV is known for his innovative approach to techno and its various shades. He has released on revered labels like Soma and received support from key industry players who respect his ability to blend old-school vibes with modern production techniques. Away from the club, he also produces music for film soundtracks, adding a sense of cinematic edge to his techno cuts and is a master of both analog and digital technologies - a true audio engineer who crafts unique, compelling sounds. Having previously featured on the labels Federation of Rytm III compilation, he returns to SHDWs Mutual Rytm imprint with his Night Echoes EP to open up October.

Graustufen opens with punch drum programming and scintillating percussion that dances atop the groove as booming bass brings serious weight down low. The superb Grand Cayman is another potent techno weapon, this time with icy synth atmospheres and eerie moods pervading the tightly programmed drums and bass to deliver an unstoppable force. Voids brings urgent funk with its hunched-over, closely stacked kicks and suspensory pads, which never let up and keep you locked in the moment, while Elastik Pho echoes a classic Detroit sound with its soul-drenched beats and serene, uplifting, beautiful hi-tek style. Last but not least, That Night shows SLVs extraordinary range as it brings some soulful vocal loops and optimistic chords over thunderous drums, which are sure to power dance floors through to euphoria. The EP includes two digital bonus cuts: Basic Uno, which is a raw, percussive and heads-down banger, and Persistence Of Memory, which is stripped-back, glitchy and dubby techno for strobe-lit warehouses.

Few bands are as focused on potential challenges, on what is yet to come, as The Ex. Which is pretty remarkable for a band celebrating 45 years of existence, a turbulent journey filled with an impressive series of highlights. However, nostalgia has never been this band's forte, as they like no other succeed in reinventing themselves, finding new alliances and fascinating challenges along the way. Stay out of that comfort zone for long enough and it just might disappear. The pandemic was a standstill for many, including The Ex. Or perhaps it was more a kind of recharging, as the band is back on national and international stages with new music, ready to return to the studio. So, in 45 years they did more than 2000 concerts in 45 countries. It was time for a new 45rpm 7" single. From the brand-new set they are playing full-on this year, they picked two blinking tracks: `Great!' and 'The Evidence'. Urgent, willful, adventurous, open hearted and joyfully obstinate. As such, The Ex remains true to that one, indestructible adage: forward in all directions!

Bones Shake are a scuzzy, fuzz enthused garage rock trio formed in Manchester in 2011. They play everything to the extreme; violent bottle-neck blues riffs, drums kicked, pounded and exploited and squeals of reverb drenched vocals which when combined, will help save your soul. With a relentless energy, they’ve never taken their foot off the gas. In July 2022 they released Bleed to critical acclaim, itself the follow up to 2019’s debut LP Sermons. Purge sees the trilogy complete. Through tirelessly playing across the UK and Europe, their cult following makes them one of the best not so kept secrets in the underground scene. Wherever they go they fill out venues and have now played the infamous Raut Oak festival twice. With a string of previous releases under their belt, they have gone from strength to strength and attracted attention worldwide. Imagine a desert dive bar, the only bar in a hundred miles, the soundtrack as the shots fly is Purge. Talking about the LP, Bones say that “we needed to purge ourselves of these songs so we stuck two fingers up, lodged them at the back of the larynx and spewed out a new album.” Opener ‘Banshee’ wastes no time in providing that proverbial kick to the face these guys are infamous for. With a gnarly vocal and guitar interplay you’re hooked from the first note; the intensity rises with every rotation and if this one doesn’t leave you breathless you are not listening loud enough. ‘One Kiss’ is a filthy little blues number that taunts and teases, while ‘Pretty Little Things’ takes you on a journey through their sound bringing out all the bumps and grinds you could possibly muster. ‘The Creeper’ is a bit different to their usual, adding a sense of intrigue and unease that draws you in deep. Lead single ‘Let Go’ is an adrenaline fuelled expedition through all the best parts of their sound, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. ‘Passive Intervention’ changes track a little, keeping you aurally attentive while title track ‘Purge’ is the experience that can’t be surmised, get the volume up high and release. With its rolling, thunder-esq. drums, closer ‘Stench’ rounds things off in the best way; leaving you wanting more. Purge is without doubt their strongest and most visceral release to date, dare you miss out on this experience

CECILIA is a nomadic soul. Like in an existentialist epic that traverses different ages on a phantom thread of love, spirituality, desire and rage. She inhabits different bodies, inserts herself in a whole array of different characters. Some are fictional, some are as real as the artists that inspired her, and whose influence appears in CHOEUR under the guise of tiny fragments, direct quotes, dedications and spectral presences. Cecilia channels the poetry of different lives that might have been her own or might have only existed in dreams, and does so within a collection of songs that twist the path of traditional French and Italian songwriting into the inmost recesses of electronic mysticism. The composition of CHOEUR took place mostly around January 2023, a pretty precarious time in the artist life, and happened in a spontaneous and ritualistic manner that could appear as somewhat odd in the realm of electronic music production. Birthing out of ego-free solo jams in hyphened states of consciousness and audience-less performances, these moments of do-or-die energy intake served to funnel the wilderness of her emotions into extremely tight arrangements, ultimately allowing a dramaturgy of fierce and beautiful songs into existence. Striving for the sublime, CECILIA trained her whole body for a paradoxical procedure of disconnection and reconnection. A crucial pin in Melissa Gagné’s system of 7-year creative cycles, CHOEUR marks her debut on Haunter Record as much as the first step towards the possibility of a new artistic identity. A labour of love if there ever was one. CHOEUR is made of Awe, Chants and Ravishment, of Pain until Vision. CHOEUR prays Earth, Water, Stars, Sea. CHOEUR feels Spirits, Lightning, Thunder, Dawn, Dusk, Blood, Flowers. CHOEUR invokes a Return, to Grace. CHOEUR loves Mud and longs to Play. CHOEUR lives in a Dream created by a Dream. CHOEUR lives in a Body created by Love. CHOEUR is about a broken heart, open and ecstatic, about the beauty and the sadness that all is not what could be, about wandering and wondering why were the stars made so beautiful?

"A group of tried-and-true musicians got together and found the sort of camaraderie and kinship you typically only find once in a lifetime. They didn’t overthink it. They didn’t waste a second. They simply left their blood, sweat, and tears on tape—like they’ve always done. For as much as Better Lovers represents the union of former Every Time I Die members Jordan Buckley guitar,Steve Micciche [bass], and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak [drums] with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Killer Be Killed frontman Greg Puciato [vocals],and musician (Fit For An Autopsy/END) and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, Will Putney [guitar], it really cements the bond of five friends around a shared vision. That vision is as uncompromising, unapologetic, and undeniable as anything they’ve individually done, yet it’s refined by experience and a commitment to a future together. They’re in it for the long haul... “To me, this band is refreshing,” exclaims Jordan. “Looking back, I’m so happy everything got me to where I am. The pandemic and the last few years made me hungrier and more grateful. This isn’t a hobby. This isn’t temporary. This is the next evolution for each of us. Greg and Will rejuvenated me and made me even more confident.



Now, everybody needs to know we’re a wild animal that just broke out of the zoo—there’s no trying to put it back in the cage.” “Better Lovers definitely feels like its own thing,” states Greg. “I’m in so many lanes right now, so it was important that one lane didn’t step on another. However, nothing I’m doing is this vicious. This is full-on scathing. It’s been really fun. I forgot how much I liked that.” As the story goes, Jordan ended up back in Buffalo, NY, jamming in a basement rehearsal spot with Steve and Goose during the winter of 2022. After working with Will on the last two Every Time I Die records, they shared a handful of early demos with him to produce. As the year progressed, Jordan caught Greg on the road with Jerry Cantrell in Las Vegas, mentioning the new music. Once ideas solidified, he shared them with the vocalist who replied at 3am one night in December. “The text said, ‘Let’s give these motherfuckers what they want’,”chuckles Jordan. “I went to bed smiling and laughing. There is no one like Greg on stage, off stage, or over text. Once I told Will, he was like, ‘Can I play?’ We said, ‘Of course!’ That’s how it was born.” “Once I pick up the scent, I’ll go for the kill,” smiles Greg. “We’ve all hung out, gotten to know each other, and it’s all fire now. Everyone has already been through shit. You know yourself better. Your ego isn’t as big as it used to be. You can share your opinions. It’s a cool dynamic.” Fittingly, they introduce this era with the single “30 Under 13.” A seasick guitar groove bleeds into an incisive riff punctuated by Greg’s vitriolic and venomous screams, “Hold onto me, try to let go of me, let go of what you’ll never be. ”This barrage unpredictably subsides on a haunting clean vocal, only to ramp back up into a pit-splitting thrash crescendo and rapid-fire solo played at warp speed. “We always try to up our game,” notes Jordan. “This is the next step for all of us. There’s just constant forward motion, and we don’t want to compromise that. We want to keep going. We’re doing a lot of shit we haven’t done before in Better Lovers. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but get ready.” “For some reason, this song got me,” recalls Greg. “Once that happens, you have the toe of the dinosaur skeleton in the dirt. You start brushing it away, and soon you have a fucking T-Rex.” The name might give you a hint of what’s coming—or it might not. So, what does the future hold for Better Lovers? Well, it’s entirely in their control. Expect a lot of touring. Expect more music. Expect these five guys to leave a trail of destruction in their wake—really would you want anything less? “We feel like we’re going to explode if we sit around any longer,” Jordan leaves off. “This is my life’s work. I learned all of my lessons, passed all of the tests, and took all of the right turns and the wrong turns. It turns out what I thought were wrong turns got me here, and that’s all that matters. I have no regrets. I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” “I just want you to view this on its own merits,” Greg concludes. “I hope it reaches some new people. For me, the enjoyment is making the music and putting it out. The second it’s released, I don’t look back. You drop the bomb and keep flying the plane. You don’t circle back to see how much destruction you cause. You keep moving, which is what we’re going to do.” "

Sasu Ripatti presents the fourth volume in his "Dancefloor Classics" series with five 10" releases coming throughout 2023. Music for imaginary dancefloors, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

”Look up, into the light” she said, while the camera shutter clicked. ”Like this? Does it look holy?” His neck felt stiff. Her reply: ”Yes, just like that. What do you mean holy? Like religious? ”No, more like trying to look very far, somewhere beyond what we can see.” ”Okay, stand still, I’m going to come close to you now. The light hits your face great.” click, click, click.

He noticed her fingernails. They were not polished. Natural. Even somewhat rugged, as if something wore out the fingers slightly. What had these hands held besides the camera? What made the edges of her fingernails drift off?

He thought it’s weird to look straight into the camera. The photographer had closed her left eye, the one not looking into the lens. Then it opened, she looked up, perusing the surroundings, then she closed her eye again, then looked up, closed, looking up, very quickly. It all seemed very professional. Maybe she calculated the light, making sure it’s close to perfect. ”What will these photos look like?” – the thought popped into his head briefly. It was liberating to think it wouldn’t matter.

”What’s that song playing?” he asked. ”Wait a sec, Ol’ Dirty Bastard?” she replied. ”Oh yeah, right. But the sample?” ”Hey, could you look up again, like that. No, lower.”

New directions: ”Look out from the window, turn left.” ”My left or yours?” ”Yours, I always try to think from the direction of my model.” How professional! This is a good shoot, so natural. Should I worry about how the photos look like? No, I don’t want to. His thoughts bounced around. What would the story be like? It’s a big newspaper, everyone will read it. Maybe someone drinks coffee and eats a stroopwafel while they do it. Will they place the waffle on top of the mug for a brief while, so that it gets hot and the syrup melts a little? Then it feels wet, and you can bend the cookie.

She broke his train of thought off midway through: ”Now turn right, but look left, and slightly up, but don’t turn your face right.” ”Umm, like this? Sounds like a set of pilates instructions.” she laughed ”You do pilates?” ”Yeah, it’s hard sometimes. Have you tried?” ”No”, she said. ”I’m not good for sports that are done in groups.” ”Yeah, but in pilates you can just be inside your mind, drowning in your private thoughts.”

”What are you thinking in pilates?” she asked, taking more photos. ”Well, mostly just which way is right. And which left.” click, click.

Q&A with Sasu Ripatti:

1) Tell us something about the EP series ”Dancefloor Classics”, what’s the idea and what can we expect?

I’ve been slowly writing these sort of dance music pieces and finally curated them together for a conceptual release. I like to create music for a dancefloor that exists only in my imagination and doesn’t try to suck up to the standardized reality.

2) Your vinyl format is 10” which is quite special (as opposed to LP / 12”). Why did you choose it?

It’s my favourite format, absolutely. The size is perfect, and you can make it sound really good @ 45 rpm. And you still can make great artwork.

3) You seem interested in sampling/repurposing, what does it mean to you as an artist to approach something already existing from a new angle? How does the source material inform you about the approach to take?

I guess i could flip it around and just say I’ve outgrown synths or electronic sounds to a great extend, and having gotten rid off all my synths already good while ago I’ve used samples as my main source material a lot. It’s obvious on this series that i’ve sampled existing music, but I also sample instruments and things in the studio and resample my own library that I have built over the years, it’s quite large. To me the end result matters, not so much how I get there. Once I have something on my keyboard and play around, it’s all an instrument, though with sampling other music it becomes a really interesting and complex one as you’re possibly playing rhythm, but also harmonic content and maybe hooks or whatever, all at once.
I never sample premeditadedly, like listening to records and looking for that mindblowing 3 sec part. I just throw the cards in the air and see what lands where, just full intuition and hopefully zero mind involved, playing tons of stuff, trying things, just recording hours of stuff. Then comes the interesting part to listen to hours of mostly crazy stuff and finding that mindblowing 3 sec part.

4) What is your relationship with the dancefloor (conceptually and/or in experiences / as a performer)?

Very complicated. I have never really felt comfortable on a dancefloor but have always wanted to. There’s something in club music, in theory, that really speaks to me. It has never really materialized for me – speaking mainly from a performer’s point of view who goes to check on a dancefloor for a moment after a concert. I never have DJ’d or felt much interest towards it. But again, I love the idea and concept of DJing. As well as producing music for imaginary DJs. Lately, as in the past 10+ years, I haven’t even performed in any sort of club spaces. So my relationship to the dancefloor is quite removed and reduced, but there’s quite a bit of passion and interest left.

All tracks composed and produced by Sasu Ripatti.
Artwork & photography by Marc Hohmann.
Mastering by Stephan Mathieu for Schwebung Mastering.
Vinyl cut by SST Brueggemann.
Publishing by WARP Music Ltd.

Sasu Ripatti presents the fifth and last volume in his "Dancefloor Classics" series. Music for imaginary dancefloors, released on Ripatti's own label "Rajaton".

--

”Look up, into the light” she said, while the camera shutter clicked. ”Like this? Does it look holy?” His neck felt stiff. Her reply: ”Yes, just like that. What do you mean holy? Like religious? ”No, more like trying to look very far, somewhere beyond what we can see.” ”Okay, stand still, I’m going to come close to you now. The light hits your face great.” click, click, click.
He noticed her fingernails. They were not polished. Natural. Even somewhat rugged, as if something wore out the fingers slightly. What had these hands held besides the camera? What made the edges of her fingernails drift off?
He thought it’s weird to look straight into the camera. The photographer had closed her left eye, the one not looking into the lens. Then it opened, she looked up, perusing the surroundings, then she closed her eye again, then looked up, closed, looking up, very quickly. It all seemed very professional. Maybe she calculated the light, making sure it’s close to perfect. ”What will these photos look like?” – the thought popped into his head briefly. It was liberating to think it wouldn’t matter.
”What’s that song playing?” he asked. ”Wait a sec, Ol’ Dirty Bastard?” she replied. ”Oh yeah, right. But the sample?” ”Hey, could you look up again, like that. No, lower.”
New directions: ”Look out from the window, turn left.” ”My left or yours?” ”Yours, I always try to think from the direction of my model.” How professional! This is a good shoot, so natural. Should I worry about how the photos look like? No, I don’t want to. His thoughts bounced around. What would the story be like? It’s a big newspaper, everyone will read it. Maybe someone drinks coffee and eats a stroopwafel while they do it. Will they place the waffle on top of the mug for a brief while, so that it gets hot and the syrup melts a little? Then it feels wet, and you can bend the cookie.
She broke his train of thought off midway through: ”Now turn right, but look left, and slightly up, but don’t turn your face right.” ”Umm, like this? Sounds like a set of pilates instructions.” she laughed ”You do pilates?” ”Yeah, it’s hard sometimes. Have you tried?” ”No”, she said. ”I’m not good for sports that are done in groups.” ”Yeah, but in pilates you can just be inside your mind, drowning in your private thoughts.”
”What are you thinking in pilates?” she asked, taking more photos. ”Well, mostly just which way is right. And which left.” click, click.

Senking and DYL team up again after first collaborating for a track on 2020’s »Uniformity Of Nature« EP that also featured different solo productions by the two producers. »Diving Saucer Attack« is the first full-length record by the German artist and his Romanian collaborator, released through the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk label, home to the former’s work for more than a quarter of a century. The six pieces, two of which were produced individually, both showcase the duo’s shared interests for dub-heavy, adventurous electronic music while also emphasising the productive friction generated by the subtle differences between their respective approaches.

Cluj-Napoca-based DYL, real name Eduard Costea, cites his colleague Jens Massel’s work and especially his »Ping« EP—released in 1999 through Karaoke Kalk—as a crucial point of reference for his own development. »He’s one of the producers who inspired me to start making music,« he says. Massel was already familiar with his partner’s eclectic productions when he was approached by him with the idea of collaborating for a piece in 2020. They didn’t stop there, as Massel explains »It went very well and ever since we’ve been sending each sounds and tracks.« As their first joint album, »Diving Saucer Attack« documents the multi-faceted results of this on-going process.

The album opens with a track in true Senking style. Throbbing bass frequencies, haunting synth melodies and carefully placed rhythmic elements form a slow, but driving groove. Before DYL’s »a7r380R« introduces the listener to his anthemic take on IDM, the collaborative second track »2024« showcases how well their respective philosophies complement one another: the two create a detailed soundscape in which an intricate interplay of percussive elements and melodies can unfold. The title track transforms rattling drums and growling bass sounds into a laid-back, spooky trip-hop tune with a live-jazz feel, while »Astral Project« sees the duo venture into the uncanny regions of dub techno. »Not Just Numbers« closes on an even more sombre note—a fitting closing statement to an album full of twists and turns.

»Diving Saucer Attack« is a special album on more than the musical level. Massel released his first records under different guises such as Fumble, Kandis, and Senking through Karaoke Kalk between 1997 and 2001, after which he focused on his work as Senking, putting out a string of iconic albums through raster-noton, among others. 23 years after his last Senking LP for Karaoke Kalk, 2001’s »Silencer,« his return is as non-nostalgic as you’d expect it from such a forward-thinking producer: together with DYL, he continues to explore the possibilities and outer limits of electronic music in an intergenerational dialogue.

Tokyo's Ryota OPP, who has released for Meda Fury / R&S, Le Temps Perdu, is going to start his own label Encrypt Nude and release his own sounds.

He has a long experience as a buyer and curator of the 2nd hand record shop "Coconuts Disk Ekoda" in Tokyo.
From this experience, he represents the influences that come from his favourite non-dance music such as Santana, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, and managed to implement the mood of jazz, minimal, experimental, ambient, world, psychedelic feeling into his deep house music productions, and his DJ style.

'Palace' on the A takes us to an ambient/electric deep house place, utilising ethnic oriental percussive sounds in combination with cosmic Detroit flavours

On the B-side, a magical, psychedelic sound with chord progressions influenced by Terry Riley or the minimal moments of Jaco Pastorius forms into a deep house progression, equally influenced by the raw machine soul of the motor city.

photography by Julie Sundberg
artwork by Ayako Goka
mastered by Isao Kumano (PHONON Studio)

repress !

Patrice Scott emerges from the studio, once again, with a fresh 4-tracker of authentic Sistrum sounds to soothe, move and invigorate listeners, worldwide.

The vibes are high and the grooves are modern, yet firmly rooted in tradition. Put simply, this is proper deep house music for the heads, crafted as only Patrice can. Enjoy the sonic journey…

1 – For My People
A low-slung groover, “For My People” opens the EP in fine form. Soft chords lay the groundwork as the bassline bobs and weaves through the rhythm section. Liquid synth stabs soon punctuate the groove, as dreamy layers float in and out. Without a doubt, this is a high quality head-nodder and a dancefloor delight.

2 – Let’s Dance
Elevating the BPMs ever-so-slightly, “Let’s Dance” gets moving with a proper, straight ahead rhythm, sprinkled with just enough shuffle to add that P. Scott signature. Blippy keys bounce atop a backdrop of sweet synth chords while the bassline punches through in refined fashion. This is the Sistrum brand of deep, hypnotic, spiritual house music, straight up.

3 - Abstract Jazz
This one is all about those keys… Amidst the crisp, punchy beats, the electric piano dances and hypnotizes. There is really only one option when this cut is on the system - close your eyes and feel it.

4 - The Detroit Track
Nothing less than an homage to his hometown and the sounds and culture that have shaped a musical revolution, “The Detroit Track” is a study in timeless quality. Jazzy synth riffs, punchy bass, spacey echoes and classic, shuffled beat structures remind us that Detroit house music has a special magic unto itself. Feel the magic and let it move you.

For almost 10 years and with 3 albums on the clock, Voilaaa has established itself with a unique style, reviving African rhythms and atmospheres in the colors of Disco dancefloors and Funky arrangements, all often accompanied by lyrics and vocals tinged with humor and commitment.

As a result, the Afro-Tropical adventure launched by producer Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart today leaves behind a host of hits (“On te l’avait dit”, “Spies Are Watching Me”, “Ben Bene La”, …), as well as trips around the globe and as many gigs and festivals, but also and above all numerous and lasting collaborations with singers like Lass, Pat Kalla, Sir Jean, Ayuune Sule, Rama Traore, or Fouley Badiaga, the latter which also marks its great return on two tracks of the album.

With C'est tout, Voilaaa returns to us without revisiting this unstoppable recipe, while seasoning things with a more Latin and Caribbean inspiration, brought back in Bruno Hovart's suitcases after several stays in South America in recent years. Introduced last spring with the release of a first maxi single, this new opus once again delivers hit after hit.

As on the already famous “Faché” alongside Pat Kalla, which displays all the classic assets of Voilaaa’s sound: punchy Afrobeat horns, woozy chords and crunchy clavinet licks rising above a low-slung, hypnotic, dub disco-meets-Afro-boogie groove. The rest of the album is not to be outdone with a total of 14 wild tracks entirely composed by an unstoppable Bruno Hovart.

Two exceptions confirm the rule, a beautiful interpretation of the song "Love and Death" by Ebo Taylor, where Voilaaa's Afro skills perfectly melt with Angolan and Brazilian vapors, beamed by Joao Selva's lovely vocals; as well as a magical cover of “Too Young to Die”, transporting Jamiroquai to the crossroads of Africa and the Antilles, carried by the superb vocal performance of singer Olivya (Dowdelin) for a first collaboration.

Well, Voilaaa is back as its best, “that’s all” (C’est tout).

Katia und Marielle Labèque, das berühmte Klavier-Schwestern-Duo mit mehr als fünfzigjähriger Karriere,
veröffentlichen ihr neues Album, das der Musik von Philip Glass gewidmet ist als umfangreiche 3-LP Box.
Mit Begleittexten von Philip Glass und Fotos von der Aufführung in der Pariser Philharmonie.
Sein zwischen 1993 und 1996 komponiertes Triptychon, das auf den Filmen von Jean Cocteau basiert, wird
hier vervollständigt. Nach ihrer viel beachteten Aufnahme von ”Les Enfants Terribles”, die hier enthalten
ist, präsentieren die Pianistinnen nun zusätzlich auch die beiden verbleibenden Werke der Cocteau-Trilogie:
”Orphée” und ”La Belle et la Bête”, arrangiert von Glass’ Musikdirektor Michael Riesman.
Nach seiner Porträttrilogie (Einstein, Gandhi und Echnaton) wandte sich Philip Glass für seine Opern
den Werken von Jean Cocteau zu. So greift er den Mythos von ”Orphée” (Orpheus) und ”La Belle et la
Bête” (Die Schöne und das Biest) wieder auf. Er schließt seine Trilogie mit ”Les Enfants Terribles” (Die
schrecklichen Kinder) ab, einem ebenso tragischen wie erschreckend leichten Roman, in dem zwei Kinder
in den vier Wänden ihres Zimmers eine imaginäre und grenzenlose Freiheit erlangen. Dies sind Themen,
die Glass’ hypnotische, unendliche Musik unter den Fingern von Katia und Marielle Labèque aufs Schönste
beschwört.

Maelstrom returns to Central Processing Unit for the fourth time, and it's the one born Joan-Mael Péneau's lengthiest drop on the Sheffield label yet. The French artist has been a mainstay in the European electro game since the 2000s, and Malestrom brings that experience to bear on new LP The FM Tapes. He goes about this album with the assurance of a seasoned pro, combining his mastery of electro production techniques with a trademark guile to craft an expertly-paced eleven-track affair.

The first section of The FM Tapes sets out the album's stall with style and aplomb - listeners are in store for a rich feast of off-kilter machine-funk which will feature no shortage of intriguing detours. On opener 'Ondes Courtes' the mix throbs with all manner of strange electronic gristle: a distorted bass hum rattles the monitors; wisps of distortion float across the mix; eerily pretty keys wax and wane before giving way to a radar pulse.

'Ondes Courtes' is an ominous slouch of a scene-setter, and it lines things up perfectly for following cut 'Alt50ser' to lock in. This track's churning, gurgling mid-tempo rattle brings to mind the wacky insistence of Modeselektor. Maelstrom repeats the slow-fast one-two again directly afterwards - 'La Vie Sociale Des', a strange nugget that sounds like an early Eski instrumental stripped for parts and blasted into the cosmos, is an ideal prelude to the twitchy space-funk of 'My Digitone'.

Maelstrom's staying power in the electro world comes, in no small part, from his ability to apply his delightfully idiosyncratic choices to some of the genre's staple production tropes. On The FM Tapes, he marks himself out once more as a pleasingly unorthodox talent by taking tracks in unexpected directions to produce surprising - and often rather moving - results.

There are multiple cuts here which channel the more cerebral end of Richard D. James' AFX/Analord output: 'My Digitone' may be a quicksilver techno-electro number, but there's still something cinematic about the synth treatment here which softens the edges; 'Suede's minor-key oscillations bring other CPU veterans like Cygnus and Bochum Welt into view; 'Res 06', one of two Fasme collaborations on the record, is full of pathos even as the beat programming bangs and whirrs throughout.

While there's a deep emotional undercurrent to The FM Tapes, though, Maelstrom's commitment to bringing the thrills surfaces time and again. If 'Res 06' had Maelstrom and Fasme getting wistful, the album's other Fasme link-up 'Trempo' is one of the hardest club joints here, a piece of old-school Detroit energy replete with some great cascading drum production. Indeed, 'Trempo' comes in the middle of a run towards the album's end where Maelstrom takes the handbrake off - there's a wild-eyed sense of fun to 'The Operator' and 'Upside Down DX7' which has one thinking of the zany cut-and-thrust of KiNK's best work.

Maelstrom's latest drop for Sheffield's Central Processing Unit label is an album of leftfield electro numbers that bring both pounding beats and poignant production.

RIYL: KiNK, Modeselektor, Cygnus, Bochum Welt, AFX

UK-born, Lisbon-based DJ, Producer, Songwriter, and activist Megatronic joins the RNT roster with her ‘Do I Belong To You?’ EP, a bold statement of her soulful and visionary sound. Side A opens with the deeply emotive ’The World’ featuring soulful and melancholic vocals by Stavros, then moves to the pulsating and freewheeling groove of Nuffin’ But Love (co-produced by Jitwam) and finishes with the jazzy vibes of Organic, with Meg’s sultry spoken poetry floating over live instrumentation. On the flip side two superlative remixes by heavyweights Jimpster and Kiko Navarro take Meg’s music straight to the dance floor, with Jimpster bringing is his signature lush deep textures to ‘Been Thinking’ (the original of which is available as part of the digi EP only) and Kiko delivering an acid afro-house banger of a mix on ‘The World.’ A gorgeous listen from beginning to end, this EP captures a sound that feels both classic and futuristic all at once.

U-BEND return with a couple of certified benders.
Road-tested this summer from Maceo's, Pikes and The Pagoda all the way to the Worlds End...
Bringing euphoria to both early morning dance floors and kitchens alike, BNDRS003 dives deeper into the chugger side of the U-BEND sound with both tracks clocking in well under 100bpm. ‘50Peter20' combines a driving, sweaty 90bpm groove with waves of a half remembered blissed out melody.
'Bending You Bending Me' pulls in a more exultant direction, where a familiar voice gradually percolates up out of a hypnotic guitar-driven groove.
As always, these are verified as go-to options for the last track of the night or the first track of the morning.

Reissue

Carl Finlow has been turning out killer electro since forever and is the man behind the revered Random Factor alias. He started it back in 1994 and since he's brought us four full lengths on 20/20 Vision, with a new one dropping very soon. In the meantime, here's a reissue of one of his most in demand classic EPs that's back on wax after initially making waves way back in 2000. The cuts draw on electro-pop and lithe future disco a la Metro Area, from the sparkly 80s-vibed opener 'Old News', 'Richochet' - imagine dub techno rerouted through guitar-led funk - to the more heads down, deep and moody dancefloor delight 'Update' and the indelible melodies of closer 'Swing'. Timeless machine funk from one of its latter day masters.

Back In Stock!

Debuting on Fluid Funk with a lush and lax voyage dreamy coastal scapes, Dutch artist Uzu Moon dishes out feel-good, Cali-funk-informed vibes by the dozen over the course of four delectably smooth tracks, infused with elements of LA beat, soulful house and post-balearic elevation - including a rework from Cody Currie.

A bespoke late-summer joint to bump out loud in your open-top, "Asa" gets the ball rolling slo-mo style, brittle piano stabs chiming alongside mangled rap samples, playful acid spurts and a languid jazzy shuffle to drive it all. Funky synth hooks blazing, "Sunder, Love" lets off washed-out RnB vibrations over beds of 303-emulating squelch, topped off with a guitar solo a la Santana like you're chilling out in Venice Beach.

"When I Get Home, I'll Know It's Over" then heads for the opposite side of the Pacific with its koto-esque resonances, soft tapping drums and rugged acid loops weaving a melancholia-laced, loungey narrative for the dance floor and not. "Sunder, Love" as reshaped by Shall Not Fade affiliate Cody Currie revs things up two notches further, turning the original into a doped-up chugger, primed for sustained hustlin' n bustlin' in the ballroom with its convulsive congas and vaporous melody fluttering like a groovy butterfly.

Gil Tamazyan is the founder and president of Capsule Labs, a boutique pressing plant, record label and analogue mastering studio in Los Angeles. He has been making cultured sounds for twenty years and does everything from deep house to Italo disco while drawing on a wide range of influences from the words of jazz, funk and more.
-On “Morning Cleanser,” Gil Tamazyan beautifully crafts a deep house record with notes of jazz sprinkled throughout.
-Pressed on 180g black vinyl for the best listening experience.
Gil Tamazyan unveils "Morning Cleanser," a musical gem that masterfully blends house and jazz, showcasing his signature authenticity and groove. The EP begins with "Bumper Car Theater," where Gil's craftsmanship paints a spacious sonic landscape. A steady bassline anchors the track, while ethereal chords drift, inviting introspection and calm. As dawn breaks, the title track "Morning Cleanser" emerges with vibrant chords and infectious beats. The groovy bassline sets the rhythm, and spirited vocals infuse the track with energy, awakening the senses and stirring the soul.
Continuing the journey, "My Body" offers a sultry exploration of sound and sensation. Smooth keys intertwine with dreamy vocals, creating a warm and intimate ambiance. The rhythmic groove carries listeners away, transporting them to a realm of pure musical delight. Closing the EP, "News Cast" weaves a tapestry of rhythm and melody. Powerful kicks and a punchy bassline drive the track, while a sultry saxophone ties back to the opening track, adding a sense of allure. With "Morning Cleanser," Gil Tamazyan delivers a mature and grounded musical experience, inviting listeners to tune in and vibe out.

Over the past four years and under his Tyresta alias, Nick Turner has been integral to operations at PITP's sister label, Fallen Moon Recordings. His meticulous curation for FMR showcases top-tier sound collages and experimental electronic music and that dedication shines in Lia Kohl and Daniel Wyche's latest release, 'Movie Candy. It's a captivating exploration of free-spirited electronic music that seamlessly blends cello, guitar, synths, voice, field recordings, and electronic treatments into a record that brims with both nostalgia and innovation. Wyche describes it as an homage to the obscure ephemera of films-like the allure of candy wrappers and the mesmerising cinema carpets-forging vivid memories that linger and evolve through time.

Clan Caimán, led by composer Emilio Haro, is a group from Argentina, but their timeless, organic music transcends nationality. “Pica-Pau” (woodpecker), their third album, is their most abstract and minimal to date, but this is not a cold abstraction nor an austere minimalism; the music here, with its focus on rhythm and texture, is warm and hypnotic, seeming to have existed forever despite the fact that it was recorded in 2023-24. As on their previous albums, all with EM Records, the music is driven by the kalimabafon, Haro’s self-made tuned percussion instrument. The kalimbafon’s patterns weave through waves of reverb-drenched lap steel and guitar, as bass undertow and sans-cymbal percussion allow the music to flow music inexorably forward, like a broad, timeless river. The compositions here have a feeling of being immersed in deep night, surrounded by life, away from the enclosed isolation of the urban environment. As with previous albums, the compositions are instrumental, the exception being the final song, a vocal version of the opening track, sung in a language invented by Haro.

No one has lived a life quite like Marcos Valle. He became an overnight international sensation, fled a military dictatorship, dodged the Vietnam war draft, had his music sung by Homer Simpson, made enemies with Marlon Brando, and became an unsuspecting fitness guru for multiple generations. But to truly understand the great Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and multi instrumentalist, one must listen to his music.

Lead Single (Life Is What It Is) : Between the release of his first album in 1962 and today, Marcos Valle has released twenty-two studio albums traversing definitive bossa nova, classic samba, iconic disco pop, psychedelic rock, nineties dance and orchestral music. He has also had his songs recorded by some of the all time greats, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Sergio Mendes, Elis Regina, and (last but not least), Emma Button of the Spice Girls. He has also had his music sampled by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pusha T and many more.


With his twenty-third studio album Túnel Acustico, Valle set out to bring it all together.

“I believe my music is many things. It goes in different directions. I have many different ways of writing music, sometimes it’s melodies and harmony, sometimes the groove is the focus. But all the music I have made over my sixty year career is unified. It is all natural and it is all sincere. And this is what I wanted to bring to my new album.”

A prominent feature of Valle’s career has been his dual residence between Brazil and the USA. Originally moving over in the mid-sixties on the back of bossa nova’s international proliferation, Valle toured with Sergio Mendes and became hugely in demand as a composer and arranger. But the Vietnam War loomed and the threat of being drafted saw him return to Brazil. He spent the following years in Rio writing music for TV and film, as well as four cult favourite albums in collaboration with some of Brazil’s most groundbreaking musicians including Milton Nascimento, Azymuth, Som Imaginario and O Terco.

By 1975, Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most oppressive, making living and working increasingly difficult. Valle moved back to the US where he would reside in LA, writing songs for, and collaborating with the likes of Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, Chicago, Sarah Vaughn and Leon Ware, amongst others.

Túnel Acústico features two songs originally conceived during Valle’s time on the West Coast: “Feels So Good”, a stirring two-step soul triumph written in 1979 with soul icon Leon Ware, and the sublime AOR disco track “Life Is What It Is”, composed around the same time, with percussionist Laudir De Oliveira from the group Chicago.

Built around an unfinished demo Marcos found on a shelf in his house 44 years after it was made, the “Feels So Good” demo was restored with the help of producer Daniel Maunick, who also utilised AI stem-separation to remove the placeholder vocal ad-libs. Valle added Portuguese lyrics to sit alongside Ware’s vocal hook, as well as extra keyboards and percussion.

Also written in late seventies LA, “Life Is What Is It” was co-penned by Laudir De Oliveira from the band Chicago and first released on the bands’ Chicago 13 album with lyrics by Robert Lamb. Another nod to his good times in LA, Valle recorded his own version for Túnel Acústico, upping the tempo and deepening the groove for a blast of irresistible summer soul.

On Túnel Acústico, Valle's core band features two members of the renowned Brazilian jazz-funk group Azymuth: Alex Malheiros on bass and Renato Massa on drums. The rhythm section is completed by percussionist Ian Moreira, with additional contributions from guitarist Paulinho Guitarra and trumpeter Jesse Sadoc.

The contemporarily composed music on Túnel Acústico features an impressive lineup of guest lyricists, including renowned Brazilian artists: Joyce Moreno (Bora Meu Vem), Céu (Nao Sei), and Moreno Veloso (Palavras Tão Gentis) as well as Valle's brother Paulo Sergio Valle (Tem Que Ser Feliz).

The album closes with "Thank You Burt (For Bacharach)", a tribute to the legendary composer who passed away in 2023.

Túnel Acústico will be released on 20th September 2024 via Far Out Recordings. Valle is set to tour Europe and America in support of the album.

Frankfurt’s Max Buchalik is in the early phases of his production career but has many years of experience throwing parties in his hometown, where he is a pioneering force. With his deep understanding of dancefloor dynamics, he now pairs his love of the 80s with rich sound designs on his debut release for Brooklyn-based imprint Melodize.

Opener ‘Higher State’ is a bright house cut awash with sugary, pixelated chords and twinkling pads. Its retro-future charms and colourful, uplifting arps all serve to get hands in the air and heads amongst the stars. Remixer Venice Arms is an alias of accomplished dark disco don Curses, who has long been a fixture in the Berlin underground. His take on ‘Higher State’ is a snappy proto-house cut with 80s synth work and natty chords that are busy and full of fun.

The second original ‘Midnight Passion’ is another vibrant track with throwback synth progressions and retro textures. The melodies shine bright as they rain down over snappy drums and melancholic leads packed with exciting emotions. Remixing this one is Italian DJ, producer and label owner Fabrizio Mammarella, who has a fine discography that takes in releases on DFA, Permanent Vacation and Correspondant, as well as his own Slow Motion Music, Wrong Era Records and Emet. His lively disco-house version is lit up with shiny chords, chattery percussive patterns, woodpecker-like hits, and sustained chords that will dazzle the dance floor.

London-raised, Lisbon-based songwriter, producer, and DJ William Florelle has been on our radar at R2 Records for some time now having released some of our favourite organically soulful
electronic jams of recent times, so when the opportunity came to release some of his music it was a natural fit.

“Red Velvet” is a sultry and soulful jam that typically blurs the lines between Will Flo’s soul-driven influences from jazz through R&B to club-focused dance music capturing his unique organic yet
electronic syncopation.

The maestro Kaidi Tatham has delivered a stunning remix featuring his signature broken-jazz virtuosity – timeless music.

Karizma comes in the door with one of his beat-down Dubs for that late-night drop, and finally Ato Ayerra blesses the release with the Beringel “2am Snack” Remix.